Perchance to Dream

by David Silver

47 - Welcome Home

We powered through the state. We saw basically none of the sights and only stopped when hunger demanded it, or a bladder was fit to burst. It was already dark. The roads were quiet, and our heads hung a little. We were tired and ready to collapse.

But there it was. The house that I had seen as a picture was before us as a darkened structure. It was all ours. I dug out the key with a tired smile. "Let's have a peek at what will become our new home."

"Isn't it already?" asked Starlight as she hopped free of the van and wobbled with fatigue. "You own this, right?"

Kevin knew where I was going. "It's a house. Until we start making memories here, it's not a home. Hey, they got your car here." There it was, parked in the driveway and he gave it a little pat. "Good to see that worked out."

I was equally happy to see it, but I wanted to see the inside of the house more. I marched up to the door and slid the key in. It took a jiggle, but I had it unlocked and threw it open to reveal a darkened interior. Right... "We're going to have to get the utilities turned on."

Starlight stepped up gingerly beside me. "You have to summon the lightning magic?"

"Basically, yes. Do ponies not have electrical lighting?"

"Oh, yes." She nodded quickly. "I was thinking more wondrous things than that." She stepped forward into the darkness, feeling around as she went. "Can you do that?"

Could I? I pulled out my phone and got to doing a bit of research. It seemed PG&E serviced that area, so I gave them a quick call. "Hello?"

I talked to a kind enough operator that took down all sorts of information, did a credit check and more, but in the end, she said something that lightened up the day. "This address has remote turn on capabilities. Please make sure that any unsafe appliances are..." She went through a clear spiel she had gone through dozens of times before. "Your power should be on in under an hour. Thank you and I hope you enjoy your new home."

Kevin was taking things in from the van, unloading the lighter things as I dealt with red tape. "Any luck?"

"They can turn on the power without sending anyone out."

Starlight laughed at that. "Tell me again how you don't have any magic. You're so charmingly jaded."

Click! Kevin tried one of the light switches and we were bathed in blessed light. "Huh, that's service. Want to help move some of the heavier things?"

Oh, right, we were moving. Ugh... "To be honest, I want to pass out, but sure, let's at least get some softer things moved in so we can sleep on not-the-floor."

"I'll help," volunteered Starlight. "It's dark, could I, you know, go pony? A little magic of the unicorn variety would speed this right along."

Part of me tensed immediately. Something would go wrong. Something... "Let's avoid any magic where people could see it. We have no idea how curious the neighbors are and there's no reason to find out."

Starlight waved it off. "Fine, then I'll just help make things a little lighter but not actually lift anything. Just two people moving heavy things, nothing unusual there."

I was too tired to argue that. "Alright, but stay inside."

Her spell unwove and she collapsed to all fours, her clothing flopping all around her in a pile. Or rather, my clothes! Again, too tired to raise a fuss. She stretched out, naked and happy. "It's good to be normal again." She trotted close to the door and sat down. "Go on. I'll help as subtly as I can, promise."

Out we went, grabbing a couch near the entrance of the van. A faint glow surrounded it. It was barely anything. It was like a glow in the dark toy that was about to go out, but the difference was uncanny. The couch went from heavy and awkward to light... and still awkward. We held it as we walked to the house as if it were a long piece of cardboard instead of a solid bit of furniture. Once we got inside, Starlight's horn began to glow brighter as she took it from us and set it down in the living room. "We can move that later," she waved back outside. "Let's get the rest inside."

When did she become in charge? It didn't matter. I wanted to get it over with and get some sleep. With the help of our arcane visitor, we got things inside in about an hour, when it had taken so much longer to get it all loaded up. Having the bits and bobs reduced to 1/10th their weight did that.

When the van was completely emptied and Kevin's car rolled off the hitch, we let out a muted, tired, cheer.

I closed the door and flipped the deadlock. "Tomorrow, after work, I'll return the van."

Starlight looked shocked. "You're going to go all the way back!?"

Kevin had to laugh. "There are offices all over, including by here. We'll take it there. So long as you return it to a office, it's all good."

Starlight blinked slowly. "Wouldn't one of them eventually run out of vehicles then?"

I shrugged. "Too tired to google that, but I bet they just have to ship them around sometimes if a given office is running low."

"Huh..." She looked around the house. "You do have a nice place, but you only have two beds."

Oh... Shoot. I didn't want to be bothered, but having her sleep with Kevin felt wrong on a variety of levels, so I'd have to suck it up. "Come on..." I made a mental note to grab a futon or something later. "Unless you can get comfortable on the couch?" Please?

Starlight trotted over to the two couches in the living room, looking between them before she hopped up onto one and sprawled over the cushions. "This will do for tonight. Get your sleep."

I thanked the ten Buddhas and we all finally got some blissful sleep.

I heard the bell faintly, but I never even became aware enough to do anything about it. I was bleary and tired and... awake.

I sat up in bed, cellphone beeping angrily at the fact that it was time to get moving. I did not want to go to work that day. And yet, there I was, getting dressed. Fun Fact, the water had to be turned on too and I hadn't done that, so shower? Nope. We weren't getting any of that luxury.

Starlight followed us around as we got ready for work. "Can I come with you?"

I stopped in my tracks. "There is no reasonable way I can explain why you'd be there."

