Chapter 12: Another Life
Vibrations ran up from the tracks and through the train, only to be tuned out as Meadow Song thought. A smile graced her face, her eyes looking out the windows as the land rolled by. A short, three-hour train ride and everything would change.
The last couple of months had been busy, with many more letters exchanged; a couple to establish that yes, she was invited to move in with him, many more working out the details of how and when. She had spent many days preparing, despite having no more than what would fit in her saddlebags and a single suitcase. Nevertheless, she had packed and repacked, double-checking her belongings. Then she would sit around for a little bit, trying to read another of Gray's books, before giving up and double-checking everything again.
She felt slightly embarrassed when she realized the amount of amusement the situation was giving Misty and Gray, but it was an odd, charmed amusement. For some reason, they were happy for her. They were happy to see her happy.
It was strange, but it seemed a very "pony" kind of reaction.
She didn't mind. In a way, it even made her happy. Even as she left them alone, they were happy for her. There were some tears and sadness, too. They would miss her, but she was important enough to them for them to care about her happiness more than their own. She had done well. And now, she was going from what was already a good situation, to an even better one. Everything she could want was coming to her, and the only thing between her and perfection was a little three-hour train ride.
Three hours had never taken so long as they did that day.
The town of Manechester slowly drew closer, the sparse outskirts and surrounding farms passing by the train. Soon, larger buildings began to whip past the windows. By the time the train was pulling into the station, Meadow was already on her hooves, snatching up her bags. She quickly weaved her way between several ponies who had not been quite so fast as her, making her way to the exit.
With one final lurch, the train ground to a halt, and the passengers began to leave the train. Moments later, Meadow stepped out onto the platform, already packed with ponies ready to board the train for the next leg of its journey. At least she was near the leading edge of ponies leaving the train, a flood of bodies quickly filling the platform behind her. Again, she quickly slipped her way through the crowd. Being lean had certain advantages.
She was just exiting the platform when she heard her name.
"Meadow!"
Just ahead stood Spark Wheel.
Looking at him, it was hard to believe that hardly a year had passed. He was still the same charcoal-colored pony he had always been, yet he looked so much better. He had grown more since she had last seen him, and though he was still on the skinny side, he carried himself strongly, confidently. He wasn't particularly finely-groomed, but his coat had a pleasant sleekness to it, and his fiery mane, while still as wild as ever, was longer and more vibrant. But the detail that struck Meadow the most was his eyes. His golden eyes looked brighter and more full of life than she remembered them.
It reminded her of when they first met, that eager and energetic colt playing around with little gears and bolts, at least when he could be distracted from his shyness. Back before she had made him so dependent on her company.
With how much joy and affection was pouring off him, she couldn't help but prefer this version.
Spark's expression was halfway between awe and joy as he looked at her, likely taking in the slight changes she had made when leaving the orphanage. A moment later, joy won out, and he leaped forward to grip her in a tight hug. "Meadow! Oh wow, it's so good to see you!"
Meadow laughed softly as she returned the hug, savoring the taste of his affection. It was so sharp and clean, a taste she could only describe as "sweet." She had to keep herself from feeding too much. No sense in draining him excessively, after all. "It's good to see you too, Sparks. You've grown!"
"So have you," Spark replied enthusiastically, drawing back enough to speak face to face. "You look amazing!" His ears suddenly drooped a bit, a funny sense of embarrassment rising from him. "I mean, you look good."
Meadow gave another soft laugh. "So do you, Sparks."
He smiled a little awkwardly, still quite happy despite the slightly-faded embarrassment. Abruptly his expression changed to a big grin, the momentary awkwardness forgotten. "Oh yeah!" He pulled back suddenly, turning to thrust his flank forward. On it was the image of a pair of simple, steel-gray gears, one slightly smaller than the other. Such a simple, silly little thing to bring the young stallion such joy.
Spark let out a happy, wordless sound, beaming proudly. A thought visibly crossed his expression. "Oh, let me see!" he said, and quickly stepped to her side before she could reply, looking to her flank. "That's so cool!"
Meadow couldn't help but snicker a little at the thought that they were circling and checking each others' flanks like some kind of animal, but was swiftly pulled from the thought as Spark practically tackled her with another hug and a laugh.
"C'mon," he said when he finally released the hug. "Let's get over to my place so we can get you all settled in. Oh! My parents are looking forward to meeting you. I might have talked about you a bit much lately. But hey, mom's cooking dinner for us tonight!"
"If it's anything like her cookies," Meadow said as they began to walk, "then I imagine dinner is going to be wonderful."
"You have no idea!" Spark laughed. "And maybe tomorrow I can show you the shop so you can see what I get to work with. And my little 'special project,' too! And... well, there's a lot of stuff to do!"
"I can tell," Meadow replied, smirking as she watched Spark trotting along beside her. He was nearly bouncing with excitement.
The walk was short, filled with a rambling conversation that mostly just recapped the stories they had told over letters. Manechester was much larger than Hoofington, but nowhere near the size of Manehattan, resulting in a city that was more spread out and open than that metropolis. As pony cities went, it was fairly pleasant, even if their choice in architecture was aesthetically lacking. Still, it allowed them a fairly nice walk along a park-lined road, soon arriving at Spark's apartment.
The complex was a fairly good-sized place, two stories, forming a large U around a central courtyard. Sparks hopped up the stairs two at a time before leading her to a door. "Well, here it is. It's not much, but it's all ours!"
He opened the door, allowing her to enter first. The main room had a couch and chair, both old but in good condition, around a rather cheap-looking coffee table. The kitchen was decently sized, as was the bathroom. The two doors in the back led into a pair of rooms; one held a bed, while the other, unfurnished room contained several boxes that looked to hold tools and parts. Meadow smirked a little when she saw that last room. His collecting habits certainly hadn't changed.
"It's nice," Meadow said, slipping her saddlebags off and setting them next to the wall, out of the way. "A lot better than the dinky little apartment I had in Manehattan."
"And here I always thought these apartments were a little small. It wasn't that bad, was it?"
Meadow chuckled. "Well, you've at least got a kitchen with enough room to make more than a sandwich, and a bathroom that doesn't look like a converted closet. Oh, and your bedroom isn't also your living room." She smiled at him. "Yeah, this is a nice improvement."
"I'm glad you like it," he said, then motioned a hoof back to the door. "Should we go next door, then? Mom and dad were kind of insisting I bring you over as soon as we got here."
She nodded. "Of course. I'd be delighted to meet them."
One very short walk later, they arrived at the door of the neighboring apartment. Spark paused to clop a hoof against the door a couple of times, then immediately opened it. "Hey, we're here!" he called out eagerly as they entered.
