//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 // Story: Five Score Divided by Four - A Mother and Daughter's Paths // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// If you haven't read the previous two chapters, 12 is here Chapter 14 ___________________________________________________________ “Alright, everypony, pay attention,” I say, walking in front of the ponies standing in a line before me. “You all need training, so I’m going to be the one giving it to you.” Yesterday, after Banana Muffin agreed that we could stay on the farm and asked if Honey and I would be willing to help train the pegasi, we’d gotten all our stuff out of the van and started settling in. Thankfully, since we were given more supplies than really needed, we gave a lot of them to Banana to pass out among the other ponies here. When we discussed about living quarters, we agreed it would be better for all of us to stay together, so we used some of what Velvet got us to make a tent large enough for us eight ponies and four humans. There’s even a little more room in case we went to add one more pony to our little group. Starlight did the spell and, wouldn’t you know it, Honey and I were on the mark. We were both pregnant and since Party was the only stallion either of us had been with, it was clear he is the father. She and I had a good laugh when he fainted at the confirmation that, yes, he is now going to be a father, and to two foals from different mares. Dinky was ecstatic to learn she was going to have a little brother or sister... though it did then make her sad as well, as she told me Sparkler wasn’t among any of the ponies in the camp and it remained her of her big sister. Due to that, as we set up, Dinky never left my side. Well, never left my back would be more accurate. With the fact Max was an orphan since he was a baby and him now being my biological daughter, I guess it’s causing some wires in her brain to cross and she just doesn’t want to be away from me. That and her sadness at being reminded of her big sister not being around. Not that I’m complaining. About her staying close that is. I feel sad knowing my other daughter is not here. Dinky may not remember much about our past lives as mother and daughter, hell, even with all the memories I’ve be able to recover I’m still a bit in the dark on it myself, but I do in part and I can’t ignore how happy I am to have her close to me again after twenty-five years. Another thing I could help noticing as we were setting up the larger than most others tent, Kelly was keeping her distance from me, for some reason a look of shame on her face. It hurts me that she’s doing that. I know something’s bothering her and, even though she was blushing as much as everyone else when I asked Starlight to perform the Pregnancy Check Spell on Honey and I, I know it’s not the idea that her former boyfriend-now marefriend being pregnant with another stallion’s foal. She’s been this way since back on Applejack and Big Mac’s farm. Actually, even a little before that, now that I think about it. However, I didn’t get a chance to be alone and talk with her at all. One because Dinky wouldn’t leave me alone and I was torn between wanting her to give me some private time with Kelly, whilst at the same time not wanting to let my little filly out of my sight, and two, because we were all kept busy finishing setting up, helping pass out the extra supplies we’d brought, as well as Kelly and Jenny helping with getting dinner for everypony ready. This morning I tried to find her to talk, but one of the guard ponies told me she’d taken the van into Dubbo to see about getting more supplies and when I asked Jenny about it, she told me it wasn’t anything I needed to worry about. As such, despite my anxiety to talk with my girlfriend about something that is clearly worrying her, I had to put my feelings aside and went an open space near the camp where Banana had told me to go. There I found all the pegasi from the camp. There’s only forty in total, not counting Honey and myself. And as for unicorns? Well, there’s even less of them, like half that, not counting my little Dinky. All the rest are Earth Ponies. Anyway, as I walk passed the line of pegasi, I hear a snort. My ears swivel in the direction of the cough and I turn to see it came from a rather bulky brownish-orange coated stallion with brown bangs over his eyes. I raise an eyebrow at him. “Something you want to say, Hoops?” He blinks, well, twitches as if he blinked, it’s hard to see through all that mane, before his mouth turns into a frown. “Why are we having to learn from you? From what I’ve heard, you’re a complete klutz. Plus, there’s no way I’m learning how to fly from a girl.” That's earns him a glare from the mares and even a few of the stallions. My eyes narrow and I step forward until I’m right in front of him. Despite him having a height advantage, meaning I’m looking up at him, his posture