=Barb's PoV=

You know that feeling when your closest friends poke fun at you on how you seem to be very close to a friend of the opposite gender? Because it's really annoying and awkward.

Anyways, we were all currently sitting around the kitchen table, small talk going on as we ate our breakfast. Me and the girls were still half naked as per every morning when we have a slumber party. For those of you who want to know what they were wearing currently, I'll give a brief summery. Besides Rarity and Fluttershy whom were wearing a blouse, Rarity's being more of a translucent dress, they were wearing a pair of undergarments that matched their fur color, besides Pinkie who was wearing a pair of light purple panties and bra.

So ya....Have fun with those images stuck in your head. Perverts.

Anyways, I decided I would change into my normal clothes now. Excusing myself from the group, I stood up and walked my way back upstairs. Once I was at the living room, the doorbell rang. Curious as to who would come to the library right now, I went over to the door and opened it, surprising myself when I found that Zecora was standing outside with a smile.

"I bid you good morning Barb on this fine day. Would it be a hassle for you if I enter and stay?" she said, rhyming as usual again.

"Uhh...Sure. Why not. And drop the rhyming thing Zecora, we know it's hard enough for you to rhyme" I replied, moving aside to that she came in. She flashed me a sheepish smile before replying, "Sorry, force of habit".

I smiled before closing the door, making my way to the doorway to the kitchen. "Hey girls! Zecora's here" I said. Moments later, when I was on the stairs, the girls were now at the living room with our zebra friend, conversing about something.

Once I was at the corridor upstairs, I made my way back to my room, stretching and yawning. However, as I was about to head inside, I heard a voice that made me stop dead in my tracks.

"....Honey?"

That soft soothing and motherly voice. I knew instantly who it was.

Celestia.

I turned around to take a look at who called and lo and behold, it was my mother, standing outside one of the guest bedroom. I spied with my eyes and found that her face was still slightly red and her right arm still slightly bruised. As angry as I was, I couldn't help but feel sorry. She was my mother after all.

"....What?" I replied, my voice filled with a hint of venom. I saw her flinch a little before rubbing her neck sheepishly, refusing to look at me dead in the eye.

"...Listen, Barb. About last night. I'm....really sorry about everything that happened" she meekly said, causing a knot to form in my throat. I wanted to shout at her. Yell at her. But I couldn't. I just can't. After a while, she sighed, before facing me with a sad look. "...I'll be downstairs....If you need me" she softly said once again. She turned around and made her way downstairs.

Once she left my vision, I sighed before I entered my room.

=Meanwhile=

"Hey Zecora! What brings you here?" Twilight asked as she sat down on the sofa next to Applejack.

"I would like to ask a favor from your new friend and Barbara" Zecora said, triggering tons of confusion from the mares in the room.

"A favor? From Mikey? Barb? Why so?" Pinkie asked, one brow raised while her neck was slanted to right.

Before Zecora was able to reply, the two princesses came into view from the stair with Eris lazily floating above them. With a large yawn, Luna rubbed her eyes and looked around the room, realizing that there was a visitor in the room, blushing when she forgot she was half naked with only a dark blue bra and panties. The same reaction was followed by Celestia then Eris. However, Eris wasn't too fazed.

Zecora stood up and bowed when she saw the princesses. "P-Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! G-Good M-Morning!" Zecora stuttered, smiling a sheepish smile.

The two royal sisters chuckled. "Good morning Zecora. We are among friends so it is fine to speak normally" Celestia replied with a warm smile, making the poor zebra finally relax, sighing as she slumped her back. Eris gave a small chuckle before rolling her eyes, now making her way to the kitchen to grab some breakfast as the rest of the mares and the two royal sisters were left behind, now muttering something incoherent to Eris.

=In the kitchen=

With the sound of gushing water, Mike stayed behind to go and wash the dishes as a thanks for the nice breakfast. Surprising as it is, the 'haycakes' that he ate wasn't made of hay at all. Well...for his at least. It tasted a whole lot like the normal pancakes that he ate back at home. Whistling a soft tune to himself, turned off the tap and began wiping the dishes clean.

Moments later, he heard a soft 'thump' from behind, causing him to turn around and see a still very sleepy female draconequus now sitting on one of the chairs with her head laid firmly on the table, her eyes half lidded. Smiling warmly, he set the plate he was holding aside and wiped his hands dry. Making his way to the nearby microwave, he opened the door of the object, revealing a plate with stack of haycakes. Grabbing the plate, he closed the door of the microwave and made his way to the cupboard where all the dry dishes were at, grabbing a plate before making his way to the table.

"You ok?" Mike asked, placing the empty plate in front of Eris while the other one in the middle of the table. She muttered something inaudible, causing Mike to look at her confusingly. "Pardon?"

