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Where Night Meets Day 18: Pink

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The threats were never obvious, but Shoeshine was starting to consider herself a lucky mare any day none of her windows were smashed, and this was on the good side of town. She dreaded to think what would have happened to her husband and her little girl if they'd been in her old apartment in Manehattan, or even on the other side of Timbucktu. There were still talks of outraged riots in the streets after what had happened to Cloudsdale. But that wasn't nearly as frightening as the astounding cases of disappearing unicorns... In response to that, word had come in from President Luna herself. For one week she would give anypony who no longer believed in her cause free passage to the Solar Empire. All they had to do was make it to Manehattan.

That was six days ago. The borders were only open for two nights more, and while Shoeshine and her husband both believed in Luna's vision, they also wanted safety for young Steam Cloud. The writing was on the wall: Shoeshine would get her family to Manehattan, come fire, flood, or Tartarus itself. Or she would if her husband would stop dragging his hooves. “Flam Skam, I don't care what you have to do to make that machine work, you get that thing running and get us out of here now!”

Flam looked at his wife from behind a pair of welding goggles, his red moustache twisting with his frown before he shut off the welding torch and walked over to her. “Now now, Snuggle Shine, you needn't wait any longer.” He moved his goggles, revealing his bright, charming green eyes. He spoke calmly as he pulled his wife into a sidelong hug, motioning to his work. “It might not be roomy or as armored as I'd like it to be, but the interior of my Mobile Family Relocating Relocation Platform is just the ticket to get us and whatever we can fit out of here and on to greener pastures.” He waved his hoof through the air over the brass beast of a machine he'd built before him, as though trying to get her to see his vision.

All she could see was the way his hoof shook and the recent widening of the white stripe in his mane. “Honeycrisp,” she said, using the false name he'd tried to woo her with before she'd connected the dots all those years ago, “you're using your salespony voice again. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.”

Flam pulled at the neck of his blue striped shirt, beads of sweat appearing against his yellow fur. “Okay, I'll give you the simple version. It's going to be hot and uncomfortable thanks to the boiler needing to be inside with us, should the worst happen, and I really would need a few more days to get together enough materials to shield it from any possible outcome, but it shouldn't tip and it hopefully should survive most things short of a train crash or heavy explosion.” There was a hitch in his voice as he looked towards the heavy metal monster he was soon going to trust the life of his loved ones to. Could a modified SSCS6000 really make the cut?

Shoeshine noticed it too, turning his face to look at her, getting some oil on her sky blue fur in the process. “Buuuuut?”

Flam looked at his welding torch. “But if you give me just a little more time I might be able to actually make this as safe as I just said. Or I could create a secondary cart to attach to the back and bring more with us than the bare essentials. And even if we don't bring anything, we could give the extra space to another family. There aren't many safe ways out of town after those rocks fell on the rail lines, and we can't just leave ponies behind, can we?” His eyes then dropped to the floor.

A rock smashed against the glass in the garage door, sending spider cracks through the reinforced pane. Both ponies looked at it fearfully, hearts dropping at the sight. Shoeshine motioned to the damage worriedly. “We don't have any more time! We have to get to Manehattan by tomorrow night or we're stuck on this side of the border. I hate the thought of being back under Celestia's careless hoof, but better to be safe than sorry...” She saw the defeated look on Flam's face, trying so hard to do good with the past that haunted him, and sighed. She kissed his cheek gently, calming both of them down a little. “You do what you think is right, but remember: you're not alone in this.”

Flam nodded solemnly, returning his welding goggles to his eyes as his wife left the room. His earth pony wife, dragged into this mess purely because she'd married him... He'd see her safe, whatever the cost.

Twilight was just descending on the land when the sounds of broken glass and a crying filly rushed Shoeshine up to her daughter's room, fearing for the worst. She sighed in relief when Steam Cloud, though covered in glittering pieces of glass and having a half piece of brick smashed into one of her favorite toy playhouses, was unharmed. But even with Shoeshine's immediate fears assuaged, her long term ones were confirmed. And, when she went downstairs, carrying her daughter on her back, and told her husband what happened, there was no mistaking the proper course of action. He finished his final weld while she grabbed what mementos they could carry and got ready to make their escape.

