> Two Worlds. One Family. > by Bronybro 117 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter I:Thunderstorms > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” --Stevie Wonder Canterlot was not a pleasant sight to many when entering the old city. It’s location up in the mountains has given it a tactical advantage in warfare, making it hard for Equestria’s enemies to take the city when under siege. The last time an army nearly took it was during the Equestria-Griffon war, seven hundred years ago when the Griffons nearly overrun the city, but failed to take it due to heavy losses from the cities fanatic defenders in the royal guard. The city, for a thousand years, has been the symbol to those down below as they looked in awe at the craftsmanship of the design of the city. The exotic trade that the city has conducted with the towns and cities down below for a thousand years, since its creation after the Chaos Wars, had bought millions of bits in its coffers to sustain its cost. Yet the city that had stood for years as the second home of the alicorn princess for centuries, is not what ponies expect when entering the city. Despite being under the protection of the alicorns, the city has a darker side in its history like any other in the country. In the lower sections of the city were populated by the unwanted elements of the Canterlot society. Members of their own species that didn't quite fit the mold, couldn't keep up with the demands of the social hierarchy, fled to the slums of the city to conduct their own corrupt way with unspoken blessings of the sun goddess herself. Despite its thousand years of prosperity and the teachings of harmony and friendship, ponies will always turn to their corrupt ways to fuel an everlasting fantasy that they cooked up in their head to avoid their problems in their lives. But the point of this story won’t be the dark ways that ponies conducted in their private lives or how their precious leader will save them from their mistakes. No, the heart of this story started during a thunderstorm. Lightning flashed throughout the dark, clouded sky as the sound of thunder roared upward from the city. The streets were abandoned and deserted, with many shops closed for the night. The nobility had long asleep in their luxurious beds with their mates or mistresses, holding affairs behind their wives’ backs while they are on business. The clouds swirled around the castle, pounding heavy rains upon anyone who stepped outside. The only ponies who were outside were either the guards on their patrols or the homeless outside the alabaster walls trying to find shelter. The homeless whisper prayed to their goddess who inhabits the castle to protect them from the storm to live another day in their trouble lives. The castle itself, with its spiral towers that seemed to breach the heavens themselves, held beautiful craftsmanship above all else. Yet, inside this beautiful and terrifying fortress was something that was precious to her, something that she’ll die protecting from anyone who will harm him. She had loved him ever since she laid her eyes on him when he first hatched. The innocence of a newborn that had write her heart. It make her remembered what it felt to have something to love in her life again. “Mama.” The cradle rocked a little as the child cried out for its mother as the storm outside his room’s window got worse. The pounding of the rain on the window and the cracking of thunder grew tense, waking him up from his peaceful sleep. The baby was not a normal one. In fact, he wasn't even a pony. The child was a reptilian dragon, a species that has isolated itself from many in hundreds of years. They feed and prey on ponies, ravaging towns, burning them down as they take their possessions. Their greed far outclasses many. Ponies will always portray them as the heartless monsters from the skies that preyed on the weak. But this child is not a monster, but an innocent one, that should not be judged of the sins of his kind. “Mama,” the child cried out again, a little louder than before, drowned out by the storm outside. The child’s tears poured down his purple scales as he cried louder, hoping for Mama to come to comfort him from the storm outside. Another roar came from outside, white zigzag lines streaked across the clouds for a second then disappeared before another took its place. It was only making the child more fearful as more tears make way. His tail swayed a little, moving the blanket around him a little, as he continued to cry, not noticing the doorway to his room opening. The silent trotting of the figure that opened the door approached the cradle, and did not hinter the child crying. Another flash of lighting came, illuminating the room before the figure, showing off her multi-color hair along with her alabaster coat with a horn atop her head. Her horn glow its usual golden aura, helping her illuminating the room to help her with the child. The child opened his eyes, revealing his cat-like eyes to the illuminating light in front of him. Flailing his arms wildly in attempt to cover his eyes from the light, a new bunch of tears appeared at the tip of his eyes, waiting to be released on his wet skin. Before even a single tear came though, a smooth, motherly voice spoke out. “Shush! Mama’s here, my little draconem, Mama’s here.” The child was soon developed in the same golden light before lifting him up from his crib with his blanket still on