Those Thirty Days

  "I made it, as you can tell, and much better than I had when I entered that Celestia forsaken place. Though I know that my suffering was little in the grand scheme of things, I still feel enraged when I think about it, not only at them, but at me. I believed them so easily, no questions, no doubts, no hesitations, just thoughts of how relaxing it would be to be along for thirty days, not realizing for stupid that idea was, how foolish it was. If I had been left to my own devices for much longer, I would've probably suffered permanent damage, and I doubt the ponies outside would've cared, and that above many other things, makes me mad, makes me infuriated at them, at me. I am mad at me because I believed, and made at them because they saw their opportunity and took it." Calculated Risk sighed into the microphone, rubbing his temples with his hooves as he tried to relieve some of the pressure. "I know I really shouldn't be, they have been taken care of, but I still feel the same as I did before, even though as it stands now, there is nothing left to be angry at.

"I've tried forgetting about the whole thing, but even though I have received compensation for time lost, above and beyond what would probably cover the costs it caused me, it will never fix the problem that is at the root of it all: the fact that they tried it in the first place. Though I try to remain calm, sometimes it just boils over and I just get so... so..." A hoof was placed on Calculated Risk's shoulder, looking back, he saw Brushstroke smiling at him tenderly.

  "I also suffered in some measure, basically being born into such a place of despair. Even though the beginning was horrid beyond measure, the end was well worth it, because it brought us together. There is still life to be had, and even though they stole some of it from us, we have much to look forward to." She said in a calm, soothing voice. "They can cause us pain, but they can never take the root of our joy: companionship."

  "As long as we have each other." Calculated Risk said with a nod.

  "Yes, as long as we have each other we can move on, live on. There is much life to be lived, much hope to be had; too much to let anypony or group of ponies try and take it away from us. All we need to do is stay together, because separated we are not a half, we are less." Brushstroke stated. "Even if they forcefully separate us, we can still find strength in our fight to rejoin." Calculated nodded once more.

  "Ponies are distinctly social creatures. If that wasn't true, why is the greatest power in the power named after and made through it? Together we can foster a strength greater than anyone of us contain, but when we stand alone, we are our weakest." Calculated Risk stated. "Brushstroke, I don't know how you came into this world, but I'm glad you did. Without you this world would be much less than it is now. Not only that, I would be much less than I am now."

  "I'm glad that whatever life has in store for us that I can face it with you by my side." Brushstroke agreed. "Not only did you make me, but you completely, make me whole."

  "Are you gonna kiss?" A small colt asked, sticking his tongue out in disgust. Calculated Risk and Brushstroke looked at each other with a smile before laughing boisterously. "You're talking all mushy-gushy again."

  "Grownups do that occasionally." Brushstroke explained. "I bet you'll be the mushiest-gushiest talker of them all when it's your turn." The colt backed away, shaking his head with his tongue still sticking out in even more disgust.

  "Alright, buddy, time for you to get to bed before I come and start talking mushy-gushy to you." Calculated Risk threatened playfully, gaining the expected result of the colt charging away towards the bathroom to get ready for bed as quickly as possible, wanting to be nowhere near his parents at the moment. "Reminds me of me when I was his age." He reflected.

  "I'll take your word for it." Brushstroke replied. "Now, are you gonna go get ready too or am I gonna have to start talking mushy-gushy to you?" Calculated Risk looked over to his wide with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe I'll give you a kiss if you get ready in five minutes or less." Brushstroke offered with a smile. Calculated Risk tapped his chin in thought as he considered it.

  "Nah, I'll take my kiss now." He said, wrapping a forehoof around his wife, drawing her in for a kiss to the chagrin of the colt who had just exited the bathroom down the way.

  "YUCK!" He shouted in disgust before going to his room. The two parents broke from the kiss, looking towards where their child had charged off to, and then back to each other before laughing. Calculated Risk gave Brushstroke a quick nuzzle.

  "I should go check on him." Calculated Risk admitted.

  "Are you two done kissing yet?" The colt asked, not risking a peak around the corner. Calculated Risk chuckled at his son's antics.

  "Yes, I'm done kissing your mother." He told him. The colt peeked around the corner to make sure and gave a sigh of relief. "At least I took all the kiss out of her for you." Calculated Risk nudged. Brushstroke tapped her chin in thought.

  "I don't know, I feel a bit like giving a kiss to somepony, maybe on the cheek." She said thoughtfully. The colt shrunk behind the corner, eyeing his mother as if she were a monster of the highest magnitude.

