//------------------------------// // 67 - Small Redemptions // Story: The Memoirs Of A Reality Jumper // by Techogre //------------------------------// Luna’s moon was a waxing crescent in the sky, and Sergent Noctus was happy. His Princess was gaining respect, as was her Night Guard, and tonight was very special—the pony responsible for the recent Diamond Dog crisis was going to be given the opportunity for redemption. A messenger whispered in his ear. He nodded to Luna’s majordomo, and the usual line of supplicants was quickly cleared from the room.  The old majordomo announced the pony that had been called. "May it please, Your Majesty, the Royal Sustenance Master Second Class, Carrot Casserole.” Luna sat regally on her throne. Her favourite, Sergeant Noctus, was standing by her side. She spoke in a haughty tone, “Come forward, Casserole. We wish to have words with thee.” Neither princess had ever called the bureaucrat, and he was nervous. The Princess Of the Night had a certain reputation. “Y-yes, your Highness.” The stoic Sergeant Noctus corrected the increasingly intimidated functionary. “That’s ‘Yes, Your Majesty.’.” “O-of-course. Yes, Your Majesty.” Luna continued, unamused. “Are you familiar with form CP872636, Casserole?” Carrot Casserole grew worried. He had a suspicion as to the nature of this summons. “Yes, Your Majesty.” Luna prompted him, “What, in your own words, is the task this form is meant to accomplish?” Carrot was now sure it was about those thrice-cursed Diamond Dogs. The rumour mill had said there was some issue with an A-class form. “Provide non-standard foodstuffs to Equestrian citizens in need.” Noctus raised an eyebrow, and Carrot hastily added, “Your Majesty.” Luna raised her own delicate eyebrow, “I see. And what priority does this form have, prey tell?” Casserole nervously cleared his throat. “It is an A-class form. It goes to the top of the order. Only class-triple-A forms have higher priority. Your Majesty.” Luna gave the increasingly uncomfortable minister a very slight, cold smile, “I see. Another related question. Are Diamond Dogs citizens?” “I suppose so—Your Majesty.” “And as citizens, are they not given the same rights and obligations as other citizens?” The Royal Sustenance Master Second Class answered tentatively, “Yes?” Noctus shifted his eyes ever so slightly toward him. “Your Majesty.” “Yes, indeed they are. Now, can you please explain why a CP872636 form was ignored?” She raised her voice ever so slightly, “Can you guess how many times it was ignored?” The danger in her tone was now unmistakable, “Seven, Casserole.” There was genuine shock in his reply, “Your Majesty! That’s unheard of! I will personally investigate this travesty at once.” Luna smiled, “Excellent. I look forward to your report.” When he bowed but did not leave, “Don’t let me detain you.” It was a bright and beautiful sunny morning. Today was a pancake day, with and without hay, topped with authentic Vanhoover maple syrup. And for the meat eaters, pan-fried ham steaks. I did my daily routine once the kids were off to school and Dash was off to work. While I was on the heavy bag, there was the familiar snap-crack of a teleport. This time, the scroll was much thicker than usual, like something was tucked inside. Luna’s dark seal was plainly visible, so I opened it excitedly.  The coin purse that was nestled inside fell to the ground. I picked it up and read the letter: My Dear Alexander, When You So Nobly Discovered The Root Issue The Diamond Dogs Had Encountered, You Selflessly Used Your Own Private Funds To Purchase Food. Included With This Letter Is A Coin Purse With The Funds You Used For This Altruistic Act. We Have Also Taken The Liberty To Make Sure The I.O.U. Incurred Were Honoured. We Thank You For Your Valiant Deeds To Help Those Unfortunates. They Are Not Ponies, But They Are Citizens Of Equestria And Should Have Been Treated As Such From The Beginning. It Appears That Finding And Reforming The Flaws In The System Was A Task You Are Well-Suited For. Thanks To Your Findings, We Have Initiated An Investigation On The Subject. Well Done, My Little Paladin. Yours In Love, Princess Luna I examined the coin purse. It was a ‘bottomless’ type like the one I usually used. I guessed it had a balance equal to what I had spent.  