> The lonely Oak Tree > by OpenPage > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Big Oak > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “What do you mean my books were not shipped?!” I screamed at a pony manning the Hooves and Co. Shipping company. Books I had spent a considerable amount of the libraries funds on didn’t make it by the stated shipping day. Furious is what I what was! “I-Im orry mss Twighlit,” the stallion, Sodden Grass, muttered in broken ponyish. He sounded like he bit his tongue “There… there was a mix-up and they just began sending the books. Won’t be here till next Tuesday” “UGH I… I… AGH!” I stomped out of the building, dirt flying where I walked. Where was I going to get the restock of books now? I huffed and trotted towards a large oak tree. Sitting down in the shade, I rested my head on my forehooves. “What am I going to do now?” From the shade, I could see ponies selecting their lunch at a small restaurant I couldn’t remember the name of. I talked to myself when I couldn’t think of a problem to solve. It helped me relax. Blame it on Cadence if you have a problem with it. “Princess Celestia could fast-track my order… but that would be an abuse of being her student.” “Honey, are we having dinner wi-...” my eyes tracked a married couple passing by. I missed my family. Shiny hadn’t sent a letter since I got here a couple months back. Cadence and he were so cute trying to hide their relationship, and it made me miss them both seeing the happy couple. I sighed, rolling on to my stomach. Turning to the sky I noticed how nice the weather was today. The cloudless sky was a vibrant blue that matched my feelings at the moment. Not a pegasus in the sky to break up the monotonous expanse. I could hear the clop of hooves from behind me. Of course, I didn’t really care right now, so I continued sighing in a sort of forlorn way. “Heya Twi! Whhhhaaattcchyyyaaa ddddooiinn?” Pinkie said leaning down to speak in my ear. She always seemed to have a way of tracking if anypony she considered a friend was sad. I grumbled and rolled away covering my eyes. “Cmon! Its ya friend, Pinkie Pie! You look all sad and mopey and and and I can’t let a friend indeed be sad.” Her voice circled around me, sometimes right on top of me. I didn’t feel her hooves on me though so how I don’t know. I uncovered my eyes and gave her the dirtiest stink eye I could. “Pinkie, I’m trying to mop alone for a while, I’ll be fine in a couple hours.” “Nuh-uh, you’ll sit on this and mope for daaayyysss,” Pinkie bounced over me and nuzzled my cheek “we’ve been friends for a while, I learned how you work missy,” I put a hoof to her chest and pushed in futility against the pink menace “Cmmooonnn Pinkie, you know I like my personal space sometimes” It was.. Mostly true. I really did like her nuzzling though, I was sad and needed a friend. Celestia damn her if I would admit it though. Pinkie hopped away from me and circled the tree we were under. I couldn’t understand what she was doing. Before I could ask though, she climbed up into the branches of the trees. Lots of swinging and squeaking coming from her up there. It looked pretty fun. Finally, Pinkie wrapped her back hooves around a branch and fell back. Her face swung inches away from mine. “Wanna hear a story Twi?” I knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “…not really, but you’re going to tell it anyway aren’t you?” I replied hoping she would climb into the leaves and vanish. “THERE ONCE was a big oak tree, a superly duperly big oak tree. The biggest in the WORLD. And he wasn’t the only tree, but the rest were smaller. They ate sunlight that the big tree let through its branches. The big oak tree felt sad that it blocked out most of the light to the little trees, but it couldn’t help what it was.” Pinkie took a breath before continuing her story. “One day, a pony came to the forest, and it needed wood for her house. She asked EVERY tree if they would like to be wood for her home. Most of them said no of course.” Pinkie waggled her eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes at her antics. Of course, a tree wouldn’t want to be chopped down. “Finally she got to the biggest oak tree. And the big oak tree said yes because he really liked the little trees. He thought if he left with the pony the little trees could grow big and strong. Before the pony chopped into the big oak tree all the trees underneath cried out,” Pinkie let out mock little voices “no no! Don’t take Big Tree! We like Big Tree! He’s our friend! It surprised Big Tree, he thought they didn’t like him!” “Is there a point to this story Pinkie?” I said, looking up at her. I was kinda surprised she was still hanging upside down. The blood must be pooling in her head by now. She seemed to ignore me “Finally big tree realized that even though the little trees didn’t get as much sun with him there, doesn’t mean they weren’t his friends. So he politely refused the Pony, and she left to ask more trees. The big oak tree and his little friends lived happily ever after!” Pinkie let of the branch, doing a backflip and landing on all four in front of me “Soooo Twilight, can YOU tell me the moral of the story?” I mumbled, “that even if it was a bit of an inconvenience to my friends to tell them my problems, doesn’t mean that I should ignore them?” The staring was a little creepy and went on for almost a minute “Probably! I don’t actually remember why I started the story. Hey, wanna go get cupcakes at Sugarcube Corner? My treat.” I stared at her this time “Alright Pinkie sure let’s get some cupcakes,” I stood up and dusted my chest off “Hey I had something pretty annoying happen today, can I tell you about it?” “Sure, anything for a friend,” Pinkie hopped off in the direction of pastries. I turned around and stared at the big oak tree I was resting under. I gave the bark a pat “Thanks.” I chased after Pinkie, on the hunt for sweets.