Family.
The day was like many others, for the young pony Zero he was just another face in the crowd, he would go to school learn what there was for the day and return home, he never expected to be noticed by anyone, during recess he would sit under a tree and read a book or often just stare into the sky. He wasn't a member of the soccer or hockey team. And once school was over he would race out.
This had been great for him since he arrived in Ponyland, at first Teddy and Ace made fun of his name because he had "Zero friends" but he never let that get to him. No one really understood him, and no one really took the time to really talk to him, which he preferred as he has a big secret he has managed to keep well hidden, even from Ms Hackney. That was until today. This is the day Zero's world was about to be reviled for all to see.
"Ok now class, as its fast approaching Mothers Day, we are going to have a special party for all the mothers of the class" Ms Hackney said as she was handing out the invitations "so be sure to let them know when it is, and they can attend"
"Erm..Ms Hackney" said Lancer waving his hoof in the air
"Yes Lancer?"
"My parents are still away on their trip so my mom won't be able to attend"
"That is understandable Lancer; you can still come to the party too"
"Alright a party with treats and cake, gotta have cake, chocolate cake" said Bonbon as she started to drool on her desk
"Er..Bonbon...Bonbon?" said Clover waving her hoof in front of the now spaced out Bonbon
Everyone was getting excited about this party that was to say all but one.
Zero sat at the back looking at the invite on his desk.
Ponyland School Mothers Day party.
All mothers are invited and welcomed to attended this annual event
It said on the page. He looked up at the exited ponies even Lancer was exited, even with his parents away nine months of the year. And Patch was extra exited, being adopted she of all should be exited. Zero just sighed and put his head on his arms trying to hide the small tear forming in his eye.
The clock bird signalled 3pm as it always did, Patch did her usual spit ball at it
"Now remember class have those invites signed and returned to me for Monday" shouted Ms Hackney as the ponies escaped for the weekend.
As was the norm Zero wanted to be first out but befor he could get any distance he heard a voice behind him. It was Clover trotting up to him.
"Hey Zero, aren't you excited about this party?" she asked him in her soft tone
"Oh..Yeah I guess" he replied
"It will be great fun all the moms coming over, will your mom be coming too?"
"Oh..She's gonna be out of town and away for some time...so she will miss it"
"Oh? Where she gone? Is she away a lot?" she asked him
"Yeah she away a lot, most of the year in fact. I don't get to see her as much" he says about to walk away
"Why not call her, she might come back for the party if you tell her about-"
"NO" Zero snaps at her "She's not going to this stupid part, now just leave me alone" he runs away from her.
Clover is left standing there hurt "I was just asking..." she sniffles and runs to the Ice Cream Shop.
She finds her friends, she's in tears.
"Clover what's wrong?" asks Melody
"I..I spoke to Zero about the party, if his mom was coming"
"Did he say something bad to you about it?" asked Brighteyes
"No he...he just yelled at me and ran off to the woods"
"That's truly not like him, he's always been sweet and helpful befor" said Sweetheart as she comforts Clover
"He's a boy Sweetheart, all boys are the same" responds Melody
"Not all of them"
"He's been upset befor but never like this, I don't know what I did wrong" said Clover wiping a tear for her eye
"You didn't do anything wrong Clover were gonna have a word with him" replied Patch, looking like she was ready to go to hoof-to-hoof with him.
Patch and Bonbon follow Zero around town, he's doing a weekend job as a courier delivering mail around town. He's finally finished and heads back to the woods, they meet up with the others and they follow him into the woods. But Zero scenes he was being followed and managed to give them the slip. The girls split up to cover more ground, they were determined to talk to Zero about this.
"He's good, he gave us all the slip" said Patch
"Come on there can't be many places he can hide" said Starlight
After some more wondering Clover manages to find him again going down a path, she wants to tell the others but she may lose him again, so she follows at a distance.
When she does get closer, there's no sign of Zero, but there is an old plane, it looks like it hasn't been used in years. She wonders if this is Zero's secret place, she approaches the rear hatch "Oh should I open it? What if this his special place...it wouldn't be right" she says to herself, but she shakes her head then opens the door.
