“You certainly gobbled that up quickly,” Golden Happenstance said with a gentle smile in the torchlight. “Did you want a second plate?”
“Hmmm?” Kera swallowed the last of her meal without thinking. He glanced up at the elder, then at her plate. “Oh. Uhm… huh…”
Belle chuckled. “There’s no shame in asking for seconds, Kera.”
“I-I don’t know where it went…” The filly shrank back in her seat. “It was… uh… pretty good for rice.”
“Blame it on the seasoning,” Hap said as he sat besides Belle and Pilate at their end of a table. “Trade Lerris secret.”
“Well. Uhm. It’s good. I didn’t really expect it to be… but…”
“It’s actually a very common meal,” Hap said. “Undoubtedly something Radiant Moon and Benevolent Blue prepared everyday, like most folks around here. That’s probably where you grew a taste for it, even if you don’t remember.”
Belle snuck a glance at Pilate.
Kera bit her lip, fidgeting in her seat. “You guys really cared about them, huh? My foster parents, I mean.”
Hap slowly, slowly nodded. “My sister meant a lot to me. Her husband was a very good stallion too. Their compassion and warm hearts aren’t easily forgotten.”
“Do… Do you know how they died?”
Hap tried not to wince. He placed his fork down and leaned back in his seat.
Pilate shifted uncomfortably.
Bellesmith leaned forward. “Kera, darling, this may be something to discuss when we aren’t enjoying the meal they’ve prepared for us--”
“No, she has every right to know,” Hap said. A weak smile. “The child has a lot of Radiant in her. Radiant Moon was never one for pretense. Above all else, she appreciated the truth, no matter how disturbing.” He turned to gaze at the filly. “Your foster parents, Kera, were accosted by the same ponies who abducted you from your home. They put up a struggle, from what we can tell. Before the strangers took off in their airship and flew west, they brought Radiant and Benevolent out behind their very own house… and shot them several times with manarifles.”
Belle grimaced.
“Blessed Spark…” Pilate muttered.
“I… wish I could say that the attackers were good marksponies. Truth is, they did not perish quickly. Radiant was luckier. She… was unconscious by the time that we discovered what had happened. Benevolent Blue was still able to speak with us. He lasted for about an hour before his heart gave out on him. When he wasn’t describing to us the faces of the ponies responsible for the atrocity, he was… expressing his deepest and most sincere affection for you… and f-for Radiant…” He cleared his throat and clenched his jaw shut at the end of that.
Kera stared up at him, dry-eyed. “Did Benevolent… I mean…” She squirmed in her seat. “Did my foster dad seem… angry that I brought those bad guys upon him and my foster mom?”
“Oh, child, no…” Golden Happenstance sniffled, leaning over from where he sat with a tender smile. “They cherished you far too much. And if you feel doubt in your heart, know this. My sister was a strong and responsible mare. But she wasn’t foolish. She knew the potential risk there was in being a Ledomaritan who adopted a pony with tattoos in this part of the world. She was respected and loved by everypony in Lerris, but she knew full well what would have happened if the Xonans moved in and discovered her with you or the likes of Beau.”
“You say that as if she’s adopted a Xonan kid before.”
Golden Happenstance merely smiled.
Kera did a double-take. She was nearly breathless when her voice cracked, “You m-mean I have brothers and sisters?”
Hap chuckled slightly, blinking his eyes dry. “Most of them have moved out of the village, and the only one you’re old enough to remember is Beau. But Beau was more of a nephew to Radiant and Benevolent. The ponies who primarily raised him live on the outskirts of the village. They’re sitting on the other side of the courtyard, if you would like to talk to them. They know a thing or two about your foster parents as well.”
“You guys seem… well…” Kera shrugged. “You’ve seen some nasty stuff, and yet you are so calm about it n’whatnot.”
“Hmmmmm. It’s a learned talent, and not one that one adopts to easily,” Hap said. “I must say, you’ve adjusted quite well yourself, darling.”
“But…” Kera fidgeted. “I… I-I really don’t remember much…”
Hap blinked at that. Before he could think of something to say, a bunch of high-pitched voices murmured nearby. He glanced behind his chair.
