7: The Sights and Scenes of Harmony’s Point
As Zen and company approached the capital city of Haven, traffic slowly began to build on the highway. Twilight had informed Zen that the highway cut just north of the center of the city and straddled a very large commercial district. Just as they reached the city limits, the highway cut into the ground, allowing roads to pass overhead without having to elevate much road. Zen found the exit they were looking for before too long and got off the highway, fighting the congested road the whole way.
“Were there many cities back on Earth that were designed like this?” Rainbow asked.
“There were a few, but there very few highways like this one in Colorado.” Zen replied. “Denver, Colorado’s capital city, had a few small stretches of highway that were not totally unlike this, but for the most part the highways back home are like the ones in Crystal City, just over land instead of water.”
“Okay, why would they do that anyways?”
“Sometimes places are really tight so it’s easier to have the highway sink underground a bit and allow traffic to flow above normally and just have ramps for major exits.”
“Oh, well that makes sense….I think.”
Zen pulled to a stop at the end of the off ramp and waited for the light to change. As he did, he couldn’t help but look around. To his left he could see some midrise condos and apartments mixed in with a few office towers; this he assumed was Harmony’s Point’s downtown area. Just beyond that he could see a lone building perched on top of a hill. He assumed this was the Harmony Bridge, the main governmental facility for Haven.
The light turned and he headed down the avenue towards downtown and the Harmony Bridge. Zen couldn’t help but notice that Harmony’s Point was a lot more crowded than Crystal City, or at least this part of the city was more crowded. He also noticed that, while Harmony’s Point had always made itself appear like a modern city, street level in this area had a slightly aged appearance, as if everything was constructed to make the city look like it had been around for decades. It was an aesthetic touch he very much enjoyed.
“This place is pretty cool.” Rainbow commented, observing the many outdoor cafes and plazas that they passed, each packed with people and ponies.
“Definitely a different place than Crystal City, that’s for sure.” Zen said.
“Yeah it sure is.” Rainbow said without taking her eyes off all the activity going on.
“Once you reach the University you can use my old faculty parking pass.” Twilight said. “The University is at the foot of the Hill.”
“Alrighty then.” Zen said.
They continued slowly up the avenue, fighting midafternoon traffic the whole way. Eventually they made it to the bottom of the Hill, and Zen began to search for a parking lot. Eventually he found one just off the major road and parked. Twilight got out and dug around in her saddlebags for a few moments before producing a placard for Zen, who hung it from the rear view mirror.
“So…why exactly did you get one of these?” Zen asked as he affixed the placard to the mirror.
“I really don’t know. Everyone on staff was given one, no matter who they were or whether or not they actually had a vehicle to drive. But this doesn’t have an expiration date printed on it so I would assume this is still good.”
“Huh. Interesting.” Zen hopped out of the van and locked everything up and making sure everyone had everything. “So, meet in front of the Administration building in, say 3 hours?”
“Sure thing.” Rainbow said. “But first, which one is the administration building?”
Twilight pointed towards the middle of campus. “It’s over there, but if you guys get lost there are campus maps everywhere.”
“Alright then, we’ll see you later Twilight.” Zen said and the unicorn galloped off.
“So, where are you headed?” Rainbow asked.
Zen looked back up the Hill to the Harmony Bridge. “I think I’m gonna go for a little hike.”
Rainbow grinned devilishly. “Race ya to the top then!” She crouched down for takeoff, wings spread.
“Oh come on! That’s hardly fair!” Zen protested.
Rainbow stopped for a second. “Yeah, you’re right. Wouldn’t even be much of a race.”
Zen sighed and shook his head for a moment. Rainbow just looked at Zen, perplexed. “C’mon, let’s go.” Zen started to walk.
It took Zen roughly twenty minutes to walk from the parking lot to the top of the Hill. Now he and Rainbow Dash were at the base of the Harmony Bridge. The Harmony Bridge was actually two leaning towers, each rising four hundred feet tall at a forty-five degree angle from each other, with a third multi-story section at the top that connected the two. The entire façade was tinted glass, giving the structure an extra modern appearance, and by both entrances sat a giant concrete slab with the words “Harmony Bridge” engraved into it. Zen marveled at this structure for a few minutes before looking back down the Hill. The Hill itself was the highest point in elevation for miles and was part of the inspiration for Harmony’s Point’s name. Looking down the Hill back at the university, Zen was reminded of the Mall in Washington, D.C. back on Earth. Only interrupted by a single two-lane road halfway down the gentle slope, the Hill was a greenway composed of nothing but grass. The occasional bench and table lined the sides of the greenway, but there was not much else.
Looking beyond the university and the greenway, Zen studied the cityscape ahead of him. The Hill only rose a few hundred feet, but it was more than enough to give a panoramic view of nearly the entire city from this one spot. Unlike the condos and apartment towers of Crystal City, the ones that rose before him were not particularly eye catching. Even the office towers lacked many unique details; some had radio antennae, others has slanted or stepped roofs, but for the most part Harmony’s Point’s skyline was lacking in anything particularly outstanding. Zen thought it weird that the Harmony Bridge was such a magnificent sight while the rest of the city looked quite bland.
He continued to stare off, observing small groups of pegasi move about between the various towers; some leaving, some going, others just floating in one spot. Despite being more crowded, Harmony’s Point seemed to be a lot more peaceful and easygoing to Zen, and he began to contemplate why.
“I like Crystal City better.” Rainbow said, interrupting Zen’s thoughts.
“Huh?” Zen said, only just catching what Rainbow had said. “Oh, yeah I like Crystal City better too.”
Then Zen felt something against his leg and side. He looked down to see that Rainbow had sat down and was leaning against him, half asleep. Smiling at what he was seeing, he gently ruffled her mane. “Tired?” He asked.
