//------------------------------// // III - Growing Bonds // Story: Rise and Shine // by Skijarama //------------------------------// ...As they waited, they came to care deeply for the foals the mother had left in their care. And when it became clear that she was not going to return, what were Sprout and Honey to do but take the foals in themselves? To raise and care for them in the absence of their true parents? Several months passed, and Celestia’s growing bond with Sprout and Honey only became stronger and stronger with time. She tended to follow Honey around the house, pulling herself away from the door more and more, and opting to spend time around her little sister whenever possible. She just felt the urge to be near her, and protect her. Sometimes, though, when she was assured that Luna would be safe with Honey, she sought instead to go outside and explore some more. Usually, Sprout would accompany her, or she’d just sit idly by and watch him work. She didn’t understand any of what it was he was doing, even when he went out of his way to explain it to her. Her young mind just couldn’t wrap itself around the concepts just yet. That didn’t stop her from watching with fascination. After the passing of winter, she had gained a whole new appreciation for his work, as she had previously been cooped up inside and not allowed to head outside except when under very strict supervision. Once spring came, Sprout had been even busier in the fields than she remembered, and so it was that she watched one spring afternoon as Sprout toiled over his crops. He passed between the rows of plants, sizing each one up with a thoughtful hum and quiet mutterings. Celestia kept pace with him on the other side, listening intently. “Yeah, this one’s good… this one’s good… needs more water, probably, but otherwise good…”  It was fascinating… but also kind of boring. Celestia’s brow furrowed as the tedium of the process began to eat away at her. She enjoyed spending time with him out here and taking in the fresh air but seriously, there had to be some way to make this more engaging for her. It wasn’t like she could really help all that much. Eventually, an idea came to her. She wasn’t sure where it came from, but it felt familiar. Restraining a giggle, she trotted ahead of Sprout a way, then dropped down so she was flat on the ground, covering her eyes with her hooves. Her ears perked up, listening intently as Sprout’s hoof-falls drew closer and closer. When she heard him stop directly in front of her and felt his curious gaze on her, she lifted her hooves. “Peekaboo!” she said. Sprout blinked, and then belted out a full belly laugh that drew a smile to Celestia’s face. Sprout shook his head a second later and lowered himself back down. “Heh. I don’t think Honey or I taught you that one,” he said. Celestia shrugged. “I remember it.” Sprout’s smile faltered, and for a moment Celestia wondered if she had said something wrong. To her relief, Sprout was quick to put his smile back on and cover his own eyes with his hooves. A second later, “Peekaboo!” He even made a funny face. How nice. Celestia giggled again, covering her eyes and repeating the process. The two went back and forth like this for a little while, playing peekaboo even as Sprout worked his way through his plants. It almost evolved into a miniature game of hide and seek with Celestia hiding amid his plants, only for him to inevitably stumble across all of her masterful hiding places. Celestia could only assume witchcraft. Or magic. Or maybe he could just smell where she was. Did she stink? Questions for later. “Hey, Celestia?” Sprout suddenly asked just as he came across her again, dispensing with the playful tone. Celestia rose to her hooves and faced him. “Yeah?” Sprout knelt down and brushed his hoof lightly against the plant she had been hiding beside. “Sorry to interrupt the game and all, but I am trying to work, ya know?” he said, rubbing apologetically at the back of his head. “And you’re kinda distracting me.” Celestia’s ears drooped, and she suddenly felt like a great idiot. She should have known better, she thought, backing away slightly. “Oh… I’m sorry,” she apologized, scuffing her hoof along the ground. “I’m just bored. I wanna play.” Sprout eyed her for a few seconds, his expression torn. He let out a quiet sigh, then knelt down in front of her. “Yeah, I get how that feels,” he said quietly, drawing her eyes back up to him. “And I’m not the sort to disappoint somepony in my care… so…” He reached into his saddlebags, pulling out a cloth bag tied with a string. He hoofed it down to her, and she took it in her hooves. It wasn’t very heavy, and she imagined she could carry it on her back easily enough. She tilted her head. “What is this?” she asked curiously. “Seeds,” Sprout said, reaching down to lightly ruffle Celestia’s mane. “If I find any rotten plants, I’m gonna have to replant them so we can have food to eat. What do you say to helping me do that?” Celestia