Moving to Ponyville
I woke suddenly in a cold sweat, panting heavily, my eyes darting beck and forth frantically. “Great another nightmare” I think to myself. I look out of the window and see the sun slightly above the horizon, seemingly hovering. Sighing I heave myself out of bed reluctantly. I would have liked some more sleep, but now I’m up so I may as well get on with today’s menial tasks. I wonder what is on today’s ‘To-Do list’ as I walk into the bathroom, dragging my hooves along the carpeted floor.
Once in the bathroom I get a quick shower, and brush my tail. As I begin an attempt to brush the bird’s-nest of a mane that is sitting atop my head, my face becomes acquainted with Mr. Floor, much to my displeasure. It is at this point I remember that I’m a unicorn and thus can perform ‘magic tricks’. “How in Celestia’s name did I let it slip my mind that I have a darkish-red horn sticking out of my forehead and mane?” instantaneously ‘pops’ into my head as I levitate the brush to the tangled mess atop my head and begin to battle my mane in a desperate attempt to tame it.
After finally brushing my mane into what I hope is a presentable style, I head downstairs, passing stacks of cardboard boxes. At the foot of the stairs, I am greeted (and startled) by my pet, a large jet-black bat. I smile and greet him, before heading into the kitchen for something to sink my teeth into. Raiding the cupboards, I find a hoof-baked cake from the Bakery near the Town Hall, several bowls, plates and the like, a single box of cereal and a few tinned provisions.
I feel my tail being moved, as something pushes its way through the hairs. Upon investigation, it turns out to be Mordecai, my bat, burrowing his way into the, now messy, tail that he favours as a roost. Hurriedly finishing my breakfast, I gaze at the checklist stuck to the kitchen door. I was wrong; the tasks on this list are actually rather fun, compared to a normal day…especially during the last few weeks.
Suddenly realising what day and date it is, my eyes rapidly dilate in shock. I should have been up hours ago! I levitate the remaining unpacked contents of my house into boxes and call the courier service. Much to my dismay a grey pegasus mare, with yellow eyes facing off in separate directions, and a blonde mane and tail, appears from behind the ‘moving chariot’. “Not Ditzy Doo, please” I almost groan as the pegasus is a notorious klutz. I load the chariot up with my possessions and ask the pegasi couriers to take the chariot to the Town Hall in Ponyville, where I shall meet them when they arrive.
The pegasi look confused when I tell them that I expect them to meet me at the Ponyville Town Hall in no longer than half an hour. I sigh and gesture towards my horn, swishing my mane slightly and making my horn glow dimly. A wave of realisation sweeps over the otherwise intelligent ponies and they set of at a significant speed. In a flash of dark purple, I arrive in the quaint town of Ponyville, and greeted by a spritely pink earth-pony with the most tangled mane I have ever seen feel welcome already. “The girls at the mane-stylist in Manehattan would have loved to play with that.” I think to myself in soliloquy, unconsciously letting out a small giggle while the pink mare gazes intently at me, looking a little confused at why I giggled but ecstatic all the same.
“Hi, I’m Phantasma Eeria,” I utter formally, introducing myself “What did you say your name was? I didn’t quite catch it while you were quickly giving me a verbal tour of this marvellous town”
“I’m Pinkie Pie, and you must be new here because I know everypony in Ponyville and I’ve never sever seen you before, where are you from? Do you like Cupcakes? Have you seen a toothless alligator around here anywhere, because I lost him and my Pinkie Sense tells me he’s around here somewhere, so I’m looking for him?” Pinkie Pie replies.
“You are correct, I am new to Ponyville, I am moving here from Manehattan, and I’m currently due an appointment with the Mayor which I absolutely must attend. To answer your questions yes I do like cupcakes, they are the best confectionary product I know of, no I haven’t seen any alligators sorry, but I will keep an eye out for him and bring him to you if I find him, where do you live, and Pinkie Sense?” I say, giving the keen mare a small grin as I finish.
