So Nora stands out on the porch and thinks. Primarily about Nora and why she left, and she can't help to feel that the reason Nora left. Which means Raptor is trying to figure out a way to make things up to her. So after an hour or two of thinking she heads back inside to inform Mobius of her plan.
"I'm going to Edwards."
"Good for you."
"Don't you care why?"
"Should I?"
"Yes you should you're my brother! Of course you should care!"
"For a whore of a sister?"
"You said you'd never bring that up."
"To anyone but you." Mobius said beating Raptor at her own game.
"Damned you and your memory, I'm going to Edwards."
"Whatever."
"FUCK you Mobius."
"Incest."
"FUCK!" Raptor said knowing full well what Mobius meant by that, was playing up the whole my sister is a whore thing.
Mobius only laughed as she left, it was late, and Raptor was never the best nighttime navigator, everyone else was pretty good at it, just not her.
 
2200 hrs. Your home.
Falken is home alone, which is a first. Well first time completely unattended. So what's he do? Drink everything caffeinated in the hangar, and it's result is something rather unexpected. the cameras that are normally white blotches on his head are now acting like omnidirectional flashlights.
"This stuff is great! I can study things all night!" Falken said as he was inside of his room with all the books he had open and reading them all simultaneously again. And so he studies his books until noon when the then suddenly passes out in his room surrounded by books and empty cans of energy drinks.
When Falken wakes up again it happens to be 2000 Hrs, and he has a terrible headache
"That was not the most intelligent thing I've done." Falken said as he wobbled his way into the bathroom where you kept the aspirin. Though he opened the cabinet and then just looked completely confused by the contents of the cabinet.
"Which one is the aspirin?" he said to himself as he searched the cabinet before fruitlessly putting everything back
So he ends up walking to Patches' hangar in the middle of the night
"Grandma, I've got a headache." Falken says as he knocks on Patches' door. Though it's actually Litvyak who opens the door.
"What you wantings?"
"I've got a headache."
"You not findings aspirin at home?"
"Dad or mom usually gets it for me, and they left me alone."
"Come in. 19, family oddball here." Litvyak said with a sigh.
"Falken what are you doing here?"
"I've got a headache grandma."
"Hold on, I'll get you some aspirin."
"Thank you" Falken said as he went and lay down on a couch.
"So Mom and dad went out did they?"
"Yes, they left me home alone."
"Well, perhaps its a good thing."
"What do you mean?" Falken asked as Patches brought him the aspirin and a glass of water.
"Perhaps your dad is trying to show that he trusts you."
"He left me alone with Twilight's friends."
"He figured you'd be busy and be responsible if anything broke."
"Without warning."
"Sweetie, things slip his mind, more so when your marefriend is around."
"Please do not remind me."
"I think he said something to the sorts of I'm only human I can make mistakes, and I think this is one of those times where he may have made a minor mistake in not telling you." Patches said giving Falken an understanding of the situation, and a fairly good one at that.
"Yes, but he isn't a human anymore."
"Look, Falken, we all make mistakes. What your dad did, I wouldn't call a mistake. Just take it as it is, and try not to think too much into things like you always do."
"Well, that does make more sense."
"Yes, what have you been doing all this time I didn't see you all day yesterday after Purple left."
"I went home and read, drank everything that was caffeinated and in a can, then read."
"That would explain the headache. What time did you go to sleep yesterday."
"This morning."
"Good gracious Falken. What time?"
"Last time I looked at a clock or my internal clock it was 1130hrs."
"And did you just get up?"
"Yes." Falken said as Patches was surprised
"That can't be good for you."
"I know, I shall have dad check my systems when he returns for any damage."
"You're welcome to stay here with me and Lily."
"Thank you grandma. I really don't feel like moving."
"I'm sure you don't. Try to rest if you can." Patches said as she took the glass back into her kitchen and was joined by Litvyak.
"Why he do that to self?"
"He's still pretty young, he's very literate and conceptually smart, but in terms of what you and I call common sense, he's still a child."
"So he do that because he not know better?"
"Essentially yes." Patches said as the two of them were just talking in the kitchen.
"So 19 we lookings after him until Rex get back?"
"Only if he wants us to. I'm not going to smother the boy, otherwise he won't learn if he's uncomfortable at home he'll come back here."
"You always did make good parent."
"Oh, they never were my foals, but adopting Rex sometimes gives me that feeling again."
"Which feelings?"
"The one of being a mother. I missed it, I'm not having my own foals, but adopting Rex and his family was the best thing to happen to me."
"Da, I just happy to be part of family again." Litvyak said as she got a hug from Patches.
"I'm happy you're back in my family Lily."
"19, why you call me Lily all time?"