Inside the plane was a desk, a make shift bathroom and a small bed at the front maybe this was a hide-a-way place for him. She went inside, and looked around. A shelf of books, many of them stories of flight and aircraft history, a few where of aircraft maintenance. The place was well maintained, as far as Clover could see, it had a small TV at the front as well as a kitchen with a fridge. Clover's heart sinks, she realises this isn't a hide-a-way for Zero, this WAS his home.
She can hear grunting outside, she heads to a window and sees Zero tugging on a long cable to start a generator, it finally kicks into life the TV suddenly comes on giving her a fright and knocking something over. Zero's ears perk up after hearing this crashing sound. He runs over to another hatch under the plane's nose, he enters and finds Clover trying to clean up the mess.
"What are you doing here Clover?" he asks tapping his foot
"How did you find this place?"
"We...erm...followed you"
"I want you to leave, Clover, I said to leave me alone"
"But is this where you live? Where are your parents, your mom?"
"Clover leave now!" he snarls at her
"Do they know your here on your own? don't they care?" Clover asks her voice getting more wavy then it usually dose
"NO" he snaps
"Why don't they?"
"Because I don't know who they are!" he yells
Zero turns away from her, hiding the tears forming in his eyes
Clover pauses trying to take it all in, she approaches him "Zero..I" she starts
"I've been alone most of my life, I don't even know what my mom looks like. When I see all of you I get jealous and sad"
"Jealous?" she asks him "Jealous of who?"
"All of you...but Patch and Lancer most of all"
"Why them?"
"Patch was adopted, she found a family to love and Lancer, his parents are away a lot but they still care for him. I sometimes dream what that feels like" he sighs "Clover, please I don't want anyone else to know about this place, or that I've been alone all this time"
"Ok, I won't tell anyone"
"Hoof swear?" he says offering her his hoof
"Hoof swear" she replies taking it and shaking
For the first time, Zero was happy, he told someone who showed they cared about him.
"Thank you Clover, I have to head over to the airfield need to earn those Jangles"
He picks up his nap sack and he with Clover exit the plane, he runs off in the other direction, as Clover hears Brighteyes and Melody call out for her, she runs to them
"Clover where have you been we've been looking for you for ages"
"I was er...looking for Zero and got a little lost" she says, remember she made a promise to Zero
"It's getting late, we should head home, we can go looking for him tomorrow" said Starlight.
The girls make their way out of the woods, Clover stops to take one last look down the path. "Clove you coming?" called out Patch
"Yeah coming" she called back and ran over to the girls.
That night Clover was having dinner with her parents but she's playing around with her food, deep in thought, much to her mom's annoyance
"Clover!" she barks
"Wha?" Clover jumps snapping back to attention
"We don't play with our food"
"I'm sorry mom" she says slowing eating her dinner
"What's wrong Clover?" asks her dad as he sips his drink
"Oh nothing"
"Come on now, we know when you have something on your mind"
"Well..."
"Is it about the party?" asks her mom
"No it's not that...its"
"It's what Clover?"
"I..I promised not to say" she said looking down at her plate
"Clover is there is something bothering you at school?"
Clover sighs, she's trying to keep her promise to Zero but at the same time trying not disappoint her parents
"Clover?" asks her mom again
"It's...about Zero"
"Who's Zero? A boy from school?"
Clover just nods
"What's wrong? Is he in trouble?" asks her dad
"No...I don't know..."
"Clover.."
"He is living on his own in some rusted old plane out in the woods" she blurts out, her eyes starting to fill.
Clover's parents look at her stunned
"Doesn't his parent know where he is?"
"No, he...he doesn't have any...there's no one"
"He was abandoned?"
Clover just nods slowly, she tears up more, she betrayed Zeros trust and told her parents. There's a flash of light outside and the sound of the wind rattling agents the windows
"There's a storm coming in" her dad speaks again, getting up from the table
"Where are you going?" asks her mom
"To find this Zero, he can't be out there on a night like this, it's just not safe" he said as he puts on his waterproof rain coat, he looks back to the table "Clover you coming?"
