Love’s Étude For Heartstrings; Opus One

Twilight woke up warm and happy. She was used to it by now but it didn’t detract from the wonder of having a wonderful mare in her life. As she opened her eyes, she saw the top of her lover’s head. The engagement ring shining at the base of Lyra’s horn.

The love in her heart was without bound. Never had Twilight ever dreamed she’d settle down and marry. Now it was the only thing her heart desired. And with a pony her intellectual equal! Plus add the addition of a soon to be stepdaughter. Could life get any better?

Now they were about to go to Canterlot to meet with the Princesses so they could get the good news and meet with the loves of her life.

Twilight was sure that her parents would be happy as well. Twilight knew they were happy for Shining and herself and what their lives had become. But she also knew they were slightly disappointed that she didn’t appeared to have any interest in any relationships that would produce foals, so the prospects with Twilight were slim. So for now, Shining and Cadence were their only hope.

Twilight had invited her friends to accompany them to Canterlot. Especially since, they planned to go on to the Crystal Empire after to do research on the human books there. It might be a while before they came back to Ponyville.

“Sweetheart? What’re you grinning about?” said Lyra.

Twilight hadn’t realized Lyra was awake.

“I was thinking of us,” said Twilight, giving Lyra a kiss, “and how some beautiful and intelligent mare has made my life complete.”

“Oh,” said Lyra with that smirk of hers, “do I know her?”

“Do I know her?” said Twilight sarcastically, Lyra just giggled, “if we didn’t have a train to catch...”

“We do have a train to catch, but we can do that later,” said Lyra kissing Twilight.

“You bet we will!” said Twilight getting out of the bed. “But for now, we need to make sure everything’s packed, Melody hasn’t forgotten anything and Spike has enough to keep him comfortable until our friends come back and Fluttershy and Pinkie help to watch the castle.”

“I bet you’ve already made out a check list,” said Lyra getting up and making the bed with her magic.

“You know me too well,” said Twilight giving Lyra a kiss.

“Honey,” said Lyra with a chuckle, “every pony in Ponyville knows about you.”

The two laughed as Twilight went to make breakfast and Lyra went to wake up Melody and Spike.

At the train station, Lyra, Twilight and Melody were met by Twilight’s five friends along with Bonbon and Minuette who was a friend to Lyra and Twilight from her school days. Lyra explained that Bonbon and Minuette wanted to go because they always saw her off when she went on excursions or to the field.

As always, most ponies packed lightly, but Rarity always packed as if she was going on an around the world cruise.

Oddly enough, Rainbow was quite excited to be going.

Twilight was starting to smell a rat; and Fluttershy hadn’t brought any of her animal friends with her.

She was even more suspicious so when her parents, Shining and Cadence were there to meet the group at the station.

The most amusing thing was when Melody was presented to Night Light and Twilight Velvet (Twilight and Shining’s parents). You would’ve thought the two older ponies had never seen a filly before!

Melody was as astonished as well. Bonbon and Lyra had no living parents and Lyra had no desire to make any contact with the family of the evil sperm donor who fathered the child. Therefore, Melody had grown up without grandparents. Now here were two ponies eager to fill the role with her.

Twilight had talked with Lyra about how or if she’d explained Melody’s father to the filly. Lyra said there was one day, not long after Melody had started the first grade, her daughter said, as a class activity, they had to give a small talk about their parents and what they did for a living. But she was unable to answer any questions about her father.

Lyra told Twilight she’d known that day would come. Lyra had hoped Melody would’ve been a few years older when the time came, but there was no way to put it off, and Lyra wanted to be perfectly honest with her child. But how do you explain rape and unplanned pregnancy to a first grader?

********************

A couple years earlier...

Lyra saw her daughter come home, she could tell something was bothering Melody.

“What’s wrong Sweetie,” asked Lyra.

“Mommy,” said Melody, “we had to give a talk in class today about our parents. We had to tell their names and what they do for a living.”

Lyra froze, she’d hoped this subject wouldn’t come up for at least another couple more years.

“I told them you were a scientist who studies ancient ponies, I even showed them the fossil you gave me. The kids thought it was cool,” said Melody, “but when I said I didn’t know my father’s name or anything about him, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon laughed. The teacher stopped them but I felt really bad.”

Melody paused and looked at her mother.

“Why don’t I know about my father?” asked the filly.

Lyra had her daughter sit down, she said they needed to talk. Bonbon was there with her to give moral support.

“Honey,” said Lyra, “what have they said about sex in your classes?”

“Miss Cheerilee said for now, all we needed to know was it takes a mommy and a daddy to make a baby,” said the filly.

“That’s right,” said Lyra, slightly disappointed the talk at school wasn’t deeper. Plus it meant another embarrassing talk to come later. But she went forward never the less.

“Babies are made, usually, because of an act of love between the parents. They share their bodies with each other and as a result, they can create a new life which grows in the mommy for eleven months. Finally, when the time is right, the mommy gives birth to the child.

Do you understand so far?”

Melody nodded her head, she was following the words and the concept, but the actual mechanics were beyond her (thankfully for Lyra).

