Flyte

Obsidian found himself rudely shoved into a dream. He looked around to find himself strapped into a large straight backed chair. He flexed his claws and found that he couldn't move at all. Trying to stifle the growing panic, he looked around trying to get his bearings. Suddenly he heard hooves hitting steel as another pony entered what he supposed was a room. A light was flicked on temporarily blinding the massive dragon. As he blinked trying to clear the dark spots from his vision, he found himself staring down upon a road weary gray stallion, his beard was large and filled with stars.

Obsidian was a dragon feared in song and story. He was a warrior who fought in the Windigo wars and who was a decorated veteran of the United Draconian Force. He had seen things that would make Basilisks curl up and cry themselves to sleep in a corner. He felt a cold shudder slither it's way down his spine.

Starswirl, what brings you here? The dragon kept his voice neutral. Starswirl The Bearded had been a magnificent magician once upon a time. That was before his wife died. He saw Starswirl sigh. "Cut the bull Sidian, I know you hate me, hay I hate me." Said Starswirl using his magic to unbind the restraints holding the massive dragon back. As soon as he did, Obsidian lunged at him faster than a sparrow in a jetstream.

Is that so? Give me one good reason I shouldn't tear your spiritual self to pieces.

The dragon growled carefully applying pressure to the once great stallion. Starswirl sighed, "I just want to apologize. That's all." He said, Obsidian heard it in his voice then. He knew that the warlock had been broken, he probably gave after Nightshade ran away.

Obsidian let go abruptly, letting the stallion fall on his face.

Why are you here Starswirl? If your looking to get Nights back then your out of luck.   Said the dragon flatly, crossing arms. Starswirl just laughed a sharp two note 'hah'.

"I know, I....I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." He said, trying to keep his voice level and failing. Obsidian felt a pang run through his heart, but then quickly shook it away.

Fine. You get 40 minutes nothing more nothing less and If you do decide to try anything funny, I will make sure the last dream you have is the last. Growled the dragon.

Starswirl just nodded, his eyes were twin pieces of white glass, no soul in sight. Obsidian left the space and reentered Night's physique. He was content to watch.

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So here he was, staring at his son. Starswirl thought back on his birth and the years he had spent taking care of him. He knew that his son's hate was a long time coming, but that didn't make the pain any easier to handle.

His son snapped into the dream space he created, for a moment confused. He saw a look of pure rage cross his draconic features as he gazed upon the one pony he least wanted to see.

Hello Father. Hissed the smaller colt. His dark brown pegasus. Starswirl cringed at the venom, it was painful. He gulped and began but was interrupted.

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I knew he wanted to apologize, I could see it in his eyes. The way they cringed in fear as I spoke, the way he seemed to shrink. I saw his adam's apple bob as he began to speak, I wasn't having any of it though.

"Tell me pops, what brings you here?" I asked pretending to be happy and surprised. I watched him grimace and open his mouth, I wasn't in the mood for some sappy sorry excuse for the pain he put me through. I held up a hoof, signaling for him to stop.

"Tell me daddy, Where were you?" I asked, he knew exactly what I meant.

"You used to be so happy, so kind, so gently, so loving, where did you go?" I was now struggling to keep my voice even, immense anger and sadness coursing through me veins.

"I know, I know you put me through all of that because you wanted me to be stronger, more independent. I know." I said, my mind was made up. I was going to forgive him, but I was going to make hims suffer like I did.

"Where were you when I was crying for food and water?"

"I-" He tried responding but was soon cut off, I felt my emotions rise and wash over me as I raised my voice.

"Where were you when I was cold and alone, sleeping in a dumpster because you left our house doors locked?"

"Where were you when I found out I could breathe fire?!? I was so happy! I wanted to show you! MY OWN FATHER!" I shouted, letting the anger and despair of years wash over me, erasing all sentient thought and reason.

"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS COCKFIGHTING FOR FOOD AND MONEY?!? WHERE WERE YOU ALL THOSE TIMES I HAD TO FIGHT FOR MY LIFE!?!?!? Celestia DAMMIT I'M YOUR SON!?!"

I screamed, my voice halfway between roaring and crying. He was standing there, eyes closed and a single tear running down his face, his mouth was quivering. After a full 5 minutes he spoke.

"I....I....I thought..that it was for the best that you were....strong and....independent. I'm sorry, I didn't want to lose you like I lost her." He said, his voice shaking and cracking audibly.

"I'm so, so, so sorry. Night, You deserved much better than me. I'm so sorry." He was just repeating himself.  I just snorted.

"What? Not going to lecture me? Not going to tell me that I'll understand everything you've done for me when I'm older? You RAGING PISS DRUNK ALCOHOLIC!?!" I shouted, often a night he would go out and drink, coming out drunk and angry. He would beat me for hours on end. I smiled as I remembered him training me in the art of self defense. Subsequently, I used it against him when he came home one night. I ended up breaking his two front hooves and breaking his nose when I punched him. He would train me like an animal, telling me to work harder better faster stronger. He never showed love to me after we started training. That was when I was 5.

"I know what I did was.....evil." He said, his struggled to find the right words to euthanize what he did. I didn't care, I was too tired. I just felt empty inside, like my mind had stopped working and my heart had stopped beating. I just wanted sleep. I vaguely heard him talking.

"I guess... I was hoping against hope that you would forgive me. Just.......just know that I'm so sorry for what I've done." He said. I saw the sad broken stallion in front of me, I knew what I had to do.

Looking back, I knew it was the right thing to do. I walked around the table and hugged him. I...I felt happy. Even though he mistreated me, I just felt happy sitting there hugging him. He stiffened for a moment and hugged me back. We could both feel unspoken bonds flowing and reconnecting, bonds severed throughout the years. I felt myself slipping in consciousness as I felt the sunlight. He smiled at me as he held me away, looking me over.

"I never realized, I never realized how much you grew! All these years, I just wish I could see you grow up. I just wish I could be there to see you off in you marriage endeavors." He said laughingly. I noticed that his form was disappearing, growing transparent.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I asked, my hand now falling through him. He smiled sadly.

"I died two days ago, I just couldn't handle you leaving me I guess. I...I'm doing the most selfish thing a pony could ever do and I'm sorry." He said shedding another single tear. I just smiled.

"Don't be, we've made amends right? Don't worry, all is well. You are forgiven." I said my hooves over my chest.

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Starswirl had lived a long, long, long, long time. He had seen his fair share of wonders and horrors. He had experienced the joys of love, and the pain of loss. He looked own upon his son as he rose into the air, his conscious slipping away as his soul demanded rest.

Before he left, he spoke one last legacy, passing it down from mother to son.

"You are house Drah, never forget that. Oh! And you asked me where I was this entire time. To that I say I was right beside you, in mind and in spirit and I will always be right beside you." Starswirl said holding his son's head with his fading hooves. Nightshade had a small smile on his face, tears streaming down his face.

"Goodbye son, I..and always will love you." He said feeling himself slipping away into the great unknown.

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I woke up after he said those words, for some reason I felt strangely at peace. Smiling, I quietly made  my way out of the bed I was sharing with Scootaloo and opened the bedroom door, careful not to wake her. I made my way downstairs, looking through the various doors until I found what I was looking for; a large stick that could serve as a staff.

I quietly tiptoed my way out the front door and into the morning light. There I closed my eyes and began spinning the large stick like a master would. Using my forehooves to guide it into a perfect circle, the momentum of the staff was doing most of the work as I rolled it off various pieces of my body. It was like I could hear a song being played as I danced.

In the distance, a dove watched me as it ascended the heights of the world, confident of it's destination.