EPILOGUE: KALIMBA MAVEMBE

I hate crowds.

Throughout my life I had to contend with crowds always trying to assess my value, as if my one life doesn't have any value at all. Even when I was in elementary, I was terrified of crowds, always judging me, always watching, always pointing things out about me. I hated it. I had terrible stage fright, and I wanted to run every time I was given a spotlight. I wanted to come into my own, I wanted to not disappoint mama and baba. I wanted to learn to overcome that fear. But everything changed. Mama died, leaving me in baba's care. And baba wanted to find mama again, so he traded me away to have that delusional search. That's all it took for another kind of crowd to come gathering around me.

More niche crowds watched from all around me, each of them keeping themselves ready to have their way with me next. My preteen self could cry out to the heavens for anyone to help me, for anyone to stop the pain, the humiliation of having my younger self displayed and coined around like currency. But the spotlight was on me regardless, and they took it as a performance, one they wished to replicate. And so they would try to outdo the other, who can go the fastest, who can go the hardest, who can make me scream the loudest, and then finally who can make me ascend the highest. That night, being in front of twenty stallions in a brothel, I was relentlessly raped for the profits of a mare who watched and got off all the same as the rest.

The crowds went from judging me on my usefulness, to assessing my worth. I would be placed on auction years later. Since I stayed sick, I appeared to be very weak. I was not taught how to cook, so that made me even more worthless. I was not taught to clean, worthless. I could not stay healthy, worthless. I spoke with a heavy accent, but I could not pronounce my Th's very well, worthless. I was poorly educated, worthless. I was weak, worthless. I was a hybrid who could not use magic, worthless. I existed. Worthless. All of my worst fears came to a head in the presence of a crowd. On display stages, I was forced to lift my tail and allow many to see what was just a part of me. It was just as worthless as the rest of me, but it was the only thing that seemed to appraise my value.

The spotlight was always there. But in recent times, it shined for a different reason. I was shoved into a position of idolization, to be loved by the roaring crowds while the one who ensured my freedom was made to be a heel. They would chant my name, send me flowers, call out how they suddenly loved me. But that was all a lie, a gathering of masks who did nothing more than commit the same atrocities that were done against me before.

And now it comes back around. Before me is a crowded room of hundreds of reporters, each of them wondering what I had to offer. In their eyes, I am worthless, I am unknown, I am a terrible choice to make for this kind of attention. That is their perception of me as I walk to where I was to speak.

In their eyes, I have nothing of note to speak on. So I look to keep it short. "I do not have much to say. Proceed with your questions."

Hardly anyone wanted to raise a hoof, but one mare in the middle of the crowd did sheepishly raise her hoof. "Ma'am, what exactly is your role in all of this?"

I had much I could say, but I started off slow. "I am de daughter of de recently murdered senator Somber Spiral. I have been in contact with de attacker until recently when he threatened my life for participation in his games."

The same mare asked again. "So just to ask for clarity sake, what are you?"

And again, I answered her question. "I am a unicorn-zebra hybrid. My mudda was a zebra named Mbira. My Faddah is the senator I mentioned, I am his first born."

And yet again, she seemed to be the only one who asked me anything. "I'm sorry ma'am, I only asked as to find a way to accurately describe you for future articles. As to current matters. what was your affiliation with the assailant?"

I had no emotional affiliation, none but one. "Sex slave."

The entire room broke out into gasps and bright camera flashes filled the room before I could shield my eyes. Another voice called from the left side. "Excuse me, but don't you think that description is a bit derogatory?"

Again, I was judged for revealing myself to the world. I'm not surprised. "You cannot demean me any further. What I said was truth, I was a sex slave in de place you often call Canterrot."

That started a whole avalanche of questions springing up, hooves jolting to the air as they tried to get me to answer any of their trivial inquiries. Some grew excited for having an opportunity to speak with somepony who had endured the situations I had. "I didn't think we were getting this kind of scoop, this is big." I heard one say before he climbed on top of a reporter in front of him. "Excuse me, miss. Is there any account you can disclose in terms of what has happened that has led up to these circumstances?"

At last, a question that places me in a better priority, but I had to remain limited in response. "Dere is a lot I cannot say, but I will recount de various threats he had made. I have visited de cemetery where de many bodies have been found missing, I was dere to help de late senator with his report. We den issued dat information to de captain, who opened an investigation on de matter. However, many details of dat I cannot discuss."

"So on your association with the assailant, you confirmed that you were a sex slave. Has you and the assailant ever engaged with one another?"

A difficult question for many, but with all I had given away of myself, it seemed to barely make much of a difference. I had no social standing prior to this, so I had no image to protect. All I could do is tell the truth. "To my misfortune... yes."

The first mare who asked me a question, I went back to her. "Were these encounters ever consensual?"

"No." I answered. "Often times our encounters would be a drug-filled affair. I would be drugged, he would do what he would, and I would be left to whoever else was interested."

I soon found favor with the mare who started off the conference with me, and I became more focused to her. "Ma'am, can you explain to us the operations that took place in Canterrot?"

"Dat I am allowed to discuss, but only to a degree. Most often times dere would be a fighting ring every Tuesday and Friday dat would draw a crowd, Friday was mainly de day dat brought out de most viewers, as dere would be a weekly contest known to be 'Beast of De Week' which garnered a lot of attention. Dere were walls where members of de VIP club would hold some of de sex slaves, advertised to de passing masses for obvious reasons. Dey would continue deir work in de walls as many passed by. Only deir faces were shown, but you would know what was taking place."

She asked yet again. "This VIP club, do you have a confirmation of who the members are?" At this point, I made it more of a back and forth.

"Dat is information I am not allowed to speak of."

An older stallion from the front row, lowered his hoof and enunciated his voice. "I know that these questions are a lot for you, ma'am. But in regards to your father, has there been any confirmations as to any suspects and/or motives?"

"The suspect is not a suspect, he did it." I answered as I summoned a picture to have Solemn display with a magnification spell behind me. She took the photo and grew squeamish before acknowledging my request. "I am going to display up above what it was dat I saw on my faddah's body. A lot of you are not strong, so be advised." The image of my father's belly was shown, along with the face of the lifeless corpse. A lot of groans and gasps of disgust rotated around the room. But as cruel as it was to see, it was the truth that I had to illustrate. "Dis was a message to me, after my unwillingness to remain in sexual captivity. He killed my faddah in cold blood to give me dis message, to obey him."

