As the morning came and the holidays ended, Devilin got out of bed to go and make breakfast for her family. As she was fixing the food, she heard her daughter coming down the stairs. Wild Fire got to the kitchen and saw her mother. "Good morning, Mother."
Devilin then turned her head to see her daughter. "Good morning, my sweet little flame."
Wild Fire smelled the aroma in the air. "Mmmm, that smells great; what are we having?"
"We are having blueberry pancakes and dumplings." Then Devilin asked her daughter, "Would you be a dear and set the table?"
"Okay, Mother," Wild Fire said as she went to the cabinets and stood looking up at the doors; she lifted her front hoofs above her head and as she did, the doors swung open and the plates levitated down to her hoofs. Then she went to the drawers to get the silverware.
When Wild Fire finished setting the table and Devilin was about to serve breakfast, Salaries appeared as his usual cheerful self. "Good morning, my beloved family."
"Good morning, Dad," Wild Fire said with a smile.
"Good morning, my beloved husband," Devilin said with her usual half-cheerful and half-grimacing self. Then Devilin placed the food on the table and all three ponies sat to eat breakfast.
As they ate, Salaries asked, "So, Wild Fire, are you ready for another day of school?"
"I sure am; Daffodil and I are going to meet Paintbrush and Outback at the cafeteria at lunchtime."
"And what are your plans for today, my sweet wife?" Salaries said as he looked at Devilin.
"I am going to take it easy today and just read a book or watch TV."
After breakfast was finished and the table was cleared, a knock at the front door was heard and Wild Fire went to answer it. When she opened the door, she saw Baby Daffodil standing there. "Hey, Daf."
Baby Daffodil asked, "Are you ready for school?"
"Sure, let me go tell my parents that I'm going." So Wild Fire went back to her parents. "Mom, Dad, Daffodil's outside so I am going to school now."
Devilin said, "Okay, dear, have a good time."
Salaries added, "And be sure you and Baby Daffodil don't let those colts suffer too much." He gave his daughter a big grin.
"What is the fun in having a coltfriend if you can't let them suffer now and then?" Wild Fire said as she grinned back at her father. She turned around and went to the front door and headed to school with Baby Daffodil.
As their daughter left, Devilin said to Salaries, "Shouldn't you be heading for Pony Pride?"
"You are so right, my love." Then Salaries gives Devilin a goodbye kiss and headed to the university, leaving Devilin to spend a relaxing day at home.
As Devilin was resting on the couch the doorbell rang, causing her eyes to flame up as she got off the couch. "If that's a salespony, I am going to give him or her a one way ticket to the underworld."
But as Devilin reached the door and opened it, a familiar face was on the other side. "Hi, Devilin!"
"Hello, Daffodil, what can I do for you?"
Daffodil was remembering her conversation with Salaries when they had met on his way to work about Devilin's insecurity when she was alone and that she would have to ease her way into the house. So Mother Daffodil walked up to Devilin and slipped behind her while saying, "You don't mind if I come in, do you?" Devilin turned around to face Daffodil as she shut the door behind her.
Then Mother Daffodil asked, "Why don't we go to the living room to talk?" She went and sat down on the couch with Devilin trailing behind her.
With a little irritation in her voice, Devilin asked, "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Well, when I was watering my flowerbed I saw your husband as he was going to work today and I asked him if he thought you would not mind if I came over for a visit- if, of course, you were not too busy with housework- and to my delight your husband said that you were taking it easy and he thought it was a lovely idea for me to come here for a visit, and here I am."
After Devilin heard Mother Daffodil's story, she thought to herself, "Salaries, if you can hear my thoughts, then hear this! When you come back from work today, I will rip your heart out of your body and feed it to the hungry wolfs in the Dark Forest for this."
Meanwhile, at Pony Pride, as Salaries was teaching history class a cold stabbing chill ran down his spine, as if Death himself was hovering over him ready to take his very life. It made Salaries feel that it would be healthy to stay in a hotel, rather than go home after work.
Back at the house, Devilin was trying her best to not throw Mother Daffodil through a window. "I was planning on taking it easy today," she said.
Mother Daffodil said with a grin on her face, "Nonsense! It is such a beautiful day out, I thought that we could go to the Dream Valley Mall and do a little window shopping, just us mares, and maybe buy a few things; wouldn't that be fun?"
Devilin then got up from her seat and told Mother Daffodil, "I need to go to the powder room, so I will be right back."
