Chapter Eight: Night of the Third Announcement —Promise for Tomorrow and Forever— (2)
There was a small log. That small, unremarkable wood log was again engulfed by the rushing water – and this time, for the first time, it swiftly disappeared into the vastness of the ocean.
Despite the sand’s best efforts, it could not hold on to it forever.
Under that same true night, a crescent smile and stars provided a natural light show, making the town’s nights anything but pitch black. Lampposts were scattered throughout the town. They aided with their amber glows, creating an enchanting impression through clear glass shaped like a sun symbol. In tandem, the wings of the Fly-ders flapped with a faint whirring as they moved about in the background.
Outside the embrace of those luminous heads, my secret had been announced to Ice Whistle—a secret my parents weren’t aware of. I had no plans to tell them either. The last thing I wanted was for them to worry about me.
After catching our breaths, Whis and I stayed at Luna Bay a while longer. All could admire the scene it provided. But nopony other than me visited. As we breathed out, the cold air caused our breaths to fog up in front of our faces while we stared out into the bay. A silhouette of a city was hidden from view, but a weak blush hinted at its presence.
“If I was Ocean White, I’d be allured to this place too,” said Ice Whistle.
“Ocean White? Who’s that?”
“The unicorn that discovered this bay.”
“Is she the founder of our town, too?”
“That’s right, an ancestor of Chieftain Page Martinet. The mystery of Ocean White and her connection to this place remains a puzzle that even the chief can’t solve. Only that something about this place appealed to Ocean White... Hey, initially, you were led here by curiosity. Were there any other notable sensations when you first arrived?”
“Let me think for a second,” I remembered my first visit with ease, but was there anything noteworthy? There isn’t. No matter how much I considered it, nothing was extraordinary. “No… I’ll tell you this with certainty, Ice Whistle. Only curiosity led me here.”
If Ocean White was brought here by destiny, then that means we were brought here by pure coincidence—a chance. Back then, Thorn’s curiosity had undoubtedly been sparked by a statement of mine.
“I see. Will waiting these next three years prove problematic?” Ice Whistle asked.
“No, I’ll manage. I have you by my side now,” I said, looking down at Ice Whistle’s shadow displayed on the sand.
In response, the head of his shadow turned toward mine. “Ha! I was always by your side, you goofball.” Then he bumped my flank with his. “I asked that question because, after today, our lives will resume their normal course. There will hardly be any changes. We will have to be the ones to create that change. Our starting point is Ponyville.”
The shadow puppet play carried on, our silhouettes moving against the cool, damp sand, which was washed over by the water’s gentle arrival. Of course, our shadows remained undisturbed. “Ice Whistle.”
“Hm?”
“Do you regret looking into the bay? Seeing your future?”
The head of his shadow, once at an angle, now straightened out, peering downward. “Nah, no regrets. What I saw… put a smile on my face.” A hesitant smirk crept up. “But I planned to walk down that path, whether I looked at it or not. Like this village, nothing would have been different.”
We spent quite some time there, most likely an hour. We conversed and appreciated the view for most of the time. However, the night had to conclude. At some point, we would need to wrap things up and return to the town square. “It’s time we head back, Ice Whistle.”
“You’re right. It benefits us if your parents still haven’t noticed your absence. Heh, I bet your thoughts were centered on that before and after I picked you up.”
“Okay, enough reading my mind, creep. That announcement could end any second. Worse comes to worse, it already did. So, let’s leave this bay and never look back.”
Ice Whistle looked me in the eye. “Lets.”
Every word of my statement rang true. I will never return to this spot. My days of stomping and causing ripples in that reflectionless bay are over.
“Hey, Nature Thorn, let’s go to your house instead.”
“But my parents—”
“Just trust me.”
When he insisted, his expression clarified there was no room for argument. Plus, this is Ice Whistle. He always had his reasons, carefully weighing the pros and cons before deciding. “...I’ll trust you.”
As we sauntered away from the shore and stood back onto the muffled, crunching snow, I felt it. Me striding toward a new future, carving an alternative path.
But right before we left, far off in the distance, I thought I saw a chunk of wood in the water. Then, the sound of scattered sand being kicked into the air soon clumped back onto the ground. After that, a sploosh followed. The peaceful surface of the water was disrupted as a pebble skipped across, creating brief ripples in its wake. The culprit was Ice Whistle. “What’d you do that for?”
Ice Whistle stood there, astray. “It’s hard to say.”
The ripples calmed down, quickly disappearing. After that, we left Luna Bay behind. Never to return.
