Everypony Comes From Somepony

Chapters

I. The Eastern Orchard
II. I've Grown Older
III. Bestest, Coolest Pony in the World

I. The Eastern Orchard

/ - / - / - /

The sun was shining on Sweet Apple Acres, glistening across the leaves of the apple trees as the vibrant red fruit sat ripening on the branch. Applejack took in the sight before her, letting out a contented sigh. The farm was her life, and she was happy with that. It was certainly a hard life, and while they were profitable, one bad crop could put them in a bind. Despite the danger, she knew that they would always stay together.

As she thought back on some of those hard times, she felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. It'd been so long since...she shook her head when tears threatened to leak out. Best not to think about such things. As she always did when such thoughts arose, she quickly forced them out of her mind, focusing on other things aside from that particular event. She broke from her thoughts when she heard a rumbling sound behind her. Turning around, she saw her brother slowly tromping up the path to the top of the hill, towing a cart behind him. “Hey Big Mac,” she affectionately called out to him as he slowly came to a stop next to her, “You heading out to the south fields for harvestin?”

“Nope,” Mac clearly intoned, his gaze turning eastwards. “Ah reckon ah have other things ta see to right now.” Applejack followed his motion, but quickly turned away, closing her eyes. She allowed the warm sunlight to chase away the thoughts that orchard brought to her mind.

“Ah sure do love days like this'n,” she sighed out contentedly. Big Mac nodded his head in affirmation, idly chewing a stalk of wheat in his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at his sister, seeming to scan her for some sort of emotional response. Finding nothing, he merely turned back towards the eastern orchard, standing up to leave.

“There's a few trees that need ta be cut down for firewood to sell,” he commented, beginning a trek down the hill. “Ah'll be back before supper, but don't worry if ah'm a little late.” At that note, he turned away, slowly pulling the cart that held, among other things, an ax and a simple bouquet of flowers in the back of it.

Applejack nodded her head, her smile fading as she watched him disappear into a thick undergrowth of the eastern orchard. That orchard was, in particular, less harvested than the others for one specific reason that she didn't allow herself to dwell on for very long. Letting out a sigh, she turned back to the house, knowing that there was certainly work to be done up there, and Big Mac wouldn't be back for awhile.

When she got back to the barn, she found her sister Apple Bloom casually spreading seed across the pen, feeding the chickens. Granny Smith sat in her rocking chair, as she often did, sleeping the day away. At her feet, Winona also lay, lazily taking a nap in the shade the barn provided. Applejack shook her head, smiling as she did so. Yes, everything would be alright in the end.

“Howdy sis,” Apple Bloom said cheerily as she placed the seed bag back in the barn, “Didn't expect ta see ya back from the field so soon.” She trotted over to her sister, affectionately nuzzling up next to her, causing Applejack to stroke her mane with a hoof.

“Ah just had some stuff in the house ta take care of,” Applejack replied, telling herself as much as she was telling Apple Bloom. Together, the two of them went off towards the house.

“That's great sis,” Apple Bloom replied, perky as ever. “Ah actually wanted ta ask ya a few questions about some stuff fer school.”

“Aw shucks, ah ain't good at that sort'a thing.” Applejack replied, shaking her head. “Ya oughta wait for Big Mac to get back from choppin firewood. He's the one ta talk to bout mathematics and the like.”

“It ain't nothin like that sis,” Apple Bloom replied, not breaking her trot, “We've gotta write a report about our parents and ah wanted ta ask you bout Ma and Pa.” Apple Bloom kept on going, but quickly stopped when she realized that she was now heading towards the house alone. “Applejack?” she questioned turning around to see why her sister had stopped. To her surprise, she saw Applejack practically frozen in place, the color drained from her face.

Applejack froze the moment she heard those words, causing all those negative thoughts to reappear in her mind. She fought to regain control of her emotions, reigning in the sorrow that threatened to overcome her. A few moments later she looked down, half-surprised to see her sister looking up at her, worried.

“Oh...uh...sorry there Apple Bloom. Just caught me off guard.” Applejack trotted away from the house, trying to escape the situation. “Tell ya what, you tend to the chickens while ah go see what Rainbow Dash needed me ta do for her this afternoon, and then this evenin I'll try and find somethin to tell ya about...see ya later!” With that, Applejack galloped off, leaving Apple Bloom in the dust.

“But...I just...tended the chickens.” she said aloud to the air, not really understanding what had just happened. She knew her parents had been dead since she was a foal, but that was over seven years ago. She knew Applejack never talked about their parents, and Big Macintosh had never really mentioned them either. She was about to follow after her sister when she was tapped gently on the shoulder. She looked up, seeing the smiling face of Granny Smith staring down at her, the sun surrounding her aged face.

“Let her be child,” Granny Smith simply said, softly patting her on the shoulder, “Let her be.”

/ - / - / - /

“But ah don't understand why she won't talk about 'em Granny!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. She and her grandmother had gone back to the house, Granny Smith not saying a single word outside of 'Let her be.' The silence was starting to get to Apple Bloom, and she dejectedly sat in the living room in front of the barren fireplace, sulking on the throw rug while Granny Smith fished around underneath a cabinet for something.

“Apple Bloom dearie,” her grandmother finally said, “C'ya be a dear and help yer ole Granny Smith with this here book?” Apple Bloom offered her back, and cringed when Granny Smith dropped a rather thick tome across her shoulders, her knees buckling at the sudden added weight. Granny Smith walked over to her chair, her gait a little more forceful than usual Apple Bloom noted, and sat down, letting out an audible groan as her old bones settled into the rocker. She scooted over a bit, and patted the space next to her. “Take that book and sit down next ta me my little pony, it's time ya heard bout yer ma and pa.” Apple Bloom didn't need to be told twice, as she hopped up next to her granny, making sure the book landed gently in between the two of them. She glanced down at the cover, reading the title of “Precious Memories.”

“Is that the family album,” she asked, her eyes growing wide at the pictures that she saw as Granny Smith turned the pages.

“It sure is dearie,” Granny Smith replied, before she stopped on a page she knew very well. “This ain't yer ma and pa, but it's me and yer grandsire, Jonathan Apple.” Apple Bloom regarded the sepia-tone photo. She could still make out Granny Smith's vibrant green coat, even through the filtered lens of the picture, but she had never seen a picture of the stallion who stood next to her. He was as big as her brother, but a darker shade of red then he was. A simple red apple, split open, lay bare across his flank, almost a spitting image of her brother in that regard.

