Hoof To Dust.
I look out the train window, 3 days I have been on this train wondering how much longer. I remember being 16 when I left the small town of Hofferton. A small and vibrate town, but blink and you’ll miss it. I don’t really want to be going back right now, I want to be at home studding with Lyra. Well I would be studding, Lyra would be watching a movie on her Hay phone but stick it into a book so it looked like she was studding. But I’m the smart one and I know Lyra puts off all her work to the last minute, and even then only copies off me. But the day the school councillor came into maths and handed me a letter with my family’s red wax horse shoe, seal on the front, I instantly knew something was up. At first I feared for my younger brother. He was born a sick foal but he somehow managed to keep going. I can picture Hay Seed trying to keep up with me on his thin little legs calling out” Bon Bon wait up!” I wasn’t going really fast but he was so little that when we walked together, he sometimes had to run. Back then my name was Blossom Valley but I had it changed to match my cutie mark when I left. I read the letter, it was that droughts were affecting the little town of Hofferton and Mother and father knew I wouldn’t go just because of that, not after the feud, so on the end they added” P.s Hay Seed wants to see you.” So here I am wondering why to even bother. I’ll hurt them all over again when I leave, and it’s not like I can’t still here my father’s words as I walked out the gate.” Oh come on Blossom Valley, you know you won’t achieve anything but be a farm mare, your cutie mark was destiny’s mistake!” I don’t see how these three bows can be a mistake. My special talent is making bon bon’s and wrapping them in little bows. Lyra said I was the only smart one in my family, apart from Hay Seed. But something caught my eye distracting me from my thoughts. A river. Well maybe river is too big a word. More like thin stream running down a huge rocky ditch. Guess were getting close. As if the train conductor could read my mind he announced “Next stop…. Hofferton. We will be arriving in 45 minutes.” Great another 45 minutes of sheer HELL. I’m stuck between an old mare and a board young foal. He keeps poking me and asking how to get a cutie mark.
***
A good 40 minutes later, I start to see sites I remember. A river I used to swim in as a filly. Well it was a river, it’s a rocky ditch now. The village pharmacy and the doctor’s clinic right next to the dairy and library. The town hall stands tall and a little run down since I last saw it. And the school has seen better days too. We roll up to the train station and I race of the train away from that annoying foal. I’m confused on what to do next. Do I walk home or ask for a lift? “Blossom Valley” This name make’s me freeze. It was my name before I changed it to Bon Bon. “Is it really you?” I turn around and pull up short. It’s the same lavender earth pony I grew up with, my best friend from my child hood. “Uhhhh Sweet song, your still living in Hofferton.” She meant everything to me before I left. But to be honest, she’s part of the reason I left. “EEEEEEEEK!!!! Blossom Valley it’s been for like… FOREVER!!!” Sweet Song generally likes ponies, It’s like she has the amazing ability to see past all the bad things that ponies do, and tap into the what she call “The niceness that every pony has inside” “uhhhh yeah, but I go by Bon Bon now” She has the same long pink, flowing mane and three pink music notes on her flank that represent her special talent. Singing. Her parents are proud of her talent, unlike mine. “What kind of name is Bon Bon” But then she immediately try’s to take it back, she’s very polite. “Oh I’m sorry, let’s please not fight again, I thought I was the reason you left. But your mother told me what your father said. Oh Blo… I mean Bon Bon, their incredibly sorry they miss you a whole lot, oh and so dose Hay Seed. Oh little Hay Seed. When you left we started to spend a lot of time together. You know what he told me” I shake my head in answer and can’t help noticing that she’s still as wordy as ever. “He said he wants to be just like you Blo... Bon Bon” I guess the new name’s going to take some a while to get used to.
“Oh my goodness I just can’t believe your back Hay Seed will be so delighted, oh and so will Corn Tune, Wow you were quite popular everypony always liked you.” I wasn’t sure what to say next. “Um Bon Bon, are you ok?” Oh I did it again left a huge long awkward silence in between sentences. “Oh yeah, just wondering if you could give me a ride home?” This offer seemed to delight her. “Oh of course, I can’t wait to see little Hay Seeds reaction, he will be so excited. We talk about you most days.” This makes me blush. The fact that ponies I hardly ever think about talk about me almost every day. “Ha ha, so can we get going I have a lot of luggage” I say as I pull my big suit case off the luggage collection. “Wow you do.” To ponies from Ponyville this isn’t enough luggage, but ponies from places like Appaloosa or Hofferton, it’s quite a lot. “I just got to go see Butter Milk. You should come to, I’m sure she will remember you.”
