Lovelight’s mind reeled.
One moment, she had been tucking away the little colt for a nap. The next, she’d been arguing that Mellow was just as safe with them as anyone else.
Then, as if in some cruel joke, the moment afterwards proved she was completely wrong.
The moment everyone in the room came out of their stupor, all they could do was look around at each other, desperately searching for an explanation. The room was far dimmer than it had been just before, and a quick look out the window would explain that it had been many hours.
‘Hours.’ Lovelight was in shock.
Her next moments were fueled by only the most instinctual panic and horror imaginable. Being the first one to exit her chair and speed down the hallway. She swung the door open with only the strength an earth pony could possess and retroactively fell into a pit of despair. "Mellow!" She forced out a panicked whine, desperately begging for a response.
She began searching, practically tearing the room apart as her breathing hinged. Haze came running into the room not much longer afterwards, with Applejack and Fluttershy hovering worriedly behind him. "Dear?" Haze asked carefully.
Lovelight shot over to him; he’d never seen the look in her eyes before, and it broke his heart. "He’s gone! My colt’s gone!" She shook violently as she collapsed into his arms.
Haze breath hitched worriedly, looking around the room, "Gone?
"Gone!" Lovelight whined; she felt everything shattering around her as her mind drew a blank. She couldn’t hold back her feelings anymore, and she broke: "They took him! They took my baby!" She wailed.
Applejack stamped her hooves and took a step forward with a look of anger. "We’ll get ahm back, I promise you, Lovelight." She turned to Fluttershy, "Ain’t that right?"
A few moments later, they heard the sound of somebody scrambling to open the front door, and they all put their guards up before a familiar voice graced them, "Hello? Anybody home?"
All their ears perked up as Applejack called down the hallway, "Down here, sugarcube!"
Rainbow practically shot over their heads, hovering right above them. "Look, it’s a long story; Mellow is safe in the castle. And-"
Lovelight looked up with immediate shock, "He’s okay?!"
Rainbow rubbed the back of her head, "He didn’t get hurt physically. The poor kid seems to be having a mental breakdown, though…"
Lovelight’s heart ached; of course he’d be having a mental breakdown. He was back in a place where he didn’t feel safe. He was ripped away from her, the only one he trusted completely. And worse yet, she didn’t know what had happened during the time she was out.
She didn’t give it another thought more as she pushed past the rest of the ponies, with Haze quickly following behind her.
Cadance watched worriedly as the small colt shivered and mumbled things to himself. She knew Twilight was rather compulsively overactive in her observations sometimes, but this wasn’t the case. She’d been told the colt was broken mentally; she just didn’t realize to what extent. It was becoming more clear by the second to the alicorn.
She wanted desperately to help, but she wasn’t well versed in helping traumatized foals, as rare as they were. She would likely only scare him if she showed him overwhelming kindness. No, the only one that he would respond to would be Lovelight. She saw how desperately he called out to her, reaching for her safety.
Her daughter had a curious fixation on the small kirin. Flurry Heart was usually very well behaved, especially in her presence, but she’d rarely, if ever, seen her daughter just watch something. She sat there with her head tilted and an unreadable expression on her face.
She turned her ears back to the conversation going on just behind her. Rarity had finally calmed down enough to speak. Twilight spoke slowly and evenly: "Okay, Rarity, what was the last thing you remember?"
"Oh dear, it was just simply awful!" Rarity said with an exasperated sigh. "One moment, this brutish pegasus was acting so divinely, and the next, he was interrogating me with ferocity!"
She shook her head. "I said one too many things, and after accusing him of being one of the shady vagrants in our town, well…"
Pinkie, who had mysteriously appeared after the events, looked at her with curiosity. "Well, what did you say that made him so angry?"
Rarity huffed, "He asked me first if I’d noticed any suspicious activity in town. I was immediately on alert; it was an off-hoofed question to begin with." She held a hoof to her head and said, "I was slightly oblivious to his outward charm. I told him that there were a pair of suspicious ponies in town, and that if he had any knowledge on them, I’d greatly appreciate it."