“Just a little bit.” Rainbow responded, trying to stifle a yawn.
“Go fly around a little bit.” Zen suggested. “We’ve got plenty of time to kill.”
The pegasus stood up and stretched. “Ya know, I think I just might do that. Catch you later.” She took off.
Zen stood there for a few more minutes. “Well, might as well go explore the university while I can.” He thought out loud. He took one last look at the cityscape, then Harmony Bridge, and began his decent.
On the way down the Hill he was greeted by various individuals, both human and pony alike, and he returned each greeting in kind. It was quite a nice change from Crystal City where most people would probably just walk right by without too much as a nod. Not that people from Crystal City were unfriendly, but they had a habit where more often than not they’d just keep to themselves when out in public.
Zen reached the bottom of the Hill and crossed the street onto Haven University grounds. ‘Maybe I should figure out where this Administration building is actually located.’ Zen thought to himself, and decided to go find one of the campus maps that Twilight had mentioned earlier. Wandering along one of the pathways he looked around, studying the buildings he passed. The campus was built with a mix of different styles and architectural eras, and no two buildings looked quite the same. As he looked around he forgot to pay attention to where he was going, and began to walk off the pathway and bumped into something very hard.
Rubbing his knee, Zen silently cursed at his lack of paying attention as he looked at the offending object. It was a small metal post with a large copper slab at the top, with different paths and shapes carved into it.
“This must be one of the maps.” Zen said to himself as he inspected the legend. It quickly became apparent that the campus was far larger than he originally thought. He found ‘Administration’ with a number next to it, and scoured the map to locate the matching number. When he found it he next tried to figure out where he was, and then realized that the facility he was seeking was just to his left.
Zen studied the building carefully. The Administration building was rather rectangular and constructed with red brick, making it stand out against the green of the many lawns and trees that dotted the campus. It was then that he started to notice the various people and ponies wandering about the campus, and it reminded him of the short two years he spent at a university. He thought that those two years were among the best he ever had, and had no regrets about anything that happened during those two years.
During those two years he had made many friends and had been able to experience many new things. Despite previous assertions that he would not get involved with ‘Greek life’ he became a member of a business fraternity for a year and half, but was forced to leave when he left the university. It was also during those two years that he was introduced to My Little Pony and the community that was ultimately responsible for him being in Haven. Overall, even if he hadn’t graduated, he still considered those two years to be very successful.
Zen checked his watch and saw that several hours remained before he was supposed to meet Twilight and Rainbow, so he turned his attention back to the map to see what else he could locate. He found several dorms and a few dining halls spread across the campus, the science department that he guessed Twilight was at, a separate part of campus dedicated solely to business and economics, the campus gym and library, and what looked like a university center not far from where he was standing. Curious, and slightly hungry for an afternoon snack, Zen began to make his way across the campus towards the university center.
As he walked along the path, Zen came across a large clearing with a portable stage on the far end and a large gathering in front. He paused to watch from a distance, curious as to what was going on. He couldn’t hear anything very clearly, but some banners that hung across the stage gave a very clear indicator of what was going on. It was a rally for support of interracial partners between humans and ponies. On the stage was a stallion and a woman, and the stallion was currently giving some kind of speech.
Zen leaned against a tree and observed the gathering for a few minutes. Interracial partners and even interracial marriage were not things that Zen ever really cared for, and in fact Zen didn’t particularly care about intimate relationships or anything related so long as he had friends, but he wasn’t against individuals having such relationships. He figured it was none of his business what people did behind closed doors, but unfortunately not everyone shared the same sentiment. Despite being from a community that espoused ‘love and tolerance’ there was still a large number of people, and ponies too, who were against such practices. Such individuals called it an ‘abomination’ and that it ‘goes against nature’…Zen never really understood the hate. As far as he was concerned, love was love and nobody had the right to take that away from anyone else.
After a few minutes the stallion stopped speaking and the crowd applauded. The stallion backed away from the microphone stand and allowed someone from the crowd to come up and say a piece. At this point Zen decided to continue on his way towards the university center.
When he found the university center, he immediately noted the fact that it was three floors high and had an overhanging section with outdoor seating near the front entrance. Most of the tables were empty, but there were a few people sitting at a table, hunched over what appeared to be large textbooks. Zen was about to walk inside but thought that one of the individuals at the tables looked familiar. He began to walk over to the tables instead, and sure enough he knew someone at the table.
“Bax?” Zen said as he approached the table. “Is that you?”
The young man Zen was addressed was startled by being addressed by name. He turned around and nearly jumped again. “My goodness! Zen, where did you come from?” Bax said, his voice deep and with a slightly sophisticated tone.
“Do you want the literal answer or the sarcastic answer?” Zen replied with a grin and joined Bax at the table. “I didn’t know you were enrolled here.”
“I only just started a few weeks ago.” Bax said. “Right now I was studying for my biology exam next week, but I’m waiting for Das to get back with some snacks.” He gestured to the large textbook and several notebooks filled with notes that sat in front of him.
“Das is here too?” Zen said, genuinely surprised. “I thought he was still back in that one town out west of here working at some farm.”
“Well he was.” Bax replied. “But I guess he decided that he wanted to do something more productive so he enrolled here last year.”
“I see.” Zen said.
Bax was unique among Zen’s friends. Bax very much enjoyed overdressing and acting as a part of what Zen would consider ‘high society’, most mannerisms included, but never believed himself to be above anyone else socially, and although he never smoked he always carried around a pipe that he’s occasionally hold between his teeth and suck on. He also had an authentic lacquered oak cane that he carried everywhere and a pocket watch to help complete the look. Today Bax was wearing a wool jacket over a vest and white button shirt, complete with dress pants. His hair was slicked back with gel, and his face was clean shaven except for a goatee. It was a look that Zen thought not many people could effectively pull off, but one that fit Bax very well.
