Chapter 1
A Fathers Proposal
Reign of the Sun Goddess
Day 23rd Month 3rd Year 997 5:57 PM
In a small forest next to a tall mountain, a quiet little town resided. It went by the name of Hollow Shades and provided coal and ores from a nearby mine, as well as lumber to other nearby towns and cities like Ponyville and Hoofington. There was not much else aside from the resources there as the town was not close enough to any of the main roads or train tracks to make it any real place of importance.
However, in spite of the quiet atmosphere, the town was far from perfect. Families had their share of squabbles and children dealt with growing pains just like in any other village, and in the house of the resident archeologist, Rock Duster, one such discussion was taking place.
“I just really think this would be good for you,” Rock Duster said to his son with a determined look, standing in front of the entrance to his room.
The contents of the room held one window with a bed just underneath it which was currently in use by the lounging Ricktin Shade. There was also a chest of drawers on the opposite wall from the bed and a closet next to a piano opposite the wall with the door. The piano was surrounded by crumpled pieces of sheet music as well as a neat stack on top, and pencils and paper littered floor.
Ricktin turned towards him, his dirty blonde hair moving out of the way for his dull, steel gray eyes to give his father a bored look. “And I think it would be a waste of time, we’ve tried this a few times already, I’m just not interested in digging through rubble and dust for old pots and dead bodies,” he replied.
Rock Duster’s tail gave an annoyed swish as he let out an exasperated sigh, but he didn’t falter, and pressed on in his attempt to get his son to do something other than stay in the house.
“It’s called Archeology, and those pots and dead bodies, are relics and ancestors that could give us information on a piece of the past that we don’t know about yet.” Ricktin gave his father a dismissive grunt and turned away, kicking his hoof on the floor absentmindedly, having listened to this before.
Rock Duster took on a hardened look staring at the back of his sons head with his dark greenish eyes thinking of a way to bring him around to the idea. “You haven’t made any progress on finding a job for the last two months, most of what I’ve seen you do lately is sulk in your room, and eat.” Ricktin flinched, his ears flattening slightly as Rock Duster Took a step forward, continuing, “If you don’t do something soon you might just end up sinking into that bed.”
Ricktin bent his neck down slightly and gave an uncontrolled snort as his father’s face changed from serious, to a more concerned grin.
“You need something to do, and this would give us something to do together, you know, some father son time,” Rock Duster said as he cocked his head slightly and gave a bright smile hoping the idea of some bonding time would persuade him.
Ricktin did not turn to face him but the tone of his voice sounded less gloomy. “I’m still not going,” He said with finality.
His fathers smile dropping a little as his son continued, “You already had me try ‘Archeology’ and I had no interest, or any real luck with it,” his voice dropping back into the depressed, bored tone as he laid his head on the bed staring at the opposite side of the room.
“This isn’t another attempt at seeing if your cutie mark is going to be related to my work. I actually need somepony to help me get up to where the place is,” His father replied with a slightly pleading tone
Ricktin still did not turn to face him but instead gave his father a sideways look. “So, what you’re saying is that you want me to be your pack mule,” he said as pulled his head up and turned to face a nearby window raising his voice and saying “No offense!”
Pulling himself back from the window to face his father after hearing a quiet ‘none taken’ from the towns only resident mule.
His father rubbed the back of his head, mussing up some of his already ruffled graying brown hair as he let out a chuckle. “I guess you could put it that way,” he said, still smiling. “But it’s not like I’m trying to take advantage of my only son, I am going to pay you for helping me with this.”
Ricktins ear flicked slightly as he heard this.
He stayed silent for a moment his ear twitching contemplatively, and then asked, “And you said the place where this old cave is supposed to be isn’t too far away?”
His father, realizing he had him snagged, gave an ‘mmmhm’ to affirm his sons question.
“It’s actually right between us and Hoofington so it’s only about a three days travel from here,” Rock Duster turned and started heading out the door.
“I’ll give you some time to think about it,” The purplish unicorn stallion prepared to close it right before saying, “Oh! And your mother says dinner will be ready in about an hour. Maybe you should go take a walk; it might clear your mind. “
After that he closed the door and his hoofsteps could be heard making their way down the hall of the house. Ricktin rolled over facing the ceiling and let out a short, thoughtful ‘hmm’.
“I guess there’s not really much choice, I need to start making some kind of income.” He rolled to his side and looked out the window.
“Even if it’s basically just a hand out from my dad,” He sighed peacefully as he watched the sun start to set on the cool spring day.
