//------------------------------// // Chapter 39: The Final Preparations - Part II // Story: Adventures in The 6ix // by Wiz Ahmad //------------------------------// XAVIER POV HOME The rest of the week was rather rushed. Joyce had already sent out a departure notice to the landlord a few weeks prior, calculated her savings, and booked a flight for two, along with purchasing some used luggage bags for us both. I went through some of my old stuff and made a few quick online listings. The vocal booth project was cancelled. We planned to sell all our furniture and depart with little more than our clothes and a few accessories. I, of course, would bring some of my music gear, and ship the larger items over later. At the end of the first week, on a Friday evening, I called Zack. “Hello?” “Hey Breezy, how’s it going?” “It’s… going alright.” “You sound rather tired and solemn. What’s wrong.” I gulped. This was it. I had to tell him the whole truth, and I had no idea how he’d react to it. “My mom…she’s decided to move.” “To where?” “To Trinidad.” “Why?” “She’s… tired of being in the hood. We’ve gotten pretty lucky given the crime rate in this area, but we’ve finally awakened. We’ve been so caught up these past few years trying to survive while staying true to my father’s promise that we forgot about focusing on what’s best for ourselves.” “I…well.” I could almost hear Zack’s heart falling and his eyes getting watery. “I know you’ll miss me, and vice versa. Say, you got any road blocks today? If not, come on down! Let’s have some fun together, for good times’ sake.” “How are Pinkie and Skystar?” “Doing great! They’re loving their bikes and have ridden every day. No component damages yet.” “Will you bring your music gear with you?” “Of course!” I exclaimed. “I’ll bring my mic, audio interface, headphones, keyboard, drum machine, iPad, and laptop. The others will have to stay behind until I can ship them over.” “It actually sounds amazing, to be honest. Both of you, in tropical paradise, with a quiet, simple home, and all the sights and sounds of nature around you… you’ll literally be living like Nim.” For the first time in the past few days, I actually found myself smiling. “It seems like you’re more optimistic and excited about this big move than me. Joyce says you can come over any time during the summer vacation season.” “Really?!” “Really. Now are you comin’ or not?” “I sure am! With some prior confirmation, of course. See you tomorrow, Zackie.” “You too, Breezy. Bye.” As I sped off down the narrow city streets on my skateboard, I thought about the relationship I had with my friends. Sharing information and experiences about each of our hometowns and cultural elements gave me an idea: I’d buy each of my friends a cheap but good and useful present from the human world that they could still use. So, I hopped on the transit and headed off to the Dufferin Mall, where I picked out some nice items under $120. I then rushed to Chapters before closing time to buy a few books. In total I spent less than $400, so I was good to go. “Welcome home, Breezy!” Pinkie exclaimed, as I made my way down the steps that evening with my skateboard and armfuls of shopping bags. “Ooh, what’ve you got there?” “Some presents for you guys. Tempest, Pinkie, Skystar, you all have presents already. And Rarity, I gave you one of my skateboards.” “That’s true,” Skystar pouted, nodding. “So, who are these for?” “Well, let me show you.” I took off my shoes, quickly washed my hands, and settled down in the living room. I lifted a large box out of one bag, causing Rarity to coo in awe. “This is for Fluttershy,” I announced. “It’s a NutriBullet – a special type of blender to extract the most nutrients from fruits, herbs, and vegetables. However, I doubt you ponies have electricity with proper specs, because it relies on that to work. And that’s why I got these.” I then pulled out a few books from another bag. Their clean, smooth texture and crisp pages gave off a unique and interesting scent that seemed to attract Twilight like a magnet. “Yes, these are for Twilight Sparkle,” I declared, handing them to her. “They contain all you need to know about electricity and how it’s produced. I also have two outlet receptacles here, along with two mounting boxes, a fuse, a roll of tape, and some wire to get you started. Wiring up a whole house takes a lot of effort, and as such the other items explained in the book you can try to make with materials you have back in Equestria.” “You’re a genius!” Fluttershy exclaimed, looking at me with awe. “You’ve given both of us presents, with one being how to provide the means for the other to work!” I nodded with a sly smile, before turning to Rainbow Dash, “Indeed I have. Dashie, you deserve a present that’s equally as