Hello Equestria I’m Midnight and here today at Canterlot’s Royal Castle. As you all know the Grand Galloping Gala will be starting tomorrow night and as of now every staff member of the royal castle has begun to do their part in preparations.

Only this time things will be different for this year’s Grand Galloping Gala. A yellow stoned memorial is to be placed at the center of the lobby so that all could remember the crew that lost their lives on the ESS Kindness on that tragic day.

One of the Survivors from the ESS Kindness, Commander Bolt will be attending the Gala. We’ll have more info on the way, Drop.

Thank you Midnight.

Our next story is about the young Princess Celestia and how she is trying to help the humans restore their broken world. One small band of humans has agreed to this and they have so far set up a small community but it appears the leader of this small band is requesting advanced weaponry for defense?

We’ll tell you more after the break.

****

“Yes I understand but I simply just can’t… yes sir. I cannot leave my son here all alone for that long he’s only six…” York sat at the dinner table listening to his mom argue at someone over her comm. He looked down at his bowl half filled with oatmeal. It was never easy for York to eat when his mom had her tone raised. “… With all due respect he isn’t a threat sir... Sir if you’ll give him a- yes sir… yes sir… yes… sir.”

York shoved his spoon into the warm gooey mess of oatmeal and spinned it around. He felt uncomfortable of what just happened. He didn’t understand what was to happen, all he knew in his mind was it can’t be good. It was never good when his mom was on that device.

York didn’t want to look up and see his moms face. It would be a sad look most likely he thought. He never liked seeing mom sad for it’d make him feel sad. All York could do was think of what would happen next.

York felt a hoof rub his back. “York sweetie, mommy has to go for awhile.” His mom said in a very sweet tone.

York knew it was bad news. That device was always bad news and York loathed it, it took his mom away sometimes and York had to be with Torch after that. He hated Torch. Torch had grown even meaner and blamed most of the accidents he made on York. York never said a word to his mom that it was Torch because Torch said things that kept York in the dark.

“Can’t I come?” York turned around and gave his mom the most saddest look he could muster. He had to try his very best, he wanted to be with his mom even if it meant it was going to be boring.

York’s mom shook her head and gave him a hug “Mommy wishes she could but Captain Sunshine says no.” She sighed “I’ll have to find Torch and hope he’ll be available for three days.”

“Three days!?” York gave a shocked looked. His mom never went away for this long. She would usually be gone for only a couple of hours or in rare occasions a day. Yet, three days was a whole new level for York to take in.

His mom nodded. “Yes York three days. You’ll behave while Torch is here while mommy goes won’t you?”

York pouted and looked back at his oatmeal. He didn’t like where any of this was going. Three days without his mom.

****

Day one went by very fast for York, which was good. He wanted his mom back so he didn’t have to take another minute with Torch breathing over his neck. He wished everyday would go as fast as day one did.

It didn’t go as planned for York. Instead day two seemed so slow. York would always check the clock constantly to see if bedtime would come faster. The minute hand never seemed to change in York’s mind. He wondered if day two was going to be forever.

Then a knock came at the door. “Stay here runt, while I get the door.” Torch said with a grunt as he got up from the couch.

York ignored Torch’s words and continued playing on the living room floor with some of his pony figurines, that weren’t at least broken by Torch yet. He was creating a battle scene that showed the figurines were outmatched, yet they had a mission and that mission was to hold the line at all cost.

The enemy was coming over the hills now and every figurine held its ground. The Captain gave the word and every figurine charged! The enemy was not surprised and did the same. The clash between the two would be catastrophic for both sides, but the spoils of war was the priority.

As they ran they got closer, closer, closer, closer, until!- “York! I said get your butt over here now! I will not repeat myself to you again!”

York snapped out of his battle scene and noticed the living room came back around him. Torch was yelling to him. That wasn’t a good sign. If Torch yelled and York didn’t get there fast enough in time, there would be trouble in for York.