The stallion asked again. "So what exactly did he mean by 'obey'?"

I looked to Nonids, who peeked from behind the cracked door. "He does not like disobedience, he prefers dat everyone plays along with what all he does. He would frequently engage in torture, sexual assault, rape, murder, and even psychological torture by cruel and malicious means. He has threatened de element bearers themselves, even threatened de captain for his efforts in detaining de ponies found in de Canterrot raid some weeks ago."

The mare's hoof came back around, and I pointed her out yet again. "Ma'am, this is your second time mentioning the captain and his activities. Do you know of him or have you ever touched basis with him?"

Nondis gave me a nod, letting me know I was free to talk about our relation. "I was his escort, his guide through de streets of Canterrot. Where he would go, I would follow and protect him. Where some issues occurred, I would be brought to negotiate on his behalf."

"Does that include the sex slave work?" The elder stallion questioned.

I am beginning to wonder if all reporters like him are so soulless and invasive, a trait I have grown used to over the years from many stallions who has used me. "I was consenting to de agreement in many cases. Where he wished for me not to operate in such manners, I insisted to remain in de role I was given at a young age."

The mare raised her hoof. "Excuse me, you said at a young age. How old were you when you were forced to engage in this line of work?"

"I was twelve." I answered, not even skipping a beat. The entire room was left speechless and perplexed. Meanwhile I began to rant against the horrible stallion responsible for the recent incidents. "I am twenty now. And as of dis moment, I am looking to change my life for de better. I have a younger sister who has been a victim of de criminal's games. De human who came before me justifiably portrayed him as a terrorist, he is a terrorist. He took de eyes of my little sister, de life of her mudda and faddah, and he has done nothing but torture us. Dis is de way he works. If you cross him, he will go after what is closest to you. If you even so much as say his name, you risk your family's life."

Again, the older stallion in the front asked me a crude question, almost as though he was trying to force me to speak on an account I had no right to withdraw from. "In regards to the captain, can you tell us what happened to him over the course of the weekend?"

I had an answer for him especially. "I do not wish to discuss those matters. Good day."

As I walked away, I could only hear the sounds of the ponies asking more questions. But others had exchanged dialog with one another. "Wow, talk about a bombshell! That might be front page!"

Others were frustrated with how I gave more priority to the one who dared to ask me the first question. "Hey lady, you mind saving some questions for the rest of us!?"

When I walked into the room with the others, Melanie was the first to hug me for my courage. "You poor thing, you put a lot of yourself out there, didn't you?"

"I did what I was supposed to do." I answered blankly.

Celestia approached me and smiled. "You did well."

As the press were waiting for another to do an interview, Nondis began to approach the door. "Well, I guess it's my turn now."

Celestia stopped him where he stood, holding the door closed. "Actually... I need you to sit here for a moment."

About an hour and a half after the conference, I was finally back in the comfort of my room. As I stepped in, I noticed that the room was in disarray. Blankets were tossed and kicked everywhere, some items were knocked over, a few papers were scatted about, and young Gala was resting her head against the side of the mattress. She appeared extremely depressed about something.

"What happened in here?" I asked my younger sister.

The filly groaned out in frustration. "I can't do anything right! It's like I reach for the light, not as if I need it now, but I can feel the warmth it gives off, so I reach for that, I fall off the bed, and now the room's a mess because I don't know where I'm going or where I'm stepping!" She released an angry scream, slamming her hoof into the mattress. "I hate being blind!"

I approached Gala from behind, speaking softly. "I know. But it is something you will learn to live around."

"If it's something I can live around, why don't you do it?" She questioned.

I gave the young filly a hug. "Because I need my eyes to protect you."

"You weren't there to protect daddy." She answered, causing me a great deal of guilt.

"I know." I replied, thinking if I had somehow found the strength to get over my own anger to spend more time with baba, if he would still be here today. Perhaps I wouldn't be able to protect her from what happened to her, but at the very least he would still be able to be here for her. I would still be able to talk to him.

It's terrible that the one thing I remember telling him before he died was how much of a whore I was forced to become.

The filly's ears perked up. "Somepony's coming." She notified me.

"I don't hear dem." I said just moments before a soft knock came at our door.

She laid her head back against the mattress again. "Told you."

Since she couldn't really identify her space very well, I got up to answer the door for her. I opened it up to see a puffy-eyed mare looking back at me with a clipboard. "Blue, what is wrong? What are you doing here?" I questioned her.

"I know a lot has happened. But I need you to do me a favor." She said before giving me the clipboard, with only a single page with a dotted line at the bottom. "Just sign here."

I look at what's on the paper, trying to identify the language that's being used, but I cannot understand what some of the larger words mean. I go back to answering the mare. "What is dis for?"

"A better life." She states tearfully. "A lot of ponies out there heard your interview. I know that some out there will be looking to do you in for saying all of what you've said. All throughout the course of the afternoon, I was tracking down notaries and seeing what all I could get signed away. But some assets I don't need anymore, so that's that."

The young filly turned her head to ask me who I was speaking to. "Who's there?"

I stepped aside, letting Blue come into the room. When she walked in, she saw the mess that had been made and immediately started cleaning up after her using her magic. All while doing that, she spoke to the young filly. "Hi, little one. I'm the girl who just lost her big brother. He was taken away from me by that one evil pony we know."

Gala brows raised in fear, panic started to set in for her. "Is he here?"

Blue maintained her distance and reassured Gala her safety. "No he's not here. He's someplace really far away now. He can't hurt anyone else, or take them away like he did to the ponies we know and love."

As she was speaking to my younger sister, I pecked out the words I did know and found myself identifying a format that was amidst the confusing language. "All I see is an address. What is dis?" I ask her.

She removes a photo from behind the sheet, bringing it to the forefront of my attention.

It was beyond words what I was looking at. A nice looking residence with a beautiful open foyer, the stairs being lit by a skylight as the lights above warmly light the room. Stained glass paintings grace the paths upstairs. I look back to her in absolute shock, I feel nervous having looked at the picture. She explains what I am looking at. "It's the estate of my family. I won't be using it, nor will I need to."

I quickly levitate the clipboard to her. "Abeg, please take dis back."

