It was twelve minutes past eight the following – Tuesday – morning when Bluefeather opened her eyes. The warm sunlight streaming through the open drapes immediately told the older pegasus that the previous night’s storm had ran its course and been taken care of by the weather pegasi. Rolling over on the hotel room bed, her first instinct was to check on her filly.

Cyclone, who had moved in the night from the spooning position, was stirring restlessly behind her. Clearly in the midst of a dream, Bluefeather propped herself up on the elbow of her foreleg, watching her cautiously. As she tossed and turned, she scrunched her closed eyes. “Um…play momma...” she murmured.

In her dreamscape, Cyclone was four years old, in the Las Pegasus hotel penthouse suite. Her mother, alive and well, had her securely in her magical aura, levitating her around the room. She was a very happy little filly, clapping her hooves and buzzing her little black wings.

Watching carefully, Bluefeather was torn. She had a rough idea where this dream was going, but what did she do? Did she wake her up or did she allow it to play out? Eventually she placed a light kiss on her forehead, through her turquoise mane. Feeling rather impotent, she slowly extricated herself from the bed to order room service for breakfast. At least that was useful.

“Magic game!” Cyclone squeaked, her eyes moving rapidly behind her closed lids. She adored this game, as did her mother. Monsoon, levitating her little filly, was throwing her up to the ceiling, only to catch her in her magical aura just as she was about to hit the floor. Cyclone loved it, her mommy always caught her.

After having ordered breakfast, Bluefeather gently sat on the floor near the bed on Cyclone’s side. While she was waiting for the room service, she decided to at least watch over her sleeping filly. “Mommy!” Cyclone yelped, for all of a sudden, she was outside, thirty stories up in the air, in a flickering magical aura, which winked out with a 'pop'.

Suddenly, Cyclone was three hundred feet up in the air, and she was falling.

“NOOO!” Cyclone screamed, still asleep, as the bottom fell out and she dropped like a brick towards the rapidly approaching ground. Alarmed, Bluefeather looked up at her marefriend’s shout. “MOOOooooom!” she screamed and screamed, all the time she fell, every effort to flap her small wings doing nothing whatsoever to arrest her descent.

The ground came nearer and nearer with every second.

That made the watching pegasus’s mind up for her. With a flick of her powerful blue tinted grey wings, Bluefeather darted over and wrapped Cyclone up in her hooves and wings, rolling on the bed as she did so, so that she was underneath her. “I'm here love,” she whispered loudly in her ear, “I'm here. I’ve got you.”

“Whaaaa!” Cyclone screamed as she fell, mere metres from the ground she snapped awake at the very last second, just as the inevitable impact was upon her. Just as suddenly she was confronted with reality, the Manefair hotel room, the bed, the sunlight, with Bluefeather holding her and the fact that she wasn’t falling anywhere. Under the circumstances, her scream was entirely justified. “BluuUUUUUUUuue!”

Bluefeather just held her quaking lover tight in her legs and her wings. “I'm right here, Cy. I’m right here.”

“I...I...” Cyclone panted, her jet black fur covered in a cold sweat, “I was falling…”

“I caught you.”

“Y-Yes…yes you did…” eventually, calming herself down, she smiled down at her marefriend underneath her, “y-you caught me!”

“Yes, my little filly.”

Cyclone, still holding her lover tight on the bed under her bodyweight, hugged her and peppered her muzzle and face with a multitude of light little kisses. “I love you!” she carried on kissing, “I love you so much!” again, she kissed all over her face.

Bluefeather did her best, under the ‘assault’, to return the kisses in kind to Cyclone’s face until the room service showed up with the rather sumptuous breakfast. That, and her empty belly, was enough to wrench Cyclone away from kissing her marefriend’s lips. “You got food!”

Quietly, and professionally, the hotel staff set up the table with food. As they left, Bluefeather made sure to give the waiters a generous tip. “Now,” she said, once they were alone in the hotel room and the table was groaning with the weight of breakfast, “Is somepony hungry?”

Cyclone, who was about to answer when her belly rumbled loudly, blushed like she had been caught red-hooved. “Um, maybe a little?” This did give her the chance to look at the table though, and she noted there was no foal food present. What there was, was pancakes, lots and lots of pancakes, along with chocolate spread, blueberry spread and an assortment of flowers and vegetables to make a salad. Including crystal berries fresh from the Empire. “Ooh they've bought pancakes, with chocolate spread!”

At the table, for she was herself hungry, Bluefeather helped herself to several large fluffy pancakes and lashings of blueberry spread. “It was a wild guess on my part that you might like chocolate.” She giggled, seeing as Cyclone was still on the bed.

“I love your guesses as much as I love you,” with that, Cyclone fluttered her wings and made her way over to the table. Once there, she tipped a large stack of pancakes to her plate, along with the chocolate spread.

Snickering, Bluefeather added an amount of scrambled eggs with cheese to her plate alongside the pancakes. “You eat your daisy salad too, young filly.” She smiled, granting her a wink.

Cyclone, with a mouthful of pancakes, was about to protest, but seeing as she actually quite liked daisies, scooped up a hoof full on to her plate. “Chocolate counts as salad.” She said, looking Bluefeather dead straight in the eye. She was technically right, after all, chocolate came from a plant, and salad was plants. Technically.

Bluefeather giggled as she ate another mouthful of her breakfast. “And I thought you'd be a naughty filly and I'd have to eat all of your favourite ‘salad’.”

Cyclone giggled thickly, thanks to the chocolatey pancakes wedged in her mouth. “Aww, I'm a good filly...well, most of the time.” Bluefeather decided to not argue that and simply giggled as she helped herself to a bit of the lavish salad. “Ooh look, there's even cheesy crumpets,” she said once she had managed to swallow her food, “I'm so having two of those!”

Bluefeather absently patted at her blue mane, “You may have noted I'm a bit of a cheese fan.”

“Melted cheese solves many problems...” whatever Cyclone was going to say then disappeared into the ether as her eyes settled on one little bottle of sauce. Her jaw dropped wide open. She couldn’t believe her marefriend had remembered. Hesitantly, almost not daring to believe it, she licked her lips. “Oh Blue...” she reverently picked up the bottle of hot sauce like she was handling Celestia’s own treasure. “You even got extra strong!”

Bluefeather, on the other hoof, flinched away from the little bottle like it had physically burned her. “Just be sure to keep it on your side of the table.”

“Will do, sexy.” Uncorking the bottle, she upended it and smeared its contents liberally over her cheesy crumpets until the crumpets could no longer be seen. Watching, Bluefeather simply shook her head and ate her own selection. Eagerly though, Cyclone lowered her head, took a good long sniff and dug in hungrily. “AAAAH! Yuuuum!” she gasped, coming up for air as the very hot sauce burned her mouth and throat, before digging in again, this time into the pancakes.

As she ate her decidedly non-hot salad, Bluefeather wondered if her lover could taste anything at all with all the hot sauce spattered over her food. She made a mental note to pause before giving her a kiss. Oblivious to the scrutiny, Cyclone came up again with half her pancakes demolished and a grin on her face, she reached for a napkin and a glass of milk. “Enjoying yourself?” asked Bluefeather, who was eating far more daintily.

“Gaaah!” Cyclone panted, hanging her tongue out in an attempt to cool it down. “Ooh yes! You?”

Bluefeather laughed, she couldn’t help it. Cyclone was indiscriminately diving head first into all her plates like an overgrown foal. It was adorable, really. “I'm having breakfast and a show. Very enjoyable.”

“Uuuh...” Cyclone paused then, taking a good look at herself as she wiped her muzzle clean of the detritus of her breakfast. “I have manners, honest.”

“I'm sure you do.” Bluefeather sniffed, by contrast taking a very delicate little bite of her blueberry pancakes and crystal berry salad. “Most likely in a book under the bed.”

Cyclone giggled as she drank her milk, taking away the burning aftertaste with it. While she enjoyed the hot sauce, even she had limits. And it was bad form to kiss somepony with the heat still on her mouth. “At least I've read the book!” Bluefeather nodded, saying nothing as she continued to eat in a dignified and dainty manner. Giggling, Cyclone launched back into her pancakes, but this time she was a little bit more refined.

Although Bluefeather was lagging behind with her meal, she didn't seem to care. After a few more moments, Cyclone had well and truly devastated her pancakes as well as her hot sauce drenched cheesy crumpets. To properly demonstrate her appreciation, she let out a loud burp. “Ooh, pardon me!”

