Standing Tallby Rain Winter
Chapters
1. Prologue
Prologue
March 22, 2021: Dear Rain,
As much as I hate to admit it, what you did that day by sending me away was the best thing that you could have done for me. Hard work always does the mind or soul a good workout, or so says my drill sergeant. Sgt. Snowflake is an okay Pegasus, I mean he does after all look really ripped. If I were into stallions then I would try being all over him.
I miss you Rain, and I want to come home. Before I can though I must serve my four years of service to the Princess, you did after all sign my life away on that dotted line.
Well, I have actually managed to make a few friends in here. You already knew about Spike Sparkle joining up with me. Two of my squad mates actually are cool gals, one is named Lyra, such a sweet girl with a heart for the harp. The other is another music lover by the name of Vinyl, she too has a heart for her own type of music, mainly the guitar.
When I get back home I was thinking about tending to that old beat down house on the edge of Ponyville, right next to where you and Applejack live now I guess. Speaking of which, if Applejack still has that spot open for working in the field then I am all in when I get back.
We are shipping out in about a week, where we are going I cannot tell you. Orders are orders as I have been told. Anyways, when I ship out then I will not get to write you much. I love you big brother, and I don't want you or anypony else to worry about me. I'll see you when ever I get on leave. Until then, Semper Fly.
Your Adoring Sister,
Cobalt Winter
April 7, 2021: Dear Cobalt,
It was really great to hear from you sis. The mail was a little late, so sorry that I was unable to get your letter sooner than you wished. It's great to hear that you have made some new friends while serving your time. Be a shame to see you come home with empty hands.
Applejack read the letter you sent and said that it would be alright if you wanted to help out around the farm. She needs a few extra hands and has promised you a spot upon your return.
Anyways, Sweetie Belle stopped by the other day to read your letter. She was a little upset that you did not write her, but she understood why you would not. She wants you to know that she holds no ill will against you, she only wishes that you would write to her. In her words, 'I am lost without my best friend around. Who am I going to sing for now?'
Write back when you can sis. Do us all a favor too if you can, stay safe. I know that it must be hard over there, protecting Canterlot and all of Equestria from the changelings, but try to stay alive. In my heart I pray to Celestia for you sis, I pray that you will vanquish all who oppose you. Let your sword always remain sharp, and may your enemies cower at your feet. Sis, make us proud, make us remember why you are there.
Your Loving Brother,
Rain Winter
June 4, 2021: Dear Rain,
Yesterday was a tragedy for us. I can't tell you where our battle was, but I can tell you that our losses were many. One of which was my friend Lyra. None of us shed a tear aside from Vinyl, who was like a sister to the mare. She died gallantly though, protecting us as we all fell back. Today we held a small service in honor or her heroic efforts. Bon Bon was the name of her best friend back home in Ponyville. Please let her read this letter. That is all I can write for now brother, getting ready to move out at dawn. Take care, we might actually win this war.
Your Sister,
Cobalt Winter
June 9, 2021: Dear Sweetie Belle,
I am sorry that it has taken me this long to write you. My best friend should always mean so much to me, and you do. This letter will not be long, but I hope that you get the jist of it.
The other day we were sent back to Canterlot for a short respite. I was unable to get a pass to come and visit you all, but I have been promised that when we next get a short leave, that I can come back to see you all.
Sweetie Belle, I am scared out here. I feel alone, lost, ready for it all to be over. Princess Celestia says that the war efforts are doing well, and that the war is almost over. But I doubt that she had been to the front lines lately. It is a mess here, and none of us can stand it any longer. A friend that I had made by the name of Vinyl Scratch has thought about going AWOL, but I won't let her.
Aside from that I am doing quite fine here. Hopefully my leave will come sooner rather than later. So, I guess that is all for now. Looking forward to seeing you all again.
