The Sibling Guardian

by Night-Shade

Another Day, A Few More Bits

Shadow heaved a long sigh in the cool early morning air as the school’s door closed behind him. He shrugged his shoulders a few times to try and work out the pain from his wings. He was used to Clear fidgeting with them like she did, but the pain was always excruciating. He had struggled to hide it from them and miss Cheerilee, luckily, he had been able to keep from giving any indication to the pain.

He started walking back towards the town as he thought, in the few seconds he had spent watching the filly named Scootaloo he had seen her honest curiosity and enthusiasm for new friends. She was also kind of cute and it seemed that she would one day be a very good flier with the athletic build she had, she clearly trained daily. He wondered if she was the filly that trained with the Bearer of Loyalty.

From what he had overheard Rainbow Dash had taken a liken to a pegasus filly a few years ago and had made her an honorary sister, she had also recently started training her to fly. According to what he had heard the filly was orange but had yet to have her growth spurt. It fit with what he had seen of her in the classroom. This could be problematic he thought.

For the past four months they had stayed in Ponyville he had successfully evaded the Element Bearers and kept them away from his sisters, or rather, kept his sisters away from them.

The hardest by far to evade had been the Bearer of Laughter, she had been a serious problem as far as he was concerned. Not only did she know everypony in Ponyville but she threw regular parties and invited almost the whole town. She also seemed to just know whenever there was a new pony or family in town and gave them a welcome party. It had been absolute Tartarus to not be noticed by her and keep his sisters in the dark at the same time.

At least that had faded with time, she no longer stalked the town looking for a new pony. He had even walked past her two days ago and she hadn’t even given him a second look, just a big smile and a happy “Hi!” and bounced on her way. She was no longer the biggest problem for him and his sisters, that honor was now reserved for the resident princess. Princess Twilight Sparkle was a big problem, as soon as she found out about the conditions of their home it was all over. He had heard she was very nice and friendly - he believed it - but that would not change a damn thing.

Some of the other younger foals walked past him, with a few curious looks, as they went to school but he barely paid any attention to them. As he thought about the new friend his sisters seemed to already have, he almost walked into a tree. He shook his head as he simply adjusted his path a small bit and walked around the tree. He knew he could not interfere if Scootaloo really was the honorary sister of the Bearer of Loyalty.

He knew his sisters would say nothing of their home life that would get them all in trouble but that did not really ease the worry in his chest. He stopped walking and tried to take a deep breath to calm down and relax. He had forgotten about his bruised ribs as he stopped due to the pain and had force himself to not start coughing. As he almost choked, he forced his worry for discovery down and when he could resume his shallow breathing, he pushed it all away and slowly drew as deep a breath he could without hurting his ribs any more. He chose to not focus on the worry, what will happen will happen, he thought.

For the first time his sisters would have friends and would be able to play with other foals their age. If they were discovered it would not be so bad. He knew Foal Services would try to keep any foals in the same town or city if they had friends there and it didn’t negatively impact their lives. So as long as they were happy here, they would be able to stay and they would be safe. He knew he would be taken away - but that was fine - as long as they were cared for, happy and safe.

His leg almost buckled as he stepped on a loose rock in the road. The lingering pain in his right back leg was still there after three days and he had to be careful that he did not limp. Ponies would notice if a colt his age limped everywhere. He was barely able to keep his on hooves with nothing more that a light stumble and quickly upped his pace to get to his shift at the hardware store.

As he was still a foal - even if he was one who had already earned his cutie mark - at only thirteen he could not yet work at a shop or other business full time. He also could not get an apprenticeship anywhere because of his cutie mark. He wanted to apply for the guard but he was still too young, so he had no choice but to take a few part-time jobs.

He walked into the store and saw the owner by the entrance. Torque Wrench, an older and irritable earth pony, clicked his tongue with a bit of annoyance and said, “You’re almost late.” A stallion of few words as usual Shadow thought. Shadow bowed his head in respect and replied, “My apologies sir, I had to drop my sisters off at school.” The stallion merely looked at him with sharp intelligent eyes, gave a low hum and a single nod of approval.