Mother Daffodil said as Devilin went to the restroom, "Alrighty, I will be right here when you come back."
But when Devilin got to the restroom, she winked to the Flatlands next to a large cliff and sensing no ponies around, Devilin began to build up all her anger and with a great big yell, threw all the built-up rage at the cliff next to her. It caused a great explosion that put a giant gaping hole in the cliff face. Feeling less angry, she winked back to the restroom and flushed the toilet for Mother Daffodil's benefit.
When Devilin got back to the living room, a worried Mother Daffodil said, "You looked a little tense when you went to the restroom. Did everything go all right?"
Devilin said with a little smile, "Everything went fine; there is no need to worry."
So Mother Daffodil asked, "How about us going to the mall? It's one of the biggest malls in Ponyland."
Devilin, seeing that there was no chance of Mother Daffodil leaving her alone, decided to give in. "That sounds fine; let me get my purse and we can go." As Devilin was getting her purse she started thinking to herself, "When Salaries gets home he's going to wish that he had battled me, instead of falling in love with me, when I get through with him for putting me in this situation." Then she grabbed her purse and Devilin and Mother Daffodil headed for the mall. When they got there and went inside, Devilin looked at all the shops and asked Mother Daffodil, "So where do we go from here?"
Mother Daffodil went to look at the mall directory to see what store looked inviting. "Hmmm, this fashion and accessories shop on the second level looks like a good place to start off on." So the two mares headed to the second level and found the shop. Going inside to browse the merchandise, Mother Daffodil saw a combo that she thought looked lovely; she put the outfit on and went to the full length mirrors to look at herself, thinking that it looked perfect on her. Then she went to ask Devilin her opinion. "Do you think that Ranger will think I am beautiful in this outfit?"
Devilin, having the ability to sense the outcome of things, said to Mother Daffodil, "Ranger will think that you look beautiful in that outfit."
With Devilin's reassurance, Mother Daffodil decided to buy the outfit. As the salespony was ringing up the cost, he said, "That will be twenty-two jangles."
Mother Daffodil, surprised at the price, looked at the salespony and complained, "But the rack this was on says sixteen jangles."
But the salespony refused to listen as he said, "This is twenty-two jangles; ether pay it or put the outfit back."
Then Mother Daffodil started to get upset at the salespony and said, "That's just not right; the rack says sixteen jangles."
As Devilin watched the two ponies argue about the price of the outfit, Devilin began to become irritated and decided to fix the problem. She walked toward the salespony and grabbed him by the neck with one of her front hoofs and lifted him off the floor. Mother Daffodil looked on unbelieving at what she was seeing. As Devilin held the pony up she said, "My friend said that the outfit was sixteen jangles and if you don't wish to be sent to the next dimension, I would advise you to change the price."
And as the salespony listened to Devilin, he said with fear in his voice, "Yes ma'am, anything you say. Just don't hurt me." Devilin let the pony down and as his back hoofs touched the floor, the salespony changed the price of the outfit from twenty-two to sixteen jangles and with a shaky hoof gave the outfit to Mother Daffodil and said, "Here, and please forgive me for my terrible mistake."
Mother Daffodil looked at the salespony sternly. "Just don't let it happen again." Then the two mares turned to leave; as they left the store, Devilin stared at the security cameras, causing the film in the security room to only show static during their time in the store.
Outside the store, Mother Daffodil, still in disbelief at what had happened, said to Devilin as she gazed upon her friend, "Devilin, I never in my whole life saw a mare lift a stallion in the air with only one hoof; you must be the strongest mare in Dream Valley."
Devilin looked at Mother Daffodil with a half-smile and said, "That stallion just made me so mad when he thought that he could walk all over you because you were a mare that my adrenalin started pumping up to a point that gave me an extra burst of strength."
"That's amazing. I sometimes wish I could do that."
"Daffodil, you are much too kind-hearted to get that angry."
"I suppose you're right; I guess I just have to take you along when I do my shopping."
Devilin smiled at Mother Daffodil, while inside she felt like going back to the Flatlands and putting another hole in the side of the cliff. She thought to herself, "Now what have I gotten myself into?"
As the two mares walked on, Mother Daffodil saw a sign at a beauty shop that said, "Today only, get two full makeovers for the price of one!" Mother Daffodil thought that would be nice after the hassle she had with the salespony and said to Devilin,"Oh, look, Devilin, that beauty shop is having a two-for-one sale on makeovers! Why don't we go halfies on it and get one?"
