//------------------------------//
// Arc 4-2: Tears of the Children 
// Story: My Little Pony: One as a Family.  "Life in Canterlot" 
// by SaburoDaimando 
//------------------------------//


Tears of the Children




It was later that day in the Funeral Home of Sire’s Hollow.  Celestia had completed her eulogy and everyone was paying their respects to Meteor Flare, who lay dead in the coffin up front.  As the crowd lined up and gave their blessing to Meteor Flare, Wanda and the unicorns were a bit nervous, especially Danged Spell.  But unlike the others, Starlight Glimmer was too depressed to be shaken up by the very sight of Meteor Flare.
“You okay, Starlight?”  Sunburst asked.
“I’ll…,”  Starlight said as she struggled to get the words out of her mouth. “I’ll do my best for him.  I don’t think I’ll need you for this.”
“Whatever happens,”  Sunburst said to Starlight.  “I’ll be here to comfort you if necessary.  Promise.”
As Starlight looked on, the path between her and Meteor Flare was clear.  She walked up to the coffin with Sunburst behind her.  Celestia helped Starlight up and placed her on a platform.  She looked down at her deceased uncle as tears flowed from her eyes, allowing her to take in one last look.
“Uncle Meteor,”  Starlight said as she could barely contain herself.  “I wished this didn’t have to happen.  It’s not fair.  Why did that stupid mine have to take your life?  I don’t want you to go.  But….I have no other choice.”
Starlight cried really hard as she signaled for Celestia to put her down.   As she got down onto the floor, Sunburst went by her side and walked her away from the coffin.  Danged Spell looked on and was still nervous.
“I’ll be with you,”  Moondancer said to Danged Spell.
“Thanks,”  Danged Spell replied.
As the two walk up to the coffin, Celestia picks them up and places them on the platform.  Danged Spell looked down as Moondancer was nearby.  But instead of dread, something within Spell made him calm as he looked at Meteor Flare’s body.
“I…”  Danged Spell said.  “I have never met you at all, Meteor Flare.  Nor have I heard your name where I grew up.  But from what I’ve heard, you sound like a great inspiration, and a well-deserved hero.  I would have been happy if I could become the pony you turned out to be.  Maybe being brave also means knowing that you have to swallow your own fear, and do what is right.  Now I wish I had met you in person, when you were alive.”
Moondancer looked at Danged Spell and smiled.  She signaled to Princess Celestia, who picked up both foals and placed them down onto the ground.  Danged Spell and Moondancer walked away from the coffin, with the colt walking away a bit braver than he was when he stepped in.
Sunset and Twilight walked up to the coffin as Princess Celestia picked them both up and placed them on the platform.  The two looked down at Meteor Flare as he lied in that coffin.
"I can't believe he sacrificed so much for the colts and fillies."  Sunset said to Twilight.  "But what kind of monster would kidnap and leave them in the mine?"
"I have no idea,"  Twilight said to Sunset.  "If that happened to me, I would be completely scared.  And I would be really sad if big brother ended up like what happened with Meteor Flare."
Both Sunset and Twilight nodded to Celestia, who picked them up with her magic and set them on the floor.  Both fillies walked off, still wondering who could have staged the kidnapping?
It was Wanda's turn to approach the coffin, and she was carrying Abigail in her arms.  But the look of the Man's Cub was of fear.  She barely took a couple of steps forward before putting Abigail to the side next to Princess Celestia.  
"Now Wanda," Celestia said to her adopted daughter.  "I know you want to fly up and see Meteor Flare.  But let me pick you up so you can see him"
Wanda was in no mood to disagree.  She reluctantly nodded her head, prompting Princess Celestia to pick up Wanda and place her on the platform.  Wanda looked down, and had a sense of dread.  
"Wanda my darling," Celestia said with concern.  "Are you alright?"
Wanda could do nothing, but stare at the deceased Meteor Flare, her face becoming pale while.  She shook and tried to hold in her fear.  But it was too much for her.
"I DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE HIM!" Wanda yelled as she jumped off the platform and landed on her feet.  She ran off crying as everyone else watched her run off.
"Cinch warned me about this," Celestia said as she picked up Abigail.  "I better give her some comfort, especially after what she just saw."

