Father of the pony
A sunny day in June with only one week before Fathers day and the ponies where out in the town seeing what they could get. Patch and Zero wanted to make their gifts extra special being adopted, they decided to go out and shop together, Clover and Bonbon where tagging along with them.
"Oh I just don't know what to get him" said Bonbon looking around at the various gifts
"So many choices, how do we know if they will like them?" asked Clover getting muddled by the choices
"I just don't know what he will like...I need ideas!" cried out Bonbon, loud enough a lot of other pony shoppers stopped to look at her, she realised this blushing a deep red "eh..Sorry" she said before turning to Clover
"Hey Bon, your dad works in Search and Rescue right?" asked Zero trotting up from another isle
She nodded in response
"What about this?" he holds up a model of an old style fire truck. It had "Engine 35 Ladder 4 PVFD" written on it "Says here it was hoof crafted, thought this could be something he would like"
"OH Zero! That is just perfect! Thank you!" she squealed hugging him
"Heh… your welcome Bonbon" he said blushing a little
The ponies where wondering around the shopping mall Patch, Bonbon, and Clover all had gifts, but Zero was the only one who couldn't find anything
"We could say it's from both of us Zero, I know dad wouldn't mind" said Clover
"Yeah I bet he would just be thrilled to get a card from you, I know my dad was first Fathers day" added Patch
"You could make him a cake? Or cook him his favourite meal?" added Bonbon
Zero shook his head "I wanna make it special, after all this if the first true Fathers day I've had"
"He is a sculptor I have seen something around that could help us" said Clover
Patch and Bonbon look at her with a surprised expression
"Perfect, let's get there and see what they got" responded Zero. The four ponies made their way through the mall.
While every pony was looking to find the best gift for their fathers, for two ponies this day feels empty.
Lancer, while his parents care deeply for him they are away around the world alot and often miss important days, he speaks to them as often as they can call he feels sad he can't even see his dad on Father's day, to him it just feels another day where he is alone.
But for another pony Fathers day brings more than just another day, it brings the feeling of abandonment.
For Melody she never really knew her father, her mom never talks about him, her twin sisters have a dad who sees them as often, this always makes her feel rejected. On most fathers' day she would lock herself in her room or go away for a long walk. She was sitting in her room trying not to think about the upcoming weekend flicking through channels on her TV, nearly all of them where about dads or adverts for gifts for dads. Melody rolled her eyes then started looking around for something else to do, she picked up her cell phone and started to scroll through the names, all of her friends and band mates would be busy, she scrolled through to the very last name in the list, Zero's name she remembered from a while ago that he was alone most of his life. She thought about dialling the number but decided to send him a text message instead she sighed after she hit send looking at the two photographs by her bed side, one of the band at the Battle of the Bands contest with her twin sisters. Her phone buzzed receiving a message it made her jump looking at the photo.
Reaching at the phone she looked at the screen, a little image of a jet with the letter "Z" behind it meant she got a reply from Zero, she clicked "Open" on the screen to read it, she smiled a little. Not long later Zero had arrived at Melody's house when her mom was about to open the door Melody was almost jumping down the stairs to get to open it first
"I got it mom!" she called out racing to the door just about yanking it off its hinges
Her mother stood there blinking very surprised at the pink and blue blur "Er….sure" she said
"Hi Zero" Melody said very exited
"Hey Melody you wanted to see me?" he said to her, a little confused at her exited attitude
"Yeah hold on" she looked around the door "mom we're going into town for a while"
"Ok dear let me know when you're coming back" he mom called back
"Will do, bye mom" Melody responded closing the door throwing her purse over her shoulder and taking Zero's arm as the two walked down the street into town.
They arrived at the Ice Cream Shop, the settled in a booth as Starlight came up to them
"What will it be guys?" she asked holding her order pad
"I will just have an ice cream float please Starlight" said Zero smiling to her
"Ok, and for you Mel?"