"No. I can't." She said sadly, using a hoof to prop the clipboard away from her. "Kali, you and I know what we dealt with in life. And you know that some places just only open wounds that you can't close fully. That place is too raw for me, and I never had any real attachment to it in the first place. Growing up in that place, you wanna know what all took place there when I was a kid? My dad continued to disown me, he fought my mom and beat her violently, my brother would get in the way sometimes just to stop him. He'd take other little fillies and do terrible things to them in his study, the last night as a foal in that place was the sound of my father bashing against the bedroom door while my mom held both me and my brother, urging us to go to sleep. I'd only visit when my brother was there, but that was the only reason why I'd ever show up."

I continued to insist that she did not give something so luxurious and big to someone like me, especially after so much of what I had throughout my life. It was too far of a leap for me to be comfortable with. "I cannot accept dis. Give it to Nondis or something."

"He was the first one I went to." She explained. "He said no. I just forced my brother's stock options and other assets on him. He didn't want the house. He told me to give it to you, a way of saying thanks for being there for him through thick and thin, to 'get the life you deserved from the get-go'. His words." I almost heaved at the thought of that human giving me yet another act of benevolence. "And he also said this; 'To give the little Gala a castle worthy of her majesty's kingdom', he wanted that passed over to you also."

I became choked up on my words, trying to find a way to show my gratitude. "Why does he hurt me so much?"

I signed my name, as crudely as it was but as best as I could. With my name at the bottom, Blue gave me the picture and a few other papers to show what was set to be done. "I've set aside a budget for renovations. You can have it done up any way you'd like. The mansion shouldn't resemble anything of what I've seen in my young life. These renovations will scrub clean any presence of my father, my mother, my brother from in there. You can decorate it however you like. You can turn it into whatever you want. It's pretty big for just two ponies, but you can hire a staff to assist with your sister, that way you can have some time to do whatever you need to do throughout the day. I've set aside a budget for ten waiting staff, they'll be paid throughout the first three years on my own bits. One of their names is Handy Dandy, he'll give you the tour before the big teardown. But once the renovations are complete, I highly suggest keeping him around. He's a great help for whatever you need."

I sighed, trying not to break out and cry. But Gala, still being blind, was unable to understand why it was she heard me holding back sobs. "What's going on?"

I walk to her and hug her. "We have a new home. It's bigger than de last one you had."

The filly raised her head to me. "Is it really?"

Blue sweetly joined with us, hugging my young sister. "I'll tell you how big it is. A filly your size won't even be able to reach up to touch the floor."

She started to clench tightly against me, sniffling as she started to cry. "Is it just like daddy promised?" Both Blue and I looked to one another, initially confused to what she wanted to say. But what she had to say completely rendered us both unable to remain strong. "He said that we're gonna get a new home, something bigger and far prettier."

Hearing my father's words from her mouth, I began to lose myself. I clenched onto the young filly as tightly as I could, still able to hear those words in his voice. They were at some point the words he said to me when I was younger, when mama was still alive, when we were still living in our humble town-house in the fringe district. He promised us better days, even as times were getting rough. With his promise fulfilled to her, I wept loudly.

I swore to myself, to the spirit of my father. Baba... I will do good in your place.

It was an early morning, we were set to finally take the moment to head out to the back end of the mountain, a place I would hear of, but never imagined going to. When we arrived at the first checkpoint, there was an elderly stallion dressed in a ruffled blouse and a blazer. He looked to me as I carried young Gala on my back.

"Are you Madame Kalimba?" He asked in a deep yet gentle voice.

I nodded my head. "Yes."

He tilted his to see the young filly barely keeping herself awake on my back. "And this must be your little sister, Gala."

"Yes." I nodded once more.

He smiled warmly as he greeted us with a bow. "Hmmyes, a most beautiful pair of heiresses. You've been through much."

"Are you de servant?" I questioned him.

"Why yes, of course. I'm your new servant and head of staff." He replied on his way back up. "For as long as you are willing to have me."

I felt very awkward having a servant address me so formally and gently, it was a complete contrast to how I would normally be seen by anyone in that line of work. But I remained respectful and courteous. "Blue said dat you are very good. I trust dat we are very well cared for in your service."

"The service is all mine to perform, Madame." He replied as he quickly gained clearance from the guards of the first checkpoint. "This way, Madame."

Along our journey, we walked a series of tunnels and paths that lead past another three checkpoints and finally onto a road carefully bricked and manicured. In the distance were a number of beautiful mansions that all seemed massive enough to call castles. Gala eventually awoke, coming to grips that she was being transported along the way. As she grabbed a better hold of me, I questioned the butler. "How are you doing?"

"I am well, Madame. And you?"

"Perhaps I should be a little more forward with my question." I said as we made our way along. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh, I see." He responded, finally coming to grips with what exactly I was asking of him. "I am still processing the fate of the late master. His demise wounds my heart in varying ways I did not think I would ever conceive. I cared for him when he first came back home, I cared for his mother for a time also. That was before the purge of the waiting staff. Now it feels that the entire legacy of the DuMoneé family has entered into a twilight. It changes much in my eyes."

"Can you tell me who Alabaster was?" I asked. "I feel dat I did not get to know him for long. In some way, I think it is unfair dat I would assume de keys to a place he continued to call home without knowing of his character."

"A most respectful request." He replied before he began. "Very well then. The young lord was a visionary, a protector, staunch idealist with a savvy for finance. You'd give him an allowance for a decent lunch, by noon's end he'd give you back the entire restaurant."

"It seems dat he missed out on his calling." I commented.

"No, his calling was to serve the citizens, not his own pocketbook. He deeply believed in that, both he and the young lady are staunch believers in living a humble life. It was their upbringing for the most part, exposed to culture, shown proximity to lesser than, and given the opportunity to interact with those of like-interests. Those two were truly their mother's breed, he inherited his mother's wit and savvy, she inherited her strength and fortitude."

I looked back to the young filly on my back, carefully watching my words as I described myself. "I know dat it must feel weird to give a tour to someone who is considered a 'lesser than morally whole' being."

The butler chuckled lightly. "Have you ever had words with the master Count DuMoneé?"

I hummed back to him. "I suppose dat is an equally questionable voice to answer to."

"My dear, your voice is far more deserving of my services." He answered gracefully.

"I am flattered." I responded. We continued to exchange on some topics. "Blue informed me de place would be getting renovated."

