Room For One More

Chapter Four: Hush Now, Quiet Now

"When the time comes I won't say I told you so. I will simply weep."

Samael

Celestia stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard of the palace. Royal guards flanking her in a show of force. A hushed silence fell over the crowd as she approached the microphones. Thousands had gathered and hundreds of thousands sat in their homes around their radios. Waiting for the news. The national address.

"Citizens of Equestria. Concerned mothers and fathers. Worried husbands and wives. I address you now to tell you all that I know of what is happening in our country.

Two days ago, an envoy from a hostile foreign nation came to the palace demanding the total surrender Equestria and the forfeiture of our lives. He must have been very misinformed about Equestrian patriotism.

His demands came with a warning. That should we refuse, should we not bow to him, that his master would come and attempt to take the country from us by force. That he will come and declare war on our nation. I believe that threat to be creditable. My sister and I have since mobilized the entire Equestrian military to safe guard the nation against these foreign oppressors.

Dark times are coming to Equestria but I urge you as both your Princess and as your friend to hold firm. To be resolute in the face of menace not only for yourselves but for those you care for."

Celestia looked to her left at her sister who was standing at her own battery of microphones. She looked nervous but Celestia had to suppress a smile and hold a stern and regal face.

I think the microphones might be a little too much.

Luna cleared her throat and leaned down slightly towards the devices she'd only just heard about a few minutes prior.

"M-... My fellow Equestrians. After careful deliberation and planning, we have stationed the entirety of our armed forces all across our lands to defend our cities, our homes. The reserves have been called up. Our swords are sharpened and ready to meet the enemy whenever and wherever it may appear to threaten us.

As your leaders, your Princesses, we stand beside you in these dark times. Not behind, ordering others take our place but also not in front of you. Every citizen, every pony, must be ready to aid Equestria when the time comes. We, as a nation, must prepare for the worst crisis seen in a thousand years.

There will be hard times ahead of us. Food may be short but you must stand firm. Luxury may turn into naught but memory but you must stand firm. Enemies may threaten your lives and the lives of those you love but you must stand firm.

No matter how long it may take us to prevail over this invasion. The Equestrian people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory!"

The assembled crowds erupted into cheers. Each and every pony's blood was boiling, their skin covered in goose bumps.

Celestia and Luna switched off their microphones and stood there, waving at the crowds. The Equestrian flags hanging patriotically above them waving with along with them.

"Not bad, Luna. I'll admit I was worried for a moment."

Luna shot a sideways glance at her sister but maintained her regal expression.

"Did thou think I was not up to the task of addressing the Equestrian people as I once did?"

"Not at all. I was more concerned about the volume."

Luna snorted and hid her smile under her hoof.

"Damn you, Tia! We have to look strong and unyielding for the country!"

"Well, I am."

Luna recovered and began waving again. Her face slightly pinker than usual. No one would notice at this distance but she was worried all the same.

"I had been practising my public speaking with Scribbles. She helped me write my speech."

"A talented young mare with a bright future."

Luna furrowed her brow for a second.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That should she continue to excel the way she is, she will become an invaluable companion to us."

"Ah, when you said 'bright' future I was worried you were thinking of stealing her away."

"Come now, Luna. I wouldn't dream of it."

"I'll try to remember that the next time I catch you watching her leave."

Celestia's face went bright red and she did her very best to maintain her composure. She slowly looked over at Luna who was still waving at the crowds although a thin smile had spread across her muzzle.

"Well played, Luna."

"Thank you, Celestia."

They finally went inside and let out a sigh. Steeling a nation for the worst was always a stressful and delicate affair.

Celestia paused a moment and checked the corners of the room as if looking for someone. Luna raised her eyebrow at this.

"What?"

"You know, I'm actually starting to miss Scribbles on her day off."

"You could order her to your side if it makes you feel better."

Celestia shot a look at her giggling sister.

