TiM: What Defines Us

by Twidashforever

Chapters

Our Family
Our Friends
The Choices we Make

Our Family

Author's Note

Twilight is Magic read order

One year ago today, I posted the first chapter of my first story, TiM: The Truth in Meanings.

Has it really been a year?

I post this – the ninth story in the series – in anniversary of that event. I hope you all enjoy TiM: What Defines Us.

Our Family

Celestia’s Palace

“Hey Twi. Twi. Twi wake up!” Rainbow pushed her hoof against her wife’s shoulder one more time, trying to get the alicorn princess to wake up.

“Five more minutes.” Twilight softly spoke. She was trying in vain to get her wife to let her sleep longer.

Rainbow’s only reply was to redouble her efforts. “Trust me, you don’t want to sleep through this.”

Twilight opened her eyes; the grogginess was easy to see on her face. She rubbed the sleep out of them and yawned. “What’s going on?” she asked her wife.

Rainbow held a hoof to her mouth, a silent gesture that whatever was going to happen would happen soon, and they needed to be quiet to hear it. Using her other hoof, she began slowly moving it up and down, as if doing a small countdown.

One time, two times, and the third time was the charm.

“Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom!”

There was no need to be quiet, that little voice carried throughout the palace, waking everyone nearby that was trying to sleep. Twilight smiled as she heard it, that little filly had a set of lungs on her that would rival Sweetie Belle’s.

“What do you want, Vela!” Aurora yelled back to the little filly.

Twilight did not hear the filly's reply to her mom’s question, but judging by Rainbow’s laughter, it could only have been one thing. “Can I have a cookie?”

That laughter proved infectious as Twilight started to chuckle, then giggle. Soon both mares were in a full on laughing fit. It took a few minutes for them to calm down. Something they only achieved when exhaustion forced their bodies to settle down.

“Thanks for that, Rainbow.”

Rainbow smiled at her wife. “Anytime.” She had another reason that she woke her wife up early. However, it would not do either of them any favors to point that out.

“Of course you know what this means, right?”

“Yep.” Rainbow said with certainty in her voice. It went without saying as they both knew what was going to happen next.

As if on cue, a night-black earth pony sporting a light blue and purple mane with magenta eyes ran into their room. He jumped up on the bed. “If Vela gets a cookie I want one too!” Taz shouted at the top of his own set of rather strong lungs.

Rainbow rubbed a hoof against her ear, seeking to get the ringing to stop. Twilight swept up her son with a hoof and playfully rubbed his mane, making a bigger mess of it in the process. “Of course you can have a cookie.”

“Oatmeal raisin!”

“You’ll have to talk to your sister about that one.” Rainbow replied. She did not want to have this conversation, again. It was Aurora’s favorite cookie and she did not just let anyone have one of them. This rule applied to everyone, it did not matter if they were family or not.

“Make her give me one!” Taz complained about it. Every single time Aurora would come for a visit it was the same thing. Most of the time, he did not even want a cookie. It was only when his oldest sister came for a visit that he got this way.

“Taz, we’ve had this conversation before, if you want one of your sister’s cookies you gotta ask her for one, and NICELY.”

Rainbow sighed to herself; she was tired of this fight already. It was always the same with him. Dash did not know why, but it seemed like Taz simply did not like Aurora. He got along with everyone else well… well enough anyway, but when it came to his oldest sister, there was something more there, something behind the scene that his parents just could not figure out.

“No! Make her!” Taz began poking Twilight with a hoof. That was something that earned him no small amount of ire from Rainbow.

Twilight just responded in good nature. “Taz, we don’t make ponies do things. Now be nice.”

“No!” He shouted again all the while hitting his mom in the chest with a hoof. His volume carried over the whole castle, possibly the whole city of Canterlot.

Rainbow had enough; she grabbed him by the tail and whisked him out of Twilight’s grasp. “That’s it young stallion, you’re going back to your room without any cookies at all!” She said with her mouth full of his tail.

Despite his best efforts, Rainbow refused to drop him. She carried him by his tail across the hallway into his room. She entered his room and dumped him unceremoniously on the bed. “You can stay in here until breakfast.”

Taz looked up at his mom with puppy dog eyes. He was doing his absolute best to try to win the sympathy of his parent.

It did not work.

“You can knock it off with the puppy dog eyes. You’re three foals too late for that to work on me.” Rainbow said coldly as she turned and walked out of the room. As she closed the door, she heard her son start to bawl in earnest as he threw a tantrum over his early grounding.

Rainbow gestured to one the royal guards nearby. He came over and gave her a starch salute. “Princess.”

“Make sure he stays in his room until breakfast is served, and watch out. He may not have magic but he’s very slippery. He takes after me on that one.” Rainbow said with a smile. It was true, on more than one occasion Taz managed to sneak away from everyone without them noticing it.

Twilight had once said that Taz was a blank when it came to magic, something that magic simply could not exist with, that it could not touch. That description seemed to be true for a lot more than magic. It was almost as if Taz could simply be unnoticeable when he chose to be. He could redefine the old phrase, ‘hiding in plain sight'.

Rainbow shook it off and walked back to her room. It came as no surprise that Twilight was still in bed. She was no doubt pretending to be asleep. Rainbow paused for a minute to look her wife over. Part of her, a rather large part still could not believe it. That someone as wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, smart, caring, nurturing, and powerful as Twilight would ever love her. That they would have a family, that they would have such great friends, or that they would spend their lives together.

Rainbow supposed that she would always feel this way. It did not matter how long they were married, she would always wonder what Twilight even saw in her. Rainbow would always wonder why Twilight chose her and not one of the million ponies that were infinitely better.

She silenced that part the same way she always did. Simply by reminding herself that even if it was true, she should simply appreciate the time Twilight picked her, the time she wanted to be with her over all the others she could have.

Rainbow approached the bed and looked down at her wife. She was laying on her back, her eyes closed, and the cutest smile on her face. Rainbow proceeded to inch her face closer and closer to her wife, as she locked lips with her, Twilight found that she could no longer fake it. They both slightly opened their mouths and Rainbow allowed Twilight’s tongue full entry.

When she finally pulled back Twilight’s eyes were wide open. She was smiling. “Now that’s a great way to wake up.” Twilight spoke softly.

“Yeah.” Rainbow replied. “But you still gotta get up; it’s almost time to join Night in the throne room.”

Twilight stretched her hooves and let out a huge yawn. “Okay, but first, coffee.”

“I’m sure there’s coffee in the throne room.” Rainbow replied with a smile.

“If you think I’m leaving this room without caffeine, you’re out of your mind.”

Rainbow frowned. She knew that Twilight would make good on her threat but they had overslept. As much as she wanted coffee, Rainbow also knew that Twilight would hate starting the day off late. Her thoughts turned to one solution that might prove to be a laugh as well.

“Coffee huh? Flash will be right back!” She took off, flying out the door and down the hall before Twilight had a chance to respond.

Twilight was lost at that. She had expected Rainbow to try something else. It was not until after, after she left that Rainbow’s word choice struck a chord with her. ‘Didn’t she mean back in a flash?’ Twilight questioned. The noise that came to her from down the hallway told Twilight the truth.

Rainbow meant it the exact way she said it.

Two pegasi colts came crashing through the doorway. Twilight could only watch in horror as the two attempted to carry a pot of coffee and a cup between them. A task made infinitely harder by the fact that they refused to walk anywhere and were constantly bickering the entire time.

Needless to say, there was not much coffee left in the pot. That alone brought a tear to Twilight’s eye.

Flash and Blaze were the sons of Radiant Star and Firestar. They were two of the biggest troublemakers/sweethearts that Twilight had ever known, which was saying something considering the competition. The twins looked the exact same, each sported a white coat that was just like their father’s. Their mane, tails, and eyes they got from their mother.

Their favorite game seemed to be to simply confuse whatever adult they were talking too. Each would pretend to be the other as to avoid any possible punishment that might occur. Needless to say, it quickly got old. Twilight put a stop to it by magically imprinting their names on their foreheads. With the wave of a hoof, their name will pop up and you will know instantly which brother you are talking too.

Such was the trouble they like to cause that no one even complained about it. Radiant and Firestar were both actually quite happy with this new arrangement. The twins were not. They spent most of their time trying to figure out how to get back into Twilight’s good side in hopes that she would remove the mark.

“Blaze, Flash, thank you both for the coffee.” Twilight said with an insincere smile on her face. ‘It’s the thought that counts,’ she reminded herself.

“We got it.”

“Just for you.” The twins replied, each finishing the other’s sentences.

Twilight levitated the coffee pot up to the bed. She looked inside to see that only a teaspoon remained. Twilight had no doubt that there would be quite the mess to clean up outside, but first things first. She duplicated the small amount left many times over until she had a full cup worth right in front of her.

Sipping it down, she sighed in contentment. “Nectar of the gods.”

“Auntie Twilight, will you remove the marks now?” Blaze begged.

“You see I would, but I’m afraid this is not a good day for me, I have to conserve my magic because it might run out and I won’t be able to get us all to Ponyville.” Twilight lied.

“Ahh….” The twins said in union.

