//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Miles Away // by Bucket of Skies //------------------------------// Chapter 1 I wake up to the sound of a alarm clock that sound more like a some pissed off mare saying repeatedly, “Get your ass up Velvet! I’m not going anywhere until you get up and make me.” As always, I roll out of bed to turn off the alarm clock that reads the same time as always: 5:30 am. I guess you would consider me an early bird of some sort, I only usually wake up early on days where I have to go to work in the morning. I don’t leave until around 7:30, but the main reason I wake up early in the morning is because that’s when I can get on my Smoke account on my PC. That PC is one of my most prized possessions I own in my house that once belonged to my parents. My parents had died when I was around 12 years old, leaving me to have to grow up and take care of myself. It wasn’t necessarily as hard as I thought it was living on my own. Especially since both my parents had life insurance, the bank ended up giving me all their funds when I was old enough to know what to do with them. At first it sounds fun being the one seventeen year old stallion to say that they inherit both their parents wealth, but then comes bills, repairs, all that other shit. One thing that I did have put on the side however was my funds for my PC and Smoke account. Smoke is a service for gaming PCs that is a library of different games and other software. It also was a social network for users to make friends. It is where I have most of my “friends” hang out. I say friends with quotes because I don’t have a lot of friends in real life. Mainly due to my public anxiety and a whole bunch of other stuff. With Smoke, I could talk to people and not risk having an anxiety attack. Yeah, you probably think I’m the saddest pony to ever brace all of Equestria, you’re probably right. As I approach my PC, I gently rub my eyes to take in the light of the lamp I turn on. I grab the the curtains near my window with my magic and pull them aside. “Still dark outside, perfect”, I say to myself as I look out into the early dawn horizon. I sit down in my chair as I go to sign into my Smoke account. I’m greeted with the same message I get every morning from my Smoke account: Welcome Back Lotus, Syncing your account preferences. Lotus was the name I chose from a comic book character in my father’s collection of comics. Lotus was the A.I. of the superhero named,” Quantum Stallion”. He was in charge of charging the hero's Quantum Ring and other stuff. Oh Celestia, I sound like such a nerd. Once my Smoke account was done syncing, I was met with the same thing as always: 20 messages from one friend by the name of “Prophecy Jail” saying to get online. Prophecy was my longest friend I’ve ever had on Smoke, like since I was 14 starting out. His name sounds stupid to say in a voice chat, so I’ve always called him PJ for short. As always,it’s usually just him wanting me to get on so he isn’t alone. This was rare however, so I respond to his messages just to see what is so important I have to wake up an hour earlier than I have to. Lotus (Online) : All right I’m up!! What is this all about PJ? Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : DUDE!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MESSAGE YOU FOR THE PAST HOUR!!!!! Lotus (Online) : You know where, You know that I need my sleep to function in games. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : YEAH BUT HOW DOES BEING ONE OF THE FIRST ONES GETTING THE GOLDEN FORK IN SF2 SOUND? Solo Fort 2 is my favorite game to play on Smoke. It’s a team based shooting game with 10 classes with different abilities. It’s a Free-To-Play game that can allow some players to earn rare items that make their profiles ridiculously high valued. It may sound stupid to say that you invest in digital items, but that all changes when you manage to get The Golden Fork; The one weapon that is worth over $10,000. Only few have managed to actually get the Fork. This is mainly due to everytime someone finds one, the location changes for the next one. Me and PJ have been trying for over 3 years now and still nothing, not even close. The Developers usually make a leak on their Smoke profiles to give players a clue, but it’s usually in computer code. Way too complicated for me to figure out on my own. Thankfully, PJ had been learning code so this time he might actually be right. This months leak was the same old code as always, but this time it had the words, “Invert_Grav_2Street_Lodge”. It got me and PJ on a hunt for a while, but this time I thought he might have figured it out. Lotus (Online) : So where do you think the golden fork is this time? Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Well, it had been a grueling 12 hours, but I think I managed to crack the code in the leak. Lotus (Online) : 12 hours!?! Damn PJ, you must either be the most dedicated stallion on all of Smoke or not have a life at all. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Yeah, but it takes one to know one. Anyway, so you know how that one phrase has been haunting us all month on our research? Lotus (Online) : Keeps me up at night as always. I can never sleep until I figure out what the fuck “Invert_Grav_2Street_Lodge” means. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Well what I have figured out might blow your mind. I think it is a series of events to do on the one map everypony hates: Double Street. Of course, anypony with two chromosomes could figure out it had something to do with that map of SF2. The only problem was that the map was too big to be explored within a certain time period. The mode that Double Street is a part of is called “Control The Cart”, essentially the mode has all players from both teams on one point fighting to stay with a cart that constantly moves. The mode can only be on for about 10 minutes before the game ends with the team with the most time spent with the cart. With only 10 minutes to look for a certain area in the largest map in the game, it will be a challenge. Lotus (Online) : Yeah I figured that, but where exactly are we looking for the Golden Fork? Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : And that’s what I am so excited for. So turns out there is a lodge that can be activated by using two players, one being the activator of the lodge in the map, the other being the one to make it into the lodge to find the Fork. Hence why the clue was had the name 2Street. Lotus (Online) : But what about the invert grav part. You obviously can’t just invert the gravity at will in the game, not without hacking. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : That is where you come in, So you're obviously a good StuntMerc main? StuntMerc is a class in the game that uses a launcher that can send you flying across the map to attack other enemies with your explosive spells. I have always played that character because it was the only one I was ever good at. More specifically good at launching around at the enemies to distract them while my team would capture the objective. I was so good at doing the jumps, that I could combo two jumps at the same time to travel twice as far and faster than a standard jump. Lotus (Online) : I’m listening Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Well I figured that maybe it was referring to you having to jump to a certain area in the lodge. Lotus (Online) : I mean you don’t sound wrong, Everything you have said makes sense. What if you’re wrong? Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : There is no way I am wrong, I managed to find the button to activate the lodge. In fact, I’m in front of it it right now. Lotus (Online) : Holy Shit!!! Did you activate it yet? Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : No, not yet. It would be pointless if I did now, I only have 3 minutes left in the game, not enough time for me to get to the lodge. Lotus (Online) : Maybe that’s a good Idea, wouldn’t want some clueless colt stumble upon our hard research and end up not knowing what value he has. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Lol, you right. At this time I had looked over to my clock and saw that it had read 6:58 AM. I moaned at the fact I had to leave to get ready for work. Then I would break the bad news to PJ as always. Lotus (Online) : Shit! I wish I could go help you get the Fork right now, but I have to leave for work in a couple of minutes. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Dammit Lotus!!! Why you must always go when I could use you the most. Lotus (Online) : Don’t worry, As soon as I get back from work you and I will get to finding the golden fork. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : Alright fine, but if you are not back by then, your ass will miss out on the $10,000 prize. Lotus (Online) : Ok fair enough, I’ll see you at 4 as always. Prophecy Jail (In Game: SF2) : You know it, see you later Lotus. With that, I shut down my PC and head for my bathroom to take a shower before work. The shower has been a place for me to kind of be alone with my thoughts, both good and dirty thoughts. As I shut the door behind me I use my magic to grab a towel and turn on the water for my shower. The water welcomes me with its warm graze as I step into the shower to clean myself before work. As I go through the daily routine of washing myself, I began to think of the possibilities of what I could get with $10,000. Maybe I could finally get my hooves on a VR headset and have a couple extra dollars spared for bills and such. Maybe I could also get a new art notebook and start drawing again with a new, more expensive drawing set. Who knows? Maybe I might feel like donating to a cause that might find the cure for cancer and they reward me with over 100 million dollars. Maybe Princess Celestia might honor me with some medal that will say something like,” Congratulations on being the first pony from Hoovesiana to actually make a difference in the world.” My imagination can run wild sometimes. After about 10 minutes of washing and being with my shower thoughts, I turn off the water and move the curtains with my magic. As I dry off, I use my magic to grab my toothpaste and toothbrush and begin to brush my teeth for the day. Mint flavor has always been my favorite flavor. Lasts the longest of all flavors After rinsing out my toothpaste and fixing my mane, I step out of the bathroom to then grab my uniform for work and change. The uniform fits nicely, especially since I'm not the widest pony around. Then after that, it's time trot to work in the humid streets of New Saddle, Hoovesiana. May Celestia help me on my commute to the bakery.