The Journalist

by redspark

Upper Canterlot

Chapter 12
Upper Canterot

Nimble Hoof, Silent Mane and Sun Seeker walked silently through the dark streets of Lower Canterlot. In comparison to the whole city, Lower Canterlot was really small, but when you were inside it felt really big. Only when Nimble Hoof was on The Daily Hoof´s tower did she appreciated the size of Lower Canterlot. It was like one eight of the whole Canterlot, which really was pretty big, but still it wasn´t to most.

Sun Seeker smiled as the dark streets began to illuminate with golden lamps on the sidewalks; the first sign that they had left Lower Canterlot behind. Nimble Hoof relaxed, as she also noticed Silent Mane did. Sun Seeker was too distracted eying everything around that she obviously didn´t cared they had left Lower Canterlot in safety precautions. She looked pretty happy, which made Nimble Hoof smile and wonder how long had she been in Lower Canterlot…

The three ponies walked alongside each other. Sun Seeker finally stopped looking around like if it was a parade or something and she settled beside them. Nimble Hoof saw the Daily Hoof´s tower getting closer, and she could see the palace now. In Lower Canterlot the palace was hidden by the tall decaying buildings, unless you walked in the rooftops.

Nimble Hoof turned from the main street into the small street her house was in. It was a flat on a second floor with a door to the street that turned into a staircase once inside. She unlocked the house and entered, followed by the other two. Sun Seeker walked uneasily, for some strange reason, while Silent Mane only moved casually, him having been there many time before now.

Finally they finished the stairs and entered a small room with a window to the street, a sofa and a table with many papers. There was an old typing machine and many books in bookshelves, not really ordered neatly.

“You sure you want to go back to sleep at Lower Canterlot? I mean, you could sleep here tonight so you don´t need to walk more.” Nimble Hoof offered to both. Silent Mane was the only one that answered; Sun Seeker was too busy checking the little flat.

“I don´t think it will be a good idea, I mean… I only go into your Canterlot at night. I don´t feel safe in the day.” He answered.

Nimble Hoof sighed. “You know, not everything is danger and problems around. You should stop worrying for a second!” She pushed him gently. Silent Mane closed his eyes and sighed.

“Alright, but just this once, and you´ll need to wake me before daylight.” Nimble Hoof nodded, though Silent Mane knew something was going to happen in the morning.

Sun Seeker seemed to snap off her curious trance. “I´d love to! Why don´t you show me Canterlot tomorrow!?” She asked excitedly. Nimble Hoof smiled at Silent Mane, who seemed to dislike Sun Seeker´s enthusiasm to visit High Canterlot.

“Sure Sunny!” I´ll take you around, and maybe even to The Daily Hoof´s tower.” Sun Seeker smiled even more, but then she seemed to remember that, all of them, where tired. She yawned.

“Where do I sleep Nimble?” She asked.

Nimble Hoof looked around. The only room with a bed was her own… “Well, I´ve only got the sofa…”

She nodded. “The sofa will be just fine but… Where will Silent Mane sleep?”

Silent Mane answered the question himself. “I know where she had all her pillows and blankets. I´ll sleep on the floor with them and I´ll even feel like sleeping on a cloud.” Sun Seeker laughed at that. “What´s so funny?”

“Someday I´ll take you to sleep on a cloud, and you´ll know it isn´t at all like that.” Nimble laughed.

Silent Mane groaned and went for the blankets. Nimble Hoof walked to her room, but before entering, she stopped and walked towards Sun Seeker. “Do not wake him up before the sun is up…” she whispered in her ear. “I want to show him Canterlot along with you.” Sun Seeker nodded mischievously.

“Alright, I won´t.” Both mares exchanged playful glances as each went to sleep. Nimble walked to her room and closed the door behind her. She heard Silent Mane say “wake me up before the sun´s up.” Nimble smiled again as she laid down in her soft bed, her mind filling with all the events of that day…

* * * *

Silent Mane woke slowly. He opened his eyes as the first rays of sunlight entered through the window at Nimble´s House. He yawned slightly and rose slowly. Sun Seeker was still asleep, which made Silent Mane yawn again. That´s when realization struck him. It was morning, the sun was up, he was in Nimble´s House… He had taken more sleep than what he intended to!

