> The Chronicles of Vanta van de Nacht
>  by Vanta van de Nacht
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> On the skirts of Everfree
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Squinting narrowly as the bright, early morning rays of sunlight struck my eyes, I gazed for the first time at what was to become my new home. Oh, I'd seen photographs, of course. But due to an. . . unexpected illness I'd had to leave the physical inspection of the property to a friend of mine, who'd been holidaying in the area the month before. I wouldn't normally make such an important decision without experiencing the place firsthand, but I'd had no choice.

As soon as I had recovered enough to travel, I realised I had already made up my mind - I was going to make the move, and nothing would dissuade me. After what had happened I couldn't go on living in Manehatten, not without -

Well anyway, I decided to move. I'd already been looking at houses in the area out of idle curiosity (or was it? maybe part of me knew I was going to have to move at some point), and this one had stood out to me. It was small, yes - just a hallway, loo, living room and kitchen downstairs, two bedrooms upstairs and room in the loft for a third - but it was in relatively good condition, and cheap enough for me to just about afford. And most importantly, it was secluded.

I'd stumbled on Ponyville be mistake one day when researching the lives of the Princesses, and it sounded straightaway like a nice place to live. Quite small, and friendly. And a mixed population, too, which is unusual so near the capital - earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns, as well as a dragon, all living together peacefully. I was afraid that might change when the Friendship School opened, but if anything the town gained an even better reputation.

And because the town is right by the Everfree forest, it's comparatively remote. The Everfree has an evil reputation, and most ponies won't live near it. But that didn't bother me in the slightest, and I considered the small size of Ponyville an asset.

I suppose that's why so few ponies seem to move to Ponyville, even though it has everything a soul could want - a Royal School, and shops, and a town hall, and good transport to the capital, and even a resident Princess. And a library - Princess Twilight's castle contains the largest library in Equestria outside of Canterlot.

The only downside was that if I moved to Ponyville I'd be a long way from my family in Manehatten. But I couldn't live there a day longer and, after hearing from my friend about this lonely little cottage about a mile away from the main town, it sounded too good to miss.

So I didn't. As soon as I was well enough I sent a message to the estate agent - Mayor Mare of Ponyville (I get the feeling the house had been empty for some time, she seemed quite keen to get rid of it) - and asked for the price. After haggling a bit I was able to wear her down to a price I could reasonably afford, and sealed the deal the following week.

That was in early June, EE 10. I was finally given the all clear to travel by the hospital in Manehatten later that month and, after spending a few weeks with my parents, I packed all my belongings away - which didn't take long - and sent them off to Ponyville.

It's funny actually, but I hadn't realised how little I owned until it came to putting it all in cardboard boxes. Which was good, actually, because it was expensive enough sending what I had all the way to Ponyville, and then arranging for it to be taken from the railway station to my new address.

Quite why it cost so much I'm not sure, to be honest. It's not like the house is that far from the station, only about a mile and a half. And I didn't have that much. But I suppose away from the big cities things are just generally more expensive, maybe. . ? But then, the house itself was relatively inexpensive, so I'm not sure.

Anyway - early in the morning on Midsummer's Eve, I bid my parents farewell, squashed the last of my belongings - essential stuff life parchment and quills and ink and whatnot - into my saddlebags, and caught the train to Canterlot. It took an absolute age, but I slept on the way which made it easy.

After arriving in Canterlot I was a bit confused at first, with so many ponies dashing everywhere; life seems a lot more hectic in the capital than in Manehatten. But I kept my glasses on and my head down, and weaved my way through the crowds to the old-fashioned looking train which would take me to Ponyville.

This journey was shorter by distance but almost as long in time, because of all the intermediate stops the train seemed to make. I tried to keep count but when the moon came up at around midnight I forgot about counting and just enjoyed the view.

The train finally arrived in Ponyville at around half four, early in the morning of Midsummer's Day. For some reason I felt rather tired, but was awake enough to be able to piece together the half-remembered directions my friend had given me together with a lot of educated guesses, and eventually I found myself outside my new home, just as the sun began peeking its nose over the horizon.

I was greeted by the grey, welcoming aspect of a traditional Equestrian thatched cottage, with a steeply-pitched roof, and pretty dormer windows of the style I'd always liked. The land in front stretched away, falling gently downhill, to the river. Behind the cottage and to the east lay the shadowy, slumbering masses of the Everfree. To the west was the dirt path up which I had just walked. A shiver of anticipation thrilled through me, and I smiled for the first time in moons.

A new home and, I hoped, a new life awaited. I had arrived.