//------------------------------// // Family Reunion // Story: An Affliction of the Heart Volume Three: Hybrid // by Anonymous Pegasus //------------------------------// Warden took a long, deep breath, frowning to himself and hesitating, before pushing on the large front doors of the Wonderbolt Headquarters. Cautiously, Warden stepped into the cooled, air-conditioned waiting room, sidling over to the counter, Kuno and Swarm close behind him. The waiting room was decorated sparsely, and barely saw any service. It was more of a decorative room than anything, as not many ponies had reason to sit in the waiting room waiting for the Wonderbolts. Several framed items hung on the wall. Goggles, signed uniforms still with stains and tears from heavy use, and even a few letters from fans that had been especially touching to certain members of the Wonderbolts. Warden rang the bell sitting on the counter, finding it unattended. “So this is where the Wonderbolts live, huh?” Kuno asked, peering about curiously. Swarm was already balancing on a chair, with her nose pushed against a framed picture of the entire Wonderbolt squad. “Well, where they sleep and train, sure,” Warden corrected. “They sort of... well... live at home, I guess? I grew up in our cloudhome, and here, occasionally. Depended on the day of the week, really. Not many Wonderbolts actually live in the building full-time.” “Telling our secrets to everyone, I see?” the receptionist asked, coming out from behind the desk. “Skyline?” Warden asked, squinting at the pegasus. The receptionist was a powder blue all over with a golden mane and tail, dressed in a formal Wonderbolt Receptionist outfit. “That’s me!” Skyline said with a smile, before squinting slightly and leaning forwards. “Is that... Warden?” Warden nodded at that, smiling. “You remember me!” “I haven’t seen you in years!” Skyline gushed, bouncing happily in place. “How have you been?!” “I’ve been... better. And worse. And then better again. But, I’m quite certain it’s nothing you want to hear about,” Warden said with a faint smile, while Kuno came to stand behind him. “This is ahhh... Kuno, my wife.” “So the rumours were true!” Skyline said with a smile, clapping her hooves together. “Well, some of them, at least!” “Rumours?” Warden asked, wincing slightly. “Oh, there were some terrible, terrible rumours making the rounds. That you were involved in the drug trade, got your wing and hoof snapped in half...” Skyline leaned over the counter, wincing apologetically. “I guess the hoof one is true... and between you and me, they said that you married a changeling queen. And that you even got Princess Celestia to preside over the ceremony! With her in her true form!” Kuno perked up at that, smiling. “Oh, it was Princess Cadance and I’m not a queen. Not yet.” Warden facehoofed, while Skyline tilted her head slowly to the left. “Oh!” Skyline gave a giggle. “Your wife has a very nice sense of humour Warden! She’s quite the catch, and oh, she’s wearing a collar... that... different,” the mare said, squinting at the collar. “Does it... have her name on it?” “A souvenir,” Kuno explained with a smile, batting a hoof against the bell. Warden cut across them, raising a hoof. “I was actually just looking for my parents. They’re still around here, aren’t they?” “You know Threadbare,” Skyline said with a roll of her eyes. “She won’t let us accept any other stitchwork and I’d hate to be the pony that tries to get her to retire.” “And... Gale Force?” Warden asked grimacing. “Gale Force is out in the wind tunnel, teaching the new cadets how to slipstream,” Skyline said with a bright smile. “Feel free to go on through, I’m sure you know the way.” “Excuse me miss,” Swarm started, having to put her forehooves as high as she could to get her eyes above the counter. “Oh hi there little one! Who’re you?” Skyline asked with a warm smile. “I’m Swarm!” Swarm said with a little smile. “But uhm... do you have any lollipops?” “Lollipops? What makes you think we have lollipops?” Skyline asked carefully. “Because you have a counter!” Swarm squeaked, rapping it with a hoof. “There’s always candy hiding behind counters!” Skyline smiled down at Swarm, and then looked up to Warden and Kuno. “You have a very smart kid,” she said with a grin, reaching down and pulling up a lollipop larger than Swarm’s entire head. Swarm’s eyes went as wide as saucers, and her mouth fell open. “It’s huge!” “And all for you!” Skyline said with a smile, holding the lollipop out over the counter. Swarm bounced up, grabbing the lollipop in both