//------------------------------// // Family // Story: Water Pony // by BlazzingInferno //------------------------------// Kev set his cane against the tree in the front yard and, with great difficulty, knelt beside it. The gentle breeze sapping away the late afternoon’s warmth seemed to rustle every leaf in the forest. Not even a hurricane could drown out the sound of the neighborhood kids, of course. School was out, and they’d all flocked to the playground just down the tree-lined street. How their voices managed to carry so well through what was essentially a city in the middle of a forest still made Kev wonder. He regarded the base of the tree, the spot where he’d buried Dana’s rings and Tam’s favorite toy. “Hey, Dana. It’s been a whole year today. Sorry I don’t stop by as often as I used to… life just keeps getting busy. I got promoted last week, and… you probably don’t want to hear about work, do you?” The wind whistled by, and Kev found himself glancing at the leafy canopy above. “You’d love how this place looks in the spring. Heh, but you’d hate the hunting ban. That’s what happens when you live in Equestria: you go vegetarian. That’s even true if you’re in a nameless borderland town like this one. Even the local griffons can’t snap up anything bigger than a worm. Anyway, I just wanted to say… thanks for moving in with me. I know you didn’t have a choice, but it was great getting to help raise Tam for a while. Keep reminding Jerek how lucky he has it, having you two back. Thanks for convincing me to marry a pony, too. Sure it’s not what I planned on, but… That’s life, isn’t it? We don’t get to plan it all out; you just have to hope you have someone to go through it with. Speaking of ponies—” he held up a bouquet of daffodils “—I don’t want to keep her waiting.” The house always looked so big to him, like he’d accidentally walked into the yard of someone more important than a manager at a small-time fruit cannery. He snuck along the side, deftly avoiding the high windows on the oversized front room. By now the little desks inside would be deserted, but one of Morning Dew’s fellow teachers could still spot him if they hadn’t left yet. At last, he reached the building’s side door, the entryway to the humble living area that bordered the school house. His cane didn’t make sneaking any easier. He’d lost track of the times that these little surprises turned into Morning Dew finding him face-down in the flower beds. Not today. Today, he’d taken care with every hoof fall. It wasn’t every day that he came bearing a bouquet of her favorite flowers, after all. The sound of sniffling stopped him at the threshold. He held up an ear and listened to what could only be one of the little griffon kids, unless there was also a pony with a beak in the class. He worked with a few ponies with horns or wings, but none with beaks. “You promise?” the little griffon said. Morning Dew’s soothing voice came next. “I promise there aren’t any monsters in the forest, Martha. The big kids were just trying to scare you.” “But… What if there’s monsters out there and we just don’t know it?” “I’ll tell you what: if you ever see a monster out there, we’ll get big Mr. K to take care of it. He’s really good at that.” Martha giggled. “Mr. K? He can’t do that.” “Why not?” “He’s too nice to scare monsters away.” “That’s exactly why he’s so good at it. Real strength comes from kindness, Martha, and Mr. K is the strongest minotaur in the world.” “Really?” “Really. Why don’t you run down the street to the park and play with your friends? Your mom and dad will be there soon.” Kev stepped to the side and out of sight moments before a tiny griffon ran out the door with her wings spread wide. She’d be flying to the park instead of running in a matter of months. He’d settle for being able to run. Walking was enough of a challenge these days. Morning Dew stuck her head around the corner and grinned. “And who do we have here?” Kev stepped out of his hiding place with a smile. “Just big Mr. K, checking for monsters.” She came closer, sniffed the air, and nudged the hand he’d hidden behind his back. “I see. That’s an awfully nice smelling—” He picked her up in his arms, being careful to put the weight on his good leg. She laughed and wrapped her forelegs around his shoulders as the flowers flew everywhere.