As the door of the MFRRP was closed with a final solid thunk, Steam looked sadly out of the porthole at the garage of the house she'd grown up in. “So... we're leaving? Are we coming back?”

Flam sighed as he pulled his sweaty mane beneath a straw boater. “I don't know. I'd like to hope we might, someday.”

Frowning at the answer, Steam couldn't pull herself from the window. “But we're leaving all our stuff behind! I can't leave all of the Elements without saying goodbye! And what about your workshop, dad? And all of the-”

Shoeshine hugged her daughter close, stopping those thoughts in their steps. “Steam, none of us want to leave, but it's something we have to do. And we have to do it light, only what we can fit in here.”

Flam started the vehicle moving, causing Steam to try to look back out the portal. “But-”

“No buts. Everything out there, those are just things. We can get new ones anywhere. But the things that really matter? We will never leave those behind.” It pained Shoeshine to see the hurt confusion on her daughter's face and the fear that was well founded and couldn't be wished away. After thinking on it for a few moments, an idea came that would hopefully ease the pain. She reached into one of the only three containers in the vehicle, only the necessities and the irreplaceable brought along. Pulling out her hoof, she held in her grasp four brass slippers which she held before Steam's face.

“Do you remember what these are?” Shoeshine said.

“They're the sky shoes I made you for your birthday.” She had studied forever to be able to cast that spell even once and worked for days to shape the slippers just right. She'd never forget those shoes, nor the joyful smile her mom came back with after every trip up to the clouds.

Shoeshine smiled warmly at Steam's answer. “Yes, but they're more than that. They are the second most precious gift I have ever received behind you yourself.” She put them on the ground, motioning for Steam to put them on. “Put them on for the trip and never take them off, okay?”

Steam put on the four brass slippers, each just slightly too big for her still-growing hooves. Afterward, still a little confused, she looked to her mom. “Why do I have to keep these on?”

“So you remember the home you're leaving behind fondly, and so you know that I will always find you, no matter what.”

For a moment Steam's worry only grew. “Am I going to be left behind too?”

Shoeshine shook her head, hugging Steam close. “Of course not! I wouldn't dream of it. But if for some reason we get separated, even just a bathroom break at the train station in Manehattan, you can rest assured that I will never leave both my precious treasures behind. I'll find you as quick as can be and we'll live happily ever after.”

Steam's worry melted immediately, her eyes full of hope after the fear she'd been in even at her own home the last few days. “You mean it?”

Shoeshine nodded, nuzzling her little girl. “I do.” Smiling in the warmth of her mother's protection, Steam settled in, watching her father working the controls as the machine made its steady way out of Timbucktu.

Both of them had long settled into an uncomfortable sleep when the vehicle came to a halt, rousing Shoeshine from her slumber, though she kept still so as not to wake Steam. She looked curiously at Flam, who was looking nervously out of the front window. After carefully lowering Steam to rest on the metal floor, Shoeshine walked to the front to see why they'd stopped, her heart dropping when she did.

There was a tree across the road, blocking the entirety of the path between the two steep hills. The dim lights at the front of the vehicle showed the tree, but everything around it was shadow, the silvery moonlight only able to do so much for the mountain path.

Shoeshine looked out of the porthole nervously, dreading what might lurk in the shadows outside. “Can we go around? Maybe find another route?”

Flam shook his head. “I don't know if we have the fuel for a major detour, and if we get stuck, we'll never make it there in time on hoof.” His horn glowed fruitlessly, his bright green magic unable to get past the very plating keeping him safe inside. After a moment, he sighed. “I guess I'll need to get out there and push.”

Shoeshine placed a hoof on his shoulder, sitting him back down at the controls. “I'll go out there and move it. You just be ready to move as soon as you can.”

Flam's sour face told her precisely what he thought about the plan. “Are you sure about that, dear? I'm sure I could lend a helping hoof, and I don't know how I feel about you going out there alone.”

“If I can't move it on my own, then come out, but I don't want to be here a second longer than I have to.” Flam looked into her eyes, the defeat in his showing that he agreed. Nodding to him, she moved towards the hatch. “I won't be long.”

Before she could open it fully, Flam's arms wrapped around her, unwilling to let go. “Be safe. I'll be there in an instant if you need me.” Then, with much reluctance, he returned once more to his controls.

