I wipe a small bead of sweat from by brow and blow a small tuft of red out of my eyes. The sun has only just risen, but its warmth is slightly magnified by the windows of the Greenhouse. As I weed the cabbages, a content smile grows on my face. This is where I'm meant to be: working the soil and tending to my plants.
"Roseluck!"
I look up from my garden and grin at the coming pony. "Good morning, Petal Dew." The larger mare shakes her head at me with a playful sigh.
"Already working the cabbages, I see. Don’t you ever take a break?"
"This is my break. When I’m tending to my plants, I feel at peace. Much better than going out into the Everfree to harvest aether shards. Oh, Rumble also stopped by earlier. He wanted to surprise Dinky with a flower."
Petal Dew lowers her head. "That boy has been so good to her. Every day, he takes her something he hopes will make her smile. Harmony only knows how long it’s been since she’s had a good laugh..."
"Yea... She was quiet even before the Falling. Even more so nowadays." I sigh. Everypony suffered during the Falling of Selene, but Dinky was so young when it happened. She’s getting help, but... Thinking about her situation is enough to darken a pony’s day. I try to change the subject to lighten the mood. "How are the lilacs?"
"Almost in full bloom. It’ll only be another few days before I can start selling them again."
"That’s wonderful!"
"It is, isn’t it? I’ll finally be free from hacking lumber for the Carpenters!" We share a small giggle at her little joke. "They’re good ponies, and I don’t really mind working for them, but whacking trees all day gets really tiring."
"Tiring, but great for your form. I spent a month collecting wood so they could make spears for the Wailers when the griffons got aggressive last fall. After that was all over, I swear my legs were thicker than the trunks I was knocking down!"
"Well, I’d rather hold a pail than an axe anyday. Besides, a little pudge never hurt anypony. Everypony loves a mare with curves."
I can’t help but laugh as she playfully sashays around and winks at me.
"Oh! And speaking of spears, another adventurer walked through the gates today. A pegasus mare carrying little more than a stick with a pointy stone tied to it. Cheerilee wants you to show her around."
My good humor drops. More and more have been showing up every week and most of them, like this one apparently, are either completely ill-equipped or completely incompetent. As useful as the few good ones are, the rest of them are giving the lot a terrible reputation here in Ponyville.
"Why me?"
Petal Dew shrugged. "Dunno. She just said to send you over as soon as you weren’t busy. If I had to guess though, it’s because you know Ponyville better than anypony."
"Great..." I look down at my garden and sigh. There’s still work to be done, but if I don’t get over to Cheerilee soon, that new adventurer’s likely to do something stupid. "Hey Petal Dew, would you mind taking over for me while I take care of that? I need to get these weeded before the boss comes around."
"I’d love to! It’ll be nice to do some actual gardening for a change," she says with a smile and a nod.
"Thanks."
I leave my trowel in the dirt near a small cluster of dandelions and start up the path to the Smiling Sunflower, Cheerilee’s tavern and inn. She oversees and registers all the adventurers that come to Ponyville, making sure they understand the basics before they start bugging us citizens for work. She doesn’t usually request a guide, though... I wonder what’s different about this one?
I also wonder why Cheerilee chose me for the job. For starters, I’m a botanist. The Greenhouse is literally on the opposite side of Ponyville from the Sunflower. Before I even get to her section of town, I have to pass both the Hearers and the Carpenters. And finally, just as an extra snub, I get to stare at the giant chunk of Aetheryte smack in the middle of Ponyville.
For most ponies, a job like this wouldn’t be that big of a problem. They are already attuned to the Aetheryte network and can teleport from crystal to crystal, but for some reason that doesn’t work for me. She could’ve chosen a hundred other ponies, all of whom would’ve had an easier time showing the new mare around before getting back to their day.
I mean, it’s not like I don’t know my way around, but having to walk everywhere is still a huge pain in the flank.
"...Derpy Hooves. Are you sure that’s your real name, and not something silly?" I hear Cheerilee ask somepony as I finally get to the Sunflower. A grey pegasus with a blonde mane is nodding fervently.
"Actually, it’s both! It’s silly, and it’s my real name!" the pegasus replies with a giggle.
Cheerilee smiles at her. "Well, alright then. Welcome to Ponyville, Derpy." Her gaze passes over me as I walk forward. "Ah, it looks like your guide is here. Derpy, meet Roseluck."
