The stallion stared at the newspaper article in absolute shock, the large, enchanted letter and enclosed paper having arrived only an hour after he awoke for the evening.
Tears trickled down Steel’s cheeks- but not in sadness. Luck, Chance…those held no sway to the timing of this.
The letter was a simple message from his mother, tears on the paper as her shaky script had been written.
‘Please read. Your father, he’s back.
My Pen Heart is back. I ask you give him a chance.’
The article had been read by Steel twice already, and a third time caused a long-forgotten sense of pride to be kindled. Small and easily doused, but flickering.
His mother’s words that his father had been changing had not been unfounded, it would seem.
‘Political powerhouse and construction tycoon Pen Heart delivered an explosive announcement today. The pony who had pledged most of his fortune into building one of the most successful political campaign engines and construction companies had this to say about his immediate actions, the stallion looking ragged after two weeks of sparse contact with the media.’
The enchanted picture, a simple black and white recording to save magical power now played, the audio grainy but very understandable. Steel’s father stood on the steps of one of his office buildings, jaw quivering as he waved a hoof at the structure.
“You- yes you, what did you say?” Pen asked, a reporter voicing the question again.
“Are you really throwing all of this progress away? This empire?”
Pen stared, the proud stallion then hanging his head.
“Is this what progress is?” he asked, then looking up at the gathering of surprised media ponies.
“My children won’t speak to me. My wife says she’d give anything to have me back to how I used to be, the deaths of innocent ponies on my conscience…is that what progress is?!” he asked, glaring at the reported before shaking his head.
“I’ve lost everything that matters in this life, all for what. Concrete and glass? Political sway?” he paused.
“Then I will tear it down; I can’t live like this. My son was right, I did become one of them,” Pen whispered. “I’m out. No more campaigns, and I’m selling my shares of the company. The public won’t notice a difference, only that there will be less of me. I’ve lost everything that drove me to even be successful. If I ever enter the business world again, it will be a small shop on a side street. But even that…I’m done.’ Pen got up and began to trot away from the media gaggle, then pausing once again.
“To everycreature that has been hurt by my negligence, I’ll make it right. I have to.”
The video then ended, Steel staring at the article in disbelief.
Perhaps I shall write him indeed. No later than after my date. Perhaps Luna can give me some guidance.
Or a hug.
Luna clopped her hooves together excitedly, nerves making her nearly vibrate with tension.
Good tension, deep breaths.
Bad tension.
ALL the tension!
As Steel *popped* into existence at her side on their designated hill, courtesy of an enchanted amulet, Luna’s ears flicked in thought. Something was troubling him, and that made her nerves fray.
Should I ask him tonight?
I don’t want him to-
*Boop*
Luna went cross-eyed at the hoof on her nose, shoulders then relaxing as a simple, chaste but affectionate kiss was planted on her lips by her special somepony.
“You are one distracted mare, what’s up?” Steel asked, sitting down and placing a picnic basket to the side.
“I was going to say the same thing about you,” she mumbled. “Are you sure you-Mmmmmmm.”
Steel was clearly enjoying the fact he could incapacitate the Lunar Princess with a kiss, grinning dopily as Luna pouted.
“That,” she grumbled, poking his chest lightly with a hoof, “is not fair!”
“Never said it is! But what is on your mind? I do have something to talk about, but not until you tell me your troubles,” he then paused, “and I won’t budge on that. You know I won’t.”
The ultimate pout of all pouts failed to break through Steel’s demeanor, Luna smiling finally as she scooted closer to rest on the stallion’s shoulder.
“Alright. It’s, well, the thing. The big thing.”
“The thing? OH! Are you sure?”
Luna nodded, taking a deep breath to quell the butterflies in her stomach. The fear was rising- she had to speak soon.
“Will you promise to answer honestly? The first thing that comes to mind?” Luna whispered, almost pleading. Her heart fluttered as Steel nodded immediately.
“I promise.”
She paused, her sister’s words giving her much-needed reassurance to continue on.
“Would not aging or dying be a horrible fate? For you that is?” she finally whispered, not as a direct method of question as Luna would like, but it worked.
Steel’s brow furrowed, the stallion thinking for a moment.
“I think it would be pretty awful, if I’m honest-” his words were cut off by Luna taking in a sharp, unconscious breath, ears flattening as a lump welled up in her throat. Steel immediately scooted closer, gently placing a hoof on her chest with an affectionate smile.
“Hey, I wasn’t finished,” he said softly, gaze meeting Luna’s. While her eyes brimmed with tears, his own shone with a sincere care, the embers of love flickering brightly, the stallion clearly understanding the deeper, unspoken weight of her question. “I was trying to say, it’d be pretty awful unless I had someone at my side forever.”
Now the tears fell from Luna’s eyes, her fears being shattered with Steel’s words.
“R-really?” she managed to whisper, her coltfriend nodding.
“Really. It’s a bit early to be making that jump, if I’m being honest,” he admitted, “but the idea? The possibility? It’s not that bad of an idea at all, as long as I’m not alone.”
“Can I-Just….you….hug?” Luna stammered, Steel wrapping his hooves around the Princess as she fell into his arms. Her sides shook with sobs, pend up fear and tension now released as tears coursed down her cheeks.
“Steel, thank you. I was so scared, just, thank you.” she whispered, Steel rubbing her back gently.
“No thanks are necessary. I can tell this has been quite a weight, but I’m glad you asked me. It’s a bit early to be considering all of that, but I can see why you asked now, at least from my perspective,” he mused. “Then again, if my answer had been different, that may have changed things, huh?”
She nodded, holding him a bit tighter.
“I don’t know if I could do it.” Luna whispered. “Falling in love to know you would….”