She looks up "You want me to come to? But but why?"
"You know where this plane is, you're going to help me find it, now come on get your rain coat on"
She gets up to put her coat on, she is still upset at betraying Zero but she feels relived she did tell them.
Outside the wind was howling the three ponies found it difficult to walk in a straight line even on all fours they still had to lean into the wind. After about fifteen minutes they find the plane, and see a white pony on top of it, he was using a welding torch to fix panels, Clovers dad, being a Scrap-metal sculptor recognised the blue flame very clearly.
Clover tried to call out to Zero but the wind was too loud for him to hear, they had to get closer
"ZERO" Clover calls out again over the wind, this time he heard her, his ears perked up and he looked down to them, seeing Clover with two larger ponies. He felt annoyance but the wind was getting too strong to stay outside, he headed over to a hatch on the top and climbed down inside, the side door then unlocked and opened "You better come in befor you get blown away" he called out, they entered. The plane didn't look like much on the outside but it was remarkably cosy in side and spacious. Clovers dad was looking around at the repair work Remarkable; he did all of this himself? He thought to himself.
"Clover what are you doing back here, and in this storm?"
Clover couldn't say anything, she realised Zero was mad at her by his tone
"She came back with us because she was worried about you, Zero is it?"
"Yes ma'am" he responded
"You live here all on your own?"
"I do"
"Where are your parents? Is there anyone who looks after you?"
Zero shook his head "No one dose, I've grown up on my own, everything I know is partly self taught"
"Who raised you?"
"The folks at the airfield raised me, until I was old enough to go to school then I found this place, it's not much but its home"
"A home isn't just a roof over your head, it's also a place where those who love you and care for you are, a safe place, a warm place"
Clovers dad admires some junk work models on a makeshift shelf "Did you make these?"
"Yeah I did, something to pass the time"
"They are very good"
"Thank you sir"
He smiled "You don't need to call me that, Zero, I'm a sculptor myself"
"Ahem" Clovers mom sounded as she didn't like to be interrupted; when Clovers dad saw that look of hers his ears lowered "Sorry dear"
"Zero you can't stay here, not tonight, it's not safe. At least come back with us until the storm passes"
Zero shakes his head "It's a kind offer ma'am but I'm ok here"
"Really?" asked Clovers dad "We saw you patching a part up, you can't keep that up all the time"
He paused for a moment "Can I think about it?"
"Of course" replied Clovers mom
Zero goes to the nose section of the plane, he closes a metal door. Clover wanted to see him, but her mom pulled her back
In the nose cone Zero sits in a seat putting his feet up on the table opposite, he thinks long and hard, he can see the rain pounding on the glass nose, a few drops fall on his head and nose "Well it would be nice to sleep in a warm bed for a change...and I can't keep patching this thing up all night" he leans back ageist the wall "Clover's mom is very persuading"
He opens the door again "I've had a think and yes you're right it's not safe to stay here, during this storm. I will pack a few things to take with me, if the offer is still open?"
Clover's mom smiled and nodded "of course dear"
After trudging through the rain and wind they all managed to make it home, Zero was in awe at the warm house, with a carpet.
"You can have Meadowlarks' old room, since she moved out to join the ballet company" Clover's mom said to him
"Who's Meadowlark?"
"She's my sister" said Clover
"OH I think I saw her on TV"
"You watch ballet Zero?" asked Clover's mom surprised to hear him say that
"Well just one, I can't remember what it was, but I liked it, they moved with grace"
"Do you have any hobbies Zero?" asked Clover's dad
"Well one...really"
"What is it?"
"I love to abseil, I feel like I'm flying, the climbing is hard, but coming down is the fun part"
"Sounds like fun, Clover go show Zero where Medowlark's old room"
"Yes mom" she said
As She and Zero trot down the hall Clover sighs "I'm sorry Zero...I broke my promise to you"
Zero looked at the pictures on the wall of the family of Clover and Meadowlark with their parents, he looks down. "It's ok Clover" he said to her
Her ears perked up surprised at his words "You're not mad at me?
