Destinies Entwined
Midsummer Surprises
by Technomare
Weeks had passed since Ferox had seen his brother; of course they physically saw one another, as they lived in in the same room and went to the same school. However, the two had not said a word in the presence of the other pertaining to more than polite conversational topics. Ferox never realized how much he and his brother had depended upon one another on a day to day basis. Even with he being made fun of at school and Nelly's strange excursions at night - no longer a mystery - the two had stuck side by side.
What kind of a brother am I, to comfort Nel one night and then ignore him...what kind of a pony does that make me?, thought Ferox as the final school bell of the year sang it's song of freedom. True he had comforted him, but still...
"Ferox"
"Yes Professor?", responded Ferox. He had not given up his hobby of daydreaming, but now made a point to pay some attention to the world of the mundane.
"All your classmates have left, is there a reason you're still at your desk?" Perhaps not much attention.
"No Professor, sorry I'm leaving now." Ferox placed his school supplies into his saddle bags, blank unlike those of his classmates who had already earned their cutie marks, and trotted out the door. Seeing nothing but the cobblestone path before him, Ferox set off for the flat alone in conversation, for the last time this year. The sea of ponies passing jostled around him, crying out in exuberant glee at the prospect of three whole months without school. The birds sang, the wind blew, and the sun shone; but Ferox paid no attention to these, still lost in thought about...things.
The metal door hinged open with a screech when his pink hoof threw it open, slamming behind him with a crash. On his way home, Ferox had developed a plan, and it was time to put that plan into action. He climbed the stairs quickly, cantering up five steps at a time, positively elated and yet terrified at what he was about to do. Finally reaching his destination, he unlicked the door to his family's shared flat, and galloped down the hallway, being unable to restrain himself. He barged into his shared room, finding Nelum sprawled upon his own bed. Previously sprawled would be more accurate however, as his brother's abrupt entrance had seen to shatter his peace.
"Nelum!" yelled Ferox, quite a bit louder than he had intended. He held up a hoof to stop his startled brother and tried once again, in a much softer manner.
His brother turned to face him, "Hey Ferox, what's the excitement?"
"Nothing" Ferox responded with a mischievous grin, plastered across his face.
"Well if that's the case, please leave me alone."
"Come on Nelum, we can't go around pretending like it never happened, and not talking to each other ok?"
...
He continued: "Well you don't need to say anything, but at least listen; just, meet me on the hill south of town tomorrow around eight am, the hill mom used to take us to when we were little."
"Why should I" huffed the blue colt, failing to conceal the curiosity in his voice.
"Just do it, for me. please." and with that, Ferox left his brother alone, to consider what he had just said. He made his way back out onto the Maretropilis streets, retrieving a small coin purse from his saddlebags as his did so. He had much to do before tomorrow, hopefully his parents wouldn't miss him.
Beep Beep Beep!
Nelum fell out of bed at the sound of his alarm clock, slamming his muzzle into the wooden floor as he did so. Regaining his orientation to the floor, his hoof tapped at the offending piece of technology, shutting off its infernal sounds. Hoof met mane, as he scratched an itch and began to rub away some of his morning drowsiness. He turned his gaze to his brother who... suddenly the events of yesterday came rushing back, as well as the knowledge that he didn't have school for the next three months.
"I must remember to turn that infernal alarm clock off tonight" he said to himself. Waiting for the grunt of exasperation of his pink counterpart, but hearing nothing, Oh yeah. Suddenly he remembered why he had set the alarm; snapping his had around to see it, it read: 7:43am. "No, no no no!" his idiot of a brother, his spying brother had asked him to meet at eight this morning. "That was why I set that stupid alarm." He quickly scooped up his saddlebags, and hurried out of the apartment, waving a quick goodbye to his mother as he passed her room.
He reached the hill his brother had spoken of, merely fifteen minutes later, not able to remember if he had ever run faster in his life. He saw no sign of his brother however, and resigned himself to climb to the top and wait for his to show. His stomach rumbled as he began the short climb, punishment for having skipped breakfast. He would have to-- his thoughts were interrupted as he crested the hill, and saw a cloaked pony, naught but his tail showing; a tail which was a strikingly familiar shade of blue. Nelum sat beside his covered brother, and turned to face him.
The pony turned to face the newcomer, "Nelly, you're here." Ferox half-shouted, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"'Course I'm here, I--"
"Come here Nelum," Ferox cut his brother off, mid-sentence. "There's something I want you to know." It was then when Ferox removed the hood, which had previously been obscuring his face.
There in the morning sun, sat Ferox, his brother. But no, not his brother. This was and was not Ferox. Before him sat a female likeness of his brother. Identical in ever feature except voice and gender. His usually stoic eyes were alight with energy and apprehension, and his thinly shaded muzzle was drawn out into the widest smile Equestria had ever seen. He gazed with a never before seen intensity at his sibling next to him, saying nothing and yet everything all at once. The two mares sat upon that hilltop for what seemed like hours, simply gazing at once another. The world around them continued, but they were not in this world anymore. Confusion and understanding flowed between the two like the tears they both shed. From those tears an understanding formed and the two sisters vowed to support one another in all that was yet to come, never leaving the other's side. Forever and always, their destinies entwined.