tilted her head. That didn’t sound like any game she had ever heard of. Of course, she had heard of precious few games, but that wasn’t really important right now. She looked up at Sprout and tilted her head. “Is it fun?” she asked hopefully. Sprout blinked. “Huh. Ya know, I never really thought to make it fun, but I guess it can be if you do it right…” he said. He tapped a hoof to his chin for a moment before he perked up with inspiration. He smirked down at her. “Okay, tell ya what. We’ll make a game of it. If you find more bad plants than I do, you win, and I’ll uh, I dunno, give you a treat or something.” Celestia’s eyes lit up. She bounced eagerly in place. “Oh! Oh! I like the sound of that!” she said eagerly. “What do the bad plants look like?!” Sprout chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Heh. Well, they’re gonna be kinda brown and droopy. Like they got all sad, ya know? If you find any plants that are all dull and sagging, that’s a bad one, and I want you to call it out to me, okay?” “Okay!” Celestia said with a sharp nod. Sprout grinned and ruffled her mane yet again, drawing a pout from her. “Alright. Hop to it, then!” he said, thrusting his hoof out in an ‘onward’ motion. Celestia didn’t need to be told twice. Eager to be useful to Sprout, and to just have a chance to play with him, she turned and went galloping down the rows of plants, too caught up in the happiness of the game to actually look for any bad plants yet. That didn’t last long, though, and soon she slowed down, keeping her eyes peeled. It may have been a game, but she knew it was a serious one. There was a treat at stake! She had to find more bad plants than Sprout did, or she wouldn’t get it! That and she was helping him run the place, but that did not compare to a treat. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Celestia’s face twitched with every hard strike of Sprout’s hammer that reached her ears. She had been forced to endure the grating sound for what felt like hours now and hadn’t been allowed inside the house for the entire time. It was the middle of summer, and Sprout had been adding a new room to the house for a few days now. He would routinely disappear through a new door he had installed into the living room, and she had not been allowed back there for one reason or another. She didn’t understand it, and every time she asked Honey about what the room was going to be for, she was met with the same answer. “It’s a surprise.” So, she just had to grit her teeth and bear it. Supposedly, today was the last day she’d be forced to listen to that grating noise. She couldn’t wait to be rid of it and all of the other cacophonies that had joined it for the last few days.  Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. At least Celestia had something to keep her distracted. She and Honey were sitting in the grass on the far side of the house from the ruckus, watching a now one-year-old Luna pick through the grass, making little baby babbles as she went. The little filly’s short, stubby forelegs were unsteady at best, but she was making progress, and it seemed she was at least enjoying herself. Celestia smiled at her little sister, her own four-year-old heart beating with pride at the sight. To see Luna standing of her own accord and exploring as Celestia used to was of great comfort to her. The part of her mind that had always insisted she stand guard over Luna was beginning to relax, allowing her to feel more at peace even when her eyes were off her. Luna came to a stop at a small batch of flowers rising up from the ground. She looked at them with wide, curious eyes. She tilted her head this way and that, as if trying to comprehend just what it was she was looking at. Honey smiled and wandered closer. Celestia kept close by her side. “These are called flowers,” Honey said in a soft voice. She touched one of the flowers to indicate it. “Flower. Can you say flower?” Luna stared at the flower for a second. “Foo ow wah.” Honey nodded at that. “That’s right, very good! Flower,” she praised, giving Luna a few pets to tell her she got it right. Luna giggled from the praise, and even louder when she saw a dragonfly flit down from the air and alight upon one of the flowers. She wobbled up to it, her massive blue eyes wide with awe and fascination. And then she tried to eat it. Celestia and Honey both let out a series of wordless exclamations as Luna’s mouth clamped down around the head of the flower and the dragonfly both. She then stood bolt upright, the color draining from her face. Her mouth slowly fell open, a disgusted gurgle coming from within, and the now partially chomped remains of the impromptu snack fell on the ground. Celestia cringed in disgust. “Eeeew!” she protested, ducking behind Honey so she wouldn’t have to look. Honey chuckled and shook her head, reaching out to pull a now-sniffling Luna up against her chest. “There, there, it’s okay. But don’t eat bugs, okay Luna?” she asked in a quiet, soothing