Shoeshine climbed out of the metal craft slowly, its polished surface barely reflecting anything in the dark of the pass. The ride so far had been smooth, making this sudden blockage worrisome. It was a well known fact that the roads to Manehattan were checked daily. Such a major thoroughfare couldn't afford even a few hours of down time, even at night. Maybe they were just unlucky, but, after everything that had happened to them at home, Shoeshine couldn't help but feel on edge. She searched around, eyes straining in the dark to see any movement against the clouds in the sky or the wooded hilltops around her. Nothing caught her eye, but she couldn't shake the dread lingering at the back of her mind.

She moved as rapidly as she could into the light spilling from the front of the vehicle, quickly finding the top of the toppled tree and putting her weight under it. It felt like it was willing to move, and whatever had knocked over the tree it seemed to be a clean enough break not to snag in her few probing test motions. She glanced around once more. The feeling that she was being watched was growing, though she still had no evidence of it. Bracing herself with a deep breath she heaved at the top of the tree to set it moving. It was a struggle, even with all of her earth pony strength, but she did manage to move one end a few steps out of the way. It was still a little narrow but could be opened fully with another effort like her last.

She stepped into the light to signal for Flam to start moving when the hooves closed around her from behind, pulling her off guard and off balance before pinning her to the ground. She struggled against the figure silhouetted in the light, but could make out little more than the wings flared behind their back.

She called for help desperately even though she was sure that Flam had seen her dilemma. A hoof managed its way over her mouth to silence her, but not a second later the whole figure was wrapped in bright green and flung bodily away from her. She got to her hooves just in time to see two more pegasi grappling with her husband, the third recovering from where it had slammed against the brass vehicle so hard it left a dent. With adrenaline pumping through her veins she charged at the three fighting ponies, tackling one of the pegasi to the ground while the other met the full brunt of Flam's magic and fell back.

She smacked the pony she was on top of in the nose before running towards the hatch of their escape craft, hopping in and holding out a hoof for Flam to follow. He wasn't a moment behind her, swinging up with her help and getting behind the controls once more, setting the vehicle rolling at once. It rushed forward, causing the pegasi to dodge out of the way while it bumped shakily over the tree, trying to throw its occupants to the side as they made it across. Flam barely kept a hold on the controls while Shoeshine clung tightly to the seat, her heart still pounding as they started their escape once more.

It was only after the bump nearly sent her flying that she thought to check for her daughter, likely terrified by everything going on. Turning to look in the cab, however, she found it to be empty of anything but her keepsakes. Immediately her heart plummeted into ice. “Where's Steam?!”

The tires skidded on the dirt as Flam brought the MFRRP to a halt, his breath in his throat as his mind tried to comprehend what Shoeshine had said, unwilling to believe it could be true. However, a high pitched scream came through the still open hatch in the side of the vehicle, telling him exactly what the truth was. He ran to the door, barely able to make out the three attackers in the dark path behind them. “DADDY!!!”

His eyes shot up to the source of the sound, the pegasus with his daughter already trying to make a getaway over the mountains. His horn lit up, showing the horrified determination on his face as his magic lashed out at the escaping pegasus. He got a grip on one of the foalnapper's hooves, pulling with all of his might while Steam struggled on her own to get free. Between his efforts and hers it was enough, causing her to slip free.

Free to begin a free fall from hundreds of feet in the air.

Steam screamed out as she plummeted towards the ground, Flam's horn flashing as quickly as he could as he failed over and over to get a firm grasp on the falling filly. It was his worst nightmare made real, forced to watch helplessly as she fell from the sky, her own horn sparking fearfully as she tried something, anything, to save herself.

The tiny form disappeared behind the mountain and, in an instant, the connection was gone. “STEAM!” Shoeshine cried out from his side, no more able to do anything than he had been as she slipped through his magic. He had lost her... lost his only little girl... Shoeshine leaned against him, needing support as much as he did at what they had both seen.

Out of the corner of Flam's tear filled eyes he saw the other pegasi closing in. As much as he wanted to just shut down and give up right now, he had made a promise. The cost was now far too great, but he could still save his wife. He slammed the hatch shut, pulling Shoeshine inside as he moved to the controls, starting the vehicle on its way. His wife protested, screaming at him to go back, to save their girl, to hurt those pegasi that had taken her from them... But even if they held out hope that she had somehow survived, both knew in their heart that there was nothing they could do.

