Where Is My Love?

by TheMyth


Chapter 35

Saturday morning, after the daily brief for the guards under his command, Blueblood sat at his desk and sighed. The dark oak table top in front of him was mostly clear, with a tray on either corner. The one to his right was empty, his outgoing tray... the one to his left, his ingoing, was almost overflowing. Here he didn’t have the luxury of somepony like Fancy Pants to help ensure his desk was clear, but after a year he’d gotten used to it.

He’d just opened the first report from the previous week when there was a quiet, kind of timid, knock on his open office door. Looking up, Blueblood leaned back in his chair with a smirk, waving his guest in. “You’re late.” His response was simply a squeak, the stallion rolling his eyes.

“That’d be my fault, Knight-captain,” came another male voice as Riptide stepped into Blueblood’s office, Fluffy the changeling hiding behind the young Katakan. “We kind of had a... longer stay in bed then planned.” Riptide stepped away from Fluffy, letting Blueblood see her... and her new golden uniform of the Royal Guard.

“It’s not a problem, Commander.” Leaning forward onto his desk, Blueblood’s smirk faded into a serious expression as he stared into Fluffy’s eyes. “I’m sure you’ve had enough of higher ranks shouting at you during your fast track training, and you’ll be pleased to hear I won’t be doing any of that unless you screw up majorly. Normally your first task would be to familiarise yourself with town, but you already know you way around. Any questions?”

Fluffy went visibly rigid at being spoken directly too, but after she felt Riptide’s wing brush her own and help calm her down, she took a deep breath and answered. “What exactly are my orders, sir? I mean, I’m not a combatant. I’d be useless in a fight.”

“You’re to assist Commander Riptide with Princess Dinky’s protection. If, and I stress the if, as Faust knows I won’t let anything happen to my daughter again, something were to happen, Commander Riptide will do the fighting. Your task, as he distracts any who attempt... something, is to get Princess Dinky and escape. Do you understand?”

Fluffy responded with an eager nod, lifting a forehoof to her head in a smart salute. “Yes, Knight-captain Blueblood.”

Though he hated being saluted still, it was part of his position now, so he returned the gesture. “Very well. Please wait outside a moment, I wish to speak to Commander Riptide in private.” Fluffy hesitated, as if she were a foal being deprived of a safety blanket, but followed the order without question. “I’m curious,” the unicorn continued when the door closed. “I assume your brother had a combat test for her?”

“That he did, sir,” Riptide, replied with a smirk. “She didn’t fight back once, and she outlasted him. Took days, but eventually he just collapsed from lack of food or water. We finally found somepony who could beat the Relentless.”

“I’m not sure which is worse for him, being out endured or being beaten by a changeling,” Blueblood said with a chuckle. “I’m going to assume that as his pride was wounded, he’s been holed up somewhere?”

Riptide nodded as he turned to leave. “Yeah, he found some caves high up in Canterlot mountain a while ago, has been turning them into a home for himself. Been in there for two weeks or so, even the Night-mistress can’t get him to leave.” With that, Riptide and Fluffy were gone, leaving Blueblood to resume his paperwork, at least for another hour or so.

After a glance at the clock, the stallion climbed from his chair and headed out into the town, smiling and waving to those he passed. Off in the distance he saw several of the town’s guards loading some ponies into a cart, a bunch of bandits who had been attacking travelling merchants. They soon surrendered when the stallion went to confront them in his Platinum Knight armour, what he was currently wearing sans the helmet.

It was his usual rounds of the town, checking in with the inhabitants for any issues as well as chatting to those he now counted amongst his friends, even finding a few moments to play some Hide and Seek with a bunch of foals. It was his turn to hide, but he made it easy, lying in a bush but only with his front half inside it. He chuckled when he felt a tickle on his back, recognising the hoof, as he only ever knew one pony who did that.

“Good morning, Mel,” he said as he moved from the bush, turning to hug the unicorn mare. “How are you today?”

“I’m good,” Melody replied as she returned the hug, then stepped back. “Seems like you’ve been slacking off, I remember your hiding skills making us think you’d run away when you were a colt.” Blueblood looked away briefly, muttering to himself, before turning back to his friend... his eyes going wide as he looked at her forehead. “...noticed, huh?”

