Decretum

by BlackRoseRaven

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Chapter Fifty Eight: Growing Up Is Hard To Do
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares Mīrus was running along the path towards Ponyville, groaning and shaking his head violently as the pack on his back rattled: he was going to be late. The very first day he'd been allowed to run this path alone... and here he was, already screwing it up, already going to be late to meet his family at the library.

He breathed hard as he shot down the dirt path, his strong body flexing: he was a good six inches or so taller than the average height for ponies his age, and his limbs and body were toned and athletic. His mane and tail glowed with a faint almost-phosphorescence before his cyan-green eyes widened as he caught sight of a manticore ahead, the lion-headed beast snoozing lazily in the path as its scorpion tail twitched... and if he'd learned one thing, it was that manticores did not take kindly to being woken up.

He gritted his teeth, then he leapt upwards and spread his leathery wings: they were wide, strong and powerful, perfect for short, quick flights... although if he stayed up in the air for too long, he very quickly began to get aches that would last for up to days. But they were more than strong enough to handle a short, brisk launch up into the air, giving the manticore a wide berth before he easily dropped back towards the ground, half-twisting in midair to kick off a bent tree and propel himself smoothly back to the path and into a straight sprint.

It was late autumn, after his sixth birthday, after Nightmare Night, and Antares breathed easily as he propelled himself as quickly as most adult ponies could run full out. After his third birthday, his mother had taken to training him more and more, preparing him for everything that laid ahead... and while Antares still wasn't very good at magic despite the tall, proud black horn standing up from his head, Luna constantly crowed over how talented he was in the field of acrobatics, and had been focusing her training more and more on evolving and enhancing these skills in her son.

For Antares, the last few years had been a mix of long periods of peace, and long periods where so much had happened, so fast. He could only recall bits and pieces of it, however: he was still a young child, after all, for how smart and strong and big he was getting. But some things he thought he'd never really forget...

Scarlet Sage had moved out about three years ago, and moved into a small townhouse with Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had moved in with them for a little while, but it had quickly gotten a little awkward and uncomfortable, and the two friends had moved out to live with other friends. It was simply hard for the two mares to live with two other young mares who were in a relationship, who were on the fast-track to growing up, and who had a whole lot of eccentricities that were mostly hidden when their friends weren't present twenty-four-seven.

Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, was working at a local medical clinic, and known as something of a 'miracle healer' for those who were in truly awful conditions. With her powers, Scarlet Sage was able to heal moderate and severe injuries, break up blood clots, and even cure certain diseases... but it required concentration, and Scarlet Sage didn't like to use her powers unless absolutely necessary. But she was putting her abilities to use for the betterment of ponies, and even Celestia had told her quietly that accepting and controlling her powers was a far better choice than trying to hide from them.

Apple Bloom was now a junior engineer working on her own in Cowlick's lab: Cowlick actually had refused to let the earth pony mare take a job elsewhere in the facility, making it very clear she wanted to keep the mare beside her, wanted to keep training her personally, and she trusted few other ponies in the building more than she did Apple Bloom. She wasn't as experienced, but she had passion, she had creativity, and best of all she could put up with Cowlick's mood swings and wasn't afraid to return fire when the situation called for it.

Cowlick herself was now raising a happy little colt she had named Rustproof. He was a bright young earth pony, with an indigo-blue body and a bright orange, shoulder-length mane that tended to spill and corkscrew in all directions, just like his tail. Ironically, Cowlick herself had taken longer to adjust than Ross: after a week, Ross had been able to hop out of bed to tend to Rustproof regularly and happily, but Cowlick had never really adjusted to having her sleep interrupted almost every night.

He was growing fast: he would likely be quite a good sized stallion when he was an adult, and Ross was incredibly gentle and patient with the colt. When Rustproof cried, Ross was always there immediately to try and make things better, although some days he'd panic a little... but at the same time, having the colt around was good for Ross, helped him with his own problems. He was caring for a life, he was experiencing a wider array of emotions than he'd ever known, and he was learning to push his own anxieties aside for this little pony who Ross treated like his own from the first day Cowlick brought him home from Manehattan.

Cowlick did everything she could for her little Rusty, even if she could seem a bit overbearing and overprotective at times, and her natural loudness wasn't always a help. She honestly loved the foal though, anypony could see that. She had her faults, but no one could say she wasn't trying her damnedest, and that she wasn't a far better parent than Narcissa ever would have been, considering she was apparently already back in her labs and hadn't sent her two year old biological child so much as a card for his birthday. Cowlick had taken the child, signed some papers, paid some money... and that had been that.

Rustproof, despite being years younger than Antares and his friends, Avalon and Meadowlark, still often ended up being watched by them or fumbling along, trying to play their games. It could be a little awkward, but Rusty was capable of listening and following simple instructions, and he simply liked to sit and marvel over the big kids and everything they did. Antares didn't mind his company, and Avalon acted like she did but had more than once stood up for him, and Meadowlark only complained when she was in a bad mood and because she was the oldest foal there by a year and a half.

Avalon had barely grown more than a few inches over the last few years, but she was not a five year old to be laughed at. She played aggressive sports with fillies who were years her senior and perhaps triple her weight. But Avalon was as solid now as she had been as a baby, and now she had learned to channel all the fury and energy her tiny golden yellow body could muster up into sports, competitions, and games. She was like a miniature, unstoppable guided missile when she took to the air, and Rainbow Dash was convinced that his daughter was going to end up being even faster than any speed he'd ever reached.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still running the farm with Big Mac, and Soarin' had taken up a permanent residence there as well, helping out regularly. The only time he took off was to go and visit Spitfire in Canterlot... Spitfire, who unfortunately had never really recovered from the savage beating she had taken from Courage. Her balance was off, and her short-term memory had been damaged, and while she still loved to fly, she always had to do it with someone watching out for her these days, to make sure she didn't fall... to make sure she could find her way back home.

It was another reason why they were determined to stop Clockwork World: although these last few years had been peaceful apart from a few skirmishes with Drones and a few other monsters from Clockwork World, Celestia was preaching not just vigilance but preparation. And after the attack on Canterlot, the Barons and Baronesses had been all too willing to listen to her, again pushing her to take the throne... but again, Celestia had politely declined, saying quietly that it would remove her from where she needed to be.

