Sparké

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 18: Perfectly Aged

Peter and Twilight ran through the Canterlot hallways, giggling in merriment as they chased and weaved around each other. Turning each corner, they cared little for whoever would be rounding the bend on the other side, resulting in several near-misses with an unfortunate guard that would be forced to leap back and away to avoid the two children from hitting them. In their excitement, they didn’t notice as Princess Celestia walked down the middle of another hallway, Peter and Twilight set to crash right into her.

Celestia let out a mild smile as she charged her horn, producing a thin wall of magic aura about three feet from where she stood. Seeing the bright obstacle appear directly in front of them, though knowing exactly what it was, Peter and Twilight squealed as they dove at the wall, which caught them safe and sound like a soft net. Peter and Celestia’s mad laughter didn’t stop as Celestia’s magic straightened itself back out and slid the two out and back to their feet and hooves.

“It’s good to see you two having fun,” Celestia said warmly, “though my guards would probably wish that you be more careful. Wouldn’t want to hurt each other now.”

“Sorry, Princess Celestia,” Twilight panted, winded from her rush, “but yes, Peter and I are having lots of fun!”

Celestia blew a visibly nervous breath, something that lowered the joy Peter and Celestia felt almost immediately.

“Peter, Twilight, could you please follow me?” she asked, turning back around from where she came.

“Uh, sure, Celestia,” Peter responded, his feet moving to follow her. “Where are we going?”

“There’s something that I wish to show you, Peter.”

“Show Peter?” Twilight wondered, her concern billowing. “Why am I needed then?”

“I would prefer that you be with him for this. It is very important.”

Peter and Twilight could only look at each other. While the somberness of Celestia’s request was troubling in and of itself, if it was important as she claimed it was, then they had little other choice than to follow her. Finally, Celestia turned to enter a chamber, a soft blue light shining through the crack of the slightly ajar door. Pulling it open, she kept it open for Peter and Twilight to walk through with her.

As Celestia stepped aside to the left to unveil what she wished to show them, Twilight looked upon the light’s source with amazement and intrigue, while Peter’s face reflected an almost mournful realization. Spinning suspended in between the ceiling and floor in the center of the room was a magically-projected image of a blue planet with several landmasses that Peter stared at as they rotated around. Upon spotting the continents of North and South America coming in from the left, Peter gazed onto the face of the planet as he recognized what it was, walking to follow it before letting it spin by.

“Peter,” Celestia cooed softly, but sympathetically, “is this the planet where you come from?”

Twilight let out a small gasp upon the uttering of this question, Peter backing away to join her side as he got a fuller view of the planet he did indeed once call home.

“I…” Peter could only whisper, looking back between Twilight and Celestia. “How did you…”

“It wasn’t easy,” the princess answered, pacing her way toward him, “but when we first met upon your arrival on our world, I assured you that I would look for it, and I never stopped until I would. Of the planets I was able to find, this one appeared the most similar to our own; green lands, blue oceans, all the signs that one could possibly live and thrive on it.”

As the home where his land was came around once again, Peter’s breathing began to deepen, overwhelmed with a flurry of emotions that informed him of so much instantaneously.

“So…” Twilight awkwardly butted in, “which land is yours?”

Twilight was fully aware of what Peter could possibly be thinking in this moment and what it would ultimately mean for them, but it was the only thing she felt she could ask him in that moment. Before it could turn away from them, Peter pointed up at North America, walking to follow it.

“That one,” he said. “That’s where I come from!”

With a glow of her horn, Celestia spun the planet quicker and brought it to a stop so that the continent could be clearly seen by the three of them. The planet then zoomed out until the whole of North America was pressed against a flat, invisible surface that shifted back to the wall to be even more visible.

“Now, which part of this country are you from?” Celestia asked.

Peter began to blink, the borders of countries, states, and provinces leaving him feeling lost and confused.

“I…” Peter whined. “I can’t tell! Can’t you…”

“Peter,” Twilight spoke in, “we can’t possibly have any maps of your world to know which city or part of the country you live in.”