Your Best Friend,
Cobalt Winter
September 15, 2021: Dear Cobalt
It was great to hear from you Cobalt. Sorry that I never got to write back any sooner, but with your letter getting in late and me off doing my singing for Ponyville, it has become rather difficult to find free time. Just thought that you should know, Pipsqueak asked me out the other day. I turned him down though on account that I am just not ready to date yet.
If I could send you one of my songs then I would. My hot single right now is 'Sword Soldier', in dedication to your service for our nation. I wish that you could hear it, you would love it. Well, I really can't say much more now, other than you need to tell Spike to get home. Rarity keeps playing with that ring on her finger like it is going to vanish.
Cobalt, I am scared for Rarity. I hear her crying at night, wishing that he was back home with her, to hold her, to tell her that it will all be alright. Nopony is Spike, and she refuses to take any comfort, aside from reading his letters over and over. Watch over him please, and make sure that you both come home for us all.
Sincerely,
Sweetie Arton
October 3, 2021: Dear Sweetie Belle and Rain,
I am sorry to inform you that because the fighting has escalated, that I can no longer write letters to you for a while, nor can I receive any. For the time being, until I contact you otherwise, send no more letters, but expect one from me everyday. Leave has been canceled as well, so it will be a long time before I can see any of you again. I know that I have never asked for it before, but pray for us, pray that we will be alright.
Sincerely Yours,
Cobalt Winter
February 17, 2025: To The Family of Cobalt Winter,
I regret to inform you that you that your daughter or sister is KIA. Reports from the front state that your daughter, Cobalt Winter, has fallen on the field of battle. Cobalt fought gallantly on the field of battle, against all odds, she managed to hold her ground until the end. Today we have not only lost a true Equestrian Hero, but a daughter of the royal family. All of us are of the same blood, and all of us feel the pain when our sister has fallen.
Sgt. Snowflake of the Second Royal Guard informs me that when all hope had failed, that your daughter stood her ground. She gave her life so that her squad mates could clear out, dying when it was her time.
I know not the pain of loosing one so close as a daughter or son, but you can rest assured that we will continue the fight to protect Equestria. Prayers go out to wherever Cobalt now is, and hopefully her heart will remain strong as it did that day. I wish that instead of this letter that I could be sending back a fallen hero, but as fate would have it, cruelty it seems wants to attack your family. Remain strong, and all will be alright.
Dearly sincerely,
Lt. Shining Armor
May 23, 2026: Dear Rain,
Although you may not believe this letter to be true in nature, I am still alive. Being a Prisoner of War was harsh on me, and as such have left many scars on my body, but not my heart nor soul. I will be coming back to you all, and when I do, a warm welcome is what I ask of your brother. Please, please know in your heart that it is me, if you still believe this letter to be false then remember this: Code Green, one-one four three eight-two-ten. Look on the back of the letter for the remaining numbers, you will know what they mean. Love you bro, can't wait to come home, for good this time.
Please, don't tell anypony else, I want it to be a surprise. Though, you may be a bit shocked as I expect this letter to arrive shortly before my train does. Well, if it arrives when I think it will, then I will see you in a few hours. See you soon Rain.
Your Returning Sister,
Cobalt Winter
2. Coming Home
Coming Home
Trees swayed in the early morning breeze, some being nothing more than a constant blur as the train sped readily along its tracks. Off in the distant horizon, Celestia's glorious sun could be seen rising into the early dawn. Translucent waves of orange were painted across what little clouds there were, transitioning into an almost bloody red horizon. Today was going to be a perfect day, if the early dawn was anything to judge by.
Turning on a curve in the tracks, the train was plunged into immediate darkness as it passed into a tunnel. Low whistling was heard as the clank of wheels against metal grew louder due to the enclosed space. Feeling a bit warm, a window was pulled down by a midnight blue mare as she retook her seat, sighing as the cool, crisp morning air pressed against her almost entirely exposed midnight furred body.
