Ever had a stage-fright? That beginning of many awful experiences; legs trembling as jelly as you climb atop of the wooden stage, and that feeling of sudden self-conscious as people focus on you. The words which you stumbled and stuttered as you try to introduce yourself, and what you’re about to do. I had. Terry had. Mine went numbingly swimmingly, while Terry had done a fine good job dancing until he tripped.
Both weren’t a pleasant memories, doubly so when I could feel Lil’ Terry’s shame and fear as if it was my own, but they were the memories I correlated immediately after minutes being stared in awkward silence since my introduction.
When people encounter a problem, they usually try to find an alternative to get past or solve them. In the case of my stage-fright, I simply kicked shame in the ass and just march along with whatever I was doing. In Terry’s case, he shunned himself and picked up a new passion to pursue.
Of course, when the audience suddenly transformed themselves into a sapient alien species, those alternatives wouldn’t work at all. And such was my situation, legs locked on the dirt ground as I did my best in statue impression with my arms crossed over my chest, and a large grin that would twitch every now and then.
Seconds were used to introduce myself in a very Terrious Manner, and I immediately regretted that choice. Refuge in audacity, they say! And now here I was, back to square one, holding a completely unfair staring contest with these ponies. Indecision was prominent on their face, and I’d argue the same for me. I wanted to say something, break the silence for whatever it was worth, but I couldn’t. It didn’t help when I note that they had wings or horn on them. True, it’s not the most shocking thing to receive, but it’s still shocking nonetheless.
The Terry in me—and ain’t that weird—gave the picture of curling in fetal position. A picture flitted by me; a large old balding man, staring at me in an indecipherable look. Belatedly, I realized that it was when Terry first introduced himself to Brad. Boisterous and loud. Just like how I was doing it now to these equines—ponies? That definitely sounds better.
I pushed the picture away, and my eyes twitched as I swept them across the ponies. After a while, they stopped to one particular pony; to be specific, the one who had greeted me earlier. It—she? He?—stared at me with the same indecision, but I could see the slight clinical contemplation in its blue eyes. It wasn’t hard to read it, really. These ponies were projecting their feelings like many child-focused cartoon character would.
It had a relatively short platinum blonde hair—mane?—spanning down halfway to its neck, and tied in a ponytail—heh—with the same done to her shorter tail. Its coat was honey orange, and I could see muscles despite its fur. Oddly enough. Aside from that, there’s a saddlebag hanging on her back—and that rhymed!
It looked up from whatever it was thinking, and I found my eyes locked with its large green eyes. There’s a moment of silence, then the pony smiled confidently and nodded to itself. Without breaking a moment, the pony strode forward until its snot was just a few centimeters away from my stomach—not too large, these ponies. To be honest, I was half-terrified and glad at its initiative. I didn’t know how much long I could hold the awkward silence.
Its hoof reached into her saddlebag, and pulled out what I could comprise as a hat. A blue police hat with the picture of two winged-unicorns—one dark and the other light—rotating around what seemed to be a vertically positioned pair of the sun and the moon. The hat fit snugly upon the pony’s head.
Reaching up to me, it rested its hoof upon my chest. It did a little feminine coughs that sounded too adorable than it should. And then it–she spoke. “Greetings, Elliot Hintz!” She cheerfully exclaimed, making sure that all ponies in vicinity could hear her. “While it is unusual to receive a visitor from another species, one that I came out of nowhere and I haven’t heard about, I welcome you to Charm Town!”
I blinked. For some other reason, despite the mare’s—is that the right term?—totally awkward welcome, the undercurrent tension within the air seemed to dissipate almost immediately as the ponies around us relaxed. I could even hear some chuckles around us as they returned to whatever it was they were doing before I stumbled here, and only a few lingered to watch us.
The police-mare smiled pleasantly to me. “Would you like a tour on our town, Elliot Hintz?”
I blinked at her offer, and then nodded. For some reason, I felt that it was less of an offer, and rejecting it would be an act of futility. Not that I was planning to refuse her offer, mind. “Yes, and just Elliot, please.”
She nodded, finally pulling her resting hoof back on the ground. “Then you can call me Vale,” with that, Vale turned around and I followed as she walked.
Charm Town, true to its name, was indeed a charming town. Picturesque houses made of unknown wood and painted in pleasing colors littered on both sides of the dirt road. Some were different than others, proprieting a various sort of business, with signs atop of them to signify such. In far distance, I could distinctly hear the clanking of metals.
