Cherry Pie has accepted a commission from the Princess Herself to be a judge at the harvest festival
A Commission? From Princess Celestia?! For the Harvest Festival?!?!?! There is no way he can decline, but by the time he reaches Canterlot, there are no vacancies left in town. Celestia is kind enough to refer him to a "lovely" Hostel in a town called Ponyville, but... He doesn't know anypony there. What will he find there?
It was about three quarters of the way through Summer, now, and the day was absolutely gorgeous. There were wildflowers blooming along the trails, and berry bushes were still producing full tilt while overripe fruit that had already fallen to the ground made the air sweet with the scent of their juices. The temperature was perfect for walking with a full load, even though the wooded area was rather moist. For some reason, there weren't even very many insects in the air, which struck the traveler as odd, but for which he was grateful. Cherry Pie was walking along one of the many roads between cities, as he usually was, and looking as -well... foreign, as he usually did. Which is odd, to say the least, because he was born and raised in Manehattan. At this very moment, he was walking down what appeared to be a recreational hiking trail, which didn't bother him in the slightest. He avoided the main roads as much as equinely possible (too many ponies and not enough wilderness). He also at this very moment had NO idea where he was. The trail was getting narrower, but the air was somehow more fresh as he pressed through the Foliage. He started to feel a gentle, cool breeze against his face and, all of a sudden, the trees opened out onto a scene he had never seen before in his life: A wide, rolling meadow of tall, yellow-grey grasses and beyond that, a great swath of sand which sighed as it was kissed repeatedly by the greatest body of water he had ever seen.
"Oh, bother!" He exclaimed. "I really have outdone myself this time. It's a miracle I ever reach ANY of my appointments on time." As he began walking down towards the water to have a closer look, he muttered to himself "I shall have to invest in a cart with a chauffer who knows where he's going one of these days, so I don't keep getting lost." As he drew closer to the water, he recalled some obscure text he'd read in his father's library a couple years ago. "Oh, this must be the ocean! Funny, I don't remember ever... Am I even in Equestria anymore?!" He took off his dark blue fez and ran a hoof through his watermelon-coloured mane concernedly. Either way, he had heard good things about the ocean, and decided he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to take a dip while he was here. So, with some difficulty, because he was so clumsy, he removed his saddlebags and bright blue pinstripe vest. He really was a strange sight to behold. Although he was a Unicorn, his mane and tail were messy, his coat was a bright candy-apple-red instead of the pastel colours that usually composed the coat of a unicorn, and the hair just above his hooves was untrimmed.
He stood there for a minute, reveling in the feeling of the breeze blowing through his mane, the pink contrasting beautifully with the green. His bright red coat glistened in the Summer sun, as though he really were a candied apple. "Ah, It's nice to get those bags off of my back!" He stepped into the water. It was cool, but not unpleasantly so. It was the perfect thing to rejuvinate him for his attempt to re-enter Equestria. He lingered there for what must have been an hour, paddling in the gently lapping waves before finally clambering back out onto the sandy beach. He located his things back where he had dropped them, and lay down to dry off in the sun. The sound of the waves against the sand, coupled with the warmth of the sun and the memory of a lullaby his mother sang to him when he was just a little colt, lulled him to sleep
When Cherry Pie woke, it was dark. Wow, he thought. I must have been more fatigued than I had first imagined. As he stood and brushed the sand from his coat, mane, and tail, he grumbled to himself "Well, I'd better start some sort of fire, if I'm to stay out here tonight. I don't fancy the thought of traveling in the dark, especially in unfamiliar territory that may or may not be Equestria." He thanked the stars that Luna and the Moon were close to full tonight. He could see enough to meander across the beach and back and forth through the meadow collecting driftwood and tinder for a fire, the moon reflecting majestically across the calm ocean waters. Luckily, his magic allowed him to gather what looked like enough for the night in just one foray and bring it back to his little spot on the sand. What he did not see were the sets of curious eyes peering at him through the surf. He was a little too hungry to be very alert about anything else right now, and all his thoughts were on his stomach as he sifted through his saddlebags looking for his spice kit, cookware, and the fresh exotic grasses and fruits he always carried when he travelled. He finally found what he was looking for and, kicking himself for not having done it sooner to aid in his search, carefully set up his firepit with some of the wood he had gathered and ignited it with a spark of flame from his horn. He had only recently learned that he could use magic to start fires and still needed some practice. He was successful at lighting the campfire, but being the klutz that he was, also managed to set his mane on fire. Panicking, he galloped toward toward the sea, tripping over a rock in the sand at the edge, and dousing half his body in the bitter water. Spluttering but relieved that the fire on his head was out, he started to rise... And came face to face with the strangest creature he had ever laid eyes upon!
The creatures eyes were a greenish-yellow colour, which made them almost seem to glow, for it's coat and mane were of subdued blues and greens. It looked much like a pony, but there was just something not right about it. After scrutinizing the creature for a second, he realized what seemed so off. Where it should have had hind legs, it had a tail like that of a fish! At this realization, Cherry Pie was spurred into action. He stumbled backward several steps, tripping over the same blame rock he had tripped over before and landed right on his rump. To his surprise, the thing began to laugh! This was followed by several other laughing voices not too far from him. The laughter, though, was not maliscious. The laughter of the thing was so sweet and joyful, he could not help but blush and turn his head away. The laughter died after a few seconds, and the thing spoke. Again, it's voice was not harsh or scary as he had expected it to be, but sweet and full of laughter, as if this creature was freedom and happiness embodied. "Hello, I'm Sea Breeze! What's your name?" He was so shocked still at the creature's appearance that he couldn't speak. His eyes, wide with wonder, darted from her face to her tail and back again. "Oh, silly," she chuckled. "Don't tell me you've never seen a Hippocampus before!"
"Hippo-What-us?!" he cried. He'd never even heard of one up until now, let alone SEEN one. "Hippocampi, silly! We're ponies of the sea!" Sea Breeze could hardly believe that this stallion who had seemed so at home in the sea had never seen a Hippocampus. The idea was just so foreign to her. She spoke to ponies of the land and sky all the time, but this Unicorn didn't have the slightest idea what *she* was? Very strange, indeed. "You know," she said, "you still haven't told me your name." With this she gave him the most delicate smile she could; he was so cute when he got flustered! It worked. He blushed so the freckles on his cheeks disappeared into the red of his coat and said, "Ummmm... It's Cherripmmmf."
