Comfort Far Away

by Spic Ultimo

Make Them Remember (Rewritten)

As we continued to go into town, we were constantly reminded of our hunger every thirty seconds from an annoying growl from the pit of our stomachs. "I'm Hungry... " Echo commented for the tenth time in the past time in five minutes. "Are we there yet?" he said, once again, drawing out the "yet" for about three seconds.

"Echo..." I said softly while staring at the ground, "Take a look around, and answer me this, 'Are we there yet?'" I continued at the same volume.

Echo lifted his head and looked around for a while, before grinning and practically shouting, "Yup!"

I quickly lifted my head, "Wha..." I said looking around in confusion. I swear the town wasn't this close when I looked down. Oh well, I'm not complaining. "Great... now lets ask that mare over there if she knows any restaurants in this town." I started leading Echo to a mare with a pink coat and darker pink mane and three balloons as her cutie mark, who was happily bouncing in our general direction. "Excuse us, do you happen to kno-

At that moment, two things happened almost simultaneously. The first, there was a loud, drawn out gasp followed by a pink blur going in the opposite direction with a cloud of dust where the pink one was standing. After the initial shock of it passed, Echo literally melted into the ground with a grin I've never seen on his face before. "Uh... you okay, bronie?"

He Got back up on three hooves and looked in the direction the cloud of dust was heading. "Never been better..." he said with a faraway voice, the grin still on his face.

Then it hit me like a rock. I forgot my luggage at the tracks, all my leftover bits still inside. My heart dropped when I realized there would be no food. My stomach rumbled in annoyance, and I mentally kicked myself for being so foalish. I slowly turned to Echo, who still had that look on his face. "Seriously, you sure you didn't hit your head?" After a couple of seconds with no response, I wondered if that pink mare had anything to do with it. But then again, I was right next to Echo and whatever happened to him didn't happen to me. "Echo?" Still no response. maybe if I... "Well, I'm getting something to eat, later!" I said after I set him down and walked away.

"H-hey! Wait up!" He responded as he started sliding himself across the ground, much like an inch worm would. "I Want food too!" This time I stopped and waited for him to catch up. I hoisted him up on my shoulder again before I filled him in on the situation at hoof and his grin slowly changed to a frown. "But... but food." He said tears slowly forming in his eyes. 'Only you would' I thought. Suddenley, his face brightened and he started shaking me around.

"What if you do that thing you used to do when we were little! You know? When you would sing and attract a crowd and we'd get money and buy doughnuts at Doughnut Joe's!" I thought about it for a moment, and it was a good idea. the only problem was that I was a colt back then, and I doubt people want to hear a boy with changes going on in his body sing. The last time I sang was about three years ago. Celestia knows just how much my voice has changed.

"Okay... just tell me how I sound at the moment, k?" I asked, to which he vigorously nodded. After adjusting to my new voice for a bit, I sang part of a song I heard a Stallion sing when I was just a colt. After just a part of the song I stopped and looked over to Echo. "So?"

"You sing like an angel!" He replied with a particularly squeaky voice.

"Great... now for the hard part." I said as I looked into the crowd of ponies shopping at the marketplace. I walked to an empty and sat in the front. there was an empty can of beans from Mexicolt. I steadied myself as I began to sing the first verse of one of my favorite songs

As I started, I caught the attention of a mint-green unicorn with a lyre as a cutiemark. I stayed as calm as I could, knowing nerves could distort one's voice. As I continued, the crowd slowly started to get bigger.

After about a minute and a half into the song, I had gathered a good sized crowd who were all swaying to the rhythm, some who knew the song quietly singing along. I continued with the song, Echo started adding the little drum beats, making the song sound better. The song slowly progressed along, and and I began to fell the music within myself, my confidence earning a boost.

Once I finished, the crowd gave a small cheer and stomping of hooves, then proceeded to drop their bits into the can. I looked up from the can and noticed a light blue mare with a blue and mane and tail with purple accents. She had the most beautiful pair of turquoise eyes I've ever seen. This mare was absolutely gorgeous.

"You have a really nice voice..." She said, looking away with the slightest hint of a blush. It took me a while to realize she had complimented me.

