Chasing Twilight Stars

by RejectOwl

Chapter 16

Author's Note:

Forgive the lack of updates! I'm getting ready to move so been kinda stressed about that junk, and totally spaced out this story even until I suddenly remembered it last night and then got my butt up and started writing.

Twilight stretched and yawned as Star Chaser began to cry.

She glanced at her bedside clock, 5:46 am.

"Why did I take in Star again?" She asked with a yawn and trotted to the foals crib. The little colt was crying softly and babbling.

"Mama!" He cheered as Twilight looked down at him.

"Oh, that's why." Twilight smiled and picked him up.

"You hungry? You don't stink so no diaper change, or maybe you had a nightmare?" Twilight yawned again.

Coffee is going to become my dearest friend, isn't it? She thought to herself as she quietly left the room and headed for the living room.

"What do foals even have nightmares about?" Twilight asked him.

"Na." He babbled.

"No? Names? ...Nantucket?" Twilight asked.

Twilight brought out a toy train and set it down for Star Chaser. He squealed happily and began to bang it on the floor and chew on it in turns.

"Maybe I should ask Luna if she knows what foals dream about." Twilight mused looking out at the dawn, where the moon still hovered just above the horizon.

The train knocked into Twilight's hoof as Star Chaser puttered it around the room, making happy noises.

"You like your train Star Chaser? It's a train!" Twilight pointed to the toy and repeated. "Train!"

"Tain!" Star squealed and waved the train around in the air.

"Close enough." Twilight giggled.

"Tain!" He cheered as he brought over another toy, a ball.

"Nope, that one's a ball." Twilight smiled. She pointed to the train, "train," then the ball, "ball!"

Star Chaser looked at Twilight confused.

"Well you gotta learn words Star Chaser, so when you get even bigger you can tell mommy and I what you want for your birthday and Hearth's Warming and just because presents!"

"Show me the ball." Twilight said gently.

Star Chaser did not, instead he began pushing the train around the room again.

"Maybe you'll get a conduction cutie mark in the future." Twilight yawned. "Have to ask the Crusaders to help you when you get bigger! They seem to have had fun searching for their talents, I never did though. Did you know that? I just got so startled because of Aunt Rainbow that my magic went out of control and when Celestia wanted to take me as a student I was just so happy to be a student of magic to a princess that it got me my cutie mark! Magic is amazing, and I hope you'll like it as much as I do."

The train shot forward and gently bumped Twilight's hoof, she pushed it back.

"It's okay if your talent isn't magic though! Maybe you'll love actual big trains, or maybe astronomy, or even gardening!" Twilight smiled. "Yeah, you can do whatever you want, and you can be whatever you want and I'll always love and support you."

"At least he'll get what I didn't." A bitter voice said behind Twilight.

Twilight glanced at Cinnamon, her mane was a bit frazzled, she'd clearly just woken up.

"He will. And you'll know better than your dad and know how to love and support your son." Twilight answered.

"What if I don't?" Cinnamon asked and sat beside Twilight.

"Cinnamon, you've already been doing a wonderful job stepping up as his mother once you were given the proper chance. Your father made mistakes, and you can learn from that, you don't have to make the same mistakes he did." Twilight sighed. "He has his own demons to battle Cinnamon, I hope he learns someday, but he's older and more set in his ways. You're still young, you have more chance to change, it won't be as hard for you. You're already more open with me."

"My father turned into a monster." Cinnamon growled.

"Because grief darkened his heart Cinnamon Flower. Now I am not saying you deserved to be the one who he let out all his frustrations on, but you yourself have said he was better when your mother was around. That means he was raised decent, was treated right, and was a good father and husband at one point. I have faith he can be again." Twilight said.

"You really think he could change?" Cinnamon asked, faint hope in her voice.

"I do. I think maybe spending time away from you, and away from reminders of your mother might be what he needs to heal."

"So, I'm the reason he was such an ass, good to know." Cinnamon rolled her eyes.

"I didn't say that." Twilight sighed. "You being around may indeed have triggered bad memories, but how he chose to handle it, and how he mistreated you, it's all on him. I simply believe all ponies are good, even if it's sometimes deep inside."

"Really?" Cinnamon asked, nudging Star Chaser's ball back to him.

"Really. I mean look at Princess Luna! She went all nutso and tried to cause eternal night, and now look at her, she's beloved, and she's gentle and sweet. Ponies can grow and learn and change, no matter how old they are."

Cinnamon smiled sadly and watched Star Chaser running clumsily around the room.

"They grow up way too fast." She whispered.

"They do." Twilight laughed. "Before we know it he'll have his cutie mark and then even his own business maybe! I wonder what it'll be. Maybe he'll go stereotypical and get stars for a cutie mark, or maybe he'll be good at mining, or kite flying, or art, or Faust I don't even know! There's so much open for him, he has a whole world of potential ahead of him. Thanks to his wonderful mother who gave him that chance at the cost of her own happiness."

"I just gave him away because I was scared." Cinnamon muttered.