tells me he’s suddenly nervous. I snort. “In the show, yes. I am made out to be a bit of a klutz. And yes, I don’t have the best eye coordination for a Pegasus, but Honey and I can fly and I know how to do it? Can you?” His posture slumps a little. “That’s a “no”, then,” I say firmly, turning back and trotting to where I’d been earlier, then turning back around to look at the pegasi. I’ve only just know noticed that, save ten of them, they’re all stallions. I can’t help wondering why there are so many pegasi stallions here and so few mares. I take a deep breath, before looking at all the pegasi. “I am not going to sugar coat this, ponies. You are all pegasi and, from what Banana has told me, your flight skills are poor at best and pitiable at worst.” “Hey!” I look to the stallion who spoke up. For a second I think it’s Doctor Whooves, but then notice the coat is much lighter in colour, plus the backwards facing crescent moon Cutie Mark. Quickly sifting through my memories of background ponies, I remember his name. “Yes, Crescent Moon?” He frowns, though it’s more of an annoyed frown compared to the one I’m assuming Hoops had been wearing when he’d spoken up, judging by the buffer stallion’s tone at the time. “Listen, Miss Hooves. I don’t think it’s fair you talk to us like that. I mean, yes, we’re not all great fliers, but it’s not like we were born with wings.” “Actually, you were,” I cut him off, stomping a hoof. “We were all born as ponies. Discord sent us all to this world twenty-five years ago as newborn humans. However, we were originally born ponies.” “Well... okay, but... we’ve not had wings for those twenty-five years?” he tries to defend weakly. I sigh, shaking my head. “Was there anything else, or can I get back to trying to train you all?” He pouts, before shaking his head. “Well, yes, actually. Even if you’re not as clumsy as what some of us have heard about you from fans of the show say and you can actually fly, why are you the one training us? Wouldn’t it be better to have somepony else, like that other Pegasus mare who was with you when your group arrived, train us instead? Or even some of the ponies here. A few fans of the show have mentioned some of them were Wonderbolts.” I roll my eyes, before looking around firmly at them all. “Okay. Yes, I’m Derpy Hooves. Yes, I’m not as skilled a flier as say Rainbow Dash or Lightning Dust. And, yes, some of you were and technically still are Wonderbolts. However, can any of you really remember much about your time as pegasi? Especially the Wonderbolts?” They all remain silent, some even looking away. I nod. “I thought not. However, before I changed back I was a bush pilot when I was human. I know about flight, both in how to fly a plane and how to fly as a Pegasus. On top of that, if any of you watched the show, then you know I was one of the pegasi sent to try and stop Tirek when he was taking everypony's magic. Not Dash, me. Now, if I really were as klutzy as all that, do you think they'd have sent me to try and hold of Tirek, even if I was backed up by a whole lot of other, far more experienced fliers?” That actually causes several of the pegasi to look at me in surprise, though I’m not sure how I feel about that. “And, as for Honey Rays,” I continue, “she cannot teach you because she is currently helping the scouting, as she is the only able body Pegasus right now that can, since I'm the one teaching all of you.” “What was your name?” a rust-red mare with a grassy-green mane and tail and a white swirl for a Cutie Mark interrupts, stepping forward. “Human name,” she adds at my cocked eyebrow. “Not that it really matters at the moment,” I shrug, though I'm slightly annoyed at yet another interruption, “my name was Ben Smills and—” “Ben Smills?!” six of the pegasi, including the mare who’d asked call out, as if shocked. “Um, yes?” I say, unsure what’s going on here. Suddenly I’m at the bottom of a pony pile as all those who’d shouted my name in shock jump on me, talking all out once, making it impossible to understand what’s being said. It takes me a few moments before I can calm them all down. “What’s going on?” I demand once I’m free. The mare who’d asked my name grins. “It’s us, Ben. From the bass. We all were there when you left to join your girlfriend.” My eyes widen as I look at the seven ponies around me with wide eyes. “Seriously? You guys turned into ponies too?” They all nod, each stepping up to introduce themselves. “I was James Zigger,” the mare who’d asked my name says, pointing to herself. She giggles. “Now I go by Cinnamon Roll.” Another of the mares among the smaller group, a faded-purple coated mare with a purple mane styled to lift up at the front and a Cutie Mark of a sun and a white cloud and a grey cloud. I blink, remembering her from Tanks for the Memories. “Clear Skies, right here,” she says, then grins, shrugging. “Couldn't resist quoting myself. Was Bill Michaels, but, Clear Skies feels