“Y-yeah.” Blueblood’s shock turned to a smile as he gave Melody a friendly nuzzle. “It’s coming on nicely. I assume you’re getting lessons from Twi?”

“Yeah, Miss Sparkle is a great teacher, and her magic helps me sooth any pains.” Melody reached up to her where the stub of her horn was... and rubbed the rounded edge, which was now a couple of inches longer. “I spoke to that... um, his name. What was his name again?”

Blueblood pointed to a nearby bench, moving over to it and sitting with his friend as he waited for her to continue. He didn’t have to wait long. “Oh yeah, Discord! He explained that though he couldn’t return my mind as I was a filly when... it happened, but he did give me the ability to age mentally a bit faster. I’m now at around seventeen. He also said he’d done something to help my horn grow a bit faster than usual... but he didn’t do anything to stop the itching.”

Blueblood chuckled at Melody’s grumpy face, but he heard another laugh nearby followed by a snap of fingers... and Melody’s horn rubbing stopped immediately. The stallion looked over his shoulder, just catching sight of a white fur-tipped tail disappearing behind a building.

“I need to get going, I’ll be late for lessons,” Melody said as she got up, giving Blueblood a hug before trotting off towards the library. Blueblood waited a few moments before rising himself and personally escorting the merchant family to the guard station so he could ensure their safety and ask them a few questions... and raise hell with his guards in an attempt to find out why in Tartarus they had to wait so long to be found.


The crying of a foal could mean many things. Whether it be hunger or discomfort, it was always the duties of the parents to ease their offspring. So it was for Cloud, who was wailing at the top of his lungs in his crib.

“There there, Cloud,” Derpy said as she came into the baby room, scooping up her son and rocking him in her arms to ease his cries. “Mommy’s here, mommy’s here,” she chanted to her foal, which worked as her son ceased his wailing. “Who’s hungry?” she asked her son, nuzzling his muzzle and felt his tiny hooves caress her face.

Taking flight with her son safely secured in her arms, Derpy made her way to the kitchen where she placed her colt in a high chair. Once he was seated properly, she gave him a meal consisting of various vegetables, something that Cloud vehemently found revolting not too long ago

A knock on the door alerted Derpy, with her ears perking to the sound of a pony or ponies on the other side. She made her way to the entrance, opening it ajar to see two familiar alicorns standing on the opposite side with a few gifts held with their magic. The pegasus mare’s lips curled into a smile as she opened the door wide.

“Oh hi there… Pri-Auntie Tia, Auntie Lulu,” Derpy corrected herself quickly, still having the habit of calling her aunts-in-law by their titles. Before she could do anything, she was nuzzled softly by Celestia. “It’s nice to you here,” the pegasus mare said as she returned the nuzzle in kind. “I wasn’t expecting you today,” she said.

Luna tittered as she placed the presents on the table next to her. “Since my sister and I have a bit of free time, we thought we would come by and meet our beloved nephew,” she said as she looked around the room they were in. “By the way, where is Cloud?” she asked Derpy.

“Oh, he’s in the kitchen, just finishing up his meal,” Derpy replied to Luna, the former walking to the room where her son was, only to find Celestia was already there before them cooing at the baby pegasus.

“Who’s going to be as handsome as his dad?” Celestia asked Cloud softly, bringing her muzzle closer to the colt. The colt in question reached out his hooves to his aunt’s muzzle when she nuzzled his tiny head, eliciting a giggle from her. He’s just as curious as Blue was when he was a baby…

Luna chuckled at Celestia’s antics. “Is everything ready for Cloud’s birthday party?” she asked Derpy. Before she got an answer, two heads popped from behind the window with grinning faces on their muzzles.

“Did somepony say ‘party’?!” Both Pinkie and Cheese asked in unison as they look around in glee, only to find to mares placing their hooves on their faces. “Oops!” the pink mare giggled, her cheeks reddened as she rubbed the back of her head. “It’s our little Cloud’s birthday party soon,” she said. She suddenly gasped and turned her head sharply to her stallion. “We need to finish the cake!”