awesome as you, so with some assistance from Brian, I got you this.” I held up a wristwatch. “Whoa, that does look cool,” Rainbow Dash whispered. “Not as fancy or stylish as I’d hoped, but it’s fine,” Rarity added bluntly. “Well,” I shot back at her, “It does have many features which I know Dashie can use. It’s solar-powered, so no worries about finding a new battery in a land which doesn’t have them. Also, it includes a built-in calendar, altimeter, alarm, thermometer, and can go underwater down to 80 feet. Plus, it’s shock-resistant, so don’t worry too much about dropping it.” “Awesome!” she whooped. “Wait, what’s an altimeter?” “Measures altitude. How high you are off the ground. It’s measured in feet,” I explained. “And now for the Apple Family.” I took out another box. Right away, Applejack’s eyes lit up in awe. “Whoa, that looks like mah apple corer back at the barn!” “Oh, so you recognize this one,” I teased. “This is a vegetable slicer and grinder. All you have to do is crank it. Grind up cinnamon for those apple pies, or grate some thin strands of apple, pear, cucumber, carrot, and more!” “Cool,” Spike added, peering over at the box. “Did you get something for me?” “I sure did.” I opened up the last bag and pulled out packs of ballpoint pens, one after the other. “How many did you get?!” Tempest exclaimed. “100 of them. Thirty-three black, thirty-three blue, and thirty-three green. And one red. One of the black ones is a fountain pen, for those formal signatures. Should work nicely with Equestria’s inkwells. And of course, a large saddlebag for Tempest to put the larger ones in.” “Well done,” Joyce said with admiration. “You kept your budget low and still managed to get well-suited gifts for your friends.” “I hope you like them, and that they serve you well in your daily lives,” I concluded. “Now, let’s have dinner and get some sleep. I have one final surprise coming up.” The next morning, I checked up on the status of Joyce’s Ebay order. Still in pending. So, to pass the time, I pulled up an instrumental of a dancehall hit and quickly hooked up the microphone. I played the beat loud, so it could be heard clearly. Almost immediately, Rarity was at the mic, trying to get a feel for the beat in her singing. I replayed the beat, to give her more time. After several tries, she got it: Earth’s not good enough for Celestia, since I been with you It's not gonna work for you, nobody can equal Equestria (I know) I'm gonna sip on this drink, when I'm messed up I should know how to pick up I'm gonna catch the rhythm while the world’s up against me Ooh, it so tipsy Rollin’ through Toronto, in 24 I peeped you from across the street Pretty little body, fighting like a warrior, aye And you are unforgettable I need to get you alone Why not? A flyin’ good time, never hurt nobody Tempy’s got a good body but it's not all booty If you loved the girl then I'm so, so sorry We all got to give it all like we all cheery Oh, like we in a hurry No, no, I won't tell nobody You're on your level too Tryin’ to do what heroes do… “Beautiful,” I said with a smile and supportive clap. “Like the beat?” “Oh yeah.” All at once, I slapped my forehead in shock. I’d forgotten to record some of this music to vinyl records! Rarity noticed my disappointment and rushed inside the studio. “You okay?” “Yeah. Just realized I hadn’t saved any of the work we did to vinyl records so you could play them in Equestria.” “It’s alright,” she said softly, consoling me. “Think of them as practice pieces that will help you improve in your musical skills. Besides, you’ve already given us more than enough gifts to remember you by.” “Aww, thanks, Rarity,” I cooed, lifting her up onto my lap and giving her a big warm hug. “You’ve been a real beauty, a rare gem of compassion and generosity.” “You’re welcome, Breezy,” she replied softly, giving me a little kiss. With breakfast out of the way, I settled down to begin reading through my notes on the music library books, and did a few test runs of mixing and mastering with the compositions I’d worked on with my pony friends, as well as some of my older works. It really was a lot of work, but once I got the hang of it, it wasn’t so hard. By noon, there was still no sign of Zack. So, Joyce took the time to request of me to make some lists about what still needed to be done around the house. With Spike’s help, I quickly wrote it all down in software and printed it out with our old, shabby printer. My mom usually didn’t print stuff, so it was rarely used. Aside from selling furniture, cleaning, and disconnection from services, there was still a lot to do. Finally Zack arrived, and I added in the remaining information about “moving”. We were all smiling, laughing, and crying at the same time, given how Pinkie and Skystar