Growing Up Mane Six

by Aiet

Only once (more)

Six months ago Xylon could wake up in the morning and make breakfast for his daughters, getting ready afterwords to go to work at the furniture store. He would come back home to six smiling, giggling girls that couldn't wait to tell him what they did while he was gone and ask what he did at work. He would soon cook dinner and get the girls ready for bed. Now he couldn't any more. Now he got up and went strait to work at the furniture store then coming home to spend two hours cooking for lunch and dinner. He would leave to go to 'The Back', where he would serve 'sugar' with his meals to the stallion's clients. He now had all the money needed to support his daughters and more but no longer had the energy to do any thing else but make them lunch and dinner. He had to trust the girls on getting to bed on time by them selves. This cycle repeated until it matched the raising and setting of the sun. Until one day that gray stallion took notice.

“Hey there bruder, what's with ya? Ya ever sleep?” dark bags seem to be customary under Xylon's eyes along with sluggish movement. It would never effect his job, he made sure of it, but made him sleep like a rock.

“Maybe ya need a pick me up?” Xylon looked at him confused as the stallion went over to the fake counter and pulled it back. After scoping some into a small box he pushed it back into place and walked back over to Xylon.

“Here go ahead. Ya brought me so many new clients with ya cooking a little for ya won't be missed at none.” he pushed the box into Xylon's hands and he looked down at it. He simply put it into his pocket and continued working. Today was business as usual with the exception of more and more customers since he started working there.

“Good night daddy.” Xylon tucked in Fluttershy with a kiss on the forehead, he had the chance to leave early that night. He was able to tuck in each girl and tell them good night, something he hadn't be able to do since he got his second job. Each girl now slept peacefully in their beds and he walked down stairs to his room. He walked into his room and sat on his bed, that's when he noticed something in his pocket. He pulled out the small box and placed it on his bed side table, staring at it. Leaving it there he went to the bathroom and took a hot bath, something else he hadn't been able to do for awhile. He let the hot water work away the stiffness in his muscles and wash away the stress. It felt almost as good when Celestia did it for him.

Xylon sat up quickly after that thought popped up into his head from no where. He just sighed and let the water drain while laying back down, the water slowly lowering. He stayed in there until all the water was gone and left his body in the cool air. After awhile he got out and dried off, putting on black P. J’s. He laid down and quickly fell asleep.

“So how have you been Xylon?” Luna asked him as he sat at a table reading a news paper. He was reading an article about Fluttershy asking him to check under her bed for monsters. This was a dream he had quiet often, memories of the day and the past being incorporated into a news paper and he would go over them.

“I've been doing fine. And your self?” he hadn't seen Luna since she cooked dinner for them all, this was the second time she had visited his dreams though. She sat on another chair on the other side of the table and smiled at him.

“I have been fine as well. The girls?” Xylon flipped the paged and it showed a picture of Rainbow Dash standing on his head as he slept and trying to get him up. With a chuckle he answered her.

“Good... just wish I could spend more time with them.” Luna watched Xylon smiled to him self as he read the article under the picture. Rainbow Dash had accidentally flipped her bed over and couldn't put it back by her self. He didn't know how she did it but he finally woke up. He stood up with her still standing on his head, balancing so she wouldn't fall off.

“So do I... it's been awhile since I've seen them and I miss them.” Xylon flipped the page and saw in large print at the top 'An absolute disaster'. Rarity rushed him into her room where she pointed at her vanity. Some of her make up had melted onto the surface of it and she was in a panic. He laughed as he cleaned it off for her.

“Yeah they miss you too... and Celestia.” Luna watched his hands tighten on the paper and slightly crease it. With a sigh she spoke.

“Maybe here soon we, or just me, can come and visit.” Xylon closed the paper and folded it, placing it on the table. He looked over at Luna with a slightly amused expression.

“And this time I'll cook you dinner.” he smiled at her and she smiled warmly back. They locked eyes and she spoke for the last time.

“Good morning Xylon.” Xylon suddenly opened his eyes as his alarm clock screamed at him. He slapped it shut and sat up with a groan. The sun wasn't up but it was morning time and he knew one thing. He was exhausted. He got out of bed and walked to the living room to find Applejack asleep on the couch. She had started a wondering phase and would sleep walk to different places in the house and lay there. He gently picked her up and took her back to her room, this had become an every morning thing about two months ago. He went back down stairs and got ready for work.

