Chapters ... Time seems to just fly by nowadays. There's no certain stop, or pause. I'm never sure if it ever repeats, or rewinds. I just know that it... Goes. Day to night, night to day. It's simple, really... Kind of.
I see life differently than most. I don't really mean that in anyway bad whatsoever, but, compared to a lot of people, I don't look for individual things. I don't take a picture for everything I see. No. To me, everything stays together, all in one big canvas . It's an odd metaphor, especially for someone who doesn't paint, like I don't, but it's the only way I could really describe it after all these years.
A canvas. Filled in some places, but empty in the others; All of it being with one, single, color... The color being none... None that I knew of, or could possibly describe.
See... Though I do see life in an odd way, I also don't see it at all... From what my parents tell me, I have a unique, and bright, outlook of things through my clear, yet misty eyes... My name is Eugene, and, in case you haven't guessed yet, I'm blind.
I've been blind since I was born. It's often been called a 'disability' of mine... But I think of it as a bit of 'added initiative'. Initiative to... See things how they really are.
Hehe. Ironic, isn't it?
Back home though, a disability was just that. A disability.
I had my hand held throughout most of my life because of it. Not just the toddler ages, or my childhood, but even more than it should've been. I was taught to read in braille, learned to use a walking stick -- And that was fine. It was ... But it just kept on. I felt limited.
Even after I had made it through college, despite the odds against me, and gotten a job that actually worked for someone like me, that I actually enjoyed, my parents and friends would still act as if I was taking my first steps.
I appreciated it, and it showed that they cared greatly about me; I'd always feel grateful for how they were so willing to keep me close. Nonetheless though, even I thought it was suffocating.
Like I had said, I don't think of my inability to see as a disability . I can do all kinds of things on my own; Crossing roads, reading whole books, working ... It was all simple for me.
In a world where everything is a simple nothing, but something at the same time, one has a lot of time to think. And I know I had a lot .
In my thoughts, I imagine the people around me; Process their voices before I'd file it away under their names, if they were so kind as to give me it. I would listen to the often congested roads of my home, though I barely even knew too much about it, and often wish that I could focus on a more silent surrounding.
Another thing was... Just... I'd think of nothing. It sounds silly, I know, but a person only has so much to work with when all they have at all is their imagination. These moments, though, are pleasant.
How many can say that they've truly, and I mean truly , cleared their minds, without even the smallest voice or thought in the back of their head?
So, yeah... I don't really think of my blindness as a disability. To me, its a blessing. A canvas.
A place where I could think of everything, and nothing... So, imagine how odd it was to me when it was, essentially, given even more to think on than what I had grown up with.
Surprise is a part of life. Nobody can go completely without it. That's why it's there. That's why we feel it, and why we named it at all.
It tells us that we react, be it fast or slow, and that we all have different ways of doing so; A little glimpse into the minds and inner workings of another, just as one would get from sadness, happiness, or even anger.
Of all forms though, mine had admittedly taken me a little longer to get through.
I'm sure it would anyone else though, blind or otherwise.
I remember the day clearly; Almost visibly. The sun was shining through my window, the shutters having long been removed by a friend of mine as a favor I asked of him; I may not be able to see how nice the day looked, but I certainly enjoyed feeling it's warm and embracing presence. I went about my usual processes during the middle of the week, when I was on my day off from work, as my superior had so kindly given to me; Paid as well.
I made my way, with practiced grace, out of my bed; Carefully swinging my legs with long memorized movements and quickly sliding my feet into a pair of soft, comfortable slippers that I always placed in the same location next to my bed. I stretched my arms out and gave a quick yawn, the sun now hitting my bare back as I reached to my left, immediately being met with a long, slender friend of mine; There for me since three years after I had learned how to walk.
Grabbing hold of the wooden object, I lifted myself with relative ease, a small sense of reassurance coming to me as I took a step down from the slightly raised platform my bed was on -- My parents had insisted that I'd find a different house because of this feature, but I found it to be a small... Boost of confidence for me, everyday.
A small obstacle, to say that even a blind man can find his way... Heh... My friend had laughed at this, and I happily did the same. It was a little silly, wasn't it? I digress though.
My walking stick pointing my way for me, allowing me to create my own mental path, I made my way over to my closet, having recognized it by the small doorway, and the sudden feeling of several articles of clothing in my face. I let out a hearty laugh at the fact that I had gone too far, yet again, shaking my head at myself before raising my arm, and feeling my way through my clothing.
The only true way I recognized what was what, was by the material's texture, and the article's overall shape. Color did not matter to me, as I don't even know what that really is, so long as I felt comfortable in what I wore. My friends and family had helped me with finding clothes a while ago though.
Once, one of these friends had come to visit in a sort of housewarming, having only just found out about the purchase I had made. When he opened the closet, he chuckled, saying that I had a lot of 'whites and blacks' inside. I looked to him in confusion, and it only took him a moment before he realized his mistake, quickly sputtering out an apology. I simply shook my head with a smile on my face, telling him that it was no issue whatsoever.
That memory usually brought a smile to my face as, finally, I would pick out what I would like to wear that day, pulling them off by their hangars and promptly dressing myself. It took an average of, say, 20 minutes before I'd be done. It was a long process, which is why I'd usually have to wake up early for work, but it didn't bother me.
After dressing myself, I would once again rely on my walking stick to guide me, making my way to my house's bathroom. I'd brush my teeth, wash my face, and just plain use the bathroom before I would move on from then.
I had decided to skip breakfast that day. I wanted to get to my neighborhood's local park as soon as I could, and to beat out the later crowd.
As I opened the door to my house, I was quickly released from the controlled, artificial feel of my home's air ventilation system, and met by the fresh air of the outside. It was cool, and crisp, as was characteristic of the fall where I lived. One could easily hear the wind if they tried, singing its annual song, with an ensemble of birds and rustling leaves to back it. Nature was an orchestra on this day, and the wind was it's composer.
I took in a deep, relaxed breath through my nose, savoring the seasonal zest of it, before releasing it through my mouth, slowly and purposely. No matter what, I would always enjoy that feeling.
I smiled as made my way down my house's short walkway, only identifying that I had reached the sidewalk by the sudden roughness below the taps of my walking tool, before turning myself in my intended direction.
People would often worry as they saw a blind man like me make their way through the city, wondering if I'd get hurt, or lose my way. It wasn't really a problem though. I had an almost photographic-- Heh, wrong choice of words. A... Near perfect memory. I knew every twist and turn that I would take. It was like making a map in my head. An imaginary map, like the kind a child would believe a pirate to follow, searching for their buried treasure. Only, my 'loot', as it were, was just my home.
I made my way to the park in the most direct route that I knew of, often crossing roads with the assistance of a kind few, or by simply following a crowd I knew to be near me. I could hear the familiar voices of street vendors, peddling their goods among the many people of the city. Some had even greeted me, to which I responded just the same, and asked as to how I was.
I would always tell them I was well, and they would seem to perk up at this, if only slightly. I guess they just had soft spots for people like me.
Aside from their calls and greetings, I would hear the drones of traffic around me, along with the conversing of several people, and the occasional 'oh, excuse me' or 'pardon' that some people would give me as they moved out of my way, purely out of good gesture. A smile from me was all I could return to them for this, and I only hoped it was sufficient.
After a while more of walking, I eventually felt my cane come in contact with a metal gate, a smile coming to me at the sudden interruption. This was the gate that surrounded the park, ensuring the most peaceful and quiet nature of the large area.
I followed the gate all the way around, my walking stick clanging softly against the metal to work as a sort of guide. A man walked up to me after a short moment of doing this, softly placing his hand on my shoulder as he moved, to where I presumed to be, in front of me.
"Sir?" He asked, to which I responded curtly. "Would you like some help?" Normally, I would kindly turn this sort of offer down, aware that I could do this sort of thing myself. On this morning though, I did not want to go through the rather excessive process I went through as I entered my favorite area in the city, what with soon having to turn a corner, and all that. Smiling, I gave the man a smile, and a nod.
"Thank you. If you could help me to the entrance of the park, I would appreciate it." I told the man.
"Of course, sir." He responded in kind, slowly and carefully wrapping his arm around mine, before starting to guide me forward. I could hear the footsteps of people as they sidestepped the two of us, myself hoping that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience to them, or the man assisting me.
Finally though, the man released me, allowing me to guess that we had reached our destination. "There you go, sir. Anything else I could do to help?" He offered. I chuckled at his kindness, shaking my head.
"No, I can find my way from here. Though, if I could have your name, I'd at least like to more formally give you my gratitude." The man let out a chuckle of his own, the sound of his shirt sleeve shifting, along with what I guessed to be a hat on his head as he adjusted it.
"Officer Moore, sir." Oh, so it was a policeman who had helped me, I had thought to myself.
"Well, thank you very much, Officer Moore." I imagine that he nodded at this, before I then heard his footsteps as he walked away, likely to resume his post.
Taking in another breath of the air around me as I took a few, careful steps into the park. I now picked up several more scents interlaced with that of the fall. Freshly trimmed grass, with hints of dew adding a sort of pleasant 'clearness' to it. Hints of flowers that bloomed in the area, most often being near impossible to find elsewhere, due to the city's urban nature.
The sounds were different as well, with several fallen autumn leaves giving a resounding crunch as I stepped over them, and the tittering of the occasional squirrel, or panting of an owned dog, making yet another orchestra for me to have the honor of listening to.
The taps of my walking stick were reduced to near nothing as I walked on, both because I did not want to interrupt the 'performance' that surrounded me, and because I had long memorized this area to a tee.
So much so, that finding my favorite bench, sat beneath a large tree, it's shade providing a cooled contrast for me, had become more of an act as simple as breathing, than one of any sort of complexity.
I was quite satisfied with my seating, and, with a sigh, I gave into my thoughts, my surroundings and the sensations that accompanied acting as a beautiful backdrop for me as I did so. I would imagine a squirrel run just by my feet, stopping for a moment and surveying it's surroundings, it small eyes momentarily staying themselves upon me, before it would rush off to the nearest tree, or the like. Birds, in my mind, would fly over the relatively calm setting that I rested in, already beginning to fly south for the upcoming winter. Finally, I would tune out the few people here, completely losing myself in the zen that surrounded me.
I truthfully am not sure of how long I was there. Perhaps it was hours, or simply minutes, but eventually, I felt my stomach give a growl, the sudden feeling of being peckish quickly registering in my mind.
Reluctantly, I returned myself from my thoughts, standing and again making my way through the familiar path of the park...
This is where things changed, oddly enough. A change that, to this, I honestly think to have been for the better.
Though the details as to what occurred next are blurred for me, I am aware of falling backwards, having been pushed back -- accidentally, or purposely, I was not sure -- by a large, burly man. "Watch where you're going!" He had said, drawing a mental chuckle from me at the irony in his statement.
Next thing I knew though, as I picked up my walking stick, which had fallen next to me in the impact, I once again heard another voice aimed towards me, this time of a woman.
"Uh... Hey... Are you okay?" She asked, seemingly hesitant in doing so. I supposed that, in this regard, she had some reason to sound that way. After all, it was a rather... Awkward situation, assisting a man like me up. I could understand.
I gave the woman a nod, standing myself up once again with a silent grunt. As I did so though, I felt a sense of slight confusion go through me. The leaves that crunched beneath me were no longer there. I no longer heard the sounds of the park, or the whistling wind. And finally, the very scent of the air seemed... Off.
I shrugged it off though, deciding that this was simply a momentary happenstance, as would occur every now and then.
Looking to where I heard the woman to be, I gave her a smile, telling her that I was fine, and that she need not worry. She stood there though, as I could tell from not having heard her walk away, for another moment or two, drawing a raised brow from me as she did so.
"... Is... There something wrong, Ma'am?" I asked her. Her response was oddly worded, to say the least.
"W-what are you?" She asked, her voice relatively silenced, and low. I rose my brow even higher at this, at first not understanding what she meant. After a moment though, I just chuckled, thinking that she was meaning of my special trait.
"Oh, I'm blind, Ma'am." I told her. I honestly didn't mind being asked that question, as I had been so used to answering it, even in the way she had worded it. I saw no reason to find any sense of rudeness, or show irritation, at an honest question, so I tended not too.
This answer, though, apparently did not satisfy her, as the sound of her footsteps came as an awkward shuffle. "N-no. I mean, what are you?"