“Yes.” Bax said. “Das will likely be very happy to see you.”
“I would hope so.” Zen said.
Then a voice came from behind them. “Hey Bax, sorry about the wait I…Zen?”
Bax and Zen turned to see a familiar face approach them. “It’s been awhile, hasn’t it, Das?” Zen said to the newcomer.
Das could easily be described as a casual biker. He had a scruffy beard, slightly long hair, and average build and height, and loved his bikes. Back on Earth Das was a fairly prominent member of the group, but mostly disappeared after deciding to go to Haven.
“Yeah, it has been awhile bro.” Das said, taking a seat across the table from Bax and placing a tray containing two paper baskets filled with fries in front of him. “And hell if I’da known that you were gonna be here I would’a bought you something too.”
“S’all good man.” Zen said. “Heck to be totally honest I didn’t even know I was gonna be here until earlier today. It’s good to see you again, both of you.”
“Speaking of, Zen, why are you out here?” Bax asked, taking a few fries from the basket in front of him.
Zen contemplated explaining the full situation to his friends, but decided to keep things simple. “Let’s just say I decided to on a little adventure and as a result I wound up here in Harmony’s Point.” He said.
“You’ve been living in Crystal City since you came here, right?” Das asked, also taking a few fries from his own bucket and offering some to Zen, who declined the offer.
“Yes, and as much as I like it there, I guess you could say I got bored and wanted to see more of Haven.” What Zen said wasn’t totally untrue.
“Huh. Haven’t quite made it out there myself yet.” Bax said.
“Me neither.” Das said.
A thought struck Zen that moment. “Say, I got two…no, three questions for you guys.” He said.
“Fire away.” Bax replied.
“First, are you guys free tonight for dinner around, say six?” Zen began.
Das and Bax looked at each other for a moment. “I can’t say I have any plans tonight.” Das said, and Bax expressed a similar statement.
“Cool, second question is what is the best restaurant in town?”
“Hands down gotta be that place called Todd’s down at First and Canter, just past the other side of campus near downtown.” Das said almost immediately. “It’s kinda pricey though, so I rarely go there.”
“I would have to agree with Das.” Bax said. “Yes it’s pricey, but that’s what you expect for a sit-down restaurant. Todd’s also has a great variety of things to get.”
“I’ll have to remember that.” Zen said, making a mental note. “And lastly, where’s a good hotel that’s not far from campus? Preferably one with a three person suite or some equivalent.”
Das and Bax blinked, both immediately curious as to why Zen made that specification. “So you’re not alone out here? What’s going on, Zen?” Bax wondered out loud.
“I’ll explain everything at dinner if you guys want to join me.” Zen promised, and both agreed.
“Hmm…” Das thought for a few moments. “I personally hate all hotels, but I think that Lamplighter place just a few blocks up Bridge Avenue would be a good place. I haven’t heard anyone complain about it at least. I don’t think it’s very expensive either.”
“Bridge Avenue is that big road at the bottom of the Hill, yes?” Zen asked, and both Das and Bax nodded. “Awesome. Well guys, it was good seeing you again but I’m gonna go explore the campus some more.” Zen made to get up from the table.
“Wait, Zen.” Bax said. “Where and when shall we meet you?”
“In front of the Administration building, say just before six?”
“Works for me.” Das said; Bax agreed.
“Then I’ll catch you guys later.” Zen said and waved them goodbye. As he walked to the entrance of the university center, he couldn’t help but think he was forgetting something.
Inside the university center Zen first noticed how cool it was inside compared to outside. While it was warm and sunny outside, Zen thought that someone had set the thermostat just a bit too low. He then began to take note of everything he saw. To his left was a large food court with dozens of tables and several fast food chains along the far wall. Above hung some large banners with Haven University colors and logos, and he could see up to the third and top floor, and a stairway in front of the fast food chains led to the upper floors. To his right were a large lounge and a computer lab. Ahead was a hallway that led to various student and campus service offices as well as the back entrance and restrooms. There was also a large three-sided billboard that had flyers and posters for upcoming events. Suddenly Zen felt like he was back at the college he attended. Eyeing the food booths, Zen went and got himself a soda and a pretzel to deter his hunger until later. It didn’t take him long to devour the pretzel, so with what remained of his soda he began to explore the ground level.
The seating area was packed with students, and the lounge and computer lab were similarly filled. As Zen passed the billboard he stopped and glanced over what was posted. Most of the flyers were for campus related events, including the rally he passed earlier. Other flyers including students seeking roommates, others pertained to student groups. One particularly eye-catching poster advertised a charity dinner put on by the all-inclusive fraternity Tau Kappa Pi, a co-ed fraternity centered on drawing human and pony students of all kinds together.
Seeing not much else of interest, Zen moved on from the billboard and walked down the hallway. On the wall opposite of the lounge was a large Haven University flag. Just beyond that were the restrooms and a student service desk, manned by two unicorn mares. Across from that was the campus mail service. In the middle of the hallway were a few benches and a support pillar that was covered in more flyers, and at the end of the hallway were an elevator, a set of stairs, and the rear entrance. Curious, Zen decided to take the flight of stairs to the next level, and observed that the exterior walls of the staircase were glass, allowing a view of the outdoors.
Reaching the second floor, Zen finished his soda and found a nearby trash can to deposit the empty cup. Looking around he observed that most of the floor space on the second floor was a giant lounge with large couches and seating areas. In the middle was a large stone pillar with a fireplace in the middle, but whether or not the fireplace was authentic Zen couldn’t be sure. To his left was campus job center office, and to the right were conference rooms and ballrooms. On a fall wall was a large flat screen monitor showing the local news.
