Two Lives Becoming One

by manuccia

What Makes a Parent - Ch. 6

Canterlot Castle was rather quiet, save for the occasional Guard trotting down the halls to Guard mess or out into the Gardens to meet family. Soarin’ was spending his Hearth Warming in the Royal kitchen preparing a traditional Cloudsdale meal: which meant a heart vegetable stew, some cider, and plenty of sweets. Preparing the stew was the easy bit and he had plenty of vegies to choose from. He was currently slicing through a group of starchy potatoes as he heard the sounds of playful giggles. He slowly flapped his wings out a nearby window and to an open space in the Royal Gardens. It was from none other than his two wonderful foals: Dusk and Glidin’ and it seemed that they were in a brutal snowball war with their Uncle Shining and Aunt Cadence. It was too bad the royal couple wasn’t aware of that fact.

“They are so playful…” Soarin’ chuckled and touched back down to the marble floor. The Royal Kitchen was rather large, but it felt cozy for some odd reason. Soarin’ just ignored it and continued his work. Pouring the chopped vegies into a large pot to cook in, humming a catchy tune he learned from a certain pink party pony. He was so pre-occupied he barely noticed the creaking of the door swinging open and the later clopping of hooves. “Hey Twilight...” he says starting to turn around expecting his wife to be there. “Dinner is started I ju…” he immediately stopped as he spotted the brown coated unicorn. Soarin’ took a deep breath to calm his quickly rising temper.

Stalwart slowly trotted towards Soarin’, being cautious with each step as if he were trotting through a minefield. “S-soarin…” he said slowly. “C-can we talk…?”

Soarin’ took his time to keep himself in check. “Talk…?” he asked rhetorically. “Since when were you the talking type…” he said firmly.

Stalwart hung his head low, Soarin’ was right. He never was a pony to talk first, but that was before. The former Guard slowly trotted forward. “Son…”

The light blue Pegasus snapped around, giving his father a cold gaze. “Son… last I remembered I was your little disappointment…” he said, his hoof pushing the older stallion away.

Maybe a few years ago Stalwart would have resisted, but now he simply let his body hit the cold marble ground with a thud. “You’re right…” he sighs, he had no respect for himself and not nearly enough to try and get up. “… You were never really a son to me and that’s my fault…” he says. “… I just want to talk…”

Soarin’ shook his head and let out a soft sigh, remembering what his wife told him. ‘Ugh… he wants to talk… but… I’ll listen… but only because Twilight said I should.’ Soarin’ sat down in front of the stallion at him. “I’m listening…” he says rather impatiently.

“Soarin… I know what I did to you.” Stalwart started. “… I blamed you for all my mistakes… All my problems because it was easier… There is no excuse for what I did.”

Soarin’ listened to his father carefully, while he didn’t want to see the stallion again there was something in his voice. Remorse.

“… Soarin’ every night for the past 10 years I would go to sleep and the only image I would see is a scared colt being beaten bloodied by his father… By me,” Stalwart stops to collect his thoughts.

Soarin’ nodded and helped the stallion sit up. Stalwart taking his hoof, but not meeting the younger stallion’s eyes as his body lifted up. “So… what do you want?” Soarin’ asked.

“Nothing… I was never a father to you… There is nothing I deserve.” He said softly.

Soarin’ looks to the stallion skeptically. “So… why are you doing this then?” he asked. He was surprised. His mother wanted to part of his life again, but this he didn’t expect.

“I would love a chance to be a part of your life, but… I don’t deserve it...” he said and stood up. His legs shaking as he got on his four hooves. “Good bye…” he says and slowly makes his way to the exit. “… I am glad you are a better father and husband than I could ever dream to be…”

Soarin’ didn’t know what to do; half his brain was glad the pony was leaving, but the other half told Soarin’ to stop him. The grim memories of his foalhood twisted through his brain: the pain, both physical and emotional, the loneliness of his time as a colt. The image of the stallion inflicted the pain upon him etched into his mind, but something was different about the stallion that was before him. While he knew it was the same pony, he seemed different. Something seemed different about the way he carried himself. Soarin’ was curious and wanted to know more and he got an idea.“Wait…” he said galloping over to stop him.

Stalwart stopped dead in his tracks a flicker of hope lit. Maybe he could a get a chance to know who his son was. “… Yes Soarin’?”

“Listen… Stalwart” Soarin’ said and sat down in front of him. “I… I am not sure if I could ever forgive you for what you did to me…but I am willing to give you and Sunny a chance.”

A smile slowly grew on Stalwart’s face with each passing word. “You… You will really do that?”

“Yes, but not now…” Soarin said. “… today I want to spend my night with my family, but in a few weeks you can come down to our home in Ponyville and we can talk…” Soarin states and stands up. “… This doesn’t mean you are suddenly going to be my dad or anything, but I want to talk…” Soarin’ says

“T-thank you Soarin’… I will go inform my wife about this…” he says trying to hide the happiness in his voice. Soarin’ nodded and stalwart trotted out of the room.

Soarin’ trotted back over to the hot stove to continue his cooking. His thoughts returned to his family, and what the future would hold for him.

***

Canterlot was alive with activity as the sun slowly fell over the horizon. Ponies were rushing to return to the warmth of their homes as the chilling winds blew through the mountain top city. The Royal Castle was rather quiet, save one area. The Royal Dining hall was alive with laughs and voices of happy ponies. In the center of the hall sat a large wooden dining table. Their meal was over, empty dishes littered the table as they all enjoyed their holiday.