“But… how am I…”

“I would like to you to give me your best attempt at a guess,” Celestia advised. “With any luck, your home should not be too far away that you can’t be found and returned without much issue.”

Suddenly, the word was spoken, and upon its echo lingering inside the chamber along with the rest of the statement, it finally dawned on Peter what was going to happen to him.

“Returned…” he whispered. “That means… I’m…”

“Going home at last,” Celestia breathed, adding as much extra comfort to the conclusion as her voice could allow. “You’ll finally be reunited with your father and be under his roof in your own bed once again. You won’t have to worry about being stuck here anymore.”

“But…” he whimpered, backing away. “Here… This is my home.”

“Peter, your home is with your own family and your own friends–”

“You’re my friends and family!” he suddenly barked, making the two ponies recoil. “Why’d you even try looking for my home? Don’t you know I’m happy here!?”

“Peter,” Celestia croaked, a hoof over her hurt heart, “please don’t be upset. I just thought–”

“Shut up!! I’m not going to get taken from my home again! Never ever!”

With a wild and forceful spin, Peter turned to the doors and charged himself through them, sprinting down the halls as fast as his legs could carry him. He only got a few paces in before a flash of light burst in front of him, Celestia standing in the middle of the hallway with her wings flared open to prevent him from passing.

“Peter, please!” she begged. “We should talk about this!”

“There’s nothing to talk about!” Peter shouted, turning back toward where he came. “I’m staying and that’s final!”

With only another step in the other direction, he stopped to find Twilight standing across from him in the same position as her teacher on the other side.

“Peter,” she began to cry, “I don’t like seeing you upset, so please, calm down!”

“I AM CALM!” he shrieked again. “Now, out of my way!”

Peter charged to run around Twilight, the rage-contorted face of her friend making her tears stream down her face. With a clench of her eyes, she charged her horn with her own magic, Peter too blinded by his emotions to notice. When an explosion of light erupted from her horn, Peter felt himself launched off his feet as Twilight’s magic exerted its bright force around him, filling his vision.

========================================

Peter felt his body jolt as if he was suddenly dropped and then softly caught. His eyes shot open as he stared at the cloth canopy above the bed. With his muscles having tensed up with the sensation of his awakening, Peter relaxed himself back down, feeling himself nearly sink back into the mattress. Looking to the other half of the bed, he saw Twilight with the back of her head against her pillow, the rest of her body underneath her covers as she slept soundly and blissfully unaware of Peter’s consciousness.

Peter laid back flat on his pillow as well, hoping he’d soon fall under until morning as intended. As he gently pulled the folds of the back of his shirt from underneath him, loosening it, he suddenly felt the deeply unpleasant sensation of a dry throat as he tried to instinctively swallow. Carefully turning to his nightstand, he grimaced to find the glass cup sitting upon it, devoid of even the slightest bit of moisture.

With a begrudgingly accepting breath, he deliberately slid his legs toward the edge of the mattress until the backs of his knees hung over. Sitting up, he moved his bare feet down and winced as silently as he could upon touching the cold crystal floors. Tapping his toes around, they were finally blessed with the soft sensation of the lining of his slippers, stepping upon them until he was able to push both of his feet in.

Gently folding the covers off of himself, he kept his eyes on Twilight as he stood up from the bed, balling his toes to fill his shoes as much as he could. With smooth steps rolling along with the soles, Peter made his way through the tall, spacious bedroom to the slightly ajar door, where he’d be able to make a less careful stride toward the kitchen sink where he’d be able to adequately quench his thirst until morning.

Upon stepping through and leaving the doorway as wide open as he found it, he took faster steps through the castle halls and ensuring that the smacking and clacking of the backs of his slippers made little enough noise as not to wake Twilight. Upon reaching the kitchen, he went to the cupboard and opened it. Before the tips of his fingers could even touch a single glass, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Peter!” Twilight hissed. “What’s going on?”

Peter turned around, seeing the alicorn with the disheveled mane standing in the entryway. The sight of her made him slouch in disappointment, his attempts to keep from disturbing her revealing themselves to be unsuccessful.

