I had just red the message the other day. It had been in the mail on the last Friday; yesterday. Guess we should all be excited. The moment we have been waiting for, all these months is finally here. What all these savings had gone to is completed, ready for us to arrive.
“Time to lave our hectic life behind!” I pronounced.
“Finally, I have been looking forwards to going to our new home for ages!” Hitomi exclaimed in excitement as she saw me with the letter, explaining that the construction of our home in Ponyville had been completed.
“Yes, and just in time for our vacation and the summer break for our children!” I responded.
“Then we will have to tell our children too. I will explain it to Chiza, Dear!” she responded.
“It isn’t as if we could hide it. I will inform Yuki!” I pointed out.
As much as one may not like it, but traditions are deeply rooted in our family, like they are with everyone in Edo. I can never deny it, any more than I can stop breathing.
“My son, there is something I have been waiting to tell you!” I told Yuki.
“Yes, Father. What is it?” Yuki responded.
“You see, our new home has been completed, and just in time for the summer. By tomorrow, we will all be busy, packing our personal affects, and everything else!” I put forth.
“You mean; we are finally going to Ponyville? Just as you promised?” he responded.
“Exactly. The thing is, most of our belongings will be shipped out before we go. Your mother and sister will be busy cleaning up our house, once enough of it is out of the way. You need to leave them alone to their work by then!” I explain.
“Yes, Father!” Yuki responded.
“My daughter, there is something I have to tell you. You see, we are finally moving to Ponyville. I need you to help me cleaning our old home before we go!” Chiza stated.
“Really? We are finally going?” the girl responded eagerly.
“It warms my heart that you are looking forwards to the arrival!” she pointed out.
“I know that we all have been looking forwards to this day. Even if it has been nervous to wait, while they built the cottage in the village. Ponyville, wasn’t it?” Chiza confessed.
“From the looks of it, and the description, Ponyville should be just like Osaka!” Hitomi reassured her daughter.
“Could we bring a few of the old family Cherry trees with us? It isn’t as if we can see and care for them while we live in Ponyville!” Chiza inquired.
“Good idea, we have to take them with us, or leave them in the care of others. Maybe these trees could be our family business. From what I recall, they had no cherries in the village, while they do have apples!” came the response.
“Father loves these trees. Although there are a few more items we need to bring with us, in hope of creating our very own home once we arrive!” Chiza offered.
Of course the trip by train had gone well. Apparently they have trains and railroad in Equestria, not too dissimilar to the once we have and know in Japan. They just look strange and different, but what to expect? We are moving to a community very far away from our old home, very far indeed, and in more ways than we had realized.
Strangely, they have a beautiful mountain, upon which they have their Capital city named Canterlot from which thier Princesses rule their land. For some unforeseen reason, the mountain gave a stark reflection of the image of old traditions. Mount Fiji of the old home they had left behind, never to return. Only they had not quite realized that part yet.
The image of the bridge is burned onto the retina of the eye. You see the ghastly ghost image, even when it isn’t there anymore. You insist on seeing it, even when you know, when you have realized the image is a falsehood. After you have felt the heat from the destruction fade, you still do insist on seeing what you know full well is not there.
Taking the train from the big city had been easy, surprisingly so. Going by train is common-place. We have done it most every day. Going by train to work, to family who lives in other cities, or even on vacation. Is this the image that had refused to let go, or an image that cursed us with the balm of oblivion?
Together, we had jumped onto the train, just like any other day. All we carry is in small suitcases and back packs. Just what we need for the trip, nothing more. Everything else had already been shipped of and confirmed to have reached the target destination. Helpful Ponies, future neighbours had apparently loaded it into out home and unpacked our belongings. From what the letter told me, they had made it quite livable.
Sitting in the common first class seats on the train, the balm of comfort from countless other trips, seemingly quite like it. Yet, this time, we are not going back, we can’t.
I had booked beds in a sleeping compartment for the night. Of course, this is when our carriage is swapping trains. I had chosen this in order to make sure we did not lose track of one another, like one could do if you have to change train.
Maybe I am too experienced a traveler for my own good? Either way, once we woke up, the carriage had arrived safely in Equestria. A few more hours and we were to arrive at the Ponyville station.
Of course we had just enough time to have a steady breakfast on the train. Maybe there would be an hour to chat away, speculating as to how our new home would be and how the new neighbours would react on us.
