Chapters Bed of feathers "3"
The sun's rays shone through an open window, a light breeze rustled the crimson curtains. Slip slowly opened her heavy eyelids. 'Where am I?' she thought to herself before relishing how comfortable the bed was. She nestled deeper under the covers, something tickled her nose. Slip opened one eye and saw a feather laying on the mattress.
Slip forced her self into a sitting position and picked up the feather in her hoof. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The feather was a purple colour and was smooth as silk. Slips eyes snapped open, 'This isn't mine' she thought. She slid out from the bed and looked around the room she was in. The room was large with a view of the Canterlot palace. Slip noticed a two doors, she crept towards the closer of the two.
Slip knocked softly on the door, no reply. She placed her hoof on the door and pushed it slowly open. As she pushed the door a groan rang out from behind the door frame. Slip jumped and accidentally forced the door all the way open. Who ever was behind the door gave out a yell and Slip screamed. Slip edged into the room, she had entered a shining bathroom, on the floor was a few scattered cider mugs and...
"Cheerilee what the hey are you doing in here?" Slip shouted at the purple-pink earth pony. Cheerilee was laying on the ground clutching her head in pain.
"Stop being so loud Slip" Cheerilee groaned through a clenched jaw "why did you hit me with the door?". Slip glared at her friend and pulled her to her up into a standing position.
"Cheery what happened last night?"
Cheerilee blinked at Slip, "What are you talking about Slip?, were at home". Slip dragged Cheerilee toward the window and pointed towards the palace.
"That is not Ponyville town hall" Slip hissed at Cheerilee.
Cheerilee stared at the palace for a few minutes before saying "This isn't home!".
"You don't say" Slip rolled her eyes "Well what now?" she asked. There was a knock on the door.
Slip and Cheerilee looked at the door, there was another knock. Slip slowly approached and asked "Who's there?".
"Room service" replied a muffled voice, Slip looked through the peephole. She saw a metal cart with two trays on it, a white unicorn was standing next to it. Slip unlocked the door and opened it to let the unicorn in.
She looked to him and said "We didn't order anything".
The unicorn turned to her and replied "That purple Pegasus ordered it for you at the front desk".
Slip questioning efforts where increased on the mention of the possible owner of the feather. "Who was this Pegasus? What else did they do? Did they say where they were going?" Slip was backing the Unicorn into a corner.
"I..I don't know where he was going, he didn't say his name and could you please leave me alone".
Cheerilee approached Slip and put a hoof on her shoulder, "Slip calm down".
The Unicorn rushed from the room and Cheerilee sat Slip down at a small round table. Cheerilee then proceeded to serve the food that had been brought to them. She noticed the strange look on Slip's face, "Hey Slip you felling okay?".
Slip gave a little start, "uh... What?... Oh yeah I think I am". Cheerilee then asked "So is that Pegasus a friend of yours?". Slip got up, walked to the bed and picked up the feather. Cheerilee stared at the feather for a few seconds.
Cheerilee raised an eyebrow at Slip "So his more then a friend".
Slip glared at Cheerilee "That's the problem, I don't know him".
Cheerilee shook her head and removed the lid from the tray in front of her, "Let's eat before we decide to go look for him". Slip nodded and removed the lid from her own. The tray held a somewhat large meal of cooked tomatoes, a toasted Daisy sandwich and hay fries, served with a glass of orange juice. Cheerilee began to eat, Slip was just about to when she noticed a sealed envelope sitting on the cart.
Cheerilee sighed as Slip got up from her seat, "Slip for the love of Celestia sit down and eat something".
Slip glanced towards Cheerilee "Cherry when where you going to tell me about this letter?".
Cheerilee shook her head sadly and replied "Slip that's just the bill okay, now come here and eat something". Slip ignored her and opened the envelope, and read.
Dear Slip Second
I apologise for not staying long enough to greet you in person. I have been summoned to Princess Celestia's court. I hope you would agree to meet again as soon as I am finished with my work. I will explain everything later.
Yours faithfully
Night Wind
Lunch Affairs "4"
The sun sat high in the sky watching over the streets of Canterlot bellow. A waiter strolled out of a small restaurant and made his way through the arrangement of table and chairs. He stop next to a turquoise Pegasus who appeared to be wait for someone. The waiter cleared his throat and the mare turned to look at him. "Would madam like to order now?" he asked with a French accent.
Slip studied the menu on the table for a few seconds before responding "I'll just have the garden salad thanks".
The waiter took the menu and headed back inside. Slip heart seemed to sink as the hours went by since she had managed to arrange a meeting with this purple Pegasus. She watched the upper class ponies living their lives and wondered what her parents where doing. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted as a bright red unicorn called to her "Well if it isn't my dear older sister".
"Ruby" Slip called back keeping the sickening felling she had just received from her tone.
