//------------------------------// // Time to hire a foalsitter... // Story: Road to fame: My new life... As a gryphon. // by lord indisar //------------------------------// First things first.... A foalsitter... I didn't really know many ponies in Buckston who had the free time to watch a child... Okay, I could think of one, but she already had a foal herself, so there was a chance she might not accept.. Most ponies in Buckston were workers really. It also dawned on me that not only would I need a foalsitter, I needed one who wouldn't be uncomfortable with feeding Chirp meat. I was also going to need somepony who would also teach Chirp Equestrian in the meantime. I wouldn't be able to do it on my own, and if I did, it would take forever, especially if I kept going to work. Maybe, if I could get at least two of those in one pony, It wouldn't be so bad... I finally made it to my home, where I set Chirp down on the couch and opened the oven, using my magic to take the chicken out and set it on a platter, after which I turned the oven off. It smelled... Better now, but it still gave me a queasy feeling. I suppose the only thing to do was to cut it.... Which I had no idea how to do... Would a knife even cut through bone? I didn't want to touch or inspect it, and I maintained my distance from it. It was still hot, just coming out of the oven, but.... I mostly just didn't want to touch it... I levitated one of the little butter knives I'd had, and while the knife... Easily went through the cooked flesh, there was still the bone, which I suppose wasn't edible... So I cut around it, carving out a slab of the chicken, which was bending over and, admittedly... I was going even faster... It wasn't alive anymore or anything... But... The way it moved, and how resistant it was to the knife.... It was the most disgusting thing I'd ever think to see in my life.... Well, that and maybe when Chirp slurped a worm off the ground. But this had to be done, however, otherwise Chirp would starve. He couldn't live off of berries and.... That was really it, actually... Well, and worms... I certainly couldn't be the only pony out there dealing with this sort of thing... I'm sure some ponies actually have it worse. At least Chirp wasn't a bear or something like that.... Maybe sometime in the past, some other pony was once in the exact same situation I was in right now? Nonetheless, I had to be strong for this task. There might be a time where I might have to be the one to go out and kill an animal myself to feed Chirp, and this would have to be a normal task for me, an everyday thing.... Powers above, have mercy on my soul.... Well, Chirp, of course, didn't seem to have the inhibitions I'd held, because the next time I saw him, he'd somehow gotten onto the counter, and was clawing at one of the pieces of chicken, at which point he grabbed and ripped part of the chicken off, and bit into it....... It was discomforting, no, repulsive, even, even more so than actually getting the chicken and walking home with it.... Needless to say, I went out the door, and proceeded to empty the contents (or lack thereof. I hadn't eaten since last night...) of my stomach... After a few moments, and getting a hold of myself, I went back inside, and it seemed that Chirp was still gnawing on the bone of the chicken, though he had also eaten the large slab I'd cut out, so... I suppose he'd finished? Though now was the matter of storing the chicken... Hmm.... An idea in my head, I'd grabbed a bowl and a plate, and began using my magic to, for lack of a better term... Strip (there's no other way to describe what I was doing) the chicken of its meat , placing the meat in the bowl, and covered it with the plate. The piece Chirp was gnawing on I suppose was too big for him to choke on, but beyond that, I disposed of the rest of the chicken, and put the meat in the refrigerator. Would save a lot of grief to just get the entire thing over with.... I decided to let Chirp gnaw on his bone, while I went out to find somepony that was free enough to foalsit him. Though first, I went a few houses over, ( It was more like, 14, but that's still a short walk, compared to whst I'm used to.) to see if a certain pony I knew could do the job. Knocking on the door, it only took a few moments before a middle-aged Pegasi Mare with a yellow mane answered the door. White Thunder. "Oh, Lovely Lights!" She greeted, surprised. The last time I'd seen her was a months ago, before she'd headed to Cloudsdale for a