more me now.” A blue stallion with a mane of blue and purplish-blue mane and tail and two feathers and a star for a Cutie Mark nods. “Thomas Reads, but I’m Open Skies now.” A yellow stallion with a orange and cream coloured maned and tail, the former in bangs over his eyes, with a Cutie Mark of a cloud with rain grins. “James Johns. But ponies call me Rainy Day.” A stallion who looks just like Noteworthy, only as a Pegasus and with green eyes and a rolling wave for a Cutie Mark grins. “Maxwell Hampton. But I’m used to Wave Chill these days.” Another Pegasus mare winks at me. Her coat is like Soarin’s only a little more bluish, her mane and tail are rather fluffy a middle strip in her mane and tail a light yellow, whilst the rest is darker. Her Cutie Mark is a bright yellow sun. “Richard Wells, though I go by Sunny Skies since becoming a pony.” A black mare with a black and yellow mane and tail and a Cutie Mark of a dark cloud with a lightning bolt coming out waves meekly. “Samuel Smith. But everypony calls me Midnight Strike.” A purplish-pink stallion with a dark-grey mane and tail and a rainbow for a Cutie Mark grumbles but manages a small smile. “Hank Riland. But now I’m called...” he grumbles again, “Rainbow Swoop.” The last one, a stallion with a blueish-grey coat and blonde mane and tail with a stark with a contrail Cutie Mark nods. “Was Greg Kiles, but ever since I became a pony and came here I’ve been going by Stormfeather.” I suddenly remember myself and clear my throat. “Okay. It’s great to see you guys and I’m not sure whether to cheer or apologize for the fact you all became ponies too, and I really wanna catch up and learn what’s been going on with you all since I left and how you all got here, but we need to get back to the flying lessons.” They all blush, nodding and move back in line. I clear my throat again and look out at the assembled pegasi. “Right. Now, since I was a bush pilot as a human, which several of you know, since you knew me back then, I know enough about flying that it wasn’t too hard to figure out how to fly as a Pegasus.” I glance at my fellow bush pilots. “Though how you guys haven’t figured it out confuses me.” They all blush deeper and give sheepish smiles to this, to which I smirk before returning to what I was saying. “Now, flying isn’t just about flapping your wings to get lift. We’re not like the pegasi of Earth's myth and legend, nor are with like birds or other winged creatures, be they from Earth or Equestria. We’re Pegasus ponies and that means we have Pegasus Magic. This is how we’re able to fly even though our wings wouldn’t suggest being big enough to lift us.” I look out to them all. “I’m going to be helping you to connect with that magic and learn to fly, not just because you can, but because you’re meant to. There are very few pegasi born who are not meant to fly. But, I’m also teaching you because, until the Australian government accepts the fact that we are Australians and have a right to live here, we’ll need to be on watch in case the government tries anything sneaky to get us to leave. “That’s where we pegasi come in. For now, the Earth Ponies are doing their best to keep an eye out for any not friendlies. However, we pegasi can get a much better view from the air, plus our eyesight is better than any of the ponies races aside from the Thestrals and the princesses themselves, so we are a major asset for keeping an eye out around the camp. “So, is everypony ready to learn how to fly?” “Yeah!” my fellow bush pilots cheers. The other pegasi murmur. I frown, stomping a hoof. “I said, , is everypony ready to learn how to fly?!” “Ye-yes!” the remaining ones stammer, taken aback by my firmness. I nod. “Good. Now, first you’re all going to try getting in touch with your inner Pegasus Magic. After that, we’ll see just how well you can lift yourselves off the ground. I’m not expecting you to do a rainboom on your first try. Let’s just see what you’ve got.” A dark brown stallion with a blonde mane and tail and a backwards dollar sign for a Cutie Mark I recognize as Big Shot, one of the Paparazzi ponies from throughout the show snorts. “And what if we don’t want to do so?” He actually has the nerve to smirk. I just scowl. “Anypony who refuses to follow the lesson plan, one Banana Muffin herself had me sit down and figure out last night and agreed you all need to follow, will be doing twenty wing-ups.” “What?!” his eyes, as well as several other pegasi, including Hoops’, go wide. I nod, snorting. “Don’t think that just because I’m Derpy it means I’m a pushover. I was trained as a pilot. Now, twenty wing-ups, Big Shot.” “Hey, wait a minute—” he begins. “Twenty wing-ups,” I repeated firmly. “Now!” I glare at him until he gets down and, though struggles immensely, starts to slowly do the wing-ups. “Anyone else want to join Big Shot?” I ask, looking around. Everypony shakes their heads. I nod. “Good. Now, let’s get to work on you