“I live at Sugarcube Corner; just follow the smell of cakes and milkshakes. In addition, Pinkie Sense lets me know what is going to happen, for example, folks around here know that if my tail’s a-twitching you need to get under cover, because it means something is going to fall. Sometimes, I get a bunch of different signals I call them Combos.”
“Do you mean Combos as in Combinations?” I ask inquisitively
“Yes indeedely” Pinkie Pie replies shortly afterwards.
“Pinkie Pie, unfortunately I must be going, as I must get to my appointment with the Mayor as it entails my housing arrangements and the like, It was delightful meeting you and the knowledge that I have a friend in this strange new environment is uplifting. I look forward to our next meeting, perhaps we could chat, while having a cupcake and milkshake, and you could introduce me to some of your friends” I say apologetically at first, before my tone changes to a more cheerful one.
“Okey-Dokey-Lokey” Pinkie replies delighted that she has made yet another of her friends smile.
After heading into the Town Hall, I ask a beige, grey-maned, bespectacled mare with a scroll as a cutie-mark where I can find the Mayor’s office. The mare kindly informs me that she in-fact is the Mayor of the small town. I apologise multiple times explaining that I am new in town, and the only correspondence between the two were via hoof-written written letters. The Mayor fully introduces herself and tells me that all is forgiven, and that she was just about to see if I had arrived yet. I had made a point about being here at a specific time in a previous letter to the mare that was growing on me as a lead in Ponyville’s political and organisational affairs, and a friend.
As we advance towards the Mayor’s office, the conversation turns to idle the idle chitchat that would be expected from two newly acquainted ponies. The beige mare asks me whom I have met while I have been in Ponyville, and without thinking, I reply, “An excitable pink mare named Pinkie Pie”. Mayor Mare chuckles a little and tells me that Pinkie is the best party pony in Ponyville, and that if ever a new pony comes into town Pinkie will be there to throw a welcome party for them. When we finally reach the politician’s office, I feel a warming sensation throughout my body, as I realise that everypony (more or less) is incredibly polite, sincere, and kind.
Upon entering I am greeted with a mahogany desk, an excellent view, and a homely ambience emanating from the very being room. I sit in one of the leather chairs in front of the desk, and the Mayor takes her seat behind the mahogany centrepiece. The meeting I desired to get through is finally underway as we finally come to the matter at hoof, my housing arrangements. After ten minutes of discussing formalities, mortgage policies, the neighbours and the availability of help, Mayor Mare gives me the leasing document which I sign and initial elegantly (if I do say so myself) before returning it to the bespectacled mare. With all the documents and legal wavers signed and filed, I receive the keys to, and address of my new house.
As I exit the building the chariot from Manehattan arrives, and I tell the ponies pulling it to follow me to the final destination of the job. Leading a troop of pegasi, I advance towards the address given to me and quickly notice the aroma of cakes, and realise that I must be near Sugarcube Corner. As I search for a sign bearing the street’s name, I bump into Pinkie Pie. She greets me and asks me where I am going with the pegasi behind me. Happily explaining the situation, I remember that I still do not know where I am heading, so I ask Pinkie if she can show me the way, and hand her the slip of paper with my new address on it.
She agrees and looks at the paper, before almost screaming “Oh My Gosh! We’re going to be neighbours! This address is right next to Sugarcube Corner!” Astonished at this, I ask her if she is certain of that fact. Pinkie responds by telling me that she knows Ponyville like the back of her hoof and that my new address is “100% absolutely certainly right next to Sugarcube Corner”. Smiling I follow Pinkie who is bouncing along happily. A purple alicorn mare calls out “Hiya Pinkie, What are you doing?” to which Pinkie responds cheerily “Hi Twilight, I’m showing the new pony where her new house is”.
I look more carefully at the alicorn and recognise her from the fashion week in Manehattan. “You’re Princess Twilight Sparkle, aren’t you?” I ask both curiously and abruptly.
“Yes I am, but if you’re new, how did you know?” Twilight replies. “I saw you in Manehattan a short while ago; can I ask you a question?” I answer. The admirable alicorn mare responds, “I see, and yes you may ask me a question any time, within reason”.
