Happiness and Tears
RDcrystalheart
Chapter 17: No
"Dad... I need to talk to you," Soarin said quietly, entering the living room where Spectrum was standing. The older stallion instantly turned around with a bright smile.
"Sure, Soarin! C'mere," he said, beckoning him forward. "What do you want to talk about?"
Soarin gulped. "It's uh... it's about this whole marriage thing," he said. Spectrum's expression turned even happier. He patted his son on the back and nodded.
"Go ahead, I'm listening," he said. Soarin bit his lip, and looked away.
"You see... I'm... I'm not in love with Spitfire like you think I am," he said. Spectrum's smile faltered.
"What? But... I thought you said you were in love," he insisted. Soarin nodded.
"I am... but not with Spitfire," he said.
Spectrum's face darkened as he backed away from Soarin.
"Who is it?" he asked.
Soarin parted his lips slightly.
"Her name is... Rainbow Dash," he said in a voice just barely over a whisper.
The look on Spectrum's face was unreadable as his mind registered who the mare his son was so smitten for was. Rainbow Dash... the mare who had ruined his most prized trophy? The mare who had made such a fool of herself when she had come to 'apologize', and ended up breaking yet another trophy of his?
"The mare who... you yelled at me for?" Spectrum finally said, breaking the eerie silence in the room. Soarin's eyes widened as he remembered the instance. He gulped, and nodded.
Spectrum's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. Unfortunately, Soarin noticed.
"Soarin," Spectrum started. "What is your last name?"
Soarin broke eye contact with his father for just a minute. He knew where this was going.
"Skies..." he mumbled. Spectrum nodded.
"Skies. Soarin Skies," he said. "Soarin Skies... of the Wonderbolts. Soarin Skies, son of Spectrum Skies and Cloudy Quartz-Skies. Soarin Skies, first in command of squadron two. Soarin Skies, heir to the Wonderbolts. Soarin Skies... Skies. Soarin Skies..."
Soarin took a deep breath, letting his father continue.
"Soarin Skies... the pony who I thought truly understood me. The pony who I thought would remember what I was always so persistent about," Spectrum said. "Remind me, Soarin Skies, what was that?"
"Y-Y-Y-Your-r-r... Y-Your l-legac-cy-y..." Soarin was stammering by now.
"That's right, Soarin Skies. My legacy," Spectrum said in mock excitement. "The legacy I thought I could carry through for many generations to come."
"What are you saying, Father?" Soarin asked softly. Spectrum looked at him, his eyes narrowing.
"I didn't expect my son to turn against me like this... I didn't expect him to deny what was truly right for him."
Soarin's jaw dropped.
"I didn't expect my son to throw away every lesson I've ever given him."
Soarin's eyes widened.
"I didn't expect my son to betray me in such a horrendous manner."
"But... I don't have any control over my feelings!" Soarin said, his voice raising.
"I thought as much. Now tell me, where does Rainbow Dash live?" Spectrum asked.
"P-P-Ponyv-ville-e."
"That's right. Where do you live?"
"C-C-Cloud-dsdal-le."
"Correct. Who are Rainbow Dash's parents?"
"Two workers from the village."
"Mhm. Who are your parents?"
"The two captains of the Wonderbolts."
"Did you really think such a low-class girl could ever fit in to our family?" Spectrum suddenly bellowed. Soarin took a step back as his father begun yelling at him.
"Did you ever think of how underrated the Wonderbolts would be if you got together with such a mare?"
Soarin bit his lip hard, looking down at his hooves.
"Well? DID YOU?"
"N-N-No, Father..." Soarin said, his voice cracking.
"Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house!"
Soarin's head instantly snapped up, his vision becoming foggy. Tears began to bundle up in his eyes, as with Spectrum too.
Spectrum shook slightly, leaning back to sit on the large couch in the room. He closed his eyes, putting his face in his hooves.
Soarin breathed heavily, the stallion's words replaying in his mind.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
Sometimes I wonder why I even brought you into this house.
"D-D-D-Dad-d-d..." Soarin whispered, slowly making his way over to the older stallion. Spectrum looked away as his son knelt down at his hooves, putting his front legs together in a plea.
"Y-Y-You c-can... y-you can-n h-hate m-me, y-y-you c-can-n think-k o-of m-me b-bad-dly... b-but p-please... p-p-please n-never r-regret-t b-b-bringing m-me h-here," he continued, shutting his eyes closed tightly.
"Y-You'v-ve... you've g-given m-me s-so much... m-more th-than I d-deserve... b-but p-please n-never r-regret t-the d-d-decision t-that ch-changed m-my l-life."
Spectrum's gaze stayed hard, but he looked down at the crying boy. Memories of the day he brought him to the house flooded back to him all at once.
He sighed, placing a hoof on Soarin's head, closing his eyes slowly.
"Do you want to make me proud? Make me forget about this girl?" he asked. Soarin looked up at him quickly, stuttering out an apologetic 'yes'.
"If you want me to forget about her... you'll have to forget about her too."