It was just another sunny day in the town of Ponyville.
Except, it wasn’t exactly just another day…
In fact, many ponies across Equestria were celebrating this event with their families and friends.
But, let’s just concentrate on the population of Ponyville instead.
Today was a Sunday, which fillies like Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, otherwise known as the “Cutie Mark Crusaders”, would attend school due to a school policy that Princess Celestia had recently changed.
At least they got to stay home from school on a Friday in exchange…
Each fillies began their day, from their respectable households, leaving their homes after doing their daily “morning” rituals and consuming their respectable breakfast foods.
Unfortunately, only nine fillies could only attain school on a daily basis, seeing that Ponyville somehow never got the bits to build a bigger schoolhouse despite the increasing population of fillies within Ponyville.
Maybe Mayor Mare spent the bits in her quest of drinking the large quantities of cider that past season…?
Cheerilee, the school’s only teacher who taught the filly’s elementary class, decided to do a little something special today. Instead of the usual lessons on cutie marks and whatnots, she decided to have the class dedicate something, preferably a speech, to their fathers in honor of Father’s Day like how she did for Mother’s Day.
Like Mother’s Day, she would get the respectable parent, which would be a stallion this time, to come in to the classroom to hear or observe what their fillies had to present them in front of the classroom.
Unlike last time, fillies would be allowed to receive help if necessary, but only from their mothers and siblings in order to “surprise” the stallions of each family.
Once the nine fillies, with their respectable parents, showed up at the entrance of the schoolhouse, Cheerilee would unlock the door for them to enter and have them seated at their wooden desks.
The schoolhouse wasn’t big enough to fit more than it should, but they’ll manage. Each filly had seats next to their small wooden desks for their parents to sit.
The front row had Scootaloo, Twist and Sweetie Belle.
The row behind it had Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara.
The last row had Dinky Hooves, Pipsqueak and Featherweight.
“Now, since we are all here and present for the most part, let us begin our Father’s Day celebration shall we?” Cheerilee announced. _____________________________________________________________________________
“The lucky filly that gets to go first is…Scootaloo!”
The light brilliant gamboges Pegasus pony stood up and trotted to the front of the classroom.
She would have started her portion by now if she didn’t meet some resistance within the audience…though, she wasn’t quite surprised by it at all…
In fact, she kind of expected a reaction since she didn’t have a parent and knew that a pony would openly point that out.
Not to her surprise, it was Diamond Tiara, with the support of Silver Spoon, whom interrupted her.
Once again, Diamond Tiara had to speak about her non-existent parents, or a lack of a family in that overall matter. But seriously, why does she have to consistently blame her for being an orphan? Was it a crime to not have a family in Ponyville?
Did she really look that lonely to every pony?
She ignored Diamond Tiara’s rants and looked around the classroom that wasn’t directly at said pony.
Noticing this, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon started to openly taunt her. Cheerilee and several parents tried to stop them, but to no avail.
They even proceeded to call her a chicken, a “nickname” that stuck on to her as long as she could have remembered.
She didn’t exactly know the start of it, but she had a good idea as to why she was called it. The chicken “nickname” was usually targeted to her wings and the fact that she was a Pegasus pony. Every pony understood that every Pegasus pony can fly, but when it came to her, she was, more or less, a laughingstock due to her inability to do so.
She had been trying over the course of time, being able to lift only half of her small body off the ground, but it just wouldn’t stop the taunts she would receive after failing each time she had attempted to fly. Heck, she couldn’t even stop them from stalking her so she could properly train herself.
However, not all ponies were like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Ponies like Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and even her role model, Rainbow Dash, had attempted to assist her and even had to outright defend her whenever it was necessary.
She was forever grateful of her friends’ assistance, but she still found that the overwhelming amount of contempt seemed to wash away the hope that her friends had gave her. No matter how hard she continued to try and struggle, the extreme amount of negativity weighed her down.
