AN* While rereading this chapter I noticed that I had given Twilight's brother the wrong name therefore I am reposting this chapter with the corrections.
Frost was awoken by a loud knocking at his front door. Looking at the clock that read 7:30 a.m. he crawled out of the huge sunken bed that took up most of his room and went to answer the front door, but just as he was about to leave the room Spitfire woke up and asked, "What time is it?"
Frost chuckled, "It's about seven thirty in the morning. There is someone at the door so why don't you wake Luna and head to the dining room while I answer it." As he walked to the front door he heard that everyone else was also getting up so, he made a water clone and sent it to the kitchen to start breakfast. When he got to the door the knocking was still going on so he opened the door to meet the person. "Yes how can I help you?" he asked politely while yawning.
When the door opened reviling Frost the pony on the other side ran and hugged him fully waking him up. "Daddy why haven't you told me about this place," Cadence asked after she let her dad go, "And why did you trick that poor mare into thinking that you would be in Canterlot looking for ponies to join the Wonderbolts?"
"Well I haven't seen you for nearly five years so how did you expect me to let you know about the house. As for why I tricked Rainbow Dash into thinking that I would be in Canterlot is because she does not know that I am the true leader of the Bolts, and because I am a trickster you should know that," Frost said was he hugged her back. Luna walked by the door as they were hugging and thought that Frost was with a mare that she didn't know.
"Who is that Frost Paw?" she asked as she walked up to the two trying to get a better look at the mare.
Frost looked at Luna before remembering that she could have forgotten that Cadence was their child. "This is Princess Mi Amore Credenza, a.k.a. Cadence," Frost said hoping that Luna would remember.
Apparently the name had struck a chord in Luna's memory as she slowly walked up to Cadence and hugged her. "Can you ever forgive me for not being there for you?" Luna was trying not to cry but lost the battle as Cadence hugged her back.
"What is there to forgive mom. I understand what happened, dad told me that you had no choice back them. Besides now we can spend time together," Cadence said as she held her mother letting her cry on her shoulder.
Just then Flair walked over to the two mares and looked at Cadence and said in a very childish voice, "Sissy." Frost face panted hearing that from his brother. Luna looked at Flair like he was stoned and Cadence was just stunned from seeing Fusion Flair before she glomped him in a bear hug saying how cute he was.
After the excitement in the entrance way settled Frost herded every one into the dining room. Everyone at the table looked up when they entered and Soarin saw that Cadence was still hugging Flair and was about to get up when the clone of Frost came in and served breakfast. Flair struggled out of Cadence's hold and sat down next to Soarin and muttered loud enough that everyone heard him, "I'm not cute; I'm sexy and I know it."
"You defiantly were last night in bed," Soarin replied without even thinking. Everyone's heads snapped in his direction letting them see his and Flair's blushing faces.
Frost gave Soarin a glare that said, 'We will speak later,' and coughed and said, "So how have you been Cadence? The last time we saw each other was when you started to foal-sit for Twilight Sparkle while her parents were out and her brother was working." So Cadence began to tell about what she had been doing for the last five years; from going to the Howling Lands, to visiting another world, and trying to find love.
After telling her story Cadence asked her parents, "So why does Spitfire smell like you two?" The three in question started to blush as Flair laughed. "Flair did something to get you three to make love didn't he?"
"Well, that is something for another time. I have to go open the store and the others have to get to work," Frost said in a hurry.
"What store do you need to open that uncle Robinton can't do himself?" Cadence asked. Frost almost face-planted hearing the question but was able to stay on all four feet and turned to answer.
"I am talking about the Siren's Song music store in Ponyvill. As for why Rob can't open it himself is that the security codes are known only by me. After it getting raided by vandals four times I put in a high security system that only I can override. The opening time is eight fifteen and it is eight o'clock now so I must be off," Frost said when a knocking was heard at the door causing him to sigh; "I'll get it." He opened the door to revile Rainbow about to knock again. In the instant he saw her, his face went from a fox to a troll and asked in a deep voice, "Where you expecting someone else?"
