Day 267. I awake feeling content. It's subtly warm in the house today, felt like new beginnings, as a morning should. I tossed off my blanket and got my feet down on the hardwood floor. The place is nice, real nice. All wood, a log cabin of sorts. From the window across the way I could see outside into the lush green forest that surrounds on all sides. It was probably a little late in the day, I must have overslept. Shafts of sun made the specks of dust in the air glitter, and they played on the wood. The shadow of a wisp of a cloud visible on the floor, aside from that loner, the sky seemed pretty clear.
It's nice here, of course. Spring is getting its feet on the ground after a particularly bitter winter. That old man just didn't want to leave, I'll tell you. Snowfall, nearly everyday, for a long time. If I had to guess I'd say it was probably past March. What comes after March, May? No of course not, April, yes. Perhaps it was April. I wish I could give you a more accurate time table but I just can't. Whatever month it may be, I can tell you I'm overjoyed to finally be able to walk outside without that heavy fur jacket. I've been really curious about my surroundings since I arrived, but the cold was just too much for me. That and the several feet of snow, of course.
I got dressed in what clothes I had laying around, jeans and a shirt. Should be all I need for such a pleasant day. They're the clothes I arrived in, and they've gotten worn down pretty hard over the past few months. It's a nice feeling, they've gotten to the point of extreme cozy softness. I fear they will wear and tear and begin to become spotted with holes. If that happens then I'll have lost everything!
It's nice here, of course. I almost forget I'm in such a strange, foreign place. Hopefully exploring my nearby little forest will shed some light on my conundrum. If I'm going to be exploring, I should probably eat something, huh? I prepare some eggs, I don't really like eggs, but it's what I have right now.
Woodfire ovens are tricky business, truly, hard to work. Mostly everything I make on it is terrible. I'm quite bad at making eggs, extraordinarily bad, that and I hardly have anything to add to it. I eat them down right out of the pan as soon as I think they're done. A little runny, and tasteless as ever, but it's food.
Don't think my poor egg making has any effect on this feeling that has captured me. I'm still caught up in this new weather, it's one of the few things I can “follow” out here. I quite miss T.V, movies, heck, even reading. If I had a cook book or something, maybe I could get better at the whole making eggs thing.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
A light curse escaped my mouth and I spun around, staring straight at my homey little wooden door. I forgot it was today. Best part of my week, or my month, whatever. How could I forget? Maybe the warm air has me in a daze. I rush to the door to open it, revealing a rush of fresh air and the majestic white horse that has been visiting me of late. Oh I should mention, she has a horn and a pair of wings as well. I didn't even know that was a thing until I met her, I figured there was just one or the other. Ah, yes she is a she. I found that out when she walked out the door that first day. It's odd, back there, I mean.
“Hey!” I said happily, and I let out my hand to tussle her mane. I'd figured out she liked this pretty recently, back when the snow was heavy, I helped her shake out some snow from her mane. She seemed to like it, nuzzled my hand a little and neighed. Her mane is crazy, doesn't feel like regular human hair or like dog fur or whatever. It's almost as if I'm running my hand through running water, but it is solid water. It is almost always cool, but not cold. It's pretty mesmerizing, truthfully.
She neighs at me and pushes her way in. With a huff from her nostrils she takes a seat at my table. Small, square wooden, two chairs — all graciously provided by this magic horse that visits me. She nods her head at my chair across from her. She swivels around and faces my seat, placing her two forehooves on the tabletop.
I move quickly to sit down, I'm quite excited, this is my one bit of interaction I get every so often. I suppose this is my TV, sort of. . . Pfft that's probably a bad way to think of a friend.
She does what I see as a “smile” although it could be something else. It's probably a smile. I smile back as best I can, then she taps the table and points to me with her hoof. I bow my head and touch my chest.
“Hey again! How are you? Is any of this getting through?” I ask, pausing for a moment after. She just smiles blankly back at me. Damn shame.
“Well, I don't really have a topic today. But I am feeling kind of nostalgic I guess. So, I could vent about stuff I miss from home maybe? Would you like that?”
I take a deep breath and begin to speak again, “so I was thinking recently, if I could have one thing from back home it would be like an iPod or some mp3 sort of thing. I have thought about this very thoroughly. On the rule that technology like a computer, phone, whatever the hell kinda stuff like that can't call back home, ya know? So at first I was like, maybe a good book? I love books, didn't read too many but I love the ones I have read and there are a metric ton more out there. But for me it's one and done. I'm like that with movies and most T.V shows. Once I finish it, as much as I may love it I can never watch again. Sorry, am I speaking too fast?”
I pause for a second and just look at the horse in front of me. She probably, if she could understand me, wouldn't even understand what the hell a movie was. I didn't really want to explain either.
So instead I went on, about how I could listen to songs on repeat for hours and they never grow old. And that it would be nice to listen to tunes around the house or while taking walks. Then I started off on the walks, and the weather, and the idea of possibly taking a walk together. Then I debated ways to get her out of the house and how it would work. Some time passed before I finished my turn. I got a decent amount off my chest. I am content now, but I know how I would regret something the second she left.
I tapped my chest and bowed my head to her.
She follows suit with a smile.
I flex my wings and give a little shake as a bit of prep. Just a small ritual of sorts before I begin my turn. It's the small things that help me the most. A smile, a hug, a kind word. Being a princess is so large and big, you can really appreciate the finer points once you've lived a day in my hooves.
“Can you understand me today?” I ask sweetly, trying to mask the specklings of annoyance I carried here with me.
He just smiles back, somewhat blankly. I sigh and grin, just a quick one, I don't feel in the “happy” mood right now.
“That's a no. Maybe next time,” I laugh bitterly, “I have not had a good week my friend. Ponies are scared and angry about recent events. Canterlot got all messed up by this silly changeling queen!” I throw up my hooves for emphasis.
His face shifts to one of a bit more seriousness, knowing that I am not having a great day.
“So I've got to help all these different ponies, like always. Don't get me wrong, of course I want to, I just need a break some times,” my eyes drift down to the tabletop, “I know we meet here, and this is like a little vacation for me. But I need more time. At least a month.”
I tap the side of my head with my hoof, “but in a month's time who knows what could happen! If I leave Luna in charge she might yell at someone important and they'll get all flank flustered. And Twilight just isn't ready. She's a good filly, needs a bit more sense in her noggin but she has a good heart and good friends to back her up.”
I took a longer “turn” than usual, I probably shouldn't have lingered around so long. However, I had so much to vent to my human friend today that I needed the extra time. I always felt better after these meetings, but a residual unpleasantness does stick to me like candy on fur.
He is a lone beast from a different world, trapped here until I can figure out how and why he's here and how to get him back. But that brings up so many problems. Who will I turn too once he is gone? Luna is too distant at the moment, we need more time to reconcile our differences. Twilight is too inexperienced and young to bear the burden of my worries. That is a selfish, selfish thought. Who says I can't have a selfish thought once in awhile, though?
There is also the slight matter of him wandering into a pony, or a pony wandering into him. Although he likely isn't to be too scared after exposure to me, that unlucky mare or stallion will probably have a bad time of it. And then rumors would spread, and this secret beast would be revealed to everyone. Then he wouldn't be my own anymore. Selfish, I know.
I give him a close hug with my wings, it is always pleasing to feel the warmth of an embrace, especially between friends. Truly, little moments like these are how we communicate. He holds me for a split second longer than normal, eliciting a small smile from me. Whatever his intention was, it is lost on me.
He waves to me as I leave, and I wave back to him, closing the door and flying off back home. I hope he will enjoy the warming weather.