"I guess it's my nickname for you Litvyak, besides, in the way things work out you're my little sister." Patches said as the two of them were still talking in the kitchen of her home.
"Da, is good to have family I know again."
"Don't have to say that again. Well I'm going to go to sleep, if he gets up take care of him would you?"
"Da, I do my best."
"Thanks Lily." Patches said as she went off to bed.
Litvyak really didn't have to do much as Falken had passed out again and stayed out for the entire night as Litvyak herself went to bed leaving nobody awake in the hangar.
 
0000hrs. Edwards, Nora's hangar.
Raptor had barely managed to find the hangar in the dark or find Edwards for that matter, but it does help that it's the only bright spot in the middle of a fucking desert. So for pure dumb luck and a few helpful residents Raptor manages to find Nora's hangar, and she would have kicked in the door if it weren't for you and Morgan out in the cool evening air looking up at the stars.
"Oh hey Rex, Morgan, have either of you seen Nora?"
"She's inside."
"Okay."
"Where do you think you're going Raptor?" You say without looking at Raptor as she tries to sneak past you.
"To talk to Nora."
"More like to yell at her for not asking if you wanted to come along, take a seat."
"Uh no thanks, I just wanna go talk to Nora."
"Take a seat Raptor the three of us need to talk." You say trying to persuade her a little.
"I really just want to go and talk to Nora."
"I'm not going to say it again Raptor, take a seat, or Morgan's going to get to play with you tonight."
"Fine, I'll hear what you've got to say." Raptor said as she now walks up and sits by you.
"Good, because it wouldn't have been Morgan who would have beaten you into a pulp, it would have been me."
"What?"
"You're here to scream at Nora for not asking if you wanted to come along right?" You say slightly changing the subject
"How'd you know?"
"Of all the Ponies in Avalon's Shadow Raptor, I know you the best outside of my own family. Besides you don't think I hear things?"
"Those little shits."
"It's not the Smiths if that's what you're wondering. It's other ponies I hear talking about you. Besides Raptor we're only here until tomorrow evening. This was just a trip to warm up and an excuse for me to meet Glennis, and strike a deal." You say explaining what's going on here.
"So I came all this way for nothing?"
"Practically yes, now if I hear you blow up on her when we get home, I'm going to remove your gun, and turn all your hard points into useless dummy racks while you're asleep. And do you know why?"
"Because you're tired of hearing all this shit about me?"
"Exactly, and you may need to learn your place still, it's not like things when you won that contract years ago. Times have changed Raptor, and you need to change with them."
"I don't get it. I'm still the best."
"Your family is one of the greats, but you are stuck in the past, trying to keep the glory days alive by any means necessary. Those days are long gone Raptor, it's like where I was from, you're still living in your highschool years and think that you're still cool, when actually you're just a cunt that can't get with the times. For a fighter you're shit at adapting to the situation." You say as Raptor sits there and thinks about what you're saying.
"Dad's saying that if you weren't such a cunt all the time and maybe let up on the yelling a lot of ponies would like you more."
"Oh, why didn't you say that Rex?"
"Male, he doesn't get certain things."
"Right." Raptor said as you only stare at Morgan with a bit of discontent
"Will that be all Raptor?"
"I guess so"
"Great, go home"
"But I just got here"
"GO home Raptor, I know I'm being a bit harsh, but you need some time to think about how you're going to handle this calmly. Which means you need to calm down a bit"
"Ugh, fine" Raptor said as you managed to talk her into leaving
After Raptor walks away and then takes off, Nora comes out.
"Did she go?"
"Yea, I managed to talk her into heading back."
"Great, I thought she was going to yell at me."
"She was, if I didn't intercept her."
"Oh, uh thanks."
"Right." You say as you begin to head inside, after Morgan.
"Uh Rex?"
"Yea?"
"Thanks for stopping her. Did you talk some sense into her?"
"Sort of, I resorted to using my normal threats of potentially crippling changes to get her to understand what I wanted from her."
"Oh, I heard something about a gun and dummy racks earlier."
"You want me to explain that?"
"NO, please don't." Nora said as you looked at her with a slightly sleep deprived look on your face.
"Great now if you don't mind I'm going to get some rest."
"Of course." Nora said as she let you past and you go to join Thunderbolt in the wonderful world of sleep. When you walk into the room and find the bed, all you do is flop down onto it, causing Thunderbolt to murmur to you, something about not flopping onto the bed like it's a couch.
 
0800 Avalon's Shadow.
Falken is now awake in Patches' hangar wondering how he got there.
"Good morning Falken."
"Morning Grandma, how'd I get here?"
"You walked here last night, you had a headache from drinking a lot of caffeine yesterday."
