Time Makes Foals of Us All

“You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” – Charles Buxton

~~~

The study of the Head Astrophysicist of the Canterlot Royal Observatory was a complete mess. Night Light had completely avoided the concept of order and decided to let star maps and other apparatus litter every surface in the room. Some diagrams were even tacked to the ceiling itself due to the lack of space.

The room itself would have been spacious and open if not for the cacophony of research materials strewn about. The furniture was all intricately carved and dark stained mahogany with expensive cloth upholstery. The large desk in the back of the room was framed by a wall-sized bookshelf containing numerous volumes and reference texts. Some could have been rare or unique but at a glance it would have been impossible to make sense of how they were organized.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, Horizon, I don’t allow my wife in this room often.” Night Light chuckled as he sank into a comfortable reclined chair while levitating the stack of papers from it and plopping them onto the floor nearby.

The three stallions had come back from the modest bar that was clearly only used for entertaining guests with glasses of eggnog in tow. Shining Armor made to sit in a similarly comfortable chair next to his father while Horizon was left with a couch across from the two older unicorns. He did his best to respectfully shift several scrolls to the side or onto the coffee table to make room for himself to sit.

“It’s important for a stallion to have some personal space from his mare.” Night Light began, “Twilight Velvet has the endearing trait of being completely neurotic when it comes to organization and so I let her exercise her control over the plants in her greenhouse so I can sit in here and connect dots in peace.” Night Light smiled contentedly as he sipped at his deep glass of eggnog levitating near his muzzle.

Shining Armor remained stoic as he regarded his sisters coltfriend across from him.

Horizon shifted a bit nervously as he looked at the clutter all around the room, finding it difficult to focus on any one thing while he stalled the inevitable conversation with the other two unicorns.

Shining Armor simply looked at his father and gave a subtle nod.

“So, Horizon, I know it isn’t fun to make small talk with the in-laws. I’ll just get straight to the point here. How are you and Twilight doing?” Night Light was one of the few stallions in Equestria that Horizon ever considered as a male figure in his life. If any other stallion had asked him that he would have been evasive, but there was a certain amount of trust that Twilight’s father inspired in Horizon.

“We’re doing great and um...” Horizon paused to look at both of the stallions in the room to get a read on their faces. They were intensely interested in what he was going to say but it was obvious that concern was written on their features as much as hope. No signs of fear or outright malice. The question wasn’t a trap, it was genuine.

“Well I guess there’s no point in keeping this a secret from you since I know you won’t tell Twilight but...” Horizon took a long slow breath and prepared himself, “Well, I’m going to propose to her, tonight.” Horizon felt the air in his lungs get heavy as he waited for the reaction from the father and brother.

The blue and white unicorns shared another glance and raised their eyebrows, it wasn’t a gesture of complete surprise but carried a bit of it along with a sense of relief and approval.

Shining emptied his lungs and spoke first. “That’s great news Horizon. Twily has been sending everyone in the family letters about you two ever since she could muster up the magic to do the spell that Celestia uses to send letters. We all knew it was just a matter of time.”

Night Light nodded thoughtfully and added, “It’s wonderful news and Shining is right about those letters. Ever since Twilight visited last month it was like the perfect storm of events to get her thinking about it. I can only imagine the pressure that she has been putting on you.”

Shining Armor took a gulp of eggnog and laughed to himself. “I guess after almost losing Spike and then seeing her sister-in-law become a mother made her start pushing you a lot more than usual huh? I can still remember the conversations Cadance and I had before I proposed, I had never talked so much about foals in my entire life.”

“That conversation doesn’t end by the way, Horizon.” Night Light added, “It keeps on going until she can’t stand to have any more foals running around the house and while two was the number for my Twilight I know yours is aiming for double from her letters.”

“Always the overachiever.” Shining added with a head shake and a glance up to the ceiling.

“I mean we were prepared to do some serious leg twisting here if you were still on the fence about it. And my son gives some pretty good leg burns.”

The two stallions shared a few laughs while Horizon could only stare.

Horizon was almost speechless as he took in the response. How could they simply accept this without giving him a hard time? Wasn’t that what fathers and brothers were supposed to do?

“Umm, not to sound like a completely confused idiot but... what?”

Shining Armor drained his glass of eggnog and laughed heartily. Night Light seemed a bit confused by Horizon’s reaction.

“I think he was expecting us to threaten him and coerce him into marrying Twily, Dad.”

