Day 1: Homecoming.

Ryder. That's my name. I'm a Pegasus pony. Right now I'm in my cousins place sitting here holding my little sister Scootaloo who had a traumatic experience not even a few days ago. It really hurt to know my parents-- OUR parents- were murdered in cold blood. Lucky for me neither me or my sister were at home. I was out at work and she was at school. ...Maybe I should tell it from the beginning... I was on the way to my parents house with a friend's moving truck right behind my car. Classic. Humped wheel wells in the front and an exposed engine in the front with a triple opening bug catcher blocking the middle of the windshield. I had bought it about two months ago. My friend Big Mac who was in the moving truck right behind me helped me fix it. Found it browsing a catalog trying to find an article about Metallicolt- My favorite band. I had Big Mac on the phone that was sitting in the cup holder and had him on speaker phone. "Big Mac?" I said.

"What?" My phone replied giving me a deep voice with a slight drawl.

"My parents place is just up here to the right. With the boat you see it?"

Yes. My parents had a boat. It was a speed boat hooked up to my dads truck. His truck was a classic too. Pick up. Never kept it in good condition. No front bumper. Rusty tailgate. Surprisingly he actually let my sister sit in the passenger seat when my mother wasn't in the car. I pulled over in the front of the house and stepped out. I remember I wore dirty grey coveralls. Work boots. I used to work as a mechanic but because I fucked up one time on parking a car on the lift I got fired. Big Mac told me I had enough wit to work as a guard but my mother never liked me getting violent with anypony. Not even as the twenty three year old I am. Big Mac pulled up about a full cars length in front of me and parked the truck before stepping out himself. He wore his jeans and a red plaid flannel. He approached me with a humble look. "Ry if you ever need somepony to talk with about Verie Berrie I'm here for ya." He said.

Verie Berrie was my exmarefriend who broke up with me that day. Told me I wasn't good enough to even look at her. Sure she never said anything about calling but that's always implied... Right? Anyways I gave a sigh. Not one of boredom but one of sadness feeling my broken heart twitch a bit. I said to him, "I know... She's a bitch and... And... I've learned to accept that." I felt tears in my eyes wanting to come out.

I held back as Big Mac gave me a smile. "That's the spirit!" He told me. I shot him a smile before giving him a hug to ease the pain I felt deep inside. He even walked me up to my door. He stopped just half way down the path. I walked the rest of the way.

Just as I knocked on the door I heard a little filly inside scream, "Ryder! It's Ryder mommy!" That was my sister Scootaloo. She had turned twelve not even a moth ago.

The door flung open and I immediately get down on one knee. Ready for her. But what I see is the crotch of my father. An earth pony. My sister was a Pegasus just like me. My dad is half Pegasus and there was only a 30% chance that he would have a foal that was a Pegasus even with my mother. My father wore khaki shorts and a white tshirt. He looked down at me giving me a weird look. "You proposing or what?" He asked.

I gave him a grunt as i got back up. Not to mention an added dirty look. His humor to me was as funny as a prop comic in a pitch black room. "I heard Scootaloo. I assumed she was going to come out and give me a hug." I said. "She with mom or something?"

My father nodded looking right through me. He was looking at Big Mac. A stallion who he deemed 'Better than his own son'. He ACTUALLY said that. He told me when I was seventeen. I didn't have a job at the time and he had the audacity to fucking run me down like that instead of helping me look for one and support it. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked me. "I told you working on that car was a waste of time and money!"

"Dad shut the fuck up! I fixed this car with my own hands and it was worth it!"

He rolled his eyes. "Alright just get in here and stop being such a little shit about it."

Again not in any way, shape or form happy with my dad. He didn't even want me here but my mom and my sister did. Just as I pushed past my father I was met by my sister. Her purple mane and orange wings. She wore a tank top with jean shorts almost like our cousin Rainbow Dash. "RYDER!" She screamed.

I gave a smile. A real one this time. Not like the one I had to give Big Mac. My broken heart mended a bit but some of the fragments still remained. Time would heal those. That and a few shots of whiskey or maybe some tequila. "Scoot!" I said giving a laugh. "There you are sis I missed ya!" She looked up at me after I kissed her on the forehead. "Hey sorry I never brought a gift for your birthday... I was a bit short on cash and look where that got me..." I blushed looking back at Big Mac who was opening up the moving truck. The ramp he took out was just feet from the front end of my car. Scootaloo giggled a bit and nuzzled me. Felt warm.