Looking out her window, she could not help but allow a smile to grace her lips as they emerged from the darkness into a wide open valley. Trees ran down the length of the tracks, cut short almost to the point that they looked more like stalks of broccoli as compared to trees. Grass swayed with the wind, allowing it to cool their tips and blow the water droplets from the morning dew further down. Distant mountains foretold the coming of a storm that would hit most likely later in the day, if the dark grey clouds with flashes of lightening running between them was anything to judge by.
The mare never lost her smile as she turned her head to look at the drake sitting beside her, her long lost friend, her teammate, her only fellow survivor aside from the white mare in the car behind them. Amethyst scales adorned his body, with an emerald green mohawk cut typically short. Adorning his upper body was an olive drab t-shirt with the bottom tucked into his green digital camouflaged pants, the bottoms wrapped around the outside of his jet black combat boots.
In his hands was a picture, and upon further inspection, she found that it was the picture of his wife, Rarity, who was cradling his very young daughter Claire in her arms. A smile graced his features as he pressed his lips against the photo, silently whispering an 'I love you' as well as a 'I'll be home soon my girls' before he chanced a glance over at the mare beside him. "What? I love my girls alright?"
Both smirked while the mare said, "You are hopelessly in love Spike. You know that?"
Chuckling, he responded with, "Better a lovestruck fool with the mare of his dreams than a lovestruck fool without the nerve to tell the mare they love how they feel." This struck a nerve in the mare as she allowed her eyes to clock back to the window, watching the rolling trees pass by. Blushing easily present on her face, she said nothing short of a small mutter underneath her breath. "Come on Cobalt, I was only kidding."
Said mare turned back to face the drake, wearing a sly grin as she said, "Well, it's easy for you to do, you are not a mare who only likes mares." Scoffing, she continued, "'Fillyfooler' they called me. Shunned, that is all I have ever been. The last thing that I need is telling my best friend that I am madly in love with her. I can see it already, 'Hey Sweetie Belle, I got something I need to tell you. So like, I have had a sort of crush on your for the last few years.' She yells at me and runs away, shouting all the while, 'I never want to talk to you again Cobalt. Don't even come by the Boutique later and look for me.' What a mistake that will be. Besides that, she thinks I'm dead."
Cobalt sighed as she turned back to the valley, noticing a few packs of wild wolves running about, seemingly playing together as one large family. "It's alright Cobalt, I am sure that Sweetie Belle will understand how you feel about her, although I really would not say anything when she finds out that you are actually still alive. Though, I think that the sooner you tell her after that, the better off you will be. Just remember, if you need somepony to talk to other than your brother and Applejack, you are more than welcome to find solace in me or Rarity. Either one of us is willing to listen, to help you through this"
"Thanks Spike, I appreciate that, I really do. I knew that I could trust you." Sighing, she fingered the dagger that was around her waist as well as the other hidden dagger on the inside of her boot. "I just hope that all of our friends have not been taken already. I would like to get home before the changelings get there and ruin everything."
"I know what you mean. I want to get home to my family as soon as I can. I want to protect them, let those changelings just try and take my wife or daughter. Semper Fly, eh Cobalt?"
"Semper Fly Spike. We will win this war, ya know why?" The drake shook his head as he eyed her strangely, "We will win this war because we will forever remain together strong. It is out enemies who should cower before us rather than us cowering before out enemies. 'Together we will stand, United as a deadly force to be reckoned with, Apart, all will crumble and our homes will forever be tarnished by that of our enemy's lingering touch'. Together, we will win this war with our hearts strong. I trust that they have yet to make it to Ponyville, but never let your guard down while there."
Spike could swear that a light radiance seemed to shine from the midnight mare as she spoke what he needed to hear. Deep within his heart, he felt like no enemy could ever take the place of his loved ones, and as long as their was breath within his lungs and life in his body, no harm was ever going to come to them. His daughter would grow up in a world where there was no lingering war, a world were peace reigned for a thousand years more.
Letting his pride of defense swell up inside of him, he was almost unaware when the mare pulled out a picture from the front pocket on her pants, glaring at it with a certain protectiveness, yet with a heart full of love towards whatever was on the photo.
