Memories in Manehattan
Cranky Doodle walked solemnly in the sidewalk of Manehattan with a wagon filled with his possession in tow. Many ponies that passed by gave him odd looks as it’s not every day to see a donkey walking alone in the city. Cranky noticed the looks they had given him but he just ignored it as usual. Later on, he arrived in front of6 a rundown apartment building. The sign that hung at the entrance proudly states “Sunshine Apartment.” Cranky snorted at that.
He entered the lobby along with his wagon. At the reception desk was a bored looking rusty brown unicorn with a white mane, reading a sports magazine. “Whadda’ ya want?” The unicorn stallion asked without looking at him.
“A single bed apartment.” Cranky answered as he scowled at the pony’s rudeness. Without a single look, the unicorn levitated the keys to Cranky.
“Your room is the second door on the right. Oh, and thirty bits.” The unicorn simply demanded as he extended a hoof, his eyes never left the magazine. Cranky scowled even harder and then he put a small bag of bits on the pony’s hoof. “Keep the change.” He said as he took the apartment key. He turned around and walked into the corridor with his wagon in tow.
He looked at the dirty corridor and sighed. Papers littered everywhere on the floor and the walls were filled with crude drawings of ponies. He stopped and looked at his apartment key. “Door 2.” He quietly muttered then suddenly a blue earth pony colt’s head popped in front of him.
“Hi!” The colt greeted cheerily. The sudden greetings made Cranky to jump and fell onto his back with a surprised expression. The reaction of the old donkey made the blue colt burst into fits of laughter and rolled on the floor. The colt had a dark blue coat and a black mane.
Cranky let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. “Hey, kid.” He called to the laughing colt. The colt stood up, wiping a tear away from his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. “Go play with somepony else.” Cranky continued as he waved the kid away.
“Don’t be such a silly donkey.” The colt giggled. “It’s my job to greet new ponies or donkeys that move into this apartment.” He said cheerily.
“You need to be fired.” He muttered silently, with irritation began to creep on his face.
“What’s that?” The colt asked as he looked at him with an innocent smile.
Cranky sighed. “Nothing, kid.” He said as he began pulling his wagon along the corridor and the colt followed suit. He looked at the second door to the right and noticed it was his apartment. He unlocked the door and unbuckled his harness. He entered the room and inside was a small living room with a decent size kitchen, a clean bathroom and a bedroom that fit for a bachelor.
He nodded in contempt and walked back outside. When he reached his wagon, the blue colt was looking eagerly at his scrap book. “Don’t touch that, kid.” He said as he quickly snatched the scrap book away. “It’s private.” He gave the colt a scowl, hugging the book close to his chest.
“Oh wow, you’re an adventurer!” He colt jumped excitedly. “What are you searching for? A treasure? A tomb?” The colt asked as he jumped around him and gasped. “Or maybe you’re an undercover spy!” He squealed, clapping his hooves excitedly.
“Kid, I am no spy.” Cranky said bluntly which made the colt slumped in disappointment. “But yes, I am searching… Searching for something special to me.” He said as he lowered his head with his eyes closed, sighing.
“A friend?” The colt asked silently, looking slightly saddened.
“How did you kn- yes.” He answered and sighed. He looked around the empty corridor and rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, kid.” He started.
“Bluey.” The colt said, looking straight at him with a sad expression. “My name is Bluey.” He continued, looking away.
Crancky let out a long sigh. “Right, listen up here, Bluey. I’m tired because I just had a long trip and I need to unpack my stuff into my new apartment. It would be very helpful if you stop bothering me.” He explained sternly.The colt looked at Cranky with tears brimming in his eyes. It made Cranky felt very uncomfortable and slightly guilty. “But…” he continued. “You can come over tomorrow.” He said with a heavy heart.
The colt ears perked up with a smile on his face. “Really?” he asked again.
“Yeah, sure why not?” Cranky answered, not looking at the very happy looking colt.
“Hey, Mister.” Bluey called as he was a little farther away from him. “What’s your name?” He asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Cranky.” He answered simply, not wanting to tell the colt his full name.
“That’s a silly name,” Bluey giggled. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bye.” The colt waved goodbye as he slowly turned and walked up a staircase at the end of the corridor.