The red unicorn with a long pink mane sat herself down on the opposite side of the table. Slip dreaded having to talk to her 'Get every thing she wanted without working for it' sister. Ruby sat a diamond encrusted saddle bag down on the table, Slip almost choked on the water she was drinking. Ruby mistook Slips bulging eyes for jealousy. "Do you like it? Daddy bought it for me" Ruby said, revelling in Slips scowl. Slip tried to hold her tongue but she burst out with a retort.
"So little miss temper tantrum still does not know how to work to save her life" Slip said felling rage build up inside her.
Ruby just smiled and replied "Why should I stoop so low and work with the commoners?". Slip had to suppress the urge to spit at her younger sister. "Do seriously believe that those petty class rules still apply? Your no better then a diamond dog, getting others to do the work for you".
Ruby looked appalled "Are you compering me to a Dog?".
"No" Slip replied "A diamond dog is better then you".
Other patrons began to look their way. Ruby got up from her seat "Why don't you go back to that mud hole you crawled out of and leave use civilised folk alone".
Slip also stood up "And why don't you go crawling back to 'Daddy' and leave the rest of use in peace". Ruby stormed away, pushing bystanders into tables.
"Wait Ruby" Slip called to her sister, Ruby turned back "What?" she snarled. Slip threw the diamond saddle bag to her "You forgot this".
Slip sighed as her sister moved out of sight "Well that went swimmingly". She sat back down, the waiter placed the salad down in front of her. The surrounding ponies began to disburse and went about their busy lives. Chewing on a carrot stick, Slip studied her food very closely, she did not notice a purple pegasus approach the table. He cleared his throat, Slip looked up with an annoyed look on her face. She stared at the stranger standing before her, "Can I help you?" she asked starting to feel self conscious.
"Miss Second" the stranger said extending a hoof "My name is Night Wind". Slip looked dumbfounded at the pegasus, she came to her senses and took the hoof offered. "It is nice to finally meet you properly" Night Wind said smiling at Slip, Slip nodded in agreement and offered the seat across form her "Please have a seat".
Night Wind sat down the smile faded from his face "No doubt you would like to ask me about the events that took place two nights ago?".
Slip sat forward "Yes that would be helpful", she paused for a moment before asking "We didn't... You know... Did we?".
The smile returned to Night Winds face "No we didn't, I thought that would be taking advantage of you"
Slip's pride took hold "You wouldn't have been able to get that close anyway".
Night Wind chuckled "I'm sure I would not have gotten the chance".
Slip settled down a bit "So...umm could you please tell me what happened?".
Party till Dawn "1"
"You coming or what?" Cheerilee shouted up the stairwell to her friends room. Cheerilee had dressed up in her favorite Disco gear. She sifted from one hoof to the other anxious to go out and Party all night long. "Hurry up we don't want to miss the train". The sound of hoof steps sounded from the floor above. A slender, turquoise colored Pegasus made her way down the stairs.
"Alright I'm here 'Cheery' keep your hair on" the Mare said as she leaped down the last few steeps. She straightened herself, brushing her flowing green mane out of her face. Her name was Slip Second, the middle child of a well connected, wealthy Family. She glanced at her best friend and giggled.
"What?" Cheerilee asked looking annoyed at her friends outburst.
"Cherry dear, why are you dressed like that?" Slip asked trying to keep a straight faced.
Cheerilee sighed and rolled her eyes "Slip have you been living under a rock for the past year?".
"Cherry don't tell me you believe all that rubbish about 'Disco' becoming a hip fashion?" Slip replied jokingly.
"UH.. come on we don't want to miss our train" Cheerilee said, avoiding Slips obvious question.
Slip laughed as Cheerilee blushed, "Let's go then Cheery". They hurried out of Cheerilee's house and headed for the train station, they arrived just in time to bored the train.
"Having fun yet Slip" Cheerilee asked trying to catch her breath.
Slip grinned up at her "The best of fun".
The train arrived at Canterlot, the pair departed for the station and headed for the night clubs. Slip turned to Cheerilee and asked "Which one of these fine establishments should we visit?".
Cheerilee smiled widely and replied "There is a new club that's opened up just down the main road". They walked down the road laughing and speaking animatedly to each other as they passed through the thronging crowd.
Slip just could not stop her self from staring at the surrounding ponies. It had been sometime since she had moved away from her family in Canterlot. Her family was a well off lot,because of her fathers work in the weather industry. Because of this Slip had not really spent time with her father, since he had to travel so much. Her mother was almost never at home ether, she spent most of her time at social events and lavish parties.
Slip's siblings where your typical stuck up upper class brats. Her big brother Flash Thunder was a giant bully to all of Slips friends when she was growing up. From all the time he spent with his under evolved friends Flash flunked out of school. Thanks to father, though Flash was swiftly hired as a cloud kicker and shipped of to Filliedelphia.
Slip's younger sister; Ruby Light, mummy and daddy's little princess was the most pampered filly in the whole of Equestria. Any time Slip tried to do something Ruby would turn up and throw a tantrum until Slip or one of their parents would buy a new dress or doll for her. Slip had left for Ponyville as soon as she was old enough. She had moved in with a fellow teaching student, Cheerilee. The two had been friends from that day since.
