I was just... about to visit...
”A rare coincidence.”
Written by PacifistDoodl3r
My entry for The May 2021 Pairing Contest.
It wasn't dawn yet, but the sun was going to set pretty soon. The lake nearby teamed with life; ducks swam across the placid dark green surface, frogs hopped along the murky banks. Then there was the golden sun that flaunted it's shimmery reflection. Slowly dipping beneath the far away mountain tops that stretched like an expensive scene in a painting.
A blue sky with a golden tint had white blankets of clouds to accompany it. If one were to look closely, they would have noticed the gentle drift from disappearing winds pushing them along.
The sound of crickets and quacking gave the land a nice ambiance. Green grass grew darker as a black shadow glided across, giving shade to nearby wildlife and foliage. Perky trees ruffled their leaves that gave way as something hurriedly flew past.
Critters scampered in every direction as this figure hovered above with purpose, barely managing to dodge the winding path of the forest and dark brown trees that seemingly reached no end. A dark grey feather floated down safely on a shrubbery.
Finally, a road was visibly cut through the Equestrian woods and lead to the lakeside. It squiggled to a wooden bridge that stood over a small creek from the peaceful body of water. There, the mysterious shadow followed the path and sped alongside it, no longer in threat from suddenly stopping.
Until a cheerful humming, one of a catchy song-- was the last thing this creature heard before their inevitable halt.
The impact made the world spin for her, road dust kicked up into a gusty cloud of grey.
She rubbed her beak with a bright yellow claw, slowly trying to get up, struggling to adjust her satchel with scattered envelopes. The strap had snapped from the collision, making her let out a disappointed sigh.
“Oh, here! Let me help ya’ with that- I am so sorry! Sometimes I don't even feel what rams in to me while walking! Isn't the first time,”- the mint green pegasus gathered the dozens of papers across the path and stuffed them in the bag, -”sadly, and I'm starting to think this is Celestia’s way of making me meet somepony!”
The pegasus looked to see who had done this. The griffin fully stood and stared with a dubious expression. “W-who are... what?”
“I meant somecreature!” The pegasus flipped her light pink mane, now a mess with sticks and grass poking out. “The name’s Kerfuffle, and I'm a little lost.” She handed the griffin back her satchel and proceeded to dust of her long tail containing an equal amount of tiny earth remnants.
“Oh, um... okay, I'm Gabby,” she placed a claw on her chest, “and I guess you're trying to find the train station?” Grabbing and fitting on the satchel, she pointed behind her with a single talon, “It's back West, be careful- there's Timberwolves this late so... I can take you back if you want?”
“That's exactly what I'm looking for.” Kerfuffle eyed the setting sun and nodded her head, “Yes, thank you!” She went to give Gabby a hug but the dark grey griffin backed up and began to walk.
“It's getting a little chilly, please hurry.”
Though she felt discouraged, Kerfuffle cheerily bounced as she caught up. She walked fast but ever so slightly kept behind Gabby. As if she needed another reason to stay behind her new acquaintance, a bright light shone in front of them. The road was lit, though, the sun was still prominently out. Gabby attached the flashlight to her bag even though it shook their source of aided vision, but not enough to annoy them.
Kerfuffle itched to spark up conversation, but fought against it. Trying to get her mind off of this guide, she admired the beauty around her. The ducks swam away and turned into small dots at the edge of the lake. Crickets sounded louder, almost in a rhythmic tune, the dead silence was now amplified by chirps and produced a soothing song. Her ears flickered, listening intently to the chirping, humming with the crickets.
The lavender skies above her left a blissful feeling, one that felt like butterflies in her stomach. Kerfuffle was in awe at the falling star that could no longer illuminate their way. It was leaving the land beautifully. Taking a brief glance back, Princess Luna’s moon brought an infinite amount of small specs of blight with it.
Something small ran past them and rummaged through the undergrowth, dragging the sound of snapping twigs and crunching leaves with it. For a second, that startled the mint pegasus. Her heart sank and felt smaller, only gradually feeling better once Gabby quickly peered at her nervous companion.
