Dox sighs as he gently sets down the flask in his hooves. The sun is barly peaking it's golden light over the horizen, turning the sky red. The candels around the lab dimming as the sun starts to rise up into the sky. He looks over at the sun as is gently blocks out the light from the night sky and replaces it with the blue sky.
His eyes drift over to the wall were pictuers hang. Standing up, he makes his way over and drifts his eyes over the pictures hanging on the wall. It was almost like a time line from left to right. One pictuer depicts a very young Acid looking around the lab in exitment. Another has him with Film in the lab. Film looking at Acid with anger as his face is covered in bubbels from the exprement on the table in frount of the two. Of cource Acid is laghing his head off.
Tears form in Dox's eyes before rolling down his cheeks as he sees a pictuer with him in it. It wasn't of him exactly, it was when he was desguised, but it was still him. Him and Acid were shareing a cup of tea together at the cafetria.
"You still loved me even back then," Dox wispears, his voice cracking as he swallows a lump in his thoat. He moves on to other pitcures. He stops on one of Blood Moon and Acid hugging eachother on the balcony with tears runing down their face but with big smiles. Dox smiles as he rembers that day.
"You were willing to risk everything for me," Dox wispears as Twilight gently opens the door into the lab. "Just to keep me save." Twilight smiles before walking over to him.
"Hello Dox," Twilight wispears, gently placing a hoof on his shoulder. "How are you doing?" Dox flinches before relaxing.
"I'm doing good," Dox lies, looking up at the picture. Twilight sighs before looking up at the pictures. Her eyes scan the wall but don't look at any particular pictuer as she waits for him to speak. Dox sighs before rubbing his eyes with his hoof and dragging it down his face.
"I'm not ready for this,"
"Ready for what?" Twilight asks, looking down at Dox as she tilts her head to the side.
"For this," Dox turns to the side and waves at the lab with his hoof. "I'm not ready to pick up his mantle. Not like I could even meet his expectations," Dox sighs, looking down at the ground. "He's the most amazing pony I've ever meet and he's the one that has to get hurt?" Dox asks, looking up at Twilight. "It's not fare!" He yells in anger, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Twilight sighs, stepping a bit closer before wrapping her wing around his back. She gently pulls him into her side, causing him to look up at her in confusion. "I think you're more then ready. You've already exceed his expectations by just being interested in science, let alone attempting to do anything new with it,"
"But why him?" Dox crooks out, tears still rolling down his cheeks.
"That's a question we all ask our selfs one day," Twilight says, turning and guading Dox onto the balcony. "Look out there, what do you see?" Dox looks out onto the city and onto the rolling plains of equestria.
"I see Equestria," Dox says, looking up at Twilight now very confused. Twilight smiles and sighs as she slowly shakes her head.
"While you aren't wrong, I ment what do you see metaphorically when you look out," Twilight explains. Dox turns back to the night sky and takes a deep breath as he looks out at the rolling lands. The wind gently blows through his hair, causing him to shiver a bit before turning back to Twilight.
"I see a world that needs help healing." Twilight smiles warmly before looking out at the land for herself.
"Now you get it," Dox tilts his head to the side still confused. "Your dad knew that while the world was bad, that he could try and make it better,"
"Just because ponies are bad, doesn't meen you have to be," Dox wispears in understanding. "He told me that all the time, I didn't understand,"
"And I doubt you completely understand," Twilight responds, catching Dox off guard. "Acid learned it so young you might as well have called him an adult by age therteen, but he's done everything he can to try and make sure your life is better then his," Twilight says, turning to look down at him. "So go help ponies, he doesn't expect much, just that you help."
Dox looks out at the land as the sun light glids gently across the land. Lighting up every noock and crany of the world. Light's going out in home all around the city as they welcome the sun. Dox closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, his heart beating for a second as he sighs.
"Oh Surger High In Tartarus!" Dox's eyes snapped open. "I need to go get Midnight from School!" Dox says, turning around and running back into the lab. "Thanks Princess!" Dox yells leaving the room into the hallway. Twilight smiling to herself before sighing and frowning.
She turns to the sky before asking, "How did you do it Celestia? Why did you have to make mentoring look so easy,"
(Time Skip)
Midnight sighs, sitting on the steps leading to the school as the sun rises over the horizon. The light burning her eyes, causing her to close them and look at the ground. She tries to open them back up, covering her eyes with her hoof as she looks around. She takes in a deep breath as a big smile forms on her face.
"Bother!" Midnight yells, running over to Dox and giving him a big hug around his chest. Dox hugs back before releasing her.
"Sorry about being late, got held up by the Princess," Dox explains, turning around and walking back the path he had come with Midnight by his side. Midnight's eyes widen with a big smile on her face. "So, how was school?"
"It was fun," She says, bouncing up into the air and catching herself, all be it very unsteady, with her wings. Hoving right next to Dox so she can face him with out looking up. "We created a color wheel with paint, and we've started to learn to divide. I don't under stand it,"
This causes Dox to chukel before responding. "Don't worry, it get's harder."
"That's not comforting," Midnight grumbals, crossing her hooves over her chest before an idea forms in her head and uncurls her arms. "I'll race ya to the house!" Midnight says, speeding off before Dox can respond. Dox rolls his eyes before jumping into the air and speeding after her.
(Time Skip)
Dox covers Midnight up under her blanket as she yawns. "Good night sis," Dox says, kissing her on the forehead before Midnight snuggles into the bed. Dox opens his wings and flys up to the top bunk before getting himself into bed.
He uses his magic to shut the lights off as Midnight asks, "Do you think we'll ever see dad again?"
Dox sighs, looking up at the dull white ceiling before responding. "I don't know, maybe, but I wouldn't hold your breath," Dox then waits a second before saying, "No, don't actually hold your breath,"
Midnight sighs as she lets out a breath of air. "That's good, I don't know how much longer I could have," Dox chuckles and rolls his eyes at her.