Chapter 5

New Arrival

(Woot woot! New chapter hello! And it didn't take us a few months this time xD Now, if you want the warnings keep reading but if you're really up for whatever and don't want spoilers, then just skip the rest of this. There is a transgender character in this chapter, if things like that bother you, I suggest you just turn around and stop reading now cause he's not going anywhere. (And if you don't understand it, please feel free to contact Blue or I, we'll be happy to tell you what we know to the best of our abilities and try and point you to right sources if you wish to know more. Just please, don't take anything we say as hard fact, as we're not experts ^^) Now, enjoy the chapter!)

He clutched at the bag in his hooves, cursing slightly as the train jolted a bit, nearly knocking him from his seat. The other passengers were giving him weird looks, but they'd been doing that since he'd gotten on the train hours ago, so he'd already gotten comfortable with ignoring it. His hooves shook a bit as he dug into the bag, pulling out the rumpled sheet of paper he'd already looked at so many times, the marks starting to fade a bit from how much he'd messed with it. It was a nervous habit he had yet to break, though given his situation one could hardly blame him.

812 Iron Horseshoe Drive

That was all the note said. Just a frantic little scribble that he'd managed to get from the phonebook before grabbing his things and getting out of there. It was a long shot, he knew it was. He'd never even met these ponies. Heck, he didn't even know if the address was even accurate, but it was the only chance he had right now. They'd just have to help him. There was no way they'd turn him away, right?

…..

...Right?


Adhesive woke up in the dead of night to a harsh knocking on the front door, just barely audible over the pounding of the pouring rain outside and the occasional thunder crack. He threw off the covers and dragged himself through the house towards the door, his mane a mess and threw open the door.

There, in the pouring rain, was the sorriest foal he'd ever laid eyes on, completely soaked and looking miserable as they shivered from the cold. The foal stared at him with wide eyes, peering out from underneath a soaking wet bonnet.

"I...Um….I…." The soft voice shook a bit, chattering teeth making it come out in fits and bursts. "I um...D-does Circuit Heart live here?" The white stallion nodded hastily and ushered the foal inside.

"Oh you poor thing, you must be freezing, here, come by the fire. I'll go get him okay? There are pillows and blankets next to the couch, and for Faust's sake, get out of those soaking clothes! You'll catch your death of cold!" The stallion ran off towards their room after hastily locking the door and all but pulled his husband out of bed. "Get up, somepony's here!" The foal smiled with relief as Adhesive darted off, just nodding as they got out of the wet clothing and quickly burrowed into the blankets. Circuit let out a groan, covering his head with his hooves.

"Tell them to go away, it's too late at night for visitors.."

"It's a foal, who came here looking for you, they're cold, wet and freezing to death." With that he grabbed the covers and hauled them off into the living room to pile onto the young foal to keep them warm. "What in Faust's name could possess you to come here in such conditions? Are you okay?" Circuit stirred at that, at first only because the blankets were gone but then because Adhesive's words finally hit him. He quickly got to his hooves, making his way to the living room in time to hear the foal's response.

"It's….It's a long story….I-I'm sorry for showing up here so late at night…." The green maned stallion wrapped a hoof around the mountain of blankets the foal was under, offering comfort.

"Hey, it's okay, see? Here comes Circuit, now what is it that you needed to come here so late at night to see him for? You can tell us, it's okay." The 'pegasus' nodded, trying to offer a comforting smile as he sat down on the other side of the unicorn. It honestly came out looking a bit more like a grimace, but it was the best he could do. The foal blinked at the two of them, letting out a little sigh as they brushed the pearly pink mane from their eyes.

"Well, I uh...Guess I should tell you who I am first..My name is Morning Dove and I'm ah...Your...Niece…" The last word was spoken through gritted teeth, almost as though it pained the foal to say it. The white stallion narrowed his eyes in confusion and looked over at Circuit for clarification.

"You never told me you had a… niece."

"I um...Didn't know I had one either…" Circuit glanced at Adhesive a moment before looking at the foal, nervously rubbing the back of his head. As far as he knew, none of his siblings had any children, though it wasn't like he kept very close tabs on them anyways…. "Er, which one of my siblings are you related to?"

"Golden Cross." Just hearing the mare's name made the gray stallion freeze up a bit, a little shudder passing through him. Of course, it had to be his least favorite sibling. His husband had a similar response, though his was more of confusion than anything else.

"That super religious chick who tried to break up our wedding? The one that Ebony basically took a bite out of?"

"That's the one…." Circuit spoke with another cringe, shaking his head a bit. "Can't believe she got married and had children...That uh...Still doesn't explain why you're here though..?" He turned his attention back to the foal, his gaze filled with a lot more mistrust this time as he regarded the unicorn. Morning cringed slightly, letting out a weary sigh.