"So...tired..." she replied groaning. She snapped her fingers and conjured a glass of orange juice, sitting upright now. She grabbed the glass and began to chug down the contents of the glass, only to surprise Mike when he saw that the glass was slowly disappearing and leaving the orange juice in the shape of glass.

"H-How...Wha...We..." Mike tried to form words as he was completely baffled.

The draconequus, whom was now more awake, smirked. Snapping her fingers yet again, a fork was then conjured on her behalf and she slowly began eating her breakfast.

Shaking his head, Mike tried to form a small conversation with the goddess of chaos.

"So...do tell me. Why am I exactly here for?" he asked as he sat down on a chair opposite her. "I know I'm supposed to keep Barb company and whatnot but there is something else to this, isn't it?". Eris stopped eating for a moment to look at the human dead on.

" *Sigh* Fine....I guess I do owe you an explanation" Eris sighed before looking at Mike once again. "I'll try to keep the details as little as possible. You see, a couple of weeks ago, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza or Cadence for short, came to Canterlot. She is in charge of a place know as the Crystal Empire and is also the princess of love. She-" Eris was then cut off by Mike gasping in shock.

"Whoa! You mean she can tell who is in love and whatnot?" he asked, causing Eris to roll her eyes and nod in reply. Mike then ushered her to continue.

"Anyways, she came to Caterlot to discuss some important things with her Aunt Celestia and Luna. She stayed for about a week before leaving" she said, conjuring another glass of orange juice and drinking its contents this time round. "However, before she actually went to the meeting with the Royals and her Aunts, she walked around the Royal Canterlot Gardens, finding that Barb, who was at the castle to see her mother about something. From what she said, Barb just sat at one of the benches, all alone, staring at famous statue depicting two lovers with a tragic end"

Eris took a moment to take another sip from her drink. "Taking a moment to ponder, Cadence then realized the problem was. Loneliness. Through most of her entire life, she has been constantly missing out on the adventures and fun her friends were being thrown at. With that in mind, she personally asked me to hand pick somepony or in this case, someone, to fill the void inside her. However, she also told me to pick someone who is able to harmonize with her, be together with her through thick or thin. In simple terms, someone to love, care and give her the happiness she desperately needs" Eris concluded, sipping on her drink again. It was then that Mike's eyes widened.

"Wait....Y-you mean..." he began, his voice faltering to a hush.

Sighing, Eris nodded. "Yes. You were picked to be her.....soulmate. To which I think I have picked a very good candidate for that" Eris said with a smile, putting a pause before she said the word 'soulmate'. "And....sorry if I lied that you may or may not become her coltfriend" Eris' smile turned into a sheepish one.

Mike lowered his head and grasped his temples with his fingers. This was a tall order, no doubt about it.

Eris saw that he seemed to be very deep in thought. So with the last gulp of her haycakes, she stood up, grabbing her plate and making her way to the sink. "I'll give you time to think" Eris said, ending the conversation between the two.

Just as he was about to say something, Barb then came into view, wearing a purple leather jacket with a light green trim, a plain light green blouse and a pair of blue pants. Her short green hair was neatly groomed, a light green clip in the shape of a dragon wing was helping to pin the side of her hair upwards.

"Hey Mike! We better get going. Zecora is asking for the two of us to help her on something" Barb said, mentioning the part about Zecora.

Mike gave a quick glance back to Eris, whose face still held a rather warm smile. Sighing, he stood up and made his way towards Barb, walking alongside her to the main living room. Once there, Mike saw that Zecora came into the library, carrying what seems to be a pouch on her side.

"Hi there Zecora" Mike greeted the zebra with a smile, to which Zecora returned with a smile of her own.

"Good morning to you Mike. I hope it doesn't bother you if you came along to help me with Barb" she said, her simple sentence caused Mike to be shocked as she didn't rhyme. "And if you are asking why I am not rhyming is because it was a habit of mine" she said, now answering Mike's unheard question.

"Sure I guess. I don't really have anything better to do" Mike replied.

Clapping her hands together, Zecora smile widely. "Fantastic!" she said out loud, causing Mike to chuckle. "If you have nothing else to get, we shall leave on the dot"

"Well then, lead the way ma'am" Mike said, smiling as Zecora opened the door. Both the human and the dragoness were right behind, both of them walking next to each other as if they were a couple. As Zecora closed the door behind them, they all went their merry way back into the forest.

Somewhere along the way, Eris' words came echoing inside Mike's head. However, one particular one stood out the most.

'Soulmate'

Was he really fated to be the soulmate of the very dragoness he walked with?

Sighing once again, he gazed his eyes once more upon the scenery of Ponyville, unable to feel a soft scaly hand grip his own.

Author's Note

Cheesy chapter is cheesy.

Hi guys! Hope you enjoy reading this chapter and if you don't, then too bad.