It was three months since I had heard from my little brother, Mist.

Everything he learned in survival, he learned from me, so I had no doubt he’d be fine as long as he stayed with the others if he found any or was found. I just pray that he wasn’t nabbed and killed or worse… turned… but for now, I had to focus on finding the princessess, which would no doubt, be a daunting task.

Archie awoke to see that everypony was still sleeping, but something felt strange, there was a small body pressing against her gently, she looked down to see Pink Lemonade curled up next to her with a gentle smile teasing his youthful features, which brought a soft smile to her lips as she curled herself around him a while longer, waiting for them to begin waking up.

Jericho was the first to wake and rise from his resting spot, looking around the area and seeing that everypony was still there, he breathed a sigh of relief, catching Archie’s attention as she looked at him. “Sleep alright?”

“If you consider having the same nightmare over and over every night sleeping alright, yeah.” Jericho sighed again, this time in depression.

“What’s up?” Archie asked, curious about what suddenly has Jericho so down in the drain.

“I… I had a little filly of my own… before this happened… when I realized it… it was to late and she had been bitten and turned… I had to put her out of her misery.” Jericho replied as he looked at the ground. “It was either me or her… I… Now every time I dream about it… it seems I was selfish in my choice to… to kill own little filly for my own survival.”

“Listen to me, Jericho… I have a little brother out there, Celestia only knows if he’s still alive or not, all I can do is pray, but think of it this way, your daughter is not suffering anymore.” Archie replied. “I know that no father should have to bury their child, but fate has a cruel way of doing things.”

Jericho sniffled a bit as he thought about his only daughter, a single tear running down his cheek, but looked at Archie and nodded. “I-I suppose you’re right about that.” Jericho then looked at Pink Lemonade with a smile as the colt slept next to Archie. “Seems he sees you as more of a mother figure than someone who had sworn to keep him alive, and to be honest, I think you would be a suitable mother for any foal you have seeing as happy as he is around you.”

Archie blushed lightly, but smiled and looked at the colt as he continued to sleep. “I don’t quite understand it, but I agree… I just can’t help but feel so attatched to him.”

“Ah… so you wanted to have a foal of your own but couldn’t find a suitable stallion?” Jericho guessed.

“I… Y-yes… that’s exactly what happened. Most of the stallions I met were either drunks, criminals, or just total jackasses.” Archie replied as she held the colt close to her.
“Hah… I dealt with those types all the time before this shit got dropped on us.” Jericho laughed lightly. “Keep that colt close to you and he’ll be fine, I can promise you that. It’s time we got moving anyway.”

Archie nodded and gently nudged Pink Lemonade, waking the colt with a surprisingly adorable yawn that Archie couldn’t help but get a giggle out of as she herself got up. “Good morning, Pink.”

The colt looked up at Archie and smiled. “Good morning Archie.” he replied. “You are very soft and warm.” he complimented.

“Thank you.” The mare replied as she nuzzled him.

“The way every mother is, Archie, just like I said.” Jericho said. “You’d be a great mother.”

Pink Lemonade heard Jericho’s comment and looked at Archie, a glint in his eyes. “M-my real mommy didn’t make it… but I accepted it because if I had stayed… I wouldn’t have survived either. I… I don’t mind you being my mommy… I actually really would like that.”

Hearing this made Archie speechless as a tear slid down her cheek from what she heard.

“W-would you be my mommy?” the colt asked.

The sudden revelation shocked Archie, but her reply was the one she had been wanting to give for the longest time. “I’d love to be your mother.” she said as she embraced her now adopted child.

However unexpected it may have been, Jericho joined the embrace. “He’s gonna need a father and I’d love to be given that chance again, I’d love to have a family again.”

Archie smiled and embraced Jericho. “Then so be it… from this point forward, you, me and our son shall forever be one family, there’s no time for a wedding, but… we can make it work.”

Rockslide had been awake the entire discussion, seemingly disgusted by their willingness to start their own family starting with the colt as their first child. “I don’t care what’s going on, but if you three are all going to try and be one happy family and search for Celestia at the same time… I’m outta here, Celestia be damned for all I care, you were just a means of survival for me anyway, but I can survive on my own, just pray you never cross me again.” He rudely interrupted their moment before leaving and heading on his own way.

“What’s his deal?” Archie asked.

“Apparently he was hoping we’d never do this so he could pick us off one by one, but we thwarted that and now he’s angry.” Jericho replied. “But never mind him, we’re happy and that’s what matters, but we should get moving, the longer we wait, the less the chances of finding the princesses alive.”

“You’re right, we should get going.” Archie said as she got up, Jericho and Pink following close behind as they went out, everything they had with them packed up and ready to go as they left the shelter and began making their way towards Canterlot… or what was left of Canterlot.

Author's Note

Did you enjoy it? I hope you did.

You know what to do.