Cheerilee turned to Slip who had seemed to just stop in the middle of the street. She approached Slip with a confused look on her face "Hey Slip you felling okay?".
Slip jumped "Wh...What oh yeah... Yeah I'm good" she stammered before walking forward again.
"Well if you say so" Cheerilee said before resuming her stride next to Slip.
The sound of techno-pop blasted through the open door to the nightclub. Slip and Cheerilee stopped short listening to the throbbing noise. Slip raised an eyebrow at Cheerilee in a gesture of 'are you sure you want to go to this club?'. Cheerilee nodded and lead the way into the deafening noise.
Slip weaved her way through the crowded club trying to keep Cheerilee in sight. She finally caught up to her, she was sitting in a small booth, "Oh sorry Slip I just saw some old friends" Cheerilee replied absent minded.
Slip sighed as her friend tried to look over the heads of the other ponies. "I'll get use some drinks then" Slip said before making her way towards the bar. She moved with all the flexibility she could muster.
She arrived at the bar and realized just how crowded the club was. Ponies were jockeying into the best booths or sets at the bar. The dance floor was so packed that ponies where forced to dance in any available standing space. Slip noticed a bobbing purple mane; 'I guess Cheery decided to dance earlier then she had planed'. She got the bartenders attention "Two Apple Ciders please", he nodded and passed her two large foaming mugs "Six bits miss". Slip was taken aback at the cost of the cider, she passed six bits over the counter. Using her wings to hold the ciders she made her way back to the booth.
Slip arrived back at the booth and to her surprise two Cheerilee's where sitting side by side, "Hey Slip whats up" the first Cheerilee said.
"Umm... Wow I think the ciders stronger then I thought, why are there two of you" Slip replied with a quizzical look.
"Oh sorry you two haven't meet yet, This is Berry Punch" said the first Cheerilee. "Hello Slip, nice to meet you" Berry Punch said with an air of one who had already gotten into the cider.
"Hi Berry Punch,would you like a drink?" Slip responded with as much politeness as she could muster.
"No thanks Slipy I got enough to last till the princess raises the Sun and the Moon" Berry Punch said as she produced several mugs of foaming cider.
"Please don't call me Slipy" Slip said trying to keep the disgust from her tone, Cheerilee stepped in "come on Slip it was just a joke".
"Yeah Slip" Berry Punch continued "I was not trying to ruffle your feathers". Slip settled down a bit and took her place next to Cheerilee.
"Alright girls are we going to rock this night like its are last?" Cheerilee shouted out for every pony to here, "YEAH" Slip and Berry Punch shouted back. They all grabbed a cider each and downed it. The night faded into ciders dancing and laughing...
Cider Dreams "2"
Slip was flying through the sky above Ponyville, she felt as light as feather just drifting on wind. She flew through the clouds felling the droplets of water wash over her wings leavening a nice tingling fell. She passed over the dusty old library at the centre of town, she was surprised however to see that it was in full working order. She glided down and landed with a soft thud which sent a wave of mixed feelings through her mind.
The door to the old Library was thrown open, Slip jumped back. A small purple Dragon with green spikes walked out of the Library shouting to somebody that Slip could not see. "Twilight why are you babysitting aren't you supposed to be practising some spell?" the Dragon called out as he made his to the trash can. Slip was absolutely stunned at the fact that a dragon was living in town and nopony seemed to mind.
A voice called out from the bowls of the Library "Oh Spike the reason I am babysitting is because I owed his mother a favour, don't you remember the one who helped as clean up after the Summer Sun Celebration". So the young Dragon's name was Spike.
Walking back to the Library door, Spike shouted back "So rather then owing her a favour by cleaning up her house we are looking after her kid".
Slip was intrigued and started walking towards the door when Spike suddenly turned and stared strait at her. Slip froze, Spike's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates "Oh umm... Miss Seacond how much did you hear?". This time Slip was surprised that the dragon seemed to know her name.
"How do you know who I am?" she asked in a defensive tone. Spike had an expression on his face that might have been confusion.
"What are you talking about Miss Second? As if I could forget who you are" he said giving of a laugh before quickly returning to his scared demeanour "So how much did you hear?". Slip decided to believe this was just a dream and that's how the Dragon knew who she is.
"I heard most of it..." she was saying before Spike interupted her "I'm so sorry I didn't mean to offended you".
"What are you talking about?" Slip asked confused.
Spike decided to skate over this topic and instead turned back to the library and said "Well I guess we should go inside right?". Slip just nodded in agreement and followed Spike into the Libary.
Slip entered the doorway and was immediately hit with a bright light. She staggered back, her eyes where watering and all she could make out was a small dark shadow. Slip opened her mouth to call out to the figure, but her laughs refused to work. She gasped for air and instead was drowned in the light. It flooded her cheast, a black curtain began to fall over her eyes as she slipped into unconsciousness.