York hastily made his way to the front door where Torch stood and a strange pegasus with a white coat stood in golden armor. The two were having a discussion until York stopped by them; then they both turned their attention towards him.

Torch was the first to speak “York… this is Private Whirlwind, he wishes to speak with you.”

Whirlwind cleared his throat. “By order of the Princess you are to accompany me to the human community known as ‘Old Town’. There you shall join her royal highness in the upcoming meeting between human and equine relations.”

York looked at Torch and Torch smirked “Don’t look at me runt, I don’t work for the Royal Guard.”

York look up at Whirlwind and spoke “Is mommy there?”

“I was never informed about your mother. I am only here to retrieve you.” Whirlwind replied.

York didn’t understand what was going on but the pony in golden armor known as Whirlwind needed him for a meeting. What was a meeting? York heard of meetings before, his mom always went to them. Yet, York had never been to one.

“You have every right to take him. How long will the ru- York be gone?” Torch said in a jolly tone.

“The meeting should only be a day’s worth. Are you the father sir?”

“What!? No I’m just babysitting this... human till my Snowflake returns. Why would I be a father to a human?”

“Just asking sir.” Whirlwind looked down at York. “Pack what you need, it’s going to be quite the travel.”

York shook his head but Torch pushed York right up to Whirlwind. “You can have him, he doesn’t have anything to take with him anyways. I’m tired of watching that little troublemaker and besides I need to make up two patrols because of him.”

York was still shaking his head but it seemed the two were already making agreements. Now York was being forced to go to some meeting he didn’t want to go to. York just wanted to know if mom was there because if she was he would, if she wasn’t then why go? This wasn’t fair at all but it looks like York had no say in any of this.

••••

This was ‘Old Town’ as Whirlwind had talked about along the trip. It was a human community set up just two months ago. He also said that it was the key to finding a relation between both equine and human, whatever that meant.

The trip to Old Town was the best part for York. As much as he didn’t want to go York had never been above the clouds in his life. York asked if it was possible for Whirlwind to go higher but Whirlwind said it was the highest point in travel for a passenger carriage.

Once nearing the destination of Old Town, Whirlwind slowly descended till York saw the Town below him. Old Town didn’t look like much from above but when touching down it was a different story. The streets were half filled with both pony and humans.

“Stay close to me.” Whirlwind said as they walked along the dirt path “Don’t want to get lost now do we after bringing you all the way here.”

York liked what he saw around Old Town. He had never seen humans just like him before. He had only seen them in picture books back at home. Mom told York that one day he’ll see humans just like him. Well she was right... just she wasn’t here to see it with him.

York still didn’t like the idea coming to Old Town without knowing his mom would be there or not. Then again he didn’t even have a say as he remembered. He just wished his mom was here to see this now.

Whirlwind walked up to a small brick building and opened the door “In here please.”

As York entered he noticed something right quick. Humans just like his age (or older) were sitting next to a pony? This confused York at first for he didn’t understand. Then he started to figure out that maybe these humans are just like him. They have a mom like York does. York guessed that maybe humans are raised by ponies.

Whirlwind walked up to a pony in the same golden armor just like his only this one had a horn sticking out of it’s forehead and was... floating a clipboard in front of it?

Whirlwind was the first to speak “Lieutenant Check, this is Corporal Snowflakes son, his name is York. He is from Base Queens with the 5th Pegasus Regiment.” He seemed to know a lot about where York had come from.

York stared at the horn that seemed to have a faint white glow as the Lieutenant looked about the clipboard. “He is on the list, where’s the mother?”

“Sir, I was to only to retrieve the child. I didn’t get the details but a Pegasus by the name of Sergeant Torch told me he had to babysit him until his mother returned from duty.” Whirlwind replied.

“Very well...” Check smirked and moved the floating clipboard to his side. “... well congratulations Private you’re now responsible for Snowflakes son for the rest of the day.”

