A morning in Manehatten is rarely quiet. It starts very early with the first hooves of so many ponies getting out of the houses and walking to do all the little jobs that kept a city alive. The bakers were always first, followed by the post ponies. Then they opened the shops, and by eight o’clock, Manehatten was a thriving city.
But all the hooves, going clippety-clop on the concrete, could not quite wake Red Note in his bed. The earth colt would turn and toss in his bed, throw the blanket off, pick it up again, lie on his own foreleg until it goes numb - the general morning routine.
It was the street cleaners that woke him today, way too early for his schedule. With slightly red eyes the colt stared at ceiling while some pegasus yelled at somepony else to catch the falling branches. Those pegasi could not do it quietly and orderly, they had to make sure everypony was aware they were working. Maybe so nopony could claim they were lazy.
Red stared at the ceiling for some time. He could not get back to sleep. So maybe it was a good idea to just get up. As he turned and set a hoof on the ground, there was a little crack, followed by a cold feeling at the soles. Stepped in ink. Again.
The earth colt grumbled quietly as he moved carefully. As always, the entire floor of his one-room apartment was covered in paper. Open books, scrolls, magazines, notes... anything was spread out. He did have a desk. Somewhere. He’d surely seen an edge of it, just last month.
Leaving little hoof marks on the undoubtedly valuable notes and papers, he went on to reach the tiny bathroom. It was just about big enough for a colt to stand in, and generally very nice, provided he was not inclined to turn around or stretch the legs.
Ink is not easy to get out of fur. Red Note’s coat is a bright red, except for the cutie mark, showing a little quill. He often spent time thinking about the irony, since hardly any earth pony could properly use a feather for writing. It left such a bad feeling in the mouth and was way too fray.
Daddy Note, his father, has earned some fame by inventing the dip pen. It could be easily held in mouth by earth ponies and reduced a well known effect among them. Author ponies are still called ‘Blue Teeth’, it has become more of a sticking euphemism now.
As the blue water flowed down the drain, there was a mild crash in the main room. The colt jumped and banged the head on the ceiling. Then he slowly moved out backwards. There was a branch of a tree through his window.
“Sorray,” the yellow pegasus mumbled and then dragged the branch out by the teeth, so it fell down on the street. Sheets of paper flapped around the room and then out of the window, scattering onto the pavement.
“Sorray,” the pegasus repeated and then dashed out of sight.
Red sighed. What an inconsiderate filly... he did not think. In Manehatten, being rude was not just normal, here everypony called it ‘life style’ and was proud of it. Red Note was sure that all the ponies met up at their parties and boasted about how selfish they had been this day.
Well, he wouldn’t know as he is never invited to these parties. That is, except for the little get-together his editor had put up. Red had spent about four hours standing awkwardly by the punch, drinking one glass after the other. The others seemed to have fun. From time to time somepony would suddenly talk to him, trying to get into a conversation about his essays, up until the point where Red realised they had not read even one of them, and generally hat been there for the canapés.
The colt stepped into glass shards as he walked up the window. In the sky, the pegasi were herding the clouds together. The sunshine spread on his face, warming it up. He felt tired. Not because of the lack of sleep recently. Going to bed late and being woken up rudely surely had something to do with it, but that was not all.
A shadow was cast on his snout. Just another pegasus. Oh how they were also getting on his nerves, dashing about in the sky while he had to wait for overly crowded coaches and walk stairs. But once again, they did not even seem to notice. And they were...
“Postage for Red Note,” the grey coated winged pony said. For a moment, Red Note though something wrong with her eyes, but he could not see it clearly as he was given two letters and a magazine before the pegasus dashed off.
All of it fell onto the heap of paper that as his apartment. Unopened letters were not unusual amongst the thick carpet of writings. They never bore any news.
Red Note thought he needed... a vacation. Some time out. He did not know why he just though it, but it seemed very clear.
He’d never had a vacation before. At all.
