FIREFIGHTERS CALLED IN EARLY HOURS OF MORNING TO BATTLE RAGING INFERNO IN ABANDONED JUNKYARD NEAR CANCER CORP. SEE PAGE 4 FOR MORE DETAILS.
Sir Wolfgang tutted as he read the front page headline of the Equestria Daily. No doubt that juveniles hoping to cause trouble were to blame for the fire. The dining room of the Taurus mansion was decorated with golden chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. The burgundy walls were decorated with floral wallpaper and pictures of several influential members of House Taurus hung on the wall.
“Sir, your coffee should be coming very shortly,” announced one of the butlers that worked in the Taurus mansion.
“Call Atlas and Blueblood down for me. I want to talk to them,” asked Sir Wolfgang. The butler nodded his head and quickly walked out of the room and headed up the stairs.
Sir Wolfgang turned to the fourth page of the newspaper and put it back down on the table to read later as a servant brought him his coffee on a china tray. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a picture of his son in the paper and quickly read the headline.
ATLAS AND SUNBURST FACE OFF AT GEMINI GATHERING AND ELDEST SON OF SIR WOLFGANG FAILED MISERABLY. SEE PAGE EIGHT FOR MORE DETAILS.
Sir Wolfgang groaned as he turned to page eight and found a rather unflattering picture of his eldest son yelling whilst Sunburst, Sunrise and the other ponies watching wore amused expressions on their faces. Sir Wolfgang even spotted some ponies at the back of the picture laughing amongst themselves.
Another servant came into the dining room and placed a plate containing two slices of bread covered with butter onto the table.
Sir Wolfgang put the newspaper back down on the table and as he took a bite into a slice of bread on his plate, both of his sons entered the dining room at the same time. Atlas moaned and rubbed his bloodshot eyes as he sat down in his seat on the dining table opposite his father; who was staring at him disapprovingly. Two more servants, each carrying a tray that contained two slices of bread and an empty cup entered the dining room and placed Atlas and Blueblood’s breakfasts on the table. They nodded politely at Sir Wolfgang and quickly left the dining room.
“Atlas, have you been drinking again?”
“Noooo..” replied Atlas slowly, before yawning and pouring himself a large glass of water from the jug next to him.
“Don't lie. I can smell the fumes from here, and there are empty bottles of wine and cans of beer under your bed,” sneered Blueblood, staring pointedly at Atlas.
“You little…,” Atlas stood up menacingly and raised a hoof. Blueblood laughed and lay back in his seat, which made Atlas even angrier.
“Sit down. Now,” ordered Sir Wolfgang, standing up and fixing Atlas with a penetrating glare, who grumbled but obeyed his father and sat back down in his seat.
“How many times have I told you not to drink in the house? Why do you continue to defy my orders?” demanded Sir Wolfgang.
“Why would you care? You're obviously far too focused on your precious Stock Exchange and pleasing Celestia,” said Atlas, before taking a large sip from his glass of water.
“After you embarrassed our family at the Gemini party three days ago, I've half a mind to kick you out of the house!” yelled Sir Wolfgang. “Look at this, look at it NOW!”
Sir Wolfgang thrust the newspaper towards his son and Atlas read the article quietly before handing it back to his father.
“You managed to make our house the laughing stock of Equestria in one night; not only did you pick a fight with a Capricorn that you have never even spoken to, you didn't even win! The story is still being written about, so it doesn't take a genius to figure out just how badly you lost!”
Atlas did not have a reply to this statement and continued to quietly drink his water.
“The ONLY reason you are still here is because of your mother and because you managed to flood your flat despite the fact that you are twenty four years old! Don't make me find one more reason to dismiss you from this house because believe me, I won't regret it,” seethed Sir Wolfgang. “Now get out of my sight and get dressed. The Stock Exchange is opening in forty minutes and we need to be early.”
