//------------------------------//
// 311. Herd and Bothered - Part 3 
// Story: Blaze the Pony Tale 
// by Wolven5 
//------------------------------//

Dinner ended nicely, and after the foals brushed their teeth and were tucked in for bedtime, the adults were relaxing in the living room, where Midnight finally asked the million bit question.

"So... how did you guys all wind up together?"

"How did we become a herd, you mean," Ara answered and gave a shrug. "There's no need to beat around the bush, Prince Midnight. It's actually kind of a cheesy story."

"It's how our family began, Ara," Silk corrected, "and it might never have had you not given me the courage."

"And I already told you, just call me Midnight," Midnight assured them, "honestly, all that royal treatment sticks in my craw unless it's during official business."

"Fair enough," Ara shrugged before clearing her throat, "It began back Vanhoover when we were fresh into university I was majoring in appraisal, antiquities, and such while Silk was studying foal development."

"Ara and I have been best friends since we were fillies," Silk added, "and we pushed each other to work hard to become successful and achieve our dreams. She wanted to work with antiques, I wanted to become a teacher." 

"So where did Marshal enter the picture?" asked Midnight.

"It was after our first midterms," Ara went on. "There was an accident in the science lab, and a whole wing of the university caught fire. I was outside on the campus when it happened..."

"I was inside," Silk spoke softly, remembering that terrible day, "Besides studying, I was also working as a clerk. I was delivering some papers to one of the professors, when... there was an explosion. A door flew off its hinges and fire flowed out like a wave. I panicked, couldn't think straight. Instead of running, I hid in a broom closet. Very quickly, it began to get... so hot! The closet began to fill with smoke, but I was frozen with fear. The smoke finally got to me and... I passed out."

"So what happened?" Midnight leaned in, the story drawing him in. 

"I was working at the Vanhoover Fire Department back then," Marshal answered. "We quickly got word that the university was on fire, and hurried there as fast as we could. Upon arrival, we got word there were still ponies trapped in the science wing. I suited up, cast some protective wards, and went in. I got out some students and teachers, but I wanted to make sure I didn't leave anypony behind. I cast a life-sensing spell, and I found Silk in the closet. 

"The smoke had caused her to pass out, and I got her outta there as quickly as I could. While the rest of the firefighters were handling the hoses, I carried Silk to a paramedic. That's when Ara showed up."

"I was terrified," Ara looked over to Silk and they shared a warm look, "At first, I was afraid she was dead, almost flew into hysterics. Marshal managed to calm me down and let the paramedic take care of Silk."

"Eventually, I came to," Silk spoke, "I woke up in a hospital bed, and Ara and Marshal were both there. After hearing what he'd done..."

She looked to Marshal who smiled at her deeply as they held hooves, "It was love at first sight."

"I asked her out to coffee once we did intros," Marshal added, "but she chickened out, said she wanted to focus on getting better and- uh, getting things back to normal."

"As soon as Marshal left the room, i said to Silk 'Are you some kind of idiot?'," Ara added, using the appropriate tone. 

"I was- I was caught of guard!" Silk protested, "I mean, I almost died!"

"So, I kept... encouraging her to go see Marshal," Ara went on, "and when she did, they... hit it off."

"It's more like she kicked my plot out our dorm room and wouldn't let me back in," Silk corrected before sighing and smiling, "But sometimes a kick in the plot is exactly what you need."

"Silk came to me at the station," Marshal took it from there, "asked if that offer for coffee was still standing, and... we started seeing each other."

"But then, how did it turn from the two of you to the three of you?" asked Midnight.

"Well, at first, I didn't notice because of how close Marshal and I were getting," Silk replied, looking a tad guilty, "I was falling in love with a wonderful stallion, enjoying my studies, cherishing every date... But finally I took a moment and realized that Ara and I were growing distant from each other."

Midnight looked to Ara, who took a deep breath and explained, "I was happy for Silk, really I was. it's just... That day, when Marshal came out of that burning building, Silk on his back, I was worried for her, but I also couldn't help thinking... he looked rather heroic."

"You were smitten with Marshal too," Midnight realized. 

"And when I saw the connection between him and Silk form, I... I suppose I sort of pushed my feelings onto Silk," Ara nodded. "When they finally started dating, I began to regret my choice, but I didn't want to step in and mar something beautiful. Seeing them together, smiling, kissing, just happy to be in the other's company, i felt.... left out. I started talking to Silk less and less, I avoided Marshal, but none of it stopped the hurt."

"Finally, I took Ara out to have lunch together, I had to insist upon it," Silk took it from there. "We talked, and she admitted all of this to me. She had feelings for Marshal too but she didn't want to come between us. So... I told her she didn't have to, that she could come beside us!"