Ascending to the top floor, Zen was greeted by a large hallway that circled the outer part of the floor, and the exterior walls were all glass, allowing a panoramic view of the surrounding area. In front and about fifteen feet to the right of him was the entrance and above the door frame was a line of brass letters that read “Haven Conference Center”. The doors to the conference center were closed, and a metal stand next to the entrance had a sheet of paper that read off when the conference room was reserved and who reserved it. Walking around the hallway, Zen found an outdoor observation deck with some concrete tables. From here he had a clear view of the Harmony Bridge, and Zen thought the building seemed more imposing from a distance at lower elevations than when he stood almost underneath it.
Zen exited the hallway onto the observation deck and leaned against the rail, watching students mill about below. After a few moments he heard the door open and two stallions came out. He couldn’t help but overhear part of their conversation.
“…and I really hope that he’s available tomorrow evening to work on that physics project. If we don’t get that thing finished by the weekend there’s no way we’ll have it done in time.” The first stallion said.
“I hear ya.” The second stallion replied. “I’d personally hate to lose all that progress we’ve made just because Edge can’t keep his schedule straight.” Both stallions snickered at the pun.
“Hehe, well he never replied to my message that I sent him a few days ago, so maybe I’ll send him another one tonight. Also, we need-”
At that point Zen stopped listening. He just remembered what he had forgot to do, and that was sent James an email. He jogged over to the doors and reentered the hallway. Half jogging, half running, he started to round the corner to get to the stairs when the next thing he knew he feet were no longer beneath him and he hit the tiled floor, face first and hard.
He skidded for a few inches across the cold tile, feeling the skin on his left cheek turning raw from the friction. It was also then that he registered mild pain in his shins, but not from him hitting the ground.
“Ugh…” Zen groaned as he struggled to get upright again, his whole left side of his face aching from suddenly hitting the unforgiving tile floor. ‘What the hell just happened?’ He wondered as he sat upright and gingerly felt the raw skin. Pressing his whole hand against it softly, he drew it back and discovered to his relief that there was no blood.
At this moment his mind began to register someone else groaning in pain. He turned around carefully and saw an alabaster unicorn lying on the ground, curled up slightly in pain. Zen slowly made his way over to the unicorn, suddenly spitting out apologies. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry! I didn’t even know you were there! Can I help you up?” He knelt next to the unicorn.
“Ugh….man, watch where you’re going!” The unicorn, a mare, protested and shifted to face Zen. “Anyone ever tell you your knees hurt like none other when rammed into your side?”
“Again, I’m so sorry I-“ Zen froze. Alabaster fur, crazy electric blue mane and tail, eight-note cutie mark, and cerise eyes. Zen knew those features. “Wait a minute, I think I know you.”
“Well if you’re big into electro or the club scene I imagine you would.” The unicorn struggled to get up. Zen immediately helped her back on her hooves. The mare studied Zen for a second after inspecting her side for damage. “Looks like the floor sure did a number on your face.” She commented.
Zen involuntarily felt his still stinging raw cheek. “Yeah, I suppose that’s what I get for not paying attention.” He said. “You’re Vinyl Scratch, right?”
“The one and only.” Vinyl replied, and then winced again from her aching side where Zen had struck. “Ugh. Finally looks like I’m starting to get some recognition around here.”
“Man, I’m so terribly sorry about that.” Zen apologized again.
“I’m going to assume you didn’t mean to trample me like that.” Vinyl replied shortly. “My one day off too…”
Now Zen felt especially bad. “Hey, let me make it up to you.” He said.
Vinyl eyed him suspiciously. “You’re not exactly my type, and I’m not that kind of mare.”
It took Zen a moment to process what she was hinting at, and when he did he thought he felt himself turn slightly red. “Say wha-? No no no, I wasn’t going to ask for that!”
“Well that’d be a first.” Vinyl remarked. “Seems like everypony who meets me off-stage just wants to score, and I’m not talking the musical kind of score.”
“I’m not like that at all, trust me.” Zen assured. “I was actually going to ask, since you said it was your day off, if you wanted to join me and my friends down at Todd’s, my treat.”
Now Vinyl got really suspicious. “You sure you’re not…?” She asked after a moment of thought, and Zen insisted he wasn’t. “Well…I might take you up on that then if it’s on you.”
“It is on me, and it’s really just in my nature to be this nice.” Zen confessed. “But if you decide to take me up on my offer, I’ll be waiting in front of the Administration building just before six. Deal?”
“Deal.” Vinyl said and turned to leave. “Oh, hang on a sec.” She turned back to Zen. “I can’t enjoy dinner with someone if I don’t even know their name.”
“Call me Zen.” Zen replied with a smile.
“Zen, huh? That’d be a pretty wicked stage name for dee jay.” Vinyl commented. “Alright Zen, if I decide to accept your offer I’ll see you later.” She trotted off around the corner.
Zen turned to continue on his way downstairs and wonders ‘Just how many more am I going to meet?’
---
Zen spent the next twenty minutes for a computer to open up in the lounge, and is relieved when he finds out that he doesn’t need a student I.D. to log in or access the internet. He opens up a browser and logs into his email account and opens a new message. Pulling out the card from his pocket, he types in the email address printed on it and adds ‘It’s Zen’ under the subject line. He sat for a minute, contemplating what he was going to type before going with:
“Hey it’s Zen. We made it to Harmony’s Point a few hours ago. Twilight ran off to find some people and I went sightseeing. Found Bax and Das, but they’re both enrolled at the school and probably can’t leave for a while, but I’ll run it by them anyways. Speaking of running, I ran into none other than Vinyl Scratch today too (literally). Here’s to hoping that you guys have things under control there.”
Zen read over the email a few times before hitting ‘Send’ and logging out. With some time left to kill, he browsed a local news site for a while, reading whichever articles happened to catch his eye. After about the tenth or so article he glanced at the clock and noted that it was time to go, so he left the computer lab and began making his way to the Administration building.
