A day in the life of O’Reiley.
Disclaimer:
MLP FIM belongs that Hasbro so please don’t sue.
This was written during a week with no internet and only the hearts and hooves song that I had downloaded to go on, so there might be some inaccuracies as I haven’t seen the full episode.
I regret NOTHING!
Enjoy.
It wasn’t easy been a priest of the order of Faust, some days were good, some bad, recently it had been more of the latter than the former but Father O’Reiley wasn’t about to be put off by some neighsayers, the day (unlike himself) was young and he was going to use it’s time wisely to tend to his flock.
And thus after getting washed, dressed and having a light breakfast of hay Father O’Reiley exited his modest home in Ponyville and headed to his church, an old warehouse that had been recently converted into a place for the faithful to pray in peace and tranquillity, something that O’Reiley’s daily trot was lacking.
He had just rounded the corner of the street before his church when he noticed that his path was once again blocked by the same group of Adolescent colts, who harassed him daily for his faith, he hoped that maybe the youngsters were here to apologise, or at least ignore him and do whatever they did when they weren’t abusing an helpless Faustian, but alas it was not to be for Father O’Reiley had nearly made it past without incident when one of the youths stuck out his forehoof directly into his path and before he could react Father O’Reiley’s jaw had an impromptu meeting with the dirt path below.
“Watch where you’re going pops.” Sneered a cyan unicorn that O’Reiley had assumed was the leader. “Maybe you’d see better if you cleared some of that fluff out of your head.”As if on cue the rest the gang burst into laughter and a spot covered lime green Earth pony to the left of the leader patted him on the back.
“That’s a good one boss, you should be a comedian or something, I’m surprised your cutie mark isn’t ... whatever cutie marks comedians have.” Commented the sidekick before bursting into laughter again.
“Why must you do this? Did you parents not teach you to respect your elders?” Pleaded O’Reiley in his meek and humble tone.
The Unicorn snorted with anger. “What do you know about respect? Going around filling pony’s heads with rubbish, turning the locals against Celestia, you’re a traitor to Equestria.”
O’Reiley raised his head and stared the youth in his eyes. “My son, I am no more a traitor then are you, for under the eyes of our creator all are equal, even Celestia .”
The youth’s eyes narrowed. “There he goes again, with that whole greater than Celesta talk, and he’s says he’s not a traitor, pah. Boys lets teach him some respect.”
O’Reiley braced himself for the blows that never came; instead a mare’s voice sliced through the air.”What do you think you’re doing?” This was then followed by a soft humming sound; cautiously O’Reiley opened his eyes to see the once intimidating colts floating in the air, surrounded by a glowing purple aura. Thanking Faust he turned to thank his savoir, a lavender Unicorn with a purple mane who asked him. “Are you okay? Were these colts troubling you?
O’Reiley chuckled to himself. “It’s alright my dear; I think they have learned their lesson.” O’Reiley turned to face the now terrified colts, “Isn’t that right?” His left eyebrow slowly rose.
Almost as one the petrified colts nodded in agreement and smashed into the ground as the lavender Unicorn cancelled her levitation spell, before shooting off into the distance, leaving a cloud of dust behind them as they fled to the hills to avoid further embarrassment.
O’Reiley shook the mares hoof. “Thank you my dear, I don’t know what I would I would have done if you hadn’t intervened, Faust be praised.”
“It’s okay, really it was nothing, I sure you would have been able to handle yourself.” Complimented the blushing Unicorn.
O’Reiley couldn’t help but smile at this. “My dear you flatter me, but alas I am not as young as I once was, but I should still be around for a while, Faust willing.”
As O’Reiley’s replied to her compliment the mares face changed, if only for a nanosecond from one of kindness to a lust for knowledge before returning to kindness, most ponies would have missed this but his year’s service to the creator had taught him to look for such signs in his flock.
“My dear, is there something you wish to ask me?”
The mare fumbled for a few seconds before asking. “Not to be rude or anything but who is this Faust your thanking?”
O’Reiley chuckled. “Why, our creator of course.”
The mare stared at O’Reiley for a few seconds, a perplexed look plastered over her face. “ Celestia? , I’ve been here a while but I’ve never heard nopony call her that .
O’Reiley’s smile vanished in an instant and was replaced by a serious expression. “Faust is not Celestia; Faust is the one who came before, the one who created all this.” O’Reiley pointed to the structures around him who his right forehoof. “The one who created all modern ponies and Equestria it’s self from the nightmares that came before.”
The mare let out a snigger.
O’Reiley glared at her. “This is not a game child; I see you are one of the nonbelievers who ridicule us for our beliefs.” O’Reiley’s expression softened. “I am sorry; it is not your fault, now a day’s few know the truth, instead been content with the hogwash that comes from Canterlot.”
The mare stared at him confused before asking. “What hogwash?”
O’Reiley sighed, yet another poor soul who needed to be enlightened. “Where did you learn your history?”
The mare was put off by this seemingly out of the blue question and automatically replied. “From books and my classes in Celestia’s school for Gifted and talented Unicorns.”
