So I created a character, and I thought of everything! Except for, strangely, the right kind of job for him. The idea was to create a father for Scootaloo, named Delger (you'll see why he has such an un-pony name in a minute), in response to a novellette implying Scootaloo had at least one actual parent, but she lived with her aunts. So I was thinking of giving him a job that would entail being far away and working long hours. The question is, what?

So he's a Przewalski's horse, because if we have zebras and donkeys, why can't we have Przewalski's horses? It also fits Scoots' rust-colored coat, and might expand further upon the world of Equestria. His personality is a fairly stoic one, he doesn't speak often and is generally fairly secretive, and this has only increased ever since his wife passed away. However, he has a secret: While no member of his kind is capable of any of the things that Earth ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns are capable of, he is capable of psychometry; he is able to learn about ponies who have passed away from touching their remains or items strongly associated with them (this is based on Mongolian shaman concepts and how they associated horses with death). He keeps things his wife owns and talks to them, because it artificially creates the sensation that she's speaking back to him.

The plot I had in mind was an internal conflict thing, Delger would not be present often for his existing family, not moving on easily, often buried in his work, and spending his spare time trying to pretend his wife is still around when she's not. What happens is that he gets to meet Rainbow Dash - I figured this happened during one of the earlier seasons - and she is one of the forces in this story that makes him open his eyes and realize that by dwelling on his past, he is missing out on his present, and his future as well.

So the major question is, what should his occupation be? I had tons of ideas, one being a mortician, and another a plague doctor, but tons of other ideas had nothing to do with his powers of psychometry, because like in the real world, sometimes what one is best at doesn't really match what one does for a living, so I thought he could also meet Rainbow at the Wonderbolts facility (and the fact his job has ties to it might explain why Scoots has such ambitions), but he's a civilian worker there rather than part of the reserverves, maybe he's in charge of civilian staff or does something else. I could also go in another direction entirely, and use him to expand upon things barely explored in Equestria, like how railways are obviously huge businesses there but we don't see the ponies who make it go 'round, like say, a trainmaster for instance. They also likely have pharmacists, but we never explore those. What do you guys think?

Detective

6450349
Make him a miner. Coal or precious minerals, doesn't matter.

6450349
I'd say go with 6450350 but I'd alter his ability just slightly so that the pony didn't have to be dead. He could track down run away ponies, or even get in the minds of suspected criminals (the latter part of that idea could get dark, fast).

6450433
So something similar to Sunset Shimmer's EQ's powers? *Just asking because curious...*

6450349
I agree with Chemtest though in him being a detective. Would give reason to be far away often and would fit with his ability well.

6451714

Yes, except works on items not individuals.

6451721
Exactly what I was thinking. *nods*