Tales of Another Ponyville

by Paradise Oasis

Uh Oh, Kimono!

Guest chapter by the Syrenth Clan, many thanks! ^^

The afternoon air was crisp, but not exactly cold. Gentle breezes welcomed me as I left my home to take a walk in this garden of mine. I had the urge to un-pin my dark purple bun I just set up, but I resisted. I could still feel the wind against my mane, tail, and my orange-red dotted attire that covered my body. A dress of pure elegance it was, my favorite-

"Kimono!" a voice interrupted me. "I'm not bothering you or anything, right?"

Minty, our little towns resident, ehm, mint maker approached me. But alas, she was more well-known for making something else. Her steps were notably... casual this time. Usually she'd run, but now, she was just walking. That was not the problem. Problem was where she was walking.

"Minty, you're ruining my Zen garden. Use the path I made, will you?" I pointed it out, retaining a patient tone.

"Eh? Uh, whoops!" she replied, gazing at the fine gravel below, then behind her, followed by a huge jump to the cobblestone pavement by the side. The damage was done though, in the form of visible hoofprints.

"Minty..." I sighed, shutting my eyes for the moment. I guess I needed a new setup for the garden anyway.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't know that was your garden because it was all just sand and rocks, I mean I thought gardens are about flowers and bushes and such, how could I've guessed you can make one with rocks." she blabbered, followed by her signature awkward laughter.

"It's fine. Now tell me, can I help you with anything?" I asked, brushing off the incident as if it was nothing. By now I’'ve learned that stressing myself over Minty’s mess-ups doesn'’t worth the trouble, if anything because of the sheer frequency of them.

"Well, uh, yeah. This is kinda what I actually wanted to talk to you about, heh." she answered. The way she avoided eye contact and scratched her legs already told me roughly what will happen. Yet, my sole answer remained a curious hum and a raised eyebrow.

"I just don't want to be ruining everything all the time anymore!" she whined "I want to be more than a walking disaster, Kimono. Please, you have to help me not being such a klutz."

My head recoiled in shock, but it was a pleasant surprise. A gentle smile grew across my face. Oh, Minty, Minty, Minty. Her heart has always been in the right place, despite her perceptions leaving much to be desired.

"And why do I get this honor?" I ask, slightly displeased by the fact that my quiet days are to be filled with her chaos. Curse me and my good will, I should have meditated on the topic beforehand. It was Minty who I was talking about, after all.

"Because you're always doing something and never make mistakes." Minty replied. Of course that was not true, I do make mistakes aplenty, they are just never witnessed by anyone. Still, I just took her praise without a word, just a pair shut eyes.

"Very well then." I replied afterwards. “I’'ll help you how to gain balance over your body, but first, you need to learn how to slow down and focus.” I explained.

Clumsiness is generally acquired by a lack of balance and focus, often made worse by rushed lifestyle. I thought it would be best for both her and I if we start resolving the smaller issue first, and I already had the solution right in front of me.

I went to the storage room of my little cavern, and brought out my rakes I had for this purpose. One of each sizes: large, medium and small, they were nothing out of ordinary, just a wooden handle with steel ends.

"Uh, what's that for?" Minty asked, confusion reflecting on her face.

"You're going to help me rebuild my Zen garden." I replied, giving her the smallest of my tools. Of course, I needed to break her in first and give her the basics.

"The purpose of a garden as such is to capture a moment's beauty of a waterscape." I explained, keeping it short and simple so even somepony like her would understand.

"Then why aren't you using water then? Just make a pool and fill it with rocks." Minty responded. It took her a second or two, as well as a stern look from me to get it.

"Oh, wait, nevermind, sorry." she mumbled right afterwards.

"Imagine the Ponyville lake on a rainy day. The droplets dancing on the water's uneven surface by the gentle winds." I laid out the plan, closing my eyes and visualizing the picture in front of myself as well.

"Mmhm." Minty hummed in a rather long, doubtful way. I should have used a bit more of a beige prose when communicating with her, to be honest. I’m not used to visitors and I always speak in this sorts of manner towards everyone and everything.

"Let me show you." I said, heading over to the nearest stone and picking it up "You know what happens when you drop something into water?"

"It makes those circle-thingies!" Minty shouted back right afterwards. I nodded, laying the stone down on the gravel, then using my medium-sized rake to draw said circles around it.

"Ooh, I get it, heh." Minty replied with awe "The stone is the raindrop and the ground is the lake."

