While we walked together, I noticed again the surprised expressions on ponies’ faces as they saw me. It unnerved me, the way they seemed to recognize me, and I wondered what might be going through their minds.
Do they know who I am, like that filly did?
I glanced back at Spring Glory and saw that she was looking at me, too, but not like the other ponies were; it seemed almost like she was admiring something about me. I smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed, fumbling over what to say.
“So... what brought you to Ponyville?” I asked. “It must have been a big decision.”
“I needed a change. City life was okay, but I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to settle down with,” she said. “What about you? Is Ponyville your hometown?”
“No, I... I was born in Canterlot. I didn’t exactly... f-fit in. About four years ago, I decided to come here to get away from the high society.”
“Really? I was born in Canterlot, too!” she said excitedly, and I had the impression she was glad we had common roots. “My family still lives there, and I visit every so often. I love seeing the castle. It’s just so grand.”
“I haven’t been back since I left,” I said. “You’re right, though; it’s impossible to forget the castle view.”
“What about your family?” she asked.
“They’re... not around. My folks are an odd couple of ponies... When I left, they decided to travel the world. They send letters every year, though. Last I heard, they were visiting Saddle Arabia.”
“You didn’t want to go with them?”
“No... Like you said the other day, I don’t get out m-much.”
“That doesn’t make you anything less than the rest of us,” she said.
I wasn’t sure how to respond to her comment, so we continued our journey to the park silently. When we arrived, I was relieved to see very few ponies around. “Here we are,” I said.
“Oh, it’s so pretty here,” she marveled. “Come on, I want to find a nice spot to watch the sunset!”
I watched her gallop from hilltop to hilltop, searching for the perfect view. I took my time to catch up to take a few deep breaths and relax a little. I found her sitting under a tree on a high hilltop facing the sun, which was wedged in the sky between the mountains in the distance. Her floral coat glimmered in the light even under the shade of the tree; I felt like I was gazing at a beautiful painting.
“Are you alright?” she asked me as I approached. “You look a bit... distant.”
“I-I’m just wondering... if I’m going to wake up any m-minute now,” I said.
“Oh, don’t be silly,” she laughed. “Do you think this is a nice spot?”
“It’s perfect,” I replied. “You know, I used to come out here when I first moved to Ponyville. There’s a place near here, up in the mountains, where you can see rays of sunlight shine through the cliffs when the weather is right. I would fly up there if I needed a little escape.”
“I’d like to see that, someday,” she said.
Our eyes locked, and we each blushed. I sat next to her, and we watched the sun creep down towards the horizon.
“I really enjoy spending time with you,” she said. “You’re an interesting pony, Archaic Smile.”
It was only then that I realized how comfortable I felt with her, as if every mental barrier simply faded away into insignificance. In the past few days, I’d slowly become less uncomfortable in the world―travelling through Ponyville, appearing in public, and speaking with ponies like Scootaloo and, most of all, Spring Glory, had become much easier right under my nose. I glanced at Spring Glory, and I immediately recognized that I had found a real friend―my first real friend.
“I enjoy your c-company as well, Spring Glory,” I said. “I... I’ve been alone as long as I can remember. I never knew how great it felt to have a friend.”
“You’re not the only one,” she responded.
I stole another glance towards her, and I caught her shivering. Under all my feathers, I hadn’t noticed the temperature drop. I thought about giving her my scarf―a very sentimental possession of mine―and then pulled it from my neck and tossed it over her shoulders.
“I think you need this more than I do,” I said.
She stared at me again with that look of admiration―I still couldn’t quite put my hoof on it―and scooted closer to me so that we were shoulder-to-shoulder. She then took the scarf, tied it around both our necks, and leaned comfortably against my side. I was startled beyond explication, not by her actions, but because the knot in my chest was not a fearful one.
“I suppose friendship goes a long way,” I murmured.
“Mhmm,” she responded.