“I don’t know about that, I'll have to ask the warden.” Bluefeather snarked, then she looked down at her plate with about one third of its contents still in place, then she glanced up at her marefriend. Grinning, she dropped the silverware and, embracing her inner filly, she dived in muzzle first, slurping it down loudly.

Cyclone watched and sniggered, “That's the way Blue! Show that breakfast who's boss!”

Once she had licked her plate clean of all her breakfast, Bluefeather then licked her lips as far as her tongue could reach. Alas, it wasn’t far enough. Her mid grey muzzle was still spattered with the remains of her food. “Did I miss any?” she asked, well aware that there was still plenty of blueberry on her muzzle.

“Um...yeah, you got a little something...hang on…” Cyclone made sure to tale another fire quelling drink of her milk and then she sloppily licked Bluefeather’s muzzle. Braced for any invasion of spice to her lips, the older pegasus was pleasantly surprised when there was none. That’s when she realised what the milk was for. Cyclone kept up the licking and kissing, wrapping her legs around her shoulders.

Gradually, as Bluefeather began to relax under her ministrations, Cyclone pressed their lips together, slipping her tongue into her marefriend’s mouth. There was a very brief hesitation – Bluefeather was still frightened of the hot sauce - before she welcomed the invasion. Smiling, Cyclone swirled her tongue over her lover’s as she kissed her long and hard. After a second, once she was recovered, Bluefeather returned the favour by pushing back with her tongue. “Meeep! Hmmm...” the jet black mare purred, allowing her mouth to be dominated, granting her free access.

Without warning, Bluefeather spun Cyclone around and, while her young lover was wondering what on earth was going on, she nibbled on her black wings in the most sensual preen she was physically capable of delivering. Instantly, Cyclone arched her back in utter ecstasy. The teeth behind her were nibbling in just ‘that’ spot. “MMmmm....ooooh yeeeeeah!” she flared her wings as wide as she could. Seeing she was having the desired effect, Bluefeather reached over and placed a rear leg between Cyclone’s rear legs as she preened.

“Hmm Bluuue!” Cyclone moaned, rolling her head back as she spread her legs wide open. “Oooh just there!” she gasped, while Bluefeather continued to nibble and grind, looking for those spots that made her lover moan. She found one such spot, at the back of each wing there it me her sides. Bluefeather had barely nibbled there than her grinding hoof detected moisture in the nappy she was wearing. “Aaaaah yeees!”

Noting the wing spot, Bluefeather made sure to give that extra attention when she got to the other wing. “Nggh sweet Luna, Bluuue I'm gonna cum!” Cyclone half moaned, half screamed. This was all the encouragement the older mare needed. She doubled her efforts with her rear leg and her preening, making sure to nibble that sensitive spot. “GaaAAAH!” Cyclone shuddered violently as she came, soaking her nappy with her cum.

“Did some filly just fill her nappy?” asked Bluefeather, playfully licking across her marefriend’s back between her wings.

Panting hard, Cyclone hung her head, unable to hold it up. “Yes, y-yes...yes I did, I filled it…”

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.” Bluefeather shook her head, tutting condescendingly, “You'll just have to wallow in it until I finish the other wing.” She allowed that to hang in the air for a few seconds as she moved across slightly and began to preen Cyclone’s other wing. At the same time, she swapped hind legs and started to grind away again, at her sodden nappy.

“Mmmm....oooh yeah!” Cyclone barely had time to register what was happening before her trembling wing sent extremely pleasurable vibrations straight to her core. Fifteen minutes into the sensual preening, she screamed as she climaxed again, swelling the nappy even more than she had before. Her mission accomplished, Bluefeather moved around her shuddering lover to deliver a deep kiss.

Cyclone, panting as hard as was after her first orgasm, was gasping for breath in the kiss, her hooves held loosely around Bluefeather’s shoulders. “Breakfast and a preen.” She smiled once she pulled away from the black mare’s lips. “How are you feeling, my love?”

“Like…like I could fly over Canterlot Mountain!”

Bluefeather giggled at that, in no doubt at all of her claims. “I bet you could, even if it is only a few feet above the mountain.”

“Nah...Right now I could go thousands of feet over it!”

“Maybe with a lighter nappy.”

Sniggering, Cyclone felt her vastly swollen cum sodden nappy with her hoof. “Oh, yeah, I reckon that would weigh me down a bit, huh?” this just made Bluefeather giggle as she pulled over the changing bag. Like a good well behaved filly, Cyclone laid down on the carpeted floor, legs in the air.

Instead of her usual, more professional approach, Bluefeather decided to take her time. “Best clean you up, little Cy.” She took a wipe in her hoof then, seeing as her marefriend was very much in her adult persona, she tossed it to the side as she dived in muzzle first.

Cyclone, on her back, looking up at the lavishly decorated hotel room ceiling, was not aware of this. She was aware, however, when she felt a nose, a pair of lips and a tongue dragged slowly over her wet puffy labia. “AAAH th-that's gon...na make more of a aaaaah mess!” she screamed. Bluefeather, eating out her lover’s snatch, wasn’t one to talk with her mouth full. When Cyclone began shuddering very hard, her hind legs twitching, she slowed down to a slow tease.

As Bluefeather’s tongue slid torturously slowly over her hard clitoris, licking ever so slowly in circles around and over it, it was driving Cyclone crazy as if it were a feather. “Oooh! Please...Blue don't tease...” she begged, panting hard, “I want it! I w-wanna cuuuum!”

For a split second, Bluefeather considered playing a little denial game, but she decided against it. It wasn’t really the time or place, no rules had been agreed upon, and she wanted her young lover fortified for the day ahead. Insead, she dived in with utter abandon, licking and slurping like her very life depended on it. “YAaaaAAAH! THAAAAANK YOOOUU!” Cyclone screamed, climaxing for the third time.

As she swallowed Cyclone’s ejaculate, Bluefeather licked her lips, savouring the taste of her nectar. “I've saved another nappy,” she purred, winking at her quivering lover.

“I…” Cyclone was breathing hard, “I think…we might need it, l-love.”

“Silly filly, still feel like flying a thousand feet?”

“I uh, I feel like I could, but I think my wings won't let me,” ‘at least not for a few hours, anyway,’ she thought breathlessly.

“I did nibble them quite a bit, didn’t I?” Bluefeather admitted, crawling slowly back up Cyclone’s body to snuggle with her on the thick carpet. While she was there she peppered her black muzzle and face with soft flowery little kisses.

“Uh huh,” Cyclone found just enough energy in her to lean her head forward and kiss Bluefeather’s lips, though she was happy to lay there and take the kisses too. “And you found 'that' spot, on my back.”

‘I think your whole body is ‘that’ spot,’ Bluefeather thought, though she said, “A spot that I don't think I'll lose.”

“Hmph,” Cyclone pouted, albeit playfully, “as if my ears weren't bad enough.”

“Fear not, I will not neglect your tasty ears!”

“Eeep!”

Bluefeather gently kissed Cyclone’s nose, happy now that she had elicited an ‘eep’ from her. “Are you ready to face the day now, my love?”

Cyclone didn’t have to think. She knew her reply. “Face it and kick its flank!” she declared, though the epic-ness of this statement was mooted slightly by the fact that she was still on her back. “Well, with you, anyway.”

“Then,” said Bluefeather as she checked the clock and found it was almost ten a.m., “I think it is time to get ready.”

“You bet, babes. I'm ready.” She said she was ready. She didn’t feel ready. Not ready at all. As Bluefeather delved into her luggage and retrieved a simple understated black dress for herself as well as a dark blue dress for her to wear, all Cyclone really wanted to do was go back to bed and wake up in Manehatten. Still, when she saw the dress, “Oh...oh Blue, it's beautiful!”

Now Bluefeather had stopped playing, she helped Cyclone into the dark blue dress and, once her marefriend was dressed to her satisfaction she allowed Cyclone to dress her in turn. One well-placed nuzzle later and Bluefeather opened the first floor balcony doors. “Come, Cy. Time to give some ponies peace and to let one rest.”

Out on the balcony, shielding her eyes against the bright warm summer morning, Cyclone gave her marefriend a hug, though she was careful not to crease her dress. “Right you are, Blue…” she didn’t speak again until she was securely on her back, again, mindful of the dress. When she spoke, there was a definite sniffle in her voice. “L-Let's go…”

Once she had closed the balcony doors, ensuring they were automatically locked, which they were, Bluefeather took off, though her flight was slow and she didn’t go much higher than the rooftops. “My mum,” she said as a conversation opener, “being a pegasus, didn't want to be buried. She was cremated and my Da gave into her wish and seeded the clouds with her ashes. He has an empty urn on the nightstand he used to carry her up there.”