“Yer grandsire was the strong and silent type,” Granny Smith recounted, her eyes misting over with unshed tears at the memories. “But he loved his family dearly. Helped make this farm into what it is today, taint a doubt about that. He loved each and every our foals, colt and filly alike, T'wouldn't be right fer me to try and pick one we loved the most or anything like that, but I think the one we understood the most was yer pa, Cortland.”

She turned the page, and Apple Bloom smiled at the sight of her father. She had seen his picture before, seen pictures of both he and her mother, but this was the first time she had heard anyone ever really talk about them. Her father was a simple man, about the same height as Big Mac, but nowhere near the size. A silver pail, filled to the brim with apples, sat upon his yellow coated flank. His brown eyes were bright and vibrant with life, and Apple Bloom certainly recognized the dusty old hat on the top of his head.

“Yer father was a dreamer,” Granny Smith continued, “Just like y'all are now. Always talkin bout goin to the big city and all that. But his heart was always here, at Sweet Apple Acres. Ah remember when he did go to Canterlot fer the first time, ah was scared as the dickens he'd never come back. But sure enough he did, although with a friend along for the ride.”

Granny Smith turned the page, and Apple Bloom had to sniff back a small tear when she saw the wedding picture of her father and mother. Her mother had a luxurious blonde mane and tail that hung low to the ground. Her green eyes shone in the picture, and she could certainly see the resemblance between her and Applejack. “The ruckus he caused when he came back hitched with yer ma was like nothin ah'd seen fore nor since,” Granny Smith explained, softly but firmly. “Valencia Orange was her name, and the Apple and Orange families had not gotten along fer sometime prior to that. But Celestia be darned, they were gonna be together. The families simmered down after a while o'course. Ah admit, ah didn't take too kindly to yer ma when we first met, but as time went on, ah came to think of her as the most reliable pony ah've ever known, save fer yer sister.”

Apple Bloom smiled, absorbing even the smallest detail about her parents that she could. One thing did bother her though, and despite wanting to know more about their lives together, she had to ask the morbid question. “How'd they...ya know...die?”

Granny Smith gave her grandfilly a sad smile. “That's a question yer sister or yer brother ought ta answer,” she forlornly replied.

/ - / - / - /

Applejack stopped galloping away a few miles away from the farm, almost into the center of town as she did. She breathed a sigh of relief, removing her hat and wiping the sweat from her brow. She stopped and glanced at the hat she wore, the tears threatening to come back.

She shook her head for what seemed like the tenth time in the last hour or so. “Get a hold of yerself girl,” she said aloud to herself, ignoring the ponies passing by around her. “Yer over this now, stop trying to dig it back up.” She nodded her head and carried on with her trip, searching for Rainbow Dash for no apparent reason. Another pony calling her name caused her to look up and smile at her friend Twilight.

“Can you help me with this bedframe Applejack?” Twilight asked, motioning towards the floating box hovering just behind her. “I can use my magic, but I'm useless when it comes to putting things together with my hooves.”

“Be happy to Twilight,” Applejack replied, smiling as she did. This was just what she needed, something to get her mind off the dark thoughts of the past. Certainly nothing about assembling a bed could bring back those bad memories. “Why d'ya need a new bed for? Isn't the one ya got big enough?”

“Oh no, its not for me,” Twilight replied as they both began to trot towards the library. “My parents are coming to stay for a few days, and I wanted them to be comfortable. Applejack's eyes went wide at the mention of “parents”, and felt her trot come to a slow crawl.

“Y-yeah, that's great...” Applejack mentally cursed herself and her rotten luck. She couldn't get out of this one certainly, not having already agreed to help her. She sighed and caught up with Twilight, who hadn't noticed her slowdown. Maybe listening to Twilight talk about her parents would prepare her for the inevitability of when she got home and talked with Apple Bloom. She remained silent as she heard Twilight ramble on about her parents. True to her thoughts, Twilight's ramblings caused her to remember a few other things in her mind.

The time her father and she first went out camping, and he first placed his hat on her head.

The time her mother taught her to make Apple Dumplings, and serving her brother and father out in the fields with a picnic lunch.

Her first day of school, and the sadness of being separated from the family....and the joy at the end of the day when she saw them again.

These happy thoughts and more swirled around in Applejack's head, and she couldn't help but smile at them. As they walked into the library, Twilight noted the small spot in the corner near the makeshift kitchen where Spike had already cleared out room for a bed. She dropped the box nearby and opened it, starting to remove bits and pieces of the bed. “You've never mentioned your parents Applejack,” Twilight commented, “I assume they work on another family farm?”

Shaken from her happy musings, Applejack quietly let out a somber sigh. “N-not exactly,” Applejack replied, trying hard not to think about it. Finally she decided to let some of what she was feelin out. “Ah'm sorry Twilight, ah don't like ta talk bout it. Truth is, well, they've been dead for seven years.”

Twilight suddenly stopped and looked at Applejack, mortified. “Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Applejack. I had no idea.”

“It's ok sugarcube,” Applejack assured her, “Ah didn't expect you ta know. No pony really knows cause...we don't really talk about it much. T-there was an accident and...well we just don't talk about it.”

“That's so sad,” Twilight replied, her eyes tearing up as she walked over and hugged her friend. “If you ever need to talk...”

“No,” Applejack said defiantly, though a thought of nagging guilt gnawed at her conscience, “Not right now anyway.” She motioned towards the box. “Let's ferget about this and put that thing together.” Twilight nodded her head, and silently they began to put the pieces in place.

/ - / - / - /

On her way home, Applejack couldn't help but feel depressed from the day. She cherished the happy memories about her parents that she usually repressed given what had happened, but their appearance only brought on a huge bit of guilt. She had those memories...Big Macintosh had those memories...but her little sister didn't. And she was the only pony who could explain to Apple Bloom exactly why she didn't have those memories. Slowly she trudged into the house, taking her hat off and giving it a longing look. She knew what she had to do.

She walked into the living room, finding Winona curled up on the throw rug and her sister and Granny Smith in the rocking chair, laughing over the old photo family album. Applejack smiled, but the smile faltered when she saw the beeming face of her sister looking back at her. “Hey sis,” Apple Bloom cheerfully said. “Granny Smith and ah have been going through the ole family album.”