"That it shall. I should be giving you the tour before and after it's finished." He said as we came to a stop before a large wrought iron gate. Sitting in the distance of it lied a huge, elegant mansion with well-manicured trees and bushes. "Here we are, beyond these gates and up the hill will be the manor of your residence."

I still looked on with total disbelief. "Abeg. Tell me dis is a dream."

"Well I can assure you that this is the furthest from it." He said as he opened the gate, allowing us through.

As we took to the winding path that lead up the hill, I started to feel dwarfed by the large three-story residence, uniquely made and well-maintained. I could only gasp as we were brought to the large wooden doors. Gala began to bounce up and down on my back. "What? What does it look like?"

"It is much larger than baba's home." I answered for her. "It is so big."

The butler turned to me, giving me a sweet smile. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"I don't even have a key." I pointed out.

He smiled and gave me a wink, showing me the key before having it disappear. He held a hoof up to his lips, asking me to not say anything to give away what he was doing. "Little Gala, can you reach behind your ear and pull something out for me?"

"Behind my ear?" She asked as she shifted her head. "It's something touching against my ear." She said before reaching into her mane and pulling out the key that the butler summoned. "It feels like a key."

"Good show, little one. You're quite the accomplished magician." He said so proudly and warmly. "Now, would you like to open the door to your new castle?"

I smiled as I levitated her off of my back to reach the door. "I'll hold you up."

She gripped the key with both hooves. But the butler smiled yet again, using his magic to halt the key from moving after she placed it in the lock. "It won't turn!" Gala complained.

Playfully, he exclaims to the filly. "Oh no! Then surely this must not be the true queen of this kingdom if she cannot turn a simple key."

I looked back at him, growing more and more warm to the elder stallion, who appeared to have a pure heart in my eyes. Gala grumbled as she made another attempt. "Let me try again!"

Slowly, he let his magic dissipate and she was finally able to turn the key after a brief struggle. He bowed to the young filly and replied. "Perhaps I misspoke, your majesty. Such strength you have." He opened the doors, finally introducing us to the grand foyer of the large home. "Welcome, young queen and Madame, to your new humble abode."

I placed the filly on my back once more as she called out. "Kalimba, what does it look like?"

I smiled back to her, letting my magic glow as I remembered a spell that Princess Luna and Twilight created to help me better illustrate what it is that she is missing out on. I looked to my sister and told her what I was doing. "Princess Luna taught me a very important spell. She taught it to me to show you what dis place will look like for you, through my eyes."

"Really!? I wanna see, I wanna see!" She replied very excitedly.

"Then hold on to me." I instructed as I weaved the spell on both her and myself. I had her hold on to me so that she wouldn't get disoriented when she sees everything through my eyes. I closed my eyes and opened them allowing the young filly to finally see where it was we would soon call home.

"Woooow!" She said with wonderment.

"Bigger den your old home?" I asked her.

"Waaaay bigger!" She exclaimed so happily.

The butler complimented me on my actions. "You are a good sister, to allow for her to be able to experience this place through your eyes."

Unfortunately, the spell would only last as long as I didn't blink. And unfortunately blinking was as subconscious as breathing for me. So that brief vision was taken away from her. "I cannot use it for long, sadly. Also, my magic endurance is not to par with many unicorns my age."

"Well that's not exactly a magic lesson I can teach." The elder stallion replied. "Though there are some books on the method, I could at least salvage those for you."

"I would greatly appreciate dat." I nodded to the butler.

My younger sister made yet another pleasant observation. "It smells so good."

"Indeed. We did a lot of work to make sure that it pleased you when you came by, my little queen." The elderly stallion answered.

I placed a hoof to my chest, still overwhelmed that this was set to be our new home. "I don't think I could ever change what this place is."

"Oh but you must." He strongly insisted. "This is not any home for you, it is still resembling a playground of the past. A playground where certain activities took place." He added as he gave me a tilted nod to hint at me what took place.

"I am not ignorant to such activities." I acknowledged somberly.

"A playground? What games did they play here?" Gala inquired so innocently, I began to look back to the butler in silence.

He didn't mind answering her question for me. "Oh. A candid question, young queen. But it is a question you will know the answer to when you become of age."

While there was much about this stallion that seemed to be very professional, I could tell that he deeply cared for those who were placed in his care. Even from the way he interacted with Gala showed me how he treat us for the future going forth. I might have had Blue's word to go by, but so far of I was shown everything she had said contained no lies. Understanding, knowing, wise, and helpful, he proved himself to be very trustworthy from a first glance.

While only time could tell if that would hold, I could only accept him for now. "Thank you."

As he looked back to the wooden stairwell, he clopped his hooves to summon a small crew of interior designers, each holding a catalog of styles to choose from for each room. "So... shall we get started?"

"Yes." I answered.

11 Months Later...

It took a month for them to finish the renovations. The place looked completely different from the moment we walked in. Gala was happy to be in a new place where the rooms offered her a much better warmth than that of the castle, no longer stunted by the stigma of our father's death. She began to grow accustomed to life without her eyes, hearing, smelling, and feeling more than what her eyes would ever provide at a glance. She and I throughout the time together began to bond, we shared a lot of her memories of baba, as did I. We did a lot to fill in the void of his absence. And with Handy being our head of staff, we had an older and wiser voice to give us direction of how to live our lives correctly. It was almost as though we had established a family of our own. But that too changed, as I was facing the uncertainty of a new phase in my life.

Three months after we moved in, I discovered that I was pregnant.

For months, I grew to fear what it was that started to manifest in my body. All I could think of was the sound of a cruel laugh cackling in the distant vein of my memories. I tried to remain optimistic about my new path, but it was difficult to stay that way when there was the possibility of that still being a point of contention. And I wouldn't know until it was time for me to give birth. Another eight long months of enduring sickness, strange cravings, and having the extra weight dragging me down, my water broke.

Since the hospitals were so far away from here, we had to commission a medical professional to make a house call. But while Handy opted for some random physician from Canterlot, I begged him to seek Zecora from the Everfree Forest. It took her half a day to get here, but she made it in with enough time to help me in my effort. From there, Zecora gave out instructions to the waiting staff, I was situated in the master bedroom, and was given a number of instructions to use for whenever I felt contractions. Gala would often come by and see what the issue was with me, but the other medical staff prohibited her from entering. Handy was by my side with each moment as Zecora offered me a number of healthy brews to drink that would ease the pain of my labor.