him. The child’s mother then cut the magic and wrap her hooves around the crying child, hoping that child would stop crying when feeling the warm comfort of her fur. “Mama,” The child wrap its claws around his mother, wanting comfort and security from the storm as she predicted. The child continued to weep, soaking her fur with tears. She began to rock him “Don’t cry, little one, mama’s here for you.” She comforted him again, muzzling him over his head, felling the scales of his body on her lower jaw. It worked, and the child stop crying for a little bit, but still his tears soaked her fur. Another flash of lighting came, than the roar, illuminating the room again, making the child cry more for the projection of her coat. She muzzled his face, especially on his nose, as she continued to rock him back to sleep. “Mama’s here, little one, Mama will always be with you.” She whispered near his ear. “Mama,” The child tugged on her fur more, shaping her mouth into a smile at the cute act. “Do you want me to sing a song for you, my little draconem?” She ask, barley a whisper, enough for him to hear. The only reaction she could get from him was his claws digging in more on her fur. Taking that as a sign of a ‘yes’ from him, she began to hum, beginning the song. “Though I may speak some tongue of old, or even spit out some holy word,” Her mother and father used to sing that song to her and her sister when they tucked them into their beds, with her father singing and mother humming. “I have no strength with which to speak, when you sit me down and see I'm weak.” The memories of her father flowed through her mind as she continued singing. The feel of his hands on her fur as he rocks her back to sleep if she had a nightmare, the whispers of words of comfort to her as he kisses her forehead, the happiness in his eyes as she shuts her eyes, sleeping peacefully In his arms. “We will run and scream. You will dance with me.” The memories flowed again, remembering the time she took her adopted son out to the private garden for the first time since he hatched from her newest protégé, Twilight Sparkle, to pass an entrance exam for the School for Gifted Unicorns. Watching as the newborn played with her hair, laying down against one of the oldest and rarest trees in Equestria, the Novellus Fructum, known for its exotic rare fruits that it carries within. The giggling of the child beneath her made her smile, bringing back memories of her sister when she took care of her. “We will run and scream. You'll dance with me.” “We'll fulfill our dreams and we'll be free.” “We will be who we are, and they'll heal our scars.” The child has long since stopped crying when she began singing, listing to his mother smoothly voice as she continued her musical tone. “So I had done wrong but you put me right.” “My judgment burned in the black of night.” “When I give less than I take, it is my fault my own mistake.” Spike began to grow tired, his eyes only half-lidded as he continued listening to the song. His grip on his mama began to loosen. The soft fur of his mother felt like a soft blanket wrap around him. The feeling of her heartbeat made him safer with her. Celestia could feel his claws loosen from her fur. He always felled secure around her. The only pony he was comfortable around was either her or twilight, who was seen her as a sister to him. The only ponies that he is afraid of are the guards employed to protect the palace. Their stoic expressions and their fanatic devotion to her had scared her son many times when he plays inside and outside the Castle. But there hasn't been any incident between her son and the guards, who wouldn't make any mistakes towards him, for fear of suffering a mother's wrath if they ever raised one hoof against him. She prepared to finish off the last of the lyrics, continuing to rock him. “We'll fulfill our dreams and we'll be free.” “We will be who we are, and they'll heal our scars.” “Sadness will be far away.” The dragon was finally asleep as his loud snores bounced against the walls of his room. The rain outside kept pounding on the glass window, not stopping or letting up as the steaks of white flash across the sky again. Looking down to see if the boy is still sleeping, Celestia rocked him a little bit more before setting him softly in his cradle, still snoring sheepishly. She muzzled his face and gave a quick ‘I love you’, giving a kiss on his forehead, and quickly retreated from his bedroom. She looked over her shoulder for one last time, checking if he was going to make any noise; yet aside from his snoring, nothing. Delighted, she closed the door and began to walk back to her own domain in her vast home. The hallway was already empty of guards when she walked here the first time. Their night shirts always changing for new ones to come, but they hadn't yet. The windows on the left side of the hall were still being pounded by the storm outside. One of lighting blighted the walls around her than they dissipated. She hated thunderstorms, always making everyone, including herself, groomed. Storms are always so violent, so dangerous to a living being. She couldn't understand why some of her ponies would love it. ‘But I love it, Tia.’ She completely stopped her hooves from going any further. That thought should be there. What in Faust’s name… where did that come from? “Please sister, can we watch until its ends, I love when they flash across my night,” Her legs trembled as she remembered everything. She bit her lower lip as she tried to hold back the incoming tears welling in her eyes. She can’t think about that now. She is long gone. Being a prisoner to a prison she once loved. She started her gait again, a little faster than before. She doesn't’ want to remember what she had done. The sins that she had created because of the actions she caused. Another flash of lighting streak across, illuminating the hallway before her; her pace was brisk, desperate to get to her room before any of the servants or guards were to spy her in this state. Tears poured down on her face, impacting and splashing against the carpet floor. ‘”Have I ever told you that the storms are an art, sister? The beauty of a lighting storm flashed across your eyes. Rain plummeted from the heavens as they seeded their life blood on the ground, saturated the growth of life around us. The storm is beauty itself.” She finally made to her room, but it was too late. The tidal wave of tears poured down her alabaster face, using her magic to open the golden doors. Her room was barely lit, only the light of a lamp flickering in the dark bedroom as she headed towards her bed. She removed the covers from the bed, sniffing and still crying. She laid herself down on the comfortable bed, which gave a few squeaks of protest as she added her weight to it. The tears of her crying making wet spots on her covers. “I’m so sorry about what I did to you, my sister. It was my fault that you got sick.” She choked on her words as fresh wave of tears came. “I’m so sorry for the sins I've bought to you.” She continued to sob as the storm outside her bedroom raged beyond, the thundering crack of the storm roared as the winds picked up, getting worse lighting flashing multiple times. The princess, after a sobbing her feelings out, fell asleep as the exhaustion of today’s events and getting her son to sleep catching up to her. As her eyes close, one memory of her sister’s words flowed through her mind. “I always look up to you, sister. You always protect me from the monsters like father did when he protected us and mother. You’re my big sister, Tia. And I’ll love you always as family forever and ever. Mother said that friendship is a deeper bond between both sidings. The love we shared makes us stronger. The spirit of friendship is in our hearts. You’ll always be my big sister, regardless of our actions in the future.” “Please don’t cry, Tia. You were always a great sister to me and to father and mother who watch you play with me.” “I’m so… sorry, Luna.” Celestia muttered before she was succumb to slumber Her eyes were already closed as the last words flowed though. Her mind began to replay the same event that had transpired almost a thousand years ago: The confirmation of her sister, sending her to the moon to keep her from destroying the planet, from committing genocide . The greatest sin she had done to her was to make the events shrouded in legend, making everypony to forget she ever had a sister at all. From that day forward, the gulf of the one she had loved as a sister has made her almost take her life over and over. Only the needs of her subjects prevented her from doing this, but for how long, she was uncertain. But the adoption of a little dragon and taking in of a purple unicorn could only ward away the demons that she had created; the sins that she desperately wanted to redeem. But her nightmares suddenly stopped, jerking her away from her mind as a loud banging came from her door. “Princess, can I've a glass of water?” A little tiny voice called out from the other side. “I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin's; my good is given to me by heaven, my evil by myself, by my free will, of which I am deprived.” -- Michelangelo > Chapter II: Playing in the garden > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory. - Douglas MacArthur “Come on, spike, it’s this way,” Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, call out to her newly appointed assistant, spike as she runs though the flowers of the private Canterlot Castle garden. The scent of spring flowers entered her nostrils, enjoying the flesh aroma of them as she got closer to her destination. “Buz, Twizht. Mama Tiz says to stay close to herz, didn’z you has studz to do?” The little Dragon, about four years old, called out as his little purple legs struggled to catch up to the energetic purple pony. The private garden was beautiful this time of year, with the flowers blooming when the last of the show were cleared off by the unicorn teams in Canterlot, allowing the warm breeze bushed though the unicorn’s purple hair. The gardens were always a favored place for the two. Twilight: for reading and studying, and Spike; well, playing with his mama in the flowers or sleep next to her while watching over twilight playing with her books. The destination they were going to was an ancient tree. Where the first ruler of the land, Empress Faust, sow near during the closing days of the Chaos wars with Discord, himself. The tree was as ancient as the castle itself to many who had work there. Spike can barely remember his visits to the tree with his mother during his years as an infant. The sweet aroma of his mother’s hair when she carried him, the feeling of the warmth sun beaming down on his scales made him relax. The feeling of his mother’s heart as its thumps near his ear as he slept with her wings creating a cocoon over him. He