"What?" Sea Breeze said, cocking her head as if she hadn't heard correctly. Cherry Pie let out a huff and said "My name's Cherry Pie." Sea Breeze beamed and said with a little more enthusiasm than was totally necessary "Well, nice to meet you, Cherry Pie! It sure is a strange turn of events that we'd meet here! You know, my friends and I were just having a little vacation here in this little bay... lagoon... thing, and allofasudden YOU show up and start swimming around with us and we thought for sure you were one of the sailor ponies, but when you didn't notice us we decided you couldn't be and all that because sailor ponies *always* know when we're around and then you got out of the water and went to sleep and didn't move for hours so we decided to watch you and make sure you weren't dead and sure enough you started moving again eventually just like Clam Bubbles said you would and then you started wandering around and we had no idea what you were doing until you finally came back and your mane started shining the orange light and now we're talking!"
Saying all this in one breath, the hippocampus finally had to stop. Cherry Pie was absolutely shocked by the story he had just heard in only about 10 seconds. Sea Breeze took another very deep breath and was about to launch into more dialogue when she suddenly found a hoof in her mouth. Another Hippocampus, who Cherry Pie guessed was Clam Bubbles had stopped her. "Ha ha... Well, you certainly can see who the chatterbox is in our little group here. I'm Clam Bubbles, by the way. You know it's pretty laughable that you were planning to camp here overnight, when there's a settlement only about another mile down the beach. You might be able to find a place to stay there. Come with us! We'll show you the way!" As she said this, she removed her hoof from Sea Breeze's mouth, who gave her a hurt look as if to say "Hey, I was gonna say that!"
Cherry Pie wasn't exactly comfortable following the Hippocampi to... Wherever it was they were going to lead him, but he had to concede they were right. He really didn't like the idea of staying out in the open at night the way he had been about to. "Alright, lead the way." He said. So, he put on his vest and fez, put on his bags, and walked along the shore while the Hippocampi swam in the glassy, black sea next to him. They continued like this in silence for what seemed like a long time, but couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes, when lights started to come into view. "See?" said Sea Breeze excitedly. "I told you there'd be a settlement soon!" Clam Bubbles gave her an exasperated look, but let the statement slide, anyway. It took a little while for Cherry Pie to realize it, but most of the the lights were actually over the water. Though the settlement looked to be of moderate size, the port was enormous! When he had lived in Manehattan, he thought the airfield there had been big, but it really couldn't compare to the size of this seaport. There were ships of every size and shape flying the standards of more nations than he had ever even heard of!
"What's wrong?" Clam Bubbles was ahead now, looking back at him. Without realizing it, he had stopped in awe to take in the sight. He cantered up to her again and said "Nothing, I've just never seen anything like this before." Sea Breeze jumped in, saying "Really?! This place has been here for years. The citizens aren't very imaginitive, though. The name of the town is... Um... What was it again, Clammy?" Clam Bubbles sighed. "Please don't call me that, Sea Breeze. It's Seaport." Turning back to Cherry Pie, she said "Though my sister and I disagree on many things, the ponies of Seaport really are an unimaginitive bunch, though many of them are capable of producing great works of art." They walked on, exchanging pleasantries. He told Clam Bubbles stories of Manehattan, which they had never heard of, and of his travels throughout Equestria. Clam Bubbles told him stories of her home, which was built at the base of a reef not far from Seaport. Some of the older buildings had been absorbed as the reef grew and were covered with corals and other organisms. For this reason, it had come to be called Coral City. The population was mainly composed of Hippocampi, but it was still part of Neptune's empire, so there were a few other sentient sea beings that lived there. Things like merfolk, and even a Sea Serpent, who lived on the outskirts of the town and served as a sort of sage. She often traveled far away, bringing wonders from distant realms that she sold sometimes outside her home. She produced displays of magic at the festivals as long as she wasn't away, and many times could be found telling the children tales of her travels in the far reaches of the sea.
By the time they finished talking about their hometowns, they had reached the edge of Seaport, so they had to part ways. "Maybe we'll see eachother another time." Clam Bubbles said, sadly. "I was starting to get to like you." "Yeah... Me too." said Cherry Pie. They swam towards the docks to talk to a group of gruff-looking sailor ponies, one of which looked to be wearing an eyepatch, but Cherry Pie really couldn't tell from that distance. He turned and followed a path up to the town.
After wandering in the town for a few minutes, he came across a sailor who didn't look like he wanted nothing more than to bite off somepony's head, which was a relief, so he said "Hi, there. Can you tell me about Seaport? I've never been here before and I'm looking for a place to stay the night." After looking him over for a moment, the sailor said in a gruff, but relatively friendly voice "Never been before, huh? Well, by the looks of ya, you'll want to try the Nautilus, up the opposite side of town from the port. Bar doesn't usually get too rowdy, and the owner's a decent pony. Unicorn, like yerself. He'd be right pleased t' see ya, matter o' fact. Not many unicorns come round here, ya know?" Thankful at hearing this most friendly advice he dipped his head to the sailor and said "Thank you, but... what do you mean, the bar doesn't usually get too rowdy?" The sailor gave a hearty laugh and said "Mosta the sailors tend to stick 'round the bars and inns closer t' the sea, see?" "Ah. I'll bear that in mind. Thanks again, and... Well, have a good night." The sailor turned back to the stack of barrels he had been examining and said "Ye have a good night, yerself, friend."