Even made up of the different baronies and ruled by the Royal Council, however, Equestria was still united, and ready to stand as one against Decretum. And the Starlit Knights had been reborn and reformed at the request of not only Celestia, but almost every soldier who had taken part in that doomed mission to North Neigh so many years ago now. This time, however, their task was the defense of Equestria against outside incursions, and it wouldn't simply be a regiment of troops from Canterlot and Ponyville... they would be comprised of the best ponies that could be gathered from across Equestria, to form entire armies that would be ready to fight back should Decretum make its move.

But Ponyville would be the hub, where their efforts would be concentrated: none of them had forgotten, after all, that not only were Luna and Scrivener in Ponyville... it was where Celestia spent most of her time, where Odin visited, where all their friends and family were. It was the place Valthrudnir would hate most and had already attacked more than once. Where Courage's invasion likely would have taken place, if Kvasir and everyone else had been there instead of at the jubilee in Canterlot.

Thankfully, it was a double-edged sword: although Clockwork World's attacks would likely continue to focus on Ponyville, the ponies they would seek to hurt would also be the ones most ready to defend themselves. And these ponies were still strong, still in their prime, even if so many years had gone by now...

Antares could sometimes hardly believe it: after all, even his Dad was more than forty years old, even if he looked... well, it was hard to judge Scrivener's age by looks, with all his scars and how weathered he was. But his Mom, on the other hand, had cheerfully bragged that she was fifteen hundred years old, even if she acted more like a hyperactive fifteen year old than anything else... and Antares had been awestruck when Celestia and Sleipnir had both confirmed it was true, and that they were even older.

Then Luna had smugly pointed out they had both technically died, and that made her the oldest sibling now, but that had led to Sleipnir wondering awkwardly if he was dead or alive, then pausing and turning to drag Pinkamena off so he could 'find out.' Luna had grumbled, then she and Celestia had left with the colt.

Antares smiled to himself at these memories, then sighed in relief as he bolted out of the Everfree Forest and towards Ponyville, which was bustling with cheery activity. The town itself had grown a little more, and Antares smiled as he passed the animal shelter run by Fluttershy and Nirvana that now had quite a few ponies on staff, the colt leaping into the air to wave as he saw the blonde Pegasus herself standing in front of a group of Phooka.

She waved back at him, and Antares dropped back to his hooves, wishing he had more time to go and spend with her: she was a pony that, despite the difference in their ages, he could honestly call a friend. She understood things that a lot of other adults didn't and she was always gentle and kind, and he adored the way she worked with animals. And both his mother and his father had a world of respect for her, and said she was stronger than most ponies would ever know, no matter how meek she seemed.

Antares ran between the gates, tossing a hurried 'hello!' to the Nibelung guards as they stared at the surprisingly-fast colt, but Antares knew he was still running late. Even as he forced himself to charge forwards as fast as his hooves could carry him, he knew there was no way he could make it in time... and then his eyes widened in horror as a white unicorn in large, black-rimmed sunglasses with violet lenses strode into his path, her mane a mix of blues and stylish and loose.

Antares skidded to a halt only a few feet away from the famous Vinyl Scratch in a puff of dust, who was DJ and owner of a now very-successful nightclub in Ponyville, and who performed for parties at Canterlot and in places as far away as Manehattan. Antares stared at her as her head slowly turned towards him, then she flicked her muzzle down, red eyes glaring overtop her sunglasses as she opened her mouth and one of her Nibelung bodyguards stepped forwards... but then she held up a hoof quickly, grinning slightly as she eyed him with interest. “Hey, wait! I know you, kid, you're the Baroness's nephew! The one she's real sweet on, isn't that right? Well, what a coincidence, you bumping into me when I was just talking about how I have a big show in Canterlot coming up soon. Be a huge boost for my business if I could get a little endorsement from the Baroness herself...”

“I... I really gotta go...” Antares said awkwardly, trying to hurry around Scratch, but the unicorn clicked her tongue and there was immediately a large Nibelung standing in Antares' path, glowering down at him with his arms crossed.

Antares stared up at the dwarf, and Scratch cleared her throat pointedly, getting the dwarf's attention before he dropped to a more relaxed posture... but his eyes still dared Antares to try and slip past, as Scratch said quickly: “You know, I heard it's your birthday coming up soon, isn't that right? I don't usually do private parties or kid's parties, but hey, I could make an exception for royalty, you know.”

She winked at him pointedly, and Antares fidgeted before answering honestly: “But I'm not royalty. My aunt's the Baroness but my mom's just my mom and my dad's my dad. I'm just a kid. And my birthday was last week.”

Vinyl Scratch looked less-pleased now, and she rolled her eyes before pushing her glasses back up, asking seriously: “But the Baroness is real fond of you, yeah? And the Baroness sure as heck loves her sister, everypony knows that. I bet she'd do anything for her... or for you. So maybe you should think about that, and think about how sweet it would be to have a top-notch, soon-to-be-world-famous entertainer perform at a party for you.”

Antares hesitated, and then he slowly looked over Vinyl Scratch as he took a slow breath, his eyes locking on her cutie mark of a music note before he asked quietly on instinct: “Why did you get into music?”

Vinyl Scratch frowned at him, then she said slowly: “Who's... never been into music, kid? I grew up with it in my veins.”

“I didn't mean that. I mean, your cutie mark. You didn't just get it from listening to music or playing music, did you?” Antares let his instincts guide him, not even completely knowing what he was trying to do as he leaned up curiously.

The unicorn mare laughed awkwardly, tossing her mane and saying hurriedly: “I... I'm real good at music theory, that's how I got it. See, you don't just drop the record and then start scratching away at it, you gotta understand the music, you gotta-”

“You were a musician. You got it because you played an instrument, you... played it differently than any other pony did before...” Antares bit his tongue in concentration, looking curiously up at Scratch as the ivory unicorn seemed to pale. “But you reinvented yourself, because you really are talented at music theory and you really do know-”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Scratch almost shouted, and then she turned and hurried away, the Nibelung bodyguards looking stupefied before they ran quickly after her, and Antares sighed in relief before he stared up at the sky, then yelped and bolted forwards down the street, almost whimpering to himself. Oh no, no, no, now I'm really late!

The foal reached the library some fifteen minutes after he was supposed to be there, and he grinned weakly as he skidded to a halt in front of a fuming Luna. Scrivener was sitting awkwardly beside the sapphire mare, and no pony else was in sight as the winged unicorn glowered down at him before Antares said hurriedly: “I can explain!”