Steam heard Flam's machine driving away from where she hung upside down, tears running down her forehead and falling to the trees below as she struggled to keep quiet. Her hooves were firmly stuck in the cloud above her, the soft puff making her deadly fall have a landing softer than anything she'd ever felt. Her fluffy white mane hung below her, as did her tail, but fear held her paralyzed that she might be found or that her lifeline would disappear from above her. She just had to wait a little longer.

It was torture not to call out as she saw the gleaming vehicle round a bend further on the path, worried at any moment that the pegasus that dropped her would come back, bringing her to a worse fate. Eventually she found the strength to pull herself up onto the cloud, curling up in a ball in her damp hiding spot, shivering from the cold and loneliness as tears froze themselves to her face.

Her dreams were uneasy, watched and chased through the dark forest as she tried to catch her parents, constantly pulling further and further away. When she woke in the morning, deposited in the mountains outside of Timbucktu, she knew she just had to wait. They wouldn't leave her behind. If they ever could, they would come back for her, they'd find her and take her away to live happily ever after...

If only they ever had.


*     *     *     *     *    

Slobber clung to Steam Cloud's face as she pushed herself up off of the couch, glaring at the dog that had so cruelly awoken her. Well, not full awoken, but as soon as she had cracked an eyelid, starting to decide whether or not she wanted to be awake, Dot had made the choice for her. It was particularly jarring after all of that time with the diamond dogs. Not one of them had done something so... doggish, and now that sense of security had evaporated, unlike the gunk stuck to the fur of her face. Still, once she saw Dot's happy grin, she couldn't actually stay mad, reluctantly petting Wind's pet on the head.

The first few rays of sunlight were just daring to peek over the horizon as she got up off of the couch, surprising her immensely. Her sleep schedule for all of that time escaping had been sunrise to sunset... The time underground must have done wonders resetting her internal clock. It hadn't messed up her need for cleanliness, though, so she folded away her sheets, placed the couch cushions back in order, and walked towards the dining room, aiming to wash her face in the kitchen sink.

She didn't even enter the dining room before she stopped, slightly confused by what she saw. Apparently Rose hadn't made it back to her room the night before, as she was sleeping peacefully on the table, her head cradled in her arms. Next to her was a small plate completely covered in melted wax, the candle having long burned out. Steam didn't want to wake the mare and strongly considered trying to get upstairs silently when she was nudged from behind by an impatient and hopeful Dot. It didn't take long for Steam to see the reason, either: an empty dog bowl sitting by the kitchen counter.

Steam gave Dot a look of annoyance, asking if she really was expected to do this so early in the morning. The dog's stubbornly ignorant smile answered her perfectly. Rolling her eyes, Steam crossed the dining room on tiphoof, holding her breath as she passed her friend's slumbering mother and silently entered the kitchen. Once there, a quick search of nearby cupboards let her find the dog food, and a little work to put that silently in the bowl let her have a few moments of peace while Dot crunched happily on her breakfast.

Since she was in the kitchen anyway, Steam figured she might as well do what she had came to, turning on the sink and wiping the slobber off her face. As she did, she also washed the single teacup that was left by the sink, presumably Rose's, if she had to guess. After that she took a quick look around the room, unable to help but smile slightly. It looked a lot like the kitchen she remembered from home as a foal. She wondered if her mom's kitchen looked like this now. It probably did. After all, how many different looks could kitchens really have?

Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a polite cough at the door. She jumped, nodding politely to the pony that had startled her. “Sorry, Mrs. Rose, I didn't mean to wake you up, but your dog was hungry and I guess I was the one she chose to ask.”

Rose smiled warmly. “Not at all, dear. And please, just Rose.” Somehow, despite sleeping where she had, Rose looked happier and more alert than she had even the day before, as though new life had been breathed into her.

Steam just nodded, causing an awkward silence to build, only broken by the crunching of kibbles between Dot's teeth. After a few moments, Rose nodded towards the dog. “Did you have any pets?”

Steam shook her head. “No. The apartment didn't allow for them, and I didn't have the means to take care of one anyway.”

