Mothers Shadow and Devil Barby ProjectRabbidChaptersThe Bar (B)I met you once (S)why the milk, bitch? (B)Back Alley (B)This is totally daddy (S)Investigation (B)Clues (S)Office (B)Let's hit the streets (S)The Bar (B)I craned my neck as my assistant came into my little lounge. I lied on the couch in one corner. My Assistant, Meesix, looked worried around, then his eyes fell on my relaxed Form and he gulped, "Uhh, Boss. There is a uhh troublemaker at the bar." I furrowed my eyebrows, then let the go of the Magazine, letting it fall on my face. With a groan, I demanded to know, "How much booze did the Bartender give them?" "Well, that is the thing! She only had Milk!" he told me frantically. After a few seconds I slowly turned my head to him, the Magazine slowly slid off. I pierced him with my yellow eyes, "Are you shitting me?" Meesix was a light-blueish young Stallion with a grey mane. A Unicorn and his Cutie mark was a picture of a Book. Perfect for accounting then. He applied for a job here without knowing what I was doing for a job, once I told him he probably thought to find an easy girlfriend in one of my girls, well. He is still single... He shook his head no and replied, "I mean it, Miss Brushtip. She acts all light and doozy with her carton of milk! And we don't even sell it." I sat up now, leaning back on the couch, looking down at my grey hooves. I asked, "so why did we not throw her out yet then, Meesix?" "I told you my name is Steve. We tried, Miss Brushtip. We tried and it failed." "Call the guards?" "In a strip club?" "Yeah?" "..." "touche," I answered and with a sigh and got up from the red couch. Meesix stepped out the way and I left him back in my lounge. Now, going outside my room would lead to a hallway, filled with busy workers moving behind the scenes but the hallway was empty. With a slight growl my horns appeared for a second, worrying about my little ponies. Hearing Heartbeats on the other side of the Bar gave me some hope. I reached the end and with a few steps pulled up from behind the counter. And there was our troublemaker. A brownish Mare with a mostly green Mane. She was somewhat my age from her facial features. her emerald eyes looking into the empty glass cup in front of her. some milk still inside. To her right were some bottles of full liquor and a carton of milk. She saw me and mumbled something like "Another one, pwease..." That was the big troublemaker? I stepped in front of her, looking at her. Over her shoulder, behind her. I spotted some hidden Ponies. They hid from her. Who the hell is she? Then my Heart skipped a beat. Hers too as it seems. We both stood straight up . Our eyes never breaking contact in the process. Then I knew... without much fanfare and without much special effects. This Mare was like me. "Are you a devil...?" she slowly asked, her drunken stupor shocked away. "Yes, my name is Brushtip..." Author's Note I have fun I met you once (S)"my name is Selenia," I said, sitting straight up. Another Devil... oh my "I heard that name before..." the Devil across from me said. "huh?" I asked and looked at her, "how do you mean?" She put a hoof to her forehead, rubbing it as if that would work against a headache, "not really sure... I can't remember where... " she shook her head and looked around. I did too and noticed the state the Bar was in, from her clothes I gathered that she worked here some position. The Bar was lit dimly and the damage not too bad. Some broken light bulbs. Some tables were turned over and the contents on top spilled about them, "Who... who was this?" I asked, trying to remember how I got there. My Devil not saying anything but looking at me and saying, "my Assistant said it was you" I looked at her, "uhhhh" "Under normal circumstances, I would beat you up then make you repair that-" I scoffed at her kindness and dropped my disguise, horns appeared and my til turned slender and black. She stared at me. "Just try," I tried to provoke her, making myself seem enormous. She just shook her head with a disapproving glance at the Ponies behind me. I got her message about the witnesses and turned back normal. "...Anyway, running into another one like me... is a good excuse. Selenia, where do you come from?" "I just moved here, moved out from my dad's place last year and finally found an Apartment downtown. You?" "down the block, I sometimes sleep in my lounge," she explained then turned around to the wall filled with liquor behind her and pulled out a big bottle of whiskey and a small glass. She used her magic to quickly prepare a cool drink for herself, "Father?" I raised an eyebrow, "what about him?" "Who is he?" she wanted to know, sipping her drink. Lucky Mare. I can't even stand the smell of it alone. You see, Alcohol, for some reason is like acid to me, it all heals up quickly but the pain and scars stay for a while. The most intoxicating I drink is Energy Drinks. "Who is yours?" I wanted to know, I won't easily give away such information to anybody. Even my own kind as it seems. Flare was my only family. "My Father?" Brushtip said, "My Father is called Trestle and he is a cartoonist." I closed my eyes, that name was familiar. Somewhere deep inside, a memory. I can't remember it. "My father is called Flare Moon," I told her. She turned to the side and spit her whisky contents out, "what?!" "Geez, I did not know my old man was that known by strangers." "Flare Moon? Brown coat and silver Mane?" How could she have known??? "YEs! How do you know my Father?" Brushtip said, "I saw him in some of our Family photos!" why the milk, bitch? (B)Author's Note This is selenia, drawn by Flare Moon. why the milk, bitch? (B) "why is my daddy in your family photos?" Selenia asked me a bit bewildered, a bit confused and maybe a pint of annoyance. Well, who could blame her, am I right? I looked around, the place is still in ruin, needs cleaning up. I turned back to my guest, "I said I think he is. I am not certain if we talk about the same guy. If that were the case then my father has some talking to do" I motioned around us and saw her becoming a bit irritated, "That was apparently your fault, Sel. I let my Staff clean up, now come back with me" Selenia followed me back down the hallway to my lounge, the Staff still shivering behind cover when I left the room. Back at my lounge, I stopped Selenia with a hoof in front of the door because I found Meesix looking through some of my Magazines. "Ahem," I cleared my throat and walked past him, he stiffened up and turned around but saw nobody there. My horn lit up and I let the manifesting aura tap his shoulder. He turned around yet again with an irritated expression, "Why are you always doing that, Ma'am?" "Because your job is to assist me and not to waste the air inside here. Now go out and fix the mess with the rest of the staff" He nodded quickly but then my dear guest had enough of waiting and came into the room. Meesix turned around and jumped slightly as Selenia quickly dashed beside him to me, "wait, what?" "That is my guest, meesix. Please just go away," I said. He hung his head and left the room. Selenia looked after him but did not give him a second thought, instead, she looked around for a seating opportunity. she noticed the bean bag I kept around and plopped on it like some cat. Then we stared at each other awkwardly for thirty seconds. After thirty-one seconds she coughed awkwardly and asked, "Should you not tell me more about how my Father ended up in your family photos?" I blinked, "well they are at my fathers' Flat," I said with a hoof to my forehead, "And the old pony is probably asleep by now, we can go there tomorrow. What I liked to know was how you managed to scare my entire 'crew'" "Uhh. I am not really sure but I remember one guy starting to hit on me and I was very annoyed... then I just looked at him and he looked like his heart skipped and he ran away then," said Selenia with a thoughtful expression. She then turned on her back, looking at me from down there. Are those hairs in her nose...? "Something like that happened to my ex back then too..." I have a weird feeling that she doesn't lie to me. some weird little feeling deep in my back? I decided to believe her. What she told me was some thought for later anyway. On other important issues... "Okay. so why the milk?" She stared at me, "Why are you the one asking questions again?" I rolled my eyes, "You wrecked my house. Maybe that's the least you can do for compensation...?" "Ugh, fine... Milk gets me drunk," she confessed and buried her face into her hooves in shame. I snorted. "You what?" "Water is sweet and Alcohol like bleach or posion. To get a kick like a normal pony I experimented a bit with lemonade and other liquids in my tweens. Milk is the only thing strong and light enough to get drunk and wake up without a hangover. Thank you very much." I laughed at her at this point, who thought that there was someone like her, lol. She glared daggers at me. I slowly stopped with a few snikers, "So-Sorry. But this is just the worst I could think of happening to anybody. Maaaan, no proper alcohol... You are missing out in your life, sweety." She furrowed her brows then turned back into a normal position, with an unamused expression she looked at me and said, "Yeah yeah. That is what they all say. Then die because I put them on their backs while they were knocked out and suffocated on their tounge" I stopped laughing and stared at her in a bit of horror, a sense of dread... was she a killer? "Kidding~" she said