The Forgotten Brother

by ObsidianSky

Chapter 3: Life and Death

Fallen Leaves awoke with a jerk to hear his mom screaming at the top of her lungs.

"No! You’re lying! I won’t believe a word you’re saying!"

Fallen Leaves was confused, why was his mom yelling so early in the morning? He usually only heard her yelling when she was arguing with his dad. He was about to dismiss it as his parents arguing when an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"I'm sorry, Twilight Night, but I'm telling you the truth. I… I know you’re upset.” There was a tense silence, that was eventually broken by the strange voice sighing. “I should be going. Goodbye ma'am."

Once he heard the front door close, Fallen Leaves walked over to his mother, who still stood by the door.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

The question seemed to surprise her as if she was completely lost in thought. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her mane was ruffled as if she was woken up just as Fallen Leaves was.

"I-It's...." His mom stuttered as if she hesitated to tell Fallen Leaves exactly what was going on, but then she opened her mouth and the words came tumbling out.

"It’s dad. He's... He’s gone."

"Gone?” Fallen Leaves tilted his head in confusion. “Is he on a trip? When is he going to come back?"

"No, not like that. My sweet, he's... dead."

Fallen Leaves couldn’t believe what he was hearing, it just wasn't possible. His father couldn't be dead, he was always so strong and unbeatable.

"How Mom?” He asked, his voice cracking slightly.

His mom seemed as if she was about to break down again, but at the look of sadness in Fallen Leaves’ eyes she tried to smile soothingly. She told him that his dad was out exploring for a new land where a terrible snowstorm had been blowing. While trying to climb a mountain an avalanche had started, and had buried his dad and his most of his team in the snow. His father's body was found a few hours later by a rescue crew.

They said he had not died from suffocation, but from his back being crushed by the sheer pressure of the snow that had fallen on him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fallen Leaves simply stood in disbelief as if he thought that he was in a terrible dream. It looked to him like his mother felt the same.

"What are we going to do now, mom?" His mom sniffled slightly, but a hopeful smile appeared on her muzzle. It was a brave question for a child; how would they move on? Fallen Leaves felt his mom pull him into a comforting hug.

"We wait for your sisters, to come into the world. You should name them, since you are the man in the house.” His mom shook slightly, as if in pain, and her hoof instinctively went to her swollen midsection. “Go to your room. I'll call you when your sisters arrive.”

Fallen Leaves smiled and ran to his room. He waited for what felt like eons, trying to think of names that would fit his new sisters. After a few minutes, he realized that it was impossible to find a name until he was able to see his sisters. With that thought gone, his mind drifted back to what his mom had told him.

The last time he had seen his dad, he was arguing like always. Fallen Leaves wished that he could have had a better last memory of his father, but that was what fate had decided to give him. He felt that he was going to hate fate, and it infuriated him that there was nothing he could do to change it. The steadily growing scowl on his face was replaced by a look of excitement when he heard his mom call for him. He ran as quickly as he could to her room, and found her cradling two little fillies. One of them was white with a pink mane, while the other was a dark blue with a pale blue mane.

"Aren't they beautiful?” Twilight Night asked with tired smile "Have you thought of any names?”

"Well..." Fallen Leaves was unsure, he still had no idea what to name them. Right then, the rising sun sent a burst of brilliant light across the horizon and shone on the filly with the white coat, causing her to sparkle softly in the sunlight. Fallen Leaves smiled. It seemed the name was obvious now.

"I think the white one should be called Celestia, because of the sun shining down on her coat causing it to shine." Fallen Leaves liked the name, but his mother’s slight frown made him wonder whether she liked the name too.

"If that is the name you want.” She said, wrapping her hooves around the dark blue filly. “Luna would be a wonderful name for her, don’t you think?"

Fallen Leaves nodded happily at his mother’s choice. Celestia and Luna were his new sisters, and he knew that he was going to have so much fun with them.

Shivering with a sudden cold, he looked out the window to find a raging snowstorm howling. With a sigh, his mother pulled the newborn foals close to her, trying to guard them against the chill seeping into the house. Fallen Leaves sighed too; the weather was getting even more rapid.

"We must find a new home soon, if my sisters are going to grow up and live a happy life.” He said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. The look in his mom’s eyes told him that she knew it was true, but the loss of life in that very pursuit was too close. Within a matter of seconds, the snowstorm died out, leaving behind piles of white under a warm sun.

Fallen Leaves flashed a small smile at his mom before trotting out the front door and into the sunlight. He knew from the look on her face that she was still thinking about his dad, and he wanted to give her some time alone.

He pushed open the front door, only to come face to face with a strange, clear pony. The pony smiled at him, and Fallen Leaves recognised him with a small gasp. It was his dad. Excited, he reached a hoof out to his father, but it passed right through his body. The excitement on Fallen Leaves’ face evaporated like the snow, and his father’s look grew into one of calm sadness, as if he had accepted that he was separated from his son by impassible bonds.

"Hello my son. I am sorry that I never returned to tell you happy Birthday, but fate had already been set. I was never destined to return here alive. I been sent here to tell you that you must keep an eye on your sisters, for they will play an important role in helping everyone find a new home."

"Ok Dad. I will.” Fallen Leaves shuffled his hooves dejectedly, saddened that his father hadn’t returned for him. “What do you want me to tell Mom?"

His dad’s expression fell into careful neutrality, and he sighed lightly. "Nothing. Don't tell her you saw me. I don't want her to be even more sad than she is right now. She…” He trailed off, his expression hardening in resolve, as if he had convinced himself of a difficult decision. “She needs to forget that I ever existed. Fallen Leaves, I know this will be hard for you, but I want you to cast a memory erasing spell on your mom. I don't want her to remember anything about me, do you understand?"

Fallen Leaves was shocked. How could his father want to be forgotten? Even though he didn’t agree, he nodded his head."Yes dad. But... Why must I erase her memory of you? Don't you love her?"

"Of course I do, and that is why you must do this. Please, just do what I ask."

With his final words spoken, he faded into mist that dispersed quickly in the growing heat of the sun. Fallen Leaves sniffled as tears dripped down his muzzle, and he collapsed into a sobbing heap. How could he bring himself to erase his mom's memory of his own father? He would be the only one to ever even remember him.

Even though it pained him, he couldn’t bring himself to disobey his father's last wish. He walked back into the house, finding his way numbly to his mother’s room. She seemed worn out from giving birth, and was napping with the two newborn fillies. He brought his head to rest against hers, and his horn lit up with the soft glow of his spell, the light illuminating the fresh tears streaming down his face.