Not Quite Canon.

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 4

“Good morning, you feeling any better?” Wintry asked Nova.

“Yes mam.” Nova offered.

“Listen, there’s something we need to talk to you about,” Wintry said as Sunshine entered the dining room for breakfast. “Sunshine, you’ve white fur on you.”

“I, um, didn’t want to be alone.” Nova offered with perhaps a hint of embarrassment. “I always slept with my mom. Sometimes both mom and papa when he was there.”

“I didn’t have the heart to say no.” Sunshine offered.

“It’s alright, but you’re going to need to brush.” Wintry offered. “Now, Nova…”

“Yes.” Nova replied.

“I’ve already explained it to her,” Sunshine explained.

“Oh,” Wintry replied.

“I understand Sunshine kind of spilled the feed last night.” Nova offered. “If what Sunshine has told me regarding the lore of Nightmare Moon comes to pass, I’ll be an adult when I’m reunited with my mom. It also seems like Sunshine and I are technically cousins.”

“We compared notes this morning, and the similarities between our family members are a little uncanny. I even had a cousin named Hoshiko who could easily be Nova's double. I never actually met her because mom and my Aunt had a falling out. It’s not like I’m claiming to be related to Princess Celestia in any way, and I sure wouldn't expect any pony to believe half of it anyway. It's just that each of us had families who had some uncanny similarities.”

“My Neighpon name was just a formality for political reasons.” Nova offered.

“So, living in a small house isn’t going to be a problem?” Wintry asked with a sly smile.

“Mom and papa’s apartments were smaller.” Nova replied with a cheeky smile. "Living in a small fortified town with a keep means living in small quarters. As for your offer to adopt me I can't think of any reason why I'd want to say no. Plenty of reasons to say yes. I mean, I'm going to need some pony I can rely on, a place to call home, and this just seems almost too good to be true. I know you'll never replace my own family, but understand that in the environment I grew up I kind of looked up to all the adults as parents because they all took a keen interest in seeing to my upbringing."

“Well then, and I must say that is quite enlightened for one of your age. Now, let's sit down, have breakfast, and then we are going to go pick up Ray and go down to the courthouse.”

“Fish!” Nova exclaimed delightedly as Seakite brought in a tray on a cart with roast fish on it. “I love you forever.”

“Me too.” Sunshine offered with a big grin.

“My best friend told me that the best way to get in good with a fox is to feed them fish.” Seakite offered. “She also suggested I overreacted.”

Nova wasn’t about to tell Seakite that she could be a real terror when she was at one hundred percent. A short time later they were outside with the things they’d needed for school in their saddlebags and headed for the parade grounds. Wintry used a radio to call for clearance to cross and they were on their way a short time later with Nova riding on Wintry’s back and Sunshine on Seakite’s back. The two adults glided across and then made their way to the headquarters building where they met up with Colonel Ray Mustang. From there a transport awaited that took them down into the heart of the city where they went into the courthouse. There they went up to the family court, Judge Minty presiding. Judge Minty was a mint green pegasus mare with a white mane and tail.

“Colonel Mustang, Wintry, where’s the family who is going to adopt Miss… Au-ro-ra Summers? Also known as Summer Sunshine.”

“We are.” Wintry offered. “We are the family. We want to adopt her.”

“And Miss Bright Star? She hasn’t even been in Cloudsdale a week yet. There is a waiting period for foundlings. You of all ponies should know that.”

“Your Honor. We are aware of that.” Ray Mustang offered. “She’s a night pony and not likely to be claimed by family. She is also a fox type who resembles an alicorn.”

“And my cousin,” Sunshine interjected.

“What?” Ray asked looking down at Sunshine.

“Her Aunt Selena is Nova’s mother.” Wintry offered. “They compared notes this morning.”

Ray looked at his wife, his mind going a mile a minute. “Ah, I see. Well, I guess, I guess if it fits.” The question was Sunshine's Mrs Celeste Summers Sunshine's world's version of Celestia was playing havoc with his sensibilities. Both had similar names and apparently similar relatives. Both were educators. Where they diverged was that Equestria's Celestia was both the leader of the nation and a demigod. It also meant that no pony was likely to come looking for Sunshine any time soon. And based on what they knew of Miss Bright Star, as she was now legally known coupled with what they suspected might be true, no pony was likely to come looking for her either. "Your Honor, what we know of Miss Bright Star who is affectionately known as Nova, no pony is going to come looking for her."

“Be it as it may…” Judge Minty began but stopped at the sight of a red earth pony with black legs, ear, and tail tips, and a white underbelly entered into the court. They were dressed in a gray pinstriped waistcoat and had a bowler hat on which was removed as they entered and held to their side in a light blue aura reminiscent of unicorn magic.

“Can we help you?” Judge Minty asked.

“If it pleases your honor?” The odd Earth pony asked who by rights should not have even been able to step hoof in that specific courtroom without falling through. “I’m from the NeighPon Consulate to Cloudsdale. I’m Mr Mountain Hoof. I have a writ which pertains to one young filly identified as Shooting Star AKA Bright Star AKA Nova Stella AKA Hoshiko as she is known in our native language. It is the Ambassador’s wish that this adoption is allowed to go through rather than subject the Hime to a foal hood of foster families and orphanages while fortune seekers claiming to be lost relatives fight for custody.”

“Fortune seekers? Who is it that you think she is?” Judge Minty asked.

“It’s not so much as who we think she is it’s what she looks like. It is feared that a fortune seeker may attempt to pass her off as a lost member of the Neighpon royal family. Having a loving family who can look after and protect her will help keep her from the hooves of opportunists. We believe the Mustang family more than fits the requirements.”

“Bailiff, the writ if you pleas.” Judge Minty requested.

The bailiff, a tan pegasus with a dark chocolate main and tail and a guard uniform went over to Mr Mountain Hoof, took the writ in his teeth, and brought it up to Judge Minty.

“Oh my,” Judge Minty said a moment later. “They are citing Causa Narratur?”

“Yes, your honor.”

“Narrative causality?”

“Yes, your honor.”

“If only Princess Celestia hadn’t used Causa Narrature to gain custody of Sunset Shimmer.” Judge Minty lamented with her hoof on her forehead. “Very well. Mr and Mrs Mustang, you are now the proud parents of two fillies. Congratulations.”

“Yay!” Sunshine cheered.

“Huzzah!” Nova cheered.

“OBJECTION!”

“Mr Phoenix, this is family court.” Judge minty scolded the golden pegasus who’d just burst in.”

“Oh, right, sorry.” He rushed out and could be heard shouting objection again a few moments later, followed a second echo a few moments later from further down.

“Does he do that often?” Ray Mustang asked.

“Once he even rushed into the Stallion’s room and shouted objection.” The bailiff offered. “Great lawyer, horrible sense of direction.”

“Stallion’s room?” Nova asked Sunshine in a whisper to the sound of laughter.

“I think you’d call it a privy or garderobe.” Sunshine offered.

“_Oh… Oh! Oh my.”

Author's Note:

Judge Minty is, of course, a pun on judgement. Any similarities to 'Ask Minty' or other minty OCs are completely coincidental. Not the first time I've thought of a good pony character name only to find out someone else had already thought of it or some variation thereof. The curse of coming into a fandom late, all the good pun names are already taken. XD

Comments

[RDDash]

Colonel Ray Mustang, hm..

[KittyrinnAiko]

10329832
It was actually a complete accident. I was going through lists of names, picked out some I like, and then I was like... now, why do these names seem so familiar? Oh...