//------------------------------// // Just Another School Day // Story: The Veins Run Deep // by Thunderblast //------------------------------// It has been just over a year since I started school. It hasn't gone that well for me since my first embarrassing day. I did, however, get lots of praise after accidentally discovering a rare crystal on an excursion in the mines that improved the way we live. Though, I decided to give credit to somepony I didn't know, since life seemed to be much harder for him. The crystal, known as the amethyst power crystal, was broken into tinier pieces, and is now used around our enormous colony for a power source that will last us half a lifetime. Now, our days have gotten a little more brighter, and I'm happy about it. Why everypony here likes the darkness? I will never know. I've also grown a full five inches, and my dad keeps saying he is extremely proud of me. He still looks forward to me marching along side him, but my mind is beginning to tell me otherwise. "Hey, son? Would you mind coming down here for a moment?" a tough but collected voice called out. "In a minute, dad!" A much squeakier voice, the voice of none other than Bloodvein, replied. "Now, please." "In a minute, dad!" The colt repeated, voice raised, and the muscular bat pony stallion on the lower floor facehoofed himself, leaning back against the stone-and-wood-construct couch, his wife giggling. "He really has a mind of his own, Sky," the mare nickered. "He sure does, Midnight," the stallion, Skywatcher, replied, grumbling as he rubbed his forehead with a hoof. "I wonder where he gets that from?" Midnight smugly said, smirking and looking over at the larger pony, nudging him with her elbow lightly. "Don't look at me," Skywatcher rolled his eyes, chuckling, before the pegasus colt trotted his way down the stairs. "What's going on mom, dad?" Bloodvein asked, plopping himself down on the rug in front of his parents. "We have a surprise for you, Blood," his father answered, sitting up straight in his seat and smiling. "What is it?" Blood's eyes widened just a bit, full of curiosity. Midnight then giggled and looked at Skywatcher, then to the small colt. "Mommy's pregnant! You're going to have a sibling!" Suddenly, Bloodvein's world came to a screeching halt. "...What?" "Isn't that exciting?" Skywatcher said, smiling. "Uh, yeah... s-sure." Bloodvein stuttered, his irises recoiling to the size of small marbles. "What's wrong?" Midnight sat forward, smile dropping into a frown of concern. "Nothing. I-it's just... a sibling?" Blood lifted his worried gaze, his little, bright, golden eyes returning back to normal. "Well, didn't you always wish for a little brother or sister, so when you got older you could beat up whoever bullied them?" Skywatcher questioned. "I did say that, didn't I?" Bloodvein said, sighing. "I didn't think it would actually come true." The two parents exchanged looks. Their announcement plan took a completely new turn. "Well... we're sorry if we are stressing you out, honey. But, you have to know it was just a matter of time," Midnight said, rubbing a small foal bump on her belly. "N-no, you're not. It's just... a little shocking, that's all," Bloodvein responded and glanced up at her, before being yanked up into a rather sudden hug by both of his parents. "Okay, class. We will now move on to geography!" "Yes! My favorite subject. Bloodvein mentally said, a grin widening on his muzzle while he eagerly watched as the teacher brought out a detailed model replica of their cave system. "What is that, miss Sunset?" A filly asked, raising her hoof. "This, is our colony cave, but on a much smaller scale. Today, we will go over a slightly scary, but informative lesson about our home cave." Sunset said, pouring some water into a cup, as the students watched curiously. "Our cave system is like any other in the world, but as far as we know, we are the largest colony in Equestria, both in population, and the sheer size of our tunnels. But, flaws with our designs have recently been discovered. When it rains in torrents, cracks in the ceiling that may lead to the surface can fill with water rushing down the slopes of our mountain, and our cave has the capability to flood. Although we are located inside of a mountain, it is still very possible to flood all the way to the cave ceiling," she explained, and some of the colts and fillies gasped as they watched. Bloodvein continued to watch with pure awe and curiosity as the teacher gradually poured water in one side of the tank, and the class observed as the model tunnel carved deeper into the mountain flooded faster than the entrance due to its slope downward. "Our caves were dug out at an angle, where the caverns further in would flood within minutes, while where the hole to the outside would not, as the water would simply flow down the slope. Sadly, it is just a matter of time before this happens again. On the bright side, we as a colony are always searching for ways to prevent this, and we have been quite lucky for the past hundreds of years that nothing has happened," she finished with a bit of a smile. Bloodvein then raised his hoof. "But, Miss Sunset, what happens if it does?" Sunset stopped and looked at him for a moment, blinking. His question seemed to have stumped her. "I do not know, Bloodvein. Perhaps that is a question more suitable for somepony like your father. I suppose he would know." "My dad?" Bloodvein whispered to himself. The teacher continued to semi-ramble on about flooding and earthquakes, seeing how the region around them was prone to both, as well as other strange weather patterns from the ocean a short distance west. During recess, Bloodvein pranced around, elated to know that his day hadn't been ruined, when... *BOING* Before he knew what hit him, Bloodvein's face smacked into the ground at the sudden impact of... something. Around him, some of the other foals laughed, before he stood up, eyes spinning and his hooves stumbling over themselves. He soon realized one of the colts struck him with a ball, and they too laughed. "Stupid Equestrian, go back to Canterlot, you worthless lump of dirt!" the colt said, the ball spinning in his hoof, while the other fillies and colts continued to laugh. Bloodvein began to curl up on the floor, tears building in his eyes. He was so very close to breaking down, yet he knew doing so in front of everypony else would worsen the situation for him. Rather, he took a deep breath and stood up, puffing his chest out. "You know, if you wanted to play ball with me, all you had to do was ask," Blood came back, smirking. The colt snarled, "Oh, yes, I do. Let's play HARDBALL!" before throwing the ball with all of his might at Bloodvein, only to bounce right back and strike the colt right in the muzzle, knocking him back with force to send him sliding. When he opened his eyes wide, a large bat pony stallion in night-blue armor stood tall over the colt, baring his fangs and letting off a warning growl. "You better leave my son alone, you lump of dirt," Skywatcher said, stomping hard enough to physically shake the earth directly beside the colt's wings, and he took off running with the other foals. Bloodvein started to laugh as his father had literally just scared off his entire class, again! "That never gets old, dad. That's why I love you." He said, trotting and reaching up to hug Sky, who picked his son up and hugged him and smiled. "I see you are becoming less afraid, why is that?" Skywatcher questioned with a light smile. "Two reasons. One, you're always here for me, and two, they're about the same size as me," Bloodvein replied. Skywatcher's heart warmed, and his smile grew. Deep down, he knew, one day, there will be a time where he would not be there for his son. He wasn't ready to admit that, even if that day could be years in the future. He nuzzled Blood, then set him on his back. "Let's go home, mom is probably waiting for us." Bloodvein returned his father a happy nuzzle, and clung onto his back like a tick on a dog. "Giddy up, dad!" he giggled, and Skywatcher happily cantered off.