Life and Times of Silver Script

Chapters

Chapter 1; Colthood
Chapter 2; Study Date
Chapter 3; At My Place
Chapter 4; Thinking About the Future
Chapter 5; Graduation and the Move
Chapter 6; The Big Apple
Chapter 7; Here and Now
Chapter 8: Morning Pains
Chapter 9: Apple Pie and Masked Bandits
Chapter 10: Dresses, Suits and Ties, Oh My!
Chapter 11; The Princess and the Library
Chapter 12; Life of the Party
Chapter 13; Dreamscape
Chapter 14; Killing Time

Chapter 1; Colthood

My name is Silver Script. I’m a grey pegasus with green hair and matching eyes. I was born in Cloudsdale, though you’d probably never guess it. I may have grown up there, but I just don’t have the same attitude as they all do. A lot of flight jockeys and die hard Wonderbolts fans. While they were all out following the crowd, I stayed inside, tending to my own interests.

When I was a young colt in school, I’d get caught not doing my assignments, but what I was doing caught Mrs. Featherpen’s attention. I was writing out ideas for a novel, though I didn’t know at the time. When she asked to see it, I was hesitant at first. I was picked on a lot for not liking what everyone else did, like the Wonderbolts, or the girl in the back corner of the room. Not to give the wrong idea, she wasn’t bad looking, but her personality was rather shallow. When I finally got the nerve to show the teacher, she praised my writing abilities and encouraged me to write a play about eating healthy. It was small, a play about how grains, fruits and veggies are good for you all the time, and sweets are sometimes food. The fillies and colts seemed to enjoy it, as well as their parents. As it ended, the players all took their bows to the cheering audience, and the teacher led me out to the stage, where I took my own bow. I heard a collective gasp and even louder cheering. As I looked up to see what happened, I saw a page of parchment under a red quill on my flank. With a happy squeal, I jumped almost a foot in the air, which caught a giggle from the crowd.

The next day of school had me showing about half the building my mark, and some ponies asked about my quill I wrote with. Convenient on how the quill I wrote with was exactly like the one on my mark. The day after that, I got confronted by the girl from the corner, Rainbow Dash. That confrontation I’d never forget.

She walked up to me with a smirk, and kind of slanted eyes, “So your talent is writing books huh?” she said, in a mocking tone, “Figured an egghead like you would get an egghead talent!” The ponies around us burst out laughing as my ears went back.

“W- well, I like my talent...” I said, my hoof digging at the cloud floor.

“Yeah, you probably do, EGGHEAD!” she laughed as she turned and walked away, along with everypony else.

It was the most embarrassing day of my life, being insulted by the filly who didn’t even have her mark yet. So I just sat at my desk, doing what I did best. The rest of my school year was a lonely one. Not a lot of ponies liked reading, so most of my short stories or plays went pretty well unnoticed. All I thought about was what Rainbow said, and what was worse, I was starting to believe she was right.

In that year of school, I must have written a couple very short stories and dozens of haikus, my favorite form of poetry. All within that time, I was also developing characters, their personalities, even their talents. It was all leading toward my best work, a fantasy novel about ponies of all races on a slippery treaty, all with their own leaders and no all powerful hierarchy to keep harmony between everypony. When I wasn’t writing, I was at home playing with my brother, Crimson Sky. He was the one that taught me to fly, but I could never be on his level of air acrobatics.

Crimson was tall and broad, his coat was red, his mane and eyes slightly darker red. Though he liked the Wonderbolts, he never seemed interested in joining them. For that, I thought he was so cool; having a pure love of flying instead of doing his tricks to line his pockets.

One day, Crimson picked me up from school, saying he was in the neighborhood around that time. He was a bad liar. I told him the other night about Rainbow Dash, what she said. I knew exactly why he was here. Rainbow Dash came trotting out of the building, snorting with a smirk when she saw me, “Hey egghead!” she called over. I saw Crimson’s expression fall as he walked over to her.

“So you’ve been picking on my little bro, huh?” he looked her up and down, “Not sure I’m impressed. You don’t look that fast.”

Rainbow snorted, “Oh yeah? I’m the fastest filly in the school, probably in Cloudsdale! How about a race to prove it?” she challenged, “I win, the egghead over there gets picked on every day and you have to live with that, you win, I’ll back off.”

Crimson smirked, “Deal.” He walked back to me, placing a wing on my back, “Come on, Silver, lets show this girl you don’t mess with our family.” I could only nod in response.

We all flew to the flight course outside the school, we even got a teacher to judge. She looked between Rainbow Dash and Crimson, nodded, and sent them to the start line. Crimson took a more relaxed stance, while Dash’s was more tight and sleek. She squinted and stuck out her tongue, biting it in anticipation. The teacher raised a flag with her head, then whipped it down, and the two were off. Dash was fast, but Crimson was faster. He thought he’d take a break on her, and did some acrobatics to spice up the race for him. Rainbow looked over to him, then flapped her wings harder, increasing speed.

Crimson raised in the sky, spread his wings, then bolted to the finish line, passing Rainbow a nose from the line. She tumbled a little on her landing, while Crimson landed more gracefully. She looked up and him, then down at the cloud they were on, “I... lost?”

“And do you know why?” Crimson looked down at her, she looked back, “Because you didn’t have something worth winning for other then yourself.” Crimson turned back to me and smiled, then turned his head at Dash, “You did good though, Rainbow. You have the heart for flying, and I have little doubt you’ll be better than anypony in the future.”

I trotted to Crimson’s side, a smile spread on my face. Then I looked back at Rainbow Dash, and my smile fell. I walked over to her and offered her a hoof up.

She cocked a brow, and looked away, “Ya don’t need to rub it in my face, Silver. A deal’s a deal. I’ll back off.”

“I don’t care about the deal,” I sighed at her, “I just want to lend a hoof.” She looked at me, then my hoof, then wrapped hers around it to steady herself up.

“You know, I gotta say, you’re a dork Silver.” she laughed, for some reason I did too. “See you later.” she smiled, then dashed off toward town. I looked back at Crimson, who was snickering to himself.

“What’s so funny?” I raised a brow.

He shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. Hey, lets get home before Mom worries.” He nods back to town.

Author's Note

My first crack at writing fanfics. My general talent is writing, and I was hoping this would be a good way to hone that talent.

Chapter 2; Study Date

After the race, I heard Rainbow Dash went off to flight school for the summer. I took the advantage to spread word of my stories, but not much luck came from it. Even when there was interest, it wasn’t like I charged for my stories. One day, there was a loud boom, a ring of hues, all followed by the biggest and brightest rainbow anypony had ever seen. I could’ve thought of one pony with that kind of ability, it was in her name after all, but that’s not what I was thinking of then. Within the colorful ring, I saw what I thought could’ve been me, doing what I loved, and everypony loving me for it.

The day school started the next late summer, Rainbow Dash was showing off her own brand spanking new Cutie Mark. Even I admitted it was cool, a rainbow lightning bolt coming out of a cloud? Yeah, that was pretty awesome. I didn’t say anything though, I just sat at my desk, the pariah I’ve always been, until Dash approached me.

“H- hey Silver Script...” she said hesitantly. My mind reeled, no ‘egghead’ remark?

“Hey Rainbow,” I looked at her, a brow raised, “what’s up?”

Rainbow looked at me, then to the group of kids behind her, waiting for her to let me have it. She looked back at me, “Tell your bro... I said thanks.” without another word, she turned and went back to her fans.

I didn’t have time to respond, if I did, I’d have asked why, but she never gave me the chance. My heart thumped in my chest as I turned back in my desk. “O-okay?”

Ever since the race, nothing felt like it did around Dash. Her mane seemed brighter, her cyan coat more calming, and her eyes....

____________________________________________

It was a year before graduation, and I’d be glad to get out of there. Crimson left to perfect his aerodynamics and daredevil style, so it was just my mom and I at home. He came to visit on some weekends, but I still missed the guy. I had a hoofful of friends by now. One blue-grey pegasus with black mane and blue highlights even lazier styled than mine, that was hyper sack of annoying named Lickedy Split, a brainy alabaster coated unicorn with dark red mane that used magic to stand on clouds that called himself GM, his mane was a lot more clean cut then mine, and a smart twig of a colt named Number Crunch, also pegasus, but with a bone white coat and pale grey mane in a straight, bland manner. They all liked my stories, which I guess is how we became friends in the first place, but that wasn’t the biggest part of this school year.

Rainbow Dash was in most of my classes, save for a creative writing class. She had been for the last couple of school years, actually. It wasn’t too strange, being a smaller school, but it was a weird feeling sometimes. Halfway through the year, she came up to me again, after at least four years. “Hey Silver, how’s it hangin’?” she smiled brightly. A butter yellow pegasus stood behind her, covering her face with her long pink mane, “This is Fluttershy, I met her over the summer at Flight Camp a few years back.”

“Hi, nice to meet you Fluttershy.” I smiled and nodded to the fear-filled filly. She almost made me feel scary.

Fluttershy nodded meekly, softly muttering, “L- likewise.”

“Anyway,” Rainbow butted in, “hey Silver, I need your eggheadedness to help me graduate.” she said bluntly. The way she said ‘egghead’ wasn’t insulting, more like a weak joke.

I chuckled, “My ‘eggheadedness’ eh?” I thought for a moment, if nothing else to taunt her. It seemed to work.

“Come ooon!” she begged, “I’ll do anything you want! I’ll never even say egghead around you ever again!” I didn’t think she’d react exactly that way, she looked like she was going to fall to her knees too, but it broke me down before that.

“Ah alright, whaddya need help in?” I chuckled, probably knowing the answer already.

Rainbow sighed in relief, then blushed with embarrassment at first to her begging, then to her answer, “E- everything.”

I knew it, almost everypony else did too. She was a smart young mare, but she was too lazy to do the work. “‘Kay..? Uh, when did you want to get together to study?”

“Well it is friday, how about tomorrow, your place?” She smiled casually, “Oh, and ya mind if I bring Flutters too?”

I shrugged, “She need help too?” I looked over at her, she buried her head deeper in her mane.

“No, just moral support.” Rainbow walked back to Fluttershy and gave her a slight nudge, who gave a small nod.

“Yeah, that’d be cool.” I smiled, “I’ll make some snacks or something to munch on while we work.”

“Sounds great!” Rainbow laughed, “See you tomorrow?”

“Definitely.” I nodded to the two mares.

I trotted back to my friends, where they had heard everything, “So, Silver has a date with Dashie and Flutters eh? You lucky colt!” GM chuckled, rousing the other two as he nudged me with his foreleg.

“It’s not a date, I’m just helping Rainbow graduate, that’s all.”