“Tell you what, if you two clean up the mess you made getting the coffee here, I might be able to do it tomorrow.”

They each took off into the air. They preceded to bump and push each other out of the way In a mad rush to get out the door and be the first to reach the cleaning supplies.

Twilight smiled as she watched them go. It was always the same thing with those two. They were always so willing to please when there was something they wanted, but they took no regard for the consequences. To them, the ends always justified the means. Twilight sighed at the naivety. That and the fact that the twins forgot they would be back in the Crystal Empire tomorrow.

“Time to get up.” Twilight said to herself as she threw one leg off the bed. The wet splash it made as it landed in a puddle of hot coffee reminded her that the day was well and truly on the wrong side of bad.

Every year it was always the same. The tear stains she left on the pillow during her sleep were a horrible reminder of that fact as well, and of exactly what day it was.

…………………….

The Crystal Empire

“So, what are you doing here again?” Radiant turned his head to the unicorn behind him. Ataxia just smiled, she was doing her best just to get in the way and he had quite enough of it already.

“What, I can’t come to see my… my… what are you to me again?” She asked the prince.

“Well, you married Twilight’s daughter, who is the sister to my father. So that would make you my father, sister, daughter’s wife. So I guess that would make you my cousin-in-law.”

“Yeah that, so I can’t just drop by to see my cousin-in-law?”

“Yeah, not buying it. What did you do?” Radiant stared at her.

“Me? What makes you think I did anything?” Ataxia tried to play it off.

“Well, first there is the fact you’re here on today of all days. Second, Ana is not attached to your hip. Third, you would never go anywhere without Night. Not if you had a choice in the matter anyway. Therefore, that tells me a few things. First, that Night kicked you out. Second, that she was so disgusted with you that she made your daughter stay behind. So I’ll ask again, what did you do?” Radiant stopped walking around the outside of the palace and sat back on his flank. He waited patiently for Ataxia’s answer.

“Okay, well you know what today is right?”

Radiant nodded at that question. They all knew what today was.

“Well, because of that Aurora and Icarus came up with little Vela from the Griffin Empire.”

Again, Radiant knew that. Everyone was gathering in Canterlot today. It was only by bad luck that Radiant could not go. He had several official meetings today and would not be able to take the whole day off. However, even he was still going to go.

“Well…” Ataxia trailed off, looking around for anything to get her out of this conversation. Sadly, she found nothing. “Last night I may have commented how even though Aurora is in her mid-forties, she still looks as good as she did in her late twenties.”

“That’s it?” Radiant added. Ataxia shook her head.

“Night agreed with me actually, she then went on some tangent on how Aurora and she might actually have longer lives because of the whole Gaia thing, and that I might too. I wasn’t really listening though.”

“And?”

“And well, well I kind of mentioned that Icarus was pretty lucky then, about having a wife that hot that would age slowly. You know, lucky like I am for having Night.”

Radiant nodded, he had a feeling that the last part was not actually said to Shimmering Night.

“Then I mentioned the fact that I’ve never gotten with a griffin before. Minotaurs, zebras, and ponies sure, but I’ve never been with a griffin.”

“And well….” Ataxia did not want to say the last part. That alone was troubling to Radiant. ‘What could she have done that was so bad?’ he thought.

“I kind of brought up the idea of a four way with Aurora, Icarus, Night, and myself.”

Radiant’s jaw hit the floor at that. “You… you what?”

“Then she kicked me out of the palace. Well, she ejected me from the palace. I was sitting there talking to her and all of a sudden I’m here.” Ataxia looked around sheepishly. "I’ve tried returning, but they won’t sell me a ticket for the train, something about the princess’s orders or something.”

Radiant stopped himself from asking why she did not just fly back, Ataxia had not transformed for almost a decade now. He knew her well enough to know that she would not teleport either, not unless it was an extreme emergency.

“If you ask me she’s just overreacting.” Ataxia said matter-of-factly.

Radiant facehoofed. “Ataxia, you suggested that she have sex with her sister.”

“C’mon, if you had a supermodel sister that hot, try and tell me you wouldn’t want to have sex with her.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” Radiant lied.

Ataxia saw through that statement as clear as day. “Yeah right. Well, you asked and that’s what happened. If you ask me she just made today harder for herself.”

“Oh, why’s that?”

Ataxia smiled as she looked at the sun’s position. “Because Ana will be up in three, two, one….”

……………………………………….

Celestia’s Palace

“Moooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!”

Night shuddered as she heard the little one bawl, she knew this was coming, but that knowledge did not make it any easier to deal with. She had tricked Ana last night with a nighttime plushy of Ataxia. However, unlike the other times when they would use it to have a moment to themselves, Ataxia was not there to take its place in the morning. That meant Ana woke up without her birth mother to hold.

Of course, her crying would wake Starlight. “Make her stop!” Starlight yelled over her sister’s loud cry. Why Ana clung to Ataxia the way she did was a mystery to Night. None of the others clung to their parents in quite the same way. It seemed as if simply being away from Ataxia was painful to the little unicorn.

Night gave up on her duties, left the throne room, and then went to their foal's room. Even though there were more than enough rooms in the palace, Ataxia wanted them to share a room. Something about a sisterly bond that she never got when she grew up. Of course, that just meant when one of them was unhappy, they would both be unhappy.

She picked up the little unicorn in her magic and brought her to her chest. Allowing her to bawl her eyes out into her coat. Ana was a dark blue unicorn with a purple mane and tail. Her eyes were red as fire. Night suspected that they might be that red because of how much crying she would do.

“Why wasn’t mom in bed with her?” Starlight asked.

“Ataxia had to go on a last minute trip to the Crystal Empire.” Night lied. What Ataxia had suggested still irked her, but time away from her did manage to calm Night down.

“She didn’t take Ana with her?” Even the young filly knew better than to separate those two for any real amount of time.

Night looked over to her unicorn daughter. Starlight was lying in bed, a blanket still pulled over most of her blue body. She had inherited her mother’s rainbow mane, yet the most telling feature was her eyes; piercing green eyes that, when she truly used her magic, would fade to be replaced with white spots that perfectly resembled starlight. Night would often lose herself in those eyes.

“She thought she would be able to make it back before you two woke up.”

“Yeah, well that was dumb.”

“Yeah, it was.” Night agreed as Ana’s crying picked up yet again. She knew that the little unicorn could go on for hours, days even. Yet regardless how bad it was, the absolute worst thing to do would be to put her down, like it or not, Night was stuck with her. ‘Maybe Luna can help, again.’ Night thought.

She took the crying unicorn out the room to find the night princess. “Breakfast in thirty minutes, okay?”

“Okay.” Starlight yawned as she started crawling out of bed. Night sighed as she closed the door behind her. She was at least grateful that Starlight was dependable. Ana was too, but in her own way. She was a dependable pain in the flank.

Ana seemed to notice that and wailed even louder. “Hush little one.” Night cooed softly as she held the unicorn to her chest, an action that only earned her chin several pokes from Ana's horn. “Taxi will be back today, you can be a big girl until then, no?”

The answer was a resounding 'No'. Just not in actual words.

“I gotta find Luna.” Night said as her hearing began buzzing.

……………

Royal Gardens

Cadance, Firestar, and Luna walked through the castle’s gardens together. It was rare for the three of them to have any time to themselves and despite the early hour, they all knew that the palace was already well awake. The separate cries coming from the foals could be heard all around the palace.

“Where are the twins?” Cadance asked.

“Rainbow came and got them. Something about making Twilight a pot of coffee.”

“Oh, I’m sure that went over swimmingly.” Luna jested.

“Knowing those two, I’m sure there will be more than enough coffee on the floor to swim in.” Firestar laughed.

As the three round the bend, they each stared ahead of them. “Can you believe it’s been eight years?” Cadance asked.

“No.” Luna said.

“It’s going to be a rough day, isn’t it?” Firestar asked.

“Yep.” The other two said in union.

“…”

There was not much to say at that point. The three princesses continued walking in silence together as the somber mood overtook them. One that was only interrupted by the sound of crying coming from above and the yelling of Princess Shimmering Night. They all looked up to see Princess Night flying down from off one of the outdoor spirals of a tower.

“Princess Luna!” Night yelled as she finally found the mare she had sought after.

“Down here.”

Night landed with a little unicorn clutched to her chest. One that seemed to have no need for air as she kept crying over her missing mother.

Luna nodded her understanding and encompassed the unicorn in her magic. She levitated the little filly to her and tapped Ana's horn lightly with her own. The effect was instantaneous and very welcome. Ana fell back asleep.

“Oh thank you so much for that.” Night said, relieved to no end.

“What happened?” Cadance asked as she wiped the tears from the little filly’s eyes.

“She gets like this whenever Ataxia isn't around. I don’t know why.”

“It’s just her love for her mother.” Luna said as she rocked the little filly back and forth in her magic. It was a temporary solution to the problem; after all, she could not keep her asleep and dreaming of her mom forever.

“Where is Ataxia?” Firestar asked.

“Oh, I sent her to the Crystal Empire last night. One way.”

