The mother and son had been walking down the road in Ponyville, looking around as Solar Chaser swung his suitcase over his head to let it lay on his back as he cleared his throat.
"So Ma, which house are we lookin' for?" he asked, and the red mare thought for a moment before smiling and tipping her hat up a bit.
"It's just 'round the corner from here, actually, a tan house with a red roof. Before I moved to Manehattan with your pa, I would always use it as a summer home to take a break from Dodge Junction." she replied with a smile before grabbing her son's suitcase off of his back. "I already know my way 'round Ponyville. I'll fix up your room and everything while you get yourself familiar with the town, sound like a plan?" she asked, and the yellow pegasus nodded in agreement before giving his mother a peck on the cheek. "Take your time, hun. Auntie Breeze ain't expecting us for another few hours." she added as her son nodded and trotted off to familiarize himself with Ponyville. The red earth mare smiled and trotted to their new home in the meantime.
Funny, been here less then five minutes, and I'm already lost. Solar Chaser thought as he slowed down, looking around as he tried to take in his surroundings. There were many shops around, giving off the impression of niche-stores just by the sheer variety between stores. Manehattan was a business city, sure, but many of the stores were mainly different in location and appearance rather than just the focuses. However, just as soon as he turned his head to face forward, the stallion's mouth had crashed into a navy blue earth mare's mouth. Eyes wide and faces pink, the two simply stared, frozen in shock for a few moments as the navy blue mare's tail perked up slightly. Finally snapping back to what just happened, the stallion pulled away, falling onto his rump in a panic as the mare simply stared in surprise, bringing her right hoof to her mouth, her silence betraying her astonishment.
"A hundred apologies, ma'am. I did not mean to do that on any account!" he apologized, only for the blue mare to silence him by pressing her hoof against his mouth, smiling softly. Solar Chaser could not place his hoof on it, but there was something strange about the look in the mare's eyes.
"It's ok, neither of us were watching where we were going." she replied, her long, wavy dark blue main framing her face as her green eyes scanned the stallion as he stood back up. "The name's Sugar Heart, dearie. And you are?" she asked him, changing the topic as the stallion cleared his throat, recomposing himself as he smiled politely.
"It's nice to meet you, Sugar Heart. My name is Solar Chaser." he replied and the mare chuckled.
"So I take it you're new here, anything you might be needing help with?" the mare asked, causing the stallion to think. He did need some help finding his way around, but the last thing he wanted was to be any trouble to this mare, especially after violating her personal space. "Thanks, but no thanks, ma'am. I appreciate the offer, but I can't just go about causing trouble for locals. I....I-I-I..." he stammered, trailing off as he noticed a pink earth pony with a curly mane staring at him. "Can...can I help you, miss?" he questioned, and the mare gasped loudly, galloping off at an incredible speed. Simply staring, the stallion raised an eyebrow. "Was it something I said?" he asked aloud, and the blue pegasus mare chuckled.
"Nah, that's just how the mare is. Trust me, you'll be seeing her again soon." Sugar Heart replied before smiling at Solar Chaser. "But are you certain that you don't want any help? You seem awfully lost, friend." she questioned, and Solar Chaser nodded.
"I'm sure, Sugar Heart. I don't want to be a bother to you or anything." he replied, only for his stomach to growl and the blue earth mare giggled at the sound of it.
"Come on Sol, I know a mare who sells the best apples in all of Ponyville." Sugar Heart smiled, only to sigh and walk behind Solar Chaser, nudging him along. "Come on, don't be a stick in the mud." she taunted him playfully before the stallion relented and followed her. The two began to converse up until the reached a stand with a wagon of apples next to it.
"Well, howdy-do Sugar Heart!" an orange colored mare in a a cowfilly hate called out to the earth mare in a southern voice, who smiled and waved her hoof.
"How's it going, Applejack?" Sugar Heart greeted the mare, soon nudging her friend. "Go on, she doesn't bite." she told Solar Chaser, who blinked before remembering why they came here.
"Oh, right. I'd like to purchase an apple from you, Miss Applejack." he stated with a polite tone, taking out some bits from his side-saddle pouch, placing them on the stand as Applejack tossed him an apple.
"You new 'round here, pardner?" she asked, keeping the smile on her face. "Let me be the first to formally welcome you to Ponyville: where the apples are sweet, the neighbors are friendly, and where the ponies will-" Applejack began to say, only for a sudden, brief yet intense burst of rain to soak Solar Chaser. "Get you as wet as a fish?" She asked, only to look up to see a light blue pegasus mare with a multicolored mane, who was standing on a small rain cloud, laughing her heart out. "Rainbow Dash, that's not a very nice thing to do to a new pony!" the orange mare admonished the pegasus, who was still laughing.