So did Kera. “Whoah!” Kera scrunched down and hid behind her chair.
Three tiny ponies flinched as well, staring at her with wide, bright eyes in the torchlight. There were two fillies and a colt. One of the fillies had several lines etched in her coat.
“Uh… h-hi there,” the colt said, waving a hoof.
“What… what are you?” Kera muttered.
Belle smiled. She patted Kera’s mane. “They’re foals, Kera. Just like you.”
“Yeah… but…” Kera peaked her head out from behind the chair. “What are they doing here?”
“What else?” Hap chuckled. “They live here.”
“I wasn’t aware there were children here,” Pilate said.
“What you see is what you get,” Beau said as he stepped up and placed his hooves on two of the foals’ shoulders. “Well, except for the twins that belong to the Greenspires uplake. But they couldn’t make it tonight.” He squeezed the ponies’ shoulders. “What’d I tell you, guys? She’s just a guest. Let’s give her some space, alright?”
“Awwwww…”
“But she’s got tattoos like me!”
“She seems fine to me!”
Kera glanced up at Belle.
Belle smiled.
With a devilish smirk, Kera glanced back at the foals. “Hey! Can any of you do magic?”
Two of them--the colt and the tattooed filly--blushed beneath their stubby horns.
“No…”
“Daddy says that I should spend more time learning fishing than magic.”
“Pffft. That’s stupid. Check this out.” Kera tilted her head towards her part of the table. The empty plate lifted up, twirled around, and spun in the torchlight.
“Whoahhhhhhhhh…” the three foals stammered.
Beau whistled. “She’s a natural, Hap! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I… uh…” Hap scratched his gray mane. “I wasn’t aware, quite frankly.”
Pilate smirked. “We never meant to boast.”
“Well, I sure can!” Kera tossed the plate straight up, pivoted around in her chair, and caught it just centimeters from crashing into her tattooed face. She leaned back and pretended to balance the floating thing on the end of her glowing horn. “Ta-daaaaaa!”
The foals whistled and clapped their hooves, smiling wide.
Hap glanced at Belle. The mare was already nodding. “Beau…?”
“Hmm? Yes, Uncle Hap?”
“I do believe there’s no need to pull on the children’s ears. They’re only curious. I suspect so is our guest.”
“Hey!” The colt leaned forward, smiling wide. “They’ve got cinnamon sticks being passed out tonight! You wanna try some?”
“Hey, I was born to do two things!” Kera hopped down from her chair. “Kick flank and eat cinnamon!”
“Maybe you could show us some more of your cool magic?”
“Hmmmm… maybe.” Kera was already waddling out as she glanced behind her shoulder. “Pilate? Belle?”
“Go on, darling. But don’t leave the courtyard without telling us.”
“Sure thing!” She scampered off with the other foals, rambling into an awe-inspiring tale of one sort or another. The children stumbled after her, jaws dropped in the torchlight.
Beau glanced back and winked. “I’ll look after ‘em.” He followed at a distance.
“Well, that’s nice,” Hap said. “The kids around here don’t often see visitors their age. I quite honestly didn’t know how that would go.”
“Mr. Happenstance, thank you for being such a kind… understanding guest,” Pilate said. “As you can obviously see, Kera is certainly not one to cut corners.”
“One cannot fault her,” the old stallion said with a sigh. “And, if I may be so bold, I can tell that the two of you are a great deal more cautious about things than her.”
“We can’t help it,” Pilate said. “We’ve been through a lot. We tend to get paranoid.”
“As healthy parents ought to be,” Hap said.
Belle stirred slightly. “Mr. Happenstance, we obviously know about how Kera’s time with her foster parents ended. Perhaps you would be so kind as to… tell us more.” She smiled bravely. “So we can be better prepared to inform Kera herself.”
Hap nodded. “I would be happy to.” He leaned forward and began speaking as Belle and Pilate listened in.
High above the courtyard, on an outstretched crossbeam jutting out from the top of a three-story building, Rainbow Dash was perched. She loomed above the torchlight and the many, many heads of the ponies--both villagers and outsiders.
Her ruby eyes darted between her two best friends and the little filly who was giggling and weaving tales before the children she had just met.