“Why?” Cadance asked.

“Trust me; you don’t want to know what she said to me. I’ll pick her up when we head to Ponyville later today. After all, this time might give her pause to think about what she said.”

Firestar, Cadance, and Luna all looked at each other at that comment. It amazed them all that Night believed Ataxia would ever pause to think about her actions. She might as well be asking the wind not to blow.

………

When Rainbow went to fetch her son for breakfast it did not surprise her to learn that he was not in his room. She merely dismissed the guard and went to find the twins. She found the two exactly where she thought they would be.

Blaze and Flash were fighting with each other over who got to use the mop. Not that either of them would use it properly but the point was that one got to use it and the other had to scrub using a brush.

Of course, how they were going to use a mop to get coffee stains out of a carpet, Rainbow could only guess at. She had no doubt that this was Twilight's doing. Simply a way to keep them out of her mane while she went about her day. Rainbow chuckled at that. Raising four kids had taught them both a lot about keeping someone busy with menial tasks. Even if she would have to come back later and fix it with her magic.

In many ways, it was like dealing with the nobles at court.

Of the two, Rainbow preferred the kids, at least they would listen to reason.

Rainbow sat back and watched the two squirm about. It was always good for a laugh to watch them go at each other. That laughter died in her throat. Thoughts of her twins… her son came back to mind.

‘I should have known better… on today of all days.’

“Hey Blaze, Flash!” A voice chimed down from the other end of the hallway.

“Hey Vela! We just mopped there!” Blaze complained upon seeing the little hippogriff walking down the hallway to go talk to them. She was leaving quite the trail of cookie crumbs behind her. The little one had yet to learn how to chew a cookie with her beak without getting it everywhere.

Based on what Rainbow had seen of Icarus’s eating habits, she honestly did not think it was possible.

Vela was a hippogriff. Half pony, half griffin. Her body was that of a pony, yet she had a griffin’s head and tail, and pegasus’s wings. She shared the coloring of her mom, a dark blue body with pearl white feathers, her eyes were the deepest green.

“That’s dumb, why are you mopping a carpet anyway?” Vela asked the obvious question.

“To get it clean, duh.” Flash responded.

Vela just shook her head. “Whatever.” Some fights were not worth having.

“Blaze, Flash, and Vela; breakfast is almost ready.” Rainbow called out to the three as she finally revealed herself.

“Hey, grandma!” Vela yelled back as she took flight and flew over to the cyan pegasus, wrapping her up in a hug. Blaze and Flash soon followed and Rainbow found herself at the bottom of a dog pile before she knew what hit her.

“What are we having?” Blaze asked.

“You know what today is, Blaze.” Rainbow paused as she ran a hoof over his forehead to make sure she had called him the right name. “Today we’re having waffles.”

“Oh, yeah, right.” Blaze sunk back as he remembered what day it was. His movement allowed the bigger mare to get back to her hooves.

“I do need you three to do me a favor though. Can you go around and find Taz? He snuck out of his room, again.”

“Where do you think he went this time?” Vela asked.

“I don’t know; he was mad because I wouldn't give him one of your mom’s cookies.”

“Oh no.” Vela said with a shocked look on her face. “Blaze, Flash, we gotta get to my mom’s room, now!” At that, all three of them took off. Heading directly for the room Aurora was staying in. Vela had a sinking feeling that Taz would not stop until he took all of her mom’s cookies.

And she was right.

When the three made it into Aurora’s room, Taz was stuffing his face with oatmeal raisin cookies. To make matters worse they were of the rainbow chocolate chip verity. He had found his oldest sister’s secret stash of her most valuable cookies. He did so by tearing apart her room from the ceiling to the floor.

“So good.” Taz looked at the three with a grin on his face.

“Taz!” Blaze shouted; he knew that Aurora would be mad about this. However, he suspected that was the point. Taz would do just about anything as long as it riled up Aurora. Not that Aurora was the only one who was mad, Vela was pissed.

Blaze and Flash each looked at the other, then at Taz. Taz saw the look on Vela’s face. The pure anger that was there. ‘I’m bucked anyway', the young stallion thought. He reached into the box and devoured the last of the cookies there.

What followed next was the most one sided, epic, flank-kicking Equestria had ever seen. One that was only stopped when Blaze and Flash could no longer stomach watching it. The twins raced off to find someone to pull Vela off Taz. Luckily for him, Icarus was right around the corner.

Our Friends

Celestia’s Palace

The entire family was gathered around the huge table for breakfast. Well, almost the entire family. Radiant Star and Ataxia were not present, although each for very different reasons. Twilight was not worried; they would both join them later when they got together in Ponyville at ten.

To her right, as always, sat Rainbow Dash. In Twilight’s eyes she was the epitome of everything right in the world, of everything that mattered: Love, loyalty, and honor. What more could she ask for?

To Rainbow’s right sat little Taz. Still sporting a black eye and several bruises from when his niece proceeded to whoop his flank for stealing his sister’s cookies. Twilight’s magic held a cold bag of peas to his eye. If it were anyone else, Twilight could have simply healed the bruises with her magic. Sadly, Taz was immune to magic, all magic, even healing spells.

Twilight looked over to Vela. The little filly sat directly across from her between her two parents, Icarus and Aurora. Looking at her face, Twilight could see that the little hippogriff did not have a care in the world. Aurora had been pissed when she learned what her daughter did… she had been until she learned the reason why. While Aurora said she would punish her daughter when they got home, Twilight knew that her punishment would be light, if at all.

Icarus had actually asked Twilight to fix Vela’s bruised claw, bruised from hitting it on her son’s skull.

‘Punished indeed.’ Twilight thought with a smile. She wrote the whole thing off, Vela was her granddaughter, it was not her job to punish Vela's behavior. It was her job to spoil her rotten. Besides, from what she heard of the whole situation Taz deserved every minute of it.

She still wondered why Taz hated Aurora so. However, that was a mystery for another day.

Sitting next to Aurora was Cadance, still as beautiful as she had always been. Twilight did not know how an alicorn like her aged, but if this was any indication, she aged well. Twilight was surprised that Cadance never sought after another mate, another pony to love.

It had been almost two decades since Shining’s death after all. As the Princess of Love, it seemed off for her to go this long without someone special. When Twilight approached the subject Cadance merely winked at her after saying, “Who said it’s been that long? I just haven't found someone I want to be serious with yet.”

Twilight smiled at that, she was sure whatever stallion or mare Cadance had taken in was very lucky, even if he or she had found some way to stay incognito with it. She watched with a smile as Cadance helped Blaze cut his waffles.

Blaze and Flash, those two were a enigma. Twilight had heard of the special connection that twins could share, almost as if they could read each other’s thoughts. Aurora and Dayspring were always close, always looking out for the other, but they did not hold a candle to these two.

It was almost as if they were one pony that inhabited two bodies. Twilight knew the idea was preposterous, her testing even disproved it. Yet… yet she found that the analogy simply fit.

Sadly, with that analogy they each had the intelligence of half a pony. It seemed as if the two could be as dumb as a box of rocks at times, at other times they were smarter than Starlight.

It was a conundrum to say the least.

Flash sat next to his brother, seeking to cut his own waffle without help. Something his mom was all too willing to provide but he took it as a competition, if he could cut his waffle on his own that meant he won, and that Blaze lost because he had to get help. Of course, he was only succeeding at making a huge mess in the process.

For a second, Twilight doubted that even she would be able to get the syrup stains out of the carpet. She did not envy Firestar having to give him a bath after they finished with breakfast.

Next to Firestar sat Luna. The alicorn was rocking young Ana back and forth in her magic while she enjoyed her own breakfast. Twilight did not know the full story of why Ataxia was not here, but she did not doubt that it was her own fault.

Twilight smiled at the next pony over, Starlight was eating her breakfast in peace with her head in a book. She was so much like Twilight was at that age; the only real difference Twilight could see is that Starlight actually had friends at an early age. Had Twilight known, had she suspected just what was missing out on all those years ago. She never would have spent so many days with her head in a book.

Not that she would change her life for anything. This moment, this feeling, she would never give this up. It was everything she could ever want.

Well, almost everything. She sighed as she remembered what day it was.

Shimmering Night sat between Starlight and Twilight. Just like Twilight, Night was looking around at all their friends and family with a smile on her face.

For both mother and daughter today was a day of contrasts. There was so much to be sad about, yet so much to be happy about. Twilight could see it though, that longing on her face. Night was without her special somepony and it hurt.

“Go to her.” Twilight whispered in Night’s ear.

“There’s too much to do.”

“I’ll take care of everything, just go.”

Night looked at her mom. Without even discussing it, she knew, she always knew. Night was missing her wife. Yes she was still mad at her, but it was just not right. It was not right that Ataxia was not by her side. Ataxia may be a big dummy (Starlight’s words) but she was her big dummy. “Thanks.”

Shimmering Night had been holding this back for the last three hours. She had wanted magic to take her to her wife all this time. She just held it in check. Until now. She let that check go and like a damn that burst, the magic of the world sought to fulfill its master’s request.

In a flash, Shimmering Night was gone, she teleported herself to the Crystal Empire.

