//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: Adventures of a Wealthy Lad: Equestria 
// by Twitchy Brony 
//------------------------------//

1999:


"Mommy, where's daddy? He's not home! I'm scared! *cries*" 



"Don't worry, he's just working late. He'll be back as soon as you wake up!"



This is how most nights were when I was growing up, or a variation of it. Sometimes, it'd just be me(5), my brothers(8 and 16), my sister(11), and my grandmother(??) because mother and father would be far to engrossed in the 'family business'. There would be days where I wouldn't even recognize my own parents. My grandmother was usually the one to take care of me and my siblings. She didn't speak English fluently, so communication was difficult (we weren't taught any other language). 


It wasn't all bad. I lived in a fairly large house, and I got any toy I had asked for. That's all a kid (I) needed to keep himself entertained. 









2002:


"Aaron, you won't understand this yet, but we're doing this because we love you," mother would always state. "We have to work extra hard, so you don't have to face the same hardships that your father and I faced!"



"Yeah, yeah, I already know. You and dad grew up in poverty, and struggled every day to put food on the table. Now that dad's got his own business, we never go hungry. I'm thankful, yes, but you've never been home, just to spend time with us..." 



*THUD*



"Wh-what was that?" I asked, turning in the direction of the noise. 



"It sounded like it came from the restroom!" Mother hurried down the hall. I followed suit. 



(several seconds later)



"GRANDMA!" I sort of yelped and cried at the same time.



My grandmother was on the floor in front of the restroom door. She appeared to have collapsed, for reasons I still don't know. 

Mother screamed "CALL 9-1-1!!!" 









2003:



"It's been a year since the funeral. But still, grandma was my caretaker. Not you!" My face was flustered, as I yelled at my mother. 



"But, Aaron, you're my baby! I stopped working, so I could take care of you!" 



"Why couldn't you have taken care of me earlier? Dad's already working, so you didn't have to!"



"I've already told you. We did it becaus-" *SLAM* I had gone to my room, and slammed the door in her face. 









2009:



Freshman year of senior high. By this time, I had already run away from home (on multiple occasions), I had my heart ripped out of my chest by my 'first love', and I was in desperate need of something to make me smile for once. 



2nd period:



"Hey Aaron, you've been sadder than normal, lately. What's up?" asked the girl I would call my 'best friend', at the time.



"Nothing much. I've just been bummed out about family problems. *sigh* I wish there was something that could make me happy..."



"Happy, huh? I know something that'll do the trick. I could hook you up, if you want!" I liked where this was going. 



"What do you mean, hook me up?" 



"Oh, nothing. Just gimme five bucks, and I'll give you something that'll make you happy!"



"Eh... sure, why not?" I peek into my wallet. "Wait a second... I don't have any small bills. Do you have change for a ten?"



"Oh.. um... I'll just give you 2 then!" Erm... 



*shrug* "Fine, whatever" I hand her the ten dollar bill, in exchange for a tiny plastic 2x1 inch zip-lock bag. "Wait... what even is this?" 



"Just pop it. It'll make you feel way better. Trust me!"



"Pop? Explosion?" I ask, giving her a quizzical look.



She just giggled and said, "put one in your mouth, and swallow." 



I don't really remember anything else after that. The only thing I distinctly remember is the fact that my gums were cut up from biting my lips too hard, I was dehydrated, I was exhausted but couldn't sleep, but I couldn't help but feel that I had spent those 8 hours very VERY well. 









2011:



I've been classified as an addict. 
I've been in/out of chemical rehabilitation clinics on a monthly basis.
I've been in/out of the psych ward for hallucinations. 



"I need to end this. Now." 



I went online to say my 'farewells' to my friends, when I noticed something AMAZING. 




(Author's note: Ponies will be added in the upcoming chapter. Sorry for the non-pony-ness, but I had to give my character a backstory.)