Chapter 1

A gentle breeze rippled across the pond in time with the gentle sound of wind-chimes. Whistling in something similar to rhythm with the chimes, but nothing close to tune, a single stallion in a floral blue shirt trotted to the edge of the rippling pond. On his back sat a small iron box and a wooden fishing pole, and the noise of them clashing into one another matched the stallion’s whistling perfectly.

The whistling stopped at about the same time that the sound of non-wind-chime clanging stopped. The box and pole clattered loudly on the ground for just a second when the stallion took a seat, falling silent once again when he went to grab them. The pole was rammed into the ground to straighten it in preparation, and the stallion opened the case to select the proper lure.

It didn’t take him very long to decide. The gift his daughter had given him was ready and waiting at the top of the box. It was a pretty little thing made of blue cloth and decorated with a few tiny gemstones attached to a hook made out of one nicely shined stone. This particular fishercolt knew from experience how much the fish in his pond loved shiny things, so he was positive that this particular lure would be wonderfully effective. All he had to do was hook a bit of tasty moss onto it and put it on the line.

The first cast was pathetic by most fishercolts’ standards, but it was good enough for this particular stallion. It was the first one of the morning after all. This was relaxing time, it was best if it wasn’t interrupted by a fish anyway. Besides, the line was in the water. That meant some fish might catch it at some point. Satisfied with his setup, the stallion lowered his sunhat over his eyes and rested a leg against the pole. Now he had the perfect setup to drift into his happy memories.

*****
“Daddy!”

Magnum groggily lifted his eyes from the pond at his daughter’s shouting. His little filly was running at him full speed with an angry look on her adorable little face. He knew she was angry from the shouting alone, but the adorable way she scrunched her eyes and nose really sold the idea. He waited until she was in proper range before responding to her demand of course. Giving her a pat on the head was the price of his attention. “What is it, Rari berry?” he asked while ruffling his daughter’s mane.

“Ugh, dad!” Rari berry pulled away and pouted at him. That wasn’t a surprise at her age, disappointing as it was. “I thought I told you to quit calling me that.”

The father just smiled and laughed. “You’re right, honey. I’m sorry I forgot.” With another laugh he turned back to the water and stared out at it happily. “So what is it that’s got you all upset now, miss Rarity?”

A hoof on Magnum’s shoulder told him that his daughter wanted his attention badly. He turned and smiled at her, given the angry filly his love perhaps a little too willingly. “The baby took my Lily doll and won’t give it back,” Rarity complained.

Her father knew exactly what doll she was talking about. As he recalled, it was always her ‘best dressed’ toy. Magnum didn’t know much about that, but he did know it was one of his daughter’s favorite dolls. “Well, did you ask her for it?” he asked with a chuckle and a grin.

“Don’t be stupid, dad. She wouldn’t understand me.” Clearly missing the joke, Rarity dropped off of her father’s shoulder and pouted on the ground beside him. She mumbled something after that that the larger pony fail to catch. Something about crying and wanting something he figured. Not enough to go off unfortunately, so he couldn’t pull his mind reading trick today.

A hoof lifted Rarity’s cute little chin to face him. “You know I don’t speak mumble-eese, dear. Speak up.” His smile was less cheery and more gentle now. Being jokey was known to cheer his little filly up, but he needed her talking now.

“I said all she does is cry,” the daughter mumbled again, though this time it was loud enough to hear at least even if she did get quieter near the end. “That’s how she gets everything she wants…”

Even an inexperienced father could have pieced it together from there, and this particular father had an idea in any case. Magnum figured that Rarity was upset because her mother made her give Sweetie the doll to stop some sort of fit. A quick glance up at the house confirmed the suspicion when the stallion saw his wife staring sadly out the window. He smiled and gave her a wink before turning his attention back to Rarity.

