‘And done.’ As I put the finishing touches on my sketch of Lyra and Bon Bon, I looked out the window of my train compartment, wondering how in the world I got a job at Incendie Corporation.

I was never the brightest kid in school, getting an overall B average in almost every class. The one class I did excel in was, surprisingly, math. I figure I have a better time understanding solid concepts than interpreting information or memorization[1], but I guess the staff thought I just didn’t apply[2] myself in my other classes. Thus, I was subjected to an onslaught of tutoring advertisements, applications, even a few required meetings. The mandatory meetings were horrid, and I couldn’t wait to finish them and get back to obsessing over My Little Pony[3], among other things. I honestly don’t think the tutoring would’ve helped anyway; I did make the effort to work in my classes. Whatever, I graduated and got into the college two towns away from my parents; I don’t need to worry about public education anymore.

My one year of college education was a lot more bearable to work through. Choosing class times really makes a difference[4], and specialized classes make the school day a lot more interesting. At one point, I found myself excited for some of my classes, just because of the way the information was presented. Crazy, right? I mean, there was still some things that I hated[5], but college was a lot better than high school with its courses. I even “excelled[6]” in five of my classes, in both semesters! I think my grades are the reason I’m on this train.

See, I was ready to pay for a third semester of college when I got a letter from Incendie Corporation. Incendie Co. is the forerunner in mechanical engineering, at least in America. However, it only has one office, in an otherwise rural town. I guess the engineers want room for testing, and the company has other locations for shipping. Anyway, the letter stated that I was eligible for a recently opened position in accounting, and housing was included. All I had to do was work at their main office, about a thousand miles away from my home town. After a week of deliberating and a few long discussions with my parents, I decided to travel the thousand miles to take on this job. It’s the furthest I’ve travelled without my parents, but I need to be more independent anyway.

You see, the only thing I want back from high school is my friendships. Sure, I did have my roommate in college, but he was away with his girlfriend half the time. In high school, my friends were always available to talk: at school, over the phone, after the mandatory tutoring sessions[7], pretty much any time. Our talks would range from the new Fall Out Boy concerts to popular Vines, even to My Little Pony. They were the only people to accept that I liked the show.

In fact, I think I still have that catchphrase they coined for me in my sketchbook. Let me look:

This book belongs to:

Alex Wylder

A proud brony

It’s nice to keep a part of them with me. We tried long distance relationships when we all went to college, but it just never worked out. Within two months, we basically had radio silence with each other. So, yeah, more independence will hopefully bring me more friends.

Wow, okay. I didn’t realize that the train was this close to the station. I must have drifted off for a while. I’ll just put my sketchbook back in my bag, and see what this job is all about.

As I entered the Innovation building of Incendie Co., I couldn’t help my sense of awe at the sheer height of that building. No matter what, I always feel free when I see things in high places, whether it be a mountain, a plane, or a skyscraper, as this building technically is. It sure feels like it, with all the buildings around it not even breaking three stories. Oh, when I was younger, I wanted to be a pilot, being up in the sky more often than I was on the ground.

That dream came to pass, but when I watch pegasi like Rainbow Dash flying in My Little Pony, speeding through the bright blue sky or just hovering over a magnificent view of vibrant green hills and quaint houses with simply pleasing structures and the pastel ponies just milling about a road without a truly evil thought… I relive that longing for the air, and the euphoria I got whenever I went to the roof of my dad’s office or hiked to the top of a mountain. I guess that’s why I like the show; it’s one of the only ways I can relive the innocent happiness of my youth.

After a bout of staring that I hope wasn’t too long, I approached the front desk. “Hi. I’m Alex Wylder. Can I please see Mrs. Avante? Our meeting’s at four, uh, here, I can show you.” I pulled out the letter I had been keeping in my pocket.

The receptionist looked at the clock. “You sure? That’s in, like, five minutes.” She took the letter. “Yeah, yeah. Well, you’re gonna hafta meet with Ms. Thomas. Mrs. Avante had her husband take her on surprise vacation to Hawaii, much to the dismay of everyone back here. There have already been five missed deadlines. But you don’t care about that, go on, if you hurry, you can make it to room G226 in time.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at the receptionist, then hurried to the elevator just right of the desk.

The meeting was surprisingly uneventful.

Ms. Thomas was nice, I guess. She seemed preoccupied and was often staring into the middle distance. I guess it was the workload from Mrs. Avante’s vacation, like the receptionist said. Anyway, I had actually spent the week before the train ride preparing what I was going to say and what my credentials would be, because I did want to get hired here. However, my meeting with Ms. Thomas consisted of a couple of basic questions[8] and short “yeahs” in response to my answers. Then I got hired. I mean, the letter implied that the company had basically chosen me for the job, but I thought there would be more of a waiting period. Anyway, after instructing me to come in tomorrow at 7 am sharp[9], Ms. Thomas gave me the keys to my new apartment, and I’ve basically been lying on the bed for the entire time I’ve been here.

A knock sounded from the door to my apartment. It’s probably Ms. Thomas, coming to ask about something she’d missed in the interview. I called out that I was coming, then I went to the door.

“You forgot your letter.” The receptionist from earlier stood in the doorway, holding out the paper I had accidentally left with her in my rush to get to the interview. “Ya know, for an accountant, you’re not very organized. You just left this letter with me, didn’t even realize you didn’t have it until now, I bet. Anyway, here it is.”

“Thank you,” I responded, taking the letter and moving to close the door.