"So? You had reason to be scared, you did what you thought was right. And look where it's gotten you now. You have a marefriend who loves you, you have a son who loves and adores you, you have friends!" Twilight exclaimed.

"You know, your friends are really great, but they aren't my friends, I barely know them." Cinnamon smiled.

"They're your friends too now. They like you." Twilight nodded. "How about you go out today and get to know them?"

"But what about Star?" Cinnamon asked.

"He's fine, we're fine, Spike and I were taking care of him alone until you came, we can take care of him again for a day. There's bits in the bag on the counter, take it with in case you find something you want." Twilight laughed.

---

Cinnamon watched the clouds breeze by as she trotted through Ponyville. She really did want to do something to make up for all she'd put Twilight through. She did have a few bits of her own still, maybe enough for a small gift, maybe she could get another job at the bakery, she did love the baking aspect, even if the ice cream was her favorite thing to make. It was so complicated and fun to just zone out making ice cream by hoof.

Making ice cream with her mother was how she'd earned her cutie mark. She smiled as she remembered the pride in her mother's eyes, she had been so happy for Cinnamon Flower... and then she'd died. And left her alone with a father who hated her and rightly blamed her for her mother's death.

Cinnamon took in a deep breath and pushed the emotions away, she was too good at it, and she knew it wasn't healthy, but she was in public, she could cry later.

She pushed open the door to Sugarcube Corner and inhaled the scents of freshly baked pastries and treats.

"Hi Cinnamon! Come for a treat?" Pinkie Pie asked as she leaned on the counter, scribbling on a paper.

"Yeah, Twilight left some bits for me, and I figured I could get my marefriend some treats for being so nice and sweet."

Pinkie dropped the pen she was holding.

"Marefriend?!" She exclaimed.

"Oops." Cinnamon mumbled. "I thought she'd already told you."

"So that's what the pinkie sense earlier was! Twilight got a marefriend!" Pinkie squealed and clapped her hooves.

"Don't tell her I told you please!" Cinnamon pleaded.

"No promises!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Twilight's favorite is cinnamon sugar cookies, by the way."

"Well then I'd like a dozen of those." Cinnamon said and pulled out the appropriate payment.

"I'm real glad Twilight and you got along so well." Pinkie exclaimed as she put the bits into the register. "I was kinda worried she might get all paranoid again thinking you'd take over as Star's mom. Did you know she actually threatened Princess Celestia because of Star Chaser?" Pinkie laughed and gathered the supplies.

"I didn't, what happened?"

"Celestia suggested putting Star Chaser in the bad orphanage, and Twilight wasn't havin' it. I think Celestia has gotten a lot sorted out, maybe Twilight should go take Star Chaser and you to talk about it with her in Canterlot. Star might like the big city!"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea actually." Cinnamon smiled.

"Here's your cookies! If you want company going to Canterlot if you decide to go, the girls and I would love to go with. We haven't seen much of Twilight since she took in Star Chaser, being a mommy is a full time job!"

"You know what Pinkie, I'll definitely pass on the message." Cinnamon laughed. "I'm sure Twilight misses you guys."

---

"I smell Pinkie Cookies!" Twilight called and poked her head around the doorway.

"How did you-" Cinnamon began.

"It's Pinkie Pie's baked goodies! I have a nose for them!" Twilight cheered and picked up a cookie and began munching on it.

"Pinkie Pie wants us and the rest of your friends to go to Canterlot on a little outing apparently."

"Oh, but what about Star?" Twilight frowned.

"He comes with us obviously, she already said so." Cinnamon giggled.

"Right, of course." Twilight laughed.

"Oh... and I um... I kind of accidentally told her we're dating." Cinnamon said quickly.

Twilight choked on her cookie, spraying crumbs.

"Oh crap! I completely forgot to tell them!"

"Well, I did it for you." Cinnamon burst out laughing at Twilight's reaction.

Comments

[Viper Pit]

Cinnamon needs some confidence but I do look forward to the family outing

[link4]

hah

[Texus]

"Have to ask the Crusaders to help you when you get bigger! They seem to have had fun searching for their talents, I never did though.

I noticed they all act as if it's a lost cause if they don't ask the CMC to make the CutieMark come out faster.

"You really think he could change?" Cinnamon asked, faint hope in her voice.

I hope he stays an asshole for a while, long enough to prevent some sort of sudden hearling of his heart. TO make it look as if this was a problem for one episode or short story plot.

"So that's what the pinkie sense earlier was! Twilight got a marefriend!" Pinkie squealed and clapped her hooves.

yep I tried to remember if she already told him or if they actually were official Marfriends already.

I kind of hope you mil their reaction for what it's worth.

[RejectOwl]

8956073
It's just cuter that way to me. Offering the crusaders to use their talent to help another pony if they don't magically find theirs like Twilight and co did

[Texus]

8956951

It's just cuter that way to me.

Okay i can accept that.

[forrest yuchnitz]

i'd like to see more about that investigation into the orphanages

[Lightstruck]

8956951
Is this story going to receive more updates or is it canceled?

[Thyrrnatf]

Really cute and good story