When Caught in the Rain, Fly for Cover

Her eyes went wide. "Wow.. How.. How did you get your's, Indigo?"

"Well... I've always had a bit of a knack for chess and other games, especially war games. Well, one day I was over at my mentor's house. He and my father were friends, but their friendship was strained because of their differing views on economics... well that's a lesson for a different day. My dad doesn't think about anything unless it's right in front of him and my mentor is a more worldly pony, meaning he knows more about the world and what goes on in it. Anyway, I was over there one night, I had played several games of chess that day with other ponies and after dinner we played together. It dragged on for a fairly long while until I maneuvered my knight in striking distance of his king without him noticing." He looked away for a moment. "I'll never forget what he said to me. He said I was the most reserved and aggressive pony he'd played against, if that makes sense to you. And that's when my cutie mark appeared. Since then I've read books on tactics and strategy... If I went to Manehattan with five other ponies I'd have the large gangs taken out in a year or so. My special purpose in life is to be a military officer, but I think I might be too old to go to an academy now... my mother talked me out of joining... So now I occupy myself with games and whatever peaceful outlet I can think of to get by..." He lowered his head. "I can't say I'm too happy about it....."

She listened with wide, eager eyes, ears perked up, and when he had finished his story, her jaw had since then dropped. "Wow.." Was all she could think of to say.

He smiled and tousled her hair. "Yeah... Everypony has a story like that just about. You just have to find the one thing that makes you special."

She looked at her own flank, and frowned. "I don't think I'll ever have a Cutie Mark.... I don't have any sort of special talent... Well, besides organizing.. Oh! That reminds me.. I.. uhh.. I tidied your room for you." She blushed lightly.

Indigo blinked "You... tidied my room? ... How much?"

"Uhmm.... Just so there wasn't anything out of... Place.." She said, looking at her hooves.

Indigo quickly got up to inspect the damage to his room. The bed was made, that was well and good. Books were alphabetized on the shelves, that was good as well. He then looked over his desk. The desk, his desk wasn't messy, it was an organized chaos of drawings, poetry and half finished stories and articles. He started to get angry, but then recalled a time of when his father had yelled at a secretary for cleaning his desk without his say so and then his anger was quelled "Kiara? You didn't throw anything away, did you?"

"No. I put it in alphebetical order under the bed and in the desk drawers... Y-Your not mad, a-are you?" She asked, her voice squeaky suddenly with fear.

So long as she just put things away and didn't throw anything away, he could refind it. And his anger was put to rest. "No, no I'm not mad."

She nodded lightly, and trotted into the room. "I thought about putting the board games in the closet, but then I realized that it would get too cluttered, so I organized all of them into neat little piles.. Over there and there." She pointed to the area beside the book-shelf, then beside the desk.

Indigo simply nods, not caring too much as to where they're placed. "That's fine."

She smiled, feeling accomplished, then trotted over to Indigo, nuzzling his chest affectionately, like a daughter would. "Your a very kind pony, Indigo." She said with a blush.

Indigo froze for a moment and slowly put a foreleg over her neck and lowered his head for a hug. He thought she must have been getting really attached to him. And he didn't know how to process that immediately.

She giggled, returning the hug, smiling. "I'm surprised you don't have fillies of your own, Indigo. You'd make a very good father." She blushed, smiling.

"Well I'm going to try to be a good father to you."

That seemed to strike a chord in Kiara, for she smiled, tears in her eyes. "T-Thank you, Indigo.." She said, her voice shaky. "I've never had an actual father-figure.. That means a lot to me..." She said, trying to stop her voice and body from shaking.

Indigo gently patted the back of her head, smiling brightly. "I'm not going to just keep you here till I find somepony else to take you in. The only way I can ensure you stop getting into foster homes is to keep you myself.

Without warning, Kiara buried her head into Indigo's chest, tears rolling down her face. "T-T-Thank you, Indigo." She managed to choke out, her whole body shaking now.

Indigo gently rubbed the back of the filly's head, shushing her quietly. "Easy, easy there..."

Kiara soon calmed down, sniffling. "I-I'm sorry. I... I've just never had a father before... Well, at least, not one as kind as you, Indigo."

Indigo spoke soothingly. "We all need a good cry sometimes. I'm going to be the best father I can be for you, you deserve it."

Kiara smiled, and looked up Indigo, nuzzling into his chest again. "Thank you.."

Indigo raises up on his hind legs and hugs her properly with his forelegs. "You're very welcome, Kiara."

Kiara smiled and hugged Indigo back.