Story: Kodachrome's Surprise

[Skye]

2011 Shawn "Skye" Winnie

http://equestria.electronook.com

This is the Place! - Kodachrome's Surprise (For Kodachrome of Equestria)

Kodachrome dashed about from one side of her home to the other. "Oh, where is it!" she exclaimed, frantic in her search. She knew it was here somewhere! She had just the thing she needed to finish filling out this order for this customer. Just the right frame, she needed, to process the photograph she'd made for them. It was such a beautiful picture, and it needed just the right setting to just completely -make- the scene!

It was of a groom, in the most well-tailored tuxedo, standing next to his bride. Dressed in the most gorgeous dress Koda had seen yet with a train that seemed a mile long. At the podium together, their minister pony just behind them ready to pronounce them as stallion and mare together. The wedding had been gorgeous and Koda had just happened to be there at the crucial moment just before they had taken their vows together, gazing into each other's eyes. The moment was captured so well, so vibrantly, that the viewer could almost see the breeze teasing the wipsy veil, the minute glisten of moisture on the groom that betrayed his nervousness and the nearly palpable anticipation of the ceremony reaching its climax.

Few pictures had made Kodachrome swell so much with pride, that she had even asked the happy couple of she could keep a copy for herself in her own portfolio. Someday, she swore to herself, she'd have a wedding like that. But for now, the picture lay in its temporary wrappings, keeping it safe and smudge-free if only she could find the frame she'd had picked out for it! Ponyfeathers, where was it? The frame had taken her ages to find, and she'd scoured the catalogue every frame shop in Equestria she could get her little hooves on.

This one had been of a carefully and delicately twined featherwood bark, each groove sprinkled with a fine layer of gold, and intricate silver vines binding the woodwork together. A pair of gems, cut by the top gem maker in Canterlot had cost her nearly a month's worth of wages to obtain, and out of respect she'd charged beneath cost to the couple. Each gem represented the couple. This one, a most beautiful deep amber flecked with almost iridiscent flecks within it that seemed to portray the stallion's essence. Its companion, an almost ocean-depth green, reflected the mare's matching coat, their colors seemingly drawn out of the photograph. It had looked so perfect when she'd been comparing them, but drat it if she hadn't lost the frame!

Suddenly, a bell rang from the front door of her shop, breaking her reverie. She'd have to come back to search for that frame later if it was the last thing she'd do. "I'll be with you in a moment!" Koda called to the mystery guest in the front of her shop. For the time being, she promised the photgraph, you'll be safe here until I find that dratted frame.

The filly emerged from her back room, tugging the thick velvet curtain back to protect future projects from the bright sunlight that filtered in through the tall windows that framed her front door. Standing there, regarding a small collection of photgraphs she'd taken for the fun of it and liked to use as demonstration to her potential customers for backgrounds and settings, was a large stallion. His coat was khaki colored, his eyes such a warm brown that they seemed nearly to blend in as he looked over her work. A satchel was over his back, matching the cutie mark on his flanks that vanished as he turned around.

"Oh, miss Kodachrome, is it?" he said, taking note of the pegasus. He hadn't expected her to be one but in reflection, realized that a pegasus pony would be the perfect photographer with her ability to find the most rare of angles, the most luscious of positions and the hardest to reach vistas.

Koda swished her lengthy tail, its red and yellow contrasts nearly whirling behind her. She was a young, slightly chunky pegasus with a butter-colored pelt that suited her bright and sunny disposition. Her cutie mark, a bat with a cute grin surrounded by three stars seemed to move independently as the muscles of her legs danced from step to step. Koda hated being grounded for too long, and she longed to fly, giving her the nearly-constant appearance that she was about to take flight. Eyes the color of seafoam regarded the stallion in front of her as she took a breath in her response. "That's me, welcome to Koda's!" she hadn't thought of a better name yet, but it'd come to her eventually. "How can I help you today?"

He turned and opened his pack, reaching in to bring out a long and thin package from within it. A pencil spilled out onto the floor, but a clop of his hoof captured it before it made its escape between the floorboards. "I've brought something for you from the post office. I happened to be on my way by and he asked if I could deliver to you."

A sudden flush came to her cheeks as she realized. That was right. She'd sent the frame and the gems off to a jeweller to have them set in just the right places, and had forgotten she had done so. This must be the frame now, solving her problem immediately. "Oh, geeze, I'd forgotten this." she took the frame delicately from him, setting it on her countertop to inspect it later. "Do I owe you anything?"

His eyes strayed to another of her projects, and she splayed her ears as she realized which one. She'd been taking photographs of various locations almost for the fun of it, but with the alterior motive of finding her ideal location for her own wedding. It was a filly fantasy, one she'd had almost as far back as she could remember, and parts of her daily daydreams often included planning out each and every detail. What she'd wear. What he'd wear (if only she could find...HIM!), what the guests would wear...so many details, all of them meticiously sorted out into categories and details. All but one. Where. She had no idea exactly where, and so she'd been searching.

This particular one was of a seaside view, the waves curling on the beach, breaking with ivory froth that danced on the blindingly white sands. Emerald green grasses lined the beach, and she'd even managed to take an angle that captured the fluffy white clouds that had managed to find their way into the shot as if of their own volition. It was so beautiful...but she hated the thought of having to get every single grain of that sand out of her horseshoes. Or her dress. Even with a carpet, she was sure to have to spend hours with tweezers picking out each intruder into the lovely outfit she'd planned out. No thanks.

