1 Hunger Moon 1008

This morning, they’d be arriving in Sunset, New Mareland. But since they were trying to stay hidden, Star had created a plan to get them into the nation without anyone the wiser, or at least he claimed he had done so.

Emerald would reserve her judgment until she’d heard it.

‘’Now this is the hard part,’’ Star began his explanation. ‘’I don’t fancy going past the New Mareland border guard, so I’m just going to teleport us to the mansion once we’ve docked.’’

‘’That’s illegal,’’ Emerald observed dryly, idly combing Flurry’s mane.

‘’What’s illegal mean?’’ Flurry asked, turning her head towards Star.

‘’It means breaking the law,’’ Star answered off-hoofedly. ‘’It’s usually a bad thing, but in this case it’s a matter of practicality.’’

Why are you telling her this? Emerald wondered to herself. Flurry didn’t need to know this. She was just a young filly. Young fillies didn’t need to know about laws yet.

Flurry thought about it for a moment, before nodding. ‘’So it’s something you shouldn’t do?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Star affirmed, ‘’normally. But right now, doing it the lawful way would be dangerous. So we’re doing it another way.’’

Emerald had to admire his summarizing skill. From what she’d seen in the past days, Star had a gift for answering Flurry’s questions in a way that she understood the answer while also remaining factually correct. Even if the knowledge itself wasn’t necessarily something a filly of her age needed to know.

‘’How are we going to supply ourselves?’’ Emerald asked, slightly uncomfortable at the idea of living without money or supplies.

‘’I have food for a month or so,’’ Star replied, ‘’and I can go to the nearest village, undercover of course.’’

‘’And money?’’ Emerald pressed, as she checked her work on Flurry’s mane, before moving on to her tail.

‘’I have an account at the Royal New Mareland Bank which contains my retirement funds, as well as the funds used to pay the bills of the house and so on,’’ Star answered. ‘’Even if I can’t access the majority of my money, we can still live comfortably until Flurry’s an adult without ever having to work.’’

Emerald nodded. ‘’Speaking of work…’’

‘’That can wait for now,’’ Star cut in. ‘’Until we have gotten the lay of the land. I know Jet Set in passing, but that doesn’t mean much in this day and age.’’

‘’You’re not concerned they’ll sell us back to Nightmare Moon?’’ Emerald asked with a frown. That was a possibility she had considered. Ponies had done the same during Sombra’s reign, after all.

‘’No,’’ Star replied resolutely. ‘’And if they tried, we would escape.’’

‘’To where?’’ Emerald could think of a few options, but she wanted to know Star’s ideas.

‘’The Riverlands. I still have an in with White Star and River Swirl. But I think we’ll be safe here.’’ Star checked the time. ‘’Now, get ready for the teleport.’’

Emerald nodded. She lifted Flurry onto her back, checked if she had packed everything and if the saddlebags were secure, and then nodded to Star.

Star’s horn lit up, and they teleported away.

|-x-X-x-|

1 Hunger Moon 1008

Star’s mansion was a large, two story building, built on a raised stone foundation with walls of wood. Large windows stood out at the front of the building, looking over the land between the house and the fence, which was quite a distance away. Grassland surrounded the mansion and it’s lands on all sides, except for the south, where a low cliff gave way to a short stretch of beach. The fence stopped at the cliff, but Star’s property extended onto the beach as well, as did the wards protecting everything, but it hadn’t been worth the bother to close off the beach.

Star had bought the thing from an old couple with no kids for a price that was on the low side but still reasonable, and then redecorated and restructured it to his own pleasure.

There was a small village of griffons and ponies some seventeen hundred meters to the north, to which the mansion was connected by a simple cobbled road, but Star hardly ever went there. The house kept itself clean through an appliance of meticulous spellwork, and the pantry was kept stocked and ready by some conservation spells that Star had modified to last far longer than normal, courtesy of some of the spells from the Canterlot Archives’ Starswirl the Bearded Wing.

