Chapter One: The Reporter and The Human
You know that feeling of inner peace that you experience when you finally take a moment disconnect from the stress and responsibilities of world. The moment when life stands still and you just take in everything around you and admire it for what it is, never looking too deep into anything. It’s the moment when you block out everything but taken in everything at the same time. Like the freshly fallen snow from the previous night's storm that blankets the ground and cling to the branches of the pines and the bare branches of oaks that slumber awaiting for the warmth of spring's rejuvenating sun. Through the cloudy skies to the east the morning’s early sun pushes over the peaks of steep and jagged mountains as it fights desperately to break through the thick tapestry of grey to bring a warming light to the land below. Further down a snow covered wooden cabin sits alone at the end of a small freshly shoveled path with a bright and inviting golden amber light flickering through the frost covered windows as a steady plumb of smoke rises from a small stone chimney. All around small snowbirds fly to a fro singing as the start of a new day begins to take life. These are the moments that should be cherished above all else and they are the moments that I wish would never end, but sadly nothing good last forever.
I took one last gaze at the scenery around me as the wind began to pick up, breathing in deep the chilly morning air sent a small shiver down my spine as I rose from the small wooden bench I’d been sitting at and began my walk downhill towards home. Pulling the collar of my coat a little higher to try and block out some of the bone chilling winds I continued to trudge the fresh white powder as I made my way over to this mornings fresh batch of firewood. Picking up a few pieces I made my way around to the front door, opening it and hurrying inside to the warmth of my small home. On the opposite wall sate a larger stone fireplace where a small fire crackled and popped, emitting an array of red, yellow, and orange hues causing the few shadows to bounce around the room as if they were alive and dancing. Walking over to the fireplace a sat the wood down before throwing two larger pieces into it. Looking over the knick knacks and pictures of friends new and old, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness. It was just me after all, out here by myself. I don’t know how long I’d stood there by the warmth of the fire before I was broken from my musing by what I thought was someone knock on my door. I stood there unsure if I had actually heard it or if it was just my mind playing tricks on me before I heard the knocking again, this time accompanied with a muffled questioning ‘hello’.
“Coming, give me just a sec.” Picking up the wood and moving it to the side of the fireplace I then made my way over to the door, where I apparently had a visitor. Making my way over to the door the only sounds were that of the fire and ever increasing winds from surely another coming storm. At the door I stopped for a moment took a breath and opened the door. On the other side a small rose red mare stood with a very uncomfortable look on her face.
“He-hello, I’m t-teribbly sorry t-t-to be bo-bothering you so early. M-my name i-is F-F-Fable. You wouldn’t h-happen to be I-Issac Ca-Ca-Carver th-the human would you?” she asked through shivers as the wind brutally assaulted the poor mare tossing her brilliant golden mane in all directions. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at ‘the human’. I admit the question was simple in itself but none the less it made me suspicious. It’s not often I have visitors, even less often when I have visitors that are strangers to me. The few I had not known that had showed up on my doorstep usually had nothing good to say to me, either insulting me, or something else disheartening. That was the whole reason I lived out here on my own after all. To get away from all the judging eyes of ponies who knew nothing about me. A sneeze drew my attention back to the mare, the only thing she had on was a small lemon yellow and white striped scarf. I could tell she must be freezing and a few a second of arguing with my conscience I decided on a simple answer.
“I’m afraid not Miss. Fable.” I could tell by the look of confusion dawn on her face that she was sure of who I was and just as quickly as came it changed to one of disappointment as she looked up at me. ‘Oh’ was all she said as she turned around a began to leave, “but I am Isaac Carver.” She stopped mid turn and looked up at me with confused but hopefully looking amber yellow eyes.