Rose nodded, a thought occurring from Ink Well's letter. “How about with your parents? Did they ever have pets?”

“No...” The awkward silence grew again, and Steam started to tap her hoof nervously on the ground. She really didn't want to be rude to her friend's mother, but she wasn't very good at small talk. It had been her least favorite part of being a waitress. As she thought about it, though, she did remember something. “Mom said she had a cat before I was born, but after it knocked over one too many of dad's inventions, he scared it away with his yelling. She said she still saw it from time to time, and she always left out a bowl of food until...” Steam blushed slightly. “Well, she stopped, anyway.”

After a few moments of silence, Rose looked Steam in the eye, a smirk on her face. “You ate the cat food as a foal, didn't you?” Rose began to laugh at the horrified look on Steam's face. “Oh, don't worry, I think all three of mine did the same with Dot and her mother's food at one time or another. None of them like being reminded of it, either.” Steam chuckled a little, once she knew she wasn't the only one to do something like that, and immediately the awkwardness had lessened. Rose pulled a pan down from where it hung, placing it on the stove before turning to Steam. “Is there anything you'd like for breakfast?”

“This early? I wouldn't want to impose.”

Rose shook her head. “You aren't imposing at all. But, if you don't have a preference, is there anything you don't like? Would an omelette be okay?” Steam nodded, so Rose began to heat up the pan and get it ready. “Do your parents know you're alright? They must be worried sick for you to disappear from a burning apartment.”

Steam had a slightly vacant look on her face, growing quiet as she spoke. “They probably don't even know it happened...”

“Oh? Were they not in the Republic?” Steam stayed silent, causing Rose to fidget a little as she waited for an answer. Once the pan was heated she had a proper distraction, letting breakfast hold her attention once more. “Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you need, either way.”

“They're on this side...” Steam suddenly said, her voice almost sounding distant.

“You should write them a letter,” Rose said without looking away from the pan. “Every parent wants to know their child is okay.”

“I don't...”

“And if you don't know the address,” Rose continued, not letting up on her not so subtle hint to Steam, “I might be able to find it with a name. Who knows, they might have even bought something from me!” Rose smiled brightly at the young mare, catching her mind someplace else entirely. “So, what're your parents' names?”

“What? Oh, um... do you...” It took Steam a few moments to focus back on the present, and when she did her eyes were innocent and frightful, like she was scared of what she might hear. “Do you know Shoeshine?”

Rose stopped, dropping the egg completely into the frying pan, shell and all. “Wait, you're Shoeshine's girl?!” She trotted quickly over to Steam, looking her over like she'd just found a rare treasure. “I wish I could see their reaction when they find out you're alive!” Steam's eyes glazed over again, her look growing more fearful before it too went dull, like she was occupied elsewhere.

Rose didn't notice, too caught up in her discovery. “They came through here after they escaped, and I was honestly of no help whatsoever then, but I was able to host them until they found a home in Whinneanapolis. If they haven't moved, they must be good and settled in after all that ugliness five years ago. I can send them a letter telling them to come out, and-”

“No!” Steam yelled, immediately trying to calm down her heart pounding in her chest. She would deal with her family, eventually, but it had to be on her own time, and she now had a lot to think about. “Please, don't contact them about me. I want to send the letter myself.”

Rose stopped, not sure what had caused that reaction but knowing well enough not to press on tender subjects. “Of course. I understand. When you get around to it, just ask and I will give you their address.”

“Thank you.”

Steam was wound up tighter than a spring, shaking slightly as she calmed herself, and Rose didn't want to get in the way. Instead, she turned back to her omelette in progress, frowning at the messy sight. With a sigh she slid the whole thing into Dot's bowl. “I suppose I'll just have to start again.” As she started to work on breakfast, round two, she nodded towards the door. “When you're able, could you go check on Wind and Flora, please? You don't have to wake them, but if they're up, let them know breakfast will be ready soon.”

Steam nodded and left the kitchen in a hurry, breathing deeply to get herself under control. She'd known that her parents would be a subject eventually, but she hadn't expected it so soon, nor so bluntly put. If they'd thought she was dead... they might never have forgotten her, but they may have tried to block out that they'd left her behind, and that would be even worse. If they'd known, she could be angry, but this? How could it...