Devilin looked toward the beauty shop, thinking that she would prefer not to have a bunch of ponies poking and pulling on her, said, "I would rather not."
Mother Daffodil's head dropped as she said with a sad voice, "If you really don't want to I guess we can forget about it."
Devilin, looking at how downtrodden Mother Daffodil was, thought to herself, "I can't believe what I am about to say and I know that I am going to regret it later." So she said to her friend, "Daffodil, I have changed my mind and decided to do the makeover."
Mother Daffodil, hearing this, lifted her head up and with a smile on her face said, "This is going to be so much fun, don't you think?" She took Devilin by the foreleg and dragged her into the beauty shop.
Devilin said as she smiled at Mother Daffodil, "Oh, yes, it will be fun." She thought to herself, "As much fun as being in a torture chamber, as Salaries will soon be when I get home."
When they got inside, a mare walked up to them and asked, "May I help you?"
"Oh yes, we are here for the buy-one-get-one-free full makeover." Mother Daffodil pointed to the sign outside.
"Very well, if you will follow me, we can get started." The mare took them through the shop and into a back room, where two other mares were waiting to guide them into a large tub full of herbal mud. As their clients sat in the mud bath, the shop assistants began to apply herbal mud facials and placed cucumber slices on their eyes. One of the mares told Devilin and Mother Daffodil to lay still, and that they would be back within two hours to take them out of the tub.
During the two hours Devilin thought to herself, "All I wanted was a relaxing day at home, and here I am sitting in a tub full of mud with mud and a vegetable on my face; and all because a particular stallion had to tell the only pony in Ponyland, who would find a way of screwing up my day out of the kindness of her heart, that I was home; and Salaries better get ready to take a whole lot of cold showers for awhile." Then Devilin heard hoofsteps coming toward her, and when the hoofsteps stopped she felt the cucumbers being lifted from her eyes.
As her eyes began to focus, she saw a mare over her saying, "Now, let's get you two out of that mud, so we can get started on the cosmetic part of your makeover." Then she gently began cleaning the herbal mud off Devilin and Mother Daffodil.
Then Devilin and Mother Daffodil were guided to the makeup room. As they were again seated, another mare began looking over Devilin's face. "I have never seen such flawlessness in a pony's face as you have; you must take very good care of your skin."
Devilin looked at the mare. "Oh yes, it took me a couple of centuries to get this look." Devilin gave a nonchalant grin at the mare.
The mare gave a little giggle as she said to Devilin, while applying makeup to her face, "A couple of centuries, huh? You have such a witty sense of humor."
When the mare finished applying the makeup and Devilin looked at what she had done, she thought to herself, "Not bad for a mortal." But said to the mare, "You do very good work."
"Well, thank you."
Then Devilin stared at Mother Daffodil as she admired herself in the mirror. A mare came in to guide them to the hair stylist and as they sat, two hair stylists came up to them and began to look at their hair. "My goodness, I have not seen hair cuticles in this good of condition in my whole time as a hear stylist! You must tell me your secret!"
Devilin, not wanting to go through how perfect she was again, just smiled and said, "I use a homemade shampoo that's been passed down from generation to generation."
"If I was you, I would see if I could patent it; you could make a fortune."
Devilin, wanting to get off the subject, said, "That's an idea, thanks for the suggestion."
"Not at all, glad to help." Then the mare looked at Devilin closely and as she came up with a style for her mane and tail, she began to place them in the sink and started washing any contaminates that could lay within the hair.
After the washing, curlers were placed in Devilin and Mother Daffodil's manes and tails. They were placed under the duel hair dryer that dries mane and tail at the same time. During this, four mares came and kneeled in front of them. Two of the mares took their back hooves and the other two took their front hooves to manicure them. When their hair was dry and their manicure was finished, they went back to the hair stylist for finishing touches.
The two looked at each other, and Mother Daffodil said, "You look exquisite, Devilin."
Devilin, for the first time since Mother Daffodil had dragged her to the mall, gave her friend an honest and genuine smile. But Devilin, not really good at giving compliments, instead told Daffodil how her husband would react in seeing his wife all dolled up. "Daffodil, your husband is going to fall in love with you all over again when he sees you." Then the mares went and paid for the makeover and then started walking to see what other stores piqued their interest.