"Oh, right, I did do that." Falken said as he fully booted up all of his systems.
"Da, you comings here late, and ask for aspirin."
"Well, I'm going to head home."
"Da, havings fun." Litvyak said as Falken made his way towards the door.
"Yea, more like cleaning up my room." Falken said as he left.
1100 Hrs. VTOL hangar.
"Why you let me go and drink other day?"
"Because I thought you deserved it."
"Hangover or time away?"
"The time away my dear. I wouldn't wish a hangover on anyone but my sister."
"Da, Raptor is bitch." Sasha said unaware that Lilya was in the room.
"Mom?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"What's a bitch?"
"It is something you should not repeat."
"But you said it before me."
"And you shall not repeat it do you hear me?"
"Yes mom." Lilya said in a downtrodden tone while Sasha looked to Lightning for some assistance on how to handle the situation.
"Don't ask me, my sister had no filter what soever."
"That is load of manure."
"Go and ask, her she still doesn't censor herself, at least Rex attempts to do so." Lightning said which didn't help Sasha at all.
"Daddy?"
"I'm not explaining what that word is either, just as long as you promise me you won't repeat it okay?"
"Okay, but I had a different question?"
"Oh, what is it?"
"What's for lunch?" Lilya asked getting a laugh out of her parents.
"Borscht."
"Ewww."
"Well would you prefer pasta?"
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want cookies." Lilya said again making her parents laugh.
"Lilya sweetie, you won't grow up to be big and strong if all you eat is cookies."
"But I want cookies." Lilya said as she tried to combat her dad.
"You look up to Morgan right?"
"YEA! She's awesome!"
"You think she got that way by eating cookies all the time?"
"But I see her with cookies all the time!" Lilya said getting a questioning look from Sasha.
"Sweetie, I really doubt she does." Sasha said causing Lightning to sigh, Sasha's Russian lessons were good, but not excellent, he still had a lot to learn before he completely understands.
"No fair."
"Lots of things aren't my dear."
"I'm not hungry." Lilya said getting Sasha to roll her eyes as the three of them argue over what they're going to have for lunch.
1300 Hrs. Edge of Space.
You and your family decided to go out to lunch, and even Falken joins you due to the fact that his purple growth isn't there.
"Well Ah ain't seen ya here with jus yer family in ah while Falken."
"Oh ha ha KC, that's very amusing."
"Ah ain't makin a joke Falken."
"Well, please do not make mentions of Twilight like that."
"Ah get it Falken. Nothin about tha Princess." KC said as you're sitting there stomach growling and really annoyed.
"That's great you two, so how about we order lunch already?" You say cutting in making the desire to eat known.
"Alright, what kin Ah get ya Rex?"
"Well, I'd like a burrito."
"Anythin else?"
"Yea, sorry for butting in, please don't coat my burrito in fuel."
"Tha's betta." KC said as you apologized for being a little rude, though it was needed so orders could be taken.
"Ladies?"
"I'll have what dad's having."
"Thunderbolt?"
"A salad would be nice, chef's choice."
"Much obliged ladies, Falken?"
"Just JP-8 shall due. I do not understand why the three of you need to augment the value of our standard fuel. There is very little gain." Falken said as all of you rolled your eyes as you could actually get the power you needed from regular foods, albeit you need a lot of it, which is why it's made much larger to accommodate that need.
"Ah'll be back in ah while. Falken, ya do know we don't need fuel ta survive."
"I understand that, but why would you prefer to eat such things?"
"Cause they taste... Ya know what, Ah ain't gonna argue with ya, cause Ah know ya like it when ponies argue with ya." KC said as he now finally walked off to attend to your orders.
"I honestly do not understand why you chose to eat like regular ponies."
"We like how these things taste. I'm sure Twilight has tried to expose you to some of these things."
"Yes, she has, primarily cake."
"You're fucking kidding me."
"No, I am not 'kidding' you dad, and please, do cut back on the foul language." Falken said making you roll your eyes.
"Falken, do you really think that I'm going to care as long as Lilya isn't in the same room as me?"
"Of course not. Though I do wish you took the same consideration with me."
"Falken, I hate to break it to you buddy, but you see yourself above such uneducated words, so you seen no reason to use them." You say knowing why Falken does not swear, though you're sure in time, and with things that happen he's going to learn to swear almost exactly like you. You know Morgan can, she just doesn't do so when you're around.
"Then why don't you have a chat with Morgan about her language?"
"Falken you think I don't know that she's just as bad if not a little worse than me?"
"Wait how do you?"
"She and I sort of have shared a few memories, and my swearing habits happened to be one of the ones we share. Though she is definitely more creative and colorful with them than I am." You say making Morgan's face go red as KC brings out your drinks.