already missed those days of spending time with his mother, but due to her duly as the ‘princess of the land’ had made her spend little time paying attention to him, and instead had to deal with Twilight from trying to get herself hurt from doing something stupid. The unicorn finally stop running as her mouth curled into a large smile as she finally set her eyes on the destination she was seeking. The baby dragon finally caught up to her, trying to catch his breath from all the running. “We’re finally here, Spike!” Twilight said excitedly as she was about to jump in joy. Looking upwards, Spike recognize the old tree, about a few feet in front of them, It hasn't change a bit the last time he been here with Mama Celestia. The streams of a nearly river circled around the ground near the tree to a stream eastward. Sunlight poked through the leaves, creating a somewhat peaceful atmosphere around anypony nearly. “Come on, Spike. Let’s go see it,” The purple filly call out, the smile still plastered on her face, portraying the filly's curiously over the ancient plant. Muttering grumpy in agreement, he follow twilight to the tree, barely avoided falling into the water before regaining his footing on the small landmass, still following Twilight, who, simply use her magic to get across. And speaking of Twilight, she was circling the ancient tree with a observed and curious expression on her face as she examined it. Spike perk up to see that the leaves were slowly changing color, signaling that autumn is approaching. Dead leaves from the nearly trees dance around him as thee breeze carry them away. Even as twilight gawked in awe at the tree, it stirred up memories of when he was a simple infant, taking its first steps while his mother observe from afar near the tree. He still wished that she could spend more time for him and Twilight. “Hello, my son.” He spun his head to the direction of the voice, even Twilight, who was busy examining at the tree, turned from her observation to see who was there. “MAMA!” Spike cried out as he was suddenly lifted by the familiar magical glow of his mother. Twilight cried in glee too, not knowing she would come here to the garden. “How is your little fun in the garden with my student, my little draconem?” She gives him a peck on the forehead, causing his cheeks to flush out, making her giggled as he hugged her alabaster neck. “Princess, can you please me about the tree?” Twilight ask, pointing her forearm at it, causing the cure moment between mother and son to end. She looked downward to meet her student’s gaze, curled up another smile at the questionable filly. “Yes, my precious student, I’ll tell you about the Concordia tree,” She walk, with spike still grip on her neck, and sat down near it, leaning against the old bark as she relaxed herself. Spike was currently waiting for his mother to tell the story while sucking on his left thumb on her back, and Twilight was lying down on the glass, her forearms lying underneath her fur body, with the same plastered smile she had earlier, awaiting to learn new knowledge from her teacher. “This tree,” She began, “was first planted by my mother, Empress Faust and my father, Adeodatus the first, at the end of the war with Discord to mark the end of chaos and began the new age of Harmony for all ponies and… their marriage.” She still remembered that day when she and her sister watch as their father implanted the seed to the ground and their mother watering it to help it grow, watching them both kissed in happiness to finally have a normal life for their daughters. “Who’s Adeodatus?” Twilight piped up, wanting to know more about her teacher history, even Spike listened in to learn more about his adopted family’s history. “Well, to answer your question, Twilight,” Celestia queried, “Adeodatus was a intelligent, care-giving, loyal, and compassion man. He had raised me when I was born. He taught me many things that had let to become who I really am.” She said, hoping that would satisfied Twilight and query any more questions from the young one. “What did Adeodatus look like? I never heard a pony name like that before.” Celestia smile almost slimmer, but held to make Twilight not suspicious. It has been a long time since anypony has asked that question. The only time anyone did was her first appearance of her family to Equestria since…that day Discord took control. “Adeodatus was not…a pony, to say the least” She gulped as she awaited the expected reaction from her student. It was hard enough for her to keep this secret from anypony, except a few that she can trust. “Whaz did yoz mean hes not a ponz, mama,” Spike asked, curiously piped in his tone as he continued to suck his thumb, getting comfortable on her fur. “Adeodatus was…” She hesitated, not sure to tell them. It been so long since anypony had seen his kind before, the options from her kind on his is not…friendly to say the least. “Human, Twilight, My father was human.” She finished, praying that Twilight won’t run off in fear. She hoped that won’t be the case. “WHAT!” Twilight squeaked, her voice breaking the silence that set upon the garden. Shock filled in her voice. She couldn't believe that her teacher father was a human. The many secrets she could learn from a once-mythological species. Spike had a questionable look on his face. He never heard of ‘humans’ before since he spends more time on playing then being a ‘bookworm’ like Twilight, though he does want to