Foggy Day awoke to silence. Eyes blinking, she pulled in a deep breath. Her eyes ticked to the clock:
9:18
She let the breath out slowly.
.
.
She needed to get up.
It was almost time to go.
The mare pulled on her legs, breaking them free from their temporary paralysis. Sheets shifting, she brought them to the floor, rolling out of bed.
For a moment, she nearly forgot what she needed to do before she turned and approached the mirror.
She cringed at her reflection, eyes tired and red, small bags hanging underneath them. Her mane was a mess, and overdue for a good cut.
It’d probably help, considering her possible new job.
She shook off the thought, levitating up her brush and yanking it through her mane, pulling apart knots so harshly it brought a tear or two to her eyes.
‘At least I can still feel pain,’ she thought ruefully. ‘I know all about that.’
She put her brush back down a bit too harshly, flinching at the slam she caused. She forced her shoulders to relax with a push of breath, her weary eyes finding her reflection again before they closed.
She stayed in the darkness for a few moments, finally breaking her own silence with: “Staying here isn’t doing anything productive.”
Foggy cracked her eyes open again, swearing for a moment that she lost color in her coat before the teal brightened back to normal. Taking it as an adjustment of her eyes, her gaze panned to her Bit purse. Without even thinking, she levitated it over, and strapped it to her fetlock.
Hooves almost dragging, she maneuvered around the half-unpacked boxes, stepping to the door. She glanced down at the mail in the basket under the slat, raising an eyebrow as she spotted the singular letter within, levitating it up and opening it. Her magic flicked the tri-folded letter open, eyes scanning across the affirmative message she was hoping to receive.
She felt a pang in her heart, unable to feel excitement over the beginnings of a new chapter in her life.
Sighing through her nose, she let her eyes close, placing the letter on the small table by the entrance. She stared at it a bit longer, the chime of her little clock striking nine-thirty finally snapping her out of her stupor.
Yet another sigh heaved from her chest, leaving her feeling even heavier than before. Wincing, she yanked open her door, slipping outside and slamming it shut, locking it tight.
The hustle and bustle of the city around her—a constant she had grown to enjoy—grated on her every last nerve. As she walked, her unintentionally-eavesdropping ear picked up the briefest pieces of passing conversations, the patchwork narrative of nonsensical proportions only making her feel worse with every word that passed.
“I’d never heard of such a thing before…”
“…perhaps it’s all for the best…”
“—but did you see the way that dress fit her?!”
“…and they were roommates!”
“But I know for a fact they’ll be right back where they started.”
She blew a frustrated breath, doing her best to return with as normal a look of neutrality as she could when ponies greeted her left and right, no more than a mere ‘hello’ from strangers.
She passed couples, groups. Friends. An extra weight dragged down her heart, each unfamiliar face only serving to remind her of how alone she was.
How alone she was clearly destined to be.
She pulled on her perfected small smile as she finally came to her usual flower stall, the mint-colored earth pony greeting her with her usual smile.
“Hiya, Foggy!” she smiled brightly.
“Hello, Clover,” the unicorn returned.
“Your usual order?”
“Yes, please, thank you.”
“Sure!” Clover chirped, taking the pre-chosen flowers from their vase and moving back over to the counter. “I saved the best just for you.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” Foggy’s smile deepened, her eyes squinting a bit as she gave the florist what was owed.
“I wanted to,” Clover insisted. “It’s the only thing you order, so I’m going to give you the best.”
The unicorn’s smile gained a bit of warmth. “Well, I appreciate it.”
Clover nodded. “See you next week?” she asked.
“Of course,” Foggy smiled, traipsing away from the flower kiosk and admiring the roses Clover had given her.
Both were in full bloom, their supple petalheads large and proud as they sported flawless curves and colors. One was that of the purest white, while the other held a crimson hue so dark it burned black at the edges of each petal.
She gave the flowers a soft smile, pulling in a deep draw, their scent every bit as lovely as their beauty. Her heart skipped a beat.
They were perfect, as usual.
Beating back the tears threatening to choke her once again, she continued onward, the voices of the surrounding sea of ponies mixing and blurring together in a mess of noise as her mind checked out of reality.
Finally, she arrived at her destination, her legs moving on autopilot as she pushed open the creaky cast-iron gate.
Just as the latch clanged back into place, the bells within the tower sang their announcement of ten o’clock. She paused at the threshold, eyes slipping closed and heart skipping a beat as she basked in their chimes, unable to keep the memories from spilling forth like they did every time.