as she saw my expression. I threw a pillow at her. Back Alley (B)Author's Note Do you like the narrative change? If not, bad for ya. Do you like short chapters? check out my other stories too, guys. Back Alley (B) It was half an hour past midnight as we left my establishment. The air was surprisingly dry and the wind chilly. But then I felt a warmth in my body that always come up when I focussed. Does Selenia have the same? Was that a thing that devils had? maybe, maybe not. I glanced back to my Club, a little red door between a bank and a deli for griffons. The building was not as tall as its neighbors but the basement went deep. The useless second story of it could be used to get rent from somebody. I build the club here. But anyway, let's move forward. Selenia went up beside me and regarded the street with an unreadable expression. Then she asked, "Alright, Brushtip. Lead the way to your apartment." She shivered as she said that and I heard her teeth chatter. "Are you cold?" I asked and started to walk. "No, my teeth are just danc-cing," she told me and continued to shiver. I grit my teeth in frustration. Not because I have any intention to help her or that I do not like to see her squirm in pain. I just hate that stubbornness in some ponies. Just tell the truth, devil. Stop lying. Geez. We started our trek to my Apartment. It was not a long way to go, maybe twenty to five minutes if you walk or run fast enough. I live in Baltimare, close to my father. The old man has raised me so I must look after him till he bites the dust or something. And for some reason I want it to be a natural death. He whines a lot about stuff nobody understands. I am surprised I even ended up so confident how I am now. I wonder about Flare. "Hey," said Selenia behind me, still shivering like a leave, "Why did you say 'Uncle' Flare?" "huh?," I said surprised, we were halfway to our destination. "Back there, you called him 'Uncle' Flare. Very surprised, like you remembered something. And I am asking what..." My expression changed to a slightly annoyed one so I said to her face, "I have no clue. I want to remember too." A few minutes later I got aggravated with her shivering, it made me nervous to no end and somehow reduced my inner warmth. At this moment she asked me, "Why are you not cold, business?" "Business?!" I asked confused at that nickname but continued, "I have a spell activated inside me that keeps me warm. Why did you call me Business?!" She smirked a bit, "Because you are business. " I started to get angry with her, "Explain!" She giggled and shivered and said, "Because you are leading a business!" "Is that supposed to be funny?" was my angry retort. "No, but annoying you. Now tell me your secret about staying warm!" I shook my head, "No" And we reached my home This is totally daddy (S)We entered her apartment, my last shivers were gone once I entered the building. The Buisnesspone was annoyed with my antics apparently. brushtip lived in a normal Apartment complex known for Baltimare. The doors were shit, the walls were dirty and the stair smelled funny. I did not get it, she probably earned a lot of money with handling the Club we were at, so why not go out and rent another apartment. I would have asked but maybe more pokes at her lifestyle would be bad... Her actual apartment on the other hoof was nothing like the outside. Just a normal Living place where a lone Mare sleeps, eats and drinks. On our way to the living room, she asked me if I wanted something to drink. I asked for water. Continuing on I sat in her living room on a yellow corner couch with a pillow on both ends. The couch was big enough for us to lie down and talk. We did not talk but I got my glass of water. "Let me search for the photos," she mumbled and went to the wall closet across from us. I noticed some picture frames on it with happy ponies in them. "Who are they?" I asked, pointing to the picture frames, "the ponies in the picture frames" "Stock photos," she answered, opening some doors in search of the album. "Stock photos?" I asked a bit shocked, "why would you... ?!" she turned around, a photo album floating in her magic beside her, "Would what? I am waiting for friends to fill these frames with. Them being empty just makes it worse, sometimes when I am drunk I can pretend to be friends with these stock photo models." she sighed and looked into the ring photo album with her magic. Flipping pages like a tomb raider she relived her memories once again until she stopped and stopped at a certain page. Then she opened the ring of the album and got the page out, giving it to me. I took the page with my magic, it had three photos glued to them. My eyebrows furrowed, hers too. We both looked at each other. I looked back at the photos. I was confused whether or not these would answer questions or make new ones. But in the end, I knew we had to go to our fathers and actually ask them. Because these three pictures really took the cake. "Yep, that is daddy right there," I said. staring at the first picture. It featured two young sexy Stallions side by side, sitting on chairs, looking at the camera with somewhat positive expressions. They were outdoors and in the background was a grill and griffins. The right one, a tall brown one was my dad. The other one might be Brushtips who had a grey coat and dirty blonde mane. What really irked me were the orange orbs in front of them, they were holding deer to them it seems. Atleast my dad. The other one had put his in a glass full of liquid, maybe alcohol if my detective skills don't lie to me. The second picture featured the same ones but the orbs were getting bigger. There was a tree for hearths warming in the background. The final picture really shook me tho. I think this is Brushtip as a young foal and she is playing with my dad some game. The picture was probably taken by her dad. "Yes. so what now?" asked Brushtip. "We should go to your dad and ask him about this shit," I proclaimed. Investigation (B)My dad is a hardworking pony, really. I remember in my earliest childhood memories that he was always sitting in front of the paper and had at least two pens with him around. Every time we were outside on the playground he would sketch trees and the scenery while watching out for me. He was not really stern or intimidating to me ever but in the end, that guy was my father. And being a disappointment to him strongly displeases me. When I told him what I was trying to do for a living he simply smiled and said that I should do whatever my talent entailed. And my talent was to sell hookers. (a glass with butterfly wings). I also noted that Selenia had a similar Cutie Mark. A Bullet with butterfly wings. I told her why we couldn't go to my fathers' place right now. (2 A.M) Old People need their sleep uninterrupted. So what do two adult Mares do in the middle of the night, waiting for the sun to rise? We went to sleep. After waking up and finding Selenia on snoring on my couch I decided to contact Meesix quickly, telling him that I would take the day off. After that, I went to the shower. Meanwhile, Selenia woke up and pounded at the door. "Brushtip? What do we'll have for breakfast?" I head her hungry muffled voice. Not even a good morning... I frowned at that. "What kind of question is that?" I snapped back and told her then, "If you want anything. There is fresh garlic bread in the fridge." "K," her muffled hoofsteps reduced. I heard her rummaging in the fridge... I snapped back as the water slowly became colder and I noticed my hoof at the wheels slowly reducing the temperature, why... wait. I turned the water off and my body was left wet in the steamy room. I opened the watered shower doors and stepped out. My body wet, my Mane hanging low. Drying up with my inner warmth, the water vanished and the only thing left was to use a hair dryer and make myself presentable. Once done, I quickly brushed my teeth. Then I remembered that I had a guest actually... Fuck. I left and ran into my kitchen to stare in shock how Selenia... relaxed with a book and an empty plate in front of herself. She noticed me and raised an eyebrow at me, her emerald eyes unamused. I noticed some bread crumbs around her mouth and it was like looking into the face of a pouting child. "What?" she asked, "you thought I would break your stuff or something?" I am not sure what I expected to be honest. She was a devil. I was a devil and devils were known for mischief of any kind. I personally never remembered misbehaving in public or otherwise. I stole candy once, yes. As a child. No wait, it was bubble gum. I forgot it was in my bag! "I guess I did... " I mumbled and walked to the fridge and looked inside with suspicion. Bread in the middle, fruit on the bottom and milk products on the top shelf. And in the fridge the usual kind of spices. Ketchup and Eggs. The garlic bread was still there so she did not use that much. "Anyway, if you need to use the Bathroom, you can now. We will go soon..." I told her and entered the bedroom to look for something nice to wear. Dad liked to see me in hoodies often times, calling me cute and stuff. At age twelve I switched to Vests, he did not mind at all. He was sweet about anything I would wear. Finding nothing at first I continued to search in my drawers. Wearing something to be liked by him was an odd feeling to me. Not that I had a crush on my own dad or something, that would be weird. I just want to make him proud. In the end, there was nothing in the closet that could satisfy