Just then he heard Nimble´s room door open.

“Hey Silent…” Nimble said still sounding sleepy. “How was your night?”

Silent looked at her friend. “You said you were going to wake me before the sun was up.” Nimble Hoof opened her eyes wide and moved her hoof to her mouth.

“Did I? I might have forgotten.” Silent Noticed a little laughter on her voice. “I know you made it on purpose. Why?”

Sun Seeker had just risen from the sofa. “Because she wants to show you the city in day. You´ll be coming with us!” She said happily.

Silent Mane groaned. “Yes, I know she wants to.” He eyed Nimble a little angrily. Nimble smiled.

“Come on Silent! It´ll be fun! We three, in the streets of Canterlot, you know.” Silent still shook his head. “Oh, come on! You´re already here, what do you got to lose?”

Silent sighed defeated. “Alright, I´ll go with you. But if I don´t like it, I´ll return to your house immediately.” Both Sun Seeker and Nimble smiled.

“Yes! You´re coming!” Sun said. Silent sighed.

“I guess you all want to have breakfast, yes? I have a perfect place for that.” Sun nodded enthusiastically. Silent groaned.

“Fine…” he muttered.

“Then follow me everypony, it´s just around the block.” She walked to the stairs leading to the door. Sun walked happily behind her. Silent Mane groaned again as he followed the two happy mares outside.

Sun Seeker followed Nimble through the busy morning in the capital of Equestria. Silent Mane followed close nehind, keeping his head low at all the ponies of the big city. He really felt uncomfortable within so many ponies, as he had never walked in a busy street before. He almost crashed into some pony with a curious –looking hat, which got really angry but kept walking without stopping. Silent Mane was beginning to regret having come out.

“Here we are.” Nimble Hoof said finally. “It´s a cafe, and it is run by a mare I met once making an article of… Well, I don´t quite remember what it was about, but she was more than happy to help me for whatever it was about.” Sun nodded, but Silent Mane kept looking down.

Nimble guided them inside. A dark orange unicorn with light blue and white mane and a tree as a cutie mark was inside, attending a table. When she turned around to the newcomers she smile warmly and walked over to them.

“Welcome! A table or three I…” She looked at Nimble Hoof. “Oh! But by sweet Celestia! It´s you, Nimble Hoof! I never expected you to return to my humble cafe after you became famous and all that. You still remember when I helped you, right?”

Nimble smiled. “Of course Serena. I remember it perfectly. Sorry for not coming lately, I´ve been rather busy you know, writing.” The orange mare smiled and nodded.

“Of course, of course my dear. Now, Should I guide you to your seats?” she said as she led them inside the cafe. They sat on a table beside the window, and as soon as they were all seated Serena gave them the menus. Sun eyes the menu rapidly and she had selected what she wanted in less than a minute. Nimble Hoof took longer. Meanwhile, Serena went for some drinks. When she arrived, she took their order.

“Mmm… I´d like the butter pancakes, please.” Sun Seeker said. Serena wrote it down holding the little notebook she had with her magic. She turned to Nimble.

“To me your carrot sandwich.” She said. “And the strawberries also please.” She nodded and wrote it down. She then looked at Silent Mane.

“What can I get for you sir?” She asked.

Silent Mane looked at the menu and then at Serena. Still, something about that unicorn unsettled her. He looked back at the menu. He finally spoke.

“Please give me the apple pie.” He looked fast at Serena.

“Apple pie…” Serena whispered as she wrote it. “Alright! I´ll get your plates in a sec.” She walked away into the kitchen.

Silent Mane eyes her suspiciously.

“What is it Silent? Is something wrong?” Nimble asked when she noticed her friend acting strangely. Silent didn´t answered immediately. He moved closer to Nimble Hoof and whispered.

“I don´t know, but there is something with that unicorn that unsettles me. You know, like when I feel something´s not right. That unicorn… I don´t know, she feels strange.” Nimble laughed slightly.

