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// Element of Kindness 
// Story: History of the Elements 
// by zombiepegasus226 
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The first to bear the element of kindness was an earth pony by the name of Poppy Seed. She never knew who her parents were, she was found in the front of an orphanage wrapped in cloth with nothing but a poppy flower. Nothing else had been placed with the baby, So Lila the head of the orphanage decided to call her Poppy Seed. Growing up Poppy Seed wondered about her parents knowing that nopony at the orphanage could tell her anything about them. All she had received from them was the flower she'd been found with pressing it in a book to preserve it.

Feeling that it must have been important to her parents she started to work in the garden with Lila where she found a love for tending to the sunflowers in the small garden. Working with Lila helped create a close bond between them. She began learning from the older mare like a grandmother passing things she'd learned to her granddaughter. As she got older Poppy Seed began helping around the orphanage, and at times acted like an older sister to some of the younger fillies and colts housed there. She wanted to show them love and kindness they’d normally get from a parent. She continued this into adulthood, and was given the choice that all orphans who reached a certain age, she was free to leave and do what she wanted. Poppy Seed decided to stay at the orphanage to help care for the young ponies there, help them grow up happy and guide them down the right path.

She helped them realize their talents teaching them a few skills that they’d need when ready to leave. She also helped the nurse care for the young ponies who needed it. Besides the things she helped with one of her other tasks were to go into town and get supplies for the orphanage. With the storm still present in the three tribe’s food was still scarce, and with the small amount the earth ponies could grow the prices for goods had risen.  Normally the orphanage wouldn't have much money but thanks to some of the generous donations from Swift Stroke they were able to give the young ponies proper care. Poppy Seed often wrote the artist thank you letters for her help since she had never met her in person. 

On one of her visits to the market place she met Clover the Clever, and Swift Stroke. During their conversation a pony ran from the crowd snatching Clover the Clever’s money bag running off. Because of the shortage of food many ponies had turned to stealing in order to survive. The three chased after the thief cornering them at the main gate. The culprit was only a colt about the same age as some of the colts at the orphanage. In cases like this if caught thieves would be handed over to the guards for punishment but because of his age Poppy Seed chose to reason with him.

She spoke to him in the same way she’s speak to the others in the orphanage, turns out he was living alone on the streets his parents left for something but never came back a few years ago . He felt abandoned feeling he could trust nopony but himself. Poppy Seed Continued to talk to him, till he finally broke down letting her mother him, openly forgiving him for stealing and happy to give him a home at the orphanage. Showing love and compassion to a young pony who’d forgotten how it felt to experience it awoke the elements in Clover the Clever's bag, dubbing the simple earth pony as the element of kindness.