“Mr. Shores?” the voice asked.
...
“Mr. Shores?” it insisted.
...
“Mr. Foggy Shores, are you listening?”
I snapped back to reality, my mind having gone blank for a few minutes due to the anxiety of this examination. It’s my flyer’s license exam; it’s going to let me get a job that is pegasus-specific.
“Mr. Shores, do I need to call a doctor? You look a little pale.”
“No.. No, I’m fine. Just nervous is all.” I smiled politely and replied. “Apologies for the wait. Shall we begin?”
~~~~~~~~~~
“I failed?!” I cried, the piece of paper on my table, my older sister sitting in the living room just when I yelled.
“Dammit Foggy, keep it down, will you? I’m doing homework!” She yelled at me, huffing as she flopped back onto the couch. She looked a lot like me, only her coat was brighter, almost white. We both shared the same mane and tail colours, dark blue with brighter tips. Although she was taller, her wings were a little underdeveloped, but she was still a better flyer than I was, apparently. She got her license a couple years ago, when she had turned fifteen, just like I am. But, unlike her, I failed my exam, because ‘my nerves weren’t up to the task’. Pfft. I have nerves of steel! Who do they think they are, thinking they can reject me because I got a little nervous…
I sighed and crumpled up the envelope and letter, chucking them in the trash, stepping outside into the powerful oceanside breeze, my nostrils assaulted with the smell of sea salt. I smiled and sat down in the sand, letting my hooves dig into the warm, grainy surface, resting my head on my knees to relax. I love coming outside and lying in the sand. It’s always so peaceful, the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach and the gulls overhead. It was overcast today, like it usually is, although it hardly ever rains, adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
“I don’t ever want to leave this place…” I sighed, smiling with my eyes closed, slowly drifting off to sleep with the waves singing me their lullaby.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up to the slightly wet feeling, the waves coming up and tickling my hooves; high tide was coming, and I needed to move, or I’d be swept away. I groaned as I stretched, still lying down, before finally getting up and shaking the sand from my fur and feathers. I turned and smiled, seeing my marefriend sitting on the grass, watching me from a few yards away.
She was a light cream coloured earth pony with a forest green mane, her eyes blue like the ocean behind me, and just as deep. She smiled her beautiful smile and started walking towards me, the golden ribbon in her long mane, tied up in a bow, shimmering softly in the low light.
She giggled and pushed her nose against mine briefly before taking a step back. “Morning, Foggy,” she said with a lilt to her voice. “Morning!” I replied, smiling wide and booping her nose right back, tilting my head to kiss her. She giggled and pulled away, letting me fall forward a little.
“Aw, come on, Laurel. Just one?”
She smiled and rolled her eyes at me. “Oh fine.” Her lips were soft, molding to fit mine, and mine to hers, the warmth and the wetness pulling me into almost mind-numbing pleasure. It was bliss.
She never let me kiss her much, but when she did, it was always amazing. Fireworks would always go off in my head and my lips would always tingle after we pulled away from each other. I smiled and stepped forward, nuzzling her affectionately, showing her that my love was real, giving it form, and giving it to her.
~~~~~~~~~~
“You’re just bent on getting into the weather business, huh?” Laurel asked between bites of hay fries.
“Of course! I mean, what’s better than being in charge of the weather?”
“Lots of things. Like settling down, and getting married, and having little colts and fillies, and…” She trailed off, a far-away look in her starry eyes. I smiled and watched her; surely she’s imagining our future, I thought. I have to admit, I’ve thought about it plenty of times, and caught myself nearly crying at the thought. I chuckled at myself and took a bite of my sandwich.
“You know, there are plenty of good careers you can get without your license…” She stated after a long pause.
I blinked and looked up at her, my mouth full of food. “Why yoo say dat?”
“Swallow your food, dear.” She said, shaking her head with a slight smile.
I gulped and smiled sheepishly at her. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, working in weather is really dangerous… I mean, ponies die every day working in the weather, and I just… I don’t want to lose you, Foggy…”
I stopped and looked at her, and then down at my hooves, thinking about what she said. It’s true… I thought to myself, staring off into space for a little bit, mulling it over. I looked back up at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, Laurel, I mean… I’ve always wanted to, ever since I was a little colt… I’ll just… Be super careful, okay? Just for you.” She smiled and nodded, although I could see the fear in her eyes.
We finished our lunch in silence, that one thought lingering in our minds.
We didn’t want to lose each other.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks later, Laurel kissed my cheek and gave me a hug, sending me off to Cloudsdale to take my flyer’s test again. She would have loved to come with me, she said, but earth ponies and cities made of clouds don’t exactly work together.
I groaned and stretched my wings as I landed with a soft pomf, walking inside the office of the stadium to register for my exam once more. I filled out the paperwork and they asked me to sit down, waiting patiently for my turn.
About an hour later, after seeing pegasi come and go, they called my name, and I walked inside the testing chamber once more.
“It is your second time attempting the examination?” The instructor asked.
“Yes sir.” I replied, a little nervous again, afraid I might fail a second time.
“Well, good luck, Mr. Shores. you may proceed with the examination.”
~~~~~~~~~~
I was laying down in the grass next to my mailbox, waiting for the mailmare to come by and drop off my letter from Cloudsdale, and waiting for Laurel to get off work.
This sucks.
Waiting sucks.
I don’t like waiting.
It sucks.
And then finally she came. I smiled and jumped up, rummaging through my mailbox and taking everything inside, scattering all the bills and magazines and things across the table, my eyes scanning for a letter from Cloudsdale. I found it; immediately grabbing it and ripping it open, scanning over the letter inside.
‘Mr Shores,’ It said, ‘We are pleased to present to you your official flyer’s license. With it, you will be able to pursue a career that is for pegasi only. We look forward to seeing you do great things, and possibly even moving to Cloudsdale to work with us! Good luck, and may Celestia bless your work!’
I was ecstatic! I passed! I nearly screamed as I flipped to the second page, a little laminated card taped to the sheet of paper with my name on it, and “certified flyer” printed in bold across the top, the Cloudsdale seal in the corner.
A couple hours later, after I had calmed down considerably, but was still a little excited, there was a knock on the door. It had to be Laurel, and so I hopped up and opened the door. Sure enough, my marefriend was standing there, looking as gorgeous as ever.