All the adults and some of the foals at the table gave Twilight a knowing look. They had all seen it, the missing joy in Night’s eyes.

“Wow, she pooped off, didn’t she?” Blaze said with a look of confusion on his face.

“You really are dumb, aren’t you?” Vela added.

“Young lady!” Aurora complained.

“She’s not wrong.” Starlight commented.

“Stay out of it." Flash pointed a syrup-stained hoof at Starlight, who barely managed to raise a shield in time to avoid the inevitable splash of the sticky liquid.

Twilight smiled as the squabbling continued over what was appropriate and what was not during a civilized breakfast.

........................................................................................................

The Crystal Empire

Radiant should have been smiling. This was his third such meeting today and also his last. He had been worried, very, very worried that these would run long, that they would prevent him from being able to join his family.

With Ataxia here, that worry died in a fiery death. The first delegation up and canceled as soon as they saw her. Making an excuse of a last second illness and a promise to reschedule for another day. Radiant almost bought that… almost, If not for the looks of utter disgust they gave Ataxia when they turned to leave.

He had almost forgotten. No, forgotten was the wrong word, he could never forget, not what happen. He had almost put it behind him. They all had, Ataxia was family, she was a friend, and a mother. It was easy for them to see that, they all lived around her after all.

Most ponies did not. Most of them remembered coming back to a destroyed city, one that suffered sixty-seven percent destruction… destruction that destroyed homes, families.

Although no lives were lost, even after all this time the crystal ponies still held Ataxia in contempt for what she did. Some were just better at hiding it than others.

The ponies that Radiant met with today did not bother hiding it at all; they all displayed it openly, as if it was some sort of badge of honor.

Radiant should have been smiling, yet he could not. Seeing the looks of hatred they gave Ataxia as they came in, made their flimsy excuses, and left… it left a sour taste in his mouth.

For her part, Ataxia simply ignored it. If they wanted to act like a bunch of stuck up asses about it that was their prerogative, it did not affect her one way or another.

That is what she told herself anyway. Radiant saw through that clear as day. Becoming a parent, having someone you are responsible for, someone that counts on you. It changes everything.

Radiant knew that first hoof. For years, he thought that being a parent changes you; that it somehow takes away from what you are. That it stops you from doing what you want to do. He saw that lie for what it was now. Radiant now knew that being a parent; bringing a life into the world, it is everything.

It does not change you, it makes you realize what is really important in life. You gain a greater understanding of what matters and what does not. You began to see what you thought was important in a new light. You have someone… someone who counts on you every second of every day. You have someone that loves you, pure and unconditionally, simply because to them you are everything.

It becomes your job, your reasonability to do everything you can to help them succeed. It does not take away anything that you are. It simply adds to it. Yes, it is a lot of responsibility, work, and at times, heartache. However, nothing else in life compares to it.

If he had to list any regret about it, it was that he only had two foals. However, that was nitpicking at best. He had a beautiful wife that loved him, and two great sons, even if they could be a little brain dead at times.

It had changed him, it had changed his wife, and it had changed Ataxia. Sure, she was still the same mare, after all, she did ask her wife for a four way with her sister. So yes, she was still Ataxia in every sense of the word; however, she was also a mom. That was something that she took very seriously.

Radiant could see that side of her now. The looks the others gave, it hurt her, but her internal conflict was causing her the most pain. He did not know if this was Night’s intent when she sent her up here, but he suspected that if it was her intent to hurt Ataxia, it was a job well done.

He would have a talk with Night later. Yes, Ataxia might be dumb and thoughtless at times, but she did not deserve this.

As if thinking about her was enough to will her into existence, Shimmering Night teleported directly between the newly arrived delegation and Prince Radiant Star. She took one look around and said one word, “Leave.”

“What?” The lead pony asked.

“I said get out.” Night replied. “You can reschedule for another day.” She raised her wings in a threatening posture.

“Well I never.” The pompous noble spoke as he turned around to leave.

“You never will with that attitude.” Ataxia added with a smile on her face. She said it loud enough for every pony present to hear it. Including the guards, one of which had to do his best not to break out in laughter.

“Says the monster.”

The mood darkened in the room. Every pony turned to see what Ataxia would do next. Her eyes narrowed, her face darkened. “What was that?” she asked, her voice displaying the rage she felt.

“Go ahead, prove me right.” The noble turned to face her. “Prove everything they say about you, everything they still say about you to be true.”

Just like that, the wind was taken out of her sails. Ataxia could no longer meet the pony's gaze.

“Hmm.” He stuck up his noise and walked away, right into a VERY pissed off Shimmering Night.

“What is your name?” Night asked, she stood up to her full height, looking down at the crystal earth pony.

“I am Cavalier Haughty, at your service, princess.” He gave a very sarcastic bow to the alicorn princess.

“Cavalier, how much land do think you own?”

“The entire northern half o-“

“Err, wrong. Congratulations, all that land has now been re-commissioned for royal use. I’m sure we can put it to good use building a new set of affordable houses for the ponies of the Crystal Empire. Don’t you agree, Radiant?”

Radiant merely nodded his head, this was going to create more problems than he could count, but he would not argue with his cousin’s authority in front of these ponies. That would be far worse.

“And I’m sure your bank account is more than willing to fund the project, isn’t it, Cavalier?”

“You… you can’t do that!”

“You’re right, I can’t. You’re going to do it willingly, aren’t you?”

“I… I… I… I-”

“It’s either that or I haul your flank in for talking to my wife, a Princess of Equestria like that.” Night paused to let that sink in.

“I’m sure if I take your ass to Canterlot and have a very public, VERY LONG trial they would eventually clear you of any wrong doing. Of course, the damage to your reputation will never heal; after all, such things tend to never go away. So what’s it going to be, are you going to suddenly turn philanthropic, or would you like to spend the next year defending what you just said to a member of royalty for all of Equestria to see?”

“I… I… I’ll make the arrangements.” He lowered his head, downcast at this turn of events.

“Good stallion. Oh and by the way. You should know that I’m feeling generous right now, next time I see you I may not be in such a good mood. Make sure there isn’t a next time.”

He walked out, brooding at the loss of most of his family fortune. When he was out of the room, the guards closed the door behind him.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Ataxia was the first to speak up.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Radiant added as he eyed her suspiciously.

Night looked at him first; he could tell that it was a foregone conclusion. As soon as that pony said those words, Night lost it. He was just glad that her anger was not directed at him this time around.

It seemed everyone had to learn the hard way; you do not buck with Shimmering Night’s family.

When Night looked to Ataxia, she jumped on her and pushed the smaller mare to the ground in a surprising tackle that shocked Ataxia and Radiant. Night locked lips with her wife in a long, drawn out kiss. One that she only broke when she ran out of air in her lungs.

“I’m sorry.” Night was the first to say it. “I might have overreacted.” She was not talking about Cavalier.

Ataxia knew better than to try to savor this victory, she just took it as is and ran a hoof through Night’s rainbow mane. Her only reply was to go in for another kiss and another after that. She had put up a brave front, but she would be lying if she said it did not hurt her.

Not these ponies, they could all buck off as far as she was concerned, what hurt was being away from Night this long. Looking up at her now, Ataxia could only find one phrase to fit Night’s eyes. They were definitely ‘bedroom eyes’. “How long until we have to be at Ponyville, SC?” Ataxia asked.

“About two hours.” she had grown used to the nickname over the years.

“Oh, is that all? I guess we’ll have to make every moment count.”

“I guess we will.” Night said with a knowing smile.

“You know I think it’s sexy when you get all defensive like that.” Ataxia said the next part to her cousin, “Radiant, we’re borrowing your bed.” Ataxia left him with a smile as she teleported the two into the master bedroom.

Radiant groaned, they were going to have all the fun and he was left with clean up. The worst part was that seeing those two mares like that had left him with another problem, one that his wife was not around to help with.

“You’re getting it tonight, Firestar.” The prince said with a smile as he walked off to find a place he could be alone.

........................................................................................................

Ponyville

At precisely ten am on the dot, two parties arrived directly in Ponyville. One was a lot larger than the other. In the first party: Twilight, Rainbow, Cadance, Luna, Aurora, and Icarus stretched their legs. Each of them let one eye wonder around the town and the other they kept on their young charges. Taz, Vela, Flash, Blaze, and Starlight all looked around the town in awe. It was not their first time here by any means, but that did not mean they would not enjoy it like it was. Only Ana did not join them, the little filly was still asleep in Luna’s magic bubble.

She stayed like that until a sound from her mom hit her ears. “Oh, is someone still sleepy.” Ataxia cooed softly to her daughter. The mare had been getting better with teleports, even if she still did not like them. Three or four ER visits in the middle of the night had caused her to have a new appreciation for instant transmission.

Those words broke Luna’s sleep spell faster than Twilight thought possible. The little unicorn squirmed and wiggled until Luna had no choice but to release her from her magic. Ana teleported herself from Luna’s side and into her mom’s hooves. “Mom!! You weren’t there!” she cried out.

“I know; I’m sorry about that. But I’m here now, all for you.” Ataxia said to her daughter.