Well, Dash will be thrilled to hear that. After stopping at the kitchen store for a couple of new sugar shakers, one for actual sugar and one for gem powder, I spent most of the day at Bea’s kitchen table. We were getting some theatre details sorted out. We spent much of that time writing letters of inquiry for various artists. Pop acts like Sapphire Shores and Countess Coloratura. There was another notable one. What was her name? That newcomer, Songbird Serenade? That’s it. There was also a host of comedians, theatre companies, various orchestras and even a band that plays something called slingstone. Based on her description, and thanks to a snippet from Bea's illusion magic, I surmised it was the pony equivalent of heavy metal. That should be interesting. We had written letters to almost two dozen top-tier acts when we broke for lunch. These were the Aluminium Tier acts. We hadn't even started on the Silver Tier, never mind the Gold or Copper. That should keep us going for the first season. The town clock struck two-thirty, meaning the school day would end in about an hour. I excused myself and headed toward the post office with the letters, about thirty in all. Once I was done and chatted with Derpy for a few minutes, I excused myself and headed for the school. Dash met me along the way, and she seemed a little distracted. “So, what do you think Cheerilee will want to talk about? I’m worried, ya know. I want to make sure I treat Scoots and Summer right.” I gave Dash an admiring smile, “I don’t think that’s a concern. It was a long time ago I last went to one of these, but it was basically a chance to voice concerns from us or the teacher. There’s no need to worry.” When we got to the school, I saw the kids sitting at a picnic table in the schoolyard, waiting patiently. They did look a little dejected but brightened when they spotted us.  The little orange pegasus waved at us, “Mom! Dad!” Summer greeted us with a bowed head and a sour expression as we got closer, “Father. Mother.” I was concerned for my daughter’s well-being, “You okay there, Summer? Scoots jumped to her sister’s defence, “Summer didn’t do anything wrong. Miss Cheerilee just asked for Summers’ opinion today. She didn’t like it.” Dash grew uncertain, “What did you say?” Summer spoke defiantly, “She ask what Diamond Dog say about ponies. Me say ponies stole land. Me only speak truth, Mother.” I put my hand on her shoulder, “Alright. I believe you, Summer. I still want to hear what Miss Cheerilee says, but I believe you.” Dash still seemed skeptical but was supportive. “Don’t worry, Summer. Me and your dad will figure this out. Alright?” Summer seemed a little relieved, “Yes. Thank you, Mother.” We asked the girls to wait for us in the schoolyard while we were talking to their teacher. When we entered the red schoolhouse, we were warmly greeted by Cheerilee. As we entered the main room, I couldn’t help but look at the ceiling and window. The repairs still looked good. Cheerilee sat primly at her desk. “Please, sit down, Mr and Mrs Rainbow Dash.” We sat on the two little stools in front of her desk. They were a little low for me, but I was used to it. “I just wanted to get to know Scootaloo and Summer’s parents a bit better.” Dash had a lopsided grin, “Come on, Cheerilee. You know us.” I reminded my dear fiance, “Dash, sweetheart, she doesn’t know us as parents, just as, well, in your case, a national hero, and me, a friendly local. But she’s right. No need to be so formal, Cheerilee.” Cheerilee chuckled nervously, ”Alright, Alex, Rainbow. I just wanted to get a feel for your parenting skills. I’m sure you’re both new at this—” Dash interrupted her, “Actually, the big guy has been around the block a couple of times. And he’s been teaching me the ropes.” The teacher’s eyebrow lifted, “Really?” Her head tilted, “You have children from another mare, Alex Roberts?”  