"Wait, so... you suggested that the three of you become a herd," Midnight gathered.

"I did,  but I also made sure we both spoke to Marshal together since this included him too," Silk nodded.

"I admit, I was... a little surprised and unsure of the idea," Marshal shrugged, "but I gave it a chance, and I started dating Ara along with Silk. We talked, we got to know each other, we had arguments and disagreements. Honestly, if Silk hadn't been so patient and stubborn I'm not sure if it would've worked out at all."

Then Marshal gave both his wives a deep and considerate look while holding their hooves, "But it was worth it. We talked to each other, we listened to each other, and when finally I had no doubts and I was truly certain of my feelings I went out to a jewelry story, took them both on a romantic night on the town, and with the full moon shining down on us I asked them both if they would marry me."

Silk and Ara leaned up against their stallion, each resting their head  on his shoulders, Marshal kissing them both. Midnight kept silent, letting them enjoy this moment, when a thought crossed his mind about Ara, something she'd said. How she'd felt 'left out'. He wondered, Could that have something to do with Ledger's enmity towards herds...?

It seemed plausible, but Midnight knew he had to be sure. 





The next morning, Ledger Seals was on her way to Town Hall. But first, she needed her morning coffee. Taking a short detour, she entered a coffee shop she frequented and ordered her usual from the barista. Sitting down as she waited for her coffee, she opened her bag to look at the proposal she'd been working on. She'd worded it down to the last letter, because this would be her first step towards making Coltson great. 

But by the Pale One... she thought with furrowed brows, there will be no places for herds in this community. 

"What'cha working on there, Deputy Mayor?"

Ledger looked up and felt her seat clench to see it was Midnight Blaze, enjoying a strawberry-kiwi frappuchino, sunglasses over his eyes, and wearing a casual blazer, "`Cuz the way you're pouring over it, seems like it's important."

"Prince Midnight..." Ledger spoke with an even voice, "I didn't realize you were still in town. What was it you said before? Maybe we'd meet again in another reality?"

"Another world, actually, but who's to say the world is the same one we wake up to every day?" Midnight shrugged and slurped on his frappuchino before suddenly stopping and groaning as he rubbed his head, "Ooh! Brain freeze... It's so easy to get them with drinks like this, but this stuff is so darn good!"

"Deputy Mayor?"

Ledger was glad for the timely announcement and she quickly stowed her proposal into her bag before getting up, "Well, forgive me for cutting this short, Prince Midnight, but it's back to the daily grind."

She went up to the counter and got her coffee, thanking the barista before curtly saying to Midnight, "Enjoy your drink."

Midnight watched her leave, and as Ledger continued on along the sidewalk, she passed by somepony reading a newspaper on a public bench.
"What you called Marshal and his family was so far from what you claimed..."

She paused mid-step and looked back as the newspaper was folded down and there was Midnight sitting there, giving her a cheeky look, "It makes me wonder what sort of basis you would have to form such an unflattering opinion towards herds."

Furrowing her brows yet again, Ledger clenched her jaw before taking a breath and stating, "Herds are no longer a solution, they are a catalyst for all sorts of problems. Too many foals, too many wives, too many mouths to feed, not enough attention, food, or money to go around, and sometimes herds aren't even about family! The worst of them are groups of perverts and sexual deviants using the term 'herd' to excuse their sick fetishes and gang up on innocent ponies who have no idea what they're really getting themselves into!  

"That's what they are, Your Highness!"

Midnight was stone-faced at Ledger's outburst, so she calmed down and added, "The time and need for herds has come and gone. I am not so deluded into believing I can get rid of herds all over Equestria, but I can start here in Coltson. Good day, sir!"

She harrumphed and turned around to continue on her way, not even realizing she'd done exactly what Midnight had hoped she would, as he thought, There's no way it's not personal for her... But I'm going to need to look into this further.

Bunching up the newspaper in his magic and tossing it into a nearby waste bin, Midnight collapsed into vaporous shadow that slithered away. 





Rising out of his shadow, Midnight gazed up at the building before him, the Coltson Record House, a large building of impressive structure. Its construction was overseen by a famous architect who was actually born in Coltson. Entering while casting a glamour upon himself, he spotted a rather sour and haggard stallion clerk behind the front desk, looking as though he saw a sunset that was tainted by that of a overly noisy family.

"You here for a record?" he growled towards Midnight, not really noticing the fact that Midnight was an alicorn.

"Yes, I'd like to read what you have on Ledger Seal," Midnight replied.

Sighing grumpily, the stallion got up, saying, "Wait here, be back in a bit."

