You know, some ponies don’t appreciate the subtlety of a small town’s charms. The way the hills allow just enough breeze to cool you in the spring. The way you could usually see from one end of town to the other. It had a really special feeling to it that you couldn’t get in bigger cities. Trottingham and Canterlot’s hustle and bustle were nice but for me. Ponyville would always win me over with it’s charms.
I had left that life of easy carefree country quietness with every intention of coming back to it. Sure, being an actor on the big stage meant I was pretty much forced to leave but I had always stayed up at night wishing I was back in that town. Everybody there would’ve called me crazy, most ponies were itching to hit the big cities. I couldn’t stay away for long at all though, even with my career going so well.
That’s how I ended up on a train headed for Ponyville. I hadn’t been there for a couple of years and I was sure that everypony would be shocked to see me. Oh sure there were a few ponies, one in particular came to mind, that weren’t too hot about me when I was there but hey, most of them were logically thinking adults now.
I stepped off the train and breathed in the air for a moment with my eyes closed lightly. Sugarcube corner was still eminating that smell that you could breathe in all across town. Fresh baked chocolate cupcakes, if I remembered correctly. That meant that the cakes were still just as commited as always. I had heard about the twins they had and figured they’d lose a few steps when they had to juggle being parents with being master bakers. I reminded myself to never doubt them again.
“Thespio!” I heard my name called from a familiar voice. I opened my eyes and saw the image of my smiling twin brother looking exited as when we were kids and both recieved our cutie marks. His creme coat went great with his black mane which was trimmed so his bangs were hanging just above his blue eyes. He was a dead ringer for me save the namesake half note on his rump, where on me stood the comedy and tragedy masks of theater.
“It’s been a while bro, I was starting to think you would never get back to us,” he continued as he trotted up to me, keeping his goofy smile on the whole way.
“Yeah well my last show did really well so I came back to settle down for at least the time being,” I told him as I grabbed him for a hug. He quickly wrapped his forehooves around me and shared in the hug before breaking it off.
“Come on, I know a few ponies will want to know that the resident big shot has come back,” he told me as he started walking and motioned for me to follow.
We walked into town and greeted a few of the ponies who passed by. Most were excited that I had come back and almost all of them asked what it was like to live in Trottingham. I simply told them it was fine and moved along. I had come here to leave the big cities and I certainly wasn’t going to have conversations about it. At least not for a while. We continued down the way for a while before I heard the voice of another pony I recognized like yesterday’s memory.
“Well I’ll be, I didn’t reckon we’d ever see you ‘round here again sugarcube.”
Well this was certainly a pleasant surprise.
“Applejack? It’s been way too long,” I said as I turned to see the blonde maned orange pony in all her rootin’ tootin’ glory.
“I’ll say, ya almost had most of us worried you’d done forgot about us small town folk,” she said to me as she trotted up to me and Half Note.
“Of course I’d come back to this place, I still have tons of dances to take you to,” I joked. The joke in question was more of an inside one. See me and AJ were in the same class when we were kids and since neither of us could ever get dates to the school dances that rolled around every year we had gone to every single one of them together. It was completely platonic though, me and her wouldn’t have dared to get involved with one another and ruin what had been, and I hoped would still be, a great friendship.
Applejack gave a hearty laugh and a friendly nudge on my shoulder. before turning to my brother. “I bet you’re ‘bout as jealous of him as they come ain’t ya Half?” she said with a chuckle.
“Oh no, why would I be jealous, It’s not like he’s successful at his speicial talent while I can only seem to get gigs at local diners. Speaking of which, I need to get going, have fun getting reaquainted with the town Thespio,” he told me before running off and leaving me and AJ alone to reminisce.
We talked for a while about how things were and about all the changes in Ponyville before she asked me the question that I probably should have thought about a bit more up till now.
“So, where y’all stayin’ anyway?” She asked me.
“I honestly haven’t given it that much thought, maybe the upstairs room in the library.” I told her. Last I checked we didn’t have a ponyville librarian anyway.
