//------------------------------// // III: A Chance Meeting // Story: Times Of Rain // by Maerx //------------------------------// III The filly was shivering in my arms as Colgate materialized next to me with a very, very worried look on her muzzle. Motioning for me to give the poor thing to her, I conceded, her magic gently enveloping the tiny pegasus and pulling it close to her body. Now, in the warm light of our house I could finally get a good look at the child. She had a stock white coat, which I assumed would be absolutely stunning when it wasn’t dirty or matted in any way. Her mane was a single toned crimson red with a matching tail. At first, I thought her mane and tail to be soaked in blood, but a second more thorough look dismissed this thought. Meeting my marefriend’s worried gaze was followed by an eerie silence. I could tell that she had a barrage of questions coming for me: but now what not an appropriate time. What was priority now was getting this filly warm again. “Jackson, please start a fire,” Minuette said, finally breaking the now heavy silence. I looked over at her again: she was holding the filly close to her breast in between her forelegs, massaging her delicate frame. For a surreal moment, I pictured the blue mare not with a stray, but with our own child. She looked in control, knowing exactly what to do by instinct. I knew the possibility of Colgate bearing my child to be next to impossible, since me being human and not Equestrian native would most likely prohibit any chance of me and Colgate wanting to conceive. To be honest, I had never formally brought the topic to the attention of the Princesses, thinking it trivial and the answer obvious. But I couldn’t help but admit to a quiet hope that I had thought about what it would like to be a Father in Equestria. I had grown up as an only child and the only times I had played as a mentor figure was at work. I’m sure parenthood had its perks and downsides, just like everything else. But I had to say, I was curious. Silently standing from the sofa and leaving Minuette’s side, I strode quickly towards the back of the house, through the kitchen and out the back door towards the firewood pile that myself and Big Mac had created a few months ago for the coming winter. I knew I had more than enough to endure the cold months, and now had been the perfect time to start using it. I packed five logs in my arms and carefully made my way back towards the fireplace, meeting Colgate’s warm but still worried gaze once more, signaling for her to use a spell to start the fire once I had the proper kindling and wood in place. I shoved scraps of newspaper and stray wood chippings into the small hearth, placing the larger wood chunks on top, forming a rough pyramid. Right on cue, Colgate’s horn lit up with a soft blue glow and zapped the fireplace, a small but bright spark being the end result. I closed the fire guard door and began blowing, helping the small ember become a blaze of gentle flame. The room had warmed instantly around me, yes, but I could tell Colgate was in no way going to move the filly closer. It would take time for the fire to reach her, so with one final check, I returned to her side, my left arm reaching around her frame and landing just below her neck. “How is she?” “Cold. Very cold. Almost hypothermic actually. Where did you find her?” I paused. “Under the Ponyville bridge just outside of town. I was out for a walk just after you went to bed. Poor thing thought I was going to hurt her.” “So, she was awake when you found her?” I raised an eyebrow. “Very much so.” “It’s good you got her home this fast. Hearing how windy it is outside, I’m not sure she would have fared too well.” I shuddered at the thought of that. To see something so young, innocent and frail face the angel of death… Nopony this age should have to do that. Especially on their own. We sat in silence for a while longer, occasionally glancing at the clock sitting above the fireplace, accompanied by an older picture of myself and Colgate in the park. I remembered the day that picture was took. It was a warm, summer day in the afternoon. And there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The small filly finally shifted and fidgeted in Colgate’s forelegs, her eyes finally cracking open to reveal brilliant, sapphire blue eyes with a touch of white in them. They were absolutely stunning to behold. At first, she panicked, squirming around. However, the blue mare held the small filly tight, cooing her. The filly whimpered and backed towards Colgate’s breast once more, nestling its muzzle in her warm fur. She was clearly frightened, unfamiliar with her surroundings and resorted to the only thing that she probably knew what to do: find comfort in something you trust. I thought it quite touching that she trusted Colgate so quickly. “Hush now, darling. It’s all right. You’re safe.” Colgate’s voice was almost angelic now, even affecting me. I shuffled towards the window, checking outside. The rain had passed, now only left by an overcast sky. I had often heard the pegasi can lose control of storms and they can become monsters, even deadly. The last time a freak storm came through Ponyville, according to Twilight; three ponies had lost their lives by uprooted trees. It was a somewhat unnerving thought, that something as simple as wind and water can cause so much pain, misery and death. Hearing