While they were walking, Mother Daffodil's stomach began to growl. "Devilin, I am getting a bit hungry; let's stop at the food court to get something to eat." So the two mares made their selection and sat down to eat. Mother Daffodil, while stuffing her face with food, began to talk. "I know of a wonderful store we can go to, and it is just a few shops down from here."
Devilin, trying to eat while seeing food fly out Mother Daffodil's mouth as she talked, said with a little irritation, "Daffodil, didn't your parents ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?"
Then Mother Daffodil closed her mouth and swallowed her food, and only when there was no food in her mouth did she speak again. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."
Devilin, trying her best to keep her cool, told Mother Daffodil, "That is all right; just don't let it happen again."
"Don't worry, I won't." Mother Daffodil gave Devilin a reassuring smile; and when they finished their food they started on their way to the store Daffodil had mentioned.
When they got there, Mother Daffodil said, "Here we are Lemon Treats' Boutique; she has the best head apparel in Dream Valley, from Clare's Creations in Vulcanopolis to the hottest fashions in New Pony!" Devilin, unimpressed with mortal fashions, looked at Mother Daffodil with a false look of enthusiasm as they walked into the shop.
"May I help you," said a yellow mare as she walked toward Devilin and Mother Daffodil.
"Oh, yes, I would like to see your latest styles for my friend and me," Mother Daffodil said, pointing to Devilin.
"Very well, then, please follow me." Then the three mares walked deeper into the store and came upon a row of hats hanging on the wall. "Here we are; the hats on this wall are the latest in fashion apparel. Why don't you two try them on and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me over!"
When Lemon Treats left the mares to help other customers that came into her shop, Devilin with a bored look on her face went to sit in a chair as Mother Daffodil started looking over the hats. As Devilin's eyelids were beginning to get heavy and she started drifting off to sleep, suddenly Mother Daffodil yelled out, causing Devilin to jump out of her seat with her heart feeling like it was coming out of her chest.
"Devilin, I found the perfect headpiece that you can wear!" Mother Daffodil walked to Devilin and placed the hat upon her head. As Devilin was coming out of the shock of being jerked out of a peaceful sleep, she thought to herself, "I should rip her tongue out for startling me like that." But as she lifted her head and looked in the mirror that stood in front of her, she saw a crimson red round-rimmed hat with a three-inch cylinder that was flat on top which had a black band laying just a quarter inch from the rim. As Devilin stared at it, she gave a small evil grin and said, "This hat almost feels like it was made for me; you have picked well, Daffodil."
"I just knew you would like it," Mother Daffodil proudly said.
As Devilin admired herself in the mirror, she thought, "Yeah, Daffodil, lucky for you or you would be in a world of hurt right now."
Then Lemon Treats came up to the mares and as she saw the hat Devilin was wearing, she announced to them, "That hat you have on comes with a red silk scarf; let me get it for you."
When she came back with it, she laid it fashionably around Devilin's neck; as Devilin took another look at herself in the mirror, she said with a gleam in her eyes, "I am going to buy this."
"Very good, madam, I shall place it in a hat box for you and you can pick it up at the counter when you are ready to go." Lemon Treats gently took the hat and scarf from Devilin and went to the back room to have her assistant, Fern, place both items in a hat box.
Devilin felt that because Mother Daffodil had found such a nice hat for her, that she should help Mother Daffodil find a hat as well. Devilin went over to Daffodil and told her, "Now how about us getting you a hat?"
Mother Daffodil looked at Devilin with a confused look on her face. "I have looked at all the hats and just can't find one that I really like."
Then Devilin told her as she gave an evil grin, "Well, let me look and see if I can't help you with your problem." So Devilin walked over to the hats and as she stood in the middle of them, she closed her eyes and began turning her head as if she was looking through her eyelids. While Devilin was doing this, Mother Daffodil was watching her with a puzzled look on her face.
As Lemon Treats and Fern walked out the back room with Devilin's package, they also saw Devilin walking around the store with her eyes closed. Lemon Treats made her way to Mother Daffodil and asked, "What is your friend doing?"
"She's looking for a hat for me," Mother Daffodil said with a troubled look on her face.
"A hat, with her eyes closed," a confused Lemon Treats spouted out as the three mares looked on at Devilin. She avoided obstacles as if she could see them; as she reached a pile of hats she placed a foreleg within the stack and, still with her eyes closed, pulled out the most magnificent hat Mother Daffodil had ever seen. Devilin opened her eyes and walked over to Mother Daffodil, presenting her with the hat. "Here is the hat that most fits the type of pony you are."
