Jaxler woke up. He had a nasty head ache and had somehow managed to black out on top of a boulder. When he got up he scanned his surroundings and saw a barrel five feet off in the distance. Jaxler also noticed that his crossbow was a few feet away laying on the ground. He stumbled over and picked it up scanning it for damage when he realized it was unharmed he sighed. Now knowing that his crossbow was unharmed he looked up and saw a young foal was hopping his way.
Friesden was hopping around the fortress. Ever since she'd seen one of the cute little bunnies, she'd decided she wanted to be a bunny. Hop hop hop.
In front of her was a big stallion, and she stopped hopping. "Um, mister? What's your name?"
Jaxler looked down at the foal who had just hopped in front of him. "There's no need to call me mister and my name's Jaxler Blackflutes. May I ask what yours is?"
"Okay, mister Jaxler Blackflutes." Friesden hopped a couple of times on the spot. "Meow, meow."
Jaxler tilted his head in confusion "I'd prefer if ya just called me Jaxler and um... why are you going meow?"
"I'm a bunny, silly!"
Glyph runs up, panting a bit and stoping next to Friesden. "There you are! I was worried... please don't just wander off like that Friesdizzy..."
Friesden deflates a bit. "Oh...Okay, almost-dad...sorry..."
Jaxler was surprised that glyph seemed oblivious to his existence "Um... Glyph."
Glyph jumps a bit, looking up at Jaxler. "Oh! Sorry... I was so glad that Friesden was alright I didn't see you... guess I should pay more attention." He gives Friesden a hug. "It's okay Friesden... I'm not mad, I just didn't know where you went, so I got nervous."
"Okay!" Friesden hops a bit more. "Meow, meow."
"Um Friesden," Jaxler asked,"you know that bunnies don't go meow, right?"
"I don't know what sound bunnies do make. Meow meow!"
Glyph cocks his head, thinking a bit. "Hmm... neither do I really..." Not exactly true, he knew a lot of noises that bunnies made... but they didn't need to know about those. Nopony but Kat did.
"Almost-dad! I'm a bunny! Meow meow!"
Jaxler was confused at the foal's last comment "Why do you call glyph almost dad?"
"Because he's like dad but he isn't dad, silly! Meow, meow!" Friesden continues hopping on the spot.
Glyph chuckles a bit at Friesden's playing. "Oh? I thought you were a pretty Krylatye odin. Should I start calling you Friesbunny then?" He look over at Jaxler, a hint of a smile still on his face. "I've kinda adopted her, nothing official, but she's been staying with me for a while now."
Glyph's response made Jaxler curious "How long has this been going on, and what about her family, and why is she striped?"
Flux shakes his head. "That's a lot of questions... and I'd prefer not to talk about them here. But I've been taking care of her for a good long while now, my little Friesdizzy." He smiles again, hoping that Friesden wouldn't notice the questions, she seemed so happy right now...
Friesden continues hopping around the two, giggling in delight. "Meow, meow, meow! I'm a bunny!"
Jaxler decided not to press the question. Glyph probably had a good reason not to share that information in front of the foal, whom was hopping around like a rabbit.
"Yes, Friesdizzy you're doing a great job being a bunny."
"Meow, meow! That's bunny speak for 'because I am a bunny!' Meow, meow!"
Friesden continues to hop around.
Glyph laughs again, tousling Friesden's mane. "Well you're a very cute bunny. Of course you're cute no matter what you are."
"Meow meow. That's bunny speak for 'Thank you almost-dad.' Meow meow!"
She jumps around even more.
The foal's playfulness was so adorable that Jaxler couldn't maintain his composure and smiled for a moment before catching himself. "So, why do ya want to be a bunny?"
"Because bunnies are so cute and fluffy and nice and they're the best ever!"
"But you're cute and fluffy and nice anyways. Besides, Pegasus can fly, that's even more awesome." Glyph gives his daughter a hug. "You're already perfect, but it is cute to see you playing pretend."
"I'm not playing pretend, I'm a bunny! Meow, meow!"
Jaxler was puzzled by the foal's response. "Are ya sure?"
"Uh-huh! Of course I'm a bunny! Meow, meow!"
She begins hopping around again.
Glyph looks at Friesden, concerned. "But... you're a pegasus... a beautiful one."
"Nuh-uh, I'm a bunny! Meow meow meow!"
She continues her hopping around him, giggling all the while.
Jaxler was starting to feel a bit awkward now "Um... okay then..."
"But... don't you like being a pegasus? Being able to fly through the air."
"But I like being a bunny! They're so cute, and cuddly, and furry, and warm, and nice, and everything! Almost-dad, can I get a pet bunny? Please?"
"I don't know... pets are a lot of work. I'm not sure we would have time to take care of it right..." Glyph gives Friesden a hug and a quick nuzzle. "But if you wanna be a bunny just to be cute and all that, you already are, no need to say you're a bunny for that."
"Awww...Okay then..."
Friesden spots Jaxler's crossbow hanging in a sling. "Mister Jaxler Blackflutes, what's that in your sling?"
Jaxler looked down at his decrepit weapon "Oh, that's is my crossbow"
"That's a cross bow? Why is it cross?"
Glyph chuckles at Friesden's question. "That's just the name of the weapon silly." I tousle her mane again. "Dunno why it's called that though, do you know Jaxler?"
Jaxler shrugged "They probably named it a crossbow because the weapon looks like a cross, and because it's a type of bow"
"Ohhh. Why do you have it?"
Jaxler thought for a moment as he considered a way to describe his his job without traumatizing the foal.
"I have it so that I can make monster go away and protect ponies like you"
"Oh. Oh! Oh! Can I help make the monster go away? Maybe if I ask nicely they'll leave us alone!"
Jaxler smiled "Well, that depends on the monster. Some monsters listen when you talk, while others won't. Which is why I sometimes haft to use the crossbow."
"Does the crossbow help you talk to them?"
"It does if they're smart."
"That's cool! Almost-dad, can I get a crossbow to help me talk with the bunnies?"
Glyph chuckles, happy that Jaxler was trying to put his job gently. "No, not yet malutka, you're still not old enough to use a crossbow. Maybe someday though."
"Awww....Okay then...Can we get a pet bunny then?"
She hops up and down in front of Glyph hopefully.
Jaxler looked at glyph then at the adorable little foal and then back to Glyph and said "Come on man, you can't say no to that."
Glyph laughs and shakes his head. "Like I said, I'm just not sure we'd be able to take care of it like we'd need to. I wouldn't want it to be in a place that it wasn't really well taken care of..."
"I could take care of it! I'll take extra special care of it and I'll feed it every day and do everything!"
Glyph thinks for a bit. "Okay, I'll make you a deal then. There are a few little jobs you could do in the stables, I'll give you a few of them, and if you do well, I'll see about getting a bunny."
"Okay! Okay! I can do that!"
Friesden hops up and down in happiness. She was going to get a bunny! Maybe not now, but soon!
"Aye Friesden, when you get that bunny make sure you let me know."
"I will! I will! I will!"
Glyph laughs more, before pulling Friesden into a hug. "It's nice to see you so exited. Like I said, show me you can be responsible, and I'll get you one." He nuzzles her a bit. "Guess I should figure out what you're gonna need to take care of it."
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you so much almost-dad!"
"It's no problem malyutka..." His voice drops, to the point where even held in his hooves Friesden can barely hear him. "Anything... for my daughter..."
Friesden doesn't say anything else, just hugging her almost-dad tight.