Moving day came and my mom yelled from below, " Hurry up, your friend Apachie is here already." As I stir from my sleep I look at clock. It read 10:42 a.m. DAMN! I OVER SLEPT! I throw the blanket off and look in the mirror really quick. My coat was as red as ever and the black markings looked kinda cool just the same. My mane was all over the place but I didn't care. I always liked my black hair though my mom never really liked how I had a single red stripe in it. I was taller than the average pony and that gave me something to be proud of.
I saw the picture of dad on the dresser and said, "Today is the day dad." My dad has been dead for some time now. He got sick when I was just a colt and died. His name was Blizzard Gust. And for good reason. His coat was as white as you can imagine. He had wings bigger than the normal pegasus and always brought me along whenever he flew somewhere. It makes me sad that he's not here to see me off but I know he's watching over me.
I turned away and started to get dressed in my blue, black jumpsuit, having trouble finding the holes for my wings like always, and begin to carry my suit case down the stairs. I see mom sitting and talking to Apachie about where we were moving. Mom was a light blue pegasus with white spots over her wings and a white mane and tail with a stripe of light blue. She was pretty small for having such a loud voice. Well, atleast when she wanted to have a loud voice. Her name was Sky Cloud which made me laugh sometimes cause the sky already dealt with clouds but I never really pushed the subject since I was the only one who ever thought it was funny.
She looked over to me with a pout and said, " Red Nightingale, how you ever wake up on time is a mystery to me."
"Its called an alarm clock mom, I just forgot to set it last night." I said with a stern look.
"Heh." I heard coming from the direction of Apachie," You should see how late he wakes up whenever we go on vacation."
Apachie Chief was his full name. He's a dark brown pegasus with an all black mane. He was the kind of pony that never really let anything bother him and was always laid back. He never had the right state of mind and always seemed like he was elsewhere but he tried to be focus around my parents. As a side effect to never being in the right state of mind he ate three times more than the normal pony.He was a full head taller than me and I honestly believed that the only ponies in all of Esquestria taller were the Princesses themselves. He was strong. Very strong. Which came in handy at times. Growing up we tended to get into lots of fights and we always came out on top. I trained with him whenever we had free time so I was just about as strong as he was but I could never beat him when we sparred.
I gave him the same look I gave my mom as she said," Well this isn't a vacation. It's the beginning of the rest of your lives."
Apachie thought about for a second. "I guess you're right Sky."
As I walked into the kitchen I could see pancakes on the table as I heard them continue their conversation in the living room. This was bad. Mom only ever made pancakes when she was sad. Damnit. She's gonna cry us a lake when she sees us off. I finished my breakfast and come back into the living room as I hear Apachie talk about the place we're going to be living in.
"Its a small town right outside of Canterlot called Ponyville. I have a relative that lives there and is willing to put us up until we have a place of our own." He said with a look in his eye. He was lying. I could tell because its happened before.
Every summer for the last few years Apachie and me would save up some bits and stay somewhere new. Well last year we spent the summer in Canterlot. He said he had an aunt there willing to let us stay but when we got there I realized he had lied. I was mad but we were lucky enough to find a place to stay by, as you guessed it, getting into a fight.
FLASHBACK
"Oh come on man it's not as bad as it seems." Apachie claimed.
I was drinking my sorrows away about not having a place to stay. Out of the corner of my eye I see this mare being hit on and looking disgusted. The pony couldn't take a hint and kept trying to hit on her. He grabbed her by the hoof and she fought. That's around the time I ran over and gave him a hoof to the face knocking him unconscious.
I looked over and asked her, "Are you ok miss?"
She looked stunned for a second before realizing what had happened then looked at me with a scared look. "Thank you stranger." She threw her legs around my neck and hugged me. A quick one but it left me breathless.
She let go blushing. "I'm sorry. I was just frightened and didn't know what to do. I am lucky you came along when you did."