Even now, the thoughts that pinned her as the ugly ducking of her Pegasus group still plagued her like a disease that still lingered within her…
That she wasn’t able to travel to Cloudsdale without another Pegasus, namely Rainbow Dash, to support her.
Or that she heavily relies on Rainbow Dash, going so far to idolize her. But what exactly can she have done differently? She had no family members, thus, having no other choice, but to look up to Rainbow Dash as a surrogate mother of sorts. Was that truly bad?
She hung her head low and silently started to weep, not being able to take the abuse any longer.
She heard two small laughs from the audience. She didn’t even need to guess that they were from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon themselves.
She heard her teacher, Cheerilee, trying to calm her, telling her that she shouldn’t let those two ponies get to her, that one day; she’ll be able to fly.
She appreciated it, but the damage was done and they knew it.
She trotted towards the door, head still hung low, hoping to escape from the cause of her current problem, but something blocked her way.
No…it wasn’t something that blocked her way, but it was some pony that did. She slightly lifted up her head, moving her sight from the floor to the pony’s hooves. She found that the pony’s hooves were light blue and that the pony was a mare.
She almost rose up her head to meet with the pony’s eye sight, believing it to be Rainbow Dash, but she didn’t. It was too good to be true after all, seeing that said pony should be busy moving rain clouds towards Ponyville for tomorrow’s forecast.
“What’s the matter squirt? Don’t have enough dignity to raise your head to my eye level?”
She gasped.
She quickly raised her head to see if her ears were deceiving her. Gladly, they weren’t.
It was Rainbow Dash.
Said pony was staring down on her small figure in small amusement.
Even though she was glad that her idol was in front of her, she didn’t quite understand why Rainbow Dash was here when her job as a weather patrol demanded she be else where away from indoors.
Before she openly questioned her, Diamond Tiara had to, once again, interrupt her.
From her point of view, Diamond Tiara seemed like she was questioning her idol for abandoning her job and the purpose as to why she was at the schoolhouse.
Her idol, in return, answered that her job shouldn’t take too long to assemble and that it was still too early in the day to do so, meaning that she still had plenty of time before the day had even ended. She also stated that she was here for Scootaloo, surprising her and the class.
But why her?
Sure, she thought of her as a surrogate mother, but it didn’t seem like Rainbow Dash had the same “idea” as she did in the pervious times they had spent together. So what compelled Rainbow Dash to specifically seek her out?
She just stood there, her thoughts leaking out of her like a fountain overdosed with too much water in it.
The next thing she knew, she saw her idol facing towards the audience that she was suppose to address if Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon haven’t interrupted her.
“I quickly came over to announce that starting today, Scootaloo is my daughter.”
She couldn’t believe it. She had a family now? All these years mocked for not having one was finally paid off on this very day?
She wanted to buck herself to see if it was true, but personally seeing Rainbow Dash stating it herself was enough for her to not to.
“Big whoop. It isn’t truly special because you adopted a chic…”
Before Diamond Tiara even finished her sentence, Rainbow Dash, her mother, flew over to where she sat and dangerously looked at the filly, hooves ready to be put in to action.
“What was that? I dare you finish your sentence.”
When Diamond Tiara didn’t squeak a sound, Rainbow Dash trotted back towards to where her daughter still stood.
But why did she adopt her?
Curious to know why, she asked her mother the question.
“Well, I just saw too much that resembled me when I was a filly.
Even though I could fly, I was the unusual one at Cloudsdale, having a rainbow mane and tail. Every pony had one color for their mane and tail while I didn’t so in that sense, I related to you in that we had strange characteristics about ourselves. You, not being able to fly while I looked like a clown.
Sure, I may look awesome now, but it took a lot of work to be the way I currently am.
To see you fall numerous times, while trying so hard to fly made my heart, mind and soul suffer. I didn’t want to see you experience your filly days as horrible as you currently are, mocked for being what?