As he trudged away, Midnight heard the clerk grumbling about how everypony treated his place of work as though it were a candy shop, requesting records like orders from a menu. Midnight didn't let it bother him, he could understand some jobs had their downsides, especially in the ponies some jobs had the workers deal with. The clerk returned shortly after and Midnight thanked him kindly for it before taking his leave. 





In Coltson Town Hall, Mayor Keys was very conflicted after having just listened to her Deputy-Mayor's proposal to ban herds in their community. Personally, she had nothing against herds so long as they didn't cause a problem with the public, but she didn't believe in giving special attention. 

"Mayor Keys?"

She snapped out of her head and looked across her desk to Ledger, who had an expectant look, "Well? You didn't say a thing during my proposal. Don't you have any questions, anything to say?"

"Ledger, your proposal is... very detailed," Mayor Keys responded with an even tone, "and clearly you've put considerable thought and time into this, but truthfully I don't really see a point to it. Now, when it comes to herds, I am indifferent and unless they make problems for the public-"

"Mayor Keys, it's not just the public that could have problems with herds," Ledger interrupted tensely, "It's what goes on within the herds! At the very least, we should have foal services look into them and remove any foals from their custody!"

"Now, Ledger, that's going a little too-" Mayor Keys tried to respond when she was interrupted again.

Except it was a knock on her office door. Before she could answer it, the door opened, revealing it was her secretary. 
"What is it, Holly?"

"Excuse, Miss Mayor and Deputy-Mayor, but..." Holly cleared her throat and looked a little overwhelmed before she said, "Prince Midnight Blaze is here to see you!"

"A prince?!" Mayor Keys flabbergasted, not noticing Ledger suddenly freeze. "I- Is- Wha- Are you sure?"

"Big blue alicorn stallion, wings raised, levitating a folder with his telekinesis?" Holly responded, "Hard to argue with that evidence, Mayor."

"Well, send him in, then," Mayor Keys instructed.

"Actually, Mayor, he asked you to come see him in the lobby," Holly corrected before adding, "He's not here by himself."

Holly ducked out of the office and Mayor Keys stood up from her desk, straightened her suit out and looked at a mirror on her wall to make sure her mane looked presentable. 
"Whatever could an alicorn prince be doing here?! I-I'm not prepared for this, I'm-"

"Then maybe you shouldn't talk to him, Mayor Keys," Ledger spoke up, "it is inconvenient of him to drop in like this unannounced."

"I'm afraid that just won't do, Ledger," Mayor Keys responded after she was satisfied with her image, "Come, let's go greet royalty."

Ledger gulped but hid her anxiety as she followed Mayor Keys out to the Town Hall lobby. Her heart jumped into her throat when she saw that Midnight was here, accompanied by Marshal and his family, and none of them looked like they were her for a social call. 

"Prince Midnight Blaze!" Mayor Keys gave a respectful bow before holding out her hoof, and Midnight politely shook it. "This is quite the unexpected honor!"

"Really?" Midnight raised a brow before eyeing Ledger Seal, "I would think your deputy-mayor would have at the very least informed you of my arrival yesterday."

"Wha-?!" Mayor Keys gave a confused look to Ledger Seals, who got nervously shifty-eyed. "...You are dismissed for the day, Seals."

"Mayor Keys-" Ledger tried to say only for Mayor Keys to raise her hoof.

"You are dismissed, Ledger!" Ledger backed down, hearing the rise in Keys's tone. "We'll discuss this later."

Ledger Seals clenched her teeth but kept silent as she walked past Midnight, Marshal, and his family, ignoring their disproving looks. Once she was gone, Mayor Keys sighed and asked, "So then, Your Highness. What is this about? Judging by the fact Marshal and his family are present, I must conclude this has to do with my deputy-mayor."

"Unfortunately, it does," Midnight nodded before explaining, "Recently, I found out Ledger has been discreetly harassing them due to their being a herd. Truth be told, Mayor, Marshal's family is the first herd I've ever really gotten to know, and in direct contrast to Ledger's claims and opinions regarding herds, I found Marshal, his wives, and their children to be a close, warm, and deeply loving family, and isn't that all that truly matters?"

"It is," Keys sighed, feeling guilty as she had a good idea of where this was going "Family's something I hold dear, and to tell you the truth, I having nothing against herds either. Please, explain to me exactly how Ledger Seals has... done wrong."

Midnight looked over to Marhsal and gave a nod, so Marshal stepped forward and took a deep breath.
"Mayor Keys, when we moved here from Vanhoover six months ago, everything was just fine. I joined the Coltson Fire Department, Ara opened her antique store, and Silk was looking forward to having our new foal here in this community. 

