//------------------------------// // Old Wounds // Story: Summer Love // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Another month had passed since Winter had visited the Crystal Empire. She had received a letter from Anthem, revealing that he finally had some free time, and would be coming down to Mihaymi to visit her. Winter was currently racing around her home, making sure everything was neat and tidy. "What is wrong with this picture?" Crashing remarked. "Normally, I have to tell you two or three times just to get you to clean your room." "This place needs to be spick and span." Winter smiled. "And why is that?" Crashing asked. "Because Anthem's coming down here in a couple of days!" Winter cheered. "Oh." Crashing frowned. "Of course." "Don't get too excited, mom." Winter snarked. "And how long will your coltfriend be staying?" Crashing asked. "Just a day or so." Winter admitted. "It's all he could manage right now, with that busy schedule of his. You know how it is." "'Busy'?" Crashing snorted. "Busy doing what? Sitting on a throne all day? Eating a banquet? Getting his hooves polished?" "Not cool, mom." Winter pouted. "Be nice. He's my coltfriend, after all." "Like I could ever forget." Crashing sighed. "However, as long as you're cleaning up, could you do me a favor and wash the sofa cushions?" "Huh, can't believe I forgot about those." Winter realized. "I'll get right on it." "Well, at least one good thing came out of my daughter dating a prince." Crashing muttered as she walked away. Meanwhile, back in the Crystal Empire, Anthem was already packing for his trip. "Let's see..." He looked over his belongings, wanting to travel light. "Toothbrush, definitely. Breath spray, obviously..." "Anthem!" Cadance's voice rang out. "Just a sec!" Anthem called, putting aside his prospective luggage. Anthem raced down into the study. Cadance was over two months pregnant, and it was starting to show. "What's up, mom?" Anthem asked. "Could you run down to Shiny Cent's grocery stand?" Cadance asked. "I have a sudden craving for chocolate-covered leeks." "Um... okay, mom." Anthem nodded. He gagged as he left the room. "Chocolate-covered leeks? Yuck!" Shining passed by Anthem as he left. "Sending Ant on another supply run?" Shining smiled knowingly. "Can't help it." Cadance shrugged. "I'm starving for some chocolate-covered leeks!" "You know, it's been so long since the last time you were pregnant, I forgot all about those weird cravings of yours." Shining mused. "What was it last time, honey-dipped sprouts?" "With chili." Cadance smiled. "Yummy..." Shining cringed. Anthem returned soon after, with some leeks, and a jar of chocolate. "Here you go." He handed them to Cadance. "At last!" Cadance beamed. She unscrewed the lid of the jar, dipped a leek in it, then ate the now chocolate-covered vegetable. "Mmmm..." "No offense mom, but I don't get how you can eat that stuff." Anthem grimaced. "Leeks are okay by themselves, but with chocolate?! Ew!" "He's got a point, dear." Shining agreed. "What are you saying?" Cadance suddenly got angry. "That I have no palate? That my tastebuds are all wrong? Why are you both so against me?!" Anthem took a step back, surprised by his mother's outburst. "Mood swings." Shining told him. "I can't help it!" Cadance started tearing up. "I am pregnant, you know!" "Easy, honey." Shining walked over to her. "We didn't mean anything by it." "I know." Cadance sniffed, embracing Shining. "I love you so much." "I love you too." Shining smiled. "Come on, Anthem." Cadance grinned. "Get in here." A touch perturbed by Cadance's sudden shift in moods, Anthem joined the hug. "Ah, my boys." Cadance sighed. "What would I do without you?" After holding them for a while, Cadance suddenly released them. "Ooh, you know what would go great with these chocolate leeks?" She smiled. "Whipped cream! With a cherry on top!" She raced out of the room. "Was that what you had to deal with when mom was pregnant with me?" Anthem asked his father. "Pretty much." Shining shrugged. "Believe it or not, you get used to it pretty quick. You'd better hope Winter doesn't wind up like that someday." "Dad..." Anthem blushed. "We've only just started dating! Let's not bring... that… up just yet!" "Sorry, kiddo." Shining chuckled. "I heard how Big Red got when Mist had that out-of-wetlock pregnancy and almost murdered that Blue Blazes kid. I would hate to imagine what Winter's mom would do to you if something like that happened." "I'd rather not think about it." Anthem shuddered. "Of