Zero shakes his head "I'm unhappy you broke your promise, but I'm glade you did"
"You are?" she says looking at him confused
"I've been living in that plane for a long time, and being alone and isolated is normal for me, just working away in the background un-noticed, you're the first person to ever take an interest in me. The first one to want to help. The first one who...cared"
Clover didn't know what to say, she blushed. She always had been a caring pony befor she could say anything Zero had given her a hug, she blushed more, but returned it
"Thank you Clover" he whispered to her
"Your welcome" she whispered back.
That night the house was asleep, as best it could be with the wind outside, Zero lay in the big comfy bed he looked around the dark room, it was still, the only sound from outside, he got out of the bed and opened his large duffel bag he pulled out a small metal pony figure, it was standing on one hoof balancing, he had remembered Clover was into ballet. He took out a small tool and makes a few tweaks to it. He snuck out of the room and down the hall to Clovers room, he quietly opened the door and tip-toed in. He set the small figure on her bedside table carefully then tip-toed out back to his bed. He smiled for the first time in a long while, his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
The figure he had left in Clovers room was made to look like her as a ballerina.
Monday morning comes around, and Clover's parents are talking to Ms Hackney, Clover and Zero are sitting in the corridor waiting and wondering what's going to happen.
"And he's been living in some old plane for some time" said Clover's mom
"Which he has maintained himself" responded Clover's dad
"I see, and how long has he been living in this thing?" asked Ms Hackney
"From what Clover said he's been living there for a long time"
"How long would that be?"
"All his life" Clover's mom spoke, her voice sounded saddened by those words
"Doesn't his parents know where he lives?" asked Ms Hackney leaning forward
"From what she's told us, he doesn't know who they are"
"He, was abandoned?" Ms Hackney shakes her head "It would explain a few things about his past grades, where is he staying?"
"He's staying with us for now"
Ms Hackney shakes her head again "I'm afraid I have to call someone"
"Who do you have to call?" asked Clovers dad
"Someone I know at the orphanage, they will have to take him in"
"But can't he stay with us?"
"I'm sorry Mr and Mrs Bloom, but we do have a rule for this, and I am obliged by the rules of the school and the law to report this. Zero will have to go to the orphanage" she says looking through her contact book, she dose with a heavy heart "I know you both mean well and are willing but the law is the law I'm afraid"
Clover's parents looked at each other "We will have to tell them" Mrs Bloom said, her husband nods and sighs
Outside Clover's friends come in they see them sitting outside the classroom they approach them.
"Hey Clover, hey Zero" says Brighteyes
"Oh hey guys" Clover replies, Zero says nothing but he gives her a nod in response
"What you two doing out here?" asked Bonbon
"My parents are talking to Ms Hackney"
"What did you do now Clove?" giggled Patch
"It's not about her, Patch...it's about me" sighed Zero
"What did you do?" asked Melody laughed
Zero looked at her his eyes were watering; Melody stopped laughing when she saw his face
"Zero what's wrong?" asked Sweetheart, her voice soft and comforting
He didn't want to say, he didn't want sympathy for this, but there's been two who have cared enough to ask.
"I've been living on my own for a long time, no home, no family, no parents"
The girls gasped, they couldn't believe it.
"Did you run away Zero?" asked Patch, she out of all of them knows how it feels to have no one
He shakes his head
"Where you...just...abandoned?" asked Starlight
Zero just looks at her, his eyes filling up with tears; he didn't say anything but she knew it was the answer. Sweetheart was tearing up too she couldn't understand why someone would abandon him.
Soon a female pony from the orphanage arrived at the school; she approaches the room where Ms Hackney and Clover's parents are located. She passes Zero and the girls, they don't respond to her as she enters the office. But as the door closes Patch catches a glimpse of her, her eyes widen she recognises this pony "Oh no" she gasps. Starlight looks at her "what's wrong Patch?" she asks her
Patch just points to the door as it closes.