This was, as I liked to refer to it, the start of my new life. A life with new thoughts, and a new canvas. A canvas labeled 'Equestria'.
Author's Note
This is just going to be a short story I'm making. A little break from my other two focused stories, if only for a short moment. The time between chapters won't be long, but it'll be there.
Either way, I hope you enjoy.
(P.s. This story is inspired by a friend of mine who lived his life without sight, before dying in an untimely accident at home. Miss you buddy.)
It had been a little while after this initial contact with the woman, or as I later found out, mare, before she lead me elsewhere, presumably her home. It was there that she explained to me about where I was, going deep into detail, and only stopping to ask me a few scant questions every so often.
At first, I didn't believe her, thinking this to be one large, and far-gone joke. I would lie if I said it had not happened before, with someone believing they could pull the wool over an already blind man. I was soon shown that it was the truth, however, with one simple gesture. A touch of her hand, which she had so generously offered... Rather though... A touch of her hoof.
It's fur, it's varying textures between soft and hard, and it's odd shape, certainly threw me for a loop. I spent a moment or two calming myself, with her waiting patiently, attempting to help me along in any way she could.
Never, and I do mean never, in my twenty three years of life, had I imagined myself to ever find myself in this situation.
This mare, who soon formally introduced herself as 'ShimmerSky', -- I found the name to be odd at first, but pushed it off rather quickly. After all, a name was a name, especially from an apparent talking pony -- spent the next of a long few hours explaining to me what she could.
And... It was amazing. My mind soared as she told me of the wonders of this land, though I still was not completely wrapped around this idea just yet. How pegasi, ponies with wings, would fly through the air, creating the very weather that once governed itself in my home; She herself was a pegasus, as she had shown me with a graze of the feathers on her wing. She told me of the job of 'earth ponies', and how they tended to the ground below. Finally, she moved to unicorns, horned ponies, and their use of a long mysterious force. Magic.
Hehe. I suppose I couldn't really obtain a full appreciation of that concept, considering the fact that I wasn't particularly sure of what it was.
Take a blind man to a magic show, and you'll only receive a polite clap from them once they think the trick is over. To them, 'the card was already their's, be it correct, or not'.
Either way, it was a lot to get my mind around.
Over the next few days, I was slowly introduced to the things of this land. This wonderful, impossible land. The mare told me that she lived in a home close to the edge of a place named 'Ponyville', and that she would slowly start to show me to the things around it, and the many others ponies. She had been kind enough to give me a bed to rest in, and food to eat, though I often had to do a double tale on the latter, excusing myself as I did so. Not often that a person takes a bite out of a sandwich, and bites into flowers.
She seemed nervous around me at first, likely because I was something she had never seen before,and eventually, that feeling shifted elsewhere for her. It instead became worry, as she saw me, a being who could not see, try to make my way around. She would often stay close to me, though never directly interacting without my say so, ensuring that I wouldn't hurt myself.
It was reassuring to see that she cared for me so much, if not slightly too protective in that regard. Though, I only wish I at least knew what she looked like, aside from the general concept I had of her.
Her home was relatively easy for me to memorize and get around through, so I had it down pat within the first two days. I must say though, sleeping in a new bed, in a new home, in a new place , felt so... Surreal to me. Especially when I didn't have a view of these new surroundings of mine, but rather, an idea.
The first day that she and I had left her home, entering into the small village while I kept as close to ShimmerSky as I could, I heard many, of what I could assume to be, ponies gasp, likely because of me. I felt slightly responsible for the panic that they apparently felt, but, they did not seem to react too badly to it. As we went through the town, in fact, a few of these ponies greeted me, offering simple 'hello's as they passed. This surprised me, honestly. Even back home, nobody would be this friendly in a situation such as this, so much as they'd be wary.
I took this as a good sign.
Again and again, after that day, ShimmerSky continued to take me into Ponyville with her, allowing me to continue, and expand, my learning of my new surroundings, while keeping a close eye on me. Ponies, more and more, began to greet me, and act as if I were nothing more than another person. All that I wanted at the moment, really.
Among these many days, a unicorn, as she had told me when she came to Shimmer and I, and apparently aware of my sightless feature, walked up the two of us. She introduced herself to be Twilight Sparkle, 'or just Twilight', as she conversed with us. Or, more accurately, me.
She asked me various questions about myself, such as my name, species name, and things like that. It was like I was being questioned for a survey. I happily answered them all, only vaguely aware of an odd sound in the background, along with the scribbling of pencil on paper.
This unicorn was friendly in every way, saying that, if it were needed, she would be willing to assist me with any further questions, or requests, that I had. She even drew the point in a few days later, as ShimmerSky took me to visit the local library, as she told me, where Twilight evidently worked as the librarian.
Upon my visit, she quickly welcomed me, along with the smaller, younger voice of a 'baby dragon'-- Again, a concept that threw me for a loop-- named Spike. He... Had evidently been unaware of my condition.
"Um... Dude, I'm down here." He had said after I greeted him, earning what I assumed to be a scowl from Twilight, followed shortly by the sound of whispering.
"Oh! Oh, sorry about that! I didn't mean to-"
"It's no problem." I said to him with a chuckle. After all, its not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before.
Aside from that small situation, the rest of the visit went really well. Twilight had, in fact, even given me a few books to read while I was here, written in braille as well. I suppose even ponies can be blind sometimes, though, as to how they read braille using hooves, I'd likely never know. I thanked her for these books as ShimmerSky and I returned to her home, myself quickly setting to read from my newly obtained pieces of literature as soon as I had the time.
The library, however, was only one of the many places I had gone with ShimmerSky's assistance, along with Twilight only having been one of the many met ponies.
I would greet several more ponies, along with a particularly cheerful one, who, by ShimmerSky's description, was named PinkiePie. She was happy to welcome me to Ponvile in her unusually, yet extremely infectious, positive and energetic form, before spouting out something about a party, and leaving.
At first, I wasn't sure what she was talking about, having to ask ShimmerSky for assistance in this regard. Rather than immediately answer though, a she started with a knowing laugh. "To make a long story short," she began, "I hope you like cake and loud music."
Sure enough, when Shimmer and I returned to her home that night, we were immediately greeted by the sounds of several ponies yelling out 'surprise', myself flinching slightly at this, though quickly beginning to laugh afterwards. A quant and friendly place, if I do say so myself.
In this party, I met many more ponies, all of them being unique in their own way. The music was loud, and blaring, but nothing that bothered me. Quite the opposite, in fact. To me, every sound had beauty to it. Including the ryhthmic and energetic sound around me at that time, accompanied by that of other partying ponies, their hooves rapping against the ground as they danced, and the overall merriness of the room.
ShimmerSky placed me at one of her many house tables and chairs, asking that I remain here, likely to keep me from being hurt in all the chaos I could not see. This was a regard I agreed with, but not for the same reason. I would personally rather not bother the ponies around me, getting on the 'dance floor' and suddenly causing everyone to stop as they let me through to do whatever was necessary to me at the moment.
So, instead, I sat there, occasionally making conversation with whatever pony would choose to approach me, be they mare, or stallion. I was given a slice of cake, and a cup of a fruity punch by PinkiePie as she came to check in on me herself, asking if I was enjoying myself, if I was surprised, and many more excited questions. I answered them all with a chuckle, herself giving her own hyper responses before she somehow disappeared, no hoofsteps or anything, into the large crowd of ponies nearby.
Smiling, I carefully felt around for the plastic utensil she had also given me, starting at the corner of the table and making my way inward, my hand sliding across the smooth countertop, as I finally found the object, gripping my fingers around it, and then carefully moving to find the slice Pinkie had given me.
I had some trouble with this, unable to really find anything for myself to come in contact with, before, much to my surprise, I felt a hoof suddenly place itself on the top of my hand. "Here, let me." I heard a mare next to me say, as she adjusted my aim as best she could, myself almost instantly feeling the soft resistance of the cake beneath my plastic fork as she released my hand, allowing me to cut out a piece and carefully lead it to my mouth.
It was sweet, and delicious, in every way. I detected hints of vanilla, and cream, within the dessert. It held a soft texture to it, and the frosting atop of it only added to the experience with more positivity. I felt a smile come to my face as I swallowed the mouthful, both from the taste, and the helpfulness of the mare.
"Thank you." I said. Through the sounds of the festivity around me, I could hear the wooden chair in front of me slide slightly against the floor, followed by the sound of a sitting figure, who I guessed to be the mare.
"You're welcome." She responded. "Mr..." She purposely trailed off here, drawing a chuckle from me as I quickly found the cake again, piercing my eating tool into it before I answered.
"Eugene, ma'am." She let out a soft giggle, almost reverberating through the air, and sounding oddly reminiscent to small bells.
"Ma'am? No, please, call me Octavia." I nodded at her request.
"Alright, Octavia." Though I couldn't see it, I, for some reason, imagined a smile come to her face.
"So, are you enjoying yourself?" She asked as I swallowed another mouthful of cake, once again savoring its flavor and texture for as long as I could.
"Actually, yes, I am." I returned. "I have to say, you ponies are really friendly, just throwing a party for someone like this." I heard her adjust herself slightly in her seat, followed by the sound of someone sipping from a cup. She likely had a drink with her.
"I'm glad to hear you think so, Eugene. Though, I think the one you should thank the most is PinkiePie. She's the one who planned this out, after all." And in the span of a few hours, at that. Not many people, or likely even ponies, could possibly make that claim.
"Well, yes, but you and the other ponies were nice enough to come, despite the fact that I'm a different species, and the like." Putting the plastic fork down for a moment, I began to feel around the table again, seeking out the cup this time.
The cup that, within moments, was suddenly slid before my hand, myself giving a thankful smile and a nod as I quickly realized it to be another kind gesture of the mare in front of me. "Different species or not, I don't see why we shouldn't act friendly. You certainly do, after all."
I chuckled. "Thank you again." I said. Placing the cup to my lips, I slowly tilted it until I started to feel a cool, refreshing, and grape flavored beverage flow into my mouth. I swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of this before then placing the cup back down.
Opening my mouth, I was about to speak again when another voice suddenly came from, what seemed like, out of nowhere. "Hey, Octy!" She said loudly, drawing a raised brow from me, and what sounded like a sigh from Octavia. "How's it going?"
The voice was now right next to me, the mare having apparently approached us. "Vinyl, don't be so rude." She urged in a near whisper. "I was speaking with Eugene." There was a moment of silence, leading me to wonder what was occurring, before the other mare, 'Vinyl', spoke up again.
"Ohhhh... So you're the one who's party I'm DJ-ing tonight!" I heard Octavia let out another, more prolonged, sigh, as I relayed what Vinyl had just said.
'DJ-ing'? "And I take it that you're the one playing the music?" I asked, which, in my mind, drew a nod from her.
"Yup! DJ PON3 at your service!" It wasn't until a few months later that I found out how she spelled that, and by then, I had thought of it to have been long amusing. "Name's Vinyl though. Vinyl Scratch."
Reminiscent of those old records my parents once played for me, I suppose. "Nice to meet you, Vinyl." I told her with a greeting nod of my head.
"Vinyl, aren't you supposed to be at your booth right now?" Octavia suddenly asked, an odd tinge in her voice that, at the time, I couldn't quite read.
"Uh, no, not really. The thing's set on auto, at the moment, and I-" For some reason, or the other, Vinyl suddenly stopped speaking, another moment of silence among the two as the noise of the party became all that was there.
"... Heh..." She suddenly chuckled, again drawing a questioning look from me. "I mean, um... Yeah, actually, I do have to head back to the booth for... Things..."
'Things'? While I may not be acquainted with what a DJ refers to certain terms as, or as to what the job entails to, I'm still not too certain that 'things' is in their sort of vernacular. Before I could verbally question this though, I heard the sound of the mare walking away, and at what seemed like a quickened pace, a faint laugh escaping her as she left.
I may not have been sure as to what brought about her leaving, but I supposed that her business was her business.
"Sorry about that." Octavia said. "Vinyl can be a bit... Unmannerly, at times." I shook my head at this.
"I don't see any issue with it. She sounded like a good pony. Like you." Yet another momentary pause of silence, soon followed by her giggling once again. "Is she a good friend of yours?" I inquired, wondering as to how they knew one another.