Atlas suddenly got up from his seat and left the dining room, heading up the stairs and back to his room to get ready.
“Blueblood, I want to ask you a question and you need to promise that you will answer as honestly as possible,” said Sir Wolfgang.
“Of.. course Father,” replied Blueblood, trying to predict what his father was going to ask him.
“How would you deal with Atlas? If you were in my position?”
Blueblood paused and began to think for a few minutes, whilst taking a bite from his bread. “I.. would most likely ask him to leave. His behaviour has become more and more wild over the last few months and it doesn't benefit our house’s image and reputation when one member is constantly embarrassing himself.”
Sir Wolfgang silently watched his son finish his answer and return to finishing his breakfast, pleased that he had answered in the ruthless manner that he had wanted him to.
Perhaps he is more mature than I thought.
“You make some good points son,” said Sir Wolfgang with a smile. “He will stay for the time being but if he continues to misbehave, then I will have no choice but to dismiss him from this household, no matter how much your mother pleads. Now get ready for school, you don't want to do badly in your exams do you?”
“I already know that I'm going to get the highest score in my class, these exams don't faze me at all,” stated Blueblood arrogantly.
As the two continued to eat, they were both unaware of the fact that Atlas was standing on the stairs and had heard everything. He quickly galloped up the stairs and to his room and slammed the door, incensed that his father and younger brother were talking about him in this way. He used his magic to pull out an open can of beer stashed carefully underneath a pile of dirty clothes and greedily drank it, drowning his fury in the beverage.
They have the nerve to talk about me behind my back?
Atlas finished the can of beer and threw it under his bed, adding it to the growing collection of empty beer cans under his bed. He opened his wardrobe and took out his Equestria Stock Exchange blazer with his name sewn into the left breast pocket. He quickly left his room and went downstairs.
“Hope you have a great day at work, brother! Try not to get drunk!” laughed Blueblood.
“Go fuck yourself,” replied Atlas sullenly, leaving the house and boarding the carriage that was waiting for him outside, suprised to see his father already waiting for him inside the carriage.
“It can be difficult for some ponies when it comes to putting on a waistcoat, but next time try and be a little quicker, okay?” said Sir Wolfgang with a smile. Atlas grunted in response and closed the carriage door, and the horses set off, taking Sir Wolfgang and his eldest son to the Equestria Stock Exchange. Blueblood left the house a few minutes later carrying his satchel and boarded his own carriage that would take him to school.
“Come on Mother, let's go home now! We haven't found anything and we've been here for two hours!”
“But there’s only three minutes left until my favorite boutique opens. We’re not going home now!”
Lady Tarina and her only daughter Regina were browsing the first floor of the Canterlot Shop and had not come closer to finding a new dress for Lady Tarina then they had when they began two hours ago. Regina had picked out an eye-catching light blue dress that was decorated with black sequins in the last shop but her mother had rejected it, claiming that the dress would cling too tightly to her body (since this shop sold dresses on only one size was available) and that it would be seen as inappropriate.
“Ah! It's ten o’clock now, the boutique is open. Let's go Regina! Let's start looking for a new dress for you!”
Regina groaned as her mother dragged her out of the shopping centre. She'd give anything to be at home reading a book or sleeping. Why did her mother insist that she needed a wardrobe upgrade? Regina was perfectly satisfied with wearing whatever was clean in her wardrobe and she didn't know why her mother failed to understand that.
“You do need new clothes, Regina. Now that your exams have finished, we have all the time we need to update your wardrobe. We can't be attending the Equestria Day celebrations in only a few days’ time and have you wearing outdated clothes. It just doesn't fit with our house’s image and both our reputations,” scolded Lady Tarina as she opened the door to the boutique.
“Good morning Lady Tarina, it's a pleasure to see one of Equestria’s biggest fashion icons here in my boutique at such an early hour,” announced Peaches, who was the owner of the boutique.
“I only come to the best of the best,” greeted Lady Tatiana, giving the owner a friendly smile.
