It was just after ten forty-five that Thursday when Brightstar arrived back at the treehouse. The ride back, while short, felt longer because Moonbeak had been so quiet. Getting out, she placed Zephyr on her back while Athena, who wanted her pony ride, fluttered up onto her daddy’s back. Grinning, Brightstar teleported up to the outside landing pad and held the door open, which his partner promptly walked through when she flew up. “You still taking the day off, Bright?”

“I am!” Brightstar replied, walking inside and closing the door behind him. He got as far as the kitchen and shrugged off his full saddlebags. “I'm yours all day, sexy.”

“Good, because you have a kitten to entertain.” Moonbeak laughed, “I will make sure this couch doesn't wander off.” First though, she snatched up the dropped bags and went to put away the fish and pasta they had bought from the grocery store on the way back.

That suited the royal blue unicorn just fine. Playing with Athena was infinitely preferable to Sour Sweet’s training methods. “I believe I can entertain a kitten, my love, while you make sure the couch doesn't float away.” he chuckled at the eye roll he received at that. “You wanna play, 'Thena?”

As it happened, Athena did want to play. The little golden brown kitten bounced on the natural hardwood floor, her claws and paws thudding with each bounce. “Ball!” she demanded eagerly.

Obliging his kitten, Brightstar lit his horn and he created the illusionary ball, the dark blue one with the white star on it that changed colour when it was pounced. No sooner had it been created then Athena began to work at her pouncing skills, sneaking up and attacking the ball. After ten minutes of this play, she got a little bored. “Blocks and ball!”

Moonbeak, who had settle back on her couch-shaped throne and was enjoying a catch up episode of ‘Mares of Our Lives’ with Zephyr, looked up. “She wants you to defend the ball with blocks so it’s harder to pounce.”

Straightaway, Brightstar understood. He levitated over a few of the multi-coloured wooden blocks. Smiling, the unicorn created a small wall two blocks high in front of the ball. Athena, crouching low to the floor, crept around the wall and pounced the ball, utterly delighted when it changed colour. “Got it!” she screeched with joy.

When she backed away, Brightstar created two little walls. “You did!” he congratulated her. “You're a smart kitten!” Time and again, she crept up on the ball, and he built the walls ever higher, making more and more complex barriers every time. The play went on like this for half an hour, until it got to the point where Athena had to fly to get the ball. Brightstar had an idea. “Want to try a new game?”

Curious as to what her daddy had planned, Athena nodded her head. “Okay!

Relighting his horn, Brightstar made the ball jingle like a bell when it moved now, and he rolled it side to side to demonstrate. “You have to close your eyes and listen to pounce it, 'kay, sweetie?”

For the moment lost, Athena looked at her mother, her head to one side. Moonbeak tore her eyes away from CJ and Hunter’s millionth break up and make up to explain. “Night hunting.” Nodding, she closed her eyes. A side effect of having her eyes closed was that her butt was extra wiggly. Moonbeak had to clamp her claw around her beak to prevent herself laughing.

Likewise, Brightstar found he had a need to jam his hoof into his mouth to stop from laughing as he slowly rolled the ball, the bell jingling loudly. Eyes closed, little Athena tracked the sound and crept forward and pounced when she thought it was right and landing short. Snorting, she charged forward and ran into the ball. She then sat down and opened her eyes. “Hard.”

“Not point in practice if easy.” Moonbeak commented from the couch.

“It's hard sweetie, but you did good! Try again?” Athena didn’t answer her daddy, she just stood and closed her eyes, ready. “That’s a good kitten!” this time, he rolled the ball left to right in front of her. “You can do it!”

Listening, Athena pounced at the end of an arc and missed, but at the last moment she spun and pounced again landing on it. Like she was hunting on the Plains of Blood, she sunk her claws in and opened her eyes. “Got it!”

Brightstar cheered, “Well done, kitten!”

Athena did a well-earned victory dance. “Again, dada!” Brightstar duly rolled the ball, not too quickly, towards Athena this time. Eyes closed, the little kitten backed up at first and leapt forward, almost over the ball as her hind end landed on it. Rolling forwards, she stopped to listen as the ball jingled right behind her. She spun and pounced it. “Got it!”

Brightstar clapped his hooves. “Good Kitten!” When Athena squealed ‘again’, he did so and this play went on for a good twenty minutes until she was bored of it. The unicorn shuddered, “I'd really hate to be the one you're hunting, 'Thena.”

Now she was bored of the ball, Athena let loose a reasonable attack screech designed to put the fear of Stormclaw into her enemies. “Park!”

Realising that she wouldn’t be watching her television program that day, Moonbeak sighed in defeat. “I'd like some sun on my feathers.”

“Oh my, it seems my ladies have spoken!” Brightstar chuckled and struck a most heroic pose on his hind legs. “To the park!”

Athena shook her head and playfully nipped at her dada’s hoof as he playfully ruffled the white feathers on her head. “Pony ride!”

“I have Zephyr, and I will lock up. Don't forget the bucket and spade.”

Brightstar winked at his kitten. “You know where they are, 'Thena?”

“I do!” Nodding vigorously, Athena rushed off to her room and, while Moonbeak switched off the television and Brightstar levitated away all the used toys back into the toy box, she came back with the bucket and spade held under a wing. “Got em, dada!”

“You clever kitten. Up you get, sweetie.” When Athena held out the bucket and spade for him to hold, she quickly buzzed her wings and flew up on the unicorn’s back. Moonbeak busied herself with getting Zephyr’s travel bag together and Brightstar passed the bucket and spade back to his passenger.

While her mother was busy getting some supplies together, Athena playfully swatted the pony’s ear. “Park!”

“Alrighty, let’s go!” Once he was sure everything was in order with his kitten, Brightstar teleported them both down to the base of the tree. He realised that five or ten minutes had passed and Moonbeak still hadn’t joined them. Wondering what on earth she was doing up there, he called up, “Everything alright, love?”

“Packing a lunch!” came Moonbeak’s hollered reply. Moments later and, once she had locked up, she flew down with two hamper bags held across her back. One had the food while the other held Zephyr’s supplies.

“My passenger is ready,” Brightstar smiled, nuzzling his griffon’s cheek. “I think we'd better get going before she tries to eat me.”

On cue, Athena nipped her daddy’s ear. “Tasty!”

Moonbeak giggled, “I agree.”

Flicking his ear, Brightstar laughed and, when Moonbeak chose to walk to the park, quickly fell into step at her side. He reflected, as they all walked along, enjoying the warm noon day / early afternoon sun shining on his face and fur, as well as the gentle breeze, that everything was right with the world. “It is a very nice day, isn't it?”

“It has become a better day.”

Brightstar did enjoy summer days like these. It made him think of all those summers in Canterlot with his friends. “Yes it has, though present company has made it so,” he agreed, walking a little closer so he could nuzzle her cheek and wrap his tail in hers. “I love you too, you know that, right?”

Moonbeak nodded but, lost in her own thoughts of her mother, what had sent her to the hospital and the upcoming binding ceremony, she walked in silence the rest of the way to the park. As soon as it was in sight, Athena began bouncing excitedly on the pony’s back. “Sand! Sand!”

“You wanna play in the sandbox, sweetie?” Brightstar asked and, by way of reply, Athena tossed the blue castle-shaped bucket to the ground so she could fly down. Spade held under one wing and the bucket held by the handle in her beak, she zoomed off for the sand box without a backwards glance.

Brightstar watched her go, scanning the park for any dangers. There were a few ponies already there, most of them he recognised, playing with their foals. Those adults he didn't know were with ones that he did. However, as he sat on the grass under the shade of an overhanging tree, he was more concerned with his partner. “Alright, what's wrong?”

“What was it momma didn't want me to know?”

The royal blue unicorn had been expecting that. He was just surprised it had taken her that long to ask. “Before I tell you, she asked me not to. However, honour with you outweighs honour with her.” He sighed, having weighed up his options, and continued. “Her rent was put up. She was struggling. Pony food is cheap. She doesn't want you to worry.”

Moonbeak looked straight ahead, not really ‘looking’ at anything. “She can out stubborn me. So, what do I do, and what should I do? You advise, pony.”

“For the moment, nothing.” Brightstar tried very hard to ignore the stern glare he received from his partner and forged ahead. “She says she can get by on the vitamin supplements and the food she's getting. All we can do is take her at her word and keep an eye on her. Anything else and she'll dig her claws in and put her head in the sand.”

“And the doctor?”

“The doctor's happy with her. He'll check up on her in a few months’ time.”

