Track Pace stared down at the schedualing, and roster charts on his desk. He didn't know how to tell Daniel the news about who he'd be up against. On paper he was faster, stronger, and had the training to make Daniel look like a foal in comparison.
A knock on the door frame caused the unicorn to jump, scattering the papers he had been looking at. Her turned around to see Filthy Rich, the businesspony was surprisingly nice to be around, unlike his former employer, who he realized had just been cruel and manipulative.
"Sorry," Filthy Rich apologized. "But you've been staring at those same papers for a while now. A bit for your thoughts?"
"It's our stallion's next race....take a wild guess who's going to be there." Track Pace replied.
"Thunderlane." Filthy Rich said.
"Yep," Track Pace sighed. "Things don't look good. He's pulled off miracles, but I don't know about this one."
"He'll be fine. Speaking of, where is he anyways?" Filthy Rich asked.
"Lean Streak wasn't feeling too hot this morning, so he gave him the day. Probably just a twenty four hour bug." Track Pace shrugged.
"Ah," Filthy Rich shrugged. "As far as how to tell him, be tactful about it. I wouldn't mention stats unless he asks for them."
Track Pace nodded in silent agreement. The last thing they needed was the seed of doubt being planted inside Daniel's head before he even went out against the fellow racer from Ponyville.
---
"Hold on, so you're afraid of snakes, but you kept an eel for a pet?" Cloudchaser leaned against me as we walked along the coble stone path that bordered a small pond near the park.
"It was a brackish water eel, they're pretty docile, and I really liked fish," I rolled my eyes. "My friend killed it on accident sadly, even though I left instructions that a toddle-I mean foal, could understand."
"I bet that sucked." Cloudchaser said.
"I was pretty mad." I sighed.
We stopped at a bench, deciding to take a break from our little stroll. I had been doing my best to make more time for her in my life. While it was crummy Lean Streak was sick, it did give us the opportunity to spend a little time together.
"Can I ask you something?" Cloudchaser looked up at me.
"Sure." I shrugged.
"What made you want to adopt Scootaloo?" Cloudchaser almost whispered.
“Well, I've always wanted to be a dad. When Earth was my home, I never considered adoption, and after my wife and I split, I just lost confidence in myself and gave up...then I bumped into her." I said, as the events that led up to that fateful winter decision replayed in my mind.
Cloudchaser's eyes were focused on me. She was hard to read at the moment, keeping a neutral expression that left me feeling vulnerable. Last time she had taken the news poorly, perhaps this time she was at least keeping an open mind to it?
"Scootaloo's stronger than other ponies give her credit for. She's been my little buddy before I considered adopting her." I smiled.
"Is that why you asked me if I thought you'd be a good dad that night?" Cloudchaser leaned her head against me.
"Yeah, I wasn't sure how to tell you yet." I replied.
Cloudchaser went quiet, the only sound present was the gentle breeze that rustled the leafs in the trees that towered above us. I looked down at her, wondering what was running through her mind as the silence between us drug on. I didn't know what to say, or if I should say anything at all.
"Do you think I would be a good mom?" Cloudchaser asked as she looked up at me once more with a smile.
"Uh..." I was caught off guard by her question, my brain left in a rather stupefied state.
"Really now?" Cloudchaser tilted her head to the side, cocking an eyebrow with a mischievous smile.
"I mean, yes! I think you would make a great mom!" I managed to get out with a nervous laugh.
"Uh huh, sure....seriously though..." Cloudchaser's expression shifted to one that conveyed the sincerity of her previous question.
"Yes, I think you would, really." I wrapped a wing around her, smiling as she scooted closer to me.
"I've taken care of Rumble even before Thunderlane and I were dating. Scootaloo would be a whole new experience. I guess it's a step up, going from a foal sitter to a parent." Cloudchaser said.
"So...."
"Yes, I'm okay with Scootaloo being a part of our lives. Next time you want to do something this big though, let me know before hoof. Not saying that I wouldn't say yes, but I'd like a little more heads up, ya big dummy." Cloudchaser nuzzled me affectionately.
We sat in silence once more, quietly observing the scenery around us. As a human, I would have found this activity boring after a while unless I was doing something constructive with my time.
All of the sudden Cloudchaser's ears perked up, her head jolting away from my body as if it were a hot pan on the stove. "Hey, that night at the party, your first party here you never told me what your other name was!"