"That's okay Big Brother! You coming was present enough for me!"

My father knelt down. "Scoot you go get your mom." He butted in. "We might need a bit of help getting your brothers things into the guest room." Sometimes I wish he would chop my arms off so I wouldn't be able to hold her and sew my lips shut so I'd never be able to call for help. Scootaloo nodded and pushed her way out of my arms. My father grabbed my arm and pulled me up looking at me giving me a stern look. He pushed me out the door where I stumbled a bit. Lucky me I used to have a chopper. Balance was perfect. Perfect enough where I could catch myself about fourty five degrees into the fall. Stupid coveralls blocked me from using my wings. As I looked back to my dad as he closed the door I pulled the zipper down about half way down my torso. "Look Ry I know why you're here. And I'm not happy. Neither is your mother."

I huffed pulling my arms out of the sleeves letting my body breathe and my wings stretch. "Look if the landlord had a heart to at least let me sell a few things or let me get the time to find a new job I wouldn't be having this damn problem." I snapped.

"I'll agree to giving you three meals, a roof over your head and a warm bed to sleep in but when it comes to gas money and going out to dinner with mares you're on your own."

"Dad... You have been treating me like shit my whole fucking life. What did I do to piss you off?"

Before my dad had a chance to answer the front door opened back up. Scootaloo ran out and so did my mother. Scootaloo stopped just short why my mother ran up, hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. "Oh my baby boy came back!" She said. I heard Big Mac laugh at me. It made what my dad said seem like a lie. It WAS a lie! I remember when I was about to move out my mom told me: "Ryder if you ever have problems with paying the rent or feeding yourself you are always welcomed here no matter what your father says!"

My ears dipped back and I blushed pushing my mother off of me. "Ma!" I said. "Not in front of Big Mac! I don't want him cracking jokes while we get my things inside!" My mother gave a laugh and rested her hand on my shoulder.

"Oh I'm sorry Ry I get carried away with things like this."

I rubbed my neck just as Big Mac came up behind me and patted me on the back. "C'mon enough visiting lets get this stuff inside." He said. Saved from embarrassment. Well... Further embarrassment. I turned and gave him a bit of a smile.

"Sure..." I replied giving a bit of a yawn. "Faster we get the stuff inside, faster I can take a nap... I spent the whole night packing up..." I actually did spend the whole night packing my things and pissing my neighbors off by playing my music loud, the night before getting Big Mac to bring the truck. I even told him I'd be doing work out at the orchard to pay him back for getting the truck. He would've used his families pick up if it weren't in the shop.... The shop I should still be working at... and... The truck I idiotically managed to bust the axle on. Lucky for me the garage I worked for didn't give out my name to him. Do I feel guilty I did this to my friends truck? Yes. Do I feel like instead of working for the moving truck by itself I should be working off both the truck and their family vehicle? Yeah. Yeah I do. That vehicle was handed down to him by his own father. He told me he saw his youngest sister born in the bed of that truck which uh... Lead to some sort of infection and their mother died from it. Father ended up hanging himself... Wanna know how I know this stuff? I was there when I was just a little colt playing 'war' with Big Mac. Mother screamed out. They tried starting the truck up and nothing. I ended up staying the night just for Big Mac and Applejack... Well... With the help of Rainbow Dash for Applejack's sake... In the morning me and Rainbow Dash were picked up by my mom. Later that day my dad found Big Mac at our door with Applejack and a few backpacks full of clothes sitting in a wagon and they ended up staying a few days till their grandmother came to get them and take control of the orchard. You don't know how weird it was to share a bed with your best friend.

Anyways it took us a while to get all my things from the moving truck into the house. Some bulky items like my wardrobe. Yes I had a wardrobe. My apartment was a one bedroom, one bath. The wardrobe went in the basement along with two dressers, a standing lamp, an entertainment center and a C-Sphere that I had to go retrieve because of my jackass of a father who took it while I was napping. Lucky me I heard him and grabbed it before going back to sleep. After I woke back up it was about four in the afternoon. My dad was watching one of his action movies. He was yelling: "YEAH YEAH FUCKING KILL THAT BASTARD!"