And he would needed to stay in Ponyville, a Summer at the Apple Family Orchard Pension, with fresh country air, comfy bed in house or barn, breakfast included.
Come again?
Red blinked slowly, realising he had stared at an advert in the magazine. His mind was not that quick right now, but after a moment it caught up with the eyes. And they both consented that it did not sound that bad.
He picked up the magazine and put it onto the bed. Then he took the pen, the ink and an empty letter and carefully wrote down a note for his editor.
They surely can find some other pony for the theatre critics.
As the sun rose over Ponyville, it was definitely the same sun. It’s the same sun for everyone, Pinkie’s granny had told her. The same sun for everyone, and it shines on everyone equally. Pinkie Pie was trotting - or rather hopping - over the market square.
“Hey Applejack, what you up to?”
Being a friend to Pinkie Pie meant eventually getting used to suddenly hear a very high voice in your ear, unprepared. And since she was a friend to every pony in Ponyville, every pony knew to be prepared, so Applejack had only a minor shake-up.
“Hey, Pinkie, buildin’ up the stand.” Obviously. As every Friday and Tuesday. “‘ey, ya’ll busy t’day?”
“Well, duh,” the filly responded. “Am always busy.”
“I mean other than...” Applejack made a gesture with the hoof. “Spreadin’ around the... happiness an’ such.”
Pinkie Pie stared into the sky for a while, then concluded. “No. Just getting apples for Sugarcube Corner. Oh! You have apples?”
Applejack’s eyes narrowed for a second, standing by a freshly opened stand full of apple and diverse apple products. Just as every single Tuesday and Friday. After half a minute of finding nothing but true innocence and honesty in her friend’s eyes, she answered: “Why yes. What a coincidence.”
“That’s great! ‘Cos I need some.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and silently filled Pinkie’s saddlebags. “So that’ll be four bits... But can ya’ll do me a favor? Jus’ a teeny one?”
“Why, I love favours!” the pink pony grinned. Some coins clinked into the box by the stand. “What is it?”
Applejack quickly counted out the change. “We’re havin’ th’ first guest for the pension, comin’ in today. Was supposed ta be yesterday, but train was late.”
“Oh! A guest? I’ll throw a party for them!”
“No!” Applejack shouted louder than intended. “No,” she added in a quieter voice. “Jus’... fetch ‘im and show ‘im the way to the orchard, will ya? Calm and Quiet.”
“Calm and Quiet?” Pinkie Pie repeated.
“All Calm and Quiet. He’s looking for rest. Not for a party.”
“You can count on me, Applejack!” Pinkie nodded and pranced back to the Corner.
Applejack had a slightly bad feeling about this, but who else could she ask? Apple Bloom is just a foal, Big Macintosh was in Appleloosa. Fluttershy would not get out a single word towards a stranger...
Twilight, maybe. But that unicorn’s been stuck up in her tree for days. And she herself had to sell apples.
Though she was glad by now there was a guest at the pension. She needed every Bit she could get her hooves onto - legally, that is. So she could not skip a single market day, either. Just the Pension idea had been as great as it was unsuccessful. Nopony turned up at first. It had been distressing, preparing a Pension and having no guests in the first year.
Twilight had come up with the idea to advertise. And she was smart. Okay, not smart smart, just book smart, but that still counted for something, Applejack was sure. And she’d been a Big City Pony before moving to Ponyville, so she must know how those types roll. Though she said that among the city ponies, Ponyville counted as boring, sleepy countryside. They spent their vacations in Phillydelphia, mostly.
Adverts in Manehatten magazines are expensive. Twilight had helped, that sweetie, but it would be a major setback if that one and only guest would not be absolutely and completely satisfied. And as soon as this market day was over, she will make sure of it.
Red Note reluctantly stepped out of the train and blinked in the light. It was a hot day in Ponyville, but surely not as hot as in the cabins. And they had to stop three times on the road, delaying the entire trip by almost an twelve hours. Considering it is a six hours trip by train, that is simply ridiculous.