  "Don't worry, I'll save you from the evil kissing monster!" Calculated Risk declared as he stepped between his son and his wife valiantly, puffing his chest out. "I'm ready for you, monster, you'll not kiss my son!" Brushstroke smiled as she crept up slowly to her husband.

  "Oh, you think you can take two kisses in one night?" She challenged. "I'll just have to kiss that confidence right out of you!" She said, leaping forward, planting a kiss on Calculated Risk's forehead. The stallion feigned injury, stumbling backward as if he had just been shot with an arrow. Falling over beside his son, he lie stock still, his eyes still open.

  "You're not dead daddy." The colt said between snickers. Calculate Risk quickly fixed this, sticking his tongue out the side of his mouth. The colt fell over laughing as he held his stomach. Brushstroke quickly advanced, blowing raspberries into the colt's belly, causing his giggles to grow louder. Calculated Risk suddenly stood back up.

  "I have been revived!" He proclaimed. "Don't worry, I'll save you from this fiend!" He said before moving around and kissing his wife's cheek, causing her to stand up, putting a hoof to the cheek with a shocked expression.

  "How dare you kiss me?" She then lowered into a threatening stance. "Have at you!" She said jumping her husband, wrapping him in a hug, sending him into a fit of laughter to rival his son's. "Ha ha, none can defeat me!"

  "I can!" The colt shouted, hugging one of his mother's leg. Brushstroke gasped, falling away from her husband, sticking her tongue out in death. "I did it, I defeated the monster!" Calculated Risk smiled, ruffling his son's mane before lowering to his level, whispering something into his ear, causing the colt to smile devilishly. Brushstroke cracked an eye open to see what awaited her, only to have her colt blow raspberries on her belly, causing her to laugh harder than both of her boys.

  "No fair you little booger, I'm dead! Get your father instead!" She said between breaths. The colt quickly complied, scrambling up one of the seat at the island counter before jumping off, landing on his father's back.

  "Oiy, what are you doing you little hug monster?" Calculated Risk ask. "You want to go for a little ride?" His colt nodded furiously. "Alright, hold on!" He said, rearing up after his son wrapped his hooves around his neck. Brushstroke continued laughing, though she eventually did regain her composure enough to stand up and dust herself off. They were a happy family, and that was all she could ask for. Brushstroke moved down the hall after her husband and son, stopping in the doorway to her son's room, watching as her husband jumped and kicked with large amounts of self-control, acting as if he was trying to remove the colt that was still holding on to him. The three of them continued laughing as Brushstroke used her magic to take the colt off and place him on the bed. Calculated Risk pulled the covers over his son, nuzzling him gently.

  "I love you daddy, you're the best." The colt said as he settled into his bed a bit more. Calculated Risk chuckled slightly, bopping the colt''s nose with a hoof.

  "And what about your mommy you goober?" He asked. The colt lifted his head up, looking over to his mother who stood, leaning agains t the doorpost.

  "Love you too mommy, you're the best mommy ever!" the colt proclaimed happily. Brushstroke chuckled lightly as she moved up to the colt, ruffling his mane a bit before kissing him on the forehead.

  "I love you too, now get some sleep, honey, tomorrow's another day." The colt slowly nodded, yawning. Calculated Risk sat down beside him taking out a book from the small shelf, preparing to read the night's story. Brushstroke moved on, leaving the room and entering the living room. Moving over to the recording stand, she checked it, finding it was still on.

  "In the end of it all," She began, "The project, no matter how malicious, ended in making us a very happy family. We both know the true meaning of friendship and why it is so important. Without friendship, we couldn't do anything, and with it, we can do anything." Looking back, she watched as her husband emerged from the hallways, still chuckling. "No matter what happens, no matter what comes, we have each other, and as long as that stays true, we will be able to face it and conquer it. Not as individuals, but as the parts of a greater whole." Calculated Risk quickly trotted up beside her.

  "The only thing greater than friendship is love, and with it by our side, with the ones we love by our side, we are stronger. There is no amount of times that that can be said to make the meaning known, even though it is an ever present constant that will stand forever. If ponies abandon love, abandon friendship, they abandon life, happiness, and meaning." Calculated Risk added.

  "Not to mention sanity and reason." Brushstroke added. "Friendship is such an integral of not only ponies, but every living creature, that without it the world is a lesser place, if it can even exist. I know I couldn't exist without it."

  "And I know that without it, I wouldn't be the pony I am today. And so, I say farewell to whoever listens to this, and I hope that you can understand a bit of what lies behind this all. If not, it doesn't matter, because there will always be somepony else who can explain it better than I could. Until next time, goodbye, and good night."