Seeing Doubleby El BonkusChaptersThat Warm and Fuzzy FeelingLove is like a rifle cartridge.......It's Got A Piercing Quality(Filler) Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Boom.A full tank of gas, half a pack of cigs and you know the restReaping A Dead Man's AssetsThat Warm and Fuzzy FeelingAnd so, there I stand. Two seemingly impossible creatures standing before me, frozen in time. And then they hugged me. The next thing I hear are screams of "It's been too long!" and "How have you been?!". I then decided it might be a good idea to direct them towards the couch and have them settle in as I collected my thoughts. Okay then. They are real. They are honest to god real. Living, breathing, loving real.. Before I could get much further in my thoughts, a rumbling arose from the couch. My head turned to what seemed to be a hungry Cloudchaser, sending me a silent but obvious message with those purpleish-amber eyes of her. So captivating.... So...Lifelike. I nod to her and head to the kitchen, having prepared ahead of time. I take the salad ingredients out of the fridge and begin to create her meal. Part of my now justified preparation was learning home economics. Some lettuce, tomatos, carrot shreds, nothing out of the ordinary for me. I never was one for meat. This could explain my rather....skeleton like build. No matter, I'm still alive and no worse for wear. I can hear them talking in the living room. They seem to be satisfied so far. Little snippets make their way to my ears. "This is a very nice place he has. I can't believe he hasn't had us over yet" Flitter idly wonders. "Well he hasn't been able to until now featherbrain! The whole traveling ordeal is horrible, he hasn't been able to get us here safely yet" Cloudchaser responds. So that's what they think....Vogon certainly took care of the gaps, didn't they. And I must be an "old friend"... Intresting, Intresting.... I finish making the salad for the three of us and set the table with fixings before I step into the living room "Hey, if you gals are hungry, I've got some salad in the dining room" I announce to them "Alright! Grub time!" Cloudchaser declares as she pumps her fist and walks to the dining room "Sorry about her... She's just a little brash" Flitter says to me as she files past. I nod and follow them as they get settled at the table. I take my seat and we begin to eat. The sound of munching and crunching fills the room for a bit before I speak up. "So, how have you two been?" I ask, seeing if a vauge question like that garnered any results from the two "Oh, you know, life as usual.... But somepony just had to get feisty with our weather captain and put us in this situation" Flitter says, shooting a glare in Cloudchaser's direction. Cloudchaser throws her hands up in defence. "Well excuse me, he was an absolute plothole!" Cloudchaser returns "Cloudchaser! How can you use language like that in front of the stallion that's housing us?!" Flitter almost screams "It's okay, it's fine, I've heard worse" I try to dispel the fighting between the two. Cloudchaser begins to apologize. "W-Well.... She's not wrong... I'm sorry that we have to stay with you, I know you may not have wanted to house us. It's my fault for getting us kicked off the weather team" "Not a problem Cloudchaser, on the contrary, I rather enjoy your company" I quell her worries, making her blush a bit in the process. So... They got kicked of the weather team, and I wouldn't put it past Cloudchaser, and they have to stay with me....Good work Vogon, even I can accept that... The best thing to do now is just roll with it We continue on with the dinner and finish up fairly quickly. I take up the bowls and walk over to the sink to wash them. That's when a thought strikes me. The water bill, the electricity, the food. My god. How am I going to do this? How can I pay for all of this? I just took on two more mouths to feed, two more bodies to wash.....I need a job. I cannae just sit on my ass anymore, that just isn't an option anymore. Okay. Problem, I need money. Solution, Get a job. Problem, I have no experience in anything but vehicles. Solution, Find automotive job. Problem, All mechanics are hired by the rich. Solution..... Donnie. With that laying on my mind, I began to gather my things. I best not wait to fix this problem. I bid farewell to the girls and tell them to make themselves at home as I exit to the outside world. Flitter's Point Of View I wonder why he's leaving but he's out the door before I can ask. Gosh. I guess he'll be back in a while, it must be important. He said make ourselves at home so....I guess kick back and relax for a while I sigh and head over to what is marked as my room by a sign on the door. I open the door and step in, taking in the rather nice smell. The room smells of flowers, very pleasant. I better enjoy it now, if I'm to share this room with Cloudchaser, the smell will be gone within the hour. The room is very lush for a small space, owing to a comfy looking bunk-bed, some beanbags, fresh carpet, the works. Emile really is a sweet soul to go through this much trouble. I look over to the holo-projector and decide to watch something. My friends, whom for some reason seem hazy in my mind, used to own these, so I was fairly fluent with the controls. Flipping through the options, I settle on an old movie series. All of these movies are practically vintage now, looking at the production years. Forrest Gump....It sounds like something Fluttershy would like, nature and stuff... Oh well, sounds pretty interesting, maybe Cloudchaser will watch it with me "Cloudchaser! Come over here!" I yelled to her "Just a second, I think I found the cider! Want one?" She yells back "No thanks!" I reply as I hear the tell-tale clinking of glass on glass. She walks in a second later, clothes discarded somewhere. "You really took the whole 'settling in' thing to heart, didn't you?" I chuckle "I don't even know why we wore our work-out gear, it's so stuffy!" She says to me I nod in agreement and peel off my gear, sighing in relief. I feel so much better out of those hot clothes. I smile as I hit the play button and the film begins. Emile's Point 'O View The garage is humble. Brick and mortar on the outside, rustic vibes emanating in waves from it. However, modern technology is housed inside to be used by the resident mechanic. Two garage bays adorn the building, lifts and all. Gasoline, Diesel, Hydrogen, Electric, all are welcome to be fixed. The mechanic is truly out of lore itself, having been around for as long as time itself. Some say that he was there to hear the first turn over of the engine as we know it. Others say every car is his child. Today, I know these aren't true, but it's nice to remember the childlike wonder I once had when I over-idolized my uncle. Not my real uncle, so much as a "Dad's old friend" uncle. Close enough. The smoke rising from the first garage bay tells me everything I need to know. He's there all right. Either his lungs really are made of iron, or they've shriveled up into black mass. There he is, working on the undercarriage of a car, just like I remember. I remember being young and walking aimlessly around the garage all day, him and dad trading dirty banter as they worked together. They were bigger than life to me. He was always so mysterious to me, hell I didn't even know his full name for years! Now I know the man who is Donnie Shanks. The mystique is gone for me, but it's always fun to see him put on a show for the small ones when they come with their mothers. He turns around and notices me leaning on the bay door frame. He puts down his tools and walks over to me before embracing me in a hug, patting my back. I appreciate the gesture but I just wish he'd realize I've gotten over dad. He was dad's best friend though and he probably knows what's best for me, even if I don't. We stay there for a moment before he releases me and throws me a filter wrench. We set off on the standard oil job, one I know by heart. "So kid, haven't seen you in a while. Thought you got drunk off your ass and did somethin' really stupid" He tells me "Not yet.... I think I'm done getting wasted for now" I say back as I grab an oil drain pan "I see. I take it it's got somethin' to do with the two girls under your roof now?" He surprises me with his response "How'd ya know?" I ask, bewildered "I'm the one who showed him Vogon in the first place. Gave me a good laugh it did, but he took it to heart I suppose" The man with the chocolate hair tells me "Well yeah... Anyways, that's why I came here. I'm gonna need a job, I figured you'd be able to help me" I beseech of him He motions for me to take off the filter and let it drain, which I do. We go and sit on the stack of tires in the corner. He scratches his chin, lost in thought. He's not one to rush a decision, never has been. I take in his thoughtful appearance. He's the "entitled to the sweat on your brow" kind of guy. Skin cracked red, clothes stained black. Smell of sweat adorns his figure, muscle and beer-belly, practically the image of a southern man. One you would never want to fuck with in a bar. I know he wouldn't do that to me but I best stay on his good side. My attention is drawn back to his face as he opens his mouth to talk. "Tell you what. I know you're a good worker, Seamus made sure of that. You come in everyday except Sunday and I'll make sure you and your girls don't go hungry" He says to me I smile and hug him saying many "thank-you"s to him in undying gratitude. He pats me on the back and we separate again. We nod and go back to the car, replacing filter and oil before sending it on it's way with a very happy owner. We talk a bit and laugh. He tells me when I need to be in and works out a good schedule with me. After a few beers and stories, we bid farewell to each other and I head home. The walk home is uneventful as usual. Quiet. Peaceful. Night. I like it. I walk in the door and go to check on the girls. I come to find two things. Flitter is crying onto Cloudchaser's shoulder as the scene on the holoprojector is paused on the shore of a Vietnam jungle. Oh.... Poor Bubba. Cloudchaser is shooting me a kind of "Save-Me" look but that's passing me by completely. What's grabbing my attention are their clothes....or lack thereof. I duck out of the room spewing "sorry" as fast as I could. This proves to be in vain as she joins me outside. "What's wrong?" She asks of me, as if the answer isn't obvious....Which I suddenly realize it's not "Y-You don't normally wear clothes, do you?" I ask her "Why would we?" She says "I-It's just....." I sigh and relent. It's what they're used to. "It's fine in the house but when you go out you need to wear clothes" I tell her. She mulls it over for a moment and decides that it's a fair deal. I decide to go over to her sister and hopefully fix things. I approach Flitter and pat her on the back reassuringly. Suddenly, she's clinging to me and crying into my shoulder. Guns and ponies don't mix very well I suppose, though Cloudchaser might've caught-on that it was only fictional.....Bubba at least. I gently stroke her back and tell her none of it was real, and I let her cry into me. This is no world for a pony, but they'll have to adapt to the way the world is. That's the sad truth. With more pats and strokes, I settle in for a long night. I lay in bed, Flitter curled up to me. Cloudchaser decided that it may be a good idea to let her stay with me. She sees me as a beacon which.... Makes my heart swell to be honest. It's a wonderful feeling to be loved and depended upon, like an old friend. Of course, I suppose that our relationship will go a bit further than that. I hope at least. Flitter seems to have relaxed as she breathes gently. To trust me enough to be in such intimate quarters with me is very comforting. I feel the sandman tug a bit on my eyes and decide to let him take over. Sleep is blissful when it's just right. For the first time since dad left.....I fell asleep knowing all would be okay. Author's Note So! First really dialogue heavy chapter. All of it seems right but I can't help but feel it's messed up. Dialogue is not me strong point. And before anyone points out the "Cannae" thing, I'm Irish, that's a thing we say. So, I hope you enjoyed and as usual, thanks to the man RJP himself for helping me out and the guys at the Facebook chat! Y'all may be the reason it takes me so long to write a chapter but I enjoy it nonetheless. On that bombshell, it's time to end, good night! -Jezza Love is like a rifle cartridge...I look to my left and right, PPK at the ready, finger just over the trigger. The old Russian missile base creaks and groans as I walk through it. Other than that, pure silence. Knowing what's at stake here, I keep my guard up. I can't afford to lose this battle. I spin around and raise my gun only to find nothing. I turn back around and keep going, trying to stay hidden. If I can reach the missile controls first, if I can be the first to turn that key- "You need to be a lot quicker y'know" Cloudchaser speaks up before emptying her assault rifle into my chest. The impacts are painless but my own blood feels warm on my skin as I fall to the ground. It'll take ten or so seconds before I can get back on the move and even then, I'll be farther away. I start to black out and when my vision returns, I'm on the far side of the base. Motherfucker! I'm not gonna make it! Throwing stealth to the wind, I run at a break-neck speed to the Missile control room. I'm running as fast as I can, lungs pumping, chest heaving. I can see it, I could make it! I could win this! At least.... until I hear a voice over the PA. "Sorry Emile, but me and Cloudchaser are seriously hungry!" Flitter says over the speakers "Suck it Emile~" Cloudchaser singsongs to me The rumbling tells me everything I need to know. I'm in a blast tunnel. There's a missile launching. Fuck. The tube is lit up with the light of the oncoming inferno, only meters away from me. I swear to the fire itself as it engulfs me painlessly and roasts me alive. We step out of the imersion rig booths, me in particular covered in a light sheen of sweat. "Was the 'suck it' really needed?" I shoot Cloudchaser a playful glare "Yes. Yes it was. I find it topped your death with that essence of class" She laughs I just roll my eyes and smile. These mares have adapted quickly over the span of a month. Learning human expressions, getting over the fear of humanity in general (don't get me wrong, I do relish the nights I spend with Flitter), and just in general. I think I've been adapting too. The idea of having two women in my house, usually naked on top of that, was a hard pill to swallow. After a while however, I grew used to it and learned to stop being squeamish. It's been a learning experience for all of us, we've gotten to the point of being as close as friends could be. Although, that is their memory of me so it's probably easier for them to accept it. "Alright, alright, I honor all my bets" I sigh and chuckle as I motion for them to follow me out to the truck. We get out to old (really really really old) faithful and climb in. Cloudchaser squeezes into the back bench and Flitter sits next to me. I crank the fourth starter motor, verging on fifth honestly, and the engine flares to life. Sure half of the engine itself is replaced parts, but the block is still original and I couldn't be happier. It's a family heirloom really. We merge onto the highway and start heading to Charlotte. Ah, Charlotte. The memories come flooding back. Sitting on dad's shoulders watching the race, mom cheering as loud as she could. If I'm being honest, I'm missing more than a few brain cells due to the fumes of the burning petrol and even the early diesel testing days. Did I care though? Fuck no! It was heaven for me. Yes, we were all a family, me, mom, dad and Susa- At that thought my hands jerk, as well as the truck. I snap back to attention, centering up back into the lane. I can see Flitter has something to say but she bites her tongue. We ride in silence for the rest of the trip. Not now. Not ever again. But I know I can't avoid it. I shake my head and go back to the task at hand. It's the day to cut loose, have fun! Flitter's worry seems to alleviate once a smile returns to my face, gradually becoming less forced through the ride. There on the corner is a small arcade. Seems oddly out-of-place in a big ol' city. Who's got time for games? There's business to do, people to screw, life as usual. Yes, it's small and unassuming. Being the only real arcade left in the state, well that changes things. He's never out of business. The rich, the penniless, everyone loves to be here. Yes, we all love this dear old arcade. It's only by coincidence it's named Flynn's. The owner himself is named Pookie Flynn. I don't have any idea what he did to deserve the name Pookie but we love him all the same. I personally think it's nice that he was a Tron fan, he really tried to replicate the Flynn's from the movie. That's also what brought in a lot of money, people loved the "retro" culture, although at this point it was pretty much antique. I feel older