Habitually, he was composing a critic of this ride in his mind until he suddenly saw pink. It was so shocking he almost tripped over.
“Weeeeelcome to Pooooonyville!” he heard, then two low pops and a loud tweet. Colourful bits of paper fell to the ground all around him.
Pinkie Pie had done her best to get Calm and Quiet done, so she had settled for just one party horn. The effect was lacking, she thought, as the colt just blankly stared at her. Maybe it had been just not enough for this occasion. “Hello!” she tried again. “I’m Pinkie Pie, your guide for Ponyville!”
Red blinked. “Oh, hello. Name’s Red Note.” He looked around, for somepony to get his luggage. But there wasn’t anyone offering. In fact, except for this filly the platform was deserted. Just like he had imagined countryside. A rural village far away from... anywhere.
He buckled up his own luggage and wondered if five books wouldn’t have been enough for this vacation, instead of the thirty. Though you could never be careful enough, maybe the people around here have never even heard of a library at all.
“The Orchard is just this way, follow me!” the pink pony said and walked - no, pranced - onwards.
Red followed her closely, down the road, passing the village. The dusty way quickly led to an apple orchard, just like on the photographs.
“So I guess... you’re the host?” he asked after some minutes.
Pinkie Pie giggled. “Am a baker, at Sugarcube Corner. Oh! You simply have to come by and taste our cake. I’ll make one just for you!”
“Uh, I guess...”
“What do you do in the town?”
“Me? Oh, I just... write for some magazines. The Weekly Pony, mostly... ufff.” He had ran into the filly that had stopped like dead, from some moment to the next. “Something wrong?”
“The Weekly Pony?” she shrieked. “The Weekly Pony? The Weekly Pony?”
“Uh... yes?” he said, suddenly full of regret.
“The biggest all-topic magazine in Equestria?”
“I don’t know about that, I only do critiques...” He suddenly blushed. Having a red coat, his blushing always went unnoticed.
Pinkie Pie wanted to shriek “critiques?” as well, but suddenly the face of a very displeased Applejack floated up in her mind like apple bits in the morning cereal. Calm and Quiet. “J-just this way, sir,” she mumbled and led the guest up the road and to the barn.
Finally Red Note could get his luggage off the back and stretch his legs a bit. He took a look into the barn and tipped open the door a bit. A chicken ran out.
“Aw don’t mind them, they’re all just silly little critters!” Pinkie said in a high voice. “Just feel like home and I am sure Applejack will be with you in no time.”
“Applejack being...?”
“Your host. She’s all nice, really.”
Red shook his head and walked into the barn, slowly. It had a definite animal smell. Very rural. Very down-to-earth. As natural as you can get without sleeping under the sky. Indeed, surely... he slowly ran out of adjectives. Where was his Thesaurus?
Applejack pulled the cart up the road and spotted Pinkie Pie by the barn. “Is he here?”
The pink pony nodded quickly. As Applejack wanted to enter, she was pulled away and behind the corner.
“What is it?” Applejack asked, mildly annoyed. “Is he creepy? Or what did your mind make up now, eh?”
Pinkie Pie’s eyes went wide and she tried her spooky voice. “He’s a critic!”
“A critic?” Applejack repeated, face suddenly pale.
“From The Weekly Pony.”
“The Weekly Pony?” she shrieked. “The Weekly Pony? The Weekly Pony?”
Pinkie Pie nodded in utter agreement.
“The biggest all-topic magazine in Equestria?”
“Quite. But we have to be...”
“You put him into the barn?” Applejack galloped from her friend into the barn, not waiting for an answer.
She found Red Note leafing through a book. To her horror she saw a chicken on his head, and it refused to move one inch.
“Agronomic... pastoral... peasant,” the colt mumbled.
