Children of The Guardian

Chap 3

David slowly climbed the stairs to where his children's rooms were. In the 13 years since they had been born he had memorized the route from his room to theirs. As he climbed the stairs his mind began to recall the days when they both had been born. It had been a rainy April afternoon when Midnight Eclipse had been born.

Almost everyone had been there to see it. AJ and Devin had brought homemade apple baby food which David thanked them for. Rarity had prepared a very soft and comfortable baby blanket which had "Midnight Eclipse: Child of the Guardian and his Princess" embroidered into it. Fluttershy had brought a stuffed animal that she gave to Midnight as soon as he opened his little eyes. It had been a tiny little rabbit doll that she said was a present from her parents and that it meant a lot to her. David had been amazed that she gave up something so precious. Rainbow Dash had brought a signed picture of herself which she claimed would someday be worth tons of money. It had been a cheesy gift, but it was a gift none the less. Pinkie had thrown the biggest baby shower anyone had ever seen a few days earlier and she was so tired that she wasn't able to make it. Pinkie Pie… TIRED. The thought still made David laugh whenever he thought about it.

His reminiscing ended however when he noticed that he passed right by Midnight's room and had stopped at Sunlight's.

"Well… I guess I'll get her side of the story first." He said as he opened the door to her room.

The first thing he noticed was that Sunlight was on her round sun colored bed; face down crying her eyes out.

(Great… this is not gonna be easy) He thought as he lay next to her on the bed and lifted her head up with his hoof.

"You wanna tell me what happened?" He said gently.

Sunlight only stared at him before her tears built up again and she threw her face against her father's body and stared crying again. David said nothing but merely stroked her mane with his hooves while she cried. As he did he took the opportunity to look around his daughter's room. As his gaze passed over different items, from the Sun shaped rug, to the giant wardrobe which contained dozens of dresses (All designed by Rarity) his eyes fell on a small picture that was attached to her nightstand. He levitated it over with his magic and noticed that it was a drawing of their whole family.

It was drawn in crayon and had 4 ponies on it. One Lavender, one green, one purple, and one white. His eyes then noticed under each pony was a name. "Mommi, Dady, Midneight, Me."

(I remember now… she drew this for me when she was 5.) David thought as he slid the picture into his cloak that was draped over his body.

(I'm been busy with Royal work and the Alliance that I haven't been spending ANY time with them.) He cursed himself for acting that way. (I promised myself when they were born that THEY would come first.) He said as noticed that the crying had stopped.

Sunlight dried her eyes and looked up at him. "Dad…" was all she said before David put his hoof to her lips. "Shhh… I want you to tell me what happened okay? You're not in trouble; I just want to hear your side of things." He said as he sat her up next to him. Sunlight sniffed and started talking.

"It happened after school… I met this really nice boy…"

"What was his name?" David interrupted.

"His name was Kuni." Sunlight answered rubbing her eyes. David knew that Kuni was the son of AJ and Devin; he made a mental note to go apologize to them for Midnight's rude behavior to their son.

"I invited him back to the castle so he could see the garden, he told me he liked flowers so I thought it would be a good idea to show him the royal garden and let him look at all the really pretty flowers we have."

She sniffed as David nodded his head. That was just like Sunlight, she always put others first even when she should have been thinking of herself. He remembered on her 8th birthday she had given her best gift to a poor filly that had nothing to call her own. The filly's family had gone and sold the gift for food and clothing, but Sunlight had made somepony happy and that was all that mattered to her. His thoughts flashed back to the present as she resumed her story. "While we were sniffing the flowers, I sneezed and Kuni put his hoof on my back asking if I was okay. I said I was and then a bee landed on my flank… and… Kuni…" She stuttered trying to get the words out.

"He slapped your flank to kill it didn't he?" David asked.

Sunlight nodded her head. "I gasped in shock when he did and he told me what happened, but before I could say something Midnight came charging over and knocked Kuni to the ground. He started yelling at him, telling him that he was foolish to touch my flank when he was around."

Sunlight's voice suddenly grew angry. "I TRIED to explain what happened but Midnight ignored me, that's when I jumped on top of his back and told Kuni to run. He did and Midnight threw me off and onto the ground." She finished as she wiped her eyes one last time. David sighed as he absorbed her story.

Midnight ALWAYS had a problem of overacting to the smallest things. He knew that he was partially to blame for that since he had made Midnight promise at his 10th birthday that he would watch over his sister and never let anything happen to her. He had meant for Midnight to be to Sunlight what he was to Twilight. A guardian and advisor, but of course Midnight turned the dial past 11.

