Read The Bridge
“Well, I’m expecting company. Family actually.”
“Family? From Carrea?”
“No, not by blood. My niece of sorts. Her parents were two Equestrians I met when I journeyed here, helped me settle in. Since they’re on an extended leave on a boat trip they sent her to Ponyville to stay with me. Pretty excited about it too with the kaiju activity around the region, she’s been writing to me nonstop since she got back from camp.”
Anguirus pursed his lips and glanced over at the kirin with a curious look in his eye after locking on to that last word.Camp? Like that one I… No, couldn’t be.-
“Oh, she’s here!”
“Hm?”
Anguirus snapped back to attention as Ki Seong pointed forward to the restaurant about ten meters ahead. A carriage had been parked outside, the driver having unloaded a couple large roller bags onto the ground outside the front door before patting something or someone hidden behind the big luggage. The driver noticed the approaching kirin and pony, tipped his hat to them while saying something to the luggage owner before he hitched himself back up and pulled away. Recognizing a bag’s Carrean symbol she’d sewed onto it, Seong smiled and called out.
“Over here sweetie!”
On cue a little head popped up from behind the bag and looked over to them, the little filly being one both Anguirus and Ki Seong recognized instantly. She was a small, leafy green tot with a darker green mane. The new parts were the ivory colored spots she had dyed onto her nose and shoulders in what looked like an emulation of Anguirus’ spike spots. The Anguirus similarity was even more evident at the quill she was wearing on her left bangs as a hair accessory. And upon seeing both Ki Seong and her hero, Gentle Leaf’s eyes virtually dilated before she sprung up into the air running in place. Hitting the dirt sprinting, Gentle Leaf zoomed over and jumped into Seong’s waiting hooves.Auntie Seong!
Seong audibly laughed for the both of them, catching and spinning herself and the filly around a few times before nuzzling each other’s nose. Seong looked at Gentle Leaf’s accessories and giggled, brushing the filly’s mane aside.
“Nae jag-eun joka! Neo eolmana yeppeun ji bwa!”
(My little niece! Look how pretty you are!)
Gentle Leaf muttered a muted giggle, wagging her tail as she pulled herself into Seong’s collar and neck before happily rubbing herself up against her auntie. Holding her joyful niece, Seong snickered and looked over to her companion.
“So, Anguirus, you wanted to talk to me about something?”
One could practically hear the record scratch coming out of the dumbstruck kaiju’s head.
'She’s known… She’s known your name, what you are, what you really look like… WWWWWHHAAAAT!?!'
Just as the cold sensation began to set in like it had before when he asked for a change of subject, Anguirus mentally rebooted when he saw the pair of smiles aimed at him, Ki Seong and Gentle Leaf snickering at a prank set up weeks ago.
“… H…H…H-Hoooow long?”
He muttered blankly. Seong glanced down at Gentle Leaf, who’d hopped off her neck and was cracking a cheeky grin. Seong giggled, looking back up at Anguirus.
“That first rainy day. She had come through here when being sent home since I’m on her guardianship papers, wrote me all about the heroic big friend she’d made at camp and then I recognized you. She’s never shushed up about you since she got back home.”