It's Whats Inside That Counts
"Mister Rig?" A small filly that barely came up to my knee approached me as I loaded up my carriage with my workbench. The young mare held a broken toy carriage in her little cream-colored hooves, tears building up around her rosy eyes. She held out the toy to me and asked, "Can you fix it?" I picked up the golden plastic carriage in my own teal magic and examined it. My pale yellow eyes took note the metal axle was harshly bent which caused the right wheel to stick out at an odd angle, rendering it incapable of proper movement. With little effort on my part, I used my magic to right the wheel so the axle was flush with the carriages body once more. I gave it a test spin with a flick of my cobalt blue hooves along its wheels. When I saw it spun smoothly I handed it back to the beaming foal. She gave me a bright smile and reached into her saddlebags. She pulled out a couple bits and I held up a hoof to stop her.
"That won't be necessary, miss, this one's on the house," I said, levitating her bits back into her bag. "Run along now. It's going to be dark soon."
The filly nodded and said, "Thank you Mister Jerry Rig!" before scampered off with her toy safely tucked away. I collected the rest of my things and shut them away in my own carriage before hooking myself up and heading out of town. I left with no ceremony, receiving little more than some smiles and waves as I left. I made sure to hurry, I didn't want anyone here to be around when the sun set.
I trotted along the dirt road leading south. If the map I had was right, then the next city was Equestria's Capitol, Canterlot. With the bits I collected from the repairs I did in the last town I could afford to buy a ride up the mountain. Pulling this carriage up the mountain would have been a hassle. I thanked my lucky stars, the folks back there were a generous bunch. I thought back to the way the mares would almost always bring me some refreshments as I caulked a tub or tightened a leaky valve. That's something you can't expect just anywhere. I even caught a few stares as I worked. I guess years of pulling your home around with you helps with your figure. I recalled back when I first started doing this, living a nomadic life, jumping from town to town doing odd-jobs and just getting by on the kindness of strangers. It was a decent living, I have seen more of Equestria in a couple years then most ponies will see in a lifetime. It was nice meeting all kinds of new people and sometimes even new cultures as I traveled.
It's terribly lonely though... I quickly shove the dark thought to the back of the mind. There's a reason I do this, it's safer and easier this way. I can't settle down, or else ponies would find out... and then....
It's best not to dwell on it.
I am broken out of my thoughts by a light itch spreading over my body. I look up to the sky and grimace at the half moon as it hung lazily in the sky. I pull a canvas cloak out of my bags and drape it over my body to cover my self from the moon's gaze. Once the hood was pulled over my body the itch stopped and I continued walking. As long as I stayed out of the moonlight I wouldn't change. Still, what had touched me had already done it's work. I felt the slightest hint of sharp canines in my mouth as well as the sudden coarseness of my fur. To top it all, I felt a dreaded hunger. Wolves were not herbivores, and my feral half hadn't eaten in a while. I ignored it and searched for a place to stop and sleep out of the way of other travelers.
I find a small grove of trees a couple hundred feet from the road and hide my carriage behind them. I climb in to the tight cabin and turn on a small gas-lamp hanging from the roof. Using the light from the lamp I prepare a dinner of a daisy sandwich before settling into bed. Using my magic, I double check that my window shutters were closed tightly and turn of my lamp. I quickly fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.
I woke to the sound of chirping birds. I climbed out of my bunk and opened the thick shutters to let light into the cramped interior of the carriage's cabin. I collected an apple from an enchanted icebox I had bought back in Manehattan and munched away as I made my way out of my carriage. Once I had breakfast I rigged myself up again and moved out. I pulled out my map and studied the route to Canterlot. If I made good time I could be there before nightfall today. With my goal in mind I pushed forward and onward.
The misty, cool morning gave way to a pleasantly warm day as I trotted. I saw the pegasus city of Cloudsdale hanging above the horizon and soaked in the beauty of the brilliant white buildings made of cloud and the falls of rainbow. It was a silly dream of mine to one day visit the city, but all things considered my chances were slim. I had heard of a spell that could allow anypony to walk on clouds, but I doubt I would be able to find anypony to use it on me as well as acquire passage to floating metropolis.
As I walk I come across a light pink earth pony mare walking ahead of me on the road. She looks around in apparent confusion before she locks her eyes on me and quickly trots over. Knowing that I was on a schedule I do not stop. The mare just matches my pace before asking me with a nervous voice, "Excuse me, Sir? You wouldn't happen to know the way to Canterlot, would you?"
"Yes, I do Ma'm." I politely respond. "Heading there now in fact."
The mare's teal eyes widened and a wide smile graced her lips. "Oh thank you Sir! You surely won't mind if I tag along?"
I eyed her petite frame before saying, "As long as you can keep up. I want to be at Canterlot before dark."
The mare saluted me with a, "Yes Sir!" before happily trotting alongside me, her sea-foam green mane bouncing along with her. The mare was unassuming at first, but she struck me as an odd one with the way she saluted and overused the word 'Sir', but that was none of my business. We walked quietly along together for several minutes before she spoke again.
