//------------------------------// // The Town Greeter // Story: Octavia's Fresh Start // by Graceclaw //------------------------------// Chapter 2: The Town Greeter Octavia sighed. Well, there’s no use in berating myself- I should probably try to find a place to stay. A job would be nice, too. Octavia put on her saddlebags and trotted over to the front desk of the railroad station. She got directions to town hall, and set off. She figured that there was enough time left in the day to at least glance at job and house postings. Octavia walked down the main street of Ponyville, passing a motel and several restaurants. She made a note to herself of the motel’s location so she could return to it later that night. She continued walking, enjoying the fresh air and sights that come with rural life. It’s good to be someplace fresh. Suddenly, a pink blur flashed across the street at her, hit her, and her world was upside-down. “So sorry! I just saw you and was like “OMG NEW FRIEND!!!!!”, thought that you looked like you needed a hug, underestimated my velocity, and kinda...tackled you...Sorry!” Still dazed, Octavia took the proffered, vibrantly pink hoof and stood up. Moderately peeved, she glared at the offending ball of chattering fluff in front of her. “And you are?” The little pink pony smiled broadly. “My FULL name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can just call me Pinkie! I’m friends with everypony in town. I’m sorry again for tackling you. Can you forgive me and be my friend?” Octavia’s glare softened. It was somehow incredibly difficult to stay angry with this odd mare. “Well, I guess I could forgive you this once...My name is…” “Octavia. I know. And you’re moving here to Ponyville to escape something.” “Uhm...Yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to hurry. It was a pleasure meeting you, Pinkie.” I don’t even want to know how she knew all of that. “Okie dokie! If you ever need a friend, I’ll find you!” Octavia shivered slightly and continued down the road more quickly than before. She arrived at the town hall and pushed her way through the doors. Once inside, she cast around for something that would have job and house postings. Octavia walked slowly over to the big corkboard just beside the front desk. As she reached it, a stunningly beautiful white unicorn with a purple mane trotted out of a side office, chatting excitedly with an official looking tan mare. “Thank you again ever so much for hiring me to design your outfit for the parade, Mayor. I do so enjoy working with you in your delightful office. I will come back next week with the completed product for you to try on”. “I look forward to it” was the simple reply. Octavia smiled to herself at the juxtaposition of the white unicorn’s flowery language with the Mayor’s matter-of-factness. As she turned back to the board, the white pony hurried over to her. “Hello dear! I don’t believe that I’ve seen you in town before. My name is Rarity, and I am the town’s resident fashionista. I must say that your bowtie is absolutely adorable! Wait…..I think I recognize you. Do you perhaps play a stringed instrument?” Octavia, who immediately sensed the sincerity of the mare, smiled and said “I do indeed. I was been lead cellist in the Canterlot Symphony for the last four years. I have worn a bowtie like this for as long as I can remember.” “Well that’s simply lovely darling. It looks like you’re interested in staying in Ponyville a while. I would be ever so honored if you would come back to my boutique to have tea with me once you are done looking at corkboard.” Octavia nodded her assent, and Rarity walked quickly over to the front desk, presumably to arrange her followup meeting with the Mayor. Octavia turned back to the corkboard and glanced over the available jobs. One in particular caught her eye. It read: Position: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Purpose: Helps patients by supporting personal hygiene and daily living needs; providing comfort, transportation, and vital sign monitoring. Duties:  Provides patients' personal hygiene by giving bedpans, urinals, baths, backrubs, shampoos, and shaves; assisting with travel to the bathroom; helping with showers and baths. Provides adjunct care by administering enemas, douches, nonsterile dressings, surgical preps, ice packs, heat treatments, sitz and therapeutic baths; applying restraints. Maintains patient stability by checking vital signs and weight; testing urine; recording intake and output information.Skills and Qualifications: Multi-tasking, Medical Teamwork, Bedside Manner, Infection Control, Nursing Skills, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Creating a Safe, Effective Environment, Informing Others, Judgment, Pain Management, Acute/Critical Care Pay: 300 bits/month If interested, please contact Nurse Redheart at (549-271-9724) Octavia recorded Redheart’s number in her phone. She’d contact her tomorrow. Please let there be houses available…. She saw a few that were obviously out of her price range, and her eyes settled on one. 200 bits/month One Story 2 beds/ 1 bath 3585 sq ft/ 0.23 acre Built in 2012 If interested, contact Filthy Rich at (549-271-9725) It’s nothing extravagant, but it’s a place to live, and I can afford it if I work for a month in the hospital. Assuming I get the job… Octavia quickly recorded the contact information for the landlord. I wonder if he and Redheart are married? Their numbers are so similar…. After she had finished, she walked over to Rarity, who was just finishing up at the front desk. Rarity turned to her. “Ready to go, dear? Splendid.” With that, they departed the town hall. As they trotted down main street, Octavia inquired about Ponyville’s music scene. “Well, rather unfortunately, the most popular kind of music here is that obnoxious electronic kind. A young filly by the name of Vinyl Scratch runs a “club” downtown where