Trees and plants took refuge in large spaces between buildings, adding a more pleasing green upon the area. Unlike home, the sun wasn’t as scorching--though still blinding--and the lull of the wind made me think I could sleep here and wouldn’t even care.
Along the way, Vale narrated facts and stories about Charm Town, pointing buildings and shops to tell me their significance. Truthfully, the tour was a bit tense at first, what with the town’s inhabitants staring at me with apprehension and unease, but they were all wiped away upon the sight of Vale standing besides me.
All in all, it’s both a very surreal and interesting experience. After all, it’s not every day you get a tour by an alien in said alien’s hometown. It was even enough to get rid the sense of ‘patheticness’ and slight ‘self-pity’ that Terry plagued to me.
And by the end of the tour, the sky turning into a beautiful orange hue, we stopped in front of an establishment. An inn, if the sign and Vale’s word were to be trusted. ‘Sleepy Mare’ it said on the sign, depicting a caricature of what seemed to be a mare with a trail of Zs flying from the mare’s muzzle.
“I’m going to spend the night here, aren’t I?” I asked the obvious, and immediately palmed my face.
I heard the distinct noise of a chuckle from Vale. “Yes,” she told me, pressing her hoof against the inn’s swingdoor. “The owner is Calm Flake. Please do me a favore and be nice to him, alright?”
I nodded. What’s the point of saying no, anyway? “Sure thing.”
“Great.” And with that, we entered the inn.
…
It was sparser than I had first thought. In fact, if it wasn’t for Vale, I would’ve first thought the inn to be closed. My head swivelled round, finding empty seats, barely decorated tables, and a case of stairs over the far side of the expansive room.
Vale strode with her usual confident gait, her hooves clacking loudly in the eerily quiet establishment. Following her, I noted the bar we were heading. A vast shelf of all sorts of drinks behind the bar, causing me to give a triple-take and into a coughing fit.
Vale looked over her shoulder to give me an amused look, leaning against the bar. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice tinged with wry amusement. “You’re not the first to do that.”
I nodded, my eyes couldn’t quite stray from the collection of drinks. “Calm Flake must be one hell of an enthusiast,”
“He is.” she agreed. “The boys from the station love hanging in here when they’re off-duty.”
There’s a ringing bell resting innocuously on the bar, and without a second thought, Vale pushed it. In the silent room, the bell released ring! that sounded to thunderous than it usually should. There’s a muffled shout behind the bar’s backdoor.
Soon enough, the door opened and out walked leaf green pegasus. His braided silk white mane rested on the side of his name, bobbing alongside his steps as he calmly walked to the bar. He paused a bit when he caught sight of me, blue eyes widening slightly, but his demure expression returned when his eyes slid over to Vale.
He smiled, an exasperated mixed with amused on the edge of his lips. “I see you bring yet another odd guest, Chief Vale,”
His voice was soft and smooth with a touch of undeniable elegance. Shockingly so. I believe, if Vale hadn’t told me before, I had no doubt I would be fooled by his gender. Still, the ‘Chief’ title on Vale made me blink for a bit. When one thought of the title ‘Chief Police’, Vale certainly didn’t come to mind. I was thinking of something more gruff, bearded, and male. Yes, a bit sexist of me, but such was the world I and Terry lived.
A snort came from Vale, but she replied Flake with a smile of her own. “The world is full of interesting people,” she returned. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know them.”
The demure stallion replied with a chuckle. “Indeed?” He shook his head, and looked at me. “And what about you? Care to introduce yourself?”
“Uh,” I blinked at the sudden nervousness. Terry was nervous. Blood hell. What’s with the sudden loss of confidence? “Elliot Hintz.” I flashed him a Very Terrious smile. “Just call me Elliot, please.”
“Well, Chief Vale,” he nodded at her. “At least this one has decorum. So,” he softly tapped the floor. “How may I help you? A drink? It’s a bit early,” too early, if I had to opine. “But I believe time shouldn’t bind you whether you should drink or not.”
I shook my head almost immediately. “Later, perhaps.” I answered.
Vale let out a hum, and I looked at her. With her hoof tapping her chin, she looked kinda adorable in that huggable plushies way. “Perhaps tonight.” she answered. “I’m planning to treat my boys for tonight. I believe they deserve it. And,” she looked at me. “Perhaps I could introduce them to you?”