voice, bouncing Luna a few times to help soothe her. “Hey?” Luna sniffled and gradually calmed back down. Celestia looked up at her from the ground and gave her a reassuring smile. In exchange, Luna reached her hooves down, making a few wordless baby babbles in an effort to swat at her big sister. In response, Celestia reached up and grabbed Luna’s hoof with both of her own. Once Honey was satisfied that Luna was calm again, she set the smaller filly down with a smile. Luna smiled back up at her, then turned to waddle out to examine the flowers again. Celestia watched her go, unable to hide the amusement in her eyes. Her little sister was adorable, but also just so dopey sometimes. Another dragonfly zipped by, alighting on a flower nearby. Like before, Luna’s eyes latched onto it, and she waddled closer. For a moment, Celestia thought that Luna would try to eat this one, too, but it seemed she had learned her lesson the first time. All Luna did was sit on her haunches and watch it with wide, curious eyes. The dragonfly’s wings buzzed, and it lifted from the flower to fly toward the forest. Thunk. Thunk. CRASH! “OW!” Celestia and Honey both jumped in surprise and spun around to face the noise. Honey rose to her hooves and took a few steps toward the house. Celestia kept close behind her. It sounded like something large had broken. “Sprout?!” Honey called out worriedly. “I’m okay!” Sprout called back, pain in his voice. “Just got bonked on the head, that’s all. Gah, son of a…” Honey frowned, then looked down at Celestia. “Keep an eye on Luna for a little bit, okay? I’m going to go make sure he doesn’t hurt himself,” she instructed. She did not wait for Celestia to answer, cantering quickly into the house. Celestia watched her go, taking a few steps after her. She felt torn. On the one hoof, Sprout had obviously just been hurt, even if not badly. Celestia felt compelled to go and help him out however she could. She had spent so long making herself useful with the crops that sitting back when something went wrong in the house just felt wrong to her. At the same time, Honey had instructed Celestia to remain behind with her sister and keep an eye on her. Celestia held still for a minute longer before sighing. She just had to trust that Honey would have things taken care of. She turned around to face Luna. Except Luna wasn’t there. Celestia’s heart leaped into her throat. Her eyes darted this way and that, looking for any sign of Luna. The little filly had seemingly vanished into thin air. There was no sign of her. Celestia stood up, her ears folding back. Fear gripped her heart, and she immediately called out. “Luna?! Luna, where did you go?!” Of course, unfortunately,  Luna couldn’t speak yet. There was no answer. The panic in Celestia’s heart grew worse with every second that passed. She walked anxiously in place, a whole new conflict springing to life within her. What had happened?! Where could Luna have possibly gone?! She wasn’t that fast, so wherever she disappeared to had to be close! Celestia’s eyes darted this way and that before, finally, they landed on the edge of the forest just ahead of her. And it was then that it hit her. Her eyes widened, the blood chilling in her veins. “The dragonfly!” she thought, her ears resting flat. “It had been flying for the forest, and Luna was following it!” Celestia said something under her breath that no foal ought to be saying and looked back toward the house. She should go get Honey and Sprout. They would know what to do, right? She turned to start heading in that direction. She stopped dead in her tracks when she remembered that there were dangerous creatures in the woods: wolves, bears, and other far more frightening beasts. The longer she spent trying to get Honey and Sprout, the further her sister could get, and the more likely something could get her! All of Celestia’s protective instincts returned in full force. She turned on her hooves and broke into a mad sprint for the woods, all thought of going to Sprout and Honey vanishing from her mind. She had to find her sister, and she had to find her now! If she was lucky, maybe she could get Luna back before they could get in trouble. She broke through the forest edge and immediately the world darkened around her. The fear in her chest swelled to include herself and not just her sister, and she slid to a brief stop. The grass here was thicker, denser, and there was a wall of shrubbery all around her. She became far more aware of the calls of the birds in the trees and, looking up, she felt like an ant beside an army of monoliths. A tiny, frightened whimper threatened to escape her, but she was quick to force it down and press on. She could be scared later. She had to find Luna and get her home safely, first. She broke into a canter, sweeping her eyes from side to side. “Luna!” she called out, perking her ears up for her sister’s babbles. “Luna, come on! We need to go home, now!” Nothing. Celestia’s brow furrowed, and