“You won’t leave me?”

“Never.”

“I… I… I’m hungry.” Her voice was muffled as she stuck her face into her mom’s coat.

“Let get you something to eat, then you can join your friends. Ok?”

“Ok.” Ana said softly.

Ataxia started to walk towards a local food store; all the while she carried her daughter in one of her hooves. Night had to admit, Ataxia was getting good at walking with only three hooves. Memories of the months Rainbow spent with three hooves came back to her mind.

Twilight watched them go as she walked up to her daughter. “So I see you two took a shower.” she said with a knowing smile.

“Apparently we weren’t the only ones that needed it.” Night gestured a hoof, every single pony there was freshly bathed.

“There was an incident involving syrup, orange juice, and a rubber chicken after you left. Don’t ask.”

Night laughed at that. “Then I won’t.” before either of them could say another word, Taz ran up to his mom.

“Can we go play?” He asked with puppy dog eyes. While they might not work on Rainbow, he found that they had moderate success on Twilight over the years.

“Sure, take your friends and go have fun.” Twilight said with a smile. What they were doing, what they were here for, it did not need the kids involved. This was a moment for solidarity.

Shimmering Night asked her mom a question that she had been eager to know, "How did you get him here anyway?"

"Taz?" Twilight questioned, Night just nodded. "Oh, instead of teleporting, I just connected the two points in spacetime to form a bridge, we just walked across."

Night's jaw dropped, "You can do that?"

"Sure, I can teach you if you want."

She glanced over to Ataxia, "Sure, that might come in useful."

Twilight smiled at Night as Radiant walked up to his wife and kissed her on the lips. “Afternoon idiot.” She said with a grin.

“Afternoon sexy.” Radiant said back with a smile.

“Get a room you two.” Aurora teased as Icarus pressed up closer to her. He wasted no time at all swooping her up for a kiss himself.

Shimmering Night looked back at Ataxia with her patented 'Don't even think about it look'. Ataxia sat back on her haunches, nonchalantly.

Twilight smiled as Rainbow wrapped a wing around her, it was not a good day by any means, but that did not mean she would not have some great memories.

"You ok, Sparklebutt?" Rainbow asked her wife.

"I will be, once this is over." Twilight said, as they all moved towards the marker.

.......................................

Taz smiled as he chased after his friends. Above him Blaze, Flash, and Vela flew loops around each other; however, even they were outpaced by the sisters. Starlight had been with them the entire time, but Ataxia dropped of Ana after she got her something to eat.

For the six foals, it was all fun and games at that point. Well… for almost all of them.

“Tag, you’re it!” Blaze yelled as he tagged Ana on the back of her head.

She smiled at the young pegasus, with a quick teleport she brought Flash down to her level and jumped on him. “Tag!”

“Hey, no fair!”

“All’s far in love and war.” She sniggered at him before teleporting herself away.

Flash looked around for his next victim, his eyes lingered on Taz before deciding that it would simply be too easy. He spotted Vela hiding behind a tree and flew after her.

Taz glared at him. “Hey, what was that about?!”

Starlight walked up to him. “You’re too easy a target.”

“What?”

“You can’t fly, you can’t teleport, and therefore you’re not a challenge.” She said matter-of-factly. “If he tagged you, you could never hope to catch any of us. Remember last time? You were 'it' for the whole game.”

“I… I… I was not!”

Blaze flew down, “Yeah, you kinda were. You’re just an earth pony, Taz. Maybe you should sit this one out?” He was not trying to be mean, but facts were facts.

“Fine!” Taz yelled out. The anger in his voice was palpable as all his friends turned against them. Needless to say, it stopped the game dead in its tracts. “If you all don’t want to play with me, I’ll go do something else!”

Vela, Ana, and Flash flew down. “Taz, it’s not like that!” Ana tried to reason with him.

Taz was not listening, he turned around and ran as fast as his legs could take him.

“Should I go get him back?” Ana asked the group.

“No, let the baby run off his tantrum, if he can’t handle the truth that’s his problem.” Vela said coldly.

“That’s mean, Vela.” Starlight said. She had not meant to upset Taz when she spoke to him, to her all she did was state the facts as she saw him. However, Vela’s comment was spiteful to say the least.

“Is it wrong?” Vela asked her.

“… No.” Starlight could not find fault with it, per se.

“I believe you’re still ‘it’.” They all looked at Flash.

“Oh, yeah.” He said as he pounced on Blaze. Earing a muffled “Hey!” and the inevitable “No tag backs!” As he took to the air.

They all returned to the game, all but one. Ana could not stop looking in the direction Taz ran to.

“Taz.”

…………

“Stupid friends!” Taz yelled to himself as he ran. He had no idea where he was going, but that did not really matter to him. He just wanted to get away from all those who he thought were his friends. Truly, he might have to rethink his definition of the word after today.

“Hey kid, where you going?” A soothing female voice called out from his left.

Taz stopped running, he paused for a minute to wipe the tears from his eyes. Tears he had not been aware he shed until now. “Away,” he said to her.

She was a pegasus filly, no more than two years older than Taz. Her coat was the darkest blue with black spots all over it. Her mane and tail were sky-blue, with matching eyes. She, like the rest of them, had yet to get her cutie mark.

When she spoke it carried with it a tone that said she had seen much more than her age let on. She spoke with the conviction and wisdom of someone much, much older. It made her easy to listen too.

“Well, the problem with running 'away' is that you always end up somewhere. So you might want to have a goal in mind.”

“I guess.” Taz was in no mood for mental mind games. He got enough of those from Starlight.

“So what are you running away from?” The filly rolled on her back, using the dirt to scratch at an inch as she looked at the young stallion.

“My friends.” Taz admitted. “They... they wouldn’t let me play with them.”

“Oh?” The filly stopped scratching and rolled over to her stomach. She got up and started walking around him. It was unnerving to Taz, he did not know what she wanted but she seemed to be looking for something, something specific. “Nothing looks wrong with you, why wouldn’t they let you play?”

“That’s none of your business,” Taz pulled back defensively. “I’m not going to tell some filly whose name I don’t even know.”

She jerked her head back. “Oh, my name's Nighttide. What’s yours?

“Taz.”

“Nice to meet you Taz. So tell me, what happened?”

“They... they started playing tag, but because I’m an earth pony they wont let me play with them.” Taz did not know why, but he simply felt like he could trust this filly. “They… they said that I was too easy to catch and that if they tagged me it would ruin the game.”

“Oh, I take it your friends are all pegasi and unicorns?” Taz sniffled as he nodded to her question.

“I see, that can be tough. It’s difficult for earth ponies to use their magi-“

“I don’t have any… magic I mean.”

She paused and looked at him, a confused expression on her face. “All ponies have some magic, Taz. Surely you know that much.”

“Not me, my mom says I’m a blank. That I don’t have any.”

“What do you mean?”

“Magic can’t effect me, I can’t be targeted with magic at all, I can even cancel out the magic of those near me. However, mom said not to do that.” Memories of the lessons Twilight and he would have came back to mind. “That I shouldn’t cancel out other pony's magic, ‘cause it makes them who they are.”

“That sounds dumb,” Nighttide said with a smile as she sat in front of him.

“What?” Taz had heard his mom’s advice called many things, but dumb was not one of them.

“Well, think about it. Pegasi are defined by their wings right?” Taz nodded, “It’s their special ability, the ability to fly. A unicorn is a unicorn because of their horn, their ability to use magic, its who they are.” Nighttide paused before continuing.

“You… your ability, it's special. You can take away the magic of others.” She said with a smile on her face. “No one else can do that. It’s part of who you are. For you not to be able to use that, while everyone else gets to use everything they have? Well, that doesn't sound fair to me. You’re the one playing with a handicap, not them Taz. Why don’t you go back and show them what you can do, let them know the real you. I think you will surprise them all.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks Nighttide!” Taz yelled as he turned around and ran back to his friends.

“Anytime Taz.” Nighttide said with a devious smile on her face. When Taz was well and truly out of sight the little filly faded into the shadows as though she were never there.

……………

Vela tried three times to tag Starlight. Each and ever time she would fly at her from a different angle, using a different approach vector. It was all for naught. Every attempt she made was blocked by a force field.

“You know, you kinda take the fun out of the game.”

Starlight merely looked up and blew her a raspberry. The young filly had simply protected herself with in a magical sphere and spent the time soaking in some of Twilight’s sun. Of the five of them she was the only one that had yet to be ‘it’.

“Taz?” Ana said aloud. She had been keeping one eye open for his return. It caused her to get tagged more often then she liked, but she still felt bad about what they all said to him.

Every set of eyes turned to him. The three flyers landed on the ground. “Did you get that tantrum out yet?” Vela snickered at him.

Starlight broke her bubble and slapped Vela in the face with her tail when she walked by. “I didn’t mean to be mean, Taz.”

“I know,” he said. “And I see your point. But I think I do want to play nevertheless. I’ll even be 'it'.” There was something in his tone, something that was off.

“Taz….” Ana tried to say something, however, nothing would come out.

