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posted 2 years ago, edited 2 years ago
a calm moment before a hectic work-day
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Story of Blade Swift - Mistakes have been made"Is this necessary?" Ruy asked his father as they were making their way to the laboratory. "It is if we want to keep our reputation as the top magical technology providers in Neighpon!" Crowned Diamond scoffed at his eldest son's question. Little Butterfly followed his father quietly. He had learned long time ago to not ask unwanted questions, especially when father was unhappy. And if what his father had said earlier was true, after these tests, he could finally be a useful part of the family company! The lab was buzzing with scientists working under Diamond who were all shouting numbers to each other and writing down test-results. Shô had only been in the lab one time before, and he did not remember that day with smiles, so he took solace near his big brother as many times before. Crystal Dragon looked around the unicorns working in the lab. He could sense the urgency in their step, in their voices. He had a bad feeling about this all. He noticed his father being ushered away from them ad the head scientist whispered something to his ear. "What? What do you mean it's not ready for testing?" Diamond whispered, keeping his commanding tone in his voice. "I'm sorry Kongō-sama! It's still too unstable to be tested on a pony!" the head scientist apologized, urgency in his voice. "You told me it was ready to be tested not two hours ago!" Diamond demanded. "I did, but I didn't mean on a pony!" the scientist whispered, looking at Shô worryingly. "We don't know the... we can't tell if it would be..." she was stopped as Diamond took a strong step towards her and snarled at her. "We will run the tests, today, right now, or you all lose your jobs!" The scientist simply bowed her head and galloped to the others, still shouting results to each other. Diamond raised his head. He didn't know the risks, and he didn't care. He would not be humiliated in front of his sons! "Is... this safe?" Shô asked as the metallic horn was placed in his forehead. The two unicorns looked at each other, and simply smiled at him. But the smile was anything but genuine. "Otosan. I know you want Shô to be a unicorn above all else. But this is risky." Ruy muttered to his father behind the protective glass. "Think about the possibilities presented to us, Ruy! If this works, our family's status as a full unicorn-family will raise back up! And not only that, we have made a huge step towards the next magical technological breakthrough! Earth-ponies and pegasus everywhere will pay thousands just to get one artificial horn!" Diamond painted the image of great success, mostly to calm his own nerves. But Ruy did not believe his father was thinking straight. Worryingly he watched his brother, who was now left alone in the testing-area with a table of various items. "Alright, Shô-san! We're ready whenever you are." the head scientist said to the speakers. "I'm as ready as I'll get, I suppose..." Shô muttered, nervous of all the ponies staring at him. "Very well. Please look at the items on the table in front of you. Now, imagine lifting one up with your magic. If it helps, you can close your eyes to help you concentrate." Shô chose the green and red apple on the table, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Seconds flew past them, as the whole lab was tensing up. Just as the head scientist was going to call off the test, they saw green sparks surround the apple. Little by little, a green magical field surrounded the fruit, and slow, it lifted off the table. Shô opened his eyes when he heard cheers through the speakers and turned to see the whole lab celebrating. He turned to see that the apple was indeed levitating above the table. Overjoyed, Shô turned to meet his brother's eyes, Ruy was smiling at him proudly, and relieved that nothing bad had not indeed happened. Then Shô took a peek at his father, who, for the first time in his life, was smiling at him. In truth, Diamond was more happier about the fact that his instincts had been right and he had indeed not been humiliated by his decision. But to Shô, that smile was for him. The yellow pony was overjoyed. Maybe now, after all there years, his father would see him as a true son. Maybe finally, he could be part of this family. Maybe, finally, he would be a full pony. Just then, the red sparks took over the magical field around the metallic horn. Shô was shaken by a sudden electrical current going through him. Before he could say anything, the apple he had been holding with his magic friend into ashes, and the magic lifted him off his hooves. Before anypony could do anything, he was engulfed into blue sparks that caused his whole body to tense and a painful scream escape his lungs. The whole lab was blaring with sirens and red lights, only contrasted by the blue lightning caused by the metallic fake horn.Story of Blade Swift - Help himThe lab was a mess. To say the least. And when the horn sent out a strong enough electrical blast to crack, although not completely destroy, the protective