“I’m sorry, Twi,” he whispered right back, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Is everything alright?” she asked in a softer voice, stepping into the room.

“Yeah, I… was just a bit thirsty, so I wanted to get some more water. I tried being quiet walking down the hallway, and–”

“To be honest, I woke up…. probably when you did. I was worried that you were nervous about today.”

“Oh no,” he replied with a shake of his head. “Just another day over at Sparké, no big deal, right?”

“If you want to look at it like that, sure, but I know today’s… not just another day at Sparké, and I want to be sure you’re up for it.”

“Oh yeah, totally.” That’s when the thought hit him. “What time even is it?”

“I took a peek at your phone, and it said 3:12.”

Peter very subtly nodded, contemplating now whether it was best to stay up or get the last couple more hours he felt like he’d have before he’d want to make breakfast.

“Thanks a lot, Twi,” he said back. “I’ll be back to bed in a little bit.”

Twilight smiled softly, something Peter could even see in the faint moonlight through the windows. She then walked up to him so that her hooves were near the tips of his toes, making her tilt her head back to look up into his eyes.

“Twilight,” Peter spoke in normal volume, “what are you–”

Twilight hopped off her front hooves and slid them over Peter’s shoulders and across his back. Her wings then unfurled in a rustled whoosh before they enveloped the rest of his backside. Feeling the warmth of both her fur and her ever-loving support on his chest and stomach, Peter relaxed his arms as he moved his hands to rest upon Twilight’s back.

“Five years,” she said, resting her head against his shoulder. “Can you believe it’s already been five years?”

As much as he wanted to keep his anxiety of the day a secret from her and anyone else, the weight and pressure of everything the day ahead presented to him, what it meant, and what it took to get him here suddenly oppressed him all at once.

Nestling the side of his head against hers as he held her tighter, he responded, “No… No I can’t…”

And with his admittance, he closed his eyes as he let his tears flow. A turbulent life of heartbreak, homesickness, and a dream to be realized had brought him here and given him everything he ever hoped for. The alicorn that he held and wept onto was all but a symbol of this, and he would never let go again.

____________________________________________________________

Peter left the massive tree-shaped castle, nearly skipping down the steps and toward his bike parked on its kickstand at the foot of them. Twilight saw him out and watched from the entryway as he mounted the seat and checked his tires before swinging the kickstand up and back. As he pushed off the ground and began to roll away, he swung back and gave Twilight a wide farewell wave before turning back to focus on the pedestrians ahead. Twilight leaned against the jamb of the door as she watched him get smaller and smaller off into the distance.

Peter stayed primarily just to the left of the right side of the road, passing the ponies casually strolling through their days. Whether it be the occasion or a random thought that popped into his head, Peter felt a sigh of contentment fill his lungs knowing that he no longer had to face the odd stares of the ponies that he got when he first made his home in Ponyville. He was as much one of them as a human could ever be, and such a wonderful conclusion allowed him to breath out and let happiness flood his mind.

Rounding another bend, he found Sugarcube Corner just coming up, prompting him to stop pedaling and simply coast the rest of the way there. Nearing the front steps, he swung his leg back and around and landed upon the ground, brought to a mild jog until he could slow the bike and himself to the entrance to where he’d get his breakfast. Leaning the bike against the gingerbread railing, he strolled up to the door and virtually wafted himself through like a gentle breeze. While there were people sitting in the café section with drinks and something to eat, Peter was incredibly confused to not find a soul behind the counter.

“Pinkie?” he softly called out, not wanting to come off as demanding. “Mrs. Cake? Mr. Cake? Uh…”

“Surprise!”

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie and the Cakes burst out from behind the counter in a burst of confetti and ribbons. The pink curly-maned mare between them put down a large vanilla cupcake the size of Peter’s fists closed together with sparkler-pinwheels dug into its black frosting. Set behind and in between the pinwheels was a paper toque that somehow managed to not catch fire. Peter could only stand frozen in shock until the lights of the sparklers fizzled out and Pinkie Pie removed them.

