A Parents Legacy

by Lunar Flarion

Chapter 3: Raising a foal (edited)

:The Light household:

Viper was curled up on the couch watching TV as her son got his meal. Her tail was curled around him protectively as well as her own body. Stringy was in the kitchen washing dishes from the breakfast they had. The channel that Viper was watching consisted of these weird puppets. The main puppet, whose name she didn’t care for, was red and had an orange nose. Right now he was doing something she didn’t understand, really, the only reason why she put up with this is for her colt. She heard a soft coo from Oasis, which signaled that he was done and would now either fall asleep or start playing with whatever he considered a toy. This time, the small colt reached up with his metal claws and grabbed his mothers braid and softly pulled on it.

“Ow! Hey!” Viper complained, she nuzzled his little forelegs away from her hair. She sighed softly as the colt looked at her with his grey-blue eyes,” Do you need something?”

“Gah!” Oasis replied as he lifted up his forelegs.

“A... Hug?” Viper asked with a confused expression.

“Gah!” Oasis confirmed, shaking his forelegs back and forth to emphasize his point of wanting to be picked up and shown affection.

“Okay, okay!” Viper replied, she wrapped one hoof around him and pulled him closer to her chest.

“Goo!” Oasis replied happily as he wrapped his forelegs around his mother’s neck.

“I don’t understand you...”

*Tail slam*” Goo!” Oasis replied.

“That’s my son!” Viper said happily.

Their attention was cut as the sound of the kitchen faucet was turned off and the sound of heavy hoofsteps headed towards them. Strings rounded the couch with a cup of coffee in his magical grasp. He picked up his wife and foal with his magic and sat down, laying the two next to him. The foal looked up at his father and raised his forelegs, wanting to be hugged by his father. His father noticed, then sat his mug down, and picked up his son. He pulled him to his chest and squeezed the small colt gently, his hoof moved down to scratch Viper’s ear to show that he didn’t forget her. Vipe purred and her tail slammed against the couch to show that she did enjoy the attention.

“So, how’s my little bundle of joy~?” Strings asked his son.

“Gah!” Oasis replied as he reached up to boop his father’s nose, his tail wagging back and forth.

As soon as the little hoof touched his nose his father said boop softly. Oasis started laughing loudly and if it wasn’t for his father holding him, he would’ve fallen back onto his mother. Viper looked up at her laughing son and smiled. Stringy’s hoof lifted from Viper’s head, much to her disappointment, and reached for the remote. Picking it up, he clicked the remote to another child-friendly channel, saying darkly that he hated puppets. This channel was playing a show about a talking sponge and starfish, something he didn’t understand how it came to television, but he didn’t mind. The sound of the two’s antics caught the small child’s attention and he struggled to turn himself around to watch it.

Though once he did, his small face lite up with much more joy than it had before,” GAH! GAH!” Oasis exclaimed excitedly, his small body struggling to jump whilst in his father’s embrace.

“Geez, you sure like this talking sponge,” Viper said as she looked over at the TV.

“It’s easier on us when I was a lad, all I could do was play with whatever I found, or farming and preparing for winter after school!”

“... What?” Viper asked, giving Strings a confused look.

“Wendigos, that’s what,” Strings replied.

“... Okay?” Viper said as she turned to watch the TV.

‘Disaster averted!’ Strings thought with a smile.

As the scene goes on, Oasis started to mumble incoherently. Strings looked down at his son as he tries to understand what he’s doing. Oasis closed his eyes and started to mumble much louder. He kept going until he could string together a single word.

“MADDY!” Oasis said excitedly! His face lite up brightly as he glanced between his mother and father, both of whom, were left in shock by his first words.

“What?” Viper asked as she stood up from her spot, her mouth opened wide.

“I... I think he said, Maddy?” Strings said with a confused face. Until it dawned on him,” OH! I think it’s a combination of mom and daddy!”

