Simple Words
Chapter 10: A Letter
Notes was excited. Sales were finally beginning to pick up and he had accumulated enough bits to buy the one thing is cozy, little home needed, a coffee maker. Sure, he could've saved the money and bought a bed, but Notes knew his priorities. So for the first time since he moved to Ponyville, he was able to wake up early before the shop opened and enjoy a steaming mug of coffee whilst reading the newspaper.
Flipping through the paper, appropriately named Equestria Daily, Notes read the headlines. Wonderbolts Lose Race to Athletes from the Griffin Kingdom. Latest in Hoity Toity's Summer Fashion Lineup. Princess Celestia Sends Political Prisoners to the Moon.
Nothing in particular caught Notes's eye as he flipped through the pages; it was same old everyday occurrences. Despite his nice cup of coffee and his store's relaxed atmosphere at the moment, something was bothering Notes. Just the other day, he had run out if contact lenses. Now, Notes's eyesight was as bad as some ponies' might be, but he still needed the lenses. Frustrated, Notes considered his options. On the one hoof, he could go around with poor sight until he could buy some more contacts; or he could wear the glasses.
Deciding on the latter; Notes opened a drawer. There they were. Being made for ponies, the glasses were already absurdly large to accommodate the large eyes that ponies possessed. They were old glasses; Notes had had them since he was a foal. Everything from black metal frame to the perfectly round lenses was familiar. Notes indulged himself in remembering how everypony, including his friends, would give him grief over his glasses since he was a colt. Those were good times. Forgetting how much he had once hated wearing the eyewear, he slipped the glasses on for both nostalgia and necessity's sake.
Upon returning this his loving cup of Joe and his newspaper, Notes received a demanding knock at the door. Looking to his clock, Notes saw that it was over an hour until he was due to open up shop. He mused as to whether it was Rainbow Dash. Ever since last week when the pegasus had the scared the buck out of him, she'd been poking fun at him, not that Notes really minded; it was rather funny looking back. The knocking came again, freeing Notes from his day dreaming.
Leaving his comfortable position, Notes walked to the door. Opening it, he saw that the one who had been knocking had been a gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail. Her cutie mark resembled bubble wrap. Strangely, her yellow eyes appeared to be permanently crossed.
"G-good morning h-how may I help you?" Notes asked the mare.
"Are you Mr. Notes?" she burst out.
"Um, yeah. That's me."
Giving a salute with one of her forelegs the pegasus responded loudly, "Good morning Mr. Notes! I am Ditzy Doo the mail mare, but my friends call me Derpy Hooves. But, since I try to be friends with everypony, everypony calls me Derpy! I have a special delivery for you! Can I interest you in a muffin?"
"W-well, nice to meet you Ms. Derpy," Notes began to vivacious mail mare. "T-thanks for the offer, but I'll to d-decline to the muffin. I j-just ate breakfast you s-see."
The two stood there for a while awkwardly. At last, Notes cleared his throat. It succeeded in catching Derpy's attention.
"What is it Mr. Notes?"
"Um, I understand you h-had a letter f-for me. Y-you know, 'special delivery'."
"Oh that's right." She went to her mail bag and fetched out a letter. "Here you go Mr. Notes! Have a wonderful day!" With her work done, Derpy turned around and flew away, presumably to the next place on her mail route.
Having the letter grasped firmly in his jaw, Notes went back inside his home and shop. After depositing the mail on the store counter, the writer chanced a look at the return address. His blood ran cold and his eyes remained transfixed on the inscription. He hadn't seen that address in six years. The stallion wasted no time in tearing the envelope open and reading its contents.
He had to leave, soon. Notes now had urgent business elsewhere.
Today was Friends Day for the girls. Proposed by Pinkie Pie about a year ago, it was a day that came around once a month in which all of the girls (Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow) would get together and do something together for the day. The one who got to choose their activity alternated between the six mares every month. This month, it was Twilights turn to choose, and she had chosen a day at the local book store. Presently, the Elements of Harmony were on their way to said store.
"Twi," Applejack started, "Ah know it's yer turn ta decide what we all are gonna do today. But really, a book store? Don't ya think that'll get a lil old after a while?"
Rainbow Dash jumped to the unicorn's defense. "Are you kidding me AJ? Have you even seen the place? It's ginormous! It's like the guy bought an apartment and tore down all the walls and made into a store!"
