The Brotherhooves

After a few minutes had passed, Orion entered the cottage kitchen and sat on one of the chair was alongside at a round oak table, and in the same kitchen Meissa was making lunch. Turning around with two bowls levitating beside him, he gives a little smile to see Orion sitting there in the oak table. Then Meissa headed to the table and leave the two bowls there on the table, which it contained a delicious vegetable soup flavored with various spices.

Orion to get his bowl of soup, he looks it askance and then thanked smoothly without see him. Meissa despite seeing Orion sitting there drink his soup normally, he saw something in him that made him uneasy, as if Orion still was concerned despite the small argument between them.

"So ... How's the soup? You like it?" Meissa asked indifferently.

"Yes. It's delicious" he said also indifferently to then let back his bowl on the table half-finished.

Moments passed and since Orion left his bowl on the table half-finished, he didn't touch it anymore. Meissa to be finishing his soup, sees Orion didn't touch his soup to finish it, he just was only looking down facing the center of the table without any expression of feeling.

"Are not you going to finish your soup?" Meissa asked.

"No" he said without looking at him, showing no feeling.

Meissa said nothing, he just finished his soup and then while still sitting at the table with his magic grabbed the two bowls and let them alongside the dishwashing. He looked at Orion and sighed to then supporting his chin on his hoof.

"What's wrong Orion?" Meissa asked gently "Tell me the truth, I don't want to see you anymore with that face. I want you to stop worrying... I want you to tell me the truth Orion, please"

Orion didn't detour his gaze from the table to see Meissa, he just remained static sitting there, not even to give a answer to Meissa.

"Orion!" he tried again to get his attention "Orion... I just want to help you, colt"

"I'm... still..." he said softly without giving his sight to Meissa "I'm still... ashamed of not trust you" he finished his sentence and then give his view slowly to Meissa

Meissa sighed, then drew a small smile "Colt. You don't have to feel like that. Everyone makes mistakes. Not for that you'll be so depressed"

"But, still I shouldn't never hesitate" he said softly again, diverting his view aside.

Melissa didn't know what to do to get a steady conversation with him to get him out of his depression. A few minutes passed until Meissa said something.

"Hey ... your sword. Where you get it ?. It's a beautiful sword"

The Orion's ears rose straight and then gave his view slowly to Meissa "That sword is one of the few memories that I have of my father. That sword was given to him when he had joined a battle with his warriors to support to a town called Vanhoover in which it was attacked by other town. When they win the battle, the people of Vanhoover gave that sword as a sign of honor and courage in helping them" he said with a small smile.

"How was the name of your father?"

"Blaze. Blaze Shining Selknam was his full name"

"And your mother?"

My mother was called Silvertree Bellatrix. She was the best mother of all that might have" he said with a small smile of nostalgia.

"Was the best mother that could have?" he asked trying to break the ice.

"Yes ... There was no horse that equaled or exceeded her love and sweetness. She was a very kind, friendly and yet generous mare. She would do anything to make feel happy to other ponies, without matter what. Whether in a past of that same pony did anything wrong against her or against her loved ones, always did her best to get a little smile at all costs"

"And your father and your brother? How were they?"

"My father..." he said with an even bigger smile "My father was an inspiration to follow. He was a unicorn and the leader of the town where we lived, and was also the general who trained the warriors there in a small school. His personality was like my mother. You know what?... it's as if those two were soul mates. I could always rely on him. Anything to keep a secret, asking for help ... he would never betray you

And my brother. My brother was a pegasus, also very generous and friendly, he did everything possible to help others no matter what. But... when he was with me... hmhm... you couldn't imagine the follies and nonsense we did just to prove who was better doing something. With me he was very competitive, but just for fun. And he always when I needed him, he was always there to support me, no matter if it was hard to support me, he did everything that he could just to see me happy"

"How long have that... well..." Meissa said softly, taking a pause without wanting to finish the phrase "you know that they... gone"

"You wouldn't believe me but ... it was a thousand years ago that they gone. But still..." he then looked at Meissa with a small wistful smile "The memory remains"

Meissa for first didn't believe it that a thousand years passed since the last time she saw his parents and his brother, but he knew that the alicorn race can live for thousands of years. Several minutes passed and the kitchen remained in a profound silence, Orion didn't say anything else about his family just accompany the silence, looking sideways.

"Hey... Come with me" Meissa stood up, breaking the silence.

Orion stood up and followed Meissa to out of the cottage. Upon leaving, Meissa directed his way to a path that led into the forest in which Orion was attacked by a lion. Orion didn't hesitate to trust him and then follow him down that path. But after a few minutes passed before reaching the forest, Orion itched curious to know what Meissa wanted to show him.

"Uh... Meissa. Where are we going?" he asked.

"I just want to show you something" Meissa said with a small smile.

Orion for a moment turned to distrust Meissa, since he doubted why they were going into the forest where he had been attacked by a lion days ago. Each time he took his steps, following to Meissa, several thoughts pounded on the Orion's head. "What does he want to showing me now?" he said to himself a bit anguished.

After a few minutes had passed, Meissa and Orion reached the edge of the plains and the forest, and then into the forest. They entered by a small path between the trees, that on reaching the end of it there was a small creek, which it was a little waterfalls and on the banks of the creek had different kinds of beautiful flowers of every color, and on his forehead was a small wood bridge to cross. Orion was shocked to see the beauty of that place, but when raises his view in front of him, from across the creek was a large statue that was shaped like a Pegasus.

"Follow me" Meissa said as he crossed the small bridge.