"No, I will not bother her in the scant few hours she has to herself. And will you stop snickering at me!"

They walked for a bit, chatting about the comings and goings of the palace. Celestia thought as they talked that moments like this didn't happen often enough. Where she and her sister just talked about their lives outside their royal duties. Celestia felt lucky every time Luna cracked a joke with her or even at her because it meant her imprisonment hadn't changed the Luna she loved. They eventually ended up at Luna's bedroom. It was nine o'clock in the morning and Luna yawned.

"I think I stayed up late enough for the country. Good day, Celestia."

Luna opened the door to her room and made to enter.

"Wait."

Luna stopped and turned. Celestia's voice had sounded pleading.

"Wait, would you mind staying up a bit longer for your sister? I was really enjoying just spending time with you. The way things are going, we might not get another chance like this for a long time."

Luna eyed the Princess of the Day for a long second before smiling demurely.

"Well, then I guess I could stay up a few hours more. Come in."

Luna walked into her room and Celestia followed her in. She stood up and craned her neck to see the midnight blue ceiling that was obscured by the morning light coming through the window. Celestia knew it had Luna's plans for the next night drawn on it and she couldn't help but wonder what tonight held.

As she looked, music drifted into her ears and it took a minute before she realized who was playing it.

"Luna?"

Luna sat at a grand piano playing a soft melody with her hooves. The song was actually one their father had taught her when she was just a filly. Celestia was surprised Luna remembered it let alone how to play it.

"That song is older than Equestria."

"I know. I play it sometimes when I want to remember what it was like before... everything else happened and we were just kids with kid dreams."

Celestia sat down on a cushion and listened to her sister play. Her own memories coming back to her but not like before. She smiled and a tear leaked out of her eye as she remembered the old cottage where they had grown up. How she and her sister had gone on quests and adventures to find their cutie marks and how they'd met other fillies and colts doing the same. Firefly, the most competitive pony she'd ever met. How they'd laugh and giggle as Luna would chase her around the forest. And how Surprise would always seemingly burst out of nowhere and how she'd always have a smile on her face no matter what. And Hatchet and Boreal and all the rest.

Celestia closed her eyes and watched as her life played out in front of her and it was sometime before she noticed Luna had stopped playing and gone off to bed.

Luna slept peacefully and Celestia eyed her for a moment, trying to determine what her sister was dreaming about.

No, our dreams are our last refuge from the world. I will not pry.

Celestia gently eased the door open and exited the room. As she left, she noticed a familiar presence at her side. She cast an eye down to see Scribbles standing at the closed door to Luna's bedroom. Her hoof was raised as if to knock but just hung there in air.

"ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz."

Celestia couldn't help herself and giggled at the sight. Scribbles eyes half closed, her mouth slightly open. Celestia wondered how long she'd been standing there and decided to wake her up before she started drooling.

"Scribbles?"

Celestia's soft voice warmed the whole hallway up.

"ZZZZZzzzzzz... Zeee zeee zeee zeee zeee...  ZZZZZZZZZZ."

Celestia frowned and tried again.

"Scriiiibbbles? Scribbles. SCRIBBLES!"

The unicorn didn't show any chance in consciousness. Celestia huffed. She poked her shoulder and waited.

...

Scribbles slowly leaned over and started to fall, legs still stiff as boards. Celestia yelped and caught Scribbles in her hooves just as Luna's door opened.

"What is going on out he-... oh."

Taken out of context, Celestia leaning over and hold Scribbles in her hooves, her mouth inches away from the mare's, the scene Luna saw could be misconstrued as something completely different.

"Luna! What?! Oh, I'm sorry for waking you and... Scribbles! She was standing outside your door and must have fallen asleep as she was about to enter and I found her here like this and tried to wake her and..."

Luna's smile only grew wider and wider as Celestia rambled on.

"What are you so flustered for, Sister? She is awake now and awaiting your orders."