The two visiting colts were gone. Now, all that remains is the natural beauty of Mother Nature. Except there was a winterchilla scurrying across the sandy shores. The small furry grey rodent with its large ears looked out into the distance of the bay. Three stars whizzed by.
“And that marks the end of the presentation. I would like to express my gratitude for your attendance today and for lending me your ears.”
Spike had finished his last announcement and bowed to his audience. As Page Martinet took the microphone back, Thorax, Lila Styles, and the crowd applauded. Spike started gathering up the things that didn’t need to be on the porch any longer. With a few simple steps, the projector and screen were removed. Spike sauntered to the table and sat beside his friend and Lila Styles.
“I hope that my gratitude towards all of you is self-evident. Please take note that registration is open at any time. Those pamphlets will always be readily available in our office building. Now, I request you enjoy the rest of the night, return to your affectionate families, and sleep tight, my little ponies of Luna Bay.”
With a bow from the chief herself, the ponies in the crowd spread out and headed home. An average couple faced no difference. One is a stallion. His coat was a brownish-orange, and his short mane was the same shade of brown as the dirt beneath the snow. The other pony was a stunning yellowish-beige mare with a braided mane reaching down to her chest, flaunting fern and emerald green colors. That couple had a son named Nature Thorn; he was thirteen years old. The projector screen had their undivided attention until this moment. With nothing to hold their gaze, they snapped back to reality. The snowy expanse of the plaza and ponies leaving filled their view.
“That was interesting,” Misty Fleurs said.
“It sure was! What did you think about it, Thorn?” Forest Seed asked, looking at where he had last seen his son.
The parent’s eyes darted to the side, expecting to see the brownish-orange colt with hair striped in yellow and two shades of green. However, that pony was nowhere to be seen.
“Thorn?” Forest Seed repeated, his voice trembling with worry. The stallion’s anxiety was palpable, his urgent calls for his son growing more desperate with each passing second. But there was no response, only a haunting silence.
Naturally, Misty Fleurs’ anxiety kicked in, too. “Where could our Whittle Bramble have gone?!”
“I’m not sure! We were too focused on that darn presentation!” Forest Seed exclaimed as his eyes broadened.
Desiring to release anxiety, Misty Fleurs paced and stomped her four hooves on the snow, creating a sporadic rhythm. “Think he’s back home? I’m sure that’s what it is!”
“Misty Fleurs, you head home and check if he’s there. I’ll go look around the town.”
The mare nodded in agreement. “Right!”
As soon as the two ponies were about to run off in different directions, a female voice interrupted them. “What happens to be wrong?” The voice came from Chieftain Page Martinet, a pony with a weathered face and a scholarly air. Librarian glasses perched on her pale sand-colored muzzle, and her grey mane was styled into a bun with streaks of white.
Three other individuals trailed behind her as she led the way. Lila Styles, her assistant, a light yellow cream pony with a magenta-purple mane that flowed with elegance and stretched down as far as her neck. A reformed changeling, now lime green, was also present. His insect-like features made him seem almost alien, and the orange antlers added a regal yet strange look. Last was a light mulberry purple dragon with vertical green scales protruding outward from his head to his tail.
Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs approached Page Martinet and informed them about the situation.
“Oh! I can use my wings to help search from above,” Thorax offered.
“Because of this weather, I won’t be much help, but I can assist with the search from the ground,” Spike commented.
“Yes, Lila Styles and I can put on a search party. We can finally get some use out of that slothful patrol pony.”
“My thanks go out to every one of you!” Misty Fleurs exclaimed. But just as they were about to leave, the search party was interrupted again by another voice, this time masculine.
“That won’t be necessary.” The group, comprising Forest Seed, Misty Fleurs, Page Martinet, Lila Styles, Spike, and Thorax, shifted their focus to the enigmatic voice. Another fully grown stallion and mare, both around the age of Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs, if not older.
“Before the second announcement, Ice Whistle told us they’d go hang out at your cottage,” the grown mare said. The mare was a unicorn with indigo blue-colored fur and curly white hair hanging down her neck. The stallion accompanying her was a stone blue unicorn wearing glasses with a pale blue mane no longer than Forest Seed’s.
Forest Seed was the first to respond. “Hey, you’re—”
Page Martinet cut in. “Monolith Kernel and Hailstone Rime. Parents of Ice Whistle and Freeze Breeze.”
“Nature Thorn is home then?” Misty Fleurs asked, seeking confirmation.