"Yeah, we are. She's been with me for as long as I can remember. Especially nowadays, since we're roommates." Oh?
"Well, that's good to hear. It's always good to have people- Er, ponies, that you can rely on." I heard another chuckle escape her.
"Not all the time." I felt a lighthearted laugh escape me as she said this, a small part of my mind flashing me a memory or two of how my own friends tended to be too reliable at times. A laugh which, pleasantly enough, Octavia accompanied.
The rest of the afternoon went well, from what I could hear. Ponies partied well into the day, or perhaps night, with the passing of time; Dancing to the music provided by Vinyl until I could start hearing them slow, the smell of the thick air in the room slowly losing what little scent of food that I could feel, and the sound of the music starting to gradually slow itself to a stop.
Ponies soon left little by little, likely having elsewhere to be, or simply having grown tired. Several of them bid me farewell as they left, their hoofsteps and the sound of the opening and closing of ShimmerSky's house doors allowing me to know when they had gone.
I would recognize the voices of some, and return to goodbye to them as such, while I would politely thank those who I didn't know for coming.
Among those many, Octavia and Vinyl were among the last to leave, the two wishing me a good night -- As it had apparently been-- in their individual ways before they left.
"Have a good night, Eugene."
"See ya later, Eugene!"
Funnily enough, I didn't even need to match their voices with who they belonged to at this, having easily identified who was who by the way they spoke.
Octavia, who had much more gentle, and composed voice, and Vinyl, whose tone was more energetic; Flamboyant, almost.
That night, before I fell asleep, ShinmerSky having told me to get some rest while she and PinkiePie, who had volunteered to help, cleaned the remnants of the festivities, I found myself wandering in though again. I tried desperately to make shapes and ideas of every pony that I had met so far; Working off of guess, and even the slightest graze that they had given me, for even that could provide a lot of detail.
I worked my way across a small list I had made. ShimmerSky, Twilight, PinkiePie, and many more. Though... No matter what I imagined, I couldn't seem to peg a sort of image for the mare I had only met as of tonight. Octavia.
Vinyl was a relatively simple idea of mine, myself having guessed her to either be a unicorn, or an earth pony, by the fact that I hadn't heard the sound of wings shifting against her, as they so often did with ShimmerSky. Octavia, on the other hand, was only a relatively general thought. Unicorn, or earth pony, I once again was not sure. Nonetheless though, I couldn't create an image I found to be ideal enough for her.
No body soft or gentle enough to 'see' what I had heard of her voice; Her laughter. The touch of her hoof on my hand when she had helped me earlier stuck, though I simply couldn't pin it. So many details, yet no way to describe or picture it yet.
A canvas filled with shapes, and one small, yet oddly significant, part of it being incomplete. The part that depicts her...
I could tell... This wasn't just a new canvas... It was also a new paint.
Author's Note
Alright, here's part two of the story.
... Man, I do not have a lot to say yet. XD
Well, either way, I hope you enjoy!
It was, by my count, about another week or so before I yet again met this mare. This... ever so indescribable mare.
I was walking through the many paths of Ponyville, my walking stick at hand as it continually tapped the earthen ground below me, a soft smile on my face as I enjoyed the calm and peaceful surroundings that encircled me.
Ponyville, in its entirety, felt as though it were a village made to simulate the serenity of the park that I would so often visit back home. The occasional tittering animal, the sounds of singing birds, and a placid wind, not unlike those of autumn, blowing against me.
ShimmerSky wasn't with me at the moment, having finally been convinced by me a few days ago that I could find my way around. She was reluctant in letting me go on my own, of course, but she allowed it nonetheless, on the condition that I would be careful, and that I wouldn't stray too far from the house.
She had also made it so that I return before dark. I mean, I wouldn't really know if its dark or otherwise, but, having been aware of that, ShimmerSky had quickly added that the towns clock tower would start to chime whenever an hour would pass. If it rang seven times, it would be needing to head back.
Having agreed to these terms, I now took my usual stroll along Ponyville, occasionally passing by what I had learned to be the market area, and receiving the familiar greetings of vendors from their various stands. I had always found it interesting how similar some of the things here were to some back home.
In fact, were it not for the fact that I knew that I was surrounded by ponies, and that I was in a new land, I would have likely thought myself to still be back home, simply taking a new path, outside of my usual.
As I walked, eventually finding one of the many spread about wooden benches of Ponyville and easing myself into the seat, I eventually was met by the growing sound of hoofsteps, my attention drawn to the approaching pony, and a smile coming to my face as I heard the sound of a familiar, silken voice grace my ears.
"Good Morning, Eugene." Closing my eyes for a moment as I found myself enjoying the new addition to the natural symphony around me, I let out a breath as I turned to where I presumed the mare to be.
"Good Morning, Octavia." I returned politely as I continued to listen to her approach. "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm fine." She responded, her voice practically filled to the brim with a friendly nature to it. "And you?" She then asked.
"The same, I suppose. I'm simply enjoying the day, is all." Furthering myself against the back of the wooden bench, I let out a content sigh as I closed my already unseeing eyes, reentering the zen of my state of relaxation.
"Oh... Would you mind if I join you?" Chuckling at this, I wordlessly moved myself to the side, opening up what I believed to be an open enough space for her. An even greater sense of contentment flooded through me as I felt the wooden seat I was on slightly bend and creak to the new weight, still holding itself strong as it accommodated the two of us.
She and I remained silent for a moment or two, sitting next to one another as we took in the beauty of our surroundings... Though, I felt as though, ironically enough, she wasn't the one truly seeing it. At least, not like I do.
A knowing smile on my face, I continued to sit calmly where I was, a breath entering my longing mind and lungs, before then being expelled in speech. "Octavia?" I began, to which she gave a soft hum. "Are your eyes closed?" I asked.
The bench shifted slightly, and I felt a small bit of her fur brush against my arm as she likely turned to me. I imagined a face of questioning on her. "Um... No, but, why would-"
"Close them." I said simply, the smile on my face not yet wavering, despite her, now obvious, confusion.
"I... I don't understand why-"
"Just... Trust me... Okay?" She went silent at this, the movement of her shifting herself again being felt and heard by me with ease, before she then let out a sigh.
"... Okay, they're closed." I gave a mental nod as I once again drew myself into my thoughts, and this time, attempting to bring another along with me.
"Good... Now listen..." She didn't say a word. I wasn't able to prove it, but somehow, I just knew that she was doing as I asked of her. I knew that I could trust her, despite only knowing her for a short amount of time. Soon, another breeze of wind came, myself welcoming it as it began to whistle softly against my, and Octavia's, ears. "Do you hear that?" I asked.
"The wind? Well, yes, I hear it." Again, I chuckled. She was getting closer, but she still wasn't there.
"Do you though?" I continued, drawing a questioning hum from her. "Listen closely... And, instead of focusing on the fact that you can't see, focus on the fact that you can hear." Another moment of silence from her. The chair below us shifted slightly, and I heard her take a breath in, and out. Perhaps she was trying to focus herself?
Nonetheless, as the wind continued to blow, I felt the smile on my face grow as the sound of singing birds joined in, adding to the continual rush of the breeze. "And so, the first instruments arrive..." I uttered aloud absentmindedly. I wasn't able to see, nor even hear this time, Octavia's reaction to what I had said, as I was already too far gone into my thoughts to do so. Though, I feel like she didn't react at all, instead silently listening along. Like I had hoped.
The birds almost seemed to coalesce with the wind, their tweets and cries being given motion and life as they flowed with the river-like breeze, through the air and to us. Slowly, I began to incorporate more into this orchestra of sorts.
"Now, add the trees, and grass." The rustling of these plants began to come clear through, providing a serene upbeat and emphasis to the wind, growing loud and soft, depending on how it was asked to do so.
"And even the smallest of noises." To me, I chose the movement of fallen leaves upon the ground, the scraping and tapping sounds that they created more resembling those of another instrument, rather than just movements caused by nature. In fact, there was no longer nature at all. Instead, there was-
"It's... Almost like a sinfonietta..." Octavia's voice finally rang through as she finished my thought aloud, a placid and distracted tone to it. I gave a mental chuckle as I realized her to finally be seeing things the way I do... And as her voice was added into the symphony, the word 'perfection' spelled itself out in my mind as these sounds all came together, providing me with the most wondrous of 'performances' that I had heard yet.
Like any good performance though, it eventually had to come to an end. The wind began to die down, little by little, until it reached an untimely, yet well deserved, end. It's various instruments began to disperse and disappear, returning to their previous doings and natures as they lost the leader of their harmonious union.
As for Octavia and I, we sat there for quite some time after, reveling in the pleasantry. Sitting slightly forward, I made to speak to her again.
"So, how was it?" I asked, a knowing smile now plastered on my face. It took her a moment to answer, but, eventually, I imagined her opening her eyes again, restoring her sight of the simple surroundings around us.
"... Wow... Is... Is that how you-"
"Pretty much." I told her, already aware of what she was going to ask. "Though I can't see, I'm more than able take things into perspective."
"Yes, but... How?" I chuckled at the question.
"Think of it this way. Everything that I 'see', I see it differently. Sounds, tastes, touch, smells; All of these work as if they're instruments, or paints. I may not be able to see things individually, but if I put it all together, I create something even better." Again, I felt the bench shift slightly.
"So... You 'see' life as-... As art." Octavia concluded, drawing a nod from me.
"Essentially, yes. I-" Before I could continue though, I was stopped by the sudden, and amusing, sound of rumbling and growling, followed shortly after by what I guessed to be an embarrassed squeak. More than likely, that was Octavia's stomach. A laugh fought against me to escape as I heard this, myself chortling behind my currently closed mouth. "Well, I suppose that counts as an instrument too."
A light shove from Octavia, which I of course took in good spirits, followed by a light chuckle of hers showed that she also saw the amusing nature of the matter.
"Hehe. Sorry about that. I haven't had lunch yet." I nodded at this.
"You aren't the only one. Frankly, I'm fairly surprised my stomach wasn't the one to speak out." Bells filled the air again as she let out another giggle.
"Well then, I suppose we have an issue here, don't we? Two hungry ponies, and nothing but free time on our hooves. Whatever shall we do?" I have a quick roll of my eyes at this, easily recognizing the ironic tone in her voice. I decided to play along.
"Hmmm... I'm not really a pony, nor do I have hooves, but that is a good question. If only there were some way we could feed ourselves and pass the time. But how?" I pictured her smiling as she noticed me acting along with her.
"... I've got an idea!" She said dramatically, drawing another chortle from me. "Why don't I take you out to lunch?" I blinked my eyes a couple of times at this. It was odd, but, though I knew that the question was coming, something about it just seemed... Unbelievable. Giving a soft chuckle, I nodded my head in response.
"That would be nice, actually."
The bench yet again shifted. It creaked forward slightly, the sound of four hooves hitting the earth floor following shortly after. Smiling at this, I grabbed hold of my walking stick and stood myself as well, a part of myself looking forward to the upcoming meal. Before I could take another step though, my walking tool already beginning to tap against the floor, I felt a hoof gently stop me.
I raised a questioning brow at this, as I faintly heard Octavia step to my side. The hoof that had previously been in front of me moved to my arm, gripping it between the other hoof as she carefully guided it elsewhere. My eyes slightly widened as my palm was met by the soft and warm texture of her fur, the movement that came with it, such as the shifting of muscles and nearby joints, leading me to believe that it was her back.
Her mane cast slightly over my hand as my mind momentarily paused itself in disbelief, before quickly setting itself to work on creating some sort of image of the mare. The image that I had so long been missing.
I heard her tell me that 'this would make things easier', before she asked me to keep next to her, receiving a polite, if not distracted, nod from me.
In my head, I could already sense an image beginning to form, though it was extremely faint, and somehow lacking. Hopefully, I would be able to at least make an outline with this.
Throughout the short walk that Octavia and I took, I couldn't help but to shift my hand against her back, desperately wanting to obtain more and more detail about her that I could not see. She didn't seem to mind, or, at least, she simply pushed the matter aside as it went on. Nonetheless, I was grateful.
From what I had felt, I could feel her neat and trim fur, a feel of cleanliness to it that almost made it feel as if it shined. Her mane was long, elegant, and soft to the touch. It felt as though it could easily be used as a pillow of sorts. One that could put even the most troubled of insomniacs to rest. Finally, as we turned a corner, and she ended up having to get momentarily closer to me as she guided me, my hand slid further up, near her neck. I could feel some sort of material there. Almost like... A separated shirt collar.
