Never Ending Happiness

SEVEN YEARS LATER

The valiant predator glides through the starlit sky, searching out her un-expecting prey!

The wind howled all around her as the sky began to darken even more than it already was. She grew nervous, fearing the rumbling clouds that surrounded her. Auntie Rainbow Dash had always told her to avoid those whenever possible, given the fact that a lightning strike had been what caused Derpy's eyes to go cuckoo. She shuddered at the thought.

I hope my eyes NEVER go like that! She declared, doing a quick backflip in the sky. Her worries quickly melted as she felt the wind cut through her lime-green mane and tickle her webbed wings.

"Gala!" A voice called out.

"Oh, great!" She grumbled to herself. Glancing to the horizon, she saw the sun start to peak out over the rolling hills of their orchard. She silently cursed Celestia for bringing the sun back too fast.

"Gala, where are you?"

She rolled her eyes in annoyance and started heading back towards home as slowly as possible. She hated being confined to the night hours. In fact, she hated being confined to home! She wasn't even allowed to go to the town square and the only ponies she ever saw were Aunties Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and her Uncle Mac. Occasionally she would get the rare visit from Apple Bloom, but she was normally too busy with her Crusader club to hang out and play. I felt bad for her. She still didn't have her cutie mark.

"Gala?!" The voice sounded frantic now.

"I'm comin'!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, though she did not hold back the tone of frustration. She doubled her pace and soon found herself on the front porch, her father glaring down at her.

"I thought I told you to get back here before sunrise!" He scolded.

"I did!" She hollered back, wings outstretched.

"Oh?" He growled, pointing a long claw towards the sky. She turned around and winced to find that the sun had already come half-way up the sky and was brightly shining down on their orchard.

"I'm sorry, daddy," She whined, pulling in her wings. "But, I was just having so much fun tonight and I didn't want to come in."

Spike rolled his eyes at the filly's persistence. This was the third night in a row that she had come in late and he was getting tired of it. With an exasperated sigh, he opened the front door and motioned for Gala to walk inside. With her eyes downcast, she trotted into the house and towards the kitchen.

"I'm home, mama." Gala announced un-enthusiastically. Applejack quickly walked out of the kitchen and scooped her daughter into her arms, giving her a playful nuzzle on the cheek.

"How was yer flight last night, Sugar Cube?" Applejack asked.

"Fine," Gala responded, not looking into her mother's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Applejack questioned as she pulled Gala away from her chest.

"Nothin',"

Gala squirmed out of her mother's grasp and sauntered into the kitchen, grabbing a carrot with her mouth and slowly cooking it with her own fire breath which she had recently learned to control. Applejack sighed and walked over to Spike.

"We can't keep doin' this," She whispered.

"Doing what, AJ?" Spike asked even though he perfectly knew the answer.

"It's like we're keepin' her in a cage! She's not some animal we can take fer a walk and then pull 'er back in when 'er time's up!"

Spike sighed, rubbing his head, and slumped down onto the couch in the living room.