“It’s all over your face, bro!” Split laughed, pointing at my muzzle. I could feel the warmth on my muzzle, I was so flustered, but too embarrassed to admit it.

“Oh shut up guys!” I snapped and walked away to my next class.

“Silver!” GM chased after me, panting when he caught up, “Dude take a joke!” he smirked wildly.

“Yeah yeah, sorry.” I rolled my eyes, “I just.. don’t take teasing well, ya know?” He nodded in response.

“Yeah, we’ll back off... as long as you let me hang out with you three tomorrow.” his smirk grew.

“Why? What do you think’ll happen?” I looked back at him, stopping in my tracks. His smirk was the widest thing I’d seen in a while.

“Oh... just something interesting.” he chuckled to himself.

“Just don’t try to pull anything stupid, got it?” he laughed.

“I’m the smart one, remember? You’re just....”

“The main character?”

“You wish!” we both laughed, bumping into each other and screwing around like we usually do. We both had our own egos, which is probably why we’re such good friends.

“Alright, yeah, come on over tomorrow. Like you said, you’re the smart one, so we can both help Dash, you with her math and science stuff and me with...” I put my hoof to my mouth, “Uhm, everything else?”

He laughed and nodded. “Everything else.”

Chapter 3; At My Place

After I got home, I cleaned up around the house, much to my mother’s surprise. After I told her I’d be bringing a girl over to study, she giggled and rolled her eyes, “Okay Silver, I’ll be sure to be out of the house for you two then.”

“Actually, it’s more like four of us.” I looked back, and she had a look of disbelief, “What’s the matter mom?”

She shook her head violently, “Oh, nothing!” she smiled, seemingly collected. “Just don’t do anything stupid, okay hon?”

I dropped what I was doing then turned around, “Come on mom, what are you expecting to happen?” She said nothing, but the look was written all over her face, “Oh COME ON MOM! NO!” I shook my head, “Jeez, why is everypony expecting THAT from me!?” I turned back, flustered.

She came up behind me and patted my back, “I’m sorry Silver, but you are that age, and, well....” I immediately turned around.

“No, I’m not interested in... those things....” She cocked a brow, then blushed. I didn’t need to ask what she was thinking, so I added: “Yet! I’m not interested in those things YET!” My face was beat red, I could feel it.

My mom just shook her head, ending it there, “What do you want for dinner?” she said pleasantly, walking to the kitchen. I just went back to cleaning, “How about some cheese and broccoli?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks mom.” I said, busy at work.

The place was spotless before my mom was done cooking, and all the work left me hungry and beat. “I think I’m going to go to bed after dinner,” I yawned, “too much work.” I grumbled before taking a bite of the cheese covered broccoli.

“Alright Silver,” she said with a smile, “Look at you, growing up before my very eyes!” she chuckled, “I’m so proud of you, honey.”

“Thanks mom,” I said, mouth full of food, I quickly swallowed when she gave me a bleak stare, “heh, sorry.”

As I said, after dinner I brushed my teeth then crawled into bed, my wings unfurled under the covers and lay lax, I sighed with relief, and passed out is seconds.

The next morning, my mom woke me up, telling me GM was at the door, “GM? Alright, yeah, I’ll be right out.” She laughed softly and closed my door. A moment of laying bed later I roused myself from the pillow and yawned. I shook my head, letting my messy mane fall into place and walked out into the living room, where I saw GM sitting, “Hey GM, lemme get.. coffee....” I muttered sleepily. He chuckled.

“Can’t start the morning without that stuff can ya?” I shook my head with a tired smirk.

I sat down on the opposite chair from him, sipping the hot black drink. “It helps when I add sugar, believe me.” I yawned again.

“Yeah yeah, any idea when Rainbow and Flutters are getting here?” he sat up, looking at the clock.

“You have no interest in studying, do you?” I raised my brow at him, “Remember they’re coming to study, not hook up.”

“You’re no fun, Silver.” he chuckled “I’ll be on my best behavior.” he put one hoof on his chest, and another in the air. I just rolled my eyes.

About an hour later, there was a knock at the door, I opened it showing the rainbow maned pegasus and her cowardly butter yellow friend, “Hey girls, come on in.” I smiled, waving them in as I gave them room to enter. Rainbow was first, of course, followed closely by Fluttershy. She gave a small ‘meep’ as she heard it close. I pointed them to the couch, “Make yourselves at home, I’ll grab the tray.” I walked into the kitchen, as they turned into the living room.

A moment passed after I heard GM introduce himself. I peeked over the doorway into the room to see Rainbow rolling her eyes at him, and Fluttershy just sitting there. I walked out with the tray on my back, and my satchel straps in my mouth, lowering them on the floor in front of the couch, “Alright, where should we start?”

“Well, honestly I checked out my math, and I got that down pretty well, then my science is decent enough to pass, so I guess I just need everything else.” Dash shrugged.

I cocked my brow, “Really? Well I guess we don’t need you after all, GM.” I chuckled, he huffed, looking away. Rainbow looked at him.

“Oh, that’s why you were here?” her eyes looked at Fluttershy, “Sorry, I never even thought of asking you for help.”

I chuckled, “He is top of our class.” GM just sighed. “You can still hang out with us, it’s not like we’re kicking you out.”

“Yeah, alright.” he looked to the trio, “well, maybe I can still help.”

The snacks were gone in an hour, I helped Rainbow Dash with everything I could, and GM helped with everything else. After another two hours, we were done, and Rainbow Dash seemed back on track to graduating, “Thanks allot, guys. This means allot to me.” she smiled brightly.

“No problem Rainbow Dash,” GM chipped up, I smiled too, then looked at Fluttershy, who was giving her own small smile.

She almost never spoke the whole time, and the most movement we saw in her was when a blue jay flew by the window. She immediately jumped from the couch, “Oh wow! A white bellied blue! I’ve never seen one fly this high up before!” We all just looked at her, then back at each other.

Rainbow leaned over, “Yeah, she’s got a thing with animals.” she chuckled awkwardly. “She can talk with them and stuff.”

I nodded, GM raised his brow and looked back at her, intrigued. Fluttershy stayed at the window, watching the Jay as long as she could until it flew from sight. She gave a soft upset sigh, “Aww.” GM frowned.

“Hey, I got a bird at my place, she seems really uncomfortable around some ponies, do you think you can ask her what the matter is?”

Fluttershy looked at him with a wide grin, “Oh, really? What kind of bird? What’s her name?” this was followed by many more questions, leaving him speechless at how the quiet mare would suddenly not stop talking, after about the twelfth question, she snapped back, “I mean, that would be.. nice.” returning to her shy self.

Rainbow laughed, “How about you two go ahead, I had a couple more questions for Silver, then I’ll catch up, kay?”

The two nodded, and walked out of the house together to see GM’s bird. I’d seen her before, before it screeched at me and flew at my face, only to be stopped by the cage. Maybe Fluttershy could sort it out. “Hey, Silver?” a familiar voice snapped me out of my train of thought.

“Huh? Oh, right, you’re still here.” I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head, “Sorry, daydreaming.” I looked at Rainbow, unexpectedly to be staring deeply in her rose eyes. “Uhm...”

Chapter 4; Thinking About the Future

I looked dead into Rainbow’s rose eyes, I’d never realize how breathtaking they were, “Uhm...” I swallowed, “You had... a couple things to talk about?”

“Yeah,” she said, “what are your... plans for the future?” she said, looking away, I blinked dumbly.

“The future? Well, what are you thinking for the future?” I shook my head, all I could think about were her amazing eyes.

“I want to be a Wonderbolt!” she proclaimed, “Soaring with the best fliers, and wowing the crowds with my amazing skills!” she threw her hooves in the air, like a cheering fan.

I smiled at her, “Wow, that sounds like it would be incredible.” I look down at my folder filled with my notes and stories, “I... I want to leave Cloudsdale, go to Manehattan. I heard they have allot of opportunities for ponies like me.”

She looked at me, “Leave Cloudsdale? Are you sure?” I looked at her, then at my folder. Then nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t fit in up here, it’s just not part of my style, you know?” I smile glumly. From the corner of my eye I saw Rainbow look down. “You okay Rainbow?”

“Huh?” she snapped up, “Yeah, I’m awesome!” she got a determined look on her face. In the corner of her eye, I swore something build up slightly, but when she blinked, it was gone.

“But...” I looked back at my folder, picking it up. She looked at me, my mind wondered, she looked at me?.

“But?” she dropped her forelegs and eyed me, then the folder, then back to me.

“I don’t know.” I looked at her, beaming, “I’ll have to see where the future takes me, won’t I?” She smiled back and nodded.

“Yeah!” she moved and picked up the glass of juice in front of her, I picked up mine. “To the future!”

“The future.” we smiled as we clinked the glasses against each other and downed the orange liquid. We put the glasses down and looked at one another, just smiling. Then something clicked in my head, “Uhm, Rainbow?” I looked down, putting the folder back on the table.

“Yeah?” she said a little quick paced. She seemed a little anxious for... something. I just look at her, my face felt slack.

“Uh, was there... something else?” I looked at her, she looked at me.

The front door opened and my mom came trotting through with a bag of groceries under her wing, “Silver, I’m ho- Oh!”

I didn’t realize it until then, Rainbow and I were less than an inch from touching muzzles. My face immediately burns as I reel back, “M- mom!” Rainbow’s entire body seemed to fly onto the other side of the couch.

“Sorry!” Rainbow yelled, and with a cyan blur, she vanished out the door, slamming it behind her. My face looked like a tomato, not sure what just happened or where it would have gone.

My mom looked between me and the door, “Oops, sorry Silver....” she stood for only another moment, and then walked into the kitchen. I still didn’t move, my mind was still trying to make sense of everything.

The next thing I knew, I woke up, my head lay against the arm of the couch. I looked at the coffee table, my notes and books were still scattered across it. Next to them I saw another satchel with Rainbow’s cutie mark. Without a second thought, I picked it up and flew it to her house.

Her house was a little bigger then ours, but way more well made. It even had a rainbow fountain cascading along small pools around its front door. I knocked three times and waited. As the door cracked open, I expected to see Rainbow Dash, but instead her father stood. He had an equally vibrant rainbow mane, but a more indigo coat to her cyan. His golden eyes searched me, and he raised a brow.

“Can I help you?” he spoke semi coarsely, seeming to know exactly who I was. I nodded and pulled Rainbow Dash’s bag from my back and set it in front of him.

“R-Rainbow left her bag at my house last night, I wanted to return it.” After setting it down, I took a step back.

“Thank you, you know, she didn’t tell me how it went. She just bolted in, flew up to her room, and locked the door. I have no idea what’s gotten into her.” He looked up to a window, I suspected it was her room window. He looked back at me, “So, what happened?” his tone sounded demanding. I took another step back.