she picked up her pace. She spent several minutes searching the woods, peeking under roots, behind trees and rocks, and anywhere else she could think of to find her sister. She kept calling out all the while but kept not hearing anything. Luna had to be out here somewhere, and Celestia would keep looking until she found her. It felt like she had been searching forever. Celestia’s breath was beginning to come in labored gasps as she pushed herself to her limits. There was still no sign of Luna, and Celestia was finally beginning to think it might be wise to head back and get the adults. She came to a stop next to a collection of trees and foliage and slumped against a trunk to catch her breath. She looked around, trying to pick out the shape of the house from here.  It wasn’t that way. What about over there? No, not that way either. The way she had just come from, perhaps? No, nothing that way but more trees. Celestia’s eyes widened. She felt her chest tighten as the realization set in that she was lost. She had gotten so lost in the frenzy of trying to find her sister that she stopped paying any attention to where she was going! “Oh no, oh no, no no no…” Celestia whimpered, tears starting to form in her eyes. She looked around, suddenly acutely aware of just how alone she was. The forest loomed over her. The branches looked ready to tear into her hide if she dared take her eyes off them. The waving of the leaves in the breeze howled in her ears like the cries of forgotten ghosts. It assaulted her senses all at once. Celestia screwed her eyes shut and broke into a mad sprint in a random direction, a panicked, terrified scream echoing around her. “LUNA!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Her thoughts were growing hazy and disjointed in her panic. Her mind raced at a million miles an hour as scenario after grisly scenario raced through her head. “LUNA, ANSWER ME! WHERE ARE YOU?!”  Suddenly, the world dropped out from under her hooves. Celestia yelped as she fell over an edge she had unwittingly run straight toward in her fear. Her eyes snapped open to see a steep slope leading down to the side of a narrow river the weaved a winding path through the forest. The slope was dotted with stones emerging from the dirt. Celestia scrambled, her hooves desperately trying to find purchase, but nothing came of it. She cried out and covered her head as she tumbled down the slope. Rocks and dirt battered her body as she rolled down, and she knew she was going to bruise. When she struck the ground, the wind was knocked from her lungs. Her eyes bulged in their sockets as her mouth opened in a breathless scream. A horrible ache filled her body. A few cuts had formed along her barrel and legs from the rough fall. She began to curl into a ball to protect her innards from any further harm, screwed her eyes shut, and began to cry. This was such a stupid plan! She never should have come out here alone! She should have gone back and gotten Honey and Sprout. They were the adults! They were big and strong, and they always knew what to do! She had just been so scared of her sister suddenly disappearing. She hadn’t been thinking. She just went… and now she was lost, alone, scared, hurt, and had no idea how to get back home. She covered her head and yelled as loud as she could. “SOMEPONY, ANYPONY! HELP ME!” With that plea echoing through the trees, Celestia fell silent, trying to calm her frantic, terrified sobbing. She must have been sitting there, crying her eyes out for several minutes before she heard something approaching. Hooves scraping through the dirt and coming closer. Celestia’s eyes snapped open and sat up. She wiped a hoof over her eyes to dispel her tears and looked around. She hoped it was Sprout and Honey, come to rescue her and take her home. She turned around to face the sound, and while it wasn’t the adults, her heart nevertheless sang with relief at the sight. And also a little confusion. Little Luna was waddling up to her with no small number of insects crawling all over her. There was a collection of at least six dragonflies perched on her head. She had a centipede chasing its own rear around one of her hooves as if it were a bracelet. There was a butterfly perched on her nose. Under the bugs, she appeared to be in fine health, if only a little bruised and covered in dirt herself. “Luna!” Celestia exclaimed, throwing herself against her sister and giving her a tight hug. The insects all scattered from her sudden arrival, earning a pitiful whine from Luna. Celestia didn’t really give the oddity of Luna’s love of bugs much thought at the moment, simply holding her sister close. “Oh my gosh, I was so worried about you! I thought you were eaten by a bear, or a wolf, or something!” “Woof,” Luna replied, hugging her sister in return. Celestia paused on hearing the vague approximation of a word from her little sister. She then laughed, not finding it in her to do much else in light of their current situation. She