SCSD

by mechafone

4 - The Next Step

It's not always as simple as it seems, taking care of children. The strain, the stress. It can really bring you down, you know? Sometimes, if you're not careful, if you don't take care of yourself and give yourself a rest now and then, something is bound to break. Two years ago, I let that happen, and it was almost the end of me. I was so careless...I don't think little Cheerilee would've forgiven me if I hadn't taken that vacation.

I guess it was the right thing to do, because when I came back, I found a surprise waiting for me. Two weeks...that's all it took. Those little children cared so much for me, that they went out into the town and put together a talent show. It wasn't just a talent show, though. It was to advertise themselves to the village. 'Come and adopt me,' is the message they were sending. 'I'm amazing and I'll make you happy, if you'll take me home and love me'.

I can't even begin to imagine...how much those kinds loved me. They were so worried about me, they put on a show that the town would never forget. Something I'll never forget, either, because when I came home, and when they crowded around me to tell me what they did, the first thing I noticed was...oh, gosh...they had all found their cutie marks. Every last one of them!

But, the thing is, none of them spoke a word about it. You could see it in their eyes, they knew. But that wasn't the important thing. What they all had to say had nothing to do with finding their special talents or their cool new cutie marks. All they had to say was that they had all been noticed. They had all been adopted. My children...right under my nose. While I was recovering from a minor breakdown, they all grew up and moved out of my home.

They weren't all adopted by the same family, of course, so the kids didn't disappear all at once. I don't think I could've handled that. Wolfy was the first to go, and it made the kids a little nervous. This whole thing had been his genius idea, so seeing him go left the children without the brains of the group. It was a scary time for them, and for me.

Wolfy was taken in by a wealthy family. His talents on the piano weren't the only ones showcased at the talent show, but they were the best. The night wasn't even over before a wealthy couple approached Angelica Lovage, who was sponsoring the kids' show that night. They were aristocrats from Canterlot, but Angelica could tell right from the start that they genuinely wanted to give Wolfy a good, caring home. They were a unicorn couple, and were amazed at the young earth colt's abilities to play.

They checked out, of course. Angelica told me there was nothing to worry about. They came from a family that was well-known for sponsoring charities, making sure they spread their wealth to the poor, and we even found out that they had given generously to Ponyville, as well. They assured Angelica that Wolfy would be taught to make profits through his talents, and then to give back to the community. I was so happy to hear that Wolfy would be in a good place.

The Summer cousins were next. Apparently the girls' act was a dramatic tale about ancient lore and myths. They told a story that involved heroes of old, and how many would-be heroes fell prey to the beautiful nymphs, creatures who served as a foil to the weary hero. They would lie in wait, deep in the woods, and seduce their prey into letting their guard down...and devouring them. Angelica told me that the girls held the audience captive with their costumes and with the nymphs' handmade scenery.

Of course, Banana Bolts, my little engineer, had created the background and the moving pieces to capture the lifelike dramatic and adventurous scene. His nymphs, taken from old myth books, had looked so beautiful. He brought them home, of course. Two of them. While they certainly didn't look real, their moving parts made them very convincing.

The girls were picked up the next day. A travelling troupe had been in the area, and in the final days of their Ponyville visit, they caught the talent show. I'm still not sure how they ok'd the papers for adoption, but when I checked out their signatures and the papers from town hall, everything worked out. The girls had found a place for dramatic reenactment, and it would be on the road. I'll miss them so much...

Banana Bolts was picked on the same day. Oh, my heart. When I heard who it was, I nearly burst into tears. Our lonely Ponyville construction manager, Gear Gilder, came to claim him. Gear Gilder is a bit of a larger mare, with more masculine features and build. She'd been so lonely, so dedicated to her job that she'd never had anypony else in her life. I was so happy to hear that she'd have somepony to keep her company, somepony to pass on her skills to. Banana Bolts was elated to hear that he'd be living with another pony who loved to build.

I'm told Winter Green's act was wonderful. Her lecture on the woods and the kinds of trees were very informative, surprisingly interesting and full of life and wonder. Just hearing about it made me curious about the different kinds of trees surrounding Ponyville, and I felt more than ready to go and explore and see the kinds of life in the valley.

Of course, nopony expected the wilds of the valley to be present for this talent show. A doe, Verena, a native from the far northern corners of White Tails Woods, came forward to express interest in Winter Green almost immediately after the show. Oh, she's a beautiful doe, and her knowledge of the woods and so many of the kinds of life and trees in Equestria was surprising. I still see Winter Green now and then. I hear she's learning to be an apothecary...I'm so proud.

Three days after the talent show, Glow Frost was taken. She was approached by a most peculiar pegasus. His wings were unlike anything I'd ever seen before, though he assured Angelica that it was merely a birth defect. He was perfectly capable of flight, which he demonstrated, much to Glow Frost's delight. His name was Dragonmint, a foreigner from the land of Breen who was most interested in helping Glow Frost begin a career in the modeling department, something that she was very interested in, and I'm told that it showed in her act, which was a magical display of light and mirrors. To this day she's still abroad, though the dear sends me pictures every month. Breen is a wonderfully beautiful place of mountains and valleys...I want to go someday.

Coffee Blaze's show was all about farming. Of course, it was about coffee. Before now, I didn't realize that coffee beans came from a tree, or the fact that coffee beans came from berries! You learn something new every day. Blaze's charts and graphs were so informative that a young couple, recently moved to the are and interested in starting a coffee bean farm, were immediately interested.