Rainbow jumped back in fright at seeing Frost looking like that. "What the hell Frost!" she yelled. "I came to ask you about the Wonderbolts and this is what I get! And you're welcome for me showing you daughter to your house!" She was about to fly away when she felt a pull on her tail. Turning around she saw Frost looking normal again and he had a serious expression.
"So you want to join the Wonderbolts huh, well you can't 'truly' join them as they are a part of the Aqua guards and you are the bearer of one of the Elements of Harmony. But I think that we can make a deal. You can be an honorary member meaning that you can fly with them in air shows, go to the events they are invited to, and even get to train with them to some extent. How does that sound?" Frost proposed his idea to Celistia the night before and she said she was ok with it. "However you will also be a representative of them as well, which means that you can't be so lazy doing your job around Ponyvill, understood." Rainbow nodded her head so fast that one would think that she would get whiplash from the speed. "Good, meet me here tonight at seven and bring Applejack with you, she should be here for something I have planed anyway."
Spitfire walked out with Frost to help him open shop and to talk to him about Rainbow's abilities. As the duo left everyone else started to leave to start their day. Celistia and Luna left for the castle while Robinton, Vinyl, and Octavia followed Frost to help out at the store.
Flair and Soarin headed to Sweet Apple Acers to talk with Big Mac about what happened last night and if he was alright with it. Needless to say he was not impressed in the beginning, but after much yelling, cussing, and threatening he finely came to an agreement. He would let Soarin join them but he would not 'receive' only 'give'. Soarin on the other hoof was open to trying just about anything. "Well now that that is settled, why don't we get to work harvesting the last of the apples," Flair said bringing their attention back to the farm.
"Eeyup." "Lead the way." The two said at the same time causing them to look at each other. "That was weird," Soarin said.
With Frost at 'Siren's Song' Cadence was helping organize the vinyl record collection. "So did you find any love songs while you were away?"
Frost chuckled, "What genre would you like first. Not only did I find love songs in classical styles I found them in just about every style on Earth. The songs you are asking for are too numerous to put in just one section of the store; therefore I had to place them with the rest of their genre to maintain order."
Cadence looked shocked at hearing that there were so many songs about love. "Where are the more known songs?" she asked trying to find a starting place in the sea of music.
Frost thought about it for a moment before answering, "I would suggest the classic rock song 'Two Out of Three Ain't Bad' by Meatloaf; isle five in the M's for the artist, the album is Bat Out of Hell. That should keep you busy trying to learn the lyrics. I suggest you don't listen to some of the more raunchy songs in rock until for a while." That said Frost went to help somepony who came to get an instrument repaired. While Frost led the pony into the desk Cadence walked back to where she was directed passing a few sections that held the disks of music. When she got to isle five she walked to the M's and picked up a c.d. and flipped the case to read the songs on it. After finding the one she was after Cadence walked to the front and paid for the album. 'I need to get back to dad's and listen to this,' she thought and walked home.
Over Ponyvill Rainbow was helping get ready for a late day storm Frost had arranged to help the farms with crop growth. "Get those clouds in place, Derpy. Hey, we need to get this set up before five we have only two hours before it starts without us!" Rainbow was shouting out directions to the other pegasi who were on weather duty. Looking around to check their progress she noticed that Sweet Apple Acers was uncovered by clouds so she went to take care of it when she was Flair fly up and start to bring in rain clouds. "What the heck is he doing at the Apple's? He has been spending a lot of time over there," Rainbow muttered to herself as she flew to the orchard to find out why he was there. When she landed on the front porch she heard talking out in the fields. Curious she follows the voices to an opening between a stand to trees, and lying on the ground was Big Mac, Fusion Flair, and Soarin cuddling. Seeing them lying together that way caused Rainbow's mouth to drop open in shock because she didn't think that Soarin was a colt cuddler; she kind of expected Big Mac or even Flair to be, but certainly not Soarin.