Leaning over, he was able to see that it was a lone picture of herself and Sweetie Belle the day before she was shipped out to basic. Sweetie Belle stood in the forefront, with Cobalt clinging tightly to her back, her arms around the girls neck. Both were smiling as they looked at the camera, and both looked as though they were truly happy, yet there was a slight tint of sadness that Spike managed to spot on both of their faces. A knowing grin quickly swept across his lips as he looked over towards Cobalt, realizing something that she had never picked up on. Sweetie Belle was in love with her as well. Her face showed it, yet Cobalt was too blind by her own feelings to spot it.
Not wanting to ruin anything for the two, nor to get the mare's hopes up in case he was false, he held his tongue as he grinned silently to himself. "I love you Sweetie Belle, and I will be home soon."
Spike glanced back at his own picture as he said, "You really love her, don't you?" A nod was his only response. Glancing at the mare, he saw that she had a lone tear sliding down her cheek. "Hey, it's alright to be in love. All of us, Sweetie Belle included, knows that you are not regular, that you are into mares. None of us hate your for it, we just think that you are too wrapped up inside of yourself to truly see what life has given you.
"Cobalt, when we return home here shortly, promise me something. Promise me that no matter what, you will try to push the war out of your mind, that you will try to admit not only to Sweetie Belle your feelings, but to yourself as well. Promise me that you will try to make a new life for yourself and the mare you desperately love. Promise me, please."
Cobalt found it hard to say anything after his voice faded into silence. His words rang within her mind as she contemplated their meaning. It was not until he nudged her that she finally responded. "I promise Spike. I will try to push away the war, but I will still keep my eyes peeled for suspicious behavior. Until the war has been declared over, I will always be on my guard. That is something that has been drilled into me from the years of conflict that we have been in"
"I know, so will I. Right now though, I just want to go home and see my lovely wife and my beautiful filly."
The mare could not argue with his sense of logic, seeing as how he had been away from them for far too long. Despite this however, she chose to return to the picture in hand, wondering how she was ever supposed to have her own filly or colt someday when they were both mares. Guess fate decided that I was not worthy enough to bare a child into this world. Oh well, so long as I have a lover like Sweetie Belle, I will gladly take whatever comes my way.
Deep within her heart, the mare knew that somehow, someway, the universe was going to provide for her no matter what. If she was meant to bare a child into this world, then she would gladly do so, even if it meant that she might have to give her life in the process. To see Sweetie Belle happy, she would gladly do it in a heartbeat.
A long, echoing whistle brought her eyes to the window before her, where she saw the dark shadow that indicated they were entering yet another tunnel. This tunnel however was different than the last few that they had passed, this one was lined with multiple sparkles of light coming from the stone walls all around. A thick wave of white smoke billowed into the car around them through the open window, while the smell of burning oil and cannon strings assailed her nose. Listening intently, she could hear the soft sizzle of a burning wick as it went forwards, the dancing flames moving in the darkness.
Almost immediately, her eyes went wide as realization struck her, her eyes confirming what her mind was seeing. Grasping a hold of the conductor that was making his rounds, she practically shouted at him as she said, "You need to get the engineer to speed this train up! The tunnel is about to cave in on itself!" Upon seeing a quizzical look on the stallions face, she brought him over to the window and pointed to a stick of explosives as they passed by. Realization suddenly hit him, making him run to the nearest intercom to signal the engineer.
Up ahead, they could hear the train start to pick up speed as they came to the end of the tunnel, seeing light flashing them from a few feet ahead. Luck however was not on their side this morning, as the rear of the cave blew with a resounding bang that threatened to deafen them had she not already shut the window. Quickly following it was another set or serious of bangs, each one growing closer and closer with each passing breath of air.
Dust and dirt flew out of the mouth of the tunnel as the train emerged in a cloud of black smoke, the combination of the steam with the dirty air that had assailed them. With a long, wailing whistle, the train proceeded forth at a rather increased pace, signaling to the few passengers that there were that something was amiss.