Rarity groaned, "What a fool I’d been; he had me right in his dirty hooves!"
Cadence sighed as she addressed the mare: "Honestly, Rarity, dear, it was probably a good thing you got put in that state. Without it, we wouldn’t have known to go save Mellow."
Pinkie tilted her head, "What did he do to put you in a trance like that? I can’t even hypnotize people that well!"
Rarity huffed as her eyes widened. "Oh yes, the gem on his cloak. It began glowing a bright blue, and I remember him saying some words, but they escape my memory. I can remember staring at nothing for hours, but it’s sort of hazy, like a dream now."
Twilight had been thinking to herself this whole time as she looked between Mellow and the floor. Slowly, a thought began forming in her brain: "If they’re able to put anybody into that state, including an entire table of ponies… And you said she could phase through the wall like nothing, Cadance?" The other alicorn gave an affirmative nod.
Twilight hummed, "It might be some form of reality-altering power. Which would explain how an entire train of ponies and two princesses went missing."
Rarity raised her brows, "What? So you’re saying they have mind control, the ability to walk through walls, and reality altering?"
Cadence chimed in, "The odd mare. She seemed crazy, but she did say something interesting before leaving."
"She said, 'If you want to be the cause of destruction for this world, so be it.'"
All the ponies looked between themselves in confusion, so it was quite jarring when they heard the sudden voice of Mellow in their ears. And they all looked down to see the young alicorn staring at the floor. He spoke quietly, but they still heard him. "She was talking about me."
They all widened their eyes but softened their expressions. Cadence hummed softly, "What do you mean, honey?"
He gritted his teeth and spat his words with disdain. "The destruction of this world—Astral was talking about me."
"Her name is Astral?" Twilight inquired.
She received a short nod: "S-She said if I didn’t come with her, I’d never see my friends again. She wanted me to meet someone she referred to as ‘her majesty’."
Nobody had any clue what such words meant, but the implications were certainly horrifying. Cadence lay on the floor next to the kirin colt and addressed him worriedly, "Did she say anything else at all, Mellow?"
The colt started shaking wildly, "It’s me; she was talking about me. She said she’d seen what I do in the future; she said she knew lots of things; she even called me Zero."
The group of mares' mouths hung agape at that. The colt let a new set of tears invade his eyes. "How does she know that name?"
Cadence reached out with a hoof, and he shied away as he backed into the wall. "You should let her take me. If she’s right and I’m the destruction of this world, then… I don’t want to live anymore."
They all gasped at him. Pinkie stepped forward and exclaimed, "Don’t say that!"
Twilight sighed and spoke carefully: "We won’t let either of those things happen, Mellow. Plus, messing with timelines is impossible." Twilight watched sadly as his ears fell further against his head.
Mellow flinched at her voice and seemed to work enough courage into his voice to huff at her. "What would you know?" The colt asked angrily, still staring at his hooves. "You did say I was dangerous after all. And you’re right. Aren’t you happy?"
Twilight recoiled in shame at that: "I’m sorry I hurt you, Mellow."
The kirin colt stood carefully and shot her another glare before he began walking away.
"Z…Zewo?" Flurry said with intense curiosity as Mellow passed by her. Cadence hadn’t even realized her daughter was listening that intently.
Mellow gave her a passing glance but otherwise didn’t stop as he returned and buried himself into the couch cushion. She was honestly surprised he had chimed in, but it was simply due to the fact he assumed he would cause something so terrible.
Cadence had to restrain the look of anger she wanted to give Twilight. The last thing they needed was for the young colt’s fears to be realized. This really was a worst-case scenario in regards to the colt’s healing. Especially when it was a fear set forth in his mind by Twilight herself.
Rarity chimed in, "Talking about futures, reality altering power, talking about ‘her majesty.’ None of this adds up."
Twilight took a few more moments to think before shaking her head. "No, it makes a bit of sense."