Outside, Wanda was all alone near the fountain, crying in her own arms.  The very sight of a dead pony was enough to traumatize her.  As she continued to cry, Princess Celestia walked out of the funeral home and up to her adopted daughter with Abigail waking next to her.
"Are you alright, my darling Wanda?" Princess Celestia asked as Abigail leaped onto the edge of the fountain, right next to Wanda.  The little Man's Cub looked up with tears flowing from her eyes.
"I don't want to die mommy," Wanda cried as she looked at Celestia.
"Death is a natural part of all life," Celestia explained as she placed her wing on Wanda's back.  "We are all connected through birth and death."
"But it's not fair," Wanda said with a sniffle.  "Why do we all have to die?  What about those we care for?"
"I have been down that road many times," Princess Celestia said as her voice began to crack.  "And I have seen loved ones die.  For many that have passed on, I couldn't hold my own emotions in.  And I fear it could happen to my own sister.  Or to you."
As Wanda wiped the tears from her face, she saw a tear fall from Celestia.  "You're sad like me?"  Wanda said.
"Yes," Princess Celestia said as she wiped the tear from her eye.  "I have seen way too many ponies pass away in my lifetime.  Friends, family and total strangers.  Even though I have been aware about the importance of death, it still breaks my heart to see them go."
As Abigail rubs her head around Wanda’s left hand, the young girl asks “Mommy, do you promise to keep me safe from death?”
“I promise, my darling,”  Celestia says.  “Of all those who I have looked after, you are as precious as they were before.”
Wanda cried again, but this time with joy.  She leaps towards Celestia and gives her a hug.  Celestia could only respond by hugging her daughter back.  Abigail leaped down and walked towards Wanda.
“I’m proud of you, my darling,”  Celestia said as she looked Wanda in the eye with a smile on her face.  “And as long as you have a family and friends, you will never be alone.  Even little Abigail counts as both.”
Wanda looks down and sees Abigail meow to her.  She lets go of Princess Celestia and opens her arms up to Abigail.  The baby kitten leaps into Wanda’s arms and they both snuggle together.
“As long as you have your family and friends beside you,”  Celestia said.  “You have nothing to fear my darling.”