me. I need to throw away it and rebuy new stuff to get daddy's approval. We left the Apartment soon after. we stood in front of the doorbells of the condo my Dad lived in. I flew over the many names before finding my fathers. When was I last here anyhow? I can't really remember. But the fact that I still lived in the same town as my father... I was a grown Mare. I think I should expand my clubs to other cities like Canterlot. Business might be rough there but maybe... Selenia was behind me and looked on irritated at my lack of action. She would press the button if she knew which one to press I think. "What are you waiting for? We got questions to ask, don't we?" i heard her asking and my head just filled with dread. Dealing with my dad was not pleasent at all. Not because he was mean or anything... My hooves twitched and I got the urge to just leave. Leave Selenia behind and the reading mystery surrounding us. I swallowed, remembering the depressive Flair in that Living Room. Sometimes I want to die. Then Selenia sighed and walked up beside me to the doorbells and put her hoof on a random one, to my horror she dragged her hoof around and pressed everyone but a few. Instantly, many voices called out with yesses and whats. I turned to Selenia who raised her eyebrow at me, "What the hell was that for?" I whispered to her. "Maybe you do not wanna but I am dead set on trying to find out what connection my dad has to yours. They seemed to be friends back then," she replied. I furrowed my brows and turned back to the doorbells. There was it, the name tag of my dad. Somewhere in the middle, yes. I raised my hoof and pressed the little button. I held it for a few seconds, making sure he heard me right. After ten seconds I let go and we waited. And waited. I pressed again, no reaction. What day was today? Monday? I pressed the button again. Selenia put a hoof to my side, "You are shivering. Are you okay?" Did I shiver? Was I that worried about my father? I took a deep breath, staring at the bells, "He is probably grocery shopping. He can still do that on his own. He is not that old, jeez." "What is wrong?" Selenia asked me when I turned away. "Can't we just go inside?" she asked me. Her tail changing into a key shape, waving it around. "huh?" I wanted to know and she opened the front door with ease. A bit amazed by that feat I looked back to my tail. Could I do that? We entered the building and I led us to the floor of my fathers' apartment. There was not much going on besides me calming down. The sense of dread still lingering like a loud Dooming noise. I and Dad moved at least two times between Apartments until we ended up in this one. A year before I was ready to move out. Leaving him alone. Do not become so depressed now. We are just getting started. Standing in front of my old Home, me and Selenia stared at the door. "Do you not have something like a spare key for this," Selenia wanted to know. My face darkened and I shook my head. She sighed and her tail changed again. I then had a question I needed to be answered. "Say, how come you know exactly what the shape of the keyhole is gonna be like?" I wanted to know. She shrugged and told me something about her daddy's friends... nevermind that. The door opened and we entered the hallway. I remember saying goodbye here... with my suitcase and outside a carriage about to pull me out. When was I last here? I can't remember... Next was the Living Room a big room with a Radio and a corner couch. Including a low table for tea. There was another hallway, at the end of it was the Bathroom a door to the right was my fathers' Bedroom. A door further down was my old room. Selenia started to walk to one of the doors. First, my fathers... we looked inside, nobody there. The bed was made and the Desk clean. Clean... Next up was my old one. I, of course, have taken anything of value from the room, excluding the furniture that was too big to move around. We opened the room, the stench of old paint and canvases filled my snout. Knowing the smell all to well. Selenia flinched away from the room but I moved on and looked inside. Just as I feared. It was used as a storage room for dads Art stuff. The walls a bit messy with paint. I could see my old room in my mind. Porn Magazines were hidden inside my couch-bed hybrid. A Table on the one side with my school books. Open Notes and Textbooks for cross-reference. For some reason, my Father could afford a private school. One, just downtown. Big Building, nice teachers. Bad Students. Stupid Students. I beat them all up. "There is something we are missing," I told Selenia while looking around the Flat once more. She quickly checked the Bathroom. "Bathroom is clear... Are you noticing this?" I heard her. "Notice what?" I asked back and she pointed at the ground. There was Dust. A lot of dust. Dad was not the most organized Pony I knew but even he knew when the room became too dirty. Every weekend I would have helped him wash the floor with a mop. "It is dirty..." I agreed, noticing the dust everywhere else. "And it is quite... stuffy in here," she continued with a tap to her chin. I held a comment in that it was always stuffy in this flat. My dad never opened the windows, really. But it would make him look bad. And in turn, me. Was she implying something, anyway? What could that be? The stuffy room... a lot of dust. What was I missing? Was there something... Then I smelled it, from the kitchen. Rotten food. Selenia was already on her way to the Kitchen, finding bad bananas and brown apples in a tray. The only organic thing beside us in this Apartment. No Father anywhere. "This might not confirm it," she said and continued anyway, "Your father seems to be missing." I blinked and I started to worry for the old man. If that Devil was right then... But where could my Father have gone to? "But where did he gone off to?" I asked her. She turned to some of the closets on the wall. "Maybe we can find a hint," she said and opened some doors. Yeah, maybe... "C'mon, Brushtip. This was your old room. You gotta help me," Selenia said and got me out of my stupor. "Yeah, yeah sure. I go look in his bedroom, okay?" "Okay. I look through here," she said as I left the Living Room to go to my Fathers Room. Around an hour later I came across something rather unique. something new in Fathers Room. Something I never expected from him. The envelope was rosy pink and the backside had only my Fathers address on it. It was a love letter. Sent to my Father. There was no letter inside of course but it strangely smelled nice. Familiar even. I can't place the smell but the more I sniffed the Envelope the safer I felt. There were a lot of Letters lying around. I wondered from whom they came from. Who would send love letters to my Dad? "Brushtip?" I heard Selenia call out from the Living Room and I replied with, "What?" "There is absolutely nothing in the Living Room, any luck on your end?" "Yeah, check this out," I yelled back and heard her hooves moving her closer to me. "What is it?" she asked and I showed her the Love letters. "my Dad might be an Artist but there was never an instance of somebody writing a Love letter to him," I explained to her. "And what changed then?" Selenia wanted to know. I smiled proudly, "Dad found a girlfriend!" I hope. Clues (S)"Girlfriend?" I asked surprised at her tone of voice, "The way you said it... Does it mean he has troubles with women?" She froze at the question, a personal question. I really had to get the question out. The letters fell to the ground and her hoof met her face and she sighed long and hard, "Maybe he is just not complicated enough for other women to like him or something. To be completely honest, I never saw him bring any Mare back home. Not even when he had the Privacy for it..." I raised my eyebrow and she stood up to dust herself off, "What about your mother then?" She sighed, "I have no clue who she might be... I think she ran away when I was small. Maybe she could not stand my Father or something... What about your parents?" She turned to me, her eyes starting to get familiar with every eye-contact I must add. "When I was six years old, my Dad straight up told me that I was adopted. That my real Parents were probably nice but had too much trouble raising a foal. I came to accept it. Sometimes he would bring his girlfriends who lived with us for a few months. All nice Mares and all. I liked them all but they just weren't compatible with my Father, " Was that too much information that I said? Then it hit me, "Ey, where are your fathers sketches anyway? He is an Artist, right? Is he any good?" "Hm? Yeah. He is... want to see his works?" she asked but guided me already to his office. Yes, I was here before and I searched for a bit, but I did not get a good look at any of his pictures in the hurry. We entered the room and she got up to the walls, looking at his hanging Paintings. I went to his desk. It was messy. A really messy desk. Paper mountains lying on top of each other, Rulers and Pencils strewn over it all. A few tools have rolled off it already, probably lying there for a few months. Under all the junk you could make out the Table. The table was covered with newspapers to protect from paint. A big green lamp at the end to illuminate the workplace when Inspiration hits at night I guess. What really intrigued me were the folders. A lot of them made of plastic with foils in them. Filled with drawings of simplistic characters, exchanging witty dialouge. These were the cartoons you saw