"You know, I never quite caught your name, Sir."
I was a little surprised by her question until I realized that she was right, I had never introduced myself. "The name's Jerry Rig," I say after a chuckle. "Mind giving me yours?"
"Of course, Sir! My name is Cherry Blossom." The mare trotted proudly for a little while after introducing herself. She stopped then looked expectantly at me. At first I didn't notice, but when we had walked a good distance without her taking her eyes off of me I was starting to get creeped out.
"Is there something else?" I tentatively asked.
"No Sir!" She cheerfully answered. Though she still unnerved me a little, I couldn't help but appreciate her spunk.
"You know," I started, "I think I like you. Your a real upbeat gal."
She beamed and said, "Thank you, Sir! I like you too!"
Okay now I had to ask, "Why do you keep doing that?"
She cocked her head at me and asked, "Doing what, Sir?"
"That! You keep calling me 'Sir!'"
"Do you not like it, Sir?" She said with a pout and what looked like tears in her eyes.
"N-no!" I yell in an attempt to console her, "I mean, it's no big deal! Just a little strange is all!"
She quickly brightened back up. "Well, Sir, where I come from it's a sign of respect." She bumped her flank against mine and I felt a hot blush spread across my face. "And admiration," she added in a low voice.
I chuckled nervously and decided it best to just keep looking forward and get to Canterlot. I just strode along, the pink mare happily bouncing along. The sun rose high and I made sure to keep an eye on it the whole time. I began to regret not buying a watch, it would've made keeping track of the time so much easier. As I walked, I began to hear the mare chitter to herself in an undertone. I simply put it off to the mare entertaining herself and focused on reaching Canterlot in time. I busied myself with going back over the things I would need when reached the city.
"Look, Sir, we're almost there!" I broke out of my thoughts to see that Cherry Blossom was right. Off in the distance I could see Canterlot perched over the rest of Equestria.
"You know," I began, "You never told me why you want to go to Canterlot."
"That's where I live, Sir!" She said with another of her smiles.
This confused me a little. I thought she was visiting like I was. "Then what were you doing out here? Better yet, how did you not know the way back? This road doesn't exactly split off much."
Suddenly Cherry Blossom looked very nervous and spoke with a shaky voice. "I was j-just... ummm, I was-uh-going for a walk, yeah, and then, um, then...." I raised an eyebrow and she broke. "Fine, I went out to party and I woke up in the middle of the road. Happy now, Sir?"
"You should be more careful." I spoke with an unintended hint melancholy in my voice. "There are lot's of dangerous things out there. Especially at night."
"Don't worry, Sir, I can take care of myself." Cherry Blossom said in confidence.
"That's what I thought too...." I whispered to myself.
"What was that, Sir?"
"Nothing, what do you do Cherry Blossom?" Cherry must not have noticed the way I changed the subject because she was eager to answer.
"I cultivate and sell house plants from my garden back home in Canterlot," She said with a nod to her rear, which bore the image of a blooming bonsai tree. "What do you do, Sir?"
"I jump from town to town fixing things that good folk need repaired." I say automatically, she wasn't the first to ask what a rogue stallion like me was doing dragging his home behind him on the road. "I was always good at putting things back together and setting them right." Cherry Blossom eyed my cutie mark, a wrench and screwdriver crossed over a roll of tape.
"So you're a traveling hoof-pony?" Cherry asked.
"To sum it all up, yeah, I kinda am."
Surprisingly she frowned. "But, Sir, why not settle down? Why do you keep moving? Surely there isn't the most profitable of ventures?" Cherry asked, an out-of-place hint of concern in her voice. It spike my curiosity that she cared as much as she did.
"It isn't, but it is what I like to do. Why do you ask?" I poke back.
"You seem troubled, Sir." She caught me off guard with her response. "I feel as if you are running from something."
"H-how could you possibly kno-I mean th-think something like that?" I sputter. "We've only just met!"
"I'm good at reading ponies, Sir." Cherry explained, her frown deepening. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Goddess No!" I yell, startling the small mare. We both had stopped in the middle of the road. I held a hoof to my mouth as I saw the way Cherry looked at me in abject fear. "I-I'm sorry, Cherry, just... Just forget it, please?"
She quietly nodded and got back up. Without further word or interaction we moved forward.
After a little while Cherry spoke again, "I'm sorry, Sir. When we get to Canterlot would you like to stay at my house during your visit? I really want to thank you for taking me home."
"It's not a big deal," I say. "I was on my way there anyway."
"It's a big deal to me, Sir. I wouldn't feel comfortable not thanking you, and I can't imagine you sleeping in that tiny carriage."
"How do you know I wasn't going to sleep at a hotel?" I retort with a raised eyebrow.
"I doubt you have the bits to sleep at a hotel in Canterlot."
"Fine."
