~Chapter 1: Good mornin’, rock star~
The day started like any other day. The sun raised past the horizon and made the shadows of the night vanish from the fields of Apple Acres, exposing the robust apple trees to the light and making the birds nested in some of them chirp as they woke up. Soon, they would follow their routine and get food for themselves or their children, before doing… well, whatever birds felt like doing. But the birds weren’t the only ones waking up to greet the sun.
On the second floor of a two story house, the morning light sipped its way inside the bedroom of child, who’s attempt to block said light with a pillow over the head was fruitless; the deed was done, and his sleep was interrupted, if not by the sun, then by the chirps of the birds that nested on a very tall tree by his window.
“Urgh… just five more minutes…” He groaned with an annoyed tone, dragging the pillow over his light yellow face as he sat on the bed, looking at the antique mirror at the end of the room that reflected his messed up, short, orange mane and the expression that everyone has when their sleep is taken away earlier than expected. The young colt rubbed his orange eyes and stretched himself, causing a few bones to crack loudly. His mom hated when he did that, always made her wince, but who DOESN’T stretch themselves when they wake up in the morning? It’s almost like a rule. His attention was then diverted to his right, where he could hear his pet iguana tapping on the thick glass of her container, that rested on top of the colt’s bedside table, looking at his owner expectantly.
“Mornin’ Dragon, you slept well, girl?… Urgh, it feels like it’s way too early t’ get up yet.” The iguana rolled her eyes and crawled over the walls of her container, going over the half asleep colt’s head and now sat on top of the alarm clock, placed on the left bedside table. Dragon tapped with her tail on the glass, calling for his attention again. Yup, 6:30, time to get up, those were the rules.
“Ah, c’mon, gimme a break, I’ll rest for a few more minutes, mom ain’t even gonna notice.” With that, he fell back on the bed with a broad smile across his face, making his pet sigh. The colt didn’t have the chance to rest for much longer, however, as his eyes opened again to the sound of the bedroom door opening and a voice calling for him.
“Stem! C’mon lil rock star, time t’get up. You can’t let this day go t’waste, now, can ya?” A big, yellow mare said with way too much energy for those hours in the morning, as she stepped into the room. She wasted no time to spread the half-closed green curtains that covered the boy’s window partially, now letting even more sunlight come in. Even with his back turned to the window, a portrait with him, his mother and Big Macintosh in front of the barn reflected the sunlight to his face, hanging on the wall.
“GAH! MOM!!!” Stem shouted, covering his face with his front hooves, making the colt lose his balance and fall to the floor with a thud. Before his mother could react and ask if he was ok, he was already standing, frowning at the mare.
“Don’t open t’ curtains like that, urgh! Why do I have to wake up this early, anyway? It’s Saturday! I bet the birds are still sleepin‘!” His ears twitched at the sound of the birds chirping outside. “Well, most birds.” His maternal figure rolled her eyes, walking over to him without a word and tried to straighten his mane.
“W-Wait, m-mom, what are you doing?! Stop!” He shook his head, stepping back. “Don’t ruin my cool mane!”
“And since when is bed mane considered cool?” She asked with an arched brow.
“Since ever! Besides, you know I hate havin’ my mane combed. I always look like a girl when you brush it. I’m almost a stallion now, I don’t need others to take care of my hair.” The young one puffed out his chest proudly, as his mother sighed.
“Well, do as you like, Stem, but you still need to do your chores. Yer uncle is waitin’ for you at the barn, so don’t slouch, you hear? Go to him as soon as you finish breakfast.” Stem pouted, turning his head to the side and scratched the wooden floor with his hoof, making his mom frown. “Stem Cider, look at me when I’m talkin’ to you, understood?”
“Yes ma’am…” The colt replied in a low tone, turning his head to look at her again. “Why do I have to help uncle Mac, anyway? He’s big enough to take care of everythin’ by himself! I bet he can even drag a house behind him, if he wants!” The mare snickered as he said that. Little did the colt know about the embarrassing situation that happened between his uncle and her teacher when she was a little filly…
“It’s not about doin’ the chores, it’s about apreciatin’ hard work, Stem. Someday you’ll be takin’ care of Sweet Apple Acres, and you’ll need to know what it needs to be done to keep this place runnin’.”
“But moooooom, doin’ chores is boring! Can’t I just go out and play with my friends? Pleeeease?” He stretched the last word, trying to give her his best puppy-eye look. The mare smirked.
