//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 - City Festival // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// Black... That was the first I noticed after I recovered my consciousness. Huh, I guess it's because my eyes are closed. Anyway, I feel like...I'm lying on a comfortable bed on my back...and I'm covered by a blanket? Beeping sounds... Wait, those beeps...! I'm back? Oh yes, I'm back! But...I feel so darn tired... As I slowly forced my tired eyes to open, I kept on wishing that I'd see...white-tiled ceiling. I am really back. As I blinked a few more times, I am starting to feel my tired body...my tired human body. "You're awake!" "AH!" I exclaimed, jumping right into a sitting position as I quickly turned my head to the source of the voice. "C-C-Claire?" I asked, but my head suddenly felt too darn heavy as my vision started to dim and slightly waving. I quickly lied back down before I get completely dizzy. "Sorry 'bout that, Jay." She apologized with a very apologetic...yet cute face. I brought my hands and rubbed my aching head. "Ow... It-it's all right..." I replied as I wandered my eyes to look around. "What time...no, how long have I been out?" I needed to know, but I am quite certain that I was asleep for a couple of days, considering the time I spent in Equestria, if ever my experience there was real, or anything close to real. Claire brought a hand on her chin as she tilted her head up, thinking. "Huh, let's see..." She returned her gaze back to me. "Well, we arrived here at eight in the evening..." she took a glance on her wrist wat... "Isn't that my wrist watch?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. She smiled apologetically, "I know, but I just felt like wearing it for a while." "Sssuuurrreee..." I narrowed my eyes at her. I am quite aware that she has feelings for me. She shook her head slightly and completely dismissed it as she looked at the time. "Well, I'd say, we've been here for like...one...three...five...ten, right, ten---" "...days?" I finished for her. It didn't feel like I've been in Equestria for ten days, but I suppose the flow of time there's slower than here? She raised an eyebrow at me. "Ten hours," she corrected... Wait, what? "Ten hours?" I am surprised, really surprised! She nodded, "It's almost six in the morning. And oh, it's Friday today, if you're wondering." She smiled. I dropped my head back on my pillow, my gaze focusing on the white ceiling. So...I was asleep for only ten hours? It didn't feel like I was in Equestria for only ten hours. I am quite certain that I waited for one whole day to see Twilight after their victory of the battle. "Did you want to be sleeping for days?" Claire asked, though I didn't look at her. "You know the boss wouldn't want that from his new assistant manager,"she teased, sticking her tongue slightly as I shot her a tired glare. Right, anyway, it's six in the morning. "Work starts at seven..." I said as I rose into a sitting position, and I was really planning on standing up if it weren't for the tube that is connected on my arm from a tall dextrose. Claire frowned at me though. "Work? Today's a holiday, remember?" "Erm..." I tilted my head to the side. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "The city's foundation day? Remember?" "Oh..." right... I suppose I forgot about that. "Can I have my wrist watch back?" She shook her head with a smile. "Not until the nurse allows you to." --- Rentelbud became a city after Lorina granted the city freedom, and that was almost a hundred years ago. According to history books, this city is under the governance of the neighboring city, Silkwind. Sir Rentelbud led the army of resistance, and won and conquered Silkwind because of his great tactical strategies. He conquered a few more troubled cities, and soon, he created a whole region consisting of the places he governs. Soon, he and his wife became the king and queen of Lorina. Lorina is the name they gave to the region. As Claire and I walked on the early morning streets, the city is already alive with bands playing music, and traffic is slow, were police enforcers are rerouting them, while some were scratching their heads in frustration. I did remember reading that today, no one is allowed to drive their vehicles in the main city's streets because of the festival. I let Claire lead the way to wherever she wanted me to spend some time with her. I didn't want to, though. I've been wanting to go home, but she said that I owe her for helping me last night. Sigh... One of the things I hate about the people here. If someone helps you, they are expecting something from you in return. Although I am quite certain that Claire was only trying to make me feel guilty so I could join her instead of actually owing her. She