My name is Shooting Star...and I find my mind wandering at this very moment.
You see, events have come to pass recently. Like, REAL recently. Let's say, minutes ago, if even that. Events that are going to change the course of my life...of OUR lives, until we pass on. It's funny, really. For being such a small thing, this single occurrence, no matter how much you know it's coming, no matter how long you prepare for it, still has a way of catching you off-guard when it finally becomes a reality.
But, before I get into all of that, it might be good to start from the beginning. Well, maybe not THE beginning. Just the beginning of...well, this. You see, I've been in Ponyville for about a year. Left Manehattan and never looked back. I may have family there, but it never felt like home, you know? Ponyville was perfect. Small enough to be homely, but large enough to be recognized, even if the aristocracy look down on it like some dump. Whatever.
What I wasn't prepared for back then was that SHE was here. Autumn Breeze, the mare I...well, I fell in love with before I even knew I had. When I lost track of her in Manehattan, as I got older, I found the idea of never seeing her again was a stinging wound that refused to calm with age. If anything, it got worse! Love does that, huh?
Anyway, I found out she was living in Ponyville soon after I arrived, and boy was I nervous! I mean, I was stupid nervous! I only really succeeded in making a pain of myself, especially to the Mane Six, as most refer to those friends as. I'm actually amazed they were so helpful to somepony like me after what I put them through. With their help, I was able to finally talk to her, to ask her what my heart wanted me to ask...and I was so scared. Terrified, really, that she couldn't feel the same with some tinkering dolt like me. It's easy to think so little of yourself when something so very, very precious is on the line.
Imagine my joy when she said yes. Imagine my glee when we spent more time together from that day onward. Oh, those memories shine brighter than Celestia's sun. I simply can't have bad days anymore, not with what she has done to me. All I have to do is remember, and anything bad just...well, it can't be. How can it when I have her in my life?
The first time she kissed me...yeah, that's right. I may have kissed her on the cheek, but she was the first to REALLY kiss me...anyway, I felt like I would melt. Mind, body and soul. You can't really describe that feeling. Some folks kiss for the sake of it, but when it's somepony you love? There are no words for it. I think I even let a few tears slip, but don't tell her that!
Then it just got better. Can you believe it? Better? Than THAT? But it did...for each day we were together, for every moment we shared, each topped the last. I was finding it harder to imagine I could be any happier, then POOF, she has to go and prove me wrong. Wow, but those were some lessons, lemme tell ya.
I never thought a wing-hug, as some call them, could feel so...well, special. Every time we went out to watch one of my fireworks displays, she'd sit beside me with that wing of hers across my back, and I could have died right there, it was so perfect. To be close to somepony you care so much about...it's like...like finding a missing piece. Like a part of your soul was missing, and you FOUND it. It's like that...maybe even more, but I've never been good with explaining things like this.
You can imagine how I felt, then, when I asked her something new. She'd been my very special somepony for a while now, but I needed more as time went on. So I asked her to marry me. I wasn't as afraid as I was before, but I was nervous, I can't lie. Then she said yes.
Boy, I was finding no end to those happy feelings. I felt like my heart would just burst! For every question I asked and she said yes, for every moment, every second we spent together, I just felt myself filling up. Like all the joy and love in the world was there for me...yeah, I know, it's NOT, but it feels that way to experience this.
We were married a short time later. I mean, seriously, why wait? When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somepony, you kinda want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. It was amazing, too, no boast. Twilight and her friends even showed up for the wedding! Pinkie Pie, THE Pinkie Pie threw the party for our reception! Half of Ponyville attended, and lemme tell ya, I was on top of the world that day. With the pony I love with all my heart, sharing such a moment with more friends than I would have thought to meet in a lifetime? How can one measure a life with any less than these things? I could never do anything of worth, I could lose all my possessions, and I'd still be the richest pony alive with these ponies around. I feel real special thanks to them...and to her.
Our first night together was...well, something special. And no, not what you're thinking, wise guy! There's just something to be said of just laying beside somepony you love while sleep works to claim you. The little things stick in your mind as you drift off into whatever dreams your mind can concoct. Like how soft she was, especially those feathers. How I could hear her breathing, almost feel her heartbeat so close to mine. Even smell...she smelled faintly of lilacs and cream. It was all so intoxicating, like a poison you never want to awaken from. I could have stayed asleep forever, and my dreams would have been the sweetest suffering I could ever have endured.
It was then that I felt my heart was full. I had everything anypony could ever want, and more! Caring friends, work I actually enjoyed, ponies to share all the joys of life with...and my beloved wife. I felt I could want for nothing else in life, that my heart had no room left.
Boy was I WRONG. I have never been so wrong in all of my life as I was that day...