Heads popped out of their compartments as they began to wander about the train, each one wondering what had happened. The conductor, seeing that he was now needed all over the train, looked to the two who had saved his life as well as the train's other passengers and said, "Thank you. Please, if you would, will you accept a token of my gratitude?"
Cobalt looked at Spike, then together they said, "Na, it's alright. We were trained to save your lives from the beginning of boot camp, that would be wasted if we only did it for material objects. Your thanks is sufficient enough as far as we are concerned." With a slight bow, along with a flashing smile, the stallion departed the two to proceed with calming the other passengers.
Spike looked out the window once more, Cobalt following suit. Together they looked out towards the vast rolling plains that stretched for miles in any direction, with a lone standing town in the center, sitting in what looked to be a slight bowl. "Home, we are home. I don't know whether that was the Royal Guard or that was the Empire, but one things is for sure, we are not going back to the Crystal Empire by train."
Steam billowed out from underneath of the heavy metallic wheels of the train, sending a hiss up towards those who were gathered on the station's wooden platform. Spike, quickly gazing out the open window, could immediately see his wife Rarity, holding in her caring arms the most beautiful two year old filly/dragon hybrid that he had ever laid eyes on. Dark pink fur adorned her body, with small little patches of purple scales scattered throughout, yet a mane colored the deep shade of amethyst purple with curls almost like her mother's.
Barely able to contain the joy that was seething through his very scales at the moment, the drake reached up to grab his duffel bag from the banister that was above them. Not wasting a single nanomoment of a second, he made his way hastily through the car towards the open door, where he descended onto the station platform. Cobalt could see the look of pure joy that came across the face of Rarity as she beheld her husband, knowing in both her mind and heart that he was there to stay forever. What was surprising about the moment however was when their little filly daughter screamed out, "Daddy!", as her eyes beckoned him closer.
Cobalt could feel a lone tear running down her cheek as she watched the drake pick up his little filly from the arms of his wife, giving her a quick, passionate kiss before he spun his filly around. Both laughed while Rarity only smiled, Cobalt doing the same as she beheld the warmth of a family who was once again bonded back together. Forever more they would remain together, seeing as how Spike was no longer needed on the 'Front Lines' anymore.
Cobalt let her eyes drift further up the platform past the happy family, seeing that most of her childhood friends were present, awaiting the return of the drake. As was expected, Pinkie Pie, the resident party pony of Ponyville, as well as the one with all of the secrets of the town, was at the forefront of the group. She wore a frilly pink skirt that fell to just below her knees with a short sleeved shirt covering her torso. In her hands was a lavender colored box, inside of which she could probably guess was an assortment of various cookies, brownies, or simply just her normal favorite, cupcakes.
Behind the pink dressed party pony was a shy mare with pink hair, almost the same shade as Pinkie's fur color. She wore a forest green dress with a pair of freshly pressed blue jeans, opting to wear no shoes. She would often allow her feet to 'commune with nature' as she always said. In her arms was a small little white rabbit with a frowning face, obviously not wanting to be there, even though she stroked his head softly, caringly, lovingly.
Standing beside the yellow Pegasus mare was a lavender colored alicorn. Garbed in a free flowing silky gold dress, with silver trim, she was the divine intent of beauty at the moment. Her mane was pulled back into a pretty little tail with a loop on either side, the sleeves of the dress stopped at her elbows, leaving her to wear a pair on long golden gloves the rest of the way. Around her neck was a silver chained necklace with a diamond in the center, rung around with three sapphires. She held within her hands a small book from which she had been recently reading, as was evident by the fact that she seemed to be awoken from a deep slumber.
In the back, just behind the lavender alicorn, was a cyan colored Pegasus. With her wings folded tightly to her back, she was garbed in a pair of silk black track pants with twin strips of gold running down either side of her legs. Adorning her upper body was a jet black tank top, with her rainbow colored mane falling all around her shoulders in a tangled mess. Yet, she too, wore no shoes, as she often said that they slowed her down, kept her from reaching her full speed.
