"So... where exactly do your parents live?" Limestone asked as she descended Lightning's stairs. Lightning followed behind her.
"They live at the other side of Vanhoover. They're just a small walk away."
Limestone's eyes widened. "Wow, they're really close to you. I thought they would be in Cloudsdale or something like that."
Lightning shook his head. "Nope."
Limestone looked up to him as they turned to the left and started walking. "So... do you see them much?"
"Nope." Lightning bluntly said. "When I do see them at the store or something, we just greet each other and they ask how I'm doing. They then criticize me for what I'm doing wrong." He lifted his head up a little higher, an angry expression taking over his face. "They're in Cloudsdale a lot, visiting Windy and her husband. They like training her for the Wonderbolts, something they don't bother to do for me."
Limestone raised an eyebrow. "Second favorite, I presume?"
Lightning nodded. "Yeah. I guess it's because I was such a troublemaker when I was younger, and Windy would always be the responsible one. She was the example my parents wanted me to follow ever since I was a small colt."
"I understand. My parents favor my younger sister over me, and expect me to do more work for some reason. But, I still love my family." Limestone paused for a moment as she looked to Lightning in confusion. "It seems like you hate your parents. If you dislike them, why did you tell them about me?"
Lightning's wings twitched. "Well, we do send each other letters when something important comes up. My parents told me something, and then I responded to them talking about you."
Limestone nodded. "Makes sense."
Lightning rung the doorbell as it echoed through the small, little blue house. A white roof was on top, giving it a peaceful look. The door was opened to reveal an older Pegasus mare. She had a light red coat and a brown mane with a few blonde streaks. Her neutral expression soon turned into a smile.
"Lightning! Hello!" She greeted as she looked at Limestone, scanning her over with curious blue eyes. "You must be Limestone Pie?"
Limestone nodded. "Yes. And you must be Mrs. Drift?"
The mare nodded. "I certainly am. But you may call me Comet," She replied as she took another look at Limestone. She then held the door open and let the two in. She closed the door before continuing. "So... Lightning?"
Lightning looked up. "Yes, mother?"
Comet looked at Limestone and then back at Lightning. "You didn't tell me that you were... dating an earth pony."
Lightning suddenly grew uncomfortable; even Pinkie Pie after eating her whole inventory of cupcakes could see that. Another pony entered the room. He was a rather tall stallion with a yellow coat and a blue, shaggy mane. He looked around with a set of turquoise eyes.
"Well, what do we have here?" He asked as he walked over.
"Hey, dad, this is Limestone Pie," Lightning said, gesturing to Limestone. Limestone offered a hoof.
"Nice to meet you, Limestone. I am Thunder Drift, Lightning's father. You can call me Thunder," he said as he took Limestone's hoof. After letting go, he walked back to stand with Comet. The four ponies stayed silent. It looked like anger was starting to bubble inside of Lightning.
Thunder started a conversation by gently slamming his hoof on the ground, breaking the silence. "Well? Are you two ready for dinner?" He asked as Limestone and Lightning both nodded. Thunder smiled. "Alright. I'll get the table set."
Silence filled the room again after Thunder left. Comet looked at Lightning with a look of... anger, maybe?
"Lightning, may your father and I speak to you in private after dinner?" She asked. Lightning's form visibly deflated with those words. He knew what was coming.
"Sure..." he replied half-heartedly. Silence filled the room again as Limestone twiddled her hooves.
"Dinner's ready!" Thunder called from the kitchen as the three walked in. They all took a seat as Thunder started to pass the food around. Limestone took a bit of food. It all looked good. Lightning seemed to take close to nothing. That was a very strange sight for Limestone to see. Normally, Lightning's like a vacuum cleaner that turns on full blast at the mere sight of food.
Limestone took a bite of her food and instantly smiled. "Oh my, this is really good, Mr. and Mrs. Drift! I love it!"
Thunder smiled. "Thank you. It's nice to hear that ponies like my cooking. Especially my son's mare-friend."
Limestone nodded and smiled back. "Say, are you the one who taught Lightning how to cook?"
Thunder nodded, a look of confusion filling his eyes. "Yeah?"
Comet swallowed a bit of the water in front of her before speaking. "Are you saying that my son is a bad cook?"
Limestone shook her head. "Of course not! Far from it! Lightning is a really great cook, and I wanted to complement you for teaching him."
Thunder's smile brightened as Comet's expressions stayed neutral. "Interesting. Lightning must have learned more since he left here," Comet said as she ate a bit more of her food.
Silence flooded the room again before Thunder started a conversation.
"So... what do you do for a living, Limestone?" He asked as Limestone's face brightened.
"Well... I own a rock farm out by Ponyville. My parents let me run it, since I'm the oldest of my siblings."
Comet raised an eyebrow. "What exactly is a rock farm?"
Limestone thought for a moment, trying to find a good way to explain it. "Well... my family breaks rocks that are later sold to garden companies, since some ponies like rocks in their garden. Or, we break the rocks until there is only a bit of dust left. We have to do that when there are too many rocks in one place. There is also a crystal mine on our farm, and we make a lot of money selling those crystals."
The two nodded their heads to Limestone's words. Comet looked up into Limestone's eyes.
"Say, how did you meet my son? Nonetheless, start dating him?"
Limestone felt a blush crawl up her cheeks. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell Lightning's parents about the Choosing Stone. It was always a strange thing for her to share and explain, and ponies who don't know about it would think she's making up some stupid story to just have a reason for falling in love so quickly.