“If you require any assistance, you know where to find me,” said Peaches, before disappearing through the door that was behind the till.
“It's such an honour to have you here,” mimicked Regina, before sighing and walking over to the mirror and looking at her reflection absentmindedly.
“Look at this dress, it's perfect for your figure,” said Lady Tarina, holding up a black see-through dress. Regina was about to retort that she did not need another dress but decided to hold her tongue and agree in hopes that they would be able to return home quickly if she chose that dress.
“That… that is the best dress I have ever seen. Let's buy it now and go home!” said Regina, forcing a smile in hopes that her mother would be convinced.
Lady Tarina was surprised that her daughter was so enamoured with the dress as she normally never showed any interest in fashion.
She’s finally acting like an actual mare.
“If you insist,” said Lady Tarina with a smile. Taking the dress to the till, she called Peaches and paid for the dress whilst engaging in small talk with her. Regina left the boutique and waited outside for her. She peeked through on of the windows of the boutique (that was slightly open) and was frustrated by the fact that her mother and Peaches were having a meaningless conversation.
“Why is Mother taking so long?” seethed Regina, only to hear the laughter of two mares behind her.
“You’re like nineteen right? Why are you still shopping with your mother, is your fashion sense seriously that bad?” sneered the light pink mare, before erupting into a fit of giggles.
“What are you doing?!” That's Regina Taurus, you idiot!” whispered the other mare, poking her friend with her arm. The light pink mare glared at her friend before looking at Regina again. Once she realised that her friend was right, she began to shake and she cast her eyes down towards the floor.
“I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said! Obviously you can find your own clothes and I'm sure that your fashion sense is great! And-”
“I accept your apology!” said Regina, cutting off the mare before she could continue.
“Would you be willing to attend my birthday party in three day’ time?"
"No, I'm going to be very busy over the next three days so I won't have any time."
"Oh. Okay."
The two mares slowly walked away from Regina and a few moments later, Lady Tarina came out of the shop holding a large pink bag.
"Let's go home Mother."
“Blueblood.”
“I've done the homework Miss Shine. It's right here.”
Blueblood got up from his desk and walked to the front of the class. As he reached the front, he could hear whispers from all directions. His family connections and wealth often gained him a few rude comments from ponies in his class that were jealous, but he knew that nopony would ever say anything directly to his face in fear of what Blueblood’s family would do to them.
“Thank you. You may return to your seat.”
As Blueblood returned to his seat, the teacher continued to call out the rest of the names from the register and Blueblood’s fellow classmates handed in their essays. When all of the sheets had been handed in, Miss Shine got up from her desk and picked up her chalk on her desk with her magic before turning to the blackboard and writing five simultaneous equations on it.
“Since your exams are right around the corner, our lessons will be purely based on revision of all of the content that you have covered this year. These lessons are also a chance for you to ask me questions if you don't understand anything,” said Miss Shine. “Now, open up your books and I will give you five minutes to answer these questions.”
The students opened up their books and wrote, looking up at the blackboard every few seconds to remind themselves of the questions. Blueblood quickly answered the first two questions before pausing to look up to the blackboard and read the third question.
What the f-? That question doesn't even make sense! How are you supposed to answer that?
Blueblood quickly glanced around the classroom and was slightly relieved to see his classmates also struggling, though he wasn't sure if they were even on the same question. Blueblood looked at the blackboard again but Miss Shine had chosen that moment to start travelling the classroom and monitor her students.
Shit! I can't ask for help. I'll just look weak.
As Miss Shine reached Blueblood’s desk, he quickly turned the pages of his book back to the previous pages and rewrote over his answers so that it appeared that he was answering the questions. Miss Shine stood over him for a few moments before moving. Blueblood turned his pages back to where he currently was and began to daydream, in hopes that distracting himself from the question would help him to solve it.
