Author's Note

Geez we are a spitting distance from hitting 1,500 likes. After that I can die happy!

Trigger Warning: Depression, Disassociation, Minor Suicidal Thoughts (it's not that bad I promise)

27 - Sweet as Honey

Though I had tried my absolute hardest not to, it had become essentially impossible to hide myself from the other foals. The older foals, who were at least twice my size, weren’t too interested in me, but it was only a matter of time for the younger ones.

Sage, Heath, Rose, and Arbor were engrossed in a card game that bore a striking resemblance to Crazy Eights. Which left only Flitter to watch over the majority of the younger foals, which meant I didn’t have much of a choice.

I was sitting in front of the fireplace in their house with a blanket pulled comfortably around me and over my head. I was desperately trying to stay sane between the barriers of sleep and awakeness, especially since my lack of sleep from the previous night was nipping at my mind like an annoying pest.

So I didn’t quite notice at first when Ivy and Rue walked up to me, followed by three foals that were maybe a little bigger than me. Ivy surprisingly didn’t look too enraptured by hatred for me at that moment, so she stayed back as Rue came up and smiled widely with a tilted head. “Ashy, hello?”

My eyes widened a bit, and I looked at him intently, “O-Oh, Rue…” I muttered.

It was only when I glanced up at the three foals behind him that I felt like turning into a ghost and disappearing into the blanket around me. What did they want? Why were they staring at me like that, like they wanted something from me?

The one in front was a bright orange pegasus with a mix of cream-colored and brown hair that sort of sat on his head like a mop. Well, he had a lot of very thick hair that nearly covered his bright blue eyes. And he was staring at me with a wide and endearing smile.

One behind him was a unicorn filly with yellow fur and light orange hair and green eyes, and her hair was short in front with a long ponytail in the back. She looked at me warily. She kept leaning down to whisper with Ivy, so I assumed Ivy probably told her a bunch of awful things about me.

And then there was a larger earth pony foal, who was both wider and taller; he was brown with really short dark orange hair, and his eyes were yellow. He stood almost proudly above his two siblings, with a rather unassumingly friendly face about him.

Rue hummed, “Uhm, these are my uncles… and aunt.” He started nervously. “They wanted to meet you.”

A bunch of theories began running rampant in my head at that moment. What could they possibly hope to gain from meeting me? Were they just wondering who that weird, unrelated foal was who was wasting their sister’s precious time? I couldn’t blame them.

Which also meant I didn’t trust them. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself as I tried vainly to back away little by little. I couldn’t possibly fathom why they would actively want to meet me if it wasn’t for a reason I didn’t like.

And that all changed when the orange one stepped forward. Shooting his hoof out jovially with potentially the most chipper attitude from anyone I’d ever met, “Name’s Chaser! Nice to meet ya!”

The filly looked away shyly. “I’m Marigold; Momma calls me Mari…”

The bigger one stepped forward and very calmly and almost quietly announced himself, “Hi, I’m Loam.”

I couldn’t help but take an unsure sidelong glance over at Flitter. She and Sage had mostly kept them away from me all day. But when I looked over, she was fully engrossed in our interaction, with her head sitting on one hoof with fascinated curiosity. She quickly nodded at me and waved me forward with her other hoof as a sort of coaxing method.

I sighed quietly to myself as I slowly inched my hoof out of the blanket, and Chaser met me the rest of the way and gave me a rather gentle hoofshake before retracting it. He placed his hoof against his chest and smiled brightly. "Sorry, we’ve been so rude all day for not introducing ourselves.” He apologized sincerely.

A part of me felt unnerved, almost like I felt his entire demeanor was an act, and at any moment he was going to laugh in my face or do something else awful. But he wouldn’t while Flitter was watching, right? I smiled sheepishly and shook my head. “N-No… I’ve been the one secluding myself. It’s not your guys' fault.”

Loam shrugged. “We just figured you were sick all day.”