She could still feel the fabric against her fur, the warmth of the sun heating her to uncomfortable levels.
The bells ended, and she opened her eyes to find tears blurring her vision, her breath catching as she desperately held back a wave of sobs, sorrow old and new threatening to suffocate her.
She rubbed a fetlock into her eyes, almost angrily wiping the tears away. As best she could, she composed herself, pulling on a small smile as she walked around the side of the building, finding the subject of her visit immediately across the field.
Foggy Day stepped around the other still figures, greeting her visitee with a warm smile.
“Hey, there,” she cooed, eyes flicking to the two dead stalks in the waiting vase. Humming to herself, she offered, “Let me replace those for you.”
She levitated the brown stems out, tossing them aside and replacing them with the two roses she held in her magic, briefly twisting and adjusting them so they’d show off the best parts of themselves.
A question rose from her subconscious, and her eyes flicked to her subject. “I’m doing okay. I…I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss her.” Her smile gained moisture as tears welled in her eyes. “But…I’m adjusting, so…”
She could feel the eyes boring a hole straight through her, knowing she was lying.
Trying to distract both herself and her visitee, she chirped, “I’m about to start a new job.” Her smile grew. “That should, uh…keep me busy for a…for a long time…”
She swallowed the rising lump in her throat, offering a smile of peace, a total opposite to the anguish she held in her eyes.
Her smile faltered. “No. No, I can’t. I told you, she’s gone, okay? I can’t…just…be…”
Her words failed, heart straining at the seams. She pulled in a shallow breath, locking eyes with her subject.
“She has a new life,” Foggy insisted. “She shouldn’t have to stay stuck in the past with me.”
She could feel the deadpan look, something in her heart nudging her simultaneously toward and away from the one she was visiting.
“I know,” she sank. “Practice what I preach. Don’t chastise me, I’m your—“
She bit her tongue, eyes welling with tears. “I just…can’t, okay? It’d be best if she just forgot about me. Besides, with my new job, I’ll be too busy to…even think about…visiting…”
Foggy Day shook her head. “Look, it’s just not appropriate, okay? I was her shadow, nothing more. It was my job to take care of her, and…raise her, and…teach her…But-but that’s Rainbow’s job now, and she’ll do amazingly. I don’t…want to get in the way of their lives, and…”
She rubbed the water from her cheeks. “And…I can’t…can’t abandon you. I wouldn’t dream of letting you go through what I had to. Even…e-even if it means I stay here forever, okay?”
Her pulse roared in her ears, memories threatening to take over yet again. She beat them back as best she could, but a few flashes too strong for her to block flew unwanted across her eyes.
Shouting. Angry words that had faded over time.
Cold night. Alone, curled up on the concrete steps of a huge building, staring out at a large courtyard fenced in with iron spokes, the echoes of a deep voice speaking a promise that was never meant to be kept.
She—as well as many others—would wind up calling that building home for far too many years.
Fear. Half-baked stability. Fear. Rocky relationships. Fear.
Peace.
Love.
Joy.
Hurt.
Emptiness.
Foggy shook her head with a shout, clapping her hooves to her head. Taking in several heaving breaths, she brought herself back to the present, once again rubbing away the annoyingly persistent tears that wanted to fall.
She glanced back up at her visitee, sniffling. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to scare you.”
The unicorn cleared her throat, trying to fight her watery eyes. She smiled, “My place is here…with you. I can’t…bring myself to leave you, okay?”
All her trying, all her fighting, proved to be in vain as her mask slipped and her voice dissolved, breaking apart and melting as her tears poured forth once again. She found herself no longer able to fight as her chest convulsed with barely-held-back sobs. “And I wanted to let you know…with my new job…I might have to miss a few visits, but…I’ll always come back, okay? I promise. I’m not…I’m not going anywhere, okay, sweetheart?”
Foggy’s face fell as a sob violently escaped her chest. “I love you so much!” Her legs no longer able to support her, she sank to her elbows, burying her face in her fetlocks.
The mare stayed there through the toll of eleven, not caring about how much time passed as she wept, alone.
Watching her pour out her heart for the millionth time, an angel of stone smiled down peacefully at her, wings spread and forelegs open to welcome an embrace. It stood upright upon a block of concrete, a carved brass plaque at its feet reading:
Infant colt of Augite Wisp and Foggy Day
Born asleep Aprilius 9th, 1082 C.