all finding your link to your magic.” ___________________________________________________________ “Not the best of starts, huh?” Honey asks as I join her and the others at the bench we’re eating dinner at. Banana’s got a lot of this organized well. Behind the barn is a large space which has been filled with wooden tables and benches for ponies (and in the case of our group) and people to sit at. Dinner isn’t anything too special. It’s mostly just a pasta meal with a vegetarian sauce. There is bacon and chicken for the pegasi, ours being a separate sauce from everypony else’s, since only Pegasus ponies can eat things like bacon and chicken. I shake my head as Dinky hops up next to me and presses herself against my side. I smile down at her and fold a wing over her, which just makes her snuggle more. Looking back to Honey, I shake my head again. “I guess for first timers, it’s pretty good. The ponies who were Wonderbolts, few as they are among our pegasi, got it pretty quick, a fair few took a really long time just to find their Pegasus Magic.” I give a small smirk. “That includes Hoops.” Honey smirks back. “Isn’t that one of the ponies who bullied Dash in Sonic Rainboom.” I nod, then let my face soften. “Though, petty feelings for how he treated Dash and Shy in the show aside, he was one of the ponies that struggled the most. Oddly enough, if was the stallions who had the most trouble connecting.” That just makes Honey’s smirk deepen. “Guess mares are just better at being in touch with themselves than stallions.” We both have a giggle at that, even Dinky finds it funny. I briefly have to remind myself that, though she’s just a filly, she is over twenty-five years old and was my best friend back when I was human, so she’d understand that joke easy. I sigh. “I did enjoy talking with the other ponies who were bush pilots with me, though. It was interesting, hearing their tales of how they changed. Basically all started at once and, when they noticed how other ponies were being treated, took a flight out and accidentally crashed several hundred miles from here.” I chuckle. “When they stumbled onto the camp, they were more than glad.” Our conversation about my trainee's is cut short, however, when I notice Kelly with a plate of pasta. But, instead of coming over, she walks off towards the barn, going through one of the doors. Frowning, I lift my wing from around Dinky, who looks up at me with confusion. “Dinky, stay with Honey, I’ll be back in a bit. I need to go speak with Kelly about something important.” I turn to Honey. “You don’t mind watching her for a few minutes, do you?” She shakes her head. “You need to sort whatever’s wrong with Kelly out soon. I’ll keep an eye of the little rugrat.” “Hey!” Dinky pouts, folding her forelegs. Giggle a little, I nuzzle her, then head off towards the barn, taking my plate with me. We’ll probably eat and talk, so it’s wise to take it with me instead of us ending up sharing hers and her getting less because of my carelessness. When I get to the barn, I peek into the window and see Kelly sitting at the kitchen table, pushing a fork in and out of her food. Carefully, I use my mouth to slowly open the door (thankfully I don't end up tasting anything unpleasant, guess Banana took that into account) and walk in. I make no noise as I trot up to Kelly, set my plate on the table, then sit in the seat next to her. We sit in silence for a few moments, before I sigh and look to her. “Kelly, what’s wrong? Something’s been bothering you for a long while now. I don’t know what it is, but I know you’ve spoken to Jenny about it.” She winces, but doesn’t meet my eyes. “You’re... you’re already having a foal with Party, not to mention you’ve already got Dinky so... so I...” I frown, more in confusion than annoyance at the deterrent answer, but annoyed none the less. “Honey, what do you mean already? What’s all this cryptic talk...?” I trail off, noticing something I hadn’t before. There are alfalfa cubes set next to her meal, which also happens to be the one that the pegasi can have because it has chicken and bacon. I look to her with a quirked eyebrow. “Kelly, why do you have alfalfa?” She makes a noise that almost sounds like an “eep”, but maybe I imagined it. She picks up a few of the cubes with her fingers and crushes them, before mixing it into the food. “I’ve... been having a craving for it,” she says in a barely audible whisper. In fact, without my ponies ears, I know I wouldn’t have heard it. However, upon hearing it, I’m struck with simple confusion. “A craving? Kelly, humans aren’t meant to eat alfalfa. That can't digest it! That’s for... well, not humans.” I almost slipped and said it’s for animals. Not sure calling myself, and by proxy, the rest of my pony kind animals would be a good thing. She sniffles, starting to shake. “Would... if you’d never become a pony... would you have, maybe wanted... wanted to someday... have... kids...?” I