"Uh... thanks, I guess." I said as I looked into her captivating eyes again. She was the only one left after the crowd dispersed. I couldn't look away for the life of me.

"I g-guess I'll see you around..." she said before she trotted away. This feeling I have... I've never felt it before. It was so foreign, but so... right, as if it belonged.

"Dude! We made fifty bits! And a.... a note?"

A note? Who would leave a note behind. I took it from Echo and read it out loud. "Come to Sugarcube Corner at eight o'clock PM. Bring your friend." I looked over to Echo, and he shrugged, just as confused as I was. I wondered who would leave a note behind, and why they wouldn't just tell us in person.

"What time is it?" I asked Echo he looked at his bare hoof and answered me in a chilled voice.

"Three thirty, no biggie. We can probably find a food stand or something in the meantime. Maybe one with donuts!"

"Maybe we should find out what the place looks like first, just to get heads up." I suggested, to which Echo nodded happily.

"What do you think it looks like?" Echo asked.

"Think sugary and colorful, something that says 'eat me' and it'd be very tempting to. Kinda like-"

"That gingerbread house!?" Echo exclaimed excitedly. I looked in the direction his hoof was pointing to, and sure enough, there was a giant gingerbread house with a sign reading 'Sugarcube Corner'.

"That was quick," I muttered, "Alright, time for a long overdue meal." I stated, Echo bouncing happily beside me. "Hey, nice to see your up on your hooves again!"

"Nice to be on my hooves. Bouncing is too fun to pass up!" He said as we headed back into what seemed like the market place.

*****

We found a nice little fast food stall, and got ourselves situated on one of the several benches of what seemed like an outdoor food court. There were smells mixing in the air from all the other stalls, and there was a slight bustle of people going about their daily lives, some giving us double takes and waving at us, to which Echo happily waved back.

"Everypony's so nice here!" He said with a mouthful of fries. "You picked a good place to escape to!"

"I honestly wasn't expecting this kind of treatment." I replied, swallowing a bite of my hay burger, "If anything, I was expecting only a slight improvement from home." Which was true. Ponies seemed much more alive here, and I often heard ponies greeting each other by name, instead of the usual, 'Watch it, bub!' Looking up at the clock tower in the center of the town, I saw it was five thirty, and we still had a few more hours to kill before showing up to Sugarcube Corner. "You want to do anything else before we head to the bakery?" I asked Echo, knowing he'd come up with something on the spot.

"I dunno. I kinda just wanna relax for a bit." He said, melting into his seat. I nodded at him. I guess we could just relax, the town isn't going anywhere, after all.

I stood up and decided to familiarize myself with my surroundings, and maybe find someplace comfy to sleep tonight. I doubt we can afford a room without much money. "I'll be back." I told Echo, getting a hum in response. I looked up into the air and saw a few pegasi lazily gliding through the air. I stretched out my own wings to take a looked at them, and frowned. Being as old as I am, not knowing how to fly really destroyed my confidence. I tucked my wings back in and gave a weak sigh as I began to walk towards the park.

*****

When I returned to Echo, I found him sleeping soundly and slightly drooling. Being as it was now seven fifty, I decided to wake him.

"C'mon, brony, time to rise and shine." I said while giving him a light shake. He woke slowly, a confused look in his eyes.

"What time is it?" He asked sleepily, looking down at his bare hoof again. "Oh, it's bakery time." He answered to himself with a small grin. "Let's get going then!" I nodded at him, and we began to walk to the bakery, second thoughts coming to me about this whole ordeal.

Author's Note:

How do you guys feel about the speed of the updates? I personally feel they are too short for a week of work. Let me know in the comments
Have a nice day!

--Solus

Comments

[Tesla Moon]

Yeah their really good quality and you even trough a song in there! That's a plus In my book. And you Got pinkie pie in there to! I love this story so much and I'm really interested to see where you take this story. but one thing. You called echo a bronie? you sir just made my day! Anywho just let me know if you ever want help with this story, I'd love to be a part of this.

[Spic Ultimo]

3357572 At this point, I will gladly accept any help I can get PM me in anything you're interested in helping with