“Oh, I am very sorry,” Applejack said, shooing the chicken off. “It seems there has been a mix up with the rooms!”
Red looked up. What a beautiful country filly, he thought, and the thought filled his mind like warm, fuzzy lemonade into an empty glass. “You must be... Applejack.”
“Th’ very same. Welcome t’ The Apple Family Orchard Pension, sir.” She groaned slightly as she lifted the luggage onto her back. “Hope ya’ll had a nice trip here!”
“Oh, it’s just getting better and better,” the colt smirked. “What was with the rooms?”
“Ya’ll gonna stay in the suite!” Applejack announced. “It’s just there, in the main house,” she added and pushed the colt out of the barn.
“But that Pie girl said...”
“Aw, dun’ you listen t’ ‘er! She’s just random! Town prankster, y’know?”
“That’s me!” Pinkie volunteered. “A liar by heart!”
Applejack gave her a very sharp look, ushering the guest up to the top suite.
“Just a minute,” she said and poked her head inside. “Apple Bloom, out!”
The filly Apple Bloom was a bit surprised. “But this is my room!” she protested.
“Aww, look at her, she just loves the suite so much. Cos it’s so luxurious, y’know. All the highest standards,” she said and ushered him the way in, ignoring the pouting filly. “Oh look, you have a great view all over the orchard!”
“Oh, yes,” the colt said, slightly confused.
Behind him, Pinkie Pie sneaked up to the pouting Apple Bloom, wrapped her forelegs around the little filly and dragged her out of the room in an instant.
Applejack let the luggage drop to the floor. “If you need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to gimme a ring, and I’ll get it done lickety-split. Day or night!”
“Uh, thanks,” Red mumbled, blushing again. Give her a ring, she said... “I... just want to rest. Calm down, you know.” He forced a smile. “So just some quiet week here.”
“Of course! Anything you want. Feel completely at home.” Applejack slowly retreated to the door of the room. “I’ll have our kitchen crew stirring for your dinner, sir!”
“That’s very nice of you, thanks,” he said. And as the door finally closed, he moved over to the bed. He had some sleep to catch up.
It did not really matter the blanket had butterflies and flowers all over, the book shelf only had titles that started with “The friendly Adventures of...” and “Filly’s First...”. He paid it no attention.
Just as he lay down on the mattress, all fours legs spread apart, he somehow wondered why the words Cutie Mark Crusaders would be written on that wall, just before he fell asleep.
“Pinkie Pie!”
“That’s me!” Pinkie Pie responded, still holding pouting filly tightly. Applejack slammed a cooking hat into her mane. “Oh!”
Apple Bloom gasped for air as she’s finally let go. “I want my room back!” she said. “Sweety Belle and Scootaloo were comin’ over fer the night and we...”
Applejack gave her a sharp look. “Apple Bloom, this is important. Like, really important.”
“I don’t see you givin’ up yer room!”
Applejack hesitated for a moment. “Ok, pumpkin, what about this: You go over to Rarity’s and stay with Sweety Belle for the week and Ah’ll make that extension ta th’ tree house. How’s that soundin’, filly?”
Apple Bloom thought for a moment. “What about the sound equipment?” she asked.
Applejack hesitated. “Fine,” she concluded. “Jus’... jus’ stay outta the way for the week, will ya, pumpkin?”
Apple Bloom sat down on the floor. “What’s so important about that colt, anyway?” she mumbled, then jumped as Pinkie Pie moved up to her ear.
“He’s a criiiitiiiiic,” Pinkie whispered in her spooky voice.
Apple Bloom blinked. “Yeah, whatever,” she said and got up. “Have fun with your... colt.”
As the young filly galloped away, her older sister turned over to Pinkie Pie. “Well, that’ll be that.”
Pinkie saluted dutily.
“Ah know these Manehatten folks. Stuck up to the limit. He’ll expect a full three course meal an’ no mistake. You up to it, Pinkie?”