Don't think about it right now. You'll have plenty of time in the days to come. Steam shook her head to clear it and made her way upstairs. She soon spotted the doors of both ponies in question, frowning to herself as she noticed the little cutie mark-shaped nameplates hanging from them. The fact that Wind's nameplate was up meant that she'd never left Rose's heart or mind... If it hadn't sparked a jealous anger, Steam probably would have found it adorable.

She knocked a little harder than she should have just beneath the nameplate matching Wind Key's cutie mark, causing the light metal plate to jitter on its hooks. If her companion from across the border was still sleeping, she didn't want to wake her, no matter how much her brain was telling her otherwise right now. However, she was surprised when Wind responded from the other side with a surprisingly cheery “Come in!” Once given permission, Steam wiped the frown off her face and turned the handle, stepping into the room.

She immediately burst out laughing at the sight she found inside. “Your whole room is pretty princess pink?!” Steam exclaimed between fits of laughter, trying and failing to keep the sound within the room. The curtains, vanity, sheets, and even the bed frame were all shades of bright pink, enough to make even the girliest little filly sick to her stomach. Even the walls had not escaped the brush, though they also boasted little hearts and signed posters of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Laughter Adviser Pinkie Pie on the wall. About the only thing attaching the room to the messy, mechanically minded pegasus inside it were the rolled up blueprints (or, in this case, pinkprints) thrown in the corner with a foal-sized set of tools.

Wind pouted at her friends reaction, unable to hide the blush of embarrassment that came to her cheeks. “What?! I was twelve! I'll bet if we went to your room from five years ago it'd look something like this too!” She scuffed her hoof across the heart-shaped carpet sending a few bolts scattering that had somehow managed to congregate near her bed in the night even without her working on anything.

The defiance of her seemingly magnetic friend only served to fuel Steam's laughter, even when the accusation was thrown back at her. “My room… was green,” she said between laughs. “With a model train running around the wall, a wood vanity and-” Steam froze as she remembered the last important thing in her room, her prized possession that she'd loved and missed more than anything else when she'd left it behind. “... and a Castle of Friendship dollhouse, with all six ponies and even the servant dragon...”

Steam started to go red at the cheeks, embarrassed about her own overreaction to the whole situation, but Wind's wide-eyed response was anything but the snide one she expected. “You had the whole play set?! I lived in the town and I couldn't even get one of those!” She walked over to the window, leaning off at an angle and calling Steam over before pointing at the edge of town. “Look! I can see the castle from my window, right there, and I never even got one of the dolls on my birthday!”

There, with the strengthening morning light gleaming off of the snow gathered on its roof, was the Castle of Friendship, its crystal walls sparkling more beautifully than any gemstone. As the sight of it, in real life and within walking distance hit Steam, fueled by the excitement Wind had shown her, she started to prance on the spot, the smile on her face spreading ear to ear. “Oh gosh, we're so close to it! Do you think it's still open? Does somepony give tours? I've wanted to visit there since I was a little filly!” She suddenly stopped, looking thoughtful. “I wonder what kind of crystal that is? They said it was created with the power of Harmony and The Rainbow That Saved Equestria, but in order for something to grow as suddenly as that, even fueled by magic, it must have some very interesting properties...”

Wind looked over at her friend, her face growing a devious little smirk. “You know, we still haven't tested out that new gem cutter from The Roost...”

Steam gasped, then glared at Wind. “Wind Key! We can't just walk in there with a portable gem cutter and start taking samples!” She looked back at the castle, her expression carefully blank. “We have to make sure it isn't guarded first.”

“Well then, let's get going! Might as well make sure we're doing something fun now that we're here, right?” Wind pulled the window open, then looked confused, seemingly jarred by where it stopped. She poked her head out of the opening, barely managing to get it through. “I could have sworn this was bigger before I left...”

“It's probably for the best that we don't go now anyway. Your mother wanted us downstairs for breakfast.” Wind pulled her head back inside the window, nodding at Steam's good news. Steam, however, didn't look quite as pleased. “I was also supposed to check on your sister, but I don't really...”

