//------------------------------// // 29: Family // Story: Dawn of The Ice King // by KingdomBrony16 //------------------------------// I was in the shower pondering this last month and how fast it had gone by, everyone was in and out of the house doing their own thing, and I told Twilight about the fact that my world did have magic and what I saw. Her and I spent a good chunk of the month trying to figure that out. We even performed, safe, tests on Cookie, she wasn’t happy about it regardless but hey, closest magic user  on this world, easiest test subject, we found out a few things but not enough to determine much. I shrugged and stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, making my way to my room, not having to worry about anyone seeing me. I closed the door and disrobed, catching myself in the mirror. I turned to fully examine my body and how it looks now compared to 5 years ago. 5 years ago I was 200+ pounds and while it wasn’t all fat it also wasn’t all muscle, I had a gut and man boobs, not horribly but they were there. The first noticeable change was me losing weight due to my draconic metabolism eating all the fat, I had to replace it with a bunch of heavy proteins and a LOT of fish which ended up giving me a bunch of good vitamins in my body, plus all of the heavy work I did around the cottage and just with the town in general for the first several months living in Ponyville started my muscle gain and it only continued during my training with Shining for 2 years and then my travel for the last couple of traveling and dealing with the different areas and cultures… it really toned my body well. I had clearly defined abs and pecs, my arms weren’t huge, but the had very clear definition in them, especially if I flexed. No, the muscle size went to my legs, my family always had naturally muscular legs, but since my main mode of travel were my legs they’ve only gotten more muscular. “I might have to change my fighting style to only use my legs at this point.” I said with a soft chuckle. However the good comes with the bad, my body had scars spanning across it nearly everywhere. A bunch of them are just small ones from rough training from at the Empire and from the other Kingdoms. But there was one large one that ran from the lower side of my abdomen up to my left shoulder and an equally large scar passing up from the left side of my face over my eye and up into my forehead. “Sombra you son of a bitch, you took my eye, you hurt my family, and you tainted me with darkness.” I honestly could never forgive him for what he did, but I also can’t entirely hate him, he was corrupted trying to find a way to give his people a better life, to ensure they would be forever safe should the Crystal Heart ever fail. It backfired, obviously, but I understood it. Though the most interesting thing about it is due to Earth’s magic being immature, dormant, or sealed, wish I had more time to figure it out, my dark eye is now just a flickering black ember in my eye socket, so I still wore my eyepatch as to not freak people out. I slid on a pair of boxers and I heard the door creak open, I looked over my shoulder to see Shy standing in the doorway, “Hi honey, what’s up?” She smiled sweetly at me, “Oh, well, I was just wondering if you were ready, the others and I ate already and we’re just waiting for you.” I sighed and  put jeans on, “Honestly I’m a bit too nervous to eat. I’ll be ok.” She walked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head against my back, “I know you’re nervous, I’m nervous too, but eating is good for you, especially for you Mr. Bottomless pit.” “I know I know, and hey I try to keep it under control, I think I’ve been doing well on that front.” She giggled, “You have and I’m proud of you.” “Thank you, and why are you nervous, it’s not your problem to deal with.” I was greeted with humming, “Well I’m nervous for you, this is a big day for you and I want it to go well.” “Thanks, Shy… Ok I’ll grab something to eat, just go and make sure the children are good to go, it’ll be a bit of a ride and they’ll need something to do.” “I can do that, hurry though, we’ll be late if you take any more time admiring yourself.” I smirked at that, “Thanks Twilight I’ll make sure I stick to your strenuous schedule.” Shy stammered and I could tell she was blushing, “I-I’m not that bad, being a mother makes you a bit more organized than usual.” “I know. Now shoo, I’ll be down in a few.” she did, in fact, shoo, not before giving me a kiss on the cheek. I shook my head, “The women in my life I swear, but she’s right, let’s get this party started.” ~3 hours later~ “Are we there yet?” Pinkie groaned out, slumping in the back seat. I sighed, “Pinkie, this is the fourth time in the past 30 minutes you’ve asked that, we’ll be there when we get there.” “Yeah but how much longer? I thought Lilac said she still lived in town….” “Last