“That's nice,” Applejack replied, slowly walking over next to them. “But ah reckon there's another question you have answered, one that Granny Smith wouldn't answer.” Apple Bloom's smile drooped a bit, and they both looked at Granny Smith, who's eyes were somewhat moistened.

“Ah told her just like ah told you,” Granny Smith replied, “That's a story ah think you should tell.”

“Alright then.” Applejack sat down and let out a deep sigh. “About seven years ago we got a wild storm from the Everfree Forest. Not the kind that comes with the Zap Apples, but the kind of wild weather that even the pegasi can't control. The rains flooded the eastern orchard, which at the time we were using the empty pastures beyond it to graze the sheep. Ma and Pa went out in the rain to fetch the sheep and, after some pleadin, yer brother and ah went out there to. They didn't have too much of a fuss fer Big Mac goin out there on a'count of him bein older than ah was, but they raised a stink bout me goin. Finally they agreed when ah told them they needed all the help they could get.”

“Out in the fields,” Applejack continued, her eyes misting over as they closed, remembering the horrible night, “They were muddier than anything I've seen before. We had to herd the sheep across a narrow path to higher ground, before the flood waters rose up. As we got the last sheep up onto the ridge, Pa slipped into the flood water. Ah...ah tried to grab him! Ma and I both did...but ah wasn't strong enough...and ma...” she stopped when she heard the screams of her mother and father come crashing into her mind's eye.

“Ma fell in with Pa.” came a strong voice from the doorway, and the three ponies looked up to see a sullen Big Macintosh slowly walk into the room. “We both tried ta save 'em, but we weren't strong enough.” He hung his head in shame to a certain degree, his eyes closed.

“It wasn't just that Big Mac!” Applejack shouted, walking up to her brother, grief turning to anger. “They wouldn't have even been down where they could've slipped if they hadn't been helping me up onto the ridge. If ah hadn't been there, we would've...they could've...” Applejack collapsed into her brother's arms. “It's all mah fault,” she cried, finally letting her burden out.

“No it ain't,” Big Mac whispered. “If you hadn't been there, we wouldn't have saved the sheep in time and all three of us could've drowned with 'em. You were right to come along.”

Applejack continued to cry, but the tears fell a bit fewer and farther between. As the scene from the night played through her head over and over, she did remember the look on her father's face as she quickly and expertly herded the sheep up onto the ridge, helping her mother get them into Big Macintosh and her father's waiting hooves. She almost let out a laugh at the sound of his voice. 'See ma, told ya she was old enough!' She was amazed that it was the first time she had remembered her father's actual voice in a long time.

She felt Apple Bloom nuzzle up against her legs, and she placed a hoof around her shoulders. “Is that why you never go to the east orchard?” she inquired.

“Yeah,” Applejack replied. “The orchard was....was where we found there bodies the next mornin. We buried them there.”

“Ah go with some flowers every now and again,” Big Mac interjected.

Apple Bloom nodded and looked at her brother. “Ya think ah could go with you the next time you go.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied, a smile crossing his face for the first time that night. “All of y'all are welcome.”

“Ah'd like that,” Applejack replied, wiping the tears from her face. “Ah'd like that a lot.”

II. I've Grown Older

A/N: I write this at the beginning for a little clarification. Most fanon I have seen lists Twilight's mother as Twilight Velvet. That is what she will be referred to here, but only sparingly so as not to confuse the two characters by calling them both Twilight. As such, when her name is needed outside of “her mother,” Twilight Velvet will be referred to either by her full name or by Velvet.

/ - / - / - /

Dear Twilight,

We'll be on the early morning train to Ponyville tomorrow to see you. I know you've been looking forward to our arrival, almost as much as we have been looking forward to seeing you. We certainly have a lot to catch up on.

Hugs and Kisses,
Your Mother

Twilight Sparkle sat the letter from her mother aside, sighing as she did so. Though she loved her parents dearly, Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit smothered by them at times, particularly by her mother. She had a tendency to...try and control her a bit much since she was a foal, and it sometimes bugged and embarrassed Twilight to no end. Not to mention the fact that they had always been influenced by the high scoeity vibes of Canterlot. When she had first told them that she was moving to Ponyville, they had been less than enthused. In time, however, they had eventually gotten over it.

Shaking her head with a wry smile on her face, she finished tucking in the comforter around the bed that she and Applejack had just finished building that afternoon. She hoped that Applejack's conversation with her sister went well. She hadn't been forthcoming with details, which bothered Twilight, but she knew that the stubborn pony would come around in her own time.

“I finished packing away the supplies in the potions lab,” came a voice approaching from the underground cellar of the library, which Twilight had transformed into a makeshift potions lab for alchemical research and the like. She turned towards the steps to the cellar, smiling as Spike trudged up towards her, breathing heavily. “I even alphabetized them for you, just like you wanted.”

“Oh Spike,” Twilight said, casually giggling at his antics. “You spoil me too much.” She patted the young dragon as he sauntered over to the stairs, eager to get to bed after a long day's work. “Aren't you going to eat anything?”

“Maybe later...” Spike replied, “I'm not really feeling well right now. I think I'll just turn in.” Twilight's eyes went wide as she saw this unexpected behavior from her number one assistant.

“Are you sure,” Twilight quickly asked, rushing over to his side. She thoughtlessly levitated him up into the air, practically dragging him up the stairs to rush him to bed. “Are you sure I can't get you anything? I think we still have some shale biscuits in the pantry that Pinkie Pie made before she left. Or maybe just a bag of gravel trail mix.” Twilight used her magic to tuck Spike in, generating a thermometer seemingly out of nowhere to stick in his mouth and a hot pad to lay over his forehead.

“Now you just rest up and let me know if you need anything,” Twilight said definitively. Spike merely glanced up at the ceiling, sighing and muttering to himself about something, before turning over to sleep. Twilight just smiled and gently shut the door to her room, shaking her head as she did so. That crisis taken care of, she went back to preparing her parents makeshift bedroom for tomorrow morning, still slightly worried about Spike's apparent lack of appetite and, at least partly, somewhat worried about her own potential embarrassment with her parents due to arrive in the morning. Sighing, she finished preparations and trotted off to the back of the library to do some research, and maybe get her mind off of everything that was about to happen.