“It is good you are a pony.” Moonbeak commented, “Your words are like the breeze, they ruffle my feathers and no more. I will visit momma tomorrow and know nothing she doesn't tell me.” She affectionately nipped Brightstar’s ear and whispered, “Thank you for listening to her.”

“I worry about her too, Moony,” said Brightstar, playfully flicking his ear as he watched Athena playing in a corner of the sandbox. If he didn’t know any better, he’d assume she was constructing a sand Griffonstone. “I love my family.”

Moonbeak smiled, her lover’s words warming her heart as much as the summer sun. “You are family. Now, Zephyr and I will catch some sun. You will watch Athena.”

It turned out to be a very nice day in the park. There were no issues, standard issues ranging from Athena losing a toy, or her spade, or fighting with another foal who wanted to play on ‘her’ bit of sand. That didn’t happen that day. She even came from the swings the first time of calling when it was lunch time. Brightstar, who was using his magic to help set up the picnic blanket, saw the reticent look on Moonbeak’s face. “Hey, now that's all sorted and behind us, do I need to play that radio station again?”

As she was passing out some tuna sandwiches on plates, Moonbeak snorted. “Sorry, there’s too much on my mind today to spank you.”

Levitating out a bowl of maggoty cheese, a delicacy in Griffonstone, Brightstar considered that for a moment. “You're right, as always, my love.”

“It was a good get-a-way though.” Moonbeak grinned, reaching into the food hamper and pulling out a box of crackers to go with the cheese and a bottle of fruit juice.

Athena only had eyes for the cheese. She liked ‘hunting’ the live maggots. “I help nana!”

Brightstar grinned once the picnic was all laid out. He made extra certain the salted caramel cake was out for dessert. “Yes it was, and you did help nana, sweetie.” Athena, now set free to demolish the food, continued to prove that she was a messy eater. “Messy little kitten.” As she had learned from her mother, Athena ignored the pony when it was good to do so. “I'm glad you agreed to the wedding here and the reception in Griffonstone,” he commented, eating just as messily as his kitten.

“Agreement is overstating it.” Moonbeak commented as she, by comparison, delicately ate her sandwiches. “We came to an understanding. I wasn't budging on the wedding. She gets to show off the horned griffon to her sister and her friends.”

“I could have thrown a spanner in the works and demanded Canterlot as a venue,” Brightstar swallowed a tuna sandwich and chuckled, knowing full well that Moonbeak knew he'd do no such thing. Canterlot may have been where he was born, but it wasn’t home.

“I'd rather marry you before I eat you.”

“I'd rather you do that, too.” Brightstar shot back and, as soon as she had swallowed her piece of the maggoty cheese, Athena ran over to the slides to play again now she was recharged with food.

Moonbeak hadn’t eaten her last beakful of tuna and cheese when little Zephyr woke up, crying that he was hungry. The old griffon sighed, shifting her youngest kitten down to her teats. “At least he waits till after I eat to demand to eat...” she cast her lover a look. “Worried your pastry will run out of cream filling?”

Brightstar watched Athena play on the slides with her friends, shielding his eyes with a hoof against the glare of the sun as it streamed down. Thoughts of the binding had him very worried, and with good reason. “Worried, yes, but not about that.”

His partner rested a claw gently on his foreleg, squeezing ever so slightly to let him know she was there for him. “Worry about what you can control. I'll try to not worry about what you cannot.”

“It's mother…” the royal blue unicorn looked down at the red and white checked blanket, studying it very hard like it held the answers to life, the universe and everything. His mother was one of many worries he could not avoid. “I know Raid can and will bring Darkie. I...I'd...I'd really like my mother to attend, if it’s permitted by the asylum doctors.”

“Then she attends.” It really was as simple as that as far as Moonbeak was concerned. It didn’t bother her in the least of Shining Star’s condition. “My mother will be there.” She giggled, in her mind imagining Shining Star and Astraea together breaking Equestria. “Who do you trust to supervise her visit?”

“It's likely the asylum will send her orderly with her.”

“I already know you don't pass out from the sight of blood,” Moonbeak giggled, still affectionately holding her lover’s foreleg, “so that should go well. How many of your friends will run out of the room when we do that, I wonder?” A thought struck her then, something they had not discussed yet. “How much time off can you get after you graduate the academy?”

“Olive Branch says I can have as much as I need,” Brightstar casually inspected his free hoof, “something about being a star pupil...” he chuckled when his leg was squeezed until it hurt slightly. “Cy is the only one I can see being squeamish. You know she's a very girly mare.”

Now it was Moonbeak’s turn to gaze of into the middle distance. She knew she couldn’t get away from that particular elephant in the room much longer. “It is okay if the police come, but they best not make a big deal about Goldcrest or there will be extra bloodletting.”

Brightstar smiled and, coming back to the here and now, he nuzzled her cheek. “I don't think you can keep the Shadowbolts away. Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat have been decorating my locker for days now. I will make sure they behave, love.”

“I have some models and clients to invite.” Moonbeak thought of her favourite ponies from her rolodex, “the whole bar will be there, of course, then that is some of your Shadowbolt friends too. And I know for a fact that momma wants her bridge club invited.”

“I'm not fool enough to deny momma what she wants…” he smiled a little sadly, his thoughts now meandering along a somewhat lonely road. It was painfully evident to him that he wouldn’t have as many guests coming as his partner. “As long as mother, my sister, Raid and Cy are there, I'll be a happy pony.”

“Well,” Moonbeak snarked as she reached for a glass of fruit juice, “if you don't need me for happiness, then let me know how it goes. I could spend the day on the river catching fish!” she nudged Brightstar’s shoulder, her mood lifted considerably since earlier at the hospital. “We should think of party games. I like spank the pony. It is a good party game. I like clean the floor and hose the pony too.”

Now, Brightstar really laughed, the slightly maudlin mood banished for the moment. “And what about under your paws? I like that game too.” He was certain that, should the reception or graduation party be held at the Twisted Tail, they would be playing some of those games.

“I'm okay with some strange pony sucking on my toes. I’ll admit it was really odd at first, but now I've grown to expect it.” Moonbeak stretched out on the grass in the shade of the tree and gave her lover a very meaningful wink.

“Hmmmm!” It wasn’t the wink that made him bite his lip and whimper, it was the fact that she was stroking her hind legs together. If that wasn’t enough, she even wiggled her toes! He glanced around at the park, saw that nopony was paying them any mind. That was good, as that lewd display was certain to get him showing. “Oooooh, they are beautiful, like the rest of you…”

Giving him 'the look', Moonbeak just wiggled her toes all the more. Brightstar very much got the idea and, panting with excitement, he shimmied around on the grass and lowered his head to her delectably wiggling toes, not caring in the slightest who was watching. Once in position, he trailed a slow lick up the left then the right sole.

Stretching out fully on the grass, Moonbeak watched Zephyr as her kitten decided it was a fun game to dig up worms to eat. She also made sure to keep a sharp eye on Athena as Brightstar trailed another slow wet lick up her paw, tasting grass and the sweat of her leathery sole. He licked the paws again, this time sucking on her toes. So aroused was he by this that he had already slipped out of his sheath just as Moonbeak’s claws had slipped out of her toes.

“MmmMMMmMMMm!” in sheer heaven, Brightstar moaned and, getting into it, he sucked on each toe, running his tongue slowly and sensually around each exposed claw. Thoughtfully, as she was laid on her side facing him, Moonbeak extended a wing to cover his boner while at the same time extending a claw to play with it.

Brightstar let out a surprised and aroused meep, running his tongue along and between the toes of Moonbeak’s left paw. At the other end, the dark grey griffon wasn’t working to get anything out of him, she was just playing. After several long, pleasure-filled minutes, the unicorn pulled off of her toes, leaving a trail of drool in his wake. “Mmmm Moony that's sooo good!” he gave her paws a last, long lick to show her how much he loved them.

Moonbeak, who had been thoroughly enjoying having her paws worshipped – as was her right, she was her pony’s Queen, after all – sighed happily and with a twinge of longing once he finished. Nice as it was, they had things to plan. “Check for available dates with your friends. Now, do you have a day of month or day of week that has meaning to you?”

“The fifteenth.” Brightstar replied very quickly, his brow furrowing sadly. “That day in March was when mother was taken to get the help she needs. It is…significant.”

There was a look of understanding that passed between them. “You think there is enough time to plan for May fifteenth?”

“I do, love.” With a smile now, he licked his lips, still tasting her wonderful toes, “that gives us just over a month to get ready.”