“Well, she came over, and I helped her with her work.” I didn’t know how else to put it, and I sure as hay wasn’t going to tell him we almost kissed. I bit my tongue as he looked closer at me.

“Alright. Well thank you for bringing her bag back...” he insisted my name, I tried to speak, then cleared my throat.

“Silver Script.” I swallowed afterward, but he just nodded and turned, bag strap in mouth. After he closed the door, I stood a moment. My eyes trailed up to Rainbow Dash’s window. It was closed, blinds blocking any light. I sighed as I turned and flew back home. I had allot to think about, but my mind scrounged up the basics. Rainbow Dash likes me, I like Rainbow Dash, we almost kissed. I stopped midair and looked back at her house. Focusing my eyesight, I barely saw a cyan sliver from the window, a rose orb peeking at me.

____________________________________________

Rainbow sat in her room, looking out toward the grey and green blur. She didn’t understand it. Why him? Why the bookworm? The egghead? She looked back at her bookshelf, none of the shelves held books, just figurines and trophies, the occasional Wonderbolts souvenir and a pair of Junior Wonderbolts goggles. “Why him?” she wondered aloud. She thought back to what Fluttershy told her, about the small town in Equestria’s valley. What was it called again? Ponyville, that’s right. Fluttershy was going to live in Ponyville. “Maybe she’s got the right idea.” Rainbow said softly.

Chapter 5; Graduation and the Move

The rest of the school year, Rainbow Dash didn’t look at me. Not a glance. Every so often, I thought I felt the warmth of her rose eyes on me, but when I looked at her, she was hunched over, doing her work. I passed her in the halls, but there was nothing. I felt it, but it seemed she didn’t. I didn’t know whether to make heads or tales of it, so I just continued on.

During the graduation ceremonies, all students wore sky blue gowns and square hats with a line of gold tassels. I couldn’t help but notice Rainbow Dash’s were a rainbow of colors, but most didn’t seemed too surprised. As I looked at her, I finally caught her stealing a glance, then immediately looking away. I sighed, I didn’t know what to do, so I just continued on.

As I started for home from the ceremony, the Rainbow maned mare, and her father blocked my path. I look between them. Rainbow had a soft look as she walked toward me. “Oh, hey Dash.” I say. I try my best not to sound upset.

“Hey,” she said, I could hear guilt, “look, about that night at your place...” she started, sitting in front of me.

“What? Nothing happened.” I sighed softly, then smiled at her as she frowned at me. “It’s okay, Rainbow. I’m not upset.”

“Come with me.” Dash said suddenly, it took me back. “I’m going with Fluttershy to a small town called Ponyville. Lush fields, smiling polite faces....” she smiled at me, and for the first time, it warmed me.

“Rainbow...” I looked her up and down, then at the cloud floor, “That... does sound like a nice change of pace....” I slightly dig at the white fluff with my hoof.

“Think about it.” She smiled, I nodded dumbly, and when I looked back to where she was, she was gone.

I packed my bags for Manehattan, I managed to get one of their papers and looked ahead for job opportunities to pay rent while I worked my craft. I flew down to the lone train station in the field along the tracks. It had a sign that pointed upwards, ‘Cloudsdale’ sprawled in fancy cursive with a building on a cloud above the lettering, below the arrow. I smirked and went on. A moment passed as I waited for the train to arrive, a carriage floated down from the Cloudsdale and landed firmly on the ground next to the tracks. An all too familiar unicorn hopped out and kissed the ground, “Oh dirt! How I’ve missed thee!” he proclaimed over dramatically.

I shook my head, “Good look for you GM, maybe you should stay that way.” His head popped from the ground.

“Silver! I didn’t think I’d catch you!” He walked up the platform, leaving the carriage to fly back up to the cloud city. I shrugged back.

“I didn’t think you’d leave Cloudsdale so quick after graduation.” I looked up, then side stepped. “Heads up!” I yelled, GM acted, catching the luggage with his mark stamped on the side with his magic.

“Thank you!” he yelled up sarcastically. “Jeez, he couldn’t have landed then thrown it off?” he sighed, “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Anytime.” I smiled. “So where are you headed?” He walked to the ticket pony behind the clear glass, she looks up at him.

“One for Canterlot, please.” He says pleasantly. She nodded and pressed a button, making a ticket spit out toward him, which he grabbed with his magic. She looked at me.

“Manehattan, please.” I say plainly. Again, a ticket is spat out of the machine. I grab it with my teeth and stuck it in my bag. I turn back with GM, “So Canterlot eh? Going home after all this time?”

He gave an exasperated sigh, “Yeah, I missed the old place. Good to see my folks again, too.” He smiled at me, “Seeing my aunt is one thing, but living with her is a nightmare.” we laughed. “So, Manehattan huh? Goin to see the Big Apple? Become a big time fancy pants writer?”

“Gonna try!” I chuckle confidently, “You’ve read my work, be brutally honest. Do I have a chance?”

He gives me a soft stare, then nudges me, “Hey! Are you that Silver Script guy? I have all your books! Can I have your autograph!?” His acting skills are rancid, but it made me laugh.

“Thanks, glad you enjoy me so much.” I rolled my eyes. “Good thing your talent isn’t in acting.” We shared a laugh as the train pulled up.

“Well,” GM looked at me again, “Canterlot passengers get a special car, guess I’ll see you around, Silver.” I nodded and patted his shoulder.

As I hauled my luggage in and into the overhead bin, a familiar vibrant mane caught my eye. I look over to see Rainbow Dash, sitting a few isles behind me. I adjusted my luggage as the Ticket Puncher walked by.

“Tickets, please.” I broke my look from Rainbow to the stallion, I moved back and pulled my ticket to Manehattan out of my bag and into his magical aura. He punched it and gave it back, “Enjoy the ride, sir.”

I looked back to where Rainbow sat, but she had vanished. I sat back down and looked ahead, where she sat in the opposite side of the booth. “Gah!” I yelled as I jumped back. Rainbow giggled. “Stop doing that.” I say, a soft whine in my voice.

“Scaredy cat~” she teased, I sat back down in my side of the booth, “So, are you coming with me or are you going through with your plans to Manehattan?”

I shook my head, “Ponyville sounds nice and all, but I feel like Manehattan has more opportunities for somepony like me.” I looked at her again, “And what are you plans for becoming a Wonderbolt?”

“I am!” she proudly proclaimed, “But I feel like I need a change of scenery. You know, some lush green fields, happy polite faces, the works.”

“Sounds like an awful hard place to get noticed if you ask me.” I smirked a bit, “Why not come to Manehattan with me? There are tons of scouters out there, you’ll be a Wonderbolt before you can say ‘whoopee!’” I laughed, so did she.

“Gotta take things slow, you know?” she smiled, I nodded. Lush green fields, smiling polite faces, that does sound like a nice change of pace. “Anyway....” Rainbow spoke again, breaking me out of my daydream, “I’d better get back, Fluttershy is over there waiting for me.” she points to where she sat before, “Come visit me if you can, you hear me?”

“Most definitely, Dash.” I smiled back as she stood and walked back to her seat. She sat just as the Ticket Puncher reached them. I could barely make out him speaking.

“You two are going to Ponyville? Beautiful land out there, I know you’ll fall in love with it!” Rainbow laughed as he handed back their tickets.

I sat back, watching as the train began to move. I looked up at Cloudsdale one last time. I wouldn’t know when I’d be back to visit mom, or Crimson, or anypony else from school. I’d just have to see where the future takes me. I spoke to myself, “I’m in for one wild ride.”

Chapter 6; The Big Apple

I saw Rainbow Dash depart the train before I made it to my stop. I unlatched the window and pushed it up, waving at her. She gave a small smile and waved back. I waved her to come over, to which she obliged. “The train leaves again in a minute, so I wanted to give you something.” I smiled to her. She raised her brow.

“This isn’t going to be one of those cheesy love felt goodbyes where the two ponies never see each other again, is it?” She laughed.

I shook my head, giving her a small leather bound booklet. “No way, because I’m totally coming back.” I leaned over the train windowsill, lightly kissing Rainbow on her soft cyan cheek. She blushed, and I heard Fluttershy squeal and giggle.

“O- okay...” Rainbow smiled, her face red. I sit back in my booth, a wide smile on my face. My eyes never leave Rainbow’s, and hers never left mine, until the train whistle sounded. “You’re a dork, you know that?” she giggled softly, still red.

“Oh, I know.” I chuckle back. “Don’t forget it either.” The train started to move, making me lurch forward at the sudden movement. I give one last wave to Rainbow, and she one last wave to me. I kept waving until she was a small blue speck in the shrinking town, and after she was gone, I sighed.

The station in Manehattan was huge. The sign above the tunnel we entered through read “Grand Central Station.” A loudspeaker blared an older mares voice, “Now arriving; train to Detrot.” I departed, leaving all but a handful of my old life behind me. My family, friends, talent and the messy rainbow maned beauty miles away. I started toward the apartment district, where I had living space all ready to move into. I passed shabby complexes and more kept complexes, relieved my building was one of the latter.

I walked into the tall building. The wall to my left had metal boxes, a plaque above it had a mailing envelop carved into it. I went to the front desk, where a nicely dressed unicorn mare, a little older then myself, smiled. “Hi, I’m Silver Script, I had an apartment reserved.” She nodded and went back into a file cabinet, shuffling through the folders quickly with her magic.

“Ah yes, Mr. Script. I was told to expect you tomorrow.” She walked back in front of me. A key flew from the file and on the desk, “Your room is D-13, on the fourth floor.” she smiled again. “Now rent on it is 150 bits a month, so I hope a nice young stallion like yourself can get work fast.” I smiled and nodded.

“Thank you very much.” I grip the key in my teeth and set it in my bag. “Have a nice day, ma’am.” She nodded in response. I turned and walked up the stairs. Four flights up? At least I’ll be fit. As I get to the fourth floor, I scan the doors, the closest was D-1, so I had to continue down the hall. On the left were odd numbers, right were even, so I counted the doors on the left, “D-11...” I stopped, coming to a wall. “Huh?” I look to the right, D-12. I look forward. “Ah, D-13.” I pulled the key from my back and put it the lock. The tumblers knocked loudly as the handle unlocked. I walked into my new apartment, it was small, but I didn’t need much. I look ahead, counting the rooms. A restroom, a bedroom, and the main room. The main room was the largest, having room for a two seater couch and an island separating the kitchen from the living area. The biggest annoyance was the lack of furnishings, and the idea of carrying a couch up four flights of stairs. ‘I miss GM.’ my mind thought back to my friends. I took my bag and set it up on the bed, dividing my clothes, setting up framed pictures. One was missing, but I never managed to get a picture with her, or of her for that matter. I shook my head and continued to spread my belongings.

