6th spear ↟, a wish unfufilled [Video]

[neighfeni]

[She had woken up to the sun and birds chirping as usual, but...suddenly she was not small anymore. She was back to her normal size, Amaryllis and Daisy snoozing beside her. Somehow though, as she remembered the past week, she still felt small.

Last week was insane. This was not an opinion, this was a fact to her. She hadn't realized how much she had driven that part of her into hiding growing up, but she just wanted it to go away now. It wasn't knowing that her father had pas-okay, knowing his passing had been not long after that age was part of it. What was bothering her more was how that child had been, being so adamant about leaving her family, her life, forging another destiny. It made her a bit sick to think about it. So she didn't. She did feel ashamed, however.

For now though, she needed to talk to some people, reintroduce herself to those she had met as a filly, hope they weren't put off by her. So there's a flustered looking pony on the feed now. For some of the ponies, she'd look familiar to a small filly they might have met with a giant bow in her hair. To others that knew her, she'd seemed...more withdrawn than usual.]

...Well, last week certainly was somethin'. Ah hope everypony's okay.

Um, cause Ah met a few of you as a filly, Ah should probably reintroduce myself. Ah'm Nephenee...Ah was a little filly last week, big bow in my hair. Just...wanted to apologize for anything Ah might have done or said. Bit of a brat back then...

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[Private to Bertie]

Sir Bertie, can ya come over? Ah...wanted ta talk to ya.

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[Private to Utsusemimaru]

Hey, Sir Utchy, how ya holdin' up after last week?

Comments

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's chipper demeanor does dim just a touch as he looks more closely at Nephenee before trotting in. He's on his best behavior in her room. It would be completely improper to goggle about to see how she's decorated.]

Oh. Dreadfully sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?

[neighfeni]

[Well if he does look about, the walls are a pretty deep teal and she has a ton of crayons drawings and crayon maps. But she appreciates you being on your best behavior. She stands there for a moment after closing the door, and looks away, before making herself look at him with a guilty expression.]

Ah...wanted ta apologize for last week.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie cocks his head in confusion.]

Whatever for?

[He starts to lift a hoof to complete the expression, then remembers its covered in green polish. The stallion looks down at it.]

Er... if it's for all that... girlish nonsense, I can assure you I've suffered worse.

[neighfeni]

[Neph bites her lip, trying not to smile. This was serious, no laughing, Nephenee. After a second, her somber expression returns.]

Well, that too. But...for some of the stuff Ah said, mostly, and how Ah acted.

[Nephenee scraped at the wood floor subconsciously in a small arc, like she would have as a human and she was apologizing.]

Ah was...a brat back when Ah was little, before...before Pa died.

[She takes a breath to steel herself. That was a painful memory, too.]

Not a humble bone in me then. And Ah called ya a few things Ah shouldn't have, just cause ya didn't know how things worked. That ain't fair to ya.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's honestly a little perplexed. He never would have expected an apology for anything she said.]

I was a frightful old ass when you were a kid, though. Really, Ms. Nephenee, you needn't feel bad about any of it.

[He offers her a small smile.]

Kids are wretchedly honest things. And you weren't anything like the other terrors I've met. Really, it's perfectly all right.

[neighfeni]

[She wasn't going to agree with him there. The fact he'd stepped up to take care of them was good enough to her, and he really had tried. Despite a few...setbacks.]

But ya were still willin' ta keep track of us even if we were rude...and Ah thank ya for that.

[More scrapping. Now was the trickier part. She can't mask the sad look here.]

Ah...want to thank you for not telling little-me the truth about why Ah took over the farm, too.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie's features soften, and he moves a little closer to place a hoof gently on Nephenee's shoulder.]

I was six when my parents died, Ms. Nephenee. Aunt Agatha sent a telegram and my tutor for the summer told my elder sister and me rather pointedly what happened. I wouldn't wish that sort of shock on any child, good or pillish though they might be.

[neighfeni]

[...he was only six we they both passed...She had barely been older than that. There's a mix of sadness on her friend's behalf and thankfulness that she still had her Ma, but she still can only stare for a moment.]

Oh Bertie...

[And without thinking she wraps him in a comforting hug.]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie tenses as she hugs him, ears flicking back in uncertainty. It's a few seconds before he relaxes, patting her a little awkwardly with a hoof.]

Erm... there, there, Ms. Nephenee. I know you miss the old patter, but I'm sure he's smiling down at you from Heaven, frightfully proud.

[He isn't entirely sure how else to comfort her.]

[neighfeni]

[And the point of the hug went soaring over his head. Oops. She laughs quietly after a moment, before pulling away, eyes a bit watery.]

Ya dolt, Ah was huggin' ya cause of your loss, not mine.

[She says it in a way that isn't mean, though. Almost like siblings might poke fun at each other. She does smile through the tears, though.]

Thanks for sayin' that, though...Ah...ain't heard of folks lookin' down from Heaven.

