Chapter 29: Who we are

"Jesus Christ! How can I hide this from my parents?!"

I was loosing it! If my family thought me disappearing for two months, marrying an Alicorn pony Princess, having sex with said Alicorn Princess, conceiving a child with her, turning into a woman for our own sexual pleasures, involving Cadence and Shining Armor in on it, refusing to yield to their views and leaving for over a week without word due to being clinically sick had gotten under their skin, this was to be the last straw that broke the camels back!

"God! I can't even hide this! They'll freak! They'll absolutely freak!"

What would they all think of my transformation? Would they be horrified, curious, at awe? I was now the proud owner of a pair of wings and a six foot long, brightly colored and slightly glowing mane! This was too much for me to handle right now as is, but with them storming around and demanding to see me? I was fucked three ways to sunday, let me tell you!

"Someone has to distract them, while I... I get a large baggy sweater... and I giant hat! That's it! Somepony get me a gigantic hat!"

"Prince! Snap out of it!"

I didn't expect a tiny little hoof to slap me across the face at that moment. I just looked down at Lilly, who was still sitting in my arms, crossing her forelegs at me. She gave me a stern look, almost the same kind my mother gave me when I was younger. To think, she was acting like the adult here to calm a freaked out child.

I took a deep breath and smiled down at Lilly. "Y-You're right... I have to calm down. It doesn't matter what they think, anyways. It's my life, right?" I asked, receiving a few nods from the ponies around me. Luna smiled and helped remove some of the strands of... god, I hoped that wasn't skin, off my wings. They were still quite moist and a bit bloody, which would probably freak my parents out a bit. Heh, it'd be kinda funny actually.

"Alright, my love." Luna began, walking ahead of the group. "Tia and I shall hopefully calm their nerves about the whole ordeal. After all, thou wast the one who wanted this to happen, remember?" She teased, giving me a sly smile.

I nodded and reached around for one of my wings, giving it a good shake. "Yeah, I guess that'll be okay. I'll clean up a bit, and when you're ready, call for me." I instructed, going to clean off my other wing. Luna nodded and her and Tia left the gardens and made their way back to the castle, while Cadence, Lilly, Shining Armor and myself remained behind.

Cadence stepped forward towards me, a look of utter fascination on her face. She stopped at my feet and looked up at me with a grin. "So, tell me. What's it like? To have all this thrust upon you like this?" She asked. I just let out a small chuckle as I put Lilly down and took a seat on the grass.

"Honestly? Scary. I didn't know what would happen to me, but I knew I had to do it. Besides, no I have some cool wings! Who wouldn't be thrilled by that?" I said, knowing Cadence had picked up on my insincerity at the end with the look she gave me.

"Alright, now answer me this; how did you know about what was going on with you? And how did you force yourself out of a magically induced slumber?" That was a question I hoped she didn't ask. I couldn't just tell them I was visited by Luna's mother in a dream and she tolled me everything. Could I? They probably wouldn't believe it, but then again, stranger things have happened here...

Luckily for me, I heard Celestia call out my name, which was my signal to approach. "Alright, who wants to see me get killed verbally by my family?" I asked with a laugh, only to get no response in return. Lilly hopped back into my arms and the four of us made for the castle.

Luna and Celestia ascended the hill back up to the castle, taking care to talk only when they were out of earshot of the others. Celestia turned to Luna once they were beyond the hedge wall and frowned.

"I'm sorry I did this Luna, but he gave me no choice." She said, her voice echoing the sadness from before. Luna simply shrugged and smiled.

"Well, he is safe now. That is all that matters. He has passed that dangerous threshold and come out stronger for it. My husband is a strong one, Tia. That is why I love him so." Luna said happily, ruffling her wings and letting out a little giggle. "Oh, we cannot wait to teach him all about wing care! And now I have a new teasing tool when we make love."

Celestia let out a small laugh. "Luna, I think teasing him sexually should be the last things on our minds right now. What do you think his parents will say? After all, this is a huge change for anypony to accept. What if you were his mother and you saw your son had suddenly gotten a mane and wings?"