had taken a strong liking to Zack for his goofiness and energetic nature. “I wish you guys could stay longer,” Zack muttered, as we all played together in the empty street. “I know,” Twilight replied. “But our true home is in Equestria, with our family and our responsibilities. You’ll still be able to make new friends, given your positive, joyful personality and your incredible BMX talent.” For a good four hours, we played together. I taught Rarity how to flip the board and balance on its edge. Despite a few frustrated moments, she soon got the hang of it, and came to really appreciate it. As the late afternoon rolled in and the sun approached the horizon, Joyce and Patricia returned. Apparently, they’d been shopping for boxes and shipping supplies. “I see you’ve also changed your clothing style,” I smirked at Zack, as we sat down to chill with some fruit juice. “Yep!” he declared proudly. “Femboy ballerina Zack is no more! Got rid of that outfit and focused more on my future career of being in engineering and business like my mom. My true manly self has been realized in a logical form. I still wear those bike shorts though.” I chuckled heartily. “Still the Zackie I know. Hope to see you in Trinidad next summer.” “You should take advantage of what’s there,” he suggested. “Get a camera and gimbal and go hiking in the forest. Learn how to surf and drive a boat.” “Haha. I’ll be considering those options. Will you be able to come to see off your friends?” Zack sadly shook his head. “’Fraid not, bro. I don’t know exactly when you’re leaving, and I may have schoolwork that day.” I nodded sadly. “That’s true. I still have to wait for the signal from Equestria to arrive. Gotta keep an eye out for the news on ‘mysterious alien beams coming from space’.” We shared a laugh, and Pinkie and Skystar gave their final goodbyes to their beloved friend, before Patricia and Zack left and Joyce urged us to help her with the boxes and supplies. For the rest of the afternoon into the evening, we sorted out everything we had and test-fitted my larger studio items (like the monitor and speakers). Then we cleaned the kitchen, and helped a buyer remove the couch and dining table (which we’d listed online just a few days ago). EIGHT DAYS LATER Things were starting to really clear up now. The basement was mostly empty, with nothing but the kitchen appliances, my mattress, desk, a few wrapped boxes, the luggage bags and trolleys, and my studio setup. We were just a week away from departure. I kept my bank account in place and had cancelled my library card and skate sponsorship. Furthermore, Patricia had agreed to keep our larger items until we got a permanent address, and then ship them to us. We also exchanged emails. To help with funds when we arrived, I had sold the Forester. It really sucked – I adored the car – but it wouldn’t serve us any use on a small island with a ton of traffic. I figured I’d just get a motorcycle for my mom instead and use my skateboard for short-distance travel. On Friday morning, I got a call from Rodney. “Hello?” “Hi Xavier. Just want to inform you that the staff is almost done, and should arrive by the end of today. We’ll work on completing the whole thing once that crystal arrives.” “Great news! Thanks again for keeping me posted.” “Always happy to help. See you soon at the shop.” I’d arranged with Maverick and Rodney to quit my job. Rodney would still allow me to visit on Monday to oversee the work on the staff, and I’d officially leave on Monday evening. The landlord, Mr. Xing, was kind enough to permit us to leave the premises by the end of the following week, even though our deadline was set for Tuesday. Arriving at the shop for what would be the second to last time, I gave everyone a good hug and worked hard on all the tasks I was ordered to do. Towards the late hours of the afternoon, Rodney arrived, carrying a long, thin package. “Here it is,” he announced, cutting the box open and ripping back the flaps to reveal a steel shaft. It was exactly as I’d hope it to be, with a slightly wavy pattern yet smooth surface, with the flat circular guard and three of the six metal spikes perfectly curved around to house the gem. I then reached in and lifted it up. Boy, it was heavy! However, I could still swing it and direct it without too much force. Rodney just stood there, smiling at me like a dad who’d just bought his Star Wars-obsessed son a realistic lightsaber. “Alright,” I sighed, placing it back in the packaging. “The day’s already passing. We’ll come back on Monday and finish this up.” “Amen to that, Xavier.” The weekend was a rather silent and reserved affair. I spent the time mostly just skating around to clear my mind and prepare for what lay ahead. The moment they did a 10 second Google search on