Making a Home, Making a Family
'Carefully. Caaaarefulllly.' Castus thought as he angled the hammer over the head of the nail, and raised it to bring it down on the metal with all his concentration.
"Hey Castus!"
Castus jerked as he brought the hammer down, but not on the nail.
But on his thumb.
"Yeaaaaaaagggggghhhhh!" Castus shouted, falling backwards as he popped his thumb into his mouth, and tried his best not to shout every curse word in his knowledge.
Turning, Castus growled and looked to see who it was that had said his name. Only to be tackled by the presence, face lost into darkness and squishy, softness engulfing his head.
"Awww, you hurt your finger. No worries, a hug will make everything better." Pinkie said, squeezing Castus with all her might.
"Mmmphinkie?!" Castus shouted in a muffled surprise, and then pushing against her to get free.
But Pinkie just clung to him harder, crushing his back and burying his face further into her cleavage. Castus was finding it a bit hard to breathe now.
"P-Pinkie?"
Castus gasped for air as Pinkie finally freed him, his face red with a blush. He looked and saw Fluttershy looking at them, before she was grabbed into a hug by Pinkie. Her chest and Pinkie's squishing against each other, much to Fluttershy's apparent discomfort, as Pinkie hugged her.
"Hey! Flutters! How are you? The Cakes gave me the day off, and I thought I'd spend it by visiting all my friends and give them hugs, and Castus is at least three years overdo." Pinkie said, finally releasing Fluttershy and bouncing on her hooves.
"O-Oh. Well its good to see you Pinkie." Fluttershy said, once her surprise was over, "Castus are you okay? I thought I heard you scream."
"Yeah. Nice to see you Pinkie." Castus said, using the Wind to fix up his thumb, "And don't worry dear, just had a little mishap with the hammer. It's fine now."
"Say, what are you doing anyway? Oh, oh are you make a boat? No a spaceship? No Skyboat?" Pinkie spoke in rapid succession as she hoped around the wood and beams and boards and such.
"No Pinkie. I'm building an expansion on the cottage. We want to add an extra room or two." Castus said, grabbing the nail again and prepared to hit it with the hammer.
"Oh yeah, you two want to adopt right? Oh it will be so much fun to throw your Just Adopted a Cute Filly or Colt Party. And then their Welcome to your new home party! And then-" Pinkie went on for a time about all the types of parties she would throw once Castus and Fluttershy had finally adopted.
Castus just ignored her, having grown use to Pinkie's behavior at times. Though he could do without the near suffocating hugs. God, he worried what Fluttershy might think. He really had to talk to Pinkie about it, and try to get her to tone it down some.
"Here you go Castus. I thought something cold to drink would help. How is it coming along?" Fluttershy said, holding out a glass of lemonade.
"Thanks babe. And fine." Castus said with a smile, taking the drink.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Fluttershy asked.
"Fluttershy, I said I'd build this with my own two hands and I'm gonna. Trust me." Castus smiled and patted Fluttershy's cheek.
Fluttershy smiled, placed her hoof over his hand, "Okay. I have to go meet Rarity at the spa today. Take care of yourself okay."
"Will do." Castus said, lifting up to kiss her once, "Tell Rarity I said hello."
Fluttershy nodded and after giving one last hug to Pinkie Pie, headed off to town.
Castus watched her go for a bit, before finally turning back to his work.
The process of adoption required a background check and home assessment. Luckily, since Princess Twilight counted as a government official and was a personal friend, it was easy to speed that part of the process along and avoid any possible red tape or lollygagging from the normal officials. A few questions here, a little visit from Twilight who inspected the house. She might have been a friend, but she was going all out professional still, even wore those cute thin glasses and had her mane up in a bun which just made her look cute.
There had not been many issues. The most prevailing was that Fluttershy's cottage, while extensive to house so many animals, only had one major bedroom. Hers and Castus'. If they wanted to adopt a child, they would have to expand the house. A task that Castus was all willing to do himself. After that it was he issue of money. Fluttershy made bits from her work in the animal clinics and shelters, enough for her to live on and still have savings. Castus also had a job, or multiple. Ambassador. Nation builder. City Planner of the Empire. Advisor to Emperor Marcus of the Empire. Did Political Prisoner count? Probably not. Oh and did his help in repairing the Equestrian infrastructure count as construction work? In any case, while most of them weren't paying him, Celestia would send him a collection of bits for his work on the infrastructure at least.