For seventeen hours, I sat... and waited... and labored...

Until finally the moment came. "Keep pushing, you're almost there." She urged. "Then come to an end, this pain you bear."

I had a high pain tolerance, much I could endure. But in time, I began to see that there was little tolerance I had for the pain of feeling my body getting ripped apart. The brews helped dull much of it, but I still felt it where it mattered. I panted and breathed, carefully pushing whenever I was told. While Handy served to be my voice of encouragement, Zecora was my coach. "I see the head, it's completely out. Just a bit more and your little one will be crying about."

I nodded at the mare, laying my head back to the pillow. Now was the time where I had to confront my fears, where I had to make a decision with myself. At some point I began to think of what I would do if the worst of my fear had come to pass. Would I be able to look down at what I have carried with the unconditional love a mother is mandated to provide, or will I be forced to reject what came from within me? Would I truly be able to give birth to the seed of an unforgiving monster? Could I possibly love what is the result of my unwanted encounter?

I closed my eyes, and replayed the moments where baba held me on his head, when mama fed me food, when my younger sister laughs at me for a silly story I tell her. Then a final thought appears, the sight of a human walking ahead of me, the conversations we shared, the moments I had him follow me, the instant when I cursed my father out for abandoning me... Did I really come this far to do the same as he did to me? Not just out of desperation, but willingly? No... How could I ever give away what has yet to draw breath? There was still a chance, and I could make it right.

Mama... give me the strength to be as you were to me.

With one last push, I strained and groaned until I felt a weight depart from within me. I began to feel relief that most of that pain was gone.

Handy whispered to me. "Good job. You've performed marvelously."

I couldn't even speak, but I nodded at him. I closed my eyes again, breathing for a moment until... "Waaaah. Waaaaahhhh."

I don't know why I was so happy, why was it when I had no knowledge of what it looked like or even who fathered it, I had no answers for the child whom I gave birth to. But when I heard my child's first cries to the world, I couldn't help but to feel a tender warmth grow inside of me, budding in a place I thought had been barren. I look down to see the crying infant, still calling out for warmth. Zecora carefully cleaned the child as Handy petted me on my head. "Congratulations, Madam. It's a boy."

Zecora appeared surprised that I sat up enough to reach back out to her. "Let me hold him. Please."

"Of course." She said, after cleaning the young one and getting him wrapped to stay warm. The moment his weight landed in my hooves, I looked carefully at him, seeing the cream colored coat, the tiny little horn on his head, the barely-distinguishable stripes on his newborn body. The tiny tuft of hair on his head, the bony little tail, the crimson eyes that reflected a color similar to my own. Zecora smiled as she whispered. "Not a green on him."

I had to still process the young life in my midst, I had much to do in the coming future as it is, but this was the one thing I grew to want to protect, that I wanted to love on until my time had come to love no longer. He cried himself to sleep, resting peacefully in my hooves. I placed my forehead to my son, so happy that he was able to be mine. I tried my best to be quiet, to not wake him as I basked in my new role of being a mother in this world.

"I understand that these things will take time. But I wish to have an idea for the young lord's name." Handy quietly spoke,

I glanced back to the mare who helped me bring my son to the world. "How do I name him?"

Zecora, more than happy that the birth was successful, continued to give the both of us care as she answered my question. "Look into his eyes. Tell me what you see. What do you think his future would be?"

"Dere are so many options." I said, hopelessly seeing many things that he could possibly be.

"That's the beauty of it. It will be his to discover." Handy replied.

He was already in a position to have a much better life than I or his young aunt. I was so happy to bring him into that kind of privilege. Not only that, but I would be given the chance to be the mother that I wanted to have throughout my life. Through this stage, I was given a second life, one that had a much more impactful purpose. I didn't just live for the sake of a sibling I needed to look after, who would sooner become her own pony. But now I had a son, a child whom I would be made to care for, to protect from all harm and pain.

His life would not be like mine, and that is all that matters.

A name, native to my mother's tongue, I gave him a name of my mother's voice. "Nafasi Nyingine."

Handy appeared unsure of how to pronounce the name. "Madam?"

"Nafasi Nyingine." Zecora said to the elderly stallion. "In our home tongue. it means Second Chance." She looked down to one of the rings on her neck, reaching back to snap one off to put on my neck. "A strong name, given by a strong mother. Though he is young enough to serve as Gala's younger brother. I say that his world will be one so bright and bold, but do you see what his future will hold?"

"I don't wish to know." I answered, kissing my son's brow. "I want him to find it for himself."

"A wise answer, Madam." The elder stallion cosigned with a warm smile. "Three generations I've watched now grow in these walls. This will be the first of a loving and peaceful home." He took a small tissue and dabbed under his eyes. "You are going to do wonderfully, my dear Madam."

While I was still hurting, I closed my eyes to take the moment to sleep with my son. "A second chance... Dat is all I ever needed."

5 Years Later...

As the time went along, I've grown even closer to all of the staff within the home. Many of them helped me in bringing up young Nafasi. Zecora had initially stayed with us for a week, then left back home to take care of some things back in Ponyville. However, she would frequent us at least twice a month to check in. Some issues of my illness came back due to my weakened immunity response. But those too subsided, and I was left to take care of my son.

While from the moment I gave birth to him, I was wary of the many things and ways a little one could go missing. So I started to become very protective of where he went, who took care of him whenever I was away, and what he was fed. I even made a schedule for him to follow, a structure to maintain as I was going between catching up on my studies and getting integrated into greater pastures to lift his standings. And since what I was doing would effect how he would be seen, I did whatever I could to lift myself in the eyes of others so that he wouldn't be seen as anything near what I was seen to be over ten years ago. I improved my speaking to others so that he wouldn't be perceived to be ignorant. I wanted him to have that guiltless life of an Equestrian.

As for Gala, she became very well adapted to being blind. But as magic research improved over the years, she no longer had to stay that way. The spell that Luna and Twilight created was further enhanced by a name I'd never thought I hear in modern times: Star Swirl the Bearded. He himself came to our home, under Twilight's advisement, and presented her with a special set of glasses that would allow her to see the world through them. The only drawback was that the peripherals were poor. Gala was more than willing to be able to seize that opportunity for herself. She was very excited that first day she found herself being able to see again. Of course she had to keep them on in order to see, but she could navigate the house just fine without them, even without Handy's assistance.