Celestia snapped her attention to the grey mare in her alabaster hooves who was now fully awake and had a shocked look on her face.

"I wasn't sleeping walking, was I, Celestia? Or sleep talking?"

"Not that I... No."

"Okay, good. Um,  you can put me down now."

"Right."

Celestia put Scribbles down and the three stood in awkward silence for a few seconds before they all tried to diffuse the situation.

"I have papers-"

"-breakfast!"

"-was an interesting dream I was having."

They stared at each other for another second before just turning and leaving in opposite directions.

Celestia tried to get the image of Scribbles in her hooves out of her head as she walked down the hallway. Something about her made Celestia curious about her. It was almost like she was...

...

She was exactly like Twilight in a way. Bright, studious, a little more socially adept and better at reading people but her love of knowledge and helping others was uncanny. Celestia's face darkened as she fell into a foul mood.

I'm seeing her in other ponies now. I need a vacation. A break from all this where I can think.

Celestia stopped and mentally cursed herself. Weakness could not be tolerated if she was to lead this country out of the coming crisis.

Luna could do it. Lead the country herself. She's better at it than you give her credit for. Then you've ever given her credit for.

"Shut up, shut up!"

She heard a squeak and looked up to see everyone in the hallway bowing and trembling. She sighed and scowled.

"Carry on."

Celestia hurried from the room and finally broke into a trot for the last leg of her journey down to the dungeons.

When she arrived at Samael's cell she had to stop and catch her breath for a minute before entering.

What is wrong with me?

As soon as the locks slid away and the door opened, a piercing wail filled her ears and she briefly wondered if he had ever stopped screaming.

"AAAIIIIIEEE AAAAHHHHHAH!!!..... AAAHH AAAXXXX RAAAGGHHH!"

He twisted and turned in the jade chains suspending him in air trying to free himself but only succeeded in driving them deeper into his flesh which by now had burned away almost to the bone.

Celestia calmly stood in front of him for few seconds before she began removing the chains one by one. As they dropped and snaked back to the wall he was lowered until his hooves touched the ground, not that he could stand. She removed all but one chain as she had every time she'd questioned him so far and waited for him to speak.

He didn't. He lay on the ground, twitching and muttering to himself like a pony gone insane. Celestia's hard expression did not change.

"You know, Samael, there is one thing I still can't put my hoof on. Why betray your master again? Is this some sort of game you play with your time? Betray one master and help me only to betray me and start the cycle over again? I'll admit it must pass the centuries with all the planning that must go into it but do you really think I'm going to fall for it again?"

Samael sputtered and jerked. He looked up at Celestia with a ragged yellow eye.

"N-n-no."

"I thought not. So why do it again? You attained your title as Lord again after I killed you and sent you back to where you belong. Why come here and lose it all again?"

Samael twisted on the ground and the places where the chains had burned him began to bubble. He wrenched himself to his rear hooves and stood with his back hunched over in pain. His wounds slowly began to heal until Celestia couldn't even see scars through the holes in his once stylish coat and pants.

"Heh... hehehe.... Heheahaha! AAAHAHAAHAA!"

Celestia took a step back as Samael began laughing hysterically as if she had told him the funniest joke in the world.

"What is the matter with you?!"

"Fuck you.  That's an unfair question. Hehehe... you want to know what I find so funny? Hehehehe! That you just don't get it and hopefully will never have to understand why I left Hell."

He took a step towards her and Celestia could help but take a step back. He was by far her elder and clever as they come.

"I betrayed Discord because he was turning this ball of rock and life into another Hell because it suited him better. I betrayed the Emperor because he will do the same, although he won't want to!"

"You don't owe Equestria anything, Samael. I don't buy it."

"SsSSHHhHHHHHHhh Shshshshshhhhh!!!!"

Celestia stared at the wreck of a once proud Demon Lord. At least, she thought that he was once proud.

