Three months now...

Three months since he was born...

Three months since she...died...

Comet had finally managed to get Bright to sleep after what seemed like forever, cradling him, feeding him, doing whatever was necessary to help him get some rest. The pegasus yawned a tired yawn when he noticed that some light was seeping in from the window.

"What time is it...?" He thought.

Looking up at the wall clock, Comet found that it was 5:08 in the morning.

"Been up for three hours..." He sighed, exhausted.

With Bright sleeping in the grasp of his foreleg, Comet trudged himself over to the couch for a seat. Maybe now he could have some rest, but he couldn't get to sleep. It was just so hard, so damn hard, raising a foal alone. Not only that, but he could barely see his son half the time. Why? Why did Bright have to jinx himself with a perception spell of all things? Not invisible, but unnoticeable. It was a miracle that Comet hadn't lost him in the past three months. Was it a cruel joke? Did fate just suddenly want to turn Comet's world upside down? Things used to be so perfect. The blue pegasus was happily married to the most beautiful mare in the world and they were expecting to have a foal to call their own, to raise and love together, and they would have been a happy family.

...But on that day...the day he was born...it all came crumbling down. After she gave birth, Nova suddenly...died. The doctors couldn't save her. One moment, they were admiring their new son, the next, she just collapsed, never to awaken again. Then, when Bright was taken to the nursery, he sneezed and a spell shot from his horn, ricocheting around the room like a bullet before returning to him, inflicting himself with a curse that couldn't be undone.

"Why did you have to go, Nova...?" Comet looked up at the ceiling. His lips trembled and tears welled up in his eyes. "I can't do this without you."

It was all too much. The weight of all of Comet's responsibility came down on his shoulders and all he knew to do was sob.

"It's not fair! It's just not FAIR!"

Nova's image just couldn't leave from Comet's mind. Her laugh and voice still rang in his ear like the most wonderful melody. Her touch and warmth felt so close to his reach, as if she was right next to him, but she was just unattainable.

Nova Nova Nova Nova...

Comet's thoughts taunted him as the fur on his cheeks grew drenched in his tears. He couldn't stand the thought of her anymore. It hurt too much. Then, Bright murmured, threatening to awaken once more. Comet looked down at his disturbed son...or at least tried to while he shushed and rocked him more in hopes of helping him fall back to sleep. His misty vision and Bright's affliction made it near impossible to see his features. Every time Comet focused his eyes on Bright, his focus constantly strayed away from him. Damn this curse.

Bright Bright Bright...

"Bright..."

"Bright..."

Nova gave the colt that name. The more Comet thought about that name, the more he was reminded of Nova. The pain relentlessly endured.

"If he hadn't been born then, maybe..."

No. What was he thinking?

"Maybe Nova would still be here..."

Comet indulged in the thought before shaking it from his mind. No. That was unfair to...Bright.

"Augh! I hate that name! I HATE it!"

Comet's head rattled as he tried so hard to clear Nova and Bright away from his head. It was time to bury the past in the past. To start, Comet focused his vision on his son as much as possible.

"You...You're not Bright Sight anymore. I never want to hear that name again." Comet growled in spite and resentment.

He searched his thoughts, thinking of a much more suitable name for his son. He thought about it and thought about it until the perfect name came to him.

"My son...from now on, you will be New Moon. My New Moon..."

Then, something from within Bright's...New Moon's swaddling blanket began to glow. Comet carefully unwrapped New from his blanket and saw that his flank was glowing. He focused hard on the image that branded itself to his son. The symbol that would forever mark the young colt was his newly given name, a new moon.