training bout. She was allegedly getting too old though, and was planning on retiring soon, within the next few years. She'd gotten back about three weeks ago, since supposedly she was at the shop at around that time. "Hey, White Thunder, how's Sunny Skies doing? I have a favor to ask." I told her. Sunny Skies was her daughter, and she'd been attending school. If Sunny was doing well, and didn't need parental attention, maybe White Thunder would be able to foalsit Chirp. " Sunny Skies is doing great! She's getting A's and B's all around! What kinda favor you need me for?" She asked, her attitude unchanged. It was interesting really, and I always wondered if she'd stay like this throughout her years. " I'll have to show you, it's a bit of a story, one that doesn't make sense. Even I don't know. " I said. I didn't want to go through the entire 'But how?' conversation again. When we finally reached my house, I opened the door, and sure enough, Chirp was still on the counter, trying to chew on the bone. "So who's the lucky father?" White Thunder asked, smirking, and I quickly became embarrassed. "Wha- no! No no no no no no! I mean... No. This is Chirp. I found him out on the road last night while on my afternoon hike. You know, the one I take every night?" I said, and White Thunder only nodded, listening. " But since I knew there were no gryphons nearby, I thought I'd take him home, but.... Long story short, I need a foal sitter, one that can teach him to talk, and since you're a Pegasi, maybe you could teach him to fly?" I asked, before looking around at the counter again. "I think he already has a head start on that though... " I quickly added. "I can certainly teach him to fly! I'm a Wonderbolt, remember? And I've got practice enough to get him talking before you know it! " She said, smiling. Though the smile quickly faded as she brought up the dreaded question I was sure anypony was going to ask. "But he's a gryphon, isn't he? I've met a few gryphons, but it's not enough for me to assume, so... What does he usually eat?" White Thunder asked, slightly narrowing her vision. "I was afraid you'd ask that, and I won't force it to be up to you, but..." I started, opening the fridge, the clear bowl easily showing the meat inside. "Meat." I finished quickly. "I figured. Most gryphons I meet are always complaining about the food in the area or something, like it isn't enough for them. I can feed him, though I'd probably have the need to wash my mouth out after it all...." She stated. Wait, she was volunteering to actually.... I guess I couldn't complain, after all. "Really? So how much do I owe you? " I asked, getting out my note book, though White Thunder simply raised a hoof. "Ah, nothing. Though it'd be nice to have a godmother for Sunny Skies, whenever I'm away on my little 'outings'. I always ask a neighbor, but I suppose it would work out just as fine. Mutual needs, y'know. I'm actually heading out in another few months, so maybe by then, Chirp'll be able to hold a decent conversation, hmm?" She said, and I was okay with the terms, so I nodded. Huh, this might go even better than I thought... Actually, it already has, but, I meant the tutoring. "Deal, White Thunder. I won't forget this. Maybe I can get you an Equestria-wide discount at Mr. Frosty's Light Emporium?" I offered, and by the looks of it, White Thunder agreed, as told by her nod. "When do you think we can start? Tomorrow? Next week?" I asked. I couldn't stand by too long. "Well I'm here now, and you said Chirp's got a head start on flying, right? Let's see just how big that start is." She said, flexing her wings. More than too happy to speak, really, I nodded and began my way to the door. I had to tell Mr. Frosty I'd already gotten a sitter! Though I'd probably need adjusted hours ate least one day a week so I could fix up the chicken I'd bought. Speaking of time, maybe tonight I'd be able to take trip with me to see the sunset! Hmm... Shaping up to make way for a family tradition, huh? "Wait." I heard White Thunder say before I walked out the door. "How many words does he know alreasy?" She asked. "Oh. I, am, you, are, yes, and no. As well as my name and his, though I don't think he knows the meaning of either. Just see if he can learn a proper vocabulary, I guess. I have to tell my boss the news." I told her. "Alright, I'll see ya later, and I'll have him flying by the end of the week!" White Thunder called. But I was already out the door. By Celestia, I'm such a workaholic.