That was good enough for her. “We can do the Griffonstone reception on June thirteenth then. Enough time for that and to get us there.”

“I think that sounds like a plan!” Brightstar agreed as he glanced around at Zephyr ferreting in the grass and earth for worms and at Athena playing over on the swings and the slide with her friends and he was filled with a love for them that strengthened his spirit to do what he knew he had to do. “I'll call Raid and then the asylum while the kittens are occupied.”

Snickering, Moonbeak looked under her wing that was still draped across her lover’s crotch. “I'd suggest you call from where you are, or you’ll scare the foals.”

“I blame your paws and claws!” Brightstar laughed, though he bit his lip when those paws and toes wiggled once more. Lighting his horn, he levitated his phone from his saddlebag and dialled Air Raid's number, chuckling to himself that even she should be awake by now.

A sleepy voice answered him down the phone line, the sound of a mare for whom sleep was a foreign thing. “What's up, Bright?”

Brightstar couldn’t resist. “Celestia's sun.” he laughed when his friend raspberried him. “And you, it seems. How are you doing over there?”

Air Raid sighed, the lime green mare forcing herself to sit up in her bed. She had been so close to sleep, too! “Could be better. Darkie says the nurse did something mean to her when I was at the track. Unhappy Darkie means no sleep for me. I'm thinking of getting a spy camera.”

“Mean?” Straightaway, his ears pricked up and his voice went all serious. One thing he wouldn’t countenance was anypony doing anything to his family. “What do you mean, 'mean', Raid?”

“She says she did something to her food.” Air Raid sighed as she let out a wide exhausted yawn. She didn’t want to bother Brightstar with this. Jewel Joy had been an exemplary nurse, but… “Of course it is all cleaned up when I get back. I just don't know any more, Bright. Why I think I need a camera. I want to believer her, I do...”

“You're doing the right thing, Raid.” Brightstar interjected kindly. “Of course believe her, even though she's crazy. Get a camera, get proof. That’s the important thing, evidence. What's her state of mind whenever you come back after the nurse has cared for her?”

“Angry,” Air Raid admitted, “but that is better than suicidal. I took her for some greasy food and unhealthy donuts, and that calmed her down. She wanted to talk most of the night, so we did. She is sleeping now, and I am sleepy.”

‘You certainly sound sleepy,’ Brightstar thought, though he diplomatically didn’t say that. He could only imagine what her mane looked like. “Well, I have some good news to give you and her.” He took a deep breath, “You know I asked Moony to bind with me? We set a date. The fifteenth of May.”

“Let me check the calendar,” Air Raid muttered, rubbing sleep from her eyes and putting her phone on hold for a moment while she checked her calendar for any upcoming dates. Thankfully she was free until the last week of May. “Okay, I have no races that weekend, so it is a go. I'll work some greasy food into Darkie so she is a happy unicorn.”

“And...Raid...” Brightstar was suddenly uncertain, all his old doubts and worries flooding back, “I wondered, if you don't mind, would you be my best mare?”

Any sleep in Air Raid was gone in a flash. “I am best mare!” she cheered and whooped, until something occurred to her. That something being ‘why her?’ “Um, you sure you don't want Darkie?”

Brightstar felt wretched. All the warmth and heat of the summer day seemed to evaporate. “If…If I could be sure of her state of mind, yes. I can't think of anypony else qualified better to deliver an embarrassing speech about me than you though.”

While it was true that Air Raid knew everything there was to know about Brightstar and his family, she felt duty bound to offer an alternative. “There is Cy. I think we should plan for all three of us up there. Best Mare and Groom's Maids.”

“I think Darkie and Cy will make excellent Groom's Maids.” Brightstar made up his mind. “You though, I trust you Raid.”

“Life has taught me to grow up.” Air Raid replied solemnly. “I think it has done it to you, too. Copper.”

Brightstar raspberried his friend down the phone in response to the slight about the Fillydelphia PD copper coloured uniform. Not that he was going to join the regular police department. He was going to be a Shadowbolt. Undercover Ops. “I take it that's a yes?” he then sighed a little, already knowing the answer to what he was about to ask. “Have you heard anything from Dusk, at all?”

“You sure you want to know?”

“Sure, I’m sure.”

Air Raid took a breath and steadied herself. “After a race the other week, we went to a nice place for a bit of celebration. We walk in, the pit crew and I, and Dusk and Vocal are there. Two biggest snobs in Canterlot. Not sure which was egging the other on, but both were nasty. Then Ratchet was going to respond, so I dragged her and the team out with them laughing at us. I wanted to put a hoof through his face. Again.” Her sigh deepened, “I'm just glad Darkie wasn't with us. It would have turned really bad real quick.”

“Ah. I see.” If he was honest with himself, he had been expecting something like that. He was just glad that his sister hadn’t been caught up in it. “I only ask because he stopped returning my calls months ago.”

“I stopped calling after my muzzle was broken. He is the past Bright. I've moved on.”

“You have the right of it Raid.” Brightstar went silent for a long moment, unsure how to ask what he wanted to ask. He knew his friend would be resistant to the idea. “Raid...if I send you an invitation for Wildfire, would you put it through her dad's door? He may pass it on to wherever she is.”

There came a very, very long, very pregnant pause from the other end of the phone line. “Okay,” she answered at last when Brightstar was worried she had gone, “I may get somepony else to do the delivery. Bastard might see me through a window and do something,” she offered, thinking that Ratchet could do it for her.

“Thank you Raid. I know it’s a longshot, but it’s a shot.”

“It is hard, but we don't plan on giving up on her either, but you have a griff there to take care of. That is mission one.”

“I know hun, I know.” Brightstar sniffed up a tear. “Again, thank you. I ah, I better call the Asylum. I need to arrange for mother's visit.”

“I was going to ask if you would have Shining Star there,” Air Raid commented, her thoughts now turning to her friends’ mother. “Darkie wanted to see her so we went. I'm not sure who she thought we were, but Darkie left happy...well morbidly, happy.” The lime green mare could see it in her head. Darkstar had been happy to see her mother. She had laughed, said that could’ve been her someday but not now as she had touched the remains of her horn.

Brightstar shrugged, “Morbidly happy is still happy. Take care, Raid.” When the royal blue unicorn cancelled the call, he kissed Moonbeak and dialled the asylum, cuddling for nerve.

“Cloud Nine Hospital, Sunshower speaking, how may I help you today?”

He didn’t recognise the receptionist who had answered the phone. He assumed she was new. She sounded like she had a typical Canterlot accent. “Hello, ma’am, this is Brightstar. I'm calling in regard of Shining Star in Room 359. I'm her son.”

Sunshower checked her computer and saw that what he had said checked out. “Do you wish to speak to her, the ward nurse, or her doctor?”

“Her doctor, please ma'am.”

“One moment while I see if he is available.” There was then a pause of almost two whole minutes while the receptionist placed him on hold. “The doctor will be in his office at two p.m. That is in two and a half hours. Can you call back then please?”

“Yes ma'am, I will, thank you…” He was about to say something else when Sunshower hung up. Again, he reverted to what had become his default position, nuzzling and snuggling with Moonbeak and her toes. “I have to call back in two and a half hours.” He chuckled, “Want to hear a girly mare squeal?”

Moonbeak gently stroked her pony’s face with her paws, as he readied Cyclone’s number. “I wonder if we can hear her wet her nappy?”

Brightstar considered that for a moment. “She should be at work. I so want her to do it there!” he dialled his friend’s number, a mischievous twinkle in his yellow eyes.

Over in Cloudsdale, in the offices of the Weather Factory, a very unhappy, very bored Cyclone failed to look at the caller ID of whomever was calling her. “Severe Weather Planning Office, this is Cyclone speaking. Can I get you a thunderstorm today?”

As the phone was on speaker, he winked at Moonbeak who nodded. “Only if you deliver to Filly, filly.”

Immediately, like a light switch being flicked on, Cyclone brightened up when she heard her friend’s voice. For once, she was paying attention at work. Enough to stop playing solitaire on her computer, anyway. “Brightstar, you have brightened my day! So, what is the stallion up to?”

Brightstar glanced under his lover’s wing and saw, thanks to her paws under his nose, that he was still hard and erect. “Well, I'm 'up' in the park playing with Moony's toes, but I didn't call to brag about that.”

“You need me to come over and pee on them so they taste better?”

“Eww Cy!” Brightstar wrinkled his muzzle in distaste. He had a few kinks, who didn’t, but he just couldn’t bring himself to enjoy watersports. That was just beyond him. “No! Anyway, ah, what are you doing on the fifteenth of next month?”