Applejack was walking through the orchard looking for her brother to talk about what was planned for the next few months on the farm when she walked into Rainbow, literally. "What in tarnation are you doing just standing there Dashie?" AJ asked trying to figure out what her mare-friend was doing in the middle of the orchard. Rainbow just lifted a hoof and pointed at the clearing still open-jawed. Applejack followed the hoof and saw her brother cuddling two other stallions. "What the buck are ya'll doing!?" she yelled at seeing the scene of three male making out.
The three stopped playing tonsil hockey and looked up only to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack staring at them. Flair and Soaring freaked out and took flight leaving Big Mac behind to face the wrath of two incensed mares. "It's not what it looks like AJ, ah was just showing them how to french kiss."
"You would think with how much Frost does it with Luna that Flair would know how by now," Rainbow said under her breath but Applejack heard because of how close they were.
Applejack shook her head and glared at Big Mac and demanded, "When were ya going to tell us Big Mac? We're your family and ya keep a secret this big from us."
"Well it wasn't my idea to keep it from ya'll, ah just didn't have the time with all the work for Winter Wrap up," Big Mac told them hoping to calm them down enough to avoid their wrath. "Ah didn't know ya'll were so interested in my love life. Ah could smell the two of ya on each other the last three nights but ah haven't said anything to Granny, so don't ya tell her anything. It's a good thing she sleeps heavily or ya would have woken her too."
The mares blushed at hearing that they were caught red hooved so to say.
Celistia was sitting in her throne room talking to one of the royal guards, "I'm surprised that Ponyvill was able to wrap up winter in one day this year. Then again I sent Twilight there so to learn about friendship."
The guard perked up at hearing the name of the younger unicorn. "How is Twily? She only sends me letters once a month," he asked curious about the mare.
"Shining Armor, you know as well as I do that she is okay. She sent you a letter yesterday. You act like a mother hen," Celistia laughed at the expression on his face. "You need to try to let her go; she's a grown mare. Even I can tell that when she gets in bed." Celistia whispered the last part so that Twilights brother could not hear.
"What was that princess?" Shining Armor asked thinking he heard something.
"Nothing, nothing at all," Celistia replied quickly before changing topics, "What do you think of the return of Prince Frost Paw?"
Armor thought about what he knew of the prince. "I don't really know much about him, but from what I've heard he is about as powerful as your sister. And he could rival you brother in the music arts," he said truthfully.
"Whom might you be talking about, Captain?" a voice asked from the front of the grand hall. Shield whipped his head around only to see Luna walking towards the thrones. "Frost is as powerful as my sister, although he might be rivaled by Aaron in musical skill but not in knowledge."
Armor started to laugh at the thought of someone outside of the royal family being that powerful. Celistia brought him out of his laughter by saying, "He probably more powerful than me only because of his ability to control the water. He is not called the ruler of the seas without reason."
"Surely you jest princess. No pony can be that strong," Armor said with a nervous tone. As he said this water started to form around his hooves and frozen him in place as a form came out of the water in the air.
"I will let your comment go on the grounds that I'm not a 'pony'. However I think it best that you learn more about some-'pony' before judging them, Captain, as you will do well to avoid unwanted insult," Frost said when his form solidified from the water. "I would like to hope that the citizens of Equestria don't think that others are weaker than themselves. How times change in a thousand years, I remember when two beings greeted each other that they treated the other as an equal. Even in the Howling Lands they still comply with that standard. Enough of these maters I would like to propose a contest of the choirs of the lands with Equestria acting as host."
Celistia thought about the proposal for a few moments. "I will talk to my brother about it," she answered, "However I would like to know who you wish to invite, and what the groups need to be size wise."