"But then a couple of months ago, Ledger Seals began harassing us. She approached me and made a thinly-veiled threat to leave Coltson or else. I ignored her. The next day, my chief at the fire station got a notice and I was put under investigation for some trumped up accusation of soliciting sexual favors! It didn't stick, but I was suspended from work for nearly three weeks!"

Ara stepped forward next and stated, "Ledger Seals came into my store one day and tired to discourage me from continuing my business. When I asked her to leave, she made some derogatory remark to think of my family, but the way she said it was poisonous! Then I started hearing rumors from my customers, who all slowly but stopped coming to my store! I finally asked one of them directly what was the problem, and he told me the deputy-mayor was whispering lies about me, my business, and my family! Calling me a con artist selling fake antiques and cheap knockoffs, and that I was some kind of tail-lifting whorse!"

Finally, Silk stepped forward, whispering Red and Comfy to stand by their daddy, and then looking Mayor Keys straight in the eye and she spoke, "I was given a message from my children's school to attend a parent teacher conference. When I got there however, I wasn't meeting with my children's teachers, it was with their principal and Ledger Seal. The principal said Ledger Seal had approached him about my children learning bad things from their parents but she advised him to meet only with me rather than all three of us.

"She stood there the whole time, silent but watching me with this awful look on her face. Like she was waiting for me to say something that would be misconstrued. I... I could barely keep myself calm during the conversation, but once it was over the principal gave me a warning that if either Redstreak of Comfy misbehaved they would both be expelled!" 

To say Mayor Keys was appalled by what she'd just heard was putting it mildly before she remembered aloud, "Before you all arrived, Ledger made a proposal to me to ban herd relationships in Coltson, she... she advised removing foals from any local herds' custody!" 

Marshal, Ara, and Silk all gasped in horror, Ara holding Redstreak while Silk hugged Comfy, who was starting to get upset. Midnight gave Mayor Keys a look and stated, "Miss Mayor, with respect, I think Ledger Seals has to be dealt with."

"Yes, I agree," Mayor Keys sighed while rubbing her forehead, "Her conduct is unacceptable, to say the least. I give you all my word, Ledger Seals will be suspended pending an investigation and I promise you this will not happen again. Not in my town."

"Allow me to shed some light onto that investigation, Mayor," Midnight levitated a folder to Mayor Keys, who accepted it, confused.

"This... this folder is about Ledger?"

"Take a look inside," Midnight invited, "and you'll see what I mean."

Mayor Keys opened the folder and began to read the content inside. It didn't take long for her to see what Midnight meant, and she looked to her secretary, Holly, "Send word to Ledger Seals that I want her in my office now. Not tomorrow, not next week; now!!"





Ledger Seals entered the office, finding Mayor Keys at her desk, Midnight standing beside it. The atmosphere in the room felt like a volcano on the verge of erupting, but she betrayed no anxiety, maintained her composure, and walked up to them before saying, "You wanted to speak with me, Mayor?"

"When you started out here in town hall, you were the supervisor of the staff," Mayor Keys stated, "a graduate from Vanhoover University in political science, exceptional organization skills, and definitely determined to succeed. You rose up, joined my election campaign, and I won't deny that had it not been for you I would not be Mayor of Coltson. So at the very least, I owe it to you."

Ledger knew Keys wasn't done talking but took the bait, "And what is it exactly that you owe me?"

Mayor Keys threw the folder onto her desk and Ledger saw her name on it, closing her eyes, before softly saying, "So the cat's out of the bag."

She looked to Midnight, whose expression was unreadable, and said, "I take it you brought this to Keys's attention."

"Don't blame Prince Midnight," Mayor Keys scoffed, "What I heard from Marshal and his family about your actions against them is disgraceful. You have abused your position and authority and brought shame to this hall. I am kicking myself in the ass for not nipping this problem at the bud, especially in how I never questioned you as to why you hold such enmity towards herds!"

She tapped the folder on her desk and added, "This explains so much, but as to what I was saying before, I owe you the chance to explain yourself. To hear your side of the story. Why you hate herds so much despite the fact that you were born to one."

For a long and uncomfortable moment, Ledger didn't say anything. She just stood there, silent, unable to look Keys or Midnight in the eye, looking for all intents and purposes like a little filly who knew she was in trouble. Midnight was about to speak, when finally Ledger took a deep breath.

