Dear friend
Who am I? You may or may not know the answer to that question, but I wouldn't expect you too. You may or may not be to busy to read this. But I hope you aren't. Obviously if you don't know me then you won't understand why I'm writing this too you, but we'll get to that. Do you believe in love? It's a pretty harmless question, yet it has deep running implications. Two years ago if you had asked me that question without a doubt I would have told you, yes. You see, I was a naive pony. Being brought up in a small town with a tight-knit family does that too you, and being a colt and growing up with 4 sisters probably wasn't much help either. My sisters would always talk of knowing when somepony was "the one" and that when you realized who it was your whole life would make sense, basically like a fairytale. That's great and all but, the truth is life doesn't allow for happy endings, sometimes the cards aren't stacked in your favor and you might lose. In the my case, I lost. How did I lose at this game of life might you ask? Well for that I should go back too when I first arrived in Ponyville...
"Hey mister! You lookin' fur somethin'?" A voice squeaked from behind me.
I turned to see a small yellow filly with a red mane and tail staring up at me with her wide orangish red eyes. She did have good reason to be asking me that, I'm sure I looked down right lost aimlessly wandering round Ponyvilles Town Square.
"As a matter of fact Ah am. What's your name?" I asked in my deep drawl.
"Ah'm Applebloom," She replied. "You don't sound like you're from around here,"
"You got that right, Ah'm from Appleloosa," I answered.
The fillies eyes widened in excitement, which I didn't think was even remotely possible on account of how big they were in the first place, and she started jumping up and down.
"No way! I'm from there too!" Applebloom exclaimed.
That explained her accent.
"You don't say?" I asked.
"Well my family came from there," She added.
"Huh, well it's very nice to meet you Applebloom, mah name is Blaze," I introduced myself.
"So mister Blaze, whatzit you've been lookin' fore?" Applebloom asked.
"Ah'm lookin' fore a pony that owns a dress shop here in Ponyville," I replied.
"You mean Rarity?" Applebloom screeched.
This pony was wayyyy too excited to be alive, but it sounded like she knew where I was supposed to be headed.
"You know this pony?" I asked.
"Of course I do, she's mah best friends sis," She answered. "Come on I'll take ya there!"
Applebloom suddenly took off into the crowd leaving a cloud of dust behind her.
"Well it ain't gunna be much help if I can't even follow her," I muttered to myself before bolting after her. Weaving between food carts and unsuspecting ponies I looked left and right for the young filly, but the streets were so crowded I could barely see where I was going. I craned my neck to try and get a better view but even though I was at least a hand taller than everypony I still couldn't see her.
"Applebloom where are you?" I called out to her. The crowds were starting to close in on me now, it felt like I was suffocating. My vision went dark and I started to hyperventilate. I felt a tug at my tail and I spun around to see Applebloom looking up at me again.
"You alright Mister Blaze?" She asked worriedly.
I shook my head clear. "Yah, let's jus get outta this crowd,"
The next couple of minutes were a blur but after what felt like ages I found myself on the porch of a beautiful carrousel shaped building that was encrusted with jewels, decorations and statues of rearing ponies.
"This is it!" Applebloom beamed.
I shook the darkness from my head and looked down.
"Thank you very much Applebloom, it was mighty kind of you to help me out," I said.
"No problem," She smiled.
After thanking Applebloom I excused myself and entered the shop through the diamond encrusted door. As it opened a wave of pungent smells hit me, nearly knocking on my flank. It smelled like someone had take a field of flowers and dumped a boat load of cinnamon and apple cores on it.
"Uh hello?" I coughed. There was no answer so I entered deeper into the store. The walls were lined with dress racks and mannequins that stood in stark contrast to the pink walls, I had never seen that much pink in my entire life. Across the room there were rows of chairs in front of huge mirrors. What was this place? I could see a cat, or at least what I thought was a cat, laying in a ball on the floor.
"Hey there little fella what's your name?" I asked as i stuck out my hoof to pet it. Before I even came close the cat sprung up to it's feet and started hissing at me.
"N-Nice kitty," I tried to calm it down. Apparently it didn't like being called that because it lunged at me and latched on to my face. Franticly I tried to get the furry little devil off of my face as it clawed closer and closer to my eyes. The shop wasn't fairing to well neither, the once orderly space was now a mess from me and the cat bangin' into everything and knockin' it over.
"Get off me you little varmit!" I hollered to the cat, who was now on my back clinging on to my mane. I waited until the right moment when the cats grip loosened and I kicked as hard as I could, sending that stupid thing sailing through the air and into a nearby flower pot.
"Opalescence!" I sweet sounding voice cried out. I turned to see a beautiful white unicorn pony with a purple mane flying down the stairs. And that must be Rarity...I thought. Rarity threw her self at the flower pot and turned it upside down, shanking it until the cat fell out onto the ground, unharmed might I add.
