//------------------------------// // The meeting. // Story: The Father. // by Fapman //------------------------------// The morning came suddenly, filling the apartment with the shining sunlight and waking up the stallion. His eyes opened, he yawned stretching out his legs then jumped off the coach. The clock said it was only 5:30, but he was used to that early kind of time since he had been serving in the Equestrian army. Remembering what they’d planned for this morning, his legs led him to his- her room. The door to the room slowly opened, making no noise. Little Twilight was in the bed, sleeping peacefully, letting out high squeaks every couple breaths. He was about to wake her, but when her little hooves flew into the air as if she punched somepony in the face, she turned on the other side mumbling something under her snout. What he witnessed redefined what he had called cuteness. A redefined conception of what a cuteness trull is changed his mind. “Just this one time,” he said to himself, just like always, and left the room, letting her dream last a bit longer that he’d let himself. Smiling, he clothed himself with an old, red robe, full of pockets. He placed his rump in front of the couch and pushed it a little. Under one of the planks was his secret hiding place. Where the money was hidden. He counted enough for a bigger shopping, which was imminent. The sun was only half visible above the horizon when he walked out of the apartment, closing the door and locking it with a key, which he packed swiftly into a little, purple bag hanging under his neck. The corridor wasn’t long, but the staircase was problematic. It was on the 4th floor and the lift wasn’t working during those hours. From 8 to 12 and from 16 to 20 it was magically moved by a pair of unicorns, hired for this purpose. In fact the elevator was still a new invention, so not every resident was convinced to use it. The stallion ran downstairs and exited the building. He looked around to see that the street wasn’t empty. Shopkeepers had opened their booths already. Their shops were in every building on the ground floor. That was one of the main glamours of living in Canterlot. The best traders with the best stuff. Many of them were living just a floor above, to keep their sources of income safe, because burglars didn’t sleep at night, and for some of them their shops were their only property. That’s why this neighborhood was relatively safe for everypony. He had his favourite shops, just like everypony, but every shopkeeper greeted him warmly. He could name almost every one of them, because he lived here for the last year as a guardpony. After the great war between Equestria and the Gryphon Kingdoms, he’d retired his job in the army. For what he’d got as his good-bye salary he had bought an apartment in the middle of Canterlot. A good friend of his, Celestia light above watch his soul, had helped him to receive this job, and it hadn’t been very hard since he was an officer. They didn’t pay well, but he had some savings. What happened before the war was another story, just like everything before he took his biological daughter into his place and life. Time was passing by idly, he was carrying more and more bags full of every kind of food. Except meat of course. Just before he said goodbye to the last clerc, somepony poked his back. He turned toward the pony and surprised himself greatly. “Golden Bullet! What are you doing here old champ!” yelled the green stallion looking at him suspiciously. One of his brows moved in a very weird manner, what betrayed this jester. “Greedy Hoof! Long time no see!” The two stallion hugged each other, laughing like only young colts and fillies do. “How much time do I have to say I’m Greeny Hoof you bastard!” The green one punched his old friend playfully. “Don’t forget I used to know you!” Both of them laughed again, but a bit darker than before. “Yeah, right. Tell me, wouldn’t you drink a hard cider with an old friend like me?” “Oh I would love to, but I have to reluctantly refuse, because, you see my family-” “WOAH!” the green pony yelled, disturbing nearby ponies, so the they came out of the shop, “Tell me who i your special somepony is! You have to! Start talking right now,” he paused and added “and don’t even try to lie to me!” “Er. I don’t think this is the best place for that,” he winked to his friend and rounded one of his hood to make clear that actual spot isn’t too friendly. It was a private matter and in fact the street was getting fuller than before. Talking about private things like that wasn’t in his nature especially in public, where so many listening ears were. But those two stallion were old friends, brothers in arms and the green one was rather hard to get rid off, even when