“So how’s that to wake you up in the mornin’?” Applejack’s voice questioned from behind Peter.

Turning around, Peter saw as Applejack was followed inside the eatery by Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy, who joined him on both sides.

“Sur…” Peter trailed off before chuckling to himself, embarrassed that it took him this long to figure it out. “Oh, guys, Pinkie Pie, you shouldn’t have…”

“Of course we should!” Pinkie Pie squealed, hopping over the counter to join her other friends. “It’s our favorite human’s restaurant’s birthday, pretty much! And birthdays deserve cake!”

Pinkie Pie shoved the cupcake into Peter’s hands, allowing him to inspect it further. Sure enough, behind the translucent wrapper, sprinkles were arranged to form a simple smiling face. With a heartfelt giggle, Peter could now see himself with his vanilla-batter face, black frosting hair, and the toque to top it all off. Letting out a shakier breath, Peter placed the cupcake onto a nearby table and faced his five present friends.

“Guys, thank you so much!” he spoke just above a whisper. “I could hardly think this day would be more special than it is right now.”

“No need to thank us,” Rarity guffawed. “You deserve every bit of happiness today brings you!”

As the ponies approached him, Peter knelt down and held his arms out wide, inviting each of his friends to fill the space between them and hug him tightly. With the five of them all gathered, Peter put his arms around as many of them as they would allow, nuzzling close as he savored this moment as per Rarity’s wish.

========================================

Peter and Twilight held each other as they bawled, Princess Celestia standing idly by as she gave the boy all the time he could possibly need.

“Why can’t I stay?!” he screamed. “Why do I have to leave you guys?”

“Peter…” Celestia whimpered with a sniffle, unable to stop a tear from rolling down her cheek, “please know that I never wanted any of this for you. As much as I wish you could continue to live with your father on your own world, you ended up here. And don’t ever think that we wouldn’t be heartbroken if you left, but you know, deep down, that you don’t belong here. You belong with your father, who is more than likely devastated with the fact that he will never see you again… Please Peter, don’t let that fact become reality. Your father must miss you daily, and all he wants is you back.”

“What… what if he forgot about me?”

“Peter,” Twilight growled, suddenly furious as her body tensed up. “Don’t you ever say something like that! Do you think Celestia or I would forget you after a year? Or even 2? 3? 10?!”

Peter felt scared to answer, but Celestia, knowing what his stubborn silence meant, approached him and got down onto her shins and stomach to lower herself to his level.

“Whether you live in the same castle as Twilight and I or in your bedroom so many worlds away,” she said, “never think that we won’t love you less than we do right now. I know that you will not forget us nor love us less either.”

Just then, the chamber doors came open, Crème Fraiche the only pony walking between the gaps. Upon seeing Peter huddled with Twilight and Celestia, his shirt drenched in his snot and tears, the mare galloped to them and slid to a stop before them.

“No,” Peter blubbered, turning away, “not you too…”

“Oh, Peter!” she gasped, gently petting his hair with her hoof. “Whatever is the matter? Celestia, is this over why you have called me?”

Celestia nodded to her, answering. “After many days of looking, it appears I have managed to locate Peter’s homeworld and am now able to send him back. However… he doesn’t wish to return.”

Crème Fraiche’s mouth hung open in stunned silence, looking back down on Peter who looked close to being physically and emotionally drained of all his energy. Now, her strokes were far more tender and sympathetic.

“Peter…” she sweetly spoke. “I’m so sorry for you. To be taken from your home at such a young age and then having to go back just when you make another home here.”

“But I don’t… I can’t go back…” Peter rasped. “I just don’t think I could take it.”

“Peter? Listen to me.” Peter looked up into her eyes, cowed by the sympathetic voice which now held a stern air. “As hard as this is for you, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you, in fact, can go back and that you can take it. You took it when you came here, and not only will you take it when you go back, you’ll realize how badly you wanted to go back once you’re back in the arms of your father once again!”

