Bright Haze: The Mo'ka Choice

It has been three years to this day since that dark  day when my good friend, the knighted Alicorn Heart Breaker had shot and killed the dark alicorn mage Kalmor on the bridge near Ponyville, three years have passed and peace is prosperous, my wife, Derpy Haze has now had child, a filly Pegasus named Tage Haze, a small orange coated pony with long yellow hair, just like her mother, Rainbow is still with Spectra and they have had two colts now, Spectrum Speed and Raincloud Speed. Two rainbow maned Pegasi who already knew how to fly, at the age of one for Spectrum and nearly two for Raincloud. My girl was smart for her age and was the oldest, nearing three years. I laughed and played with her constantly, life was good, no. Life, was perfect. I had a perfect wife with a healthy filly who already called me daddy, great friends and a relaxing life. I wasn't sure how, but I knew that this life, being in Ponyville, relaxing next to Dee was something I had always planned on. It was a Tuesday and I sat outside my house, no, our house and watched the world go by, Tage was flapping her wings around viciously and was trying to fly again. I smiled and got up from my seat, trotting over to her.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" I asked, Tage looked up to me with confused, sad eyes.

"Fly!" Was the squeak that came out. She pointed to the clouds and I could see she longed to fly up there with the other Pegasi. I had tried to explain to her she was too young to fly, hell, Derpy would kill me if she saw Tage flying around without her knowing. But Tage had seen Spectrum do it and I had constantly gave Spectra the evils for allowing his colt to show off. I was so protective over both Dee and Tage, myself and Spectra having gotten in a few arguments if one of his would hit Tage or do anything against her. I felt incredibly bad, since Tage's birth I had been drifting from Heart Breaker and the others, barely even going to Aeb's grave anymore, after promising him I would go everyday. I had been drifting for a while now, I knew, I had drunk countless bottles of alcohol whilst Dee was pregnant, not sure whether she would make it or not. I hadn't left her side, but drunk loads when she was sleeping, I hadn't slept at all, the only time I had left was for Heart Breakers party, but not since. Derpy was inside I thought and I looked sadly at my daughter. She saw my gaze and tried to copy it.

"Sad?" She asked. I knelt down and she giggled and clambered onto me playfully. I nodded as a single tear fell down my face. I nodded again.

"Come on Tage, let's go see an old friend shall we?" I asked, Tage didn't know what I meant and was, considering how smart she was, she didn't say much. Just, knew things.

"Who daddy?" She asked, climbing off. I hadn't actually thought about it and just decided something quickly, as to not annoy Tage with not answering.

"Everypony sweetheart." I replied.

"Even Uncle Spectra and Aunty Dashie?" Tage asked. I smiled, for whatever reason Tage had begun calling my friends, Heart Breaker, Nick, Steven, Shadow, Diamond Ray, Star Burst, when he cam down to Ponyville, being back with Luna and up in Canterlot, even the other Elements uncles and aunts, which was cute and weird in the same tense. I nodded and Tage giggled again, a very squeaky, heart exploding type which sent many ponies in aww mode if they heard it.

I told Tage to wait for me whilst I go talk to Derpy, Tage nodded and started to flap her wings again. I opened the door and walked in, I heard singing from the main room and trotted in, seeing Derpy singing to herself, book in hoof. I smiled and she turned to the doorway, noticing my presence.

"What's up husband?" Derpy Haze asked. I laughed and walked forward, kissed her on the forehead, despite her clear movement to try to kiss me on the lips. I smiled at her and she smiled back, she didn't know I was unhappy in any way, I would hide most emotions from her to save any heart ache or despair around her. I knew Derpy wasn't sleeping, she had become as restless as myself and I knew something was up with her. I could see it in her eyes.

"I am going to take Tage to go see the others. You okay on your own?" I asked, Derpy nodded and started to hum the love song I had gotten Twilight to sing on ours and Spectra's wedding night. Derpy just giggled and kissed me. She closed her eyes for the kiss but instantly saw the sadness from me when she reopened them.

"What's up honey?" She asked. I looked away as to not make eye contact then slumped my head down as if in shame.

