"FLY"

It was a lovely day in Canterlot. The sky was blue, the weather fair, and the city was bustling with summer delight. It was the perfect day for a family reunion. It was supposed to be the perfect day, but the fates said otherwise.

Twilight Velvet froze up in her chair as she looked at it. It buzzed and it twitched as it regurgitated it's own stomach contents to feast on the stray sugarcube it had found. "Mom?" Twilight Velvet couldn't hear her daughter. It was still there. That creature was still staring at her with its many eyes. "Mother, what's the matter?" Her son held no more attention than her daughter. It was still taunting her. Maybe, she could almost hear it laughing.

"I got it." Twilight Velvet's husband, Night Light, finally smothered it with a napkin and disposed of it in the nearest trash receptacle.

"Thank you honey." Twilight Velvet finally looked up and faced the stares of disbelief from her children.

"No problem," Night Light brushed passed her and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, "ready for lunch Velvet?" Everyone had grown accustomed to calling her Velvet since she and her daughter shared the first name.

"Yes dear." Velvet was trying not to think too much on the recent incident, but it was easier said than done.

Twilight Sparkle, Velvet's daughter, spoke up, "Since when were you afraid of flies mom?"

Velvet looked to her son, Shining Armor, "It's a long story."

"Oh come on mom, you know I love long stories!" Twilight nudged her big brother. "Remember when mom used to tell us all sorts of stories and adventures."

Shining chuckled inside a bit. "Yeah those were good times. Well, why not another one? What do you say mom?"

Velvet was nervous to speak. Thankfully her husband came in on time. "The casserole is ready." A burning smell drifted through the air to everyone's noses. "It might be a little crispy."

"It's black." Shining clamped his nose and spoke in a nasally voice, "Dad, as much as I love you, there's a reason why some stallions shouldn't cook."

"I'm not that bad, I can cook some things!"

"Dad," Twilight used her magic to get rid of the burnt casserole, "peanut butter and jelly sandwiches don't count."

A bright flash of pink light preceded the appearance of a pink alicorn carrying familiar white boxes on her back. "Hi everypony! I brought pizza!"

Shining got up and rushed over to his wife. "Cadence? I thought you were going to stay back in the Crystal Empire."

"I left Quarts in charge of the fair preparations while Sunburst looks after Flurry Heart." Cadence smiled as she hugged her husband. "And besides, I wouldn't want to miss out on your family reunion."

"She's just as part of this family as the rest of us," Night Light pointed out, "And, she brought pizza."

"Yes, I just happened to teleport right in front of the pizza place so I thought, why not?" Cadence smiled.

Shining raised a brow sarcastically and muttered, "Alicorns."

Twilight laughed at her brother. "You are just jealous that alicorns are far more superior when it comes to teleportation."

"Ohh." Shining pretended to sound interested. "If only you could fly."

Twilight was not amused by that comment. "I can fly."

"Yeah, like a chicken." Shining laughed at Twilight's angry face.

"Okay honey that's enough," Cadence wrapped a wing around Shining, arousing him enough to turn his attention away from teasing his sister.

"Let's just all agree," Nightlight interrupted as he took the pizzas from Cadence's back, "that both unicorns and alicorns alike are equally unique in their ability to teleport."

"Nice save dad," Twilight said as she aided her father in opening the pizza boxes to sort out who wanted what toppings.

Velvet had sat and watched silently, but decided that she should break her silence. "What about earth ponies?"

They all looked up. Shining, Cadence, and Twilight looked like they were about to laugh, but Night Light just gave her a look that asked if she was sure. Twilight held her laugh in as she spoke, "Well, I know that my friend Rainbow Dash can reach supersonic speeds which would allow her near instantaneous travel, but she’s a pegasus. I have to say it's impossible for anyone, other than an alicorn or unicorn, to teleport."

Velvet looked crushed. "You're wrong." Her husband saw a glimpse of rage pass through his wife's eyes as she slammed her hooves onto the table. "You're wrong!" Her cry of anger frightened everyone in the room.

"Honey," Night Light rushed to his wife's side, "please calm down. You don't have to talk about what happened."

"No! I will not calm down and I do have to talk about what happened. I can't do it! I can hide the truth from my own children anymore! I'm tired of not being able to tell them what really happened. I'm tired of lying to Twilight, and I'm tired of lying to Shining about who his real father is!" Velvet dropped her head as she tried to catch her breath after losing it in her panic.

Shining looked at his mother in shock. "What are you talking about mom."

Velvet looked up at her son only to silently fall to tears. "You look so much like him."

"Yes, he does," Night Light added.

Twilight looked at her parents. "No. This can't be true. Shining is my brother."

Night Light let out a heavy sigh. "He's your half brother."

"But, I have called you father for my entire life. Does that mean nothing?" Shining would have lashed out more, but the comfort of Cadence by his side persuaded him otherwise.

"I raised you as my son, and in love I still am your father. But, you need to know that I am not your biological father. Your mother wanted to tell you. I'm surprised she didn't when you were old enough to understand." Night Light wrapped a hoof around Velvet as she looked up at her son.

"It was really complicated. It wasn't easy to tell you." Velvet looked at Twilight. "Now I have to tell you all about how he..."

"Died?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Velvet confirmed, "how he died." She was hesitant to continue, but with Night Light by her side, she found the words again. "Shining, you share part of his name."

"What was his name?" Shining took a seat across from his mother. Twilight and Cadence sat on either side of him.

"His name was Shining Star," Night Light said, "and he was my best friend."

Shining was surprised to hear this from the one he called father. "You knew him in Canterlot?" Night Light nodded. "He must have been a great unicorn."

Velvet shook her head. "No, your father wasn't a unicorn."

"What do you mean? I'm a unicorn." Shining looked confused as much of what he had come to know about himself slipped out of his grasp.

"Shining, you're much bigger in build than the other unicorns that were on the royal guard and by far the strongest unicorn I've ever known."

Twilight pondered on what she explained. "Mother, does that mean that Shining Star was-."

"-Yes." Velvet interrupted Twilight. She had to tell her son herself. "His biological father was an earth pony."