I often wonder if I will meet ponies again when I write down their stories. With as many ponies as I talk to, there are always some I might never see again, but in all the time I haven’t yet forgotten a single face.
“Plush? Plush Ramen?”
Future Pages trotted over to the orange pegasus mare, smiling gently. It had been several years since he met this particular filly and she had grown into a nice young mare, as far as he could tell. The pegasus gave him a confused look and he laughed. “I don’t expect you to remember me. We barely talked for five minutes. But I still remember you and that Plush you made… Patch Work, wasn’t that its name?”
“Oh, uhm, of course…” The mare paused and gave him a nervous smile. “I don’t really think I remember, Mister…?”
“Future Pages.” He offered her a hoof. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again. Did you ever open that shop?”
The mare took the hoof and shook it a little too quickly. “Shop? What shop… Oh, did I tell you about that? No… It didn’t work out and then I got that other job…” She looked around nervously.
“Are you alright? You seem a little nervous.” Pages gave her a concerned look.
Plush quickly waved off. “Nervous? No, noooo, why would I be nervous. I’m just… in a hurry, is all. Actually, I should probably go and–“
They were interrupted by a loud *pop* as a young unicorn stallion appeared a couple steps away from them. He looked around for a few seconds before he spotted them. “Plush, there you are! What are you doing here, we have work to do.”
“Coming!” Plush waved back at him, then quickly turned back to Pages. “Listen, uhm… Pages, was it? I’m really sorry, but I can’t stay and talk. Maybe if I see you again, but I doubt it. Sorry!”
She turned around and ran off after the unicorn before Pages could say anything else. Not that he would have had anything to say, anyway… He just stared after the two ponies, trying to fight down the feeling of a really bad hunch he’d gotten.
“I brought you your drink. I apologize for the delay, the shop was very crowded.” Night Whisper stepped up beside him, holding out a paper cup with iced tea.
“Oh? Yes, thank you. I was just talking to–“ Pages turned around to take the drink, but paused. He looked at the bat pony, blinked, then looked back in the direction Plush and her friend had disappeared.
“Is something wrong, Sir? Are you feeling well?” Night Whisper gave him a worried look.
“Oh, uhm, yes yes… I’m fine.” Pages shook his head and took the tea. “It’s nothing you should be concerned with. But if you don’t mind…” He sighed and took a long sip from the cup. “I’d like to visit a school next, right after I’ve taken a couple notes. I’m feeling a little depressed right now, and I think watching some children play is the best way to get my spirits up again.”
He took one last look to where Plush had left and shook his head. The feeling he’d gotten was one of the worst so far, and he was very glad that he didn’t know what exactly would happen to the poor mare and her friends.