As Shadow stepped past the counter the stallion jerked his head to a few items lying on the counter. Shadow understood this message and gathered the small box of nails and hammer on the counter and proceeded around the store to put away all the items ponies did not put back on the correct selves.

As he worked, he thought of all the meager jobs he had to do around town just to put food on their table. He only worked in the hardware store every three days and it was always the morning shift. His other day job was washing dishes everyday just before the lunch hour. He would go to the Hayseed restaurant and wash the dishes they had used in the morning, for some reason it was a very popular place for breakfast. These two jobs were the easy ones, the days he didn’t work at the hardware store he was at the saw mill for morning shift. The miller - Sea Saw - an earth pony mare was a lot more pleasant to be around, but she was also a bit invasive. Questions upon questions she would ask while they worked. He had a hard time deflecting her more personal questions.

It was hard physical work to cut the logs she dragged in from the edge of the Everfree. Not all the logs could be sawed the same length, but he had about three months experience now working for her so he knew when to cut what logs to the right lengths and who they had to go to. He even sometimes delivered the cut logs to some regular customers. The wagon she had for deliveries was the same one she used to haul the logs to her mill. It was an old heavy solid oak wagon that was difficult to pull. With the weight of the logs he carted as well it was a struggle, especially since he wasn't very strong physically. He was glad it was a saw mill and not a grain mill though. Those mills were dangerous and he didn’t want to lose a hoof in one of the grindstones. He much preferred to work with Torque Wrench when it came down to it. The irritable stallion was normally quiet and liked to work in silence and never asked questions.

His last job was the one he hated the most, but it also paid the most, he worked as a farmhand from after lunch to the end of the day on some of the smaller farms around town. Primarily he was on Carrot Top’s farm, it was backbreaking work, picking carrots and a few other vegetables. He was always sore and his wings ached worse after a half day of picking. He had no idea what sorcery Carrot Top worked to grow her crops so fast, but there was always more work to do. At least he didn’t have to go to the market to get fruit and vegetables. He normally made his deals with Carrot Top, she was in the market every second day to sell her produce. She bought her apples from - Applejack - the Bearer of Honesty or her brother and Shadow usually made a deal with Carrot on the stuff she brought back. Sweet Apple Acres apples was both of his sisters’ favorite fruit and he made sure to get them each a fresh one every day.

The only problem with these part-time jobs was that they just didn’t pay enough. They still didn’t have enough bits for full meals for all three of them every day. He made sure his sisters were fed properly, but he only ate every second day, sometimes only every third day. He could not even remember the last time he had had a full stomach, he was well used to the hunger pains, but he kept it well hidden from his sisters and everypony else. He had become used to the reduced stamina and weight loss that came with not eating, but that sick gnawing pain was always there. It complements the pain in my wings nicely he thought with a dark chuckle.

He always tried to stay as far away from the market as he could. Not only because it was an easy way for him to get spotted by Pinkie Pie but most of the Bearers were around there on most days, either in the market itself or in one of the restaurants around the market spending time together. He had to avoid them for as long as it was possible. He knew it was a problem now that his sisters were supposedly friends with one of the Bearers sisters, but so far it was only one of them and it would still be possible not to attract attention if he was careful.

Two years, just two more years he thought.

Comments

[Bronycommander]

I hope the Situation improves soon

[TheGroundedAviator]

The scary thing is this stuff happens.

[ExplosionMare]

I really like this chapter! I’m looking forward to Chapter 4.

[Night-Shade]

9481915
Working on it right now

[ExplosionMare]

9481948
Yay!

[Neighful]

For the first time his sisters would have friends and would be able to play with other foals their age. If they were discovered it would not be so bad. He knew Foal Services would try to keep any foals in the same town or city if they had friends there and it didn’t negatively impact their lives. So as long as they were happy here, they would be able to stay and they would be safe. He knew he would be taken away - but that was fine - as long as they were cared for, happy and safe.

Let me get this straight. If “Foal Services” finds out about their home life and whatnot, Shadow and the twins would be separated? If the twins got to stay in ponyville because they have friends, then why would Shadow be taken away if he’s a brother/caregiver to the twins? Wouldn’t that mean more than having friends? It’d basically be the same as separating the twins. It doesn’t make sense.