The jet black mare’s bored voice was back in full force. She shifted on her chair, her nappy squishing and crinkling as she moved. “Severe Weather Planning Office. Same thing I do every day, what else?”

“Sooooo you don't fancy a trip out to Filly, then?”

“I got a little vacation time owing,” Cyclone answered, her voice still sounding bored. She only ever used her vacation time to attend the Buffy Slayercon, the Power Pony conventions or any comic book convention that was going on at the time. “Are you willing to put me up?”

“Sure, I mean, I have to look after my Groom's Maid, right?”

“SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Cyclone’s squee went on and on for five minutes until she ran out of breath. She would’ve gone on longer if she could have. She coughed once then twice, trying to calm herself down. She failed and had to could a third time. “I ah, I may be able to make, yeah.”

Brightstar had to laugh at her attempt to play it cool. “I mean, if you want to be a Groom's Maid, you might not want to...”

“Does Moony need a maid?” she asked, interrupting her friend. “Zephyr and I could have matching nappies!”

“Um, hang on,” he glanced down at a very giggly griffon.

In between her giggles, Moonbeak whispered, “Did she wet her nappy?”

“I think so,” he whispered back. A little louder, he said, “So Cy, how's the nappy holding up after that squee?”

“Why does Mr. Eww want to know?”

Brightstar rolled his eyes loud enough that Cyclone could hear it down the phone. “Moony wants to know.”

“Tell her I'll mail the one I'm wearing now and she can test it herself,” Cyclone offered, a fiendish smile plastered all over her face. “Maybe you can do a comparison to Zephyr?”

“She says she'll mail it to you.” Brightstar said to his lover, chuckling when Moonbeak rolled her eyes as he had done. “Cy, are you allowed to send hazardous materials in the post?”

Unconcerned, Cyclone shrugged her shoulders. “I'll be sure to seal it real good. Um, she may want to open it outside, just in case.” She giggled, “Yes, you silly pony, I'll be your Groom's Maid. I assume your sis going to be the best mare?”

“I asked Raid to be best mare. Darkie will be Chief Groom’s Mare.”

“So she will get to boss me around...” Cyclone didn’t sound all that impressed at that, having Darkstar in charge. Her track record with the Las Pegasus incident and Wildfire’s eighteenth birthday when she had been tied up next to Air Raid was not the best. “Gee, that will be fun.”

“Oh, like she's never bossed you around before?”

“Well, once, when she was sleeping, she just mumbled me around,” Cyclone giggled, ignoring several email notifications on her screen from various departments in the Weather Factory. They could wait. “You going to get the train tickets?”

“Then there was that time she tied you and Raid up in pretty red ribbons!” he laughed, mostly because he knew Cyclone liked that story deep down. “Yes, we'll get the tickets, Cy. Ponyville to Fillydelphia, return trip.”

“Good, I’ll put in for vacation.” She was already filling in her application form. “You guys coming back this way anytime soon?”

“Sure Cy, we should be able to spare a weekend to come over and see you before the binding, say two weeks’ time?”

The bored tone was back in the jet black mare’s voice. “I'll be here, I’ve got nowhere to go.”

“Alright Cy, we'll see you soon hun, don't work too hard. We don't want Misty Morning thinking you've been replaced by a changeling!” Brightstar was rewarded for his snark by Cyclone giving him a long raspberry until he hung up. “That was easy. Now I just hope the asylum agrees to the visit…”

“You broke momma out of the hospital,” Moonbeak said supportively, “you can break your momma out of the hospital too.”

The early afternoon passed by with Brightstar playing with Athena on the swings, the slide and the roundabout as well as the merry-go-round and the climbing frame. Moonbeak chose to spend the two and a half hours sunning herself as Zephyr napped beside her under her wing. When he judged the amount of time had elapsed and, with a look of trepidation on his face, he called the asylum back, this time calling the doctor’s number. “Doctor Foresight's office,” his secretary answered, “how may I help you?”

“Hello ma'am, I'm Brightstar.” He introduced himself and was grateful that Moonbeak reached over and squeezed his foreleg. “I called earlier regarding my mother, Shining Star. I was told to call back at this time to speak to Doctor Foresight.”

“One moment, please, and I'll transfer you.” The line went quiet for that moment.

“Greetings Brightstar,” Foresight, a tall well-built aquamarine unicorn stallion with a dark purple mane, took up the call when his secretary transferred it to his office, “how can I help you today?”

Brightstar took a breath and steadied himself. “Hello Doctor, I was wondering if it was possible to arrange for my mother to come to Fillydelphia next month, please. I'm getting married you see.”

“It is possible,” Foresight answered straightaway with no hesitation, “will you be escorting her?”

Brightstar was amazed it was that quick and easy. He had anticipated some resistance. “Oh thank you! I'll be with her at all times over here, but she'll need an escort to get here.”

“If the hospital sends an escort, than that escort will be with her at all times. You, of course can be with her. Does your bride understand your mother's condition?”

“She does,” Brightstar lovingly nuzzled Moonbeak’s cheek. “She's met her twice over the last few months.”

Foresight cleaned his glasses and consulted his notes he had bought up on his screen. He did like Shining Star though. She was a nice, pleasant mare. Back in the day her illusions had been legend, as had her shows with Trixie Lulamoon. “It seems she has settled into three main rolls, but there is still a dozen others that can appear, to include herself.”

“How is she doing, Doc?”

“She is functioning fine.” The doctor replied, though he suspected that wasn’t what he meant. “The only role that is difficult is Empress Autumn. She can be very short tempered if her commands are not met. She needs the most attention then. The other roles vary, but she is self-sufficient in all of them. She is often on the grounds greeting ponies for the first time, and the other residents enjoy that.”

The royal blue stallion smiled and laughed a little at that. “The last time we visited her, she was the Duchess of Maretonia.”

Foresight scrolled down his notes, that title flagging up when he typed it in. “That role has fallen to disfavor. Princess Platinum is her most stable role. She is closest to the mother you remember. The last favored role is Madam Red Light...she is still self-sufficient, but she does try to recruit for her brothel.”

Catching Moonbeak’s twinkling eye, Brightstar nodded, the sage nod managing to carry into his voice. “Aah yes, Madam Red Light. She was present the first time I introduced my griffon mate to mother. It was an...interesting meeting, to say the least.”

“What I cannot foresee is what will happen on the train to Fillydelphia.” Doctor Foresight explained carefully, “It is a long trip. The attendant is one she is used too, and blends in well with what personality she is portraying at the time. To be clear, there is a fee for the service, plus per diem for both the attendant and your mother.”

“I understand, Doctor. What will that be, please?” Brightstar asked, though he didn’t really care what the fee was, he knew they had the money to cover any cost. And he only intended on getting bound once.

“Per Diem for both is two thousand bits per day, plus lodging and round trip train tickets. I would recommend that lodging be at least what she has here.”

“We can arrange that, Doctor, thank you.”

“I'll ensure the attendant texts you any changes in your mother so you'll be able to greet her with no issues.”

“We'd need at least three days, but we'll be in touch to sort the details, Doctor, thank you.” Brightstar smiled, breathing easier now it seemed to be sorted out. His mother was coming to his binding! “The binding is on the fifteenth of May, so I was thinking the fourteenth through to the sixteenth.” He hesitated though for a moment. “Ah, may I speak to her, please?”

Foresight had been expecting that. “Let me check with the ward nurse…” he placed Brightstar on hold, and music that sounded like it came from the last century came over the phone. “Your mother,” he said, on the line again, “Moonstone, is walking the grounds handing out candies. I'm sorry, but the attendant can only do outgoing texts. The ward nurse expects her back within the hour and can have her call you, if that is acceptable?”

“That's very fine, thank you Doctor, I'll talk to her then, then.”

“I don't think she will ever settle on one and stay there,” Foresight said kindly, for he did sympathise greatly with the young stallion, “but you should take hope that she is able to live a good life as she is. I look forward to the details on her travel, and expect her to show me lots of photos.”

He understood that. Brightstar knew his mother was where she needed to be, in the best place to give her the care she needed. “I count her fortunate that she has as good a life as she does, Doctor, thank you for caring for her.” Along those lines, he had another thought. “Does Trixie still visit? I know you can't give me exact details.”

“She has a few regular visitors, including Trixie Lulamoon. Your sister was here just two weeks ago, with her attendant Air Raid. Stalwart has also been coming regularly.”