"Oh just a strawberry shake please"
Ok one ice cream float and one strawberry milkshake? That will be three Jangels"
Zero took out two small coins while Melody took out one both gave them to Starlight
"Thanks, be back with your order guys" she said heading back to the counter
"So Melody, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Zero asked
"Well.." she began trying to think of the words to say "I wanted to ask you...what was it like for you before?" she added hoping not to say something hurtful, despite being seen as somewhat selfish she did really care for her friends feelings
"Before what Mel? You're not making much scene" Zero said looking a little confused
Melody sighed "What was it like…for you not...having a father?"
Zero's eyes widened at the question, he looked down at the table "I..." he started
"I took each day, believing someone would come to find me but over the years I knew no one was, I gave up on ever having a family…well until Clover's parents came along"
Melody just nodded remembering that time "What about special days...like Fathers day, Mothers day?"
Zero just shrugged "All where normal days for me, never knew the meaning truly"
"Did you ever feel so empty not having someone to get even a card for?"
He sighed "Melody it didn't bother me, when I saw the gifts and cards in the shops I would feel envious at the ponies buying them, but every time I walked pasted the orphanage I saw all those little ones who never knew those small joys, it was sad for them but for a time it made me feel not so alone" he a paused a little "I try not to think about the past, only the future now"
Melody just nods looking away with a tear forming in her eye
"Mel is there a reason you wanted to chat with me?" he asked her
She nodded again
"What is it? You can tell me" he said
"You promise you won't tell the others?" she asked sniffing whipping a tear from her eye
"I promise Mel" he said holding her hooves with his
"I..I don't know who my dad is either"
Zero was shocked at this news but he knew the empty feeling too well
"What about the twins? Aren't they?"
Melody shakes her head "Different dad, some pony my mom knew for a long time...comes over for visits. I get jealous not knowing who he is...just wondering why he never stuck around" she said with more tears forming in her eyes "My mom won't even tell me what his name is...or what he does...she just acts like he means nothing..." she starts to cry tears rolling down her cheeks Zero moves from his side of the table to hers putting an arm around her trying to comfort her as best he can.
Starlight was fixing up their orders when she looked up just as Zero moved around to put his arm around Melody. She couldn't tell what was going on, but something clicked in the back of her mind "Bonbon isn't gonna like this" she thought
Melody just pushed her head into Zero's shoulder trying not to cry out as Starlight came over with their orders, she saw Melody crying
"What's wrong with Mel?" she asked
"It's something...big" said Zero
He looked at Melody whose eyeliner was running from her tears making dark lines, he then looked back at Starlight he wanted to tell her, but he made a promise and he would honour it.
Melody sniffled rubbing her eyes now realising her friend was by the table, she took a deep breath to compose herself "Look at me, I'm a mess I will go and freshen up in the ladies room"
Zero got up out of the booth so Melody could come out, she made her way to the bathrooms at the back of the shop, the two ponies saw her disappear behind the door, and Starlight sat down looking at Zero as he sat down
"So" she snarled "You and Melody" she said with narrow eyes
Zero couldn't understand what she was meaning "Starlight..I have no idea what you mean"
"I saw you, don't play so innocent with me I saw you, wait tell the others, Ace and Bonbon"
"Starlight you don't understand…"
"So make me understand"
"I….I can't…I made a promise to Melody"
Starlight shook her head "So it is true just wait till the others hear about this" she said just about to leave the table
Zero grabbed her arm "Alright…just promise me you won't tell anyone…." he pleaded with her
Starlight could see he was serious she leaned down, Zero whispered into her ear, her eyes just went wide at what she heard
"So she's?"
Zero nods
"And you?"
He nods again
"So you're not"
He shakes his head this time. Starlight sits back down trying to comprehend all what she just heard
"I'm so sorry….I just thought…because….I feel like an idiot" she said looking down at the table
"It's ok Star, you didn't know, now please promise me you won't tell anyone about Melody"
Starlight put her hoof to her chest nodding "I won't tell anyone, not even our friends. But what are you going to do?"