I huffed sitting up in my bed. I stretched and looked around my room. My TV and C-Sphere were set up on the dresser across from my bed. Boxes sat stacked in the corners. My mom told me I can sleep before putting it away. I swung my feet from under my sheets. I managed to change into some basketball shorts. My feathers on my wings were a bit messy but preening wasn't my thing... Although... Verrie Berrie had gone to great lengths to help me with that... She lightly brushed my wings out. Always felt good. "...fuck..." I said wiping my forehead. My room was muggy since it was hot that day. No fan in my room. My windows could be opened but there was so much wear and tear there I could do nothing to keep it up. As I got up from my bed I said to myself: "Ryder... Talk with Dad.... You tried digging for an answer but mom kicked dust back over it.... Get an answer no mater what." I opened up my door and saw a cute picture drawn by Scootaloo. It was a crudely drawn- but still adorable- picture of me and her flying. Something mom told me she hasn't gotten yet to do. I sighed and just left it there. My room was upstairs. Exactly why most of my big things that went into the basement. My sisters room was right between mine and our parents. That actually used to be my old room. I looked over the banister and saw my sister coloring. My dad and my mom sat on the couch. Dad with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. "...Great... Buzzed..." I descended the stairs. A creak alerted my family making them look up. Well... Everyone except my dad... Damn movie.

Scootaloo sprang up and went for the stairs. Her smile made me smile as well. Just as I reached the last step she lunged at me. My instinct was to grab her and hug her. "You're awake!" She said. I laughed getting her onto my shoulders.

"Yeah... Nap felt great! That picture you made me feel even better." She blushed a bit and slid down to where she Piggybacked me. Nearly pulled a few feathers too.

"I'm glad you like it Ryder! Mommy helped me think of it!" I looked to my mother. She blushed a bit giving me a smile. I lowered myself and got Scootaloo off my back.

"Mom? Can you take Scootaloo into the other room? I need to talk with Dad... Alone..."

My mother gave a nod and got up. She grabbed my sister and went into the kitchen. I had walked to the TV and shut it off. "What the hell Ry I'm missing the best part!" My dad snapped as I turned back at him. I crossed my arms.

"I asked a question earlier. Why do you always treat me like I'm trash? Ever since I was small you yelled at me for almost everything I did. Why did you make me seem like I was a failure?" My father gave a sigh. He patted the seat next to him. I hesitated. I didn't know if he was going to hit me or if he was going to up and toss me right back off. "I think i'll be good standing. Just tell me."

He sighed yet again. "Look." He said. "Before I met your mother I was doing great in my life. I had a multistory house. That truck outside used to be supped up. Best damn truck on the block. Once I met your mother we uh... Had a one night stand and well... The safety failed and there you are.... I was pissed about that... ended up having to come back each and every day for six months to drop food off for your mother since she ate everything in the house. When the rent came due I either was late or forgot. Once I got two and a half months late on the rent I was booted. Next thing you know I'm out doing a drag race. The engine blew and I wasn't able to fix it right. It either caught fire or a part broke inside..." He swirled his beer around. "You want one? Bought a fresh case."

"...Fine..." I said. "...Celestia knows I need a drink... Gonna fix this damn thing..." I pounded on my chest a bit. He gave a smile. Something I rarely saw on his face. Was I dreaming? Was this some fatigue, heart wrenching nightmare? Is some sort of jump scare gonna get me? Well... Sorta... I walked around the coffee table where my father set his beer down and -get this- He actually got up and went to the kitchen to grab me one! I couldn't believe it. Just as he went through the kitchen door I pinched myself. Nothing but pain. Blunt from my sore muscles. Sharp from the pinch.

Then I heard something from the kitchen. My mother and my father talking. "You are not bringing our son a beer!" My mother said. "Go and put that back! He hasn't touched an alcoholic drink at all since he left!" I didn't have the heart to tell her about the moment after she left me at my place on my twenty first birthday. Big Mac was over. Same with Berrie when she did live with me. Big Mac brought over his friend from the guard. Yes. The guard. His name was Shining Armor. At the time he lived with his sister who now is living here in Ponyville in the Golden Oaks Library. I went there to grab a book about how I could build a motor from the ground up... Damn car... Reliable though... Ended up getting smashed. Woke up slumped over the wall of my bathtub with my head on the toilet seat. Thank Celestia it was closed.

"C'mon the boy's 23 now! Just let him have ONE beer! It aint gonna kill him!"

"Okay! One beer! If I see him throw up or stumble you might as well SLEEP in that truck of yours!"

My father sighed just as he came back from the kitchen with two ice cold cans of beer in each hand. Tossed one to me and set the other on the table before sitting back down. "Ma doesn't want me to drink does she?" I asked. My father shook his head. I gave a sigh. "I'd say something but I don't want to be on her bad side... I mean she was the one who agreed to let me in here... Anyways continue..."