Cranky just nodded his head in approval and sighed. “What are you doing, Doodle?” He asked himself and then looked at his fully loaded wagon. “It’s going to be a long night.” He sighed and started to unpack his belongings.
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Cranky woke up as he heard the city outside his apartment came to life and was bustling with life. The carriage pullers on the streets kept yelling angrily at the jammed street. Cranky twisted his body from left to right, which elicited a series of cracking sounds and a relaxed sigh from him. He hopped off his bed and slowly walked into his new kitchen.
He was quietly making a cup of coffee but then interrupted as he heard somepony was knocking on his front door. He turned off the stove and walked towards the entrance. “I’m coming.” He called out as he slowly approaching the front door. He unlocked it and peeked through a tiny slit, “Who is it?” he asked cautiously.
“Good morning, mister!” Bluey popped in front of Cranky with a wide grin. Like yesterday, it took Cranky by surprise. He jumped and fell onto his back again. “Silly, Mister Cranky. It’s not nap time already.” The colt giggled.
Cranky slowly stood up and let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, Bluey. It’s early in the morning. It’s only-“ he stopped to look at a wall clock that he hung last night. “Six in the morning. Don’t you have a school to go to?” He said with a small glare.
Blue chuckled. “I don’t have school in the weekends, mister,” The colt giggled. “Ooooh.” The colt said in awe as he saw a phonograph. “You have a phonograph.” He said as he trotted to it, looking it with impressed look. “Where did you get it?” He asked as he turned his head to look at Cranky with an excited smile.
“I got it from my father when I was a kid.” He answered and thought he saw the colt frown slightly but Bluey quickly jumped excitedly and asked, “Can I play it?” Cranky waved a dismissive hoof. “Yeah, sure. Whatever, kid.” He answered, walking back to the kitchen.
Cranky turned on the stove and continued making his coffee. From the kitchen, he saw Bluey was eagerly looking at his record collection and browsing through it with a smile. He felt a little warmth but he quickly shook it away. As he entered his living room with a cup of coffee in his hoof, a slow melody of jazz filled the room.
He saw Bluey was sitting on his haunches next to the phonogram, listening to it with a smile of his face. Cranky thought it was a good thing that the hyper colt was enjoying the music rather than jumping around his apartment. He sat behind the colt and sipped on his coffee, also enjoying the music.
Cranky looked at the blue colored earth pony colt and noticed the pony was tapping his hoof with the beat of the song. “Hey, Bluey.” He called and the colt looked over his shoulder with a smile.
“Yes, mister?” The colt asked with his hoof still tapping rhythmically.
“What’s your talent?” Cranky asked back with a raised eyebrow.
The colt’s ears immediately flopped down and his head lowered with a sad expression on his face. He stood up and turned sideways. He pointed a hoof at his flank. “I’m still a blank flank, mister.” Bluey answered, frowning.
“Oh.” Cranky said as he felt guilty. Then they both said nothing. Only the smooth melody of jazz was the only thing that filled the gap of silence until Bluey spoke up first with a smile on his face. “But, I know I will find my talents someday.” He turned to look straight at Cranky with tears brimming, smiling hopefully. “One day, I will find my talent and be a great musician. Then, everypony will love me.”
“Sure kid.” Cranky said as he slowly stood up. “Keep on searching no matter what. Maybe one day, you’ll find it.”
“Yeah.” Bluey said with a determined look and nodded. “I will keep on searching my talent.”
“Good for you, kid.” He said as he turned and walked towards the kitchen. “Keep on searching.” He whispered to himself as a frown slowly cracked on his face, lowering his head.
“Are you okay, Cranky?” Bluey’s voice asked slowly from behind him.
Cranky’s head shot up and looked over his shoulder, keeping a neutral look.”Yeah, kid. I’m okay.” He answered, continuing walking back into the kitchen.
Cranky’s answer did not please Bluey at all as he jumped onto Cranky’s back and started tickling him. It took Cranky by surprise again for the second time of the day as he started fell on the floor with fits of laughter. Bluey kept tickling him regardless of Cranky’s pleads for him to stop. Until accidentally pushed Bluey away that made him fell onto his back. Cranky’s stomach fell in fear. He stood up and saw a saddened expression on Bluey’s face.