Just as Frost was about to answer her, Armor had worked his way out of the ice and tried to hit Frost for trapping him. As the hoof made contact with the fox Frost melted into water showing that it was not the real Frost. Armor was looking around for his opponent but could not find him when he heard a whisper in his ear, "That was a nice punch but it lacks luster. Let me show you how to throw a proper punch," was all the warning he got before a paw hit him square in the chest sending him crashing into the fountain of water over a hundred feet away. Frost walked up to Shining Armor and held out a paw to help him up out of the water. "Sorry about that, I don't know my own strength sometimes," Frost noticed that Shield looked pale and asked, "Are you okay, you look a little pale?" Shining Armor glared at Frost Paw.
"My coat is white you foal. I don't know who you think you are, but I don't like your attitude," Armor told Frost in a low voice so no one else could hear him.
Frost laughed at what he heard. "Do you know of poison joke? There is a form of it that makes me take leave of my scenes," he was barely able to get out while laughing like Discord.
"Where is that son of a bitch, Solaris," Pinkie appeared out of nowhere looking for Discord, what was different about her though, was that was off about Pinkie was that her mane and tail were deflated and her overall color was darker.
Frost started to freak out at seeing Pinkie like this. "Who is asking Pinkie or Diane?" he asked trying to figure out who he was talking to.
Pinkie turned to look at him and said in the voice of Frost's mother, "This is your mother speaking. Now tell me where, is your father."
Frost's tails shot between his legs and started to back away in fear. "How have you been mom? Long time no see," he asked in fear.
Diane looked at Frost with an annoyed expression. "I will ask you only one more time. Where is your father? If you don't tell me what you know I will make your life miserable for the next nine months."
Frost ducked behind Celistia to hide from his mother. He poked his head out and whimpered out, "I think he left for the Howling Lands this morning. He might be back by tomorrow." Frost stepped out from behind Celistia in confusion. "What do you mean 'the next nine months'?" The look that he got from her asked, 'Are you that dense?' Realization hit him like a ton of bricks as he asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"Both," was all the answer Diane gave before her coloring brightened and her mane and tail puffed up meaning she returned control to Pinkie. "What did I miss?" Pinkie asked trying to figure out where she was.
Celistia was too stunned to say anything and Luna had passed out from what she heard. The first one to regain some semblance of coherent thought was Shining Armor. "You are at the Canterlot palace looking for someone named Solaris. Now if you will excuse me I think I hear my sister calling me," he said before he teleported into Ponyvill.
Frost escorted Pinkie back to the Cake's as night fell. "Pinkie, do you know anything about your other side, Diane?" he asked as he led her to her room trying to be the gentleman his mother raised him to be. When Pinkie shook her head 'no' he sighed but continued; "Diane was the name of my mother. She 'died' nearly two thousand years ago because she was tricked by a changeling who took the form my father, Discord. But she had the ability to be reborn into another form because she had control over time itself, without her time ends. However before the attack was finished she was able to send a part of herself through time to thirteen years ago to heal her wounds and return to this plane. That piece found a home in you, Pinkie." Frost developed a glazed over look to his eyes as he remembered how he had lost his mother…
Frost had just returned from another trip out of dimension that Solaris sent him on as a practical joke. "I swear one of these days I will get him back for sending me to the world of the Care Bears," he shivered at the thought of so many beings hugging him at once. "If I EVER find a world worse than that dad is getting an all expense paid trip there. Well now that I'm back I should find mom." That said he walked to her room to talk. On his way he heard Solaris singing:
'My child arrived just the other day
Came into the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you, Dad
You know I'm gonna be like you."'
Frost hadn't heard his father sing in nearly five years and was surprised to hear that, from what he could tell, Solaris was singing about him and started to join in to form a harmony.
'Well, the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon
"When you comin' home, Dad?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, son.
You know we'll have a good time then."
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on, let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok."
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon
"When you comin' home, Dad?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, son.
You know we'll have a good time then."
Well, he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"
Well, the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon
"When you comin' home, son?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
Well, I've long since retired; my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
Well, the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man on the Moon
"When you comin' home, son?"
"I don't know when, but we'll get together then, Dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."'