“MADDY! GAH!” Oasis confirmed as he slammed his tail against his father’s foreleg happily.

Strings laughed as he hugged his son, who kept saying the word. Viper started to jump up and down happily as she ran over to hug her son. The small colt giggled as both parents chuckled at his first words. Once the two parent’s happiness died down a little, they began to talk about what to do now.

“Maybe we should throw a picnic,” Strings said with a smile. Viper looked at him and thought about it. To her knowledge, a picnic is just eating, but outside, this was special!

“That sounds boring!” Viper argued,” Why not have a hunting party!”

Strings gave Viper a deadpanned look, but ultimately stopped as he remembered, that is something her kind does. Although that was tempting, he declined, saying that it was highly frowned upon in Equestria. Viper, upon hearing this, pouted and crossed her forelegs in annoyance, first she couldn’t take anything without paying, and now hunting party’s weren’t liked either. If it wasn’t for Strings and Oasis, she would be outta here.

“Fine...” Viper said, defeated,” Let’s go have a picnic...”

Strings smiled sweetly and Oasis giggled as he reached for his mother. The family soon started packing for the little picnic that had been planned just a few minutes ago. Viper packed the silverware while Strings made and packed the food. Oasis sat and watched them with his giant teddy bear. The teddy bear was taller than the child, but Oasis always loved it and gave it the official name of Bah! Once the food and silverware were packed, Strings grabbed the basket and Viper picked up the small colt by the scruff of his neck. The family soon exited the house and headed to the park.

On their way to the park, a few ponies looked at them. Some even said hi to the odd couple, while others awwed at the small colt being carried like a kitten. Though some were more rude or aggressive as they looked at them. A group of two mares and a stallion looked at them with a burning hatred. Strings felt the glares and looked over at the group, even without eyes, when Strings glares at you, you feel like the world around you freezes as he searches your soul. To only add to this horrid feeling was a smile that literally stretched from ear to ear, which showed off teeth that could put a dragon’s to shame. The group looked away at this, their ears all flat against their heads as they looked away. Viper didn’t notice the three ponies, but she did notice her husband’s movements. She looked at him, but couldn’t speak since she didn’t want to drop the lil purple fuzz ball she carried in her mouth. Strings shrugged it off, explaining that it wasn’t anything important. Viper just stared at him, and once again, Strings said to not worry about it.

The rest of the walk to the park wasn’t that far and relatively silent. Sometimes a pony or two would ask to hold Oasis. When they did, Oasis would mew and reach for their muzzles, some let him grab onto it, other’s had to dodge his little hooves. Yet, that didn’t delay the family’s time together. They had finally reached the park.

“Here, I know a great spot,” Stringy said.

“Phfair?” Viper asked.

“Follow me!” Stringy replied. Secretly, he thought,’ And you’ll see, a world of pure imagination!’

Viper nodded slightly and followed him to their destination. They passed by some trees and a small leaf fell into Oasis’s hooves. So, acting like a normal toddler would... He started to nibble on it. Viper squeaked and realized that she didn’t pick him back up by the scruff of his neck. She quickly put him down and picked him back up this time by the scruff of his neck. Oasis didn’t drop the leaf, it was still in his mouth and held by his tiny hooves. Viper allowed this, as long as he wasn’t chewing and swallowing it. Stringy stopped and watched as Viper trotted up to him again, Oasis looked up at him with a leaf in his mouth and a wide-eyed stare on his face. Stringy chuckled as he and Viper continued walking to their destination.

*A few minutes later*

“Here we are!” Stringy said.

Viper looked and saw that this area was next to a large pond and that Stringy had chosen to have lunch under the shade of a large tree. She was glad that they had arrived since Oasis was getting slightly heavier... Or her mouth was tired from carrying him. Stringy laid the blanket down and put the basket in the middle. Viper walked over and laid the foal on it. Oasis felt the soft blanket and giggled. Soon, he stood up and waddled all over it, exploring this new red and white blanket. The two parents watched as the small foal explored as they unpacked their lunch.

