A Comet's Tale

by Parakalo

Prologue - Comet's Family *Revised*

The streets of Manehattan hustled and bustled with ponies and mares of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The din of big business, drama, and incredible amounts of traffic shaped what was just another day in just the same city. As loud and innocuous as the outside world was, it was unable to penetrate first the large double doors, then the halls of books and books, and then the worn, bound cover of Comet's book as he read in silence.
The library was quiet. Possibly the single quietest place in all of Manehattan, if not the only quiet place. Just the way Comet liked and preferred it. As he poured through his most precious of books, The Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy, Comet could hear the soft clop of his mother, Dancer, sneaking up on him. He sighed as he prepared for a familiar pounce at a familiar time of night. Dancer's usual tumble sent Comet's book and notes sprawling across the floor of the empty library in a disheveled mess. Exasperated as always, the ash-colored colt had the same thing to say to his hyperactive mother as he rolled off of the waxed marble floor:
"Honestly? Honest as the stars?" It was from a story he was read when he was a much smaller colt. He was given the same reply as always.
"Time to head for home, Leaflet." Dancer was always known for her bubbly personality and brighter disposition. She could bring sunlight to any room, even this dark corner of her library. She helped him pick up his notes and pack them into his saddlebag. She noticed something different this time, however; a look of disappointment splashed across her youngest son's face. "Something the matter, Leaflet?" she tightened Comet's saddlebag with a strong tug.
After he found air return to his lungs, Comet quickly searched for an answer. "Croupiter is supposed to be bright tonight, but I don't think I'll be able to see it through the cloud cover," he hoped a sheepish grin could cover his bold-faced lie. It wasn't just tonight that was disappointing in this bedlam of lights and ponies and pollution of Manehattan; it was every night since he was a little colt.
"Ah," Dancer could feel something else was bothering her son, but she felt it might be best if he was kept to himself, "Well I doubt Croupiter is going anywhere anytime soon. I'm sure there'll be clearer nights to put your telescope to use." They finished the evening with locking up the cabinets of cards for the checkouts. Their age was always a reminder to Comet that the library his mother had come to love had about as much livelihood as a morgue. They were certainly lucky they were paid by the city.
Dancer locked the large double-door behind her as she and her son walked into the brisk night air. Dancer had always found the night-life of Manehattan was a sight to see. The hustle and bustle under the streetlamps of the refined in their evening wear going to Celestia-knows-where. She longed for the day her husband, Dasher, would show her about the town like that night so many---
"Have you ever wanted to leave Manehattan, mom?" Comet's words brought Dancer back to the sidewalk with her son.
"I... uh... Well, no, Comet. Why do you ask?"
"...Oh... Never mind, then, Forget it." Comet watched a shadow move in an ally. No doubt some cat or large rodent was scavenging for food. At least it could go where it wanted and did as it pleased, even if it was just rubbish.
"One of these days, Leaflet, we'll go out and see the world. I promise," She did what she could to cheer him up.
"You mean that? You really mean that?" Comet's eyes had a disbelief Dancer knew all too well. This wouldn't be the first time Dancer had promised something that never happened. It had made him callous to her more far-reaching claims.
"Honest as the stars, Leaflet." Dancer pushed up against him reassuringly.
Comet sighed and pressed back. Dancer always knew what to say to make him feel better.
When Dancer got in the door, Dasher was there to greet them.
"Honey, we're home." Dancer kicked the door closed with a satisfying slam. Dasher smiled at his wife and youngest son.
"Welcome home, you two. Dinner is just about ready." Dinner time was probably one of the few times Comet saw his father clean and presentable. Even though they had money, the fact that Dasher worked in the coal stores of the family's power plant rather in the manager booth there always left him filthy and dingy. His attitude was always quite the latter, however.
Comet's older brother Prancer and sister Vixen were waiting for them at the table in the lavish dining room.
"...So as I was saying, the pegasi said they are clearing the clouds for some special occasion tomorrow night. It's supposed to be a really big deal." Vixen always had a story to tell from school. She was studying to become a professional model. "Have you been fraternizing with that Blitzen pegasus again? We've been over this a thousand thousand times, Vixen. He's a pegasus." Dasher could see right through her, just as he always did.
"I-I was not!" Vixen's grey face became hot. Despite the disapproval of both of her parents, Vixen and Blitzen's relationship was as obvious as the blush that spread quickly across her face. What was it with daughters and doing just the opposite of what their parents said? Comet knew he would never know. She quickly tried to change the subject, "I guess there's going to be an asteroid shower or something."
Comet rolled his eyes, sitting at the table with them. "It's called a meteor shower, Vixen. Asteroids don't fall from the sky."
"Relax, Comet," Prancer gave him a clop aside the folded ear on the right side of his head, "Vixen don't know no better." The hoof to his head left Comet sore and irritated. His folded ear was always a target to his coercing brother, and the butt of many jokes, including the reason why his mother called him "Leaflet". She would always say 'he was a folded page in her big book', whatever that meant. As he rubbed his now aching head, he began to realize the gravity of his sister's statement.
"A meteor shower? Tomorrow night? Really? When?" Comet practically exploded with excitement.
Vixen was taken aback, "Relax, bro, a few hours after sundown. Go geek out somewhere else; you'll get nerd on my food."
"Vixen!" Comet's sister cringed at the familiar tone in her mother's voice, "You're right on your way to get sent from the table."
Vixen rolled her eyes. Comet could tell an argument was brewing, so he inhaled his food and made a break for his room.
The noise beneath Comet reassured him of how much he disliked Manehattan. Being forced to listen to the merits of Blitzen as an important figure on the weather community and the fact that he's a pegasus and she's an earth pony for the ten hundred thousandth time only made him listless. That, and the cloud cover meant there literally were no stars for him to see that night. A rotten night indeed, Comet thought to himself. "I need to get out of here. I've been dealing with the same drool life for twenty years now. What do I have to show for it? Nothing. One day..." The stars on his ceiling had been there since he was little. He had reorganized them more times than he could count to match the constellations that were overhead. They had lost their ability to glow in the dark long ago. The sky had to be one of the---
He was startled out of his thought process by a clop on his door-frame. Dasher, his father, was there watching him. "One day like tomorrow?" His father was always characterized as all-knowing, despite the fact that he worked more than anyone else in the house. It was entirely due to the success of his father at the family business that Comet was able to pursue his studies so passionately.
Comet sat up in bed. He had no idea he was thinking out loud to himself, or that the argument beneath him had dissipated. "Hi, Dad... listen..."
"No, you listen," Dasher came and sat down beside his son. People had always said that Comet had looked like his dad since he was very little. Much more than either of Comet's siblings. "Your mother and I aren't slow. We didn't get off the apple-cart yesterday. We know how you feel and what's been on your mind."
"Dad..."
"Let me finish. I want you to know that nobody is going to think less of you for not liking where you are now. And, actually, it's pretty natural. You should have the opportunity to go out and make a name for yourself like I did and both your brother and sister before you. They made their names a bit closer to home, but I had to leave home to find out about myself, just like you feel now."
Comet was dumbstruck. He had no idea his parents actually knew anything about him at all.
"Tomorrow night is gonna be a big deal, isn't it? I mean, I don't even know how many times you've read that book, the Almanac's Astronomer---"
"The Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy?"
"Right. It's almost like you were made for tomorrow night, kid. And I've never let an opportunity get past me, and neither should you."
"Do you really mean...?"
"Yup. I'm kicking you out! I've been wanting a pool room for the longest time!" Dasher was almost proud of himself.
Comet was not amused, (Comet never appreciated his father's sense of humor), but he knew his Dad was being brave in his own way. Comet was at a loss for words. He apparently was not as cryptic and mysterious as he thought.
When he was joined by the rest of his family in his room, Comet understood at this point that everyone but him knew that he was leaving to make his own life tomorrow. As they all squashed for room on the bed, Comet realized that although he is leaving them behind, he wouldn't give them up for the world. The mood was only detracted from once, when a white pegasus knocked on the window to show he had opened a hole in the cloud cover for the moon and the stars to shine through into Comet's room. Blitzen must have been in on it as well. Comet sighed. This was his family, and it would never change. For the first time in a very long time, Comet didn't have a problem with that.