As Mother Daffodil accepted the hat, she said with a look of amazement, "How were you able to navigate through the store and find such a lovely hat with your eyes closed?"
Not wanting to go into a long story, Devilin just said, "When I was a filly, I always had this second sight and my mother told me that it was because I was a special unicorn."
Happy with the explanation Devilin gave, Lemon Treats said to Mother Daffodil, "This hat comes with a lovely violet velvet scarf; I shall go and get it for you." As Lemon Treats went to get the scarf, Fern went to the counter to wait on customers.
Mother Daffodil started examining the hat. It was a light shade of purple with an oval-shaped rim that was slightly curled in the front and heavily curled in the back with an oval-shaped domed top. Laying on top of the rim were all types of different shades of purple flowers. As Mother Daffodil was placing the hat on her head, Lemon Treats came back with the scarf and laid it around her neck. As Mother Daffodil looked at herself in the mirror, she asked Devilin, "So what do you think, Devilin?"
Devilin thought of something nice to say. "If I did not know you, I would think that you were a fashion model."
Then Mother Daffodil, with a big grin on her face, said. "I will take them."
"Very good, madam, I shall place it in a hat box for you and you can pick it up at the counter." Then Lemon Treats gently took the hat and scarf from Mother Daffodil. Devilin and Mother Daffodil went to the counter as Lemon Treats came out of the back room with Mother Daffodil's package; she laid it next to Devilin's package on the counter and asked, "Will you be paying in jangles or credit?"
Devilin and Mother Daffodil each pulled a credit card from their satchels and said together, "Place them on our Ponyland Express cards." After the two mares made their purchases, they headed out of Lemon Treats' Boutique.
As Devilin and Mother Daffodil was walking, Mother Daffodil suggested, "I think that we should at least buy one gift for our husbands and foals before we leave the mall, don't you think?"
Devilin, remembering that her daughter had been a good little filly, thought it would be nice to get Wild Fire a gift; but when she thought of her husband, the only thing that came to her mind was that she would not find a store that would carry any type of torture equipment that she could use on him. So Devilin thought that it would be a good idea to get the foals' their gifts first, so she would have more time to think of her husband's gift. She suggested to Mother Daffodil, "How about we get the fillies' gifts first?"
"Okay, let's go to B.P. Toys. They carry the most popular bands and they have a store in the mall." The mares headed to B.P. Toys and as they approached the front entrance, Mother Daffodil looked in the display window and saw the My Little People Beach set that her daughter had wanted for Christmas, but it had been sold out before she and her husband could buy it. It was now on sale for half price at B.P. Toys. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe my luck!" a happy Mother Daffodil announced.
"What has got you so excited?" Devilin asked.
"They have the My Little People Beach set that our daughter wanted on Christmas, but we were unable to get it, and now they have it for half price."
Devilin, remembering that Baby Daffodil had gotten their own daughter hooked on those My Little People toys and seeing how excited she was about getting the beach set, decided to get one for her daughter, too.
As the two mares went inside and told the sales pony that they wanted to buy the My Little People beach set, the salespony said. "I am sorry, but we only have one more left in the store."
Mother Daffodil looked toward Devilin and said, "What rotten luck, I guess our daughters can share the one beach set."
Then Devilin, with a smile on her face, said in return, "There is no need to share one." Devilin put her attention on the salespony and said, "If you would let me go to your back room, I will show you that you have two beach sets."
The salespony didn't believe Devilin but decided to oblige the mare. He took them to the back where the playset was sitting and told Devilin, "You see, ma'am, only one in stock."
But Devilin gazed around the surrounding area and saw a pile of empty boxes that the playsets had come in; she went to move the cases to reveal nothing less than a My Little People beach set that was accidentally hidden from view!
The sales pony, looking astonished, said in amazement, "Now how did you know that there was a playset under all those boxes?"
Mother Daffodil went up to the salespony and told him, "That is my friend's special unicorn ability."
The salespony replied, "Well, if I was your friend and I had her ability, I would be a private eye." Then the salespony had the stockcolt take the two playsets to the cashier for the mares.
Devilin and Daffodil reached the cashier and purchased their playsets. Afterwards, Mother Daffodil announced, "Now for our husbands." And off the mares went.
As they walked a few stores down, Mother Daffodil saw a store that read "The Stallion Store" and thought that it would be a good place to check out for their husbands. "That store looks like it could have what we need," Daffodil said to her friend.
