2:10 P.M.
So after visiting the disk jockey and the cellist, I decide to just take a stroll throughout town. By now, the townsfolk are used to seeing me and are just treating me like an everyday citizen. I wonder if Mayor Mare talked to the Ponyville residents at all? Or if they're just used to me by this point. Either way, whether the mayor vouched for me or not, it looks like a thousand eyes won't be staring at me twenty-four seven. Which I don't mind really. I'm a theater kid for goodness sake, I'm used to having all eyes on me.
So anyway, I find my way into Ponyville Park. I'm surprised that Rainbow Dash didn't point this out during the tour, but it's whatever. She probably forgot to mention it, no big deal. It's actually not too far away from Town Hall.
The park itself isn't anything too special. It's just a nice, little, communal area with a few benches, a fountain, a gazebo, and a few other odds and ends for a community park. There aren't any swings or slides around though. It's not like the parks I went to as a kid where one would see slides, swings, basketball courts and all that stuff. It's more like those parks that are just for walking and socializing.
I take a seat on a bench that is in front of fountain and take in the scenery. The beauty of the park is really quite sublime. The slender and tall trees surround the area, the occasional yellow and pink flower bush gives the area some character, and the running water of the fountain just tells you the park is both alive and calm. I may be a suburban boy who wants to live the city life, but I don't go out and enjoy nature as much as I should. I would love to go outside more often, but school work is a pain in the ass...
I have a lot of school work to catch up on too! I have missed three days worth of classes and I don't remember where I left off. And trying to catch up isn't going to be too easy. Missing soon to be five days worth of school work is going to be troublesome no doubt. But, I should just go with it, and face it head strong. When you miss something, you have to make it up one way or another.
But I digress, just taking in the scenery is quite peaceful and relaxing. I don't think I have ever felt this relaxed since...I can't think of the last time I was this relaxed. Note to self: relax more often.
I also find this very meditative. I usually have my mind clear when I exercise in the summer time. I focus on that and nothing else really. I just plug in my ear buds, exercise and nothing else comes into my mind.
I just sit like this for a while until I hear hoof steps approach me. To my amazement, it's that teal pony from the other day. If memory is on my side, her name is Lyra. "Hey there Nick. Nice seeing you here," she says with a smile on her face. She remembers my name, I have to at least have the decency to remember her name.
"Nice to see you too...Lyra?" I say snapping my fingers once.
"You remembered my name." She lets out a soft laugh. "Mind if I sit next to you?" she asks, pointing to the open seat next to me. I gesture her to sit down, being welcoming. She places herself on the bench and...wait, is she sitting like a human? Don't ponies lay on their stomachs and tuck in their front legs when they sit? Or at least sit on their haunches?
"Umm…" Is all that could escape my mouth.
"What?"
"It's just the way you're sitting. I haven't seen a pony sit like that yet."
"It's just what I'm comfortable with. I like sitting like this. Others usually keep all fours on the seat. I like to dangle my hind legs and keep my fore legs up here."
"Well...what ever floats your boat Lyra." She smiles and looks directly at the fountain. Probably in some sort of thought.
"So can I ask you a question?" she asks just a moment later.
"Sure," I respond.
"I was wondering if you would like to meet up with me and Bonnie and some point this week?" Bonnie?
"Whose Bonnie?"
"Bon Bon. It's a nickname I have for her." Now I'm up to speed. Well, I have no objections with meeting up with her, but is she going to do more notes on me? "You don't have to worry about me taking studying you." Okay then, she's answering my questions before I ask them. You know what, I think I should get to know her and Bon Bon a bit more. I mean, it doesn't hurt to make new friends. Even if they are ponies. Plus, I can't hang out with the Twilight and the others all the time. I should expand my horizons a bit, aquatint myself with the other townsfolk.
"Sure thing, I'm in. When do you want me over?"
"Actually, we were wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch. When exactly? That's up to you." Okay, so I pick the date.
"Tomorrow, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor are coming over," I think to myself. "So I can scratch off Thursday. Sunday I'm going back, so I can scratch that off. Friday and Saturday are open. Those seem like they are my best bets." Which should I choose? "How about Saturday?" I think that may be good.
"Saturday is perfect! Oh, I can't wait!" She claps her hooves together like they're hands. "It'll be so much fun. Meet up with us at Sugar Cube Corner. Okay?"
"Sure thing."
"So...now what?"
"I don't know. I guess, just relax." Good enough for me. The two of us sit in silence, enjoying each others company for several minutes. Until Lyra hops off the bench.
"Well Nick, it's been nice seeing you. I have some errands I need to run since I'm out and about. See you Saturday?"
"You know it. Take care Lyra." She gives another smile and walks off to wherever she chooses.
I just decide to stay here for a while. But I start to feel my eyelids get a little heavier. I'm not sleepy or drowsy, but I think I'll just close up the old eyes for the time being.
3:25 P.M.
I didn't fall asleep fortunately, but I feel like I did. My eyes shoot open because I feel a tap on my leg. "Nick, ya' there?" a familiar voice says. I look down, and too my surprise, I see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and...an orange pegasus in front of me.
"Oh, hey Apple Bloom, hey Sweetie Belle. How you guys doin'?" I ask
"We've been doing pretty good," Sweetie Belle says. She turns her attention to the orange pegasus. "I told you we knew him."
