I had a really bad day at work, and the one thought that pulled me through the rougher hours was the thought of coming home and drawing up a few sketches of this muddle of a family– so, though they’re not the cleanest of art I’ve done, here is the family that resides in the Castle of Friendship in my NG.

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Though not the most traditional of families, the love that binds this motley crew is undeniable in strength. A blessing above, because goodness knows these kids will need every bit of positivity they could handle.

Sweet Heart dedicated her life to embodying this positive energy, letting any confidence she had shine bright enough to drown out… any doubts building up beneath her feet. An earth pony daughter of the Princess who’s special talent and element of harmony was magic was hard enough, along with complete gossip mill that was her potential other parent– well, Sweet Heart couldn’t let those things get her down. Not when she had a mother who loved her, an uncle-brother who supported her, and a sister who needed her. Needed all that love and support her family could give; all of it.

Sweet Heart dedicated her time and energy and love into the dragon-pony, who was all but her twin, without hesitation. Born at the same time, in the same room, and raised together with the same mother-figure and same father-figure– yes. Sweet loved Gale like her twin; and she would do anything for her family.

(Sweet Heart didn’t need to know her other mother was Celestia. She didn’t need to know she had another sister, and that she was the plain earth jane of two alicorns. She didn’t need to know that. But when she did– when she found out.

All Sweet Heart needed to know was that Rapid Gale needed her, and Twilight loved her, and Spike supported her.

And she would embody that love with ever fall of her hooves.)

Rapid Gale, meanwhile, had inherited her mother’s dramatic streak. Besides operational wings, this was perhaps the only thing her mother had ever given her past a cold shoulder. Gale loved her sister, and… she wished she could smile for her. Like her. She could see Sweet’s mood soar whenever the crease above her eyes lifted even a little– and, one day, Gale hoped she could smile for her sister. Properly.

But… living as the first known, natural dragon-pony hybrid (later known as a draconalgo, due to her non-magical existance), in the public eye, with the public dismissal and disownment of her pony mother… it was hard. She could hear the whispers, the scorn, every time she set foot outside the castle. It was so awful that, even with another draconalgo was known (the first born, in fact), she… Gale couldn’t bring herself to publicise their existance. She couldn’t bring this kind of hate into anyone else’s life; not willingly.

(It wasn’t the public hate that drove the self-hatred in her mind– no. No it’s the lack of recognition on her mother’s face. The awkward silence that penetrates conversations with her half-siblings; the half thought out excuses as the mare who would be her step-mother.

Gale knew she hadn’t been wanted, and Gale knew she was as much of an accident as her sister. One day, as a storm raged in the skies above, she screamed as much at her fleeing mother’s back. Hurried wings halted, before continuing their flight.

One more scream, two furious lightening bolts, and then…

The hermit returned home; to where people actually liked her.

And, perhaps one day she’d actually believe… that they loved her.)