“Morning, Foggy.” She cooed, smiling her soft smile; the corners of her mouth barely turned up.
I smiled back and gave her a little nuzzle, before smiling nice and wide. “Wait here! I gotta show you something!” I quickly ran back into the living room, grabbing my new laminated card in my teeth, before returning back to her. “Ah got et! Shee? Shee?!”
She giggled and smiled again, holding a hoof up to her mouth, trying not to laugh at me. I was standing there in front of her, grinning from ear to ear, and practically bouncing. She smiled and looked up at me, her eyes sparkling a little. “That’s great, Foggy!” She told me, and I smiled wider, my eyes being forced shut from my excitement.
And then I felt it. That warm, amazing feeling that comes few and far between. I dropped my card as soon as I felt her warm breath on my nose, my mouth still open a little to accept her affections. My eyes shot open and I saw her face right there, her eyes closed as she leaned into the kiss. My wings flared out almost instantly, and I closed my eyes, gently leaning into it. We stood there, kissing for what felt like hours; easily the longest we’ve shared together. She finally pulled away and smiled softly, her cheeks and nose a little rosey from her blush.
“Congratulations, Foggy.” She squeaked out.
Celestia save me, she was so beautiful. I couldn’t help myself, and leaned myself forward again, pressing my lips back to hers. She didn’t hesitate; she returned my affections with gusto, letting me push her back against the wall. We both then stood on our back hooves, my front ones on the wall beside her head, hers wrapping around my neck as we shared the most intimate and passionate kiss. I finally pulled back, the two of us still in that wonderful embrace. We were both panting softly, having forgotten how to breathe.
“I love you, Laurel…” I said with shaky breaths.
“I love you, too, Foggy…” She said with that adorable little smile of hers.
And we locked lips again, this time, much more passionately.
~~~~~~~~~~
We both lie there, panting heavily, a thin layer of sweat on both our bodies. Her mane wasn’t its usual straight, flowing self. Instead, it was a tangled mess, the ribbon hanging loosely in her locks. She smiled and looked up at me. Her eyes were shining again. Like there were millions of stars in those deep blue oceans. I smiled and kissed the top of her head, and she closed her eyes, cuddling up closer to my chest.
The sex was amazing, and it being both our first times, it gave us a deeper connection with each other.
That’s it.
I’ve decided it.
This is the mare I’m going to marry.
~~~~~~~~~~
The days passed, and Laurel and I were practically inseparable. The only time we weren’t together was when I was looking for jobs, because she had a job of her own to work. The jobs I kept checking out were the ones that paid well, but unfortunately, most of them had me leaving town. The ones that had me staying, I’d be on the worksite for days or even weeks at a time, and I don’t think I could do that.
I sighed as I exited another office building, marking off another name from my list. “This is ridiculous…” I sighed, walking back to Laurel’s house, deciding to wait for her to get home from work.
We had stayed together before, but only a few times. Since I got my license, I haven’t really left her house. She tells me that she doesn’t mind, and I believe her, not really wanting to leave anyway.
My goal is still the same: to get a job that will pay well enough for me to marry her, but so far, that doesn’t seem very possible. I groaned and lie down on the couch, resting my eyes a little bit.
I wasn’t tired, but I didn’t want to stay awake either, so I just kind of rolled around on the couch, staring at the decor Laurel keeps around her house. Could I call this my house, too, now? I don’t know… Not yet I don’t think.
I groaned and rolled over again, my eyes falling to the little mail organizer she has hanging on the wall. I blinked, noticing something in the ‘misc.’ box. Curious, I hopped up and went to check it out. Weird. It was addressed to me. I guess the mailmare saw me staying here and decided to leave it. Huh. I opened it and started reading over it.
Yesterday, I had dropped off a resume at my last stop for the day, because everypony was out of the office. I guess they got it, because this was a letter giving me a time and date for an interview. It was today, at…
Oh pony feathers.
I flew upstairs and nearly crashed into everything in my way, digging through Laurel’s closet to find one of the few articles of clothing I keep here. I pulled on my white shirt and dark blue tie, fumbling with it while trotting down the stairs. Laurel just happened to come home right then, and looked at me incredulously.
“Foggy? What are you doing?”
“Can’t talk gotta go love you bye!”
I flew by her, and over the sands and little patches of grass before getting to the little town we live by. I couldn’t quite remember where the office was, but I remember the name. Surely I could find it.
There it is!
I slammed on the brakes and skittered to a halt on the cobblestone road, my hooves seriously hurting after that rough landing. I winced and went inside, panting a little bit. “I… I’m here for… My appointment…” I panted out to the receptionist. She smiled and led me into a room in the back, with a padded chair and a desk with another chair behind it. There were several motivational posters hanging around the room, a few fake trees in the corners, and a bookshelf behind the desk. It had very few books on it, decorated with what I assumed to be pictures of my interviewer and his son. There were a few trophies, and some statuettes, and even a framed award. I couldn’t read it from here, but that was because my eyesight was still fuzzy from that high speed flying.
I sat there, waiting, and calming down, until eventually a pony in a white shirt and black tie walked in, his mane cropped short and slicked back to look professional. A horn poked out through the front of his black mane, spiraling to a point. He smiled at me as he walked by and sat in his chair.
“Mr. Shores, I assume.”
“Yessir.” I squeaked out. I could feel my face starting to burn red under my grey coat, embarrassed and afraid that my reply didn’t seem confident enough. His slight chuckle made it clear to me that it didn’t matter to him.
“So, you want to work in the weather? How long ago did you decide that?”
“Yes sir. I’ve wanted to be a weather pony for as long as I can remember. It’s been a dream of mine, actually.” I beamed at him, my enthusiasm for the subject showing.
He smiled and leaned forward on his desk, his face suddenly serious. “This is a very dangerous position you are applying for here, son. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?”
I leaned forward in my chair, looking him square in the eyes, not even blinking to remain eye contact. “I’ll do what I need to, sir.”
We sat there, staring at each other, before he smiled and leaned back, swiveling around in his chair to pull a binder off the bookshelf. “Fortunately for you, we have a position open. And one that isn’t too far away, either.”
