New Moon (My Little Pony)

09 (1/4) A Loving Family

Bud had attuned to the breathing of her daughter between her hindlegs as her hoof felt the rise and drop of the filly's body. She had spent a long hour immersing to her daughter's dark blue that felt smooth and warm. And yet through the everlasting motions, Bud could sense a lingering coldness within the filly, who seemed nonchalant about Bud rubbing against her back.

Her daughter had been gazing through the window beside their seat. From her perspective, the only thing she could possibly see were the top of trees blurring past them and the sun barely looming above them. It wouldn't be long for the night to come.

Bud had recalled that her daughter's goal was to enshroud Equestria in an eternal night. She hoped that her daughter could at the very least find solace in the darkness to come, but then again, she would know it would only be temporary peace for her. The sun will rise again, and she would again be reminded of her failure.

Her sad little Nebula sought for something grand in her eyes but was flushed out when her desire threatened the aspiration of others. Bud would rather not encourage her to try it again, but she'd hoped that her daughter would seek to her for guidance. Maybe she can find comfort in her new life as Loving Nebula.

"Ms. Bud," her attention wavered from the sound of a giggling filly. "Artemis won't stop biting me."

"I warned you that he does that," Bud reminded her favored student, who was currently becoming a chew toy for her baby colt. Her student, Raven Inkwell, had tried to keep control of the colt by mimicking Bud's hold of Nebula, but the rapacious colt had exposed the filly's weak spots with his small teeth. Raven tried to contain her jerks and laughter as the colt seized Raven's falter to invade her neck.

Bud noticed the eyes of other passengers glaring at them as Raven's attempt to compose herself was working out poorly. "Um, Lazuli." Bud whispered to Lazuli, who was seated on Bud's other side which was closest to the window.

Her friend was slouched on the passenger seat as she gazed indifferently through the window. Her eyes trailed from it at the sound of Bud's call and said, "Yeah, I got it."

Lazuli leaned over Bud and Nebula and grabbed the distracted colt from Raven. "Wait," Raven said. "I can get it right this time."

"It's alright Raven," Bud murmured to her student. "You can play with Artemis as long as you like once we're off the train. For now," Bud nodded towards the other passengers that were no longer looking their way. "Let's try to keep out voices down." Raven returned to her seat with a slight blush and apologized.

Bud nodded with an empathetic smile and then looked back to her friend, who was slouching again in her seat. Only now, she had the colt wrapped beneath her chin as he started gnawing on Lazuli's shoulder, dampening her sky-blue coat with his slobber. "Sorry," Bud murmured.

"It's not big deal," Lazuli said. "It's not like he has any fangs."

Bud felt a shift between her hindlegs and noticed her daughter was now gazing at Artemis. She didn't know what to think of it, so she resolved to go back to rubbing her quiet daughter as she waited for the train to take them to their destination at Baltimare, the place where she and Lazuli grew up.

Two days had gone by since Princess Celestia's stunning appearance at the hospital. The words she had left with Bud still weighed heavy on her mind. Her daughter coming from a race of traitors and her son promised the tutelage from the most powerful pony in all of Equestria was far too astounding to wrap her head around. A simple pony like herself had never dealt with something so phenomenal.

Bud would've like to get some of Nebula's input on the matter, especially of this "Luna" she continued to refer her son as. Sadly, she'd been silent on the topic. Perhaps it was a sensitive subject for her, which only made Bud more curious. But she knew if she pushed on it, she would only receive more threats and insults from her daughter.