The Lost Element

by XD-385

Equestria has long been known as the land of ponies. However, the name of Equestria is misleading. For far too long, a certain element has been missing from the world. And now, that element has been brought back. But for better or for worse?

152. A Farewell to Sunny Shores

Our time in Cantercun continued. Day by day, almost nothing but good times. Good food, good company, good music, good scenery. But even times of times of relaxation can have moments of somber recollection. But while those moments were few and far between, they were also brief. A little love, friendship, and just being able to listen and support one another was enough.

I would have been happy to document more specifics about the rest of my stay in Cantercun, but the days just sort of blended together after the last one I documented. When you are somewhere just to relax and unwind after a stressful period, it eventually becomes a new kind of routine. And a routine is difficult to find anything to say about unless something happens to break up the monotony.

One thing that I can go into detail about is Silverstream. Every single day, she came to my side to offer her services for...just about anything I needed. I think she was just worried about me. And she would remind me every day that I was her best friend. I made certain to set aside enough time to spend a little of my day with her. We even got the whole family together to go check out the local seapony settlement just offshore. Even Sky Beak made for quite the majestic seapony stallion once we got one of those necklaces on him. And I made certain to not open my mouth that time while we were under the waves.

Silverstream would even find times to just be quiet with me. Usually when just holding me while we relaxed on the beach. I even though that something may have been wrong with her at first. I always found her comparable to Pinkie Pie at times. But only now and then instead of all the time. Pinkie Pie is wild, silly, and always looking for an opportunity to make someone laugh or smile. Silverstream is just a young lady who is eager to expand her horizons, learn new things, and make people happy. The way she would hold me, churring sweetly with her hand stroking my scalp...

She knew I had been hurt. And I am certain Silverstream was just trying to heal me whenever she did that. I can only pray she never truly witnesses the horrors of PTSD like I did. Under any other circumstances, she would have been correct in assuming I had mental scars that had not healed. Thank the heavens for the wonders of Equestrian medical magic and science. But I would always reward my wonderful friend with a session of scritches followed by a kiss on the forehead. And she would always puff up so happily after the latter.

As for the rest of my time there... There was one thing that became routine that is easy to remember and talk about. After the last night I documented, Celestia was never once seen wearing her royal regalia. Just being herself and living in that tropical land free of any royal responsibilities. Luna and Nightmare Moon even picked up on Celestia's new style and started leaving their black and pale blue attire behind in their rooms. Nightmare Moon looked especially stunning with how her pitch black coat contrasted with our bright tropical surroundings. As if she was a walking shadow. Then again, King Orbash stood out just as hard with his black coat of midnight. Nightmare Moon even caught me staring at times and would always respond with a smirk. While not the original intention, she was not above pleasing her one true love by leaving her elegant body bare for his eyes to enjoy. Every once in a while, we would slip away to where no one would see us. To just hold each other, share many kisses, and just be in love. Even if we could not truly be together, we would always belong to each other.

But it went beyond just that with my lovers down there in the idyllic tropics. Detached from our usual responsibilities and enjoying the simple life resulted in...our interests focusing on simpler pleasures. Good food and drink, but also...a focus on each other. Our libidos reached new heights with so few distractions. After that previous night, not a day went by without me being buried to the hilt inside one of my royal lovers.

Celestia. Novo. Rain Shine. Even Ember to some degree. All four of them found time to be with me. And we would all too easily begin to find our affections for each other becoming more amorous by the second. I loved them and they loved me. And with our interests having narrowed and simplified, what we wanted more than anything was each other. To love and be loved is a simple and beautiful thing. And there is no desire or pleasure more natural than a man and woman coming together to create offspring as a couple.

I would always be so loving and tender with my beloveds. And while not a constant, we would often find ourselves whispering a shared desire we both had. A desire for children. To become mother and father together. To build a family together. To create not just pleasure with each other, but to also create life. And those tender words of the purest desire possible would always invigorate me. To go above and beyond to bring my beloved to the peak of ecstasy.

Rain Shine especially... She never failed to tease my heart with such sacred words. Whenever we made love, she would inevitably whisper her hopes for a daughter. That I would bless her with the children she never had the chance to have. And that need burned hotly in my very soul as hers and mine danced together much as our bodies did. I could feel it in her. That emptiness. Fertile fields, but barren and bare. Rich soil that had never once produced bountiful harvests. All because no seeds had ever been sowed in it.

There was no woman there in my company that I wanted to have children with more than Rain Shine. It is in a kirin's nature to bear fruit. To bring precious foals into the world that are intrinsically connected to the beautiful earth itself. And I desperately wanted to be the one who would father that next generation of kirin fillies. If only Rain Shine's heat cycle had been in effect during our stay in Cantercun. I would have gladly insured that we would not return home without our first child growing in her womb. We were just so in love... So ready to grow an entire orchard of beautiful little blossoms together. If only fate was more on our side at the time.

Ember... My beautiful blue rose. How I wanted her. How I wanted her to feel just how much I love her. But we still had to maintain a certain distance. Although that did not stop us from giving pleasure to each other. And that lustful gaze in her eyes whenever she would masterfully pleasure my shaft with her tongue... She always took pride in making me feel so good. And I did the same. When my fingers were buried deep in her cloaca, she would hold me in any way she could. Beckoning me to continue until she would spasm and howl in climax. She had never known such love and tenderness from a man before me and I was honored to be the first and only.

I tried to not whisper my most heartfelt desires to her. I knew I should not pressure Ember too much too quickly. The concept of love and romance was something she was still coming to terms with. But perhaps twice during our moments of shared pleasure, she would whisper her hopes to me. Her hopes for the future of not just us, but her people. A future only her heirs could give them. Heirs that only I would sire.

To be a father of dragon children... A dream I have held for far too long. Perhaps for at least half of my lifetime. And for Ember to be the one who would bless me with that... To make a lifelong dream a reality... I was more than honored. I would whisper in turn to her. Promising my beloved that our children would be the brightest minds and beacons of hope for her people. Our sons and daughters... I can hardly wait to finally see them. With a mother as beautiful as Ember, just how precious would they be?

I could see it in her eyes. Ember wanted to say it to me. To say what would bind us forever. And yet she could not. But that did not stop her from skirting the edges of the topic. The very fact that she had asked me to not only sire, but raise and father her heirs was basically a very roundabout way of asking me to be her lifelong mate. Asking me to be hers without actually asking me to. What a strange case of mental gymnastics to dance around what her very genetics would demand her to do. But whatever the case... I think she merely mentioned such beautiful hopes as a means to help us both cope. To remind each of us that we were meant for each other. To ease the waiting. And it was working. I was always so happy to speak to her of my shared hopes with her. And my fingers would occasionally rub over hers. To imagine putting a ring on that finger. Would I ever be able to walk down the aisle with Ember for a more traditional wedding on our own terms? Good lord, she would look spectacular in a white dress...

Ember would distract me from such thoughts whenever my fingers rubbed along hers as if searching for something. She would wrap me up in her wings and hold my face before bringing her lips to mine. And our tongues would always dance. The subtle taste of sulfur on her breath always felt like an invitation. Like the sulfur contents of a match igniting something in me. We were so madly in love. So eager to be something more. Ember, my love... How much longer until we can truly belong to each other?

But at long last, our final night there in Cantercun ended. And I awoke in the embrace of my dear Celestia. Her body bare, I could see her still mane beginning to gradually waver again. And she awoke to gaze upon me with those vibrant eyes. "Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?"

"I don't think it's possible for me to sleep poorly in the embrace of someone so lovely." I replied before reaching out and placing a kiss upon her lips. Celestia groggily giggled with her wing pulling me into an embrace. She rested her head atop mine while I draped an arm over her. I wanted to spend my final night there with only her. I had hopped back and forth between Celestia, Novo, and where Ember and Rain Shine bunked together. Trying to insure they would get their times with me. And helping me get used to the practice of setting time aside for all of my beloveds. It sounds so daunting on paper, the art of polygamy. But with practice and experience, it quickly comes naturally if one has the capacity for it. And it is not just for me. It is for them. I want my beloveds to know the love of a husband. Even if legal reasons prevent us from standing before the altar together.

We were in no hurry to leave the bed. And so Celestia and I held each other for a while longer. To just be in love and detached from our responsibilities. I savored the presence of not the Princess of the Dawn, but the mare under the crown. My beautiful Celestia. My mare. And when the time finally comes, my wife. I whispered my deepest desires to her, "I just want to be your husband someday..."

"But James... You already are." Celestia said with a dreamy sigh. Her wing's grip tightened over me with her head gently nuzzling my head from above. She whispered so sweetly to me as her words tickled my heart. "You are the husband I thought I would never have. The man I love. The ring on your finger... The ring you placed on my horn... Isn't that enough, my love? You are my man and I am your mare. And someday... You will be the father of my children. We...will truly have a family that day. Not a royal family. Just...a family we made together."

There was no stopping a tear from sneaking out from under my eyelids. She was...just... My hand found its way to Celestia's belly. The father of her children... Father of the child that may very well be growing within her at that moment... I felt my beloved pull my head closer and into the crook of her neck with movements of only her jaw before whispering into my ear. "I love you. And I will always be your bride. I will always...be your wife. My husband. My king. My love. I'll always be yours, my sunshine. My only sunshine."

I wept with such joy. Buried my face into Celestia's neck as we embraced. Was that truly the life I had earned in Equestria? Could anyone have anticipated where life would have taken us on that fateful day when I was brought into that wonderful world for the first time? No. I strongly doubt it. Fate had surprised us all.

Minutes went by with my tears slowly drying. Even if Celestia was my wife in all but legal records, she was still the Princess of the Dawn. One who had probably done more for Equestria than any other person who had ever worn a crown. One who I admired in more ways than one. And I whispered to my future queen, "Dear... Even if I can't truly be your king... I would happily at least be your knight."

Celestia let out such a sweet giggle at my words. She nuzzled the back of my head while keeping my face tucked into her soft neck. All while she spoke to me, "Oh, don't be silly, my love. You're more than worthy of the crown. But you'll always be my knight in shining armor too. My sweet knight of few words... Oh my goodness, you really do make my mind race with those old stories. Where knights always look so stoic when on duty, but you never know what's going on under their helmets."

"Heh... I don't need that kind of discipline. I learned how to keep my words to myself a while ago on my own." I replied as the air finally became a bit more humorous. There was no time for tears in such a place. We should have been happy and laughing, not weeping. Even if the tears we shed were ones of joy.

We finally sat up in bed and took a moment to stretch. It was far too tempting to go right back to sleep. I cast a glance at Celestia while she was momentarily distracted and flexing her majestic wings. That vacation down there in Cantercun... It truly was a honeymoon for me in all but name. Novo. Rain Shine. Ember. But especially Celestia. It felt like we were truly sharing a bed as husband and wife for the first time. And while I already knew the answer, I still felt the need to ask. "You really think your parents would give us their blessings at the altar?"

Celestia suddenly glanced at me with a very amused smirk on her lips. "Really? Are you just being silly with me, dear? Of course they would. Father loves you as if you were his own flesh and blood. And... Well... I know you and Mother didn't get off to the best start. Goodness knows that was a harrowing day... But she loves you too. Even if she doesn't show it often. They would be honored to have you with us."

I cracked an even bigger smirk than hers as I said, "You're right. I was just messing with you. I already knew all that. I just...wanted to hear it from your own lips."

A snort escaped Celestia's nostrils as she finally folded her wings. She was not bothered. A little positive reinforcement is never a bad thing. But while she went to the bathroom, I headed out onto the patio beyond the sliding glass door at the far end of her room. We always used the hot tub together whenever we shared a night in her room. But at that moment, I just wanted to gaze out at the tropical vista one last time.

What a view. I could hear the distant crashing waves. I leaned on the railing and just let my mind wander. And it kept wandering to the same desires that such a beautiful and simple environment tends to bring. Good food. Good drink. Good scenery. And good company. Very...intimate company. And what that company...can create.

I rested a hand over my heart. Why was my mind drifting to that thought so often when it was allowed to wander? I kept thinking about those I love. How much I love them. And how dearly I wanted to...create with them. To be more than just a lover. More than a husband. I felt such a profound desire to become a father. I wanted to see my children smiling in the arms of their wonderful mothers. To hold them in my arms. And to see them grow and love the world of Equestria in the same way I did. To spend their childhoods in a world I did not discover until long after mine was over. I wanted to become a father...so that I could give my children the life I did not get the opportunity to experience.

I tried to let my mind wander to different topics, but it kept being dominated by the desires of my heart. To share good food and drink with my friends and loved ones...which shifted to thoughts of being only with my dearly beloveds. To love...and make love together. And if their bodies would allow it... We would make life together. It was a primal desire, to be sure. And yet...a fulfilling and warm desire that filled me with the urge to find one of my lovers and hold them tightly. Just to tell them I love them and that I am so happy to have them.

Someone finally joined me on the deck. Celestia emerged from her room and wisely lowered the blinds at the sides of the deck to prevent anyone on the other patios outside other VIP hotel rooms from seeing us together. She stepped up beside me without a word and gazed out at the horizon. I faintly turned my head to look at her while she also glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. My beloved spoke softly, "We had a wonderful time, didn't we?"

"Yeah... And we really needed it." I replied with a soft sigh. I found myself reaching out to Celestia and draping an arm across her back with a hand resting on her shoulder. We stepped closer and gently leaned against each other. I closed my eyes and tilted my head her way while she did the same. The sides of our brows touched. And I whispered to my beautiful sun queen. "I love you."

"And I love you." Celestia said with just a whisper. And we stood there with all four of our other senses taking in what was around us. The touch of a gentle tropical breeze. The distant sound of ocean waves. The scents of wildflowers positioned around the resort. But with my eyes closed, my mind drifted off to those wonderful fantasies And my hand began to slide back and down Celestia's body. My fingers caressed the side of her belly. Slender and strong, but would hopefully soon begin to expand outward. Celestia giggled at my touch and said, "Be patient, dear. I'm eager to meet them too."

"I can't help it, Celestia... It's just... I don't want to sound obsessed, but..." I sighed as my eyes finally opened to meet my beloved's gaze. And it was there that the words became lodged deep in my lungs. I could not begin to explain what was happening in my heart.

Celestia could see the uncertainty in my eyes. She then whispered to me, "James, what's wrong? Why so nervous?"

There was no walking away from that conversation. And perhaps I should not have been so nervous to speak of it to a mare who was very happily carrying my child at the time. At least I hope she was. "I don't know what it is about this place... Just being able to think without concerning yourself with responsibilities... But my mind keeps going back to the same place. Just...thinking about loving you and them... And...letting us find love and...build a family together. To...have children together."

She was blushing. I am sure she was trying not to, but Celestia's wandering gaze and the growing pink in her cheeks told me enough. "James, that's a wonderful desire. Why would you be embarrassed about that?"

