Artist's Description
The lingering light of day shimmered and fell away as Celestia lowered her burning star over the horizon to let the waning moon take its place. From the bedroom window of his apartment, a pegasus watched as the last rays of light were snuffed out and the world around him covered in darkness. He scoffed and laid back down in his bed, not wanting to waste his breath watching the sad sliver of a moon be raised into the sky. During these dreaded winter months, the days grew shorter and the cold nights grew painfully longer. How he missed the summer sun and it's warm embraced. Closing his tired eyes, he hoped to dream of days in a tropical paradise far away from this cold and dreary city.
But sleep did not come. Like an agonizing ritual, he tossed and turned, sticking limbs and wings in and out of the blankets and even flipping his pillow to the opposite side, but just like the night before, the pegasus could not sleep. Staring blankly, he watched as the ceiling fan slowly creaked and spun over head. For months now, insomnia plagued Sunstreak and because of it, he started resenting the night.
His mind flickered to the cupboard and the sleeping pills the doctor prescribed. No, magic potions and medical remedies are not what he wants. Sunstreak was the heir of one of the most powerful and successfully running solar power company that powers electricity and heating for almost all of Equestria. Money and work stability was not an issue. And yet why did sleep allude him? Could something be missing in his perfect life?
It was on the tip of his tongue before his thoughts were rudely interrupted by the loud chiming of his cell phone on his end table. The pony sat up in his bed and rubbed the stinging and dryness from his eyes as he reached for the phone, half tempted to silence it. As he looked at the screen, Sunstreak saw a familiar name that he had not seen in over 5 years. Curiosity over took him as he swiped the screen and put the phone up to his ear.
Sunstreak: … 'ello? croaks and clears his throat, trying again Hello, Ace? You there?
Ace: Hey Streak! I almost didn't think you'd answer..
Sunstreak: looks at the alarm clock I was thinkin' about it. It's almost midnight…
Ace: Oh yeah, I forgot about the time difference. Sorry about that, I can call back at a later time…
Sunstreak: No, don't bother. I was still awake. waved his hand, despite knowing no one could see it How have you been? It's been years.
Ace: Yeah, no kidding! I'm doing pretty good! Still working with my dad at the shipyard.
Sunstreak: Heh, really? I thought you'd be the first pony to bail on that shitty rock once you graduated.. his thoughts going back to high school
Ace: chuckles You know, I thought about it. I still head over to Los Pegasus on occasion to try my luck at the casino! Haven't broke bank yet, buuuuut I say I was still pretty lucky.
Sunstreak: scratches his chest as he yawns Oh yeah, how's that?
Ace: See, I met this mare. She's a show girl actually, and her name is Kimberly. Gorgeous body with long red hair, but what I love most are her eyes. Deep blue like sapphires!
A long equine ear twitched as a vivid memory flashed in Sunstreak's vision. He say a pair of big amethyst eyes that looked like they were dipped in liquid ice. The most beautiful memories are the worst, cutting into his insides like shards of glass. He looked longingly at his empty bed and realized that maybe that was the piece he was missing.
Sunstreak: grimaces but puts on a smile She.. sounds lovely.
Ace: sighs dreamily She really is though. We've only been dating for a couple months now but I have a good feeling that she's the one~
Sunstreak: Heh, really? Well be sure to invite me to the wedding when you finally grow the balls to propose. It would be a good excuse to leave this frost bitten city.. shivering and fluffing up his fur and feathers for warmth
Ace: snorts and starts to laugh over the phone Yeah I'm sure it is way warmer here on the reef. Oh that reminds me! You won't believe who I ran into the other day!
Sunstreak: Hell if I know. with an amused grunt
Ace: Well long story short, I was working on this old decrepit fishing boat at the shipyard and ended up cutting myself on this rusty piece of shit pretty good. So I head over to the hospital to go get bandaged up and stitches and guess who my nurse was? Bubble Lee!
Sunstreak: ears perk ….. Bubble?
Ace: Yeah! Talk about ponies wanting to get off this rock. I guess she had a change of heart and she moved back to Capricorn Reef.
Sunstreak: runs his hand through his mane So you talked with her? How is she?
Ace: Yep! She was telling me about how she's fresh out of college and just got a job working at the hospital.
Feeling the fatigue magically lift, the pegasus stood from his bed and walked over to the vanity across the way. Gently, he plucked a old photo booth style paneled picture off the mirror and held it in the dim moon light peaking through his window. Those ice dipped eyes from before stared back at him and he felt an old flame rekindle. It was taken back in his junior year of high school, back when he was dating a beautiful unicorn in his class. They were in love and everything was perfect. Back then he had thought that she was the one. His hand twitched, thinking about how, like in a dramatic play, these star-crossed lovers were ripped apart by their families and he was forced to move to this hell hole of a city.
Ace: … Streak? You still there?
Sunstreak: ears perk Oh, hehehe, yeah I'm still here. Sorry, I kind of zoned out there.
Ace: It's cool. I was just thinking, wouldn't it be awesome if we could gather up the old gang from high school! We could just.. hang out. Like in the good old days!
Sunstreak: smiles, looking fondly at the photo Yeah.. the good old days….. You know what, I think I was in need for a vacation anyways.
—————————————————————
This is kind of a sneak peak for the next MakoLee arc. Unfortunately though, me and Blackblood-Queen are taking a hiatus from this ship so that we can get the other ones caught up! We'll be back soon and pick right back up where we started!
To keep posted on your favorite ships, be sure to give our group Capricorn Reef a watch!
Next: Sooon~