From this, I could see that she was a very mannerly kind of person... Pony... I suppose I still haven't gotten used to that.
Nonetheless though, this was barely scratching the surface of who this mare was. An idea as to her appearance, and nothing more. I would need more if I was to truly create her image. More that, perhaps, we would be able to achieve over lunch.
After what felt to be about five, maybe seven, minutes, I began to hear the clamor and conversation of other ponies. It was by no means at an obnoxious volume, but rather, a conversative one. "May I help you?" I heard a pony say. A stallion, by the deepness of his voice.
"Table for two, if you please." Octavia requested. The faint sound of papers being tapped against a desk, almost tidily, came through, followed shortly after by the heavier hoofsteps of the pony I believed to be the stallion.
"Right this way." He said. Octavia's joints and muscles shifted, along with the rest of her, as she began to move forward, myself following shortly behind. She lead me through the establishment, making sure that I would avoid hitting anything, or anyone, with her gentle voice guiding me along.
Before long, I heard the scraping of wood on floor, followed shortly after by Octavia's voice once again. "Okay, now just go ahead and sit. The chair should be right in front of you." I gave her a nod as I reached my available arm out, quickly coming into contact with a solid mass, oddly, yet familiarly, shaped.
I reluctantly pulled my other hand away from Octavia, severing myself from my mind's momentary muse, as I then maneuvered myself into the seat. It was slightly lower to the ground than those of my home, but I suppose that was to be expecting, considering the clear size difference between these ponies and I.
Nevertheless, it did not bolster me any issues, aside from my legs having to be slightly more forward than usual.
I pushed myself forward until my chest came in contact with the table, before then adjusting myself again, into what I believed to be the appropriate position.
Across from me, I heard the shifting of Octavia's seat, allowing me to guess that she had now placed herself at the table as well. A small twinge of longing came to me as I remembered how, from one of the pieces of literature I had read, men would normally pull the seat's of the women back for them, before then adjusting it.
I knew I wouldn't be able to do such a thing, and a part of me also supported that Octavia didn't mind, but I couldn't really help myself but to ache for the ability to do so.
Within moments after the two of us had settled ourselves into our seats, myself giving her a quick smile as we did so, the sound of clopping hooves indicated the arrival of another pony. "Hello, my name is DeftServe, and I will be your waitpony today." The stallion greeted.
I offered a curt nod in his direction, giving him my own, though silent, greeting. I was unsure as to wether Octavia had done the same or not, but I pushed the thought aside as quickly as it had come.
"Now, is there anything you two would like to drink to start off?" He politely asked, the sound of a flipping notebook page, lacking of any sort of physical contact, leading me to believe that the stallion was a unicorn.
Octavia was the first to respond. "I'll have a light cider. What about you, Eugene?" She asked. For a moment, it seemed that she had tuned out the waiter --Waitpony-- completely, but I wrote it off as an occasion that my thoughts had gone too far off.
"Just some water for me." I told her, and the stallion, folding my hands together on the table, if only out of old habit. Pencil began to scribble on DeftServe's paper as he wrote down our requests.
"Alright. I'll be back with your drinks in just a moment." As the sound of pencil on paper stopped, I then heard what seemed like the shifting of an object onto the table, and moving slightly across it. It had come from Octavia's side. "In the meantime, feel free to look through our selec-..."
The rest of his sentence seem to jam up, as both he, and the air around the three of us, suddenly became silent.
"... Is there a problem?" Octavia finally asked, almost antagonizing in her tone, which caused me to raise a brow.
"Um... Well... It's just that... Um..." Another moment of silence as I confusedly awaited for some hint of knowledge as to what was happening. A sigh, from Octavia's direction, however, broke this stillness.
"Eugene, would you like a menu, or not?" My brows slightly rose at this. At the time, I was still uncertain as to what was occurring.
It was not until a few days later that I had learned the truth, told to me straight from the mouth of Octavia. As it had turned out, this whole issue was over the fact that I had not been given my menu.
That sound I had heard earlier, of a shifting object on the table, was likely one of the menus that our server had given to Octavia. When he was about to give one to me though, he had frozen, likely having remembered of the slight... Oversight, he had made in his earlier suggestion to 'view their selections'.
Octavia, though I did not know it, felt irritated by this fact. Not the fact that he had forgotten I was blind, she had told me, but that he hadn't given me my menu either way. 'Blind or otherwise, you should still at least be given some forms of normalcy.'
It was a kind, if not slightly overt, gesture of hers, and I appreciate it to this day.
"Oh... Uh, no thank you. I'm sure that we can find something for me with yours. If you don't mind, that is." I heard a lighthearted chuckle from across the table.
"Not at all." The server had, though only in my faintest of senses, left us to ourselves a moment or two ago, taking the second menu with him, and giving out a small sigh of relief as he went. I suppose I couldn't blame him. Were our roles reversed, I likely would have felt the same sense of dilemma.
"So, how should we go about this?" I asked. I could hear hum in thought for a moment, her menu lightly tapping against the table as she lowered it.
"... Well, if you like, I could read you some of the listings for you to choose from." I nodded. It was basically how my family and friends had assisted me back home when we went out to eat, so I didn't see any problems with it. "Alright... How about... A bowl of wheatgrass stew? The last time I was here, I gave it a try, and I have to say, it's delicious."
It did sound appetizing. My stomach, in fact, agreed with this, letting out a loud growl in it's attempts to coax me to choose the meal. I followed it's 'orders', along with Octavia's recommendation. "That sounds delightful..." A moment of afterthought came to me at that instant, as one of my brows rose in a slightly worried fashion.
"... Um, Octavia, just so we're clear, there isn't really any wheat, or grass, in the stew, is there?" It sounded like an odd question, but, to a man who had once bitten down on 'hay fries' only to find that they were literally made of hay, or who had taken a chomp out of a daffodil sandwich, I would say that I had my reasons for asking.
Octavia let out a small, barely audible, giggle. "That's pretty much what wheat grass is . But, don't worry, it's pureed, and I'm pretty sure that you'll be able to eat it too. After all, I've seen a couple of griffons have a taste of it, and they were just fine."
Ah, the griffons. One of the many more previously inexistent species that I had learned to live in this land, shortly after my arrival. It was odd to hear that they, and ponies, lived with little to no issue between them, but I am far from complaining of it.
Aside from that, the griffons also share a relatively similar diet to humans, in that we are both omnivores. So, it was only logical that, if they could eat something, than it was likely that I could as well. Besides, I wouldn't really think of Octavia to suggest something that she would know to be unhealthy, or inedible, to me. Not because of how well I knew her,--I still only had a foggy idea-- but simply because I felt compelled to trust her.
I had given her this trust when she led me here, my hand on her back throughout most of the walk, and I saw no reason to not do the same for something such as this.
"Oh, that's fine. I suppose I'll take the stew then." I overheard what sounded like an 'mm-hm' of satisfaction. "What about you? What will you have?" I inquired.
"Mmm... I'll just take a vegetable omelet. I've been craving one all day." She chuckled as she finished this statement, drawing another smile from me.
Her food choice was... Odd, but I suppose I could say that the same went for most other ponies. They were herbivores, and yet they ate things like eggs, sweets, and other things that normally wouldn't be eaten by an equine.
Seconds after she, and I, had decided on what to eat, I once again heard hoofsteps approaching towards us, with a faint clinking accompanying it. "Here we are. One water," the stallion said as I then heard the sound of a glass being placed at my side of the table, "and one light cider." Another glass was placed on the table, this time on Octavia's side.
"Now, have you two decided on what to order, or would you like some more time?" He asked us politely, the small notebook he used to write down orders flipping open.
"We've decided, thank you. I'll take the vegetable omelet, and he'll have the wheatgrass stew." I could hear his pencil scribbling against the notebook.
"Omelet, and stew... Alright, your orders will be ready before you know it." His pencil gave one more firm tap onto the paper, before he closed it up again, and walked off.
Opposite of me, I heard the clinking of shifting ice, and a faint gulp. "Ah. Much better." Octavia said as she placed her glass back down.
"I guess we have some time before he comes back. Anything you want to talk about to pass the time?" I momentarily searched through my mind at this. Truthfully, I had a lot to ask her. Anything that would better the image of her I had in my mind.
"... Well, I suppose that I could start off by simply asking if everything has been going well for you." I settled on this question if only to bring about a better start to our conversation.
"Pretty good, for the most part. Vinyl hasn't come home too buzzed from her late night parties recently, and the other ponies in the royal orchestra have really been improving." My mind stuck on the last thing that she had said.
"Royal orchestra? You're a member of that?" I asked, a sense of surprise and interest about me. I heard her chuckle.
"Yes, actually I am. Did I not mention that?" She asked jokingly. I gave out a well-meaning scoff in return.
"Not particularly, no. What instrument do you play?"
"I'm the first seat cello player." Ah, the cello. An instrumental string that always had a uniqueness to it, among the organized brilliance of a symphony. It held a deeper, more pronounced vibrancy to it, along with a masterful tune, only feasibly reached by those with great experience. I had never seen one, but, according to what my friends had once told me, it was large, sleek, and would seem utterly astounding to those interested, myself included.
Somehow... It just fit.
"Really? Well, I must say, I'd be interested in hearing you play, if you wouldn't mind that is." I told her with a smile.
"Not at all. Maybe we can work something out for later?" I nodded.
"No complaints here." I heard her let out a soft giggle.
"Good to know. So, I guess now it's my turn to ask you a question?" I nodded again, a smile on my face. "Well, I guess that, since I did just mention my housemate... How's ShimmerSky been treating you?" She asked.
"She's been really nice, actually. Though, she's also reminiscent to my mother, in a way. Always concerned about my hurting myself, and the like. Still, I don't really mind too much." She held back a laugh at the mention of ShimmerSky's similarities to my mother, obviously amused by this.
"Heh. Wow, I never took her for that sort of pony. She was usually pretty laid back when we were back in school. Oh well, I guess that time changes all." I myself was slightly surprised that ShimmerSky, of all ponies, used to be laid back. Though, I suppose that Octavia had said it best when she said that 'time changes all'. "Though, I wonder, does she share any similarities with your father too?" My blood momentarily ran cold at this, as my breath all but stilled.
"... Uh... Y-yeah... A little..." I regretted that stutter, greatly, though I knew I couldn't take it back. Octavia, without even having to be very attentive, seemed to notice this shift of tone in my voice.
"Eugene? Is something wrong?" I suddenly felt very thirsty, my throat feeling like sandpaper as I reached to where I believed my glass of water to be.
My hand continually shifted along the table as I expected to soon come in contact with the cold glass. Surprisingly, though not unpleasantly though, I was instead met by the soft, yet firm, sensation of her hoof over my hand, stopping me in place.
"... Eugene." Reluctantly, I gave out a sigh, knowing that she wouldn't simply allow such a subject to pass, just as I wouldn't.
"... You know, I actually love my father even more, despite the circumstances. He was there for me for a lot of my life. Everyday, when I came back from school, or work, and he'd be there to ask me how my day had gone, or he'd call, and ask if everything was okay... At least, until one day... When I came home, and I didn't hear his voice... And instead, I heard my mother crying." To my chagrin, there was a moment of silence between the two of us, as the air around us became more heavy.
"...I'm sorry." Octavia finally said, pulling her hoof away. Or, more accurately, moving to do so, before I blindly stopped her, feeling as if it was necessary to do so.
"Octavia, believe me, it's fine. That part of my life's long behind me. Besides, I prefer to focus on the present. And right now, I'm spending time with a friend." At the moment, I could only hope that what I had said had cheered her up, if only slightly. I didn't care about my own momentary sadness towards the subject, considering I've had so much time to live past it, and rather, I was more focused on curing the apparent sadness of the mare in front of me.
For a moment, there was silence. An unbearable, and practically deafening silence. Finally though, she spoke again.
"... Thank you, Eugene. And... I'm glad that you think of me so close." I smiled at this, relief washing over me in a large wave. Though... This was quickly by something else shortly after.
"Alright, here are your ord-... Um, sorry, am I interrupting something?"