And, though he never stated it, he also had one other way of acquiring income. Even if it did have its dangers.
But the main thing was that he and Fluttershy made enough money to be able to live well and provide the best support for a child. Now he just had to make the house bigger. Which was what he was doing now.
Castus prepared to slam the hammer down, but stopped when Pinkie spoke up.
"So, your building a house?" She asked.
"I'm adding to the one we have. Like how the Cakes added that cupcake sleep in." Castus said.
"Oh, will it be shaped like a cupcake too? Oh no wait, make it a snickerdoodle. Or maybe a éclair?" Pinkie asked, a big smile on her face.
Castus facepalmed, "No." He deadpanned.
"Awww." Pinkie frowned, mane deflating a bit before puffing back up.
Castus got back to getting ready to hit the nail, when again Pinkie interrupted.
"Why are you building it like that?" She asked.
Castus growled, and facepalmed again, "Because I want to build this expansion myself. Its a guy thing."
"Oh like when the Mr. Cake wears that weird muzzle and saddle, whenever Mrs. Cake is wearing her special socks?" Pinkie asked, as always smiling.
Castus blinked, "Wait...what? You know what, never mind. I don't want know. And no Pinkie that's....something else."
"Oh. Well what is it called? Is it called Bananaying?" Pinkie asked again, "Cause they say that word a lot."
"No Pinkie!" Castus shouted, covering his ears.
"Then-" Pinkie started, but Castus placed his hand over her mouth. Pinkie looked at his fingers then began to playfully nibble them.
"Pinkie," Castus said, pulling his hand away from Pinkie's mouth, "Don't you have to be some where?"
"No. Why?" Pinkie asked.
"Well you said you were going to go around town and hug all your friends." Castus said.
"Buuuuuut I also said that you were three years over do for some hugs. Sooooooo...." Pinkie said, then burst into a big smile before tackling Castus again, squeezing him in a hug.
"Mmmmph." Castus muffled, and tried to push Pinkie off of him.
Pinkie released him again, and Castus gasped for air once more.
"Pinkie do you have to do that?" Castus asked.
"Do what?" Pinkie asked.
"That. Hug me that way. Don't you think Fluttershy might be bothered by it?" Castus said, the beginnings of a headache beginning.
"Bother her? Why would it bother her?" Pinkie asked, then gasped, "Oh I know what you mean!"
"You do?" Castus said, feeling relief and yet...doubt.
"Of course! I can't believe I couldn't see it before," Pinkie gasped again, dragging her hooves down her face in shock and looking like the character from the Scream portrait, "I'm always giving you my special hug, but I am always giving Fluttershy my normal hugs. So you're saying that by doing that, I might be making Fluttershy think she isn't special. Which could devastate her poor little heart!"
Castus opened his mouth to say something, but Pinkie leaned into him, muzzle pushing against his nose with a boop, "I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. All this time, I've been so blind! But don't worry, I know what to do!"
"You do?" Castus asked, feeling a bit worried now.
"Yes. I have to start giving all my friends my special hug. That way everypony will feel special, and they won't feel like I care about one friend more then the other." Pinkie finished her rant, eyes pinpricks.
"Uh Pinkie...." Castus started, until Pinkie yanked him into a kiss.
Pinkie pulled back, ending the kiss and Castus rubbed his lips on his sleeve, until Pinkie pulled him up to look her in the eyes.
"Oh thank you for pointing that out Castus. You're a good friend, looking out for everyone's feelings. Especially Fluttershy's." She kissed his check this time before giving a big smile.
Castus opened his mouth, to say something, but then decided to just say, "You know....forget it."
When Pinkie jumped to these conclusions it was almost impossible to talk her out of it.
Castus went back to finally putting the hammer to the nail, when Pinkie once more interrupted him again.
"Castus-" She started.
"AGH!" Castus shouted, threw the hammer away and drew on the Wind. He used its power to draw the needed runic symbols into the ground as well as the needed blueprint layout and slammed his fist down, letting the power surge into the materials and symbols.