“Time’s up! Put your pencils down!” announced Miss Shine.
Blueblood was still daydreaming as Miss Shine called students up to answer the first and second questions on the blackboard.
“Now, are there any volunteers that would like to come up and show how they answered the third question?” Miss Shine asked. When none of the students put their hoofs up, she scanned the class for a student she hadn't picked on.
“Blueblood! Come up and answer the third question please!”
Blueblood raised his head quickly when he heard his name and it took a few seconds for his teacher’s request to sink in.
Shit! Why did she have to pick me out of everypony?!
“Come on Blueblood, we don't have all day,” said Miss Shine as Blueblood picked up his exercise book and slowly got up and walked to the front of the class. He took the chalk that Miss Shine offered and rubbed out the previous student’s answer.
“So the first thing you do is...uh.. you…let me just find my answer,” Blueblood stammered. He flicked through his book and pretended to try and find his answer.
“You didn't do the question did you?” Miss Shine asked, staring at Blueblood.
“I-I did, I can find my answer,” pleaded Blueblood, but he wasn't fooling anyone.
“Blueblood, sit back down please. Does anypony else know the answer to this question?”
As other ponies put their hooves up, Blueblood put his head down. He had tried to convince himself that each time he came bottom of the class in every test, it would be the last. But it was clear to him now that he couldn't lie to himself anymore.
The rest of the lesson flew by and when the bell rang, the students quickly packed up their bags and left the classroom.
“Blueblood, just a moment please, I'd like to speak to you,” called put Miss Shine. Blueblood groaned and turned around to face his maths teacher.
“Come sit over here,” said Miss Shine. As Blueblood sat down in front of her desk, Miss Shine reached underneath it and opened her drawer, pulling out a pile of papers.
“Now, I think you have a good idea as to why I called you back, yes?”
Blueblood nodded slowly and watched his teacher sort through the pile of papers. Miss Shine picked up one of the papers and Blueblood cringed when he recognised it.
“I know it has only been a few weeks since your last class test, but your end-of-year exams are fast approaching, and unfortunately I haven't seen any improvement from you. What are you doing at home in terms of revision?”
“I work through some of the worksheets that you give to us in class,” said Blueblood, hoping that his lie would be believed.
Miss Shine was skeptical of Blueblood’s claim and she decided to continue asking about it.
“Do you mark these worksheets yourself or should I mark them for you tomorrow?”
“I've already marked them and on average I achieved fifty eight percent,” replied Blueblood.
“I want you to do well Blueblood, and I'm afraid that fifty eight percent might not be enough for you to move to the top set next year. At best you might be considered for the third best class.”
Blueblood was shocked to say the least with what he was hearing. If he was moved to the third highest class for maths, then it would be very likely that his parents would find out, and Blueblood did not want to think about how his father would react. The only reason he had managed to deceive his parents for this long was because of Sir Wolfgang’s role in the government, and his mother only paid the termly fees that the school required so she also wasn't aware of how badly Blueblood was actually doing in maths.
“I will make the top set next year, right?” asked Blueblood, a hint of anger creeping into his voice.
“If you get the required marks, then yes you will Blueblood,”’replied Miss Shine.
“But I have to make it, there's no other alternative!” said Blueblood, his voice becoming significantly louder as he stood up.
“With this determination, I'm sure you will. Can you sit back down now?” asked Miss Shine. Blueblood obliged and Miss Shine waited a few moments before speaking again.
“Would you like to receive 1-to-1 tuition from me everyday after school for the next few weeks in preparation for your exams?”
“No. I can cope by myself and I don't need your help,” sneered Blueblood, who was picking up his bag and getting ready to leave the classroom.
“There's nothing wrong with admitting that you need help,” called out Miss Shine, but Blueblood had already left.
“So you would like to sell your share immediately sir?”
“That's what I just said. Do you need everything to be repeated to you?”