“Thou art late! And Scarlet Sage has already come and gone, I told thee to come early or at least to be on time because she would only have ten minutes, it has been at least, fifteen... sixteen!” Luna said in a frustrated voice, and Antares shrank back, looking embarrassed. “Thy sister left the clinic to come see thee, used up her lunch break, for Odin's ugly sake was thoughtful enough to pick thou up a sandwich on the way here, and waited for thee for ten minutes! I knew it, I knew it, Antares, I knew that we should have brought thee here with us!”

“Mom, mom wait, I can explain!” Antares said quickly, shaking his head violently. “I swear it's not like... yesterday or... or the day before or well...”

“Or the day before that, or that, or that?” Luna asked pessimistically, and Antares blushed deep red, nodding lamely even as he shrank back, and Scrivener sighed, not knowing whose side he was on: Antares, as of late, had been having a problem with several things. He was still wonderfully well-behaved, always did his best, and was talented and strong and smart... but he had also started to be a little careless, accident prone not just because of bad luck, but because of a lack of focus, and had picked up his father's bad habit of waffling back and forth on decisions and his mother's bad habit of taking jokes too far.

In the last week alone, Antares had accidentally broken three cups, ruined an oil painting Luna had done – thankfully only a landscape – left a slice of chocolate cake on the floor during a visit to Sugar Cube Corners and allowed now fully-grown Kǫttr to gobble it up and have a hyperactive fit that had wrecked half the store, dropped one of Twilight's books in the bathtub, and completely reorganized the office in an attempt to be helpful that had made both Scrivener and Twilight curl up in a corner, mumbling in horror about all the time and effort it was going to sort everything back out by genre and chronological order.

Antares looked nervously up at his mother as Luna glowered down at him, but finally, she sighed and looked at him moodily, saying grumpily: “Very well, Antares, I shall give thee...” She looked moodily up at the sky. “Five minutes to explain thyself. If thou does not provide me with a sufficient reason within that time why thou art late, then I shall be forced to punish thee. And rest assured, Antares, 'twill not be pleasant.”

The colt winced, then he took a moment to gather his thoughts as Luna looked down at him grouchily before he looked up, again trusting in his instincts as he said finally: “I was... probably going to still be late. But I would have been here a lot sooner if I hadn't been stopped by Vinyl Scratch.”

Luna looked moody at this, and then Antares continued quietly: “I really wanted to see Scarlet Sage, I did. I don't know... why I didn't come in sooner, I don't know why I kept telling myself five-more-minutes, five-more-minutes, and I'm sorry for that, I am. If I'd left maybe even a minute earlier, I probably wouldn't have run into Vinyl Scratch. I probably wouldn't have been stopped by all her questions trying to get me to talk to Celestia for her or... whatever she wanted. And most importantly of all, I wouldn't have missed Scarlet Sage, and disappointed you both. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. And I'm gonna promise that... I'm gonna remember this time, to try and not let this happen again. I feel really bad about all of this, and I see how upset you are with me, and... I know why you are and that I deserve it.”

Antares bowed his head forwards, and Luna sighed tiredly, looking moodily down at her son before she asked finally: “Is this true?'

The colt nodded quickly, looking up and saying quietly: “Fluttershy saw me coming into town, too.”

Luna looked moodily down at her son, and then she finally closed her eyes and nodded, saying in a dry voice: “Very well. Alright, Antares Mīrus, I... I am not the one to ask for forgiveness from, but thy sister is. If thou hurries... and by that I truly mean hurry, thou may be able to catch her at the clinic while she is still on break, and apologize to her.” She paused meditatively. “And I am going to eat thy sandwich. Thou can have some simpler fare for lunch when thou returns.”

“Okay, I'll hurry.” Antares nodded quickly with a relieved smile, and then he turned to bolt across town. Scrivener began to step forwards... but Luna reached a hoof up, grasping his shoulder and halting him with a quick shake of her head.

“Our son made a mistake. Even though it is a great journey for a colt... we must allow him to fix it. That, and Ponyville is a safe place, even these days, and we can always send our invisible eyes after him.” Luna smiled after a moment, glancing towards Scrivy as the earth pony sighed quietly and nodded with a grumble. “Come, Scrivener. Inside. Thou shall feel better, and we can use Celestia's scrying mirror to keep an eye upon our child. I think 'twill be good for all concerned.”

Scrivener grunted after a moment, turning to follow the winged unicorn into the library and tossing one last, nervous look after Antares... but the foal himself ran onwards without looking back, focused on finding his older sister and on apologizing for what he'd done wrong. What he knew and understood he'd done wrong... and he only hoped that he was able to explain himself to her. More important than that, he hoped he'd be able to earn her forgiveness, one way or the other, and get her to understand that he was honestly sorry.

The colt hurried through the town, anxiously darting around ponies here and there and tossing awkward smiles at the few that called out to him, but not slowing down, focused on not letting Scarlet Sage down this time... on getting to his big sister, telling her sorry, asking for her forgiveness and getting her to understand. Somehow, that last felt so important: getting her to understand. And he was aware, even then, she might still be angry, she might still be upset... and she had every right to, too, he knew. He wasn't about to stop because of that, though... he was going to reach out to her, and try his hardest. He was going to handle himself with what his Mom and Dad always called 'honor.'

Rushing as fast as he could and ignoring the stitch that eventually formed in his side, Antares managed to catch up to Scarlet Sage just outside the medical clinic, half-yelling and half-wheezing her name as he ran towards her. The Pegasus looked surprised as she glanced over her shoulder, eyes widening in disbelief before she hurriedly turned around, the nurses' hat she wore for work almost falling off her head. “Antares?”

“I... caught... you...” Antares wheezed, and then he fell forwards before shaking his head out, the foal scrambling back up to his hooves and smiling up at her, breathing hard as he began in a rush: “I'm sorry, I really, really am, and I wanted to catch you and say sorry and thank you and I really didn't mean-”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, Antares, it's okay.” Scarlet Sage said quickly, and then she glanced over her shoulder towards the clinic doors before gently motioning the foal to the side, and the two ponies stepped away from the front of the building, ponies passing curiously by but thankfully giving them privacy, at least for the moment.

“Look, Antares, thank you for coming by, but... it's okay. I know you're just a kid and... things... slip sometimes, we all go through that.” Scarlet Sage said gently, looking down at him softly as Antares gazed back up at her worriedly. “When... when I was about your age, I went through that. The timing was... kind of awful, though, admittedly, because that was also when... I lost my blood parents.