The materials began lifting, turning and molding like clay, nails sliding into the wood, connecting the pieces with ease, and the wood seemingly to mold itself into place in correction to the pattern and seamlessly with the house as if the cottage itself was simply growing another wing. When the spell ended, the Cottage now had a large expansive additional wing add to it, windows peering into a room that led out to a hall through a door and another door beyond it.
Castus breathed heavily, releasing the Wind and turning slowly toward Pinkie, who looked at him with shock.
"Yes. Pinkie." Castus said with a smile.
Pinkie blinked, "Oh never mind. Hugs!"
And once more, Pinkie engulfed Castus into a hug. All the while, Castus just stood there with a pounding headache.
'I guess using my magic can count as building it with my own two hands.' Castus thought.
Sometime later, Fluttershy returned to the cottage and gasped at what she saw.
Her cottage was bigger now. A whole new section had been added, and had been added with such seemless skill that it looked like it had been a part of the original building. She felt her heart warm up with sheer joy, seeing the work that Castus had put in to help their soon to be growing family.
She looked from the cottage, towards Castus and Pinkie, and then placed her hoof over her mouth to hide her quiet giggle. Somehow she had expected to see this.
Pinkie stood, hooves wrapped around Castus and turning left and right slightly as she squeezed him against her chest. Pinkie seemed to do that to him a lot, and Fluttershy wondered if she and Castus should talk about her and them. But any thoughts on that were lost when Pinkie spotted her.
"Fluttershy! Oh thank goodness. Don't worry! You're special to me too!" Pinkie gasped, releasing Castus, who slumped to the ground and gasped for air like a fish did when out of the water.
"What? Aaaah!" Fluttershy shouted in surprise as Pinkie pulled her into a hug, engulfing her head into her chest as she did Castus. Pinkie squeezed her, her hooves squeezing Fluttershy further into her friends chest, while the sides of her hooves pressed her breasts against each other and squishing against the sides of her head.
'I guess I know how Castus always feels when Pinkie hugs her.' She thought, as she struggled to get free.
Finally, Pinkie freed her head pressed the side of her face against Fluttershy's and rubbed her head up and down.
"Don't worry Flutters. Castus told me everything. From now on, I won't ever let you feel neglected again." Pinkie said.
"W-w-what? But- Pinkie..." Fluttershy stammered, confused and slightly embarrassed. What did she mean by that?
"Oh, look at the time, I still have half of Ponyville to hug. See you two later." Pinkie said, kissing Fluttershy's forehead and speeding off back to town.
Fluttershy stood there, confused and her mane slightly messed up.
"Uh...sh-should we just say its Pinkie being Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked. Not sure how to process the events.
"Yeah." Castus said, still laying on the ground, "My head hurts too much.
Fluttershy nodded, and walked over to help Castus up. The two then laughed, before looking at the cottage and Castus wrapped his arms around Fluttershy, and she leaned in against his side, resting her head on his shoulder.
Their home was bigger now. Now they needed to make their family bigger next.
Castus, Fluttershy, Twilight and the girls, walked down the cloud streets of Ponyville. All around Castus could feel the pressure of eyes on him. Though if it was him they were looking at or him and the princess, or even just the princess herself was hard to tell. Though at the back of his mind, Castus could feel mixed feelings of anger or distaste, between confusion and uncertainty. He didn't need the Wind to help him tell him that.
"I'm glad you girls were able to come along. Me and Fluttershy were a bit worried doing this on our own." Castus said as they walked.
"Eh, no problem dude, what are friends for." Rainbow Dash said, tossing her hooves behind her head in a casual way.
"And I couldn't pass up an opportunity to be the first to witness the first in a social change. The first pony adopted by a mixed race couple. This is sure to go into the history books." Twilight said with excitement.
"You will no doubt need a line of clothes for the little darling you will be adding to your lives, and if I can get measurements ahead of time it will make it that much easier to get a head start on them." Rarity said, looking through her purse.
"But do ya think they will even let ya adopt?" Applejack asked, "I mean, I don't doubt your qualifications. But..." Applejack trailed off, fidgeting with her hat.
Castus frowned, and felt a wave of sickness seem to curl up in his stomach.