than I really am only for getting the reference. I used to work in a museum, and I'd always get questions, from grown men mind you, like "What the hell is a knob?" and "What's that keyboard with paper in it?". I was genuinely surprised they knew what a keyboard was. Grandpa was very adamant about preserving what we knew about the past. He always quizzed me on what we considered to be obscure topics. It was just the coolest thing to him, and I find it really interesting too, all this old tech. I lead Flitter and Cloudchaser over to the arcade, being mindful of the street and the few cars adorning it. They seem to be very excited at the prospect of playing some games at an actual arcade. The bet was that I would fund their gaming spree and what-ever food they wanted. Donnie's been working me pretty hard so he shot me some cash and told me to take the girls out, which is what I gladly did. He also mentioned something about replacing the rear suspension of my truck. Hilarious. We step into the blacklit expanse of the arcade, the machines glowing happily in the absence of overhead lighting. I take a deep breath of an atmosphere preserved. Tears, Sweat and Nachos. Beautiful. The girls seem to be excited by the electronic attractions, different from the immersion booths of modern arcades. This is a nice break from that, it really is. The crowd, I swear, Is nothing short of the past. Little gangs of school kids, the older teens that hustle the younger out of their money and pride. The pecking order hasn't changed at all, has it? I lead them over to a Pay-Band station. First there were quarters, then the reloadable cards, and now there are Pay-Bands. They're handy for anywhere like an arcade. I mostly carry scrip but I do leave some money in my bank for situations like this. One thumbprint later and I've got three Pay-Bands. Me and the girls strap them on and off we go! Well....Off they go. I have a meeting.... A meeting with beer. Flitter's POV "So many games! So much potential! I don't know what to go to first....What do you think sis?" I asked to only be replied with silence. "S-Sis?" I asked as I twirled around. Gone. Oh well.... She'll be fine.....I....I think......Right..... I decide to scope out the scene... The arcade seems to be divided into sections based on the genre of the game.... I'll have to keep that in mind, staying away from the gore, guts and guns section. In contrast, there's the fighting games, the racing games, the classics.... They all look nice and fun and not evil.... Of course that's all my own perception but doesn't gore just freak everypony out? The classics seem like a good place to start I nod to nopony in particular and head over to the quarter of the arcade dedicated to classic games The atmosphere in here is very.....Intresting..... I find an unoccupied machine and view it for a while. The classics section is composed of classics from every genre of arcade game so I find myself looking at an arcade machine with a seat bolted to it and a wheel, not unlike the immersion rig back home. It seems very nice and colorful. I find myself being drawn in by the music, up-beat and pumping. Without my immediate realization, I'm sitting in the seat. Once I realize my situation, I shrug to myself and wave my Pay-Band over the sensor, activating the game. I'm greeted with more pumping music and a course selection screen.... How hard could this be? Cloudchaser's POV "ARE YOU READY FOR COMBAT MAGGOT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU JOKER!" The virtual drill sergeant screams at me. Holding a rifle in my hand, I playfully salute to the stallion in front of me. What it is about war and the people of this country, I don't get, but I know I'm good at these games so why not have fun? I'm loaded into a grassy field. Unassuming if not for the bloodshed about to take place on it. Suddenly, I'm able to move and I start looking for my first target. Let's see here.....Ooh! Hi there! Boop! Down he goes, one head shorter. I go around shooting and occasionally being shot at, dying only so often. This one guy though, the first one I killed, he keeps coming for me, and not in a very smart fashion.... Silly stallion, don't you know that gun beats rock? Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Just like that, the game is over and I'm awarded a medal for my performance....Fancy! I step out of the immersion booth only to be met by shouting. "This is bullshit! How did that guy keep killing me! He totally cheated! Fucker!" I hear him yell before rounding the corner to meet me. He's just a bit shorter than me, and his temper seems to be steaming off of him, it's kind of scary. He meets me and I see him make the connection that I just kicked his plot. His eyes light with a fire that scorns me where I stand...Oh crap. "W-What the fuck?! What the fuck are you? Some kind of freak?!" He screams.... The other arcade-goers are beginning to stare...Workers seem to be shrinking down. This isn't going to go well is it? "Excuse me sir, are we having a problem here?" I hear a familiar voice speak up. Suddenly, I see the guy spin around and be yanked up by his collar by Emile. "Hey bud, that "freak" you just yelled at happens to be my friend. You got something to say to her?" He seems to shake but regains his cool, despite hovering off the ground. "Yeah.....I'm sorry she has to be with some sick horse-fucker" He laughs Emile stays still for a second, doing nothing. Then, it happened. He pinned the guy up against the immersion booth and got muzzle-to-muzzle with him Emile's POV "You listen here bud, and I hope you get it here and now. You can call me whatever you want, and throw all the punches you can, but the second you raise your fucking voice to her, I will make you life a living hell. Got it?" I say as I shake him against the booth. He meekly nods and I drop him. He scurries off, promising revenge and the like. He means none of it of course, I'm positive. I move over to check Cloudchaser. She seems a bit shaken but is otherwise okay. I nod and find her sister in the gathering crowd and motion for her to follow me. We leave the arcade in a small hurry and get into the truck. The ride home is long and silent, the sky turning dark by the time we get home. Cloudchaser goes up to sleep but Flitter holds me back in the truck. "I-It's really sweet how you stood up for sis like that.... Not a lot of stallions stand up for the trouble she gets into" She says "Hey, I can't let some guy push around my girls can I?" I laugh, and she blushes at that statement "W-Well, I mean my friends....Y-You aren't really my girls so much as my friends and y'know-" I'm cut short by a timid kiss from Flitter. She pulls away and blushes "I-I've been looking for a stallion like you for...A while now.... Somepony brave and kind....And......I want to be your special somepony....." She smiles to me. I nod and lean back in for another kiss, this time more intimate. I decide to lead her to the backseat of the truck, letting us lay down in our makeout session. I pull her close to me and hold her tenderly. It's been a while, but the warmth in my heart is beginning to grow again, into a burning inferno of passion for her. Tonight will be unforgettable. Cloudchaser's POV SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK I pull the pillow around my ears tighter Oh my Celestia, how long have they been going?! It's been hours! No stallion should have that kind of stamina! Then again, he's no stallion....I wonder how different he really is....No! Bad brain! He's bedding your sister, you shouldn't be thinking of this! Well.... Maybe they're not doing what I think they're doing....Yeah, maybe they're having a tickle fight..... SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK Oh who am I kidding? I just hope it ends soon, I need my sleep SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK.....CRUNCH! I get up and rush over to the window to look out. The truck's stopped bouncing and the rear looks noticeably lower. I sigh. Well, at least I can sleep. Author's Note NOW THIS IS THE STORY ALL ABOUT HOW MY SCHOOL GOT STARTED AND I GOT BUSY AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT, JUST SIT RIGHT THERE, NOW HALLOWEEN Video's a couple days late..... So yeah, between Football, Band and ALLLLL the other stuff, life got busy. So yeah. That's my excuse. I feel like this chapter may have been a small but rushed but right now, filler is what's goin on. Not to mention I'm setting stuff up. If you play Town of Salem, think of it as being doused by the arsonist...So yeah. As usual, leave opinions and don't be offensive, be constructive. Bye! ...What do you mean I'm getting a cease and desist from Will Smith and JonTron?....FUCK YOU. I AIN'T HAVIN THAT SHI- *Death* ....It's Got A Piercing QualityAuthor's Note This is one of the few times I'll talk before the story. I did mess up on a very minor detail in that the FRONT suspension on the truck should have been broken, not the rear. If you quite frankly don't give a damn about the small stuff like that, go on ahead. If you do, so do I. It's the little things that keep you going. So sorry, and I'm surprised I messed that up considering it's kind of based ona true story so.... I've said too much! On that note, you may be wondering where I'm getting the locations in the stories from. Like I said, kind of based on a true story. These are places I used to live at at one point or another. At this point, I'm not at any of the places I may mention in this story so don't track me down! I don't think I have any stalker fans anyways... ....It's Got A Piercing Quality Working at the shop is alright. The people who come by are regulars, nice enough. Of course you would be to the guy who's fixing your car at a good price. It's not clean work. I usually need a longer shower than the girls when I get home. I would be working on my truck right now, but I have more important duties. My favorite in fact. When a mother comes in, they usually have their child with them. It's so nice seeing them, innocent in their ways. The five and six year-olds are the best, they still believe in magic. And that's right up my ally. The kid in-front of me was so far amazed by what I had to offer. Nothing too special, anyone could do it. It kept him entertained though and I was about to show him my best trick. Not so much magic as it was technology. I pulled out the large object from the tool drawers. At first glance, one might think it were a cologne bottle with the sprayer missing and replaced by a metal stem. I however knew that it was a vaporizer. A rather large one at that. The "cologne bottle" was actually a rather large battery. The metal stem is where I drew the vapor from. It was rather old, but still usable. "This..." I explained to the awe-struck child, "Is something very special. I got it from an old friend. 'Дыхание дракона', Dragon's Breath they call it. I'll show you" He only stared in wonder at the exotically named item. Now comes the fun part. I line up the spout with my lips before depressing the button on the side of the bottle. A small hissing noise emanates from the heating coils as a take a hit from the vape. The vapor fills my lungs harmlessly, the menthol cooling me, a direct contrast to the cinnamon. I pointed my head to the sky as I shot vapor from my nostrils before expelling it from my mouth, a large white cloud filling the room with icy cinnamon before dispersing. The look on his face is priceless. He must really think I'm a dragon. The amazement written across his face is totally worth it. His mother comes by to thank me and takes her car on her way. By that point a familiar figure is in the doorway of my office. "Nice magic show" Flitter remarks from the doorway before coming into the office and shutting the door. I take another hit from my vape and exhale and set it down. She's dressed fairly comfortably. Some sweatpants, a tank-top. Simple. Seeing her brings up a few memories, but they're mostly blurred. "I do my best" I laugh. "You seem fairly comfortable with kids" "Oh, he's a good one. He hasn't hit that period where he's rebellious. Every kid has a 'pre-teen' phase, I assure you" "So.... About last night...." She says, sitting down in a chair. I sigh and take another hit from the vape, a less extravagant one, hardly producing a cloud. I knew this would come up today. "Look, I was.... Well, I wasn't thinking if I'm being honest" I look to the desk "Neither was I and...." She trails off. We sit there for what seems like ages. Neither of us really know what to say. I look into her eyes and she looks into mine for an answer. She brings up another topic. "You seem to have a way with children" She smiles "I try to. I.... Hmmph, It's been forever since my own childhood. And I'm only twenty-five..." I chuckle "Twenty-five hmm? I never thought you were that old" She tells me "Really? And just how old are you?" "Twenty-seven" I smile at her and she smiles back ".....Would you want to have foals?" She asks me after a long silence My eyes widen at this. Sure, it's a valid question, by all means. I suppose I've never though about it. Dad always said I was the best thing to happen to him, even if I was usually a mess. Having me was always his biggest dream. "I......I suppose so....." I tell her, a nervous look crossing my face. "You?" "Well.....I......It's just, I'm getting older... and all my friends are having foals and...." I silence her with a hug from behind. "I get it..." I say and she rests her head against me. Again we sit there as a pregnant silence fills the air. After a while I speak up "Do you want to have foals?" I ask, a question with an answer I don't want to hear She looks up to me with a smile and tears welling into her eyes. She gets up and embraces me. "I-I've only known you for a month and you've been so nice to me! N-No other stallion has cared so much!" She cries into my shoulder. I pat her on the back. "This isn't the smartest idea you know......But if you're sure that this is what you want.... Then...." I hug her to me. "I love you Flitter" I tell her simply. She starts to cry harder into my shoulder as I just hold her there. A week or so later I suppose I'm not really a baby daddy. It's not like I'm sixteen. It doesn't make me feel much better. I had been wondering weather or not I had worn protection that fateful night in the truck. I had not. That was a fun discovery. Still, I haven't been at home for much more than a year and I am now a dad. Let me make it clear that we didn't "do it" after our conversation. No, she got pregnant from our fun in the backseat. So even if she hadn't wanted kids, we would've been screwed. We still kind of are. Oh well. We made a mistake and we have to live with it. I'll stand by her the whole way through. She was happy enough about it. And...So am I. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm just as excited to be a dad. I get why my dad was so excited. I have an offspring. I have a legacy. Someone to carry on my name! This is actually really exciting! Knowing that I was a major factor in the creation of a sentient being! My own! My own to love and care for! Along with one of the cutest and nicest women ever. How could I not be happy? The smile refuses to make it's way off of my face as I sit on the couch with Flitter, her head resting lazily on my lap as we watch a movie. The door is open and the sun light wafts into my humble abode. The autumn air drifts in, feeling perfect on my skin. The air feels so....surreal. As if the essence of life is swirling in the air around me. The exact definition of a lazy sunday. As if nothing could go wrong......and nothing did. The air was....full. The kind of air that filled your lungs all the way. Cloudchaser joined us for a bit. She was happy to hear the news, if not a bit apprehensive. I guess it was all good. It was a do nothing kind of day. A "I've got time to do this now" day. Hmm. With that motivation, I may as well do a few things I've been meaning to get around. I lean down and kiss her cheek before getting up and heading to our room, eliciting a whine from her, but nothing more than that. I reach under the bed and pull out dad's old lock-box. Simple, if not a bit rusty, this box probably would have survived a nuclear war. I grab the key off my dresser and slot it into the lock, feeling the notches click into the chamber. I close my eyes and turn the key. The spring loaded lid pops open and I take a breath in anticipation before opening my eyes. Playpony. Playpony mags. Of course, what else would you have put in here.....Oh hey, it's the last swimsuit issue...... Throwing the mags under the bed for later inspection, I pull out a small USB-C flash-drive, the word "Diary" crudely carved into it. I may look at that later, I may not. Other little trinkets adorn the little box along with photos of our family. He always cared. It didn't matter how stupid our problems were, he cared. I put everything back the way it was and replace the box under the bed. I go back to Flitter as she lies there on the couch. Today is a lazy day. I'm looking forward to more of these here I would be, at least, if we weren't being threatened to leave. A few days after Flitter had gotten pregnant, gossip had spread like fire. I was already getting bad looks from the neighbors, and now the local church is on the move. I think it was around the second broken window that I got the message. Things were about to get bad. A small mob was beginning to form at the bottom of the stack, shouting and screaming. I go and get Flitter and Cloudchaser out of bed, though they're already awake, and tell them to pack fast. I start to get my stuff packed, only the things I need. Most of it is dad's stuff. I get it into a pack and carry as much as I can. Once the girls are ready, I grab my gun. I load a shell into the antiquated shotgun and pray I don't need it. I don't need to hurt anyone and if they mob up on me, I only have the one chamber. I won't be able to reload fast enough. I open the door and nod to the girls. The mob seems to flare up when we step out but quickly quiet down when I make a show of pulling back the hammer and letting my finger rest over the trigger. They get the message as I walk down the stairs, keeping the muzzle in their general direction. Donnie's isn't far. We get there, get in the truck, and get the fuck out of dodge. We make our way down the street, past people who, barring the gun in my hand, would be putting up a fight. We get to the garage and Donnie's waiting for us. It seems that the mob was a planned attack and he got wind of it. He's got some stuff packed into my truck already and he's making sure everything is alright. "I put a GPS in your truck. You follow it and you'll be fine, I'm sending you somewhere you can live. I've got you covered for gas and other things. Everything is where it should be, this truck is damn near perfect now" He tells me I nod to him and start packing my own stuff into the truck, getting the girls comfortable. Cloudchaser takes the back seat after I make it into a makeshift bed. Flitter elects to sit up-front with me. "I heard about what was happening and I acted. I got you a place to live, a really nice house. Big enough for you and your girls" I look at him surprised, but his look says it all. He'll be fine. I have a feeling he saved up for an occasion like this. I go over and hug him. "I'll keep in touch with you and tell you when I get there. Wherever there is" I say "Don't worry. You're takin' a little road trip to Texas. I hear it's nice there" I hug him one last time before getting in and starting the truck. It feels good to be driving again. "One more thing.... Say hi to your Pa when you get there" He says with a smile. I smile back and nod before backing out of the garage and getting onto the road. I follow the prescribed course and take one look back at my home. The place I've felt safe my whole life. Goodbye Kannapolis. Hello Wharton. (Filler) Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Boom."Y'know, it's nice to have my best mechanic back" I say to my son as he works on my bike. He looks back at me with those piercing green eyes. Just like his mother, I swear. Those eyes could cut diamonds and melt hearts. He's got fire and passion behind those emeralds. Always striving. I smile at him. He's everything dad wanted to be. He's everything dad wanted from me. He's what dad would have wanted to see out of him. "Hell man, you know I ain't gonna turn down a chance for this. This team is a family business, and last time I checked, I am your son" He says to me in that cocky voice I came to remember him by. It used to drive me crazy some days, but these past few weeks...I've been so happy to see him. He nods, takes a sip of the beer sitting next to him and gets back to work on the bike. Gone without a trace for almost six years. Not even so much as a full note. Just "Gone with the Band" and a scrawl of a signature. God damn-it I was mad. I mean, how else do you feel when your kid runs off with some crazy fools that are so hopped up on drugs, they're just beating a dead-horse. I gotta say, I thought this whole "American Revival" thing was fairly stupid, but hey, my kid wasn't doped up so I really couldn't complain. The main thing is, he's back. He's back with me. The Hawks are a family again....Well....Save for dad. I think running off without a trace runs in our genes. He might've gone looking for mom again. He's been gone for a few weeks now. I don't know how long he'll be gone, but when he gets back, he'll be happy. We'll be one big family again, just like he wanted. Him, me and Emile. Three generations of beer-guzzling, ass-whooping good ol' boys. That's the way it was meant to be. My dad at one side, my son at the other. Hell, I'll have to get a picture taken. Just me, dad and him, holding beers in the garage. "Dammit.... Who'd you have workin' on this thing? He had no fuckin' clue about what he was doin'" Emile says idly staring at the trial-bike engine. He wasn't wrong. "Some kid who took a shop class and thought he could make money with the teams" I replied "Ah. No wonder. Everything is just... Off" He tells me, taking an impact to the offending parts "Well, I trust you to get it back to where it was...There's another beer in it for you" I tell him "If it's free, it's for me" He laughs, and I join him. This is what I miss. Then it hits me. That feeling. The feeling of impending doom. Suddenly I know it. I don't know what it is but I know it. Suddenly everything looks.... Oddly strange. As if I've never seen the world before me. Shaking the worst from my head, I pat Emile on the back as he sets to work. What am I worried about? I'm fine. Well....Fine-ish. Close enough. "You sure you don't want me to ride? You look like you've seen a fucking ghost, and you're pretty damn pasty to start with" My son asks me. He's not far off. I'm shaking, why, I don't know. I've done this millions of times. Nothing to it. "Bullshit, I'm fine" I tell him back He grins at me and nods "Meter reading out good?" He asks of the glucose meter attached to my bike "You know I never payed attention to that stuff, I'm as healthy I can be!" I say, then throwing in a few coughs to mess with him. He only shakes his head and whacks me on the back. "Hey. Kick some ass for me, I didn't rebuild that motor for nothin'" He tells me. I nod and then reach out for a hug. We embrace. "I love you kid. Don't forget that" I tell him, not knowing why "Oh hell old man. Don't you get soft on me now. Go out and show people who you are" He smiles at me. Hearing him say "Love you too, dad" really firmed me up. I pulled on my helmet and pulled up to the starting gates. I was ready for faith. I believe in no god, but this was out of my hands now. "And on the number sixty-four Remotachi, our home-town hero, the fastest ginger alive, Seamus Hawk!" The announcer blared Right about now, my adrenaline would be giving me a hollow-feeling...But now....Now it was gone. Everything was gone. Out of the fuzz of the universe, I hardly heard the command to fire the engines. The beast between my legs awoke with a start, the vibrations all too familiar. All lights green. I had to focus the world together again a few times. I pulled on my helmet and dropped the visor. The dirt course awaited me. Have I done well in my life? Have I done all I can? Was I a good son? Was I a good dad? Is it bad that I've outlived one of my children? Was I meant to outlive my wife? Am I the reason mom left? Have I ever earned dad's respect? What have I really done? Am I a good person? Am I all that I could have been? Drop into first. Rev. Gate drop. Go. I shoot out onto the course, ahead of my competitors. If I'm to go, I'm to go with flair. Yes. All is clear now. The universe seems to be opening up. I can see this with such clarity. First jump. Easy. Getting speed, holding position. Second jump. Whee. Doing good. Third jump. Ah... That's where it is... I can hear the engine block collapsing. These Remotachi bikes were reliable, but there were rumors of the engines having fatal breakdowns. Yes. Nothing that could've been prevented And suddenly, I am no longer me. I am no longer Seamus Hawk. No. Seamus hawk is the man before me. His body flies into the air, ablaze with the fuel of his vehicle. Charred. Mutilated. Lifeless. His son, I can see, hopping down from his vantage point. He recklessly throws caution to the wind, running onto the track. He runs part of the way before he's swept off his feet by a rider. Emile gets back up and runs again before being blindsided by another competitor. He still gets back up and limps to the body, determined to save the lifeless. Poor boy. Poor poor boy. He's on his own....and yet I feel he's just beginning. A journey. One he won't stop. One he can't stop. One he's destined to see-through. Yes. Emile Hawk is just beginning. He's going to do wonderful things. I am nothing, yet I still feel lingering pride. It dissipates quickly. And just as he blacks out with what was once his father, I slip away, ready to become what awaits me next. Author's Note It's 4:22 AM. This thought has been busting in my head all week and my insomnia is hitting me pretty bad tonight, so I pushed to make up for the update schedule, which has promptly gone bye-bye. These kinds of chapters may come erratically so, yeah. Enjoy I suppose. A full tank of gas, half a pack of cigs and you know the restWe could not get out of North Carolina fast enough. Quite frankly, I didn't feel all that great about South Carolina, Georgia or Alabama. Our first stop was Mississippi, after a long drive. I didn't want to spend all the money Donnie gave us in one go. One room, two beds. A holo-projector. I had turned in all of my script and put all my funds into one account. It was an alright night. Still not in good territory but alright. The girls both slept with me that night. I don't blame them. How are you supposed to take being hated so suddenly? How do you take instant discrimination? Thankfully, things had gotten better in just about everywhere else in the country. Now, Texas was a bit of a stretch, but Donnie assured me it would be fine. That fact that my grandfather was there helped. I had always wondered where he'd gone to. I wasn't much better, disappearing for about five years. That's a story for another day though. Our second day started early. Get up, get in the truck, get rolling. The cost for gas was getting lower as we got to Texas. That was good. I'd need a wallet friendly car though. I'd never give up the truck, but it'd be nice if I didn't have to budget like a bitch. I hate budgeting. Who doesn't? We went through Louisiana and New Orleans. We stopped as we were interrupted by a black parade. An age old tradition, as one native told me. The band marched in-front of the procession. The music was uplifting, with a sad edge to it. Everything seems happy in New Orleans, even if the man in the pine box was killed only a couple of streets away. Irony at it's best. Truly, the iconic roadtrip experience. After a bit of food, we made the last leg of the trip. Down to Texas we go. The highways got smaller as we got closer. Right on down to a two-lane farm road. While not quite as bad as Alabama, the potholes certainly took their toll on us. The past few days have been quite the roller coaster. I'll have to take Filtter to a doctor.... Veterinarian? Damn it, I wish there was someone I knew who knew this stuff. It's like being a new parent..... Which I have to deal with rather soon. Soon, we entered into the landscape of southern Texas. Evergreens far as the eye could see, rivers cutting through the land. If not for the trees, one would be able to see for miles and miles due to the flat nature of the land. I would be close to Matagorda beach, only an hours drive away. Houston isn't that far either, though, I think I'll avoid the hell-like traffic. I'm telling you, those bastards up there are suicidal. If they can't get to their meeting, no one can! Sugarland or Rosenburg would be my closest bets for the luxury variety of shopping. Other than that, I've been told Wharton holds everything I need many times over. Within one mile of each other, there are three auto-parts stores. It's been the same for over sixty years or so. Things don't change often here, so they say. That's nice. Peaceful life for me. Soon enough, we entered Wharton county, then the town itself. It was like.... A page out of time. The square had buildings of brick and mortar, advertising vintage items. Of course, early two-thousands are vintage now, but I guess it's a shifting term. Soon, I was on New-New Boling Highway, cruising past the baseball stadium. That should be interesting. Heard that if I keep on down the road, I'll come by a football stadium. I haven't been to Friday night lights in forever, not since I took a crack at it when I was in school. This place was close to being rural, but not so much that I'd have to carry scrip. Turn off after passing the stadium, right next to the junior college, take a turn and..... There it is. Our new house. Hopefully, with a bit of love, our new home. I gently lay a hand on Flitter and shake her awake. I swear, she lets out the most adorable yawn before blinking awake. She takes one look at where we are and I see her face just light up. I decide to break the anticipation with two words. "Welcome Home" Pretty soon, all of us were blinking sleep and tears out of our eyes. I slotted the key into the door, relishing the feeling of the notches rolling into the tumblers. With a twist of my wrist, the door opened, showing us our new home. We walked into the living room. The house wasn't furnished. I wasn't even sure how it came into my possession beyond "Family connections". Did that imply some kind of..... Mafia? The Wharton Mafia. Ha. I've been watching too many of Dad's movies. He always did like The Godfather. I went back out to the truck and began the arduous task of getting the boxes. I shouldn't complain, really. It's not like I have anything too heavy. Although, I'll have to get a new immersion rig. Had to leave the old one behind. It won't cost too much, but I had the old one set up just how I liked it. I can't get that back. I can't get the memories back of the house. That's the thing though, it's time to make new memories here. This is our house. After a fair bit of moving stuff from the truck, it was time to head to a furniture store. Flitter volunteered to go with me while Cloudchaser stayed behind and got all of the HoloTVs set up. I closed the tailgate on my truck and climbed into the cab, Flitter joining me. I took the keys off of my jeans, where they were held by a hook on a belt loop, and cranked the truck up. After setting the GPS and backing out of the driveway, we were off. We'd be headed to a place in Sugarland, around the mall, a little over an hours worth of drive considering the traffic. I decided, genius I am, to make some conversation. Sitting in silence for an hour is no fun. "So," I began, "Texas... It's interesting, yeah?" She turned to me from a position of staring out of the window. It seems she was just as enamored with the landscape as I was. "It's pretty... If I'm being totally honest, I like it more than our old home. It's just so open!" She laughs. "It's something alright. It's certainly a change from the pine trees" "So..... How do you think ponies here are going to react to me?" She says as a worried look steals across her face. I think on this a while. No point in giving a dishonest answer. After mulling things over in my head for a few seconds, I give my response. "I think people are going to get along with you just fine. I'm sure of it. After all, this is the friendship state. Besides, if anyone wants give you any trouble, they have to deal with me. Come hell or high-water, we are going to survive. I'll make sure of that" And that's exactly what I thought. I was sure that everybody would be fine with her. It's not like I ever paid any attention to the news about Texas. I really wish I had. I think it was halfway to the store when I realized all the weird glares we were getting from the other drivers on the road. Every driver we passed gave us this horrible look. I really couldn't believe that every driver coming from the other lane seemed to hate me on sight. It couldn't have been Flitter, right? The moment all hell broke loose that day was when we stepped out of the car. Oh boy. When me and Flitter tried to go into the store, we were stopped dead in our tracks by some scrawny teen working a mall greeter job. He said I couldn't bring my "Help-Mate" into the mall. Now, I've never been a level-headed individual, most people will tell you that. However, I feel like I kept it under control by just yelling at him as opposed to decking him on sight. Hell, I didn't even swear through my entire speech. Now, I didn't achieve what I wanted to, that being to be able to shop with Flitter. When I saw security, I had enough sense to take Flitter back to the truck and leave. We ended up just heading back home and me hitting up a store in town to get our furniture. It's not the time we wasted that still makes me angry, though that's annoying too. It's the fact that Flitter was discriminated against just because of what she was. When I got home, Flitter and Cloudchaser were more than happy to help unload the furniture from the truck. At the very least we were on our own property. No one is going to fuck with me on my own property, that's for damn sure. Then, she showed up. She came walking up my driveway and Flitter ushered Cloudchaser into the house, not wanting a repeat of our trip. I prepared myself, already with a speech in mind. So help me, I didn't care who it was they sent to drive me out, I would rip them apart where they stood. They were as good as dead if they were going to mess with my girls. I'll be damned if anyone thinks they can force me from here. Like it or not, I'm here to stay. "Hey. You need any help?" She asked, catching me off guard. ....I wasn't ready for this. Not one bit. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, having been primed with a volley of swears which wouldn't be wise to use at this point. After standing there like an idiot for a few more seconds, I nodded. At any rate, I could just as easily overpower her if she tried anything. She smiled and went to go get a chair and I helped her with it. She got one side and I got the other. As we heaved the chair up, Cloudchaser, who had been watching through the window, opened the door to let us in. The girl actually smiled to Cloudchaser and thanked her. Suddenly, I felt a lot better about her. Suddenly, I felt a lot better about everything. What was me and the mystery girl moving furniture soon became me moving it while she chatted up Flitter and Cloudchaser. From the sounds of laughter and happy tones, it seemed like it was going well. By then, I could certainly tell she had no ill will against us. I didn't count on everybody being like that, but it was nice to know we had a friend here. Two hours or so later and we were all sitting in the newly furnished living room. It was time to talk. "So..." I began, sitting across our new friend, "I see you've met Flitter and Cloudchaser.... I suppose I should get your name" She simply flashed me a smile. I could tell she'd been reared here. She was certainly a native. Jet-black hair framed her Caucasian face. She peered at me with her chocolate eyes. If I had to guess, she was mostly Hispanic, though she spoke with a clear Texas accent. That wasn't uncommon from what I've seen so far. Most of this town is hispanic, so it didn't surprise me. I remember grandpa, at least from when he was around still, used to talk about dating girls like this when he was young. Told me that they where some of the craziest girls he'd ever seen. If I were to take a picture of her, I'd be able to take a look at that grin and I'd know. She's crazy all right. In a good way. "My name is Sophia. Sophia Juliana" God, that's a sexy name. Admit it, say that name to yourself. Feel how it rolls off the tongue. Next time you're on a date, just say that name. I promise it'll work. "So Emile.... I've heard some interesting things about you... Good things, of course!" I gave her a look of curiosity before turning to the girls, who looked a bit sheepish. "More to the point, I want to help you. I see how things are around here and it'll be hard to get around here the way you are now. I can help" She told me. I thought this over for a while, rolling it through my head. Soon, I came to the realization that I couldn't afford to make enemies, let alone turn down allies. I had to push my mistrust aside for a second. This wasn't about me. It hadn't been since I took the girls into my home. My job now was to protect them. I won't fail them. I'll make sure of that. With that going through my mind and my heart, I met Sophia's eyes with a response. "Let's talk" Author's Note This chapter is, Ironically, dedicated to the person who I argue with most. You may not realize it, but the most fun I have is arguing with you about.... Well everything. From ponies to instruments to who'd win in a bar fight. Thanks for bailing me out man, I owe you everything. Happy New Year L0rd0f7hund3r! Maybe I should stop directing people away from my own stories..... Nah. You deserve it. And don't ever expect me to get sappy like this again, I'm tipsy and just want to get this chapper out. Editing schmediting. Reaping A Dead Man's AssetsGetting up is hard. Getting up while plastered is like trying to run the Olympics blind. With a shark tied to your leg. With said shark having a bomb strapped to it that if you go below a certain speed, it WILL explode. Yes, getting up while plastered is a bitch, and my father not being there to help me just doesn't help at all. Of course, it's the fact he's gone that put me in this sorry state. Then again, I have no one to blame but me. The first thing I did after running from his graveside was drink myself silly and stagger back home. If you can call this crap-shack a home. Momma and Daddy worked hard to make it a home though, and for that, I can't thank them enough... But it's empty and cold, much like my heart. After pulling myself together, I rise and take some pills for the hangover, wondering if my tolerance for alcohol is genetic. Dismissing that thought, I open the door of the once "Mobile" home and make my way down the stack. I reach the bottom of the modest five high stack and merge onto the sidewalk. I look around at the little town of Kannapolis. Still rural, still small, still unknown. You might think that after a couple of actors and even "The Man In Black", we'd be a little famous. But he's been long gone for a long time. The skies are blue and still relatively clean, a rarity in today's world. Living in an untouched city has it's benefit. Alas, technology has touched our small town and even my family. Sure, I still listen to my records and watch my old DVD's and VHS's.... Even the old LaserDiscs' that Grandpappy saved..... He was a bit of an antique person. At the same time, I indulge in the digital too. I enjoy using an old service, "Netflix" as it were. 4-D movies have really taken off, though, I really don't prefer them. I really only use my immersion rig as a glorified Magnavox. The only 4-D experience I enjoy is "being" Jamie Skinner's number thirty-one Chevy.... But NASCAR is in danger, what with the limited resources. Jamie is one of the few generational drivers left. I make my way down the streets, waving high to all I know in this small community. If it's one thing my Pa taught me, it's that friendship always comes first. He told me about how he and my Grandpappy had been prosecuted for being a Brony, an ageing community and even a belief to some. He told me to embrace the ideals of the show he had me watch from birth, as they would help me in life. He also warned me that even today, I had to be careful about being a Brony. The world was becoming much like the comment section of a YouTube video on gay marriage. It's strange how that is still a highly controversial topic, love is love people, who gives a flying fuck? That's another thing Pa taught me. Avoid religion like the plague. Accept and tolerate all opinions but never join a religion. They're always bad news, that's what he taught me, and it's worked so far. I arrive at the bank to claim what he left me in his last will, which was more or less everything. The house, the truck, and......Cash? Twenty-two thousand credits under a label..."A companion, eternal".....Well thanks for nothing you old fart. Always had to be poetic.... or cryptic. Still, it was mine and I'd save it until I found out what the hell that meant. I just really hope that doesn't mean a mail order bride.... Or hookers. Never hookers. Let's see here.... Oh, the will itself... I, Seamus Jackson Hawk, bequeath all my earthly belongings to my one and only son, Emile Garner Hawk. These items shall include, but not be limited to, my current residence, my immersion rig, my diecast collection of cars, my 1994 model Chevrolet C1500, the video addition to this will and the key to my personal lock box. These items are to be passed to him, uncontested. I sigh and nod to the woman who had been helping me. All of what he had left me was already at home, only now it was in my name. I leave the bank just a bit worse for wear. Then again, how else could you feel when the best dad in the world was gone? When I was hurt, he helped me up. When I was sad, he hugged me. When I even thought I was into guys for a bit, he totally supported me! He did it because Grandpappy never got that treatment and he wanted to raise me with love and tolerance instead of violence and cruelty. I can hardly make it to the house before I break down, tears flowing freely. I half expect the firm, yet bony hand of my father to pat me on my back before telling me everything's okay... But it never comes. I suck it up and put the will down on my desk. I retrieve the lock-box key from my pocket and turn it over and over in my hand. The vauge thought of looking in the box passes through my mind before realizing it would only pour salt into my still festering wound. I move over to the "living room" and set myself into the rig chair. I put on the immersion gloves and bring the goggles to my head before strapping them to my head. I head on over to Google to find some new pony memes, my usual stress relief. I look around the digital search "room", taking in the images when out of the corner of my eye, I catch an ad. Maybe it's the depression talking, but I could use a laugh right about now. I turn to the ad and when my sight connects to it, it fills my vision and begins to play. "Imagine that perfect someone, or perhaps you prefer somepony. Imagine them being ready for you, waiting for you, loving you. Well friend, imagine no longer. Vogon Biotech has the answer for you today. And our answer is simple. Order your very own Help mate! Fully functional, completely reliable, and the moment you touch them they bond with you for life. That's right, they bond with you for life. How much more perfect can they be? If you're interested please, click the order button," Someone said from seemingly nowhere. Somepony? Loving me? Are these those Helpmates I've heard of? Geez.... Well hell, I'm already bored With that, I reared back with my virtual fist and smashed into the order button. And boy, I could have sworn I did some freaky ass LSD the way this rainbow attacked my eyes. All psychedelic and shit, y'know.... Maybe I did do some drugs, I have no idea, I haven't been able to remember what I did five minuets ago for a while now. After the "trip" was over, a stallion with a chestnut coat and blond mane stepped out to greet me. I gave him a handshake and didn't hold back, knowing he was only an AI. "Mr. Hawk, thank you for choosing Vogon Biotech. According to records, you are interested in a helpmate. Our search of your cookies from various sites lead us to believe you are mostly homosexual." He said to me Whoops.... Must have been that streak of BigSoarin I binged on...... Heh.... Hey, ever since they made visualizing fictions possible, who can blame me? Secret shame and all that... "I'm straight" I correct him "Ah. My apologies, we must have made an error in judgement" He apologizes to me. "Yeah yeah..... So what is a helpmate exactly? Sounds like something I'd use when I've fallen and can't get up" I joke with him. He shakes his head and snaps his fingers. We walk over to it, his hooves clopping on the floor the entire time. The window is covered with a curtain, and with one swift tug of a pull rope, It pulls to reveal the entire cast of My Little Pony..... Save for a few that are missing. The Mane Six, Vinyl and Octavia..... But some notable ones are there too. He waved his right hand and they all morphed to look like him in his anthropomorphic state. I promptly pulled my jaw off of the floor and looked on in awe. They were exactly as I expected an anthropomorphic pony to be. Just the right blend, if you will. "What we're selling Mr. Hawk is a living fantasy. A living, breathing, fantasy that will not end when you shut off your computer. It won't disappear when a television show goes off of the air, and it will grow with you. Think of it Mr. Hawk. Think about what it would mean to have that perfect somepony. That one special somepony to spend the rest of your life with. Isn't that something worth considering?" He inquires. "Well.....Yeah! You're sellin someone to live with, till death do you part and all that? Well shit son, how much?" I excitedly stammer "That's always the rub isn't it? It doesn't matter how much an artist loves their work. At the end of the day it's about how much money it's worth. They are twenty-two thousand credits a piece. It might sound steep, but consider what you are purchasing. It's not a machine, but a living breathing fantasy. She will eat, sleep, sweat, and even bleed. Everything she feels when she wakes up is real. There is no preprogrammed emotions in her. Oh, she'll have memories, slightly altered to match her new body, of her world, friends, and family. Everything ever written by the creators of the show, and of course any of the fan based content you would like us to consider, will be added to her memories. But beyond that all of her experiences and new memories will be completely of your and her making," He explains to me That's when it clicks in my head. A companion, eternal. This is what he meant! And he left me just enough money for it! Jeez dad, I don't know whether to slap the mess out of you for being so cryptic or hug you! I mean..... If I could. I look around at all the ponies and notice two sharing a space. Two very similar and yet different ponies. Two twins. Flitter and Cloudchaser. "Why are they together?" I ask "They cannot be separated. Their bond is too strong for them to be purchased individually. Most don't choose them because they cannot support that many ponies in their family" He says Well.... I'm all on my own and I really could use all the help and love I can get.... Ah fuck it "I want them. I want Flitter and Cloudchaser" I boldly state "Good choice. Simply continue to press on their image" He tells me. I do so before they're consumed in a lavender glow. Their eyes open from their half-lidded state and they smile and high-five each other before disappearing. "They are now being prepared. It takes a two month process to accurately grow and implant her memories. I should also state that she will be one of a kind. We here at Vogon pride ourselves of ensuring that our customers get exactly what they are paying for. You are getting Flitter and Cloudchaser. There will be no other versions of them made" He continues. "So... How are they gonna show up?" I wonder "They will be arriving in one of our transports. They will be dressed in one of the suits of clothes you can choose at this time" He says, gesturing over to a new window with outfits. Being background ponies, they didn't have much apparel so I chose a nice set of jogging suits and sweat-pants. "Good choice. I hope you'll be pleased with them" He says before snapping his fingers, suddenly being replaced by none-other than Discord. "My my, the twins? I never thought they might be picked. Ah, take good care of them." He laughs and hands me my receipt before disappearing. I suddenly found myself staring at pony memes again...... Was I looking at memes of the twins before? Odd. I took off the goggles and gloves and looked around. Well, if that guy hadn't just made off with my money, I'll be damned if I have company in this state. Especially permanent company. Everything was a mess, beer bottles, wrappers, everything. Thankfully, the home I live in used to be a class-A motorhome so it was sizeable enough to have a spare room. Two months... Then boom, my life would never be the same... I best hurry and get all squeaky clean. I took all the trash and hauled it down to the dump where my good buddy Jerry gladly incinerated it. Next was the guest room and making it one again. Out with the junk and stuff. I had to rent a storage space for all of Pop's keepsakes. Thankfully, It was already a guestroom so all I had to do was get a holoprojector. I was about to set off on vacuuming when I got an email. I strapped on the goggles and gloves and opened up the email. It was from Vogon asking whether or not I wanted any fanfictions to be included in their memory. I decided against it, only because I didn't know any good ones. They would come as if they had come straight from Equestria. Good. Now, back to vacuuming. All I had to do was survive two months. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! I....I hope at least...... I've been swindled. Bamboozled. Had my chain pulled! All of the above! Those fucking hacks stole my money! Ass-Holes! I'll go to court over this! I'll kill to get my money back! Why I Outta! KNOCK KNOCK I grumble and throw the door open. Standing before me was Flitter and Cloudchaser.... I couldn't believe it. I put a hand out to them and they both reached out to meet it. A spark, a flash.... and two warm smiles. Author's Note Boom! Wham! Done! I did it RJP! Special thanks to the gang over at Facebook, Y'all know who Y'all are! Merry Christma-.....What do you mean it isn't Christmas?.....Merry Vogonmas! Anyways, thanks guys, you are amazing! Now, I'm going to immediately rejoin Y'all on Facebook. Hurrah for doing nothing productive. But serious time. Thanks guys.
