The past is always greener on the other side...

This is why I live outside of town...

Ponyville... a happy village of Ponies in the very heart of Equestria, it is a now an extremely happy place with not a care or worry in the world. The town that was once home to the harmony bearers is now like a small world unto itself, separate from all the troubles and problems s of the rest of ponydom.  The long and hard work of the harmony bearers three hundred years earlier to bring peace to the town they call home had paid off. For what had once been a community beset by problems on a daily basis, was now a near-paradise that knew no danger or misfortune.

As a result of this, most of their descendants are a naive and innocent breed of pony. Earth mares and stallions who smile instead of arguing whenever a conflict arises between the two of them, and laugh at moments where there should be pain or unhappiness. These ponies are like children living in an innocent little bubble, with no conception of trouble or conflict. There are a few  ponies whose minds are not trapped in this cloud of naivete, and see the world though more tainted glasses than their more innocent cousins. These rare denizens of the Ponyville region are greatly annoyed by the insane antics of the majority of the town's antics, and prefer to live off separately from their mentally degenerate sisters.

And among these more mentally aware ponies... is the serene and remarkably intelligent mare known as Kimono.

The soft wind blew through the trees outside of town, as the tall and serene mare stepped out through the gazebo that was the entrance to her cave. She trotted along at a slow and thoughtful pace, stopping to smell the flowers along the path around her. The beautiful waterfall that flowed near her home, the colorful flora and fauna that grew and lived in the grotto near her home.

"This place is so calm and peaceful." Kimono thought to herself, as she walked slowly along the path. "But a mare can't isolate herself forever, I need to get into town to run my errands now and then."

It was another pleasant day in Ponyville, a town that was pleasant enough, as equine communities go. The sun shone brightly down from a cloudless blue sky, warming the ponies as they danced and played beneath the rays that gave them warmth. Scootaloo and Scooter Sprite were racing along on their motorized scooters, while Skywishes and Spring Breeze were flying kites in the park. It always struck Kimono how peaceful this place always seemed when she came into town, and she would often wonder why she had chosen to live outside of town rather than here with her friends.

"Kimono, look out!" Scootaloo screamed, bearing down on the mare with the purple coat and mane. "I-I can't steer this crazy thing!"

Seeing the out-of-control scooter pony,  The earth mare somersaulted out of the way of the runaway wheeled vehicle, only to watch it swerve past the bridge, and crash into the river.

"Scoots, are you all right?" Kimono galloped over, and pulled her friend out of the river. "You really need to get the steering that thing fixed!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, Kim!" The orange earth mare replied with a sheepish grin. "I'll have Sparkleworks take a look at that thing, just as soon as I get it fished out of the Ponyville river!"  The younger earth pony shrugged. "Anyway, don't worry about me and my scooter. My friends and I can handle things here!"

With a sigh, Kimono trotted on, and left Scootaloo and her motorized machine behind her. With another sigh, Kimono trotted over towards the park, and sat down under a tree to meditate. Sitting with her hooves crossed, and taking a deep breath, the mare concentrated, and let her mind drift slowly down the river of tranquility.

The peace and quiet had always been Kimono's favorite companion, helping her keep a clear mind among the swarm of crazy ponies around her. She tried to deal with her eccentric and excitable friends. But there is only so much a pony can deal with, before even well-meaning annoyances start to grate on her nerves.  And as she sat, trying to relax beneath the branches  of an oak in Ponyville park, two more of those distractions found their way into her presence.

"Oh, Kimono! So wonderful to see you!" Sweetberry called out, trotting up to the annoyed earth mare. "Cotton Candy and I were having a picnic here in the park, and we saw you sitting over here by yourself, and thought you might want some company!"

"Yeah, and you'll just love some of the treats Sweetberry and I made!" The other mare giggled, trotting up with a picnic basket filled with iced desserts and a thermos filled with juice.

"Oh, hello Girls." Kimono greeted them calmly, trying to hide her annoyance. "I'm really happy to see all of you, but I'd really like to be alone right now. See, I'm trying to-"

"So, what's new? Meet any new friends? Try any new food? Why do you live in that dingy little cave outside of town again? When are you going to move back into town so you can party and play with us again? How did-?"