Understanding dawned on Night Lights face. “Ah, a good ol’ fashioned horn wedding, is that what you had in mind? I think you have been spending a little too much time in Ponyville.”

Horizon laughed along with Night Light and said, “Well, you just surprised me is all. I was expecting you to at least make me feel uncomfortable and promise to never hurt her on pain of death or something. At least that’s what most of being with her has been like.”

Shining Armor looked to his father and shared another nonverbal agreement before he stood up and announced, “I think I need another drink before we get into this, you two start without me.”

“Bring us all another round Shining, the Scotch is on the lower right, blue bottle.”

As Shining left the room, Horizon drained what was left of his eggnog along with Night Light. Horizon knew he was in for a heart to heart conversation and was mentally preparing himself. He expected it would be the first of many tonight.

Night Light began, “Horizon, I don’t really know how to be delicate about this so I’ll just be straight with you. I don’t know what life must have been like for you without a father but the job of the stallion in the family is to be supportive first and protective second. I have never once in my life forced my son or daughter to do anything they haven’t wanted to do themselves.

I would have loved to have Shining follow in my hoofsteps and be a researcher at the CRO just like his father. It would have made supporting him and guiding him easy. But life is never so simple. He wanted to be a soldier, he wanted to save the princess...”

Night Light laughed as he leaned forward to look at the star charts on the coffee table. Horizon let his future father-in-law continue.

“Watching Shining join the military academy was painful, but I had to let him follow his dreams and support him no matter what. And watching Twilight study for hours on end to get into Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns and shirk friendship and family was tough. When she was selected to be Celestia’s pupil and moved to the ivory tower in the castle was even harder... For all of us.

But Shining eventually rescued his Princess, and even married her. And Twilight became the Element of Magic and Celestia’s most faithful student.”

Shining Armor returned to the room with three glasses full of Blueblood Reserve Scotch. He levitated them to his father and future brother-in-law before stating, “Imagine my disappointment when my little sister beat me to it. Rescuing a princess that is.”

Horizon broke his silence. “Your children have accomplished a great deal Night but I’m not sure what this has to do with my proposal to Twilight.”

The youngest stallion sipped the strong drink. It was powerful but honest. A smooth blend that tasted first like a burnt piece of cured animal hide but which mellowed into the wooden flavor of the oak casks they were stored in... by the third or fourth sip.

“I guess I should have asked if you wanted that with water.” Shining laughed a bit at the expressions Horizon was making as he gingerly nursed his neat scotch.

“Well we can’t all have the fortitude of a Captian of the Royal Guard, Shining.” Night Light sipped his drink without difficulty. “Or the experience of a father of two of the most determined unicorns in the history of Equestria.”

Horizon levitated his drink to rest next to him on a side table, he didn’t want to get too ahead of himself. He was a lightweight when it came to drinking, and the night was still young.

“The point, Horizon, is that never once have I had to force my children to do anything. I knew for a fact that they were driven and determined to achieve what they wanted, no matter how big those dreams were. And the only time I ever had to be protective of them was when it came to them hurting themselves in their passion, or something external preventing them from achieving their goals.” Shining gave a sudden glance to the floor in what might have been shame but it was fleeting.

Night Light continued, “And since my little Twilight loves you and wants to be with you I know that the best way to help her with that is to be supportive. So it relieves me that she finally convinced you to commit to her because otherwise I would simply have to let you know that you were the external force preventing her from being truly happy.”

Horizon looked toward his drink again and felt that creeping guilt. This is what it must really feel like to have a father. Somepony to be disappointed in you for not believing in yourself.

“But I would be encouraging, I would be optimistic and do what I can to help you see reason. Because there is not a single way that you being with Twilight could harm her. Ever since she met you she has been happier than she ever was in any library or at any museum.”

Shining sipped his drink and smiled to himself, remembering quiet times he shared with his little sister, before they both were separated by their destinies. “Horizon – sorry for interrupting father – but... Well if you don’t mind me asking what made you choose now to go through with it? Surely not just because of the holiday.”

Horizon looked at his glass, it was half empty now. The talking to he was getting from his fillyfriend’s father was not as stressful as he really imagined; but it didn’t stop him from taking in the liquid courage as he listened. He swiftly downed what remained and held in his breath so that he didn’t cough from the aftertaste.

Night Light and Shining looked impressed.

“I had a breakthrough. I had been working on a project and I finally got scientific proof that it worked. I plan on compiling my research notes and making it official in the next few weeks.” Horizon shuffled his hooves and wished he had something to eat to chase the taste of the liquor from his tongue but he powered through.