“Well I’m sorry to put a damper on your plans but unless you plan on being roomates with the most order obsessed pony in ponyville y’all might want to look into another place to stay,” she told me with a slight chuckle.
I rubbed the back of my head and sighed. “I suppose I have to see if there’s any other places up for rent,” I told her.
“Y’all might try Time Turner. He’s got an extra room upstairs from his workshop that I’m sure he’d be happy to lend ya,” AJ told me with a smile.
“Thanks I’ll have to look into that,” I told her with a smile and a hoof shake. I turned to leave before somepony’s voice caught my attention again.
Figures that after meeting a close friend from back then I’d meet a huge enemy.
“Applejack darling, is that who I think it is,” Asked the town fashionista.
Me and Rarity had never hit it off back before I left. We usually ended up working together a lot in school plays since she made clothes and I was an actor. We had… differing opinions, on a lot of things. I had never understood why she felt the need to do that fake high class accent and attitude until it became natural and she never understood why I loved ponyville so much more than the big cities. Of course, when I announced I was leaving Ponyville she was a bit jealous. Hopefully we were both more mature but I had a feeling it wasn’t that easy.
“How do you do Rarity,” I greeted with a nod.
“Absolutely lovely, Thespio. I must admit I had no Idea you were coming back to this town again, after all, you toured in Canterlot! Surely you had no reason to this place,” she said in her typical Rarity manner, although I still took some offense at the way she said this place.
“Well some of us like the rural charms of this place, of course some of us like embracing the life we were born with too but to each their own,” I told her.
Rarity let out an annoyed huff before turning to Applejack. “Anyway darling, I was looking to talk to you about something. Sweetie Belle was asking me if I would like to take charge of the play her school was putting on and I’m simply much too swamped to do it, could you possibly take charge on this one?” she asked kindly.
“Well shoot I already told Applebloom I have things going on for a while too,” AJ answered with a frown before looking at me. Wonderfull.
“Look Thespio, I know you probably want a break from all that acting and whatnot but our little sisters and their classmates really need somepony to direct this play and you’re the best there is for this kind of thing,” she said, putting a hoof on my shoulder for emphasis.
Normally I’d turn this down politely but since it was Applejack’s little sister I couldn’t just say no. With a mental facehoof I answered, “I’d be glad to help out Applebloom and her classmates AJ, just let me know when I need to get to school and start.”
“Thank you so much sugarcube, I know it’ll mean a lot to those girls to have somepony like you directing it. I’ll do my best to keep them from pesterin’ you ‘bout your career,” She said with a tip of her hat.
“I’d appreciate it if you did,” I told her gratefully before heading off to Time Turner’s workshop.
I arrived there at around 5:00 and knocked on the door. The door opened and Time Turner stood there wearing what I could only assume was his clockworking gear.
“Thespio! What brings you back to ponyville, and more specifically, my shop?” He asked me with a smile.
“Not much, I’m on a vacation and was wondering if the room above your workshop is available,” I asked him, hoping he wouldn’t mind me getting straight to the point.
“Not at all, I’m a bit lonely during the day anyway, what with Ditzy being at work and Dinky being in school. I’d be happy to get some company,” He said as he widened the door and gestured for me to come in.
“Wait, Derpy? You two are a thing now?” I asked him with a raise of an eyebrow. It struck me as odd that the town mailmare would be banging the super smart clockmaker.
“Well yes,” he said with a blush, “We’ve been together for about a year and she really is a lovely girl, and smarter than most ponies realize. Her and Dinky moved in with me about a month ago and it’s been…. nice.”
“Well I’m happy for you…. Doctor Whooves,” I said.
“Oh would you cut it out!? Me and him look nothing alike!” Turner said frantically.
Regardless of what he may say, he did bear an uncanny resemblance to the famed hero from the novels. Combine that with his amazing trottingham accent he got from his mother and his nickname probably wasn’t going away anytime soon.
“Whatever you say Doc, now about that room?” I asked.