"Equestrian Law Code G, Section 37q. Specifically states that it is illegal to discriminate against Equestrian citizens, regardless of race, culture, or creed. They have to treat Castus and Fluttershy like any other prospective parents." Twilight said, pulling out a small bound book on Equestrian law from her book bag. She had brought several books and articles for such an occasion.
'But will they try and drag it out? Or some other underhanded tactic?' Castus thought, bitterly.
But an even more bitter thought came to mind. Would any of the children even want to be adopted by them?
The sick feeling that Castus felt before came back with vengeance, and he felt dizzy as the Ponyvilel branch of the Equestrian Orphanage Society, the national orphanage system put in place to help in finding homes for orphaned ponies, griffons and other creatures living in Equestria, came into view. It only grew wore with each step.
'Fluttershy maybe. Hell, and kid would love to have a kind and caring mother like her. But....but me....' Castus bit his lip.
The possibility that any of those children, in this orphanage or others in Equestria, had no doubt been put in there because of the war. A war in which he had led the other side. He had certainly taken his share of lives, even if he hadn't wanted to. And then there was the actions by THEM. He might not have ordered it, but it had still been his warriors. His people. He played a part in that blame.
And now, now he was going to what? Go in and say, 'Hey kids. I know your parents were killed by my kind, but I want to adopt you?' How the hell would that go over?
Castus had suffered a lot, mentally and physically in the times during and after the war. But he always pulled through because he saw a better future in the making. But this was something different.
He was not sure he could live, if he knew that the any child he was raising blamed him, hated him, for taking their parents away.
"Castus? Are you coming?" Fluttershy asked, looking at him with concern.
Castus blinked, and realized that he had stopped walking. He looked up at the building, and took a sharp intake of air.
"I...." Castus said, feeling for the first time a sense of worry he had not felt before.
Fluttershy, sensing Castus discomfort, slowly wrapped her hooves around him and pulled him into a warm embrace. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat.
"You're worried. Right? I am too." Fluttershy whispered to him.
"I just...I, I'm to blame. For any number of kids in there. What do I say to them? How can I even deserve to adopt them, after what I did?" Castus whispered.
"Castus. You always told me, that we can't take back what was already done. But that we should strive to make amends for anything we regret. I know that you if you could have, you would not have wanted any of what happened happen. If you could, you would give back everypony's loved ones who died. But you can't." Fluttershy tightened her grip around Castus as she whispered to him.
Castus didn't say anything, only hugged Fluttershy back.
"But...if we can give a home and love to a child who lost everything, isn't that a way to make up for it?" Fluttershy asked, looking at Castus with a smile now. Though in her eyes, Castus could see an equal uncertainty herself.
She was scared as well.
"But....what if they....what if they blame me? I don't know if I could handle being hated like that?" Castus said.
"Poor dear," Fluttershy whispered, "Maybe they will. But maybe we can change their minds. But you won't get that chance, if you run away."
Castus still did not feel sure, but listening to Fluttershy give her best to reassure him made him feel better.
"Alright...I'll try. Just don't leave me alone in there. Okay." Castus said.
"I'm right beside you." Fluttershy reassured with a smile.
"Hey love birds. You coming or not?" Rainbow Dash called at them.
It took a moment for the two to realize that they were still outside, and that some ponies were beginning to stare.
"Eep." Fluttershy squeaked, blushing and hiding in her mane.
Castus blushed too, and rubbed the back of his head as he and Fluttershy caught up with Rainbow Dash and the others, and entered the orphanage.
The inside of the orphanage was neat and tidy. Well kept. At the desk, sat a mare with low rimmed glasses and a grey mane pulled up in a bun. she looked up at them as they entered, eyes widening.
"Princess Twilight? And..." She stopped talking when she spotted Castus, and her eyes seemed to harden.
The mare didn't say anything for a moment before speaking again, "Welcome to the Poynville Orphanage. Was there....something you needed?"
"H-hello, um w-we were hoping to adopt." Fluttershy said, Castus nodding in agreement.
The mare didn't say anything, looking at the two of them for a moment, but most especially at Castus.
"I trust you understand that we generally need to do a background check and home assessment before we can allow you to....adopt?" The mare asked, looking at them speculatively.
