differentiation

by Cos

Leaves

I can see the town just over the horizon; the walk has been just gorgeous and uneventful. I feel proud of myself because I have gotten a lot of thinking done, and I needed it. I can see the sun setting behind myself, probably have about thirty five more minutes before it is night. I should make it there in that time. I see a wooden sign on the side of the road PonyVille; hmmmm must have taken a lot of time to come up with that one. I am not very witty. I am quite glad I am almost there the trip has tired me up quite a bit. I step into town and admire the scope of it, where I am from it is not so quiet.

I build up the courage to finally ask someone where some decent food is.

“umm…. Excuse me do you know where I can get something excellent to eat?”

The slightly older mare looked towards me with an inviting presence. “Why yes I can. Me and my friends usually go to a really yummy place called the roasted turnip, and if you end up going promise me you will get the nine vegetable kabob! ”

“Thank you so much for the help, I will give that some serious consideration.” She let out a little laugh.

Of course I don’t ask her directions and don’t feel like asking anyone. The fifteen minute stroll around town finally paid off as I stood outside the restaurant. I start to walk inside when I start to hear loud music, I was a microsecond away from turning around when the hostess saw me. Damn.

“Welcome to the roasted turnip! You picked a good night to come here it’s our monthly dance fever night!” I was too afraid of offending her to leave.

“Sounds fun, but I came here just to eat though please.”

“No problem my names Melody, please let me find you a table.”

We walk into the restaurant, the environment is lively every pony looks like they are having a pleasant evening. She points at a table a couple feet from the dance floor.

“Could I perhaps get that table over there in the corner?”

“Oh I get it you are more of a booth kinda guy heh?” She said in a playful voice.

“Yeah that’s me.”

I eyed the menu down for what seemed like half an hour when I finally just picked what I had been recommended earlier. I actually didn’t mind the music being played in the restaurant it was easy listening fun pop-electronic stuff. It made me think of when I used to write music. Melody stepped over to the table cheerful as per usual of the short time knowing her.

“One nine vegetable kabob, for the handsome colt with excellent taste!”

The food sure looked good and it really hit the spot after the long walk, I started to be able to ignore my surroundings and think for a while.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Well you sure look mighty bored sittin’ there all by your lonesome.” A voice from across the table stated.

I looked up. Looked at the immediate beauty of her. Her eyes. Her hair. Her smile. Her warmth that she projected onto me. Everything about her ceased all my previous thoughts. My thoughts were all hers.

“The name’s Applejack! I don’t suppose I’ve seen you around here?”

Say something back you imbecile!

“Nope.” OH what an expert conversationalist. The most gorgeous mare ever across the table, she came up to talk to me and NOPE is the best that can ooze out of my mouth. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She giggled to herself for a brief moment.

“ummmm. What I meant was no, I am from another town. First time in PonyVille, it’s my first time being here, ever.”

“Me and a few of friends saw you here by the wall all by your lonesome, just thought I’d come over here and ask if you would like to sit with me and my friends.”

“yes.” I answered it maybe half a second after she had asked; I usually think things through more than this. Strange. We walk over to a table with two other ponies, a purple mare that looked a little out of place and a pink pony who looked right in phase with the environment.

“HI! My name’s Pinkie Pie! I am soooooo happy you came to sit with us! You looked super sad when you were sitting over there, and we thought that you can have a bajillion more times fun over here.” Jeez she comes off strong, what have I gotten myself into.

“Bajillion isn’t a number Pinkie, what she meant to say is that you will have an exponentially better time here.” She turned toward me after that matter-of-fact correction. “My name is Twilight Sparkle and you are?” At that instance I realize how rude I was not giving my name to Applejack before.

“Emerson Edge, I apologize immensely for not telling you earlier Applejack.”

“Don’t give it a second thought, I won’t.” Of course I did anyways, but I believed that she wouldn’t. “So what brings you to PonyVille?”

“I have a semester off school and I wanted to travel a bit.”

Twilight was the first to answer. “What school? And what did you do there?”

“I came from ACU, and did mostly mathematics.” Her eyebrow rose.

“Wow I had always wanted to go there but it was always a bit too pricey. You must be pretty intelligent.”

“I’m not like a genius or anything plus my father teaches there. But anyways tell me about you. How long have you all known each other?” Good, keep the subject off me.

At that moment the music track stopped and the next one started. “OOOOOOOOHHHHH this is my jam!” Pinkie Pie instantly ran to the dance floor and started dancing.

“I’ll go with her……… Wish me luck!” Twilight went off to join the pink pony.

