Chapter one: Arrival
The train came to a stop at Ponyville station, just as Red Cross and I got our luggage ready to go. Grabbing my bags, I started to walk down the aisle toward the trains exit. I felt myself suddenly being dragged backward by magic, until I was standing right beside my friend.
“What they hay? Why’d you drag me back here?” I asked
“You were about to walk straight into a pole,” he deadpanned.
“Oh...” I replied somberly. “Well, thanks... I guess...”
“Here, lean on me, and I’ll help ya off the train. You can take over from there, I take it.” He said softly.
“Thanks...” I replied gloomily. “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t around to help me.” Leaning against him we made our way off the train and into Ponyville. The air was clean compared to Manehatten, and made me smile as we walked down the pathway toward Ponyville’s center. I trotted ahead, towards the sound of wildlife. Smiling I listening to what sounds the area had to offer. I could hear all kinds of little critters, moving about in the tree’s and through the grass. I span around as quick as possible laughing as I heard the quiet “eep” as I scared Red Cross.
“I love it here! Oh, it’s so peaceful, and wonderful, and just perfect!” I said with a giggle.
Laughing slightly he walked up beside me, silent as we sat there. After a few minutes of silence I heard him sigh. “It’s absolutely beautiful here... it’s nothing like Manehatten, much more serene. It’s these kind of times I wish you could see... So you could see the true beauty of a place.” He said wistfully, “Don’t you wish you could see? Just once?”
“Yeah, I do sometimes...” I replied with slight sadness. “But, I don’t need my sight... I have you for that, and I have my hearing and sense of touch,” I added gleefully.
“But don’t you wish you could see something for what it is? The beauty of a flower for example, don’t you ever want to see it?” He asked slightly confused.
“Yes, I do... I always have... We’ve been through this more times than I care to count.” I replied. “But if you want to persist, explain it to me, explain the sight you see right now.”
“Ugh... Not this again... Please not this.” He begged. “I’ll shut up for the rest of the trip. You ask far too many questions,” he half mocked.
“You dragged yourself into this, now you have to face the consequences!” I said teasingly. “Besides you know I love it when you do it, and I know you love doing it!”
“Which part do you want to hear about this time? The trees? Or would you rather hear about the flowers again?” He asked, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Everything this time, please!” I asked. “You never tell me everything. You always make me wait for all the details to fall into place.”
“But that’s the best part!” He said with a laugh “Then you always have a new experience in a place you’ve been to many times. And I always have something to keep your attention.” He said with a nudge.
“Ugh... Fine... I hate it when you make sense,” I said with a grumble. “The flowers first then, please, I’ve always loved the way you describe them.”
I leaned against him, closing my eyes. Laughing happily he flared his magic, and I felt something behind my ear. Bringing my hoof up to inspect the object I felt a soft almost velvety caress of a flower. Raising my brow quizzically, he responded with a sigh.
“It suits you. It brings out the green in your eyes.” He laughed, “and you’re cute when you blush like that.”
“S-shut up...” I said as I looked away, “Could you please start the story?”
“Alright, but only for you,” he said as we lay down in the grass, I closed my eyes. “There are many kinds of flowers here, swaying in the wind, back and forth.” He said while blowing slightly on my ear. “Roses, tulips, lilacs-”
“What colour are the roses?” I asked interrupting him. I never knew what a colour really looked like.
“There are dark red ones, and ones as white as your mane. They’re beautiful... Much like a certain mare I know.” He explained, leaning more heavily on me. “Yellow, white, and blue tulips are strewn everywhere, swaying as if they were dancing...”
I opened my eyes slowly, lifting my head from my hooves. My wings were stiff from being still for so long. I tried to stretch them, but found I couldn’t move one. Feeling with my hoof to find what was blocking it, I felt a pony.
“Ugh... Red! Get off me!” I said as I pushed him off.
“Mmmm... Wha?” was all the response I got before he hit the ground. “Ow! I’m awake, I’m awake! What was that for Orry?” He whined.
“You crushing my wing and me.” I deadpanned. “Why were we asleep anyway?”
“Ugh... you fell asleep right before I got to the good part of the description, which you don’t get a replay of.” he replied smugly.
“Awwww... Fine. What time is it?” I asked, “We still need to make it to the mayor’s office today.”
“Hmmm, sometime around four p.m,” he replied slowly, “Isn’t our appointment with the mayor at seven?”
“Mmhmm, so let’s go and explore the town a bit!” I said cheerfully, bouncing up and trotting down the path.
“Wrong way! The town is this way.” He said laughing loudly.
I stopped embarrassed, and turned around walking down the path and past him, sticking my tongue out at him. As he caught up I leaned on him so I could walk without needing to focus on everything. Relaxing slightly I walked closer to Red and lay my head on his shoulder.
After a few minutes of walking I could hear the sound of other ponies running around, and I could smell the produce that they sold.
“What’s it like?” I asked him excitedly.
“Small,” was all I got.
“C’mon! I love new places! You remember Canterlot? Oh, that place was wonderful!”
“Yeah, too bad you couldn’t see any of it,” he said sadly. “You would have loved it more.”
“Oh stop being such a spoilsport! Is there a restaurant nearby? I’m hungry, I haven’t eaten since this morning.”
“Hmmm... there seems to be a small little diner just ahead. If you want- Hey!”