"You've never been to hell, have you? Hehehe. You know... You know the saying better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven? I want to kill whoever said that because it gives such a wrong impression of demons. HEHEHEHE NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN HELL!!!"

His voice made Celestia's ears ring. He stood straight and tall. Taller than Celestia as his great black wings unfurled from his coat in terrible majesty.

"I WOULD TRADE EVERYTHING TO LEAVE HELL AND NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN!!! NONE OF THIS!"

He gestured to himself and his clothing denoting his station.

"MATTERS! None of it! Hell is Hell is Hell is Hell and it is Hell to all who dwell there, including demons. Why do you think the Emperor mounts these fucking invasions? Hmmmmm? It's to get away from his own Empire! He has a country! A palace and a nation hanging on his every whim but he's not content and why should he be?! He's in hell. The asshole of the universe! The cosmic joke where bad people go after they die! No one is born in hell, Celestia. No one. I wasn't and quite frankly I want to go..."

His voice broke and though he moved his mouth, words would not come out. He choked and hunched over again, black tears running out of his eyes.

"I want to go home, Celestia. Or somewhere close enough. I don't want any of this. I just want to go home!"

He fell to his knees and started sobbing. Celestia was shocked but then remembered who she was talking to. She had trusted him once before.

"Samael, where will the demon army strike?"

He looked up. Tears streaming down his face.

"Let me go and I can help you. I can point you to where I think he will come from but without maps-"

"You stay here, Samael. You'll stay here until I have no further use for you now do you know where he is coming from?"

"N-no."

"What are his current standing forces? What is he bringing to my country?"

Samael's eyes unfocused as he thought.

"He will likely commit his best to Equestria. The First through Thirteenth Legions totalling roughly two hundred thousand warriors."

Celestia's jaw dropped despite herself. She'd asked the question before but hadn't gotten an answer between his screaming. She was vastly outnumbered and outmatched and something else struck her as horrifying.

"You say he'll commit his best to Equestria. That means that he'll have... more?"

"Yes. I saw plans for a simultaneous invasion of Gryphonia, Zebrica and Equestria. He'll commit the bulk of his army to Gryphonia but his best will be sent here. He wants to take this continent first before moving onto the rest of the world."

Celestia walked backwards away from this bearer of such bad news until she hit the door.

"No. No no no. You are lying. You are lying to make it seem more desperate than it actually is."

Samael stared at her with pleading eyes.

"Please. I have nothing to gain by lying you. Please, Tia."

Celestia stood straight at the sound of her pet name being used by the evil thing in front of her. Her horn glowed and the chains began sliding over to Samael who kept his eyes on hers.

"When the time comes I won't say I told you so. I will simply weep."

The chain slid over his skin and it split at their touch. He began howling again although it sounded weaker than before. Celestia saw him burst into flame and watched him writhe for a moment before turning to leave the room.

He won't last much longer like this but I can't risk setting him free. I suppose the question on which his life hangs in the balance is whether or not he has been telling the truth. Do I trust him again after all these years?

Celestia teleported back to her room. Not wanting the time to think about what Samael had said. If it was true, she would need a miracle to save her country.

I could use the Elements to... DAMN IT!

Celestia kicked her bed and screamed in frustration. She'd done it again. Thought of the Elements of Harmony as a tool to be used. A weapon for her to wield.

They are ponies, Celestia. Ponies! Mares that you care about.

She sat down on her bed and looked out the window. Dark storm clouds were forming to the north. Thunder rumbled through her open window and a slight breeze rippled her curtains.

Maybe they aren't tools but... but they are reliable. And they have saved the world twice before. I could use them to force a peace. Threaten to unleash their power and ravage the demon armies if they do not surrender and leave the world. But what if the demons don't believe me or don't care. How many deaths am I to make the Elements responsible for until they break?

Thunder once again rumbled through her bedchamber as Celestia grew older by the minute.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had all been taken to Rarity's after the debacle of their adventure had come to an end. It was a loving affair where Applejack and Rarity told to them just how much they loved them. They had then shouted their ears off for the rest of the morning.