"Because...I can't stop thinking about it. Is that normal for a man? To...want to raise a family with his lovers?" I asked with growing uncertainty. It may have been the first time that being alone with my most sincere desires became a source of unease in me.

Celestia sighed as the blush in her face began to recede. And she only remained silent in thought for a moment before she found an answer. "I think...being in situations like this... Where you can just be true to yourself and away from the routines you're used to... It lets you think about what truly matters to you. And from the sound of it... I think you're just a father at heart, James. To want to bring children into this world...and to raise them? To see them be happy? That's a beautiful desire. Even if you're thinking about it this often, I don't see why that's a bad thing. And of course... You won't be doing it alone. You want to do so out of love. With your mares. And...I'd be honored to pursue that dream with you. Like we did already."

My eyes traced down Celestia's body to one specific point. The spot between her ribcage and her flanks. Right there in her womb... I knew there was a distinct possibility a foal was in the earliest stages of development. Our first child. I pondered what that meant for me before turning my gaze back to meet Celestia's eyes. And I realized something that only made me more grateful about...everything. Everything that had happened to me since the very instant I found myself in the world of Equestria. "I never would've experienced a life like this if I was still back home on Earth. I wouldn't have this... I wouldn't have someone like you...or them. I... I wouldn't even have had Gladesong by now. And I don't think I ever would have. I would never have known the joy...of having a family of my own."

The Princess of the Dawn gazed into my eyes as her smile faded. But not from disappointment. Her eyes even widened just a little before she spoke softly to me. "I couldn't have known... When Luna and I brought you to our world that day... I didn't realize. I didn't know that I was...saving you at the time. That I was giving you a life you most likely wouldn't have ever found in a world like that."

She held me. I was wrapped in both of Celestia's wings as she rested her head on my shoulder. "Oh, my darling sunshine... I believe you when you say you would have never found there what you have here. And I'm honored to be part of the life you've found. I'm honored I could do for you what you've done for us."

All I could do was sigh and hold her while she held me. Celestia would never truly understand. And she did not need to. She would never know what I would never have found in the world of my birth. And I have no regrets in leaving it behind. I spoke with a whisper into her ear, "Thank you. For all that you've given me just by bringing me here."

"Luna and I only laid the foundation, my love. Everything else that happened... I'm glad I was at least the catalyst for it." Celestia said as she nuzzled her head up against mine. We stood there for a minute while being caressed by the warm breeze of the tropics. The vague scent of the sea was being carried on a wind coming from the east. But she then whispered to me with a cheekier tone, "But if your mind has been going back to what you want most... Can you guess where my mind has been drifting off to ever since I stopped wearing all of my usual golden attire?"

Now it was my turn to let Celestia speak what was in her heart. And my mind began to ponder. What does my beloved sun queen think about most often? Adventures free of the crown's burden? Drowning herself in gourmet cakes? The answer I heard in my ear had nothing to do with that. Celestia, her voice laced with love, whispered to me. "Being your wife."

I tensed up in unbridled joy. What could I even say to that? As I pondered a response, Celestia lifted her head from my shoulder and looked into my eyes with such a sincere smile. "I've been thinking about what it would be like...to just leave it all behind. To go home with you. A home in the countryside. Just...being in love. Raising a family together. Fillies and colts who would know the simple things in life and know what it means to live and think like the commoners we live amongst. Especially...with Novo there with us. Her and I...and you. Being yours. And you being ours. It just...makes me weak in the knees imagining the life we could have..."

There was no restraining myself by then. I pulled my beloved into a wonderful kiss. To show her how much I loved her. And when that kiss ended, I could see wistful tears beginning to stream down Celestia's face. While I was alarmed, she never quite burst into sobbing. Even her smile did not entirely fade. "This whole princess thing... Sometimes I love it. And other times, I hate it. I love seeing my world being kept on the right track. Doing for my world what others can't. But some days... I just want to run away. But I didn't know where to run to."

My body tensed up again as Celestia tightened the embrace of her wings around me. Even with her face stained with tears, she spoke to me with a smile. "But now... I know exactly where to run to. If I ever do run away, it'll be right into your arms. Because I'm yours. Forever."

"Celestia... Please. Don't ever change, all right? And don't ever run away from the crown. The entire reason this world is the way it is... The reason Equestria is the world that's given me what I have is because you and your sisters guided it to where it is today." I said most sincerely as my hand caressed my beloved's cheek. It was all a moment of weakness. I too have had doubts once in a while. But ignoring such doubts in the end was always the right choice.

The Princess of the Dawn sighed with a very relived smile on her lips. As if she heard what she needed to hear. "I know... And I won't. It was exhausting...being the only one for a thousand years. You could never understand. But with Luna...and Nightmare Moon... And then with Mother and Father at our sides... I swear it's almost gotten...fun at times. They don't just make it bearable. They make it...enjoyable. The crown does become overbearing at times, but...I really...don't want to let it go. I know what this world needs. And I know what I'm good at. It's just a weird love-hate relationship with the whole thing, you know?"

"I can't imagine how much more bearable it becomes to rule when you're not alone in the endeavor. Even where I come from, I'm sure there have been governing powers that have developed genuine friendships with each other. To be not only allies and associates, but also friends... That's a world everyone in a position of power should strive for, right?" I asked in return as I pondered such a mindset. I was certain that even in a world as blighted as my own, there had been times when presidents, prime ministers, kings, and everything in between had genuinely admired each other during the times they personally met. Even in a world like Earth, camaraderie and friendship was possible and had happened between world leaders.

Celestia happily replied, "It really does. Don't even get me started on Novo. Diplomatic relations between Capricorn Island and mainland Equestria have always been stellar. I've made many friends with those who govern around the world. Some fade in time while others take their place, but there are those as ageless as me. Or just very long-lived. Friendship really does make everything better."

"That's what Equestria is all about, right?" I replied before holding my beloved in my arms again. Celestia let out such a sigh as she almost slumped into my arms. Like the weight of the world had been momentarily been taken off her shoulders. Feeling such weight now being placed upon me, I whispered kind words to her. "Don't ever give up. Not when the night and dreams are with you. And while the sun and moon give you counsel on everything."

"Wow... That was poetic, my love. I'll have to remember that one." Celestia giggled before she found her strength again and finally released me from her embrace. It was good to see her back in high spirits now that we would be returning to our familiar surroundings. The two of us took one last look at the vista beyond the patio before heading back indoors. We only had a matter of hours left by then.

A hot shower together fixed us both up. And I assisted Celestia in drying her mane and tail without requiring a trip to a hairdresser. She had the idea to let me hold them taut like a flag before using her heat magic to instantly dry them. That resulted in them regaining their constant ethereal wavering properties without becoming an unkempt and poofy mess.

While I got dressed, I watched as Celestia almost reluctantly began to place her golden regalia back onto her body. One shoe at a time followed by her elegant peytral. She sighed in contentment, "Back to the old grind... And here I was getting used to being rid of these things."

"Are they really that uncomfortable to wear?" I asked while wondering if I had ever asked that before. I do not think I have. Not to her or even her sisters.

"No, not at all! They're completely comfortable in general. I was just...happy to be rid of them for a while." Celestia laughed while bringing her crown before her with a levitation spell. She gazed upon it with a contemplative scowl. Only for it to be replaced by quite an interesting smirk. Celestia then had her crown float over to me and asked, "Actually... James? Why don't you do the honors?"

This perplexed me. While I did take that golden circlet into my hands, I did not know where she was going with that. Why me? "Huh? Me? Why? Does this thing give you trouble when you try to get it back over your horn?"

Celestia responded with a very amused smirk before she held her head high. She then asked with an unusual haughty tone in her voice, "My love, are you saying you won't crown your queen?"

Wow, she got me good there. I stammered and stuttered while Celestia also failed to keep a straight face. I cleared my throat before holding the crown between us in a more dignified fashion. My resolve gathered, I played along with her little game. "In that case... As king, would you grant me the honor of granting you the privilege of reigning beside me as queen, my dear Celestia?"

"It would be an honor, your majesty. Crown me. And let us guide Equestria into a golden age not seen in eons." Celestia spoke with such a regal tone that sounded more like something I would have heard out of her mother. I slowly and meticulously lowered her crown onto her head while being very mindful to not let the front touch the back of her horn. It soon rested perfectly atop her head amongst that beautiful billowing mane of aurora patterns. Celestia then lost that regal facade and spoke with a chuckle. "Seriously though, I just love you so much."

"Likewise, my dear. I mean... I love you too." I did not quite let go of that equally regal tone in time. At least I got a quick laugh out of my beloved. Our lips touched again, savoring just one last kiss before we would have to run off for our final breakfast brunch out on the dining patio. She would need to eat well now that she was...

I was suddenly reminded of what we had done roughly a week earlier. And I found myself sliding my hand down Celestia's back and to her side. She sighed longingly, knowing exactly what I was implying. I asked softly, "How have you been feeling? Any discomfort? Cramps? Anything?"

Celestia looked back at her lower body with a puzzled scowl. "Hmmm... No, not really. I don't feel any different from usual. But it may be too soon... I don't know what it's like being pregnant. Never had the chance to experience it before."

My hand rested on the side of Celestia's belly while I though back to my own experiences in the act of building a family. It took three attempts for Fluttershy and I to be blessed with Gladesong. Was it possible that our attempt just days ago resulted in nothing? If so, what was the factor that decided whether or not a child would be produced with our lovemaking? It was an answer no one had at the time. All I could do was sigh and pray in my heart. "If all else fails... We can just try again next time."

"I hope that won't be the case. I'm ready, dear. Truly... I hope it takes." Celestia cooed before reaching out and kissing me on the cheek. I turned my gaze to hers and found Celestia smiling at me with such hope in those beautiful eyes. "I want us to be a family for real, James. You. Me... And especially Novo. She'll be devastated if she never has the chance to raise a family with her new king."

"When it happens, it happens. Right? Just...need to keep trying if it doesn't. No protection or caution... Just let it all come naturally..." I said with a faint hint of humor in my heart. No caution in the bedroom always results in the most enjoyable nights between lovers. Perhaps there was a silver lining after all.

Our time at the dining patio was like many times before. Noisy and happy times with such a succulent buffet to indulge in. Luna and Nightmare Moon had returned to wearing their full sets of royal attire. We would be heading home in a matter of hours and they were getting back into the habit of wearing them. I was sandwiched between Celestia and Novo at the table. The proud future king of two wonderful queens who had been best friends for eons. They chatted with each other more than they did with me, but probably because they knew I had fewer words to say.

One thing I noticed was that some of those at the table were staring their day with mimosas for a drink. And I was mindful of what Celestia and Novo brought to the table. Not once did they partake in alcoholic beverages. They knew better than to consume even one drop. But I also noticed Ocean Flow abstaining from such drinks. And I was reminded of what Sky Beak told me while sharing a few drinks at the beachside bar.

Had they succeeded? Had the stallion who had become a father to me truly sired a third child with his wife? It was such a strange paradox. Both me and my father were trying for children with our beloveds simultaneous. That will surely result in some strange age gaps with our kids... But since when has Equestria not been weird to people from a world as mundane as Earth?

Curiosity got the better of me. I had to know if they succeeded. I watched and planned my movements. And once the breakfast rush winded down, I followed the two lovers out into the lobby. I then approached and said, "Hey there. Almost time to head home, right? We had a good run."

My feathery father and his wife responded with cheerful and happy words. Just small talk to ease them into a more serious topic. Once I was certain the tie was right, I spoke more quietly as I asked Ocean Flow directly, "By the way... I heard that you two are...trying for another kid?"

Ocean Flow's eyes widened before she looked at her husband while he playfully averted his eyes like he was distracted by something on the ceiling. She then asked playfully, "Sky, what have you been telling everyone?"

"Heh, I have no idea what you're talking about dear. I've only let one person in on things and only because I can trust him to keep it between us." Sky Beak replied before winking at me with a big grin on his beak. He then asked me, "Isn't that right, my boy?"

"It is. I think the only other person who might be wise to what you two have been up to is Novo, but she's just insightful like that. I haven't said a peep to anyone about...you and your family planning." I explained while Ocean Flow did not look annoyed with the two of us at all. Perhaps she really did trust me with keeping a secret. Which I definitely can.

Ocean Flow giggled rather excitedly before she said, "Just be sure to not tell the kids at least. We want to surprise them."

It was then that I needed to ask the most important question of all. I leaned closer and whispered, "About that... Hasn't it been maybe a week since you tried? Have you noticed anything? Any symptoms?"

Sky Beak and Ocean Flow momentarily lost their smiles as they carefully glanced about. They were being careful to keep any news between us. Once it was clear no one was within earshot, they smiled while Ocean Flow leaned closer to me to let out a whisper. "I just had my first case of morning sickness today."

There was only one thing I could do. I stepped between the married couple and put an arm around each of them. I felt myself become more tense than I should have been. And I said with a gentle whisper. "Congratulations."

They responded in kind with a winged embrace. I was held by the two of them while they held me. Sky Beak then reassuringly whispered, "You'll be an amazing big brother, my boy. I just know it. Don't worry about back then, all right?"

"Right... I know. I'll be expecting new in eleven months. That's how it is for equines, right?" I replied with Sky Beak's concerns being not entirely correct. I was apprehensive about how I would fare being a big brother for the second time. But the true cause of my tension was... I suppose it was just jealousy.

I saw Sky Beak and Ocean Flow off with a smile, but my heart was suddenly fearful. They had succeeded... But what about Celestia and Novo? It had been roughly a week since we first tried, give or take a day. Exactly the same amount of time since the night Sky Beak revealed to me the secret endeavor between him and Ocean Flow. And if she was experiencing morning sickness... Then they had succeeded. Ocean Flow was now with child.

But then...why not them? Why had Celestia and Novo not displayed any symptoms yet? Novo especially would be devastated if our multiple attempts did not take. The wonderful queen of Capricorn Island had already gone far too long without the chance to have a family again. Skystar grew up an figuratively left the nest a very long time ago. Novo had not known the embrace of a husband. Or the joy of motherhood in the company of the man who would father her children. Had we...failed? And if so, then why? What could have prevented our attempts from bearing fruit?

I did all I could to push that growing angst in me aside. It would not do to leave for home with all that relaxation being overwhelmed by something much more negative. I prayed silently to myself. Even if we did fail, there would always be next time. And even then, maybe our attempts had taken root. Not every pregnancy plays out the same. All we could do was wait. And I was in the mood for a swim.

Once I was out on the beach, I got daring and went for a swim in the ocean instead of the pool. The waves were delightfully warm as I rose and fell with them Seaponies frolicked around me. One even popped up beside me. But she was a little different from the rest. "Hi, James! One last swim in the ocean before we go home?"