Atlas gritted his teeth and returned to confirm the details of the share on his typewriter. It had only been an hour since his shift had begun and he had a raging headache coupled with a desire for liquor, which was a bad sign since normally the urge for alcohol surfaced at the end of the day and Atlas still had seven hours left until the Stock Exchange closed and he had to meet with several other representatives and suffer through the actual sales that were to take place in the afternoon.
This is gonna be a long day.
As Atlas finished writing the details of the share and held out the paper, the stallion he was meeting with tutted and snatched the paper from him and went to Sir Wolfgang to give him the paper, who was standing near the podium.
The next pony that sat down in front of him was a navy blue mare wearing black large-rimmed glasses that were slightly too large for her face.
“And you are?” asked Atlas bluntly, not even looking up from his typewriter to address the mare.
“The representative from Solar Star Inc. My appointment is now, right?”
Her pleasant tone caused Atlas to look up suddenly from his typewriter and stare at her.
“Ye-yes, your appointment is now. What trades were Solar Star Inc looking to make today, Miss...?”
“Blossom. We are looking to sell a 10% share today to any interested parties, and Fancy Pants himself would like to meet with the buyer today to discuss negotiations.”
Atlas was surprised that Fancy Pants wanted to meet with the buyer of the share. The CEO of Solar Star Inc was Sir Wolfgang’s younger brother and had made a name for himself as founder and head of Equestria’s largest company for home appliances.
As Atlas wrote the details of the proposed share with his typewriter, the mare looked around her to make sure that no pony was watching her before she quietly took out a bottle of whisky from her satchel and handed it to Atlas underneath the table.
“What are you doing?!” whispered Atlas, looking around to make sure that nopony else had seen the exchange.
“You look like you need it. Have a great day!”
The mare took the sheet of paper and flashed Atlas a sweet smile before leaving. Atlas looked at the bottle and was pleased to see that it was his favourite brand of whisky. He slipped it behind his chair and called the next pony to his table a little more pleasantly than he usually did.
“Regina, come downstairs now please!”
Regina groaned as she heard her mother call her name for the the third time. She folded the top corner of the page in the novel that she was currently reading and left it on her bed. As she made her way downstairs, Regina had to step over a few dirty clothes (that most likely belonged to Atlas) that were lying on the floor in the hallway.
“Do the dishes now please,” said Lady Tarina, who was sitting in the living room putting on her reading glasses and using her magic to pick up a box that was on the other side of the living room.
“I just don't understand why I have to clean up after Atlas and Blueblood. They're the ones who made the mess on the first place,” Regina claimed with a frown as she stared at the number of dirty plates that were on the table in the dining room.
“We have been over this before Regina. That’s just the way it is, okay? The butlers are only here to serve and I'm sure you remember why we had to dismiss the last kitchen maids. Stealing isn't tolerated here. But can you come and help me with something first please?”
“Coming..”
As Regina entered the living room, she found her mother attempting to sort through a pile of letters that had just been delivered to their house.
“Help me sort through these letters and if you find any important ones, tell me okay? I really should've sorted this out months ago before it became out of control.”
Regina nodded as she sat down beside her mother. She pulled a pile of letters over to her side and began to sift through them, checking who they were addressed to in order to evaluate their importance.
“When were you going to get the letter Regina?”
“They said it was going to come in the next few days, so we'll just have to wait and see.”
The letter that Regina and Lady Tarina were discussing regarded the younger mare’s future. Regina had sent off an application for the History course at the University of Detrot approximately four months ago and she had been shortlisted for an interview that took place two months ago. The expected letter would either offer Regina a place or reject her application.
“What’s this?” asked Lady Tarina as she picked up a wrinkled envelope with faded writing on the front.
Regina narrowed her eyes as she tried to make out what the front of the letter said. “It says ‘To Sir Wolfgang and Lady Tarina’, and it has the North Canterlot Academy emblem in the top right corner. Is this about Blueblood?”