“You're a smart little colt, Antares, and you're a good little brother. I'm glad we're family, I honestly am.” Scarlet Sage smiled after a moment, then she sighed a little and said softly: “But do you understand that... everything around you, everything you're experiencing right now, is worth... so much? Do you understand that your inaction... I mean, the stuff you don't do... has just as much of an effect on the world as the things that you do do?”

Antares nodded quietly and bowed his head, feeling a twist of shame run through his body as he said softly: “I do. Or at least... I do now. I felt awful about missing you this morning, and all I could think of was saying sorry to you. Letting you know how I feel and... and that I really am sorry. I want you to understand that... you know, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, and I'm not trying to mess up so much lately, it just... it just keeps happening. And I miss you a lot, too, big sister.”

Scarlet smiled faintly at this, and then Antares looked up, studying her, understanding her so he could better help her understand him, as he said slowly: “I know that I made a mistake, so I'm not even going to ask for forgiveness. But I do want you to know at least, that I am very sorry. That I'll try my hardest to never let it happen again. And that I really do love you and you mean a lot to me. I hope this doesn't sound mean but... I'm glad... Mom and Dad adopted you, because you mean a lot to me and I don't think things would be the same any other way. And I'm glad that you and Apple Bloom are still in Ponyville and are both so good to me, that means a whole world to me too.”

Scarlet Sage smiled softly, and then she nodded slowly before Antares finally looked up and met her eyes, saying honestly: “I'm sorry. And whether you forgive me or not, I promise I'll try harder in the future. And I won't let you down if I can ever help it, Scarlet, not ever.”

“I know you won't. Thank you, Antares.” Scarlet Sage stepped forwards and swept him up in a tight hug, and Antares hugged his big sister firmly back, nestling his head against her breast before he twitched a bit as he felt a tremble run through him, but he pushed it away for the moment as unimportant before Scarlet Sage stepped back and gazed down at her little brother with a smile. “And I do forgive you... now go on, Antares. Go back to Mom and Dad... and I know Mom can be... you know, but...”

“I know.” Antares smiled after a moment up at his older sibling, and then he nodded quickly before turning quickly and hurrying off, calling over his shoulder: “Thanks, big sis!”

“I... wait, Antares!” Scarlet began, but Antares was already rushing off... and for a few moments, the Pegasus only stared at the small, retreating form of the foal before she finally gave a quiet laugh and shook her head in slow amazement, murmuring: “Well, I guess you'll notice soon enough, anyway.”

Antares hurried back through town, going at an easier pace this time but still not dawdling, desperate to show that he was going to work harder in the future. He reached the library after only ten minutes, then he bit his tongue as his horn glowed, pushing the door open with a grimace of concentration before he hurried through and kicked it closed behind him.

He smiled awkwardly at the gathered group: his parents,Twilight – who he often lumped in as a third parent, however weird he was by now aware that was – and Celestia all smiling at him. For a moment, it almost made Antares nervous as he looked back and forth... and then Luna stepped forwards and gestured to him gently, and Antares blushed before trotting over to her and smiling when his mother leaned down and embraced him tightly. “Thou did well, my son. And almost as important than that...”

She drew back, looking down at him softly and stroking under his chin before she reached back and patted his side, and Antares cocked his head curiously, then gazed over his shoulder... and stared in shock at the sight of his hip. There was something there... and Antares almost spun in a circle to see what it was, beginning to babble as excitement rose up in his body: “Wow! Is it really, is it really, I mean, Mom, is it really... did I really get my cutie mark? What is it, what does it look like, is it-”

“Slow down, Antares!” Luna laughed and shook her head, smiling warmly down at her son as Scrivener strode forwards with a smile, and Celestia and Twilight both slipped away from the table as well to gaze warmly down at the foal, Twilight carrying a small mirror in a telekinetic grip. The violet mare guided this down as Antares blushed and stood in the spot, gazing into the mirror raptly as he took it in his own telekinetic grip to guide it to see the cutie mark clearly... and he smiled happily at the strange emblem, as Luna murmured: “'Tis fitting. 'Tis perfect for thee.”

“Wow...” Antares whispered: his cutie mark was a constellation of nine brightly gleaming points of stars, with thin white lights between them illustrating what looked like a blossomed rose. Luna grinned over at Scrivener, who shrugged embarrassedly and glanced back at the emblem on his own flank, before he returned his eyes to his son when Antares said worriedly: “Wait, what does it mean? The only things I've done today were... I mean, running, and... being kind of... you know... it doesn't... it doesn't mean I'm bad, does it?”

“I want thou to think of what thou hast done today... apart from thy bit of trouble, I mean.” Luna replied kindly, and Antares nodded quickly, frowning as he looked down thoughtfully. Luna bounced a bit from hoof-to-hoof, and Scrivener gave her an amused look... but then again, he could feel her excitement as well, wanted to tell the answer himself... and he thought even Celestia looked like she was barely holding back from simply telling Antares what had triggered it.

The silence seemed to last forever, and Luna was grinding her teeth, hopping impatiently on her hooves before Antares finally looked up, understanding dawning on him as he said slowly: “I apologized but... more than that, I... I did that thing where I... understood her, like I did to get away from Vinyl Scratch. I looked at her and I looked into her and saw she wanted me to be honest and so I was... I... oh no, you don't think I lied to her, do you? I didn't mean to, I really just wanted-”

“No, no, no. No, Antares, cease, 'tis alright!” Luna soothed gently, and she smiled and leaned forwards, shaking her head and gazing down at him compassionately. “Fear not, child. Thy talent is not for lies... thy talent is for seeing the true faces of others, for... understanding, as thou said. Aye, 'tis truly an admirable, enviable talent and skill that thou possesses, my son... and I am so truly, honestly proud of thee. More proud than I can begin to express.”

Antares blushed and bowed his head forwards, and Scrivener added softly: “It's an incredible skill, Antares. Something to nurture and cherish... it's like you inherited something bad... but... made it into something good. Something truly special.”

The foal brightened at this, raising his head proudly... and then Scrivener laughed quietly and shook his head slowly, gazing warmly down at his son. “It's a powerful skill. More powerful than a lot of people would give you credit for, I think, but that's to their loss. Don't be insulted when ponies or people underestimate you... take it as a compliment, and remember that your real friends are always going to know your true value, are always going to trust in your abilities and stand by you. What everyone else thinks doesn't matter... and either way, I don't think you're ever going to have a problem making friends, or being liked by people.” He paused, then traded an amused smile with Luna. “Not like us, huh?”

