Kalfu sat in his chair in his little voodoo shop as he awaited the next customer. The sound of the rain hitting the roof top and the crackle of the fireplace that kept the shop well heated during these kinds of days were making him slip in and out of light slumber as he rocked slowly. He was most certainly enjoying the peace and quiet while he could. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming in the near future. Something that he would have to deal with to protect his loved ones and his business.

The blank voodoo template that sat on the countertop next to him looked over at him through its buttoned eyes with a worried look, sensing its master’s concern. Kalfu looked over to the doll and chuckled lightly “Don’t you worry, little guy. Everything will be alright in the end. I will make sure of it.” he said as he sat there and watched the rain fall outside of his open door which was prompted open by a hefty stone he had found one day. He brings his cup up to his lips which had fresh hot chocolate with marshmallows in it and takes a long sip as he rocked away.

He was about to drift off for a few more minutes until he heard the sound of multiple sets of hooves splashing in the rain heading towards his shop. And they sounded quite light as well. Perhaps young ones seeking shelter from the rain? It was that time when they let out for school. It wasn’t long before he saw who it was coming in. It was his daughter and her friends charging forward with their umbrella in hand.

Kalfu sat his cup down on the countertop and walked over to the doorway before waving his arm to beckon them inside “Come in, come in! You three don’t need to be out there in the cold and rain!” he exclaimed before standing aside to let them inside. While the other two ran past, Scootaloo collided with Kalfu with a big hug, having gotten used to showing affection to him in front of others now “Hi, daddy. Sorry, we were on our way home and it just started pouring. This was the only near by place we could get to without getting soaked.” she said as she looked up at him.

Kalfu smiled and gently ruffled her mane “No need to apologize, my dear. You know you and your friends are always welcome. You three are my students after all. Not to mention you are my daughter, silly girl~.” he said as he gently booped her nose with an index finger. She giggled and only wrapped her arms around him even tighter in return before she went over to the fireplace to warm up with her friends. “I have a fresh pot of hot chocolate. Would you girls care for any?” he asked as he made three extra mags appear from out of nowhere. “Yes, please!” they responded in unison.

Kalfu nodded and brought them their fully filled mugs of the sweet drink with marshmallows as well. Once he did that, he returned back to his chair while the girls sat around the fire to warm up and dry off as they talked amongst themselves about their day. It seemed that the rain wasn’t letting up anytime soon. So after a couple of hours, Kalfu sent Applebloom and Sweetie home through a couple of his portals so that they wouldn’t have to run home in the rain. However, now that her friends had left, Scootaloo could plop herself in her father’s lap and curls up. Kalfu reached around her to hug her closely with one arm as he continued to rock in his chair.

All was quiet for a while before Scootalo looked up at Kalfu as her head rested on his chest “Daddy, the day after tomorrow is career day at the school. And everyone’s parents are gonna show up there. Do…you think you could-..?” she asked before she was cut off by an immediate “Absolutely, my sweet. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I never really got to experience career day myself when I was younger. Mostly because my father was…well…I don’t think you are ready for that story quite yuet. Let’s just say he was a very, very bad individual. So yes. I will absolutely be there to show all your classmates that you have the coolest dad in all the world.” he said with a warm smile before kissing her on the forehead.

The filly’s tail was swaying happily at a rapid pace at his answer. She had never had the chance to experience it either. So many career days have passed her by since she was in school. But not anymore. “Thank you so much, daddy. I can’t wait to rub it in the faces of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They have been bullying me and telling me that I really don’t have a father in my life…” she said as she buried ehr face into his chest and hugged him even tighter. ”Well then…I will just have to show those two little spoiled bitches what’s what then…” he thought to himself before combing through her mane with his fingers “Well, I will put on a show they will never forget then.” he said in a much nicer way than he was thinking before.