Looking back towards the front of the group, Cobalt felt her heart catch in her breast as she beheld the sight of three newly aged mares making their way to the forefront of the group. Leading the small procession was none other than he best friend, the one mare whom she loved more than any other pony in the entire world, the mare whose beautiful singing voice remained echoing inside of her head. Garbed in a pair of dark blue jeans, sporting a bright pink V-neck shirt over her torso, the silvery-white mare was gorgeous in all of her forms. With her freely flowing pink and purple mane flowing down her back, she was the evident definition of beauty to her eyes.
Cobalt could not make herself move to save her life. Captivated, she went as far as to hold her breath, for she never thought that she was going to see the mare that she loved the most ever again. Watching her, she felt like she was looking back at the past, just before she had left for Basic Training. Times were good then, they were care free, they were friends just starting out in the world, and she was sure that she was going to be with the mare of her ever waking dreams.
Time seemed to slow for the midnight blue mare as she stared at the silvery-white mare, seeing her after so long almost made her eyes water and her heart burst apart. Fate however seemed to want to shatter all that mattered to her, for in a single instant, her entire world came crashing down around her.
Walking up towards the small group of three was a slightly muscular stallion who she knew all too well as Pipsqueak, a foreigner to Ponyville. The stallion, when he was a filly, had moved to Ponyville little over a year before Cobalt had left herself, meaning that for the years that she was gone, the two most likely became good friends. This though was not what made her heart begin to crack, instead she was forced to watch as he came and put his hands around the mare's stomach from behind, giving her a quick peck on her lips as she turned to look at him.
Tears began to cascade down her face as she watched the two, realization of Sweetie Belle accepting her death finally hitting her. She truly thinks that I am dead. War fades into the distant memory, but the aching of my heart is now all I will know. Maybe, there is a possibility to salvage our old relationship. Maybe, we can be friends once more, maybe I can still be with her.
Cobalt turned away from the two, her heart no longer able to bare what she was seeing. She felt as if somepony had driven a cold, icy stake through the center of her heart, causing her to feel such immense pain that she could not even begin to realize why the universe was punishing her so.
Dawning of a new life she knew seemed too good to be true, especially when it was not with the mare that she wanted to be with. If not for the promise that she had made to Spike, then she would have never gotten up from her seat, she would have just waited until the end of the line, and even then, she would keep going until the tracks were nothing more than dust in the hallowed ground that was her heart.
Loud whistling from the locomotive at the forefront of the train signaled to her that it was about to take off once more, with her aboard! Glancing out the window, she could see Rainbow Dash leading the group of friends as they disembarked the wooden platform, Sweetie Belle the only one to look back, with a single tear trailing down her cheek. Without any sound, she managed to mouth, 'I will miss you Cobalt. You were my best friend in the whole world. I l-'
Cobalt was unable to finish watching her speak as it dawned on her that she was still on the train and her friends were getting ever so smaller. Racing towards the back of the train car with her olive drab duffel bag in hand, the midnight mare stepped out onto the small railed platform that served as a secluded spot in which one could enjoy the fresh air. Vaulting over the railing, she produced a loud thud as she rolled onto the platform, the train whistling softly in the distance.
Without a second thought, she softly said, "Are you really going to leave without me Arathorn?"
Sweetie Belle held her breath as the soft, slightly masculine voice of her long-thought-dead-friend drifted into her sensitive ears. Whirling around, the silvery-white mare came to see that her best friend in the whole entire world was standing there before her, smiling gracefully, given her rugged appearance. Unable to contain herself any longer, the mare screamed to the high heavens with her signature squeaky yell as she yelled, "Cobalt!"