blink, before giving a warm smile. “Kels,” I say, using the nickname I do when I need to calm her down, “I’m already a mother. Even if Party hadn’t left me a favour, I’d still be a mother. Dinky’s my daughter. I can’t ignore that.” This does not get me the reaction I expected. Kelly bursts into tears and starts sobbing, leaning forward onto the table and burying her head in her arms. At once I lean forward, putting my forelegs on her. “Kelly?! Kelly, what’s wrong? Please, Kelly, tell me! What’s wrong? Is something happening? Kelly, please tell me?!” “I’m pregnant!” There’s silence in the room after that declaration, well, aside from her sobbing. After a few moments, I lean down further and nuzzle her cheek. “Are you sure?” She nods, sniffling. “It started shortly after your change began. I didn’t understand the alfalfa craving until we actually had some and I could eat it.” “I thought I saw you eating it at times,” I murmur, now understanding I wasn’t just seeing things. Then I look to her with confusion. “Kelly, why did you try and hide this? Why does it make you sad that we’re having a baby?” “Because you’re a pony now,” she sobs, looking to me. “You won’t want to stay with me and care for my human baby, not when you’ve got a foal on the way and a filly to already look after.” She puts her head back in her arms and resumes sobbing. I sit for several moments, processing what she’s said, before a shake my head, pain on my face, as well as my heart. I maneuver myself until I’m in a good enough position and then hug her and tightly as I can. “Why would you ever think I’d not want to stay with you now that I know you’re having my baby? Kelly, I already told you back when we were leaving Applejack and Big Mac’s farm to say goodbye to those heading through the portal: I don’t care if I’m a pony and you’re a human. I love you and that will never change. I squirm a bit so I’m looking into her eyes. “And now you tell me we’re having a baby? Why would I leave you for that? Kelly, you’re a part of my life, my... my herd, I guess. If you’re having my baby, it means Dinky isn’t just getting one little brother or sister. She’s getting two. Why would I not want to help you raise it for something wonderful like that?” She looks down at me, tears trailing down her bloodshot eyes. “You... you mean it?” I nod, giving her a soft, yet firm expression. “I know I messed up with having sex with Party during heat and now I’m pregnant with his foal, which I guess means he’d be part of the family. And I know I was in a herd-realationship with Carrot and Script back in Equestria and I honestly think it should remain that way, for Dinky’s sake, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be together.” She sniffles, before giving a small smile. “So, you want me to join the herd? Even now you’re still pushing me to join the fandom?” I blink, temporarily confused, before I realize her words and find myself laughing, her joining in, albeit weakly. “I... oh, I walked right into that one,” I snicker, trying to get control of myself. She winks. “Don’t you mean trotted?” We both have a good laugh, before settling down and just holding each other. We remain that way for several minutes, before something she said earlier catches my attention and I frown, looking up at her, confused. “Wait. You’ve been craving a food we ponies eat since getting pregnant?” She opens her eyes and nods. I cock my head. "But, Sky, you're not a pony. You can't eat pony food and have it sit well with you. Why would the baby crave pony food?" She looks at me in confusion. "Sky?" I blink. "Huh?" She frowns. "You called me Sky. Why?" I roll my eyes, grinning. "Please tell me you weren't a zebra who was cursed. I don't know if I can handle a girlfriend who speaks in rhyme." It's her turn to blink, before we both burst out laughing. However, our jovial uproar is interrupted by the door suddenly opening and a purplish-grey blur flying through the door, leaping up at me and clinging to me. “Sorry... Derpy... Sky...” comes an exhausted voice from the door. Looking over, Kelly and I see Honey looking rather worn out. “She... she slipped away and... and I had to chase her and...” From outside, I can hear the faint sound of humorous laughter dying down and find myself having to stop myself from snorting with laughter as I think about how that must have been a fun bit of entertainment the two provided. Instead, I just bring Dinky closer, so that she’s nestled between Kelly and I and we remain that way for a few minutes. Once we’ve had enough hugging, and our stomachs decide to remind us that we have yet to eat, two of us needing to eat for two respectively, we all head back outside and move towards our table. Everypony is watching Dinky and smiling, several wave and say hello or compliment her on the show. She, of course, calls hello and thank yous back as she skips between my legs. We get to our table, sit down and start eating. When