"Oh you poor poor thing," Rarity cooed as she cradled Opalescence. "I thought I told you to not attack our customers?"
I stood there awkwardly for a moment before I cleared my throat.
"Ah'm sorry about your shop Miss," I apologized.
"No no, It's quite alright, believe it or not this has happened before," She looked up and smiled at me. Her beautiful azure eyes glimmered in the light that shone from the windows.
"Really?" I asked surprised at the claim.
"Almost every other week," Rarity chuckled. I breathed a sigh of relief, well at least she wasn't going to yell at me!
"Ah'm Blaze," I stuck my hoof out to shake hers. Rarity looked at me like I was from another planet. "You don't like hoof shakes?"
"As delightful as that... hoof shake would be, I don't know where your hoof has been and I can't risk getting dirty," Rarity explained. "Please, take no offense," Sheesh! This pony was a piece of work.
"Anyways," She continued, "What can I help you with Mr. Blaze?"
"Ah'm here to pick up a weddin' dress for mah sister," I replied. Rarity had begun to clean up the mess Opalescence and I had made with her magical horn thing.
"Oh how delightful!" Rarity exuded. "What name is it under?"
"Should be under Ember," I said.
"Yes, I remember that one, quite a challenging project, but nothing I couldn't handle, I'll be right back," Rarity said before she ducked into the back room of the store. Opalescence and I silently stared each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. Luckily Rarity came back before another a brawl ensued. She was carrying a huge white bag with the shop logo stamped on the front, even it was laced with pink!
"Here you go, order number 2276, Miss Ember Heart," She read off of a small slip of paper.
"Wow, that's a dress?" I pointed to the bag that was nearly crushing Rarity, I doubt she could have lifted it without her magic. I thought even I might have a tough time carrying it.
"Of course it is, what else do you think it could be?" Rarity demanded.
"Ah dunno, a baby elephant?" I laughed.
Rarity flashed me a brilliant smile and my heart fluttered. Whoa, keep it together Blaze.
"It's not that big!" Rarity giggled.
"Ah beg to differ, I've seen baby Buffalo smaller than that," I continued to laugh.
"Well, regardless of how big it is, that will be 352 bits please," Rarity said as she dropped the dress beside me.
I pulled out the money I owed her and she rang up the sale.
"So where do you hail from Mr. Blaze?" Rarity tried to make small talk.
"Appaloosa," I replied quickly trying to keep up with her fast pace of talking.
"My that's a long way to come for just a dress," She pointed out.
"Yah well, when mah sis heard about your designs she couldn't have it made by any other hooves but yours." I said.
Rarity beamed at the complement, "Well please tell your sister I appreciate that she chose me,"
"Can do," I promised. Rarity smiled at me again, it was so beautiful, she was so beautiful. I couldn't help but gaze blankly at her waiting for her to do it again.
"So... how long are you in town for?" She asked obviously trying to change the subject. Shoot! She must have noticed me staring at her. Way to go Blaze you're a real charmer, I thought to myself. I shook my head clear.
"Probably just till' tomorrow night when the train fore Appaloosa comes back from Manehatten," I said attempting to salvage the conversation.
"Oh what a pity, Ponyville is wonderful this time of the year, we just finished our winter wrap-up a few days ago," Rarity said.
"Ah would love to stay, but the weddin' is in 2 days, and I wouldn't want to leave my sister without a... whatever that thing is," I said as I poked the bag.
"Don't do that!" Rarity laughed, "You'll wreck it!"
"Ah apologize, Miss Rarity," I chuckled.
"Please, call me Rarity," She insisted.
"Okay, Rarity," I let the name roll off of my tongue.
"There you go," She giggled and flashed me another smile. Boy was I on a roll! We had some small talk for awhile, her work and the weather. I was beginning to get into the conversation when I could begin to feel my stomach growling, signaling it was just about time for dinner.
"Well Rarity it was very nice meetin' you and all but I should be headin' out to find myself some grub," I said as I hefted the bag onto my back.
"Wait! You simply must join my friends and I for dinner tonight," She said.
That's odd, why would she want to be spending so much time with me? I asked myself. But I was sure it couldn't hurt to stop and meet a few ponies. What else was I gonna do tonight anyways?
"Ah wouldn't be imposin'?" I asked.
"Not at all!" She sang, "We here in Ponyville are known for our hospitality,"
"Then it'd be mah pleasure," I smiled.
"Great! I'll go ahead to let them know you're coming, when you're ready come meet us down at Sugar Cube Corner," She said.
"Ah'll be there," I promised before I exited the store into the cool spring air.
That's how I met her and believe you me, I didn't think anything of it. But little did I know this was the beginning of a truly amazing journey that would test all of my will and courage. I know this might not have answered the question of who I am, but trust me, we'll get to that.
I will write soon.
B.