Chapter 3
“Mother…”
Sleet was as white as her namesake. She was still young, but worry and concern had left her with a worn, wizened expression upon her face. Watching, waiting in a patient manner, Princess Celestia, for now she was required to be Princess Celestia, stood nearby while Sleet looked her colt over, nosed him, and touched him with her wings.
“Too thin,” she grumbled as she ran the front edge of her wing along Gosling’s neck. Sleet shook her head. “You’ve gotten taller.” The maternal white pegasus took a step back from her son, turned her head, and looked over at Princess Celestia. “What’s with her?” Sleet leaned her head over and whispered into Gosling’s ear.
Taking a deep breath, Gosling started to reply but failed. He stood staring at his mother, then at Princess Celestia, and then he looked around the small, cosy room they were standing in. He had no idea what to say to his mother in this instance.
“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Sleet asked as she lifted her head. A fierce gleam overtook her eyes as she glanced at her son. “Did you behave like a horseshoe head? Gosling, answer me! What have I told you about fighting? Didn’t I tell you to be good?”
“Perhaps it would be best if you sat down,” Princess Celestia suggested as she extended a wing and gestured at a small but comfortable sofa whose size was just right for little ponies.
“Perhaps it would be best if I knew what was going on,” Sleet replied, giving a bold glare to Princess Celestia. “The guard may have claimed my son, and they may have his body, but his heart is still mine. Don’t forget that.”
Blinking, Princess Celestia drew herself up to her full height. She stood there, surprised by Sleet’s boldness, and she could see where Gosling himself must have got his courage. She began to get the idea that Sleet would be the sort of fearless mother that would pick a fight with a manticore if the situation demanded it.
“Mother, everything is fine—”
“Liar, you keep calling me Mother—”
“I’m too old to call you ‘Mommy’ and saying ‘Mama’ doesn’t feel right in front of Princess Celestia.” Gosling gave his mother a pleading glare and shook his head. “Look, this is really hard as it is and you are making it more difficult than it needs to be.”
Sleet took a step back from her son, inhaled, puffed out her barrel, fluffed out her wings, and then gave her son The Look. Gosling cringed away from his mother and glanced over at the other mare in the room, his eyes pleading for help.
“Sleet, if I might have a moment—”
The puffed out pegasus mare turned her baleful gaze upon the much larger alicorn.
“—of your time so that I might share with you some good news.” Princess Celestia took a deep, calming breath. “Your son has declared his intentions for me. We are courting and if all goes well, your son will become my royal consort.”
Sleet’s ears pinned back against her head, but she remained stiff legged and puffed out. She blinked a few times, processing Princess Celestia’s words, and after several slow blinks, she turned her head and looked over at her son. Seeing Gosling’s hopeful smile, she deflated, her lips flapping and making a flatulent sound.
“I must say, Sleet, your son has impressed me,” Princess Celestia said, trying flattery to appease Gosling’s mother.
“Well of course he did,” Sleet replied, “I raised him right.” She whirled and faced her son. “Stand up straight! Don’t slouch! Stop making me look bad!” She reached out and poked her son with her wing. “Stop making her look bad!”
Gosling snapped to attention and Princess Celestia let out a low titter that she could not hold in. As the princess stood there watching, Sleet darted forwards and kissed her son upon the cheek.
“You did good… told you that you could do better than that silly filly that did you wrong. This is what you are worthy of, Gosling. You’ve made me proud. I kept telling you that you were meant for something greater.” Overcome with maternal affection, Sleet headbutted her son, a sweet, affectionate conking of the skulls, and sent him staggering.
Princess Celestia did not need Cadance to know that there was love here. Sleet, a brash, feisty little mare, loved her son, wholly and without reservation. It was the sort of love that reaffirmed Celestia’s faith in the world, the good wholesome love that made the world a better place. She basked in it, watching as Sleet rubbed her cheek against her son’s neck, nuzzling him, all while making little happy wickers and snorts.
Emboldened, she stepped forwards, intent to get her share of the affection. She lowered her head, came closer, and then much to her surprise, even though she was expecting it, Sleet turned her maternal affection upon her. The little pegasus mare had no reservations, no fear, no worries about Celestia being a princess; she withheld nothing. Closing her eyes, Celestia allowed her tense muscles to relax as she felt Sleet’s muzzle brushing up against her own. It had been a long time since she had experienced anything like this from one of her little ponies.
The touch was reassuring, it was life affirming, the feeling of acceptance when one is welcomed into a familial herd. Celestia wickered, then whinnied, overcome with a flood of emotions. It was clear that she had Sleet’s approval. She felt a gentle, familiar yet almost forgotten warmth blossoming in her barrel. She had Cadance’s affection, Shining Armor’s as well, she had Twilight, she had those that loved her, but somehow, this was different. She couldn’t say why or how, but it was. Something about this was… maternal. Love without reservation.
