> Dark Petals > by Marie Rivers > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Petals sat in the rain at a grave with her head down. There was a little black unicorn filly with bright pink hair under her wing huddling close to her for warmth and to stay dry. Petals sighed and stood up saying softly “Lets go Star we need to get you home and dried off.” Star looked up at her mother and let out a whimper “But what about mama?” The young unicorn looked up at Petals looking scared and worried. Star nuzzled her and looked around confused. She then yelled out “Mama! Where are you Mama!” Petals breathed a big sigh before saying softly “Star...” Petals sighed looking down before saying “Your mama is not going to be coming home with us. " Petals looked at the young filly and sighed trying to figure out how to explain to her daughter that her mother and teacher was never coming home ever again. Star shook her head not wanting to believe it and continued to yell for her mama until Petals put a wing on her back. Star looked up at her mom and whimpered. Petals sighed and then said softly “Lets just go home sweetie.” Star reluctantly nodded and then followed her mom. Petals sighed then started trotting towards home after making sure her daughter was following close behind. Once Petals had reached their home she pushed the door open and walked into the home and looked around. The house already seemed so empty without her beloved marefriend and wife. She looked down at the shivering Starry Night and said “Why don’t we get you to bed? Lets go get you dried off my little Star.” Petals nudged the foal gently towards her room. Star groaned softly “But Mom! I am not tired and Mama ALWAYS put me to bed!” The little filly tried to get away from Petals. As soon as Star broke free she ran around the house trying to find her unicorn mother. After searching the entire house Star came to a stop in front of Petals and looked up at her with tears in her eyes “Where is mama?” Petals looked at her young filly and got down to her height saying “Star sweetheart your Mama is not coming home. She is gone forever and no matter how much she wanted to stay she wont be coming back.” Petals put her forelegs and wings around Star nuzzling her gently in a motherly way. Star started crying and buried her muzzle in Petals’ fur and cried. Star stayed like that for a long time just crying. She ended up falling asleep while crying in Petals hug. When Petals realized that her daughter had fallen asleep she picked her up flew to Star’s room and laid her in her bed. Petals kissed her head and tucked her in before she flew to her room. She peered into it and sighed softly. It seemed so empty without Black Night. She went over to the bed and got in it before burying her muzzle in her wife’s pillow and tried to fall asleep breathing in her scent. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Petals sleepily opened her eyes and looked at the clock immediately flying into the air and cried “Night why didn’t you...” Petals stopped mid sentence and then landed on the ground when she remember that her wife was gone. Petals sighed and stretched her wings before trotting to Star’s room. She stood in the doorway silently watching her daughter sleep. She sighed softly before trotting over and gently nudged Star saying soothingly “Star, baby girl, wake up.” Star grumbled and rolled over. She tried to push her mom away and grumbled “Nooo i want more sleep mama.” Petals sighed and then kissed her cheek whispering “If you get up i will make you pancakes.” Within seconds Star was up and running into the kitchen. Petals chuckled and then trotted after her and said “Calm down Star i will take care of it.” Star looked up at Petals confused “Mommy? How are you gonna cook without a horn?” Star got in a chair and watched confused. Her mamma had always cooked using a horn how was her Mommy supposed to cook? Petals chuckled and shook her head at the foal “My mommy taught me how to cook. She was a Pegasus pony just like me. She didn’t have a horn and she always made meals for us.” Petals smiled and went to work getting the pancakes ready. She paused when she got the chipped mixing bowl. ”Flutter! Be careful you are gonna break the bowl!” A young Black Night yelled at her marefriend. A young Petals just laughed before her wing cramped causing her to tumble and drop the mixing bowl. As it fell it ended up getting chipped around the top but it didn’t break because Night grabbed it with her magic before it could. She then rushed over to Petals and fretted over her. “Oh Celestia! Are you ok Flutter?” Night started to examine her for injuries. Petals started laughing and wrapped her forelegs around Night and buried her snout in her neck placing light sweet kisses. “I am ok Night honest. I have taken worse falls then that as a filly. I will be ok. Come on lets get back to making breakfast after we clean up our mess.” Petals pulled away from her marefirend with a smile. Night huffed and grumbled “It was your mess! I was cooking until you startled me!” That started a whole new chase around the house. Petals was near tears at remembering how happy they were but shook her head and started cooking. She stopped and turned when she heard sniffling behind her. Star had started to cry and was trying to stay quiet. Petals stopped what she was doing and went over putting her forelegs and wrings around her daughter and said soothingly “I got you my little Star.” Petals nuzzled her young daughter with a soft sigh. Star