//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Where He Spent His Early Days // Story: The Lost Changeling: Rolling Ends // by AizakkuHorooee //------------------------------// As I enter the kitchen to my right as I walk out of my room, I notice Rusty sipping on some sort of drink, writing some kind of list, and possibly mumbling to himself. “No, no, no. No food. Hmm... something mobile.” When he turns his head to his right of the table he’s writing on, his pupils briefly shrink. “Heh. Didn’t see you there. Up so early?” “Same could be asked here.” “Oh. Just thinking of what to bring with us when we visit the former Circuit City we selected. So, what dream did you have after we left your room?” “I had one that started off with me seeing a spirit version of Open Fields, which disappeared, only for me to see Luna come in.” “Luna... Luna?!? Do you mean PRINCESS Luna?!?” I nod. “Well, what’d she tell you? Did it really work?!?” “Hmm. I guess you and Pane really DID send her into my dreams. Anyway, she just said to do what I think is best.” “Oh. Well... that was disappointing. What did she mean by that?” “I don’t know. But sometime later, I might.” “Okay. Let me know when you do, alright?” “Will do.” Rusty continues sipping on his drink, and writing out his list. My lack of sleep and excess express from earlier has lowered my energy quite a bit, so I decide to get something to eat on the other side of the kitchen. Not much of interest lays in the fridge. Just some bagged legumes, yogurt, and some grape juice. In a cupboard though, there’s a large box of... something. I know it’s some kind of cereal, but the font makes the text rather hard to read. “Hey, uh, Rusty. What are these?” “Oh, those are Cremcucs. You can have some if you want. I only have those to prepare for the longer distance adventures, which is happening in a few days, so I don’t need them now.” “Okay. Thanks.” The growing smile on my face up and fades away when I catch a date on the bottom of the box. Nightmare Night. Off and on, I have caught dates somewhere on certain packages. Usually, I miss, but I don’t care, me being an emotivore and all. When I open the box and take out the bag, I grab a small bowl from the nearby strainer and pour the cereal in it. The little pieces themselves resemble the shape of bitesize griffon scones. I put the box back after I find a suitable amount in the bowl. I walk back into my room, only to see that Rusty has followed suit. “So, uh, is there anything you want to do today?” “Hmm. Nothing that’s on my mind. What do you think we should do today, Rusty?” “I was thinking we could go out to the old skate rink for a while. I understand if you don't want to. Just offering.” “I’ll go. You go on ahead; I’ll be right with you.” “Okay.” And with that, Rusty runs off, allowing me to eat the cereal in peace. ;=; When I arrive in front of the abandoned skating rink, Rusty is sitting with a pegasus filly at the entrance. This filly looks like she’d be ten if she was a changeling, so eighteen might sound right for an authentic pony at her height. Her coat has the same rusty hue as Rusty Flashlight, but her mane and tail differ drastically from the grey mohawk and messy tail that Rusty bears as the filly has a wavy, purple mane and straightened tail. The eyes are of the same color as Rusty’s, resembling that of the landing road of Wonderbolts HQ. Finally, she’s a blank flank. “Hi, Rusty.” “Ah, hey, Carve. I’m glad you arrived. This is my niece, Trace Light.” “Oh? Why didn’t you tell me before?” “I didn’t really think it was necessary until my brother came by for a four day weekend with her. She hadn’t been here since prior to the Canterlot invasion.” “So, at least five and a half years.” Trace Light nods. “Yeah. I think it was around the same time as that Frozen North Heat Wave.” “Oh, okay. So, anyone want to look at the rink?” Trace Light and I nod at Rusty. When the three of us enter, the front room is a hall; it only has a bench to the left and a desk near the end on the right, so this must be where ponies are granted admission to skate. Next to that desk is a tall door. Then, we walk into the second hall that leads to the main attraction of the building. Along the second hall, there are roller skates of all different proportions and sizes, all in one rack. In the arena, aided in lighting by seven mint windows, all there is is an expanse of tile flooring made to look like wood. On the left, there is a shallow wall that stretches to a few yards before the end of the rack hall. In the little bit of space past the shallow wall, there holds an simple, empty vending machine. “Woah! This looks exactly like it did back fifteen years ago!” “So, this was where you spent part of your foalhood?” Rusty nods at me. “Exactly. I used to come up here at quite a high frequency before the early two thousands. I loved it so much here. I would not’ve traded it for anything. I still can’t believe I was granted permission to enter here.” “Hey, Rusty. Where’s Pane?” “She’s just up at Operation Comics, a few blocks west of here.” “Oh.” So, for the rest of the time, Trace Light, Rusty and I explore “parts we were never originally allowed in” back when this roller rink was open. Watching Rusty, his reactions start to hit home a bit for me, not enough for Trace Light to notice though, and especially Rusty. Going left, out of the arena, we come across another hall that contains three rooms. The first room we come across seems to have had an emergency supply of roller skates in case the rack in the hall past admission was all out of roller skates. The second room holds quite a few items that were possibly used in special events. It also has a door that leads back out. Finally, the third room seems to be a management office, which I didn’t really need a sign to figure out, unlike... I grunt, trying to let the resurfacing memory fade away again, and causing Rusty to turn around. “Uh, Carve? You okay?”