"Okay, okay, you two were right," the orange one says, annoyed. Her voice kind of reminds me of Rainbow Dash's. Both scratchy and tomboyish. She turns her head and looks up to me. "So you're that human that's been the buzz of the town?"
"Guilty as charged," I say, raising my right hand. "You know, I've meet Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, but I haven't met you yet."
"No you haven't. The name's Scootaloo! I didn't get your name. What is it again?"
"Nick."
"Nice to meet you pal!"
"Right back at ya Scootaloo." She brings her small hoof up to me and I fist bump it. "So what are you guys up to?"
"We're crusadin'!" Apple Bloom exclaims. They're what?
"Crusading?" Please tell me they're not trying to take over Jerusalem.
"For our cutie marks," Sweetie Belle points out.
"If you haven't noticed," Scootaloo continues, "we don't have our cutie marks yet. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and I formed a little club to task ourselves to get our cutie marks." That's cool. A little group for them to complete a common mission.
"What's the name of your group?"
"WE'RE THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!" they shout in unison. Oh God, my ears! As adorable as that is, it is also ear piercing! It may not compare to Vinyl's music from earlier, but yikes! I kind of regret asking now.
"Well, for the sake of curiosity, what have you tried already to get your cutie marks?" I ask rubbing a finger in my right ear.
"Hang gliding was one," Scootaloo says. Hang gliding?! At their age?! "We also tried performing, but that was a disaster." I could've helped with that. "Carpentry." That isn't so bad. "Rounding up chickens." Okay, that seems harmless.
"Well, seems like you guys really do some interesting activities. So what are you guys doing today?"
"We're trying to get our marathon running cutie marks!" Apple Bloom says. Marathon running? "Our starting point is here in the park and our finishing point is Ponyville Clock Tower which is the the other end of town." Another thing Dash didn't point out during the tour.
"Isn't the other end of town more like a couple miles?" That I did know for a fact. The diameter of town isn't too long.
"Beg your pardon?"
"Marathons are usually close to being twenty-six or twenty-seven miles long. The other end of town is probably about three or four miles."
"I told you guys!" Scootaloo says.
"Well, maybe we could get our cutie marks in long distance running," Apple Bloom says, trying to compromise. She turns her attention to me. "Wanna' join us Nick?"
"I would love to! But I'm not properly dressed. Wearing cargos, a cotton t shirt, basket ball shoes and a short-sleeved hoodie aren't ideal exercise clothing."
"Than, what is the ideal clothing for exercise?" Sweetie Belle asks.
"Usually something loser, like half polyester and half cotton for shirts or something with nylon. One-hundred percent cotton, what I'm wearing now, is too heavy. Running shoes are a must. Long distance running in basketball shoes, aren't the best idea. I had personal experiences with that, not fun. Cargo shorts are too heavy too. Polyester shorts are the way to go."
"Humans need different types of clothing for everything don't they?'
"Pretty much. But sorry about that though."
"It's okay. It probably would feel weird if you're not properly dressed for the occasion." I do wish I could go running with them, but I'll tire myself twice as fast without the right clothing. I could go for some sort of exercise actually. Maybe after Cadence and Shining visit, I'll throw on the basketball outfit and do some sort of workout. It'll have to due for the time being.
"Well we're going to get started on our long distance running. See ya' Nick," Scootaloo says. And so, the three fillies run to wherever their starting point may be in the park. I do wonder what those fillies are capable of. What would their cutie marks in the future be? Apple Bloom's might revolve around apples, being part of Applejack's family and all. Sweetie Belle's might be something on the creative side, maybe. Scootaloo, that could be almost anything. I don't know about her.
Well, whatever the case may be, I wish them luck in their "crusading". Finding your talent is a journey no doubt. I had no idea what my talent would be until later in life. But that was only a couple of years ago. It's kind of weird for them to be searching for what they're destined to be at such a young age.
Man, I wonder what the other differences are between worlds. Other than age for your destiny, government, education and...ponies being the common race apparently. I wonder if they got a good healthcare system? Wait, what does that have to do with anything...oh right, differences between worlds.
"How long have I been sitting here?" I mumble to myself. I look down at my watch and see that it's now half-past three. "Twilight is gonna' wonder where I am. I should get back to the library." So I stand up from the bench and start walking back. But as I make my way through town, the friendly face of Cheerliee stops me.
"Hello there Nick," the maroon mare says, chippy as anything.
"Hello Miss Cheerliee. How you doin' today?" I ask.
"I've been well, thank you for asking. What about you? How have you been?"
"I can't complain."
"Well that's good to hear. Listen I have a little request for you?" Curiosity is now striking me all of a sudden. What is this little request?
"Sure, what is it?"
"I was wondering if you would like to come to my class Friday to do a little Q and A with the kids. You know, give them the opportunity to know a creature outside of this world. Er, no offence."
"None taken," I reassure her. "Well, I am open Friday. What time do you need me over?"
"About two-thirty in the afternoon. Would that suffice?"
"That's perfect! I'm in!" I don't need to think about it for a second.
"Really?" I see a twinkle in her eye. She must be real excited.
"Sure, it's for the kids. I love kids!" No lie. If it's for the kids, I must do it...well, I kind of contradicted myself earlier. But this is for the sake of education!
"This will be great! I look forward to seeing you Friday." She extends her hoof and I shake it to seal the deal. "Well, I have to go now, I have some chores that need to be taken care of at home. Ta-ta."
"See you then teach." She turns and leaves to the direction of where her home is and I do the same, except it's for Golden Oaks Library.