movement on the couch, I gazed over to see the small filly asleep in Colgate’s forelegs, her head tucked in with her small body, ushering a small smile from the mare. She looked over the filly’s body once more, checking for any bruises or broken bones before sighing and shifting her weight to where she was more comfortable. “She’s asleep,” Colgate chirped with a small chuckle. She laid her head down close to the filly, seeing the small thing’s chest rise and fall gently. I was still left in slight awe at how Colgate acted. She hadn’t lost her composure, nor yelled at me for getting her up, knowing that there were only a few hours left before she had to get up for work anyway. However, I’m sure this new development took priority. “Is she ok?,” I replied, curious. She nodded. “Yes, surprisingly. No cuts, bruises or breaks. Thank you for getting me up.” I raised another eyebrow again. Her gaze met mine, a soft smile on her muzzle. “But, your job..” “This takes priority over my job, Jackson. A filly’s health is second only to yours and mine now. But anyway, she needs her rest. Poor thing must have been through so much and who knows what else.” “I wonder if she’s an orphan.” Colgate narrowed her eyes slightly. “What makes you say that?” I shrugged. “Well, from what I know it’s not normal for a filly her age to be walking around Ponyville this time of night, let alone in a storm and under a bridge.” She nodded in agreement. “True.” “So, what do we do now?” I asked, stretching, a yawn escaping my mouth. Another silence fell over the room, Colgate resting her head against the couch. I thought about bringing up my previous thought and comment on her actions with the filly tonight. From what I saw tonight, Colgate was more than capable of being a mother. It was a shame I couldn’t provide that blessing for her. I decided to save it for another time, and with a quick glance at the clock, that cemented my choice. Moving as quietly as I could towards the couch, I sat back down. “I’m not sure to be frank. Not sure how we’re going to explain this either.” I stuck out my bottom lip in thought. “I don’t think we need to take her to the hospital either,” she added. Her voice tone had changed from soft and motherly to stern, almost worried. “So, should I grab Twilight in the morning?” “A... I really hate it when you take words out of my mouth, you know that?” Colgate retorted playfully with a wink. I smirked and stuck my tongue out at her. “Yes, given the time, I’d say sleep is needed. Can you come get her while we head upstairs? I think it best that she sleep with us tonight.” As I moved in front of Colgate, her horn glowed gently, enveloping the filly in a blue aurora. Her magic guided the filly to my arms, and vanished when I had a secure hold of her. She wiggled for a second, and then laid her head against my chest, a cute snore escaping her lips. Colgate sat there for a moment, eyeing me with the young filly in my arms, chuckling as she stood up and stretched. “You almost look like her father,” she mentioned, motioning me to follow her upstairs. I turned, following the mare upstairs and turning the corner towards our bedroom. The bed admittedly wasn’t the largest thing in Equestria, but it was more than comfortable enough for the two of us. In terms of Earth sizes, I would have to put it between a full size and a queen size bed, more towards queen. We had picked it up at a pawn shop for next to nothing, thanks partly to Twilight and partly to me socking money away like a rabid squirrel. Colgate’s magic covered the filly once more as I neared the bed, levitating the small filly towards her as she lay on the bed. I couldn’t help but smile. I could only dream of what the use of a horn or wing would be to me. Shuffling towards the dresser, I changed sloppily into my sleepwear, mainly just my white sleep shirt and underwear before heading back towards the bed only to be met by a devilishly playful grin from my marefriend. “Brush your teeth mister~” she said seductively as she pulled me in for a kiss, her tail brushing against my bare leg. The sensation was like being tickled with a feather, only much more consistent. “Goodnight sweetie,” I replied, padding out the bedroom, turning off the lamp at the bedside drawer. Celestia’s sun streamed through the cracks of the shades as I opened my eyes slowly. I lay there for a second, blinking a few times before shifting my weight, now sitting up. Colgate and the filly were still asleep, an adorable snore escaping from the mare’s muzzle. I stifled a chuckle as I slipped out of bed, slipping on a different shift, sweatpants and my usual black hooded sweatshirt. I fumbled around looking for something to leave a note for Colgate on, finally finding a stray note card. Great, I thought to myself. Now I have to remember where I put that pen. Sliding out the bedroom door, I took one last look at the pair of ponies, still fast asleep in the bed before walking gently down the stairs. Finally finding the damned thing between the couch cushions, I scribbled down a short note. Colgate, out for Twilight. Back soon. Love you -J I knew she would notice I was gone very shortly, she was the type of sleeper that loved body contact. Deciding that time was of the essence, I folded the note in half and left it in plain view of the bedroom. I made my way for the door, but not before checking the time. 10:49 Twilight should