It was dimly lit in the room at that moment, a reflection of the ease of tension that had come to pass in light of recent...events. The pristinely clean nature of the locale, combined with a general lack of decor or furnishings, pegged the place as a hospital. Or rather, a room in one. It would have just been like any other room, in any other city, but this was in Ponyville, and in this room were two...well, now three occupants.
Laying lazily on her side upon the bed, a blanket pulled up just past her flank, was Autumn Breeze. She looked a bit frazzled, for lack of a better word, but seemed to be all smiles despite it. Of course, what mare wouldn't be were they in her position, figuratively speaking? That was to say, she had a hoof and foreleg tenderly wrapped around a small bundle alongside her, one that suddenly seemed to wriggle, as if trying to get comfortable.
A soft, heart tugging moan escaped from the bundle, which only served to warm Autumn's smile as she leaned in to place a small kiss upon a tiny brow. This was more than just a bundle, after all...it was a tiny foal. A newborn, to be certain. As the infant settled back down, a contented sigh following this, Autumn looked up at Shooting Star, who was standing beside the bed, a look of awe plastered across his face. He'd hardly said a word since the arrival of the foal, which might have lead anypony else to worry. Autumn, however, knew the stallion. He was just trying to figure out how he felt. He was always that way, sorting out his feelings as he came to face them. It was almost cute, really.
"C'mon, little one. Time to meet your papa," Autumn said in a low, sweet tone, gingerly lifting the foal as she offered the bundle to Star. He looked so nervous just then that she couldn't help but giggle. He took a step toward her, and slowly took the infant with such care that one would believe he was handling glass.
Chuckling nervously, he stepped back, cradling the bundle in a foreleg, hoof wrapped 'round as he looked down at their newborn daughter. She had her mother's soft features, such as they could be called, but his colors. Well, save for that mane. Tiny tufts of red poked out here and there, and he was at a bit of a loss to say where that came from. It didn't matter, though. He watched the foal with such intensity, it was as though he were in a world all his own. It was all Autumn could do but watch him marvel, smiling to herself as she did.
It was right about then that the door slowly opened, lacking of a creaking manner that might be otherwise associated with it. It was more of a glide, really, but that aside, the doctor slowly stepped through. Clearing his throat to announce his presence, both pony's eyes fell upon him as he did, noting a clipboard he had clutched in his hoof. When both parents gave him a quizzical look, he nodded, but did not smile. That was unnerving.
"I ran some tests just now," he began, eyes staying firmly on the clipboard as he spoke. "And I have come upon something perhaps a bit troubling. It appears your daughter is...marginally underdeveloped. More specifically, her wings. I cannot rightly say why, but given what we see here, I would say it is very unlikely she'll ever be able to fly." The pair looked on as if they had missed the point, at least at first, which only seemed to make the doctor feel uneasy. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry," he finally added.
A few moments later, and Autumn simply smiled at her husband, eliciting much the same from him. Turning back to the doctor, he gave a firm nod. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," he said in a level tone. "She's still the most precious thing in the world."
Once he'd said as much, the doctor finally smiled, a look of relief on his face. "I'll leave you two to it, then," he finally replied as he slowly backed out of the room, the door closing with a soft click. Once they were alone, the new parents looked to each other with a warm manner only a parent could know. Then, they just smiled.
"It's alright..." Autumn murmured softly. "She's perfect just the way she is. Even if she can't fly." Closing her eyes, she chuckled softly at some amusing thought, or so Star assumed. Giving her a quizzical look, she smiled up at him when her eyes reopened. "She's our little Fallen Star."
Star was slack-jawed for a moment when she spoke those last words, slowly looking down at the tiny foal he had cradled in his hoof. "That...that's perfect, Autumn. Fallen Star...our own Fallen Star..." He trailed off as the bundle started to squirm as before, the foal's face scrunching up as she moaned softly again. Attempting to comfort her, Star cradled her up to the nape of his neck, humming softly to himself as she snuggled up against his coat, sending shivers down his spine. It was the greatest feeling in the world.
Autumn watched the quiet bonding the two shared, smiling warmly as she did. It was quite a sense now, to think of herself as a mother, but it looked like Star would be up to the task of being a father, too. It was hard to imagine a moment in time more perfect than this, which made it a little perplexing when her husband started to cry. "Star? Are you alright?"
"Momma was right...." he murmured softly, his voice a little shaky as tears ran down his cheeks. Autumn looked a little confused at that, which encouraged him to finish the thought. "You know...the story? Momma said we each had our star, that it'd help us find who we are, what we're meant to be. Momma was right..." Autumn gained a look of awe as he finished, realization crossing her mind. When Star spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper.
"I found my star, Autumn. She's right here..."