//------------------------------// // Stirring darkness // Story: Family // by FleetlordAvatar //------------------------------// "Test 35," narrated Twilight, Spike recording her thoughts on a sheet of parchment. “I’m enchanting the stone with a detection lattice that should reveal any dormant magic.” Her horn lit with purple magic, as did the Waystone before her, one of two currently occupying her basement laboratory, glowed brightly, levitating off the ground. Geometric shapes and arcane symbols manifested around the hovering stone as Twilight stuck her tongue out in concentration. She focused on weaving the spell into the very fabric of the stone, right into its very core and the magic at its heart. Or at least, where the magic should have been. She extinguished her horn with a sigh, ending the spell and causing the stone to drop to the wood floor of her lab with a deep thud. "Failure" she exclaimed. "I've run scans, boiled, ground up and mixed samples with everything I can think of and got no reaction, there's nothing there!" Spikes quill scratched its way across the parchment as made sure to keep at least one eye on the purple unicorn. She had already suffered a near burnout when she found those funny artefacts, he wasn't going to let her do it again, especially since he was always dragged into it. "Twilight," he interrupted, before she could spiral. "We've been at this for hours, I'm not willing to make it days, again. How about we take a break and come back with fresh eyes, or get somepony else to take a look?" "But Spike,” she protested. “It's not possible for a Waystone to just die like this, they are magical rocks with layers upon layers of spells, glyphs and runework. Many have existed since long before the founding of Equestria and have magic unknown even to professors at Canterlot University!" "...pretend I understand where you're going with this." deadpanned the dragon. "Urgh! It means that a Waystone cannot just lose all it's magic. It can be damaged and have some glyphs or spells fail. But they have never outright lost all their power to the point they become completely inert rock, they usually explode instead!" Spike stepped back quickly from the stones, eyeing them warily. "I'm sure that won't be the case here," Twilight hastily added, trotting close to give another magical scan. Rolling up the scroll, the dragon got off his stool and filed it away with the others from the unicorns testing. He would send them to Canterlot tomorrow, right now he needed some rest. "Time for a break," he declared. "I'm going to put some hot chocolate on the stove, with extra marshmallows." Sighing in defeat, the unicorn followed her assistant up the stairs. "That does sound good, I feel so drained right now..." She slowed, eyes looking off into space as realisation dawned. Galloping back downstairs, she fired a complicated lattice of spells from her horn in quick succession, again illuminating the stone in brightly burning purple light. "Uh, Twilight," questioned Spike. "What are you doing?" "Confirming a hypothesis,” she replied, her magic flaring as she cut the spell. “I was right, the stone didn’t die, it’s power was drained. "Drained? How could that happen?" queried Spike. “Has it happened before?” "I don't know," she replied, pacing around the dead Waystone. "But I’m picking up some sort of residue, here." She paused to indicate a glowing mark and Spike approached to examine it, leaning in close to examine the glowing mark. "Looks like a hoof print," he concluded. “It's too small to be an adult pony, perhaps a filly or a colt?” "That doesn't narrow it down, anypony could have touched them after they were placed." mused Twilight, Repeating her spell on the second stone. Like the first, all the magic had been drained, and a similar residue could be felt emanating from it. But this didn't look like a hoof print or even a physical point of contact, instead a whispery trail of purple light slowly drew itself out from the Waystone. "Why is it doing that?" asked Spike. "Because whatever took the magic from this one wasn't in direct contact, it had to pull the power out from a distance," she concluded. "Which stone was this?" Spike flipped through the reports left by the Canterlot Unicorns. "This one was from Ponyville General." "And the other was Sweet Apple Acres,” she finished. “But they don’t have anything in common...do they?" The dragon shrugged. "Maybe it's something new that wasn't there before,"he suggested. "But the hospital hasn't got anything, and Sweet Apple Acres only has..." “Reiver,” she whispered. Reiver was new to Sweet Apple Acres, and until recently had been host to Bedlam, who had been feeding on the foals' magic involuntarily. It was reasonable to conclude that Reiver must have touched the Waystone and Bedlam's developing form sucked it dry, as he had later consumed magic from the Storm itself, enough to become a full fledged entity. She looked back at the Waystone from Ponyville General, and her blood ran cold. Reiver was nowhere near the hospital, which meant there was a second developing draconequis in Ponyville. