Author's Note
This story took me forever to crank out. Oh my goodness. It should not have taken as long as it did, but somewhere along the way I lost my muse and it was a struggle to write. It was like pulling teeth. But I got it out here in the end, and I think it turned out very well.
This was just a little fluff piece for the series. I enjoyed writing it (most of the time) and seeing how it might come along. I like where it went. I hope you guys do too.
Enjoy! 
Family Inductions
Silverstream was deep in thought.
Since getting Cousin Skystar’s letter, she had been contemplating what Smolder meant to her. Of course Smolder was her hatchling. There was no doubt about that. But did she want to do something. She had been having trouble containing her pride about being a mother. Every single thing Smolder did made her want to stand up and shout from the rooftops, “That’s MY hatchling!”. It was getting harder and harder to contain that. It was part of the reason she had reached out to Cousin Skystar in the first place. She needed somegriff to share this with- one who could understand just how special this was. Not that she didn’t think her parents wouldn’t be supportive, but… There were some things she thought they just wouldn’t understand as well as Cousin Skystar would. They hadn’t seen what her cousin had seen, and hadn’t been enlightened to that way of thinking. So, Silverstream had been contemplating. She had been contemplating asking Smolder if she wanted to meet her cousin.
This was not a black and white thing like one might have thought. Much as she had thought about talking to Smolder about this, if she followed through it would likely not be an easy sell. Smolder had somewhat opened up with Ocellus and was marginally comfortable with being cared for by her, but no one else had known about this. Talking to Smolder about being open with this side of herself was something she would likely be very hostile to. But then again, if Smolder did open up, she would get to not only meet somegriff who understood what she was talking about, but also a member of her family.
So, Silverstream, what are you gonna do?
The question played over and over in her head like a bad record. Laying there, she was trying to form some sort of logical argument for why Smolder should talk with her cousin, but her thoughts were jumbling up, tangling with each other, until she couldn’t separate a single line. She sighed in frustration, running both her claws down her face. How was she going to figure this out?
She tried to just drop the subject, box it up and revisit it later, but like a swarm of Fly-ders, it wouldn’t leave her alone. She knew herself well enough to know that it wouldn’t leave her be until she actually asked, and then she could just deal with her disappointment if it didn’t go the way she wanted it to. But how to bring it up would be difficult. A dozen options for how to do that popped up as well, but unlike her thoughts they didn’t tangle together. She was able to look at them one by one. Tell her during hatchling time, bring it up alone when she was big, bring it up with her and Ocellus, bring it up with their friends as a casual thing and go into detail later. So many different paths to choose from, and she had to choose the right one. One by one, she went through, and dismissed them based on pros and cons. In the end, she decided to tell Smolder alone. That way any reaction would be between them, no one else would have to see it, and their hatchling time would not be sullied by one bad interaction.
Silverstream looked at her bedside clock. It was four thirty. She could go and talk with Smolder now and then let her think it over for as long as she needed if she didn’t want to decide right away. She thought that might be best.
She got up, nerves tingling with nervous anticipation, and walked out her door, grabbing Cousin Skystar’s letter on the way out, to Smolder’s room. She knocked on Smolder’s door, and awaited the dragon’s answer impatiently.
Smolder had been munching on some gems when the knock came, and went to the door while wiping her mouth. When she opened it, Silverstream was there.
“Hey Silverstream.” She greeted, and noted the anxious aura that seemed to envelop the Hippogriff.
“Hi Smolder. Mind if I come in?”
“Not at all.” She said, and stepped aside. Silverstream walked in, without any of her usual bounce, and it was then that Smolder noticed the letter under her wing. “What’s up?”
“I had something I wanted to ask you.” She said.
Smolder shut the door and went over to sit on her bed. “What?”
“Do you remember the first day I took care of you, when I told you about my Cousin Skystar and I and those Seaponies we found in those trenches?”
Smolder nodded. “Yeah. Why?”
“The day you helped me, I wrote her a letter, and I told her our story- without any names of course.” Silverstream recovered herself quickly, seeing Smolder’s expression morph into anger. She seemed to have been appeased by that, so Silverstream went on. “A few days ago, Cousin Skystar sent me this letter in reply. The last paragraph- It got me thinking. I want you to read it first before I tell you what I was thinking.” She said, and gave Smolder the scroll.
