Happiness and Tears
RDcrystalheart
Chapter 1: He's Our Son
Cloudy Quartz looked down upon the baby carriage with a small smile on her face. She and her husband, Spectrum Skies had just adopted a baby colt, and they were both beyond happy about it.
A pair of strong hooves suddenly wrapped around her waist, as she turned and gave the newcomer a big grin. Spectrum looked down at his wife with a smile of his own, letting go of her, and moving to the crib to look down at his son.
"Look at him, Cloudy. He's going to grow up into a fine young gentlecolt," he said softly. Cloudy hummed slightly, before nodding and coming closer to him.
"That he is, Spectrum," she said happily, picking up the sleeping baby-blue colt.
Cloudy's silvery pink mane brushed his small face, as the colt's emerald eyes opened wide to see his new cream colored mother. He let out a soft, cute giggle.
Spectrum smiled upon seeing the close encounter between mother and son. He walked up to them, and placed his chin on his wife's shoulder.
"He's adorable, and he likes you," he said. Cloudy chuckled, and placed her son into the dark blue stallion's hooves, and ruffled his light multicolored pastel mane happily.
"Don't worry, with a father like you, I'm sure you two will get along just fine," she said. Spectrum smiled, and nodded.
"He's going to make me a proud father," he said. Cloudy nodded.
"Of course he will, Spec. Why wouldn't he?" she asked. Spectrum sighed, and shrugged as he bounced the blue colt in his hooves as he heard his soft giggles.
"I don't know... I wouldn't want him to let me down. He's going to continue my legacy, you know that right? He's going to take over the Wonderbolts someday," Spectrum said. Cloudy's eyes widened.
"Really?" she asked in surprise. Spectrum nodded.
"Of course, there's not going to be anypony else who deserves that title more than him," he said. Cloudy gave her husband a slight smile, and nodded back to him.
"Our son..." she started. Spectrum let out an airy chuckle, as he bumped his forehead to her's.
"Soarin Skies."
"SOAAARINN!" a small cream colt with a shocking bright yellow and blue mane yelled to his older brother. Soarin Skies popped his head from around the corner of the wall, and gave him a big cheesy grin.
"Oh, Speedy. You ruin everything," he said, running a hoof through his blown back navy mane. Speedy blew cold breath up to prevent his shaggy hair from going into to his eyes, but failed miserably.
Speeder Skies spread his wings out and raced after his older brother. Soarin scoffed, simply taking off with a special move of his own, and flew faster in front of him.
"Oh forget it, Speedy. You're never going to be as fast as your's truly," he said in a teasing manner, looking back at his little brother.
"You might be like, twenty-three-"
"Twenty-two," Soarin quickly corrected. Speedy grumbled, and rolled his eyes.
"Yeah yeah, twenty-two years old. And I might be like, fifteen, but that doesn't mean you're faster than me!" he insisted. Soarin shrugged, before giving his brother a cheeky smile.
"Oh Speedy, you know I'll always be faster than you. Besides, Mom and Dad love me more than you!" he teased. Speedy scoffed, and shook his head, as the two continued their little race.
"No! No they don't! They love me more!" he said. Soarin chuckled.
"Keep on dreamin' boy. You know it's not true," he said, before doing a flip in the air and landing in front of his brother.
Speedy shot him a glare, before landing beside him.
"Boys! Where are you?" Cloudy Quartz yelled from the first floor of the mansion. Soarin and Speedy quickly popped their head over the balcony, and grinned.
"We're right here, Mom!" they shouted back. Cloudy quickly snapper her eyes up, and set them on the two colts. She smiled as she saw them playfully shoving one another.
"Oh there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Speedy, it's time for school. Soarin, Spitfire's here to see you," she explained. Soarin and Speedy both shrugged, before spreading their wings and flying down to their mother's level.
"Right, right. She said she would be coming today," Soarin said, before disappearing into the next room. Cloudy looked after her son, before turning to the younger of the two.