Cherry pie found The Nautilus without too much trouble. It was one of the larger structures in town, and about as far from the port as one could get while still being in the city. As he entered, he guessed he had arrived on one of the quieter nights. There was just a small assortment of ponies in the lobby, nurturing drinks in various sized mugs and tankards. As he approached the bar to ask for a room, the owner, a golden brown, white-maned, green-eyed unicorn like the sailor had said, beamed at him and exclaimed in a rich, booming voice. "Wehell, look what we have here! We don't see many unicorns here in town. Pleased to make your acquaintance! I'm Aleburn. What's your name and what brings you to The Nautilus, greatest inn and finest distillery in all of Seaport?" Cherry Pie wasn't too surprised at the robust greeting, and figured it was best not to appear anything but confident in this town so he said "Nice to meet you, Aleburn. I'm Cherry Pie, and I'm just looking for a place to stay the night." At hearing his voice, Aleburn's ears perked up and his eyes took on a curious light. "Oho! Do my ears deceive me or am I detecting a bit of Manehattan's refined accent on your speech?! Come from Equestria, eh? I must have news! I haven't received a shipment from Equestria in quite a while. Tell me about my beloved Manehattan!" That this unicorn also happened to be from Manehattan DID shock Cherry Pie and he stammered "I-I-I... I actually haven't been to Manehattan in quite some time. I usually travel between cities judging at cooking contests for various festivals, and searching for new tastes and cultural experiences." At this, Aleburn looked a little crestfallen, but perked right back up and said. "No problem, let me give you a drink and you can tell me about your travels! We may be the best distillery in Seaport, but that doesn't stop me from importing some other good stuff. Have you ever been to Ponyville? My last shipment included some cider from Sweet Apple Acres, and let me tell you, it is absolutely AMAZING!" Having never been to Ponyville, Cherry Pie's curiosity was piqued and he had to try it. They talked and talked until he let out a huge yawn and said. "Well, I really have to get some rest. You don't have a vacant room, do you, Aleburn?" Aleburn chuckled, saying "Yes, I do. I've enjoyed our little chat so much, I'll let you stay free of charge." And, as Cherry Pie pulled out his money to pay for the delicious cider, "No need to pay for the cider, either." The other unicorn put on a cheesy grin as Cherry Pie eyed him suspiciously. "Well, if you insist, I'll bid you goodnight." Aleburn told him which room was his and gave him the key, after which he tiredly climbed the stairs, found his room, and passed out on the bed without even removing his vest.
The next morning, he woke up still tired. He had no idea what had made him wake up, but he was sure it was something. Then he looked out the window. A grey pegasus with a straw-coloured mane was hovering outside his window! What made this particularly odd was that the pegasus' yellow eyes were not pointing the same direction. She seemed to be expecting him to open his window, so he did so, albeit cautiously. As soon as the window was wide enough for her to fly through, she whizzed past him and crashed onto his bed. "What in blazes are you doing?!" Cherry Pie cried! "You'll destroy the place! You do realize this is rented property, right? What were you even doing watching me sleep, anyway?" Derpy Hooves began bouncing up and down on his bed and said, in a voice that seemed a little too happy for such a benign statement "You've got MAIL!!!" She stopped bouncing and reached into her bag, pulling out a very official looking scroll, tied with a purple ribbon and sealed with a beautiful insignia set in red wax. At that precise moment, Aleburn entered the room, levitating a tray laden with bran muffins, cinnamon-honey oatmeal, and another mug of the cider that Cherry Pie had enjoyed so much the night before. "Breakfast! Oh..." He said, with that same cheesy grin he had worn the night before. The grin slid from his face as he realized that they weren't alone in the room. He set the tray down on the bed as Cherry Pie regarded him with uncertainty in his eyes. "Aleburn... Thank you very much, but bringing breakfast to my room was hardly necessary. Why are you being so nice to me?" Aleburn flushed and his eyes took on a look of consternation as he turned his head away. "I, well... Uhh, you see... You didn't...?" Then he noticed the scroll that Derpy was still holding, gasped, and said quickly, as much to change the subject as anything "A letter from Princess Celestia!? You'd better open it right away and see what it says! It could be REALLY important! I'll just, haha, leave you to that, shall I?" He sped out of the room, slamming the door behind him, and leaving Cherry Pie confused and a little concerned. He looked to Derpy, but she wasn't paying attention. Having noticed the muffins, she had dropped the letter and was happily chowing down, so he grabbed the mug of cider and the message from the princess, took a sip, unsealed the letter, and began to read.
Dear Cherry Pie,
I am writing to personally request your presence at the Royal Canterlot Harvest Festival. I would greatly appreciate it if you would do the honor of leading the panel of judges over the cooking contest as chief judge. I have heard great things about you, including that your talent for judging taste rivals that of my personal chef himself. So, obviously, nopony else will do.
As always, your devoted ruler,
Princess Celestia
Cherry pie finished his Cider, and realized that he suddenly wasn't very tired anymore.
Cherry Pie was not tired anymore, but in the utter silence that seemed to pervade the room after he had finished reading, Derpy's chewing reminded him that he had not eaten since last morning. All of a sudden he was VERY hungry, so he took the bowl of oatmeal from the tray on his bed and ate. The sensation was glorious! He finally had food in his stomach. Not only was it nutritious and filling, but he also found that the oatmeal was superb. There was just enough cinammon and honey to be a good flavouring, but not so much that they blocked out the flavour of the oats. The oats themselves were cooked to a perfect consistency: cooked through, but not too soft. Cherry Pie was absolutely amazed! He had not expected an inn to provide such high quality of food, but, then again, Aleburn's odd behaviour might have had something to do with it. As Derpy finished his muffins, she said:
"See ya' at the party!"
Then whisked past him, and flew out the window. He watched her disappear into the distance and silently wished for a pair of his own wings so that he could fly, too. He was pretty tired of walking everywhere, for the going was pretty slow. Sighing, he told himself:
"Better stop dreaming and get going. Remember, you don't even really know where you are, and if you don't get going soon, you'll be late for the festival."
Knowing that if he was late, things would probably not end well for him (for though the princess was ultimately kind and good, one did not show up late after receiving a personal invitation from her) he gasped, picked up his bags and left his room.
When he reached the lobby, he hoped to thank Aleburn for his hospitality and to praise him for the excellent oatmeal. However, Aleburn was not there. In his place stood a beautiful, pale golden unicorn, with white mane and green eyes reminiscent of Aleburn's. As he approached the counter, she greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning! Sleep well?"
He nodded. "Yes, but where's Aleburn? I wanted to thank him and compliment him on the superb oatmeal."
A look of concern crossed the other unicorn's face as she said "Aleburn is... Upset, so I'm standing in for him up front for a little while. I am his sister, Champagne, and actually," she stated matter-of-factly, "I do all the cooking around here."
She smiled as he beamed at her. "Really?!" He asked. "Well in that case, thank you for the oatmeal, Champagne. It was simply divine! I really couldn't believe it when I tasted such quality food from an inn, but you... You two really do run a quality establishment! Are there... just two of you?"
"Yes, it's just the two of us here, haha. And thank you very much. People don't usually appreciate my cooking here."
