Letters from the Front

by TheEighthDayofNight

The First Letter

The sun shined brightly through the kitchen window, its rays heating the fur on Bright Shine’s face. She smiled and hummed as she whisked the batter, a tray for cupcakes waiting to be filled behind her. The sky outside the window was a bright blue, and a pair of cardinals sang as they darted around the planter she kept outside the window. Below the blue of the sky, the streets bustled, the normal Canterlot natives alive with smiling faces, their voices filtering like music through the air. The feeling of life made her positively giddy. It was an almost perfect day.

One that almost made her forget that there was a war going on.

She switched to whistling, trying to match the birdsong as she pushed that dark thought from her mind. It was going to be a perfect day; it was mail day.

While Princess Celestia had publicly decreed that there would be rationing, she had also guaranteed that all the ponies called to service would get at least one day a month to write home to their families, to keep them in the loop and to tell them of their safety. While many ponies grumbled about the limitation, Bright Shine was glad to get anything from her husband, even if it was only paper that just barely held his scent.

Bright Shine popped the cupcakes into the oven, her mind cheerful as she watched the clock. Twenty minutes until the cupcakes were done, twenty-five minutes until the mail was due, and thirty minutes until her son came home from his first day of school.

Bright Shine tried to find things to do around their small townhouse; she adjusted a stack of paper on Star Chaser’s temporarily abandoned desk, she blew the dust from the top of the bookshelf, and she scooted the carpet so that it was perfectly in line with the door. Satisfied that she had wasted at least some time, she looped back to the kitchen to check the clock. Two minutes had passed.

Bright Shine groaned and collapsed to the floor, her hooves covering her face. She hated waiting, was always terrible at it, especially when she was excited for what she was waiting for. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, trying to come up with a distraction that would occupy her until the mail came.

She decided to count the lines in the ceiling, determined to count them all before she had to pull out the cupcakes. She lasted until fifty-seven before she dosed off.

A hard knock at the door, cause her to rocket to her feet. A bit confused in her sleepy state, she rushed to the door, realizing too late that she was the one who had to open it. Her momentum caused her to slam face first into the door, and she bounced backward with a yelp, rubbing her nose where it had collided with the heavy oak. She quickly got to her hooves and opened the door, still rubbing her bruised nose as she tried her best to put on a relaxed smile.

A familiar mail stallion grinned at her from under a bushy, white mustache.

“Ready for the mail today are we Mrs. Shine?”

She grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry White Wing, you know how mail day is. It’s the first one in weeks.”

He smiled brightly and nodded.

“That it is Mrs. Shine. And I’ll have you know that attacking the door was worth it, since you have a letter fresh from the front.”

He withdrew a small, white envelope from his saddlebags and passed it to Bright Shine, who instantly forgot about her bruised snout as she smiled at the letter. Familiar, awful hoof-writing clearly spelled out her address, and in the from: box was her husband’s name. Her eyes flicked back to White Wing.

“Thank you, White Wing. You probably hear this all the time, but I really appreciate you bringing this.”

He chuckled and tipped the bill of his hat.

“No problem at all Mrs. Shine. It makes me happy to see anypony smiling at mail. Warms this ancient heart.”

He fluttered his wings and took a few steps backward.

“Now if’n you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mess more letters to deliver. Be seein’ you soon Mrs. Shine!”

Bright Shine waved as the mailpony took off, quickly disappearing above the rooftops. She moved to close the door, the letter hugged tightly to her chest, when she saw a small white form sprinting between the legs of pedestrians, generally causing havoc as he weaved and bobbed. She shook her head, a smile still painting her face as Feathered Ink tripped up an orange pegasus, who stumbled into a cabbage stand, much to the ire of its owner. A pair of blue earth ponies fished the orange Pegasus from amongst the cabbages, all three apologizing to the stand owner as they began to move away, leaving him to his spilled produce.

Feathered Ink almost made it to the doorway unscathed, until he tripped on the curb and collapsed in a dusty heap, a goofy grin on his face. Bright Shine put on a faux Mom face.

