Author's Note

Beyond the Veil

It was the date of October 31st, All Hallows Eve. Harmonic and Atmospheric had just finished helping their children put their costumes together. Melodic, their oldest daughter and firstborn kin, had already decided months in advance she wanted to go trick-or-treating as the protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII, Squall Leonheart. Her fraternal twin brother, Hard Core, had chosen to go as the Demi-Fiend, the main character of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. Their youngest sibling Shadow was wrapped in a simple white blanket, allowing her to be passed off as a mummy, a ghost, or an odd blend of the two.

"Daddy, look," Melodic spoke. She held her plastic replica of Squall's gunblade in the air, "I can do the big sword attack!"

"Oh, no! I have been slain!" The stallion feigned. He fell to the ground in a dramatic fashion. Melodic bonked him on the head, "Aw! careful, sweetheart. That one actually hurt."

Melodic giggled.

"I thought Hard Core was supposed to be the demon." Atmospheric joked.

"Come to think of it, I'm surprised you didn't protest, given your status and all." Harmonic pointed out.

"Surprising as it might seem, demons in the biblical sense don't really exist."

"Wait, seriously?"

"The idea that good can't exist without evil seems more like an arbitrary philosophy to me. It's one of those things where someone said it a long time ago and everyone just kind of went along with it."

"I guess that makes sense."

"The concept of utopia wouldn't exist otherwise."

"I wonder if it's really achievable..."

"I believe it can be, given enough time and advancement."

"I wish I could live to see it."

"You don't have to wish anymore. That's why I'm here."

Harmonic and Atmospheric shared a tender kiss. Shadow snuggled between them.

Outside, Harmonic and Atmospheric discussed their plans for the evening.

"You're taking Melodic for an hour, right?" Atmospheric asked.

"Yeah. I still owe her a bit of time." her husband replied.

"We'll meet back here and switch out later."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Daddy, will you carry me?" Melodic requested.

Harmonic bowed before his daughter.

"As you command, my princess."

"You're silly!"

Atmospheric chuckled. Melodic jumped on her father's neck, propping herself on top of his head.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take Shadow?" the stallion questioned his spouse.

"I think Hard Core would feel more comfortable if she came with us." Atmospheric stated.

"All right. We'll be back soon."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Harmonic toted his daughter from house to house. Little by little, her bucket filled with treats until it was nearly full.

"Having fun, sweetheart?"

"Yes!"

"How about we each take a piece to tide us over until dinner?"

"Grown-ups like candy?"

"Sometimes."

Melodic reached into her bucket and handed her father a green sucker.

"Ya know, I used to love these things when I was your age."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Your grams used to get 'em for us."

"I like grandma. She's nice."

"Yeah...I love her, too."

"Hey, daddy...?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sad?"

"Why would I be?"

"Mommy says sometimes you and Hard Core get really sad. That's why I don't get to spend time with you."

Harmonic stopped walking. Melodic turned around to face him.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," the stallion apologized. His soul filled with contrition, "Me and your brother think about bad stuff sometimes. It's not something we can really help, but you're right. I've been extremely negligent to you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Daddy...?"

Harmonic pulled his daughter into a tight embrace.

"I'm really proud of you. I've seen the way you take care of your brother and sister. You're growing up so fast. I was so blind, I almost missed it."

Melodic buried her snout in her father's chest. He scooped her onto his back.

"Come on. Let's go home."

Harmonic and Melodic waited on the porch for the others. It didn't take long for Atmospheric to return with Shadow and Hard Core. She noticed her husband's unusual expression. It was one she'd never seen before. Somehow, it was strangely nostalgic.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"I'm a terrible father..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Melodic told me what you said, about why I didn't spend as much time with her. I was such a selfish jerk I didn't realize how much she needed me."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. We're all flawed in some way or other."

"Even you?"

"Yes. Even me."

"Well, to me you're perfect...You all are."

"You're exhausted. Should we just call it a night?"

"That's up to them."

"Tell you what: I'll take them for a little longer, and when we get back, we'll snuggle up and watch a scary movie."

"You think Melodic and Shadow can handle it?"

"We'll go with one of the old cheesy ones where we can see the wires on the props."

"That works."

"Get some rest until then."

"Yeah..."

Waking up to Melodic's smile almost brought tears to Harmonic's eyes. He lifted her into the air where she pretended to fly like her mother and brother. Atmospheric ordered pizza for them. While they waited, Harmonic fed Shadow her formula before handing her to Hard Core. If she got scared and started crying during the movie, the colt would take her to their room and cradle her to sleep. They turned the volume down to keep from startling her too badly.

To Harmonic and Atmospheric's surprise, Shadow didn't cry once during the film. She was perfectly content laying in her older brother's forelegs and watching the strange images unfold. When it was over, Melodic yawned.

"I'm sleepy, daddy..." the filly spoke drowsily.

"Yeah," her father agreed, "It's been a long night."

"We'll save your candy for tomorrow." Atmospheric told her daughter.

Harmonic carried Melodic to the room she shared with her siblings. He pulled back the blankets and gently placed her on the mattress before returning them to their original position.

"I promise you, sweetheart, from now on, things will be different. I'll play with you any time you want."

"Really...?"

"Really."

"Daddy...?"

"Hm?"

"Will you stay here?"

Harmonic and Atmospheric gazed at each other with fond stares. They nodded in unison.

"Of course we will." the stallion assured.

Atmospheric tucked Shadow and Hard Core in for the night. She turned the radio to a station that played melodic metalcore to soothe her children to sleep. Rain began to descend, drowning out the world beyond their haven. Harmonic sat with his back against the frame of his daughter's bed. Atmospheric joined his side. They held each other close, letting themselves fade into the eternal realm of dreams...