Odd's Oubliette: Otherwise Obsolete Oddities

by Odd_Sarge

Salt

Salt.

Ponies love the stuff. Only one place they can get it from reliably though, and it doesn't come cheap. That does make it quite the valuable commodity, however.

Most salt on the Equestrian continent is mined from the 'safer' sections of the Appleoosan Desert's rocky mountain ridges, but there's only so much room to spare for a heavy mining industry, so the smaller mining companies look elsewhere. Some salt miners find themselves trapped with the conglomerates, others left to fruitlessly digging up samples for the family-enterprises, but most succumb to the pressures of the salt life and trudge back to Dodge Junction to clamber aboard the next train home. Everyone tries to dip their appendage into the honey pot of salt mining, and most fail. Because where there's value, there's danger. The salt flats of the Badlands are a testament to that.

I should know—I grew up here.

The Badlands are the last place on Equus one would expect to see civilization, and one would most certainly be correct. Out here, there’s nothing but the dry cracked ground, baking heat, and the riches of an untapped land; rare-earth minerals, gemstones of all kinds, and a nigh-endless sea of salt. Salt, salt, and salt. This place might not be as reliable for civilization as

I’d have left already if it weren’t for the fact that the one thing keeping me here is the thing I hate most. Maybe I’ll join up on the caravan and

---

“Gallant!”

The griffon shot up in his chair and quickly scribbled away at the notebook with his quill. “Y-yeah?” he called, still frantically smudging the paper.

“Caravan’s coming! Get your butt over here ASAP!”

The sandy-feathered griffon sent the book into his desk drawer with a flick of his talons, grumbling all the while as he slammed the drawer shut.

“You die in there or something? Your girlfriend’s almost here!”

He double-checked himself in the standing mirror placed in the dusty corner of his room and pulled himself together with a huff.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” were the first words out of the griffon as he came through the front door bleary-eyed.

The human snorted and clasped him on the back. “You sure, champ? I’m seeing some tears in your eyes.”

Gallant glared up at the man and pushed him away with a thwack of a wing. “It’s the dust out here.”

“S’alright, Gallant. I don’t mind you crying, I just don’t think it’s a good impression for your girl.”

“She is not my—”

“Gallant!”

The griffon’s attention was swiftly stolen by the soft feminine call. “Hey, Amethyst!” he replied as he strode forward with a broad smile and wave.

Coming down from the crest of the hill, the tan-coated earth pony came trotting up to the two desert-residents. Out of sight on the other side of the hill, the sounds of the caravan rang forth. A few more ponies crested the hill, but they took their time descending the slippery slope, as opposed to the gallop that Amethyst had adopted.

“Ms. Arkin, it’s great to see you again!”

“Garrett!” Amethyst Arkin’s smile doubled as she came close. “It’s good to see you!”

“I see you finally had your mane styled,” Garrett said with a pleasant laugh as the two shook hand-in-hoof. “Have to say, you’re definitely looking great for all the time you spend out here!”

Amethyst tittered gently. “It’s all thanks to you, you know? I wasn’t going to get it done, but you convinced me.”

Garrett stuffed his hands back into his pockets and maintained his bright tone. “Just doing my part, little lady. Can’t let the only pretty mare I talk to let herself go.”

Gallant rolled his eyes. Hard.

“Well, you’re looking fine yourself, Gallant!” Amethyst said as her smile resurged. “Did you do something with your feathers lately? They look… different.”

The griffon and his feathers fluffed up in pride. “Well, I—”

“He had a lot of fun preening with that oil we snagged from you guys last time,” Garrett interrupted with a mischievous grin. “And I mean a lot.”

Gallant’s brain and mouth sputtered. “I—dad?!” His eyes widened as he processed his own words.

“Aw, you finally got him to call you dad?” Amethyst giggled.

“Yup, he’s a big ‘ole softie.” Garrett replied with a good-natured smile. “Guess it was the oil that finally convinced him to love me.”

“Well, whatever the case, you look great, Gallant.” Amethyst’s piercing violet eyes sent a bolt of shock through the griffon as he met her gaze.

“T-thanks!” he squeaked, drawing out further embarrassment at Garrett and Amethyst’s reactions.

“Alright, that’s enough teasing,” Garrett grinned as his laughter settled. “Now then, shall we get down to business, Ms. Arkin?”

Defeated and deflated, Gallant numbly set to work loading the arriving caravan’s wagons with salt. He had come out of his adobe home with a plan, and it had completely fallen apart. His ‘dad’ always seemed to know what to say to the ponies when they came, and once more, Gallant had failed to properly do something on his own. Humiliation had come and gone, just as it always had in the ever-ruthless Badlands. And not even the weight of the bags of salt were enough to distract him.

But the cute mare following him might’ve been enough.

Author's Note:

8-22-19 to 11-30-19.
I really like the idea of a dad embarrassing his pony/griffon son. Weird, I know. I planned this one around that interaction. And salt-mining.

The pony chosen for the role of 'pony' in this story had to meet the requirement of 'being cute.' There were a lot of contenders, but it came down to an OC named Amethyst Arkin. A search for her on Derpibooru.