Mud didn’t pout for too long, as Starlight bought an popsicle for her while in the park. The kelpie sat in the shade of a large tree, chewing on the stick that was left of her ‘distraction’. It was not hot, nor was it cold, but nothing mattered as no one was around to take notice.
Mud huffed and grunted in spite to herself, wondering why she even agreed to tag along on this ‘quest’. Nothing about this quest was like in the fairytale books Twilight would read to her, or like the stories Rainbow Dash told her about dragons and epic battles she went on with the other six ponies.
Sick of being alone with thoughts and wishes, Mud scanned the area for anypony who might give her the attention she wanted.
Starlight’s ears pricked up, hearing the sound of verbal conflict.
“As if that’s fun!”
A young mare’s voice by the sound of it, typical for fillies to pick fights with each other, but worth a shot at finding the target problem.
Starlight turned to the others, gesturing with a hoof. “This way, I heard something!”
Rounding a couple trees, there appeared a circle pathway, in the middle a gazebo with trails leading off of it. Two young fillies, visibly angered, stood across from each other.
“Can’t think of anything better?” the second one spat. A vibrant purple earthpony.
“It’s your fault, you do something!” the first one, the one Starlight heard before, a bright green and pink mane. She pointed an accusing hoof at her opponent.
Fluttershy looked on, “this seems serious.”
Rainbow narrowed her eyes, puffing out her chest and began an approach. Starlight pinned her tail down, stopping the Pegasus.
“Hey! I thought this was the plan!?”
Starlight looked at the fillies, “We can’t march up there, take it slow.”
The unicorn started forward first.
“Hey, what’s all this?” She sounded friendly.
The first filly, not noticing another pony interjecting, pointed an accusatory hoof at her opponent.
“She’s being selfish and wants us to play ‘dolls!”
The other huffed angrily, “As if anyone would wanna do makeovers instead!”
Rainbow Dash groaned, “Seriously?”
She steps back, “You two got this one.”
Starlight gives the Pegasus a stern look, “Don’t fuss, we’re here to help.”
The earth pony filly overheard, and looked up curiously. “Really?”
“When did all of this start?” Starlight sat down next to the fillies.
Ponies, being the skittish creatures they are, kept their distance from anything that bore fangs and looked threatening. Not a thought to give Mud a proper welcome, say except for her new friends.
However, the ponies in this small town locked eyes on the massive creature as it slowly lurked past the trees, not any ran, and instead returned smiles and waving their hooves in greeting.
But while these ponies were friendly, Mud saw that they were all in groups, families, more than one. She glanced over them, looking for someone unoccupied and willing to give all the attention to a lone kelpie. With no distractions whatsoever.
Loneliness had a smell; a scent kelpies could differ from their environment. It was empty, lacking any other stimulant in the blood, making it leave a flat bitter taste on the breeze. A scent Mud would force to wash off in rotting swamp water.
But the “loneliness” was not from Mud this time, instead was just past some trees. Following it, she came out into a clearing.
There was a large platform, shadowed with a decorated dome just above it. But also, Starlight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy were there standing on it with some other ponies.
Letting out a huff, Mud saw they were well into talking, and supposed they would be for some time. But the smell of this depressed pony was much stronger, and looking to her side, Mud saw her.
A young filly, deep orange mane, part of it colored black. Her fur a yellowish brown, though covered with a black jacket. The pony reclined much on the bench, looking on at the ponies, expression showing sadness and frustrations.
But this pony was indeed alone, and in much need of comforting.
Mud sat next to the bench, looking down at the small mare. This made her presence known, and the pony glanced up.
“Hey.” The filly’s eyes were big and brown, and turned back to focus on the gazebo.
Mustering all her Ponish lessons, immediately knowing the greeting, and returning one.
“Hey.” Mud lowered her frontal body so she would be at eye level, seeing the filly was now looking of at the other ponies again.
“What doing?”
The filly sighed, shuffling her crossed arms, dipping her muzzle into her jacket.
“Ruining everypony’s day.”
Mud gave a questioning look; this pony was just sitting here.
The kelpie tapped herself with a large grey hoof, “Mud.”
The filly looked more relaxed now, “Cordy.”