Ricktin closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them, rolling off of his bed and heading for the door. “It shouldn’t be too hard doing some lifting work, and if I remember how he works it should only take a week.”
His mind finally set on something the red earth pony stallion opened the door and headed down the hall to tell his father that he’d help him on the excavation trip, and the walk sounded like a nice idea to clear his head of some pestering thoughts as well.
Reign of the Sun Goddess
Day 24th Month 3rd Year 997 7:48 AM
As Celestias sun was just beginning to move above the horizon, most of the town of Hollow Shades was in the process of rising from their beds, while some were already up and about getting ready for work or enjoying a meal to start the day.
Two residents of one house in particular were enjoying a delightful breakfast of pancakes and celery. As the purplish mare and stallion ate their breakfast, another plate sat at the table waiting for the red stallion that had just entered the room, having finally gotten out of bed after Rock Dusters third session of knocking on his door informing him that he was going to eat his pancakes.
He let out a quiet yawn as he stumbled slightly over to the table.
As he sat down he let out another tired yawn before looking over to his father “you do remember I’m not a morning pony right?” letting his eye twitch to show his annoyance at the early hour.
Rock Duster stopped eating for a moment released his telekinetic grip on his utensils to let out a chuckle.
“Well the cave we need to get to ‘is’ three days away, and I thought it might be a good idea to get a head start so that we could take a break sometime today, I’m not exactly young anymore you know,” He said before picking up his fork and knife and returning to the pancakes.
Ricktin simply gave a tired, irritated nod before lifting his fork and placing it in a pancake so that the knife in his mouth could work on the cooked piece of batter.
As they ate, Mind Heart, Ricktins mother talked about some recent events with a neighbor along with a current counseling assignment she’d taken.
There was also a pony she had taken under her wing as the little pony had recently discovered his Cutie Mark that delved into psychology.
Rock Duster talked a little about the goings on within the archeology association.
He spoke of some recent additions to the Canterlot museum, as well as rumors passing around the group about some newly discovered temples that were being Dominated by a few over enthusiastic associates.
He did not comment however about himself doing the same thing on this new venture.
Ricktin stayed mostly silent, commenting every once in while when he found he knew of a part of a topic or when his parents wished for him to join in the conversation.
The rest of the time though, he spent working on his food or gazing off into space, simply letting his thoughts drift.
His parents noticed when he did this, but didn’t say anything due to the frequency of the occurrence.
As they finished breakfast Rock Duster gulped down his last bit of pancake and turned to Ricktin and asked, “Have you got everything packed for the trip?”
Ricktin was putting his dishes in the sink and turned to face him with a slightly leaning posture, scratching the back of his head while holding an innocent smile. “Ehheh, define packed.”
Rock Duster let out an exasperated sigh as he got up and started moving for the front door. “Well, start getting it all together and I’ll have the cart ready for you when you’re done.”
Ricktin groaned unhappily remembering that he would be the one pulling the cart.
“Alright, I’ll be out in about forty five minutes,” Ricktin said.
Rock Duster gave an acknowledging nod as he exited through the front door, while Ricktin left through the opposite door as Mind heart moved towards the sink to get started on washing the dishes in the sink.
She chuckled and said to herself, “One day I’m going to get those two to do this, and then I can finally relax,” as she started on the dishes.
Reign of the Sun Goddess
Day 24th Month 3rd Year 997 8:30 AM
Ricktin took in a breath of the morning air as he waited for his father to come out with the last bit of equipment he needed. He had already gotten situated in the cart harness while he had been waiting. The ground was still wet from the morning dew, making him forgo sitting, in exchange to getting on the harness and simply standing there waiting.
He tapped his hoof while waiting for his father. ”And he was the one that said I wasn’t ready to go,” he mumbled, looking around as the small town in which he lived slowly began to wake up.
Most of the townsfolk were still in the process of their morning routine, while several of the more early risers were already out and busy at their work.
One of which was a dark green Pegasus on the weather patrol taking care of some of the unruly clouds high in the sky that had drifted into the area from the far off Everfree Forest.
As he was working the green Pegasus stopped.
After a few moments he began gliding down towards Ricktin with a cloud in front of him.
Ricktin was finishing up with tightening the harness humming a small tune he had made up to keep focused.
After he had gotten the harness tight he looked towards another house across the road.
He gazed at the house for few minutes, his mind off in space.