[tinkertytonk]

My loss? [Bertie blinked at her, feeling slightly better now she'd edged off. That playful tone, though... It had hints of Honoria, or perhaps Angela? He really hoped she was leaning in a more sororal than romantic direction.] Oh, that happened ages ago. I'm perfectly fine, really. I thought it might be a bit more fresh for you coming out of being a filly and remembering all that.

But you haven't heard of birds and beazels who've tipped their hat to Saint Peter keeping a weather eye on mortal matters? I suppose they've got to have a way to occupy themselves up above. Wishing well on those left behind is something of a pastime, I'm given to understand.

[neighfeni]

Well, ya wouldn't be lying about it bein' fresh...

[And she wasn't sure how to handle it. And it might be evident by some of her shifting, and breathing. Rather the sort of breathing of one steeling themselves.]

Naw, ah ain't heard of none of that, or even Saint Peter.

[tinkertytonk]

[The trials of differing cultural references. At least she knows what Heaven is. Bertie would offer another pat, but isn't sure that would do more than send her into tears. He'd also rather keep touching to a minimum after that hug, however well-meaning it had been.]

Saint Peter's the fellow in charge of checking people off when they're heading into Heaven. Sort of an accountant for your soul, what?

[neighfeni]

[It's not quite the Same Thing, but the concept was similar. Deity lives there, good folks go there when they pass. But she'd never heard of all this. Not that she'd gotten to go to church much after her Pa died. But she knew of saints.]

Like checkin' good deeds and such?

[tinkertytonk]

You've got it! He makes sure you're properly accounted for to be checking into a happy sort of forever. Hasn't your Heaven got anything like that?

[neighfeni]

Ah...don't know. Ah've never heard of that, no. But maybe it's something Ah just missed, since Ah didn't go to the church much after Pa died. Just never had time.

[She steps over to the window and looks up at the clouds.]

It's a nice thought, though..loved ones watchin' over ya. Doesn't feel quite so lonely.

[tinkertytonk]

[He moves toward the window to join her.]

It helped thinking of it that way when I was a kid, anyway. And Sylly, er... my sister, Sylvia, she was really just a wonder bucking me up about the whole sorry affair.

Time heals wounds, though, what? And you'll meet them again someday when your eyes reflect the stars instead of holding them.

[Bertie wrinkled his nose. That was frightfully poetic. He really needed to lay off being so entirely sentimental.]

[neighfeni]

[She nods, appreciating the sentimentality of it.]

Ah guess. Ah...think Ah didn't get much a chance to feel depressed about it. Had to help Ma out so much, be strong...

[She quickly switches to the other statement before she can think on that.]

Heh, as much as Ah'd like to see him again, Ah think Ah'd prefer to stick around as long as Ah can. Ah love my family and friends too much...there's too many things to do, to protect.

[tinkertytonk]

You're very strong, Ms. Nephenee. In many more ways than one.

[He offers her a kind smile before moving on, as well.]

And jolly good you sticking to us. We'd be lost without you! I wouldn't trust anyone else to ensure our proper fire safety at all future soirees.

[neighfeni]

Thanks...that's kind of ya to say. [She chuckles, nudging him playfully with a hoof.]
Only you can prevent Commune fires, Sir Bertie. And one day, you can help me. We'll get ya to choppin' wood and makin' fires with nothing but sticks! And with your help, Ah'll be workin' proper silverware like a fancy gal an' dancin' like a princess.

[That would be no time soon, but it was a nice thought.]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie suspects Nephenee will be dancing and eating properly well before he's mastered safe fire-starting. That does make him wonder, though.]

Hold on, 'nothing but sticks'? Haven't you got to have matches for these things? Or, well... lightning?

[neighfeni]

[She gave him a confused look.]

Ah...don't know what those are, no. And Ah ain't a mage, Sir Bertie. Ah can't read from a tome and call lightning or fire from thin air. Yet.

[If she continued with her studies with Patchouli, maybe one day!]

[tinkertytonk]

But isn't fire fed with sticks and such? And hold on. You haven't got matches? They're... well, I suppose they're sticks that you strike across something to light up. But they've got something on the heads to make them catch.

[neighfeni]

Ya can use em to start 'em, too, though! Ya have to rub 'em together real fast, [Here she balances back on her hind legs and rubs her front hooves together quickly, before setting back down.] and have a little bit of kindlin', but it's one of the easiest methods to use in some areas.

Ya can use flint too, but that's harder to come by back home, so it's easier to learn the other fast so ya don't rely too much on the flint, especially if that gets lost.

[You seem to believe they have the chemicals back her way to do that, Bert.]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie assumes a lot of things about people. Rarely is he correct.]

Oh. Well, that's... really? Why aren't the squirrels out in the woods lighting things on fire, then? If they can just use sticks and stuff they could have a jolly time roasting their nuts before eating them.