They all watched her expectantly as she finalized her thoughts. "It wasn’t hypnosis; I think they were just altering your perception of reality. Rarity, you said when you came too, it was as if you had merely stared at nothing for hours. You could remember it happening, but it all passed by you in an instant." Rarity nodded slowly, and Twilight continued.
"And the pony who did this to you was a pegasus, not a unicorn. So whatever that gem on his cloak was, it was what caused this… reality alteration."
"How do you know it’s anything like that, though?" Rarity asked.
"Because," Twilight began again, "when you were frozen, not only did the castle scan you, but I did as well multiple times. This was not a spell; it was something completely different messing with your brainwaves."
Twilight shook her head. "And due to what they told Mellow, I’m almost starting to think they’re targeting him specifically. This might be a much deeper motivation than simply getting rid of every alicorn. Otherwise, Cadance would’ve gone missing when she showed up to save Mellow."
Cadence hummed, "The mare had a gem on her cloak as well. But reality altering? Doesn’t that seem… impossible?"
Everyone was deep in thought at the observations, and Twilight eventually sighed. "I feel like I know something about all of this. I find it highly unlikely that the sudden appearance of Mellow combined with ponies who have reality-altering powers is a pure coincidence. I just can't wrap my hoof around it quite yet. Especially that remark about her majesty." Twilight looked up suddenly and said, "I’m going to go do a bit of research."
Pinkie giggled, "As always!"
Twilight began walking away, "Due to all of these factors, I’d request you all stay within the confines of the castle. This is becoming more and more dangerous by the second."
Everyone nodded and dispersed, then began to go about their own things. With more and more oddities and questions piling up, the stress was high.
And no higher was it than with Mellow, who tried to quell the racing thoughts in his head.
Cadence couldn’t help but fixate on the young colt. She felt purely helpless at her inability to do anything to calm him down. Carefully, she approached the couch, where Mellow lay yet again. "Mellow?"
He didn’t even glance at her from his spot. Only an ear swiveled in her direction as he continued to sulk quietly. Cadence lay on the floor just before the couch, "I just want you to know that we really care for you." Cadence racked her brain for exactly what to say: "Not just Lovelight and Haze. But me as well. I’m sure a bunch of the others feel the same way. Even Spike has been worried for you."
Mellow mildly moved his head to look at her but stayed silent. Cadence gave the most sincere smile she could: "I just want you to know you’re loved. Okay?" He showed no visible reaction.
Not wanting to push her boundaries or her luck, she backed up and left the colt to himself.
Astral trudged up the hill outside Ponyville. She could already see the form of her partner hiding in the shadows of a tree. She took one lone deep breath, before adorning a smile and walking the rest of the way. "Comet, how are you, dear?"
The pegasus stepped out of the shadow with a stomp of his hoof, "Where’s the kid? What’ve you been doing all this time?"
Astral released a short giggle: "Oh, I’m terribly sorry, but the moment I got my hooves on him, Princess Cadance herself burst through the door! Why, I’d practically been found the moment I showed myself."
Comet’s brow furrowed as he grimaced, "You must’ve been seen then. I thought you covered our hoofprints? What reason would she have had to show up in Ponyville? That letter gave no indication that this Twilight pony needed her in person."
Astral gave a leisurely shrug and said, "Sorry, I covered the prints completely. Bad luck, maybe?"
"Bad luck is right." He sneered as he cursed under his breath, "It’s only a matter of time before Specter runs out of time."
"What happens if he does?" Astral asked with a curious gaze.
Comet growled, "All hell breaks loose. And I’ll be lucky to keep my job. And I will not be pleased."
"Ah, we can't have that then, can we?" Astral said with a giggle, "What’s next? They’re hiding out in that castle now."
The brown stallion pulled out a small device in his hooves, "We go all out, of course. We only have one more shot."
"Wonderful!" Astral cheered.
"I can count on you, right?" Comet asked with an intense gaze.
Astral waved her hoof with a smirk, "Do you not trust me? I’m hurt! Would I ever lie to you?"
Comet just rolled his eyes and turned away from her. "Whatever. Just do your job."