“You look tired.” Xylon said to his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He smirked at him self and the he noticed something in the mirror pass the reflection of the door frame. The small box on the bed side table. He slowly came out the bathroom and looked at it. He thought to him self, maybe just a little. He went over and grabbed the box, opening it. He grabbed a picture frame that had a picture of him under a pile of six fillies all laughing like crazy. He tapped a little out onto the glass and closed the box. He looked down at the small pile of white powder and hesitated. Bringing it closer to his face, closing his eyes, he lowered his nose down over the pile and took a big sniff from his nostrils.

The first thing he felt was a burning in his nose that made his eyes water but it quickly went away. Then he felt a tingling all around his skull until a surge of warmth started at the back. It spread from there to the rest of his head and down his spine, settling there and causing the rest of his body to start becoming a cool numb. His eyes snapped open and everything seemed to have more definition as he looked all around. He no longer felt tired as his heart picked up but his breathing slowing down to long thoughtful drafts. He put the picture frame down with faint traces of powder still on it, covering his face. It was time to go to work.

Xylon walked to work but today was different. He didn't move slowly and time didn't drag on, no he felt great. He walked at a brisk pace and made it to work faster then normal but today was a problem. The owner of the store also lived there in the back and that night he forgot to put out a candle. The building was ablaze and fire fighters rushed around trying to put out the fire. A shout for help came from in side but was muffled by the roar of the flames. With out thinking Xylon rushed in side the inferno. The brown unicorn that owned the shop was trapped in the back and Xylon made his way quickly passing burning wood furniture. In a few second he made it to the back and picked up the rather large stallion with little difficulty. The smoke was thick but it didn't bother Xylon, he just made his way back out. Once out side the fire fighter rushed to the two and he set down his boss but they grabbed at him. Water was tossed repeatedly onto him to quench the flames eating at his gray shirt and denim pants. They put out the flames he never felt reddening the skin under the cloth.

The flames were tamed and the building left a scorched husk but no one had died. The owner was rushed to the hospital and Xylon refused any medical attention. He simply walked back home to change his clothing. Once home he tossed the charred clothing in the trash and changed into a dark blue shirt and bright yellow pants, he thought they went well enough together. He had a little difficulty putting on the clothes since the skin that was under the flaming cloth was red and tight but it didn't bother him at all. Now it was time to go to his now only job even if it was early.

“Ya did what?” the gray stallion stared at Xylon in disbelief as he had told him what happened that morning. He slowly shook his head with a surprised face.

“I didn't think somepony like ya would be a her-o.” he said with a grin. Afterwords they discussed about Xylon working more here now with a little side bonus every once and awhile. The stallion was pleased to have Xylon there for longer now because that meant more customers even though they didn't come for the food, mostly. Now Xylon would work the time he did at the shop here then go back for two hours like before and come back once again. This job paid considerably more and had 'benefits'.

“Daddy they said you saved your boss from a fire today!” Rainbow Dash, along with the other girls, had stayed up, waiting eagerly for their dad to return home. He smiled and nodded his head.

“That's so cool!” all the girls wanted to here how he rushed into the flames and pulled out the stallion. After he finished he told the girls it was past their bed time and needed to go to bed now. Like the night before he got to tuck them in and kiss them good night. He went to his room, took a shower, and laid down. He still felt great but he knew he needed to sleep.

Xylon sat at the table looking down confused at the news paper. Everything was jumbled and looked like it had been soaked in water. He tried to read but nothing made since and he kept hearing a strange noise. He would see flickers of something blue made it never came into focus went he looked for it. He thought the noise was coming from it but he couldn't tell, it was like someone was trying to get a hold of him.

Xylon woke up and felt horrible. His head pounded and his chest was tight, he could barely move his back that throbbed with a dull heat. He knew he had to get ready for work but it hurt to move, he had to grit his teeth in order to sit up. He breathed heavily as he looked at his alarm clock, the small box next to it. He thought, maybe this will help. He grabbed the picture frame again and the box but putting a little more powder this time. He immediately felt the effects exactly the same as last time but the warmth in is spine burned away the dull heat and the cool numb chilled away the rest. His head no longer pounded and he could move without pain.

From now on, even past the girls fifth birthday in which he spent the day with them but not entirely himself, he would start every day like this. Twilight noticed how daddy would get agitated real fast and the right part of his face started to twitch every couple of minutes. Maybe aunt Tia would know if something was wrong, she thought. Luna was worried that she couldn't visit Xylon in his dreams any more, they were distorted and barely held together but she didn't have the time to see him in person right now. No one knew what was happening with Xylon as he started a slow dissent into a dark, cold, lonely place.

Comments

[sittinonthesofa]

really? how does he even get cocaine?