“You betcha!”
“Good. Do it!” As Pinkie dashed to the kitchen, Applejack added: “And no streamers!”
“Aw.”
Red Note was awoken by a slightly comical series of crashes and clangs, scattering glass and cluttering metal. As he opened his eyes, he noticed the sun was still up and had not moved that much. Maybe an hour or less.
He noticed he was cuddling his face into a plush unicorn. It was pink. He decided against kicking it away and put it carefully onto the cushions. Then he scrambled out of the bed and moved to the door.
Somepony made a noise that had the walls rocking. As if that pony has gone completely crazy and on a rampage against all things kitchen. Red Note carefully sneaked out of the room and down the stairs.
Pinkie Pie looked up from the mess. “Oh, hi there!” she said cheerfully. “Dinner will just take a teeny weeny bit longer and... atchoo.” Black smoke from the oven filled the room.
“Eh, yeah,” Red mumbled and rubbed the back of his head. “I thought you were a baker...?”
“Oh!” Pinkie said and opened the oven door. “Oh I am! And three star cook.” She pulled out a tray of charred bits of bakery, with bare hooves. She did not even seem to notice.
“And a liar by heart,” Red note reminded.
Pinkie Pie froze for a moment. Then she giggled. “Ow, Sugar, that was just a lie.”
Red Note blinked. “Right. I’ll... just walk around, yeah?” Then he thought for a moment, why was he telling that to this pony? He was the guest, he was paying for this! And she was clearly not listening. Not at all.
So the colt walked off and out of the house, over the road. Apple trees. Left and right, nothing but apple trees. This must be the biggest apple orchard in entire Equestria. Or was it? He had no idea. Maybe all apple orchards were this size.
Maybe he should be looking for Applejack? Strange that the host never was around. A gentle breeze set in, and he looked up. Some clouds above, but not too many. And the air was refreshing.
Red Note was tired to his very bones, but he felt slightly refreshed. Ever since he’d been a little foal he had been in the city. This reminded him of the very, very rare visits at his grandmother’s. Sheesh, he thought, that had been even before I’d gotten my cutie mark.
He gradually felt better until he moved into the village. The ground was not concrete, it was simple flagstones. And all the houses were so low. And there was actually space in between them. Space for breathing and prancing around.
And that was the moment when a little filly stared at him and gasped. And then she galloped off, yelling something.
Red Note was very sure: Very single pony in this town was crazy. He felt very weird standing on the central square with every pony staring at him. So very exposed. Piercing looks.
Act normal, he thought. You’re not a tourist, you’re one of them. Just another country pony, on the way to... to... He looked around for the next building with an open door. On his way to this shop, yes.
He forced a smile and disappeared in the shop. Oh. Dresses.
“Oh, hello there! Welcome to Carroussel Boutique!” he was greeted. “Oh my, what happened to you!”
The colt blinked. “What?” He stared blankly at the unicorn.
“Your mane! That looks so... so... and your hooves! Oh my! But don’t you worry, Rarity can help you with that.”
“But I am...” he mumbled as he was pushed forward to a wash basin and dipped in.
“Oh, I know perfectly who you are. But Rarity will help you! You know that’s Rarity, written as you speak it. As in rare. And precious.”
The colt’s breath blubbered on the surface until the unicorn let him get up and gasp for air. “This is really not necessary...”
“No, no, no, I will get you all new, you will see. And it’s on the house. Curtesy of Rarity!”
Only half groomed the colt fled out of the town. Crazy! He had only gotten away because suddenly three other ponies had boasted into the shop and told him he was to come to the Spa instead of getting his mane done by a dressmaker. And then they and Rarity had a row. He knew, when other people fought, they tended to ignore him.
Before somepony else could give him something else for free, he ran out of town. It took him a minute to realise nopony was on his tail. What was wrong with the people here...
He looked up as he heard some low laughter above his head. A pegasus. Oh, sugar...