hooves and immediately tearing off the wrapper with her teeth, letting it fall to the floor and then biting down on the lollipop eagerly. Kuno frowned, giving her daughter a stern look as she picked up the wrapper. “What do you say to the nice lady?” “FRANK YEW!” Swarm said around her mouthful of lollipop, flailing a forehoof in a respectful wave. “Any time!” Skyline said with a happy smile. “It was nice seeing you again,” Warden said, inclining his head respectfully towards the mare. “Say ‘hi’ to Slipstream for me, yeah?” Kuno stared at him sideways as they advanced down the hallway. “So... who is Slipstream?” “Old girlfriend,” Warden said airily. Kuno’s eyes narrowed, and she turned to face the front again, her wings stiffening slightly as her eyes narrowed. “Oh. Right. Fine.” Warden laughed at that, nudging her with his good wing and then kissing her cheek. “She is a he. And he was just a friend.” Kuno relaxed visibly at that, her features softening. “Oh...” “I love that you got jealous,” Warden said with a grin, nudging her cheek lightly. “It’s a very pony thing for you to do.” Scowling, Kuno shoved him lightly with a hoof. “Shush. I’m not used to being jealous!” Warden just smiled, pressing his wing against her own as they walked. Warden was confident in his direction, leading them down hallways and several turns, before coming to a halt in front of a large oak door. “Wait here,” he said, laying a hoof on the doorknob. “If you don’t hear any screaming after a few minutes, then feel free to come in.” “Screams of pain or anger?” Kuno asked simply. “Either,” Warden said with a helpless shrug, opening the door and stepping inside. Inside the room was a dimly-lit space, with Wonderbolt uniforms hung from every surface. They hung in rows on the walls, and folded neatly over chairs and benches. A single bright lamp shone in the middle of the room, casting a bright light on an old sewing machine. A shadowy figure stood behind it, pulling a suit through the sewing machine with a deceptively accurate motion. A cloud of smoke hung in the air, from a cigarette the figure was smoking. Both hooves were focusing on the suit, while she occasionally levitated the long plastic cigarette holder to her mouth and puffed at it idly. Warden blinked, snuffling at the air curiously. “Smells completely different,” he pointed out. The mare paused in her work, head canting to the side, her horn illuminating her face as it glowed. “Who’s there?” Warden frowned slightly, taking another step forwards, reaching a hoof out to lift the lamp and illuminate his features. “Hi mom.” Threadbare gasped faintly, dodging around the sewing machine and then throwing her hooves around him, squeezing him tightly to her chest. “Warden!” Warden gave a faint laugh, leaning in to kiss her cheek lovingly. “How are you?” “I’m good,” Threadbare said firmly, levitating the cigarette holder from her mouth and placing it down in an ashtray. “How are you?!” “I’m good, too,” Warden responded gently, sliding back and holding her hoof in his good one. “I have... a lot of things to tell you. Sorry I haven’t... checked in recently.” “Recently?” Threadbare asked, shaking her head slowly. “It’s been ten years!” “Yeah...” Warden trailed off, frowning and chewing his cheek anxiously. “A lot happened...” “Care to share?” Threadbare asked with a smile. “Are you on the way to making me a grandmother yet?” Warden gave a nervous little laugh at that, rubbing his good hoof against his ear nervously. “Y-yeah... about that...” Threadbare paused at that, her expression sobering. “Oh... Don’t say anything,” she said, gently covering his mouth with a hoof. “I completely understand and I’m still just as proud of you as I have ever been-” “-Mom-” Warden tried to interject. “-There’s no reason to be ashamed of who you are, and just because you won’t be able to make me a grandmother is no reason to be ashamed,” Threadbare said soothingly, smiling into her son’s eyes. “Mom!” Warden interjected. “Warden... it’s fine,” Threadbare continued with a warm smile, shaking her head. “Celestia knows the signs were all there...” she trailed off, and then squeezed his shoulder warmly with a hoof. “I don’t care that you’re gay.” “Mom!” Warden snapped, taking a step backwards, his cheeks flushing heatedly. “I’m not gay!” “But-” “Excuse me?” Kuno asked from the doorway, peeking her head around the door. “Who’s this?” Threadbare asked blankly. “That... is my wife,” Warden said in a slightly strained tone. Threadbare blinked once. She turned to stare at Warden, and then gave him