“What do?” Mud urged quietly, setting her large head on the open seat next to Cordy.
She took a deep breath again, arms falling to her lap sadly. “I can’t be like everypony else.”
“You pony.” Mud hummed.
Cordy looked her in the eye, “But not a good friend.”
“Friends?”
Cordy nodded, “Those two over there.” She looks over at the two other fillies.
“They’ve been like that since yesterday, all because they couldn’t find something to do that all of us would enjoy.”
Mud took it in, gaze slowly turning to the ground.
“It’s my fault,” Cordy muttered, “I tried to like the games the other girls play, but it’s just not me.”
She frowned, “Now no one’s having fun, ‘cause I don’t know how to have fun.”
Mud let in and out a quick breath, thinking to herself. Being so different from all her friends, and every other pony, stuck as something to just live with. Often Mud did, or wanted to do, things other ponies’ thought was weird, or even beastly. But she was different, she was never a pony, and will never be.
She had fun being herself.
“Friends.” Mud began, “There for you, when need friend.”
She turns her head on the seat to look at Cordy. “Mud friends like playing kelpie games. Cordy’s friends like Cordy games?”
The filly’s expression became uncertain, “Like, ask them to do things I like?”
She shifts in her spot, “What if they don’t like the things I do? Like me and their games.”
Mud grins, “Ponies need taste own medicine.”
Starlight sat by her two friends, looking on as the two fillies snarled and accused each other.
“Well, what should we do?”
Fluttershy glanced at the lone pony on the bench a ways off, “Maybe we can talk with their other friend.”
Rainbow looks over aw well, “I don’t know, looks like Mud’s taking care of it.”
Starlight whipped around, “Huh?”
Then seeing the kelpie and small filly walking towards them.
The first two fillies saw their friend, and immediately sputtered blame.
“Cordy! I’m so sorry this seed-for-brains had to come along, she can leave if you want.”
“You know I didn’t do anything! We can do something else, and ignore her!”
Cordy huffed, “Minty, Milly, zip it!”
The two fillies froze, taken aback.
“I’m just about sick of watching you to squawking like that, so until you decide what you wanna do, I’m gonna choose!”
Starlight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow stared in surprise, while Mud looked down at Cordy proudly.
“Um… okay, like, dolls or dress-up?” Supposed the green filly known as Minty.
Cordy grinned evilly, “None of that sissy stuff, we’re going Hay Bailing!”
The plastic tarp lay on the side of a hill, stretching all the way to the bottom directly into a pile of straw.
Minty and Milly stared with worrisome looks as Cordy set a burlap cloth right in front of them.
“Um, is this safe?” Minty leaned forward to see all the way down.
“Don’t worry,” Cordy shoved her friend down onto the cloth. “It’s fun.”
A gentle shove sent Minty down the makeshift slide, shrieking as she picked up speed. All the way took only ten seconds, slamming her into the pile of dry grass. Her pink mane burst out, eyes wide with excitement.
“That was so cool!” She yelled to the top of the hill.
Cordy smiled big, showing full happiness.
Milly hopped in place, “Me next! Me next!”
Starlight looked on, and then to Mud, seeing the kelpie also letting a faded smile form. Looking to her own flank, the unicorn’s cutie mark flashed. The same with Fluttershy’s and Rainbow’s marks.
Mud watched as Milly was sent sliding down to Minty, leaving Cordy at the top. The brown filly looked back at the kelpie, striding up and reaching into her jacket pocket. She pulled out a bracelet, a loop of braided colors and knots made to look like flowers. Mud supposed this was why she was called Cordy, being so skilled to make a loop of colors like this.
“Thanks.” Cordy smiled up at the large mare.
Mud took it on her larger hoof, smiling back.
The filly hopped back and launched herself down the slide, shrieking happily as she went to join her friends.
Taking their seats on the train, Starlight held back to let Mud fall to the ground exhausted. The unicorn smiled as Mud looked up at her.
“Good job out there.” Starlight set a hoof on the kelpie’s head and moved it in satisfying circles.
Mud only purred, feeling the bracelet around the base of her ear. Smiling at the thought of some pony else just like her, let her fall asleep easy.