“Good.” Brightstar smiled, beaming out over the park at his kitten playing. He remembered Stalwart. He was his mother’s manager from when she had been one of Equestria’s most famous showmares. “I'm pleased she hasn't been forgotten. Thank you for your time, Doctor. I'll await her call.”

Leaning into her young lover’s side, Moonbeak affectionately nipped his ear to let him know she was still there and that she supported him. “That sounded interesting. I do remember Madam Red Light, and even I've heard of Princess Platinum.”

Flicking his ear, he laughed. “Yes, Madam Red Light certainly was interesting, wasn't she?”

Giggling, Moonbeak shrugged. “She paid well.” One couldn’t easily turn down seven hundred and fifty bits per day for brothel work, after all. “Seems like she will be welcome at the wedding, but we need to adjust how she is presented and how others should interact with her.” She was now thinking mostly about her own tactless mother.

Brightstar had a thought that whomever Shining Star was at the time and Astraea meeting would be the funniest thing in the history of forever. “Thank you for not flinching when he said two thousand bits per day and when I said three days.” He nuzzled her, “I think momma will get on just fine with mother.” She would either work for Red Light or conquer the land with Empress Autumn.

Kissing his lips softly, Moonbeak smiled, “Just remember this when Zephyr asks why there is no inheritance.”

Suddenly he blushed horribly and studied his hooves. “I’m sorry…”

Seconds of silence passed between them, Athena and her friends playing in the background, before Moonbeak burst out into gales of squawking laughter. “You are so easy to tease!”

Too late, he realised he had been had. “I hate you when you do that…”

“No you don't, you love me, but I can hear you groan on the inside when you fall for that.”

“You know I love you,” sitting up, Brightstar rubbed his hoof up his lover’s back, gently caressing the joint between the griffon’s powerful dark grey wings. “I love you Mistress, tease, and all.”

Taking the welcome and much needed wing rub, Moonbeak sighed happily. “We can stay here ‘till she calls. Athena is still full of energy. This one,” she gently stroked and petted Zephyr’s white feathered head, the little kitten sleeping next to his mother, “He is sleeping off the bugs he caught.”

“I wonder where Athena gets it from,” Brightstar chuckled, his hoof still massaging her broad back. “She's been on that slide a hundred times.”

“She gets it from me, of course. I feel my energy draining away.” Moonbeak giggled, feeling her energy returning by the second, thanks to the massage she was getting. “I think the sandbox is her recharge zone.”

“I think you're right,” he looked over to the sandbox where Athena was now playing again. “I do like the little sand city she built.” He smiled warmly, happy that he had his family here. “I'm pleased we've made progress. I need to make an honest griffon of you.”

“So, that means no more touching up photos?” Moonbeak shot him a look and raised her eyebrow, “May put me out of business!”

“I didn't say that, did I?” Brightstar chuckled and, leaning into her back, he nuzzled her from behind. “Now, while I may have studied at Stormclaw Academy for that year, I confess I don't know much about a binding, other than the correct way to propose.”

“We will have to find some way to give your hoof a claw. You will need to slice the palm of my claw and I'll...” she turned and looked curiously at her lover’s hoof, inspecting it all over as if for the first time. “If I slice the bottom of your hoof does it bleed?”

Without waiting for an answer, Moonbeak took Brightstar’s hoof and poked the middle of it, the sole just above his frog, with the tip of her index talon to see. The stallion hissed with pain and the sole released a tiny red bead. “Mmmmm,” he moaned, “just there...”

“Okay, so that works. I'll cut your sole and you'll cut my claw.” Moonbeak explained, her eyes still on his hoof. “Then, the elder will bind them so they bleed together. The important part is you do it in silence. So no screaming like a little filly.”

“So I can't moan like an aroused stallion?” Brightstar wiggled his eyebrows. “You know what blood does to me.”

“You’ll have to save your orgasmic moaning for later, my love.”

“I believe I can do that. For you I can do anything.” When Brightstar said that, Moonbeak went all snuggly. Fortunately, the unicorn loved himself a snuggly griffon and, while some of the others collected their foals and went home, Brightstar was content to snuggle and kiss his mate, the pair of them idly hugging away the afternoon until his mother was due to call.

An hour later, almost on the dot, Brightstar’s phone did indeed ring. When he checked, it said it the number was unknown. He knew there was only one pony it could be. Nervously, Brightstar answered quickly, his hooves and magic shaking as he switched it to speaker. “H-Hello?”

“Is this Brightstar?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed when a mare that sounded just like his mother spoke to him. At the same time though, she sounded different. “Speaking…”

“Hello!” she said, her cheery smile evident in her voice. “This is Moonstone, and Windy told me to call you. She said you've been a very good colt.”

Brightstar blushed quite hard, the stallion having to force himself to remember that he was speaking to his mother, and not to question who she may claim be at the time. “Hello Moonstone, Windy was right. I've been a very good colt today.”

Moonstone sat back on her favourite recliner in her room. From there she had a great view out of her window at the rainbows in the sky. “That is wonderful!” she beamed. She didn’t always like rainbows, but when she did, she really liked rainbows. “I'm always happy to meet good ponies. Would you like me to send you some candy?”

Brightstar wanted to cry. His mother would always bring candy back with her from a show she had put on when he and his sister had been younger. “I-I would, yes please Moonstone.”

“Okay!” she called over her attendant who had been making her a cup of tea. For some reason she couldn’t remember, she didn’t go into the kitchen area much. “I'm going to give the phone to Windy now so she can write down your address.”

Windy walked over the soft fluffy carpet – almost everything in the room was soft and soothing, from the décor to the furnishings and took the phone from her friend. “Greetings Brightstar. Moonstone is in good spirits today. I do need your address in Fillydelphia, though.”

“Hello ma'am,” Brightstar knew ‘Windy’, of course. He had met her a few times before. Her real name was Softstep, but, as his mother’s attendant, she was able to be whomever his mother believed her to be at any given moment. He always called her ma’am. “It's Number four, Horsehead Square, Griffon Plaza, Fillydelphia.”

“I have it, thank you. I'll text you mid-May if we don't speak before then. Let me give you back to Moonstone.”

“Hello again!” Moonstone’s cheery voice again came over the phone. She was eager to speak to this stallion. He was nice and strangely familiar. That, and he said he was a good colt. She liked good ponies. “I was outside looking at rainbows. I think they are beautiful. Do you like rainbows?”

“I love rainbows, mo...” just in time, Brightstar caught himself before he finished what he wanted to say. What he was so desperate to say. “Mo-Moonstone. I'd like for you to come see the rainbows in Fillydelphia.”

Moonstone thought that was a very good idea indeed. “Oh, I'm sure they are pretty there. Can we go to Fillydelphia, Windy?” When her attendant nodded vigorously, she continued, “Windy says she will work on it. My schedule is really full, but I can always make time for rainbows.”

Brightstar wanted to smile, he really did. Just as much as he wanted to talk to his mother, not this Moonstone or whoever else she may be. Ultimately, he sighed. He had learnt not to force it. “Thank you Moonstone, it would be an honour to have you stay with us so we can show you the rainbows.”

“Thank you Brightstar, it is wonderful to hear from...I...” Moonstone faltered, her vision going blurry. She swooned on her recliner, a familiar feeling of uncertainty washing over her. Why? She knew this stallion, yes… “Your voi-voice...B-Bright…”

He could barely believe it, it was his mother! “M-Mum?”

“I-I…mother…Bright?” Shining Star began to panic, Softstep was immediately by her side, soothing her and stroking her mane.

“I’m here mother!” he squeaked desperately, willing her to talk to him.

Shining Star clutched her head, seemingly grimacing in pain though there was none. “I-I…n-no…not mother…I...Clover?” Princess Platinum opened her eyes, pleased to find herself sat on her favourite recliner. However, she had no idea how she got here from the unification summit with the earth ponies and pegasi. Her assistant would know. “Clover, what is happening?”

Smoothly, Softstep assumed her new role without question, like she had always been Clover the Clever. “You remember, Princess, we went on a walk…” her voice was muffled, then louder, Brightstar guessed correctly that she was moving about as Clover's voice was now louder, “and maybe you had too much sun.”

In a soft, delicate voice, Princess Platinum answered, Moonstone wasn’t there anymore. “Y-Yes, maybe I should lie down for a bit. Some ice cream would be good, Clover.”

Clover saw her Princess through to her bed and made sure she was comfortable before she spoke again. “Brightstar?”

