//------------------------------// // What Makes a Parent - Ch. 5 // Story: Two Lives Becoming One // by manuccia //------------------------------// The bright golden sun slowly raised over the horizon and the warm rays lighting the land, and in particular a room in the Royal Castle in Canterlot. It was a quiet morning; the only noise was the soft breathing of Twilight, her husband, and their two foals as they rested. A cool winter’s breeze filled the living space, and as the cold air filled the room, Twilight mumbled and scooted closer to her husband. Dusk and Glidin’ snuggled tightly between them slowly began to stir as they were pushed into the firm bodies of their parents. Dusk’s eyes slowly opened, yawning softly as he did. He scanned the quiet room; a chill ran down his spine. “Glidin’… you up…?” he says softly, so not to wake the older ponies. Soarin’s wings rustled a bit and the filly’s head pops out. “Yeah Dusk, I’m up,” she said with repressed excitement. It was Hearth’s Warming Eve and once again mom and dad were still asleep. “… is mom awake…?” Dusk lifted his head and looked behind him. Twilight’s eyes were still closed and the only sound coming from her was her soft breaths. “No… and daddy is still asleep too…” he says with a hint of disappointment. Hearth Warming Eve was their favorite holiday. They would always have a big breakfast, and dad would make his vegetable stew for dinner. It was their favorite meal, but this year their parents told them they were getting a surprise. “What do you think I surprise is Glidin’?” “I don’t know Dusk…” she answered with a shiver as a fresh breeze blew in. “… but I’m freezing…” she said as she examined the room. “… dad left the window open…” she groaned as she spotted the opening. “… I’ll go close it…” she said proudly while as she slowly wormed out from under her dad’s wing and hopped off the bed. Dusk reluctantly followed her and looked to the window. It was too high for them to reach on their hooves. “… but Glidin’… we can’t reach the window…” “I know… I am going to fly up and close it Dusk.” Glidin’ replied as she trotted over to the wall. She stopped just short and began to stretch her wings. She really wasn’t sure what she was doing, but it was what her dad did before he flew, so she did it too. Dusk followed her over. “Glidin… you don’t know how to fly…” “It’s easy; I just need to flap my wings. Dad flies all the time and that is all he does…” she said in a matter of fact tone. To be honest, Glidin’ had no idea how to fly. Her wings weren’t quite developed enough and her dad hasn’t taught her yet, but that didn’t stop the persistent Pegasus, even though her mom was too excited about her attempts. Glidin’ took one last deep breath before slowly starting to flap her wings, the small appendages moving in a frantic, uneven fashion. Her midsection slowly lifted off the ground, but her hooves were still panted to the hard surface. She groaned at her lack of progressed and flapped harder and jumped. She looked up and saw the window getting closer a smile on her face. ‘I’m flying…’ she thought before gravity took over and she hit the ground with a large thud. “Ow…” Dusk jumped at the thud and his brotherly instincts kicked in and galloped to his sister. “Sis are you…” He was cut off by a familiar voice, his mother’s. “Dusk… Glidin’… why are you two up? What was that noise?” the older mare asked, sitting up in her bed rubbing her tired eyes. Glidin’ sighed softly, sitting on her sore rump. “.. uh we were… no I was…” she stammered. She knew mom was going to find out she tried to fly, and she wasn’t going to be too happy. Twilight sighed, her horn lighting up as her aura wraps around the foals and they are gently lifting them into her arms, her motherly worry obvious on her face as she looked the filly in the eye. “Glidin’, were you trying to fly again?” the unicorn mare asked with concern as her hooves entangled around the foal’s bodies. Glidin’ dug her face into her mom’s chest; she knew her mom would be upset. Her mother didn’t want her trying to fly until her wings were fully developed and Soarin’ properly taught her, and it was all because an incident last summer. Glidin’ was flying a kite with Dusk, and it got caught in a tree. Glidin’, much like her Aunts Spitfire and Rainbow, wanted to prove that she was tough and tried to fly up and get it, but all she ended up doing was crashing and breaking her wing. She sighed and her head lifted back to her mom’s eyes; her face telling the whole story. “The window was open and…” Dusk interrupted her. “I tried to use my magic to shut it… and it didn’t work so well…” Dusk lied. He didn’t want his sister to get in trouble when he could’ve stopped her and his Uncle Shining said that a good brothers helps their sister. “I’m sorry mom…” Twilight looks them over slowly. She knew what her son was trying to do, Shining used to do the same things for her, like the time she accidently lit the stove on fire trying to cook when she was 8, but she went along with it. “Ok, don’t do that again…” she says and shuts the window with her magic. “…but cheer up. It’s Hearth Warming Eve, aren’t you excited?” Dusk’s little shook as fast as possible as a large grin spread on his face. “Yes yes yes yes yes yes!” he yells, happily jumping up and down almost like a certain unicorn filly. Glidin’ had a wide grin on her face as she looked at her mother. “Yes mommy… when do we get our surprise?” she asked with anticipation. Her parents said that they were getting a surprise this year and they were both super excited. Twilight chuckled at her foal’s happiness. Her son reminded her of herself when her parents gave her first magic book and when she got accepted into