"AAAAWWWW!"

"Don't 'aaawwww' me, young lady. You. Are. Grounded!"

"You too, Applebloom. And I'm giving you extra chores to keep you busy as clearly your school work isn't doing a good enough job of that."

Applebloom and Sweetie Bell both looked at the ground and whimpered. They'd had the sternest lecture of their lives and couldn't help but feel that the worst was yet to come.

"We're sorry!"

Rarity and Applejack looked at each other. They'd heard that enough times for it to have lost a lot of its meaning.

"We know, girls. We know. Which is why we know that you won't be bothered making up for your little misadventure by doing extra work. You can still visit each other after you are done your chores. Come on now, Applebloom, let's get you back to the farm."

Scootaloo stared at the other two as they were taken away by their sisters. Rarity and Applejack had tried to include her in the lecture as much as they could but knew it wasn't their place to inflict punitive measures.

Applejack looked back at Scootaloo with a look of pity in her eye before turning to take Applebloom to her home. Rarity was still lecturing Sweetie Bell as she took her inside Carousel Boutique but spared her a look of sympathy before shutting the door.

Scootaloo stayed outside their door for some time before dejectedly walking to her own home at the end of a long road leading out of town. She came up to the rough wooden door. Her eyes passed over the worn out welcome mat and she chuckled gloomily as she found her keys and opened the door.

The heavy circular door groaned as it swung on its hinges. She entered and dropped her saddlebags in the hallway leading to the simple living room and simple kitchen. At the end of the hall was a set of stairs that led to the second floor. It had only one bedroom and that was where Scootaloo wished she was right now.

Nope, gotta make lunch.

She wandered into the kitchen and lit the stove and began boiling a pot of water. She jumped up on the counter to reach the cupboard where she took out a package of noodles. Setting them down on the counter she went over to the fridge that was older then the house it was in and took out a bag of tomatoes and lettuce.

She began dicing the tomatoes and as the water boiled she dumped the noodles in and went back to preparing her salad.

She was used to making meals for herself. She was used to cleaning the house and washing the dishes and doing the laundry and making repairs to the older then dirt house she lived in. She had a list of chores longer then Applejack's some days and that was because she lived alone.

She finished the salad just as the noodles were cooked to perfection. She turned the stove off and blew out the pilot light. Others used wood stoves but her brother had bought her this new gas stove for Hearth's Warming Eve. It was his present to her for not being able to see her as he had always done. But he had to take the guard shift that day because it paid the most and he needed the money to pay for the house's rent. Not that he lived there to enjoy it.

She ate in silence. Occasionally she would light a candle or two and muse about having a big party at her house but she knew that she'd never be able to afford it. She got everything discounted as it was let alone have anything left over for cake or balloons.

She looked over at the table she was eating at. The white linen table cloth. The old wooden chairs. The three other plates she'd set out. It was a habit she'd fallen into. Once her brother had surprised her by coming home one night. She was so excited to see him and they'd laughed and talked right through till the morning. Ever since then she always set the table for four. Herself, her brother, and her parents.

She stopped eating and looked at the empty chairs around the table and sighed. It would be a strange day indeed if her parents surprised her by coming home for supper. They'd have to dig their way out of their coffins first not to mention six feet of dirt.

They'd died when she was very young. She had almost no memory of them except for the booming voice of her father and her mother's purple hair. She would often dream of them and what they were like. Her mother would have a meal ready for her when she got home from school. Her father would teach her how to fly in the evenings after helping her with her homework and her brother would be there to read her stories every night of the week.

Scootaloo dropped her fork and swallowed what she was chewing.

Can't think like that anymore, Scoots. You're too old for fantasies.

She finished her lunch and started washing her dishes.

"What to do now?"

Visit Gale? He's in town but he told me he was going to be out today on patrol. Paint the house a new colour? Yeah, after that I'll knit an airship and fly to the moon.

