Je' sat at his table in the small cramped shack that he called "Home". He sighed and had another lick of salt and a drink of cider. He looked at his wedding picture and tears began to fill his eyes. "Where did I go so wrong?" He thought as he began to cry. He took another drink of cider and got up. "Maybe I just need a walk..." He grabbed his jacket that he wore for his trots out into the badlands. It was a cold wasteland with nopony for miles. He went outside, the wind was gently blowing through his mane. He walked for miles, thinking about what where he went so wrong. He continued walking, His hooves were freezing. "I shouldn't come back home this time." He thought. "I should just keep walking till I'm dead.."
So he continued to trot in the cold. The wind grew stronger and stronger, he soon could barely see. He took shelter in an abandon house that was (to his convenience) placed in the middle of nowhere. He went inside and sat down on an old and springy couch. He began to close his eyes. Until he heard a squeak coming from upstairs. "Somepony else must be here.."
He thought with concern. Some badland ponies are not exactly the nicest. "Hello?" He said questioning the mysterious noise upstairs. He got no response. Considering he had nothing to lose if it was a unicorn with a magic beam of death, A Pegasus waiting above him to death grip him or a strong earth pony ready to kick him down the stairs and break his neck, It wouldn't have mattered much to him. He really had a death wish. So he went up the stairs slowly, every stair creaking and cracking because of the age of the house. He turned his head right and saw a dark hallway. "Hello?!" He said, nearly yelling.
He then heard a squeak. It was coming from one of the bedrooms. He slowly made his way over to it. "Hello, Is anyone here?" He questioned. Suddenly he heard another squeak. He turned his head, it was coming from the closet. "Could it be a mouse? A Monster? A Demon?!" These thoughts screamed in his head. He slowly opened it, ready for anything.
Anything but..A little Pegasus filly? What was she doing here? Was she lost? Je' looked at her. She was crying and was obviously scared "P-P-Please don't hurt me mister!" She whimpered. Je' knew she was scared and he got down to her level and said in calm soothing voice "Don't worry child..I won't hurt you..." She looked up a little at him "Promise?" She asked.
"Promise." Je' replied. "What are you doing all the way out here little one? Where are your mommy and daddy?" Je' asked with concern in his voice. "I don't have a mommy and daddy..." The yellow pegasus filly said. Je' was saddened by this.
"Do you have a name?" Je' asked. "Kiddo.." She responded. "Well Kiddo, Do you need a home? I have a place a couple miles from here." Je' asked. "S-S-Sure." Kiddo answered. Je' looked outside. The wind was blowing strongly outside.
"But first we better stay here for the night."
"Ok" Kiddo said shyly.
"By the way..Wh-Wh-Whats your name mister?"
"Je'."
"Umm, Mr Je'..Can I sleep by you tonight? Its cold.."
"Of course you can kiddo."
Je' sat up by the wall and let Kiddo lean her little head on his forearm.
She soon fell asleep.
Je' stared at the wall until he too fell asleep.
The night soon passed. Je' and Kiddo awoke at the same time, Kiddo giving the most adorable little yawn. Je' smiled at this, the first smile he had made in a while. "Good mornin' Kid." Je' said to her warmly. "Good Morning Mr.Je' " She said back in her cute filly voice. Je' had gotten up after rubbing his eyes. He stretched, hearing the cracks in his bones. Kiddo simply got up, yawned and stretched out her back. She got next to Je' and poked his hoof. "Umm...Can we leave Mr.Je'? Th-This house is scawy..." Je' looked down at her and replied "Sure, Follow me and stay close..The Badlands are not a safe place. I'll keep you safe Kid." He then smiled. "Promise?" She asked "Cross my heart and hope to die, Stick a cupcake in my eye." Je' then chuckled. Je' and Kiddo began to wander into the Badlands towards home. During the trip Kiddo kept close to her new found caretaker, and Je' kept watchful eyes. After about three hours of wandering they finally found the shack that Je' called "Home". He put the key into the door and turned the lock to unlock it. "Well, Welcome to my little place in the Badlands.." Je' said then sighed. "I-Its nice..." Kiddo was to shy to say what she really meant, she didn't like it much but it was better then the abandon house. "Are you hungry Kiddo?" Je' asked. "I-I-I would like some food...If you don't mind..." Kiddo replied shyly to the question. "I don't have much, I'll whip something up alright?" Je' said with a smile. "Okee.." Kiddo replied once again in a shy manner. She went into the corner and drew on some paper to pass the time. Je' looked around his cabinets and mini fridge for something OTHER then cider and salt. That was actually pretty hard to find he realized. But just his luck! He found some instant pudding. "Hey Kiddo do you like pudding?" He looked over to her. "I really like pudding Mr.Je'." She said with an instant cute little smile along her face. Je' started to make the pudding. Fiddling around with the mixing bowl and spoon. After five minutes of destruction and mess in the kitchen he finally made the pudding. "HA HA! VICTORY!" Je' exclaimed with pride in his voice. But then he looked around. The kitchen was a mess, Powder everywhere, eggs and eggshells broken on the ground and allover the walls (funny, he didn't remember even using eggs..) and crumbs from the cookies he added into the pudding. "How did I even manage this?" Je' thought with great confusion. "I'll clean it later. First I should feed the kid."
"Kiddo! Puddin's ready!" He called. "Okee Mr.Je'! " She called back. She sat down on the table and Je' laid down the bowl of cookie pudding in front of her. "Here yah go darlin'. A bowl of my Badlands famous Cookie Pudding! Eat up!" He said then waited for her to eat. She took a spoonful of the pudding and slowly raised the spoon to her mouth. She chewed the cookies that were in the pudding then swallowed. "Soo...How is it Kiddo?" Je' asked with great excitement. "It...It..Is....WONDERFUL!" She said with an unusual cheery tone. She began sloppily eating the pudding. It getting all over her face and the table. Je' chuckled a little and thought "Well at least she liked it." Kiddo kept gobbling it down until there was no more and she sat back with a full-extended belly and burped. "Oh excuse me" She said and blushed.
Night was coming again, the walking had consumed most of the day. "Alright Kiddo, I'll go set up your bed."
"Okee" She said once again, that seemed to be her main word. Je' took the spare mattress out of the other shed.
He pulled it in and laid it next to his bed. It was smaller and lower leveled but it was a lot more comfortable then his roach infested bed. He then got the blanket that was suppose to be for his own daughter when him and his wife were to expect one, Until she tragically miscarried. He frowned at the blanket since it brought those memories back. It was about her size and he laid it out on the mattress for her. He took his pillow (which was fairly comfortable) and laid it on her mattress.
He went back into the kitchen to check on his little find. She was fast asleep. The food must have put her in a food coma.
He chuckled and picked her up. He laid her head down on the pillow and put her on the mattress. He tucked her in softly and smiled. The kid was growing on him. He wanted to protect her no matter what. He felt so much pride even know they just met. Je' laid down in the higher mattress next to her and stared at the ceiling. Waiting for the next day to come.
