Chapters A Tale worth Telling (A series)
Lemon tilted her head watching her reflection do the same. Her counterpart distorted as she moved her attention towards a black silluate in the corner. She quickly turned around but the living room window showed little sign of the figure she had seen in the mirror-or at least what she thought she’d seen.
She sighed before heading off to make the customary pot of tea. “Does it make sense,” she spoke teleporting the kettle over to the stove with that blank, half-open-eyed expression. “That I moved to a creepy town without telling any pony because no pony here would make fun of me living in a creepy town because they live here too.” The kettle began to whistle; she gripped it in magic and poured herself a cup before inserting a tea bag then heading to the living room coach.
“If you move to a ghost town does that say something significant about you or does the fact that you moved to a ghost town to wonder such a thing say something else entirely.” She set her steaming cup on the side table before laying on the coach, hugging a pillow as she tended to do.
The doorbell rings.
Thump
Lemonberry was on the floor, her pet squirrel, Walnut staring at her worryingly from a safe distance.
.“Celestia”, she murmurs under her breath, cautiously making her way to the door and opening it. The doorbell ringing was as rare as seeing a pony out on the streets.Not seeing any pony at the entrance, she peaked further before fully stepping outside. Walking through the fog, she wasn’t sure whether to flee back inside and pack her bags or to continue investigating. She continued to walk into oblivion, obviously.
“Lemonberry?” A familiar voice spoke in the darkness, two figures nearing the stunned mare.
“Wildflower?” Lemonberry looked at the Orange-coated mare, a pony she had met just a few months ago on her train ride towards the town. She was surprised to see her again, and accompanied by a peach-coated stallion next to her.
~ Something else entirely, not the same story line. This is not part of the story, stop it. It really isn’t. No, I’m not joking. Sto-stop thinking it’s the same story, it’s not! Got it? OK. ~
“Lemon Darling, don’t hang on the tapestry.” Seamist spoke to her daughter, Lemonberry.Lemon Darling was what most ponies called her, so the name stood despite Lemonberry’s countless protests.
“Lemonberry, mom!” she screamed across the room while sliding down the curtain. “Lemonberry!” she repeated, stomping her hoofs before bucking the wall for good measure.
Seamist looked away from her vanity mirror, perfect sky blue eyes glaring scoldingly at her filly. “Lemonberry, such behavior is not fitting for a lady your age!”
The blue filly rolled her eyes, secretly happy to have provoked her mother to use her real name. A new irritation immediately replaced the last, “I’m just a filly. How do you suppose I should act?” she reminded her mother, it seemed to Lemonberry that she required it as she often expected the filly to follow through multiple difficult tasks across the house.
“Like a mare,” her mother spoke looking back at her mirror before smiling “and a noble”
The grouchy Pegasus stomped over to the coach where she plotted down, crossing her hooves as she had (to her annoyance) gotten into the habit of doing. “Well, if I’m going to be a noble then I won’t bother to spend time with the peasants.” She ended stubbornly.
A pretty sigh escaped her mother’s lips before she graced out the front door. “Don’t bother to show anyway, we may have sacrificed the skies for you but not the earth.”
Seamist shut the door but not before quickly murmuring, although not to the escape of Lemonberry’s ears “Ponies don’t take kindly to disagreeable foals.”
She didn’t flinch at her mother’s words; nothing could wound her concrete heart. She didn’t care for the filthy desert Indians and neither for her parent’s festivities. She couldn’t care less if they never came back.
If only she’d known it was the last time she would speak to either of them.
The room began to shake, the vanity mirror falling first before her mother’s many expensive perfumes came crashing to the ground. Trembling Pearl necklaces came rolling against Lemonberry’s hooves. She stepped back, stunned by the unearthly phenomenon. The massive wardrobe inclined over the foal, its shadow swallowing her, an echo of what might be soon to come. She quickly darted under the bed for protection. Sure enough, the wardrobe fell to the ground with a loud boom, similar to the sounds she heard distantly throughout the house.
Dust began to depart from the roof; she desperately hoped it wouldn’t collapse.
