The sun was sitting high on the sky, shooting my eyes with its bright rays. There were absoultely no wind blowing nor any clouds in the sky. I brushed some sweat off my forehead, hoping the warm air would move a little to cool me off. Though hot, it was a beautiful day, and I luckily had this time off. My boss considered it my birthday present. I laid down in the grassy fields outside ponyvile. A large tree shaded me, cooling my head slightly. This time alone was imperative for my decision: Am I going to leave home and venture out in the big land of Equestria or am I going to stay here another year?
I have always talked about going out on adventure and finding treasures and riches beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve always wanted to become famous from one of my excursions, known even to Princess Celestia. Maybe I could discover the Elements of Harmony that my father, the incredible legend my father read to me before bed, back when I was just the colt. If I could use the Elements, I could even be a hero, respected by every pony.
I reached out for the bottle of apple cider I received from the Apple family. It was a nice birthday present, but I didn’t really need it. The job they gave me is enough. They’re the only ones here in ponyvile that would hire me except dad, though that wouldn’t count as work, if you ask me. I wondered when I could even drink this cider, what occasion would call for such a lavish drink. It would age in the cellar then, possibly as my own coming home gift if I did leave.
I let out a small sigh as I enjoyed the view from from the hiltop. I saw Ponyvile and everyone minding their own buisness, laughing, talking, having a good time. I saw the mountains covered in snow in the distant and the green fields that surrounded me. If I did leave, I’d definitely miss it here.
I closed my eyes, ready to take a nap. My mind drifted away, though, a nagging voice kept me to reality, clinging onto my brain, chaining it away from the beautiful dream realm.
“Hey sleepyhead. I need you.” It was Rosemary, of course.
“For what?” I asked, not bothering to open my eyes.
“You know, that surprise party that you always have on your birthday, silly,” Rose explained.
“Yeah, I knew I had forgot something, but why did you tell me? It won’t be much of a surprise now,” I told her.
“Oh, come on. We both know you wouldn’t be able to take a nap anyways because you’re either hungry or thirsty. Then you’ll wake up and go to the Sugar Cube, where everyone is waiting for you,” Rosemary said.
“How did you-”
“ My special senses, and you are very predictble,“ Rosemary said with a wink.
“Give me five minutes, and then I will come over to my party,” I said with a small smile.
Rose sighed in frustration and walked around for a short while, pacing back and forth, waiting for me to follow her. Eventually, she sat down and laid her head on my shoulder. I had been blessed by the old ruler of Equestria for the good weather, but I wonder what I have done to desserve this.
“Rose um … This is…” I started weakly.
“This is what?” she asked.
“Uncomfortable,” I said moving her head away.
“Are you ready for your party then?” she asked while getting up.
I simply nodded, quietly following her lead.
“So, today’s the big day,” she said. “Your eighteenth birthday. It’s old enough for your ‘adventure,’ now isn’t it?”
I sighed. “Yeah, Rose. I’m old.”
“But you won’t actually leave, right? You’re not going to go looking for the Elements. Lightning, that legend is so old, and there’s no proof that anything exists. You won’t get anything, will you?”
“I know it’s just a fool’s hope about them being real, but I am that fool,” I said with a small grin.
“You’ll waste your life away. Just chase normal dreams like everyone else,” she replied. “I’m just saying that for your own good.”
So did everyone else, but I knew what I wanted. I turned away from Rose, ignoring all other attempts to dissuade me. She was like everyone else and insisted I should stick with my education. They considered the story an old pony’s tale, ridiculous and outlandish. They simply didn’t understand.
When we arrived at the Sugar Cube. She told me to wait outside and count to ten.
“One two, skip a few, ten,” I mumured.
I walked through the door, and the whole place was pitch black. Before I could react, the light turned on, and everyone jumped out from their hiding spots.
“ SUPRISE!!”
The sudden change of lights blinded me as it always does, and the overwhelming volume of their united voices did the job on making me near deaf, yet again. When my eyesight returned, I saw my mother and father, all my friends and even Macintosh.
“Happy birthday, Lightning.”
“Yeah, eighteen!”
“Where’s cake?”
“Let’s get this party started!”
Music blared from the speakers overhead. Streamers were strewn all around the room, and balloons were set on every table. Lights glared from above, and ponies were dancing or socializing.
“Come on!” Rose shouted as she dragged me to the dance floor. What did I do to deserve this?
These ponies were my friends, of course, but all of them together in this cramped room was too much. The noise filled my ears with nonsense, flooding my brain with an endless stream of soul-sucking torture. And Rosemary clung to me like a leech, commanding me like a puppeteer to dance with everyone. The room was nauseatingly hot, as well, heated by the burning sun outside. Oh, Equestrian gods, what did I do to deserve this?
My parents approached me quickly and embraced me in a warm hug. My mother asked to cut the music and stood up on a table. “Everyone,” my mother yelled, “Everyone, we have an announcement.”
“Your mother and I have discussed some things, thinking especially about the big journey you’ve always been takling about,” my father said.
“Ever since you could talk,” another pony mentioned as the crowd laughed a little.
When everyone setled down, my mother added, “We also think that you should be more in charge of you life, and you did work hard for this. Don’t postpone your journey any longer. We think you should realize your dream.”
The crowd murmured amongst themselves. Most of the other ponies expressed disbelief and considered my parents to be nuts. I, however, could barely believe it. I have my parents’ blessing on my journey. They were supporting me now. This actually happened.
“So, we have made some things that may help you on that journey,” explained my father as he showed me a few items wrapped in paper.
The presents from father was a skillfully crafted iron sword with leather armour and a chainmail. My mother gave me a cloak and a jacket.
“Mother, father, this is too much. I can’t accept this,” I said.
“These are your presents from us, my boy,” father said with a warm smile.
“Father, I thought this sword was to the Duke of Canterlot,” I said while looking at the blade.
“That was just a simple excuse,” father said with a grin.
I nod. “I shouldn’t postpone my journey any longer, then. I’ll leave after the party,” I announced.
~~~
I had equipped my sword around my waist. My chainmail was under my armour, and my bedroll was packed. I was ready to leave, but before I could go anywhere, Rosemary came up to me.
“Do you really have to leave?“ she asked.
“Yes, but I will return… one day,” i answerd
“But I don’t want you to leave,” she pouted, looking sad.
“Rose, you know as well as I do that when I set my mind to something, there is no turning back,” I said.
“You’re just being stubborn,” she insisted. “This could be really dangerous, and for what? You’ll be competing with a ton of lawless treasure hunters for some legend that probably doesn’t exist!”
“Well, if that’s the case, I just have to become like them and do what they do,” I said.
“There’s no way you can do that.”
I smiled. “You’ll see.”
She rolled her eyes. “What about everyone here? Won’t you miss them?”
I stared off into the distance for a short amount of time, looking at the sun set against the horizon, before I answered:
“You could look over horizon when the sun rises.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because it is then I will return,” I explained with a smug smile.
“Do you promise?”
“Of course.”
“What if you break it?”
I turned to her and stared into her eyes. Her gaze was steady though scared as she waited for my answer. “I don’t make a girl a promise if I know I can’t keep it.”
I walked away, leaving her dumbstruck. I walked through the center of town, waving good-bye as my friends wished me good luck, though I could hear a bit of snickering every now and then. I kept walking until I reached the end of town, setting my sights for the horizon. Without stopping, I took my first step out of town and started walking on the road that goes on and ever on.