private A New Life: Manehattan Story

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

"Wha... What do you mean? Luna spoke to you? Why would she.. have to be here tomorrow?" Winterglade stammered. She was confused, why would the princess would be here tomorrow if not... She quickly shook her head to drive the terrible thought away. With a sigh she pressed her forehead close to Fender's own. "It's okay, Fender, we are in this together. I love you, I... need you. I will never leave your side," she nuzzled her husband. Never she felt being such an useless pony, being unable to truly do anything to help Fender.

 

At the door, Wonder Shrine was peeking her head through along with her daughter. Both unicorns looked uncertain on whether they should join to console Fender or simply let Winterglade handle everything. Springsteps looked up at her mother, as if begging for her to do something. Wonder Shrine could only smiled apologetically. "This is not something I've ever heard about..."

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"It's okay, Fender, we are in this together. I love you, I... need you. I will never leave your side,"

 

 

He finally stopped his crying, and sniffled a bit, "It's okay...it's okay, it's okay. We'll be just fine...it was just something about...an imbalance of magical energy in me or something...I think it was the gem..." He took a deep breath, then simply sighed, "I love you, Winterglade, now stop worrying about me," He brought himself to smile, "I won't be leaving your side either, got it?" He hugged her tightly.

[Starshine 16,333]

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Winterglade nodded weakly. She took a deep breath and let it go slowly. It wouldn't do any good if she panicked in here. After a few moments of silence, she smiled. She pecked Fender's cheeks for a bit before speaking, "I bet you're hungry now. Come, Wonder Shrine brought us some sweet bread." She brushed Fender's mane aside to reveal his eyes. They looked tired, but none less beautiful than usual. "Or you want to take a bath first?" she offered with a grin.

 

There was a muffled yelp followed with sounds of a mare trotting away from behind the bedroom's door. Winterglade tried to look nonchalant, but slowly she started blushing. Her grin faltered.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"I bet you're hungry now. Come, Wonder Shrine brought us some sweet bread." She brushed Fender's mane aside to reveal his eyes. They looked tired, but none less beautiful than usual. "Or you want to take a bath first?" she offered with a grin.

 

 

He smiled, and took a deep breath, "Y'know what I always thought would be really romantic?" He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "How about we share the shower?" He leaned back and grinned, "It technically is still our honeymoon, and I think we deserve a little bit of a break from recent events...we could shower, then eat. What do you want to do?"

[Starshine 16,333]

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Winterglade giggled abashedly hearing Fender's suggestion, her face reddened even more. She bopped his snout with a hoof. "Oh you, silly casanova. I think I like your idea." She jumped off the bed and walked to the small bathroom on the corner, swaying her hips while so. "Come and get it," she flicked her tail a bit to tease the stallion before disappearing into the bathroom.

[Fender 1,283]

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Fender giddily followed his wife into the bathroom, and they both stepped into the shower.

 

The water running down their coats was soothing, and Fender caught a new sight of the love of his life. He smiled, "Y'know, it just occurred to me, I've never seen you drenched in water..." He smiled, "You're always so wonderful, and beautiful to me...and I just couldn't picture my life without you." He nuzzled her neck. "I love you."

[Starshine 16,333]

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The pleasant noise of water trickling from the shower head was momentarily accompanied with joyful laughter. Behind the closed door, the newlywed pair had their moments of bonding together, sharing each other in their love. Winterglade was happy to see Fender smiling so serenely under the sprinkling water. She would gladly gave up her own heart to see him smiling like that everyday.

 

"I love you too, you silly colt."

 

...

 

The bath was an unusually long one. When they're finished the sun was already skewing to the west. After struggling with the short hotel towels, Winterglade finally succeeded in her mission of drying herself and Fender up. Her tail looked like she was a half-porcupine. "Hahah... I will have to buy some real towels after this. Fender, how do you feel? Ready for that breakfast? Um... it's more like lunch right now" She rubbed the towel around Fender's neck for the last time.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Ready for that breakfast? Um... it's more like lunch right now" She rubbed the towel around Fender's neck for the last time.