So the mares headed inside and began looking around,; as they looked a salespony came up to them and asked, "Is there anything I can help you fine mares with?"
The flattery that the salespony gave them made Mother Daffodil give him a pleasant smile, while Devilin just rolled her eyes in the air and said to herself, "Oh, brother, how corny can you get?"
But Mother Daffodil asked the salespony, "Yes, I would like to look at anything that an outdoors pony would be interested in."
Then the salespony turned to Devilin. "And what can I show you, madam?"
Devilin was pulling on a tie a stalliequin was wearing around its neck. "You wouldn't happen to carry anything a mare can use to torment her husband, do you?"
The salespony gasped as he said in a shocked voice,"I would think not, madam!"
"I thought not," said Devilin as she released the tie.
Then the salespony took them to the outdoors section of the store and Mother Daffodil asked her friend, "Having a little trouble at home?"
"Let's just say that my husband said the wrong thing at the wrong time."
"Well, I hope that you two will be able to patch things up soon," Mother Daffodil said while patting her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Daffodil; by the time I get home I will have probably forgotten all about it." Devilin muttered under her breath, "Or not."
The salespony stopped and told the mares, "These six aisles have everything an outdoors pony could want."
"Thank you very much for you assistance."
And with that said, the salespony went on his way, and Mother Daffodil looked at Devilin. "Devilin, would you please use your unicorn abilities to help me find the perfect gift for my husband?"
Devilin, wishing now that she had never helped Mother Daffodil find that hat at Lemon Treats' Boutique, said in the most pleasant tone she could muster, "For you, Daffodil, it would be a pleasure."
"Oh thank you," Mother Daffodil said as she gave Devilin a hug.
Then Devilin stood in the middle of the aisle and closed her eyes as she began walking. Within a few minutes, Devilin stopped in front of a fully loaded backpack. "This is what your husband desires."
"Are you sure? My husband already has one," a bewildered Mother Daffodil asked.
"Yes, this is what he desires," an irritated Devilin repeated.
Knowing that Devilin had never been wrong on her predictions, Daffodil went to pick the pack up to buy. "This is heavy, I don't think I can lift it."
Devilin then sighed and went to pick up the pack. "Here, let me have it." With one hoof, she tossed the pack over her shoulder. "Let's go," she commanded as she started walking.
Then Mother Daffodil yelled, "Wait, you do not have a gift for your husband!"
Devilin turned around and said, "My husband and I need very little to be happy, so it would be hard to find a gift for him."
"Then I guess it's my turn to help you out." The mares walked around the store some more until they came upon a display that caught the attention of Mother Daffodil. "This looks interesting." She began to read the advertisement to Devilin. "This is the amazing unirod that can turn to any nonliving object you desire, using the latest in unicorn pony technology." Mother Daffodil looked at Devilin and asked, "So what do you think, Devilin; this looks like it would be the perfect gift for the hard-to-buy-for pony."
Devilin, looking the object over, said to her friend, "I guess this would do." She picked the package up and the two mares went to the cashier to pay for their purchases.
As they walked out of the store they began to hear some oohs and aahs below them; as they looked down over the balcony at the lower level, they saw a stallion doing a martial arts exhibition. "Let's go down and get a better look," Mother Daffodil said with a little enthusiasm.
"If we must," Devilin said with disinterest in the affair.
The mares went downstairs and started watching the stallion's performance. "Isn't this exciting, Devilin!" Daffodil exclaimed.
Devilin looked at the stallion as he jumped in the air, kicked his back legs, and swung his forelegs around. "I cannot see what is so great about a stallion that looks like he has a mental problem."
The stallion, overhearing the two mares, stopped his exhibition and walked on over to the edge of the stage where the mares stood. With a bitter look on his face he addressed them. "Hey you, the red unicorn mare with the big mouth! Unless you can beat me in martial arts, I would advise you to keep your mouth shut."
Devilin, her eyes turning fiery red with anger at hearing the stallion's insult, turned and faced him. "I would advise you to turn and leave before you make me any more angrier."
"Why don't you come up and make me leave, unless you are afraid of chipping a nail." Then the stallion laughed in Devilin's face.
Devilin started walking up the side steps of the stage as she told the stallion, "You will wish you had heeded my warning before this is over."
Mother Daffodil looked with worried eyes as Devilin reached the top of the stage, but also remembered how strong her friend got when she was mad. She yelled at Devilin,"Be careful and don't hurt him too much!"
