A day and half before Twilight awoke, the original Friendship Express train had made it’s first evacuation trip and left organized mayhem at the Ponyville train station. This earlier train had brought nearly a dozen patients, and their supporting doctors and nurses plus a sizable number of guards.
Even before the smoke and steam from the cooling train engine had drifted away from the tracks, the most prestigious patient, a large white Alicorn, mostly hidden under blankets, was whisked away via a private covered wagon to the nearby Ponyville clinic. Leaving the remaining patients still waiting at the platform for direction.
Gentle Breeze was one of the patients, standing at the edge of the platform and wondering where she was supposed to go. It was the first time in nearly two days that she had been allowed to be more than a few paces from guards or doctors. “No”, she corrected herself, “I’m not unguarded, there are just fewer of them here than in the Canterlot hospital.” still it was the most freedom she’d had in days.
She looked around the platform, to see if there were anypony she recognized nearby. Most of the faces were very unfamiliar, even the other patients were strangers to her. Then she spotted a blue and white coated pony with a petri dish cutie mark that she recognized. It was Nurse Tender Care, who had given her the second ‘treatment’ session.
Gentle Breeze smiled softly at the nurse and walked towards her end of the platform. Pausing when she saw that the nurse was talking to a strange little green and purple creature which was holding a checklist and was apparently giving out directions. It took several seconds of staring at the creature for Gentle Breeze to identify it as a young dragon.
The dragon noticed Gentle Breeze’s stare. “Hello there!” He said cheerfully, “Can I help you?”
“Sorry” Gentle Breeze told him, “I just never saw somepony like you before.” blushing in embarrassment.
Spike just waved nonchalance, “Oh I get that all the time!” Then he looked at Gentle Breeze a bit more closely, “Not that I can’t say the same. I don’t think I've ever seen a pony shave their coat like that before.” He then stuck out one of his claws, “I’m Spike! Princess Twilight’s number one assistant!”
Gentle Breeze looked down at her own hide with the air of somepony seeing it for the first time. Over the last ten years, she had gotten so used to the shaved look, that Spike’s comment was the first time since the cults spell had been broken that she had reason to question the shaving. She then she very tentatively raised her hoof and gave Spike a hoof bump. “Hello Spike, I’m Gentle Breeze.”
“Gentle Breeze? … Gentle Breeze…” Spike looked down his check list. Then said “I see you, hmm, looks like you’ve already been through the polyfield treatment twice?”
Gentle Breeze blinked, not sure if she should be talking about this with what was clearly a youngster. “Err yes?” she ventured.
“Good, Good. “ Spike said. “According to the plan, ponies which have received two or more treatments are safe enough to get further treatments as outpatients. That means instead of being sent to the Hospital, you’ll be staying with some the Ponyville ponies that have volunteered extra bedrooms.”
Gentle Breeze shook her head, “No! Please I want to find my husband, Red Wood! They said he was on the train with us, but wouldn't let me walk around to find him.”
Spike looked down his list again, “Red Wood? Wow! I’ve met him a few times when Twilight would visit him in Canterlot. Your his wife? Then it’s really great to meet you. Let me see.” he flipped back a few pages and then pointed with his pen to one of the check-boxes. “Oh he was taken off the train already and was sent directly to the Ponyville Clinic.”
“I need to go to the Clinic then!” Gentle Breeze said.
Nurse Tender Care who had been standing by listening to the conversation added, “Mrs Breeze? There’s going to be a lot of mayhem at the Hospital right now. I’m sure you’ll be able to see your husband after they check him in, but that won’t be for a while so you probably should first take care of yourself, that way you can there for your Husband when he needs you.”
Gentle Breeze tried to object, “But…”
The nurse continued, “I have you scheduled for another treatment just after dinner time tonight, but for now you should go and try to get settled in.” She pointed towards a folding desk with some unfamiliar ponies sitting under the shaded porch of the train station. “The Mayor is helping setup housing, she’ll help you get settled.”
