~Chapter Three~
I woke up the next morning rather sore. “That’s the last time I go out clubbing with Mixmatch.” I groaned as I sat up in my bed, running my hoofs through my mane. Honestly I really didn’t feel like getting out of bed today, but I would have to eventually. Letting out a reluctant sigh I got out of bed and took a quick shower.
It was still rather early in the morning so I quietly trotted my way down to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. Here I am on vacation and I still can’t wake up after the morning sun rises; old habits die hard I guess. “Alright what do they have here...oatmeal, grits, corn flakes.” Sighing, I shook my head. I didn’t expect them to have much in the cupboards, but really? That’s all they had? “Fine, cornflakes it is.”
“Hey kiddo. What are you doing up so early?”
“Sorry dad, I didn’t wake you did I?”
“Oh no, I always wake up at five thirty. The shop opens usually opens at seven, but I got to be there at six to get everything ready.”
“Ah. By the way, is that really all that mum has in the pantry?”
He gave a small laugh. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to convince her to buy other things but she just rants back about how insects love sugar; and if you get one you can’t get rid of them.”
“Oh geese.”
“Hey Sil, since you’re here for the week you think you can help me a bit at the shop?”
“I don’t know know, I’m not exactly mechanically inclined like you. Besides you’re a unicorn, why would would you need my help?”
“Well we would be able to spend a little time together for starters.”
I thought for a moment. It sounded like a good idea, me and dad never really got much time to spend together. Especially now. “Alright. I guess I can be a ‘Go-fer’ guy.”
“Glad to hear it kiddo! So how did hanging out with your friend go last night?”
“You mean other then getting blasted into a wall by a massive wave of wubs? It went fine.”
“What’s a ‘wub’?”
“No clue, but that’s what Mix and Vinyl called them.” I finished my bowl of cereal, dubbing out the rest of the milk before washing the bowl. Dad seemed to immediately understand the situation when I mentioned Vinyl. I guess their Dubstep-offs must be a common sight.
Makes me wonder how they even get business. Let alone still have buildings standing. “Well I’m ready whenever you are dad.”
“Alright. Let me just finish my cup of coffee and we’ll be off.”
-0-0-0-0-
My dad gave me a quick rundown of how everything worked. What tool does what, safety procedures, and several things that I couldn’t remember to save my life. I really don’t know how he even remembers everything, but it all comes with experience I guess.
Honestly I didn’t even want to be here, but dad certainly knows how to guilt trip somepony when he wants something. As my father opened the shop I gave a mental sigh. It wasn’t at all that I didn’t want to spend time with him, I just knew mechanics about as much as I do being a dodo. Wait...
I really got to work on my analogies.
Over the next few hours I did what I could to help. Even if it was mostly just “Get me this wrench” or “Fetch me this socket” and what not. He even tried explaining some of the works of the mechanics, but it all just went in one in ear and out the other.I’m just glad he at least had a radio to listen too.
“Alright, thanks for listening in Ponyville, y’all been great!” I recognized the voice of the mare from last night, Vinyl Scratch. “This has been DJ Pon-3-”
“And DJ Mixmatch!”
“Sending your mornings off with a bang of bass! Anything you want to add before we head off Mix?”
“Other than my plot still being sore?”
“Ah get over it it. I totally whooped you in last night's competition, and you know it.”
“Bite me.”
She laughed. “You'd like that. Living Tombstone right now to send you off.”
I cocked my eyebrow. “Funny I wouldn’t think of Mix being a talk show host.”
“Oh yeah, he’s been doing that for a few years now. Him and that mare seem to have some sort of friendly rivalry.”
“Pfft, ‘friendly’ isn’t exactly the word I would have used last night.”
My dad shrugged and went back to work. “Makes good radio either way. Definitely have a good taste in music.”
“And I wouldn’t have thought you to be into dance music.”
“I like a lot of things Silver. Hey, can you hand me a 7/16 socket?”
