"Where have you been?"

Pound looked up from the door and saw Carrot had the "disapproving father"-look. Cup entered the room and gave them the "distressed mother"-look.

It was going to be another one of those nights.

"I was out, okay?"

"No, it's not okay." Carrot shook his head. "We've been worried sick."

"I told you not to wait up," Pound mumbled. His wings shot open as he flew up the stairs.

"Pound Cake!" Cup cried out. "We've told you no flying inside the shop!"

"You listen to your mother, young--"

A slamming door ended that conversation. Carrot and Cup gave each other the "worried parent"-look.

---

Pound fell into his bed and scowled. They just don't get it. They'd never get it.

"Hey, bro."

Pound looked up at the vent connecting his room to the one next door.

"...Hey, sis."

"Mom and Dad giving you a hard time?" Pumpkin's voice echoed through the vent with a tinny resonance.

"No more than usual."

"You make it worse for yourself, y'know."

"They don't get it, and you don't, either!" Pound tried to balance emotion and volume. "You're their perfect little girl who never messes anything up!"

"Don't go making this about me!" Her voice was more firm than Pound expected. "It's not my fault you can't talk to them."

Pound's wings flared out in frustration. "They don't know what it's like."

"You think I don't get it? I never had somepony to teach me magic."

"Yeah, but they don't keep you from using it." Pound swung his hoof, gesturing to nopony. "You can use magic to bake, like, a thousand things at once, but the second my hooves leave the ground, it's 'No flying in the shop!'"

"You're exaggerating."

"Only a little..."

Silence passed between them as they considered what to say next.

"...Where do you go?"

Pound looked up at the vent again, a pointless habit he couldn't quite shake.

"It's never the same place. I just pick a direction and... fly till my wings hurt."

"So, you soar until you're sore?"

Pound hoped Pumpkin didn't hear him choke down a laugh. "That-That's not funny."

The twins each knew the other was secretly smiling. Bad jokes were the second-best way to get them laughing.

Pound let out a breath. "I wish Pinkie was here."

"Yeah," Pumpkin said quietly. "Me, too. But at least she visits us, sometimes."

Pound scoffed. "Sure, whenever Cheese Sandwich decides it's time to come back to Ponyville."

"Hey, I like Uncle Cheese!"

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a roll of his eyes. "We all love Uncle Cheesy Bread. It's just..."

"I know what you mean."

Pound once again thanked whatever twin telepathy they had. He was never very good with words.

"You should talk to them."

Pumpkin's voice was so soft, Pound questioned if he imagined it.

"They'll understand, if you give 'em a chance," she finished.

"Mom and Dad are earth ponies," Pound said. "They may be fine with putting down roots, but I'm a pegasus. I can't stand being cooped up in one place. I'm not meant to."

"So tell them. I'll help you."

Pound slowly smiled, and didn't care if it was a secret or not.

"But you gotta promise to come back and visit, okay?" She was definitely smiling now. "You know we'd all miss you."

"Alright, I promise."

"Pinkie promise."

Pound shook his head, but smiled as they recited it together.

"Cross my heart; Hope to fly; Stick a cupcake in my eye."

Their laughs mixed together as they continued through the night.

---

"You're sure you packed everything, son?" Carrot loaded the last suitcase onto the train.

"Yeah, Dad," Pound said. "Mom made sure." He turned to give Cup a smile.

Cup gave him a bone-crushing hug. Not as bad as Pinkie's, but still. Despite the embarrassment coloring his face, Pound returned the hug.

"Have fun in Manehatten, bro." Pumpkin jumped into the hug.

"But not too much fun," Carrot said. "You need to study, too."

"I know, Dad," Pound managed to say. "I won't mess this up."

Carrot joined in the family hug until it was time to board. Pound stuck his head out the window and waved.

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! Bye, Sis!"

"Good-bye, son!"

"We love you, dear!"

"Don't forget to write!"

Next stop: Manehatten, and from there, the Manehatten Culinary Institute. Pound gave his family one last smile. They were giving him the "we're proud of you"-look.

Now that's a look he could get used to.