 

 

"Too right." He grinned, and pecked her on the lips, before exiting the bathroom. He approached Springsteps and Wonder Shrine, "Well...I don't know if you too need to stick around for tomorrow or not but...supposedly, Princess Luna is coming along." He half frowned, then grinned, calmly, "We'll need to prepare a meal tomorrow...but what've we got right now?"

[Starshine 16,333]

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Wonder Shrine paused mid-chewing. She looked at Fender, and then to her daughter, who only shrugged and moved back to her own lunch. In truth she wanted to stay and hear what Luna had to say to Fender, but the pair had done so much to her she felt rather bad about it. She swallowed down the sweet bread and offered some to Fender. "We have... corn soup and some sweet bread. If you would like to try, we also have some dried nutmegs."

 

"Nutmegs?" Winterglade peeked her head up from behind Fender. Her ears fell flat to her head. "Shouldn't nutmegs go into the food?" She scrunched her mouth. The only thing she knew from raw nutmeg was the ridiculously sharp taste. Wonder Shrine merely giggled and tossed a wrinkled nutmeg into her mouth. Winterglade grimaced. "Ew..."

 

"You should try some!" Springsteps held a particularly big nutmeg to Winterglade. The white mare quickly backtrotted away, but Springsteps followed. Soon the two caught in a game of tag around the table and away from the dining area.

 

"Never!"

 

Wonder Shrine sighed. With a smile she motioned Fender to take a seat. "First thing first, I will have to apologize for the intrusion. When you are dreaming, Springsteps... caught a glance or two. The girl is a very strong receptor," she paused. Her face looked tired for a moment. "Tomorrow, princess Luna would be able to explain everything better than I could, but if you don't mind me asking... Did you see anything peculiar in the sky in your dream?"

[Fender 1,283]

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Fender raised an eyebrow at Wonder Shrine's words. He was confused. "It's okay about Springsteps...just hope she didn't see everything..." He sighed, "Uhmmm....huh...no, not that I can remember...I don't even recall looking into the sky..." His eyebrow still risen, "Why do you ask?"

[Starshine 16,333]

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Hearing Fender's words, Wonder Shrine sighed in relief. She smiled. "If you didn't have any compulsion to look up in your dream, that means there is no external force affecting you in any way. To see some kind of unfamiliar construct floating in your dreams is one of the major sign that something was done to your inner psyche. I'm glad that the... the dead ones didn't do anything permanent to you." Wonder Shrine looked a bit afraid, but her smile was calm.

 

Winterglade slowly walked into the room, afraid that she might interrupted anything important. In her snout she was carrying a rather upset Springsteps by the scruff. The filly looked strangely still. "Um... Did I miss something?" she asked, her voice a bit muffled.

[Fender 1,283]

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Fender ignored Wonder Shrine's words for the time being, he couldn't be bothered if there was no immediate issue. He simply inhaled, smiled, chuckled at the sight of Springsteps being carried, and answered his wife's question. "No, sweetie. But if you two play any longer, you're gonna end up missing the meal." He grinned.

[Starshine 16,333]

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Winterglade chuckled. "Nothing to worry about! The food won't be going anywhere, but this filly..." her voice still muffled from all the fur in her mouth. Springsteps struggled weakly, but Winterglade's bite was too strong. "She chased me out of the room and around the front lobby. She wouldn't stop until I had to get the security to help me throwing the bitter nutmeg away. Ain't she a naughty filly?" she asked rhetorically, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. "Do you know what ponies do to a naughty filly?"

 

Springsteps whimpered. She tried to look at her mother for help, but the unicorn mare only smiled and shook her head. She was alone now. "Sorry..." Winterglade rocked the filly a little bit. Springsteps winced. "I'm sorry I promise won't chase ponies around with food they don't like!"

 

"Now that's a good filly." Winterglade released her grip on Springsteps, who promptly galloped away from the pegasus. Winterglade laughed, she was a bit afraid that she might traumatized the filly, but now at least they were even. "That chase was tiring. I guess it's time to eat!"