buried her face in Luna’s mane. “Yes, Luna. A woof. Woofs eat ponies.” “Woof.” Celestia didn’t say anything else for the time being. She was content to sit there and hold her sister, just grateful that she was okay. There was, of course, still the deeply troubling matter that they were hopelessly lost in the middle of a potentially dangerous mountain forest, but there wasn’t much she could do about that right now. All they could do was wait. And now that Celestia had found what she was looking for, she was content to sit still and wait. Time passed agonizingly slowly by that shallow stream. Celestia made sure to keep Luna close, never taking her eyes off her for more than a second. She made sure to drink some water and ensured Luna got some as well, to keep themselves hydrated. They were both getting hungry if the audible grumbles of their little tummies were any indication, but they didn’t have a remedy for that at the moment. Eventually, Luna’s own adventures caught up to her, and she fell asleep snuggled up against Celestia’s side. Celestia kept them both by the water, a wing draped over Luna’s barrel to keep her warm. Her eyes were slowly drawn to the sky. It was starting to get dark. The sun was setting, and it was taking its light with it. Celestia swallowed heavily, an uneasy tremor passing through her. Maybe it would be wiser to try and reach home before it got dark? Would Honey and Sprout be looking for her if it got dark, or would they go home and wait until morning? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to take that risk. Her eyes wandered through the branches, barely able to pick out the orange of the sky between them. Eventually, she caught sight of the smallest trace of the sun itself, just poking out from behind the mountainside. She stared at it, pleased to find that, due to its low altitude and closeness to the horizon, she could look at it without hurting her eyes. She stared at it for a long while. And as she did, an odd sensation began to come over her. It was hard for her to explain. It was almost as if the sun was… staring back? But that didn’t make any sense. The sun didn’t have eyes. It was just light, wasn’t it? Well, whatever the sun was, her vision began to tunnel around it. It began to swell and balloon out, the rest of the world bleeding away like ink dropped in a glass of water. Celestia relaxed as it filled every corner of her vision, drowning out everything else and enveloping her in its warmth. So warm… so warm... “KIDS?!” Celestia was suddenly snapped out of her trance by the sound of Honey’s voice calling out from the trees. Her heart leaped into her throat. The adults were here! They could go home! Celestia quickly stood up and lifted her head. “WE’RE HERE!” she shouted back at the top of her lungs, ignoring the protesting whined from Luna. “OVER HERE!” “Celestia?!” Sprout’s voice answered. “Where are you?!” “By the river!” Celestia answered, hopping up and down. “I’m with Luna! Over here!” “The trees are messing with the sound!” Sprout called back. “Keep talking! We’ll come and find you!” “Alright! We’re over here! HERE!” Celestia replied, calling out that they were ‘here’ over and over. Her voice was beginning to hurt from all the use, but she forced herself to keep shouting. If she stopped, Sprout and Honey might not be able to find her, and then what would she do? Finally, Celestia heard movement from the slope above. She turned and looked up, and her heart soared when she saw Sprout’s face looking down at her from above. “Celestia! Luna!” he called before looking over his shoulder. “Over here, hon! I found them!” Celestia allowed herself to fall to her haunches and breathe. Relief flooded her system. It was finally over. She could go home now. She wasn’t looking forward to the inevitable scolding she was going to receive, but she was just happy to be safe. Sprout slid down the slope with expert ease, stumbling slightly when he reached the bottom. Honey came after him a moment later. Sprout made sure to catch her when she landed, as she was not nearly as graceful about it. Once she was steady, Honey turned and sprinted over to Celestia and Luna. Celestia cowered back when she saw the raw, unrestrained fury in Honey’s eyes. “Where have you been?!” Honey demanded, coming right up to Celestia. “Do you have any idea how worried Sprout and I have been about you two?!” Celestia screwed her eyes shut and lowered her head, already feeling her joy evaporating, replaced with guilt. She had expected it, but it did not make it feel any better. “I… I’m sorry,” she apologized, her voice shaking. “But Luna disappeared when you went inside, and I was scared that she might get eaten by a wolf or something, so I came to find her, and I got lost, but I found her, and…” “You should have just come and told us!” Honey went on. Celestia’s ears twitched when she noticed a tremble in the mare’s voice. “Not just run off! We thought you were both snatched up by wolves, too! We were