An orphan who had no legitimate family? The orphan that no pony wanted to adopt? A flightless Pegasus pony?
After so long spending time with each other, helping you try to fly, I simply had enough. Something had to change so I thought to myself, why not?
And so, I went to the orphanage to fill out the papers and now, you are my daughter and I’m quite proud to call you so.”
She was simply speechless, her mouth opened to the point that it would go through the floor.
“So what?”
It came from Diamond Tiara.
“She’s still a chicken in my eyes. Ain’t that right Silver Spoon?”
The darker cornflower bluish gray pony next to Apple Bloom slowly nodded her head.
“At least my daughter didn’t have a freaking lame cutie mark like you. I mean really? A freaking tiara? What a special talent you have little one.”
At this point, Filthy Rich who was sitting beside his daughter was dangerously angry at his daughter and politely giving apologetic looks towards the new family. He quickly trotted out of the classroom, grabbing Diamond Tiara with him, heading straight home and giving his daughter a much need punishment…
After much awkwardness…Rainbow Dash decided to speak…
“Oh, today’s Father’s Day right?”
She simply nodded at the question that her mother had asked her, not truly knowing what she was playing at.
“Well, let me introduce to you, your new father then! Come over here honey!”
A very pale cornflower blue pony trotted in to the schoolhouse, revealing Soarin’, one of the Wonderbolts.
“Nice to meet you Scootaloo!
Though, it might be quite mind boggling for you and that personally, you don’t know me as much, but I promise you that we’ll fit right in if you give us the chance to be your parents. I guarantee it.”
And how could she even decline?
Her presentation went rather very well after Soarin’ introduced himself and his plans for the future as her father.
He plans to start assisting his wife with helping his daughter to fly once this class was over. Maybe have her experience the feeling of flight on one of their backs? Whatever happens, he planned to not fail his daughter as her father. Never again will they mock his little sweetheart.
As for Scootaloo herself, this day just got 20% better. _____________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 3 : Apple Bloom : _____________________________________________________________________________
After Scootaloo and her new found family finished their “presentation”, Cheerilee trotted to the front of the classroom, announcing the next filly that will present next.
It happened to be Apple Bloom.
The pale light grayish olive Earth pony stood up and trotted to the front of the classroom once the new family was sitting at or next to Scootaloo’s seat.
From the front of the classroom, she saw that her friend and fellow Cutie Mark Crusader had finally found her peace. Seeing Scootaloo cuddled with her two parents made her smile and she reminded herself that she’ll need to wish on a shooting star later tonight, that is, if she could find one.
Any hay, she brought in Big Macintosh for today’s presentation.
Though weird in thought, she had her reasons.
It seems like the audience had the same thought process, but once she told them that she never saw or met her father, specifically her parents, at all, the audience went dead silent.
She explained that she grew up as a filly without knowing her parents, but came to view Applejack and Big Macintosh as her surrogate parents when she was growing up on the farm so it wasn’t too bad.
Even though, it would be nice to actually know her biological parents, she couldn’t nor would she discard the ponies that she had grown up with. Asking more then she had was like a sin to her.
Besides, having Big Macintosh as a surrogate father wasn’t too bad at all.
He rarely spoke and when he did, it would only consist of “eeyup” or “nnnope”, but it was fine with her. It was his way of communicating with her after all.
Whenever he was on a break from tending the field, she would consult him for numerous “things” if Applejack wasn’t available.
And just because he doesn’t openly show it, doesn’t mean he isn’t. What she was referring to was his intelligence as she explains to the audience that sometimes, he would help with her homework and “exams”.
She loved him as a big brother and a surrogate father, but like the filly she was, she asked Granny Smith what had happened to her parents.
In turn, Applejack replied to her question since it was a bit late at the time that she had asked the inevitable question that they feared for some reason.
She remembered that Big Macintosh had taken Granny Smith and “carried” her off to bed.