Technology began to drastically improve over the years, with more and more human implementations being used in our infrastructure. Methods of being able to transmit signals improved with the implementations of special towers built on top of some of the larger buildings in the city. It's said that sometime in two months, we would be set to begin a nationwide rollout of cellular service by a company called Gallop. It would bring service to our world, utilized by specially built radio towers carrying a specified frequency that radios would not be able to pick up. Also, the telegram service upgraded their services to land-based phones, making it easier for us to contact one another quickly.

It seemed that Princess Twilight has been eager to press us towards the future.

As that was taking hold, she also tutored me religiously, signing me up for a position to go overseas and negotiate with those in my mother's homeland, it would be the first time I ever had the chance to visit. When I went there, I saw many things that they started to implement, the culture that enriched my experience, the customs that I was given more than plenty of opportunities to partake. I became so enlightened that I had started bringing home food ideas and celebrations to share with my son and sister.

As for the one who made all of this possible for me... We grew silent for some years, until today.

The door bell rang, Handy trotted to the receiver by the door. He had leaned in slowly to answer. "Hmmyes, whom am I speaking to?"

"It's me, Nondis! I'm just here to pay a visit."

The elder stallion was slow to move in his advanced age, but he still got around just fine. He pressed the buzzer to unlock the gate, allowing the human to enter through the front. As he knocked on the door, Handy opened the door and greeted him warmly. "Ah, young sir. It has been some time since we last met."

"Yeah, it's been a while, love the silver in your mane."

"Ah, it's just a show of my passing years, yours will soon come." He replied before looking into his head. "Actually, I see you have about one or two of your own looking to introduce themselves."

"Yeah, my old lady says the same." He replied as he walked into the foyer. "You look like you get around just fine, young fella. How's the master treating you?"

"She's been most benevolent." He exchanged with a hearty laugh. "I shall go find her to greet you."

In all actuality, I hid myself behind the wall of one of the halls, trying not to be seen. But a voice called out from the downstairs study. "Captain!" Gala scrambled from out of the study looking to greet the human she adored so greatly. "Captain, you're here!"

"Hey there Gala!" He greeted as he knelt down, hugging her and dwarfing her height all the same. She nuzzled into his arms as she wagged her tail. I started to hide less, knowing what she was intending to do. "Still growing, huh?" He, however, didn't quite catch on to her motions as quickly.

She dragged him along to the study, eagerly dismissing the older stallion. "Thanks a bunch, Mr. Handy. I can take it from here. You go on ahead and get some rest."

While not wanting to refuse a moment to enjoy the time being off of his hooves, he openly accepted her offer. "As you will it, Madame Queen."

As he disappeared into one of the other halls, I quietly snuck down the stairs to keep an eye on the young preteen and what appeared to be her unsuspecting prey. "Captain, you don't ever visit me enough!"

"Well I guess it's been a hard sell to the guards at every checkpoint, especially with me not being the Captain anymore. I haven't been in the E.U.P. since Twilight took over. Even with my pedigree, I can't seem to get past the second checkpoint."

She snickered as she opened the door for him to enter. "I keep telling you what to do. All you have to say is that Gala Gallaria sent for you."

"Yeah, but I can't keep using that. Some ponies out there might think I'm here for something I shouldn't be here for. And that's not a good look." He answered.

"Pfft, whatever!" She said as she poured him a cup of tea, shifting her eyes as she vied to close the doors behind them. I snuck in closer, peeking through the crack I made for myself in her attempt to stealthily shut the door. "I mean, who would ever take advantage of a poor, defenseless, blind little filly who's so young and lively?"

"A lot of sickos, that's who." He said as he glanced around a bookshelf, pulling down one title with the title Fahrenheit 451 on the spine. "Wow, she really has this labeled as horror?"

"Well you're not a sicko." She said as she snuggled her way between his legs, looking up at him with her glossy fuchsia eyes half-lidded at him. "But you could help me with a few get-arounds. I don't mind."

By that point, he had clearly grasped the situation she was inviting him to, and kindly lifted one leg to clear himself from over her. "Not interested." He said awkwardly.

She lit her magic to hold his leg in place, nuzzling against him as she spoke, taking deep breaths through her nose to take in his scent. "Not even if you had to keep a secret? I know how to keep secrets too, you know."

His eyes widened with an enormous amount of discomfort, she didn't seem to want to take no for an answer. So I opened the doors and stormed in, yanking her up by her tail and lifting her out of the room. "Abeg, you idjiot! Take it up with your school friends, mchumba!"

As she landed on her hooves and hindquarters, she grumbled and complained as I foiled her plan to get herself some ill-gotten human wares. "Hey, I know what that means now." She said angrily before sulking back down the hall. "Ugh! Stupid sister always making this so hard for me."

Nondis shook his head and smiled at me as he stepped out of the room. "And yet again, you come through in the clutch. It's just like old times."

"You are here." I plainly pointed out.

He chuckled. "Yeah, but it took me getting through to your sister to get to you. Every time I ask the guards at the checkpoint for you, I get turned away at the second gate. It's always that second gate, I swear. Of course I could just shadow walk past all of that and pay a visit, but that would be even worse from an ethical standpoint. I can't really explain leaving from someplace when I had no prior credentials to be there. So I try to do right by the rules and keep it honest, but I guess the security has to keep a tight knit on things, even if it's me."

"Well it's unfortunate that has to happen." I said so flatly

The laughing stopped, he glanced at me as though I had distanced him. In all honesty, that's what I was doing. "Sheesh, you haven't been this cold to me in years."

"You inspire a lot of temperature raising." I said as I walked down the hall, smelling his scent as I passed by him. "And you smell like trouble."

"I don't try to." He said before sniffing himself. "Is it the cologne?"

I questioned the man, indirectly telling him why. "Do you know what time of the year it is?"

"Oh yeah, as if I didn't have enough mares tilting their tails to the side to tell me what they want. hence the cologne." He replied as we came into the warming room, seeing a large glass window opening into our beautiful courtyard. "Your little sister's no different."

"She is going to take advantage of a dumb teenage colt and get them in trouble with how promiscuous she is. She is a problem at times." I answered as I heard laughs from the outside.

