Pony Tales - Clover - Day 19

Dear Diary,

It's been a surprisingly hard day today. Leaving Tall Tails behind as I make my journey home and I am surprised at how much regret I'm filled with. I came to Tall Tails, to fulfill a desire I never thought I'd be able to and I managed to find that and much more.

And yet here I sit. Leaving it all behind.

I didn't have to finish that walk to the end of the laneway. I didn't have to get into the taxi and stay quiet all the way to the airport. I didn't have to climb onto the flight I now sit upon.

...Yet I did.

What's waiting for me at home? A boring office job that I hate? An empty apartment where I lay my head for the evening and wish for exactly what I just experienced?

I don't know why I'm sitting here.

Was Miss Aria giving me a hint there at the end? Was she asking me to stay and I just didn't pick up on it? How stupid can I be...?

For four days I felt like I had a purpose. A reason to exist in my day-to-day life and without the thought of constantly wondering if the world would be a better place without me. Clover gave me life. Everyone at Tall Tails made me feel alive again.

And yet here I am leaving it behind.

I've got two connecting flights after this. It's funny, it'd be quicker to take a flight back and return to the gates of the farm. Should I go back? Maybe I'll send Aster a text and ask what she thinks. She's the only one who knew where I was this last week.

I don't even know why I'm writing this. Maybe because my thoughts and emotions are just a bit of a jumble right now. I'm torn between the life I've lived and the life I got to experience. For once it felt like I was living, rather than just existing.

Anyway. Sorry to talk your ear off diary. I know it's been a while since I wrote to you.

- Ale--

- Clover

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Alexandria scribbled out the beginning of her name and instead signed the name 'Clover' below it. Inking in a small horseshoe next to it and smiling somberly.

~Maybe I did make the wrong choice...~

Alexandria quickly dug out her phone and pulled up her email app. Thankfully planes these days had free onboard wi-fi. Even if it was spotty. She typed out a quick email to her friend Aster.

*Hey Aster!

I'm on my first flight home. My time at the farm has finished! I'm really happy you told me to go. It was an incredible experience. I hope you've been well and have managed to not flood my apartment in my absence. I'd rather not come home to an ocean in my apartment like last time when you accidentally left the sink running. Haha. Sorry, just being silly.

Anyways. I wanted to ask you a question. I know you nudged me into trying this. Into doing something for myself for once and it has been the most incredible experience. I'm regretting the fact that the trial period was so short. For once, I managed to find that spark. For those few days, I felt alive and happy. Like when I'm hanging out with you. I kind of want to go back...what do you think I should do? You know me better than anyone else. You've always said I tend to run away from the good in my life and this is one of those things that is pulling on my heartstrings quite heavily.

Thanks for always being a great friend,

- Your Best Friend Alexandria/Clover.

PS: The name you helped me choose suited me well! Even my tack was trimmed in this really pretty green. Don't judge me. Ha!*

Alexandria pressed the send button on her phone and slumped back in her seat and looked out the window of her plane as the clouds rushed past.

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Many miles behind, as the moon rose above Tall Tails. A silent form made her way through the barn. The click of a lock could be heard as the door into the tack room was unlocked and swung open on noiseless hinges. The light was nearly blinding as the lights within flared to life, lighting up the form of Aria standing on its doorstep. She was dressed down for the evening, which for her still looked quite elegant. A white button-up blouse, and smooth leather pants encasing her lower half. She wore heeled leather ankle boots and smiled a little bit as she stepped into the tack room, her eyes wandering over the many old sets of tack lining the walls.

She took a long few moments staring at a few of them. Many were tack sets belonging to previous ponies. Some had moved on to become trainers, some had left the life behind and for others, their tack sets lined in fresh flowers changed weekly had departed along the rainbow bridge. Aria ran a finger delicately along a set of blue flowers surrounding a particular set of vibrant white tack, trimmed in a soft shade of blue. The nameplate above it, while dusty still clearly read 'Crystal'.

"I found one you'd like." She whispered, using her hand to wipe the dust from the gold plaque.

With a small smile, she moved along in silence, letting her eyes roam the sets of tack until she came upon the one with Clover's name above it.

Aria had a knowing smile on her lips as she reached up, hanging up the leather collar she'd been holding on the hook in the middle. It was black leather, trimmed in green stitching. A nameplate had been riveted on the side reading the name 'Clover'. The pony would be back. She was sure of it. How could she not? Clover had settled into being a pony more than most did in months, even years.