“Well ok” I say not quite sure. But I remember Butter Milk, She runs the dairy. A slight, Mellow Yellow Mare with a slab of butter and a jug of milk as her cutie mark. We trot on in through the open door past the bread and fruit and approach the counter, where a tired looking Butter Milk sits on a stool. “Hey Butter Milk, got all the stuff on list for the bakery?” Sweet Song asked. “Why hello dear. Of course here you go darling, and who is this wee beautiful mare your with here, is she your cousin?” She didn’t remember me. Butter Milk foal sat me when I was little. She told me I was going to be a little star and when I came to see her before I left she promised she would always remember me. She really kept that promise.
I tried to smile politely at Butter Milk and contain the shocked expression screaming to get out. “It’s me, Bon Bon, you foal sat me, ummm, you used to give me one of your home made butter cookies and a cup of sweet milk before bed every night. I came to see you before I left” It was so hard not to scream at her. “Do you remember me now?’’ I can’t the sound of desperation in my voice.
“No dear, sorry.” She said goodbye to Sweet Song and got back to drawing a picture of a flower. “Ok just got to go to the bakery now you should come in.” The shock of Butter Milk not recognising me must register on my face because Sweet Song looks generally distressed for me.” Oh honey, don’t take it personally, she’s old and it’s only one pony. I’m sure Sugar Spice will remember you!” I want to sigh, but something tells me I shouldn’t. “Yeah, ok but then can we go home?” I ask. “Of course!” The smile on her face is insane but not forced, she never needs to force a smile. “Ok, my cart is out here” she says gesturing around a big fancy cart. “Here she is!” She points to the old run down, wooden old cart she had as a child. “You still have this old cart?”
“Well yeah, were not that rich silly” she giggles. Sweet Song is a tiny pony with a slight build. “Ummm, are you sure you can pull this, I mean you’re so tiny Sweet Song. How about I pull you.”
“Blossom Valley, I’ve been pulling it for years”
“Ummm, my name is Bon Bon and are you sure you’re just so tiny”
“Sorry Bon Bon and you should know I’m stronger than I look”. It’s true she is strong, she did come 3rd place in the iron pony contest at school but I have a lot of suit cases. That’s when I spot him. The yellow stallion in which I shared my first kiss. His purple mane sticks out as always, and I can’t help calling out his name. “Corn Tune!” Even before the words leave my lips, I regret them. I jump into the cart, hoping he didn’t hear me. But I know he did. I peep over the edge of the cart to see him look around. If there is one pony I don’t want to see other than my father, it’s Corn Tune. “If you’re sure, ok, fine let’s go!” I say nervously. Sweet Song takes off without question. But I somehow think she might need help when we get 5K up Saddle Stride Valley where I lived when I was younger. Where I kissed Corn Tune. No push him out of your mind. The more I think about him, the harder it will be to stay here. So I manage to push Corn Tune to the back of my mind. For now. But when she starts pulling, I think I might have to rethink that. She stars of so fast, I’m startled. “What, too fast for you Blossom Valley!” It’s hard to ignore the fact that she’s enjoying the fact that my jaw hit the bottom of the cart. “were here!’’ Sweet Song announces. “Yup” I say. It’s kind of awkward but it will all be worth it when I get to see Hay Seed. But I have to remind myself that I’m only here to help out for a couple of days. I have to be back for my exam final. I follow mode Sweet Song out of the cart as we trot into the bakery I can’t shake the feeling that no pony will recognise me. Witch of course is stupid considering I grew up here. “Hi Sugar Spice” beams Sweet Song. “Hi Sugar Spice” I try to mimic the sweet voice I had as a filly. I would get to come in here most Mondays and Fridays with mother to collect the bread and stuff. I always liked it in here because of the beautiful smell of freshly baked goods. “Why hello dear” Sugar Spice replies with the same comforting voice. I’m sure she knows who I am until she drops my self-esteem to the floor when she says. “And who might you be young mare?” This time it’s even harder to hold my tongue. “Urrr, forget this!” I say as I storm out to gram my suitcases. “Sorry” I hear Sweet Song say as she runs out. “Hey, where are you going?” She asks. “Home, it was a mistake coming here, tell hay seed hi but… I just can’t do this” I scream. Sweet Song trots over to grab a bag I dropped. She picks it up and puts it back in her cart. “No, Hay Seed would be crushed. You have to see him” She’s nearly begging. “Urrr fine. But I don’t want to have to see any pony else but my folks then go home” I say. “ok, put your stuff in the cart.” She says, so I do and before I know it, we’re off again. Off to Hay Seed. I can't wait to see the look on his face!