I smiled and leaned back, my nerves a wreck, but still intact. I thanked him and signed the proper paperwork, and he congratulated me, sending me back home, saying that I could start next week, and that they would have the supplies I needed to start work.
I walked back home at a casual pace, wanting to see Laurel and tell her the good news. I walked in through the front door a few minutes later, to see the mare of my dreams, lightly dusting things off, the feather duster hanging from her mouth as she hummed a little tune. She turned and smiled at me, setting it on a nearby table. “So what was that all about earlier, huh?” She teased, walking forward and kissing my nose.
I smiled a little wider, kissing her nose back. “I’ve got a job.”
She gasped and smiled at me. “That’s great, Foggy! When do you start?”
“Next week. And uh… I’m going to be leaving early in the mornings to get there on time, though… And I won’t be back until late.”
Her ears drooped as she heard that, her head hanging a little bit. I felt bad and leaned down, kissing her softly. She closed her eyes and leaned against me, hopefully feeling at least a little bit better.
We went upstairs and did very little sleeping that night.
~~~~~~~~~~
I was flying. It felt nice, to let my wings spread wide and carry me across the breeze. I looked ahead of me and around me; nothing but blue skies surrounded me. I looked down, another expanse of blue below. The sea. It has to be. I smiled and kept flying, enjoying the ride.
Then I heard it. The low rumble of thunder. I couldn’t see it, but I could smell the ozone, and hear the soft growling of rain hitting more water. And then it hit me; a bolt of lightning out of the clear blue sky struck me and sent me tumbling into the water far below. It felt like hitting concrete. The breath was knocked from my lungs and my body went limp. My eyes were forced shut from the pain, and when I opened them, I was somewhere else.
I was looking up. Looking up at familiar faces. My sister, Laurel, my mother and father, and ponies that I grew up with. They were… Crying? Why were they crying? I tried to listen, but all I heard was a low ringing, and muffled voices. And then it hit me, the cold earth being thrown into my grave by the shovel full. “No! I’m not dead!” I tried to scream, but no sound emanated from my mouth. I looked up in horror, watching as my family walked away from the hole in the ground, my body slowly being covered by dirt. I watched until just Laurel was left. Her beautiful face contorted with pain, the tears flowing down her cheeks like water from a faucet.
I called out to her. But she couldn’t hear me.
And then I saw the last shovel full of dirt flying at my face.
I sat up with a loud gasp, sweating and panting heavily. I looked around me. Darkness. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the dark room. It was Laurel’s. It was just a nightmare… I felt some stirring beside me, having accidently woken her up. She sat up beside me, rubbing her eye with a hoof.
“Is everything okay sweety…?”
“Yeah… Yeah just… Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep.”
She smiled softly, still half asleep as she lay back down, getting comfy again. I couldn’t fall asleep again, and I wasn’t about to try. I slid out of bed and walked downstairs and checking the clock in the living room. It was only about an hour before I had to leave. I sighed and went back upstairs to clean myself up, and start getting ready for work.
I went back into the bedroom, nudging Laurel awake. She rolled over and slowly opened her eyes. “Nnn… What time is it…?”
“It’s 4 in the morning… I’m heading out, okay?”
“Alright dear… Be careful.” she said, puckering up for a goodbye kiss. I smiled and leaned in, obliging. “Okay. I’ll be back tonight, alright?” She nodded and fell back asleep, dead to the world now. I took a deep breath and headed out, flying in the pitch black of early morning.
I eventually found the worksite, looking for somepony with a blue hardhat. I scanned the ground, looking carefully. And then I found him, a rugged pony with blue coat and white mane. I landed close and walked over to him. “Excuse me, sir?” He turned and smiled a little, walking me towards a large building, almost like a warehouse with smokestacks.
I introduced myself and he introduced himself as “Boss.” It’s what everypony called him before, and he wasn’t about to break tradition. I chuckled a little and followed him past the loud machinery and busy ponies. The factory, I learned, was where the clouds were made, and then let out into the air from the smokestacks. They condensed on their own, and that’s when actual weather ponies took them away to be put to use. Not quite the job I thought it would be, but it was weather, at least… Sort of.
My first day of work was almost entirely training. Safety procedures and how the machines worked and a lot of introductions. I found out where I was going to be working: Station 17. I was told to be especially careful, because Station 17 has a history. In the past few years, there have been accidents. No deaths, just accidents. I shivered at some of the stories. Ponies have lost eyes and limbs and even a few ears, but I was just told to stay extra careful around this machine.
I sighed and finished up my first day, filling out all the insurance paperwork and employee information, heading back home early.
I surprised Laurel with how early I was coming back, her face lighting up to see me so soon. She trotted over, trying not to seem excited and kissed me on the cheek, beaming from ear to ear.
“How was it?”
“Dreadful.” I deadpanned.
She looked at me, shocked, then giggled. “Well you survived, huh?” She smiled and trotted back into the kitchen, starting on dinner. “Hungry?”
I smiled slightly and followed her. “Yeah. What’s for dinner?”
It was then that I realized, that this is my home, now.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next two weeks were rather uneventful. The days came and went. I saw Laurel less and less, but she was developing this habit of staying awake until I got home, and waking up just enough to say goodbye in the mornings. My flights became more and more relaxing the longer I worked, my mind wandering as I flew.
I landed at the entrance of the factory, pulling on my reflective vest and hardhat, walking to notorious Station 17, and hoof bumping my partner, Sparky. Sparky was the mechanic for my machine, and I was the technician. In other words, I made it work, and he fixed it when it didn’t.
Sparky was a cool guy. He had a green coat with a bright yellow mane. His wing was bald in a few spots, assuming from the machine, but no other mentionable marks. He grin ned at me and closed the maintenance doors, putting his tools away. “Just doin’ my upkeep, Foggy. You ready for work?” He asked me, just like he did every day.
“Aren’t I always?” I grinned, pushing the big button on the side, the monster roaring to life.
Today always felt off, even before I left home. Like something was going to happen, but nothing did. I finished my work and packed up everything, flagging Sparky down before he left.
“What’s up?” He asked, smiling like usual.
“Well, I was wondering if you and your wife wanted to come have dinner with my marefriend and I tomorrow night.” Tomorrow, being Saturday, and one of our only days off, would be the only time to socialize and relax.