"What'd ya do this time Rex?"
"Oh nothin, just reminded Morgan that she swears worse than a mercenary."
"Ah ain't heard her swear in ah long time Rex, ya sure she's that bad?" KC said as he looked to Morgan who only tried to slide beneath the booth you were sitting at out of embarrassment.
"Ah don't think ya can hide Morgan, big a big mare an just take tha embarrassment"
"No."
"Ah'll be back with yer food shortly." KC said leaving everyone at the table alone again.
"Daaaad! Why do you gotta do that?"
"I'm your dad it's what I do. I embarrass my kiddos, isn't that right buddy?" You say redirecting the conversation to Falken
"Rex, that's enough. I think you've embarrassed the kids enough."
"If you say so dear"
"Can't we have a normal conversation until our lunch arrives?" Thunderbolt said which got a resounding yes from your kids
"Well, Falken, for being left home alone, you didn't burn down the hangar, and you've cleaned up your room slightly."
"Is that a compliment mom?"
"Well it's nice to see that you can take care of yourself." Thunder said
"Of course I can take care of myself, it is rather difficult to show you when you both refuse to allow me opportunities such as the one you have given me recently. Though I did have a massive headache and did have to go to grandma's for aspirin."
"That was smart." Thunderbolt said as Falken told you all about his weekend alone.
"Yes it was, but that was because I could not find the aspirin at home."
"Well, somehow it all disappeared when Twilight's friends were here. Strange don't you think?"
"Uh Rex, I may or may not have had a continual headache when they were here."
"Apparently we didn't have that many left to begin with."
"There were three left."
"And we're out of aspirin, looks like we didn't even have any to begin with buddy." You say as you laugh a little bit as KC brings out your lunch.
"An here we are, Morgan, ah'd taste each one if Ah were ya, since Ah may have mixed them up."
"Right, dad's is gonna taste a little blander."
"Naw, spicier, an less like fuel."
"Huh, but the fuel is a given." Morgan said as she tasted the sauces for each burrito and then gave you yours.
"Dad, how can you eat something that spicy?"
"I like spicy things."
"Yea, but that hurts my mouth."
"Whatever I like it." You say as you begin to dig into the burrito as Morgan looks on in a bit of confusion as to how you can eat something so mouth numbingly spicy.
"Sweetie, ignore your father, I don't understand that either, but he'll pay for that later with some indigestion."
"That's only if there's meat in this burrito. So far I just taste chicken, and that's easy on my stomach." You say as you've demolished half of this burrito as Thunderbolt has barely made a dent into her salad and Morgan has barely even touched her burrito.
"Must you eat like a slob?"
"Falken, do you need a reminder of how you eat at home?"
"I do not, and do not require you to demonstrate it here."
"I thought so. So do me a favor and don't say I eat like a slob." You say with a mouth full of food.
"Rex, stop that's disgusting."
"What I'm hungry?" You say after swallowing what was in your mouth and then finish the last bit of the burrito.
"Clearly. You've already ate that burrito? It was the size of Twilight."
"Oh, shit I guess I did." You say with a laugh.
"How can you eat that much dad? I can barely get half way."
"Must have been running on empty then."
"That's a little dangerous."
"We're partially biological, a little fuel starvation won't kill me." You say as getting a little giggle out of the girls.
The lunch progresses nicely as the VTOLs now join in on the lunch rush. Which means Lilya is in the building, causing you to now watch your language.
Though to your surprise Lightning walks up to your table with Lilya on his back.
"Hey Morgan, can I ask a favor?"
"Huh? Sure Lightning, what is it?"
"Could you watch Lilya for Sasha and I?"
"Of course! I'll watch her."
"Great, Sasha and I were going to head out to Hornet for a couple of days, you're welcome to stay in our hangar."
"Oh no, Lilya and I are going to have a sleep over in my hangar, if that's Ok with my parents." Morgan said giving you and Thunderbolt puppy eyes, and you obviously cave into her demands.
"Yea, she can stay with us for a couple of days."
"Great, I've borrowed one of my cousin's apartments out there, so well be there if you need us, please take care of her Morgan." Lightning said as he left Lilya at your table.
"So whaddya want to do first Lilya?"
"I want lunch."
"Okay so whaddya want?" Morgan asked
"I want whatever you're eating."
"So you did you want to finish this for me? I wasn't that hungry."
"SURE!" Lilya said as she attempted to eat Morgan's burrito, and only ate a small portion of it before becoming very full.
"Ugh, there's too much. Too much food. My tummy hurts." Lilya said as Morgan smiled and put Lilya on her back.
"Let's see if I can't find something to fix that at home." Morgan said as she walked home with Lilya riding on her back.