//------------------------------//
// Regret 
// Story: Hikarus Freedom 
// by 20percentcooler 
//------------------------------//

Hikaru quickly found the first aid kit and bandaged the wound.
"There we go, no worry-no problem!" He thought to himself as he placed the first aid kit into a cabinet.

He suddenly heard the front door open. Iris, the pony who watched the front desk when Hikaru wasn't, was late for work leaving the nopony at the desk to greet and assist the guest. 

Hikaru walked quickly over to the front desk and noticed a tall White pony with a black mane and tail walking up to the desk. She had an official look to her, much like the ponies who worked in the larger offices in Canterlot. 
A thought suddenly came to Hikaru's mind as she approached the front desk.
"Oh no! What if she is trying to sell me something! Argh! I have to turn her down. But what if Dad actually wants what she is selling for the hotel? Argh but wait, maybe he won't....Or what if...she is one of those ponies who try to get you to join their religion or whatever it is. I already have a church I go to on sundays! Oh no, what if we are late paying a bill! Oh no! What am I supposed to say? I don't know what to do! Will I go to jail? OH GOSH NO NOT JAIL!"

All these thoughts rushed through Hikaru's mind within seconds as the pony reached the front desk.
Hikaru breathed and said a weak "Hi there!" Which sounded rather pathetic as his voice cracked.

"Hello!" She said with a smile. "My name is Trinity Star, and Im the head even planner for this years Nocturnal Oasis here in Ponyville."

Hikaru nearly jumped when he realized who this pony was.

"The even is going to be happening in about 2 weeks and we needed to find a hotel to block out some rooms for those attending the event. One of the others in the planning committee noticed that your hotel offers discounts for buying out blocked rooms, is it possible for us to buy off about 80 rooms starting July 26th until the 28th?"

Hikaru was still in shock, This pony was the HEAD planner for the event he so longed to go to. He wanted this to be a sign, some sort of strange sign that would confirm that he was indeed meant to go, maybe his Dad would be so happy about having all the business from this event that he would let him go! 

These thoughts rushed through his mind until he suddenly realized he had not answered Trinity. He shook himself out of his daze and hoped he hadn't been silent for more than a second. If it was a long pause, it would make Trinity feel quite awkward for sure.

"Yes, we can book out those rooms for you. We discount all blocked rooms by 40%, and any additional rooms past 70 are 80% off. We can set up a code for guest registering to use during hotel booking online so the attendees of the event can claim the discount. There is a required fee of 600 bits for us to block out the rooms and you would need to sign this form here..."

Hikaru reached over into the file drawer and pulled out a yellow form and handed it to Trinity.

"Once you fill that out and I get your payment information, it will all be set!"

"Great!" Said Trinity enthusiastically as she took the paper and grabbed the quill on the counter to sign. She wrote down all the required info and signatures, and payed the 600 bits to Hikaru. 

"alright!" Said Hikaru making a copy of the form for the hotel records. "You are all set!"

"Thank you so much!" Said Trinity happily turning to leave. As she got to the door, she called back to Hikaru. "Hey, this event you know, its the kind of thing somepony of your age might really enjoy, you should think about checking it out! Thanks again!" 

"Oh believe me..." Sighed Hikaru as Trinity left the building. "Its all I have been thinking about..."

Iris rushed in a few minutes later completely out of breath and looking messy and tired.

"I am soooo sorry. The cat I am taking care of for another family got out of the house and I had to chase her for 10 blocks! I got here as fast as I could, Im so sorry..."
"No no, don't worry about it." Assured Hikaru. He knew the stress of being late and how much fear Iris must have felt at the risk of being yelled at by his Dad. "My Dad isn't in yet and I won't tell him."
"Thank you so much!" Sighed Iris in relief. 
"There was a pony who came in earlier who reserved out 80 rooms." Said Hikaru taking out the copy of the paperwork from earlier. "Something you might want to look at and file away."
"Ah thanks for taking care of that." She said, taking the papers to look over.

