//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: Spring and Spanner 
// by CodenameOne 
//------------------------------//


 


"Happy tenth birthday, Springy!"

Spring Blossom blew out the candles of her cake, and Spanner Wrench quickly and carefully set about cutting it for her. It was the prettiest cake she had ever seen, with the rim of the cake's crown decorated to look like a wreath and a big flower pattern on the top of it. Her dad gave her a slice and she dug in.

"MMMMM! It's so good!" She said after she had swallowed. Spanner sat down next to her at the kitchen table and helped himself, albeit to a much smaller piece. He took a bite and nodded.

"Very good, indeed. We'll go over to the bakery sometime and thank the mare who made this for you, alright?" he asked, and Spring nodded. A lot had changed in four months, the biggest of which was Spring getting her cutie mark and hitting her tenth birthday. Her mark was a beautiful white flower with a cluster of gold at the center, and although she had asked her dad what it was, he had held off on telling her until today.

"I have a gift for you, of course. Can you wait here while I go get it?" he asked, and Spring nodded. He went to his room and soon came back holding a tall, thin box. She pulled the wrapping off and found the box had no bottom, so she just pulled it up. Inside was a glass vase holding a flower. White, with a gold center. She looked up at Spanner, and he smiled at her.

"It, and your cutie mark, is an edelweiss. It means 'noble white', and symbolizes purity and perseverance" Spanner said. "While there's no doubt it's there to symbolize your skill as a florist, It's also a sign of your kind-hearted nature and big heart, Springy. It tells others that you're a kind and trusting pony." He sat down on the floor next to her, eye-level with her, and hugged her.

She smiled and hugged him back. She promised herself she would keep it alive as long as possible. She had learned more about flower tending, and was learning more every day, and her flowers were living longer and longer. It and the bit that he had given her were such precious gifts, and she would treasure both forever.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Spring broke the hug. "Patchouli Rest is here" she said, and hopped off of her chair. She was about to rush to the front door when she looked back at Spanner and smiled. "Thank you, dad. For everything. I love you."

Spanner smiled. "You're welcome, Springy. I love you, too."

He watched her scurry to the front door, smiling the whole time. Spring opened the front door and Spanner saw Spring's friend standing outside. Spanner had been concerned it'd take some convincing, but Ginger had readily agreed to let Patchouli come by for Spring's tenth birthday. It had been a little over six months since he'd adopted her, and Spanner was confident that things were getting back to the way they should be. Spring Blossom was happy as could be, as was he.

Ginger Snap had been right; it wasn't always so easy. Sometimes, someone could be doing their best, only for something completely out of their control to happen. But, Spanner Wrench had learned, so long as that someone had loved ones around them that they could count on, then they could get through anything at all.

That help could come from all different types. Even someone as unassuming as a bright and cheery young filly. Especially if that someone was a young filly, in Spanner's opinion. He smiled at Spring and her friend, and soon enough the house was filled with the vibrant sounds of fun and laughter. It was the sound of joy, a sound that Spanner Wrench had never thought he'd hear in his house.

I love that sound he thought.