Even though it was getting late in the day, things seemed to have hardly changed outside. It was still hot, the sun was still bright, and there were still plenty of people milling about the campus. ‘Everyone must be heading to dinner.’ Zen thought.
When he arrived at his destination he found that Bax and Dash were already there.
“Hey Zen, you didn’t tell me that you knew Rainbow Dash.” Bax said, as if accusing him.
“Remember that whole ‘I’ll explain everything at dinner’ thing?” Zen replied with a slightly sheepish grin and Bax nodded. “Well Rainbow happens to be part of that.”
“Ah.”
“So why’d you keep a cool friend like this guy a secret?” Rainbow asked Zen.
“Heh, well mostly because I had no idea I’d be bumping into him.” Zen replied. It was about then that he noticed both Bax and Rainbow staring intently at a very specific spot on his person. “What? Do I have something on my…oh.” Zen knew what they were staring at.
“So, you wanna tell us what happened or what?” Rainbow asked.
“Well, long story short I was exploring the university center after meeting with Bax and another friend of mine who should be joining us shortly when I jogged around a corner and nearly trampled some poor unicorn. Unfortunately my being so tall led met to topple forward onto the floor, resulting in this.” Zen pointed to the now reddish and slightly bruised spot on his cheek.
“Is the unicorn alright?” Bax asked.
“She should be. I felt really bad about it, so I invited her along with us at my expense.” Zen continued. “I’m not sure if she’s going to take me up on that offer, but if she does then she should be here any minute now.”
“I see.” Bax said. “Das should be here in a few minutes, so would there be anyone else we’re waiting on?”
“Just one and she’s right behind you.” Zen pointed.
Bax and Rainbow turned to see a purple unicorn who smiled in return. “Hey guys, who’s this friend of yours?” Twilight gestured at Bax.
“Twilight, meet Bax.” Zen introduced them. “Bax here is a good friend of mine from back on Earth.”
“Nice to meet you.” Bax said.
“Likewise.” Twilight replied, still smiling. She studied Bax’s formal appearance for a moment. “Something tells me that you and Rarity would get along just fine.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Rainbow added, and Bax and Zen only laughed.
The four continued to idly chat until Das arrived, and another round of introductions was had.
“So Zen, I got an appointment set up for tomorr-“ Twilight stopped and looked at Zen for a moment before wincing and pointing a hoof up at him. “What happened to your face?” Das apparently hadn’t noticed but did a double take when he did.
“This douche here ran me over and face planted on the tile, that’s what happened.” A new voice said, tone only half joking. Everyone turned to see the newcomer in the form of an alabaster unicorn mare with an electric blue mane and tail sporting a small bag slung around her neck and shoulder.
“Hello again Vinyl.” Zen said, ignoring the small insult. “I’m guessing you are taking me up on my offer?”
“My other plans for tonight fell through, so I figured why not.” Vinyl replied with a small shrug. “Besides, you don’t actually seem like that much of a bad guy.”
“Say Vinyl…” Bax began.
“Hmm?” Vinyl turned to face Bax.
“Don’t you normally wear some kind of glasses or goggles or something?”
“I used to, but nowadays I save em for the parties.”
“Well now that everyone’s here, let’s get going.” Zen said.
“Great, I’m starving.” Vinyl and Rainbow said in unison.
“So where are we going?” Das asked.
“I would like to go to that Todd’s place you mentioned earlier, my treat.” Zen said. Bax and Das just stared.
“You really think you can afford to pay for all of us?” Bax asked; disbelief not completely absent from his tone.
“Of course he can!” Rainbow said before Zen could say anything. “He’s got life made back in Crystal City!”
“It’s true, unlike back on Earth money is not an issue for me here.” Zen said.
“Well that’s good to hear.” Das spoke up. “How are we getting there?”
“It’s close enough that we can walk.” Bax said. “It’s only, what like maybe four blocks away from campus?”
“I could use the exercise.” Zen said. “Let’s walk there.”
As the group headed towards the restaurant it didn’t take very long for Bax and Das to strike up conversations with the three mares. Zen hung back a little bit and admired the scenery as they walked, letting the others have their conversation. He wasn’t really paying attention to them, but at some point he noticed that there was a voice missing from the conversation. Looking ahead he only saw a group of four, and a quick glance behind him revealed that Rainbow had fallen behind a little bit and seemed unusually interested in the sidewalk.
Zen slowed his pace a little bit until he was level with the pegasus. “What’s up, Dash? Something on your mind?”
“I don’t really wanna talk about it…” She said.
“Rainbow, don’t be afraid of telling me something. If there’s something that’s bothering you then please let me know.”
Rainbow looked up at Zen for a moment before letting out a sigh. “When I said you had life made in Crystal City, it reminded me of the life I had back in Equestria before ending up here. Back home I was on track to being a celebrity flyer in the Wonderbolts…but here I have nothing, and I am nobody. If it wasn’t for you I’d still be sleeping in gutters in Celestia only knows where, but it’s still hard coping with the fact that the dream I’ve had since forever can never become reality…but you…you seem to be living your dream. You’ve got a nice place to stay, wonderful friends, and don’t have any worries. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t insanely envious of you.”
“Don’t be.” Zen replied.
Rainbow looked quizzically at Zen. “Why not?”
“Because I got lucky.” Zen said flatly, looking Rainbow directly in the eyes. “If I hadn’t come here, I’d probably be just another homeless schmuck back on Earth, and Colorado isn’t a very nice place to be when you’re homeless. I only have things ‘made’ there because I happened to be at the right place at exactly the right time and fell in with the right people. Because I know just how fortunate I am, I try my damnedest to help out others when I see they’re down on their luck because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to have nothing and have to rely on someone else just to get by. My generous nature comes from that. I also used to think of myself as not much more than a mooch because I was forced to rely on other people’s hospitality and kindness to get by, and I hated it. But let me assure you that I don’t think of you as a mooch. If I did I’d just hand you a small bag of money and that would be that, but instead I choose to share what I have with those who I consider to be my friends because that’s just who I am.”