Hikaru decided to hang around the hotel until his Dad arrived. He was going to be in a business meeting for the next hour so as far as Hikaru knew, he had no duties to attend to. 
"Maybe Ill go up to the roof." He thought to himself. "Its been a while since I have been up there.

Hikaru trotted up the stairs to the highest floor of the hotel. From there, he went into the storage room and up the ladder that led to the roof. He opened the door and stepped out.
Immediately, he was greeted by the bright noon sun, and the sound of the birds who had built nest on the roof.

Hikaru used to like coming up here since he was a young colt. It was like his own personal place to come and think as nopony ever really bothered to come up there (With the exception of the worker ponies who inspected and fixed the roof from time to time.) 

Hikaru thought a bit about what had happened today.
"I know my Dad treats any of our guest with the upmost respect and importance. As soon as he sees that the ponies who are planning to stay here in the blocked out rooms are coming for this event, he will have to lighten up a little at least. Its a long shot but I have to try and keep hope. I better pray that this all works out..."

Many hours later in the afternoon, Storm arrived and went to his office.
"I guess I better let him know about the blocked rooms." said Iris gathering the files.
"Oh um...hold on." Said Hikaru thinking fast. "Would it be ok if I took that to him, umm...its just that, he's been nagging me like crazy saying I don't do anything around here, at least maybe he could see me do something so he doesn't think Im just sitting here listening to music all day...(Which is pretty much what he actually was doing.) 

"Oh sure that would be fine!" Said Iris handing over the files. "I don't mind not having to go to his office." She leaned close to Hikaru and whispered. "Honestly, he scares me and I find him to be a constant annoying pressure on me, kind of like a migraine headache."

Hikaru smiled. "Oh I know exactly what you mean..." He whispered back.

"I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't know you felt the same." Whispered back Iris. "Otherwise I would be fired!"

Hikaru laughed and took the files and continued down the hall to his Dads office.

Hikaru tapped lightly on the door of Storms office.

"Come in!"

