Artist’s Description

The sun had just recently set on the island and it was looking to be a nice, calm, relaxing evening for Mako. Seeing how he had a stressful day working in his shop, he had decided to take a break and walk through the wooded area next to his house, reminiscing about years and year back of his home in the woods with his sister and her family. It was then his ears perked at the sound of a small child crying somewhere in the woods. Instinctively, Mako followed the sound until he came to the base of a large oak tree, the whimpers high up in its branches. Great. Some kid stuck in a tree. So much for Mako’s relaxing evening.

The orca pony looked up through the branches, straining to see the child in the dark lighting, “Hello?” He was rewarded with a flustered chirp high up in the branches. “Do you need help getting down?”

A fluffy mass moved and shifted on a branch, sniffling and calling back in a croaky voice, “N-no I don’t! I’m a pegasus, I can get down anytime I wanna!”

Mako shrugs, “Okay, fine.” as he turned to leave before hearing…

“N-NO, WAIT!” Mako stopped and turned his head back, showing he’s listening. The voice let out another little sniffle, “… I’m stuck…”

Mako simply repeated his question, “Do you need help getting down?”

Silence. The kid has a lot of pride, he’ll give them that. Mako continued to wait until he heard, “… Yes, please.”

Despite being originally from the ocean, this wouldn’t be the first time the orca pony has climbed a tree. Using his back claws, Mako carefully scaled up the old oak. Lucky for him, the tree’s lower branches were sturdy and thick, plenty strong enough to support his weight as he made his way up to the top, stretching his long torso to reach those thinner, weaker branches.

“So.. what’s your name, short-stack?” having learned better from previous years to assume the gender of foals he meets.

With a little coaxing, the small pegasus climbed down onto Mako’s snout and mane before clinging to his back. “Cinderplume.. But you can call me Cinder.”

The name seemed familiar, but Mako couldn’t remember where he heard it from. Living for about 500 years makes it hard to remember names and faces of every pony you meet. “Cinder, huh? So what are you doing way out here in the first place?” As he made his way back down the tree.

Cinder would look down and give a nervous chirp, “P-practicing. Daddy said he was gonna teach me how to fly but he’s been busy.”

“Too busy, huh?” As Mako tried to distract the child long enough so he could make it down the tree safely.

“My daddy is a famous racer! He travels throughout ALL of Equestria, doing tournaments.”

Mako tried to hold back his groan as he planted all four hooves safely back on the ground. “Great, another racing type. A few years back, I knew a small colt a little older then you, who wanted nothing more then to be a racer. Didn’t want to go to school or nothing. Never knew what happened to him…”

Cinder would give a little shrug, “I don’t really want to be a racer like daddy or anything. What with Mama having a baby soon, I just want to learn to fly so I can help too!”

Mako just keep walking, looking around to make sure he doesn’t trip over anything, “Well, that’s great an all, but you’re not gonna be much help if you get lost in the woods at night…”

The little colt floofed up defensively and huffed, “I didn’t mean too! It was that stupid fat cat! I was in the tree and he wouldn’t let me come down. I tried shooing him away and he..” as Cinder made a few nervous chirps, hearing a rustling sound coming from a nearby bush, “W-what was that?”

Mako’s ear would twitch in that direction, “Probably a raccoon.. Darn vermin are all over the island.” as he poked at the shrubbery with his hoof. A pair of glowing eyes peered at him, giving a loud hiss, causing Mako to retract his hoof, and take a step back. A raccoon waddled out from the bush, it’s wiry fur standing on end and baring it’s sharp teeth at the two ponies.

Cinderplume’s entire body fluffed up as he let out a shrill screech, clinging the much larger orca pony, “IT’S THAT STUPID CAT!”

Mako curled his lips back and hissed back at the raccoon, trying to scare it off. Only then did he notice two more raccoons emerging from the shadows, hissing and growling threatening. Being the dominant “predator” on the island as well as an easy access to food from all the tourists that come on vacation, the raccoon population boomed over the last few decades, creating larger, more aggressive raccoons.

Before Mako could react, he felt the colt’s tiny body slam into the side of his face, clinging and climbing up his mane in pure panic, high pitch screams and chirps ringing in Mako’s ear.

Mako’s ear would twitch, “Alright, screw this. I’m not turning my back on you fuzz balls, so.. Kid. I need my head for a minute.” as gently pried the little fluffy bird off his head and holds him. Mako would take a deep breath and blasts the raccoons with water from his blow hole.

Cinder would look up at Mako with the biggest sparkly eyes, “Y-you are like a Pokemon!!”

Mako’s ear would twitch as he watched the raccoons retreat back into the forest, “…. The heck is a Pokey Man…?” As he gently put the Cinder back on his back and walked away.

Suddenly Mako was bombarded by the over excited colt, going off a long tangent about his “GameColt” and a game he plays where he collects monsters and battles them.

Mako let out a groan, “I’m sorry I asked…”

“I’m the best trainer in the area! I evolved my starter to a charizard already and beat all the gym leaders in the area. Well…except a couple but they are really hard but…” and he just keeps going. Mako sighs, thinking how he’s REALLY sorry he asked. “…If I had my charizard here, I could just fry those stupid cats like in the game!“

“…..I don’t think that would work… And kid, some of these are pine trees, that last thing that should be near them is fire.”

Cinder would grumble in response, letting out a huff, “Stupid fat cats… I’m gonna shove a stick up it’s arse next time I see him…“

Mako would snort at that. “Don’t mess with raccoons. They can tear you up good with those rodent teeth. Probably give ya rabies too.”

He heard Cinder give a little chirp in response and scoot a little closer to the back of Mako’s neck, “You didn’t seem scared of it.. why s-should I be?!” as he fluffed out his chest to make himself look bigger.

“I got bigger teeth than that ugly thing.” As he turned his head back to face him and grins widely, showing off those large carnivorous shark teeth.

Cinder would have big sparkly eyes again, “So cooool!” he breathed, looking at all the teeth.

Mako smirk at that before turning and facing ahead, “But it did unnerve me a little knowing it could possibly get a kid sick with rabies is a scary thought..” For a while the two of them would stay silent for a while as Mako made his way out of the wooded area, back near his house. “Here we are. You think you can make it back home on your from here, kid?”

Cinder nodded as he climbed down from Mako’s back, “I can’t wait til I’m older… I’m gonna get bigger teeth and kick all those Rack-coons arses!” his wings giving a little flutter.

Mako smiled at his enthusiasm and chuckled. “Better wear some padded gear to protect yourself. Once you upset one of them, they ALL come out to mess with YOU.”

The colt chirped a little and puff his chest out again, flaring his wings, “O-once I’m bigger then them, I won’t be afraid. You’ll see!”

The orca pony just shook his head and turns to walk back to his house, “Whatever you say, kid. Be safe, you hear.”

Cinder would wave his hoof, “Thanks, Mister Pokemon!” Before running off into the night, back towards his aunt’s and cousin’s house.

———————————————-

I couldn’t help but draw another little fun scenario with Mako and little Cinderplume, this time a few years later.

Mako belongs to Blackblood-Queen.