Twilight Skiesby Alexander HawthorneChaptersCommencementBudding FriendshipTales Long ForgottenFestivity UnendingCommencementAt first, when they told me I would be moving away, that I would be leaving the only semblance of a home I’d ever known, I didn’t want to go. The world outside the four walls I lived in was alien, cold and strange. The government of Equestria had taken care of me for years, but now times were different. Humanitarians from outside, with no knowledge of what it was like here in my orphanage, of the love and compassion we had been shown, decided that it was out-dated and cruel. They had forced the Princesses to close the establishment. After that, the curators arranged houses for us. I was reticent, resentful of the change. But now that I’ve finally arrived at the Ponyville train station, it seems like maybe life here isn’t such a bad idea. My new home is located near the edge of town, across from a gigantic orchard. The constant activity makes for a comfortable kind of background noise, like the cable cars back in Canterlot. Life here is simpler though, slower, more peaceful. The soothing atmosphere and seclusion serve as balm for my ragged nerves. I’m not used to being alone, after so long with all the wonderful men and women who managed the home where I’d lived before; yet without their constant presence, I feel at rest. I don’t have to answer to anyone and freedom that comes with that is blessedly reassuring. A polite, yet firm knock on the door bursts through my silent retrospection. Curious, I walked over to the door and opened the door. A smiling girl, a silent giant of a young man, and a very young girl were standing outside. The older girl extended her hand, which I shook somewhat quizzically. I took in the sight for a moment. The youngest couldn’t be more than eleven or twelve, with light skin and dark auburn hair. She had on a light yellow sun dress, with a huge pink ribbon tied in the back of her hair. The boy was, I thought, something close to nineteen or twenty, with blue jeans and a dark red tee. His blond hair was naturally straight and fell off to the right an inch or so above his eyes. The middle girl was likely close to my age, fifteen or sixteen. She had on tight denim shorts, a plaid orange, white, and light brown plaid button up, and a dark brown Stetson sitting on top of her dirty blonde hair, which was loose at the front and sides, but done into a simple braid in back. Her eyes were also green, her skin slightly darker than –assumedly- her sisters, and dotted with freckles. As I looked at them for a moment, the middle one opened her mouth to speak. “Howdy! Mah’ name’s Applejack, ’n this here’s Big Mac and Applebloom. We’re your neighbours over at Sweet Apple Acres and just came by to see if you needed a hand moving in.” Her smile was infectious, and despite my usual cautiousness, I smiled back. “Well, I am nearly finished, but it would be a real help if I could get Big Mac to help me with the couch. It’s all that’s left.” I replied after a moment’s deliberation. She nodded, and Big Mac did the same. I walked them over to the sofa in question. Big Mac casually strode to the opposite side, and we lifted it; it shocked me how easily he managed it. I’m not weak by any stretch of the imagination, but this guy hefted it like it was nothing at all. “All right Big Mac, just through the door and into the main room, if you would.” I directed, and in short time we had settled it into its place. I shook his hand gratefully, and he nodded. Applejack spoke up again. "Hey, we’re uh… having lunch soon if you’re interested!” she grinned, with a friendly look and something else I could only identify as hopeful. Applebloom smiled and nodded enthusiastically. I looked around at my new home quietly. “Ahh, what the buck?” I thought to myself. It must have been the air here, but I felt alive, I felt as though I could leave my anxiety, my worry behind me. “I would love to, but are you sure it’s alright? I mean, you’ve already been really kind to me, and I hardly know you!” She laughed and nodded again. “Of course it’s alright! After all, that’s how you make friends.” And with that, we left my house and walked over to Sweet Apple Acres. The one thing I kept thinking about was how the people here were so much different from those I’d met in Canterlot, my orphanage family aside. They were easygoing and glaringly open. Maybe I could come to like it here after all. Budding FriendshipLunchtime at Sweet Apple Acres was, apparently, a big deal. There were so many people, so much noise; so much food! Never in my life had I ever seen a table set for so many. And almost every dish had apples incorporated in some way. There was Pork chops and Applesauce, Apple pies, Apple fritters, Apple butter, Apple turnovers; you name it, they had it. When we arrived, everyone there wanted to meet me, which was rather intimidating. The Apple family, as I quickly learned, was extensive, and widespread. Despite my best intentions, many of their names eluded me. It was surprisingly enjoyable, although often uncomfortable. Being around people isn’t my strong suit. Socially, I’m alright, but I don’t really know what to say sometimes. Anyhow, It was truly a good time overall. I left feeling content for the first time in years. The people who lived in this quaint town were by all means openhearted and kind. Nothing like the men and women I’d met before. And the Apple household was only the beginning. Applejack decided that I would meet with all her best friends before the day was out. I had this sinking feeling that I would have to change; that the residents of this quaint villa would expect me to become as cheerful and as exuberant as them. Believe me when I say it, I would love to leave behind the demons of my past, but I don’t think it will be as simple as all that. Nonetheless, I was half pulled, half wilfully shuffled along towards the more active town proper. The buildings were an eye dizzying array of any and every colour, fantastic architecture and fanciful aesthetic appeal blended together. Some looked like clouds in the breeze, others like any other home you would see on a street. Still others stood out; a huge building decorated with enormous candies, the main structure made of what appeared to be gingerbread, and in the center of it all lay a giant… treehouse. It was as though someone had hollowed out an enormous oak or redwood and fashioned it into their personal living quarters. These last two pulled to me apart from any other building in town, and I decided that somehow I would visit them as soon as possible. It would seem that fate had other plans in store for me however, as Applejack carted me towards one of the huge, puffy looking cloud like structures. “Ah have a friend here who’d likely be mighty pleased to meet ya!” she intoned, breathless after her exuberant march into town. “Rainbow, you