Together, the group stopped and turned around to glance back towards the end of the platform, seeing what Sweetie Belle said to be true. Cobalt stood there, looking at each in turn before her eyes fell back to those of Sweetie Belle's, finding her to be the most interesting of things to stare at. Together, the mares ran towards each other, Sweetie Belle jumping into Cobalt's arms as they hugged, feeling each others soft fur. Cobalt held on tightly as all of her remaining friends began to crowd the two, nearly knocking her over with all of their questions.
Before a word could be made to answer them, she asked, "Where are my brother and sister?"
"Here we are." All eyes turned towards the stairs at the end of the platform as Rain came walking up, his silver coat shimmering in the sunlight while his mixture of dark and light blue mane fell in with the wind. He was garbed in a dark gray t-shirt with a pair of jeans, wearing a pair of nice and shiny black boots.
Next to the silver stallion was his wife, and her sister, Applejack, garbed in a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to just above her elbows while the bottom was tucked in, a square spot of green around her neck area. A belt with an apple as the buckle was fitted through her dark blue jeans. At the bottom of which, she could see that she wore her typical rough brown cowboy boots. Looking back up to her head, she could see that it was not tied up like usual, but she still wore her stetson hat.
Walking before the happy couple was her little nephew, Kalin Winter, a little colt around the age of three years. He wore a black tank top with a pair of sapphire blue shorts, a smile graced upon his features that could descend lifetimes of happiness.
Looking back to the couple, her friends, and all of those around her, she felt a little different, as if this was nothing more than a dream that she could not hope to wake from. All she heard next was the sound of her brother, speaking softly to her, "You are home Cobalt. You are safe."
Pain flashed before her eyes, signaling that she had either touched something or more electricity had coursed through her body. Neither of these things seemed to fit well in her mind, as she found herself still in Ponyville, yet she felt that she was not there. Behind her, she could hear a deep, dark, feminine voice as it spoke darkly to her, "Ve have ya' now Cobalt Winter. Novony will sssussspect ta thin', just keep bein' a good mare and dream your vildessst dreamssss." It sounded like a hiss from a snake as the words rolled off of the tongue of whatever demon was speaking to her.
"Sorry about the mess sis. Your letter just got here this morning, so I uh, have been trying to work out a way t clean this room."
Cobalt smirked at her brother as he stood in the doorway to her old room which now had been converted into a study. A black leather chair was placed in the corner so that it was facing the door, a lamp post behind it. Underneath of the window across from the door was a small oak desk with various pencils and quills on it, blank parchments of paper lying between them. A small lamp was stationed on the second tier of the desk, providing light in the darkness of night when the moon was not full. "It's fine Rain. Really. I can sleep on the couch tonight, I don't care."
Rain watched his sister walk around the room, looking at the various pictures on the wall along with a stack of his recently completed novels. "Still fancying the dragons I see." They both shared a laugh as she perused through them, finding that several of his books were actually rated as the number one seller in Equestria. "Do, uh, do you still have the keys for the old place?"
Reaching into his back pocket, the silver stallion pulled out a single key, upon which was etched the family name. "Never let it out of my sight. Tomorrow we can go next door to see it, and see what kind of repairs that it needs. For now however, I want you to set down your bag and come spend time with your brother, sister, and nephew."
Cobalt never lost her smirk as she said, "You never know when to let me be do you?" Upon seeing a slightly guilty face, she burst out laughing. "I'm kidding big brother, jeez, take a joke. Anyway, what do you want me to do with these?" Reaching into her duffel bag, she pulled out the only thing that she had managed to keep from her escape, her custom made dagger with her name carved onto the blade. Lifting her shirt slightly, she showed his the dagger that was around her waste as well as the one in her boot.
"Oh uh, with those. Just put them on my desk for now. Kalin knows better than to come in here unless I am with him. But just to be safe, I will lock the door. Now come on, your nephew hasn't seen you since he was born and you were in leave."
Letting her smirk turn into a sly grin, Cobalt punched her brother in the arm as she said, "Fine, lead me away my fine brother. Take me to my wonderful nephew."