Cyclone nodded at that. “Hmhmm, that’s centuries old pegasus tradition, going all the way back to General Thunderbolt of the Wonderbolts, right?” she had to admit, she wasn’t the best when it came to history. “Born of the clouds, live in the clouds, die in the clouds.”

Bluefeather also nodded. “Don't know if it was General Thunderbolt or Colonel Skyseeker who started it, but it is tradition. I doubt, however, that your dad will do that. After all that has happened, I think he'll spend eternity next to her.”

“Y'know what? I gotta say I think you're spot on love.” Cyclone commented after she had thought about it for a few moments, “What about you? What do you want?”

Bluefeather knew exactly what she wanted. What she had always wanted. “I've lived my whole life in the clouds, and while I know I'll be washed away with the first rain, I'd still want to go the way my mum did.” She giggled, “Next time you eat a carrot you might be eating a bit of my mum.”

“I’d rather eat a bit of you...wait...not like that!” Cyclone’s blue eyes went wide as saucers as she realised what she had just said. Mentally she facehooved, because she couldn’t actually facehoof. “Uugh...I have to agree though. We're pegasi, we belong in the clouds in life and in death.”

Bluefeather adjusted her course, banking round a large clock tower on her way to the Residential District Cemetery. “I like to think so, but I respect a pegasus that gives up the clouds for an eternity with a loved one.”

“Oh yeah, I mean, I agree with you.” Cyclone mumbled, trying and failing to put out of her mind where they were going. She couldn’t put into words how glad she was that she had Bluefeather with her. At least the weather today was excellent. “My dad'll be in the ground for sure. If only to make up for lost time, I think.”

“No reason to rush him though. He is one of the ponies that needs to find peace today.”

“You're right Blue. He'll be with mom soon enough in due course.”

Bluefeather smiled warmly, leaning her head back to nuzzle Cyclone’s cheek. “Let's say goodbye in style, and share the memories of the good times while letting the memories of the bad times fade.”

Cyclone nodded determinedly. “I like how you think, sexy. Good memories only I think, from here on.”

It was only a few more minutes, ten at the most, until Bluefeather swooped in for a picture perfect landing at the ornate wrought iron gates at the cemetery’s entrance. The mid grey mare waited until Cyclone had dismounted before she pulled her young lover into a tight feathery hug. “I'll still be there till the memories finally fade.” When Cyclone kissed her, she returned the kiss with an added nuzzle. “Lead the way, I'll be your wing mare.”

“Right. In we go.” Although Cyclone held her head up high, squared her shoulders and wanted to move, it was as I she was glued in place at the open gate. “I said, we're going in.” Still, no matter how hard she willed herself, she just wasn’t moving. She snorted at her own foolishness. “Ugh! In. We. Go!” Finally, after two minutes, she walked into the cemetery. “Better, legs.”

Playfully, to lighten the mood just a little, Bluefeather snapped her teeth just behind Cyclone’s now moving rump. “Aw, I missed.”

“Eep!” at the snapping of teeth behind her, Cyclone scooted her slow ass forwards.

Bluefeather decided more lightening of the mood was necessary. “Do you think your aunt Ribbon is a Changeling? Maybe that is why she does the charity?”

As they passed through the doors of the house of rest, Cyclone was so distracted by the funeral that was abot to happen that she actually found herself entertaining the notion that her aunt was a Changeling. “Aunt Ribbon?” Cyclone cocked her head in thought. “I never thought about it. It wouldn't change anything if she was…”

Bluefeather’s barking laugh interrupted Cyclone’s misguided train of thought and derailed it completely. “I don't think it would.” She leant in close and whispered, “By the way, that was a joke.” Just then, almost on cue, Tropical Storm, dressed in a white suit and black tie, with a similar tie around his panama hat, walked out to the foyer and gave his daughter a feathery hug.

Again, for what felt like the millionth time that day already, Cyclone facehooved, though she grinned at her marefriend’s joke. She was extremely grateful though for the hug her dad gave her. She needed that hug then, like she needed her next breath. “Hey dad, how you doing?”

“As well as I can, I expect.” The pegasus stallion let out a deep sigh, “I'm doing better now you're here. Lemon Grass and Earth Song are here along with Pin. Ribbon is running a bit late. She’s brining her mob with her.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Cyclone smiled and she nuzzled her father’s cheek in an effort to lift his spirits. “We'll get through it dad, 'kay? The rest of our lives start here.”

Tropical Storm managed what could pass as a smile and he nodded in turn. “Into the Manticore's den, then.”

Bluefeather giggled, behind her hoof, she just couldn’t help it. The tension seemed to call for it. “Both of you are silly ponies.”

Cyclone, however, thought the Manticore was a much preferable option as opposed to having to be with her cousin Four Step for an extended period of time. Their previous encounters since her banishment had not gone well. “Y'know, if you have a Manticore to hoof, we can wrestle that instead?” she asked, a hopeful look on her face, “maybe a Cockatrice or a Chimera?”

“No,” Tropical Storm shook his head, “not enough of a challenge. Just your mom's parents and your cousins.”

‘Not even a little Cockatrice? Really?’ “Aww...have I said how life as a statue would be really cool?” Cyclone giggled.

Bluefeather rather liked the idea of that, a particularly lewd image shot into her mind. “Only if you're in the right pose, so I can lube you up and make use of you.” This had the much desired effect of making the sombre stallion snort loudly.

Cyclone sniggered out a laugh at that, she too had an image in her mind similar to the one that Bluefeather had in hers. “Oh yeah...yeah, but dad always warned me against getting 'stoned'.” She said, managing to keep a straight face.

“You are of that generation.” Bluefeather rolled her eyes, “Youth, it is wasted on the young.”

“Yes, but I don't have the energy anymore to be young.”

“Dad!” Cyclone exclaimed, playfully punching his shoulder, “you make yourself sound ancient!”

Tropical Storm sniffed, though there was a twinkle in his eye that had been absent of late. “I like to think of myself as 'seasoned'.”

Bluefeather giggled, “It's okay, I'll change your nappy too.” Tropical Storm snorted out a louder laugh this time.

Cyclone too laughed along with her father and her marefriend. She could feel some of the underlying tension seep out of her, for which she offered a silent thanks for Bluefeather’s presence. “C'mon, let’s go get a seat before Four Step accuses me of ruining the day by smiling.”

Inside, the very large room was comfortably able to hold fifty ponies, although there was just nine seated when Cyclone, Bluefeather and Tropical Storm walked in. There were two camps, Cyclone noted, with Monsoon’s relatives numbering six on the left and Tropical Storm’s just three on the right. “Jeez...” the jet black mare was unimpressed, “I'm glad we arrived early, at least we beat the crowds…”

At his daughter’s words, Tropical Storm hung his head. “I...I couldn't find any friends of Monsoon, nor could Lemon Grass, so When Ribbon gets here that will add another seven.”

“Hey dad...it’s not quantity, but the quality of those that are here that counts.”

The black stallion simply nodded at that and, without argument, he walked over to the open casket bearing Monsoon’s body that held pride of place at the head of the two sets of seats. Fifteen minutes later, Royal Ribbon entered along with her husband, her hubby, and her brood. Resplendent in their funeral wear, they took their seats on Tropical Storm’s side.

Behind them, a truly ancient looking unicorn stallion, who looked so old he could’ve been born before the Princesses themselves, walked into the large room and walked slowly down the aisle between the two camps. Tropical Storm saw the long white Celestial raiment he was wearing before he noted the old stallion wearing them. Indeed, the large white hat bearing Celestia’s cutie mark seemed bigger than he was. “It’s time to take our seats. Ah, could you sit with Lemon Grass and Earth Song?”

As the newcomers sat down, Cyclone cast a quick hopeful glance over in Four Step’s direction. The lilac unicorn mare simply glared back at her, staring sharp pointy daggers. “Uh...yeah, sure thing, dad.” Cyclone’s ears slicked back as she walked over to where Lemon Grass and Earth Song were sitting.

Bluefeather followed Cyclone to an empty couple of seats next to the elderly couple and gave them a nuzzle of greeting. “Good to see you again Lemon, Earth,” she said politely, while Lemon Grass just nodded, tears in her crystal clear blue eyes.

Earth Song, his cane out of the way, hugged Bluefeather and his granddaughter. “Maybe the two of you will visit on another day too?” he asked hopefully.