get yer lazy behind out here this instant, ah have someone you ought‘ a meet.” Her shouting woke the previously dormant occupant, who proceeded to make no small racket herself before appearing at the top window. “Oh, hiya, Applejack! What’re you doing up so early? It’s hardly decent to- hey, who’s the kid?” Moments later, she reappeared at the door, a small smile on her face. Again, she was of an age with Applejack and myself, dressed in a blue tracksuit she’d cut off mid-thigh. Her skin was paler than mine, and she cut a figure best described as athletic. Tall and lean, she was clearly some kind of runner, or involved in sports at least. Her most prominent feature however, was her hair. Coloured in every shade found in a rainbow, it became apparent why she was called such. Once again, she stuck out an arm, but hers was more challenging, almost like she didn’t expect me to shake it, but offered it almost cynically. I took her hand, and shook her arm firmly, but without serious force. She grinned again, and said confidently, “My name’s Dash. Well it’s Rainbow Dash to be precise. You must be new in town! Geez, AJ, I haven’t seen you so excited since Soaren was in town.” Here she smirked a bit, her mouth just curling at the ends. “And Ah haven’t seen you so out of sorts since Big Macintosh asked you to the spring formal last year. Why the way you blushed I’d have thought your name was Cherry Blossom or some such!” Applejack retorted smoothly. It felt like I was missing something, so I quickly responded. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you. I just got in today actually and AJ and her family helped me settle in.” “Wow AJ, that’s real considerate of ya! I’m sure you and Mac were just dying for something to do.” Rainbow commented, a sly note entering her voice. Applejack shot her a dirty look, but quickly regained her composure. Smiling as politely as I’d ever seen, she began walking away. “Hey, it was nice to meet you, but I guess we’re headed off to meet the rest of her friends.” I spoke quickly, and when she nodded I took off in pursuit of the now absentee Applejack. When I caught up, I could just catch snippets of Applejack muttering something under her breath. It didn’t make much sense, just something about Rainbow Dash and baked goods. I figured it would be better not to ask. We went throughout the rest of the sleepy town, and I was introduced to Pinkie Pie, a wild card with the curliest, wildest hair I’d ever seen in the brightest shades of pink imaginable. She spoke a thousand words a minute and her attitude was all about partying and having fun. Then there was Rarity, a fashion designer with a taste for high culture and pomp. She seemed nice enough, but kept staring at my sweater with a critical look, as though I’d committed a crime. We left before she had a conniption. On the outskirts of the village was a small, homely cottage. At first, I thought that whoever lived there must have been out for the day, but it turns out she was home. When she came out to say hello, I could hardly hear her speaking and for what must have been ten minutes I found myself just kind of nodding and smiling as politely as possible whenever it seemed appropriate. We said our goodbyes, and as we were leaving, Applejack said, “That’s Fluttershy by the way. Wonderful friend, but ya’ll just gotta get to know her first, which isn’t all that easy seein’s she’s real quiet.” I nodded softly. After walking silently for a few more minutes, we came to the centre of town, and stopped in front of the building I’d seen earlier that was shaped like a tree. Upon further inspection, I realized it actually was a tree, hollowed out yet still living. As we waited outside for the last of Applejack’s friends to step out, a strange sense of Déjà vu came over me. It was as though time slowed to a grinding halt, and my breath came in short, quiet gasps. After what seemed a lifetime, the feeling passed, and the door opened. Tales Long ForgottenThe girl who stepped out was unlike any of the others I’d met so far. Her hair was a deep, incredibly dark purple, with a few shocks of dark pink. She had on a pair of reading glasses that covered her lavender and blue eyes. There was a certain tranquility of form to her, and I swore I could feel a sort of… energy coming off of her. She had on a simple gown like one you’d expect to see a librarian or schoolteacher wearing, yet it stood out on her as though she were prepared for a ball or a gala. Slightly lighter skin than Applejack, who had tanned from working the farm for so long peered cautiously out from her sleeves; I noticed subsequently that it was without mark or blemish. Her face lit up with a brilliant smile and she shut the door behind her as she stepped into the bright, sunlit day. “Applejack! I wasn’t expecting anyone to visit me today, least of all you. Aren’t you and Mac busy with applebuck season? Oh! Where are my manners?” She turned to face me, speaking quickly but with pinpoint accuracy. If not for the lack of any accent or distinguishing ethnic features, I’d swear she learned to speak from a textbook. “Hello, my name’s Twilight Sparkle! It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her hand met mine firmly yet with a timidity bordering that of an introvert. I shook it as calmly as I could, yet my voice wavered unexpectedly as I replied. “Hi. I’m Starry Skies. I just moved here from Canterlot, and Applejack was kind enough to show me around. If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly is this house? It looks ancient, and the wood is still alive, even though it’s been hollowed out for a home.” My eyes drank in the incredible sight of the tree-house, with its towering branches, enormous leaves, and intricate workmanship of carving and crafting that made up the living space inside while leaving the whole tree, for the most part, somehow unharmed. Twilight’s tone took on that of a professor or scholar orating to a class full of students, yet also one filled with surprising intensity. “Well, you see, to the best of my knowledge, this tree is located on the spot where one of the first families settled in Ponyville. They became the town’s founders of course, and kept it growing through hard work and dedication. The wife was a master healer, and she would always be taking care of men and women who had fallen ill or been injured while clearing land and farming. The husband was a man of the land, constantly ploughing fields, sewing crops, reaping the harvest, and would always lend a hand to anyone who needed it; he would fix roofs, milk cows, plant, harvest, and almost any other task there was. This family was loved by the townsfolk, and the town prospered from their combined effort.” “One particularly difficult winter, however, the wife took ill. It was a cruel twist of fate that the town’s best healer was so busy helping the sick that