The Pony Sector

by AnonyPoni

Welcome to the Archive

Dry land never felt so good before in my life. I would have gladly kissed it if it wasn’t so dirty. I had been on a ferry for a week and was glad to get off that damn boat. I had to push my way off the ramp, but I swear it was great to be on solid earth again. I hear airships aren’t as “rocky,” but those are crazy expensive.

I was hoping Vinyl would be at the docks, you know, to receive me and help me out in this new place. I thought Canterlot was busy, but this city makes Manehattan look like some country town. I had no idea what was going on...

Figures. She was nowhere to be seen. I guess I’m fending for myself.

After pushing my way through the crowd to the curb of the street, I saw ponies waving their hooves and screaming “Taxi!.” Remembering the letter Vinyl sent me, a taxi was probably the best idea. I started to wave my hoof, hoping one would stop for me.

Rather quickly, a cab pulled up. I tried to get in, but a group of mares pushed me out of their way as I approached the door. I was about to yell “Hey!” at them but the taxi screeched off, running over a puddle and splashing the dirty street water on me. As I got up, another stopped near me and I was nearly run over by ponies trying to get in. I jumped out of the way just in time.

“Yo Miss, need a ride?”

I looked to the street. Everypony was in a frenzy over the last cab that pulled up that they didn’t notice that another one pulled up right behind it. Thinking quick, I shoved myself in (cello and all) and slammed the door right as the frenzy took notice. The cab began to drive off as ponies started to go after the door.

“I swears, dem ponies be like piranhas to Taxis.” The driver chuckled, “If I stay mo’ den two minutes nea’ det crowds, mah car be shredded up like et the junkyawd.”

Ugh, I was wet with rain and puddle water. I put my head on the headrest and took a breather.

“Wheres to, Miss?”

“Uhm...” I fished through my pockets find that letter Vinyl sent me. Shoot, I couldn’t find it. “Uh, I think it was like... Casa de something.”

The driver turned to look at me. It was the first time I got a clear look at him and it nearly gave me a heart attack. The guy had the head of a pony, sure, but the way it seemed to be put on his body... it was like a minotaur. You know, head resting on broad shoulders? I took a look at the wheel of the car and didn’t see hooves. He had hands. “Casa de Oro?” He said.

“Uh uh... yeah, that.” Sounded about right. I was sweating a bit and breathing fast. That was so weird. What creature was driving this taxi? To the front of the car, the driver was laughing. “Hey, what’s so funny?” I said, rather annoyed. Today didn’t go well and this guy wasn’t making it much better.

“Youse neva seen a Furreh befo?” He said.

Furreh? Not sure what he meant, “Um... what?”

“Furreh. Yo know, an Antro?”

“I... I guess not... I’m sorry, I just haven’t seen...”

“Yeh, I dint think so. Well m’ name’s Cabbeh. Pleasah tah drive ya.”

“Pleasah-” I shook my head. His accent was contagious, it seems. “Pleasure to... be driven. Thanks for stopping.”

“No probs, Miss Octavia. ‘S good ya got on. You been to Archive City before?”

“Um... No, I’m staying with a frie-” I paused as a certain relization dawned on me, “H-How did you know my name?” I broke out in another cold sweat. Could these things read minds too?

Cabbie laughed, “Haha, no I ain’t no Psychic.” Was that supposed to make me feel better? It felt like he just read my mind that he was thinking about it... “Yo name’s on da Cello.”

“Oh.. haha...” It wasn’t a real laugh.

“I sense yo’s tense.”

“Hm? Oh yeah... It’s all just so overwhelming.”

“Da Citeh? Yea it get’s that ways sometimes.” He pressed a button and my window opened up. “Tek a peek outsides.”

I paused for a moment, then stuck my head outside. The first thing I instinctively did was look up. The buildings seemed to just go up for forever. The sky itself was covered in dull purple clouds. Looking back down, the streets were filled with... what? I saw a few ponies here and there, but I also saw walking sharks, lizards that stood upright, and tall upright, a few creatures like Cabbie, and others like Cabbie but hairless, in clothes, and with flat faces. They definitely made up the majority. “Whoa...” was all I could say.