“That was part of it…” I said getting quieter by the second.

There was an awkward few seconds of silence before Marigold tilted her head at me and asked, “Is your name really Ashy?”

I blushed furiously as I realized I hadn’t even introduced myself. Why was I so bad at this? “Y-Yes, well… kinda, but not really-”

“It’s a nickname, then!” Chaser interrupted me kindly, “Ain’t no problem with that.”

I just nodded furiously as the foals hummed in understanding. Rue finally chimed in as he scuffed his hoof on the ground. “We wanted to know if you wanted to play with us?”

My eyes widened in shock, and I couldn’t help but attempt to process the idea. It’d been so long since another kid asked if I wanted to play or hang out… I had sort of forgotten the feeling by now. I looked over at Flitter again as if to question if she’d set me up purposefully, but it was futile.

Flitter instantly released a small laugh as she raised an eyebrow over our little group. “It better be an inside game. I don’t want you getting caught out inside in all of that and having to save one of ya when the wind takes you.” She said this while pointing to a window, where dark clouds were still lurking on the horizon, steadily making their way in our direction as they blotted out the sun.

Chaser smirked mischievously up at her, “Not even if we… play on the porch?” He giggled.

“Absolutely…!” Flitter chirped, much to his surprise, as she stood and walked over. She placed a hoof on top of his head. “And while you’re at it, you might as well just stand out in the corn fields with a metal rod!”

Chaser and the other foals just giggled a bunch as he pushed her hoof off his head and rolled his eyes playfully. “Fine, we’ll play inside.” He relented with a fake groan.

“Good… Knock yourself out then,” Flitter said with a wave of her hoof.

Chaser hugged her lower half abruptly, “Come play with us, sis.”

Flitter laughed and leaned her head down to nuzzle the top of his head. “Can’t… But I loooove~ you still.” She teased him while folding his ears down.

“Quit it!” he begged while pulling away from her. Flitter quickly pulled him back in and began viciously attacking his sides and tickling with her hooves.

I don’t know why I found myself staring at them throughout the whole thing like a deer in headlights, but I only ever came out of my stupor when Loam gently tapped my shoulder. I quickly shot him a surprised look as he smirked. “Any games you prefer?”

Marigold bounded over, still slightly hiding behind her bigger brother. “She’s a filly, so she probably likes games like house or drawing.”

I shook my head quickly, “Actually quite the opposite.” I defended, “I probably don’t have energy for tag or anything, though.”

Loam huffed, “Don’t worry, our older siblings got us banned from tag already. Momma’s orders.”

Chaser, finally having escaped his sister’s death grip, had made his way over, all the while fixing his mane. “Why not marbles? You still haven’t shown me your new technique, Loam.” He taunted with a waving hoof.

Loam gained a look of confidence. “Any time, anywhere.” He boasted.

Rue jumped up excitedly and said, “Oh, oh! Can me and Ivy be a team again?”

Marigold stepped forward into the circle and nodded. “But only you two. If we let Loam and Chaser team up again, it’ll be no fair…”

They all continued conversing about previous games as Chaser leaned closer to me. “Is that an alright game for you, Ashy? Do you know how to play?”

I slowly nodded. “I kinda know how; I might need some help.”

He swung a hoof around my neck. “I’ve gotcha. I taught Loam everything he knows.”

"No, ya didn’t!” He called back as we started to walk away from the living room.

Chaser stuck by my side all the way there and even worriedly kept my good leg over his neck as he helped me up the stairs with my injury, which was greatly appreciated.

We ended up playing marbles for hours—for so long that the sky turned from bright to dark. And we had even been interrupted by dinner and gone back to playing immediately after. Chaser couldn’t help but show off his new marble set he got that morning as a present. And Loam countered with his own set of new marbles excitedly. Even Ivy and Marigold seemed to be having fun and were being playful with me as the games went on.

