Two Worlds; One Family

by MrEnter


Chapter 4: A Miracle

Ever since Harry learned to walk on his hind-legs he had a new-found energy. He loved running back and forth across the house and yard. He had traded up stacking blocks for kicking a ball around. It definitely set Rainbow's world on fire. She would come over more often to play with him. Futtershy didn't mind. It became more and more apparent that there just wasn't enough space around the cottage for Harry to burn off all of that excess energy. Rainbow put a good dent in it, but he was still wild by the end of the day.

By now Harry had grown out of his stroller, but that didn't mean Fluttershy couldn't still take him on walks. She knew, however, that it wouldn't be best for them to continue going to the park. The two of them walked along a wooded path. Fluttershy had to keep reminding Harry not to run so far ahead, but nothing would sate that child's curiosity. He had to look under every rock or around every tree just to see the wonders that lay there. He wasn't listening very well, but Fluttershy had a hard time getting mad or annoyed with that little smile around.

As they emerged from the woods, a crystal clear lake sat before them. Harry chased a butterfly onto the sandy beach. He ran a little too fast and managed to trip himself. It wasn't long before he got back up and went right back to chasing after it. Fluttershy walked down to the lake and stepped into its cool, refreshing waters.

"Come here sweetie," Fluttershy said. "Today I'm going to teach you how to swim."

Harry let the butterfly get away and turned towards Fluttershy. He excitedly ran up to her, but stopped just before he got to the water. Then he started staring at it. Fluttershy waited for a few minutes, but Harry didn't come any closer. Harry tilted his head as though the water confused him. Every so often his eyes would peek up to Fluttershy, but they would quickly descend back towards the water.

"Is there something wrong Harry?"

"Mama, why we look so different?"

Fluttershy stared at Harry for a moment. She opened her mouth and closed it. She stared onward for a few more seconds. Then she opened her mouth and closed it once more. She wasn't expecting this question to come up for some time, if it came up at all. She had no idea what to tell him. Should she tell him the truth? How would he take it?

"What do you mean, sweetie?" was the only thing that Fluttershy could muster.

"We look so different" Harry said, and he touched the water as if that could explain everything.

Fluttershy walked up out of the water and sat down next to Harry. Harry sat down, his eyes never moving away from the water. Fluttershy looked down to the water. Their reflection was clear. A pony sat next to a small alien creature. Perhaps it was best to tell him early. Harry was smart. He'd figure out the truth eventually.

"Do you know why I'm your mama?" Fluttershy asked. She was desperately trying to figure out how to word this.

"Cuz you're my mama?" Harry answered, confused.

"I'm your mama because I've taken care of you ever since the day that I found you," Fluttershy said, taking her time with almost every word.

"You found me?" Harry asked.

Fluttershy kept looking at the water. Harry did as well. In the reflection, Harry didn't seem upset or angry. He just seemed confused and curious. He wanted answers so Fluttershy decided to give him answers She told him about that fateful night; the one that changed her life forever. She told him that it was the happiest night of her life. Harry looked on, ears open, listening intently. After the story was done, Fluttershy looked away from the water. She looked at Harry.

"And that was the night we became a family," Fluttershy told him. "You aren't mad at me, are you?"

"Why I be mad Mama?" Harry asked.

Fluttershy broke into a smile. She nuzzled him. What was she so afraid about? Harry just asked a question and wanted an answer. Did she really think that that would change anything between the two of them? Fluttershy was still his mother, and Harry didn't care how that fact came to be. Fluttershy broke away to see Harry's smiling face.

"So you still want to learn how to swim?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah!" Harry responded and he jumped up.

Fluttershy walked back into the water and Harry followed her. Fluttershy never took her eyes off of him as he stepped into the water himself. As soon as he entered he began splashing and shouting like crazy with a smile bright enough to challenge the summer sun. He was just having so much fun. Fluttershy tried to teach him how to do a pony paddle, but Harry was intent on doing other things like splashing Fluttershy with water.

By the time that the sun began to set they hadn't accomplished much swimming, but they were both sopping wet. They sat on the beach, breathless watching the sun set behind the forest trees. They just lay there, watching the stars start to pop into the pastel skies.

"Mama, what am I?" Harry asked, almost out of nowhere.

"Um what?" Fluttershy replied.

"You said I not pony, what I be then?"

"Hmmm," Fluttershy said with a smile, in spite of her turning mind, "I think that you're a miracle."

"What a mir-i-cal?"

"A miracle is something really, really special," Fluttershy said, turning towards Harry. "But no matter what you are, I'll always love you."

"I love you too Mama."

The two of them lay there on the sand until late into the night, just making shapes out of the stars. The moon was high in the sky before Harry fell asleep. Fluttershy carried him home by the light of the fireflies. It was a long, tiring walk with Harry sleeping on Fluttershy's back, but she didn't have the heart to wake him from his sleep.

Once home, she brought him upstairs and placed him in his crib. She sighed. Harry was getting too big for it, and her room wasn't big enough for more than one bed. Fluttershy would think of this problem tomorrow. Right now, the day was done.