//------------------------------//
// 13: A Hippogriff Never Forgets 
// Story: MLP: One as a Family: A Golden Week in Exile 
// by SaburoDaimando 
//------------------------------//


A Hippogriff Never Forgets



It was a bright and beautiful day at the Sapphire Lake.  Starlight Glimmer, Pinkie Pie, Cozy Glow, Golden Lace and Misty Brightdawn were playing within the beautiful, crystal clear water without a care in the world.  Abigail sat on the edge, playfulling kicking the water’s surface while Spike floated next to her, observing the other fillies.
“Fun,” Abigail said.  “Play.”
But as Spike observed the others, his smile turned into a frown.
“No…Twilight,” Spike said.  
“Yeah,” Abigail said.  “No….Twilight.”
But as Spike turned away from the other fillies, Wanda Young, wearing her magenta one piece swimsuit, emerged from behind the baby dragon, starling them.  She looked down at Spike and saw the baby dragon cry.
“Oh Spike,” Wanda said.  “Did I scare you?  I’m sorry.”
As Baby Spike cried out loud, Wanda picked up the baby dragon and held him close.  She rocked Spike in her arms, singing a soothing song that calmed the little dragon until his tears were reduced to one droplet per eye.
“It’s okay, Spike,” Wanda said.  “I’m not going to scare you again.”
“And you would make a perfect mother, smallfry.”  Wanda turned towards the shore of the lake, where Queen Novo laid on a lounge chair while observing the others swimming.
“Me?  A mommy?” Wanda said as she held Spike close.  “Oh no no no.  I don’t think I would be cut out for that.  Besides, I think Spike still misses Twilight.”
“Oh don’t hold yourself so back, smallfry,” Queen Novo laughed as she got off her lounge chair and walked towards Wanda.  “You carry a good portion of Princess Celestia’s heart within you.  Her teachings, her values, her kindness.  Those are the traits that are worthy of a princess like you, and I couldn’t be more proud of that.”
“I do?” Wanda asked.
“Oh smallfry,” Queen Novo laughed as she gently rubbed Wanda on the forehead.  “You are such a silly child.  Sometimes, you remind me of Skystar when she was less than your age.”
Suddenly, Wanda felt a hoof tapping on her shoulder, starling the man's cub.  She leaped out of the water, screaming loudly while holding onto Baby Spike, who only cheered loudly.  As she landed her feet back I to the water, Wanda turned around to see Cozy Glow standing behind her.
“Cozy,” Wanda said.  “You scared me.”
“My apologies, Wanda “ Cozy Glow said before pointing to her right side. “But speaking of Skystar, look who's coming in a depressed mood.”
Wanda looked to her right to see Princess Skystar slump from the castle towards an empty lounge chair.  On the hippogiff's back, Baby Silverstream laid there while Baby Ocellus flew beside her.  This also caught Queen Novo's attention, whose cheerful tone turned into a sad frown.
“Aunt Novo,” Wanda said.  “What's with Princess Skystar?  Isn't she glad to finally walk again?”
“She is, but she still carries a load of guilt,” Queen Novo said.  “You remember when she kidnapped you and took you to Seaquestris against your will?”
“I have,” Wanda said.  “And I have forgiven her for that.   Besides, she almost died back there.”
“I think both incidents still haunt her,” Cozy Glow said.  
“How come?” Wanda asked.
“Well, I best explain,” Cozy Glow said.  “During the last few days here, I often flew by Princess Skystar's room, prior to her legs being fully healed.  I could overhear her cursing hersel, and I think the trauma from Gold Banks invading Equestria reminded her of what happened on Mount Aris, and she still blames herself for putting you in danger.”
“Wow,” Wanda said.  “I thought she was alright when we escaped into the Golden Land.  But now, I never realized that she was still hurting.”
“I've noticed it as well,” Queen Novo said.  “I've tried to speak with her to reassure that things will be okay.  But lately she's been avoiding me out of shame.  Sometimes, old wounds don't heal properly.”
“Isn't there anything I can do?” Wanda asked.
