//------------------------------// // Daddy // Story: The Herald // by darkangel_31314 //------------------------------// Daddy Friendship is indeed magic. With a good friend by your side your abilities are nearly unlimited. There are varying levels of friends, too, for those who take the time to study the subject. For example, there are 'acquaintances' which, while are a form of friend, are of a lesser level than True Friends that have more benefits. (It should also be noted that 'acquaintances' can be called friend just as one would say a German Shepard is a dog when, in fact, a Poodle is also a kind of dog.) An acquaintance will tell you not to do something stupid when you get drunk, while a true friend will instead post lookout so you don't get caught. An acquaintance might bail you out of jail once you did get caught, but a true friend would be in the drunk tank beside you saying; "By Celestia, that was awesome!" Then there are lovers. Romantic partners that you share even more secrets and good times with. Get married, raise foals, grow old together ... and occasionally still spend time in the drunk tank after a night of partying. In the end it is that bond of family that really brings out the magic. A pony will do anything for family; love, protect, and even fight alongside when it comes down to it. Family, is perhaps, the strongest form of friendship there is. ..... Whistling a happy tune she had heard awhile back, the little filly trotted merrily along the simple road past an apple orchard. Perhaps she'll get to attend one of the pink party pony's parties this time? She hoped so, but if Teacher needed her to be somewhere else, she'll have to go. Somepony had to take care of everypony when the Princesses were busy with something else. "Hello!" She waved to a large red stallion working a line of trees. It paid to be polite, after all, and he even gave a smile and a nod before going back to work. Resuming her merry song, she continued to trot along. She honestly had no care in the world right now. Across a bridge, into town, and she finally slowed to take in the scenery. It was a quiet little village on a river that flowed from the mountains into the Everfree Forest. Mostly Earth Ponies, but peaceful with their fellows from the other Pony tribes. She paused and tilted her head up, sniffing the air. Something good was nearby. Something that smelled really, really good! Licking her lips, she changed her course toward a nice little building near the town square that, apparently, had been built to resemble a gingerbread house that had been decorated by somepony with far too much time on their hooves. It was easy for a small filly like her to slip in silently, unnoticed by anypony else in the room, and made her way to the displays. The little white unicorn filly pressed her nose to the glass and smiled. "OooOooOoo!" Somepony had been working overtime making tasty treats! Finally noticing the pricing, one would think that being a filly that it would be a problem. Not for The Teacher's faithful student! She reached into her mane and withdrew a very small little bag. *Squee!* It was not just any ordinary bag, no! Not for The Teacher's Faithful Student! It was a Bag of Holding, made with a spell on it to contain anything she might need when doing her job as Herald. This included things like food, coats, some nice warm blankets... and a few bits for treats! She trotted over to the register and crouched, giving her rump a cute little wiggle, before springing up onto the counter to the surprise of the pink Earth Pony present. "Hi there!" "Hi there!" "You must be Pinkie Pie the Party Pony!" "Yeperooni! I see my reputation precedes me!" "Yes it does! But I'm here on a mission!" "An important mission?" The pink pony leaned close, an eye narrowing seriously. "Yes!" Herald returned the suspicious glare. "What can be more important a mission than one to acquire cupcakes!" The filly opened the bag and dropped a couple of bits on the counter. "Especially ones of the all-important Chocolate kind!" The special pink pony nodded. "True, true!" A hoof stroked her chin as she thought on the matter. "Except when the chocolate cupcakes include chocolate chips!" "Ooo! Good point! I'll have to spring for the upgrade if my mission is to be completed properly!" Another bit joined the two on the counter. Pinkie waved a hoof. "No, no! I cannot accept a third bit! This mission is too important!" The mare slid it back. "You drive a hard bargain, stranger! I will have to accept, for the success of my mission!" Herald nodded seriously. "Deal!" The treat was delivered, and the bits joined others in the cash register. Satisfied with her task, the filly jumped down and trotted out the door to enjoy her snack. It was only after the door had shut that something occurred to Pinkie Pie: "Hay! I didn't learn who that new filly was!" She vanished from behind the counter, the door swinging closed as the pony who just had to know who everypony in town was gave chase! ..... The filly watched Pinkie Pie dash past in mild amusement as she sat on a bench in the park, eating the delicious cupcake. "Hmm... She's a strange one." "You can say that again." Came a soft male voice from her side. She spun around in surprise to look up at the unicorn stallion leaning