Urafiki ni Uchawi (Closed: River)

[SteelEagle]

Muziki moved her head to a tune that only they could share. More accurately, the tune her parents had been playing as they trotted with their cart from Manehattan to Ponyville, the filly on top of the family's haphazardly packed belongings. It was one of many tunes that had been shared with the ponies of Manehattan and the small hamlets along the way to Ponyville, and the same tune in a different tongue that had originated from their homeland. It had followed and would follow no matter the circumstances. When Muziki first heard she was a just the smallest foal, overhearing her parents labored song as they worked and took care of her. The wide open spaces of Zebrica rang in harmony with their song as she grew, from the small towns and villages to the flats and brush and even the larger towns and cities. "Tumesafiri barabara ya mataifa mengi!"

 

When they had migrated to Manehattan, the song remained the same even if the setting could not have been different. There must have been a million billion creatures in Manehattan and never a moment of quiet. It was so dense! Buildings! Ponies! The sky! The ground! The seas! And all the sounds. A lot of it was interesting. Much of it was confusing. She was a quick learner but learning how to speak Equestrian was just one more challenge for her. Truth be told she had never enjoyed her time in Manehattan. She didn't think it was a bad city but it was too much for her, too fast, and too great of a change. When her parents told her they were moving she didn't fight it. "Tuko hapa kwa kila mmoja, kupitia unene na nyembamba!"

 

Ponyville was sold to her as a smaller town and they were right. As they moved in fits and starts from Manehattan to Ponyville she learned in parts what the town was famous for. It wasn't hard: It was a famous town! Her mind had built it up as some near fantastical place from some legend so when they entered the town's limits and saw that it was mostly as advertised- a small but growing town- it failed to meet her imaginative ideals. Still, at least there thatch roof cottages! "Sisi ni watendaji, lakini mengi zaidi!" They trotted deeper in, and the town started to fill out. Never enough to make her uncomfortable like in Manehattan, but it was pretty well evident that she would have to look for the wide open spaces that she was accustomed to.

 

They eventually made their way to the market. "Sisi ni familia, milele zaidi!" They finished just in time. Here was the single largest collection of ponies she had seen but even then it didn't make her anxious like Manehattan had at first! Big win. The cart bounced with her in it until finally it stopped against a wall. "Mpendwa, tuna biashara ya kufanya. Unaweza kuangalia mji kama unataka," her papa said as he secured the cart in it's position. "Tukutane tena kwenye mkokoteni, Muziki. Na usiende mbali sana na soko," her mama added as she pulled herself up to Muziki's height and gave her a kiss.

"Sawa mama, baba, nitajaribu," Muziki said as she hopped off the cart and took a few long steps, stretching her legs and back, whipping her tail about to et the mption back. Her hat nearly fell off so focused on making sure she didn't drop it immediately on the ground. She set her eyes out and took a deep breath, trotting deeper into the market to take a look at things and not cause any trouble.

 

Applejack was having a ball of a time at the market on a very fine summer day. Business was brisk at the stall. A lot of ponies bought themselves some nice, fresh apples, pies, even some other treats like fritters and caramel apples. A lot of orders too! It was always good to return home with your daily stock nearly spent a fresh load of orders to be delivered. All of that was a sign of a business day well spent but that meant nothing to sharing it with her son. He was old enough now to go to the market with her, help her out a bit, and if he wanted to go play or see his friends or do something else other than hang around her fetlocks, that was fine too. She was just happy to have him here.

 

"Y'all have a good day, Bon Bon," Applejack waved off her confectionary friend who trundled off with two big bushels. She looked down at her son as she worked on getting the bits into the drawer. "Hehe, we're doin' mighty fine today!" She beamed proudly as she closed the drawer and wiped down the top. "And Ah think yer big cute smile is probably pullin' them in!" She laughed as her tail rummaged around a bushel behind them and pulled one out. She then placed it on his head as secretly as she could as she scanned the crowd- spotting two- no, three new faces! Zebras to boot. "Huh. Would ya look at that! Wasn't expectin' new- wait a minute, has Pinkie Pie appeared yet?"