A Changeling's Riposte

by xXSheltieXx

Eight

Night Storm carried a small box into the attic. It wasn't a very big box, but it held its weight. She looked around at the organization of the attic, despite the dust everywhere. She sighed and put the box down with a smile, slapping her hands together to dust them off. The Earth Pony put her hands on her hips and looked at the attic. She sighed again; being a perfectionist was never easy.

She began to clean the attic up, putting boxes on boxes and dusting off the tops and pulling out the webs from the spiders. She frowned as a spider looked at her, almost shaking.

"Sorry, little one, but you can't live in the attic." Night Storm said, picking the spider up.

She carried it to the attic window and it crawled outside, swinging away with the wind on a thread of webbing. Night Storm smiled as she watched the spider ride the winds out of sight. She turned back around and looked at the attic. It was fairly orderly and lovely in a way, and she began to walk back down the steps before something caught her eye.

She walked back up the steps and looked around, scratching her neck. She walked over to a small, maybe medium, sized chest and looked it over. It seemed normal enough. She undid the clutch and opened it, disappointed to find it empty. She began to close it, but opened it again after seeing a paper. Night picked it up and read it with a confused expression.

Dearest Sword Right,

I understand you have a hard time getting along with mares, and you prefer working in the basement with metals, but I want you to know that there will be one peculiar mare that cannot be compared to the rest. How do I know this? I'm your father, boy, and I never lie! I promise you if you be yourself, you will find this mare and you will fall in love. Never give up, Sword. Keep searching until the end of time. And don't forget to get me some grand kids, ya hear?

Your Father,
Virtuous Fire

Night Storm looked at the crumpled up paper in confusion. Why was it hiding in this chest in the attic? Why was it crumpled up? How did this 'Virtuous Fire' know he'd find a mare? And the worst of all: What if Night Storm wasn't the mare for Sword Right?

Night Storm held the paper as she stood up, looking at it as if she'd understand it. She closed the chest and walked down the stairs, a funny expression on her face. She kept staring at it, thinking it might tell her something if she looked hard enough.

Sword Right opened the door to see his mare friend holding a crumpled piece of paper up to the light, and then close to the ground, against the wall, and pretty much everywhere else, a serious yet funny expression on her face.

"Uh, Night, what are you doing?" Sword attempted to keep a straight face.

"I found this paper in the attic in a chest and I read it and I'm confused." She said, continuing to try and unlock its secrets.

Sword scratched his neck and sighed, picking the paper from her hands and holding it above her head. "This is something my dad wrote me when I was a teenager. I used to spend most of my time working on weapons in the basement, and he always said I'd find the perfect mare if I stay myself, and I listened to him. He still wants grand kids, too."

Night Storm tried to reach the paper, pushing her chest against his to try and reach it, standing on her tippy-hooves to reach the paper.

"I think I've already found the perfect mare." He smiled, giving her a passionate kiss.

Night Storm made a funny smile. "Should we go make some grand kids?" She burst out laughing as he blushed with a confused and embarrassed expression on his face. "Y-You should see t-the look on your face! Priceless!"

"D-Don't even joke about that," Sword blushed, putting the paper on the counter. "I'm not ready for kids anyway."

Night frowned. "Will you ever want kids?"

He smiled and hugged her close. "Only if they're yours and mine."

"Aw, such a charmer!" Night smiled, lightly pinching his cheek. "Where do your parents even live?"

"They live here in Canterlot. They just live closer to the castle. Oh, by the way, is your chest feeling any better?"

Night smiled. "Yep! Much better now! I think it's almost done healing, too!" She lifted her shirt up a little so he could see the wound.

He grinned. "You're right, it's looking much better." Night bumped their noses together with a smile. "Can I help you?"

"I want to meet your parents." Night said with a grin.

"Huh? You want to meet them? I thought you were a shy little Changeling." Sword smiled, caressing her cheek.

She shivered under his touch but stayed firm with a nod. "Well, I think it'd be better to just try and meet them, you know? I can't hide in the house forever, too. I'm going to go crazy!"

He sighed with a chuckle. "Okay, I'll call them and see if we can come over."

Night nodded and sat down on the counter, picking up the paper again. She rubbed her fingers over the paper, admiring its antiquity. It was yellowed and faded, but it was a treasure. Something from a long, long time ago; she had always admired antiques and old things, it was just her being Night Storm.