Running her fingers tenderly along Clover's tack, she'd turn her gaze to the set of tack sitting next to it. It was made in the same colors as Clovers. Like a twin set of tack. Above it, her finger caressed the nameplate softly, clearing a line in the dust and revealing the name 'Twilight' written upon it. Next to it was a dusty old picture tucked under the edge of the nameplate. In it was a younger-looking Aria standing proudly in her tack as a redheaded woman holds a trophy up next to her.

Aria traced the edge of the picture, feeling the warm streak of a tear caressing her cheek. It felt like so long ago she'd been in that moment. Her hooves felt so foreign now, even her tack hanging on the hooks, beautifully oiled felt like a stranger. There was a time when her tack was as much a part of her as her own person and now it just hung here as a constant reminder of what she'd given up to not let Tall Tails fall apart when the previous owner had passed away and willed it to her.

She didn't acknowledge the tears on her cheeks. Refusing to let them win. She turned her gaze to the tack of the next generation of Pony, Clover's tack. Hanging there freshly oiled.

"You'll be back. Maybe you can be the reason Twilight finds her hooves again or even takes time to train a pony." She whispered softly.

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The beep of her phone roused Alexandria from the half-state of sleep she'd been slipping into.

She fumbled in her pocket for a minute and unlocked it. It was an email from Aster. She pressed the open button and waited impatiently for the message to pop up.

The message that awaited her was surprising. It was short and had Alexandria reaching up to wipe at teary eyes.

~Don't get all sniffly now. Jeeze..~

She stared at the message for a long few minutes.

*Alexandria,

You know it's been a long time since I've seen you happy. Seen you talk so passionately about something and you know how happy that makes me.

I've made sure a ticket is waiting for you at your first stopover. Go live the life you've always wanted to. Don't make a decision I know you'll regret.

I'll make sure to visit someday.

Make sure to let me know if you want me to sort out those plans we discussed before you left.

Love,

Aster*

Alexandria drew in a deep breath. Those familiar butterflies fluttering around in her stomach like a hurricane yet again. Like the first time, she'd made this journey. Her hands shook slightly as she stared at her phone, not noticing the small tears tracing her cheeks. It wasn't until a flight attendant came around and asked if she was ok, before offering her a glass of water, That she shook herself out of it, wiping her face off on her sleeve and leaning back.

~You'd be stupid to not go back.~

She nodded in agreeance with her thoughts and looked at her phone. With the taxi ride, she'd be getting back to Tall Tails in the middle of the night. What if nobody was around to even answer her at the gate? She'd sleep outside if she had to. She was done running away from the things that made her happy.

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As soon as she'd landed at her stopover, Alexandria had collected her new ticket from the kiosk and trotted to her next plane which was leaving in only a few minutes. She'd thankfully made it, skidding to a stop in front of the boarding attendant and handing her ticket to her breathlessly. The woman raised a curious eyebrow at her but said nothing as she let Alexandria onto the flight. The entire plane ride was restless, Alexandria didn't even eat the in-flight meal that was given to her, she was too nervous. Perhaps too excited.

Three hours later she was landing back in Newcastle. It was almost 10 PM at this point and she wasn't sure if the cab company would even be willing to make the drive this late. But after two transfers on the phone and one very long explanation, she was on the phone with her original driver, Aaron.

"The company says they'll let you do it. But only if you are willing to. I'll pay you whatever you want. Please..." She sounded like a beggar trying to get a handout.

On the other end of the line, Aaron chuckled, "Couldn't leave it behind so easily huh?"

"...No," Alexandria admitted.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes. Makes sure you've got a good tip for me, will you? My dog is going to need a big treat for me ditching him for another four hours, not to mention the huge storm rolling in."

"Thank you so much, Aaron! I'll make sure you get an amazing tip!" She cried into the phone.

Aaron simply chuckled, told her where to meet him, and then hung up.

Never had twenty minutes of waiting felt like so long. It felt like an eternity and all the while Alexandria was left sitting with her thoughts.

~What if I'm turned away because of the late hour? I'm finally doing something for myself though, I can't be afraid of what might or might not happen..~ She sighed lightly.

After her eternity of a wait, Aaron finally pulled up out front of the airport terminal, honking his taxi at her as he slowed down.

"Someone looking for a ride into the wooded countryside?" He asked teasingly.

Alexandria huffed and giggled, "You know it!" She said as she hefted her duffle bag, sliding into the back seat of the cab, not even bothering to put her bag in the open trunk which Aaron grumpily got out to close. Then they were off on the several hours drive into the countryside.

