Previous Chapter of my unorganized nonsense here.
Rachel was not nearly as creepy as some of Aiden’s other pony breeder friends. In fact, the stoutly built, plain little woman was rather confident and charismatic. The three mares lead Hermie to the backyard, where the foals were running around to dry their wet fluff. Normally, fluffy ponies hate baths and water, but Aiden had worked hard to make sure all his fluffies could at least tolerate the sprinkler.
After pleasantries were exchanged, Rachel gladly accepted some coffee and the two women watched the ponies from the kitchen window. Hermie was trailing behind Peaches as she gave him a tour of the backyard.
Rachel’s keen eye for uniqueness honed in on Dreamy first. He was lounging against the side of a nest box, watching a beetle in the grass. “Well these are clearly Carrot’s offspring. Fuckin Kyle. I hate Kyle. Good breeder, shit human being. What’s that big guy’s name? Love the markings, He looks like groucho marx”
Trish explained, “That’s actually what Aiden wanted to name him, but I insisted on Dreamsicle because he’s orange and white and no one would get the … get the old movie reference.”
Rachel scoffed, “Obviously you dont hang around enough nerds. Groucho is a perfect name for a fluffy pony with eyebrows.”
“We think he’s a sensitive baby. He’s always off by himself and doesn’t talk much. The vet thought it best we had him neutered, just for his health. A singleton, Sunny’s first and only so far.”
“Sunny is the auburn?”
“Auburn?” Trish asked.
“yeah, Auburn,” Rachel smiled a little, “I remember when Aiden found her. Sweetest disposition, and he thought she was a ‘poopy.’ I told him that she’s actually an Auburn. that kinda deep reddish brown fluff only happens when a fluffy inherited all the genes for all the colors. and that gorgeous curly golden mane? I’ve always been fond of curly girlies.”
Trish couldn’t tell if that was flirting or not.
Rachel continued, “So which one is the dam of the rest of the foals? Aiden said 7 live foals, good gravy thats a lot for a first time momma and a backyard operation, too.”
“That would be Peaches, the yellow and pink one. The pregnancy was really really hard on her, and she had a lot of trouble bonding with the foals. We thought it best that Peaches were spayed and she can just worry about being a fluffy pony, not a brood mare.
Thankfully, Sunny had tons of milk and amazing mothering instincts. She was always sneaking one or two of Peaches’s foals into her nest box to cuddle and nurse. I caught her nursing a squirrel. Had to explain that the tree babies dont need milkies.”
Rachel gestured to the far end of the yard, where a lone mare was warily watching Peaches traipse around the yard with a large, unfamiliar stallion. “Who is sourpuss? She’s beautiful but i can see she’s a sassy one from here.”
Trish laughed, “Yeah that’s our gal Flower. Aiden ordered a solid yellow stallion from that sketchy mill in the next county, they mailed us, in a dirty cardboard box, Flower. Poor thing was so traumatized. All she talked about for weeks was “The Cold Nesties.” I saw that horrible industrial mill raided and shut down by the cops. poor sweet babies.”
Rachel looked over to Trish, “No foals from Flower?”
“No! ha! She wouldnt let Carrot cover her,”
“Smart girl.” Rachel interjected.
“HA! yes… she fought Carrot and wouldve beat his ass if Aiden didn’t break up the violence. Kyle would have given us no end of shit for damaging his stud.”
“Fuck Kyle.”
Trish clapped her hands, “I fuckin HATE Kyle, oh my god.”
“So lets hear about these 7 foals you got running around here. Those two biggest colts have potential.”
“Oh, goodness. The orange and white is Foghorn. He was so loud as a chirpy, like smoke detector loud. He’s definitely a ‘toughy’ with a heart of gold. so sweet, but so so dumb. Joker, green and purple, is a character. as a chirpy he was an Explorer Baby and always ending up stuck some strange place. as soon as his eyes were open he was up to mischief. I was really worried he was a ‘smarty’ but he’s never bad mannered or disrespectful, he’s just a curious little shit who causes chaos.“
Rachel laughed, “Yeah that’s a racing pony all right. We like troublemakers, they have drive to win, not just obey. How about those sweet little fillies?”