He gave a bit of a smile as I sipped it. No coughing or distasteful gag. Whiskey however... Sheesh. "Anyways... When I tried finding a new part the stores were out..." He said. "...And when I did find them your mother would call me saying I needed to pick up diapers, baby food or something else to please you I missed out on buying it!"

"And you took it out on me for THAT?"

"No no I didn't give a shit about that engine. What I stayed pissed at you for is that one day when you were five... I was outside playing ball with you. You ended up throwing the ball to hard and you started a chain reaction of things in the house breaking that ended up giving you amnesia which... I didn't take you to the hospital for because.... Well I didn't think the lamp hit you that hard... Your mother came home seeing a bit of blood going down the back of your head and we rushed you to the hospital using your moms car... That costed me more than it did to give birth to you... Not to mention one of the things that was broken was my prized signed record from Bronze Blimp..."

I thought about what he said. I remember the catch but nothing after that until when I got into Tee-Ball when I wet my pants on the field and started crying. I started tearing up. I set my beer down. "...Dad..." I said. "... What you're saying is that you got ticked off at me for breaking a plastic disk with ink on it... But what I'm hearing is that a record was more important than I was... And... That was years ago... That anger should have died down when we went to my first game...." My father looked away with tears in his eyes.

"I... I know... I was planning on selling it to go for your college fund... I hated not being able to help you with that engineering class.... I could've even helped you learn to fix cars by giving you some experience..." He sniffled and wiped his eyes. "...I... It... It just... FUCK!" He turned around and hugged me. I hugged him back starting to cry. "....I'm sorry Ry... Starting now I'm going to be nicer to you..."

"Oh Daddy..." I said. Daddy. Yes. I called him daddy. I was so moved by it I said something to him I haven't said to him in about ten years. "...I love you daddy..." ... Yes when I was 13 I still called my dad daddy.

My mother and sister heard our cries and they hurried out. Scootaloo joined in on the hug while my mom grabbed my beer and threw it at the wall. "NOW LOOK HE'S WASTED!" She said prying Scootaloo off of us. My father looked up at her.

"....S-sweetie... He only had a sip! Don't be so hard on him!"

"He shouldn't have ever touched that beer! He needs to set a good example for Scootaloo while he's here otherwise she could start copying everything he does!"

I sniffled and broke the hug with my father. As I looked up to my mother I wiped my tears away. "...Mom..." I said. "...One beer didn't do this... It's why dad was giving me a life time of shit that got me like this.... I was young I didn't know what I did...." It was true. I had forgotten all about that until my father had told me. My mother looked to my father. Then the beer splatter against the wall and the can pouring beer onto the floor. She sighed and just walked back into the kitchen. I looked back to my dad who gave me a smile and hugged me again. It felt good knowing my dad apologized for years of negativity towards me. Also felt good that my mom brought me another beer feeling bad for wasting the one that my dad got me.

"...Here...." She said handing me the beer. "...I'm sorry I snapped like that... Big Mac told me what had happened with you, your marefriend and your home... Honestly I didn't like what I heard but... You might need to relax a bit... Mend that broken heart.... Just... Please try not to drink so much..." I gave a nod taking the beer and cracking it open.

Later that night I was just putting Scootaloo to bed. Mom and Dad went out for a night to themselves. My sisters room was covered in Wonderbolt posters and pictures of her and our cousin. There was only one picture which I was with her. It was framed sitting on her dresser. It was after she was born and I was holding her for the first time. I even remember what I said that day because mom had dad record it on a video camera. I said: "Scoot... If and when you ever need me I'll be there to protect you, hug you and even change you..." Just as I tucked her in she looked up at me.

"Ryder?" She said.

"Yeah scoot?"

"Can I pleeeeeaaase stay up a little longer?"

I gave a sigh. It was a few years since I was back here with my sister. She actually cried when I left. I played with her. Walked her to and from school before I was able to drive. She was obviously happy. Yet I didn't know how to answer. I held up my finger digging into my pocket. "Let me call Mom and Dad see if you can spend a bit more time with me before going to bed." I replied pulling out my phone. Scootaloo nodded and grabbed a nearby teddy bear. ...It uh... It used to be mine at one time but my mom took it when I was fourteen because she said I was too old for them.

I pressed a button on my phone turning the screen on. Swiped the screen making the sound of a quick strum of a guitar. Contacts found the contact info for my mom- Sparing some details because I know you don't need to hear EVERYTHING I did. As I put the phone up to my ear Scootaloo asks me: "Cant I just stay up and you could say you put me to bed at this time?"