“Quite da Cultchah shock, eh?” Cabbie laughed. “Welcome tah Archive Citeh, Miss.”

“Wah... how do.. what?”

“Those hairless furrehs be Humans. Basiclah, dey sorta run da show. Well... so do ponehs... and da sharks.”

Humans. Right, I’ve heard of them before. I’ve never seen one for real, though. All I knew is that they had hands and walked on two legs. From the look of how they walked, they seemed like masters of balance.

Cabbie laughed again, “Ah well, basiclah evrehone runs da show but us Antros.” Cabbie took a turn. “Seez? Now’re in teh Poneh distric, You seez more Ponehs here.”

He was right. Now pretty much everypony here was, well, a pony. Some Pegasi were even flying and cleaning the windows of the skyscrapers. While I was looking around, I felt a little drop on my nose. I looked up and other hit my eye. I quickly pulled in my head out of the window as the rain started to fall. Cabbie cursed (I think, it might have been something normal but sullied by his accent) and closed the window. “Ugh.... ya can’t go a day ‘ere witho’ da sky cryin’ a bit.”

I sighed and thought a bit, relaxing my head on the headrest again. This place was going to be my new home, indefinitely. I wasn’t sure if I could get used to it. It was so large, so busy... so strange.

Cabbie drove me a bit more before pulling over. “‘Ere we ar’, Casa De Oro. Dis friend mus beh pretteh well off.”

What? Vinyl? No way.

My jaw dropped when I looked out the window. It was an absolutely extravagant building, incredibly ornate with lions and tigers adorning its sides in a glittery gold. There was a garden around the walkway to it (which was covered, thankfully) and I think I could see a fountain through the glass doors. A doorstallion seemed to guard the entrance like a sentry.

Cabbie turned and put out his hands. It looked even stranger when it wasn’t on the wheel. “‘Scuz meh, Miss, but da fare is eight infos.” he said.

Ten what? Oh buck oh buck, I forgot to get my money converted! I searched in my bag and looked at what I had... twelve bits. What luck. I had no idea what the exchange rate could be, so I just hooved all of them over. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t get them converted...”

Cabbie laughed again. “Well det’s overpayin’ a tad” He took only ten bits from me, “Close enough, I tink... An’ don’ worreh none, mos’ shops in da Pony Sectah ‘ere take dem bits. Yo’ll beh fine. Good Luck.”

“Thank you.” I said back. I opened the door and pulled my cello and myself out. When I closed the door, Cabbie gave me a wave with his hand and drove off.

My first challenge down, now I just had to go see Vinyl. I walked down the gardened pathway and passed the guard (I guess he’s only there for show. He didn’t even bat an eye at me). When I got through the doors, I saw that the fountain I saw was part of a fill flowing little river in the lobby. Ornate columns seemed to hold the ceiling up and more fine exotic plants were all around it. The whole effect was almost some tropical Atlantis.

I walked to the desk and asked the mare behind it if she could tell me which room was Vinyl Scratch. As the mare looked through a registrar, something dawned on me: What if this was all a joke Vinyl was playing on me? Did I really think she lived on this fancy place? Like, seriously, I shouldn’t have been as gullible as all-

“Excuse me, Miss Scratch, there’s a...” the mare across the desk was talking into a phone. She looked up at me as if waiting for my que.

“Octavia.” I said.

She gave me a look and made a face, “...an Octavia here to see you. Shall I send her up?.... Alright. Thank you.” She put down her phone and cocked her head toward the elevator. “Room 2109.” She didn’t bother looking up at me. Charming. I made my way to the elevator and pushed the button. Once the doors opened, I shoved myself, my bag, and my cello into the small room and pressed “21.”

And I went up.

Comments

[Sipioc]

Interesting, very interesting