A Tale of Two Minds

by AcesCalifornia

Chapter 4 - Settling Down for the Evening

Chapter 4

Settling Down for the Evening

The book that laid closed in front of Melissa was to her human understanding of scale maybe an inch and a half thick, bound with a heavy dark blue cover, a hard-back which she could only presume most of the books in this universe were judging by all the hard-back books she saw on Turnover's bookshelf. Decorating the front was a gilded title at the top espousing “History of Mare in the Moon Era Mareyland”, and below the title, framed by the same gilded gold colour was a colour photograph of a cityscape. The architecture looked familiar, yet all the much alien to Melissa. The build up and density the photograph relayed reminded Melissa of the same experience of where she had lived in the human world. But the architectural styles seemed older, and looked more organically shaped.

Shaking herself from the thoughts of home; there'd be time to share about her experiences later tonight if Turnover allowed her to follow through with her promise of sharing tales, although for Melissa it would need to be shrouded in an air of ambiguity, if she wanted to at least continue playing to Turnover's belief that she was a resident of this universe, a bipedal dragon at that. To that, that was one thing Melissa hoped this book would shed more light on. How common dragons were in pony society, and their lifestyles, hopefully to make it all the more easier to disguise her true identity with that of a dragon.

Melissa had the impression that Apple Turnover's presence within their shared mind-space was dis-engaged with reading the book with Melissa. She could not blame him if he wanted some time to rest-up for himself. She returned her attention back to the book in front of her, still taking the time to examine the cover. She could tell that the book was relatively new still, the gloss of the gilded lettering and frame to the photo inlaid into the cover was not dull, and the photo itself wasn't worn or faded. So at least what was shown in this book, Melissa was confident was the most up to date information on this topic.

As Turnover had taught her before Doc Rapid's visit, Melissa focused the intentions of her thoughts to grabbing the cover of the book, how physics dictated in this universe that a hoofed creature could grab a hold of items. She had flipped the cover of the book onto the first page, containing only an inscription laid out in it's center. Reading the inscription, it appeared to be paying tribute and dedication to a 'Princess Luna' who the dedication explained was returned to Equestria with the strength of friendship and 'her caring sister, Princess Celestia', closing the dedication with the statement 'may they find peace and greater closeness in retirement.'

Already at the first page of this book that Melissa was aiming to glean information off of, she could check off one question from her pile of questions. The 'Celestia' that Turnover had made her use the name in vein of in conversation with Doc Rapid, appeared to be a princess of this land of Equestria, or at least a former one, now retired with her sister, also a former princess called Luna.

“Ah can't believe it's been so many moons already since they stepped down from ruling!” Turnover suddenly interjected, sending a sudden shock of surprise throughout Melissa, whose focus was being intensely spent on the book in front of her, rather it be reading it, or telegraphing the intention to grab it's pages. “Must've been some two, three apple-bucking seasons since they did that, Ah reckon.” That train of thought being completed by Turnover.

Melissa flicked through a few pages without reading them. A page that held some publisher information, an index of chapters, nothing in particular she needed to pay mind off during her quest of knowledge, and landed on the first page she was wanting to read. However, before that, she wanted to pose a question to Turnover while his attention was still shown to be present, wanting to know a bit more about the former rulers of this land, and maybe get Turnover to mention who the current ruler was. 'How're the sisters getting on in their retirement? Don't think they've snook back into working have they?' Melissa hoped that the questions posed were ambiguous enough to not give her foreign-nature away, but to give the answers she was seeking.

After a moment to collect his own thoughts, Turnover responded back striking a re-assuring tone. “Ah have full trust that Princess Twilight is doing a great job! Her and the Friendship Council... Pa' didn't mention that cousin Applejack is a member of that there Council, right?” he boasted with a hint of familial pride that only served to enforce how close it seemed the entire family unit of the Apples were, even between branches. “There's been no trouble as of recent, nothin' that'd need Princesses Celestia and Luna getting involved.” Melissa nodding along in understanding, before returning her attention to the book in front of her.

Within the first few chapters of this book, which had been retelling the fable of the “Mare in the Moon”, Melissa had been able to strike a few more questions she held off her list. Firstly, that this world was not Earth in any manner, but instead it was known as Equus. Secondly, that there was different species of pony residing in this universe; split between the regular looking ponies, like Turnover and the Apple-family at Willow Springs, who were called Earth-Ponies; the winged-ponies like Doc Rapid, which were called Pegasi; and the magic users that Turnover had mentioned earlier in the day as a possible direction they could take to figure out what happened to them, being the Unicorn race. That possible direction, talking to a unicorn, a particularly strong one, was something Melissa would need to bring up with Turnover again at some point.

