Abstract Chapter 1: Savant (Abstract)
Abstract Glance looked towards the deep blue autumn night sky. He noticed Orion with the three stars of his belt, making him one of the best and easiest constellations to spot. He stared, unwavering even as the the chilling winds crept through his window, the night sky was captivating. Each and every one of these stars were millions of years old, perhaps even billions. Older than him and the princesses by a long shot. With Luna's return the stars have never shown a more beautiful parade of flickers and patterns that could leave one breathless.
Abstract loved the night. It's peaceful feeling and calming colours that spanned as far as he could see allowed him to just stop thinking for once and look. To look and see without having to work is something he missed. School never let him just look and see. Miss Cheerilee was a good teacher but she never let him just look and see. There was always something to work out or something to think about. He could do it, he could work it out and think about it faster than anyone in his class could and get it right, get it right without and problem or effort, he just wanted to look and see.
Nurse RedHeart called him Savant saying he was "greatly gifted at maths and any logical equation," this was true, he was. He was the best at maths but he had no friends. They would never let him look and see. Miss Cheerilee did try to get him to make friends but he never needed them. He had his maths and his number and his stars. That was all that he needed. The one person he allowed was his sister Sapphire Star. Perhaps that's why he liked stars; they reminded him of the only one who truly gets him so he feels love from them.
It was 5:21am he'd have to go to bed soon or Sapphire would wake up and and find that he didn't sleep and rant and rave about how sleep was important. How could he sleep? When the stars were up why would anyone want to miss their dazzling parade of light and shimmer and shine? He guessed it was for school. School was a very different parade, a parade of lies and bullies and hurt. There was no brilliance or shimmer or shine to be found there. He better go to sleep, he didn't want to disappoint Sapphire.
At 7:17am Sapphire came into his room to wake him up.
"Hey sweetie come on, its time to get up," she said with a warm and pleasant smile "get up or you'll miss breakfast."
"You're late, Sapphire."
"huh?" she asked looking slightly puzzled.
"You were meant to wake me 7:15 am it is now 7:18 am."
"Sorry honey I just took longer than I thought I would be."
After that, Sapphire got up and exited the room only glancing back at her brother and sighing as she passed through the door. Abstract hated being late, it ruined everything, get up at 7:15, go to bathroom for 10 minutes, shower for 5 minutes, brush teeth for 3 minutes, floss for 2 minutes, go down stairs, eat breakfast for 5 minutes every morning he has toast with jam and cereal. At 7:30 watch the TV show "Flim Flam Brothers and their Marvellous Machines" then the show finishes at 8:00 am when he will walk to school and get there for 8:15. open a book and read until 8:45 when classes start. He did this every weekday morning for as-long as he could remember now he was late everything is wrong and not how it should be.
"Hey Abstract!" Sapphire called up the stairs, "Come down quickly"
No. What was she doing, she's ruining everything. Abstract shouted in his head I need to get this back on track or its all ruined.
"Hey Kid!" She called for a second time, "Where are you? hurry up"
Finally giving up he followed the voice and went to meet his sister down stairs.
When he got downstairs he was met with a flurry of confetti and streamers as if Pinkie Pie's party cannon had gone off, in all fairness it probably had, with banners reading "Happy Birthday" all over the room.
"Happy Birthday Abstract!" His sister shouted across the room with both hooves flung upwards into the air, she was smiling enthusiastically "now let's open your present"
She looked over to her right and brought out a large box wrapped in paper with the words "happy birthday" written all over it in various shapes and sizes. Abstract took the box from his sister and stared at it for a moment.
"Well," Sapphire interrupted "open it"
Complying to her wishes Abstract un-did the sellotape, then started to unfold the paper with care. It was nice paper so he didn't want to ruin it. Under the paper, large blue words read out "Flim Flam Brothers Tantalising Telescope of Space Discovery"
"So?" Sapphire asked, intensely staring into his eyes as if they held the answer, "What do you think? Do you like it?"
Abstract tried to lose eye contact as he replied, "Useless"
Sapphire's face dropped. He could see this, he could see she was hurt or upset but why? Of course it is useless right now. It's not night, he couldn't use it during the day. Surely she knew that right?
"Oh..." Sapphire whimpered unable to hide her disappointment, "I'll... er... I'll just... take it back. I'm sure I can get you something else, don't you worry"
She tried to put on a smile as a tear rolled down her muzzle. She wiped it away with her hoof then picked up the paper and the box.
