//------------------------------// // I - The Mare in The Storm // Story: Rise and Shine // by Skijarama //------------------------------// Once upon a time, before Equestria was founded, there lived two farmers from the earth pony tribe who lived alone together in the woods. Their names were Honeydrop and Sprout. They were happy together. Then, one day, somepony came to their door bearing two foals… “What are those pegasi thinking…?” Sprout wondered, his emerald green eyes glaring up at the sky through the window. Dark clouds had rolled in over his forested home several days ago. The clouds had brought with them an unsettling gloom and unnatural chill that deeply contrasted with the usual warmth of summer. They had rolled in quickly, far faster than Sprout would have expected from natural weather patterns and, after that, they had stuck around. It’d been several days since Sprout had last seen unobstructed sunlight. No natural weather pattern would last this long in this environment, and that left only one conclusion: for one reason or another, the pegasi had elected to roll them in on purpose. A hoof gingerly landed on his shoulder, quickly soothing his anxieties. He turned back to see the warm, golden eyes of Honeydrop staring back at him, giving him an encouraging smile. “It’ll be fine, Sprout,” she told him, her soft voice soothing his nerves like honey soothes the throat. “You’re worrying too much. Like always.” Sprout sighed, leaning into his wife’s touch a little. “Sorry, hon. I just can’t help it. If this cold lasts for much longer, our crops are likely to die. And then where will that leave us when the snow rolls in?” “We’ll be fine,” Honey assured him, leaning into his side. “Your crops will be fine. The soil’s good and your crops are always strong and hardy. You’ve always found a way to push through bad luck before, too. Just try to relax a little, alright?” Sprout opened his mouth to protest, but his wife’s earnest smile cut him off. He just could not bring himself to disagree with those kind, gentle, compassionate eyes. No matter how often he thought she didn’t worry enough, he couldn’t bring himself to sully her peace of mind with his own paranoia. She was his sturdy rock in a world constantly enveloped in one storm or another, and that was why he had married her. Why they had left the bickering of the tribes to find an isolated home for themselves in the mountains. Eventually, Sprout managed to relax all the way. “Okay, hon. You’re right, as usual,” he said with a smile slowly spreading on his lips. Honey’s smile brightened, and she gave Sprout’s cheek a few gentle claps, earning a snort of amusement from him. “I know I am. Now come on over, food’s almost ready.”  With that, she turned and sauntered back for the blazing hearth at the far end of the room. Sprout watched her go, slowly taking in the rest of his house’s largest room. It was a sturdy home, albeit one lacking in flair. A stone hearth built into the far wall from the front door had been lit. The roaring flames within cast a warm, flickering orange glow throughout the home, chasing away the cold. A large dining table was at the heart of the room, littered with the various dishes that would host tonight’s dinner. Shelves lined the walls, each one stuffed with a range of supplies, ranging from ingredients to herbs, and the small stone carvings that Sprout enjoyed making in his spare time. Sprout watched Honeydrop make her way over to the counter beside the hearth, where their food was waiting to be served fresh from the oven. Sprout smiled and followed after his wife, his mouth already watering as he wondered just what she had in store for him. “So, what’d you see fit to make me tonight?” he asked. Honey turned and smirked at him. “Well, sit down and I just might tell you.” “What if I don’t wanna sit down?” Sprout asked, waggling his eyebrows. He came up to Honey’s side and leaned against her with an affectionate coo, drawing an amused chortle from her. “I could make you sit down, you big oaf.” “Oh, really?” Sprout grinned at her. “I’d like to see you try.” Honey rolled her eyes and playfully shoved him back toward the table. “Oh, don’t go getting frisky with me, mister. It’s too early. Wait till we’ve eaten before you try anything.” Sprout chuckled from the shove, making a show of looking deeply disappointed.  