Of course Silverstream would find me somewhere. Not a day went by without her coming to my side for a while. I smiled at my younger friend and said, "Yep. I just wanted to take one more dip in the ocean before we head back. I rarely get to see the sea at all."

Silverstream reached out and touched her nose to mine for a friendly boop that got us both chuckling. She then started to turn around like a seal bobbing in the waves and said, "Wanna go for a ride? Just leave all the swimming to me!"

"Sure! Just be sure to keep my head above water. I didn't even bring goggles this time." I replied before putting my arms around my friend from behind. And like that, we were off. Silverstream swam swiftly ahead with the speed of a dolphin while keeping herself right at the surface. Probably as close as I would ever get to riding a jet ski in Equestria. Silverstream had mastered her aquatic form by then, weaving around those swimming on the surface. And it ended rather amusingly with Silverstream outright beaching herself. She dove right into the soft soaked sand at the shoreline with me right on top of her. Without the buoyancy of seawater keeping me up, Silverstream let out a grunt as my full bodyweight pushed the wind out of her. "Haha, you all right there?"

"Ha! That was fun! But wow, you're a lot heavier outta the water!" Silverstream laughed while I rolled off of her. With no legs, wings, or even fingers on her hands by then, it would be tricky for her to turn herself around to get back in the sea. Unless she planned on using the necklace around her neck to go from dolphin to bird horse. But she surprised me with a different request once I started to get back on my feet. "Hey, wanna carry me to the pool?"

"You wanna be my catch of the day again? Sure." I said with a snicker as I carefully scooped my silly friend up into my arms. She then got her arms around my neck to keep her slick slippery body from sliding out of my arms. She was nowhere near as slick as a fish with slimy scales, but that smooth dolphin flesh was very smooth on its own. As I carried my friend across the beach to get to the showers, I felt something upon my cheek. A little kiss provided with soft lips instead of a beak. Before I could even ask why she would do that, Silverstream spoke with a slightly more somber tone. "We're going home today, right? I'll miss you. I wish you could come by more often, but... You know. Big island way out in the middle of the ocean and all that."

I had nothing to say at first. Silverstream was right. Capricorn Island was hundreds of miles off the western shore of the continent. It took almost a full day of nonstop flight to reach it last time. There was just no quick and easy way to get to or from that little slice of paradise in the middle of the sea. And I found myself scowling at this reminder. "I'll figure something out. I need to."

Silverstream perked up with her eyes widening in intrigue. I glanced at her while she asked with a smile, "You will? Does that mean we'll be seeing you again soon? At my place?"

"I... Don't get me wrong, I really would love to see Capricorn Island again. And I really should too. I got family out there. And... Because of..." I explained before I looked over yonder to peek over the crowds between us and our entourage's outdoor VIP accommodations. I could see Novo basking in the sun on a long beach chair. Just the sight of my beautiful queen was enough to make my heart pine for her. "I need to come out there regularly for someone special. Someone who needs me. It would be wrong to...not see her regularly."

After only a few seconds, Silverstream placed another kiss upon my cheek. I cracked a crooked grimace as I was left confused over her excessive affection. I had received more than a few kisses from her already, one or two upon my lips even, but this seemed a bit much. Silverstream then rested her brow against the side of my head and said softly, "I need you too. You're my best friend, you know?"

It felt like such an honor to be called that by such a sweet little lady of a beautiful bird horse. Not that it had been the first time. I glanced at my friend out of the corner of my eye and said, "You better believe I'll make time to come see you and your folks every visit. My times on Capricorn Isladn wouldn't be compelte without me seeing my pretty bird at least once."

Such a sweet giggle rumbled in my friend's throat. Silverstream then spoke cheerfully, "Yep! I'll always be your pretty bird. And I'll always be your favorite fish too!"

"Don't you mean...my catch of the day?" I retorted as we both broke down into uneven snickering. Silverstream just had a way of making me smile. I finally got us to the outdoor showers and let some of that fresh water flow over us. Mostly just to get all that sand off us before we could get to the pool. And once I carried my aquatic friend over to the pool, quite a few eyes fell upon me. Or rather the creature I was carrying in my arms. Sunflare and Orbash were in the pool at the time and glanced up with me with bemused stares. I looked down at said, "I caught a big one. She's a beaut, right?"

"Ha! I'd say so! We should put this one on your mantelpiece back home!" Orbash laughed while his wife cast him quite the cockeyed scowl. Silverstream even played along and went completely limp in my arms like a big tuna fish I had carried to shore. At least until she tapped the necklace on her neck and was engulfed by that swirling flash of golds and purples. An instant later, my silly friend had gone from a slick dolphin fish to a fluffy feathery mare. Only for Orbash to then say, "Or would you rather prefer poultry?"

"Wha...?" Silverstream mumbled as we all just gave Equestria's goofy king some very weird looks. All this did was get him laughing while Sunflare swatted him over the back of her head with a soaked wing. My friend then said, "Wanna put me down? I don't wanna get my feathers all wet and something tells me I shouldn't be swimming in the pool as a seapony. Seaponies swim in the sea and in lakes, not pools. Right?"

"Yeah, goodness knows whatever the stuff in that water will do to your gills. Best stay out of there if you have fins." I retorted before carefully setting my fluffy friend down. She then went trotting off for the game corner for a game of darts with Terramar and Skystar. With only a few hours to go before it was time for us to start packing our bags, I made my way over to the bar to savor a few drinks and maybe a few snacks.

Time went by. Laughs were had and I spent a good deal of time just listening and watching. For me, there was little to say as I only wanted to spend the remainder of my time in Cantercun taking in the sights. I even retrieved my DSi from my room to start taking photos of everything and everyone after swapping into some dry clothes. Just so I could snap photos for the memories. There was a certain melancholy in my heart. I knew I was going to be a little depressed for a day after I got home. Especially with that miserable autumn weather around me. I would have to remember to dress the part once we were back in Canterlot. I did still have the clothes I was wearing when I first got there.

Some hours later in the middle of the afternoon, the last call was made. I returned to my room with Novo to finish packing up all my stuff. Every last one of the souvenirs I had purchased were already aboard the Olympia somewhere. As I packed up my goods, I noticed Novo did not have all that much to bring back with her. Aside from one of those seapony necklaces in her hand. I pointed at it and said, "How many of you are bringing those home?"

"This? I heard everyone in Sky Beak's family picked one up except for him. Skystar's got one too. As for me..." Novo replied before giving me such a sultry smirk. My eyes widened as I recalled exactly what happened the first time she ever tried out that necklace's magic. "How can I not take something like this for keeps when I make one sexy mare of the sea? Doesn't daddy think his bird of paradise is an equally hot mermaid mama?"

"Novo, why do you have to be so sexy all the time?" I snickered while trying to keep my libido in check. We had made love more than once with Novo assuming the form of a seapony during our stay. Her smooth and slick dolphin flesh in that form was so satisfying to hold and caress.

My beloved sauntered up to me and kissed me right upon the lips. She then gazed at me with those beautiful eyes and said, "Did you forget, honey? When it comes to you, I'm always horny. And this mama always wants to look sexy for her man."

All I could do was embrace Novo at that moment. What a woman. Such brazen confidence. Anyone else might be misjudged as some kind of slut, but Novo made her sultriness come off as dignified. There was only one man she would ever raise her tail feathers for. My beautiful queen then looked into my eyes, "You got everything you wanted out of this trip, baby? Got all the souvenirs you were hunting?"

"Yep. But...there's one I'm especially happy I found." I replied as I felt a special kind of joy bloom in my heart. I slipped out of Novo's embrace and moved beside her. My hand slid down her side and cradled her belly. Right under her womb. "This... This right here is the souvenir I'm most proud of bringing home with us."

"And you didn't have to spend a single bit on it." Novo chuckled before she looked back at me. Her sultry gaze was soon replaced by one that was much more sincere. A loving hopefulness filled her eyes as my gaze met hers. "They'll love you. They all will. Just give me another week and I'll get the results to you right away. You'll be the first to know, honey."

I could not resist the urge. I stepped back up to Novo so we could embrace gain. A wistful and silent embrace as we held each other. Not as mere lovers, but as mother and father. We were so desperate to finally have a child together... To have a baby and be a family for real. And someday... To hopefully be able to walk down the aisle together. Novo would find a way around the law to make it happen. I knew she would. Being her beloved and the father of her children was not enough for me. I needed to find a way to become Novo's husband as well.

Another sad truth dawned on me. Novo and I were reunited in the lobby of that hotel. And very soon... We would have to part ways. I whispered to my beloved, "Is this...goodbye then?"

Much to my surprise, Novo pulled her head way from me so she could look right at me. And she was wearing such an amused smirk. "Huh? Really, James? You think I'd say goodbye to you before I could spend a little time with your baby girl back in Ponyville? This mama bird ain't going home until she can see her sweet little girl, all right? The Alabaster will be making a stop in Canterlot to refuel. Just so we can have an excuse to swing on by Ponyville on the way home."

Of course Novo would pull some strings just so she could see Gladesong. Novo may not have been the one to give birth to my firstborn child, but she loved her all the same. What a magical first encounter that was to see. I found myself smiling now that I knew Novo and I would not be parting ways just yet. "They'll all be happy to have you there, dear. You're always welcome in my home."

"Just like the rest of our family is welcome in mine. You and little Fluttershy or any other lovely lady of your wanna come over to my place? All you have to do is knock." Novo giggled before we finally released each other. The somber sensations in my mind quickly made way for relief now that I knew Novo and I would not be parting ways just yet. She then winked at me and said, "Besides, Skystar always wanted to travel, right? Why not let her see cozy little Ponyville for the first time?"

"Right, she'll be there too. And... Oh my god, Sky Beak's entire family will... Wow. Fluttershy is totally not going to be expecting so many guests. I hope she can handle it." I retorted as I felt a surge of apprehension. We would be having so many guests. Sky Beak had already met my family and become acquainted with who was essentially his granddaughters, but now Gladesong would be meeting her grandmother too? What about Silverstream and Terramar? It was just too to take in. Although I did force myself to relax as I said, "I'll just...cross that bridge when we get there."

"Good idea, honey. We're not gonna start trouble. Just say hello and be good guests. And I'll keep your little girls occupied so you can catch up on lost time with your first mare." Novo replied before kissing me between the eyes. She then added, "Just remember. Don't tell anyone about...our little prince. Or Celestia's. Just in case. It's a bad idea to count your chicks before they hatch."

It was a dark reminder that both Novo and Celestia may very well have not been carrying my children at the time. Ocean Flow was already showing some of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. But I pushed those doubts out of my head. No. It had to have taken. We tried many times during our time there while the opportunity was present. And we were ready. All I could do was nod in agreement. "Right. It wouldn't be good to get everyone's hopes up for nothing."

After one last check, I had my suitcase ready to go and rolled it out to the lobby with Novo going on ahead. I took one last look around the lobby as it became busier and noisier. Some vacationers were leaving, others were just arriving, and others were in the middle of enjoying their time there. I let out a long sigh as I mentally bid farewell to Cantercun for the second time. "It was a good time... And it's always sad to leave."

I made my way out and towards the airship docks along the seaside. Our entourages were all gathering along the stone walkways with the guardsmen of Equestria and Capricorn Island boarding their respective airships. And Silverstream was the first to spot me coming. She swooped my way on her wings to happily greet me. I thought she was just going to say goodbye, but it was quite the opposite. "James! Guess what! We're not going home yet! We're gonna stay the night in Canterlot! We can hang out there for a while!"

"Yeah, that's what I was told. Ready to see the fanciest city in the world? Just don't mind all the snobs there. The Canterlot elite give the place a bad rep." I replied as I was suddenly embraced by that silly pretty bird. I had been a guest in her homeland, but now it was her turn to see mine. And I was admittedly excited about it. I then added, "And that means we don't have to say goodbye yet."

"Nope. And I don't wanna say goodbye anyway." Silverstream added as I felt her embrace tighten. That silly little lady was clinging to me like an apron, her six limbs wrapped around me. She nuzzled the side of my head and said, "I missed you sooooo bad when you went home last time. I missed your scritches, I missed your smile, I missed...you just sitting there and listening to me talk."

"Awww, I didn't mean to make you upset. And I do like listening to you talk." I replied while actively nuzzling the side of my head against hers. I then added an extra dose of sweetness to my words. "You are nice to listen to. You have such a pretty voice."

"Eeheehee, I guess I do! We hippogriffs are pretty good singers most of the time. I guess it just comes naturally to us being a bunch of songbirds!" Silverstream giggled as she began to rather aggressively nuzzle my head. Almost like she was trying to outdo my own nuzzling. And she was right. Every hippogriff, griffon, and harpy I have heard up to this time of writing sounded pretty nice on the ears. Except for Lix Spittle and Squabble. They are definitely exceptions to the norm.

I ended up carrying Silverstream right over to the docks where the Alabaster was floating at its moorings. Silverstream's family looked like they were waiting for her to come back before heading up the gangway. Terramar was the first to speak, sounding equally excited as his sister. "James! It sounds like we're gonna stop by Canterlot before we fly home. That's where you live, right?"

"Close. I live in Ponyville right under it. You can see them from each other." I replied while setting Silverstream down. Although I then took note of the higher elevation of Canterlot and asked, "Just to check, do you hippogriffs mind the cold much? I'm sure it's chillier up in Canterlot than it is down in Ponyville."

It ended up being a pretty dumb question, what with Capricorn Island reaching even higher elevations than the mountain Canterlot was built on. Ocean Flow giggled as she said, "I don't think we have anything to worry about when it comes to that. Our feathers are good at regulating our body temperatures. Keeps us warm in winter and keeps us from overheating in summer."

"I don't know why I even asked that..." I muttered in annoyance with myself. Before anything else could be said, we heard Seaspray call down from the deck of the Alabaster for the last call to board. Knowing I should not keep them, I reached out and gave my feathery extended family a hug goodbye one by one. "Guess that's your cue. I'll see you all in Canterlot, all right?"

"Count on it, my boy. Have a safe flight." Sky Beak replied while also giving the side of my head a nuzzle. I began to make my way over to the dock beside the noble form of the Olympia with my luggage rolling behind me. I could only hope I was not keeping anyone waiting.

I was greeted by an unexpected sight once the gangway for the Olympia came into view when I stepped out from behind the floating Alabaster. Ember and Rain Shine were waiting at the end of it with Novo at their sides as well. Just chatting each other up as friends? The Queen of Capricorn Island, the Dragon Lord, and the chieftain of the Grove of Silence. Three mighty leaders of their different species of people. And as I approached, Rain Shine was naturally the first to detect my presence. She turned to face me as her crimson eyes lit up. "Just in time. You're the only one left, my dear."