"Huh...I guess I never did tell anypony what my last name is. It's lame and boring though." I shrugged.
"Pleeease?" Cloudchaser placed her forehooves against my chest as she pleaded.
"Okay," I relented with a laugh. "My last name is Walker."
"Walker...it suits you...I like it." Cloudchaser pressed her hooves together as her eyes broke contact with mine. She seemed to be in deep thought about something, smiling as she looked back up at me.
"Something on your mind?" I asked.
"It's nothing," Cloudchaser replied with a kiss. "I love you, Daniel Walker."
---
Start Sprint sighed as he watched Scootaloo from the other side of the playground. He didn't know how to talk to her, or how to explain this weird feeling he got when he saw her. Whenever he would start to say something he would become nervous and trip over his words, and occasionally himself.
"Somepony's down in the dumps." Button Mash poked Star Sprint in the side.
"Oh, hey Button..." the colt did his best to fake a smile.
"Wha'cha doing all the way out here?" his friend sat down beside him, scanning the playground for anything unusual or amiss.
"Nothing...hey, Button, you like Sweetie Belle, right?" Star Sprint asked.
"W-well, kind of...I mean...yeah, why?" Button asked in return.
"I think I have a crush on somepony." Star Sprint confessed.
"Well who is she?" Button Mash seemed a little too excited, making Star Sprint nervous.
"Uh...uh...i-it's S-Scootaloo." the unicorn squeaked out.
"REALLY?" Button's smile had never been bigger than it was right now.
Star Sprint nodded. The colt looked down at the grass in defeat, however. He felt-no, knew, that it would be impossible to get her attention with all the other classmates around her. From what he understood, she was close friends with a princess, what did he possibly have to offer next to that?
Button's smile faded as he picked up on his friend's distress. He hated seeing Star Sprint in such poor spirits. He wasn’t about to let him wallow in misery all day, and quickly made up his mind about what to do.
“C’mon.” Button forced his friend to his hooves with a firm shove to the flank. The earth colt continued to push his reluctant friend towards the CMC, as he tried to dig his hooves into the ground.
“Button, stop!” Star Sprint protested, his plea going unheeded.
A small mound of dirt had gathered around Star Sprint’s forehooves, two lines in the ground indicating the path they had taken. The unicorn colt started to get the funny feeling in his stomach once more when he saw Scootaloo turn her head in their direction.
“Hey Button Mash, hey Star Sprint.” Sweetie Belle chirped happily.
“Hi guys, what’s up?” Button Mash put on a calm, confident front.
“Nuthin’ much, just chill’n.” Apple Bloom replied with a shrug.
“Since when do you say chill’n?” Scootaloo asked.
“It ain’t like Ah can’t say it.” Apple Bloom replied.
“Fair point.” Scootaloo said, practically oblivious now to the nervous colt roughly a foot from her.
Button Mash nudged Start Sprint, trying to encourage him to say something. He hadn’t spoken at all, seemingly petrified by fear of what Scootaloo might say or do about…what exactly Button wasn’t sure, but his friend had to get over his fear.
“Um…h-hi, S-Scootaloo.” Star Sprint stammered.
“Oh, hey Star Sprint, are you feeling okay?” Scootaloo asked.
“Yeah, he’s fine, he just wanted to ask you a question about a scooter problem, right?” Button Mash recovered for the fumbling colt, thinking up an excuse as quickly as he could.
“Um, okay, what’s up?” Scootaloo now gave Star Sprint her undivided attention, clearly pleased with the topic.
“Well, I was wondering how to...get a little more speed.” The colt smiled nervously.
“I’d have to look at it, most of my speed comes from my wings,” Scootaloo gave her small wings a quick buzz as a demonstration. “I bet your magic could help out, c’mon, let’s go see what we’re working with.”
Star Sprint smiled, receiving a wink from Button Mash, as he followed the tangerine filly to where their scooters were located. The feeling he had experienced moments ago was fading, as the two walked side by side.
---
I let out a happy sigh as I pushed open the door to my house. Being alone again was pretty neat, though that hopefully wouldn’t last for long. I still had Cloudchaser to think about, and after today I felt like it was getting close to time to put the final piece of the puzzle in place. To think, all of this was brought about by an accident.