She giggled and finished cleaning up. She looked around for something to do. Her homework was done and the house was immaculate. She ached for anything to keep her occupied.

Get a job? I'm old but not that old yet. OH! I could help out Sweetie Bell and Applebloom with their chores! They said we were allowed to hang out once they were done!

She smiled widely and rushed out the door.

Sweet Apple Acres  was filled with the groans of the oppressed. Applebloom had the daunting task of pruning all the mature trees. Applejack had chuckled as she said this and pointed to the entire farm. Almost every apple tree was mature and needed it in one form or another.

Applebloom would have to climb each and every tree and cut down the dead and diseased branches. Applebloom looked up to the towering tree in front of her and gulped.

"Hey, sis! Are you sure this is safer than me adventuring and whatnot? I could fall and break a leg or something."

Applejack rolled her eyes.

"A little hard work won't kill you, Applebloom, now hop to it. I'll be working right beside you anyways."

Applebloom grumbled under her breath and Applejack caught a few words she certainly didn't teach her and was about to say something but held her tongue.

Oh, honestly in her position Ah'd say the same thing. She's just growing up is all. Teenaged Applebloom? That is a time I hope  doesn't hurry its way here.

They worked until the sun hung low in the sky. Applejack and Applebloom were sitting under a particularly diseased tree that Applejack was seriously considering putting down. Its twisted branches now lay in a heap beside it courtesy of a pair of razor a sharp shears.

"I just don't get it. I knew that some of the trees badly needed a pruning and some were sick but this is ridiculous! I hope the rest of the orchard ain't like this or we might lose farm! The western field's crop is... well shoot me for calling a Sweet Apple Acres apple terrible but that's what they are."

A rotten apple picked not five minutes ago rolled out of Applejacks hoof and onto the ground where it split. Applejack shook her head.

"Damn me for saying it but we might have to burn this section to save the others. I don't want this spreading to the rest of the farm."

Applebloom regarded her sister with a look of shock. Not only had she cursed in her presence, she was talking about murdering a quarter of the farm!

"Applejack, how could you even think of that! These trees need help! Why, that's as awful as not having hospitals at all and just having..."

Applebloom didn't need to finish her sentence for it to sink in. Applejack winced and tried to word it gently to her younger sister.

"Applebloom. They're trees. That's all they are and will ever be. I love them. I love them a lot more than some ponies but at the end of the day I know what I might have  to do to save the rest of the farm. If I need to burn this section to contain the disease then I will. I won't like it. Hell, I'll hate every second of it, but I'll do it. We neither have the time nor the money to doctor every single tree back to health and in the mean time, this'll spread. I'm going to run to the other fields and check for infection and you keep pruning. Maybe we'll be able to save some of them."

Applejack, for being the Element of Honesty, sometimes hated having to break the bad news. She left her shears and trotted until Applebloom could no longer hear her hooves hitting  the grass.

Applebloom picked up her shears and walked to the next tree. She set the ladder up and climbed up to the top to reach a dead limb.

"Sorry, Bruce."

She went to work with her shears and the dead limb fell to the ground. She could almost see the tree visibly wince.

"Hold on now, let me get the rest."

Applebloom reached up to get another dead limb. Her shears grazed a spot on the tree and sap began leaking out of the wound. The tree seemed to groan and shudder as if in a heavy breeze.

Applebloom was shoved forcefully away from the tree and her ladder went vertical. She yelled and tried to grab for a branch but none presented themselves. She slowly started to fall backwards. She was some ten feet off the ground. It wouldn't be a pretty sight if she fell.

"HELP!"

The ladder jerked to a halt and Applebloom looked down to see Scootaloo straining for all her worth to hold the ladder up.

"Sweetie Bell! Help me!"

The ladder was surrounded in a light pink aura and Applebloom felt herself being slowly pushed towards the tree. The ladder went vertical again before crashing back into the tree, the impact nearly finishing what the tree had started. Applebloom held on only by the ends of her hoof.