looked up at her and whimpered “Are you sure mamma is never coming back? I mean is there even a small chance she will be back?” Star was still crying staining her dark coat. Petals let out a long sigh and said softly “She is not coming back Star. She loves you so much and I know she would be here if she could. You remember how much pain she was in? How we would have to go to the hospital to see her? She is in a better place now. She is no longer hurting and she is happy again.” Petals nuzzled her and wiping away her tears. Star whimpered and looked up at her "Mommy can we join her? I really miss her." Star used her magic to grab a tissue to wipe away her tears. When Petals saw her using her magic she freaked out slightly "Star! Be careful don't use your magic!" Petals looked frantic as she tried to calm down and got up bringing the tissue box closer. She set it down and pulled Star into a tight embrace and nuzzled her. Star looked confused and whimpered "Mommy why can't I use my magic? Mamma always said the only way to get better at using magic is to practice. Mommy it is a simple little spell i use every day why can't I do it anymore?" Star looked confused. Petals just hugged her tighter and nuzzled her saying "I will explain when you are older. Just please do this for me?" Petals looked worried and concerned. Star nodded confused "Ok Mommy." She nuzzled her then said "Pancakes and apple juice?" Petals chuckled and got up going to finish the pancakes. She smiled and said "Star wanna sing for me?" She smiled as she heard Star start to sing in her soft almost shy voice. Petals couldn't be prouder of her daughter. She finished the pancakes and put a plate of them in front of Star before getting some apple juice. Star grinned and then started to eat trying not to use her magic so her mommy didn't freak out like before. She paused to take a drink before eating again. She then looked up at Petals grinning "Thank you mommy! Can i go play with Auntie Sugar?" Petals chuckled and nodded "As long as you don't bother her or eat too much of her candy." Petals laughed as Star ran out of the house at top speed towards the candy shop. She shook her head thinking of her wife's younger sister. She honestly thought that Sugar could beat Pinkie Pie for a hyper active contest. She then sat down for a quiet almost lonely meal. She sighed as she finished then got up and quickly cleaned up the table and everything else after she had put everything away she thought about going to work but instead she made her way up to her room and crawled back into bed burying her muzzle in Night's old pillow and cried. She cried for a long time and then cried dry tears until she fell asleep out of pure exhaustion, mentally, physicall y, and emotionally. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Flutter why have you given up on me!? I did nothing but love you!" A dead slightly burned and starting to decompose Night yelled at Petals. The background was dark and foggy. Petals backed away scared as she whimpered "I haven't given up on you! I will always love you but you are dead! There is no coming back from the dead! I love you! You are the only pony I will ever love! Please Darkie don't do this to me please!" Petals kept backing up as the dream Night came towards her trying to get a kiss when the dream ended. Petals flew up in the air yelling out loudly as she woke up "NOO!" Petals then landed on the bed and cried into her wife's pillow. She sobbed for the better part of the day. After she finished crying she forced herself to get up and shower. After her shower she made her way into the kitchen then started making hayburgers for herself and Star. Star came running into the house and let out a happy squeal "Me and Auntie Sugar spent all day making candy and helping Auntie Cupcake decorate cakes!" Star ran over and threw her forelegs around Petals' neck and giggled happily. She then ran to her room to go color. Petals chuckled and shook her head at the young filly before going back to what she was doing. She finished making the hayburgers and fries. She sighed softly as she put the plates on the table and called "Star dinner is ready!" Star came running with a picture in her mouth and took it over to Petals and grinned. It was a rough drawing of Petals, Night, Star, Cupcake, and Sugar. They all looked like a great big happy family. Petals took the picture and looked at it fighting back the tears saying "Thank you Star sweetheart. Want to keep it in your room?" Petals looked down at her and smiled in a motherly way. Star shook her head no before saying "The fridge? So that Auntie Cupcake and Sugar can see it whenever they come over?" Star looked hopeful and excited. Petals hesitated then she nodded and kissed her head saying "We will put it on the fridge. Now sit down and eat." Star grinned broadly and then sat down getting ready to eat. Petals put the drawing on the fridge before sitting next to her daughter and put her wing around her. She then started to eat, as if on cue Star started to eat as well. She took a drink of the water Petals had placed there for her. Petals chuckled and watched her daughter. After they had both finished Petals got up and went to the living room and sat on the couch. Star trotted after her and got on the couch snuggling into Petals. Petals then started to read a story to Star. Star looked up at Petals then said "Mommy?" Petals looked down at her "Yes my little Star?" "Can you tell me a story about you an mamma?" Star asked