I answered candidly, “Yes. I have two human children. My son Daniel, who’s fourteen, and my daughter Lily, who’s six. I haven’t seen them face to face in many years.” My expression must have betrayed my sadness, and I could see Cherelee’s compassion. “Sorry. You never stop being a dad, even when you’re a universe away.” Dash leaned into me and whispered, “It’s ok, big guy.” I cleared my throat and smiled, “I’m sorry, we’re here to talk about Scootaloo and Summer. What can we do to help in their education.” Dash gave her confident grin, “Yeah. I’ve known you for a long time, C, and any advice you can give, we would appreciate it.” “Let’s talk about Scootaloo first. At the beginning of the school year, she was not doing well in any of her classes.” My expression of concern must have been evident as Cheerilee quickly continued, “However, her grades have been steadily improving since you two have been in her life. She is now on a trajectory to pass all her classes. While her Physical Education mark is at the top of her class, her Mathematics and Science marks are still low. But, if she maintains her current effort, she should pass.” I brightened, “I’m no mathematician, but I was always decent at math. I’ll take a look at her textbook and see what I can do.” The purple pony teacher smiled warmly, “I’m sure she will appreciate the help.” Dash leaned forward, ears erect, “I’m no Twilight Sparkle, but I know the basics of physics, at least when it comes to flying and weather work.” “That’s wonderful. We will be starting those sections in a few weeks. I think we are on a great track with Scootaloo.” She quickly referred to some notes on her desk. “Now, Summer Blossom is more… complex. Before attending our school, she had received a basic education. She can read, write, and do arithmetic. She is polite but also insightful and asks—challenging—questions. Some of these are disruptive, especially regarding pony and diamond dog relations. Just today, she accused the Princesses of stealing the lands of Equestria from the Diamond Dogs.” I had to object to the characterization of my daughter. “Oh? What were her exact words? Did she say the Princesses stole the land?” Cheerilee grew defensive, “Well, no.” I kept my voice calm and steady, “So, what did she, you know, actually say?” Cheerilee cleared her throat, “I believe she said ponies stole the lands of Equestria.” I smiled slightly, “So, she didn’t actually say the Princesses stole the lands?” She became flustered, “Well, no, not as such.” But seemed to rally, “But she implied—” I interrupted her, “Implied? Maybe, maybe not. But she didn’t actually say anything about a Princess, did she?” Cheerilee rallied and regained her composure, “Be that as it may. Summer is usually a model student but can sometimes be very disruptive.” Cheerilee tentatively suggested, "There are medications that could help Summer control her emotions better. Have you investigated that avenue?" Dash stood up, wings erect, "What!? C, you want us to drug her because she asks inconvenient questions? Because you read stuff into what she says? No. Way." I tried to find a diplomatic way to tell her to go to hell with that suggestion, "I'm with Dash on this one. That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Cheerilee sat more primly, "I suppose, but what alternative do we have? I can't have a student disrupting my class." I tried being reasonable, "How is asking uncomfortable questions disruptive? No. I'm putting my foot down. No way am I drugging my daughter just to maintain the status quo." I sighed and thought of another angle, "Why not see it as an opportunity?" Cheerilee's head tilted slightly. "Your students could learn a different perspective? Seeing things from another's point of view can be a good thing to have. You know, help build their critical thinking skills.” Cheerilee thought for a moment. “I suppose that could be useful. Give my little ponies another perspective. This is such a delicate issue, especially with recent events.” “Yes. As someone intimately familiar with those events, can you please at least consider her point of view? Surely there is value in that.” She nodded slowly, “Yes. Yes, I can see the value for my students. I’ll see if I can integrate her questions into my lesson plans.” She referred to another set of notes. “Now, Alex, you said you would be happy to be a presenter at Family Appreciation Day this season. Are you still interested?” “Of course. What will your general lesson plan be?” “We will be talking about the sentient races of Equestria. I was hoping you could tell my little ponies about humans. There are two of you now, so I thought it would be of interest to my students.” I nodded in