"Haven't thought that far ahead, I will do some digging and see what I can find" he said looking over to the bathroom "She's been in there for a long time"
"I will go and see if she is ok" Starlight said getting up and trotting over to the bathroom door. She could hear sobbing from inside one of the stalls she tapped on the door "Mel, you ok in there?"
"I'm…I'm fine Starlight" Melody replied sniffling still
"You been in here for some time…We were getting worried"
"I…I'm sorry I will be out in a minuet"
"Mel…" Starlight wanted to tell her she knew, but didn't want to get Zero in trouble "Mel..is something wrong? At home?" she asked
Melody finally opened the door, looking at her friend "What makes you say that?" she asked
"You went off pretty quick and been in here for ages, something is wrong"
"Well…..you know what next weekend is?"
Starlight nodded
"You know how I feel about it"
"Actually Mel…we don't you've never been around on that day so we don't know what's been happening"
Melody looked at her friend feeling a little hurt they never bothered to ask, she felt Starlight needed to know, they had been friends since kindergarten she felt much closer to her then any of the others. She was about to say something when the bathroom door opened, another pony was about to enter
Starlight snapped around looking at the pony "Sorry it's out of order" she said
"The whole bathroom?" the pony asked
"Yup now if you will excuse me I have to fix the piping" she said closing the door looking back to Melody "Sorry about that"
"It's ok..Starlight we have been friends for a long time, and…I feel you should know…" she said taking a deep breath "but I want you to promise me you won't tell the others"
"Of course I won't Mel, you can always count on me"
"I…I never knew who my dad was…..the twins have a dad…but my mom never told me anything about him, not even his name"
"So why did you come here with Zero? I don't get that part"
Melody looked up at her "He is the only one I feel truly understands, growing up without a family"
Starlight nodded after realising how luck all of her other friends are not every pony has that kind of luck
"I just want to know him…find out who he is…and why he left my mom"
"We will help you me and Zero" Starlight said reassuringly hugging Melody
The two exited the bathroom Melody was smiling now she had two friends to help her. Melody and Zero finished up their drinks as Starlight got the rest of the day off. The three were about to exit just as Ace and Teddy walked in
"Hey Melody-"
"Sorry Ace can't stay gotta go" Melody interrupted him
"Starlight can-" said Teddy
"Sorry guys got the afternoon off, later"
"Hey Ze-"
"Sorry guys can't hang around gotta go" Zero said
The three left the shop leaving Ace and Teddy standing there "Wonder what all that was about"
The three ponies set off on a mission not knowing what they will find but hoping they will uncover something.
Zero spends most of the night looking through the internet for any form of public record.
Clover couldn't sleep from the warm night, she got up to get some warm milk, she passed Zero's room seeing the light was still on, she peeked in and saw him sitting at his desk on his laptop he had headphones in his ears and she couldn't see the screen, shrugging it off to being too tired she went down stairs to make her milk, after finishing it she headed back upstairs passing Zero's room again the light was still on, she peeked in then walked over to him putting her arms over his shoulders and resting her head on his. He just looked up at her "Comfy?" he asked
"Yes…don't wanna move" she yawned her eyes half shut "What you doing at this time?"
"Oh just some research for a friend" he said smiling at the half asleep pony
"Oh that's-" her voice interrupted by a big yawn "nice" she said before snoring softly
Zero smiled more "Ok time for you to go sleepy" he chuckled while guiding the sleeping Clover "I could call it a night for now" he thought.
The next day he along with Melody and Starlight where in the shop sitting at a booth talking over what they had found, to the others it was a wired gathering.
"What do you think they are disguising over there?" asked Brighteyes
"Don't care as long as he's not after Melody" snorted Ace
"Jealous?" asked Patch giggling
"I found a whole bunch of birth records at St Dash hospital" Zero said sorting out the print outs
"And I found a lot of baby ponies named Mel or Melody around those dates" Starlight said looking at her smartphone
"There's too much info to look over, without narrowing it down we could miss it" said Zero putting the large collection of papers in his back pack
"Its ok guys…I thank you both for doing this" Melody sighed "I guess I will never know"
Zero shook his head "No way, I may never know who my birth parents are but I will be damned if I'm gonna let one of my friends go through the same. What we need is something to help us"
"But my mom won't tell me anything"
"You don't have to ask her, she might have something from a long time ago" said Starlight quite surprised at Zero's action
"You mean snoop around my mom's room? She's always respected my privacy" she paused for a little "Ok I will do it" she said.