As Devilin and the stallion came face to face with each other, the stallion said with a smirk on his face, "I will enjoy this."
"If pain is what you enjoy, you will," was Devilin's reply.
Then the stallion said to Devilin, "Let's see what you've got."
Devilin said in return, "Oh, no, I insist; stupidity before beauty."
As the stallion heard her insult, he began coming at her. But for every kick and punch he made toward her she easily dodged as if she knew what he was going to do before he did it. As the battle between Devilin and the stallion went on, more and more ponies started to gather to see who would win. The stallion was starting to get infuriated at how easily Devilin was able to dodge his every attack, so he decided that he would use threats to irritate Devilin so she would be distracted enough for him to get a good shot at her and show her who was the better pony. "Hey, loud mouth, after I finish with you, your friend will be next." The stallion gave Devilin an evil smirk that caused Devilin's temper to rise to a point that made her go from defense to offense.
"How dare you threaten my friend!" And what he thought was going to be his opportunity ended up to be his downfall, as Devilin brought her front right hoof around so fast that the stallion did not even know it was coming until it was to late to defend himself. Devilin's curled up hoof hit the stallion's torso so hard that it caused him to fly right over the crowd and land on the floor, sliding all the way to the other end of the mall.
The crowd, seeing this amazing feat of strength, looked at Devilin; and with a great burst of energy began cheering her skill and strength. As she walked down from the stage, each pony in the crowd told Devilin about how rude the martial artist had been in speaking and that they had heard the threat he gave her and that she had every right to punch his lights out. As the crowd went back to shopping, Devilin returned to Mother Daffodil's side and said, "I think that it is time that we headed back to our homes now."
"I agree, and I am so sorry for talking you into watching that stallion."
"Don't blame yourself for something that was out of your control; and anyway, it was kind of fun, even if he was a moron." Then the two mares headed towards the exit. As they reached the door, they passed a still dazed stallion lying on the floor. "Better luck next time, chump," Devilin said with a smirk on her face.
When the mares reached their neighborhood, Mother Daffodil started to her house while saying, "I am sorry that things did not go as smoothly as I hoped they would."
Devilin said as she helped her carry the pack to her house, "Don't be silly, I think it was a stimulating day and you were a fine companion."
Mother Daffodil smiled, as Devilin's words made her feel better. "Maybe we can do this again someday, Devilin."
"That would be wonderful, Daffodil." As they reached the front door and went inside, Devilin went to lay the pack in the living room. "Well, Daffodil, I better go and put my thing I bought away and start dinner."
"Yes, I think that I will do the same." So Mother Daffodil walked with Devilin to the door. Devilin, going to her own home, mumbled to herself, "The day I go back to that mall is the day I self-combust."
After Devilin had put away her packages and a couple of hours had passed, her daughter came back from school. Devilin said with a mischievous grin, "I have a little surprise in the living room for you."
So Wild Fire trotted in and when she saw the My Little People beach set, she yelled to her mother, "Oh wow, I love it, Mother! Thank you!"
Devilin came in and said to her little angel, "I am so glad, sweetheart." Wild fire turned to her mother and gave her a hug.
Another hour passed and Salaries walked in, calling out, "Devilin, honey, are you home?" When he heard nothing he went to the living room were he found his daughter playing with her My Little People beach set. Then he noticed that his wife's spirit sword was missing from the mantel, and began to worry that the unpleasant feeling he had gotten at the university was not a false one. "Wild Fire, sweetheart, have you seen your mother lately?"
Wild Fire looked at her father. "You're silly; she's right behind you."
Hearing his daughter's words, Salaries slowly turned around and faced his wife, as she wielded her sword in her hoof. "Is there anything wrong, my angel?"
"Anything wrong, you ask! Well, let me see, when I got up this morning I thought I said that I wanted to relax at home today, not for you to give Daffodil ideas of coming over and taking me to the mall!" Devilin started walking closer to her husband with the sword pointing at his chest.
Salaries moved in a backwards direction while trying to find the right words to say. "I just thought that you would like the company."
"Well, you thought wrong." Then Salaries's back legs stumbled on a hoof stool, causing him to fall into a chair. Devilin placed the point of the sword on his chest as she said with an evil smirk, "Do you have any last requests before I run you through?"
Salaries, not wanting to believe that his wife would kill him for telling Mother Daffodil her plans, began say in a fearful voice, "I give you my word, I will never tell Daffodil anything ever again."