Gentle Breeze asked, “You’re going to trust someone like me to wonder around your town? Even after what we did?”
Spike shrugged, “Twilight’s always told me most ponies are good at heart if only given a chance to be so. Don’t get me wrong, there’s going to be restrictions, you can’t leave town, and other than some well watched public places like the Market and Sugarcube Corner, you’ll have to stay with your host family. There’s going to be a lot more guards around keeping an eye on everypony.”
“Oh..” was all Gentle Breeze could say. Even with these restrictions this would be more freedom than she had with the Cultists. Until recently a Virgulinos like her wouldn't have been allowed to leave the Cult’s compound. Virgulinos were given a certain amount of ‘respect’ for the work they did in the Cult, but respect was not the same as freedom or trust.
Seeing Spike turn back to his checklists, and Nurse Tender Care moved off to check on other patients, Gentle Breeze heading towards the table where the Mayor was sitting.
Mayor Mare looked up at her as Gentle Breeze approached and smiled “Hello there. I’m guessing your one of the patients from Canterlot. Please can I have your name?”
Gentle Breeze gave the Mayor her name and had to fill out some forms, which seemed to be some hastily thrown together hoof written notes about the rules she would have to agree to follow. Gentle Breeze looked them over. She was expected to stay within the town, not cause any trouble, agree to be on time to the hospital for all her treatments and to follow the rules of her host family. She signed the papers and hoofed them back to the Mayor.
“Good good!” The Mayor glanced at the papers, then looked up at Gentle Breeze. “Most of the other patients are from the Canterlot guards and are used to roughing it. So I’m sending them to stays in the barns of some of the local farm families, like the Apples or Carrots. But I think you’ll be more comfortable staying here in town. Luckily we have a good number of volunteers who have already pledged to allow victims like yourself to stay with them.”
The Mayor looked over her shoulder to benches setup along the inside wall of the ticket office. There seemed to be several small groups of ponies there. The nearest few ponies were a couple of stallions who were looking back towards Gentle Breeze. The Mayor followed their gaze which was perhaps a bit too forced friendly and lingering on Gentile Breezes exotic body tattoos. She frowned, “No I think it’s better I hook you up with stable family or perhaps some single mares.”
The Mayor then looked further back to the next group of ponies waiting, and spotted a lime green unicorn and her beige colored earth pony friend. “Lyra and Bon Bon? “ She mused loud enough for Gentle Breeze to hear her. “Yes Lyra is very accepting of strangeness, being rather strange herself, and Bonbon is a very well grounded pony. She is very reliable, a good combination I’d say.” In a louder voice the Mayor called out, “Mrs Heartstrings and Mrs Drops?”
The earth pony and unicorn friends quickly trotted over to the Mayor’s desk.
“Yes Mayor Mare?” Bon Bon asked the mayor, while looking curiously at Gentle Breeze.
But Lyra hadn't waited for introductions and was already shaking Gentle Breeze’s hoof vigorously. “You must be one of those poor victims of that evil cult! Wow that must have been so exciting! I wish I had adventures like that! No, that doesn't sound right, I mean I don’t want to be captured and brainwashed! But the risk, the excitement, the fighting! What! Oh no! not the fighting, I don’t like to fight, but well, I mean, you have to know what I mean! Oh! Right I’m Lyra and this is my friend Bon Bon! We’d really love to help you out with a place to stay! And when you’re not fighting off the evil effects of the cults mind control, you can help Bon Bon make candy for her store, or help me with my music in the park! I love to play! Do you sing? Oh right what’s your name?”
During all this dialog Lyra hadn't stopped shaking Gentle Breezes foreleg, nor allow the former unicorn an opportunity to respond to the battery of questions.