With a roll of my eyes I fetched his tool. I’ve been walking back and forth so much today that I’m starting to wonder if I’m a pony or a dog. But luckily it was something I had to deal with for only another half an hour. Mix had trotted, rather casually might I add, right into my fathers’ shop. “Hey Sil, there you are! What are you doing under there?”
“Trying...to unscrew...this damned...oil filter!” I replied between grunts. I managed to finally get it to come off; unfortunately for me it decided to dump all its contents. “Celestia christ, IT GOT IN MY MOUTH!” Quickly, I rolled out from under the car and galloped to the sink.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to bath in that stuff bro.” Mix laughed.
I gargled water as hard as I could to get rid of that disgusting taste of motor oil out of my mouth. “Tell me about it...I got the filter off dad!”
“I heard, next try to use a pan instead of your coat.”
“So what brings you here Mix?” i asked as I continued to clean up.
“Well I finished my show and thought I would come to see if you were free.”
“Yeah I heard that. I thought you and Vinyl weren’t on good terms?”
“Nah, just a little dispute between rival DJ’s.”
“Little?! Dude you almost brought down the club house!” Mix just laughed at my statment like it was no big deal. “Anyways, yeah I’m free. I’ve just been a...hey dad what did you call me?”
“Other than a dumbass?”
“Oh haha...”
“I said you were my ‘Go-fer’ guy.”
“Yeah that...Did you have something in mind?”
Mix nodded. “Yeah, you know the hill right out of town?”
“Pretty hard to miss it.”
“I got a little...’activity’ lets call it.”
“Oh Tia, you and ‘activities’ should never be put in the same sentence.”
“Oh come on, you'll have fun!”
“That’s what you said last night before you imbedded me into a wall!” Again he laughed. I merely rolled my eyes in response. “Fine. I’ll meet you up there in a little bit. I at least want to get this goo out of my mane.”
“No problem broseph. Meet ya in a few!” And with that he trotted off. I shook my head and went back to degunking my mane.
-0-0-0-0-
After I finally managed to get all the oil cleaned off of me I trotted off to where Mix told me to meet him. “I swear to Celestia if he pushes me off again...” After much reluctant determination, and by that I mean grumbling the entire way, I made my way to the top of the hill. “Ok I’m here, what is it you...the frick is that?”
‘That’ of which I was refering to was a shopping cart tied to what appeared to be a makeshift slingshot. “Hey bro! Check it out!”
“I’m checking it out, I still have no idea what this is.”
“This is going to be our activity.”
“Are you high?!”
“...A little.”
I facehoofed. “Luna christ you’re an idiot. Ok, just how do you expect me to actually get in that thing.”
“I’ll buy us drinks.”
“...Free drink you say?” Needles to say that was all the motivation that I needed. Screw sobriety! The both of us climbed into the cart waiting for whatever the hell it was that Mix was planning. “Exactly what are you planning to do?”
“Easy, I pull this switch here and the band shoot the cart forward and down the hill!”
“...Are you sure that’s safe?”
“I have no idea! ALLONS-Y!”
“Wait, WHAT?!”
Mixmatch flipped the lever and we were off! It went well as much as you expected it to...The moment the rubber band snapped back (note to self, ask Mix where the hell he got that) we were shot like off like a cannon ball. It might had been fun if my wings actually worked so I could bail if I needed. When we finally came down we crashed through a barn and into a rather large pile of hay. How fortunate that I actually landed in something soft this time.
“That. Was. AWESOME!”
“I hate you Mix...”
Unfortunately our little crash landed had attracted some unwanted attention. “WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOIN' ON HERE?!”
I spit out some hay as I looked at the seething orange mare. “Um...Hi?”
-0-0-0-0-
The both of us stumbled into the bar still a little dazed from before. “Dude, I can’t believe we launched all the way to Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Yeah, me neither. What time is it?”
“A little after three I believe. Go ahead and get yourself something, I need to take a leak.”