During dinner, I could very obviously see Flitter and Sage sharing a private conversation. But their minor glances towards me didn’t go unnoticed. But Chaser and Rue kept vying for my attention, so I hadn’t thought of it too much.

We were finally done with our final match, and Chaser and Loam had both finished with an even eight wins for the both of them, while me, Mari, Rue, and Ivy all had around three wins each.

Ivy and Rue went out searching for their parents as they yawned and trudged after tiring themselves out. Loam and Mari had disappeared to do various things before their own bedtime, which left me alone with Chaser in his room.

Chaser was humming to himself happily as he continued to separate the marbles and organize them back into their small color-coded bags. Flying all over the room to find the final few stragglers that had managed to find themselves under or on top of furniture.

My gaze eventually fell past him and out the window, where I could still see the storm clouds. I was growing increasingly anxious and weary of them, as they had been moving in our direction all day, but at an absolute snail’s pace. And the words of Discord couldn’t help but sink back into my head.

“I can feel it; a storm of pure chaotic energy is encroaching upon Equestria.”

Discord wasn’t the most trustworthy entity, but… I had to admit it when the pieces lined up in the exact pattern that he predicted. There was an ominous storm in the distance, and I really couldn’t shake the unease.

But who’s to say he wasn’t in on it? I doubt Discord would ever agree to something like that. But what if he really had?

“Whatch’ya thinkin about?” I heard suddenly from my side.

I squealed and fell over on my side as I looked at Chaser in horror. He smiled sheepishly as he stopped fluttering in place and landed, helping to pull me off my side again and upright me. “Sorry…”

“It’s. Okay.” I gasped between deep breaths as I held my hoof to my chest.

He settled a little bit away from me and tilted his head. “You were staring out the window, you okay?”

I nodded mildly with a sigh as I looked between the window and his own curious expression. Every time I looked at him, I couldn’t help but think of his extremely kind demeanor toward me all afternoon, and every time I found myself thinking about it, visions of Flitter floated around in my head alongside him.

Was I being weird? Nosy? Would he change his tune if I asked him the question on my mind?

I chose to settle with whatever the consequences of the words he might use; looking at him without thinking of my question was becoming impossible. “Why are you so nice? To me...“

Chaser easily smirked and tilted his head. “I try to be nice to everybody.” He pursed his lips and put a hoof against his chin. “But I guess… you looked like you needed company. And you were really nice back to me!”

I blushed deeply and averted my eyes. “A-And… what do you think of your sister Flitter?”

He didn’t seem shocked, angry, or even confused. He only looked upward at the ceiling as he pursed his lips. Turning his head from side to side as if trying to force words out of his ears. “She’s the best.” He finally said it with an ever-growing smile.

He looked back down at me and gave a resolute nod. “The coolest and nicest older sister I think anyone could ask for. And she’s a royal guard now; how cool is that?”

I couldn’t help but look down at my hooves as I nervously rubbed my damaged leg with the other. “Yeah… that’s pretty cool.” I agreed.

“Why do you ask?” He asked carefully.

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know… Me and my sibling… we have a really hard time getting along.” The word sibling had my mind constantly flashing between the faint image of my brother and Flurry. And I couldn’t help the feeling of despair that washed over me.

His ears seemed to lower a bit, as if he were scared he’d said something to upset me. Eventually he sighed as he lowered to the floor a bit and began talking slowly. “Actually… I find I keep comparing myself to her often. And I’d be lying if I said I don’t get a bit jealous every once in a while, or even feel a bit angry at her.”

I looked up in genuine surprise, “Really? Why?”

He looked a bit ashamed of himself. “Because… I think of how far away she is when she’s in the Crystal Empire. And she’s always coming home with some grand news about how well she’s doing… So I always think that if I don’t come home with a similar achievement and don’t have anything to tell my mom and dad, they’ll be disappointed.”

“You really think they’d be like that?” I asked.

He shook his head vigorously and gave a small sympathetic smile. “No, I know I’m being silly. My ma and pa would never get angry at me for trying my hardest. It’s not like they expect me to be perfect or anything.”