"Hey Dad." Said Hikaru entering the office. "Just thought I would give you these files. There is a large group of rooms that got booked out for an event coming to town."
"Oh thanks Hikaru." Said Storm taking the files to look at. "Hey, why are you giving this to me? Didn't Iris have these filled out?"
Hikaru thought quickly. "Um..yeah, but...I thought I would help her out and bring them to you. You know, she has to answer phones all day and file and whatnot, I thought, why not?"
Whew*
"Ah very well then." Said Storm. "Hmmm...Nocturnal Oasis. What is this now?"
"Well actually..." Hikaru said softly. "That is that event that I wanted to go to..."
"Ah...I see." Said Storm. "Well, I appreciate the business."
"Yeah!" Hikaru almost shouted. "I mean, thats really great of them to be booking our hotel right? I mean they must be really good and respectable ponies to have chosen this hotel right Dad? I mean, They obviously appreciate class. The kind of Ponies you don't see much these days. The kind of ponies you would want me to hang around right?"
'AH HORSE-APPLES' Hikaru thought to himself. I forced that one too much, great.
"I see what you are trying to do now." Said Storm. "I am happy that they are staying here. But that doesn't mean that I want you to reject your duties here and go to this event. Infact, the very fact that they are here means that we need more staff on hoof. Meaning your assistance will be required even more so."
Hikaru felt anger rising up within him.
"And also." Continued Storm. "Just because they are staying at this hotel, doesn't mean they are all good ponies. It seems to be from what I can tell about this event, is that everypony is some sort of rebellious punk who dropped out of school and lacks any kind of responsibility. Clearly not the kind of ponies I want you to be around.
Hikaru was mad now.
"How can you say that?" He yelled loudly. "You are judging them without even knowing them!"
"I know enough!" Yelled back Storm. "And don't you dare raise your voice at me!"
"YOU HARDLY EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS APPLE BUCKING EVENT IS!" Screamed Hikaru purposely raising his voice even more.
"I know enough." Said Storm calmly. "And you are not going, and that is final. No further discussion Hikaru. NONE."
Hikaru was fuming at this point. 
"How can you judge the ponies going to this event when you clearly have never met them in your life." Said Hikaru Quietly.
"I know the kind of ponies that go to these kind of things Hikaru." Said Storm filing some papers away. "They are all misfits and punks. They have no direction in life, and they end up being homeless and worthless."
"Even if somepony there was like that..." Said Hikaru through gritted teeth. "That doesn't make them worthless. Everypony has their unique gift, and even if they do make some mistakes, its never too late to turn around. Nopony is ever worthless."
"Where in Equestria did you pick that up from?" Said Storm. "THink about it Hikaru, a pony who ruined their life, and isn't working or contributing to our lives in any way. All they do is fill space."
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT ABOUT A LIVING PONY DAD!" Hikaru raising his voice again. 
"Raise your voice at me on more time and I am taking your music player and burning it in the fireplace!" Said Storm sternly.
"If only you would go check out this event as see the ponies that go, you would realize they are totally fine." Said Hikaru.
"No." Said Storm sharply. "I would go and see that I was exactly right. Everypony going to this is a worthless cause."
"Thats not true...." Said Hikaru with his head down and mane covering his face. "Sky is going too you know. We were going to go together."
"Honestly." Said Storm. "You might not like what I say, but she is a worthless cause as well."
Hikaru's heart skipped a beat and he suddenly felt intense anger rushing through his body.
"What did you just say..." Whispered Hikaru.
"Think about it Hikaru. Her parents were failures. Her Mom couldn't keep a job and ended up running away and going missing. Her Dad got scared taking care of her and left her with her uncle. And her Uncle is a KITE MAKER of all things. Obviously couldn't get a real job. I honestly don't think you should associate with that one. Looking at her families past, she will just go down that same road. A road I don't want you going down."
"So you are calling her a failure..." Said Hikaru, blood pumping throughout his body in rage.
"I hate to say it, But she will be." Said Storm. " Raised in a family of failures will result in a failure. I see it all the time. And I actually don't want you around them. Cause once something happens, they will turn to us for money and help, and we don't help ponies who can't even keep a decent life going for themselves."
'How can he possibly say these things!' Hikaru thought to himself. "What happened to him! Why does he suddenly think he is some great and powerful pony and everyone else who is lower class is nothing? And to say Sky and her family is worthless and failures?"
Hikaru was on the verge of a full out burst of rage. And his fathers next few words brought it out.
"They are just pieces of trash. And that Sky girl is probably just being your friend to try to get money/"
Hikaru's hoof flew through the air at high velocity and landed right into Storms jaw making a loud *CRACK*.
The blow sent Storm falling back and into a filing cabinet.
"DONT YOU EVER SAY THAT ABOUT HER AGAIN!" Yelled Hikaru. He was breathing heavily and was shaking in pure anger.
"Get out..." Said Storm still lying on the ground.

Hikaru dashed out of the office and past the front desk.

"Hikaru!" Called Iris. "What's going on? What was that sound?"

Hikaru ignored her and ran out the door. He ran past all the shops and houses, past sweet apple acres, and out of Ponyville. He finally came to a stop by a tree on a tall hill far away from town. 

He felt tears streaming  down the side of his face.
"Im so STUPID!" He screamed hitting his hoof against the tree. "What in the hay did I just do..."

He looked off in the distance as the sun started to slowly set.
He laid his head down and covered his face with his hooves. His anger now replaced by pure sadness and depression.
The sun slowly fell lower and lower in the sky and finally dipped below the horizon.
As it did, Hikaru whispered a few more words before falling asleep in nothing but his guilt and sorrow.
"Im the failure."
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