Smolder looked over the words.
I hope you know, that whoever you’ve taken under your wing, or fin for that matter, I’d love to meet them, and I consider them a part of the family already. I’m sure your parents and brother would too, if it counts for anything. If you care about them, they’re family.
Smolder looked up at Silverstream. Suddenly she understood what this was about, as everything clicked into place in her mind. “You want me to meet your cousin.” It was a statement, not a question, and one made in completely neutral tones.
“Not if you’re uncomfortable with it, but… I would like to have at least one member of my family to share this with, and nogriff would understand better than her because of what she saw in the trenches back in Seaquestria. I know it’s a lot to ask but I really think you’d have fun with her. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was going to be something good for the both of us.”
Smolder contemplated those words. She turned them over in her mind like lava stones in a cave when she wanted to find gems. It wasn’t that she thought it was a bad idea, necessarily. She could see the logic in it from Silverstream’s point of view. She just didn’t know how to take this really. Her mind flashed back to the day Ocellus found out, and her hysterical reaction over it. But… That had ended well. Ocellus had so much fun with her when she watched her for Silverstream, even for short periods. It had been incredibly difficult for her to open up to Ocellus in that headspace, but she had managed eventually. Could she do that again?
Smolder mulled over it for a long time. Long enough for Silverstream to get anxious enough to wish she hadn’t said anything. But then, Smolder broke the silence.
“I’m nervous.”
Silverstream blinked. More at the fact that something had startled her from her anxious musings, and then her smile returned. “She’ll love you. You won’t have to worry about that.”
“What if she tells someone?”
“Have I told anyone anything specific?” She said.
“Well no, but…”
“She doesn’t have anygriff to tell. We kept the secret of those seaponies for years, because we knew they wouldn’t want us to. And we didn’t even know them. She knows me, and she would never do that to me or to you for that matter. Even if she did- and she wouldn’t- I would never stand for it.”
Smolder pondered this for a little while, before she finally nodded her consent. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Silverstream asked, hope shooting up inside of her.
“Okay. I’ll meet her.”
Smolder’s words barely left her mouth before Silverstream pulled her into a crushing hug. After her shock passed, Smolder hugged her back with a smile.
After that, Silverstream bounded back to her room to write to her favorite cousin and ask her to come visit. She flew to the post office herself to get the letter there, instead of waiting for the post pony to pick it up from the school. She could have asked Princess Twilight to send it for her, and she probably would have had she not been so excited at the time that she couldn’t think straight. She had raced back to school after that, excited for her cousin’s reply.
A few days passed with nothing until finally, a letter came for her. Silverstream ripped it open in haste and began to read. Queen Novo was coming for a summit with Princess Celestia next week, and Princess Skystar had obtained permission from her mother to come along and visit her cousin. Silverstream had squealed and flown around in a circle in her bedroom before she went to tell Smolder. The dragon had been in a short break from a study session with Gallus, the changeling having gone to get them both snacks, when Silverstream came with the news. Smolder had had enough time to squirm in her hold and give her a smile before her friend returned.
The time in between the day Skystar’s letter came and the day she was due to arrive was spent with Silverstream and Smolder being like ships passing in the night. The week was packed with tests, quizzes, and homework. Silverstream and Smolder saw each other for study sessions with their friends that were so intense they tended to have to eat late in the night. The day Skystar was due to come was the first day they were not overloaded with intense amounts of work- the test in Professor Twilight’s class was done, Applejack’s field trip was over, Rarity’s generosity quiz was finished, and Fluttershy’s homework over how to identify and care for creatures with hidden spikes was finally ended. Smolder and Silverstream hadn’t had a chance to sit down and talk about the whole thing, really. Much as they wanted to do it at lunch on the day of, their friends were still around, and they both seemed to share a mind about it giving too much away. So they had to wait until after school, in Silverstream’s room.
Despite being sky high with excitement, Silverstream’s keen perception remained in tact. Smolder, though seeming cocky, radiated nervousness. Silverstream calmed herself enough to wrap a wing around Smolder. She knew that when Smolder was unnerved, she needed to be as calm as possible. Smolder looked at her, and for maybe a second, or maybe not even that long, her inner hatchling shone through in the mirror of her eyes. She looked scared. Silverstream pulled her into a hug.