“Let me see that,” said Lady Tarina. Regina passed the letter back to her and the elder mare.
“What is this letter about?” pondered Lady Tarina as she used her magic to open the letter.
Dear Sir Wolfgang and Lady Tarina,
I hope that this letter reaches you on good health. I am Miss Shine and I am currently Blueblood’s maths teacher. This letter concerns your son’s level of progress in class. It has become more and more obvious over these past few months that your son struggles to keep up with the rest of his peers and this is evident through his recent exam results. I would like to organise a meeting between all of us within the next few weeks so that we may be able to discuss how the school can assist your son in improving.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Shine
Lady Tarina dropped the letter to the floor in shock once she finished reading it out loud. Regina silently picked up the letter and placed it back on the table.
“How?! How has he managed to lie to us for so many months?! Why didn't I realise? This letter was sent nearly four months ago. That little-”
Regina remained silent as her mother continued to rant. As she stood up, Lady Tarina flung the letters in front of her in fury away and they all dropped to the floor.
“Mother..,” groaned Regina. She lit up her horn and used her magic to quickly sift through the papers and form an orderly stack before carefully placing it back on the table.
“When Blueblood comes home today, send him straight to my study. I need to write to your father now,” said Lady Tarina as she left the living room and headed to her study to write a letter to her husband.
“I don't think that Father needs this kind of distraction right now, he is at work after all,” said Regina as she followed her mother out of the living room.
“I couldn't care less about what he’s doing, he needs to know how Blueblood has lied to the both of us. The shame. Imagine how many ponies already know about it.”
Lady Tarina opened a drawer underneath the desk and took out a small sheet of paper. Using a quill, she quickly wrote a note detailing Blueblood's deception.
“Here. It'll take too long for the carriage to arrive, so you'll have to walk. Take this to your father at the Stock Exchange now.”
“Okay.”
Regina took the note from her mother and closed the door to the study behind her, leaving the house to walk to her father and older brother’s place of work.
Atlas finished up writing the details of the last trade of the morning and sighed in relief when the clock struck midday.
Finally. I can get out of this stupid place and forget about work for a little while.
He joined the horde of fellow stockbrokers that were leaving the Stock Exchange for their lunch break. He ended up entering a nearby wine bar with a few other colleagues and ordered a glass of wine before sitting a table that was far away from any other pony. Atlas’ colleagues had given up attempting to socialise with him a long time ago and they all crowded together on a table, and some members were sneaking glances at their unsociable colleague sitting at the other side of the bar.
“Hey Atlas?! How’s Sunburst doing?” called out one of the ponies in the bar. His remarks drew mocking laughter from the rest of the ponies on his table. Atlas ignored him and got up from his seat to order a bottle of wine.
“I'm talking to you. Don't think that you can just get away from this,” hissed the blue stallion that had spoken. He got up and deliberately stood in Atlas’ way. A hush fell over the ponies in the bar as they watched the two stallions. A stallion stood up and tried to defuse the situation but one look from the blue stallion made him return to his seat. The rest of the ponies at the front of the bar didn't get involved in hopes that the conflict would be resolved quickly.
“Get out of my way now,” said Atlas quietly, trying to barge his way past.
“Make me,” sneered the stallion.
Atlas raised a hoof and swung it towards the stallion, but because he had stayed up all night drinking, his fatigue meant that the punch didn't have the impact that Atlas had hoped it would have. The stallion recovered from the weak punch within three seconds and threw a punch of his own, hitting Atlas’ jaw with such force that he dropped to the floor instantly.
The ponies that were sitting on the aggressor’s table jeered as Atlas struggled to get up off the floor. Atlas’ colleagues, who were sitting nearby, ignored what was happening out of fear and they nervously returned to their conversations. After thirty seconds, Atlas got up and rubbed his jaw before facing the stallion who had punched him. Atlas stumbled forward and threw another punch, but his aim was off and the stallion easily dodged it.