With a deep sigh, Rainbow Dash leaned forward, resting her chin against her crossed forelimbs. She blinked into the night, and as the minutes dripped by while she gazed intently, her eyes grew glossier and glossier.
I'm trying to think if there's anypony named Courageous in this story. Foreshadowing maybe?
Hmmm...Rainbow's current brooding makes me wonder...I wonder what Scoots is up to right now? It's been a long time since we've heard anything about her. When was that, anyways? First book?
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A dog. A dog will be named Courageous.
He will be pink, unintelligible, and a coward, and the only reason everyone doesn't die.
This reminds me a ton of Charlotte's Web... Some terrific, radiant, humble pig...
Not sure I trust this town... But it seems less suspicious than Archer Point at least. Anyone else expecting something bad to happen? Just me? Oh well.
Zadubadabu is so close I can almost taste it. The anticipation is killing me, but we must bear the burdens of time and Lerris to reach the golden city of the Lost Ancient Kingdom. I know Props is on my side at least.
Let's see... a remote village with an aging population, wherein a surprising number of the children seem to have been adopted (many of them from Xona, and who have now "left town"). Seems legit.
Change it to Kick flank and eat grasshoppers, and that's nuff said.
At this point, I'm almost positive Kera won't be staying in Lerris. It's just been hinted at too much. This herring is starting to smell a great deal too red!
...fish...
...ponies who were adopted...
...left the village...
...fudgemuffins, I hope the fish aren't...
The longer the quiet time, the more freinds made and equipment and resources sorted, the harder it will be when Shell hits. Until then, keep an eye out, restock, and try and rest a little.
While the Lerris ponies are very nice, and there are other foals there for Kera to interact with, it is still a town of the dead and dying.
I cannot imagine Kera being content in a quiet town like Lerris for a very long time, or willingly parting with her adoptive family on the Noble Jury. I would think she is destined for greater things than a sleepy life in Lerris, and I will be a little disappointed if she remains there.
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No! The both of you stop! They have been nothing but nice to the gang!
Even though we don't know of Kera's biological parents.
Nor do we know that much about village history.
And Beu seems like he would be the type to creep on Kera....
You guys have corrupted me...
I wonder how things are doing back in Equestria. It's certainly been awhile since we've heard from them. If I recall correctly an expedition was going West, yes?
3912815 She has a greater destiny than fading away in a quiet town. Good way to put it. I think that sums up my inarticulated feelings on the subject.
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You win. Everything.
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fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/305/e/a/rainbow_dash___no_by_cptofthefriendship-d4erd69.png
Kera is finally starting to enjoy herself. Not sure if that's a good thing.
~Basso
why is rainbow crying..
Methinks Rainbow is suffering Scootamemories.
scootaroo! ware r u?
I'm glad to see that Kera is getting some time to be a proper foal. She won't get much more of that if she continues on with the Jury.
You're not wearing the right costume, Dashie. But if you want to pretend you're Batmare, I can't stop you.
Rainbow is best gargoyle. It is nice to see that Kera really gets to fully comprehend just what she will leave behind should she choose to go on. Her decision will be a clear one - although knowing her, I don't suspect it will be a rational one.
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I was picturing Batman...
And maybe humming B:TAS theme...
I'm a nerd, aren't I?
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
Hmm...somehow I can't see Kera staying behind in Lerris. There really isn't anything I can think of that would justify that, given all that she's been through with Pilate and Belle. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Weekend.
Filled with things.
Dancing.
Homeworks and general blargh.
Kera gets to spend time with foals her age before she leaves.
-Spirit
ive fallen asleep through the thousand yard stare just like rainbow is right now. i know exactly how it is
#relatingtorainbow
Aww Rainbow . . .
I was under the impression that Kera already knew how her parents died, because she had detailed it earlier in the story... I guess she knew that they had been shot, just not the specific details.
Kera isn't the only one feeling feels.
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Saw your avatar and was instantly reminded of 20% Sweetier.
Was Uncle Hap named after you?
"And I'm aaaaaallll out of cinnamon."
Also holy crap she's totally going to stay isn't she? I hope not, but...
I can already see what needs to happen... I'm gonna miss all three of them.