Rainbow just looked at Zen as they kept walking along the path. “I still can’t help but feel jealous that you got to achieve your dream, no matter how it happened.”
Zen grinned slightly. “It’s definitely nice that I can say I’m living the good life now, true. But you shouldn’t let that get you down. You still have your whole life ahead of you to complete yours.”
“But what if I never make it back to Equestria?”
“We’ll find a way, trust me.” Zen smiled. “C’mon, let’s catch up with the others.”
Zen and Dash jogged to catch up with the others, who were so engaged in their conversation that they barely seemed to notice they had lagged behind. Zen didn’t really pay attention but what he did hear told him that they were talking about some recent concert in Lethean that had an audience so enthusiastic that they left the stage in pieces after the show was over.
By now they had reached the other side of Haven University. In front of them was a wide pedestrian mall, packed with people and ponies bustling about, visiting shops and restaurants, chatting outside in large groups, or watching the many street performers that lined the cobblestone mall.
“I forgot how crowded University Mall could be.” Twilight commented as they made their way across.
“This is University Mall?” Zen asked.
“Indeed it is.” Bax answered. “And because the university itself is right next door, it’s dinner time, and since the weekend starts tomorrow, it’s going to be especially crowded.”
“Might have to come back and explore this place a little bit.” Zen said, more to himself than anyone else. He couldn’t see much through the thick crowd, but he assumed that if University Mall was anything like the pedestrian malls from Earth then he had a hunch of just what he could find here.
They made their way through across the mall and continued on to their destination. The first thing Zen noted was the outdoor seating and how vacant it was.
“Doesn’t seem like the place is fairly busy this evening.” Bax observed.
“Every time I’ve walked by it’s usually pretty packed.” Das said. “Though I don’t usually walk by here this early in the day.”
“Looks like they’re open, so let’s go inside. I’m starving.” Vinyl said and walked up to the door.
The other five followed the dee jay into the establishment and almost immediately they were greeted by a unicorn waiter. “Welcome to Todd’s! Do you have a reservation?”
“We do not.” Zen answered.
“Alright then, is this your entire party or are there others?”
“This is it, and can we get outdoor seating, please?”
“Certainly, good sir. Right this way.” The unicorn stallion led the way through the moderately busy establishment to the patio seating and set up a table, placing six menus and six sets of silverware out as Zen and company took a seat. “What can I get you all to drink?” The waiter pulled out a paper pad and a pen, ready to take orders, and after everyone placed their order he left to fulfill them and give them a few minutes to read the menus over.
The first thing that Zen noticed was the incredible variety of food all across the menu. Everything from Mexican to Southern, Italian, and even a Chinese dish was listed. He even spotted a few items that were Equestrian-inspired that were separate from the vegetarian menu that was designed for the equine clientele.
Bax barely skimmed through his menu before picking something. “So Zen, I think it’s time for that explanation you owe us.”
“Yeah I suppose it is.” Zen cleared his throat. “You guys remember James, right?”
“Yes I remember him.” Bax said.
“I believe so.” Das said.
“Well just yesterday he showed up in Crystal City looking for me. I was minding my own business, enjoying the nice weather and contemplating what to do with my down time. Then my friend Sprinter got a hold of me and said some dude was looking for me down at the shore, and when I went looking I found out it was James. Turns out he had been hanging out in Alliance since arriving here in Haven and even helped build that town.
“Anyways, he had come looking for me because he knew I was hanging out in Crystal City and needed some help from people who were in our group back in Colorado. Fortunately for him I had plans to have dinner with Zan and Kevin at the Crystal City mall that evening, so he waited on revealing anything until we met up later. We got to the mall early so we decided to kill some time in the arcade there; that was where I found Rainbow here, all frustrated with one of the machines. Long story short Rainbow was having a tough time here so I offered her friendship and let her come with us.
“While we ate James told us what he needed us for. Alliance had been the victim of some kind of riot organized by a group that for whatever reason didn’t like the status quo. James was sent to find us so that we could somehow do something about it. We left early this morning and stopped in Junction Park to find Colton, and there I met Twilight at the town’s book emporium. We had a good conversation and by the time we were ready to leave I had convinced her to join us, but because of what Twilight had told me, I decided to come here instead with Twilight, and Rainbow decided to come as well.”
“So what did you learn?” Bax asked.
At this point the waiter had returned with everyone’s drinks and let them have a few more minutes to look the menus over.
“I had a few observations that I didn’t really think much of until Twilight mentioned being aware of them as well. So pegasi can’t control weather here. I had always chalked it up to weather in Equestria being different by nature than here in Haven. What got my attention was the fact that Twilight had already made the observation that for some reason, most of us humans don’t recognize any of the ponies that are here. As a result she had already done some research both independently and from her time working at the university. I thought it over and began to wonder if maybe these two observations were somehow related, so I chose to come here and have a few conversations with some professors. Figured I could probably learn something from it all.”
“I see.” Das said. “Well if we can be of any help don’t be afraid to ask.” Bax nodded.
“So what about you Vinyl?” Zen said, turning his attention to the dee jay. “What’s your story? Didn’t think I’d ever find someone like you at a university.”
“Well under normal circumstances you’d be right.” Vinyl replied. “Unless I got hired for a gig, I usually stay away from schools. I actually live in Lethean where most of my usual clients and my personal studio are. A few months ago I was approached by somepony who claimed to be a producer at some studio I’d never heard of. He said he had heard of my music and was impressed, but thought that my music was ‘lacking’ in something. So he set me up with the music school here so I could study music theory and hone my talents some.”
