Happiness and Tears
Ink Mage
Chapter 30: Never There
Are you proud of me, Mom?
Speeder Skies lined up at the base of the field, his eyes squaring in on the ball in front of him.
Are you proud of me, Dad?
All he had to do was make this goal, and Cloudsdale would win this match. He had no other choice but to use his signature move. It had taken ages to perfect, and Speedy wasn't sure if he could do it.
Are you proud of me, Soarin?
Speedy closed his eyes, thinking of his older brother and all their fond memories together. He didn't know what happened to him and Rainbow Dash... they had left almost ten years ago... and nopony ever bothered telling him why.
Standing square faced, looking at the goalpost ahead, Speedy made his move. It was quick, agile, and full of force. In an instant, the hoofball was in the net, and the crowd around him went completely insane.
Speedy knew that his parents and friends were watching the match today, and he knew exactly what his father would be telling him when he called only a few hours later. To come home.
And that's what he did.
Speedy stepped inside the large Cloudsdale mansion, smiling at all the portraits of him, his mother, and his father on the wall. There was now only a single picture of Soarin to be seen in the house, and that was tucked far away in a secluded room of the house. Spectrum never bothered to remove it, and Speedy knew he never would.
"Welcome home!"
"Speedy! It's great to see you again!"
"Nice job on that last match!"
"You did so well yesterday!"
"Hello Speedy!"
"What a surprise, Speedy!"
The house's maids and workers all greeted him like their own family as he walked further into the house, looking for his parents. Of course, he knew exactly where they were. They were always there early in the morning. The exercise room.
"Mom? Dad?" he called, entering the sunlit room.
Cloudy Quartz immediately perked up upon seeing her son. Spectrum grinned as Speedy put down his bags and trotted up to them.
"Speedy!" Cloudy said happily, running in for a hug. Spectrum stayed back, but didn't hesitate to return the hug his son gave him after.
"We saw the match yesterday, great stuff," Spectrum said, patting Speedy's back.
"Eh? Oh... thanks," Speedy said, blushing slightly. "Say, is Soarin home?"
Cloudy instantly looked away. Spectrum's eyebrows furrowed as a frown painted his face.
"Why in Equestria would you want to see him?" he asked.
"Um... because he's my brother? He's been away on that trip for almost ten years now, Dad, when is he coming back?" Speedy pressed. Spectrum sighed.
"Well, not today, so get those thoughts out of your head. You have us now," he said.
"Well, yeah... but I am hoping to see Soarin soon," Speedy said, before turning to the door.
"Don't count on it," Spectrum mumbled; but Speedy still heard.
Speedy was utterly confused. He had absolutely no idea where Soarin had gone, and why hadn't he come back yet. Did something go wrong on his trip? Did Cloudy and Spectrum know something he did not?
Just as Speedy was about to start climbing the stairs of the mansion, somepony spoke to him.
"Your father kicked him out."
Speedy stopped. His head jolted towards the familiar voice, and his eyes landed on his mother's figure. Cloudy was standing there with a pained smile, tears brimming her eyes. She walked forwards as she continued to speak.
"Your brother was a wonderful stallion, loyal and proud. He was to bring the Skies family to great victory later on in life," she said. Speedy's jaw dropped, but he didn't interfere.
Cloudy's eyes became glassy. "Your brother followed every rule Spectrum set out for him... every single one. Yet he made one mistake, Speedy. One mistake. Do you know what that was?" she asked. Speedy shook his head to show that he was listening.
"Love," Cloudy said. "He fell in love. He fell in love with the mare your father despised so much."
Speedy was shocked, but still didn't say anything.
"When your brother came come with his new bride that day... our entire family was ripped apart." Cloudy bit back her tears at the bittersweet memory. "Your father said to him that day that he had proven that he was not his son... not our son..."
"P-Proven...?" Speedy said slowly, trying to digest all the information. Specks of tears dared to fall out.
Cloudy could only nod, tears now streaming freely out of her eyes. "He had proven that day that he was not of our blood. That he was adopted."
Speedy's heart stopped for a millisecond. His head snapped up as the tears finally set free. His eyes were wide and his mouth was small as the one secret that was always kept from him was finally released.
"Wha... what?" Speedy said softly.
"I'm sorry for keeping it from you for so long, Speedy... but Soarin was never your real brother. Soarin was never even my real son..." Cloudy said, her voice uneven and unsteady.
"He... he wasn't my... brother..."
"But he was, Speedy," Cloudy suddenly said, "he was... he was your brother. He was my son... he was Spectrum's son... he became a part of our family, we all loved him so much. We decided that the fact that he was adopted would never come in between our family bond. It was never to be spoken of... until that day."
"Mom..."
"Your father acted so irrationally... he acted so cruel. He separated a mother from her son. He separated two brothers that day, without even a second thought. He has never even brought up Soarin since the day he left with Rainbow Dash. He refuses to acknowledge that he even has two sons."
Speedy looked at his mother's limp figure as all her emotions that she kept pent up all these years flew out of her. He watched as she sunk to her hooves, crying.
"Don't cry, Mom... this wasn't your fault," he said softly, bending down and embracing her. Cloudy sniffed, tears still falling onto Speedy's coat. "This wasn't anypony's fault, least of all Soarin's," he tried to comfort.
"Our entire family... it's been ripped to pieces," Cloudy sobbed. "My son... was taken away from me. I haven't seen him in ten years, Speedy. Ten years I have lived without his presence, without the comfort of knowing if he is alright or not. I don't know how life is with him because I don't even know where he is!"
In that moment, Speedy made a decision. He made a mental pact with himself.
I promise you, Mom... I promise you that I'll bring Soarin back. I'll get our family back together... I'll bring Soarin back, Mom. I promise.