Of Mail and Wings

by Wiz Ahmad

Shopping Trip

I felt tired – tired from work and tired from thinking so deeply at the same time. I wanted to just flop down on the couch and settle in with a quick book before snoozing away until the following sunrise. But my new friends had a right on me, that I would feed them, shelter them, and shower them with love. And I wasn’t going to let a couple bodily aches prevent me from acting to do so.

“Mind if you all come upstairs for a moment?” I kindly asked.

“Sure!” Gabby exclaimed, almost running past me as I started up the steps, causing me to lash out with my arm in a blocking move.

“Uh, Gabby, you do realize that he’s leading us, so we’re the followers,” Scootaloo pointed out.

“Oh. Sorry, Brian.” Gabby almost blushed, and I had to turn away to avoid letting out a squee. She was just too cute for a gryphon!

At the top, I headed towards the empty room where Fleetfoot would chill out, and pushed the door open.

“So, this will be your room,” I declared, flipping the light switch. “Fleetfoot will also be here, too. She used to use this room just to read, but it will now be a bedroom to share.”

“Whooooooo hoooooo! I’m gonna be sharing a room with a Wonderbolt!” Scootaloo yelled, jumping up and down like a bouncing ball in the hallway.

“You certainly will be,” Fleetfoot replied, giving the crazed filly a little hug.

While Fleetfoot, Apple Bloom, and the others checked out their new room, I pulled out my phone and made a quick shopping list. I grabbed a sewing tape measure and a hardware tape measure from my desk drawer, and returned to the room in an instant.

“May you stand up, please?” I kindly asked Apple Bloom. Slowly and carefully, she raised herself up on her hind legs, which I could tell wasn’t very comfortable. I measured her height, chest, shoulders, and waist, recording them down on my phone. Then I did the same for the others, before sitting down with a serious look.

“Now I’d like to ask of you all one thing,” I began, clearing my throat loudly to indicate that whatever would follow would not be a joke at all. “This world that you are in is a dangerous one, but it is also quite fun and enjoyable at the same time. So, I ask that each and every one of you listens to me carefully and follows as I request. I’m heading out now to do some quick shopping before we head off to bed. While I’m away, leave the front door alone. If you hear knocking, ignore it. The only number on the phone you can answer will be the one I’ve posted beside it, which I’m sure you’ve noticed on the kitchen counter. The backyard is yours to explore, just be advised that it is quite unkempt at the moment. Any questions?”

“What will we be sleeping on?” Scootaloo asked, raising her hoof like an obedient student.

I sighed sadly. “I don’t have beds, but I will try to get some mattresses if I can. Besides, if sleeping on the floor seems uncomfortable, you can share the couch downstairs.”

I got dressed, checked my wallet and my checklist, then headed for the door.

“Bye everyone, I’ll be back soon. Love you all!”

With $850 from the garage sale and $200 in savings, I had a little over a thousand to spend. Priorities were bedding, clothing, and food.
In a mattress store, I bought two full-size mattresses on a killer sale price – just $220 each. I firmly strapped them to the top of the Subaru and drove down the road with them to my next stop – a thrift store – where I bought a mattress cover, blanket, three small pillows, and a little navy blue hoodie for Scootaloo. Finally, I pulled up at a small mall, where I bought more clothes for the little fillies – and for Gabby and Fleetfoot, too; as well as a special gift for each of them. Entering a supermarket, I picked up a couple foods from various cultures. Variety, I found in life, helped whenever dealing with newcomers.

As many stores along the road started to close, I headed home with a trunk full of goodies and two mattresses strapped to my car’s roof, and entered the driveway feeling… rather pleased. I still had around $200 left, more than enough for future purchases.

Entering the house, I kicked off my shoes and quickly washed my hands.

“Gabby?” I called, running up the stairs. “Gabby, you awake?”

I peered inside the bedroom to see the CMC reading on the floor with slightly dreary eyes, while Gabby was continuously talking about some theory she couldn’t understand. Most likely from the storyline of one of my books.

“Hello everyone, I’m back!” I announced in a low voice. “Gabby, can you help me out for a moment?”

“Oh yes, sure!” she replied quickly, full of enthusiasm.

We scooted down the steps and back outside, where Gabby got a better view of my Subaru, and immediately began asking questions like a 4-year old kid.

“What is this, exactly? Does it have a noisemaker? Ooh, what’s this?”

“Sorry, Gabby,” I said, holding her eager arm, “but this isn’t the right time to be fussing over a car. I can give more introductions later. Right now, we need to get these inside and upstairs to your bedroom.”

“Those?” Gabby asked, pointing at the two white mattresses on the roof.

“Yes,” I replied. “Let’s work together to bring all this stuff inside.”

So Gabby undid all the straps and untied the rope while I lifted and slid the first mattress off the roof. We each held an end and brought it inside and up the steps, before entering the bedroom.

“Thank you, thank you!” Scootaloo ran up and hugged me before I could even set the mattress down.

“You’re most welcome,” I replied, ruffling the fur behind her ears. “And that’s just the beginning. Lots still to come. But right now, we need to get to bed. I’m quite tired, to be honest.”

Gabby and I went back to my car to get the second mattress, and together we laid it down in the bedroom next to the first. Finally, I returned to the car and got out all of the rest of the stuff I’d purchased – food, gifts, and clothes. While my friends slept, I set down all the bags, put all perishable items into the fridge, stored away the food in the kitchen cupboards and drawers, and hid the gifts and clothes in a large box beside the couch. I took the mattress covers, bedspreads, and blankets upstairs, placed them inside the bedroom entrance, and flopped onto my own bed completely exhausted.

Author's Note:

If the night was amazing, the morning will be EPIC!!

Comments

[harts fire]

aww I know of a few little pony's that are going to have a good morning.

[Bronycommander]

He would make a good father for the children. Hope their sisters and Parents aren't too worried