You knew how to fly before you could learn how to run.
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Why must you toy with my emotions this way?
Here I am half drunk and trying to sleep, and you decide to destroy my emotions again.
If I could I would favorite your story again with just enough sass to show you.
...
Poor Foggy.
Oh… oh…. Poor Foggy… that’s so sad… she tried to fill that mothering instinct by helping Scootaloo. I hope Foggy recovers, all this sadness is going to cause her to gain hopeless magic and turn grey…
Well that brought up some unpleasant memories.
Our third child was stillborn, we leaned while my wife was in labor and they did the pre surgery checks (my wife was c section only). The placenta had come off the uterine wall, there was nothing anyone could have done.
I will always be grateful to the staff at the hospital. The nurses came to me while my wife was recovering with all of the baby photos and footprints and told me that if I didn't think my wife could handle it they would disappear. I decided to keep them, and she's was glad that I did.
Foggy needs therapy. This hurts, but you can't spend the rest of your life around it. You have to move on, knowing that mere distance won't replace them in your heart.
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I am so sorry for your loss, and even more sorry that this chapter hit so close to home.
I’m glad you two found closure, and I’m happy you kept the photos and footprints, too.
Foggy will have healing. It may take a while, but it will happen.
My heart? I don't needed anyway
foggy really misses scootaloo, oof
That's really sad. So Foggy had a foal that died....is the foal connected to Scootaloo somehow? And Foggy could feel Scootaloo's pain and she's been there since she was born. I wonder if Foggy is Scootaloo's mom?
Oh foggy poor girl... I hope she's able to get a foal one day, adopted or born
I love this story. This is, without a doubt, the best story I've ever read, period. This shit needs to be published, I swear to god.
"And they were roommates" 😂
3 chapters in 3 days!? What is this Author no jutsu?!
I tried to peice together the mystery of the Roses back when they were first mentioned, but given there were only two concrete peices of information it wasn't possible to narrow it down beyond a range of things, sadly one of my guesses was correct.
Whilst this illustrates beautifully one of the hardest lessons of pain and loss, that life goes on I can't help but wonder what these snatches of conversation are about.
Oh no...
Oh you f**ker!
Oh, you went right for my heart and you enjoyed twisting that knife.
Oh look, you were right! =D
For real though as sad as it is, this chapter is such sweet sorrow and I wouldn't change a word, my reactions are just kneejerk anger and hold no substance.
But seriously how dare you do this to my precious Foggy, you monster.
Love you Nocturnal!
The best reason to write a story.
Oh damn, just damn.
Oh my god, they were roommates!
But seriously, this particular chapter hit so hard, and was so realistically written that I cried more than I care to admit. Your writing is superb.
Sad she lost her child which I guess he was more like Scoots in someways?
I wonder what happen to this Augite Wisp? Doesn’t sound like he is in her life anymore…
Pardon my tears. This is just…
So hauntingly beautiful.
Aw man, why did my suspicions have to come true.
I feel for foggy, working yourself raggered to forget is not safe. I hope she finds some peace with visiting scoots and her child.
Damn that was dark. Poor Foggy, then there's another part of me that is wondering just what Scootaloo is going to get up to next with Bloom and Belle.
Foggy nooo.
I have accepted you have full control over my tear ducts.
Oh my God, they were roommates.
But seriously, why you gotta do Foggy like that?
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Aww, I'm sorry. Did you get enough sleep?
Heh heh, well I appreciate it!
Foggy...come here BB
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Yeah...I really do hate that she had such a horrible thing happen to her, but it's necessary for the story, I swear!
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Me neither!
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Ye...
11181565
Nah, her son's not connected to Scoots. She lost her son 17 years before Scootaloo was born.
Biologically? No.
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Yeah...we will find out!
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Thank you so much!! You're too kind!!
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Yeah, I couldn't resist
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LOL. Yeah, I wanted Chapters 5 and 6 to come out back-to-back, and with how short Chapter 7 is, it was pretty easy to just write it and get it out--especially since I already had a different version of the same scene written already.
LOL same! I have no idea what they're about, either!
yeah...
lel
I really don't, I swear! Trust me, everything that has happened and will happen to Foggy has hit me every bit as much as it's hit you guys.
*evil snickering*
Love you too!
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Yuuuup
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Aww, thank you!
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Yeah...Augite's out of the picture these days. Foggy's alone now.
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Thank you!
