//------------------------------// // Still Getting The Hang of It // Story: Starting Over // by AverageBrony //------------------------------// After what I'm guessing to be about a few hours of gaming, I put down my controller, shut off my console and stood up. My joints popped back into place, each more satisfying as the last. After my body was settled into the standing position, I lugged myself over to the fridge, while my stomach was rumbling with the songs of a thousand whales. I each step that took me closer to the fridge, the more my hunger grew. Once I arrived at the refrigerator, I slide my hoof around the cool, metal handle that was bolted to the door. Giving a gentle tug, the door quietly swung open, revealing nothing but empty shelves. Groaning, I slowly slid down to the floor, letting go of the handle during my descent. My stomach growls in disapproval, urging me to get out that door and get food in order to survive. "Why do bad things happen to the good?" I ask myself out loud, not needing an answer. Getting up from the warm floor, I started down the hallway towards my room. As I walked, I was trying to remember where I had put my pouch of money. Was it in box with the computer? Or was the pouch in the box that had my sweatshirts? Maybe it's with the box of colthood things. Wherever it is, I'll find it. Whether it takes a few minutes, or a few hours, I will find it and I will fill my stomach. I strolled down the hallway, listening the every creak and moan the settling house made. I never really got to used to the sounds of a house settling. It always frightened me for some strange reason. I guess it has to do to my shyness and easily startled nature as a young one. Any who, I entered my room and started to scan the boxes that sat in my room, one on top of another. I walked over to one stack of boxes, which where labeled, "Sweatshirts", "Colthood Things", School Memories", and "Other". Each seemed to hold promise of containing my money pouch, as I have an annoying habit of putting something where it shouldn't, somewhere it doesn't belong. I took down the box labeled "School Memories". The chilled cardboard felt pleasant against my hoof, which also threatened to drop from my grasp. Setting the box down, I peeled off the shipping tape that had secure the top lid halves together. The satisfying RIP rang throughout the room, filling me with a strange pleasure. I just love that sound, don't know why, but it does. I opened up the boxes and the first thing I noticed was my old college jacket that was given to me as a graduation gift. It was made of a dark leather, with red and white cloth stitched onto the sleeves and shoulders. The inside was lined with what was considered "cotton" at the time, which still retained it's fluffy and fuzzy properties. I held it up, gazing at the beauty it held, along with the pain that had also made home in the jacket. I also began to remember losing things, only to find them sitting in one of the jacket's pocket, everything from my student ID, to pens and pencils, and some....other items of interest. I stared at the school symbol, remembering all the pep rallies, every sporting event, and every event my school had either hosted or attended. Most of which I didn't attend if it wasn't mandatory, as I wasn't much for interacting with ponies in real life. I can recall a friend asking me to go to a football game. I kept turning him down, saying I had homework to do, or that I wasn't feeling up to it. "Look at you," I said to the lifeless jacket, "It's been a while, wonder if you still have any secrets in you." I shook the jacket gently for a couple seconds, listening to the soft clink of the zippers and buttons. That's when I heard a sound, somewhere between a plot and a soft thud, along with clinks aplenty. Looking down at the ground where the sound came from, I saw a small leather pouch with a small string tied around the open end of it. Bending down, I picked up the pouch. Inspecting it, it looked like any other pouch. Turning it over, I saw an outline of my controller cutiemark. Couldn't mistake it. ".........My luck." Taking a hold of the pouch's string, I let out a long sigh, putting my hoof to my face. I gave a gentle tug, making the opening of the pouch wider. Peering inside, I saw the leftover bits I had from the train ride, forty-two to be exact. I felt a smile creep its way onto my face, and I felt a surge of happiness fill me. Not like the, "I-just-managed-to-get-a-marefriend" happiness, but more of a, "I-found-the-thing-I've-been-looking-for-for-so-long" kind of happiness. Sliding the pouch into my sweatshirt pocket, I walked down the hall, towards my portal to the outside world. I tried to think of where the markets were. Most likely in the town square, but knowing my luck, the markets would be in the most uncommon place in town. Before I could continue thinking of locations the markets could be, I was out the door and on my way. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Walking through the market, I was surrounded on all sides of small cart markets, ranging from fabric carts to accessory carts. Scanning around the market, I spotted a cart filled with various colorful foods. Fruits, vegetables, hay, stuff along those lines. Taking in a breath, a slowly walked over to the cart, thinking about what I would say, how I would respond, who the pony would be, everything. And I mean everything. Thinking about this clouded my mind, almost causing me to run into the market cart. If I had done that, I would've booked it out of the town square, back home and into my room to hide myself from the world. Looking down at the food choices, my stomach growled with the song of a thousand whales. Apples, carrots, pickles, hay, grapes, lettuce, there was so much to choose from. "Good afternoon sir," the mare behind the cart greeted, catching me off-guard, "What can I get for you?" she gave me a welcoming smile and her eyes wrapped around me, bringing me in. "W-Well...I'll have some..uh..." Oh dear Celestia say something you dolt. "I'll just have a couple apples, some hay...and uh....carrots and lettuce. If that's okay with you." I put a nervous hoof on my neck, pulling out my bag and loosening the string. "Of course, sir!" the mare gleefully replied, putting each item into a bag based on the type of food. Very organized. And she was putting in a perfect amount for a pony who just said "Some". I didn't say anything as she filled the bags with food, watching in amazement as she did all this with a smile on her face. "15 bits please." I still stared at the bags., "Sir....15 bits please." I blinked and came back into reality. I stared at her outstretched hoof, asking for money. "I-I'm really sorry miss," I chuckled nervously and pulled out 15 bits, placing them in front of her. Couldn't handle the stress of putting the damn bits in her hoof. "I'm just nervous and anxious and stuff." I tried my best to give her a smile. "It's quite alright sir. You enjoy the rest of your day." Smiling, she rounded up the bits and placed them in a little chest, which was also filled with bits from previous customers. Grabbing the bags, I began to walk back home. There was nothing else that I needed from the town square. No clothes, no silverware, nothing else. Walking away from the square, I felt my nervousness slip out from my body and creep back into the square. I felt lighter, almost weightless as I soon found myself gliding down the clean, cobblestone path. The further I got away from the square, the lighter I became and the faster I flew. I felt so alive, so happy and free. I was so caught up in my excitement that I didn't even hear anypony's greetings that I passed. I didn't care. I had food and I would be able to survive another day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Putting the last of the food in the fridge, I began to hum, something I don't usually do, as I don't have many reasons to hum. The humming started out to the tune of a song a friend showed me, but eventually devolved into me humming about buying food, flying home, and putting said food into the fridge. Closing the refrigerator door, I walked over to the couch and sat down. I felt so relieved. I had actually gone out and bought something. I did it and I didn't need anypony to help me out or finish the request for me. Leaning to the side, I stared down the hall that led to my room, seeing my bed. I felt a smirk skulk across my face. I deserved this little treat. All my hard work paid off, and now it was time to reward myself. Rising from the couch, I began to walk down the thin hallway to room, the doorway getting closer and closer with each step I took. Walking into the room, I eyed up the bed. It looked so comfortable, begging me to reward myself in its sheets. Walking closer to the bed, I could almost hear the shouts coming from the bed. I rubbed the wooden frame, taking in the cool touch I received in return, begging me to climb in and reward myself. I could feel my excitement growing as I slowly rounded the bed, being more and more irresistible with each step. I quickly walked over to my computer, sitting down in my chair, I opened up the LoL client and proceeded to log-in. Time to destroy those who oppose me.