/ - / - / - /

The steam of the train engine hissed as the cars slowly slid into Ponyville station. Twilight winced at hearing the brakes loud whistling screech pierce the air, but quickly started looking for her parents to come off the train. Being the early morning train, it didn't take her long to see them get off the car near the end, barely obscured by the steam from the train's engine. “Mom! Dad!” Twilight shouted, waving her hoof in the air. Spotting her, the afore mentioned ponies galloped down the platform into the waiting arms of their daughter. The three of them stood there for a few moments, basking in their mutual affection. After a few moments they broke away, Twilight noticed the luggage that had been floating behind them has wound up on the ground, due to the loss of concentration her father had during the emotional moment. Blushing, Twilight trotted over to the luggage. “Let me help you with those dad.”

“Oh that's alright,” her father replied, shooing her away with one hoof. “Nothing that I can't handle.” He closed his eyes and in a few moments the four bags were lifted up into the air, althought Twilight could see the visible strain on her father. He had never been that adept with magic, at least not nearly as much so compared to the rest of his family. Twilight moved to help her father, but her mother merely took the reigns and levitated a couple of the bags herself.

“It's so good to see you dear,” her mother said, the all three of them beginning to walk away from the platform. “Even though the wedding was only a few months ago, it feels like ages since we've seen you. Oh...your brother and Cadence send their love. They wish they could have come as well, but what with Armor's duties and all...”

“I understand,” Twilight replied, smiling. “And I'm really glad you could come here. I'm so thrilled to finally show you how wonderful Ponyville is.” She closed her eyes with a smile on her face, moving ahead at a slightly faster pace then her parents, while they slowly took in the few sights of Ponyville in the early morning hours.

“Well it's certainly...different,” her father replied, giving a slightly concerned look to his wife. “It's not nearly as big as Canterlot is.”

“Of course it's not,” Twilight replied, a frown tugging at her lips. “But it has a charm all its own.”

“A rustic one, I'd imagine,” her mother replied under her breath. Twilight turned on her hoof and looked straight at her parents.

“Please don't do this,” she said, perhaps a little more stern than she would have liked. “I know you think I should have certain...standards about where I live. But Ponyville is a nice place if you'd just give it a chance.” Twilight smiled at her parents. “Please.”

Her parents looked at each other and then back at her. “Of course we will dear,” the replied, the patronizing tone of their joint declaration irksome to Twilight. Before she could call them on it though, Twilight's attention turned towards the library, which they had just reached.

“Well, here we are,” she said, almost sighing the words as she did. She could almost feel the sight of judgment on her home coming from behind her. She ignored it, merely setting her parents luggage down in the middle of the library floor.

Her parents gazed up and down the library, a mixture of impressed and bewildered in their faces. “It's...quaint...” her mother said, glancing at the overstuffed bookshelves that seemed grown into the wood of the tree. Twilight merely looked on, somewhat disappointed that her parents couldn't at least be a bit more proud of where she lived.

“I think it's splendid,” her father said, seeing the slight depression on his daughter's face. “I think it suits you just fine. And besides, being the town librarian is something to be very proud of, isn't it Velvet?”

“Yes...” Twilight Velvet said, her eyes somewhat distant. “Of course it is.”

Twilight merely stood up and walked over to the corner. “I made up a small bed for you over near the kitchen. I know it's not what you're used to, but it's the best I could do on short notice. My bed upstairs isn't big enough for two ponies, and this is quite a bit bigger...so there's that for you. I know it probably looks like...” Her father approached her, nuzzling up against the top of her head. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning into his body.

“It's great honey. But let's worry about it later. Your mother and I are rather hungry, so why don't you say you show us around town after we get something to eat.” Twilight nodded, catching the look in her mother's eyes as she continued to glance around the tree built library.

“That'd be nice,” Twilight replied.

/ - / - / - /

As the three unicorns walked out of Sugar Cube Corner, Twilight couldn't help but feel a little relieved that Pinkie Pie was off visiting the rock farm this week. As much as she wanted to introduce her friends to her parents (something that she didn't really have time to do during the wedding in Canterlot, what with the invasion of the changelings and everything), Pinkie Pie might have been a little much for her mother to deal with at the moment.

“I can't wait to show you everything,” Twilight exclaimed, unusually chipper for this time of the morning. As she led her parents down the main road through Ponyville, she pointed out all the sights and sounds. From the spa where they could enjoy a pampering if they so chose, or the joke shop that had that was always good for a few laughs. She showed them straight to town hall, despite the fact that it still had a bit of damage left over from Ditzy Doo's mishaps. Up and down the streets they went, Twilight explaining in precise detail every single nook and cranny of Ponyville.

For their parts, it was hard for Twilight's parents to share in the excitement of their daughter. For people who were used to the opulence and grandeur of Canterlot, the simplicity and rustic nature of Ponyville couldn't help but feel a little underwhelming.

“So, this is Ponyville,” Velvet announced somewhat relieved. “It's a nice little town...if you're in to that sort of thing.” Twilight merely shook her head, her mother's exasperations starting to get the better of her. Her father had at least made an attempt to enjoy himself, though she could tell he was patronizing her more than anything. They walked into the library, startling Spike as he was in the middle of organizing some books on the shelves. “Oh hello Spike,” Velvet announced, hugging the baby dragon close. “Are you feeling any better? Twilight said you were feeling a bit under the weather yesterday.”

Spike merely rolled his eyes. “I'm feeling a lot better. And it's good to see both of you.” He glanced over at Twilight. “Rainbow Dash was in here a while ago looking for you,” he explained. “She said she needed to talk to you as soon as possible.”

“I'd better go see what she needs,” Twilight muttered to herself, somewhat ashamedly. “You guys will be okay here for a few minutes while I track her down?” She looked at her parents, her eyes conveying her apologies. “After I get back we can talk more about what research your doing.”

“Actually dear,” Velvet replied, interrupting her husband. “That's exactly what we need to talk about. I know you're close to your friends, but this is a family matter that needs to be discussed now.” Her tone left no room for discussion, and Twilight sat down, wide-eyed at what had brought on this sudden change in attitude from her mother.

“Now Velvet,” her husband started to intercede, but a glare from her caused him to fall back into his previous sitting position.

Velvet resumed looking at Twilight, her tone much more even. “We actually came here to visit you because we wanted to talk to you about a new opportunity that's opened up in Canterlot.” Twilight's eyebrow raised, but she said nothing. “As you know, I work for the Royal Archives, and recently my assistant has left to start a family.” Twilight's mouth dropped, as she quickly realized what her mother was hinting at. “I know you're here in Ponyville because the princess has you researching..friendship or...whatever, but I'm certain that one word from you would mean that you could return to Canterlot to work with me.”