Dusk was climbing over his Uncle Shining. The little colt was obsessed with the Royal Guard and he was determined to be the next Captain just like his uncle, the small colt falling into the stallion’s lap. Crescent Sparkle chuckled, seeing his son, shining, in the small colt. The stallion lost himself in his memoires until he felt a wave of cake frosting hit the side of his face.

Looking over to the other end of the table was his granddaughter and Princess Celestia, in a cake eating contest. Soarin’ was judging the contest both Celestia and Glidin’s faces were thoroughly covered in sweet, silky cake frosting. Crescent chuckled and wiped his face clean.

Soarin’ chuckled as his daughter competed against his mother, the Self-proclaimed Royal Cake Eating Champion, and the little filly was winning by a bite. ‘I am glad Twilight is busy…’ he thought looking over and seeing his wife, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law all chatting about foals. ‘She would ring my neck if she saw this…’ he thought and waved that thought off. ‘It’s Hearth Warming…’

Their night continued on, laughing and reveling in their company. As the moon was securely in the crisp Canterlot night, the group moved over to a nearby hearth, a rolling fire was burning. In the center of the group was Soarin’ and Twilight with their foals. The two young ones were ecstatic over their surprise their parents promised them.

Dusk and Glidin’ popped their heads up, both of their faces sporting a wide smile. “Mommy, Daddy… it’s nighttime…” the colt exclaimed with excitement.

“Yeah… and we are by the hearth, can we have out surprise now?” the filly asked innocently.

Twilight chuckled at their enthusiasm. “I don’t know…” she teases as her horn glowed, floating over two small packages, one to each foal. “Here you go…” she said warmly, giving each foal a soft nuzzle.

Soarin’ watches as they tore into their packages.

Dusk quickly ripped through the thin paper and found a book, an old book. “A book…?” he asked reading the over. “.. on magic…” he said his excitement growing.

Twilight patted his back lightly. “Yes… that was my first magic book that my parents got me” he said warmly as the foal almost exploded in happiness. “… and if you work really hard and read this book, this spring I will teach you your first spells…” she said softly as the colt jumped into a tight hug. Crescent and Star smiled at her daughter, they were both proud of her.

Glidin’ was ripping into her package and found a scroll. She slowly picked it up and read it. It was a ticket to the Annual Cloudsdale opener, the first show the Wonderbolts put on in their season and there was something else: admission to the Junior Wonderbolt Flight Camp. The filly jumped in delight, falling into her father’s hooves. “Thanks mom… thanks dad…” she squeed.

Soarin’ smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I am glad you like it little one…” he whispered.

Glidin’ smiled at the thought of flying with her heroes, flying. “… But dad… I can’t fly yet?” she said sadly.

“I know Glidin’, which is why this spring you dad will be teaching you” he replied, watching the filly’s smile grow back quickly. “Your wings should be fully developed by then and you will be ready for your first flight” he said warmly.

“I love you dad…” The filly whispered.

“I love you too...” he said wrapping her in his hooves. Soarin’ looked around the room; Celestia was asleep from the large consumption of cake. Soarin’ sighed and rested his head on his wife’s neck. The ponies all stayed by the fire all of them drifting off to sleep before the slow, crackling fire. Soarin’ stayed awake and looked around the dim room. To his right were his beautiful wife and his son, and in his hooves was his filly. ‘… I have my family here… my family…’ he thought looking to his Star and Crescent, who were sleeping softly, and next to them was his brother Shining and his wife Cadence. The whole group flanked by the two other alicorns. ‘… this is everything I could every want…’ he thought with a sigh and rested his head, taking comfort in his wife’s soft, warm neck. “Good night…” he whispered and drifted off to sleep. It was a beautiful night in Equestria, a night for famiy.

Author's Note:

Here is the next Chapter. I am sorry for such the long wait. I will try to get back into quicker updates to stories. Enjoy.

Comments

[Celestias Paladin]

About bloody time Mac, but worth the wait.

[andmos]

2177854 bloody it is, but been passion is a art.

[manuccia]

2177854

Again sorry about the wait. I am glad you liked it.

[moguera]

She would ring my neck if she saw this…’ he thought and waved that thought off. ‘It’s Hearth Warming…’

You mean wring.

Twilight patted his back lightly. “Yes… that was my first magic book that my parents got me” he(1) said warmly as the foal almost exploded in happiness. “… and if you work really hard and read this book, this spring I will teach you your first spells…” she said softly as the colt jumped into a tight hug. Crescent and Star smiled at her(2) daughter, they were both proud of her.

1. You mean she right?
2. Should be their.

Otherwise, great chapter.

[allstar brawler]

Great chapter so how is the next one doing

[Creed Miles]

so much cuteness
manly tears

[Eurobeat11]

I just had a malfunction from a cuteness overload.

[circular triangle]

And for a second I thought you had given up on this story.

[Erebos]

Holy shit I thought this story was dead

[allstar brawler]

Why did you diside to have sorin's parents abuse him

[BadColt]

Awesome!!!! Huhuhahuahuha
Too cute, man

[BadColt]

2339976 yes i know!!!! u radical

[Transivity]

Lol I favorite this and look up at how many favorite stories I have... This is the 150th lol

[VagueDrake]

Lovely. A few grammatical errors here and there, but otherwise, this is a great story.

[The_Real_Pinkie_Pie]

W-when's the next chapter coming...?

[BrightKnight 42]

IS this Dead

[morrisonmatt32]

Hello in here is the right dead!

[SweetyBelleluvsu]

Person, get a chapter going! This story is worth continuing!

[TheMegaPonyRanger]

Dude hurry up!

[Thyrrnatf]

Worst part about this story is that it is dead :(