Afterward, I went and picked up my paper I managed to get before I left Cloudsdale, it was a couple days old, but I’m sure that didn’t matter. I saw an add for a coffee franchise, Starbucks. I’ve heard their wages aren’t the best, but I’d only need enough for rent and food, for now. I’d have to budget my money wisely. I counted the bits in my coin bag, 45 bits, that should afford groceries for a month. I flew down to the grocer, and bought plenty of food. The counter stallion was old, I could see a rough life in his eyes.

“40 Bits.” he said sternly. I nodded and poured the payment in front of him. He counted, nodded, and sent me on my way.

The way to and from the grocer was shady, old decrepit buildings, and ponies that didn’t seem like they’d help you up if you fell, but would in fact kick you and take what you had. ‘Ponyville is sounding allot better right now.’ I thought as a pony, seemingly still in school, eyed me as I crossed his stoop. I crossed the street, seemingly nopony coming in carriages. As I get into the middle of the street, a pale pegasus with dark shades and spiked black mane bolted passed me, stopping only a moment and turning back at me.

“Watch where you going, you fool!” he yelled, then continued to fly on at the same ridiculous speed. I dropped a couple oranges, but nothing a little water wouldn’t fix.

“This place is crazy...” I moaned. I decided to forget the walk, and flew back to my apartment. I landed on the small fire escape outside my room, opened the window and crawled through. I flopped on the mattress and sighed. “Maybe I should’ve considered Dash’s offer more....”

____________________________________________

“Oh, I know.” he chuckled. “Don’t forget it either.” The train started to move, making Silver lurch forward at the sudden movement. He gave one last wave to Rainbow, and she one last wave to him. Silver kept waving until she couldn’t make him out along the long line of red train cars. She sighs, somewhat softly, looking at the leather bound book he gave her.

“What did he give you?” Fluttershy’s sudden question made Rainbow jump, she whirled around and tucked the booklet into her bag.

“Dunno, I’ll find out later.” she smiled, “So you said you had a small cottage near the forest to stay at?” Fluttershy nodded, a small smile across her lips.

“Oh yes, like I said, it’s small, but two ponies should be able to live there just fine. Come on, let’s go move in!” Fluttershy continued to talk about their new home, things like rent, the spacious acres surrounding it. Rainbow didn’t listen much. All that was on her mind was the small brown booklet Silver gave her. “Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow blinked, then shook her head, “Sorry Fluttershy, I guess Silver’s daydreaming was contagious.” she laughed, then looked at her butter yellow friend, her face a little red. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, just thinking about what I saw at the train station, Silvers widdle peck on your cheek~” she teased softly, giggling at Rainbow’s sudden redness.

“Lets just got to your cottage, okay?” Rainbow scratched behind her neck.

Author's Note

9/29/13-
I just updated grammar checks, name mess-ups, and rewrote some parts in the last 5 chapters, so feel free to reread them

Chapter 7; Here and Now

I set down my luggage by the ticket booth, softly rapping on the window, not bothering to look in, “One ticket to Ponyville please.” To which no response was given. My brow furrows, “Hey, Ponyville, let’s hurry it u-” I look into the booth, the pony sits back in his chair, headphones over his ears tuning me out, and a newspaper keeping his eyes from me. I huff and knock hard on the glass, near cracking it. He looks up at me.

“Oi!” he throws down the paper and rips off his headphones, “Whaddya want!?” I only sigh and roll my eyes.

“Ticket to Ponyville.” I don’t bother with manners. Five years in Manehattan either warps your pleasantries, or shatters them. The stallion shakes his head and presses a button, spitting out a ticket for the train. I take it and my bags, then go and sit at my terminal.

‘If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess this place was Tartarus itself.’ I mused in my head. The first year in the Big Apple wasn’t the worst experience, until my books weren’t purchased by publishers, I got kicked out of my apartment, and I lost my job all in 3 consecutive days. I managed to survive at a below-minimum wage job for the remainder of my stay, and as for living quarters, the one I found was discounted due to the stench that made a rotting corpse smell like roses.

The only hoofful of good things that happened was I grew a goatee, I finished my novel, and I was getting the buck out of here.

Somewhere in my train of thought, a young pegasus mare taps my shoulder, “Excuse me,” I look at her, first with a slight scowl from my mood, then my features softened at her beauty, “is this the train to Ponyville?”

“Erm...” I shake my head, clearing my thoughts, “Yeah, thanks for snapping me awake.” I smile, laughing a bit, “Are you moving there as well?”

“Oh no,” she smiled, shaking her head. Her spiked white mane with frost blue tips and vibrant violet eyes were enchanting, and her voice was like velvet. I shake my head again, missing what she said.

“I’m sorry, what? Your beauty seems to have distracted me,” I smirk playfully, holding a chuckle from her sudden blush on her bright indigo coat.

“Oh, you’re all smooth talkers here, aren’t you?” she giggled, “I said my sister and I came to visit some of our relatives here, and now we’re headed home.”

“That sounds like an adventure,” I smile to her, my ear flicks at the loudspeakers, “It seems our ride is here, Miss...?”

“Cloudchaser!” another pegasus comes from across the way, two tickets in her hoof, “Thank goodness, just in time.” She looks at me, smiling, “Who’s your cute new friend?”

I smile, bowing before her, she had the same coat and eyes, but her mane was more combed out and bright mint in color, “I’m Silver Script, a pleasure to meet you.” This place might have fowled my mood for the past four years, but now that I’m moving, I don’t see why I can’t try to remake myself... again.

“Oh, a gentlecolt.” she smiles, “Come on, let’s get on the train before it leaves us!” She and Cloudchaser gallop to the train, “I’m Flitter by the way!” she smiles as I sprint to catch up.

The three of us all decided to relax in the same booth, they told me about their trip to their family’s, and I told them about my nightmare in the city, they laughed at most of it. My mom always said my abilities to make the mares laugh would always get me far with them.

“So, you mares know Rainbow Dash?” I smile to them, Cloudchaser was the first to speak.

“Oh yeah! She was the one who coordinated the water transfer to Cloudsdale a spring ago.”

“We barely made it that year, a bunch of the team got the Feather Flu!” Flitter chuckles softly.

“Fluttershy really saved our flanks that time!” Cloudchaser smiles, my ears flick to them.

“Fluttershy? The butter yellow mare that’s scared of her own shadow Fluttershy?” I blink a couple times, they both look at me, “I went to school with them about five years back.” I chuckle, scratching the back of my head.

“Ooooh.” they say in unison, I had to admit, it was a little freaky, “So you’re like, Rainbow’s old coltfriend from school or something?” Flitter giggles. My expression falls and a slight blush spreads on my cheeks.

“Oh my gosh look at his face!” Cloudchaser laughs out loud, rolling on the bench they share, Flitter joins in, making my face more red, and making their light indigo faces go blue from laughing so hard.

“Har har,” I roll my eyes, “Come on it wasn’t that funny was it?” The fact that they were still laughing answered that.

After the two mares’ giggle fits, I started asking some small questions about Ponyville, “Oh you’ll love it Silver!” Flitter smiles, “Everypony is basically your best friend!”

“But there is a pink earth mare, you’ll find out about her soon enough though.” I raise my brow.

“Pink mare? What is she, the town nut or something?” I joke, smiling at their laughter, followed by a look to each other then me. “... she is, isn’t she?” They laugh again, and I suddenly don’t feel very confident.

As the train pulls into the station, I reach for my bags, hoofing Cloudchaser’s and Flitter’s bags to them first, “So, can you show my where Rainbow lives? I think seeing her after so long would be one of the first things I have to do.”

“Sure, I’ll show you where she stays,” Cloudchaser beams as she steps onto the platform, followed by Flitter, then myself, “Flitter, can you take my bags back home with you?”

“Sure sis!” Flitter smiled, then turned so I couldn’t see her face. I could swear I heard something muttered about being alone with the cute new guy, before I could fully make out what she said, she turns back to me, “See ya around Silver!” she winks as she flies off with her and Cloudchaser’s bag.

I trotted up to Cloudchaser, “What was that about?” She shakes her head and giggles.

“Oh just Flitter being Flitter! Say, I think Rainbow is actually working the weather right now, how about a tour of Ponyville?”

____________________________________________

“And finally, the last stop, Rainbow’s house!” I smile to Cloudchaser, then look in front of me.

“A mailbox?” It was all I could see in front of me, I look back to Cloudchaser, who snickered as she pointed up. “Oh, right.” I chuckle, looking at the fluffy cloud home, “Wow, it looks like her place in Cloudsdale.”

“Cloudchaser? You’re back already?” I turn my head to the new voice, a pegasus, mid-flight, silhouetted by the falling sun behind her. She stops a moment, turning her head toward me.

I strain my eyes to see past the black shape in front of the glowing sunset, only to be tackled to the ground in a hug by it. I fall on my back with a thud, then noticed the black shape had a colorful vibrant mane. “Rainbow Dash!?”

A second after the tackle hug, I feel a firm slap across my muzzle, “THAT’S for not writing!” and another slap on the other side, “And THAT’S for not visiting!” She continued talking, but I didn’t hear it it as my vision went black.

Author's Note

You may have noticed the story going from past, to present tense. It's no mistake. The past six chapters were more like a line of memories Silver recalled, and at this time and from this time forward, everything is happening here and now, hence the chapter title.

Chapter 8: Morning Pains

“Rainbow Dash...”

“Five years without writing! Without visiting!” Rainbow yells at the gray pegasus, “What kind of stallion does that!?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Cloudchaser says again, yet Rainbow focuses on Silver.

“What do you have to say for yourself!?” she shouts again.

“RAINBOW DASH!” Cloudchaser yells, this time getting the other mare’s attention, she trots a little closer, pointing to the stallion on the ground. “I.. think he’s unconscious.”

Rainbow looks down to Silver again, his eyes are blank, his breathing steady, and his tongue sticks from his open maw, “Oh... oops.” she blushes, then turns to Cloudchaser, “Can you help me haul him into my house?”

She nods, then grabs the stallion by his legs, while Rainbow gently takes his neck and upper back.

____________________________________________

I wake in a bed, the walls around me decorated with various posters, mostly of the Wonderbolts. As I move to sit up, a sudden throbbing in my head caused me to grunt, “What the hay happened?”

“Oh, you’re awake.” The sudden voice makes my head twist, and another throb makes me cradle my head. The voice came from the nearby doorway, “Sorry, didn’t think I hit you that hard.” Rainbow trots closer, hoofing me two pills and a small glass of water, “Here, this should help.”