Aside from that little... Bump in the road, the rest of our lunch went really well. However, admittedly, I spent quite a bit of it red-faced, and I could imagine the same for Octavia.
The stew was, despite my earlier concerns, delightful in every way. Along with this, I could smell Octavia's order from across the table, a mental note forming in my mind to try the same on the next occasion that I would return.
Best of all, we had agreed to do this every now and again. From then on, I would see her everyday, as she would join me in my ministrations of listening to the natural orchestras around me.
It was from this that I learned more of her. Her likes and dislikes. Her many past experiences. Much more than that too.
It was from this, that I obtained the next part of the painting. The detail.
Since that wonderful day, the equally wonderful mare, Octavia, and I, had taken to meeting with one another whenever possible. Every day, I would leave for my walk, go about Ponyville greeting the various other friendly voices I had grown to, and, eventually, most excitedly of all, I would find some sort of bench to rest myself at, in order to listen to nature's usual concerto. An audience of one, however, would soon turn to that of two.
A greeting, comprised of three simple words--'Good morning, Jeremy', she would say in her songbird-like voice, as the bench would shift from her weight, and I would silently, gratefully, writhe in my seat from the glee I would feel from her mere presence.
Few words would be exchanged between us, such as 'how have you been', with short responses of seconds worth of width, but with what felt like years worth of length.
Then, as our minds emptied themselves once more, and my more recent student of the orchestral outside world would release a calm and placid breath, we would delve ourselves into our surrounding music, becoming nothing more than spectators to these sounds of beauty and serenity.
This would continue for what felt like hours, but what I would not be surprised to have found to be only a few short minutes, until the symphony was eventually brought to an end, it's cause often unspoken and unfounded, yet somehow there. Octavia had once told me, 'every member of an orchestra works and breathe as one. If a single piece grows tired, then as does every other.' A spectacular splatter of wisdom, if I do say so myself.
Though often times, this end of song would bring about the end of our day as well, what with her likely having several responsibilities of her own to uphold, on occasion, the day would become even more incredulous. We would share a table at the nearest eatery to where I had decided to seat myself on that day, for I was not one to be consistent, though she would always seem to find me, to my joy,
She would read aloud a few of the selections for me, allowing me to make my decision from our shared menu, before then making the selection of her own as well, closing and nearly placing down the menu as we awaited our drinks, then our orders.
It was this time between orders that I enjoyed the most though. All those unasked or shortened questions and topics that we had held from one another would simply flow free, as we shared several anecdotes, tidbits, and the like, with a glorious ring to our voices.
Granted, I would have a slight sense of residual guilt afterwards, considering that, unlike back home, I had not found a fitting job here in Ponyville, and was therefore unable to pay for my meal myself. Whenever I would voice this thought though, Octavia would assure me that it was no problem whatsoever, and that she thought it was worth it to spend time with a good friend.
'A good friend'. No matter how many times I would say it, the thought of this would always bring a smile to my face. Of course, I had met and gotten along with other ponies here, but none of them could compare in closeness to Octavia and I.
Sleep had become nothing more than a moment of pause between these moments of bliss. An anxious wait that counted down to the next day, and, in relation, my next meeting with my friend.
By the time a month passed, our events still continued, only, we could begin to see the many changes around us as the seasons passed, all under the watchful eyes of the many pegasi of the land--Or rather, sky.
A month... I would be lying if I said I was not curious as to how my friends and family from back home were. If my mother was still trying to search for, or at least figure out what had happened to, me. Or if my friends were eating their dinners at the moment, just as equally curious and worried as to my whereabouts.
I had once voiced this concern of mine to Octavia. She, as I had now grown to expect from, listened to me intently, adding in her own input every now and then until, finally, I had finished. 'Well, if you could go back... Would you?'
That question had, admittedly, made me silent for a moment. I was honestly unsure as to how to answer this, or even if I should. I had continually opened my mouth to speak, but nothing would come out, and I'd be left flinching back at my unanswered question.
That same day, our conversation suddenly was brought to an end.
It was a small hiccup, that thankfully did not last, but it was still there.
I digress though.
At this moment, I almost had it. The image that I had long been after. That which could perfectly, in my mind, describe and show Octavia. I couldn't wait for the day to come.
When I had woken up, the guest bed that ShimmerSky had given me in my stay squeaking as I stretched out my arms and gave out a yawn, my first thoughts had gone to the subject of what my friend and I would be doing on this day.
Wether we would hear a new instrument in our natural composure, or if we would enjoy another lunch together.
I smiled at the thought, as I then began to remove myself from the bed, grabbing hold of my walking stick and going through my daily processes.
ShimmerSky had kindly prepared breakfast for me, greeting me in her usual manner as I made my way into the room. From the smell, I could tell that she had made some toast and eggs, and I could faintly hear her pouring what I guessed to be juice into a glass.
She invited me to take a seat, pulling the chair out for me with a creak as she then sat herself down as well. I was more than willing to join her.
"So, I take it you're going for another one of your walks today?" She asked as I found my seat, planting myself on it, and leaning my walking stick against the table, before I then pushed closer.
"Heh. Of course." I answered with a chuckle, reaching onto the table and, eventually, grabbing hold a utensil, which I quickly found to be a fork with a careful tap from my other hand's index finger.
"That's good. You always do seem happier when you spend time with her."
"Yes, I suppose I d-... Um... Pardon?" Upon my confusion, I heard ShimmerSky let out a giggle, as I raised my brow in her direction.
"Oh, don't even pretend you know. I've seen you two together, almost always spending time with each other. If anything, I think its really cute." I could feel a particular warmth make it's way to my cheeks, as I absentmindedly began to lightly tap my fork against the plate, seeking out the eggs.
"Uh, ShimmerSky, Octavia and I are just friends." I told her, mentally gulping down a small sense of longing that came to me as I said this. Again, I heard her giggle.
"Of course you are. Just remember to be back before seven."
It wasn't long after that she and I finished our breakfast, and she had gone on her way to work-- She was a member of the Ponyville weather team. One of the higher ranking ones at that.
Shortly then, myself now well and content with my filled stomach, I made my way outside, making sure to close the door behind me as I guided myself along. As per usual, I greeted the many ponies of Ponyville as I continued on, and as they called to me, but this time, my mind seemed elsewhere.
I was actually caught on the subject that ShimmerSky had brought up no more than a few moments ago. How she had guessed Octavia and I to be in a relationship.
I was aware that she was joking, of course, but... I actually didn't mind the concept itself.
In all honesty, no holds barred, I... Really did feel very comfortable with the idea.
Many people would likely say that the idea was extremely unusual, and that I shouldn't have this sort of interest towards a pony. An 'animal', as they would call it. The thought itself of them saying this frustrated me.
Perhaps Octavia wasn't my species... But she seemed more human than most I had ever met. She was kind, gentle, talented... She was amazing.
As someone who has no real use for outward appearance, I rely on another's inner personality to form one. And Octavia, who has now been a personal project of mine, would be considered nothing less than beautiful so far.
Still, though the idea was clear in my mind, it was also very... Skeptical.
Not many people back home found the idea of being in a relationship with a blind man to be very charming. Rather, they would find that sort of thing to be unsure, and uncomfortable. So, suffice to say, I hadn't really even been in a relationship before.
And besides, Octavia likely deserved better than me. To her, I'd have been nothing more than an anchor. I was unable to work, to clean a home, to do many things. There weren't many redeeming qualities that I had for that.
No, to me, it was suffice to even have her as a friend, and for her to think of me as one. A close one.
As I thought of this more positive thought, what little sense of longing that I felt was dashed away, as I simply shrugged my shoulders, put on a light smile, and continued on my stroll.
I had gone on further than I had before, if only because I had already created a vivid picture of the places I had been through, and wanted to further grow its borders. I had even heard a pair of new voices along the way, meaning new ponies for me to greet.
Nonetheless, I eventually began to feel my legs grow tired, and decided to find another bench of sorts.
The seat had creaked and shifted as I sat myself down, my walking stick to my side and leaning against the seat as I allowed myself rest my back against the bench. A content sigh escaped me as the weight on my legs was removed, and a calm breeze passed over me.
The natural symphony would begin soon. I could tell because of the far off singing of birds, seeming to close in little by little. They would be the composers on this occasion.
All that I would have to do now, was wait. For both the performance, and the other audience member that I had come to know... The one that did not seem to be getting any nearer.
I sat and waited for what must have been minutes, silently expecting the oncoming clopping of hooves, followed by the morning greeting of Octavia. These sounds, however, hadn't come.
Curious, I had raised a brow, my lips slightly pursing as I absentmindedly noticed that the birds were now beginning to reach a close enough range.
I was unsure as to what was taking her. Granted, I had gone further than usual, and I was, as always, in a different spot, but even so, it shouldn't have taken her that long to find me... Before I knew it, the composition had begun, and there was no sign of Octavia...
"Perhaps... She's busy? Yes, that must be it? " I had thought to myself.
It was sensical as well. Octavia had spent the past month or so pushing aside a length of time to spend with me, so it was likely that, if only once, her schedule simply wouldn't allow for it.
I was reassured by this, pushing off the slight sense of concern that I felt as nothing, before then leaning myself back again, and enjoying the performance... Despite the missing audience member.
This... Was the beginning of another cycle. One that I grew to find miserable, and saddening.
Another day passed after the first, and I still had not heard Octavia's voice grace my ears. 'Another busy day.' I had told myself... Then there was another... And another.
Eventually, it came to be a week.
I questioned as to why this was occurring several times over. Had something happened to her? Was Vinyl, her roommate, in the hospital, and needed her company? (I quickly dashed this thought as I realized that I had heard Vinyl a scant few times on my walks.) Or... I wasn't sure.
Whenever I would seat myself, and listen, allowing my mind to drift, thing would be different. I would hear the music loud and clear, but, no matter what, it always felt... Hollow.
... I really was beginning to miss her... And I had also begun to form a theory as to her sudden 'disappearance', which I could not help but to constantly shove into the back of my mind... She was purposely avoiding me.
Another who had decided that they didn't want anything to do with a sightless man? No... No, she wasn't that kind of mare. I may not have yet completed the image, but I knew her, I just did.
My spirits on this chipped slowly, but surely, as time continued to progress. Even the sounds I would hear began to lose their luster, becoming more simple and bland than they previously were.
I still went for a walk everyday though, the hopes of meeting with Octavia again clear in my mind upon every step that I took.
I wouldn't be met with the sound of hooves coming towards me though... At least, not until one day.
The composure, though empty and lacking at this point, had come to an end a few moments ago. I continued to sit there, my eyes closed and my walking stick close as I gave out a sigh of exasperation.
I was becoming, oddly enough, bored of the outside sounds for once. Had another person, or pony, ever told me that this such thing would occur to me earlier in my life, I likely would have chuckled, and respectfully have told them that they were incorrect... Now...
My eyes suddenly opened again as I heard the sound of coming hoofsteps, my heart having momentarily beat faster in my excitement, as I listened even closer to the steps. How they tamped against the ground. How they gave out a clop with each contact to a harder surface... And finally, the light weight to it.
It wasn't her.
I gave out a sigh as I quickly realized that, due to the lightness in the pony's steps, it was a pegasus, rather than Octavia, who was an earth pony.
Nonetheless, despite the fact that this was not who I had expected, I relinquished my earlier face of negativity, shifting it for a friendly smile as the pegasus' steps came before me. "Good morning." I greeted cheerfully, my persona having a slight, though likely hard to notice, glint of sadness far in the back of it.
"Um, Morning, Eugene..." I quickly recognized the voice, identifying ShimmerSky in no less than a heartbeat as I slightly leaned myself forward in my seat, so as to better talk to her.
"Hello ShimmerSky. What brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be on weather duty?" I asked, distinctly remembering that, according to what she had told me, her lunch break wouldn't be until a little later.
"Well, yeah, but it's been a pretty slow day. Clear skies, and all that." I nodded understandingly, though, in the back of my mind, I gave out a chuckle. It was only now that I knew that it was a cloudless day. "Besides, I saw you down here on my fly of the town, and figured I'd pop in... Or something."
My smile grew for a moment at ShimmerSky's apparent behavior. "Oh, that's great. Thanks ShinmerSky."
I heard her give what sounded like a half-hearted chuckle, which I mentally questioned, though did not ask. As it turned out, however, I did not need to ask, as she ended up voicing her 'issue' right then. "... Eugene, have you been here, alone, for a while?"