“It will be alright, Smolder. Really.” She assured her. “Cousin Skystar will love you, just like I do.”
Smolder gave her a weak smile in response.
Just then, a knock came at the door, and Silverstream’s wings fluttered. She pranced over to the door, and flung it open. Cousin Skystar stood there in her hippogriff form wearing a gigantic grin. Skystar’s light yellow fur and arctic blue mane seemed to glow with her happiness.
“Cousin!” They said in unison, and shared a hug.
Somehow they dissolved into laughter, and Smolder found herself smiling. The sound was oddly calming, and she couldn’t help but think that Skystar was very similar to her Mama, just by hearing that and seeing their reactions to one another.
“I’m so happy you’re here!” Silverstream gushed.
“I know! I’ve missed you like crazy!” Skystar laughed. “Shelly and Sheldon send their love, by the way. They’re back home running things in Seaquestria.”
“Oh! You’ll have to tell them I love them and miss them too! And tell Auntie Novo I said hi!”
“I will!”
Silverstream grinned at her. “Come on in.”
Skystar giggled. “Thank you.”
Smolder felt her nerves return as the new Hippogriff entered the room. Skystar caught sight of Smolder and broke into a huge grin. She went over to Smolder with a grin.
“You must be my niece!”
Smolder raised a brow. “Niece? I thought you guys were cousins?”
Skystar giggled. “I am. But Silverstream is like a sister to me, so if you’re her hatchling, it makes you my niece!”
Smolder felt oddly flustered by the statement, but nodded anyways. “I’m Smolder.” She said, extending an arm for a clawshake.
Skystar ignored it and went straight for a hug. “Clawshakes are for business. You are family, so you get a hug.”
Smolder was frozen in surprise for more than a second, but then hugged her back, albeit awkwardly. When Skystar pulled away she was grinning madly. Smolder was a little unsure of what to do now, when Silverstream wrapped a wing around her and gave her a loving and reassuring look. Smolder turned to her, and seeing the happiness, pride, and love in her eyes, she smiled. Skystar had to hold back a squeal.
“You picked a good one, Cuz. I can tell how close you two are just by looking at each other.”
Silverstream giggled. “We may not be obvious to other creatures, but to your experienced eye, I’m sure we’re as glaringly obvious as the electric eels that light up Seaquestria.”
“And you’d be right!” Skystar smiled. “I want to hear all about your adventures here! Tell me everything!”
So Smolder, Silverstream, and Skystar sat on the bed in a row, The Hippogriffs talking about their adventures. Smolder chimed in when appropriate, but mostly listened. She did not realize she was subconsciously leaning into Silverstream, even when the hippogriff wrapped a wing around her on instinct. Smolder’s mind ended up drifting at some point during that talk, and the conversation happening around her sort of faded into the background. Smolder let out a yawn. Some disembodied voice told her that it was about time for a nap. She did not realize at the time that the voice had been her own, and that it had simply been in her mind. A yawn left her, unnoticed by the two hippogriffs, and she leaned into Silverstream a little bit more. She did not notice Silverstream pulling her closer, and the hippogriff didn’t realize she was doing it either. It wasn’t until Silverstream noticed a sucking noise that she finally looked down and found a heartwarming sight.
Smolder was leaning into her, curled up slightly, and sucking her claw as her eyes were drooping shut. Silverstream’s body heat and wing had made a kind of warm blanket for her, and she was quickly falling asleep, apparently unable to keep out of her headspace in her half awake state. Skystar mouthed an “Awww” Seeing that, but she didn’t dare squeal like she wanted to. Silverstream looked at her hatchling with a mother’s tender eyes and pulled Smolder into her arms before flying her over to the top of the bed to lay her down for a nap.
“Mama?” Smolder’s voice was slurred with her need for sleep, and she was barely awake.
“Hush now, sweetie. Mama’s going to put you down for a nap.”
“‘Mber.” Came a murmured reply.
Most creatures would not have been able to decipher what that meant, but fortunately Silverstream was an expert in decoding Smolder when she used what she thought of as “paci talk”, when her articulation was muffled by a pacifier or a claw. Silverstream knew what Smolder had meant. She wanted Amber, her stuffed toy, that Silverstream had made a dragon costume for.
