To leave is the hardest part
Head or Heart?
She scrunched her eyes shut as a heavy breath escaped her lips. Her brow furrowed with contemplation before her eyes opened and met the object of her affection, her soul’s other half.
Yet it wasn’t just her and Sunny that would be affected by her leaving through the portal. All of the people she loved, her mothers, and her aunts especially would miss her terribly. She tried to find the words, but it was as if her voice had lost all sound.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held an arm out to the love of her life. A soft sob escaped her throat as Splendid found herself on her back with Sunny nuzzling into her neck. Splendid stroked the back of her head as she whispered, “It’ll be okay, sweetheart. I won’t be gone for too long if I can help it.”
Sunny looked up at Splendid, her eyes red from the tears that stained her cheeks. “Are you sure? Y-You won’t forget about me, right?”
Splendid chuckled and rubbed her thumb over Sunny’s cheeks before she placed a kiss on her lips. “I love you, Sunny. You’ve helped me through more things than I could have ever managed by myself and I am not letting you go, not when you hold my heart in your hands.”
Although the soft ‘d’aww’ that they heard come from a few steps away broke them from their small moment. Splendid looked up at Sunset, who had a sad smile on her face as she brushed Adagio’s tears from her face. Sunset nodded at Splendid as she nudged her gaze over to the setting sun. “It’s time... Say goodbye to your girl, little dragon.”
Splendid looked at her mothers with a sad look, to which Sunset rolled her eyes and said softly, “Don’t give me that look, you promised your uncle you’d do this, but for now, both of you put your hands where I can see them.”
This was answered by a groan and a squeak as the two younger girls got up from their position on the ground into a sitting position.
“Our little dragon is leaving the nest,” Adagio admitted sadly, leaning closer to her wife.
Splendid looked over at her mother, and groaned, “I’m not little.”
“You’ll always be little to your mothers, kiddo,” Aria commented, coming over to them with a chuckle.
Splendid’s eyes crossed as Aria booped her on the nose, but she smiled as she took the outstretched hand meant to help her up.
Once they were standing, Splendid pursed her lips and furrowed her brows as she looked between the portal and her loved ones again.
“I... I’ll be honest, I don't want to leave any of you, but I know what I need to do.” She pulled Sunny into a hug.
She looked at Sunny, a hand raised to her cheek, caressing it as she whispered, “I’ll be yours forever, Sunny. Don’t forget that. And even though I may be gone, for now, we’ll still have a way to communicate. My aunts on the other side are creating our own set of books so I can come visit you, and I promise you I will every chance I get.”
“B-But why can’t I go with you?” Sunny whimpered as she tried to blink the tears in her eyes away.
“They haven't been able to find out if the “other side you” is alive or not. Once they do, and if she isn’t alive, you can come over all you want.” Splendid smiled slightly, with light tears of her own in her eyes.
“Alright... But you’d better come back for me,” Sunny conceded, and pulled Splendid into a kiss as deep as the sea. “And I love you too.”
“Forever and always.” Splendid smiled brightly as she took Sunny’s hand and placed it over her heart.
Splendid sighed as she heard one of her mothers tapping her foot. She knew she had better go or suffer the wrath of her aunts on the other side. “I know I’m going… I love you guys so much.”
“We love you too.” the group called out as she turned to the portal and started walking towards it.
“Be safe…” Sunny whispered.
In turn, she smiled and as she walked through the portal, she whispered back, “I will.”
No matter what, though, she knew she’d never get used to the feeling of being turned inside out and having her organs turned upside down.
Soon, the light came rushing back to her, and she landed on something soft. She looked up to see her favorite cousin, a smiling and quite tall dragon, “Spike, you sure have gotten... tall,” she commented, dumbfounded since it had only been a little time since she’d last seen him.
A cough came from beside him, and her aunt, Princess Twilight, smiled down at her. “We got a mattress, see?”
Twilight seemed especially impressed with herself.
1.5 years earlier...
“I swear, that girl pays more attention to that phone of hers than her own family!” Sunset complained, her face flushed with heat as she looked from her daughter to her wife.
“Little dragon, you might want to put down that phone of yours or I think your mom's gonna burst a blood vessel.” Adagio placed a hand on Splendid’s shoulder, pointing at Sunset.
“Sorry, Mom... And sorry. Momma, what were you going to tell me about Uncle Blueblood?” Splendid asked as she looked at her mothers, sheepishly putting down her phone.
“Apparently he told Twilight he needed to see us, more specifically you, for some important news,” Sunset confirmed as she started to calm down, “And she specified it had to be this weekend.”