course you wouldn't." Shining nodded. "That Crashing isn't the friendliest pony around, even at the best of times." "Tell me about." Anthem sighed. "But she's Winter's mom, so I have to at least try to be nice to her. Even if she won't return the favor..." Not long after the sun rose over Mihaymi the next day, Winter continued her one-pony cleaning crusade. "My, what a little cleaning dynamo our daughter is." Summer remarked. "Perhaps that prince of hers should visit more often!" "Hmph." Crashing huffed. She was a little cranky, having been kept up by Winter rushing about her room, trying to make sure everything was just right (Summer was a hard sleeper, so he didn't have that problem). "Okay, almost done." Winter smiled. "As much as I'm enjoying a clean house, I honestly don't why you're bothering." Crashing declared. "No matter how clean this house is, it won't be good enough for your perfect little prince." "Oh, really?" Winter stopped what she was doing. "What makes you say that?" "His kind are raised in castles." Crashing sneered. "As far as they're concerned, places like this are hovels, not fit to house rats." "Not Anthem." Winter protested. "He hides it better than the rest, I'll admit." Crashing frowned. "But deep down, he's just like them; Stuck-up, privileged snobs, who look down on working class ponies." "That's a little harsh, don't you think, dear?" Summer spoke up. "It's the truth!" Crashing glared at her husband. "It's something I've learned firsthoof." "And how exactly did you learn that, anyway?" Winter asked. "What happened to make you hate royalty so much?" "You really want to know?" Crashing sighed. "Then I'll tell you: It was about thirty years ago. There was word around the town that one of the royals from Canterlot, a 'Lord Nobleblood', would be visiting our town. I was in the park that day when he came passing by…" In her mind's eye, Crashing saw her twelve year old self playing around, enjoying a lovely summer's day, when a pony caught her eye. It was a tall white stallion, with a gray mane and goatee, both groomed to perfection, with green eyes and a golden crown cutie mark. "I was so excited. I had never met royalty before and since he was right there, I thought I could talk to him..." The young Crashing rushed over to Nobleblood. "Excuse me, your highness?" She asked. "Yes, little filly." Nobleblood said haughtily. "What is it?" "I'd just like to say what an honor it is for me to meet you." Crashing squeed. "And that you've chosen to visit our little town. It's so exciting!" "Yes, I suppose it is." Nobleblood smirked. "You commoner ponies live such pointless, humdrum lives. Having somepony of my stature walk by would no doubt bring some value to your dreary little existence." "Um... sure." Crashing nodded, confused. "So, may I ask what brought you down here?" "It's rather silly." Nobleblood shook his head. "My naïve cousin Celestia was so insistent that I come down here to talk trades with the mayor. Said she was too busy with other matters at the time. I just don't know what goes on in that old mare's head sometimes." "She... probably means well." Crashing muttered, before lighting up. "Hey, could I possibly have your autograph?" "Autograph?" Nobleblood looked at her incredulously, "Who do you think I am, some airheaded celebrity?" "Please?" Crashing begged. "I don't do autographs, little filly." Nobleblood made to walk away. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." "Wait, please!" Crashing rushed after him. "Just one little autograph?" Crashing slipped on some mud, and crashed into Nobleblood, knocking him in a mud puddle. "Gah!" Nobleblood cried. "Sorry!" She apologized. "Sorry?" Nobleblood growled, covered head to hoof in mud. "Sorry?! Look what you've done! My perfect coat, my flawless mane, ruined!" "I-I'm sorry..." Crashing stuttered. "I didn't mean... I was just-" "Oh, me, me, me!" Nobleblood roared. "All you commoners think about is yourselves. Well, what about my needs? I'm going to have to book an emergency session at the spa to clean up this mess!" "I'm sorry..." Crashing repeated, tears stinging her eyes. "Oh, you're sorry?" Nobleblood glared at her. "Well, sorry doesn't fix the damage you've caused. Blasted commoners, you're all the same; Too wrapped up in your pointless, mediocre lives to consider the needs of better, more sophisticated ponies! What business did you have even speaking to me?" "I..." Crashing sniffed. "Have you no idea who I am?!" Nobleblood snarled, "I am Lord Nobleblood Crest the