“And how’s that worked out so far?” Rainbow asked.
“So far it’s been working great and I’ve even run into a few other underground musicians and participated in a few collaborations. I think I now understand what that producer had meant about my music being ‘lacking’ of something. I think it was lacking emotion. Before I’d always just put some really sick beats and rhythms that sounded good together into a track and mix it a little before calling it good, but after working with some other musicians I’m beginning to notice that a lot of my previous work didn’t have much depth or variety, something everypony else said was really important. Since that revelation I’ve been working hard to come out with totally new material and as a result I’ve got an EP coming out soon. I plan on throwing a huge party once it’s done, and you guys are all welcome to attend.”
“Well that’s cool, congrats.” Zen said. “Do you have a release date in mind?”
“Not quite yet, but I’ll have posters and flyers up all over town when it’s ready.” Vinyl said. The waiter came back and took everyone’s orders before heading off to the kitchen. “As of yesterday, I have six fully completed and mastered songs for the album with another five that just need to be mastered. I’m debating on adding a twelfth song that I’ve been putting together as a bonus track for certain releases as well. The only thing I’m really missing is artwork for the cover, back, and insert. The last guy I had commissioned skipped town and I have no way of getting a hold of him.”
“Well that’s unfortunate.” Zen said.
“I think we might be able to help in that regard.” Bax said.
“Really now?” Vinyl said.
“A good friend of ours lives out in Lethean and he’s a fairly good artist.” Bax replied. “I can shoot him an email tonight and let him know you need an artist.”
Vinyl beamed. “That’d be great!”
Zen finished off the soda he had ordered and idly watched the street side activity. For reasons he couldn’t really say, he suddenly felt…alive. Here he was, enjoying a nice dinner with friends on a wonderful summer evening in a bustling city. There was a nice, gentle breeze that helped cool off the patio. Back on Earth going to dinner at some nice restaurant with his friends and chatting about anything was one of the few things he looked forward to the most when going to meets, and this felt just like another evening with friends.
He felt truly content that moment.
The whole while his friends continued chatting as if they’d known each other for years. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and Zen was happy that everyone else was happy.
Before long the waiter returned with an assistant and set out everyone’s food. As the last plate was set down, the wait asked, “I’m assuming I need to ring each item up separately?”
Zen shook his head. “Just one ticket, please.”
The waiter and his assistant looked at Zen for a moment, puzzled. Bax and Das were right, the food at Todd’s was not cheap, though it wasn’t outrageously expensive either.
“Are you sure?” The waiter asked.
“I’m sure, thank you.” Zen said. The waiter and his assistant gave each other a quick unsure glance before walking back inside.
The crew began to dig into their food, but that didn’t stop the conversation. Far from dying down, everyone seemed to be chatting more than before now in between bites, except for Zen who elected to simply stare off and observe the goings-on of the city as he ate. By now the sun was setting lower in the sky; long shadows were cast upon the city, and the sky was beginning to take on a slightly golden hue. Zen felt happiness, real happiness, begin to build up inside as if he had finally found something he had long been looking for.
Zen leaned back in his chair and felt his spine pop in a few places. Then something gently prodded his arm. Zen turned and saw Bax giving him a slightly concerned look. “Something on your mind, Zen?” He asked.
Zen smiled. “Having dinner with you guys like this…I can’t help but be reminded about all the times we had dinner out at places in Fort Collins back home that were very much like this one. I guess I’m just a little bit nostalgic right now for all those amazing gatherings with the others. There were few days back in Colorado that I wasn’t having a fantastic time at those meets.”
“I know what you mean.” Bax replied with a smile. “Those gatherings at the college, and elsewhere for that matter, were some of the best times of my life before coming here. The Colorado group was the first real group of friends I had.”
“Heh, yeah I thought I had a lot of ‘friends’ back when I was in college, between my co-workers at the dining hall, my fraternal brothers, and the people I happened to meet in class or around campus or even those I roomed with, plus all the friends I had left in Longmont when I first went to Greeley. Then my then-roommate Brandon convinced me to watch the show in my second year, and it didn’t take me too long to get involved with the Colorado group after going to that Winter Moon party in Greenwood Village. Since then I’d felt like I was a part of a second family, and I would have done damn near anything to not lose that.”
“I think most of us were like that.” Bax nodded.
Zen returned to his food and ate in relative silence, listening in on Vinyl describing some of her more crazy gigs in Lethean.
“…so then this wicked crazy bass drop comes in and everypony just goes crazy!” Vinyl waves her forelegs around for emphasis. “Everypony was jumping and I think at one point there was a mosh pit going on…don’t ask me why there was a mosh pit at an electro gig, but there was. After the party was over there were more than a few that had to be carried away or dragged off to the hospital for broken bones.”
“And that’s why I don’t go to parties.” Twilight said flatly.
“I don’t blame you Twilight.” Vinyl said. “Parties can be pretty hectic places sometimes. I’ve actually found myself to be in danger on several occasions, but you know why I keep going?” Everyone present shakes their head. “I keep playing for parties because I’m dedicated to playing music for those who want to listen. If my own music gets big enough, then maybe I can move away from playing gigs and go for the more formal concert settings, but for now gigs at clubs and parties are all I have.”
“Now that’s dedication.” Bax commented. “Potentially risking your own safety to do the thing you love most.”
At that point the waiter returned with the bill and Zen gave him his card without much hesitation, earning him another odd look from the waiter before he trotted off.
“Are you loaded or something?” Das asked, somewhat surprised. “You didn’t even look at the bill!”
“You could say that.” Zen replied. Not long after the waiter returned with Zen’s card and bill for him to sign, which he did and wrote in a fairly generous tip before handing the ticket back to the waiter and pocketing his copy. “Well, shall we take off then?” Zen asked his friends.