"Hello, Derpy," I say, trying to be cheerful for her sake, despite my long walk. "I’m Roseluck. It’s nice to meet..."
Then she faces me.
I nearly shriek and jump out of my hide in surprise, my grumpiness forgotten momentarily. A hoof goes to my chest to bring my heart-rate under control as I catch my breath. When I look back up, her ears are folded against her now hanging head.
"W-wait! I didn’t mean to do that! I just wasn’t expecting..."
"I-it’s okay... I get it all the time..." Derpy smiles at me, but her eyes aren’t in it.
Those big, cattywompus eyes.
Guilt and pity hit me like a dashing chocobo as several things come to mind. First, the recognition of why Cheerilee asked for a guide. Second, I had just done the most insulting thing I could’ve done. She can’t help how her eyes are, and I showed her that it bothered me, if only briefly.
Third, I have to apologize.
"Derpy, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. Can you forgive me?" We look into each other’s... into... well, our gazes meet for a bit.
Finally she smiles, this time genuinely. "It’s okay, Roseluck. I know it must’ve been a surprise to see!"
I smile back. It’s good to see her in better spirits.
"Well, now that you’ve met, why don’t you show Derpy around, Roseluck? She needs to get attuned to the network, find the market, then make her way to the Wailers. Since they’re all in the same general direction, it shouldn’t take too long."
I nod and turn around. "Come on, Derpy. Let’s get you where you need to be."
"Bye, Cheerilee!" Derpy shouts with a wave. "Have a good rest of the day!"
Cheerilee laughs softly and waves back before we disappear around the corner.
"Okay! So, where are we going first?" she asks me.
"We’re going to the Aetheryte. It’s a really big crystal that allows ponies to teleport from place to place here in Ponyville. Supposedly there are a lot of them all over Equestria, but we’ve only got one. Ah, that’s it over there. See it?" I ask, pointing to the giant crystal as we make our way into the center of town.
"Yep! It’s kinda hard to miss, even for me!" she exclaims happily. "You weren’t kidding when you said it was big..."
"Well, it’s certainly noticeable," I agree. When we reach it, I turn to her and say, "Go ahead. Touch it."
She nods and reaches out for the crystal. A soft, blue light envelopes her, showing her attunement as it takes place. I grimace a little bit. Why is it that everypony but me could interact with these things?
Suddenly, a ball of light surrounds her and vanishes, leaving no trace that she was ever there.
I groan into a facehoof. "Perfect... Now how am I supposed to find her?"
After waiting a few minutes in the vain hope that she would come back on her own, I sigh and trot briskly toward the market. Maybe she decided to go look for things on her own? Hopefully I’d find her wandering about. Cheerilee would not be happy with me if Derpy did something foalish while I was supposed to be watching.
"Derpy!" I shout as I make my way into the masses. The market is full of ponies today, and the noise all but drowns out my voice. "Derpy! Where are you?"
I look around, but my efforts are futile. I sigh and shake my head, but then I spot a pony who can help me. Filthy Rich, Master economist and knower of all things in the market. If Derpy went through here, he will know.
"Mr. Rich!" I call. "May I have a moment of your time?"
The stallion stops and stares down his muzzle at me. "Ah, Roseluck. Are you here to pay back the bits you owe for your gardening supplies?"
"Ah... My apologies, sir, but not yet. Once the crop yields and I start selling, I’ll be able to."
He snorts and starts walking away.
"Sir, wait!" He pauses again and looks at me with contempt.
"You have the gall to ask for my time when you can’t even return my money?"
"Er, yes sir... Just a moment for a question."
"Hmph. Very well, but you will compensate this later. What can I do for you?"
"Thank you, sir,:" I reply, knowing I would probably regret this later. "I’m looking for a grey pegasus mare. She has a blonde mane and tail, and her eyes are... odd. Have you seen her?"
Filthy Rich raises a hoof to his chin. "As a matter of fact, I have seen a mare matching that description. Will that be all?"
"Uh... Will you tell me which way she went?"
"Not without further compensation."
I do my best to stifle my frustration. Mr. Rich has no generosity in any respect. He is a business pony to the core and sees everything he has as a commodity to be bought or traded, whether its gil, possessions, or simply the time of day. "I understand, sir. Which way did she go?"
"She went toward the amphitheater."
"Thank you, sir." I rush off toward the theater, partly to find Derpy, partly to get away from Filthy Rich.
"I will remember this, and you will pay back what you owe!" he calls after me.
