Chapter 0: Under a Willow Tree.
Pain.
A blinding light, cutting into his vision.
Crying.
A slow, rhythmic beat, next to his ear.
Those were the first things The Boy felt.
Months later. He was removed from the comfort of the hospital, any normal person would've been taken home, given food, drink, and then go to sleep.
The Boy wasn't wanted, it seems. One day, he was left under the shade of a Willow tree.
He didn't know what happened and he didn't know why.
All I knew back then was the simple breeze, brushing over my face like a subtle caress from a caring mother. Then I heard a gasp as some strange yellow person lifted me up, before shrieking and running. The startling performance of the thing made me start crying. I cried and I bawled, until I heard weird noises not unlike the clip clop, I heard in the hospital when people walked across the room.
"Woah!" A whiter albeit smaller person entered my enclosed vision, it had a weird... Spike thing coming out of its head. With rapt curiosity only a child could possess, I reached out to it, grazing it with a finger before the person jumped away. "MOM!" The Thing shouted as it ran away. I was startled by the loud noise and began crying once again.
Time passed. "Shining, what has gotten you so riled up? Did Night give you too much cake again? He knows it sends you hyper," then in a lower tone, much quieter, "honestly that stallion makes me wonder..." Then I caught 'Mom's' gaze. "Oh Celestia, Shining, where did you find..." She lifted the small blankets that had been tossed upon me. "...Him."
"He was just here! Lying in the cot, Mom can we keep him? Dad's always saying I could have a pet..." 'Shining' Trailed off.
"Dear, I'm not sure whether it can be a pet or not. We should take him to the princess, she'll know what to do with him." I felt a light tingle and the air became warmer. I was hoisted into the air by the bigger purple-grey thing. The warmth soothed my fear and I fell asleep again.
----
"Mrs Velvet? I was sure you weren't working today. What troubles you?" The voice that spoke was smooth, yet authoritive. Silky yet stronger than steel. I liked that voice.
"Princess, me and my son were in the gardens when Shining found this near Discord's statue. I haven't seen such a creature before, and so I humbly ask you if you know what it it might be?"
Melodic laughter.
"Twilight, you don't need to be so formal with me. I may be your ruler, but do not forget that I am another mare as well." The even bigger one looked into the cot I was happily lying in. I giggled at its funny face, before grabbing it's nose. Unlike the other one, she leaned into the cot slightly, nuzzling me and snorting, tickling me enough to keep me laughing.
It pulled away, before adding to her last speech, "I haven't seen anyone like this either, Velvet, but it appears to be quite safe, actually his demeanour somewhat reminds me of your son's, back when he was born, he clung to me similarly." She looked towards The blue maned unicorn colt.
The young one's cheeks glowed red as he hid behind the purple-grey one again.
"I believe 'He' is not so different from a pony." She turned her head from me to the one called Velvet. "Twilight, do you remember when you became my archmage, so many years ago?" Velvet nodded in response.
"Yes, your highn- I mean, Celestia. You gave me the challenge of raising everypony in the room with telekinesis." An entire hall, stocked full of just under three-hundred unicorns, as well as the Princess herself.
"I have one more challenge of you." 'Celestia smiled playfully. "I would like you to raise only one extra pony in the room."
Celestia's meaning was not lost on Velvet, and it hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Princess, surely you don't mean...?" Velvet inquired.
The Princess smiled and walked over to Shining and Velvet. "Yes, I do mean that. I am not 'telling you to, but I am simply asking. If you do not feel as if you will be able to provide for the boy, then I will not deny you the choice."
Velvet shook herself, bowing before the princess. "O-of course, princess! I will do so, I just wish to ask...Why?"
"Why you?" Celestia kept her hoof on Velvet's shoulder. "Because, Twilight, I know you can. You are a brilliant mother and a good friend. And I think that a child under your care would blossom into something amazing."
Velevet blushed under Celestia's praise.
"Naturally, you may talk with Night Light about this, and decide as a family." Her eyes caught Shining's. "Even you, Little Armour."
"O-Ok. I want a brother! We can do stuff, like, like..." the colt searched for the words, "Colt stuff!" The two mares shared knowing looks as the colt made his opinion known.
I felt myself being pulled forward, onto Velvet's back. Before she and Shining took their leave. The last thing I saw of that room was Celestia's beautiful smile directed at me. I smiled one of my own back as the doors shut.
----
"Dad! Mom an' me found this thing, but it's a colt, and the princess said we could keep him! Pleeeeeeassse???"
"Twilight, what is our son talking about?" The bemused stallion looked to his wife.