Later that day Melody waited for her mom to leave for work before sneaking into her room. It was larger than Melody's with a big queen sized bed in the centre, all around where photos some old some recent mostly of Melody from her infant years up to her teenage years, with a few of the twins also. Melody looked around the room trying to find something, anything to help her search. She had spend nearly a full hour looking around, she felt like she was invading her moms privacy, after more searching she sat down on the floor, wondering why she was doing this "Maybe mom through there was a reason for not telling me….maybe she didn't want me to do just this" she looked over at a small set of draws under her moms dresser. She crawled over to them to kneel in front of them opening each draw slowly, more photos, a lot more she looked through them. She found a hooffull of pictures of her mom but much younger.
"Mom?" she gasped flicking through them "Man you where a wild one" she found one of her mom with a lot of other mares and stallions, they were all in fatigues, she turned over to read the back 215th Medical Unit, Eastern Europe, 1992 was written in pen she looked further in the draw, and found some dog tags similar to the ones she has seen Zero wear sometimes, a set of three chevrons, what seemed to resemble an embalm of some kind and a pin. She recognised the pin right away it's the same one her mom wears on her nurse's uniform at the hospital, the one of the snake entwining over a dagger.
Melody couldn't understand why her mom felt she had to keep this part of her past from her. She looked more and found more photos. One of them was set at a party, she read the back The 215th Night out, Tokyo, 1993 the picture showed her mom being extra wild in this one. Melody just shook her head smiling at how free and wild her mom was. She found another one, this one looked more peaceful it was of her mom posing for someone.
She came to the last draw she give it a tug, it didn't move it was one that needed a key. Melody thought for a moment "Something that needs a locked draw is something private…but I have to know" she said to herself pulling out a bobby pin from her mane, she gently rotated it until she heard a click of the lock "Patch you know some neat little tricks" she said as she opened the draw. Inside were more photos, of other ponies in the medical unit. She found some more dog tags, she studied them closely they had Acer, DJ I213459 US. ARMY on them "Why would mom keep somepony else tags?" she asked herself.
Melody looked at the other dog tags, Nighting-Gale, Julia M335703 US. Army she looked at them for awhile "Mom was never in the army…" she thought. She found some news paper cuttings in the same draw, all of them where about the 215th Medical Unit many about the lives they have saved and the help they have offered. As she flicked through them a piece of folded paper fell in her lap, she looked at it placing the other clippings down to pick this folded paper up, unfolding it she found it to be another news paper cutting it had "Medical camp attacked" in bold letters, she read on.
Her eyes widened at what she was reading. She got her cell phone to dial Zero's number
"Zero I need you to get online, I've found something and I'm coming over" she said very quickly not giving him much time to respond
"Er... Ok Mel" he managed to say in the end before she hung up.
She picked up the group photo her moms and the other set of dog tags and the news paper clipping, she did stay to tidy up before she left.
She raced to Clovers house, lucky for her it wasn't far. Once she arrived she banged on the door. Clover answered it "Oh hi Melody" she said "what brings you he-"
"No time" Melody panted "Need to see your brother…"
"He's right up stairs" Clover pointed as Melody race past her "well that was wired" she said scratching her head
She found Zero and pushed him back into the room.