the island and its wildlife, beaches, and culture, Fluttershy and Rarity actually wanted to come to Trinidad with me. But obviously that was a no. In the afternoon, I spent some time planning out a few musical projects that I’d work on when I got there, as well as which festivals were popular. I’d never created, mixed, let alone played music live, but it sounded like a great opportunity to expand my influence and have a dedicated audience. On Sunday, it rained. Lots of it. We all stayed tight inside and passed the time playing board games and revising our departure checklist. Weirdly, Tempest offered to switcheroo with affection. Rarity let me cuddle and kiss her, while Tempest let Spike crawl over her and massage her belly. And then, Tempest asked to have her tack put on. “Ooh, yes!” Tempest let out a drawn-out-whisper as I gently lowered the saddle onto her and tightened one of the girth straps. “You really get a kick out of this, don’t you?” Joyce glared at her. Tempest’s lips quivered, and she nodded slightly, her ears drooping, before Joyce put a hand under her chin. “Don’t feel bad for what you enjoy. There’s always something that one partner likes but doesn’t admit to. But when they do, the bond between partners grows and solidifies. Just don’t make an obsessive habit of it, alright?” Tempest smiled back at her, before letting out a slight squee as I approached with the bridle. Her eyes half-closed as I gently slid the bit into her mouth, and she bit down, keeping it in place against her lips, which were surprisingly tender. Princess Skystar joined in too, attaching the breast collar and clipping on the reins. I added on the saddlebag and wrapped her tail tightly, holding it up at a forty-five angle. Finally, Skystar strapped on the blue horse boots. Fully clad in her tack, Tempest looked amazing… and concerning. She was shaking a little, and appeared to speak a little, but was actually gagging on her bit as she gasped. Joyce looked like she had ten tons of regret dropped on her. Fluttershy and the others didn’t get it, but I knew why. So did Twilight and Rarity. By trying to have fun with Tempest and make her happy, we’d only exposed her deepest pleasure. How could I have not figured this would happen? Now internally she was crying for sex. I wanted to just quickly strip her of her getup and undo everything as fast as possible, but at the same time I felt there was a better method to resolve the situation. “Let’s walk outside,” I suggested, breaking the silence. “I… I need…” Tempest’s muffled stutters came out as we walked up the steps, with Twilight, Spike, and Rarity in tow. “Just relax,” I whispered, as we walked around. “You’re desperate for comfort, so let’s get comfortable. By walking.” Spike eagerly hopped up onto the saddle and held the reins. I warned him not to pull on them, and together we all walked up and down the street, easing the tension in Tempest’s body and smoothening out the locked-up ridges in her hormones. After a while, her eyelids started to droop, but in a tired manner. Then came a yawn. I nodded to Twilight, and slowly, we started removing her tack as we began the final lap of our walk. And it worked! By the time we re-enter the house, she was back to normal, and her mind and body were consecutively tired. I gently eased her bulky body onto my mattress, and carefully wiped her sweat off with a small towel. “What can we do about this?” Joyce asked in a concerned voice, as we shared a plate of biscuits and some warm tea before hitting the pillow. “Not much,” I confided. “She’s got a serious kink, and I got so wrapped up in the joy of dressing her up I forgot about it. The best we can do is keep her mind off it.” “It’s okay, sweetie,” Joyce replied, stroking my cheek with a smile. “If anything, it’s confirmation of how you’ve truly found love through your kind-heartedness.” Just before getting some shut-eye, I opened my phone and checked the news. “This has to have been noticed,” I thought. Sure enough, it was. An article in the science and tech category. I tapped on the video within the article and put on my Bluetooth earbuds. “A large unknown beam of energy has been spotted streaking through space over the past week. The beam appears to be of many bright colors, and little can be done to stop it. Whether it will actually touch Earth is anyone’s guess, but predictions show that it has disappeared and re-appeared multiple times. If it appeared again tomorrow, it’d likely to touch down in Toronto, causing massive damage to the downtown area and costing the city millions of dollars. Evacuation orders have yet to be called out.” I gasped with realization and hope. It really was all coming to plan. All I could do was hope that it would all align exactly right. Time was everything.