Bon Bon had taken Gentle Breeze’s papers from the Mayor and then stood waiting with half lidded eyes as Lyra babbled on excitedly. Once the green unicorn seemed to pause for breath, the candy maker pony interjected, stepping between Lyra and Gentle Breeze, breaking Lyra’s grip and replacing it with a much more gentle and normal hoofshake of her own.
“Sorry, Lyra does tend to get excited sometimes.” Bon Bon apologize to Gentle Breeze, while Lyra stood to the side with a beaming smile and making little squeaky happy noises.
“Come, I understand you don’t have any luggage, so we’ll stop by Barnyard Bargains and get you some toiletries then show you your room.”
Gentle Breeze’s mind was still spinning a bit from Lyra’s assault but was calm enough to understand Bon Bon’s intent. “Oh I’m sorry! I can’t go shopping, I didn't bring any bits!”
The Mayor who had been sitting listening to the conversation, interjected, “Don’t worry my dear, arrangements have already been made, you don’t have to worry about incidentals, that and any medical expenses will be covered by the crown. Princes Luna sent out the order this morning. You three get settled in, remember Bon Bon, make sure Gentle Breeze gets to the hospital after dinner for her next treatment. Bye now, I have other ponies I need to find housing for! And even more are coming tomorrow!”
And with that the three mares were rushed out of the train station and into Ponyville proper.
Gentle Breeze’s mind was spinning, Lyra just wouldn't shut up, but it wasn't possible to get angry at the earnestly friendly mare, even as her babble jumped from one inane subject to the next.
While Gentle Breeze was picking out a toothbrush, Lyra lectured her on the merits or mint toothpaste (her favorite) vs Bon Bon’s preference of Berry Bubble Brand tooth polish. Then without an obvious pause, Lyra changed the subject to the merits of winter mint tea, vs peppermint vs spearmint vs Flanklin mint. And this led to a moving lecture of the value of collectible coins and trinkets.
Around this time Gentle Breeze just stopped listening to Lyra and walked in silence, having realized that as long as she just made a polite ‘ahum’, ‘yes’, ‘go on’ Lyra wouldn't notice if Gentle Breeze was really following along her conversation or not. Whenever she really needed a question answered, Gentle Breeze would ask Bon Bon, who tended to be much more ‘normal’ and ‘no nonsense’ in her short answers.
They showed Gentle Breeze their small house. Most of the ground floor was for Bon Bon’s candy business. There was an extra large kitchen and workroom and the room that normally would have been a living room was used as a tiny candy shop, with it’s own entrance for the public.
Bon Bon explained that while she did make some bits from selling candy to the public, most of her real business was in baking supplies. Her most profitable stock item was a sort of hand crafted donuts sprinkle that was so valuable and sought after that she never shipped it by mail, but rather required any pastry chef that wished to use it, to come to ponyville in pickup tiny tins of the sugar flakes. *(See Mystery on the Friendship Express for more details.)
After being shown the candy shop and kitchen, and invited to sample a few treats, the sweet taste of which was like nothing she had since joining the Cult, they led Gentle Breeze to a small guest room where they let her alone for a while to unpack her only worldly possessions. A toothbrush and two packs of toothpaste, one mint and the other berry flavored.
Gentle Breeze sat on the bed and looked around, more than a little in shock of the change in her circumstances. The small bedroom’s shelves and closet was empty, but there were a number of picture prints on the walls. Mostly of big eyed mare’s playing some musical instrument or dancing. Along with the color mint green wallpaper, Gentle Breeze suspected that Lyra had been mostly responsible for decorating this room.
About half an hour later, Bon Bon knocked on Gentle Breeze’s door and asked if she wanted to go out for an early dinner.
Gentle Breeze’s first reaction was to say no, and spend more time just getting used to being herself again, even trying to figure out what that even meant. But then she remembered that after dinner they could go to the hospital and she might be able to see Red Wood.
“I don’t want to be a bother!” Gentle Breeze replied.