eagerly. She looked hopeful and excited. Petals hesitated then nodded "It was when not long after we had met. We were only about your age at the time..." "Hey! Pink fur! What are you doing here! You are a blank flank and a Pegasus. This party is only for earth ponies and unicorns with their cutie mark!" A tough looking green unicorn filly with a light blue mane and toothbrush with toothpaste on it for a cutie mark yelled at Petals. Petals shrunk down being about as shy as Fluttershy at the time. She appeared to be scared. Just then a dark colored unicorn stepped forward and said "Hey what you think your'e doing! This here Pegasus here is my friend. Not to mention i am a blank flank as well Minty Breath." The dark unicorn mare turned to show her blank flank. Petals looked up at the slightly taller unicorn shyly. Minty frowned and then turned away ignoring the two. The dark unicorn filly turned to her and said cheerfully "Hi there! I am Black Night but you can call me Night!". Petals looked down and stuttered shyly "I a-am Fluttering P-Petals." She shuffled her hooves and shyly looked at Night. Night seemed to be grinning like a fool as she said "Hi Flutter! Nice to meet you! Hey would you like to maybe get out of here and away from Minty?" Petals nodded eagerly. After that they took off with Night running and Petals flying at top speed. They ended up joining Night's best friend Gusty Bluegrass in a small fort that Night and Bluegrass had built together with the help of Gusty's dad. They ended up spending all their time in that fort and the three of them became fast friends. Petals smiled as she finished the story remembering that day. She sighed softly then looked down at Star who had cuddled closer to her and fallen asleep. Petals smiled and carefully lifted the filly up and flew her into her room and laid her in her bed. Petals tucked her in and kissed the top of her head "I love you my little Star." As Petals left the room a sleepy voice called out "I love you too Mommy." Star almost immediately fell back asleep. Petals chuckled softly as she flew to her room. Once again she stopped at the door. She sighed and then flew up and grabbed her stash of Sweet Apple Cider. She closed her eyes and within 30 minutes she had drank enough to become drunk. She looked at a picture of Night and started yelling her words slurred "Why did you leave us! You say you loved us but you left us! You knew what could happen if you tried that spell! You knew you could have died! It wasn't even a spell you needed to know! Why risk leaving me and our daughter! I can't do this without you! You were always the strong one! If I had died you would have been stronger and explained it better! You were always better at this then me! I am not a good mother! I am trying to be but I am not!" "You are right! You are horrible at this! That is why i used that spell so i can get away from you! I was tired of you always bugging me to do this or do that. I needed to get away from you so much that i used a spell that could get me killed to get away from you!" The picture of Night yelled back at Petals Petals started to cry and curled up hugging the picture close as she cried drunkenly "Darkie please come back I promise I will be better! I wont complain or bug you please just come back please." That is how Petals spent the rest of the night. She cried hugging a picture of Night to her chest and drank until she passed out. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Black Rubies trotted into the house that her sister used to live. She slowly made her way towards the bedroom that her best friend and sister had shared. She stopped the second she saw Petals in the middle of the room surrounded by bottles of cider. Ruby, as her friends usually called her, sighed and shook her head and started to pick up the bottles with her hooves. She dumped all of them out and then silently picked up Petals and set her in the tub. She took the picture and put it back in its place and then put on the cold water. Petals jumped up and gasped "Oh holy sweet Celestia!" She then grabbed her head and groaned "I feel like my head was trampled by a herd of yaks!" Ruby shook her head and grabbed some medicine and a glass of water and gave it to Petals. "At least tell me Star was in bed when you got drunk." Ruby sighed sitting down and looked at her friend. "I would never drink if she was away! I don't want her to see me drinking or what i am when i am drinking. Blue I know that I shouldn't drink but without her it is so hard! She was not just my wife she was the one who accepted me for me even before my parents did." Petals was near tears at this moment in time. She then just collapsed to the ground crying. Ruby got down next to her and put her foreleg around her comfortingly "It will be ok. I am here for you Petals." Ruby gave her friend a gentle friendly nuzzle. She then stepped back and said "We need to get you in bed. I will take care of your daughter today. My friend got me something so I can stand the sunlight." Ruby gently nudged her Petals to get her up. Petals weakly got to her hooves and then made her way to her bed and collapsed in it. She again buried her muzzle in Night's old pillow and all but passed out. Ruby shook her head and went into the kitchen and then started to make some breakfast. She made some pancakes with apple jam on them. She also had some apple juice on the table as well as a fork and napkin. She then shook out her black mane so that it covered one of her eyes and closed