"Uh... well... I was visiting Vanhoover about a month ago, and I met Lightning. He then hung out with me for a few days, and we became great friends. I realized pretty quickly that I was falling deeply in love with him, but I didn't know if he felt the same. It was like love at first sight. So, before leaving, I decided to tell him about my feelings. He said that he shared them, and we started dating then. He let me stay with him, and treats me like a princess. I would never ask for another stallion in all my days."
Lightning's chest puffed out when hearing these words, obviously proud and happy with himself. However, the small egotistic moment of his was broken when his mother gave him a stricter look.
"So... you're serious only after a month? Shouldn't you have given this a bit more time, Lightning?"
Lightning's ears flicked as an annoyed expression appeared on his face. "Mom, it was love at first sight. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. It's a true thing."
Comet nodded. "Well, alright." She then finished the food on her plate. "Lightning, your father and I need to have a small talk with you," she said as she stood up. Thunder stood up as well. Lightning's ears folded back as he stepped off from the chair and pushed it in.
"We'll be right out, Limestone," Comet said as she led Lightning and Thunder into a bedroom, giving them a private space to talk.
Lightning looked between his parents, who were both giving him a peculiar look. Comet let out a sigh.
"Lightning, have you forgotten?" She asked, a tone of annoyance present in her voice.
Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Forgot what?" He asked as Thunder looked around the room in uncertainty. Comet continued.
"The family tree."
Lightning snorted. "What does that have to do with anything?" He questioned as Comet raised a hoof, cutting him off.
"Everypony in our family tree are pegasi. Each one of us has married another Pegasus, keeping the legacy going. Our tree is known as the largest pegasi-only tree in Equestria. One of our very great ancestors is Commander Hurricane, one of the ponies that founded Equestria. Don't you think we have to keep the Pegasus legacy going?"
Lightning stayed silent, moving his hoof across the ground.
Comet continued. "From what I hear, you and Limestone seem very serious about each other. So, from my expectations, you will be the one to break the legacy."
Lightning's face turned red. "First things first: You-you are already thinking about... marriage?!"
Comet nodded. "Of course. I can see you love that mare. But, you will break the legacy if you go any further in your relationship."
Lightning stayed silent before a spark of fury exploded in him.
"Well, I don't care about that stupid legacy! It can't prevent me from loving the mare I love!" He paused for a moment, feeling his eyes start to sting from tears of anger. "Mom, dad, Limestone is the only mare I feel I can love with all my heart. There is no other mare in the world that would satisfy me. Not even a Wonderbolt could make me as happy as she does!" He took a second to wipe his eyes, fury still burning intensely in his body. "Before you respond, I don't care if my sister is married to a famous flier! I know you just want me to marry a famous pony just like her so you can boast about yourself and say that your children are both continuing the legacy and being successful as well! Well, I'm sorry, but it's not going to work like that! I love Limestone, and I'm not going to let you take her away from me!" He finished, breathing heavily. In the short period of silence, he realized how many tears have fallen from his eyes. Thunder stepped forward and lifted up Lightning's chin. He gave his son a smile.
"Lightning, we are not trying to take Limestone away from you. We are just... well... reminding you about this, and want to make sure you are perfectly happy with the choice you're making."
Comet nodded and walked over as Thunder took his hoof away from Lightning's chin. "Yes. It sounds like Limestone is treating you really well." Her eyes started to water. "Honestly, you choosing Limestone makes me just as happy as you dating a Wonderbolt. If not, it makes me even happier. Seeing you defend your relationship just now... well... makes me very proud of you, and shows me that you have made the right choice."
Lightning smiled, wiping his eyes. "Thanks, mom."
Comet embraced her son in a hug, a few happy tears falling from her eyes. "No problem. I love you, Lightning. No matter what you might have done, I've always loved you."
Lightning hugged her back. "Same-same with me, mom."
They pulled apart as Thunder opened the door and the three walked out. Limestone stood up from the chair she was sitting on when she saw them.
"Oh, hello! You're back!" She said as Lightning smiled at her. Comet and Thunder walked over to her. Comet smiled down at Limestone before speaking.
"Lightning, can you step out of the house for a second?"
Lightning nodded and hesitantly walked outside. The house was silent for a few seconds.
Comet spoke up again. "Limestone, answer me honestly. Do you love Lightning with all your heart? Would you ever want to imagine a life and future without him?"
Limestone smiled up at her. "Of course I love him. It would hurt me to imagine a life without him there. I would go into depression if we ever separated. I just... love him so much."
Comet and Thunder both got bright smiles. "I was honestly a bit uncertain at first about you, Limestone, but after talking to you and Lightning a bit more tonight, I realized that I wouldn't want my son with anypony else," Comet said as she gave Limestone a nice embrace. Limestone felt her heart warm up.
"Thank you, Mrs. Drift." She replied as the two pulled apart.
Thunder let out a small chuckle. "Limestone, it sounds like you're referring to your future self in third person."
Limestone's cheeks quickly turned a dark shade of red, though a smile inched its way up her cheeks. "Uh..."
The three shared a small laugh as Limestone's heart rate picked up. The thought of marrying Lightning was certainly something that would never fail to cheer her up. At this moment, she couldn't stop thinking of her sisters, Sapphire, and Speed walking down the aisle in front of her, positioning themselves in the best mare spaces. And then... there she would come... small, rock-like beads cascading from her perfectly white dress...