... for My Daughter

I skated across the ice with my friends. We were playing horse hockey. Turquoise Blitz, my purple friend with a scruffy turquoise mane and tail, had the puck, and Cheese Swirl, my yellow friend with a curly orange mane and tail, followed, probably thinking of maneuvers to take the puck.

And I'm Jock Flare, an orange stallion with a smooth magenta mane and tail and blue eyes. My cutie mark is a bunch of sport items: hoofball, puck, soccer ball, etc., showing my passion for sports of all kinds.

I have one daughter, but I'm single. Unfortunately, my daughter is a pegasus, while I, myself, am an earth pony, so she hasn't learned how to fly... I can't teach her, for Celestia's sake! Fortunately, she found a pegasus role model, Rainbow Dash.

I couldn't be happier for her. Rainbow seems to be a great girl, but I just wish I was closer to her besides our blood and colors.

My daughter's name is Scootaloo. We have the same color schemes accept for our eyes, since hers are a magenta-ish violet.

The only reason she's not off the ground yet is because her mother died during her labor.

Oh, Scooter Strike... I miss you so much. *sniffling is heard*

I'm sorry... It's hard to think about her.

A-anyway... I've met Rainbow Dash before. She treats Scoots like a sister. I'm just glad that some pegasus is trying to help her wings get stronger. As an earth pony, I had no idea what I needed to do when she was a baby. She was my first kid, and I didn't know what to feed her or how to treat her wings or anything!

Then my friend offered to milk her. She had given birth to a stillborn and had plenty of milk, so I gratefully accepted her offer.

In return, I helped with keeping her money and by keeping her house tidy.

But enough about all that! Back to Scoots...

She's considered a handicap now, but I know that's not the case. And then there's the fact she's a blank flank... I wish I had the time to be with her. Between work and my friends dragging me away from it, I never have time for her!

I wish I could be better for my daughter...

[][][][][]

I stared into the empty beer bottle I was holding. I was at the bar in a club again against my own will thanks to Cheese Swirl, and this was my fourth bottle.

I really need to stop doing this. It only makes me feel worse.

The waiter pushed a fifth bottle towards me, but I pushed it back and began mingling.

It was karaoke night, and Cheese Swirl was going all out.

Forgot to mention: Cheese Swirl is a Party Animal. A massive Party Animal.

"Shawty has them Apple Bottom Jeans,
Boots with the fur.
The whole club was lookin' at her.
She hit the floor.
Next thing you know,
Shawty got low low low low low low low low."

Cheese Swirl choose that song to annoy me. Don't get me wrong, I'm okay with the song. Cheese Swirl just sings it too often.

That's when I noticed her.

A neon purple pegasus mare with a neon green and neon pink, wild mane doing what the song told.

She was getting low and showing off her plot with a fiery disco ball cutie mark.

I froze. I thought she was beautiful.

I blinked. Why was I thinking this?! I-I... I can't abandon Scooter Strike. I... I just can't.

I galloped away from the club as fast as I could.

[][][][][]

I tossed and turned in my bed. I was thinking about that mare again. I couldn't get her out of my mind! I feel so bad for abandoning Scooter Strike.

Then I had a dream. It went something like this.

I gazed at the yellow pegasus mare with her purple mane and tail and her magenta-ish violet eyes.

I smiled lovingly at Scooter Strike.

She returned a sad smile. She stared at the grass below us that I hadn't noticed before.

"Flare," she whispered.

"What," I asked. "What is it, my love? Don't tell me you're leaving so soon. Please... I need you." I had choked out the last sentence.

"Flare," she said louder this time. "Please, Flare, listen to me."

"I'm listening," I insisted.

She looked up, and her eyes quivered and were brimmed with tears. "Please, let me go. I need you to let me go for Scootaloo. I need you to go to that mare. She will give our daughter happiness..."

Now my eyes were brimmed with tears. "But... I-I can't... I don't want to."

"Than do it for me."

I stared into her eyes for a final time...

...

... And I let go.

I sobbed into my pillow as my ache for Scooter Strike lessened.

"Daddy," I heard a small voice question.

I turned in my bed and saw Scootaloo. She had her Rainbow Dash Plushie on her back and was staring at me with concerned eyes. She scampered into my bed and got comfy.

"Daddy," she whispered once comfortable, "why are you crying?"

I didn't think I was that loud.

"It's nothing, Scoots," I replied.

Her eyes furrowed. "Whenever I say that, you say I'm lying, so that means you're lying."

I groaned.

"Alright. Fine... I..." I began to choke up. "... I was thinking of your mother."

Her eyes widened. "B-but you said that was a forbidden topic!"

"Yeah..." I looked over at my clock. 2:43. I sighed. "Why don't you sleep in here tonight? I'm sure we'll both get a better sleep than usual."

Scootaloo smiled and nestled deeper into the covers until we were cuddling.

"I love you, Dad," she breathed before falling asleep.

I smiled. "Me too..."

[][][][][]

I flipped another pancake.

Scootaloo was already happily eating breakfast. Her stack of four pancakes quickly disappeared.

"More, please," she announced.

I chuckled. "Don't let your stomach explode."

"Whoa," she said. "Can that actually happen?!"

I let out a hearty laugh. "No! No, it can't!" More laughter.

Soon enough, Scootaloo cracked a grin and began laughing, too.

"Phew! Okay, I'm good," I said, letting out the last of my laughs. I looked over at the kitchen clock. "Alright, Scoots. Go get ready for school. Applejack and Apple Bloom will be here any minute now."

"Yeah, Dad," she huffed. "I know!"

[][][][][]

Scootaloo had gone to school, and I had the day off. I trotted through town.

I need to find that mare, I thought.

Then I saw Pinkie ~~trotting~~ ~~prancing~~ bouncing through town. I smiled and waved her down. She quickly bounced over.

"Hey, Jock Flare," she said cheerfully while beaming. "What can I do for you?"

"Hey, Pinkie," I replied. "Do you know where a neon purple pega-"

She interrupted me with, "Pegasusmarewithaneongreenandneonpinkmaneandtail?! That's Disco Flame. She's over by the Apple Stand right now."

I casually trotted over to the Apple Stand after thanking Pinkie Pie.

I saw Disco Flame put a few bits on the stand which the earth pony Big Mac nodded at. She grabbed three apples and put them in her neon pink saddlebags. She turned around and was about to trot away of I hadn't been in her path.

"Oh, uh," she said a bit timidly. "Hi."

"Hi," I quickly responded. I winced. Too quickly. "Um, I'm Jock Flare." I held out my left hoof.

She smiled and returned the gesture. "Disco Flame. Most ponies just call me Disco, though."

"Nice to meet you," I said. I began to shuffle my hooves. "Um... Would you like to go on a date?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

[][][][][]
[][][][][]

Scootaloo tugged at her dress.

"Scootaloo," Rarity whispered urgently. "Stop!"

Scootaloo grumbled. "Is the wedding almost over," she moaned.

"Yes, yes," Rarity insisted. "Now, shush!"

"... You may now kiss the bride," Princess Twilight Sparkle announced.

Jock Flare dipped Disco Flame into a passionate kiss.