an appraising up-and-down glance, before leaning close and playfully murmuring, “Good cover!” Warden frowned deeply, pursing his lips. “Not funny.” Threadbare gave a faint laugh, stepping over to Kuno. “And who are you?” “I am Kuno,” she said, lifting a hoof to touch at her chest, making the bell on her collar jingle faintly. “It is very nice to meet you, Kuno,” Threadbare said, embracing the pegasus-changeling immediately. Kuno stiffened slightly at the physical contact, before relaxing and hugging the mare back, smiling faintly. “It’s nice to meet you...” “Threadbare,” she said with a smile, pulling back and staring into Kuno’s eyes, frowning slightly. “There’s something odd about you... and it’s not just the collar...” Kuno gave a wry smile at that. “You have good instincts, Miss Threadbare.” “Just ‘Threadbare’, please,” she requested, smiling and shaking her head slightly. “Well, now you’ve met my wife,” Warden said with a slight smile. “Now there’s just Swarm.” Threadbare blinked at that, frowning deeply. “Swarm? But... Warden, Swarm died...” “I know,” Warden said, brow furrowing. “I’m talking about Swarm!” he said, raising his voice at the end of the statement. The little filly came around the doorway, most of her face obscured by the giant lollipop. Threadbare froze, her eyes widening, blinking repeatedly and then rubbing her eyes with a hoof to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. “I-is that?” “Yes... that’s your granddaughter,” Warden said with a smile. Both Warden and Kuno stood aside as Threadbare pushed between them to scoop up the filly in a hard hug. “Hello there little one!” she said, kissing her cheek excitedly. “I’m your grandmother!” Swarm pulled the edge of the lollipop out of her mouth, head cocking to the side as she stared at Threadbare. “...You’re old.” Threadbare stared for several long seconds, before she burst out laughing, shaking her head. “Yes, yes I am old.” Kuno facehoofed and Warden gave a slow shake of his head. “Wanna lick?” Swarm asked, offering the lollipop. Threadbare gave a smile at that, gently placing the filly back down on her hooves. “I’ll be fine, but thank you for the offer, little one.” Turning back to Warden and Kuno, she raised an eyebrow. “You named her Swarm?” “Kuno thought it would be a nice name... I agreed,” Warden admitted. “You don’t think it’s kinda... weird?” Threadbare asked candidly. “Nope,” Kuno interjected, waving a hoof. “So... how did you two meet?” Threadbare asked, looking back and forth between them. Warden blinked rapidly, opening his mouth and then closing it immediately, his wings giving a nervous flick. Kuno answered for him, “We met at the fair. He bought me cotton candy and I instantly fell in love with him.” Warden gave a nervous laugh at that, nodding. “Y-yeah, that’s what happened. Yep.” “Mommy is good at lying, daddy is not,” Swarm said simply, nibbling at the edge of the lollipop. Warden facehoofed again. Threadbare laughed softly, smiling back at the filly. “You are correct once again, little one.” She turned back to face Warden and Kuno, looking back and forth between them. “Now what’s the real story?” “I’d... I’d actually prefer to tell you and Gale Force at the same time,” Warden admitted, frowning down at his hooves. “I have a lot to tell you both and I’d prefer not to repeat myself.” Threadbare nodded, waving a hoof idly. “Your father will be here soon. It’s almost lunch time and he doesn’t much enjoy eating where the cadets can bother him, so he comes in here instead.” Warden gave a nod, leaning against a bare counter. The door opened again, and a larger male pegasus stepped inside, carrying a lunch tray. He paused in the doorway, looking back and forth between the assembled ponies. “...Warden?” he asked blankly. “That’s me,” Warden said, touching his own chest with a hoof. “Hi, Gale Force.” Gale Force frowned, placing down his lunch tray on a counter, his expression stony. “It’s... yeah... to see you.” “Well this is awkward,” Kuno pointed out simply. Warden stared at the older pegasus for a long, long moment, brow furrowing. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Gale Force snorted once, shaking his head. “Not particularly.” Warden’s eyes narrowed, and a low growl built in his throat. “I knew this was a mistake.” Kuno frowned, pushing forwards to touch her husband’s shoulder gently. “Warden... just give it some time.” “You don’t know what he did,” Warden said flatly. “Or rather, what he didn’t do.” Threadbare stepped between them, raising a hoof, turning to face Gale Force. “Not in front of your granddaughter!” Gale Force frowned, looking down at Swarm. Swarm stared up at him in response, before popping the lollipop out of her mouth and hiding it behind herself. “I’m not giving you any.” The larger pegasus gave a faint, amused snort. “Why does she have a horn?” “I can speak, you know!” Swarm protested, pouting. “Okay, little one, why do you have a horn?” Gale Force asked, staring directly into her eyes. Swarm shrank back under the hard gaze, growing suddenly nervous, her voice getting small. “W-well because of mommy...” Looking away, the filly stuck the edge of the lollipop back in her mouth as a distraction, refusing to meet his gaze. “And this is who you moved on to?” Gale Force asked bluntly, looking between Warden and Kuno slowly. Kuno took a step forwards, her eyes narrowing slowly. “I don’t believe we’ve met, Mister Gale Force,” she said, meeting his stern gaze unwaveringly. “And who are you?” Gale Force asked bluntly. “I am Kuno,” she responded with a faint, almost eerie smile. “I haven’t heard a lot about you, but my husband really seems to dislike you, and he’s a good judge of character.” “So you’re fighting his battles for him, then?” Gale Force asked simply. Kuno gave a thoughtful hum at that, before turning away. Warden casually reached out and grasped one of her wings. Kuno turned back again, taking a swing at Gale Force with her hoof, but Warden’s grasp on her wing brought her up short. Kuno flailed ineffectually for a moment, growling. “Lemme go!” After several long moments, Kuno relaxed, glowering, and then turning to stare at Warden. “Lemme hit him. Just once!” “I like her,” Gale Force said with a slow smile. “She’s got spunk.” Kuno turned to face him again, her eyes narrowing slowly. “If you compliment me again, I’m going to hurt you.” Threadbare stepped between them again, shaking her head. “C’mon now guys, stop fighting. Can’t you just admit that you did wrong, Gale?” “Gale is such a girl’s name,” Kuno piped up immediately. Gale force narrowed his eyes slowly. “I did nothing wrong.” “Like hell you didn’t!” Warden snapped, moving to sidestep around Kuno, but Kuno stopped him with an extended wing, blocking his progress. “Fine,” Warden said, pursing his lips. “I’ll hold his hooves, you hit him.” Kuno chuckled darkly at that. “As appealing as that is, violence doesn’t get us anywhere, really.” “It’ll make me feel better,” Warden stated flatly. “Hey, we’ve got a ring outside if you wanna go ten rounds,” Gale Force stated, raising a hoof threateningly. Warden moved to step forwards, but Kuno stopped him again, hissing faintly into his ear, “Warden, think. You only have one good hoof. You’ll get the crap beaten out of you.” Warden gave a low growl, stamping his bad hoof into the ground angrily. A second later, his face paled, and he took several long, deep breaths, before nodding slowly. “You’re right...” “Figured you’d run away from the fight,” Gale Force said with a smug little smile. Swarm looked back and forth between everyone like a spectator at a sport’s game. “Why is everyone angry?” “Lots of reasons,” Warden mumbled, shaking his head and looking away, taking a long, deep breath. “Look, Mom... it was good seeing you. Gale Force? Not so much,” he said flatly, stepping past them all. “We’re done here. Swarm, come.” Swarm looked up them all before dodging around their legs and following after her father. “It was nice meeting you, grandma!” she called back over her shoulder. Threadbare gave a long-suffering sigh, shaking her head. “See you next time, Swarm!” Gale Force watched his son go with narrowed eyes, his expression unreadable. Kuno turned to Threadbare, her expression dark. “Threadbare, please leave me and Gale Force alone.” “You’re not going to hurt him, are you?” Threadbare asked anxiously. “Probably not, but no promises,” Kuno admitted. “As if this little waif could hurt me,” Gale Force said with a short, barking laugh. Kuno turned to stare at him, a slow smile spreading across her muzzle. Gale Force gave a slightly uncomfortable smile in response. “Please leave him in one piece,” Threadbare said with a deep frown. “And no wrecking my uniforms!” Kuno nodded in affirmation. “No wrecking the uniforms, no wrecking the face.” Threadbare sighed, facehoofing, before shaking her head and picking up her cigarette again, stalking out of the room. Kuno stared at Gale Force with narrowed eyes, her tail giving a slow, anticipatory flick back and forth behind her. “Close the door.” “Are you hitting on me?” Gale Force asked nervously. “Violently? No. Not