There was a long silence that followed. Velvet closed her eyes, smiling, almost anticipating the eager cries of joy from her daughter. Said daughter was merely looking at her, a look of annoyance and disbelief starting to cross her face. “Is that the only reason you came here?” she asked, her voice carefully neutral.”

“Well of course we wanted to see you,” Velvet replied, almost off-handedly. “But that was the primary reason for our visit.” She opened her eyes, expecting to see her smiling daughter's face staring back at her. Instead she was shocked to find Twilight glaring at her.

“Well I'm sorry to disappoint you mother, but I seem to have wasted your time. I won't be returning to Canterlot.” Twilight continued to look at her, all the while her father remaining silent through the contention of wills between the two mares. “I have to much work to do here, not to mention all my friends are here.”

“Oh come now dear,” Velvet replied. “You musn't be so stubborn. Isn't this what you always wanted? A chance to work with your mother in the Archives? Well now you have it! It's your for the taking, don't let a silly little thing like this town get in the way. We're offering you a job back home in Canterlot.”

Twilight remained silent, though she gazed down dejectedly. Silently she turned towards the door. “I had hoped we were past this mom. But this silly little thing...happens to be my home now.” Velvet's eyes widened as she said that. Twilight looked back at her parents, tears in her eyes. “I'll be back in a little while. I...I hope you'll forgive me.” And on that note, she merely left, head hung in resignation.

“But why did she...how did she....her home...but I....” Velvet, a pony used to getting her way, merely stammered through the next few moments while her husband looked at her. Slowly she turned to him, annoyed with the look he was giving her. “I suppose your on her side in this?”

“There are no sides in this,” Night Light explained, merely glancing at the door his daughter had just left through. “This is her life and her decision to make. Didn't you catch on how much she loves this place Velvet? This is her home now, it's best that you accept that.”

“But her place isn't here in some backwoods library,” Velvet replied, waving her arms around to indicate the small tree home. “Her place is in Canterlot, where real research and real breakthroughs on magic can happen!”

“She seems to have done just fine for herself here,” Night Light retorted, “Or have you ignored everything she's done since she's gotten here? Did you forget the filly who had more friends in her books than she did in real life?”

“Friends come and go,” Velvet yelled back, all the while Spike sat in the corner, watching it unfold. “In Canterlot she'll be able to make new friends! She'll have all the time in the world. We'll...we'll be able to...” she slowly trailed off, her voice falling to barely above a whisper. “We'll have all the time in the world.”

Night Light slowly walked over and nuzzled next to his crying wife. “We made sacrifices when we sent her to Celestia's School,” he said, quietly. “And though we may have regrets about not being their to watch her grow up, we were always there in spirit. She always wrote us when she learned a new spell, or managed to find some obscure note that impressed the princess. We never were left out of her life.”

“But lately those letters have been less and less frequent,” Velvet replied through her tears. “I just wanted to be with her again...” she continued to cry, and Night Light held her closer to him. Spike stood up, still ignored by the other two ponies, and quickly went out the door.

/ - / - / - /

Twilight walked away from the library going...somewhere. She wasn't sure where. She was heading in the general direction of Rainbow Dash's house, but couldn't seem to find her way there. Instead her mind was taking her wherever it seemed to want to wander in the waning hours of the afternoon.

“Why can't they just understand that I live here now,” Twilight said to herself, not really speaking to anypony in particular. She walked over a bridge and leaned over the edge, staring at her reflection in the stream below.“This is my home now, where I feel like I belong.”

“Your father understands,” came a quite voice behind her, and Spike smiled when she saw Spike leap up to the railing to sit next to her.

“I figured as much,” Twilight replied, sighing. “He always understood me a little better than my mother did.”

“You know you're really not that different,” Spike continued. “She just wants to do what she thinks is best for you, just like you always treat me.” He added that last bit with a touch of edge to his voice, causing Twilight to giggle.

“Oh Spike,” Twilight said dismissively. “It's entirely different. I mean, you're a baby dragon and still growing. I'm an adult and...” she stopped for a moment, contemplating his words before she shook her head. “Besides, it's not like she's entirely selfless in this. She wants me moving back to Canterlot for her own reasons.”

“Because she wants to be with her daughter,” Spike continued, recounting what Velvet had said in the library. “She just wants to know that she's needed and that she still has a place in your life.”

“Of course she does!”

“But when was the last time you told her that?”

Twilight raised a hoof to answer and stopped mid-sentence. When had been the last time she had written a letter to her parents? Sure they had talked at the wedding, but that was mostly just idle chit-chat involving her brother. Slowly the pieces dawned on her, and she kissed Spike on the top of his head. “Thanks Spike,” she simply said, before galloping back off towards the library. Spike merely looked down in the stream below, blushing a bit.

“And who says I don't have good ideas,” he said aloud to no one in particular.

Twilight rushed as fast as she could to the library, but stopped just outside the door when she saw her mother standing there, here eyes red from crying. The two of them looked at each other for several moments before Velvet started to speak. “Twilight...I...”

She never got the chance to finish as she was on the receiving end of a full-on hug from Twilight. The two mares, mother and daughter, hugged each other under the sun, regardless of anypony who might happen to stare. “I'm sorry mom,” Twilight finally said under her breath. “I know you just want to help me anyway you can.”

“And I'm sorry to dear,” Velvet answered back. “I need to learn that you can make your own decisions now. You've grown older and wiser since we last met. And maybe I'd forgotten that.”

“I let you forget,” Twilight said, pulling away from the hug. “I can't be that wise if I kept forgetting to tell you I love you. You and dad both. I'll always listen to what you have to say, but you have to respect my decisions in the end for good or for bad.”

“I know that,” Velvet replied. “And no matter where life takes you, never doubt that we are both very proud of everything you have accomplished.” Twilight's father slowly emerged from the library, earning a hug from his daughter in time.

Twilight turned to her mother, her smile back plastered across her face. “Would you mind helping me look for Rainbow Dash?” she asked. “I still haven't managed to find her.”

“We'll be happy to,” Velvet replied. “Anything for you.”