‘’Wow,’’ Emerald said softly.

‘’Big house!’’ Flurry babbled excitedly, pointing her forehooves at the mansion.

‘’Quite,’’ Star agreed with a smirk. Nothing quite like reveling in the awe of others at things of his. ‘’Come, let us go inside.’’

The door swung open with a touch of Star’s telekinesis, allowing them to enter. A staircase dominated the central room, and you could look up from the ground floor at the first floor and the other way around.

To their left was the living room and dinner room, with a table for six and a couch, two chairs and a hearth. Furthermore, the left also held a toilet and the kitchens. To the right was the library, which dominated the entire right wing.

On the first floor were the bedrooms. Star’s was on the left, and it was his study as well. The bathroom, with a large jacuzzi-like bath, a shower and all the other things expected in a bathroom, was also on the left side. The right side held two bedrooms.

‘’There’s a laboratory slash training room in the basement, as well as a supply room and another, small bedroom. There’s also an observatory in the trees around the pond, built into a large oak tree,’’ Star explained as they sat in the living room.

‘’Impressive,’’ Emerald remarked. ‘’When did you have this built?’’

‘’I bought it,’’Star corrected her, ‘’nine years ago.’’

Emerald tilted her head. ‘’You got your retirement home nine years in advance?’’

Star shrugged. ‘’Yes.’’

Emerald held her gaze for a moment, before smiling. ‘’Okay then. I’ll go unpack Flurry’s stuff.’’

‘’I’ll be in my study,’’ Star replied.

‘’Come with me, Flurry,’’ he heard Emerald request as he walked away, up the stairs and into his room.

He looked around. A large, two-pony bed stood on the right wall, opposite his desk and bookshelves. The wardrobe was opposite the windows, which were in front of him, showing the garden of the mansion and the parts of the fence that weren’t hidden behind the trees Star had planted to avoid just that.

It wasn’t home, not yet. And his study in the Spellweaver Mansion in Canterlot had been larger and far better equipped. But it would have to do.

He could always expand if he found the need to do so. Not that it would be easy, but it could be done, and that was what mattered.

|-x-X-x-|

4 Hunger Moon 1008

A few days had passed since the three of them had arrived at Star’s house. Emerald and Flurry both slept in the two guest rooms, while Star slept in his own room, of course. Their daily schedule was simple: wake up, eat breakfast, play with Flurry, lunch, play some more until it was time for her nap, dinner, and then sleep again.

One afternoon, the three of them were out in the garden surrounding the house. Star and Emerald watched Flurry as she played with her Whammy in the grass.

‘’Flurry,’’ Emerald called, ‘’it’s time for your nap!’’

‘’Aww,’’ Flurry pouted. ‘’But I’m not tired!’’ This statement was finished by a loud yawn from the filly.

‘’Perhaps not, but a little filly needs her sleep,’’ Star said, standing up and walking towards her. ‘’Come,’’ he requested, smiling down at her.

Flurry looked up at him in silence, and then sniffed. ‘’Okay.’’ Sniffing again, she grabbed her toy.

Star frowned. ‘’Flurry, what’s wrong?’’ It was winter, so she probably wasn't sniffing because of a cold.

Flurry’s big, turquoise eyes met Star’s emerald green ones. ‘’Where are mommy and daddy?’’ the little filly asked.

Star’s frown was replaced by a look of sadness. ‘’They… they’re not coming.’’

‘’But they promised!’’ Flurry said loudly. ‘’They promised they’d come!’’

Emerald got up and walked over to Flurry. ‘’And they wanted to, believe me,’’ she said. ‘’But… bad ponies are keeping them away.’’

Flurry’s lips trembled. ‘’But- but-’’

Star bent down and wrapped his forelegs around her in a hug, joined a moment later by Emerald. After a few seconds, Flurry started crying, tears falling against Star’s coat.

‘’Shh, shh,’’ Emerald said softly, ‘’it’s okay. You can cry.’’

