As I flew away from previous place of work a few thoughts appeared in my head and each of them bringing a decent debate with myself. One was about how I was going to explain this mom and dad, they won't like the fact that I had just alienated myself from my one and only job I can hear them now.
Mom would go “Why would you do that? I thought you loved it there!”
Then dad would say “You are now aware that you have to go back to school and get a formal education and then a real job. No son of mine is going to be jobless and uneducated.”
Then I would say something along the lines of, “Didn't you barely graduate high-school?” or this would really get him “You're right dad, so how's being the head bartender at ApplePony's?”
Then he'd either hit me and we'd get into a fight and mom would get so distraught then after he's about to beat me into oblivion he'd noticed mom and try to comfort her, she'd run to their room and he'd follow her but not before letting me know that “This isn't over yet, kiddo.”
But these are all what-ifs, although fun to think about, can give me a headache and so I don't usually think about it unless I can avoid something that is even more unpleasant, like getting beat by my old man and watching mom cry. I sighed at the thought and continued thinking about what I was going to do.
Then that particular thought that I remembered joking about came back. I considered it, leaving Ponyville to go to Manehattan, doing something I enjoyed. But how I would I even get to play? I don't know anybody and I don't know where I would even go to show my stuff.
But then I remembered about Ember. She'd be down to let me crash at her place right? We've been friends for the longest time. But she has her art school that she's been doing and is meeting up with that prestigious guy. She wouldn't have time for me or any of my shit. I decided against going and figured I should come up with a decent lie and buy some time with my parents. Unfortunately I didn't.
I came across my house and walked in, my mom was watching a movie in the living room. I came up behind her and looked at her watching it. I think it was a western movie, cowponies and stuff. Mom noticed I was standing behind her and was surprised she shifted her body towards me and said “You're home early.” I barely heard her
“Huh? Oh yeah, they let me have the rest of the night off.” I turned my attention away from the shootout on the screen towards my mom. “Rayne noticed I was tired and said something to Todd.”
Her face became confused “Todd? Your boss?”
“Yeah, what about him?”
She looked back at the screen “You never called your boss Todd. It was always bossman or old asshole.” She got off of the couch and went into the dining room, I followed her into the dining area and she kept going further into the kitchen. She opened up a cupboard to reveal random snacks and treats, she grabbed a bag of popcorn and started popping it with her magic.
I never did understand it even though she tried explaining it multiple times when I was younger, she may have well spoke about it in a different language. I was never going to be able to full comprehend but it was still kinda cool either way.
She brought it back into the dining room where I was sitting in one of the chairs and I just watched her do all of this. I haven't really seen her in a while so I stayed downstairs instead of hiding in my room. She would've followed me anyway.
She sat down in the chair next to mine and offered some of her prepared snack which I declined. She simply shrugged and had some more.
When she was done eating it, she put the bag to the side then looked at me and asked “So, why are you really home early?”
I was quiet for a bit then told her why I was home so early “Because I was fired.” Better to tell the truth now then her find out later.
“You were fired? Why?”
This I could lie about “Because Todd caught me outside having some fresh air when I should've been working.” Great lie I thought.
She put her hooves to her face and brought them down slowly then looked at me, “Haven't we raised you to know better than to slack off? Especially in your work?”
I didn't want to hear this “Look mom, I feel bad about it already. I'm tired and I just want to sleep. Can I go do that? Please?” I gave her my best puppy dog face without overdoing it and she gave in.
“Fine, but don't think this is over, just wait until your father gets home.” I was fine with waiting until later to get yelled at. It would give me some time to think and calm down.
I galloped up the stairs and into my room. Everything just laying around, this place was a mess. Just the way I liked it, random papers from school that I had yet to toss out, different cymbals for my kit, chips of old drumsticks. I guess I could get rid of the papers. But it could wait until tomorrow.
I opened my laptop and began listening to a couple songs that I had made in the past month or so. They didn't sound too bad but still needed some work, I began on my first track and was able to improve it so it flowed nicer, the breakdown was heavier, and little things added here and there. I listened to it and was very proud of it.