“Fine but you’re still paying.” I sat myself at the bar counter. For whatever reason i had been spacing out and didn’t even notice the bartender walk over to me.
“So what will ya have, hun?”
I looked up from my stupor to see the night pegasus I saw the other day. “Wild Turkey, please. Moon Flower, right?”
“Yeah. Surprised you remembered.” she nodded with a smile. The dark grey mare turned back around to get my whiskey. “So what brings you here?”
“I could say the same thing. Not to sound rude or anything, but I thought you were nocturnal?”
“I am. I have to work the graveyard shift...well at least it is for me. I’ve been working here since one-thirty.”
I whistled. “Damn. That’s pretty early for you.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t get a whole lot of sleep anymore.” She comes back with my glass. “You know Panda has said a lot about you.”
Oh no. “Really now? Like what?” A took a sip, waiting for the worst.
“Well she said you guys had some kind of fallout, but she never told me what it was about.”
I sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I’m certainly not proud of what I did though.” I took another sip. “I’m sure she told you we were dating for a while?”
“Obviously.”
“Well, one night I had a little too much and...I ended up sleeping with her sister.” I downed the glass in a few gulps and handed it back to her for a refill.
“Smooth.” She turned back around to get a few drinks for other customers. I couldn't help but to stare as she worked. I have to admit, she has a really nice plot. When she came back I quickly snapped into attention. “I caught you lookin’, don’t lie.” she winked.
“S-sorry.”
“Anyways, Panda also said you were a pretty nice guy. For the most part anyways.”
“I try to be.”
“She also said you were pretty good lay.”
I choked on my drink, turning a brilliant red once again. It was also at this time that Mix had finally returned from the bathroom and sat right next to me. “Whoa easy there buddy. You’re supposed to drink it, not choke on it.”
“Eat me.”
“Oh hey Mix! You still having that party in a couple days?”
“Yeah. Really hope you can make it. Yuengling by the way.”
“Trust me, I need some form of relaxation.”
I turned my attention to my red furred friend as Moon went to fetch his beer. “You’re having a party?”
“Yeah, my birthday is in a few days.”
My eyes went wide-I had completely forgotten. “Oh crap, that’s right!”
Lucky Mix never takes anything seriously and just waved it off. “It’s fine bro. You’ve been busy with the guard and all.”
“Yeah I know, but I still feel like an ass.”
“Hey why don’t you show up? I’d bet you'd have lots of fun.”
Yeah...‘fun’. The last two times he said that I got thrown into a wall and launched in a shopping cart. “I don't know. I didn’t even get you anything.”
“Nah, you can just bring a six-pack. It’s cool.”
I thought it over for a little bit before I finally nodded. “Ok, why the hell not.”
“Here you go Mix.”
Mixmatch thanked her for his drink and quickly started to swing it.
“Pardon my curiosity, but exactly why are you working as a bartender?”
“Well actually I’m a botanist. I specialize in nocturnal breeds of plants. But I had to take a pay cut recently, so I’m here to help pay the bills. As long as the tips keep up I can make a couple hundred bits in a single night.”
“Well that has to suck. But at least I know how you feel. I’ve been in the guard, Air Patrol, and took a nasty crash some time ago which really screwed up my wing. If it’s not better by the end of this month they’re going to have to let me go.”
“Damn, and I really like a man in uniform.”
I hide my face under my hoof as again I blush. Why her name isn’t something like ‘Rosey Cheeks’ I don’t know.
“Oh relax, I’m only teasing.” she laughed. “But I am sorry to hear that. it’s always a shame to hear about a soldier getting hurt.”
“Well thanks anyways.” I finish my drink and stand up from the counter. “Well I'm going to head home for now.”
“Alright, see you later bro.”
“Hey Silver!” Moon called out. I turn around at the door, looking back in acknowledgment. “You should talk to Panda when you get a chance. Maybe reconcile a little bit.”
“I’ll try.” I waved and left.