“What have I told you about watching where you are going? You could have hurt yourself.”

He smiled up at her, his eyes shining.

“Did the mail come? Did Dad send a letter?”

Bright Shine dropped her act and shooed him inside, closing the door behind them.

“Yes, it did, and yes he did. How was your first day of school?”

Feathered Ink hopped to his feet.

“It was great!” he chattered. “We met our teachers, and we had gym class, and we got to have recess, and we saw the biggest library ever!”

Bright Shine listened intently as the young colt spewed out the day’s events. She was more than a little surprised that he was so ecstatic. He had always been a bit of a nervous child, but it sounded like he was going to do great in school. So focused on Feathered Ink’s talking was she that she almost didn’t notice the burning smell. Feathered Ink noticed as well and he sniffed the air.

“What’s that? Did you get a new candle again?”

Bright Shine was off like a shot.

“Nononononono,” she said as she desperately opened the oven, a wall of black smoke belching forth into the kitchen.

Coughing, she used a simple wind spell to push the air toward the window as she tried to simultaneously turn off the oven and remove the burning cupcakes. They were beyond saving, the tops completely charred. Behind her Feathered Ink giggled and said;

“Mom, I don’t want to tell you how to do your special talent or anything, but I don’t think that cupcakes are supposed to be like that.”

Through the smoke, Bright Shine cast a glare upon her son, before she giggled and scooped him up in her magic, and grabbed one of the burnt cupcakes in her hoof. Bringing him close, she playfully tried to force him to eat the crispy cupcake. He wriggled and pushed her hoof away, his tongue sticking out as he tried to ward her off.

“Ew! Stop! It looks like a snail shell!”

She laughed.

“Some ponies think snails are tasty! Why don’t you try it?”

He pushed her hoof away again.

“No way!”

She dropped the cupcake and abandoned that method of attack, instead using her hoof to tickle at his exposed belly. He squealed at her and laughed loudly. After a few seconds of tickling, Bright Shine set her son down, a smile decorating both of their faces. She looked around the kitchen, most of the smoke was gone, while her spoiled cupcakes were now sitting in the sink, looking positively unappetizing. She sighed.

“Sorry Inky, those were supposed to be to celebrate your first day, but…”

He hopped up on her back and nuzzled her neck.

“It’s okay momma. You made them with love and that’s what matters.”

Bright Shine raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

“Does that mean you’ll give one a try?” she asked playfully.

Feathered Ink curled his nose and stuck his tongue out again.

“Ew, no way!”

She giggled.

“Tell you what, if you take at least one bite, I’ll let you choose where we eat for dinner.”

He stopped.

“Anywhere?”

Bright Shine nodded.

“Anywhere at all.”

He hopped up and down on her back.

“Yay! We’re going to Donut Steve’s for dinner!”

Bright Shine gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head. A deal was a deal though.

“Alright, Donut Steve’s for dinner. Now?”

Feathered Ink hopped excitedly off her back. Before she could stop him, he made a beeline for the cupcake she had left on the floor and took a huge bite from it, consuming the entire top in one go. He made a face for a second as he crunched the floor cupcake, before he swallowed. He paused and then smiled. Bright Shine facehoofed.

“What?” he said, laughing.

Bright Shine shook her head and levitated the cupcake into the sink with the rest.

“Let’s go get some food that hasn’t been on the floor.”

He spread his wings and set his hooves.

“Race you to the door!”

Bright Shine’s face grew very serious and she towered above him. For a moment, his smile flickered, until she spoke with a super serious voice.

“You would challenge me? Bright Shine? The fastest pony in all of Equestria? You’re on little one, if I win, you have to eat the rest of the cupcakes.”

He giggled.

“And if I win, I get two doughnuts! Readysetgo!”

Bright Shine smiled as he darted out of the room and a small thud echoed through the house as Feathered Ink drilled into the front door.