“Thanks Dash, nice to see you too by the way.” I chuckle, taking the pills and water.

“Hey, I hugged you first didn’t I?” Dash smirked.

“Then slapped me unconscious.” I reply with my own smirk, then I look around again, “Am I in your room?”

“Yeah, I tried putting you on the couch, then you rolled out as soon as I turned around.” she snickered.

“Heh, I move around when I’m not comfortable,” I scratch the back of my head. “Or from certain dreams.”

“Dreams?” Rainbow raises her eyebrow, “What kind of dreams would make you toss and turn like that?”

I shake my head, “Never mind that, Dash,” I smile, “I haven’t seen you in 5 years, how’ve you been?”

“Yeah, I was going to ask you about that!” Dash flew closer, eyes slanted, “What’s with the lack of letters? Or visits!?”

“Er... did you lose that notebook?” my ears went back.

“What notebook?” she moves back a pace, from the look in her eyes, she was rattling her brain, “Oh, OH! ... Oh....”

I raise my brow, just sitting in her bed, “You lost it, didn’t you?”

“No no no! See, when I first moved to Ponyville, I put it on one of Fluttershy’s shelves to find out what was in it later,” her eyes look to the cloud floor, her ears drooping, “I guess I forgot it there, heh...”

“That explains a lot.” I shake my head, smirking, “I had my apartment address in it.” I turn my head, looking out the window at the rising sun. “I slept all night?”

“Yeah, I got breakfast ready for you, I have to go get an early start on the weather. Wanna catch up around, say noon?”

“Sure, I can do noon.” I look back to her with a smile while nodding.

“Cool, see ya then!” She smirks and winks, then bolts out the window with a steady grin.

I rise from the bed a moment later, trotting downstairs. As I reach the bottom, an orange filly zips in front of me, “Say, who’re you and what are you doing in Rainbow Dash’s house!?” she demands, without so much as a gasp, she continues, “Are you the one who’s going to fly me down to school today? Rainbow said that the gray dude would give me a lift today since she had to work early, I’m Scootaloo by the way, but everypony calls me Scoots.”

“Uhm... I’ll need to ask a few questions first.” I raise my brow to the young filly, “Which way is the kitchen, why are you in Dash’s house, exactly who are you, can’t you fly to school yourself, and if not; do I have time for breakfast?”

“Uhm....” Scootaloo racks her brain, registering my questions, “That way,” she points to the doorway next to the stairs, where she zipped in from, “Rainbow is my flying mentor, I’m Scootaloo, I can’t fly very well on my own, and no you don’t. Let’s go!” she hops up and zips to the front door, grabbing her small scooter and her schoolbags.

“First day here and I’m a foalsitter.” I mumble under my breath, walking with her to the door, “I haven’t been here long, you’ll have to point the way to your school, and quick if you want to make it there on time.”

“Oh, it’s just that way!” Scootaloo points north-west, “Straight shot since you’re flying.” I look out the window, seeing a tiny red house on top of a hill with young fillies and colts prancing about it the yard.

“Alright then,” I open the door, “Hop on.” In a heartbeat, I feel the orange filly’s weight, along with her metal scooter and school books all fall on me at once, “HRNG!”

“You okay gray dude?” Scoots looks around the back of my head.

“Yeah...” I strain a little, “My name is Silver Script by the way.” I stretch out my wings, hearing some slight cricks loosen. ‘Been a while since I used these, I guess.’ I think to myself. “Hold on Scoots.” Another heartbeat as I feel her small forelegs firmly wrap around my neck.

I leap from the cloud terrace, letting myself and the filly fall about a meter before my wings catch air and glide across the skies. I smile to the clean cool air whip through my mane, while I hear Scootaloo on my back. “Whoooo hoooooo!” I look back a moment, seeing her beaming face. She may not be able to fly yet, but I can tell she’s got the heart for it.

Flying from Rainbow Dash’s place to the schoolyard was only about a five minute trek, but it was five minutes I haven’t experienced for a while. Manehattan had plenty of open airspace, but a pegasus gang often stopped me from flying as much as I wanted, even if I was late for work.

“Hey girls! This is Silver Script!” Scootaloo called over from my side to a white unicorn and yellow earth pony, “Silver, this is Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.” she pointed to them respectively.

“Hia, how ya doin mister?” Applebloom, with a thick farmer accent, nodded.

“Hiiii~!” Sweetie Belle sang.

“Hi girls,” I smile, I open my mouth to speak, but I’m interrupted by a low growl, “I... haven’t eaten yet.” The girls giggle, and I chuckle lowly. “Well, I suppose I’d better go-”

As I begin to turn, I hear a soft voice call, “Oh girls!” I turn my head to see it’s origin, a violet pink mare with a brighter pink mane came trotting over, “Scootaloo, glad you were able to make it!” she smiles, then turns to me, “I’m sorry, who’re you?”

“I’m Silver Script, ma’am, you must be the school teacher here.” I smile again, ‘Great, at this rate I’ll meet everypony in town before I get a bite to eat.’

“Yes, I’m Cheerilee.” She smiled warmly, “Rainbow had to work I suppose,” she sighs.

“Yes ma’am. I’m new in Ponyville, just came in yesterday, actually.” I smile best I can, the hunger was effecting me more by the passing minute.

"Well, it's nice of you to take care of Scootaloo while she's off working." she smiles, the fillies beside her giggle, and I suddenly feel a deep dread.

"As much as I'd like to meet everypony," I start, but am quickly cut off by the schoolmare.

She pointed to various foals, saying their names and a little about them. I listened halfheartedly, and cursed myself for being such a nice stallion....

Chapter 9: Apple Pie and Masked Bandits

My stomach gives another soft moan as I canter from the schoolhouse. Cheerilee and the three fillies, the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ as they call themselves, pointed out several other of their young friends. “Dinky Do, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, bah!” I shake my head, “I just need some breakfast, hopefully Dash has coffee.

“Silver Script!” I stop in my trot, then turned to the voice. Flitter waved as she comes closer, “What happened? Cloud came home with a smirk, didn’t tell me a thing!”

I just smile, “Let’s just say Dash came home and... we went to bed....” Flitter giggles, a pale redness on her muzzle. I feel my ears drop, “Er... not that.” Before I can get a chance to explain, my stomach roars at me, making Flitter giggle again.

“Hungry?” I blush softly at her small smirk, “Come on, I know a place with the best food in Ponyville!”

“Well, it’s hard to pass up the best.” I smile, following her outside Ponyville proper.

It was nearly a 15 minute walk, the sound of the occasional thud makes my ears twitch softly. Soon, the gates of a large farm acre comes into view, almost entirely covered in apple trees. Another thud makes my head twist toward the sound. Two ponies kick above the base of the trees, making the apples at the top fall into the buckets below. The orange one looks over to us- or rather, me, as I look to my side, and Flitter seems to have flown off. “Not cool.” I murmur.

“Well howdy!” the farm pony trots over, tipping her hat, “Name’s Applejack, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! What can I do ya for?”

“Uhm, hi,” I shake my head, the lack of food seems to make me drowsy. “I’m Silver Script, I’m new to Ponyville, and I-”

“Oh well welcome to th’ neighborhood partner! Ain’t gonna find no place nicer then this lil town.” she smiles wide.

“Heh, thanks. Like I was saying, I woke up this morning, and before I could get a bit to eat, some errands came up, and so-”

“Say no further!” Applejack comes around, putting her hoof around my neck, “We Apples have the best darn treats this side o’ Canterlot. Whaddya hankerin’? Apple Pie? Apple Fritter? Baked Apple Surprise?”

“Woah, woah, easy miss, Applejack, is it?” She nods, and I continue, “Right now, I’ll take near anything.” We share a chuckle.

The farm mare takes me up to the red home, across from the barn. She moves me to the table, “Take a seat, I’ll get ya a fresh pie.” I nod, sitting near the side.

“Nice place you have here, Applejack. It’s very rustic.” I smile, looking around, "In a good way, I mean."

“Well thank ya Silver.” she opens the oven door grabbing a pie tin with her mitted hoof. “With the four of us here, we like to keep a tight ship.” She places the hot pie on the table, taking a pie knife and cutting it into slices, “So where ya from?”

“Manehattan,” I answer without hesitation, the scent of the fresh apple pie dancing in my nostrils, “Well, actually, I was raised in Cloudsdale, but after school I tried to get some of my writings published in the Big Apple. No pun intended.”

“Manehattan? You know a couple of ponies, the Oranges? Got a filly named Babs?” the mare smiles to me, putting a rather large pie slice on a plate.

“Yeah, I think I knew a Babs Seed. I tried to keep a couple bullies from pushing her around, but I heard it start up soon after I left.” I frown at the floor, forgetting my hunger until the large slice of pie was pushed in front of me.

“Aw well bless ya. She visited us a while ago, ah told her parents about her troubles and, from her letters, she seems ta be doing a lot better!” Applejack smiled, “Enjoy, partner!” she said, sliding me a fork.

As I was about to pick up the fork, the front door almost slams open, an all too familiar yellow pegasus entering. “Applejack! I need your help at my cottage!” I turn back to see Fluttershy.

“Oh my, I’mma commin Fluttershy!” Applejack grabs me by the skin of my neck, dragging me along. I groan, watching the pie shrink away. I flip from Applejack’s grip, look back at the pie, then go to follow the two mares.

Applejack is the first on the scene, followed by Fluttershy, then myself a moment later. Fluttershy looks back at me, “Oh, hi Silver. When did you get here?” I don’t answer right away, my lungs rapidly filling and emptying.

“Last... night....!” I continue panting, then stare breathlessly at the sight of herds of critters swirling around each other in maddening circles. “What in the name of Luna!?”

Fluttershy cringes, looking at the scene, “I don’t know what’s wrong, they’re just all so scared, so angry!” A small white rabbit looks at me, and with great effort, throws a carrot at my face. In a moment of confusion, the carrot hits me directly in the eye.

“AH! Son of a-” I glare at the rabbit, watching it scamper away with the other animals.

“Angel! That’s no way to treat guests!” she looks back at me as I rub my eye, “Are you okay Silver?”

“Yeah, I’m fine...” I shake my head, “It’s just... pain.” I watch as Applejack walks up to the herds of critters, then stomps her hoof in the dirt. They all stop and look at the orange farm pony.

Applejack nods, then turns to Fluttershy, “Now that I got ‘em calmed, go ahead and work yer magic, Fluttershy.” The pegasus mare nods, then walks to the closest rabbit, the one, I noticed, that chucked the carrot at me.