[Fender 1,283]

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Fender continued eating, it felt good to relax for a moment. "So...any plans for how we will greet the princess tomorrow?" He sighed, "I'm not sure how this will go. Not sure at all, but we could figure it out...she never said what time she would come here, so...wake up early, maybe?"

[Starshine 16,333]

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"That's..." Winterglade paused. Everypony had taken a seat on the table, except Springsteps who decided to sit on her mother's lap. Winterglade scrunched her face. "Should we prepare a feast or something? I don't know." Her ears fell. She never saw any of the royalties first-person, the prospect of being actually visited by one scared her a bit. "What if princess Luna would come here with the guards? Should we prepare food for all of them too?"

 

Wonder Shrine visibly gulped. She hadn't thought about he possibility that Luna would arrive with escorts. "It seems that I wouldn't be able to accompany you tomorrow." She sighed. "We have a lot of things to take care of. Right, Springsteps?" The filly frowned for a moment before nodding in confirmation. Winterglade winced, now she and Fender would be alone.

[Fender 1,283]

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Fender sighed, "Well, it's been a pleasure having you, if that means anything." He put a hoof to Wonder Shrine's shoulder for a moment, "Honestly, you and Springsteps have helped us a lot, personally...if you don't mind me saying."

 

It was true though, in Fender's eyes. Wonder Shrine helped guide them through some of the struggle, and Springsteps helped Fender discover just how much he wanted to be a parent.

 

"Well...we're alive, we're well, I'm getting help for...whatever is wrong with me..." He grinned, "...I'd like to think things are looking up." He kissed Winterglade, and continued eating.

[Starshine 16,333]

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"Aw, Fender..." Winterglade jabbed Fender's shoulder. "Not in front of ponies," she whined, cheeks blushing. Wonder Shrine chuckled and waved her forehoof aside. Springsteps openly laughed, but soon choked on a piece of carrot. After a loud racket the four finally resumed their lunch in peace.

 

"I'm glad my presence here could be any of help to both of you. You two have taken care of my daughter when I could not, and I could never say thank you enough," the unicorn said. She looked outside, the sun indicated that it was nearing evening. "I believe it is time for me to bid farewell. I hope we can visit each other in a casual manner anytime soon." As on cue, Springsteps jumped onto her mother's back. Wonder Shrine smiled and nodded to Winterglade before trotting out of the room. "See you later!"

 

Winterglade followed to the door and waved a hoof. "Take care!" When the unicorns reached the front lobby, Springsteps stuck her tongue out, on which Winterglade replied by blowing a raspberry to the filly. The two continued making funny faces at each other until Wonder Shrine took a turn around a block. Winterglade returned to Fender and sighed. "You know, I think I'm starting to hate that little fuzzball."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender contently waved goodbye to the mare and filly, and when they were gone, and Winterglade spoke to him, he laughed a little, "Yeah...I knew you loved her." He smiled, he closed the door when they were both inside the room again, and stared at Winterglade for a moment. Fender sighed, and smiled still, "Well...now that they're gone...when do you wanna try for foals?" He chuckled, "It's gonna come around sooner or later, and you know you want to." he wrapped a foreleg around her.

[Starshine 16,333]

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Winterglade's face was quick to react to the offer, the cheeks and snout quickly turned red as tomato. The mare herself just stood there, a blank look in her eyes. It took her a few seconds before she started stuttering, "A-Are you sure? We just had one an hour ago, aren't you tired? I-I don't want to push you..." Her voice slowly turned inaudible. Her eyes traced an invisible line around the room before finally settling on Fender, crossing somewhere between hopeful and uncertain. "Do you want to?"

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Do you want to?"

