Anon sat by the lakeside near Ponyville. The lake was usually a good place to relax, take a swim or just unwind.
Today. It was a good place to reflect.
He grabbed a shovel and got to work.
A final duty for a beloved friend.
* * *
The sun hung low in the sky when Twilight Sparkle came by the lake to check on Anon. Her friends had said that he looked sad but nopony knew why.
Trotting up to him, she came to a sudden stop and her breath hitched when she saw a freshly dug grave next to Anon, the sad human drinking a mug of cider and looking at the peaceful water.
“Anon?”
He turned to her, tears rolling down his face. “Twilight.”
She walked forward, pulled by the pain in his voice. Wrapping him in a hug, he cried into her chest fluff. She tried to soothe him. “What happened?”
She let go and sat down beside him. He took a long drag on his cider and tried to compose himself.
“My cat, Duke, died today. When I was pulled into Equestria, he was in my lap. so he was pulled in with me. He was the only thing left I had of home, and now he’s gone.”
Twilight could feel tears forming in her own eyes. Duke was a good cat. Very friendly for a tomcat. “Tell me more about him…”
Anon nodded. “He was 19 years old. We got him when he was 4 months old from a rescue. He was in a glass box at the front of the store with a sign that said, ‘My time is running out.’ We couldn’t just leave him there, so we adopted him right then and there.”
Anon’s expression went wistful with the storm of memories. “My wife was five months pregnant with our daughter at the time and he would sleep on her stomach. I’m convinced that he could hear the baby’s heartbeat.”
Twilight leaned in closer, allowing her touch to ground him in the moment.
Anon continued. “Well, we also had dogs, and Duke was so calm around those dogs. Like, it didn’t bother him at all that we had dogs, but the dogs were fiercely protective of him. He would jump down next to one and would make a sound and both of the other dogs would think he was in trouble, and it would start a fight. There were never any injuries but he seemed to like to stir up a little trouble.”
Twilight smiled. “That’s not exactly typical cat behavior but I guess it’s part of what made him special.”
Anon sighed. “And then there was the kittens. Most tomcats can’t be bothered to deal with kittens, but not Duke. He would lay next to them and keep them warm and groom them just like a mother cat. And not just his own kittens. He did that with every batch of foster kittens we brought home. Any pregnant female we took in. He raised every batch of kittens like they were his. And the mother cats felt so safe around him that they let him help, which is also not typical cat behavior.”
Twilight wrapped a wing around him. “He sounds like a wonderful cat. You know that he’ll always be with you if you remember him, right?”
Anon sobbed. “I know, but I’ve already lost so much. I can’t go back to my world. I’ll never see my wife or daughter again. I don’t have a marefriend or special somepony here and now I’ve lost the last piece of my world.”
Rarity crested a nearby hill. “Anon! Your stupid cat got Opal pregnant! However are you going to make up for this, darling?”
Anon stiffened. “Can I have the kittens?”
It was only then that Rarity caught a quick glare from Twilight and saw the freshly dug grave beside Anon.
Rarity gulped. “Of course you can have the kittens. I’ll let you know when they are old enough. I’m sorry, Anon.” She left quickly, not wanting to interrupt the private moment any further.
Twilight nuzzled into Anon. “As long as you have at least one of his kittens or their kittens, his legacy will live on, even in Equestria.”
Anon’s tears grew thick as he wrapped his arms around Twilight. “I’m not sure what I would do without you, Twilight.”
Twilight kissed him on the cheek. “Come back to the castle. I don’t want you to be alone right now.”
Anon was stunned by the kiss but accepted the invitation.
* * *
The walk to the castle was quiet, broken only by the occasional sniffle from Anon. Spike met them at the entrance, his expression falling when he saw Anon's tear-stained face. The young dragon had grown fond of Duke too – the cat would often curl up next to him during his afternoon naps, sharing warmth.
"Is Duke...?" Spike couldn't finish the question, but Anon's nod was answer enough. The dragon wrapped his arms around Anon's legs in a tight hug.
That night, Twilight made sure Anon was comfortable in one of the castle's guest rooms. She brought him chamomile tea and stayed with him, listening as he shared more stories about Duke. Each tale was a mixture of joy and sadness, laughter through tears as he remembered his faithful companion.
"You know what's funny?" Anon said, staring into his teacup. "When we first arrived in Equestria, Duke adapted faster than I did. He just... accepted everything. Talking ponies? Fine. Magic? Whatever. He just kept being himself, loving and caring, like nothing had changed."
Twilight smiled softly. "Animals often see the truth of things more clearly than we do. Duke knew what mattered – love, kindness, family. Those things are the same in any world."
* * *
The weeks that followed were difficult. Anon would sometimes catch himself looking for Duke in his usual spots – the sunny windowsill in the library, the cushion by the fireplace, the garden where he loved to watch butterflies. Each empty space was a reminder of his loss.
But he wasn't alone. The ponies of Ponyville, especially Twilight and her friends, made sure of that.
Fluttershy brought him one of Angel's babies to care for, knowing that having another small creature to love would help heal his heart.
Rainbow Dash took him flying when he needed to clear his head, though he laughed that he still had to walk.
Pinkie Pie knew when to bring cupcakes and when to just sit quietly with him.
And then came the day Rarity appeared at the castle, carrying a small bundle in her magic.
"The kittens are old enough now," she said softly. "I thought you might want to meet them."
Four tiny kittens, their eyes barely open, mewled and squirmed in their blanket. Three were white like their mother, Opal, but one – the smallest of the litter – was a perfect mirror of Duke, right down to the little white spot on his chest.
Anon's hands trembled as he reached for the tiny kitten. As he held it, the little one immediately started purring and snuggled into his palm, just like Duke used to do.
"She has her father's spirit," Rarity said, her own eyes misty. "Opal says you can have whichever ones you want, darling. She... she understands."
Anon looked at Duke’s mirror image. “Lady. My little Lady.” The name would stick.
Twilight, who had been watching from the doorway, stepped forward. "You know, the castle could use some mousers. And I happen to know a certain human who needs some healing."
For the first time since Duke's passing, Anon's smile reached his eyes. "I think I'd like that. Duke always did want a big family."
Twilight leaned in and kissed Anon. “You are part of my family, Anon. You always were.”
Later that evening, as Anon sat in the castle library with the kittens playing around his feet and Twilight leaning against his shoulder, he realized something. While he could never replace what he'd lost – his old world, his family, or Duke – Equestria had given him something new: a chance to build a different kind of happiness, to create new memories while honoring the old ones.
And somewhere, he was sure, Duke was purring in approval.
* * *
Author's Note
This story is very personal for me. All comments are welcome.
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