“Curious little guy huh,” Stringy replied with a smile.

“Yes,” Viper replied simply as she watched the foal wonder and babble to himself.

Oasis was having a jolly ol’ time, exploring the blanket of red and white, but his mind now focused on the bright green grass that stood tall around the tree. He wondered over to the very edge of the blanket and looked down at the ocean of green. He leaned in closer, close enough to the tallest blade of grass and sniffed it. It smelled... Weird to him, but not weird enough to eat! He took a bite out off the top of the blade of grass and started nibbling away on it. He couldn’t understand why it tasted as weird as it smelled because Viper picked him up and took the piece out of his mouth.

“MEW!*Tail slam of annoyance*” Oasis complained as he reached for it.

“Oasis no!” Viper annoyed.

“What?” Stringy asked as he put down a sandwich.

“Oasis, don’t eat that!” Viper replied, throwing the blade of grass back into the endless sea of it.

“MEW!” Oasis screamed as he watched it disappeared.

“Uh...” Stringy’s ears fell to the back of his head as he said,” Lunch is ready?”

“Yes!” Viper smiled and carried Oasis over her shoulder and to the middle of the blanket.

“Alright,” Stringy said,” Here is my sandwich, Viper, I got you some boneless chicken wings, and Oasis-”

“Mew?” Oasis replied, getting lose from Viper’s grasp and waddled over to him. He looked at his father as Stringy pulled out a bottle.

“I got you your bottle-” Stringy said.

“Hey! Why would you waste time on that when I have milk!” Viper argued.

“Because,” Stringy said,” Oasis needs to learn to drink from a bottle, he can’t keep getting milk from you.”

“Hmph!” Viper replied, grabbing her chicken wings and biting into them.

“Mew! Mew!” Oasis replied, turning around and trying to get to Viper.

“Oh no you don’t,” Stringy replied, leaning down and scooping up the small fluff ball.

“Mew!” Oasis complained as he struggled to escape his father.

“Oh calm down,” Stringy replied as he grabbed and held the bottle in front of the foal.

“Mew?” Oasis asked and looked at the bottle. He poked the side of it with his hoof, which caused the bottle to make a “tak” noise. Oasis looked at the bottle’s nipple and booped it. He sniffed it and then leaned forward and nibbled on it. Stringy’s ears lifted up as his son nibbled on the rubber.

“A-ah, Oasis, no,” Stringy replied.

*Muffled Mew*

Oasis bit down harder on the rubber, causing a small amount of milk to come out. Upon feeling the milk, he started to suck on it, causing more milk to come out. Finally, the small colt was getting his meal and Stringy thought it was time for him to eat his. He used his magic and lifted up his sandwich and took a bite.

*After the meal*

Oasis was running around on the grass with Viper and Stringy watching from a distance as he chased a butterfly. He tripped sometimes as the butterfly fluttered in the wind. The wind blew in the opposite direction which caused the butterfly to move in that direction. Oasis tried to turn with it but tripped and fell face first into the ground. Viper jumped up and looked down at her son with worry. Yet, he looks up and shook his head then stood back up, he looked for the butterfly that had escaped his sight. He looked and found the butterfly as it hovered next to a large puddle of mud, but he didn’t care, the butterfly that he thought was made of butter was first and foremost! He lowered his front half as he readied to pounce on the small insect.

He snuck up behind it slowly, the butterfly could be none the wiser as his eyes narrowed. He crawled closer as he remembered that time his mother was chasing that weird red dot. Once he felt that he was close enough to the butterfly, he waited to see if it would move. Okay, he couldn’t wait that long, he wiggled his hips and pounced.

“MEW!” Oasis yipped happily as he tried to wrap his claws around the small creature. He felt it start to move around his closed claws with worry. He didn’t care that the butterfly was moving frantically or the fact that the ground was a little slippery, all he cared about was getting his prize back to his mother to show what he had learned from her!