when she herself was sick, she was too weary and worn down to do anything. At first, it seemed as though she would soon recover; but again, it was as though some great, unshakeable force were at work. She grew weak as the days passed, and her loving husband did everything he could think of to ease her pains. Late into the night he would stay by her side in silent vigil, always there if ever she cried out in pain, there with warm soups and life-bringing herbs whenever she needed them. His dedicated spirit refused to lose hope. But the townsfolk began to wonder if his talents weren’t being wasted; the other members of the little town were beginning to feel the effects of the long winter’s icy breath.” “Day and night however, he remained steadfast by her bedside, until one day, the source of her malady was made clear. Unbeknownst to either of the pair, a small blossom had taken root in the tenement of their small home. This blossom was a vile plant known as Sorrow’s Embrace, and when it grew, it would develop almost a sentience. The plant, when matured, was wicked in temperament, and fed off of sorrow and pain. And from experience in various other parts of Equestria, it knew that love when shattered produced anguish most exquisite. So it would travel to houses where love flourished and slowly break that love in any way it could.” “The man tried desperately to rid the household of the accursed blossom, but his efforts were proven fruitless. His beautiful wife continued to sicken until one day, she finally surrendered, and her soul took flight; on that day, the winter grew worse than any before, and many of the town’s residents feared they too would be lost to the cold. The man, now husband only to a memory, grieved night and day for his lost wife, and day by day, winter covered the land in a deeper and deeper cold. At length, the man had made up his mind. One morning, with frost creeping ever deeper into their house, he lay next to her, and his will was broken. His life left him as silently as the snow falls from the sky, with as much feeling as the frigid winter winds.” “A young girl living within the village who had been abandoned witnessed this tragic event, and as the man died, tears of regret filled her eyes. She wandered into the house and gazed upon the proud faces of her town’s most beloved and most cherishedfamily for although many were too busy with problems of their own, she herself was hardly older than a child, and remembered well time spent with the woman learning how to heal; time with the man learning the value of honesty and hard work. So she mourned the loss of two so fair, their passing so sudden and so devastating to a town that needed them dearly. Her tears fell upon their upturned faces, silent now, in eternal stillness. Her tears fell in remembrance of the lives lost. They fell on the hard, barren earth that was the floor; falling as she stumbled, onto the plant that had instigated this tragic event.” “Invigorated by this fresh sorrow, the plant grew to unspeakable size, entangling the young one in its leaves. Her cries, muffled by leaves and stems and petals of the weed, went unheeded. It grew and grew, until finally the townsfolk all had gathered around to witness the bizarre sight. Few made any effort to stop the plant, for they were too concerned with their own lives, and it paid them no heed. Slowly its tangled vines encircled the child, her breath stopped short with one last cry and at long last, the plant had had its fill.” “Something happened then that has defied any attempt at explanation to this day. Where the girl’s body hung, surrounded by foliage, a soft, nigh undetectable light began to emanate. It grew ever so slowly in strength until it was a beacon so bright, it was seen from the wild edges of Equestria; the townsfolk were stunned by its brilliance yet somehow unharmed. The light began to eat away at Sorrow’s Embrace, cutting through it with ease, and soon nothing was left of the plant to harm anyone again. You see, what it had not counted on was that little girl. Her sorrow was not for herself, as was the plant’s belief; it was for her town, for her people. Her love for them was selfless, and her sorrow was her concern for them. This was the plant’s undoing, that it tried to consume a force so much stronger than itself. As the light faded, a final, miraculous event took place.” “As the townspeople shook themselves from the awe of what had transpired moments ago, a tree grew, proud and tall, and many said it was a magic tree. It grew to remember the fallen, and the sacrifice they all three had made. Its roots grew deep, representing the honesty and kindness of the man and his wife. The trunk and boughs remember the girl, whose loyalty sparked something greater than mortal power; she had accessed the magic responsible for defeating the plant’s evil. And the leaves stand to light the way towards Harmony for all, with generosity and laughter to guide us.” Her tale ended, and with it, my breath slowly returned. So powerful were her words, so keen her ability to bring life into view through language, that I had scarcely breathed a whisper. As though released from the thrall of her voice, the world came back into motion, sound returning with a passion, and awareness with a dull aching through my feet. Applejack stirred next to me as though returning from a world long lost, sent away by tales long forgotten. Twilight looked at us apologetically. “ I’m really quite sorry; I’ve kept you for quite some time, and the sun is nearly set. You should get going back home. It was really great meeting you Starry. I’ll see you around!” She waved lightly to us, and returned to her work inside what I now came to recognize as a library. My skin tingling with a feeling of uncertain energy, and I knew I’d be back tomorrow. Festivity UnendingMy mind was alive with activity as I walked back towards my home in the fading dusk. Applejack walked alongside me, a kind of companionable, thoughtful silence between us. I was content to let it remain, lost in thought as we trod the path towards our respective destinations. The silence wavered slightly, small shudders of breath escaping us in the chilled night air. It seemed as though after hearing Twilight recite that tale, the town itself sat in silent reverence, remembering the sacrifice made to confirm its place on the map. We parted ways at the bend in the road that separated our houses, still without speaking. A strange gravity settled in my mind, a solemnness of thought over the events that had transpired throughout the day. I felt there was something important happening in my newfound home, but after reflecting on what it could possibly be, I came up as blank as before. Something about the day’s events was playing behind my eyelids as I settled in to take my first night here in Ponyville, my first night alone in years. Slowly, it