“Now then, what’s going on that’s got you all is such a frenzy?” Fluttershy asks. The rabbit, Angel, started chattering, “Uh-huh, oh my! That’s not good at all!” Applejack and I trot over.

“What’s goin’ on Fluttershy?” the cow pony looked from Angel to the pegasus. I stood quiet, trying to keep my stomach from howling at me.

“There’s a wild raccoon from the Everfree Forest that comes and steals the critters’ food, ruins their nests, and-” she stops as I just pass her, walking toward the wood. “Silver?”

“Is that the culprit?” I point my hoof at a small critter, its black mask over its white face, and red coat. Angel zooms past me, starting to chase at the raccoon in circles. “Hey!” I call, stomping a hoof in front of the rabbit, stopping them both in their tracks. Fluttershy came up close, her mane covering her face, ‘She still does that huh?’ I think to myself.

“Aww the poor little guy. You can stay, I’ll have enough food for all of the animals, including you.” she smiles sweetly at the raccoon. It chippers, hugs her leg, and scampers to the other animals. I look over the jubilated critters, as well as a very annoyed white rabbit thumping his back legs on my front hoof.

“If you weren't Fluttershy’s pet...” I stare down crookedly at the rabbit, making him look up to me, trembling. I watch with a smirk as he hops off into the small humble cottage, “That’s what I thought, tough guy.”

Chapter 10: Dresses, Suits and Ties, Oh My!

By the time I enter Ponyville, along side Fluttershy, it was barely afternoon, and I was still running on empty. “Thanks again for spotting the raccoon Silver.” I sigh, it was about the fifth time she thanked me.

“No problem, Flutters.” I smile, waving off her appreciation. “You know me, always happy to help... even when I’m starved.” I mumble the last part, sighing, “I guess everypony really do know each other in this town.” I smile.

“So, when did you get here, anyway?” Fluttershy turns to me, “I haven’t seen you in almost 5 years, have you visited Rainbow Dash yet?”

I laugh, then started to tell Fluttershy the events from the station in Manehattan, to waking up this morning. She gasped when I told her how I passed out, then took me five minutes to convince her I was alright, and then she giggled at the spirit of Scootaloo and her friends. “And then you came through Applejack’s door, and you know the rest.”

“Oh my, that’s quite a tale.” she smiles softly, “Speaking of, how have your books turned out?” her smile widens, then falls as I tell her.

“Unfortunately, they haven’t. The publishers didn’t seem to go for fantasy and fiction as much as I hoped. I tried some non fiction, but I never liked how they turned out... well... except for my romance one.”

“Romance?” the butter mare’s ears perked, I look to her with some degree of surprise.

“Oh, yeah. I can lend it to you if you want to check it out.” I shrug, smiling.

“Well, I know somepony who’d really enjoy it for sure! Would you like to meet her?” My face brightened, forgetting my hunger, I nod.

“I’m always up to meet potential readers, even more so with potential friends!” I laugh, she joins with her own quiet giggle.

The Carousel Boutique was a tall building, marrequins in the windows make it obvious it’s a fitting shop for suits and dresses. Fluttershy knocks gently, when a sudden songbird like voice chirps from inside, “Come in~”

Fluttershy walks in, nodding me to follow. Inside were various beautiful dresses, along with some handsome suits. “Wow, your friend is very talented.” Fluttershy nods, and points to a gorgeous white unicorn as she gallops down the stairs. “Oh goodness.” I take a step back, a light red shade over my gray face.

“Hello Fluttershy, who is this young stallion accompanying you?” she smiles, eyeing my frame hoof to ear, “Oh my goodness, I can imagine the most darling suit to put you in sir! Do you mind if I get your measurements?”

“Oh? N- not at all!” I shake my head, trotting closer, “You’re lady Rarity, right? I’ve heard much about your fashion while in Manehattan, before I moved here recently.”

“Fabulous! I do love hearing how word of my designs spread!” She waves me onto a circular pedestal, “So, a quill and scroll?” she smiles, noticing my mark, “What do you specialize in sir?”

I laugh, “Oh, my sincere apologies, I’ve yet to even introduce myself!” I look back at her, a wide smile, “I’m Silver Script, I’m a writer, well, unprofessionally at the current time.”

“Oh I know how hard it is starting off.” Rarity frowns, putting a yellow tape strand around my midsection. “Besides, I refuse to believe you have not a single unpublished book!” she looks at me with a raised brow.

I look back to Fluttershy, who nods and tries to put some confidence in me with her smile. “Well, nothing of mine is published. Manehattan critics are quite tough. There is one book I feel... a little confident in.”

“What is it about?” Rarity continues to work, “Oh, how do you feel about Tail Coats?”

“I find them very fetching,” I smile to myself. It was an older style, but classy nonetheless. “Oh, and the story is a romance of a pegasus stallion, a lowly servant of his unicorn family, who falls in love with his Lord’s ward.”

Rarity gives some odd squealing gasp, “Oh my, how daring! Forbidden loves always either end in tragedy,” she pulls a large red couch out from the side of the room, laying in it in an overdramatic pose, “or in otherworldly bliss!” she squeals again, holding her hooves to her chest.

“If you want, I can give you my rough copy to read. Proofreading my own stories can help in grammar, but obviously not everypony would like what I like.”

“Oh yes!” the fashionista pony yells, then backs a moment, her snowy coat burning red on her muzzle. She clears her throat, “I mean, how very kind of you, Silver.” I smile to her grin, swearing I could hear a soft ‘squee.’

“Think nothing of it.” I wave my hoof to her, “Honestly, I didn’t have many friends in Manehattan to critique my work, so it would be nice for that to change. Just make sure you tell me what you think afterward.”

“Of course darling!” she turns back to her notes, “Now that I have your measurements, I can start with some idea designs!” I nod, turning to where Fluttershy once stood.

“... where’d Flutters go?” I raised a brow, then turn back to Rarity, “Well, I’ll be sure to stop by and show you my story.” I smile, seeing Rarity give a solemn nod, not turning from her notepad. “Well, I’ll see you sometime soon!”

I trot out of the Boutique, “Hm... I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting.” I put my hoof to my mouth, then my face sinks at my grumbling stomach, “Right, hungry...”

As I take another step, Rarity comes out of her building, “Oh Silver, I’m glad I caught you.” I stop dead in my tracks, then look back at her. “You see, her Majesty, Princess Twilight Sparkle, runs the library in the hollow yonder.” she points to a large tree, a terrace and multiple windows decorate it. “I’m sure she’s got a book or two on self publishing!”

“A library, in a tree.” My mind ticks for several seconds, “And a Princess who lives there.” another several seconds ‘Not a bad story...’ I think to myself, “Do you think she’d mind?” I look back to Rarity, who giggles and shakes her head. I smile, “Thanks, I’ll look into that.” I give a final wave to the mare as I trot toward the tree, knocking on the door leading into the sizable trunk.

Chapter 11; The Princess and the Library

With dropping Scootaloo off with her friends and Cheerilee, meeting Applejack for a brunch ‘That was interrupted, I might add,’ helping Fluttershy with her little problem, and being fitted for a Tail Coat by Rarity, it was almost the middle of the afternoon. At least in the Library things could be a little quiet.

I rap softly on the door, watching it open to a small, purple and green scaled dragonling. I rub my eye, still a little red from the rabbit, “Er, hi. This is the local library right?”

“You got it!” the dragon pipes, “Come on in, what’re you looking for?” he lets the door swing open, moving aside to let me in. I gently unfurl my wing to push it closed.

“Well, Rarity told me I might be able to find a book on self publishing here...” my sentence sputters as I watch the dragon smile dreamily for a moment over the mare’s name. I chuckle ‘Hm....’

The dragon puts his claw to his mouth, deep in thought, then moves to scan the book shelves. “Weird, I don’t see it.” he says with some mild surprise. “Hold on, let me go get Twilight, she’s read about every book in the place, so she should know if there’s one here.” he says as he jogs up the stairs.

My ear flicks at the conversation from upstairs, something about her ‘royal studies’ he had interrupted. After a few more minutes, A bright purple flash made me shield my eyes, making me blind for half a second. As my eyes adjusted, a lavender alicorn princess stood before me. She smiles thoughtfully, “Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, what kind of book were you looking for?”

“One on self publishing?” I catch my words, they sound questionable, unsure, a book was only half my curiosity now, why was a princess in this small library rather than in Canterlot?

The alicorn scans the shelves, “Hm... are you a writer?” she questions, I nod, “How fun! Would you have anything that would be here?” her magic continues to scan as her eyes lay on me, but I shake my head.

“Unfortunately, no. I haven’t had a single published book thus far.” she frowns at me, I just shake my head, “Haven’t gotten lucky yet, but I’m hoping to change that by self publishing my works!”

“That’s the spirit! Aha!” Twilight pulls a brown book from one of the middle shelves, the cover had an ink bottle with a sprawl of letters below it, “The Art of Writing and Self Publishing!” she exclaims.

“Cool, thanks Princess.” Suddenly, a three more books come and lay on top of the fore mentioned book. I look to the princess with a slightly confused smile.

Twilight looks from me to the books, “Oh, these are some books on grammar, turn of phrases, and some more interesting words from what everypony uses on a daily basis.” she explained, tapping her front hooves together, “So what do you write about?”

I shake my head, obviously this wasn’t the first time she’s dealt with customers like myself, “Oh, I mostly do fiction works and fantasy literature.” I smile, “Before I moved to Manehattan, my friends, family and teachers all told me I had quite the broad imagination, so I like to put a little bit of that into my stories.”

“I’ve read a few of those!” she smiles, “Though I prefer something that’s not made up,” her smile fades into more of a sheepish grin. “Not that there’s anything bad with fiction!” she automatically follows, worrying she offended me.

“Oh it’s quite alright,” I smile, waving her embarrassment off, “Some ponies like fiction, some don’t. Simple as that.” I smile at her soft nod, “I know a few that like their fair share of fiction and non.” I smile at her cute giggle.

“You’re quite the pony. Most writers try to please all their readers with things that they personally can’t stand. I never understood it myself.”

‘Well obviously they just want attention,’ I smile to the quick thought, “Honestly if you don’t have fun while doing it, it’s not worth doing.” I suddenly put a hoof to my muzzle in thought, “Unless it’s things like, mortgage, or taxes... actually there are quite a few things that aren’t fun that you’re required to do to have things, or just stay alive...” I shake my head, “I rambled again, didn’t I?”

“You do that too!?” Twilight gawked, “Thank goodness I’m not the only one that does it!” she laughs, “Rainbow always pokes fun at me for ‘nerding out’ over the most simple topics.”

