Honeydew was sitting on a bed of moss, facing away from the stairs. His foreleg had received a fresh bandage, now with a colorful string wrapped around it. He held it close to his stomach, while his other hoof was… scratching on his chest?
“Honeydew?” I asked, trying to get a look at what he was doing as Honeydew whirled around, almost knocking over a small cup filled with an orange paint. His cheeks burned as he met my amused look.
I’d never really paid much mind to the orange markings on his legs and back. They never seemed to wash off, nor have I ever seen him paint himself before. I would’ve never guessed that he’d be embarrassed about it, but here he was, flushing as if I’d caught him with his hoof in the cookie jar. “What are you doing?” I chuckled as I watched his hoof awkwardly try to cover the cup, as if the act of hiding it would somehow make me forget.
“Nothing.” he muttered, slowly raising his hoof from the color.
“It looked like a something~” I said teasingly as I sat down next to him, placing the bowl of food next to his bed. “You know, you’ve almost had me fooled that it’s your natural coat color.”
His blush somehow brightened even more as he shook his head lightly, apparently not trusting his tongue.
With a roll of my eyes, I poked his shoulder. “Come on, Honey, how long have you been painting yourself?”
“S-since I left on my first scouting trip.” he stuttered awkwardly as he dipped his hoof in the color once again.
“Oh, so it’s a tradition.” I said, playing up my tone to sound understanding, though I already knew that wasn’t it.
“No.” Honeydew squeaked the words as he buried his practically-glowing head into the moss. “It’s just- only I do that.” He took a long breath as I fought a desperate battle not to break into uncontrollable giggles. “I-I was scared, so my sister painted me, called them ‘the colors of bravery’.” With another deep breath, he raised his head, meeting my eyes. “I-I know it’s silly, but they still make me feel better.”
His face was beet red. Heck, even his feelers were basking us in red-tinted light, I didn’t even know that was possible! My heart beat a little faster as I mercifully decided not to make him squirm any longer. “I don’t think it’s silly.” I assured him with a giggle. “Besides, I think they look great on you.”
“Y-you do?” Honeydew blinked, absent-mindedly brushing over one of the markings on his shoulder… which promptly ruined the mark as he accidentally drew another line. Letting out a frustrated huff, he tapped the ground, then turned to see me already offer up his bowl of water. “T-thanks.” He muttered, trying to wash the wet color out of his coat. I noticed that he had to awkwardly twist his leg in order to reach it.
“Do you need help?” I offered, setting down the water.
He gave me a surprised look. “Uhm… y-yes, please” he admitted, his almost fading blush re-emerging as he offered up the paint. “It’s a little difficult to do on your own, and with my hoof-”
“No need to explain.” I snickered as I took up the paint, then urged him to lay down beside me. Faint remainders of his marking made it pretty clear where to place the color. It reminded me of painting easter eggs. “So… when you said you sister painted you, which one do you mean?” Immediately, I could feel the tenseness in his back. “It was Hippe, wasn’t it?” I sighed. “She seemed like a good mare to me, Honeydew.”
He let out a long sigh, then suddenly his hoof reached out for the bowl of food, pushing it closer to me. He then turned it around so the side with the clear, sticky fluid was closest. “What is this?” I whispered, reaching my non-painting hoof to bring a bit of it to my lips. It was surprisingly sweet. A nectar of sugary good- actually, it might be a little too sugary for me. I smacked my lips, uncertain whether I’d prefer to relish the taste or get it out of my mouth.
“It’s honeydew.” he explained evenly.
“It- what?”
“It’s called honeydew.” He repeated, then gave me a glance as a little smile played around my muzzle. “Whatever joke you’re thinking of, don’t.”
“I-I wasn’t going to.” I lied. From hs expression, I didn’t think he bought it, either. With a deep breath, I shook my head. “W-well, anyway, don’t change the subject. We were talking about your sister.”
“If you can call her that.” he muttered bitterly.
“Honeydew, I don’t know what she did, but I’ve known her for less than a day, and I can see that she cares for you.” I insisted, reaching out to brush against his shoulder, but he jerked away. “Honeydew, please, at least help me understand.”
For a few moments, I wasn’t sure whether my words had reached him. He leaned on his side, examining the markings I’d painted on his healthy foreleg. “Hippe… she has been watching me, Skylla and Charybdis for almost as long as I could remember. I think I was about six at the time.”
“But then-” I blinked, sizing up the older mare before my inner eye. “She couldn’t have been older than-”
“Ten.” he nodded sternly.
“What about your parents?” I exclaimed.
“What about them? They’re gone.”
Something about his voice stopped me from immediately rushing over to comfort him. He sounded more confused at my question than he did sad. “So, Hippe. Was… she a good sister?” I asked, trying not to let my own confusion show.