“I just wanted to have a means of income, I know this research will lead to great things and honestly, none of it would be possible without Twilight’s help but... I can’t help feeling like she isn’t happy in her Ponyville home anymore and I just wanted to be able to get her what she wanted. A real house, for a real family, not just a couple of students.”

Shining nodded his understanding and Night Light stood up and walked to his desk.

“Horizon I am glad that you feel you are prepared for starting a family but there is so much more to it than the size of your house or bank account. While providing for a wife and children has its inevitable monetary costs, the emotional one is much higher. I hope that you will not let this new project of yours get in the way of what should be most important to you. Your wife must always come first, and nothing should ever be kept from her, especially the truth.”

Shining added his own thoughts. “I know I don’t have as much experience with these things as my father but I have to agree with him. Please don’t let this project be more important than my sister. Twilight needs someone who will put her first. She’s just not strong enough to do things on her own. And if you think she isn’t happy in Ponyville anymore that’s something you should talk to her about. I know a lot of her friends have moved on and maybe she should too because—”

“What my son means is that you should focus on the present and not get ahead of yourself. Your career and your life are a series of decisions and you need to be completely sure about each one before you make it. Twilight was happy to wait for you to finish whatever this project was but she won’t wait for you to choose to be a husband after you have committed.”

Horizon felt the weight of it all bearing down on him now but the warm feeling in his face and neck was there to help him shrug it off. He spoke quietly to himself with a short guffaw, “In other words, don’t fuck up.”

Night Light looked up from his desk. “Basically, yeah.”

Shining looked pleased with himself. “Well my job’s done, I think I better go check on my daughter.”

As Shining stood to leave the room he downed what was left of his drink and nodded once more to Horizon as he walked through the door. He wondered if that’s what it felt like to have a brother. Someone who would have your back no matter how serious it was. Who could offer support with as little as a nod. Horizon stood to leave the room as well but then remembered that Night Light was still there.

Night Light watched the younger stallion and scratched his blue mane thoughtlessly as he shuffled through his papers. “This research, it wouldn’t happen to be related to your Skywave device would it?”

Horizon shook his head. “No, it’s completely unrelated actually, I didn’t realize anypony even remembered my research or the device at all.”

“Well, perhaps this letter will be a bit more interesting to you. It seems that a position has opened up at the CRO for a project director and it involves using a bit of experimental technology. Something invented by a young colt from Canterlot, a certain...” Horizon accepted the letter into his magical grasp and glanced at the royal seal of Princess Luna.

“... Skywave device. The patent for which is held by a unicorn named Horizon. You wouldn’t happen to know him would you? Seems like quite the coincidence.” Night Light smirked at the expressions rolling across Horizon’s face.

“You’re... offering me a job?”

“Not the most glamorous Hearth’s Warming present imaginable but something I thought you would appreciate.”

“But what would Twilight think? I can’t just—”

“She already knows, Horizon, one of the many things we discussed in our letters over the last month. You don’t have to accept but, as you said, she doesn’t feel at home in Ponyville anymore. And with Spike being here in Canterlot she doesn’t have much left. Most of her friends have already accepted the next chapter in their lives and she is ready to as well. I’m glad it is going to be with you at her side.”

Horizon was amazed but he began to speak without really thinking, the excitement was overwhelming. It had been years since he even held a research position that was paid, his royalties earned from other minor patents he had made on magical devices supported him as he looked for work but not having connections in the academic world was the most detrimental thing to his career. Getting a position at a university or on a team was impossible without a letter of recommendation. He had never liked his professors much, the only reason he succeeded was because he made it impossible for them to fail him. His internships were successful but he never kept in touch with anypony. He was a bit... anti-social.

“I... Thank you. I don’t know what else to say. I’m going to have to pull out my old notes but I’m sure—”

“Ha! I knew you would accept. But I gotta warn you, I’m a pretty laid back boss, If you show up to work on time you might not be able to get in because the doors could still be locked.”

Horizon laughed at that. How could Twilight ever have come from this stallion. They had almost nothing in common.

“Now let’s get another drink and celebrate. I can’t wait to show you the observatory, maybe we can go tomorrow!”

As Night Light stood up from his desk in excitement he spilled what was left of his scotch across all the star maps on his desk along with the letter from Princess Luna.

“Shoot! Um, you better go have that drink without me Horizon, Luna will banish me if I let these charts get stained.”

Horizon saw the similarities now.