The moment seemed to last forever, the never-ending roar of movement hurling several objects under the bed with her. It seemed impossible within the chaos but at one point, the filly collapsed.
Some Time Later
A grey train’s whistle blew loudly for attention, releasing a cloud of black smoke. The noise blocked countless of ponies chattering and to her relief the taunting she received from the other orphan foals. But soon the train departed, leaving her with the snooty foals and their lame chants.
“Sour lemon in my mouth
Fowl taste get out!
I’ll cut a berry, oh so sweat
And get your taste right out!”
The foals laughed as they were hushed by the adult ponies.
Lemon Berry shot poison darts in their direction, trying to ignore the glances she got from several adults.
“Cinnamon Twist” a grown stallion in a waist coat called out into a speaker.
She watched as a ponytailed filly galloped happily up to her grandparents, embracing them in a tight hug. The filly’s grandmother caught Lemon Berry eyes which she quickly averted to the floor.
Several hours passed in a similar fashion, ponies would get their names called out through the speaker and they would run towards their close or distant relatives.
The sky grew dark and few ponies where left in the crowd. Their names were called. Lemon Berry began to wonder if she would ever get picked up.
She sat on an old bench once her legs began to tire, hearing the speaker stallion talk with another pony.
“Yes, very unfortunate what happened in the Sadlearabia…but at least the little ponies are with family now.”
….
“No, no one knows why it happened. I hear word that Celestia has her finest scientist looking into the event…hopefully they find a good explanation; there hasn’t been an earthquake in Equestrian for quite some time. It startled a lot of ponies; some didn’t even know what an earthquake was until today!”
….
“Alright, I think I’ll clock out soon myself…just as soon as this last filly gets picked up.”
A Tale worth Telling (A series)
~ Now, back to the real story
Tea was served; it’s a pity Lemon Berry never thought to ask about their taste in beverages. It seemed that in her day every pony loved tea.
“Uh, no thanks…I prefer gin” The stallion said politely.
I’m…not quit in the mood for tea either” Siri Flower agreed
“Oh, well-urr… more for me I suppose.” She laughed awkwardly
Lemon Berry cleared her throat, “well, what on Eques brought you to the scariest town in Equestria?” she almost giggled at the ridiculous thought before remembering where she stood.
“Well, you remember what I told you about my parents?” Siri explained further “There are a few things I haven’t figured out about my past and well, he had the idea that figuring out the full story might help me get over it.”
Lemon Berry was quit, that had been a very logical answer. When you have a problem you find a way to solve it. That is how practical ponies like Siri Flower solved their problem. Of course, it made sense. So, why hadn’t she tried it?
“Um…Lemon Berry” Siri brought back her attention, “Would you be willing to join us? I figured since the last time we met that you might be willing to help, that is if we could find you.” She smirked “the residents here aren’t very helpful when it comes to directions.”
“No kidding” Lemon Berry scoffed before smiling, “I’d be happy to help, just tell me where to start.”
~ This again, I don’t even know what it’s doing here.
The carriage shifted violently as they steered up the rocky mountain. Lemon Berry didn’t flinch, allowing the cart to sway her like a tidal wave. She stared at the pony in front of her, an aged mare with thousands of wrinkles hidden behind her mask of makeup. She had a messy bun of curled brown hair on her head, and an ugly black dress. She was stitching some sort of apparel.
“It’s not polite to stare at adult ponies” The mare spoke harshly
“Sorry” Lemon Berry murmured starting at her hooves.
The mare sighed, “We’ll be arriving at the manor in a few minutes. You shall address me as Madame, the housekeeper”
“Ok, madame the housekeeper” Lemonberry smirked
Madame didn’t smile back, “Don’t play smart with me- and for goodness sake doesn’t Sadlearabia have courtesy for the dead? Where is your mourning gown? This simply won’t do.”
“What is a mourning gown?” Lemonberry asked curiously
“Well-a morning gown is…a morning gown” the mare fumbled as she squinted through her eye glasses at her stitched creation. It was an ugly grey. “A way to express your mourning of course, a black dress usually.”