“Do you know why the majority of the blank flanks in Manehattan are running around in capes shouting ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders!’?” I ask kindly.
“I can think of three reasons” Twilight Sparkle replies.
I request that Twilight elaborates, and she says three names, ‘Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’, which mean nothing to me. Twilight explains that they are three fillies without their cutie marks, who founded a club called the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ about a year ago and have been causing a large amount of mischief in Ponyville. She proceeds to tell me that when Apple Bloom’s cousin Babs Seed visited Ponyville, they swore her into their club, and asked the new initiate to set up the Manehattan branch.
I look at Twilight with an expression of understanding adorned on my face, and ask her if she would like to join me for a cupcake and milkshake, so we can get to know each other better. Sadly, she declines as she needs to find her assistant, Spike the dragon. “A dragon?” I exclaim with a shocked expression.
“Yes, Spike is a Dragon. I’m surprised you didn’t know, he lit the fire at the Equestria Games, and ended up saving hundreds of ponies from a giant iceberg” Twilight says politely.
“I missed the Equestria Games as I was unfortunately incapacitated from an accident involving a steel girder and my skull” I reply, embarrassed.
Twilight grimaces, and then tells us that she really must be going, and offers to meet up with me at a later date when she isn’t as busy, which I kindly accept, telling her I look forward to it. I turn to face Pinkie and suggest we set off again as the pegasi look frustrated. The pink mare agrees and bounces towards our destination at an alarming pace, causing me to have difficulty keeping up with her. When we arrive the scent of cakes is overwhelming, and I subconsciously inhale deeply, licking my lips as I imagine the variety of delicious treats.
“So this is my new house?” I say looking at the building adjacent to the confectionary shop. Pinkie nods her head numerous times in quick succession, and asks if she can come in. Surprised at how helpful she is being, I gaze blankly at her for a few seconds before regaining my composure, getting the key out of my bag and unlocking the door, and gesturing that she comes in for a little while with the pegasi. The pegasi unhook their chariot and walk, single file, into the building taking a quick look around and whistling before complimenting my choice in housing, to which I humbly tell them that the Mayor was the one who decided where I was housed.
I ask the movers to unlock the chariot so I can start unpacking and they can be on their way. As the lock clicks open, and the door slides up to the roof of the container, I begin to levitate a few boxes and bring them into my house. Much to my amazement, several boxes of my stuff has been brought into the foyer of my house, and a couple have been emptied. Pinkie bounces up to me balancing several kitchen utensils on her muzzle.
I thought you might need some help” she says gleefully before bouncing off and tossing the utensils into several drawers. I smile at her happily, and start unpacking the boxes as Pinkie Pie brings them into the house, singing ‘Smile, Smile, Smile’ as I do so. As I begin the first line, Pinkie recognises the song and sings along, bouncing as she does so. We finish spectacularly singing “Smi~ile, come on and smi~ile, come on and smile” and Pinkie begins to laugh, and due to the contagious nature of the laugh I begin to laugh too. “How did you know my song?” Pinkie asks out of blatant curiosity. I explain that shortly after leaving Ponyville, a pony named Cheese Sandwich came to Manehattan and threw the best party the city had ever seen.
As Pinkie tells me about the party Cheese Sandwich threw in Ponyville, three heads appear in the doorway, towering, one atop another just shy of the middle of the doorframe. I turn to finish unpacking the final box and see the three disembodied heads in the doorway, and ask the three ponies, who are evidently not fully grown, if they would like to come in. The young ponies semi-cautiously walk through the door. All three appear to be fillies. One is a light yellow, with a red mane topped with a purple bow; the second has a brilliant white coat, purple mane and a voice that squeaks occasionally; and the third walks in with her chest protruding proudly, her orange coat glimmering and her purple mane bouncing as she struts into the room behind her friends.
“So what do you three delightful fillies call yourselves?” I ask smiling sweetly at the adorable fillies that have recently crossed the threshold of my house. “Ah’m Apple Bloom, and that there’s Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, mah friends” the yellow pony, known as Apple Bloom says. Before she can continue I ask “I take it that you are the fillies who started the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the cause of the vast majority of the blank flanks in Manehattan running around shouting ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’, then the name of the profession based around the task they are attempting to perform.”