“Don’t worry!” Bon Bon replied, “No bother at all! Saves us some cooking and we can introduce you to some of the town ponies in a nice and calm way. If you wait though, Pinkie Pie will be back and she’ll drag you off to a wild welcome to Ponyville Party! If you rather wait for that, we can put it off until later. I mean Pinkie’s parties can be a lot of fun, and all. But I thought you might want to take it slower?”
Gentle Breeze opened the door and interjected, “No No, I really don’t feel like partying. I guess a quiet dinner works.” Then she paused and pointed along her sides to her tattooed body. “I’m not used to thinking about it, but now that I am, I not so sure I want everypony staring at my naked flanks when I’m all shaved like this.”
“Oh don’t be ashamed of them! Those tattoos are so exotic and sexy! Are they magic? They look like they maybe magic! Oh I know they are special mind control tattoos that you use to entrance and bewitch the minds of innocent ponies to be whisked away secret torture chambers where they would be forced to indulge in every indecent whim of the corrupt Cult leader.”
Gentle Breeze blinked speechless at Lyra.
Bon Bon started to object, “Lyra stop with your five bit trashy novels. I’m sure Gentle Breeze doesn't need that sort of imagery or rumors floating about!”
Gentle Breeze covered her eyes with a hoof and whispered, “Lyra’s closer to the truth than I’d like to admit! You can see why I’d rather not go out like this?”
Bon Bon looked aghast, but softly replied, “Of course dear! No offence meant.” She turned to Lyra, “You have more clothes than I do, is there something you can lend Gentle Breeze to help her feel more comfortable?”
Lyra brightened up at the suggestion (wait is that possible with Lyra?) and dashed off to their shared bedroom, returning a moment later with a piece of clothing. “I’m sure this will fit you!” she said.
With Lyra’s help, Gentle Breeze pushed her forelegs into the shirt like sweater and realized that it had a built in hood, it was a type of hoodie. It looked very well made and Gentle Breeze was surprised Lyra was so willing to part with it. “Are you sure I can borrow this? It looks real nice.”
Lyra laughed, “ I used to wear it all the time, but must be something about it, when I wore it, no one took notice of me. But now that I stopped wearing it, I no longer seem so lost in the background. I’m sure it will be a lot nicer on you than it ever was on me.”
Gentle Breeze smiled in thanks and soon the three of them were wandering around the town square of Ponyville. As they passed by them Lyra breathlessly pointed out the main landmarks of the town.
"Over there is the town hall, a couple years ago Princess Celestia came here for the Summer Sun Celebrations! " Lyra said, then added, "Well she really didn't make it to the celebration, her sister crashed the party. I'm sure you heard about Nightmare Moon turning back into Princess Luna, well we had them all here! Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and even Princess Twilight! Though come to think about it she wasn't yet a Princess then."
"That all happened here?" Gentle Breeze asked, she had heard second hoof stories about the return of Princess Luna but hadn't realized it all happened in such a small town.
Lyra nodded happily, “Oh yeah! We've had lots of excitement here since Princess Twilight settled in Ponyville. “
Bon Bon deadpanned, “Right like the bunny stampede.”
Lyra turned to Bon Bon, “Your so right! The flower sisters didn't recover for a week!”
Bon Bon just face hoofed and then changed the subject, “We’re do you want to eat? Hay Burger?”
Lyra shook her head, “Hay Burger, that fast food chain? Are you crazy!? Gentle Breeze could eat at a Hay Burger's just about anywhere. Let’s go somewhere special and unique to Ponyville. Sugarcube Corner!”
Bon Bon nodded in reluctant agreement, “Order sandwiches and not just donuts this time.”
Laughing Lyra led them into the large standalone bakery that was decorated to look like a life sized gingerbread house. Stepping into the shop, Gentle Breeze sniffed and her nose was filled with hundreds of exquisite, if mostly surgery scents. “Mmmmm” she said involuntarily.
Bon Bon replied to Gentle Breezes reaction, “The Cakes are the best bakers in Equestria. They even won the national dessert competition. Though they also have decent sandwiches and salads as well.”
