//------------------------------// // Love and Family - Ch. 5 // Story: Two Lives Becoming One // by manuccia //------------------------------// Twilight and Soarin’ trotted down the streets of Canterlot; their ears filled with the clopping of hooves on the cobble stone streets. Twilight was leaning into Soarin’s body, happily extending contact with his soft, warm coat. A wide smile was on her face as she walked with her new fiancé. ‘I can’t wait to tell mom and dad…’ Soarin’ was trying to force a smile, while he loved being with Twilight and he was happy that he was going to marry her, but he was worried. ‘Her father expressly told me he doesn’t want me to marry her. I hope Star convinced him to trust me…’ The soft lavender coat of his partner comforted him; it kept him from completely losing it. He took a deep breath as he saw the Sparkle household in front of them. “Hey, Soarin’,” Twilight said. She looked over to Soarin’. “Yes?” Twilight had a playful smile.“Race you home…” Twilight said galloping off towards home. Soarin’ picked up his pace, but Twilight was ahead of him. ‘How is she beating me?’ He picked up his pace and watched Twilight leave him in the dust. ‘I’m the athlete.’ Twilight looked behind him and saw Soarin’ struggling to catch up. ‘Good thing I read that book: Running for Eggheads.’ She galloped into her foalhood home and stopped in the empty living room. “Mom… Dad…?” Twilight called out. “We’re in the kitchen, honey,” Twilight’s mom answered. She sprinted in the kitchen; her parents were sitting at the table enjoying some desert. She grabbed hold of her father and held him tight. “Mom, dad you won’t believe what Soarin’ did tonight,” Twilight said, a few tears of joy running down her face. “What?” Crescent asked. ‘She seems to be taking a break up well.’ “Soarin’ proposed to me,” Twilight exclaimed. “I’m getting married. I’m so happy dad…” Crescent’s jaw dropped. He saw Soarin’ standing in doorway breathing heavily. ‘That punk… He is not marrying my daughter… not if I have anything to do with it…’ Crescent felt his anger growing and his face contorting as he stared at the Pegasus. Star saw her husband was about to blow, and she knew she had to get Twilight out of this room. “Twilight, why don’t you go tell Shining Armor and Cadence about your engagement, they are outside, in the backyard,” Star asked. “Ok, mom…” Twilight said running out towards her BBBFF. “Shiny… Shiny…” she yelled. “Mr. Sparkle…” Soarin’ could see the anger in Crescent’s eyes. “Are you an idiot? I told you not to propose,” Crescent said no lingering trying to contain in anger. “B-b-but…” “Shut up!” the unicorn stallion yelled. “You better have a good reason…” “Crescent Sparkle,” Star said firmly. The blue stallion turned to his wife. “I told him to propose to Twilight.” “What!?!” Crescent was dumbfounded. “Why did you do that?” “Because his loves our daughter, and she loves him,” Star explained. “They are happy together and they should get married.” “No, they will not be getting married,” Crescent said firmly. Soarin’ simply sat and watched the heated exchange between the two unicorns. Not sure how to react. He wanted to run and he felt himself trying to hide himself. “You can’t stop them Crescent,” the grey mare retorted. “This isn’t the pre-Nightmare Moon era Equestria.” “Well I will not be attending that travesty of a wedding!” the blue stallion exclaimed. “What do you mean dad?” a voice asked. The last any of the ponies wanted to hear. The three ponies turned and saw Twilight standing. She was shaking like a leaf and tears were beginning to well in her eyes. “Twilight…” Crescent said galloping over to his daughter, embracing her. “Why don’t you want to go to my wedding? Why don’t you want me to get married to Soarin’?” Twilight asked sobbing. “Twilight, he’s a Wonderbolt he is only going to use you.” “No!” Twilight yelled. Forcing herself out of her father’s embrace; tears were freely falling down her face. “Soarin’ would never do that to me… he loves me,” she said before turning and trotting off. “Twilight… Twilight wait…” Crescent pleaded to no avail. The unicorn stallion sat in stunned silence. He his wife was staring at him. “Star I didn’t…” “Save