//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Family Apprciation Day: A Charles Hoofwin Story // by Spades_of_Ace //------------------------------// As Esbin trotted down the morning streets of Ponyville; he turned and followed down the path of dirt road to make his way toward Sweet Apple Acres. He waved to Big Macintosh and Applejack, who were doing their morning chores for the day. Apple Bloom however, was nowhere in sight. “Mornin’ Esbin,” Applejack hollered out as she waved to the brown colt walking down the path. Esbin smiled, “Morning Applejack, morning Big Mac. I’m on my way to see the fillies at the clubhouse, see ya later.” The two farmers waved goodbye to Esbin as he galloped through the apple orchards to reach the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse. After dodging the many rows of apple trees, Esbin finally arrived at tree house. He went inside to see his three friends waiting for him to arrive so that could begin their meeting. “Alright Crusaders, before we begin our meeting; I have some exciting news,” Esbin said to the three fillies. “What is it Esbin,” Scootaloo said with curiosity. “Yea tell us,” Apple Bloom said, as she stood up. “On Family Appreciation Day, I will be brining my dad to school,” Esbin explained with a grin. The three fillies look at each other with confusion and lack of enthusiasm. Sweetie Belle raised a hoof in dismissal, “Is that all?” Esbin continued to grin as he asked, “Aren’t you girls curious as to why I’m gonna bring my dad to school?” “Well… we kind of thought that you would bring your mom to Family Appreciation Day,” Scootaloo said. “I thought about that, but… then I figured that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would just probably call me a momma’s colt or something like that,” Esbin said with a shrug. “Hmm, good point,” Apple Bloom agreed. “But still, why your dad? I mean he’s like a banker, right?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Well last night, my mom told me that when she was at the Gala years ago, she met my dad there, and he was named the guest of honor that night,” Esbin explained. “WHOA…” Scootaloo said with complete shock. “NO WAY,” Sweetie Belle said as she leaned forward toward Esbin. “Your mom and dad where at the Grand Galloping Gala?” Apple Bloom questioned excitedly. “They sure were,” Esbin said confidently. “Wow! Mah older sister and her friends went tah the Gala once, but she said it wasn’t all that amazing as they say it is,” Apple Bloom said. “Maybe, but you know what they say…” Esbin was going to continue, but was cut off by Sweetie Belle. “Hold on. How did your dad become the guest of honor at the Gala anyway?” Sweetie Belle asked, she scratching her head. “I don’t know. He never explained why, but he said that he will tell me, and the class; on Family Appreciation Day,” Esbin said, trying to at least keep his friends interested. Scootaloo stomped her hoof on the floor lightly, “Aw man.” “Yah know Esbin, ah’m surprised,” Apple Bloom said, wrapping a hoof around Esbins shoulder, “Ah woulda expected yah tah go crazy about tryin’ teh find out more about your daddy.” Esbin shifted uncomfortably in place, “Trust me, it’s not easy. I don’t want to tick my dad off; he can be pretty scary when he gets mad, if he ever does.” “Well, its only two days until he goes to school with you,” Sweetie Belle pointed out with a small shrug. Scootaloo hopped up, “Yeah how bad it could be?” “Its two days you guys….two long, dreadful, agonizing days,” Esbin said, feeling his anxiety building up inside of him. “Take it easy Esbin,” Scootaloo calmly said, placing both of her hooves on his chest. “Yeah, you’re kind of freaking out again,” Apple Bloom said, as she noticed Esbin was starting to hyperventilate. “…Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” Esbin said, as he tried to calm himself by taking deep breathes. Apple Bloom patted Esbin on the back with a light rub as his breathing returned to normal. “Hey, I know what will keep you mind off things Esbin,” Scootaloo said as she suddenly came up with an idea. Esbin, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle look at the orange colored Pegasus with curiosity as they waited for an answer. … “What?” “Trying to find our cutie marks,” Scootaloo exclaimed happily. The other little ponies lit up with joy by Scootaloo’s answer. “That’s a great idea!” the Crusaders said in unison. “So what are we waiting for,” Scootaloo asked her friends as she opened the door of the clubhouse. “Let’s get out there and find our special talents!” The four ponies charged out of the small clubhouse and made their way down the steps and into the apple orchard. “Don’t worry about it Esbin,” Sweetie Belle said with a smile, “These two days are going to go by like that!” Sweetie Belle snapped her tail to emphasize. Esbin gave a weak smile, “I sure hope so.” -Two days later- As the morning sun began to rise, the clock tower rang at the tone of 6:00 A.M. At the very moment Esbin heard the distant rings from the iron bell of the clock tower, his eyes shot open and a big grin swept on his face. He shot right out of his bed and cheered out as he ran toward the door. “IT’S MONDAY! IT’S MONDAY! IT’S MONDAY! YAY MONDAY!!” Esbin opened the bedroom door and galloped over to his parent’s room, to find that both of his parents still asleep. Even though Esbin knew it was rude to wake somepony up but he just could control himself. He