Her parents loved her in fact, to an extent that they had fallen for her. At the time, she was confused what her older sister had meant, but once she told her that story, she understood.
According to her older sister, the reason why Granny Smith’s home was in Ponyville and not with Braeburn at Appleloosa, since he would love the help over there, was because their parents weren’t with them any more.
After the devastating loss of losing Applejack, since she decided to move to Manehattan to live with the Oranges, their parents, Big Macintosh and Granny Smith did all they could to run the farm.
However, as a foal, though she didn’t quite remember the incident, Applejack stated that she unknowingly crawled into the Everfree Forest by accident.
It was actually due to a hole in a fence that was faced towards a certain forest and her excitement as to view the “outside world”.
In filly Apple Bloom’s point of view, the “outside world” is simply the outside of Sweet Apple Acres since she was kept within there for safety reasons.
Once the apple family realized that she was missing, her parents, being the brave earth ponies that they were, traced her steps and eventually lead them to believe that she crawled into the forest.
They left Granny Smith and Big Macintosh to watch over the farm while they went off to search for her, believing the forest shouldn’t be too much of a problem since they do occasionally travel in to it for herbs and things of interest.
They planned that they would get in, search, avoid the dangerous creatures, locate item: Apple Bloom and then, they would mad dash towards the exit of the forest.
However, it didn’t go as well as they had easily planned.
Not only they did confront timer wolves, those creatures had their beloved daughter with them.
Apparently, they were arguing who would get the piece of meat, but her parents sprang in to action to their disbelief.
Even though it was dangerous, her parents had managed to retrieve her at the cost of their hooves.
Her father decided to distract them for her mother and herself to get away.
Unfortunately, her father was quickly dealt with due to their pack size. Her mother managed to get her out in one piece, but she suffered several wounds. Back then, they didn’t have the hospital that Ponyville currently had, resulting her mother to go unconscious without much medical aid and never awaking ever again.
That story had haunted her ever since and it still does.
Who wouldn’t? Knowing that the cause of her parents was her fault, she locked her room and didn’t come out until Big Macintosh said a few special words that she would always treasure within her heart.
Remember the circumstance, the time it had happened. You were but a foul and in truth, we should have fixed that fence… Don’t be so grim…they did it for a good cause. Remember that you lived because of them. Though we missed them, it couldn’t be helped. And no, we don’t hate you. We hate the creatures. We aren’t even pointing our hooves at you. Not now or ever. Because you are our dearest little sister that we all love and would happily protect. Open your eyes will you? They truly loved you...loved you enough to save you from danger. You were always their treasure. Look! See how happy they look in their paintings? So please come out of your room and be a part of us again?
And from then on, she had Big Macintosh as her surrogate father because he had the same characteristics as her father.
She would like to personally know her father, but Big Macintosh was the closest thing she had to a father and she wouldn’t trade it for anything, not even for a cutie mark because family members were more important.
She ended the presentation with a “Happy Father’s Day”, obviously directed to her older brother, no, her surrogate father that she knew and loved ever since the dawn of time… _____________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 4 : Sweetie Belle : _____________________________________________________________________________
“The next filly to present is Sweetie Belle!”
The light gray Unicorn pony trotted towards the front of the one room classroom.
The vacant seat she once sat in had another vacant seat next to her seat, suggesting that her father never came in for this event.
As she pointed to the seat that was beside her own seat, she explained that her father was a hermit in a way, always traveling all over Equestria.
In a way, he had supported the family with bits and supplying Rarity with diamonds from afar. But what was the point? She would rather have all of them located in one spot, not located in one part of Equestria while a single family member has the freedom to roam everywhere.
But after seeing her older sister go off in a fume about her clumsiness, she highly doubted that would realistically happen.
Her mother was partially a hermit due to her father, but she was responsible for her and knew when to stop traveling. Her mother seemed to establish the belief that her father’s job was to travel and wasn’t quite concerned that he may potentially be with another mare…
Heck, she even believed that her father would never live with them because of her very own clumsiness. And because of that, he may not love her since he had an inefficient daughter unlike his other daughter, Rarity.