From the heavenly smells, Gentle Breeze had no doubt that this was true.
Behind the counter, a middle aged mare, with a heavily made up mane that was so glossy that it looked more like frosting than hair. “Hello Dearies!” She said, “Just seat yourself anywhere you find a spot, you know!”
“Thanks Mrs Cake!” Lyra called back to the mare.
Soon they had ordered celery soup and dandelion sandwiches. Lyra and Bon Bon were really trying to make Gentle Breeze feel comfortable and it was working. Soon despite everything on her mind, she was talking and laughing with the two mares as they told her all sort of stories and gossip about the little town.
They were about half way though their food when a tall but rather spindly legged stallion approached their table. Speaking in a high nasally voice he said, “I’m sorry Mr Bon Bon, but I was wondering if you had a moment to spare for me? With Pinkie out of town, we’re a bit short hoofed and I need to get the candy orders in for next weeks bake off.”
Bon Bon smiled, the Cakes were one of her regular customers and bought her candies and sprinkles at a commercial scale. “Of course Mr Cake!” Turning to her table mates, “Lyra, Gentle Breeze? Keep eating, don’t wait for me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
When the baker and candy maker made there way back to the kitchen, Lyra frowned and gave Gentle Breeze a worried glance. “I know that look from Bon Bon.” Lyra said, “Its the look of money. She can get a bit too carried away when it comes to her business.”
Lyra paused to think for a moment, “I really better go after them, just to make sure Bon Bon doesn’t take on any orders too big for her to handle. She’s been known to bite off more candy than she can chew. Will you be OK?” Lyra asked Gentle Breeze, “Just stay here in the shop and we’ll both be back right away.”
A moment later Lyra had squeezed behind the bake shops counter, sliding past Mrs Cake to join her friend in the bakeries business office.
Gentle Breeze blinked a bit in surprise being left alone so soon, but she knew that it was not due to any sort of ill will of her two new roommates. Truth was, she was quickly grown fond of her new friends. So Gentle Breeze spent the time looking around the shop and noticing some of the other customers.
Sitting at most of the other tables were typical small town pony folk. Earth ponies were the most heavily represented but there were plenty of unicorns and pegasus, even the odd cow or donkey mixed in with no apparent stigma. There weren’t any of the guards from the train, either they hadn't discovered the bakery yet, or were still all busy setting up town security.
After a few minutes, Gentle Breeze started to realize that it was going to take longer for her roommates to get back than she first guessed. She considered going behind the bakery counter herself to find them, then a different commotion drew her attention.
On a table in the corner nearest the checkout counter, was three youngsters. Two of them, a orange maned unicorn and a brown maned pegasus were still young foals, while watching them was an older preteen unicorn colt with a red brown coat and green mane. The two younger ponies had just started crying loudly. The older colt was trying to calm them down, but wasn't having much luck. Gentle Breeze also saw that Mrs Cake was looking anxiously at the the foals but was stuck ponying the cash register.
It seemed silly to just sit there waiting for Lyra and Bon Bon, while that colt clearly was in over his head. So Gentle Breeze trotted over to the kids and with a smile asked “Hello there! Anything I can help with?”
The colt gave her a nervous smile and nodded enthusiastically telling her, “I don’t know what’s wrong! They’re not hungry, and Mrs Cake just changed them.”
“Mrs Cake?” Gentle Breeze looked over at the baker at the counter, catching the older ponies eyes, she motioned to the babies and then herself and got a friendly nod in reply.
“Wow Twins!” Gentle Breeze said, “They must be a hooffull! You must be a really great big brother!” to the colt.
The colt looked surprised “Brother? Oh no! I’m just staying with the Cakes for a few days.” Then he pointed to the twin foals in turn. “This is Pound Cake, and this one is Pumpkin.” Hearing their names the two foals stopped crying and looked up at Gentle Breeze curious.
