Warframe: The Next Generation

Chapter 3

Location: Canterlot Orphanage, Canterlot, Equestria, Planet Equin.

Nightshine sat in her bed, Sunny right behind her braiding her mane. She let out a heavy sigh. It was starting to creep up on 3 o’clock. She was starting to believe that the prince and princess had decided to change their minds and go home. Why would they care about a sad little orphan anyway? They have a country to run, adventures to go on, and problems to solve…

Why drag it down with a dirty little bat pony…

Right behind her, Sunny noticed Nightshine’s depression.

“You okay?” she asked innocently.

Nightshine felt a tear run down her cheek. She sniffed lightly.

“…No.”

Just then, she heard the door to the playroom open and close. After that she heard the steady clip-clop of hooves. It was Morning Star, she knew it. No pony had that heavy of a step in the orphanage except for an adult. She could hear her asking the others for something. After several seconds, she heard Morning Star walk into the room.

“Nightshine, Sunny Ray, could you come here please?”

Sunny stopped her braiding and looked at Nightshine. Both shared a nervous glance before hopping off the bed. They thought they were in serious trouble.

***

Earlier.

Twilight and I sat in front of Morning Star’s desk as she rummaged through a nearby filing cabinet. One that was over flowing at that. Every so often she would grumble and say ‘no, that’s not it’. I’m pretty sure at one point I saw the front half of her disappear into a drawer.

“Aha!”

She held a manila folder high in victory before smiling happily and walking over to her desk. Placing the folder down, she took a seat and opened the folder. I just glanced over at the over filled filing cabinet.

“Star?”

“Yes?” she replied not taking her attention away from the folder.

“Do you ever want help with the filing?” she looked up at me. “I could easily have everything converted to digital for simplicity?”

“Honestly your… Excalibur.” She went back to the folder. “Most ponies prefer to see the actual folder.”

“How about help?” I offered. “To at least make the filing more organizable?”

She looked at me yet again. Her face was neutral, but I could see the joy in her eyes.

“Really?”

I shrugged lightly. “I know plenty of ponies that could use a job and would love to help.”

She opened her mouth and looked between Twilight and I in an attempt to form a single sentence.

“I-I’m sorry,” she replied before going back to the folder, “We do not have the funds to pay for a new worker.”

“I’ll handle that!”

She looked up at me, shocked.

“I’m sorry, I must have misheard. Could you say that again?” she asked while rubbing her ear with a hoof.

“I said that I can pay for a new worker and, if you’d like, have a large sum of gold donated to the orphanage, anonymously and possibly get you a raise?”

“… Y-You’d do that?”

“I’d be honored,” I replied honestly. “I believe that all of our subjects, both human and pony, live long and happy lives. Whether they be orphans… or their caregivers.” I gave her a wink when I finished.

The mare blushed, Twilight just rolled her eyes and smiled. It was easy to see that Star was doing her best to hold back tears as she held a hoof to her mouth.

“T-Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” my wife replied.

Star lowered her hoof and took a shuddered breath and cleared her throat.

“A-hem, yes well…” Star went back to the folder. “We can discuss all that later?” she looked up at me to make sure. Nodding my head in conformation, she looked back down at the folder. She mouthed the words ‘thank you’ before saying. “Have you made a decision?”

Twilight and I looked at each other knowingly before looking back at Star.

“We have,” we answered in unison.

***

The two fillies followed close behind their caretaker. The main thought in their heads was that they were in trouble. But both knew they hadn’t done anything bad. They were so lost in thought that they didn’t even realize that they had bumped into each other. They stopped for a seconds and shared the same scared look.

“Come along little ones!”

Both of them looked at Star before running to catch up to her. A small walk later and they stood in front of the head mares door. This is the place where the good and the and both happen. Most of the time, it bad. Somepony did something wrong and they were going to be punished.

Opening the door, Star stepped inside. Following close behind, both ponies closed their eyes and held their heads low. Subconsciously, they headed up and right in front of the mare’s desk. They didn’t say anything as they expected to be punished.

“What did you do, Star?”

Both fillies gasped as their eyes shot open. Their legs started to shake as a burst of adrenaline shot through their systems. Turning their heads to the side, they slowly looked up at us. Twilight and I smiled at the two fillies. Nightshine’s lower jaw moved up and down slightly in an attempt to speak.

Walking up, I took a knee in front of the young bat pony.

“Told you I’d mention you,” I said with a smile before winking ta her.

To the side Star giggled.

“You two thought you were in trouble, weren’t you?”