yet,” Kuno said bluntly. “We’ll see how cooperative you are. Now shut. The. Door.” Gale Force gave a slightly nervous chuckle. “Whatever you say, Princess,” he said, turning to the door and then flicking it closed. Kuno took a step closer to him, her eyes narrowing. “Why do you hate your own son?” “I never said I hated him,” Gale force said defensively, his brow furrowing. “Never heard of ‘tough love’ huh?” “Tough love?” Kuno asked, stamping a hoof ominously. “What do you know about love?” “I’m trying to make a man out of that simpering little fool,” Gale Force said calmly, “You’re more of a stallion than he is.” “And he is more of a stallion than you!” Kuno growled, waving a hoof. “You don’t know half of what he’s been through!” “Oh boo-fricken-hoo, his wife died because he couldn’t man up and get the medicine he needed,” Gale Force said bluntly. “If he was a stallion then maybe she’d have been fine.” Kuno stared, slowly shaking her head. “I always knew there was something there to make him so damn doubtful of himself, but I didn’t think anyone could be as oafishly stupid as to say it was his fault!” Gale Force snorted faintly. “His wife needed the medicine. He couldn’t get it. Ergo, it was his fault.” Kuno’s eyes narrowed again, and she began to stalk around the larger pegasus in a slow circle. “I’m trying to understand what it is that makes you two loathe each other so much. Warden won’t tell me, and I love him too much to force him to, but I really, really dislike you, and I think I would enjoy making you tell me.” Gale Force sneered slightly at that. “I’m not afraid of you.” “Oh like tartarus you aren’t,” Kuno growled, continuing to circle him. “I can smell the fear on you.” “Fine, I’m kind of bothered you’ll take a blade to my feathers or something,” Gale Force said with a roll of his eyes. “Why do you even care?” “Because I’ve spent the better part of a decade putting Warden back together and part of why he’s so fucked up is obviously rooted heavily in having a jackass like you for a father,” Kuno spat, grinding her hooves into the floor as she circled. “It’s not my fault my only son is such a failure,” Gale Force spat. “A failure?” Kuno asked, her eyes narrowing and a hoof lifting, curling as though she was readying to hit him. “He grows plants for Celestia’s sake!” Gale Force growled. “Plants! What kind of pegasus grows plants!” “Your son does!” Kuno spat, lifting a hoof and striking Gale Force hard across the cheek with it. Gale Force winced backwards, lifting a hoof curiously to touch his cheek. “You hit me...” “Cottoning on, are you?” Kuno asked flatly. “No one hits me...” Gale Force murmured, rubbing his cheek and blinking once. “Well maybe ponies should,” Kuno growled. “You’ve ruined your son’s emotional stability just because you wanted a son that plays sports!” “And what has he done of note?” Gale Force spat. “Tell me one thing he’s done other than grow some pissy little plants in his garden.” Kuno’s eyes narrowed, and she ground her hooves against the floor, her eyes flashing green for the merest of instants. “What has Warden done of note?” Kuno asked silkily, her tone softening, turning slightly ominous. “Why? He grows aurora. One of the only ponies in all of Equestria that can. He single-hoofedly supplies this entire region. But I ‘spose that helping sick ponies isn’t big enough for you, huh? Did you see his wing? Did you notice he can’t put weight on his hoof? Wonder why that is? Because after his wife died, he was forced into working, growing aurora for a drug-dealer who broke his wing and his hoof for disobeying them. Not to mention that after that, he still managed to walk from his home in the valley to Canterlot, in full Royal Guard armor, no less! But I guess that still isn’t noteworthy to you, is it?” Kuno asked, stabbing the pegasus’ chest with her hoof. “Did I mention that he got his dream home near the crystal empire, an orchard and everything! Producing the rarest wine of this day and age! But then the empire came back and he gave it all up just because some crystal ponies used to own the land there a thousand years ago?” Kuno growled, starting to pace back and forth, her wings twitching in agitation. “He’s a thoughtful, amazing pegasus, and it’s absolutely stunning that he managed to make it anywhere with an unsupportive asshole like you as a father!” Gale Force’s ears pinned back, and he stammered slightly. “W-well I... He has to be a stallion...” Kuno growled faintly, and then shoved the pegasus hard with both forehooves. “What you don’t understand is