//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: If I Lose Myself // by Commander Joe //------------------------------// "Geez, how many times can I screw up this melody?" Milo thought to himself. He had been trying to play My Favorite Game on his acoustic for the past hour. Yet everytime he got to the second verse he would screw up the transition. It was quickly becoming very frustrating. Milo dug deep and gave it another try... "Come oooon...come oooon...yes! Finally!" ...And was rather pleased with himself when he got past the transitioning notes. He was almost halfway through the second verse when he heard his mother call. "Milo! Come down for breakfast! I made pancakes!" The fifteen year old heard his mother call downstairs. He inwardly groaned as he set down his acoustic and got up from the messy bed he slept and practiced on every day for the past few weeks. "Dang, figures I'd get called away just as I'm about to nail this song." Milo sighed. "Oh well, I can always do it later. Besides, whatever mom makes is usually worth it...except sweet potatos." Milo shivered. He didn't waste anymore time in his room and walked out into the narrow hallway, down the flight of stares, and to the bright and clean halls of the bottom floor. Seeing how unusually clean even the white wallpaper was reminded Milo of his fathers words to him the other day. "I know your looking forward to seeing...Paramore was it? But here lately all you have been doing is practicing. Now there's nothing wrong with that but it IS possible to have too much of a good thing. So if you can keep on top of the laundry, your room, and your schoolwork then you can go to the concert alright?" Remembering the state of his room Milo grimaced. "Yeeeeaaaa I should probably deal with that after breakfast. Here's hoping they don't ask about it..." When Milo got to the dining room his older brother and younger sister were already there waiting for him. His mother looked to be stiring up some frozen orange juice. "There you are! Geez what took you so long?" His sister yelled. "I didnt take that long bellybutton." Milo said with a slight smirk and a role of his eyes. "Ugh! What's so hard about saying Belle? Honestly, why couldn't YOU be the youngest?" The white haired ten-year-old pouted. "Donno, ask mom and dad. I had nothing to do with it." "...the heck is that supposed to mean?" "Uhhh..." Their mother sat placed the orange juice around the table and sat down before interrupting their...interesting conversation... "Alright that's enough both of you." She said sternly. Though that look was soon replaced with a somewhat mischievous smile. "We're gonna have a good day today, and if we don't then I'm gonna get very angry...you know what happens when I'm angry." Normally Milo would have just scoffed and rolled his eyes at the obvious reference, but he had been through enough cruel and unusual punishments to know better. His mother was awesome but she could be scary when she wanted to be. He settled with simple nod, which she returned. "Now, Mark I know you have work today but I was hoping that you could take a look at the car before you left? I can get it to start but it seems like it takes longer and longer every day." "Sure mom." Milo's brother answered without looking up fron his bowl. "Thank you, I know your busy but I'd rather not have to take it to a mechanic. Lord knows I can't afford to deal with those scams." Their mother sighed as she took her now empty plate to the sink and began to wash it. Mark nodded. "I don't blame you, besides it's probably the carborator again." "Geez Mark, you haven't even looked at the thing yet!" Milo shook his head as he shoveled another piece of pancake into his watering mouth. Mark still didn't look up from his plate. "It's not hard to make an educated guess based on previous problems and a little bit of research." "Ya know not all of us have a degree in engineering." That comment did make Mark look up, one eyebrow raised slightly. "What part of what I just said requires a degree?" "Milo's just jealous that you're smarter then him big bro." Belle cut in with a smirk mirroring the one Milo wore not five minutes ago. "Really Belle? Really?" "Done! Can I go now mom?" Belle asked, ignoring Milo's deadpan expression. "Yes you can, just keep the television turned down alright?" Their mother asked, knowing exactly what she would be doing. It was saturday after all. "Sure mom! Thanks!" Belle said and took off without another word. It was mostly silent again for another minute or so. Mark still held his eyes on his plate, though judging by his blank expression his mind was a thousand miles away. Their mother washing dishes with a small hum in her voice. And Milo himself was thinking about what he wanted to learn next on his acoustic. "My little ponyyyy, my little ponyyyy," "Whyyyyyy?" Milo sighed. Of course she was watching that girly show again. Ever since she found it a few weeks ago she had been watching it every saturday. The bright and colorful nature didn't exactly appeal to Milo's tastes, not to mention whole pony thing. "I'm finished mom." Milo set his dishes on the marble counter by the sink and quickly made for the stairs. He barely heard his mothers response. It vaguely crossed his mind that not listening to whatever she said would probably bite him in the butt later. But right now he just wanted to get away from the noise the TV was spouting. "Seriously, not even Wonder Pet's is that girly!" When Milo made it to his room he began to realize just how much work would be needed to get the whole thing dealt with. Dirty cloths piled half his height in the far corner, homework and music sheets in chaos on his computer desk (he didn't have a computer though, just the desk), boxes of various little nick-nacks placed haphazardly all over the room. "When was the last time I cleaned in here anyways?" Milo found he couldn't recall. He had been so focused on his guitar the past few weeks ever since he found it in the basement. He recalled when he first got it from his aunt, who passed it down to him after her husband died. He would never forget her face after playing for her as long as he lived. She looked so...sad, yet so happy at the same time. When Milo asked about it all she said was how happy she was that it would still be used. Alright enough stalling, lets get this over with. And with that Milo reluctantly got to work. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Starlight Glimmer was not in a good mood... Then again who would be after having their life nearly crumble to pieces? Today a couple of tourists had gotten lost and somehow made it to Our Town. She had made sure they were welcomed just like everypony else had been before. Tried to get them to see the logic of equality during their stay. Of course they didn't listen and tried to say goodbye to the small community a few days later. And of course that wouldn't do. She couldn't have any nosy princesses destroying something they didn't understand. So they had to go about dealing with that the...not so fun way. They lasted all of three days. Certainly not the longest time, though not the shortest either. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that Our Town had two more productive members added to it's ranks, and no one would be coming to stand in her way. But that almost didnt happen when Starlight had been splashed with a bucket of water by accident, she was forced to hide her left flank all the way back to her home. She was VERY lucky that nopony had seen. She would have to make sure to use something more water resistant in the future- "Starlight!" She heard her name called outside. She would get on that as soon as whatever this matter was had been dealt with. Nopony could stop her now...nopony