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Scott angrily paced his room, brooding over recent revelations. Reiver's age meant he had to prove to the nurse mare that he was supposed to be in his fathers care. That shouldn't be hard. He was already identified as the father, Pony body or not, plus he was a skilled, competent, military man...stallion, perfect to raise a child his way. His wife had done the job before him of course, but Sarah just made the boy weak. He hadn't done anything wrong by leaving; he just wanted more from his career. It was her job to raise Reiver anyway and he thought she knew what she was doing. Sighing, he reflected that, ultimately, a decision to retire early showed the damage done to his child, and by the end he couldn’t stand being in the same house, so he took another commission and left, deciding to leave the mess behind. But that woman had the gall to fight for his money, he paid into that pension, she didn't deserve a penny of it. However, she believed she was 'entitled' to part of it as his wife, and that soft judge agreed. But he won in the end, a few words here and there made sure of that, even if he hadn’t anticipated her suicide. Then there was everything that followed, the funeral, the fight with Reiver, the boy blaming him for everything. Scott sighed, that child could get emotional when he wanted to, although he hadn't expected him to fight back like that. He’d make him see things his way in time. The door to his room opened, bringing him back to the present as Nurse Redheart entered "How are you doing?" she asked. "Fine," he replied, evenly. "I feel healthy as a horse." Ignoring the sarcasm, she gave him a look over, taking a pen and clipboard to make a few notes as she inspected his muscle mass, noting that it had increased significantly, he no longer looked like a half starved zombie and appeared to be completely healthy. "You do look better than I expected. I’ll talk with Dr Stable about some physical tests -." "Now wait a second!" interrupted Scott."I need some real answers here. About Reiver and my situation." She looked at the stallion with a raised eyebrow. "I already told you Reiver is safe and well with another family. As I recall you worked yourself up over that." "Yes, well, he is my son, I do have a right to worry." "I'm sure," she replied, sceptically. "Look, what's going to happen to him, and me? I'm not going to be here forever and I doubt he will stay with this foster family." "That remains to be seen," she stated. "The family in question have gotten attached to him and I can say the environment is good for his development. He might stay with them after all." Something twisted angrily inside Scott, but he forced it down. "Do I get a say in this? You know I am his father." "You will get a say, but only after you've been cleared physically, psychologically and legally. Which reminds me." She flipped the pages on her clipboard a few times until she revealed several documents marked with the seal of the Royal Guard. "Despite the Storm of Magic, I was able to get letters and telegrams to both Canterlot and the Royal Guard, as well as local and national offices regarding you and your son's identity. While it is not unheard of for ponies to be living 'off the grid', there is usually something in the system." She lowered the clipboard and looked Scott in the eye. "However, in the case of you and your son, I've found nothing, not a shred of evidence anywhere. A DNA test is the only proof you are related to one another." "There you have it," interrupted Scott, smugly. “What more do you need?” "It's not that simple," she said. "You. Officially. Don't. Exist! So we can't say you are suitable to raise a child in terms of housing, food, clothes, schooling, etc. There is also no record of your recruitment into the Royal Guard or even duties served at the places you spoke of, some of them don’t even exist. Furthermore, your attitude earlier raises doubts about your ability to be a parent. Therefore, it's my recommendation that Reiver stay with the family, while you receive a full psychological examination-" "I AM NOT A HEADCASE!" roared Scott. "I told Sarah that, I told Reiver that and I am telling you that! I do not need a psycho quack analysing me! I am a soldier in the British Army! I have been in warzones, organised deployments, worked my ass off to make a living so that brat and my wife could live in comfort! I do not need my head examined! I know what I'm doing!" Redheart was taken aback. Scott’s attitude had her expecting a similar reaction, but this was unexpected and she shuffled back towards the door. "Gah! Why am I even talking to you,” grumbled Scott. “You're just a cartoon character anyway,"  "Excuse me?" questioned the nurse, definitely doubting his sanity. "You're just some big eyed cartoon pony, like all the