It seems like an eternity when the door opens again, the pony from the orphanage comes out with Clover's parents and Ms Hackney.
"Zero, Clover can you come over here please" said Ms Hackney
The two look at each other, like they know something is wrong by her tone. They both know what is going to happen.
"Zero this is Mrs Salen, she runs the orphanage down town" she began
"The same one Patch stayed at?" he asked
"Yes" Mrs Salen replied
Zero looked at her "Do I have to go?" he asked almost pleading with her
"Yes I'm afraid so Zero, you don't have any family to take care of you, and I'm bound by the law to take you with me"
"But what about school?" asked Brighteyes
"What about his friends?" asked Sweetheart
Zeros ears perked up he looked back to them "Friends? They see me as a friend to them?" he thought.
"The Orphanage will provide him with his education, he won't be coming back here" she said with a sigh, looking into his eyes, she could tell he didn't want to go. Zero had always been a pony in the background, but now he had friends and people who cared but this was all going to be taken away. And soon once again he will be alone.
"What are his chances for adoption?" asked Clover's mom
"Very slim I'm sad to say, there isn't a call for a pony boy of Zero's age" Mrs Salen replied
"But that's not fair! I got that chance" shouted Patch, stamping her hoof, she knows too well how it is at the orphanage
"You where lucky, Patch, most ponies aren't as lucky, it's just the way things are these days" she turned to Zero "It's time to go"
"Can I say goodbye to my friends first?"
"Of course I will be outside in the van" she said then trotted outside
Zero looked at the other girls, he smiled to them "Thank you, for being my friends, even if it was just a short time"
"It's just not fair, you shouldn't have to go" said Patch
"Hey don't worry about me, I might get lucky"
Clover looked at her mom and dad, they both shook their heads
He turns to Clover taking her by the hoof "Clover, you took the time to care enough about me and become my friend"
"Oh Zero, no..please" she said trying to hold back the tears
"Hey don't cry Clove, you got great friends and a wonderful family, treasure them always"
She just sniffles and nods
"And I want you to have this" he closes her hoof "this has always brought me luck, I hope it brings you luck in the future"
Clover opens her hoof looking at the object he left, it's a silver medallion of a Pegasus "Oh Zero...I..I"
"Keep it with you ok Clover"
She nods, and tries to smile
He turns to Mrs and Mr Bloom "Thank you for letting me stay with you, even for a short time, Mrs Bloom your cooking is the best I've ever had"
"Your very welcome Zero" Mrs Bloom said blushing somewhat
"Mr Bloom I was making a few things in your workshop, little gifts for you, Mrs Bloom and Clover, to say thank you, I hope you don't mind"
"Of course not, that what it's there for" he said with a smile
There's a beep outside, seems Mrs Salen was getting a little impatient
"Sounds like it's time for me to go, girls, look after Clover"
"We will, she's our friend too" said Starlight
"Oh Zero we will bring your things around to the orphanage later" Mrs Bloom said as she tried to comfort Clover
"Thank you all, take care" he says waiving to them and trotting over to the waiting van.
Clover couldn't look as Zero was driven away, she believed she would never see him again, she looked at the medallion he left her, then to her parents "Mom, dad we have to do something!"
"Clover we can't-"
"But this isn't fair...it's not" She runs outside crying
"Clover" she calls out
"We'll get her Mrs Bloom" Patch said as the girls ran outside to get Clover
Mrs Bloom looks at her husband "What are we going to do?"
"You heard Mrs Salen, the chances of Zero being adopted are slim, possibly to none" said Ms Hackney
"Clover and Patch are right, though, it isn't fair he just gets dumped after so long on his own" Mr Bloom said
"But what can we do? I hate seeing Clover upset like this...its breaking her heart"
"She does seem very fond of him...hummm...there might be away" said Ms Hackney
"What's that?" asked Mrs Bloom
"I think I have the answer in my desk, follow me" Ms Hackney responds as she and Mr and Mrs Bloom follow her back into the office.