Cheese’s eye twitched at her words. “But we don’t know what Cloud’s favourite flavour of cake is…” he trailed off as he scratched his chin. “I can’t speak baby, but maybe you can, Pinks?”

“Please, do not disturb Cloud.” Luna interjected before Pinkie could say her piece. “Why not surprise him with a random flavour?” the princess suggested, noting the fidgeting front hooves of the Element of Laughter and her coltfriend.

“That’s a great idea!” Both ponies cheered and vanished from Luna and Derpy’s eyes. After a few seconds, Pinkie appeared before them again. “I’ll let you know when the party is ready, say ‘hi’ to little Cloudy for me!” she said and galloped away towards Sugarcube Corner.

Some ponies… Derpy thought to herself as she sighed. Her thoughts soon turned to her son, realizing there wasn’t any noise coming out of the kitchen. Not that she didn’t mind the peace and silence, but her motherly instincts kicked in and she made her way past Luna towards her baby’s location. When she came to the doorway, she stopped when she saw Celestia cradling the pegasi colt in her hooves with the latter soundly asleep.

Celestia’s gaze raised when Derpy came into the kitchen. “Oh, I was wondering where you were,” she said, rocking Cloud in her hooves. “He looks just like his daddy when he was a foal…” the princess said nostalgically as she gazed down at the sleeping colt in her arms.

“Oh?” Derpy asked. Stepping closes enough to touch shoulders with Celestia, she joined her in looking at the sleeping foal. “I don’t suppose he was fussy about eating carrots too.”

A snort of a laugh escaped Celestia before she could restrain it. The two adults paused a moment to see if the little one would stir, but when her remained asleep, Celestia grinned wide. “If it wasn’t green, it got thrown on the floor. He was three before I got him to try sweet potatoes.”

“And you were ten before mother got you to eat peas that were not mashed to paste first,” Luna smirked when she saw the cheeks of Celestia burn bright, with the latter thinning her lips as she made a sharp turn to her sister who was standing behind her.

“Hush now! Or do you want me to tell Deadeye about your first crush?”

It was Luna’s turn to blush as her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Before Celestia got her say, an abrupt crying resonated from Cloud as he was woken by the bickering of the sisters, who set aside their fighting to battle calming the foal back to slumber.


Arriving in the quarry that once housed a pack of Diamond Dogs, Dinky looked around with a frown. She wasn’t worried about being out here alone, due to the fact she wasn’t, and there were guards patrolling high in the air, but it was the fact her teacher wasn’t present, and it certainly did not fit for Twilight Sparkle to be tardy. “What’s going?” she said out loud.

“I don’t know,” Melody replied, looking around as well and not spotting any other living being on the ground, even animals. Her ears twitched and she turned as she heard a noise, some stones falling from a ledge a good hundred meters away from them. “I don’t like this. It feels like a t...”

Just as the words left her mouth, several flashes appeared at the edge of the rocky area, different colours of magic, all heading right to them. Though Melody knew the theory of protective and shield spells, there was no way she could make them with her horn in its current state. Fortunately, she didn’t have to.

Every single one of the magical attacks bounced off a red shield, hitting the rocks and causing small explosions, which threw gravel into the air in every direction, and that too didn’t make it to the two ponies. Melody looked down to see Dinky with an expression of anger on her face. After the filly took a few deep breaths, she roared with rage, her shield rapidly expanding, sending every loose rock and stone scattering away from them...

....until they met a blue, and much more powerful shield, which was sustained until Dinky’s ran out of power, the little unicorn panting for breath. Melody stepped in front of her, in order to protect her from any further attacks, but none came. Instead they were met with the clapping of hooves, turning to find a white unicorn stallion stood behind them, but it was not Blueblood.

“Well done, Dinky, that was an impressive shield you made,” he said as he walked over, the filly’s anger gone and replaced with extreme confusion, as this stallion should not be attacking them. “Even more so when those were the strongest battlemages I could gather for your test.”

Though Dinky was speechless, Melody was not, and she was livid, trotting over to the stallion and jabbing her hoof into his chest repeatedly “Just what in Tartarus do you think you’re doing?” she screamed at him, only holding from giving him a full on slap purely because of who he was. “Well? You think it’s wise to attack your own family, Prince-consort?!