I felt an ache in my chest and couldn’t help but fight back a frown. “And Flitter too?”

He again shook his head as his smile got brighter. “If she even just heard me say any of that, she’d probably lecture me for hours and force herself into some quality bonding time between us.” He said with a short, amused huff, “Flitter doesn’t expect anything from us that we aren’t ready for… And a bunch of my siblings fight all the time, but we eventually make up afterward. Flitter just always sets a good example, tries her hardest, and always tries to stay humble. Momma says that’s the sign of a great sibling.”

“If I were you…” … “I’d simply drop the disappearing act. I’m sure the alicorns all know how to help.”

“Go home. Flurry’s powers were just an accident, and they all very clearly still... Urrgh, love and cherish you... if the reactions I saw meant anything.”

Discord’s words rang in my head again as I felt another large ache in my chest. And I found the edges of my lips quivering.

…

“No! I was the one who... I made you do this!”

“No! All of it was real! I promise Kieran from the bottom of my heart!”

…

Chaser moved forward and wrapped his hooves around me gently in a hug. “Sorry, I think whatever is going on between you and your sibling can be worked out, though. At least I hope so.” He retracted from the hug and looked into my wide and confused eyes. “You look really tired, Ashy. I think you should get some sleep.” He suggested it with another smile.

I nodded quickly. “Y-You’re right. I just need to sleep.” I muttered solemnly with the best forced smile I could. “Thank you, Chaser.” I said it sincerely to him as I turned around.

He saluted with his wing and stood at attention. “Sure! Any friend in need deserves a deed!” He chirped. He rubbed a hoof over his leg sheepishly. “Plus, it felt good to let those feelings out. Now I feel a bit better about them.”

I gave a small giggle at that as I left his room and found myself wandering the hallway aimlessly. My mood was constantly swinging between a mix of confusion, upset, and happiness in a weird way. And I really couldn’t understand why.

Going through my mind felt like swimming in a lake of oil and treading the surface. My hooves were just barely about to give out on me and make me sink deeper and deeper until there was nothing in there.

And then I bumped into Sage’s leg, falling unceremoniously to my flank. I looked up slowly while trying to conceal my expression. “H-Hi, Miss Sage.”

She tilted her head sweetly and sighed. “And why do you feel the need to call me that?” She smiled. “I just came to get you pumpkin. I figured you were ready for bed and your medicine.”

I opened my mouth, and she nodded. "Yes, you have to.” She answered before the words could even leave my mouth. I soon found myself being carried once again, but I was far too conflicted to care at that moment.

She brought me back to the same room as before, but I noticed a distinct lack of Ivy or Rue in the other bed. And after Sage lowered me onto the bed and began unscrewing the lid for a pill, I looked oddly at her. “Are Rue and Ivy not sleeping?”

Sage huffed amusedly. “No, they insist on sleeping in bed with me and Heath. They’re probably both out cold right about now.” She explained.

“Oh…” So I was going to be alone in this room. For some reason, that thought almost made me more paranoid as my eyes began to wander to the window again. With that cloud…

“Open up,” Sage instructed, quickly popping a pill in my mouth and levitating a cup of water for me to drink from. When she finished, she set it on the bedside.

I fully expected her to leave right after, but I felt another bit of unease as she sat herself on the edge of the bed. Carefully moving her hoof forward and pulling my chin up to look at me worriedly, “You don’t look like you’ve slept in a week, pumpkin. I can practically see the stress lines you’ll have when you’re older if you keep like this.” She uttered quietly.

I felt myself zoning out as I tried to focus on the wall. “I’m okay...”

“So you say,” Sage said, releasing my face to run a hoof through my mane soothingly. She opened her mouth before shutting it tightly, with almost a pained expression on her face. Like she wanted to ask or say something but couldn’t for some reason.