Raising a brow at her question, I answered her, though with some curiosity behind my response. "Uh, yes. Why do you ask?" There was a moment of silent hesitation from her.
"Well, it's just... Don't you usually do this sort of thing with that mare?" My smiling persona all but shattered as she said this, my eyes momentarily widening, before just as quickly returning to a more neutral state. The same went for my smile.
"Normally... Yes... But, I haven't heard from her in the past few days." I told her, letting out a breath as I began to stand myself up from my seat. I had already finished for the day anyways, and I figured it would be best if I started to head back.
So, with my walking stick before me, I excused myself passed ShimmerSky, her hoofsteps barely audible to me as she moved slightly to the side, then after me.
"Really? Why's that?" She continued to ask, drawing an unsure shrug from me.
"I don't really know. She just... Stopped showing up... Can't say I blame her." That last part wasn't meant to be said aloud. Rather, that was a mental comment that seemed to have escaped me. I heard ShimmerSky let out a short gasp as I flinched at my own words.
"What? Now, Eugene, you can't really meant tha-"
"I'm not really sure anymore, ShimmerSky." I interrupted, shaking my head as I went on. "On one hand, I think of her to be the kind of friend who would never just up and leave. That there's just a reason that I don't know. On the other though, it wouldn't be the first time that I've lost contact with someone just because they didn't want the trouble of staying around someone who couldn't see them." That sense of longing, and sadness, that I had hidden away was beginning to surface again, bubbling up despite how hard I tried to keep it under control.
"Eugene, I can understand that, considering things, that may be one of the more logical theories you could have. But, I don't think that it's the case. You said it yourself. Maybe there's a reason." Again, I did want that to prove true. I really did. Until I figured things out though, either of those two guesses of mine could be the reason.
"... I just don't know, ShimmerSky." At this point, I heard her hoofsteps stop, though she continued to speak.
"Well... Maybe-" Suddenly, it just became quiet. Not just ShimmerSky, but everything, as if shroud of silence passed over all of Ponyville.
I was curious as to the reasoning, but I still kept on walking, my mind set on the idea of returning home and simply relaxing my troubled mind. Perhaps to read one of the braille books that Twilight had given me, after I had traded out the others.
Within a moment though, this silence was broken, as I stepped upon a stray leaf, causing it to give out a loud crunch. All at once, sound began to return. The far off talking of ponies, the tapping of my walking stick, and... An odd tumbling and crashing sound.
"EUGENE, LOOK OUT!"
Before I could even identify what was occurring, what felt like a strong and swift pressure clipped me from my side. There was no pain, as I didn't even have the time to sense it, as my balance inexistent, and the sightless world that I viewed somehow became even more so.
A single thought was all I could manage as, not only sound, but every other sense I had faded to nothingness.
An image can only be created without it's muse for so long. After that, the creator of the piece is bound to make a mistake. A misprint... A smudge.
For how long of a time would I be like this? Trapped in the quiet realms of my own psyche; awake, but not so, as I awaited for some sort of cataclysmic event to change the still air and resounding silence.
Weeks? Months, perhaps? I wouldn't even be surprised if it was years, or an eternity. After all, that's what it felt as though it would be.
The same sightless void, only different. No sounds could bring me to a moment of peace, for there was none; no ponies, or people, could offer a kind conversation with me, for there were none; and no sensations would make me feel alive nor passed, for there would be none.
I suppose that, at this time, all I had were my thoughts. Even then though, they were blurred; Misshapen, and difficult to focus.
I would provide my own sounds. I would be the composer, and the audience, creating and listening to these writs of music from what little noises I could recall or manage to clearly hear.
Of course, the mind has its limits. It's for this reason that I would only be able to use a set number of these natural symphonies. For this reason that the music often lacked its organized chaos that gave it its charm; The very reason I had grown to enjoy it.
I would run out of thoughts soon enough. I knew that.
Without anything–anyone –to keep me occupied, entering new thoughts and images into my mind despite being unable to actually see and fully enjoy these sorts of things... My canvas would fade. The metaphorical canvas that I would use in thought would simply fall apart with the passing of time, bit by bit.
I'd wonder to myself, 'what would be lost next'? Would I lose the image of that small bakery a few blocks over, including those of its owners, and the ever-so-cheerful pink employee? Or would I have to recreate that of a friendly pony I had met during one of my walks, her timidity fading slightly as she realized my 'condition' and instantly felt the need to apologize, despite not having done anything wrong.
It was a sort of forced upon payment, really. In order to stay in this world between consciousness and otherwise, I would need to pay with a shred of my 'art'. I did not want to stay, as I did not want to lose my images, but I was given no choice in the matter. I was held captive in my own self. At least, I thought this was where I was.
For all I knew, I had passed that thin line between life and its alternate long ago, and had been transcending its boundless void in between the entire time. There was no up or down for me, as I had heard many people speak of over my life. Instead, it was just a forward, or back, coupled with the occasional side to side. (These had simply been added by my part, in an effort to break monotony every now and then.)
I was both walking and laying myself down quietly at the same time. I couldn't tell which it was. Which was the true me, awaiting difference and the end of a cycle.
Time passed nonetheless, despite my confusion, and the distortion that often accompanied it.
After what felt like three years, a few months, several hours, there was finally a change.
All at once, the two bodies of motion seemed to coalesce.
That which was laying down began to shift, its arms tightening closer to its body, and legs moving out slightly; The one which walked suddenly ended its paces, coming to a complete still before then starting to fall.
These bodies came to a meeting point somewhere along the path. I could not see it, but I could feel it, as the two eventually came together once more, no sound accompanying them, and no warning assisting their existence.
... And then, a tone. A soft, audible tone, which only came for a moment, before just as quickly leaving. It had almost seemed like another trick of the mind, making me believe myself to still be in the endless void from before... Only... I did not recognize this noise.
Then there was another. Two more, in fact, going together in a rhythmic unison, perfectly timed apart.
I felt warm and cold at the same time... But this was already an improvement, for I couldn't feel whatsoever before.
It was then that I realized something. One by one, I began to regain my sensations.
Sound suddenly became more vivid, and less bland, and overused. I could feel soft, thin, and comforting cotton laid over most of my body, serving as a sort of embrace to keep me well; To show me that I was really, truly there... That, and a slight painful throbbing in my head.
As my senses seemed to finally regain their lost splendor, aside from my sight, which had managed to stay the same despite all of this time, I began to move.
It was only slight, to test out my capabilities at the moment. A simple twitch of my arm, a fold of my leg, and the like. Actions which, despite my having grown to know of, suddenly felt foreign with every motion.
It was these small interactions with myself though that seemed to attract someone else's attention. A gasp could be heard from my left, sharp and echoing, contrasting rather uniquely with the constant tone to my right, before it was soon followed by even more sounds.
The sudden shifting of a chair, and the sound of rapid steps, distinguishable to only be those that could be created by a pony's hooves. Then, I felt a slight shift in the side of my bed, and I could feel a solid disturbance graze my arm through the blanket.
"You're awake!" A voice had exclaimed... She had exclaimed... Her voice was... Difficult for me to pin... If only because of the still-clearing fogginess of my thoughts. Once the scape of my mind became visible once more though, I recognized the voice with relative ease.
"ShimmerSky?" I questioned, my voice feeling dry and hoarse, and my head turning to face the direction of her voice.
"Y-yes, it's me! Oh dear Celestia- S-somepony get the nurse, he's awake!" I heard her confirm and yell, the sudden high volume causing a ring in my ears, but also serving to further awaken me. I gave a slight groan at her yell, which seemed to bring a much more quieted and nervous chuckle from her. "Heh... Sorry."
Before I could tell her that 'it was fine', I could hear the sound of hurried hoofsteps approaching, becoming louder and louder with every second. From what I could hear, in fact, there were two ponies that were causing these sounds. Two pairs of hoofsteps.
Within a few moments, I could hear the two enter the room, one of them stopping somewhere in front of me, while the other made their way to my left.
"Oh man, really?!" I heard a familiar, tomboyish voice ask, seemingly panicked and excited at the same time. Her voice seemed further off ahead of me, so I assumed that she was the one at the end of my bed.
This also meant that, most likely, considering the fact that I could feel her hooves carefully roaming over me, looking me over, the pony to my right was the nurse.
"Oh, thank Celestia." I heard the mare in front of me say in relief, giving out a sigh shortly after. "Look, dude, I'm MEGA sorry about what happened! I was trying to clear the skies and... Well, trying to beat my speed record, when I got caught in one of the clouds. Then I just spun out of control, and you just happened to be there, and-"
"It's fine." I responded, my voice still feeling dry like sandpaper, and sounding no different. This seemed to draw the nurse's attention, as she carefully put down my arm, which she was currently using to check my pulse regularity, and spoke up.
"Oh, you should have a drink. Pardon me just a moment." She excused herself away, the sounds of her clopping hooves still audible as she moved around the room, seeming to look for something.
"Wait... It's fine?" I heard the mare ask, almost incredulously. Truthfully, I only barely knew her. In fact, the only reason I recognized her voice was because of the occasional flights she would give over the town with the rest of her weather team–this included ShimmerSky–giving each of them different jobs and orders. The same went for her name, which, had it not been for ShimmerSky's description, I would have overheard during their flights.
"Yeah, Rainbow Dash, it's-" Before I could continue, I suddenly felt something very cold and smooth graze my lips, hints of water along it. I flinched back slightly at this from surprise.
"Here. I brought you some water." Recognizing the nurse's voice, I gave a curt nod in her direction, before she then placed a hoof gently on the back of my head and leaned me forward towards the drink.
Almost out of instinct, the moment the glass grazed my lips again, I placed my mouth over the rim, gulping down the ice cold and refreshing water as the nurse slowly tilted the glass for me.
The dryness of my throat was quickly, and quite literally, washed away in a torrent of freshness and clean cold, removing any discomfort I may have felt.
Having thoroughly satisfied my thirst, I began to pull away from the glass, which, upon being noticed by the attentive mare, caused the nurse to pull away the glass from me as well. Somewhere further to my right, I could hear the glass being set down upon a wooden surface.
"Thank you, Nurse Redheart." ShimmerSky said to the nurse, preempting my own attempts at staring my gratitude. Nonetheless, I felt it necessary to do so despite this.
"Yes, thank you." I agreed, turning my head to where I believed Redheart–at least that's what I now knew her name to be–to be and offering a small smile.
"Oh, it's no problem at all. Anyways, is there anything else you may need?" She asked, with a distinct caring and kindness in her voice.
Shaking my head, I responded with a "no thank you", listening as she then excused herself and left the room, stating that, if I needed her, to feel free to call.
It was only logical that she had left, really. After all, she had other patients to care for, some of them likely to be worse off than I. She had a perfectly sound and understandable reason to... Go...
It was then that a flash of a certain image came to mind. That of a mare, her face still an unfinished project–or at least previous project–and a smudge now horrible accenting her features. The same mare that had, as I recalled, left just as well... Only I did not know her reason, and could only assume as to what it may have been.
"... Seriously though, you aren't even a little mad?" Rainbow Dash's voice was what brought me back from my thoughts, my eyes momentarily widening as I looked towards the direction of her voice before then just as quickly returning to their normal state.
"Oh, uh, no. No, not whatsoever." I assured her with a gentle nod of my head. Despite this though, she continued to take a rather various approach. I couldn't imagine as to why.
"... Even though I knocked you out for a solid two days?" I rose a brow as I heard this, mentally relaying this message a few times over before I was finally able to respond.
"Two days?" I asked. "Odd. It felt longer than that... Either way, no harm done Rainbow Dash." Adding that last statement in as cheerfully, and calmly, as I could, a moment of silence filled the room.
"Heh. Wow. Even I don't let go of a grudge that quick." She said with a chuckle, now seemingly in a much more positive mood. "Thanks for that. Oh, and, um, sorry again."
I could hear her hooves clopping lightly against the floor as she took a few steps back, but I didn't comment on this. Instead, I just answered as if I had not heard this.
"It's no issue."
"Yeah, well," she began, trailing off for a moment as, even now, her voice began to sound further off, "I've uh... Got to get going. The weather team needs their daring leader after all. Heh." I chuckled as well as she said this, rolling my eyes in her direction to add emphasis to my amusement.