"Yeah, she makes it hard to believe that she's an aunt at her young age." He replied as he saw a maid playing with a young colt, my son running after a mare who laughed playfully as she tried to keep herself distanced from him. "How's the kid? Shortly after having him, you never said much about it to me. I found out through Zecora that you even had him in the first place, and that was at least a month after."

The moment had me breaking my composure, I lifted my head, watching fondly as he looked at Nafasi playing with his caretaker. For the moment, I broke down, walking up beside him and speaking warmly as we both watched my son play in the courtyard. "I take my eyes off of him for one minute, and he starts growing before I look back at him again. Five years, and we are already talking about what school he's set to attend. Even now, time feels less and less like an idea, and more like precious grains of sand, each filled with warm little moments I can't keep count of. But just as they roll away, I realize how quick they can be lost. So I try to hold them in a jar, only for the cracks to come and I lose what I keep anyways. That's what it feels like to raise a child." The slight touch of his fingers against the tips of my ears make me smile. "Many say he's ready to take on his first magic lessons, but I'm afraid that he'll grow so fast that I'd lose him. I sometimes wonder how he got so smart."

"Well that's just a reflection of the brilliant mind of his mother." Nondis replied.

I realize that I am not supposed to feel so warm in this moment, so I mentally reconfigure and regain my original stance towards him. "Why are you here?"

He lifts his hands, the white magic manifesting in his hand as he summons a letter. "Well, I wanted to give you something. I figured it would be better if I did it personally."

I look up to him and respond in deadpan. "We have a post office for that."

"Sometimes a bit of chaos can disrupt the mail flow. I just want to do something different, something certain." He responded as I broke the white and gold wax seal.

I stared blankly at what was handed to me. "What is this?"

"It's an invitation." He replied a bit excitedly.

"A wedding invitation." I concluded quietly.

He stood bashfully as he finally revealed the news of his engagement. "Yeah, Cella and I are finally gonna tie the knot. I know it's early with what's all going on in my home world, I wanted to try and respect everyone's travel schedules... and restrictions. I know with your being a dignitary in training, there's a lot of abroad work that gets in the way. So we set it up for next year on the day of the Summer Solstice. It's a Monday, but it's still fits in with what we're trying to do. Not to mention it's already a holiday to begin with. It'll also be the first time in years Celestia sets the sun."

Somewhere throughout the course of his explanation, my mind drowned his voice and I was left looking at a piece of paper. I thought to myself quietly over what I was feeling, I couldn't quite call it anger. I couldn't quite call it pride for him doing what he set out to do. We both know it was going to lead up to this at some point. But in all truth, I was trying to avoid seeing it. I wanted to bypass it, but it arrived all the same. "It's good that you have what you have."

"Yeah, she makes me feel good enough to be me. I'd never thought I'd be able to say that, but here we are."

I folded the letter back up in the midst of my reply. "I'm happy for you."

"I know it's early as all get-out, but I think ponies will be trying to buy a seat somehow. But if you'd RSVP now, we could─"

His words were silenced by the sound of the invitation being shredded before his very eyes. I folded the contents and rippled them yet again. And again I folded them, to rip the pieces in half. I did so another two times, until there was bits and pieces of the elegant invitation left. I opened his hands and gently placed the remains of his invitation in them, letting his fingers feel the weight and power of my response.

"Live your life." I said with a heartbroken smile.

"Wait, what happened?" He asked, thinking that he had done something wrong.

"Nondis, you and I made our agreement. We know what this is." I replied, folding his hands into the bits of paper.

He opened his hands, capturing all the shredded pieces in his magic to piece back together as best as he could. "Kali, I just wanted you to be apart of the moment. Did I do something wrong?"

"Nothing wrong. I just cannot accept your invitation." I repeated.

As I started to walk away, he sank into the floor and showed back up in front of me, still somewhat distraught over my abrupt rejection. "Celestia really wanted you to come. Everyone else will be looking for you." He pleaded.

"They know how to get to me." I answered.

He got on one of his knees, looking to me for an explanation. "Kalimba please, tell me why?"

I smiled as I explained to him part of the reason why I had to push him away, and why I could not bring myself to watch him marry her. "Because I cannot in good faith attend your wedding. I will not accept it. You know, after we finished that mess years ago, I wanted us to be friends still. But I can't do that anymore. I'm not stepping in the way of what you have now. So make your happiness, cultivate your family, be a husband to her. Treat her well."

He still appeared confused. "I'm sorry, I just─"

"Let's just say I'm not over you in the slightest." At last, I yanked him down by his collar, quickly giving him a peck on his forehead, violating him enough to where he understood what I felt, but respecting him enough to where I did not cross the lines I truly wished to erase. Even at the moment, I wanted to show him what I had was special too, but I respected the boundaries he had for his future, the boundaries Celestia and I established all those years ago. I looked away from him, telling him what I felt. "I did not want to see you here, I kept you away because I know what I want to hear when you walk in, what I want to feel. You gave me everything and expected me to live like royalty. How do I learn to not wait for you to come back to me, to come home? I beg you, I cannot!"

As he finally understood why I had to keep him away, I smiled with regret and bittersweet acceptance. He appeared remorseful for having come here. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was like that for you."

"You do now." I answered quickly, turning away from his tall presence. "If I could have what I want, I would make you an infidel. I would give you what I have, and I would take from you the future you have planned. I can't do that to you, not after what all you gave me. So please... accept my rejection."

I heard the man sigh in resignation, he sounded upset that I rejected the invitation. But he accepted my reason for not attending. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome, now go away." I ordered with a slight giggle. "You silly boy."

As he soon left the home, I waited until I heard the front door open and shut. Finally, I fell to the ground, holding my chest as I wanted to scream. All I could think of was the moment he stared out the window, looking at Nafasi while played, the smile on his face, the moment we stood together.

Just once did I pray for that moment, where we could watch our son play together.

I never told him that it was his son. I never wanted to. I confirmed that it was his after Zecora had spoke with him, taking a hair from his head. She had the hair and one of my son's hairs taken at the time, and though the genetics we shared are different, it showed in his blood that there was a different creature's genetic code grown into it. We confirmed from various sources that the coding matched that of the humans. And I only had relations with one human.