“Maybe you should cut down on the drinks my friend,” jested the stallion as he dodged nearly all of Atlas’ attacks easily. Atlas threw one last punch which caught the stallion by surprise and hit him in the mouth. Whilst the stallion stumbled back, holding a hoof to his mouth, Atlas took a chance and left the bar as quickly as he could, taking his glass of wine with him.
As Atlas took a sip from his glass a few hundred metres away from the bar, he spotted a mare that looked an awful lot like his younger sister walking quickly out of the corner of his eye. Atlas made a split-second decision to investigate and he walked cautiously behind the mare trying to identify her through her cutie mark. He could make a faint impression of a white quill on the mare's flank from where he was and Atlas was now 80% sure that the mare walking in front of him was Regina.
“Regina!” Atlas called out cautiously, hoping that his prediction was correct. He sighed with relief when his sister turned around.
“Are you on your lunch break right now?”
“Yep, I've got forty five minutes and then I have to go back. What about you?”
“I have to go and give this letter to Father. It's urgent.”
“Why, what’s wrong?” asked Atlas, his face paling.
“Oh, it's just that Blueblood has been lying about doing well at school. He hid his letters from his teacher and he even lied about his parent teacher meeting being cancelled a few months ago.”
“He has?!” replied Atlas, who was shocked that Blueblood of all ponies had gone this far with his deception to hide the truth. He did not feel sorry for him at all.
“That's his problem. Should I take the letter to Father for you?” offered Atlas, holding out his hoof.
“Okay, I wanted to go to the cafe anyway. Wait , what happened to your face?”
“I fell down a few stairs,” replied Atlas slowly, subconsciously rubbing the bruise that had formed on his jaw.
“Okay then.. if you say so,” replied Regina, making it clear that she didn't believe her brother. She held out a hoof and gave the letter to her older brother and said goodbye before heading off to the cafe that was a few blocks away.
Atlas quickly read the letter and smiled when he imagined what was going to happen to Blueblood when he came from school in a few hours’ time. It also meant that his father and mother would stop criticising every little thing Atlas did for at least a few days. Within a few minutes, Atlas had reached the Stock Exchange and headed straight up the stairs to his father’s office. Atlas paused once he saw a ‘do not disturb’ sign posted outside his door.
Should I go in?
Fuck it.
Atlas knocked on the door and pushed it open before his father had a chance to reply.
“Did you not read the sign? I'm busy right now,” Sir Wolfgang retorted, not even bothering to look at Atlas. “Oh, it's you. What do you want?”
“Mother sent this letter to you. It's urgent and it's about Blueblood.”
“What?! What’s happened?” spluttered Sir Wolfgang, snatching the letter from Atlas. He ripped open the envelope and read quickly, his eyes widening as he learned of his youngest son’s deception.
“I'll deal with this when I get home earlier today. You can leave now. Make sure you close the door properly behind you.”
“Yes Father. As you wish.”
Atlas slowly turned around and walked away from his father’s desk and glanced at his father briefly, who had returned to his work. Atlas paused and looked as if he was about to say something to his father, before changing his mind and gently closing the door to his father’s office.
“How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME AND YOUR FATHER ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION?! WE DON'T PAY THOUSANDS OF BITS EVERY MONTH FOR YOU TO BE DOING BADLY!”
Blueblood winced as his mother’s voice cracked for the third time. She had been yelling at him for the past five minutes and she wasn't showing signs of stopping any time soon. When he had got home from school, he was greeted by his mother’s furious glare and when she held up a letter from his maths teacher, Blueblood knew that he had been caught. But for some reason, Blueblood wasn't angry or worried about the possible repercussions of his lies.
“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” bellowed Lady Tarina in Blueblood's face.
“Miss Shine has always held a grudge against me. Between me and you, I think she's jealous of my wealth; everypony in my class is,” smirked Blueblood, refusing to cower underneath his mother’s vicious glare.