I felt so welcomed in the presence of Rain Shine's aura. Ember and Novo looked my way with equal joy on their faces. The queen of Capricorn Island spoke first. "Did you get lost on the way over, honey? I could've had old Seaspray escort you."

"Nah, I didn't get lost. Just got...sidetracked with saying goodbye to this place. It's always...sad to leave, you know?" I replied while trying to not make myself look all that upset. I did not want to worry anyone. And I was kind of dreading returning to that autumn gloom back up north.

"You're feeling down in the dumps? We can't have that. Get over here, baby. Mama knows how to fix that." Novo said with a smirk. Before I could even put together a response, she briskly stepped up to me, wrapped me in one of her magnificent wings, and clamped her beak over my mouth for a wonderful kiss. Her tongue slipped past my lips and invited mine to partake in a brief yet loving dance. It only lasted maybe five seconds, but I was flushed with a rush of joyous warmth in my head. Novo snickered as she gazed into my eyes, "There we go. Daddy's feeling happier now?"

"You really are just too perfect, dear..." I mumbled while finding myself mostly at a loss for words. I heard Ember let out a snicker before I was released from Novo's embrace. Rain Shine was looking at Ember out of the corner of her eye while the Bloodstone Scepter glowed at the top. I knew what was going on when Ember whispered to it. "What did they say?"

"Mom and Dad say you two make a really cute couple." Ember said while almost letting out a laugh. I suppose those two ancient lovebirds would know a powerful love when they see it. No one loves harder and longer than a dragon. I only then wondered why I had never seen Ember or Rain Shine not carrying around luggage of their own only to remember that they always travel light. I suppose that is another thing dragons and kirin have in common. Their needs are few and they can easily live off the land. Ember then took one long look around at the warm ocean and seagulls soaring high above. "I think I'm gonna miss this place."

"We'll be back, honey. Next time we need another big vacation, this will be the place for it." Novo replied before reaching out and giving me a gentle peck on the cheek. I cracked a smile as my queen smirked at me. "I'll be swooping on over here later for a visit. See you soon, baby. Take care, ladies."

We saw Novo off with a smile as she flew right up and out of sight upon the deck of the Alabaster. Rain Shine was the first to try boarding the Olympia, but she was very hesitant to place her hoof even on the bottom of the gangway. Ember and I looked around her out of shared curiosity. Only for our friend to sheepishly look back and speak with a profound lack of grace in her voice. "We kirin are not meant for the sky! I know we will be safe, but the anticipation just... It gets me."

"Oh my god... Here. How about we go together." I retorted with a snicker along with even Ember rolling her eyes in amusement. I stepped up beside Rain Shine and draped my arm across her shoulder. Her tension immediately lessened as she finally placed her hoof on the gangway. We walked up it step by step with Rain Shine trying to put on a brave and serene face. That gangway was her last connection to the earth. But she had already endured flight aboard a wooden vessel once already. I whispered to my beloved as we neared the top, "All better?"

"Your aura comforts me, my love. And I am already sensing the lingering natural energies in the ship's hull." Rain Shine said softly as her hoof finally touched down on the Olympia's deck. And as soon as it did, fresh grass and flowers just erupted around Rain Shine's hoof. She then looked at me and said, "I am tempted to ask our guests if I may cultivate nature's blessings all over it, but I doubt they would allow it."

"Turning the whole ship into a flying garden with grass instead of wood for the floor? Sounds charming...but probably wouldn't work well with everything else." I retorted as I could already imagine the Olympia covered in a layer of green inside and out. Beautiful to behold, but would the ship's own infrastructure be able to handle it? There must be a good reason such design choices have never been implemented. Even in Equestria...

Ember soon followed and got to the top of the gangway just in time to see Rain Shine will the flowers and grass at her hoof away. The Dragon Lord then said with a smirk, "Wanna decorate our room again like last time?"

"Oh, gladly! I just must remember to leave it the way I found it when we return home." Rain Shine replied before her ears twitched. She glanced over at the bow to reveal Orbash and Sunflare calling for her. She then glanced my way with a smile and said, "I suspect the king and queen wish to discuss our plans for the lunar new year out in the east. I shall return to you later."

Now alone with Ember, we watched as the gangway was wheeled away from the dock. And at last, the Olympia began to rise from the ocean first. The Alabaster remained docked for the moment to allow us to go first, but they would surely catch up. We even got a good look at Novo and Skystar waving at us before the ship's gas sack got in the way. The Olympia's propellers began to buzz, the vibrant tropical city of Cantercun spreading far out before us. Ember spoke without even looking at me, "I had a great time. I just...wish it could go on a little longer."

"It would've gotten old eventually. Better to head home before everything becomes routine. Although the one thing I'm not looking forward to when I get home is that wretched autumn gloom and chill." I replied while happy knowing I would be back in cozy Ponyville with my friends and family soon. And I had a lot of souvenirs to pass out. That would have to wait for another day. I would need to rest and get back into the swing of things first.

Ember responded by reaching out and grasping my hand. I tore my attention away from that impressive view to look down at Ember instead. She spoke with a forlorn look in her scarlet eyes. "Being with you never gets old."

Of course. Departing from Cantercun was not simply the end of our vacation. It was the beginning of the end of my time with Ember. We spent so much time together. Just laughing, trying new things, and being happy together. And once we returned to Canterlot, she would have to return home to the dragon lands. Her people needed her. But I was equally disheartened to know a day would soon come where my little blue rose would not be there in my arms. I tightened my own grip o Ember's hand and asked, "You'll come find me, won't you?"

The Dragon Lord's somber gaze became one of mug defiance. "I know where to find you. Winter's cold won't stop me. I can't say when yet, but I'll return when I can."

"You're the best, Ember." I retorted as I got down on one knee. Just to bring my height closer to Ember's. Our hands released while our arms did the job instead. We embraced and watched the scenery spreading gout before us. It is very easy to forget just how vast the world is until you are half a mile high in the sky.

"I almost never fly this high... I mean I could, but...just never had a reason to try. The world is so...big." Ember muttered as she gazed awestruck at the vista before us. Rising from the sea and gradually rise higher was a completely different experience from leaving an airship dock that was already at a high altitude. We got to actually see the world shrink before us as the Olympia ascended. I glanced at Ember wile also noticing the Bloodstone Scepter in her other hand. Torch and Blaze were surely also seeing what it was like to soar so high. I wonder if behemoths like them could even fly at all when so large and heavy. Although Ember's gaze then met mine as she said softly and with a smile, "So much to see... So many new places to check out. I've got a lot to learn about the world I never knew beyond our borders."

"Me too. Being this high up... It makes me realize just how little of Equestria I know about. I can only imagine what I haven't even seen on a globe yet." I replied while so glad of what my life had given me in that wonderful world. The War of Preservation had expanded my horizons immensely in a very short amount of time. Equestria had changed. And now my horizons had expanded again. How much of Equestria would I end up seeing in my lifetime?

As Ember and I stood there, someone from the bow finally approached us. The handsome King Orbash stood beside us and said, "Vast, isn't it? One would find it a challenge in the average lifetime to see all Equestria has to offer."

I glanced at the beautiful stallion, his sparkling silver mane held aloft as it wavered without the aid of wind. No one in Equestria had been around longer than the two true sovereigns of the world. I asked sincerely, "You've been around a long time. How much of Equestria have you seen?"

"All of it, my boy. At least as far as what is above the sea. From the frigid north and south poles to the humid jungles and driest deserts. Sunflare and I have had much to do and see in our time. When not bound to the throne, we decided to wander and see the world we had guided to stability. My wife shielded us from the cold and I did the same with the hot deserts and unbearably humid tropics. When not reigning over Equestria, we traveled. To see all we could see and become more familiar with the world we watched over." Orbash replied with a tone of pride in his voice. All with a smile on his face.

Ember then found an opportunity to pry for some information. She asked with a bit of an inquisitive smirk, "Come to think of it... I find it hard to believe someone with so much power who's always been at the top of our world's hierarchy could be so...inactive for millennia. Are you sure you and your queen didn't do anything for this world besides just...watching?"

I too found such a notion unbelievable. Now that I had come to know the true king and queen of Equestria... There was no way. Orbash especially was too kind and considerate to just stand by and watch hardships befall his subjects. It is not in the nature of a true king to let his people suffer even mundane crises. I looked at him and asked while he appeared to struggle with finding an answer, "Anything? Surely you and Sunflare did more than just explore and observe except during the most dire of circumstances."

Orbash let out a sigh before looking at the two of us with a humble smile. "Truth be told... We did. Just...little things. And from the shadows. If we could without revealing ourselves, we would aid our people. Sometimes even during harrowing...deadly circumstances. A little push here and a redirection there, an avalanche would roll away seemingly by pure fortune. If our people were in danger and we were near, we would intervene. All with our people being none the wiser."

I would have expected no less from such a wonderful stallion. Aiding their people in little ways while staying out of sight and out of the history books. It did sound like something they would have done. I spoke with a smile, "Your daughters would be proud of you."

The glorious king of Equestria tilted his head back while he let out a laugh. He then looked my way and spoke with that winning smile of his, "I suppose being a king is simply in my nature. While I will never return to the throne, it feels right continuing to aid Equestria however I can. Somepony has to do it. And I would say Sunflare and I are the most eligible for the task."

"I'm sure your role as advisors will benefit this world greatly. Your wisdom far surpasses...just about everyone else, I'm sure." I replied while wondering just what the role of royal advisor even entails. At the end of the day, the three royal sisters have the final word in just about how anything of greater value gets done in Equestria. But the king and queen themselves... Their input carries great weight for certain. More than anything, I was grateful that the end of the prior crisis in Equestria was not the end of my time with the mother and father of my beloved Celestia. Such wonderful people, those two.

Ember began to step away from me almost reluctantly. I think she was hungry for some lunch. And Orbash began to follow her as well. The handsome stallion said, "I will do what I can, my boy. As I always have. Now then, I do believe we are due for a midday meal. I shall head down to the galley and see what there is to offer."

I saw the two of them off while staying up on deck just to watch the skyline as the Olympia continued to rise. What a view... As someone without wings, it was no wonder I was more dazzled by the view than Orbash or even Ember. Although I had not forgotten about who else was up there with me. Rain Shine and Sunflare continued to chat amongst themselves for a while longer before they both strode my way. I noticed them approaching me and spoke up first. "Good afternoon, ladies. Lovely view, isn't it?"

"Quite. Soaring on one's wings loses its grandeur eventually, but cruising along abroad an airship... Is it never not such a spectacle?" The noble Queen Sunflare replied as she and Rain Shine beheld the vast skies and very distant tropical landmass beneath us. And for just a moment, we stood there and observed. The queen of Equestria sighed before saying, "Such majesty... The people of Aquila were a godsend in the field of aviation. Their desire to join their soaring relatives in the sky drove them to grant the world the magic of flight with technology instead of on feathered wings."

"It's poetic, really. Flightless birds inventing and refining the art of flight aboard vehicles..." I muttered while wondering just what Celaeno was up to out there aboard the Zephyrus. She probably takes a lot of pride in knowing her people revolutionized air travel. I beheld Rain Shine and Sunflare out of the corner of my eye, both being equally radiant in their own ways. But it was Sunflare who drew my attention most. The literal embodiment and creator of the planet's sun. It was never not humbling being in her presence. I tried to break the ice by asking, "Did you enjoy your time?"

The mighty queen of Equestria glanced at me with a smile on her lips that felt uncharacteristically gentle. "I did. It was the first time in...well...ever that I was able to mingle with the locals of this corner of the tropics. I did not realize how much I longed for the days of being amongst the common folk."

"Too many eons of watching instead of partaking... I can understand such a thing, your majesty. My people for too long could only listen to the world around us. When the plains went empty, we were largely lost in a sea of green. Not entirely cut off from the outside world, but... Hearing and knowing is not the same as...seeing and experiencing. I pray that all changes soon now that the Empty Plains' history has been revealed to the world. " Rain Shine said almost forlornly. But there was no bitterness in her voice. She was very accepting of the situation.

I wondered why she and Sunflare had been so preoccupied with each other for so long while Orbash found time for me and Ember. I eventually asked, "So then... What were you ladies chatting about, if I may ask?"

"Things. And...reminiscing about recent events." Sunflare replied with an almost cheeky tone. As if she was just messing with me by being intentionally vague. She then glanced over at Rain Shine and said, "But I must say, kirin queen... It was very bold of you to leap into the fray and stand against me. I never dreamed one could repel even solar magic of my caliber."

"A flame is a flame, your majesty. Be they embers from a log or the flares of the sun itself, we kirin command and bend all such flames to our will." Rain Shine said calmly. As if she felt no fear from the sun queen at all. She was so quick to rush to my side in that arena bordered by incinerating white flames. Completely untouched by them when no one else dared defy the queen of Equestria.

Sunflare then added, "Besides that... We were also simply discussing the upcoming journey to the east in time for the lunar new year celebration. I have not seen that corner of Equestria in much too long."

Being reminded of that region brought a name to mind. The name of a mare I had yet to see. I then cautiously asked, "With how much you and Orbash have seen... Have you seen anyone out there? Someone...fearsome?"

Rain Shine's eyes widened as she quickly put the pieces together. But it was Sunflare who replied first. "Ah... You must mean the one they call Red Lotus. Her reputation precedes her, yes?"

Even the queen of Equestria was familiar with that name. As her gaze turned out to the vast horizon before us, she shared her knowledge with me. "She is indeed mighty. A warrior above all others. I suspect there are no mortal warriors in this world that can match her. Fearsome... Much moreso than a kirin has any right to be. She has overseen many dynasties in her time and trained many capable defenders. I pity the fool that dares to challenge her."

Now I was even more apprehensive about my inevitable first encounter with the captain of the eastern land's royal guard. I knew by then that the kirin are pacifists by nature. But for one to be so deadly in combat that one would even refer to her as fierce? What would I find when I finally set foot in the eastern lands? It was the not knowing part that was really getting to me...

Sunflare finally stepped away to follow her husband below deck. And Rain Shine sidled up to me to rest her head against my shoulder. All I could say was, "I'm worried, Rain... Red Lotus probably knows a lot about what happened out there on the Empty Plains... She knows what humanity did."

"And she will welcome you, my love. Trust me. I know her. Her majesty spoke the truth when she said that Red Lotus is fierce, but she is still a kirin. She will see the beauty of your soul when she stands before you. Just as I did." Rain Shine whispered with such serenity in her voice. Being so high above the comforting earth was not enough to distract her from me. Her aura was comforting. And I embraced her with no one around to see us. My beloved then whispered to me, "Trust me. You will be very welcome in m people's land."

