Everything appears oddly quiet. While I did take note of this fact earlier before Tremor and I left the house, I am starting to see a noticeable difference between today and yesterday. And unlike yesterday, this towns feels almost empty except for the few odd ponies carrying on with their morning. Yet everything seems normal, I can't spot anything out of the ordinary that may suggest suspicious activities from an outside threat. Whether this is a good thing or not, I am yet to find out.
Tremor looks to be in a mood chipper today. His excitement is radiating off him, constantly engaging me into his discussions about anything while traversing down the roads to... Sugar Cube Corner? Sounds about right. He is very adamant about sharing with me what it is he wants to show me or why he's so exuberant today, stating that it is a surprise that I'll have to find out for myself for when we get there. No matter how many times I try to persuade him to give me anything to work on, he just gives me a smile before changing topic as if he didn't hear a thing. Yet, even despite his lack of cooperation to talk (and when he does it isn't what I ask for), I can at least enjoy his company. I might only be half listening to his stories, but it's a stress relief not having to think about whether or not I'm only mere moments away from dying.
"Rainbow and Egg were competitive during flight camp, and when they ever had race Wind Walker or I would have to dig at least one of them from the clouds. Honestly, those two would go at it for hours even though Egg Tosser knew perfectly well he couldn't win against her. At least those two put on a good show for me and Walker, even better than those Wonderbolt shows she'd always rave about. Those were the good days." Tremor says cheerfully as he reminisces on the past.
I look away, unable to bear the look of contentment on his face. Why must he drone on about his past for? It isn't because I am sick of hearing about his life, or tired of listening to his different encounters with different ponies during flight camp, it's something else. No, there's another emotion I'm feeling. Sadness? Anger? Boredom?
Jealousy.
No, I'm not jealous, I'm fine where I am right now. If it weren't for my past then I wouldn't have grown into the changeling I am now, someone who is no longer afraid or lazy. A soldier. I'm happy where I am.
"Hello? Anypony home?"
Blinking, I shake my head clear before looking back up to Tremor who is waving a hoof in front of my face to grab my attention. "You okay? You blanked on me," the concerned stallion asks.
"Um yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking," I reply, shrugging off his concern as we continue walking through the empty streets.
"Are you sure? Because you don't look fine," he says while eyeing me up and down. I guess my injured hoof isn't helping to create a convincing image.
"Yeah it's nothing, where are we now?" I ask Tremor who is giving me a raised eye brow as I change the topic off me. I can tell that he is not convinced with my answer, but he doesn't push on subject and instead chooses to play along.
He takes a quick glance, and the bounce returns to his hooves . "We're here," Tremor states excitedly.
We stop outside Sugar Cube Corner, and my jaw unhinges. What I expected to see during the time in which we traveled to Sugar Cube Corner is your average bakery or confectionery shop. While the entire building is screaming bakery, it does extremely well as the entire building looks like an over sized gingerbread house. There are white trails of icing stretching across the rim of the roof that loops and swirls along its journey, and what looks like sprinkles decorates the top of the bakery. There is even a large, hollowed out cupcake which sticks out on top with a lit candle! Two tall candy canes arch over the entrance of the shop, like two sweet guards welcoming customers into their place of candy. I may not be a doctor, but I am pretty sure, even for a place that sells sweets and baked goods, that this is unhealthy.
The echoing sounds of laughing breaks me from my stupor, which it turns out is only Tremor bursting out into a hysterical laughing fit at my reaction. I roll my eyes as I watch him bursting in laughter for a moment before taking a step forward to enter the large scale gingerbread house. I can smell the sugar as I approach emanating from behind the doors of Sugar Cube Corner, it overwhelms my sense of smell almost sickeningly. When I push the doors open to enter, the inside is bathed in complete darkness, the only lighting coming from the open door which is casting a shadow of myself across the green painted floor boards. Taking a tentative step forward, I slowly walk into the darkness with Tremor behind my tail. As I'm about to question why it is so dark, the lights flicker on and-
"SURPRISE!!!"