Turner let out a sigh and led me to the upstairs bedroom. “Here we are,” he said, handing me the key. “There’s a shower down the hall just try not to make too much noise up here while I’m working,” he told me, “I need to be able to hear all the ticks of my clocks,” he said.
I simply nodded and went into the room. It wasn’t much, a simple grey room with a window on the left wall and a bed in the right corner.
Time Turner turned around and left. “Welcome to Ponyville,” he said as he went down stairs.
I simply laid down and sighed. Tomorrow was going to be interesting to say the least. Dealing with those kids probably wasn’t going to be easy but I was pretty confident I could handle anything. I spent the next few minutes setting all my things in place before heading out for some lunch.
I walked out the door and hadn’t gotten five feet out the workshop before something very fast and very pink crashed into me.
“OmygoshI’msosorryIdidn’tseeyouthereI- THESPIO!?” I heard as aa machine gun of words came out of the living ball of hyper that was Pinkie Pie.
“Ugh- hey Pinkie,” I said with a small wave as I got to my hooves. “I see you’re still here,” I remarked. Pinkie had only been in town for a year when I left and in that time she had completely flipped this town on it’s head.
“Of course I’m here! And now you’re here too and that’s great because we get to throw you a welcome back party!” She exclaimed before she took my hoof in hers and pulled me at speeds rivaling a train to Sugarcube Corner.
“Pinkie I really don’t think it’s necessary to throw a party over me,” I told her, but of course Pinkie being Pinkie, she just grabbed her party canon and started on the decorations.
I sat there, not bothering to argue the point and in a few minutes there was a surprising amount of onies for such an impromptu party. I actually had a great time. The food was great and Pinkie really knew how to liven a place up.
“Hey bro, great party,” Half Note said to me. Next to him stood Colegate, her blue and white mane framing her facial features and blue coat. Now, I say she was standing next to him but in reality she was hanging off him like a jacket.
“Yeah, I could always use a party after a hard day of dentistry,” Colegate said before giving Half Note a peck on the cheek.
Just then a slow song began and Colegate whispered something to my brother which by his reaction probably meant he was getting lucky by the end of the night. Half Note and his mare walked out onto the dance floor slowly and began swaying to the music. I looked around and saw everypony was paired up with somepony. I even saw Turner dancing with Derpy, her hooves stumbling onto his every now and then.
I looked out to see if AJ might want to dance for old time’s sake but saw her dancing with a rainbow maned pegasus with a cyan coat, both of them blushing as they looked into each other’s eyes.
Among the other options for dance partners were Rarity, a shy yellow pegasus who probably would have shattered into a million pieces if I offered her a hoof, and a lavender unicorn with a blue and pink mane that looked like she was studying the couples on the dance floor.
I was about to give up and walk away when the last pony I expected a slow dance request from tapped me on the shoulder with her hoof. I turned around and saw Pinkie standing there with a huge smile. “Wanna dance Thespy?” She asked me.
“Uh, sure,” I said, unsure about how I felt about the dance or the new nickname. I lead Pinkie onto the dance floor and started leading. Pinkie had a huge smile on her face the whole time. I saw Half Note gesture at Pinkie and winking and my face got just slightly warmer. The dance was over in a few minutes and the faster paced music started back up.
“Thanks for the dance, It’s always nice to dance with a friend,” Pinkie said to me before bouncing off leaving me on my own. Just then Half Note appeared beside me and nudged me lightly on the ribs.
“Didn’t think Pinkie was your type bro but I guess she could be great for a roll in the hay,” he said befor getting a punch in the foreleg from me.
“We’re just friends,” I told him as he rubbed his forehoove.
“Well dang, you can’t stay out of the friend zone can you? First Applejack and now Pinkie,” he said before I punched him again.
“Anyway, I should get to bed before it gets too late. I need to get some sleep,” I told him before heading out, leaving behind my own party in lieu of some peace and quiet.
The coming months, I felt, would be interesting to say the least. Before I fell asleep I noticed that everything seemed brighter after that party. Maybe it was just me imagining things. Either way it was nice as I drifted off into a deep slumber.