“Oh, okay... Wait... This weekend? Shit!” Splendid swore, which earned her a glare from both her mothers.
“Watch your language!” Adagio hissed with a twitch in her eye and a frown on her face.
“Did you already plan something with Sunny?” her mothers asked at the same time.
“We had a… Dinner date this weekend…” Splendid pursed her lips as she looked down.
Adagio looked at her wife, remembering their first date and gave her a meaningful gaze, one that didn’t go unnoticed by Sunset.
Glancing over, Sunset rolled her eyes but smiled lightly, and conveyed her thoughts, “I might have a better idea…”
Once she knew she had Splendid’s complete attention, Sunset continued, “You should bring her to Equestria’s version of Sugarcube Corner, so that you get to go on your date while still fulfilling what your uncle has asked of you.”
Splendid beamed brightly and with a nod of her head, she went back to her phone, tapping the keys in quick succession.
“Are you giving Sunny the updated situation?” Sunset asked with a quick roll of the eyes at how much her teenaged daughter was attached to her phone.
“Yeah,” Splendid answered without even looking up from her phone, still tapping with quick precision.
Oh great, back to one word answers and she’s not even lifting her head, Sunset thought as she shook her head and sighed.
Feeling the slender fingers attached to the woman she loved rub her arms tenderly, Sunset began to calm down.
“I’m off to work, you two. Try not to tear apart the house in my absence,” Adagio informed them loud enough for Splendid to hear.
“Love you, Momma,” Splendid responded and looked up with a smile to Adagio, which caused Sunset to grumble and roll her eyes again.
Adagio chuckled and leaned down to give Sunset a quick peck on the lips. “Behave, you two,” she implored with a chuckle and walked out of the room.
“It’s not me who has to behave,” Sunset groaned lightly, but she still wore a bright smile on her face as always from a kiss with Adagio.
Sunset smiled as she always did while watching the colors of the sky change. It was as if nothing could go wrong with her wife snuggled close in her arms. She smirked when she heard a particular noise come from the other bench beside them.
When she got a poke to her stomach, she looked down at Adagio, who had an almost wicked grin on her face. Sunset nodded with a grin of her own.
“Hey you two, stop with all that bedroom talk. Or do you really want us to embarrass you again?” Adagio called over to the other bench, her eyes still on Sunset.
This earned them a squeak, followed by a thud. The result being, Sunny on the ground with her hands over her eyes and scarlet colored cheeks.
“C’mon Momma… no need to embarrass my girlfriend,” Splendid complained as she helped Sunny up and dusted off the back of her pants for her.
“Oh my little dragon, what I did now is barely embarrassing,” Adagio chuckled and stuck her tongue out at her daughter.
Splendid went to rebuke the words when a loud buzz interrupted them. She knew what that meant as she saw the telltale sign of a glowing book in one of the bags.
“Guess it's time to go then, huh, Momma?” she asked with a smile as she couldn't wait to show Sunny more of Equestria.
Adagio nodded at that point, smiling as Sunset tried pushing them more towards the portal.
“If your mother’s eagerness is anything to attest to, then yes, I think it is.”
Author's Note
Finally, the 4th story in her series has begun and splendid is rearing and ready to go :)
Splendid groaned as she fell muzzle-first onto the cold castle floor, sneezing at the little specks of dust floating around her. Ugh, she thought, picking herself up off the ground, they really need to get a mattress.
“It’s so good to see you all again,” Twilight smiled warmly as she held a hoof out for Splendid, “I am glad you brought Sunny, Splendid. Pinkie was so excited to bake for her again. I swear that mare has claimed her as Sugar Lace’s sister.”
“Miss Pinkie’s going to bake again!” Sunny said excitedly as she jumped to her hooves, bouncing lightly at the thought of all the different baked goods.
Splendid rolled her eyes at her bouncing girl- no... Marefriend, and nudged Sunny with her muzzle to look at her. “You are a true ball of sunshine, Sunny, and you are the most adorable little dork.”
“Hey, I’m not a dork! I prefer to be called delightfully enthusiastic,” Sunny stuck her tongue out at Splendid before a chuckle brought both their eyes over to Splendid’s uncle Blueblood.
“You two are both adorable dorks, If I had to say,” His smile widened as he trotted over to them and mussed up their manes slightly, his usual welcome gesture after their trip through the portal.
“So, Uncle, what was it you needed me for? My mothers weren't able to tell me anything besides the fact that you wanted to see me.” Splendid asked with her own bright smile, wrapping her hooves around his neck and hugging him.
“Once we get to the dining hall, I will explain everything,” he replied, nodding his head towards the door out of the library.