"And I want to believe you. I guess...I'll just wait and see what happens when we get there." I sighed before allowing Rain Shine to leave my side. I just wanted to stay up there and enjoy the view and warm tropical breeze for a while longer.
Now alone, I surveyed the boundless horizon. And there was only one thing in the sky besides the Olympia. When I turned around, I saw the distant form of the Alabaster far off the starboard side of the ship. I think they were keeping such a distance for the sake of protocol in public airspaces. But if anyone aboard wanted to fly on over to visit us aboard the Olympia, the mighty wingspan of a hippogriff could easily allow them to reach us.

So near, yet so far. I was not used to seeing an airship flying alongside me. I had only seen them from below while they were in flight. The propellers at the back looked like solid discs as they spun so rapidly. And there at the middle of the ship's port side... Those colors. Could it be?

Another set of colors soon stepped into view. One with shimmering iridescent components. I waved at them, but the one of vibrant pale pink spread its great wings. The other set of colors appeared to object to this, but was shushed by the other holding up its hand. With a great leap, the winged beauty hurled herself over the side of the Alabaster's deck and swooped on over before landing gracefully beside me. She then folded her great wings and asked, "Missed me, honey?"

"Every day of my life." I retorted with some sass of my own. We embraced. It had been less than an hour since departing Cantercun and Novo was already back in my arms. I looked back out over at the distant form of the Alabaster and could still see the colors of Seaspray watching us from the deck. "Did the admiral through a fuss over that?"

"Leaving an airship during flight, even if you got the wings for it, is considered reckless and can get you in trouble on public flights. But mama's got some of the best wings in the world, so the wind don't bother me none." Novo chuckled before sneaking a kiss onto my cheek. She and I then shared a delighted smile with each other. No matter how briefly we are apart, it always a joy to be reunited with my beloved bird of paradise. Novo then tilted her head towards the stern of the ship and said, "But how about we head on down to say hello? I almost never get to see the inside of the Olympia."

"Good idea. They're probably preparing lunch about now anyway." I said before leading Novo to the door leading below deck. Novo was in awe of the polished mahogany interior of the Equestrian royal family's private cruiser. It gave of a completely different feeling than the clean and crisp white interior of the Alabaster.

Novo was greeted with smiles and hugs. And thus the afternoon really got started. Lunch was a delight, plenty of chatting took place, and we really had fun down in the rec room at the bottom of the ship's hull. Novo proved herself to be an excellent pool player, but she was about as competent as everyone else in a game based on luck like poker. She had the funniest poker faces too, being so sassy and silly that one could never figure out what was in her hand. One thing she was surprisingly lacking in skill with was video gaming when we invited her for a round of Equestrian Heroes. I have to assume her decades of mourning and depression quashed any interest in indulging herself in new fields of activities. Even in Equestria, I am sure the video game industry is relatively young.

During that game, I took the role of the trusty paladin. Ember really liked the brutish look of the berserker and her axes. Rain Shine took an interest in the mage. And Novo must have seen a bit of herself in the speedy archer pegasus boy. Maybe it is because hippogriffs have a reputation with their guardians specializing in archery and she wanted to own it. And Novo always lost her lives first. On every level. We finally decided to call it quits halfway through the game when Novo was on the verge of just giving up. She cooled herself off with a game of darts afterward.

I kept coming back up outside on the Olympia to savor the almost enchanting sense of isolation one gets by being high in the sky. And the sunset was just magnificent. Although I did finally start to notice the air becoming too cool, even for such altitudes. The further north we drifted, the more autumn's chill started to reach us. And it was setting in fast. I endured as long as I could while watching the sunset before heading back below deck. I would need to remember and swap out my wardrobe before leaving the ship after docking.

Night finally fell over the land and the Olympia became increasingly quiet. While the nightshift were just getting started with their rounds, everyone in my entourage gradually turned in one by one. And yet, Novo never left. She and Celestia arranged for her to bunk in the latter's room for tea, snacks, and some 'girl time' between two old friends. I would have joined them had Ember not requested me to stay by her side instead that night. I could not say no to her for such a request.

It was the same room we had used during the flight to Cantercun. And Rain Shine had once again willed decorative flowers to bloom from the wooden walls. The only source of light was a single lamp beside the bed. A quick shower was all I needed before bed. Once out with a towel around my waist, I found Ember having a quiet conversation in the corner with a cup of tea in one hand and the Bloodstone Scepter in the other. She kept speaking with only a whisper as the red gemstone atop the stone scepter glowed. Not wanting to interrupt, I went straight for bed in just my boxers while Rain Shine pulled the sheets down for me. I asked softly, "You settled in up here? No separation anxiety?"

"I am much more at ease when surrounded by the lingering energies of the earth. This airship is composed mostly of products of the earth itself. They have stories to tell." Rain Shine whispered while I rested beside her. My hand held her hoof as our equally relaxed spiritual energies mingled.

I felt so at peace with her... My wise angel of the grove. And so I whispered, "I need to see you again soon."

"You will, my love. If not sooner, we will surely be meeting early next year. And we will see much when we journey to the east together." Rain Shine giggled before she reached out to kiss me upon the cheek. Only for her to then shift herself towards me. She lifted her body just enough off the bed to step over me before setting herself down atop me. She was remarkably heavy, but comfortably so while she gazed down at me. I was securely nestled under her as Rain Shine placed kiss after kiss upon my lips. My hands dragged their fingers through her wild mane of emerald green. That wonderful scent of pure pine reached my nostrils. After a moment, my beloved whispered down to me. "You know where to find me, my dear. Where you can find all of us."

"I will. It shouldn't take too long to get there if I travel by air." I retorted with one hand leaving her mane and cradling the beautiful creature's face. Those eyes of bold crimson... So serene and filled with a quiet joy. To be so in love... I was honored to be hers and for her to be mine.

"You two sweethearts having a good time over here?" Ember finally set aside the Bloodstone Scepter for the night before coming up beside the bed. The beautiful Dragon Lord rested her upper body over the sheets with her elbows holding her up. All while giving us such a knowing smirk.

"Why don't you join us for the night, my friend? This man's spirit burns passionately in your presence." Rain Shine giggled as she began to move herself off me. I failed to hide a giddy smile. And for once, Ember did not react with too much embarrassment. If anything, her smile only broadened.

"Is that so? Well then... I better stay nice and close to this delicate little warrior poet tonight. Don't want his spirit burning the whole place down." Ember snickered before she crawled into bed with me. I could not find any words to speak while that beautiful blue creature was gentle illuminated by the glow of the lamp beside the bed. But as she rested her head on the pillow beside mine, those gorgeous scarlet eyes meeting my gaze, Ember brought a hand to my cheek and spoke with a tender whisper. "Please. Say something. You do so much listening already. It's my turn to listen."

"My voice isn't that easy on the ears, is it?" I asked in return while my two beautiful beloveds got a good giggle out of that. Ember then responded with a kiss upon my lips. She could not say it, but she could most definitely show it. I had to think of something more to say. And so I did. "When we get back... Would you stay the night? Please? Like last time?"

"I don't think I could pull myself away from you that soon anyway... Yes. I'd be happy to stay for one more day. Rain? What about you?" Ember replied with her hand gently grasping mine. Her gaze lifted to look upon the majestic mare behind me.

Rain Shine gave us both a reassuring smile while I glanced over my shoulder at her. And she spoke with that elegant voice of hers, "I would be honored. I was hoping I could see Fluttershy again. And I still need to meet your firstborn, my love."

"Gladesong will adore you, Rain. Just keep her surrounded by flowers and she'll always be happy." I said with a soft smile. If Rain Shine really was prepared to bless me with kirin children, then Gladesong would surely love having a kirin mother and sisters in her family. Happy days were ahead of us. Especially for my firstborn child.

"I know. I have listened in from afar. She sounds like such a happy child who adores nature's blessings. I shall keep her very entertained when we first meet." Rain Shine giggled with such a joyous grin across her face. With such a strong interest in flowers in just her infancy, I would not be surprised if Gladesong has a future in botany. But it was much too soon to even consider what was in such a distant future.

It was finally time to sleep. Rain Shine handled the act of turning out the lights with her levitation magic while also tucking us in. She remained on my left while Ember was tucked in on my right. But under the covers, I felt a hand grasp mine. And it instantly comforted me. I could not see her, but I could feel her. Ember and I would slumber hand in hand.

I fell asleep so easily with Ember's hand holding mine. But the dream that followed... It was...strange. No one had come to visit me in the dream realm, but I felt...too lucid. Yet not lucid enough. There was a certain ethereal element surrounding my senses. Somewhere on the precipice of my dream becoming entirely lucid. And my memories are too vivid to dismiss it as unimportant.

My surroundings... It felt similar to what I often saw near Ponyville. The sky was blue with hardly a cloud to be seen. The environment was lush and green, the temperature in the air feeling like the middle of spring. I felt like I was home and I merely gazed about at surroundings that were familiar, yet not too familiar. It felt good to be back home. And during my favorite time of year.

I was not alone for much longer. I thought I heard the faint tapping of light footsteps coming down the path behind me. Almost like those of someone in the middle of a light jog. But before I could turn around to see what was approaching, the rustling of a bush beside me caught my attention instead. A wild rabbit hopped out from the underbrush. It glanced up at me with an unblinking stare before bounding off down the path. I felt silly for a moment over getting even slightly startled by a harmless bunny.

And then something took hold of my hand. Something that gently tugged on it from a lower elevation. A hand was holding mine. But...the texture. Scales. But...too small to be Ember's. And when I turned to look down at who was trying to get my attention...

I had never seen him before. It was a dragon. A boy. Taller than Spike, but shorter than Smolder when I first met her. And yet... He had a certain youthfulness about him that felt younger than either of them. He looked up at me with a quiet yet happy smile. And once he had my attention, he just stood there with arms raised and held out. As if just asking for an embrace.

This dragon boy... He knew me. And those beautiful eyes... A certain shade of red. A shimmering cordovan hue... He did not even say anything. He just stood there, beckoning me to hold him. The scales lining his body... They were all blue. A darker and subdued shade of blue covered most of his body while a lighter and equally subdued hue coated his ventral scales. He had no horns, but instead had a pair of long and narrow external ears. I could swear I had seen such ears on other dragons before... His tail spade... It was not like Spike's. It instead looked much like the kind on Smolder and Ember's tail. A soft feathery spade that was an even darker blue. And on his head... No spines at all. His scalp was covered by a full head of soft hair that matched the color of his tail spade. And his young wings... The membranes on the underside deviated from his blue color scheme, instead being a very dark red. From a glance, one could assume that such dark subdued colors would hint at a dark or brooding heart. But those eyes... So bright. So pure. There was no such darkness in that dragon boy's heart. And he was smiling at me, almost begging me to pick him up.

All those shades of blue... Just like... But could it be? Was this boy who I thought he was? I had never seen him before. And yet, deep in my heart... I already knew the answer. But it was too much. I stammered with my eyes wandering. And the boy before me... A boy that looked...too human to be just a dragon... He started to look concerned. No doubt wondering why I had not yet taken him up on his offer. Mumblings I could not understand came from my own mouth. I was not lucid enough to process every word I heard. And the boy spoke to me with such a gentle voice. His words... I cannot recall. But when I finally began to relent... When I lowered myself to one knee as I prepared to take him into my arms...

I heard him. And I still remember the first word I understood from his lips. "Dad?"

My heart was filled with a maelstrom of emotions. I embraced that beautiful dragon boy while he held me too. His head rested on my shoulder. He knew I was not emotionally sound. I trembled, tears cascading down my face. My hand rested on the back of his head. My fingers caressing his soft strands of hair. Human hair. The dragon child in my arms had human blood flowing through his veins. My blood. He was not just any dragon boy. He was mine. And I finally understood. I was meeting and holding my son for the first time.

I wept, I sobbed, but I smiled all the same. My response to my son's embrace was surely alarming to him. I heard him speaking words of concern I could not understand, but I responded with anguished words of joy. Telling him that I was just fine. And telling him that I was so happy to be holding him. I told him I loved him. Because that was the truth. I did not even know his name, but I knew he was mine. And just through his gentle wordless invitation for a loving embrace and those bright happy eyes told me all I needed to know about him. He was such a precious child. Not at all like the wild brutes of his mother's homeland.

That was when it dawned on me. He was mine, but... I knew it in my heart. Ember. She was the one who had given me such a beautiful son. She had to be. His scales. His eyes. They were all a product of her genes. Those blues and reds. But the red color of his wing's membranes... Ah, yes. Those came from his grandfather. I recall seeing similar colors on the membranes of Torch's wings. My son's grandfather would be thrilled to see at least a piece of himself in his grandchild. But the rest of my boy's form... All from his beautiful mother. Where was she? Where was the beautiful blue rose who blessed me with an equally beautiful son?

My son suddenly tilted his head up. And he let go of me so he could point at the sky with a smile. My mind distracted from my emotions for the moment, I released my son and looked up. A form cast a shadow over us as someone pass between us and the sun. It then appeared to notice us as I stood up. And in one quick motion, it landed ahead of us on the path. My thoughts had been answered. Ember had arrived. And before she could even try to say anything, her scarlet eyes went wide as she saw I was not alone.

Just like when he saw me, the dragon boy greeted the dragoness who had surely been the one to give birth to him. He jogged over to her with arms held wide. All while he said just one word that my ears understood. "Mom!"

Ember was even more stunned than I was. She held out her hands to keep the boy at bay as she took moment to understand the situation. Why? She was a product of my dreaming mind. She should have known... Unless... No. There was something not right about Ember. I could feel it in her presence. I was asleep and dreaming, but...so was she. As our hands remained clasped in our sleep... Did our dreaming minds merge? Were we dreaming together? And did our dreams... Our desires... Were they showing us the child that hopefully awaits us in the future?

The dragon boy between us paused in his approach when his mother held out her hands to push him back. His smile disappeared instantly. The boy was confused. Probably just as confused as Ember. She looked at him, then at me. She brought a hand to her chest, looking so shocked as if she could not believe that the child before her could possibly be hers. But I nodded. I did not understand the situation myself, but I knew that dragon boy was mine. And in the mere moments of having come to know him, I already loved him.

The Dragon Lord before us was hesitant. I think she knew. Ember could see so much of her physical form in the boy that was awaiting her embrace. She had promised me a future where I would father her heirs. And now that very thing was right before her. Our son, hands lowered, once again raised his arms towards her. And I heard him speak again. "Mom...?"

Ember looked so tense as she reached out to the boy between us. Eyes wide and never blinking, but with fresh tears beginning to flow. And when she finally and slowly draped her arms around the boy while he did the same with her, she broke. Ember tilted her head back with teeth bared. Eyes were squinted shut as she wept profusely. But with barely a sound. She struggled to hold in her howls of tearful joy with teeth clenched. Holding her child without alarming him. And in a further display of acknowledging who he was, Ember brought her wings forward. Her son was held in a second layer of an embrace with her great blue wings draped over him.