so scared that we might not find you!” Celestia opened her eyes and looked up. Honey’s face was contorting and trembling, tears in her eyes. Sorrow and relief were fighting a war against her anger behind them, and Celestia felt her guilt grow even worse at having made her feel that way. She looked away, unable to stare into those eyes any longer. “I’m sorry…” “You should be,” Honey said, the last dregs of her anger fading. She then fell to her haunches, and her hooves came up to cover her eyes. “I was just… I was so worried about you… I can’t imagine what I would have done if… if… oh, I can’t even say it…” The sound of Honey’s sobs filled the air. Celestia looked up at her again, her heart twisting in her chest. Sprout came up by her side, placing a hoof on Honey’s back. She quickly turned to him and buried her face in his chest, crying all the harder into the proverbial pillow. Sprout winced and held her close, doing his best to ease her distress. Celestia opened her mouth to say something, but no words came. She lifted her hoof to reach out and do something, but she couldn’t find out what to do. She could only stare and wither as the realization set in. This was her fault. She had run off like a little idiot, and it had broken these wonderful ponies’ hearts. But Luna… sweet, innocent Luna, did not seem to have those same concerns. She smaller filly extricated herself from Celestia’s grasp and stepped up to the weeping mare. Luna reached out and gingerly brushed her hoof down Honey’s flank to get her attention. “Mama?” Honey’s sobs cut off with a start. Slowly, both she and Sprout looked down at the filly with wide, astonished eyes. Luna tilted her head up at them, her eyes showing with confusion and concern. She sat back on her haunches and held her forelegs up, silently asking to be picked up. “Mama.” Honey sniffled, her eyes wide and unblocked. She mouthed uselessly like a fish for several seconds before gingerly reaching out. Her hooves trembled as she lifted Luna up and held the filly up to her chest. The moment Luna returned the embrace, Honey began to cry again, but this time with a smile. “It’s okay, Luna,” she whispered between sobs, kissing the filly on the side of the head. “It’s okay… mama’s got you.” Celestia blinked. Mama? As in mommy? That didn’t make any sense. She opened her mouth to correct Luna, to tell her that their mom was still out there somewhere, helping their dad, but the words caught in her throat. How long had it been since she had last seen her actual mother? It had been an entire year. She could barely even remember her face or her voice. Just her eyes. Those frightened, loving, sky blue eyes, and the cold they had delivered her from. And then she had run off into the snow, barely even a shadowy silhouette. And that had been it. She’d never come back. It was then that Celestia finally realized it. Her mother was most likely gone. And even if she was still out there somewhere… what did that matter? The ponies in front of her had done so much for her, loved her and her sister, taken care of both of them since they came here. And she would be lying if she said she didn’t love them back. And so, with a small smile on her face, Celestia moved forward and joined the hug as best as she could. She felt Honey and Sprout both draping their forelegs over her and pulling her close. She looked up at them with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I scared you, mommy. Daddy. I won’t do it again.” Honey sniffled and gave Celestia a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay… I’m just glad you’re safe…” Not long after that, Sprout led the way back home. Celestia was placed on his back, while Luna rode on Honey’s. There wasn’t much talking. For, as joyous as their reunion was, the fact remained that all of them were tired, drained, and eager to just go home and rest. Plus, Celestia knew without a doubt that she was going to be punished in some way. It was upsetting, and seeing her new family so sad and scared for her well-being had made it sting worse, killing what little of a good mood she had been able to salvage from their reunion. By the time they were emerging back into their house’s clearing, it was dark out. The moon was full, thankfully, affording them some limited visibility. Enough to navigate, at least. As they emerged from beneath the boughs, Luna looked up at the sky. She gave out a few wondering sounds, reaching up at the heavens as if to pluck the stars from them. The full moon was reflected in her eyes. “Alright, we’re home,” Sprout said once they passed inside. He sighed and lowered Celestia down to the ground. She hopped off without a word. Time for her punishment. Best to take it like a mare, she decided. Honey closed the door behind them and slumped against it with a relieved sigh. Her eyes then turned back to look at Celestia. She didn’t say a word at first. She turned to Sprout and passed Luna off to him before marching up to Celestia and standing