“They got you runnin’ all right,” the pegasus sneered and landed by him. “Rarity can be so obsessive, I tell you.”
Red smiled. “You telling me... uh... I am Red Note.”
“Everyone know who you are. The only thing faster than news in this town is me!” the pony said and took a heroic pose.
“Oh. And you are?”
She blinked and looked like a high speed cart horse that was stopped by a sudden mountain coming up at the road. “Name’s Rainbow Dash!” Heroic pose. Silence. “Iron Pony? Best Young Flier?” She hesitated. “Future Member of the... Wonderbolts?” she tried with a fading voice.
“Am sorry, doesn’t ring a bell.”
“I... see...” She let her head hang, for just a minute. “But! Now you know me. I know great tricks. Am the Best Young Flier!” He took off into the air. “Just watch it! People should know all about me.”
Red stared as the blue-coated pony took off into the sky. Rainbow Dash. Surely dashed along. He’d never paid much attention to the pegasus news scene. Though he had heard that actually more earth ponies read pegasus magazines than anypony else.
“Did’choo see that! Triple looping during a cork! Hey!”
“Uh sorry, you’re too close,” he said in a sudden strike of genius. “I can’t see it all at once, maybe if you moved more... away, to the mountain side?”
“Yer right!” Rainbow Dash yelled and dashed off, leaving some rainbow stripes in the air.
Red Note shook his head. Maybe a vacation had not been such a good idea...
“There you are!” Applejack shouted.
… or maybe it was fine.
Huffing, the earth pony ran up to the colt. “I am so very sorry, sir, Pinkie just does not know what she’s doing, she’s so random and... dinner’s ready!”
“Uh, is it?” Red slowly retreated. “From your star cook?”
“Sir, it’s just perfect, she knows her business and...” She looked down her nose, as a surprisingly well groomed hoof was laid on it.
“Miss Applejack, why don’t you just bring me a little snack. We’ll have a picnic. You and me, over... there.”
The pony blinked. “Er... right... right! Enythin’ ya want, sir!”
Red watched the pony gallop off up the road. She was really cute. Just very neurotic, but that may be just the environment. And there was this choir singing every time she... wait no. There had not been a choir before. But there was now.
The colt slowly walked up the green hill, quietly. There was a little shed in the middle of the nature. It fitted in perfectly. It did not disturb the nature at all, it rather seemed like it was grown into the hill.
And there was a pegasus pony sitting by a tree. Two dozen birds sung and she was directing them. And it was by far the single most perfect show he had ever seen. Completely silent, the colt took place and listened. After so many years of attending amateur theatre groups, this was... healing his very soul. He closed his eyes and drifted off.
Fluttershy smiled. “Oh that was great, my little friends,” she said in her soft voice. “Thank you all. Same time tomorr-eeeeeep!” She almost fell over, there was a colt right behind her.
And he was snoring. Sound asleep. Slowly she walked up and jumped as he smacked his lips. Nope. Sleeping like a stone.
She looked left and right. Of course, as so many shy girls she’d kind of dreamed about a dashing, stunning stallion just appearing out of the blue, but... More awake. And more dashing, stunning, for sure.
It took her some minutes to get him into the house and onto the couch. “Poor thing,” she whispered. “So exhausted...”
“Fluttershy!”
Once more she got up with a start. She moved to the door. “Oh, hello, Applejack, Pinkie Pie. What brings you here?”
“Have you seen a colt, red coat?” Applejack asked.
“He’s a critic!” Pinkie Pie volunteered. “So it’s critical he’s content.”
Fluttershy stepped out of her house and hesitated. “Uh. No. No, have seen no colt.”
“Ow sugar,” Applejack mumbled. “I swear that boy gives me more trouble than my sis. Come on, Pinkie Pie! He can’t be off too far!”
And Fluttershy smiled to herself as she saw the earth ponies run off to Ponyville.