in Newspapers and your typical Magazines. I found most of them unfunny or unoriginal. A lot were crossed out with red ink, murdered ideas spread across Papers. What is this, a collection of failed Artworks? I closed the first Folder and noticed something interesting. A few words at the end of it. "Due to...," I started to say then saw the date. This wasn't even two weeks ago! "Hey, Brushtip. What if your father is truly missing. Where should we look first?" I turned and asked her depressed ass. Without turning around she mumbled, "I don't know..." "Look at these folders for a second!" I wanted to make her understand that we might have had a clue. "Those are just old submissions to the Newspapers. Why should I care?" she asked and bit her inner cheek. I licked my teeth and pointed at the date of the Folders, "Your Father worked on these for a short while and wrote down the deadline even. "There was also a letter inside," I pulled out said letter, "This was the request for the theme of the motive, the date and the deadline are two weeks apart. And the Deadline itself is two weeks ago." "So?" she wanted to know more... her eyes burning with anticipation. "... So my guess is that he, as a hardworking Pony, never missed a deadline, right? But why would he now? This whole flat is also unused for atleast two weeks," I said. "Yeah? What does that have to do with us?" I asked her. "Why did we come here, BrushtiP? To drink tea with your old man? I came here to figure out the connection between our fathers. They seem to be friends at least." "So our Fathers are friends, what does that mean in the end?" I put the folder away and slowly moved out the room, beckoning her to come with me, "I tell ya. One thing comes to mind. We both are Devils and our fathers knew that. And they knew each other. Why should they not introduce us to each other?" "Maybe they did but we can't remember? Your Dad played with me apparently when I was little," she countered. "Yes maybe, but why would they break contact then!?" I wanted to know. She shrugged simply, "Knowing my old man, he forgot" Her gaze became sharp and poisonous. If looks could kill I would have had the plague by now. What was her problem? "Look here, missy. Do you want to find your father again?" "I am sure he is alright!" "We need to assume the worst. We are Devils, it is a blessing nobody noticed that all of our lives. But what if somebody did? They might have taken your father for some reason," I told her. Her eyes shrunk and she runs past behind me, "C'mon we need to go to his Publisher!" "Why the Publisher?" I inquired. "The Publisher is closer to him than even me," she said with an annoyed Tone. "Are you jealous or what?" I asked amused. She sighed but didn't elaborate any further. It was a sad thought. A random thought entered my head where her Father would go out of his way to organize a big Birthday Party for his awesome Publisher. The whole firm but on the day she had her Birthday. It was ridiculous but now I felt some sort of Empathy for her. Author's Note Some what if pictures from the past. Office (B)I and Selenia stood in front of the "Baltimare Press" Building where my father was hired. It was an old Building, standing like a rusty giant surrounded by death and agony. The Bricks started to crack as well as a few windows here and there. It was surprising how anyone could work there in winter. What really baffles my mind was how anybody would buy a "Baltimare Press" Magazine. I remember them standing in the third row in any shop, usually for ninety-nine cents when I last checked. The sun was hidden behind some clouds and the eerie coming of Fall colored our surroundings with soft grey lightning. In turn, the place looked like a set from a Horror Movie if it weren't for all the glowing lamps inside with happy ponies trying their best to get their Magazine important somehow. "This looks like shit," commented Selenia. I could not blame her. It was very shitty. Just compare it to the shiny Building beside it! A total shit stain. "And that is why my dad is hired here," I told her and started to walk to it. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked but I ignored her. Entering the Building through the surprisingly new doors we made our way into the reception hall. Whoever renovated the insides of this place was kind enough to cover up the holes I remember from the last time I was here... thirteen years ago? I am not sure anymore. Going up to the reception. I saw this pretty young Mare. Maybe some trainee, getting needed Experience for her dream job as an interviewer in the next Playboy. Ignoring her appearance, I put on the best Smile I could imitate and look at her. A bit surprised she blinked at me but shut up about it, "How can I help you?" NO introduction to where I was even?! No wonder this place is so rundown! Putting rookies to the entrance. Yes, my answer... "Good day, Ma'am. My name is Brushtip and I have some questions about one of your employees," I told her. She furrowed her brows at my name, then asked, "Which employee?" "Trestle," I replied instantly. She looked from me to Selenia and back to me again, "Trestle? The artist?" I nodded, my patience running out. My face not showing that. Selenia called out from behind me, "He is her father by the way. We are looking for him." The Mare shook her head, "Wait Wait. So you are the Brushtip?" "Uhhh?" Selenia exhaled annoyed from her nose, "Just get to the point!" I nodded again, "yes, we don't know how much time we got. Is my Father here?" She straightened up again, "No he isn't here. he only entered this building like five times in his career. And then he always talked about his daughters" "You mean daughter? As in one?" "Ehm, That is not your sister?" she pointed at Selenia... who was wandering around, looking at the walls with more interest than my problem. She got me here, damn it! "No, why? Do we look alike?" I asked her back. "Hm, no. Sorry for my error. But if you want more help you might be interested in talking to his Editor on the second floor. Office - 3," she told me. "Thanks," I replied dryly and turned to the stairs. "You are welcome!" she nearly yelled chirpily, sweetly. I cringed. Why do ponies do that? As I walked past Selenia I clicked my tongue to get her attention, she turned, I was past her already. "C'mon doggy," I told her and she turned one full loop around to stare at me irritated. "Why the hell did I fall for that trick," she asked herself then frowned, "Don't call me doggy!" I was hungry. I shrugged and let her thoughts be hers. Reaching the given office, we stepped in. The smell of home came crashing into me and I thought I could smell him for a brief second. Memories, y'know. The room was nothing more than a row of big dirty windows on the walls and rows of tables with Ponies working hard on articles and the newspapers Layout stuff. Workers, big and small. Thin and wide all miled about. Wait, is that a Maid in that corner? A Stallion in his best years was discussing something with one of his coworkers about something. Something not important as it seems because when he noticed us he started to walk over to us, "How can I help you two?" I replayed to him what I told the receptionist. He blinked in suprise when he heard that I was his daughter. "Hard to believe," he said and continued, "wait, how do I know you are not lying. Mr.Trestle told us about you often but he never bothered to show a photo or something and now he is missing here. He was one of the most important Illustrators here." "Wat...?" I asked, "I just want some details about him. I and my friend here have some questions for him..." Selenia walked up to him and smiled sweetly... Let's hit the streets (S)I dodged the pillow flying at me but fell face first into the hard ground as I rolled off my bean bag. I heard the other Devil snickering at my misfortune and promised absolute revenge for this humiliation. Later, though. First, we need to figure out what is actually going on. With a sigh, I got up on my four legs and looked at her, "Okay, Brushy-" she twitched at the name. Interesting. "-What should we even do now, hm? " "Good question," she said. I stared. she stared. It was awkward. "Maybe you should show me that Family photo and I tell you if that is really my father or not?" I suggested with a little smile. "Flare Moon" was an actually common name in Equestria as a whole. She nodded, "it is somewhere back at home. yes." She nodded, "But I cannot just abandon my Club now. Thanks to you I gotta make some damage control now." "Damage Control?" I asked her. She raised an eyebrow and left the room. I followed after her. Back in the main Club. I must note the dark atmosphere and soft neon light stripes nearly everywhere. There seem not to be that many guests left. And the remaining stuff was trying to clean up the mess, left by me. I think I did. I deny everything here. What. Meesix apparently gave away free drinks to the remaining guests. The last and first impression is the most important. Everyone looked at me with a bit of fear in their eyes and the tension in the room baked like muffins in an oven. I do not really give a damn what they think. I noticed how Brushtip came up to Meesix to talk to him for a few seconds. he nodded with an expression of absolute loyalty and she turned away. I came up to her and she said, "Meesix is useful at the moment. Let's go to my place now." I nodded and we headed outside. Author's Note I think they adopted the awkwardness from their father...