Monolith Kernel answered with an assured, flat tone. “Yes, that’s correct. There’s no need for further concern.”
“Thank goodness.”
Both anxious parents’ worries were quelled by the other. Exhales of relief from Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs were visible in the chilly night. Hailstone Rime shared a smile with the other couple. As a parent herself, she knew all too well the worry and fear that came with the territory.
“All matters seem to have been settled. Since this is the case, I forbid adieu and wish everypony a good night,” Page Martinet said, shifting her focus. She beckoned for her assistant, Lila Styles, and led the way back to the office building, leaving the scene with parting words. “Royal Advisor Spike and King Thorax.”
“Yeah?” Spike and Thorax reacted in perfect harmony, standing beside each other and straightening themselves out stiffly.
“As your announcements have ended, the time has come for us to say our farewells. Meeting the two of you was a pleasant experience. I look forward to the day we cross paths again. And if that day comes, perhaps engaging in another discussion akin to our previous one would be worthwhile.”
“Like the last one? No way!” Spike answered back, forming an X with his broad arms.
With a visible scoff and a quick glare toward Monolith Kernel, Page Martinet moseyed off toward the office with Lila Styles in pursuit. Prior to that, Lila Styles also bid her farewell with a bow. “Spike, Thorax, thank you for visiting Luna Bay. Until we meet again. Oh, Thorax, did you figure out whether you like black coffee yet?”
“Oh yeah! I’ve concluded...that I dislike black coffee.”
Spike, feeling a mix of surprise and disbelief, felt as if his tail had been pulled and exclaimed. “What?! Thorax, you had like three cups of it!”
Thorax retorted, rubbing his left foreleg with his right. “I know… But I started feeling sick after that third cup.”
Lila Styles noted. “I understand. From this day on, I’ll work to improve my coffee making.”
Page Martinet called out from the office building door beyond the veranda. The palladian and bow window panels glowed warmly from the artificial lighting within, which shadowed her appearance. “Lila Styles, before midnight!”
In response, Lila Styles’ ears laid back. “Oops. Farewell! Let’s hang out again sometime, Thorax. And Spike, I hope to see you there, too.”
Spike waved goodbye. “Sure thing.”
“Hang out again? I’d be happy, too! I’ll bring Spike, Discord, Big Mac, and perhaps my brother Pharynx!” Thorax’s cry pierced through the empty night, his leg outstretched as if desperately trying to hold on to a vanishing friend in a swarming crowd.
“Then who’ll watch the hive?” Spike murmured from the sidelines.
And with that, Page Martinet, the stern but fair leader, retreated into the doors of the office building. Lila Styles, the cordial assistant, waved goodbye and responded to Thorax by saying, “Can’t wait!” and finally closed the doors, leaving the veranda empty and quiet.
Spike noticed Thorax’s eyes glistening as if he struggled to hold back tears. “When did the two of you get so close?”
Thorax sniffled. “When you left and went to the school to give your first announcement. We talked over hot cups of coffee.”
Spike gave it some thought, realizing what that entailed. “Wait, then that would mean you at least had four cups!”
“Sorry… I admit it, Spike. I lied and had four, not three! I don’t actually dislike black coffee; I’m an addict! I can’t get enough of those roasted coffee beans!” Thorax confessed, his voice trembling as he fell into the dragon’s arms.
“Okay, let’s get you home.”
“Need a place to spend the night? We have a vacant room that’s not in use,” Hailstone Rime implied.
Until this moment, Spike had been relying on his flame breath to stave off the biting cold. Although the distance is rarely mentioned, the journey from Luna Bay to Vanhoover at night would be a challenging endeavor.
“That would be great! Good thing you said something before I left. Looks like we’ll be staying here for one night, Thorax.” In Spike’s arms, Thorax had already fallen asleep. “Guess this is goodbye for us too, Forest Seed, Misty Fleurs. It was nice meeting you, but before I go, what’s the name of your son?”
“Nature Thorn.”
“And he’ll be the most talented pony at your school. It’s in your best interest to remember the name.”
Spike’s grin grew genuine as he studied the couple. “I can’t wait to meet the child from such caring parents. See ya later, you two, and thanks for earlier today.”
Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs smiled and nodded in unison as they responded. “Anytime!”
“Alright, where’s your place? This Brave and Glorious dragon needs a cozy bed,” Spike asked while Thorax’s body lay limp, hunched over his shoulder.
“If you would follow me.” Hailstone Rime left, leading the high-status pair to her warm abode.