rest. Something my son would watch as he slacked off instead of getting a real job. They don’t mean anything, just childish nonsense and empty platitudes meant to keep kids sheltered from the real world! Time and again I said get a job, but noooo, he just watched mindless animation, played videogames and made those stupid videos!" Redheart slowly shuffled further back, keeping an eye on the stallion as he ranted and raved, talking about a fight with Reiver, a rainbow that sucked them up into the sky and how he used to be another creature entirely. Reaching the open door, where a small group of ponies had started to linger, she grabbed the nearest orderly. "Get Dr Stable, quickly, as well as some strong ponies,” she commanded. “My patient is in the middle of a breakdown!”." Looking back, she saw Scott had returned to pacing as he muttered about things she didn't recognise. Names and places that sounded strange and unfamiliar rolled rapidly off his tongue as he seemed to shut out everyone, except...he also seemed to be talking to himself. “I’m not unstable...I know! I told them all! I’m his father...yes, he’s just a little brat that's never known how to work a real job!” Remaining by the door she observed and continued to make notes. Something was definitely up with this stallion. He had been abrasive but mentally cognizant until this point, now it seemed he was too unstable to be near anypony. Resolving to get to the bottom of it, she waited for the orderlies, only for them to arrive with a letter, stamped with Luna's Royal Seal. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx It was obvious to Apple Bloom that Reiver was moping. He had been aimlessly wandering the farm ever since he had spoken to Applejack about his dad. Her sister hadn't kept the news secret, it was better the rest of the Apples knew in case that no good stallion came knocking. Although he would get apple bucked into next week if he did. Coming up alongside the depressed colt, she fell into step with him and they walked in silence before he quietly spoke. "Do you remember your dad?" "Not really," she replied. "I was really young when they passed, I've got these...feelings and things I can barely recall." "Are they good feelings?" he asked. "Yeah, like being in a warm blanket." "Huh..." They fell into silence and walked a bit further, passing repaired fences and broken trees ready to be chopped into planks. "I knew my father, but I don't think I ever KNEW him, he certainly didn't know me. He was never at home, and when he was we might as well have been living with a disruptive stranger, the longer he was away, the more we never got along." He stopped and turned to face her. "Apple Bloom, I'm scared. When I was an adult, I could get away from him. But I'm a kid, and I assume your laws about children living with relatives are similar to my world. I don't want to stay with him, I just can't!" He was breathing rapidly, tears flowing down his muzzle as worries spilled uncontrollably from his mouth.  “I was really sick when I was a child and I was always being taken away to some hospital or another. Having surgeons cut into me or machines attached to my body, I’m sure I nearly died at least once.” Reiver sat down, wiping his eyes as he tried to regain some control. “I still hate doctors to this day, But what I’m really afraid of, what frightens me to my core, is being taken away. From my home, my friends, my mum...my whole life I’ve been taken away from something by someone, and now I feel like it’s going to happen again, with the worst possible person, and I’ll be trapped with him forever.” Overwhelmed, he let out a wail as he finally broke down, Apple Bloom immediately grabbing him in a tight hug. "That won't happen and you know it," she declared with confidence. " As far as Applejack, Big Mac, Granny and I are concerned, your family. Even if you dumped porridge on me," she finished with a grin. "Hey...that was an accident," he hiccuped, but that didn't stop a small smile teasing the corner of his lips. "But how can you be sure I won’t just be taken away?" "You heard Twi and Luna, that aint going to happen. Plus Applejack can be stubborn as a mule when she's got something to fight for, it runs in the family. We won't let you go, I can say that for sure." She hugged him again, and Reiver buried himself in the caring embrace. The Apples wouldn't let him go, he wouldn't be taken away, not from the ponies that nursed him back to health, gave him a warm bed, education and even convinced Bedlam to save his life. They cared for him, and would fight to keep him safe. Just like a family. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx That escalated quickly. ‘That stubborn ass of a nurse just wouldn't listen.’ After all, you’re the only one who can say what's best for your child. ‘She should have seen my way.’  But she didn’t. ‘I have to get out of here, they could move him somewhere else!’ Indeed, I think it’s time to find our errant son.