The apartment was the same size and layout as Spark's, but much more full. A larger couch and several chairs dominated the living room, with several pictures, wall-hangings, and even a small model airship decorating the space. The place had a much more lived-in feel, complete with the scattered clutter that had yet to accumulate in Spark's new apartment. The smell of cooking food hit her senses a moment later, a savory scent of cooking vegetables and spices that was already making Meadow's stomach demand something to eat.
A pair of ponies called out greetings from the kitchen. One, an earth pony stallion with a yellow coat, a short, blue-gray mane, and eyes the color of emeralds, walked over to greet them. A stylized sun was emblazoned on his flanks, surrounded by a nimbus of white. "Hey, Sparks. And you must be Meadow Song?" He held out a hoof in greeting, smiling warmly.
"A pleasure to meet you," she replied, shaking his hoof.
"So I'm Sunseeker," the stallion replied, then gestured behind him. "And this pretty mare is Willow Leaf."
The mare in question, a pegasus, had a green coat and a golden-blond, spiky mane and tail. The cutie mark, a few odd, puffy lines, confused Meadow for a moment until she realized it represented a gust of wind. On hearing herself mentioned, Willow looked up from the pot she was stirring, her vivid purple eyes shining as she greeted them. "You've got good timing, just a couple more minutes and dinner will be ready. Just have to finish the sauce and we can eat."
"Have a seat," Sunseeker said, gesturing to the nearby chairs before stepping back into the kitchen to help.
Meadow sat, nodding to Spark as he sat next to her. "They seem nice."
"Oh, they're great," he replied. "I couldn't have asked for a better family."
She smiled. "Good. I'm glad you ended up somewhere nice."
Dinner came soon and was eaten almost as swiftly. As nice as Misty and Gray's cooking had been, it simply couldn't compare to the meal that Meadow found before her. It was almost deceptively simple; seasoned hay, pan-fried vegetables, and a thick sauce over it all. Meadow had expected the sauce to be sweet but was surprised by the rich, pleasantly-spiced taste. Conversation was slow to start as everypony focused on their food.
"So Sparks has told us quite a bit about you," Sunseeker said, then gestured a hoof toward her cutie mark. "You two roomed together at the orphanage?"
"For almost four years, yes. He moved into my room right after Nightmare Night, and we shared it the rest of our time there. I liked having the company."
Spark looked up from his food. "Me too. I probably wouldn't have ever made any friends if not for you."
"What about Cotton?" Meadow asked. "She was friendly to everypony. I'm sure you would have done well."
"Eh," Spark grunted. "She was friendly, but it's not the same as being a friend, you know? Sure, we became friends eventually, but I have you to thank for that."
Meadow just smiled.
"You certainly made an impression," Willow said. "He's told us more stories about you than any other pony at the orphanage."
Sunseeker chuckled. "Than all the other ponies at the orphanage, I think. He could hardly stop talking about you these last couple days."
Spark was blushing, ears folded back as he tried to cover up the embarrassment by digging into his food. Meadow was torn between finding it amusingly cute or sickeningly weak, but a moment later she found herself feigning a touch of embarrassment herself, speaking before she realized the words were coming. "I might have been a little excited about this, too."
She caught the quick glance from Spark, with the hint of a thankful smile and the feeling of appreciation. Willow and Sunseeker seemed to find their reactions amusing, as well. Meadow just felt satisfaction at seeing him happy. The happier he was, the better things would be for her.
The momentary silence was soon lifted by Sunseeker. "So, I understand you ran away from the orphanage right after Sparks left. Can I ask why?"
Meadow clearly noticed the subtle touch of doubt and concern coming from him. It wasn't hard to draw a conclusion from that. They had adopted Spark, and ponies put so much weight on friendship and family. Of course, they would feel protective of him. Her running away could easily make her look unreliable.
She stared at her plate for several long seconds. Sunseeker was just about to say something else when she finally spoke.
"I wasn't going to be adopted."
Sunseeker blinked, clearly surprised by that answer.
She continued. "Truth is, I didn't want to be adopted. My mother may be gone, but I have more family out there, even if they're far away. The orphanage couldn't find them, and I couldn't find them by staying there. I had to do it myself, and that meant I had to leave."
Her ears drooped a bit. "The worst thing is, I knew that from the first day I was there. I had always felt that I was just going to be there long enough for me to grow up, to grow strong enough to go out and find them. So I studied, and I exercised, did everything I thought I could to prepare myself. At the same time, I made several friends, and Sparks was the best of all of them. I stayed because of him. When he finally left, I didn't have anything to keep me there."
She gave a little sigh for effect, then a faint smile, and delivered the final touch. "I got my cutie mark when I was finally decided, as I was getting ready to go. I knew then that I was doing the right thing."
Everypony in the room was smiling quietly at her. Sunseeker and Willow were particularly touched, judging by the feelings coming from them. Success.
Willow spoke first. "Did you ever find them?"
"No," Meadow replied with a shake of her head. "Not yet. But I know where to start, once I'm ready."
"Would that be the adventure Sparks mentioned you saving up for?" Sunseeker asked with a smile on his face and a strangely pleasant, almost longing sensation. Nostalgia for some fond memory, perhaps?
"Something like that."
He nodded. "It's always good to have something to work toward, something to look for. I hope you find it, someday."
She considered that a moment. With the feelings coming from him, she had the sense that the comment meant more than just what the words said. She hazarded a question. "How about you? Is there something you're looking for?"
"I found it," he replied, grinning happily as he reached out to wrap a foreleg around Willow Leaf's shoulder. She grinned as well as they leaned into each other a moment.
Meadow smiled. Ugh, gag.
"Gag," Spark said, much to Meadow's amused satisfaction. Sunseeker replied by sticking out his tongue, which earned a laugh from both Spark and Willow that he quickly joined in on.
When the laughter receded, Sunseeker looked back to Meadow. "I know it doesn't compare to trying to find your family, but I know what it can feel like to long after something that seems so distant. It may sound sappy and all, but I firmly believe that if you never give up, everypony can find what they're looking for. Even if they don't know what that is."
It did sound sappy, and very much like the kind of overly optimistic nonsense that ponies seemed to put so much stock in. Still, the last comment caught her curiosity. "Did you know what you were looking for?"
Sunseeker stopped, turning to give Willow a thoughtful look. A moment later the smile returned as he replied. "Yes and no." To Meadow's questioning look, he added, "It's a long story. And actually, it all started with my cutie mark."
Seeing that he had an audience, he sat back, food momentarily forgotten. "Okay, so it all started many years ago, back when I was still just a colt. There was a period where I was, well... kind of depressed and convinced nothing could go my way. One day was particularly bad. I'd been teased a lot in class that day, and I was feeling desperate for something, anything to make the day better.