Once he regained himself he looked back to his family’s house. “What is taking him so long?”
As he continued waiting he thought he heard the sound of wings but could not pin point where it was coming from.
Soon after he heard a huge *BOOM!* causing him jump and nearly tip over the cart.
As Ricktin was catching his breath and turning back to make sure nothing had fallen out and gotten wet the Pegasus was relaxing on the cloud he had used to scare his friend.
He chuckled as he watched his friends reaction saying “You should have seen the look on your face, heh, priceless.”
After everything was accounted for in the cart, Ricktin turned to face the Pegasus and gave his eye a twitch as he looked at him with irritation, attempting to hold back a grin. “I don’t know, I think the price would be your flank getting kicked Sleek,” he said.
The Pegasus, Sleek Breeze, simply crossed his front hooves and continued to grin as he looked at his friend. “You sure you want to do that? You remember who learned more from the basic training White Wall showed us before she had to return to Canterlot right?”
“She never taught you how to get a mare though, did she?” Ricktin retorted, allowing a cheeky grin to appear on his face.
Sleek Breeze lowered his hooves onto the cloud. “And she still hasn’t taught you how to make a good joke has she,” he said with blank stare. “In any case, what’s with the cart, are you going somewhere finally?” He asked with a grin.
Ignoring the last word in his friends question Ricktin scratched his head and replied, “Yeah, my dad is checking out a cave that he’s heard is some kind of old temple, or something.”
Ricktin placed his hoof back on the ground and continued, “He asked me to help him with his work by pulling the cart, and probably a few other things when we get there, not sure what yet though.”
“I see,” Sleek said as he tapped a hoof to his muzzle, he then pointed said hoof at Ricktin and asked, “Is he paying you though?”
Ricktin raised an eyebrow at his friends’ question. “Yeah, why?” he said
Sleek Breeze gasped and pointed an accusatory hoof at Ricktin and exclaimed, “So you’re mooching off them ‘and’ getting them to pay you!”
Crossing his hooves and shaking his head he continued, “So scandalous.”
Ricktin pulled back in reproach. “WHAT, NO!” he said as he stomped his hoof and gave his friend a glare. “Why would you even say that?”
Sleek Breeze grinned and leaned down from the cloud to nudge his friend on the shoulder, which he quickly shrugged off.
“Oh relax, you know I wasn’t being serious,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Ricktin lost his glare as he returned his friends blank stare. “No, no I didn’t.”
As Ricktin and Sleek’s conversation had been going on Rock Duster had come out of the house with the last of the equipment, closely followed by Mind Heart, and had been placing it in the back of the cart.
Once finished Rock Duster and Mind Heart moved to the front of the cart. “Well that’s everything, are you ready to get going son?” Rock Duster asked Ricktin after trotting up next to him.
Ricktin turned his head to his father. “Yeah dad, I’m all set up,” he replied.
Rock Duster nodded as he turned to face Mind Heart. “Well I guess that means that we’re heading out now, and we’ll see you when we get back,” he said as he gave her an affectionate nuzzle.
She returned the nuzzle as she said, "I can't wait". Ricktin averted his eyes and blushed, while Sleek smiled at the scene.
Rock Duster turned to the two younger stallions as they stopped. "Alright Ricktin let's get going," he said as he began to move towards the exit of the small town.
Ricktin turned to sleek and said with a grin, "I guess I'll see you in about a week Sleek."
Sleek nodded and grinned back. "Yeah, and I hope you plan on keeping that promise!"
Ricktin began to walk in the direction of his father as he said, “I'll be sure your flank is thoroughly kicked this time!"
"Yeah right!" Sleek said as he flew back to his job waving good bye, while Mind heart went back to the house for the day.
Once Ricktin had caught up, right outside of the town, and started to walk next to him, Rock Duster turned to Ricktin and said, "This is going to be an exciting trip don't you think?"
Ricktin turned to his father and smiled. "Yeah, it should be nice," he said as they trotted down the path.
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>Slice of Life tag.
I am confused.
3242314
well, the slice of life tag was what I believed fit the first chapter, as nothing exceptionally exciting happens there.
still kind of new to writing a story, so do you think perhaps I should put the couple of the tags that don't exactly show up in the story yet?
whatever advice (or criticism) you have is most appreciated.
3242332
Generally you want to tag the story for the overall tone not on a per chapter basis. Most adventures start out slow and introduce the characters. If you tag it adventure and it doesn't immediately jump into an adventure, then people will understand.