Citrus Saplings

by Istaran

Ginger Dimples

Ginger awoke with a smile on her lips and a hum in her throat, the familiar melody repeating itself again and again as she lit her horn and brought her brushes to bear. "Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling, showing your grin," she sang aloud when her tooth brush had finished its job, while the hair brush continued working toward its usual ends. The words seemed a bit more sincere today than usual.

There was a new colt in class, a unicorn at that! Of course, Midnight had practically thrown herself at him already, but that was okay. The dark furred mare wouldn't begrudge her a new friend, and Ginger didn't mind leaving it at that. She had yet to see the appeal of romance, and wondered if she ever would. Friends though... a new friend!

She still had a few hours before school as she trotted downstairs. Great! She got to work in the kitchen, making preparations. Ingredients mixed in several bowls as she heated the oven. A few trays full of little round indentations floated from the shelves to the counters before being filled. Glancing at a clock, she noted the time before sliding the trays into the oven. Whew! That was a bit of work, but no problem. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Showing your grin.

She sat down at the kitchen table while her books drifted over from her saddlebags. Most foals she knew did their homework in the evening, but she preferred to do it in the morning, so it was fresh in her mind when she went in. Besides, her father came home late and woke late, and this way she could mostly avoid him, being in bed when he got home. It was so nice and peaceful here in the morning while her parents slept. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Showing your grin.

A glance at the clock when her homework was finished showed she still had another fifteen minutes. Time enough to review the reading a little more and read ahead for the day. The teacher could be so fast when she covered the materials, it helped to at least skim it in advance and have some idea where she was going with it. Oops! Let the time get away from her a bit there, better hurry before the food is overdone. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Showing your grin.

The two trays slid out of the oven and onto the counter. It was a good thing levitation magic couldn't be burned! The muffins, however, could have been. They were slightly overdone, but not so much she couldn't be proud to give them away. She'd get back to them in a moment. The baked egg dishes she served up onto three plates, leaving two on the counter as she moved to feed herself. Mmm. Those came out perfect. Maybe mom would sneak in a genuine smile this morning. She chose to believe so. Oh! Time to put the coffee on. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Showing your grin.

Glancing at the clock again, Ginger quickly packed her bags for school, nearly overflowing with the extra muffins. Her mom sleepily stumbled down to the landing of the stairs just as Ginger was on her way out. They nuzzled each other, trading smiles. "Heading out already? Have a good day at school. I love you, Ginger Dimples," her mom said cheerfully.

"I love you too, mom," Ginger said cheerfully, taking a moment to wipe off a bit of the makeup that had transferred from her mom. Oops! She'd need to put a bit more back on to properly hide that bruise. "Coffee's brewing now, breakfast is waiting for you. See you tonight!" They smiled at each other as they parted ways, humming the same tune. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Showing your grin.

---

Ginger hummed her way into class, prancing about in her usual fashion as she got to her seat. "Hi Blank Slate!" she greeted cheerfully, glad to see the new pony was there on time, before trading greetings with her other friends and taking her seat. Midnight hadn't shown up yet today, so Long View was back in his usual spot in the front row. Good for him!

Miss Lemon Drop glanced around, watched the seconds mark on the clock reach the appointed time, and then coughed gently to draw attention, before commencing the calling of the attendance roll. It was a silly ritual, as she knew who was there or not at a glance, but she did it every morning anyways. Perhaps it was a good reminder that she was paying attention, and would notice if you skipped class.

"Amber Waves?" "Here," the earth filly said firmly.

"Blank Slate?" "Present," the unicorn colt said with exaggerated calmness.

"Ginger Dimples?" "Here~," the unicorn filly sang out.

"Long View" "Present," the pegasus colt said, mimicking Blank Slate.

"Orange Juice" "Yo!" the earth colt said, earning a giggle from Summer Sun. For some reason, this caused Blank Slate to frown as he looked back around the room.

"Stormcloud" "Here," the pegasus filly said from outside before landing in a run halfway into the room, wings spread to brake as quickly as she could. She collapsed into a heap in front of Blank Slate, who offered her a hoof up, before slipping back to her desk, doing her best to recover her air of dignity. Miss Lemon Drop glared at her a bit for her tardiness and sloppy entrance, but moved on without a word.

"Summer Sun" "Yo!" the earth filly said, doing an impression of Orange Juice and getting a chuckle from him in return.

As Miss Lemon Drop turned to the board and began our lessons for the day, Blank Slate frowned anew, giving another look around the room and then at the door before settling uncomfortably into splitting his attention between the lecture and his books. It took me a while to realize why he was so unsettled. We were all so used to Midnight Oil's absences that the teacher had simply taken to not calling her in the rolls when she didn't show up. But he was new here, and he didn't know how you're supposed to react to those things.

Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Show your grin.

---

As we filtered out into the yard for lunch and recess, I slipped up to Blank Slate and gave him a hip bump. "It's a beautiful day! What's got you so down?" Ginger asked with a smile.

"I'm just worried about Midnight Oil," he said. "The teacher didn't even call her for attendance. Is that normal?"

"Aww, that's sweet. She's gone sometimes," Ginger said with a smile and a shrug. "Here, have some muffins," she offered, deploying the tray of baked goods.

"Thanks," he said, taking two of them and starting into one. His eyes darted around the yard for a moment as he chewed, before swallowing a mouthful. "These are quite good. You brought enough for everypony?"

"I guess so, why?" Ginger asked. "I baked them for you. Oh! I'm not trying to steal you from Midnight, or anything! I just wanted to welcome you to Citrus Hills."