Sweetie Belle asks me how I know so much, and to answer I relay what I learned from Twilight unto the listening fillies before asking if they would like a cupcake and milkshake. The result is a unanimous ‘Yes, Please’ from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, I ask Pinkie if she wants to join us and she accepts. On the way out, I remember the pegasi that brought my belongings to Ponyville in the first place. I call to them as they prepare to set off and give them 20 bits each for their troubles and keeping them waiting while I talked to Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. After the rigmarole of moving was over and done with Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and entered Sugarcube Corner for a cupcake and milkshake each.
I ask the three fillies accompanying which cupcakes and milkshakes they would like. Scootaloo asks for a chocolate cupcake and the same flavoured milkshake, Apple Bloom asks for a butterfly cupcake with pink icing and a vanilla milkshake, and Sweetie Belle asks for a simple cupcake, and strawberry milkshake. I ask the Crusaders to find a table and trot up to the counter to order the cupcakes and drinks and, greeted by a blue mare with a pink icing shaped mane, request the drinks and cakes for the fillies and I Pinkie Pie orders something for herself. As she reaches to pay for her order, I hold up a hoof and tell her that I will pay for her, as a thank you for being incredibly friendly and helpful. Mrs. Cake adds the cost of Pinkie’s food to my bill and tells me that I need to pay her 47 bits. I reach into my saddlebag and pull out my money, and quickly counting the coins in my head I hand the baker 50 bits and tell her to keep the change, as a small gift from her new neighbour. Mrs Cake smiles at me and bids me good day and good luck in my ventures.
I smile at Mrs. Cake before levitating the food and drink and going to the table that the Crusaders picked out and sitting down with our orders. I hear taunting, directed at the fillies accompanying me, coming from the entrance to the sweet shop and stealthily sneak behind the two fillies sauntering into the bakery. One of the ponies taunting the Cutie Mark Crusaders remarks “Who was the mare you were with? She seems so stupid and messy”.
“I hear she also has excellent hearing and is very good at getting wherever she wants without being seen” I retort to the cocky young pony that appears to be only slightly older than the Crusaders.
“Wha? Where did you come from?” the filly screams.
“I’ve been behind you since you walked into the shop” I reply smirking.
The insolent young pony glares at me while the fillies at the table smile heartily. I inspect the ponies that were, until recently, insulting the Crusaders and myself and notice that they each have a cutie mark that shows an incredibly obscure talent. I call them out on it and they are both speechless at this. The one with the cutie mark of a diamond tipped tiara threatens to get her dad, to which I retort “If your dad is who I think he is, I think he will believe his most common customer, I frequently buy products en-masse from him personally, in fact we get along rather well”. The pink filly glares at me one last time before leaving angrily.
“Do you really know Filthy Rich?” Scootaloo asks politely.
“No my little pony, I lied, however I hate bullies and will not stand idly by while a pony I care for is subjected to torment for being free and full of potential, after all, I am still a blank flank” I reply. The ponies at the table look at me curiously. “What?” I ask. “Phantasma you aren’t a blank flank, you have a cutie mark…” Pinkie answers. I look at my flank, emblazoned upon it is a purple ball, with a dull red border that is only a few shades darker than my coat.
“Oh WOW, when did that appear?” I exclaim causing several heads to turn and face me disapprovingly.
The Crusaders look at me almost in disbelief when I tell them that I honestly didn’t know that I had a cutie mark. They tell me that they find it hard to believe that a fully-grown mare didn’t have her cutie mark. I give them a sincere look and say that I didn’t have one, and that I would have noticed if there was a big purple ball on my flank. I rub at the mark to see if it will come off, but it doesn’t. It seems that I have convinced the Crusaders as they say that they believe me, and ask if I can help them get their cutie marks. I tell them that I will try but it may take some time.