Flurry continued to cry loudly, wailing, ‘’Mommy!’’ She held onto Star’s leg with all her might, her entire body shaking.

Star and Emerald had tears in their eyes as well. ‘’They loved you, Flurry Heart, never doubt that,’’ Star said reassuringly.

Flurry looked up at him with her tear-stained face. ‘’Then why aren’t they coming?’’

Star sighed. ‘’They’re dead.’’ Emerald shot him a cross look as soon as the words left his mouth. He gave a look back, daring her to say something, but she kept silent.

‘’What’s dead?’’ Flurry asked in a small voice.

‘’Like a very long sleep, that you don’t wake up from,’’ Star explained. ‘’It happens to everything.’’

‘’You’re gonna be dead as well?’’ Flurry sniffed, tightening her grip on his leg even more.

‘’I’ll always be with you, Flurry,’’ Star promised evasively. ‘’Just like your parents are still with you, even if they’re dead.’’

‘’I’ll be with you as well,’’ Emerald added. ‘’We will never leave you, Flurry, I promise you.’’

‘’Promise?’’ Flurry pleaded, looking at both of them with tears in her eyes and trembling lips.

‘’Promise,’’ both adult ponies repeated.

|-x-X-x-|

4 Hunger Moon 1008

Flurry had fallen asleep on Star’s back as they had walked back to the house. The two adults had tucked her in in her bed, and then made their way to the living room.

Star took a seat on the couch, Emerald sitting on the other end of it. For a minute, neither of them spoke, and only the birdsong outside sounded throughout the house.

Finally, Emerald let out an explosive sigh. ‘’Why did you tell her that?’’

Star’s eyes found Emerald’s. ‘’It is better that she learns it now rather than holding onto hope until she’s older,’’ he replied, as if he wasn’t at all bothered by it.

‘’Better? She’s four!’’ Emerald shouted.

‘’And her parents are dead,’’ Star retorted calmly. ‘’I don’t like it any more than you do. But she needs to know she can trust us, and lying to her won’t do that any good.’’

Emerald kept on glaring at him. ‘’She’s not your daughter,’’ she snapped. ‘’You don’t get to make that decision for her.’’

‘’I raised my sister,’’ Star snapped back, ‘’and Flurry was given to me by Cadence. You have just as much say in her life as I do.’’

‘’And what happened to your sister?” Emerald inquired before she knew it.

For a moment, there was silence. Star looked like Emerald hadn’t said anything. Suddenly, he growled, a low sound that made the hairs on Emerald’s back stand up straight.

A cold wind swept through the room, and the shadows seemed to lengthen. ‘’You dare?’’ Star hissed. ‘’You have the fucking nerve to question me about raising my sister, you-’’

I’ve made a terrible mistake.

Then, just as sudden as it had come, his anger evaporated, and he drew himself back. ‘’Very well.’’ His horn lit up, and with a golden flash, a file appeared. ‘’This is the file Cadence gave to me.’’ He levitated it over to Emerald.

Emerald grabbed it and turned it around. ‘’What?’’ she whispered, eyes wide as she read the file.

‘’I haven’t done anything with them yet,’’ Star said softly, watching her impassively. ‘’But do not for a moment doubt I would not sign them.’’

‘’We need to sign them,’’ Emerald concluded matter-of-factly, putting the file down on the table.

Star raised his eyebrow at her. ‘’I didn’t think you’d want that.’’

‘’Anything to protect Flurry,’’ Emerald declared. ‘’As long as we don’t need to marry,’’ she added a moment later.

‘’Just living together is fine,’’ Star assured her. ‘’Cadence made sure for that to be included.’’

Emerald sighed. ‘’Thank Amore for that.’’ She looked at the papers again. ‘’So, when are we telling Flurry?’’

|-x-X-x-|

4 Hunger Moon 1008

Later that day, the three of them sat at the table for dinner. Emerald had made potatoes with vegetables, and the three were all digging into the food.

‘’Flurry?’’ Star began the conversation after shooting a look at Emerald.