“So the games over then?” Blaze said. “Yep, he’ll be it until our parents get here.” Flash finished.

“Oh, not this time. I’ll only be it for five Celestia.” Taz stated it like it was a fact.

“What?” Vela said. “This I’d like to see.”

“One Celestia.” Taz began counting.

“Taz are you sure about this?” Ana asked with concern emanating from her voice.

“Two Celestia.” At that everyone took off, Blaze and Flash flew straight up in the air. Vela took off to the left, if the idiot wanted to make a fool of himself she would find a nice place to watch from the top of a tree. Ana and Starlight each teleported away, Ana a little later then Starlight. She was unsure just what Taz had planned.

“Three Celestia.” Taz shut his eyes, looking deep within himself he preceded to look for what he had hidden, what his mom taught him how to control. Just like in practice, he found it with ease. When he opened his eyes they were pitch black. He smiled as he said the next words, “Four Celestia.”

His inherent ability shown like a bubble. It started at him and expanded exponentially in every direction. It dissipated when it encompassed all five of his friends. The effect was instantaneous. Ana and Starlight both found themselves cut off from their magic, regardless what they tried, what they did, even the most basic spell was beyond their reach.

Vela, Blaze, and Flash all found themselves suddenly unable to fly. For Vela this left her with a mouthful of dirt as she suddenly crashed into the ground.

For Blaze and Flash, both of which were a lot higher in the sky, the effects were much, much worse. They crashed into the ground with the force of a meteorite.

For Ana, the only thing worse than their screams, was the silence that followed. Starlight, Vela, and Ana ran up to where they fell. None of the three had gotten that far away.

The twins lay right next to each other, their back legs and wings bent at an impossible angle.

“Tag. Five Celestia.” Taz said as he tapped Starlight on the flank.

“Taz, what did you do?” Vela looked down to the twins and then back at him.

Taz looked down at his cousins. The horror of what he did finally made itself known. “I… I….”

Starlight sought to do what she could for them, although without her magic there was not much she could do.

“You what?!” Ana jumped on him, seeking to get some answers. “It was just some stupid game! Why... why did you do this?!”

He did not know what hurt more: The tone in her voice, the tears in her eyes, or the fact that he was the cause of it. For the second time that day, Taz turned and ran away from those he called friends. Although, this time it was for a very different reason.

The Choices we Make

Ponyville

When Ataxia caught up, the party rounded the bend and started up the hill. Every step Twilight took felt like it weighed a ton. Every hoof-fall like the longest she ever took. Every year it was the same, yet worse. That was the truth of it, the one thing no one ever tells you; it never gets any easier.

You just… you learn to deal.

Twilight reflected on this now as she raised her head to look at their destination. It was the one thing she never wanted to see again yet kept coming back to. The writing was the first thing she made out. It came back to her as if it had simply been yesterday since she had it made.

In loving memory of Dayspring Gleam
Beloved son and brother
The light that shines twice as bright burns half as long

It is so hard… so hard to bury a child.

Not one of them said a word as they walked up the hill. This was not the time for idle chatter or conversation. This was a time for mourning, for reflecting on what was lost, and who was no longer with them.

The tears started next, to Twilight’s surprise they were not her tears, but Rainbow’s. Rainbow and Dayspring had never been close, never as close as she had been with Aurora, but that changed nothing. Rainbow was Dayspring’s birth mother. However close Twilight and Dayspring grew over the years, Rainbow always had that connection with her son.

Twilight wrapped a wing around her wife and cooed softly into her ear. It did not help; Rainbow broke down in tears at the loss of her son. The strong, arrogant, proud mare persona she normally wore was gone. Such things did not matter at a time like this.

Eight years ago today Dayspring gave his life to save his sister, eight years since he made that ultimate sacrifice to save the one he loved more than anything else in this world. So much had happened, but at a time like this, those eight years might as well have not happened. It felt like only yesterday.

Everypony present simply remembered the unicorn that they came here to honor. The little ball of fur that studied every chance he got. The one that would bend over backwards to help everyone he could. He was so talented, so gifted. Even becoming the youngest headmaster for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

It was a shame that he had been taken from them so early, he would never know his brother, his nieces, or nephews, or the joy that came from watching his family achieve everything that they were capable of.

“I’ll start it.” Aurora was the first to speak, her face matted from the tears she shed in her husband’s coat.

It was the same every year; there was no need for her to say it as they all expected it by now. As Dayspring’s twin sister, Aurora always started these things.

“Day. I owe… I owe....” Her tears got in the way of starting the speech. Icarus ran to her side, offering whatever support he could to help his wife. He had never personally known his brother-in-law, but he knew enough. He owed him everything.

“Day… thank you. You big idiot. Thank you for everything. I have a husband, a family, and a title all because of what you did for me. Because… because deep down you saw all that I could become, and despite everything you’ve done over the years you valued my life more than your own. I… I… I strive to live up to that, every day I strive to do your sacrifice justice. I know you wouldn’t want me to, but I always ask myself if I’m living my life enough for the two of us. “

She paused to place a hoof on the marker, it was not his grave marker, as they never found his body, but it was the official marker for the family. “I think I am. I think if you could see me now, you would be proud of me, that you would know that your sacrifice meant something. I want to tell you with everyone else. Actually we both want to tell you all.” She paused to look at everyone. “I’m going to be a mom again.” Aurora managed a smile at that announcement.

Every head looked towards her and Icarus. He stood by his wife, pride in his eyes. “It’s a stallion, and we’re going to name him Dayspring. After the uncle he’ll never know.”

The cheering provided much needed relief from the gloom. Unfortunately, when it was over, it was Twilight’s job to kill it. Her and Rainbow took Aurora's place next to the marker. “Dayspring, whenever I think back to us, I always remember the hours we use to spend studying. How it was your favorite hobby to just crack open a new book and see what it contained. I never told you this but I would spend hours just watching your face as you learned something new. You would learn so much so quickly. I knew you were always destined for great things.” She paused to wipe a tear from her eye.

“I know you hated when I would ground you from studying, but I only ever did it so you would learn the magic of friendship, so that you would see that there is more to life than what’s in books. It took me a long, long time to learn that lesson. I’m glad I could pass it down to you, and when you… when you….”

Rainbow wrapped her wife up in a wing. “When it mattered, and you had to face that unthinkable decision. You did what you thought was best. You made the call your heart wanted you to make. I’m proud of you son. I always have been and… and I always will be.”

Rainbow held her tightly as she begun to speak. “You were my son, first and foremost that makes you twenty percent cooler than any other pony I’ve ever met. I want you to know, I’ve always kept a place for you in my heart. While I’ve never understood half of what you would do, I’ve always been proud of you. You succeeded at everything you’ve ever tried. I know you’ll never get to meet him, but your brother is quite the troublemaker. I know you two would have gotten along swimmingly… well, after working out a few bumps.” Rainbow laughed a little at her own joke.

“I just want you to know that we all love you, that I love you. I always have, I know I didn’t say it enough but it’s still true. I love you and I miss you, son.” She placed a hoof on the marker and then proceeded to lead Twilight back to the group.

Shimmering Night and Ataxia walked up next. “Hey big brother, I just want to say hi. I know It's been a while since the last time we talked, sorry about that. I was occupied last year and couldn’t make it. I want you to know, it’s coming easier now; the whole Demigoddess of Magic thing. I know if you were still around you would want to run a million tests with me, but since we can’t do that I've… I’ve been doing it for you.” She paused to catch her breath.

“It’s simple really, looking back I’m amazed I didn't catch on before. All I have to do is focus on something, will it to happen and it happens. Well… it sounds simple in theory. Let’s just say I’ve a lot to learn about the way things work before I get into any of the really advanced stuff. I wish… I wish you were here to help. I miss you, BBBFF.” Ataxia lead her wife down to the group. Radiant and his wife Firestar replaced the two.

“Hey Dayspring. I’ll always have you to thank for helping me become the stallion I am today. You were the one who helped me learn how to conjure blades after all. You helped me find my special talent. Because of that I… I found the love of my life. I know if you got to see her now you’d be totally jealous too.” Radiant laughed at that, Firestar kneed him in the gut.

“Anyway, I want you to know that I miss our time together. Learning and coming up with new cockamamie spells was so much fun, even if most of them did backfire on us. I can’t believe it took six months to grow back my fur that one time.” Firestar looked at Cadance at that comment. The alicorn just smiled a knowing smile that said, ‘I’ll show you the pictures when we get home’.

“We all miss you Dayspring. I’ll see you on the other side, friend.”

Luna and Cadance both replaced Radiant and his wife. As one, they each went to a different side of the monument. Touching horns with a corner they spoke in union: “You are in our hearts and minds; know that the love of a family is never ending. Death itself cannot hope to sunder what love has built. The stars themselves will always tell of such love.”

From each of their horns, magic energy came forth. Cadance created a large pink heart, Luna a small constellation of stars that took the form of a unicorn stallion. The different magical energies danced around each other until the constellation finally settled in the center of the heart. As one, it rose into the sky.