Chocolate Marmalade, a hefty young mare, and her new husband, Vanilla Shortbread, approached Coffee Blaze a few days later and explained that she seemed to know more about coffee than they did, and having such an intelligent and organized girl who loved coffee would be a great boon. Of course, they offered her a great home, a new coffee tree farm where she would learn business and have strong bonds with a farmer and a baker.

Pitfall was next, my little stunt-mare. With Banana Bolts' help, she set up an obstacle course on stage (regulation-safety approved, of course) that apparently consisted of a realistic obstacle course, complete with built-in spring-loaded traps, foam-covered swords, and "falling trees". It all looked so real, though, and Pitfall was so efficient in her acrobatics and stunt work that a well-known pegasus stunt-mare named Sunset Veyron was impressed enough to offer to take Pitfall in.

It made me so happy to learn that Sunset was willing to relocate to Ponyville, just for Pitfall. I had worried that there might be some trouble, like Spark Storm had, but no. Sunset Veyron, who has been known to be a wild, reckless stunt-mare, was so struck with Pitfall's abilities that she moved to accommodate my daring unicorn. I was so happy for her.

And so...Stardust was the last. She was Cheerilee's best friend, and...I suppose she still is. She writes now and then from her place in Canterlot. It was a whole month before anypony came to inquire about my star-gazer. The star charts and informative lecture that she gave the audience wasn't quite as attractive to the rest of the audience, and she didn't have Coffee Blaze's enthusiasm, I'm afraid.

What she lacked in exciting features, though, she made up for in information. She'd read so many books on the subject that eventually Canterlot's scholars got wind of how much my Stardust knew of the stars, the constellations, their positions, their meanings. It was actually closer to evening a month later when Night Charter came. She was a beautiful young mare with the colors of the night sky - dark violet, with a darker violet mane and a lighter streak at the tips of her clean-cut bangs. A map of the night sky was easily visible on her flank.

Night Charter worked at the royal science academy, where young colts and fillies went to school to learn and grow into future careers. My heart nearly jumped in my throat when I opened the door and heard the news myself. Of course, by then, Stardust was the last filly in the orphanage, and I still hadn't gotten over the shock of what my children had done. When Night Charter announced that she wanted to take Stardust away to Canterlot, I...I almost said no. Our last child, Cheerilee's last friend. She'd have to start all over with Spark Storm and Blazing Feathers alone.

But my little Cheerilee, who had been so angry and moody at her friends, finally gave in. She took Stardust aside and told her to follow her dreams, no matter where they might take her, even if it was away from us. The girls cried - well, we all did. Even Night Charter, who was so overcome by the strength of the girls' friendship, couldn't help it. She seems like such a nice mare - I don't think she has a lot of confidence, or much faith in herself. I'm sure my Stardust will help her with that, though. They're both very brave to be following their dreams - to study the stars.

Cherry Joy looked up from her diary. A bit of wetness dripped onto the pages, the earth mare's emotions getting the best of her. It didn't help reading the diary pages over and over again; she cried every time. The lamination actually did help, though. Cheerilee finally suggested getting the pages laminated to prevent the book from getting too damaged. It had saved the caretaker's diary many, many times over.

The house was so quiet now; even with Spark Storm and Blazing Feathers getting worked up and running around now, it just wasn't the same without all of her wonderful children making constant noise during the day. Of course, they still visited. With Wolfy and Stardust in Canterlot, Glow Frost, Winter Green and the Summer twins travelling abroad, that left Banana Bolts, Coffee Blaze and Pitfall to stay in Ponyville. Those three never missed a chance to come and say hello sometime during the week.

The caretaker sighed as she crossed the room and carefully replaced the book back into it's place on the book shelf on the far side of the room, next to the crib. It had been almost a full two years since Spark Storm had arrived. Almost a full two years since her children had grown up and taken care of her for a change. Now, with Spark and Blazing old enough to run around, Cheerilee was beginning her third year of school, and a new orphan had arrived for Cherry Joy to take care of.

It had been a bright day when Lucid Whisper had arrived, but it wouldn't have made a difference had it been night, not for the young pegasus - she was blind. The father, who hadn't given his name, had lost his wife in childbirth. Lucid Whisper had in birth taken her mother's life, and she would never know. The little filly was a beautiful soft aquamarine color, her mane a two-toned pastel violet and blue. Her eyes were her most stunning feature, though: the outter rings of her eyes were a dark green and a light blue, while the center was a large, pure white.

She often put-off strangers with her blank stare. She was born without sight, so she didn't know to move her eyes to look at things. Her ears constantly moved, though, and they seemed to catch the smallest sound, the quiet sounds that an adult would barely be aware of. She was often a fussy filly, as being unable to see she had no sense of being surrounded or when somepony was approaching her. Cherry Joy found her to be a constant source of stress, but without having to look out for so many children anymore, the burden was lessened.

Lucid Whisper was asleep now, and it was time for Cherry Joy to sleep as well. Cheerilee had her hooves full getting the terrible two to get in bed. Tomorrow was another day, full of possibilities, new beginnings, and new friendships - tomorrow Spark Storm and Blazing Feathers would begin preschool.

Comments

[Melody Brush]

Oh, snap. Looks like the two are gunna be getting their families before long. Great job on this chapter bro.