//------------------------------// // Stadt Ponyville/Colgate // Story: Mister Jones // by Patient X //------------------------------// A long, dusty path stretches in front of the two ponies and one human. The path cuts down a smooth downhill surrounded by trees on one side and a prairie of short grass that was half clover. "So, uh, you both...farm things?" Stan awkwardly asks, trying to strike up a conversation with the two concerned mares. "Yeah, we grow and sell apples and apple accessories.". Applebloom responds, slightly less creeped out by Stan and not noticing the obvious reference to something she just uttered. "Apple accessories?" Stan queries, lifting an eyebrow. "Ya know, cider." Applebloom says flatly, looking at Stan with eyes that say: 'you fuckin' serious?'. "You could have just said cider." Stan shrugs, his combat netting slinking as he stumbles on a dry, cracked tree root. "Ah know what Ah said, dummy!" Applebloom says, jokingly, while giving a smirk. Stan and Applebloom laugh as Applejack gives a really bad fake smile. "So, is it just the two of you living on the farm?" Stan asks, stepping carefully over a startlingly deep pothole in the path. "We've got Big Macintosh, our older brother, and Granny Smith, who usually just sits in the house. Big Mac is pretty tough, so don't get on his bad side." Applejack almost threateningly as the path widens and gives a view of the ponies's town to Stan. Tall buildings with white painted walls and hay roofs dot the horizon. The town ahead is cut off from the path by a thin creek crossable by a low, wooden bridge. Several tiny dots can be seen poking about a group of wispy clouds over the town, slowly dissipating the airborne structures. "This is as far as we can take ya. The library is a giant tree in the middle of town, ya can't miss it." Applejack says to Stan, turning around and heading back. "Wait, didn't you say that I should stay with you two so that the other ponies won't get scared?" Stan queries. "Ah just remembered that there's a few more trees of apples we've gotta harvest." Applejack seems less than phased by Stan's remembrance of earlier spoken dialogue. "A-alright, then. So...just keep heading straight?" Stan asks as Applejack tugs Applebloom behind her by the mane through her teeth. "Yeah. You can't miss it! It's been good meeting you, Stanley!" Applebloom happily says goodbye to the giant, terrifying stranger who she showed directions to. ****************** Stan can see through Applejack's falsified chores. Like when the main six first met Zecora, Applejack had been the more xenophobic one, saying that 'outsiders' like Stan and Zecora were nothing but trouble. At least she's honest about her uneasiness of strangers. ****************** Within minutes, Stan finally came to the bridge separating the town limits of Ponyville and the surrounding rural areas. The very second he steps onto the bridge, he is greeted by a loud gasp coming to his left. Stan jerks his head to see a park bench on the other side of the bridge with a single pony laying on it with a book sprawled across the seat in front of it. It, well she, is about the same size as Applejack, although with a light blue coat and a horn jutting out from between her white and blue parted mane; on her thigh rests an hourglass Cutie Mark. "Whaaat---the hell??" The blue pony reels at the sight of the camouflaged bipedal in front of her, flipping the book shut with a hoof. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just need to get to the library." Stan quickly assures the mare, who scans him with her eyes. "Then, what's that on your chest armor? You gonna throw that at somepony and get them sick?" She cautiously asks, pointing a nervous hoof at the front of Stan's combat netting. Stan looks down to find the plastic bag with the blue flower still attached to his chest. He nervously chuckles and plucks the bag from his chest. "Oh, I just need this for scientific research; that's all." Stan assures the blue unicorn, who nods and begins to open her mouth. "What...species are you? Not trying to be rude, it's just that you kinda scared me!" She stammers fearfully. "It's okay. I'm a human." Stan replies. "Where do humans come from? Like, what country?" The pony asks, obviously referring to Equestrian maps. "It's a...long story." He finally shrugs, not wanting to spill everything about everything to this confused mare, who he knows very well. "I see. Well...welcome to Ponyville." The mare gives a small smile to the human in front of her, unsure of what greeting gesture to use. "Thanks. Hey, I'm a bit lost, can you help me out with some directions?" Stan politely asks the unsure mare. "Um, sure. Where do you need to go?" The blue unicorn asks, hopping off the park bench and stretching her legs. "The library." Stan puts blankly. "Oh, I can show you; follow me." The pony's horn illuminates with a light blue slightly before the book she was holding suddenly flies into the air and rests on her back like a gentle butterfly. Stan's mental jaw drops to the core of the planet. "So, you gotta name?" He asks, although knowing that pony's name. "Yeah, Minuet. My friends call me Colgate. You?" Colgate replies, giving a small smile to the tall stranger. "Stanley. It's nice to meet you." Stan smiles, finally being able to meet his favorite pony. Stan had always kind of had a bit of a fan-crush on Colgate. Whether it be because of the mane-cut, color scheme, name, "or race, he didn't know; it was just that Colgate was his favorite, even better than the main six. Stan's brain is still going berserk over meeting these kind ponies, it's just a matter of time before the excitement comes out. The two set across the bridge, headed for the library, where hopefully, Stan can meet up with Twilight Sparkle and tell somepony why he's there... "So, what brings you here?" Colgate asks with a polite smile as the two pass another pony, who gasps and drops a paper bag filled with groceries. "Long story. Let's just say it's the result of a scientific expedition." Stan replies, letting his gloved hands dangle down next to him. "Ah. And, uh, all this armor?" Colgate queries, doing another once over on Stan's military attire. "Protection. Just in case of wild animals or something." He raises his hands and rests them on his belt, letting his machete dangle back and forward, causing another pony to utter a prayer to some deity and slowly back away. The white buildings slowly become more and more dense as more and more ponies become aware of Stan's presence and either gasp and turn away or follow from a safe distance, watching Colgate and him walk into town. "Have you met anypony else in town yet?" Colgate asks, finally warming up to Stan. "Yeah, I've met Applejack and her sister. Nice people---uh, I mean ponies." Stan shakes his head in frustration, Colgate gives a friendly chuckle. "Oh, I know them. I buy fruit from them all the time." Colgate raises a hoof to wave to a mint colored unicorn friend, whose eyes widen and jaw drops. "We're almost at the library. When we get there, I think I should go on in there first so you don't scare the librarian." Colgate giggles as a massive structure appears in Stan's vision... A tree, as big as a five story McMansion, stands prominently between two large houses, specked with windows and balconies; a wooden door sits idly at the bottom of the trunk at ground level. "Seems like I've got myself a fan-base." Stan jokes, gesturing behind him to Colgate. A sloshing sea of colorful equine surround the rear of the two creatures, the bipedal one looking at the quadrupedal one and shrugging. "I'll let the librarian know you're here." Colgate tells Stan, who gives a smile and turns to face the crowd of ponies behind him. With a massive surge of confidence and happiness, he finally gets the balls to speak... "Uh...howdy?"