“If you’re wonderin’ how I found you, I know where all the lownies stay, here in this building,” the receptionist continued. “I just had to ask who checked in last. Us receptionists here, we’re a community.”

I had to pause to make sense of her last comment. “… What’s a ‘lownie?’”

“Oh, a lownie is someone who’s hired on a low level at Incendie. Can I come in?”

“I mean, sure.” I opened the door for the receptionist as she walked in. I took this moment to really look at her. She had black, frizzy hair and a simple grey dress suit. She was about my age, and she had intense sparkling eyes.

She must’ve seen me looking, because she commented, “I’m a lownie too, if you’re wondering. Started work here at the beginning of the summer. Ya know, I thought it’d be harder to get a job here, even at the front desk. They just asked me a few questions and I was in.”

“Same with me. I wonder if all the interviews are like that.”

“I think that they do massive background checks on everyone they offer positions to, so that they’ve basically hired them before the interview.”

I was in a good mood, so I replied, “I can prove that is not the case with the fact that they hired me.”

The receptionist giggled. “I’ll take your word for it. Anyway, my name is Hope Boston.”

“I’m Alex Wylder.”

“You already told me.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry about it. I can see it people’s faces, ya know, shame over something little. You really don’t have to worry.”

Heh, that’s something one of my old friends would say. His name was Abraham, and he was one of the most caring guys I’ve ever met. I think I would like a friendship with Hope like I had with him. I’d certainly make something out of this internship that way.

“Hey, Alex, so, you’re the newest guy here, why don’tcha say we head out tonight.”

“Wha! Why would you ask me!?”

“Because no one else seems to have any sense of fun in this town except you. You’re the only person I’ve met here who seems like they’d want and need a fun night out.”

This was very unexpected. While I had good friends in high school, I would only rarely go out with them anywhere. Our discussions were enough, for me at least. I knew there was a party culture in my high school and college, but my disinterest in it only grew as time went by. I was happier looking into things my friends recommended for me and watching My Little Pony for my free time. But Hope was genuinely nice, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings by leaving her alone all night. Besides, I hadn’t really tried a “fun night out,” maybe I’d like it.

I love it.

Okay, so, first off, there is one club in this town, and that’s Lost Paradise. It’s three blocks left of the Innovation building, and I’m taking note of that because I am definitely coming back. The music, the drinks[10], the dancing, the lights, the clientele, I thought they would all be suffocating, but it actually makes for a cool atmosphere. There might be a little less crowding because of the small town we’re in, but it was surprisingly crowded to me, not that it was bad. Just losing myself in dancing and good feelings, that felt really nice.

However, I didn’t forget Hope. In fact, I’m going over to where she’s sitting right now to talk with her.

“Having a good time?” She seems smug, for some reason.

“Oh yeah. It’s really infectious, this feeling. It’s just a feeling. You know, the atmosphere, the lights, everything. I don’t know what this feeling is, but I like it.”

“I got that from the way you were dancing out there for two hours. Straight.”

Well. That’s, um, unsurprising but saddening. I didn’t want to abandon Hope, I thought I’d just be out dancing for a little. I mean, she paid for everything I had here, the drinks, admission. I don’t think that I’m being particularly nice right now. Perhaps I should just-

“Don’t worry about it. Honestly, the way you worry about yourself is the worst part about you. How do you function with all that worrying in your head?”

“Sorry, I-“

“I’ll tell you what, I already liked you when we talked in your apartment, but just now, when you were on the dance floor, you proved yourself to be someone I can get behind. I can see that in other people. It’s a knack I have.”

“I’m really flatter-“

“Don’t feel the need to thank me for every complement I give you. Come on, if you want to, we can bounce and I can show you my favorite show.”

That was-

“Don’t think about it. Yes or no.”

“Okay.”

“Okay! Come on, I can show you what a pure joy it is to watch Supernatural…”

I don’t really remember what happened for the rest of the night. Hope drove me to her apartment, showed me a bit of that show[11], and I decided to go back to my apartment at eleven. We said our goodbyes and made a plan to do the same thing tomorrow. I made my way down to my apartment, smiling the whole time.

Hope really is a good friend. She gives me so much, a person she just met today! Others might see her as desperate, but I see that she is just… a great person. It might take me a little to completely trust her, but so far I’m moving a lot faster than I did in high school. It’s just a joy, wondering where our relationship will go, what we can do, how we will bond, all of it. Friendship truly is magic, as My Little Pony states.

But now it’s getting close to the end of the day. Tomorrow I’ll have a new job, a new schedule, a new life, pretty much, but I can’t feel much of anything except excitement for it.

[1] I shudder when I think of it.

[2] My least favorite part of public education was the misleading terminology all the staff used. I’m glad I got away from that, at least.

[3] The fourth generation starting in my freshman year of high school. I found out about it when I saw a forum post about the first episode, and ever since I watched that episode, I was hooked.

[4] In my mood, at least.

[5] *cough* memorizing *cough*

[6] In my Chemistry teacher’s words.

[7] They went with me, which is another reason that I love them.

[8] Do you have any experience in the field? No, but I have taken relevant classes. Do you have any references? Yes, from my Chemistry, Calculus, and English teachers. Do you have any health issues? No.

[9] Hooray.

[10] Non-alcoholic for me. I don’t want to get in trouble with the law.

[11] Unfortunately, I don’t really remember it. I may watch some of it on my own time to catch myself up.

Author's Note

And there's the first chapter! I know, there's a distinct lack of ponies in it, but there will be some coming next chapter. Anyway, I hope you like it.