"I was...I was hoping you could help me…"

"Of course we can help you, whatever it is, no offense to your family but they're nuts. And your mother is just a downright bi- Nevermind… She's not a nice pony mind you!" The mailstallion huffed slightly, but looked at the foal with no malice in his gaze.

"Wait wait wait, hold on, what kind of help are we talking about here?" The 'pegasus' huffed a bit, shooting his husband a look before turning his gaze back to the unicorn between them. "Like...Hide a dead body kind of help, or like, loan you some money kind of help? Because I'm not burying a dead body, not again…." The foal stared at him with wide eyes, slowly shaking her head.

"No no, nothing like I just ah….I-I was hoping you'd help me find a place to stay? Staying with my parents is uh...Not really an option anymore…" Adhesive furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Of course we can help you find a place to stay, but why can't you stay with your family? What happened? You don't have to say, it just might help us a little more though if you do." The foal bit her lip a bit, bright yellow eyes suddenly starting to fill with tears.

"Because...Because I'm not a mare!" Her quiet voice suddenly rose into a wail. "I'm not a mare and I never will be and they couldn't accept that!" Circuit started a bit at the sudden wail, quickly wrapping his hooves around the unicorn to try and comfort her-him before the wailing woke up Rainbow.

"For the love of…. Just a minute…" Adhesive muttered before going into the adjacent room and grabbing his son. He bounced the colt on his hip and brought him into the living room where he began to quiet and coo in happiness. "Hey, that's okay alright? Just because you were born a mare doesn't mean you are one. It's not your fault you were born into the wrong body, but that doesn't mean that you should have to hate yourself for it." The little baby in his arms stretched out his stubby baby hooves towards the other foal under the blankets and whined slightly. "I think he wants to say hi." The foal sniffled a little bit, slowly peering out from his hooves. He rubbed at his eyes a bit, smiling softly as he waved at the baby.

"Hi….I-I didn't know you two had a foal….What's his name..?" Circuit smiled a bit, unable to keep his chest from puffing out in pride as he reached out his hooves to take his son. He brought him closer to the unicorn, letting them properly look at each other.

"His name's Rainbow Brushstroke." Adhesive smiled brightly, watching the two interact with each other as if they were really siblings. At that moment the stallion made a decision.

"You're staying with us, end of discussion, you don't have to look anywhere else. This is your home now." Morning's head jerked up from watching the foal, his eyes wide as he blinked at him.

"O-oh no, I can't do that...Y-you two have a foal in the house, I don't want to inconvenience either of you.."

"No no, Adhesive is right. It won't be any trouble anyways, what harm could having another foal in the house do? Besides, Rainbow has already seemed to take a liking to you. I think he'd cry if you left now." Adhesive nodded.

"We can't let his big sibling go running off now can we?" The white stallion chuckled slightly and smiled down at the not mare… his brows furrowed. "..If you're not a mare that's okay, we understand right Circuit? But we are going to need to know your pronouns honey, we want you to feel comfortable okay?" Circuit nodded in agreement, trying to smile comfortingly at the unicorn. Though he still hadn't quite gotten the look he wanted, at least he didn't look constipated anymore.

"I um...I guess not..Wouldn't want to upset the little one, right?" Morning chuckled a little bit, gently patting Rainbow's head. The foal cooed happily, sticking one of the unicorn's hooves in his mouth to chew on. "I prefer male pronouns..You know, he, him, that kind of stuff…"

Adhesive nodded and looked over at the now dry bonnet and dress. His brows furrowed in thought before the stallion came to a decision.

"Well then, you won't be needing those anymore now, will you? I think we should get rid of them don't you?"

"Nothing would make me happier." The young colt let out a little relieved sigh, a little smirk spreading across his face. "Honestly, you can burn them for all I care. I never want to see that stupid bonnet again…" The gray stallion next to him let out a little snort, an amused look on his face. The mailstallion smirked to himself before balling the fabric up in one hoof and casting the hated garb, bonnet and all into the roaring flames. They all sat in silence for a few moments, watching the material burn into ash. Finally the green maned stallion looked over at the young colt wrapped in blankets and sitting in his living room. A large smile overcame his face as he softly murmured to the newest edition to the household.

"Welcome home."


The next morning slowly dawned on the household, Circuit and Adhesive slowly coming to consciousness the next morning as the sun shown through the windows. The first thing that they both realized was that there was a lack of crying, which had been what had woken them up every since Rainbow had come home. Circuit was the first to stumble out of bed, slowly making his way into the kitchen to see a black coated unicorn standing in front of the stove, using their dark blue magic to stir the potatoes frying in the pan while Rainbow happily cooed from within their hooves.