“Shut up, Scrivener Blooms, plenty of ponies like me! I am very popular.” Luna retorted cheerfully, nodding a few times before she returned her eyes to Antares, gazing at him affectionately. “Handsome, beloved child... I am glad that thou hast earned thy cutie mark. And I am truly glad that... I can feel confident in thou using thy abilities for the betterment of others, not just the benefit of thine own self. All ponies have a talent: what shows the true mark of a pony is how they use that talent.”

Antares smiled brightly up at them, and then Luna and Celestia traded warm looks before the ivory equine asked curiously: “What are you thinking, Antares?”

At this, the foal hesitated, glancing back into the mirror, and then he quietly passed it with telekinesis back to Twilight, who took it and set it gently aside on the table as she turned her curious gaze to the child. For a few moments, he hesitated, shifting back and forth... and then he finally looked up and smiled after another second of thought, gazing into Celestia's curious and warm amethyst irises. “I'm glad that I have so many ponies to help me out. To help keep me on the right path, because... I know I've always been able to just... say the right things, and sometimes I worry... I take advantage of that. But with you, and Twilight, and Mom and Dad around... I feel safer. I feel less like I'm going to do something bad.”

He nodded firmly, and Luna smiled warmly, nodding in agreement before she winked and grinned widely. “But now, handsome child, 'tis time for thy flying lesson with Rainbow Dash, Soarin' and Avalon. And better yet, 'tis time to show off thy cutie mark!”

A few hours later, Antares was smiling despite himself, trying his best to cover his mouth with his hooves as Avalon grumbled grouchily away, buzzing angrily around the clubhouse they often all hung out in. It was old – or at least held the illusion of being quite old, since Luna had once told Antares the Nibelung had actually rebuilt Equestria about a decade back – and it sat in a large, ancient apple tree in one of the far orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, and Avalon had long ago dubbed it their official base of operations for her, Antares, and Meadowlark when she could stand to be around her.

Rustproof was up here too, but he was only sitting complacently on a large cushion in the corner, pacifier in his mouth and his eyes bright, diaper on his rear as Meadowlark kept herself entertained by braiding his mane. “It just ain't fair! Meadowlark, why ain't you pissed?”

“Avalon, you're going to get in trouble again using all those bad words.” Meadowlark huffed, covering Rustproof's ears as the toddler simply peered back and forth around the interior of the clubhouse. He wasn't up here as often as the other kids... mostly because Meadowlark had to carry him up into the treehouse, since Rustproof couldn't quite climb the ladder, and Meadowlark was both a little lazy and a little clumsy when it came to flying. “And so what? It's just a cutie mark, I don't see what's such a big deal about getting one.”

Avalon stared at her incredulously, jaw working slowly before she ground her teeth loudly together, then shouted: “It's like the most important thing ever to a pony!”

“Dad says that cutie marks aren't that important.” Antares began, and then he winced when Avalon buzzed down to him and glared into his eyes, making him flinch away awkwardly. “Well, that's what he says!”

“Your dad's crazy, though. Your mom is even worse. Ugh, you get everything!” Avalon groaned and flew up to the ceiling, banging her head into it with a sigh. “Your aunt is the Baroness and you got Twilight Sparkle for a nanny, teaching you like... spells and magic, you got wings and a horn and you're... you're a jerk, Antares.”

Antares only smiled up at Avalon, however, then he winced when Meadowlark singsonged teasingly: “Avalon is jealous, 'cause she's just a Pegasus, working forever on her family farm.”

“Shut up, Meadowlark. And you're just a Pegasus too!” Avalon groaned, dropping from the ceiling to land with a loud bang on the floor, and Rustproof giggled and clapped happily before Avalon glowered moodily at the two year old: she was actually only little larger than he was, with her so small and him so big for his age. “You're stupid.”

“No, you're stupid!” Meadowlark retorted, and then she added cheerfully: “And I'm happy just being a Pegasus, too. I'm happy as long as I can sing.”

Rustproof burbled to add something to the conversation, and then he flopped back against Meadowlark as Avalon looked moodily over at them. Then the five year old sighed and glared at Antares. “I'm getting my cutie mark next.”

“Ava, you know it was a fluke!” Antares said desperately, and then he added: “And you don't even know what-”

“Hey, I know what I'm great at, my talent is flying, and faster than fast!” Avalon stomped her hooves aggressively, glaring at him, and Antares winced back a bit. “So I'm going to just keep flying faster and faster until I get my cutie mark. Simple.”

With that, Avalon leapt back into the air, hovering easily and crossing her forelegs as she glowered, and Antares looked at her for a few awkward moments before Meadowlark said cheerfully: “I think I'm going to try and get my cutie mark before you then, Avalon.”

“My Dad got his cutie mark first in his class! Antares doesn't count, his mom's always had her cutie mark and his dad...” Avalon paused and frowned, looking curiously over at the colt. “When did your dad get his cutie mark?”

The unicorn shrugged as he flapped his leathery wings awkwardly once, and then he shook his head and said finally: “I dunno. Dad says he got it because somepony who really helped him noticed his talent for writing but... he never really talks about that, or the past or anything.”

“Yeah, same here.” Avalon frowned, hovering moodily before she asked finally: “Do you think like. When ponies become parents, we're supposed to forget about our own parents?”

Meadowlark only snorted at this, however, and then she sang cheerfully: “You just don't know anything about your own parents!”

Both of the older foals glared at her, and Rustproof only burbled again, looking back and forth before Meadowlark winked over at the foals. “But I do! And I'll tell you both, but you gotta both earn it, first.”

Now Avalon and Antares looked distrustful, trading a look: more than once they had done something for Meadowlark, and instead of anything useful, they just got wild gossip and made-up stories, like when she told them Ross and Cowlick were breaking up or the Friendship Express had been attacked by Diamond Dog thugs or there was a giant monster in the Everfree Forest. Or how she'd once said that Twilight was Antares' real mother because Scrivener had cheated on Luna with her, but then Antares was born, and that was why the were all stuck together now.

It wasn't that Meadowlark meant to be mean: it was more that she didn't like to do things herself and her mother allowed her to spend most of her free time watching soap operas and reading melodramatic romantic literature. She also didn't quite understand that the other foals didn't find her nearly as entertaining as she found herself and her own stories.