She may be clumsy, but was it really alright to abandon family just like that?
After the Sisterhooves Social, Rarity proved to her that she still loved her as an older sister even if her younger sister was “a tad bit” clumsy. But, did it still apply to her father?
According to her older sister, she doesn’t know where their father travels half the time so even Rarity was stuck in the dark as much as she was.
Maybe he truly didn’t love them at all?
And maybe, he traveled in order to get away from them for that very purpose?
She hated to assume, she really did, but she didn’t really have much idea as to why her father would do such a thing at all.
Next thing she knew, he was living his life to the fullest without his daughters and wife that he selfishly left behind in Ponyville…
But one day, all of those bad ideas disappeared when Derpy Hooves delivered a letter that was from her father.
At first, they were pleased that “father” of theirs haven’t forgotten about them, even going as far as to asking Pinkie Pie to shoot her party cannon all over the interior of Rarity’s carousel boutique. The letter even contained lots of bits for buck’s sakes!
However, when Rarity read the letter out loud, both of them felt a pang of regret go through their hearts.
Not only did their father go through a multitude of hardships, he was, at least one of these incidents, was captured by diamond dogs. The trouble he went through in order to financially support them would have made even Daring Do proud…if she was real that was…
Standing in front of the classroom, she pulled out the letter that her father had sent them.
“Dear Rarity, Sweetie Belle and my faithful wife…” she began.
“I hope that all of you are living the best of lives that Princess Celestia has granted you.
By the time you have received this letter; I may or may not still be part of the living for I am in dire trouble. I’m broken, both physically and mentally, struggling to find bits to mail back to you in Ponyville. Most of all, I miss you…all of you. The little times we spent will always be within my memories.
Remember your first few birthdays?
I do too.
I still remembered the time my Rarity was the messiest filly that I had taken care of. The good old days of my little Rarity rolling in the mud or how she’ll put mud hoof prints on to the ceiling. She was difficult to take in to the bathroom too, but look at you now! No longer a foul, but a fully grown mare I would like to believe. And with that, a transition from playing with mud to collecting diamonds. I still wondered why you were obsessed with the things cause they are quite difficult to harvest given the circumstances I had with diamond dogs. But for you, I’ll do anything I can to make your dream come true. The least I can do is to be the most important factor to your success.
I still remembered the time my Sweetie Belle, as an adorable foal that we’ll all be proud with. She was sure clumsy I give her that, but she’s still my little sweetheart and nothing will change that. Being clumsy had its faults, but it’s what makes her a unique pony. The last thing I needed was a generic daughter. Remember the times I read your favorite Darling Doo books when you were still a foul, but almost a filly? I miss those times, but a stallion like myself must support his family right?
May Celestia bless you two with beautiful lives despite the problems you two would have to face as sisters. Know this and know it well, I equally love you both and wouldn’t trade you even if Princess Celestia herself granted me glorious gifts…”
The letter ends with her father addressing his wife with suggestive themes that a filly at the time shouldn’t have known until she was a mare…
But the point of his letter was that he truly cared for them and he still remembered them despite him being so far away from them.
It motivated them to journey around Equestria, in search of answers, of what became of their beloved father.
When they found him in Fillydelphia, they feared the worst.
He did have lots of bits and diamonds on him that they assumed were supposed to be mailed to them. But his physical condition looked horrid in comparison. The clothes on his back were worn out, ready to fall apart any second. His mane and tail looked like it was fried in a volcano for all they knew. He was, overall, tired and they all agreed that he needed a good break.
Rarity and her mother brought a cart in order to carry his variables and most importantly, to show him that without his support, they wouldn’t be the way they are now. They were overwhelmingly grateful of their father and it was wrong to assume that he ran off for his selfish desires.