“But.. but you sai-”
“I said, I’m am not Isaac Carver the human. I have no title such as that Miss. Fable but please before we talk any further, would you care to come inside. A fire doesn’t do much good to warm a home when the door is left open.” I tried to sound as friendly as I could, she returned my offer with a small smile and a firm nod. Stepping aside and opening the door more, she quickly crossed the threshold leaving a small trail of snow in her wake, gently closing the door behind her. When I turned around I saw that she was standing in front of the fire and looking around the room studying all the small furnishing. Lifting my hand to my mouth a lightly cleared my throat in an attempt to regain her attention. It worked flawlessly, as I lowered my hand away from my face and walked over to small pile of wood and tossed another log on to the fire. The log impacted sending embers fluttering into the air in an eruption of fire sparks. When the log settled some of the older burnt wood to fell and crumbled beneath the weight of its brethren. In a chorus of small pops the fire began to die down to a calm steady burn. After a moment of awkward silence I turned around to see Small Tale was looking around the room, a bit uncomfortably if the look on her face was indication. “So, what is a pony such as yourself doing all the way out here in the farthest reaches of northern Equestia looking for someone such as myself?”
“Ohh it’s not that far,” She said lightheartedly as she ran her hooves through her disheveled wind blown mane.
“Oh? Well, I can’t imagine most ponies agreeing with you on that. Aside from those who already live out here and even then some of them might still disagree.” I watched as Fable continued running her hooves through her long golden mane as the light over the fire danced across or smooth rose red coat. In the heat of the fire the snow that had covered her coat began to melt, causing the light to glistened off of small lingering dollops of white powder and drying water. Studying her I noticed she was a bit smaller than most mare’s I’d known and she was definitely not a foal as she had a cutie mark. It was an extravagant and beautiful flower, one which was of the likes that I had never seen and an unraveled scroll with a few scribblings on it that were written in gold. The tip of the flowers stem was pointed and shaped like that of a quill. I could quite say what it symbolized but from my time here in Equestria I’ve learned that names often coincide with one's special talent. If I had to put my best guess on it she was a storyteller, or a writer to be more precise. My train of thought was quickly broken but a small cough, I looked up to see that the mare I had been ogling was now looking at me with her head cocked to the side in an adorable fashion. The fire caused the amber yellow orbs she called eye to glow a hypnotizing hue of yellow and orange as she looked at me with a questioning gaze.
“I.. uh, was just looking at your.. uumm uh, cutie mark..and I was just wondering what it symbolized.” I could feel the blood in my cheeks rise at the thought, that she might have suspected I was checking out her flank. She seemed to accept what I said for the truth, fore she smiled at my answer.
“Oh, well that’s easy it symbolizes my special talent!” She said cheerily at that point any embarrassment I had been feeling was extinguished. I looked at her with a deadpan expression as if to say, ‘No shit? Really?’. When she caught my looks smiles sheepishly and laughed half heartedly. “I’m sure you knew that part though..” She shifted a little and looked back at her own cutie mark before looking back at me. “It symbolizes my talent as a storyteller. I always had a way with words and telling stories when I was younger. I used to imagine far way places, ones nopony had ever seen, creatures beyond imagination, and ponies of incredible caliber who could perform feats of impossibility. I used to tell all of the foals at th..” She slowly trailed off as she stared in the fires hypnotizing dance before she grew silent and a dreary expression slowly formed on her face.
Honestly it was a little concerning to see such a seemingly cheerful mare become so somber so quick, especially about one’s own talent. Not wanting to let the silence carry on any further I thought it was time to actually figure out why she was here and looking for me in the first place.
“So..” Fable shook her head before looking back at me, “..Miss. Fable, seeing as you’re not going to be freezing to death on my doorstep anymore, what are you doing all the way out here looking for me, and to that end how exactly did you find that I live all the way out here?”
“Thank you, for that by the way. I heard that the weather up here was rather harsh but I didn’t think it would be like this.” She point a hoof towards the window where a light snow had begun to fall. “Anyway, here because of my special talent.” She pointed towards her cutie mark for emphasis, “I’m here for a story.”
“A story?” she shook her head in affirmation.
“Uhuh, I work for the Equestria Daily press and I hav-”
“I’m sorry, Miss. Fable if you’ve heard to twist my words for the amusement of those stuck up, single mind, sorry excuses for ponies than I have no interest.” Fable seemed stunned by the cold tone and venom in my words, “No matter what I’ve done or what I’ve tried to do those ponies have never seen me as anything but a monster and a blight on their land and I refuse allow my words to be twisted into something that they would use as fodder against me.”
