//------------------------------// // CH 14 - Resolution // Story: The Boy and the Bug // by Mr B //------------------------------// Two Months After The Storm Thin flakes of snow gently descended upon the frozen grass blades of a well used playground, lit by the early afternoon sun. A few colts and fillies slid down twilight slides and rocked to and fro on rust marked sets of swings with their parents not far off. But aside from those adventurous few, the playground was surprisingly quiet. And quiet was the one thing Moonlit Mirror savoured the most. Between witness testimonies, speaking with half a dozen guards about her brother and all of the crazy stuff that had happened during Hearth’s Warming, she’d taken relaxing for granted.  “Was this what it was like to be an adult?” She wondered, “No wonder Mom is always so drained.” She swept her mane aside and drew a deep breath, letting a cold wave pass through her before she spotted a familiar face fast approaching. She hadn’t had many chances to speak with Thunder Chaser after Hearth's Warming, probably even fewer than she had the ability to relax, so she couldn’t help but crack a tiny smile upon seeing him coming and adjusted her wide-brimmed hat. “Hey, Mirror!” Thunder flew over and sat down next to her. “Long time no see huh?” “Yeah, you could say that.” “Still thinking about Lance?”  Mirror’s smile waned and her voice dropped at that. “How could you tell?” “Remember this playground?” Thunder then gestured towards the slide they’d fought in front of. “Because I do.” The filly looked around before realisation kicked in, especially when she spotted a few familiar cracks and divots in the ground nearby, and she turned away from him. “R-right…yeah, yes I remember now.”  A steady flow of guilt began trickling in and she anxiously adjusted her position, mindlessly fiddling with a lock of her mane. “I shouldn’t have ever helped him, you know? Raining would’ve seen him, you wouldn’t have had to fight and…” All it took was a glace at Thunder’s wing to make her wince and turn away again. “He might’ve had the presence of a manticore, but he was still my big brother. Now…he’s in a juvenile detention centre.” The pegasus tilted his head in confusion. “Huh?” “Children’s prison, at least for a few years.” “Oh, well he does kinda deserve it, he tried to kill me ya know.” While Thunder felt pity for Mirror, he had little if any sympathy for Lance.  “Yes but I enabled him, if I’d just put my hoof down he’d still be here, and he wouldn’t have known about you.” “Hey, it’s okay Mirror you were scared, alot of ponies do dumb things when they're scared. Like Raining when I mention rubber mallets!” Mirror was shaken from her guilt just enough for her to return his prior confusion. “I doubt Lance would’ve listened even if you said anything, the best we can do is move on.” Mirror seemed to perk up a little as Thunder continued. “Anyway, it’s all fine Mirror I forgive you, nopony died because of it and now Raining has friends! In fact, I think Copper’s due to come home today!” “That quickly? Shouldn’t he be out for longer?” “I may have helped him along a little.” Thunder smiled. Mirror giggled and looked him solemnly from under the hat’s shadow. “That’s nice, reminds me of my mom. After the incident we got cooped up with a bunch of legal stuff and she was forced to take time off work to look after me. She didn’t like it at first, but I think she’s finally turning around, a week ago she tucked me in, she never does that!” Thunder felt the filly’s growing joy and latched on, wanting to add more fuel to the fire he continued. “Great to hear Mirror! Raining’s also due for a fresh start, we’re starting school next week and I’m kind of excited. Granted we’re not in the same class but we are in the same…area I guess? I’ve got a friend in a high place.” “About to tell me this “friend” is more like you?” The filly laughed. “No actually, they just know my history and the stuff I went through but they're not a…well you know.” “I see.” Mirror adjusted her mane and looked up at him with an inquisitive  gaze. ”I’ve always been curious about your kind, but I never got the chance to ask much.” “Are you sure this is the best place to ask about that kinda stuff?” “Oh come on, there’s barely anypony around.” As if to emphasise her point she waved a hoof and true to her word, the playground was sparsely populated at best. “We can keep our voices down.” Even with that Thunder glanced around, still a little cautious about being so open. But the filly was right and truth be told, he was a sucker for telling people what being a changeling was like and so with a sigh he relented. “Okay, but you can't tell this to anypony, understand?” “Fine by me.” She smiled. “So what does love taste like?” Thunder grinned before pulling up his saddlebags and taking out a paper bag with a dampened bottom. He buried his muzzle inside before withdrawing a fried sugar coated doughnut with chocolate filling. Quickly wolfing the confection before returning to her. “Like fried doughnuts!” “Oh come on, that cannot be what love tastes like.” “Nah, but I love them!” Mirror’s only reply was to scowl at the pegasus. “Your really trying to ask me what something intangible tastes like? Raining asked me the same question since we met and to this day I still don’t know.” Thunder then shifted closer to her as she relaxed her expression. “Love is what you make of it, I love my family, but I also love doughnuts!” “So they taste like doughnuts?” Mirror grinned. Thunder facehooved with a smile. “No,  not really, I can draw comparisons all day but I don’t think I’ll be able to describe it in a way you’d be able to understand. It’s a heartwarming