Father's Pride in a Daughter's Stride

by sweeT2010Tooth

My Jubilant Daughter

Rock Farmers. We toil the lands of Equestria endlessly from the break of dawn to when the sun is set by Princess Celestia. The multitude of rocks we farm provide the necessary building materials for emerging communities. This includes highly populated cities such as Canterlot, Seaddle, and Manehattan. Anypony can see that, on the surface, we are without current commodities like electricity, science, and technology. Little praise and recognition is given to rock farmers as the benefit of our hard labor is not readily seen as those who cultivate farms for growing food. Though it is a thankless job, we work tirelessly to provide the building blocks of society's shelters. It is from this endless toil by providing necessary building materials that we derive an important concept - Foundation.

Mason workers understand this concept very well, thus, we have a strong relationship with mason workers all over Equestria. The most common workers, stone and brick masons, have many structures that are now inhabited by Equestria's population. In laying stone or brick they understand that, without a strong enough foundation, the building's structural integrity is always at risk endangering any who inhabit or come near the structure. This concept of Foundation is also found in some masons' way of thinking working with a more philosophical approach. Many times are ethical and moral judgments thrown wayside where logic takes its place. This is not a bad thing - at first. These practices work in the same way that loans with a variable rate are offered. The initial rate looks excellent for attaining what one needs. Over time, this very same loan shifts into one that is too costly. Understand that ethical and moral standings are not solutions. They are better utilized as concepts of Foundation.

My daughter didn't like being a rock farmer. I saw this everyday. Still she worked very hard knowing the benefits our service provided the lands of Equestria. At the end of each day, she would let out a long sigh given the weight of our family's tradition. We all have our purpose in life and I knew my little girl would find hers. Until then, all this loving father could do was watch her daughter desire more out of life than farming rocks. Of course, I am a stallion who doesn't show much emotional expressions in his outward appearance so I am not sure if my daughter ever knew how much I cared. More than once has my wife let me know that my cold stance towards my children was enough to drive happiness out of their hard-working days. If I were to go back, that is something that would be worth changing.

There came a day when the very ground we farmed was shaken. We were in the south field preparing to rotate the rocks to the east field. The barren and colorless landscape that surrounded us shook uncontrollably as a rainbow of light passed above. I knew my daughter was still outside at this time and rushed to the door of our house to fetch her but it was too late. I didn't even have enough time to open the door to the outside. The air current that followed the explosion of rainbow light passed our rock farm in an instant. Looking out the window, I was relieved to see my daughter was unharmed. Something unmistakably flashed in her eyes as a smile crossed her lips for the first time in what felt like an eternity. It had been a long time that I have seen my child smile so I let her be watching her from the window. Little did I know how proud my daughter would make me from that day on.

The following morning sounds emanated from the nearby storage unit used for storing rocks. An unexpected party was thrown by my daughter in hopes we, her family, would like it. We did of course like it, but not smiling or feeling happiness for such a long time made it quite difficult to express this simple emotion. My sweet little daughter - she changed our lives. Soon after this she left the rock farm to travel the lands of Equestria and spread happiness. I tried to talk her out of it as I knew she would be fighting an uphill battle against a depressed and sullen society. Nonetheless, she left and I was hit with an important realization. My own daughter understood the concept of Foundation better than I did.

Like I've said before, we rock farmers believe in the concept of Foundation in providing building materials that constitute structures for the inhabitants of Equestria. My daughter decided to provide her own foundation in providing happiness, laughter, and positivity. She made me realize from the day she left that negativity was one of the worst foundations to build society. Remarkable was her ability in making all ponies express happiness that I felt nothing but pride in hearing of her endeavors.

Being overly energetic and happy is not without consequence, though. At times, I would have to hear about her being beaten by those that didn't understand her overly joyful personality. There are many nights when reading her letters that I wished for the continued safety of my daughter. It is every parent's fear that their child is in danger from the reality we all live in. Nevertheless, her renown became widespread and my daughter became known as the perky pink pony everyone loved sooner or later.

There are many wonderful deeds she has done. If you haven't met her yet, I'm sure you will. If you have met her, I'm sure you know of her pet alligator. This toothless alligator, whose mind is always in a vegetable state, provides her the constant reassurance that what she is doing is the right thing. I'll let you know she saved that alligator from its demise. It should be known that any animal without teeth is not able to procure its own food. My daughter found this alligator trying to bite into rocks for sustenance. Its mind had slipped into a vegetable state from a severe lack in nutrition. So my daughter - witnessing this alligator feebly gnawing on rocks without teeth - nursed it back to health. Nutrition was not the only thing it lacked but happiness, itself. Know my daughter is the only one that could get that alligator to wag its tail in what one could only assume was long-felt happiness.