“Well I’m sure we can get it back from her once she gets to sleep. How does that sound?” He smiled cheerfully down at his daughter as he spoke, but she continued to pout. No surprise there, but that wasn’t what was meant to cheer her up anyway. He had another plan for that. “Hey,” he said, turning back to the lake and wrapping a foreleg around little Rarity, “As long as you’re out here, want to help me fish a bit?”

“Fishing’s boring.”

“Yeah a little,” Magnum laughed at his confession and smiled back down at Rarity. She was determined to keep that frown of hers, but he was pretty sure he caught a smile. “But that’s what makes it so relaxing.” Rarity didn’t give in. She just continued to pout until the secret smile was gone. His little idea was a bust, but he had another even, less likely to work idea just in case.

Whistling filled the air as the line was reeled in, fishless. Rarity stared on curiously, but didn’t speak even after the thing had made it to shore. Her daddy spoke up in her place, answering the question he was sure she had on her mind. “I don’t think this lure’s working out, would you mind picking one out of the box for me?”

*****

A chuckle escaped the fishercolt as he reminisced. Rarity used to hate his lure box. All of his hooks and things were either gross, ugly, or “so last century,” whatever that meant. Now though, she loved to look at the apparently fashionable lures she had sent him over the years to replace them. He loved it too of course. Before it used to be just bits of metal and cloth, now it was a box of fine memories.

“Daaad!” A funnily reminiscent sound jarred Magnum out of his memories. After lifting his hat, he turned to see a cute white filly with a pink and purple mane sitting beside him, holding a glass of black liquid and a bowl of charred flakes. “Mom said you might want some breakfast, so I made you some toast and some oatmeal.”

“Thanks a lot, Sweetie.” The cup of toast was taken gleefully and chugged immediately after. Magnum smiled and licked his lips once he’d finished. “Delicious.” He meant it too. Sweetie still wasn’t quite the chef her mother was, but she was getting better every day. He paused before dipping into the oatmeal. “Say, Sweetie, I think there’s a spare pole in the closet upstairs. Why don’t you go fetch it?” Sweetie Belle didn’t say anything for a moment, just stared up at him in confusion. Then he added, alf jokingly, “Who knows, maybe you’ll get your cutie mark in fishing.”

When his daughter abruptly shouted, “You think so!?” and dashed off to the house like a speeding bullet, Magnum couldn’t help but laugh. Obviously his little filly had already forgotten that she’d tried fishing before.

His laughter was stopped by a dismissive comment from another little filly of his who had just entered the scene. “Did you really have to do that, father?” Magnum glanced to his right to see Rarity approaching. She had dressed appropriately for a fishing trip, including what he assumed was a “fashionable” sun hat decorated with fishing lures and a vest with many pockets. However, she had neglected to bring a rod, instead carrying a book with her. “You could have just told her you wanted company today. I’m sure she would have stayed.”

Magnum chuckled and gave his Rari berry a hug. “A father has the right to not ask on Father’s day. You know that, Rarity.” His smile widened when his daughter returned the hug, and the pair of them stood there for what must have been at least a few minutes before breaking away. What split them up was the appearance of Sweetie Belle arriving with rod in tow.

“Hi, Rarity,” The filly said chipper as ever as she trotted up to her father and sister, “Are you going to fish with dad too?”

Rarity shook her head and stepped aside. “Of course not, Sweetie. I could never stand how those things flop around when you pull them.” She winked at her father, and Magnum came close to laughing. Rarity’d never seen a fish reeled in in her life. “I’m just going to sit by and read a bit.”

Sweetie walked away obviously disappointed and started to set up her pole. Without hesitation, Magnum leapt on the opportunity to get Rarity involved when he noticed the little filly flailing with the simple tool. “Why don’t you help her set up her too, Rari?” he asked, “If I remember right you’re pretty expert at that.”

Rarity looked up from her book just long enough to pout at her father, and then glanced towards Sweetie Belle, then the lure box. She didn’t say anything, just shot her dad a smile and trotted over to help her sister. Their father just smiled back at the pair before lowering his hat again and drifting back into his happy memories.

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