It sounded silly to Lemonberry, “How long am I supposed to wear it?”
“Until the mourning process is over”
“How long is that?”
“Usually a few months, sometimes years…it depends on the pony mourning.”
“Why is that?”
“You ask too many question for a mare your age.” Madame continued to stare at her woven piece before setting it down in what looked like defeat.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lemonberry barked
“It's supposed to mean what it means.” She glanced at the scowling foal, “I don’t want to be an old hag Miss. Lemonberry. I am just looking out for your best interests.”
There was a long pause.
“Still, despite whatever might have been your traditions in Sadlearabia, you will escort a black dress in Talltale if I have any say in it.”
“You don’t.” Lemonberry dared
“Well as long as your uncle is away I do. He may own the manor but he put me in charge.” She said firmly “I don’t know what your parents did to deserve such a disagreeable foal such as yourself.”
Lemonberry clutched he teeth but remained quit. After a while she was calm enough to talk. “When will I see my uncle?”
“Not in some time. He is hardly ever home, always traveling about doing Celestia knows what.” She dug in her purse, pulling out a bag of oats. She offered some to Lemonberry but the filly reclined. She snacked on the bag as she continued to speak. “Lord doesn’t have much acquaintance in town. He tends to keep his business as far away from the manor as possible…no pony really knows why. After his wife, your aunt died he was never the same.”
“Who was my aunt?”
“A pretty thing, always bringing life into the old grey manor…there is no talk of her nowadays…especially not in front of Lord Raven, doing so would be a death wish.”
The carriage stopped to a halt, nearly throwing the filly forward but Madame halted her drop. “Please try to stay safe, Lord would not take kindly to me if something happened to you.”
They exited the carriage.
Lemonberry looked up at the huge stone house in front of her, its widows where like small dots spread throughout a vast mural. She had never seen anything like it.
They walked inside. Their coats where taken from what Lemonberry assumed to be the servants, “servant, I’m hungry”
The mare taking her coat looked at her funny before walking away without a response.
“Servant? My dear Ms. you’re going to have to help yourself around here. We work for Lordraven, not you.” Madame said as the mare grabbed her coat aswell. “Thank you Melinda, now go brew a pot of tea for our new guest.”
Lemonberry could almost be certain Madame’s cords where tangled. “But- you just…” she stomped in annoyance before settling down.
“Chipper! There you are!” Madame called out to another mare. “Please take Lemonberry to her room.”
“Come along miss” the maid said chipper-like before escorting her up a flight of stairs.
“If you’re not servants what are you?” Lemonberry asked
“That’s a good question! Clever aren’t you?” the mare tried to pick her cheek but she quickly dodged away. Chipper seemed disappointed but kept her spirt high” Well I’m a maid of sorts. Of course I do a lot of other things too. Sometimes there is so much work to do that I’m a baker, maid, and gardener all on the same day.” She giggled
“That wasn’t the question and I will still call you my servant.”
“Call me whatever you want miss!” she giggled again
Lemonberry rolled her eyes “You mentioned gardening, are there gardens around here?”
“Oh, yes! And they are the loveliest gardens you have ever laid your eyes on! Well- you will lay your eyes on.” She giggled once more before opening a single door lined up beside others inside a large hallway.
They entered the bedroom, a large grown-up’s bed in the middle, a round carpet covering the entire room, and a huge wardrobe against the east wall…she felt small and uncomfortable with it all.
“When will my furniture and clothes get here?”
“Furniture? Clothes? I’m afraid you’ll have to do with what is here miss.” Chipper opened the wooden wardrobe “but don’t fret, they are very nice clothes!”
“What?!” Lemonberry fumed, stomping beside her bed “I want my clothes and my stuff!”
“I’m afraid nothing survived the incident from what I’ve been told…” Chipper quickly added “These dresses can be yours however! They are very nice, I’m sure you will love them!”
“No! I WANT MY THINGS!” Lemonberry yelled, her face turning tomato red as she stomped on the floor, kicking and screaming.