"Most days, when things were hard, I'd look up to the sky. With a name like Sunseeker, I guess I always figured I should have some sort of connection with the sun. I'd look up to it when things were feeling down, and I'd imagine Celestia herself was looking down at me. It comforted me a bit on the worst days, to think that I wasn't alone. That so long as the sun and Princess Celestia were there, things couldn't be too bad. But that day, when I felt like I needed her the most, it was scheduled for rain. The entire sky was overcast.
"There's a hill not too far from here, that overlooked the neighborhood I grew up in, and there's this big, narrow tower on top of it. It's some extra-large lightning rod, something to do with experiments into drawing power from storms. Normally I didn't pay it much mind. That day, I was staring up at the sky, hoping to find any little break in the clouds, the tiniest glimpse of the sun, and that's when I noticed that the tower cut right up through the clouds.
"I guess I was feeling desperate, so I went up that hill to the tower. It's just this open criss-cross of girders around a giant metal rod, sticking up into the sky, right out of sight. It was even starting to drizzle, so the whole thing was wet and slick. It was a completely stupid idea, but I just knew I had to do it, so I started climbing. I was still small, so it was hard going, but I climbed higher and higher, trying to ignore how far up I was, or how slippery my hooves were every time I grabbed the next girder. If I would have so much as slipped, I wouldn't be here now.
"And then I broke through the top of the clouds. I went from the gray, rainy world below into a brilliant sky, full of color, with a sea of white clouds stretching to the horizon. It was glorious. Just the clouds, the sky, and the sun beaming down on me, full of warmth. It was like I was alone with it, as if Celestia had beckoned me there, just to share a moment between the two of us. I was so... enraptured by it that I almost didn't notice that I got my cutie mark at that moment. I'd never been so happy before then." He grinned, eyes distant for a moment.
"Of course, I was grounded for a month afterward for doing something so dangerously stupid. I didn't even care, I was just so happy. Everything felt a little bit better, no matter how dark and dreary the day might be. There was only one thing that really bugged me. I had no idea what my cutie mark meant.
"So the years go by, life goes on. As happy as I am, I always felt like I was lost. I had no idea where I was going in life, and at that point, I didn't care too much. I was fairly happy. It wasn't wonderful, but it was good enough that I was content with what I had. Content enough that, for a while, I just kind of... forgot. I forgot what I was looking for, I forgot to even keep looking. I was content to just accept 'good enough,' instead of trying to find what I really wanted."
Meadow's ear twitched.
"Well, I still had the habit of looking up to the sky, particularly when I thought. One day, I noticed this pretty pegasus flying around the sky. I'm not sure why it caught my eye that day, but it did. She was just doing these graceful loops and rolls, flying about the sky as if she didn't have a single worry in the world. It fascinated me, and I must have watched for almost an hour before she flew out of sight.
"The next day, I saw her again. Then the day after that. Some days it was just a short little flight across town, on others, she'd do an hour or two of aerobatics. Before long, whenever I would look up to the sky, it was for the hope of seeing her flying around. Even when she wasn't there, I'd picture her in my head. I was fascinated.
"I met her a few times on the ground. Just passing meetings. I was too shy--and maybe a little awe-struck--to give more than a passing, friendly greeting. And I was so quiet that she never really noticed me."
"Had my head in the clouds and all that," Willow quietly added.
Sunseeker smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Then, one day, I had an idea. Again, it was something I just felt drawn to, something I knew I had to do. So I went to work. I studied, I planned, I built, and all the time I would look up to see this pegasus flying around, so happy and free.
"Then finally came this one spring day. She was up flying among the clouds. That's the day I launched my first airship. It was a tiny thing, not like the monstrous yachts some ponies buy. No, it was just big enough for a couple ponies, but that didn't matter. It just had to fly. And it did. It went up, and I joined her, and we flew together for the first time. Before long, we ended up above the clouds. It was like we had the entire sky to ourselves. It was just the clouds, the sun, the dinky little airship I had built, and this pretty green pegasus mare flying around me."
He reached around Willow's shoulders to give a loving squeeze, his muzzle moving to rest along hers. "And it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."
Meadow pointedly ignored the gagging mental voice in the back of her mind and just smiled.
Spark groaned slightly as he flopped across one of the chairs in his apartment. "Oof. I can't believe how sore my legs are."
"I can," Meadow said as she sank down onto the other chair, suppressing her own groan. "You've been bouncing all day. I don't think you even sat still at dinner."
"I might be just a little excited," he admitted with a faint, embarrassed grin.
"Yeah." Meadow laid her head back against the chair, smiling softly. "Me too."
They sat silently for a moment, the first truly quiet time she had since leaving the train. She could sympathize with Spark; for some reason, she was feeling a little worn out, herself. Only a little, though. The wonderful dinner had helped with that, as well as Spark's affection for her. The only thing that could be better was if she could have absorbed some of the love that must have surely been flowing during Sunseeker's story.
"They're nice," she said. "Your parents, I mean. I like them."
"Me too," Spark said. "I mean... I miss my parents. My real parents. I barely even remember them. But... I love Sunseeker and Willow. They are my family now, you know?"
Meadow nodded, answering with a quiet, somber, "I know."
She didn't notice that she had frowned when the topic of family had come up. Nor did she notice that Spark had gotten up until his forelegs wrapped around her in a hug, the flow of sympathy suddenly registering to her senses. "Don't worry, Meadow. I'm sure you'll find your family someday."
Meadow tensed. Her first urge was to feel anger. She didn't need his assurance. She didn't need comforting just because the topic of "family" had come up. She wanted to push him away, to make it clear that she was perfectly capable of handling the issue herself. That the only sympathy she needed was food.
Yet as he held her in his forelegs, she slowly relaxed. The anger was just a small flicker, gone as quick as it came. Instead, she raised a hoof, pressing lightly at his chest. "I know," she said as he stepped back, and without even thinking of it, she gave a faint smile.
Spark's emotions were far more complex than she remembered. Happiness overlay sympathy, concern, and a bit of sadness, with a hint of disappointment that had shown up a few seconds earlier, almost too faint to notice. He smiled, though, and nodded.
"Well... I suppose I should show you to the bedroom. I think I'm going to turn in early. I guess a whole day of being all excited is a bit more tiring than I expected."
"Sleep sounds good to me," Meadow said as she stood, stretched, and then happily trotted over to her bags. But why am I so tired?
"I kinda thought so," Spark said with a chuckle. "Anyway, the bedroom is the one on the left, and it's all yours. I'll take the couch."
Meadow stopped, frowning slightly. "Wait, I'm sleeping in your bed?"