Forest Seed noticed a particular figure was not following behind. “Are you not going with them, Monolith Kernel?”
“One may take their time without haste. There’s also the possibility that my son, Ice Whistle, is still at your cottage. If he is, I’d like to take him back home. I hope you don’t mind if I tag along.”
“Oh, of course! As fellow parents, we should have figured that was the case,” Misty Fleurs said.
“No need to wait here at the town square any longer. Let’s go home, honey bug, and help Monolith Kernel here find his boy.”
As Spike, Thorax, and Hailstone Rime left one way. Forest Seed, Misty Fleurs, and Monolith Kernel went the other. The nearby and distant sun-symbol lamppost emitted a soft amber, providing comfort to all in the ultramarine night. Since the announcement had ended a while ago, the town square was as still as a painting, with no movement or sound.
With Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs ahead, Monolith Kernel’s attention diverted from the office building to the southwest, where a moderate breeze carried the scent of saltwater. His nose exhaled a wisp abruptly, and a scornful expression made home on his face.
Five ponies were now inside the residency of Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs. The three of us and our sons. The two young boys were in the living room watching the television. Worries wiped from the faces of the odd couple. I watched their foolish circus act unfold.
“Nature Thorn, you scared me half to death. You disappeared. It was as if you vanished into thin air,” Misty Fleurs explained.
“I’m just glad you’re fine,” Forest Seed commented.
“Sorry about that. Won’t happen again,” Nature Thorn replied.
Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs both jumped on their son and hugged him. “Our Whittle Bramble!”
“Agh! Mom! Dad! Get off of me, you goobers!” Nature Thorn cried out. Despite the colt’s small size, the parents held him tightly, tears streaming down their faces. With a struggling breath, Nature Thorn met his end through suffocation and fainted. “Bleh.”
While there’s a circus performance going on by the couch, Ice Whistle and I engaged in conversation. At the same time, we watched the loving parents commit a felony.
What buffoons. You’re making fools out of yourselves for what? You have each other. Is that not enough? “Did he neglect to inform his parents beforehand?”
“That’s my fault. I rushed Thorn into it. Sorry, Father.”
“Hmm…” I approached the crime scene. Nature Thorn was sprawled out, the centerpiece of the trio lounging on the carpet by the couch, with Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs cozied up to him on each side. Crk! Brief crunches broke out beneath my hooves. This is… I should take some responsibility for this. “Forest Seed and Misty Fleurs, I apologize for my son’s failure to notify you of their get-together. Nature Thorn, please notify me and your parents whenever you plan to spend time with my son.”
“Yes, sir,” Nature Thorn replied. Even then, he beamed.
Could I still—
“No need for an apology, Monolith Kernel; we should’ve been paying more attention to Thorn anyway,” Forest Seed confessed.
Misty Fleurs nodded with approval, agreeing with her husband’s sentiment. Upon that response, I left the house with Ice Whistle in tow. “Come, boy.”
Goosebumps formed beneath my icy blue coat. Our hooves scrunched, echoing throughout the night sky-tinged snowy terrain as we embarked on a stroll through town. The dirt path was stringed with lampposts, each casting a soft, sun-shaped amber light, leading to each passing house.
“It’s not like you to forget something like that,” Father pointed out.
“I just let my excitement get the best of me, Father. That’s all,” I explained.
“Hmm…”
My eyes rolled in his direction. “Are you angry?”
“No. It just seems strange that neither of you informed Forest Seed or Misty Fleurs. While you have grown to a point where you can be responsible for yourselves, it’s important to remember that there are boundaries to this. No matter what, just in case, remember to tell us. If a situation were to arise, clues would be necessary.”
“Understood.”
“I couldn’t help but notice crunching beneath my hooves when I walked inside—like I stepped on sand. Know anything about that?”
The noise of crushed snow came to a stop. Under a lit lamppost, the shadow of my mane obscured my eyes. “Father—”
Father stopped moving and turned toward me, his gaze lancing through the darkness. “Do refrain from making any excuses or explanations. I’m not naïve, boy. The region beneath the knee of Nature Thorn had a considerable dampness, and there it was, some sand grains beneath his hooves. Sand is only found in one particular spot here. Am I wrong?”
Never in my life had I felt so cornered. “No.”
”Why in blazes were you there?” Father thundered, booming with anger. “Wait, you have your cutie mark; you hardly have a reason... But that friend of yours has always been a blank flank. How did the both of you know…? Did he—?”
“Father, listen. There’s no reason to hold a grudge against Thorn.”