Honeydew’s gaze hardened- but then relaxed just a moment later. “Yes,” he admitted. “Yes, she was. At least that’s what I thought at the time. She could be a little impatient sometimes, but she always took her time to help us. When I wanted to be a scout, she’d go out with me for little adventures… never far from the clan, but still. And when I was scared of my first trip alone, well.” he looked down at the paint on his forehoof, a gentle smile playing around his lips. “And then she left us.” he hissed angrily, his smile transforming into a scowl as he rammed his hoof on the wooden floor. “Went out gathering when I was just old enough to watch the others. She told me it was just for a few days. Instead, they came back without her, and now I had three younger sisters to watch out for, all while I was trying to become a scout!” his voice seethed with anger as his hoof slammed down on the floor again. I could faintly hear Hippe’s gasp, followed by her husband’s voice comforting her.
“I felt bad for her, Twilight.” Honeydew said with a grim expression. “I knew how dangerous it was out there, I was convinced she’d died. Why else wouldn’t she have come back for us?” he let out a bitter laugh. “And then, next Spring, almost an entire year later, I have to learn that she’s married some breezie from the Highbreeze-clan, got herself pregnant, and left us behind without a single word. Oh, she says it’s because of ‘mad love’, but if that was the case, why not bring the stallion to the mare’s clan, as is tradition?” he paused, then continued in a quieter, but no less heated tone. “The real reason was so she could get rid of us. Look at Hippe, free of all family obligations! Who cares that I had to pick them up without a warning, without being prepared for it at all?!” After a long, deep breath, he rested down on his side. “She can say how sorry she is however she likes, but fact is: she could’ve come back at any time. But she didn’t.”
“I-” Licking my lips, I tried to think of something, anything to make him feel better, but I wasn’t even sure how I felt about that myself. Outraged? Sympathetic? How would I feel if Mom and Dad had suddenly left me to take care of a baby dragon all on my own? And he was just one child, even if he was a little more troublesome than most, being a dragon. “I-I don’t know what to say.” I concluded genuinely.
“Thought so.” Honeydew sighed, flinching as he moved his bandaged leg to lie more comfortably on the mossy bed. “Can I be alone for a bit?” His tired voice was followed up by a hearty yawn.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to… finish… painting you?” I asked, my voice breaking as he gave me a cross glance.
“Tomorrow morning. I’d really just like to be alone right now.” With that, he rested his head on the moss, leaving me to awkwardly excuse myself as I fled the room.
-----
Quietly walking down the stairs, I found Hippe to be sitting next to a bowl of crackling sizzlegrass. Her eyes immediately swept up to meet mine. It was clear she’d been waiting here. “So?” she asked quietly, possibly afraid Honeydew could hear us.
Exhaling, I took a seat on the opposite side of the clay bowl. The grass might have made the air pleasantly warm, but I barely registered that fact. So, what? I thought, watching the larger mare shuffle around anxiously. I wasn’t sure what to think of her. Leaving her family like that, without a warning? Would I be as cold towards Shining Armor if he did that to me, growing up? But Hippe hadn’t just been his sister, she’d practically been his mother, too! My mind was reeling from the sheer attempt to understand how he would be feeling right now. Honestly, I don’t think I could.
More than ever, I wished I could ask my friends for help. Applejack would understand, that I was sure of. The others would at least give me a second opinion, so I wouldn’t feel as clueless!
“You said you didn’t lie to him.” I muttered, staring down into the crumbling grass.
From the corner of my eye, I could see her nodding. “I really do love Greenfly, you have to believe that. When I met him, it was all-” her cheeks flushed sheepishly as she wiggled her hooves in an attempt to convey ‘love’. “I was just fourteen, and it was overwhelming. I’d promised to join his clan without even a second thought.”
“He mentioned you were pregnant.” I suddenly remembered. “At fourteen?” I tried to hide just how creepy I found that thought as I watched her nod. “Where is the kid?”
Immediately, I realised my mistake as I saw her expression darken, and remembered how the second floor had been spacious, yet, aside from Honeydew… empty.
“W-we wanted to try again next year.” Hippe muttered with a faltering voice, her hoof travelling down to her stomach.
I averted my eyes. Now I was feeling sorry for her, when I just thought I could settle on being mad on Honeydew’s behalf. I looked up at the ceiling, wondering if he was really aware of that detail of his sister’s story. “You know, I think he should forgive you. I-I’m not qualified to say this, but I think you deserve it. You care so much for him. I mean,” I said as I tapped the edge of the clay. “This is right below where he’s sleeping, right?” My face lit up as I saw a weak smile emerging on her lips. “Even now, you care for him.”
“Well… I’d rather call it trying to make it up to him.” she chuckled weakly.
“Then you’re an idiot, just like him.” Kalypso’s voice swept from the next room. She had dark rings under her eyes that I must have missed in the panic of the last days. Me and Hippe jumped up at her sudden entrance, both giving her a glare.
“He’s not an idiot.” Hippe exclaimed.
“Then he’s a hypocrite.” Kalypso snorted. “You don’t even realise the full story.” Her glare swept to me. “Neither of you do. Well, reserve your judgement until you understand. Then you can judge her. And him.” With that, she left the room, not allowing either of us a chance to respond.
Blinking in confusion, I slowly turned to meet Hippe’s equally baffled expression. “What did she mean by ‘judge him’?” I whispered. Hippe simply shook her head.