that your son is a stallion. He’s more a stallion than you’ll ever be. And that’s even with him just growing his ‘pissy little plants’.” Kuno gave a huff, kicking Gale Force for good measure, before stalking past him and opening the door, slamming it behind her so hard that the doorknob broke, bouncing off the opposite wall. Gale Force just stood there in silence, frowning. It was a long, long minute, before Threadbare quietly picked her way back into the room, delicately opening the door. “Gale?” “I’m fine,” he responded flatly, lifting a hoof to smooth his mane back. “She’s got fire, that one.” “I noticed,” Threadbare said with a wan smile. “She’s good for him,” Gale Force admitted. “If you ever want to see Warden again, you’ll swallow your pride and go after them. I’d like to know my granddaughter, you know,” Threadbare pointed out. Gale Force frowned, pursing his lips. “You want me to go drag them back here?” “Go talk to him!” Threadbare said with an exasperated sigh. “From what I heard, he took your words to heart.” “...He knows I wasn’ being serious,” Gale Force said with a deep frown. “He knows that I’m just making a stallion out of him. And if he doesn’t, he’s stupid and deserves to be a wimp.” Threadbare sighed and shook her head slowly. “Gale, I love you, but you are a fool.” Gale Force gave a sigh as well, shaking his head. “Fine! If it’ll get you off my back, then I’ll go talk to him, geeze, woman!” he cried, stalking to the doorway and kissing her cheek before slipping out. Threadbare leaned around the doorway, shouting after him, “And get some candy for your granddaughter you old bastard!” Warden was fuming as he stalked down the cloud alley, Swarm close at his heels. Kuno huffed softly as she caught up with them, dropping out of the sky to land lightly next to them, dropping into an easy gait beside them. Warden cast her a glance. “Did you kill him?” “I resisted the urge,” Kuno said with a faint frown. Warden sighed faintly. “Well, there goes that dream.” Kuno frowned deeply, slowing her steps. “Warden... what did he do?” Warden gave another long sigh. “He...” Warden came to a stop, sitting down on his rump and peering back over his shoulder at the Wonderbolt HQ in the distance. “When I found out that Swarm was sick -not you,” he said, as Swarm perked her ears up. “But... the medicine I needed. I told you that a group of Manticore moved in, yeah?” “I vaguely remember it,” Kuno admitted, frowning slightly. “I came here... I asked him to help, and he told me that I should ‘do it by myself’ and then ignored me,” Warden spat, pawing at the cloud with a hoof. “And then after she died he... he just said that it was my fault!” Kuno frowned deeply at that, her ears splaying back slowly. “That’s... not very nice of him. But he seems to have a... problem with the fact that you grow plants.” “Yeah,” Warden said, starting to walk again, digging his hooves into the clouds. “He’s an unsupportive asshole and I’ll do better without him in my life.” Kuno gave a nod. “Well... I hit him for you. He has a hard skull.” “Thank you,” Warden said shortly. There was a dull whump! from behind them as a heavy object landed on the cloud, and Warden froze, scowling. Kuno peered back over her shoulder, frowning deeply. “What do you want.” “I...” Gale Force started, frowning and pursing his lips. Warden sat down on his rump and then stared back at his father, his eyes narrowing slowly. “...Come back and talk to your mom for Celestia’s sake, you pansy,” Gale Force said with a wave of a hoof. Warden grit his teeth, grinding them slowly. “Why?” “Well, she wants to talk to you... and stuff,” Gale Force said awkwardly. Kuno looked back and forth between them both, slowly shaking her head. “You are both so hopeless.” “Shush,” Warden and Gale Force said at the same time. Kuno giggled. Warden pursed his lips, looking away. “Is this going to be one of those awkward, forced conversations where we say three words to eachother and then silently eat lunch?” Gale Force scratched his chin with a hoof, and then nodded. “Sounds about right.” “Fine, but you’re sitting next to me for lunch because damn if I want to even have a chance of making eye contact with you,” Warden stated flatly, stalking back down the street the way he had come. Gale Force watched him for several long moment, before launching himself into the sky and back towards the Wonderbolt’s headquarters. Kuno watched them both, and then turned to Swarm, waving a hoof at them. “This is your family, hun. And this is why you have no chance of growing up normal.”