"Already taken care of." Castus said, smirking with a sense of satisfaction as he produced two tightly rolled documents from the stack in Twilight's grip; which she gave him with a nod.
The mare took the documents, and examined them carefully. Looking up with surprise at Twilight, and then at Castus and Fluttershy. She placed the documents down.
"Very well. I guess that is all cleared. Well, we have many children up for adoption," The mare said, seeming to put emphasis on the word many when she looked at Castus.
"Come, follow me. The children are in their rooms right now." the mare said, standing and walking down a hall.
Castus and Fluttershy looked back at Twilight and the others, then followed.
'She sure doesn't like me.' Castus thought, noting the mares attitude.
Not that he was surprised.
They soon found themselves at the entrance to a wide room, rows bunk beds within. Some chairs and tables as well. All around, children played or talked. Some read books in their beds, or sat at the tables to draw, or play with toys from a chest of toys.
"Before you go in, I suggest you just go back and forget this nonsense." The mare said, giving the two of them a hard look.
"What do you mean?" Castus asked.
"I know you," The mare said at Castus, "its because of you, and humans like you that many of these children are here. You should do yourselves and them a favor and leave."
Castus clenched his fist, "Thanks, but I think we can make decisions for ourselves."
The mare didn't say anything, and Fluttershy and Castus turned toward the door. Castus felt himself feel hesitant, and he looked to Fluttershy for support.
"I can go in first if you want. Help break the ice." She said to him.
"Yeah. Could you?" Castus asked.
Fluttershy nodded, and she stepped into the room. The reaction was almost immediate. The children stopped their play and all their eyes turned toward Fluttershy.
"O-oh. Uh h-hello." She stammered a bit, not use to such attention.
The children all immediately leapt and rushed her, giving little cheers and some hugging her legs.
"Oh. Oh my. H-hello sweeties. Oh um. N-no I..y-yes. P-please don't crowd around me." She said, feeling a bit nervous with so many small and young ponies around her. Despite this, Fluttershy had a smile on her face.
"N-now everypony. Yes I am here to adopt somepony. Oh you are all so cute. B-but before we continue, I-I'd like you all to meet my Special Somepony."
Castus figured that was his queue, and he gulped as he slowly stepped into the room. The reaction was also immediate, though not at all like Fluttershy's entrance.
The room went quiet, and Castus felt all the eyes of the children on him. Only instead of joy, he saw fear. Uncertainty. The children backed away a bit, some hiding behind their beds or others clinging to Fluttershy before retreating. They made a slight circle around them, all eyes on Castus. He thought he heard a whimper.
"Oh please, don't be scared. He won't hurt anyone. He is a good person." Fluttershy said, trying to win the children over.
Castus sighed, and wondered if this was a good idea. He had always wondered if adopting a pony first would be a good idea, but it seemed the most practical to start with. He was sure that Fluttershy would love a human child as much as a pony, but their living situation would offer a number of challenges on the human child that Castus felt it best to start with a pony child.
But seeing this reaction, made Castus think that maybe it was a lost cause.
Something hard hitting against his head brought Castus out of his thoughts, and he placed his hand over his head and looked down to see a toy block on the ground. He looked over and saw a young filly looking at him with anger, a colt holding her to him in worry.
"Castus! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, coming to him and placing her hoof over where he got hit.
"I'm fine." He assured her, and looked back to the filly.
Fluttershy also looked and she knelt down and moved over to the filly.
"Now that wasn't nice. You shouldn't throw things." Fluttershy said softly.
"Monster! Go away!" The filly shouted at Castus.
"I'm sorry. Please don't hurt her." The colt said, holding the filly tightly.
"We won't. Please, don't be scared." Fluttershy said calmly, and reached towards the filly.
The colt pulled the filly back, and hid them around the corner of the bunk bed.
Fluttershy frowned, pulled her hoof back and stood up.
Castus frowned, and sighed. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
He watched as Fluttershy tried to approach another child, a young Pegasus colt of probably no more then six years. Castus watched as the colt kept backing away now. But then he felt something.
A familiar sensation came over Castus. A feeling that he was being watched. Now, he had some eyes on him from the children but this was different. Like something was watching him, that he couldn't see. It reminded him of the times when Fluttershy was having one of her....episodes....like that one time. Only he didn't get the feeling of hunger. It felt more curious.