dinner’s over, we help like everypony else with the cleaning wherever we can and, when done, head for our tent. We’re going to get Starlight cast the Pregnacy Test Spell on Kelly. She’s told me she’s already pregnant, but that spell is designed strictly for ponies. If Kelly is craving a food we ponies would eat but normally humans do not, it could mean something happened to the baby during insemination. What, I have no bloody clue. However, since Starlight is the most magical of the unicorns here, and very magical in general maybe she can figure out just what is going on? Why would the baby crave pony food? It doesn’t make sense. Why would a human baby want to eat pony food? We won’t be finding out tonight though, as, when we reached the tent, it’s to find Starlight already passed out, fast asleep, nestled between Sugar Belle and Script. “She had a busy day,” Party says, walking in and nodding to Starlight. “Along with being the resident magic teacher here, she also still has her police duties in town.” I sigh, looking to Kelly. “We’ll have to wait til tomorrow to find out what’s going on with the baby and hopefully figure this out.” Kelly nods, then, with Dinky following, moves over to an empty spot, Dinky curling up next to her as Kelly lays down. Party looks to me with worry. “What’s wrong with the foal?” Honey just smirks. “Oh, it’s not yours and Derpy’s kid she’s talking about.” He blinks, confused. “Then... who? Derpy can’t get pregnant again when she’s still pregnant.” I nod to Kelly. He looks to her as she moves a hand to gently stoke Dinky’s mane, which makes the little unicorn coo softly, then looks back to me. “Huh?” Honey rolls her eyes. “Derpy was Sky’s boyfriend before the change. Do the math, Einstein.” He frowns, turning to Honey. "Who the heck is Sky?" Honey blinks, confused. "Huh?" Party shakes his head. "You said Derpy was someone named Sky's boyfriend before she changed." Honey glares. "I did not. I said Derpy was her," she points to Kelly, "boyfriend before the change." "Then why did you call her...?" I blink, then turn to Kelly, realizing something. She said I'd called her Sky and now apparently Honey had too? "Kelly, lower your jeans so we can see your hip!" She blinks, frowning. "Huh?" I shake my head. "Just do it! I think something's going on here!" Looking confused, Kelly gets up and lowers her jeans down a bit. We all gasp, which causes her to look down and gasp too. On her thigh is a kite with purple outer-lining. The inside is turquoise, however within that is a purple triangle with a small love heart at the top. The kite ends with a tail that has a ribbon tied in a bow and the tail itself curling at the end. We all just stare, wide-eyed at Kelly's Cutie Mark. "You're..." I say, my eyes looking from Kelly to the mark. She has a look of pure joy in her eyes as she barrels into me, pulling me into a tight hug. "Yeah!" Dinky cheers, squeezing between us, nuzzling each of our cheeks in tandum. "Mommy's girlfriend's gonna be a pony too!" "But, when? How?" Honey looks to the other ponies, who all shake their heads. After several minutes, Party blinks, before frowning. "Wait. What was this about a baby and Derpy being Kelly's boyfriend before the change again?" I just giggle and rub my belly, then nod to Kelly and place my hoof against her stomach. Her looks back and forth again a few times, before his eyes go wide. “No way.” I nod, then do probably the worst Big Mac impression a mare with a New York accent with a bit of an Aussie accent can. “Eeyep.” He looks back and forth several times, his eyes wide. “But how?” I shake my head. “That’s what we’re going to try and find out tomorrow, when Starlight casts the testing spell on her.” His confusion is fused with a frown. “But, isn’t that spell just for ponies?” I frown. "Yeah, and we've just found out Kelly's turning into a pony, so it will work on her. Though, since she became pregnant, Kelly has been craving alfalfa. Yes, I know, it doesn’t make sense when she wasn't changing... though i guess that means we need to figure out why her mark appeared now,” I can see the question in his eyes, “and that’s why I’m going to ask Starlight to cast the spell. And maybe an age testing spell too or something. I’ve a very small hunch, but, maybe some of my magic from my change went in when I could still get her pregnant and it’s messing with the baby somehow.” Moving further into the tent, I settle down, putting Dinky between myself and Kelly. At once Dinky snuggles up to me and Kelly and I share a small laugh. Honey comes and lays down next to me on my other side and I extend a wing over her, pulling her close. With that done, we all settle down and Jenny turns out the lamp. She and the kids sleep a little apart from us, but I can understand, I guess. Lights out, we all close our eyes and soon I fall asleep, surrounded by those I know I can trust, to dream about playing with my two children when they’re born.