“There is,” Queen Novo said.  “Go to her.   Find a way to cheer her up.   Remind her that she isn't alone in this pain.”
“I will,” Wanda said.  “After what my Eveyanian mommy said to me when I felt down, I believe in every word she said.”
Wanda placed Baby Spike on the ground next to the lake before pulling herself out of the water.  Cozy Glow jumped out and landed next to the man’s cub before they walked towards Princess Skystar.  But as Spike and Abigail watched as Wanda and Cozy Glow made their way to the depressed hippogriff, the others in the lake began to take notice.
“What do you think is going on?” Golden Lace asked.
“Well, despite her being able to walk again, I’d say Princess Skystar is still upset over what she did at Mount Aris,” Pinkie Pie explained.
“To be honest, I don’t blame her,” Golden Lace said.  “If I pulled a stunt like that, it would eat into my own soul.”
“Oh come on, Lace,” Misty said.  “That’s no reason for you to doubt yourself.”
“I know,” Golden Lace said.  “But in some ways, I still carry my own doubt, my own grief.  Something I don't want to wish upon anyone.”
“We understand why,” Starlight said.  “But what if it is possible for one to walk away from that kind of pain?”
“I don't think it will be that easy,” Golden Lace said.  
“Maybe with a little help,” Misty said.  “Why don't we see how Wanda can help Princess Skystar.”
“Very well,” Golden Lace said.  “Let's do so.”
Golden Lace, Starlight Glimmer, Misty Brightdawn, and Pinkie Pie swam up to the edge of the water next to Spike and Abigail.  They watched from afar as Wanda Young and Cozy Glow approached Princess Skystar, Baby Silverstream and Baby Ocellus.
As Skystar laid on the chair with a quiet sigh, Wanda tapped the hippogriff Princess on the shoulder.  Skystar slowly turned to face Wanda and Cozy Glow before slightly turning her head away.
“Hey Wanda,” Skystar said in a gloomy tone with her eyes shifted away from the man's cub.
“Skystar,” Wanda said.  “Are you alright?”
“No,” Skystar said.  “First we lose our home Mount Aris to Gold Banks, and now you lose your home to her as well.”
“I know,” Wanda said.  “And I wanted to throw it all away.  But my Evevanyian mommy Eleanor gave me a reason not to give up.”
“I don't know,” Skystar sighed.  “She's got magic that puts Celestia and Luna to shame.  What hope do we have if she can best us with that alicorn amulet?”
“All I know is that we have to keep trying,” Wanda said.  “Giving up means we lose the last bit of freedom we have left.  At least we're safe in the Golden Land where she won't be able to catch us, and we can prepare to fight against her with all we got.”
 “But what's the point of that?” Skystar whined, turning to face Wanda.  “What if she finds her way into the Golden Land?  What if she…”
“So what?” Cozy Glow yelled, causing Baby Ocellus and Baby Silverstream to hide under the lounge chair.
“Cozy, was that a good idea?” Wanda asked.
“Yes,” Cozy Glow said.  “It's time I took the filly gloves off for this.”
Cozy Glow took off her mane ribbon from her head and rustled up her hair to the point that it was totally messy.  She threw her ribbon on the ground before turning towards Princess Skystar.
“Wanda,” Baby Ocellus said, peeking her head out.  “What's going on?”
“I dunno,” Wanda said as Cozy Glow stared down Skystar.  “But I've never seen this side of Cozy Glow before.”
“I know what's bugging you,” Cozy Glow said.  “You still carry a lot of guilt since Gold Banks invaded Mount Aris.”
“Yes. But….” Skystar said before Cozy Glow cut her off.
“And I know you felt bad for kidnapping Wanda and taking her there,” Cozy Glow responded.  “Sure it was the wrong thing.  But there are some good things that came out if it.  First off, you taught her some experience in fighting back.”
“I…I did?” Skystar said, surprised.
“Yes,” Cozy Glow said.  “She's a far better fighter now than she was before you pulled that stunt.  And second off, you did something amazing that you never thought would happen.  You allowed Princess Celestia and your mother Queen Novo to form a truce with Queen Chrysalis and Coldnelius Snaps.  That's an achievement onto itself.”