Celestia smiled and nodded, glad to know that her chef of all ponies would know just what to say. However, Peter’s lack of a bettered demeanor brought her face back to one of complete neutrality.

“I’ve told you about my mom, right?” he asked them all. “Well, how I never really knew her, but… I always wondered what it would be like to have a mom and wished I knew what it would be like. Celestia… Crème… you two are the closest thing to moms as I could have…

“And you, Twilight,” he continued, sparking interest in the filly. “I don’t have any brothers or sisters back home, but… as far as I’m concerned, you’re the best sister any kid could ever dream of having!”

“Oh, Peter!” Twilight sadly gurgled, throwing herself back onto him. “I feel the same way!”

“Twilight, please!” Celestia gently exclaimed. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be!”

“Do you see now?” Petered wailed. “You’re all as much family to me as my dad is, and nothing you can say will change my mind!”

“Peter, of course not! I could never deny what you feel towards us, just as neither of us can deny how we feel toward you, but you must understand, neither Crème Fraiche or I could ever fill the role of your parent the same way your father could. And as close you and Twilight are to each other, she could never be the sibling you ever had. And I could never feel any happiness or pride knowing that I could have returned a child to his father and failed to do so. Do you know what would make me happy? More than anything at this moment, Peter?”

“…What?”

“I want you to continue being the person you’ve always been on your own world. I want you to make friends that you could consider as close to you as Twilight is. I want nothing more than to know that your father wakes up thankful that the son he loves so very much is back in his life and will never leave. And I also want you to excel and thrive at whichever passion you choose to pursue, just as Crème taught you. Know that whatever you do when you return home, we will always be right here every step of the way.”

Celestia placed her hoof over Peter’s heart, causing him to gently hold it in his hands before hugging it back close to his chest, grunting and moaning as the acceptance of his situation began to invade his thoughts.

“You are such a good boy, Peter,” Crème squeaked, tears beginning to stream down once again. “Your father and whatever friends you make could only be so lucky to have you in their lives.”

Celestia and Crème Fraiche scooted closer to the boy and joined Twilight in smothering him with their affection for what they knew would be among the final times they would ever do so, a chorus of sniffles and sobs bouncing off the halls of the chamber. With Twilight’s face and stomach squeezed against Peter’s she was more than content to be where she was right now, savoring every moment that she had left.

========================================

Peter approached Sparké, which looked as glorious and pristine as the night he first opened its doors to Ponyville. Standing near the front entrance was Crème Fraiche and Lyra, who brightened up upon seeing him ride closer. Swinging himself back off his bike and walking it up toward them, Peter brought the kickstand down and fished through his pants pocket for his keys before parking it on the grass.

“Morning ladies!” Peter greeted.

“And a very good morning to you,” Crème Fraiche replied, “and of course, congratulations!”

“Aw, thank you, Crème!”

Peter approached the two ponies, and with them standing on their hind legs, they put their arms around his body to give him his third hug of the day. Setting themselves back down, they joined Peter on either side and walked to the front door, the right key already pinched in between his fingers.

“So,” Lyra chirped, “what’ve you got planned for today? Some new menu items? A special of some kind?”

“I’ve…” Peter coyly teased, “got some ideas.”

Peter put the key into the lock and turned it before pulling the door open to allow Crème Fraiche and Lyra to enter. With them inside, Peter went in himself before pushing it closed and locking it from the inside.

____________________________________________________________

The team of cooks were busy preparing all the ingredients that they expected to use for today. Despite the chaotic cacophony of knife blades knocking against the cutting boards, whisks clinging against metal bowls, and the crinkling of garlic skins getting peeled off the clove, the chefs appeared to be in complete tandem with one another; a culinary ballet. Peter was among them, working with Crème Fraiche as they pulled yet another sheet of fresh buckwheat pasta from the roller to be made into Sparké’s signature dish. Spic Span was off to the side, cutting small cubes of brie which would go into the pizzocheri with the pasta. Suddenly, Lyra came through the door, making a beeline for Peter and Crème Fraiche. Peter stood up to attention as his maître d stepped up to him.