All together a successful night. I heard them coming up the stairs and immediately thought I was done for. I saw their shadows from the little crack under my door, they stood there for the longest time without saying a word or knocking. Then their shadows disappeared. I sighed in relief and looked at the time.
Almost one in the morning. I should get some sleep, wanna be in the best mood possible before I get blamed for something that's been coming for the longest time. I saved my song and shut it down and went to sleep.
“I wonder how Ember is doing.” I said to no one in particular
The next day I woke up on my accord, the usual bit, opening my eyes but not moving much, toss and turn for a while, close my eyes, rise, yawn, stretch, get out of bed. I went downstairs to the smell of pancakes and eggs. Strange, usually when I'm about to get yelled at, it doesn't smell delicious. I walked into our dining area and saw dad at the head of the table, he was reading this morning's post of “Equestria Daily” the headline said something about Greysolon. “I'm done for.” was my immediate thought. My mom came in from the kitchen and put pancakes in the center of the table. She looked at me and smiled, simply waving before heading back into the kitchen.
I came to the conclusion that dad was going to be the one to do the yelling while she just stood there and watched. I took the opposite seat of my dad and waited for whatever he was going to say first.
A minute had passed and he said nothing.
Did he know I was there?
Another minute passed.
Nothing, I decided to fake a cough to get his attention and get the madness over with.
“Hello son.” the newspaper said to me
“Hey dad, beautiful morning we're having.”
He looked to his left where the window was then turned back to his newspaper before uttering “It sure is.”
I waited for him to say something condescending and great for my self-esteem but nothing, the more I waited the more I became on-edge. When he was going to address my being fired? When was the beginning to my end going to start? When was he going to put down that newspaper and finish his eggs? Questions raced through my mind yet none of them answered by his actions or lack thereof. He folded up the newspaper and put it down.
I braced myself for whatever wisdom was about to be laid upon me, he looked at me and I looked at him. Then he did something I thought I would never see, he smiled and went back to his plate of food.
It was now safe to say I beyond confused.
Was I dreaming or was this really happening? The only pony who I've ever feared knows that I'm jobless and isn't telling me about himself back in the day? What was going on around here?
Mom came in from the kitchen and served me a plate of pancakes with a heart drawn on it with syrup, powdered sugar lightly spread around it. She went back to go clean up, leaving me with more questions than I would have ever hoped to have this early, any day.
Dad looked up from his plate and then at mine and asked “Are you not hungry? Your mom made that for you, you know?”
“What?”
“Your mom, the one who gave birth to you, the most important mare in your life. Your mom.” he continued to chew his food while talking, “Eat it, it's not poisoned.” I looked down at my plate, the syrup had soaked through the first pancake, I took up my fork and cut a bit off. I looked at my dad who was still looking at me, “Go ahead, it won't kill you.” I wasn't sure on that but I figured losing a job wasn't something to kill me over.
It still wasn't sure.
I ate my slice of pancake and didn't die. Pretty good so far. I finished the rest of it without ceasing to draw breath. I brought my plate into the kitchen and washed it off and put it in the rack to dry. I turned to my mom who was enjoying her plate in here. “Am I in trouble?”
She gave me a weird look “What for sweetie?” I returned the weird look I was just given.
“For..” I saw what she was doing and guessed what she had done, “For.. Uh.. Nothing.”
She laughed “I swear kids get weirder every day.” she put her plate in the sink and walked off to my dad and planted a kiss on his cheek.
I was still cautious of dad but it looked like he was.. Happy. That was something I hadn't seen since I was a colt. I figured if he was going to yell at me it would be later, today was too beautiful to just ruin with screaming. I went upstairs in my room to find my phone, and when I did it had a voice message.
I checked the details and it was from Ember, I listened to her message and she wanted to talk to me and to call her. I dialed her number and it rang, I got her voicemail. I hung up and figured she'd call later.
I went outside and walked around, visiting old places that me and friends would either play, hang out, or smoke at, talked to ponies who watched me grow up. I sat down in the town square and just watched the day go by. I saw ponies buying things for their families, other ponies running into old friends and talking up a storm, even fillies running around playing games like tag or Celestia says.