If I had told him that Nafasi was his own blood, I could already imagine the lengths he'd go to be a part of his life. He'd leave the mare he promised his life and future to, to leave that happiness he wanted behind for the sake of some conflict that he didn't need for the time being. I would not only be breaching the trust he and I have, but especially that of me and Celestia. I remember the years back, when shortly after a petty spat we had ended with her coming to my room to apologize, we made a pact. She allowed for me to have a foal by him, but I was insistent that I would keep him out of our life once I had that foal. Just as he and I agreed, we'd have our one night to make me feel like I was his, and that was it. I tried my best to leave it at that. To attend a wedding and to hold my peace with a son of his blood, I cannot in good faith say that I will remain silent.

If Celestia contacts me to ask why, I will tell her the truth.

"Mama, mama! Was that de tall captain!?" Nafasi said in our homeland tongue.

"No, Nafasi. that was just... an old friend." I reply to him in the exact manner.

"Mama, are you going to Griffonstone tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'm going to learn how to talk with the griffons."

"Can I come?"

"No. Not this time. Maybe in the future."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

One day, I will tell him of his father, how brave and good he is. But only after he is of age. I wish not to cause problems.

10 More Years Later...

"Another suspension!?"

Gala screams angrily at her adolescent nephew. Both she and the teenage colt sit in their seats, waiting for the bus to unload from the airport. As I'm sitting in my seat, I can already hear the two bickering from inside. They almost sound like siblings who do more of cursing each other out as opposed to having the typical aunt-nephew dynamic. Everyone who passes by simply watches the two make a scene as I roll my eyes, gathered my stuff, and wait to get off of the bus.

"He called me a fatherless reject, he called my mudda a whore! And I'm supposed to just sit there and take dat!?" Nafasi argues loudly. "I told him dat I would slap de taste from his mouth so bad dat his descendants would be tasteless, dat his daughter's food would be flavorless! I wanted his ancestors to weep in pain for de shame he has brought dem!"

"Nafasi, that does not give you an excuse to hit him with a chair!" The teenage colt folds his forelegs, mugging in the opposing direction to where Gala chides him from. She walks around and scream at him again. "A chair! Now we're gonna have to go to a disciplinary hearing telling us how we're going to have to transfer you to another school, or risk you being expelled! Your mom is not going to enjoy this coming back from her trip!"

"But Handy told me dat I should never accept anypony talking ill of my family!" He states adamantly.

She rolls her eyes, pointing back at the young teen. "You've been saying that like his words are something you follow religiously. Did he say them recently, no. Why, because he's six feet in the ground and he hasn't been speaking for four years!"

"Dey talk about you too." He adds.

The mare facepalms, being careful as to not damage her glasses. "Did they say anything about me being blind?"

"Yes!" He exclaims fervently.

She stops for a moment, thinking to herself. "...Still, a chair though? You could've just did a book or something."

"Uh-oh, here she comes." He says as I finally step off the bus. I'm already scowling from the mess both he and Gala has been making in the district square. At least she's smart enough to keep her face buried, while my young son is dumb enough to try to walk up to me with a smile, acting like I didn't just hear what he and her had been arguing about. "Mama! You have returned safe!"

His smile quickly disappears as I get in closer. Since I was fresh off my trip from visiting some family in the distant homeland of my mother, I am still in the mode to speak in accent. So my speech flashes back to my original patterns... heavily. "What did you do dis time, boy?" I question him in a low and seething tone.

He still smiles at me, trying to play everything off. "Mama, can't I be happy dat you are here?"

I make the slightest tilt of my head to my younger sister, who's supposed to be in charge of him. "Gala."

After so many years, and even a few fights between us, Gala acknowledges when I am in no mood to be led around for a game. She's quick to the draw, spitting out the truth. "He threw a chair at another student."

"A chair!?... ABEG!" His ears flop down as I start to get even closer to him, vividly illustrating my anger with him. "You throw a chair at someone, now you throw away your life! You could be throwing your head into a book, but you chose to wake up to throw ignorance! Abeg! Where did I go wrong with you!?

"He called you a whore." He replies as if it was going to make me feel any better about the situation. I am still livid.

"You need to learn how to have some discipline! I cannot keep sending you off to random schools! I'm going to have to send you through a military program, so you can get your head straight!" He looks down, but I am even quicker to yank his chin back up to look at me. "Don't you turn your head, shine your eyes! Did you know dat I had to fight all my life to get to where I am now!? I had to survive on de street at─"

"─At twelve years old. I know, mama." He finishes, knowing that I told him the story many times before whenever he had gotten in trouble.

"You obviously do not, Nafasi!" I said angrily, putting a hoof close to his face. "I will talk to Gallus tomorrow, from dere we will get you where you need to be! You will get your life in order, or I will snatch your life right out of your chroat!" I snarl out of the side of my mouth through my clenching teeth. "Iiiidjiioooot! Walk!" I commanded firmly, pushing him forward.

Gala quietly accompanies us both as I continued to seethe in frustration. As we are walking towards the first checkpoint, my son whispers to me. "He called Aunt Gala a blind, broke-back whore who should die."

The both of us freeze for a second. Gala nodding her head in acknowledgement, understanding the reasoning for her nephew sudden outburst of violence, knowing that her condition was a trigger for the both of us to quickly get into a fight with all but murderous intentions. I look to my son, and then see my own younger self in his eyes. I look away, both ashamed and proud of how he responded to the situation.

I mumble quietly to him. "...We will discuss later."

The shortest chapter with what could be the most controversial decision ever made by a mother wanting to stay out of the way of someone who advertised his allegiance from the the founding. The one thing I wanted to establish was that there was no feud as the source of Kalimba's omission of Nondis from her son's life. She merely wanted to acknowledge the agreement she made with Celestia herself.

Though the agreement could've been better conveyed between the two parties, there were events that heavily hinted at what was to occur in this chapter. And though she seems shrewd in her mannerisms, her intentions were more to guard herself and the emotions she tried to reject throughout the years. However, the more she rejected the conversation, the more the feelings began to fester inside of her. And sometimes it takes but one trigger to reopen that box you felt was locked away.

She had everything she could ever ask for, the home, financial security, the family, and with how she was throughout the story, she's always uncomfortable with begging for more for herself, all while wanting the world for others. And this bittersweet conclusion does have open ends that could be addressed later.

Now, onto the next interview. Princess Celestia, step right up.