"No," Abstract stopped her from taking away the new telescope.
"But you said it was useless, Abstract," she said, voice wavering.
"It is now," Abstract said plainly, "It's not night."
That made her smile. She understood it now, he was glad she understood it.
Abstract started to examine the box that his new telescope came in. It had stars all over it with a picture of the Flim Flam brothers faded into the background as if they were a constellation. The stars, Abstract noted, were not technically accurate. Orion's Belt has three stars; not four. He continued to look over this mistake even though it annoyed him, he'd have to erase that impostor star another time, and this brought to actually open the box. He opened it slowly not wanting to break or rip or cause any other irregularity in the box's design. The box, on closer inspection, was wooden. it had a brass latch. When he unhooked the latch a brass telescope shined from the reflected glean of the morning sun. It looked nice. Abstract took a mental note to use this at his first possible convenience, perhaps when Celestia, Luna and the Arch Mage put down the sun tonight.
"Do I have to go to school today?" He asked, "only, we never learn anything I don't already know or the lessons are boring and I don't really care,"
"Yes," Sapphire replied, sternly. "Whether you enjoy it or not you seriously have to go to school, It's important, for life."
"Not my life,"
With that Abstract went upstairs to regain what he could of his daily routine.
Sapphire always walked him to school; today was no different. And he never liked different. On their way he heard the familiar whoosh of Scootaloo and her friend Crimson Wing. A specimen of athletic perfection and brilliance worthy of pride in their small village. He was a Pegasus, crimson coat and golden mane made his image more heroic than anything Abstract had ever seen, truly a red knight. He was more or less the same age as his sister, Sapphire was 17 and Crimson was a year older at 18, she liked him, a lot.
"Hey Saff, What's up?" Asked Crimson, "How did the little one like the present you got him?"
"I think he liked it but I can never tell," replied Sapphire, slightly disheartened by the realisation her gift may not have pleased Abstract, "But he seems to want to use it when Princess Twilight helps set the sun with Princess' Luna and Celestia."
"That is good to hear, so... are you on a free today at lunch only I was going to take a trot into town and I was wondering if you would like to, maybe, come... along?" He moved his head slightly forward in anticipation for an answer he dreaded he may hear.
"Crimson I really really would but its my little brother's birthday, I don't have time. Perhaps another day?"
Answer that destroyed Crimson's original hopes but left a ray of hope that, Abstract noticed, Crimson perked up to.
"Yes, yes. So another day? How about on the weekend? Perhaps we could make it a thing?"
"Perhaps," she gave Crimson a sly little smile that abstract didn't like but couldn't figure out why. But Crimson seemed to understand and looked much happier at the prospect. They left Crimson with Sapphire saying her goodbyes awkwardly as each missed handshake that nearly developed into a hug but never got that far took seconds of the day away from Abstract. He and his sister then walked in silence until they reached the boundary of the school play ground.
"Well Abstract, dear, I am going to have to leave you now," She paused for a moment as if she wanted to say more but the words got caught in he throat, "I'll be back at quarter past three to pick you up. please be good."
"I will,"
She turned around to walk away to her own life of college and lessons with Colts and essays. Her's was not his world and he knew that now more than ever.
"Thank you," Abstract uttered under his breath, he new she couldn't hear him but he wished she could. He stared at her walking away until she past the corner and was now invisible to him. Now it was time for school to begin, a world of pupils and teachers and lessons. A world he never much cared for because he had his number and his stars and his sister, he would always have his sister.
Author's Note
Ok so a little bit of clearing up about Autism. Autism is a mental spectrum of many different styles and types. Abstract has more Asperger's Syndrome. Very low functioning. He has got high level intelligence but lacks social skills and the ability to register different tones of voice. People with Asperger's hate any change in routine and tend to repeat words or phrases they understand. Also they many people with Asperger's choose a subject the love dearly and research about it to the fullest. I chose Abstract to like stars because when I was writing this it was a particularly starry night in cloudy old England. Also I am British so any colloquialisms i use will be British, If you don understand something just put in a comment. Also, and this is very important, if this offends you please tell me and I will edit or even if the offence it seriously concerning I will take this story down. Please Enjoy
-Gaius Vulpes