"Come on, admit it- that was hilarious!" Rainbow Dash replied through her laughter, oddly enough prompting Solar Chaser to laugh along with her.
"Come to think of it- that is pretty funny." he chuckled, using his hoof to get a majority of the water out of his mane. "Since we're all sharing names, my name is Solar Chaser." he introduced himself, taking a bite out of the apple he had purchased, his tail immediately perking up before he smiled brighty. "Hoooo-nelly, that's gotta be the best apple I've ever sank my teeth into!" he cheered, only to flinch and fall on his side in surprise as a party blower had been blown right into his ear.
"Yay! We have a new pony!" a bubbly voice cheered, turning all four ponies' attention towards the pink mare with a curly mane as Solar Chaser got back up.
"Howdy Pinkie Pie!" Applejack smiled as Pinkie Pie giggled.
"I was just coming to tell you about the new pony, but you already met him- which makes it all the more amazing! Now we can all celebrate together- OH WAIT! I forgot to get Rarity, Twilight and Spike! We can't possibly have a party withoutallofourbestestfriendsinPonyville-" she began to ramble on with rapid-fire words.
"Woah, slow down there pardner- what are you even talking about?" Solar Chaser asked, and Pinkie Pie took a breath, flashing a bright smile at the stallion.
"I was gonna throw an awesome party for you! I wanted to get my best friends to join in- but you beat me to Applejack and Rainbow Dash- so I figured I'd celebrate here!." she replied, her cheery tone. Blinking, the sun-yellow pegasus pony rubbed the back of his head with his right hoof.
"Gee...well, I 'ppreciate what you're tryin' to do, but that really isn't necessary...Don't get me wrong: I'm grateful you want to make me feel welcome, but you really don't need to do all of that." Solar Chaser stated with a nervous smile, backing up very slightly.
"Come on, Solar Chaser- you don't gotta be shy or nothing." Sugar Heart urged, nudging her friend. However, this only served to excite Pinkie Pie.
"Your name is Solar Chaser? My name is Pinkie Pie- though you probably already know that thanks to Applejack. It's ok- I love meeting new ponies and sharing names with them! But you look more like a Sunshine Wing- or maybe a Sunnydale!" Pinkie Pie rambled on, and the yellow pegasus chuckled nervously.
"I-It's been nice meeting you...All of you...but I'd best get going. My ma's expecting me home any minute now, and I don't wanna keep her waiting...Perhaps we could all hang out another time?" he asked, trying to walk off, only for Pinkie Pie to appear right in front of him as he had turned and nearly causing a repeat of what happened with Sugar Heart where it not for Solar Chaser's sudden stop.. "Wait- how did you-?!" he went to ask, but went ignored.
"That's silly- You just gotta meet our friends!" Pinkie Pie insisted, but Sugar Heart stepped in-between them.
"Pinkie Pie, I think he means that he wants to go home and relax for a bit. After all, he had just moved in and it'd be easier to get himself settled in first." she explained before looking back at Solar Chaser with a smile. "Isn't that right?" she asked, and the pegasus nodded with a very slight smile.
"Y..Yeah...thanks." he replied, flapping his wings as he flew up, waving all of them farewell as he took off. Alright...it was a tan house with a red roof....or was it a red house and a tan roof? he wondered, taking his time while flying as he noticed the sun was shining brightly, the rays baking on his back like they used to back in Manehattan. Whether he realized it or not, he began to slow down in his flight, relishing this opportunity to fly like he did back in the city. His thoughts began to flow more smoothly: the breeze running through his mane, his wings baking in the sunlight, the warmth washing over him before his mind turned to...Wait, what? he wondered, stopping for a brief moment to ponder about the latest thought. How did that mare come up? he asked himself, but shook his head before darting off to find the house his mother was talking about.
Sure enough, he found the tan house and smiled, landing softly in-front of the door, opening it with his hoof as he was glad to be home..or, well, his new home to be more precise. "Ma, I'm home." he called out with a happy tone in his voice, and the red earth mare looked over from the kitchen as she was preparing some tea.
"Looks like you had alot of fun, Sol. And I reckon you met a pretty little mare along the way too." his mother joked, causing the yellow stallion to blush.
"What ever gave you that idea, Ma?" he asked, and the mare chuckled as she smiled warmly.
"It's written all over your face, sweetie." she replied, but soon saw her son was not comfortable talking about it and nodded. "You'd better get some sleep, we'll be heading to Breeze Runner's house in a few hours, and I don't want you to be tired or nuthin." she stated, her son nodding and went up to his room, closing the door and plopping himself onto the bed, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, barely able to wait to see his aunt and cousin again.
~To be continued~