“You know we will, gramps.”

Royal Ribbon, sat next to her daughter, noticed the glare on her face and to whom it was directed. “Four Step, please, can there be a cease fire, at least for today?”

Four Step simply brushed aside a stray part of her styled yellow mane and gave Royal Ribbon a pointed sideways glance. “Whatever, mom.”

Royal Ribbon, looking very harassed indeed, for she had a lot going on overnight, what with her Changeling charity. “Please honey, I don't need it, not today.”

The ancient stallion dressed in the flowing white robes of the Celestial Church, stood at the lectern at the head of the room by the side of the open casket. Clearing his throat, he summoned everypony’s attention to himself. It was time to start the proceedings. “Fillies and Gentlecolts, I'm Golden Glow from the Temple of the Order of Light and welcome today, as we remember the life of Monsoon.” He looked imperiously around the room and his withered gaze settled on Cyclone’s father. “Tropical Storm.” He stood aside as the black stallion walked up to the front.

Tropical Storm sniffed, taking several long deep breaths to compose himself before he spoke. “Th-Thank you all for being here.” He glanced at the casket, and to his ex-wife’s body. “I hold to the day we met, a gangly pegasus and a stunning unicorn. I did all the right things that day. It is the day I'll hold onto.”

Beside Bluefeather, Cyclone sniggered quietly. “heh, the gangly hasn't changed much, has it?”

“Then, to our surprise, Cyclone came into our lives.” Tropical Storm continued, wiping his moistening eyes with the primaries of his wings, “Another day to cherish. Then, I tossed it all away over a misunderstanding.” His voice grew hard, remorseful. “A day I won't forget, but not a day I'll dwell upon. That would make Monsoon sad, and I've done that enough for a life time, that I no longer wish to do so.” He looked to Monsoon’s mother, motioning her to come up as he stood aside and retook his seat. “Lemon Grass.”

Cyclone sniffled, leaning into Bluefeather as she cried. Over the other side, Royal Ribbon patted her younger brother’s shoulder as he sat down, opting to weep into her husband’s offered kerchief. “Th-That was beautiful!”

Lemon Grass took a moment to survey the assembled ponies in the room. “Behind me lies my only daughter. It is not right that a parent outlive a foal, but here I am.” For an old pony, her voice was surprisingly strong and stable. “I will not speak against her choices in life. For it was her life to live and not mine to control. She was gone for so long, but she is here today.” She turned and looked long and hard at her daughter’s body. “I will reflect on the day she was born, and all the joy she brought to my life. I will carry this forward and share with my grandfoal any time she wishes to do so.” Finished, she gestured to her granddaughter. “Cyclone.”

As Lemon Grass carefully made her way on unsteady hooves back to her seat beside her husband, Cyclone made sure to give her grandmother a hug on the way. “N-Nanna!” Cyclone cried, wholly unsure if she had it in her to stand in front of her family like this. One tight hug with the elderly unicorn though, and she knew she could.

Fashion Plate quietly hugged Royal Ribbon as his wife cried on his shoulder, wetting his suit. Not that he minded, today. He understood his wife was going through an astronomical amount of stress, what with Monsoon, the funeral and events that had happened with her charity. Four Step however, looked on, bemused if anything. She had her own ‘issues’ she was dealing with and working through, not that anypony cared about her.

Hesitantly, Cyclone made her way from her seat up to the front of the room. The journey seemed to take a decade. Her hooves didn’t want to work and they felt like lead weights. Eventually she was in position by her mother’s body. “Hi.” She greeted the assembly, immediately feeling idiotic. “Um...” she sniffled loudly, “you all know mom and me had our issues. I'm not going into them nor will I dwell on them. Fact is, whatever happened, she’s my mom...”

Under her breath, Four Step muttered, “Huh, was...”

“Uh...sh-she's my mom,” Cyclone paused to let out her tears. She didn’t hear her cousin’s acidic remark. It was all she could do to hold herself together. “If it weren't for this beautiful unicorn and that gangly pegasus, I wouldn't be here. So...I love you mom, and until we get to play again,” her voice wavered, threatening to break and crack. “I-I'll say bye, for now…” she bent and she kissed her dead mother’s horn before going to sit back down.

Gingerly, almost like he was in danger of crumbling to dust at any moment, Golden Glow moved back up to the lectern. “Does anypony else wish to speak?”

Had Cyclone not been crying heavily into Bluefeather’s shoulder, she would’ve reflected on how remarkably strong the Celestial Priest’s voice was compared to his physical being. Instead, Royal Ribbon stood up. “May I?” she asked, and at his nod, he stood aside.

Four Step was stunned. “M-Mom what th...”

Royal Ribbon, conspicuously ignoring her daughter, walked up to the front of the room and turned to address the assembled ponies. “Ah, ahem...I didn't know Monsoon very well, I shan't pretend otherwise, but I knew her well enough. She made my brother very happy. They completed each other, what else is there to say? She didn't deserve what happened to her, and I will chose to celebrate her...thank you.”

As Royal Ribbon tearfully made her way back to her seat, Bluefeather whispered in Cyclone’s ear, “That's a classy pony, right there.”

Golden Glow stepped forward once more. “Is there anypony else?”

“Yeah,” Cyclone whispered back, “but she looks like, twenty years older than last night, what gives?”

When it was apparent that nopony else was going to step forward, Golden Glow raised his voice once more. “If the pall bearers will step forward, we will gather again at the grave site.” On cue, Tropical Storm, Royal Pin and two of Monsoon's cousins whom Cyclone didn’t know quietly moved forward as the casket was closed by the priest and magically sealed.

“Well, you can ask her later.” Bluefeather commented almost absent mindedly, “I've been told there will be a wake after the service.” As Cyclone made a mental note to do just that, she got up with everypony else to leave, except the pall bearers. Rather noticeably, Bluefeather made sure to interject herself between her marefriend and her cousin. Just in case.

Four Step and Purple Weave were ahead, they left the house of rest first with their parents alongside them. Cyclone on the other hoof chose to hang back with Bluefeather. Once they were outside in the warm summer morning sunshine, the mid grey pegasus nuzzled Cyclone’s cheek. “Is it a far walk, or should we fly?”

Cyclone knew it wasn’t far, but she didn’t want to walk. “Let's fly, baby, I feel like flying.” Without another word, Bluefeather lifted off, but she didn’t go too high. With a determined look on her face, Cyclone took off and, with a few flaps of her black wings, rose up to twenty feet.

Bluefeather stayed with her, her ever-present wingmare. “Lead on, my love.”

Cyclone scanned the huge Residential District Cemetery and she saw, in the middle distance, where the plot had already been prepared by the groundsponies. “It’s just there, look.” She pointed it out with her hoof.

Bluefeather looked where her lover was pointing and nodded. “Not far at all, I see the others are pulling a wagon with your mom.” ‘Wagon’ was an understatement. The four stallions were pulling an ornate black coach hearse. Golden Glow was riding the driver’s seat with Monsoon’s closed casket in the back. Red velvet curtains lined the windows and there were two burning torches either side of the driver’s position.

“Yeah…” Cyclone whispered, it really was a sight to see. Cloudsdale just didn’t have these black coaches, and they weren’t cheap things. Down below, though, she saw Four Step walking behind her mother, her head was down, looking at the wide gravel path. “Hey, can I pee on her and blame it on a bird?”

Not entirely playfully, Bluefeather slapped Cyclone upside the head with her wingtip, just hard enough to make sure she got the message across. “Hey now. Just because you're not wearing a nappy doesn’t mean you can pee on ponies. Besides, I think she's pissed off enough.”

Despite the slap, Cyclone giggled. “Then may I enjoy the thought? Really though Blue, I don't want a scene, and she looks ready for one.”

“Ignore her,” Bluefeather’s next feathery contact was more gentle, a soft caress along Cyclone’s flank. “You've done a good job of it so far.”

Cyclone nodded. “I'm remembering why we're here. It’s not for me or Step, it's for mom and dad. Plus, I love nan and gramps too much to rise to her here.”

Bluefeather was more than happy to hear her young marefriend say that. “So, you won't mind me moving you along when I think you've had enough at the wake. I see the open grave, let’s land and wait for the others.”

“I won't mind babes.” Cyclone affirmed as she started her descent, “you know I trust you.”

“As long as there is beer, all will be okay.”

The two pegasi landed carefully a few feet away from the open grave. “Beer solves many things, right?” Cyclone commented, wishing she felt as upbeat as she sounded.