He turned, looking behind him and caught the sight of something with a dark mane ducking its head back behind the bed. He blinked, and moved toward it. He heard the patter and clack of hooves on the floor, and he saw the barest sight of a dark tail passing around the corner. Then something brushed his head, and he looked up at the top bunk and saw a tiny bit of bright pink mane sticking out from under some covers.
Castus blinked and stepped up on a bit of the ladder and gently picked up some of the covers to reveal what was hiding and poking his head.
Under the covers, looking at him, were slitted green eyes with a vibrant pink mane atop the head. Long tufted ears twitched. Castus stared back.
"Hello..." He said, and the little creature gasped and crawled backwards through the covers and out the other side. Castus saw it drop down from the other side of the bed, using its leathery wings to glide down.
"Castus?" Fluttershy called, stepping over to him.
Castus pointed to the other side of the bed and made a hush motion. Fluttershy blinked, but stepped over to the side of the bed he pointed to.
Castus crouched down again and moved to the corner of the bed he had saw the tail go behind. He heard gasps and the patter of multiple hooves, as well as a low giggle, before another gasp and screeches of surprise from Fluttershy and whatever it was that Castus saw.
Castus went around the corner, and saw Fluttershy standing in front of the path, as he predicted she would be when he told her where to go, of two small ponies. But unlike ponies, both had the same long tufted ears. Leathery, bat like wings. Slitted eyes. One had green eyes with a vibrant pink mane and tail, and the other had bright sky blue eyes with a dark black and navy blue mane and tail. He recognized them as Thestrals, the bat like sub species to pegasi; though some thought they were a separate species all together.
The dark maned thestral held the pink maned threstral too her close, and looked between Castus and Fluttershy. It was clear she was the eldest, Castus guessed her to be at maybe six or seven. The pink maned thestral, maybe four or three.
"Hello there." Fluttershy said, giving a smile.
The thestrals backed up, but into Castus, they turned and looked at him now. He smiled and crouched lower to be eye level with them.
"Hello sweeties." He said, offering his hand out.
The older thestral pulled the younger one back with her, and looked at Castus offered hand. The pink maned thestral also looked at his hand and leaned forward to sniff it. Then the younger thestral opened her mouth, tiny fangs appearing, and bit down on his hand.
"Ouch." Castus gasped, and the older thestral gasped and pulled the younger thestral off his hand. The young thestral made a whimpering sort of sound.
"S-sorry. Sh-she didn't mean it. Please don't be mad." The older thestral spoke, worried.
"Why would I be mad?" Castus asked.
"Y-you aren't? S-so you won't hurt her?" The thestral asked.
"No. Why would I want to?" Castus asked.
"Ponies say humans hurt ponies when they get mad." The thestral said, ears flattening.
Castus frowned, "Do I look mad?"
"Look siwwy." The pink maned thestral giggled.
Castus smiled, "Yeah. I probably do."
The pink maned thestral giggled again, and looked up at the dark maned thestral with a smile, her tail swishing side to side.
"What are your names little ones?" Fluttershy asked.
"Azure Shadow. And this is Moonlight." The dark maned thestral said.
"Those are lovely names." Fluttershy said with a smile, causing Azure Shadow to blush.
"A-are you here to adopt somepony?" Azure asked Fluttershy, occasionally casting a glance back to Castus. Moonlight looked between the two, a smile on her face.
"We hope so. But...." Castus looked around and sighed.
"Well, we should go." He said, looking to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy looked to Castus, then looked around and sighed before returning her attention to Azure Shadow and Moonlight.
"It was lovely meeting you two."
"Buh bye pwetty wady." Moonlight waved, "Siwwy hooman."
"Moonlight," Azure reprimanded the younger thestral, "I'm sorry if that bugs you." She said to Castus.
"Its fine. Its cute." He reached down and patted the little thestrals head. Moonlight giggled and tried to move away from the pat.
"It was nice meeting you both. Sorry if I scared you." Castus said.
"I-its okay. Um, I hope you find somepony to adopt." Azure said, watching as Castus and Fluttershy walked out of the room. The other children all slowly coming out of hiding.