he wasn’t so hyped. “But, Bullet! You have to! Why-” “Ok! Just,” he cut sharply and continue after a short moment, “I may have no hard cider but I have some delicious tea.” He made a pause showing an old hoof movement which meant the word ‘contraband’. “Come to my place and I will tell you everything!” He continued. Greeny Hoof was persuaded with this idea even before Golden Bullet finished his sentence. He took some of the bags from Golden Bullet and he followed his old friend. They went into the building, then upstairs towards the 4th floor, talking exuberantly about their old times and common colleagues. “Greeny Hoof, be quiet, please, she might still be asleep,” said Golden Bullet as he pulled the key from the bag still hanging on his neck. “Oh, ok,” his companion nodded. The door opened and they trotted in. “Is she asleep?” the golden pony asked himself, then turned to his friend, “follow me to the kitchen, please.” “Nice place you’ve got,” said the green one, when they both sat down next to the window, “it’s a pretty big place, aren’t you lonely?” The golden one rose his eyebrow, asking “I don’t live alone, did you already forget that?” “Oh, no. Not at all, but I mean... Look, there is enough space to raise… kids,” he stopped when the host took two empty glasses and planted them on the table. “You know, I remember times when you said you will never drink.” “Yes, I do too,” Golden Bullet widely grinned, “take the glasses and come to the parlor with me.” They did as he said. In the parlor, Greeny Hoof sat down on the sofa, holding the still empty glasses. During this time the second pony kneeled down near him, facing a solid bedside cabinet. He strongly pulled on its small door. With a loud *CRACK* it opened. Inside it were dozen of bottles of various colors and shapes. Some of them were empty already, some of them half empty. There was only one bottle of green alcohol, which hadn’t been opened. But he didn’t take this one, instead of that he chose a flask with a transparent liquid inside of it. Greeny Hoof’s eyes opened rapidly when the smell of grain alcohol filled his nostrils, just after the prohibited intoxicant filled the two glasses. In fact, the drink covered only the bottoms of the glasses, but he didn’t oppose. The glasses met, with a loud *CLANK*, both of them distort their snouts to take little sips, exhaling. The room was silent while the bedroom’s door opened slowly, but they didn’t notice. Twilight Sparkle spotted them and came closer, shyly. They turned towards her. Their faces were blank. “Daddy?” she came closer. That triggered reactions in both of adults. They opened their mouths trying to get in some air and making wild noises. “D-daddy? her tone trembled. Golden Bullet patted the sofa next to himself, but still didn’t say a thing. She was a strong girl and she didn’t want to embarrass her father in the presence of his friend, especially because she had never met this one, so she jumped up and sat next to him. When their mouths closed, she felt relief. “It was an adult’s game or something” she explained to herself. “Hello my, princess,” a weak, high squeak came from her father, she smiled, hugging him. He smelt weird to her though. “So, this is your special somepony,” the green pony coughed and hit his chest hard. He would like to add something, but he was dazed way too much. “Yup. It’s my daughter, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight, say hello to my friend. His name is Greeny Hoof.” Twilight looked at Greeny Hoof, and beamed, “Hello, sir!” Her voice was like a promise of new, better day. “Hello cutie! It’s very nice to meet you!” the green stallion bent forward and stretched his leg towards Twilight who accepted the shake, smiling from ear to ear. She saw emptied glasses, “what are you doing?” “Well,” Golden Bullet started touching her mane, “we are recollecting our memories, or we tried to start when you’d showed up, princess.” Her cheeks turned red, “I-I didn’t mean to… I don’t want to bother you-” “That’s nonsense!” yelled a cheerful Greeny Hoof who hit his own leg. “The past’s place is in the past, tell me sweetie, where did you meet this stallion? Do you know him well?” It was said in a friendly way, but considering the story of that, she only looked at her father, hoping that he would speak for her. And both of the adults saw that. “Well. You remember when I said you about beautiful mare I’d met at some party?” The guest nodded looking at how Twilight was nestling innocently to his old friend. “You also know we didn’t marry,” he stopped. What he didn’t say was that she had been married already, with another colt.. “So you see, when we had been sent to the front, her sweet mother didn’t tell me about, er. You understand, do you?” “Yes. Of