“Look, kid. I didn’t mean t-“ Cranky was cut off as he heard Bluey sniffed. The blue colt was staring at the floor with a disheartened look on his face. “Nopony loves me.” His voice croaked. Then he looked at Cranky with tears streaming from his eyes. “Nopony.” He said solemnly and ran out from Cranky’s apartment.
Cranky could hear the colt’s sniffs and sobs slowly disappearing in the corridor. “Stupid!” He exclaimed angrily as he thumbed his head on the floor. He felt regret for what he had done and thought that he should apologize to Bluey later on. Because he knew that he would give Bluey some time to calm. He slowly stood up, put on his saddlebags and walked out from the apartment. Starting his first day in search of his special friend. He looked at the receptionist who was sleeping soundly during his job and snorted as he walked pass him.
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It was a long day of unsuccessful searches as he had looked in an entire district in one section of Manehattan. He entered the apartment complex and saw the pony receptionist was reading his sports magazine, not even looking who walked in and out from the lobby.
He noticed that the corridor of his apartment was empty, which was nothing new but it was silent. That made him slightly uncomfortable but he shrugged casually and entered his apartment. Without turning the living room lights on, he slowly trotted into his bedroom. He slumped onto the soft mattress in closed his eyes with his hooves. “Another fail search.” He muttered to himself and sighed exasperatedly.
He waited and waited for sleep to come, but it didn’t. He was staring at the dark ceiling the whole time, not knowing how many hours had pass. He was just about to have a chance to sleep until he heard yelling in the room above him. It was an argument between couples as he noticed there were two different voices. He waited for them to stop for a few minutes but it never did. He groaned and hopped off his bed with an annoyed look on his face.
He walked up stairs to the second floor and saw Bluey was sitting alone outside in the corridor with a dome snow globe in his hooves. He looked sad and tears were brimming in his eyes as he shook the snow glob. Bluey’s head snapped to his left as he noticed somepony was approaching him. It was Cranky.
Cranky noticed that the argument he had heard was inside the apartment that Bluey was sitting in front of. He felt guilty and sad for the little colt. “Hey, kid.” He called out in a hushed tone and trotted slowly closer. “Mind if I sit next to you?” He asked as he looked at the sobbing colt. Bluey did not say anything but only shook his head as he stared into the snow globe. Cranky sat next to him.
“Who’s fighting?” he asked slowly, cringing at his own question.
“My mom and dad.” Bluey answered with a raspy voice.
“Why?” Cranky asked again as he looked into a snow glob. Inside was two small buildings and a street lamp. The snow in the snow glob slowly falls onto the ground.
“Because they love me.” Bluey answered as he put the snow glob down.
“But wh-“ Cranky was cut off as Bluey spoke up.
“I’m sorry.” Bluey apologized as he stared at the corridor floor, tears slowly forming. “I-I shouldn’t tickled you b-but I-I-I just want to make you h-h-happy.” He stammered as he tried to fight back the tears.
Cranky felt extremely guilty at that point and hugged the colt closer to his side. “No, I’m sorry.” Cranky apologized. “I’m just having a tough time, that’s all. I’m the one should apologize for pushing you and thank you for trying to make me happy.” Cranky explained as he gave the colt a warm smile.
Bluey sobs slowly fading away as he saw Cranky’s first smile since he first met him. Bluey let out a huge grin even he was still in tears. He turned to look at the snow globe. “Hey, mister.”
“Doodle Donkey.” Cranky said which made Bluey giving him a confused look. “My name is Crank Doodle Donkey.” He explained as he gave the colt a small smile.
Bluey grinned wider and nodded. “Would you like to come to my birthday tomorrow?” he asked Cranky with a sheepish smile, looking away.
“Don’t you have any other ponies to come?”Cranky asked back, raising an eyebrow.
Bluey’s ears flopped back down and looked at Cranky with an embarrassing look on his face. “You’re my first friend.” He muttered silently.
Cranky felt his heart shrank a little and smiled to the pony. “I would love to come over.”
Bluey was happier than a pony in a candy shop. He was grinning widely and his eyes were filled with hope and joy. Both of them chatted in the corridor until the argument in the apartment died down and the door slowly opened.
Cranky looked at the saddened for of a green coated with a pink mane unicorn stood next to a yellow coated and red mane unicorn stallion with the same expression. “Come in, Bluey. It’s time to go to bed.” The mare spoke with a raspy voice, quivering in a sad tone.