She saw their look and huffed a bit, looking almost hurt as she rose a hoof and declared: “Honest this time, really! And all I want are... some of your mom's apple tarts, Avalon, and uh... oh, candy! Antares, your mom has like all the candy in Ponyville!”

The foal traded looks, and then Meadowlark leaned forwards, fluttering her eyes as Rustproof burbled and bounced, and she added in a whine: “And don't I deserve something for looking after Rusty all the time too? You two never do it!”

“You're the oldest, you're the one who wanted to be responsible... and besides, it's not like we really have to worry about him.” Avalon demonstrated by picking up a plastic block and throwing it at Rustproof, and it bounced off the baby's head even as Meadowlark winced, but the toddler only looked inquisitively at the sunshine-colored Pegasus. “He's all poo-brain.”

“He's not poo-brain, don't be mean.” Antares said defensively, and Avalon gave him an amused look. “Well, it's true. Besides, you're the same way.”

“You hit me with a block and I'll hit you back.” threatened Avalon, and then she shook her head, buzzing back into the air and zooming moodily around Antares' head, a golden-yellow bullet that was half the size of the unicorn colt. “But he like. Almost never talks, just stares at everything, it's creepy.”

“He plays with us plenty!” Antares argued, and then he looked up as Meadowlark cleared her throat loudly and squeezed Rustproof's sides, making him giggle a little.

“You guys can argue about that while you get me that stuff. And then I'll tell you all the stuff you're supposed to know about your own parents but don't.” Meadowlark smiled over at them supremely as she sat back, and Rustproof burbled a little in her grip. “Got it?”

Avalon and Antares traded looks, and then they both sighed and nodded, Avalon turning to buzz through a window and Antares following after, leaping out and spreading his own wings, figuring that finding some candy wouldn't be too hard.

It ended up being far more difficult than planned: for one thing, his wings started to ache long before he reached Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres, and he became very conscious of the fact that if anypony he knew caught him sneaking away from the farm he'd be in trouble. Thus, the foal lost his nerve long before he got to town, and ended up turning around and running quickly back... before his eyes settled instead on Fluttershy's cottage, and he trotted quickly over to this, raising a hoof to knock.

Then he remembered that he had seen her that morning, so instead he'd leapt up, fluttering up in front of the window and peering inside through the glass. He leaned forwards against the door... then blinked when it swung open, staring into the cottage with surprise: Fluttershy must have been in a rush and forgotten to lock it. Antares dropped back to the ground, then wandered inside, looking back and forth as he called hesitantly: “Hello? It's me, Antares... is anypony here?”

There was no answer, and Antares shrugged a bit as he wandered deeper into the house, stepping into the den... and staring at the large bowl of candy sitting on the coffee table. For a few moments, he only looked at it... then he hurried over and grabbed up a few pieces before stopping and looking down nervously, wondering aloud: “Isn't this... s-stealing? Isn't this wrong?”

But he was curious... and he realized he was also hungry, as he looked down into the candy bowl. But Fluttershy was also his friend... and Antares sighed before he grumbled and dropped the candies back in the bowl, mumbling to himself before he looked down with a wince to see a mint stuck to his hoof.

He sighed, then rolled his eyes and licked it off, chewing it moodily with his sharp, strong teeth before he turned around and hurried back to the doorway. He began to let himself out, and then a rumble came from behind him, and the foal halted before he looked slowly over his shoulder... but he only sighed in relief at the sight of a Phooka he recognized as Nirvana. “Hi Nirvana! The door was unlocked... is Fluttershy still gone?”

Nirvana nodded, then studied Antares, who blushed a bit before the foal said awkwardly: “Sorry, I helped myself to a mint. I... I didn't mean to steal anything, though, or...”

Nirvana only rumbled and rolled his eldritch fire eyes, and then he turned and vanished into the den. Antares stood awkwardly for a moment... but then he smiled when Nirvana returned with the candy bowl, offering it to the foal, and he gladly grabbed a few pieces, saying quietly: “Thank you so much. Meadowlark wanted some too, and... well...”

The Phooka only grunted, then it looked up and locked its eyes with Antares, and the foal felt a distinct rumble run through his mind like the trampling of countless tiny hooves before the Phooka's voice said softly inside Antares' head: Honor is a concept forgotten by you ponies. But I suppose... some of you seem to be remembering.

“What do you know about honor, Nirvana?” Antares asked curiously, leaning forwards, and the Phooka looked at him meditatively for a moment before it sighed and put the bowl down, leaning forwards before its eyes locked with the colt's again, and this time flashed brightly.

Antares reared back in surprise as images spilled through his mind, of enormous forests, packs of playing and laughing Phooka, of a world on fire... of ponies, worshiping Phooka, and then becoming equals and friends with Phooka... and then murdering them with chains and wire and flame and magic. Of enormous temples, of stone statues of Phooka carrying foals proudly and that told stories of both honorable tests and friendly mischief, of desecrated statues that depicted the Phooka as beasts, because they were creatures of nature that lived happily in the wilds, because they scavenged off what nature had already claimed instead of pointlessly adding to slaughter and death...

Antares closed his eyes, breathing hard, startled but... understanding, before Nirvana said in a rough, quiet voice: “When they first found us, we were as gods to them. When we asked them to stand beside us, we were friends. When they began to build their sand castle societies, we became monsters they could rally against.”

The colt was quiet, looking up at Nirvana, and the Phooka studied him for a few moments before he said softly: “But perhaps there is hope to be friends again. There are good ponies here. Your mother knows honor: she bound us to her, but released the binding on my kind long ago. We live beside and aid you ponies because we want to. That is all.”

Antares smiled a little more at this, and then he asked finally: “What... I mean... you and Fluttershy...”

Nirvana rumbled at him moodily, seeming to tense up a bit, and Antares hesitated as he studied the Phooka before he instead asked curiously: “Why do all the Phooka look up to Fluttershy so much?”

The Phooka relaxed again after a moment, and then he shook his head, replying in his almost-growling but soft voice: “She teaches us. She cares for us. She is pony, but she smells of nature. She... understands, but is wiser than us, and... leads us. We look at her as what you would call... 'leader,' or 'alpha.' Her strength is more valuable than tooth and claw.”