instantly jumped right onto the bed which woke both Charles and Margret up lazily. “IT’S MONDAY DAD!” Esbin cheered happily as he bound on the mattress, “WAKE UP WAKE UP, YOU PROMISED TO COME TO SCHOOL TODAY!” Charles did his best to control his sleep-denied anger as he lazily opened his eyes. “Esbin… I understand that I promised to come with you to school today, but could you at least wait until me and your mother wake up first,” he groaned in a tired voice. “*Yawn* It’s not even time for school yet darling,” Margret yawned in a tired voice as she looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand beside her bed. “NO WAY, TIME TO GET UP, COME ON, COME ON GET UP,” Esbin exclaimed happily as he continued to jump on the bed. “*Groan* Alright fine,” Charles said in a slightly frustrated tone of voice. “YAY, I’m gonna get ready for school,” Esbin said as he jumped off the bed, trotted out of the room, and made his way to the stairs to make some breakfast for himself. While Esbin left his parents to rest some more, Margret murmured, “I should have seen this coming.” “You and me both,” Charles moaned as he buried his face into his pillow. After about thirty minutes of extra rest, Charles got out of bed to head down stairs to make breakfast for the whole family; Margret soon joined the two ponies after she fixed her hair just as Charles poured some coffee for them. “So dad, were you on some secret mission?” Esbin asked with same excited and quick voice. “Wait a minute, you said it involved the life a very important pony in Canterlot, was it a representative or something?” “Esbin,” Charles said. “Or maybe it was a famous fashion model,” Esbin guessed, only to have Margret chuckle slightly. “Esbin,” Charles repeated only in a slightly louder voice. “An important General from the Canterlot Military,” Esbin assumed without even hearing his father saying his name. “Esbin,” Charles repeated once again with an even louder voice, only be bombarded with another question. “-Gasp- WAS IT PRINCESS CELESTIA HERSEL…” Esbin was about to say, but finally stepped on his father’s last nerve. “ESBIN!” Charles shouted in a very enraged tone at the top of his lungs. Just like that, Esbin went dead silent and stared at his father, complete fear striking his entire body. Even Margret was a little spooked by his husband’s sudden outburst. Charles walked up to the table across from Esbin. “Listen Esbin, I will tell you all about my life once we get to school, but will you please stop pestering me?! I would have made do with the questions at first, and maybe the acts of kindest you did for me like cleaning your room and handing me a new pen when I needed one was very becoming; but you know I really didn’t like that early morning wake up from a one pony polka band. Hay, I don’t even know where Pinkie Pie even got a tuba for crying out loud! So would it kill you to actually wait until we were at school FIRST?!” Esbin hardly ever seen his mom or his dad angry at him, but this had probably had been the angriest he had ever seen him. He could feel his body shake with fear and regret as Charles eyes bared down on his from across the table. Esbin tried as he could to look away but he was too fear stricken to even avoid his father’s intimidating gaze. “I-I-I’m sorry daddy,” Esbin whimpered, as tears started to form in his eyes, and his face started to turn red. Charles anger dissipated in a heartbeat as he looked into Esbin’s tearing eyes. He quickly felt ashamed for what he just said to his son. He had never just told him off like that, and it pained him deeply in his stomach. His enraged expression faded away and a face of guilt replaced it. He managed to find his voice after a few moments. “No… I’m the one that’s sorry. I… I didn’t mean any of that.” Charles glanced at the floor for a second to avoid his son’s sobbing eyes as he walked around the table to embrace Esbin into a soft hug. “You were just curious, and I was just teasing you for giving you a small hint,” Charles explained with the same apologetic tone, “I love you Esbin, but sometimes you just need to be patient about these types of things.” Esbin sniffled softly as his face was buried into his father’s khaki colored coat, but he raised his head a bit as he pulled away to ask, “Do you *sniff* do you still want to come to school today?” “Of course I do, and I’ll be sure to tell you and your class everything,” Charles said, as he rustled Esbin’s mane, “Does that sound okay, kiddo?” “Mhmm,” Esbin hummed, as he nodded with a weak smile. “Alright then, how’s about some breakfast?” Charles asked putting on a weak smile. “Actually dad…I’m not really that hungry,” Esbin replied glancing away for a moment. “It’s okay, I understand,” Charles said. He couldn’t help but feel a little harrowed for making Esbin lose his appetite. Margret wanted to shout at Charles and give him a piece of her mind for yelling at Esbin; but seeing that he instantly regretted his decision, she could help but smile to see that her husband was willing to make up for it as well as apologizing to Esbin with a hug. “Esbin,” Margret said to the little colt. Esbin looked at her mother and asked, “Yes mom?” “I was wondering if I could come along with you and your father to Family Appreciation Day. I’m actually pretty curious about what your father has to say as well.” “If you’d like, then sure!” Esbin chirped happily Margret smiled warmly, as she patted her son on the head.