“It……it was?” Skystar responded.
“I think you're right,” Wanda said.  “Had Skystar not pulled that stunt, we wouldn't have formed the alliance with Chrysalis and Snap.  We would have still been bitter enemies if I was not involved with the battle on Mount Aris.”
“Even though we still lost, it was still amazing to finally see them come together,” Baby Ocellus said.
Princess Skystar was totally baffled.  Try as she might, she couldn't get a word out from her beak.
“They're right on that.” Princess Skystar directed her attention to the edge of the Sapphire Lake.  Golden Lace had emerged from the water and stood tall with her hooves on the grass.  Even though she was soaking wet from the water, the daughter of Gold Banks stood proud. 
“I was wondering when you would get involved,” Cozy Glow said.
Golden Lace walked up to Princess Skystar, all while water slid off the surface of her mane and dropped onto the golden grass.   Wanda, Cozy Glow and Baby Ocellus took a step back while Baby Silverstream emerged from below the chair.
“Lace?” Skystar said 
“It's true that I still have my own demons to deal with, and I will for a long time,” Golden Lace said.  “But you have far more blessings than you realize.  You helped unite us far more than you realize, even if it wasn't the wisest of ideas.  And you made Wanda stronger in spirit than she was.  Besides, we've been through a whole lot worse than that.”
“Than that?” Skystar said.  “You're talking about Daisy Joy Tech?”
“I am,” Golden Lace said.  “I went through that ordeal twice, and I'm glad you never had to go through what we all saw.  In fact, I would say to you: Don't sell yourself short.  We all go through hard times.  But because of how strong our friendship is, we can get through this, one hundred percent.”
“But what about Gold Banks’ own amulet?” Skystar said.
“We'll find a way,” Golden Lace said, placing her hoof on Skystar's shoulder.  “I want to do this to stop my own mother's madness.  I know it's not easy.  Nothing is.  Biu I want to fight, to help atone for what she did.   And don’t you worry.  We’ll all be here to keep you safe.”
Skystar stared into Golden Lace's eyes as tears began to form on her own.  She got up as Lace reached out and gave her a big hug, all while Skystar began crying.
“I'm not worthy of your friendship, Lace,” Skystar cried.  “But I'm glad to have you as a friend.”
“And I'm glad your mother placed me on the right path,” Golden Lace said.
As Lace and Skystar embraced each other, Wanda, Cozy Glow, Ocellus and Silverstream observed the duo.  Wanda wiped a tear from her eye, just as Queen Novo approached them.
“I'm glad to see my daughter smile in these dark times,” Queen Novo said.  “Thanks, Wanda.”
“Don't thank me,” Wanda said.  “Thank Golden Lace for breaking through to her.”
“I shall,” Queen Novo laughed.  “After all, I convinced her to change her ways, and I’m proud that she chose this route to return the favor.”
But as Queen Novo finished speaking, a spark bursted in her mind.  She turned back to Wanda and whispered something in her ear.
“Aunt Novo, are you sure?” Wanda asked.  “Transform into a mermaid and play with her?”
“Why not?” Queen Novo responded.   “After all, why not build on Skystar’s restored hope with a bit of playtime?  Besides, there was a little something you left on your nightstand this morning.”
Queen Novo pulled out the necklace with a pearl fragment on it.  She placed it around Wanda’s collar before securing it.  Wanda picked up the pearl fragment with two fingers and looked down at it as the surface of the fragment shone in the sun.
 “Go ahead, Smallfry,” Queen Novo said.  “Give my daughter the time of her life.”
Wanda nodded to Queen Novo as she clutched the necklace in the palm of her hand.  She turned towards Golden Lace and Princess Skystar before tapping the latter on the shoulder, causing the hippogriff princess to turn towards her.
“Hey Skystar,” Wanda said.  “Check this out.”
