//------------------------------// // Foundation for a Happy Family // Story: Soaring Shadows // by Asterid //------------------------------// Chapter 6 – Foundation for a Happy Family Scoatalow sat on the hard wood floor of the Mayor’s as she weighed Twilight’s words. She was the one that would ultimately decide her own fate, which scared her more than a little bit. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are both out, she thought, they live all the way in Canterlot. And Princess Cadance is all the way in the Empire. Only way I can stay here in Ponyville is if I pick Twilight or Dad. “I…I think I have made my choice,” Scoatalow stuttered. “And what have you chosen, my little pony?” Celestia asked. “I’d like for my dad to be my guardian,” She replied, moving to stand next to the dark stallion. “Are you sure, detjonys?” Sombra asked, getting down to her level, “Princessa can provide for you far better than I can. I might call my self a prince, but I haven’t a bit to my name or a place to call home.” “I don’t care about any of that, popochka,” Scoatalow said, standing on her hind legs and placing her forelegs against Sombra’s barrel, “We could live in a shack on the edge of the Everfree forest for all I care as log as it’s with you.” Hearing his daughter’s words, Sombra lifted the filly into her forelegs and held her tightly as his large body was wracked by sobs. Leaning over to her prized student, Celestia whispered gently to the younger princess. “Can you truly tell me, Twilight, that that stallion has any evil within his heart or intends to hurt that filly?” She asked. “No, he is innocent of the wrong doings done by the beast he was possessed by,” Twilight said, “But what will happen now? He’s not wrong about his current situation.” “Well then, it’s a good thing a generous young mare recently moved into a very large castle with plenty of room,” Celestia said with a grin, “Especially when said mare and stallion have both expressed an…interest in each other.” “Princess, are you trying to set me up…on a date?!” Twilight hissed. “Oh no, Twilight,” Celestia giggled, “I would never try to impinge on your sisters-in-law’s specialty. I’m merely pointing out how you can assist a roguishly charming single male and his equally adorable filly.” “Laying it on pretty thick there, Princess?” Twilight said, before turning back to the heartwarming scene, “Um, Prince Sombra?” “Yes, Princessa?” sombra said, shooting her a sly smirk as he set Scoatalow on the ground, “How can I help you.” “I would like to let you know that I have made my final decision regarding your reformation.” Twilight said in a regal voice. “Twilight, please don’t send my Daddy away,” Scoatalow cried, “He’s a good pony, even if he has to put up with Uncle Somnumbula all the time.” Celestia looked at Sombra Incredulously, mouthing the words ‘Uncle Somnumbula?’. Waiving her question of with a flip of his wing, Sombra mouthed back ‘Later.’ “Do not fear, little one,” Twilight said, trying to emulate her former mentor, “Your father will be safe and sound. I was simply going to ask the two of you if you would consider moving into the castle with me.” “That’s moving fairly quickly, isn’t it Twilight Sparkle?” Called a new voice from the doorway. Turning at the sudden interruption, everyone watched as Princess Luna seemed to glide into the mayor’s office, her head held high as her ethereal midnight blue hair swayed in the non-existent breeze. “In the olden days, a mare would need to be courting a stallion for at least a year before even thinking about moving in together,” She joked, moving to stand next to her sister, “have things really changed so much in a thousand years?” “I…it…you…” Twilight stammered, a fierce blush tinging her muzzle bright red, “It’s not like that Princess Luna!” “Then please, Princessa, do tell,” Sombra asked, claiming a spot next to the flustered younger princess before laying a wing possessively over her back, “How is it exactly?” Twilight tried to center her thoughts, but the muscular warmth of Sombra’s side was slowly working through her defenses. Looking down, she found herself locking eyes with Scoatalow, the young filly striking as cute a pose as possible, her large pink eyes glistening as she clasped her hooves under her chin. “Does this mean you want to be my mom, Twilight?” She said, tilting her head to the side. Cuteness levels exceeding maximum safe levels, Twilight thought, initiating Escape plan GTFO. “Eeeep,” Squeaked the young Alicorn as she disappeared in a flash of lavender light. “I think we may have taken that a step too far, cousins,” Sombra laughed, “However, there is something of importance I do need to ask.” “What is that Sombra?” Luna asked. “Before Scoatalow was born, Dawn and I had put a few items away in my private vault beneath the Imperial Palace.” Sombra explained, “For the most part, they are small trinkets belonging to her mother and grandparents. But more importantly, we also stored the regalia we had made for Scoatalow as well as my own. I would like permission to retrieve them.” “Sombra, I love you dearly, but I must ask,” Celestia asked, a panicked look on her face, “Cousin, have you lost your mind! You want to walk into the Imperial Palace, filled with guards who will want to kill you on site, to reclaim your crown and publicly declare that you have birthed an heir. If I had realized you were this suicidal, I would have just given Twilight guardianship of your daughter.” “You misunderstand me, Celestia,” Sombra said, wrapping a wing around Scoatalow, “I do not wish to claim the crown as I am not the king. And Scoatalow is not my heir as I have no kingdom. I merely wish to collect my personal possessions and those meant for my daughter. If it would make everyone involved feel safer, perhaps Twilight and her son Spike could be persuaded to accompany us. Surely having four heroes of Equestria so close at hand would put everyone’s minds at ease.” “There is logic to his words, sister,” Luna said, “it would also serve as a good bonding moment for them.” “And by them you are referring to Scoatalow and Sombra correct?’ Celestia asked. Luna did not answer, save for a small smile and tilt of her head. “I will send a letter to Cadence and Shining Armor before I speak to Twilight,” Celestia huffed, before turning to Mayor Mare, “For now, we have some more paperwork to fill out for this lucky little filly and her father.” ******** Twilight reappeared at the train station, trying desperately to get her blush and heartbeat under control before she was supposed to pick up Spike after his trip to Manehattan for Powercon. The convention had only lasted a week, but the young Princess had never been away from her son for more than a couple of days, and even then, he was under the watchful eye Big Mac and Granny Smith. I wonder what I’m going to tell him about everything that’s been happening, Twilight thought, still struggling to get her blush under control, I hope he doesn’t mind a couple of additional ponies living in the castle. Before long, the gleaming Ponyville Express came into view, a shrill call coming from its whistle. As the train came to a stop, a thick cloud of steam rushed out of the engine as it ground to a halt. Workers both on the train as well as in the station began rushing back and forth, unloading luggage and helping passengers disembark. Soon, Twilight could just barely see the top of Spike’s head as he made his way through the crowd. In the three years following Twilight’s accension, Spike had had his first growth spurt, now standing almost eye to eye with the older mare’s in his life. As the crowd parted, Spike walked up to the lavender mare, pulling his suitcase along behind him. “Welcome home,” Twilight said, leaning forward to nuzzle him. “Thanks, Mom,” he said with a grin, wrapping his arms around her neck to give her a hug, “So, I miss anything important while I was in Manehattan for a week?” “Oh, nothing much, just a normal week in Ponyville,” Twilight said, “Sombra’s been fully pardoned.” Letting go of the embrace, Spike took a step back and cocked his head to the side. “I…what?” He asked. “Come on, I’ll explain on the walk back home.” Twilight said, wrapping a wing behind the young dragon’s back. The two walked in silence for a few minutes before Twilight began explaining everything that had happened while Spike had been away, from Sombra settling into his new role as a guard to Scoatalow’s family history project, culminating with the tense moment at town hall. “So, let me get this straight,” Spike asked, ticking things off on his claws, “You made the mistake of changing Scoatalow’s name and making her a Princess-“ “Lower case p,” Twilight said, “There’s a difference.” “Ok, moving on from that,” Spike said, his eye twitching slightly, “Then, Grandma Celestia shows up and explains how you jumped the gun and screwed up royally. So, you give a teenage filly a difficult choice about which royal is gonna take care of her and she picks her dad. Which means you had to pardon Sombra. And then you offer to have him and the little orange typhoon move into the castle. That about sum it all up?” “Very concise description,” Twilight said, her mane and tail beginning to frizz as her eye twitched, “And now im panicking because mfmurfmrm.” “What was that last part there,” Spike asked with a smile, “Was that even Equish?” “...grumble grumble…” Twilight said, scuffing the dirt road. “Jeez, this is like pulling teeth,” Spike asked, draping an arm over her back, “You can tell me, Mom.” “Fine, want me to say it, I’ll say it,” Twilight shouted, going into full panic mode, “I’m attracted to Prince Sombra which has me more than a little flustered and now he’s gonna be living with us and I’m going to be seeing his stupid, handsome face everyday.” “Feel better getting that off your chest?” Spike snarked, “Good, now I gotta ask, how is that different than any other day since Prince Mucky Muck came back from the dead.” “Difference is I can’t hide behind my wall of ‘I’m your warden and can’t kiss your stupid, handsome face.’” Twilight said with a huff. “Mom, ick,” Spike gagged as the sound of rapidly approaching hooves began, “I don’t need to hear about you wanting to make out with Sombra, just, no.” “Oh please, like you weren’t floating around on your own little cloud after your pulled your head out of your plot about Sweetie Belle,” Twilight said with a smirk, “By the way, incoming Sweetie missile.” “Incoming what now?” Spike asked before he was tackled to the ground by a white and purple blur. “SPIKE!” Squealed said blur, as it and the dragon rolled along the ground. As they came to a stop and the dust cleared, Twilight smiled as she saw her star pupil Sweetie Belle cuddling with her son on the side of the road. “Spikey, I missed you so much,” Sweetie Belle said, nuzzling the young dragon, “I wish I could have come with you.” “Don’t worry about it, a ghra,” Spike said, kissing the young mare on the cheek, “Your studies are important and Mom knew you needed to test yourself in the tournament. So, how did you do?” “I don’t wanna talk about it,” Sweetie said with a scowl. “None of that,” Spike said, lifting her chin and kissing her gently, “Come on, get up offa me and we’ll go to that café you love and talk about it.” “Oh, I see how it is, spend time with your marefriend,” Twilight said mockingly, “You two go enjoy yourselves. I’ll take this back to the castle.” “Thanks, Mom.” Spike said, helping Sweetie Belle up and walking off with her. “That son of mine,” Twilight whispered with a smile as she wrapped the suitcase in her magic before heading off to the castle.