It was around this time her hooves started to really weigh, trembling and sore, they demanded a break soon. Usually, this pony was one to ignore these trivial hiccups and carry on; however, her trot felt increasingly painful to do.
A few minutes of walking later, Gabby noticed the distance between them. She stopped and waited to continue, looking at the sky to predict how dark it would be once they make it to the station.
“I'm sorry, Gabby- I'll keep up! You don't have to wait for little ol’ me.” She laughed and snorted at that, brushing back her mane with a hoof.
“Sure, I'll go my own pace then...” Gabby trailed off, her eyes, tried not to linger on to something that forced out a subtle sympathetic gasp, “...but by that I mean-- in the air.” The griffin lifted off and manually used her flashlight that was now clipped off.
She flapped her dark feathery wings, a few feet off the ground next to Kerfuffle. The pair was okay trekking on like this, although Gabby felt a worry that now egged her. She felt small next to the pegasus, emotionally, small.
Kerfuffle studied Gabby above her, something felt different.
“Hey, you know- it's okay to ask!” Her sentence shook the grey guide, giving her an awkward look in return.
“I thought it would be rude if... if...” she couldn't finish her sentence again. There's something about the charm this upbeat mare had that urked her, “...you know?”
Gabby was met with a friendly laugh from the pegasus, Kerfuffle smiled and shook her head, “It's okay! You're probably wondering how I got all the way over here, unprepared? It's fine, I can totally look after myself!”
Her question wasn't anything she had her mind on, “Mhm! I wanted to know... where exactly are you headed?”
“...hm?”
Silence.
Though Gabby didn't know Kerfuffle, this pause felt uncharacteristic. She was about to turn away from her. Scratching her feather bun helped.
“Well, it's a city called... C-can-” she stammered, elegantly closing her eyes and tied to remember the name.
“Canter-”
“Canterlot! I had it on the tip of my tongue.” Her little smirk made the griffin feel warm.
“I was heading towards to PonyVille.” Gabby shook her flashlight, it started to flicker and dim.
“Wait- so- you actually want to talk? That's so sweet!”
“Sure.” She struggled to feel comfortable carrying the satchel, it bruised her shoulder as the worn leather draped down. The courier bag looked tired from traveling too.
Kerfuffle still had leg problems, a lot more sore than before. She assumed it was okay to ask her new potential friend if she can rest for a moment, but not yet. To keep her mind off of her tired condition, she examined the unique medal on Gabby’s bag. It looked like a tiny shield with a trophy symbol. Red, pink, and purple were the colours that reminded the mint mare of hope Hollow. It reminds her of home. Along with many memories of seeing colour for the first time in a long while.
She was pretty convinced- though it's been three years since- her eyes were still adjusting to everything around her.
“Where'd you get that pretty trinket?” Her question was casual, it felt like a compliment but the flying griffin wasn't too sure.
“Oh? Uh... something to remember my old life by I guess.”
Kerfuffle titled her head, “Something happen? And I'm sorry if this is prying but, do you blame yourself for whatever happened- it probably wasn't your fault, Gabby, I've been there bef-”
“What!?” She turned to face the pony below her, this accusation from nowhere felt strange, “No. No-no-no-no- nothing like that. We just...”she landed next to Kerfuffle, feeling it's more appropriate to talk like this, “...grew apart and I got very busy delivering mail. Simple.”
“This, ‘we’, so- you're talking about a friend of yours? Do you still talk to them?”
“Friends! Plural... I was part of this group called, ‘The Cutie Mark Crusaders’. It just wasn't my thing after some stupid drama happened. We still talked a few times but there was this unfillable hole and...” her voice lowered, shuddering off the thought.
“It happens. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand... can I tell ya’ what happened to me?”
Gabby darted her eyes to the side, afraid this topic might come up sooner or later. “Was it painful?”