Eventually, she leaned in, nuzzling the top of my head with the care and gentleness I’d expect if she were my own mother. “Things will get better, I promise,” she whispered into my ear. “Please try to get some sleep tonight.”

I managed to set my eyes on her and nod lifelessly. Sage guiltily resigned from my side, retreating to the door as she kept her eyes on me the whole time. Once she reached the door, she sighed greatly, holding a hoof up to her head, and I thought I could see tears coming from her eyes. “I… I’m sorry, Flitter, I can’t anymore…” Sage muttered, seemingly to herself, as she left the room.

Which only left me to wonder what that could mean.

I curled myself into a tight ball on the bed, not even putting in the effort to cover myself with the bedding. I felt like the entire world was crashing in on me, and all I could do was sit and wait for it all to end.

“Go home. Flurry’s powers were just an accident, and they all very clearly still... Urrgh, love and cherish you... if the reactions I saw meant anything.”

Not that again…

“Go home. Flurry’s powers were just an accident-”

Stop it…

…

…

“-and they all very clearly still... Urrgh, love and cherish you…”

No, they don’t!

…

…

“Go home.”

…

Let me be… just let me disappear…

…

“-home.”

…

“A-Ashy?”

…

I didn’t dare look up as I heard the sound of Flitter’s voice reach my quivering form on the bed. I ceased all movement and tried to fake sleeping, but surprisingly, sleeping ponies don’t look like terrified, frozen, stiff statues…

I heard footsteps get closer and closer…

Until they were right at the edge of the bed.

“Look at me.” The voice sweetly persuaded. “Please.”

I refused, as I buried my face even deep under my hooves. Whatever she wanted from me, I didn’t want to know! Everybody wants something; I already know better!

I felt the bed sink as Flitter lurked onto it, and I felt her wing reach around and gently prod my head away from my body. No matter how much I fought to keep my head down, she was just far more persistent. And eventually I gave in and allowed myself to look at her as my sunken, exhausted eyes met hers.

…

…

“Kieran.”

…

…

Huh?

…

“Kieran…” She tested the name again, as if she were afraid she was about to forget it. “That’s your name.”

Her eyes only showed compassion, worry, and even pain as she stared at me, shaking her head with a quiet sigh. “Not Ashy, no, you’re Kieran.”

I felt a sudden urge as my body tensed up with fear, and I stared at her with terrified, wide eyes. “W-Wha… N-No!” I protested with a shake of my head. “That’s not true!” I feebly attempted to argue.

She was going to bring me back, throw me in a dungeon, and maybe she’d lynch me right here in front of her whole family! I’d lied to her and her family; I had to look like the most cocky criminal imaginable! I-

“Shh…” She shushed me soothingly. She brought both wings around me and brought me up into her hooves, holding me carefully yet not restrictively as she rubbed my back up and down gently. “It’s okay, little one.” She assured me.

“B… But…” I tried to choke out through my emotions, “How do you… Why?” I said as my voice broke at the end. “What are you going to do to me?” I asked with quivering words.

“Nothing,” She quickly replied while leaning her head in closer to look at me, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

I couldn’t anymore; I was completely at her mercy. Regardless of what she wanted from me or her intentions, it was over.

I felt the panic of that feeling reach me as I tensed up, and my eyes were unfocused. And Flitter’s worry quickly spiked as she lowered herself to the bed and held me very carefully with my back against the covers. “You’re okay; nobody will hurt you anymore. It’s alright…”

…

Why was she saying that?

…

She leaned in, covering me with her muzzle, as she held me in one of the softest and most comforting hugs I’d ever felt in my life. “I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.” I heard sniffles and looked up to see her crying.

Why was she crying for me?

I felt that aching return in my chest tenfold, and I struggled to suppress my emotions through the flood of pain.

Flitter retracted her muzzle yet kept me incredibly close, raising one of her wings to push hair out of my eyes as she stared at me in despair. “I understand. You can’t sleep, you don’t want to eat, you can’t trust anyone anymore, and I understand it must hurt so bad… I’m so sorry, Kieran.”