Astral couldn’t help another giggle from escaping her lips as she watched him walk away with the largest smile possible adorning her face.
"Hey…"
My groggy brain could barely respond to the voice. The room we were in was so dark, the only sound was the dripping of water into a small puddle somewhere. Faint traces of moonlight shone in the deeper recesses of the prison, but they made it no easier to see.
"Hey!" The younger voice whispered louder.
I groaned and rolled over in the pile of hay and mud I was resting in. "What, Laila?"
"Can’t sleep…" It now became apparent to me that the young girl was only a few inches from my face. I might’ve recoiled if this hadn’t been a regular occurrence.
I sighed, reached my hand out to put it on her shoulder, and guided her towards me. She lay down against my side; she was only half my size. She was still so young; she didn’t even understand where she was or the way we were treated…
"Arlen?"
"Don’t call me that." I quickly snapped back at her.
The innocent child carried on without much reaction as she ignored my request, "Arlen, when are we going home?"
I felt my breath hitch as I wrapped my other arm around her, pulling her as close as possible. I tried to hold in my tears as I choked out a few words to sate her curiosity. "Some day, Laila… Some day."
But the child was already fast asleep in my arms, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Yes, that was right. I remember now.
‘Zero, not Arlen. That name died along with-’
No, stop thinking. Leave it alone.
"Mellow!"
The door to the castle swung open with such ferocity that I thought the hinges would fall off. After the confusion wore off, I realized it was Lovelight, with Haze right behind her. I felt a little bit of myself grow excited.
‘Wait, you’ll hurt them. Stay away. Keep safe.’
Lovelight locked onto my position and was there within only a few seconds. She bounded over with worry evident across her entire body. And she still had tears in her eyes. "Oh, Mellow, they didn’t hurt you, did they!?" She asked as she got closer.
I backed away from her approach, and her ears flattened. "M-Mellow? It’s me, Lovelight."
Haze appeared right behind her, and I recoiled farther.
‘Keep safe, stay away. Don’t come near me.’
I shook my head, and she gave me a look of confusion as her mouth hung awkwardly. "It’s okay, honey. Everything’s okay now."
"No!" I yelled worriedly, just now realizing how many eyes were on me. Almost every person in the castle was watching, and my heart rate increased again.
Lovelight took a careful step towards me and held her hoof out expectantly. I shied away, "No! No… I…"
She watched me with such a great deal of patience. I wanted to hug her, but I would hurt her. Yes, I was dangerous; there was no doubt.
"I’m bad. I’ll hurt you." I whispered quietly.
‘Yes, bad. Get away.’
I could practically feel her heart break in two, especially with the look she gave me afterward. "Mellow…"
"No! Not Mellow, I’m Zero." I corrected quickly with a panicked breath as I tried to force room behind me where there simply wasn’t. My tail was firmly planted between my legs as I looked between every pony in panic.
She shook her head and sat down in front of me, blocking my view of everyone else. She laid her head down on the couch cushion in front of me. "You’re not Zero. You’re Mellow Spark, my Mellow." She reached her hoof forward, "You’re my colt. My foal."
I shook my head and flattened myself against the cushion. I couldn’t be that for them anymore; I was dangerous, and being around me would only attract danger to them. "No, I’m not Mellow, Lovelight-"
"Yes, you are." She interrupted me while giving me a determined look, "You’re not Zero. You are Mellow, my little campfire, my little kirin." She had such a sure expression that I wanted her to be right.
I felt my heart rate decrease with her calming voice. And her words were breaking me. I wanted to believe her and stop feeling bad. I whined loudly and covered my face with my hooves, "But I’ve been lying to you. I’m not Mellow. I’m not supposed to be here."
Lovelight reached her hoof out and carefully stroked my side. And she smiled when I didn’t back away from the contact. "You are supposed to be wherever you feel at home. Don’t you love us, Mellow?"
I didn’t expect the sudden question as I peered around one of my hooves. "Huh?" I inquired curiously, "Why do you ask that?"