O’Reiley nodded slowly. “That explains it, you’ve not just been fed the hogwash, you’ve been raised in it.”
The mares face flashed red in anger. “ Excuse me, for this but that’s completely unfounded it both fact and common sense, all the sources used in History class were cross referenced multiply times over, I should know I had to write a 6000 word essay on them.”
“That might be.” Rebutted Father O’Reiley. “But who found these sources?”
“Historians, Archaeologists, reporters that write down accounts passed down the ages, they can’t have all been wrong.” Stated the mare in a matter of factly.
O’Reiley re-raised his left eyebrow. “And what do you think happened to the sources that disagreed with Celestia, an untraced fire in a warehouse, a few visits from the Royal guard and most opposing sources vanish leaving you with the lies that you are all taught, and sallow as readily as a suckling filly at their mothers teat, all expect us, the enlightened.”
The mare shook her head in disgust. “Well, everypony to them self’s, I guess.” She looked rapidly left to right. “ Anyway I best be going now, have a nice day.” And with that the mare rushed off towards the ponyville library.
O’Reiley watched her leave then turned around and finished his daily trot to his humble church, and turned the handle only to be confronted with an all too familiar sight, the altar and pews were smashed and the words: “Buck off back to crazy land”, scrawled on the normally cream coated walls.
Once again a sigh could be heard from the aged priest, who set about the painstaking process of repainting the walls and fixing the furniture, most ponies would put off such a task but to Father O’Reiley no task was too much in service to his holy church.
1 hour later the walls once again shone like the golden coat of the holy Faust when she brought light into the world, the pews had been repaired but alas the altar was too badly damaged and would have to be replaced, but O’Reiley could not perform this taste for when he had check his daily dairy of upcoming events he noticed that today’s page had only one task, conduct open-air funeral for shoeshine at 1pm in ponyville park.
Gathering up the supplies he needed to bless this soul’s passage into the afterlife, O’Reiley exited his church, shut the door, muttered a pray to Faust to watch over his humble church and set off towards the park, ignoring the strange looks that the passing ponies were giving him.
So far the funeral had gone on without incident, although most ponies rejected Faustism for the more widespread Celestiaism, they still showed their respect for the recently departed, the Faustian’s to mourn their dead in relative peace.
O’Reiley broke the silence and began the service.
“We are gathered here today to pay our respects to the recently departed Shoeshine, a Devote Faustian all her life she understood our creators message and spread it across all parts of her daily life, from polishing boots to child watching for busy parents Shoeshine was loved and cherish by all to knew her, and although she is no longer among us, her work and message lives with us all as she moves on to that kingdom in the heavens were we will all one day reach, to be with our creator forever more. Ahe-”
O’Reiley was cut off by a pale unicorn with a pink and purple mane jumping on his back, giving him a nuggie, and shouting:”This one’s too old.” and then jumping off into the distance.
O’Reiley stared at his flock, mouth open with shock, before coughing into his hoof. “As I was saying, ahem, may Faust have mercy on Shoeshine’s eternal soul.” O’Reiley then picked the holy book of Faust up placed the candles on his back and set off back towards his church.
Thankfully when he returned the church it was how he left it, which unfortunately meant there was still the issue of the broken altar, its replacement would be too much even for him to carry, but before he could ponder the issue any further O’Reiley heard the familiar sound of the back of the confessional booth opening and rushed into the opposite booth to receive the confession.
As soon as he had sat down on the cool wooden seat, a gruff broken voice carried through the overhead opening. “Forgive me father for I have sinned.”
O’Reiley allowed himself a smile. “It is okay my child Mother Faust knows all.”
The gruff voice replied. “Earlier today I lay with Jelly.”
O’Reiley sighed. “My child, this is a great sin, but it can be repaid, for although there is nothing in the books about such behaviour, you must seek to end this vile practise, lest it drive you to ruin.”
“Oh holy father what you have me do?” Enquired the voice.
“Due to the unusual nature of your sins, there is no given punishment.” O’Reiley rubbed his hoof on his chin. “Though I do think there is something in which performing, you could not only earn repentance but also aid our mother church.”
“What must I do, holy father? I must know.” Pleaded the voice.
“Wait until I have left then exit the booth and enter the church, once you are inside go to the first room on the right, for it is the storage room. Take from this room, the spare altar and replace the broken one with it, the work will not be easy but the struggle will teach you resilience and the power of self will. After this is done, exit the church for your work shall be done and you shall have repented in the eyes of the almighty Faust.” After telling the colt this, O’Reiley exited the booth and left his church, unsure of where to go but certain in the belief that the colt would do as he had been asked.
As O’Reiley wondered the streets of Ponyville he heard a series of shouts coming from the town hall, but as he didn’t want to intrude on anyone’s private business he ignored them but as they increased in both frequency and volume, his curiosity got the better of him and he went to investigate.
What he saw digested him, a crowd of ponies were hurling abuse at a trio of fillies that were been protected by a cream unicorn and an orange earth pony.