“Sure, sounds fun. Except I don’t have a wife. I got a kid but that’s it.”
“You can bring them. I’m sure Laurel won’t mind.”
He smiled a little and nodded, taking off to head back home, and I followed suit. Laurel was sitting in her comfy leather chair, curled up and dozing off, like she was every night. She heard the door close, and I could see her smile as she lifted her head. “Welcome home.”
That phrase made me smile every time she said it. I walked over and nuzzled her, starting to walk my lover upstairs so we could head to bed.
“Oh hey. I invited a co-worker and his kid to come over for dinner tomorrow night, okay?”
She nodded and hummed, crawling in under the covers and patting the mattress beside her, beckoning to me. I laughed and crawled in, and immediately she clung to me, nuzzling my chest and neck, not letting go. I reached around and rubbed her mane and neck, letting her fall asleep against me before falling asleep myself.
I love sleep. It’s a beautiful thing. After weeks of only sleeping for about four hours a night, I slept in, and I slept hard. Laurel was able to clean up and make lunch while I was busy drooling on my pillow. I woke up, finally, my mane looking like I flew through a tornado and the fur on my cheek matted from my drool. I walked downstairs, half asleep and sat my butt down at the table, eyes closed and head on the table. Laurel turned and giggled, pulling up a chair and sitting next to me.
“Sleepy?”
“Uh huh…”
She smiled and lay her head next to mine. “You were always such a heavy sleeper. Reminds me of that time you came to class and slept all day. Remember that?”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Teacher was so mad at me.”
She giggled. “And then we crammed all night for the test the next morning.”
I shuddered, remembering that night vividly.
“And that was the first time I kissed you, remember?” She whispered.
“Yeah, I remember. How could I forget?” I smiled, turning my head to look at her. “It was because I was so afraid I’d fail, and you did it to calm me down.”
She nodded and scooted closer to me. “Best decision of my life…” She sighed, cuddling up to me. I wrapped my wing around her and we lay there for a while. I fell asleep again, holding her close.
I woke up about an hour later, to Laurel coming back and snuggling up to me again. I sighed and nuzzled her. She giggled and kissed my cheek. “Come on, Foggy, I need you to wake up. We’re having company over in a few hours, remember?”
I grumbled and slid out of the chair, barely landing on my hooves, heading upstairs to the bathroom to clean up.
I nearly fell asleep in the shower, too. Afterwards, though, I was wide awake and energetic! I trotted my way downstairs again to help Laurel with dinner, trying to help, but mostly just screwing it up. She just laughed and sent me into the living room to wait for our guests to arrive.
I sat there and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Wish I had a book or something.
Wish I was able to cook.
Wish Laurel hadn’t cleaned the house already.
My mind was abuzz with thoughts and ways to get me off my ass to help, but I groaned and acted like a little colt, rolling around on the floor, just groaning and being bored. Laurel came into the living room a few minutes later, and just stared at me. I was on my back, looking at her upside down. “Hi,” I said with a sheepish smile, rolling over onto my belly. “I was just uhhhh…. I got nothin’.” She giggled and booped my nose with hers.
An hour or so of cuddling later, we heard a knock on the door. Laurel jumped up, more excited than I was to have guests. She practically bounced to the door, and I followed after her, chuckling to myself. She opened the door, and there stood Sparky and his little colt. Sparky smiled his usual smile, and nodded to us. “Evenin’ Foggy! This your girl?” Laurel and I laughed, and I nodded. “Yeah, this is Laurel. Laurel, this is Sparky and his kid.”
“Say hi to the nice couple, Bolt.” Sparky said, and his young son, jet black with a mane like his father’s looked up at us, and then back down to his hooves. “He’s just shy. He’ll warm up to you eventually, don’t worry.”
Laurel smiled and we stepped aside, letting the two of them come inside. We gave them a small tour and then Sparky and Bolt and I sat down in the living room to wait for dinner to be ready.
“So how old is he?”
“Bolt’s about to be eight, gonna start school soon, too.”
“Oh yeah? Here in town, or…?”
“Nah, back home. Back in Trottingham.”
“Trottingham? That’s what? Two hours away?”
“Yeah. He’s a little trooper, flying the whole way on his own.”
“Oh yeah? He’s better than I was at his age. I could barely fly for an hour at eight.”
“Well, it’s all he does. He’s wanting to be a Wonderbolt, you know.” Sparky said, beaming with pride.
“Really now? It’s good to have big dreams. Go for it, buddy!” I said, ruffling up the little guy’s mane. He smiled a little and just then Laurel poked her head from in the kitchen. “Come on, boys, dinner’s ready.”
The night went on for a while, all of us sitting at the table and joking, the whole time, Bolt was quiet. He kept glancing at Laurel a lot, though, which I thought kind of weird, but cute, too; and then he spoke up.
“She looks like momma…”
And then everything got quiet. I looked over at Sparky and he was looking at Bolt. Then his ears drooped and he sighed. He extended his wing and pulled his son closer, and he buried his face in his father’s chest, crying silently.
Laurel raised a hoof to her mouth, looking over at me. I bit my lip and cleared my throat a little. “Is he… Is he okay?” I asked Sparky, a little hesitantly.
He sighed and looked up, smiling a little as he told us, “Yeah. His mom passed a few months ago. It was… Painful for the both of us. Especially him. He uh… Came back inside after we were done playing, and…” Sparky paused, the hurt visible on his face.
“I found her… She was on the floor and… She wouldn’t wake up….” Bolt choked out between sobs.
I sat there, slack-jawed from hearing the story. A young colt finding his own mother dead. Especially after just having fun, the emotional roller coaster must have been hell for him. Immediately, Laurel jumped up and pulled little Bolt to her chest, hugging him tight. “Shhhh. It’s okay little one.” She cooed into his ear. He sniffled and sobbed into her chest, almost starting to wail after a while. Sparky and I watched with sullen expressions, my eyes starting to water, and Sparky trembling slightly. Laurel held the child for a long time, letting him let it all out. He cried and cried and held on tightly. I couldn’t imagine it. To be so young and without a mother must be awful.
Later that evening, after dinner and after everyone calmed down, we sat in the living room and talked, Bolt opening up much more after the breakdown. He smiled and laughed and made jokes, and had a fun time. I smiled and looked up at the clock, cursing a little.