 

 

He answered the question first by pecking her lips, then hugging her. He let the hug go, and spoke, "Well...yes...I want so badly to have foals of my own, now. Something about taking care of Springsteps...it made me just confident enough..." He sighed, "I love you...and I want us to have a little filly or colt that we can call our own...that we can nurture and take care of until the day we die." He smiled weakly, "I want your mother and father to be able to call themselves grandparents." He stared into her eyes and let a moment pass, "And I want us to be able to call ourselves parents..." Fender placed a hoof on his wife's shoulder, "...so...let's make foals." He chuckled lightly, waiting for some sort of response.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Winterglade was totally pink by the time Fender finished talking. The surprise kiss, the hug, the exclamation of love, and the expressed desire to raise foals, all that brought a smile to her face, albeit a shaky one. But the mention that Fender wished that her mother would be able to call herself a grandmother, that caused Winterglade to quiver on her hooves. "Thanks," she whispered and playfully bit Fender's ear. "You know, there is something I want to try now that we are alone." Her breath grew heavier, she softly tugged Fender to the bedroom.

 

...

 

The sun rose above the horizon at a snail's pace. The sky over Vanhoover was relatively clear, considered what had happened yesterday on it's east side. Many ponies still could be seen toiling on the snow-covered eastern district, many hadn't had any sleep in the slightest. Tents of disaster relief could be seen dotting the white landscape. Other than that, the city had resumed its activities as it would in this accelerated Spring.

 

In one of the many hotels that gleefully accepted the refugees, behind a locked door, Winterglade slowly stirred awake. She groggily sat on her haunches, wild strands of mane and tail sprawled all over the bed and her body. She yawned widely. The slightly sticky bed sheet served as a silent reminder on what she had done yesterday. She smiled when she saw her still sleeping husband. There was a large blackened spot on his underbelly, something that was partially her fault. With a giggle Winterglade slumped on Fender and kissed him square in the lips, playing with the inside of his mouth for a bit. "Wakey wakey, Skysong."

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

With a giggle Winterglade slumped on Fender and kissed him square in the lips, playing with the inside of his mouth for a bit. "Wakey wakey, Skysong."

 

He awoke with his wife on him, and smiled while the two's faces were connected. "Hey there, beautiful." his words were muffled due to the presence of his wife's lips.

 

He thought back to the previous night. What they did was romantic, naughty, and lovely all at once. "Nooo regrets..." He chuckled out loud, more so to his own thoughts, but also to the fact that his wife seemed to be trying to continue the act. He finally escaped the kissing, "Hey hey, I don't think I'm ready for round two..." He grinned, "...but my, my, you never stop being beautiful..." He sat up and nuzzled the mare. "Now...let's hope we get some foals outta that...I put a lot of effort into last night." He laughed.

[Starshine 16,333]

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Winterglade amicably pouted as Fender stopped the morning kiss routine. She giggled and nuzzled back though, at least Fender was still returning the affection. She had been worried that she had squeezed him dry. With a content sigh she rolled and snuggled herself close between Fender's hooves. "You shouldn't worry about that... I'm sure there will be something in the few first months. You have filled me enough," she giggled like a schoolfilly. Feeling the warmth and hearing the heartbeat of her husband always drove Winterglade giddy. "Anyway, what do you want for the breakfast. Don't tell me 'whatever you want', I want to eat what you want for a change." she huffed and rubbed her face on his chest fur.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Anyway, what do you want for the breakfast. Don't tell me 'whatever you want', I want to eat what you want for a change." she huffed and rubbed her face on his chest fur.

 

 

He grew a sly grin, and in an almost condescending tone, responded jokingly to his wife, "Buuuut...I only want to eat whatever it is you want to." His grin remained, and he began to snicker. "You know by now I have no idea what it is I want when I'm asked...things are better when you get random urges for them." He had a real smile on now, "So what does my lovely wife want to eat?"

[Starshine 16,333]

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For a moment Winterglade frowned deeply. There goes another try, she thought. Slowly she snaked upward until her face leveled to Fender's and raised an eyebrow. "But... What if my random urges told me to eat something you don't want?" she asked, snout inching closer to Fender, a mischievous look on her face. "Like, maybe, yourself?" She nudged Fender's mouth open with her snout and slowly bit into Fender's lower jaw, holding it open.