led me to the center of the city, a very spacious park, where it was also the center of the festival..or going to be the center, since the people here were still busy making some final preparations. The queen will be here to join the celebration. I busied myself by trying to call my mom or dad, but my call wouldn't connect for some strange reason. I checked the signal bar, and my phone only needed one more bar for it to have the signal strength at max. I looked up at...the sky...which is still quite...gloomy, like yesterday...like in Equestria... "Oh?" Claire noticed me and immediately took out her phone from her black handbag. "Your parents visited you a couple of hours ago," she said as I took her phone that she was offering. "They're really worried about you," she continued, and grinned, "momma's boy." she teased. I shot her a glare before turning my back on her and as I began typing my mom's phone number. "Oh!" Claire exclaimed, browsing through her items inside her bag. "That reminds me..." "I can't reach her..." I whispered with a sigh as I gave her phone back. She took out a notebook and held it on one hand as she took her phone with the other. "May I try?" she asked as she browsed through the recently dialled numbers. I shrugged and nodded. She pressed the call button, and set it to loud-speaker mode. Less than five seconds later, we heard ringing sounds. The call connected? She smiled while I frowned. She set it back to normal as she handed it to me. But after I put it on my ears, all I could hear was static. Confused, I shook her phone, earning myself a weird look from her. Shaking my head, I gave her phone back, but as she took it and I let go, I faintly heard my mom's voice on the other line. Quickly, I took it back, but static was all I could hear. What the heck? I gave up with a sigh and asked Claire to talk to her. She nodded with a confused look on her face as she brought her phone to her ears. "Hello? ... Yes, he's here. ... Sorry, but there's...something wrong. ... Well, uh..." "Set it to loud-speaker," I suggested. She stared at me for a few moments before doing my request. I tried going closer, but my mom's voice is drowned by the static noise. Claire gave me an even more confused look as I took a step back, enough for the static noise not becoming a hindrance. "Mom?" I said loudly, enough for my mom to hear my voice. "Can you hear me?" "Oh, sweetie," I hung my head low in shame at that. Not only was the phone set in loud-speaker, but there were loads of people around. Bah, whatever. "we were so worried! How are you?" "I'm good, I'm fine. I guess...? I'll be going back home as soon as I can." Claire frowned at that, but I don't really care. Unfortunately, my mom had other plans. "It's all right, sweetie. You can rest up for a bit there if needed be." "I can rest for two hours during the bus trip, y'know..." I pointed out lamely. "Hm...true. But how about your girlfriend there?" "Wh-who-wha?" I blinked in surprise, and glared at the female human being who is flashing me a sheepish grin with the slightest blush on her soon-to-be-dead cute face. "Oh, it's okay hon. Your dad and I are proud that you finally got yourself a girl! And finally!" I slapped a palm right to my face. Facepalm is too mainstream, anyway. "We're growing old, y'know..." "Set it to normal speaker..." I pleaded, but Claire stuck her tongue at me. "...and we've been waiting to have grand-kids! Hahah!" "...now would be a great time, Claire." I glared at her. She put on a pouty face, but I glared some more. Finally, she obliged just before another word could fly off from her phone. She then started talking to my mom on the phone, and explained to her about this static thing I have if I get close to her phone. Phone... That reminded me. I took my phone out once again, and browsed through my inbox. Aside from my mom and dad's messages filling my inbox while I was out, the blank text from an unknown sender was still there. Taking a breath, and thinking that it may have something to do with what's going on, I opened it and...it was still blank. I check the text's details to try and see the phone number of the sender, but it only has one question mark there. That can't be right. I tried replying, but I got an error, stating that it was an invalid phone number. No duh... Sighing, I exited the messages folder and was about to bring my phone back inside my pocket when I got a new mms message. Opening it, the message was blank, until the image started to load very slowly from top to bottom. Halfway, the image already loaded the black blanket of clouds. A quarter of the image left, and I now saw the little town of Ponyville. But as soon as the image was done loading, I gasped, making Claire arch an eyebrow. Unicorns...took over Ponyville?