//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 Preparations // Story: The First Steps of the Rest of Your Life // by Rhino //------------------------------// ***Thursday, Day 26, morning*** I relax on the couch sipping my glass of milk as my mind starts warming itself up for the day ahead. I enjoy the rapidly dwindling calm as it is replaced by the knowledge of all the things I need to get done today. I might have wound myself up a bit too much by the time I finished my glass… Doors, windows, floors, trim, dust, sweep, mop, sinks, mirrors, tub, trash, put away dishes, pick up various scattered item, stock up on food, decide and prepare for meal tomorrow… Hydro walks downstairs just as I compose my thoughts long enough to not drive myself crazier than Pinkie Pie if she were told she was in charge of planning a party for the entirety of Equestria. I further mollify myself until we finish eating, when I decide to go ahead and get the first part out of the way. I clear my throat slightly, “So Hydro, as you know my parents are coming to town tomorrow…” He answers casually with a slightly curious tone, “Yeah…” “And I need you to do a little favor for me while I prepare for them.” He raises an eyebrow at me, “Sure what do you need help with?” I adopt a slightly airy tone, “Well… I need you to leave, and not come back for a good portion of today.” “You’re kicking me out?” I chuckle slightly, “Well, not the way I wanted to put it but for today… essentially yes.” “You sure bro? I could help you with whatever it is you’re doing around here-“ “I appreciate the thought but I’d like to just go ahead and be alone while I do everything that needs to be done.” The list flashes through my head again as I say this. “Well what about your work-“ “Already contacted Fluttershy to tell Mane and Manilla I won’t be coming in for two days, no worries. But speaking of which,” I start pushing him towards the door, “don’t you have work to get to? Oh you’d better be going.” He plants his hooves to halt my efforts to push him, “I can just explain tomorrow why I didn’t come in today.” Ok, hay with it, tried to ask nicely, time for the fall back plan. I chuckle nervously again, “I’m afraid I must insist that you simply leave this all to me,” I glance at the clock and let out a fake gasp, “Well look at the time, tell you what, for being nice enough to offer to help me how about I get you halfway to work?” As my horn starts to glow Hydro’s eyes widen, “You wouldn’t-“ *Flash* “-dare…” Hydro looks around after the flash to find himself near the farm house of Sweet Apple Acres. He sighs heavily before grumbling to himself, “…Could’ve at least let me grab my stuff before he teleported me.” Right as Hydro finishes his grumbling he sees another flash above him as the familiar weight of his saddlebags thumps onto his back as a small slip of paper floats down to land on his muzzle. He lifts the paper off his nose to read its simple message, “Happy now?” His slight annoyance dissolves as he chuckles, “Cheeky bastard…” “Mind tellin’ us what that was all about?” Hydro jumps slightly before recognizing the voice of his marefriend and turning to see her accompanied by Blue Breeze and Rainbow Dash hovering overhead. He smiles at them, “I’m not interrupting anything am I?” Blue shakes his head, “Nah, just getting Applejack’s weather orders-“ Rainbow cuts in, “-When you just popped onto the yard in front of the house from out of nowhere!” She crosses her forelegs while still hovering, “So like AJ said, what’s up with that?” Hydro shrugs nonchalantly, “Eh, Rhino wanted some alone time before his parents get here tomorrow.” Blue smirks, “Well at least he’s getting that out of the way before they get here.” Hydro rolls his eyes, “No nothing like that, he’s mostly just making sure the house is picked up and clean, probably planning to cook too. Suffice to say he really wanted to take care of it himself.” He pulls his aviators out of his bag and puts them on as he hugs Applejack before heading out towards the dam, calling back over his shoulder, “I’ll see you guys later!” The three other ponies say good bye as Hydro walks off, all of them still watching his retreating form as Rainbow breaks the silence. “So who’s gonna be the one to tell Pinkie that she needs to plan a party for some visitors?” “Well it ain’t gonna be me RD, Ah did it last time, plus Ah got work to do ‘round the farm.” Rainbow looks at the farm pony, “Well I don’t want to do it either!” Both mares slowly turn small smiles in Blue’s direction. Blue opens his mouth and raises a hoof to object before simply sighing in defeat and nodding. Rainbow Dash laughs to herself as she pats Blue on the back, “Don’t worry Blue, since you’re doing this, I think I’ll give you a ten second head start the next time we race to see who pays for lunch, alright?” ***Ponyville Spa*** “…and then I recommended she try a lighter blue ribbon in her mane and she loved it!” Rarity and Fluttershy enjoy their usual Thursday get together, the two currently getting mud baths as Rarity talked about some of the more fabulous tales from the this week’s issue of the life of Ponyville’s premier fashionista. Fluttershy merely listening attentively and utter small adorable noises of approval at the times they were needed. As Rarity begins to weave her next yarn about the art of dressmaking, her robe that was sitting folded next to her suddenly jumps up with the pink party mistress herself wearing it as well as her usual beaming smile. “Hi girls!” Both relaxing mares jump slightly but less so than other ponies would have due to their close bond with the party pony. Rarity raises a cucumber off her eye to appraise her robe’s occupant, “Hello Pinkie, may I ask why you decided to… pop in?” The pink pony bounces as she responds, “Oh, I’m just dropping by to give you girls your invitations to the party tomorrow!” She dips her head into the pocket of the robe and pulls out two slips of paper that Rarity levitates over to them since their hooves are currently submerged. “Alright, I’ll see you girls there!” As Pinkie begins to walk out the door Rarity calls after her, “Pinkie!” Pinkie stops and looks back, “Yes Rarity?” “Be a dear and leave my robe for me?” Pinkie looks down at her current outfit, “Whoops, sorry about that. But if you ever want to borrow my pink fluffy robe let me know and we’ll trade ok?” Rarity’s answer trails off as Pinkie walks out of the spa, “Err, yes I’ll do that…” A soft voice comes from beside her, “Rarity? What do the invitations say the party is for?” Rarity looks back at her spa buddy to realize the pieces of paper have simply been hovering around the unicorn’s head instead of being read. She brings one down and scans it before translating, “Well well, it appears dear Rhino’s parents will be coming into town tomorrow and Pinkie decided to throw them a small party with our little group while they are here.” She peeks over the paper at Fluttershy, “Though I must say darling, meeting your coltfriend’s parents so soon? I suppose it’s never too early to make a good impression, are you going to be alright with this?” “I do want to meet them… I just hope they like me…” Rarity reaches over and puts a foreleg around her friend, “Fluttershy, I think they’re going to love you.” ***Rhino and Hydro’s house, later*** Phew, all done… finally… I smile as I realize I’ve completed everything I could think of that needed doing before my parents arrived in the morning. I put away all of the supplies just as I hear the lock turn in the door signaling Hydro’s return. I rub a hoof on the back of my head as I greet him, “Hey, look sorry about this morning… stressed out a little, but it’s all good now.” Hydro pulls out a small pink envelope before tossing it to me while he laughs to himself, “Don’t worry about it, it actually had a bit of a repercussion as you can see.” He gestures to the envelope. I pull out the card and read it quickly… “A party?”