“Oh please miss, quit down before some pony hears you!” Chipper says desperately
Lemonberry jumped on the bed, kicking the enormous pillows, but this barely made a dent in them. After a while she sank down in defeat, covering her face into a pillow. “I wrant my ings…why did they take them from me…” her words where partially blocked by the pillow and her sobs.
“I don’t know miss…but perhaps you’ll find you like it here. It’s very beautiful; I would have loved to live here when I was a filly.”
There is a long silence, then a knock on the door. Lemon hears the door open, Chipper walking, and then the door closing again.
Lemonberry looked up from the pillow, thinking Chipper had perhaps left and…perhaps because of her.
“Now miss, there is nothing like a cup of hot tea to sooth what aches you.” Chipper smiled warmly as she held up a tray of cookies and a pot of tea.
Lemonberry slowly climbed down from the bed before sitting down on a stool.
“Why tea?” she asked, mentally adding I said I was hungry .
“Well you can’t go wrong with it miss. Everybody likes tea.”
A Tale worth Telling (A series)
The three ponies passed through the streets, aware of the many eyes that peaked through closed curtains.
"So, why is it you moved here Lemonberry? If you don't mind me asking" Siri asked
"Oh, little this and that's" Lemonberry said dismissively. An owl hooted, causing her to jump suddenly, "well-uh I suppose it was a matter of convenience. I never really fit in with large crowds and my bits couldn't quit carry a living anywhere else. It worked out in the end, despite the towns kind neighbors...hehe."
A market place came into view, a typical resemblance of food stands but lacking everything that a decent food stand required; sells ponies, and food. An old stallion did appear behind one particularly run down tomato stand but a few muffled complaints in his part made approaching him seem rather unappealing at the moment. After that little unpleasant encounter the group found themselves in front of a pawn shop, whom to Siri and ______'s surprise had candle light glowing from within and a door sign that read; OPEN.
"Here it is, the most likely place in Hollowshades to have relevant information about a tribe from two decades ago. Could you explain to me again why you need this?" Lemonberry inquired
"Well, the pony whom informed me about my past said that he knew of the tribes trade system which often involved jewelry or carvings made by the women on board, he said that if I could find one of those things there might be a lead to more information. I heard that hollowshades has the oldest archive of valuables in Equestria...also making it the most luring place for thieves." Siri said "That is why its residents prefer to stay indoors and don't like to socialize with strangers."
"Oh!" Lemonberry began to understand the communities reproach at her arrival and that her persona was perhaps not their center motive.
They enter the shop, wooden boards creaking under their hooves. Piles upon piles of objects lay stacked in no particular order throughout the room. In a moment a stallion approaches from the back of the store.
"Hello travelers, could I assist you in anything?" he examined them with small yellow-tinted spectacles
"Yes, we are looking for anything that might have come from a gyspy tribe from a few descades ago." Siri stood front
"Hmm, well there where plenty of tribes in Equestria's history. You might want to be a bit more specific to shorten your search."
Siri frowned.
"Didn't he mention the tribe's route often stayed in the southern areas of Equestria?" _____ asked
"Yes, he did!" Siri seemed excited at the reminder.
"That does shorten the list a bit. Southern Equestria you say? That covers a good section of appaloosa and machintosh hills if I recall correctly....yes, I might have what you are looking for."
The shop keeper lead them past several shelves, stopping next to the wall. He pointed at a few boxes placed across the floor and several accessories hanging on the wall.
"This is all I have of that sort. Most items i'm afraid are in bad and weathered condition so I would recommend handling them with care." He smiled a bit "You break it you buy it. Come to the counter once you've found what your looking for, good luck." and with that the pony walked away to leave them with their search.
"We better get to it then, tell me if you find anything that might lead us somewhere...anything with writing or symbols of some kind that might mean something." Siri nodded to the others, a hint of determination in her eyes.
After a grinding hour or so all five boxes had been searched and every piece of jewelry examined. Siri looked heart broken.
"We must have missed something...maybe we overlooked a detail or something." she furrowed her brows "We'll look again, there has to be something."