"it's true. I was born to a herd. My father. My mother, The other two wives. My older brothers and sisters, and the youngest in the herd was me. Big families are loud, disorganized, everypony's busy with their own thing; makes it very easy to be overlooked. Then of course all the mouths to feed, the individual wants and needs, it gets very-very expensive. My parents and the other two wives struggled to make ends meet. They exhausted themselves every day at work and coming home to seven foals all wanting attention for some reason or other. 'Dad, I need help with this homework assignment', 'Mom, did you finish washing my sweater for my date tonight?', 'Dad, come play catch with me', 'Mom, that's not how I like my peanut butter and jelly sandwich!'...  With all my brothers and sisters cutting in line for attention, I could've walked into the middle of the living room, screamed my lungs out, and nopony would notice...

"The only one who ever really listened or paid attention was my oldest sister. We didn't share the same mother, but she was more a mother to me than my own ever was!"

Ledger paused to take a breath, a shuddery breath as the memories surfaced, before she continued, "I wasn't old enough to understand then, but around that time my father, mother, and the other wives were having more and more sex to relieve stress and tension. Then the financial problems got worse. My father started drinking, and when he got drunk he got loud and angry and scary. It wasn't long after that he got violent. Everypony in the house became afraid of him, even the smallest thing set him off. One morning, I woke up... and my mother was gone. She'd packed her bags and walked out the door... She left me behind."

Keys and Midnight felt their hearts sink as Ledger began to shed tears yet still held onto what composure she still had. 
"One night, one of my brothers stood up to our father. He didn't like that. My sister took me away from the room, but I still heard the sounds of my father hitting my brother and throwing him against the wall... The neighbors heard the shouting and the noises and the police became involved. My father fled before they arrived, and my brother was taken to the hospital. That night was the final straw - My sister took me away from that house. She led me to the Vanhoover Orphanage and told me that I was going to get a new mommy and daddy, that I wouldn't have to be scared or sad anymore. I realized in that moment, she was saying goodbye. I cried, I begged her not to leave too. She hugged me and promised me that I was going to be okay, and that she'd be okay knowing I'd be better off. I asked if I could visit her, but she shook her head no. She said to me, 'You'll have a new life, a new family. Take care, don't look back'.

"She gave me one last hug, kissed me on the cheek, and knocked on the orphanage door, telling me to give the ponies inside a note she put in my saddlebag. The last time I saw her, she was watching the orphanage matron take me inside from an alleyway across the street. I was seven."

Ledger finally choked out a sob and wiped her tears before sighing and finishing her story, "It was only a couple of months later a couple came to the orphanage and not a week after they signed my adoption papers. My new parents were everything my birth parents hadn't been. They were warm, attentive, they made me feel loved and safe. I was nervous when they had a foal together, that they would ignore me in favor of a foal that was truly their own. They didn't! They introduced me to my baby brother and I named him after my brother who was hurt and my sister who made sure I got a second chance. I helped raise him and love him as closely and deeply as they had done for me.

"I know my actions have been below the belt, there's no arguing that. But when you come from the sort of family I had, it leaves scars. The kind you can't see, the kind that weigh down on your soul no matter how hard you work to keep the wheel turning."

The uncomfortable silence resumed and while Mayor Keys sighed into her hooves, Midnight realized he wasn't here just to protect a family.

"Mayor Keys, I hereby resign as Deputy-Mayor of Coltson," Ledger softly stated, "I'll go clean out my desk."

But just as she turned to leave Keys's office, Midnight said, "Wait."

Ledger paused but didn't look back.

"Ledger Seals, I can't fault you for the way you feel. You have my sympathies, no foal should have to come from a household like that. But as bad as your birth family was, it wasn't all bad, right? Your sister looked out for you! She loved you enough to let you go, to get you out of a bad situation because you would be safe, you'd have a better chance, and it sounded to me like your brother was brave, brave enough to stand up to his own father, despite what happened. Your family wasn't perfect but there were those in it who loved you and looked out for you. But what family is perfect? I had friends back when I was a colt who had problems at home, and none of them came from herds. You can't let your background paint the entirety of herds in a bad light, and it's wrong of you to impose that opinion on others. I encountered a unicorn not too long ago who imposed her beliefs on others as well, but she took it to far more terrible extremes. 

"You're intelligent, successful, and determined, and I respect those qualities. But you're still carrying that weight you talked about. You need closure, and the only way you're-"

A  knock interrupted, and in came Holly yet again looking a little anxious, "Oh, sorry to interrupt, everypony, but- Prince Midnight! I just got word from Mr. Marshal. He says his wife Silk Slipper has gone into labor. They just got to the hospital, and he wants you to be there."

"Thank you for informing me, miss," Midnight nodded to her, and once she left, Midnight looked to Ledger Seals and said, "I want you to come with me, Ledger."

"For what?" Ledger huffed wearily.

"...To see," Midnight answered.