He opened his claws slightly to look at his prize. The butterfly, to him, didn’t look like any butter he has seen before! It was dark blue and black, maybe moldy butter? It didn’t matter to him much, food was food after all! He leaned forward and softly bit down on the frantic butterfly’s wing. It tried to fight back with constant soft wing hits, but all that did was make Oasis giggle since it’s soft. Happy from his catch, he turned to race back to his parents. Yet again, he turned to fast and slipped into the mud puddle, covering himself and the small butterfly in the mud. He tried to stand up but slipped again, covering himself and his little prey/ friend in more mud. After a few more failed attempts he finally got out of the mud puddle, which held less mud then it did before. This didn’t quell his excitement his catch the butterfly and he ran right for his parents, who, have been talking.

---

“I’m thinking of becoming a history teacher,” Stringy replied.

“Um... Good job!” Viper said, not knowing what that was.

“You don’t- um...” Stringy looked back at where Oasis was to see a now mostly covered in mud with something in his mouth.

The small colt ran up to the blanket and sat down, his father held back his laughter as his mother ran over to him.

“Oasis!” Viper exclaimed upon looking at the colt,” What happened?!”

He mewed softly as he placed the butterfly down and pointed at it. He smiled as Viper looked down as well at his prize.

Viper leaned down and sniffed the small thing, she smiled as she both saw and smelled the butterfly. She jumped up and exclaimed,” He caught his first prey! Stringy, come look!”

Stringy got up and sat near the two to see the “prey” Oasis has captured. Stringy chuckled as he gently leaned down and picked up the prey with his magic. He couldn’t hold back his chuckle as he saw that the small prey was a butterfly.

“Good job, kiddo!” Stringy replied,” Your reward is a bath!”

Oasis looked up at his father with large eyes, he cocked his head to the side and replied,” Mew?”

Viper looked at him then back at Oasis. She knew Stringy saw her do this, so she stuck her tongue out and picked up the small colt, all three knew what was going to happen. Stringy narrowed his eyes as Viper leaned forward.

“Viper, no,” Stringy said,” No cleaning with your tongue, not this time.”

“You can’t stop- HEY!” Viper shouted as Oasis disappeared from her hooves.

Viper glared at Stringy as he held the small colt. Stringy stared back as he repositioned the colt to where both were comfortable, Oasis opting to lay on his side. Viper jumped up and ran over to Stringy, her frown explained her disappointment. Stringy stood up and used his magic to collect the things and soon, the small family made their way back home.

---

The sun was setting, much to the surprise of Viper and Stringy. Oasis had fallen asleep when they had reached the entrance of the park, his soft purrs echoing in the still air. The night sky was falling over them as a cold wind blew past them. Stringy loved the night, the beautiful stars in the sky and the moon... it made him feel at home with his past, made him feel safe. Viper was the opposite, she liked the morning and the sun. Why, he didn’t really know, cause Viper wouldn’t really tell him a direct answer. He took it as she liked the warmth of the sun. This became more apparent as Viper was closer to him as the temperature dropped. Ponyville was quite empty now, only a few were out, either setting up shop or something of the like. He didn’t notice the two ponies walking in front and to the side of them. One of the ponies bumped Stringy’s shoulder, rather harshly, as if they wanted to. Oasis sturred in his sleep with a rather annoyed mew as he looked up at his father. Stringy glared back at where the ponies were... but they were gone. Confused, he looked forward and continued on their way home.

...

Once they had gotten home Stringy gave Oasis a bath and put him to bed. Which was slightly difficult since he had already fallen asleep then woke up. Yet, it worked, and Oasis soon fell asleep... Until he started mewing in the middle of the night as revenge for waking him up during his nap. Then fell asleep on his own with a soft poof coming from the room as he laid down on his pillows.