"Mind if I share these then?" Blank asked.

"Not at all," Ginger permitted. "I'm sure the earth ponies would be happy for a few." It was silly to suggest the pegasi, since they were up on the roof, as usual. Though Ginger supposed he could call up to them. They were distant, not deaf.

Instead, Blank walked over to the downspout of the rain gutter, gave it a couple experimental taps, and then proceeded to walk up the spout, while balancing the muffin tin in one hoof. Ginger blinked in surprise, then smiled broadly and clopped her hooves together at the impressive feat. She half expected a cutie mark to appear in response, but none was forthcoming. Oh well!

The pegasi were clearly surprised to have a visitor, but it seemed to go well, and before long Blank dropped to the floor with only a half dozen muffins remaining. It seemed like it should have hurt him a bit to fall so far, but he did so with grace and no apparent sign of harm. It was like he was an earth pony. Or maybe an alicorn! A wingless alicorn! Ginger giggled at the silly thought.

Left alone, she started on her lunch, eating the vegetables she had packed along with the muffins. It was kind of a shame she hadn't had any left for herself. Even now, Blank was heading toward the three earth ponies, and while Ginger wasn't great at math, she could easily understand the fate of her muffins. She had originally thought the three unicorns could each have four, six apiece if Midnight was absent. It might sound like a lot, but unicorns could burn up a lot of calories with their horns. Oh well. Nice, healthy, bland carrots and cucumbers. Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling, while you chew.

The sounds of hooves on the table beside her caught her attention and caused her to open her eyes, just as she swallowed the last bite. Blank Slate had a bag, and was deploying some vegetables of his own, when he drew out a pair of chocolate muffins, offering them to Ginger. "Here. They're store bought, so I doubt they're as good as the ones you made, but it's the least I could do." Between the gift and the compliment, Ginger didn't have to hum to keep her smile up for the next few hours.

---

Ginger didn't come home right away. She usually didn't, especially not when Midnight was absent. She wandered around the streets in the small cluster of buildings that were the core of the town. The path between Midnight's family's house and the clinic figured prominently in her route, her hooves treading that stretch more often than the other paths in town. She smiled and waved at everypony she encountered, humming and occasionally singing as she went. Blank's kindness was fading from her mind though, and Midnight's absence was playing more heavily. Her smile now was more mask than genuine. Not that anypony noticed.

Midnight came around a corner up ahead, trotting toward her house. At least she wasn't coming out of the clinic this time. That was good! The black furred mare finally noticed her brightly colored classmate as they got closer. She smiled at Ginger, a mask every bit as false as the other unicorn's well practiced facade.

Ginger's smile grew a few inches as her heart sank. Normally Midnight wouldn't bother with such a mask, especially not between the two of them. Whatever it was must be really, really bad. "Hi Ginger," she said, the mask creeping into her voice as well. She lifted a hoof, and gave a clop that was far too gentle for Midnight. Oh Celestia, was her mom hurt? Midnight herself showed no signs of injury.

"Hi Midnight! You want to go hang out together?" Ginger offered cheerfully.

"I can't, I'm too busy right now," Midnight excused vaguely. "But I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Promise?" Ginger requested.

"Promise," Midnight confirmed. "I can promise you tomorrow." The mask faltered a moment. If she was going to wear one, she'd have to learn a helpful ditty like Ginger's or some other trick to keep up her focus. "See you then."

The mares parted ways, with Midnight heading back into her house, and Ginger finally turning toward her own home.

---

Dinner was on the table when Ginger got home, her mom and father already eating.

"You're late," pointed out her father, disapprovingly. "Where were you?"

"Midnight was absent today," Ginger pointed out, before turning to her mom. "You'll never guess what the new unicorn colt did at school today."

"Did he ask you out?" Mom asked with a playful titter and a smile.

"No, I think he's going out with Midnight. But he climbed up on the roof during lunch! Just walked right up the wall like it was flat," Ginger said with a clop and a smile.

"Oh, wow! Some kind of spell?" Mom inquired with an impressed smile.

"It must have been, but it didn't look like it. He's still learning how to glow his horn!" Ginger said before breaking out into a ditty with a familiar tune.

"Just keep glowing, just keep glowing, just keep glowing. Glow your horn!" the two mares sang together, glowing their horns in unison.

A sharp stomp on the table from father got them both to stop before they could start another chorus, turning their smiles on him. "Eat your food, and don't waste it lighting up the room. We pay enough for electricity to keep this place lit," he said. That said, he got up from the table, heading to the refrigerator for a bottle of hard cider. Ginger noticed there was already an empty bottle by his place setting. Only one! A good sign.

The food disappeared, while father only had time to get through a second bottle before Ginger helped her mother clean the dishes, and had barely opened the third when the filly yawned loudly and headed up to bed. The sun swiftly sank, and the moon rose to its place as she entered her bedroom, and minutes later she sank into bed. Focusing on her little ditty in her head, she lulled herself to sleep, ignoring the sounds from the rest of the house.

Just keep smiling, just keep smiling, just keep smiling. Show your grin.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

How dark will this story be?

[Istaran]

7193555
I'm honestly not sure. If you've read my other story, Itinerant Kingdom, then the dark aspects are pretty well spoiled but may hit harder here. This isn't going to be grimdark, everything sucks, crapsack world. But the foals are going to have to cope with some serious loss, along with what has come before in their lives. Citrus Hills has something of a rainbow shortage, by Equestrian standards, but it is still full of ponies.