Cranky saw Bluey nodded with a smile on his face as he balanced the snow globe on his head. He turned to look at Cranky. “See you at my party tomorrow!” Bluey exclaimed excitedly as he trotted in to the apartment which made his mother to tear up a little. The unicorn stallion nodded goodbye at Cranky with a somber expression and closed the door.
Cranky turned and walked back into his apartment. He turned the living room lights on and rummaged through a pile of unsorted item. “Where’s there wrapping paper?” He muttered to himself. “Aha!” He exclaimed victoriously as he pulled a red wrapping paper. He trotted next to his phonograph and put it inside an empty box. Then he began to wrap it with the wrapping paper. “I know he will love this gift.” He said in a cheery tone as he neatly wraps the box.
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The next morning has come as the sunlight streamed through his bedroom window and started his morning as usual. He trotted in the second floor corridor while he was balancing the present he wanted to give to Bluey. He knocked on the door and Bluey’s father opened the door, looking saddened.
Cranky immediately felt something was wrong. As he entered the apartment, the living room was decorated with streamers and balloons. There’s also a banner that was hung in the middle of the room that says, “Happy Birthday, Bluey and thank you Cranky for being my friend.” The living room was cheerful but not the mood.
It was quiet and the only thing he could hear was the crying sobs of Bluey’s mother. The father escorted Cranky to a room that looks like a child’s bedroom. Bluey was lying on the bed with a peaceful smile of his face and his mother was crying next to him. Cranky was dumbfounded. “What’s going on?” He asked to no pony in particular and Bluey’s mother looked at him with red eyes. “He’s…” She started. “Gone.” Cranky felt his heart fell into the pit of his stomach.
He slowly trotted next to Bluey and saw he was no longer breathing. “W-w-what happened?” He asked, stammering at the mare.
“Horn rotting disease.” Bluey’s father answered from behind. Cranky turned to look, waiting for him to continue. “It was a birth defect that rarely happens to a unicorn couple. The horn of the newborn will rot and had to be cut off.” The father explained as he fought back his tears. Cranky did not want to believe it until he looked at Bluey and saw a stumped on his forehead that was concealed under his mane.
“Even if the horn is cut off, the disease will still spread through his body and then eventually causing death to the victim.” His mother continued to explain in behalf of her husband. “We tried to seek help to every doctor in Equestria, but even they can’t do anything about it. The chance for recovery is very slim.” She sobbed.
The unicorn stallion trotted to his wife and held her in an embrace. He turned to look at Cranky. “They doctors said that we could only wait and see if Bluey could survive after a period of time. They said we have to wait for ten years to see if he has the chance to live through it.”
“Then today is his…” Cranky voice rasped. “Tenth birthday?” He asked Bluey’s parents as his own eyes brimming with tears. The unicorn couple nodded with saddened expression. “The sadder part is… that he already knew about it.”
Cranky felt his heart was hurting as it was being stabbed by a thousand daggers. “Here…” Bluey’s mother said as she pushed Bluey’s snow globe closer to Cranky and a letter was sticking at the bottom of it. Cranky looked at it then gave the mother a confused look. “He wanted you to have it.”
Cranky’s tears flowed out from his eyes and let out a shuddering sigh. He picked up the letter and read it. “To Cranky Doodle Donkey…” The letter began. “First of all, I wanted to say thank you very much for being my friend! I always greeted new people into the apartment but most of them ignored me like I am a pest to them. But you don’t. To even invited me into you apartment and letting me play with you phonogram. I never had a friend until you came into this apartment. Thank you so very very much!
Next is that I want to tell you that…” There was a tear mark that smudged a word but it was still readable. “… goodbye. I know that I have a disease that will do bad things to me but that doesn’t mean that I have to be all gloomy. I invited you to my birthday so that I can give you my favorite snow globe. Please keep it for me. Also, I wanted to say I’m sorry for making you angry at me yesterday. I didn’t mean to do it. I just wanted to make you smile. Lastly, I wish you good luck for you to find your friend. Good by and thank you for being my first friend, Cranky Doodle Donkey.”
Cranky could not handle it any longer and cried. He let out a painful cry for his and Bluey’s parents’ lost. He leaned closer to Bluey’s body and whispered with a raspy voice. “Happy Birthday, Bluey.”