"I haven't been with Heart Breaker and the others for ages, I haven't even gone to see Aeb for over three months now and Dari is still recovering from her rebirth, and Twilight isn't the best with a fully grown adult-child, especially now Tree Born is around. I haven't spoken to any of the guys in weeks hun." I groaned finally, it was true, when Dari had gone through her rebirth after that mysterious rouge resurrection spell us not only had she been pregnant somehow and her daughter, Tree Born had been born early last year, but her mind was messed up and Tree was only young, like Tage and the others, but Twilight had agreed to look after them both.

"The war is over, fate has finished with you Haze, you can retire, do whatever you want husband. Stop worrying about all of it." Derpy replied, she smiled, I hadn't actually called her Derpy in years, due to when she is around me, her eyes focus and aren't messed up. She is Dee Haze. Not Derpy. I forced a smile and nodded.

"I know Dee. I know." I nodded and then walked out of the house, grabbing up Tage as I went.

"You poor foal, if only you knew, if only fate never started on you." Derpy muttered, I didn't hear.

I took Tage and myself to Rainbow and Spectra's first. I could hear the young'ins flying around and screaming already and the cloud home wasn't fully in sight yet. I flow up to the doorway and knocked. After a short break the door opened and Rainbow Speed stood at the doorway. Smiling as usual.

"My king." She said, bowing. I laughed and set Tage down who hugged Rainbow and ran inside to play with Spectrum and Raincloud.

"I thought we were over that years ago, mrs Speed." I joked, she laughed and invited me in. I happily stepped in. Spectra walked in from the kitchen and nodded to me. Half smiling. I hated the fact we were so far apart at the moment. But if I tried to fix it I would even make it worse or he would just shrug it off and ignore me.

"Hey Haze. How you been keeping?" He asked.

"Oh pretty good man, yourself?" I replied. He trotted over and brohoofed me. I smiled at him.

"Better than that suit of armour you wore." He replied, referring to the Dweller armour I had worn to my wedding, I laughed and he smiled at me.

"Ah, well. I still pulled off that Rainboom for you." I replied.

"Yeah I have been meaning to ask you. When did you get a Rainboom license? I am an ex-CEO of Cloudsdale Weather Corporation." He joked.

"Well that kinda exploded in your face didn't it. Have you heard about the rebuild process. It is nearly twice as big as the first one!" I exclaimed, Spectra nodded in agreement. We sat and talked for a while, I heard the children playing in the other room and Rainbow came in from the kitchen with a mug of I presumed tea or coffee. I thanked her and she sat down on the chair edge Spectra was on. Shadow suddenly walked in.

"Ah Bright Haze. How are you doing my friend?" He asked. I smiled and brohoofed him.

"Pretty good, how is civilized life treating you?" I asked, Shadow had been abandoned in the Everfree as a young child and grown up surviving out there, but now he was bunking in the spare room to Rainbow's house. Casually bringing another mare back from time to time and earning money from the bakery.

"Horrible. They don't have poison mushrooms here or dangers everywhere. Haze, ponies here even have toilet paper here! Its horrible." Shadow joked, we all laughed and he seemly vanished into thin air and after a few moments, I heard the door open then close.

"Still surprises me how he does that." Rainbow muttered. I gave a short burst of laughter and we began to talk again.

"Any word from Twilight?" I asked.

"None, apart from she says Dari is beginning to recover. She knows things now, beginning to speak and fend for herself." Rainbow replied, I 'ah'ed' and nodded.

"What of Heart Breaker. I am going to him next but I wanna see if there is anything to say." I asked.

"Well apart from he works in the mail industry and is still madly in love with the God-Princess Celestia, still remembers the day she kissed him, both at the knighthood and his birthday. He still is with the Cutie mark Crusaders with him trying to find is Alicorn power. Like Nick is. There isn't anything new." Spectra replied.

"Do you know where he is now?" I asked.

"Well he turned up this morning with all that mail I ordered in distress and was clearly pissed he had to carry four pianos up here on the back of a chariot. He said he was going to go visit Aeb about now but if not he is probably at home." Spectra replied. I thanked him and after a few minutes more of speaking grabbed up Tage and walked out.

"Spectra, Rainbow and Shadow down. Shit ton more to go." I muttered to myself, smiling for the first time in a while.