"Dad I'm sorry for losing my temper…" Sunlight sighed as she lay back against the pillows on her bed. "I know sweetie. I know you were just trying to protect a friend. You're not in trouble so you can leave your room now." He said smiling. The sparkle suddenly returned to her eyes as she jumped up and trotted to the door, but she stopped as she opened it.

"Hey Dad I'm having some trouble with my homework. Do you think you could help me with it later?" She asked.

"Sure I can. We'll do it as soon as I get back from the Military Academy today all right?" He said happily.

"Okay Dad. Don't burn yourself out at that meeting okay?" She said jokingly as she shut the door to her room.

"Yeah… don't burn myself out." He sighed as he got off her bed and exited her room.

(You need to spend more time with her you idiot. Make time if you have too, but spend time with her.) His mind scolded him. He continued to think of ways to spend time with his daughter as he opened the door to his son's room.

His eyes were assaulted by the exact opposites that both of his children's rooms were. Whereas Sunlight's room was bright and colorful, Midnight's room was dark and mysterious. It made sense though, Midnight preferred the night to the day. David turned to see his son playing with a chess board that he had enchanted so the opposing pieces would play against him even without another player. His son looked up from the board right as the opposing pieces knocked his king off the board.

"Checkmate" David said as he sat on Midnight's dark blue and silver bed.

"Father I…" Midnight started as he looked up but David put his hoof up telling him to stop.

"Midnight how many times do I have to tell you NOT to overreact to everything you see?" he started.

Midnight tried to speak but closed his mouth when David turned and glared at him.

"You and your sister will one day share the rule of Equestria, and being the oldest you will be in charge of all political decisions. How do you expect me to trust that you will be able to handle those responsibilities if you overreact to everything?" He asked looking at his son.

"Father you know that I can handle political decisions!" Midnight protested. David sighed and looked around his son's room. It reminded him of his own room back on Earth when he was 13. There was a small brown desk in the corner where Midnight studied and did his homework. Across the room from the desk was a bookshelf filled with Equestrian history books and biographies of famous military and political figures. David saw in those books a form of himself. Sunlight had inherited Twilight's love for magic and knowledge, but Midnight had inherited David's love of history, battle, and tactics. It was that love and burning loyalty for Equestria that made him see so much potential in his son.

"Yes Midnight I know you can… but if you can't show the control and maturity that comes with that position then I can't give you that power." He sighed. He expected further argument from Midnight, but instead all he heard was a sigh and the creaking of a bed post as he sat on his bed.

"Father all I want to do is keep Sunlight safe like you wanted." He said quietly.

David walked over and put his hoof over his son's shoulders. "I know… but you need to understand that your sister is an alicorn just like you. She may be 10, but don't forget that she has more skill with magic than you do and she's a force to be reckoned with. Who knows… she may end up saving YOU someday."

He joked rubbing his son's mane. Midnight turned and smiled at him as he nodded.

"Alright look… I'm letting you off easy this time. You're not in trouble now… but if you do something like this again, I will punish you. Understand?" He said sternly.

"Yes Sir." Midnight answered. "Good… Now get going, you have combat practice with General Bio today don't you?"

Midnight's eyes shot open as he realized that David was right.

"Oh hayfeathers I do!! Thanks Dad!!!" He cried as he ran out the door.

David laughed and walked out of his son's room and walked toward the main area of the castle. "Sir the chariot to take you to the Canterlot Military Academy has arrived!" A guard said as he rushed up to him.

"Thank you for informing me. Please let Princess Sparkle know that I am departing." He said kindly.

The guard snapped a salute and walked toward the throne room. David turned the opposite direction and headed toward his and Twilight's room. Once there he opened his wardrobe to see his armor and swords set up on a rack waiting for him.

"Alright…" He said as he touched his armor and felt the warmth run through his hoof as it magically teleported itself onto his body. "Let's do this." He quickly grabbed his swords from their resting places and attached them to the sides of his armor. As he was standing up he heard the door open behind him. He turned to see Twilight standing directly behind him smiling from ear to ear.

"I never get tired of seeing you in that armor." She said as she ran her hoof through David's hair.

"It always makes me think of the day when you saved me from Nightmare's castle."

She slowly leaned and kissed his cheek. The warmth of her breath and tongue made David's heart soar. "I thought I would see you off before you left. Have fun, but be back before three okay? Sunlight really needs some help with her homework." She finished as she straightened his mane and adjusted his swords so they hung correctly.

"Thanks Twi, for everything." David said as he closed his eyes and let his wind powers swirl around him, and teleport him away to the chariot platform. Next Chapter: Chapter 4 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 54 Minutes