The first few hours of a trip are exciting, you are highly expectant as to where you are going and how it would be when you arrive. Yet, this sensation could only last for so long. Most of that time in the twilight between expectancy and excitement on the one hand, and boredom and annoyance on the other hoof had been spent soundly asleep. A clever ploy on my part, and it had certainly worked like a Charm, just like that expression went.
Having a meal on the train is no problem, we had been used to it an acclimatized to the comfort of a cooked meal on the go. Having our breakfast the same way is no real difference. Although there is one serious difference, they don’t serve traditional Japanese cuisine for breakfast, this is clearly Equestrian food grown and prepared by the Ponies we saw in the restaurant.
The station was just as rustic as I had expected it to be. It is what I had described to my family. What I could never have prepared them for in our old home; Edo Japan, is to see all these Ponies moving around. Just trotting about along the streets on their regular daily business and none to watch over them.
Even after that surprise, there is the shock of all shocks. I could see the one pink mare as she bounced towards the station. The strange thing is that she is exactly on time, as if she had known exactly the instant we were to jump off of the train? How could it even be possible? She had not been waiting for us, or been late just by chance, she is on time. It is the precision of the spark hitting the ignition in your engine, or what the military drill sergeant would refer to as Cadaver Discipline.
“Hiya, I am Pinkamena Diana Pie, but my friends call me Pinkie Pie, or Pinkie for short. I am here to welcome you to Ponyville and invite you to your Welcome to Ponyville Party!” she greeted us in a single breath.
“Hiya, Pinkie. I am Shigure Anon, father of my son Yuki Anon and my daughter Chiza Anon, and husband to my wife Hitomi Anon. A welcoming party? That sounds nice!” I responded.
“I am most pleased to see you, Anons. I figured you would like a party, which is exactly why I am throwing it at you today. Your home should be in perfect order when you get home, so no worries about that, either. You may like to leave your luggage at the cottage, but after that you should be at the party. Every Pony is eager to see you!” she continued, just where she had stopped on a yen, a mere inch from my face.
Her abrupt blurting was taking me aback, old traditions are hard to leave behind, even when you are in a foreign or even alien country. With Ponies where regular people, Humans used to be is certainly an alien feel to it. Yet, they seem to be kind, friendly and having large and warm hearts in just the right place. I guess I had to hand her that much, even when she is an inch from my face.
“Thank you, Pinkie. Would you be so kind as to guide us to our cottage and to the party. We are after all new here in Ponyville!” I inquired in as courteous and friendly a manner as I could muster, not that we are commonly rude, but she is kind of stepping on my toes, and I am in her village; in which case I am uncertain of the customs.
“Okelay, dokelay, lokelay!” came the response as she bounced up and down like a rubber ball, only to turn around and lead us towards the cottage in a heartbeat.
Her warm grin is obviously rather wide, even for a Horse, or Pony. It is still not a toothy Wolf’s grin, even it one would say that it went from ear to ear. A genuine and true warmth beaming from her entire being. Then it struck me, the intensity of her grin is that of one utterly insane and way out there.
“I guess I just have to get used to her!” I thought, looking around for common landmarks as we went, noticing that they all did the same.
“What a lovely sunny day!” I hen burst out after a moment, following her as she bounced forth towards our newly completed cottage.
“The Pegasi of Cloudsdale had scheduled a sunny day, today. Besides, Rainbow Dash does know how to keep the sky clear; I have seen her clearing it in ten seconds flat!” she casually informed me as response.
“They did? That seems rather kind of them. Wait, they who planned what?” I then exploded.
“The Pegasi, as in winged Ponies. You really do need to read up on the current situation here!” she then pointed out.
“That; is a Pegasus!” she pointed out, lifting a hoof from the ground in order to point at a cyan pony in the sky; who apparently has a rainbow mane.
“That is Rainbow Dash, or Dashie, as I use to call her!” she then continued as she continued on the way without missing as much as a single beat.
“Oh!” I hear my family mouth on her comment.
“I guess that explains it, but it still don’t explain how they can decide on which days are to be sunny, and which are not!” I added.
“Finally!” I thought as I saw the cottage that was to be our home, from now on.
“Home, sweet home!” Chiza exclaimed as I opened the door and walked in with the entire Anon family after me.
Once I had cast a glance around the interior of our new cottage and slipped out of my back pack and left everything I was carrying, I went out, only to find the pink mare where I had left her, still bouncing.
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