It had truly happened. Ember had promised to give me dragon children to love and raise with her and there he was. Our beautiful prince. I could not stand back. I walked over to them and dropped to one knee so that I could hold my family. As I embraced them, I whispered through renewed tears to my beautiful blue dragon queen. "He's ours."

"I know... And I love him." Ember sobbed softly, trying her best to not let the child nestled between us wonder if something was wrong with us. If he was truly our son, why would we look and sound so devastated? He probably did not understand at such a young age that tears can come from more than just sorrow. I did not care if it was all a dream. That precious dragon boy was still ours. And I had never felt so proud to be a father than at that moment.

And there under the warm sun of springtime did we stay for a moment longer. Just holding each other. And holding our child. And he did not mind staying where he was between the mother and father who had only just met him. Our boy was quiet and happy in the embrace of his mother's wings. But he knew I was close. And the tears did eventually cease flowing. What was there to cry over? We finally had a son. Our beautiful blue dragon son.

I finally released my wife and child. And Ember released him from her wings. But her arms remained around him while her jaws gently tucked his head into the crook of her neck. If only Torch and Blaze could have seen their first grandson at that moment... Our boy had his eyes squinted shut, tail lazily swaying about. He also felt so...human. I marveled at the son Ember and I had created together. If not through the passion of breeding, then through the desires our minds and hearts shared. He was clearly younger than Spike, yet stood taller than him. As if the rate of his physical growth was closer to that of a human instead of a dragon.

My heart swelled with love and pride. Our boy was truly his father's son.

Ember finally gently removed our child from her embrace. She then placed both hands on his shoulders as he gazed at her with those gentle red eyes. Neither the earthy brown of my eyes or the bold scarlet of his mother's. A delicate balance between the two. Her emotions came to the surface again before Ember had to wipe another tear away. And before our son could inquire if she was upset, she answered him before he could speak. All with just a kiss on his forehead. She knew he was hers. And she loved him. Ember was so quick to take to loving her child. Ember, my love... How many times have you dreamed of such things? How often do you dream of a future where you and I can have a family together?

I heard our boy giggle so cutely at the touch of his mother's lips on his forehead. He then quickly turned to face me as I stood up. With a big smile on his face, he brought both hands to his forehead and tapped his fingers upon the middle. Instead of shedding more tears, I chuckled to myself. His mother had given him a kiss and now it was my turn. I got down on one knee and gently pulled my son closer. And as requested, I kissed him right upon the middle of his forehead. I could see him squint his eyes closed as a huge toothy grin spread across his face. So young and pure... I did not know the dragon children of Equestria could be so precious and loving.

My son embraced me again with his face buried against my chest. He would just rub his face into my shirt with his eyes closed. He was very hesitant to let go and was just content to stay there tucked against my bosom. While I gently rested one hand on the back of his head as I marveled at the smooth and soft texture of his full head of hair, I gazed ahead at Ember. She crossed her arms while she wordlessly observed us. Almost like she was jealous of our son focusing more on me than her at the moment. But she instead began to display a huge smirk as I found myself starting to answer her smile with one of my own. She then held a fist before her lips to try and stifle a giggle. She was just enjoying the sight of me finally meeting and bonding with the child she had blessed me with. Ember wanted me to father her future heirs. And now we finally had one. And we could not be happier.

We could not stay on that path forever. And even our boy knew this. Our child finally released me from his embrace and took hold of my hand. He led we over to Ember before taking her hand as well. He spoke joyously and almost impatiently to us with words we did not understand. Happy words as he tried to lead us down the path. Was he leading us home?

All we could do was follow. Once we went on our was with the path leading us gradually downhill, our son stayed ahead of us. He would go from one side of the path to the other. Smelling the flowers, gently picking up a small insect to observe it on a single finger, and even catching a wayward toad at one point just to rub its back to produce a series of chirps. He was a very curious, but gentle child. And he was happy. Oh, how happy he was. He was never not smiling with those two tiny fangs reaching down from the top of his upper jaw.

Ember took hold of my hand as she walked at my side. And as I glanced down at her, she gazed up at me meaningfully. She was not a product of my dreaming mind. She was aware. We truly were sharing the same dream. But she still felt the need to ask. And she spoke with words I understood. "Are you really here too?"

"Yeah. I am. I think...we're really here together." I replied as we both smiled at each other. And our grasps on our hands tightened. Ember's tears had left a trail of crusted residue down the sides of her face. I was sure my face bore the same stains. But there was no time for tears now. And we had a son to watch over.

Something caught my eye ahead. Our son had ducked behind some bushes off to the side of the path. And when he stepped back out into view, I saw why. He had found a stick. A very big stick as long as he was, if not a little longer. He tried to hold it near the bottom in a manner I recognized. The way one would hold a sword. Except he was very clumsy with it. The way our boy swung the thing around strongly reminded me of my childhood days where I knew nothing about swordplay. He would just slash downwards or thrust it forward. And it was just too big for his little hands at the time.

Ember nudged me with her elbow as we watched. And she wiggled her eyebrows at me. I quickly realized what she was prodding me on about. A smirk forming on my lips, I approached our son and held out my hand to him. I remember hearing myself speak. "Let me show you how it's really done."

My son's eyes widened in awe. Even his adorable ears perked up at my offer. He held up the stick to me to take. For me, it was roughly the length of a longsword. But for a boy so small, it was much closer to a greatsword. No wonder he could not balance himself. I took the stick in hand and even found a feature on it I appreciated. There was a stubby branch a little ways up its length that could serve as a crude crossguard to protect the hand from something sliding down the length of the stick.

My boy's mother gently guided him backwards to help put some distance between us. And so I started by showing my son the basics. I widened my stance and held the stick before with to show a few effective stances. One with the sword held out before me, one with the sword down at the side to prepare for a rising sweep, and one with the sword held higher to ready a hard stab or to angle downwards to block a strike. I then began to perform a number of sword swings with that stick. A few feints and even strikes that flowed from parrying stance to a swing. It did not feel like I was demonstrating a way to fight. More like...a form of art. And my boy was watching with a big smile.

When I finally ended my demonstration by resting the stick across my shoulder, my son applauded. And in a hearty manner. And Ember was beaming at the two of us. It was...such a strange feeling. I had just giving my own son a taste of how to properly wield a sword. Now it was time to see what he would do with that knowledge. I handed the stick back to him while Ember took a step back while watching with arms crossed. Our son happily took the stick back in hand only to immediately make a rookie mistake with how he was holding it. He gripped the bottom of the stick with both hands touching. I gently guided his left hand lower to show where to better grip it. He would not have much room to move his hands if he did not grip the sword closer to the pommel.

The techniques I showed were really not ideal for a stick as big as the person holding it. That thing was as tall as the boy who was holding it, making it much closer to a greatsword. And that would require an entirely different technique. But he tried. My boy swung that thing around in an attempt to replicate my moves, but the sheer length of the stick resulted in it hitting the ground many times. But then he got to the point where he tried giving it a wide swing. And when he did, the momentum started to spin him around. And he kept hopping on one foot with a clumsy pirouette. And that constant hopping started to carry him down the slope.

My heart leapt into my throat. What started out as a simple mistake began to snowball into something more dangerous. My spiraling son began to be carried down the hill as he desperately tried to keep himself up on one hopping foot. But Ember was quick to see the reason for this and called out to him. Demanding him to let the stick go. And he did. The stick went flying and into some bushes, but our son ended up coming out of his spiral with unexpected grace. Before he could fall, he suddenly spread his wings and flapped them to launch himself up before much more gracefully coming back down and landing on both feet.

He just stood there with arms out to his sides and eyes wide in fright. Being completely still to see if the danger had passed. Had he not used his wings, the poor kid would have fallen flat on his face. But I could see them going down his face. A single tear on each side. He had just been given a good scare. And before I could reach him, Ember rushed to our boy's side and took him into an embrace. I heard him let out a weak little sniffle once he was safe in his mother's arms.

I too felt the shock of having seen my son very suddenly end up in danger. Even if the worst he would have gotten out of it was a bruise. And as I approached our startled child, Ember tenderly stroked a hand over his head. And her words... I was able to understand them that time. "Hey... It's OK to cry. It's OK to...show weakness."

While I did not hear the cry of a young child, I did hear the little dragon boy sniffle quite a bit. He asked Ember something, but his words were a jumble of sound instead of words I could understand. If only that dream had been more lucid... But I think Ember understood him. And she looked at me out of the corner of her eye with a very proud smile. "Your father taught me that."

Ember... She really was going to be an amazing mother someday if she could show that kind of patience and wisdom with a child. And when our son tilted his head to look at me over his mother's shoulder, I approached. And when I did, he wiggled his way out of his mother's embrace so that I could hold him. And this time, I scooped him up into my arms so there was no risk of him tripping again. I then whispered to him words my ears could truly understand, "Your mother is super smart and a fast learner. Just like you."

My beloved gave me a bit of a nudge with an elbow while our son giggled in a very boyish manner. But when I looked down at her, Ember was smirking up at me with a prideful smile. She took no shame in what she learned through me. But now that the danger had passed, it was time to continue on. My son felt surprisingly light in my arms. I was tireless as well. Not once did it feel like I would need to set him down to let my arms rest. And he was all too happy to be carried around in the arms of his father.

I started to wonder where that path even led to. The view was lovely, but it felt like we were out in the middle of a boundless void of nature. It finally go to the point where Ember had enough. She signaled for me to stop and convinced me to get down on one knee to set our son down. But when I did, she wrapped her arms around me from behind and suddenly shot up into the air on her very strong wings. I flailed a bit in surprise, but quickly realized that there was no way Ember would let go. I was safe in her grasp.

Our son took the hint too. He swiftly shot up after us on his own wings. And there I was. Being held aloft in the embrace of my beloved as our son hovered in place beside us. My boy had already earned his wings... I felt such a complex sense of pride and disappointment. Pride in my lover and child for what they could do and disappointment in myself for what I could not. If only I had my enchanted winged armor, they would not need to carry me.

Ember did not give me time to dwell on my inadequacies for long. She went into a shallow swoop to let herself glide while I squinted my eyes to keep the wind out. Our song flew alongside us. And quite skillfully too. He looked just at home in the air as on the ground. And he started to guide us. Our boy pointed off in one direction as he guided us home. And out in the valley that was spreading before us was what seemed to be a village. It strongly resembled Ponyville, but...not quite. And there was no sign of Canterlot or the mountain that holds it anywhere in sight.

That precious dragon boy guided us down into the village and let us set ourselves down. It felt good to be back on solid ground. Ponies were out and about, but...I cannot recall who I saw. It was as if the mares and stallions we passed were just cobbled together from an entire selection of colors and styles for their manes and tails. And we were not done. Our son took hold of our hands and began to lead us along. What was he in such a hurry to get to?

I was led along with Ember to an inconspicuous building with a thatched roof. It just looked like another piece of architecture in a town like Ponyville. I could not even read the sign beside the door. Such is the nature of a dream without lucidity. But when we were led inside...

What was that place? It appeared to be a shop that specialized in selling musical instruments. Many different types were out on display in a wide open room. Both to be purchased and to allow patrons to test them out if needed. Ember had no idea what she was looking at and just glanced about in confusion, but our boy was very happy to be there. He even said hello to the clerk behind the counter. Almost as if he regularly visited and had become a sort of friend of the establishment.

As I began to head further into the shop, I happened to pass by a large mirror that just happened to be set on the wall to my left. And I had to take a moment to stop and examine myself in the reflection. I was fully clothed, but what surprised me was just what I was wearing. Ember began to pass me, but also took notice of my reflection. She suddenly smirked at me after a moment and gave me a playful nudge with her elbow. And I did understand what she said next. "You look like such a dad."

She was right. And I found myself laughing. I was clad in a red plaid shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and sturdy hiking boots. But what I found so funny about my outfit was that it reminded me of the kind of clothing my grandfather wore twenty years earlier. My outfit did look like something fathers of an older era would wear, especially those with a taste for activities in the great outdoors. Whether it be a stroll through a park or hunting game deep in the forests. But Ember was right. I had never looked more like a dad than at that moment.

We allowed our son to wander about the place unsupervised for the moment so that Ember and I could take a look around ourselves. I have never had any real aptitude for music in my life, but that only made me appreciate those with a gift for that field more. Ember took an interest in some of the instruments while I watched in curiosity. She plucked on guitar strings, accidentally startled herself and everyone around her when she blew through a trombone, and failed spectacularly with the screeching of a violin. But she did take an interest in some drums while patting away on them with just her hands. Maybe it had something to do with how primitive and primal the dragon lands have always been. Drums are about as primitive as musical instruments get, so maybe they resonated with her in a way.

As for our son, my eyes would glance around to track his position in the store. That beautiful dark blue felt so quiet and gentle. Easy to spot, but it also reflected his soft-spoken nature. Even if I did not understand most of his words, he very seldom raised his voice. And he did eventually return to us before once again taking hold of our hands and guiding us to the very center of the shop. Right to the single largest instrument present. A grand piano. It certainly looked as grand as it should have. Ember even began to circle it and looked inside to observe all the strings and keys within. But did he just want us to see the piano? Or...

My eyes widened as my son took a seat on the stool set before the many white keys. But I then smirked in amusement as he just tapped away on a few keys here and there with one hand. The piano is one of the most difficult musical instruments to master, if not the most difficult. Or so I have heard. I was not surprised my child did not know how to actually play it. Only for my eyes to widen again as he placed both hands on the keys and tapped out some more complex yet seemingly random strings of notes. They did not seem to mean anything at first. Unless...he was only warming up?

Ember finally returned to my side as our son took a deep breath with his hands becoming still. And then... He began. There was no sheet music present before him, so our son had nothing to read along with. Everything that came out of that grand piano was from his own memory. And...what majesty we heard.

Everyone in the shop began to gather around to watch and listen to the young prodigy at work. We were all spellbound. And I felt such a sense of pride swelling in my heart. That was my son playing on piano. Crown prince of the dragon lands. And instead of being an unruly hellion like many of its natives, he was a delicate and eloquent artist as his fingers masterfully glided along the keys. I felt a profound urge to walk up behind him and just...embrace him. I was just that proud of what I was hearing being produced from his little hands.

But I did not. Because someone else took hold of my hand. I glanced down and saw Ember just gazing ahead almost unblinkingly at our boy's performance. And at the edges of her eyes, fresh tears were beginning to form. She had heard piano before, but never had she witnessed a live performance. Certainly not at the hands of the beautiful boy she and I had created together. Ember soon looked up at me and spoke with a whisper. A whisper I understood. "Is this...art?"