Wind smiled and waved a hoof dismissively. “Don't worry about it, she used to always be up super early, to the point where even you'd look like you were sleeping in. She must just be doing stuff in her room. I'll take care of it.” She trotted confidently to Flora's door, knocking quite loudly. “Mom wants us downstairs for breakfast, I'll see ya there!” She then went all the way to the stairs before turning back, seeing Steam still standing in the obnoxiously pink room. “You coming?” she said expectantly before disappearing down the stairs. Steam would have nodded, but with Wind already gone, it was just as easy to make her way down, sparing a passing glance at Flora's closed door as she went.

*     *     *     *     *    

Breakfast was an energetic affair for the small group, with Rose smiling warmly to see the excitement in Steam and Wind's faces as they discussed their plans for the day. There were no words to express the joy she felt at knowing her daughter was safe and home, and seeing this new friend of hers, a pony thought to be lost forever, smiling and laughing after how reserved she was in the kitchen warmed her heart as well. It gave her hope for many ponies out there 'lost' to this insane war and made the world, which had seemed so cold just a few months ago, a much friendlier place. Her one complaint at the moment was that she'd used her last eggs on an omlette for Flora that was slowly growing cold in her elder daughter's absence.

Realizing she'd zoned out of the conversation again while looking to the stairs for Flora, Rose's ears perked up as she saw that she was being asked a question. “What was that, dear?”

“Is the castle still open for tours?” Wind repeated as she placed her fork on her empty plate. “I know they were still doing tours even after Princess Twilight and her friends left. Do they still let ponies in, or is nopony even watching the place anymore?”

“Ah, well... hmm...” Rose hadn't even thought about visiting that big castle on the edge of town for... far too many years now, even if its former residents had visited her more times than she'd liked... “I don't believe anypony's really gone there much since the war started, Windy. But, if there are tours, now would be the time for them with Hearth’s Warming coming up so soon. It probably wouldn't hurt to go and ask, so long as you stick to the ground. The guards've been a little jumpy around even the weather pony lately.”

Wind looked at the calendar, only seeming to realize the date once Rose had put it in perspective. “I guess it is that time of year, isn't it? And me without any presents.”

“Yes it is, though your presence is enough of a gift this year.” Rose chuckled to herself quietly. Even as a foal, Wind had been the only one in town not staying up late and bouncing off the walls on Hearth’s Warming Eve. She'd always been bad with things like holidays, and even her own birthday, but it had made her surprised reactions when she saw her presents that much better.

It brought a slightly different reaction from Wind now. “Shouldn't you be at your shop? There's normally a rush right now, isn't there? I can't believe we've been holding you back from the boilers.”

Steam's ears shot to attention at the final word of that sentence, her eyes suddenly twinkling with curiosity. Rose didn't look nearly as eager. “There hasn't been any sort of rush in years, Wind. Not after your father's actions at the Gala all those years ago, and it has only gotten worse since.” She sighed with resignation, knowing how easily pony opinions could be swayed and fads could fall out of style. As it was, it couldn't be helped. “Still, there were a few orders that came in this year, which is more than I could say the last few. Most of them can be filled from stock, but there are a couple that might take all week to finish with how finicky the distillery has been lately. The machines are getting run down and I haven't had the time or motivation to repair them yet.”

Steam coughed quietly where she sat. “Um, what was this about a distillery?”

Wind's eyes opened wide, lighting up as she turned to Steam. “Oh yeah! I never told you! Mom runs a perfumery in town. The front's all neat and nice, with little glass phials of scents or whatever, but the back... You need to see it to believe it.” She turned back to Rose, her eyes twinkling as much as Steam's were. “Could we come over and look at the back room, mom? I promise we won't get in the way at all.”

With both of the young mares looking at Rose so expectantly, the only way to say no would be to have no heart. Since she still had a pulse, she quickly relented. “Yes, you can come and watch me work. But it's going to take me a little bit of time to open up the shop and get started. In the meantime, I think you should see about getting a tour of the castle. It's something everypony should see at least once, if they'll let you in.”

“That sounds like a great idea! You ready Steam?” At Steam's nod, Wind got up, running upstairs in a flash. Meanwhile, Steam picked up the plates, looking slightly embarrassed at Wind's actions as she took them into the kitchen.

When Rose saw Steam turning on the faucet, she called out. “It's okay. I can wash up, you just go have fun, okay?”