The day finally came when the student’s parents came to visit the school and talk about how they made a living for their family. There were doctors, merchants, entrepreneurs, all kinds of way of making a living. It was finally time for Scootalo’s father to step up in front of the group of young ponies. But, it seemed that he was taking his sweet time in showing up. “I bet you don’t even have a dad. You are such a liar.” Diamond Tiara taunted Scootaloo with a whisper who looked at the spoiled fuilly with a glare. “My dad is real! And he is ten times cooler than yours!” she whispered back.

Suddenly, the room seemed to gain a strange darkness to it before a dark portal appeared at the front of the room. Kalfu slowly rose up from inside of it before floating there for a moment in the most coolest hands out to the side pose ever. After the portal disappeared, Kalfu removed his hat with a bow while placing it over his chest before coming back up and placing it back on his head “Greetings, young ones. A tip of the hat from Kalfu. How y’all doin’?” he asked before making a bouquet of white lilies appear from out of thin air before offering them to the rather beautiful teacher, Ms. Cheerlee.

The mare blushed slightly before graciously taking the flowers before Kalfu stared out at all the young faces in the room “Good to meet you all. I am Scootaloo’s father. I am also the owner of the little voodoo shop in town. I deal in all kinds of merchandise, including wishes. But, that is mostly for adult clients. I can also read your future and change it around some to if it so pleases me. Now, do any of you youngins have any questions for me?” he asked as he stood there with his cane in front of him.

One of the ponies immediately raised their hand “Uuum…what exactly is voodoo, mister?” they asked with a genuine look of curiosity on their face. “Well, let me break it down so you kiddos can understand. Though, a few of you in here already understand the basics” he said as he smiled at his three students and returned that smile. Kalfu explained the fundamentals of the voodoo religion and basic magic to the group. Even giving a little demonstration of the various kinds of trinkets, charms and stuff that is appropriate to teach the children.

It wasn’t until Diamond Tiara raised her hand while gazing aty Kalfu mockingly “So, you run a little tiny shop in the middle of town. I bet you hardly make a living to provide for your family huh?” she asked with a smirk. Scootaloo was about to speak up before Kalfu started walking down the aisle of desks and stopped in front of Diamond’s desk and leaned forward “Well, my financial status is none of your business, my dear. But, if you must know, I am happily in the black when it comes to monetary matters.” he said as he leaned in closer “You however, have no monetary merits to speak of. So what right do you have to ask me such things hmmmm?”.

She looked up at Kalfu before confidently blurting out “Well, my daddy is the most rich stallion in all of Ponyville!”. Kalfu arched a brow and nodded “Yes, your FATHER is. Not you. So, what gives you the right to claim that you are better than everyone else and bully other ponies siomply because your family has a little bit more money than everyone else? By that logic, Scootaloo should be able to bully you. Since I am far richer than your father. Right?” She was about to protest before she closed her mouth. And then, she said something that she would regret for the rest of her life as Kalfu started walking away.

“Yeah? Well at least my father is my real one! Not like this creepy freak!” she said before clasping her mouth closed with both hands. The whole classroom gasped in absolute shock. Kalfu stopped on his way back up to the classroom before Ms. Cheerlee spoke out “Diamond Tiara! That is enough from you! Apologize right now!” she said as she was about to storm towards the filly. Kalfu held up a hand to stop the teacher’s advancement before he turned back around to face the mouthy brat. “You are right. I am not her biological father. But…” he says before slowly approaching ehr once more “....you better believe the I love her just as much as if she were my own flesh and blood. So, to you and everyone else, I may as well be her real father. I love that child with all I have. So, watch your words, little one. They may just come back and big you in your backside. Your father may just lose all his money and investments if you continue to cause trouble for others…” he said as he firmly, but gently poked an index finger to her forehead a couple times before heading back up to the front.

