Princess Celestia stared at the two distraught foals. ‘Luna… you were supposed to be watching them while… how did they get in here…’ the solar Princess chided herself. She watched as Dusk and Glida’ slowly backed away and into the wall, a flowing stream of tears left in their wake. Her head shook as she tried to get out of her shocked state. “It’s ok little ones…” Celestia said as calmly as possible, so not to frighten them.
Every rational thought in Stalwart’s mind was telling him to high tail it out of this situation. ‘I know I had to see Soarin’… but not his family… not his foals… what have I done…’
Dusk and Glida’ both hit the back wall of Celestia’s bed chambers, they were scared and confused. They didn’t know this pony, but he said he is their grandfather. Why did he hurt their dad? Dusk took a few breaths and tried to build up the courage to speak. “Why… why did you hurt daddy…?” he asked in a weak, frail voice. “… did he do something wrong…? … Is he going to do that to us…?”
Stalwart didn’t know how to answer. ‘Why did I hurt him? I don’t know myself…’ He slowly trotted closer to the foals until he was sitting right in front of them. He extended his hoof and started to gently wipe a tear off Glida’s face. “It’s ok…” he was interrupted by large, gilded doors being quickly opened. He turned his head and saw the pony he wanted to see in this moment. A certain navy blue maned Pegasus stallion, Soarin’ and he looked furious.
“GET YOUR HOOVES AWAY FROM MY FOALS!” Soarin’ bellowed.
***
Soarin’ happily trotted down the streets of Canterlot with his wife and her parents. The streets were filled with marry ponies and the festive decorations lining the snow covered streets. Crescent has become more or less a father to Soarin’ and he enjoyed catching up with him. “That was a great lunch Crescent… but I would’ve paid.”
Crescent chuckled. “I know you could Soarin’, but it is not every day that I get to have lunch with my family… my whole family,” the blue unicorn said warmly.
Soarin’ smiled wide when he heard what Crescent said. It wasn’t the first time he has referred to Soarin’ as family, but it made Soarin’ happy. “Too bad Shining had to leave early…” Soarin’ said.
“Yeah…” Crescent said, “… but he was able to stay to eat with us and he is going to be with us for Hearth Warming Eve tomorrow.”
Twilight and her mother caught up to the two stallions. “Yeah dad… Princess Celestia said you can stay in the castle…” Twilight says as she nears her father.
“That is nice of the Princess,” Crescent says. They look ahead to the entrance of the castle right in front of them, the traditional guards standing at their posts. The fours ponies made their way through the castle gates and into the extravagant building. As they trotted down the halls they heard the frantic sounds of galloping hooves.
“What’s that?” Twilight asked before a frantic Luna galloped over to them. “Princess Luna, what’s wrong? Did the changelings attack?” Twilight asked quickly.
Luna took a moment to catch her breath. “No… Dusk… Glida’… can’t find them…”
“What!?!” Soarin’ blurted out in shock. “What do you mean you can’t find them?”
“They wanted to play hide and seek and I can’t find them…” Luna panted.
Twilight could feel a panic attack coming on, her foals were missing. She felt her hooves beginning to shake.
Soarin’ was nervous as well, but when he noticed Twilight’s condition he placed a comforting hoof on her back. “They know not to leave the Castle… so let’s split up and look…” Soarin’ said. The five ponies made a plan and split up to cover the castle.
Soarin’ galloped down the halls towards the residential wing of the building. ‘Where could be…? I hope they are ok…?’ Soarin’ thought as he rushed down the halls. ‘Wait… Princess Celestia… they are probably with Celestia in her room.' He picked up his pace, feeling like he was going to take flight from his speed as he spots Celestia’s bed chambers ahead of him. He stopped at the large doors to catch his breath before opening the doors. He started to enter the room and that is when he saw them. His foals crying and pushing against the wall and the brown unicorn stallion, the pony that was responsible for his foalhood torment and his hoof was on his daughter’s face. Soarin’ could quickly feel his temper rising dangerously. The thought of that pony going anywhere near his family was driving him over the edge.
***
Elsewhere in the castle, Twilight stopped in a corridor with her parents and the Princess. Twilight took a moment to catch her breath. “Mom… dad… Princess, any luck…” she panted.
They all shook their heads no. That is when they heard a loud voice echo through the halls.
“What was that?” Princess Luna asked.
Twilight recognized the voice. “It’s Soarin’… it sounded like it came from Princess Celestia’s room…” The four ponies took off in the direction of the solar Princess’s bed chambers. As they neared the source of the noise Twilight saw a familiar white Pegasus gallop into the room. Why is Soarin's mom here? she asked herself.
***
Soarin’ galloped over and pushed the offending stallion, Stalwart, away from Dusk and Glida’, and positioning them behind him. “I said get away from my foals…” he says grimly. “What do you think you are doing?
“Soarin’… it’s not what you think…” he cut off by the a new voice.
“Stalwart what’s going on?” the blue maned mare asked, concern in her voice as she approached her husband. That is when she saw her son. “S-soarin’… w-what are you…” the mare stammered.
Soarin’ could his temper rising even further, why were his biological parents here? He wanted his foals out of this situation and turned his head towards them. Their tears now stopped. “Please go to your mother…” Soarin’ said firmly.
“D-dad… who is that? Why did he hurt you…?” Dusk asked shakily.
“I said go…” Soarin’ said raising his voice.
“B-but…” Glida’ spoke up.
“ROOM! NOW!” he yelled and immediately regretted it. He stood in shock as the colt and filly started to cry again.
“A-are you going hurt us… l-like your dad did…?” they both asked shakily, their tears freely flowing once again.
‘No! I wouldn’t!’ Soarin’ screamed in his head, but he couldn’t speak. He watched as the two foals ran out of the room in tears, afraid their father is going to hurt them. The worst of it was he saw his wife and her parents watching the whole event. “Twi… I… I didn’t…” Soarin’ stammered as tears started to form in his eyes. Soarin’s head turned to his old parents. “Stay away from me… stay away from my family…” he said firmly before galloping towards his scared foals. As he passed the group of ponies he quickly apologized to his wife. He galloped down the halls to their suite.
While Twilight was upset that Soarin’s parents were here, but she tried to calm herself. She took a deep breath and approached the two ponies. “Why are you here? I thought you said you weren’t going to try to see Soarin’?” Twilight asked.
Princess Celestia decided to intervene in this situation. “My faithful student; I am the reason they are here.”
Twilight was taken aback. “Why… why would you do that? You know how much they hurt him?”
“I do my student, but it was part of their treatment. I did not mean for it happen like this or with my grandfoals, but they had to confront him.”
“I don’t understand…” Twilight said softly.
Celestia sighed. “Trot with me… there is a story I need to tell you,” Celestia said guiding her student to the door, leaving Crescent and Star in the room with Stalwart and Sunny.
***
Soarin’ reached his suite and slowly opened the door and made his way to Glida’ and Dusk’s room. He opened the door and saw two small bodies quivering under the blanket. “Dusk… Glida’…” he called out softly. He could see the two bumps scurry up to the pillows as they tried to hide. ‘Good going Soarin’… your own foals fear you… what kind of father am I?’ he though as he left the room. “I love you two…” he whispers before trotting out and laying on his bed.