I shake my head just as my phone clicks. "Hello? Ryder what do you want your father is almost ready with the parking spot!" My mother answered. I wanted to make it quick.

"Yeah mom uh Scootaloo is kinda wanting to spend some more time with me..." I replied. "I mean... I spent most of the day moving, unpacking, sitting with dad and crying and.... Well maybe I should spend some more time with her." I heard a sigh.

"Okay she can stay up but only for an hour! She has school in the morning! I want you to take her before you go to work for Big Mac."

"Alright Ma I'll be good with that. Have a good dinner!"

I hung up my phone and looked back to my sister. She looked a bit excited. "Well? Well?" She asked.

I smiled. "Well," I said mocking her a bit. "You can stay up one more hour to spend time with me. I'm driving you to school tomorrow before I go to work!"

"Ooh! Ooh! Can we give a ride to my friends too big brother?!"

My heart jumped. She called me 'big brother'. Not like 'Big Brother is always watching' but... Like she was excited to have me as a big brother. Before I answered her my phone went off. This one was a fiddle sawing almost like a phone ringing. Not sure how that was done but I thought it was best not to question it. I stood up and yanked my phone from my pocket and saw it was Big Mac. His picture was him sleeping at my old apartment drunk off his ass. I clicked the green button and put it up to my ear. "Big Mac what the heck?" I asked censoring my language. Lucky lucky little sister.

I heard a sigh. "Look Ry I'm sorry but I need you to get your ass over here." Big Mac said. "I just got the new Alley Brawler game! This thing is so SICK with the death sentence sequences! AJ says I cant have Applebloom play it cuz it gets real bloody! I'm just dying to go two player!"

"Big mac I cant right now I'm watching Scootaloo right now."

"C'mon man cant you let your old lady and your old man watch her?"

"No Big Mac! We'll play that on break tomorrow. Right now my parents are paying me to watch her and I need gas money to last me for a while. Trust me I need to get to and from work in my car. My dad's car isn't going to cut it. That thing is a deathtrap! Now I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

I was awaiting an answer but Big Mac just hung up on me. Probably pissed. I'd be too if I weren't spending time with Scoot but she was the reason for me to smile. Big Mac and I were just dying for this game to come out. Hopefully he just lets it go... If he doesn't I'm gonna let him kick my ass a few times in the game... Or just buy him some DLC characters but WAIT! I have NO FUCKING MONEY! Anyways as I put my phone in my pocket and looked back at Scootaloo. "Did Big Mac want you to come over for something....?" She asked.

I nodded and sighed. "He wanted me to come over and help him.... I said I didn't want to right now." I replied. "Now... About your bed time.... You got an hour before you really have to. Alright?" Scootaloo's face lit up. Something I wanted to see from her. "So uh... Anything you wanna do?"

Scootaloo thought for a moment. I could see she went real deep in thought. She looked back at me with a smile. "I wanna do anything you want to Ry!" She replied. I was at a loss for words. I only asked because it wouldn't look good if mom and dad came home seeing me and Scootaloo playing poker or watching one of my TV shows that's normally on. And some of my games on my C-Sphere? How about no. Games I have are entirely too violent for my sister. Blood, gore, language... God the language. Scootaloo repeats one word to her friends, mom and dad and I am SUNK! Well... I would be...

Anyways I sighed. "Alright lets just go downstairs and watch some TV..." I said. "Best to spend time the simple way." I saw her give a smile before hopping out of bed and into my arms. Felt so warm and comforting.

She only stayed awake about half the time allowed. I didn't seem to notice since she was lying on my stomach as I lied on my back. My attention was just diverted to cartoons. These are the shitty new kind. Ones that actually had violence. Not some stupid 'Fantasy violence'. That's only good with video games. Not TV shows. Not even as the credits ended lights moved across the wall from the outside. Moments later our parents came in. My mom wearing a dress, dad wearing a suit. My dad carried a bag with styrofoam boxes inside. Each looked a bit displeased. "I swear that was THE worst service we've had!" My mother snapped.

Dad shushed her seeing Scootaloo on my stomach. He came over to me and knelt down setting the bag down. "Thanks for watching her." He said. He took Scootaloo off my stomach allowing me to sit up. "You get on up to bed. It's been a long day. Work is gonna be better when you're wide awake." I gave a nod before shutting the TV off. Deep inside I wanted that moment of comfort to last forever... It was probably the wrong thing to even want.