agreement, "Sounds great. I'll talk to Matt and get his perspective too." Dash and I were lying in bed, relaxing after a long day. I was staring at the ceiling in quiet contemplation while Dash was reading a book on weather management techniques. After about half an hour or so, I came to the conclusion my next step should be to focus on my family. “So, Dash, remember when you said you thought a traditional pegasus adoption ceremony for Scoots would be amazing? I agree. Market Day is in a few days. I say we do it then. Give that little filly something to remember.” Dash put her book down, “Are you sure? The pegasus adoption ritual is a little intense.” I shrugged. “It can’t be much worse than the dwarven one.” She turned towards me, her ears slanted forward in focus. “Oh? What was it like?” I let my mind drift back a few decades, “Let’s see. It went something like…” I spoke in my best imitation of my dwarven friend, Einkill. To my ear, it sounded a little like Scottie from Star Trek. Blood of my blood. Flesh of my flesh. This child is bound by the honour of our clan. Let all those who witness this be honour bound to acknowledge this bond. By the blood that flows through my veins, I say to all, this child is now of the clan Roberts. Let the Accountant record this event in their book so it is remembered for all eternity. “Then the speaker would pull out a dagger with the clan design, cut the palm of their hand with it, and with their blood still on the blade, hand the knife to the kid, who would also cut their hand and say something like…” My blood is now one with the blood of clan Roberts. She blinked slowly and finally answered, “Well, buck. Nothing that crazy. A similar speech, yeah, but no knives or blood stuff.” “Yeah. Dwarves were intense. You knew, very quickly, where you stood with a dwarf.” “Anyway, the pegasus one goes something like this…” Dash recited the lines, and I committed them to memory. I wanted my little girl’s day to be special. The following day, at breakfast, Dash spoke excitedly to Scoots. “Hey, squirt. Me and Dad have some good news for you. We decided you might like a traditional pegasus adoption ceremony. I know you haven’t had much in the way of pegasus culture, but I thought you might want something like this.” Scootaloo looked unsure, “What’s wrong with the adoption stuff Miss Sweetheart did?” I answered, “Nothing at all. This is different. It’s something that some pegasi do when they adopt a foal. It’s not required,” I explained, “but it tells the whole community you’re part of our family.” Dash continued excitedly, “Yeah, it lets everyone know you’re in a loving family. I never had many traditions when I was growing up, but I wanted to give you all that stuff. Stuff I never had.” I noticed Summer Blossom looked a little sad, not looking up from her bacon and eggs and also not eating. I gently prodded, “You okay, Summer?” “Me fine. There no Diamond Dog tradition for that. Anyway, me not adopted. Me just guest. Me go back to real mother one day when she free.” “Well, that’s not completely true, Summer. You’re just as much a part of this family as any of us.” I stroked my chin in thought. “Tell you what, I think we should include you in this ceremony. We’ll create our own tradition. Part pegasus, part diamond dog, part human, and all us. What do you say, Dash?” She swallowed her mouthful of food and answered with a smirk, “We’re a one-of-a-kind family, that’s for sure.” She thought for a moment, “Yeah. That would be cool. We can all figure something out together.” I could hear the steady thumping of a wagging tail. “Me like that.” Scootaloo could only lean over and glomp on Summer. “We’re going to be sisters for even realer!” It was Market Day, and we stood on the steps of the Ponyville City Hall. Dash was by my side. Scootaloo and Summer stood proudly in front of us. I spoke in a strong, loud voice, “Hear you all! We come to make a pronouncement on this day!” That was the formal beginning of the pegasus adoption ceremony. Scanning the crowd of market-goers, I noticed most of the pegasus ponies turned their heads in my direction, quickly followed by a lot of the other ponies. I presented my two daughters.  “I am Alex Jean-Paul Roberts, and this is my wife, Rainbow Marigold Dash. Let all see this child,” I indicated my pegasus daughter with my right hand, “named Scootaloo. Let all see this child,” I gestured with my left to Summer, “named Summer Blossom. They are our daughters.” Dash continued, “They are of our flesh and of our blood. Befriend them, and you befriend our family. Strike them, and you strike our family.” Up to this point, it had been a traditional pegasus adoption ceremony. Now for our own touch as unique as this family. I spoke clearly, loudly, “Let there be no question. Let there be no misunderstanding. Scootaloo and Summer Blossom are our daughters. Let all of you, friends and foe alike, witness this, our declaration.”  Dash and I spoke fiercely in unison, “They are our daughters! Our family is now whole! And we shall all rejoice!”  With that, there were wild cheers from the pegasus community and happy shouts and stomping from the others. Dash and I hugged our daughters with fierce joy.  I glanced around the assembled ponies and noticed Miss Butterscotch stamping along with the crowd. She had a light smile. Our eyes met. Her smile grew a little, and she bowed her head slightly. I returned the gesture. Wood Frame was desperate. He had come to Ponyville looking for that human that thumped him but afterward had offered to help. He didn’t expect much, but he was frantic. He spent some of his last bits on return train tickets to Ponyville, where the monster had told him he would be. He had arrived late afternoon and set out to the market for a cheap meal. ‘I’ll talk to him in the morning,’ he thought to himself. Much to his surprise, he spotted him.  He was chatting with this real dish. The mare was tan with a blonde mane and a cowmare hat. His eyes lingered on her three-apple cutie mark a little longer than they should have. He was startled by a stern voice, “Hey, buddy. Her eyes are up here.” Wood quickly shifted his eyes to the mare’s face. She had a bit of a smirk. “Sorry there, partner. I’m already taken.” A little embarrassed, he said, “Err.” There was a strange snapping sound. Wood thought the human had made it with his paw, but he wasn’t sure. That same voice, now softer, spoke, “Hey, aren’t you Wood Frame?” He turned to the pretty mare, “We, um, meet in Canterlot. Had a bit of a disagreement at the time. But that’s in the past.” Then he turned back to Wood, “I’m actually glad to see you, Wood Frame. I was thinking about you the other day. I was wondering if you would ever take me up on my offer.” He smiled warmly to the gruff construction engineer, “I’m glad you took me up on it.” He turned back to the mare, “Duty calls, Applejack. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gestured with his paw, “Let’s go to my place and have a talk.” Unsure of the friendliness, he could only say, “Err, sure?” I led Wood Frame to the kitchen table and gestured for him to sit. “Would you like a coffee?” He nodded, so I started making a fresh pot. I heard his stomach growl, “I think I have some pastries to go with it. Let me check.” I took a moment to think while pretending to look for the pastries. I soon collected some of Pinkie’s finest onto a plate and set it down near him with a little plate for each of us. He picked up a pastry and took a bite. While the coffee was brewing, I decided to break the silence. “I’m glad you reached out. Tell me a little about yourself.” “Well, I am, that is, I was, a white hat, the general contractor for a new stadium for the Canterlot Colts hoofball team. I was responsible for the project, including anything that went wrong. And boy-howdy, did it ever go wrong.” I was now curious, “What happened?” He sighed, “I hadn’t inspected the work of a new welder pony, Steel Frame. She usually did good work, but this time, she must have made a mistake, and there was a collapse. No pony got hurt, thank Celestia, but it did set back the project for at least twenty weeks, maybe more.” The coffee was ready, so I poured him a mug and one for myself. He took a sip and another bite of pastry. In the silence, I took a sip of coffee as well. He wasn’t forthcoming, so I prompted him, “So, what happened next?” He looked down at the table, a sad and embarrassed expression on his muzzle. “There was an investigation. It took them about two days to find the flaw. The weld in a main support beam had failed. I told the architect