"Oh, nothing for me, thanks. I've already received a few bits for making the delivery. Although..." his gaze shifted to yet another image. This one was of Koda's earlier pieces, a photograph of her family together. She'd had to cajole them into getting together, as each and every one of them was just as flighty and busy as she was, that it was one of her most cherished pieces. She'd been afraid that she'd be stuck behind the camera but had been lucky to find a kind pony who'd been willing to press the button for her and the result had been her most-loved item.

"Actually, nothing you may be able to do for me, but I see you're a photographer. Maybe there's something I can do for you. I don't have very many things, but I would dearly love a photograph to take with me of one of my favorite scenes. You see, I've been almost everywhere in Equestria, but one memory keeps bringing me back to Ponyville to see it every chance I have. Would you be willing to take a photograph for me?"

Koda's eyes lit up. Absolutely! She loved to take photos for ponies, and another potential customer could only put the icing on the cake of an otherwise already wonderful day. It just keeps getting better and better! First, she'd finished the earlier photo, and then its frame had arrived, and now...another potentially satisfied customer! Her heart leapt with antipation and excitement as she automatically began to size him up for poise, posture, possible position, and a whole lot of other words that began with the letter P that had absolutely nothing to do with her job before she realized she hadn't even replied to him.

"Oh, absolutely! Just give me a moment to collect my equipment and I'd be happy to take it for you! Did you want to just leave me a note as to where it was and pick it up later, or did you have something in mind in the scene you wanted to add to the photo?" Koda dashed around her shop as she gathered up her trusty box camera, tossed it in her saddlebag along with some extra slides and some flashes. Spares were a must, she'd learned early when she...no, wait, can't get sidetracked, she had a job to do!

"Ah, I think I'd like to be there. I haven't missed one yet while I've been here, and I don't plan to start even now. It won't be too long from now, you were my last stop. Are you free now?" Satchel scratched the back of his head with a hoof, glancing out the window.

Koda nearly bounced in place at the immediacy of the job. She'd wanted to get started on that photo of the couple...but that could wait for a bit, perhaps. Koda never liked to leave a customer waiting and hated to give the impression that she was lax and lazy, so she always was constantly in the move. "Sure, I'm free now!"

Minutes later, she'd locked up her shop and was following Satchel as he trotted on the ground. The mare was curious as to what sort of scene this stallion had in mind, or what possible kind of views he'd considered a 'treasure' of his own that he wanted to keep. Whatever it was, she was certainly going to do her best to leave the best impression on his mind! She was sure of it! Even though he was somewhat slow, being an Earth Pony, Koda wouldn't rush him. He seemed to know where he was going and was in no hurry. Even if it was getting close to nightfall. She estimated it'd be dark in a little while, and didn't want to be kept out too late. The light wouldn't last long enough for any outdoor pictures. Maybe he wanted an indoor one.

But all too soon, he'd lead her up to a hill just outside of Ponyville, with a grand view of the town just below, framed on one side by the city of Canterlot on its precarious perch and the Everfree forest (Ugh! Maybe she could talk him out of editing that out. It was such a scary place, even if from this side, looked completely innocent) on the other. But from this vantage point, she could see why he wanted the view. But the sun was in the way, from this angle, it'd totally wash out her photograph of all its colors. Koda's heart sank as she realized this.

"Er, Satchel, maybe we should take this tomorrow with the sun behind us? It's going to ruin an otherwise beautiful view." she suggested.

"Just wait, just wait." he motioned behind him as he took a seat.

Eyes watering as she tried to peer for the best angle even with the sun in her face, Koda began to set up her equipment. Finally, she'd managed to get everything set up and after a few minute adjustments and approvals from him through the viewfinder, Koda was ready to take the picture. It was still going to be horrible, she just knew it. But still, the customer was always right...

"Any minute now." he said. He squinted from the brightness of the sun, as it began to grow larger and more orange.

Suddenly, Koda realized what he was going for. He wanted a snapshot of Ponyville at sunset. But, surely he could have told her? She'd have been able to take just such a shot with ease, and with a better setup than she had now. Why did he choose this particular location? Even with the perfect frameing of the subject material, it was still going to be too bright with the sun, and Ponyville itself in shadow. This still wasn't going to turn out right, she just knew it.

Satchel turned to smile at her, then stepped out of the frame. "Almost there. Are you ready?"

Kodachrome had the flashbulb in her mouth, and nodded, though she didn't appear to optimistic. This sitting around was taking too long, but she mustered up her resolve to get exactly what the customer wanted, even if she didn't think it was going to work out.

With a bright flash, the sun settled behind a rise in the distance she hadn't noticed before. A sapphire blue crept down from above and formed a jewel-like band above the most vibrant orange and red as clouds seemed to gather from nowhere. A spark of sunlight through them seemed to set the skies ablaze even as she watched. Koda's eyes widened as she took on the scene, having never witnessed such a beautiful thing in her entire life. How had she gone all these years and never once watched a sunset in Ponyville, from anywhere? This exact location provided just the view she had been looking for. More perfect than any she had been considering before. The beach, gone. The forest, gone. Even the mountainside, gone. This was where it was. The ending of a day, the last goodbyes of their life-giving sun, before it settled to rest.

Even as Koda watched, the oranges and yellows sank to deeper reds and blues. A silvery shimmer seemed to radiate out from the bottom of the nearly vanished orb, spreading out across the whole of the land with a rippling carpet that seemed to surround everything and lift them from the earth to become a part of it. The pony gasped around her mouthful of flashbulb as the scene unfolded, every second more beautiful than the next. She only became dimly aware of the stallion next to her when he nudged her, and it took a massive effort to tear her eyes away from the celestial paradise. It was so hard to break her gaze from where she knew she wanted to have her wedding held.

"Now."

*click*