/ - / - / - /

A/N: This one definitely took a lot longer to write than the Applejack story. I couldn't really come up with a conflict that made sense in this, and the story's path took several different turns along the way. I apologize if it feels rushed, especially at the end, but it's both a side effect of my writing style (wherein everything feels like a self-contained 22-25 minute episode) as well as the fact that I simply ran out of material with this thing.

And yes, all these oneshots are connected, so you'll find out what Rainbow Dash was looking for Twilight for next time and see Pinkie's adventures on the Rock Farm in a later chapter.

III. Bestest, Coolest Pony in the World

A/N: Please note that these snippets take place within the same continuity of time, so that while one is happening another would be happening at the same time. I haven't exactly decided on a chronology of the individual episodes yet, but it's not necessarily important.

I am curious how you think I am doing with these, and a few constructive criticisms would be appreciated. I realize that there are a myriad of these particular stories out there (this one in particular), but I hope this one is at least as adequate as some of those.

/ - / - / - /

Rainbow Dash lay her head back against the tuft of cloud that she had saved for herself after a hard days work of clearing out the sky. Letting out a deep sigh, she smiled at the upcoming air show in Ponyville. While the Wonderbolts weren't all going to be there, Soarin was going to be present to sign autographs and, hopefully, be impressed by her in the process. She had been working on some brand new tricks aside from her signature Sonic Rainboom.

But training could wait for a few hours, she decided. It was a nice day, and she was due for a mid-afternoon nap. She smiled contentedly, muttering to herself about how life was good.

She heard the buzzing of wings flapping furiously below, and she creaked one eye open at the noise. She rolled over onto her stomach and looked down at the ground, seeing a familiar orange and purple pegasus zooming across the dirt street below. She smiled as she saw her number one fan moving off into the distance. Scootaloo might be a little obsessive and annoying at times, but Dash still felt an attachment to the little filly who idolized her. Not just because of the attention she showered on Dash, though that didn't hurt.

Dash saw a lot of herself in the young filly. There was a drive to be the best, to compete until you had given your all. That was something that Rainbow Dash could certainly appreciate. She smiled as Scootaloo moved down the road towards the edge of town, disappearing from view. Rainbow Dash turned back to go to sleep, letting thoughts fade away from her mind.

Until she suddenly sat up startled. There was nothing on that edge of town, that she knew of anyway. She looked back and curiously wondered exactly where she was heading over there. Probably something to do with her also obssessive search for a cutie mark. She started to go back to sleep, but the nagging thoughts in the back of her mind got the better of her. Deciding on the best course of action, she took off from the cloud and tailed the filly to wherever her destination. She just wanted to make sure that Scootaloo arrived there safely...wherever there might happen to be.

In a short amount of time she caught up with the subject of her tracking. She kept a close eye on her, maintaining a safe distance from the ground so as not to attract any unwanted attention towards herself. As she flew along, various points about Scootaloo's appearance and actions in Ponyville suddenly came to mind. She knew virtually every single pegasus pony in town, and never once had she met Scootaloo's mother or father. While it was certainly within the realm of possibility that they weren't pegasi, it still was a curiosity. Come to think of it, she had never even seen where the young filly lived. Nor had she ever even mentioned her parents except in passing. Little quirks and oddities began to add up in Dash's mind, and she didn't really like the result it added up to.

She shook her head, her mane flapping wildly in the wind. 'You're just being paranoid,' she told herself. She looked down again, only to find that the target she had been following had suddenly disappeared from the road. “Where did she?” Dash took off and landed near the edge of the Everfree Forest, glancing around in every direction to try and catch sight of that familiar orange speedster that she had been tracking. Finding no sign of her anywhere, Rainbow Dash jumped back into the air, trying to get a better view above the tree line. After a few more minutes of searching, she sighed deeply. Apparently in her thoughts and reflections, she had completely lost track of the one she was thinking about in the first place. She was about to fly off when she caught sight of something sticking out of a nearby tuft of grass. Looking around the tree branch, she recognized it almost immediately.

It was Scootaloo's scooter.

“Now what in Celestia,” Dash muttered to herself at this latest development. The presence of her scooter there meant that she had to be somewhere nearby. She landed back down on the ground, trying to trace away steps from the scooter. She squinted off in the distance, turning her ears so that she might be able to hear. If she was very quiet, she could barely make out the sound of a voice carried along the wind. Following said voice, Dash quietly crept through the underbrush on the edge of Everfree, careful not to make too much noise or give away her position. Though it would have been easier to fly, she didn't want to scare off anypony who might be there. Peeking her head from behind a tree branch, she finally caught sight of the source of the voice she was hearing.

Scootaloo was situated in the nook of a large tree, sort of a makeshift cave within the trunk. A small bundle wrapped up lay in the corner, and said filly was currently breaking apart a piece of bread off of a stale loaf. In the corner of the makeshift home, Dash could make out the shape of a small photo frame that stood reverently in the corner of the home. Struggling to listen, she risked sight by poking her head out a little further, eager to see what the little filly had to say.

“...she was just being her usual self Gramps. I know you said I shouldn't get into fights with other ponies, but I couldn't help it. Tiara was picking on Dinky again for her mother being so clumsy, and I just didn't want to stand for it any longer.” Dash could see Scootaloo's head perk up as she exclaimed, “I wanted to do what Rainbow Dash would have done. She wouldn't stand for anypony picking on another one! She would've been proud of me.” She then added, in a voice barely audible “Just like I hope you'dve been proud of me.” She sniffled, her breath catching in her throat a couple of times, before she went back to eating her bread.

Dash felt the beginnings of tears well up in her eyes as she watched the scene play out before her. So focused on it was she, that she failed to notice that she was leaning a bit to far from behind the tree where she was standing. A few moments later, she lost her balance, stumbling backwards and breaking a stick in the process. Scootaloo suddenly sat up, aware of the noise. With a hint of trepidation and a sigh, Dash emerged from the back of the tree, confronting the wide-eyed, and suddenly very fearful pony in front of her. “Uh...heya squirt,” Dash said, chuckling as she dusted the fallen leaves from her mane. “I..uh...just wanted to make sure you made it home alright and...” she saw the fear in her eyes well up even more. It was a fear that she herself was all too familiar with.

Dash took in a gulp of air, glancing up at the beginnings of dusk in the Equestrian sky. She slowly appraoched the filly, trying to keep a calm look on her face “Look, Scoot, I...”

