Valen immediately knew that something was strange about today.
He first noticed something was off when he and Castus had returned from the Empire to Ponyville. He had came along this day to see Scootaloo and Tiara, given that he had not been able to for nearly two weeks due to his assignment to help a patrol scout the north border mountains. It would be good to see them and share his tales with them. Scootaloo especially loved it when he talked about his little adventures as she called him.
Normally he and Castus would walk through a Gateway Castus made, maybe chat a bit, and split up once they arrived. But today, Castus had not opened a Gateway to Ponyville, but instead to Canterlot; much to the shock and gasps of many a rich pony. Valen couldn't help but smirk.
But when Castus began purchasing flowers, a box of what ponies called chocolate and even making something called Reservations when they stopped at one of those places ponies went to eat food at, resteraunts if he was correct. All this told Valen that something important was happening today.
At first he figured it was something to do with the Lady Fluttershy. Valen knew that Castus dotted on his wife, he had even met her a few times and found her to be a kind soul, and he could see why Castus cared about her. So based on his original thoughts, he figured it was not worth asking about as he was sure it was a private matter.
But, after taking his leave from Castus when they did finally arrive at Ponyville, Valen noticed the ponies were also acting strange. Some stallions carried flowers with them, and he even spotted children carrying these big heart shaped cards. He saw stands offering gifts, flowers or cards and other things. And he kept seeing a word on some signs of advertisement.
Mother's Day Sale Today.
'Mother's Day?' Valen said to himself, looking at the word.
Was it some sort of holiday? Maybe the girls could tell him about it. Whatever the case or reason, he pulled a number of coins of the newly printed Imperial coinage, mostly some coopers and a few silvers, and purchased some flowers. He was still not sure how money worked, and something was telling him that even with this sale thing, he felt the pony was cheating him. Still, at least he would have something for the girls when he met them.
Since Scootaloo was the closest, he figured he would go to her first. Though even after these few years, going up to her house always made him tense. Memories of the pain he had caused Scootaloo's family rearing their ugly head.
Still, he took up his courage and knocked on the door and hoped Scootaloo answered.
Usually she did, but sometimes it was either her mother or aunt. When it was one of the others, it was always an awkward moment. If it was Scoot's aunt, she would usually give him a hard eyed look, before sighing and letting him in. Though never once did she seem to lose a tension in her body. Just as well, Valen never stopped feeling tense till he was safely with Scootaloo.
If it was her mother, Valen would see her give him a smile, yet in her eyes he could tell she was still mourning. And it only made him feel terrible. They never spoke to each other, except maybe a greeting. Again, he was glad when he finally saw Scootaloo.
"Hello? Valen!" Scootaloo said, answering the door to Valen's relief. She jumped him, giving him a hug and planting a kiss on his lips.
Valen flushed, but wrapped an arm around her and lifted her up, careful to hold tight to the flowers with his other arm, and causing her to make a noise in surprise, before returning the kiss.
"What brings you here? I thought you were patrolling the Everfree?" Scootaloo asked, that glint in her eye that told Valen she wanted to hear about whatever adventure he had.
"We finished somewhat early. We didn't get as far before we had some unusual encounters. So I decided to come visit you and Tiara. I brought these." Valen said, holding up the flowers.
"Oh these are perfect! I didn't know you knew about today." Scootaloo said, looking at the flowers with a smile.
Valen blinked, was today something special? He was sure that Scootaloo's birthday was last month, and Tiara's wasn't for another two weeks. So what was today?
"I know mom will love these. Come in, she and aunty should still be in the living room." Scootaloo said, practically dragging Valen in.
"Huh?" Valen said, confused. Before he could even ask, he found himself standing at the entrance to Scootaloo's home living room. Within he saw her aunt and mother sitting on a couch, pieces of colored paper stuffed neatly into a bag, and an assortment of gifts and some cards sat on the coffee table.
Scootaloo's aunt and mother looked up as he and Scootaloo entered. And Valen gulped, feeling that usual tension. But from the two older mares, he got looks of surprise.
"Hey, mom look. Valen brought you flowers for mothers day."
"He did?" Scootaloo's mother said, confused, and gave Valen an even more curious look.
"Why?" Scootaloo's aunt asked.
"Cause he is a cool and caring guy." Scootaloo said, nudging Valen in the side with her elbow.
Valen grunted, and looked at Scootaloo confused. His eyes darted among the gifts and saw a similar word of Happy Mother's day on them. Was this what it was about? Ponies giving gifts to mothers and to the mothers of their loved ones? Valen didn't know, the look Scootaloo gave him told him to act.