Shouts shot from the mob: “They insulted my son.” Raged a pink/purple pony with a propeller cap on, “They called me silly.” Wailed a depressed clown, “They insulted our heights.” Shouted 2 ponies, one tall the other short, numerous other complaints were added until the individual voices were drowned out, all the while the crowd getting angrier and more violent until one of the crowd had worked up the courage to try to grab the fillies, only to receive two orange hooves to the face that sent him flying backwards into the crowd.
“Keep you’re twotiming varmit hoofs of my sister, ye hear?” Screeched the orange pony who O’reiley assumed was the sister of the small yellow filly cowering behind her. Next to her the Unicorn was doing much the same, using her magic to deflect missiles throw by the enraged crowd, but O’Reiley could see that she couldn’t keep it up, he knew he had to do something, and so muttering a quick pray to Faust he trotted round the crowd and inserted himself in-between the gap between the two warring parties and shouted: “ STOP!
Almost immediately the crowd was silenced and all eyes were on this strange elderly pony who was deifying them off their vengeance, suddenly a voice burst out from the back off the crowd.
“Hey? Aren’t you that nut job who thinks that Celestia’s a phoney, that’s treason, why should we listen to you?” Muttered agreements rushed through the crowd, but they were not lost on O’Reiley.
“I know that some of you don’t believe it Faust bu-” O’Reiley was cut off by voice in the crowd .
“Who does?”
O’Reiley stared at the offending pony, a caramel coloured stallion with a brown mane and a series of horseshoes for his cutiemark. “That is not the point her, what I was about to say was that it does not matter whether you are Faustian or Celestian, both preach the same message of love and tolerance, now ask your self’s is that the behaviour you have all shown her today?”
The a few muttered no’s came from the crowd but most just looked at their hooves in shame, all expect the Caramel earth pony who tried to argue. “B... But the ruined my date.” His words nearing an almost unhear-able level of muttering near the end.
O’Reiley waved this aside. “That may be but does that entitle you to abuse and attack these young fillies? No it does not, now I think you all should apologise for scaring these fillies.”
A series of muttered apologise came from the humbled crowd, that then proceed to disperse, the wide assortment of ponies returning to their daily life’s, leaving only O’Reiley, the 3 fillies, the orange earth pony and the cream Unicorn.
“Why shucks, that was a fine mess you got us out of there mister, what you say yo’re name was?” Asked the Orange Earth pony with a deep southern accent, while at the same time shaking O’Reiley’s hoof.
“Father O’Reiley, and it was nothing my child, anypony would have done the same.”
The Orange mare shushed him with her hoof. “I won’t be hearing any of that, chivalry like that deserves rewarding, but what to give...” The mare rubbed her chin with her hoof.
“It’s okay, I require no earthly goods, the knowledge that I have aided is good eno-” O’Reiley was cut off by the orange mare.
“I got it, come over to Sweet Apple Acers and will give you 3 stacks full of Apples.” The mare turned to face the yellow filly. “Come on Apple Bloom, we best be gettin’ you home before Big Mac comes looking for us.” And with that the orange mare was off, the yellow filly called Apple bloom running beside her.
This left just the two Unicorns with O’Reiley as the orange Pegasus filly had vanished during the banter, O’Reiley was about to leave when he noticed the Elder Unicorn staring at him, seemingly measuring him with her eyes.
“My dear is something the matter?” Enquired O’Reiley hoping that he hadn’t got any mud or dirt suck to him, they would take ages to wash out.
O’Reiley’s words seemed to snap the Unicorn out of her trance like state. “Urgh... What, oh that , I was just thinking of the most brilliant outfit I could make you, as a thank you for saving me and my sister from those awful brutes.”
O’Reiley let out a chuckle. “My dear, it was nothing, there is no need to make me anything.”
Upon hearing this the Elder Unicorns face dropped. “Oh, well if you insist, Sweetie Belle, thank his kind Gentlepony for saving us from those uncouth savages.” The younger Unicorn jumped forward and shouted. “Thank you for rescuing us Mister O’Reiley.”
“Think nothing of it child.” O’Reiley’s eyes narrowed. “Say, aren’t you that filly that disputed the funeral earlier?”
“Sweetie Belle is this true?” Exploded the Elder Unicorn, her face full of thunder.
“Urm... maybe?” Sweetie Belle looked up at them with her eyes at Diabetes inducing size and with her sickenly sweet voice apologised. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be disruptive, I was just trying to find Miss Cheerile a date for hearts and hoofs day.
“Oh, Sweetie Belle, that is so sweet, but you should let people sort their own romances out.” Chided the Elder Unicorn.
O’Reiley reached down and patted her on the head.“It is okay my dear, just try not to do it again, okay?”
Sweetie smiled and nodded her head, she had learnt her lesson.
“Well if all’s well here then I best be off.” And with that O’Reiley returned to his church, happy that he had been able to teach ponies the message of Faust, to Love and Tolerate and thus overcome all challenges.
Authors note: I hope you enjoyed this and even better, learnt a valuable lesson, remember it and use it in your daily life, see someone you dislike, see someone from a different country, read a fanfic you don't like, just remeber.
Love and Tolerate.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, were done here.