A moment later he shook his head and went back to the table to take a seat. He allowed his mind to wander while Honey set to work putting the finishing touches on their dinner. The smell that began to fill the air made his mouth water. There were baked goods in there, he could tell, though he did not have the knowledge to pinpoint what type it was. When Honey finally came back to the table, balancing a platter with two dishes on her back, Sprout got a look at their meal, and his watering mouth almost started to drool. Hearty salads with crispy cookies set to the side. A contradiction of healthy and junk food that made Sprout feel giddy like a foal. His excitement did not go unnoticed by Honey. “Looks like somepony’s happy,” she quipped as she slid the first bowl in front of Sprout. Sprout chuckled, respectfully waiting for her to be seated before he dug in. “What can I say? You cook a heck of a lot better than I do.” “Trust me, big boy, I remember,” Honey snipped back, elbowing him in the ribs as she got comfortable. “Last time you tried to cook something for me, you darn near burned down the whole house.” Sprout’s cheeks flushed at the reminder. She was never going to let him forget that little incident, was she? About a year or two back, he had truly noticed just how often she was the one managing things in the house while he worked outside in the fields. It was a balance that had worked well for them for the years they had lived up here, but when their third anniversary came around, he’d decided to try and do something special for her. He elected to handle all of the day’s chores while she just relaxed and looked on: her special day to sit back. And it had gone well! Until he tried to cook. Sprout still didn’t quite understand how he had managed to burn juice of all things, but he managed it. He was drawn from his thoughts by Honey’s hoof on his cheek, and he looked over to see her smiling affectionately at him. “Oh, quit your blushing,” she said in a soft coo. “You meant well, and that day was probably one of the best I’ve ever had. Your heart was in the right place, and it meant a lot to me.” Sprout managed to smile, intertwining his hoof with hers. “Heh… thanks, hon.” Honeydrop nodded, then nodded down at her salad. “You’re welcome. Now eat up, or the cookies will get cold.” “What about the salad?” “What about the salad?” The meal had been delightful. In spite of Honey’s playful dismissal of the salad, it had proven to be just as good as the cookies, albeit in different ways. Following their meal, the two had taken time to just enjoy the calm and the quiet in front of their fireplace. Sprout’s mind had wandered, but with his wife’s warmth there pressed against his side, it could only ever wander to good places. In time, the sun finally descended beneath the horizon, and the world was enveloped in darkness. The cold began to creep in ever closer, and eventually, Sprout and honey decided to retire to their room for the night. It hadn’t taken long before the two passed out embraced in one another’s hooves. Sprout didn’t know for sure how long they were out before a loud sound suddenly tore him from his slumber. His eyes snapped open, a sharp gasp escaping him from the disturbance. He sat upright, looking around with worried eyes and anxiety building in his heart. “Did you hear that, too?” Honey asked, sitting up as well, placing one hoof on Sprout’s back. He gave a slow, anxious nod. “Yeah… I sure did. What was it?” he wondered, slowly sliding out of bed. He shivered slightly as his hooves touched the wooden floorboards, feeling the sharp contrast between the warmth of his bed and the cool air of the room. He tried not to focus on that, though and instead listened. Whatever had woken them, it had come suddenly, but as swiftly as it had come, it had faded away. The only sounds now were the anxious breathing of him and Honeydrop, and a wind howling outside, cold and haunting. Sprout frowned. That wind did not sound right. And why was it so cold in here? He turned to his room’s sole window, squinting briefly as the moon’s pale glow pierced his retina. It was just peeking out through a gap in the clouds, an ominous crescent that reminded him of a scythe. His jaw fell open when he caught sight of something falling from the sky. White, fluffy, and falling quickly. He lifted a shaking hoof, realizing that he could see his own breath, and pointed. “Hon… look.” Honeydrop tilted her head and looked out the window. She went rigid, one hoof reaching up to her mouth. “Oh, stars,” she choked out in alarm. It was snowing. In the middle of summer. Sprout wandered forward, squinting through the glass. It was practically a blizzard, or at least it would be soon with how quickly the snow was coming down. His eyes widened as he looked down at his crops. They were completely exposed. Defenseless against this sudden onslaught from the elements.  “Ah, hay! The food!” he exclaimed, turning and bolting for the door. He heard Honey calling after him, but he did not dare to look back. He had to move quickly. If he didn’t cover his crops right away, they would not be likely to survive the night. It was as he was thundering down the steps that the noise that had roused him came again. A knocking on the front door of his home. Sprout came to a stop at the base of the stairs, his eyes glued onto the front door. He had to squint to make out details in the dim light, but with the accumulating snow outside, the moonlight had plenty to bounce off of to light his way. He could just faintly make out a sound through the door from here. His heart went cold when he realized that it was the sound of a crying foal. “Sprout?!” Honey