tall over her. “Celestia…” Celestia looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry…” “I know you are, sweetie,” Honey said, her voice just so incredibly tired. “You scared us half to death. I am glad you’re okay, believe me, I am, but you can’t just go off on your own like that. You could have gotten hurt.” “I know,” Celestia replied. “I won’t do it again.” “I sure hope not…” Honey said. She sagged in place and shook her head. “And now we come to the hard part… Celestia… you… you’re grounded.” Celestia tilted her head to one side. “...Grounded?” she asked, her young mind trying to make sense of the new word. Sprout cleared his throat and spoke up. “Yep. You’re not allowed to leave your room for the next three days.” Celestia nodded. That sounded fair to her. If anything, she was getting off pretty easy—wait a minute. She looked up at Sprout, confusion on her face. “...What?” Sprout grinned at her. “What? Did you think that room I’ve been building all week was for storage?” Celestia’s brain basically shut down at that. She tilted her head to the side, trying and failing to process this revelation. When she finally managed to find her words, they came out far less gracefully and far more derpily than she would have liked. “I have a room?” “Well, yeah. You’re part of the family, and you’re a growing filly. You’re a bit big for the crib now, don’t you think?” Sprout asked before nodding at the new door. “It was supposed to be a surprise present. Now I guess it’s just a surprise, though, since, ya know, you’re grounded.” A second passed. Celestia’s emotions were a scrambled mess as she tried to figure out just how she was supposed to feel about this. Apparently, the look on her face was funny to at least one pony in the room, as Luna began to giggle at her. Celestia felt her cheeks heating up, and she puffed up her cheeks in an indignant pout. “Hey! Why is she laughing at me?!” Sprout smirked. “Cause you’re making a funny face?” Honey turned to Sprout and lightly swat him on the shoulder. “Really, Sprout? I’m trying to be serious, here!” Sprout shrugged. “Hey, cut me some slack. It’s not like there’s a lot here we can take away from her as punishment, you know! And besides, with the day she’s had, I think she’s already learned her lesson, and she could use a nice, comfy bed to herself.” Celestia’s attention was drawn back to the bed. Her eyes lit up as she spun to face the new room. “Is it ready?” she asked curiously, wondering just what lay beyond those wooden planks. “Yup,” Sprout answered. Celestia grinned and let out a celebratory giggle. “Yay! I’ll go to bed right now!” she declared before breaking into a sprint. She heard Honey and Sprout playfully bickering over something, but she didn’t pay them any mind. She had a new room now! All to herself! That more than made up for her being grounded! The door swung open without a fuss. It wasn’t exactly heavily decorated yet, but already Celestia loved it. There was a bed that was big enough to house a full-grown pony against both the right and left far corners with an end table situated between them. A window was set into the wall above said end table, curtains still open to let her see the world outside. A lantern was planted on the end table in case she needed to get up in the middle of the night, she assumed. Without hesitation, she bounded for the bed on the right, officially claiming it as her own. The mattress squeaked under her weight, and she giggled as it bounced her back up. She jumped on it a few times, feeling her stresses and anxieties bleeding away with every bounce. She went at it for a few minutes, slowly rotating in place. It wasn’t until her third revolution that she spotted Honey standing in the doorway, staring pointedly at her. “I thought you were going to bed.” Celestia stopped bouncing and immediately plopped onto her haunches. “Oh… right. Sorry,” she apologized. She turned and pulled the blankets back, sliding under them. They were soft and fluffy, easing even more of her discomfort and soothing the aches in her muscles as she got comfy. Honey came up to her bedside as she was getting comfortable. She sat down beside her and set a hoof on the edge of the mattress. “Do you like it?” she asked. Celestia nodded, pulling the blankets up to her chin and getting comfy on the pillow. “Uh-huh. I love it. Tell daddy I said thank you.” Honey paused, her eyes widening. She then smiled and nodded. “Of course. I will… Now, get some sleep, okay?” She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on Celestia’s forehead, right below her horn. Celestia nodded. The bed was already sapping what little energy she had left. She’d had a busy day, and now her body demanded sleep. She let out a large yawn as her eyes drifted closed. “Okay, mommy… goodnight. I love you,” she whispered without even really thinking about it. The last thing she heard before sleep claimed her was Honey’s voice whispering in answer. “I love you, too, Celestia… Sweet dreams.”