Solaris looked at Frost after they finished the song and asked trying not to laugh his ass off, "How was your trip, Frost?"
Frost just shrugged and pulled out a large cannon like item and pointed it at him. "Tell me how your trip is when you get back," he shouted as he pulled the trigger shooting a ball of pink energy that slammed into Solaris sending into a different dimension.
Solaris appeared in the middle of a field staring at a purple dinosaur. The purple dinosaur started to sing, "I love you, you love me, we're a great big happy family…"
Solaris started to shake in fear at seeing the monstrosity known as Barney. "Not again!" he screamed out in mental agony.
Back with Frost Paw in the Castle of the Howling Lands he continued onto his mother's room. As he got to the doorway he heard a scream of pain. Running into her room he saw what looked like Solaris and a pure white vixen on a bed. The only thing wrong with the scene was he had just sent Solaris into a different dimension and the vixen was bleeding from her side. Seeing his mother in that state something in Frost snapped; his fur started to bleach as white as newly fallen snow and he grew about twice his normal size and stood on his hind legs making him look bigger. The Solaris look-alike looked at him as the change took place and said what was probably the worst thing to say, "Son, it's not what it looks like. I found your mother like this."
The vixen looked over at Frost and made a slight motion with her eyes that told him to end the fool. Frost looked at the being pretending to be his father and spoke in a voice colder than space, "My father is not in this dimension you fool, now feel winter's cold embrace." Frost wrapped his wings around the look-alike and dropped the temperature of the water in its body to three degrees absolute freezing him instantly. As it froze the spell that it used stopped working reviling its true form of a changeling. After he froze the changeling; Frost shattered the ice, which crumbled into diamond dust and disappeared with a breeze. Calming down Frost shrunk back to normal size and ran over to his mother.
"Mom, are you okay?" he asked with concern in his voice. The wound was worse than he first thought, she had been stabbed through her left lung and, from how she was laying Frost was willing to bet that, part of her spine was severed. There were only a few things that could have made a wound like that; a sword; a unicorn horn; or a changeling's horn.
Diane gave a mirthless laugh. "Frost, bring your father back, there are a few things that I need to tell you two before it's too late," she said weakly. Frost opened a portal and reached in garbing a traumatized Solaris and pulled him out. Seeing that her mate was back in their realm Diane continued. "I know that my body won't hold much longer," she stopped to cough up a glob of blackened blood, "I will have to leave this body to regain my power. I should return in about two thousand years but I doubt ether of you recognize me for a few years as I will be sleeping. Just look for the party animal." She coughed for a few moments before she could continue speaking. "Could you please sing me to sleep?"
Frost and Solaris started to sing one of her favorite lullabies:
"Goodnight my angel.
Time to close your eyes.
And save these questions for another day.
I think I know what you've been asking me.
I think you know what I've been trying to say.
I promise I would never leave you.
And you should always know, I never will be far away.
Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep.
And still so many things I want to say.
Remember all the songs you sang for me.
When we went sailing on an emerald bay.
And like a boat out on the ocean.
I'm rocking you to sleep.
The water is dark and deep inside this mother's heart.
You'll always be a part of me.
Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream.
And dream how wonder your life will be.
Some day a child may cry and if you sing this lullaby.
Then in your heart there will always be a part of me."
As they faded out Diane closed her eyes and with a smile she fell asleep. As she fell asleep her form started to glow a soft blue; when the light faded her body was gone.
Author notes*
If it seems like I killed off Frost Paw's mother I'm sorry but I feel like I needed to get some back ground in place with why Pinkie is with Discord. This would also explain why Discord went crazy, grief can do a lot to someone and it can change them. The window for people to guess which series the character Robinton is form is now closed. For those who didn't know I kind of took the idea of the Masterharper Robinton for The Dragon Riders of Pern so I don't truly own him the honor goes to Anne McCaffrey, may she rest in peace.
The songs in this chapter are Cat's in the Cradle and Goodnight My Angle