Both fillies turned their heads and slowly nodded to the mare.

I looked up at Star.

“I guess there’s only one thing to say now?” both fillies looked up to me while Star just nodded. Twilight stepped forward and leaned down to Sunny’s level.

“Girls… how would you like to come home with us?”

Both girls looked at me shocked. Slowly tears started to form. Holding my arms open, Nightshine immediately jumped into the embrace as I wrapped my arms around her and held her close as she sobbed into my shirt. Next to me, Twilight opened her forelegs so that Sunny could hug her new mother. Both girls cried tears of joy as we held them close. In my arms, the little bat pony looked up at me with wet cheeks.

“T-Thank you!”

I smiled back at her in an attempt to held back my own tears.

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” I said happily while nuzzling her cheek, causing her to do the same thing. “I could see the sadness in your eyes.”

Nightshine gave me a shaky smile before diving back into my chest and crying yet again. AT this point, I couldn’t help myself. I cried tears of joy myself. I didn’t just have one little girl to call myself, I had two. Sunny spoke so highly of the little bat pony, that I couldn’t force them to be apart. Twilight wanted to help the little unicorn so badly that we just came to the agreement of taking both of them.

“Wait!” she pushed herself away from my chest and looked at Sunny. “You know what this means!?”

Sunny just looked at her with a confused stare.

“What?”

“We’re sister!”

The little unicorn had a massive smile slowly creep across her face as realization set it. Both girls squealed loudly before the bat pony jumped from my arms and landed on the ground before running up and grabbing her sister in a massive hug. Watching, I couldn’t help but get a warm feeling in my chest. That hole was just filled in an instant. Walking over, I knelt down yet again and placed a hand on each of their head, grabbing their attention.

“Girls… what do you say if we go home?”

Both of them smiled and leaned into my hands while nodding slightly.

***

Nightshine sat on the top of my head while Sunny rod on Twilights back.

“Where are we going?” Sunny asked while looking around. “Isn’t the train station the other way?”

“Yes it is honey,” Twilight stated. “But we don’t need to take the train.”

“Why not?” the unicorn replied. “Are we going to walk?”

“Nope!” I added. “We’re gonna fly!”

I felt the young filly sink down on my head.

“B-But… I can’t fly that well…” she said nervously. “And neither can you or Sunny… and Twilights too small to carry all of us…”

“Don’t worry,” Twilight said. “We have the means to carry all of us.”

Both stayed silent as we walked. As we approached the hangers and docking bays at the edge of town, the activity started to increase. Aliens and species of all kind wandered the area, many passed us without a second thought, others waved, some even bowed. The sounds of roaring ships taking off and landing could be heard as they either arrived or departed.

As we entered our dock, two Tenno guards, an Excalibur, and a Volt. Both saluted as Twilight and I walked past. Giving a salute myself, they went back to their posts. Walking up, I smirked as the two fillies looked on in awe of the massive ship. The back door opened as we approached. Walking up it, Twilights hooves and my shoes, tinked on the metal floor.

Walking past the lower area and up to the cockpit, I reached up and grabbed the little bat filly and gently placed her on the ground where she immediately started to look around with wonder. Twilight grabbed Sunny in her magic and gently placed her on the ground.

“Welcome back, Excalibur, Twilight.”

“Ah!”

Both fillies immediately jumped in fright at the voice and ran. Nightshine took cover behind my legs while Sunny hid between Twilights. Rolling my eyes, I bent over and picked up the shaking filly. Twilight did the same.

“It’s okay girls. It’s just Ordis.”

Nightshine uncovered her eyes and looked at me nervously. I gave her a reassuring smile before nuzzling her cheek. Visibly relaxing, I placed her back on the floor.

“Who’s Ordis?”

“Ordis is the ship,” the cephalon replied. “I was built to serve the operator, or as he prefers it, Excalibur.”

“The ship?” Sunny replied, confused.

I chuckled.

“Ordis is the artificial intelligence that runs the ship.” Both of them looked at me. I had thrown them for a loop and a knew it. I just playfully rolled my eyes and grabbed my face and laughed. “I’ll explain it later.” I turned my attention to the ship. “Ordis, let’s go home.”

“Yes, Excalibur.”

As the engines came to life the ship hummed loudly. Slowly it lifted off the ground and turned toward the castle. The ship started to accelerate as we shot for open skies. I couldn’t wait to get the girls home. I just wanted to sit down with my daughters and…

‘I’m a father…’

I couldn’t be happier.

Now I just need to pry the shaking filly from my shins.