//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: A family meal // Story: Spring's Song // by 71NYL-5CR4TCH //------------------------------// A simple song, of flowing notes, A scholar's words, a prophet's quotes The picture perfect, art abstract Tell me how I'm supposed to act. Tell me what should be a guide, Tell me how to feel inside. Tell me what's the greatest cure, Tell me how to become pure. I've lost my way, I've gone off course My soul is rough, my heart is coarse. So tell me what's the greatest way To feel like I did yesterday? I only want to have it back That innocence, a worry lack But now I have to make a choice And then I have to find my voice. Rainstorm stared at the poetry before him. It felt...good. Good to release the feelings. Good to let his emotions flow onto parchment. It was just an english class assignment, but Rainstorm had taken to poetry like a ring to a bell. Originally it had sounded so dumb. Originally it sounded like a waste of time and good parchment. He couldn't believe his ears when Cheerily said it. Poetry? A unit in school? For Colts?! I mean, Celestia, colts weren't all gushy and romantic. Colts are big and strong! Colts don't worry about silly little things like poetry...right? Besides, I'm almost full grown! I'll be a stallion soon! But there it was, a scroll and quill, adorning his flank. It had originally appeared years ago, and stemmed from a simple assignment. The students of Miss Cherilie's third grade class were to write a story. About anything they wanted, as long as they wanted. It just had to be over a page, and have a plot. Well...The next morning and 32 pages later Rainstorm drug himself to school, exhausted from the lack of sleep. So exhausted, that it wasn't until he shuffled, eyes half open, into the school house and heard the synchronized gasp from his classmates that he realized his mark now adorned his flank. He was the first in his class to find his mark, and his calling. That didn't mean he'd found his purpose, nor his way nor his guide. No, it was simply something he was good at and liked to do. Nothing more. Rainstorm released the quill from his mouth, picked up his poem and re-read it. It sounded so dark to him, and a little unnerving to know it came from his own mind. No, mind wasn't right. Math problems came from his mind. Essays came from his mind. This was coming from somewhere...deeper. He sighed, I really wish I didn't have the inspiration... A familiar voice called from down the stairs, "Rainstorm! Dinner's ready!" "Alright, mom!" He called back, shuffling his papers so that the poetry was buried underneath the dullest of algebra. Rainstorm pondered to himself why he even hid it. It wasn't like his parents went snooping around in his room... As far as he knew...Rainstorm swallowed. Meandering down the stairs, his mother, and the dinner table came into view. Her rainbow mane hid her face from his sight as she leaned over the table, releasing mashed potatoes from her teeth. Rainbow Dash whipped her head around to call for her son again, "RAINST-oh...you're here...heh, sorry." Rainstorm chuckled, "It's cool mom. Where's dad?" "STILL IN THE KITCHEN!" A voice called from around the corner. Rainstorm peaked his head around the wall, just in time to see his father opening the oven, allowing the succulent odor of roast carrots to drift through the house. Rainstorm adopted a hungry grin, "Mmmm, smells great dad!" "Mfmhmfm!" The grey pegasus answered, a tray of carrots still in his mouth. Turning to the stove top, he carefully set down the tray, then spit the hot pad from his lips. "Thanks! New recipe! From your grandmother, she used to make it better than anypony!" Snowstorm looked skeptically at the tray, "Hopefully I remade it half as well as she could." "Ah, I see. Why can't grandma make this anymore?" Rainstorm raised an eyebrow at the dish, "Doesn't look that hard..." "Well, she probably can, but cutting carrots is hard on an old neck like hers." Snowstorm grinned at his son, "...Heh, bet she'd make it for you if you offered a neck rub." "...Pass." Rainstorm's father chuckled, "Thought so." Rainbow's voice called from the dining room, "Snowstorm? Is dinner almost ready?" The grey pegasus groaned, rolling his eyes, "Yes, dear." then proceeding to mumble, "I still don't get why I'm always the chef..." Rainbow trotted into the room, a deadpan expression on her face, "I heard that. Remember the orange juice?" Snowstorm paused, then nodded in recollection, "Ah...right. I still don't understand how you did that...twice." Rainstorm blinked, "Is that why for my breakfast in bed on the first day of school I was served toast, eggs, and water?" Rainbow coughed into her hoof, before scratching the back of her neck, eyes inspecting the kitchen floor "...maybe." Rainstorm laughed before heading to the dinner table. Rainbow walked up to Snowstorm before planting a kiss on his cheek, running a hoof through his black and blue mane, "Thanks for making dinner babe." Snowstorm's icy blue eyes rested on the pile of oven meal boxes crammed into the garbage can, "heh...no problem." Rainbow raised an eyebrow, and allowed her eyes to follow his, finding the oven meal boxes, "Mom's old recipe, huh?" she asked, mildly amused. "Unfortunately, yes." Rainbow laughed, "so that's why your guy's cooking always tasted so similar." Snowstorm did his best to dawn a blank expression, standing tall and broad "eeeyyup." Rainbow gently punched his shoulder, "Oh, at least he makes his food." "I make it! Just...not from scratch...but I add love! That counts for something, right?" A large hopeful grin spread across Snowstorm's face. "Only if it makes me start to 'love' your 'cooking'," Rainbow remarked, before allowing her expression to soften "ah...I wonder if Scootaloo has picked up any of those boxes and made them for herself? That'd be a rude awakening." "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. She may have her sponsors, but she's still going to college, so she doesn't have much of a budget. And I do at least get the high-end oven box food." "Hah! Didn't know it came in a quality other than 'mediocre'." Rainbow remarked before picking up the tray of carrots in her teeth and carrying them to the table. After setting them down gently, Rainbow and Snowstorm sat down, where Rainstorm was patiently waiting, not a bite on his plate. "Where in Equestria did you get good table manners?" Rainbow asked, "It sure wasn't from us..." Snowstorm chimed in, looking somewhat hurt, "Hey, I have decent manners!" "Snowstorm, I love you dearly, but you remember that movie, 'A Hearthwarming's Story'?" "Yeah?" Snowstorm raised an eyebrow while serving himself food from around the table. "And the kid, the younger brother?" "Uh-huh?" Snowstorm set his plate down on his placemat. "Remember how he ate?" "Oh yeah!" Snowstorm exclaimed, his face growing bright before being slammed directly into his plate, making as many snorts, snorfs, and wharr-garbles as he possibly could whilst feasting on potatoes. Rainbow sighed, "'nuff said." Rainstorm watched the entire scene unfold, silent. After his father had finally ceased to eat like a foal, he squinted his eyes while looking at his father, "Not sure if proud...or disgusted."