She had also learnt more about the two former princesses of Equestria, as the folk-tale of the “Mare in the Moon” surrounded how the former princesses ended up divided for a thousand moons after Princess Luna became corrupted and became the being known as Nightmare Moon and refused to lower the moon for her sister, Princess Celestia. The conflict had ended with Nightmare Moon being banished to the moon above Equus by Celestia.

This had indicated to Melissa that the princesses, former rulers of this land, were more than just mere political figures, but held god-like powers to move celestial bodies.

The rest of the book, despite being a new publication, was set historically. As the title exclaimed, it was an exploration of the period in history when Princess Luna was banished to the moon; of Mareyland, Baltimare, and the wider eastern shores of Equestria where they sat and where Melissa now found herself for the while needing to call home. It was hard to tell what exactly the state of technology in Equestria was, judging just from what was in a book documenting a period of greater than “a thousand moons ago” and the rural way-of-life she saw being lived at Willow Springs.

Satisfied that she'd been given some more answers from this book, and more knowledge on the history of this world as a bonus, Melissa closed up the book and set it to the side. What she learnt of the area's history would also serve to help Melissa steer away from placing herself in the retelling of her life in the big, technology filled city she had resided in before finding herself stuck in this new universe; Baltimare wasn't exactly New York.

Melissa took a couple of deep breaths, before speaking out to the empty bedroom, but in reality prodding for Turnover's attention, asking him “Are you with us Turnover? Are you okay to talk... on that promise I made earlier today... stories of our families, our friends?”

---

'You've been so kind... to share, to allow me to share your family while we're caught in this situation... So it'd only be fair, since you wouldn't even have known what I looked like, let alone seen my family, that I talk about them first, hmm?'

Finished with reading the book, at least for now (there was something enchanting about learning the history of this new universe. For Melissa, it was as if learning the lore of a fantasy-novel's setting), Melissa had prodded Turnover's presence in their mind from his dis-engaged slumber to follow-up on the promise made by Melissa earlier in the day, for them to share stories of their lives. Once Turnover had regained focus and knew what he was being prompted for, a tone of happy agreement was made.

But, Turnover had a new thought cross his mind after Melissa had just stated what she did. “Speakin' of, ya right! Ah don't have a clue what your ol' body looked like! Ya don't get much dragons 'round here, but Ah have seen 'em before!” Oh sugar, Melissa had slipped into a too comfortable state of mind, and offered chance for Turnover to ask more about how she use to look like. A wave of panic crashed over Melissa whose eyes shot wide open... a movement that she was sure that Turnover was aware of, this being his body and all. Relax... relax... she felt confident at least, underneath the initial shock which struck, that she would be able to stretch the truth for Turnover. And anyway, the whole point of this evening's talk was for the two of them to try and grow closer together, and that included trusting each other enough to open up about their previous lives before today.

'Well... I'd estimate that I was taller than you...uh...your body is, but not by much... are you and your mother actually on the taller side for ponies? Never mind, you can answer that later.' it felt clear to Melissa that she was struggling, becoming a bundle of nervousness and swinging wildly in her description of her body, transcribed to that of a dragon. 'I'd say... bipedal as I told you this morning... afternoon?... earlier today. In colour, pink in the body. Not a bright pink, more like your body... a muted pink I think it'd be described, and more towards white than red like your body. My mane, could you say a dragon has a mane?'

A tactical pause was put in place by Melissa. Possibly the only way she could continue a description, as it was now in Turnover's court to confirm or deny if dragons had anything that could resemble hair, or a mane. “Ah can't say for certain, but I do suppose they must have them frilly-parts that run down their head...” Turnover offered, his own pause in answering back to summon up whatever limited knowledge he had on dragons. And before handing the conversation back to Melissa, Turnover broke back in one more time, exclaiming in a prideful tone a sudden idea “Oh! Ah'm only makin' these guesses from what Ah know 'bout Princess Twilight's dragon... Spike Ah think he's called. Ah say this 'cause maybe we should try an' get you talkin' with him! Dragon to dragon, hmm?”

This suggestion rattled Melissa a bit, and she tasted the idea with a thick slice of hesitancy. She wasn't really a dragon, despite how much Turnover believed it to be the case, and now that had led to this idea, steering the poor pony's thought's down the wrong track. Speaking with Spike then would not help in this situation, Melissa gambled. But if she could get a word with Princess Twilight? That would be a better option. Could Melissa bring that idea up to Apple Turnover? However, surely the Princess must be inundated with other pressing matters than their situation. No, Melissa took some more consideration of all the options placed on the table for her at this moment, and right now the prior suggestion of speaking to a powerful unicorn might be the best bet.