“You said usually,” said the filly, “is there another way?”

“This is the part that’s going to be hard for mommy,” said Lyra, reaching out and holding Melody’s hoof, trying not to tear up. “There are ponies out there who think only of themselves. They do bad things, and they don’t care what pony they hurt.”

“Like robbers?” said Melody.

“Yes Honey,” said Lyra, pleased that her child was sharp enough to catch on at such a young age. “Like robbers, but there are other things they can do to another pony which are worse.

I said that a mommy and daddy share their bodies in an act of love that can make the baby, this act of sharing their bodies is what we call sex. And if done for the right reasons, it’s very pleasurable.

However, there are ponies out there who only want the pleasure and they force themselves on another pony against their will. What can be an act of love becomes an act of violence.

And it too can produce a child.”

“Is that what’s called rape, mommy?” asked Melody.

“That’s exactly what rape is,” said Lyra.

The filly sat there in thought for a moment.

“Are you telling me you were raped?”

“Yes Honey,” said Lyra, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Mommy was raped.”

“So what happened to the pony who raped you?”

“He went to jail,” said Lyra bracing herself, not sure how her daughter would take the rest of it, “he was a very bad pony who didn’t believe what he did was wrong. So instead of letting them put him in prison, he killed himself.”

“What was my father’s name?”

“Honey, just because he made me pregnant, that doesn’t make him a father. A father is somepony who loves and cares for the family.

Your Aunt Bonbon is more of a father than that pony ever was or could’ve been.

I know this sounds weird,” said the mother, “but I swore to never ever say his name. He was evil and I want nothing to remind me of his evil, or how he hurt me.”

“If that’s the way you feel, then you never wanted me, because I remind you of him,” said Melody sadly starting to cry.

Lyra grabbed up her daughter and hugged her tightly.

“No Honey,” said Lyra crying, “no! Just because you weren’t planned and because some evil pony forced himself on me, it doesn’t mean you weren’t wanted.

Aunt Bonbon and I decided when we found out that I was pregnant you would be the only good thing to come out of the violence.

Yes, mommy wishes she was never raped. But I also know I wouldn’t want to be without my very special daughter.

You’re the Melody that my heart dances to. I love you more than anything, and I want you to believe that.”

“I believe you mommy, and I love you too.”

The two held each other crying, Bonbon joined the hug.

From then on, Melody had no doubts whether she was wanted or loved. And there were no more questions about a father.

********************

Back in the present...

Twilight Velvet and Night Light were hugging Melody unmercifully, much to the delight of Lyra, Bonbon and Melody herself.

“Mom, dad,” said Twilight with a smile, “let the filly breathe! I know you’re excited, and I can assure you she is too.”

“Honey,” said Twilight Velvet, “you can’t blame us. This filly is a dream come true for us.”

“I know what you mean about dreams coming true.” Said Twilight the younger, “I guess I should introduce you to who you’re hugging. This beautiful little filly is Melody.”

The older ponies kissed her on the forehead.

“Welcome Sweetie,” said Twilight Velvet.

Melody could hardly stand it, real grandparents!

Then Twilight took Lyra’s hoof and brought her close.

“And this equally beautiful mare is Melody’s mother and my fiancée, Lyra Heartstrings.” Said Twilight, then motioning to her parents, “this is Twilight Velvet and Night Light, Shining’s and my parents.”

“A pleasure to finally get to meet you,” said Lyra extending a hoof.

“Sorry,” said Night Light with a smile, “that won’t do, we’re huggers!”

With that Night Light and Twilight Velvet hugged Lyra. Lyra hadn’t felt such warmth from older ponies in so very long.

“Mom, dad,” said Twilight continuing the introductions, “this is Sweetie Drops, Lyra’s sister.”

“Please call me Bonbon,” said Bonbon giving the two a small hug.

“And this is Minuette,” said Twilight, “a close friend from our days at school.”

“A pleasure,” said the blue Unicorn, giving a small hug to Twilight’s parents as well, “my friends call me Mini.”

“And of course you remember my friends,” said Twilight, “Pinkie Pie and her marefriend Fluttershy, Applejack and her marefriend Rarity. And what pony could forget Rainbow Dash?”

“So good to see you all again,” said Night Light.

“Gee,” said Twilight Velvet, “there’re two couples among them now? And you with Lyra, you’ve all been busy!”

“But I can’t for the life of me, understand why somepony hasn’t snatched up Rainbow Dash,” said Night Light.

“I wonder about that too,” said Rainbow laughing. But a pony could tell that there was some truth to what she was saying.

“It’s alright,” said Minuette walking close to Rainbow, “you can hang out with Bonbon and me, if you think you can keep up!”

“I love a challenge!” said Rainbow in her normal bravado.

“Aunts Celestia and Luna have obligations this afternoon and evening,” said Cadence, “but I’ve arranged rooms at the castle for your friends. We can have a nice meal together and then they can retire there while Twilight, Lyra, Melody, Shining and I will spend the night at the Sparkle home.

Then tomorrow, aunts Celestia and Luna have blocked off time just for all of us, so we don’t have to rush or be disturbed.”