I smiled as I thought of Discord, even though he probably had no intention of me actually finding love in this strange world, it was because of him all the same. With that in mind it was kind of hard to stay mad at him now. He would play it off, and probably try to think of some outlandish prank to make me change my opinion of him.
I was just about to head to my room, when a knock came from the door. I assumed it was Mike or Ike coming to tell me Lean Streak wanted to get in a quick practice session, despite being ill and already telling me to go enjoy the day.
“What’s up…guys?” I cocked an eyebrow at the strange unicorn standing at my front door.
She had her blond mane done up in a bun, the very tip of her horn poking through it. Her coat was grey which I found to be an odd color for a unicorn, but pushed past it. The mare wore a rather expensive looking suit with a pair of thin wire glasses that gave her a very official and important appearance.
“Um…hi?” I was unsure what else to say as a pen quickly scribbled down notes.
“Greetings, my name is Pristine Spotter, you must be Daniel?” the mare looked away from her notes, giving me a rather bored look.
“Uh, yes ma’am. Can I help you?” I asked.
“You are the stallion interested in adopting a filly by the name of Scootaloo yes? Surely you were informed I would be stopping by to check on the premises.” Pristine replied.
“Ooh, okay, I remember now…I wasn’t expecting you.” I stepped aside allowing her in.
“That’s the idea, it wouldn’t be a fair assessment if you knew I was coming.” Pristine replied with a huff.
The mare looked around the living room, her poker face was impossible to read now. I was unsure what to do with myself, other than follow the mare and try to guess what she was thinking.
"How long have you been living in Ponyville?" Pristine asked.
"Coming up on a year soon." I replied.
"I see..." the mare said as she proceeded to the kitchen, which thankfully was in decent shape. The lack of dirty dishes in the sink put my mind at ease; at least she couldn't say I was a slob. I owed that to my mother's discipline, and silently thanked her as the inspector continued the unannounced, self-guided tour of my home.
"What is it you do for a living, Daniel." Pristine asked, poking at the Nintendo sixty four like the unknown alien device it was.
"I'm a racer, ma'am." I replied.
"Uh huh, so that means you're required to be away from home frequently, correct?" the inspector looked at me over her glasses.
"Yes, but-"
"Which makes me wonder how you'd be able to keep up with a filly with development problems." Pristine said.
I nearly lost my cool when she labeled Scootaloo. Tender Care had been right, I thought filling out papers was bad, but this mare and her attitude took the cake. It was as if she was just trying to get under my skin, and was doing a damn good job at it.
"You see, it's not all about bits. It's being there for your potential daughter. On that note, how did you become a pegasus to begin with, there's only one Daniel in the citizen's registry, and he's classified as one of two humans." Pristine tilted her head inquisitively.
Talking to this mare felt like taking a test I couldn't study for. It didn't feel fair in the least, some of her questions were getting personal now, and I didn't like where she was treading.
"It was a magic accident," I said, noting her smug smirk as she jotted something down. I couldn't take any more after catching that. "Thing is though, I think it was meant to happen."
The unicorn's pen stopped moving. Pristine cocked an eyebrow at me, her face one of bewilderment. Once I was sure I had her attention, I put on my best fake smile before continuing.
"I thought it would stink at first, getting used to doing everything differently. Then I got a new job, I bonded with the most beautiful mare in Equestria, and made a ton of new friends. Now I've got some prissy unicorn from Celestia knows where, smirking as she writes me up due to my occupation when there's tons of other parents with their own children who pay foal sitters." I did my best to keep a calm, level voice.
Pristine remained silent, staring at me. She eventually straightened her glasses a bit, reforming the sphinx like expression on her muzzle.
"I am far from a prissy unicorn. I take my job seriously because I was once like Scootaloo, orphaned, and alone. As strong as I'm sure you'd like to believe you are, you can't do everything by yourself." Pristine said.
As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I couldn't be everywhere or do everything at once. I did my best to mask the feeling of defeat that fell over me that came with this realization.
"I'll be back in a few weeks, I'll reserve my decision until then. Oh, and you might look into getting a character recommendation, from somepony other than a family member." Pristine wrote something else down before leaving me to my thoughts, none of them good.
