//------------------------------// // Tale 1 - Sprinkles & Rainfeather // Story: My Little Quack-Quack // by Yosh-E-O //------------------------------// Sprinkles the Pegasus always enjoyed exploring the skies in search of rainbow pools in the clouds. On one occasion she came across one that a very special mallard liked to frequent. His name was Duck Soup and he told her that he got his name from how he felt no pond was ever complete without a lively duck quacking around in it. “I’m the special ingredient to having the best times in the water!” he would proclaim. “Water is just water without your pal, Duck soup!” The light-pink Pegasus would sometimes soar the skies with Duck Soup in search of other rainbow pools. She really wanted to find one that her friends could join her at. Duck soup was a super friend but more friends in the magical rainbow ponds would only make the times spent there all the better! Sprinkles made friends with a lot of ducks and other water fowl. However her bond with duck Soup was the strongest. She earned her cutie Mark of six blue ducks from the time she realized how she had a gift for helping ducks in their adventures to find nesting grounds, train their babies to fly, and assist them when the time to migrate came. Duck Soup never migrated far from Sprinkles. He just loved keeping the blue-haired pony company. They would crack jokes, bring some enchanted water to her Unicorn and earth Pony pals as often as possible, and just be a common sight to spot over Pony Land as they would quack along either together or with a flock of ducks, geese, swans, loons, or any other water loving birds that were seeking adventure, assistance, or companionship with the blue-eyed Pegasus and her mallard pal. Sprinkles spent lots of time in the skies over Pony Land. However there was an Earth Pony who always had a way of keeping her on the ground. His name was Quacky Pants and, like her, he loved to tend to the water fowl that resided in the ponds and lazy rivers near his lush forest cottage. Quacky Pants and Sprinkles built a strong friendship that developed into a loving relationship. So it was no surprise that the two soon had their first, and only, foal, Rainfeather. Rainfeather had all of her mom’s looks from her blue eyes to a baby-pink colored coat. The only thing she seemed to get from her green-coated father was being born an earth Pony. Baby rainfeather, named for the weather the day she came into the world along with the couple’s shared love of water fowl, enjoyed exploring around the grounds of their home by the ponds and lazy rivers. She was quick friends with Duck soup and delighted flying with her mother into the sky to see the rainbow pools that her red-haired father often only could get to by using a hot air balloon he had built for joining his wife on nesting and migrating missions. One day, while Rainfeather was playing by the river, she met a blue duckling named Chirrup. Chirrup was sad because it hadn’t rained in days and he really wanted to play in a warm summer rainfall. This made rainfeather think about all the stories her mom and dad had told her. She believed in magic and thought she could grant the little quacker’s wish if she only had one of his feathers. Chirrup was quick to hand over the biggest feather he could pluck from his back to Rainfeather. She then dreamed and hoped with all her heart to make it rain as she waved the feather around like a wand. DROP DRIP DRIP-DROP Rainfeather was surprised to see that it had suddenly started raining! The blue feather was aglow with magical energy and she came to retain it as her gift. Having the ability to make it rain was definitely perfect for a family who were so close to Pony Land’s water fowl. Rainfeather got her Cutie Mark of a blue duck with a yellow umbrella that day and always made certain to keep the ‘magic feather’ she got from Chirrup tucked safely behind her ear in the event she would ever need to bring about a gentle rainfall for those feathered friends her mom and dad had raised her around. And so is the tale of Sprinkles and Rainfeather. One day Rainfeather will grow up to inherit her mother and father’s home by the ponds and lazy rivers. She would make a lifelong friend in Chirrup as her mom had made in Duck soup. However, for now, she’s a happy baby pony who just can’t get enough of splashing around with the ducks, swans, geese, and other winged friends that make up all of Pony Land.