her other eye before she made her way into Star's room. She gently used her magic, that seemed to look like a blood red color, to gently shake Star awake. Star grumbled sleepily and rolled over. Ruby chuckled and then said "Wake up Starry Night. Your favorite Aunt made you pancakes and apple juice with a side of apples and other fruits." Star grumbled and slowly opened one eye and jumped so high that some would think she was a Pegasus instead of a unicorn. She calmed when she realized who it was and talked Ruby giggling happily "Auntie Ruby!" She nuzzled the older mare before giggling and ran into the kitchen sittign down to eat. "Slow down there young one. All i get is a nuzzle? I mean when was the last time you saw your favorite aunt?" Ruby said teasing her little adopted niece playfully. She gave the filly a light nuzzle and a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry Auntie! I missed you so much! Where have you been! Why haven't you been around? Is you daddy still being a great big meany pants?" Star grinned before she started to eat again letting her most beloved Aunt start answering her questions. "I have been traveling as I do my job. My daddy will always be a 'big meany pants' but he has been less mean lately." Ruby answered quickly with a soft laugh as she watched the filly scarf down the food. When Star finished she looked up at Ruby "Can we play something? I don't care what i am just so bored that I wanna do something. Hey wait where is Mommy?" Star started looking around frantically looking scared and let out a pitiful and sad whimper "Hey Star it is ok your Mommy is just tired. She is just sleeping." Ruby quickly reassured the filly and smiled at her. She then stood up and said "Wanna go prank some ponies?" Star thought for a second then nodded eagerly and ran out of the house yelling "Catch me if you can Auntie!" Ruby laughed and then used her magic to quickly put the stuff in the sink before racing after her. Star ran throughout the street and laughed happily. She loved hanging out with her aunts. Especially Black Rubies she seemed so much like her mama and today she really wanted that. She ran until she had to come to a stop or she would run into her teacher. She giggled and looked up at her "Sorry! I am playing tag with my Auntie Ruby!" Ruby chuckled and then touched Star's side and chuckled "Tag you're it." Ruby then looked at the mare that Star was talking to and nodded her head saying "Long time no see Blue Heart." Ruby looked over the light blue Pegasus mare with a black mane and tail that had a strip of pink in it with stunning green eyes. Ruby's eyes traveled over the mare until it they landed on her cutie mark of a book and a red apple and chuckled softly. "Yes it has Ruby. I never forgot your promise. Well I must be going. You behave and listen to Ruby ok little one?" Blue Heart smiled at Star and ruffled her mane before taking to the skies. Ruby stood there watching the other mare with a soft sigh before she looked back at Star and grinned. Ruby took off running and yelled "Catch me if you can!" As Ruby ran her mind wandered to something that had happened when they were all fillies. "You got your cutie mark! That is great Ruby!" A filly aged Blue Heart squealed excitedly. She then frowned and said "This means I am the only one without a cutie mark." She looked at the pure white skull and cross bones on her friends flank A filly aged Ruby frowned and nuzzled her friend gently "Hey don't be sad Blue. You will probably get the coolest cutie mark of all!" Blue looked at her and said sadly "Are you sure? I mean do you really wanna be friends with a blank flank?" Ruby gasped in shock and said "I will always be your friend Blue! You are my bestest best friend! I promise no matter what I will always be your friend!" Just then a teenage Night and Petals rolled into the clubhouse where Ruby and Blue were giggling like fillies. "Hey if Misty Breath comes here we are not here!" Night giggled as they hid the closet of the club house. Ruby looked at Blue confused and said "My sister and her friend are crazy! Come on lets get out of here before Misty gets here and i get sucked into whatever prank Night had played. The pains of being the sister of one of the coolest ponies around!" With that Ruby and Blue ran off laughing. Ruby was abruptly brought back to reality when she was talked by Star. Star giggled and poked Ruby's nose before she took off running again. Ruby laughed and ran after her niece but her mind was still occupied by one blue mare. She laughed happily as she yelled "I am going to get you!" Star laughed happily and ran until she reached the candy shop and stopped grinning broadly "Auntie Sugar!" Star tackled her aunt and giggled happily. Sugar grinned gave her niece a hug and then jumped up and laughed "Starry! I haven't seen you in forever!" Sugar grinned and then talked Ruby and giggled "Little Sister where have you been! I haven't seen you in forever." Star giggled and rolled her eyes "Auntie Sugar i saw you yesterday!" Star giggled then ran into the candy shop. Ruby huffed and grunted "Star no candy! I don't want your mommy getting mad at me! Sugar get off me. I missed you two but i also like moving." Ruby chuckled softly before gently pushing her sister off. Sugar giggled then went into the candy shop saying "Whatever you say Rubies!" She then went to work on making more candy although she ate half of it. Ruby shook her head. Her sister would never change. She sat outside and sighed softly.