Then Devilin took her sword off Salaries's chest and turned to the fireplace to place it back on the mantel. "You had best keep your word if you know what's good for you," Devilin stated.
As Devilin put the sword back, Wild Fire asked her mother, "Would you have really killed Father?"
"Of course not, dear, I love him too much. I just wanted him to think twice about the consequences, before he tells other ponies our business." Then Devilin turned to head to the kitchen and as she did, asked her daughter, "Would you like to help me fix dinner, sweetheart?"
"I would be happy to help you, Mother." Wild Fire walked next to her mother and the two females went to the kitchen while a still-bewildered stallion sat in his chair, contemplating what had just happened and wishing that he had never gotten out of bed that day.
As Devilin was preparing dinner the phone began ringing; it was an excited Mother Daffodil on the line. "Devilin, is this you?"
"Yes, Daffodil, is there something I can do for you?"
"I just had to tell you that Ranger loves the gift I got him; his pack that he had was clawed up by a bear in the Dark Forest and he was planning on going tomorrow to the store to replace it and was totally surprised when I showed him the pack I bought him and I want to tell you that I appreciate your insight on the gift and that I will never doubt you again."
Devilin, hearing Mother Daffodil's praises, thought back to the mall excursion and decided that it wasn't all that bad being with that irksome mare after all. "I am pleased that Ranger enjoyed his gift." Then Devilin looked at the kitchen table where she had left Salaries's gift. "I need to go now, Daffodil; I haven't given my husband his gift yet."
"Okay, but you will call me to tell me how it went, won't you?"
"Yes, I will call you the first chance I get." Then Devilin hung up the phone and went to pick up the gift that she had bought Salaries.
As she took it from the table, a cautious stallion stuck his head in the doorway of the kitchen and asked, "May I come in to talk, or would you prefer not to see me right now?"
Devilin, with an evil grin on her face, said to her timid husband, "And what do you have to say that was not said in the living room?"
Salaries cautiously walked over to his wife and as he looked at her, he noticed that one of her hoofs was hidden behind her. Hoping that she held nothing that had a sharp point on it, he walked until he stood almost nose to nose with her and with a belief that their love for each other was stronger than Devilin's rage, he began to speak. "Devilin, you know I love you and that I would have never said anything to Daffodil if I had known that it would cause you so much pain and anger, so can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Devilin looked at her husband and said, "I have thought of my day with Daffodil and decided that it was not all bad, but what I said in the living room has not changed." Then Devilin took the gift out from behind her and stuck it out in front of her husband. "I bought you this gift while I was at the mall."
Salaries looked at it cautiously. "It won't explode when I open it, will it?"
Devilin looked at her husband with an innocent look on her face. "That was one idea that I did not think about; I must remember that for the next time you put me in a situation like the one this morning."
Salaries, wishing he had kept his mouth shut, took the gift from his wife's hoof and opened it. "What is it?" he asked as he stared at the object
"As I understand, it is like our transmutater, except it is a bit more primitive."
"This would probably be hoofy to have around just in case an enraged mare comes at you with her spirit sword." Salaries threw the rod in the air and said, "Rod, transform into a sword."
As Devilin saw the rod transform, she said with a smirk, "Maybe so, but I have not seen a mortal weapon yet that could defeat a spirit weapon."
"You are definitely right on that account." Salaries reached his head over to kiss his wife.
While they were kissing, Wild Fire yelled at her mother, "Mother, I do not think that black smoke is supposed to be coming out of the oven!"
Devilin ran to the oven and took out the ruined food. "I don't think we are going to eat this for dinner tonight."
A worried Wild Fire asked, "What are we going to have for dinner now?"
As they where thinking about what to do, the front doorbell went off and Devilin went to get it. On the doorstep was a stallion, a mare, and a filly that was a carbon copy of the mare; each of them was holding dishes of food in their hoofs.
Daffodil spoke first. "Devilin, we saw smoke coming out of you kitchen and thought you may need some nourishment."
Devilin, looking at the food, said to Mother Daffodil, "Are you sure that you do not have a little of the second sight yourself?"
Mother Daffodil blushed as the three were welcomed into the house. The dining room table was set and all the ponies sat down to eat when Devilin looked at Mother Daffodil and said, "I have seen many amazing thing through the travels my family and I have been on before we came to Dream Valley, but none of them can match your amazing ability to always come when you are needed the most." And with that said, the two mares gave each other a hug and everyone began to feast on the delicious food in front of them.