Comments

[Dee Bee Doo-wop Cooper]

Very good start bro. I can't wait to read more!

Oh and FIRST!!! I guess.

So... does this guy have a Rudolph in his family too?

[Parakalo]

@ anonoy - You know, I have thought about it. Like a Derpy insert or something. That could be fun.

[Professor Donger]

Yup. I'm kicking you out and renting away your room to Blitzen. this is how i want to kick my kid out of the house XD

[Parakalo]

Hey, all. It's uh... it's been awhile.
I know it's been a long time. Like what, a week? Feels longer. I've been dealing with a lot of stuff lately.
Family life has been... difficult. At best. I find it difficult to write in an atmosphere that I consider unlivable. Never being at home kind of reduces my writing down heavily. Besides the fact that I simply haven't wanted to write. When I'm not in the mood, my writing falls apart. They say that your mood flows write out of your wrists when you write, and that's doubly true for me. The last time I wrote in a bad mood, Comet ended up going bat-shit crazy in the face of a fog bank that enveloped his house. It was pretty graphic. Maybe someday I'll recreate that as a joke. In all seriousness though, I'm here again, now, though.
You may notice that most of my works are done on a laptop at a friend's house. DigitDaemon's house, usually. This isn't exactly a coincidence.
I'm here, though, and I'm sorry I had to walk away for a bit. I can honestly say that next chapter is coming up tomorrow, and that I'm going to start assuming my regular schedule of writing whenever I'm struck by a good idea. If there have been people waiting for updates, you can be assured that you will wait no longer. Based on the view chart for the past few weeks, I find it doubtful. but I'm sure if I get good enough again it'll come back.
I decided not to start re-writing. Maybe I'll go back someday, but for now, I want to preserve what I feel is my foundation for being here. Tampering with it is just going to slow me down.
So yeah, update tomorrow~
Look forward to it~

[FireHawk]

22083 good because this is honestly one of my favorites can't wait for tomorrow