I didn't care for the mare, even with her sob story of being like Scootaloo that didn't give her the right to label me as an inadequate adult. The way she so casually called her a filly with developmental issues didn't sit well with me. Her wings might not work right, but that didn't matter to me.
Anger slowly won over my self-control, resulting in a rearranged sofa that came within inches of being slammed into the T.V. I didn't know my own strength, and felt a little guilty after unleashing my frustration.
Her words shouldn't have affected me like they had, but I couldn't help it. I felt insulted in my own home, and had lashed out, a thought that made me feel even worse about the entire situation.
I groaned at the sound of another knock at the door, fearing that she had heard my little outburst. If she had, that would be the end of any chance I had at adopting Scootaloo for sure. She’d assume I was a hot head and probably put me on some sort of watch list.
“Look if you-oh, hey Mike, Ike.” I said, pleasantly surprised, and thankful it was only those two at my door.
“We need to talk with you about something, it’s important.” Mike said, fidgeting a bit.
---
“How long has he been like this?” I asked looking at my mentor through the glass window of his hospital room.
“Two, three hours maybe. He thought it was just your everyday sickness…” Ike said.
“Do they know what it is yet?” I let out a defeated sigh, feeling helpless.
“They’re still waiting for the test to come back. He asked to see you when he got here.” Mike said resting a hoof on my shoulder.
“Yeah, thanks guys. I’ll be back out in a minute.” I slowly opened the door, trying to be as quiet as possible.
I could hear Lean’ Streak’s heavy breathing from within, occasionally in sync with the heart monitor. The thought of losing him briefly entered my mind, but I shoved it away. He was too strong a stallion for something like an illness to claim him.
“Hey old timer, what are you doing in bed?” I asked as his eyes opened.
“Heh, old timer...funny how life gives us reality checks.” Lean Streak chuckled softly.
“Have they told you anything?” I hopped into the chair to the right of the bed.
“Something with my respiratory system...don’t know if that means anything to you.” Lean Streak’s eyes followed me.
“If I had more info it would, I used to work in the medical field before I came to Equestria. More on the technical side, but I knew enough.” I shrugged.
“Just my luck.” Lean Streak sighed.
It was hard to see the stallion that I had come to view as my surrogate father in this world in a hospital bed. He still seemed to be in fit condition, for a stallion his age. I noticed him reaching for the plastic water pitcher they had set on the small table beside the bed and rose from my seat.
“I’ve got you.” I said, pouring him a cup of water.
Lean Streak silently nodded his thanks, sipping the water slowly. This was just one more reminder that even in Equestria, things weren’t always sunshine and rainbows.
“They tell you who you’re up against this time?” Lean Streak asked.
“No, I figure it’s a bunch of newbies, maybe one or two decent racers.” I replied.
“Your good pal Sky Mark’s going to be there...you’re headed back to Las Pegasus. You know what that means, don’t you?” Lean Streak raised an eyebrow at me.
“Thunderlane’s going to be there.” I huffed.
“Yep, which is why I’m asking you now to forget about him,” Lean Streak looked as if he wanted to stand, but lacked the energy to do so. “Don’t let him in your head.”
“What about you? Are you going to be okay?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about me, don’t cry, don’t sob, and if you send me flowers so help me-“ Lean Streak tried to finish, but started coughing from getting worked up.
I flew to his side, the coughing fit lasting only a few seconds. Those few seconds were all it took to get the attention of the nearby nurses. They ushered me out before I could say anything else to him. One of the nurses pulled the curtain over the glass window, shrouding the interior of the room from view.
I stood outside, feeling like a lost puppy. Going back to Las Pegasus without Lean Streak didn’t feel right. He had been a pretty big factor in my success so far.
“Don’t get scared, get angry.” I whispered to myself.
I left the IC wing, hoping for the best. Lean Streak seemed like he was going to be fine, but if Earth had taught me anything, it was that tomorrow was never guaranteed. I shook the depressing thought from my mind, not wanting to dwell on death in this world.
---
I heard the door open to my house, the fall of her hooves distinct to me from everypony else's now. I assumed I would notice other things as time went on that were unique traits only to Cloudchaser.
"Hey big guy, you okay?" the mare asked joining me on the couch.
"Yeah, just upset that Lean Streak's down. I feel like I need him there, you know?" I replied.
"I know the feeling," Cloudchaser said, stroking my mane soothingly. "He'll be with you in spirit though."