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It's really not. She's gonna have to learn how to move on (though, the longer you go with a habit...the harder it is to break)
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Mischief
11182866
Yes...submit to the tears...I can make you cry with the twitch of a finger...
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I don't enjoy it, truly. But I love seeing y'all's reactions, cuz it makes me feel happy knowing: 1) that I'm not alone in my feelings; and 2) that you guys are just as attached to Foggy as I am.
Again, you guys are amazing! Thank you for all the support you've given this story so far! Can't wait to show you more!
11183274
I read this story over the span of two days in my free time, and finished it this morning. Though I went about my day after I couldn’t help but have this story on my mind. It’s a wonderful story, genuine quality. Thank you for putting your time into this.
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Thank you for taking the time to read it! Glad you liked it so much!
Stay tuned, more to come soon!
Wonderful read so far.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭I knew it......... I knew it had to either be her, or a different foal. Now I just wonder what connection Foggy has with Scoots, since she was there when she was born.
But also............
"And they were RoOmMatE'S"
XD love it so much
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Thank you so much! Glad you enjoy!
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Stay tuned!
Yes, I couldn't resist.
My suspicions are confirmed! I can’t believe I spent five minutes laying in bed thinking about stuff that could be, when I could have used those five minufes to actually just read the next chapter.
Huh. I must be rereading for at least the fourth time now. Maybe the fifth. I just realised there are more pieces to the puzzle that is Foggy's past besides the really obvious one. I guess I focused so much on poor Foggy's stillborn son I missed the rest.
“And…I can’t…can’t abandon you. I wouldn’t dream of letting you go through what I had to. Even…e-even if it means I stay here forever, okay?”
She—as well as many others—would wind up calling that building home for far too many years.
So Foggy grew up in an orphanage as well. Now I'm wondering how long Sage Note already knows Foggy.
Shouting. Angry words that had faded over time.
Her parents fighting? Hostile home environment? Angry words directed at her from (one of/ her only parent(s) before they abandoned her? So many possible explanations/theories here. Considering how important it is for her not to abandon her son, the latter theory seems more likely. She was abandoned.
Fear. Half-baked stability. Fear. Rocky relationships. Fear.
I realise they're is a lot of information here. If I were to take a guess now, the first fear is her (very) early childhood with her parent(s).
Half-baked stability could still be that. It could also be her time at the orphanage. It could even be her time being adopted. If that's the case, I'm guessing it didn't last and she found herself back at the orphanage. The second fear could be her second spiel at the orphanage if that is the case. Or maybe it's her getting to the age were she has to leave the orphanage and start her adult life without ever being adopted. Losing the world she knows and having to fend for herself. Or something completely different I'm not thinking of.
Rocky Relationships... Oh Foggy.... How often were you abandoned? A terrifying thought emerges. Were you already on your own the day you lost your son? How much harder has your life been than I already realised it was? Was the third fear because Augite abandoned you as well and you realised not only did you have to face the world alone again, but you had to do it as a single mother?
Peace.
Love.
Joy.
Hurt.
Emptiness.
Most of these I think were already clear, I already assumed the last three were the birth, realisation of the tragic truth right after the birth, first short term and then long term. Now I'm thinking though, Peace is coming to peace with being alone again and being a single mother. Accepting the responsibility and task ahead. I already thought Love was for her son, but if this theory is correct there is a lot more context there.
Cold night. Alone, curled up on the concrete steps of a huge building, staring out at a large courtyard fenced in with iron spokes, the echoes of a deep voice speaking a promise that was never meant to be kept.
And then this... Was she just abandoned at the steps of the orphanage in the middle of the night? No blankets, no cover, no anything? And this voice... Her father? What was this promise that was never meant to be kept? 'I'll be back for you'? Or perhaps even worse... 'I'll always take care of you?' If it's the latter and I extrapolate that thought, what is one possible explanation for a promise like that? On the one hand, it's a promise any parent could feasibly make to their child. On the other hand, in stories it often happens when a parent gets left behind with their child. Was Foggy's father a single parent as well. If so, where was Foggy's mother? Did she die during childbirth? If so, 'Shouting. Angry words that had faded over time.' could take on a whole new meaning. Where the angry words Augite blaming is daughter for the loss of his wife? Is that why Foggy was abandoned by her own father?
Some of this I'm pretty certain about. A lot of it is just me letting my imagination run wild. But it does seem clear to me a lot on information is being given with very few words here. I'm very interested to learn more about Foggy's past, whenever that happens.