"Whew! Thanks girls. That does it, I'm getting down."

Applebloom climbed down the ladder and then furrowed her brow at her friends.

"Thank you girls, that really was a timely rescue and all but what are you doing here?"

"Scootaloo came by the boutique and helped me finish my chores. She said she was already done hers and decided to help us so we could hang out for the rest of the day."

Scootaloo beamed.

"It's the least I could do."

Applebloom cast a glance at the setting sun and smirked.

"And what a rest of the day it'll be. Applejack's off checking the rest of the farm for sick trees and I'm still pruning these ones. Want to help me out? I only have one ladder so we'll take it in turns to be pruning, holding the ladder and on break. Deal?"

Sweetie Bell smiled and levitated the extra pair of shears Applejack had left behind.

"Or I could just use my magic."

Scootaloo shot Sweetie Bell a look and she instantly felt mortified. Applebloom pretended not to hear.

"Why thank you, Sweetie Bell. Well, let's get to it. We have the rest of this section to prune by sun down."

Scootaloo appraised the sick and dying trees around them. From the outside, Sweet Apple Acres didn't look any different than normal. She looked at Applebloom and had to take a moment before holding the ladder steady for her.

She looked tired, but not just physically. Sure she was covered in sap and a few scrapes and had worked up bucket loads of sweat but what Scootaloo saw in her was a hurt that went deeper than that. It showed in her eyes every time she looked at her beloved trees. They didn't look too good, Scootaloo could tell that much, but Scootaloo knew they were in bad shape just from the mournful look Applebloom gave them every time she had to cut away a dead limb. It was like she was losing her family with every snip.

"Hey, Applebloom."

"Yeah, Scoots. What is it."

"What's it like to have a family?"

"... Um..."

"It's okay if you don't want to answer or don't have one. I just want to know."

"It's like... feeling like you belong with someone but not like you love them like a coltfriend or whatever. You have a brother, Gale right?"

"Yeah, but he's never around. Off saving my world. We communicate through checks in the mail. Sometimes that's the only way I can tell whether he's alive."

"That's awf-... I mean that's actually kind of sweet. He's joined the army and fights every day just to give you a home."

"But that's the thing! I have no family in that home! I don't have anyone to belong with! I'm alone in that house, and that's all it ever is, a house. And I have to be my own mother and father! Sorry, Applebloom."

"I never knew mine and besides, my sister and brother were my parents."

"It's just.. I want to belong somewhere. Doesn't even matter where! Anywhere is fine so long as I feel..."

"Loved?"

"Yeah."

"Well we love you. Right, Sweetie Bell?"

"Of course."

"So in a way, we're your family. We might not live in that house your brother pays for but don't you feel like you belong when you're with us?"

"Yeah... yeah I do... You two are my sisters?"

"Always have been."

"*sniff* Thanks you guys."

"You're welcome."

Night had fallen on the small and simple house at the end of the road. It's fading and cracked white paint somehow seemed whiter though. The door seemed less imposing and more welcoming. The windows shone with an orange glow that suggested a warm fire was crackling in the fireplace. Three small figures could be seen sitting at the dinner table. Three small fillies and one massive bear of a stallion.

"Well, Scoots. You've turned into a better cook than me."

"Better cook then you'll ever be! You're used to preparing army food. They have you working the kitchens right? It would explain the checks I get in the mail. I swear the paper they're printed on is worth more than the amount written on them."

"Those checks are just fine, Scoots. You just don't know how to handle money."

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue at her brother and then dug into her steaming plate of garlic potatoes and buttered corn. Gale wolfed down his meal as it probably was the best thing he'd tasted in a long time.

"Nothing like home cooking, eh?"

Scootaloo's eyes watered and she looked around the table at her family. The candles she'd lit burning bright and strong.

"Nothing like home."