"Ok Mel what was so important you couldn't tell me over the phone?" he asked her
Melody was still panting when she showed him a group photo, He took it to study it
"Look on the back" she said
Zero turned it over "The 215th Medical Unit?" he asked her a little confused
"Do a search on them, please" she panted
He sat down to him laptop to do so, typing the name and number in the search bar. Within seconds hundreds of pages where found, he clicked on the first one and began reading it
"The 215th Medical Unit assigned to the 23rd Infantry was stationed on the Eastern European frontier after years of unrest. Their main task was to provide medical support for the Army and UN soldiers, but ended up being a field hospital for many wounded and exhausted refugees. The most notable personnel where Capitan Margret J Talon senior nurse, Sergeant Julia Nighting-Gale and Lt. Ash Tamsen head field medics, the station was set up in March 1992 and by June of 1993 it became a important part of the frontier. But by mid-August of that year the camp was attacked with many casualties including Capt. Talon and Lt. Tamsen with a total of 33 soldiers killed in the attack. The soldiers were killed defending the camp and medical personnel during an evacuation"
"Can you do a search for Julia Nighting-Gale?" Melody asked
"Sure" Zero said as he typed the name and clicked for search. Again within seconds hundreds of pages where found, he clicked on a profile page the screen opened and an image of a female pony in an army dress uniform appeared on the screen
"Mel…isn't that?"
Melody just nodded "My mom" she said sitting down on Zero's bed
"She never told you she was in the army before?"
"No, she never told me much before I was born" she sighed "could you find this one too?" she asked holding up the second set of tags
"Sure Mel" he said taking them gently. He typed in the name on the tags and again clicked on the search button.
Less pages where found this time but one stood out the most, he clicked on it. The page opened.
The image of a young looking male pony in his army dress uniform, similar to the last picture of Melody's mom but with a different unit patch and rank. He began to read it.
"Lance Corporal DJ Acer, 2nd Platoon, 1st Company, 23rd Infantry US Army. Born May 9th 1972, Killed in action August 19th 1993 Camp FarPoint field medical hospital.
L/Cpl Acer was an outstanding solider who showed dedication to duty and grate leadership. When his platoon came under fire in August 1993 he fortified their position to allow both medical and civilian personnel to evacuate. He, along with several of his platoon where tragically killed in action before they could be evacuated. He was well liked among his men and those at the hospital"
"There are some photos on the page too" Zero said scrolling down to look at them. Many of the photos were of DJ happy and on his off time.
"Hey what's this one?" he said as Melody looked over his shoulder at the picture, it showed two ponies that seemed to be embraced
"DJ with one of the medical fillies Tokyo night out, February 1993…but doesn't that look like….?" He said
"MOM?" Melody called out, she had to sit back down again she started to cry "Why…." She said "Why couldn't she just tell me this…."
"Maybe she didn't want to upset you, like it is now…I'll turn this off we should-"
"No, please…I…I wanna know where his grave is….should know that at least"
Zero looks at the page "No mention of that on here, maybe your mom knows"
Melody looked up at herself in the mirror adjusting her mane "Would you come with me?"
"Of course Mel" he said smiling "I will just go get my bike keys" he said getting up from the chair.
Melody looked at the screen again at the solider, she did wonder if this could be her dad, or just some date her mom had on her wild times, his mane and eyes where the same as hers, but she just made that as a coincidence. She turned the laptop off and followed Zero downstairs.
"Clover tell mom and dad I'm out with Melody for awhile" he called out from the garage
"Ok" she called back
Melody stood outside the garage door, it opened as Zero rolled out a two wheeled motorbike
"When you said bike I thought a push bike" she said
"Been wanting to test this thing for awhile now" he said putting the kick stand down
"Can you drive it?" she asked
"Yeah passed my test just before the summer" he said offering her a spare helmet
She took it putting it on adjusting it to fit her mane as he kicked the bike into life revving its engine a little, offering a hoof to help her on the back, she manages to get on holding onto his waist and the two rode off down the road back to Melody's house.
As they arrive they see her moms car in the drive way. Zero stops the bike switching off the engine "You want me to come in?" he asked
"No this is something I have to do myself…if you could wait by the door…" she said as she got off the bike.
"Sure Mel" he said also getting off and taking off his helmet "Just remember she did this to protect you, not to hurt you ok?" he added
Melody nodded taking a deep breath before going in to the door, Zero stood by the door. Melody went inside to find her mom.