“NO!” Scootaloo reared up on her hind legs and slammed her front legs into Rainbow Dash as hard as she could. The sudden movement caught Dash by surprise, and she stumbled backwards a ways from the hit. Before she could react, Scootaloo had rushed off from the area and jumped onto her scooter, abandoning what few things she had in haste to get away.

“WAIT!” Dash called after her, but stopped when she heard the tears coming from Scootaloo's eyes flying back from her at an alarming rate. Dash was ill-equipped to handle such situations, or at least that's what she told herself. Sighing, she turned back to what had been Scootaloo's makeshift shelter. She glanced around at the few things the little pegasus owned, and her eyes centered on the picture she had been looking at. It was a picture of an older earth pony, wrinkled and gray, and an even younger Scootaloo, who was smiling without a care in the world. She had called him 'Gramps,' when they were talking, so obviously they must have been related.

But...where were her parents?

Dash tried not to think about it too hard, and darted off in search of Scootaloo.

/ - / - / - /

Dash groaned as she circled the outskirts of Ponyville for what seemed to be the eighteenth time that afternoon. It was now starting to descend into the evening, and Dash was getting worried. Though there was no rain scheduled for that day, it was starting to get colder with the coming fall season. She didn't want Scootaloo to be left out alone in the cold. Celestia knew how long she had been left out in the cold already.

As she continued to search for Scootaloo, her flight became a bit more erratic and less organized. She found herself canvasing the same area two, three times in a row in her desperation. Even after seeking out the help of Twilight, who unfortunately wasn't home at the time of her calling, she felt herself growing more and more desperate to find her. Finally she stopped for a moment to collect her bearings, trying hard to figure out exactly why she was looking for the filly so much.

Certainly part of it was because she didn't want her to be cold. That was as good a reason as any, Dash told herself. But part of her thought more and more to what she had seen, and it dredged up far too many bad memories for her then she wanted to deal with at the moment.

Memories of before, when she herself was left out in the cold too.

Fluttershy...she needed to see Fluttershy. Not only would that help her clear her head, but it might also be a place the kid would hide away in. Forcing down some particularly bad memories that seemed to have been dredged up in the last few hours, Rainbow Dash sped off to Fluttershy's cottage to regroup and collect her thoughts.

As she approached the small cottage with the wide expanse of land for its many animal inhabitants, Dash got a feeling that something wasn't completely right with this situation. Normally at this time of night Fluttershy's cottage would be a quiet haven in the evening of Ponyville. Though it wouldn't be an overtly active place, it would at least show some sign of habitation. A light, smoke in the chimney, the usual chatter of animal activity, something. As it stood though, there was none of that. The cottage appeared to be completely deserted.

“What the hay is going on here,” she asked herself. She knew Fluttershy wasn't leaving town anytime soon, or at least she hadn't said anything to her friends about it. Curious, and more than a little skeptical, she poked her head into the window frame, trying to see if there was any sign of life. Not seeing anything, she tried the direct approach, walking over and rapping her hoof against the door. “Fluttershy, you there?” she called out, not hearing a reply. She was about to turn away when she heard a small shuffle inside the cottage. Rolling her eyes, she cried out, “Come on Fluttershy, I don't have time for this. It's me Rainbow Dash.” A few more moments passed before the small light came on in the cottage and the lock was turned. The door opened and Rainbow Dash looked down to see Angel Bunny ushering her inside.

“Sorry for all the trouble,” came the quiet voice of her friend from clear across the room. “I'm just expecting some company from out of town...and well, I sort of...didn't want them here.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at her oldest friend, but said nothing. She shook her head, more focused on her own problems at the moment.

“You haven't seen Scootaloo anywhere, have you?” Dash asked, sitting down across from her yellow coated friend. Fluttershy, poured them both a cup of tea, constantly looking around the cottage as if someone would jump out at any moment.

“No I haven't.” Fluttershy answered back, before her eyes suddenly went wide. “Oh I hope the poor dear isn't lost or something. You think we should go look for her. I think we should go look for her...” Fluttershy continued to ramble caught up in worrying over the little filly, while Rainbow Dash merely rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“Fluttershy!” she shouted, trying to get the pegasus to stop her rambling. When she had calmed down, Dash began staring at the floor unsure of how to continue. “I don't really know how to say this so I'll just explain what happened,” she said, before launching into her story. She told her friend about finding Scootaloo's makeshift shelter. She told her about the conversation with the photograph, about her ill-fated attempt to find out more information about what happened to her parents. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Fluttershy reached the same conclusion that Rainbow Dash had.

“She's an orphan,” she stated simply, causing Dash to nod her head.

“I don't know why we didn't see it. Why...I...didn't see it. You'd think that I of anypony would be able to tell considering that...” she trailed off, looking out towards the night time sky.

“Considering you're an orphan too?” Dash nodded her head at Fluttershy's statement, her ears lying down at discussing it. The fact that she was an orphan was a sore subject with her, especially considering the circumstances. Dash was surprised when she felt Fluttershy wrap her fore-legs around her shoulders, but she quickly leaned into the hug.

“You're not really an orphan Dash,” Fluttershy said firmly, but gently. “You have me, and Twilight, and all the rest of your friends. Plus you have all of my family.” Fluttershy leaned back, her smile a bit faded. “We took you in and made you part of my family.”

“I know,” Dash admitted, “It just brings up a lot of bad memories.”

“Maybe Scootaloo could help you with those memories,” Fluttershy suggested. “Maybe you could find her and talk with her about it. Show her that she's not alone.”

“But where could she be,” Dash asked again, this time a bit more forcefully.

“I don't know for sure,” Fluttershy replied, almost in a coy fashion, “But if I was her, I'd try that “secret” clubhouse they have on the Sweet Apple Acres.” Fluttershy smiled and closed her eyes when she heard Dash quickly set down her cup of tea and zoom out the open window. “I hope this will help,” she said to herself, before realizing that the light was still on and her company was still expected. Letting out a soft yelp, she turned off all the lights and returned to her previous position of hiding away.

/ - / - / - /

Rainbow Dash flew at a strong pace towards the far end of the Sweet Apple Acres with purpose. As she approached the location of the Cutie Mark Crusaders “secret” clubhouse, she could barely make out a slight flicker of light through the open window. Sensing that it might be the pony she was looking for, Dash sped up to the edge of the treehouse, and peered inside. She had to withhold a gasp when she saw the sight in front of her.