resolved into an image, clarifying itself into a collage of the people I had met over the last ten hours. All of them stood out in a way that was unique not only from the other inhabitants of the town, but even from each other. They had aspects of personality that meshed and flowed together in perfect cadence, rhythmically complimenting each other, yet remaining alive and vibrant separate from the others. In a way, they almost seemed one entity. From among this rapid-fire slideshow, the last girl I’d met stood out the most. She seemed incredibly intelligent, yet kind. She didn’t wield her knowledge over others as an authority or superiority, and this amazed me. Everyone in Canterlot I’d met outside my home seemed to be in a competition of fashion, of power, and of what was “in” or “out”. But here was a woman who acted out of a simple, matter of fact attitude coupled with modest humility, spreading knowledge to better the lives of others. My mind slowly dimmed, my clarity grew hazy, and at length, I fell asleep, and dreams came easily that night; dreams of a great library, of a long since dead family, of a little girl’s sacrifice, and of the shy, knowledge-loving curator who tied the whole thing together. Peaceful sleep soothed my weary body, healed it of fatigue, repaired overworked tissue, and calmed my mind. Worries and fears seeped away; poison drawn from an already healing wound. Morning came all too soon; casting Celestia’s brilliant, shining light over Equestria. The warm golden glow drew me softly from the depths of peaceful slumber, my eyes blurring the line between fantasy and reality as they slowly drew themselves open. The world exploded into stunning clarity, and my second day in Ponyvile began with a bang. Rather, an immensely loud knock on my door, accompanied by a singsong-y voice. “Good morning! Are you awake yet? Did I wake you? Are you excited? I’m so excited; I’ve never been this excited in my entire life. Well, except for that time I met Twilight and went, “ HUUUUUUUUNH!” or that time we defeated Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna came back but I mean really, what could top that? Anyhow, YOU NEED TO GET UP!!” The force of that voice pulled me out of bed and I prepared to launch into a verbal assault worthy of a wrathful God; or at least, an empress. Quite promptly, I realized that not only was I in a severe state of undress, but also that yelling the ears off of someone I likely didn’t even know was not the best way to make a good impression. So, yawning heartily instead, I dressed as quickly as humanly possible, gave my hair a disheartened once over and my teeth a peremptory brushing. My stiff joints and cold muscles groaned in protest as I propelled myself through the simple door separating me from the outside world. The first thing that I noticed was the light. Bright, soft light poured down upon the town, giving everything an angelic cast; the town seemed to have come straight from a fairy-tale, complete with Canterlot Castle set far in the backdrop. Flowers bloomed everywhere; birds hummed sweetly in the distance from the direction of the cottage-in-the-meadow Applejack had taken me to last night to meet her friend. Squinting, I located the source of a stream of rapid-fire speech. Standing directly off to my left was what appeared to be a mass of wild, pink hair attached to a face broken into the most enormous grin I’d ever seen. “I’ve just got to take you around the town; we can visit the market and buy apples and carrots and celery stalks and sundaes and sugar and sarsaparilla! And then we can go to the shopping centre and get you some… well, I don’t really know what, but it’ll be great! And then we can visit Sugarcube Corner, where I work and which is also the Cake’s house they turned into a bakery and confectionery. Once we’re there we’ll eat more ice cream sundaes and chocolate mousse and chocolate cake and gumdrops and gooey caramel and candied apples and apple fritters and lemon meringue pie and candy canes and coconut crunch and choco-choco chip cookies and it’ll be a blast! Once we’re done there, we can go see Applejack down on the farm and help her work the land for a while because it’s a ton of fun and I know she can use the help this time of year with harvest and applebuck season on their way. It’s a ton of work to run a farm, you know? Especially one as big as Sweet Apple Acres, and even though their family was over yesterday that was the last day of their reunion, so only a few out of Towner’s are still kicking around. That leaves just AJ and Mac and Applebloom to watch over Granny Smith, run the farm, do all the chores, and make meals on top of it! Once that’s all finished, we’ll go to the clubs just outside of town until sunset and PAARTYY! Ohmigosh, I’m so excited aren’t you? It’s going to be so much fun! Eeeeeeeeee!” Her voice finally wound down and she stood there, looking at me with that humongous grin still on her face and not a single hair out of place-not that many could be considered in place, but you catch my meaning. My head was a bit light from following her mile a minute pace and just as I’d finished processing all of what she’d said, she jumped and yelled again. Grabbing me firmly by the arm, she said, “ Oh I’m so happy that you agree; in fact I’m so happy I wrote a song about it just for you! It goes like this; ‘She’s an evil enchantress and she does evil dances and wh-‘…. Oh wait, that’s not it! Drat, well, I guess I didn’t really make a song for you yet but I will one day alright, so don’t worry and let’s just have fun!” And with that, we were off. Well, almost off anyway. Another one of the girls I’d been introduced to ran up to us with an excited shout of “Hey Pinkie! Whatcha doing?” and glommed onto her in the biggest hug I’d seen in my life. I remembered a little too late that this was Pinkie Pie, seeing how I’d been graciously reminded of the fact. I mean come on, the hair alone should have been enough, but my mind still wasn’t quite to par. The newcomer must be Rainbow Dash, and again I had her wacky, vivid, rainbow streaked hair to thank. She soon picked up enough to realize what we were up to, or about to be up to, and announced to the world at large that she was all in, cause “Parties with Pinkie are always so awesome!” We high-tailed it over the street and lit into the farmyard with the sun well on its way to the crack of nine in the morning and I knew that this would be the start of what was likely the best day ever. Mind awhirl with excitement, I crossed the threshold onto AJ’s property with a grin wide as a mile, and pinkie started singing a hyper, high pitched song about smiling that had us Dash and I busting up and grinning like maniacs as we knocked on the door to the main house on the acreage. Applejack greeted our cheery trio with words that sent our high spirits crashing violently to the earth at our feet. “Granny Smith just got sent to the hospital.”