“Seeing how it tore apart my friend from the inside, yeah.” After this, Gabby let out a sigh, “We had a tradition in our village where a machine would set off this gorgeous rainbow- and my friend, he tried fixing the device. So of course it failed and then- BOOM! Next thing ya’ know, we lost color! Everything around us turned black and white!”
“So... it was his fault then? No repercussions at all from a sheriff or something?” If earlier didn't confuse the grey griffin, this reveal of a past conflict cemented her puzzled look.
“Oh, he is the mayor don't-cha’ know? I live in Hope Hollow, a town close to Vanhoover. It wasn't his fault, but Sunny Skies blamed himself for years.”
“Wait, wait- so he made this rainbow doohickey and it broke... but at the same time everypony lost their color so he blamed himself? What was the main problem then?”
“We lost hope- that's some tragic irony! The low morale decolorized us for a very long time!” Kerfuffle had to stop talking for a moment to make sure her words made sense.
“I have a feeling a few details are being skimmed over?” Gabby smiled and placed a claw on her shoulder, “But... everything is okay now, right?”
“Of course!” Kerfuffle giggled, playfully waving a hoof away, “That happened a long time ago! I was depressed back then, before I saw the beauty of colors again... and my life is slowly shaping into something better. I raised enough bits to buy a ticket just to thank the pony who helped me achieve my goals!” She gave a shy smile, nervous about Gabby's reaction to her question, “Do you want to talk about what happened to your friends?”
Gabby shook her head, “I really didn't want to.” After her response, she read the dismay on the pony's face. Gabby bobbed her head, after she saw the glowing lights of the train station over the upcoming hill. “Okay, unloading all of this to a stranger is... you know?”
The Pony gave a nod, she gave understanding eyes, already pouring empathy.
The griffin gave one longing look at the mare, letting out a sad breath, “Three years ago I was friends with somecreature. Soon enough, we started dating. Though, he wouldn't shut up about this other pony- I got pretty tired of it and jokingly asked if he still had feelings for her.”
Kerfuffle lowered her head. Gabby's tone was predictably going to change and she was ready for the stinger at any moment.
“It shouldn't have took him so long to say no. My heart felt sick during that hesitation, and I was still with him. I'm such an idiot. I was confused and blamed her for everything.”
The pegasus was about to speak, slightly moving her lips, but decided against it.
“...Why did I burn all 20 of her dresses before a big fashion show event?” This was rhetorical.
The silence was eerie for a few minutes, giving the other room to breathe.
Gabby wiped her face, and Kerfuffle thought she saw a tear. Then continued, “I felt guilty for the devastated state she was in for days. So many creatures from everywhere were ready and anticipated this amazing spectacle. Eventually I confessed to her sister, who just so happened to be in the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’.
“She told me there was no use in telling on me because that would've been too easy. Eventually I disappeared, also breaking up with my ex. And here I am, many weeks later- using all the time I have to work. But now I... I have to...”
The ache in Kerfuffle’s legs were gone, she was now distraught over information she had no idea what to do with. “Are you going to see her?”
Gabby gave no reply. Only staring ahead at their destination.
“Hey, Gabby... somepony helped me when I was down. And it's crazy special to find someone just like you- someone who loves the same stuff and ya’ need to hold on to friends like that. And when you brought up... you know... burning this pony's clothing display; it weirdly reminded me of them. My friend. There's no denying she was so...”
They approached the train station. Stopping at the array of benches. As if on cue, lights from a tunnel set miles away burned through. The blaring horn of the train screamed as the pair had a burning bulb ignite their minds.
“Generous...” Gabby gave a concerned gaze into the pitch night sky, “I was just about to visit...”
A cold breeze touched their necks. Kerfuffle’s ride was drawing closer and closer... and closer.
They instinctively took a step away from the other, feeling the weight release from their shoulders and felt like laughing hysterically.
Kerfuffle eyed the train and simply asked, “Canterlot or PonyVille?”
The griffin took a moment to ponder this, but shrugged. “Can I ask a question instead?”
The train made a screeching stop.
“...How did you lose your le—”