‘’Yes, Starry?’’ Flurry looked up from her food. Her eyes were still slightly red, but she hadn’t been crying anymore. That was good, Star knew that much.

‘’Before we-’’ Star stopped himself and began his sentence again, ‘’Your mother gave us a set of papers, and we want to discuss them with you.’’ He pulled the papers in question towards him with his magic.

Flurry looked at the papers attentively. She couldn’t read yet, of course, but they looked important.

Star cleared his throat, then continued, ‘’Flurry, these are adoption papers. For you.’’

‘’What’s adoption?’’ Flurry asked, tilting her head at Star.

‘’It’s something that beings do when a child doesn’t have any parents, sometimes other beings will adopt these children, raising them as their own children,’’ Emerald gently explained.

Flurry’s eyes widened as she caught on. ‘’So you’re adoptioning-’’

‘’Adopting,’’ Star corrected.

‘’Adopting me?’’ Flurry asked.

‘’If you want,’’ Star said with a nod.

Flurry’s lower lip trembled slightly. ‘’Do I… do I have to call you mommy and daddy?’’

Emerald and Star shared another look, before both shook their heads. ‘’If you want to, you can, but you don’t have to,’’ Star explained.

Flurry looked at them both for a long moment, before nodding. ‘’Okay. I want you to- to adopt me.’’

Star and Emerald both smiled. ‘’Thank you, Flurry,’’ Emerald beamed at her. ‘’That really means a lot to us.’’

‘’You mean a lot to us, Flurry,’’ Star added.

‘’You mean a lot to me too, Starry, Emerald,’’ Flurry admitted softly.

Star got up from his chair, walked over to Flurry and gave her a hug. Emerald, who sat next to Flurry, also gave her a hug, and Flurry hugged the two of them back.

‘’Shall we read a story after dinner?’’ Star suggested once they’d broken the hug.

‘’Yeah, story!’’ Flurry said excitedly.

Emerald chuckled. ‘’But dinner first, young lady.’’

Flurry stuck her tongue out at Emerald, before continuing with her food. After dinner, Star read to Flurry the story of the Little Ursa Major, while Emerald did the dishes and then joined them on the couch.

‘’And so they lived happily after,’’ Star finished the story. He closed the book and looked at Flurry. ‘’Did you like it?’’

Flurry nodded. ‘’It was fun! I wanna hear it again!’’

Star raised an eyebrow, before glancing at the clock that hung on the wall. It wasn’t Flurry’s bed-time yet.

‘’How about another story instead?’’ he suggested as he opened the book again, looking through the index. ‘’See anything you like?’’

Flurry poked her little head over the edge of the book. ‘’That one!’’ she pointed a hoof at a random sentence.

‘’The Markless Foal,’’ Star read aloud. ‘’Interesting.’’

Flurry nodded, before saying, ‘’But I want Emerald to read it!’’

‘’If Emerald has no problem with that, sure,’’ Star agreed, looking at the mare.

Emerald nodded, sticking out her hooves. ‘’Give it here.’’ Star hooved her the book, and she flicked through it until she reached the story Flurry had picked. Meanwhile, Flurry crawled over on the couch, laying next to Emerald.

Clearing her throat, she began, ‘’The Markless Foal. Once upon a time, there lived a foal in Equestria, in the village of Starry Town, in eastern Equestria. The foal had four younger siblings, and many friends to play with until the sun went down. But as the foal grew older, ponies started getting their cutie marks, one by one. Yet the foal’s flank remained blank. Ponies started to look at the foal and whisper, ‘’Look, a blank flank,’’ to each. The foal’s friends started drifting away, and the foal’s siblings gained their cutie marks as well later.’’

Emerald paused for breath, and glanced to the side, seeing Flurry was enraptured by the story. She continued, ‘’One day, the foal had had enough. In the middle of the night, the foal left it’s house, sneaking out of the door. The foal left Starry Town, deciding to head into the nearby forest. But at night, the forest was dark, and monsters stalked through the trees. In the darkness, the foal got lost, and to make matters worse, it had begun to rain.’’