Annie is the red and white. She is going to be a good momma someday. She’s always glued to Sunny’s side and does most of the peacekeeping between the colts when they tussle. The boys call her ‘stupid mommy’ at like, a jab, but im pretty sure she sees it as her status is equal to Sunny mommy and Peaches mommy.
Olive is the deep lavender color with the pale green mane. She’s just chill. She likes quiet and cuddling and t.v. She’ll make a great indoor pet when its time to find her forever home.”
“And I know about the twins Posie and Primrose but,” Rachel gestured to a murky shape trailing behind, “Who is the last one?”
“Oh, that’s my Jeepers. I bottle fed him. Peaches wanted nothing to do with him, so he’s my little man. Now that he’s weaned he mostly just hangs out with Olive and Dreamy, napping in the sun.” Jeepers gave a little wave to Trish and Rachel as he toddled around the yard.
“That is the most unfortunate colored colt I have ever seen. and I’ve seen, LOTS of fluffy ponies, Trish. That colt is all the ugliest markings in one tiny package.”
“Rachel, no need to be polite. He looks like a shart. He looks the way an outhouse smells. He looks like a dirty shoebrush. But for what Jeepers lacks in handsome, he makes up for in brains. that is the cleverest little pony. I think living in my shirt and hearing me talk all the time for work mightve like… boosted his brain waves or something. like playing mozart for babies, but its me on conference calls.”
Rachel’s mouth turned up at the corner in a cheeky smile, “Lucky guy, it looks warm and cozy in the front of your shirt. Aiden told me about the paper towel diapers, too. very clever. For someone who doesn’t profess a love for fluffy ponies you’re really good to these critters.”
Leaning back in her chair, Rachel’s body posture shifted, “So. Let’s get down to brass tacks. If Hermie likes it here, he stays. The old man deserves some peace and quiet. Aiden and I were talking about a straight trade across; the two pink fillies for my old champion. Hermie gets a nice home, and the twins get to be breeders for one of the most prestigious Stables on the West Coast.
“But… I think we need to discuss the future of Aiden’s Free Range, business to business. I am willing to throw down a huge sum of money, four or five times what Aiden and I were discussing. I think several of those foals are future racing champions.
Firstly, I need Joker. that is a racing pony, his potential would be wasted doing anything else. He would be a breeze to train and a delight to have around our stables.
Foghorn and Annie would also be great racers, they both have good builds and move well. Annie would be an exceptional breeding mare, as you said, once her racing career is over.
Posie and Primrose? They’re goregous, and I can’t get over that velvety fuscia fluff. I gotta see what will happen if i bred them with some of my other stallions. I bet they’d give me alicorns.
So. Rachel. I dont do apps or digital or Payfriend, I barely can work my phone. Five gorgeous healthy foals, that means. Five. Fat. Stacks.”
Rachel began neatly piling money from her purse on the table. More cash than Trish had ever seen at once in her whole life.
Rachel’s voice was even and stern, “On the condition, that Hermie has a good home for the rest of his days, and in the unlikely event he covers any of your mares, I get first dibs on the foals. Because if a no-pedigree FluffMart fodder like Peaches and a low quality stallion like Carrot can make,”
Rachel gestured grandly out the window “Can make such goregous foals with a little lettuce and sunshine??? I gotta get in on this. Free range fluffies are going to be the next big thing. I want to see what Aiden can do with quality genetics. Do we have a deal, Trish?”
“I,” Trish stammered, staring at the money, “I should call Aiden…”
Rachel pulled out her ancient cell phone and punched in a few numbers. “Aiden! My Man! Please tell Trish to take my money. If Hermie likes it here, he stays, and I’m thinking I take Joker, Foghorn, Annie, and the Twins. They are all gonna be racing ponies!”
Aiden could be heard shrieking incoherently with joy from the tiny speakers of the phone. Rachel held it up to Trish’s ear. She just giggled and nodded her head.
“Deal. All our babies might be famous?!”