“Dismissed.”
The guards relaxed as Shining Armor trotted off. One of them pulled off his helmet and shook his head. Flash Sentry glanced up at the clock.
“...Mmh, cutting it a bit close.” He muttered to himself, “Better hurry up.”
“Hey, Flash!” Spiked Flail called out, “We’re going drinking, wanna come?”
“Can’t.”
“Why?”
“Everyone’s coming home,” Flash chuckled as he trotted off.
“...What?” Flail scratched his head.
“Dude, just let him go,” Another unicorn nudged Flail, “He’s got plans.”
“...Epee, how do you know what Flash got planned?”
“There’s more to life than getting drunk and finding out the girl you’re hitting on is a lesbian.”
“...I didn’t know it at the time,” Flail sulked, “None of you are ever gonna let me live that down, are you?”
“Never,” Epee grinned.
---
An armorless Flash landed in front of a snow coated elementary school. He brushed the snow off his back, mane and scarf before he trotted through the door. He flashed a smile at the secretary as she looked up and smiled back.
“Mr. Sentry.”
“Miss Dusty. I came to-”
“Of course. Let me go get her.”
The mare trotted off as Flash took a seat. He glanced up at a picture up on the wall. Mrs. Harshwhinny’s stern portrait stared back as he withered under her gaze.
“...Dunno why they keep that up there. It’s creepy.”
The secretary returned and smiled. A young azure pegasus filly trotted past her and stopped by Flash. Her pale blue mane was tied back into a pigtail, and a backpack decorated with My Tiny Gecko characters was slung onto her back.
“Hey sweetie,” Flash grinned.
“Hi dad!” the filly hugged him.
“Where’s your scarf?”
“Uh….” she looked down, away from him, “in my bag.”
“....You got food on it again, didn’t you?” Flash sighed.
“....Gleaming Butterfly dropped her peanut butter on it. Then I dropped my chocolate milk on it.”
“...You didn’t stick it in your bag, did you?”
“In my lunch bag.”
“Why were you wearing your scarf at lunch?”
“We wanted to watch the snow fall.”
Flash sighed, “We’ll wash it when we get home. Say goodbye to Miss Dusty.”
“Bye-bye Miss Dust Devil!” the filly flittered up as she spun around to wave goodbye.
“Have a nice break, Curtain Call.” the mare waved back.
---
Flash and Curtain Call continued down the road. She flittered down the street, circling her father.
“Can Airwave stay for Hearth’s Warming?”
“Did you ask his parents?”
“...No, but his mom probably would let him.” Curtain responded.
“Did he ask them?”
“...No.”
“Then how would he know? Besides, don’t you think he’d rather spend it with his sisters and parents?”
Curtain Call landed on the ground in front of her father, avoiding his gaze.
“I guess not.”
“I know you’re friends with him. Maybe you two can spend New Year’s eve together.”
“In Canterlot?”
“...Well, it depends on what your mother says,” Flash shrugged, “No promises.”
Curtain Call shot off the ground and embraced her father’s neck.
“Thank you, Dad!”
“Hey, I said it depends on your mother.”
“Mom’s gonna say yes.”
“You don’t know that,” Flash grumbled.
“When’s mom gonna come home anyway?”
“Today. So we need to get you home, get you clean and wash your scarf before it stains and smells for good.” Flash muttered the last part under his breath.
“...How come I needa take a bath?”
“Because you want to be nice and clean when she comes home right?” Flash responded, “She’s not going to hug you if you’re all dirty and smelly.”
“...I bet she would.”
The two paused in front of a house. Flash frowned as he peeked in the window and fumbled for his keys.
“The light’s on. Didn’t you turn it off this morning like I told you?”
“I did.”
“Well it’s still on.”
“I turned it off.” Curtain Call huffed.
