“Alright little one, time for bed,” Jason said, fighting to keep his eyelids from sliding shut, for if that happened, he had no doubt in his mind that he would fall asleep on the couch. Nightshine was already fast asleep on his back, her head against the back of his neck. Her body’s warmth kept trying to lull him to sleep, so knowing that if he didn’t get up right now, he was surely going to fall asleep. With a low groan, he opened his wings and used them to keep her in place as he carefully slipped off of the couch.
“Daddy? Oh.” Nightshine blinked a few times, then rubbed her eyes with her front hooves. “Was I sleeping?” she asked with a giggle. As Jason carried her into her bedroom, she let her forelegs curl up against her chest as she wiggled into a more comfortable position, though that was all for naught as he let her roll off his back onto the bed. “You know what I’m gonna ask, right?” she asked, shooting him a grin.
“If we can snuggle?” Jason asked.
“Well, duh! Of course I was gonna ask if we can snuggle! Gotta make up for all those years in the orphanage after all.”
“You have a good point.” Jason lay down on her bed and pulled the sheets open for them. He smiled at her as he patted the empty spot beside him. “I really should get a bed this comfy for myself.”
“You totally should! I'm really glad that you wanted to try being a pony like me,” she said with no small amount of hopefulness in her tone. “So... can we snuggle a little bit? Pretty please?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Nightshine squeed.
Jason rolled over onto his stomach. Nightshine squirmed underneath his right wing with glee, then let loose another yawn. “We had a pretty good day, didn’t we?” he asked.
“Mhm...” Nightshine yawned and nuzzled his leg into a better position, then laid her head upon it. “Night, Daddy.”
“Goodnight, little one...”
A few hours later, Nightshine stirred awake. It was still the middle of the night, but she felt wide awake for some odd reason. She cracked her eyes open, feeling Jason’s chest rise and fall against her wing. The moonlight was shining in through the window, its light gracing her vision. Wanting to get a better look due to the fact that the orphans were never allowed out of bed after hours, she wiggled her way out from Jason’s wing as carefully as she could, then walked over to the window.
Once she was sure that she hadn’t woken him up, she let her head come to rest on the windowsill and stared up at the moon, letting her thoughts drift about, eventually settling upon her friend, Sea Stride. I wonder how he’s been doing... she thought, her ears flicking back. He was my only friend back at the orphanage, and I don’t have any friends here, well... at least not yet. Maybe I can ask Jason if we can go looking for him? I don’t know where we could start, though... He might not even be in Canterlot.
Nightshine glanced back at Jason. Out of all the ponies at the orphanage, why did he pick me? After so many families passed me up, why did he pick me? That question gnawed at her heart and mind for countless minutes, the urge to wake him up and ask him growing ever stronger until she couldn’t bear to sit there and stir in her inner turmoil. Hoping that he wouldn’t be upset that she woke him up, she hopped back up on the bed and nuzzled Jason awake. “Daddy?” she asked. “I wanna ask you something.”
“Huh? What’s up?” Jason asked, rubbing his eyes with a hoof. "Everything okay?"
Nightshine lay down next to him, her tail swishing around. Her question danced on the tip of her tongue, and she wondered if she should even dare to ask him. She had to know, though. “Why did you adopt me?” she asked softly, unable to meet his questioning gaze. His hoof came to rest on her chin, gently lifting her head up. She glanced up at him and saw the most comforting smile sitting plainly upon his face.
“Because you’re special, little one,” Jason said. He rolled over and nuzzled her cheek. “How could I even think to adopt anypony else?”
Nightshine giggled a little bit, but a feeling in her gut told her that he was holding back. “That’s a good point, but... why me? Why not some other regular pony?”
“Uh...” Jason sat up a little straighter, feeling Nightshine’s gaze pierce his very essence. “Well...” He rubbed the back of his neck as he cleared his throat. “To be blunt, I’m an outcast here. I was born on a different planet, one similar to this one but different in so many ways. There was nopony else like you at the orphanage, and I never knew thestrals even existed, so... I felt that you were an outcast, just like me, and when we first met, I felt something right here in my chest,” he said, poking just below his neck. “And I know you felt it, too.” He poked Nightshine’s chest with the same hoof. “Right there; I saw it in your eyes the moment we met. Serenity tried to convince me to adopt another pony, but my mind was already made up. I knew I made the right choice back then, and I know I made the right choice even now. I think you’re the perfect filly, Nightshine... My only regret is that I didn’t adopt you sooner.”
He opened his wing again for Nightshine to scoot under, but Nightshine folded it back against his side with a hoof. She nuzzled it for a couple of seconds, then draped her left wing over his back. It didn’t reach all the way around, but that didn’t matter; her message rang true. She snuggled closer to him, then laid her head on one of his forelegs again.