Though Twilight suspected that Notes had probably done something similar to what Rainbow Dash had described, she said nothing of it. She did however feel the need to defend the stallion by appealing to the farm pony's interest in reading material. "Don't worry Applejack," Twilight responded. "As Rainbow said, it is quite large. Besides the store has something for all of us. There's farming almanacs for you, fashion magazines for Rarity, the Daring Do series for Dash, animal books for Fluttershy, and joke books for Pinkie."
"What, um, about you Twilight?" Fluttershy asked in her usual soft spoken voice.
"I love all books silly!" replied the lavender unicorn enthusiastically.
"Oh, um, ok then."
"Besides, Fluttershy darling, I'm sure there are other things besides books that'll catch your attention," Rarity teased. It had been two weeks or so since the two mares' spa session in which Fluttershy had told the fashion diva about her crush on Notes. At the unicorn's comment, the yellow pegasus's face went beet red, causing her to find it behind her mane.
Twilight, oblivious to Rarity's hidden meaning in the statement, responded, "That's right Fluttershy. I don't know if you knew, but Notes has a cat too. I'm sure he'll be glad to introduce you!"
Fluttershy, happy to find a way out of any other awkward implications, lied, "Oh, um, no I didn't know he had a cat. That should be, um, really fun."
"Do you think he'll let us throw a party?" Pinkie asked out of nowhere whilst bouncing along.
"Uh, Pinkie, I don't think Notes would exactly appreciate an unplanned party, especially in his own store," Twilight told the pink pony.
"But everypony loves a party, silly! But, I guess you're right. Plus, I forgot my party cannon!"
The librarian just rolled her eyes at the strange party pony. "Yeah, we couldn't throw a party without the cannon. Anyways, we're here," Twilight said now that the six friends were in front of the establishment.
"Uh, Twi," Applejack began, "Ah hate ta burst yer bubble, but it looks like the place is closed."
"What! That's not right. The shop should've opened at least an hour ago."
"Well, perhaps you guys should've read the note on the door," interrupted Rainbow Dash, pointing at a note clearly nailed to the store's door.
"Let me see that," said the purple mare as she used magic to levitate the inscription off of the door and in front of her.
"What does it say, dear?" questioned Rarity.
"Yeah, Twilight! What's it say? What's it say?" Pinkie Pie joined in.
"If you all would quiet down, then I could tell you," responded Twilight hotly. Clearing her throat, she read aloud, "'To who it may concern, I'm afraid that the book and writing supplies store is closed indefinitely due to personal issues. I'd like to extend my sorrow to any inconveniences caused by my absence. Consequently, the newly created book club cannot be held here and is on hiatus unless otherwise notified by Twilight Sparkle. Again I am dearly sorry. Shop keeper, Notes. P.S. Twilight if you're reading this, please find somepony like Fluttershy to look after my cat. I sort of had to leave in a rush. I'll pay whomever you ask as soon as I'm back. Sorry.' Well, that's what it says."
"I wonder what could've made him leave in such a hurry." Rarity said to herself.
"I don't know why he'd leave but he really did leave quick," replied Rainbow Dash. "He forgot to lock his door." To show the others, she lightly tapped the door and it swung open.
"Oh dear, perhaps we should, um, go inside and find a key to lock the door, maybe," suggested Fluttershy.
Twilight agreed. "You're right Fluttershy. If he didn't lock the door, he probably has a key inside that will lock it. We'll go in, find the key, get out, lock the door, and come back another day."
"And perhaps, we'll get ta the bottom of why that Notes feller left so quickly," added AJ.
"And we can get ready for a super fun, fabulous welcome back party!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, bouncing into the shop. She was followed by Applejack.
"Yeah, and I still need to buy the latest Daring Do book," said Rainbow Dash, flying into the book store after the other two.
"Oh, and I need to, um, look after Notes's cat for him!" explained Fluttershy has she rushed inside to care for the aging tom.
"What? No girls! Come back! All we have to do is find the key! Listen to me!" shouted Twilight as four of her friends walked straight into a business that was clearly closed without the intent on simply "finding the key". She looked over to Rarity. "Aren't you going to go in too?"
"Darling, sometimes you just have to 'go with the flow' has some ponies say." With that, the white unicorn leisurely walked into the book store.
Twilight, on the other hoof, lowered her head; clearly annoyed. After getting inside the shop, she slammed the door shut with her magic.
A/N: Well, lovely readers, I have updated once again. This time you all haven't had to wait an entire month. I must be getting better at this. I hope I have satisfied your expectations with this chapter's "plot thickening". Next chapter, we'll peer into Notes's journal as well as his past. Please review to tell me what you think! Until next time.