Flash unlocked the front door and pulled it open. The aroma of tomatoes, spices and other dishes cooking burst out of the house, filling the father and daughter’s nostrils. Curtain Call’s face blossomed into a huge smile, while Flash frowned. The filly’s wings flittered again as she zoomed into the house. Flash glanced behind him again at the clocktower before entering the house.
“I could have sworn she wasn’t supposed to come in until six....”
Flash continued through the house. Bags and suitcases laid sprawled on the living room floor in haphazard piles, with hastily wrapped presents, dirty laundry and other items shrewn about. Curtain Call’s school bag and lunchbox laid, tossed aside at the entrance to the kitchen. In the kitchen, the filly sat enamored as an older azure unicorn stood in front of the stove, working with multiple pots.
“And then Butterfly dropped her sandwich on my scarf.”
“...It occurs to me that you should have been eating inside the cafeteria.”
“We wanted to watch the snowfall.” Curtain Call finally noticed her father as he stopped behind the two, “Dad’s home.”
Trixie turned away from the stove and gave Flash a quick peck on the cheek, “Hello, Mon Cheri.”
“Trix, I thought your train wasn’t supposed to come until six.”
“I caught an earlier one,” Trixie turned her attention back to her cooking, “And, evidently the fact that I have come home early is more important than the fact that I am here at all.”
Flash leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, “I was going to give Curtain a bath, so that we could go and pick you up and go out for a nice dinner.”
“Nice save.”
“I’m serious, Trixs.” Flash paused as he looked over at the stove, “Whatcha making?”
“Dirty Rice, Maque choux, stuffed peppers, and there’s cornbread and a Pepper Jelly Cheese cake in the oven.”
“...How early did you get here?”
“Around lunch.”
“They let you out that early?”
“We finished yesterday,” Trixie scoffed, “The school schedules in Manehatten are different.”
“You turned in all your grades already?”
“It was simple enough. Really, the only way you’d fail the class is if you don’t bother showing up.” Trixie responded as she dipped a spoon into the pot of rice, “Taste this.”
Curtain Call flittered up and chomped on the spoon. The filly chewed as Trixie chuckled. Another spoonful of rice floated towards Flash as he sampled it.
“Needs more pepper.” Curtain Call responded.
“Paprika too.” Flash nodded.
Trixie frowned as she tasted it, “...No, you’re both right.” Trixie’s aura nabbed the pepperbox and paprika shaker, levitating it over the pot, “If you go take a bath, it’ll be done by the time you finish.”
“...I’m not a baby,” Curtain Call huffed, “Dad hasn’t given me a bath for a while.”
“Then go take a bath. I need to wash your scarf,” Flash responded.
Curtain’s wings began to flutter as she drifted out of the room.
“And no flying in the house!” Flash called out after her. He glanced back at Trixie as she cocked an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Does she wash well?”
“Well...Yeah,” Flash shrugged, “Mostly.”
“...Go do the laundry,” Trixie turned her attention back to the food.
“...Harsh.”
---
Flash stepped out of the bathroom, water still clinging to his mane and wings. He walked down the hall and paused at one of the rooms, peeking inside. Curtain Call watched in awe as Trixie continued to tell a bedtime story: Her magic illuminated the wall as elaborate and and intricate shadow puppets danced around.
“...And so, the magician and her knight,” Trixie smiled as the two shadow ponies kissed on the wall, “Lived happily ever after.” Curtain Call applauded as the light and shadows vanished.
Trixie leaned in and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead.
“Goodnight, little one.”
“Night, mom.”
“Have a good sleep, C.C.” Flash trotted in and gave his daughter a peck on the cheek.
“Night, Dad.”
The married couple left the room as the filly rolled in her bed and snuggled her stuffed dinosaur. The two continued down the hallway and entered their bedroom. Flash smiled at Trixie as the two crawled into bed.
“Tired?” Flash asked.
“Indeed,” Trixie yawned, “Good night, Mon Cheri.”
“Good night, Trixie.”
The two kissed and cuddled in the bed. The snow drifted down as the couple fell asleep.