"This colt, here." I saw the one that Shining called 'Dad'.
The blue one looked at me oddly, before poking me with a hoof, his fur tickling my belly. "What is it?" He asked as he unknowingly made me writhe until I bit down on his hoof with my gums. Shocked, he pulled away, and I started crying.
"Dad! What did you do?" Shining asked, pushing himself on his back hooves, trying to get a better view of me.
Velvet moved me back towards her and nuzzled against me, calming me down.
I quickly latched onto her nose with my little fingers, trying to get a feel for her face. I could see her aquamarine eyes looking into mine, and I hugged her, cooing lightly.
She reciprocated, pushing her muzzle into me again.
It felt too soon when she pulled herself away, and I grasped weakly at the air.
"Night, I don't know what he is, but Princess Celestia has entrusted him to me. I can't let her down." She looked back to me. "Besides! How can't you like him, he seems much less needy than Shining was, and the princess even said that he would be something special..."
"Twilight." The older stallion spoke calmly. "Do you want him? Really? I'm sure the princess wouldn't just tell you to do something like that, she must have given you a choice about it. I might need to get used to it, we can support at least two more children, so he won't be that much trouble."
Twilight looked between Shining's pleading eyes, Night's intent gaze, and my blissfully ignorant joy as I tried to grab back onto her nose.
She breathed a sigh, her thoughtful gaze over as she smiled at me.
"I... I am prepared to have him..." She trailed a hoof over my cheek. "One final vote?" She teased Shining, sharing a mischievous look with her husband.
"Of course! C'mon dad please?"
"Hmmmm, I'm not sure Shining..." the younger colt looked absolutely crestfallen. "Ok, then."
Shining's look of sadness changed quickly to joy, "I'm gonna have a brother, I'm gonna have a brother!" Shining leapt around, his voice taking on a sing-song quality, the colt looked positively overloaded with glee.
"You'll have to learn how to change him." The colt's mother smiled, confusing him greatly.
"What does changing him, mean?" Shining asked as the two adults nuzzled, and Velvet pushed me over to Night with a hoof.
Velvet's voice took on a sultry tone. "Dear? He smelled quite bad on the way here, so I was wondering if you might be able to..." She nipped his ear, "take care of it? For me?" She seductively winked at him, sure, he would do anything for her.
Night did not dissapoint her, the dark blue stallion shivered before trotting up the round, oaken stairs with me in magical tow, each step creaking lightly as we went. As we ascended, the mare and the colt disappeared from view. Night's emotions had peaked in dread as he closed the door into the bathroom.
"She is ravenous, that mare..." Night drifted off slightly, wearing a goofy smile and glazed over eyes. He shook himself, grimacing at the sight before him.
"Dear Celestia...you stink, I'm starting to imagine why someone left you." He put a hoof over his muzzle as he worked his magic.
----
Breakfast was early for the Sparkle family I had been fed some kind of goop, which I tried to dodge, until Velvet used the almighty power of the choo-choo train.
Shining had to go to his third day of school, and Night had came with him to send him off but before they went, Shining said something that took me just about fifteen years to finally get.
"Mom, were you and dad fighting last night? I heard loads of bumps and thumps and moans! I thought you might have been gotten by a big monster!" The two adults' eyes widened and Night hurried him out the door, leaving me alone with the gray mare. As I held out my arms, Velvet lifted me onto her neck, and I enjoyed burying my face into her soft fur.
"You are a quiet one, aren't you? Much less needy than a pony." My tummy gurgled and I began crying lightly.
"Shh, shh, shh..." She tried patting the burp out of me. The expected reaction was achieved, and she cooed. "Ohh... you are adorable..."
She looked at me lovingly, her blue eyes staring into my hazel-green orbs.
Then I threw up on her face. I'm not talking about a little bit, this was a small torrent of puke.
All of it was aimed at her face. She stood there for a moment, too shocked to move.
Then she lightly dropped me onto the chair, and went to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, she emerged, the greeny yellow substance no longer covering her face. Treading cautiously, ahead came over to me, and my expression brightened as I saw her. I held out my arms again, clutching at the air, giggling.
Any contempt she might have felt seconds ago washed away with the smile. "You are painfully cute, young colt." She thought for a moment, and a particularlying crucial reminder came to her. "Oh no! I forgot to tell the princess, she could've already tried to put him in an orphanage!" She hurried, in her panic, she put on her winter wear haphazardly, and held me close to her chest, still wrapped in a bundle as she galloped to the castle.
I remember it being a fun ride.