learn more about his deceased Grandfather. Celestia just sighed; she knew her student would act like this. She needs to calm her down before she does something stupid. “But why keep this a secret, princess?” that was unexpected to her; she gazed down to her student. The same expression plastered on her face was dissipated, but it was still there. The look on her face didn't make her regret her choice of telling the truth. Her son barely even knew who his grandparents are, or simply never asked about the subject. The two years since he was hatched had been some of the great moments of her life. Taking care of a child was better than dealing with the noisily nobles that come crashing down on her with every problem they had. “Mama, whats an hooman?” The little Dragon stopped his sucking and put out his thumb to speak, but instead of Celestia answering, it was twilight. “Humans are a bipedal species that use to roam Equestria when the ponies were all divided, they were an advanced society, but they were a warmongering race, which explains why they were always created by…” She didn't even finish her sentence when she got interrupt. “They were not, my dear student.” Her teacher said with a hint of anger in her tone, but not at her student, but at her subjects’ mere ignorance. “But the books say…” Again, twilight was cut off. “The books are wrong, Twilight Sparkle. My subjects back then were…somewhat misinformed on them,” She corrected herself on a friendlier term; she didn’t to say something inappropriate in front of her student and her son. It was a rare thing for her to speak so low on her subjects, even though she loves them very dearly. Sometimes they can be bit of racist towards anything that isn't pony. Sometimes she wish to retired from all this and raise her son in peace from all the politics and demands of the people, let them be in charge of themselves, but since she can’t do that without everything falling apart, destroying her mother and father have built, she has to be remained on the throne. “If the books are wrong then, why are ponies saying bad things about the humans?” Twilight quipped, ripping away Celestia thoughts from her to answer. “Sometimes Twilight, the ponies, my subjects… can make rash decisions against anything that is unknown to them.” She answered. The memories of her ponies’ discrimination against other races before she became princess flowed through her mind. A gentle breeze went by, blowing pockets of her multi-color hair in front of her face. The air felt really refreshing for her in this situation. Brewing a couple from her face, she looked down on twilight, seeing that she has her hooves in her face, worrying that she might be crying, Celestia could only think of one thing that could cheer a child up. “Do you want to get some Ice cream to help you cheer up?” Twilight looked up from her hooves, seeing that tears were welled up, but were dissipated as Twilight rubbed them, her face beamed in happiness of the prospect of getting a teat. “Can I read my books while I eat this time?” Her teacher nodded happily as Twilight jump in glee. Celestia twirled her head to spike to ask him if he wants some ice cream, but only found him asleep, still sucking on the same thumb. As Celestia turn back towards Twilight, only to find her already running off towards the kitchen to get her treat. Giggling at her student, she stand up and arched her back to make sure that her son doesn't far off. She sighs in glee. Maybe sometimes life can be bad, but the good can be very rewarding. Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace. -Dalai Lama > Chapter III: Ice cream and a lecture > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Can you tell me more about the humans, Princess?” The purple filly, levitating a cup of chocolate ice cream in her grasp, eating it in spoonful turns, tasting the rich favor of the delicious food in her mouth, marring her jaw with icing, waiting for her teacher to give her answers to many of her questions that were in her mind that were about to explode in her mind. The dining room they were currently settle was well-furnish-; decorated from the finest oval table to the chanticleer above them, fully displaying the aesthetic beauty of the castle itself to many who walk its walk for the first time, and many of the dignitaries from the many nations that Equestria had has relations with. A gust of air blew through the opened doorway to the gardens, allowing it to briefly caress Celestia’s hair before passing along, allowing the hair to be back to its lazy position; long lost the floating that had been a part of her status as a ruler. On the table, in front of her, was one of the few foods that she has always enjoyed to help alleviate the stresses of the annual work day: a banana cake, with the ice cream on the banana cake itself, allowing the mixture of both tastes to be excellent every time she took a bite. In her arms, was the little bundle of her, spike. His claws gripping on the alabaster chest of his mother, sucking on the bottle of milk that is magically grasp in his mother’s magic. The baby dragon had long since succumbed to sleeping, due to his species’ physiology that requires him to sleep for about seventeen hours due to the coming of winter. Celestia slowly hummed to the dragon a lullaby, her smooth voice coating him to a peaceful sleep, not stirring any disturbance from her son. Tilting her head from the dragon to the anxious