time Lily talked to her she was in town but apparently she up and moved out of state without word to anyone, so it’s bit more of a drive.” I explained, also getting exasperated at this drive, we’ve been on the road for 3 hours and we still had another 3 to go, it’s not terribly long but hoo boy, stuck in a car for that long is not fun. “Yeah daddy, my butt hurts, I’ve been sitting down too long, can we stop somewhere?” Goldy asked. I looked out my side window quickly, “Goldy, we’re in the middle of nowhere, what do you expect us to do?” “Oh! Oh! Oh! I know! I know!” Pinkie said, raising her hand. Shy laughed at her friend’s antics, “You don’t have to raise your hand Pinkie.” She immediately put her hand down, “Oh, well we could have a picnic?” “With what food? We brought snack foods and bottles of water, we don’t even have a picnic blanket.” I pointed out to them. Pinkie was quickly dejected and sunk back down, “Oh, right…” “Well, we could take turns singing songs?” Goldy suggested. Shy looked at me, and I glanced at her, her eyes were lit up, clearly excited, “Oh, that sounds like fun, what do you think Pinkie? You can even go first.” She perked up at that, “Really? YAY! I even have the perfect song.” She took a deep breath and I got an immense feeling of fear deep in my gut, “This is the song that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue singing it forever just because!” Miles away you could hear an earth shaking scream echo into the distance. ~3 hours, that felt like an eternity later~ “-Not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue singing it forever just because-” “WE’RE HERE, OH MY GOD WE’RE HERE SO PLEASE… stop!” I said the last part in a low growl, immediately quieting Pinkie, who gave me a toothy grin. Shy had earmuffs on and took a nap, so she didn’t have to sit through the torture of what I just had to deal with and Goldy, was just having fun, going along with Pinkie. I groaned and shook Fluttershy gently to wake her up. She stirred and looked at me, “Are we there?” I nodded, “Oh good, I need to stretch my legs.” She tucked the earmuffs into the bag she brought a long and sat the seat up straight. I turned off the car and looked at the building that we stopped in front of, It was a decent sized house in the middle of the woods, I’m guessing she used the money that was left for her to buy this place. Plenty of space and no one to bother her… sounds about right. “Alright girls, stay here, I’ll be back.” I said as I was getting out of the driver’s seat. “Wait I want to go with you daddy!” Goldy said, quickly unbuckling herself. I smiled, “Alright, she might not be as mean if you come with.” Goldy nodded, and got out the car, meeting me up front, “Is Auntie Andrea mean?” I stayed silent for a few moments as we walked up the drive way, towards the front porch, “No, she’s… just not happy I suppose, I’m not sure, I haven’t seen her for years there's a lot of things that happened between us, your aunt Lilac and your grandparents. I suppose we’ll have to find out.” We reached the front door and I gave it a heavy knock before ringing the doorbell a couple of times. “One second please, I just got out the shower.” I heard Drea call from inside the house. Goldy looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and I just shrugged, I don’t know who showers at 5 in the afternoon, but Drea has always been a bit of a priss when it came to her own personal hygiene. However, after several minutes of waiting we heard the tumbler unlock and the door knob turn as the door creaked open. “Sorry about that, just got back in from working on my garden, what can I do for… you?” She trailed off as she looked at Goldy and I, “Who are you?” “Hi, auntie Drea, I’m Goldy and this is my daddy, he’s your brother.” My daughter said, happily, catching my sister off guard entirely. But once the words registered Andrea’s eyes visibly darkened as whatever light was there left, “My brother died years ago, and it’s sick of you to pull something like this, go away before I call the cops.” She said as she tried to close the door. I stopped it with my hand, “Drea, this isn’t some sick joke, it’s me, Christopher.” She tried to push the door closed more, but my strength, even weakened was far greater than her’s, “Everyone knew my brother’s name, our mother was famous, who didn’t know us?” I sighed, “Drea, it’s Tiny Tina and you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do.” At that the resistance stopped and I let go on tying to keep the door open. She peaked her head through the open space and looked at me, her eyes going wide. “Chris… is that… really you?” She asked hesitantly, I nodded in response, “Then you… should also go away, I don’t want to see you, ever.” she slammed the door before I could react and I could hear locking sounds. I sighed, “I figured that would be the case, alright Goldy, let’s go.” I