to use rivets, but he insisted on welds. I didn’t fight the guy. I figured he knew what he was talking about. I have over twenty years of experience in construction and fifteen years as a manager. What the buck do I know? I don’t have a fancy architectural degree. Anyway, they were going to put the whole blame squarely on the welder. Officially. That kid would have been ruined. So, I took the heat. I wasn’t going to throw the newbie to the timber wolves, and I figured my experience and record would protect me.” His expression became bitter, “I was wrong. I got canned two weeks after the findings.” That meant he had around twenty-seven Earth years of experience, twenty of which was managerial experience. And he took care of his crews. Interesting. “I’m very sorry that happened. It sounds very unfair. But why didn’t the architect get some of the blame? Especially since he ignored your warning.” “Oh, that’s easy. He’s a buddy of Prince Blueblood. Connections, and probably a few bribes, kept him safe. That’s around the time we, er, met. That was about ten or eleven weeks ago.” “Ah. And that’s why you were spoiling for a fight. You felt humiliated and angry.” He thought for a moment. “Yeah, that makes sense. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I have to admit, after you thumped me, I thought you might just eat me. But you asked that unicorn, Twilight?" I nodded. "To heal me. It gave me something to think about. After that, I stopped wasting money on salt and picking fights. It just seemed, what’s the word, counterproductive.” I nodded. “Anger and shame are nasty feelings. They make you do stuff that goes against your better nature.” “Yeah, I guess so. Look, you know my story now. I need help. The Mrs is supportive, but I got to bring home the hay. Word got around, and not a single job offer. I don’t want to go on the dole. I didn’t know what else to do. So, I came here.” “Alight. So, family life is fine, that’s good, but you’re looking for work.” Wood Frame slumped a little, “That’s basically it.” “Okay. Let me noodle for a few minutes.” My eyes unfocused as I took a sip of coffee. My eyes finally focused on a spot on the far wall, just above his head. After about five minutes of thinking, I suddenly had a bright idea. Well, I thought it was bright. It definitely wasn’t altruism. I was doing it just as much for myself as for him. “I think I can solve two problems with one solution.” He grew curious. “I’m looking for someone to handle building, maintaining, and helping out with special projects.” He put his mug down and leaned forward. His ears were focused on me. “I’m listening.” “How would you like to be the general contractor for the new Ponyville Theater and Town Hall? Then, be in charge of maintenance and assisting—” He interrupted me, “Yes! I’ll take it!” “That’s great. Hold on, you need a signing bonus, too. Give me five minutes.” I went up to my bedroom, where the coin purse from Princess Luna was. Luckily, I still hadn’t deposited it at the bank. I counted out five thousand bits in one-hundred-bit coins and put them in a small sack. That should do. I came back downstairs, and Wood Frame was happily taking a sip of coffee. “Here you go. Five thousand bits.” He did a spit-take. I wiped the spit coffee off my face and chuckled, “That should help get things rolling again for you.” “Oh, Celestia! I’m so sorry.” I continued, chuckling, “It’s all good. It was my own fault for springing that on you. So, since you’ll be one of the lead ponies in my theatre, I’m offering you the same salary as my head of Entertainment.” This time, I waited until he had swallowed his mouthful of coffee. “Thirty thousand yearly.” “What? I used to make twenty-eight as a manager. Are you sure? I mean, I appreciate it, but that’s a lot of bits.” “Yes. I want my people, er, ponies, to be fairly compensated.” The front door opened, and I could hear Scootaloo and Summer talking excitedly. “That was so awesome, Summer! I think Miss Cheerilee is starting to respect your opinions.” “Teacher learned my value. I bring honour to family.” I got up, “Excuse me a second. My daughters just came home.” He nodded and took a sip of coffee. I walked to the living room, “Hey, kids! How was your day?” They both looked happy. Scoots was smiling, and Summer’s tail