The stallion just smirked, stepped past her, and approached Dinky, ruffling her mane. “Technically, I didn’t attack her,” Shining Armour replied. “They did.” Following his hoof, Melody saw several dozen ponies in the armour of the Solar Corps approaching. “The reason I didn’t join it was in case Dinky didn’t make a shield in time or strong enough.”

“I seem to recall giving you both lessons on combat magic,” came a female voice, Twilight Sparkle joining the group. “And the first rule of such was to ‘be ready for anything’. Dinky passed the test.”

“This... was a TEST?” Dinky yelled, glaring at Twilight. “I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!” The filly’s horn started to glow red again, the air growing thick around them. It was clear Twilight had anticipated this possibility, as the blast of magic from Dinky was simply absorbed into the magic ether by a small portal from the alicorn.

“Yes, Dinky, and you might want to relax a little... the test isn’t over.” The filly was about to summon another shield around her, but paused when Twilight waved at the soldiers, who stopped around a hundred meters away. “We’ve seen your defensive skills, so now we’d like to test your offensive ones.”

“Oh...” came from Dinky’s mouth, as she turned to look at small glowing circles, sighing. She didn’t want to tell her teacher she’d been skipping the homework on this subject. “So... what do I do exactly?”

Instead of hearing Twilight’s voice, Dinky heard her brother. “Same as you did with your shield a moment ago, we just need to get you to focus on your target.” He pointed to one soldier, whose magic flared slightly and the target increased in brightness. “I want you to make a shield around that...”

Dinky calmed herself and did as instructed, easily tracking it when the soldier started to move it, but her shield sputtered and faltered at the next instruction.

“Good.... now crush it.” Shining frowned when he saw the target appear once more, looking down at Dinky and seeing the look of horror on her face. Sighing, he knelt down in front of her, giving her a soft smile. “I know... you probably don’t want to hurt ponies or other creatures. I don’t want to hurt them either. But... given what happened to you last year and your bloodline... one day you might have to.”

“I... I know,” Dinky said, shuddering at the memory, then nodding at the stallion. She called forth her shield on the target once more and made it smaller easily snuffing out the light from the soldier’s magic. From there, Shining led her through switching targets, both slowly and quickly, multiple targets, and, most importantly, how to hold back on the power of her attacks.

Soon the sun began to set, Shining smiling down at Dinky as the filly panted. “Well done, little one, you’ve done better than your dad during his first combat lesson,” he said with a chuckle, ruffling her mane. “Now for a fun test... How about some combat tag?”

After catching her breath and watching as the other soldiers along with Twilight smiled then started running, she looked up at Shining Armour. “Combat... tag?” she asked, getting a nod in reply. But before she could ask what it was, his horn lit up and she felt a small jolt of magic hit her rump. “H-hey!”

“Tag, you’re it!” Shining yelled before running away from the filly, laughing loudly. It took her a few minutes to realise how exactly this was a test, and that it could be fun. Knowing the rules didn’t allow her to go after the receding stallion, she instead turned her attention to one of the other armoured ponies and chased after him with a giggle.

Watching from high on a nearby hill, another unicorn smiled, the sounds of Dinky’s giggles and squeals as she ‘trained’ reaching his ears, warming his heart. He was joined by another pony, who watched with a cocked head and one eye. “She’s a natural, you must be very proud.”

“That she is, and yes I am, Cyclops,” the unicorn said with a smirk, looking at the pony next to him. He was surprised to see the other stallion dressed in a suit instead of his armour, then saw the displeased look stamped on his muzzle. “And.. what is this about, Deadeye?”

“The Night-mistress’ orders,” the proud Katakan warrior said with a huff, tugging at the dark jacket around his body. “She wants me formal for your son’s first birthday.”

“I appreciate it, my friend.” The two remained watching the little game in the quarry below until the sun finally disappeared and the group headed into town. “Best get back before them,” Blueblood said before starting a slow trot back to his home.


“Happy Birthday Cloud Pierce!” Pinkie cheered before blowing a party whistler and throwing confetti in the air, much to the colt’s delight. “Make a wish!” the pink mare stood in front of the baby, puffing in air into her lips but not releasing it, waiting for the colt to follow suit.