With the general response being in agreement, Zen and company got up and made their way out of the restaurant and began to make their way back to the campus.
“So what now guys?” Rainbow asked.
“Personally I’m kinda wiped.” Zen said with a yawn.
“Yeah I should probably get back to studying.” Das said.
“Same here.” Bax said. “Well good friend, it was very nice to see you again.” He extended a hand, which Zen took.
“It was definitely a pleasure to run into you two again.” Zen replied and noticed Vinyl deadpan at the phrase. “And it was definitely nice to meet you, Vinyl. I hope that dinner made up for earlier.”
“Actually it was very nice of you to do that.” Vinyl replied. “I haven’t been treated to a good meal in too long. If you’re sticking around the campus for now, I’m sure we’ll meet up again.”
Zen laughed. “Hopefully it’ll be a much less painful encounter, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Vinyl waved a goodbye and trotted off towards one of the dorms, and before too long Bax and Das followed suit.
“Back to the van then.” Zen said and started heading towards their vehicle.
“Do you know of any places around here we can stay at?” Rainbow asked.
“Bax and Das mentioned a potential place just up the main road from campus.” Zen replied.
“We can discuss tomorrow’s schedule once we’re there.” Twilight added. “But I suppose I should mention that the director for the Science department said that she could reimburse any hotel expenses while we’re here.”
“That’s definitely nice.” Zen said.
It took them a few minutes to reach their vehicle, and Zen was relieved to find that he had received no parking violations. Unlocking the van and climbing into the driver’s seat, he started the van and waited for Twilight and Rainbow to become comfortable in their seats before setting off. Zen waited patiently at the parking lot exit for a break in the evening traffic before merging and driving to the Lamplighter.
The hotel itself wasn’t particularly fancy. A four floor complex, its architecture mostly matched that of the surrounding area: pale stone exterior with dark metal corners and trim. To the side of the building was a large parking lot and valet parking under a large metal overhang. Zen found a parking spot near the back of the lot and, after making sure that all present had all they needed, locked the van up and they headed inside.
Once inside they were greeted by a staff stationed by the front door who pointed them to the front desk. A short conversation and one monetary transaction later with the receptionist and Zen, Twilight, and Rainbow were off to their room on the second floor.
They located their room and crossed the threshold. Immediately Zen noticed that the room was simple, but elegantly so. A small balcony with sliding glass doors was opposite them on the far wall. In the commons area was a large couch that faced a decently sized flat screen. Adjacent to the couch was a desk with a computer. To the far right of the suite was a small kitchen complete with a dining table and four chairs that were designed both for human and equines. Immediately to the right was a hallway that led to the three bedrooms and a washroom. Overall decoration was minimal, though the room didn’t feel barren or bland.
“This is actually quite nice.” Twilight commented, setting her saddlebags down against a wall.
“This is much better than what I was expecting.” Zen agreed, setting his pack against the couch.
“Not as awesome as your place Zen, but I could get used to this.” Rainbow headed straight for one of the bedrooms with a yawn. “If you two don’t mind, I’m gonna go make some z’s.”
“G’night Rainbow.” Zen and Twilight replied as the sound of a door shutting was heard.
Zen made his way to the kitchen to explore it as Twilight began to explain what she had accomplished. “I met up with the director of the Science department today to discuss when we could meet formally and discuss everything that we know. It took a little bit longer than expected since she insisted on telling everyone that I was back in town and then she had a meeting to attend, but eventually I got to have that chat. She informed me that she would be busy in the morning but that we could meet up with her and some of her advisers in the afternoon in her office.”
“Sounds good. Does this director have a name?” Zen replied as he explored various cupboards and drawers.
“Yes. Her name is Dr. Nyl.”
Zen worked his way to the various appliances before turning back to Twilight. “Cool. Hopefully we can make something of all this.” He studied the unicorn for a second. “Maybe you should go get some sleep. You look beat.”
Twilight sighed. “Admittedly I am really tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Yeah, go get some sleep. I’ll set my alarm and wake you and Rainbow up if you sleep in too much.”
“Alright. Good night Zen.” Twilight took her stuff and made her way to the second unused room and shut the door behind her.
Zen waited for a moment before heading for the computer and booting it up. No login was required, and soon he had his email up. He sifted through some spam and found what he was looking for: a reply from James. He opened the email and began to read.
“Zen, glad to hear that you and the others made it to Harmony’s Point safely. How is it there? Bummer that Bax and Das are too busy, but that can’t be helped and I’m not about to pull someone away from their pursuit of education for something like this, and that’s awesome that you met up with Vinyl, I’ve always heard she was a fantastic dee jay. Speaking of…things are pretty bad here. Turns out that the night before we left Crystal City, the protesters took to the streets in a very violent way. They overpowered the local authorities and drove most of the people out of the city. Those who fled are now at a temporary camp not far from town. There were a few people injured, but they’re all being taken care of. As for those who stayed, they were that group that we saw on the street when we pulled up. They were about ready to tear that building apart, but we convinced them otherwise. I’m not sure what the protesters want anymore, but talks with them should begin tomorrow.
I’ll update you when I can. Keep us all updated with what you guys are doing.
-James”
Zen finished reading the message and closed the browser and putting the computer into sleep mode, making sure to reply tomorrow morning when he could think straight.
Zen got up and picked up his pack from the couch and headed towards the last room, but stopped at the washroom and peered inside at the mirror. He winced as he studied the colorfully dark bruise on his face and quickly ran a wet rag over it to try and get any remaining dirt and dust off. Proceeding then to his room, he put his pack down next to the bed and set the alarm clock on the nightstand. Shedding himself of the day’s sweaty attire and into something slightly more comfortable, he collapsed into bed and promptly fell asleep.