Had she been isolated for so long that these feelings had become strange?
Knees wobbling, Celestia’s hindquarters fell to the floor with a muffled whump. She sniffled a few times, determined to hold back the stinging tears she felt, then gave both Sleet and Gosling her best, bravest smile. She was fine until Sleet pulled her closer and then Celestia felt her barrel hitching. There was an awkward moment while one very small pony tried to comfort a much larger pony, size tried to come between them, but Sleet was one determined mare who never turned away from a challenge.
Sleet got one foreleg around Celestia’s neck and then squeezed; that was how you got the hurt out. You squeezed it away. You hugged, rubbed, kneaded, squeezed, or, if necessary, headconked the hurt away. It was the pegasus way since time immemorial.
“I became so lonely and Gosling has been very good to me,” Celestia confessed as she sobbed. “I went to my niece Cadance for help and she brought me Gosling.”
“There there,” Sleet replied in a soothing voice, “let the poison out.”
Gosling, who was quiet, sat with the two most important mares in his life, not quite knowing what to do, but knowing that it was important that he was there. It was expected of him. He had learned that Celestia had the same needs as any other pony, the same feelings, the same wants and desires. She bled, she hurt, and she had the same fear of stinky wingpits that he did. She was a pony, a fact forgotten by many.
And being as old as she was, she had no mother. Oh, she had a mother, that much was certain, Celestia had a belly button, but Celestia’s mother was no longer around. Gosling’s mother would mother anything she could get her hooves on, including it seemed, alicorns overcome with emotions.
“I’ve become so attached to him already… he makes me happy… he painted a sunset for me…” Barrel hitching, Celestia began to blubber.
Gosling saw his mother glance at him, a momentary stare so intense that it took his breath away. He wasn’t sure what she was communicating, but he knew that he would hear about it later. Right now, there were other things to worry about.
Celestia held back her sobs long enough to say, “I don’t know what has come over me.”
“She’s been emotional lately,” Gosling said to his mother.
“I would imagine that it is a big, heart wrenching decision for her, choosing to love again,” Sleet replied. Extending her wing, Sleet nudged her son, encouraging him to get closer.
Something of a three way hug happened, a very intimate moment indeed, and Celestia found that her guard was no longer needed. She was surrounded by those that cared for her, she felt safe, secure, warm, and even with the tears, she was happy. She found that she could let go. She discovered that she could let it all out.
And so, she did.
Gosling watched as his mother prepared tea. She had the most dextrous wings, she had a fine precision and control that could match most unicorns with their telekinesis. Serving tea had been one of her many jobs during her lifetime and it was something she could now do without even thinking about it.
Across the table from him, Celestia sat, red eyed, but smiling. He was worried for her, and his was a quiet, reserved worry. Saying nothing, he extended a wing and stroked the side of Celestia’s neck, still feeling a nagging sense of worry about if he was allowed to touch her. She looked up at his touch, her eyes brightened, and her ears stood straight.
Smiling, Gosling gave her a reassuring nod.
“The way I see it, you and I have a lot in common,” Sleet said to Celestia as she began setting the table. “I’ve been giving it some thought, I have, and you and I are on the same cloud.”
“I’m sorry, Sleet, I do not follow.” Celestia shook her head and one eyebrow arched in confusion. She snatched up a cookie when the plate was set down upon the table and stuffed the whole thing into her mouth, not even bothering to see what sort of cookie it was.
“We’re single mothers,” Sleet said as if this explained everything. She paused and looked at Celestia, who had a blank expression while she chewed her carrot and craisin cookie. “You don’t see it, do you?”
Slow to respond, Celestia shook her head again.
“You and I, we’re single mothers. We worry, we fret, we keep late nights worrying about what we love. I have Gosling… you… you have all of Equestria. We don’t trust anypony else to do our job. We have foals to rear… and no hope of competent help. It is a task we carry upon our own withers because we know it has to be done and done right.”
With a series of deft, swift movements, Sleet set a steaming teapot down upon the table, along with cups and saucers. A sugar bowl followed, then a small silver cream pitcher, some spoons, and then a plate of little cakes.
Sleet turned her hardened stare upon her son. “She’s trusting you with her foals. Don’t mess this up.” Sleet poked her son with her wing. “Don’t mess this up. I mean it. So help me, after all of the hard work and the tears I shed to raise you right, you had better not mess this up. She is asking you to help her care for her foals… what she loves… the very reason why she exists.” Sleet blinked and then wiped her own eyes. “That’s why I never married. I couldn’t find anypony that I trusted enough to do the job of raising you. I just did it myself because I wanted it done right.” The maternal pegasus began to sniffle and she turned away from the table as she let out a powerful snort.
