//------------------------------// // Part 3: The Mother // Story: Give Me Shelter // by TheWingman //------------------------------// Dusk had fallen on the town of Cloudsdale, the city of the sky. All around, the pegasi were either returning home for rest or going to other places. For Skychaser, returning to his hometown was like stepping back through time. It was a long time since his hooves touched the clouds that make up the city’s foundation. As much as he wanted to take in the joy of coming home after fifteen years, he came there with a purpose and a will to see it through… to put his past to rest. “Here we are, brother.” Summer Rush sighed as they perched on the outskirts of town. “Home.” “Hard to believe that I'm setting hoof here again,” Skychaser mutters as he looked on towards the cityscape. Lights upon lights lit up the city veiled in darkness. It was familiar yet felt alien to him. “I-I honestly do not know what to say.” “I know how you feel, Sky.” Summer replied with a hug, momentarily calming her brother’s nerves. “But remember, I believe what you and father said, and you shouldn't have to worry anymore. I'll be there for you.” With a slight smile, Skychaser returned the hug. For a moment, the silence was shared between the siblings, “Now, let's go have a chat with our mother.” Flying alongside his sister, Skychaser flew throughout the cityscape. As they did, his eyes locked onto a particular area off in the distance. From the lights of the windows and streetlamps, he recognized the shape of it. It was the house he grew up in, now the residence of his mother. Along with all the memories of hanging out with his friends, the unpleasant reminders of his mother’s aggressions danced in his mind. The hell she put him through was unforgivable in his eyes. Now, he has come to tell her off for good. Landing in front of the house, Skychaser’s equine heart raced at a rate he never felt before. Even after all that time, was he truly ready to face his mother once more? On one hoof, he felt fear but on the other, a desire for closure. All he had to endure was a few moments of venom from her, and he was done. With a long sigh and a bright smile from his sister, he pushed a hoof forward, opening the door and trotting in. Except for a light in the kitchen, the house was mostly dark inside. Still, Skychaser recognized every bit the interior. Every birthday, nightmare night, and hearth’s warming day, he remembered it all. With the recent revelation, he wondered if it was all a facade, something to get him to be more compliant. However, through all of that, the memories of his sister were the one small glimmer of hope in the darkness. With a few stomps from his hoof, a shadow emerged from the kitchen, followed by a figure he knew all too well. The turquoise coat, amber and gold mane, and gamboge eyes that could pierce a soul, he would never forget them. Upon locking eyes with Lightning Dust, her expression went from shock to menacing in short order. This was it, the moment his heart had dreaded, facing his mother. “Well, that's a sight I've not seen in a long time: the disappointment.” Lightning chuckled as she approached. Entering the living room, her gaze snapped to her daughter displeased at her mother’s earlier remark. She was confused at how her daughter would bring the pony she loathed to her house. “Daughter, may I ask why you brought your brother here? He's not welcome.” “Well mother, maybe you can explain why.” Summer replied with a snarl, “You have a lot to answer for.” “Oh do I, daughter?” She chuckled as her eyes glued to her son’s face, visibly shaken and angered. “So, why have you come back?” “I've come to lay a part of my past to rest, mother.” He muttered loud enough for her ears to hear, “I'm through waking up to every nightmare where your face keeps staring back at me.” Every so often when he went to sleep, Skychaser would be plagued by nightmares of his abuse at her hooves. In every one of them, he would often see her staring at him from the void. It scared him every time, usually jolting him awake with a cold sweat. There were even times where he got no sleep because of them. “Oh, big words were coming from such a pansy like you. So, how have you been? I thought you've died on the streets.” “I've been working at a youth center in Ponyville, helping foals that were in the same situation as me. What have you done besides bemoaning your failures?” His last statement shook Lightning to her core. Inside, her anger grew, anger towards her son. “That's rich, coming from my greatest disappointment.” She laughed as she trotted circles around him. “All you ever did was disobey that