MLP: The Portal

Chapter 35: Out & About

"Hey, Spike, would you mind sending this letter to Princess Celestia when you have a chance?" Twilight asked, handing her letter to Spike.

"Sure, Twilight. I didn't know you were sending letters to the princess again. Did you learn something recently?" Spike joked. Twilight giggled and shook her head.

"Oh goodness, it's been forever since the last time I sent a letter like that. No, she asked if I could meet her at Canterlot castle, however, I won't be able to come for another few days. I have some things to take care of here at the Tree." Twilight explained.

"Oh okay. You sure you wanna put off meeting with Princess Celestia?" Spike asked, "That's not like you, Twilight."

"I don't have a choice, Spike. I have to be here to oversee the renovations being done." Twilight said.

"Ooh, renovations?"

Before Twilight could explain further, Alex came down the steps. Twilight flinched a bit in surprise.

"Alex? I didn't bring you over today. I was gonna come get you in an hour."

"Yeah, Starlight went ahead and got me since you were busy. I'm just gonna head out on a walk." Alex explained, pointing towards the door.

"Oh okay. By yourself?"

"All by my lonesome. I'll be back. Be good." Alex joked as he made his way out the door. Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled a bit.

"Alright, have fun. See you later." She waved him off.

Alex stepped out and looked towards Ponyville. Already he saw ponies going around, to and fro; morning was in full swing. With his headphones on, he began to walk through town, casually looking around at those whose paths he crossed.

As he continued on, an occasional head would turn to look at him curiously, considering he was a new, unfamiliar face. One mare waved at him from across the street, and he waved back with a smile. It caught him off guard a little bit how friendly these ponies could be sometimes.

To his left, Sugarcube Corner caught his eye. He remembered that as where Pinkie worked, and decided to pay her a visit. He paused his music as he entered into the quaint shop.

It was a slow morning, with only one customer already picking up cupcakes. There was Pinkie Pie behind the counter, waving the mare off with a delightful grin.

"Thank you, Cherilee! Bye bye now!" Pinkie waved.

"Bye, Pinkie Pie. Oop, excuse me." The mare named Cherilee said as she and Alex swerved around each other. Alex nodded, going up to Pinkie Pie.

"Hi, Alex! I didn't expect to see you so early. I thought Twilight was going to get you in an hour." Pinkie said. Alex hummed.

"Yeah, but Starlight brought me over early. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd see how you're doing." He said.

"I'm great, thanks for asking! Can I get you something? Maybe a cupcaaake?" She offered, holding one up. Alex chuckled.

"Maybe later. I'm on a walk right now. I'll just take water, or something to give me some energy while I go around. Got anything like that?" Alex asked. Pinkie nodded quickly.

"I have just the thing for you. It's a drink of my own design, I patented it myself. I call it the Zowie Powie drink! Just give me 15 seconds!" Pinkie said before rushing back to make the drink. Alex waited idly for a bit.

"Done!" Pinkie exclaimed, suddenly behind him with the drink. Alex jumped in shock, almost climbing onto the counter.

"Sheesh, you scared me! How'd you do that?!"

"I told you, I had to make the drink. Sorry it took 16 seconds, I ran out of sugar and had to get some more, plus it has to sit for awhile and everything. Anyways, here's your drink, freshly mixed!" Pinkie giggled, handing him the drink.

"Thanks," Alex said. He quickly picked up on Pinkie eagerly waiting for him to taste it. He chuckled a bit, putting the straw in his mouth and sipping some of it. It was quite sweet, with a frothy texture to it. He hummed a bit.

"Not bad, Pinkie. I'll take it. Thanks!" Alex said.

"You're welcome! Be sure to come back for that cupcake!" Pinkie said, giving him a quick hug before he stepped out.

"I will for sure! Take care, don't work too hard!"

"I will! I mean, I won't! I might!" Pinkie called as he walked away. Alex chuckled before putting his headphones back on and continuing on his walk.

As he continued on, he found himself in the town square, the center of Ponyville. The town seemed busier than ever here as he found himself at the intersection of several streets. He decided to observe for a bit, and took a seat on a bench next to the town hall.

He sipped his drink as he watched ponies come and go. Some were just walking like him, others had saddlebags and groceries tucked in one arm, and others still were pulling along carts and carriages. He even caught sight of Big Mac, but he didn't notice him when he waved.

Then a mare came his way: she was white with blue hair and glasses. She had on headphones too, and was nodding her head along to the rhythm. She gestured to his bench, and he nodded. She sat down by him on the other side of the bench, sitting back casually.

The two glanced at each other curiously, then at each other's cutie marks, seeing that their marks were virtually the same. The mare tilted her head with interest, giving him a sideways smile. Seeing that they had a mutual interest in music, Alex directed his attention to her headphones, pointing to them.