"Well, yeah," he said. "I've only got one bed, and you're my guest, so you get it. I'll be fine."
"Oh," Meadow said, thinking on that. That does seem like a perfectly pony sort of thing, making a guest comfortable even at his own expense. On the other hoof, wouldn't it also be rude to take a pony's bed when they're already doing so much to help me? "You don't have to do that, Spark. I'm used to sleeping in far worse conditions. Dirt, rocks, bare concrete. A couch will be perfect by comparison."
He smiled, waving a hoof. "Yeah, I'm sure, but you're still getting the bed. I'm not making you sleep on the couch."
You're not making me do anything. Ugh. This is why changelings just sleep on the ground. Beds cause too much trouble. "Well then," she said, pacing slowly to the couch with a grim, determined look on her face. "There is only one solution to this problem."
Spark blinked, a bit confused and surprised by her reaction. "Um... what?"
Meadow simply flopped down onto the couch, looking back to him with a smug expression. "I was here first. You'll have to make do with the bed." When he opened his mouth to reply, she stuck out her tongue, and whatever he was going to say was cut off by his half-snorted laugh.
Recovering slightly, he rolled his eyes and sighed loudly in mock frustration despite the clear amusement she could sense in him. "Oh, fine, I suppose I'll manage."
"I'm sure you will," Meadow replied primly, as if she were a queen on her throne. Actually, this might be more comfortable than the Queen's throne. That's... kind of a disturbing thought.
Her thoughts were cut off as a bundle of blankets landed atop her, accompanied by Spark's chuckles. She pushed them down, arranging them atop herself.
Spark stood there for a moment, a happy smile on his face, before speaking again. "Well... sweet dreams, Meadow."
She returned the smile. "You too, Sparks."
Once he had left, she shifted about, getting comfy on the couch. It wasn't nearly as nice as the bed she had been using before, but it would suffice. Still, it's too bad ponies have this weird thing about personal space. I saw that bed. It could sleep at least a half-dozen changelings at a time, and still be the height of luxury.
Then again, this couch would be the height of luxury too, she thought. So I guess I really can't complain.
When morning came, Meadow was more convinced than ever that living in Manechester was going to be great.
She woke up first, unsurprisingly. Even though she had gotten used to the relaxed pace ponies live at, she still didn't sleep as long as they did. She compensated by laying there contently under the nice warm blankets for another half-hour before finally kicking them off, stretching, and starting her day. A short routine of stretching and exercise got her warmed up, and after a quick shower and not-so-quick drying off, she felt ready for the day.
Another half-hour passed as she flipped idly through her journal, before Spark finally woke up, looking as if he were still half-asleep. Breakfast was a very filling and delicious meal, again cooked by Willow Leaf, and filled with happy conversation about nothing of significance. After that they headed out; Spark had plenty he wanted to show her.
"Have you ever seen an airship?"
Meadow smirked a little as she looked over to him. He looked as if he were only barely restraining himself from bouncing again, an energetic spring to his step as they trotted along. "Only from a distance. I'd see one flying over Manehattan every now and then, but never up close."
He made a happy noise in reply, and she merely chuckled. His enthusiasm was amusing, even if the thought of those flying leviathans held a rather ominous place in her imagination. The hive didn't have anything to compare to such machines. The civil applications of them, particularly in such a massive kingdom, were staggering. The military applications were simply terrifying.
Their destination was Sunseeker's "shop", a term that proved to be rather under-selling the place. A trio of large buildings surrounded a large courtyard, currently occupied by the hulking shell of an airship propped up on braces. It was the size of a fairly large house, likely capable of holding dozens of ponies or tons of cargo once it was complete. Even in its current state, with most of the hull planks still missing, it was imposing. Around it, several ponies were just getting started with their work, laying out tools and supplies.
"That's our largest project yet," Spark said proudly. "Most of our ships aren't nearly so big, but this was a special order. Some new experimental airborne expeditionary unit the Princess recently approved the creation of. They needed several new airships made, and since there are fairly few builders, we managed to get one of the orders."
"Impressive," Meadow replied, despite a lingering concern over how military that had sounded. "So what are your usual ships like, then?"
"C'mon," he said with a grin, trotting over to the side entrance of the largest building, which sported a pair of massive doors at its front. When they entered, she could see why: a pair of partially built airship hulls were resting inside the structure, surrounded by supplies and temporary workstations. One looked almost complete, with workers in the process of painting and lacquering it. It was still large, despite being perhaps a quarter the size of the one outside. The other was even smaller, looking like it might only hold a half-dozen ponies and some minimal supplies, but it also looked more streamlined and graceful.
"These are what we usually make. Smaller craft, like personal yachts and such. The kind a family might get. Well, if they can afford something like that." He smiled a little awkwardly, uncomfortable about... well, Meadow wasn't entirely sure what. "They're a lot cheaper than the ones some other builders make for the nobles and really rich ponies, but we make sure to build them just as well."
There was pride in his voice as he finished the statement. "Well, I don't really know anything about airships, but just judging from the amount of work it looks like you all put into them, I would imagine so."
He was grinning as he looked over the smaller airship, raising a hoof to run it along the curve of its hull. "It's kind of amazing, you know? I mean, I'm an earth pony, but I can take some tools and parts and a bit of time... and I can fly!"
"You must really enjoy this job," Meadow said, though she didn't need to ask. Even without the ability to sense his emotions, his happiness would be obvious. "Though I have to admit, I'd expected more gears and mechanisms with you involved."
Curiously, Spark just grinned more. "...You want to see something special?"
"Special?" Meadow asked, feeling somehow dubious with how eager he looked.
Spark quickly lead her back out of the building and toward the back of the lot. "That's all just what I do on the job. It's a lot of fun building stuff, even if it's mostly just wood, but... well, dad let me use an old shed and a bunch of his tools for my own special project. I've been spending most of my off-work time on it."
In the back of the lot was a large shed, half hidden among all the lumber supplies. Next to it were a few miscellaneous metal parts, which both looked somewhat out of place among the mostly-wood supplies for the rest of the shop, and served as a good indicator that this was Spark's section of the lot. He trotted up to the shed doors and threw them open.
Meadow stared for a few moments in complete incomprehension at the jumble of metal girders, plates, and rods that looked to be assembled into one single machine, though she couldn't tell to what purpose. Then her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh!"
It looked like a greatly scaled-up version of the little toy flying machines he had made in the orphanage.
Spark stepped up to it, smiling proudly. "This is just a prototype. Kind of a testbed, really. There's a bunch of scaling issues. Lift scales at a different rate than mass and structural strength, and it took me a couple builds to even get to this step." He rested a hoof on the body of it, which was simply an open cage of steel tubing around a simple chair. Behind that sat what looked somewhat like one of those magically-driven motors Meadow had seen used for fans and other devices, only much larger. Just like a fan, it had blades protruding from its axle, long and thin. Another, much smaller set of propellers sat at its rear.