Every minute the weather seemed to get worse. At first, it was just a bit of rain. But then rained turned to a torrential downpour and the sky lit up with lightning, thunder rumbling across it every few minutes. Alexandria stared out the window, wondering if the storm was some sort of warning. She grumbled, no storm was about to defeat her. Not today. Aster's words had set off that fire burning in her stomach, nothing could stop her now. Not even mother nature herself!

But alas. Have you ever felt like the world was actively trying to resist your decision? You knew you were following the right path, the right course. But everything seemed against you? That was certainly the case for Alexandria as she headed back towards Tall Tails. One blown out tire and an hour changing it in the howling wind and rain and two crossings of a river flowing over the rural road and they had made it to the front gates of the farm. They looked ominous as lightning lit up the sky, showing their dark outline against the pitch-black night.

Alexandria looked to Aaron for a long moment, "Are you sure you're going to be able to get home safely?"

Aaron chuckled lightly, "I've driven through worse. I'd not worry about me. Do you want me to wait until you've made it inside?" He asked in return.

Alexandria shook her head, "No need. I'm still going to get soaked hoofing it to the house." She looked at the rain slamming into the window of the taxi with enough force to make the interior rather noisy.

Aaron nodded, "If you're sure..."

Alexandria offered him a reassuring smile as she dug an envelope out of her bag. It had the last of her travel cash. Close to 1500 pounds. She opened the envelope, hesitated for a moment, and then folded it shut, holding it out to him, "That'll more than cover the trip." She leaned forwards, pressing a quick kiss to the scruffy man's cheek and smiling, "Thank you again, Aaron. I hope we meet again someday."

Aaron offered a nod, "Thank you, Pony." He said simply as Alexandria climbed out of the taxi. She paused to stare at him for a long minute as the rain quickly soaked her down to her skin.

The two exchanged glances of respect and understanding, then without a further word, Alexandria pushed the door shut. Aaron remained parked until she got to the buzzer, pressing it a few times. She raised a hand and waved, watching as the taillights of the taxi disappeared only a few feet away, so thick was the rain. The wind shook the trees surrounding the roundabout violently, an ancient oak across from the gate creaking angrily at the wind's push. Alexandria turned back to the buzzer, pushing and holding it down for a long few moments. No answer.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, "3 Am..." she mumbled.

To Aria's credit. She'd expected the potential for Clover's return. However, she hadn't anticipated it being on the same day after she'd departed. So nobody was at the switchboard to answer the buzzer. It was only by chance, that a half-asleep Hayley was making her way through the hall towards the bathroom on the first floor that she heard the frantic buzzing echoing out from the switchboard room. The brunette paused and tilted her head a little.

~A buzzer...? At this hour?~ She wondered, turning into the side room and walking up to the computer switchboard and looking at the green light flashing over and over at the front gate. Hayley turned her eyes to the window in the room, where a hurricane-level storm rolled over the farm. Who in the hell could be at the front gate at this hour? More likely it was a malfunction from a lightning strike or something but out of curiosity Hayley pressed the button and spoke.

Desperation was beginning to settle in as the rain came down in heavier sheets and the wind felt like it would drag her off her feet. Alexandria pressed the button frantically. Had this been a stupid decision? Was this mother nature's way of telling her she should have just gone home?

But then it came.

The now water-damaged speaker crackled to life and a slightly familiar voice crackled through, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hayley! It's me! Alexandr--Clover! I'm at the gate! I decided to come back..." She spoke hurriedly.

Hayley stared at the phone. Clover had come back. In the middle of the storm that the news had been warning about for the last week. She admired the girl's dedication but more prudently she worried about her safety standing exposed at the end of the 2-kilometer long laneway.

"Clover. Get inside the gate! I'll be down in the car to grab you!"

A voice came back through the speaker, but with how crackly the speaker was and with the wind howling in her ears. Clover couldn't even make out what was said. The nearby gate started to swing open and a flood of relief rushed through her stomach. She hefted her soaked duffle bag and darted for the gate.

~I'm safe.~

As she walked between the huge metal gates. It was like the world went silent. For a split second, she was between relief and fear. The entire area lit up with a flash of lightning, for a second Clover saw every detail, every little thing bathed in white as the bolt of lightning slammed into the ancient oak behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin, the deafening thunder drowning out the final groans of the oak tree as it heaved forwards, the bolt having sundered it in two. The front half plummeting almost silently towards the gates that Clover was passing between.

The girl was hurrying towards the laneway, unaware of the danger approaching. Unaware that mother nature had one last refusal of her decision.

The last thing she remembered was the crash of the gate as the oak slammed into it.