It takes me several minutes to get there, but I finally reach the Sapphire Shores Amphitheater. Named after the greatest singer/songwriter of the last era, the S.S.A. stands as a gathering place for the arts. Musicians, painters, sculptors, writers, and just about everything else you can think of has a dedicated event held here at some point in the year.
Before I even try searching, I decide to find the current caretaker of the amphitheater, Photo Finish. She has the eyes of a griffon when it comes to noticing details and abnormalities. Thankfully, she’s standing just outside when I arrive.
"Miss Finish! Good morning!"
No reply. She simply stands at the gate, jaw agape, seemingly staring into space. I wave a hoof in front of her eyes.
"Uh... Miss Finish? Are you alright? Hellooooooo?"
Slowly, she raises a hoof and points inside. I look inside and...
"Holy mother of Harmony! What happened here?!"
Carrots. Peas. Cabbages. Pumpkins. Scattered and strewn about the stage. Across the bench seats. Plastered against the backdrop of some upcoming play, now completely indistinguishable as to what it’s supposed to be.
"Z-zis is... How could..."
"Miss Finish, what exactly happened? Was there a flea market today?" I’m afraid I already know the answer, but I don’t want to jinx it.
"No, no flea market... Ze Breezies, zey left zese gifts for us in ze night..."
Okay, not exactly the answer I was expecting. "The Breezies came in and trashed the theater?"
Photo Finish glares at me. "No! Ze vegetables zey left ver pristine! Zis is not Breezy vork."
I gulp, my suspicions renewed. "Then what happened?"
"Zer vas a mare... A grey, vinged mare... She came through, offering to collect ze vegetables, and zen... And zen zis!" With dramatic flare, Photo Finish thrusts out her hoof toward the devastation that is the theater.
My ears plaster against my head almost as hard as the veggies against the wall. "Miss Finish, I’m so sorry about this. That mare is my responsibility. I’ll go get a broom and mop and..."
Photo Finish whirls at me. "And destroy zis vork of genius?! Absolutely not!"
My eyes widen. "Excuse me?"
"I haf never seen such destructive grace in all my years of artistry! Truly, zat mare is a prodigy among ponies! An artist of ze highest caliber! I must capture ze essence of zis image!" She pulls out an easel and a quill from somewhere and begins to draw.
My jaw works silently as the rest of my brain tries to catch up. She actually liked what Derpy did? I glance back at the theater. Then I just shake my head.
I’m just a botanist. Who am I to judge art?
"I’m sorry to bother you, Miss Finish, but did you happen to see which way Derpy went?"
"Derpy... Is zat ze mare’s name? I vill remember it!" She pauses. "I belief she vent toward ze Greenhouse. Now silence! I focus!"
Beat.
Okay... There have been times when I was somewhat concerned for my garden. Rabbits rampaging. Moles milling. There have also been times when I was truly afraid for my garden. Bad storms. The Falling of Selene. Daisy saying ‘Watch this.’ After seeing what Derpy could do with just a few vegetables...
If I looked down right now, I’m pretty sure I’d see a pool of blood leaking from my hooves at how fast it just drained from my face.
"DERPYYYYYYYYYYY!"
I can’t run fast enough. The world moves too slowly, and my body can’t seem to go any faster, no matter how hard I push. The Greenhouse is only a few minutes walk from the S.S.A., but even going at full speed, the journey seems to take an hour. An hour of nightmarish visions involving the wholesale slaughter of a years worth of cabbages and terrible, giggly laughter.
Before I even reach my home, I scream at the top of my lungs, "Derpy, don’t touch anything! Please, for the love of all that is right and good in the world, Don’t! Touch! Any..." I burst through the doors, afraid of what I would find.
She’s not here.
I slide to a screeching halt. Everything is as it should be. My cabbages are fine. Petal Dew’s lilacs are fine. The pictures of Lily and Daisy are still hanging peacefully the Greenhouse walls.
"It’s here... It’s all still here..." I rush over to my garden, almost unwilling to believe my eyes. It’s still there. The dirt is untouched, except for Petal Dew’s hoofwork and my tilling this morning. Honestly, I’m happy enough to kiss the ground.
"Roseluck, are you okay?" I pick up my head to find Petal Dew staring at me. "You’re acting a bit... odd."
I spit out a small glob of loam and plop down with a sigh. "If you had seen it, you would be acting the same way. They were... everywhere..."