“It does,” Bluefeather agreed as the funeral party approached, the spectacular black coach at its head. “Like what will I put in the recycling bin.” She looked around at the graveside and saw a shade awning, but it wasn't really needed.

Cyclone looked down into the empty hole, soon to be filled with her mother’s body. “It's...it's a good day for it, at least.”

Lovingly, Bluefeather wrapped her left wing tightly around her marefriend’s barrel, very gently guiding her away from the grave as the priest and the pall bearers quietly got to work. “Every day is a good day, but some are better than others.” She said supportively.

“Yeah,” was all Cyclone said, she allowed herself to be steered away, looking up just in time to see Four Step walking her way.

“Cyclone.” Four Step nodded in greeting, taking a moment to smooth out a non-existent wrinkle on her black dress.

Bluefeather smiled pleasantly at the lilac unicorn. She estimated her to be a very similar age to Cyclone, though she had a very ‘noble Canterlot’ accent and, she thought, she looked distinctly ‘rounded’, in the barrel. “It is good of you to have come.”

Four Step nodded to Bluefeather, trying her best as she did so to not look as shifty as she felt. Things had to be said, and, in light of a very brief chat with her mother on the way here, she had to say them. “I am...sorry, about your mother.” As she said that, Bluefeather squeezed Cyclone slightly. “I ah...” she paused, holding out her hoof, “I wish to apologise, Cyclone.”

Of all the things that she may have been expecting, that was certainly not one of them. “You...you want to apologise?” Cyclone asked, immediately she felt another wing squeeze.

“In light of the current circumstances,” Four Step replied, her hoof still held out rather awkwardly, “I believe we have fought long enough.”

“Uh...um...I guess?” Cyclone stammered, cautiously holding out her own hoof, but not bumping it.

“Time can change a pony.” Bluefeather commented, looking at the gap of a few inches that separated the two hooves, one black, one lilac, held out in front of her. “I work to see that this one doesn't change your mind back.”

Four Step looked like she would rather be anywhere else in the world than here. She especially noted that Bluefeather was looking at her barrel. She knew! “We ah, we...ultimately, we are family, aren't we?” she took a deep breath and closed the distance between herself and her cousin, bumping her hoof.

“Four Step, I'm so sorry!” As Cyclone too moved forward, Bluefeather released the hold she ad upon her and watched as the two mares embraced in a hug that lasted a good few minutes.

“So...” a teary eyed Four Step started once the hug was finally released, “who is your mare that mom speaks of so highly?”

“Um, Four Step, meet Bluefeather, my marefriend.”

Bluefeather, tearing her eyes away from Four Step’s barrel, and being mindful to keep her suspicions to herself, bumped the hoof that was offered to her. “I think Ribbon only said that because I have as much sass as she does.”

Four Step smiled, “You are a much needed distraction to her, I think.”

“Maybe I can convince this one to visit more often so I can tag along.”

The lilac unicorn kept up her smile, “I ah, I mean...we, would like that, a lot.”

Bluefeather nodded as, over at the grave, the four pall bearers carefully lowered the casket. She couldn’t help but note the look on the black pegasus stallion’s face as he completed his sombre duty. “I think Tropical would like that, too.”

“We can't alter the past. The future, we can work on, at least…” the lilac unicorn spoke directly to her cousin, “we can at least move forward, I hope?”

Cyclone glanced from Bluefeather to the grave, to her dad lowering her mother into it, and back again. She was acutely put in mind of the folly of holding on to stupid grudges. It was time to move on, put the past where it belonged, behind them in the past. “Sure cus...I'd like that, I think we'd like that.” She didn’t object when Bluefeather moved her along to join the other mourners assembled under the awning.

At last, at noon, as the sun reached its zenith in the sky, Golden Glow began the service. “Fillies and Gentlecolts,” he intoned, everypony present bowed their heads. “We are gathered here today to send Monsoon into the embrace of Blessed Celestia’s Holy Light.”

He paused for effect before continuing, the pall bearers each throwing a shovel full of dirt into the hole. “We send Monsoon to a land where the sun ever shines upon the mirror sea. A land without pain or sorrow. While we can and do experience sadness now, we know that eternal joy will be our reward for walking in the light.”

With a nod of his head, a stallion with a set of bagpipes whom nopony had yet noticed, stepped forward and began to play ‘Amazing Grace’ as the pall bearers reverently placed more dirt in the grave until the casket was covered. “Into the earth's embrace we commit our flesh for our soul knows no bounds.” Golden Glow intoned, his voice loud and clear over the pipes. “Farewell, Monsoon, until we all meet again. Until all are one.”

His solemn duty done, Tropical Storm spoke up to the assembled ponies. “Thank you all for coming. The wake will be at the Celestial Temple, over in Court's Row of the Noble Quarter.”

“I know where that is, dad,” Cyclone commented as the mourners began to mill around and slowly break up, walking away in ones and twos from the gravesite. “It’s not far from here.”

“I'll see you there then.” Tropical Storm nodded, not yet taking his eyes from the freshly filled plot. “I'm going to wait here for a bit.”

“I understand, dad.”

Four Step stepped up and rested her hoof on the stallion’s shoulder. “I am sorry, uncle Storm.”

Just then, as the assembly properly dissipated, Royal Ribbon came walking up briskly, conspicuously placing herself between Cyclone and her daughter. Just in case. “Oh, there you are! Um...is everything okay, here?” she asked, looking at least sixty years old.

Bluefeather didn’t know what kind of stress made a mare look like she did now, but she hazarded a silent guess that the Changelings were a part of it. She chose to keep this theory to herself, however. “Yes Ribbon,” she said instead, “They are as okay as they can be, at a time like this.”

Four Step shot Cyclone an apologetic look. “Ah, we're…putting things behind us, mother.”

Cyclone, tactless as ever, blundered straight in where alicorns feared to fly. “Are you alright, aunty?”

“Oh,” Royal Ribbon looked at her niece like she had only just realised she was there. “Oh, um, yes dear. Go along now, we'll talk later.” She was thankful a million times over when Bluefeather took her for her word and lead Cyclone away from the awning so that they could take off. She really didn’t want to go into details of the tragic events in Fillydelphia. It was bad enough that she had to see what the gang had done to the poor unfortunate Changeling. Still, at least those responsible had been arrested.

Almost as soon as she had taken off, Cyclone moved close to Bluefeather’s side. “Okay...I'm calling it, something’s wrong.”

Bluefeather had to agree with her marefriend’s assertion. Though, if she was honest, there was two somethings wrong, with both Royal Ribbon and with Four Step. She was, however, willing to bet her pension that she knew what was wrong with the latter. “Then do it discreetly please. You want me with you?”

“With aunt Ribbon, I mean.” Cyclone clarified, though it wasn’t that necessary. “I think we should talk to her at the wake. After a few drinks.”

“Sounds fine. You didn't tell me your family followed the Celestial Order.”

“It’s Canterlot,” Cyclone shrugged like that was explanation enough, “Everypony follows Celestia.”

Bluefeather chuckled as they flew over the capital city, though she was definitely following Cyclone’s lead. She had no idea where to go. “The Lunar order is above ground now though, and I've looked into that upstart group, Twilight's Grotto.”

“Princess Luna has her followers too,” Cyclone commented, referring to the Blessed Lunar Order of the Sacred Night, “like our little gang, for instance.”

“Yeah, Tempest tells me all the time about the Lunar Hall.”

“Luna has moonshine, Celestia has tea. No brainer really,” Cyclone giggled, knowing full well which one she preferred.

Bluefeather let out a bright little giggle, “Try to mix the two.”

“Can you?”

“Of course you can.” Bluefeather then paused, before she turned her head to look long and hard at her marefriend flying alongside her in the early afternoon sun. “And you wanted to piss on her.”

Cyclone sighed, feeling particularly wretched as she flew just above the level of the rooftops. She really didn’t want or feel the need to go higher. She knew, very deep down, her lover was right. It would’ve been shitty of her. “O-Okay...perhaps, maybe, that was wrong of me, Blue.”

“Perhaps.” Bluefeather was very glad indeed that there was a healthy amount of shame in her lover’s voice. It saved her having to tickle her until she peed herself. “Even if she was a complete jerk, it would have still be wrong of you.”

“Hmm…” Cyclone murmured noncommittally, “I'm glad she came over though. I've had enough of hating ponies to last a lifetime.”

Smiling, Bluefeather caressed her lover’s flank with a wing tip. She couldn’t say how happy she was to hear her say that. Very, to say the least. “Sort of sets you free when you let go of the hate, Cy.”

