Honey's Hearth's Warming Tale

by Jmaster49

The Melting Point

“I see…” Honey mumbled while thinking about and considering Kemuri’s feelings for a moment. “I can definitely understand it. Her family has kept her down quite a lot not unlike yours. It’s possible that she’s infatuated with you due to having similar experiences as you and the desire to learn more about pony culture.”

Tungsten sighed and nodded. Only now did he finally come to understand their feelings. “Yeah…I think I’m startin’ to get ya’ll. What do ya think we should do?”

“Well…”

Unfortunately, before either of them could continue, there was a feverish, impatient knocking at Honey’s door.

Taptaptaptap!

“...who could that be?” Honey trotted over and opened it…revealing the older, grizzled Navy mare.

“Lieutenant Charge?” Tungsten addressed her formally, “Somethin’ wrong?”

“74--we have a problem,” she addressed him by his callsign number, “A personal problem that I can’t explain while civilians are around.”

Tungsten looked at Honey with a regretful frown. “I suppose we’ll have to have the rest of this conversation later.”

“No problem,” Honey agreed in a casual tone. If one of Tungsten’s superiors needed him, then it must’ve been serious. Far more serious than what she was discussing with him. “See you later, huh?”

“Yeah, I will,” he replied with a small, half-hearted smile as he left her home…

Once the two Guardsponies had left outside and made their way away from Honey’s home, Nero would begin talking to him…

“Tungsten, my boy…I don’t want you to panic. But it seems that your mother was released from prison today.”

In an instant, Tungsten had worried, fearful expression on his face. His pupils shrank and his teeth started to chatter. His knees began to wobble as his heartrate increased. “...what? I thought she was sentenced for life!”

“That’s just the problem,” Nero explained, “She’s apparently being let out due to good behavior thanks to the rehabilitation program. It might mean that she’s finally learned her lesson and won’t be treating you or anyone else the same way anymore.”

But Tungsten wasn’t convinced. Fear wasn’t something that this stallion was so easily consumed by. Having fought multiple wars and dozens of creatures anywhere from 10 to 100 times his size, and routinely rescuing ponies from fires and other natural disasters, he had truly seen it all.

His own mother, however? That was the only thing across the various dimensions that struck true fear into this stallion.

“...No. I don’t believe it,” he muttered with a breathless tone, “There’s no way she’d change her colors all of a sudden. She’s pure evil.”

While Nero was sympathetic, she couldn’t rule anything out. “True. But it’s also possible that her time in prison has helped her gain a new perspective on life. You never know.”

Tungsten started walking ahead of her.

“Wait, where are you going?” Nero asked as she started to follow him.

“I’m gonna go see her,” Tungsten grit his teeth, “I can’t just let her walk free without seeing if she’s really changed for myself. Don’t follow me, ma’am. This is something I gotta do for myself.”

“...” Nero looked down at the snowy ground and stopped dead in her tracks. While she knew she should’ve followed him, she wanted to do her utmost to respect Tungsten’s wishes. “...I’ll come by later to check up on you, okay?”

But Tungsten didn’t answer. He simply galloped down the road towards the Southern wing of the castle where the dungeons were located. Sure enough, he could see his mother--an dull-orange, older unicorn mare with a grizzled brown mane and tail, bloodshot yellow eyes, and a frying pan for a cutie mark.

Once escorted out by a few of the guardsponies--one of which was Cantus--they left her alone.

She immediately laid eyes on Tungsten who was unable to even form a sentence as he stood there, staring at her.

“...Mother…?”

Suddenly, she approached him…and put her hooves around him in a hug with a sigh. “...I’m so sorry, baby…I never should’ve treated you so poorly. Please let me back into your life so I can make it up to you.”

Tungsten was unable to process what he was hearing. This mare was like a new person now that he had met her as an adult compared to when he knew he as a colt. Maybe…just maybe she had actually changed?

Against his better judgement, Tungsten dropped his guard and accepted her.

“...Mom…I’m…I’m glad to hear it.”

Unfortunately for him, the uncaring frown on his mother’s face when her head was resting on his shoulder indicated her true colors. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, and quickly changed her facade as soon as she let go of him.