Having finished our drinks and such, the five of us leave the shop as the ponies accompanying me decide to take me on a tour of the town. As we leave the shop a light blue, blur rushes past me leaving a rainbow streak behind it. The blur loops round and lands in front of us. “Hiya Pinkie” says a blue pony with a feminine voice, rainbow mane and tail and a cloud with a rainbow coloured lightning bolt as a cutie mark. “Hi Rainbow Dash” Pinkie responds. Rainbow Dash asks Pinkie who I am, and what we are doing, at which I step into the conversation. “Hi I’m Phantasma Eeria, I’m new here, you see I just moved from Manehattan and Pinkie Pie and these three fillies were about to take me on a tour of the village, and let me guess, your name is Rainbow Dash. I take it your talent is flying very quickly” I say to Rainbow.
Rainbow Dash looks at me curiously and asks how I know what her talent is, I reply by telling her that her name hints at it and her cutie mark also shows it as well. I proceed to ask whether she is part of the weather team. Rainbow’s jaw literally hits the floor when I ask this, and she stutters when trying to ask how in Celestia’s name I know all of this information. I simply point out the cloud on her flank and the mess my mane is in, when I suddenly remember Mordecai. I quickly turn and moving the hairs in my tail, find that my bat is no longer in my tail. I frantically as Pinkie if she has seen a jet black bat anywhere, but she just giggles.
I tell the giggling pony that I’m being serious and that my pet has gone missing. Rainbow Dash facehoofs and tells me to check on my head. Reaching up my hoof comes into contact with something small and sleek, with webbed wings. The creature hops onto my hoof and I lower it and see Mordecai. I roll my eyes and lift him back up to my mane, and he hops back into it. I turn to Rainbow and ask if she would like to join Pinkie, the fillies and I as they show me around the village. She accepts, with a mischievous glint in her eye.
As we wander around Ponyville, I ask questions about the history and goings on around the town. I learn all about the incident with Nightmare Moon and other escapades of Pinkie Rainbow, Twilight and their friends. As Pinkie tells me about the second magic duel between ‘The Great and Powerful’ Trixie and Twilight, I bump into a yellow pegasus mare accidentally knocking her to the floor. I rush to help her up, apologising profusely and giving her several bits as an apology. The canary yellow pony smiles shyly at me, and thanks me quickly. I ask what her name is, and she replies “my name is Fluttershy” trailing off as she says her name. “Oh, so you’re Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie was just telling me how you helped your friends defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord. You were very brave, especially when you faced the dragon threatening to cover Equestria with smoke.” I say sincerely. Fluttershy whimpers and cowers slightly; I extend a hoof and tell her I didn’t mean to scare her and proceed to introduce myself.
Fluttershy asks me why I’m in town, to which I answer that I have just moved here from Manehattan, and Pinkie Pie, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Rainbow Dash are showing me around Ponyville. I ask the pony, whom I have been recently acquainted with, if she would like to join us, however she declines as she has to take some critters to a safe area, as their houses were flooded during the rainy season. I nod and tell her that it would be a disaster if the poor little critters had nowhere to go, before adding that I take great care of my pet, assuring his wings are healthy, his fur isn’t matted and nothing is wrong with his echolocation. Fluttershy’s gaze drifts briefly upwards and her demeanour changes as she sees Mordecai. She seems to have lost all of her shyness; Pinkie had told me that she did that when she met Twilight and Spike, but it was another thing to see it first hoof. From what Pinkie has told me about her friends, the only ones I haven’t seen are Applejack, and Rarity.
As Fluttershy leaves, I turn to Pinkie and tell her that I really hope that I didn’t leave a bad impression on Fluttershy; I don’t want to make any enemies while I’m here, and I wish to stay here as long as possible. I request that we continue onwards through Ponyville. We continue to walk around the town and Pinkie tells me all about it, we come to the Carousel Boutique, or at least that’s what Pinkie called it. An aquamarine pony with a lyre as a cutie mark exits the building saying over her shoulder “Thanks for the dress Rarity”.
“Did she just say Rarity?” I ask Pinkie.
“Yep” reply Pinkie and Rainbow Dash simultaneously.