“Hey guys, it’s awfully late. If you don’t want to fly back tonight, you can stay here.”
Sparky looked at me, shocked. “We wouldn’t want to impose…”
Laurel cut him off. “No no, we don’t mind. Stay the night and head out in the morning, kay?”
Sparky and bolt smiled, nodding and continuing the fun.
After everyone went to bed, Laurel and I lay in bed, talking quietly. “Foggy… I… I want to have a baby.”
I looked at her, shocked. “What now?”
“I want to have a baby. I want to have a little foal to hold and to love and to raise… With you.”
My jaw fell. I stared at her and slowly, a smile crept onto my face. I leaned in and kissed her deeply, pulling her close and cuddling with her. “Yeah, okay. Let’s have a baby, Laurel.” She smiled and nearly teared up as she looked at me. “Thank you, Foggy.” She whispered, pushing her face into my neck before falling asleep, and I followed suit shortly after.
~~~~~~~~~~
We waved as Sparky and Bolt left our house the next morning, but not until after breakfast. Laurel smiled at me and practically pushed me back into the house.
“Geez! Come on baby, I know you’re excited but calm down a little.”
She giggled and kept nudging me, pushing me closer and closer to the bedroom. Finally, we made it, and there we stayed.
“You…” I panted, “Are insatiable…” She laughed a little and lay beside me, breathing just as hard as I was, done for today, I think.
“So now we wait…” She said, softly licking my neck before she slid out of bed to go clean herself up. I shrugged and followed, thinking that one more couldn’t hurt.
~~~~~~~~~~
The weeks flew by, and nearly every weekend, we had dinner with Sparky and Bolt, sometimes hanging out with them the next day. We were all becoming great friends, Bolt even going so far as to call Laurel and I aunt and uncle. It made us blush a little to be called that, but it was nice; it made Laurel want a baby that much more.
It was a Tuesday morning, and I was just barely awake, walking in and taking a seat at Station 17, Sparky inside the monster of a machine, fixing something that had gone wrong with it the night before. I yawned and he crawled out of the machine to grin. “Long night?” He teased, chuckling at me.
“You could say that.” I smirked, stretching before standing up again. “I’m gonna get some coffee. You want some?”
“Yeah, that’d be awesome.”
I smiled and walked my way to the break room, smiling at the ponies I went by, and starting the coffee maker. I sighed and sat down, waiting patiently. Those few minutes felt like a few hours as I watched the brown liquid drip into the pot. Eventually, I made my cup and Sparky’s, heading back to my work station. I sighed and shook my head with a smile to see Sparky still inside this thing, rummaging around and cursing.
“Oi! Foggy!” My ears perked up a little as I drank my coffee. “Do me a favor! Hit the green button!”
What?! He wants me to turn it on with him inside?! “No friggin’ way! You want me to turn this thing on with you working on it?!”
“Yeah! It’ll take me hours to figure out what the hell is wrong with it while it’s off! It’ll only take me a few minutes if you turn it on and then back off!”
I stood there, staring at his back hooves as if he could see me. “Come on Foggy! Hit the damn button already! I’ll be fine!”
I hesitated, setting the cups down and stepping closer to the control panel. “Are you sure about this?”
He poked his head out and smiled at me. “‘Course I am! I got a kid to go home to, remember? I can’t leave him by himself!”
I smiled a little and let him crawl back inside. I took a deep breath and depressed the green button. The machine wouldn’t turn on until I let go. “Ready?!”
“Go for it!” He yelled, the sounds of the other machines and ponies being drowned out by my own blood pumping through my veins. Time seemed to slow down as I pulled my hoof away from the panel, the machine clunking and grinding. I let it make noise for a few seconds before hitting the off button, sticking my head in the maintenance doors to look for Sparky. I didn’t see him, and I started to panic.
“Come on! Almost there!” I heard him from inside the machine. “I’m really close to the problem! Just a few more seconds!” I was still really nervous.
“Will you be able to get out?!”
“When you hear it running normally, shut it off!” I heard. I didn’t want to do it, but I reached out and hit the button again, the grinding and metallic sounds overwhelming everything else.
And then I heard it.
The scream. “Shut it off! Shut it off!!” I heard, but then there was an earsplitting cry of pain. In that one split second, I froze. I finally regained my wits and slammed on the emergency off switch, the power to the whole factory going down, all the machines stopping and ponies murmuring amongst each other.
I quickly jumped into Station 17’s maintenance doors and looked around. “Sparky?!” I cried, crawling around the confines of the machine. “Sparky answer me!”
And then I saw him. Or, what was left of him. His blood and fur and chunks of bone mangled in with the gears and inner workings. I stared at the carnage, my pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks as I climbed out. As soon as my hooves hit concrete, I heaved. I gagged and wretched, vomiting on the floor right there, in front of everypony. By now, they were running over, and I couldn’t stop throwing up.
I was sweating. It was a cold sweat. I was going into shock. I heaved again, nothing but stomach acid coming out of my throat now, burning my mouth and nostrils.
I killed him…
He’s dead because of me…
What about Bolt…?
Oh sweet and merciful Celestia… I killed him…
These were the thoughts that raced through my head. What happens next? What happens to me? More importantly, what will happen to young Bolt? I stood there, staring at the puddle of my own sick, ponies running around on all sides of me, hurriedly calling police and emergency services. I looked up and saw Boss standing in front of me, worried and confused. His mouth was moving but no sound came out.
What was he asking me…? What was he saying…? I couldn’t tell. My ears were ringing and I was lightheaded.
“I… I need to go lay down…” I slurred, stumbling to the break room and falling out on the couch. Then the world went black.
When I woke up, I was still on the couch, Boss sitting in a chair a few feet away. I groaned a little and sat up.
“Easy there, Foggy. Don’t sit up too fast.” He said, standing up. “You okay son?”
“I killed him…” I moaned, my voice cracking as tears filled my eyes. “I-I knew I shouldn’t have listened…! I’m so stupid! Wh-why did I kill him?!” I cried, the tears flowing freely now.
Boss looked down at me and sat next to me on the couch. “You didn’t kill him, Foggy. He knew what he was doing. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“But I turned it on! I turned on the machine! I KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!!” I screamed, angry at myself, my heart broken and my mind on the edge. I was stricken with grief and pain and terror and a thousand other feelings that I couldn’t identify. I whimpered and stared up at the ceiling as I cried.
