We decided to take the next available train to Canterlot, much to Comet's disappointment. I know she wanted to see more of Manehattan, but we promise her that we'll come back for a vacation in the next few weeks, depending on what happens with the eggs. On the plus side, we'd probably have Oswald back in the near future, although we had no idea on what we were going to do with the baby phoenixes. I wasn't totally clear on how they normally acted, but Oswald and Philomena were unusual in how they spent so much time around their "parents." Maybe that was because of their unusual upbringing and non-phoenix parents.
Regardless, we were on a train to Canterlot about an hour after we got the message from Celestia. The interview had worn us out more than we thought, so we spent most of the train ride sleeping.
We arrive in Canterlot a few hours later and go straight for the castle. We're greeted by a few servants who take our luggage so they can move it to one of the guest rooms. From there, a few of the guards lead us to the room where Oswald and Philomena have made their nest. Celestia and Luna are already there.
"Ah, you're here," Celestia says. "Good."
"Yep. So..." I walk past Celestia and my eyes land on the nest. As expected Oswald and Philomena are there. In front of them on the nest are three baby phoenix chicks, happily chirping away.
"Awww! They're so cute!" Comet squees. She walks up to the nest and tries to touch one of the chicks, but Philomena hisses angrily at her, igniting her wings and flaring them out. Comet rolls her eyes. "Yeah, that's not going to work. Oswald does that all the time."
"Regardless, little Comet, it is best that you do not try to interact with their chicks," Celestia says. "Phoenixes are very protective of their young."
"Fine," Comet grumbles.
"So, what now?"
"Well, as you know, phoenixes mature rather quickly. They will be fully-grown in a matter of months. From there we merely attempt to find them mates, if they do not connect to anypony here. They saw their parents first, so we do not have to worry about that. I admit that Oswald and Philomena are unusual in that they have stayed with the two of us since birth. I suppose that is because they are attached to non-phoenixes. Some instinct, perhaps? I have not studied it in detail."
"So they could attach themselves to someone in the castle before we manage to find them mates?"
"It is possible, yes," Celestia responds. "For the moment, though, they will be taken care of by their parents. I have left the window open in my room so that Oswald and Philomena will be allowed to hunt at their leisure."
"Well, you're Philomena's mother, right?" Comet says, inching closer to the nest again. "Maybe if she can't do it then you can regurgitate worms and stuff for their chicks, right?"
Cheerilee rolls her eyes and pulls Comet away from the nest by her tail. Philomena is visibly glaring at her, as much as phoenixes can glare, that is. Surprisingly well, actually.
"So we've seen the baby phoenixes... so do you need our help with anything?" I ask. "They seem like they'd be largely self-sufficient for the moment."
And just as I say that, one of the chicks decided that he rather likes the idea of going to explore the world out on his own. Before anyone can stop him (or her, I'm not totally sure) he takes a few shaky steps forward right out of the nest. Now, being a bird one would think that he would have the foresight to spread his tiny wings and begin flying. But nope, he looks perfectly content falling like a stone toward the ground. Just before he hits, he's engulfed in a golden aura and lifted back into the nest.
"Good catch," I say to Celestia as Philomena wraps the chick up with a wing.
"Well, I can say that she is her father's daughter if she's going to be doing things like that," Celestia says, a wry smile on her face.
"We have been wondering about that. Hard not to," I say. "Though that does remind me: what's going to happen when the chicks are out of the nest? Do we get Oswald back at that point?"
"I think so," Celestia replies. "Given how connected he is to you, I cannot see him simply moving on once his young have left."
"Great, does that mean that I have to share my room now?" Comet groans, sticking her tongue out.
"No, nothing like that." I chuckle and ruffle Comet's mane. "Oswald will probably go back to sleeping on my backpack. On the other hand, we do have an extra guest room that we could use. We could make it into Oswald's room."
"As long as he's not living with me then whatever." Comet glares at Oswald, who has no problem glaring right back. "He tattles."
"And why would that be?" Cheerilee asks, her tone a touch reprimanding.
"Because he's not a phoenix. He's a rat."
"Uh-huh. At any rate, it will be nice to have him back in the family," Cheerilee says. "It's been odd to not have him around much."
"As long as I don't have to share a room with him, that's fine with me," Comet mutters.
"Don't worry, he won't," I assure Comet.
Oswald's coming back soon. I grin at the thought. After spending six years with only him for company, it's odd to not have him around anymore. Hopefully we can find mates for the phoenix chicks sooner rather than later. Our little family seems incomplete without him. It's nice that he's a father now, but we're going to take some steps to make sure that he doesn't knock Philomena up again. I'm not sure I'd like it if he was gone for another year.
"Whatever else happens, we'll have a complete family again," I continue, putting my hand on Cheerilee's head. "The human, the earth pony, the bat pony, and the phoenix."
Isn't life just weird?