It was ugly, crude, and simple. Signs of use marred its frame, all manner of scrapes and dings, unpolished welds, even a few places where the frame was dented in and simply left as-is. It was not pretty in the least. But it looked practical. That was something Meadow could respect more than any fancy looks.
"First time I started it up, the motor was too weak to turn the propeller fast enough. Second time, I had enough power, but the propeller broke apart under the strain. I eventually made one that was thinner and stronger, got the power balanced right, and actually got the thing off the ground! But... well, it's scary. It barely flies, performance is horrible, and it'll fall out of the sky if I do anything even slightly wrong. I wouldn't want to take it even as high as the rooftops."
"You're not really selling me on this thing," Meadow noted wryly, though she gave an encouraging smile.
"Oh, no, this one is junk," Spark agreed quickly, giving a laugh. "But to actually get it working, to have it lift up off the ground? It was incredible. I got it to work. Heck, that first flight? That's when I got my cutie mark! Sure, it didn't fly well, but it was just a test of concept, really."
He motioned toward the back of the shed, and they moved further in, to find another creation of very different--and incomplete--design. "This one, this is my real work!"
It was larger, with a longer, roomier body and two large lifting fans on either side, set in what looked to be a pair of simple, wing-like protrusions. The magical engine fed into a complex and seemingly incomplete series of gears and axles, numerous cables ran from the crude seat in the body to all sorts of other points, or simply dangling unattached. "It's nowhere near flying, of course. The whole thing is so much more complex, but if I did all the calculations right, this thing should soar!"
Meadow was silent for a moment, looking over the device. "It certainly looks impressive," she said. Then she smirked. "And this looks much more like what I had expected to find you working on than those wooden ones."
Spark chuckled softly, still looking over his machine. He had such a confident, proud look to him. He was in his element, sure of his ability. She knew that look well, or at least the feeling of confidence behind it. That was her, any time social manipulation and deception were called for. Unstoppable.
"...Have you ever flown?"
"I--" she stopped, considered it a moment, then spoke again. "I've been in some really tall buildings..."
He chuckled softly, then looked back to her with a grin. "You want to?"
Meadow's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought you said that thing was dangerous!"
Fortunately, he just laughed at that. "Oh, no, not in that thing. It wouldn't be able to lift both of us, anyway. C'mon!"
Just like that, he was cantering off, with her hurrying after him. She was just catching up when Spark entered the main yard and called out. "Hey, dad!"
Sunseeker looked up from the diagram he was setting out. "Hey, Sparks!" Then he glanced over to Meadow before returning his gaze to Spark, grinning. "Showing off your machine, hmm?"
Spark's reply came out in a burst. "Yeah--hey can I borrow the Cirrus?"
There was a moment of silence as Sunseeker processed what was said, and blinked. "Uh, well... I don't know. I'm going to be busy working on this, and I don't know if you're really ready to be flying on your own. Maybe if you can get your mother to go with you?"
"Oh," Spark said, deflating slightly. "I, uh... I was kinda hoping I could take it up on my own, just Meadow and me..."
The corner of Sunseeker's mouth crept up a bit. "Well, if you can convince your mother to just be nearby, just to keep an eye out in case things go wrong, then I suppose you can borrow the Cirrus for the evening."
Spark let out a loud, happy sound, gave his dad a tight hug, and then they were off again. Willow was easy to find, speaking to one of the tenants outside their apartment. When confronted with their plan, she rolled her eyes and let out a mock sigh. "Oh, I suppose I could go out and fly around on this beautiful day, instead of just plodding around on the ground. Oh, the sacrifices I make for family!"
And half an hour later, Meadow was flying.
The Cirrus was an airship, naturally. More notably, it was the family's personal airship. The design was simple, the balloon unadorned, unlike some of the garish designs some of the larger ships had. It was small and plain, just large enough to hold a small family comfortably, but that was more than enough room. As Willow enjoyed herself, flying loops not too far away, the Cirrus rose up into the sky, with Spark steering it.
As they left the ground, Meadow had a hard time concealing the nervous glances down. It would be so easy to have something go wrong. Willow's nearby presence gave a little comfort, even though she'd surely save Spark first if something went wrong, and might not have time to save a second pony. The thought of falling to death seemed a great irony to Meadow. Heights were never a concern to her before, but being trapped in a form without wings seemed to highlight the danger. And she was trapped; she could not shape-shift when ponies could see her doing so.
Why do I keep following ponies into dangerous situations? I already know most of them are insane. And I'm insane for following them!
When she looked to Spark, though, she saw the happy, confident look still on his face. He showed no worry as he adjusted one of the controls, steering the airship into a gentle, slightly-banked turn as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Thoughts of falling faded from Meadow's mind. This was something Spark knew. He'd been flying in these things before--heck, he built the things, now. He might be overly enthusiastic about some of his interests, but he wasn't insane, not like some ponies were. If he was confident in their safety, then surely there couldn't be anything to worry about.
So she sat back, letting herself slowly relax. It was such a strange experience; a unicorn and an earth pony, floating gracefully through the sky, the whisper-quiet motor leaving only the soft sound of the wind. She had been flying several times before, but it was unique to be floating there in such calm. No effort, no exertion, just leaning back and relaxing, up in the warm afternoon sun.
She smiled. It was rather beautiful in a way, she supposed.
It was well after dark by the time they returned to the apartment. Meadow had originally planned on getting a job that day, but that plan hadn't accounted for Spark or his family. There was the flying, a little tour around the neighborhood, and another large dinner.
"I should really look for a job tomorrow," Meadow said as they entered, before letting out a quiet yawn.
Spark nodded, attempting to hold back a yawn of his own, and kicked the door shut behind them. "Yeah, I kinda figured. I said I'd help, and I meant it. Actually, I've already done some looking around." He smiled, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his feelings. "I might have mentioned you to a few people looking for help. And, you know, kinda gushed about how great you are."
She smiled in return, though she couldn't help but worry that he might have come across as too strong. Too strong of an encouragement might come across as bragging, if by proxy in this case. In either case, he meant well. I... guess that makes a difference?
The thought nearly brought out a frown, but instead, she merely said, "Thank you, Spark. I'm glad for the help."
He laughed softly and shrugged it off. "After all the times you've helped me, I'm just glad I could do something in return. I guess the real question is, what kind of work are you looking for?"
"Oh, well... to tell the truth, anything where I can help ponies would be perfect. I've always found that sort of thing... rewarding." She couldn't help but feel smug at the statement being completely factual and yet utterly misrepresenting the truth.
