In Space, We Don't Abandon Innocence

by David Silver

29 - Needed Visits

Sunset sighed through her teeth, slumped over her chair. "Well, that went nowhere fast."

Casey fired a thumbs up. "Don't be glum. The ship's in a bit of a, what." She rolled a hand slowly. "Soap opera phase, but that's because we're drifting through space. It's, you know, long, and boring."

Sunset pointed at Casey with a sharp gaze. "Not the point, and you know it. I'm supposed to be a mom." She stood up suddenly and began pacing. "But my daughter's kind of raising herself. I feel more like she's a friend, and I'm really not sure how I feel about that."

Casey stretched where she sat, arms thrown back behind her. "Raising children isn't easy, no matter what they are." She rolled her hands around in slow circles. "When we had Harriet, I was so happy, and I still am. This stupid spell makes them grow up so fast, sure, but she's still ours. She loves us so much."

Sunset wrung her hands tightly. "Yeah, and she'll always love us." She flapped her hands against her legs. "But Dawning has two moms, and neither of us have spoken to her like, once."

Casey hiked a brow. "Well, that's easy to fix. Want to visit a dragon?"

Sunset hesitated at that. "Yes? No. It's just so awkward." She shrank where she stood. "No, you're right. We should go visit her." She rolled her shoulders in tight circles. "I'm being stupid right now. That little kid could use some grown up company."

They left the library, Sunset falling to all fours, suddenly returned to being a pony. Casey slowed at that. "I thought you could be a human now?"

Sunset sighed. "Yes, if I'm using the portable emitter. The thing has a battery, and straining it for no reason? Why? I'm saving it for when I really need it." With a twitch of her tail, she continued on. "I can hoof it a little while."

Casey reached down to pat Sunset's flank gently. "Fair enough. Come on, it's not that far to medical anyway."

Sunset shuddered gently. "Look, nobody gets petting privs!" She glanced away. "But I guess my partner's an exception."

Casey smiled as she took a knee next to Sunset. "Hey, it's okay. You've been working hard lately." She stroked Sunset's neck gently. "Come on, let's get to the medical bay before someone walks in on us."

"G-good idea!" Sunset hopped ahead and trotted down the hallway, putting the petting out of the conversation as quickly as she could.

It wasn't long before they reached the medical bay. They made their way inside, the door sliding open at their approach. Sunset skidded to a halt inside with a snort. "Wow, it's quiet in here." She laughed at herself. "Not that a medical bay should be loud or anything."

Fluttershy appeared in front of Sunset. "Hello, Sunset. Should you be here? You can't be injured."

Sunset rolled her eyes at that. "I'm not injured, and I know that. Is Dawning still here?" She perked up at seeing Dawning watching them, sidelong. "She is!" She advanced on the dragon as Casey caught up behind her. "The dragon of the hour, and her egg too. How's it going?"

Dawning's stance was wide, like she wanted to lash out, but didn't know what to say. "Good. Fine. Egg's fine. Everything's fine."

Fluttershy drifted past Sunset, waving at Dawning gently. "I've been trying to help her adjust to this." She ran a hoof through her mane. "But it's a big leap."

Sunset huffed. "Tell me about it!" She sank to her haunches next to Dawning. "I have a kiddo of my own and she's really changed everything. Harriet's probably running wild somewhere on the ship, and I have to worry about that, constantly."

Dawning snorted smoke at that. "I guess this is some human thing? Not like dragons worry much about wyrmlings or anything." She laughed at that, sharp and dry. "What are you here for, Sunset Shimmer?"

Casey held up a hand defensively. "You. We just want to help, if we can."

Dawning grumbled gently. "Like you really care." She stuck out her tongue at Sunset. "Besides, you're not even the right kind of human. You're more pony than human anyway."

Sunset laid flat where she sat, ears drooping in dejection. "Yeah, pretty pony right now." She lashed her tail. "Long story, but I'm a human, dang it. The ship has a rule that all holograms have to be a pony, so, pony."

Casey rested a hand on Sunset's head. "She's a pretty pony at least. Now, Dawning, I've wanted to ask, but how are you and North Star doing? Still hanging out?"

Dawning shuffled a few steps away from Casey. "Fine. It's fine. Everything is fine."

Sunset batted her eyelashes at Dawning. "See, that's not suspicious at all. Seriously, we heard you the first time you insisted everything was fine. How is everything really? We're here to help."

Fluttershy pointed at Sunset. "That might be too pushy." She shrugged gently. "But I'm also worried about Dawning."

Dawning took another step back from Sunset and Casey. "He doesn't visit, okay? We run into each other and he's happy as can be, but he never stops by to watch the egg."

Casey clicked her tongue with a smile. "Why don't we go find him, hm?"

Sunset nodded lightly along with that. "No offense, but North's a kid, like you. Even adult dads can get a bit confused what they should be doing. Have you told him to come by?"

Dawning colored sharply. "Kids? Adults? Don't you guys see that North and I aren't even the same species?!" She threw her hands wide. "Occasionally we have different ideas on how things work, yes, but it's usually not worth worrying about." She clenched her fists. "He'll come when he wants to." She turned away, poorly hiding her forming tears.

Casey stepped towards Dawning. "It's okay. Humans and ponies have the same sorts of troubles with raising children." She lifted her chin proudly. "Look at Harriet! She's the kid of a human and a hologram. You think we don't have misunderstandings?"

"We do." Sunset rolled her eyes thinking about it. "You're friends with her, right?"

Dawning squared her stance. "Sure am. She's been nice to me, helping me understand humans. That doesn't make me an expert."

Fluttershy fell in next to Dawning, bumping against her gently. "I don't think any of us are, even most humans."