As the pegasus exited the room–I assumed–she gave out one last call, though this time aimed towards my housemate.
"Oh, and ShimmerSky, you're free to take the week off!" And with that, she was gone, her hooves and voice fading to nothing, leaving an air of quiet, only occasionally interrupted by the machine to my right.
After another moment or so, my head further embedding itself into the soft pillow below it as I gave out a tired yet relieved sigh, ShimmerSky broke the issue.
"A lot of us were really worried. Not just some of the other ponies from the weather team, but practically everypony in Ponyville." She had said, concern still clear in her voice. "Imagine how relieved we were when Rainbow Dash and I got you to the hospital, and they just said that you had only gotten a mild concussion."
Despite the rather inappropriate timing, I couldn't help but to give out a chuckle. "Minor? If minor means I miss two days while I'm unconscious, then I think I'll try to avoid anything major for a while." ShimmerSky barely held back a laugh at this, the sound of her hoof being placed over her muzzle being faint, but audible.
"Good to see that crash didn't knock any of that optimism out of you." Again I felt the edge of my bed slightly shift as she placed her hoof back down.
"It's going to take a lot more than that." I replied with a simple and soft smile. At the back of my mind though, I knew that I was partially lying. She was still there, after all, in her unfinished glory.
"I'm glad." Though this was a short response, I could still sense some hesitation within it. I was only left to wonder as to the reason though, with little to no idea as to why she had spoken in this way.
Parting my lips, I expected to ask her for her reasonings and what bothered her, only to find the words escape me in the form of, instead, a yawn. "You must be tired." She added quickly after, myself only now feeling the exhaustion that pulled at the lids of my eyes. "Try to get some rest, Eugene. I'll be right here, and I'm sure the nurse will be more than happy to help as well, if you need it."
The ability to speak leaving me as a sudden sense of overcoming drowsiness forced me to further lay back against the hospital bed below me, a deep breath escaping me in response.
The next few additions of speech she gave seemed... Garbled. I did not want to have tuned her out in such a way, so much as my tired mind preferred some time to itself, recovering its lost sense of voluntary rest as I soon dozed off to sleep.
I wasn't–Nor am I–sure how long I had slept through my dreamless rest, time easily having the possibility of having been long and short at the same time, but as I eventually felt my consciousness and awareness returning to me in my awakening, I realized that it had not been voluntary.
Somewhere further off, though just faintly, I could hear a pair of voices speaking to one another loudly, a short groan escaping me as I completely awoke as a result. "Oh, did you sleep well?" I heard ShimmerSky ask from my side, apparently having followed through with her earlier statement that she would be here with me. She, however, sounded distracted as she said this. I could only assume this was because of the same matter that had awoken me.
Offering her a nod, I reached both of my hands carefully below me, pushing myself further up the bed I laid on until I was soon sitting up, the pillows serving as a sort of support to my doing so. Raising a curious brow, I tried to focus my hearing on the two loudly conversing ponies... Though, it seemed that only one of the two were really attempting to speak with a louder tone. The same whose voice seemed... Eerily familiar.
"What do you mean you can't let me through!?" I heard a mare yell–Though just barely. "I have to see him!" As she went on, I couldn't help but to continually hear her voice echoing in my mind. It was as if I knew her... But at the same time, my mind did not want to.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I've been strictly told not to let you through." This voice was much more simple to pinpoint, the mental name 'Nurse Redheart' quickly coming up for the scantly recognized pony.
As the argument seemed to go on, I moved my attention to ShimmerSky once again; I thought that, perhaps, she would have an answer for this.
"ShimmerSky," I began, rubbing at a slight discomfort in one of my eyes, "what's going on?"
She did not respond immediately, instead settling for a moment of silence before, with a sigh, she gave out an answer. "... She came here to see you."
This did not answer my question, so much as it left me with more. Even more odd was the tone in her voice as he had said this; How she had spoken at an almost blank state.
"Who did?" I asked, raising a brow as I looked to her. Certainly, there had to have been a reason that she–at least, I assumed it was her–had asked that this particular pony be kept out.
Again, she paused. "... I think you know." She responded, this time... Solemn.
I was still unsure as to what she had meant, by all means. As I made to just ask further into the subject though, it was then that I was given my answer, though not from my close pegasus friend.
"I'm sorry, Miss Octavia, but there's nothing more I can do." I froze as the name echoed down the hall, reaching my ears, and breaking apart whatever barrier my mind had created in order to keep from recognizing her voice.
... It was her. After having been gone for so long... It was her. As I sat there, looking blankly ahead of me, my eyes wide in shock, I heard ShimmerSky let out a sigh.
"It was bad enough seeing you hurt from that crash... But the way you were before that... So broken up and sad because of her . I don't want to see you like that again." She really was a good friend. Even in regards such as these, she does her best to help in any way that she can. I appreciate, greatly, how she always acted so nicely and caring to me... But at the same time, back then, I knew this wasn't what I wanted.
Granted, I didn't want to resurface any negative emotions I had. I would've much rather preferred to have kept them suppressed, slowly smothering them until they were reduced to nothing. At the same time though, I also desperately wanted to, and knew I'd have to, at least face these problems head on.
After all, I would only have been able to avoid them for so long. It was for the better that I did it sooner than later.
"... Let her in." I said simply, a more neutral expression adorning my features as I took in a deep breath. I could actually feel the shock she felt as I said this.
"What!?! Eugene, she-"
"I'm aware of what she did, ShimmerSky," I calmly interjected, "but you need to realize that, one way or another, I'm going to have to settle things with her. At the very least, I'd like to talk things out."
Once more, a moment of silence filled the room. "... Alright."
The weight of her forelegs on the left edge of the bed disappeared within a moment, as I then heard her hooves clopping lightly against the floor. With each step, they gained some distance.
"Nurse," she suddenly said, likely being stood by the doorway to the room as she did so, "it's fine... You can let her come in."
The sound of faint hoofsteps could again be heard as I patiently, anxiously, waited and listened. A few seconds afterwards, another much more rushed series of clops registered in my mind, growing in volume until, finally, I could tell that they were at the door.
"Eugene!" I felt myself inwardly flinch at the sound of her voice, a tinge of negativity stinging at me before just as quickly disappearing.
She... Octavia seemed to come closer, beginning to circle around to the left side of the bed, where ShimmerSky had been. "Oh thank Celestia you're okay! I-"
In a rather loud and abrupt manner, the door to the room was suddenly closed shut, this time causing me to physically flinch in surprise; Aside from that, I did not give too much of a reaction.
The air became still, almost blatantly so, for quite some time. A time longer than there had already been so far. Finally, a voice came through again.
"... You have some nerve, you know?" I heard ShimmerSky say, bringing about a raised brow from me. I wasn't really sure what she was doing at the time, what with myself having been more focused on the upcoming situation with Octavia, so, it was only natural that it took me some time to react.
"What do you me-"
"Oh, don't give me that!" She interrupted, Octavia giving out a short gasp in response. "I don't believe you, Octavia. You act so nice and caring to him for over a month, and then you just up and disappear? Do you have any idea what you put him through?!" She yelled, with Octavia, in turn, seeming unable to reply. "He thought that he had driven you away for who knows how long! He lost so much of his cheerful nature, he stopped enjoying those walks of his, and on top of that, you decide that, now that he's hurt, you can just suddenly show up and-"
"ShimmerSky..." I said simply; A silent signal to her direction in order to stop her. She understood, quieting herself with nothing more than a quick breath. Shortly after, the door handle shifted, I heard a squeak, and the sound of it shutting again.
She had left–I assumed–and now I was alone, with her. If ever I had the possibility of avoiding this kind of issue... It was completely gone now; disappeared in an instant.
I could hear nothing more than the tone of the medical machine to my right. Just a constant beep, beep, beep. Octavia didn't make herself known, but I could tell she was still there, to my left... Just right there.
It was from this same direction that I heard what sounded like paper being picked up, clacking lightly against another as it was raised and partially dragged about a wooden surface, and giving out a light flap as it was, by my guess, unfolded.
"... You've... Gotten a lot of cards, you know?" I could tell, just by her tone, that she was trying to end this silence. To bring up some sort of conversation, and end this hopelessly tense quiet... Suffice to say, it wasn't a very well executed idea.
"... Eugene?" I heard her continue to ask, this time her voice seeming, almost, pleading. I continued without response for some time–Or at least, some part of me wanted to. I, however, couldn't find myself able to do so; the only thing worse than trying to speak to her now, was being silent.
Taking a deep breath, I finally spoke up. "Two weeks, Octavia," I began bluntly and simply, not even turning my head towards her,"two weeks that I thought you had just... Left me." I found myself leaning even further back against the wall and pillows that currently had been awaiting my arrival, as if my body could not support what my mind was allowing me to speak out.
"What? But, Eugene, I wouldn't-" Raising my hand up halfway, pointed towards no direction in particular, Octavia quickly grew silent, perfectly understanding my wordless request.
"... Wether you did this for the same reason that I believed you had or not, Octavia, you still just disappeared without a word. Thinking that you had left was one thing, but, I also thought that, maybe, something had happened to you... That I'd honestly never see you again." It felt forced for me to say this. My throat constantly tried to close itself off, to keep me from going on any further. I pushed through this though. I knew that I just had to speak my mind.
"Eugene... I- I didn't mean to-... To make you feel this way... It's just, the orchestra was being played in Canterlot for a while, and, as a member, I had to attend. I couldn't have just told them 'no'. What kind of orchestra would be short of a member, after all?"
The orchestra. That was the reason. A sort of... Business trip, I suppose. Honestly, a part of me couldn't help but to give out a thankful sigh of relief. Another part of me, though, continued in its misery. A large emotion had formed from it some time ago. One that, though I knew of, I was unsure as to one thing.
"Then, why didn't you say anything? It's not like I have anything to keep me too busy to at least hear you out. Especially now." She responded within the next second.
"Well, I wanted to! Believe me, please, I did...! But... I guess I forgot..." Now, I could easily hear what sounded like dejection in her voice. It had been there since she had first come into the room, but it was only now that I had been able to notice it.
"I was just in such a rush to get to Canterlot. The ride itself normally took somewhere over an hour, and the other members were going to start rehearsing early in the morning." It seemed almost too coincidental. As if, on that day, everything was conspiring against me. Something that had never happened to me, at least in this such of a degree. I'm actually ashamed to say that I... Doubted her.
"When I heard of what happened to you from Vinyl, I wanted to come back to Ponyville as soon as I could to see you. I couldn't though, since the band still had one more performance to go through before we'd be done." At this point, her voice was starting to strain. It was as if, to her, these words actually caused her pain.
"And that performance... By Celestia, it was awful... I didn't miss any notes, or cues, or anything like that... But the entire time... All I could think about was wether you were alright or not. If you'd be okay or... Or..." And she stopped. The strain that had been gradually had become too much for her, and she could no longer go on. So, instead, she simply stayed stood where she was in silence... Even this silence, however, somehow gave the impression that she was forcing herself to keep it, and holding back something more.
That emotion that had been growing was now... Clear to me. As to who it was aimed at though... I wasn't sure.
"... Octavia..." I heard what sounded like a sniffle escape her, furthering the emotion's growth as I realized something. She was crying. "... I have to say, I'm... Disappointed..."
"... I understand..." She said forlornly, causing my stomach to begin to twist up in knots.
"But," I quickly added in, "I'm also not sure of its really you I'm disappointed in... So much as it is myself." A small gasp from her reached my ears, allowing me to guess that I had genuinely surprised her with what I had said. It was then that, for the first time that since she had come into the room, I turned my head to her direction.
"Octavia, despite how kind you've been since we've met, I still assumed that you'd be so uncaring as to just avoid me. It's happened to me before and, I suppose that, with you especially... It just became unbearable." It really was true. If there was anyone, or anypony, whose leaving would, and had, affected me the most... It would be hers. "... Can you ever forgive me?" For a moment, I had thought that I heard something drip to the floor.
"... No..." Before I could give any sort of response, or express even the slightest of surprise, the bed began to shift, and, within an instant, I suddenly felt a gentle warmth envelop me; a particular trait of this warmth including soft fur, a smothering body, and the cold, bitter drips of tears.
What she had been holding back was released all at once as she began sobbing into my chest, her forelegs circled around me as she held me in a tight grip, and she leaned most of her weight onto me. Even now though, she still tried to speak.