“Oh stop making excuses for yourself; do you really think that I will believe any of your rubbish excuses?”
“No, but I'm sure that Father will,” smirked Blueblood. A few seconds later, the sound of a key being turned in the lock of the front door could be heard and Sir Wolfgang and Atlas entered the house.
“Blueblood?! Where are you?” called out Sir Wolfgang.
“Coming Father,” replied Blueblood gingerly, the volume of his voice significantly lowering when he realised that his father was home. He slowly left the study and confronted his father in the hallway.
“Let's talk in the study. I don't think I need to remind you why,” said Sir Wolfgang coldly, holding up the letter his wife had written him a few hours ago.
“Yes Father,” replied Blueblood quietly. As he followed his father into the study, Blueblood caught Atlas smiling at him and Regina flashed him a sympathetic glance before he disappeared into the study with his father.
“Yes! That little rat will finally suffer what he's had coming for months now,” remarked Atlas, staring into the corridor that Blueblood and their father had entered.
“Grow up Atlas, you're nearly nine years older than your brother. Act your age for once in your life.”
Lady Tarina’s scathing comments left Atlas furious. How dare his mother turn on him for no good reason? His parents continued to prove to him that they didn't have any love for him and their constant criticisms were really starting to get to him. Without a word, Atlas stormed up the stairs to his room and locked the door, before opening his satchel and taking out the bottle of whisky he had been given in the morning. He spotted a picture of his family on the floor and picked it up with his other hoof and looked at it, growling at the happy expressions the rest of his family wore. In a split second the picture had been flung against the wall, smashing the glass frame. Atlas stared at the picture on the floor for a few minutes, before lifting his leg and brushing the picture (and the glass that surrounded it) to the other side of his room underneath his wardrobe.
I just want to get out of here and go back to my flat.
Why was I cursed with being a member of this family?
Twisting the lid of the whisky bottle, Atlas drank slowly. After a few sips, his head began to throb and he held it in his hooves and groaned in pain. Lighting up his horn, Atlas opened the drawer that was next to his bed and took out a box of sleeping pills, placing two into his mouth.
And of course this shitty day ends with a headache. Of course.
Atlas finished the bottle of whisky over the next hour and feeling the effects of the sleeping pill begin to kick in, pulled back the covers and went to bed, ignoring the fact that there was still daylight and set his alarm for eight o’clock.
“ATLAS! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO CALL YOUR NAME?!”
“That stupid stallion! Regina, go upstairs and call your brother down now.”
The Taurus family watched Regina as she left the table and climbed up the stairs to her eldest brother’s bedroom. When she reached Atlas’ door, Regina knocked loudly three times.
“Atlas! Wake up, we're all waiting for you downstairs!”
When she didn't hear a reply, Regina pushed the door open and stepped inside her older brother’s room.
“Fuck, it stinks in here. When was the last time you cleaned your room?”
Atlas lay asleep on his bed, and when the alarm clock on the drawer next to his bed went off at precisely eight o’clock, he didn't move at all.
“Atlas? Come on, you heard the alarm, how the hell did that not wake you up?”
Regina slowly walked over to her brother and tapped his shoulder a few times.
“Atlas?! Come on, this isn't funny anymore, wake up!”
As Regina continued to tap her older brother’s shoulder, she accidentally knocked over the tray of sleeping tablets on the drawer next to Atlas’ bed and they fell onto the floor.
“What the hell are these?”
As Regina picked up and looked at a few of the pills, she recognised the brand since her mother had been prescribed the same pills a few years ago. When she went to place the sleeping pills back on the table, she caught sight of the whisky bottle next to the pills.
“Oh no, no no no NO NO NO!”
Regina turned her attention back to her older brother and she began to shake his body wildly whilst screaming his name.
“ATLAS, ATLAS WAKE UP! WAKE UP! ATLAS!”