"Mom" she called out
"Yes Melody?" she called back
"Mom…I…we need to talk…it's…important" she said
Her mom came out of the kitchen over to where Melody was sitting "What's wrong dear" she asked a little concerned
"I.." she paused looking up at her mom, who gave her 17 years of wonderful love and attention "I want to ask you about…my dad"
Her mom looked down sighing "Melody I…don't-"
"He was a solider wasn't he?" she asked
Julia looked at her daughter, she saw a small filly playing around on a music box she smiled at that memory, but she saw Melody was no longer a baby filly anymore she was a grown mare, she sighed
"He was…he was my first true love"
"What was his name mom? I want to know"
"Acer…DJ Acer, he...he was in the Army and..." Julia stuttered
"What happened to him?" Melody asked sharply
"That's not important Mel-"
"NO it IS Important to me! All of my friends have dads, the twins have a dad…I want to know what happened to mine" she said stamping her hoof
"Melody..."
"No more hiding I want to know why he never stayed…why he never contacted…why he didn't love me enough to even say hello"
"Because, he's dead!" Julia called out, almost crying as she sat down "He's been dead along time"
"Why couldn't you tell me?" Melody asked sitting next to her
"I..I just wanted to protect you…you are the most wonderful thing I was ever given I never wanted you to feel hurt..I guess I tried too much to hide my past it became my life…I'm so sorry Melody" she said hugging her daughter tightly
"It's ok mom…its ok I know why you did it" she said returning the hug
"Melody I want you to know, we…your father and me, we were going to leave the army together and start a family. He said he wanted his first daughter to be called Melody and was going to get them to love music just as much as he did…but I see you already inherited that part of him. And I want you to know, he died protecting you and me, and many other ponies. He was a real hero. He's always been watching over you, always protecting you" Julia said smiling and sniffing feeling relived she finally told her.
"Mom I just want to know…one last thing" Melody said whipping a tear from her eye
"What's that dear?"
"Where is his grave stone?"
Julia pulled out some folded paper "I was waiting for the right time to give you this, but now is as good as any" she said handing it over to Melody "Visit when you're ready to Melody"
Melody nodded while taking the paper.
Zero poked his head around the door "Everything ok here?" he asked
"Yeah Zero, we're fine thank you, you can go home and let Starlight know I'm alright"
He nodded "Just let me know if you need me again Mel" he added before leaving
"OH Zero!" Melody called out to him "There is one last thing you could help me with"
The weekend had arrived, Zero and Melody where cursing down the highway on his motorbike
"Take the next left here" she called out to him
With some manoeuvring he moved the bike off the highway onto a smaller road, the road took them to a large cemetery. Pulling the bike up on the long road they found the military site.
They looked at all the rows of head stones
"So many names" Zero said looking at them "so much sacrifice"
"It's over there" said Melody heading off into another direction. They found the head stone they were looking for.
"Here lies L/Cpl DJ Acer, Gave his life for the protection of others, August 19 1993" said Zero as he read out the plague "You sure you want to do this Mel?" he asked
"Yes I am sure" Melody responded "At least I know now I have a father….who loved me enough to sacrifice himself so my mom and me could be here today"
"A true guardian" Zero added
Melody kneeled down in front of the head stone she placed something near it, and rubbed the stone "I only wish I could of met you…even just once" she looked up at the sky "I will always love you dad"
She finally got up and followed Zero back to the bike. As they drove off Melody had left a little card by the head stone, inside was a picture of Melody and her friends with Miss you so much dad love you for always, Melody ~X~ written on one side.
A sudden gust of wind opened it fully and the words Missing you too, Watching you always appeared under the one Melody had written, the card suddenly closed
Non-Cannon story
Clover, Bonbon, Sweetheart, Melody, Patch, Starlight, Brighteyes, Ace, Teddy and Lancer are all (C) to Hasbro
Zero is (C) his player
[Julia is a made up name]