Princess Skystar and Golden Lace released their grip on each other before they and Cozy Glow turned towards Princess Wanda Young.  The Man’s Cub ran up towards the lake before leaping into the air.  She held the necklace close to her as she transformed into a mermaid.  Spike, Abigail, Pinkie Pie, Misty Brightdawn and Starlight Glimmer watched as mermaid Wanda flew over the group
“Woah,” Pinkie Pie said.  “No wonder Wanda likes to transform into a mermaid.”
In an instant, Wanda released her grip on the necklace before diving into the water with a powerful splash.  The water rained right on Starlight, Pinkie, Misty, Spike and Abigail, soaking them even further and causing them to laugh out loud.   Before anyone could move an inch, Wanda emerged from the surface of the water.
“How was that?” Wanda cheered.
“Oh my gosh,” Princess Skystar yelled.  “I can’t let Wanda and her friends enjoy the water by themselves.”
Princess Skystar ran towards the lake on all fours before leaping into the air.  She gripped her necklace tightly before diving into the water, splashing right in front of Wanda.
“Hey,” Wanda laughed.   “Not so hard, Skystar.”
Immediately, Princess Skystar leaped out of the water and atop the surface.  Her legs had transformed into a seapony tail.  Her beak became a simple nose and mouth.  Her ears changed to the color of her mane.  And her front claws became hooves.  
“Aww come on,” Skystar joked.  “I don’t think it was that hard.”
 Suddenly, Cozy Glow and Golden Lace jumped into the air and landed into the water with a powerful splash, soaking both Wanda and Skystar.  But when Wanda and Skystar turned towards where the two friends landed, Cozy Glow and Golden Lace popped up from behind them both and splashed their hooves into the water, soaking them again.
“Come on you two,” Wanda laughed.  “Why do you have to be like that?”
“What?” Cozy Glow chortled.   “For once, let us have some fun for once.”
“Oh we will,” Princess Skystar said.  “Just as soon as we do….THIS!”
And thus, Princess Skystar and Wanda Young splashed back at Cozy Glow and Golden Lace as the two fillies counter splashed them, laughing as the sun shone down at them.
As the other fillies watched the four play, Spike and Abigail sat together on the grass, holding hand to paw.  They turned towards each other for the moment before Abigail turned away from Spike and blushed for a moment.
“Awww.  Now this is a puppy love moment.” Spike and Abigail turned around to see Baby Ocellus and Baby Silverstream approach the duo.  Abby screamed for a bit, startled by their presence, only for Spike to gently hug the kitty, calming her down.
“It okay,” Spike said before Abigail turned towards Silverstream and Ocellus.
 “Spike's right,” Baby Ocellus said.  “I didn't mean to startle you, Abby.”
“You….speak?” Abigail asked.
“Of course,” Baby Ocellus said.  “It's been something that had stuck with me before my parents and I left the changeling hive.  Some say I am the youngest changeling to ever speak fluently.  But then again, my mom thought getting me addicted to words was a great idea.”
In an instant, everyone began to pause when someone shouted “HEY GUYS.   LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!”  Everyone turned to the top of the waterfall, where Sonata Dusk, wearing a violet one piece loose swimsuit, stood tall.
“Hey,” Baby Ocellus said.  “What's Sonata Dusk doing?”
But before anyone could react, Sonata Dusk leaped from the top of the waterfall and fell downwards before crashing into the surface of the water with a loud splash, drenching nearly everyone.  The younglings in the water looked a bit upset while Queen Novo chuckled slightly.
“Oh come on,” Golden Lace shouted.  “That's not fair to have the higher ground.”
“You said it,” Pinkie Pie responded.
Sonata Dusk emerged from the surface of the water, splashing water into the younglings once more.  But as she stopped bobbing up and down, most of them look at Sonata, some embarrassingly, others struggling to hold in their laughter.
“Wha….what's so funny?” Sonata asked.
“Didn't you have on a swimsuit?” Pinkie asked.
“I did, but…..” Sonata said, only to pause for a moment.
Sonata turned to her left and saw a violet one piece swimsuit float up next to her.  The little pony screamed loudly as she swiped the garment before holding it close and blushing embarrassingly.