Later that day at Starlight’s house, Moondancer, Danged Spell and Sunburst were gathered in Starlight’s room to help cheer her up, which helped brighten her mood.  As the younglings were right by each other’s side, they overheard voices in the other room.  It sounded like shock and anger, like something horrible had happened.
“What are mommy and daddy doing?” Starlight asked.
“I’ve never heard them or my parents this angry before,”  Sunburst replied.
Starlight jumped off her bed and walked towards the doorway leading to the hall.  The others looked on with some form of concern.
“We should follow her,”  Moondancer said as she climbed off the bed, eager to follow Starlight.  “See what all the commotion is all about.”
“No argument there,”  Danged Spell said as he and Sunburst followed from behind.
At the end of the hallway was the living room where Starseeker, Firelight, and two other ponies named Stellar Flare and Sunspot were in a bit of a heated discussion.  On the coffee table was the will of the late Meteor Flare.  And it appears all four adults in the room are outraged over what they just read.
“I can’t believe those monsters would do something like that,”  Starseeker said as she picked up the will with her horn’s magic.  
“Why would they want to sabotage mine and kidnap the younglings of the miners?”  Stellar Flare yelled.  “And it cost you your brother.”
“It’s still horrible that these cultists would be the ones responsible for the damage to our mine,”  Sunspot said as he was horrified.  “Meteor Flare’s will is proof that there were intruders in our mines.”
“Imagine what would happen if my 
 saw the symbol of what he found in that mine,”  Firelight complained as he pulled up a black and blue cloth and unrolls it.  Right on the cloth was the image of a Windigo looking posed to attack.
“I don’t blame you, Firelight,”  Stellar Flare said.  “Imagine what would happen if Sunburst saw those cretins.”
“WINDIGOS!  BAD WINDIGOS!”  That voice came from Starlight Glimmer, who was observing her parents from the hallway.  The very look of the Windigos on the cloth was enough to scare the young filly.
“Starlight dear,”  Starseeker said as she noticed her daughter.  “Are you alright?”
“I saw that before,”  Starlight said as she pointed to the cloth.  “Bad ponies with that cloth attacked us all back in Canterlot.”  The adults in the room gasped at what she heard as Sunburst, Moondancer and Danged Spell came from behind.
“She’s right,”  Moondancer said as she came up next to Starlight.  “But they were targeting both her new friend and Chancellor Cinch.  They call themselves the Windigos Guild.”
“And I had a lot to worry about with the mine itself,”  Firelight said.  “I think we should pull Starlight out from the school.”
“Are you crazy?”  Starseeker said to her husband.  “We promised to Starlight that she can be a big girl and handle herself in Canterlot, especially with Princess Celestia watching over her.  Besides, you knew what happened here in Sire’s Hollow.  What would you have done if those goons kidnapped her here in our town?”
The words from his wife were enough to make Firelight pause for a minute.  “There was no way to tell where these goons would have been,” he thought to himself.  I could have taken my little Starlight away from all of Equestria, and they’d still follow us to the end of the world.  What am I going to do?”
“Excuse me?”  Danged Spell said as he approached Firelight.  “I was the one who protected Starlight.”  The words of the young colt were enough to snap Firelight out, as he looked at Danged Spell, who had a stern look on his face.
“I was the one who kept her safe from harm’s way,”  Danged Spell continued.  “Mainly because she's my friend, and so are all these others who are with me.”  Right behind him, Sunburst and Moondancer walked up to stand by the side of Starlight and Danged Spell.
“Mom, Dad,”  Sunburst said to Stellar Flare and Sunspot.  “I don’t want to lose Starlight.  She’s been the best friend I ever had in this town.”
“And Spell is right,”  Moondancer said, standing by Starlight.  “She’s a part of us, and we don’t want her to stay here.  We can look after her.  Besides, we’re not just friends.  We’re a family.”
Firelight let out a sigh of relief.  “Alright,”  He said.  “I’ll let Starlight return to Canterlot to continue her studies.”
Those words were enough to cheer up Starlight, as she gave a group hug to Sunburst, Danged Spell and Moondancer.
“On one condition,”  Firelight said as he interrupted Starlight’s group hug. 
“Aww,”  Starlight said as she let go of her friends and stared at her dad.  Firelight reaches down beneath the coffee table.
“Your uncle wanted you to have this,”  Firelight said as he began to pull out a book.  “It was one of his final requests from his will.  You and he liked to play Ogres and Oubliettes together, and it would warm his soul if you could take it with you back to Canterlot.”  As he finished speaking, Firelight pulled out a huge book with the words ‘Ogres and Oubliettes’ on the cover.  Starlight’s face shined with excitement.
“Thank you daddy,”  Starlight said as she gave a big hug to Firelight.  “I’ll take good care of it for Uncle Meteor.”
“I still can’t believe he was into those things,”  Stellar Flare said as she couldn’t contain herself.  “And I used to be a big fan of that when I was younger.”
“I could convince you to get back into the game, my sunshine,”  Sunspot said to Stellar Flare.
Danged Spell, Sunburst and Moondancer looked on as Starlight continued to hug her daddy.  At least one problem was solved and they were ready to show themselves out the door.
“Danged Spell, is it?”  Firelight said as he turned his attention towards the young colt.
Danged Spell stopped and looked at Firelight. “Yes?”  He said.
“I appreciate what you did to protect my daughter,”  Firelight said.  “But I must ask you this.  Do you promise to keep her safe while she’s up in Canterlot?”
“Of course I will,”  Danged Spell said with a determined look on his face.  “She’s my friend, and she’s also Sunburst’s friend, and Moondancer’s friend.  Any friend would protect one another from danger.”
“I’ve known Starlight for a while Mr Glimmer,”  Sunburst said as he stood next to Danged Spell, all while looking at Starlight with optimism.  “So I’m with Danged Spell on this.”
“And I will as well,”  Moondancer says as she stands next to Danged Spell.
“Very well,”  Firelight said to the younglings as he turned his face to Starlight.  “You enjoy your time back in Canterlot.  And remember to write.  Promise?”
“Promise,”  Starlight said as he kissed his father on the cheek before leaping off.  She uses her magic to pull the Ogres and Oubliettes book towards her.
As the other younglings look at Starlight with pride, Danged Spell says “I’m glad Starlight’s gonna stick around for a long time.  She could use some friends to keep her company.”
“I’m glad you decided to help keep her on board,”  Sunburst said.  “Your dad would be proud of you.”
“Sure you may be obnoxious with your puns,”  Moondancer said.  “But at least you have the heart of loyalty within you.”
“Aww,”  Danged Spell said as he blushed. “Thanks guys.”
“You’re welcome, Your Majesty,”  Moondancer said with a smug look on her face.
“What did you just call me?” Danged Spell said as he was starting to become agitated.
“Come on Spell,”  Sunburst chuckled.  “You’d make a handsome king for Equestria.”
“No way, egghead,”  Danged Spell yelled as he started to grow angry.  The adults couldn’t help but try to contain their laughter.
“You know, my son is right,”  Sunspot said.  “If I was his father, I would train him to be our future King of Equestria.”
“I bet he would be perfect in marrying little Starlight,”  Firelight said, which caused Starlight to hide behind her book in embarrassment.
Soon, the whole room sans Danged Spell and Starlight were laughing out loud, all while Danged Spell was pretty steamed.
“THAT’S NOT FUNNY YOU CHOWDERHEADS!”  Danged Spell yelled.  “I AM NOT ONE WHO WANTS TO BE ROYALTY!”
“Well I’m sorry to disappoint your highness,”  Stellar Flare laughed.  “But you would make a fine monarch.”
“STOP WITH THE ROYAL COMPARISONS YOU SMART ALECKS!”  Danged Spell yelled.  “I’M NO ARISTOCRAT!”  Unfortunately, the rest of the ponies, sans Starlight, couldn’t help but laugh as Danged Spell lets out a huge arrgh before burying his head underneath his hooves.