ponies go every night to kill their eardrums and drink disgusting “energy drinks”. I don’t suspect you ever want to visit that place. A much more fitting musical feature is our resident acapella quintet, known as the Ponytones. I am the soprano singer for the group, and we hold monthly concerts and perform at various charity events. You simply must come to our next one! Finally, there is the Ponyville Philharmonic Orchestra, which is...different. It is, shall we say, faithful to the dictionary definition of ‘philharmonic’. The Orchestra is most definitely not what you are used to, dear, but if you are interested, you should contact Noteworthy.” Octavia made a ‘note’ to find ‘Note’worthy, as it was obvious that Rarity was done talking about the orchestra. The two mares arrived at the “Carousel Boutique”, which serves both as Rarity’s place of work and as her residence. They made their way through the main lobby and into a sort of living room, where Rarity indicated that Octavia make herself comfortable on one of the numerous sofas. She then left to put a kettle on for tea. Octavia set her saddlebags down beside a sofa, sat down, and glanced around. In front of her was a small oak table. There were at least four other sofas in the room, as well as several recliners. Somepony likes her luxury. I suppose it only makes sense, with a name like Rarity. The room was tastefully decorated, and it was obvious that Rarity had spent a considerable amount of time designing her living room. Octavia felt welcome and safe, surrounded by warm colors and what seemed like hundreds of pillows. About five minutes later, Rarity came into the room, levitating a mostly full teapot and two saucers and cups of tea. She set them down on the table and sat down on a chair, positioning herself to face Octavia. Octavia took the opportunity to ask about her host. “So, Rarity, how long have you been in Ponyville?” “I was born and raised here with my sister Sweetie Belle. I set up my boutique and moved out of my parents’ house almost as soon as I turned 18. It was always obvious to me what I was to do with my life. In case you can’t tell, I enjoy the finer things of life, so I make it a point to travel a lot for my work. I recognized you from the Canterlot Symphony because I make it a point to attend as many of their concerts as I can.” She paused, and then ventured “What do you like to do for fun, dear? What do you enjoy?” Octavia smiled and picked up her cup of tea, sipping at it thoughtfully. It was nice to have a friendly pony to chitchat with. “I greatly enjoy music. I have been playing Cello since I was 5 years old, and find it relaxing to practice or listen to beautiful music. If the weather is nice, I enjoy going on long walks. Nature is calming, and the physical activity is good for me.” An image of the park that she and Concerto had walked around hundreds of times before flashed into Octavia’s brain, but she quickly pushed it out. Rarity set down her empty teacup. “Well that’s wonderful, dear. You will find that Ponyville offers many opportunities for relaxing walks. Now tell me, dear, were there any jobs or houses that caught your attention?” Octavia nodded. “There is a CNA position open at the hospital. My parents forced me to go through a 6 week CNA course in the summer of my freshman year of college. They weren’t sure that I’d make it as a musician and wanted me to have a backup plan…” Her voice trailed off as she was assaulted by memories of her parents. She swallowed, took a sip of her tea, and continued. “There’s also a little cottage just outside of town that looks perfect for me. I have some money saved up from my musical career, so I think I’ll check it out tomorrow. I don’t quite have enough for the first month’s rent, but the nursing job and the residual income from the Orchestra’s albums should give me enough within the month.” Rarity noticed Octavia’s discomfort when she mentioned her parents and walked over, touching her hoof with her own. “That’s wonderful, dear. Where are you planning on staying until you have enough?” Octavia tensed up when Rarity touched her, unsure of how to receive her physical affection. “In the motel down the street. It’s not the classiest place, but it will have to do.” Rarity blanched. “Oh no, darling, that simply will not do! We can’t have such a stunningly beautiful mare such as yourself staying in that old place! I have a guest room downstairs. Why don’t you stay with me?” Octavia was startled by Rarity’s generosity, and immediately insisted that she would be perfectly fine in the motel. Rarity would have none of it, though, and she grudgingly let the affectionate white unicorn lead her downstairs. As she thanked her host, she could not help but ask “Are you like this with every new pony? You sure jumped on me quickly back there at the town hall.” “Why yes, dear, I am. I am the official-unofficial town greeter. It is my job to make sure that everyone feels welcome in Ponyville. Pinkie Pie has tried many times to replace me, but she is a little….overzealous and easily distracted. By the look you just gave me, I imagine that you experienced that firsthand.” Rarity giggled. “I suppose that once I started helping ponies, I couldn’t stop. I simply love meeting new ponies, and making their transition to Ponyville as smooth as possible makes me happy. Anyway, dear, just let me know if you need anything. I’ll be upstairs working on the Mayor’s dress for another couple of hours.” As she walked away, she thought to herself I COULD have just lent or given her the money, but that would have been no fun. I get to talk with her more this way. I’m a bad pony…….. After Rarity had departed, Octavia took her cello out of her case and began playing. She let all of the feelings and events of the day flow through her hooves and into her instrument, creating a pleasantly hopeful melody. Everything is going to be fine.