On the grass, Brightstar was shaking, hot wet salty tears running down his cheeks. He had been so close! His mother was right there! “Yes ma'am? Is...Is the Princess alright?”

“Yes,” Softstep answered softly, the attendant making sure the bedroom door was closed so as not to agitate her any further. “She is just going to lay down for a bit. I'm happy you talked with her. I thought for a moment she would come back as she seemed to recognize your voice. I'm sorry.”

Brightstar didn’t even know he was crying. He felt the claw squeeze his foreleg though, and that made him cry all the more. “Y-Ye-Yes, ah, um...so did I…” he managed a shaky smile, “It's enough to know she's alright and doing well, thank you ma'am.”

“You're welcome, Brightstar.” Softstep beamed, eagerly taking the opportunity to have a quick gossip. “It is good to know you're getting married. Does Darkstar know? I don't want to spill the beans.”

“Thank you ma'am, Softstep, I called Air Raid earlier, Darkie was sleeping so I left the news with Raid.”

“Okay, so I don't have to keep it quiet.” She paused when she heard Princess Platinum call from the bedroom, demanding to know where her ice cream was. “Enjoy the candy you get in the mail. I need to get the Princess her ice cream. Bye-bye, Brightstar.”

“Take care of her please…” said Brightstar, though he was talking to nothing as Softstep had already hung up. Crying freely, he dropped his phone to the grass while beside him, Moonbeak did the only thing she could think of and wrapped her sobbing lover up in a six limb hug. “Sh-She was almost there...”

Moonbeak allowed her young pony to cry, to get it all out of his system. “She is always there, love. Just locked away inside where she is safe. You know her, and that has to be enough.”

After what felt like forever, Brightstar sniffed back his tears and smiled, “Yeah, yeah it is…it has to be, right?” he nuzzled her for comfort, glad that she was there at all. “I guess I'll message Raid, see if Darkie's awake. I'd like to tell her myself what's happening.”

Checking the time on her phone, Moonbeak supportively nipped his ear. “It has been about five hours since you called, love.” She watched him get his phone, by hoof and not with his magic, and send a text to his friend. ‘Hey Raid, is Darkie awake yet? I want to call her.’ It concerned her that he was so affected. Her pony was her rock. After five minutes there was no reply. “Maybe you should call?”

“Hmm,” he agreed absently, not really ‘with it’ since he had spoken to his mother. “It's not like her not to reply, though.” Kissing the yellow tip of her beak, he dialled Air Raid’s number, biting his lip nervously.

Two rings later and Air Raid answered, sounding a lot more alert and awake than she had earlier. “Yeah?”

“Hey Raid, is Darkie up yet?”

Air Raid was about to answer that no, of course she wasn’t, when she looked at the sleeping unicorn next to her, a sleeping unicorn who had invaded her bed with demands to snuggle. “What time is...oh, it is getting late. Hey, Darkie?”

As she had been nicely asleep, cocooned in Air Raid’s duvet that she swore was softer and warmer than her own, hence the need to invade her bed and snuggle, Darkstar was resistant to the idea of waking up. “Whaaa…”

“Your brother is on the phone.” She leant over and spoke straight down her white ear.

Though Darkstar flicked her ear, she did not wake up. She scrunched her eyes shut and pulled the duvet around her. “Does he have a salted caramel donut?” she asked, as though that was incumbent on her getting up.

“I don't know,” Air Raid groused, wondering what she had to do to get her duvet back. “Why don't you ask him?”

Darkstar still didn’t open her eyes, though she felt the phone placed next to her on the pillow. “Okay, do you have a salted caramel donut?”

“Not right this minute sis, no.”

Finally, Darkstar deigned to crack open one eye. “Raid, let's go get donuts and coffee.”

“Sure,” Air Raid sighed as she went to her coffee machine in her bedroom and proceeded to make them two cups. Mostly for her friend, she guessed she could use some go-juice. “When you're done talking to Bright.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed, the promise of coffee and donuts at last prompting the pure white mare to stop pretending and sit up. “Hey Bright, I'm awake. So, what's happening?”

“You sure you're with us, sugar crash?” Brightstar chuckled, “I wanted to talk to you. Two things really. First, Moony and I are going to be bound together, we have set a date...”

“SQUEEEEEEEEE!” Darkstar’s rather predictable excited squee cut her brother off mid-sentence. In her opinion it was about time. “When? When?”

Brightstar laughed out loud, as did his lover beside him. “The fifteenth of next month, sis.”

It was as if Air Raid had injected her white friend with pure caffeine. She was up and bouncing on the bed like she was five years old. “Raid! Raid, the fifteenth of May, we're going to Fillydelphia! Can we? Can we? Pleeeeeease!”

At the coffee machine, Air Raid rolled her grey eyes as she carried the fresh drinks over to the nightstand. “I dunno, let me check my calendar…”

“Oh come on! Raid!”

“Yes, we can go, silly.”

After he was done laughing, a feat that took several moments, Brightstar said, “And I need somepony to be my Chief Groom's Maid. You up to it?”

“Sure,” Darkstar said as she sipped her coffee, “who do I get to boss around?”

“Cy. She's really looking forward to that.”

“Okay, so Raid got best mare then?”

“Yes sis, I asked Raid.”

“When?”

“I called earlier today once we had decided on a date. Raid answered and said you were sleeping…” he trailed off when he heard the unmistakable sound of a coffee cup hitting a wall, smashing into millions of pieces, then nothing. Darkstar had hung up without another words, leaving the royal blue stallion to facehoof. “I'm a bucking idiot!”

Moonbeak rubbed her beak along Brightstar’s cheek. “I still love my bucking pony idiot.”

Brightstar though was in pieces. His chest felt tight, his heart hammering away like it was about to burst free. “She was in a good mood!” he sobbed once more, despondent that he had obviously caused his sister to slip. “I-I didn't think...it just came out...wh-what have I done?”

The dark grey furred griffon shot her young lover a glare that usually bought him to his senses. However she saw this time he was so lost in his own self-destructive thoughts that it had no effect. She knew she had to act fast or she’d lose him until the mood passed. Moonbeak was determined to make the mood pass. She needed her rock. She poked his shoulder hard enough to draw a spot of blood. “Time to go, you get Athena and don't let her forget her toys. I'll pack the lunch up and get Zephyr ready.”

“You got it, love.” Though he was still distracted, the young stallion stood up and walked over to the sandbox. He had to concentrate hard to keep his focus where it needed to be and not in Canterlot at what might be happening. “'Thena, we're going now, sweetie.”

“’Kay!” pausing mid-way through constructing a sand replica of Fillydelphia, Athena emptied out her bucket and used the spade to smooth the sand. “Pony ride!”

Despite the distractions on his mind, Brightstar smiled. “Have you got everything?” Nodding furiously, Athena made a show of putting her spade in the bucket and the handle of the bucket in her beak. She then flew up and landed her daddy’s back. Once his passenger was in place, Brightstar pranced back to the little picnic site, his mind wandering all over the place from Cyclone, to his sister, his mother and back again in a loop. So out of it was he that he almost walked into Moonbeak's sexy fat ass.

Over her shoulder, Moonbeak shot him a deadpan look as she rested the two hamperbags and Zephyr on her back. “Mounting shouldn't be done here, we must set examples for the kittens.” While Zephyr was awake on her back, he wasn’t fussing.

“Oh...I wasn't, um...I ah...” as they walked back from the park to their treehouse, Brightstar shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Now, he was thinking of Princess Platinum and Madam Red Light as well as Darkstar and Cyclone. “I’m sorry…”

“Your eagerness to please me is enjoyable,” Moonbeak said, nipping his ear. “Your head in the clouds like a lost pegasus is less noteworthy.”

The walk back from the park to the house, while short, was uncomfortably quiet. Unlike earlier in the day, like a complete one hundred and eighty degree flip, it was Brightstar now whose mind was elsewhere. So distracted was he that when they got back, he didn’t question why Moonbeak was stood by her van. He just used his hoof to open the van door, no magic, because now he was thinking that he might be the cause of an episode for his sister. “My head's fine.”

Moonbeak wasn’t buying that, not in the slightest. Evidence to the contrary was him not asking where they were going. She did have a plan in mind though as she placed Zephyr in his car seat and got in the driver’s seat. “And what of that sponge inside it?”

“That's fine too,” he replied quietly, helping Athena into the car seat. He still used his hooves, not using his magic as he didn't trust it right then. Once he closed his lover’s door, he got in passenger side. It still hadn’t occurred to him to ask where they were going. She hadn’t mentioned going anywhere else.

