//------------------------------// // A Slow Crawl // Story: The S.R.G: Phantom Girl // by SaphireHoyt //------------------------------// I watched as Celectia made short strides. She was pulling herself across the room with her front hooves. I turned my head towards her mother, who was watching Celectia absent mindedly. I waved my hands at the baby and earned a coo. She started slowly picking herself up to sit, taking a small bit of effort to sit straight. I motioned her to come towards me. I was sitting next ti her Mother so I she would go to her. She stood slowly, and carefully. Yes, come on that's it! The thought echoed in my mind as she took one step. Front left forward, plant firmly. Check back leg, then back right forward, and plant firmly. Front right forward, plant firmly, check back legs, then back right. My hopes grew more and more as the process repeated. Front left, plant, check, back right. Front right, check, back left. On and on, she made the journey from her carpet to her mom in a few minutes, almost stumbling several times when she moved to fast. Her Mother hadn't noticed this, and was busy with reading as she hummed a calming song. Only when she felt Celectia bump into her did she finally look over. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. She was crying tears of pure joy. "You... Noo... No there's no way!" She stood up and trotted to the other side of the room, and I went with her to lure Celectia over to her mother and I. She gave a little giggle and began trying to walk towards us, making me smile. She repeated tge earlier process, and squeed at how much easier it was for her. She started spewing babble as she giggled and walked, and I didn't understand what she was saying, but I knew she was excited. Everything that had been happening before stopped when Celectia reached her Mother. She bumped her tiny horn into her Mothers metal hoof plate, and giggled playfully. Getting a little fiesty huh? You can walk for two minutes and you're already challenging your Mama? I smiled when her Mother nudged her onto her back as she laid down with her in her front forelegs. Celectia's wings were flared out and wide as she giggled, giving tiny coos and growls of cuteness. She was being playful. More so than I had ever seen. Sometimes our minds would link so closely that we would be as one. I would feel everything she felt, and maybe even visversa. Right now, she was as playful as a puppy. She giggled and play booped her Mothers nose when she got close enough. She giggled and clapped her tiny hooves together. She waa feeling mischivious and rebellious. As much as a baby could. I watched and smiled, looking at the two in adoration, smiling blissfully. Her mother was chuckling at her for a moment, before her smile turned a little evil. I wondered... "Ohh is somebody feeling testy?" She giggled and Celectia gave a sqawk in response, throwing her hooves in the air. Her Mother leaned her head down and nudged Celectia's little body, making her giggle. I giggled too, sharing the bond enough to feel the sensation. Her Mother got a little more mischivious, and sme giggled. Me and Celectia froze, tilting our heads in unison as she leaned down to Celectia's little body again, and she smiled. What followed next made Celectia burst out in the most adoreably babish laugh one could muster. And I, sadly, had to suffer the same fate she was doomed to as the sensation intensified. Her Mother had began to blow on her little belly, thus causing the sensation. Celectia screeched in playful distress, before dissppearing into a ball of light and hidden in her toybox. The reason I know? I was right next to her. Her Mother was left giggling as she looked for us- her. The feeling of dread filled us both when she went silent after she disappeared. I waited, antisipating the box to open. It was suddenly engulfed in a strange mix of red and gold, not orange but not just one color. It flew open and Celectia laughed, and so did I, this having been the most fun I've had in a while with Celectia and her Mother. Celectia was levitated out of the toy box and into her mothers loving embrace. "Someone's come to see you my little dearest." She smiled and levitated the little one into a carrier on her side, and she began to walk slowly towards the door. I had barely a few moments before I was dragged by my bond to her to follow. I went up and settled myself on her Mothers back again, and she shivered, eyeing back at me. We moved down hallways that niether of us had remembered before. Seeing things we've never seen, golden flowers bigger than my head, and massive stone pillars going up to a cieling that was so high I could never even dream of touching it. The beauty, the complexity... All lost on such a tiny infant. And I as well because of my mental connection to her. Something came into view, something large and something wide and tall. It seemed to open on it's own, making a creaking sound that made me shiver. I watched in awe as we found a room full of colorful windows and a deep red carpet heading to two thrones. One with a sun, and one with a moon. "He should be here any second now, don't worry. I do hope you won't cry." She looked back at Celectia, and I thought I caught her eye's flick to me for a moment, before she turned away and smiled nervously as she fluttered her wings. "No, no, no. You'll love him. He is your father after all. And if you do not bond now.. Well I'm sure you'll bond later, as you play." Both me and Celectia perked up at the word that she had spoken. The mere mention of it shot such joy into our bodies that she Celectia would babble. I got Celectia's attention, and started playing peek a boo to pass the time. She laughed and started copying me, and giggling as she clapped her tiny baby hooves. The large tall creaky thing flung itself open with a whoosh and a bang, making Celectia jump and teleport to me, and I was somehow able to keep her in hid air, holding her in as much shock as her. Whatever caused the big thing to creak open came barreling down the carpet and it toppled over her Mother. There was a few moments of yelping, tumbling, and then silence. And then laughter. The figure had Celectia's Mother in a tight embrace, with hooves and wings squeezing her close. He had a beautiful coat of deep navy blue, and he had her in a deep kiss. "Augh- Starlight- please you're embarrassing me!" Her face had turned red as she returned the embrace of the stranger. "Oh finally, my lovely Sunshine! It has been a year, but I have finally returned from the war of the Oxen! I may finally rule by your side again! But first what matters most- where is my daughter? Where is my little Celectia?" He stopped and looked at Celectia and I, and I backtracked my head a little in shock. I curled a little more around her, protecting her. Her wings curled around her too, to protect her. His gaze softened as he looked at us- her. He slowly approached, looking at her as she hovered in mid air in my grasp. "My my... Look at you... How much you've grown in only a year." He had tears in his eyes. "You and your-" "Come, Starlight! L-let me show you something about her!" She used her magic to forcefully lower me to the ground, surprising me beyond reason. What was he going to say? I'm not sure. How strange. Celectia was still sitting curled up in my grasp. "Come on Celectia! Come to Mommy!" She laid down, smiling as she looked at her Celectia, and celectia smiled too. I relaxed, and so did Celectia. I let her go, carefully. She folded her wings back down, sitting and tilting her head in unison with me. "Come on!" Celectia stood up and started her unsure slow process of walking. She was smiling largely as she walked, and this made me genuinely happy. She was happy. I was happy. I relaxed slowly, and so did Celectia. What a wonderful life. What a wonderful life this will be with this stranger. Maybe he'll be fun to have around.