She leaned closer with her calming smile until she was inches from my own muzzle. "Because we love you. And if you love us, that means we’re your home. And I could never imagine my home without you, Mellow."
I choked on my tears. "But what if I hurt you?"
Lovelight leaned forward and touched her nose to mine. "Remember what I told you, Mellow? Anybody can hurt others; you get to control who you hurt."
I shook my head wildly, "But I can’t control when I hurt people! It just happens."
Haze lowered himself to the same level as Lovelight: "Then let us help you; you’ll never control it without letting others help. You’ll hurt us even more by pushing us away, I promise."
"So no matter what I do, I’ll hurt you?" I huffed angrily and put a hoof to my head. "If I just didn’t exist, everybody would be so much better off."
"Stop saying that!" Lovelight told me with a hurtful look as she grabbed my hoof gently, "I wouldn’t be better off! I never want to lose you like that, sweetie."
"How can you say that? You don’t know anything about where I’m from… Lovelight. If you knew what I'd done, you’d hate me!" I exclaimed with tears in my eyes.
She shook her head and looked at me sternly. "Celestia would strike me down if I were to hate you! Sweetie, you can tell me anything, and I’ll still love you with my whole heart." I tried to search her expression for any indication that she wasn’t being truthful. But it was foolish; I knew she was telling me the truth. Or what she believed to be the truth.
Haze leaned in just as close as she did. "Mellow, please accept us." I looked at him curiously. "Do you know how much you’re loved? I think you would be surprised."
I remembered Cadance’s words at that moment: "I just want you to know you’re loved. Okay?" Her words repeated themselves in my head a few times.
I wanted to hug her. I wanted all the confusion and sad feelings to stop. And all I had to do was accept her help. I couldn’t keep from choking on my tears. "H-How do you still l-love me?
Lovelight kissed the top of my nose, "We just do." She held her forearms out wide, inviting me for a hug. "Now stop being silly and come home to me, Mellow."
I felt my lips quivering, and I released a small whine: "Lovelight?"
"Yes, baby, I’m right here." She carefully reached her hoof out towards me, and I practically lunged for it like it was about to disappear any moment. Lovelight wasted no time in pulling me close to her barrel and nuzzling my face. "Shh…" She cooed, "I’m right here, sweetie."
‘Safe? Safe. Stay.’
"L-Love…light." I couldn’t find any words as my mind gave into the warm embrace of my savior. She just shushed me and brushed my mane softly with her hoof. The soothing feeling of her hoof in my mane was heavenly, and it practically wiped my mind clean of thoughts.
I didn’t even notice her exiting the main room of the castle; with her and Haze taking turns nuzzling me, I felt too much emotion to care. I kept my front hooves firmly wrapped around her neck, well aware that I was probably gripping too hard.
The hallway was long, and the voices of all the other ponies were gone. It was just Lovelight and Haze. I was safe. I could breathe. "I-I’m sorry…"
"Shh…" She soothed me, "There’s nothing to apologize for, little one."
Lovelight entered a guest room of some kind, carefully jumping onto the bed with me. Haze followed her up. And when she placed me between them, I still couldn’t be asked to let go of her soft fur. And she wasn’t asking me to, only nuzzling and whispering. "It’s okay… You’re safe…"
"I take it back…" I started shakily, "Please don’t get rid of me."
She only nodded, giving me a sweet motherly smile, saying, "You couldn’t give me anything in the world to make me."
Haze nuzzled me on my other side, "You’d have to get rid of me too." Haze said more to Lovelight than me.
They reminded me so much of home—just a distant memory now, but a good one. I never wanted to stop seeing their faces anymore; the feelings they gave me were fleeting, and I wanted them to stay.
"It was so scary…" I whined, "She was going to take me, a-and you weren’t moving, and-"
"Shh…" She petted my mane in a way that made me just absolutely melt: "It’s okay to be scared, baby, but it’s over now, okay?" I cuddled even closer to her.
"W-Was it scary for you, Lovelight?" I asked curiously.