I didn’t see anything wrong with it. In fact, Terry seemed surprisingly eager at the offer. I cracked a grin and shrugged. “Sure, if you’re paying.”
She chuckled. “I will, I will. But in the meantime,” she returned to Flake. “Can I have one room for my friend here?”
I blinked. A sudden bursting and overflowing giddiness and joy that made me want to cry out in joy exploded in my chest. Instinctively, I covered my eyes. Dammit, Terry. He was practically like the sun inside me, and there and then, I had no doubt he could take control of his own body if he wanted. Only that he didn’t.
If both ponies seemed to notice my odd behaviour, they didn’t ask. Instead, Vale pulled out a pouch from her saddlebag and dropped three golden fucking coins onto the table. And as if it was normal—and it was—Flake simply picked the coins with his surprisingly dextrous wing and stored it under the bar.
“This is a happy day indeed,” he started suddenly, sighing in vague joy. “That in the first time since… I couldn’t remember, my inn actually served its purpose.” Vale snorted beside me. “Truly, this mentions for a celebration.” He pulled out a trio of shot glasses from under the bar, and began to start a complicated process of bartending with his wings. Soon, the glasses are filled with an unknown and colorful concoction. “Please, it’s in the house.”
Vale sighed, but didn’t say anything as she somehow grabbed the shot with her hoof. Flake grabbed his with his wing. They all stared at me, rising the glasses slightly up the air. Not one to be a party-pooper, I hesitantly grabbed my glass and raised it slightly.
“Cheers,” Flake said as our glasses clinked against each other. Immediately, they downed it down. Not to be beaten, I downed mine as well—
The liquid went down smoothly. It was delicious, with a hint of cinnamon and some unknown berries. The aftertaste was pleasant; a distinct taste of burning alcohol and mint. And oh wow, I was already tipsy with one shot. The warmth was incredibly pleasant though, reminding me of that time I drank hot chocolate in front of the furnace in snowing Berlin.
I wobbled, managing to take a step ahead to prevent me from tripping. My head moved on its own accordance. “That tasted great,” I noted, my voice slurring despite my effort preventing it.
Finding purchase on the bar, I leaned against it. Vale’s face was immediately upon me. Thankfully for my pride, it didn’t seem I was the only one affected by the alcohol. I still prided myself as a pretty competent drinker, after all.
She shot a reprimanding glare to Flake, who seemed to be smiling sheepishly. “You are lucky I’m off-duty, Flake,” despite her glare, there was no anger in her voice. In fact, her voice seemed to be in total control. Oh wow, I felt a sudden jealousy coming from my own feeling.
“Well,” By his voice, Flake didn’t seem to be drunk. Tilting my head, there wasn’t any hint that the alcohol even affected him. “In my defense, this is a very rare occurrence. Really, this is an inn, not a bar, yet ponies always come here for the drinks.” He lamented. “Even if I love them for it.”
Vale shot him a raised brow. “You do realize that we live in a rarely visited town, yes?”
Flake didn’t bother to refute Vale, and instead pulled out a key from under the bar, sliding them on the countertop. “Quite. Room 101. The best room in here.” He sighed. “It’s not like it’s ever used.”
You picked it up. “Uh, thanks, I think?”
“You are quite welcome, Elliot.” He waved a hoof dismissively, sweeping the three shot-glasses onto his wing. “Ring the bell if you need something. I’ll be drinking inside.”
And with that, he calmly swayed into the backdoor, placing the three glasses into the sink as he did so.
I shot Vale a look. Belatedly, I realized that my face was incredibly warm. It felt nice. Like swimming in a pool of warm water.
Vale exhaled a sigh, giving me a wry smile. “He’s a drunkard, but he’s a good stallion.” She said, not that she needed to. Carefully, she pulled my right hand and placed them upon her back. “Here, let me help you.”
I didn’t complain as much as I obeyed her. There were close calls, but Vale was shockingly strong for her size. Soon enough, we were standing before a wooden door with ‘101’ plastered on the door. The door clicked open as I turned the key, and I didn’t bother closing or locking the door before I quickly wobbled and fell over to the soft, fluffy and comfortable bed.
I heard a chuckle. “I’ll visit later, alright?”
I let out a last groan of affirmation before I let sleep claim my mind.