“Is he here?” Peter asked.

Lyra nodded, prompting Peter to follow her out toward the kitchen doors.

“You got the rest?” Peter called to his sous chef.

“Yes, chef!” she barked back.

Lyra pushed the doors open with her magic as Peter briskly walked through the dining room, already smiling to find the man standing near the entrance waiting for him. Smiling back at him was Patrick, already dressed in a pristine chef’s jacket and black pants. Despite the amount of time that had passed for the proud father, it didn’t appear to affect his aging in the slightest, an after effect of the pride and comfort he took in his son being where he was meant to. Patrick threw his arms open and invited Peter for a hug, which he did with gusto.

“Five years,” Patrick grunted through his son’s viselike grip, “can you fuckin’ believe it?”

“Twilight asked me the same thing this morning,” Peter laugh-sobbed as they final let go to face each other again, “and no, I still can’t!”

“So? Are you going to introduce me to your crew?”

“Yep. Follow me! Thank you, Lyra!”

“Anytime, Peter!” the mint-green mare exclaimed with a wave.

Together, Peter and Patrick walked back toward the kitchen, Peter throwing the doors open loud enough to let them call his staff attention for him. Immediately, most of the cooks stopped what they were doing and awaited for their chef to speak to them, while the others finished whatever dire preparations they still needed to do before standing as steadfast as their fellow cooks.

“May I have your attention please!” Peter shouted out. “For those of you still somewhat new to the Sparké crew, I’d like to introduce you to the greatest man you’ll ever meet.”

“Second to my son, of course!” Patrick quipped, earning a few heartfelt chuckles.

“As you can imagine from that, this man is my pop, Patrick Falwell. For the most part,” he said, glancing to Crème Fraiche which she acknowledged with a wink, “this man taught me everything there is to know about the culinary arts. I dare say that if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here before you today.

“The reason he’s standing beside me right now is that he’s going to serving as co-sous chef alongside Crème for tonight’s service. I want you all to treat him with the same level of respect that you’d give to either Crème or I? Is that clear?”

“Yes, chef!” Peter’s cooks yelled back.

“Excellent. Do right by him, and he’ll pay you back in full… with interest! I mean… seriously… Sparké is having its fifth anniversary tonight, and without the efforts of… him, Crème Fraiche… all of you here… the princesses… and all my other friends on both this world and the one I came from…”

Peter blinked, feeling a small stream running from his eyelids and down his cheek. As he wiped his face with his hands, the cooks all smiled proudly, knowing just how much they were valued.

“Sorry,” Peter breathed out before taking a deep breath in. “Without you all, this dream of mind could have never been realized. So… thank you all for helping me realize my dream.”

“Here, here!” Patrick bellowed, beginning to clap.

While several ponies were able to pick their hooves off the ground and clop them together to join in Patricks’ applause, several others were content to stamp them onto the floor. Peter took a moment to look around his staff, soaking in the appreciation each one of them showed to him. For the first time today since he woke up early that morning, Peter never felt so ready to begin cooking.

“Alright everyone,” he shouted, “back to it!”

“Yes, chef!” they all called back.

The controlled commotion resumed again, the cooks hard at work to prepare for what would most likely be a very busy night.

“Ready to get to work?” Peter asked his father.

“Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,” he responded.

Accepting his answer, Peter and Patrick walked over to join Crème Fraiche once again in preparing the pasta for the pizzocheri. After a quick, formal shaking of her hoof with his hand, Patrick stood by as he awaited direction from his son.

“Anything you’d like me to do?” Patrick wondered aloud.

“As a matter of fact,” Peter said, “you think you can improvise a couple of dishes to try out?”

“Hmm. Nothing would make me happier.”

With a full-bodied nod and bow to his son, Patrick headed off to the pantry to peruse the ingredients he’d think he’d need.

Peter bounced up to call his father’s attention, shouting, “Be sure to share–”

“With the cooks, of course!” Patrick finished. “You don’t need to tell me twice!”