be home. The day was still the same hazy grey that yesterday had been, but a morning fog now held Ponyville in a peaceful silence, only disturbed by the occasional resident trotting down the street. I thought it odd that hardly anypony was out and about this time of day, not knowing fully what today was, in fact. Still, I continued on my towards the towering, jagged crystal castle on the other edge of town. Admittedly, it looked horribly out of place compared to the rest of Ponyville; however I was not one to judge things by their looks. Keeping a brisk pace, I passed by a number of shops and vendors that hadn’t opened yet, passing the boutique, Sugarcube Corner, the dentist’s office and a number of other things faster than I thought. The castle loomed in the distance as I crossed Ponyville Square, once again scarcely populated. Finally reaching the castle’s giant front doors, I knocked, sending reverberations through the structure. At first, I heard nothing, only the wind blowing in my ears. I glanced from left to right, looking for anything interesting, however my search was cut short by the sound of a deadbolt sliding open, and the left door creaking. Princess Twilight stood in the doorway, curious as to who would come knocking on her door at this hour. Although I hadn’t known the young alicorn before she had become one, I had come to accept her as one of my closest friends, a bond of trust formed between us months ago. “Jackson!? What a surprise, what brings you here?” she asked enthusiastically, batting her eyes twice before raising on eyebrow, almost instantly seeing my concerned expression. “Jackson, what’s wrong..?” Twilight’s posture changed, now fully stepping out of the castle, the heavy metal door swinging shut behind her. I sighed, explaining the situation and the events that led up to it. Twilight’s expression changed again, now more serious. She occasionally nodded, but only silently listened to what I said, absorbing every single word. Her eyes grew wide when I told her the location of where I found the small filly, sensing a spark of rage flash through her eyes. A good 10 minutes later, I took a breath waiting for her rebuttal. I could see her mental gears ticking as she processed the information, before coming to a conclusion. “Hold on.” I nodded, her horn lighting up, sparks flying from it. The glow became more and more vibrant, almost seeming to consume me, but before I could say another word we were apparently in front of my house. Oh no. Twilight had used a teleportation spell that instantly transported us back. I immediately became dizzy and disoriented and fell to my knees, my body unable to keep up with the insane speed of a teleportation spell. Back on Earth, humans didn’t have magic and teleportation was not possible, nor was travelling anywhere close to light speed. Twilight had explained to me that a teleportation spell is essentially that, travelling at light speed from once location to the next. I had, over coffee of course, explained that human’s bodies couldn’t stand that speed of travel for more than a few microseconds. “Ughgh, Twilight. I hate it when you do that,” I managed to spit out after regaining my composure. The alicorn grinned sheepishly, blushing slightly. “Oh shoot, I completely forgot. I’m sorry. However, this is way more important.” We entered my little house, the smell of cinnamon greeting me along with the warmth of last night’s fire. “Hang on; let me go see if she’s up.” Twilight only nodded, stretching before walking curiously up to the fireplace. I had lost sight of what she was admiring before I headed upstairs. The bedroom door was open; however the adjacent bathroom door was only cracked, hearing a slight hum coming from it. Checking the bedroom first, I noticed the bed to be empty. Somehow I knew she would be in here. Knocking on the door, I peered inside to see Colgate drying the little filly off. They must have cleaned themselves up; and by Celestia I was right about her coat. The young foal’s coat sparkled and shone with its impeccable whiteness now in full view. Her mane now gently flowed over her head, falling just enough to cover her right eye. Colgate’s ears perked and turned, a warm smile on her face. The filly simply watched, nervous. “She’s here,” I simply said to Colgate, resulting with a nod from her. She gathered the filly up, this time letting her crawl onto her back, not moving before the foal was comfortably on her back. She motioned for me to lead the way down the stairs, into the living room. The Princess of Friendship’s ears twitched towards us as we made our downstairs, turning towards us, her eyes immediately landing on Colgate and the small filly curled up on her back. Twilight and I waited patiently as Colgate shuffled towards the couch, the filly still glued to her back. I glanced over to Twilight, her eyes scanning over the filly, scrutinizing every detail. Once Colgate was comfortable, the filly scooted to her forelegs once more, just like last night, her brilliant eyes meeting the curious alicorn’s across the room. I saw fear; curiosity and embarrassment go through her eyes before burying herself against Colgate’s chest. This earned a sagely grin from the alicorn as she took a step closer, climbing into the other chair that sat opposite me. Twilight was the first to speak, inhaling then exhaling slowly. “Ok. Tell me how this all happened.”