“I think I understand,” Celestia said to Sleet.
“We get so wrapped up in our job… we insist on doing it right, and so we end up doing it alone,” Sleet said in a strained voice as she kept her back to her son. She sniffled a few times as her ears bobbed up and down.
“Mama, I—”
“Don’t mess this up!”
Gosling’s ears went limp against his face. “Yes, Mama, I’ll do right.”
“I know you will,” Sleet replied, “because I raised you right.”
Eyes darting from colt to mare, then back to the colt that she felt a growing affection for, Celestia picked up another cookie and stuffed the whole thing into her mouth. She watched as Sleet turned around and she saw that Sleet’s ice blue eyes glimmered with tears.
“Mother, there is much we need to discuss,” Gosling said to Sleet as he gestured for her to sit down beside him. “There is much to sort out—”
“Like what?” Sleet asked, glad for a change of subject. She climbed into the ornate wooden chair, sat down, and got settled.
“Well, what to do with you, for one thing,” Gosling replied, “When we announce our relationship, there is going to be a storm of epic proportions. I don’t want you hounded by the press. I want you safe and left in peace. You’re going to have some guards assigned to you—”
“What?” Sleet blinked and shook her head.
“I have a better idea.” Celestia licked the cookie crumbs from her muzzle. “Why don’t you come here and stay with us?”
“Well, I don’t know…”
“Mother, you aren’t working, I send home my pay so you don’t have to. There is nothing keeping you in that tiny, cramped apartment.”
“Gosling, darling, I have a confession, I’ve taken up a part time job—”
“Mother!”
“I got bored,” Sleet said, trying to appease her son.
Gosling bristled, his ears quivered, and his eyes narrowed as he simmered with anger. “Look, I work hard so you don’t have to. After everything you’ve done for me it is the least I can do… and you found a part time job? Mother… I… don’t even know what to say to you right now.”
“I got bored, my little ugly duckling,” Sleet said in apologetic tones.
Rolling his eyes, Gosling shook his head while he gasped in exasperation.
“Sleet, come and stay with us. I’ll help you find meaningful work in the castle, a way to pass the time, but nothing too strenuous so that Gosling can perform his duties without worry or a troubled mind.”
“But she’s done so much already… I want—”
“You want your mother to die of boredom?” Celestia asked.
Snorting in defeat, Gosling slumped over in his chair and gave his mother a sullen stare as he folded his forelegs over his barrel. “No.” He snorted again. “No, I don’t want her to be bored. I just want her to have a pleasant, easy life. She’s earned it.”
“Sleet, come and stay with us, please… I would so like a chance to get to know you.” Celestia’s voice was patient, kind, and pleading.
“Well, I am bored and a bit lonesome at home. If I’m not working, I’m checking the mailbox and hoping that I’ve got mail from Gossy.”
Hearing his nickname, Gosling cringed with embarrassment.
“I suppose I’ll come and stay,” Sleet said, “the both of you need somepony to look after you. Gosling is going to need my help and you”—Sleet pointed at Celestia with her hoof—“you still need to be sorted out. We understand each other and I can help you.”
Gosling gulped, looked at his mother, then at Celestia, and felt a few beads of sweat go rolling down his neck. His stomach lurched and he felt his throat tighten. He wasn’t sure how he felt about his mother being here. She was bound to be… helpful.
There was now another swan in the pond.
Stats
Page generated in 0.072 seconds
Total duration
935 users online
2,044,260 hits today, 2,073,628 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
it's nice to see Celestia as a mare
and i love Sleet
I remember that too well... Gave me shivers.
TWO TPRoS chapters in one day? What is it, my birthday?
..oh wait, it actually is.
Thanks for the present, Kudz!
You know, I was (and still am) waiting for Sleet to go all New York Jewish mother on them... yiddish and all.
mother-in-law...........'Helpful'.......buckle your seat-belts everyone! We are in for a fun ride.
So, enter the mama swan. Be careful, she tends to embarrass her offspring at the most inopportune times.
Achievement Unlocked!
"Tension" has been introduced to the story.
Oh the joys of pegasus affection. If it doesn't hurt then you clearly don't care enough.
7137145 Ohhhhh, believe me, Sir, it´s way WORSE when it´s the other way around. My mother despises (and is very vocal ´bout it) my wife...while my mother-in-law simply addores my wife.
Yes, no problem sorting that on my mind...no problem at all...neurosis ? Anxiety attacks ? Asmha attacks ? Pffff...that´s nothing !
That was... Beautiful
Hey would it be funny if you were to tickle Gossy, his laughter would sound like a squeaky duck?
7137527
Um... Typo? Your mother-in-law... your wife's mother?
Life is crazy. Tho story and utaan continue to be my safe harbor of calmness.
Many times, we seek out people that are similar to a parent of ours, because it is familiar and proven, I'd say.