***

Bright Shine opened the door quietly with her magic. Feathered Ink was passed out in a sugar coma on her back. Since he had been good, and it was a rare treat, she had let him pick any four doughnuts out. He had, of course, then been spoiled by Donut Steve, who had made sure that any doughnuts Feathered Ink had picked had extra frosting and sprinkles. Like the colt he was, he had then immediately devoured all of them, and then proceeded to bounce around on a short-lived sugar high before finally falling asleep on the walk home.

Bright Shine gently levitated Feathered Ink onto the couch, and then placed a blanket over her son’s tiny body. She then moved to the kitchen, lighting a few candles so that she could clean up her baking mess. Running water in the sink, she set to work.

As she finished disposing of the botched cupcakes, Feathered Ink entered the kitchen, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. Bright Shine smiled at him as she dried of the cupcake tray.

“Ready to read Dad’s letter?”

The sleep disappeared from the colt’s eyes and fresh energy coursed through his body.

“Yes please!”

Bright Shine set the tray on the drying rack and grabbed the letter from where she had left it on the kitchen table. Feathered Ink followed her eagerly into the living room. Bright Shine shifted the blanket to the side and then laid down, with Feathered Ink hoping up and snuggling close to her chest. Using her magic, Bright Shine gently opened the letter and unfolded the simple piece of paper. She cleared her throat and began to read as Feathered Ink listened intently.

Dearest Bright Shine,

I want to start by saying I miss you and Inky desperately. Though it has only been a month, it has felt like forever since I have seen you last, I hope everything is well at home. Training has gone well, and we are nearing the end as we prepare to go out into combat. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit scared, but I think everything is going to go just fine. I’ve made lots of friends here, there are all kinds of ponies, even a few from near the Everfree! Everypony talks about how much they can’t to wait to go home and see their families, and I feel the same way. Everyday I think about why we fight, but then I think about you and Inky and I know that this is right. Anything to keep you safe.

On another note, something very exciting happened! I actually saw Princess Celestia! She was touring camp and she stopped by the chow tent, checking in on the cooks (I think they made the food better that day, because it’s usually pretty awful, you could teach them a think or two about baking bread.) Anyway, she was there, and she was all smiles and it felt like a sunny day wherever she was. I never thought I’d ever see a Princess, and I wish you could have been there. I think she would love to meet you.

Other than that, its kind of boring. We train all day, and sleep at night and not much else. Still, I feel with the Princess at our side we can do anything! I hope this war takes no time at all and I can be with you by Hearths Warming.

Give Feathered Ink my love. You are the best wife a stallion could ask for and I am counting the days until we see each other again.

With Love,

Star Chaser

Bright Shine smiled as she set down the letter and looked at Feathered Ink, who had fallen asleep once more. Chuckling softly, she levitated the blanket over them both and pulled him a bit closer. He snuggled into her chest fur, sighing softly in happiness.

Bright Shine levitated paper and a quill over from the desk and wrote a reply, trying to keep as quiet as possible.

My Beloved Star Chaser

All is well at home. The sun is still bright in Canterlot and that is thanks to you. We miss you so much, and your letters are always a cause for celebration.

Today was Feathered Ink’s first day of school. Despite what we both thought, it seems that he loves school and will likely be excited to continue going; he will probably even make a few new friends! He was positively bouncing when he came home.

Unfortunately, I managed to burn his celebration cupcakes, so I treated him to Donut Steve’s. When you get back, that should be our first meal together as a family.

We both love you and miss you very much. Please come back to us safe and sound.

Forever yours,

Bright Shine

Bright Shine smiled. She hoped that the letter would get to him quickly. She sealed it in its own envelope and set it by the door, ready to be sent off in the morning. She then smothered the reading lamp and curled up around Feathered Ink, resting her head on his chest as she fell into a blissful sleep.

Author's Note:

Happy Mothers Day!

I had this idea out of nowhere and rushed to get at least the first chapter out in time for mother's day. Hopefully I will get at least one more out before today's end.