Her words were stopped by a gentle touch, Steel reaching up and caressing her cheek with his.
“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. How about we explore this option more after a bunch more dates though? Just know that I don’t hate the idea at all. In fact, I think it could be quite fun. It’s just a bit overwhelming.”
Luna nodded in agreement, blushing as Steel reached up to wipe her eyes for her.
“You are far too much a gentlecolt,” she said, the stallion standing tall with a grin.
“Yup!”
Spreading out the contents of the picnic basket, Luna looked over to see Steel fishing out a simple, enchanted parchment and pen, the alicorn gesturing curiously.
“What are those for?”
Hoofing over the article regarding his family, Steel waited until Luna had read it, her eyes widening in absolute shock.
“He has changed quite a bit it would seem…” Luna mused. “I am surprised.”
“You and me both,” Steel agreed, levitating the parchment over, on which was written a brief message. “But your question kind of put mine in perspective, of whether to speak with my father again.”
Luna read the parchment, warmth welling up in her heart at the simple words.
‘Hey dad,
I saw your article, and what you said.
I’d like to meet with you and mom, and maybe the whole family if we can wrangle them back together for a dinner.
I’ve had things put in perspective recently, and I’d like to keep in touch with my parents more often once again, if that is something you’d like.
-Steel Heart.’
Steel read over the message and promptly sent the message with a tap of his hoof, the parchment vanishing with a magical fizzle.
“Well, he can reply to that if he wants. But I don’t know how he’ll react,” the stallion admitted with a shrug, a smile spreading on his face regardless. “But I’ve spent far too long harboring negative feelings for him. Justified or not…I want to focus on better things.”
Steel reached over and held Luna’s hoof, the alicorn blushing as he gave it a kiss.
“Much, much better things,” he added, the Princess not able to restrain a laugh.
“That was so cheesy. I love it,” she giggled.
Steel’s attention was then drawn to a familiar parchment, the item reappearing with a soft chime.
“Huh…” he muttered, angling it so Luna could read as well.
‘Son,
I’d like nothing more than for that to happen, and I hope in time you can forgive me for what I became, for what I am struggling to retreat from.
Is it too late to say I’m sorry?
Because I am so, so sorry for what I did, for what I became, for my actions…for everything.’
Luna saw Steel’s jaw clench, the sensitive stallion’s hooves shivering slightly. She reached over to hold one of them gently as he scrawled a brief reply. The words made Luna’s heart soar, both out of pride and affection.
‘It is never too late, dad.
And I have forgiven you.
When we meet, there’s a pony I’d like to introduce you to as well. It’s only right that a stallion introduces his marefriend to his father and mother.’
Sending the message away, Steel took a few deep breaths, sniffling slightly.
“It took a good year or two for me to realize it,” he whispered, “to forgive him for acting so selfishly. But seeing the continued toll it took, how he always regretted it after realizing how his actions affected others…I had to forgive him. If not for his sake, then for mine. Until now he never really acted to show a change.”
The reply was nearly immediate- and a single damp drop now sullied the ink on the message.
‘I’d like nothing more, Son.
Thank you.’
“I’m proud of you, Steel,” Luna whispered, her stallion smiling.
“Thank you, Luna. It has been a journey for both of us it would seem.”
“Indeed.”
Content to snuggle with his marefriend for a few more moments, Steel then stood up and stretched, retrieving a familiar item as he nudged Luna’s shoulder with his own.
“I think we have a date to continue? Well, for tonight,” he stated, twirling the plush brush above his head proudly. “And many more dates after that!”
His proud and confident statement immediately had Luna smiling widely, retrieving her own dueling implement and crossing it with his.
“You seem so sure of such dates!” she teased, Steel smirking as he walked forwards slowly. When he was but a hairs breath from Luna’s face, he leaned in even closer.
“Am I wrong?” he whispered in a rather sultry tone, Luna blushing and starting to stammer.
“I-you…”
A brief kiss cut off her words, the stallion happily trotting a short distance away and lowering himself into a dueling stance.
“I never did get your answer!” Steel called back as Luna attacked, whacking him with a brush and receiving a blow in return, squeaks from the plushies ringing out across the otherwise peaceful bay.
Darting forwards, Luna ducked a swipe from Steel’s brush, the stallion tripping over his own hooves to backpedal and ending up on his back. Luna held her brush handle-down to point at Steel’s neck, sides heaving with exertion as she grinned.
“I…win…” she panted, Steel throwing a hoof across his brow.
“I am bested!” he called out, letting out a happy hum as Luna settled down in the thick grass next to him. She reached over and nuzzled against his neck, her touch then tracing up to lock her lips with his in an increasingly affectionate gesture, a hoof wrapping around to hug her stallion close.
As they parted, Steel had that increasingly lovable, dopey grin on his face while Luna rested her forehead against his.
“I’m so glad you were brushed into my life,” she whispered, Steel immediately laughing as he gave her a kiss.
“That makes it sound like a much gentler meeting than it was!” he teased, hopping up and batting her with a familiar implement.
“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!” Luna called, chasing her coltfriend down the hill with her brush.
“YOU GAVE ME A CONCUSSION!”
“’TWAS ALMOST A CONCUSSION!”
“IT STILL HURT!”
*THWACK!*
“…Steel?”
“Ow…”
“I’m impressed, you snapped that tree branch in half.”
“That’s what it was?”
“Indeed. Let’s get that bump looked at.”
The pair meandered back to their hill, Steel nursing a fresh goose-egg on his forehead but still able to grin, leaning on her marefriend.
“Kiss to make it better?”
A combing implement was immediately deployed by the Lunar Princess in response.
*SQUEAK!*
Of course, the following kiss did make it much, much better.
The End.