He was, in fact, the best father that she ever had. He remembered us while they cursed him. He worked his flank to the brink of exhaustion and yet, they assumed that he was living a fabulous life. How completely wrong they were.
And he also taught her another lesson, never to assume before you met the pony in question, for all she knew, was a horrible father before receiving his letter. He was a wonderful father; more then that at times and she dedicate this presentation to him.
Now before any pony got any “bright” ideas that he left to travel again, she stated that his body was so battered that even now, he was in the hospital...but at least now, they were whole once more. _____________________________________________________________________________
Hearing the last three ponies talk made her heart melt, her eyes consumed by the glorious white power that is the tissue and that she can honestly relate to them.
Like Scootaloo to an extent, she didn’t exactly know her father. Her mother had been promising her that she’ll see him one day, but it seemed like an infinite amount of days had past by her.
Like Apple Bloom to an extent, she somewhat understood what her father had done for his family, but most of it was in the dark.
Like Sweetie Belle, the seat next to her was vacant.
When it came to her turn to present, she trotted slowly, watching the careful stares that her fellow classmates and parents gave her.
She carried with her what appeared to be a piece of paper to the naked eye, but since her mother helped her with the presentation, it meant more then just that. This “piece of paper” carried the thoughts of both her mother and herself, of their desire to meet with him once more…
She stood in attention, taking in the eyes of her audience.
Truth be told, she was kind of glad that Filthy Rich had taken Diamond Tiara back home because if she had caused an outburst similar to when Scootaloo stood at this spot, she didn’t think she could hold herself back.
The will to opening express displeasure of her and especially her mother would not be easily tolerated. She had more than enough ponies who despised her mother already…she really didn’t need another pony.
Unlike her Mother’s Day speech that she gave to her mother in class, she had a piece of paper that she could base her presentation off of.
“I don’t quite know who my father is…” she started.
“But, my mother said that he’ll be back someday to rejoin our little family and have muffins together…
I didn’t personally know him, hoof to hoof, but with the help of my mother, she helped cleared things up.
Apparently, he was the one who got my mother in to loving muffins and I don’t disapprove of it. I grew used to eating the muffins that my mother worked so hard to bake for me.
Overall, he was a great chef, had a great personally, but the only problem he had was that he was a mute.
I know every pony would wonder how my mother communicated with my father, but it turned out easier than expected.
In preparation of his inevitable return, I learned hoof language. It may sound silly to all of you, but that was the only way I could communicate with my father.
Mock me all you want, but don’t target my father. He already went through lots of despair and I’ll be honored to soak some in his place.
I never met my father, but I feel like I’m already part of him. Armed with his language and ideal food item, I feel like we were always together…
If he were to appear right now, at this very place, I’ll never let him go again. I’ll savor the times we are together to make up for the times lost when I was a foul. I’ll forever treasure them as long as he would treasure it…knowing that he loves me and graces me with his bright smile. He might be able to teach me some unicorn magic too!
And to the ponies who are against him being my father, buck off!
Why must they judge him for the minority of negatives he has?
If I had any say in the matter, I’ll ask them to come at me bro.”
Just then, she was tackled to the ground.
She only saw that the pony had a brown coat, but she didn’t see the pony’s face.
When she managed to free herself from the bigger pony’s weight, she carefully looked at its face and quickly identified the pony as her father.
She gasped.
How could this have happened?
She heard giggling behind the door so she decided to check, only to find her mother in her mailmare suit behind it.
“Surprise my muffin” she said.
She couldn’t believe it. That inevitable day was this day?
She felt a rush of emotions, ranging from extreme happiness to slight sadness, that were fighting for control, but in the end, all she could ever done was to feel happy that she had her Unicorn father once more.
“Are you surprised my daughter?”
She immediately went into hoof language; every pony in the room other than Derpy knew what they were talking about.
The presentation ended with her and her father walking out the door, presuming to get muffins she had long to eat with her father and mother. _____________________________________________________________________________
