Echoes

Beep...beep...beep

I groaned, hitting the clock with my hoof to stop the horrible noise.

My eyes shifted over to the far wall, slight bags under them as I heard Mommy’s alarm clock ringing. I heard her hooves thumping against the wall gently as she eventually smacked the annoying sound away. I hadn’t slept last night at all, which would surely damper my performance in school today. Not that it honestly mattered anymore.

I rolled out of bed, taking a quick glance at myself in the mirror. I sighed, my mane was a mess. I tried to pat it down, but gave up after I just made it worse. I could just brush it later.

I stumbled out of bed, grunting and sighing as my hooves dropped to the floor. My legs wobbled, weak and figuratively asleep.

Blearily, I looked around the room, grabbing my saddlebags. It was too early, but work didn’t wait for anypony.

I wandered the hall, somewhat heading towards the living room to see Mommy off to work, on the way I stopped in the kitchen and grabbed Mom’s usual breakfast. The kitchen wasn’t done waking up yet, the floor still strangely damp from being left alone overnight, and the air still felt clammy. The sickly blue light pouring through the window only gave it an aesthetic comparable to a graveyard in the morning.

I searched the room. Where was my hat? Maybe it was out in the living room. I opened the door, closing it gently in case Dinky was still sleeping. I suspected not, and when a muffin and some orange juice greeted me in the kitchen, I knew she was up. Surely enough, there she was, happily waiting for me. “Good morning, my muffin,” I said.

I smiled, forcing my eyes a little wider as Mom walked into the living room. “Good morning, Mommy.” I looked down to the meager breakfast. “I already have your food right here.. It’s not too late for us to eat breakfast together, is it?” My ears drooped slightly, already knowing the likely answer.

I smiled sadly, putting a hoof around my sweet little filly. “I’m so sorry, but Mommy has to go. I gotta get to the post office so I can start early. If mommy doesn’t get there early…”

“...Mommy doesn’t get enough bits for muffins..” I smiled weakly at her, though my eyes were looking at her hooves. “I know, Mommy… But I thought it might be early enough this morning so…” I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck with a hoof.

I glanced at the clock, then mentally went over the bills I was behind on. Too many… “Maybe tomorrow, Dinky. I’m sorry.” I hugged her extra tight with my wing, snuggling her close.

I hugged Mom back as she pulled me into a tight hug. “Okay. I’ll see you after school still though, right?”

I hesitated. “Yes.. I should be done in time to pick you up. But you know who to go to if you need someone to walk you home, right?”

I nodded, nuzzling into her side. “I know, Mom. Apple Bloom and the girls always say they’re happy to walk with me.” I sighed. “Even if you can’t make it, thank you for trying.”

I nodded sadly, wishing more than anything that I could be with her all the time. “I have to go, Dinky. Mommy loves you very much.” I planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

I smiled a little more sincerely.. “Is there at least enough time for you to fly me to school?”

I thought about it. The school was in the opposite direction, but it… wasn’t too far… “Yes, but we gotta hurry, okay, muffin?”

I grinned widely, pulling from our hug and galloped back to my bedroom to grab my saddlebag.

I drank the orange juice while I waited for Dinky, setting the muffin in my bag to have later.

I quickly made sure everything I needed was in it, I had packed it last night instead of sleeping, so I was almost certain it had everything but… Better safe than sorry. I almost stumbled as I ran back downstairs to the living room. “Okay! Let’s go before you’re late!”

A quick look at the clock brought a wry grin to my face. “Alright, up you go!” I scooped her up, placing her securely on my back.

I giggled as I was put into place on Mommy’s back. I loved when Mommy flew me to school, the sights were amazing all the way up there.

I trotted out the door, making sure not to klunk Dinky’s head on the doorframe. After locking it up, I prepared myself, then jumped into the air, taking to the sky with swift strokes of my wings. My flying was mediocre at best, but Dinky loved it. 

My hooves tightened around Mom’s barrel as I giggled madly. “This is so cool!” Despite the shaky flapping that jostled me more than flying with that Rainbow mare did that one time, I felt nothing but entirely safe.

I focused on the schoolhouse, which was small from where I was seeing it, flying there as quickly as possible. Suddenly, I had a pain behind my eye, and my vision went blurry as one eye slid to the side, unfocusing my vision. I panicked, flailing awkwardly as I lost track of which way I was going.

My joy turned to terror as Mom started flying in what I considered rather dangerous curves. “M-Mom? Is uh…” I moved my grip to her neck, twisting my hooves around her tightly and hopefully not accidently putting her in a chokehold. “Is everything full of muffin-y goodness??”

“U-uh, just... hold on, muffin... Mommy can’t see right…”

I gulped, my eyes failing to lock onto the approaching ground. “O-Oh. Which eye?”

“R-right eye, muffin…”

I frowned before pulling back with my hoof, then I swung it forward to thump the right side of her head. I felt guilty about hitting mom, but I knew that was the quickest way to fix it.

With a thunk, I saw a star or two, but my vision cleared, my eye slipping back into place. “Th-thank you, Dinky…” I reached around, grabbing her and holding her tightly in my forelegs. I dove for the ground, coming quickly to a stop before we crashed. I set her down gently. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” I wrapped my forelegs around her tightly, sniffling.

My head spun as my brain caught up with the whole not moving thing, my legs turning to a jelly like form and wobbling under me. “It-It’s okay, Mom…” I reached in her sorta direction to give her a hug. “I’m fine, just a little dizzy.”

“Maybe you should walk the rest of the way... Will you be okay?”

I grimaced, “Yeah, I’ll be fine. But are you gonna be okay today?” I reached up and frowned, my vision clearing as my body adjusted to being on the ground again, and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You know the days when your eyes stop working right this early are usually the worst…”

I hesitated, thinking back again to the bills. “Y-yes, I’ll be alright. I’ll manage.”

I frowned a bit more. “That’s what you said last time.”

“Well…”

I sighed, “If Mommy doesn’t get there early, she doesn’t get enough bits for muffins… I know.”

I nodded sadly. “It’ll be okay, my muffin… You’d better hurry so you’re not late, though, alright?”

I looked down at the ground, almost glaring at it, but not even feeling up to that. “Yeah, alright…” I hugged her one more time, “Don’t get hurt, okay?”

“I won’t,” I assured her.

“Promise?”

I hesitated. “...Mommy loves you, alright? I gotta hurry, I love you!” I jumped into the air, flapping off. I felt guilty, but… better to not promise at all than to break a promise.

I stared after her, watching her until she was a speck in the sky. “She didn’t promise,” I said. My voice felt alien and distant, even in my own mind. How should I even feel? I eventually sighed. Luckily, school didn’t start for another hour. Not that Mommy needed to know that, if she did I might not get to spend time with her in the mornings as much. Without another glance back, I started walking to school.