Father was marginally dazed. “Your friend…? I couldn’t give a flying hoot about him. If he looked, then whatever; that just goes to show the flippancy of Page Martinet. I’m only concerned about how it affects you.”
“W-What? What do you mean by ‘affect’?” As in, negatively? How so?
Father placed his hoof on my muzzle. “Quiet, boy, we said enough out here. Let’s take this home.” We kept our voices low as we walked, choosing not to disturb the neighborhood's peace. Only Stargazer was out, chatting with Brisk Prize on a porch. Later, Father sighed with relief upon arriving home to the familiar silence and sights. Due to a changeling sleeping on the couch, we couldn’t talk in the living room. “We’ll continue this conversation upstairs in your room.”
Our house wasn’t built any differently than the neighbors’. Upstairs were three bedrooms; mine was the one to the left. The one in the middle was Mother’s and Father’s, and the one on the right was my sister’s. But right now, my sister’s room must have been occupied by Royal Advisor Spike.
Upon entering my room, Father gestured for me to sit on the bed. “Once we finish talking, go straight to sleep.” I took off my scarf and beanie before hopping into bed. Afterward, I waited for Father to speak. “Why were you there?”
I looked through my window and answered. “We wanted to see the view of Vanhoover.”
Father must have thought there was some truth to that. There were two possibilities here. Either I was telling the truth or lying. I assured him that I would spend time with Nature Thorn, a plan that would allow us to venture where we pleased. Up until this point, Father believed this to be the truth. But what was our true purpose in going there? Was it merely to admire the view? Or were we seeking the hidden secrets the bay held?
“What did you mean by ‘holding a grudge against Thorn?’”
A make-or-break situation. If answered wrongly, Father would realize we traveled to the bay, and at least one of us saw our future. If answered correctly, it would seem that Father made the wrong assumption. “You know, because we were both involved in going out there. I don’t want you to hold a grudge against him. I deserve just as much responsibility.”
“Is that so…?” Father was standing beside me, ruminating on the idea. I stared into his eyes with determination, catching glimpses of the night sky out of my window from behind his head, a silent witness to our conversation.
“I realize what you meant by ‘affect’. The decision we made won’t alter who I become. So don’t hold it against Thorn. And don’t assume he’s a bad influence just because he’s a blank flank.”
Father’s expression seemed to relax. “Fine, I was never going to.”
“Thank you, Father.” I smiled and continued. “Hey, what did you mean by ‘How did the both of you know?’ and ‘Showing the flippancy of Page Martinet’?”
“Nothing. Now get some sleep.”
I tucked myself further into the comfort of my bed sheets. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” Instant sleepiness slammed into my eyes.
“It wasn’t long ago, but you pay expert attention to detail. Maybe your mother and I will send you to that friendship school after all.”
“I’d like that,” I replied, voice half muffled from the pillow.
“One more thing before I take my leave. In case you’re lying, Ice Whistle, know this. His decisions in life can ‘affect’ you. If he walks down a different path with you around, that path can merge…with yours.”
With those parting words, Father left my bedroom and closed the door. Now alone, the stillness enveloped me, allowing my thoughts to roam freely. “Good night.”
My words didn’t reach his ears. He believed my fib. I was prepared to tell him how we learned about the secret of the bay, but we both realized something by the time we entered my room. He realized it before me but had no grounds to state that we were definitively aware of the bays’ secret. As soon as he said, ‘What do you mean by holding a grudge against Thorn?’ I saw an opportunity and seized it. I would have confessed if Father hadn’t cut me off earlier outside. But now, I have learned something from this false confrontation. Father explicitly said, ‘I couldn’t give a flying hoot about him.’ He didn’t care about Nature Thorn looking into the bay. He was worried about me, and his parting words lingered.
”In case you’re lying, Ice Whistle, know this. His decisions in life can ‘affect’ you. If he walks down a different path with you around, that path can merge…with yours.”
Since I knew about Luna Bay, it wasn’t hard to get what he meant by that. However, there was something Father didn’t know about Nature Thorn. If the bay doesn’t show his reflection, does that render the warning meaningless? “Dang it...” slipped out of my mouth in a whisper. I bit into the only fluffy witness of my annoyance. I really could use her advice right now. However, all the letters I’ve sent have gone unanswered.
Looking through my window into the clear night, the constant barrage of thoughts wore me out. I had fallen asleep searching for an answer.
Out at the shore of Luna Bay, I observed the calm waters wash up to shore and investigated the damp sand.