Peter sighed with relief as Patrick disappeared into the pantry. To think that he’d calling the shots on the man who raised him and made him into the chef and man he turned out to be; it was a feeling to behold. With his faith in his father as firm as it could be, Peter returned to making pasta with Crème Fraiche.

========================================

Peter stood just outside a bejeweled archway closed off by the wall, wearing a freshly knitted shirt, pants, and a crudely cobbled pair of shoes that bore the bare-minimum resemblance to the shoes he wore when he first arrived in Equestria. Though he outgrew his old clothes in the time he spent in his home away from home, he knew he’d never outgrow Equestria and the love and friendships that they provided him. Standing behind Peter were Celestia, Twilight, and Crème Fraiche, ready to see their little boy off for one final time. Not an eye among them was dry, and it was unlikely that they’d be dry before the day came to its end.

“Peter Falwell,” Celestia cooed, “it has been a pleasure having you in our lives, and I hope with all my heart that you extend that same pleasure to whoever else comes into your life back at home. Thank you for your patience and understanding for our mistakes, and thank you for being a piece in our lives we never knew we needed.”

Peter’s let out a somewhat dry sob. Most of his grief had already came out the previous day, and he knew there was no direction to go now but forward, where he belonged.

“Goodbye, Peter!” Twilight squeaked. “I’m gonna’ miss you so much!”

“As will I,” Crème Fraiche also bid. “And please, do take care of your father just as much as he would you.”

“Alright,” Peter croaked. “I’m ready now.”

“Very well,” Celestia breathed out, her horn shimmering with her magic. “When I tell you, you can walk toward the light whenever you’re ready.”

Celestia shot a bright, concentrated beam at the center jewel at the top of the archway. As the magic’s light filled the gems lining it from the top down, the inner borders began to glow themselves. Peter watched as the area of the wall within the archway disintegrated into a void of pure white, a wind blowing itself toward it. Peter stared into it, in marvel of the power he felt coming from it.

“Alright, Peter,” Celestia instructed, her hold on her magic kept onto the portal. “You are free to return home. Farewell.”

Peter could hear her loud and clear, but he just needed to feel the Equestrian stone beneath his feet just a little while longer before he’d never get to stand upon them again. When he felt like he did so enough to satisfy him, he began to walk toward the portal, step by reluctant step. Soon the tips of his shoes grazed where the light began, a force inside of him keeping him from making that one final step.

Peter spun around, his back to the portal as he looked into the faces of the three ponies that provided him a home in an impossible situation, forever indebted to their hospitality and kindness. Celestia pressed her lips together, resisting every urge to cry in front of him before letting out the words that helped her keep it all together.

“I love you.”

At that moment, the force subsided, and he could now almost feel himself getting pulled toward the portal instead, feeling the warmth the light provided upon meeting his back. Peter smiled as he granted his eyes one last look at these three, the ones he could call his second family.

“I love you all too,” he brought himself to say.

Peter shut his eyes, as the rest of the light surrounded him all over. He would never forget them for the rest of his life.

Author's Note:

Anniversary Update

Comments

[jokeSter_123]

Its been so long. Welcome back! :D

[maxthedralf]

wait.. its over.. NO!! NOOOOOO!! FUCK!

[Twi]

This was unexpected. But I'm glad you gave the story a proper ending after all. Thank you so much for that =)

[Kichi]

It was good to pass the time...

[BrianPony]

Oh the feels.

[starship55]

Thank you ssooo much for finishing this gem of a story.

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

This was a beautiful story mate! Tis was also very feels heavy I really enjoyed this story and I am glad I found this gem of a story. Thanks for such a wonderful and amazing read and keep on making wonderful stories just as ya have done with this one!

[DerpTape]

Since I have almost no sense if taste, I don't usually go in for food porn . . . But this is pretty dang tasty right here.

[Solid Punch]

Hope for sequel...

[Ziper Ace]

I’m glad this fanfic is not a romance story or an inappropriate story, it’s really nice to read something like this.

[PointBreak]

Wait, that's it???