She put a hoof up to my face and stroked my cheek. “You’ve given up…”

…

…

I tried not to let those words get to me. “How did you know it was me?” I asked so quietly that you’d have to strain to hear.

She shook her head as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Your hair and voice-”

Of course, I’m so stupid…

“-weren’t the only giveaways. Starswirl syndrome is fake; me, Sage, and Heath made it up on the spot. And your age? You should only be in year seven of school.” She finished with a guilty look on her face.

“Sage and Heath know too?” I asked while still in my shocked state.

She nodded slowly. “I’m sorry we tricked you. We had to know for sure.” Her tears came back. “I got a letter this morning from Shining Armor…”

My eyes widened with a hint of fear as she only nodded her head. “He said a lot of things in that letter… A lot that I’m sure you already know.”

I responded dejectedly, “About how awful I am.”

Her eyes widened, and she quickly pulled me in closer again. “You are not.” She defended sternly. “The letter told me about Discord, how you were missing from the empire entirely, and how your magic…” She stopped suddenly as she bit the bottom of her lip. “Do you know already?”

…

“I’m going away, aren’t I?” I asked quietly.

“No.” Flitter returned quickly: “I won’t let that happen.”

“But what’s the point?” I asked louder as I stared up at her with hopelessness. “Everyone in the empire hates me—I ruined their city—I’m a criminal. I’m just as bad as Sombra, Tirek, or Nightmare-”

“Stop that!” Flitter commanded me, “Please, stop!” She pleaded as she grabbed my two front hooves with her own. “They desperately miss you, Kieran. They’d trade the entire empire to get you back.”

My eyes widened as I stared at her; the look in her eyes couldn’t get any closer to the description of sincereness. Even as tears were building in them, there was a determined resoluteness in the way she stared at me that forced me to listen.

“You may not see them as family anymore; hay, I don’t blame you! But I can’t stress enough how much they’re hurting knowing that you’re missing, especially with your magic going away.” She reiterated.

“Why… do you care at all?” I asked incredulously, “I’m nobody to you…”

“That’s not true. You’re my friend.” Flitter replied swiftly.

I huffed sadly. “You’re just going to send me back and forget about me anyway.” I said dejectedly as I thought about Damon.

She shook her head. “I’m not going to force you to accept them again, not if you can’t. I want you to be safe again, to not be hurt, because you’re my friend.” She looked deep into my eyes and said, “You’re hurting so much still.”

“It’s not worth worrying about…” I rejected her.

Flitter frowned even deeper, and her voice raised as she tried to get through to me. “Why do you think I don’t care? I’m right here, aren’t I?”

I don’t know why, but something about those words made it nearly impossible to hold back my first bit of tears as they silently left my eyes. “Because… I… I just ran.” I scoffed, “I-I ran from my problems, like a coward, a-and…”

I looked up at her through blurry eyes, “I’m no better than my brother. I-I run when things get bad… A-And-” My voice broke at the end as tears started forcing themselves out in waves. “How could a-anyone care about somebody like that?”

“And I-I’ve done nothing since I got here but s-sit up here… m-make others miserable… and wish that…” Flitter hung onto my every word intently as I struggled through my choking sobs.

“W-Wish that I don't have to be here anymore… T-That I could just stop e-existing.” I choked out through gasps of breath.

…

Flitter shook her head in disbelief after a moment of shock. “Kieran...” she said through a wave of tears. “No, you don’t want that…”

I lowered my head even more. “It’s what I deserve…”

She clicked her tongue, “No friend of mine deserves to… to disappear.”