She beamed at his praise, and it was clear to him that what she said was true. She didn't often hear from others how amazing her cooking really was.
"Well," he said, proudly, indicating his cutie mark: A golden spoon and knife, crossed, "In Equestria, I am a well renowned gourmet. I make my living determining which foods are best at festivals and fairs, and you can rest assured that your oatmeal would most certainly have received a ten."
Champagne couldn't help but blush at his glowing appraisal of what she thought was probably her most plain dish. "Oh? You're a gourmet in Equestria? Well, my brother and I are particularly adept at brewing fantastic drinks. While my brother specializes in lagers and ales, I tend more toward fine wines. Particularly the sparkling variety."
At this, she motioned to her flank as she turned, displaying her cutie mark: A delicately tipped champagne flute, filled with a finely bubbling fluid about the same colour as her coat.
"What are you doing here in Seaport, anyway?" As she said this, Aleburn came through a door behind the counter wiping his face with a handkerchief, but upon seeing Cherry Pie, froze for a second, then covered his face and darted back through the door, almost slamming it behind him.
"I... I got lost," said Cherry Pie, his eyes still on the door. "And wandered all the way to the sea, then the hippocampi guided me here."
Champagne sighed. "You'll have to excuse my brother. He just... well, I couldn't tell you what's upset him, so." She said this so benignly, he was sure she wasn't being completely truthful, but he decided not to pry.
"Well, I have to go. I received a personal letter from the Princess, asking me to judge at the Canterlot Harvest Festival. I don't know what will happen if I'm late, but I'm sure it won't be good. But, before I leave, I'd like to buy another mug of that amazing cider from Sweet Apple Acres."
As he spoke, he withdrew his purse from his saddlebags. Champagne told him the price and he gave her the required bits. Drinking down the cider, he thanked her for the chat and exited The Nautilus, thinking perhaps he'd return one day, as Champagne watched him go with a sad little smile on her face. As the exit swung closed behind him, Champagne turned to the door and said "You can come out now." The door opened and there stood Aleburn, looking for all the world like a timid colt. Seeing him look like this, she almost teared up and said "Oh, my poor baby! Come here." She drew him into a tight hug, and they didn't let go of each other for several minutes. "It'll be alright, Aleburn. The day will come when you catch somepony's eye. Maybe we'll get more business, then!"
He smiled up at her and said "You really think so?"
"I know so." she said, lovingly.
Cherry Pie wandered through the town looking for a place to find a map. Eventually, he found a place that sold maps, and, he couldn't believe his luck when he did, found the only map of Equestria that included the small nation he currently occupied. After buying the map, he took it outside to study it for a bit. He must've studied it for at least an hour, wrestling with himself on whether or not to use the more direct main roads, when he realized he could probably cut the travel time in half if he just found a boat to take him. He knew there were rivers in Equestria, and most of them were quite deep and wide enough for a ship to travel on.
"Let's see... I know there's a shipyard along the river in Manehattan, and after studying the map, I know that that particular river opens to the sea within the boundaries of this kingdom. If I can find a boat to take me there, I can go to the airfield and find an airship to take me to Canterlot! It's Brilliant! Fast, too. I can't believe I didn't think of it first thing!" He folded the map up and put it carefully into his saddlebag, then headed down to the docks to search for a ship, laughing at himself.
He got lost more than once while searching the docks. The going was slow and very frustrating. He had to constantly watch out for sailors moving crates and barrels, making sure he didn't bump into them and cause their cargo to smash on the wooden planks or accidentally roll into the water. He walked around in circles like this till finally, sweet relief filling him to the brim, he saw a small ship flying Equestria's colours.
Arguing with the captain (an earth pony whom Cherry Pie could've sworn was part mule) for what seemed like ages, trying to barter passage on the ship, which did happen to be headed back to Manehattan after this trip, was torture. Finally, he pulled out his letter from the princess, showed it to the captain and exclaimed "It is imperative that I arrive in Canterlot before the Harvest Festival starts, and I don't have much time to get there! This is a personal request by Princess Celestia that I be there."
Upon seeing the letter with the Royal Seal, the captain finally caved and grudgingly allowed Cherry Pie to board his ship, warning "But I don't want ta hear no whinin' an' ya better not cause me or me crew no grief!" Well, at least he had passage to Manehattan. He spent the rest of the time until the ship's departure watching the crew come and go, unloading cargo, bringing more aboard and the like. It was pretty boring.
Finally, it was time to leave. Cherry Pie sighed with relief to hear the captain announce the launch. It seemed to have been forever since he came aboard. The trip itself was uneventful, although he did get a little seasick. He spent most of his time in an out of the way spot towards the ship's aft, gazing at the horizon, which helped a little with his upset stomach. They reached the mouth of the river just after the sun had set, and the captain decided to drop anchor for the night. There were a few extra hammocks belowdecks, so he decided he'd sleep down there. The language of the crew as they prepared to retire reminded him why he had opted to stay above decks, away from the crew, during the day, and he took comfort in the thought that he wouldn't have to sleep with them another night.
Aleburn and Champagne were in his dreams that night. Sea Breeze and Clam Bubbles were there, too. That's all he could remember when he woke with a start. He rolled off of his hammock and, except for the soft thud of his hooves against the wooden floor, silently climbed the stairs to the deck. The moon was bright, but low in the sky, and the eastern horizon was beginning to lighten. He looked down at his reflection, but it wasn't there. Instead he saw Sea Breeze, but when he blinked, she was gone, and an image of him stared back, confused.
"A fine mornin it is, too." A gruff voice said from behind. Cherry Pie started and looked back, but it was only the captain.
"Yes... It is, Captain. What are you doing up right now?" He asked.
The captain's laugh was a short bark. "Soon as the sun rises, we'll weigh anchor and set up the river fer Manehattan. Should be there by midafternoon, I reckon."
They sat in silence, watching the moon set. Just as the last bit of moon was swallowed by the sea, the captain left the gunwhale. Heading below decks, he yelled at the sailors, telling them that they were to weigh anchor at sunrise and to move their lazy plots. Cherry Pie couldn't help but chuckle at this, as he headed to his spot at the back of the ship so as to be out of the way.
Thinking about what the captain had said, he remembered that most departures from the Manehattan airfield occured before noon on a typical day. He would have to stay with either his parents or his twin sisters. It had been such a long time since he had seen any of them, he realized he missed them quite a lot, actually.