course. But, how could it happen when your little pride is in a safety hoof?” he scratched his head. Before he heard the answer, Golden Bullet turned towards little Twilight Sparkle, “princess? Can I beg you about a favor? Jump to the kitchen and bring us the sandwiches I’ve made. I put them in one of the lockers, but I really don’t remember which.” She smiled and crawled off the couch, “yes,” she said and as quick as she arrived she was already in the kitchen, from which came some noises of intense searching. The stallions leaned to each other with marks of the highest conspiration of their faces. “That mare said me I’m her natural father, something about three or maybe four months ago, but then a terrible accident happened, and she, they,” he paused, “well, I’m her closest family and as I was afraid for her, I took her in. Now she’s with me, and I’m happy. You know, I always wanted a daughter.” Greeny Hoof nodded to himself as if that which he had heard was according to his previous info. The bottoms of glasses was filled again with this same transparent liquid with the recognizable sharp odor. “I think I’ve heard about that event, wasn’t it in the federal train to the Appaloosa?” “Yes it was.” They drank from their drinks again, repeating the slow manner and the grimacing just after a fast gulp. Twilight came back from the kitchen, curled a little.“Um, I couldn’t find the sandwiches so I don’t have them,” her sad voice filled the air. She touched her leg, as she would wait for some kind of earful. The adults weren’t able to speak, again.That assured her in that she had done something bad, didn’t search hard enough or something same unforgettable. Golden Bullet’s mouths made an O shape out of shock, concerned by her reaction. He managed to say, “Oh. We-ell,” in this place he almost choked himself with his dry tongue, “then maybe I didn’t make them? Huh?” on the huh, his voice cracked. Greeny Hoof didn’t explode with laughter only because he wasn’t able to do that. Still barely breathing he smiled faintly. “So, dad, will you make them now?” the hope in her voice was coming from a deeper part of her, than just from her stomach. “Sure thing, princess,” she smiled again, and she hugged her father. Greeny Hoof was looking at them with a joy in his eyes. “Will you stay for the breakfast?” “Nah, I have to go,” he stood up, so they all did. “You know, I’m in hurry,” he blinked to them. “Oh, ok. You know where we live so feel free to jump in every time you’re nearby.” “Yeah!” added Twilight Sparkle. Everypony laughed, but she didn’t know why, actually. “Ok, so I will be going for now,” they were already next to the door when the green pony hit his head with loud *SLAP* and took a paper card from his robe. “I almost forgot, please, take this.” He gave a little piece of paper to Golden Bullet. It was an invitation. To a ball. “What is it Daddy?” she chirped curiously. “I don’t know-” “That’s an invitation for the veteran ball, here in Canterlot. Princess Celestia will give the medals of honour to every pony. I have a couple of invitations handy in case I would met a familiar face, just like today. This card is for two,” he scratched his chin, pondering visibly. “They said it’s an open party, but with that card you’ll get a lot of free food,” he looked at the filly, “and some delicious cakes too.” After word cakes Twilight jumped in place on the spot, “Daddy? Can we go? Can we?” The father stared into filly’s eyes and saw the urge to eat all of the cakes. For him said rather a conception of free food, because, not hiding, his savings will end someday, and he knew that. “So, what do you think? Will you come with your beautiful filly?” she looked like a beet right now. “Think of it as a reunion. Everypony will be here, everypony-” he bit his tongue. Both of them knew that not everypony will be there. Some of their old comrades were already, like they say, in a better place. “Yeah! Daddy! Everypony will be there!” little Twilight tried to sound convincing, but in his ears chimed a bell, which made him shuddered. He sighed, “Yeah, I guess we can try to have some fun, but don’t expect god knows what Twilight Sparkle. It may be Canterlot, but like, um… uncle Greeny Hoof said, it will be an open party.” ‘Uncle’ Greeny Hoof smiled triumphantly, just like the filly. “So, we will see each other at the party, all of us.” “Yes, u-uncle Greedy Hood (sic!)” “What?” both of the stallions thought this same and laugh heartily. “She really is your daughter,” said uncle weeping a tear from his eye, still giggling. “Yeah, I know.” Only the filly didn’t understand what they were talking about, but to say the truth, she really didn’t care, because the promise of free cakes in great amount filled her young mind.