“Come on. Take me to your home, son,” she said with a wide, forced smile that barely passed as convincing, but Tungsten was none the wiser. “Show me what you’ve accomplished after all these years.”

“Okay…come on,” he smiled half-heartedly. While he was overjoyed to have his mother back, something in the back of his mind was telling him that something about this was…off. But he couldn’t exactly put his hoof on it.

While the stallion was brave, he wasn’t the most intelligent when it came to interpersonal conflicts.

As they walked off, Nero watched from the road with a sigh. “...Huh. I guess…she’s better now, huh?” But a part of her refused to believe it as she stood in disbelief.

Just then, Flash Sentry was walking by with a wagon of winter supplies strapped to the saddle that he was pulling behind himself. Seeing an upset elderly mare immediately caught his attention and caused him to stop.

“...ma’am? Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine, boy,” she replied while shaking her head, then paused as she suddenly had an idea. “...actually. Can you help me with something?”

Ever eager to help out a commanding officer, Flash Sentry replied with a smile, “Sure! What do you need?”

---

At Tungsten’s home…

“...So…mom, what do you--”

CRASH!

Before Tungsten could say anything, his mother had pushed him up to the nearest wall via levitation magic.

“Dumbass, boy. Didcha really think I still cared about trash like you?”

With his fears realized, Tungsten shut his eyes and accepted his mistake. “...so you really don’t like me at all, huh? Why even come back, then? Why not just leave?”

“Because,” she let him out of her magical aura, “We leavin’ this place and you droppin’ outta the Guard.”

Stunned, Tungsten stomped his hoof in refusal. “Wh…no! You ain’t makin’ me do shit, ya hear me?!”

“Oh I ain’t makin’ you do nothin’,” the mare confidently scoffed…then--

SMACK!

In a fit of craziness, she smacked herself across the face hard enough to leave a bruise from her hoof. “Grrgh…how dare you hit your own mother?!” she fake-screamed and glared at him with a sinister smile as she laid out her terms to him. "What would everyone think if their amazing role model turned out to hurt his own mama? Nobody would trust ya."

“...No…you…you’re horrible…” Tungsten instantly knew what her aim was, and felt powerless. As if he had been transported back to his younger years, the stallion was unable to resist his mother’s will. The weakness of his heart had been reeled in like a fish with a harpoon.

“You’re the horrible one,” she clapped back, “Disobeyin’ yer mama like like that. Becomin’ a guard. Drove yo daddy away, and now look at you. Alone, covered in scars with no one who gives a flyin’ feather about you.”

Her words cut deep. Tears started to well up in Tungsten’s eyes. Not only was he unable to fight back against his mother, but part of him started to truly believe what she was saying.

“...M-me? I’m the reason he’s gone…?” he muttered while rubbing his eyes, “...and…I guess I am alone, huh.”

“And now his little punk-ass is cryin’ like a filly. Dry it up. Real stallions don’t cry,” the mare rolled her eyes unapologetically as she walked up to him and--

SMACK!

Delivered a backhanded smack with her hoof to the side of his face. “Shut yo ass up and get yer stuff so we can git outta here.”

“...” Tungsten forced himself to stop crying and got ready to turn to head to his room…

CRASH!

Until his home’s door was kicked down.

“That’s enough!” Nero screamed as she leapt in and tackled Tungsten’s mother to the floor. “As a former official of the Equestrian Military, I’m placing you under arrest, Bunsen Burna.”

Tungsten’s mother--Burna--cackled in response. “Oh really? And who’d believe yo old, scraggly ass?”

“Me,” Flash Sentry stepped inside moments later, gritting his teeth as he glared at the mare. “This situation’s been fully documented by multiple witnesses. Myself included.”

“And me,” Twinkleshine announced as she stepped into the home, glaring daggers at Burna.

Followed by Lemon Hearts, “And me.”

Then Atomic Nebula, “Spoken for.”

Then Leo Cantus, “That’s right, mate.”

Then Kemuri Kai Tan, “Add me to that list.”

And lastly, Honey Lodestar, “Damn straight.”