"Exactly." I nodded with joy "We're going to make several of such circles."

Minty's face lit up with excitement. So much so it was alarming. I needed to remind her about why we were doing this for the sake of the rest of my garden.

"But Minty!" I shouted before she could begin "Focus!"

"Sure, don't worry Kimono, I can do this." she replied, her weird laughter following that somehow didn'’t make me any more relieved. I was pleased by her enthusiasm and passion, however. Moved even. Our little Minty trying her hardest to better herself so she can be a help for others. Her goodwill was a beacon for us all.

I should have seen it coming.

Minty took the first pebble her eyes landed on, and laid it down on a clear surface, focusing on making the most perfect circles with her tiny tool. At first, there weren't too many problems, until more and more motives were made. It started with a simple bump.

"Whoops." she said, her back bumping against mine by accident.

"It is alright." I replied, getting back to work. Not a moment later I realized where Minty was circling. She was stomping on my ripples, lost in trying to make hers look good and not realizing that she’s destroying mines.

"Minty, watch it!" I raised my volume, losing hold on my temper bit by bit.

"I'm sorry." she cried, noticing her mistake and trying to fix it herself. Her pace was increasing under the sheer anxiety, the desperate attempts chaining together into something even worse. Her hind right kicked into a stone behind her, sending it jumping and landing a couple inches away. It all happened so quickly, one could have blinked and missed the entire incident. Okay, not exactly, but you get my point.

"I- I'll get it!" she said, trying grab some control over the situation. Her sudden move to pick it up, however, made her bump her back into something again. Not just something, but my precious purple-gold vase by the side.

I gasped, no, shrieked at the sight. My mind gave up on all attempts at logical thinking. I just ran fast as I could, trampling over our handiwork like it was nothing, but it seemed too late. I had to jump for it, and my body acted before my mind could even think. I flew across the field, landing on the hard gravel and sending it scattering all over the place. I was glad I wore my kimono, otherwise I may have got some injuries with that act.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so really sorry." Minty apologized, on the verge of tears at that point. Poor girl must have felt so miserable for all this. I suppose the ‘slowing down’ part kind of slipped by her as things started to spin out of her control.

"Minty..." I sighed, standing up and dusting my favorite dress off. My hooves ran over many small rips and other anomalies, things that could not be restored. My poor kimono, it was my favorite kimono.

"I... I..." she stuttered, not knowing what else she could possibly say by that point.

"Mastery doesn't come in a day. We will try something else tomorrow." I replied, calm on the outside but angry within. I did not want to hurt her, but I felt I could without any sort of difficulty.

"A-are you sure? What if I actually break something? Or hurt you? Or something else?" she blabbered, worried sick by my choice.

"I'm willing to put up with your mistakes if it’s for the better. Those who brave the thorn may eat the fruit." I replied confidently. I was not to give this chance away so easily. If I could help Minty with her problem, I could help everyone with it as well on the long run, myself included.

"Yeah, sure, if you say so." she responded, baffled by my previous metaphor but that was not a surprise, "Tomorrow then." she added as turned back to leave, still upset about her failure but understanding that it’s part of the learning process. She stepped off the pavement into the gravel once more, only to withdraw her leg with a tiny ‘oopsie’ and choose to follow the cobblestone path this time.

It was not like it would have made a difference at that point, though. I gazed over my Zen garden, its strange mess of rake-made lines all around it, with hoofprints breaking the mold and an enormous crater by its side. What was to be a peaceful piece of an afternoon rain turned out to be a view into a battlefield. I grabbed my biggest of rakes, and started clearing up the mess with long, powerful pulls. Might as well the whole thing blank if Minty comes back tomorrow.

Comments

[Alondro]

I have arrived... and soon I shall read this story and cast JUDGEMENT UPON IT!! MUWAH HA HA HA HA!

*there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth*

Actually, seems like it'll be fine from the little I've read so far. Nothing obnoxiously wanting to make me reach through the Internet and strangle the author... which happens a lot with other stories.

There is ooooooooone little problem: Princess Luna's kingdom. Not the fact that a Princess has a KINGdom... but that Luna's in charge of anything. She's Worst Princess, after all!

[Leave a Whisper]

It's not to see that a wise teacher can get angry on the inside. But I'm glad she's trying to help Minty help herself. Poor girl must be related to G1 Applejack, Shady and Clover.