Dust Bunnies and Dirty Clothes

by Steadfast Hoof

Beginning

Prompt: Beginning

He adjusted his sash for the fifth time that day, Almundi shifted in his plastic seat and glanced down the hallways.

It had been over forty minutes since he was instructed to wait in that chair. The professors’ must have been well on their way discussing his eligibility for enrollment.

Almundi sighed hard, smiling despite his anxious state. He thought back to his village in the Smokey Mountain. His family, their encouraging words. His hoof went to the charm around his neck. The one his sister made him. His toes clicked across beads before settling on the runestone in the center. He thought about his tools, about the process of chiseling a warding rune, or painting a healing sigil.

He leaned back in the plastic seat his eyelids fluttering as he thought about the literal days he spent perfecting runes before his wanderlust would tempt him into the mystical caves boring through his home.

His hoof went to his chest tracing scars hidden underneath his shaggy white fur. Lifetime reminders of those desperate adventures. The memories made him squirm in his seat.

Almundi sighed again. Leaning against the backrest his horns knocked against the wall. He brought the charm to his face. The beads clicking loudly in the empty hallway. He glanced around, his lips tightening as the many rules they held on magic danced in his head. His eyes stared longingly at the crude necklace before he gave a solid sigh. It wasn’t dangerous magic he was casting, they would probably forgive him. He reasoned bobbing his head. Almundi held the stone to his lips, whispering lost words into the stone, he heard the thrum as the rune activated, felt his magic flow through it.

He took a deep breath first as he always did. Relishing the smell of what his mother was cooking that day, sounds of familiar labor played in his ears and he felt himself finally relax in the seat. Finally he opened his eyes and saw feminine hooves weaving fabric, a familiar charm bobbing below as his sister worked. His host stopped her work; noticing her glowing charm. She gasped before giving a drawn out greeting to her older brother. Almundi smiled as his sisters and mother spoke to him in their native tongue. Wishing him well and asking about his progress. He whispered excitedly back telling them about exotic Canterlot, and how fiiled it was with ponies. they chattered happily as he told them that he finally made it into the Academy. The first of his clan to go there let alone leave the mountain.

He puffed up as they assured him of his entrance. Their goodbyes filled him with fire as he cut the connection, his mind a little murky as the rune dimmed.

Soon after a door opened and Almundi was called inside. The plastic chair squeaked as he rose. He adjusted his sash before swaggering into the room, beaming with confidence.