Tripod the Poss-abled

It’s a warm and sunny day in the town of Ponyville.  Market Street is lined with carts and booths as pony suppliers and consumers bustle in their sales. Some carts have fresh baked goods luring in customers with their sweet aroma as well as some booths with fascinating inventions.

Amongst all the ponies, is a pink earth pony bouncing up and down like a rubber ball on the dirt street. Waving and greeting almost every pony she passes with a wide smile spread across her face. She comes to a stop when one of her close friends gets her attention.

“Howdy there, Pinkie Pie!” says an orange farm pony with a country accent.

“Hey Applejack, how’s apple selling?” Pinkie says.

“Oh, almost done here,” Applejack says as she checks out her inventory, “Then head on home for evenin’ chores. I was plannin’ on takin’ what I had left to see if Twilight wanted some.”

“That sounds super duper fun! Not the chores part, but I was planning on giving Twilight a visit too. I haven’t seen her yet today.” Pinkie says with a grin on her face.

“She must be a workin’ on somethin,’ maybe double checkin’ her library for any books on bein’ a new princess an all.” Applejack says with a wink.

Pinkie Pie giggles, “Yeah that sounds like Twilight!” After the girls finish sharing their laughter together, Pinkie notices something from the corner of her eye. Applejack looks in the direction that Pinkie is glancing.

Hobbling down the middle of the street is a lone amber colored stallion pulling a wooden cart. He passes by all the stands going unnoticed. Although he seems to have a general limp to his step, he still holds his composure with no trouble.

“OH! A new pony! I’ll see ya’ later Applejack I’ve got a pony to welcome to Ponyville!” Pinkie exclaims as she darts off in the direction of the newcomer.

“See ya'!”’ Applejack calls back, “…I think she heard me?” She shrugs and resumes her position in apple sales.

As Pinkie Pie gets closer to the stallion, she begins to hear him whistling a tune. He seems friendly, she thinks to herself. The closer she gets the more details she notices about his appearance.  He is a copper, amber colored stallion with a short mahogany mane and tail. He also had a three-cornered red knot as a Cutie Mark adorned on his flank. And he was fuzzy, like really fuzzy. His fur coat was so dense and plush that it appeared to be standing on end. She looks closer to the way he’s trotting, or hopping, couldn’t really tell the type of gait it was. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide when she notices that something is missing.

His legs: One, two, three…where’s the fourth!?

She retaliates and zooms behind on the other side. Her curiosity is confirmed! He has no right hind leg! What happened to it? Was he born without one? Many questions form in her head as she contemplates how she is going to approach him without, saying something to upset him. She is friends with every pony in town and she is determined to make a new one.

The amber stallion stops his whistling and gets this uneasy feeling that he is being followed. He looks behind him to his right and sees a pink pony following him. She seems to be looking at him, but yet almost staring off into space. Does she need help?, he ponders to himself.

As he haults his cart with ease and asks the strange pony, “Um, excuse me? Can I help you? You look a little lost, don’t cha’ know.”

Pinkie Pie does a double-take and smiles, “Oh! Hey! Sorry about that, but I was wondering if you are new around here? I now every pony in Ponyville and I mean every pony. But I’ve never seen you here before, so that means you’re new. I wanted to welcome you here to Ponyville, so you didn’t feel so lonely. And so here I am: WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!”

The stallion stares at her blankly and thinks, did she just say all that in one breath? He shakes his head and clears his throat, “Well, thanks much…ah?" He gestures her with his hoof to inquire her name.

“Name’s Pinkie Pie.”

“Thank you very much Pinkie Pie, my name is Tripod.”

“Nice to meet you Tripod,” her eyes begin to wonder to his limbless side again.

Tripod has seen that expression before.  After meeting a pony for the first time, he knows that look all too well. Someone is judging him as disabled and wants to help. He just smiles contently back to her and asks, “Pinkie, you have a library around here ‘eh?”

Pinkie double-takes again, “Yeah, we sure do! Why do you need a library?”

Tripod continues to kindly smile at her and says, “I am in the need of a thesaurus. Can you help me find it?”

“Sure follow me,” she turns to gesture him to follow, “Don’t worry it’s not far.”

“For sure, lead the way!”