“I-I can’t be your friend, F-Flitter. I’m not good enough, not nice enough.” I said with a shake of my head. “You should just keep caring about ponies like Chaser. H-He’s so nice and caring… and…”

She leaned in and nuzzled me. “Nonsense. You aren’t rude; you’re just beaten down and tired of everything that’s been dumped on you. I’ve seen the Kieran that asked me for a haircut, apologized to the guards, helped me with bees, sat on a hill, and talked about cutie marks. The one that played with my little brothers and sisters.” She hugged me even tighter somehow. “That’s the real Kieran, the one that shines through the despair when it becomes too much.”

I wiped my eyes in a futile effort. “B-But I don’t know how to get t-that one out…”

She shook her head. “He’ll appear; he just needs time, and a bunch of ponies who love and cherish him that can take away all the sadness.”

“And they’re in the empire?” I guessed her next words with sad dejection.

She buried me in the crook of her neck. “No. Some of them are right here. Sage, Heath, and I—we're all right here.” She said while rubbing my back again, “And if the ponies in the empire don’t treat you well, then you won’t be forced to suffer with them.”

I couldn’t help but grip onto her fur desperately as she continued, “Really..?” I asked cautiously.

Flitter just nodded and nuzzled into my side continuously. “No matter what happens, you’ve got family here with us. You’re not alone; there are ponies here for you.” She promised me.

I couldn’t hold anything in anymore as I finally released every bit of emotion that I’d built up since the disaster. Every little bit of suppressed emotion came out of me in loud, choking, wailing sobs as I clung to Flitter like a lifeline in a sea of absolute darkness.

I hugged around her neck and cried like it was the first time in my entire life.

Is this what having an older sibling is supposed to feel like? Somepony you could share your feelings with and get acceptance from, no matter how heavy they were?

It was a far cry from dying cold and alone in an alleyway while wondering what you did to deserve being abandoned and left to rot.

Instead, I was being embraced and held tightly while Flitter begged me not to fall into the same uncaring void of despair that I’d felt that day. Of course, Flitter wasn’t my actual sibling… But if this is what it felt like, then… I could certainly do with more of this.

My crying died down and eventually turned to loud, shaky sniffles and occasional sobs. All the while, Flitter simply continued to rub my back and nuzzle the side of my head.

…

“Isn’t that better?” Flitter softly whispered in my ear. I nodded shortly, releasing my death grip from her neck as she began stroking my hair.

When I finally opened my eyes, I looked towards the doorway from over Flitter’s shoulder. And I was mildly amused to see Sage and Heath both scramble and nearly fall over each other as they peeked into the room.

“Sage?” I asked quietly.

But Flitter heard easily and turned her head in surprise toward the doorway. She quickly gave a snort of amusement, “You two are unbelievable.” Flitter spoke softly towards the doorway.

Sage and Heath sheepishly entered the room. And Sage bowed her head slightly. “Sorry… I just…”

For a moment, I couldn’t help but think of what she might say. I imagined her yelling at me and being aggressive, telling me that I had ruined their house and their Hearth’s Warming. And every other nasty thing that my brain could come up with.

Sage caught sight of what was probably a wreck of my face, and she couldn’t help the small quiver of her lips as she whimpered. “It’s nice to meet you, Kieran.” She said softly.

“It is?…” I said sadly as a few more tears made their way out.

Sage couldn’t hold herself back anymore and approached, wrapping one foreleg around me as she leaned in and nuzzled my face. “Of course it is. Everything will be alright now, pumpkin.” She remarked.

Flitter hoofed me off, and I found myself bundled in Sage’s forelegs as I buried myself in her soft chest fur. “I’m sorry, Sage…”

“Quiet…” She muttered to me as she ran a hoof down my side. “If anything, we should be sorry for deceiving you all day.”

“You’re n-not mad at me?” I sniffled.

“If I were mad at you,” Sage started with a smile, “then I’d have to be mad at Princess Flurry Heart, Cadance, Twilight, even Celestia and Luna. Alicorns have a tendency to cause… a certain level of chaos.” Sage said in amusement.