grabbed her hand and led her down the porch, but before I got to the bottom step I heard the door open once more. “Wait, hold on.” I heard Drea say behind me. I turned to look at her, “What? I thought you wanted me to go.” Drea bit her lip and looked to the side, “I… overreacted, you came all this way to see me, the least I can do is let you… and your daughter in.” I gave her a small smile, “Do you mind if I bring in the rest of my family? Not much just two more people?” She sighed, “Sure, the more the merrier.” “Thanks Drea.” I brought Pinkie and Shy in, and we stayed there for a few hours until dinner time, we ordered chinese, I let Drea know that Pinkie and Shy were vegetarian so she ordered stuff that would suit them as well. Really it was going well until… “So why did you leave without saying anything?” She asked out of nowhere. That made me stop mid pick up of an eggroll, “What?” “I asked why you left without saying anything to anyone.” She said. I sighed, “Same reason you did, I was tired of the bullshit.” She scoffed, “Please, you and your mother are the reason for the bullshit in the first place.” I looked at her with wide eyes, “What?” “You heard me.” I nodded, “Yeah I did, and still I ask what. I didn’t do anything.” Now it was her turn to look incredulous, “Didn’t do… you killed dad, when you left he died.” I gave her a stern look, “Now, hold the fuck on, dad was dead long before I left, he died when mom died, and that’s no one’s fault except for life. I never understood why you blamed mom for that or why you’re blaming me for dad’s death. That man was never the same after mom died and he only got worse after you left for no reason! Do you have any idea what Lily and I had to deal with?!” I slammed my fist on the table, easily splintering it, “If anything you killed dad by leaving first! Hell, Lily said me leaving is what shocked him into his old self but the damage was done by his wife dying and his first child leaving without so much as a goodbye!” “How dare you!” Andrea shouted, standing up quickly. I gripped the table and stood up, “How dare I?! I fucking dare because you blame everyone else for things we can’t fucking control because you never fucking learned to grow up, you didn’t show up at Mom’s funeral, you didn’t show up at mine after I disappeared and I bet damn well you didn’t actually show up at dad’s! Am I being hypocritical? Yes, do I care? No, because at least I’m trying to fix my mistakes before I’m gone forever, what about you huh? You’re gonna be petty and a bitch until you die? Fine, do that see who comes to your funeral.” I turned my back to her when she didn’t respond but just stare at me and grabbed Shy and Goldy by the arms, “Come on, we’re leaving, Pinkie you too.” Pinkie looked between me and the food before grabbing a good chunk of it in her arms. She followed before stopping and looked at Andrea, “It’s no one’s fault that your dad died, Chris loves you and he just wanted to make things right, this is the last chance you’ll ever get to see him, is this really how you want to leave it?” Andrea looked away, “Just… go.” Pinkie sighed, “We’re leaving tomorrow night from his mom’s house, just thought you ought to know.” And with that Pinkie closed the front door behind her leaving Andrea to her thoughts. ~5 hours later in a  dark parking lot~ I got out of the car, left it running for the girls so the could keep the warm air flowing as they were asleep and they couldn’t handle the cold very well as humans. I walked past a closed building into a field of stones, many were marked, a lot had words and numbers that were worn down from time, and plenty of spots had stones that were removed. I made my way along rows of headstones until I found what I was looking for. I found a head stone that read, ‘Here lies Vivienne Amaya McGrath, beloved actress and mother, the world will never be the same without her. 1969 - 2016’ Right next to her was a headstone that read, ‘Here lies Adam Michael McGrath, He lost his way but found it again, he’s with his wife in peace. 1959 - 2019’ But something I wasn’t expecting to see was next to the gravestones, ‘Here lies Christopher Tina McGrath, a son and a brother, never found but never forgotten. 1996 - 2017.’ “My grave huh… right Lily did say that they had a funeral for me…” I sighed and sat down in front of the headstones, “Hey mom, dad… I’m sorry I left, I’m sorry that I didn’t try harder, I’m sorry that I gave up and blamed everything on others and hated myself. Im sure neither of you would be proud of me back then… hell I don’t know if you would be proud of me now. I just wish I could tell you how much I love and miss you in person, I don’t want to be talking to a cold lifeless stone, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.” I sat in silence for a little bit before letting out a staggering breath, “You wouldn’t believe the crazy stuff I’ve been through, like I met an actual dragon and I got sent to a different world full of anthro ponies and I had a child with one of them!” I said with bemused laugh. “Though I suppose it’s not that strange, I’m also half dragon and that world is full of magic and creatures we consider myths. Like I said it's been a wild ride… I’m getting married soon too. She’s wonderful, you both would’ve loved her, she makes me happy and calms me down when I’m getting worked up or scared. I can talk to her about anything and she’s been the first person to love me for me and it’s something I can’t ever repay, I wish you could’ve met her. Oh and there’s another girl too, no I’m not cheating, Polygamy is legal on that world.” I stared up into the night sky, the stairs more visible here than in the city, “She’s great too, she can make me laugh and smile no matter how I’m feeling. But, she’s sad too, I don’t know exactly what it is, but I can see it in her eyes, there's always happiness, hope, and laughter, but behind all that is fear and loneliness and I can’t help but relate to that. I just want to make her happy too. I hope you two aren’t upset with me for trying to marry two girls, or see it as unfaithful to either, I just want to make both of them happy…” I just sat in silence for a few moments when I heard shuffling behind me, “Chrissy?” I turned my head to the voice, “Oh, hey Pinks.” She looked around, clearly just noticing the headstones, “What are you doing out here, this place is spooky.” I didn’t answer her and just stared back at the headstones, her gaze followed mine and she gasped when she saw it, “Oh…” She sat down besides me. “So, how long were you standing there?” I asked her. “I just got here, these are your parents’ graves aren’t they?” I nodded, “I was always planning on coming to see them before I left, I was just hoping it was under better circumstances… and that I didn’t have so much guilt about their deaths and my reactions to it all. I bet they’d be ashamed.” Pinkie shook her head, “No, I think they would be proud of you. You came back and you’re doing your best to make things right.” I looked at her, “You really think so?” She gave me a wide, Pinkie-esque smile, “I know so.” I chuckled, “Thanks, Pinks… I have something to ask you and-” “I know.” She said cutting me off, “But there’s something you need to know first, it might change your mind.” I cocked my head to the side in confusion and she took a calming breath, her hair becoming completely straight, “My family is cursed.” She stated, throwing me so far off guard it felt like I was punched in the gut, “Let me explain, like I said, my family is cursed, it happened hundreds of years ago, we don’t know exactly who or what cursed my family or why. No one does, not even the Princesses have an idea of who could have, but we are cursed.” I blinked, where did this come from, I’ve never heard anything about this until now, “Cursed… how?” “Every generation a Pie female is cursed to be infertile, my Grammy Pie’s sister was one. Luckily for Grammy she only had a son, my Pa, but my pa only had girls. Maud, Limestone, Marble and I, we all knew one of us would be infertile, unable to bear foals. But we didn’t know which of us it was going to be until our first heat.” “Why’s that?” Her eyes were starting to tear up and soft sniffles came from her, “Because, Chrissy, we don’t get our heat if we’re cursed… Maud had hers, so did Limestone, Marble and I were born so close together that it was a toss up between us until one day she had hers and I never did.” “Oh…” It was all I could say, I mean what else could I say? Sorry, for your loss? “Yeah… Everyone in my family who’s been cursed has never had a special somepony stay with them. And I’m no exception, every colt friend I’ve had has left me when I told them.” Tears were flowing freely now from her. “Not even females?” “I don’t swing that way Chrissy.” I shrugged, “Spaghetti is straight too until you get it wet.” She snorted at that, a small smile donning her features before a frown took its place once more, “Chrissy… I can never give you a foal, or a hatchling, or whatever it is for you.” I laughed, causing her to look at me in shock, “What? Why are you looking at me like that? I don’t care if you can’t give me a kid Pinks, that’s not why I want to be with you. Besides I have Goldy, I don’t plan on having another kid any time soon regardless.” She had a vacant look on her face, her eyes staring off into the distance, “Y-You don’t care?” I stood up and brushed off any grass that was attached to my legs, “I don’t care, anyone who does and leaves you because of something so stupid never deserved you in the first place. I want you in my herd because I care about you and I want you to be happy, obviously this has done something to your psyche, I can see the sadness behind the laughter Pinkie. I want to make that go away, forever, if you’ll