“Nickel”

“Nickel, sweetie wake up.”

You stir in your slumber as you hear the familiar voice of your mother. You always thought your mom had a soothing voice. One that would make her child drift even further into the depths of his brain. A place you just love to be. But sadly this time wasn’t the case due to some nudging against your side.

“Hmm...” You groaned, rubbing the sleepiness out of your eyes. Your little colt body ached from the awkward position you dosed off in, your head leaning against one of the many windows of the train that trecks through the clouds. Heading for the big cloud extravaganza.

Yes, Cloudsdale.

“We’re almost there.” She announced, giving you a soft smile.

You glance out the window, watching the clouds fly by. Celestia’s sun was almost fully emerged in the horizon. Your mother got your attention once again.

“I think you’ll love it here sweetie.” She said, giving you a soothing rub on your shoulder. Your father just glances at the two of you from his seat that sat across from you, before looking back out the window, lost in his own thoughts.

Your father, you never were close to him. To be honest, you didn’t think he was to fond of you either. Always drinking his 'special drinks' as your mother put it. You don’t really recall a day you haven’t seen him with those beverages. He was finally offered a decent job in the weather factory, maybe with a hint of luck, he'll keep this one.

You doubt it.

Luckily, your mother is a different story. You always clung to her everytime your father had one of his 'episodes'. Again, as your mother put it. She always seems to know the right thing to say, or action to take to comfort you.

Your body’s weight shifts forward as the train decelerated. The brakes hiss and creak, making it even more obvious.

You’re home......Again.

This isn’t your first rodeo when it comes to moving to a new home. Your father never could keep a job. Due to his, 'addiction', he never could stay sober. So that caused your family to move from there to there, here to here, house from house, until he stayed somewhere long enough to support the family. You honestly don't know where the money comes from sometimes. On some occations, your father would go months without a job.

Yet there was still food on the table.

You know your mother never worked. You never understood why, but that's probably why you and her we're so close, with her being home all the time.

You glance around, a few ponies were already grabbing their belongings. That includes your father being one of them. The doors open up and he makes his way off the train, leaving you and your mother behind.

“Come on Nick. Don’t want to keep him waiting.” Your mother said, giving you her trademark smile.

Her fake smile.

Always fake.

You always took notice when her smile was real.

But you haven’t seen that in a long time.

Your mother grabs her suitcase from the overhead storage compartment, setting it down between the two of you. She then grabs your saddlebags you brought, setting them down on your back.

“Thanks mom.” You say as you lead the two of you off the train to find your father.

You step off the train, your eyes scanning your surroundings with a look of astonishment. You’ve never been to Cloudsdale before. To say you were impressed was a bit of an understatement. You saw other pegasi flying over you, speeding by like the earth ponies did in Fillydelphia on their busy highways. The clouds basically made up everything structure wise in the city. Which didn’t surprise you, it is Cloudsdale obviously. You just expected more...

Color

Your not saying that the cloud city is colorless, your saying its just...

White

Everything is the color of the clouds, white and bright.

Then you caught site of the factory. The place where the weather is manufactured and controlled.

Your father’s whole reason to come here.

It stood outside the city. Being it’s own solo cloud a little higher up than Cloudsdale. Spectrum smoke gushes out of the many stacks on top of the building. You glance around, noticing your mother trotted on without you. Adjusting your sadle bags to ease the discomfort on your back, you gallop towards her, getting close once arriving. All this new scenery is starting to overwhelm you.

“It’s fine sweetie, we’re almost home.” Your mother said, draping a wing over you for comfort.

Home. What is home anymore?

A short time later, you arrive at this 'home', a single story, three bedroom house. Seems cozy enough.

You follow your mother into the small structure. Once inside, the first thing you notice is that your father isn’t here.

“Where’s dad?” You ask, directing toward your second parent.

“He’s.....probably checking out town square or something.” Your mother said. “You know how he is.”

You wish you didn’t.

Your mother grabs her suitcase and strolls through the living room, looking at all of the decor that was already in the home. You could tell that she’s feeling uneasy. Just by her body language. She was trying to put this off as nothing, giving it no mind that her husband dragged them all over the world.

All because he.....

“Nick.”

You glance back at her, not noticing you were losing yourself to your thoughts. You quickly glance down at your hooves, trying to avoid the conversation that was about to arupt. She walks up to you and raises her hoof to your cheek.

“It’s going to be ok.” She starts. “Your father is just a little stressed right now.” You know she's just trying to ease your tensions.

“I’m just tired of moving all the time mom.” You say, brushing her hoof away. “We’re always moving. We never stay in one spot for more than a school year and.....and I’m sick of losing all my friends!”

“This time is different.” She replies.

“That’s exactly what you said last time!”

You hold your breath for a moment before letting out a sigh. You feel defeated. Arguing about this seems pointless.

You start making way to your new room up stairs. Ready to just be done with the day and crawl back into the depths of your brain.

A place you just love to be.

“Be up by six o clock.” Your mother says. You have your first day of school in the morning.

"Ugh"

Author's Note

Thank you for reading my very first story on Fimfiction! If you see any mistakes please let me know. I'm sure there are some. Constructive critisim only please. I am nearly done with the second, stay tuned!