I nodded with a proud smile. Our son's grandmother would be so proud if she could have seen him then. Blaze would be over the moon to know our firstborn inherited her appreciation of the arts. Ember did not merely hold my hand as we continued to watch. She leaned into me. In just one night... During one dream we were sharing... We had become more than just betrotheds. We were finally a family. If only for a single night. Ember had to keep wiping fresh tears away as our son played along the song in his head. Who taught him how to play so well?

Even I had to finally wipe some of my own tears away. It was just too much. The song itself was beautiful enough. But knowing who was playing it... To know it was my own child producing such majesty... Only then did I understand the joy and pride of watching one's child perform on a stage while completely nailing their performance. It is an experience one cannot simply describe. You have to experience it to know it.

Our son was tireless in his performance. I think he played a total of three songs before he finally had his fill. And during very brief lull between each song, someone would start to applaud with their hooves before sheepishly stopping as the next started. After the third song, we all waited to see if he would continue. And upon realizing that his audience could not tell if he was down, my son closed the cover over the keys to conclude his performance. Only then did the entire shop burst into applause.

Everyone there applauded. Even Ember with her clapping hands. But not me. I wanted to be much more direct with my praise. I began to approach while my son looked very unsure of how to feel with being the center of such adoration. He was visibly blushing as he waved with his eyes squinted shut. And once behind him, I got down on one knee and embraced my boy from behind. His eyes shot open before he looked over his shoulder at me. And I could only convey my pride through one simple statement. "That's my boy."

He beamed at me before turning around just enough in his seat to throw his arms around me for an equally strong hug. My word, what strength in those arms. He may have been the sweetest little dragon boy I had ever seen, but he was still a dragon. He was much stronger than he looked. And his mother quickly joined us for a big group hug as she squealed incomprehensible yet delighted words at our boy. Only for a different sound to reach our ears. The vibrations in the coming from so many applauding hooves... They were causing various instruments around the shop to rattle and hum like an echo chamber. Especially when it came to the cymbals. The clerk called out over the noise, no doubt insisting that everyone not applaud indoors.

We did not understand any words being said, but we still saw the humor in the situation. The three of us got a good laugh out of the unexpected racket the applause made. Only for us to get another surprise. Some of the audience members even left a few bits on the piano. My boy had just earned some pocket change with his little performance. Only one thing came to mind. I took the bits in hand and asked, "Who's up for ice cream?"

And so we headed out. Ember was especially eager to try some more ice cream, but our boy was especially excited. He guided us right over to an outdoor ice cream wagon to make our picks. Ever the child, our son chose an ice cream bar meant to resemble Hum Drum from the Power Ponies. I guess most young kids adore the colt wonder. Ember and I order some big ice cream cones instead. And for the moment, there were no wonders. I savored my cold snack as I noticed the sun was starting to get a bit low in the sky. Getting outside with the family and walking home with cold ice cream during a summer sunset... It all sounds so perfect that it makes me painfully nostalgic for simpler times during my life back on Earth.

Ember's hand grasped mine as we walked with ice cream cones held in the others. Our little boy led us along, completely unaware of just how unfamiliar we were with the town we were in. To him, it was just another day in paradise with his mom and dad. He did not know he was serving as our guide to get home.

I was so very tempted to just whisper that beautiful truth to her at the moment. To tell Ember how much I loved her. We finally had what we truly wanted deep in our hearts. We were now sworn to each other. We had finally been blessed with the child we had promised each other. And that child...was simply a little angel of a dragon boy. And yet...I knew I could not. The dream was too lucid. And...

I suddenly shook my head to get that realization out of my thoughts. Do not think about it... Do not think about what was going to happen in due time. Stay in the moment. Savor what was there. And I suspect Ember had the same realization. We did not look at each other during the rest of the walk. And I suddenly found it harder to enjoy the rest of my ice cream.

We finally came to a seemingly innocuous house in town. And our boy went ahead and held the door for us. Was that our home? The interior of the first room certainly felt like something out of Ponyville. But one thing caught our eye at the far end. Something that was glowing. Set inside a tall protective glass or plastic case was none other than the Bloodstone Scepter. And the gemstone atop it was glowing brightly. Without missing a beat, our son rushed over to the case excitedly. "Grandma! Grandpa!"

Ember and I watched with wide eyes of surprise as our son retrieved the heirloom scepter from the case. He was more than worthy to hold it so casually. He was next in line to become Dragon Lord after all. He began to happily greet his grandparents as they spoke to him from the other side. All words I could not understand. Ember began to reach out as if tempted to speak to her parents only to relent. She knew. Whoever was on the other side of the Bloodstone Scepter were not her true parents. Just a facsimile our dreaming minds cooked up. All we truly had there was each other.

Our son chatted away with his grandparents for a moment while pausing to let them talk to him too. If only Blaze and Torch could truly see that precious child... But our boy soon set the Bloodstone Scepter atop a cushy armchair. He even made certain it was balanced enough to remained standing upright. With the scepter's gemstone still glowing, he briskly walked over to something against the far wall that we had not noticed. Yet another piano, but this one was an upright model for home use. And as soon as he took a seat, our son began to play again for the entertainment of his grandparents. Blaze especially must have been enthralled with her own grandson creating such beautiful music for her.

We watched and listened for a time, but it soon felt like we were intruding. Our son was not playing for Ember and I at the time. He was spending time with his grandparents and was putting on a show for them. It was their time, not ours. And so Ember and I quietly excused ourselves to let our son focus on just the former two Dragon Lords as they were surely enjoying themselves watching and listening to the dragon prince flexing his musical potential.

The sound of the piano filled the entire house. Ember whispered a few kind things to me while I replied in kind. So many words neither of us understood. But we then began to explore. We followed a flight of stairs up to the second floor. What even was that house anyway? Ember's holiday home away from the dragon lands? Eventually, we found it. A small balcony above the front door. And from there we were able to see the vast horizon turning increasingly orange and pink. Summer sunsets are simply the best.

We were alone. No one still out and about in town ever looked up at us. Ember and I stood at the railing and leaned against each other. My beloved soon reached out and draped her right wing across my back to hold me while even curling her tail around me. I rested my hand on her opposite shoulder to pull her closer too. That moment reminded me of the time Fluttershy and I would often spend the evening out behind her house, sipping tea in the enclosure and just savoring being together during such a beautiful time of the year. Ember and I had no words to say. We were just holding each other. Being in love... Knowing what our love for each other had given us. In just that moment, it was truly paradise.

From mere lovers to husband and wife and now mother and father. It may have been a dream, but it felt so real at that moment. But as much as we loved our son and wanted to be with him, we still needed time to each other and he needed time away from us. While our boy was busy spending time with his grandparents, Ember and I were savoring that sunset together. And as we held each other in that soothing silence, Ember whispered something I understood. "I want this to be real someday..."

I sighed in such bittersweet joy. The world around us. The child playing piano downstairs. It was not real. But it could be real someday. And I replied with such a sense of longing in my heart, "I want this to be our future."

Ember's hand took hold of mine. And not with any mere grasp. Her fingers intertwined themselves with mine. An intimate hold. All that was missing was a ring on Ember's finger. In that moment, we were husband and wife.

It was so dreamlike... Even for a dream. We watched as the sunset became increasingly spectacular by the minute. We were so lost in the view and with each other that we did not notice when someone enjoyed us. I just happened to glance down when I wanted to look at Ember and just happened to notice she was not the only dragon beside me anymore. Our son had silently gotten between us and the railing. He was leaning on it while also quietly appreciating the sunset with his tail lazily swaying a bit. I was all the more proud of him as I understood what he was doing. Most kids would have too much energy to sit still for long, but not our son. He truly had an appreciation for beauty. An artist's heart was beating in his chest.

He let out a yawn. Our boy must have had a long day before Ember and I even met him. No wonder he could sit still and watch the sunset. Ember rested her hand on his shoulder and whispered something in a sweet and soft tone befitting any real mother. "Had a long day?"

Our son groggily mumbled out a tired response. His eyes were starting to lower. He must have been fighting his fatigue for a while. He finally turned around entirely and held up his hands to me. Just me. He let out another graceless yawn without lowering his arms. And then it hit me. My boy just wanted to be held by his daddy.

Ember released me from the confines of her wing and tail to allow me to pick up our son with no obstructions. I had never held a child like him before. He felt almost human in build. It took me a moment, but I figured it out. I held my boy against my chest with one arm scooped under his thighs with my other hand resting on his back just under his wings. He felt lighter than I would have expected. And just under my jaw was his many strands of soft hair. And Ember... She held a fist over her lips to hide a giddy smile. To see us... Her son being cradled by the man who had fathered him... She was trying so hard to not squeal in adoration.

It dawned on Ember that maybe our boy and I needed a moment alone. So she headed back inside the house. Probably to find our son's bedroom to prepare his mattress. And there I stood with him in my arms. The two of us being bathed in the glow of the beautiful sunset. Me and my boy. Alone. He turned his head to rest the side of it against me, his left ear being pushed up my shoulder. I tried to peer over his head to see his face while my hand rubbed over the scales lining his back. He was tired. Almost listless as he gazed out at seemingly nothing. But he was smiling. My boy had a long yet good day and was about ready to rest for the night.

That was the life I want for my children. All of them. To grow up happy, healthy, and loved. I felt so proud of that boy. And so much more confident in the future. I wanted to say something to the boy I adored. The one who I would hopefully get to hold someday in the not too distant future. But no words came. It was a moment I did not want to disturb. To savor the end of our day together in the glow of the summer sunset.

But my son did speak to me. And I heard him well. "Love you, Dad..."

My embrace tightened. And through fresh tears, I managed to speak a response that my own ears understood. "I love you so much..."

"You're the best, Dad... You've always been...the best." My son whispered with some of his words being interrupted by a yawn. He was reaching his limit. And I could only nuzzle the top of his head with my cheek. At least until he felt some of my tears soak into his hair. And I heard him speak again. "Dad...? Are you...sad?"

"No, not at all. I'm just...so happy. It feels like I'm just meeting you for the first time. Like...I didn't know how much I loved you until today." I managed to whisper to him as my boy tried to get his arms around me while I still held him. I did not want to alarm him, but it was the truth. I could never have known how beautiful my first child with Ember would be until I finally got to hold him in my arms.

My son buried his face into my chest as he weakly hugged me. And he spoke to me again. "Mom said you hurt your head a long time ago. Are you OK?"

"Don't worry about back then. My head's just fine. And besides... Being able to meet someone again for the first time... Lots of people would wish they could experience that kind of joy more than once." I replied while trying to spin a convincing theory that might make some kind of sense. Something told me my boy was very smart for his age. Maybe smart enough to see through words that were not entirely true.

The dragon child in my arms yawned again. He could not find anything to say when his fatigue kept getting in the way. So I tried to find something to say. And a question came to mind. A simple yet honest question. There was something I needed to know. "Are you...happy?"

"I'm always happy, Dad... You and Mom are the best." My beautiful son replied sweetly to me. A simple yet genuine reply. And his words soothed me. It was all a dream, but perhaps even dreams can tell truths reality cannot. If my son was so happy...then I had little to fear. There was no need to change course.

But there were still more questions I needed to ask while I could still understand my son's words. I asked softly, "Do you ever get sad? Do you...ever get scared? Have I...ever let you down?"

"Dad...?" My son whispered as I felt his head turning under my chin. When I looked down, he looked back at me. What beautiful eyes... The fusion of Ember's scarlet red and my own earthy brown. Those eyes told me so much. But they were now gazing into mine from just inches away. A gaze of exhausted concern. But finally, my son soothed my worries in a way without words. He smiled before kissing me on the cheek. The touch of his lips upon my face... I was stunned. And I heard him speak clearly again while tightening his weak embrace around me. "You've always been the best, Dad. I love you..."

Those words brought me to my knees. I sharply inhaled as my boy and I embraced, fresh tears flowing free. But not tears of grief. I was so happy. To hear such reassuring words from my own son... A child whose body contained my own blood... To fail as a father is one of my greatest fears. I did not want to make the mistakes my father did. A man who, in his boundless ego, would never acknowledge his failures or missteps. All so he would never know the sting of being wrong in any capacity. But they were mistakes I saw. And hindsight would prevent me from ever giving him the benefit of the doubt. I had a son to love and raise. And I would do it right.

My boy was back on his feet with my body lowering him to the ground again. Tired, but not too weak to stand. But I did not want him to suffer a walk to his bedroom when he was so ready to just collapse for a long sleep. I scooped him into my arms again while he oh so sweetly wiped the tears from my face. And upon reentering the house, I found Ember waiting for us. She all too happily guided me along to a small room with a bed meant for a child. The decor around the place... A bookcase was present. Even a small toy electric piano was present in the corner, one that probably sounded like a keyboard. I remember having one such toy as a little boy at my grandparents' house. Our son really.

Ember turned down the sheets for our son as I set him down on the bed. And just out of nowhere, tears began to flow from her eyes too. But all while wearing a smile. And the instant our son noticed tears flowing down his mother's face, his eyes widened as he reached out to her. Ember took a seat beside him only to be caught in a tender embrace. She looked at me with a gaze of uncertainty while I too was unsure of why our child wanted to hold her at the first sign of tears. Was he...trying to help soothe her?

The tears soon stopped flowing. Ember held her little boy in her arms and her wings. And we both heard him speak while he kept his eyes shut. He was desperately fighting the urge to sleep to stay with us a little longer. "Not crying anymore, Mom?"

The Dragon Lord turned dragon mother gently caressed the top of her son's head. And she spoke words I could understand. "I'm not sad. It's just... I... I didn't think I'd ever... That... You would ever be like this. You're just so...sweet."

I decided to speak up then. And my words were thankfully spoken clearly as I took a seat on the bed beside them. "That's because we raised him well. Right?"

Our son displayed such a big smile. Almost a cheeky one too. And he said something I did not expect. "Yep. I'm not like those boulderheads back home."

We cracked. Ember and I suddenly burst into howling laughter at such an audacious statement. Even our son giggled along with us as he got a slight burst of energy from all that levity. Ember then gave her son a delighted hug as she said, "Oh yeah, you are totally our kid. And no son of ours will ever turn out to be a boulderhead. This is a head made of the shiniest diamonds."

I embraced both of them as our son grin from ear to ear. Baring his teeth and his fangs. Such a happy smile. And such a bright mind. There was no way around it. He was perfect. Everything I would want my first dragon child to be. And I loved him. And as we both held him in mutual joy, our boy spoke to us. "Love you. Both of you."

"We love you too. Our...precious little boy." Ember said while trying very hard to keep the tears in. If he saw her cry again, our son would get concerned and hold her. He had such a concern for others... Truly an ideal trait for a future Dragon Lord. He was more than worthy to inherit the Bloodstone Scepter.