“Thank you,” Nightshine whispered as she closed her eyes, trying to keep her tears of happiness at bay. She felt her cheeks grow wet with her tears, but that didn’t matter. She didn’t care if he saw, either, though part of her wanted him to know just how much his words made her heart thump harder with the purest of joy.
Oh god, it's too cute.
this was nice even if it was fluff
I need mountains of Nightshine gifs... She's just too adorable to not be in more pictures
It's too much d'aww! ...Assuming that's a thing. It may not be. I don't have all the answers...
Very heartfelt chapter, direct and sweet.
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Too CUTE!
She is to Cute!!!
I like the idea of them going after her old friend, I think I might even had suggested something like that back then.
Pure in this chapter nothing else.
Them feels
My feels, they are exploded into little itty bitty bits. Oh wait, that's my heart. Hnnnng! *ded*
D’aaaaw
...I thought he was turned into a batpony, and the ring transforms him back into a human
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Yes that is correct I checked it and that is the case.
My only problem is that this story has to end at some point.
I love it too much!
dawww
awesome chapter! I can't wait to see more of Jason's new "relationship" to though! Nightshine is best pone.
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No.
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Someone else said in a PM that they were a bit confused, so let me clarify. That line means that he was a bat pony yesterday in the story, so he transformed back into a bat pony then. You guys are right that he considers his bat pony form his natural shape now.
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Yeah, I think you might have done that haha. I take everything everyone says into consideration when I'm writing. If someone has a great idea, and if it works in the story, then there's a good chance that I might write my own version of that idea.
R I G H T. I N. T H E. F E E L S.
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No, you clearly said that he puts the ring on to change into a human in a previous chapter, several in fact. Also, he is a bat pony who can temporarily change into a human, Princess Twilight Sparkle used a spell to change his species so that he could legally have Nightshine as an adoptive daughter since, and I quote, a foreigner can not adopt another foreigner. While in the process of changing his species he became unconscious.
Edit: In the chapter "Jason's Decision" it is clearly said that he could put a hoof-sized ring on to change back into a human from a bat pony(thestral).
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Oh... I see what you're saying lol. Got things mixed up.
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Yes.
Your story could actually rival My Little Dashie, or probably even surpass it. It actually is a good concept, and it came out well written. Keep up the good work, and what I say could actually happen!
Great update my friend. More Nightshine please
good chapter short but sweet.
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Last time I had this much fluff, I was helping Significant Other clean out the dryer vent and lint trap. This is far more pleasant though.
Awesome chapter looking forward to more of it my friend. Also can you please please please do a chapter where Abagail confronts Lily about her running away from her? Me and my marefriend are both looking forward to it.
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I hate foalcon and foalshipping. I don't care if you're into that stuff, but you'll never see me write anything like that.
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I think this is far, far better without... that.
Luna's fetlocks, some ponies are creepy.
So much adorableness. I. Am... feeling.
Lovely. I wish my family could actually enjoy each other every now and then like they do in this fic. This show and website fills so many voids in my life.
Like always can't wait for the next chapter, one of my favorite "cute" stories and I'm loving it.
(sniffs) Oh, that was just so beautiful...
Another outstanding chapter, mate. This whole thing with Nightshine and Jason is so cute I can barely contain it. I look forward to seeing what's next, (maybe even some more with Lily)
All of my D’aawws! All of them and some more!
I was lied to. You said it would make me cry a little, not an entire river!
AHHH its too goddamn emotional!
a vary good chapter with so much love.
it also gives a little peek at the reason Jason and Night Shine cam together.
Awww, thanks for the poke in the feels Abyss. Lovely chapter and I look forward to reading the next one.
You have more than earned your like, and I am proud to say you have also earned the follow from me for this absolutely adorable story. I know already that it's going to end up being in my Favorites Library, but if you work really hard and do just as good as you have been, then you may even end up becoming the next story to grace the hallowed halls of my Masterworks Library, where only the best of the best reside. Please post more chapters so I can read this amazing book to its completion!!
Keep up the good work, and I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
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Thanks! If you didn't see my blog about this chapter a few days ago, I had written more of this chapter, but cut it off where I did so that people would focus on this part and not the second part, as both are rather heavy with the feels.
I've speculated that was his motive.
I fell in love with this story & with Nightshine by the time I finished the first chapter. I'm saddened to say this because I don't want the story to ever end for how good it is but I'm really hoping that there are plenty of chapter left to go, and that the amazing and great story of Nightshine becomes completed soon so that her next story can begin
It was also because she was the cutest thing around. Bats are hard to beat in that department, yo.
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Well well, look who it is. XD
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Oh noes, I have been uncovered!
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glad to see someone here who watches that as well
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X)