It was later that afternoon.  Princess Luna has loaded Moondancer, Starlight, Sunburst and a calmed down Danged Spell into one chariot.  Princess Cadance and Shining Armor have already boarded another chariot while Princess Celestia is in a third with Wanda, Abigail, Sunset and Twilight.  They were ready to leave for Canterlot City.
“So,”  Princess Celestia said to Wanda, Sunset and Twilight.  “Are you three ready to head home?”
“Am I ever?”  Wanda said, having enjoyed her time at Sire’s Hollow.
“Sire’s Hollow is a place I’d like to come back to,”  Twilight said.  “But I’m sorry you had to endure what you saw at the funeral.”
“It’s okay,”  Wanda replied.  “And thanks to both of you for coming to help me with mommy.”
“What are friends for, Wanda?”  Sunset said as she rubbed the top of Abigail’s head.
“You know Sunset,”  Twilight said.  “I always wonder if there will ever be more friends to discover?  Maybe in a distant town that shares the same traits as you and the others?”
“Twilight,”  Sunset said.  “We’ll never know what secrets the rest of the world will hold.”
“I want to explore the world when I grow up,”  Wanda says as Abigail leaps into her arms.  “It would be like a bird flying through the wind.”
And with one last call, Celestia’s chariot takes off for Canterlot, as the other two were almost ready for departure.
“So,”  Luna said to Starlight, Sunburst, Moondancer and Danged Spell.  “How are you all since today?”
“I’m feeling better now that I have friends by my side,”  Starlight said as she held tightly onto the Ogres and Oubliettes book.  “Maybe I should show them how I use to play with my uncle.”
“I’m eager to play some of that with you, Starlight,”  Danged Spell said.
But before the chariot could take off, Firelight comes running towards her daughter Starlight.
“Starlight,”  Firelight says with a tear on his face.  “You be careful from here on out.”
“I will daddy,”  Starlight says as he kisses Firelight on the cheek.  “I will.”
“And you promise to look after her, correct?”  Firelight says to Sunburst, Moondancer and Danged Spell.
“She’s like a sister to me Mr Glimmer,”  Sunburst said to Firelight.  “You can count on me.”
“Keeping her happy is what we do best,”  Moondancer said.  “We won’t let you down.”
“I’ll be happy to lay down my life for her,”  Danged Spell said as everyone looked at him with an awkward look.  “Okay,”  He continued.  “That was overboard.”
Everyone laughed as Luna’s Chariot took off.  Starlight waved good-bye to his father as Firelight waved back, knowing that he would miss his daughter.
“It’s alright,”  Princess Cadance says to Firelight.  “We’ll take good care of her.”
Princess Cadance’s chariot was about to take off, with Shining Armor riding shotgun.  Firelight looks at Cadance and gives a nod to the younger Princess and her boyfriend.
“So,” Shining Armor says to Princess Cadance.  “What do you want to do when we get back to Canterlot?”
“Danged Spell has his Cute-Ceanera when we get back,”  Princess Cadance says.  “We should crash the party and give him our blessings.”
“Why not?”  Shining Armor says.  “Maybe I could give him some advice on how to be royal guard material.”
And with that, Cadance’s chariot takes off for Canterlot, following Celestia and Luna’s chariot from behind.  Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Princess Wanda, Princess Sunset Shimmer, Abigail, Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Moondancer and Danged Spell were returning home to Canterlot after a field trip to Sire’s Hollow.  The day was far from over, but they had quite the experience.

But far from Sire’s Hollow, Coldnelius Snap looked in the distance with a smile on his face. Though he showed no sign of confronting Celestia for the moment, he stood there with a few of his guild members by his side.
“A shame that the fool of a miner sabotaged my plan for those kids.”  Coldnelius Snap said as he began to turn around.  “They would have made great members of the Windigo’s Guild. Too bad, it was only a minor setback. But make no mistake. We’ll find a way to make Equestria freeze in the cold of winter. Glory to the Windigos.”


	To Be Continued in…


	Arc 5:Lovely and the Adventurous Beast or Neigh Anything.


	Buck Withers: Adventurer