Author's Note

Hopefully Zephyr comes off as at least somewhat sympathetic here. I want him (at first at least) to be a do no harm but take no bs kind of guy with anger issues, not helped by his family situation.
The audience is supposed to sympathize with him so tell me if he comes off as too unlikable (an uphill battle I know with how hated he is, and Tbf, some of the hate is justified)

As for why his sister is one of the evil stepsisters form Cinderella…. Well, I’ll get to that in the next chapter

The dilemma

The final bell of the last day of summer school rang in Canterlot High, and in response, a crowd of teens stormed out the front door, eager to finally get on with a proper summer. Among the countless teens running out of the building and no doubt violating jaywalking laws were two siblings, a tall lanky male with yellow hair and green skin, and his sister, a white skinned teen with black hair and a blue bow atop her head.

“Oh thank GOD that’s all over,” the taller one said. “I haven’t slept well in WEEKS with how early they expected us to get here! And I’m atheist so you KNOW it’s serious if I’m thanking something I don’t personally believe in!”

“Well Zephyr, maybe if you got to bed on time…” his sister replied with a snarky attitude.

“Oh chill out will you Drizella, what do you expect me to do? Go to sleep at 9 pm in July?” Zephyr replied. “It isn’t even fully dark, and you know how hard a time I have sleeping after a midday siesta!”

“Only loser’s take siestas you realize…” Drizella replied.

“Yeah well you try getting up at 6:30 am for classes every day when you’re a night person and see how you handle it!”

“I DID get up at 6:30…” Drizella replied snarling.

“Yeah and you’re a morning person so that’s different,” Zephyr replied. “Regardless though, it’s SUMMER, the one time a year when you shouldn’t have to get up super early and can just sleep in. There’s a reason they call it summer VACATION after all.”

“You would like vacations you lazy bum!” Drizella said.

“Lazy!? I passed all my classes!” Zephyr said, “I mean sure I sleep in the middle of the day sometimes after them, but there ain’t nothing wrong with that as long as you get the homework done on time!” His sister just responded by rolling her eyes, something he noticed. “Oh come on! Are you really telling me you’d rather be in school than spending time with your cat Lucifer?

“Well considering I bring Lucifer to school every day in my backpack…” Drizella replied.

“Oh come on, not the backpack smuggling thing again?” Zephyr said angrily, “I told you, that can’t be good for a cat! You gotta let that cat out of the bag for goodness sake!”

“Oh, and you’re such an animal expert?” She replied annoyed.

“No, but it’s just…” Zephyr replied but was cut off.

“Hmm, then I don’t really know why you think you know better than me on this!” Drizella replied condescendingly. “Quite frankly I don’t think you know better than me on ANYTHING!”

“Rude much” Zephyr said.

“Cope and seethe!” Drizella said.

“You sound just like those insufferable morons on TF2 and Reddit.” Zephyr said angrily.

“I wouldn’t know because unlike you I’m not a loser who frequents them!” Drizella said. “Honestly, and I can’t believe I’m saying this with how annoying they are, but why don’t you go back to your stupid useless hobbies instead of trying to school me on animal care?”

“My hobbies aren’t useless!” Zephyr replied.

“You think you’re going to be a professional poker player….” Drizella said chuckling to herself

“Hey, I won 50 bucks online last month!” Zephyr replied, “And that’s just playing for the few hours a week I feel awake enough to actually do well!”

“Oh please, like you’d ever be good enough to be pro… at any of that stupid shit you obsess over!” Drizella sneered.

“Ok, you know what, that’s it!” Zephyr replied back. “If we’re going to talk about not being good enough to go pro, maybe we should talk about your singing…”

“And what’s wrong with my singing?” Drizella said glaring at him. “I’m actually taking lessons and making progress unlike you!”

“Oh that’s not what I’ve heard.” Zephyr replied.

“And what did you hear then!?” Drizella replied.

“I heard things….” Zephyr replied imitating Robert DiNero “I heard things! Things that make Chewbacca sound like the New York symphony orchestra!”

“…. Are you saying my singing sucks!?!” Drizella said angrily.

“Well I ain’t saying you’re Neighlor Swift.” Zephyr replied back.

“How DARE you talk to me this way!?” Drizella said.

“YOU started it!” Zephyr said angrily. “I’m being no more rude than you were insulting my passions, how do you like being at the receiving end of it?”

“That’s different, you’re being unrealistic!” Drizella said.

“How is it different?” Zephyr replied angrily. “Being rude is being rude!”

“Not if you’re being realistic, sounds like you just can’t handle me!” Drizella replied

“Oh whatever, I’ll show you!” Zephyr said. “I have the rest of July and part of August to myself now, and I guarantee I’ll make a hundred on online pokerduring that time easy!”

“Ok Mr. Gambler, Wanna bet on it?” Drizella said.

“Yes, I actually do!” Zephyr said, “If I’m right you have to give me another hundred!”

“And if I’m right you have to give me the hundred you’d supposedly and admit to the internet my singing is amazing.” Drizella said.

“Deal….. I’ll take that money in twenties by the first week in August thank you!” Zephyr said.

“Oh no you wo-on’t” Drizella mocked.

“Oh yes I wi-ill!” Zephyrs pushed back.

“Well good luck, since I doubt you’ll have enough time to even play soon enough!” Drizella responded.

Zephyr chuckled to himself, “Are you serious? I have an entire month of free time starting now, what the hell are you smoking because I want some of that shit!”

“Oh….. you mean you don’t know?” Drizella said.

“What’s there to know?” Zephyr said. “Summer school is over. Seems like a month of nearly free time to sleep in and be well focused to me!”

“Well I just assumed mom had told you,” Drizella said amused.

“Told me what exactly!? Zephyr said, suddenly getting a bit concerned.

“Well, since she thought you would likely just spend the rest of the summer lounging about and ‘sleeping in like a deadbeat’ as she put it, she has so generously decided you’re helping out with the house cleaning business” Drizella said. “They’ve been needing the extra help for awhile ever since Cindershy went away to college and all!”

“WHAT?” Zephyr said incredulous. “Surely you must be joking? And her name is Fluttershy not Cindershy you jerk.”

“Oh I’m dead serious…. About both Cindershy and the cleaning business…. And don’t call me Shirley.” Drizella said before chuckling at her reference.

“This is hardly time to be making jokes from movies Drizella!” Zephyr said angrily. “When the heck is this supposed job going to start anyway?”

“You actually start this Saturday morning, which is why I’m so shocked she hasn’t told you!” Drizella replied feigning shock. .

“What!? No! My summer….” Zephyr said angrily. “I’ve already given away through July! Now she expects the rest of it too!? I’m already running on fumes here as is!”

“Oh boy here we go again, the woe is me I’m at my wits’ end speech!” Drizella said annoyed.

“Stop mocking me, this is serious!?” Zephyr said, getting increasingly stressed. “I’m tired as can be and NEED the rest of this summer.You can’t just do this to me!”

“I’m not doing anything, my mom is!” Drizella said. “But hey, if you wanna talk to them about it feel free to when we get home.”

“Oh I will….” Zephyr said. “She is not hijacking my life like this again…”