She nodded, taking them off and holding them out to him. Alex took them and removed his own, passing them over to her. They made the swap and put them on. Alex for his part had been listening to Post Malone, while the mare was listening to dubstep.

Alex nodded in approval, and she did the same. She removed his headphones, and he removed hers as well. As he took them off, he saw an inscription inside of them: Vinyl Scratch.

"Your name's Vinyl?" Alex asked.

The mare nodded with a smile.

"That's cool. I'm Alex."

She nodded again, holding a hoof out to him. He shook it, and then handed her headphones back to her. They swapped back again, and put their respective headphones back on. Alex relaxed back as Vinyl got up, waving to him. He gave her a wave.

Then Alex noticed Applejack walking by, with a young girl in tow behind her. He got up, and made his way over to her, greeting her as he closed in on the two.

"Hey, Applejack!" He called to her. Both of their heads turned, and Applejack smiled.

"Heya, Alex! Good to see ya again. Whatcha doin' round here?" She asked.

"Oh you know, just out and about walking. How about you?"

"I'm out here to get Apple Bloom a new bow for an upcoming recital. Apple Bloom, this is my friend Alex. Alex, my little sis Apple Bloom." Applejack introduced the two.

"Nice to meet ya, mister! Are you new to Ponyville?" Apple Bloom asked curiously as they shook hooves.

"Relatively," Alex nodded. "This is my first time really going through it on my own."

"Cool! Where ya from? Your name sounds like somewhere really far off." Apple Bloom commented.

"Alex is from really far off, Apple Bloom. Don't be pryin' now." Applejack advised.

"Sorry. We're always excited to see some new faces!"

"I can tell," Alex chuckled. "Well, mind if I tag along with you two for a bit?" He asked. They nodded.

"Sure!" Applejack nodded. Alex fell in step with them as they continued to the store.

"So what brings ya here to Ponyville?" Apple Bloom continued her questions.

"Oh, just visiting. I've started coming by from time to time to hang out with Twilight and Rainbow Dash and the others."

"You know Princess Twilight and her friends too?! That's so cool! I'm sure you'll know everypony in Ponyville here pretty soon." Apple Bloom giggled. Alex chuckled a bit.

"I don't know, maybe. I've been meeting a few ponies already, so I guess I've already gotten started. I betcha you already know everypony, don't you?" Alex asked. Apple Bloom nodded.

"Eeyup! Me and my friends know everypony! New faces get noticed pretty quickly, and then they aren't new faces anymore."

"Nice." Alex chuckled.

They reached the fabric store at this point and stepped inside. The shop clerk welcomed them from the counter, and the search immediately began.

"You said you wanted a bow?" Alex asked.

"Yep! Something nice to go with my mane. Applejack says the old one is too raggedy." Apple Bloom complained a bit.

"It was torn." Applejack reminded her.

"Only in one spot!" Apple Bloom argued back.

"Haha, alright. What sort of thing are you going for?" Alex asked curiously as he began looking through strips of ribbon.

"I don't know, somethin' nice?" Apple Bloom shrugged.

"You got experience with bows?" Applejack asked with a chuckle. Alex scoffed a bit.

"Not really, but I'm sure there's something here that'll look spiffy." Alex said, glancing at Apple Bloom for a moment before going back to the ribbons.

"Spiffy." Apple Bloom repeated with a giggle.

"How do you feel about lace?" Alex asked, digging through ribbon.

"Lace?"

"Yeah, you know, frilly stuff." Alex rephrased. Apple Bloom shrugged.

"Eh, it's alright, I guess. My friend Sweetie Belle likes the frilly stuff more than me. Let me see." Apple Bloom curiously glanced over. Alex held out a green apple colored ribbon with a small web patter of lace hanging off of it.

"Cut to the right size and tied in a butterfly knot, this would look nice." Alex said.

"Hmm, let's try it." Apple Bloom nodded, taking the ribbon over to the counter. She had the shop clerk take it and tie it in her mane for her.

"You're not too bad with younger ones." Applejack said to him as they waited.

"I had a younger brother that was her age once. There's some similarities there." Alex explained with a chuckle.

"Ah, younger siblings." Applejack sighed. They both chuckled.

Apple Bloom came back with the bow tied in her hair exactly as Alex had said. She showed it to them, and they nodded in approval. She then went to the mirror and saw it for herself.

"Wow, this does look purty! I like it!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"Nice." Alex said with a chuckle.

"How'd you know this would work?" Apple Bloom asked her curiously.

"Oh, it's a rule of colors. The design was an added bonus. Hmm… Rarity would probably say it this way, 'It's fashion 101, darling, opposite colors attract, and the lovely light green pops in contrast to your red mane!'" He said, doing his best impression of Rarity's manner of speaking and use of gestures.

"Heheheh, you nailed her perfectly!" Applejack laughed.