"I know...on top of that, I caught crap from the inspector." I grumbled.
"It's not going to stop the adoption is it?" Cloudchaser stopped petting me, a worried look on my face.
"She's making the case that because of my occupation I wouldn't be home enough, and asking for character references. " I rolled my eyes as I mocked her voice.
"Ponyfeathers, Filthy Rich takes off all the time and leaves a foal sitter for Diamond Tiara." Cloudchaser vented.
After all that had happened, it felt good to know I still had one pony on my side through all of this. Rarity's question kept running through my mind, pushing itself to the front of my thoughts more frequently as the days passed. She had told me to trust my instincts; maybe they were telling me it was time.
Even after spending a few months as a pegasus, it was still weird to my human way of thinking to accept the flow of some things. I could only describe what I was feeling as a second person, or pony, guiding me. Humans had a conscience, sure, but that paled in comparison to this.
"Hey," Cloudchase's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Think I could come in Lean Streak's place?"
"You know who will be there." I said, fighting back a smile as I anticipated her answer.
"I know, but I'm with you now. Seeing him again isn't going to change anything." Cloudchaser pushed me down onto the couch with her forelegs, standing over me with a coy grin.
"So you're going to be my good luck charm then?" I wrapped a foreleg gently around her neck, encouraging her down to my level.
"I'm going as your marefriend, your partner." Cloudchaser draped her wings around us as we kissed, forming a small canopy of feathers.
"Promise you won't hate me if I lose?" I asked.
"You've grown on me too much by now," Cloudchaser teased. "Losing won't make me love you less, dummy."
Cloudchaser hummed in delight as I pulled her closer to me. her wings folding in slightly, but remaining draped over me. Her head found her favorite spot beneath mine in my neck, making me smile as she nuzzled, and snuggled on top of me affectionately until she was comfortable.
"I could fall asleep like this..." Cloudchaser sighed.
"So could I..." I said, draping a wing over her.
"Want to?" Cloudchaser giggled.
"I don't really want to move right now...but I should probably get the lights." I chuckled.
Cloudchaser let out a little whine, displeased with my logic. Reluctantly, she removed herself from my stomach, allowing me to quickly deal with the lights in the house. Once I returned to the couch I was almost immediately glomped in a loving embrace, one I happily submitted to.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" my curiosity was getting the better of me again.
"Mmhmm." Cloudchaser hummed happily.
"Why do you like to nuzzle you head into my neck so much? It's not that I don't like it, I like it a lot actually, I was just curious." I smiled nervously.
"You don't know a whole lot about mare anatomy, other than what you think counts huh?" Cloudchaser cocked an eyebrow at me.
"Hey, I don't think about that all the time." I huffed.
"Mmhmm, if you say so. Anyways, remember when I insisted on sleeping with you your first night back, and was really snuggly?" Cloudchaser asked.
"Yeah." I nodded.
"It has to do with scents. All mares rub their heads against their stallions. It's basically marking you as ours, so other mares will keep their hooves off you. I just like that area in particular because....I feel safe, especially when you wrap your wings around me." Cloudchaser blushed.
"This is going to sound really sappy, but it always makes me feel a little stronger when you do. Kind of hard to explain why, I feel like I could stop the world if I had to." I smiled.
"You're right, that is sappy," Cloudchaser giggled before snuggling against me. "As sweet as syrup though."
"Goodnight, Cloudchaser." I said, wrapping my forelegs and wings around her, smiling as I heard her coo in delight.
"Goodnight, Daniel Walker." the mare seemed to be enjoying using my last name when she could, I was okay with this. It was actually refreshing to be addressed by my full name after going only by my first for so long.
My mind was caught somewhere between wanting to run free with my thoughts, and simply shut down for the night, curled up next to Cloudchaser. If given the chance, I would probably stay up all night dreading the outcome of my race against Thunderlane. Thankfully, the adorable mare beneath my wing saved me from my fearful thoughts.
A small smile was on her muzzle as she slept peacefully beside me. My thoughts shifted to what we had talked about earlier today, her question the most prominent one in my mind. Cloudchaser was a bit of a foal at heart, playful, funny, but serious when she needed to be.
“Yeah...you’d be a great mom.” I whispered, I swore I saw her smile grow a little.