“Nice try, but I practically invented that look yer givin’ me. And they’re called chores because they aren’t supposed to be fun. Now, go get your breakfast downstairs, ok?”
“Oh yeah, I can’t wait to eat that bland cereal again…” Stem rolled his eyes. Breakfast wasn’t always that fancy, usually just a bowl of cereal with milk, and a piece of fruit, to keep their stomachs full until lunch was ready.
“Well, if you’re not interested in breakfast, I’m sure I can eat your grandma’s pancakes all by m’self.” She giggled, walking towards the door as she spoke. He gasped and perked his ears at this.
“Grandma is here?! Awesome!!! Triple chocolate chipped pancakes!!!” He shouted happily, bouncing on top of his bed. The mare frowned, giving the colt a stern look as he jumped. That very same bed was hers when she was about his age, which was a long time ago, and it wasn’t exactly the most sturdy bed ever. As a matter a fact, the room was nearly like hers, except with a more… boyish tone to it. Her posters of boy bands from when she was a teen were replaced by posters of the new Changeable Bots cartoon, with the exception of the poster over his bed that had Stem’s idol, Mary Maravolt, a unicorn rock star that was the new sensation among the kids all over Equestria. There were also cards scattered across the floor from the last time he invited some friends over, and forgot to put away again and one part of the room was separated by a black curtain with drawn warning sign telling that no moms were allowed, which she never figured why he had that section “blocked off”.
“Stem, no jumpin’ on the bed.”
“Aww, c’mon mom, be cool for once…” He pouted. Still, the colt did as he was told and jumped off the bed, walking to the mirror to inspect his flank.
“Aaaaaaand my talent is…” Stem frowned, noticing that his yellow hide was still blank. “Still nothing‘?! This is so unfair!” He clopped with his right hoof on the ground as he still held his butt in the air, while looking at the mirror. His rear was then touched by his mother’s, where an apple-shaped like heart cutie mark rested.
“You know, it took me a long time to get mine. It’s not somethin’ you can expect to show up over night. Unless your talent is sleepin’, which I’m startin’ to believe.” She smirked playfully, trying to cheer up her son.
“Pff, no way, my talent is gonna be somethin’ awesome, I just know it! Then I’ll be able to show Piston that I’m a real stallion! He told everyone that having a cutie mark is the best thing ever!” The mare frowned as she heard that.
“Piston Punch? The son of the barber? I told you may times that he ain’t worth impressin’, Stem, he’s just a kid that has more apple pie in his mouth that he can chew.” The colt looked confused.
“In other words, he probably lies about half the stuff they say t’ ya’ll, if not more.”
“Yeah, right, next thing you’re gonna tell me is that he doesn’t know Mary Maravolt in person.” The mare sighed once again, shrugging at this reply. She made him to look up at her and smiled as her right hoof rubbed along his mane.
“Listen, what I’m tryin’ to say is that you’re no less of a pony for not havin’ a cutie mark. These things take time, and everyone gets their mark when that time comes, so don’t be rushed to grow up. Even when you get your mark, what counts is what’s inside you.” Stem didn’t said anything for a bit, but ended up stifling a laugh.
“That’s such a mom thing to say…” The mare smirked back..
“May be, but I got to comb your mane while you were distracted.” Stem looked at the mirror again, reacting with horror as his mane looked like his mom’s when she was her age. The colt began to frantically rub his hair, making the mare laugh at the scene. The moment was interrupted by a voice calling from downstairs.
“Stem! Apple Bloom! Ya’ll gonna come down fer breakfast or what?”
“COMIN’, GRANDMA!” Stem shouted back, trotting over to the door.
“Not so fast! Aren’t you forgettin’ about someone?” He turned back and noticed his mother nudging her head towards the iguana that was still on top of the alarm clock.
“Oh, of course!” Stem quickly picked the lizard and put her on his shoulder, smiling at his pet as it flickered her tongue at the air. “Dragon loves granny Jack’s pancakes too, don’t ya? But you can‘t eat the chocolate ones, those are bad for ya.” Stem told Dragon, unable to hear his mom as he went downstairs.
“Stem? Stem! I meant that she needs to be in her container, not take her with ya!” Bloom sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Who would have known kids could be so much trouble. Now I know what Apple Jack had to put up with when I was Stem’s age. … Nah, I was probably more well behaved.” The mare shrugged those earlier thoughts and walked downstairs as well, ready to start the new morning that was brought to Ponyville.
~End of Chapter 1~