pathetic father of yours and me. All I wanted was your cooperation and dedication. What more do you want from me?!” “I wanted you to treat me like I was your son,” Skychaser shuddered “like I mattered, not like some piece of dog shit that got stuck to your shoe. All you ever did was say that I was worthless and neglected me for my sister.” “Well, at least your sister knew her place like the good filly she is.” “Mother!” Summer gasped in outrage over her words, “I'm right here! How could you say that about me?” With a grin that reeked of vanity and pride, Lightning’s view snapped to her daughter. “By chance, I ran into him today, and he told me everything about how you abused him and kicked him out!” “Oh please! You should know by now that your brother is a liar and disobedient.” “I'm an adult, damn it!” Summer snapped with visible frustration, “I'm old enough to decide what I believe in! Also, you know what else, father confirmed everything! You never cared about him, Skychaser, or even me!” “So, you're going to believe that gutless, pathetic excuse of a stallion over ME?! How naive of you, it's funny.” “She's right, you know.” Skychaser spoke up with an audible hitch in his voice and tears welling up, “All I wanted, what we wanted, was a mother that loved us. We wanted somepony that would watch over and support us no matter what. Instead, all you saw us as were tools, instruments for your own selfish ambition to live your crushed dreams! YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT HER! YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME! ALL I WANTED WAS A MOTHER!!! ALL I WANTED WAS YOUR LOVE!!!” All was silent for what seemed like moments. The only noise that was present was some sniffling from Skychaser. He poured his heart and soul out to his estranged mother. As his eyes fixed on her, she was shocked with eyes wide open and jaw slacked. Though he hoped she would see the error of her ways, the return of her sinister grin scattered those hopes to the wind. “*Sigh* Oh my dearest mistake,” Lightning insidiously purred, “you honestly think that you could win me over with that sappy speech? Hah, pathetic!” Lightning then got into Skychaser’s face, visibly making him quake. His heart was pacing as he was reliving the unpleasantries from so long ago, “You are right though. I trained YOU to be the wonderbolt I never got to be. When you turned out to be a failure, I had Plan-B over there step in and take your place. To my luck, she turned out better than you did! I was right to throw you out because you're dead weight to me! If I knew you were going to be such a failure, I would have made sure that YOU WERE NEVER EVEN BORN!” With his mother’s words, Skychaser’s heart felt like it exploded in a red vapor. He stood there, still as a tree, silent as a mountain. The look on his face: shock, horror, betrayal. His mother truly hated him with all the venom in her heart. His pain was immeasurable, and it left him paralyzed, unable and unwilling to move. It was the worst moment for him as his mind defaulted to one question: Why? Summer Rush was none too pleased that her mother would say that about Skychaser. Soon, an argument between mother and daughter ensued. “H-HOW COULD YOU?!” Summer yelled out, enraged at her mother’s words, “WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT ABOUT HIM?! HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!” “He should have accepted our wishes from the start!” “Our wishes?! Bull! You only cared for yourself!” “Is it that much of a crime that I wanted to be a wonderbolt?!!” “Through us as proxies, yeah! YOU'VE USED ME!” “Oh you stupid filly, I thought you were smarter than this.” “What?! Mother, I'm a mare, and I make my own judgments!” “Let us get one thing straight here, dear: You're nothing without me!” “Excuse me?! Despite what you may think… I'M NOT YOUR DO-” With a loud, audible smack, an angered Lightning Dust delivered a swift back hoof to her daughter’s face, knocking her to the floor. All the while, Skychaser witnessed the scene. Seeing his mother hurt his sister, the pony that he loved the most, shocked him. Soon, his heart paced at an incredible rate, and a veil of red began to cloud his vision as rage flooded his veins. Soon, all he saw was red as his fear of his mother was replaced by hatred. It was the last straw for him, and he had enough. “BIIIITCH!” He blurted out as, out of impulse, shoulder slammed her into the nearby wall, knocking over stuff from nearby shelves. Lightning was in shock, processing what just happened as she struggled to regain her bearings. Looking up, her eyes met the sight of her son, no longer afraid but