it Crescent,” she said curtly. “Soarin’ you should go check on Twilight,” she told him before Soarin’ galloped off to comfort his mare. She turned towards her husband; she was upset with him. “You messed up big time.” “I know…” “You have a choice to make: You can accept the fact that our daughter is getting married or not and not attend her wedding,” Star said. “If you do anything and I mean anything to sabotage their relationship; the only marriage you will have ruined is ours.” Crescent watched his wife trot out of the kitchen. He sat in his own self-pity. ‘I didn’t want to hurt Twilight… I don’t want the colt to hurt her, but why don’t I trust him?’ Crescent never really thought about it, about why he didn’t like him. He sighed. ‘I guess I should go talk to Star…’ He silently trotted up to his bedroom. He stopped at the door to Twilight’s room. He could hear her crying. The door was cracked open slightly and he looked in. Twilight was sobbing on her bed; Cadence and Shining were sitting next to her, but what was surprising the most was Soarin’. He saw the stallion holding his daughter; gently wiping away her tears and softly cooing comforting words into her ear. ‘He’s treating her so gently… could I’ve been wrong?’ Crescent hated seeing his little filly cry and wanted to comfort her, but he had a feeling that she didn’t want to see him. He sighed before continuing on to his room. He opened the door and saw his wife lying on their bed. He climbed into his bed. “Star… Star…” Crescent tried to get his wife’s attention to no avail. He decided to go to bed, and wrapped a hoof around his wife. Star turned around to face her husband. “What Crescent?” Crescent couldn’t look wife in the eyes. “I really messed up,” he said shamefully. “Yes you did,” she answered. “Why do you like Soarin’ so much?” he asked. “I mean what did he do?” “Those two remind me of us when we started dating… he reminds me of you Crescent,” she explained. “Why don’t you like him?” Once again he was confronted with this question. “He’s going to be marrying our daughter… my little filly…” Crescent said tearing up. “I still remember when she was born… I don’t want to give away my little filly…” “She’s my daughter too,” she retorted. “I know you don’t want to lose her, but Soarin’ loves and respects her. He is a great colt and he will treat her right.” Crescent just looked at his wife. He didn’t know what to say. “Do you remember when we starting dating? When you proposed to me?” Crescent nodded. “My parents hated you; they were convinced that you just loved me for my family’s bits and you were just going to use me, but you loved me.” “I still do…” he interjected. “I know you do Crescent, but do you remember when you proposed to me?” Star asked. “My parents were so upset, how many bits did they offer you to call off the wedding?” “10,000…” “Crescent when to took me out to eat that night and told me you didn’t want to marry me anymore… you broke my heart.” Crescent still remembered that night. He had never seen Star cry like that; it broke his heart to see her like that and that he knew that he caused it. “I didn’t do it for the money; I didn’t want you to lose your parents… I-I still married you” “I know, but it still hurt Crescent… it hurt so much.” “Now what do I do?” Crescent asked wiping the few tears off his wife’s face. “You need to talk to Soarin’; please get to know him,” she pleaded with him. “More importantly you need to talk to Twilight. She needs to know that father loves hers and supports her.” “Ok… I’ll talk to them tomorrow.” “Go talk to Twilight now,” Star said pointing to the door. Crescent complied and rolled out of bed. He entered the dark hall way connecting the various rooms and trotted towards his daughter. The door was cracked open and he looked in. Shining Armor and Cadence were gone, and so was Soarin’. He slowly opened the door and moved into the small room. Twilight turned to look at him. Her eyes were bloodshot and the fur on her face was matted and soaked in tears. “Twilight…” he said gently. “Dad…?” Crescent inched towards his daughter. He wasn’t sure if Twilight was happy to see him. Twilight watched her father slow approach her, until he