//------------------------------// // Chapter Six: Harmonious Reunion // Story: Little Horn's Story // by kwr2k13 //------------------------------// Chapter Six: Harmonius Reunion Small Horn was practicing her basic magic with her grandfather while her parents finally got all the paperwork sorted out with Dr. Vanessa Wells. "I believe these papers are in order, Dr. Wells." Shimmer said, as she pushed them forward with her magic. "I have contacted my niece, Harmony. She would be a great influence on my daughter. Besides, she is Small Horn's cousin." Dr. Wells looked at the signatures and put them in the folder for filing. "Very well. If you want, you may take your daughter to get cleaned up and make her presentable for her release from the hospital. I'll make sure you have a private room so we can let you know if and when your niece arrives to pick up her cousin." The doctor led the Unicorn parents to a private showering facility, complete with shampoo, soap, and towels. Meanwhile, Small Horn finished her basic leviation training, and ate her lunch with her grandfather. Afte r lunch, Shimmer and Big Horn arrived, "Small Horn, looks like I've made some arraingements to have you stay with a relative to teach you more magic." She stated. Big Horn nodded in agreement, "That's right. You have a cousin, Harmony Trebleheart. She'll be on her way in to come pick you up. Now, let your mother clean you up so you look presentable. " He went to fix himself a plate of food for himself and his wife. "I'd better get some food for you and your couisn to go. You'll need to learn to eat all your favorite foods you used to enjoy back in Ponyville." Small Horn was a bit confused, "I have a cousin I don't know about?" The young unicorn filly skipped around her mother excitedly, "What's Harmony like, Mom?" Shimmer nodded as she took her daughter to the shower facility. Small Horn entered the shower room, followed by her mother, who began to soak her child's coat and mane. "Harmony Trebleheart is a wonderful singer and that is how she earned her Cutie Mark. She hasn't formally been introduced to you yet, so that's why we are making you look presentable here. Now, I'm going to shampoo your mane and coat with this," she telekinetically held up a bottle of shampoo called Mane n' Tail for Foals. The bottle promised a healthier, shinier coat and mane. "I will remind Harmony to use this shampoo and coat wash for you when you are staying with her." The shower helped Small Horn get cleaned up and left her coat and mane healthy for her first meeting with her cousin. After toweling the filly dry with a towel, Shimmer went out with Small Horn and had her finish eating. By the time the family was done eating, Shimmer led Small Horn to the bathroom to brush her teeth and let her filly use the bathroom. Shimmer waited outside to let her daughter finish her business and brush her teeth like a big pony. Small Horn trotted out of the bathroom as Shimmer looked her over, "Did you wash your hooves?" The mother asked. Small Horn showed her front hooves for inspection, and they were indeed clean. "While you are at your cousin Harmony's, make sure you keep yourself clean and eat your three meals every day. Also, since your cousin is older, she will be taking care of you." Small Horn stammered, "But Mom, why cannot I come live with you and dad, as well as Grandpa?" She really wanted to reconnect with her family. Shimmer nods, "We will all go stay at your cousin's house. That way, we can make sure you are safe and healthy. And, stay away from strange flowers and other things that will make you sick. We cannot afford to have you in the hospital any longer than the doctors deem it necessary." The doting mother then hugged her daughter warmly. After Small Horn was hugged and nuzzled by her mother, the older mare then focused on her niece, telepathically, Just then, a flash of white teleporting energy preceeded a white unicorn mare with a dark blue curly mane and light blue highlights in her tail. The unicorn mare adjusted her glasses and looked over at her aunt. "Hi there, Aunt Shimmer. I got your call and this must be my little cousin." She walked over to Small Horn, examining the smaller unicorn filly, "Hmm...Well, Hello there. I'm your cousin, Harmony." She held up a hoof in greeting. Small Horn tenatively reached up to shake the hoof offered, "Hi there. I'm Small Horn. My mom said you were coming to take me home?" Her blue eyes shined as she looked up at her cousin. Harmony nods, embracing her cousin warmly. "Glad to see you, my dear cousin!" She breaks the hug and puts a front leg around Small Horn. "I just need to scan you to make sure you are okay. Heard from Auntie Shimmer you had quite the rough few days in this place. We can talk about it on the road and more about it when you get settled into your new home." Small Horn smiles and blushes a bit as Harmony continues to talk and accept her as her family. "So, you're my cousin, right? I didn't know I had one until mom told me. Wow, I bet you can do a lot of magic! I just learned levitation today. I want to get better and maybe earn my Cutie Mark!" She feels really bad about being a Blank Flank. Harmony nods, and gives her cousin another side hug, "Don't have your Cutie Mark yet, cousin? Come on now, don't be down;that will come in due time! I'm sure it will be just like the other members of our family, with some sort of heart as a centerpiece. Maybe you'll get your Cutie Mark when you are at my place. I'll even teach you some of my best magical spells. I can even see if there are any schools that will accept young unicorns in the area. If not. I'll home school you." Smal Horn nodded and hugged her cousin, as the family proceeded to check out of the hospital. "I'm glad to be finally out of that place." Small Horn said, looking back at the hospital. "I really need to thank Miss Zecora. If it were not for her, I don't know what I would have done. If I meet her face to face, I'll give her a hug and thank her personally." Harmony tilts her head, "Zecora? Isn't that zebra that lives in the Everfree Forest back home?" Harmony heard about a lone zebra mare who spoke in rhymes that often showed up in Ponyville to gather herbs, shop for groceries, and visit at the day spa, then head back to the Everfree. Small Horn continued, "Zecora isn't as bad as everypony makes her out to be. Her herbal bath helped save me from that Poison Joke stuff. I think that's what made me sick back in the hospital. Also, there's a really bad creepy guy who actually exposed me to the blue plant. Harmony shook her head, "Enough of this talk of Zebras and crazy creepy guys who offer foals poison joke in their food. Ready for some family bonding time, cousin?" Small Horn gets near to her cousin, who is much bigger than she is, "Yes, Yes I am. Let's go home!" She holds on as Harmony lights up her horn, teleporting her and Small Horn to their bedroom. The teleportation process was a bit disorienting for the young filly, but she ended up on the bed while Harmony landed near her cousin. "Here we are, home sweet home. You can sleep here with me." Small Horn snuggled up near her cousin, "Harmony? Thanks for being there for me. I believe we'll get along just fine." Harmony put her front leg over Small Horn's back as they sat on the bed together, "Hay, no problem. That's what family members do. You must be tired from your hospital stay. Why don't we just take a nice nap and we will get something to eat. I'll show you around the house." The two cousins then cuddled up together on the bed. Small Horn used her cousin as a pillow as she lay her head on Harmony's midsection. Compared to the hospital stay, being around a trusted family member was like staying at a nice hotel. She would be accepted, cared for, and learn magic from her cousin.