The Bar (B)I craned my neck as my assistant came into my little lounge. I lied on the couch in one corner. My Assistant, Meesix, looked worried around, then his eyes fell on my relaxed Form and he gulped, "Uhh, Boss. There is a uhh troublemaker at the bar." I furrowed my eyebrows, then let the go of the Magazine, letting it fall on my face. With a groan, I demanded to know, "How much booze did the Bartender give them?" "Well, that is the thing! She only had Milk!" he told me frantically. After a few seconds I slowly turned my head to him, the Magazine slowly slid off. I pierced him with my yellow eyes, "Are you shitting me?" Meesix was a light-blueish young Stallion with a grey mane. A Unicorn and his Cutie mark was a picture of a Book. Perfect for accounting then. He applied for a job here without knowing what I was doing for a job, once I told him he probably thought to find an easy girlfriend in one of my girls, well. He is still single... He shook his head no and replied, "I mean it, Miss Brushtip. She acts all light and doozy with her carton of milk! And we don't even sell it." I sat up now, leaning back on the couch, looking down at my grey hooves. I asked, "so why did we not throw her out yet then, Meesix?" "I told you my name is Steve. We tried, Miss Brushtip. We tried and it failed." "Call the guards?" "In a strip club?" "Yeah?" "..." "touche," I answered and with a sigh and got up from the red couch. Meesix stepped out the way and I left him back in my lounge. Now, going outside my room would lead to a hallway, filled with busy workers moving behind the scenes but the hallway was empty. With a slight growl my horns appeared for a second, worrying about my little ponies. Hearing Heartbeats on the other side of the Bar gave me some hope. I reached the end and with a few steps pulled up from behind the counter. And there was our troublemaker. A brownish Mare with a mostly green Mane. She was somewhat my age from her facial features. her emerald eyes looking into the empty glass cup in front of her. some milk still inside. To her right were some bottles of full liquor and a carton of milk. She saw me and mumbled something like "Another one, pwease..." That was the big troublemaker? I stepped in front of her, looking at her. Over her shoulder, behind her. I spotted some hidden Ponies. They hid from her. Who the hell is she? Then my Heart skipped a beat. Hers too as it seems. We both stood straight up . Our eyes never breaking contact in the process. Then I knew... without much fanfare and without much special effects. This Mare was like me. "Are you a devil...?" she slowly asked, her drunken stupor shocked away. "Yes, my name is Brushtip..." Author's Note I have fun
I met you once (S)"my name is Selenia," I said, sitting straight up. Another Devil... oh my "I heard that name before..." the Devil across from me said. "huh?" I asked and looked at her, "how do you mean?" She put a hoof to her forehead, rubbing it as if that would work against a headache, "not really sure... I can't remember where... " she shook her head and looked around. I did too and noticed the state the Bar was in, from her clothes I gathered that she worked here some position. The Bar was lit dimly and the damage not too bad. Some broken light bulbs. Some tables were turned over and the contents on top spilled about them, "Who... who was this?" I asked, trying to remember how I got there. My Devil not saying anything but looking at me and saying, "my Assistant said it was you" I looked at her, "uhhhh" "Under normal circumstances, I would beat you up then make you repair that-" I scoffed at her kindness and dropped my disguise, horns appeared and my til turned slender and black. She stared at me. "Just try," I tried to provoke her, making myself seem enormous. She just shook her head with a disapproving glance at the Ponies behind me. I got her message about the witnesses and turned back normal. "...Anyway, running into another one like me... is a good excuse. Selenia, where do you come from?" "I just moved here, moved out from my dad's place last year and finally found an Apartment downtown. You?" "down the block, I sometimes sleep in my lounge," she explained then turned around to the wall filled with liquor behind her and pulled out a big bottle of whiskey and a small glass. She used her magic to quickly prepare a cool drink for herself, "Father?" I raised an eyebrow, "what about him?" "Who is he?" she wanted to know, sipping her drink. Lucky Mare. I can't even stand the smell of it alone. You see, Alcohol, for some reason is like acid to me, it all heals up quickly but the pain and scars stay for a while. The most intoxicating I drink is Energy Drinks. "Who is yours?" I wanted to know, I won't easily give away such information to anybody. Even my own kind as it seems. Flare was my only family. "My Father?" Brushtip said, "My Father is called Trestle and he is a cartoonist." I closed my eyes, that name was familiar. Somewhere deep inside, a memory. I can't remember it. "My father is called Flare Moon," I told her. She turned to the side and spit her whisky contents out, "what?!" "Geez, I did not know my old man was that known by strangers." "Flare Moon? Brown coat and silver Mane?" How could she have known??? "YEs! How do you know my Father?" Brushtip said, "I saw him in some of our Family photos!"
why the milk, bitch? (B)Author's Note This is selenia, drawn by Flare Moon. why the milk, bitch? (B) "why is my daddy in your family photos?" Selenia asked me a bit bewildered, a bit confused and maybe a pint of annoyance. Well, who could blame her, am I right? I looked around, the place is still in ruin, needs cleaning up. I turned back to my guest, "I said I think he is. I am not certain if we talk about the same guy. If that were the case then my father has some talking to do" I motioned around us and saw her becoming a bit irritated, "That was apparently your fault, Sel. I let my Staff clean up, now come back with me" Selenia followed me back down the hallway to my lounge, the Staff still shivering behind cover when I left the room. Back at my lounge, I stopped Selenia with a hoof in front of the door because I found Meesix looking through some of my Magazines. "Ahem," I cleared my throat and walked past him, he stiffened up and turned around but saw nobody there. My horn lit up and I let the manifesting aura tap his shoulder. He turned around yet again with an irritated expression, "Why are you always doing that, Ma'am?" "Because your job is to assist me and not to waste the air inside here. Now go out and fix the mess with the rest of the staff" He nodded quickly but then my dear guest had enough of waiting and came into the room. Meesix turned around and jumped slightly as Selenia quickly dashed beside him to me, "wait, what?" "That is my guest, meesix. Please just go away," I said. He hung his head and left the room. Selenia looked after him but did not give him a second thought, instead, she looked around for a seating opportunity. she noticed the bean bag I kept around and plopped on it like some cat. Then we stared at each other awkwardly for thirty seconds. After thirty-one seconds she coughed awkwardly and asked, "Should you not tell me more about how my Father ended up in your family photos?" I blinked, "well they are at my fathers' Flat," I said with a hoof to my forehead, "And the old pony is probably asleep by now, we can go there tomorrow. What I liked to know was how you managed to scare my entire 'crew'" "Uhh. I am not really sure but I remember one guy starting to hit on me and I was very annoyed... then I just looked at him and he looked like his heart skipped and he ran away then," said Selenia with a thoughtful expression. She then turned on her back, looking at me from down there. Are those hairs in her nose...? "Something like that happened to my ex back then too..." I have a weird feeling that she doesn't lie to me. some weird little feeling deep in my back? I decided to believe her. What she told me was some thought for later anyway. On other important issues... "Okay. so why the milk?" She stared at me, "Why are you the one asking questions again?" I rolled my eyes, "You wrecked my house. Maybe that's the least you can do for compensation...?" "Ugh, fine... Milk gets me drunk," she confessed and buried her face into her hooves in shame. I snorted. "You what?" "Water is sweet and Alcohol like bleach or posion. To get a kick like a normal pony I experimented a bit with lemonade and other liquids in my tweens. Milk is the only thing strong and light enough to get drunk and wake up without a hangover. Thank you very much." I laughed at her at this point, who thought that there was someone like her, lol. She glared daggers at me. I slowly stopped with a few snikers, "So-Sorry. But this is just the worst I could think of happening to anybody. Maaaan, no proper alcohol... You are missing out in your life, sweety." She furrowed her brows then turned back into a normal position, with an unamused expression she looked at me and said, "Yeah yeah. That is what they all say. Then die because I put them on their backs while they were knocked out and suffocated on their tounge" I stopped laughing and stared at her in a bit of horror, a sense of dread... was she a killer? "Kidding~" she said as she saw my expression. I threw a pillow at her.