against the back of the bench. His fur was a dark shade of royal blue bearing a cutie mark consisting of a darker blue shield with a pure white boarder on which was a golden key laid diagonally. His mane a two-tone silver and blue, with emerald eyes that shined down at her with a look of wry amusement. "DADDY!" He stumbled back as the filly pounced atop him, clinging tightly to the stallion. "Hay there, little one!" "What are you doing here?!" She hugged him tightly. "Teacher said you couldn't visit down here this week!" "Well, the boss said that you might need someone to cuddle with after your last job." He curled up on the grass, cradling her close. The filly blushed and looked down. "Oh." The stallion gave a weak smile and tussled her mane. "Hay, it helps to talk about these things. Trust me, I know." She just huffed and leaned against his side. "Stupid Alicorn didn't want to listen when I tried to warn him." "Ah. One of those cases." He nodded knowingly. "Umhmm. He tried to hurt me three times... even after I warned him..." "Little one, one of the first things I learned about this job, is that the world is a dangerous place. Its why the Hearth's Warming play celebrating the Unification is so important. Ponies need to know that we have to work together to protect ourselves from the dangerous of this world. Unfortunately, there are just some ponies who don't get that. Who refuse to see reason. Either they are mentally ill, or just don't want to face the facts of life. It is our job to try and make them see reason. We are their last hope." He gently prodded her chest. "The boss, your Teacher, has sent us here to give them one... last... chance... to see reason." He continued to gently hold her, stroking her mane tenderly. " But if there wasn't a chance they'd not accept our offer, we wouldn't be needed. There are always going to be ponies who don't understand that. The important thing is to know that we tried." He gently rocked with her on the grass in the park. She remained silent the entire time, thinking over his words, then nodded. "Thanks, Daddy." "No problem, little one." He smiled and gave her a tender nuzzle. "There you are!" Came a happy voice from nearby, as Pinkie Pie finally found them. "And here I thought you'd be far away by now, and so that's where I started looking, I checked the water tower, I checked the clock tower, I checked the town hall tower (we have too many towers, by the way, but if they weren't towers we wouldn't have clock or water, would we?) and I had to get my friend Rainbow Dash to check the other parts of town and I was on my way back to try and see her again and-*GASP!*-Another new pony! I get to have TWO Welcome to Ponyville Strange Pony parties! And I can throw them at the same time too since you already know each other! That makes my job SO much easier, but its still fun to try and throw them at once!" The two ponies looked up at the bouncing pink pony who postulated the possibilities of potential practical party applications. "At what point do you ask us our names, Miss Pie?" The stallion asked with a smirk. "Oh! Good point! Need to get the important stuff out the way, after all! It's kinda hard to send an invitation to your party if I don't know who you are! My name is Pinkie, Pinkie Diane Pie! Party Pony Extraordinaire!" She took one of his forehooves and shook wildly. Strangely enough, he wasn't impressed or even flinched. "I am Mister Key. And this is my daughter, Herald." "Ooo! What a strange name!" She went nose to nose with the filly who looked back with a grin. "You're a smart one, aren't you?" Pinkie grinned in return. "I learn from the best. And unfortunately, the best isn't you." "We shall see, little pony, we shall see!" Pinkie declared ominously. "I look forward to it." The filly returned. "There you are, Pinkie! I see you found the 'mysterious filly'." A rainbow-maned Pegasus landed beside them and preened. "Don't look like a lost filly to me." She glanced at the stallion. "Unless there's a problem?" "No problem." The stallion returned. "Mr. Key. This is my daughter, Herald. We're just passing through on our way to my next job." "Oh." Rainbow stretched. "Name's Rainbow Dash. The fastest pony in all Equestria." "Its true." Pinkie grinned. "She's got the trophies, awards, and everything to prove it! You should see her fly! She's like 'ZOOM!' and I'm like 'Ooo!' and she's like 'Swoosh!' and then I'm like 'Woah!' its awesome!" "I've heard about you." The Stallion smiled. "Didn't you perform that Sonic Rainboom in Cloudsdale awhile back? That made quite the news even out where we live." "And where's that?" Pinkie asked innocently. Key shrugged as Herald went about finishing her snack. The two local mares canted their heads in opposite directions. "Well?" Rainbow asked. "Quite far away." He smirked. "But if you will excuse us, me and my daughter have some relaxing to take care of." He stood, his horn glowing as he levitated his daughter onto his back before trotting away. "Bye Party Pony! Bye World's Fastest Pegasus!" Herald waved cutely, leaving the two confused mares behind.. Needless to say, for the rest of the day the two were quite happy enjoying the precious time they had together before Teacher sent them their separate ways, and back to the oh-so necessary jobs.