Third, one of Equestria's most influential leaders under the princesses themselves! And you had the gaul to sully my magnificence with your small town filth? Do you have any idea what I could do to you, you little gutter rat? I could have your rat-infested hovel torn down, forcing you and your ne'er-do-well family out onto the streets of this sordid little burg! I could have your father fired from whatever dead-end job he's in, and make sure he never works in this town again. Or better yet, I could just tear the whole place down, and have it replaced by a golf course! I'd be doing Equestria a favour in the long run: No grotty little city and it's serf inhabitants fouling up the countryside!" "I... I just..." Crashing stuttered, too scared to go any further. "Why are you still here?!" Nobleblood demanded. "Why don't you go and crawl back into the hole you come from before I make good on these threats!" Crashing ran away, crying her eyes out. Nobleblood turned and left, still griping about his muddy form. "Filthy Earth Ponies…" Nobleblood growled, rubbing off more mud, "I pray to Faust that my son doesn't consort himself with these mud crawlers…" "And that's why I hate them so much." Crashing finished. "One simple mistake, and that Nobleblood cad savagely tore into me. I was just a filly, and he made me feel like nothing." She sighed, "And I fear that when it comes down to it, Anthem will be the very same…" "Mom, that was horrible..." Winter admitted. "But still, it was just one pony. Didn't you ever meet any other royals?" "Not until the Crystals showed up, no." Crashing shrugged. "What of it?" "Don't you see?" Winter urged. "You've let one bad experience sour your views on royals as a whole." "I have not." Crashing countered. "That encounter simply opened my eyes on what they really are." "Did it, mom?" Winter asked. "Or did it just make you bitter and prejudiced?" "Excuse me?!" Crashing gasped, "If anyone was the prejudiced one, it was that royal piece of s-" "Now, dear, Winter has a point." Summer chimed in. "One bad apple doesn't ruin the whole bunch, you know." "We're not talking about apples." Crashing growled. "I know this Lord Nobleblood guy was a jerk, but the others can't all be like him." Winter declared. "Did you see Anthem and his parents ever act that way, even once?" "Well, no…" Crashing admitted. "But-" "But nothing." Winter shot back. "All these years, your hatred for royals is because you got your feelings hurt as a little filly by one. You've got to let that go, and move on." "Well, I..." Crashing muttered. "Please, mom?" Winter begged. "Give Anthem a chance. A real chance. For me?" Crashing looked at Summer, who nodded in approval. "I suppose I can try." She sighed. "For you, Winter." "Thanks, mom." Winter hugged her. The next day, Anthem arrived outside the house. He knocked on the door, and Winter answered. "Hi. Winter smiled. "Hi." Anthem grinned, as he kissed her. "Are your parents home? I brought you all gifts." "Oh, you shouldn't have." Winter smiled. "But I did." Anthem chuckled. He fished in his suitcase and brought out an object wrapped in paper and bubblewrap. Winter opened it to find a crystal rose inside. "Whoa, Ant..." She smiled. "It's beautiful." "Just like you." Anthem nodded. As they entered the living room, Winter showed off her gift. "Look what Anthem got me!" She smiled. "How lovely!" Summer smiled. "Isn't it, dear?" "I suppose." Crashing shrugged. "And this is for you, sir." Anthem dipped back into his suitcase, bringing out a Crystal Empire snowglobe. "Winter told me you collect these?" "Indeed, I do." Summer took the globe. "I don't have one like this in my collection, though. Thank you, my boy." "No problem." Anthem nodded. "And I got something for you too, Mrs. Waves." "Oh, really?" Crashing raised her eyebrow. "Another fancy bauble, I suppose?" "Not quite." Anthem shook his head. He took out a piece of paper, and gave it to Crashing. "Sapphire Shores." She read. "Wait, the Sapphire Shores?! This is her autograph?" "Winter told me you were a fan." Anthem declared. "Sapphire visited the Empire a couple of weeks ago, and I figured her autograph would make quite a gift for you." "I don't know what to say." Crashing smiled, genuinely touched. "Thank you." "You're welcome." Anthem nodded. "It's the least I can do in exchange for you letting me stay here. "I'll, er... get lunch started, shall I?" Crashing said awkwardly. As she entered the kitchen, Crashing found herself thinking 'Perhaps this royal isn't so bad after all...'