unicorn, she elicited a smile. “Well, Twilight. Humans are…” She tailed off, looking for the right answer to possible many of her student’s questions about this mysterious race; even in her older age, she still isn’t well-informed about the humans. “The humans are a very diverse species, my student.” She answered; the little bundle of joy in her arms jolted a little before setting back into his peaceful manner. “Please, tell me more.” The small unicorn mused; her eyes sparkle as she almost lean over her chair, waiting for more knowledge from the ancient matriarch; the tapping of ice cream impacting on the table, marring its monogamy surface, sluicing it off and hitting the white, marble floor. The princess hummed the song a little to the dragon then tilted her head to her student to continue. “Humans, from what my father has told me, were a very contradictory species: embracing peace, but it wasn’t afraid to go to war, my student. Humans are a fiercely adaptable, able to survive almost in any hostile environment, taming the very land itself, but not exactly how we ponies do it, of course.” The Princess paused as she took out the baby bottle out of spike’s mouth, resulting a b a seeing that it’s empty; she place it on the table, little droplets of milk and spit of her son sloughing the bobble, trailing down until it touched the surface, forming a tiny puddle. After doing that, she continued on, “They are among the most technologically advanced race; my father recited how his species created machines that could fly like a Pegasus, machines on the ground that make even the fastest carriages looked ‘slowed’. Their advancement I medicine has cured many diseases that were thought to be incurable, saving thousands of lives. “But the most aspiring fact about them that makes me admirable them is their diversely, with many options, ideas, ideologies, nations, cultural, and even region itself, spanning in every corner of their history, speeding their development.” Twilight, while listening to her teacher lecture, slowly lick her dry lips, moisturizing them with her spit while she thirst for new knowledge on the humans. The way the princess speaks of them made her even more curious and inquisitive about this species. “But despite all of their advancements, they’re still like us; they feel love, happiness, anger, sorrow, sad, ignorance, betrayed, rage, and conflict.” Twilight smile dampened a bit after she heard the last part. “What do you mean, conflict?” Twilight, despite her age and intellectual curiously, drove her to read any book, even ones that aren’t ‘child appropriate’. Oh yes, she had read of Equestria many wars against those who try to conquered the homeland of the ponies, but to hear about a race’s violent history would probably make her cringe. Rocking her son a little bit, the princess craned her head a little bit, popping her neck from sitting in the seat for too long. “Yes, my dear student, the humans have long had conflict ever since they developed tools. The will to survive in a hostile world that has always tried kill them, but has always failed. The humans grew stronger from their conflict and strife; building nations atop of others, creating works of art that’d make me tear up, the beauty of their music that’d forever silted through my mind.” Celestia ended her lecture; her face elicited another smile as she awaited her student’s response. “It sounded like you’ve been there, princess, I mean, the human lands.” Twilight ask, her little mind hunger for more. “My father had showed me many books and pictures of them back when my family was stilled living in the Everfree forest, which, if I remember correctly are located in my private library.” Twilight’s mind went blank as her eyes dilated into tiny picks. Her ears blocked all sounds coming from the outside world. From all of her time spending in that library, she didn’t see them. A large, uncrack knowledge of a civilization that is, possible, more interesting than her owns. Like a Pegasus on a coffee run, she quickly got off of her seat, and bolted towards the dining room entrance, kicking up imaginary plumps of dirt in her wake. A smile was plastered on her face, as she run through the hallways to her prize. Celestia gave a little laugh at her student sudden departure, she always enjoy the little moments of her always trying to get any knowledge that is unknown to her, even to the point of trying to steal from some (which earned a stern lecture). But her little memorable moment was soon shatter as the little bundle of joy in her arms, started to cry out for his mother, hunger for milk and some loving. Sometimes, it was good to be a mother. > Chapter IV: Day Care (Part 1) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “But, mommy, I don’t want to,” the little six-year old dragon, whining to his mother as they trotted through the dense marketplace. The early morning shone down upon them as it warmed bathed them both; the rattle of hooves echoed throughout the morning. Celestia couldn’t help but sigh at her son outburst; he was already complaining on the way to the new Daycare center that has built recently; the young, six year old dragon reaction was him latching onto her alabaster belly, crying out his little heart that he didn’t want to leave without mommy behind; all alone with a couple of little foals in a classroom for a couple of hours. Oh, the face he put on her made nearly her regret that decision, but