With a plan of distraction in mind, Moonbeak started up her van and drove off. “Do you really want to know what the binding ceremony will be like?” she asked, putting her little plan into action.

“Yes,” Brightstar nodded his head, “yes I do.” Moonbeak chose to say nothing after that, but he could tell by the route she was taking that she was heading for her mother’s condo complex. Brightstar smiled, even though she said she wouldn’t see her ‘till tomorrow, he liked Astraea. “I'm glad I still took the day off. I enjoyed the park,” ‘for the most part, anyway...’ he finished to himself.

“You were never invited to a binding ceremony?” she asked once they had parked up in the parking lot at her mother’s place. She had an ulterior motive for coming. She wanted to snoop in her cupboards.

“I was invited to watch one,” Brightstar explained, smiling at the memory as it came back to him, “but I'm afraid I wasn't paying much attention to the ceremony. I was being hunted by two griffons, a brother and sister. Both wanted to take me out.”

Moonbeak giggled, content for the moment to sit in her van and hear this story out. “Take you out for dinner or take you out 'for' dinner?”

“Both. The sister wanted to eat me.” he chuckled, “so did the brother, actually. The difference was that Silverwing wouldn't be fatal. He thought I was cute. We became friends after that. Be nice to see him again.”

“So, pony, which one was the sister?”

“Skyclaw was his sister's name.” he grinned, “We sort of became friends. She liked to attack me when I went to hang out with her brother. Said it kept the hunting instincts sharp. She only drew blood once though. She was good like that.”

Raising her eyebrows, Moonbeak snickered. “I will watch for this Skyclaw, lest she try to claim my griffon. As for Silverwing, only if I get to watch.”

Brightstar laughed at that, “I still tease him about it. Mercilessly. Darkie...” he wasn’t thinking when he mentioned his sister. His good natured easy laugh melted away, though his smile was still there, albeit strained. “Darkie teased me too.”

“All sisters tease their brothers.” Moonbeak smiled and explained her somewhat sneaky plan to her partner. “Now, you will ask momma about the binding ceremony to gain better understanding. I know she will suggest doing a practice one. I will say we should have dinner first and the pony can cook. You will then see what you need to buy for dinner. Later you can tell me what she has, but when you buy dinner for us you will bring extra. I’ll distract momma with the kittens when you return.”

“So I am to be your pony spy?” the smile very quickly returned to his eyes. “’Tis a dangerous game you play, mon capitan, you know what griffons do to captured spies.” He knew too. The old punishments for captured enemy spies in Griffonstone were messy, brutal and quite often fatal for the spy.

“Then you best not be caught. You may be too much iron for momma's diet.”

“I accept the mission, dangerous though it may be. I shall not let my commander down!” While Brightstar made his heroic declaration, Moonbeak merely looked at her door, wondering why it wasn’t open yet. The unicorn shook his head and, like a good colt, got out and opened the driver’s side door, again with hooves. “My lady.”

“As long as your mind is on the mission and not my ass, I have high hope for your success.” Once out of her van, she got Zephyr on her back and, leaving her pony the keys, she flew up to her mother’s door.

Knowing what was expected of him, Brightstar got a very eager Athena from her car seat and, when she was on his back, he locked the van up and stepped away, clearing his mind. Usually, he could do this almost in an instant. However, prepping for this teleportation took a little longer than usual. A lot of a little longer. Once he judged that he was ready, he teleported up.

Seeing that he was taking his time, Moonbeak could only guess as to what was keeping him, though she had a good guess ready. He had explained the process to her and though she didn’t understand it, she knew one had to have a clear, calm mind. As soon as she saw him disappear though, she opened the door. “Surprise momma!” she cried, “the kittens were worried about you so they want to play!”

Although Zephyr did his usual shy routine, Athena screeched with all the force in her lungs, “nana!”

As soon as he was sure Athena was all there and so was he, Brightstar grinned, “Surprise momma!” Walking into her apartment, he did a little bow and nuzzled the older griffon who had been relaxing on her couch. “Don't want you all on your lonesome. You might watch that terrible T.V. show that Moony likes.”

Athena flew from the unicorn’s back to tackle hug her nana, while Moonbeak passed Zephyr to her as well to get his hugs in. “I think they were as worried as me, momma,” Moonbeak explained shamelessly and Astraea took hugs from the kittens and then her daughter.

When Astraea looked expectantly at Brightstar, he made sure to get his hugs in as well before stepping back, ready to enact the first stage of his lover’s sneaky plan. “I do have an ulterior motive for coming, though, momma.”

Looking at each other, mother and daughter performed a synchronous eye roll. “Ponies never change.” Astraea snorted through her nostrils. “Do you need lessons on how to bring a female griffon to climax?” she asked, this time making Moonbeak snort.

“No momma, nothing like that,” Brightstar kept a straight face, though he didn’t know how. “I wanted to ask you about the binding ceremony. What was involved, what happened and when, what I should or shouldn't do. That sort of thing. Only if you're up to it, of course.”

Astraea quickly turned off what she had been watching on her old style cathode ray T.V. and cast a glance at her daughter. “Have you told him anything?”

“The basics, momma.”

“What more do you want to know?”

“More than the basics.” Brightstar replied quickly. “I want to take part in the ceremony as a griffon would, rather than a pony stiffly playing a part, if you get me.”

Astraea’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you want to do a practice ceremony now?”

Brightstar and Moonbeak both nodded. “Yes please momma.”

The older griffon sat up straighter now, suddenly very interested in the unexpected visit. “There is bloodletting, but you need a way to cut with just your hoof. A small blade may go unnoticed as you are a pony.”

“I can magically conceal a blade, or make the toe of my hoof sharper. I can hide the glow of my horn, too if needed…”

“No!” That idea made Astraea's eyes go very wide indeed. “No, any magic would be a bad thing. Griffons can't do magic. Best to just conceal the blade. I don’t want the elder to throw out the binding.” As she stroked Zephyr’s head, an idea came to her. “You can dress for this, so have four hoof decorations, and one on the left forehoof can have the blade.”

“A good idea, momma.” Moonbeak agreed, “I can wear something matching on my claws and paws.”

“Agreed momma.” Brightstar concurred, though he thought of something he wanted as well. “That's a good idea. I'd like to wear my academy dress uniform, Moony.”

Dismissively, Moonbeak waved a 'doesn't matter' claw in the air. “I will wear something that goes with the copper colour of the uniform.”

“Not the wed...” Astraea interrupted, only to be silenced by her daughter’s glare.

“I will not wear that, momma!”

Astraea tried not to look at her kitten when she had that look on her face. “Shall we do it now, pony?”

“Yes,” Brightstar, picking up on the tension in the apartment’s living room, glanced from Moonbeak to Astraea. “Yes I think we should, please momma.”

“For this practice, you may use magic.” Astraea explained to the unicorn, the older griffon getting into her stride. “You can get a blade from the kitchen.”

Seizing her opportunity, Moonbeak put the second part of her super sneaky spy plan into action. “Momma, let’s do this after dinner. I want to know if the pony will throw up good food at the ceremony.”

Astraea giggled, “Now that would be bad.”

“Make dinner pony, and you can see if there is a blade you can use.”

Astraea suddenly looked worried. Her clawed hand froze on Zephyr’s head. “I haven't had a chance to do a proper shop, there’s just the fish and pony food, maybe we can eat out?”

“My pony can shop.” Moonbeak cut across her mother, though she hated so much to hear the panic in her voice. “See what we need for a traditional meal and go get it.”

“Yes ma'am.” Thankful for something to do that would get him out of the awkward that was the living room, Brightstar kissed Moonbeak’s cheek. “I can cook, who do you think taught Darkie?” He gave them both a polite bow and prepared to fulfil his spy mission.

Task in hoof, the royal blue unicorn trotted through to the kitchen. He cast his mind back to his time in Griffonstone and the one binding he had attended to recall what was expected of a binding meal. His first call was to check the cupboards and the meat storage bin. ‘Mmm, no bloodwine. We definitely need bloodwine…’ There was also an absence of griffon things in the cupboard and meat in the freezer. ‘Grishna meat, we’ll need that…’

Once Brightstar had gone through everything, and had a mental shopping list in his mind, he walked back into the living room. “Alright, I'm going to the store. Won't be long, Moony.”

“I'm hungry so do hurry, my pony.”

Astraea saw her daughter pass Brightstar her credit card and her panic returned in full force. “Just for tonight's meal!”