Derpy and Blueblood stood on either side of Cloud and blew to help their son extinguish the candles on his cake. Once the single, oversized candle was put out, a cheer from the background was released into the air. Both parents nuzzled and pecked their son’s cheeks, eliciting a giggle from their boy.

“Time to cut the cake,” Blueblood said as he used his magic to divide the cake into even slices, a icing-rich slice was picked up in his blue aura and placed on a plate then slid in front of the foal before the stallion got a piece for himself..

“Say ‘ah’,” Luna used her magic to lift a fork filled with a lump the cake to Cloud’s mouth, the latter gratefully accepting the piece that his aunt had given him. The alicorn beamed when she saw her nephew enjoy the delicacy, something she was about to enjoy herself. Only, when she reached for her fork, it was gone. She furrowed her brow and blinked, and looked up when she heard a stallion’s cough.

Deadeye grinned as he suspended the utensil in front of Luna. “Now it’s your turn,” he teased his lover and slowly placed what was on the fork in the mare’s mouth, the latter chewing on it slowly before she motioned the Katakan to come closer. Once he was close enough, his lips were sealed against hers.

“Hey Princess Luna, no time for love. We got a party to celebrate!” Pinkie shouted out and blew a party horn alongside Cheese Sandwich. Once they were done, everypony in attendance was seemed to scatter to different parts of the house as the party continued.

As the adults were enjoying the festivity, and once Cloud had finished his own cake, Derpy had placed him into a the playpen, where two other foals squealed and crawled towards him. One was an earth pony colt, by the name of Terra, and the other was a unicorn filly, Sapphire Glow, who was holding a ball. A moment later it was rolled to Cloud, who made a sound of joy, soon the trio having fun rolling it to each other

Dinky and Pip looked over the playpen where the foals were, with the former using her magic to bring Cloud closer to her. “How you doing, baby bro?” she asked the tiny pony, who was giggling in glee at his sister. “Look what I got for you!” she placed him down just by the barrier and used her magic to levitate a drum to him. When she placed it before him, she tittered at the confusion he displayed at the object. Using one of her hooves, she banged on the drum to make a sound.

The baby beamed at the instrument and followed his sister’s instruction by banging with his tiny hoof on it. Cloud then proceeded in using both of his hooves to hit the drum as hard and fast as he could, and with that created a rhythm of music from it.

“Where did you get that?” Pip curiously asked his fillyfriend.

“Zecora gave it to me. She said that babies love toys that make noise.” Dinky replied as she looked down upon her brother, who was soon joined by his friends as they were drawn to the drum’s music.

Meanwhile, Princess Luna cringed, her ears folding backwards at the cacophony of the foal’s music. Taking the opportunity to put a door between her and the noise, she slipped into the kitchen.

“Pray tell who thought a drum set was an appropriate gift?”

Zecora chuckled as she made her way to the princess. “I see your ears are quite sensitive to that of a foal’s melody. That would be I who got the little colt his first instrument to construct his own symphony,” she said.

Just as Luna was about to reply, Pinkie and Cheese zoomed past her to bring their own instruments, which ranged from a guitar to an accordion and joined the foal’s music, creating more ear piercing music.

Can’t those two ever behave like grownups? Luna groaned inwardly as her ears folding back as the noise continued. If those two ever have foals… she shuddered at the mere thought of miniature versions of Pinkie and Cheese terrorizing Equestria.

A spark jumped from Twilight’s horn, and the room fell into comfortable silence. Luna could still hear the foals clamoring, but it was a distant sound easily ignored.

“Noise canceling spells are very useful,” Twilight said with a smile as she floated a mug from the counter. “Coffee?”

Luna took a breath to shed her tension, then returned Twilight’s smile. “Yes, please.”

Shining laughed as Luna nursed her coffee. “You get use to it.”

“I’d prefer not to,” Luna said. Leaning back she made herself comfortable. “I rather enjoy the role of aunt. I get to spoil them, then go back to my quiet, foal-free home.”

Celestia grinned and snickered at Luna’s words. “Well, if you continue your not-so-private activities with your dear Deadeye, we might just wind up converting a guest room into a nursery..”