“Yeah, I just feel bad about all those years we wasted. Oh well, onwards, huh?”

“And upwards!” Bluefeather cried, flapping her powerful blue tinted wings hard, she rose up from twenty feet all the way to a hundred feet, just to see what her companion would do. Eagerly, she watched her, almost daring her to join her

“Well, that’s a challenge!” grinning a very wide grin, Cyclone flapped her wings and, though she was visibly shaking, she rose up – slowly – through thirty, forty, sixty, ninety feet until she was up at her marefriend’s altitude. Bluefeather did wait for her, curious to see if she’d make it up that high. “I'm doing it!” she called out, “Blue, I’m doing it!”

No sooner had Cyclone managed to get up to the same height as the older pegasus than Bluefeather flipped over onto her back for some upside down flying. Cyclone had been a very good filly thus far and she decided, as she moved underneath her, that she had earned a reward. “Look down and tell me if you like what you see?”

Doing as she was told, Cyclone looked down and smiled. She smiled even wider when Bluefeather lifted up her dress and began using her forehooves to play with her teats, flicking and rubbing her nipples. “I love what I see!” Cyclone bit her lip, “hmm...you are a sexy mare!”

Underneath her marefriend, Bluefeather allowed herself to glide lower until she just above the rooftops. All the time she was suggestively massaging herself, never looking away from Cyclone’s blue eyes. “I have no idea where we are going, you know.”

“We're going the right way,” Cyclone replied, checking her course just to be sure – it had been a while, “But you know ponies can see what you're doing, right?”

As if Bluefeather gave a flying feather about that. Not. “So? Is there some ordnance against massaging one's own breasts?”

“No, but that old stallion down there walked into the wall looking at you!” Cyclone giggled and massaged her teats too, feeling a little out-done. “I want in on that!”

Grinning, Bluefeather flipped back over, letting her black dress fall back into place as she did so. “Later love. Now, please lead the way, I'm in need of a beer.”

“Deal. Wine does call to me. It’s just a block over there, now.”

Bluefeather looked to where Cyclone was pointing with her hoof. It didn’t really matter she hadn’t been to Canterlot for a few years. There was no mistaking the purpose of the huge five storey temple up ahead. Especially with its pure white walls, golden steeples and a twenty foot representation of Princess Celestia’s cutie mark emblazoned above the wide golden doors. “The giant white marble phallic shaped building?” Bluefeather asked with a giggle.

Cyclone did a double take. The temple didn’t look at all phallic, even if you looked at it on your side and squinted. “Huh? You look at that and see a phallus?” she giggled, “You are horny today! But yes, that’s the place.”

Giggling like a filly, Bluefeather followed Cyclone’s lead and both mares glided in for a long swooping landing just outside the temple doors. “Well, I said the same thing about the zebra hall and Airy just rolled her eyes at me!”

“Not that I’m complaining about you being horny, but do I need to guard the stallions from you?”

“Well, it has been a while since I was last in a temple, but there's booze, so let’s get inside.”

Cyclone giggled, “Let the booze be doubled!”

Now, Bluefeather rolled her eyes at her marefriend, making sure the expression spoke volumes. “You silly filly, this is a temple not a hall, I think their mantra is 'let the cake be doubled’.”

Cyclone shrugged her shoulders before checking her dress, smoothing out a couple of little wrinkles. “Meh, cake, booze, it's all good fun, sweetie.”

Once Bluefeather had smoothed her dress in turn, she leant in and kissed Cyclone’s lips. “You flew very well today, Cyclone.”

“Mom wouldn't want me to be afraid.” Cyclone asserted as she returned the kiss she was given. “After all, it’s about time I realised, I have a decent pair of wings, and you're the wind beneath them.”

“Awwwww that is so sweet of you to say.” Bluefeather smiled, caressing her marefriend’s cheek with her wingtip. “I think you're trying to make me blush.”

“Well, yeah, and I'm trying to be genuine too, no joking about for once. I mean it, baby.”

“I love you too, now, in we go. Can't keep family waiting.”

“No, we can't.” Cyclone squared her shoulders and, after a deep breath to gather her nerves, she hoofed open the door. “After you, sweet flanks.” Obligingly, Bluefeather performed an exaggerated flank wiggle as she sauntered into the Celestial Temple like she owned the place. “Hmmm...sweet flanks…” as she followed the older mare, Cyclone panted just a little.

Bluefeather looked over her shoulder and smirked, rather pleased indeed that her wiggle had the desired effect. “Try to not drool on the carpet, love.” As they walked into the temple’s main function room, which was almost like walking into the throne room of the palace, Royal Ribbon and Royal Pin both walked over and bowed in greeting, which she returned. “Ribbon, Pin well met. How goes the celebration of Monsoon?”

“Just getting started.” Royal Pin answered, making sure to get in before his sister had a chance. “The caterer was a little late in the set up.”

Momentarily, Cyclone was distracted by the fully laden buffet table. Then she remembered to look back to her aunt and uncle. “Hey, ah, that was a sweet classy thing you said, aunty.”

Royal Ribbon nodded, dabbing at her eyes with a kerchief. “It was from my heart, I couldn't say any more, although I am pleased you and Four are talking now.”

“I'd say Cy was more surprised,” Bluefeather agreed, “but I know I'm pleased about it, too.”

“Yeah, it was a surprise...I mean, a good surprise…”

The was a loud ‘pop’ then, as Four Step appeared from a teleport right next to Cyclone’s right side. “First time I've been called a nice surprise.” She deadpanned, unable to resist the prank.

“Cus!” Cyclone squeaked, jumping a foot in the air and making everypony burst out into gales of laughter.

It was a good few minutes before Bluefeather could speak, thanks to the well-timed and excellently executed prank. To show her appreciation, she high hoofed Four Step. “Thank you, Four Step, for giving my filly hope in Equestria.”

“It's my great pleasure.” Four Step smiled sweetly. “Cyclone, I hope you can forgive me, for all the things I called you in the past. They were uncalled for.”

Cyclone glanced at her marefriend, her aunt and her cousin. She smiled, “Well, first things first, it's 'Cy', 'kay?”

“Four Step, when she told me of what happened, I let her know how disappointed I was by her actions.” Bluefeather put in, “Since then though, I've watched her and I believe she'd make an excellent day care worker.”

Nodding, Royal Ribbon leant in to her daughter and whispered, loudly, “Tell her!”

“Tell me what?” Cyclone asked, catching the intentionally loud whisper as her cousin blushed hard and her aunt and uncle shared a wink and walked away to the buffet table. This did nothing but make Cyclone even more curious than she already was. “C'mon cus, what's up?”

Four Step, for her part, looked like she wanted to strike her mother down with a curse. That, or teleport away to anywhere other than where she was right then. Sadly she knew the cat was out of the bag. She sighed, shuffling her hooves. “I'm ah...I'm pregnant.”

‘Yes!’ Bluefeather thought. ‘I knew it! I totally called it!’ while she cheered to herself, what she actually said out loud was a far more restrained, “Congratulations! I'll make sure Cy is available for foal sitting duty.”

“Really?” Cyclone asked, her mouth hanging open, “Really, really?” when Four Step nodded, looking down at her hooves, the bit finally dropped. “Oh cus, that's great!” she squealed like the the girliest filly in the world, and pulled her cousin into a neck crushing hug. “Who's the dad?”

“Um...” Four Step scratched the back of her head when she was released from the bone crushing hug, “um...weather was nice for the funeral! I'm glad about that...” she knew though, that this distraction wouldn’t last forever.

Again, Bluefeather had a very good idea what the issue was, but she wasn’t going to press her. “It is a beautiful day to celebrate Monsoon. Come along Cy, I need adult supervision at the bar.”

“Coming dearest!”

Four Step couldn’t help but giggle as she followed after the two pegasi. “Well, aren't you all well trained, Cy?”

Bluefeather smirked, “She's a work in progress.”

“I approve of your efforts, Bluefeather.” Four Step smiled as they all walked up to the bar. “Might I join you in a beer?”

“In your condition?”

“Pish posh,” Bluefeather playfully swatted at Cyclone’s ear with her wingtip. “A beer didn't hurt any foal. More than one will make nanna Bluefeather frown, though.” She accentuated this statement with a very pointed look directed straight at the lilac unicorn.

“Exactly,” Four Step sniffed, “I was only planning on having the one, nanna Cy.”

“Oooh...” Cyclone pointed to Bluefeather while they waited to be served, “she's the nanna, not me.”