CommencementAt first, when they told me I would be moving away, that I would be leaving the only semblance of a home I’d ever known, I didn’t want to go. The world outside the four walls I lived in was alien, cold and strange. The government of Equestria had taken care of me for years, but now times were different. Humanitarians from outside, with no knowledge of what it was like here in my orphanage, of the love and compassion we had been shown, decided that it was out-dated and cruel. They had forced the Princesses to close the establishment. After that, the curators arranged houses for us. I was reticent, resentful of the change. But now that I’ve finally arrived at the Ponyville train station, it seems like maybe life here isn’t such a bad idea. My new home is located near the edge of town, across from a gigantic orchard. The constant activity makes for a comfortable kind of background noise, like the cable cars back in Canterlot. Life here is simpler though, slower, more peaceful. The soothing atmosphere and seclusion serve as balm for my ragged nerves. I’m not used to being alone, after so long with all the wonderful men and women who managed the home where I’d lived before; yet without their constant presence, I feel at rest. I don’t have to answer to anyone and freedom that comes with that is blessedly reassuring. A polite, yet firm knock on the door bursts through my silent retrospection. Curious, I walked over to the door and opened the door. A smiling girl, a silent giant of a young man, and a very young girl were standing outside. The older girl extended her hand, which I shook somewhat quizzically. I took in the sight for a moment. The youngest couldn’t be more than eleven or twelve, with light skin and dark auburn hair. She had on a light yellow sun dress, with a huge pink ribbon tied in the back of her hair. The boy was, I thought, something close to nineteen or twenty, with blue jeans and a dark red tee. His blond hair was naturally straight and fell off to the right an inch or so above his eyes. The middle girl was likely close to my age, fifteen or sixteen. She had on tight denim shorts, a plaid orange, white, and light brown plaid button up, and a dark brown Stetson sitting on top of her dirty blonde hair, which was loose at the front and sides, but done into a simple braid in back. Her eyes were also green, her skin slightly darker than –assumedly- her sisters, and dotted with freckles. As I looked at them for a moment, the middle one opened her mouth to speak. “Howdy! Mah’ name’s Applejack, ’n this here’s Big Mac and Applebloom. We’re your neighbours over at Sweet Apple Acres and just came by to see if you needed a hand moving in.” Her smile was infectious, and despite my usual cautiousness, I smiled back. “Well, I am nearly finished, but it would be a real help if I could get Big Mac to help me with the couch. It’s all that’s left.” I replied after a moment’s deliberation. She nodded, and Big Mac did the same. I walked them over to the sofa in question. Big Mac casually strode to the opposite side, and we lifted it; it shocked me how easily he managed it. I’m not weak by any stretch of the imagination, but this guy hefted it like it was nothing at all. “All right Big Mac, just through the door and into the main room, if you would.” I directed, and in short time we had settled it into its place. I shook his hand gratefully, and he nodded. Applejack spoke up again. "Hey, we’re uh… having lunch soon if you’re interested!” she grinned, with a friendly look and something else I could only identify as hopeful. Applebloom smiled and nodded enthusiastically. I looked around at my new home quietly. “Ahh, what the buck?” I thought to myself. It must have been the air here, but I felt alive, I felt as though I could leave my anxiety, my worry behind me. “I would love to, but are you sure it’s alright? I mean, you’ve already been really kind to me, and I hardly know you!” She laughed and nodded again. “Of course it’s alright! After all, that’s how you make friends.” And with that, we left my house and walked over to Sweet Apple Acres. The one thing I kept thinking about was how the people here were so much different from those I’d met in Canterlot, my orphanage family aside. They were easygoing and glaringly open. Maybe I could come to like it here after all.
Budding FriendshipLunchtime at Sweet Apple Acres was, apparently, a big deal. There were so many people, so much noise; so much food! Never in my life had I ever seen a table set for so many. And almost every dish had apples incorporated in some way. There was Pork chops and Applesauce, Apple pies, Apple fritters, Apple butter, Apple turnovers; you name it, they had it. When we arrived, everyone there wanted to meet me, which was rather intimidating. The Apple family, as I quickly learned, was extensive, and widespread. Despite my best intentions, many of their names eluded me. It was surprisingly enjoyable, although often uncomfortable. Being around people isn’t my strong suit. Socially, I’m alright, but I don’t really know what to say sometimes. Anyhow, It was truly a good time overall. I left feeling content for the first time in years. The people who lived in this quaint town were by all means openhearted and kind. Nothing like the men and women I’d met before. And the Apple household was only the beginning. Applejack decided that I would meet with all her best friends before the day was out. I had this sinking feeling that I would have to change; that the residents of this quaint villa would expect me to become as cheerful and as exuberant as them. Believe me when I say it, I would love to leave behind the demons of my past, but I don’t think it will be as simple as all that. Nonetheless, I was half pulled, half wilfully shuffled along towards the more active town proper. The buildings were an eye dizzying array of any and every colour, fantastic architecture and fanciful aesthetic appeal blended together. Some looked like clouds in the breeze, others like any other home you would see on a street. Still others stood out; a huge building decorated with enormous candies, the main structure made of what appeared to be gingerbread, and in the center of it all lay a giant… treehouse. It was as though someone had hollowed out an enormous oak or redwood and fashioned it into their personal living quarters. These last two pulled to me apart from any other building in town, and I decided that somehow I would visit them as soon as possible. It would seem that fate had other plans in store for me however, as Applejack carted me towards one of the huge, puffy looking cloud like structures. “Ah have a friend here who’d likely be mighty pleased to meet ya!” she intoned, breathless after her exuberant march into town. “Rainbow, you get yer lazy behind out here this instant, ah