reached the side of her bed. “Do you still love me dad?” “Of course I do, you will always be my little filly,” Crescent said. He rested his hooves on Twilight’s back and held her tight. “Then why don’t you want to go to my wedding?” Twilight asked. “Who is going to walk me down the aisle?” "..." "Why don't you like Soarin'?" “Soarin’ is a Wonderbolt and that is always going to be an issue…” “Not anymore,” Twilight interrupted. “What?” “Soarin’ left the Wonderbolt for me… so he could be with me,” Twilight answered. “He did…?” Crescent was surprised; he never would have guessed he would do that… unless he really loved her. ‘I guess my wife was right, maybe he does really love her.’ “Yes he did, and I love him dad. I really do…” Crescent pulled out the embrace and look at his daughter. He can still see the filly that he raised. “Where is Soarin’?” he asked. “Downstairs, please don’t do anything to him,” Twilight pleaded. “I just want to talk… I love you…” “I love you too dad.” Crescent turned to leave his daughter’s room. As he left he saw small smile grow on her face. *** Soarin’ silently sat next to the slow burning fire. He was worried that he ruined Twilight’s relationship with her father. He hated seeing Twilight cry and today it seemed like nothing he did help, like he couldn’t comfort her. He just wanted to see her smile and to hear her laugh. “Soarin’,” a soft voice called to him. The Pegasus turned and saw Crescent standing. His eyes no longer filled with anger, but with… shame? “Mr. Sparkle?” Crescent continued to stand at the edge of the living room. "Why don't you like me. Did I do something? Is it because of my wings, or am I not royal enough... What?" "..." Crescent silently trotted over to Soarin’ and sat next to him. Soarin wasn’t sure what he wanted. Not more than a few hours ago the stallion didn’t want to see Soarin’, now he was sitting next to him. “I’m sorry Mr. Sparkle, but I can’t do it. I can’t break Twilight’s heart.” “Crescent…” “Hmm.” Soarin’ raised his brow in confusion. “Please call me Crescent,” he elaborated. Soarin’ was shocked. Was Crescent going to give him a chance? “Yes, Crescent…” “You really love Twilight, don’t you?” Crescent asked. “I do, and I just want to be there for her… I want to be her stallion,” Soarin’ said. ‘Star was right.’ When Crescent looked into Soarin’ eyes he saw something different. He saw a younger version of himself. It reminded him of when he first starting dating, he was so worried about upsetting her. He wanted to see his daughter happy and Soarin’ made her happy. “I want you to marry Twilight.” “Y-you do…” Soarin’ was surprised. ‘He wants to marry her… he’s giving me a chance…’ “Just be careful, she’s my little filly and I want what’s best for her,” Crescent explained. “Just treat her right.” “I will never do anything to hurt her… I promise,” Soarin’ said. Soarin’ hoped that Crescent will trust him. “I want to thank you.” “For what?” Crescent asked. ‘The only thing I did to him today was yell at him.’ “Twilight always talked about how she loved her family and her father… You raised an amazing mare and I hope I can be as good as stallion and husband as you are.” “I’m sure you will, but now I want to know more about you,” Crescent said. “Tell me about how you met.” “Well I got a letter from the Princess…” ** Twilight sleepily trotted down the stairs to the living room. Soarin’ hasn’t come to bed yet, and she wasn’t sure where he was. She yawned and stopped on the steps. She saw her mother and sister-in-law standing at the foot of the steps. “Mom… Cadence have you seen Soarin?” Star nudged her head towards the living room. She looked and three stallions sitting by the fire. She saw her brother, her father, and…Soarin’. They were sitting and talking to each other and they sounded… happy. “What are you two doing?” “I told Crescent to talk to Soarin’ and well Cadence was wondering where Shining was,” Star said. “Do you think we should join them?” Cadence spoke up. “I think we should,” Twilight chimed in. “Ok, let’s go welcome Soarin’ to the family,” Star said waving for Cadence and Twilight to follow her into the living room. The six ponies spent the night talking as a group… as a family.