Dawning laughed at that. "Ow. Look, thanks for stopping by. It's, uh. It's nice, okay?"

Sunset fidgeted where she sat. "Hey, come on. I get that you're an adult, but you're not too old for a hug."

Casey grabbed Sunset in a tight hug. Sunset fought her off, both laughing at the brief wrestling match. "See, a hug doesn't kill you."

Dawning scuffed the floor with one foot. "That's so weird, but." She motioned Sunset closer. "Look, I just. Fine, one hug."

Sunset Shimmer walked up to Dawning, making sure not to move too quickly. With an offered hoof, she drew the young dragon in and gently held her. She hadn't expected the dam to break, and she held the sobbing little girl dragon gently. She rocked left and right slowly. "It's okay. You're not alone."

Casey paced past, pausing only long enough to pat Dawning on the shoulder gently. "You two hang out here. I'll go find North." She walked away at a brisk pace.

Sunset hung on to Dawning, until the sobs stopped, and the sniffling had come to a gentle still. "Feel better?"

Dawning winced. "Yeah, actually." She stretched. "Dragons don't cry." She growled under her breath. "Shoulda just kept quiet."

Sunset laughed at that, pressing her pony nose to Dawning's cheek. "It's okay to cry once in a while, even if you're a dragon. We don't think any less of you, and you have pretty good reason to be worked up right now. You cry all you want."

Dawning shuffled nervously. "Still a bit too clingy, but I feel better." She slipped out of Sunset's grasp gently. "Not a single dragon alive who'd do this for me."

Sunset curled a hoof at herself. "Good thing you have some pony pals." She leaned in, fluttering her lashes. "The humans would give a hug too, but they're really shy about it. Like some dragons I know, hm? They like hugging though if you give them permission."

Dawning tapped at her cheeks with both hands. "Won't hold my breath." She turned away to look at her egg. "Want to sit with me?"

Sunset rose, just to sink next to Dawning. "I would be delighted." She curled her tail, brushing Dawning's. "It's such a big thing, becoming a parent. Been there, really..."

Dawning rolled her eyes. "This isn't normal! A normal dragon lays their eggs and leave. They don't fuss over their eggs, not any one egg anyway. But here I am, staring at mine."

Sunset twirled her tail around Dawning's playfully. "Being a parent isn't normal, that's true. Normal is boring, and it's never gonna be boring with this crew. The ship needs weird things, like dragons and wyrmlings." She leaned to the side against Dawning. "You're not alone, I can promise that."

---

Elsewhere, Casey made her way to the holodeck. She found North Star laying flat on his belly, panting from some exertion. "North? How's it going?"

North panted gently as he peered up at Casey. He recognized her an instant later and hopped to his hooves. "Hi!" His tail began to wag eagerly. "How ya doin'?!"

Casey snickered at that as the door closed behind her. "I asked first."

"Oh, right." He nodded and pointed deeper in the room. "I was just doing a climb, a hard one. I was going to visit Harriet after that. Do you know where she is?"

Casey put a hand on North's head with a smile. "She's around the ship somewhere, helping with whatever needs doing. If she's not answering your calls, she's probably busy."

North gave a slow nod. "That makes sense. It's just that we usually hang out every day."

Casey reached out to tap the young pony at the end of their snout. "There's someone else you used to hang out with."

North swatted Casey's hand aside gently. "What're you getting at? Me and Dawning are still friends, just haven't been able to hang out much. The egg is keeping her busy."

Casey inclined her head towards the exit of the holodeck. "Why not visit the egg?"

North walked forward on his hooves, but stopped as he pondered that. "Well, we're still kids. Kids shouldn't have babies. She's probably mad at me."

Casey slumped where she stood. "She's confused and upset, but she's still your friend. That egg is both of yours."

North swished his tail sharply. "Sure, but what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can help with anything."

Casey raised her brows. "For starters, go see her. Go see it too. Being there counts for a lot, North."

North folded his hooves together gently. "But we're friends, so why wouldn't she visit me? Or answer my calls?"

Casey raised a finger at that. "Just because you are friends doesn't mean you know exactly what the other is thinking. I can tell you she's hoping you'll stop by. Visit her, and the egg, and be happy to see both of them. You don't have to do anything more than that. She just wants to know she has a friend that cares about what's going on right now."

North considered his hooves a moment. "We're friends, and the egg is ours. But she's all alone. I should go see her. Harriet isn't gonna be able to talk for a while anyway."

Casey patted North on the back, directing him towards the exit. "Exactly. If I see her, I'll tell her which way you went."

North gave a nod before he began to trot away. "Thanks!"

The holodeck door opened at North's approach. He skidded to a halt as soon as he got through, spotting Harriet in the hallway ahead. "Harriet! I'm gonna visit the egg, wanna come?!"

Author's Note:

The gang's all together again. I think they'll get through this.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Dawning rolled her eyes. "This isn't normal! A normal dragon lays their eggs and leave. They don't fuss over their eggs, not any one egg anyway. But here I am, staring at mine."

Aiming for mainly the reptile side of things, but gives a good fit to canon episodes etc where dragon eggs are plentiful per dragon, but even though dragons live vastly extended lifespans relative to ther animals and even plants, the world isnt made of a geology of living dragons?

[Okie Brony]

Casey fired a thumbs up. "Don't be glum. The ship's in a bit of a, what." She rolled a hand slowly. "Soap opera phase, but that's because we're drifting through space. It's, you know, long, and boring."

That's one way of looking at it.

It's kind of funny that dragons aren't supposed to watch over their eggs, but not only is Dawning doing so, she also wants the father to visit.

[David Silver]

11940033
One of those things shows skip a lot, the long and boring nature of doing little but keeping the ship intact and keeping up to date on practice regimens.