That Warm and Fuzzy FeelingAnd so, there I stand. Two seemingly impossible creatures standing before me, frozen in time. And then they hugged me. The next thing I hear are screams of "It's been too long!" and "How have you been?!". I then decided it might be a good idea to direct them towards the couch and have them settle in as I collected my thoughts. Okay then. They are real. They are honest to god real. Living, breathing, loving real.. Before I could get much further in my thoughts, a rumbling arose from the couch. My head turned to what seemed to be a hungry Cloudchaser, sending me a silent but obvious message with those purpleish-amber eyes of her. So captivating.... So...Lifelike. I nod to her and head to the kitchen, having prepared ahead of time. I take the salad ingredients out of the fridge and begin to create her meal. Part of my now justified preparation was learning home economics. Some lettuce, tomatos, carrot shreds, nothing out of the ordinary for me. I never was one for meat. This could explain my rather....skeleton like build. No matter, I'm still alive and no worse for wear. I can hear them talking in the living room. They seem to be satisfied so far. Little snippets make their way to my ears. "This is a very nice place he has. I can't believe he hasn't had us over yet" Flitter idly wonders. "Well he hasn't been able to until now featherbrain! The whole traveling ordeal is horrible, he hasn't been able to get us here safely yet" Cloudchaser responds. So that's what they think....Vogon certainly took care of the gaps, didn't they. And I must be an "old friend"... Intresting, Intresting.... I finish making the salad for the three of us and set the table with fixings before I step into the living room "Hey, if you gals are hungry, I've got some salad in the dining room" I announce to them "Alright! Grub time!" Cloudchaser declares as she pumps her fist and walks to the dining room "Sorry about her... She's just a little brash" Flitter says to me as she files past. I nod and follow them as they get settled at the table. I take my seat and we begin to eat. The sound of munching and crunching fills the room for a bit before I speak up. "So, how have you two been?" I ask, seeing if a vauge question like that garnered any results from the two "Oh, you know, life as usual.... But somepony just had to get feisty with our weather captain and put us in this situation" Flitter says, shooting a glare in Cloudchaser's direction. Cloudchaser throws her hands up in defence. "Well excuse me, he was an absolute plothole!" Cloudchaser returns "Cloudchaser! How can you use language like that in front of the stallion that's housing us?!" Flitter almost screams "It's okay, it's fine, I've heard worse" I try to dispel the fighting between the two. Cloudchaser begins to apologize. "W-Well.... She's not wrong... I'm sorry that we have to stay with you, I know you may not have wanted to house us. It's my fault for getting us kicked off the weather team" "Not a problem Cloudchaser, on the contrary, I rather enjoy your company" I quell her worries, making her blush a bit in the process. So... They got kicked of the weather team, and I wouldn't put it past Cloudchaser, and they have to stay with me....Good work Vogon, even I can accept that... The best thing to do now is just roll with it We continue on with the dinner and finish up fairly quickly. I take up the bowls and walk over to the sink to wash them. That's when a thought strikes me. The water bill, the electricity, the food. My god. How am I going to do this? How can I pay for all of this? I just took on two more mouths to feed, two more bodies to wash.....I need a job. I cannae just sit on my ass anymore, that just isn't an option anymore. Okay. Problem, I need money. Solution, Get a job. Problem, I have no experience in anything but vehicles. Solution, Find automotive job. Problem, All mechanics are hired by the rich. Solution..... Donnie. With that laying on my mind, I began to gather my things. I best not wait to fix this problem. I bid farewell to the girls and tell them to make themselves at home as I exit to the outside world. Flitter's Point Of View I wonder why he's leaving but he's out the door before I can ask. Gosh. I guess he'll be back in a while, it must be important. He said make ourselves at home so....I guess kick back and relax for a while I sigh and head over to what is marked as my room by a sign on the door. I open the door and step in, taking in the rather nice smell. The room smells of flowers, very pleasant. I better enjoy it now, if I'm to share this room with Cloudchaser, the smell will be gone within the hour. The room is very lush for a small space, owing to a comfy looking bunk-bed, some beanbags, fresh carpet, the works. Emile really is a sweet soul to go through this much trouble. I look over to the holo-projector and decide to watch something. My friends, whom for some reason seem hazy in my mind, used to own these, so I was fairly fluent with the controls. Flipping through the options, I settle on an old movie series. All of these movies are practically vintage now, looking at the production years. Forrest Gump....It sounds like something Fluttershy would like, nature and stuff... Oh well, sounds pretty interesting, maybe Cloudchaser will watch it with me "Cloudchaser! Come over here!" I yelled to her "Just a second, I think I found the cider! Want one?" She yells back "No thanks!" I reply as I hear the tell-tale clinking of glass on glass. She walks in a second later, clothes discarded somewhere. "You really took the whole 'settling in' thing to heart, didn't you?" I chuckle "I don't even know why we wore our work-out gear, it's so stuffy!" She says to me I nod in agreement and peel off my gear, sighing in relief. I feel so much better out of those hot clothes. I smile as I hit the play button and the film begins. Emile's Point 'O View The garage is humble. Brick and mortar on the outside, rustic vibes emanating in waves from it. However, modern technology is housed inside to be used by the resident mechanic. Two garage bays adorn the building, lifts and all. Gasoline, Diesel, Hydrogen, Electric, all are welcome to be fixed. The mechanic is truly out of lore itself, having been around for as long as time itself. Some say that he was there to hear the first turn over of the engine as we know it. Others say every car is his child. Today, I know these aren't true, but it's nice to remember the childlike wonder I once had when I over-idolized my uncle. Not my real uncle, so much as a "Dad's old friend" uncle. Close enough. The smoke rising from the first garage bay tells me everything I need to know. He's there all right. Either his lungs really are made of iron, or they've shriveled up into black mass. There he is, working on the undercarriage of a car, just like I remember. I remember being young and walking aimlessly around the garage all day, him and dad trading dirty banter as they worked together. They were bigger than life to me. He was always so mysterious to me, hell I didn't even know his full name for years! Now I know the man who is Donnie Shanks. The mystique is gone for me, but it's always fun to see him put on a show for the small ones when they come with their mothers. He turns around and notices me leaning on the bay door frame. He puts down his tools and walks over to me before embracing me in a hug, patting my back. I appreciate the gesture but I just wish he'd realize I've gotten over dad. He was dad's best friend though and he probably knows what's best for me, even if I don't. We stay there for a moment before he releases me and throws me a filter wrench. We set off on the standard oil job, one I know by heart. "So kid, haven't seen you in a while. Thought you got drunk off your ass and did somethin' really stupid" He tells me "Not yet.... I think I'm done getting wasted for now" I say back as I grab an oil drain pan "I see. I take it it's got somethin' to do with the two girls under your roof now?" He surprises me with his response "How'd ya know?" I ask, bewildered "I'm the one who showed him Vogon in the first place. Gave me a good laugh it did, but he took it to heart I suppose" The man with the chocolate hair tells me "Well yeah... Anyways, that's why I came here. I'm gonna need a job, I figured you'd be able to help me" I beseech of him He motions for me to take off the filter and let it drain, which I do. We go and sit on the stack of tires in the corner. He scratches his chin, lost in thought. He's not one to rush a decision, never has been. I take in his thoughtful appearance. He's the "entitled to the sweat on your brow" kind of guy. Skin cracked red, clothes stained black. Smell of sweat adorns his figure, muscle and beer-belly, practically the image of a southern man. One you would never want to fuck with in a bar. I know he wouldn't do that to me but I best stay on his good side. My attention is drawn back to his face as he opens his mouth to talk. "Tell you what. I know you're a good worker, Seamus made sure of that. You come in everyday except Sunday and I'll make sure you and your girls don't go hungry" He says to me I smile and hug him saying many "thank-you"s to him in undying gratitude. He pats me on the back and we separate again. We nod and go back to the car, replacing filter and oil before sending it on it's way with a very happy owner. We talk a bit and laugh. He tells me when I need to be in and works out a good schedule with me. After a few beers and stories, we bid farewell to each other and I head home. The walk home is uneventful as usual. Quiet. Peaceful. Night. I like it. I walk in the door and go to check on the girls. I come to find two things. Flitter is crying onto Cloudchaser's shoulder as the scene on the holoprojector is paused on the shore of a Vietnam jungle. Oh.... Poor Bubba. Cloudchaser is shooting me a kind of "Save-Me" look but that's passing me by completely. What's grabbing my attention are their clothes....or lack thereof. I duck out of the room spewing "sorry" as fast as I could. This proves to be in vain as she joins me outside. "What's wrong?" She asks of me, as if the answer isn't obvious....Which I suddenly realize it's not "Y-You don't normally wear clothes, do you?" I ask her "Why would we?" She says "I-It's just....." I sigh and relent. It's what they're used to. "It's fine in the house but when you go out you need to wear clothes" I tell her. She mulls it over for a moment and decides that it's a fair deal. I decide to go over to her sister and hopefully fix things. I approach Flitter and pat her on the back reassuringly. Suddenly, she's clinging to me and crying into my shoulder. Guns and ponies don't mix very well I suppose, though Cloudchaser might've caught-on that it was only fictional.....Bubba at least. I gently stroke her back and tell her none of it was real, and I let her cry into me. This is no world for a pony, but they'll have to adapt to the way the world is. That's the sad truth. With more pats and strokes, I settle in for a long night. I lay in bed, Flitter curled up to me. Cloudchaser decided that it may be a good idea to let her stay with me. She sees me as a beacon which.... Makes my heart swell to be honest. It's a wonderful feeling to be loved and depended upon, like an old friend. Of course, I suppose that our relationship will go a bit further than that. I hope at least. Flitter seems to have relaxed as she breathes gently. To trust me enough to be in such intimate quarters with me is very comforting. I feel the sandman tug a bit on my eyes and decide to let him take over. Sleep is blissful when it's just right. For the first time since dad left.....I fell asleep knowing all would be okay. Author's Note So! First really dialogue heavy chapter. All of it seems right but I can't help but feel it's messed up. Dialogue is not me strong point. And before anyone points out the "Cannae" thing, I'm Irish, that's a thing we say. So, I hope you enjoyed and as usual, thanks to the man RJP himself for helping me out and the guys at the Facebook chat! Y'all may be the reason it takes me so long to write a chapter but I enjoy it nonetheless. On that bombshell, it's time to end, good night! -Jezza
Love is like a rifle cartridge...I look to my left and right, PPK at the ready, finger just over the trigger. The old Russian missile base creaks and groans as I walk through it. Other than that, pure silence. Knowing what's at stake here, I keep my guard up. I can't afford to lose this battle. I spin around and raise my gun only to find nothing. I turn back around and keep going, trying to stay hidden. If I can reach the missile controls first, if I can be the first to turn that key- "You need to be a lot quicker y'know" Cloudchaser speaks up before emptying her assault rifle into my chest. The impacts are painless but my own blood feels warm on my skin as I fall to the ground. It'll take ten or so seconds before I can get back on the move and even then, I'll be farther away. I start to black out and when my vision returns, I'm on the far side of the base. Motherfucker! I'm not gonna make it! Throwing stealth to the wind, I run at a break-neck speed to the Missile control room. I'm running as fast as I can, lungs pumping, chest heaving. I can see it, I could make it! I could win this! At least.... until I hear a voice over the PA. "Sorry Emile, but me and Cloudchaser are seriously hungry!" Flitter says over the speakers "Suck it Emile~" Cloudchaser singsongs to me The rumbling tells me everything I need to know. I'm in a blast tunnel. There's a missile launching. Fuck. The tube is lit up with the light of the oncoming inferno, only meters away from me. I swear to the fire itself as it engulfs me painlessly and roasts me alive. We step out of the imersion rig booths, me in particular covered in a light sheen of sweat. "Was the 'suck it' really needed?" I shoot Cloudchaser a playful glare "Yes. Yes it was. I find it topped your death with that essence of class" She laughs I just roll my eyes and smile. These mares have adapted quickly over the span of a month. Learning human expressions, getting over the fear of humanity in general (don't get me wrong, I do relish the nights I spend with Flitter), and just in general. I think I've been adapting too. The idea of having two women in my house, usually naked on top of that, was a hard pill to swallow. After a while however, I grew used to it and learned to stop being squeamish. It's been a learning experience for all of us, we've gotten to the point of being as close as friends could be. Although, that is their memory of me so it's probably easier for them to accept it. "Alright, alright, I honor all my bets" I sigh and chuckle as I motion for them to follow me out to the truck. We get out to old (really really really old) faithful and climb in. Cloudchaser squeezes into the back bench and Flitter sits next to me. I crank the fourth starter motor, verging on fifth honestly, and the engine flares to life. Sure half of the engine itself is replaced parts, but the block is still original and I couldn't be happier. It's a family heirloom really. We merge onto the highway and start heading to Charlotte. Ah, Charlotte. The memories come flooding back. Sitting on dad's shoulders watching the race, mom cheering as loud as she could. If I'm being honest, I'm missing more than a few brain cells due to the fumes of the burning petrol and even the early diesel testing days. Did I care though? Fuck no! It was heaven for me. Yes, we were all a family, me, mom, dad and Susa- At that thought my hands jerk, as well as the truck. I snap back to attention, centering up back into the lane. I can see Flitter has something to say but she bites her tongue. We ride in silence for the rest of the trip. Not now. Not ever again. But I know I can't avoid it. I shake my head and go back to the task at hand. It's the day to cut loose, have fun! Flitter's worry seems to alleviate once a smile returns to my face, gradually becoming less forced through the ride. There on the corner is a small arcade. Seems oddly out-of-place in a big ol' city. Who's got time for games? There's business to do, people to screw, life as usual. Yes, it's small and unassuming. Being the only real arcade left in the state, well that changes things. He's never out of business. The rich, the penniless, everyone loves to be here. Yes, we all love this dear old arcade. It's only by coincidence it's named Flynn's. The owner himself is named Pookie Flynn. I don't have any idea what he did to deserve the name Pookie but we love him all the same. I personally think it's nice that he was a Tron fan, he really tried to replicate the Flynn's from the movie. That's also what brought in a lot of money, people loved the "retro" culture, although at this point it was pretty much antique. I feel older than I really am only for getting the reference. I used to work in a museum, and I'd always get questions, from grown men mind you, like "What the hell is a knob?" and "What's that keyboard with paper in it?". I was genuinely surprised they knew what a keyboard was. Grandpa was very adamant about preserving what we knew about the past. He always quizzed me on what we considered to be obscure topics. It was just the coolest thing to him, and I find it really interesting too, all this old tech. I lead Flitter and Cloudchaser over to the arcade, being mindful of the street and the few cars adorning it. They seem to be very excited at the prospect of playing some games at an actual arcade. The bet was that I would fund their gaming spree and what-ever food they wanted. Donnie's been working me pretty hard so he shot me some cash and told me to take the girls out, which is what I gladly did. He also mentioned something about replacing the rear suspension of my truck. Hilarious. We step into the blacklit expanse of the arcade, the machines glowing happily in the absence of overhead lighting. I take a deep breath of an atmosphere preserved. Tears, Sweat and Nachos. Beautiful. The girls seem to be excited by the electronic attractions, different from the immersion booths of modern arcades. This is a nice break from that, it really is. The crowd, I swear, Is nothing short of the past. Little gangs of school kids, the older teens that hustle the younger out of their money and pride. The pecking order hasn't changed at all, has it? I lead them over to a Pay-Band station. First there were quarters, then the reloadable cards, and now there are Pay-Bands. They're handy for anywhere like an arcade. I mostly carry scrip but I do leave some money in my bank for situations like this. One thumbprint later and I've got three Pay-Bands. Me and the girls strap them on and off we go! Well....Off they go. I have a meeting.... A meeting with beer. Flitter's POV "So many games! So much potential! I don't know what to go to first....What do you think sis?" I asked to only be replied with silence. "S-Sis?" I asked as I twirled around. Gone. Oh well.... She'll be fine.....I....I think......Right..... I decide to scope out the scene... The arcade seems to be divided into sections based on the genre of the game.... I'll have to keep that in mind, staying away from the gore, guts and guns section. In contrast, there's the fighting games, the racing games, the classics.... They all look nice and fun and not evil.... Of course that's all my own perception but doesn't gore just freak everypony out? The classics seem like a good place to start I nod to nopony in particular and head over to the quarter of the arcade dedicated to classic games The atmosphere in here is very.....Intresting..... I find an unoccupied machine and view it for a while. The classics section is composed of classics from every genre of arcade game so I find myself looking at an arcade machine with a seat bolted to it and a wheel, not unlike the immersion rig back home. It seems very nice and colorful. I find myself being drawn in by the music, up-beat and pumping. Without my immediate realization, I'm sitting in the seat. Once I realize my situation, I shrug to myself and wave my Pay-Band over the sensor, activating the game. I'm greeted with more pumping music and a course selection screen.... How hard could this be? Cloudchaser's POV "ARE YOU READY FOR COMBAT MAGGOT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU JOKER!" The virtual drill sergeant screams at me. Holding a rifle in my hand, I playfully salute to the stallion in front of me. What it is about war and the people of this country, I don't get, but I know I'm good at these games so why not have fun? I'm loaded into a grassy field. Unassuming if not for the bloodshed about to take place on it. Suddenly, I'm able to move and I start looking for my first target. Let's see here.....Ooh! Hi there! Boop! Down he goes, one head shorter. I go around shooting and occasionally being shot at, dying only so often. This one guy though, the first one I killed, he keeps coming for me, and not in a very smart fashion.... Silly stallion, don't you know that gun beats rock? Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Just like that, the game is over and I'm awarded a medal for my performance....Fancy! I step out of the immersion booth only to be met by shouting. "This is bullshit! How did that guy keep killing me! He totally cheated! Fucker!" I hear him yell before rounding the corner to meet me. He's just a bit shorter than me, and his temper seems to be steaming off of him, it's kind of scary. He meets me and I see him make the connection that I just kicked his plot. His eyes light with a fire that scorns me where I stand...Oh crap. "W-What the fuck?! What the fuck are you? Some kind of freak?!" He screams.... The other arcade-goers are beginning to stare...Workers seem to be shrinking down. This isn't going to go well is it? "Excuse me sir, are we having a problem here?" I hear a familiar voice speak up. Suddenly, I see the guy spin around and be yanked up by his collar by Emile. "Hey bud, that "freak" you just yelled at happens to be my friend. You got something to say to her?" He seems to shake but regains his cool, despite hovering off the ground. "Yeah.....I'm sorry she has to be with some sick horse-fucker" He laughs Emile stays still for a second, doing nothing. Then, it happened. He pinned the guy up against the immersion booth and got muzzle-to-muzzle with him Emile's POV "You listen here bud, and I hope you get it here and now. You can call me whatever you want, and throw all the punches you can, but the second you raise your fucking voice to her, I will make you life a living hell. Got it?" I say as I shake him against the booth. He meekly nods and I drop him. He scurries off, promising revenge and the like. He means none of it of course, I'm positive. I move over to check Cloudchaser. She seems a bit shaken but is otherwise okay. I nod and find her sister in the gathering crowd and motion for her to follow me. We leave the arcade in a small hurry and get into the truck. The ride home is long and silent, the sky turning dark by the time we get home. Cloudchaser goes up to sleep but Flitter holds me back in the truck. "I-It's really sweet how you stood up for sis like that.... Not a lot of stallions stand up for the trouble she gets into" She says "Hey, I can't let some guy push around my girls can I?" I laugh, and she blushes at that statement "W-Well, I mean my friends....Y-You aren't really my girls so much as my friends and y'know-" I'm cut short by a timid kiss from Flitter. She pulls away and blushes "I-I've been looking for a stallion like you for...A while now.... Somepony brave and kind....And......I want to be your special somepony....." She smiles to me. I nod and lean back in for another kiss, this time more intimate. I decide to lead her to the backseat of the truck, letting us lay down in our makeout session. I pull her close to me and hold her tenderly. It's been a while, but the warmth in my heart is beginning to grow again, into a burning inferno of passion for her. Tonight will be unforgettable. Cloudchaser's POV SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK I pull the pillow around my ears tighter Oh my Celestia, how long have they been going?! It's been hours! No stallion should have that kind of stamina! Then again, he's no stallion....I wonder how different he really is....No! Bad brain! He's bedding your sister, you shouldn't be thinking of this! Well.... Maybe they're not doing what I think they're doing....Yeah, maybe they're having a tickle fight..... SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK Oh who am I kidding? I just hope it ends soon, I need my sleep SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK.....CRUNCH! I get up and rush over to the window to look out. The truck's stopped bouncing and the rear looks noticeably lower. I sigh. Well, at least I can sleep. Author's Note NOW THIS IS THE STORY ALL ABOUT HOW MY SCHOOL GOT STARTED AND I GOT BUSY AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT, JUST SIT RIGHT THERE, NOW HALLOWEEN Video's a couple days late..... So yeah, between Football, Band and ALLLLL the other stuff, life got busy. So yeah. That's my excuse. I feel like this chapter may have been a small but rushed but right now, filler is what's goin on. Not to mention I'm setting stuff up. If you play Town of Salem, think of it as being doused by the arsonist...So yeah. As usual, leave opinions and don't be offensive, be constructive. Bye! ...What do you mean I'm getting a cease and desist from Will Smith and JonTron?....FUCK YOU. I AIN'T HAVIN THAT SHI- *Death*
....It's Got A Piercing QualityAuthor's Note This is one of the few times I'll talk before the story. I did mess up on a very minor detail in that the FRONT suspension on the truck should have been broken, not the rear. If you quite frankly don't give a damn about the small stuff like that, go on ahead. If you do, so do I. It's the little things that keep you going. So sorry, and I'm surprised I messed that up considering it's kind of based ona true story so.... I've said too much! On that note, you may be wondering where I'm getting the locations in the stories from. Like I said, kind of based on a true story. These are places I used to live at at one point or another. At this point, I'm not at any of the places I may mention in this story so don't track me down! I don't think I have any stalker fans anyways... ....It's Got A Piercing Quality Working at the shop is alright. The people who come by are regulars, nice enough. Of course you would be to the guy who's fixing your car at a good price. It's not clean work. I usually need a longer shower than the girls when I get home. I would be working on my truck right now, but I have more important duties. My favorite in fact. When a mother comes in, they usually have their child with them. It's so nice seeing them, innocent in their ways. The five and six year-olds are the best, they still believe in magic. And that's right up my ally. The kid in-front of me was so far amazed by what I had to offer. Nothing too special, anyone could do it. It kept him entertained though and I was about to show him my best trick. Not so much magic as it was technology. I pulled out the large object from the tool drawers. At first glance, one might think it were a cologne bottle with the sprayer missing and replaced by a metal stem. I however knew that it was a vaporizer. A rather large one at that. The "cologne bottle" was actually a rather large battery. The metal stem is where I drew the vapor from. It was rather old, but still usable. "This..." I explained to the awe-struck child, "Is something very special. I got it from an old friend. 'Дыхание дракона', Dragon's Breath they call it. I'll show you" He only stared in wonder at the exotically named item. Now comes the fun part. I line up the spout with my lips before depressing the button on the side of the bottle. A small hissing noise emanates from the heating coils as a take a hit from the vape. The vapor fills my lungs harmlessly, the menthol cooling me, a direct contrast to the cinnamon. I pointed my head to the sky as I shot vapor from my nostrils before expelling it from my mouth, a large white cloud filling the room with icy cinnamon before dispersing. The look on his face is priceless. He must really think I'm a dragon. The amazement written across his face is totally worth it. His mother comes by to thank me and takes her car on her way. By that point a familiar figure is in the doorway of my office. "Nice magic show" Flitter remarks from the doorway before coming into the office and shutting the door. I take another hit from my vape and exhale and set it down. She's dressed fairly comfortably. Some sweatpants, a tank-top. Simple. Seeing her brings up a few memories, but they're mostly blurred. "I do my best" I laugh. "You seem fairly comfortable with kids" "Oh, he's a good one. He hasn't hit that period where he's rebellious. Every kid has a 'pre-teen' phase, I assure you" "So.... About last night...." She says, sitting down in a chair. I sigh and take another hit from the vape, a less extravagant one, hardly producing a cloud. I knew this would come up today. "Look, I was.... Well, I wasn't thinking if I'm being honest" I look to the desk "Neither was I and...." She trails off. We sit there for what seems like ages. Neither of us really know what to say. I look into her eyes and she looks into mine for an answer. She brings up another topic. "You seem to have a way with children" She smiles "I try to. I.... Hmmph, It's been forever since my own childhood. And I'm only twenty-five..." I chuckle "Twenty-five hmm? I never thought you were that old" She tells me "Really? And just how old are you?" "Twenty-seven" I smile at her and she smiles back ".....Would you want to have foals?" She asks me after a long silence My eyes widen at this. Sure, it's a valid question, by all means. I suppose I've never though about it. Dad always said I was the best thing to happen to him, even if I was usually a mess. Having me was always his biggest dream. "I......I suppose so....." I tell her, a nervous look crossing my face. "You?" "Well.....I......It's just, I'm getting older... and all my friends are having foals and...." I silence her with a hug from behind. "I get it..." I say and she rests her head against me. Again we sit there as a pregnant silence fills the air. After a while I speak up "Do you want to have foals?" I ask, a question with an answer I don't want to hear She looks up to me with a smile and tears welling into her eyes. She gets up and embraces me. "I-I've only known you for a month and you've been so nice to me! N-No other stallion has cared so much!" She cries into my shoulder. I pat her on the back. "This isn't the smartest idea you know......But if you're sure that this is what you want.... Then...." I hug her to me. "I love you Flitter" I tell her simply. She starts to cry harder into my shoulder as I just hold her there. A week or so later I suppose I'm not really a baby daddy. It's not like I'm sixteen. It doesn't make me feel much better. I had been wondering weather or not I had worn protection that fateful night in the truck. I had not. That was a fun discovery. Still, I haven't been at home for much more than a year and I am now a dad. Let me make it clear that we didn't "do it" after our conversation. No, she got pregnant from our fun in the backseat. So even if she hadn't wanted kids, we would've been screwed. We still kind of are. Oh well. We made a mistake and we have to live with it. I'll stand by her the whole way through. She was happy enough about it. And...So am I. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm just as excited to be a dad. I get why my dad was so excited. I have an offspring. I have a legacy. Someone to carry on my name! This is actually really exciting! Knowing that I was a major factor in the creation of a sentient being! My own! My own to love and care for! Along with one of the cutest and nicest women ever. How could I not be happy? The smile refuses to make it's way off of my face as I sit on the couch with Flitter, her head resting lazily on my lap as we watch a movie. The door is open and the sun light wafts into my humble abode. The autumn air drifts in, feeling perfect on my skin. The air feels so....surreal. As if the essence of life is swirling in the air around me. The exact definition of a lazy sunday. As if nothing could go wrong......and nothing did. The air was....full. The kind of air that filled your lungs all the way. Cloudchaser joined us for a bit. She was happy to hear the news, if not a bit apprehensive. I guess it was all good. It was a do nothing kind of day. A "I've got time to do this now" day. Hmm. With that motivation, I may as well do a few things I've been meaning to get around. I lean down and kiss her cheek before getting up and heading to our room, eliciting a whine from her, but nothing more than that. I reach under the bed and pull out dad's old lock-box. Simple, if not a bit rusty, this box probably would have survived a nuclear war. I grab the key off my dresser and slot it into the lock, feeling the notches click into the chamber. I close my eyes and turn the key. The spring loaded lid pops open and I take a breath in anticipation before opening my eyes. Playpony. Playpony mags. Of course, what else would you have put in here.....Oh hey, it's the last swimsuit issue...... Throwing the mags under the bed for later inspection, I pull out a small USB-C flash-drive, the word "Diary" crudely carved into it. I may look at that later, I may not. Other little trinkets adorn the little box along with photos of our family. He always cared. It didn't matter how stupid our problems were, he cared. I put everything back the way it was and replace the box under the bed. I go back to Flitter as she lies there on the couch. Today is a lazy day. I'm looking forward to more of these here I would be, at least, if we weren't being threatened to leave. A few days after Flitter had gotten pregnant, gossip had spread like fire. I was already getting bad looks from the neighbors, and now the local church is on the move. I think it was around the second broken window that I got the message. Things were about to get bad. A small mob was beginning to form at the bottom of the stack, shouting and screaming. I go and get Flitter and Cloudchaser out of bed, though they're already awake, and tell them to pack fast. I start to get my stuff packed, only the things I need. Most of it is dad's stuff. I get it into a pack and carry as much as I can. Once the girls are ready, I grab my gun. I load a shell into the antiquated shotgun and pray I don't need it. I don't need to hurt anyone and if they mob up on me, I only have the one chamber. I won't be able to reload fast enough. I open the door and nod to the girls. The mob seems to flare up when we step out but quickly quiet down when I make a show of pulling back the hammer and letting my finger rest over the trigger. They get the message as I walk down the stairs, keeping the muzzle in their general direction. Donnie's isn't far. We get there, get in the truck, and get the fuck out of dodge. We make our way down the street, past people who, barring the gun in my hand, would be putting up a fight. We get to the garage and Donnie's waiting for us. It seems that the mob was a planned attack and he got wind of it. He's got some stuff packed into my truck already and he's making sure everything is alright. "I put a GPS in your truck. You follow it and you'll be fine, I'm sending you somewhere you can live. I've got you covered for gas and other things. Everything is where it should be, this truck is damn near perfect now" He tells me I nod to him and start packing my own stuff into the truck, getting the girls comfortable. Cloudchaser takes the back seat after I make it into a makeshift bed. Flitter elects to sit up-front with me. "I heard about what was happening and I acted. I got you a place to live, a really nice house. Big enough for you and your girls" I look at him surprised, but his look says it all. He'll be fine. I have a feeling he saved up for an occasion like this. I go over and hug him. "I'll keep in touch with you and tell you when I get there. Wherever there is" I say "Don't worry. You're takin' a little road trip to Texas. I hear it's nice there" I hug him one last time before getting in and starting the truck. It feels good to be driving again. "One more thing.... Say hi to your Pa when you get there" He says with a smile. I smile back and nod before backing out of the garage and getting onto the road. I follow the prescribed course and take one look back at my home. The place I've felt safe my whole life. Goodbye Kannapolis. Hello Wharton.
(Filler) Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Boom."Y'know, it's nice to have my best mechanic back" I say to my son as he works on my bike. He looks back at me with those piercing green eyes. Just like his mother, I swear. Those eyes could cut diamonds and melt hearts. He's got fire and passion behind those emeralds. Always striving. I smile at him. He's everything dad wanted to be. He's everything dad wanted from me. He's what dad would have wanted to see out of him. "Hell man, you know I ain't gonna turn down a chance for this. This team is a family business, and last time I checked, I am your son" He says to me in that cocky voice I came to remember him by. It used to drive me crazy some days, but these past few weeks...I've been so happy to see him. He nods, takes a sip of the beer sitting next to him and gets back to work on the bike. Gone without a trace for almost six years. Not even so much as a full note. Just "Gone with the Band" and a scrawl of a signature. God damn-it I was mad. I mean, how else do you feel when your kid runs off with some crazy fools that are so hopped up on drugs, they're just beating a dead-horse. I gotta say, I thought this whole "American Revival" thing was fairly stupid, but hey, my kid wasn't doped up so I really couldn't complain. The main thing is, he's back. He's back with me. The Hawks are a family again....Well....Save for dad. I think running off without a trace runs in our genes. He might've gone looking for mom again. He's been gone for a few weeks now. I don't know how long he'll be gone, but when he gets back, he'll be happy. We'll be one big family again, just like he wanted. Him, me and Emile. Three generations of beer-guzzling, ass-whooping good ol' boys. That's the way it was meant to be. My dad at one side, my son at the other. Hell, I'll have to get a picture taken. Just me, dad and him, holding beers in the garage. "Dammit.... Who'd you have workin' on this thing? He had no fuckin' clue about what he was doin'" Emile says idly staring at the trial-bike engine. He wasn't wrong. "Some kid who took a shop class and thought he could make money with the teams" I replied "Ah. No wonder. Everything is just... Off" He tells me, taking an impact to the offending parts "Well, I trust you to get it back to where it was...There's another beer in it for you" I tell him "If it's free, it's for me" He laughs, and I join him. This is what I miss. Then it hits me. That feeling. The feeling of impending doom. Suddenly I know it. I don't know what it is but I know it. Suddenly everything looks.... Oddly strange. As if I've never seen the world before me. Shaking the worst from my head, I pat Emile on the back as he sets to work. What am I worried about? I'm fine. Well....Fine-ish. Close enough. "You sure you don't want me to ride? You look like you've seen a fucking ghost, and you're pretty damn pasty to start with" My son asks me. He's not far off. I'm shaking, why, I don't know. I've done this millions of times. Nothing to it. "Bullshit, I'm fine" I tell him back He grins at me and nods "Meter reading out good?" He asks of the glucose meter attached to my bike "You know I never payed attention to that stuff, I'm as healthy I can be!" I say, then throwing in a few coughs to mess with him. He only shakes his head and whacks me on the back. "Hey. Kick some ass for me, I didn't rebuild that motor for nothin'" He tells me. I nod and then reach out for a hug. We embrace. "I love you kid. Don't forget that" I tell him, not knowing why "Oh hell old man. Don't you get soft on me now. Go out and show people who you are" He smiles at me. Hearing him say "Love you too, dad" really firmed me up. I pulled on my helmet and pulled up to the starting gates. I was ready for faith. I believe in no god, but this was out of my hands now. "And on the number sixty-four Remotachi, our home-town hero, the fastest ginger alive, Seamus Hawk!" The announcer blared Right about now, my adrenaline would be giving me a hollow-feeling...But now....Now it was gone. Everything was gone. Out of the fuzz of the universe, I hardly heard the command to fire the engines. The beast between my legs awoke with a start, the vibrations all too familiar. All lights green. I had to focus the world together again a few times. I pulled on my helmet and dropped the visor. The dirt course awaited me. Have I done well in my life? Have I done all I can? Was I a good son? Was I a good dad? Is it bad that I've outlived one of my children? Was I meant to outlive my wife? Am I the reason mom left? Have I ever earned dad's respect? What have I really done? Am I a good person? Am I all that I could have been? Drop into first. Rev. Gate drop. Go. I shoot out onto the course, ahead of my competitors. If I'm to go, I'm to go with flair. Yes. All is clear now. The universe seems to be opening up. I can see this with such clarity. First jump. Easy. Getting speed, holding position. Second jump. Whee. Doing good. Third jump. Ah... That's where it is... I can hear the engine block collapsing. These Remotachi bikes were reliable, but there were rumors of the engines having fatal breakdowns. Yes. Nothing that could've been prevented And suddenly, I am no longer me. I am no longer Seamus Hawk. No. Seamus hawk is the man before me. His body flies into the air, ablaze with the fuel of his vehicle. Charred. Mutilated. Lifeless. His son, I can see, hopping down from his vantage point. He recklessly throws caution to the wind, running onto the track. He runs part of the way before he's swept off his feet by a rider. Emile gets back up and runs again before being blindsided by another competitor. He still gets back up and limps to the body, determined to save the lifeless. Poor boy. Poor poor boy. He's on his own....and yet I feel he's just beginning. A journey. One he won't stop. One he can't stop. One he's destined to see-through. Yes. Emile Hawk is just beginning. He's going to do wonderful things. I am nothing, yet I still feel lingering pride. It dissipates quickly. And just as he blacks out with what was once his father, I slip away, ready to become what awaits me next. Author's Note It's 4:22 AM. This thought has been busting in my head all week and my insomnia is hitting me pretty bad tonight, so I pushed to make up for the update schedule, which has promptly gone bye-bye. These kinds of chapters may come erratically so, yeah. Enjoy I suppose.
A full tank of gas, half a pack of cigs and you know the restWe could not get out of North Carolina fast enough. Quite frankly, I didn't feel all that great about South Carolina, Georgia or Alabama. Our first stop was Mississippi, after a long drive. I didn't want to spend all the money Donnie gave us in one go. One room, two beds. A holo-projector. I had turned in all of my script and put all my funds into one account. It was an alright night. Still not in good territory but alright. The girls both slept with me that night. I don't blame them. How are you supposed to take being hated so suddenly? How do you take instant discrimination? Thankfully, things had gotten better in just about everywhere else in the country. Now, Texas was a bit of a stretch, but Donnie assured me it would be fine. That fact that my grandfather was there helped. I had always wondered where he'd gone to. I wasn't much better, disappearing for about five years. That's a story for another day though. Our second day started early. Get up, get in the truck, get rolling. The cost for gas was getting lower as we got to Texas. That was good. I'd need a wallet friendly car though. I'd never give up the truck, but it'd be nice if I didn't have to budget like a bitch. I hate budgeting. Who doesn't? We went through Louisiana and New Orleans. We stopped as we were interrupted by a black parade. An age old tradition, as one native told me. The band marched in-front of the procession. The music was uplifting, with a sad edge to it. Everything seems happy in New Orleans, even if the man in the pine box was killed only a couple of streets away. Irony at it's best. Truly, the iconic roadtrip experience. After a bit of food, we made the last leg of the trip. Down to Texas we go. The highways got smaller as we got closer. Right on down to a two-lane farm road. While not quite as bad as Alabama, the potholes certainly took their toll on us. The past few days have been quite the roller coaster. I'll have to take Filtter to a doctor.... Veterinarian? Damn it, I wish there was someone I knew who knew this stuff. It's like being a new parent..... Which I have to deal with rather soon. Soon, we entered into the landscape of southern Texas. Evergreens far as the eye could see, rivers cutting through the land. If not for the trees, one would be able to see for miles and miles due to the flat nature of the land. I would be close to Matagorda beach, only an hours drive away. Houston isn't that far either, though, I think I'll avoid the hell-like traffic. I'm telling you, those bastards up there are suicidal. If they can't get to their meeting, no one can! Sugarland or Rosenburg would be my closest bets for the luxury variety of shopping. Other than that, I've been told Wharton holds everything I need many times over. Within one mile of each other, there are three auto-parts stores. It's been the same for over sixty years or so. Things don't change often here, so they say. That's nice. Peaceful life for me. Soon enough, we entered Wharton county, then the town itself. It was like.... A page out of time. The square had buildings of brick and mortar, advertising vintage items. Of course, early two-thousands are vintage now, but I guess it's a shifting term. Soon, I was on New-New Boling Highway, cruising past the baseball stadium. That should be interesting. Heard that if I keep on down the road, I'll come by a football stadium. I haven't been to Friday night lights in forever, not since I took a crack at it when I was in school. This place was close to being rural, but not so much that I'd have to carry scrip. Turn off after passing the stadium, right next to the junior college, take a turn and..... There it is. Our new house. Hopefully, with a bit of love, our new home. I gently lay a hand on Flitter and shake her awake. I swear, she lets out the most adorable yawn before blinking awake. She takes one look at where we are and I see her face just light up. I decide to break the anticipation with two words. "Welcome Home" Pretty soon, all of us were blinking sleep and tears out of our eyes. I slotted the key into the door, relishing the feeling of the notches rolling into the tumblers. With a twist of my wrist, the door opened, showing us our new home. We walked into the living room. The house wasn't furnished. I wasn't even sure how it came into my possession beyond "Family connections". Did that imply some kind of..... Mafia? The Wharton Mafia. Ha. I've been watching too many of Dad's movies. He always did like The Godfather. I went back out to the truck and began the arduous task of getting the boxes. I shouldn't complain, really. It's not like I have anything too heavy. Although, I'll have to get a new immersion rig. Had to leave the old one behind. It won't cost too much, but I had the old one set up just how I liked it. I can't get that back. I can't get the memories back of the house. That's the thing though, it's time to make new memories here. This is our house. After a fair bit of moving stuff from the truck, it was time to head to a furniture store. Flitter volunteered to go with me while Cloudchaser stayed behind and got all of the HoloTVs set up. I closed the tailgate on my truck and climbed into the cab, Flitter joining me. I took the keys off of my jeans, where they were held by a hook on a belt loop, and cranked the truck up. After setting the GPS and backing out of the driveway, we were off. We'd be headed to a place in Sugarland, around the mall, a little over an hours worth of drive considering the traffic. I decided, genius I am, to make some conversation. Sitting in silence for an hour is no fun. "So," I began, "Texas... It's interesting, yeah?" She turned to me from a position of staring out of the window. It seems she was just as enamored with the landscape as I was. "It's pretty... If I'm being totally honest, I like it more than our old home. It's just so open!" She laughs. "It's something alright. It's certainly a change from the pine trees" "So..... How do you think ponies here are going to react to me?" She says as a worried look steals across her face. I think on this a while. No point in giving a dishonest answer. After mulling things over in my head for a few seconds, I give my response. "I think people are going to get along with you just fine. I'm sure of it. After all, this is the friendship state. Besides, if anyone wants give you any trouble, they have to deal with me. Come hell or high-water, we are going to survive. I'll make sure of that" And that's exactly what I thought. I was sure that everybody would be fine with her. It's not like I ever paid any attention to the news about Texas. I really wish I had. I think it was halfway to the store when I realized all the weird glares we were getting from the other drivers on the road. Every driver we passed gave us this horrible look. I really couldn't believe that every driver coming from the other lane seemed to hate me on sight. It couldn't have been Flitter, right? The moment all hell broke loose that day was when we stepped out of the car. Oh boy. When me and Flitter tried to go into the store, we were stopped dead in our tracks by some scrawny teen working a mall greeter job. He said I couldn't bring my "Help-Mate" into the mall. Now, I've never been a level-headed individual, most people will tell you that. However, I feel like I kept it under control by just yelling at him as opposed to decking him on sight. Hell, I didn't even swear through my entire speech. Now, I didn't achieve what I wanted to, that being to be able to shop with Flitter. When I saw security, I had enough sense to take Flitter back to the truck and leave. We ended up just heading back home and me hitting up a store in town to get our furniture. It's not the time we wasted that still makes me angry, though that's annoying too. It's the fact that Flitter was discriminated against just because of what she was. When I got home, Flitter and Cloudchaser were more than happy to help unload the furniture from the truck. At the very least we were on our own property. No one is going to fuck with me on my own property, that's for damn sure. Then, she showed up. She came walking up my driveway and Flitter ushered Cloudchaser into the house, not wanting a repeat of our trip. I prepared myself, already with a speech in mind. So help me, I didn't care who it was they sent to drive me out, I would rip them apart where they stood. They were as good as dead if they were going to mess with my girls. I'll be damned if anyone thinks they can force me from here. Like it or not, I'm here to stay. "Hey. You need any help?" She asked, catching me off guard. ....I wasn't ready for this. Not one bit. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, having been primed with a volley of swears which wouldn't be wise to use at this point. After standing there like an idiot for a few more seconds, I nodded. At any rate, I could just as easily overpower her if she tried anything. She smiled and went to go get a chair and I helped her with it. She got one side and I got the other. As we heaved the chair up, Cloudchaser, who had been watching through the window, opened the door to let us in. The girl actually smiled to Cloudchaser and thanked her. Suddenly, I felt a lot better about her. Suddenly, I felt a lot better about everything. What was me and the mystery girl moving furniture soon became me moving it while she chatted up Flitter and Cloudchaser. From the sounds of laughter and happy tones, it seemed like it was going well. By then, I could certainly tell she had no ill will against us. I didn't count on everybody being like that, but it was nice to know we had a friend here. Two hours or so later and we were all sitting in the newly furnished living room. It was time to talk. "So..." I began, sitting across our new friend, "I see you've met Flitter and Cloudchaser.... I suppose I should get your name" She simply flashed me a smile. I could tell she'd been reared here. She was certainly a native. Jet-black hair framed her Caucasian face. She peered at me with her chocolate eyes. If I had to guess, she was mostly Hispanic, though she spoke with a clear Texas accent. That wasn't uncommon from what I've seen so far. Most of this town is hispanic, so it didn't surprise me. I remember grandpa, at least from when he was around still, used to talk about dating girls like this when he was young. Told me that they where some of the craziest girls he'd ever seen. If I were to take a picture of her, I'd be able to take a look at that grin and I'd know. She's crazy all right. In a good way. "My name is Sophia. Sophia Juliana" God, that's a sexy name. Admit it, say that name to yourself. Feel how it rolls off the tongue. Next time you're on a date, just say that name. I promise it'll work. "So Emile.... I've heard some interesting things about you... Good things, of course!" I gave her a look of curiosity before turning to the girls, who looked a bit sheepish. "More to the point, I want to help you. I see how things are around here and it'll be hard to get around here the way you are now. I can help" She told me. I thought this over for a while, rolling it through my head. Soon, I came to the realization that I couldn't afford to make enemies, let alone turn down allies. I had to push my mistrust aside for a second. This wasn't about me. It hadn't been since I took the girls into my home. My job now was to protect them. I won't fail them. I'll make sure of that. With that going through my mind and my heart, I met Sophia's eyes with a response. "Let's talk" Author's Note This chapter is, Ironically, dedicated to the person who I argue with most. You may not realize it, but the most fun I have is arguing with you about.... Well everything. From ponies to instruments to who'd win in a bar fight. Thanks for bailing me out man, I owe you everything. Happy New Year L0rd0f7hund3r! Maybe I should stop directing people away from my own stories..... Nah. You deserve it. And don't ever expect me to get sappy like this again, I'm tipsy and just want to get this chapper out. Editing schmediting.
Reaping A Dead Man's AssetsGetting up is hard. Getting up while plastered is like trying to run the Olympics blind. With a shark tied to your leg. With said shark having a bomb strapped to it that if you go below a certain speed, it WILL explode. Yes, getting up while plastered is a bitch, and my father not being there to help me just doesn't help at all. Of course, it's the fact he's gone that put me in this sorry state. Then again, I have no one to blame but me. The first thing I did after running from his graveside was drink myself silly and stagger back home. If you can call this crap-shack a home. Momma and Daddy worked hard to make it a home though, and for that, I can't thank them enough... But it's empty and cold, much like my heart. After pulling myself together, I rise and take some pills for the hangover, wondering if my tolerance for alcohol is genetic. Dismissing that thought, I open the door of the once "Mobile" home and make my way down the stack. I reach the bottom of the modest five high stack and merge onto the sidewalk. I look around at the little town of Kannapolis. Still rural, still small, still unknown. You might think that after a couple of actors and even "The Man In Black", we'd be a little famous. But he's been long gone for a long time. The skies are blue and still relatively clean, a rarity in today's world. Living in an untouched city has it's benefit. Alas, technology has touched our small town and even my family. Sure, I still listen to my records and watch my old DVD's and VHS's.... Even the old LaserDiscs' that Grandpappy saved..... He was a bit of an antique person. At the same time, I indulge in the digital too. I enjoy using an old service, "Netflix" as it were. 4-D movies have really taken off, though, I really don't prefer them. I really only use my immersion rig as a glorified Magnavox. The only 4-D experience I enjoy is "being" Jamie Skinner's number thirty-one Chevy.... But NASCAR is in danger, what with the limited resources. Jamie is one of the few generational drivers left. I make my way down the streets, waving high to all I know in this small community. If it's one thing my Pa taught me, it's that friendship always comes first. He told me about how he and my Grandpappy had been prosecuted for being a Brony, an ageing community and even a belief to some. He told me to embrace the ideals of the show he had me watch from birth, as they would help me in life. He also warned me that even today, I had to be careful about being a Brony. The world was becoming much like the comment section of a YouTube video on gay marriage. It's strange how that is still a highly controversial topic, love is love people, who gives a flying fuck? That's another thing Pa taught me. Avoid religion like the plague. Accept and tolerate all opinions but never join a religion. They're always bad news, that's what he taught me, and it's worked so far. I arrive at the bank to claim what he left me in his last will, which was more or less everything. The house, the truck, and......Cash? Twenty-two thousand credits under a label..."A companion, eternal".....Well thanks for nothing you old fart. Always had to be poetic.... or cryptic. Still, it was mine and I'd save it until I found out what the hell that meant. I just really hope that doesn't mean a mail order bride.... Or hookers. Never hookers. Let's see here.... Oh, the will itself... I, Seamus Jackson Hawk, bequeath all my earthly belongings to my one and only son, Emile Garner Hawk. These items shall include, but not be limited to, my current residence, my immersion rig, my diecast collection of cars, my 1994 model Chevrolet C1500, the video addition to this will and the key to my personal lock box. These items are to be passed to him, uncontested. I sigh and nod to the woman who had been helping me. All of what he had left me was already at home, only now it was in my name. I leave the bank just a bit worse for wear. Then again, how else could you feel when the best dad in the world was gone? When I was hurt, he helped me up. When I was sad, he hugged me. When I even thought I was into guys for a bit, he totally supported me! He did it because Grandpappy never got that treatment and he wanted to raise me with love and tolerance instead of violence and cruelty. I can hardly make it to the house before I break down, tears flowing freely. I half expect the firm, yet bony hand of my father to pat me on my back before telling me everything's okay... But it never comes. I suck it up and put the will down on my desk. I retrieve the lock-box key from my pocket and turn it over and over in my hand. The vauge thought of looking in the box passes through my mind before realizing it would only pour salt into my still festering wound. I move over to the "living room" and set myself into the rig chair. I put on the immersion gloves and bring the goggles to my head before strapping them to my head. I head on over to Google to find some new pony memes, my usual stress relief. I look around the digital search "room", taking in the images when out of the corner of my eye, I catch an ad. Maybe it's the depression talking, but I could use a laugh right about now. I turn to the ad and when my sight connects to it, it fills my vision and begins to play. "Imagine that perfect someone, or perhaps you prefer somepony. Imagine them being ready for you, waiting for you, loving you. Well friend, imagine no longer. Vogon Biotech has the answer for you today. And our answer is simple. Order your very own Help mate! Fully functional, completely reliable, and the moment you touch them they bond with you for life. That's right, they bond with you for life. How much more perfect can they be? If you're interested please, click the order button," Someone said from seemingly nowhere. Somepony? Loving me? Are these those Helpmates I've heard of? Geez.... Well hell, I'm already bored With that, I reared back with my virtual fist and smashed into the order button. And boy, I could have sworn I did some freaky ass LSD the way this rainbow attacked my eyes. All psychedelic and shit, y'know.... Maybe I did do some drugs, I have no idea, I haven't been able to remember what I did five minuets ago for a while now. After the "trip" was over, a stallion with a chestnut coat and blond mane stepped out to greet me. I gave him a handshake and didn't hold back, knowing he was only an AI. "Mr. Hawk, thank you for choosing Vogon Biotech. According to records, you are interested in a helpmate. Our search of your cookies from various sites lead us to believe you are mostly homosexual." He said to me Whoops.... Must have been that streak of BigSoarin I binged on...... Heh.... Hey, ever since they made visualizing fictions possible, who can blame me? Secret shame and all that... "I'm straight" I correct him "Ah. My apologies, we must have made an error in judgement" He apologizes to me. "Yeah yeah..... So what is a helpmate exactly? Sounds like something I'd use when I've fallen and can't get up" I joke with him. He shakes his head and snaps his fingers. We walk over to it, his hooves clopping on the floor the entire time. The window is covered with a curtain, and with one swift tug of a pull rope, It pulls to reveal the entire cast of My Little Pony..... Save for a few that are missing. The Mane Six, Vinyl and Octavia..... But some notable ones are there too. He waved his right hand and they all morphed to look like him in his anthropomorphic state. I promptly pulled my jaw off of the floor and looked on in awe. They were exactly as I expected an anthropomorphic pony to be. Just the right blend, if you will. "What we're selling Mr. Hawk is a living fantasy. A living, breathing, fantasy that will not end when you shut off your computer. It won't disappear when a television show goes off of the air, and it will grow with you. Think of it Mr. Hawk. Think about what it would mean to have that perfect somepony. That one special somepony to spend the rest of your life with. Isn't that something worth considering?" He inquires. "Well.....Yeah! You're sellin someone to live with, till death do you part and all that? Well shit son, how much?" I excitedly stammer "That's always the rub isn't it? It doesn't matter how much an artist loves their work. At the end of the day it's about how much money it's worth. They are twenty-two thousand credits a piece. It might sound steep, but consider what you are purchasing. It's not a machine, but a living breathing fantasy. She will eat, sleep, sweat, and even bleed. Everything she feels when she wakes up is real. There is no preprogrammed emotions in her. Oh, she'll have memories, slightly altered to match her new body, of her world, friends, and family. Everything ever written by the creators of the show, and of course any of the fan based content you would like us to consider, will be added to her memories. But beyond that all of her experiences and new memories will be completely of your and her making," He explains to me That's when it clicks in my head. A companion, eternal. This is what he meant! And he left me just enough money for it! Jeez dad, I don't know whether to slap the mess out of you for being so cryptic or hug you! I mean..... If I could. I look around at all the ponies and notice two sharing a space. Two very similar and yet different ponies. Two twins. Flitter and Cloudchaser. "Why are they together?" I ask "They cannot be separated. Their bond is too strong for them to be purchased individually. Most don't choose them because they cannot support that many ponies in their family" He says Well.... I'm all on my own and I really could use all the help and love I can get.... Ah fuck it "I want them. I want Flitter and Cloudchaser" I boldly state "Good choice. Simply continue to press on their image" He tells me. I do so before they're consumed in a lavender glow. Their eyes open from their half-lidded state and they smile and high-five each other before disappearing. "They are now being prepared. It takes a two month process to accurately grow and implant her memories. I should also state that she will be one of a kind. We here at Vogon pride ourselves of ensuring that our customers get exactly what they are paying for. You are getting Flitter and Cloudchaser. There will be no other versions of them made" He continues. "So... How are they gonna show up?" I wonder "They will be arriving in one of our transports. They will be dressed in one of the suits of clothes you can choose at this time" He says, gesturing over to a new window with outfits. Being background ponies, they didn't have much apparel so I chose a nice set of jogging suits and sweat-pants. "Good choice. I hope you'll be pleased with them" He says before snapping his fingers, suddenly being replaced by none-other than Discord. "My my, the twins? I never thought they might be picked. Ah, take good care of them." He laughs and hands me my receipt before disappearing. I suddenly found myself staring at pony memes again...... Was I looking at memes of the twins before? Odd. I took off the goggles and gloves and looked around. Well, if that guy hadn't just made off with my money, I'll be damned if I have company in this state. Especially permanent company. Everything was a mess, beer bottles, wrappers, everything. Thankfully, the home I live in used to be a class-A motorhome so it was sizeable enough to have a spare room. Two months... Then boom, my life would never be the same... I best hurry and get all squeaky clean. I took all the trash and hauled it down to the dump where my good buddy Jerry gladly incinerated it. Next was the guest room and making it one again. Out with the junk and stuff. I had to rent a storage space for all of Pop's keepsakes. Thankfully, It was already a guestroom so all I had to do was get a holoprojector. I was about to set off on vacuuming when I got an email. I strapped on the goggles and gloves and opened up the email. It was from Vogon asking whether or not I wanted any fanfictions to be included in their memory. I decided against it, only because I didn't know any good ones. They would come as if they had come straight from Equestria. Good. Now, back to vacuuming. All I had to do was survive two months. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! I....I hope at least...... I've been swindled. Bamboozled. Had my chain pulled! All of the above! Those fucking hacks stole my money! Ass-Holes! I'll go to court over this! I'll kill to get my money back! Why I Outta! KNOCK KNOCK I grumble and throw the door open. Standing before me was Flitter and Cloudchaser.... I couldn't believe it. I put a hand out to them and they both reached out to meet it. A spark, a flash.... and two warm smiles. Author's Note Boom! Wham! Done! I did it RJP! Special thanks to the gang over at Facebook, Y'all know who Y'all are! Merry Christma-.....What do you mean it isn't Christmas?.....Merry Vogonmas! Anyways, thanks guys, you are amazing! Now, I'm going to immediately rejoin Y'all on Facebook. Hurrah for doing nothing productive. But serious time. Thanks guys.