Celestia’s school. “You will get your surprise tonight when are by the fire…” he says. The two foals sighed at the news, but Twilight brought them closer. “Come on… it’s a Hearth Warming tradition…” Twilight says softly. She smiles as the two ponies nuzzle her; it reminded her when they were younger. “Ok, if you two go get ready for the day we can go eat breakfast. Then after that Uncle Shining and I can take you outside to play in the snow.” The two foals smiled as they galloped off to the bathroom. They loved playing in the snow, especially with Uncle Shining. As the room echoed with the light clopping of their hooves, Soarin’ slowly woke from his slumber yawning as his sat up in the king sized bed. “Good morning…” Twilight greeted cheerfully as she hugged her husband. “Morning Twilight…” he whispered in her ear. “Happy Hearth Warming Eve…” he says placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. It was nothing big or exciting, just a simple kiss, but it displayed the true love he felt for the mare. Twilight blushed like a little school filly who just got asked out by the colt of her dreams. “You too Soarin’… Dusk and Glidin’ are getting ready for breakfast…” “Ok… I am going to go on a small morning flight… and I will meet you for breakfast” he says with a smile. Twilight simply nods and kisses her husband. He has gotten into the habit of taking a flight every morning to clear his mind. “Have a nice flight…” Soarin’ smiled and stood up and trotted to the balcony. He took and deep breath as he spread his wings out and stretched and in one fluid step he moved off the side of the balcony picking up speed and gliding down the side of the castle before pulling up. The cool air blowing across his wings as he flew through the mountain air, enjoying the snowy winter day. He slowly glided over many rooftops and streets, families out enjoying the morning and others sitting by slow burning fires. Soarin’ slowly tilted his wing to bank to the left as he turned back towards the castle. His flights were usually longer as he would usually fly the entire perimeter of Ponyville, but today was different he was meeting his family for breakfast. Soarin’ sighed as he touched down on a balcony to his room and trotted in. Twilight and the foals were already gone, so he turned to the door and trotted out and into the hall. Soarin’ trotted down the castle halls, normally filled with guards, but today it was almost barren. Princess Celestia had given the Guards a day to spend with their families and friends to celebrate the holiday, but as Soarin’ trotted he heard the last voice he wanted to here. “Soarin’… Soarin’ please stop for a moment…” the white Pegasus mare called out as she galloped to the stallion, a taking a few moments to catch her breath. Soarin’ slowly turned and saw the mare, the white mare. “What do you want?” he asked impatiently. “I have to go be with my family…” “I know so… Soarin’… I know…” she pants. “I wanted to talk to you… please Soarin’…” Soarin’ would have none of this. “Talk!? You had plenty of time to do that when I was colt… there is nothing to talk about…” he says quickly turning around to trot away. He didn’t want to speak with his parents, and not on a day he was supposed to be with his family, his real family. Sunny sighs and hung her head, she should have expected this. Why would Soarin’ want to talk to her after what she did, but she could still give him an old memory. She pulled out a plush Wonderbolt toy. It had been wearing the signature flight suit and a magenta mane. “Soarin’ wait…” she called out to the stallion one more time and he turned his head to look at the mare. “Please take this… it’s yours.” Soarin’s eyes grew to the size of saucers as he saw the plushie. He still remembers the day he got it. His parents would never buy him tickets to see the Wonderbolts, but when he learned to fly he would position a cloud near the stadium to watch their performances. He remembered one day, it was the first show in Canterlot and Soarin’ was eager to see their new moves, but a little too eager. In the middle of the show he fell off the edge of the cloud and luckily he was spotted by none other than Firefly, the team’s captain. She saved his life and let him watch the show in a VIP box and he spent the evening with the team. It was one of the happiest days of his colthood. At the end of the day she gave the colt a toy for him to take with him. He cherished the toy since then, at least until he ran away. He couldn’t bring it with him, but he was sure his mom or dad destroyed it. He looked back to the mare. “Why… why do you still have this?” Sunny sighs and looked down to her hooves. “We… I never thought about it then… and when Princess Celestia found you and we were arrested… it just stayed in your room…” she explained. “.. about a year ago we were allowed to return to our home to get some things and I went to your room… it was the only toy you had in there so I took it with me… I’m so sorry Soarin’…” Soarin’ looks at the toy and back to the mare. “Sunny…” he stopped to choose his words carefully. “I… what you did hurt me… you were supposed to protect me… I was your son…” “I know Soarin’… and I know I will never be your mother… but… I want to get to know you… and your family…” she said desperately. What she truly wanted was to have her son again, but she knew it was too late for that. Soarin’ sighs softly and places the toy on his back. “I… we can talk later… I want to go join my family right now… Sunny nods. “Ok Soarin’… enjoy your breakfast…” she says turning around. She was a bit happy that he agreed to talk to her, it was a start. “Happy Hearth Warming…” she says softly and trots off to find her husband.