“May we go in? I would rather like to purchase a dress” I request. To my surprise, everypony except Rainbow Dash says ‘sure’ (or words to that effect). When we enter the Carousel Boutique, we are met with a scene entailing several fabrics, mannequins, gems, scissors, and threaded needles moving around the room. In the eye of the storm is a white unicorn, with an expertly coiffed main and tail, and three diamonds as a cutie mark. Pinkie shouts “Hiya Rarity” causing the unicorn at the epicentre of the levitating crowd of objects to lose their focus. Time seems to advance in slow motion, as the mannequins bearing priceless gems, expertly crafted into dresses, hover in mid-air before falling. Reflexively I focus my magic and catch the dress bearing mannequins an inch above the floor, carefully setting them down.
The vacant mannequins hit the ground with a resounding crash, and the unicorn looks around, inspecting the fallout of the disturbance. She notices that her current works are stood up in a perfect line, all facing the same direction, except for the last one. She starts to channel her magic, but before she can rotate the mannequin, it is enveloped in a dark purple shroud and aligned with the others as she stares at it. “Wha?” escapes the designer’s lips, causing her to turn around and see if anypony is behind her. I wave at the pony whose projects were nearly dropped onto the floor and possibly damaged. Because I am the only other unicorn in the room, it is highly unlikely that the pony known as Rarity doesn’t know who saved her dresses.
“Thank you darling, however may I repay you?” Rarity asks.
“I am hoping to be able to purchase a new dress and having seen your designs during fashion week in Manehattan, I would love for you to design it, darling” I reply, applying emphasis when I say ‘I would love for you to design it’.
The designer looks at me, in a way that implies that she is thinking about something. “Ok, I will get to work on your dress, and I insist that you do not pay for it darling, as a thank you for preventing my new line of couture being strewn across the floor.” Rarity states, her demeanour suggesting that she will not take any arguments from me. I stutter as I did not expect Rarity to say what she did. I accept the offer reluctantly as I feel that I should pay for it, before we leave Rarity takes my measurements, and I ask if there is any way I can help around the shop. She tells me that if she needs any help with anything, she will ask. I bid her adieu and we leave the shop. Mordecai fidgets in my mane before hopping onto my ear and preening his wings.
After leaving Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, we come to the final part of the tour, as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, the Crusaders, and I see the roof of Sugarcube Corner towering above the rest of the houses in the vicinity. Having come full circle, I ask the girls accompanying me if they would like to come into my house for a cup of tea and maybe some sandwiches. Rainbow reluctantly agrees after a horrific noise is heard, caused by Rainbow Dash’s stomach. The others more than happily agree to come in, and thus I open the door and allow my five guests to enter before I do. As I cross the threshold, I hear “Erm…Hello…If it’s alright with you…I’d like to…never mind”. Turning around I see Fluttershy turning and shying away. “Would you like to come in for a drink Fluttershy?” I ask the shy pony. “Oh…ok…I guess” responds the canary yellow mare.
As I give each of my guests their drinks, talk turns to why I moved to Ponyville, and how long I will be staying for. I explain that I moved here because I was born in Ponyville, and lived here for a few years, before moving to Manehattan, and that I was starting to feel ill due to the bustling city, so I moved here primarily to get away from all of that. Scootaloo asks why I needed a tour of the town if I lived here, and I tell her that it was over 15 years ago that I lived in Ponyville, because I was only a filly when we moved to Manehattan. I add that unfortunately my parents are no longer with us. The addition causes a sweep of empathy and sympathy to wash over the crowd. I tell my guests that I didn’t really know my parents when they passed on, and that I was living with my gran for the majority of my time in Manehattan.
We finish our drinks and sandwiches. Afterwards I learn a large amount about the ponies sat around my table, such as the fact that Scootaloo has been banned from King Pin’s bowling alley, and that Rainbow Dash is the only pony that can perform a sonic Rainboom, and did so in the middle of saving the Wonderbolts from a falling Rarity. As the sun sets, I bid farewell and good night to my new friends and look around at my new home before walking into the bedroom, unbuckling my saddlebag, getting under the covers and falling asleep.
Today was a good day, who knows what tomorrow will bring?