So there we were. Staring at each other, the way I was looking at her must have blown my not-so cool cover.

“A couple years.”

“huh?”

“I’ve been friends with them for a couple years since Twilight moved to town; usually there are six to the gang.” We continued to talk. She told me about her family, farm and the other three friends who weren’t there. “Shoot well enough about me tell me more about you.”

“Like I said before just trying to do some travelling, I like certain parts of it.”

“Why are you doing it alone? Most ponies travel with friends or family, why are you all by yourself? If you don’t mind me askin’.”

“I don’t know….”

Well I do know.

“I guess I need time to think about things, I don’t know what I want to do with my life. Where I come from the world around never stops, never gives me the time I need to think and be myself. I was going down a path I thought I wanted and it was making everyone around me happy. I took one step back and realized it wasn’t for me.”

She told me a story about when she left PonyVille, how she realized what was important to her.

“I am looking for that rainbow right now to guide me where to go next.” She thought that was pretty witty.

“When were you planning on leaving PonyVille?” I didn’t know what to say.

“Tomorrow.” I saw her mood go down. She perked back up hoping I didn’t catch her last emotion.

“Well let’s make the best of the night, would you like to dance?”

Again my mouth blurted out yes before I could take a moment to think about it. But that’s ok. She was impressed with my dancing, I have been to a couple dances in the past. Not by my doing. We danced for hours; I have never felt the amount of excitement and true enjoyment. Things around me slowed down and I could feel myself coping, not because I wasn’t thinking of my problems. I felt more comfortable being myself, ready to confront them; one day. The outside world slowed down with the final song of the night, Applejack and I held each other. Moving to the pace of the smooth, touching melody.

“I should head home after this Applebloom is probably worried sick by now.”

“You…….Care a lot for her, don’t you?”

“I need to look out for her, I am the closest thing to a mother she will ever have, shoot I can barely remember my mother.” Her mood dropped again. The only thing I could do at that moment was relate.

“My mother passed away when I was young as well, I try not to think of….”

She placed her hoof on my lips and looked into my eyes. I looked into hers, I hoped more than anything that she felt the same connection that I did at that moment. Her eyes told me more than our conversation earlier did. She looked like she needed me to hold her at that moment. And I did, we stood there embracing each other until the music stopped. I kissed her hoof, she blushed. The rosy color filling her cheeks were that much more adorable against her freckles.

“OOOOOOOOO LOOK AT THE LOVEBI-”

“Shhhhhhhh quiet Pinkie Pie.” Twilight sneered.

“Aw its ok, well um I suppose it’s time to go home.” Applejack said softly.

I picked up the tab knowing that I was spending way too much money and was running low, gave melody a hefty tip. We stood outside of the restaurant for maybe five minutes before we all parted ways, except for me and Applejack. I insisted I walk her home, for my own selfish reasons.

“Thank you for the wonderful night Emerson.”

Boy does she make my name sound good.

“Thank you for asking to join you and your friends, I would have had a pretty uneventful night without.”

“Emerson?”

I don’t think I will ever tire of that.

“Yes?”

“Will I see you again? You said you were leaving PonyVille.”

“I would really like to, if that’s ok with you.”

“Yeah, it really would be.” Her tone was still unsure but at least somewhat comforted by my last comment.

I really wanted to tell Applejack everything, but I figured it would need more time than we have on this walk.

We reach the Acreage, in the corner of my eye I see a leaf fall off an apple tree. I zone out for a couple seconds.

“What are ya thinkin’ about?” She noticed I was lost in thought.

“The leaves falling, that is the first one I have seen. I guess it is getting to be that time of year again. Do you know why my town is called Autumn Collision?”

“No,why?”

“There was a unicorn that lived there hundreds of years ago, he always loved the way the trees looked as the leaves would change color and fall. He placed a spell on the largest tree in the whole town, his spell kept that tree in a constant state of losing its leaves. They never grow back; they fall to the ground and rise back on the branches slowly to restart the process over again.”

“That sounds lovely, being stuck in one moment that you can choose.”

Yeah it sure does right about now.

We exchange our slow goodbyes, each knowing that we don’t want to part ways.

“……….I will see you again”

“Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

I turn around and start heading out….. Where? I have nowhere to be……. I should probably keep moving find another town, get some more thinking done. Damn this was a mistake wasn’t it? I can’t keep arguing with myself, I need to keep moving on. I don’t know what I am doing anymore and how can I keep moving on with her on my thoughts. Damn, Damn, Damn I need to head back and set this straight. I can’t leave town, not after that. Not after the first real connection I have felt in ages.

Let’s do what I came here for.