Most ponies would be stricken with fear with this much evidence levied against them.

But somehow, Burna continued to laugh even as Nero restrained her and made her stand up. “Wow! This lil’ boy has’ta get all these heifers to fight his battles for him. Pathetic ass--”

Tungsten’s ear flicked, and he stomped up to his mother, his hooves creating craters in his hardwood as he approached her. All he could manage to say, in a low, quiet tone was three small words:

“...Shut your mouth.”

“Excuse m--?”

Tungsten raised his voice over the course of his next statement. “I said shut your goddamn mouth you stupid, idiotic, braindead, disrespectful overgrown marechild!” He started sobbing as he continued, feeling his passion grow as he finally expressed his true feelings towards his mother. “You’ve caused nothing but shit for me and my dad! You tried to make me think I’m the reason he jumped off a cliff?! And to top it all off, you dare insult the only folks in my life who have treated me right?!”

Unable to process the fact that Tungsten was actually speaking back to her, Burna stuttered in disbelief, “W-wh…boy, you listen here--!”

“No, bitch! You listen here!” he cut her off while continuing to seeth as tears ran down the sides of his face, “I hate you! I wish you never gave birth to me! You’re nothing but a waste of space in this cruel, uncaring world! No wait--scratch that shit. I’m glad you gave birth to me because I can be the one to stop you before you abuse anyone else.”

“I…wh…” Burna couldn’t come up with a coherent response, so she simply said the first thing that came to mind. “...you gonna burn in Tartarus for this, boy! Just like yo limpdick daddy! Nobody likes you! You just a pawn who--”

Tungsten started to weep through his final words to her, his voice breaking as he stomped the floor once more. “Good! Because I’d rather be with him right now than listen to you anymore! Drop dead and become food for a bugbear for all I care! You’d be more useful as a literal pile of shit!”

And with that, Tungsten ran out of his home, brushing past everyone in the process as he cried and cried. For the first time in what felt like forever, he could finally let out his emotions…

Everyone who had arrived on the scene watched as the stallion galloped away, only to stare deadly, angry glares at his mother.

Amidst all this, Kemuri spoke to Honey. “...go to him.”

“...are you sure?” the beekeeper mare asked hesitantly.

Only for the changeling to reply with a nod. “...he needs you now more than ever. Please.”

“Okay…and thanks, Kemuri,” Honey replied with a smile as she turned and chased after Tungsten.

Meanwhile, Nero led everyone out of his home. “All of you, come with me to the princess. I need your eyewitness accounts of the situation to back me up. This mare is a menace to society…”

Burna tried to interject as she was being escorted in cuffs. “How about--”

“Can it, lady!” Nebula snapped as he used his magic to put tape over her mouth, “Nobody badmouths Mr. Wolfe and gets away with it. You may have given birth to him, but you’re not his mother! And don’t you ever try to call yourself such!”

Flash Sentry pulled him back with one of his wings. “...easy there, champ. Don’t get all worked up on his behalf. Tungsten would want you to be calm and stay strong. Right, Cantus?”

The larger stallion would add, “He’s right, mate. Let us handle the rest, eh?”

Twinkleshine looked at Kemuri. “Think Honey is gonna be okay?”

“Tungsten looked pretty banged up,” Lemon Hearts added with a frown, “Poor guy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him cry before either.”

“Nobody has,” Kemuri replied with a sigh, “Stallions like him often try to put strength before weakness due to their upbringing. We need to do a better job of recognizing these signs next time, huh?”

“I’ll try,” Twinkleshine replied, “It’s kinda hard to know what guys are thinking sometimes…guess that’s half the problem.”

“Their mental health is important,” Lemon added in a matter-of-fact tone, “I just hope this particular stallion is still curable. Maybe you should go join Honey, Kem.”

“...Wait…really?”

“Come on,” Twinkle quipped, “We’ve noticed how you look at him too. Now’s probably the best time to be there for him.”

“We’ll handle this court case,” Lemon encouraged her while pushing her away from the group. “Besides, the more support he gets, the better. Now go.”

Kemuri was unable to refute them. “...alright. I’ll go see what I can do.”