“Not if I use magic, sister…” Luna muttered and gazed down in thought. Though, it might be worthwhile to have a foal with him… she shook her head and regained her stupor. “But first, I need to get him to take a knee and propose… I’d rather be sent to Tartarus before I have to propose to him for a wedding.

“For that, you may need to take some initiative…” a new voice entered into the conversation, causing Celestia and Luna’s ears to perk and turn to an elderly white stallion unicorn, who was enjoying a slice of cake. “I would recommend you urge him on a date and drop subtle hints… or you can just get his mother to force him to do it…” Wise Words suggested with a snicker, knowing full well Nightshade could hear him...

Luna shook her head and sighed. “It may just come down to that…” she paused before continuing. “Pray tell, how have you been, Wise?” Luna asked the elder stallion.

“I’ve been one of the happiest ponies alive; I have my daughter back, I have a loving family through Blue, not to mention the most adorable filly I have ever met and I’m engaged to the most beautiful Katakan mare in the world… how could I not be happy?” he asked rhetorically to Luna, but his attention soon shifted to another mare who started to whisper in his ear.

“I would have you right here on this floor until you begged for mercy twice,” Nightshade said and nibbled on Wise’s ear.

Luna coughed to get Nightshade’s attention. “Behave… we are in the presence of foals here.”

“Apologies, Night-Mistress… I simply--”

“Everypony, can we have your attention please?!” Pinkie and Cheese yelled out to the crowd of ponies. “Let’s all gather around for a group photo!” the former squaled in joy as she pulled out a camera from thin air and stationed it on a stand, in front of gathering ponies.

Blueblood and Derpy were in the front of the group with Cloud safely held in his mother’s arms. Dinky and Pip were also in the front with their tails locked and beaming at the camera even though it did not flash yet.

“Alright everyone, say ‘Cheesepie’!” Cheese Sandwich and Pinkie Pie exclaimed and pressed a button to put the camera on a timer, almost immediately appearing in the back doing a funny pose.

“Cheesepie!”


Blueblood looked around the living room, which was spotless and devoid of any signs of a party that took place earlier. Well it was nice of Pinkie and Cheese to help clean up… Even though I will never know where Pinkie Pie found that magical vacuum cleaner… must be Discord’s doing...

Blueblood climbed upstairs and turned to open a door that lead to his daughter’s room, finding her fast asleep underneath her blanket with a soft smile on her face. He turned his attention to the opposite room, where his son was asleep and found him suckling on his pacifier in his crib.

Alright… Dinky’s in bed and so is Cloud… now where’s she? He thought to himself as he entered his room. He looked around and found nothing, but felt a cold breeze entering the room. Blueblood looked to see the balcony door open, and found his wife outside looking up at the night sky.

The stallion walked outside and sat next to his wife. “Aren’t you getting cold?” Blueblood asked Derpy, who merely shook her head with a soft smile on her muzzle. “What’s wrong?” he asked her.

“I’m just thinking…” Derpy leaned forward, staring up into the stars. “It’s only three years and my life has changed to dramatically…” Her smile was bright, with tears still formed in the corner of her eye. “Not only do I have Dinky, but I have you… and Cloud…” she continued only to pause as Blueblood sat next to her. A strong hoof wrapped around her, and she allowed it to pull her against his warm chest. “I don’t even want to think how life would have been if you hadn’t found me…”

“Even if it wasn’t on that day, I would still have looked for and found you,” Blueblood said, bringing his hoof to Derpy’s cheek and turning her muzzle to face his. In the quiet night, they shared a smile that soon became a kiss. The tender touch lingered till it became a passionate embrace, ending only when Blue blood pulled back to catch his breath. “But I am here now, and I will always be here for you and for our children.”

Derpy’s smile somehow managed to double as she blinked tears from her eyes. “I love you so much, Blue…”

“I love you too, Derpy.” Pulling his wife closer, he stared up into the stars she had been looking at earlier.

Derpy joined him in stargazing, soaking up the feel of his warmth and the silence of the night. She let out a sigh as she leaned against Blueblood’s chest, feeling his soothing heartbeat that in sync with hers as they gazed upon the beautiful night sky.