"Uh...yes. Uh, here." He said, uncertain and confused as he offered the flowers that had been for Scootaloo to her mother. Scoots mother took them and sniffed them.
"Oh, they are lovely." She said with a smile, "Thank you...Valen is it?"
"Uh, yes." Valen said with a nod.
"Well thank you, this was very thoughtful." Scoots mom said, setting the flowers down carefully.
"Didn't even know you humans had mother's day." Scoots aunt said.
"Uh, well," Valen started.
"you don't even know what it is do you?" Scoots aunt deadpanned.
Valen nodded.
Scoots aunt and mother looked at each other, before giggling and chuckling. Valen flushed, feeling embarrassed.
"Oh don't fret. This was still nice." Scoots mother said, reassuringly.
"But, uh what is Mother's day?" Valen asked.
"Its the day when ponies young and old give gifts and warm wishes to their mothers. You know for taking care of them and raising them. Or in the case of husbands and herd mates, to show appreciation to the mothers of their children." Scoots aunt answered.
Valen blinked, and thought on this. And a feeling of hurt, began filling his heart.
"Oh, really?" Valen asked.
"Yes. So now you can go home and give your own mother a gift. Might surprise her." Scoots aunt said.
"Aunty!" Scootaloo shouted, looking at Valen with worry.
"What?" Scoots aunt asked, before the look of remembrance came to her eyes and she planted a hoof over her mouth.
"Oh, dear," Scoots mom said to Valen, "She didn't mean..."
Valen bit his lip, and looked at the ground, fighting down a swirling twisting in his gut, "Its-its alright. Um, I think I should go...there is...it was nice meeting you all again. Um, Happy Mother's day."
Valen gave Scootaloo one last hug, before making his way out. He need to be on his own for a time and settle his stomach. But he knew that he couldn't just see Scootaloo and ignore Tiara. So, once he felt he had some control over his head again, he bought more flowers, though extras this time and a few other things; before heading over to Tiara's.
Standing before Tiara's mansion always had him feeling very small. And uncomfortable. Every time he visited he had a feeling that even the maids and butlers of the house looked at him like he was inferior; even if they would never voice such thoughts.
He knocked on the door, and like always was greeted by an old pony butler.
"Oh," The pony said, "Its you. Come to see the young lady Tiara again? Well she is away for this weekend with her mother on a trip to a spa in Canterlot."
Valen frowned, "Oh. Well, give her these to her and her mother both when they get back? And my wishes to her mother to enjoy her Mothers Day."
The butler pony looked at him oddly, taking the offered gifts, "Hmmm. Yes, I will try to remember."
Valen scowled, dug into his pockets and pulled out one of the few gold coins he had, flipping it to the butler, "Maybe you will remember better?"
The butler caught the coin, bit it, "Hmmm, yes I might. Good day." And with that, he shut the door in Valen's face.
Valen growled, but turned and headed back toward Castus and Fluttershy's home. He still had flowers and a few other items on his person. They weren't for Tiara or Scootaloo however. But he needed to return home to the capital before he could give them to their true recipient.
He found Castus and Fluttershy, along with their two bat pony daughters. Valen was still amazed by that, he had never seen a bat pony before and while they looked frightening, he had once had to look after little Moonlight once and had found the dear girls charm simply heart warming.
Castus seemed surprise by his rather short visits, but did not press when Valen asked to be sent home now. Walking through the Waygate, Valen soon found himself standing in the middle of the streets of the Capital of the Empire. The City of Val. He began walking down the streets, passing by people who paused to give him curious looks. Some asking why he was carrying so much. Valen didn't respond, focusing on getting to his destination.
Before long, he stood before the single most respected and cherished building in all of the City. The Hall of Ashes, the resting place of the Great Ash pearl, and where the dead were properly laid to rest. Since its construction, it had also become the place where many people now set their Ash Pearls, in the stone hand of statues specially carved in the likeness of the dead. The Great Ash Pearl was different, standing on an ornate alter at the end of a hall, where statues of those whose ashes formed the pearl stood in line on the way to the alter. To one of these statues, did Valen walk towards.
Finally reaching the statue, Valen stopped and looked at it, feeling again that twisting feeling in his stomach.
He stayed silent as he kneeled down, setting the flowers at the base of the statue in a vase he bought, filling it with water. He set a card down as well next to the flowers and then just sat there before it, looking up at the stone features of his mother. His hands clenched his knees as his body started to shake.
"Happy Mother's Day. Mom." He whispered, as tears began falling from his eyes.