Question after question rolled out of Cotton Candy's mouth ,as Sweetberry shoved cake after cake into the stressed out mare's mouth. It was almost twenty minutes before Kimono was able to slip away from the two airheads, who were so busy chattering and giggling to notice. With a sigh, she then tried to go about her business in town, but everywhere she went in Ponyville, the purple mare ran into the same insanity.

"Ohhh, hi Kimmy! Here to pick up your hanbok you had me stitch up?" Sew and Sew asked her, when Kimono walked into her dress shop. "Well, you just gotta try on this great party dress I made just for you! Wait, what do you mean it's too tight? Gee, why is your face turning even more purple than usual? What do you mean you can't breathe?!"

"Oh hi Kimono! Here for your groceries?" Meadowbrook asked her, as soon as she walked into the Bloomin Blossoms grocery store. "Sure, I have them ready in a bag right here. Huh? What do you mean that's not your grocery bag? Yes, I know you're allergic to mushrooms, what to you mean there is a pack of them in that bag? Uh oh, those are Sunny Daze's groceries. I'm sorry, I must've given her yours by mistake!"

"Oh! Buenos Dias, Senorita Kimono! You here to pick up that pinata I made for your brother's birthday party?" Fiesta Flair greeted the mare when she showed up at her hacienda. "Oh, you simply must try one of mi new tacos while your here! Que? No, I do not use beans dat are too old in mi tacos, dat's a lie! See? Dat burrito not so bad! Wait, why you have that look on your face? Hey wait, why you running to de bathroom so fast? Kimono!"

...

"And I spent over an hour in Fiesta Flair's bathroom after eating that bad burrito she she gave me!" Kimono told her friend in anger, pacing the floor of the Ponyville library angrily. "It was so embarrassing, I don't think I'll ever live it down!"

Have endured nothing but pain during her visit to Ponyville, the purple earth mare had taken refuge in the Story loft, Ponyville's town library that had been built over two centuries earlier. Storybelle, the loft's librarian who was a great deal saner than the other ponies in this community, was the closest thing Kimono had to a close friend here.

"Yeah, it sounds like you've had a really bad time with the mares in town today." Storybelle told her friend, looking up from the magazine she was reading while sitting in her big easy chair. "Look at the bright side, at least you didn't run into Minty today."

"No, if I had run into Minty today, my mane would probably be dyed purple, and my tail would be on fire!" The exasperated mare exclaimed, messaging her temples with her hooves. "I-I cant take it anymore, Storybelle! I can't stand living in a town who's inhabitants have a collective I.Q. lower than bean dip! I know they are supposed to be my friends, but I can't stand the stupidity any longer! Ponyville no baka!"

"I really don't think it's as bad as you make it out to be, Kimmy. You have a lot of ponies here who really care about you." The pink earth mare with the pinwheel/lighthouse cutie mark replied, looking up from her book, and taking off her glasses with her hoof. "And besides, when you want an intelligent conversation, you always have Starcatcher, Cheerilee, and I to talk to."

"I know that, Story, and I'm sorry if I sound mean. But...it's just..." The other mare said with a sigh. "Just for one day, I'd love to live in a town of normal ponies, instead of a town full of silly fillies who have to come to the 'wisest pony in the land every time they can't get a peanut butter jar open!" The oriental pony buried her face in her hooves. "To be able to meditate, and listen to my kabuki music, and play on the strings of my shamisen in peace! Oh, Storybelle, just for one day..."

Her friend stared at the weary mare for a moment, before closing her eyes. "Kimono... if you would really like to try a life in another Ponyville without the insanity, I think there's something in the great books that might be able to help you." The librarian stood up to face her friend. "I'll need to talk to Pinkie Pie and Mayor Flitter Flutter first, but I think there may be a way to get you the peace you are after."

"Really, you really mean it, Storybelle?" The purple mare rushed forward, and hugged her friend. "Thank you so very much. It would mean a lot to me to get away from all these wierdoes, even for a day!"

"The mare with the bouffant mane do is calling other ponies weird?" Storybelle relied with a chuckle. "But I'll warn you, Kimmy... when you get your dream of a saner Ponyville granted, you may not like what you find..."