The Hardships of A Father
Part 2: Meetings and Confusion
By: Major Frostwing
I awoke to the smell of something delicious invading my senses. I slowly rose rubbing my eyes of their sleep. I looked around seeing I was still in Fluttershy's home. I quickly looked to my side seeing Sam still curled up next to me asleep. I smiled giving his head a small pet before getting to my feet. I rubbed my hair trying to get it as straight as possible.
"Oh you're awake. I was about to wake you up if it wouldn't be a bother to you." I nodded to her smiling. "Happy Hearth's Warming." She said with a smile.
"Merry Christmas." I said looking down at my son shaking his shoulder gently. "Hey Sam it's time to wake up it's Christmas." I said with a smile. Sam roused from his sleep slowly letting out a groan. "Oh don't be like that I even have a gift for you." I said with a sly smile. Sam's eyes shot open as he suddenly sat up looking at me with a smile.
"You got me a gift Daddy?" Sam asked with that childish glint of happiness in his eyes.
"Of course I got you a gift." I said with a smile moving over to the table Sam right on my heels. I picked up the gift kneeling down to him. "Normally I wouldn't give this to you until you were older but since you have been such a good kid I decided to give it to you now." I handed the small wrapped gift to him which he opened swiftly looking it over with awe.
"But Daddy... This was the gift Mommy gave you." Sam said which put a pang of pain in my heart. Fluttershy also seemed to caught onto what Sam said. I flicked my eyes over to her giving a look that said I would tell her later.
"I know champ but you need this more than I do. It will keep you safe since I know Mommy is watching over you." I took the necklace from him clasping it to his neck. "I want you to have my most important treasure." Sam held the pendant of a raven in his palm looking at it with a smile. "Keep it safe for me ok?" I asked seeing him nod vigorously.
"I made pancakes if you two are hungry... That is if you are hungry." I smiled picking up my son moving him over to the table setting him down in a chair. I took my own seat smiling to Fluttershy.
"Sorry to be intruding on you Fluttershy." I said as Sam looked at the woman before him as if he had never seen her before.
"Daddy she has wings." Sam said pointing at her looking at me in shock.
"Sam what did we discuss about pointing at people?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sam jerked in his seat catching his mistake. "I'm sorry Fluttershy I didn't mean to point at you." I chuckled ruffling up his hair.
"Oh it's alright I don't really use my wings often so I often forget about them." I smiled to her as she set a stack of pancakes on both of our plates. "Oh I have plans later today with my friends sort of like a Hearth's Warming tradition. You can come along if you want that is." She fidgeted hiding behind her hair.
"We wouldn't want to impose Fluttershy but I guess we can come along. It will help us get adjusted and I might be able to get a job in town." I said cutting a piece of my pancakes before taking a bite. I glanced over seeing Sam devour his pancakes he still maintained his manners but the speed he ate was... unsettling.
"Yay." Fluttershy said with a girlish squee. I looked over to her before getting back to my pancakes. I was thinking about what all I could do to try and make my son happy and more importantly. I need to get Sam enrolled in a school he still needs an education. I stared at my plate as I ate my mind trying to possibly think of what I could do in this world.
"Daddy you're doing the face again." Sam pointed out breaking my concentration I looked over to him seeing that he was imitaiting my concentrating face. I let out a chuckle at how childish it was ruffling his hair again.
"After you are done Jeremy I would like to check on your hands... If you don't mind me doing so." Fluttershy said growing nervous again.
"I don't mind." I said finishing up my plate. After I was done I stood though I struggled as pain rocketed up my back. I didn't let it show since I didn't want to worry my son. I picked up both my son's plate and my own moving them over to the sink I set them in the sink about to wash them when Fluttershy stopped me.
"Let's get those bandages off." Fluttershy said leading me back to the table as she began working on my bandages. Didn't take long for them to be removed and soon enough I could see no black marks on my arms. Normally frostbite takes days to heal even months but in one day on this world I was fine.
I moved my arms around examining every part of them before clenching my hand into a fist. "How is this even possible?" I asked confused.
"Even though your arms are healed I still want to wrap them up so you don't get frostbite again." Fluttershy said pulling out a roll of bandages. I held my arms out so she could re-wrap them. Once she was finished I flexed my hands making sure the bandages weren't to tight. "Good as new." Fluttershy said with a smile. I found myself smiling back to her.
"Daddy no longer hurt?" Sam asked as I looked at him with a smile.
"I was never even hurt to begin with champ." I said ruffling his hair with a smile.
"If you both are ready we can go and meet my friends... If that is alright with you two." I looked to my son smiling and he smiled back.
"I think we would like that. Sam would be able to make new friends as well." Sam jumped out of his chair pushing it in behind him before running into the living room. He quickly got his coat on and his boots waiting for us to get ready. I smiled to him as he picked up us backpack.
"He seems really eager." Fluttershy said getting up from the table. "Do you need any help getting up? That is if you want my help." Fluttershy said smiling behind her hair and... is that a blush I see on her face? I slowly got to my feet patting her on the shoulder gently. She let out a squeak at the touch I leaned close whispering to her.