But then... I felt it. The faintest tremor in the air. And Ember felt it too. Our son was oblivious to that sensation and closed his eyes to bask in our shared embrace. But Ember and I quickly turned our gazes towards each other. And there it was again. A rippling sensation through the air. No... Not now. Not when we had only just gotten to know him.

Dread filled our eyes. It was too soon. Too son to be ideal. And no one else was looking in to check on us. We could not ask to be kept asleep a little longer. Morning was dawning on us. And Ember whispered to me. "I don't wanna wake up..."

I had no words. Why... Why were we allowed to finally see the beautiful son that surely waits in our future only to be torn away from him? We had only just met him, came to realize just how dearly we wanted him, and now we would have to leave him. All in the span of just an afternoon or night.

He was our child. We loved him. We wanted to raise him. And now it was time to say goodbye. And we were not ready.

The air quivered again. What could we tell him? If we were to just hold on, he would be torn from us abruptly. And so... I tried. I did what little I could to soothe my own heart without alarming him. "Son... We... We have to go."

Our child looked up at us with tired but concerned eyes. And he asked with his words never sounding so clear, "Huh? Why? We just got home..."

Ember tenderly nuzzled the top of his head while being mindful of her horns. And she spoke while trying to keep her voice from breaking. "We...have things to do. Important Dragon Lord things. But...we'll be back. We'll come home again. Just...go to sleep, all right? Have some sweet dreams. You've had a long day anyway... Right?"

That little reminder was enough to get a yawn out of our boy. He all but slumped into our embrace. "Right... I'm just so tired... I'll see you in the morning then?"

"Yeah... We'll see you again soon. Sweet dreams, little prince..." I replied as I felt the world quiver once more. It was coming. And quickly. I could feel my senses being not quite the way they should be.

Ember and I glanced at each other. We failed. Trying to reassure ourselves just was not going to work. We were not ready to just...let go of our precious little boy. How could we? We tightened our embrace around him. Securely protecting our child from anyone and anything that might try to pry us apart. Ember whispered with her voice quivering with dread, "We love you..."

I could not bear to watch that approaching wall of white take him away from us. I squinted my eyes shut as I whispered a futile plea. Hoping for something that would not come. "Please don't go..."

I felt him. Our son gently placed a hand over mine. And he likely did the same for Ember. And then... I heard the last thing he ever said. "Love you, Mom. Love you, Dad. See you soon..."

My eyes were greeted by darkness and wetness. I was gazing up at the darkened ceiling wit the feeling of a soft mattress under me. And a hand lined in scales was still clutching my right hand. The fluid around my eyes... I had awoken in tears. I had finally met my firstborn dragon child. Gotten to know my son... And now he was gone. Just a memory of someone who never existed.

I turned my head to gaze to my right. Rain Shine still slumbered to my left. And while very dark, I could vaguely make out her bright blue form. And her scarlet eyes. Ember was gazing at me with glistening tears lining her face. Gazing at me unblinkingly... We were both filled with a profound sense of loss. And I whispered to her in longing. "He was so beautiful..."

Ember spoke with actions instead of words. She reached out to me and pulled herself atop me. And with one powerful motion, locked her lips with mine. She pinned me to the mattress, eyes still shedding a trail of tears, as she kissed me meaningfully. Her tongue met mine, that faint spicy flavor filling my mouth as she kissed me in a complex dance of sorrow and joy. And when she finally ended the kiss, she whispered to me as well. "He was...perfect."

And there we stayed. Just holding each other with tears flowing. We finally knew the joy of being mother and father to such a darling prince of a dragon boy. Only for that paradise to come to an end much too soon. We could not even find any words to say. We were...in mourning.

We were eventually reminded of Rain Shine's presence beside us. She stirred a little before becoming still again with mostly only her gentle snoring breaking the silence. The clock on the wall nearby had hands that were designed to glow faintly in the dark. It was morning. Breakfast was likely being prepared in the galley at that moment.

Ember and I carefully made our way out of bed and into the bathroom before locking the door behind us. Rain Shine did not deserve to be disturbed by our own issues. She would not understand it being a result of a dream Ember and I had somehow shared. With the lights on, we could finally see just how disheveled we both looked. Eyes raw with trails of dried tears going down the sides of our faces, we both needed a morning shower to perk ourselves up.

The water started flowing and steam soon filled the air. But we did not properly bathe at first. Ember and I slumped against the wall and just held each other as warm water washed over us. Just taking some time to relax and soothe ourselves. We closed our eyes and leaned into each other, one hand grasping the other. I eventually tried to at least say something. "You really were there with me, weren't you?"

"Yeah... I don't know how it happened, but...I just knew. That wasn't just any ordinary dream. We really were there together." Ember muttered while our eyes remained closed. She rubbed a single finger over the back of my hand. Just an idle motion with little reason.

It was an experience I would not trade for anything. And Ember surprised me with a kiss on the cheek before saying, "You really were a great dad to him. He loved you..."

"You were an equally amazing mom." I replied with Ember finally giggling uneasily in my grasp. Ember has never had much of an opportunity to interact with kids. But she finally had the chance to meet a child of her own. And she more than rose to the challenge of being there as his mother. And I whispered to my beloved, "I just...wish we didn't have to leave him behind..."

"It's OK, James... He doesn't exist. Not yet, at least." Ember said with some clarity, but not in a cold way. I felt her lips touch mine for a simple kiss. But her hand began to slide over my chest. Sliding lower with every second as a twinge of need flowed through me. And Ember cooed with me right in my ear with such a...meaningful inflection. "All we have to do now...is create him together."

I breathed deeply as Ember's words stirred a sacred desire in my heart. And my body accordingly. My shaft between my legs began to gradually stiffen. Growing firm as it lengthened to fulfill a primal yet beautiful function. And Ember's hand took note. She delicately slid a finger along my length as it sent a shudder up my entire body. She cooed playfully and said, "There it is... Someone really wants to be a father."

"I can't help it, Ember... I still remember his voice... His face... Those beautiful eyes... He was just...the perfect little boy... I miss our son. I want to hold him again... To tell him I love him..." I whispered with eyes still squinted shut. I was desperately trying to hold onto that memory. I was fearful that the memory would fade in a matter of hours like with every dream that was not lucid. He may not have truly existed at the time, but that little dragon boy was still my son.

Ember's finger continued to slide up and down the length of my manhood. Doing what little she needed to maintain my erection. I wanted to plunge it deep into her. To plant my seed within my beautiful dragon queen so that we would finally have the little boy we met finally come into our lives. To finally be mother and father to a darling dragon prince. And there amongst the steamy air, I began to notice a certain smell. Pungent and spicy. The aroma of a reptilian woman lusting for her mate. Ember spoke with a whisper of longing, "I've never had much of a mind for thinking about having kids. But with you... I feel like I can handle anything. If I was ever supposed to become a mother... I would want to be one to yours."

I only then opened my eyes. And I found Ember's beautiful scarlet eyes gazing into mine as her hand began to tenderly grasp my shaft. Sliding up and down its length, pleasuring me with those smooth wet scales providing a divine sensation. I felt so blessed as I gazed into the eyes of the one I loved. To know that she wished for me to father her offspring... To even go so far as to raise them with her... To have a family with her... I felt beyond just honored. I so dearly wanted to tell Ember that I loved her. To plead for her to become mine forever. But it was still too soon. So I whispered the next best thing I could think of. "I want to have to have children with you."

"Then do it, dear father. Give this dragon queen your child." Ember whispered lovingly yet elegantly to me. She was not one for such flowery formal language. Unless she was doing so deliberately for a special reason. My beloved reached out and brought her lips to mine. All for a long and tender kiss as her hand stroked my eager shaft. Masterfully and meticulously preparing my body to release the seed that would bless her with the beautiful son we dearly longed for.

We were of the same mind, Ember and I. We knew the joy of cradling a life we had created together. Even if only in a dream. A life that developed a mind and will of it own. A beautiful and precious mind fit for a prince. We wanted to know that joy again. A joy that would not end after a single night. To become mother and father to a darling little boy... It is the purpose of mating. To make love...in order to make life. A new life to love. And Ember whispered this truth to me as I leaned against the wall to let her and the falling warm water pleasure me. "Sweet father... Let me make you a father of dragons."

My hand felt along what I knew were Ember's ventral scales. So smooth. Made even smoother by the warm water of our shower. Sliding further down until I caressed her belly. And within, the womb that would carry the eggs that would contain our little ones. And I whispered an equally beautiful retort to her. "Dear mother... Will you be mother to my children?"

I heard a joyous and labored chuckle. As if trying to not outright weep in sheer happiness. Ember cooed into my ear as I felt her guide my fingers lower until they were slid into a warm and wet gap between the natural armor of her scales. "I would be honored to bring your children into this world. To be mother to the children that will be heralds of a brighter tomorrow."

And so I pleasured her as she pleasured me. Ember's hand remained wrapped around my shaft while my fingers rubbed the inner walls of her cloaca. Distracting each other from the urge to breed. If Ember were not so bound by her own blood, I am certain she would have mounted me right there. Allowed me to fill her with my seed and see if it would take. All for the sake of finally being able to have a family together born of truest love. And how I wanted that. To hold Ember and let my seed flood her egg chamber. To create a child of man and dragon. I pleaded a beautiful request to my future queen, "Please... Bear my child, Ember..."

"Give me your child, James... Let me give you the son we need..." Ember whimpered to me as her hand cupped my face. Again, our lips met. And this time, our tongues danced. The scent on the steamy air of my beloved full of need. The muffled song of her voice in her throat. The subtle spicy taste of sulfur on her breath. And the touch of our arms holding each other. It was bliss. Pure bliss.

Our words of tender desire being whispered back and forth interspersed with groans and gasps of pleasure. Tucked away high in the sky within the walls of the Olympia where no one would hear us. Just two lovers longing for a future where we would be joined by a little life we would create together. As I craved that beautiful future, my body began to approach its climax. I began to more feverously wiggle my fingers inside Ember's wet inner walls. And as I began to gently thrust my hips upward, Ember began to hasten the movements of her hand around my shaft.

It was almost time. I needed to let it all out. To try and sire the child we both needed. And Ember, voice unsteady as she neared climax, whispered beautifully to me. "Breed me, James... Sire my clutch... Let me...have...your..."

And so it happened. I groaned loudly as jets of my human seed spurted through the air. Being struck down by falling water. Ember shrieked and convulsed, her walls quivering around my fingers as she slumped against e. It was all so fulfilling, and yet it was all over so quickly. And so we rested there in the falling torrents of warm soothing water. Lightly gasping for breath as we basked in that afterglow.

My eyes remained closed as I held Ember against me. And her hand gently wrapped itself around mine. And my other hand, still slick and stained with Ember's pungent scent, rested against her belly. I knew it would not happen that time. But there was no doubt in my mind by then. It was no longer about if Ember would ask me to be hers. It was all about when. That future was secure. I was sure of it. And as I rubbed her belly meaningfully, I whispered to her. "Our baby."

"A...baby..." Ember muttered in a manner that I was not used to hearing from her. I think it was just the word itself that felt strange to her. Something so delicate and innocent. Not at all one would expect from anyone who came out of the dragon lands. It was a word that must have felt strange rolling off her tongue. But she then rested her hand over mine as she said it again. This time with more certainty. "A baby... Our baby... Someday... Right?"

I rested my brow against Ember as I heard a tiny giggle from my beloved. "Count on it... And you will be such an amazing mother too."

"As long as I have you... Even motherhood doesn't sound so daunting." Ember said with a giggle as she started to shift back to the confident and beautiful dragoness I had always known. The afterglow was gradually fading as we finally started to feel ready to face the day. A day where we were one step closer to finally belonging to each other. And when I began to open my eyes, she rested her hand over my beating heart. "And our children will love their father. Just like he did..."

All I could do was sigh in longing. I could still remember that beautiful blue dragon boy. When we would finally be blessed with a son, would that child be the same boy we saw? Ember sighed as she rested her head against my shoulder, "I want our children to see the world like you have... I never knew what I was missing out on until I finally followed you out onto the Empty Plains. Equestria...is an amazing world. I see why the ponies are the ones who mostly call the shots around the world."

"We've both been blessed by this world... Our kids will have very happy lives if they're allowed to know Equestria like we do." I replied softly while holding the beautiful creature in my arms. Although I then did recall one little detail about what tends to happen to dragon children back in Ember's homeland. Or at least until relatively recently. "Just don't' go kicking them out of the house when they reach a certain age."

Ember's head snapped back as her eyes opened wide in disbelief at what I just said. "What?! No, of course not! That's been outlawed for more than a century by now anyway!"

Ember's sharp response got a chuckle out of me. I knew she would never do such a thing to her own children. Especially not after seeing how parents beyond her people's borders raise their families. But I ten had a realization. "Just curious, but... Are you sure your dad didn't do that you back when you were still a whelp?"

My beloved rolled her eyes, but not out of contempt. "Only for an hour or so. He tracked me down and took me back home before apologizing."

That sounded like Torch. The poor guy must have had a crisis of conscience in ways no other dragon father ever had and tried to undo his mistake. Although Ember then said with a smirk, "But knowing what I know now about how the Bloodstone Scepter works... I'll bet Mom had a really stern talk with him after he threw me outta the cave."

Of course Blaze was likely an influence on Torch's backtracking. I snorted in amusement at the thought of big beautiful Blaze thoroughly scolding her cowering husband over casting their child out of their home. I then said, "Your mom really isn't like other dragons, is she?"

Ember smiled warmly at me as she replied, "She spent a lot of time traveling beyond the northern border before she came home and met Dad. I think she really appreciated how her human neighbors did things back then. At least...before the Empty Plains became a thing."

"Right... Anyway... Shouldn't we really start washing up now? This hot water won't last forever." I replied before suddenly realizing how long we had been sitting in the shower stall while doing no actual bathing. All while the air still reeked of Ember's scent. And it would only be a matter of time before someone would come knocking to check on us.

The two of us finished up bathing real quick. And while we tried to pretend nothing unusual happened, Rain Shine was giving us some funny looks after we came out of the bathroom to find her starting to wake up. We just wanted to get down tot he galley for a fulfilling breakfast.

And yet... As I sit here writing this... The memories. Even days later, I have been fortunate enough to still remember his face. That precious little dragon boy...

My boy. My son. My beautiful prince. I do not even know your name, but I already love you. I want to hear your voice again. I want to truly hold you in my arms and tell you how much I love you. I want nothing but the best for you and your many siblings. I pray a day comes where your mother and I can truly welcome you to this wonderful world of Equestria.

Please... Whoever it is who controls the cogs of time and fate... Please do not keep us waiting too long for that precious day to happen. I just want to see my son again. To finally meet that beautiful boy. All I can do now is wait. And never before have I been so impatient. I love you, my son. And I cannot wait to finally see you open your eyes for the first time. May that day come soon.