Pausing again, Emerald reflected that this story was pretty dark for foals. Nevertheless, she went on, ‘’The foal hid under a large tree, shivering from the cold wet rain. That was when it heard the sound of hooves approaching. A old pony emerged from the bushes, looking down at the cowering foal.’’

‘’What are you doing here?’’ the old pony asked the foal.

‘’I’m running away from home,’’ the foal replied. ‘’I’m going to find my cutie mark!’’

‘’Stupid foal!’’ the old pony snapped. ‘’You’ll freeze out here!’’

‘’The old pony grabbed the foal’s ear and dragged the foal with him to the old pony’s home, a small cottage. Once inside, the old pony put the foal down in front of the fireplace.’’

‘’I will make tea for you, and you can stay here until sunrise,’’ the old pony said to the foal. ‘’Then, you will go back to your home.’’

‘’I don’t want to!’’ the foal said.

‘’You will!’’ the old pony said, and that was the end of that. The old pony put a pot of tea on the fire, then sat down next to the fire.

‘’How did you know where I was?’’ the foal asked the old pony.

‘’I have lived in this forest for a long time,’’ the old pony answered. ‘’I know it well.’’

The foal nodded in understanding, before asking the next question: ‘’What’s your cutie mark?’’

The old pony smiled, and showed his flank to the foal. To the foal’s astonishment, it was markless.

‘’Where’s your cutie mark?’’ the foal asked.

‘’Where is yours?’’ the old pony asked back. ‘’And why do you want one?’’

‘’Because then I’ll know what I’m good at!’’ the foal said, for this was obvious to him.

The old pony hummed. ‘’So you’re not good at anything?’’

‘’Well…’’ the foal’s face scrunched up as it thought. ‘’I’m good at drawing.’’

‘’Did you need your cutie mark to be good at drawing?’’ the old pony asked the foal.

‘’No, but-’’

‘’Then you have already discovered your talent,’’ the old pony declared.

‘’But I don’t want to be a blank flank for the rest of my life!’’ the foal shouted.

‘’Why not?’’ the old pony asked. ‘’What does it matter what other ponies think, when you are happy?’’

The foal thought about this, shaking his head. ‘’I need to have a cutie mark.’’

The old pony sighed. ‘’I do not see why.’’

‘’If I have a cutie mark, people will like me again,’’ the foal explained.

‘’If they don’t like you now, they won’t like you with a cutie mark,’’ the old pony said. ‘’There are plenty of ponies that don’t mind being friends with someone that doesn’t have a cutie mark.’’

‘’Not to be a stick in the mud,’’ Star suddenly cut in, causing Emerald’s head to snap towards him, ‘’but Flurry’s fallen asleep already.’’

Emerald bent her head, and blinked as she saw the filly had snuggled up against Emerald, her eyes closed and a happy little smile on her muzzle. Whammy was clutched to her chest.

‘’She’s adorable,’’ Emerald said softly.

‘’That she is,’’ Star affirmed. ‘’Shall we tuck her in?’’

Emerald nodded, closing the book and hopping off the couch. Star picked Flurry up in his telekinesis and placed her on his back. After making sure she wouldn’t fall off, he walked out of the living room, up the stairs and to Flurry’s room, together with Emerald.

Flurry’s room had been one of the two guest rooms, and it hadn’t changed much since it’s construction. What few possessions had been saved from the Crystal Empire were scattered throughout the room: a couple of toys and gifts from her family and friends, like a blanket from Rarity. The room wasn’t as big as Flurry’s room in the Palace had been, but it had everything she needed: a bed, a wardrobe, a chest to store toys in, and a desk with a chair. A large window looked out over the back garden.

Star pulled the covers of the bed away, lowered Flurry into the bed, and then pulled the covers back again. Meanwhile, Emerald closed the curtains and swept the floor clean of toys, putting them away into the chest.

