//------------------------------// // 3-3: Home Invasion!? // Story: New beginnings // by Elementum77 //------------------------------// “It started out with me planning Spitfire’s birthday party a few years ago. It was a surprise birthday party so I couldn't exactly go verify all the details with her, so I took the information I had on paper. The plan was to go to Spitfire’s house and hide there, make sure the lights were off, and then throughout the day not be completely oblivious, but not work the fact I was birthday up too much..” Fleet had close the book, staring down at it as she recalled her story. I already had an idea of where this was going, but still, giving her time to tell me the story meant I had time to figure out a way to prevent her trying to surprise me at my fake farm home. “So after work, Soarin took her to get some drinks, usual friday affair, me and the others had volunteered to stay behind for an hour to clean up and give Spitfire the night off, letting her and Soarin go early. After they left we immediately flew to her house, we had ordered the party stuff there, food and drinks, and some uh, things I would rather not say. See, the thing about Cloudsdale is everything made of clouds, go figure, meaning there isn’t too much in the way of locked doors, not that there needs to be. So we all went in to her house, hid in our respective places and waited….” She sighed “and waited…” “How long were you waiting? Did Soarin and her get lost on the way to hers?” I chipped in, trying to keep her going. “Well actually Soarin did take her time, at the time we said too. Though when they got there, we weren't there, nothing was, just her house. I give credit to Soarin, he played it cool, had a drink or two there then went home..or so those to say, anyways, what happened to use, well a young filly and her parents were very surprised when the Wonderbolts threw them a surprise party on the fact that she had good feedback from her parents evening at school. Her parents knew that wasn’t true, but they went with it. Luckily we hid the drinks and...things, in the kitchen, Echo managed to take them out back before the family saw them..” her face showed shame and embarrassment, but almost immediately she looked up with a grin and laughed. I’m glad that she found it funny and didn’t turn the meeting into anything awkward. I was not exactly the best at cheering up people I didn’t know all that well. “That’s why I am VERY on the dot about getting the right information from EVERYONE on the team, including you! Sorry if I came across a little hostile, I’m still learning to pry information and figure out when ponies are lying!” I was hoping that she would not get better at it if only for my sake. As much as I wanted to tell everyone the truth, I know that it would just come out like I was insane. Sure Spitfire hadn’t strapped me in a straight jacket, but her unusual calmness towards it wasn’t something I expected to get lucky with twice. The story did bring something of interest up though, as far as I could tell Fleet wasn’t exactly knew to the team yet she had no idea where Spitfire lived, not had anyone else on their team except for Soarin. Did they just not tell Soarin about which house they were going and assumed he knew? Had Soarin opted to not tell them they had the wrong house? Why was Soarin the only one who knew where she lived? “I’m guessing you don’t throw many house parties than?” I was hoping that the reply would be subtle enough to bring about a reasoning without directly asking what was on my mind. “Huh? Sure we do, my place, Soarins, Echo’s, and- ah, Well, Spitfire doesn’t really offer all that much for parties, never at her own place at least. Sure, if were in a hotel or where we are now, she’s completely up for it, and it took me a while to pry out where she actually lived, apparently she’s concerned some hot head on the team might have one too many drinks and bring a party of ponies to her place, she lives in a relatively quiet place, so all that noise would put her on bad terms with her neighbours. “ She didn’t seem too sure of what she was saying herself, either she was lying or she doubted what she was told. That didn’t really answer all the questions though, I would have to ask Soarin the next time I met him. “Well, bringing up houses and such, if we're not staying where we are now permanently, than uh, I’m gonna need a place to live..” It was true that I had not realized that the current arrangement wasn’t permanent, nor did I know how long we were going to be there. “Uhm, Well I guess you're going to be with one of us till you can get your own place, not because it’s expensive around here, but you can’t fly and a lot of the houses ain't exactly a direct route from each other by hoof. It’s pure luck that you can most places via hoof from where we are for you.” That was fairly lucky! Though that does mean that whoever I’m with, I am going to have to relive the shame of being carried around and getting some looks again.. “Well I’m up for some parties, but I’m not sure I could handle it every night, so I guess I'll need to ask around. What better place than to start now? Woul-” I was cut off with her holding her hoof up “Sorry dude, my place is too small to have two ponies living there, I mean it’s got a great open space for parties and stuff, but that’s downstairs in the building, my actual room has barely enough space for me and all my stuff! I’m thinking of moving, same building, I have my eye on this one room, just gotta wait for the guy to move out” There was that than. I would need to get to know the others better before I could ask, meaning now Spitfire and Soarin were my two options. If what Fleet said about Spitfire is right then she will likely turn me down, Soarin however, hopefully anyways might be able to lend me a couch. I wasn't too unfamiliar with couch surfing, back in university I left finding a new room fairly late, meaning almost each year I would get a room for a year than have to start searching, and procrastinating that and end up sleeping on a friends couch for a few weeks. Though, if I’m with one of these guys, I’m sure the couches are extra comfy, more so than my bed probably! I am a bit curious about this “Open-house” thing though, I mean it makes sense that you can't really lock a cloud, I think, maybe with the magic stuff? Anyways, the crime rate here must be almost non existent if ponies are this relaxed about it. That or ponies don’t keep much of value to steal, I hadn’t exactly seen anything that looked too expensive yet. “Anyways, let’s get out of here and head to the office and get your details down!” Fleet said placing the book on a return shelf, I’m unsure if she actually read any of it or just had it for show. I just hoped the office was one of those fortunately lucky places we could get to by hoof.