let me.” I said, holding my hand out to her. Pinkie looked up at me, tears in her eyes, a smile on her face, and the light of hope shining from her, she took my hand and stood up, “I will, thank you so much.” She rushed in to hug me, nearly knocking the air out of my lungs. I hugged her back, pulling her close, “Good, now let's go, it can’t be warm for you and we need to let the dead rest.” She nodded and kept close to me as we walked away, “Hey Chrissy?” I gave her a grunt of confirmation to keep going, “I love you.” I coughed, not expecting that, “I love you too, Pinkie.” ~The Final Night~ It was a good day, everyone was home, the house was lively again and it was wonderful to have everyone back after them being gone for a few days. They all noticed the change between Pinkie, Shy, and I and gave us their most heartfelt congratulations. Though I did request to meet all of their respective significant others now that all of the girls were with someone. They all laughed nervously but agreed. I think the happiest person was Rarity, it meant she had another wedding gown to make for one of her closest friends, there’s nothing more in the world more exciting to her, especially since it’s also going to be a royal wedding. Sadly, our time was coming to a close and it was time to return to my new home, we were all gathered in my room and it was kind of crowded but that’s where the portal was so in we went one by one until it was just me left. “Chris wait.” Lilac said, stopping me before I jumped through the portal. I turned back around, “Yeah?” She looked away briefly before looking back at me with tears in her eyes, “Do you have to go, I just got you back, we just got you back, you’re the only family I have left.” “Lilac… I have to, my life is there, I’m needed there. I made a promise to my country to be there for them. I have to go, I’m sorry.” I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She wiped her tears away and gave me a sad smile, “I know, I just wish I had more time, or at least something to remember you by.” I gave it some thought for a moment and I had an idea, digging through my bag quickly I pulled out a power crystal and popped, transforming myself, “I can’t give you the more time, but I can give you something to remember me by.” I grabbed her hand and quickly pricked it with a claw, getting a drop of her blood before forming an ice lily around it, “Here you go, sorry about pricking your hand but it’ll prevent the flower from freezing you or anyone with your blood. But it’ll also last until I die… which is arguably never. So you can pass it down generation to generation as a family keepsake.” I placed it in the palm of her hand and closed her hand around it. She smiled, “A lily, for your Lily.” I nodded in response and then turned my attention to Vivi and Tina. “Now you two, what are your favorite animals?” Tina was the first to speak up, “Oh oh a ferret!” “Ha, a ferret how unique!” I held out my hand and form a sculpture of a ferret, and handed it to her, “Here you go new Tiny Tina. A ferret all for you.” She took and held it, amazed at how it wasn’t cold for her at all, “Woah, it’s not cold, neat!” “And you Vivi?” She looked away and quietly mumbled something until I told her I couldn’t hear her, I very much could but I just wanted her to be confident in saying it, “I said, it’s a whale shark, it's embarrassing, girls shouldn’t like sharks.” “Nothing embarrassing about it, whale sharks are my favorite, they're huge babies and want nothing more than to eat and just swim freely, here.” I formed a whale shark sculpture for ViVi and placed it in her hands. “Your Uncle loves you very much, take care of your mother for me ok? It was good to be able to meet you, be good, or I’ll find a way to come back and lecture you.” Tina gave me a hug and Vivi gave me a firm nod, “Good, now your uncle has to go. Oh, before I do!” I formed a hummingbird in my hand, infusing some of my blood into it and wrapping it in a towel as Lilac wasn’t blood related to me, “Give this to, Drea, next time you see her and tell her I’m sorry and that I love her. Bye everyone.” And with that I stepped through the portal. ~Hours later still on Earth~ A knock was heard on Lilac’s front door, she got up from the couch to go answer it and was absolutely shocked to find Drea standing at the door, “Drea, what are you doing here? It’s 3 in the morning.” “I-I was hoping Chris was still here?” She said, looking past her into the house. “No, he left hours ago.” Lilac explained. Drea looked dejected, “Oh, well I guess I’ll go then, sorry for bothering you Lilac.” Lilac shook her head, “It’s no bother, how about you come in so you don’t have to get a hotel or drive all the way back home tonight?” Drea smiled, “I’d like that.” She stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind her and for this first time in years, a family was whole again.