The Sneak Peek I Promised · 3:12am Oct 23rd, 2015
Just got off work, so before I get to studying for a test I have tomorrow and finish a homework assignment I had a whole week to do, but didn't do till now, here it is.
Mezzo’s hoofsteps weren’t even heard when she made her way up the steps and into the room. “There you two are. The cart is all loaded up, and I’ve been waiting outside for—” Just as her daughter had, Mezzo fell silent as she took in the room in front of her. She stepped forward and stood next to her husband as a hushed gasp escaped her. It was all too real for her.
City Streets was in a similar state as his wife. His eyes scanned the room and it was as if all reality came crashing down that his only daughter, his only child, was truly moving out; another slap of reality that this was happening. He looked down at her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. Next to him, Mezzo leaned her head to rest on his side, her mane easily blending into the deep black of his coat. He inhaled and breathed a full, deep sigh that lightly shook his standing form. “This is really happenin’ isn’t it?”
The mare standing below him craned her neck up, and through loose strands of his long, darker black mane, looked into his emerald eyes that were so much like her own. She put a hoof on the one on her shoulder and smiled. “Dad, we’ve been packin’ for days. Ya just noticin’ this now?”
Even in an event like this, City Streets expected such a response from his daughter. “Seriously couldn’t think of anythin’ else to say?,” he said through a few snorted laughs that drew laughter out of Stardust as well. Amid his low chuckles, he moved his hoof off of Stardust’s shoulder before he took her in his forelimbs in a tight embrace. “I love ya, Stardust. We’re gonna miss ya so much.”
Mezzo’s forelimbs joined in the collective hug, with Stardust near suffocation in the middle, yet not wanting to break it off just yet. “I love you too, Stardust,” Mezzo warmly said, tears brimming at the edge of her closed eyelids ready to drop.
Seeing her mom so close to crying felt like a burning stake being driven through Stardust’s heart. Without a second though, she wiggled her forelimbs out of her parents’ hold and threw one around each of them to hug them back. “I love ya too, guys.” Mezzo and City’s grips instantly tightened as they held onto their precious treasure, wishing they had more time before they sent her off.
“Be sure to visit,” Mezzo said once the hug dissolved. “And check in with us every now and then. And please let us know you have enough to eat.”
“Come to us if ya low on food, I can make ya somethin’.” City made no effort to conceal the pleading tone in his voice. “And please walk home with somepony at night.”
The two of them continued to list their requests, most of which went along the lines of asking her to be careful coming from work at night, keep them in mind, to not overwork herself, and other basic safety stuff she learned as a foal that she was sure they were only telling her because of worry and the crashing reality of her move her room ignited. She just let them talk until they ran out of things to worry about for the moment, told them she’d do everything, and that she would be fine.
In truth, Mezzo and City knew their daughter could handle herself, but there would always be that part of them that worried for their no-so-little girl. They squeezed in one last hug together in the room before they resumed loading the last of Stardust’s things in the cart. City took the last box down while Stardust took one more look into her old room. She looked in and could briefly see all the posters, mess, and papers scattered around the floors and walls one more time. Her lips curved into a reminiscent grin before everything in the room was bare again as she brought the door to a close.
Outside, Mezzo was already situated on the front seat of the cart while City hitched himself to the cart. Stardust took a seat next to Mezzo at the front of the cart as she steadied her guitar case next to her. “Ya ready, Star?” City asked looking back.
A quick look was shared between the mares in the cart before Stardust gave the all clear to go. “Ready, dad!” City reared on his legs and readied himself. He came down hard and began to pull with all his strength. Once the wheels got moving, the cart rolled much easier as City lead the way towards Stardust’s new home. As the sights of the city rolled by, Stardust sat back and watched it all come and go. Behind her, she could hear and even feel the rattle of her things in the boxes bumping up and down along the ride. She then began to hope the road would be smooth enough for everything to make it to the apartment unscathed. Time and again, she would do a quick once-over to check on her things.
Next to her, Mezzo busied herself with her mane. Mezzo held a pocket mirror in front of her with her magic and played around with her thick curls until she felt she had the perfect look. Satisfied, she clicked the mirror close and turned to face her daughter. “What do you think, Stardust?”
Elegance was, without a doubt, a trait Mezzo carried with her wherever she went. Every time she went outside, she looked as if she just stepped out of a salon, and this was no different. “Ya look great, mom, but ya know we’re just gonna be movin’ my things, right?”
“I know that, but didn’t you say your friends were going to be there to help out?”
Slowly, Stardust answered, “Yeah?”
A still quiet rested over the two for a moment, and the expected connection Mezzo was hoping Stardust would make never came. “And you’re friends are…”
Stardust rolled her eyes away from Mezzo when she filled in the blanks; a prince and princess of Equestria. “Mom, they’re not gonna care.”
“But they’re still royalty. I know the three of you have gotten close, but I still want to look my best when they see me.” She flicked open her mirror again and started to bounce a few places in her mane. “How again did you ended up becoming friends with two of the most powerful ponies in the nation.”
She sat back and thought on it for a few seconds only to shoot back up, and in a snorted laughter, say, “I have no freakin’ clue.”
The cart started to slow down when City eased his pace. Ahead, he could see Canter Square advertising signs leading to the entrance road off to the side along with two other ponies waiting on the sidewalk. When the two ponies on the sidewalk noticed the cart, City turned his head back to his wife and daughter. “Almost there guys. Star, I think your friends are here.”
Stardust scooted to the far side of her seat to get better outside view, and sure enough, Blueblood and Cadance were the ones waiting on the sidewalk waving to her. She waved them back until something caught her eyes the closer the cart got to the entrance. More of the apartment building’s walls and the outside landscape came into view as City pulled forward, but what stole Stardust’s attention were the ponies dressed in servant's clothes that emerged from behind Blueblood and Cadance. First, she saw maybe three, then five, the ten. When City finally came to a stop at the front, he, Mezzo, and Stardust looked onto the front courtyard filled with about twenty or so servants standing in silence, awaiting their call for service.
In front of the mini-army of ponies, the royal cousins happily greeted Stardust and her parents. “Good morning, Stardust,” Blueblood said when Stardust hopped out of the cart. “I hope you don’t mind, but I thought I’d bring some helping hooves for your move.”
That's awesome.