Star stepped away from the bed, smiling at Flurry. Emerald walked forward and placed a kiss on Flurry’s forehead, just under her horn.

‘’Goodnight, Flurry,’’ she whispered.

Star flicked on the night light, and then the two adults left the room, closing the door behind them and leaving Flurry to her dreams.

|-x-X-x-|

5 Hunger Moon 1008

The sky around Star was exploding, as shells slammed into the ground around him. He kept up a golden shield as he ran through the streets of Canterlot.

Two thestrals landed before him, aiming their rifles at him. Without stopping he cast a spell that tore the flesh from their bones, their dying screams echoing in his ears.

Not that he cared. He had to get to his mansion.

A group of Equestrian soldiers rushed past him, and one of them called out to him, but Star ignored it.

The gate of the mansion had been blown open, and Star saw that the door of the house was destroyed as well. He jumped over the remnants of the gate and ran over the stones that led up to the mansion.

His sister was inside. He had to get to her.

He blasted away the rubble that remained of his front door and entered the mansion. ‘’Crystal?’’ he shouted, but no reply came. ‘’Crystal? Crystal!’’

Think, Star, think. Where would she be?

The unicorn ran up the stairs, and kicked open the door of Crystal’s room.

Nothing. It was still completely untouched and intact. Star let out a sigh of relief. That was good.

‘’Star!’’

He whipped his head around. That was Crystal’s voice, and it came from the third floor. He ran out of her room and up the stairs again. ‘’Crystal!’’

‘’Star!’’ his sister called from somewhere, but he couldn’t tell what room she was in.

‘’Where are you?’’ he shouted.

‘’I’m-’’

The walls and roof fell away as the wooden floor turned to grass. Before Star knew it, four ponies pressed him down to the ground, one of them putting a band on his horn. He grunted as he tried to break free.

‘’Gentlecolts, please.’’

Star’s head snapped up. Nightmare Moon stood in front of him, looking down on him with a sinister smile.

‘’Hello, my little pony,’’ she said. ‘’Here to submit to me?’’

‘’Never,’’ Star growled.

‘’Bring the prisoner,’’ Nightmare Moon ordered, before stepping to the side.

Two other stallions dragged in a blue mare with a white mane. Her entire body was covered in bruises and there was a large cut on her flank.

‘’Your sister,’’ Nightmare Moon explained, ‘’will die, unless you surrender yourself to me.’’

Star glared hatefully at Nightmare, but said nothing.

‘’Take aim,’’ Nightmare commanded, and rifles were aimed at Crystal. ‘’Ready…’’

‘’STOP!’’ Star shouted, before bowing his head. ‘’Stop. You’ve won. I surrender.’’

Nightmare smiled sinisterly. ‘’Then I guess I’ll let you have your sister.’’

The ponies that were holding him let go, and Star immediately darted past Nightmare towards Crystal, who had been unceremoniously dropped on the ground. ‘’Crystal?’’ he whispered.

He turned her around.

She was dead.

With a crack, the band on Star’s horn broke apart. The stallion rose to his full height, and with a pulse from his horn everyone except himself and Nightmare was sent flying away.

‘’Your sister could have lived,’’ Nightmare hissed, unfazed by Star’s rage, ‘’if you had just surrendered.’’

‘’And let you take over Equestria?’’ Star hissed back.

‘’Look around you.’’ Nightmare spread her wings, the moon rising behind her, showing the field around them was full of corpses, of ponies, changelings, griffons, deer, yaks and more. ‘’I have already won. You won’t be able to hide forever. And when I do find you…’’ she licked her lips. ‘’I will make you pay.’’

‘’It won’t come to that.’’

‘’You couldn’t even protect your sister,’’ Nightmare cruelly pointed out. ‘’What makes you think you can defend yourself?’’

Star didn’t answer, he just glared at her. After a second of silence, Nightmare stepped forward-

‘’AAAAAAAAAAAHH!’’