Athena, ever the smart clever kitten, knew what to do. “Nana!” she held up her favourite story book she always kept at her nana’s house. “Story!” As Astraea and Moonbeak both smiled, and the older griffon took the story book from her, Brightstar walked out and teleported down to the ground.

Roughly half an hour later, Brightstar returned, teleporting back to Astraea's condo with two full saddlebags packed with food on his back. What they couldn’t see though was, hidden in a field of invisibility, were three extra bags full of things on his back, as per Moonbeak's spy orders. “Behold!” he declared, drawing all eyes to him, “the brave Hunter returns! I am Grishna reborn on the Plains of Blood!”

In the living room, Moonbeak, Astraea, Athena were all sat on the floor teaching Zephyr to destroy a block wall. Athena was happily defending the mighty construct with a stuffed Celestia plush. Astraea and Moonbeak both rolled their eyes at the ‘heroic’ hunter. “What are you cooking?”

“Something traditional.” He said casually, the glow of his horn hidden by a low level illusion spell, “Meat and blood, with extra meat, some blood for variation and maybe a couple of vegetables hidden in there somewhere…” he walked on through to the kitchen as casually as he could.

“I like traditions,” Moonbeak giggled, “some of the time.” She giggled even more when her mother selected eye roll number two. “Get that wall Zephyr, don't let a squishy pony stop you!”

As Athena made some really bad pony noises and Zephyr knocked down the wall, Brightstar just sniggered, choosing to say nothing as he quickly put away all the excess things he bought. That done, he got busy cooking the grishna meat, though he was careful not to cook it too much.

Thankfully, while he worked, the kittens were more than enough to entertain the adults until it was dinner time. It didn’t take long for Brightstar to finish, as griffons liked their meat rare if not blue, preferably they liked it raw. Or still living. Smiling, Brightstar walked into the living room with several trays of traditional griffon food held in his magic. “We have blood soup to start, followed by fresh grishna heart and roasted kree – a flightless bird native to Griffonstone - prepared in its own juices. Oh, and there's some veggies too, if you're feeling brave.”

All at once, Athena forgot all about the building blocks as she fluttered over to the table. “Dinna!”

“There is no braver griffon than I!” Astraea declared as Brightstar set the trays of food and the warmed bloodwine on the table.

“We shall see about that, momma.” Moonbeak sniffed as she gathered up Zephyr on a big fluffy raised cushion so that he could try the soup.

Brightstar waited to sit once all the others were seated first. “The heart is fresh momma, just how you like it.” Astraea served Athena a little bit of everything, while Moonbeak puts some of the soup in a shallow dish for Zephyr to try. Then, they both serve themselves. When everyone had a full plate, the unicorn delivered a traditional griffon prayer to Stormclaw before he ate.

“Is good food, pony.” Astraea commented, though she was frugal with her praise, she was ripping into the heart with no mercy.

“I am forced to agree with momma, grudgingly.” Moonbeak winked at her lover, who rolled his eyes at her in return.

“Yummy!” Athena passed her considered opinion and Zephyr just had his beak in the soup.

“I will take grudging praise!” Brightstar grinned as he happily tucked into his piece of the heart that was, just a few minutes ago, beating inside the chest of a grishna cat in the store he went to.

Astraea watched and she approved greatly of the pony-shaped griffon sat at her table. “If this doesn't make him throw up, what makes you think a binding would, Moony?”

Moonbeak noisily rolled her eyes at her mother. “It isn't this, nor even the sight of his own blood. I know that. It is when he cuts me that I have to wonder.”

Brightstar gulped and studied what was left of his food. Something in the way she said that just set him on edge. “I um...um…ah…” his thoughts wandered a long way from where he was to his clinically depressed and suicidal sister in Canterlot. “I'll do what is required, momma.”

“What colour do you want for the binding ribbon, kitten?”

Moonbeak thought of her mother’s question as she ate, Brightstar’s sudden mood swing bothering her a little bit. “Black, momma, like my pony's mane.”

“That would stand out well against his hoof and your claw.”

As they spoke, Brightstar was thinking about his mother, about doing what needed to be done, how he did before and how he could do it again... “Thank you, love,” he murmured, and the griffons all finished their meal and sat waiting for him to finish and clear the dishes.

When he did finish, he dutifully cleaned everything away, though his mind was still wandering far, far away. Moonbeak waited for her pony to return. “Did you find a blade for your hoof?”

“Yes love!” he sat on the couch and produced a small but particularly sharp looking kitchen knife.

Astraea looked at the little knife. It was pretty much still brand new. She couldn’t even remember getting it or where it was from. “You can keep that one, so it is fine to meld it to your hoof. For now, use magic, but later we can put it in some hoof decoration.”

“Athena,” Moonbeak got her kitten’s attention, “you can watch us practice the binding ceremony. You'll do this one day.” She then gathered Zephyr up so she could take him to the main room and Athena and Astraea followed her.

When they were in a wide space between two couches, Brightstar lit his horn and he used a similar spell to the one he used back in the MiAC store to make his horn sharp to make the toe of his hoof like a razors edge, it glowing a bright yellow. Astraea stood between the couches and nodded to them both. “Tradition allows the binding at noon or sunset.”

“We are not in the north like Griffonstone, so I would like noon.” Moonbeak said, them both looking to the unicorn for his opinion.

“Noon is fine. Actually it would be best, you see, mother is coming.”

“Yes,” Astraea nodded, “Moony said she wanted your mother and sister to attend. I will be happy to meet them both. It is a long time to be bound.”

“It will be interesting,” Brightstar smiled, a little sadly as it happened, “depending on which personality is present at a given moment. Her orderly will be with her as well though, one she trusts.” He had no problem with that, he knew Astraea knew his mother was in the asylum in Canterlot.

When she heard that, Astraea had an odd look, to which Moonbeak rolled her eyes with a very noticeable sigh. “She's not coming to the wedding in a straight jacket momma. As the pony says, she may be somepony other than Shining Star.”

“No...mother doesn't need the straight jacket anymore.” Brightstar smiled at the look on Astraea’s face. “I just thought it proper to give you a heads up. She could be a Princess from the old times, a brothel owner, a tyrannical Empress or maybe even herself.”

Astraea couldn’t resist. “Is she taking applications for the brothel?”

“Momma!” In spite of her exclamation though, Moonbeak started laughing as did her mother, and then Athena joined in even though she didn't know what the joke was.

“When she was Madam Red Light, she did try to recruit Moony last time we visited,” he joined in with the laughter. “So. Noon it is then. What's next, momma?”

“I will get a ribbon, it won't be black, but we will have that for the real ceremony.”

“You have blue, momma?” Astraea nodded and walked through her apartment to her room.

Now Brightstar was thinking of his mother and by extension his sister again, his mind wandering all over the place. “I um, I just thought advanced warning would be good, that’s all…”

Moonbeak reached out for him with a claw. “We will get through this, my pony.”

When she returned from her bedroom, Astraea walked to the centre of the room. “Okay we shall do this right the first time.” As soon as she said that, Moonbeak stood in front of her, to her right. Taking his cue, Brightstar now stood on the other side, in front of Astraea on the left.

“The ceremony is simple as we don't waste a lot of time. Ah, um, has pony any vows he plans to say?”

“We haven't talked about that, momma.”

“Oh, it should be short, but significant to why you will bind.”

Brightstar felt very suddenly ‘on the spot’, as it were. “I um, well, I hadn't planned to say anything other than the truth. That Moonbeak completes me, and it is an honour to become one with your family, momma.” As the words left his mouth he couldn’t help but feel woefully inadequate.

Astraea sniffed, failing completely to hide the disappointment in her eyes. “Nice words, but it needs a more personal one on one. You have your words, Moony?”

“Since he asked to bind.”

“It is the male that goes first, but you listen to Moony and that will let you know.”

Moonbeak turned to her lover, with love and adoration in her eyes. The words came free and easy, they came from her heart. “Brightstar, I bind my blood to your blood, for your blood has given my blood new life. You are not the sire of my kittens, but you are their father. My hope of a future lies in the hopes you have for our future. I shall be your bound mate till the Grey Spires carry me home.”

Hearing that beautifully eloquent little speech, Brightstar mentally kicked himself for even uttering such a lacklustre vow. He knew that his mind was all over the place, though he determined to do better. As he cleared his throat, he in his mind that his lover deserved better. “Ahem, Moonbake, when our blood becomes...”

The six words had barely left his lips when he noticed he was being looked at like he was food. “What, what is it?” With mounting horror, he realised what he had said.