The Saga Of The Caramel Mare.

by BurningBright

Emptiness and growth

Mighty rolled over again, sighing at the empty spot in the bed beside him, the sheets still smelled like her. Tossing and turning restlessly he tried to go to sleep but he just couldn't do it. Instead he rose, slowly and carefully he made his way to the crib. Looking down once again at his son he felt the anger rising within him once again, this child had taken everything, ruined his life, yet still he was all that was left of Rosemary.

Mighty gently prodded the infant foal , Caramel stirred but didn't wake up, giving a slight whimper of displeasure, again the hoof prodded him this time achieving its goal. Caramel woke and gave a little squall at being awoken so rudely, his cries silenced as his father picked him up and lowered him into his pram, Mighty had to get out of the house for awhile, everything here reminded him of her, and now he had a reason.

Ponyville was eerily quiet at this time of night, nopony stopping hm to offer halfhearted condolences, that was fine with him, the less reminders the better. Still Mighty couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at his desire to forget, rosemary deserved rememberance, it was why he'd refused to get rid of any of her posessions. Everything was just as she left it, he even checked by the front door when he came in to see if her keys were on the hook. He still sometimes set 2 places at the table, and still made something extra special some days, like the presence of a nice dinner would somehow summon her back. Tartarus he wished it would.

Caramels crying soon ceased as the exhausted newborn drifted back off, lulled by the movement of the pram . Mighty looked down at his son again sighing as he tried to get rid of his anger, he shouldn't blame the kid, deep down he knew this, but every time he saw those eyes he couldn't help it. The kid was too big a reminder, maybe in time that would change.

When they got home mighty decided to try sleeping one more time, having walked himself half the night he climbed into bed placing Caramel beside him. Hey if the kid woke up again during the night Mighty wanted to be sure he could reach them with minimal effort, at last his eyelids started to droop and he drifted off to sleep.
It only felt like seconds later he was awakened by a sound that seemed to resemble a chainsaw across bare metal. He got outta bed one eye crusted shut and went to the kitchen to mix the baby formula. Damn that kid must have lungs of titanium or something. Testing the bottles temperature on his foreleg he returned to the room. Picking up what he swore must be the loudest kid in equestria he gently settled them in the crook of one leg , careful to support the head as he used his free leg to feed them, the crying quickly fading as the milk passed his lips Caramel settled instead into taking gurgling gulps, drinking the bottle greedily. Feeling proud of a job well done Mighty placed his son back on the bed he was just settling down to sleep when a scent invaded his nostrils. Gagging in horror he looked back at his son “Oh tartarus no” he mumbled to himself as he grabbed the changing bag.

The next 20 minutes of Mighty's life can best be described as living Tartarus, though if the head of Tartarus had encountered the stench this kid produced he would have wept, then hung up his pitchfork forever knowing no matter how cruel a torture he devised he could never even hope to match the sufferin one full napy from a newborn can cause every single day. Carefully Mighty lifted the biohazard that had formerly been a clean nappy towards the bin, outside bin of course, doing his best to stay as far away from it as possible and wishing that h could somehow make his leg longer for a time to get further from the vile stench. Tossing away the nappy with the hope the garbage men would not need hazmat teams to remove the bin from his garden by weeks end he scrubbed up, then picked up his now quiet son . Bouncing the kid gently to keep him calm, and just glad for once the little monster wasn't being gross. “BLECH” came the sound as mighty's ears pinned flat back to his skull and something lukewarm and sticky poured down his back. Sighing he went to run a bath.
Shrinking Violet was concerned, since Rosemaries death she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Mighty Zeal, and he used to be such an outgoing stallion . Clutching the beetroot, and turnip, and tater deeper'n'ever pie close like a shield she gave a knock at the front door. Getting no answer she knocked again, eventually the door was answered by a harried looking Mighty, it didn't look like he'd slept properly in days. “Hello Mighty,”she said, “I hope you don't mind me popping round like this, I just wanted to drop off this pie and see how you were holding up.” Sighing and pressing his muzzle with his hoof he gestured inwards stepping to one side wordlessly to let her in.

“I'm sorry the place isn't a bit more orderly “ he said as he led her in going silent once more, Violet carefully sat herself down by the dining table, noticing there were two places set then noticing the baby bottles littering the counter were outnumbered by amber cider bottles, that was worrying, but she held her tongue going to slice the pie then set it out at the table. Suddenly Mighty srung forward, “NO NOT THERE, that's her place” he shouted, noticing Violet cringe he grabbed another plate from the counter washing it and setting it up at a different seat. Looking at her he said “I just want her to come home” suddenly he started to tear up, and all violet could do was hold him, pie forgotten, right now there were more important things. One being a spot at the table and an empty space that Violet knew she could never fill.

Author's Note:

Sorry to get right into the heavy stuff so soon, I promise it does get happy for a time, then sad, then, well ya get the idea, but that's life. I hope chapter 2 went up fast enough for everypony, I hate to leave stories inactive so I'm aiming for a maximum of a week between chapters. Ideally 1 every 2 days.