He thought of his sisters, Fugue and Nocturne. They had been inseparable since their birth, and even now still lived together. Being the talented musicians that they were, they were often out of town on some gig or other. Fugue sang and Nocturne played the harp. It was almost impossible to tell them apart, otherwise. Once you got to know them, you realized their personalities were quite different, and their cutie marks were different as well.
In a way, the two seemed just to be paler versions of himself. They were pale pink, with manes and tails that were mostly mint green, with a little pink mixed in. Cherry Pie wondered what they had been up to lately. He hadn't even received a letter from them in quite a while, but that might be because he was always on the move, so he couldn't blame them.
After thinking of his sisters for a while, his thoughts turned to his parents. They had been high society unicorns and were quite proud of the achievements of their children. His father, Indigo Spark, had been a teacher at the Canterlot Magic Academy. In fact, it had been a story he had told his children of one of his students that inspired Nocturne to pick up the harp. Shortly thereafter, she had proudly displayed her brand new cutie mark, a complicated string of eighth notes on a musical staff, to them.
Now, though, instead of teaching fillies and colts, he gave lectures at the Manehattan University on the more delicate intricacies of magic to older unicorns who wanted to understand their magical nature more thoroughly. Although his special talent wasn't really magic, the little ways he had learned to relate magic to it had allowed him to excel at many different kinds of magic, and it was all because his understanding of the workings of magic was so vast.
While Cherry Pie's father was quiet and reserved, his mother, Burning Star, was boisterous and sometimes obnoxios, but she was one of the kindest ponies he had ever known. She was a white unicorn, with green eyes and a bright, coppery mane and tail. She was deeply into fashion but had no talent for design, which devastated her as a filly, but when she discovered her talent for cooking, she was so delighted she decided she'd just have to make do with looking good.
Cherry Pie was often amazed to find that, for all the time she spent in the kitchen, the fancy gowns and dresses she wore around the house never seemed to have a single grease stain or food spot anywhere on them.
The trip seemed to go on and on, but now there was scenery to watch as they sailed past on the river. They had a good tailwind, which allowed them to make good time, even though the river was flowing against them.
Finally, the familiar spires and towers of Manehattan came into view. It wasn't quite as big as Canterlot, but it was getting there. Cherry Pie had the unexpected rush of relief that told him he was home, in familiar territory, where he could easily find a friend or family member if he needed help with something.
The sun wasn't setting, and the sky was still a regular bright blue, but it was definitely on it's descent by the time they pulled into port. He thanked the captain and asked how much he owed for the passage. The captain thought about it and said
"It'll be 25 bits, if yeh please."
Cherry Pie produced the 25 bits and gave them to the captain, saying "Thank you again. Goodbye!"
He trotted down the gangplank and into the familiar streets of Manehattan to see if his sisters were home... They weren't. He hadn't really expected them to be, but he had hoped to see them again. It had taken him perhaps 10 minutes at an easy trot to reach their house, and he stopped on their doorstep to take a breather. He decided he'd just walk to his parents house, since it was almost all the way across town from here. He had plenty of time, anyway. Besides that, he didn't want to be too out of breath when they answered the door.
After a few minutes of resting, he got up and began walking in the direction of his parents' house. The walk took him almost half an hour, but while he walked, he thought of some of the beautiful songs his sister's had written. Some of their music had even been recorded on vinyl! His parents had all of their records, and his mother often played them at her social events. All of a sudden, he remembered the rendition the duet had done of their mother's lullabye. It was even more relaxing when you added Nocturne's harp, and as he lapsed into memory, he sang softly to himself while he walked.
"Hush now, quiet now. It's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now. It's time to go to bed.
Drifting off to sleep, leave exciting day behind you. Drifting off to sleep. Let the joy of dreamland find you!"
He hummed the improvised ending Nocturne had written that played after the vocals were finished, and he found himself at his parents' front door. Knocking three times, he waited for one of them to answer.
It was his mother who answered, and she nearly dropped the layer of cake she was carrying! Quickly, she set it down on a stand near the door, and pulled him into a tight hug. She called out to his father, and then said "We've missed you, so!"
"Tell us what you've been up to lately, son. We want to know everything! First of all, what brings you back to Manehattan?"
Cherry Pie and his father were seated in the kitchen while his mother whipped egg whites for a chocolate-raspberry mousse filling to put in the cake she was preparing. She had put a renewed effort into the cake, being so excited about her son's return. Such was her happiness that she seemed to float about the kitchen as she worked.
"Well," said Cherry Pie, "I hate to say it, but I'm only in town for tonight. I'm just passing through on my way to Canterlot. I have to catch an airship tomorrow." As he said this, he pulled his letter from the princess out of his saddlebag. "Princess Celestia has requested that I head the judge's panel for the cooking contest at the Royal Canterlot Harvest Festival. This could be my big chance! If I impress the Princess, I might be offered a court position!"
"Oh, but sweetie, the festival isn't for another week!" his mother said, dismayed. "Can't you stay for a little while longer?" She looked at him, imploringly. His father sighed, and said "Burning Star, he's not going to stay unless he has a good reason to." Turning to Cherry Pie, he said "Son, Fugue is getting married tomorrow. She wanted to send you an invitation, but nopony had any idea where you were, so she just gave your invitation to us, hoping you might show up in time. Sorry for the short notice."
Cherry Pie was shocked. Fugue was getting married?! Tomorrow?!?! He understood that it would've been difficult to send him an invitation since he was on the move so much, but still, the silly grey pegasus had been able to find him with the Princess's letter. He was just happy that Fugue had found someone to love, who (hopefully) loved her just as much. "Well, then I guess I have no choice but to stay. I wouldn't miss Fugue's wedding for the world. Who's the lucky stallion, though?"
Burning Star beamed as he said this and replied "He's a pegasus in the Security field. His name is Guardian and he's been providing security at every one of her and Nocturne's concerts for several months, now! You know, being a security stallion and all, you'd expect him to be a real hard-apple, but he just melts when he's around her. They're SUCH a cute couple it's almost ridiculous!" She squee'd and the men at the counter chuckled at her enthusiasm. "It's good to be home," Cherry Pie sighed. "I had almost forgotten how fun it was just to be with you guys."