have someone you ought‘ a meet.” Her shouting woke the previously dormant occupant, who proceeded to make no small racket herself before appearing at the top window. “Oh, hiya, Applejack! What’re you doing up so early? It’s hardly decent to- hey, who’s the kid?” Moments later, she reappeared at the door, a small smile on her face. Again, she was of an age with Applejack and myself, dressed in a blue tracksuit she’d cut off mid-thigh. Her skin was paler than mine, and she cut a figure best described as athletic. Tall and lean, she was clearly some kind of runner, or involved in sports at least. Her most prominent feature however, was her hair. Coloured in every shade found in a rainbow, it became apparent why she was called such. Once again, she stuck out an arm, but hers was more challenging, almost like she didn’t expect me to shake it, but offered it almost cynically. I took her hand, and shook her arm firmly, but without serious force. She grinned again, and said confidently, “My name’s Dash. Well it’s Rainbow Dash to be precise. You must be new in town! Geez, AJ, I haven’t seen you so excited since Soaren was in town.” Here she smirked a bit, her mouth just curling at the ends. “And Ah haven’t seen you so out of sorts since Big Macintosh asked you to the spring formal last year. Why the way you blushed I’d have thought your name was Cherry Blossom or some such!” Applejack retorted smoothly. It felt like I was missing something, so I quickly responded. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you. I just got in today actually and AJ and her family helped me settle in.” “Wow AJ, that’s real considerate of ya! I’m sure you and Mac were just dying for something to do.” Rainbow commented, a sly note entering her voice. Applejack shot her a dirty look, but quickly regained her composure. Smiling as politely as I’d ever seen, she began walking away. “Hey, it was nice to meet you, but I guess we’re headed off to meet the rest of her friends.” I spoke quickly, and when she nodded I took off in pursuit of the now absentee Applejack. When I caught up, I could just catch snippets of Applejack muttering something under her breath. It didn’t make much sense, just something about Rainbow Dash and baked goods. I figured it would be better not to ask. We went throughout the rest of the sleepy town, and I was introduced to Pinkie Pie, a wild card with the curliest, wildest hair I’d ever seen in the brightest shades of pink imaginable. She spoke a thousand words a minute and her attitude was all about partying and having fun. Then there was Rarity, a fashion designer with a taste for high culture and pomp. She seemed nice enough, but kept staring at my sweater with a critical look, as though I’d committed a crime. We left before she had a conniption. On the outskirts of the village was a small, homely cottage. At first, I thought that whoever lived there must have been out for the day, but it turns out she was home. When she came out to say hello, I could hardly hear her speaking and for what must have been ten minutes I found myself just kind of nodding and smiling as politely as possible whenever it seemed appropriate. We said our goodbyes, and as we were leaving, Applejack said, “That’s Fluttershy by the way. Wonderful friend, but ya’ll just gotta get to know her first, which isn’t all that easy seein’s she’s real quiet.” I nodded softly. After walking silently for a few more minutes, we came to the centre of town, and stopped in front of the building I’d seen earlier that was shaped like a tree. Upon further inspection, I realized it actually was a tree, hollowed out yet still living. As we waited outside for the last of Applejack’s friends to step out, a strange sense of Déjà vu came over me. It was as though time slowed to a grinding halt, and my breath came in short, quiet gasps. After what seemed a lifetime, the feeling passed, and the door opened.
Tales Long ForgottenThe girl who stepped out was unlike any of the others I’d met so far. Her hair was a deep, incredibly dark purple, with a few shocks of dark pink. She had on a pair of reading glasses that covered her lavender and blue eyes. There was a certain tranquility of form to her, and I swore I could feel a sort of… energy coming off of her. She had on a simple gown like one you’d expect to see a librarian or schoolteacher wearing, yet it stood out on her as though she were prepared for a ball or a gala. Slightly lighter skin than Applejack, who had tanned from working the farm for so long peered cautiously out from her sleeves; I noticed subsequently that it was without mark or blemish. Her face lit up with a brilliant smile and she shut the door behind her as she stepped into the bright, sunlit day. “Applejack! I wasn’t expecting anyone to visit me today, least of all you. Aren’t you and Mac busy with applebuck season? Oh! Where are my manners?” She turned to face me, speaking quickly but with pinpoint accuracy. If not for the lack of any accent or distinguishing ethnic features, I’d swear she learned to speak from a textbook. “Hello, my name’s Twilight Sparkle! It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her hand met mine firmly yet with a timidity bordering that of an introvert. I shook it as calmly as I could, yet my voice wavered unexpectedly as I replied. “Hi. I’m Starry Skies. I just moved here from Canterlot, and Applejack was kind enough to show me around. If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly is this house? It looks ancient, and the wood is still alive, even though it’s been hollowed out for a home.” My eyes drank in the incredible sight of the tree-house, with its towering branches, enormous leaves, and intricate workmanship of carving and crafting that made up the living space inside while leaving the whole tree, for the most part, somehow unharmed. Twilight’s tone took on that of a professor or scholar orating to a class full of students, yet also one filled with surprising intensity. “Well, you see, to the best of my knowledge, this tree is located on the spot where one of the first families settled in Ponyville. They became the town’s founders of course, and kept it growing through hard work and dedication. The wife was a master healer, and she would always be taking care of men and women who had fallen ill or been injured while clearing land and farming. The husband was a man of the land, constantly ploughing fields, sewing crops, reaping the harvest, and would always lend a hand to anyone who needed it; he would fix roofs, milk cows, plant, harvest, and almost any other task there was. This family was loved by the townsfolk, and the town prospered from their combined effort.” “One particularly difficult winter, however, the wife took ill. It was a cruel twist of fate that the town’s best healer was so busy helping the sick that when she herself was sick, she was too weary and worn down