'Yeah. Me too kid.' Castus thought, though he had some doubts.
"Are you done?" The mare from the desk asked them as they walked out, "I told you it was pointless."
"I-it wasn't so bad." Fluttershy said.
"Well, I suppose you want to meet with any of them in private?" The desk mare asked, though her tone made it clear she thought it unlikely.
"Maybe. Could we have a moment?" Castus asked.
"Of course. Take all the time you need." The desk mare said, before walking off.
Castus pulled Fluttershy aside, "Well...I think that went as expected."
"I-it wasn't so bad. They seemed really friendly." Fluttershy said.
"Till they saw me." Castus sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down.
"Castus." Fluttershy frowned, and placed her hoof on his cheek, "I know it looked bad, but we did meet two fillies that weren't afraid of you."
'Not entirely.' Castus thought, but he nodded.
"Those two thestrals. Yeah, they weren't so bad. Moonlight was a cutey." Castus said, smiling when he remembered the smile on the little bat filly's face.
"And Azure Shadow didn't seem scared of you..." Fluttershy said, "...or well. Not too much."
"Still. Least she was willing to talk to me." Castus said.
Fluttershy nodded, "We've come this far. We should at least see it through."
"I guess we won't know for sure if we don't." Castus said with a sigh.
Fluttershy kissed his cheek, "It will be fine."
The ticking of the clock was the only sound that filled the room. Castus sat on a chair, a little too small for him, in what a play room at the orphanage where prospective parents could talk one on one with prospective adopties. A small table with a bunch of toys and blocks stood before him and on the other side sat Azure Shadow, who to Castus' surprise and the desk mare's surprise, had been willing to sit down with him to talk.
It was a moment that Castus thought would not happen, and now that it had occurred, he wasn't sure what to say first.
"Sooo...." Castus started, fiddling with one of those toys where you move the beads through a pathway of metal loops, "Uh...hi."
"H-hello. Again." Azure Shadow responded, for the fifth time since Castus had said hi. It was clear she didn't feel too comfortable herself, as she fiddled with her hooves and tilting a block side to side.
"Oh yeah, well....how are you?" Castus started, trying to end the awkwardness.
"Fine. Um, you?" Azure asked.
"Oh fine, fine, "Castus chuckled a little uneasily.
The ticking of the clock continued.
'Come on Castus. You've faced down armies. Personally dueled two of the other Three High Lords during the Reign of Three of the Third Valhruan Imperium. You were one. Well, I wasn't personally, but...gah....what I mean is that talking to a little girl shouldn't be leaving you mute again. Just say something!' Castus yelled at himself internally.
"W-Why did you want to talk to me?" Azure asked.
"Uh, well I was hoping to get to know you more." Castus said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Why?" Azure asked.
"Well, because...." Castus started, "Well because I hope that....well me and Fluttershy would like to adopt you. And Moonlight too."
Azure looked at him, a mixture of surprise, uncertainty and perhaps the tiniest bit of hope. But then she looked away with a frown.
"Why?" Azure asked again.
"Because Fluttershy and I want to have a family." Castus said, as if that explained it all, but then he sighed.
"And, well...maybe I hoped that I could make amends, for what I did." Castus frowned.
"D-Did you r-really kill ponies? A filly named Butter Swirl said her parents were killed by humans." Azure asked, looking at Castus intently.
Castus bit his lip, "Anything I say, might sound like an excuse. But yes. I have killed ponies before. In the war, myself and other humans killed ponies. But ponies killed humans as well. Even the father of a filly who is a good friend to me was killed in the fighting."
Azure frowned, "Why? Why kill each other?"
"Because we didn't see any other way. Maybe there was a different way, but we were just not seeing it. And as the killing kept going on, it grew harder and harder to see any other way but to fight. I didn't want to fight. And I didn't want to kill anyone. But in the end I did." Castus said, looking at his hands. Seeing the blood on them in his mind.
Azure didn't say anything for a time, before saying, "The other kids think you're a monster. I-is it true that humans burned an entire village?"
Castus clenched his fist, "Yeah. They did. But they won't ever do that again."
"What do you mean?" Azure asked.