I was already running ahead of him, giggling like a schoolfilly as he tried to catch up. I slowed down enough for him to take the lead, running beside him as we made it to the confectionary he claims to be called Sugarcube Corner. As we walked in, a barrage of sweet smells assaulted my senses making me go dizzy. I sat down with a thump, head in my hooves as I tried to chase away the dizziness.
Ugh... My head...
“Is she alright?” I heard a soft voice ask.
“I think so...” Red replied. “Although it hasn’t happened this bad before.”
The next moment I felt breath on my ear as he knelt down.
“Orianna, you alright?” He asked, “It looked like you just about fainted there.”
“Ugh... It feels like it too... But yeah, I think so... Just got a little dizzy there.” I said, fighting nausea as I got up unsteadily to my hooves. “Let’s just get something to eat, shall we?”
“Are you two new in town? I haven’t seen you around,” I heard the voice ask.
“Yes we are,” I replied shakily. “My name’s Orianna, and this is Red Cross.”
“Oh, welcome to Ponyville then! My name is Mrs. Cake, my husband and me run our little confectionary here.” she said cheerfully. “What can I get for you two?”
“Thank you,” I said as I turned to Red and whispered “What’s there to eat here? I can’t smell anything singularly. Everything is so overwhelming...”
“Well, there’s apple tarts, cupcakes with all kinds of assorted flavours... Anything sweet really.”
“Ohh, I’ll take a cherry tart please!” I said giggling, “And an apple tart for him.”
“I’m sorry, but we ran out of cherry tarts just a little while ago,” she said somberly. “But my husband is baking more as we speak. If you can wait you can have one fresh!”
“We’ll wait!” I said gleefully. Turning to Red I asked “Where are the seats?”
“There’s a nice seat right beside where we came in, you head on over, and I’ll be right there. I’m gonna order something for later.”
“Alright!” I replied as I started to walk over to the seat. “Just hurry up, you know how bored I get without somepony to talk to.”
As I made my way over to the table, I felt around for the table. After about a minute of searching I finally found it, although not in the way I wanted. Hitting my leg on a chair, I jumped back tripping on another and landing on the ground with an “oof.” A second later I felt myself being lifted into the air by magic, and being deposited back on my hooves. I heard a snickering coming from Red.
“Geez, you really are accident prone aren’t you?” He laughed.
“Shut up...” I replied as I got up and gingerly placed my hoof back on the ground earning a wince.
“You alright?” He asked, concern clear in his voice.
“No, I think I hurt my hoof... Again...” I said with a sigh.
“Here, let me see it,” he replied. “Might have just hit it too hard this time.”
Lifting my hoof slowly, I moved it toward him. Grabbing it he lifted it as high as he could, making me lose my balance and almost toppling over before he caught me.
“Here, sit down,” he said as he pulled a chair over with his magic.
As I sat down, he grabbed my hoof in his magic and started to feel around. After about two minutes he let go of my hoof allowing me to place it back down.
“You have nothing to worry about, as I said you just hit it hard,” he said. “It’ll probably be pained for the day though .”
“Ugh... I wouldn’t mind going through a day without something bad happening...” I replied, disappointment seeping into my voice.
“But then where would I get my entertainment?” He said with a laugh.
Shoving him away I turned away with a pout. “It’s not funny!”
“Aww... C’mon! I’ll let you lean on me all day if it makes you feel better.” he replied innocently. “Maybe even get a hug from me?” he added.
“Maybe...” I replied, trying to stay mad at him. It never worked.
“Your food is ready!” I heard from across the room.
“C’mon, let’s get our food and get out of here before you try and crush me,” I said with a giggle.
“Fine, but I’m paying!” He said as he allowed me to lean against him.
“Alright, if you really want to,” I said, moving aside to allow him to pay.
“Of course I want to! What kind of gentlecolt would I be if I didn’t?” He said insistently.
“Of course, of course...” I said, rolling my eyes as we made our way outside, freed from the overwhelmingly sweet scents of the confectionary. “Finally, fresh air,” I said as I breathed deeply relishing the fresh scents.
“I actually quite liked it in there, had a good atmosphere... Bad for the teeth though,” he said with a laugh. “I think I might visit there again soon...”
Making our way down the street towards the mayors office, we travelled silently. I could smell the sweet scents of flowers, vegetables, fruits... Oh, and the roses smelt delightful. By the time we made it to the town hall my mouth was watering, making my stomach growl.
“Sounds like somepony is hungry.”
“Just a little,” I replied sheepishly. “How long till our meeting?”
“Ten more minutes. Would you like to eat before we go in?” He asked.
“Mmmm... Yes please.”
After finishing our snack, we made our way into the town hall. Walking up to the receptionist’s desk, we asked which way it was to the mayors office.
“Names?”
“Orianna and Red Cross.”
“Alright, just walk down that hall there. Second door on your left.”
“Thank you,” we both said as we made our way down the hall. We walked up to the mayors office, stopping at the doorway. Taking a deep breath I looked over at Red.
“Well, this is the start to our new beginning,” I said as I turned back toward the door.
“Or the start of a new journey, whichever way you want to look at it,” he replied smartly as he made his way through the door.
A new beginning, and hopefully a happier one. I thought as I walked through the doorway, closing it behind me.
Author's Note
Once again I must thank Ryan Darling for editing/proofreading this chapter! Thanks to all of you who are reading this story, and constructive critisism, and feedback are always appreciated.