Truth or Forgiveness

It has been almost two weeks since Naruko came to Ponyville and life couldn’t seem any different. It was different for Twilight, having another pony living with her and Spike, but it was nice. Naruko was an amazing house guest. She always cleaned up after herself, was eager to learn, and brilliant. Naruko learned everything she needed for unicorn magic by her first workday, which highly surprised Twilight. As Naruko explained it, magic just comes easily to her.

Today, Twilight and the girls were having a marvelous picnic. Everypony had taken time off from their busy schedules to attend and it was going swimmingly. All except for one problem, Naruko was nowhere to be found.

“So, Twilight, darling. How has our special friend been adjusting to life in Ponyville?” Rarity asked before taking a sip of her drink.

“Naruko has done quite well actually,” Twilight answered with a proud smile. “She’s been quite well behaved and it is nice to be able to talk about magical theory with somepony. It still amazes me how intelligent she is.”

“So you’re both just spouting intelligent babble at each other?” Rainbow Dash quipped earning a glare from the unicorn.

“It is not babble, it is a highly educated discussion. She understands everything I tell her and she responds in kind. Despite her background, Naruko is very well mannered.”

“That is certainly good to hear, dear. I was worried that Naruko may not be able to adjust to civilization.”

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Twilight said reluctantly.

“Somethin’ goin’ on sugar cube?” Applejack asked in concern.

Twilight let out a sigh. “I haven’t actually seen Naruko for about a week now,” she admitted. The other girls gasped.

“Why? What happened?” Fluttershy questioned meekly.

“Oh, it’s nothing serious!” Twilight said urgently waving her hooves in attempt to ease their worry. “Naruko just went to work on Monday and hasn’t come back.”

“Why aren’t you worried!?” Pinkie asked in a panic.

“Because she left a note.” The girls all leaned in and Twilight recited it from memory. “To Twilight and Spike. I am off to work and may be gone for a few days. Don’t worry, I just get wrapped in my work sometimes; I’ll be fine. Though, if you don’t see me in two weeks, bring a rescue crew as a cave probably collapsed and I got trapped. Wish me luck! She worries me sometimes.”

“That is definitely one a the strangest notes Ah ever done heard.”

“How could she take something like that so lightly!?” Rarity asked in a huff. “The nerve!”

“Like I said, it’s been a week without a word and I’m getting really worried.”

“Well, why didn’t you just ask Naruko on your way here?” Pinkie asked.

“What?” Twilight was really confused.

“Didn’t you see Naruko at the market like me?”

“What!?”

“Yeah and it looked like her stall had a booming business!” Pinkie’s words were left unheard as Twilight rushed away from her friends, eager to see if Pinkie was telling the truth. Not that she doubted her, but Twilight thought Naruko would at least tell her that she was off work. Twilight reached the market soon enough and saw just down the way a brand new stand with a familiar unicorn standing behind the counter. It appears she was arguing with a customer.

“…Like I told you, I mined this myself and they are of the highest quality!” Naruko insisted to the earth pony in front of her.

“And I told you, there is no way a unicorn could be a miner! Now you are going to tell me exactly who you got this from before I go and report you to the authorities for trespassing!”

“Go ahead! I have authorization from the mayor herself to mine and sell anything I find in the quarry! I don’t care what ownership you say you have over the land, I know my rights, Filthy Rich!”

Ah yes, that was him. Filthy Rich owned a good portion of Ponyville, including his own store franchise. And it seemed there was a dispute over the quarry. As Twilight approached, Mayor Mare was walking by as well and went to the stand, too.

“Oh, hey Twilight!” Naruko greeted with a smile which changed to a frown as she turned back to Filthy Rich. “Now, if you aren’t going to buy anything, Mr. Rich, then I must ask you to leave. This ain’t the library; I have a no loitering policy.”

“Why you little…”

“Is there a problem here?” asked Mayor Mare who made her presence known.

“Ah Madam Mayor!” Filthy proclaimed, going from angry to smug in an instant. “Just the pony I need to see. I would like to report trespassing and the sale of private property done by this mare here. She claims that these stones of hers came from the quarry just outside of town, which is owned by me. If that is the case—“

“You don’t own that quarry, Mr. Rich. You sold it to the town of Ponyville three years ago because it was unable to turn a profit. And I have given the proper rights for Miss Naruko here to mine the minerals inside and sell them at her leisure in exchange for a thirty-five percent cut of her profits,” Mayor Mare said, trying to keep annoyance out of her voice.

“Oh…right…b-but how can a unicorn be a miner!? They don’t have spells for that!” Filthy Rich said trying to rectify the situation.

“Oh shut up!” Naruko said, making sure that her annoyance was known. “So you gave away something you didn’t want, but now that it’s making a profit you want it back. Get over it you big crybaby!” Twilight, Filthy Rich, and Mayor Mare were staring at her incredulously. “Are you gonna buy something or not? I got rent I need to pay, and,” she turned to Mayor Mare, “I thought we agreed on a forty percent cut? I told you Miss Mayor, I don’t need excess funds.”

“I will not take advantage of one of my citizens. Thirty-five.”

“Forty!”

“Thirty-five!”

“I don’t need money Madame Mayor! I’ve calculated everything and a forty percent cut makes sure that nothing is wasted! No excess! Forty!”

“You’re not gonna let up are you?” Naruko shook her head defiantly. “Fine. We will keep it at forty percent. But I will not raise it a single percentage more!”

“Deal!” The two mares shook hooves on it, leaving Filthy Rich and Twilight to watch in a stupor. With a quick huff, Filthy Rich made his leave, without buying anything and Mayor Mare left a moment later. “So, Twilight what brings you to my little stand?”