Scootaloo was nestled up against the far corner of the clubhouse, a threadbare blanket the only protection she had from the cold autumn night. The scene seemed all to familiar to Dash, and she couldn't help the flashbacks of memory that came to her.

/ - / - / - /

The streets of Cloudsdale were unusually quiet for it being evening rush hour. Normally one could expect to see several ponies bustling to and fro across the clouded streets, all moving towards their homes after a long days worth of work. For today, though, most ponies were either already home, or staying out late, hoping to avoid the scheduled transportation of rainclouds from the weather factory to the distribution center across town.

One of the few groups that was braving the evening was a young stallion and his daughter. The cyan-colored stallion with dark magenta hair walked down the street with a purpose, looking around every now and again before continuing on, looking back to make sure the rainbow haired filly was following him. As he continued towards a building in the corner, he turned back to his daughter and looked down at her, a cold expression on his face giving way to reserved smile, he leaned down and placed a hoof on his daughter's shoulder.

“Thanks for taking me to the park daddy!” the young filly Rainbow Dash said with a carefree smile across her face. The stallion ran his hand through her mess of a mane, his face a careful mask of emotions.

“Now Dashie,” the tall proud stallion said to his daughter, his tone even, “Daddy has to run an errand real quick. I want you to stay here like a good filly. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course daddy!” Rainbow Dash proudly declared. “I won't move from this spot!” She stamped her hoof down on the cloud pavement dramatically to prove her point. Her father smirked at her and then stood up, looking around again before walking off into the distance.

Rainbow Dash watched her father disappear into the distance as the rainclouds began their planned migration through the streets of Cloudsdale. She had a smile on her face still as she watched them move across the sky, occasionally letting loose with a small downpour and making the usually cold weather of Cloudsdale even colder. As time continued to pass on and more and more rain started to come down, she couldn't help but shiver. Yet despite this she kept her vigil, staying true to her word.

Several hours later, as she was starting to get worried as to where her father might have gone, she was approached from behind, startling her. Turning to the source of the interruption, she turned into the face of her cousin, Fluttershy, staring blankly at her. She then looked up at her Uncle Aeros looking down at her with an eyebrow raised.

“Rainbow Dash,” he said in a concerned and shocked voice, “What are you doing out here in the rain? Where's your father?”

“Oh, he'll be right back,” Rainbow Dash confidently replied. “He just went to run an errand...a while ago.” Aeros nodded, seemingly half-expecting the answer.

“And he hasn't come back?” Fluttershy asked, not really understanding the situation. Rainbow Dash just dismissed her speculation with her hoof.

“Of course he'll be back in just a few minutes,” Dash confidently replied. “He's the bestest, coolest pony in the world!”

“We live just down the road from here,” Aeros said. “Flutters, why don't you take Dashie to our place so she can get out of the rain.”

“But daddy told me to...” Aeros placed a hoof on her shoulder and smiled at her.

“I'll stay here and bring him by when he shows up. You just don't need to get anymore wet okay?” Dash nodded, and she followed her cousin to the small townhouse just down the street. She took one last look at her Uncle, who motioned for her to follow her cousin, and out of the corner of her eye she noticed a police pony being waved down at the same time.

/ - / - / - /

The scene played through Rainbow Dash's head again and again, and she had to shake the image out in order to deal with this situation. Swiftly as she could, she climbed through the window of the clubhouse and approached Scootaloo. Tapping the filly on the shoulder, she was slightly startled when Scootaloo jumped up quickly. The orange pegasus looked up at her idol, a look of fear quickly giving way to a sheepish grin as she tried to hide the obvious. “Hey squirt,” Rainbow Dash said confidently, trying to play it cool for right now. “Shouldn't you been inside somewhere warm?”

Scootaloo's eyes darted back and forth, traveling between focusing on the wooden floorboards of the clubhouse and the raggedy blanket she had in the corner. “Uh...well you see,” she started to explain, desperate to find some way out of this. “I'm trying to earn a cutie mark in survival! Yeah...that's it! Besides, I'm not really that tired.” The yawn that followed shattered the illusion of that claim.

“And how's that working for you,” Dash asked, crossing her hooves as she already knew the answer. A draft of wind suddenly blew through the clubhouse, causing an involuntary shiver in the younger pony.

“F-F-Fine,” Scootaloo replied, trying desperately at the moment to warm herself up.

“Doesn't seem to be,” Dash answered back. Scootaloo looked aside and then turned away, a well of defensiveness seeming to wash over her.

“I don't need your pity,” she said with a hint of confidence in her voice, though it seemed to be merely an act. “I know you don't understand what this is like...what it's like to be...” she turned away, unable to finish the story. She looked back when she felt Rainbow Dash's hoof on her shoulder.

“Yes I do,” Dash simply said with a caring smile on her face, her own treacherous tears leaking out. “I'm an orphan too.” Scootaloo's eyes went wide at this, as if she could hardly believe that her idol would be just like her. “But that doesn't mean I struck out on my own,” Dash continued. “There are places you can go that will help you...places that.” At the mention of “places”, Scootaloo suddenly quivered in fear. She looked up at Rainbow Dash with a pleading look in her eyes. “Please Rainbow Dash, don't tell anypony about this. I...I like it here in Ponyville! I don't want to go back!”

“Back?” Dash asked, suddenly curious. “Back where?”

“The orphanage,” Scootaloo confessed, her eyes closing in defeat. “In Derbyville. I went there after my gramps died and...they were always so mean and...” she looked up again at her idol, tears starting to form in her eyes. “Please don't make me go back there.”

Dash smiled at her and gave the filly a hug. “I'm not going to squirt,” she replied softly. “But I am going to take you away from here.” Scootaloo looked up at her, not quite understanding, “I'm gonna take you back to my place. Sound like a plan?” Scootaloo smiled, and Dash felt a warmth grow in her chest as the young filly nuzzled up next to her.

“That sounds great Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo replied, sleep threatening to overcome her as she yawned again. Dash grabbed the little pony by the nape of her neck and gently placed her just above Dash's own wings. As Scootaloo grabbed on tight, she muttered sleepily, “You're the bestest, coolest pony in the world.” Dash choked back a sob, and quietly traveled off into the night, heading for home.

/ - / - / - /

A/N: Again, probably not my best work, but there it is. For those wondering, there will be an epilogue after all these oneshots are complete that will flesh out the characters a bit more, and bring resolution to lingering plot questions at the end.