Spark nodded again, with a quick surge of amusement coming from him. "That sounds like the very first place I went looking, then. I kinda had a feeling you might say something like that."
"Oh? And where is that?"
"Charity runs the aid committee at the city hall, and she’s been looking for an assistant. She does a lot of work to help out ponies that are down on their luck or just need some assistance, as well as organizing volunteer efforts. It sounded like there was a lot of work going on there, so she could use the help. I thought it might be a good place to start?"
He looked to Meadow, face happy, but his emotions clearly hoping that she approved. This is really way too easy. "That sounds perfect," she said, giving him a generous smile, and enjoying the surge of happiness.
A moment later, she let out another yawn, and this time Spark echoed it. "Well... in that case, I'll take you there in the morning. So we should probably get to bed. And in that case..."
He turned and flopped down on the couch. "I was here first," he said with a grin. And then stuck out his tongue.
Meadow smirked. Maybe she should just accept his insistence and take the bed? It was probably more comfortable than the couch, and he obviously didn't mind. On the other hoof, she could make do just fine with either--or neither, in fact--while he would likely benefit much more from sleeping in an actual bed. Keeping him happy and in good condition was rather important, after all.
Then another amusing thought occurred to her, and her course was decided.
A sly smile crossed her face as she walked over to the side of the couch, eyes watching Spark intently. "Ah, you may indeed be there first, but you forgot the one rule that can override the 'I'm first' rule."
Spark crossed his forelegs defiantly, though he was still grinning. "Oh? And what's that?"
In reply, Meadow's horn lit up. The green aura of her magic enveloped Spark and lifted him up into the air. "I'm stronger than you."
"H-hey!" Spark flailed in surprise. "Put me down!"
"That was the plan," she stated primly as she strutted to the bedroom. "Just as soon as I get you to your bed." The effort of her magic was a bit of a strain, but she didn't show it. Besides, she would be getting enough loving energy here that she could spare expending some just to have a little fun.
"Meadow!"
She didn't answer, floating him through the doorway to deposit him on his bed. She grinned smugly from the doorway.
"That's not fair," Spark said, casting a glare at her, though the smile that was struggling to come out ruined the expression. The faint annoyance at being displaced was overwhelmed by the amusement of the situation, much to Meadow's satisfaction.
"Of course it's fair," Meadow replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "You've got a nice comfortable bed, I've got a perfectly sufficient couch, and everypony is happy. Also..." And she stuck out her tongue.
Spark snorted out a laugh. "Fine, you can have the couch! This is what I get for trying to help you out, hmm?" he teased.
"A nice, comfy bed to sleep in? How will you ever survive?"
Spark gave up any pretense of being annoyed, chuckling softly as he shook his head. "I guess I'll manage. Good night, Meadow."
With that, he reached out to the oil lamp set beside his bed, turning it all the way down. The guttering flame cast a weak glow across the room, just enough to see by. Still not a fan of the dark, I see.
"Good night, Spark," she said softly, before turning to make her way back to the couch.
The next morning saw the pair of them at the city hall, a structure that Meadow supposed was intended to look grand and impressive, at least by pony standards, but which Meadow could only see as an incredibly inefficient use of space. A huge stairway rose from the street to the entrance, elevated well above the ground level, with a large and unused space surrounded in columns. She shook her head, thinking of how the entire building could fit in a space half as big as it actually occupied. Maybe less. Ponies had no idea how easy they had it, living in a place with near-unlimited space.
Inside was no less grandiose than outside. The floors were all polished stone. Large paintings hung from the walls, showing everything from previous mayors to memorable moments in history. The main lobby, a huge, open chamber, even had several statues, the largest being a statue of Celestia that rose above the second-floor balconies.
Meadow looked around the huge room. "It's a bit... much, isn't it?"
Spark smirked a little. "Yeah, maybe. I always found the place a bit stuffy, myself."
She smiled a little, bumping her shoulder against him. "See? I knew I liked you for a reason."
"Hooray, my great and previously unknown skill of architectural appraisal has served me well," he said in reply, his smirk growing a bit.
Meadow raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. A little hint of anxiety tickled at her senses, as if he wasn't quite sure his attempt at humor was well-placed. At least that was easy to dispel. "Wit and multisyllabic vocabulary. Oh, you wouldn't believe how rare that is. Yet more reasons I like you."
Spark was blushing faintly, drawing a smug grin from Meadow. "Eh, I'll have to plead 'luck' for the wit," he said. "Usually it takes me a minute to come up with something witty, and by then, it's not witty. It's just kind of sad."
"And yet there you go, being witty again," she pointed out. "In any case, you're more interesting to talk with than any of the other ponies I've met. It's good to see you so talkative."
"Just with you," Spark said, sounding a bit dejected at the admission. "I get a bit enthusiastic and talkative about some things, but other than that I don't really get out much. You and my parents are the only ponies around that I really talk much with."
Meadow nudged her shoulder against him again. "Well, you should try it more, you're good at it. And if not, I'm here for you any time you want. You're fun to be around."
Ah, that worked well, she noted, drawing in a bit of the surge of appreciation. He makes this so easy.
"Thanks," he said smiling happily for a few moments before blinking, the smile vanishing. "Wait, no. We've got this backward. I'm supposed to be here for you today. Getting you a job and all, right?"
"Oh. Yeah." Right. Job has priority over extra food. "So, um... where do we start?"
Fortunately, Spark had already met with Charity and knew the way to her offices, so Meadow soon found herself meeting with the official.
Charity seemed almost out of place in the building. She looked quite normal, with a pale blue coat and golden-blond mane, both fairly well-groomed. What made her seem unusual in this place was that this was the extent of her grooming. Many of the other officials looked primped-up, groomed, and dressed in fine clothing, and looked very, well, official. While she obviously didn't have a complete disregard for appearance, she didn't seem to put as much emphasis on it as some of her compatriots did. Meadow found herself approving of this, or at least, disapproving of it less than she did the others. Too many ponies put too much emphasis on personal comfort, and far too few put a decent amount of effort toward their work. That she looked worn-down, bearing all the signs of long days of working, tipped the judgment more toward approving.
It probably also explained why Charity's face--and emotions--lit up with happiness on meeting a pony looking to become her assistant.
"So you're the Meadow Song that Spark Wheel has told me so much about?"
Meadow put on a friendly smile as she shook the offered hoof. "I hope so," she said, then worried that the light attempt at humor might not go over well. How does one behave at an interview for a job? This was uncomfortably new territory. She'd heard of interviews before, of course, but that was a far different thing than understanding what goes on in one. She'd been told that an interview consisted of speaking to an employer and answering questions. That was about as complete and useful of information as saying you make friends by talking to ponies; technically accurate in broad strokes, while offering nothing useful whatsoever.