“But, I’m not here for them, I’m here for your story! I’ve heard the rumors about you, but I refuse to believe anything but the truth.. believe me when I say: I care nothing for the Canterlot elite. I came out here for you.. I want to know your story. I’m not doing this for the press or for some underhand means. I’m doing this because it’s what I love to do. Your story is the one I’ve been dream of writing all my life, whatever it may be! I wish to tell it so the rest of Equestria may know it. Please Mr. Carver?” Silence returned while she looked back at me from her place near the fire, desperately pleading her case to me with large caring eyes. I turned away from her pleading gaze and focused on the fire. She doesn’t seem like the type to lie and take advantage of someone else and she seemed genuine about wanting to hear about my side of the story. I glanced back over and saw she was slouched over a looking up at me the biggest pair of puppy dog eye’s that I’d seen in a long time. Mentally I clutched my in an attempt to hold it together after witnessing the heart breaking look she was giving me. If she does hold up to her end of the bargain this would be a chance for me to put any rumors about me to rest and hopefully be able to return home.. Looking over to the window I could see the snowfall had grown heavier and the winds had picked up even causing a few other the loser pans to rattle around in their settings.
My mind was made up.
“Alright..” from where she sat I could hear a low ‘squee’.
“R-really! You mean it, you’ll help me??”
“On two conditions!” The sound of hooves moving across the wooden floor drew my attention over to where she was previously sitting, only to find that she was now sitting right at the foot of my chair with a beaming smile spread across her face.
“Anything, anything, you name it!” she cheered happily
“Before I say anything else, I need to ask: How much time do you have to spend on this story, because I’m sure you’re boss has given you a deadline.” She shrunk back a bit at the question and began to push her hooves together in the same manner a child might if they had to explain something they hoped they wouldn’t. I gazed at her questioningly and twirled my hand at the wrist in a circular motion gesturing for her to ‘answer the question.’
“Well… youuu seee.. I just said I worked for the press…” smiled sheepishly and lowered herself closer to the floor, to try and had from my ever increasing gaze.
“Yes??”
“Well, I never said I was… uhh doing this for them..” I was now leaned halfway out of my chair following here as she was now laying on the ground with her hooves covering her face, speaking just barely above a whisper.
“You… not.. working for..” the answer left me sputtering trying to make some connection to what she was trying to say. Taking a deep breath, I leaned back against the soft chair and sighed. “So.. what exactly are you saying?”
“Well, this is actually a personal project of mine.. and well, the start of a new chapter in my life I suppose.” I looked at her against with only a tired expression.
“What do you mean?” I asked bluntly.
“Well, my boss wouldn’t let really have the time off that I needed to actually come up here and trying to get the story… sooo, I umm quit..” The idea that one pony would lose her job and risk her livelihood over something like this was beyond me. I understand this world works differently than the one I came from but if something puts food in your stomach and keeps a roof over your head, name a job. You don’t just toss it away on a whimp and hope things will work out.
“Well with that said I’m assuming you have all the time in the world, if I’m wrong please to me.” I waited for a second and after she said nothing, I shrugged and assumed I was right. “Right, now on to business. Condition number one: You are getting the whole story, from beginning to end, not just bits and pieces, I don’t want people taking thing out of context. Condition two: I can read over whatever you right to make sure everything you’re writing is the truth. Finally, condition three: If at whatever time I wish to stop this, we stop, end of story. Do we have a deal?” I stuck my hand out to shake should she accept my offer.
“You said two conditions and you listed three.” she stated calmly
“Yeah.. well I added another one. So deal or no deal?” She stared at my hand for a moment before smiling brightly and shaking it.
“Deal! Now let's get started!”
Author's Note
Here it is in all of in disgusting glory. I'm sure there are bound to be errors in grammar so if you see any please point them out so that I may correct them. This is my first story and a learning experience for me, as I wish to become a better writer, so if any criticism is welcome. Just try to keep it as help criticism, no blatant degrading or anything like that. Well with that being said, please let me guys know what you think.
With that said, thanks for reading everyone!