Heath suddenly appeared on her side, placing a hoof on my head and petting my mane. “Princess Flurry caused lots ah damage as a filly too… Ah can’t say I expected ya to be Kieran, of all ponies.” He smiled widely. “But ah think I speak for a lotta ponies when ah say it’s a relief to find ya.”

"Oh, pumpkin,” Sage started. “You should’ve seen how desperate Cadance and Shining were when we were leaving for the train. We didn’t know what they were looking for at the time, but it makes so much more sense now.”

Her words surprised me, and I felt guilt rise in my chest again. “But… I destroyed their city…”

Sage shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Your momma didn’t seem to care; she only seemed to be worried about finding her little bundle of joy.”

“Ah’ve seen worse,” Heath replied with a smirk.

Flitter laughed behind her hoof. "Ah, yes. Was it Flurry’s seventh birthday? I distinctly remember her accidentally flipping the entire empire upside down, giving everyone and everything no gravity, and suspending the city super high up by accident. Something about how her pegasus magic acted up…”

After hearing that, I teared up again and buried my face in Sage’s fur. “Do you think they know how to fix me?” I asked curiously, referring to my magic.

Flitter scoffed playfully. “You have the favor of every alicorn in Equestria; of course they can.”

“That reminds me hun,” Sage said slowly, lighting her horn to illuminate me a bit. “This is just a disguise, right?”

I nervously nodded. “Y-Yes… Discord’s magic…”

I saw her make a face when I mentioned Discord and she quickly waved her horn over my body. I felt a wave of warmth engulf me from Sage's magic as the gray color of my fur slowly washed away. Replaced by the same pink I’d known for so long. I felt my wings reappear on my body and my horn pop onto my head as if they’d always been there.

They both ached slightly, and I couldn’t help but look back at my wings and tilt my head at how ruffled they looked. Even Flitter seemed surprised. "Wow, those are rough. We’re gonna need to get you preened asap.” She remarked as she nipped at one of the feathers on my wing, which spooked me a bit as I squeaked.

Sage couldn’t help but smile widely and boop my muzzle as she cooed, “You’re so much cuter like this pumpkin.”

“T-Thanks, I think.” I muttered with intense embarrassment and a large blush.

Flitter laughed from next to me. “I didn’t want to say it. But yes, it looks a lot better than those rock-pusher colors. And it makes the mane I gave you look sooo~ much better.” Her call back made a genuine smile appear on my muzzle as I released a giggle.

“It might be ah bit hard to explain why you’re ‘round here.” Heath said with a scratch of his head, “But ah, it don’t matter. Ya should be proud of those wings and horn.” He said with a large smile.

Sage nuzzled me yet again. “We’re taking you home, pumpkin.”

“You mean to the Crystal Empire..?” I said with no small hint of nervousness.

She nodded and brushed my hair aside. “We’ll get you back to normal. And if they don’t want you anymore, then we certainly do. Remember that.”

Heath nodded largely and said, “If ah have to stand up to Shinin’ or Cadance mahself you best believe I will.” Sage nodded in agreement and leaned against him.

I nodded slowly in near disbelief as Sage hoofed me back over to Flitter. “You better get a lot of sleep tonight, please.” Sage admonished, “The dark rings under your eyes don’t suit you.”

“I-I will…” I reassured her with a small smile.

They both said their goodnights as they exited the room again, shutting it with a gentle click. I turned my head back up to Flitter, and she looked down with a mix of mischievousness and consideration. “Let’s see how fast you fall asleep against my preening technique.”

I almost scoffed, “Please, I managed to stay awake a whole five minutes when Cadance… preened… me.” My voice became muffled and groggy as the blissful sensation of Flitter’s gentle touch came upon my wings.

She giggled and settled into the bed, pulling the covers up over us as she held me close with her own wing and began to work her magic. It caused my entire body to go limp and relax as the warmth traveled up my body and set my mind at ease. I passed out within a minute or two.

I still wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about the Crystal Empire. But I decided that if I at least had Flitter with me…

Then I guess everything would be alright…