Hey, this time, she took a job because she wanted it, not because she had to. And she can be picky in this case, a luxury she did not always have.
7137576 Argh...damn....the second wife of my father ? How do you name her in english ?
7137148
Happy Birthday!
I wish my mother in law was like this. She tolerates me at best because I married her baby. Oh well, this is still a wonderful story keep it up!
7137148
7137612
Stepmother.
I... I really can't stand Sleet. She's constantly chiding Gosling and acting like she knows best out of everypony in the room. It feels like she's taking credit for everything Gosling has done right while putting the blame for everything he has done wrong on anyone other than herself.
I guess she just struck a false note for me. Still a great story. Hopefully Sleet's role won't be too major.
7137699
Uh, what?
Blame?
Yelling for no reason?
Er... okay.
7137644
Thanks
7137626
Great, Celestia is dating a child and living with said child's mother now.
(Why is this a seperate story when it just directly connects to the last one with no time skip or difference?)
I'm always in awe of your mastery of the feels, Kudzu.
Man, poor Gosling is just getting in deeper here.
Hey!
. . .
Okay, it's true. I am pretty useless.
I find Sleet to be interesting. She has a strength that is born from experience and stubbornness. Old fashioned but still open to the new even if she has her own unabashed opinion of things. Loves unconditionally. Speaks her mind even to those in authority though that might get her in trouble with Raven (oh I would love to see that).
Can't unhear Sleet as Edna from The Incredibles
7138317 Why Edna?
7137705 Here's some of the lines that struck me wrong:
She has assumed he's in trouble. Her first instinct is to establish that she is strict with him and has told him to behave, and that any wrongdoing on his part is in spite of her, not because of her. It felt particularly wrong that she immediately assumed and blamed him instead of having any faith at all in her son.
Ah, but now that the news is good, Gosling is the model of her teachings. And then... she immediately turns on him and harasses him for things he wasn't even doing wrong. I find myself disliking this woman; who calls out the faults in their child in front of their child's special somepony?
But hey, everyone has different expectations for what a mother should be like. I hope you don't take this as criticism of the story or writing, it just sounds like we have different expectations of how parents treat their children.
I just wanted to express that I, personally, do not like Sleet.
7139248
Eh, you're making those things out to be worse than they are. Others can see them as they are and see her for what she is. I suppose there are those that will assume the worst.
She's kvetching when she's doing that. I suppose it doesn't make as much sense to somebody who has never encountered it. Different cultural values and all that.
7139300
That's not how I do things. Little details happen over time and a reader that pays attention is rewarded,
7139406
There are a lot of pegasi in my stories.
... Okay, picking this one back up again; damn you for hitting my feels!
7138914
I think it was the "stand up straight" bit
7140185
Because, it is a major part of the human condition. We all sweat. We have sweaty palms. We all have fears of smelling bad, or being gross, and not having people like us. Standard psychology. By having something that is so common, so universal, it is easy for many people to make a connection to the character.
It is something that all humans do that cause us anxiety and we all cope with it in different ways.
Glossy, perfect cardboard cutouts never sweat, never have to use the bathroom, never experience discomfort, never suffer embarrassment, and never experience anything that gives them any depth. As cardboard cutouts, they just move through the story, from scene to scene, set to set, and they do just fine just so long as you never look at them from the side and see how flat they are.
I really like your moment there with Sleet and Celestia. I think the Celestia / Mother relationship is something that has not been explored well. You have my mind ticking on a new story idea now.
7140193
I do something similar with food. Food comes up a lot in all my stories, is just something that you can always relate to.
Can't unhear Sleet as Dame Maggie Smith (Professor Minerva McGonagall, Mother Superior, too many films... tough Scottish dame).
This was a really touching chapter. Lots of feels. However, my biggest complaint thus far is that the chapters don't have names. Naming chapters makes it easier for those who want to reread certain parts.
I like Sleet, she's fun.
I also like how quickly she recovered and adapted.
She's also pretty astonishingly bold, guess that's where Gosling gets it from.
Ooh, I LIKE Sleet!
You did a really good job of getting the Loving Mother aspect of her personality to come out; I could really feel it!
7139248 What do you expect for an extremely fussy single mum? I'd love her as a my mum. Actually she reminds me a lot of my Gran on my dad's side, her and Grandpa raised 5 boys and 1 daughter on a farm who all turned out strong & successful in their own lives. I think she's well within character pony or human, so sorry but I disagree.
Hey Kudz, this might sound a stupid question but what is Sleet's part time job, i know it's probably irrelevant but it's a loose thread to me?
Please?
I like Sleet. She reminds me of my own Mum. I laughed so hard I was farting.
In other words; bearhugs make things better. I strongly agree with this statement. There's nothing like a good bearhug to make you feel better.