glass, things escalated even more. Scientists running around, shouting at each other, trying to find a way to stop the horn from potentially exploding again. In the center of all this stood Crowned Diamond, looking inside the glass container to see both of his sons laying on the ground, the artificial horn sending sparks flying even when detached from its host. Finally the horn went dim. The scientists had found the kill-switch. As the head scientist opened the glass container-door to rush to the brothers, Diamond pushed him aside and dashed past him. He was about to simply grab Ruy, and if he found the powers in him, maybe even Shô, and take them to the medical wing, but was stopped short when he saw Ruy move. He was ALIVE! And then he saw his eldest son in full. Deep gashes of bloody scars lined all around his right side. The ground under him was flooding with his blood. And yet he was getting up. And he still had that cold look in his still remaining eye that he had given his father before dashing into the testing-area. And despite being hurt, bleeding, the words he said still proved to be that of a loving brother. "Save... him..." Diamond could not find words to say. Ruy was hurt! Badly! And yet... yet he wanted him to save that... that abomination!? The head scientist caught up with him, and gasped as she too witnessed the horror that was his elder son. And yet Ruy said: "Save... HIM..!" "Ru-Ruy-kun..." she muttered, but Ruy shook his head. "I'm conscious... I'm alive... but Shô... he isn't... he isn't moving... save him... please!" he gasped, pleading with his one remaining eye. The head scientist took a shaky breath and nodded. She carefully levitated Shô off the ground and onto her back. "Kongō-sama." She then said in a stern voice. "Support your son from his left side and help him to the emergency-room. We might still be able to heal his eye if we hurry." Diamond took some deep breaths and turned to face his son again as the head scientist galloped out of the lab carrying Shô. He took few steps closer to Ruy, who had slumped back down on the floor. Upon seeing his father approach him, he snarled. "Stay away from me, you heartless monster!" he hissed. Crowned Diamond was taken back by those words. "I'm... I'm trying to help you!" he muttered. "I don't want YOUR help!" Ruy hissed again. The other scientists saw what was happening and few of them made their way in the glass-cube. "Your decision almost KILLED my brother! I want no help from the likes of you!" Ruy shouted, as much as his broken voice allowed him. Diamond couldn't move a muscle. Ruy had been hard for him from the day Dove had died, but he never thought he would turn against him like this... Two scientist came to Ruy and carefully helped him up on his shaky legs. No more words were exchanged that day. But there was no need for it anyway. That day, Crowned Diamond lost both of his sons.Story of Blade Swift - Welcome Little BrotherRuy had been waiting for an hour now. The house was dead quiet, except for the clocks ticking on the walls. Listening to them was about to drive the young stallion crazy. The doctor had come late in the evening and disappeared to his parent's bedroom. Dad had only told Ruy to finish his homework and go to bed. But Ruy could not. He was worried. Mom had been sickly lately, more sickly than usual. What if something was to happen to her? Or the foal? Ruy had been so excited to become a big brother! He didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, he just wanted a baby sibling to take care of and to play with! Worry kept the young unicorn awake as he sat on the sofa, eyes nailed onto the bedroom door. The clock ticked away in the silence. Suddenly the door opened and the doctor stepped out. Ruy jumped of the sofa and dashed towards him. "Doctor!" he shouted, causing the elderly unicorn to jump a bit. "How is okasan ? Is she fine?" As the older stallion calmed himself, he gave the worried pony a smile. "Your mother is just fine." and with a twinkle in his eyes, he continued: "And your little brother as well." Ruy felt his heart explode with joy. Cheering and jumping around the living room, Ruy felt all of the worry he had before wash away. "I have a little brother!" he shouted excitedly, almost knocking over the doctor with his jumping. "Indeed..." the elderly unicorn said, gathering the things he had dropped. "He was born a bit earlier than he was supposed to. But as long as he gets plenty of milk, he should grow normally." "Can I go see him?" Ruy suddenly asked the doctor. "By all means, young one!" The doctor answered. "Take care of them both now, your mother and brother, Crystal Dragon!" the doctor said before he left. Ruy could hardly hold his excitement, but knew he had to calm down before he could go in to see his brother. He could scare the small thing if he made too much sound. So he took a deep breath and composed himself. Just as he was about to open the door, his father walked through it. "Otosan ! Otosan ! I have a little brother!" Ruy was swept away with happiness again and could not hold himself from jumping few times. In his excited state he didn't notice his father's less than angered face. "You do." Crowned