called out from the stairs, prompting him to turn. She was quickly following after him, their blankets bundled around her in an effort to ward off the chill. “What’s going on?!” “Stay there, Honey!” Sprout called back, holding up a hoof. “Just stay put!” “But-” “Please, just hang on! Lemme look! It might not be safe!” Sprout shot back. Honey opened her mouth to shoot back some protest or retort, but after a moment she closed her mouth and gave a slow, hesitant nod. Sprout relaxed somewhat before turning back to the door. The knocking came again, loud and frantic, and the wailing of the foal on the other side grew louder. He thought he could hear a hushed voice speaking, but he could not make out any details. With a shaky breath, Sprout made his way to one of the shelves and acquired a lantern. He lit it up, casting a flickering orange glow into the darkness that fought to illuminate every inch. With the creaking of the rusty hinges accompanying him, Sprout marched across the room. He stretched his neck a few times as he went, running through scenario after scenario on how best to defend himself should this uninvited guest prove hostile. He had to wonder how anypony had even gotten up here in the first place. They were miles away from the nearest pony settlements, and they had told nopony where they were going. It was possible, in his mind, that it was not, in fact, a pony. The ghostly howling of the wind that had been tearing through the forest since the clouds rolled in sent a chill down his spine. What if it was a spirit? The lost soul of some poor sap who died in the cold here come to seek revenge for their resting place being disturbed by Sprout and his wife moving in? What if it was some unknown monster seeking to devour him? The world was full of dangers both terrible and unknown, after all. It could have been anything. The crying could have just been a ploy to make him- “Hello?!” A female voice suddenly called from the other side of the door, frantic. “Please, somepony open the door! I need help! My daughters, they’re freezing! Please!” Sprout’s fears faded, albeit only somewhat. There was a chance that it was a ploy, but then there was a chance that some innocent pony had gotten caught out in the snow. If so, it would be on his head if he denied them the help they needed. He took a deep breath, set the lantern down, and opened the door. Immediately, a blast of cold air hit him in the face, causing him to close his eyes and shiver uncontrollably. He struggled for a second to open his eyes, seeing a unicorn mare standing on the other side of the doorway. In her hoof, held tight up to her chest, was a bundle of cloth that the foal’s cries were coming from, while another such bundle, far larger, was on her back. She had sun-white fur and sky blue eyes, while locks of red hair hung down over her shoulder. She was draped in a dark cloak that had already begun to frost over from the cold. Immediately, the mare surged forward, her eyes pleading and desperate. “Oh, thank goodness! Please, you have to help me!” she begged, practically shoving her way into the house. Sprout held up a hoof to keep her back, his mind racing from the sudden developments. “What the- hey! Hang on a moment!” he said, holding the mare back with some effort. “Who are you?! What are you doing here?! How did you-” “No time!” The mare cut him off, shivering. She looked down at the bundle in her hooves and grimaced. Then, without waiting for Sprout to even process what was happening, she took the bundle in her magic and shoved it into Sprout’s chest. “Please, look after them until I return for them! I have to go back, but it’s not safe for them!” Sprout’s mind just about stopped working there. He only subconsciously reached up to clutch the squirming, crying bundle to his chest. “What?! Have you lost your mind?!” he demanded, sparing a glance at the bundle. There was a small opening through which he could just see the blue-furred face of a filly. She couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. “You can’t just barge in here and demand that I look after your foals! And who are you, anyway?!” “I said there’s no time!” the mare shot back, pointing at the snow. “Can’t you see what’s going on out there?! I have to fix it, but I can’t put my foals in danger! I know I’m asking a lot of you, but please, I am begging you!” She reached out and placed both of her hooves on Sprout’s shoulders, staring deeply into his eyes. “Just watch them for me! I can’t let them die! I’ve screwed up too much as it is!” Sprout’s eyes widened, and a whole new surge of questions came into his mind. “Wait, hold on! Are you saying you are responsible for the snow?!” he demanded, taking a step back. The mare winced and looked away as if in shame. “I… I didn’t… we didn’t…” she shook her head a moment later. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I can stop it, but I can’t have my foals with me. Please…” she turned to him again, her eyes shimmering with fresh tears. “Just watch them until I come back. I promise I’ll return soon.” “And how soon is soon?!” Sprout demanded, his nostrils flaring. “I don’t know!” The mare replied. The filly in Sprout’s hoof began to wail louder in response to her shout, and the mare’s eyes widened. She looked down and quickly lowered her head, speaking in a soothing whisper. “I’m sorry, Luna.  It’s okay, it’s okay. Shh, shh shh. It’s okay. You’re okay, now.” Soon, the baby’s wails died back down, and the mare looked up at Sprout. She looked directly into his eyes, the sheer desperation in her own giving him pause. A moment passed before she placed one hoof against his chest. She was surprisingly warm. “Please… Just look after them for a little while. That’s all I ask. I wouldn’t be coming to total strangers if I had any other choice, but I don’t.” Sprout gaped at her, struggling to find the words. This entire situation made absolutely no sense to him. Who was this mare? What did she have to do with the snow, or the dark clouds looming over his home? Eventually, he looked down at the quietly whimpering filly against his chest. She was so small, so weak, and there were snow and ice clinging to the cloth that she was wrapped in. She was shivering horribly, and Sprout’s own heart began to melt a little at the sight. She had deep blue fur and the beginnings of a brighter blue mane. A tiny stub of a horn poked out from her head, identifying her as a unicorn. He then looked back to the foal’s mother. She was shivering and looked like she was on her last threads of strength. If she went back out there into the blizzard, she wasn’t likely to survive. Sprout frowned. He couldn’t let that happen. If this mare was truly as desperate to protect her foals as she claimed, then she could be warm with them. “Nuh-uh, you’re not leaving,” Sprout said simply, reaching out. “If your foals are staying here, so are you. Come in, I’ll get the fire going-” “I can’t, there isn’t any time,” the mare cut him off with a shake of her head. She did smile, though, appreciating his attempt at kindness. “I have to go back. I have to fix this.” “But look at you!” Sprout shot back, gesturing at her. “You’re about to fall over! At least warm up, first!” The mare chuckled and shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’m tougher than I look.” “That’s not exactly an accomplishment right now.” That managed to draw a snort of amusement from the mare. She then lit her horn with a golden aura and pried the larger bundle from her back. “I know… Believe me, I wish I didn’t have to do this, but I truly have no choice.” Sprout growled quietly under his breath. He was getting sick of this mare’s cryptic nonsense! Why couldn’t she just spill out what was going on to him? He eyed the larger bundle as they floated it over, and caught sight of the foal within. Her fur was as white as the snow outside, not unlike that of her mother, while her mane was a lovely shade of pink. If Sprout had to put an age to her, he’d say three years old. Just like her mother and the other foal, she was a unicorn. “This is Celestia,” The mare went on, passing the foal into Sprout’s chest as well. “Please take care of them both. I’ll be back soon, I swear it.” Sprout eyed her critically. “...And if you aren’t?” She hesitated, looking down at the ground. “...Then do with them as you see fit. Just don’t let them die, that’s all I ask.” Sprout stared at her, a war waging within his mind. But, eventually, one side had to win out over the other, and in the end, it was his compassion for a pony in need that claimed victory. He gave a slow, reluctant nod. “Okay… alright, fine, we’ll watch them for you. Just don’t take long coming back for them, you hear?” he said, lightly accepting the second bundle. “My mare and I aren’t interested in taking care of some other pony’s kids for too long. We’re all the way out here for a reason.” The mare smiled gratefully at him, nodding. “I understand. Thank you so much. I’ll be back as soon as I can, no matter what.” With that, she turned to head back into the snow, not giving Sprout any time to respond or ask questions. However, it was not him that brought the mare to a stop. It was the larger bundle, Celestia, whose tiny voice called out from Sprout’s hooves. “Mama…?” The mare came to a stop, going completely rigid. She turned in place, her eyes landing on Celestia. Sprout looked down at her as well, seeing her brilliant magenta eyes staring drowsily at her mother. She squirmed slightly to get a better view. “Mama?” The mare put on a weak smile before coming forward. She leaned in and offered Celestia an affectionate nuzzle. “Mommy has to go away for a little bit,” she whispered once she drew back. “But don’t worry. I’ll be back soon, and these nice ponies will take good care of you until then. Okay?” Celestia blinked. One of her short, stubby hooves reached up to touch her mother’s nose. “Mama go way?” she asked shakily. “Mama stay.” The mare shook her head. “No, sweetie. Mama has to go away. She has to go help