A trap! Instinctively, I jump backwards in my attack stance, prepared to defend myself from the ambush. I watch as the multi-coloured pastel ponies jump from behind counters and tables, wearing party hats? Staring around the interior of the shop, I notice the countless amounts of colourful balloons and streamers scattered around the room as music which I've never heard before starts to pick up in the background. Then I take notice of the large banner hanging across the ceiling which reads clearly, 'WELCOME TO PONYVILLE SHARP POINT!'.
"WELCOME TO PONEVILLE SHARP POINT!" A voice booms which initiates the chain reaction of ponies whistling and cheering.
Its her! The same pink mare I met before when I first arrived here. It turns out she wasn't just talking when she said she'd host me a party, and only a day after a brief encounter with me out on the streets. I don't remember giving my name either. "I'm so glad you could make it!" How is her mouth still attached to her body?
"W-what is all this?" I stutter as my mind tries to comprehend what is going on in the short time I arrived here. Why is this happening? Why are they doing this? This village is so strange, yet there is something about Ponyville which I can't put my hoof on.
"It's your welcome party of course silly!" She giggles before bouncing off into the endless crowds of ponies that are cramped into the small establishment. "I want you to meet my friends!" The Pink One says.
I remember going to a few events like this before, however my experiences there are less pleasant. They were an excuse for ponies to get drunk and woo the first pony they saw while being drunk. But this feels nothing like that. The atmosphere is clear and joyful, lacking the ear shattering loud music and screaming that drowns out everypony. In here everyone is happy, and not because they've been invited to a party or because there is free food, but because this like a get together of the entire village to welcome a new member of the community. Each and everyone of their smiles and welcomes are genuine. What I'm seeing is the representation of what Ponyville really is, and it is like nothing I've ever seen before.
I'm once again pulled from my small stupor, feeling Pinkie Pie tugging at me to follow her through the dense crowd. Looking behind me, Tremor encourages me to follow the mare before disappearing entirely as I'm pulled into the epicenter of the party. The ponies are nice enough to give way for us, removing the need to resort to pushing and shoving as a way of going through the ponies. Even, I still find myself trying to fit through tight gaps and I almost lose my balance a couple of times.
The Pink One thrusts me out in front of the five most recognizable mares, and never before have I ever felt so small. Sure we may be similar in size, I'm definitely taller than the rainbow one in this form, but they trump me in every other conceivable way. They are the Element of Harmony Bearers, holders of the six most powerful and ancient artifacts that date back to the Fall of Discord, and lets not also forget that one them is personal student and protege of Princess Celestia. If there is anypony more threatening then it will have to be Princess Celestia herself or even Luna!
I can't stay here, if not for me then the whole of the changeling race who are in danger because of my mere presence. Even after all those lessons, panic slowly starts to build and all of sudden I feel scared. Any and all of my exits are blocked and out of sight by attendees. There's nowhere to run or hid, so taking a deep breath, I try to relax with the reasoning that they won't know anything as long as I don't act or do any suspicious. I turn back to face the five proclaimed heroes, sitting around around the table as they chat lightly between themselves.
The Pink One clears her throat purposefully loud. "Girls this is Sharp Point," Pinking Pie intrudes from behind them, pointing to me with that same jaw breaking smile. Seriously, how does she do that?
"Well howdy there Sharp Point," The orange one, also known as Applejack, says. She gets up to shake my hoof but I stop her, pointing my head down to my only operational foreleg still. "Sorry, didn't notice 'bout your leg," out of fear that I might say something I'll regret, I only nod my head.
"Hi Sharp Point, welcome to Ponyville I'm Twilight Sparkle and these are my friends: Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and I'm guessing you've already Pinkie Pie." The purple unicorn of the group says, arguably the most powerful of the six.
"Thank you Twilight, but I'm sure we could've introduced ourselves dear," Rarity speaks out which makes Twilight blush in embarrassment.