She sensed no anger or upset, so perhaps it was going well.
"Well, I can't tell you how happy I am to have someone eager to help out here. My last assistant moved on over a month ago, and I've been running ragged trying to keep things going. A second set of hooves will help out immensely." They had entered Charity's office, leaving Spark to wait in the hall. She offered a chair, taking a seat herself. "So I suppose the first question is, do you have any experience in this kind of work?"
Meadow frowned a little. "Um... Well, to tell the truth, I'm not entirely sure what this job entails, other than helping ponies. As far as that goes, I've been doing that most of my life, though never officially as a job. When I was at the orphanage, I helped out the other kids. I mostly helped with little things. Studying, help with hobbies, stuff like that. Some of them just needed somepony to be a friend, after what had brought them there."
Emotions started to flow from Charity, sensations of sympathy and... respect? Admiration? Seeing that her answer was working, she continued. "After I left the orphanage, I basically kept doing the same thing. The last half of a year, I'd been doing random jobs around Hoofington, helping out anypony that needed it. Whatever needed to be done. It didn't pay much, but I liked doing it. It was very satisfying, helping ponies out."
It seemed to be working until Charity voiced a question. "So how come you left to come here?" Meadow knew enough to see the unasked question: If it was really as satisfying as you say, why would you leave?
Meadow's smile faded a bit. "There wasn't very much to do there, so I thought I could do more good here." That's weak, she thought, mind scrambling for a better answer. "And, um..." Hesitantly, she tilted her head to the door. "...Well, he's here."
Technically true, even if it gives a completely wrong implication. Of course, that's what she was counting on. The charmed smile on Charity's face showed that it was working.
"Ah, I see," Charity said with a knowing nod. "Well, I think this should work out nicely!"
A few more minutes passed as they discussed the finer details of the responsibilities of the job, as well as her pay. After another quick hoofshake, Meadow stepped into the hall to tell Spark the good news.
As soon as she did, Spark gave her a tight hug. "All right, Meadow! I knew you'd get it!"
Meadow laughed softly. "Considering how badly in need of help she is, I think she'd hire just about anypony that came in off the street. I'm surprised nopony got the job before me. It seems perfect!" Okay, the pay is a bit low for the amount of work, but it's enough to get me home, and that's what counts!
"I guess you're lucky, then!"
"Yeah." She squeezed him a bit tighter in the hug. "Thank you, Spark."
He blushed again, just a little. Way too easy.
"Hey, you're welcome. I mean, I didn't really do much of anything."
"Still, thanks. I wouldn't have even known about this if not for you." She finally broke the hug. "Anyway, Charity was wanting to show me around and get me started. I guess she has a huge backlog of work to be done and she's really happy to have the help, so I should get to that. I guess I'll see you tonight?"
There was a soft feeling of sadness at those words, very faint behind the general happiness, that sat slightly uncomfortably with Meadow. He must be disappointed that they couldn't spend the day together, and she didn't want to do anything that might harm his affection. Then again, short absences might just work out, making him appreciate every moment with her even more. Yes, this could work out nicely!
"Yeah, I'll see you tonight, Meadow." He smiled; despite the hint of disappointment, he was still quite happy. "I hope it goes well!"
Saying their goodbyes, Spark headed out, while Meadow turned back to get to her first day of work.
Meadow almost managed to make it through an entire workday before encountering Bigs.
After several hours of basic preparatory work, with all the paperwork and filing that needed to be done so they could get on to the more important task of helping ponies, it was time for a break. Meadow was perfectly willing to keep working, but Charity insisted, saying that regular breaks were mandatory. Ponies work such short hours that they can spend half their waking day doing other things, and even then they still need regular breaks. How lazy can a species be? How do they get anything done?
And so, she found herself being guided by Charity to a new room.
"This is our break room," Charity said as she opened the door, guiding Meadow in. The room was a decent size, with a few tables, benches, a small fridge, and a pair of ponies. "Ah, and we've got company. Meadow Song, this is Paperwork..." She gestured to a gray unicorn, who nodded to them, "...and Big Shot." She gestured to the younger earth pony, whose eyes were wide with surprise.
Charity noticed this, giving a questioning look. "Bigs? Are you all right?"
Meadow just grinned happily. This could be fun. "Oh, he's probably just surprised to see me. We were at the same orphanage."
"Yeah," Bigs replied slowly. The surprise had vanished, replaced by a carefully neutral expression, but Meadow could sense the loathing that had surged up behind his act.
"Oh!" Charity exclaimed, smiling. "Well isn't that a happy coincidence! I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on, so I'll get out of your mane. See you in fifteen!"
She turned to leave but hesitated at the door. "Paperwork? Didn't you go on break almost an hour ago?"
The unicorn laughed nervously, quickly rising to his hooves. "Oh, yes. I'm on the job, I, uh, just came to get a quick drink of water. I'm feeling much better now!"
He stood and quickly walked to the door, with Charity holding back a roll of her eyes until he had passed. Then, with a final nod to Meadow and Bigs, she left as well.
Big's carefully neutral expression fell to a scowl. "What are you doing here, Meadow?"
She just grinned. "Oh, I work here. I guess that makes us coworkers. Isn't that just great?"
"Yeah, great," Bigs grumbled. "You'll fit in perfectly with all the other blood-sucking leeches around here."
Meadow chuckled. "Ah, Bigs. You always did think your little barbs were more insulting than they really were."
He muttered something as he turned back to the fridge, pulling out a sandwich. "So what are you really doing here?"
"It's a good job, and I get good money to help out ponies," she replied, then added, "Being able to keep an eye on you is a nice side-benefit."
He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Why do you even care about me, anyway. We haven't--"
His words were cut off by Meadow's laughter, leaving him to scowl at her as the laughter slowly died down. "Oh, oh Bigs. Hehe. I don't care in the slightest about you. You could go on to be the King of Manechester, or die suspiciously some night in your sleep. It makes no difference to me." She leaned in toward him. "But I do have an interest in certain other ponies. Ponies like Spark. And that means I'm going to be right here, keeping a nice, close eye on you, making sure you keep your hooves to yourself."
Bigs snorted in her face. "Really? I've barely even seen the twerp since I got here. I might not like him, but it's not like I'm going to go out of my way to harass him for some foalish grudge. I'm not as petty as you are."
"Not petty?" Meadow said, nearly bursting out in laughter again. "You? You're the pettiest pony I've ever met, Bigs. You beat up smaller foals and start nasty little rumors just to make yourself feel better about yourself. Yeah, not petty at all."
"That was years ago," Bigs shot back. "I grew up. You should try it sometime, Meadow."