At the orphanage Zero is trying to settle in, as he lays on his cot he thinks of the others, the gang, Brighteyes, Starlight, Sweetheart, Bonbon, Melody...but most of all Clover. He worries how she is taking this.
That night Clover with her parents arrive at the orphanage they brought over Zero's duffle bag, Clover didn't want to get out of the car, she was still finding this all too up setting. She looked at and held on to the medallion tightly.
"Clover if you want to say goodbye you have to come out of the car" her dad said
She just shook her head "No I don't want to"
"I'm sure he will be happy you came, even to say goodbye"
Clover sighs and gets out of the car, she looks up at the orphanage, she's been here befor to help out fixing the place up but this trip feels too much for her, but she follows her parents inside.
"Clover you take this bag to Zero, we have to talk to Mrs Salen"
"But why? Hasn't she done enough already?"
"Just some paperwork we have to fill out, because Zero stayed with us for a short time" her dad said
"Ok" Clover sighed deeply and she went over to find Zero, who was in the large bed room down the hall.
"Hey Clover" he said jumping out of the cot
"Hey Zero..." she said sighing more
"What's wrong?"
"I..I just don't want to be here...this will be the last time...and..." she starts to tear up again
"Hey hey don't worry about me Clover...look I'm sorry for snapping at you befor, I shouldn't of done so"
"But I broke my promise, you had a right to"
"Yeah but, you did it because you care, and there are times you can break your promise if it means helping someone, which you did"
Shortly after Clover's parents come out of the office. "Clover it's time to go home" said her mom
"Already? But we just got here...and...Cant I stay a little longer please?" she begged
"Clover it's ok, you go be with your family, and it's where you're meant to be"
"But..but.." she couldn't think of anything to say, she hugs him tight, not wanting to let go.
But she has to her eyes filling up with tears "I'll...I'll write to you everyday...and"
Zero takes her hooves again, looks into her eyes smiles "Don't worry about me, now go I will be ok here"
He takes her to the front door, she walks to the car her head low.
Mr Bloom looks at his wife and they turn to look to Zero "Do you want to come to?" he asked
Zero looks at them puzzled, but smiles "I would love to but I have to stay here, and wait for someone to come and adopt me"
Mrs Bloom smiles and shakes her head "Not anymore"
He looks at them his head tilting slightly, and then he looks at Mrs Salen "What are they talking about?"
"You have a new home to go to" she said with a smile
"Wait..You mean..." he asks her
Mrs Salen just simply nods to him. He smiles big, he runs back into the room to get his duffel bag, and runs back out to Mr and Mrs Bloom, they return the hug and smiles and the three of them walk out to the car.
"It looks like there will be a guest staying with us Clover"
She looks up to her mom "Who?"
Mrs Bloom turns her around and she sees her dad with Zero, she can't believe it, she charges over and hugs him tight "You get to stay with us...erm for how long?"
"Permanently" her dad says and shows her a document, she reads over it
"This is to certify that Zero Bloom has been adopted into a caring and loving family" so does this mean...?"
"That's right Clover, you have a brother" her mom says, she can't believe she said those words either
"Shall we go home now?" asks Mr Bloom as he gets into the driver's seat
"As a family?" asks Zero
"As a family" Mrs Bloom replies.
As they drive back to the house, Clover offers Zero the medallion back "I can't keep this now" she says
"Hey I said you can keep it, and didn't I say it was lucky?"
"Yeah..You did, this is luck for the both of us"
During the car ride Zero and Clover sit in the back looking out the windows, Clover can't believe she now has a brother. But Zero, he can't believe he now has a family, unknown to either of them they hold hooves, and both squeeze tightly.
That night as they are sleeping, there is a new photograph on the wall, it shows Mr and Mrs Bloom in the back with Zero and Clover at the front with his arm around Clover, under the photo reads a small inscription "New found hope"
The End
Non-Cannon story
Clover, Mr & Mrs Bloom, Bonbon, Sweetheart, Melody, Patch, Starlight, Brighteyes and Ms Hackney are all (C) to Hasbro
Zero is (C) his player