The police came, and questioned me. The paramedics came, and consoled me, saying it was painless.
That was a load of crap. They didn’t hear his scream. It was horrible. The more I thought about it, the better I could hear it. I could swear I even heard him squish and his bones crunch. I got up and heaved into the trash can. Still only acid.
Boss sent me home shortly after that.
I walked the miles that I normally flew. My wings wouldn’t work. I didn’t want them to work. I didn’t want to do anything. A few hours later I made it home. I pushed the door open, hardly making a sound as I made my way upstairs, and crawling into bed. Laurel was in the bathroom, and I lay there, staring at the wall.
I killed him… I kept thinking, over and over again.
I heard the shower turn off, and the door open and close, and then I saw the light from the bedroom door opening. “Foggy…?” I heard her say. I could hear the worry in her voice. “I didn’t hear you come home. Is everything okay?”
I just sat there, staring at the wall. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t to move. I just wanted to die. Laurel sat down on the bed beside me, her wet mane clinging to her neck and shoulders. “Sweety…?”
“Sparky’s gone…” I choked out, the tears welling up again.
“Wh-what? What do you mean he’s gone…?” I didn’t say anything. “Foggy,” She said, the worry increasing in her voice, “What do you mean he’s gone? Did he move?”
I shook my head softly. I started crying again, Laurel looking at me. I moved my mouth, but nothing came out. I forced the sound out, one syllable at a time.
“I… k-killed him…” I squeaked out, my voice broken.
Laurel gasped softly, her eyes welling up a little too. “Wh-what happened?” She asked. I shook my head, the tears rolling across my cheeks and muzzle. She sat down on the floor, looking at her hooves. I sighed a little and then she jumped up, grabbing me and pulling me out of bed, my head hitting the floor.
“Ow!” I said, rubbing my head. “What’d you do that for?!”
“Because I’m not going to let you stay in bed all day and only make things worse!” She yelled at me. I was taken aback, stunned. She never yelled. I looked up at her and smiled a little bit.
“Alright…”
“Now, remember Sparky as he was! A good stallion and father! Now, let’s go pick up Bolt. He can’t stay by himself, now can he?”
~~~~~~~~~~
We got on a train and rode to Trottingham that day, finding the young colt and breaking the news to him. Laurel sat in the living room with him, his face buried in her chest as he cried again. He squeezed her tight and let it all out. It must be hard, losing both your parents in the same year.
“Th-thank you, uncle Foggy and aunt Laurel…” he choked out, smiling innocently at us. We smiled back, hugging him and helping him pack up, taking him back home with us.
His father’s funeral was two weeks later. We bought him some nice clothes and got him dressed up. I even showed him how to tie a tie on his own. He beamed as he finally figured it out, and I smiled down at him, a little proud.
We walked to the plot that Bolt had picked out for his dad, right next to his mom. We shuffled across the green grass and joined the other mourners. Laurel had replaced her golden bow with a black one, and I wore a black suit, like Bolt. The ceremony was wonderful. A beautiful testament to an amazing friend and a loving father. The three of us stayed behind, after everypony else had left, to let Bolt have some more time with his dad. “I miss you…” He said to the slab of stone and the small mound in front of him. “You were the best. You’re with mom now, aren’t you? I bet it’s nice… Tell her I miss her, too.” Laurel started tearing up, gently resting her head against my neck, crying silently into my fur. “Hope you guys have fun. I’ll see ya later, I guess.” He smiled softly. Not a single tear, or crack in his voice showed. He’s a strong kid, he’ll be fine, I’m sure.
We went home shortly after that, and had dinner. "Hungry, Bolt?" Laurel asked, smiling at him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Time passed, and the three of us fell into a routine. I would go to work, and Laurel would send Bolt off to school. Then he’d come home, do his homework and help around the house until I got home. Then we’d have dinner, and talk, and generally have a good time. There were times when the atmosphere got sullen, but it usually passed by the time we all went to bed.
Laurel and I didn’t have another bedroom, so Bolt usually slept with us, which none of us minded. It seemed to appease Laurel’s maternal instinct. Eventually, though, she would want to have a baby of her own, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
On my days off, we spent them like a family. We would go for walks, see movies, go out to dinner, and I’d often race Bolt while Laurel watched. He’s beaten me a lot of times, just proving how his dreams will most likely be a reality; sooner than he thinks.
One weekend, we were having a picnic on the beach, a checkered blanket underneath us and a nice meal that Laurel and Bolt made spread out. He had never lived by the beach, he said, so he was excited to almost always be able to hear the ocean, and smell the salt. “I don’t ever want to leave!” He said excitedly, right before jumping into the water and playing. Laurel and I sat in the sand, watching him, smiling.
After a few hours, we went back home, the three of us cuddling on the couch, Bolt in the middle. He picked up his head and looked at us with a big smile. “I love you guys, you know that?”
Laurel beamed from ear to ear, and almost started crying, nuzzling the little colt affectionately. “We love you too, Bolt.” She said. I smiled and nodded, nuzzling his other cheek. We all went to bed that night with huge smiles, feeling like a true, honest-to-Celestia family.
I was still working to get enough money to marry Laurel, and I was nearly there. I came back home one evening to see Bolt sleeping on the couch, Laurel cleaning the kitchen. She smiled at me and kissed my cheek, nodding to Bolt and shushing me. I chuckled and whispered to her. “Remember that goal I set? How much money I wanted to save up before we started looking for a house? Well, I’m almost there!” She nearly squealed and hugged me tight. We loved this house, but it was old and starting to fall apart. It seemed we were fixing little problems more than actually living in it, but that was fine, because we’d be moving soon.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and we were sitting in the living room, relaxing, when a knock came on the door. I got up and opened it, an elderly mare and stallion standing there, smiling a little. I blinked and looked at them for a few seconds. “H-hello. How can I help you?”
“Yes, we’re Bolt’s grandparents, and we’ve come to take him home.” The mare said.
I looked at them and looked back at Laurel, Bolt napping against her side. “I… We can’t do that, I’m sorry. We’re a family here…”
“No, son,” the stallion spoke up, “We’re his family.” He spoke with a tone that demanded respect. My ears laid back as I looked back and forth between them. I sighed softly and shook my head.
