A walk through the town

"Come on, Honey" Stripes said, holding Asters hoof as they walked through the Marketplace

Aster walked slowly behind him, weighed down by her slightly swollen belly. She nodded and smiled, carefully catching up with him. "Where are we going?"

"To the Café" he said, nuzzling her

Blue Aster smiled and nuzzled him, looking at the Cafe. "Are we meeting anypony there?" She asked.

Hawthorne sat at the Cafe with Iron, smiling.

"I dont know" Stripes said, walking to the Café

Aster smiled faintly and saw her Hawthorne sitting outside the Cafe. "My brother is here..." She said. "I hope he doesn't get angry..."

"I hope not" he said, grabbing her hoof and walking towards them

Aster nodded slowly and sat down at the table across from her brother.

Hawthorne looked up, seeing Aster and Stripes.'"Hello, sister." he said with a soft smile.

"Hello, Aster, Hi Stripes" Iron said

"Hey Iron, hey Hawthorne"

Aster smiled and greeted Iron, blushing faintly as she nuzzled Stripes. "Guess what? We're expecting a foal!"

Hawthorne stared, dumbfounded, before his eyes narrowed at Stripes.

Iron smiled brightly "Congratulations!"

Stripes looked at Hawthorne with a fake smile, he was afraid of his reaction.
He took in a deep breath

Hawthorne took a deep breath. "When did this happen? Why didn't you ask my approval?!" He said to Aster.

"Last I checked, I don't need your approval to start a family!" Aster yelled faintly back at her brother.

"You're not ready." Hawthorne said.

"If it were up to you, I'd never be ready! Aster retorted. "You're not dad, you'll never be like him!"

Hawthorne looked shocked, his mouth frozen in an open position.

Aster winced as tears dripped from her eyes, she slammed a hoof down on the table before running off as fast as her swollen belly would allow.

Stripes looked angrily at Hawthorne before following Aster
"Aster, wait!" he called

"Great work... cant you just stop being a father and let her live her life like she wants to?" Iron said

Hawthorne sighed softly. "I'm sorry... I've had to take up that role ever since our parents passed away...."

Aster breathed heavily, panting and collapsing by a tree, exhausted. The pregnancy was taking a heavy toll on her energy.

"I know how that feels.. When I was just a teen, my parents died at a factory explosion in Manehattan. I saw my own mother burning alive. The only family I had was my little brother Metal, I raised him like a mother" she said, a tear running down her cheek

Stripes walked towards her "Aster.."

"I raised Aster as if I was her father.... Our mother died after giving birth to Aster.... And when aster was 10, our father died of disease." Hawthorne said.

Aster sobbed loudly, burying her face in her forelegs. "My father would have been overjoyed to have a grandchild.."

Stripes wiped the tears off her face and pulled her into a hug

Aster winced softly, huddling close to him and crying into his chest.

Stripes nuzzled her cheek softly "Im so sorry"

Aster looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't want to listen to him anymore..."

"I think we should go home" he said, wiping the tears out of her face

Aster nodded slowly, huddling close to him.

He wrapped his wing over her and walked home

Aster nuzzled him and walked beside him.

They arrived at home and Stripes sat down on the couch