A Cranky Doodle Journey

by BurningBright

Chapter 1: The Letter

A simple letter may not sound like a lot. It sounds like the most insignificant thing in the world, to some. But sometimes, every once in a while, a few small words on a sheet of paper can make all the difference in the world. They can bring out someponies' greatness, or lead one to their ruin. Sometimes, all in the same letter.

Matilda gripped the pen in her mouth , the young jenny’s mouthwriting was hardly the neatest in the world, but she had to let him know what was happening. She wrote hurriedly as her family packed around her, trying her best to think of the right words to say. it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. The words in question were the ones she’d been trying to say face to face all this time as they grew closer and closer together. They were too important to say like this but she didn’t really have any other options left to her .

Her family hardly approved of him of course, he was a mere jack of all trades, a nobody in a big city. He got by okay but that was hardly enough.
Her family on the other hoof intended her to carry on the family business, to choose a commoner for a partner was unacceptable to them. She had known for a while they would try something like this. She knew him though, she wrote explaining everything, her rushed mouthwriting trying to say in a few short minutes what she hadn’t had time to say for herself in all the time she had known him.

As she wrote she thought of him and smiled despite her worry, with his carefree manner and that easy smile of his. She loved him and knew he would follow her, into the maw of Tartarus itself if that is what it took. Once he found her she would finally break free of her family and start off on her own. Just her and Cranky, wherever they washed up had to be better than this.

Outside her father impatiently tapped a hoof, he was tired of this nonsense, that good for nothing jack would never follow her. He was confident of that. “Hurry up in there Matilda” he shouted. Even the cabbie was getting restless.
She hurriedly finished the note doing her absolute best to not let her tears wet the page, a lady does not show such weakness after all.

Carefully she sealed it , kissing the seam, then penned s.w.a.l.k (sealed with a loving kiss) on the back, it was for him after all. then carefully she placed it where he was sure to see it.
Then with one final longing glance back at the place she had grown up in, she turned and stepped out of the house , closing the door behind her.

At that moment a stray breeze blew in through the doorway and the letter that was so important to her was blown from its resting place it landed nestled just out of sight behind the door. All that was left was an empty house , as if Matilda had never been there at all.

Cranky Doodle Donkey was on top of the world. Things in his life were finally starting to look up, he had the promise of new work, and the bits it would bring in, a beautiful jenny, possibly the most beautiful jenny in the world as far as he was concerned. Plus nestled deep in his pocket was the fruits of all his hard work these past few months and his first paycheck from Axel Grease the Wagonmaker. The prettiest ring he could find, after all nothing was too good for his Matilda.

His Matilda, those words still made his heart burst with joy every single time he heard them. He still had a hard time believing she had even said yes from time to time. She was absolutely stunning with those big beautiful eyes of hers. She came from a well to do family in the neighbourhood, one that even ran their own company. What she even saw in him confused him to no end, but nonetheless she had agreed.

Cranky checked his mane one last time, he was rather proud of it after all, then raised his hoof and knocked. But there wasn’t a single sound from inside, the curtains didn’t even move. He knocked again, still nothing. Now he was worried.
Lifting his hoof again he reached out once more and this time he tried the handle. To his Surprise the handle moved and the door creaked open, revealing an abandoned house. All the furniture was gone, if it wasn’t for how tidy things were left you could almost believe anybody had ever lived there.

“Matilda “ he shouted searching the house for any sign of her, his heart that until now had been in his mouth started to sink as he realised she was gone. The whole family were gone. He didn’t give up though, he turned and headed back towards home.

Once there a resolute look still on his face he kissed his mother goodbye, packed up a saddlebag of supplies. Then he went and bought a cheap tent. Next stop was his erstwhile employer. Axel was of course sorry to see him go, grumbling halfheartedly about the follies and fancies of youth, but then to Cranky’s surprise slipped him a few bits and wished him luck.

Once all this was done Cranky acquired the best, most detailed map of Equestria he could find anywhere in the city.

He knew Matilda would never have abandoned him, certainly not willingly. So there was no way in Tartarus that he was turning his back on her. Finally he went to see his dad, explaining where he was going. Then Cranky turned his back on the city he had called home , the only place he had known since he was a foal, and set out on a quest. He would find Matilda even if he had to search till he was older than Celestia herself.