The colt smiled a little at this, nodding again thoughtfully before he looked up, but Nirvana only rumbled and turned, heading back inside. So the foal only cleared his throat, then finally nodded awkwardly, swept up the candy, and hurried outside to leap into the air and fly quickly back to Sweet Apple Acres, wincing a bit as pain radiated through his back, but pushing himself a little to get a good distance through the field before dropping down and hurrying forwards with the load of candy.

When he finally returned to the treehouse, he found Avalon was already there, and Meadowlark was happily gobbling down apple tarts, spilling crumbs all over Rustproof as the toddler ignored them to happily play with the old pony toy Meadowlark had given him. Avalon was hovering with her forelegs crossed, looking grouchy before Meadowlark trilled cheerily when Antares tossed her the candies, and she sang warmly: “Excellent! Storytime, everypony!”

Avalon still looked less than thrilled, and Antares made a face, wondering if he'd made a mistake or not before Meadowlark grinned over at Avalon, saying cheerfully: “I heard from a reliable source that Rainbow Dash was once a mare, and that's why he doesn't have a lot of friends outside Ponyville, because one day she woke up and poof, she was a big stallion instead of a little mare.”

“What? That's impossible!” Avalon glared down at Meadowlark, who only giggled and looked up with a wink at the tiny Pegasus even as she shot down and buzzed around her angrily, looking like a living fireball with her almost-glowing coat and streaked red and yellow mane. “You take that back!”

“Can't take back the truth!” Meadowlark replied in a singsong, and then she leaned back, half-using Rustproof as a shield when Avalon swung at her threateningly. “Careful now, don't wanna hurt the baby, or Cowlick and Applejack will be all over you... and your other mom, Rainbow, too!”

“Stop it!” Avalon shouted, and Rustproof whimpered as he looked up, but Avalon only snorted and then shot backwards, muttering: “You're a liar. Big fat liar. That's not true.”

“Oh yeah? And Scrivener's dad was born as a slave in the far north.” Meadowlark added seriously, and Antares looked up sharply, staring in disbelief. “His parents were unicorns and they made him clean up around their... I guess they must have had a giant home, but they kept him in the dungeon. And one day he was finally rescued by another unicorn because he wrote all these stories and letters and stuff and kept sending them out, hoping someone would find him, and eventually they did and that was how he got out.”

Antares looked disbelieving, and then Avalon scoffed and shook her head, saying sharply: “Don't believe her, she's just... making up stories again! Come on, let's get out of here.”

“No I'm not, I'm really not this time, I know because my mom talked with the other doctors in town about it!” Meadowlark proclaimed, and Avalon halted in the window, glaring over her shoulder but looking almost scared now before Meadowlark declared: “And that means that maybe one day, Avalon, you're going to turn into a boy too!”

Avalon shouted something angrily at Meadowlark, then turned and bolted out the window, Antares wincing and hurrying after her as Meadowlark whined: “Hey, don't leave me here with Rusty, guys! I just told you what I heard!”

Antares glided smoothly to the field, but Avalon was already buzzing rapidly in the direction of the house, a streak of golden light through the air. Antares began to run forwards, even though he knew there was no way he could hope to catch up... but he knew he could at least follow her until she tired out, and hope that was sooner instead of later.

Instead, as he drew close to the house, he heard the sound of shattering glass and he winced, bolting forwards as a yell went up from the house. And less than a minute later, a rainbow-colored blur shot through the sky as Applejack ran out onto the porch, Antares calling worriedly as he approached: “What happened?”

“Avalon ran through a window, god, the speed she must've been going at... I... what happened, Antares, why was she so upset?” Applejack asked sharply, and the colt winced before he looked quickly over her as the goldenrod mare hurried close, saying quickly: “Antares, listen, I ain't gonna be mad at you but I need to know, that's my little girl, and your friend!”

Antares swallowed thickly, looking over her worriedly... and then he said finally, instinctively: “She was told that Rainbow Dash was... was a...”

“Oh hell.” Applejack groaned, throwing her head back before she clenched her eyes shut and nodded, then she bowed down and said quickly: “Come on, we're gonna go to the clinic and hope to Heaven we get there quick. Been a long time since I done a race but I think I still remember how it goes.”

The colt didn't argue, hopping up onto Applejack's back before she pawed a hoof at the grass, then shot forwards into a sprint, the colt almost knocked flying from the sudden speed they took off at as he clung down to her and stared in amazement. Applejack, meanwhile, muttered: “Swear to Helheim I'll divorce Rainbow if he lets this get to him too much... but I'm more worried about who... no, it was Meadowlark, wasn't it? No, don't even bother, already know the answer. Of course it was that damn little brat Meadowlark.”

Antares winced and shrank a bit, and Applejack gritted her teeth before she said finally: “I'm sorry, Antares, I'm just... mad as hell now. Not at you, certainly not at Ava, maybe not even that much at Meadowlark, but at Ameliorate and Engelhart. And that stuff about Rainbow... it's... it's true and it's not. I believe that he was always a he, but he just got stuck in the wrong damn body when he was born, you understand?”

Antares nodded a few times, half-understanding but knowing for now it was better to just agree with the adult as the world zipped by, Antares starting to feel a little awed at how fast Applejack could move when she wanted to: suddenly, he understood why even when on the ground, Avalon could dart around at a surprisingly-quick speed. “That stuff, though, ain't just... sensitive... it was something Rainbow wanted to tell Avalon himself one day when she was ready. Avalon's excitable, like you know, and Avalon thinks the world, the absolute world of her father. Hearing that stuff is gonna throw anypony for a loop. Feeling like you been lied to... that'll throw anypony for a loop, too.”

Antares silently nodded, pressing down against Applejack as she shot past the surprised Nibelung guards and into town, and she ducked and weaved back and forth easily around ponies and other figures, darting hurriedly through the town towards the clinic where Scarlet Sage worked. But no sooner had they arrived than Rainbow Dash charged out, looking furious as he leapt into the air and shot to the sky in a rainbow blur, and Applejack groaned as she skidded around in a half-circle with a groan. “Oh dammit!”

“Got it!” shouted a familiar voice, and Applejack looked up in relief and surprise as Scrivener and Luna ran out of the clinic, the charcoal earth pony charging through the street as Luna took to the skies and flew quickly after Rainbow Dash. Scrivener wasn't as fast or as agile as Applejack... but on the other hoof, he was also much larger, and Antares couldn't help but gape when Scrivener simply dropped his shoulder when he realized he couldn't dodge around a pile of hay bales in his way, smashing through them to the shock of the ponies around him and calling an awkward apology as he shot onwards.