to do anything. At first, it seemed as though she would soon recover; but again, it was as though some great, unshakeable force were at work. She grew weak as the days passed, and her loving husband did everything he could think of to ease her pains. Late into the night he would stay by her side in silent vigil, always there if ever she cried out in pain, there with warm soups and life-bringing herbs whenever she needed them. His dedicated spirit refused to lose hope. But the townsfolk began to wonder if his talents weren’t being wasted; the other members of the little town were beginning to feel the effects of the long winter’s icy breath.” “Day and night however, he remained steadfast by her bedside, until one day, the source of her malady was made clear. Unbeknownst to either of the pair, a small blossom had taken root in the tenement of their small home. This blossom was a vile plant known as Sorrow’s Embrace, and when it grew, it would develop almost a sentience. The plant, when matured, was wicked in temperament, and fed off of sorrow and pain. And from experience in various other parts of Equestria, it knew that love when shattered produced anguish most exquisite. So it would travel to houses where love flourished and slowly break that love in any way it could.” “The man tried desperately to rid the household of the accursed blossom, but his efforts were proven fruitless. His beautiful wife continued to sicken until one day, she finally surrendered, and her soul took flight; on that day, the winter grew worse than any before, and many of the town’s residents feared they too would be lost to the cold. The man, now husband only to a memory, grieved night and day for his lost wife, and day by day, winter covered the land in a deeper and deeper cold. At length, the man had made up his mind. One morning, with frost creeping ever deeper into their house, he lay next to her, and his will was broken. His life left him as silently as the snow falls from the sky, with as much feeling as the frigid winter winds.” “A young girl living within the village who had been abandoned witnessed this tragic event, and as the man died, tears of regret filled her eyes. She wandered into the house and gazed upon the proud faces of her town’s most beloved and most cherishedfamily for although many were too busy with problems of their own, she herself was hardly older than a child, and remembered well time spent with the woman learning how to heal; time with the man learning the value of honesty and hard work. So she mourned the loss of two so fair, their passing so sudden and so devastating to a town that needed them dearly. Her tears fell upon their upturned faces, silent now, in eternal stillness. Her tears fell in remembrance of the lives lost. They fell on the hard, barren earth that was the floor; falling as she stumbled, onto the plant that had instigated this tragic event.” “Invigorated by this fresh sorrow, the plant grew to unspeakable size, entangling the young one in its leaves. Her cries, muffled by leaves and stems and petals of the weed, went unheeded. It grew and grew, until finally the townsfolk all had gathered around to witness the bizarre sight. Few made any effort to stop the plant, for they were too concerned with their own lives, and it paid them no heed. Slowly its tangled vines encircled the child, her breath stopped short with one last cry and at long last, the plant had had its fill.” “Something happened then that has defied any attempt at explanation to this day. Where the girl’s body hung, surrounded by foliage, a soft, nigh undetectable light began to emanate. It grew ever so slowly in strength until it was a beacon so bright, it was seen from the wild edges of Equestria; the townsfolk were stunned by its brilliance yet somehow unharmed. The light began to eat away at Sorrow’s Embrace, cutting through it with ease, and soon nothing was left of the plant to harm anyone again. You see, what it had not counted on was that little girl. Her sorrow was not for herself, as was the plant’s belief; it was for her town, for her people. Her love for them was selfless, and her sorrow was her concern for them. This was the plant’s undoing, that it tried to consume a force so much stronger than itself. As the light faded, a final, miraculous event took place.” “As the townspeople shook themselves from the awe of what had transpired moments ago, a tree grew, proud and tall, and many said it was a magic tree. It grew to remember the fallen, and the sacrifice they all three had made. Its roots grew deep, representing the honesty and kindness of the man and his wife. The trunk and boughs remember the girl, whose loyalty sparked something greater than mortal power; she had accessed the magic responsible for defeating the plant’s evil. And the leaves stand to light the way towards Harmony for all, with generosity and laughter to guide us.” Her tale ended, and with it, my breath slowly returned. So powerful were her words, so keen her ability to bring life into view through language, that I had scarcely breathed a whisper. As though released from the thrall of her voice, the world came back into motion, sound returning with a passion, and awareness with a dull aching through my feet. Applejack stirred next to me as though returning from a world long lost, sent away by tales long forgotten. Twilight looked at us apologetically. “ I’m really quite sorry; I’ve kept you for quite some time, and the sun is nearly set. You should get going back home. It was really great meeting you Starry. I’ll see you around!” She waved lightly to us, and returned to her work inside what I now came to recognize as a library. My skin tingling with a feeling of uncertain energy, and I knew I’d be back tomorrow.
Festivity UnendingMy mind was alive with activity as I walked back towards my home in the fading dusk. Applejack walked alongside me, a kind of companionable, thoughtful silence between us. I was content to let it remain, lost in thought as we trod the path towards our respective destinations. The silence wavered slightly, small shudders of breath escaping us in the chilled night air. It seemed as though after hearing Twilight recite that tale, the town itself sat in silent reverence, remembering the sacrifice made to confirm its place on the map. We parted ways at the bend in the road that separated our houses, still without speaking. A strange gravity settled in my mind, a solemnness of thought over the events that had transpired throughout the day. I felt there was something important happening in my newfound home, but after reflecting on what it could possibly be, I came up as blank as before. Something about the day’s events was playing behind my eyelids as I settled in to take my first night here in Ponyville, my first night alone in years. Slowly, it resolved into an image, clarifying itself into a collage