Watching the sun go down I started to head back home and end the day. I got to thinking again, even with my parents being cool with me not having a job I knew it wasn't going to last very long. I needed a plan something they'd like me to do and be happy with. Even though they know I'd like to be a musician they aren't very supportive of it and would rather me go to school. Not that school wasn't a good choice but I never could pay enough attention to it.
I arrived back at the house and went inside, as I tuned after closing the door behind me, I noticed there was a note on the table to the side. I read it softly to myself, “Went out for dinner, have some leftovers. Love Mom and Dad.” I put the note back and went upstairs into my room. It was still early in the night so I went on my computer and tinkered with my songs again.
Time seemed to fly, it was close to midnight by the time I looked up, “Wow, three hours.” I saved my songs and shut it all down. I checked my phone and she didn't call back, “Must be busy.” I looked around my room.
“I should clean up.” Even if it was just a little bit. I got off of my bed and picked some old papers and tossed them in my wastebin and tidied up enough to where there was a spot where you could see my carpet. “That'll do.”
I heard a buzzing sound and looked around. “Sounds like I'm getting a call.” I followed the vibrating noise to it's source and found my phone lying down on the bed, “Not where I put you last time but whatever.” I picked it up and answered, “Hello?”
“Thunder?”
“What's up Ember?”
“I heard you got fired.”
How did she even? “You heard correctly.”
“How did your parents take it?”
“In all honesty I have no clue, I'm still alive so that's a good sign.”
She laughed “Well, that's good.”
“I guess so, so why did you call earlier.”
“Oh right! I'm doing a presentation in a week and if it goes well I may sell a few paintings and be able to pay you back.”
“Oh you're still on about me sending you some bits?”
“Yeah, at least let me do that.”
She wouldn't have it any other way, “Fine, but take care of yourself first.”
“I will.”
There was a bit of a silence, that thought appeared back into my head. Wouldn't hurt to ask. “Hey, Ember?”
“Yeah, what's up?”
“I've been thinking a lot lately.”
“Well that's new.”
“And well, Ponyville has been the same boring thing over and over again.”
“What are you saying?”
“I'm saying I want to move.”
“Where do you want to move? I hear Fillydalphiea is nice this time of year.”
“Manehattan.”
“What? Why here?”
“To follow a thought that turned into a dream.”
She laughed, “That sounds really cheesy.”
“I'm serious Ember. I've been doing the same thing for the past year. I have to leave this place. It's sucking me dry.”
She realized I was being serious and melodramatic at the same time, “Well, where would you stay?”
“Isn't it obvious?”
“My place?”
“If I could.”
“I don't know, my landlord isn't fond of having many people in his buildings. I was barely able to persuade him to let me stay.”
“Please, Ember, I need this. I won't even bother you, you'll be at school and will be so busy you won't have time for me, it's like we'd just be sharing space for a few minutes a day.”
She sounded unsure, “I still don't know..” but seemed to be giving in, just needed more persuasion.
I was on my knees begging for her to let me stay with her, “I'll help pay the rent, I'll clean the dishes, I'll cook dinner! Please, anything! I really need to leave.”
There was an awkward silence as she thought about it, it seemed like an eternity before I heard her sigh and say “All right Thunder, you can live here.” I jumped for joy I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“Thank you! Thank you so much! You won't regret it!” I shouted happily
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just send your shit and we'll figure out the living arrangements, oh you're sleeping on the couch.”
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
She sounded kind of annoyed “It's just the couch.”
I only laughed “Haha, you're amazing, you have no idea how much this means.”
“Yeah well, you're welcome. You have to find your own way here though.”
“That's the least of my worries.”
She sighed “If you say so.”
We talked for a while longer but I wasn't really paying too much attention, I was going to Manehattan, the place to be if you wanted to do anything.
We said our good-byes and I immediately started packing. Clothes, CD's, drumsticks, some other random stuff, probably didn't need the Spitfire bobble-head though. “Shit, what am I going to tell my parents?” They probably won't like it if I just left with no explanation, I have to tell them.
This oughta be fun.