Applejack sighed and shook her head, turning to hurry into the clinic with Antares still on her back as she muttered: “At least I can trust those two to make sure that Rainbow Dash doesn't do anything too stupid... and more importantly, to let him be just stupid enough.”

Rainbow had a good head start: that, combined with how fast he was, meant that Scrivener and Luna didn't catch up to the Pegasus until he had smashed into the door of Engelhart's house, which still bore several badly-repaired scars from the damages Luna had done to it during one of her own rages at Meadowlark's parents.

The Pegasus almost succeeded in kicking the reinforced door off its hinges before he dropped back and landed, preparing to charge... but Engelhart threw the door open before staring incredulously, and Rainbow leaned forwards and shouted angrily: “What the hell did you and your stupid wife tell your damn daughter about me? She upset Avalon!”

“Meadowlark is a little angel and we didn't tell her anything that isn't in the public record!” retorted Engelhart immediately, glaring at Rainbow Dash before he snapped: “How dare you try and break into my house-”

“How dare I? How dare you tell your damn daughter about what I went through... except no, you didn't, you said I just 'magically poofed' into a guy like I was... diseased or something!” Rainbow replied angrily, stepping forwards and snarling, and Engelhart growled as he leaned forwards, the two Pegasus stallions glaring at each other, wings shivering and bodies flexing. “Your daughter is a little loudmouth, but worse, you two keep telling her everyone's business; you like her running around, upsetting ponies?”

“You got no right to come here and criticize my family!” Engelhart defended angrily, and then he leaned forwards and shoved Rainbow hard, snapping: “Get out of here, or I'll show you what a real stallion can do!”

“Real stallion? I am a real stallion! I'm more a stallion than you'll ever be!” Rainbow snarled, and Engelhart glared at him furiously.

Then Engelhart leaned forwards and replied rudely: “You raise your kid your way, I'll raise my kid my way. Meadowlark's growing up like a normal little girl. You're the one with the kid who already seems to be taking after her 'daddy,' transvestite!”

“I'm not a transvestite, you goddamn idiot.” Rainbow leaned forwards... and then he gritted his teeth and looked over his shoulder when Luna dropped to the ground behind him and looked at him imploringly, and the pale-blue Pegasus shook himself out violently before he glared at Engelhart. “Stay away from me.”

Engelhart snorted, then, as Rainbow began to turn away, he said nastily: “Gladly, I think I'd rather hang out with real parents instead of you and all your freakish friends. What, there's you and Applejack, the one who's sleeping with the Phooka, the polygamist, the dragon-layer, and-”

Rainbow spun around, then tackled Engelhart backwards, and Scrivener winced as he started forwards to stop the scuffle... but Luna held up a hoof, glowering moodily at the fighting Pegasi as Luna said distastefully: “No, they have both done plenty to merit this chance.”

Engelhart managed to roll backwards and get Rainbow in a headlock as he sat behind him, almost hugging the pale-blue stallion's head against his body, and Rainbow gargled before he braced his rear hooves against the ground and shoved backwards. It knocked them both flat and tore Rainbow free, and he hurriedly rolled back to his hooves as Engelhart climbed to his own and lunged forwards: instead of hitting Rainbow, however, he only tackled thin air as the pale-blue Pegasus gracefully vaulted skywards before spinning around and crashing down on Engelhart's back, shoving him down by the back of the skull to smash his face into the dirt road. Rainbow leapt smoothly backwards as Engelhart wheezed in stupefied agony, laying with his lower legs bowed and trembling and buttocks awkwardly raised high in the air, his face half-buried into the street, and then Rainbow stepped forwards seizing him firmly by either flank before slamming the knee of his rear leg savagely up between Engelhart's legs, and the Pegasus Guard gave a weak, girlish squeak, dropping on his side and clutching at himself as he shivered violently before Rainbow asked disgustedly: “Who's the mare now, huh?”

Engelhart whimpered, tears in his eyes as he shivered on his side, and then Rainbow rose a hoof... but then only slowly lowered it and shook his head, muttering: “You're not worth it.”

With that, he turned and moodily walked over to Luna and Scrivener, nodding to them once before Luna smiled and reached out to touch his shoulder, saying quietly: “How does thou feel now?”

“Better. A little better. But... still. Doesn't... help as much as I'd hoped it would.” Rainbow paused, then looked grumpily over his shoulder at where Engelhart was still writhing on the ground in misery, holding himself and shivering weakly. “Maybe I should go hit him some more.”

“Come on. Let's go see to your daughter. What happened to her?” Scrivener asked quietly, and Rainbow sighed and shrugged as he hopped into the air, flapping his wings slowly to propel himself languidly along between Luna and Scrivener as he bowed his head forwards quietly.

“Meadowlark told her about... me.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Avalon... was upset. Poor kid had... I don't even know what she must have thought. That we were lying to her all these years? That I wasn't really her dad? Or maybe just anger and her hyperactivity mixed together and... you know. Anyway, she saw me in the house and just... shot at me, smashed right through a closed window... but you know, glass doesn't break as easy as it does in the movies and she's... she's so little...”

He looked down silently, shaking his head slowly. “Cut herself all to hell, her wings were flayed, just... I... I feel so goddamn awful. I should have told her the truth earlier.”

“She's five years old. Five years old and prone to fits of hyperactivity and aggression.” Scrivener said softly, as Luna nodded reassuringly at the Pegasus. “You're an enviable father. We talked about this before, a long time ago... sometimes stuff just happens out of your control, and you just gotta deal with it.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Rainbow Dash sighed and looked down quietly, and then he closed his eyes, murmuring as he almost floated gloomily along: “I just know that... for the next while, I'm going to be there beside Avalon no matter what else happens. I love her so damn much. She's... my whole world.”

Scrivener smiled faintly at this as Luna nodded slowly in agreement and understanding, trading a silent look with her husband as the three parents continued onwards, heading back to check on Rainbow Dash's daughter... his miracle, and his reason to keep living no matter what else happened on the long road ahead.

Comments

[Icthelight]

but she was not a five

[Koekelbag]

It wasn't that Meadowlark meant to be mean: it was more that she didn't like to do things herself and her mother allowed her to spend most of her free time watching soap operas and reading melodramatic romantic literature.

So... tv's are a thing, then?