Despite the sun still being out, a certain pattern of stars emerged in the night sky. Empowered as they were by the alicorn magic of the two princesses, they shone brightly. The heart and unicorn lined up perfectly with those stars. The tip of the unicorn’s horn was the very same star that Twilight created defeating the reaper. The end of the unicorn’s tail was the star created by Shimmering Night during her battle with Ataxia.

It slowly faded into the sky. Its light superseded by the sun’s.

“Thank you.” Twilight managed between sniffles.

Luna shook her head. “No thanks are necessary.”

“MOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!” A cry came from down the hill, stealing the attention away from everyone present as a very familiar; very panicking voice was heard crying out.

“Vela, what’s wrong?” Aurora turned to her daughter with fear in her heart. It was a rare day to hear such a cry coming from the young hippogriff.

“Taz he… he… he hurt the twins! You gotta go help!”

“Twi!” Rainbow turned to her wife.

“On it.” Twilight shut her eyes tightly and reached out with her magic senses. She searched around, feeling out the area for where the boys could be. It only took her a moment to locate them; a moment was far more than she needed to know that there was something seriously wrong with them. Wrapping her wife in a wing she teleported them both to the twin’s location.

………………………………………………

Taz ran, he ran as fast and as far as he could. Unlike before, this was not the run of someone in anguish over being hurt; this was the run of someone who was trying to run from someone they hurt. A subtle difference, but one that makes all the difference in the world.

His hooves carried him without being able to see; too many tears were in his eyes at the thought of what he did, that he might have killed his cousins. It was too much for his five-year-old mind to take. He just knew he wanted to run, he wanted to get far, far away where he could never hurt anyone ever again.

His body carried out the wishes of his mind. He ran; he ran as fast as he could away from the crime of what he did.

He ran right into a unicorn.

“Hey, what’s the hurry?”

“Leave me alone!” Taz cried, as he got back to his feet, ready to take off in a different direction.

“Hang on there kid, what’s going on?” The unicorn surrounded the young colt in a magic bubble and tried to lift him in the air. The bubble did nothing as Taz simply tried to squirm away. Only to find himself locked in a set of hooves. “That’s a neat trick there kid, not too many ponies can break one of my spells.”

Thoughts of what he did came back to his mind. The will to run left him; instead, he just started sobbing, right into a yellow coat. The older unicorn simply let him. Slowly, he ran a hoof down Taz’s back. Allowing the young colt to get it out of his system.

When enough time had passed, he asked the question, “You want to talk about it?”

“No.” Taz sniffled.

“No, huh? Well, let me guess then. Were some kids mean to you?”

Taz shook his head no.

“Hmm, that’s not it. Was someone trying to hurt you?”

Again, Taz shook his head no.

“Did someone get hurt?”

Taz paused before nodding.

“Let me guess, you hurt someone didn’t you?” There was no judgment in the stallion’s voice. His kind blue eyes spoke only of compassion, of trying to understand.

“Uh hu.”

He sat the little colt down. “I need to know, are they badly hurt?”

“I… I don’t know.” Taz admitted.

“Are they alone right now? Is there someone with them?”

“Yes. My… my friends are there.”

He sighed, “Okay. So, that’s why you were running away. You feel pretty bad about it, don’t you?”

“Yes, I… I…” Taz tried to find the words; they seemed as elusive as everything else was at that moment.

The stallion looked around the woods. Focusing his magic in the direction the young earth pony came from, his face went from concern to a grin in ten seconds flat. He swept the young colt up onto his back. “Let’s go back to my place; I’ll make you some tea.”

“Yuck, I hate tea.”

The stallion laughed. “I did too when I was younger, it grows on you though. Tell you what, I’ll make you some juice instead.”

“Ok…” Taz mumbled.

The walk through the woods was rather uneventful. Taz looked around as he finally took in his bearings; he knew this was the Everfree Forest. It had grown back stronger and wilder after its destruction almost a decade ago. Briefly he wondered where they could possibly be going and for that matter, who this stallion was.

“Who are you?” Taz asked bluntly as he rode on the stallion’s back. A brown coat covered most of the stallion’s features, including his cutie mark. However, Taz could see his yellow muzzle sticking out the front of the cloak.

“Oh, where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself. My name’s Sunshine Spring. What’s yours little one?”

“Taz.”

“Taz, that’s an unusual name, fitting though.” Sunshine laughed.

“Where… where are we going?”

“I’m staying in a cottage in the woods, it’s not much but it’s been my home for the past few years.” Sunshine smiled.

Taz did not really feel much like speaking after that. He simply looked around, enjoying the impromptu ride on the unicorn’s back. The two quickly came across the strangest tree Taz had ever seen, one with a door in it.

“That’s yours?” Taz asked, unsure just how a pony could live in a tree.

“Well, it actually belonged to an old friend of mine, a zebra if you can believe it, but she’s gone now. I’m just taking care of it while I stay here. It was a small miracle that it survived the destruction of the forest.”

“Is she coming back?”

Sunshine sighed, “No. She went to a place you don’t come back from. At least you shouldn’t come back from.” He added the last part under his breath.

When they entered the house, Taz found himself intrigued by all manner of strange objects on the wall. Sunshine smiled as he watched the little colt’s overactive mind look over the decorations that still hung up. Strange mystic objects from all over the land.

He quickly went to work making the little colt some juice, while he had not been expecting company, that did not mean he was unprepared. He soon sat down at the table, two glasses magically placed before him. “Thirsty champ?” Sunshine asked.

Taz put a strange mask back on the wall, after the third attempt to get it to hang right, Sunshine magically helped him find the nail. “Thanks.” He said with a sly grin. Taz went and joined his host at the table.

“Mmm, this is good!”

“I added a little something to it, I figured you’d like it a bit sweeter.”

Taz finished the glass in one go, he placed it down with a frown. “Can I ask a question?”

Sunshine smiled, “You just did, but I’ll let you ask two questions.”

“Funny. Why are you being so nice to me?” Taz looked him dead in the eye.

Sunshine sit back. “Well, I know what it’s like to be in your situation. I figured I might be able to help you.”

“Help me how?”

“Let me ask you a question first. Where were you heading when you bumped into me?”

“I don’t know, away.”

“Away from those you hurt?”

“Yes.” Taz looked down at the empty glass. “They won’t want to be around me anymore.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I hurt them.” Taz looked up at him; it was a strange question to ask, as the answer should have been obvious.

“You think they will judge you for it. That you can’t face them anymore because they will shun you?”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“You’re worried it might have changed you?” Sunshine asked; a serious expression on his face.

“What?” Taz did not understand.

Sunshine shook his head and smiled. “Tell me what happened.”

Taz found himself recanting the entire tale, from beginning to end. He did not understand why, but something about this stallion just felt familiar. Talking to him was easy, like talking to Night. The words just came.

Sunshine nodded throughout it all. He heard Taz recount the teasing he received by his friends with a frown on his face. Yet, it was when he mentioned Nighttide, and what that filly had said to him that he found his interest peaked.

The story quickly wrapped up after that.

“So you have a very special talent there, don’t you?” Sunshine asked.

“I hate it.” Taz started crying again. “I’m not normal; I can only hurt ponies with it. My mum, she… she told me not to use it like that, I did anyway and now my friends….” He could not bring himself to say the last part.

“Your friends are fine, Taz.” Sunshine said.

It was the small ray of hope that the little colt needed. “Really?”

“Yes, I felt their energy before we came here. Someone got to them already and started healing them. They should be fine by now.”

Taz ran around the table and hugged Sunshine for all his worth. “Oh thank Luna!” He shouted. “But… but, they won’t want to be around me anymore, will they?”

“Why would you say that?” he pulled back, looking the colt in the eye.

"'Cause they know what I did, and I hurt them.”

Sunshine smiled. “Now we get to the root of the problem. You think this one action defines you, that everyone will judge you for it?”

Taz nodded.

“Taz, understand something, It’s not your mistakes that define you, it’s not your family that define you, or even your friends. It is the choices you make that define you. You made a mistake, you got some bad advice and did something dumb. We all do it from time to time, go back, admit your mistake, apologize, and I promise you nopony will hold it against you.”

“Really?”

“It’s a pinkie promise.” Sunshine smiled. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

The smile on Taz’s face was enough to know that he had gotten through to the young stallion. Taz hugged him again and moved to the door, ready to go rejoin his friends. He paused before leaving.

“What’s wrong?” Sunshine asked.

“Can we… can we talk some more, if I need to that is?”

“Sure, but only you, okay? You have to keep our chats a secret. Promise me that and you can come see me whenever you want.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Taz ran his hoof through the age-old motion. “Thanks Sunshine!” Taz ran off, back to his friends and family.

“Anytime Taz!” Sunshine shouted. “Good luck, little brother.” He said the last part to himself.

Sunshine turned around and went to the window; reaching out with his magic, he made sure that his brother’s path home was clear of all dangers. He could already feel his mother in the sky, looking for him. With the slightest amount of effort, he cleared the foliage from one of the trees. Enough that Rainbow would easily spot her son, yet not enough that it would be obvious someone was helping her.