'I...don't know about that Turnover' Melissa finally replied with a tone that at the same time said “let's put this idea down, and forget it forever” before she continued. 'Lets start figuring those things out tomorrow. But for tonight... My dragon... frills?, right... I'd say that I had a black... mane for lack of a better word.' The description finished, another pause followed, a natural break in the conversation as one topic of discussion pivoted into another.

'So your Apple family name, it sounds like you have family members all over the place! But, reducing it to only who lives with you, you have your mother and father, a big sister, and... if I remember a grand-father? And that's just your immediate family?'

“Mhmm” stated the simple response from Turnover, nothing more to add at this point. Melissa continued; 'For me... well, I had never really been a big family per... uhh... pony. I had a mother and father who raised me, but looking back at things, I may have been too quick to leave the nest, as they say...' the tone taking a down-trodden mood towards the end as Melissa began to sink into her regrets.

Apple Turnover's interjection shook her out of that state as he posed a question of his own. “You just had your mother and father? Or did you have any siblin's?”

This brought up to Melissa what was probably a coincidence, but something that connected her and Turnover in a deeper way. 'Oh! Well, I had an older sister too! What a coincidence... I wonder if that had any part in why it was specifically me and you that this happened to?'

“That'd just be buckin' for apples 'fore they're ripe, Ah reckon” Turnover responded in a delightfully apple-related countryism.

It struck Melissa too that the discussion they were having was surprisingly casual in nature, or at least the first they were able to truly converse with each other since the whole situation began. Before hand, Melissa had been too pre-occupied by being suddenly thrust into this crisis for anything more than thoughts spawned from confusion and an activated fight-or-flight state to occur, while Apple Turnover surely fought with his own reactive state, but also being the only one able to sense distress, to calm down, and to wrangle this wild-animal thrown into puppeteering his own body for any casual conversation to be made either. Now sat here, just herself and Turnover, talking casually and learning of each other's lives; though right now not on the most conventional topics, felt like they were setting up a foundation for them to build a friendship off.

'My sister and myself were always close, looked after each other well. I can tell that you and Lobo have that same energy! Hmm... I'd guess, if your talent is baking, that you're a more creative type? And I sense that Lobo is the stronger of you two? It was kinda the same between my sis and I. She was the athletic one, I was the smart one.'

“An' if you were the smart'un, what was your special talent. What would've your cutie mark have told you?” pressed Turnover deeper into wanting to understand Melissa more.

'Hah... well I can tell you, being smart doesn't translate into knowing what you're gonna do with it! I felt happiest when I was trying to teach something, but I never really knew how best to put that into action.'

“Well... for the time bein', your an Apple, a rather weird addition at that, but once we get us separated, you'll always have our hooves to help ya!” Family really did mean a lot to the Apples, even if you were found family, and even for a temporary moment in time, and that offered a great sense of warmth for Melissa. More comfort to know that the family-unit she found herself in couldn't have been much better.

'Speaking about your... larger Apple family... Your cousin? Applejack? Your pa' said she was a hero, and you said earlier on she was in the Friendship Council? Is that mainly what she is up to now?' Probed Melissa, for two reasons. The first being general interest in this cousin who was portrayed as a hero for the family, and did seem to be close enough to the Princess to have a seat on a “Friendship Council”. And the second being, if she was any part the hero and had ties to leadership as the family said she did, then there was a good chance in Melissa's mind that Applejack may know one of those strong unicorns who her and Turnover can talk too about this situation.

“Yup! Mainly she's splitting work between the farm in Ponyville with the family there; and I think she's teaching at Twilight's School of Friendship... Hey! What'd'ya know! There's an idea for you now, courtesy of an Apple” This time they both had a chuckle at the sudden prompting of an idea, far before the time for those ideas to be made had even been seen on the horizon!

'Who's... uhh... bucking apples before they're ripe now, huh?' teased Melissa, a smile translating onto Turnover's physical face.

Turnover continued after their jovial burst settled. “Can't blame a pony for being excited to help another, heh! Well, our cousin Applejack ain't doing much adventuring now-a-days. As said, Equestria's been mighty peaceful of recent. But between you an' me, Applejack's the kinda pony that's not one for resting. Ah'm sure next family reunion she'd have herself plenty new tales!”

'And what about you Turnover? You have any exciting tales to tell? Exciting things you get up to when you're not working?' Melissa enquired, excited to carry on deep into the night talking with the other presence sharing the mind-space who was quickly becoming their first pony friend.

Author's Note:

Next chapter is here, Wednesday as the note promised! Quite a bit more establishing of the story, but there's only a couple more chapters of that left to go, and we'll be beginning setting up for the first arc over those chapters. I always intended that this story would be equal parts slice-of-life and adventure, so I hope you're enjoying this slow lead-in non-the-less.

Comments

[Huskylover]

I love it my friend keep up the good work

[GreenLion]

Friendship:3