Bluefeather suddenly thought that this may have been the reason that Royal Ribbon looked so harassed at the funeral. “It is good that your mother is very supportive.”

“Oh heavens!” Four Step smiled, “I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for my mother!”

“So uh, how far along are you?”

Four Step blushed a very, very intense blush indeed as she smoothed away a wrinkle on her dress that wasn’t there at all. “Two months. I’m two months pregnant.”

At once, Bluefeather picked up on the saddened tone in Four Step’s voice. She felt so much sympathy for the young unicorn mare. She knew some gentle prodding would get to the bottom of it. “Oh, they got the good beer!” To stallion behind the cash bar, she requested, “Two Fast Trots and a glass of red, please.”

“Oh my thank you, Bluefeather.”

Cyclone let out a delighted squee. “More wine!”

Four Step smiled, “And, I thought you liked beer, Cy.”

“She still does,” Bluefeather commented to the lilac unicorn mare as the bartender served up the three drinks. “But, this is something of an indulgence.”

Just as Four Step was about to comment that red wine was something they had in common, Cyclone suddenly squeezed her hind legs together as her eyes went wide. “Oooh! Aaaah, Filly’s room! I need the filly's room!”

Thankfully, at the Celestial temple, the restrooms were all well marked and, more importantly, not very far away. Bluefeather took her wine and pointed to the nearest WC with a wingtip. “Go! Go like the wind!”

Without any further encouragement, Cyclone disappeared so fast she was almost a black and turquoise blur. Four Step watched with a rather bemused look on her face, gently she sipped her beer. “It seems she's getting that under control?” she offered as a conversation starter.

Bluefeather shook her head though at that. “No, not really. She still has very little warning time. I should have put her back in a nappy, but I really didn't think about it at the time.”

“At least here she's among family.” Four Step thought out loud, “Any accidents will just result in teasing forever…” she smiled and let out a long, protracted heartfelt sigh. Now they were alone, she thought it best to open up with her cousin’s marefriend and nanna. “I am, sorry, I was evasive, but, there isn't a dad, and it’s twins.”

“Not that you need to tell me,” Bluefeather said kindly, laying a tender hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder, “But I figured that out after the first head scratch. Why I was ushering Ms. Million Questions out of the room. Nice you tagged along anyways.”

“I know, but it’s obvious that Cyclone trusts you, and it is nice to not be judged.”

‘More like it’s easier to talk to me than it is to family,’ Bluefeather thought to herself. “Well, I judge all the time, but unless there is a reason to act on my judgement, I'm a live and let live pony. Also, I'm proud of you for carrying to term.”

Four Step snickered, “I thank you for not just assuming I'm fat.”

“Not that, that would bother me either.” Bluefeather giggled. At the gravesite, that had in fact been her first guess, before she noted exactly where the slight bulge was on the lilac mare’s barrel. “Some ponies are just too hung up on what they think is the cultural norm when nopony can really achieve such a thing.”

“Too true,” Four Step nodded her head and she raised up her beer bottle in a mock salute. “But, you forget where you are. We are in Canterlot! Public image is everything here,” she smiled as she sipped her beer, “besides, I'm much better off on my own than with my ex-partner.”

Bluefeather had heard of this attitude in the nation’s capital, of course, but being way over on the east coast, she was pretty far removed from it. “You should know I'm from Manehatten, so I'll be the first to put a hoof up some pretentious pony’s ass.”

“I'll bear that in mind if he ever breaks the restraining order.” Four Step’s smile vanished. “My ex, he was pretty ‘free’ with his hooves, and he didn’t mind who he hit with them, if you catch my meaning.”

“I do,” Bluefeather said, only then did she notice the extensive make up liberally but carefully applied around her left eye. No doubt there was a beauty of a black eye underneath it, and she was sure, too, were bruises on parts of her body that were hidden by the dress she was wearing. “I'm not mare exclusive, just exclusive to the one I'm with.”

As Cyclone came out of the bathroom, Bluefeather made her mind up not to tell her marefriend about that particular little nugget. “I think…Cy doesn't need to know that, as she is quite a reactive pony.” She saw Cyclone get ever closer to them, “Did my filly remember to wash her hooves?”

“Yes I did, see?” Cyclone sat on her haunches and held up her shiny clean hooves for inspection as Four Step nodded her agreement at the thought of her younger cousin's reaction to her predicament.

Smiling, for her marefriend’s hooves passed her scrutiny, Bluefeather winged her red wine back to her. “Such a good filly you are, Cy!” still smiling, she took a long drink of her beer. “Keep us up to date, Four Step, on your progress. Are you going to have a foal shower?”

“I most certainly will, and yes, I plan on having a shower.”

“That's good news. Thing can get a bit stinky otherwise.” Bluefeather pulled off her best, most innocent look as Four Step and Cyclone both laughed out loud, snorting through mouthfuls of beer and red wine respectively. “My work here is done!” With that, Bluefeather moved off leaving the two cousins alone as she searched for new targets.

“What of you?” Four Step asked, though she was still giggling after Bluefeather had left, “What are your plans?”

“Well, after we're done here, we're going to the MiAC store before heading back home to Cloudhatten, I think.”

Four Step sniffed, “Hmm, lucky you, cousin.”

“Come with us, we'll buy you something 'fun'!”

It only took Bluefeather a split second to identify and acquire her next target. Just having hung up her phone, Royal Ribbon was stood alone and apart from everypony else with a slice of cake on a plate held in her magical aura. “Hey,” she smiled, getting the unicorn’s attention, “It’s easier to be understanding when it's not so close to home. How are you doing?”

Royal Ribbon smiled at her new friend as she put her phone away. Though she smiled, she looked no less stressed. “I’m doing alright, thank you, Blue.”

“Same here. Almost had to perform a clean-up by the bar, but Cy can move when she needs to.” She grinned, casting a quick glance back at her lover as she spoke with her cousin. Then, going back into full meddling mode, she turned back to her friend. “I've heard you’re the best mother a daughter can have.”

“Hardly.” Royal Ribbon nodded, though her smile vanished quicker than Cyclone had when she realised she needed the toilet. “Were I that good, poor Four wouldn't have played punching bag for the scumbag stallion she was with, but I was too busy with my charities to see it until it was too late.”

“Sometimes you have to let them fly solo,” said Bluefeather, giving her an affectionate friendly nuzzle, “and just be there to catch them when they crash. I heard it straight from the filly’s mouth, so it must be true.”

Once more, Royal Ribbon smiled. She tapped her glasses with her hoof. “Well, hindsight glasses are always 20/20, right?”

Bluefeather lifted up her beer and after a little salute, she took a draught of it while the unicorn ate a forkful of her cake. “Always, but the real problem is when we take them off and do the same thing over and over again.” Nodding to that, Royal Ribbon set aside her cake and lifted up her own beer. “What you said in the house of rest really touched Cy, thank you.”

“And I meant it, too.” Royal Ribbon sipped her beer slowly. “I'm glad it touched Four as well.”

“Being a mom is a scary thing.” Bluefeather said sympathetically, “There’s no owner’s manual. Being a grandmare is a wonderful thing, though.”

“You can wind them up and give the foals back!” Royal Ribbon let out a rare giggle, given her current mood, “I must say I’m looking forward to it.”

“I'm sure you are. Now, to see where Earth Song went.”

Royal Ribbon pointed her hoof over to the far end of the buffet table, where the elderly unicorn stallion was propped up on his cane, talking rather animatedly with her younger brother. “The charming old stallion is just over there with Tropical, I think they're comparing mares, by the look of it.”

“I should give them something to compare with then!” Bluefeather smiled, happy that her work here was done, she trotted off to be a nuisance elsewhere. The two stallions were unaware of her presence until she had arrived right next to them. Tropical Storm was showing Earth Song a spread from Playcolt on his phone. “It was beautiful,” Bluefeather said loudly to announce herself, “What your wife said, Earth Song.”

Reluctantly, Earth Song looked away from Tropical Storm’s phone. He never knew a pony could bend quite like that. He learned something new every day. “It was indeed.” He let out a little chuckle. “It was a good send-off, for her, I think.”

“I know a little filly that desperately misses her mom,” Bluefeather said, casting another quick glance back at Cyclone, “but who would love to visit some grandparents.”

“And I know grandparents who'd love to see more of her,” Earth Song agreed, though his old mind was wandering back to what he had been viewing with his son-in-law. Even though technically he wasn’t, anymore.

“Good to know, I'll let her know.” Bluefeather pointedly nudged Tropical Storm with her foreleg. “She'd see more of her dad too if it weren't for that box in front of his eyes.”