of the people I had met over the last ten hours. All of them stood out in a way that was unique not only from the other inhabitants of the town, but even from each other. They had aspects of personality that meshed and flowed together in perfect cadence, rhythmically complimenting each other, yet remaining alive and vibrant separate from the others. In a way, they almost seemed one entity. From among this rapid-fire slideshow, the last girl I’d met stood out the most. She seemed incredibly intelligent, yet kind. She didn’t wield her knowledge over others as an authority or superiority, and this amazed me. Everyone in Canterlot I’d met outside my home seemed to be in a competition of fashion, of power, and of what was “in” or “out”. But here was a woman who acted out of a simple, matter of fact attitude coupled with modest humility, spreading knowledge to better the lives of others. My mind slowly dimmed, my clarity grew hazy, and at length, I fell asleep, and dreams came easily that night; dreams of a great library, of a long since dead family, of a little girl’s sacrifice, and of the shy, knowledge-loving curator who tied the whole thing together. Peaceful sleep soothed my weary body, healed it of fatigue, repaired overworked tissue, and calmed my mind. Worries and fears seeped away; poison drawn from an already healing wound. Morning came all too soon; casting Celestia’s brilliant, shining light over Equestria. The warm golden glow drew me softly from the depths of peaceful slumber, my eyes blurring the line between fantasy and reality as they slowly drew themselves open. The world exploded into stunning clarity, and my second day in Ponyvile began with a bang. Rather, an immensely loud knock on my door, accompanied by a singsong-y voice. “Good morning! Are you awake yet? Did I wake you? Are you excited? I’m so excited; I’ve never been this excited in my entire life. Well, except for that time I met Twilight and went, “ HUUUUUUUUNH!” or that time we defeated Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna came back but I mean really, what could top that? Anyhow, YOU NEED TO GET UP!!” The force of that voice pulled me out of bed and I prepared to launch into a verbal assault worthy of a wrathful God; or at least, an empress. Quite promptly, I realized that not only was I in a severe state of undress, but also that yelling the ears off of someone I likely didn’t even know was not the best way to make a good impression. So, yawning heartily instead, I dressed as quickly as humanly possible, gave my hair a disheartened once over and my teeth a peremptory brushing. My stiff joints and cold muscles groaned in protest as I propelled myself through the simple door separating me from the outside world. The first thing that I noticed was the light. Bright, soft light poured down upon the town, giving everything an angelic cast; the town seemed to have come straight from a fairy-tale, complete with Canterlot Castle set far in the backdrop. Flowers bloomed everywhere; birds hummed sweetly in the distance from the direction of the cottage-in-the-meadow Applejack had taken me to last night to meet her friend. Squinting, I located the source of a stream of rapid-fire speech. Standing directly off to my left was what appeared to be a mass of wild, pink hair attached to a face broken into the most enormous grin I’d ever seen. “I’ve just got to take you around the town; we can visit the market and buy apples and carrots and celery stalks and sundaes and sugar and sarsaparilla! And then we can go to the shopping centre and get you some… well, I don’t really know what, but it’ll be great! And then we can visit Sugarcube Corner, where I work and which is also the Cake’s house they turned into a bakery and confectionery. Once we’re there we’ll eat more ice cream sundaes and chocolate mousse and chocolate cake and gumdrops and gooey caramel and candied apples and apple fritters and lemon meringue pie and candy canes and coconut crunch and choco-choco chip cookies and it’ll be a blast! Once we’re done there, we can go see Applejack down on the farm and help her work the land for a while because it’s a ton of fun and I know she can use the help this time of year with harvest and applebuck season on their way. It’s a ton of work to run a farm, you know? Especially one as big as Sweet Apple Acres, and even though their family was over yesterday that was the last day of their reunion, so only a few out of Towner’s are still kicking around. That leaves just AJ and Mac and Applebloom to watch over Granny Smith, run the farm, do all the chores, and make meals on top of it! Once that’s all finished, we’ll go to the clubs just outside of town until sunset and PAARTYY! Ohmigosh, I’m so excited aren’t you? It’s going to be so much fun! Eeeeeeeeee!” Her voice finally wound down and she stood there, looking at me with that humongous grin still on her face and not a single hair out of place-not that many could be considered in place, but you catch my meaning. My head was a bit light from following her mile a minute pace and just as I’d finished processing all of what she’d said, she jumped and yelled again. Grabbing me firmly by the arm, she said, “ Oh I’m so happy that you agree; in fact I’m so happy I wrote a song about it just for you! It goes like this; ‘She’s an evil enchantress and she does evil dances and wh-‘…. Oh wait, that’s not it! Drat, well, I guess I didn’t really make a song for you yet but I will one day alright, so don’t worry and let’s just have fun!” And with that, we were off. Well, almost off anyway. Another one of the girls I’d been introduced to ran up to us with an excited shout of “Hey Pinkie! Whatcha doing?” and glommed onto her in the biggest hug I’d seen in my life. I remembered a little too late that this was Pinkie Pie, seeing how I’d been graciously reminded of the fact. I mean come on, the hair alone should have been enough, but my mind still wasn’t quite to par. The newcomer must be Rainbow Dash, and again I had her wacky, vivid, rainbow streaked hair to thank. She soon picked up enough to realize what we were up to, or about to be up to, and announced to the world at large that she was all in, cause “Parties with Pinkie are always so awesome!” We high-tailed it over the street and lit into the farmyard with the sun well on its way to the crack of nine in the morning and I knew that this would be the start of what was likely the best day ever. Mind awhirl with excitement, I crossed the threshold onto AJ’s property with a grin wide as a mile, and pinkie started singing a hyper, high pitched song about smiling that had us Dash and I busting up and grinning like maniacs as we knocked on the door to the main house on the acreage. Applejack greeted our cheery trio with words that sent our high spirits crashing violently to the earth at our feet. “Granny Smith just got sent to the hospital.”
