"Legal!" Foggy exclaimed as I walked into the office the following morning. I knew what he was going to say. I, on the other hand, had hoped to avoid the subject. "They caught the stallion who-"
"Killed my father. I know. They called me after calling the office." I cut him off. "I know. Can we not discuss this?" Sat down and absorbed myself in law work. Or pretended to. We didn't have much. I heard Caring sigh sympathetically. Even her sigh was like music. Foggy, I could tell from the sound of his breathing, kept in surreptitiously glancing my way. I couldn't focus with them hovering like that. And anyway, we hardly had any work. Equestria wasn't known for criminal activity, though Manehattan had more than the average pony town. I lost myself in memories.
"But dad, they're all playing outside! !" I remember my eight-year-old yearnings so well. I ached to play with the other colts. But since my mother died from recurring nightmare fever, my father, Battlin' Shades, was far too overprotective. He kept me inside.
"Legal." He said. "When you were born, we knew you would be clever. You're a unicorn. You need to study hard. You'll be a lawyer or an advisor to Princess Celestia. Study now. Someday you'll thank me."
I hated that... But loved him so much! It drove me crazy. I wanted to play like the other colts. I'd watch them from the window. I'd study my books on the field. I knew I'd be as good as anypony. But I'd promised.
I still remember the day I realized I could still be strong and smart. I used my dad's training equipment when he was out. The plow, the tree, the hurdle... And still got the best grades of everypony in my class. I was proud every time I saw my dad smile.
They teased me, the other colts. I was a blank flank for a long time. I knew if I could just play a game, I'd find my cutie mark. Instead, my flank stayed blank.
Finally, we had a mock court in school. I realized Ioved law!!! Then I was teased for having such a dull cutie mark. A briefcase.
Then the day that changed everything. My dad got a new manager, and I helped a blind pony across the street.
I'd just gotten my cutie mark. I saw an old blind stallion walking across the street. At the same time, a bus was out of control. I had three choices: do nothing, stop the bus (too late) and let the stallion die, or push the stallion out of the way. I didn't think. I just pushed him out of the road. The bus was carrying dark magic supplies for an evil unicorn. One hit me. I helped catch Windark, but I lost my sight in trade. No healing unicorn could help. I was miserable, but I didn't want to show it. All the other colts and fillies were much nicer. No guessing why. I hadn't talked much to anyone before. I didn't say a word except to say the right answer in class now.
But something more had changed than the obvious. I realized soon that I could hear better. Smell better. Taste better. Feel better. My remaining senses were sharper than anypony else. I could find my way around... Even better. I didn't tell anypony. I don't remember why. I was just a secretive colt. I still am a very private stallion. Foggy says that a dozen times a day.
Foggy. The best college roommate a stallion could have. All through law school... Through everything... Rude professors treating me specially, people acting like I was stupid simply because I couldn't see, even too much pity....Foggy got me through. When my dad was murdered by his manager, Foggy was there.
Now, four years later, Foggy is still here. As a matter of fact, he's taking to me right now.
"What?" I asked. "Sorry. I was thinking."
"I said, do you want to come to Ye Olde Horseshoe?" He didn't fully disguise the sympathy in his voice.
"I actually heard a few mares talking on the bus. An ice cream place- Swirl's? What say we find a deli then go there? We should poke around the neighborhood for eats." I got up.
"Sure." Foggy answered. "Caring brought her own lunch. Let's go."
As we walked into the outer office, where Caring worked, I breathed in. What a lovely smell she had. "Caring, we're
going for ice cream after lunch. Would you like anything?"
"Oh, thank you, Legal." She sounded pleased. "I love chocolate, if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Foggy answered for me.
Down the elevator, out the door. The cold air hit me like a slap. It wasn't frigid... Our building was just well heated.
"Ice cream?" Foggy asked. "In this weather?"
"Maybe hot fudge." I laughed. The talk of weather reminded me of that nice mare I'd met on the bus, and the taxi.