She could hear Sword Right talking on the phone, but didn't quite listen to what he was saying. She was focused on the paper. Her eyes glinted as she examined the paper with a smile. It was once white parchment, she presumed, that was frayed over the years of being in the chest. It was faded from time, but that was inevitable. The crinkles were amazing to her as well, signalling that Sword had kept it, however might not of believed what was written was true.

Night closed her ruby eyes, running her fingers over the paper once more, this time with surprise. She opened her eyes and looked at the paper again. She squinted, touching the wrinkles. There were more words on the paper that weren't able to be seen with the fading and crinkles.

Dearest Sword Right,

I understand you have a hard time getting along with mares, and you prefer working in the basement with metals, but I want you to know that there will be one peculiar mare that cannot be compared to the rest. How do I know this? I'm your father, boy, and I never lie! I promise you if you be yourself, you will find this mare and you will fall in love. Never give up, Sword. Keep searching until the end of time. And don't forget to get me some grand kids, ya hear? That mare might seem different at first, but I know she'll be the rarest gemstone in all of Equestria. Once you find her, keep her close and keep her safe. It's your job to protect her with your life and it's your responsibility to make her feel loved and feel like the most beautiful mare in the entire universe. She might seem peculiar at first, but over time, I'm sure you'll understand her. Just be sure to keep that mare happy, boy!

Your Father,
Virtuous Fire

True, the words were very faded, almost unreadable, but Night could make them out as she imagined the strokes of the pencil on the parchment, and the way the paper folded and indented prominently. She flattened the letter out and picked up a frame from the coffee table, an empty one of course, and slid it in. It wasn't exactly right, but it was good enough to read easily. She smiled and put in on the coffee table, hands on her hips with a smile.

"Hey, Night, they said we can go over right now, they're not doing anything. Did you... frame the paper?"

"I sure did! It's a beautiful letter and it makes me smile. Why not frame it?" Night tilted her head cutely.

He chuckled and began walking out the door, Night Storm in tow.

The two quickly made it to the white house, knocking on the door three times before waiting. Night Storm shifted on her hooves nervously, scared to be there even though it was her idea. Suddenly, the door opened and a light blue Unicorn mare stood in the doorway.

"Hello, Sword. Is this your mare friend?" She asked in a kind voice. "Terribly sorry, my name is Divine Stream, but you can call me Stream."

"Nice t-to meet you." Night Storm said, twirling her mane nervously. "M-My name is Night Storm."

A red stallion walked into view, a smile adorning his face. "Nice to meet you. My name's Virtuous Fire, but please call me Fire. This your mare friend, Sword?"

"Dad,"

"Sorry, sorry."

"My n-name i-is Night Storm. Nice t-to m-meet you."

The red Unicorn raised his brow at his son. "She's very shy, dad."

"That's fine, come on in!" Stream smiled, letting them in.

They all sat down in the living room, Stream bringing tea and a small kettle with her. Night drank the tea happily, Sword sipping it a few times with a smile.

"So when are we having grand kids?"

The two had to put their hands over their mouths to avoid spitting the tea out. They looked at each other and swallowed quickly before frowning.

"Ma! Dad!" Sword frowned, blushing. "You barely know her and you want us to have kids already?!"

"Sorry, too soon." Fire said, chuckling. "Tell us about you, Night Storm."

"Oh, w-well, I was born in Prance and I moved a lot, and I came back to Canterlot after meeting Sword Right on the train and we ran into each other and we kinda fell in love I guess, but I love him a lo, more than life itself, and then I was taken by-" Sword put his hand over her mouth to keep her from blabbing on.

"What was she saying?"

"I-It's nothing, dad, don't worry about it!"

"So she's the Changeling, huh?" Stream smiled, all eyes on her.

"M-Ma, h-how... wh-what... why?"

"Oh, don't be so surprised, boy! You know I'm fond of various species. I even heard from Princess Celestia about it, so shush! I don't care if she's a Changeling, I only care if she treats you right!"

Night Storm plopped down on the bed, sighing. "Remind me never to go to your parents ever."

"Remind me never to let you talk about it."

"Deal." They said, falling asleep on the comfy bed.