“Sorry. I’m not going to let him go.”
“Then we’ll be forced to press kidnapping charges.”
I froze and stared at them, unbelieving. “Wh-what?! Why?!” I was shocked, to think that somepony would talk a young colt from a loving home.
“You heard me. We don’t know you, and you are in illegal custody of our grandson. Now, you will send him home with us, or we will take him back.”
I stood there, slack-jawed. I grit my teeth and sighed again. “Fine… I’ll send him to pack his things…”
I turned and slowly walked back inside, nudging what had grown to be like my own child awake. “Come on Bolt… Go upstairs and pack your stuff…” I said, not wanting to in the least.
“W-why…?” He asked, looking a little scared.
I pursed my lips and shook my head, nudging him up the stairs. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.”
He looked down at me, then finally went upstairs and started packing.
“Foggy? What’s going on?” Laurel sat up on the couch, watching me, terrified.
I looked away from her, and went back to the front door. “He’s packing.” I told his grandparents, tears in the corners of my eyes.
They nodded and smiled. And they waited. Bolt came back downstairs a few minutes later to see his grandparents and I at the door. “G-grandma…? Grandpa? What…” He started, and then he figured it out. He whimpered softly and silently walked out the door, looking like he was about to cry.
“Thank you sir,” The old mare said, smiling at me, “We’ll make sure he is very well taken care of.”
Laurel came out of the living room and stopped in the doorway. “Foggy? What’s going on?” She asked, as soon as she saw Bolt with his things packed, standing next to the elderly couple. “Foggy. Answer me.” She said, staring daggers at me.
“These are Bolt’s grandparents. They’re here to take him home.”
Laurel stared at me, and then them. “Over my dead body!” She said, starting to walk over to them. I spread my wings as wide as I could, stopping her. She stopped and stared at me, shocked. “Foggy. Let me by, right now.”
“I can’t Laurel.” I told her, my face as stern as I could make it. I heard Bolt’s grandparents usher him into a chariot, and I heard it ride away. Laurel and I stood there, staring each other down. She had tears in her eyes as she started screaming at me.
“How could you let them take him?!” She cried.
“They were going to press charges.”
“But we’re a family!”
“They’re his family.”
“He was my baby!” She screamed, tears flowing freely now.
“He wasn’t our baby!” I yelled. She took a step back, still crying, her tears dripping to the floor. “He wasn’t our baby! He was their grandchild, and they wanted him home! There was nothing I could do, Laurel!” I screamed, the tears streaming down my own cheeks as the words came out. Laurel fell back onto her haunches and cried harder. I folded my wings up again and pulled her close. She cried harder than ever into my chest, and I cried silently into her mane. We sat there, for what seemed like hours, having lost the closest thing to a child we had.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was lonely without Bolt. The house seemed empty. But eventually, we got used to it again. We sat around most days after he left, sitting silently. Finally we got back to our normal routine, but it took some doing. We started laughing and having a good time together, like we used to.
And sure enough, her biological clock started ticking again, and we started trying to have a baby again. So far, nothing, but we’re still hopeful.
About a month after things got back to normal, she woke me up, after a long, restful night of sleep after work, and stood there, smiling at me.
“Wake up dear. Today’s a special day.” She said, touching her nose to mine.
“What is it…?”
She huffed softly and puffed up her cheeks. “You really don’t remember?”
I blinked and sat up, looking at her. “Is it your birthday?” She stared at me. “Is it my birthday?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Our anniversary.”
I blinked a few times and then I perked up. That’s right, today was one year since we started dating. “That’s today?!” I jumped up, smiling. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go do something!”
She giggled and rolled her eyes again. “Like what?”
“Ummm… I dunno. I’ll figure something out.”
“Let’s go somewhere nice for dinner. Like we did on our first date.”
I smiled, “Sounds like a good idea.” And that was that. We had plans for our one year anniversary, and we were both looking forward to them.
I bit my lip as I walked to the bank that day, and smiled wide.
I had enough money.
This is it..! I’ll do it tonight!
I rushed over to the jeweler, and started looking through everything. I couldn’t make up my mind, it all looked beautiful, but I couldn’t find anything that I liked on her. I groaned and ran my hoof through my mane in frustration. And then I found something. It was a golden chain with a large sapphire hanging on it, framed by little diamonds. I smiled and pointed it out to the salespony, and he looked at me a little funny.
“This is very expensive, you know.” He said, warning me a little.
“Yeah I know. Just box it up, eh?” I smiled, writing a check to cover it.
And now I’m broke.
~~~~~~~~~~
I hummed to myself as I combed my mane back, my suit pressed and clean and looking nice. Laurel came up behind me, wearing a nice red dress that sparkled slightly.
“Well don’t you look handsome.” She said, looking at me through the mirror with a seductive smile.
“And you look ravishing, my dear.” I replied, nipping at her ear, pulling a soft moan from between her lips.
She blushed and giggled. “Easy there, tiger, or else we’ll end up being late for our date.”
I laughed and finished getting ready, walking her out and into town. I picked reservations for the restaurant we ate at on our very first date, a wonderful place to propose at. The butterflies in my stomach were getting excited, the box in my suit pocket getting heavier with each step. I smiled as I led her inside, walking us over to our seat on the balcony, looking out over the water. A cliche spot to propose, sure, but a wonderful place, nonetheless.
Our dinner went off without a hitch, and at the end of it, when we were talking and smiling and laughing, I took a deep breath and slid the box up onto the table, pushing it over to her.
“What’s this?” She said, cocking her head as she looked at the long box.
“Just open it.” I said, smiling, my heart up in my throat.
And she did just that. I had written on a little card and taped it to the lid of the box. When she opened it and saw the necklace, and the note that said “Will you marry me?” she gasped. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. I smiled wider at her, leaning forward a little.
“Yes,” She squeaked, “Yes, of course I will.” She said, a sob slipping out right at the end. She was smiling just as wide as I was as I walked over, putting the necklace on her and kissing her softly. She wrapped her front hooves around my neck and I pushed against her.
“I love you so much, Foggy.” She whispered into my ear, nuzzling me. I could feel the slight wetness on my neck from her tears, and it felt good, to know that I make her this happy.