daddy,” she whispered. Sprout frowned, now wondering who the father was. He wanted to ask, but the scene unfolding before him kept him from doing so. The mare leaned in and gave Celestia a gentle kiss on the forehead. When she drew back, she smiled down at Luna and did the same thing. “You’ll be okay… my little sun and moon. I love you both. So, so much... Rise and shine…” “Mama…!” Celestia weakly called after her as the mare then turned and sprinted back into the snow. It seemed she was trying to run away as quickly as possible before her heart could change her mind. He watched her go, and in mere moments, she disappeared completely into the snow. A few seconds passed. Another gust of freezing wind cut through the room, and Sprout finally had the presence of mind to reach over with his teeth and pull the door closed. He spun on his hooves and could just see Honey staring at him with wide eyes from the base of the stairs, one hoof on her chest. “Sprout?” she asked, her eyes slowly lowering to the foals in his grasp. “What… what happened? Are those…?” Sprout hesitated, his brow furrowing. He then turned and made his way for the fireplace. “Come on, help me get the fire going,” he said, leaving no room for argument. “Let’s get these two warm… then we can figure out what we’re gonna do with ‘em.” Honey frowned and walked over to him, her brow furrowing in disbelief. “Are those foals?! Her foals?! Sprout, why didn’t you call me down?!” she demanded. “This isn’t exactly the kind of decision you can just make on your own!” “She didn’t exactly give me room or time to do that, Hon,” Sprout shot back, trying to keep himself as calm as possible. “But I wasn’t about to leave a couple of innocent foals to freeze to death on my front porch!” Honey paused at that. She heaved a heavy sigh, and when she spoke again, her tone had calmed significantly. “I know… and I wouldn’t either. But still…” “I’m sorry,” Sprout apologized. “Really, I am. But right now, fire. We need fire.” Honey did not offer up any rebuke. With the howling of the wind outside, and the wailing of Luna and Celestia drilling into their minds, the couple set about getting a fire going in the fireplace to keep the two fillies that had been unceremoniously thrust into their hooves warm. It took a while, but after the flames were going, Celestia and Luna eventually cried themselves to sleep. Sprout had done his best to ignore Celestia’s repeated cries for her mama and had focused instead on just keeping the foals warm. He had hoofed Luna off to Honey once the flames were going, so the smaller foal could benefit from the blankets she was still wrapped in. When at last silence was restored to the home, Sprout looked down at the sleeping foal in his hooves. He felt his heart wither a little at the sight of the tear stains that now marked her cheeks. He gently reached up to wipe them away but thought better of it. She was so… small. Fragile. He worried that if he placed his hoof upon her the wrong way, he might break her. “Oh, Honey…” he sighed a minute later, finally breaking the silence. “What have I gone and gotten us into?” he asked, looking over at his wife for guidance. Honey sighed and shifted closer to him, sharing their body heat. “I don’t rightly know, Sprout… I don’t even know the first thing about taking care of foals this young, even for a short time.” “Neither do I,” Sprout admitted, looking away. The two lapsed back into silence after that, and slowly, Sprout felt himself starting to fade into unconsciousness. He leaned into Honey’s side, closing his eyes. “But, well… Guess we can tackle it together, huh?” Honey nodded, carefully adjusting the blanket until it wrapped around him and Celestia as well. “Mhmm… I just hope this mystery mare of ours comes back soon. I want some answers…” she looked down at Luna and managed to smile. “And I don’t wanna keep little things like this from their mama and papa for too long…” “Yeah, same here,” Sprout agreed in a murmur. “Now, let’s get some sleep, yeah?” “What, down here?” “Gotta keep the foals warm,” Sprout replied, lifting his head. “Fire and body heat’ll help with that. And if they need something, we’ll know immediately. We’ll be right here.” Honey pursed her lips, then nodded. “Fair enough… sleep tight, Sprout.” “Yeah, you too,” he replied. He gave Honey a gentle kiss on the lips before drawing back and away from the warmth of the blankets. At Honey’s questioning stare, he nodded for the stairs. “I’m gonna go get our pillows and mattress if I can fit it down the steps. Mind moving some of the furniture so we have space?” Honey nodded. Without another word, the two went into motion. Before long, space had been cleared in the heart of the room, and Sprout came back down with their mattress and pillows. Soon, they were nestled together before the warmth of the fireplace. There, Sprout and Honeydrop fell asleep, with Celestia and Luna held in their hooves for warmth, all of them quite unaware of the chain of events that had now been set in motion.