My daughter, whom I love very much, lives on the concept of Foundation in providing laughter, happiness, and positivity. Have you ever felt sad? Have you ever felt depressed? Let my daughter be your light at the end of the dark tunnel of life's reality. Let my daughter be the stable ground beneath your feet when you're not feeling like your own self. Take her eccentricity at face value for she is offering you more than a simple annoyance. Remember the perky pink pony who only desires happiness from all life. Take the words of a father who is very proud for his daughter's efforts in all things accomplished by her. Let her be your foundation and know that happiness is the simplest form of stability. In the loving memory of my daughter's endeavors, remember to be happy and smile.

Comments

[Celestias Paladin]

Very well done, it is very rare to see a fic shown through the eyes of of Pinkie's father. You did damn good with this.

[sweeT2010Tooth]

2634190 Thanks!

[Celestias Paladin]

2634197
You're welcome

[StoneButterflies]

Well done! This was wonderful. However, I do feel it was odd for him to reference Pinkie as "my daughter" when he also has Inkie and Blinkie,

[sweeT2010Tooth]

2635518 Thanks! I'm not going to lie. It does seem odd that he didn't reference his other daughters. It was meant as a special dedication to his daughter away from home (assuming Inkie and Blinkie never left the rock farm). I suppose he could have said "one of my daughters."

At least, he didn't say "my only daughter."

[StoneButterflies]

2635609 That makes sense, I didn't really think of that. (^_^)" Yeah, that might not have worked as well.

[CoastalSarv]

What a sweet tale. Thanks for sharing it!

[sweeT2010Tooth]

2838520 Thanks for sharing some your time in reading the story!

[Alpha Scorpii]

I liked it. It's always nice to see a fic written from the perspective of Pinkie's father, I think he's a very interesting character.

Well done

[sweeT2010Tooth]

2990748 Thanks! Glad you liked it! I find the perspective of Pinkie's father to be quite interesting, too. It seems like a family member's words would best describe a person's (pony's?) character both in truth and raw emotion. Sure, sometimes this is skewed by perception. However, ask any parent about their child (or vice versa) and you'll hear the most fascinating stories in familial bonds. Just imagine what a real farmer would say about his/her child and you'll see what I mean. I think I got carried away with that rambling . Considering the amount of joy Pinkie brings to others could only make her father proud in my opinion.

[kiheerSEDMAN]

Alright! Here we go, live commentary time!

-That picture made me have an artgasm.
-Background!
-Background.
-Background...
-No amish jokes? Shame.
-So, Foundation is central to rock farmers.
-Still no amish jokes.
-End.

Well, this is an interesting story, and I've contemplated doing one like this before. The writing is a bit weak, but manageable. It felt really surreal (it's either that or the fact that I'm listening to Enya right about now) and immerses the reader in its atmosphere. I do feel you missed something though, and that is the many times the Mane 6 have been congratulated in Canterlot. Now I know you never actually see them, but they're lower class and probably didn't get the best seats.

So all in all, this story was missing some expanding, and some grammar difficulties, but the atmosphere was great and the idea even better.

Verdict: 7.6/10

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3502824 Thanks! I agree with the verdict 100% as this one shot could do with expanding. After all, I wrote it approximately in a two-hour time span when I got excited over the idea. The issue with the story with me is that I felt Igneous Rock's personality would be flat and serious making his words lack much humor and entertainment value. It's hard to make an entertaining story with only one serious character. So, I focused on the concept of Foundation pertaining to rock farmers and Pinkie Pie's gift of laughter in simple terms so as to not drag it out and lose the reader's attention. Also, I don't know if it would be true, but I figured Pinkie's father is a stallion of little words.

[kiheerSEDMAN]

3508615

Well, I've yet to tackle that sequel, since 40,000+ words is a little intimidating, but I will, and I'm sure it'll be the longest comment I've ever made.

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3508742 You don't have to do a live commentary . A or neigh with a buck this or I like that would suit me just fine.

[kiheerSEDMAN]

3508760

But humor is the second best part!

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3508774 Hmm, you're right! it is!

i.imgur.com/kUVFahY.gif

[kiheerSEDMAN]

3508799

That appears to be one violent poke. Then again it's Pinkie.

[sweeT2010Tooth]

3508837 It's Pinkie all right!

i.imgur.com/LRwQ8Vj.gif

[Zuabug]

It got a bit too real for me

Thank you for writing this.