After much pressure from his parents, he began to tell them stories of his travels since he had last been home. The different festivals he'd attended, the ponies of note he'd met, and even a mare he had attempted to court, but who had led him on until she had to refuse his proposal and tell him that she had been betrothed since she was very young. Embarrased, he had left the city as quickly as possible. After that, he had been just wandering around for a month.
Now came the part about his sojourn in another country. He told his parents about getting lost and meeting the strange, aquatic hippocampi, how they led him to Seaport, and how he hoped maybe to return to the ocean and meet them again, someday. He told them about how amazing the Seaport harbour was, and how wonderful the town itself looked.
His parents listened carefully to his entire story, but when he finished the part about his stay at The Nautilus and Aleborn's strange behaviour, his mother began to laugh. She laughed so much she to put down the bowl of white chocolate buttercream icing she had been mixing. When her laughter died down, she was able to say "Oh, sweetie, you can be so oblivious sometimes! He obviously liked you! I mean, how could it be anything else? What makes it even funnier is that you utterly snubbed him without even realizing it!"
At this, she burst into laughter a second time and they had to wait for her to become capable of coherent speech again. She picked up her bowl of buttercream and continued mixing. "Dear, I know you're oblivious because back in your school days, there were several instances where young mares, some in your class and others without, would come to me, wondering what your problem was! You never even seemed to notice their advances. I'm glad to hear you made some advances of your own, so I have no need to fear your never getting married. I mean, look at you! You, never getting married?" She looked him up and down, then closed her eyes and shook her head as she said with mock despair in her voice, "tsk tsk tsk... It would be such a waste of good stallion."
His father coughed. "So, you got a letter from the Princess and decided to travel to Canterlot immediately? I can understand that, but I'm sure glad you understand how important it is to your sister that you be at the wedding. She was so worried you wouldn't be able to make it. You'll really make her day when she sees you tomorrow!"
"I'm glad I got that letter when I did, then!" Cherry Pie exclaimed.
Suddenly, he became aware of a particularly tantalizing aroma wafting from the stove, and realized he hadn't eaten anything besides a corner from one of those dreadful hard tack biscuits all day. "Mother, is that dinner on the stove? I don't know about you two, but I'm famished."
"Don't worry! It'll be ready soon, dear." Burning Star replied. Indigo Spark's stomach let out a particularly urgent gurgle, and she gave him an apologetic look. "And a good thing, too! I just love your stoicism, Indie, but I know your true feelings." With a mystic tone, she went on. "The stomach tells AAAAAAALLLLLL!!!"
Until dinner was ready, Cherry Pie's parents filled the time by telling him all about plans for the wedding. How it had taken forever to find someone to arrange the decor and find a suitable location that took full advantage of the beauty of the sun at High Noon, among other little this-and-thats that were to be expected with the planning for any large event. He let the dialogue just wash over him up until they came to the story of the dress. He knew he heard the name "Ponyville" in there somewhere.
"Wait." he said. "Say that again, will you?" His mother took the dish, now ready to eat, off of the stove and served it onto plates, looking confused. "Say what?"
"That thing about the dress. The pony who made it for Fugue."
"Oh, that. Well, I'm not sure how in touch you are with Fugue these days, but lately, she's developed a huge interest in travel to the more rural towns and cities of Equestria. She and Nocturne have been giving concerts at places like that to build upon their listener base and sell more albums." She whispered, conspiratorially "You know, it was actually Nocturne's idea. For being a musician, that filly has a real knack for sales as well. Fugue, of course, thought it was a brilliant idea and has loved doing so since."
She realized she was getting off the subject, then, and returned to her normal voice. "Anyway, they did a concert last month in a town called Ponyville where Fugue publicly announced her engagement to Guardian for the first time. A fashion designer living there, who happened to also have been an avid fan and owned all of their vinyls, offered her services in designing a dress for the wedding. Her name is Rarity, and I've actually done a little research. Some of her work is showcased in a few of Hoity Toity's fashion magazines and let me tell you, it is simply divine! I know Fugue's dress will be amazing. I just can't wait to see it!"
Cherry Pie leaned forward on his elbows with his hooves together. "That's twice I've heard of this place Ponyville. Aleborn gave me some cider from an apple orchard called "Sweet Apple Acres" on the outskirts of Ponyville, and now Fugue's wedding gown is coming from Ponyville as well. This is a strange coincidence. I've never even HEARD of Ponyville until a couple days ago."
"Well, it's nothing to worry about, son." his father said as he lifted a forkfull of food. "One of my former students from the Canterlot Magic Academy lives there now. She is one of the only ponies from those days who's stayed in contact with me. She tells me it's a really great town to live in. Not so small that there are no services, but not so big that everypony living there is an utter snob. And, the surrounding area is filled with great things to see. If you ever get the chance to go there, I bet you'd like it."
While they ate, his parents finished filling him in on the details of the wedding. Burning Star, who hadn't finished her cake yet, was first to leave the table. She sighed as she looked at it. It looked to be nearly done, since the white chocolate ganache coating had set. "Well, It's a good thing I started on this when I did. I'll be able to go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. I'd hate to have saggy eyes at my own daughter's wedding!"
She moved to the refrigerator and took out what looked to Cherry Pie like a mass of leaves. As he double-took, he found that it WAS a mass of leaves. Very stiff leaves. He understood why they were so when his mother started pulling off the green to reveal perfect brown replicas underneath. He had only seen her use this trick once before, and he had to admit it was really cool. Once she had discarded the actual leaves, she set the chocolate leaves aside and moved to the stove, where she filled a conical bag with melted chocolate from a double-boiler simmering on the back burner. She snipped off the very tip of the bag and began piping the chocolate over the largest of the three cakes in an oblong diamond shape.
Cherry Pie was about to ask her if this was to be Fugue's wedding cake when his father stopped him. "I think we've both known her long enough to know that talking to her now would just upset her. It does take a lot of concentration to do what she's doing. Believe me, I've tried." Being the wise father figure that he was, Indigo Spark then answered the un-asked question. "Yes. It's your mother's wedding gift to Fugue and her new husband. She would get into a tizzy if anything went wrong with this cake. I think it's time we leave her to work her magic."