Splendid nodded in return, unsure of what her uncle meant, but was more than willing to hear him out. She smiled back at her mothers, then softened her eyes. She giggled at Sunny, who had wide eyes and a bit of drool down her cheek, most likely from the thought of aunt Pinkie’s baked goods.
“Do you want to go say Hi to aunt rarity and aunt Pinkie while I’m talking to my uncle, love?”
Sunny shook her head, smiling brightly back at her. “As much as I want to, I also want to make sure everything is ok with you, so I'd prefer to stay with you, if that’s fine.”
Splendid smiled warmly and nuzzled into Sunny’s neck affectionately, earning a response in the form of a giggle coming from in front of them.
“Aunt Cadence? I didn’t know you would be here!” Splendid gawked her eyes, blinking as she stopped short.
She then beamed brightly, her eyes dancing with delight as she trotted faster toward the pink alicorn and hugged her tightly.
“Hello there, Splendid. How have you and Sunny been?” Cadence asked as she always did, with a smile and a bright gleam in her eye.
“We’re good, I guess. Um… not to seem rude, but what's the occasion? Aren't you and Shining busy with running the crystal empire?” Splendid looked at Cadence, cocking her head as she asked.
“I’m bound by oath, until your uncle has explained it to you, not to say a word,” Cadence answered, her smile softening.
Nodding, Splendid pouted before her smile resurfaced and she trotted forward with her aunt the rest of the way to the dining hall, their silence turning into most idle chatter about life and her relationship with Sunny. Once they joined the rest of the group, Splendid went to sit beside her uncle with Sunny on her other side, and placed her hoof over her marefriend’s.
“I am glad you could all join us today. As you are all aware, my name is not just Blueblood, but Prince Blueblood. Alas, for those of us who have not been back to Equestria in some time or have only been here a sparing few times, you may not be aware of the reason for this title.” Blueblood smiled brightly at all those in front of him. “I am a Minor Prince of Equestria; what that means in terms is yes, I am still of a noble bloodline, but I am not one of the faces of the Equestrian government like that of my wonderful family members, Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight. I am the Minister of Finance and I work with other noble ponies in the inner structures of our governance.”
Blueblood chuckled at that point and smiled warmly at his niece, “But I am not the focus, Splendid, my dear niece. For being the heir to my bloodline has certain inherent responsibilities that you must honor, and certain duties that will be put upon you as you progress in your own training. Once you turn eighteen, you will join me in the section of our government in which you find your calling. However, I have a feeling that with the details of your own special talent, working with foreign governments might be to your liking; specifically, the dragons.”
Splendid blinked, her eyes an almost blank stare as she processed every bit of information.
“Does that mean she’ll have to move to Equestria permanently?” Sunny asked worriedly, gripping Splendid’s hoof in her own.
“Most likely, Sunny,” he responded apologetically, looking at Splendid, who was becoming increasingly silent.
In that moment, Splendid’s mind roared into gear and tears streamed down her cheeks as the scrape of a chair echoed throughout the dining hall. As she ran from the dining hall, she tried to ignore the sound of her name being called.
“Splendid, where are you?” Sunny called out, her voice almost hoarse from the hours of searching the castle for her.
Her only response was a sad sniffle coming from nearby, her ear flicked in the direction of the sound. She trotted closer towards it, her ears flicking again every time another sniffle would echo in her direction. Finally, she was led to the door with a dragon surrounding a scroll.
Why didn’t I think to check our room?
Raising her hoof, she knocked lightly on the door and called to Splendid, “Love, it’s me. May I come in?”
The door creaked open at that moment and she took it as a sign to go in. What she saw next almost broke her heart. Sitting on their bed, Splendid looked at her with red, bloodshot eyes from hours of crying.
“Oh, sweetheart...” Sunny cooed, rubbing Splendid’s shoulder blades.
Sunny nudged her to turn onto her other side with her muzzle, climbing up onto the bed beside her. She then proceeded to nuzzle her marefriend’s neck as she wrapped her hooves around Splendid’s barrel, softly starting to hum a song they both loved.
“It’ll be alright, I promise you. As much as I hate the idea of you leaving, you deserve an amazing chance like this,” Sunny kissed her neck lightly, as she rubbed her forelegs softly with her hoof.
“I hope so Sunny… I hope so,” Splendid nods with a sigh, resting back against her marefriend.
Author's Note
This will probably be the last update for two weeks as I head out to Pennsylvania for a big renn faire as i do every year. but I wanted to leave ya'll with something rather than nothing so i hope you like.