Diamond growled. "Look after your mother. I'm going out." "Yes, father!" Ruy said, playfully saluting his father. Ruy wondered what would be so important for his father to go out for, especially when he was just blessed with second son! Maybe he was going to his friends to tell them the happy news? Either way, now there was nothing holding him back from meeting his brother! Once again he calmed himself and stepped through the door. On the bed he saw her mother. But instead of smiling warmly like always, she looked sad and miserable. The worry came back into Ruy's mind, but just then Dove noticed her older son and the warm smile returned on her face. "Hello dear. Come and see your little brother!" she said. Ruy forgot all about what he had just seen and eagerly, yet carefully, stepped forward. In Dove's hooves, there was a small bundle of yellow and cyan fur, who was sleeping soundly in the arms of it's mother. Ruy's heart was about to explode again. He was so SMALL! And FLUFFY! And SMALL! And CUTE!! "Do you want to hold him?" Dove asked. Ruy thought about it for a while. Then he nodded and extended his hooves to receive the small bundle in his arms. "He is so... small... and warm... and fluffy!" Ruy whispered, not wanting to wake the small pony. The foal in his arms yawned widely, and Ruy felt tears in his eyes. "What's his name?" Ruy asked. Dove was quiet for a while and then answered: "Little Butterfly. " "I promise, Shô. Nothing bad will ever happen to you!" Ruy promised as he gently snuggled his nose against the baby's. Dove smiled upon seeing that, but it soon faded as her eyes now looked at the window where rain-drops started to drum against the glass. The clock ticked away in the silence.Story of Blade Swift - Abomanation"Okasan ! Shô won't stop crying!" Dove peeked her head from the kitchen and saw her two sons, Ruy and Shô, sitting on the living-room floor. The elder brother had been playing with the small foal when it had started crying all of the sudden. Ruy had tried everything, making funny faces, tickling, playing peek-a-boo, but the yellow earth-pony colt would not calm down. "What do I do?" Ruy asked, almost panicking. Dove giggled. "Babies just like to cry sometimes. Let him cry it all out." she said and went back to cooking. Ruy looked down on the baby pony, crying it's eyes out for no reason. The colt could not understand why Shô had to cry so much. Dad would not be happy about it... Suddenly Ruy got an idea! Shô's teddy bear seemed to always calm the baby whenever mom would sing him to sleep. "Wait here you pesky lil Brimstone!" Ruy giggled and ruffled the small cyan-blue tuft of hair on the colt's head. "Onii-chan will be back soon!" Ruy galloped to their room and found the bear laying on the side of the crib. Being too short to climb in himself, and the bear being too big to squeeze through the bars, Ruy had to use his magic to get it. But he was still learning, so it took him longer than what he would have liked. Once he finally did, he was excited! Not only would Shô calm down before dad came home, but he could also tell his parents how good his magic was getting! They would be so proud of him... "Leave him alone!" "Can't you even keep the damn abomination quiet for two minutes? What kind of mother are you?" "Ruy cried just as much as he did, but that didn't seem to bother you!" "I come home after a long and tired day with a headache and you think it's acceptable for you to scream at your husband!" "It is when you hurt my babies!" Oh no... Ruy ran to the door only to witness his mother covering Shô with her body while his father was looming over them, looking furious. While Ruy had been gone, Crowned Diamond had come back home, indeed after a long and tiring day, with a headache. And first thing he saw and heard was his younger son crying his eyes out. Diamond hated Shô. Ruy wasn't sure why, but he always had. So when the small pony started to crawl towards it's father in search of protection, Diamond had roughly pushed the colt away from him with detest. Dove had witnessed this and immediately jumped into protecting her young. Now the bear Ruy had held in his magic fell on the floor. With horror he watched his parents yell at each other. Even Shô, who had started to cry again after being pushed, stopped, as if knowing that his crying would only make things worse. "I tell you one more time; don't you dare to hurt my babies!" Dove snarled, her horn sparking with weakened magic. "How dare you threaten me? When you know full well that this abomination is all your fault!" Diamond snarled back, his horn sparking in retaliation. "OTOSAN ! Stop!" Ruy yelled after throwing himself between his parents. He looked at his father with teary eyes. "Don't hurt my brother! Or mother! Please!" Diamond took a step back after seeing his older son's face. Without saying anything, he simply turned and left. He would eat outside and sleep in his office. Again. Ruy fought tears as Dove gave him a tight hug. "Thank you, Koibito. " she whispered. "Why does dad hate Shô so much?" Ruy sobbed. Dove looked up and sighed. "Take you brother and help him in the chair. I'll tell you over dinner..."Similar ArtworksSee Morearrow_outward