Dream Prompt
"I want a pony!" The phrase that is used at least once by most little girls. What happens when it comes to you?
"Mommy?"
"Yes princess?" Naito looked up from the book which she had been reading, as the newest addition to the family and her favored dog entered the room. Ah Terra, the girl hadn't been with them long, but already she had turned into Naito's favorite child. Now, perhaps this was because she was the only other female in the house besides Naito, and the woman liked being able to escape the testosterone charged atmosphere of her home to duck into her little girl's room. However, the fact that Terra was a sweet didn't hurt either.
The girl was the epitome of sugar spice and everything nice, so cute and shy...instantly Naito had taken to nicknaming her princess. Any other child and Naito would have immediately deemed the nick name a horrible sexist gender type. Afterwhich she would have gone into a long winded rant about femminism and what not; but...Terra was just so cute! Besides, Naito had finally found someone too live out all those lost years of childhood want through. If she couldn't pretend to be a princess anymore because she was a grown woman, well then, fine! She would find someone to live it out through...
Either way, it was a fitting nickname! Terra embodied it wonderfully, ...why she even had some of the negative connotations that went with the nickname. Oh she may have seemed all peaches and cream, but underneath that painted exterior was a side of her which was a stubborn, prideful little girl, who wanted things her way and wanted them now! ...A side which was about to come out now.
"Mommy..." Terra started off slowly and quietly, but the last sentence was blurted and rushed almost as if she were too excited to share her newest desire. "I want a pony!"
"You want a what now...?" The blonde repeated mouth ajar. Had she heard right, or had her child just asked for a pony?
"A pony..." said the little girl, a bit more shy this time, as she side stepped her way behind the family dog. Akmu, who had been staring off into space, flipped his head and gave a quick lick to her hand then continued on wagging his tail happily. The young girl laughed and giggled briefly, even if he couldn't talk, Terra felt much more at easy asking mommy for a new pet with someone beside her. Even if it was just Akmu, animals were comforting.
"Ha, ha, ha. Oh sweetie, you don't really mean that." Naito perked her voice up making it as cheerful and silly as possible. The woman turned back to her book hoping for a quick escape. "Besides, if anything you would want a horse. You want to ride him right? Can't really ride a pony as you get older, its just not a sensible idea."
Terra thought about it for a minute, curling a small finger around one of her long lovely locks. A horse? No, horses were scary...very big and noisy. She wanted to look like that pretty lady she had seen in the movie. "No, I want a pony." She finally said. " A pretty white girl pony named lavender."
Naito nearly choked. Lavender?! What in the hell kind of name was that? A white pony named Lavender...the irony of it all. If Naito even got a pony a big IF at that, (for the woman had a great dislike of them due to a nasty run in with an ill tempered one at the circus once) she would certainly never allow Terra to name the thing Lavender. Even if she was getting in touch with her girly side...enough was enough.
The minutes ticked by and with each passing seconed the silence grew more uncomfortable. Naito needed something that would end this conversation with her daughter...and end it now! Ah the wild card, a smile stretched across Naito's lips as she realized the one sentence that would end this all...
"I'm sorry Princess, " the woman sighed giving Terra a heartfelt look of sympathy "but I pony is just not reasonable, they're too expensive. Mommy can't afford a pony. They eat far much. " With a clearing of her throat that was that and Naito had ,had her final say. Truth was, Naito could afford one good and well...she just didn't want to.
"Oh.." mumbled Terra as her lovely misting eye's looked to the floor. She knew she shouldn't cry, but...but...the girl's lip began to quiver and a sniffle escaped her lovely freckled nose. Akmu gave a worried look and shuffled off...mother and daughter had some talking to do.
------
"Mommy?" Naito looked back, Terra looking at her again with those puppy dog eyes.
"Yes, princess?"
"If iah can't have a pony...can I have a Unicorn?"
"..." Naito slammed her head into the book she was reading. Why, why? You know the old saying, 'given em an inch and they take a mile.' Well, Naito had given Terra nothing and the girl had taken a whole kilometer.
Naito opeaned one eye and looked at Terra, "Unicorns don't exist princess." she said flatly . Oh, it was probably possible to find one around Gaia (you could find anything if you looked enough). But really, it just wasn't going to happen. No pony! No Unicorn! No mysital winged creatures or anymore fairy tale nonsense!
Terra blinked and looked at her mommy for a few moments, before her eyes really began to well up with tears this time. "U-unicorns dun exist?" The little girl tugged at her dress uncomfortably as she tried to keep the sobs at bay. What did mommy mean Unicorns don't exist? It just wasn't possible. She could never have a pony... or a unicorn, ever? The child couldn't stand the thought, it was just too heartbreaking.
"Ah..." the woman sighed uncomfortably, feeling incredibly bad about the whole thing. On the one hand she wanted to make Terra happy, spoil her just like a rich little brat. On the other hand...what was she supposed to do?! She just couldn't go out and buy a pony. For starters, where would she keep it? 'You could try the kitchen...' mocked that little voice in the back of her head.
'Shush,' replied Naito quiting down her sarcastic side. Well, great, Terra was crying. How was she ever going to cheer up her favorite princess now? She did want to make Terra happy, she really did, but if she gave in now--brilliant that was it!
"I know!" Naito beamed "How about mommy be your pony. "The woman stood up, bending over to scoop Terra into her arms and toss her onto her back, "I'll give you a 'pony back ride." She said, quickly interchanging the word pig for pony, something Terra would much rather prefer. "Heeere we go now! Hold on tight!" Yelled Naito as Terra shrieked and wrapped her arms around her mommy's shoulders.
Up and down the halls of her home Naito rode with Terra, untill a quarter to dinner, the blonde mother dropped down to the couch exhausted. Imediatly Terra crawled into Naito's lap. "Faster, faster!" Squealed the little girl tugging gently at her mommy's hair."Again mommy, less go again."
"..."
Naito turned looking at the girl in shock. "What? ...Weren't you...scared?" Terra shook her head. "No. Da was so fun! " After which she added shly,
"Some day I really hopes I get a pony..."
A blank and horrid look crossed Naito's face. Half the reason the woman had volunteered her precious back was so that she could possibly scare Terra from her unreasonable wishes. Why else had she spent a half hour running about, like a mad woman, knocking down pictures and careening into walls?! "Mommy play pony again tomorrow?" Terra tugged at her mothers sleeve. Naito simply whimpered.
--------
One A.M., and Naito still couldn't sleep. Beside her good friend and college Yahto rubbed her back. "So...playing pony?" The man chuckled unable to stop the laughter. "Shut up!" Snapped the woman who was horribly irrtible due to the payback of today's earlier stunt. Yahto didn't say anything but continued to snicker and help with the hurt.
"You know..." Said the blonde, at great length "...maybe this pony wouldn't be such a bad investment."