"Good morning. Glad to see you're finally awake, I was beginning to think you'd never get up. I hope you don't mind that I started on breakfast, it was the least I could do for you two since you've been so kind to me."

Adhesive rubbed his eyes and followed out behind his husband. Upon seeing the unicorn he blinked before smiling.

"Oh, we don't mind at all! Glad last night wasn't a dream." He said the last part mostly to himself though loud enough that if heard he wouldn't mind. To be honest, the prospect of having another colt in the house was a good feeling, Adhesive had always wanted to be a dad. Circuit soon staggered into the kitchen after Adhesive, simply giving the young colt a once over before reaching his hooves out for Rainbow. Morning quickly hoofed him over, the stallion trotting out once he had the brown foal in his arms. He was content to just go sit with Rainbow until the coffee was ready, then he'd ask questions.

His spouse automatically poured two cups, one black coffee and the other with cream and sugar. Wordlessly the mailstallion put the first cup in front of Circuit and sat down with the second before taking a sip and looking at Morning.

"Hey, that's pretty good, where'd you learn to make such a good cup of joe?"

"Ah..I was always responsible for making breakfast in the morning for my family, just sort of built the skill up overtime...I'm glad I did though, it's certainly come in handy." The colt smiled as he placed two plates full of food in front of them, putting salt and pepper and other things they might need for their breakfast before heading back to the kitchen to clean up. Circuit just muttered his thanks, still not fully awake yet as the coffee hadn't kicked in.

"Well, it's very good." He smiled brightly before taking another sip of the caffeinated beverage. Another beat later the sound of the front door opening went through the house along with a slam and quick hoofbeats. From the stairwell entered none other than the golden hybrid herself, Ebony.

"Morning slackers! What's shakin'?"

"We have another child." The gray 'pegasus' finally decided to speak clearly after downing his first cup of coffee, his words completely blunt and to the point. The mare blinked before looking into the kitchen and seeing Morning.

"Oh hey, I've got another nephew, that's awesome!" She flapped her wings in excitement and bounced on her hooves a bit.

"Nephew? I-I mean, um...Yes...Nephew…" Morning's voice trailed off slightly at the end, his brow furrowing a bit. It wasn't like he was upset about being called male or anything, the opposite actually, but he certainly wasn't expecting it. It wasn't like he really looked like a stallion, even with the bonnet and dress gone. He still had a rather long mane after all, along with the girlish figure to match. "Oh um...My name is…. Morning Dove...Are you Ebony?"

"That's correct, but you can call me Auntie Ebs if you'd like." Her brow furrowed and she cocked her head to the side. "You don't look like a Morning Dove to me… Especially with your aura being masculine…"

"Er...Right…It's the name I'm stuck with, I'm not a huge fan of it myself honestly..." The light maned colt muttered as he finished putting the plates away, wiping his hooves off. "Did you um...Are you really...Are the stories my mother told me true? Did you really rip out a chunk of her coat?" The mare chuckled at that comment.

"More than a chunk buster, as for your name. You do realize you can change it right? I mean, I have lawyers for that if you want… But seriously, your mother tried to break up these two's' wedding. That wasn't going to fly if I had anything to say about it, and I did." Ebony smiled softly before taking a spare mug of coffee off of the counter and sat down to drink it. Of course using magic to do it, why would she use her hooves? Morning stared at her for a few moments, slowly shaking his head. It was probably best if he didn't question it.

"I...R-really? I mean...It doesn't matter if it's too much trouble or something, it's just a name after all…" His voice petered out a bit at the end, quickly jumping to change the subject. "My mother said you were a demon. I-I mean, n-not that I think that or anything..You certainly don't look demonic…" The mare held up a hoof to silence the colt.

"I take no offense, I've been called worse and by worse ilk than Golden Cross. And no, I am not a demon, though many may compare me to such. I am a thousand and twenty-four years old as of nightmare night. My age has nothing to do with demonic arts, it is simply my genetics. The same can be said of how I knew you were male. My mother's kin see and distinguish between individuals via aura and pheromones. I see a certain ring around people and can recognize scents of individuals, much like cats or dogs. It is simply how I see things, as for your name, you are kin now and I do anything necessary for my kin. Welcome to the family nephew."

She took another sip, green eyes warm and kind in regarding the newest addition to the family.

"I….Right okay I think I'm going to go pass out now bye." Was all the unicorn managed to get out before he collapsed to the floor. Circuit blinked slowly, letting out a little snort as he got to his hooves.

"He'll be fine..Eventually."

"Did… Did I just cause your new son to pass out? On the floor?" Ebony asked.

"Looks like." Adhesive blanched before picking up the colt in his arms and walking him over into his and Circuit's bedroom and laying him onto the bed. "Goodnight." To finish off, the mail stallion gave the colt a soft kiss on the forehead. "...Son."