"Come on, young boy. Me and your father have to talk to you about something," she said, before pushing the colt into the family room, where Spectrum was waiting for them.
"There you two are! Speedy, come here," Spectrum said from the large couch with a slight frown. Speedy raised his eyebrow, but proceeded to sit on the small seat in front of the dark blue stallion.
"What is it, Dad?" he asked. Spectrum smiled.
"How would you feel about going away for a few years? Going to school away from here?" he asked. Speedy's eyes instantly widened, as he shook his head.
"No! No, why can't I keep going to school here, in Cloudsdale?" he asked. Spectrum just shook his head.
"Because you are my son, and my son must follow my legacy," he said simply. Speedy groaned.
"Gah... I remember Soarin telling me about this talk, the legacy talk. But he's your older son, right? Why can't he follow it? Why do I have to?" he asked. Spectrum quickly looked over to his wife, as both had the same thought.
Speedy was their real son. Their own, flesh and blood, while Soarin wasn't. They had told Soarin about being adopted on his eighth birthday, and he hadn't taken it well. Thankfully though, he had gotten over it in a few months.
Spectrum had already taught Soarin everything he could possibly teach, and now he had to do the same for his real son... it wouldn't feel right if he didn't.
"I went to that school... your brother went to that school... now it's time for you to do the same. Would you really want to risk letting me down?" Spectrum asked. Speedy looked down, and shook his head softly.
"But... But I'll miss you," he said, beginning to tear up. Spectrum tutted, before pulling him in for a strong hug.
"I'm going to miss you too, Speedy... but don't worry, you'll be back in just a few years!" he said. Speedy sniffed.
"How... How many years?" he asked. Spectrum backed away, and chuckles nervously.
"Um... Just... Ten..." he said softly.
"WHAT?!"
"There you are, you big goof! I've been looking everywhere for you!" a firey orange mare called out to a baby-blue stallion. Soarin snorted.
"Oh please, Spitty. Stop acting like some damsel in distress... I know you better than that," he said. Spitfire groaned.
"Yeah yeah... And don't call me Spitty! You know I don't like it," she said. Soarin shrugged.
"Whatever."
"Anyway, you wanna go for a fly and then catch some lunch later?" she asked hopefully. Soarin shrugged.
"Sure, why not?"
Soarin and Spitfire had been childhood best friends; both were on Soarin's father's ariel flight team, The Wonderbolts. The two had been through quite a lot together. Spitfire was Spectrum's favorite. She always had been. Spectrum loved her.
And even though they didn't know it, he expected Soarin to as well.
"Soarin, come in here for a second," Spectrum called out to the baby-blue stallion. Soarin trotted inside the large room, and sat across from his father.
"What is it, Dad?" he asked curiously. Spectrum beckoned him closer with a grave look. Soarin instantly knew something bad was happening, and he was all ears.
"Your grandmother... she's not getting better," Spectrum started. Soarin gasped.
"But the doctors said she would be okay by now!" he exclaimed. Spectrum sadly shook his head.
"My mother was a headstrong woman... I'm afraid she'll take things too far and end up doing something to herself," he said. Soarin put a hoof to his mouth, and shook his head.
"No, Dad. She'll get better, I promise," he said. Spectrum sighed.
"I sure hope so, Soarin. In the meantime, I need to ask you a favor in her consent," he said with a hopeful look. Soarin only nodded.
"Of course, Dad. Anything at all. You name it, I do it," he said.
"I need you to go and pick up a few supplies for her from Ponyville," Spectrum said. Soarin shrugged.
"Sure, I'd be happy to," he said, beginning to get up.
"Oh, one more thing," he said. Soarin stopped, and looked back.
"Yes?"
"I need you to take Speedy with you. And on your way, you need to talk to him about going abroad for school," Spectrum said. Soarin's eyes widened.
"It's that time already? He's going away?" he asked. Spectrum nodded.
"Yeah... he'll be leaving day after tomorrow if all goes as to planned," he said.
"You sprung it on him last minute, didn't you," Soarin asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Uh... maybe?"