We went home that night and did very little sleeping.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks have passed since Laurel and I got engaged. We’ve been much more affectionate than usual because of it. I went ahead and put in a request for some time off and went ahead and scheduled a vacation to Canterlot for the two of us. We were both excited, figuring out where we were going to stay, and what we were going to do.
“Hey Foggy?”
“What’s up?”
“I told my parents about us being engaged.”
“Yeah? How’d that go?”
“They want to have us over for dinner.” She smiled, booping my nose, her necklace jingling.
“Oh? Have I met your parents yet?”
“No, I don’t think so. And it’s about time, too!” She said, puffing up her cheeks, making herself look cuter without trying.
I laughed, smiling at her. “Okay okay! Don’t get mad at me, love. We’ll go have dinner with them, okay?”
“Yay!” She said, smiling wider. “We’ll go this weekend, kay?”
“Sounds fine.” I smiled, heading upstairs with her to head to bed.
That weekend, we got a chariot and went out of town to a little house in the middle of nowhere, where Laurel’s parents lived. It was quiet, and a nice place, so we could relax and spend the weekend without worrying about anything.
It was nice to go somewhere every once in a while.
Laurel knocked on the front door, and her father answered, smiling wide and hugging her. “Haven’t seen you in ages, baby girl. This your stallion?”
“Yes, daddy, this is Foggy.”
“Nice to meet you, sir.” I said, a little nervous. Meeting your marefriend’s parents is always a nerve-wracking thing.
“You too, son.” He said, smiling at me and inviting us in.
It was a nice little house, decorated with antiques and knick-knacks, giving it that ‘older’ feel to it. Laurel gave me the tour, showing me where everything was, including where we’d be staying the night. Turns out it was her bedroom when she was a filly, and her parents keep it ready for whenever she decides to visit.
Laurel’s father and I sat in the living room while the girls got dinner ready, and we talked for a while. Turns out he was a soldier when he was younger, having retired after being injured. I told him that he looked fine, and he laughed.
“Well, if you watch, I limp a little bit. It’s not bad but it bugs me.”
He was a kind-hearted stallion. It was hard to see him in the military. We talked about work, play, mares, and the upcoming vacation Laurel and I had planned.
“You’ll like Canterlot.” He said. “Not incredibly busy, but still a lot of ponies to see. There are even a few gryphons if you know where to look.” He chuckled, shaking his head a bit. I smiled and Laurel called us in.
“Daddy! Foggy! Dinner’s ready!”
We sat and had an enjoyable dinner, everypony laughing and telling stories and having a moment of silence for Sparky.
Later, Laurel was nearly squealing, so I looked at her a little funny. “Are you okay over there, hon?”
She smiled wide and stood up. “I wanted to wait, but I can’t anymore! Mom, dad, Foggy… I’m pregnant!”
My jaw dropped and so did her father’s. Her mother squealed and jumped up, hugging her daughter tight. I sat there, looking at her, and she looked at me.
“Wh-wha… Pregnant…?” She smiled and nodded excitedly. “Pregnant?” I asked again.
“Yes, Foggy. We’re going to have a baby.”
I smiled and slid out of my chair, walking over and hugging her tight, kissing her lovingly. “It’s about time, too, huh?”
“Yeah.” She smiled and kissed my cheek. Her parents congratulated us and went off to bed, and we followed suit shortly after.
~~~~~~~~~~
We leave for our vacation in the morning, and Laurel’s baby bump is noticeable. I’ve spent many a night laying down with her, my ear up against her belly, smiling like a fool. I’m doing it now, in fact, feeling little motions and smiling even wider. Laurel giggled and stroked my mane. I looked up at her and nuzzled her hoof.
“Hard to believe… We finally have a baby.”
“Not yet, Foggy. We still have a while.”
I sighed and laid my head down, looking at my pregnant fiance rest up.
I got up and finally got to cleaning up the house, starting to take care of a lot of things since Laurel is pregnant.
The next morning, we took all our things and went to the train station, boarding, and heading to Canterlot for our vacation. We took our seats and put everything away, getting comfortable and sleeping, having had to get up super early to catch our train.
There were two sets of tracks: one going from Seaside, our home, and another going to it.
I woke up a few hours later, hearing the horn of the train from far away. I thought nothing of it. Nopony did. I leaned against the window, and then I saw it happen: suddenly, the oncoming train hit the brakes. Hard. So hard, that it got derailed, falling on its side. It fell onto our set of tracks. It was too close. The conductor hit the emergency brakes but we couldn’t stop. I threw myself on top of Laurel as soon as I heard the squeal.
Then everything went dark.
I woke up I don’t know how much later. I picked up my head and looked around. Glass and luggage and ponies were scattered everywhere. Some ponies were already awake, and some were still just getting up. I groaned and pulled myself up, wincing. My wing hung limply by my side, dragging through the glass. I looked around, and didn’t see Laurel.
“Laurel?!” I called out.
No response.
“Laurel?! Can you hear me?!”
Still nothing.
I started looking around frantically, throwing luggage out of my way, searching for her, praying that she was okay.
I found her.
She was buried under some suitcases. Blood dribbled from her nose, and her eyes were closed. I stood over her, looking down at her.
“No… No no no, please.” I whispered, leaning down and nudging her with my muzzle.
She didn’t react.
I couldn’t feel her breathing.
“No… Laurel, please, wake up.” I whimpered, tears starting to flow.
“You can’t leave me, Laurel…” I sobbed, pulling her limp form closer. “W-we still have to get married… A-and we have a foal on the way… P-please Laurel, wake up…” I whimpered, crying into her mane.
I sat there, until police and paramedics came, cradling my dead lover, carrying our child, and cried. I cried harder than ever.
I’ve lost everything.
My love.
And our child.
~~~~~~~~~~
I sat there, in the rain, in front of the stone slab, the mound of dirt still fresh. I had lost weight, a considerable amount of weight. I didn’t eat. I didn’t work. I didn’t want to live anymore. I just wanted my family back.
I sat there, in the rain, and cried.
On the headstone, there were words engraved. I had read them over and over again, so much so that I had them memorized.
“Here lies Laurel Shores. A wonderful wife, and a glorious mother.”
End Act I.