Back Alley (B)Author's Note Do you like the narrative change? If not, bad for ya. Do you like short chapters? check out my other stories too, guys. Back Alley (B) It was half an hour past midnight as we left my establishment. The air was surprisingly dry and the wind chilly. But then I felt a warmth in my body that always come up when I focussed. Does Selenia have the same? Was that a thing that devils had? maybe, maybe not. I glanced back to my Club, a little red door between a bank and a deli for griffons. The building was not as tall as its neighbors but the basement went deep. The useless second story of it could be used to get rent from somebody. I build the club here. But anyway, let's move forward. Selenia went up beside me and regarded the street with an unreadable expression. Then she asked, "Alright, Brushtip. Lead the way to your apartment." She shivered as she said that and I heard her teeth chatter. "Are you cold?" I asked and started to walk. "No, my teeth are just danc-cing," she told me and continued to shiver. I grit my teeth in frustration. Not because I have any intention to help her or that I do not like to see her squirm in pain. I just hate that stubbornness in some ponies. Just tell the truth, devil. Stop lying. Geez. We started our trek to my Apartment. It was not a long way to go, maybe twenty to five minutes if you walk or run fast enough. I live in Baltimare, close to my father. The old man has raised me so I must look after him till he bites the dust or something. And for some reason I want it to be a natural death. He whines a lot about stuff nobody understands. I am surprised I even ended up so confident how I am now. I wonder about Flare. "Hey," said Selenia behind me, still shivering like a leave, "Why did you say 'Uncle' Flare?" "huh?," I said surprised, we were halfway to our destination. "Back there, you called him 'Uncle' Flare. Very surprised, like you remembered something. And I am asking what..." My expression changed to a slightly annoyed one so I said to her face, "I have no clue. I want to remember too." A few minutes later I got aggravated with her shivering, it made me nervous to no end and somehow reduced my inner warmth. At this moment she asked me, "Why are you not cold, business?" "Business?!" I asked confused at that nickname but continued, "I have a spell activated inside me that keeps me warm. Why did you call me Business?!" She smirked a bit, "Because you are business. " I started to get angry with her, "Explain!" She giggled and shivered and said, "Because you are leading a business!" "Is that supposed to be funny?" was my angry retort. "No, but annoying you. Now tell me your secret about staying warm!" I shook my head, "No" And we reached my home
This is totally daddy (S)We entered her apartment, my last shivers were gone once I entered the building. The Buisnesspone was annoyed with my antics apparently. brushtip lived in a normal Apartment complex known for Baltimare. The doors were shit, the walls were dirty and the stair smelled funny. I did not get it, she probably earned a lot of money with handling the Club we were at, so why not go out and rent another apartment. I would have asked but maybe more pokes at her lifestyle would be bad... Her actual apartment on the other hoof was nothing like the outside. Just a normal Living place where a lone Mare sleeps, eats and drinks. On our way to the living room, she asked me if I wanted something to drink. I asked for water. Continuing on I sat in her living room on a yellow corner couch with a pillow on both ends. The couch was big enough for us to lie down and talk. We did not talk but I got my glass of water. "Let me search for the photos," she mumbled and went to the wall closet across from us. I noticed some picture frames on it with happy ponies in them. "Who are they?" I asked, pointing to the picture frames, "the ponies in the picture frames" "Stock photos," she answered, opening some doors in search of the album. "Stock photos?" I asked a bit shocked, "why would you... ?!" she turned around, a photo album floating in her magic beside her, "Would what? I am waiting for friends to fill these frames with. Them being empty just makes it worse, sometimes when I am drunk I can pretend to be friends with these stock photo models." she sighed and looked into the ring photo album with her magic. Flipping pages like a tomb raider she relived her memories once again until she stopped and stopped at a certain page. Then she opened the ring of the album and got the page out, giving it to me. I took the page with my magic, it had three photos glued to them. My eyebrows furrowed, hers too. We both looked at each other. I looked back at the photos. I was confused whether or not these would answer questions or make new ones. But in the end, I knew we had to go to our fathers and actually ask them. Because these three pictures really took the cake. "Yep, that is daddy right there," I said. staring at the first picture. It featured two young sexy Stallions side by side, sitting on chairs, looking at the camera with somewhat positive expressions. They were outdoors and in the background was a grill and griffins. The right one, a tall brown one was my dad. The other one might be Brushtips who had a grey coat and dirty blonde mane. What really irked me were the orange orbs in front of them, they were holding deer to them it seems. Atleast my dad. The other one had put his in a glass full of liquid, maybe alcohol if my detective skills don't lie to me. The second picture featured the same ones but the orbs were getting bigger. There was a tree for hearths warming in the background. The final picture really shook me tho. I think this is Brushtip as a young foal and she is playing with my dad some game. The picture was probably taken by her dad. "Yes. so what now?" asked Brushtip. "We should go to your dad and ask him about this shit," I proclaimed.
Investigation (B)My dad is a hardworking pony, really. I remember in my earliest childhood memories that he was always sitting in front of the paper and had at least two pens with him around. Every time we were outside on the playground he would sketch trees and the scenery while watching out for me. He was not really stern or intimidating to me ever but in the end, that guy was my father. And being a disappointment to him strongly displeases me. When I told him what I was trying to do for a living he simply smiled and said that I should do whatever my talent entailed. And my talent was to sell hookers. (a glass with butterfly wings). I also noted that Selenia had a similar Cutie Mark. A Bullet with butterfly wings. I told her why we couldn't go to my fathers' place right now. (2 A.M) Old People need their sleep uninterrupted. So what do two adult Mares do in the middle of the night, waiting for the sun to rise? We went to sleep. After waking up and finding Selenia on snoring on my couch I decided to contact Meesix quickly, telling him that I would take the day off. After that, I went to the shower. Meanwhile, Selenia woke up and pounded at the door. "Brushtip? What do we'll have for breakfast?" I head her hungry muffled voice. Not even a good morning... I frowned at that. "What kind of question is that?" I snapped back and told her then, "If you want anything. There is fresh garlic bread in the fridge." "K," her muffled hoofsteps reduced. I heard her rummaging in the fridge... I snapped back as the water slowly became colder and I noticed my hoof at the wheels slowly reducing the temperature, why... wait. I turned the water off and my body was left wet in the steamy room. I opened the watered shower doors and stepped out. My body wet, my Mane hanging low. Drying up with my inner warmth, the water vanished and the only thing left was to use a hair dryer and make myself presentable. Once done, I quickly brushed my teeth. Then I remembered that I had a guest actually... Fuck. I left and ran into my kitchen to stare in shock how Selenia... relaxed with a book and an empty plate in front of herself. She noticed me and raised an eyebrow at me, her emerald eyes unamused. I noticed some bread crumbs around her mouth and it was like looking into the face of a pouting child. "What?" she asked, "you thought I would break your stuff or something?" I am not sure what I expected to be honest. She was a devil. I was a devil and devils were