Another hour flew by and just before the quarter _____ exclaimed from behind a pile of dusty bottles.
"I ink I fnd shomething!" _____ grinned as he walked towards the mares. In his mouth was a bottle of sand. Siri raised her eyebrow skeptically.
He grabbed the bottles with his hoof and pulled the plug off with his mouth. He began to poor the orange sand out of the bottle.
"Hey! Were going to have to clean that!" Lemonberry protested
"Sorry, but I had to" he said, the last bit of sand spilling onto the ground and a small parchment landed atop the sand pile." I noticed this at the bottom of the bottle" he grabbed the paper grinning.
Siri gasped, grinning excitedly before running over the sand and embracing him in a hug. They laughed and Siri quickly looked over the parchment herself. "Oh, this is it! It has to be, thank you!" she lightly kissed him in the cheek, causing him to blush slightly.
Lemonberry looked dumb folded before mentally face-hoofing herself. It made sense, they where a couple. She had concluded they where siblings, and how awkward would mentioning it have been? She couldn't help but giggle however, the ponies infectious happiness rubbing off on her. "Well, what does it say?" she asked getting excited herself.
"I can't say exactly, it's written in an Indian tongue. But that's nothing a little drinking can't fix." Siri grinned from ear to ear
"That's great- wait, drinking?" Lemonberry asked
"I'll explain it later." Siri assured her, glancing at ______ who nodded in understanding. "We better go pay, and uh...explain the mess."
They looked back at the sand that now spread the floor in a very messy pile.
The pair walked towards the front counter, Lemonberry left behind when a certain object caught her eye. She approached it, a small wooden elephant carving standing above the corner table. It seemed so insignificant yet its shape and detailed back reminded her an awful lot of something...she just couldn't quit figure out what.
Intermission
Outside the sky was tinted grey, dead trees could be seen from far away and even the rolling hills had nothing but dry lifeless grass covering them for miles
.
Lemonberry frowned at the sight her window offered, feeling strange and angry. It was an ugly view, from within an ugly old house. Weeks had gone by inside the manor and nothing interesting ever happened. She was alone most of the time, wondering around aimlessly. The servants usually ignored her, which would take time to get used to. She felt bitter in their presence, in India the servants had never ignored her and had tended to her every need. Now everyone just minded their own business and expected her to do everything on her own.
She hated that, she hated being ignored. In an odd train of thought she began to wonder if it had really been any different before. Her Servants had never really cared for her, just cared to her, Cared her in a most foreign way. She hadn’t even known them well enough to miss them. She perhaps missed her nanny but that was only because the old women had read to her over the years, always willing to read any book Lemonberry willed for.
Her parents hardly ever showed their faces, more then what could be said of her so called uncle. She tried to remember their faces, her father’s slick hair and long beard, her mother’s mystical eyes that looked distant yet focused. Lemonberry realized she would never see them again, it was strange. She thought about what Madame had said but Lemonberry couldn’t mourn her parents the way she supposed it was to be done. There was no emotion, just numbness and the manors hollow echoes that compared to the strangeness inside her.
After a while she began to bore of her thoughts and went out her bedroom to wander around the house like other days. She attempted to open doors as she went but most would not budge. The ones that did open had nothing but boring bedrooms or studies. She eventually ended up in the east wing, where most things seemed older than the rest. Everything was faded, cobwebs covering corners and furniture. The sight intrigued her; she looked out a broken window where rays of sun floated dust upon the red carpet.
A bit further was a wooden door with peeling white paint. She approached it, touching the designs on it and stepped back when it easily opened forward. She stepped into the room. It fashioned as a room but lacked a bed which struck Lemonberry as odd. There was a desk drawer with a mirror, also faded in white. Atop it where abandoned perfumes, boxes and books of sorts, she brushed her hoof against them until her hoof met a small figurine. It was an elephant made of a fine marble, a detailed saddle on its back. Next to it was a photo of a mare smiling widely, wearing pearls around her neck and gazing with distant emerald eyes.