"Those humans, "Castus started, "What they did, was unforgivable. Monstrous. I never wanted anything like that to happen. And when I learned what they did, I punished them. Severely."
Azure looked at Castus, and lifted her hoof to his face. Castus blinked, and was surprised to see her wipe away a tear.
"You didn't want it to happen. Did you?" She asked.
"Never. Yet I will shoulder the blame, because someone has too. The memory and all those lives will haunt my mind for the rest of my life. Because I didn't see the hate building in my people." Castus said, tightening his fists and feeling his nails bite into his skin.
Castus kept his eyes on the table, but he looked up in surprise when he felt something brush his head.
He looked up to see Azure, her hoof patting his head.
"Ponies call you a monster. But sometimes, I hear some colts call me one." Azure said, smiling sadly, "but I don't think a monster would cry for what it did."
Castus frowned, "Why would somepony think you're a monster?"
"Cause of these. And these." Azure said, pointing to her fangs, her wings and her eyes.
Castus frowned, and then remembered. Thestrals were historically outcasts amongst Equestrian Society, largely because they were so different from them. And because they have had a long history connected to Luna and in part to Nightmare Moon. Even with Celestia's best efforts and with the return of Luna, it was not easy to end a thousand years of prejudice and superstition.
"I don't think your a monster." Azure said, smiling at him.
Castus smiled back, "Thank you."
"Um...are you, really going to adopt me and my sister?" Azure asked.
"Only if you want us to." Castus said with a smile.
Castus walked out of the room, with Azure in tow who had her hooves around his neck as she rode on his back. Stepping into the hall, they saw Fluttershy who held Moonlight in her hooves while the little thestral playfully nibbled on Fluttershy's hoof.
"I trust it went well?" Fluttershy asked, smiling happily.
"Yeah. I think so." Castus said, looking at Azure who smiled back.
Walking back to the main lobby, the four stepped out to the greetings of the girls.
"Hey, so how did it go?" Dash asked first, before noticing the girls, "Oh that's awesome, their thestrals."
"Yes, we sort of noticed." Castus said with a roll of his eyes.
"Oh they are simple darling. And I already have a dozen ideas for a line of clothing for them. I shall call it, Beauty in the Night." Rarity said, her mind already working on a number of designs to draw up.
"Oh this is so exciting, hey do you girls like parties? Ah who am I kidding, of course you do. What kind of cake will you want? What-" Pinkie was immediately stopped by Castus planting his hand over her mouth.
"Let's save that for later eh? We still need to sign all the papers." Castus said, before pulling his hand away.
Castus and Fluttershy turned to the desk mare, who looked at them with surprise.
"Um, of course." The desk mare said.
It did not take long for Castus and Fluttershy, to sign all the needed documents, of which Twilight made copies of with a spell. After that it was just the customary word of a home inspection to ascertain that Azure and Moonlight were being taken care of. By the end of it all, Fluttershy and Castus were walking out of the orphanage and back to the cottage in the company of friends, and with the added addition of Moonlight and Azure Shadow.
Their new daughters.
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Liked this chapter!
Okay, I loved this chapter. It was amusing to see Pinkie constantly interrupting Castus' attempts to build a house with her smothering hugs, though I do wonder why she kisses Castus when he's already accounted to by Fluttershy. Also, while it was bad to see Castus being hated/feared by nearly everyone in the orphanage, it was very heartwarming to see the thestral foals (Moonlight and Azure Shadow) be accepting of Castus. Overall, this is one, if not the sweetest chapter in the story. Thanks for the story.
I smell inspiration from "My filly, Nightshine!"
Bat ponies are cuddly. I want to hug one.
7134531
Why does Pinkie kiss Castus? Its Pinkie. Does she need a reason?
Ohohohhoho, you know theirs gonna be some fan art on the near future!
Nice chapter, I've started to notice a trend in the storys I read about thestrals being adopted
YA THINK
This chapter felt better than some of the ones before it. Castus attempting to expand his and Futters' home was particularly entertaining.
Also, while the adoption scene was overall nicely done, I felt the discussion between Castus and Azure felt a little too mature. Maybe I'm underestimating children, but I don't feel this is how a discussion would have gone.
Wait, about two chapters back... What happened? Did I miss something or was it skipped?