“Mama will get Amber for you. I’ll get her.” She soothed, and then went a little further down the bed, and reached beneath to a box. She had kept the box under there for any items Smolder might have left in her room after any of their time together, and luckily, Amber had been one of the things left behind. She pulled the doll from the box, and went to Smolder, giving her the doll. “There you go. Sleepy time now.”
Smolder took the doll and snuggled it, and quickly dropped off into sleep.
Silverstream gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, and then motioned her cousin out of the room so they could talk.
“You’re really good with her.” Skystar said in the hallway. Since the school day had ended, the dorms were deserted for now, most students being in the library, or out in Ponyville. In those empty halls, Silverstream relaxed.
“It’s just practice. And some experience with a very awesome cousin of mine.”
“Still, that was so amazing! And so sweet too. I’m really surprised she even showed that side of herself with me in the room. She seems so private from what you told me.”
“She usually is.” Silverstream said. “My guess is that she was comfortable enough with you and tired enough that it just slipped out. Maybe without her permission.”
“So if it did happen without her permission, what should I do when she wakes up?”
Silverstream contemplated this. “I think we’ll just play it by ear. But just make sure that you’re in the room when she wakes up so that she understands that you don’t mind.”
Skystar nodded. “Gotcha.”
The conversation between the two drifted into other ports, ones of safer territory. Silverstream kept an ear out for her hatchling in the meantime, but they seemed to be safe so far. The conversation lasted an hour before they decided to go into the room to sit for a while. It was around that time that Smolder stirred awake.
Silverstream was sitting at the end of the bed, and went to Smolder when she opened her eyes. Smolder’s eyes adjusted to the light and the first thing she saw was Silverstream’s gentle eyes and happy smile. It made her smile too. Over time, when waking, Smolder had grown accustomed to being in what she had come to think of as her “in between place”. She was not in her adult headspace or her hatchling one. The first few moments were the in between. After that, it was anyone’s guess to what would take hold. Smolder moved an arm just slightly, and saw that she had Amber in her claws after a brief glance down when she felt the doll brushing against her scales. Having the doll made her feel warm and fuzzy, and she gave it a cuddle. She felt herself beginning to sink into her little headspace, and sat up- only to freeze.
Skystar was in the room, looking at her with a gentle smile and calm eyes. Smolder was fixated on her face and memories of her behavior before she had slept flashed through her mind. Had Skystar seen it?! Probably. She wanted to smack herself. But Skystar’s gaze wasn’t cruel or mocking or anything of the like. It was cold comfort, but comfort it was all the same, however inadequate. Smolder looked at Silverstream, curious, but to the Hippogriff she looked lost. Silverstream put a claw on her shoulder soothingly. Smolder’s anxiety lessened a tad, conditioned to calm at the familiar touch.
“It’s okay, Smolder. Skystar doesn’t care. If she did, why would she be here? Why not be off telling the world about all of this? It’s simple: She’s family. And family never judges you.”
Smolder gave a slow nod, and looked to Skystar, who was smiling at her, and found herself smiling too. Skystar went to Smolder and gave her a hug. Smolder hugged her back, and felt real comfort this time, when Skystar giggled.
“It’s alright, Smolder. I won’t tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.”
Smolder took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I believe you.”
Skystar grinned at her. “Good. You’ve always got family with me.”
Smolder smiled, and found herself slipping into her little headspace. She looked to Silverstream, who was smiling at her. The hippogriff went over to her.
“Feel like having some playtime, my little hatchling?”
Smolder nodded, and got up from the bed. Silverstream got out the box again, and some blocks and a doll. Smolder instantly started building a throne structure for Amber, and had the other doll bowing as a servant to The Dragon Lord, giggling all the while.
Silverstream and Skystar shared a look, before Silverstream wrapped a wing around her Cousin in a hug. Then, Skystar went over to Smolder and leaned down to her.
“Can I play too?”
Smolder looked at her a second, startled, before she slowly handed over the other doll.
“You can play with this one, Auntie Skystar.”
Skystar took the doll with an enormous grin. “Thank you, sweetie.”
Silverstream, for her part, smiled. This was a pretty good way for them to make their introductions.