They retired to the living room and talked of many things: of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax. Of cabbages and kings, and why the sea was boiling hot, and whether pigs had wings. They discussed Cherry Pie's plans for the future, after the Harvest festival, and Indigo Spark talked about the class he was currently teaching. How his lectures attracted not just unicorns, but also pegasi and earth ponies. Since all ponies were magical to a degree, all three classes of pony could take something useful from his teachings. He told Cherry Pie of a few books that might be useful in expanding his skills in magic, and offered to let him take a few of them to study while he travelled. "Atleast walking all over the place won't be so boring if you have something interesting to read while you do so."
They had just stacked a few books on the coffee table for Cherry Pie to take with him when Burning Star entered, with stray hairs sticking out all over and looking immensely relieved.
"Whew! It's done! Come and see!" she announced to the room at large.
The trio migrated back to the kitchen and were welcomed by the sight of a beautiful, three-tiered wedding cake. The diamond piping had been finished off with teardrop shaped blobs of chocolate along the outside edges of each cake, and clusters of chocolate leaves and raspberries hid the wooden dowels used to keep the tiers up, as well as a large arrangement decorating the middle of the top tier. A golden crust of crushed caramelized sugar had been applied to the sides, and marzipan figures of Fugue and a pegasus that Cherry Pie could only guess was Guardian stood on either side of the top, their front hooves resting on the cluster of leaves and raspberries, noses touching.
"It looks great, mom. I can't wait to taste it"
"Congratulations on another masterpiece, honeybunch!"
Burning Star beamed at them both, and then looked at the old cuckoo clock hanging on the wall.
"Oh my! It's getting late. Time for bed! Oh, Cherry Pie dear, your old room is still just the way you left it except your sheets are clean, and I took the liberty of getting your old tuxedo cleaned and pressed. It's hanging just behind the door."
Cherry Pie thanked his mother for her thoughtfulness. They bid eachother goodnight, and then went to their respective rooms. Cherry Pie was surprised to find that his room was indeed in exactly the state of disorder he had left it, except for the pristine bedclothes and the tuxedo hanging on a hanger suspended by a hook on the back of his door. He took off his vest, placed his fez on one of his bedposts, and flopped onto the mattress, extremely happy to have such amazing parents. He was asleep in seconds.
As per usual, Burning Star was the first one up, but today she was particularly hyperactive. She woke Cherry Pie before Celestia's Sun had even broken the horizon, and asked if he would help her box the cake and keep it steady while Indigo Spark carried it. Knowing this was extremely important to her, he got up, put on his vest, and went to wash his face. When he looked into the mirror, he knew his mother would just make an enormous scene if he tried to go to the wedding with his mane in it's current condition. Sighing, he pulled a brush from one of the drawers beneath the mirror and started brushing his unkempt mane. It stuck. Groaning, he let it hang infront of his eyes as he left the bathroom and went downstairs to the kitchen.
"Mom, can you help me?"
She turned when she heard his voice, saying "Yes, I-" but keeled over, wracked with fits of laughter when she saw her son with a brush dangling before his eyes. "Oh, sweetie, you really are something else. I appreciate the effort, though. You were definitely right to at least try to do something about your mane for the wedding."
She walked up to him and slowly eased the brush out of his tangled mane. Together, they sat, and Burning Star worked on her son's mane for a solid ten minutes ("Wow! How did you ever manage to get your mane THIS tangled?!") He wasn't sure what to say, so he just remained silent. When she was finished, and his mane was smoother than he could ever remember feeling it, she looked him over and said "Well, that'll do for now. As far as styling goes, I think the best thing we can do for you is to straighten it. We'll take care of that later, though. For now, we have work to do!"
She led him to the kitchen counter, where a huge box sat with the front opened outward, looking expectant. "I have to get the cake in here, seal it, and then we have to carry it all the way to the Celestial Summer Plaza in Central Park. The box itself is imbued with a chilling spell your father put together for me, so it's like a light, single-use, mini refrigerator. It's a pity we didn't think to give it wheels as well... Whatever! No use crying over spilled milk! Let's get this baby in there."
Using their magic, he lifted the cake as she steadied it, and it slid into the box without a sinch.
"Well, number one on our extensive list of things to do today is done. Come on, let's go see if your father is even up yet." With a satisfied smile, the white unicorn trotted to the stairs, almost shining with excitement. Cherry Pie followed her, feeling a little silly. As he looked out the window, he was pleased to note that the sun was starting to light the horizon: It wasn't as early as he thought it had been.
As they entered the master bedroom, Indigo Spark had been in the midst of tying an exquisite cravat of golden silk round his neck. His wife giggled at the sight, for the tuxedo he was wearing was a little tighter than it should have been. His mane was slicked back in his usual fashion, but he had apparently used something to brighten the blues and whites. When he finished with the cravat, he turned from the mirror to face them. "Well, since you're up, Cherry Pie, I guess the cake is packed up and ready to go?" As he asked this, Burning Star went to her vanity and and picked up a straightening iron.
"Come here sweetie." She beckoned to Cherry Pie with her hoof, and he obediently loped to her side and sat. While they waited for the iron to heat up, the three unicorns discussed the preparations for the day, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. They continued this discussion until they were satisfied nothing had been left undone, and Cherry Pie's mane was about halfway straightened. When it was all done, Indigo Spark went to retrieve his son's tuxedo as Burning Star took a black silk ribbon from a drawer and pulled his mane back, tying the ribbon around it in a bow to secure it.. With his mane styled in this fashion, he came across as extremely regal. "Hmmm. I think this is how I'll style my mane for the Harvest Festival." he said, surprised at how great it looked.
At that point, Indigo Spark returned with the tuxedo and helped him get into it. With the combination of his mane and tux, he practically dripped regality. "I can think of more than just a few young mares in town who would be tripping over eachother trying to get at you, looking like this." His mother said, excitedly. "Perhaps we'll soon have another wedding in the family!" She sang the last word, betraying her extreme excitement at the prospect.
Since they were all finally ready, the family trooped downstairs and into the kitchen, where the boxed cake waited. They decided that rather than having one of them bear all the weight and two of them steadying, it would be easier if the two stallions carried it together while Burning Star kept the load from tipping. After checking that they had not forgotten any essential items, the trio picked up the cake and started the long trek from the house to Central Park. Not many ponies were up this early. The pegasi in charge of delivering mail were out, and a few early risers were out tending to the flowers in their planters before the heat of the day. A few other ponies carrying items for the wedding fell into step with them and exchanged pleasantries, but they didn't really meet anypony else on their way.