I smile, “Well honestly I’ve a bit of an ego, whenever I ‘nerd out,’ as Rainbow would put it, I do it to feel smart.” my smile shrinks into a sheepish, somewhat shameful grin. The mention of Rainbow snaps in the back of my mind, “Oh shoot!” I quickly spin toward the clock; 7:30.

“What is it?” Twilight’s wings fluff softly, my sudden outburst must have startled her.

“I’m so stupid! I completely forgot I was going to meet Rainbow Dash around noon!” I put my face into my hooves, “I’m not going to hear the end of this.” I quickly trot over to the Princess and bow, “It was a pleasure to meet you Princess, could you by chance hold onto those books for me?”

“Of course!” she smiles, setting them on a nearby table with a carving of a stallion’s head as its centerpiece, putting a small note on them, “I never caught your name...”

“Oh, it’s Silver Script.” I chuckle, “Anyway, thank you!” I smile, nod, and fly out the door.

I trot about town, looking for tail or hoof of the rainbow pony. My eyes lock on a swishing colorful tail moving back and forth on a high up cloud. I spread my wings and take flight, landing about a foot from where she was, “Sorry, I know I’m late I just got so held up and-” I stop mid sentence. Rainbow’s eyes are closed, her breathing loud, but steady, I just shake my head, “Well, at least I don’t have to completely worry.” I mutter, smiling. Rainbow shifts in her sleep, then lightly cracks open one eye.

“When did you get here and how long were you staring?” she asked, her half conscious voice seeming rather annoyed and slightly worried.

I laugh softly, “I just got here, maybe 10 seconds ago?” I sit beside her, looking to the falling sun, “Guess we’ll have to catch up some other time, huh?”

“Your fault.” she teased, “I was here at noon, like we said.” she lightly prodded my flank with her hoof, more specifically on my cutie mark, “Jeez you’re such a dork.”

“I like me,” I say, full of my own pride, “Why would I want to change?” I look back at her as she sits up herself.

“Well you know you’ll have to repay me for this, right?” she smirks, “A stallion should never keep a lady waiting, know why?” I shake my head, humoring her, “Because the longer she waits, the more time she has to plot revenge.” she laughs sinisterly, I just chuckle with a soft smirk.

“Well I’ve actually gone the entire day without a bite to eat,” I look down to my gurgling stomach, “I’m wasting away, Dash!” I claim, starting to act dramatic, “Ya gotta help me before I turn to dust!” Rainbow just laughs.

“Yeah I already know what you can do to pay me back.” she smirks, “Let’s go, party starts any minute now.”

Chapter 12; Life of the Party

“I don’t get it!” Rainbow nearly yelled, “You’ve been here for two days, TWO DAYS, and you haven’t met Pinkie yet!?” Rainbow looks to me as if I’ve completed the most brutal flight trick in history fifty times over without falter, “How did you manage that!?”

“You know what I don’t get?” I reply, having Rainbow’s utmost attention, “I don’t get why this Pinkie Pie is such a big deal that I have to be warned about her on the train ride over here, then congratulated for being able to meet almost everypony in town save for her...”

“Well since we’re on the topic, who’ve you met and what have you learned?” Rainbow challenged.

“Twilight Sparkle is the Librarian, as well as a princess in light of recent events, Applejack and her family run the local apple orchard, Rarity is a fashionista, quite a good one at that, Fluttershy is still as timid as ever, Cheerilee is the teacher of the the school house, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are part of a club to get their cutie marks, and you....” I think a moment, then change my thoughts as she shoots me a glare, “have swollen with awesomeness?” I quickly edit my train of thought, ‘not the first thing to come to mind.’ I think to myself.

“Not bad,” she smirks as we reach a gingerbread styled house, “Ladies first,” she snickers. I laugh, but do not budge.

“You said it, Dash, not me.” I give a sly smirk and wink. From her reaction, it almost crossed my mind that it would be the death of me, but she walked in first nonetheless. I canter in after her into the dark room. From the lingering scents, I could tell it was a bakery. Cupcakes, donuts, and more all mixed in the air of the dark room. Dark. “Dash?”

I strain my eyes, no response. There was a quick movement in the corner, then a high pitch giggle in the opposite corner. I slowly back to the door, only for a flash of pink to slam it shut behind me. Pitch black, I never did well in the dark, much less pitch black. I feel a hot breath behind my ear, as it reaches my nose, I smell... cotton candy? “Nopony gets past meeeee~.” a light giggly voice softly sings. I turn my head, only to see nothing there.

“Okay, I’m getting creeped out now.” I say, trembling. That was an understatement, one brash surprise and my heart would probably stop. As if on perfect cue.

The lights all turn on, the room is filled with colorful smiling faces, “SURPRISE!” everypony yelled. I feel my heart stop alright, as I’m on my back two seconds later. Some laugh, but Dash walks up and picks me up from the ground.

“Jeez, it’s just a joke Silver!” she laughs, “Get a hold of yourself.” I grumble, making her snicker, “Okay maybe scaring you out of your skin was a little too far, but I got you, admit it!”

“Me too! Me too!” the pink ball of energy bounced all around, “Oh Dashie that was so much fun! Can we do it again? Can we, can we, can we!?” I turn my gaze between the two, then laugh.

“Oh man, that was great!” I hold my side, continuing to laugh, “I haven’t been scared like that since 4 Nightmare Nights ago!” I turn to see all the decorations, “Wow, and I haven’t seen a party this big since graduation.” I mused.

“What do you mean ‘big’?” Pinkie cocked her head, “This was done in the last five minutes! You wanna see big, you gotta come to my Nightmare Night bash next week!”

‘Cloud and Flitter were right, this mare is nuts, but I find it hard to be annoyed by it.’ I think, smiling, “Well I’ll definitely have to come for that! But for current matters, what’s all this for?” For some strange reason, I can’t stop smiling.

“Oh you silly! This is your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” she hops closer, inches from my face, and yells, “WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!” her mane seems to explode with party poppers, streamers and confetti falling around and in her fluffy mane. She wraps her foreleg around me and pulls me to her side, whooping her free foreleg in the air, “Let’s party!” to which, everypony cheered as the music from a nearby DJ began playing.

After about an hour of mingling, a sudden groan reminds me of what I haven’t had since morning. I stare almost dumbly at the snack table, filled with all manner of treats, apples, and some purple punch. As I trot closer to the life saving table, I absentmindedly grab several plates, dishing them all up to small piles of grub. I glance around at the tables set up, and see Rainbow, along with her other friends and the Princess. They all wave me over and offer me a seat.

“Oh yeah, I plum forgot, you still haven’t eaten?” Applejack places a hoof on my shoulder, I just shake my head, throwing a fritter in the air, letting it land in my mouth. Rainbow and Applejack snicker, but Rarity hides her feelings behind a weak smile.

I dab my lips, “Sorry, when I go an entire day without eating, I can be a bit... sloppy.” I note. Most nod, understanding, but Pinkie reaches over and grabs one of my fritters, trying to replicate my trick, only for it to fall on her snout.

She stares blankly up for a second or two, then snorts a giggle, spreading it across the table. “Oopsie!” she shrugs, her tongue wrapping around the fritter in a remarkable prehensile fashion and pulls it into her mouth, chewing happily.

‘Something tells me that’s not the weirdest thing I’ll see from her.’ I think to myself.

“So, Silver.” Princess Twilight smiles, “What do you think of Ponyville so far?” she puts her head in her hooves, looking at me with great interest.

“Well, to be honest...” I start, sounding hesitant. The six mares lean in closer, waiting for me to finish, “I love it here!” I laugh, “Should’ve come here with Dash and Flutters five years ago!”

The girls all laugh, save for Dash, who looks like she’s contemplating something, something she hadn’t thought about for a long time.

The party raved for another two hours, and I met about half of the town, I guessed. As suspected, Pinkie’s mood was crestfallen when it ended, but then I smiled, “Hey Pinks, can’t wait for your Nightmare bash!”

She jumped with excitement, “Oh I know! It’s going to be sooooooo GOOOD!” she laughs, then zips back into the bakery. I, on the other hoof, looked to the cyan mare at my side.

“Hey Rainbow, you okay?” I lightly poke her side with my hoof.

She jumps, “Oh, yeah I’m cool.” smirking, “You gonna stay at my place again tonight?”

I shrug, “I know you already have Scoots there, so if you don’t have the room, I can go get a motel room or something.”

“No way! You can totally stay with me, until you get your own place anyway.” she smirks, “But I call my bed tonight.”

A mischievous smirk spreads on my face, “I don’t mind sharing, Dashie~” I laugh as the mare punches my shoulder, “I can crash on the couch, no problem.”

Chapter 13; Dreamscape

My eyelids feel heavy, a side effect from the fading sugar rush, as I watch Dash carry Scootaloo on her back on our way back to Dash's home. “That... was a lot of sugar.” I groan as I flop onto the couch.

“You’ll get used to it after about a month,” Rainbow smiled, patting my head, “You seemed to have a hard day of bumming around.”

“Mostly from dying of hunger.” I smile sleepily, “Say Dash, you got a window in here right?”

Rainbow looks from me lying on the couch to the large living room window, “Yeah, why?”

I yawn, burying my face in the couch’s arm, “Promise you won’t laugh?” I knew she would, but I had to ask anyway.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Rainbow recites, my eye cracks open and creeps to look at her, “Pinkie Pie.” She laughs softly.

“Weird, but okay.” I mutter, “I... I don’t do well in the dark.” I say quickly, turning on the couch to not face her. My ear twitches at the silence, so I twist my head far enough to see her face.

Rainbow Dash was fighting back laughter, to the point of tears building up, then she takes a deep breath and exhales. “Yeah, no problem-” she lets out a small giggle. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, couldn't help but laugh. She hadn’t promised, but she was doing enough laughing for both of them. “Okay squirt, bed time.” Rainbow taps Scoots on her hooves.

“Aww!” the filly groans, “But I-” she stops mid sentence, seeing the small glare Rainbow shot her, “Fine.” She sighs annoyed, as she trots upstairs. Rainbow comes up behind me and lightly touches my shoulder.

“Hey, I know fears,” I see the soft, sincere smile on her muzzle, “At least you don’t sleep with a night light.” she snickers. I shake my head and nuzzle back into the arm. “Night Silver.”

“Night Dash... thanks for letting me crash here.”

____________________________________________

I wake in a dark room, I feel my heartbeat steadily increase as I find my hooves and wings tightly restrained. “What the...” I hear the rusty creak of a door opening, and hoofsteps down a stairwell, “Hey! HEY! HELP!”

“No reason to yell!” a light voice calls back, “Don’t worry Silvey! We’re gonna have lots of fun!” The breath of my captor is warm and heavy on my face, she’s right there, and it smells like... cotton candy.