"I would be proud." Luna answered quickly. "To know that my son is now a powerful Prince of Equestria? That is a rare, trillion to one chance for a human. They will understand in time, and if they love Nathaniel, they will accept him just the same."

Celestia smiled as they left the garden, spotting Nathan's parents, his cousin and her fiance'. "Well, here's hoping. Be ready for this." Celestia smiled and nodded to the humans standing just outside the ball room, looking a bit terse, save for Cory and Sam. "Hello there. How are you this fine day?"

"Peachy." Nathan's mother answered quickly, angrily. "Where is he? I'm going to give him a piece of my mind for-"

"He is fine, we thank the for asking." Luna interrupted, shaking her head. "Honestly, he is a grown man now, and can take care of himself. Despite what you think." Luna added in softly.

Nathan's mother narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "He's still my son. You may be his wife, but he still has his real family to be with."

Cory jumped in, sensing conflict in the air. "Whoa, whoa, alright, everyone just calm down!" He said tersely, getting between Luna and Nathan's mother. "We just came to check up on the man, and we aren't going to start any familial wars, alright?"

"Fine!" The two replied at the exact same time, giving each other glares. Cory rolled his eyes and turned to Celestia, who wore the same deadpan expression as Cory did at the situation.

"You mind getting him for us? It'd be good to see how he's doing." Cory said. Celestia took a deep breath and nodded, but spoke in a hushed tone to Cory.

"I... think you'll all be pleasantly surprised with his... recovery. Honestly, he's a new man." She said shakily, trying to allude to the situation. Cory knew something was amiss, but couldn't pick up on it.

"Um... alright? Just get him, please. It'll be a big relief to us all to see him okay." He sighed, getting a bit agitated at the princesses dodging the issue.

"Alright. Nathan? You may come out now!" Celestia called out. It only took a minute for him to appear before them all from behind the bushes, and he was met by dead silence.

"Shit. I knew this was a bad idea!" I thought bitterly, looking at everyone's reaction. Honestly, this was probably the last thing they were expecting, and it went without saying that they were all probably a teeny bit angry that they were never tolled about this change, but if they knew about it, what would they have had to say?

I grinned awkwardly and put Lilly back down. She looked from my family, then back to me with a bit of hesitation on her face. She could sense the shit storm about to fly in 3, 2, 1...

My cousin was practically floored. His mouth was moving, but no sound came out as he tried to find the right thing to say. I had honestly never seen him so tongue tied in all my life. Sam was the same, just simply staring at me wide eyed, her eyes glued to my wings. My parents; boy were they just as shocked, and they were already preparing their arguments, I just knew it.

I cleared my throat and focused on trying to bring my wings back against me, which they did sluggishly. This proved they weren't fake, and my family gave me a round of flabbergasted looks.

"S-So... can I just say it's great to see you guys? And that, um... Alright, screw it. Let me have it." I sighed, fed up with trying to explain myself over and over again. They were still going to treat me like a child, even if I had my own life now. That's what parents do; baby you until you're out the door, and even then, still treat you like your ten.

"You... You have wings..." My father stammered, walking over to me. He looked at my back and let out a large breath. "Jesus, they are real! How in the hell did you-"

I held up my hand, halting him. "Alright, as long as you all don't freak out, I'll tell you, alright?" Everyone nodded, still becoming increasingly more weirded out by it all. "Okay. Let's head inside. I think it's time we let the truth free. Don't you think, dear?" I turned to Luna, who quickly looked away, her face screwed up into a look of agitation at my jab.

"Do you not think we wanted to tell you, love? All this time we knew, yet had to steal the truth away... It hurt us knowing that we had to keep secrets from one we love so dearly. We had no choice..." She tried to reason, but it was all excuses. She and Celestia had speculated on my reaction to this, and had deemed my fate to be hidden from me.

"There is always a choice, Luna. I know you of all ponies should know this..." I sighed, walking past her and to my family. I could see the hurt on her face as I passed her by. It hurt me bad to know I just took it to a personal level, but she needed to know that this path didn't have to be hidden. That, even though she loved me and I loved her, that she still had to hide this from me.