kind of sweet but that’s all I can say.” “Ah, well, okay then.” Mirror panned her gaze with disappointment before moving onto another question. “So are there other…queens I guess? You weren’t a normal changeling, I could tell as much.” The colt’s jovial smile faded into something much more sincere as he stowed his doughnut bag. “I think? You're not asking me the easy questions you know.” “Sorry.” She squeaked only for Thunder to wave it off. “You're fine, but I never did meet my actual mom. Nopony ever talked to me about her or explained anything, I think the only creature who knows what really happened would be Chrysalis and I’m in no rush to talk to her.” Mirror almost literally shared her sympathy for him, having remembered how few times Lamplight was there for her and held a hoof to her chest. “Oh that’s horrible, I’m so sorry for you.” “Hey don’t be, I talked to Raining about this too and you know what? I think I’m fine, it’d be nice to one day find out but I want to be with Raining’s family, my family. There are so many things they want to show me, things I never got the chance to do back at the hive. Camping, games, painting, the list goes on and I’m honestly excited for what’s to come. For now it’s…something to think about.” With a rising smile, Mirror looked at him and fiddled with her mane. “Do you think I can join sometime? Lance didn't just scare away Raining’s potential friends, it got kind of lonely without him.” “Oh, sure thing Mirror! I’ll ask them later but I don’t see why not.” “Thanks Thunder.” “No problem, speaking of which I should get going, I don’t wanna be late.” The pegasus then got up from his seat and spread his wings. Mirror waved as he readied to depart. “Hope to see you soon!” Thunder returned the wave before taking flight, soaring off back towards the house. Copper Casing wasn’t the kind of pony to complain much, at least openly. A life lived on the move and countless hours marching, standing around and performing the same, monotonous drills time and time again had instilled within him some decent patience. But if he had to spend another day in that hospital he might’ve gone mad. The stallion already had to deal with one bad leg and that annoyed him enough, but being totally incapable bar some telekinesis and the rare use of teleportation had him practically begging to be let out. Even as the surgeons and doctors advised he rest. On the bright side he had a remarkably quick recovery in no small part thanks to Thunder, and he was delighted to be able to walk on all fours again without aid, but even after leaving his bed his limbs still felt as though they could’ve used an extra week or two. As he leisurely walked down the street he could still occasionally hear a joint pop, followed by either a sudden relief of pressure or a minor spike in pain.  “Doc said it’ll pass, just need to take it easy and I’ll be fit as a fiddle.” He soon came upon the familiar sight of his family home, with its well kept lawn and bright yellow paint. Smiling, Copper walked up to the front door, careful not to overstrain his limbs, and after a deep breath he knocked. Not more than a couple seconds later he saw the handle twist and the door open, quickly meeting eye to eye with the love of his life. Gleaming stared at him with a smile creeping across her face as her eyes raised, which Copper happily returned before the two embraced each other. The silence wasn’t for long however as Copper patted her back and turned an eye to the second open door inside. “You were standing in the doorway waiting for me, weren’t you?” “Two hours straight, I couldn’t help it!” Gleaming protested, looking positively giddy. “Honey…” Copper said with a pained tone in his voice. Despite her husband’s concern, Gleaming continued and pulled away the hug, planting a hoof on his shoulder as they walked inside. “You will not believe how long we’ve been waiting for you, when I finally got the message you might be coming everypony was scrambling!” “Oh come on, the kids couldn’t have been that bad.” “Your right deary, the kids weren’t that bad.” Copper stared over his shoulder towards her in confusion- “Wait, what do you mean by th-” before stepping into the living room where the lights were suddenly switched on. The stallion skeleton nearly jumped out of his body as not just Raining and Thunder, but a group of other ponies were present also. Some of Gleaming’s friends and a few of his old service buddies all jumped out wearing party hats, loudly shouting “Surprise!” as party poppers went off behind them. There was even a “Welcome Back!” banner hung from above the fireplace. “Honey,” Copper repeated in the same tone, smiling at her, “Did you have to?” The mare leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Yes.” Copper turned back around in defeat as he entered the room and sat down, being hugged shortly after by Raining and Thunder as the pleasantries began and the two colts nearly drowned him in affection. Time would pass, a cake was shared and party games were played. But eventually those that took part would eventually leave and the sun would die down, marking the end of another day. In the coming weeks things would improve for the family, Thunder would be introduced to Copper’s modelling hobbies and Raining would get to spend time with the changeling’s old friend group. Slowly but surely, rebuilding the social circle he’d lost. They’d go to school together, share the same tables and games, read the same books and fight their own struggles. But no matter what happened the two would have each other’s backs, and no matter what they’d never forget the week before Hearth’s Warming. Such was the tale of the Boy, and the Bug.