“I've had surgery!” Tropical Storm laughed along with Bluefeather and Earth Song’s giggles. “I can remove it once in a while.”

“Well now,” Earth Song chuckled, leaning heavily on his cane for fear of falling over. “My son-in-law here says he's gone and given young Cyclone a job, is this right?”

“He has and it is,” Bluefeather confirmed what Tropical Storm had said to Earth Song, “and she is thinking of taking it too. I'll nudge her to make a decision on it in a few days.”

Earth Song smiled at that. “Lemony was dead against it at first, until I pointed out our rather large collection of Playcolt DVD's. Then again, she was upset she lost the argument.”

“It is always something to explain to the guest.” Bluefeather laughed, before taking a long drink from her now half empty bottle. “Why does your young colt have a Playcolt picture on his wall? It's his grandmare, who am I to make him take it down.”

“Like I said to Lemony, if little Cy's happy, then good luck to her.”

“Your support will mean a lot to her.” Bluefeather laid her hoof on the old stallion’s shoulder, but she was careful not to apply too much pressure lest she knock him over. “She is still building self-confidence.”

Earth Song scoffed, snorting through his nose. “Pah, self-confidence has never been Cy's trouble, young mare, more like kicking off the shackles of the past. Now there,” he slowly levitated up his beer bottle and emptied it, swaying very dangerously on his wrinkled hooves, “There she has ‘issues’.”

“Hmmm,” Bluefeather murmured thoughtfully, “you do have something there. I can work with that.” She lifted up her beer for a toast. “To Monsoon! To the mare that brought Cyclone into my life.”

Trying to drink from his empty bottle, Earth Song instead touched it up to Bluefeather’s bottle. “And…” he swayed again, thanks to the alcohol he had drank, “To the mare that bought you into our lives. Celestia bless all the mares in the land!”

“I can drink that.” Bluefeather giggled and she went to the bar to get herself another beer so she could do just that. The mid grey mare determined to stay for the duration of at least three beers, and while she was drinking them, she wandered around the temple, making sure to chat with all the ponies before she trotted back to see what Cyclone was up to.

Cyclone, with Four Step, was over by the bar. On her second glass of red wine, the jet black pegasus was – rather loudly – sharing some of her best dirty jokes with her cousin, who was enjoying a non-alcoholic beer. “Remember what I said, foal sitting is my specialty.” Bluefeather smiled, kissing Cyclone’s lips as she was performing a lewd hip thrust to emphasise her latest joke. She was determined to make Four Step spit. “How are you doing, love?”

Cyclone though didn’t mind the interruption. “I’m doing okay, sexy, just telling Four here about the pony who came from Nantucket...” she sniggered as Four Step did indeed snort and spit her beer.

“I never knew her jokes were so...dirty,” the lilac unicorn giggled. Then, there was a lot she was discovering about her cousin.

“Not the only thing about her that gets dirty,” Bluefeather giggled as she helped herself to her third and final beer. “No accidents, Cy?”

“No!”

“There was an 'almost', but we sorted it.”

Cyclone scowled a little at her cousin for almost ratting her out. “Four teleported us to the bathroom just in time.” With that, the two cousins shared a hoof-bump.

“My, I didn't realize you're such a powerful unicorn…”

Four Step turned a very, very acidic glare to Bluefeather. She picked up immediately on the tone in the older mare’s voice, the tone of surprise that basically said ‘how can you be assaulted if you’re that powerful?’. “You’ll pardon me, Bluefeather, but powerful unicorns can still be taken by surprise.”

Thankful that her marefriend was slightly oblivious, Bluefeather mouthed ‘I apologise’, to which Four Step nodded that she accepted. “Have you made your rounds, Cy?” she asked, “Lemon Grass and Earth Song would like to see more of you during a happier visit.”

“Ooh! I need to say bye to nanna and gramps before we go, you two okay for a minute?”

“Of course Cy, you go.” No sooner had those words left Four Step’s mouth than Cyclone had gone, leaving her alone with Bluefeather by the bar.

“She must be worried you'll steal me off my hooves!” Bluefeather raised a dramatic foreleg up to her forehead. “Woe is me, so completely under your spell!”

Four Step snorted out a laugh, her brief acidic mood already forgotten. “Oh I doubt it, you two complete each other. Oh, Blue, you must tell me, as I'm sure Cy was pulling my horn. Does she really have a strap on called Mr. Pointy?”

Bluefeather nodded as she slowly sipped her beer. “She does and as I said earlier I swing both ways so Mr. Pointy has completely explored me.”

Four Step almost spat out her beer, though she put it down on the bar, just in case of spillage. “As do I, but...” she then looked enviously at Cyclone who was talking and hugging with her grandparents, “ooh, but for a tenth of her confidence…”

Bluefeather placed a gentle hoof on Four Step's shoulder. “Real confidence isn't acting without care, but acting knowing you are true to your inner self.”

“And she has never been scared to be herself, no matter what.” Four Step smiled, very grateful that Bluefeather’s hoof was where it was. It gave her the strength and confidence to say what she wanted to say. What she needed to say. “That's what makes her so...attractive, I suppose.”

‘Attractive?’ Bluefeather thought as she nuzzled the pregnant unicorn, trying to make up her mind if it was too soon to tease about being ‘kissing cousins’. She decided against it. She recognised it had taken courage for her to admit that. “It is her fantasy that attracted me to her. A mutual friend told me of her playing a foal. She is much more than that, but she’s still haunted by her past mistakes.”

“Well,” Four Step blushed, embarrassed at the part she had played in that. “I admit I haven't helped there, but we made a start working things out, a start we both wish to carry forward.”

“I was very clear on my disappointment. Drugs are never the solution.”

“No,” Four Step agreed, “but she's done her rehab, she's beat them.” That really just made her cousin all that more attractive to her, really. Oh…how she wanted her! Instead, she smiled sweetly at the mid grey pegasus. “I do hope you don't mind, she was talking about bringing me with you to the MiAC store.”

“Feeling adventurous?” Bluefeather asked, not that she minded in the least, “Did she say why she wants to go?”

“I should get adventurous at least once. Oh, she was telling me about buying a red latex – or was it rubber - isolation suit. At first I thought she was joking,” Four Step said, glancing over at her cousin and taking a moment to admire her flank.

“Personally, I think she's crazy, but I support controlled craziness.” Bluefeather responded, noting where her companion was looking and, she had to agree, it was a mighty fine view from here. “She saw an earth pony in one and she got the idea in her head. Best to test it and see if that idea blossoms or dies.”

Four Step looked a little misty eyed at her cousin and then she blushed, realising Bluefeather was looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk. “If…if she's crazy, then we should all be as crazy, I think. I know she's happy, and she's more 'her' than she's been in a long time.”

Almost on cue, Cyclone came trotting over, none the worse for wear after her bone crushing hugs courtesy of her grandparents. “Hey guys!” she gave out nuzzles to both Bluefeather and to Four Step, completely missing why her cousin’s cheeks were so red and hot. “Did you miss me?”

Snickering, Bluefeather reached into Cyclone’s turquoise mane and she pulled out a bottle cap. “No, I guess not. I actually got a bullseye!” she giggled at Four Step, for she knew the heavily blushing mare had seen her hoof the bottle cap there in the first place.

“N-No!” Four Step spluttered, trying to cover up her faux pas. “Um, no, not at all, Blue was very entertaining to talk to…”

“Aww cus!” Cyclone, oblivious, again nuzzled the pregnant unicorn, causing the poor mare’s blush to reignite instantly. “You missed me!”

Bluefeather cleared her throat noisily. It was, after all, time for them to go. They had the MiAC store to go to, and she wanted to get the Friendship Express before the evening, if they were to be back in Cloudhatten before noon tomorrow. She didn’t want to waste the whole day on the train. “So, are you ready for the three of us to go off to sexy times?”

“I’m ready, sexy!” Cyclone gave a last wave of her hoof to her grandparents and her dad, before turning to leave. She too was eager to leave. She had gained her closure to a big part of her life and, in doing so, she had repaired more than one important bridge with her family. That said, though, she was keen to get the first day of the rest of her life started.

As they left the Celestial Temple, standing in the warm early afternoon summer sun, Cyclone couldn’t help but smile. In spite of everything she had lost, she smiled. She smiled for she realised just what she had gained, too. She had her marefriend and her nanna.

She had her family back.

She had her life back.

Cyclone smiled in the sunlight. This life stuff was easy. It was foal’s play.