We all made our way into the ball room, where I explained the whole thing. How when one becomes intimate with an Alicorn, they run the chance of getting slammed with magical build up, which either would be expelled from the body by the Alicorn, or forced to blossom into what I was now. My family took it all in, remaining quiet throughout the little lesson plan. I'm glad they didn't flip their shit, because I had had enough of it over the time I had been here.

"-and that's pretty much how it happens. So, here I am; with wings and a pretty mane. Anyone got anything else to say, say it now. Just know fighting with me over it isn't going to change a damn thing." I leaned back in my chair, groaning when my tender wings got crushed against my back and the wood.

My mother took a deep breath and looked me square in the eyes. "I came here with the full intention of dragging your no good ass back home and away from this crazy place, but now... look at you! You can never go back home looking like that! Do you think you'll be accepted by society with wings and a flowing, pretty mane?"

I took a deep breath and tried to fight back my rising feelings. I wasn't angry; no. I was just... saddened. "No." I stated shakily, fighting back the tears. "I say no, because this is my home, mom. You all will forever and always be my family; the people I love unconditionally and without question, but my home is with my wife, my herd, and my growing family. Don't think I take anything for granted that you all have done for me, but this place... I'm part of something great, mom. I have something I really never thought I could get back home. I have my own family now, and it's just begun. Let my love for them reflect the love you gave me in my life, and let me pass it on. I promise you that, no matter how I change outwardly, I'm still the same man you raised all my life. But... I call Equestria home now. And if I can't go back home because of this, then... So be it..."

My mother was in tears; her face red and her eyes puffy. She let out a sob as she held her head in her hands. My father wrapped her in a hug, his head cast down. My cousin looked a bit saddened, but proud all at once. Sam just sat there, making eye contact with no one. I had struck a deep chord on the family harp, and I could feel the vibrations it caused growing.

I wasn't a boy anymore. I was a man, and a grown man has to leave the nest sometime. I guess they didn't think it would be too soon, or so sudden. Not to mention my new home was in another dimension. I had laid it on thick, and that's how I had to; in order to make them see that I was now shedding my boyhood away and emerging a true, respectable man.

I turned to Luna, who still looked just as hurt as before. She refused to look at me, even though I had practically said my life was with her. No, I could see those gears turning in her head; the way her eyes darted back and forth slightly as her nose wrinkled up. Luna wasn't one to show outward emotion in public, but here she was; on the verge of breaking down just like everyone else in the room. I had a feeling that things weren't going to get better anytime soon, so I decided that it was time to call it a day.

"Listen, it's getting late. I can have rooms prepared for you so you can stay the night. We'll be able to talk about this in the morning more. Only if you want to." I kind of hoped they'd all accept my offer. It would be nice to all sit down in better spirits than this sob fest.

But, I got a rousing shake of no's from them. They were all still silent as the grave as they got up and made their way out of the ballroom. A lone guard standing at the end of the room looked from me, and then to them. I nodded to him, which was the signal to lead them back to the portal. The guard nodded and ushered them along.

Now it was just me and the others, sitting in silence as the sun was just about to set. Celestia would have to set it fully herself, and then Luna would have to raise the moon, but it seemed we were all just frozen in our seats; our minds trying to come to grips with the reality of all of our situations.

Luna and Celestia now felt bad and awkward about lying to me, which was to be expected. I felt a bit betrayed and had a pretty bad headache from everything, Shining and Cadence were just sitting there, holding each other, and Lilly was pawing at the ground, her eyes focusing on her work. It would be a long time before things would get back to normal, and it seemed that sitting in silence was our only way to deal with this right now. So that's what we did. We just sat there, refusing to look at one another.

And we sat there.

Longer, and longer.

And longer....

Author's Note

So, here is another chapter! This one is leading into some feel-y zones, because we haven't had a lot of those yet. This is where relationships get tested, family bonds get stretched to the breaking point, and one comment could change the course of Nathan's and Luna's relationship for some time to come. So, we'll see how all of this plays out. I'll see you all next chapter! Allons-Y