Starlight pointed at me. "People said we look like sisters, why not go with that? I'm a relative that lives in the area and stopped by unexpectedly."

Kevin patted Starlight's fuzzy head. "We shouldn't be bringing our family to work unannounced and without much reason. You'd get Linda in trouble."

I pulled my purse into place and felt reasonably ready to try and suffer through the day. "We'll be back as soon as they let us. With any luck, they won't be too deep into things and it'll be mostly briefing. You be good. You can listen to some music on the computer there." I pointed over to it. "We haven't got Internet service yet, so you're out of luck for today." Ugh, there were so many little things we had to take care of to make it a proper home.

She pouted, but she didn't try to pry much harder than that, and we were both out into our cars and zipping down new roads to our new office. I had thought the place I had come from was a city, but this place was a step up. Still a few steps down from, say, New York City, but there were more people, and more cars. Getting there was a lot slower than I was used to, but thankfully it wasn't far.

The new office was nice. Smaller, surprisingly. It was three floors up. It had an elevator at least, though it wasn't technically required.

As it turned out, our company didn't even own the whole building. We just had a lease on most of the second floor, which is where we got off, Kevin and I.

"Linda!" came the excited voice of my boss as he came over quickly. "Kevin! Good to have you both here. Let's not mince words. There's work to be done." He clapped us both on the shoulder. "So let's get to it. Linda, I had your computer and desk brought over, your office is right here." He waved to my place. "It'll feel like home in no time at all. We have an important client showing up in..." He looked to the clock hanging in clear view. "About two hours, so get to reading up. I need you ready."

He took Kevin away, talking excitedly about something more up his alley, and there I was, alone at my new office.

I wanted a nap, but there was no time for that. I slipped into my office and closed the door, quietly happy for the relative quiet and peace. There was my desk, and even my chair. I sank onto it and tension fled me. It was like I hadn't moved across the country at all. It was my chair, my computer, my desk... I was home...

I heard a little bell and jumped in my seat. Had I nodded off? I quickly got the computer on and checked the email to discover there was plenty to go through. I had a novel to soak in and little time. I was home, and home meant work. I threw myself into it.

Author's Note:

The great road trip of '17 has come to an end. Back to work!

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Can just see someone a few houses down with the 100 X telescope drooling over Glimmer human form havign a shower with no curtains and window open.

Thing is, theyve just moved into the new house, started with getting the power connected, which means all the rest of the services need activating, which usually means someone coming round to check, activate and log everything, and all theres there is someone they wernt expecting that can be anything from an invisible gust of wind with a next room voice, to a very helpful human female, who just isnt quite human?

[Alzrius]

8013438

Can just see someone a few houses down with the 100 X telescope drooling over Glimmer human form havign a shower with no curtains and window open.

Unlikely, since the water hasn't been turned on yet. And besides, she's living there in her pony form for the moment, and it's not necessarily unlikely that the window treatment is still there - while curtains might be taken along by the previous residents, most people tend to leave Venetian blinds behind, due to size requirements.

Thing is, theyve just moved into the new house, started with getting the power connected, which means all the rest of the services need activating, which usually means someone coming round to check, activate and log everything

Not so much, insofar as activating utilities goes. As this chapter noted, most utilities can be remotely activated or deactivated; it's more a matter of calling the utility company and opening an account than anything else. Even for utilities that require more regulation than others due to hazard potential (e.g. the gas), they don't need to come out and perform an inspection every time someone new moves in. Rather, they need to check on new installations (that is, they'd need to check a new furnace being installed) and perform routine inspections - usually once a year - but that tends to be it. So it's unlikely that someone's going to need to come around and check every little thing in their house.

[badninja]

Now they are moved in after a long road trip with a few distractions. Now I wonder what Starlight will be doing with her day now that she is alone?

[terrycloth]

Travel needs at least a day of rest afterwards. Her bosses are slave drivers!

[David Silver]

8013485 In their defense, this is the same person they just blew 2 million dollars on.

[eraser]

Part of me tends immediately.

What did she mean?

[David Silver]

8013884 Part of me tensed immediately.

[tsaukpaetra]

Oh dear, two false alarms? Hopefully they're not getting too concerned on the other side!
It almost sounds like they didn't eat, and it's likely they didn't pack a lot of food... What's a pony gotta do to get some service? A fake driver's license isn't worth a whole lot after all...
Keep going! ;)

[Warrior Kitten]

How is the bell on the other side waking her up on the human side? I didn't think it worked like that.

[David Silver]

8014938 The bell didn't wake her/him. Linda was tiiirrred and only kinda sorta heard the bell in the pony world. She was stirred by the alarm on her phone.

[Warrior Kitten]

8015273
Both times?

[David Silver]

8015725 What?

[Warrior Kitten]

8015746
It was twice in the chapter that she heard the bell. Only one mentions her phone.

[David Silver]

8015769 ... You are correct. The first was the pony bell. The second was her phone alarm. One woke her up.

[Warrior Kitten]

8015782
Ah, Ok, i understand.

[Daremo]

how curios the neighbors are - how curious the neighbors are

onto on - onto one

Bhuddas - Buddhas

came aware - became aware

Kevin pat Starlight's - Kevin patted Starlight's

soak in little time - soak in and little time

[David Silver]

8020205 Typos destroyed!