Instantly, Star opened his eyes and jumped out of bed, horn jumping alight, illuminating his dark room. He pushed open the door and rushed across the floor towards Flurry’s room, where the scream had come from.

He came to a halt in front of the door, and took a deep breath before pushing it open.

Flurry was trashing madly in her bed, though her eyes were still closed. Star quickly walked towards her bed and called out her name. ‘’Flurry!’’ When she continued trashing, he repeated, ‘’Flurry!’’

The filly’s eyes snapped open. ‘’Daddy?’’

Before Star knew it, Flurry had pressed herself against him and was sobbing into his neck. Star wrapped his forelegs around her, sitting back on the floor.

‘’You’re safe,’’ he whispered assuringly to her.

‘’Flurry, what’s-’’ Emerald asked from behind him. A moment later, she sat next to Star and began to gently stroke her shaking wings in an attempt to calm her down, all the while whispering calming words.

‘’I-I saw t-them,’’ Flurry said suddenly, looking up at Star.

A sinking feeling appeared in Star’s gut. ‘’Saw what, Flurry?’’ he asked.

‘’I-I saw mommy and d-daddy… DIE!’’ And Flurry began to sob again.

Star continued to try and calm her, but inside he was seething. This had to be the Nightmare’s work, there was no other way. That bitch. Even if she hadn’t killed his sister and Flurry’s parents, Star would still kill her for this alone. What sick being tormented an orphaned foal by showing her parents’ deaths?

‘’We’ll avenge them, one day,’’ he promised quietly.

Flurry’s sobs slowly diminished, until they were little more than loud, sharp breaths. Still, Star didn’t let go of her, and Emerald kept on stroking her wings. Flurry let out a final, shuddering breath, and then she let her grip on Star’s coat go.

‘’C-can I stay with you tonight?’’ Flurry asked with a shaking voice.

Star nodded. It wasn’t like he was sharing his bed with anyone else. ‘’Of course, Flurry.’’

‘’Can Emerald be there too?’’

Ah.

Star’s eyes met Emerald’s. Star really didn’t have any problem with it: he wasn’t attracted to Emerald, and it wasn’t like they could have sex if Flurry was with them even if they wanted to.

Plus, he could use some comfort too. Seeing Crystal again… that hurt.

After a few seconds, Emerald nodded. ‘’As you wish, Flurry. Come on then, let’s go.’’

Flurry grabbed Whammy from the floor, and then walked next to Star. Once inside his room, Flurry spread her wings and flew onto the bed, laying in the centre.

‘’We’ll need more pillows,’’ Star mused aloud. He turned around, only to see Emerald was carrying a pillow in her mouth and another on her back.

‘’Or not,’’ Star decided, before crawling into his bed. He laid on the right, Emerald laid on the left, and Flurry was in-between them.

Star lowered the covers over them again. ‘’Are you comfortable?’’ he asked Flurry.

‘’Yeah,’’ the filly nodded before yawning, already drifting back to sleep. She cuddled Whammy close to her.

Star had to smile at the adorable sight, even if he felt a pang of guilt and sadness. No, he affirmed to himself, Flurry would have the best childhood he could give her, he would not be wallowing in self-pity.

‘’Goodnight, Flurry,’’ Emerald whispered to the foal.

‘’Sleep well,’’ Star added.

‘’G’night…’’ Flurry mumbled, eyes closed, ‘’mommy, daddy.’’ And she fell asleep.

Star and Emerald shared a look. Emerald quietly swept her hoof across her face. ‘’Night,’’ she mouthed.

‘’Night,’’ Star mouthed back, before resting his head on the pillow and closing his eyes.

And by the sun, if he, Flurry or Emerald got another nightmare tonight, he would personally beat it to a bloody pulp.

Author's Note

Have an early chapter because I am impatient

I do hope I'm writing believable characters. As I am not someone who has adopted a recently-orphaned three-year old, I can't be sure, but I think I made a pretty good attempt.

Cheers!

(Edited on 9-10-2021)