"N-no... Y-yo-you sh-shouldn't be sorry... I was the one who made you feel so badly... Who made you think I left because you were different... Who... I'm sorry...!" Her voice yet again gave out near the end, her grip tightening on me as she devolved into a sobbing mess.
For a moment, I was unsure of what to do. I had never thought I'd hear Octavia like this. I'd never heard her cry, or, aside from that one incident in the restaurant, even caught the slightest sadness in her tone.
Wether a minuscule part of me believed it or not... She really did care for me.
My arms gained a force behind them, slowly lifting themselves upwards and towards my chest until, finally, they circled around something solid... Her. Her mane flowed through my fingers as I gently took hold of her head with one hand, and her back with the other; Her warm and soft fur shook slightly in time with her sobs and hiccups, which only seemed to increase as she realized that I was holding her.
After several moments, throughout which I had not released her from my hold, she began to sputter out another set of struggling words.
"I-... I promise you... I'll... M-make it up to you... I-I promise." And as her grip on me tightened even further,my chest now beginning to feel wet from her tears, I gave out a sigh.
My mother had once told me that, in every piece of art, be it music, writing, or painting... There would always be a mistake. Once it would occur, there was nothing anyone could do to change the fact that it had once been there... What they can do though... Is fix the mistake, in anyway possible.
To make a correction.
Author's Note
Been a while... Frick...
I'm not giving up on this story though! You can believe that!
Hope you enjoy.
I would be lying if I said I didn't miss being outside. Hearing the natural sounds that would be made, consistently changed by the passing of seasons and time; adding to the canvas that had dulled so greatly from my seemingly eternal time of lost consciousness.
It is for that reason that it felt so... Brilliant, to have been able to leave the hospital, not a few days after I had woken up.
To hear the sounds of chirping birds and crumpling leaves, coupled with the forthcoming breeze of a calm autumn afternoon.
Many ponies had been more than willing to send me their cheerful regards as they saw me, just as happy to see that I had exited the hospital as well, relatively unharmed and unbothered in my doing so.
The same party pony from my earlier days here in Ponyville had even caught up to me once more, asking if it would be alright to throw a sort of celebration on the fact; I politely refused though, my head still having felt a light ache to it at the time.
It was barely a day or so before everything began to return to how it previously was: ShimmerSky continuing to care for and be kind to me as if she were a volunteered caretaker; my usual walks about Ponyville going on without issue–though, admittedly, it took a bit to convince ShimmerSky to allow me to do this once again, considering her overall worry of some sort of repeat of past events; and, thankfully enough, the return of a certain mare's involvement with my daily routine.
...
Though, as glad as I was for Octavia's return, the previously withheld project in the canvas of my mind being put back into work, this was also exactly where the issue was; the only discernible difference in my usual interactions.
For instance, on an average day, everything would seem to be following the same trail as it did before.
I would enjoy a helping of breakfast with ShimmerSky, just before she would go off to work, and make my way outside for a time. From there, I would greet the many recognizable ponies I passed–and vice versa–as I sought out a calm place to seat myself, my walking stick, which I had managed to recover and reclaim sometime after the crash, steadfast directly in front of me.
The ground was always just as smooth, yet earthy, as it had previously been, the occasional lead in my path being all to break this pattern of left and right.
Once I had found a seat, I would listen for a moment or two, discerning if this particular area would do, and sit myself down soon after.
The same as before.
The repeated cycle would only go on in an even greater form as, shortly after I would hear the delicate and resounding footsteps that I had grown to long to hear approach.
A smile would shortly after make its way to my features as her voice chimed through the air.
"Good morning, Eugene." She would once again say as I turned my head to face her.
"And a very good morning to you as well, Octavia." It would only be a scant moment of these introductions before I moved myself over in my seat for her, and, upon feeling the shifting and slight creaking of the bench below me, it would seem as though everything would return to how it previously was.
... At least, that's what one would expect. This was, in actuality, where things would be different.
"Are you feeling well today?"
Octavia would begin, a small smile on my face as I took notice of the upcoming repeat of the more recent change she had made to our past pattern.
"Yes, Octavia, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You don't feel cold, or anything, right?"
This was the difference. The change.
From the rest of my short stay in the hospital–wordlessly fluffing my pillows, adjusting my blankets, and the like–to now, she would do whatever was in her ability to help keep me 'satisfied'. Now, as kind of a gesture as this was, it simply felt unnecessary.
I had told her myself, 'there is no need for you to put me before everything else', but every time I had, it would always be the same response.
'But it's still not enough'.
Without a doubt, I enjoyed spending time with Octavia; allowing her and myself to delve into our surroundings and simply take everything in. Now, however, it seemed as if she had given up her own ability to do so in order to better mine. I didn't want this. I wanted her to be content just as well as I. This was Octavia... Yet, at the same time, it was not.
"Octavia, believe me, there's no need to be so concerned." I calmly told her, turning my head to face her voice once more, a reassuring smile on my face as I did so.
"Please, just relax for a moment. It sounds as though it will be another day of beauty." And it was true; already, I could hear the birds coming, and the wind beginning to shift. I hoped for her to simply agree and enjoy this upcoming music, but instead, the silence I received as a response was tense, eventually brought to an end, but with a sigh.
"Thank you, but-" Before she could continue any further, a familiar rumbling sound filled the air around us, only serving to add to my previous smile and draw a silent chortle from me as I quickly recognized it.
"Hungry, I take it?" I asked teasingly.
"I-I'm fine." Her immediate response removed whatever amusement I felt from the situation, replacing it with exasperation; I continued to retain my smile nonetheless, if only to keep her from worrying any more than before.
That was another thing that broke the normality of Octavia and I's time together, wasn't it? Since my stay at the hospital, those lunches that she and I would have–filled with conversation and interaction–had just suddenly come to a stop. She would always claim not to be hungry, despite the clear signs of her being so, and would only suggest food of any sort when she believed me to be hungry; She'd never eat herself though. Every time, she'd go to the market, asking me to wait where I was until she came back with something for me to eat.
Though she told me that she would eat at home, she still only did so around the time that the clock struck 7, and I began to make my way home. This couldn't possibly be good for her, and it worried me every time I thought about it.
From here, the rest of the day would flash by in an instant; Not from pure enjoyment though, so much as it was from utter concern.
This went on for quite some time, to the point that, eventually, all the birds began to leave, and the leaves that were left to fall from the trees started to clear. It was not quite winter just yet, but it certainly was becoming close, from what I could sense.
Soon... It was ShimmerSky that took notice of this issue of mine, during one of our many breakfast sessions together, fittingly enough.
"... Eugene?" She had questioned, drawing me out of my thoughts with a slight start.
"Oh, um, pardon?" My head jolted upwards, away from where ShimmerSky had likely placed my own serving for the morning and towards where I believed her to be.
The sound of her seat shifting, ever so slightly, made itself clear as she spoke to me. "Is... Everything alright? You haven't touched your breakfast."
In all honesty, that was an understatement; I had been so involved with my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed that breakfast was served. Of course, I didn't tell her this, but...
"Sorry. I... Just have a lot on my mind." I responded, distractedly turning the fork I held in between my fingers left and right.
I could hear ShimmerSky seem to click her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "... It's her again, isn't it?" She hadn't exactly held the best opinion of her for quite some time after I was hospitalized, so, suffice to say, I needed to show care with what I said.
"Well... Yes, but even more so, no." She gave out a sigh and, already, I could imagine an expression of some sort of irritation on her face. My lips pursed as I faintly heard her place her forehoof against the table.
"So help me, if she's hurt you again, I'm going to-"
"No, no, it's not... That." I quickly interrupted, not wanting her to make any assumptions, or do anything hasty. Again though, I heard a forehoof plant itself on the table.
"Then what is it?" At first, I was unsure if I should answer. A part of me felt as if this was a more... Personal issue, considering who it was that the topic revolved around; another, greater part of me, however, felt it necessary. After all, ShimmerSky knew Octavia before I did, and, perhaps, she'd have an idea on what to do.
Taking in a breath, I decided to side with the latter of the two segments. "It's just... Things haven't been the same. Octavia is constantly concerned about me, and, while I don't blame her–nor can I say that it isn't kind of her–it just doesn't feel right." I leaned myself ever-so-slightly forward, passing a hand over my head and through my hair.
"It's obvious that she still feels guilty about what happened, but that's not at all what I want from her. I... Just want things to be like they were." As I finished, I tried to give the utensil in my fingers one last spin. In doing so, however, it slipped through the smallest of openings I had distractedly allowed falling to the floor, and myself helpless to catch it.
"... Sorry." I apologized, listening as the fork gave out a solid metal collection of clangs as it crashed against the floor, before soon after coming to rest.
A moment of silence came shortly after, leaving me to believe that ShimmerSky either didn't hold any answer as well, or she had simply disregarded what I had said.
The sudden sound of wood scraping against the floor caught my attention through this silence though; followed immediately after by the sound of hooves navigating their way over to my right, where the fork had fallen, and that of the utensil momentarily scraping against the floor as it was lifted.
"... Have you asked her to do anything for you?" I rose a brow at her sudden, and seemingly random, question, but replied nonetheless.
"No. She's offered quite a bit by now, but I always tell her that it's fi-"
"Ask her for something." Again, this confused me.
"Excuse me?" I asked, seeking out some sort of clarification. ShimmerSky simply gave out a hum though, her wings beginning to flap and give out a small breeze.
"Ask her for something." She restated, as I then overhead her make her way away from my direction, and the sudden squeak of metal, followed by flowing water, allowed me to guess that she was at the sink. "I mean, the fact that you're trying to be nice about this, telling her that she doesn't have to do anything for you, is sweet and all... But that's not going to help her. She wants to make what happened up to you, but she can't do that if you don't tell her to do anything at all."
I blinked blankly as she said this, tilting my head and crossing my arms as I looked directionlessly ahead.
"What do you suggest?" She gave out yet another hum in thought as she continued at the sink, the sound of the water flow occasionally being interrupted every now and then being my only hint as to her progress.
"Hm. Didn't you already ask her for something a while ago?" She questioned, turning of the sink and water with another squeak of the handle, followed shortly after by a faint drip, and beginning to fly back towards me. "During one of the lunches the two of you had?"
I sat there in silence as she placed the fork down on the table near me, racking my mind in an attempt to recall... And when I did, I smiled.
"... Thank you."
Soon after, it was time for me to get going, ShimmerSky likely exiting shortly after me for her job in weather duty, while I made to attend to my own business; I could already feel a positive burst of energy flow through me, but I attempted to keep it suppressed nonetheless.
If Octavia were to catch hint of my intentions, she likely would not see it as a sort of 'repayment', as she so wishes it to be.
With cheer, I found a suitable place to seat myself, allowing myself to rest from the seemingly short walk I had taken and wait.
For the first time in quite a while, time seemed to pass slowly, as I waited gleefully, under control, for Octavia to arrive.
A short breeze came along, brushing calmly along my form while I held my walking stick in between me, my right leg twitching slightly as I suddenly heard the growing sounds of hoofsteps.
They of course came closer and closer with every passing second, of which seemed like an eternity, until finally...
"Good morning, Eugene."
I turned my head towards her direction and gave her a warm nod of acknowledgement, moving myself over to the side so as to allow her a seat.
"Good morning, Octavia."
Again, my excitement spiked as the seat gave a slight shift under her weight, my mind already fluttering with what was to come.
"Are you feeling well today?" I chuckled softly as I sensed the upcoming repetition of our cycle.
"Yes, Octavia, I am well."
"Are you sure? Nothing's wrong, or-"
"Actually," I interrupted, quickly silencing her, "if you do not mind, there is something I would like to ask you about."
She seemed to give out a slight gasp as I said this, and, before I knew it, I felt a pair of hooves on my chest, and a sudden violent shifting from the bench as she apparently moved herself onto me.
"R-really? What is it? Anything!" This surprised me for a moment, partially leaving dumbstruck as I silently thanked ShimmerSky for her advise.
After a moment though, I recovered, offering a greater smile to where I believed her to be.
This would be it. Once everything was done, she'd be back to her previous self, and my mental art piece could go on unhindered.
The end of the delay, and onto the next step.
Author's Note
... Speaking of delays... Sorry...