“My aren't you two the cutest!” Gentle Breeze gushed. “But I think you might be bored. Do you have any toys?” She looked up at the colt, not expecting the babies to be able to answer.
The colt thought for a moment, “We started with some rattles, but they threw them on the floor and we need to clean them before I can give them back. Maybe if you watch them for a minute I can go wash them off?”
“I’ll be happy to!” Gentle Breeze replied. The Cult never allowed Virgulinos like her to have foals but she always wanted her own, but also there was a pain there at the edge of her memories that she wasn't ready yet to face. She stopped herself from remembering too much of the time ‘before’ as there were shadows in her memories that were too painful to relive.
“OK Thanks!” the colt ran off, leaving the foals with her. Gentle Breeze glanced towards the cash register and saw Mrs Cake watching thoughtfully, so she gave the baker a reassuring smile and turned to play peekaboo with the baby Cakes.
A few moments later the colt returned and gave the foals a hooffull of rattles and hard plastic rings. The kids cooed happily and soon were playing with their toys.
Gentle Breeze was about to head back to her own table, when the colt sighed and leaned back into the corner of the booth seat. She realized he had no toys of his own, and was a bit young to be responsible for babies, so was probably pretty bored himself. Thinking quickly she pulled out a few folded paper napkins from the table’s holder and motioned for the colt to watch her.
“Ever seen this trick?” She asked him.
“Trick?” He asked.
Gentle Breeze quickly started to fold and rip the paper, rolling some of it in a thin stick, she cut and folded it into the shape of leaves and plants. In short order she had a paper garden of delicate flowers and realistic looking plants. Only their color showed they were made of paper.
“Oh Wow!” the Colt looked at the unexpected artwork. “How did you do that?”
“It’s my special talent.” Gentle Breeze explained glancing at her cutie mark, which was of some wind blown leaves, “I make sculptures of leafy plants and flowers pretty much out of anything. Sometime ago, I used to make all the fine decorations my husband would put on his music boxes and clocks.” Gentle Breeze frowned slightly at the old memory, sculpture was not a talent that she had frequent use for in the Cult.
"Music boxes and Clocks? My dad also makes those, though lately he's been working more on magic enhanced ones. I got a rather ", the colt paused in thought for a second, "strange uncle who gave him the idea and together they've been making these talking clocks with calenders and sound crystals for recording notes." He then looked closer at the paper plants. "He doesn't decorate his clocks with much, but we have an old one of his in the kitchen that has some flower like these on it. I'd bet he'd be real happy if I could make some flower like this for him."
Gentle Breeze smiled, “Of course, let me show you how to make some paper roses!”
Over the next half an hour, Gentle Breeze showed the youngsters how to make paper roses, snap dragons and pussy willows. While nothing he made was as perfect as Gentle Breezes, the colt did made some passable roses, which he gave her. The two Cake babies also played with the trimmed and cut paper, which didn’t result in anything recognizable as plants or flowers, but seemed to make the foals happy.
They had to stop when Bon Bon and Lyra reappeared, the earth pony candy maker looking smug like she was a cat who just ate the canary, while Lyra was just happy to get her mare friend away from business dealings.
“Come Gentle Breeze!” Lyra said, “It’s time to head to the clinic!”
Neither pony noticed the colt look up at the mention of the former cult member’s name. He looked surprised then shook his head as if he hadn’t heard something properly. He opened his mouth as if about to ask a question, then closed it, the idea he was thinking was just silly.
Gentle Breeze turned to say goodby to the children, “Goodby it was really nice of you to help me make these flower...ehh you know I hadn’t gotten your name.” She told the colt.
“Oh I’m Banyan.” He told her.
“Banyan?” Gentle Breeze asked, “That’s a nice name. Well it was real nice to meet you Banyan perhaps we’ll meet again.” She turned and followed Lyra and Bon Bon out the door and towards the hospital.