She just chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You need a lot of practice on your insults, Bigs. That was just sad."
He grunted, walking toward the door on three legs while he held his sandwich held awkwardly in the fourth.
Then he stopped. Turning to look at her again, he spoke. "Besides, if I really wanted to 'get back' at Spark Wheel, you know what I'd do?" He turned more, stepping back toward her. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You'll do that all on your own, won't you?"
Meadow's expression tightened. "Is that so?" she said in a condescending tone.
"That's so," Bigs replied, eyes narrowing. "You think you're so clever. You've got your little hooks sunk in him, deep. What is he to you? A puppet? A plaything for your amusement? The one and only pony you're able to manipulate into liking a despicable creature like yourself?"
"You're one to talk," Meadow said, eyes narrowing faintly.
"Yeah, I am," he snapped back, harshly. "I know how it works, Meadow. I've been there. I've seen all your manipulations. Your little lies. Your sneaky little behind-the-back tricks. Your threats. If I wanted Spark to suffer, all I'd have to do is let you go along, doing your thing. You're a back-stabbing, conniving, soul-sucking witch. And you know what? I may not like him, but even I don't think he deserves something as horrible as you."
Meadow could feel her muscles tensing, a faint shudder building as she had to force herself to be still. She didn't want to just stand there. She wanted to wrap her hooves around that thick white neck and squeeze until she could feel the life fade from his wretched body. "You should watch what you say, Bigs."
"Or what?" he snarled, now muzzle-to-muzzle with her. "Are you going to threaten to kill me again? Don't bother. I remember that, Meadow. That's not the kind of thing you forget. But that's not going to work now. I'm respected. I do good work here, and ponies recognize it. I've got an influential and respected family, with real authority. You make another of your threats and you'll have the entire Guard breathing down your neck. And if I 'mysteriously' vanish, they'll know exactly where to look. Even you can't be that stupid."
He turned again, stomping to the door, while Meadow stood there, fuming. He paused a moment. "I told them, you know. About your earlier threat. Right now, they just think it was a foal being a foal. But I'll be keeping an eye on you. So will they. If you step one hoof out of line, they'll see what you really are, and you won't believe how hard the Guard comes down on your worthless head."
With that he left, slamming the door behind him. Meadow stood rigid, fuming as she glared her hatred at the now-closed door. Slowly she forced out the thoughts of beating down that infuriating pony, willing herself to calm. A fit of furious anger would not help her new job in the slightest.
By the time her break was over, she finally felt ready to return to work.
Spark wasn't in his apartment when she returned at the end of the short work day. That was fine by Meadow. She could use the time to unwind and relax, and a long, hot bath helped out immensely at calming her mind. There was something wonderful about the heat surrounding her like that, that just made it impossible to stay tense.
Raising a leg, she watched the water trickle down her hoof and through the fur. Even after all this time, her own limbs still seemed ever so slightly strange, covered with fur and so strangely solid. Why do ponies lack holes in their legs, anyway? It looks so weird like this.
She sighed and let the leg drop again, before casting a glance to the door. She had the apartment to herself, at the moment. There was a temptation to shed her disguise. After all this time, she'd never gotten the opportunity to try bathing in her natural form. Not with warm water, anyway. Would the relaxing warmth feel just as pleasant on chitin as it did on soft flesh? Always, there was the fear of discovery preventing such an experiment. She'd tried out a shower in her natural form, back in her Manehattan apartment, but showers just weren't the same.
With another sigh, she let the fantasy slip away again. There was no telling when Spark would get back, or if she'd hear him enter the apartment, and the last thing she needed was for him to find some monstrous bug-pony cleaning itself in his bathtub.
Though she couldn't help but snicker at the absurd imagery that scenario brought to mind.
As it turned out, she did hear the door shut when Spark returned, followed by the faint drumming of his hooves on the floor. A minute later she finally rose from the relaxing luxury of her bath, pulled the plug, and set about the lengthy task of drying out her fur.
She stepped out of the bathroom to find Spark kicked back on the couch with a small salad. He smiled warmly as he saw her. "Hey Meadow! How'd your first day at work go?"
Sitting beside him, she shrugged a little. "Not bad. I was mostly getting shown around, so we didn't get much done. Still, it looks like the kind of job I could really like." She considered mentioning Bigs, but there was no need to go ruining a perfectly good mood by bringing him up. "How was your day? Were you working again?"
"Nah, I'm not back until tomorrow," he replied, holding out the salad bowl for her to grab a couple quick bites. "I finally saved up enough bits to get some new metal-working tools, so now I can make new gears without having to hoof-cut each one..."
The conversation wound on into the evening, interrupted only to go next door for dinner. After that, and several more compliments on finding a job already, they returned.
Meadow considered her situation. The income from her job was decent. Spark had offered to let her stay with him, though his parents, who were the actual owners of the place, had decided she would pay some small portion of rent now that she had a job. It was far less than a full apartment, even that tiny one she had in Manehattan, so she was quite happy to do so. Minus rent, food, and a modest bit for incidental expenditures, and she should have enough saved up for an expedition in...
She considered the math for a moment. Just under a year.
It was a little longer than she would like, but it was finally an actual target. It would happen. Just one year, and she would be reunited with the hive.
As for now? She had a job. She had a place to stay. She had enough friendly ponies around her to never worry about going hungry. This was a place she could happily spend a year in, or even more.
She looked over to her bags, still sitting beside the couch. She was staying here; it felt like the only thing remaining to make it formal was to unpack.
So she opened the flap of her saddlebags. Her planning journal was set aside. Next, she pulled out the various grooming supplies, most destined for the bathroom, followed by the one dress that she had kept. As she did, a glint of light and a quiet thump from the floor drew her attention downward.
There on the carpet lay the little compass.
She picked it up. The thing was battered and worn, misshapen. The needle wobbled in place, scraping against the bottom. She had done her best to straighten it out, to fix it up, but there was only so much she could do. She stared at it for a few moments before softly calling out. "Hey, Spark?"
"Hmm?" He walked over to her, curious to see what she was holding.
"I... I know it's really banged up, and it's missing the lens, but... well, you're good with metal and machines." She held the compass out to him. "Do you think you can fix this?"
He took it gently, looking it over. "Yeah, it's pretty simple. I doubt it'd be a problem. Heck, I could make you an even better one, if you want."
She hesitated, taking a few moments to find the right words. "It was my mother's."
Spark's eyes widened a bit. "Oh," he said, sympathy welling up again. Then he smiled. "Yeah, I'll fix it up as good as new."
Meadow was filled with a mix of emotions of her own, but the only one she allowed to show was happiness, a weak smile crossing her face. "Thanks, Spark."