 Immediately, Cozy Glow, Pinkie Pie, Golden Lace and Princess Skystar all began to laugh out loud as Sonata Dusk turned away, still blushing embarrassingly.  Starlight Glimmer and Misty Brightdawn just stared at Sonata, confused.
“What's wrong with losing one's swimsuit?” Misty asked as she scratched her head in confusion.  “I thought ponies don't normally wear clothes.”
“Some are an exception to the rule,” Starlight said.  “I know Rarity sometimes likes to wear clothes for both fishing and a bit of decency.  And I believe Wanda is like that.”
Wanda swam up to Starlight Glimmer before she reached down to the filly’s ear and whispered into it.  Starlight cracked a slight smile before turning back to Wanda.
“You’re not kidding, are ya?” Starlight asked.
“I’m not,” Wanda giggled.
“Wait,” Princess Skystar said.  “What’s this about…”
Wanda immediately turned to Princess Skystar’s side and whispered in her ear.  Skystar’s eyes popped for a bit before she turned back to Wanda.
“Is this true?” Princess Skystar asked.
“And I ain’t kidding,” Wanda said, looking as if she were ready to slam her hands on the water.  “Not as much as what I’m gonna do next.”
“Oh it is on,” Skystar giggled.
Starlight Glimmer and Princess Skystar playfully splashed water in Wanda’s face, much to her amusement.  Wanda proceeded to splash back at the duo while laughing out loud.
But at the edge of the water where Queen Novo, Spike, Abigail, Baby Silverstream and Baby Ocellus were observing the younglings playing, Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze walked up to the group with the sun shining in their eyes.
“I heard Sonata’s having swimsuit problems,” Adagio Dazzle said.
“An understatement,” Queen Novo joked.  “I’m surprised that a youngling like her would use a swimsuit that’s too big for her.”
“That’s because she’s not fond of swimsuits that are too tight,” Aria Blaze said.  “The last one she tried, she couldn’t breathe in it.  That’s why she chose a loose swimsuit.”
“Maybe when Gold Banks is taken out of power, I may ask Princess Celestia about getting her a new swimsuit that’s not tight, but not too loose,” Queen Novo said.  “Maybe with that, she won’t have a humiliation like what she went through.”  
Both Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze started giggling for a moment, only for Novo to turn towards the duo, causing them to hush their chortles.
“Uhh, you didn’t hear me laughing,” Adagio blushed.
“What she said,” Aria said, embarrassed.
“Good,” Queen Novo said.  “Because it would be disrespectful for you both to be laughing behind your sister’s back.”
As Queen Novo turned back towards the other younglings, Wanda Young swam up to the edge of the water before wiping her head dry.  She waved back at Princess Skystar and Starlight Glimmer, who waved back at the man’s cub.  As Wanda sat on the edge of the land, Abigail leaped onto her legs and laid on them while Baby Silverstream stared at the youngling, cooing quietly.
“Seems you’re quite the center of attention, smallfry,” Queen Novo said.
“That’s an understatement,” Wanda said.  “I’m just glad to have friends who are still by my side.  But at the same time, I wonder how my other friends are doing without the rest of us.”
“I think they might be going through some hard times,” Adagio said.  “They may be worried sick about you.”
“Adagio’s right,” Aria said.  “We haven’t seen them in a long, long time.  I hope they’re alright.”
“I hope so as well,” Wanda said.  “It’s not just that I want some of my friends to join in.  It’s also that I want to see all of them again.  After all, there is a magic buried deep within friendship itself.  A magic that not even Gold Banks can truly understand.”
“Maybe one day, we will see them again,” Queen Novo said.  “And we will be able to return to an era before Gold Banks chose to take it all away from us.”
Wanda nodded to Queen Novo before she leaned her head to the hippogriff’s soft feathery pelt.  Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze sat next to the duo with Baby Ocellus and Spike sitting next to them.  They all observed Starlight, Misty, Golden Lace, Cozy Glow, Princess Skystar, Pinkie Pie and Sonata Dusk enjoying themselves at the Sapphire Lake as the warm sun shone down on them.


	To Be Continued in…


	An Aunt’s Warm Gift