"Mama!" Baby Ribbon snuggled deeper into her mother's embrace. "Mama…oh Mama…I thought I'd never see you again."
Ribbon made no reply except she tightened her hold on her daughter, touching horns with her. A light aqua light illuminated for a moment. Baby Ribbon felt her mother's warmth spread through her whole body and soul again. She closed her eyes and leaned against her mother's front shoulder.
Ribbon let tears seep out of her eyes and nuzzled her daughter as close and firmly as she could. Her daughter made no rejection. If anything, she tried to push even closer. Ribbon wrapped her tail around her daughter's waist, as if to keep her from getting away.
Gusty and Baby Gusty had a similar reaction, which was rare, especially for those two. Gusty had never been one to reveal emotion and she had passed that trait onto her only child. But now, after so long and so many worries, they each gave no care.
Baby Gusty nuzzled into her mother's side and let her mother brush horns with her. She closed her eye as her mother's warmth spread through her. She felt her mother's strength. Her mother was the strongest, her mother was unbeatable. She finally felt safe.
The seven earthlings watched the reunions with teary eyes. Especially Sweetheart. But then Sweetheart had always had a soft spot for emotional revelations. But even Patch was looking misty eyed which was a shock because Patch was similar to Gusty in the fact that she hated to reveal emotion.
Bright Eyes enjoyed the sweet sight a moment and then her logical and scientific mind set to work. She was stunned by what she saw. She had thought that Gusta and Ribbons were exaggerating when they said that they looked like carbon copies of their mothers. But they had not been.
It was uncanny. The sole difference that Bright Eyes could see was a slight variation in coloring and size. She wondered how this would be dealt with once the girls were grown. They looked next to identical. Once grown, it would be hard to distinguish who was whom.
"Gusta, let me see your eye," Gusty remembered Ribbon's alert and pushed her daughter's mane aside.
A scar ran down her baby's eye, permanently sealing it shut.
"I'm okay, Mama…I'm okay." Baby Gusty stated as she saw the fear, anger, and guilt wash up in her mother's face. She nuzzled close again and said,
'I'm alright Mama, I'm used to it now."
"You shouldn't have to be used to it. Who did this to you? I'll teach them to hurt my daughter!"
"Bray, Mama."
"What?"
Baby Ribbon looked at her 'Aunt' Gusty and said,
"That's what I tried to get across to Mama." She looked at her mother. "Tambelon was close to appearing last time I signaled you. But it's there now."
"Bray wanted Baby Ribbon. I fought him off," Baby Gusty announced, and Ribbon and Gusty could not miss the slight tint of pride in her voice. Which she had every right to feel. Tambelon had haunted many of their dreams for weeks, the babies most of all. They still usually got nervous at the mention of the dreaded city that had almost been their end. For a child of Baby Gusty's age to face such a fear was a true sign of bravery.
Baby Ribbon spoke, "That's why we brought them with us." She pointed to their friends and their mothers first took note of the seven teenaged earthlings. Ribbon, the most sociable one stepped forward,
"Welcome to Dream Valley. Thank you for taking care of my daughter and Gusta."
The one with a pink body and yellow mane replied, "It was a privilege."
Starlight smiled, "allow me to introduce myself. I'm Starlight. These are my friends, Patch, Sweetheart, Melody, Bright Eyes, Clover, and Bon-Bon."
Gusta giggled, "And this is my Mama, Gusty. Ribbons' mom, Ribbon."
Ribbon said, "so how exactly did you get back here?"
Sweetheart almost answered but Ribbons said,
"Not yet. Can we go home first?"
Gusta turned to her mother, "they can stay with us right? They're the only ponies from their time who are probably free."
Gusty nodded, "Of course."
Ribbon intervened, "But I'm sure that this time will seem odd to them."
Bright Eyes spoke up, "It is a bit, I admit. But it's so beautiful here."
Baby Ribbon spoke, "we brought them with us until we can figure out how to free their time from Tambelon." The girl shuddered at the city's name and then said,
"Can we go home now?"
the two adult unicorns nodded and started to walk. Baby Ribbon was leaning against her mother with a desperate look in her eyes. Ribbon knelt and let her daughter climb onto her back. They traveled back to the Estate that way, Ribbon carrying her daughter. Baby Gusty trotting alongside her mother and the seven earthlings following, admiring the incredible scenery.
They had been raised to think that a place like this was legend and nothing more. But then unicorns were considered mythological too.
They no longer knew what was real and what was legend.