She nodded. "Yes, it was so scary not being able to find you… I don’t know what I would’ve done if you’d been hurt." She huffed. "Was Cadance nice?"
I nodded slowly. "She’s nice… She called herself my auntie."
Haze and Lovelight looked at each other and giggled. Lovelight nudged my face, "I guess she beat me to it then, huh?"
"Beat you to what?" I inquired.
"Nothing dear." She said as she began to nip at my ear. I looked at her oddly, and she laughed more, "Haze loves it when I nip behind his ear. It practically incapacitates him."
Haze nodded in agreement as she continued to do it. I had to admit it gave me a warm, tingly feeling, and I closed my eyes to absorb the affection. "Lovelight… Are they going to take me from you?" I asked worriedly.
She huffed, "Not Celestia or the nine realms of Tartarus will. Not while I’m around."
‘Safe. Home. Love.’
I nodded and desperately rubbed my head into her, "I love you."
She giggled, "I love you too, Mellow. I love you so much."
I laid down and pushed my body against hers for more warmth; she quickly wrapped her arm around my midsection and hugged me tight. "Lovelight?" I asked with a bit of worry.
She hummed quietly as she looked down into my eyes. I tilted my head curiously, "I was scared to tell you earlier… but…" My voice caught in my throat, and I hid my face.
"What is it, honey?" She asked before giving me a kiss on the cheek.
I blushed and averted my eyes. "It’s just… You’re so nice… I only knew two others as nice as you and Haze."
She listened to me intently as I huffed to clear my invading thoughts: "They took care of me, and I loved them like I love you. You’re really similar to them."
She brushed my mane out of my eyes, "In what way, honey?"
I felt a small amount of fear as I forced the question out, "Like… my mom and dad, or family, I think? Are we family, Lovelight?"
She giggled and rubbed her nose against mine. "If you want to be!"
"I do!" I exclaimed excitedly as I rubbed against her side more.
I tilted my head and thought for a moment, "So you’d be like my momma then?"
For a second, I thought that question might’ve been bad, as her stunned expression made me grow worried. But quickly afterwards, she pulled me up and nuzzled me ceaselessly, "I will… I will be your momma. I’d love that." She told me happily, and tears started coming from her eyes. I’d never seen her so happy; it was a great feeling.
For a second, I thought I’d drown in tears and soft, plush fur—not that I’d complain. But after much affection, she eventually loosened her grip. I was content to never leave my spot, and I released a sigh of contentment. Haze chuckled from nearby, and when he leaned in, I latched onto his muzzle to hug him. "You know, little one, that would also make me your-"
"Daddy?" I smiled and giggled.
His mouth stopped as he formed a large smile. Then he nuzzled me and said, "Of course, you little fireball."
I didn’t know that I was able to do that. Could I actually just get new parents just like that? Well, I didn’t really care about the answer. If they wanted to be my parents and I wanted them to as well, then it seemed fair to me!
I stood back up and hopped around a bit as I giggled joyfully in excitement. I eventually bumped into Lovelight’s muzzle, falling onto my flank, and she laughed as she leaned down and nuzzled my stomach. "I told you. You’re my Mellow." She paused and licked my face gently. "And my Mellow is so silly."
I tried to push her away as the fit of laughter engulfed my body. "I’m not!’
Haze leaned in as well. "Yeah, you are," he said before he began assaulting my body with extra nuzzles.
After a long time of laughing at their nuzzles, I was finally free. And I rubbed my eyes while releasing a loud yawn. "Momma, I’m still tired."
"Sleep more than sweetie; we aren’t going anywhere." She told me gently as she pulled me toward her stomach.
Haze nodded and laid his head down as well. "And we’ll be right here when you wake up."
Their comforting words were enough for me. Lovelight’s gentle stroking of my mane and the warmth of her body against mine were tricking my body. I was safe and loved. For however long this life would allow me to be.
She continued to stroke my mane, and she began singing to me very softly.
I nuzzled deeper into Lovelight’s fur and released a content hum.
‘I found it, Laila. I made it…’
‘I found home.’