Orion followed him to the other side of the creek until he stopped at his side in front of the large statue that was carved in the form of a pony. But looking in detail the statue, Orion noticed that it hadn't the figure of a Pegasus, actually it was a bat pony statue. He was surprised to see this statue, but then opens his eyes further notice of who was this statue and then slowly he lower his eyes to the base of it and see carved the name "Giennah".

"This statue... is..." he said softly unable to finish the sentence.

"Yes," Meissa said gently without taking his view of the statue "This is the tomb of Giennah, my only friend and the only pony by which I felt a great love for her"

Orion said nothing, he just stood there looking at the statue and imagining how was the life Meissa with Giennah. But then Meissa gives a big sigh and then looks at Orion.

"You know... she was everything to me" he said in a soft voice again "She was the only one who understood my madness, my thoughts, my dreams... she was always with me no matter how great my dream to follow, she always stood by me and supporting me...

When she saw me sad or discouraged, she did her best to get me even a small smile" whenever Meissa advanced telling how was Giennah, his voice became brittle and his eyes began to slowly generate small tears

"This same creek... was where we spent most nights watching the starry sky and telling different stories. It was his favorite place" Meissa said as he dried his tears, then slowly drawing a weak smile.

They remained in silence for several minutes observing the statue from the tomb of Giennah. There It could be hear the sound of water running in the creek, the beautiful singing of birds together, making an orchestra and various types of insects that together composing a beautiful symphony.

"Tell me the truth Meissa" Orion said breaking the silence, without taking off his eyes off the statue. "Who were those who killed Giennah?"

Meissa's heart was stopped cold by merely remembering who they were. He said nothing, he continued remaining in silent for several moments with his eyes downcast. Orion getting no response decided to forget what he had said.

"The... the ones who killed Giennah... were one bounty hunter" he mused.

"Bounty hunter?" he was surprised, then giving a pause "But... who commanded those bounty hunters?"

"I don't know," he turned to whisper. "I never knew who sent them here to kill Giennah, but I searched each of the three bounty hunters and I made them pay what they did with a slow and painful death" Meissa said at the end with more anger and clenching his teeth against each other tightly.

The atmosphere became more and more silent and sad  while Meissa was advancing with the story of Giennah. Several minutes passed in silence there and without looking at their faces, just watching the statue and listening to soothing sounds of nature.

"Listen. I'll tell you something Orion" Meissa said breaking the silence between them "I know you lost your brother because to defend you for being alicorn in his time, but I think what you're doing is wrong. Your brother wouldn't have wanted you to go from side to side, traveling all over the world to find home, hiding from other ponies.

He wouldn't have wanted that, I think he would have wanted that despite all your fears, that you face them, that you will face your fears with other ponies"

Orion just remained in silence, with his eyes downcast as he with his hooves digging a bit on the floor.

"I know that I told you this before, but you have to trust me Orion. I want to help you overcome your fear. I do not care if I have to risk everything to make you happy again Orion, you are one of the reasons to help you, that you can return to a normal life and not have to be hiding anymore" he approached to Orion, then he put his hoof on the Orion's shoulder "I wouldn't mind risking my life to help  you, Orion, to me you're a pony that worth risking everything to see you happy. No matter what situation you are, I'll help you"

"Wait. Those words... are very similar to those of..." he said to himself.

(Flashback Time)

"Come on Orion! concentrate. Feel the sword like an extension of you, as our father said" Markab said as he  was sitting on a rock beside the river, watching to Orion.

They were training in the river that was near the town Tall Tale. The day was sunny and a hot sweltering causing that Orion sweat like never to be training his swordspony movements, in which his father Blaze had taught him

Suddenly before a false move, Orion fell to the ground on his back. Markab stands to see if Orion was fine, as it was a hard fall.

"Hey!. Are you okay?" Markab asked worriedly.

"Yes. I'm fine" Orion said not happy, then be sitting on the floor.

"Hmhm. You have to feel the sword as an extension of you, not as a subject in your hooves" Markab tried to encourage Orion.

"Who cares?" he said in an act of bitterness "I'll never be a warrior like our father, or even able to do things that you make"

Orion hid his head between his front hooves forming a fetal position while seated

"Hey!. Don't say that. Of course you will be a good warrior Orion" Markab tried to encourage him

"I never will be. Each day I trains hard to be a good swordspony as my father, but I always fail" he said bitterly, undiscovered his head.

"Listen. There are times in which you reach for your goals you'll fall, but what very few make it up to move forward, and never give up until accomplish it" Markab said with a smile.

Orion raised his head and it could be see that he had a few tears of bitterness, and then lowers his ears. "But... I don't know if I could be, even if I keep getting up"

"The important thing is to never give up, Orion. If that's your dream, go for it at all costs, even if it is impossible for you, go for it at all costs because when a pony stop dreaming, stop living" Markab stretched his hoof and then wrap in an embrace to Orion "Also I will always be by your side no matter what. You can always count on me"

"You will always be with me?" Orion said with a small smile.

You are one of the reasons why I'll risk my life just to see you happy, because you're my brother, you're my family. I will always be by your side Orion, even in the most difficult time" he said with a smile with a strong and loving hug.

(End Flashback Time)

"These beautiful words are very similar to those said to me Markab" he said to himself.

"Do you trust me, Orion?" Meissa asked.

Orion blinked a few times to return to reality and then gave a small smile "Yes. I trust you, Meissa"

"Better so!. Well... let us turn back to the cabin as I have to finish fixing your sword" Meissa said giving his way to the small bridge, to cross the creek.

Orion stood there for a few seconds standing in the same place looking at Meissa with a small smile, to then starting to give his way also to the small bridge.