simmering with anger. His eyes were like fire, and his frown bore his teeth. Her retribution was finally at hand. “S-S-Son,” Lightning Dust muttered, wiping a drop of blood from her nose, “what has got-” “Shut your damned mouth, now!” Skychaser interrupted with a yell, “Not another word!” His blood was boiling, and his resolve was firm. As his eyes began to shed a few droplets of tears, thoughts of all his past abuse came to the forefront. Gritting his teeth, he braced his mind and heart for his rant. “Mother, through all my life, I always looked to you for your love! I've held on to the faintest hope that you would understand how I have felt. I wanted nothing more than for you to hug me and say “It's okay, son. I love you.”. However, it never came. You stuck to your selfish attitude, never once thinking it was wrong! You forsook Summer and me to use us as puppets! Is that all we are to you?! Huh?! Now, I know that is what you truly think! You are the most self-centered, vile, miserable excuse of a parent!” That was it, what he wanted to say had poured out. Skychaser was left without words but one desire that clawed at him. She hurt him and now, he wanted to return the favor. Hovering over Lightning, Skychaser raised a hoof as he prepared to let his anger out completely. He wanted to hurt his mother, make her pay for a lifetime of misery. Yet, the face of his sister stopped him just short of landing the blow. After a moment of self-reflection, Skychaser saw himself becoming the thing that he hated. It sickened him to his core, but he maintained his composure. Coming off from his rage, he took a deep breath while still teary-eyed, getting nose to nose with his mother. “Let me make some things clear!” He growled, “Don't ever come near me again! Don't ever come near her or her family again! I want nothing to do with you for the rest of my life because I HATE YOU! YOU'RE NOTHING TO ME!” Turning around and sniffling, Skychaser made his way to the door, ready to leave his mother behind, one last time. “Goodbye, Lightning Dust.” Dashing out the door, Skychaser ran to a nearby park. On a nearby tree, he laid against it as his tears began welling again. Where he should feel relief, he felt emptiness, nothing. He finally freed himself from the demons of his past but to find out his mother never really loved him broke his heart. As he silently sobbed to himself, a flapping of wings was heard as Summer Rush trotted to his side, concerned for him. “Brother,” She whispered, “it's going to be okay. I'm here for you now.” “I… I…” Skychaser croaked in his sobbing, “All I wanted was for her to love me… however, she did not.” Scooching up next to him, Summer sighed as her brother kept crying in grief, “She loved neither of us! She never even loved me anyway!” “And now I know her true colors.” She grows more worried for her brother, disheartened to see him upset, “Please, Brother, don't cry. It's going to be alright; I swear.” Her words did little to ease him. She loved him but could not bear to see him upset, not after their reunion. She wanted him to be happy. She didn't want him to feel hurt anymore. With little warning, Summer Rush pulled Skychaser with her forehooves and gave him a warm hug, wrapping her wings around him. He did not resist, nor did he want to. The warmth of the embrace filled his being, soothing his aching heart. He felt loved, if not by his mother, then by his sister. He buried his face in her shoulder as he continued his crying, returning the hug. “Shhh, it's going to be alright, big brother. No matter what you think, you are loved. I love my brother, and that won't ever change. You'll never need to feel alone again.” His crying eventually subsided as his frown grew to a smile. Skychaser, at that moment, felt like a new stallion, reborn from his past troubles. Happiness soon crept in his heart, and the pain was washed away. “Thank you... sister.” Skychaser whispered as he broke the hug, “I promise I will never abandon you again.” “All I want you to do...” Summer said as they stood up, “is smile from now on.” Still wearing the smile from earlier, Skychaser nodded as he gave his sister one more quick hug. “Come, you're welcome to stay at my house tonight.” With a silent nod, the siblings departed from Cloudsdale, leaving it behind for good. Through his catharsis, Skychaser felt completely happy for the first time in years. No longer will sorrow wrack his heart with woe and no longer will his past shackle him. At long last, he was freed from the shackles of his past and can look toward a tomorrow with his sister. As far as he was concerned, all was right in the world and would stay that way.