They don't take notice on how tense I am, which I am grateful for, my muscles feel as if they are burning and about to snap. But one certain blue pegasus is nothing but up close and personal, eyeing me up and down as if reading me like a book. I shuffle nervously away from her, the close proximity of the mare making me feel anxious.
"Rainbow Dash please, can't you see that your making her uncomfortable?" Twilight tells Rainbow Dash sternly. The pegasus backs away from me, seeing the affect she has on me.
"Sorry about that," Rainbow Dash replies. On the inside I am thanking Twilight Sparkle, and I was beginning to think that the elements gave them the ability to see through this facade.
"H-hi," I squeak out.
"There's no need to be nervous my darling," Rarity reassures with a kind smile. "Tell us about yourself, I bet all of us are dying to find out a bit about you."
"Yup," Applejack agrees which elicits a chain of agreement from the other mares.
Taking in a breath, I build up the courage to formulate my story and sentences in my head. My character may already have her own story, but execution is a key when presenting myself as a believable character to these ponies. And she's right, there isn't a reason why I should be nervous about telling ponies about myself because I do it all the time. But this time feels so much different from those times back in Manehatten because they were just your average citizens, but these six ponies are heroins. They may look and seem normal, but I know better than to underestimate them. Okay, lets do it, share a bit of unimportant information.
"I'm from Manehatten." Rarity squeals in delight at the name but quickly catches herself and settles down before twisting her hoof for me to carry on. "I used to work as a security pony for a storage company, it wasn't much but I enjoyed it for the time I was there."
"I'd love to go to Manehatten," Rarity interjects, her excitement to the city getting the best of here. "The shows, the lights, the fashion! It's just full of inspiration and art."
"It's nice I guess. Though I don't like to live there it's loud, I doubt I can with those ponies," I tell her which leaves an unreadable expression on her face which quickly disappears with a face of understanding.
Rarity replies to my answer but I don't hear; By now I've blocked them out and too busy trying to look for a way out of this and put as much distance between me and the six mares. And then, I notice a long table pressed up against the wall that is being stripped from the muffins and cookies quickly.
"I'm going to get something to eat," with a excuse to depart myself from these mares, I make a swift move towards the table
"Okay, enjoy the party!" Pinkie shouts out to me before engaging in a conversation with her friends.
I let out a sigh of relief as I the table, leaving those six behind to do whatever they please. That was absolutely nerve wracking; I didn't think it would be that easy to just walk up and talk to them. Heck, it could've been much worse and I should consider myself lucky. Tremor is on the other ends of the long table as well, picking away at the food.
"How was it?" He asks with his mouthful of cookie, spitting out crumbs.
"Interesting," more like terrifying.
"Want some?" He offers me a plate of cookies that I thankfully accept.
While munching away on my cookie, my eyes aimlessly glances around the room and its party members who are enjoying their time together. I don't know why, but the sight of these ponies being happy brings a smile onto my face. However after a while though, I can begin to sense something strange. It isn't much, just a small tingling sensation at the back of my neck, but I know all to well what it is. Someone wants to make themselves known.
"Tremor?" The pegasus hums in response. "You know that Zebra who made the potion you gave me?" He hums in response. "I'd like to meet them."
"Are you sure? You'll miss out all the fun here," he says.
"I don't feel to well," I lie.
"You don't? I guess if that's the case we should go. Pinkie!" He shouts over the cheering crowd.
The mare appears in front of us, somehow still bearing that grin which refuses to remove itself from her face. "Yes Tremor?" It is starting to worry me a bit now.
"Sharpy here is feeling ill, We're going to go to Zecora." He says. Did he just call my Sharpy?
"Awww, I guess if you don't feel well then you should go. Don't worry, I'll make sure to save some cake for you."
"Thanks," and from there we make our departure from the party after saying goodbyes to the few ponies who speak their welcomes to me.
"Ready to go?" He asks after placing the cookies once on his plate and into the bags.
"Yeah," I take a few last cautious glimpses around me. "I'm ready, lets go."