known for mischief of any kind. I personally never remembered misbehaving in public or otherwise. I stole candy once, yes. As a child. No wait, it was bubble gum. I forgot it was in my bag! "I guess I did... " I mumbled and walked to the fridge and looked inside with suspicion. Bread in the middle, fruit on the bottom and milk products on the top shelf. And in the fridge the usual kind of spices. Ketchup and Eggs. The garlic bread was still there so she did not use that much. "Anyway, if you need to use the Bathroom, you can now. We will go soon..." I told her and entered the bedroom to look for something nice to wear. Dad liked to see me in hoodies often times, calling me cute and stuff. At age twelve I switched to Vests, he did not mind at all. He was sweet about anything I would wear. Finding nothing at first I continued to search in my drawers. Wearing something to be liked by him was an odd feeling to me. Not that I had a crush on my own dad or something, that would be weird. I just want to make him proud. In the end, there was nothing in the closet that could satisfy me. I need to throw away it and rebuy new stuff to get daddy's approval. We left the Apartment soon after. we stood in front of the doorbells of the condo my Dad lived in. I flew over the many names before finding my fathers. When was I last here anyhow? I can't really remember. But the fact that I still lived in the same town as my father... I was a grown Mare. I think I should expand my clubs to other cities like Canterlot. Business might be rough there but maybe... Selenia was behind me and looked on irritated at my lack of action. She would press the button if she knew which one to press I think. "What are you waiting for? We got questions to ask, don't we?" i heard her asking and my head just filled with dread. Dealing with my dad was not pleasent at all. Not because he was mean or anything... My hooves twitched and I got the urge to just leave. Leave Selenia behind and the reading mystery surrounding us. I swallowed, remembering the depressive Flair in that Living Room. Sometimes I want to die. Then Selenia sighed and walked up beside me to the doorbells and put her hoof on a random one, to my horror she dragged her hoof around and pressed everyone but a few. Instantly, many voices called out with yesses and whats. I turned to Selenia who raised her eyebrow at me, "What the hell was that for?" I whispered to her. "Maybe you do not wanna but I am dead set on trying to find out what connection my dad has to yours. They seemed to be friends back then," she replied. I furrowed my brows and turned back to the doorbells. There was it, the name tag of my dad. Somewhere in the middle, yes. I raised my hoof and pressed the little button. I held it for a few seconds, making sure he heard me right. After ten seconds I let go and we waited. And waited. I pressed again, no reaction. What day was today? Monday? I pressed the button again. Selenia put a hoof to my side, "You are shivering. Are you okay?" Did I shiver? Was I that worried about my father? I took a deep breath, staring at the bells, "He is probably grocery shopping. He can still do that on his own. He is not that old, jeez." "What is wrong?" Selenia asked me when I turned away. "Can't we just go inside?" she asked me. Her tail changing into a key shape, waving it around. "huh?" I wanted to know and she opened the front door with ease. A bit amazed by that feat I looked back to my tail. Could I do that? We entered the building and I led us to the floor of my fathers' apartment. There was not much going on besides me calming down. The sense of dread still lingering like a loud Dooming noise. I and Dad moved at least two times between Apartments until we ended up in this one. A year before I was ready to move out. Leaving him alone. Do not become so depressed now. We are just getting started. Standing in front of my old Home, me and Selenia stared at the door. "Do you not have something like a spare key for this," Selenia wanted to know. My face darkened and I shook my head. She sighed and her tail changed again. I then had a question I needed to be answered. "Say, how come you know exactly what the shape of the keyhole is gonna be like?" I wanted to know. She shrugged and told me something about her daddy's friends... nevermind that. The door opened and we entered the hallway. I remember saying goodbye here... with my suitcase and outside a carriage about to pull me out. When was I last here? I can't remember... Next was the Living Room a big room with a Radio and a corner couch. Including a low table for tea. There was another hallway, at the end of it was the Bathroom a door to the right was my fathers' Bedroom. A door further down was my old room. Selenia started to walk to one of the doors. First, my fathers... we looked inside, nobody there. The bed was made and the Desk clean. Clean... Next up was my old one. I, of course, have taken anything of value from the room, excluding the furniture that was too big to move around. We opened the room, the stench of old paint and canvases filled my snout. Knowing the smell all to well. Selenia flinched away from the room but I moved on and looked inside. Just as I feared. It was used as a storage room for dads Art stuff. The walls a bit messy with paint. I could see my old room in my mind. Porn Magazines were hidden inside my couch-bed hybrid. A Table on the one side with my school books. Open Notes and Textbooks for cross-reference. For some reason, my Father could afford a private school. One, just downtown. Big Building, nice teachers. Bad Students. Stupid Students. I beat them all up. "There is something we are missing," I told Selenia while looking around the Flat once more. She quickly checked the Bathroom. "Bathroom is clear... Are you noticing this?" I heard her. "Notice what?" I asked back and she pointed at the ground. There was Dust. A lot of dust. Dad was not the most organized Pony I knew but even he knew when the room became too dirty. Every weekend I would have helped him wash the floor with a mop. "It is dirty..." I agreed, noticing the dust everywhere else. "And it is quite... stuffy in here," she continued with a tap to her chin. I held a comment in that it was always stuffy in this flat. My dad never opened the windows, really. But it would make him look bad. And in turn, me. Was she implying something, anyway? What could that be? The stuffy room... a lot of dust. What was I missing? Was there something... Then I smelled it, from the kitchen. Rotten food. Selenia was already on her way to the Kitchen, finding bad bananas and brown apples in a tray. The only organic thing beside us in this Apartment. No Father anywhere. "This might not confirm it," she said and continued anyway, "Your father seems to be missing." I blinked and I started to worry for the old man. If that Devil was right then... But where could my Father have gone to? "But where did he gone off to?" I asked her. She turned to some of the closets on the wall. "Maybe we can find a hint," she said and opened some doors. Yeah, maybe... "C'mon, Brushtip. This was your old room. You gotta help me," Selenia said and got me out of my stupor. "Yeah, yeah sure. I go look in his bedroom, okay?" "Okay. I look through here," she said as I left the Living Room to go to my Fathers Room. Around an hour later I came across something rather unique. something new in Fathers Room. Something I never expected from him. The envelope was rosy pink and the backside had only my Fathers address on it. It was a love letter. Sent to my Father. There was no letter inside of course but it strangely smelled nice. Familiar even. I can't place the smell but the more I sniffed the Envelope the safer I felt. There were a lot of Letters lying around. I wondered from whom they came from. Who would send love letters to my Dad? "Brushtip?" I heard Selenia call out from the Living Room and I replied with, "What?" "There is absolutely nothing in the Living Room, any luck on your end?" "Yeah, check this out," I yelled back and heard her hooves moving her closer to me. "What is it?" she asked and I showed her the Love letters. "my Dad might be an Artist but there was never an instance of somebody writing a Love letter to him," I explained to her. "And what changed then?" Selenia wanted to know. I smiled proudly, "Dad found a girlfriend!" I hope.