Catching my breath I said, "No problem miss..."
"Octavia." She said. "What is your name stranger?"
"The names Red Nightingale." I said bowing down.
"But you can just call him Skitzo!" Apachie said from behind me walking towards us.
"Ugh." I sighed
She looked at me puzzled by such a weird nick name.
"Long story," I said in her direction. "excuse me for a moment."
I walked over to Apachie and sent a hoof right into his chest. His reaction? A smile and laugh.
"Oh come on man that's an awesome name."
"I thought I told you to drop that name. It gets ponies thinking there is something wrong with me." I said angrily.
"I wouldn't judge you so quickly." Said a voice from behind. "Not after what you just did for me."
I quickly turn back and there stood Octavia. She had followed me through the crowd. "Who is your friend?" She asked curiously.
"Apachie Chief is the name, livin' life's my game." He said with a smile on his face.
"Interesting name. So what brings you two to this bar?" Wonder in her face.
"We're staying in Canterlot for the summer. We're on vacation." Apachie answered.
"Ya too bad we don't have a place to stay thanks to someone." I look at Apachie as he looks away pretending not to notice.
"Oh?" She said surprised. She thought for a second blushing to herself as she saw the two ponies in front of her play fighting. "Why don't you two stay with me? I have a guest room."
I stood there dumbstruck. "Are you sure about that? I mean we've only just met."
"It's no problem. Think of it as a way for me to pay you back for you saving me." She said blushing.
"Alright! Thanks...ummm.."Apachie said trailing off.
"Octavia." She said with a smile.
"Thanks Octa!"
She looked at me with a confused look. "He comes up with weird nicknames. Don't pay much attention to them. I tend to tone him out when he talks most of the time." She giggled.
"Well why don't we get going? It's getting dark." She said as walked towards the door.
"See?! I told you not to worry man." Apachie said smiling like an idiot.
FLASHBACK END
I thought to myself if not for Octavia we probably wouldn't have found a place to stay. I told my mom the same story she heard before we left so it was all a secret. I thought about that night and felt my face heating up like a pot on a stove and thought to myself, Now is not the time to think about that.
It came close to eleven and it was about time for us to leave to Ponyville. I walked over to the two of them and asked, "You ready man?"
Apachie said with a look of someone who was too excited. "Hay ya man. I've been waiting for your lazy flank to get out of bed."
"Well then lets go." I said. "This is it mom."
Tears began to fall down her cheeks. I knew this was going to happen. She came over to me and hugged me tightly. "I going to miss you Gale. Take care of yourself and don't get into any fights. Make sure you don't stay in bed all day and...and...and..." she couldn't finish her sentence because she was crying so hard. I felt myself wanting to cry but I held it back.
She let go off me and ran to the other room and came back with a present. "I got it for you the other day. I hope you like it." She said while giving it to me.
I openned the box and saw a pair of black rimmed glasses with dark blue lenses. They looked so cool and matched my jumpsuit. I looked up at her and hugged her saying, "I love you mom."
"I love you too hunny." Tears running down both our faces now.
We let go and I walked towards the door where Apachie was waiting. I pick up my suitcase and open the door. We walk out and say, "Bye mom, I'll make sure to write."
She said, "You better! Apachie make sure you take care of him for me."
"No problem Sky. I'll make sure nothing happens to him." He said with a smile.
With that we close the door and begin to walk out into the streets of Cloudsdale.
"If only she knew I'm the one that has to take care of your flank." I say out loud as Apachie starts flying over head.
"Come on Skitzo! You know you wouldn't survive a day without me." He says with that stupid smile of his.
I take off and kick him in flank and tell him, "You know I really hate that name." I gave him a dirty look.
"Ya I know. I'm gonna make sure it catches. Even if I have to tell every pony we meet to call you that."
"I'll kill you if it ever catches." I threaten him. He just laughs as we fly towards our new lives in Ponyville.