Scootaloo sat in her chair with the biggest smile on her muzzle. Those words that came from her father made ehr the happiest filly in the whole world right then and there as she knew that Kalfu loved her as much as he said he did. He truly was the best father a pony could ask for in her eyes. Even Silver Spoon admired the man’s words as she gazed upon him in admiration. Kalfu answered a few more questions pertaining to his little shop and voodoo in general before making a portal appear and tipping his hat to the class “Alright young ones, I am afraid that is all I can teach you for now. However, if you wish to become more advanced students when it comes to the ways of voodoo, my door at my shop is always open. So please, stop on by.” he said before he descended into the portal and vanished.

Later that night when most of Ponyville was asleep, Kalfu appeared in the yard of Filthy Rich’s mansion and began carving the hex of greed circle several times around the property before concealing each circle under a rock. Once done, he quietly begins to chant before what sounds like a sealing noise echoed around the property “Time to remind you of your roots for a little while…” he said to himself before vanishing back to his own home.

A couple weeks later, Kalfu was strolling past the very same mansion as he watched repossession ponies entering and leaving the mansion. He stood across the street watching as he twirled his cane idly with a sharp toothy smile on his face as he watched the the brat and what he assumed was her mother dropping to their knees in despair as all their fancy things were being taken from them. The hex wasn’t going to rob them of everything, just drop them down to what the regular average family had. And it was only till Kalfu decided they earned their life of luxury back.

Diamond Tiara stopped her bawling and whining just enough to catch a glimpse of Kalfu across the street. He smiled wickedly before tipping his hat to her and vanishing into a cloud of black and green smoke. She knew he had something to do with this. But what could she do? She had absolutely no proof of how or when he did it. She wasn’t going to like it, but her life from now on was going to be one filled with humility.

Kalfu continued on his merry way through the town, noticing that the fall was definitely here as he saw all the orange, yellow and brown leaves on the ground and swirling in the air. Not to mention all the Nightmare Night decor that was being put up in preparation for the celebration. Perhaps…he would do something fun for the community this year. Maybe another palm reading booth? Who knows.

A couple days later, Kalfu was hanging around in his shop when the door flung open and a disheveled Diamond Tiara stomped forward with a look of absolute anger “What did you do?!” she screamed. Kalfu smiled for a moment before turning around and speaking to her with a straight face “Why, whatever do you mean, my dear? What is the matter? You are looking a little worse for wear.” he said as he feigned concern.

“Don’t give me that! I know it was you that had something to do with my daddy’s money disappearing! I demand you make it all come back right now!” she huffed as she pointed an accusatory finger at him. Kalfu arched a brow before stepping around his countertop and leaned forward, making the filly step back a couple times “Maybe…you should treat others with a little more respect and not be like your mother.” he said as he began to walk circles around her slowly. “That’s right little missy. I know all about her. And the fact that she is trying to force her ways upon you. To look down on others who is falling behind in life or just something as simple as mocking another pony for the lack of cutiemark.” he said before making his way back to the countertop while looking down at his little blank template buddy.

Diamond Tiara looked down at the ground as she knew the voodoo man had her beat when it comes to her mother, Spoiled Milk. She slowly lifted her head as tears flooded her eyes and the look of anger still persisted “You won’t get away with this…I swear!” she declared. Kalfu chuckled and stared over his shoulder at her “Get away with what? I am simply a humble shop owner. Blaming your misfortunes on me won't help your situation. You want my advice? Try living your life with a bit of humility and put yourself in the hooves of those who don’t get to live so extravagantly. Then maybe…just maybe things may go back to normal for you and your family.” he said as he went back behind the counter and faced her.

Of course, given how stubborn Diamond Tiara was, it was going to be a while before the lesson sunk in. She simply lets out a huff and runs out the door. What could she do? She knew it was him, but had no proof whatsoever and didn’t even know how he did it let alone where to look. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was soundly beat by this man. And so began her new life as an average filly just like most of the folk in Ponyville.

Author's Note

My grammar program has been acting up recently. So sorry for the mistakes that may be in this chapter.

May the darkness grant you peace.