“Really Silent, you should stop being so paranoid. Look at Sunny for example. She´s really enjoying herself.” Sun Seeker was looking out the window watching every pony that passed beside the cafe. Silent groaned again. “But whatever you want; I know there´s nothing wrong with Serena Skye.” Silent Mane looked at her confused.

“You know her full name?” he asked.

“Of course!” She said. Right then their food arrived.

“Alright my dear, here´s your food. I tell you one of the best in Canterlot!” Serena said proudly as she laid their plates in front of them. Sun Seeker immediately began to eat hers. Nimble waited a little as she saw Silent Mane eye his plate suspiciously.

“Come on Silent! It is not going to bite you!” she laughed. She then began eating hers.

Silent Mane looked at her plate and slowly ate a small piece of his pie. He ate it slowly. It was delicious! He slowly took another piece, and then another, and another… Before he knew it he had already ate it completely and finished before even Sun Seeker. Bothe mares stared at him smiling as he slowly looked at them. He then realized he had eaten it really fast. He blushed slightly.

Sun Seeker finished hers a minute later and they needed to wait for Nimble to finish hers. Finally Nimble ordered the check. Serena quickly arrived with it and Nimble payed her.

“Remember to come back!” Serena Skye said happily as the three left the cafe. Silent seemed in a better mood.

“Where now?” Sun Seeker asked. Nimble thought for a moment.

“What would you say visit the main street and go watch a movie later?” Sun Seeker smiled and nodded.

“Yes!”

Silent Mane nodded, smiling slightly. “Alright, let´s do it.” Nimble Hoof smiled as they walked together down main road looking at all the stores.

Many hours passed with them looking from store to store, not buying anything at all but only looking around. Sun Seeker did bought a small cloak like Nimble´s.

“I saw yours and well… I think it´ll be really handful!” she said when she told them she was going to buy it. The cloak was a dark blue that shone slightly. It had been made by a designer that wasn’t from Canterlot, but from a small town called Ponyville, named Rarity or something like that. Apparently she had become rather famous in Canterlot and her design of that cloak had been sold to the owner of the store Sun had bought it.

The thanked the owner of the store for the information and left. Sun really loved her cloak and was wearing it. Nimble looked around and she saw the theater.

“I guess we could go watch a movie now. I´m not sure which are right now but I´m sure we´ll find a good one.” Nimble said as she led them inside the theater. There were a couple of interesting looking movies. They ended up going to one about suspense.

While Silent Mane really enjoyed the movie, the two mares happened to be all the movie covering their eyes and shouting when something happened. The movie ended and they left the Theater. It was turning dark, yet the three were really enjoying their visit in Canterlot. Silent Mane was laughing at Nimble and Sun´s face at the movie while the two mares laughed with him. The three decided to end the day going to the palace and watch the moonrise.

The went to a small empty tower and saw as the princess of the day lowered the sun and the princess of the night brought the moon. SO farm it had been a great day.

Silent Mane smiled and laughed slightly.

“What?” Nimble asked, also laughind slightly.

“Nothing.” Silent said, but still he began to laugh harder. Sun Seeker soon joined in and the three were now laughing together. Silent Mane was the first to stop for lack of breath, and Nimble and Sun soon also ran out of breath too.

“We better get going Sunny. Hightip will want to know about use by now.” Silent said. Sun Seeker nodded, her ears dropping. “Nimble thanks for the awesome day. I have never enjoyed myself so much in a long time.” He said, smiling.

“No problem Silent, whenever you want.” Nimble said.

“Thanks Nimble.” Sun said.

Nimble walked down into the dark sand empty street. “You´re coming down when?” Silent asked.

“I guess when I finish my new story and… When I deal with something important.” Silent obviously wanted to ask her what important thing, but he saw that Nimble’s face had suddenly stopped smiling.

“Okay Nimble. We´ll be waiting for you. Be safe.” He reminded her as the two ponies left Nimble Alone in the street. She saw Sun Seeker take flight and Silent mane run to the nearest building and climb it, rapidly disappearing in the rooftops…

Walking in Canterlot

At Serena´s Café

Comments

[Synthetic Amber Patch]

Great! This is kind-of what I was looking for: The Pony Society!
Maybe everyone has their own way to describe it, but I liked yours.

[redspark]

4179526 Thanks!