Family of Misfits

All was peaceful and quiet, except for the soft song of the birds in the air. And the murmur of ponies waking up and going to work. Okay, maybe it wasn't that peaceful and quiet.

"Ugh... What time is it?" Heavy Beat said with a groan.

She sat up in her bed and the blankets that had been covering her with warmth slid down and laid before her.

"Sweet Celestia it's freezing in here!" She said as she pulled the blankets back onto her.

"Good morning mom!" Jay Sky shouted.

Heavy Beat jumped up with surprise and she would've flown out the window, but the warm blankets were wrapped around her and she didn't want to give up her source of heat so easily. Instead she fell out of the bed in a heaping pile of pony and blankets. When she looked up Jay was standing over her with a wide goofy grin.

"You're finally awake!" He giggled and nuzzled her nose playfully before jumping off, careful to not land on his bad hoof.

"Yeah Yeah, I'm awake..." She couldn't help giving him a small smile as she got out of the blankets and stood up "Why is it so cold in here?"

"It's not cold mom," Jay giggled "it was just warm under your blankets."

Heavy Beat chuckled a bit and ruffled his hair before walking out of her room, Jay followed her happily.

"So what's for breakfast?" he asked.

"For breakfast? Hm...." She smiled softly "We can go try out that new doughnut store down the street."

Jay's eyes widened "Really?!" He smiled happily and fluttered his wings a bit.

"Yes really, or would you rather eat wheaty flakes?" She joked.

"Yuk! That stuff is nasty, I don't see how dad can eat it." He scrunched up his nose.

"Well he eats it, and somehow he can hold it down. Come on, lets go." She opened the door for Jay and smiled as he galloped out of the house. "Just be careful, you don't want to hurt your hoof more than it already is."

Jay slowed down as Heavy Beat closed the door and locked it. She led him down the street toward the sweet smell of freshly baked doughnuts. As they walked into the store they were greeted by a warm smile and a nice welcome form the mare behind the counter. She looked to be about sixteen, maybe seventeen. Her pelt was tan, her mane and tail were green. A few freckles peppered her face. But her eyes were a bit odd. The left eye was purple, and the right eye was green. Heavy Beat smiled back at her and brought Jay up to the counter to get their doughnuts. They found a booth to sit at next to a window and happily ate, enjoying the sweet taste of the doughnuts.

"Wow!" Jay said "These are amazing!"

"I know, even Flash Quake would like these!" Heavy giggled.

"Probably not," He said "dad always eats that weird protein and fiber stuff."

Heavy Beat nodded in agreement. Flash always ate and drank those weird things. He always said that it was healthy for him and his racing body. Whatever that meant. After Jay and her finished their doughnuts they headed back home, where they just chilled out for a while. They played games and had fun watching movies. The two ponies baked cookies too, bye the time they were done Jay's hair was speckled with drops of cookie dough and chocolate chips. After Jay had gotten a bath he and Heavy Beat laid on the couch to watch another movie.

"Hey Mom?" Jay asked.

"What is it Jay?" She said.

"What are Dad's races like?" He looked up at her with interest and curiosity flashing in his eyes.

"Well, he and five other ponies line up on a straight line. That's what they call the start line. After they're all lined up a pony with a flag, most of the time a mare, holds it up in the air and then waves it down to tell them to go." Heavy Beat sighed happily "That's how you're father and I met, I was working as the flag mare to get some money for my instrument."

"Wow...." Jay said "That's a lot of stuff in one little race."

"It may be a little race but your father brings in a lot of bits from it" She said smiling "Nopony has beaten him to a race in a long time."

"Really? Dad is that fast?" He smiled happily.

"Yes he is, now are we gonna finish this movie or not?" She giggled and hugged Jay close to her as they both finished the movie.

After they finished the movie they went out to lunch at a place called Harmony's Hayburger. It was a pretty nice burger joint, not too busy and the food there was excellent.

"Enjoying your hayburger?" Heavy Beat laughed a bit, Jay's face was smeared with ketchup and there was even some hay in his hair.

"It's delicious mom!" He giggled happily as he took another bite "Almost as good as that doughnut shop."

Heavy Beat agreed with him, it was pretty good and she enjoyed every bite of her burger. It was beginning to get dark out so Heavy asked for a to go box and bought a few more hayburgers for later. As they were walking home the stars began to come out. And in the shadows a mare was watching them, it was the same shadow mare from before. but there was something different about her, something was around her neck. It was a Unicorn's horn, some blood still trickled out of its base. Slowly oozing down to the tip and falling off, lightly hitting the ground and leaving a new red stain on the grass.

Soon young master..... Soon... She followed them in the shadows, silently moving.

Jay and Heavy went back home and sat down to watch yet another movie, the shadow mare followed  them in almost completely invisible to the naked eye. She went into Jay's room where she had met him before and waited in the shadows, looking down at the horn around her neck with triumph. After the movie Heavy put Jay in his bed and kissed his forehead before retreating to her own bed, she was asleep in under a minute.

Jay began to sing a little late night song to himself "Little filly in the meadow, playing with the birds. Little filly in the meadow, no worries in the world." He hummed softly.

"Hello, Master...." The mare stood in the shadows, watching him.

Jay sat up in fear and looked around with wide eyes "W.... Who's there?"

"You released me from that cursed cave, and I shall repay you with my services." She walked out of the shadows and and stood at the foot of his bed, she easily stood over him and had to look down just to make eye contact with him.

Jay looked up at her with fear and curiosity "Who are you...?"

"My name...." She lowers her head to his and looks into his eyes at eye level "My name is Nyx, young master." She slightly bowed her head.

"Nice to meet you Nyx, my name is Jay Sky." He smiled softly and carefully stood up, looking at her body "Wow, you're a tall pony!"

"That I am..." She sighed softly "I am the last of my race..."

"My dad races," He giggled "he's been unbeaten for a long time."

"Not that kind of race, young master." She said calmly.

"You can just call me Jay if you'd like. That's what everypony else calls me most of the time." He yawned softly and his eyes began to get sleepy.

"Are you tired, young Jay?" She asked.

"I am kind of tired, good night Nyx." He laid down again and yawned again.

Nyx sat quietly, watching him with naturally narrowed eyes. She began to wander around his room, learning what every toy was and what the surroundings were.

"Nyx, aren't you tired?" Jay rolled in his bed to look at her.

"I do not get tired, young Jay" She said, looking at him "You clearly need sleep."

"Please try to get some sleep Nyx, everypony needs sleep. That's what my parents taught me." He yawned again and fell asleep, mumbling softly.

Nyx laid beside Jay's bed, her back was taller than his bed frame by a good foot. She rested her head on his bed beside him "As you wish, young Jay" She said before closing her eyes and falling asleep.