"I don't want to make Sam worry about me." I gave her one last pat before walking past her to get my socks and boots on.
"Daddy you're sooooo slooooooow!" Sam whined I only chuckled moving slower on purpose.
"Oh no Sam tiiiime iiiisss ssssloooowing doooowwwwn." I said slowing my movements and voice down he looked at me shocked as I froze in place. Sam ran up shaking my leg.
"NO! Time speed up. TIME SPEED UP!" I suddenly moved wrapping him up in a hug.
"Thank you Sam you saved me from time." He giggled as I shared a laugh with him. We were a silly family but it was moments like this I will forever cherish. I set him down patting his head as I finished getting ready. I threw my coat on adjusting it so it was comfortable. I knelt down picking Sam up to carry him with a smile. "Ready to go champ?" I asked as he nodded happily. "Good. Fluttershy if you would." I said motioning towards the door only to hear someone knock on it.
"Daddy how did you do that?" Sam asked impressed that when I motioned to the door someone knocked.
"Surprisingly enough that was not my doing." I said looking at Fluttershy run over to the door to open it.
Who was behind the door was another pegasus but instead of being canary yellow she was a cyan blue with rainbow colored hair.
"Sup Flutters Twilight told me to come and get you for the party." The cyan pegasus woman said with a smile. That's when she noticed Sam and myself. She looked at us with shock before dashing forward towards us. I wrapped my arms tightly around Sam turning so he wouldn't get hit. I didn't feel the impact which prompted me to open an eye looking over to see Fluttershy staring down the cyan pegasus turned missile.
"NO Rainbow Dash. You will not harm my guests." She said getting right in Rainbow's face. The cyan pegasus aptly named Rainbow Dash cowered under her stare.
"Daddy Fluttershy is scary." Sam said breaking Fluttershy out of her stare to look at us with concern.
"Oh, my. I'm sorry about that I didn't mean to scare you." And just like a coin she was back to her timid nature. I slowly got back to my feet giving Sam's back a little rub to comfort him.
"It's ok Fluttershy thanks though." I said looking down to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash I presume. I am Jeremy Harve and this is my son Sam." I extended my hand to her to help her up. She took it with a shaky hand as I pulled her up. I felt a sting in my back and a section of my skin popped. I probably popped a stitch.
"Uh... Hi." She said confused.
I slowly lowered my son to the ground pointing at a rabbit that was moving around the room. "Hey champ go play with the bunny the adults have to have a little chat before we head out. Ok?" He nodded chasing after the rabbit. I smiled to him before turning to Rainbow Dash my smile vanished. I took a step closer so only she could hear me. "I want to make one thing clear. Do not make me have to repeat this. If you ever put my son's life in danger again they will not find your body. We clear?" I asked seeing Rainbow nod vigorously. "Good now that that is cleared up. Sam let's go we have a party to go to." I called out seeing Sam run up to me carrying the rabbit in his arms.
"Can the bunny come with us?" He asked looking at me with large puppy dog eyes I gave him a flat look in return.
"Champ if you take the bunny outside how is that going to make him feel? It's to cold for him to really go out and play." Sam looked down at the bunny setting him down. "That's a good boy now come on." I knelt down so Sam could be picked up. He ran to me hugging me tight as I lifted him up.
"Alright... Let's go." Rainbow said as we all left the house. The cold winter air bit at my face harshly but at least I knew that we had a place we could stay.
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We all had reached the town of Ponyville making our way toward a large tree near the center of town. Turns out it was a library which was owned by one Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash explained a little about their friends which was good since I knew what to expect. Apparently there were unicorns who can do magic and Earth ponies who were very good at growing food. Of course there was also Alicorns or as they I would call them. Goddesses
Sam was enjoying the town but I kept noticing that everyone in town locked eyes on my son and myself. The silence was deafening I looked down at my son seeing him become uneasy with all the stares. I smiled to him giving him a pat on the back. "It's ok Champ they are just wondering who we are. We are new after all." I said as he nodded smiling back. I nudged Rainbow Dash nodding my head for them to pick up the pace. She nodded back moving a little faster to our destination.
Rainbow stopped at the door to the library knocking on the door after a few seconds the door opened revealing a purple Alicorn who I guessed was Twilight from what Rainbow told me. She saw her friends motioning for them to enter. I was about to walk in with Sam when the door closed after Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash entered. I was shocked by the sudden closing of the door.
"Daddy?" Sam asked as he looked up at me. I sighed knocking on the door to see the door open.
"Um can I help you?" Twilight asked looking me over confused.
"Um yea I am Fluttershy's friend and she invited me to come to the party." She looked me over before noticing my son she opened the door more.
"I'm sorry I didn't notice you. I am sorry that I closed the door on you as well." I waved it off as just an accident.
"Don't worry. Can we come in?" I asked as Twilight motioned for us to enter. I thanked her as I enter noticing all the other people in the room each of the new girls were staring at Sam and myself.
I pulled on my collar a little uncomfortably. Today just got more awkward than it needed to be.