“I came here to scold you,” Twilight said matter-of-factly. Naruko just stared at her confused. “You leave for a week without saying goodbye and you don’t even tell me!? I thought we were friends Naruko?”

“Sorry, Twilight.” Naruko lowered her head, looking ashamed. “Like I said, I get wrapped up in my work. Still kind of new to this whole friendship thing, too.”

“I forgive you, Naruko. Just please let me know when you go into the mines and when you come out. I worry about you.”

“Okay Twilight. I’ll be home later today, so you go have fun. I still got some marble and limestone to sell.” Twilight and Naruko waved good-bye and went about their day.

***********

A few hours later and Naruko still had some remaining stones to sell. Business had gotten slower after lunch and very ponies even stopped by. Naruko let out a bored sigh and leaned over the counter. “And I’m bored again.”

“Let’s fix that!” said a voice right next to her.

“GAH!!” Naruko shot up in surprise and saw a familiar pink mare standing in her stand. “Pinkie!? Don’t surprise me like that! I could end up hurting you one of these days and I don’t want to do that.”

“Sorry, Narry!” Pinkie said a little glum, but then perked up. “I came here to invite you to a party!”

“Narry? Please don’t call me that, Pinkie. But, what’s this about a party?” Naruko’s eyes started to glaze over and her mouth began to water at the thought of more Pinkie Party food.

“Okie dokie lokie Narry! Here you go.” Pinkie hoofed Naruko a flyer and Naruko read it over.

WELCOME TO PONYVILLE GILDA!!

PARTY TODAY AT FIVE!!

GAMES, FOOD, AND FUN!!

It was simple in design, but Naruko felt giddy just reading it. “Who’s Gilda?”

“She’s Rainbow Dash’s old gryphon friend. She’s a meanie and I want to change that! You’ll be there right?” Pinkie put on the big puppy dog eyes.

“Uh, duh! Like I would miss a chance for more Pinkie cupcakes! I will be there!”

“Great! Good luck with the stand!” And with that Pinkie disappeared. Naruko blinked once, and twice.

“I don’t think Pinkie is explainable by the laws of nature.”

**********

A few hours later and Naruko found herself inside Sugar Cube Corner to wait in anticipation for this new gryphon arrival. The surprise went how it was suspected, knowing Pinkie’s ability to surprise everyone and everything. Naruko watched as the bird-lion was suffering through several pranks, including a joy buzzer and hot sauce. The tipping point came when Gilda refused to listen to Pinkie for pin the tail on the pony and ended up slipping on a piece of cake. Then she went on a yelling rant on Naruko’s friend.

“This is your idea of a good time? I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life. And Pinkie Pie, you! You are queen lame-o with your weak little party pranks. Did you really think you could make me lose my cool? Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together. Come on Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene. Come on Rainbow Dash. I said, we're leaving.”

“You know Gilda, I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party,” Rainbow admitted. Gilda looked at her stunned.

“What?”

“Ooh,” Pinkie said for the drama.

“So I guess I’m queen lame-o.”

“Come on, Dash, you’re joshing me.”

“They weren't all meant for you specifically, it was just dumb luck that you set them all off.”

“I should have known,” Pinkie said. “That dribble-cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it.”

“No way,” Gilda insisted. “It was Pinkie Pie, she set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me.”

“Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down.”

“And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself. You know, this is not how I thought my old friends would treat my new friends. If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else.”

“Rrgh. Yeah? Well you, you, you are such a, a flip-flop: cool one minute and lame the next. When you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call.” Gilda shriek and flew off. Rainbow Dash and the others said a few comments about Gilda while everypony else went back to the party. Naruko, however, had disappeared without anypony noticing.

Gilda was flying over the treetops of the Whitetail Woods, still angered over Rainbow Dash’s betrayal. “Stupid flip-flopping Dash. Who needs a friend like that?” Suddenly Gilda felt herself falling as a weight pushed her down out of nowhere. She crashed into the forest and groaned as she got up.

“If you ever come near my friends again,” said a dark voice from behind the gryphon. The voice was menacing in every definition of the word. “I’ll gut you and then have some decent chicken-fry. Maybe you should learn to be a better friend.” And suddenly the weight on Gilda’s back was gone, leaving her more scared than anything.

Naruko walked into the Golden Oaks Library late at night and Twilight started badgering her. “Where have you been Naruko? You disappeared from the party.”

“Just had to take care of a few things, Twi. Nothing important.” Naruko trudged up the stairs to her room. “It’s been a long day, so I’m going to bed. Goodnight Twilight, Spike.”

“Goodnight, Naruko,” they said together. Naruko entered her room and went right to her desk.

Dear brother,

Today, I learned something. Friends are always there for you, so you need to be there for them. A gryphon, yeah a real bird-lion thing, came to town and started being a real jerk to the ponies around town. She yelled at one of my friends and then flew off. I made sure she’ll never bother us again, though. I bet you’re wondering who these friends are, right? Well, there’s Twilight, a unicorn that I am living with. She is the student of the Princess here and is an expert in magic. She’s a great pony to theorize with. Applejack, a farmer of the local orchard, Sweet Apple Acres. She’s honest almost to a fault. Rainbow Dash is boastful, but I know I can count on her for anything. Then there’s Pinkie Pie. How do you describe Pinkie? She is an anomaly that loves to party and bake. We need to keep her away from your sister, that would be a disaster and you know why. Fluttershy is, well, shy and quiet but is excellent with animals. Rarity is a dressmaker and extremely nice. Her dresses are amazing! They are the elements of harmony and my first friends. But, I will continue the mission and continue searching for my destiny.

With love,

Naruko