We sat with each other quietly, and I felt freed from all my worries and fears as we watched Celestia’s Star slide closer to the horizon. The sky began changing as various colors saturated the atmosphere and trickled upwards like wet watercolors. Shortly, Luna’s Moon rose from another direction, challenging the sunlight’s bruised hues, bleeding diluted shades of smooth darkness that crept across the sky like vines. When the sunlight was all but gone, Spring Glory nudged my shoulder.
“That was very beautiful. Thank you, Archaic Smile.”
By unspoken consent, we stood and headed back through Ponyville, still bound by the scarf. I noticed there were more ponies about than usual, but I cared not, for Spring Glory had rekindled a confidence in me that I hadn’t felt in years. When we were close to her shop, she suddenly stopped and gasped.
“Is that... Princess Celestia?”
My eyes shot to where Spring Glory was pointing, and there was Princess Celestia, just like she had said. The Princess stood tall with a fantastical phoenix perched on her back, and she seemed to glow faintly in the night light. She was waiting by a carriage while her guards prepared to fly her back to Canterlot Castle.
“It is! Oh, I’ve always dreamed of meeting the Princess,” Spring Glory exclaimed. “Come on, we have to hurry!”
She tugged on the scarf, and I reluctantly trotted beside her towards the Princess, who noticed us coming.
“Hello, my little ponies,” said the Princess.
“Excuse us interrupting, Princess Celestia,” said Spring Glory. “I’m sure you get this often, but I’ve always wanted to meet you in person.”
“I always enjoy meeting my subjects,” the Princess remarked. “What are your names, young ones?”
“I’m Spring Glory.” They each looked at me, then, where I stood fixed in place like one of my statues.
“I... I-I’m... Arc...Archaic S-Smile,” I stuttered.
The Princess smiled kindly at us. “I’m afraid I must return to Canterlot now, but it was a pleasure meeting you both,” she said.
“Oh, no, the honor is ours, Princess!” Spring Glory said.
The Princess looked at me again. “You needn’t be afraid any longer, young sculptor.”
I stared blankly at her, shocked beyond emotion. She smiled again and stepped into her carriage.
“Farewell, my little lovebirds, and may we meet again” she said. Then, her guards took off, and she was gone.
“Sculptor?” Spring Glory inquired. She frowned when I didn’t respond, but I didn’t even notice. “Hey,” she said, poking me.
“What?” I said, returning from my shocked state.
“What did she mean?”
“It... It’s nothing.”
She studied me for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
When we arrived at Spring Glory’s shop, I slipped out of the scarf and tightened it securely around her neck. She smiled, and I returned the gesture, but I could tell she wasn’t convinced about what I’d said.
“I suppose I owe you an explanation,” I said.
“No, you don’t have―”
“It’s okay. I want to.” I relaxed with a deep breath before starting. “In Canterlot, when I was little, my mother told me I should go to the Summer Sun Celebration. She refused to accompany me, though; she said it would be a valuable experience for me if I w-went alone. So... I went, even though I didn’t want to. It was... terrible, honestly. I felt so c-claustrophobic in the huge crowds of ponies.” I paused, saw Spring Glory watching me curiously, and sighed. “As the Princess walked by, she looked at me and stopped. She smiled and asked me for my name, just like she did tonight, but... I ran away. I was so f-frightened, what with the crowd, and I couldn’t understand why the Princess had singled me out. Ever since then, I’ve been afraid of anypony royal... I know it’s ridiculous, but I can’t get past it. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You’re just shy, remember? Nothing to fret about,” Spring Glory said optimistically.
“I suppose.” I smiled, trying to reassure her.
“I won’t keep you waiting, if you’d like to go home.”
“I think I’d like that... a little rest, and I’ll be able to sort this out.”
“I had a lovely time tonight,” she said, jumping towards me for a hug. I loosened the scarf around her neck a tiny bit, and stepped towards the door.
“I wouldn’t have missed the occasion for the world,” I said. I passed the threshold and took off for home, suddenly feeling very weary. When I arrived, I immediately hopped into bed and quickly drifted off into a series of very odd dreams.