I shudder.
"I’m not sure I follow you..."
Follow! My eyes snap wide open. "Derpy! Where is she?"
"Derpy? Who is... Wait, are you talking about the mare Cheerilee wanted you to guide?"
I nod fervently. "Yes! Have you seen her?"
Petal Dew shakes her head. "Why would I have seen her? Every place she needs to visit to start ‘adventuring’ is clear on the other side of town. With how long it took you to get back, I thought you were already done."
"No, I’m not done yet!" I exclaim with a huff. "She vanished into the Aetheryte and I’ve been trying to catch her ever since!"
"Oh. Well. That’s not good. Cheerilee’s gonna..."
"I know very well what Cheerilee might do!" I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. When I find that mare... "Do you have any idea which way she went? Photo Finish said she came this way."
"Sorry, I haven’t seen her. Maybe she went to the Hearers? You could try over there if you haven’t already," she offers helpfully.
I nod. "I haven’t, but I’m about to. Thanks, Petal. And thanks again for tending the cabbages." I give Petal Dew a quick hug, then rush out of the greenhouse.
I hadn’t even made it twenty paces when I hear shouting from the Hearers’ Hall.
"...Hey! Come back here! Stop! Foalnapper!"
Out some ways in front of me, I see a thick grey and yellow blur zipping away from the Hall toward the center plaza. As it passes in front of me, I think I hear a high pitched squeal. A Hearer in a tall, pointy hat rushes out from the Hall, looks in each direction, then spots me running towards him.
"You there! Did you see a grey pegasus fly through here? She took Dinky!"
"She did WHAT?" For years, the Hearers have taken the little unicorn under their care, doing their best to heal her of the pain caused during the Falling. By listening to the spirits of the Everfree, they can diagnose and cure almost every ache, physical or otherwise, so if anypony can heal her wounded soul, it’s them. Taking her away from them so easily, though... Her trust in them must be completely shattered. Derpy could destroy everything they’ve tried to do!
"Please, if you saw them, give chase! I must return to the Hall and inform Master Redheart of this crisis!" I nod and go after them. When I catch Derpy, I’m going to give her more than just a chase...
I don’t have to run for too long. A few moments later, I see Dinky sitting down on a stump behind the Carpenters’ building, her back toward me. Derpy is glaring at her with a hard scowl, her wonky eyes quaking in her head. Why would she foalnap the poor filly, and then glare at her like this? What kind of pony does that?
Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to see me, so I slowly creep closer. As I draw near, I notice her eyes starting to shift position. She seems to be...
Focusing?
Her eyes come into alignment, and she grins widely. Not the fearful grin of somepony enjoying something that’s wrong, but a playful, gentle smile. The scowl in her eyes disappears completely, leaving me both confused and conflicted.
"Roseluck!" somepony calls behind me. I look back briefly and find Redheart herself approaching quickly. I raise a hoof to my lips to quietly shush the coming Hearer and look back to Derpy and Dinky.
The pegasus is dancing, of all things! A quiet hum reaches my ears as her head bobs and her body sways. She leans in close to Dinky, crouching down on her forehooves and shaking back and forth before pulling back up with a smile. She reaches down again with that same playful smile and noses Dinky on the forehead before pulling back up. As she leans down a third time, Dinky suddenly reaches up and boops her on the nose.
The act catches Derpy so off guard that her eyes practically bounce back into their normal, cattywompus position. She blinks and looks down at the filly after a moment to collect herself, then starts laughing. I chuckle quietly at the antics myself, but then I see something even more surprising and wonderful.
Dinky is giggling!
Not just giggling, but laughing so hard she falls over! And just as the wonderful noise starts to die down, Derpy suddenly leaps forth and assaults the little filly’s belly with tickling and boozles, and it comes right back with a squeal.
"I never thought I’d see the day..." I exchange a glance with Redheart who had walked up beside me. "That an adventurer of all ponies would be the one to bring little Dinky out of her darkness when we Hearers have failed for so long. Amazing, is it not?"
I look back at the pair, unable to contain my smile. "Yeah... It really is."
This mare... Not even an hour after arriving and she's already managed to devastate the amphitheater, foalnap the most pitiable filly in Ponyville, and run me around like a headless chicken, yet somehow... Somehow, I can't bring myself to be mad at her.
As I watch her play and laugh with Dinky, I get the feeling Ponyville's going to get a lot more interesting.