“What!?” York looked up at Whirlwind and noticed the shocked expression on his face. “With all due respect sir, I was order to just retrieve the kid, not take care of him.”

“duly noted Private and now your orders are to attend the meeting as a Parental Guardian.”

“Sir this isn’t-”

“Fair?” Check took the words right out of Whirlwinds mouth and soon spoke again. “Your orders Private. Now find a sit with everyone else. The meeting will begin at 1400 hours.”

Whirlwind snapped his hooves together and lifted his right foreleg to his head. “Sir yes sir!”

“As you were.” said Check as he walked away from both York and Whirlwind. The first thing York heard come from Whirlwind was grumbling as York followed Whirlwind to a seat.

Once Whirlwind took a seat he continued to grumble. Yet York pondered on the a few words he didn’t quite understand. What was a Parental Guardian? York thought for a long moment then poked Whirlwinds side.

Whirlwind looked down at York. “What?” he asked.

“What’s a Parental Guardian?” York replied.

“It means I’m your acting mother... or father.” Whirlwind turned his head and looked at something straight ahead. “He made that clear enough.”

York turned his head in the same direction as Whirlwind to see what he was looking at. It turned out to be Lieutenant Check talking to another pony dressed in the same golden armor from a distance.

“Him?”

“Yes my superior.”

“What’s that horn on his head for?”

Whirlwind looked back at York and gave him a quizzical look. “You don’t know what a unicorn is?” Then Whirlwind soon figured it out and let a small chuckle slip “Oh I’m sorry, I forgot you’ve only seen Pegasi in your life.” he cleared his throat and resumed his talk “Lieutenant Check is a unicorn, which is a pony who can use magic.”

York’s eyes widened. “Magic! Really!” Now York knew how that clipboard was floating. He was using magic. York didn’t know this but he was right up close to Whirlwind’s face from his excitement.

“Yeeees...” Whirlwind scooted back in a strange manner “magic. If you look around you’ll see there is more than just one in the room.”

He was right. York looked about in every direction and noticed a few unicorns here and there sitting or conversing with others. York was surprised to not notice this before.

“They can be quite amazing with how the way they can control their own magic. With proper care of course.” Whirlwind said.

“Where do they come from?” York asked.

Whirlwind raised his right brow as if confused. “From Equestria... like where your mothers from. Your mother has told you about Equestria right?”

York nodded. Of course he knew what Equestria was. Mom always told York stories about family that lives there and that one day York would be able to meet them.

Whirlwind sighed in relief. He then looked over at a clock on the wall to check the time and turned his head back to York. “Meeting is in 15 minutes. I can’t believe though I have to do this. I was suppose to be off-duty now but... I’m not in charge of this anyhow.”

York and Whirlwind sat together waiting. As they waited for the meeting to begin York felt something bad rising in his gut. He didn’t understand it but he soon felt like this was wrong or bad or... he didn’t know what. All he knew was something didn’t feel right.

****

Welcome back Equestria.

We had wished to bring you more about this years Grand Galloping Gala but I’m afraid that we’ve been having some technical difficulties with our set in Canterlot. Midnight will not be joining us for a time until we can reconnect with the set.

In the meantime we have a special news report to bring on the human planet known as Earth, where our young princess has gone to make peace. The leader of the small band of humans wished for weaponry to defend themselves but instead of talking on such matter our princess had other plans.

She had decided to use human children that were once orphans and had been adopted by ponies like ourselves. Our princess believed it would cool the tensions of the leader as a means to say they are safe and protected by our military.

However... the the human leader didn’t take too kindly of it and said that those children were being indoctrinated to not be part of human society and instead to serve a different purpose. It is unknown to why he would have such a sudden outburst and not see that these children were saved. In the end the talks turned foul and the human decided to leave without no further discussion.

We will have more details and a clip after the break.

Author's Note

Parts I was happy with others parts not so much.

Either way I did enjoy writing it half the time at a Hotel!