Shadow was sitting alone in his office looking over mission reports when a knock rang out from the door.
“Enter!” he shouted to ensure that whoever was on the other side would be able hear him, all the while never looking up from the page he was studying.
Upon his permission the door opened to reveal a Pegasus mare and a Unicorn stallion, both dressed in a military uniform. The Pegasus, Storm Lance, had dark blue fur with a red and blue mane that had a streak of purple running down the center of her main. Her cutie mark was a storm cloud with a yellow lance in the shape of a lightning bolt coming from it. She had a build that many females would be jealous of and could have easily made her a successful model.
The Unicorn, Dawn Breaker, had white fur with a yellow and orange main. Although a Unicorn he had a strong muscular build that came from years of physical training and hard work. His magic was nothing to sneer at as he had been forced to master it from a young age by his parents, whom he had cut ties with. His cutie mark was in the form of a rising sun with a sword piercing it from above.
Both had been sought out and recruited by Shadow personally for his team of over fifteen different ponies from both the Empire and Equestria.
Although most of what he and his team did was a secret, each of and every one of them were regarded as national heroes by the Empire but feared greatly by their enemies. They were a team that did what no one else dared to do by pulling off the impossible in nearly every mission. However, everything they had accomplished would not have been possible if not for their unbreakable bond and trust.
At first, his team was regarded as a band of misfits and rejects. Those who dropped out of the military or preferred to work alone, and yet Shadow had not only brought all of them together but had made them a family to one another.
Storm Lance and Dawn Breaker would be what one would call an ‘unlikely duo’. At first their personalities clashed horribly, always fighting and bickering with each other during training. But when on their first mission together the two of them worked seamlessly as a perfect team. Just over five years had passed since they had first joined the team when, to everyone’s shock and delight, the two of them had eloped.
Now, one year later, the two of them stood before their leader with serious expressions on their faces.
“Ah, Storm. Dawn. What can I do for the two of you?” Shadow asked.
“Sir. Storm and I have been talking and we would like to hand in our resignations.” said Dawn Breaker.
Shocked by this turn of events, Shadow took a moment to respond before saying,” I see, and what brought this on. If I may ask.”
This time it was Storm that spoke up. “We recently found out that I’m pregnant. By three months, to be exact.” A light blush and smile graced her face as she said this.
“The two of us talked at length about it and have decided that this is the best course of action for our family.” Dawn said, wrapping his arm protectively around his wife and their unborn child.
“I see. Well… Allow me to congratulate both of you. Have you told any of the others?” Shadow asked.
When they responded in the negative, he stood up and told them to follow him saying that they need to do so before anything else. He led them to the team’s common room. It was where the team hung out and prepared before a mission and relaxed afterwards. As he expected the rest of the team was there playing and enjoying some of their down time with each other. Clearing his throat, he called out,” Listen up! Stormy and Dawn have some news they would like to share with all of us.”
Everyponies eyes were on the pair as they related their news to the rest of the team. Cheers and congratulations were shouted when the two said they had a child on the way and were currently three months pregnant. However, the moment they said that they had decided to leave, the room had gone silent.
“I know its hard to accept but this is a choice they’ve made for the good of their family. We all know how dangerous this work is and we’ve lost team mates before in the line of duty. But I’m proud that the two of them have made this decision. They are putting their child before themselves, which is exactly what I would expect everyone of us too, including myself.” Shadow said, breaking the silence, before turning his attention to the soon to be parents.
“I’m sad to see the two of you go but I am proud of both of you. I just hope you’ll be ready for almost twenty, doting surrogate aunts and uncles to visit you every so often, because I can tell you right now that I have no intention of not being a part of your kid’s life if I can help it.” He continued, smiling at the two, laughing at the end.
Sounds of agreement rang forth from the room as the rest of the team started coming forward to congratulate the two and saying that they would visit as much as possible, even though they would miss them.
Using the opportunity to sneak away to his parents, telling them the news, he asked if they could hold a party in a couple of hours for the pair to see them off on their new life’s adventure. When his parents approved and said that they would begin preparations immediately and to bring everypony to the main hall in a few hours.
Quickly heading back, he told the rest of the team that his parents asked for their help with something,as he pulled Storm and Dawn back into his office to help the pair fill out the discharge paperwork to get it out of the way as it would take a few hours to complete and file so it would become official and for it be one less thing for them to worry about. When they were done, he then told them that he had a surprise upstairs in the main hall. As they entered the main hall a loud shout of congratulations rang out startling the couple.
Looking around they saw a large party had quicky been assembled for them. A wide assortment of food and drink laid out dozens of tables with a large pile of gifts as a center piece. The two smiled as tears formed in their eyes.
The party went on late into the night with laughter and memories shared all around. When asked where they were going to live, they said that they were moving to Equestria and into Dawns old family home that was being looked after by Celestia herself. Everypony was confused at this until Dawn revealed that his parents used to be nobles before he exposed their crimes and were stripped of their titles but that everything that his family owned was officially given to him as thanks by Celestia. When he decided to leave and make a name for himself, as well as undo some of the damage his family had caused, Celestia promised to look after things in his absence.
The two left the next morning not knowing that that would be the last time they would see their old home along with their surrogate family.
***
When the dream ended, Shadow was back in the hospital as the rays of the sun flooded the room waking him from his slumber. He quickly found that he could now move his arms and hands slightly but knew full recovery was still a long way off. Looking out the window, a smile crept along his face as memories of last night’s dream came flooding back.
As he remembered how Storm Lance and Dawn Breaker looked, another pony popped into his head. One that strongly resembled the two. ‘Rainbow Dashes appearance is a perfect union between the two. I wonder, is it possible she could be their descendant?’ he asked himself as a knock came from the door and Nurse Red Heart came in followed by everypony that he had met the day before.