After perhaps an hour of careful walking, they reached Central Park and found the Celestial Summer Plaza already starting to see some action. An enormous cart laden with cushions for the seating had been drawn up near the plaza, and a large tent was being set up nearby for the reception. This was to be the final resting place of Burning Star's masterpiece, and they were all very glad to finally see it so close. Once the tent was set up and the refreshments table was put in place, they transferred the cake from the box to the middle of the table and drew a collective sigh of relief. "Well, now that's taken care of, let's see what we can do to help set up!" Burning Star was right, of course. It would be rude for them to hang around without helping, so they went to the plaza to help unload the seating from the cart.
The flowers had arrived by then and ponies were also starting to unload and place them along with white sheer fabric drapes, which hung from the edges of the large gazebo that dominated the plaza. Shortly after the seating had been unloaded and arranged, Nocturne arrived with her harp, and began to organize the music stands for the musicians who would be playing at the wedding; they had been left standing in a cluster to one side of the altar. Once she was done with that, she found a cushion to go with each of the stands, and then joined her family.
"Cherry Pie!" she cried, ecstatically. "It's been too long! I'm so glad to see you were able to make it after all. Of course, Fugue will be even more excited, but that goes without saying. It is her big day, after all. I'm in charge of the music for the ceremony and reception. I've never done a gig without Fugue, so I'm a little nervous, but I'm also really excited!" They all talked for a while longer, and then started drifting apart as more ponies arrived. The work was finally done with about two hours to spare, so those who were already there just socialized, or wandered a little ways into the city for a bite to eat. Cherry Pie's family had collectively not eaten that morning, so they were among those who wandered off for a while. Nocturne and Cherry Pie had virtually the same conversation he had had with his parents the previous evening, but that was fine with him. It truly had been too long since he last saw his sisters.
When they returned to the plaza, ponies had already begun taking their seats under the gazebo where the ceremony was to take place. The wedding wasn't scheduled to start until another forty-five minutes had passed, so the four of them continued to mingle for another half-hour or so, except for Indigo Spark, who had to go find Fugue so he could escort her down the aisle when the time came. The ceremony was supposed to take about 30 minutes, culminating in the kiss of the bride and groom, so at about a quarter past eleven, the family took their seats. Nocturne, among the music stands with a cellist and flautist, and the rest on the front row to the left side of the aisle, as family of the bride.
Nocturne began setting the mood for the prelude with a few delicate chords on her harp, and, as the music built, the collective volume of the gathered ponies gradually lowered until it was more like a whisper. Finally, the groom went to stand before the altar, looking ridiculously dashing in his cream coloured tuxedo, with golden vest and red tie. The officiator appeared behind the altar a few seconds after, wearing a simple black robe and white collar. When she had taken her place, she signaled to the trio of musicians, and they began playing a beatiful, flowing piece with underlying tones of purpose and drive, no doubt a march of Nocturne's own composition.
A few measures into the march, a smattering of Ooohs and Ahhhs told Cherry Pie that Fugue had begun walking down the aisle. In due time, she reached the front, and Cherry Pie let out a gasp at the sight of her. His mother had been right about the gown, which was absolutely gorgeous, complementing her figure without being risque while also bringing out the pale pink of her coat, exemplifying that old adage about the "blushing bride".
"Isn't she stunning!?" Burning star gushed. "Why, if it weren't her wedding day, I think I'd be extremely jealous!" Cherry pie chuckled inwardly at her statement, but continued to look on, awestruck at the spectacle before him.
"Welcome, Everypony." the officiator said, warmly. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of this mare, and this stallion, in the bonds of Holy matrimony." She paused and began to lecture the congregation. "Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage, that blessed arrangement. That dream within a dream..." The speech sounded vaguely familiar to Cherry Pie, but he couldn't quite put his hoof on it. He brought his attention 'round again as the officiator said "Then love, TRUE love, will follow you forever." The speech blurred into a meaningless mass of words for Cherry Pie until finally, the ceremony was drawing to a close. "I now pronounce you Stallion and Wife! You may kiss the bride!"
The timing was perfect. The moment their lips met, the crystal half ball embedded in the ceiling of the Gazebo burst to life. The etchings that were hidden within became visible as the Sun's blessed rays passed through them, creating intricate patterns all over the place. The Sun and crystal combined turned the gazebo into a brilliant theater of dancing rainbows and shadowy shapes. Tiny gems, painstakenly hoof-sewn into Fugue's gown caught the light as never before and completely dazzled the audience, making them gasp in delight.
From that point, the time went on in a blur. Cherry Pie could make neither head nor tail of the details of the reception. He recalled that the cake was absolutely divine, though. He knew he'd need to remember that later for when his mother asked him his impression. She'd flip if he couldn't tell her what he thought of it. He enjoyed the family reunion, though, and Guardian turned out to be quite an engaging fellow, once Cherry Pie got to know him.
Towards the end of the reception, Fugue introduced him to the mare who made her dress. She was amazing; her alabaster coat and rich violet, elegantly and expertly curled mane contrasting beautifully with eachother. Her sapphire eyes pierced into his own until he was sure sparks were going to ignite between them. He didn't hear a single word she said to him, but he did see that she was wearing a very beautiful gown, that seemed to be designed specifically to be breath-taking AND inconspicuous. He had no idea how that was even possible, but this mare had managed it. She gave him a few more words and then smiled sweetly, and floated away.
The reception had lasted for many hours, and it was time for the ponies to start going home. The crowd dispersed fairly quickly, and luckily, the cleaning and teardown crew was on time. They didn't need supervision, so the newly enlarged family headed back to the home of Indigo Spark and Burning Star. For once, Burning Star was absolutely exhausted, so they all decided to stop in at a restaurant on the way home; It was about dinner-time, anyway. Guardian recommended a wonderful place that served cuisine from the Appleoosa area. It was the best anybody could do as far as recommendations went, so they went there. That night's special was a barbequed apple'n'bean stew with roast radicchio and balsamic vinegar. It was absolutely delicious.
They trooped to the house and sat up, just talking, discussing the wedding, congratulating Fugue and Guardian personally and wishing them many happy years together. After an hour or so, Fugue and Guardian headed out. Nocturne announced that she would be staying with her family this evening to afford the newlyweds some privacy on their wedding night. As every one of them was completely exhausted, they all said good night and went to bed. It had been a truly marvelous day, and they all fell asleep more easily than usual.