Clues (S)"Girlfriend?" I asked surprised at her tone of voice, "The way you said it... Does it mean he has troubles with women?" She froze at the question, a personal question. I really had to get the question out. The letters fell to the ground and her hoof met her face and she sighed long and hard, "Maybe he is just not complicated enough for other women to like him or something. To be completely honest, I never saw him bring any Mare back home. Not even when he had the Privacy for it..." I raised my eyebrow and she stood up to dust herself off, "What about your mother then?" She sighed, "I have no clue who she might be... I think she ran away when I was small. Maybe she could not stand my Father or something... What about your parents?" She turned to me, her eyes starting to get familiar with every eye-contact I must add. "When I was six years old, my Dad straight up told me that I was adopted. That my real Parents were probably nice but had too much trouble raising a foal. I came to accept it. Sometimes he would bring his girlfriends who lived with us for a few months. All nice Mares and all. I liked them all but they just weren't compatible with my Father, " Was that too much information that I said? Then it hit me, "Ey, where are your fathers sketches anyway? He is an Artist, right? Is he any good?" "Hm? Yeah. He is... want to see his works?" she asked but guided me already to his office. Yes, I was here before and I searched for a bit, but I did not get a good look at any of his pictures in the hurry. We entered the room and she got up to the walls, looking at his hanging Paintings. I went to his desk. It was messy. A really messy desk. Paper mountains lying on top of each other, Rulers and Pencils strewn over it all. A few tools have rolled off it already, probably lying there for a few months. Under all the junk you could make out the Table. The table was covered with newspapers to protect from paint. A big green lamp at the end to illuminate the workplace when Inspiration hits at night I guess. What really intrigued me were the folders. A lot of them made of plastic with foils in them. Filled with drawings of simplistic characters, exchanging witty dialouge. These were the cartoons you saw in Newspapers and your typical Magazines. I found most of them unfunny or unoriginal. A lot were crossed out with red ink, murdered ideas spread across Papers. What is this, a collection of failed Artworks? I closed the first Folder and noticed something interesting. A few words at the end of it. "Due to...," I started to say then saw the date. This wasn't even two weeks ago! "Hey, Brushtip. What if your father is truly missing. Where should we look first?" I turned and asked her depressed ass. Without turning around she mumbled, "I don't know..." "Look at these folders for a second!" I wanted to make her understand that we might have had a clue. "Those are just old submissions to the Newspapers. Why should I care?" she asked and bit her inner cheek. I licked my teeth and pointed at the date of the Folders, "Your Father worked on these for a short while and wrote down the deadline even. "There was also a letter inside," I pulled out said letter, "This was the request for the theme of the motive, the date and the deadline are two weeks apart. And the Deadline itself is two weeks ago." "So?" she wanted to know more... her eyes burning with anticipation. "... So my guess is that he, as a hardworking Pony, never missed a deadline, right? But why would he now? This whole flat is also unused for atleast two weeks," I said. "Yeah? What does that have to do with us?" I asked her. "Why did we come here, BrushtiP? To drink tea with your old man? I came here to figure out the connection between our fathers. They seem to be friends at least." "So our Fathers are friends, what does that mean in the end?" I put the folder away and slowly moved out the room, beckoning her to come with me, "I tell ya. One thing comes to mind. We both are Devils and our fathers knew that. And they knew each other. Why should they not introduce us to each other?" "Maybe they did but we can't remember? Your Dad played with me apparently when I was little," she countered. "Yes maybe, but why would they break contact then!?" I wanted to know. She shrugged simply, "Knowing my old man, he forgot" Her gaze became sharp and poisonous. If looks could kill I would have had the plague by now. What was her problem? "Look here, missy. Do you want to find your father again?" "I am sure he is alright!" "We need to assume the worst. We are Devils, it is a blessing nobody noticed that all of our lives. But what if somebody did? They might have taken your father for some reason," I told her. Her eyes shrunk and she runs past behind me, "C'mon we need to go to his Publisher!" "Why the Publisher?" I inquired. "The Publisher is closer to him than even me," she said with an annoyed Tone. "Are you jealous or what?" I asked amused. She sighed but didn't elaborate any further. It was a sad thought. A random thought entered my head where her Father would go out of his way to organize a big Birthday Party for his awesome Publisher. The whole firm but on the day she had her Birthday. It was ridiculous but now I felt some sort of Empathy for her. Author's Note Some what if pictures from the past.
Office (B)I and Selenia stood in front of the "Baltimare Press" Building where my father was hired. It was an old Building, standing like a rusty giant surrounded by death and agony. The Bricks started to crack as well as a few windows here and there. It was surprising how anyone could work there in winter. What really baffles my mind was how anybody would buy a "Baltimare Press" Magazine. I remember them standing in the third row in any shop, usually for ninety-nine cents when I last checked. The sun was hidden behind some clouds and the eerie coming of Fall colored our surroundings with soft grey lightning. In turn, the place looked like a set from a Horror Movie if it weren't for all the glowing lamps inside with happy ponies trying their best to get their Magazine important somehow. "This looks like shit," commented Selenia. I could not blame her. It was very shitty. Just compare it to the shiny Building beside it! A total shit stain. "And that is why my dad is hired here," I told her and started to walk to it. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked but I ignored her. Entering the Building through the surprisingly new doors we made our way into the reception hall. Whoever renovated the insides of this place was kind enough to cover up the holes I remember from the last time I was here... thirteen years ago? I am not sure anymore. Going up to the reception. I saw this pretty young Mare. Maybe some trainee, getting needed Experience for her dream job as an interviewer in the next Playboy. Ignoring her appearance, I put on the best Smile I could imitate and look at her. A bit surprised she blinked at me but shut up about it, "How can I help you?" NO introduction to where I was even?! No wonder this place is so rundown! Putting rookies to the entrance. Yes, my answer... "Good day, Ma'am. My name is Brushtip and I have some questions about one of your employees," I told her. She furrowed her brows at my name, then asked, "Which employee?" "Trestle," I replied instantly. She looked from me to Selenia and back to me again, "Trestle? The artist?" I nodded, my patience running out. My face not showing that. Selenia called out from behind me, "He is her father by the way. We are looking for him." The Mare shook her head, "Wait Wait. So you are the Brushtip?" "Uhhh?" Selenia exhaled annoyed from her nose, "Just get to the point!" I nodded again, "yes, we don't know how much time we got. Is my Father here?" She straightened up again, "No he isn't here. he only entered this building like five times in his career. And then he always talked about his daughters" "You mean daughter? As in one?" "Ehm, That is not your sister?" she pointed at Selenia... who was wandering around, looking at the walls with more interest than my problem. She got me here, damn it! "No, why? Do we look alike?" I asked her back. "Hm, no. Sorry for my error. But if you want more help you might be interested in talking to his Editor on the second floor. Office - 3," she told me. "Thanks," I replied dryly and turned to the stairs. "You are welcome!" she nearly yelled chirpily, sweetly. I cringed. Why do ponies do that? As I walked past Selenia I clicked my tongue to get her attention, she turned, I was past her already. "C'mon doggy," I told her and she turned one full loop around to stare at me irritated. "Why the hell did I fall for that trick," she asked herself then frowned, "Don't call me doggy!" I was hungry. I shrugged and let her thoughts be hers. Reaching the given office, we stepped in. The smell of home came crashing into me and I thought I could smell him for a brief second. Memories, y'know. The room was nothing more than a row of big dirty windows on the walls and rows of tables with Ponies working hard on articles and the newspapers Layout stuff. Workers, big and small. Thin and wide all miled about. Wait, is that a Maid in that corner? A Stallion in his best years was discussing something with one of his coworkers about something. Something not important as it seems because when he noticed us he started to walk over to us, "How can I help you two?" I replayed to him what I told the receptionist. He blinked in suprise when he heard that I was his daughter. "Hard to believe," he said and continued, "wait, how do I know you are not lying. Mr.Trestle told us about you often but he never bothered to show a photo or something and now he is missing here. He was one of the most important Illustrators here." "Wat...?" I asked, "I just want some details about him. I and my friend here have some questions for him..." Selenia walked up to him and smiled sweetly...
Let's hit the streets (S)I dodged the pillow flying at me but fell face first into the hard ground as I rolled off my bean bag. I heard the other Devil snickering at my misfortune and promised absolute revenge for this humiliation. Later, though. First, we need to figure out what is actually going on. With a sigh, I got up on my four legs and looked at her, "Okay, Brushy-" she twitched at the name. Interesting. "-What should we even do now, hm? " "Good question," she said. I stared. she stared. It was awkward. "Maybe you should show me that Family photo and I tell you if that is really my father or not?" I suggested with a little smile. "Flare Moon" was an actually common name in Equestria as a whole. She nodded, "it is somewhere back at home. yes." She nodded, "But I cannot just abandon my Club now. Thanks to you I gotta make some damage control now." "Damage Control?" I asked her. She raised an eyebrow and left the room. I followed after her. Back in the main Club. I must note the dark atmosphere and soft neon light stripes nearly everywhere. There seem not to be that many guests left. And the remaining stuff was trying to clean up the mess, left by me. I think I did. I deny everything here. What. Meesix apparently gave away free drinks to the remaining guests. The last and first impression is the most important. Everyone looked at me with a bit of fear in their eyes and the tension in the room baked like muffins in an oven. I do not really give a damn what they think. I noticed how Brushtip came up to Meesix to talk to him for a few seconds. he nodded with an expression of absolute loyalty and she turned away. I came up to her and she said, "Meesix is useful at the moment. Let's go to my place now." I nodded and we headed outside. Author's Note I think they adopted the awkwardness from their father...