was wagging. “It was good day, Father. Me teach class about diamond dogs.” “Really? That’s great, sweetheart.” “Me bring honour to family.” She touched her index finger to her forehead, “Me good dog.” “You absolutely are, Summer.” Scootaloo stuck out her little chest in pride, “Diamond Tiara and a few of the others made comments, but I shushed them. And so did the other Cutie Mark Crusaders.” Summer looked kindly at her adopted sister, “Scootaloo have my back. Her friends, my friends, have my back.” “Good. If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.” Scootaloo smirked, “Naw, we got this. But, if there is, we’ll let you know.” “Well, after all that excitement, I’m guessing you both need a snack?” they both nodded. “I’m speaking with a new friend in the kitchen. You can meet him while I make them.” I led them into the kitchen, and Wood Frame’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “Luna’s pimpled flank! A diamond dog!” I raised my hand in Summer’s defence, “Whoa there, Wood Frame.” I smiled, “It’s alright.  I’d like you to meet my two daughters, Scootaloo and Summer Blossom.” “Er.” Scootaloo’s eyes narrowed, “Hello, sir.” Summer’s tail had stopped wagging. Her voice dripped with venom, “I greet you.” Then came the awkward silence. I did my best to smooth things over, “I’m sure Mr Wood Frame was just surprised to see Summer.” He smiled nervously, “Er, yeah—sorry, kid. I didn’t mean any disrespect. Like your, er, Dad said, I was just surprised.” Summer glanced in my direction, then bowed her head slightly, “Me accept apology. Every dog need second chance. Come, little sister. We make snacks.” Scootaloo took some leftover pasta, and Summer made herself a ham sandwich. Wood Frame seemed as relieved as I was as they trotted to the living room. We spoke more about the details of his employment, which was fairly standard stuff. Soon, I heard the door open and close. There was a chorus of “Hi, Mom!” and “Greetings, Mother.” Dash replied, “Hi girls. You have a great day?” Summer replied first, “Yes, Mother. I teach class about diamond dogs today.” Scoots agreed, “It was really cool! Summer could be a teacher.” I could hear the smile in her voice, “That’s my awesome girl. I’m proud of you. Where’s your Dad?” They both replied flatly, “Kitchen.” Dash entered the kitchen and stopped in her tracks; her wings flared. “You!” Wood Frame turned towards her in surprise. “You?” ’Uh oh.’ “Hey, sweetheart. Guess who I met in the market? It’s the guy I promised to help. From Canterlot?” Dash shot me a glare. “Yeah. I know who this clown is. I just never thought he would ever darken our doorstep.” Wood Frame lowered his head, “I know I deserved that. I wronged you and your husband, and he was good enough to help me when I was in a jam.” “Dash? Sit, please. It’s all good.” “Don’t you tell me to sit, Alexander Jean-Paul Roberts! He tried to beat you up! And, and, he called me a bucking nag.” Wood Frame looked worried, “I’m real sorry I called you a n—name, “ he finished lamely. “Yes, he did call you something, but that’s in the past. This is his second chance. His shot at redemption.” “Ok. Fine. You’re a lucky stallion, buddy. My husband is giving you one shot at whatever is going on.” “I, um, hired him to build the theatre.” Dash did a little head shake and blinked slowly at me. She then took a deep breath in, as if she was going to yell, and slowly let out. “Okay. Fine. Is he any good?” “Yes. He was the general contractor for the new stadium in Canterlot.” Dash deadpanned, “The one that collapsed?” Wood Frame winced. “Yes, he made a mistake, but he has integrity. He took the blame because a new welder made a mistake, he didn’t catch it, then physics happened.” “Took the blame?” She mulled over the new information for a moment. “Okay. I can respect that.” Finally, she cracked a smile, “Aw, who am I kidding? If this big lug trusts you, I guess I can, too.” “Alright, Wood Frame, how about we take a break? Tomorrow morning, around nine, we can finalize the agreement, and we can start going over the plans. Sound good?” “Sure thing, boss.” I escorted him through the living room and to the front door. He nodded to Dash and the girls, “Ma’am. Kids.” As he left, I heard him mutter, “What in Nightmare Moon’s Pimpled Flank did I get myself into?”