“Pinkie Pie!?” I struggle against the restraints, “Hey, good joke, now turn on the lights, I’m scared of the dark, here!”

“Okie dokie loki!” the party mare chirps, unlike how she spoke at last nights party, she sounds grim. Insane.

As the lights turn on, I see horrible, unspeakable things, “On second thought, the dark seems rather welcoming.” I cringe at the sight of the mare, her mane and tail no longer puffy and happy, but sad, straight, and... oddly attractive. ‘I need to get my head checked out.’ I think briefly.

As the no longer bombastic party pony stepped closer, she pulled a cart with various tools, sharp objects and some jars. She picks up a long serrated saw and grins wickedly, “Lots. Of. Fun.”

“I refuse to allow this atrocity happen again!” a second voice calls. There’s a loud boom, and the room around me, the horrible abominations, and the psychotic mare, shatter like glass. I fall to the white floor, my hooves free. “Hello again, young scribe.” A dark blue alicorn mare stood tall above me, her mane and tale like the night sky.

“You keep saving my flank like this, I’ll have to come and thank you in real life.” I smile softly, “Thank you Princess Luna.”

“Not needed, Silver Script.” the mare raises a hoof, “Believe it or not, this nightmare is quite common to newcomers in Ponyville.” she lightly taps her chin, “I’ve no idea what causes them, miss Pie must send some strange wavelengths subconsciously.”

“That would explain the whole ‘I refuse’ business.” I smile, “Do you know Pinkie Pie, by chance?”

“We’ve met on the occasion, she, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and of course Twilight Sparkle, helped me long ago with the Nightmare Moon dilemma.” The night princess nods softly, as do I.

“I’ve read stories of what happened... I kind of know how you felt.” I come closer to the princess, who looked at me with wide eyes. “My works, for the most part, aren't looked twice at, kind of like how your night used to be.” I smile back at her, "I still can't see why, even with my fear of the dark."

Luna smiles, “Thank you, Silver.” her head twists, looking into the whiteness of my currently blank dreamscape, “More nightmares, I must begone.” she turns back to me, spreading her wings, “May your dreams be filled with joy and warmth.” From her position, color filled the white spaces like paint spilled from a can, a night sky, a lush green field far below me as I sit atop a cloud. With a flash, Luna was gone, and her bright moon was in her place.

“Joy and warmth...” I smile, breathing in the peaceful night air. No noise, save the crickets below, and no lights, save the soft glow from the stars and moon. I turn to a small shuffle beside me on the plush cloud to see a cyan mare with a vibrant mane lay beside me. She slumbers soundly, and I can’t resist but to wrap a foreleg around her and lay with her. “It’s strange how well the Princess of Night knows me...”

Bonk.

The night sky around me pulses, I move up and look around.

Bonk.

Again, a pulse, “What in the name of Luna is happening now!?”

The rainbow mare pokes me in the shoulder, “Wake up ya lazy!”

I shoot up on the couch, looking around.

Bonk.

“Ah! What in the?” I look toward the collision, seeing a large turtle hovering mid air with some sort of contraption strapped to its shell. “Why is there a flying turtle in here?” I ask, still half asleep.

“Technically, Tank is a Tortoise, and you’re sleeping longer than I do.” Rainbow pats me again, “Enjoy your dream there buddy boy?” she snickers.

Knowing exactly what she means, I zoom off into the nearest bathroom, splashing my face with cold water.

“Hey, no need to freak out Silver.” she calls from outside the bathroom, “So we get... pomfs, who cares?”

“Remind me to wake you when you’re ‘pomfed’ so I can record your reaction!” I call back. My wings laying flat-ish along my back, I exit, drying my mane with a towel, “It’s not the best thing to wake up with...” my voice trails off.

Rainbow calms herself from her fit with a few short deep breaths, "Yeah, yeah okay." she turns and looks back to me with a smirk, "So what were you dreaming about?" she shoots me a grin, "Or was it more of a 'who'?"

Another fit of giggles came to the mare as my ears fell back and my face grew warm.

Chapter 14; Killing Time

I slept about half the day away. It was Saturday, so Scootaloo was with her friends while Rainbow and myself were up in the cloud home. I sit comfortably on the couch after dragging a nearby coffee table closer to the couch with the intention of making it my personal work station for writing. I unload my black saddle bags along the table, shuffling sheets back into the stories I thought they belonged to, "Messy messy mess." I shake my head, snickering, "How am I such a slob?" I ask myself.

"Yeah, seriously Silver!" Rainbow pokes her head behind the couch right at my ear, making me jump.

"GAH!" my wings put themselves over my head, a reaction from the past years in the dangerous ghettos of Manehattan.

She snickers, jumping up over the couch and landing next to me with a soft thud against the cushions. "Still a little jumpy, huh?" she laughs, teasingly tugging at my wings for me to put them down.

"Blame Manehattan, place is a waking nightmare." I sigh, my wings going back to their slack position. A slight caress pulled my eyes to my wing, seeing her hoof still holding it.

"Oh, well, I guess you're glad to be here, huh?" she smiles, but I hardly hear her, eyes locked on the hoof seemingly absent-mindedly petting my ruffled feathers flat. She must realize me staring as I see her hoof slip from my wing and to her side, "Say.. how can you sit like that?" her sudden words make me look up, tucking my wings back against my sides, "I've seen one other unicorn sit like that, but I never see it enough to ask her why."

It's true how I sit is odd, even to myself, "It's just... comfy I guess." I shrug my shoulders, "Everypony calls me crazy, but I kinda tune them out now."

She chuckles softly, "Boy do those ponies have you pegged." I smile to her, she smiles back, and her eyes fall to the coffee table, "So what'cha doing?"

I sigh, looking back to the mess, "Organizing, for now." I pick up a sheet with one of my old poems, "When I'm done with that I need to find a certain story for your unicorn friend."

"Twilight?" Dash looked at a couple of the pages, maybe reading a line or two before moving them aside to peek at another page.

"No, Rarity." I slip the poem into one of the folders marked 'Old' and pick up another page, "I mentioned something about a forbade romance between a servant and a princess and she just..." I looked up from the pages and looked at Dash, making a face that looks overly joyed. After her small giggle, I turn back to filing. "I doubt it's really anything you'd be excited about."

Dash takes an exaggerated gasp, "Are you saying I'm not..." she takes a slight pose of an iconic high class mare, "ladylike?"

My eyes roll as I give a playful sigh, "I'm more saying I don't take you as much of a reader." My ear twitches at the slight 'humph' as the weight on the couch lifts and flies quickly up the stairs. A few sorted pages later, a large stack of books lands on the table with a thud.

"Not much of a reader, huh?" Rainbow smirks triumphantly, "I've got all of the Daring Do books to date, thanks to Twilight." I eye each of them, reading the titles quickly and counting them off in my head.

"Well, I give a dedicated fan props when they're due." I smirk up to the mare, "Congrats, you're the second biggest Daring Do fan in Equestria." Her look goes from proud to skeptical.

Predicting her next question, I turn to another one of my bags, "Well who's the first!?" Her face goes from skeptical to amazed when I turn around wearing a ratty old Daring Do hat and a picture of me and A.K. Yearling, the author herself. "No way..."

"I met the author, though only briefly. She was in Manehattan looking for something when I bumped into her. She seemed to be in a real hurry, so I asked for a quick snapshot and bam!" I take the top book from Rainbow's collection and look at the cover and the photo, "Funny how they look so similar, huh?" Rainbow hovers beside me, looking between them as well.

"Really? I don't see it." she takes the book from my hoof and places it back on the top, then picks up the whole stack with ease, "So you have a photo with her, big deal. I bet you geeked out when meeting her, all stuttery and stuff. I would never do that!"

"Okay maybe a little...." I put the photo back in the back, along with the hat, "So you read now? That's new for you."

"Yeah..." she smiles bashfully, "it's funny what a broken wing and a month in the hospital can do to you." She quickly flies back upstairs. I hear a few thuds and a soft grunt of frustration.

It takes a few minutes before Dash trots back downstairs, "Drop your books?" I call, not looking back at her. The only response was a soft grunt as she sat behind the couch, resting her chin on the back of it. I smile back at her as she stares at the table, and me shuffling papers back in their homes.

"You done yet?" she asked in a flat bored tone. My ears flicked softly as I turn back with a grin, matching the smirk as she eyed me from the corners of her eyes.

"Why? Interested in what I've got for stories?" I move to my bag, looking through a few of my completed works still only in rough draft forms.

"Not if all you've got are prissy romance novels." she teases with a light chuckle. I pull one file in particular out and hold it in front of her muzzle.

"Action? You got it. Adventure? Of course! And let's not forget the sprinkle of drama!" She looks at the cover of the folder, which I decorated with a small illustration.

She eyes the drawing for a moment, "That's kinda cool!" she takes the folder from my hoof and flys back beside me on the sofa. "Where'd you get the idea of knights and stuff?"

"Well, I'm not exactly a history buff, but Commander Hurricane was pretty awesome." I snicker, "This isn't a history story, per-say, well, it kind of is. It's about one of Hurricane's soldiers, not a real one, mind you, and his struggles with training, life in the military, so on. It's got a few important events scattered about here and there from the past."

Dash eyed me and looks back at the story, "Got something more, I don't know... cool?" My ears fell in a slight frustration, "... what?"

"Nothing, uhm...." I go back to my bag, shuffling through, "Ugh... you know what, how about you go through my bag yourself and find something that might tickle your fancy. I want to get this story to Rarity before I procrastinate anymore, then I have to grab a few things from Princess Twilight."

Rainbow frowns, "I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

"No no, I'm fine. I'll see you in a few, kay?" I trot out the door and close it a little harder then I meant to.

____________________________________________

The door slams behind Silver, making Rainbow wince a little and her frown grow, "Way to go, Rainbow Ditz." she sighs to herself. Here eyes go from the cloud floor to the open bag belonging to her guest, "Guess I'll browse, he did say I could." She sits on the couch, pulling up the bag and shuffles through the numerous folders. She pulls one out titled 'Nightmares Past' with an illustration of an intimidating looking Bat Pony in full plate armor and a Unicorn in a fancy robe. Turning the cover over, she saw on the first page nearly completely blank save for the title and Silver's signature under it. Her eyes caught a bright red hue on the back of the portfolio cover.

Terrible, not good enough for critiques or even a passerby reader.
REWRITE ALL!!!

Dash gasps softly, 'It's not in Silver's hoofwriting, so it must have been a critique who wrote it.' she gathered, 'No wonder he took what I said so hard... poor guy.'

She looks back at the front of the first page and read aloud, "Nightmares Past, by Silver Script." she turns the page, clearing her throat before reading again, "Chapter One...."