When his magic felt Rainbow swoop up the young colt, Dayspring dropped the glamor spell he had been using. His yellow coat turned light purple, his blue eyes turned green, and his orange mane retook on the rainbow coloring it was known for. It was then he sensed it, he was not alone in the house. “You can come out now.”

The shadows on the back wall collected into something real, something tangible. “How does it feel to be a hypocrite, Dayspring?” Nighttide said with a grin on her face.

“Nighttide, I presume?” Dayspring did not even turn around to look at her.

She laughed a little. “Here I am in the presence of the great Dayspring Gleam, one of the strongest, most powerful unicorns on the planet and he won’t even turn to look at me. I’m hurt.”

“You’ll be a lot worse if you ever talk to my brother like that again.” Dayspring said with a growl.

Nighttide’s smile left her. “You think you’re funny, don’t you? I came to give you a warning, Dayspring. Interference will not be tolerated.” The young filly’s demeanor had changed. Gone was the playful jabs, this was business, this was personal. “The masters have plans for him; they will not tolerate you sticking your muzzle where it doesn’t belong. A pathetic unicorn that can’t even face his past should just disappear like the nothing you are.”

Dayspring turned around; the cloak around his body blew off in a wave of magic. “You will fail creature. You and your masters will fail in whatever you have planned. I’ll make sure of that.” The magic energy in the house became palpable, corporeal.

Nighttide was not impressed. She merely sat back on her hunches and chuckled. “That’s the best you can do? Please, I expected so much more from the great Dayspring. Heed my warning, coward. Do not interfere again; else we might have to let your mommies know that you’re still alive.”

Her laughter echoed in the room for several seconds after she faded back in the shadows. “Maybe if you weren’t such a coward you could actually follow your own advice, such a shame.” Her final words stayed with him, the truth has a way of penetrating you to your core.

He turned around from where the filly used to be and looked out the window. Banging his head against it, he sighed. “I am a coward, aren’t I?”

For the millionth time, Dayspring considered going back, of teleporting back to his mom’s side. In his mind’s eye he saw: His mom and mother running up and wrapping him in a hug. His twin sister crying her eyes out at his sudden return from the dead. His younger sister squeezing him for all her worth.

Then he heard the questions, them asking what happened, how he is back, and why… why he did not immediately come back.

The longer he was away, the harder it was to go back. The harder it was to go back, the longer he would be away, and he had been away for so long now.

“I can’t, I’m such a hypocrite.” Dayspring cried as he said those words, his tears falling freely from his eyes.

He would not leave, not with that thing out there. He would stay; he would watch over and protect his family, just as he saved the twins from breaking their necks. He would do it all from the shadows. They would never know, they could never know.

If this creature, if this thing revealed him, he... he would just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.

………………

Rainbow saw the black colt through a break in the foliage. Without slowing down, she zoomed below and swooped him up and onto her back. Taz blink his eyes clear. “What?”

“There you are; you know how worried you had us all?” Rainbow looked back at her son. “You had us all so scared, Taz.”

“I’m sorry.” Taz hung on to his mom’s back while smashing his face against her fur. Rainbow looped around, dropping and catching the colt in less than a second. She held him close to her breast. “Hey, it’s ok, I’m just glad you’re not hurt is all.” she let him cry into her chest as she held him close.

“Are they... are they mad at me?” Taz asked through his sniffles.

Rainbow lightly patted his mane while kissing him on the forehead. “No, they’re not mad at you. They’re just worried is all, you ran away.”

“I’m sorry, I need to let them know that. I… I didn’t mean to.”

“I know sweetie, I know. Let’s get you back and you can tell them yourself, okay?”

“Okay.”

Rainbow flew slower this time around. She did not know what happened, Taz was never the type to openly admit he did something wrong. Whatever had happened, it seemed to have shifted something in the young stallion.

Rainbow dropped him off directly in front of the other foals. She went and landed right next to her wife.

“Rainbow, wha-“ Twilight tried to ask, she was cut off by a kiss from the cyan mare.

“Just watch.” Rainbow said with a smile.

Taz looked around, noting that every set of eyes was watching him. He looked for the two that he had hurt. Blaze and Flash were sitting next to their parents; Firestar seemed to refuse to let Blaze go.

“Hey guys.” Taz said timidly as he walked up to them.

Flash replied, “What do you want?” He looked away from Taz and jumped into his dad’s lap.

Part of Taz was relieved that they were ok, Twilight’s magic never failed to work wonders. “I just… I just want to say, I’m sorry.”

All the eyes watching him went wide at that. It was the first time many of them had ever heard him apologize. “I’m sorry I hurt you, I didn’t mean to. I… I understand if you don’t want to be my friends anymore though.” Taz looked at the grass when he said that.

Firestar let Blaze go. He jumped on the ground. “Who said we don’t want to be your friends anymore?”

“Yeah, it was just a stupid game.” Flash added.

“Really?” Taz looked up, despite what Sunshine had said; he expected this to go a lot worse.

“I tell you what, since you can’t use your talent…” Blaze started

“… We won’t use ours either!” Flash finished.

“Wait, you mean?”

Blaze and Flash spoke as one, “Yep, no wings.”

“And no magic.” Starlight added.

Taz turned around, seeing the grin on her face. “Thanks guys.” He said with tears in his eyes.

Ana ran up from behind and hugged him for all his worth. “I’m so glad you're back!” she shouted.

“I guess.” Vela said as she flew over. “Although I do believe your still it, Starlight.” She said with a smile.

“Oh yeah.” Starlight said with a small grin on her face.

“Uh oh!” The rest shouted, as they took off running in every direction imaginable.

“Let’s see if I can tag someone in less than five Celestia.”

The adults watched as all the kids started running around again. Not one time did they spread their wings or use their magic. Yet they all had more fun than they could ever remember.

Rainbow kissed her wife on the cheek. Twilight nuzzled her back.

The day might be in memory of a horrible loss, but watching the next generation run around, Twilight actually found herself smiling.

“Thank you, Rainbow.”

“For what?”

“Everything.”

……………………………………………

????????????????????????????????

Nighttide approached with her head held low. It was not her fault, but she failed. The blame squarely rested with her now. There was no way out of it.

“Ahh, she’s just so cute. Don’t you want to eat her up?” The condensing voice came from her right. It spoke with a tone that was all too sure of itself. From a being with its head stuck so far up its own ass it could only spew bullshit out of its mouth.

“Silence, Timespire.” The lead voice spoke. “I want to hear what she has to report.”

Nighttide did not look up, she had failed and she knew it. The only way she could make it worse is by trying to deny it. “He’s back with his family. I’m sorry, I failed.”

“Look at me.”

She looked up at the only other being actully in the room. The other two only appeared as dark magic energy, their forms occupied at other spots around the world. A large red unicorn sat on the throne, his black eyes pierced her very soul. Green dragon spikes cut down his head and back. “Tell me, tell me everything.”

Nighttide proceeded to recount everything, everything that happened. Paying close attention to Dayspring’s interference, and the warning she left him with.

“That’s it, that’s all you did?!” A voice spoke up from her left. Nighttide cringed upon hearing that voice.

“It’s all I could do! I don’t have my full power right now!” She turned and yelled at him.

“Oh, you made the baby mad, Mindsink.” Timespire added.

“Silence brothers. This changes things, but not necessarily in a bad way.”

“What do you mean?” they both turned to him.

“We can work with this. This is not Nighttide’s fault; she couldn’t have known that Dayspring would interfere.”

“She should have killed him.” Mindsink commented.

Nighttide turned back to the unicorn in charge, the red unicorn sat there, smiling at her. “I’ll do it, just change me back, I can’t stand being in this young body!”

He grinned at her, “No.”

“But you said!”

“That was before, times change Nighttide. I need you to go to him, befriend him, make him love you.”

“He’s five!” Nighttide yelled out.

“And you’re seven.” Timespire added.

Nighttide turned to him. “Only because of you!”

“Oh, I’m sorry; would you like to be two? We can all take turns changing your diapers. Wiping poop from your little rump.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Nighttide said with a snarl.

“Enough,” the older brother said. “Nighttide, you know what’s at stake, if you ever want your mother back, you will do as I said.”

Nighttide sighed, “Yes father. I understand.” Her form became insubstantial as she went into the shadows. There was a lot of work to do and little time to get it done.

Timespire chuckled to himself, “You think we can trust her?”

Mindsink added, “Oh, I’d love it if she betrayed us.”

The older brother just looked at his two siblings and smiled. “She’ll do her part; just make sure you’re ready to do yours. After all, who wouldn’t go out of their way for family?”

The laughter that filled the chamber echoed for some time.

Preening is a family affair

Eight years later...

Author's Note

One year, one year ago today I posted my first story. Since then I've made friends, enemies, I've laughed, I've cried, I've criticized, and I've been criticized.

In the end, I believe it's made me a better man for it. I've done something I never thought I would do. I wrote a huge story of my own. I hope you have all enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them. It's been quite a trip and I'm as excited as you are for what comes next.

The next big story might be coming out sooner than later. :rainbowderp:

Feel free to leave your thoughts and ideas below. I'll never turn down a good idea!

Until next time,
Twidashforever!