Steam nodded again and smiled, walking back through the dining room. “Thank you very much for breakfast, it was delicious.”

Rose nodded as well. “Glad you liked it. And you can relax around me, dear. I'm not judging you or anything. It really is my pleasure to have you here.”

Despite Rose's assurances, Steam still looked a bit stiff as she walked into the living room. There she was given a slightly small pink scarf by Wind, drawing a smirk from Steam. Seeing that, Wind finished tying her rose red bandanna over her mane like she always wore it, put on her pink ear muffs, and punched Steam lightly on the shoulder. With that settled, the two young mares waved goodbye to Rose and set off into the winter chill, the cold lingering behind them even after the door was closed.

Rose finished her food as she watched them go, picking up her plate and placing it in the sink with the others for later. Normally she would do them now so they didn't pile up, but in the few minutes before she left for her shop she had one very important thing she had to do. Taking hold of Flora's untouched omelette, Rose walked upstairs, knocking lightly on Flora's door. When there was no answer, Rose slowly opened it, a momentary fear jumping to mind on what she'd find beyond.

It was completely unwarranted, much to Rose's relief, although she was downtrodden to see what she did. Flora was still in bed, the covers firmly pulled over her head to block out the sun's rays and her tail sticking out messily from under the comforter. Considering how peppy an early riser Flora always was and how heavily the atmosphere hung in the room, it was immediately clear that something was wrong.

Walking over to the bed, Rose placed the plate on the nightstand and looked sadly down at her elder daughter. “Flora, I brought you your food, since you missed breakfast with the others.” The ball beneath the covers curled up tighter, a sigh coming unbidden to Rose as the sight. She sat down on the floor next to the bed, looking over at her little girl with a heavy heart.

“Dear, I wish I could tell you something that could make you feel better, but I can't. I know exactly what you're going through, or at least have felt something very similar, and... it hurts. I know it does, and you may not want to go on right now. But it's not the end of the world.” She looked out the window at the grey winter sky, remembering all the mornings she'd been in Flora's exact position... and all the mornings she'd only moved thanks to her daughter's bright and caring voice. It was now her turn to return the favor.

“You're going to ache for a long, long time, and you're going to be sad and angry and hurt. You're going to question why it could happen even more than you already have and lash out at ponies you know are only trying to help you. But, as much as it should, the world won't stop for you any more than it did for me. A little snow will fall, the winds will blow, and ponies will be outside tending to their duties.” Rose raised up a hoof, running it comfortingly over Flora's shape in the covers, like she would when Flora felt sick or hurt as a little filly. But this hurt didn't go with a few bandages or mommy kisses. The only healers here were time and support. “Tonight, the moon will come, followed tomorrow by the sun, a repeating process laying there won't do anything to slow. It's amazingly tempting, I will grant you that, sitting in bed and hoping to melt into the mattress like snow on your windowsill, but please take my advice: Go outside. Breathe in the cold air, work in your greenhouse, get your hooves in the dirt and the snow and, if you can, talk to your friends about what's happening. You're not alone, and letting it consume you when you think you are will only make it hurt longer.”

Pulling back the comforter just enough to see Flora's forehead, Rose kissed it gently to try to ease the pain. “I can't promise it'll make you feel any better, but I can hope it does with all of my heart.”

Seeing that Flora didn't react to her words, not that she expected to, Rose internally gave another resigned sigh as she got up and slowly walked to the door. “I'm going to the shop for a little while, but there's food for you here and nopony else in the house. Do what you need to do to feel better without worry that anypony will interrupt, though I will be back later.” She paused there for a moment, wondering if she should say more... and then she remembered the one thing she'd left out. “I love you, dear. I always will. So take as long as you need. I'll still be here, just as you were for me.”

With a heavy heart Rose closed Flora's door, the rest of the day waiting for both of them.
A little backstory on our favorite tinker unicorn, a little peace amid the strife.


(I have been through... far too much real life drama right now, so I am happy I got this out as early as I did. Happy Thanksgiving to all of those in America reading this on the day it came out, happy Thursday to most of the rest of the world. I hope you enjoy it!)
© 2014 - 2024 Medicshy
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dmallard76's avatar
Happy Thanksgiving!