“Hmm… With the water rushing up to shore like this, I guess it couldn’t dampen that Thorn boy’s legs. Before we arrived, they most likely used the tap water from the kitchen sink to get the sand out. Then, they used towels to dry themselves. Of course, the towels wouldn’t have been enough to dry their legs completely. There was a slight contrast in fur color between dry and damp. Either way, there’s no proof they engaged in a thorough self-examination by this bay. Not that I expected to find much searching the water. My only task is to monitor them and this bay more carefully. Be wary, Ice Whistle. And you too, daughter.”
Having concluded my brief investigation, I left the bay and returned home to call it a night.
After wrapping up my office work and sending my assistant, Lila Styles, home, I encountered a familiar face on my way. In the night’s quiet, he strode through town, the lamppost casting a soothing amber on his body. Either he was on a nightly stroll or on his way home. He was not the type to enjoy the scenery; neither was I, so it had to be the ladder. I called out to that stern goat. “Heading home?”
“Page Martinet. You don’t stay cooped up in that office of yours?” Monolith Kernel retorted, his voice laced with a hint of disdain, as always.
How long do you plan to persist with this? “Hilarious. Going to ship off another child?”
Monolith Kernel scoffed and resumed down the snow-covered path. “Like those other delegates, you haven’t changed one bit.”
His feelings toward me are understandable. Still, as individuals, we both have our own array of problems. “And you have?”
“There’s nothing that needs changing,” Monolith Kernel blandly insisted.
“Are you serious? Your behavior concerns. Have you no remorse for what you’ve done?”
He continued his trek, his voice lowering with each word. “I only did what was necessary.”
Necessary? Unbelievable. Who do you think you’re addressing with such a callous remark? I, too, did what was required. “Hah! For whom? The pony who can no longer see her brother? No, wait, the pony who can no longer see his sister? Hailstone Rime? Or was it just for you?”
Monolith Kernel stopped plodding down the trail. He stood beside a lamppost that flickered, struggling to light up the pathway. Then he directed his gaze at me and glared. “You know nothing.”
The lamppost continued to flicker, taking over the conversation.
My whispered response drifted into the stillness of the night. “Then why don’t you tell me? We can’t discuss our feelings if you continue to disregard my presence.” I watched him walk away, feeling a familiar melancholy wash over me, his steps hardly audible. He left. He was always like this toward me. It was understandable, considering our internal issues weren’t so different.
“Ha...” Since it was overdue, I wearied down my path home, longing for much-needed rest.
“Did you want something to eat before bed, Whittle Bramble?” Mom asked, her loving voice almost sending me to a slumber.
“Nah, I can fall asleep any minute now.”
Tucked into my bed, Dad’s shadow stood by the door, watching Mom mother me. “Come on honey, we should head to bed too. Leave the poor boy alone. He’s not a foal anymore. He’s a colt that could find his purpose any second now,” Dad said, his deep voice a comfort for my ears.
“Please listen to Dad.”
“Fine, but you owe me another hug in the morning for what happened today. And a hundred kisses on your cheek.”
“Get outta here! Before this ‘bramble’ pricks you.”
“Good night, Thorn,” Mom and Dad said, shutting the door.
My acknowledgment went unheard. “Night…” And like that, I was alone again. Today was quite eventful, and I treasured it. If only my days could always be like this. And then there were moments like these with my parents that I wish could last evermore. But for now, it was enough. I could confidently endure these average days for the next three years, eagerly anticipating the day I could finally attend the School of Friendship. All thanks to my best friend, Ice Whistle.
So, what kind of ordinary day will Saturday bring?
A mare and I lay comfortably under the covers of our queen-sized bed.
“Another three years, then he’ll be off to Ponyville. Forest Seed, I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold back tears when the time comes.”
“It’ll be okay, honey bug, even after he leaves. We’ll visit now and then. This is just…a part of life,” I whispered, a hint of sadness and acceptance in my voice.
Misty Fleurs embraced me from behind, probably feeling a sense of relief washing over her as if everything would go smoothly. “You’re right, dear. I’ll do my best to be happy for Whittle—I mean, for Nature Thorn.”
“Of course… Think of it like this.” I pointed a hoof toward the plank ceiling, swaying it horizontally. “It’ll be our new ordinary.”
My response only made things worse. As we lay in bed, one’s tears flowed while one tried to hide theirs until we fell asleep wrapped in each other’s muzzle-soaked embrace.
Glinting through everypony’s bedroom window, one last star streaked across the sky that night.
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