The Crystal Empire was beautiful in the spring - the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, and the ponies who dared to had ventured out of their homes to enjoy the fresh air.
At least, the ones that were still here.
The war had taken many- actually, most- of them, bravely serving in the Sombrian Army. They didn’t exactly have a choice when they were drafted, but were brave about it anyway. King Sombra, of course, didn’t care - he was just a power-hungry bastard who was using them. Grey Opal scowled as she grabbed the newspaper. The sooner the war was won for Equestria, the sooner King Sombra would be defeated and they could finally live in a peaceful Crystal Empire, unoppressed.
She sighed and read the headlines: EQUESTRIA INVENTS NEW WEAPON, DOES THIS MEAN THEY CAN BEAT SOMBRA? Intrigued, Grey Opal read the article. It seemed that this new weapon, called a 'bomb', could do a lot of damage, and in preparation sirens had been placed in the Crystal Empire to warn of impending attacks. Supposedly, flying pegasi would drop them on places to destroy entire buildings. As grateful as she was for the advantage to Equestria, she couldn’t help but worry….
However, before she could process this, she heard small hooves coming down the stairs. “Mommy, look! I drew this picture for you!” Grey Opal looked up, as her young son Smoky Topaz ran down the stairs. His grey-red coat and grey mane made him almost look like a little fire.
He handed her a crude drawing of their house, with a bright yellow sun above it. “That’s beautiful, Topaz!” She stood up and put it on the refrigerator in the kitchen. She returned and stroked his mane.
Grey Opal gestured upstairs. “Why don’t you tell your sister to come down for breakfast? I managed to find a couple of eggs today!”
“Oh boy!” Smoky Topaz ran upstairs, obviously excited, and Grey Opal smiled. Rations were hard, but every now and then she tried to get them something special. It helped keep their spirits up.
She loved her foals dearly, and would do anything to keep them safe from the evils of the world. She sighed, a little depressed. How unfortunate the timing of their births was, in the two years before Sombra had retaken the Crystal Empire and the great war began. They had grown so much in the 5 and 6 short years that had followed....
A tired - looking greyish-pink filly with a darker pink mane appeared at the top of the stairs next to Smoky Topaz. At the sight of her mother, her eyes grew wide and she practically fell down the stairs, with him following. Grey Opal smiled - her daughter was so adorable!
“Topaz said that there were eggs!” the little filly said, with sparkling, hopeful eyes.
Grey Opal laughed. “Yes, Vintage Rose, I did find a couple eggs for breakfast today. I was just about to scramble them.” She had indeed 'found' some eggs, bargaining with the farmer who had miraculously had some extra yesterday. After a bit, he had reluctantly given them up after she noted that not many people would buy day-old eggs for the full price anyway.
Vintage rose bounced up and down. “Oooh yay! I can’t wait!” Grey Opal laughed again and told her to sit down at the weathered wooden kitchen table with her brother.
Grey Opal scrambled the eggs, putting them on 3 plates, and they ate breakfast. As they finished, Grey Opal collected the plates and proceeded to wash them.
Grey Opal had just finished cleaning up from breakfast when she noticed the foals looking at her with hopeful eyes. She smiled and put down her washcloth. “You guys want me to put on your favorite record, don‘t you?”
They nodded excitedly, running into the next room over. Grey Opal followed them, knowing the record player would be out. She quickly grabbed their copy of “You are my Sunshine” and set everything up. It had played through only once when they heard a strange, faint siren in the distance.
“No…..’ Grey Opal whispered under her breath with a distraught look on her face as she realized what it was. Suddenly, it turned into one of determination.
She gestured to the door to the basement of the house. “Why don‘t we go explore the basement? There’s lots of cool stuff in there.” Grey Opal then ushered the foals through the door, the siren only becoming louder
As they went into the basement, she remembered that they had forgotten to turn off the record. They could hear it, though slightly scratchy, as they locked the door and prepared to hunker down.
You are my sunshine
“Mommy, why are we going to the basement? What is that sound?” Little Smoky Topaz anxiously asked as he was pulled farther down into the basement. Vintage Rose began to cry.
Grey Opal quickly gathered Vintage Rose into her hooves. “Hush, dear, It’ll be okay. Here, I’ll carry you.” She proceeded to carefully put her daughter onto her back.
my only sunshine
“We’re going…. To build a fort! Come here, and help me build it strong.” Grey Opal gestured to the junk that presided in the basement. Luckily, she had been gathering these random things off the streets for a while now, in case they ever needed protection.
“Oh, okay!” Little Vintage Rose wiped her watering eyes and followed Smoky Topaz to the various piles to begin.
You make me happy, when skies are gray
The useless junk quickly became a wall, then a circle, then a small open-roofed fort. Grey Opal helped the foals position the last piece, a dented old end piece to a metal barrel, on top to finish the roof.
They finished the small fort, and crawled inside. Grey Opal gathered her family into a group hug, hoping to give them some sense of security.
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you
A silent tear rolled down Grey Opal’s cheek as they heard the first bombs drop.
Please don’t take my sunshine away.