resisted. He should not cooped up in the castle and socialize with others, beside his sister, Twilight Sparkle. The little pony, since her acceptance to become her student, had exceeded better than she has anticipated. Overcoming many of the trials she had set for. The awards she had given to her had made her more confidence in her magical abilities, unlocking her full potential one by one. She had never seen this much magical in a unicorn since Starswirl the Bearded had become the head magician of the magic guild and her former student…Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer, in her own eyes, was a very potential student; a natural polymath in the arts of magic just like Twilight sparkle, but her demands for knowledge and her greedy mind had made her to remove her status as her student, but instead her former student disappeared to the magical mirror, leaving and abandoned everything she had been teach. Her musings soon came to end as she felt the familiar pinch of a scale arm on her leg; the sound of a chirp voice punctuated through the air. “I don’t want to go, mom.” Her son squeaked; the signs of fear etched in his tone made him tighten his arm around her as they walked out of the marketplace, avoiding the many stares coming from the noble and common people. She stops and lower her face to nuzzled his head to comfort him of anxiously, “My little draconem, there is nothing to fear for what it is up ahead, but please don’t let fear cloud your feelings.” She gave him another nuzzled on the face again, “and besides, you might make some friends.” She nuzzled him one last time, feeling the small arms of her son lessened. “But mommy, I don’t want to leave you. I hate it when I’m alone.” Spike cried out; his cheeks almost marred by the tears dripping from his eyes. The little dragon proceeded to hug around his mother’s leg, hoping that she’d change her mind. Celestia felt she could cry at the little moment he was pulling. The calling from her heart to forget the royal mask while in public. The burning of her heart to reach out for him and comfort him in her hooves; letting him cry out in envy, comforting him with her words that it’d be alright. Enveloping him in golden aura, the little dragon cried out in shock as he was firmly placed on top of his mother back, feeling the familiar softness of her fur. His mother proceed to start walking again, making the little draconem jitter as they reach closer towards the Day-care center. “Spike,” Celestia spoke, her ‘mother’ mood kicking in, gadding the attention of the somber child. “There is a time when fear, fear that’d would overwhelm you, fear that could make even the most intelligent pony to commit rash decisions. “Fear is part of who we are, spike. Even your mother is fearful for both you and my student. Fear can help and hurt you, but, at the same time; can nurture to become the person you are.” She tilted her head back; her swan neck arching back as a smile etched across her face. “You may fear what is coming, even for your age; forcing to be remove from your mother’s protection, but in the end, you’ll gain many benefits, my little draconem.” She turned her head back as they continued through their journey, feeling the gust of air that flew by, carrying bits of leaves in its wake. The Day-care center soon came ahead of them; like every other architecture building that came before them, it was large, three-story building that is wedge between two other identical ones; Its colors trimming with crimson on the upper part of it and azure at the bottom, nearing the entrance of the building. Celestia felt, again, the tightening of her son’s sharpened claws on her neck as she continued forward towards the doorway. The slight muttering of her Her white horn glowed, enveloping the door handle as she climbed up the stairs, hearing the familiar clicking of the door being opened. She entered inside, feeling the gust of warm air from the nearly air conditioner above her, feeling her fur and hair being frazzled by the warm air. The room they are in was like any other standard waiting room: At the front end of the room was the desk of the receptionist between two grey-colored doors; a Pink-coated fur pony with a lime mane looking over some papers with her crimson eyes with a horn sticking out on her forehead. The shutting of the door behind the princess and the Dragon alerted the receptionist, looking up from her work, she attempted to bow, but accidentally hitting her head during the frantic action, making a loud bang on the table as result. The mare picked herself up, hearing the crackle of a child laughing throughout the room; her eyes darted towards the polychromatic princess and bow again, successful this time. “Milady,” the receptionist said, “You’re just in time. The classes were about to start, if you followed me, pleased to the classes where the students are currently being seated.” Azure covered the receptionist’s horn as she opened the left door that leads to the stairs to the second floor of the building. “Please follow me, Princess.” She asked again, climbing up the stairs. Feeling the increased tightening of Spike’s crawls on her neck, she nuzzled him gently and given him a kiss on his scrape forehead. “Everything will be alright, Spike. Mommy will always be with you.” Giving one last kiss on the forehead, she followed the receptionist upstairs, but it did not help put down spike's fears, despite his mother's reassurances.