Twilight's World

Chapters

1. A cry for help
2. Answering the call
3. Pillow Talk
4. Looking for Twilight
5. One of those things
6. Promises
7. Night watch
8. A Spell for dinner
9. Tears and Laughter
Interlude: Twilight's Lecture notes on Lasers.
10. Twilight memories
11. Monday morning
12. Connections
13. Royal Duties
14. Mike
15. Conversion
16. Recovery
17. Journeys
18. Surprises
19. Discoveries
20. Touching Moments
21. Getting Closer
22. Christmas Inspirations
23. Waking Dreams
Interlude: Crusading for Twilight

1. A cry for help

The forest was pitch-black. If there had been any light, one would have seen nothing but gaunt deciduous trees. The onslaught of winter had long since stripped them of all of their foliage. At the moment these trees were bowing their branches down, groaning under a burden of ice. Up above, exposed to the full fury of the winter storm, the crowns of those trees were bent almost double by the heavy layers of ice upon them. The branches hardly moved, no matter how the icy winds gusted and agitated them. Upon the forest floor, the ground was obscured by a thin layer of snow upon which a crust of ice was forming.

Through the arboreal darkness came a strange glimmer of light. At first, all that could be seen was the unusual movement of a pale, reddish light. It bobbed up and down, as well as slowly weaving right or left between the trunks of the trees. At times, the light became occluded behind the trunk of some tree. At other times its movement was strangely arrested for a brief pause. The light continued its way through the forest. Finally, it drew near to the forest's verge.

As the light emerged from the forest, one could see that it was emanating from a relatively small four legged creature. In the soft light, the creature had a dark coat which glistened with moisture. A bedraggled mane of dark, almost black, hair was situated upon its head. Similarly, it had a tail of tangled black hair. Standing, it was somewhat over 1 meter tall. The creature bore some resemblance to a tiny pony. However, this pony was unusual in that it emitted a steady light, with a subtle reddish tinge, from a point in front of its head. If one looked closely, past the glare of that soft light, one could see that there was a horn on the pony's forehead. That same horn was, in fact, the source of the soft light.

The pony, for though it was a unicorn – it thought of itself as a pony, had been trudging through the forest with weary steps, its head held low. The pony had been focused on its footing and was for the moment less aware of its general surroundings. As it reached the edge of the forest, the pony had kept on walking, not noticing at first that it had left the trees behind.

Several paces beyond the forest's edge, the pony suddenly stopped. A sudden blast of wind, accompanied by a stinging swirl of rain and ice pellets brought the pony to the realization that its situation had changed. Up until that moment, the trees had sheltered the pony from the worst effects of the storm. The pony stood there for a moment, with a slight splayfooted stance. A closer look revealed a sad and pathetic figure. The pony's coat was thoroughly wetted down, with tiny ice crystals adhering to its fur; occasionally, shivers would dance across its small body. Heavier accumulations of ice, like tiny strings of pearls were embedded in its mane and tail, dragging them down.

Reacting to the lash of the storm, the pony raised its head up to look around. It stood in the small pool of light provided by its horn, with only the white snow and ice covered ground showing around it. No longer could it see any trees within range of its dim illumination. The pony's head turned upon its supple neck as it looked back over its shoulder. Suddenly the pony's horn lit up with a much greater flash of light, revealing the line of trees behind it. Even in its weary condition, the pony's breath caught at the sight of millions of twinkling lights being reflected back from the heavy ice which coated every branch and twig of the forest's trees. The forest's appearance was like a dense wall of stars, circling about in random orbits as the wind sluggishly stirred the branches.

Entranced by the beautiful sight, the pony stood there for a few brief moments, quietly observing the glittering majesty of the forest. That is, until another gust of wind born ice broke the enchantment.

The forest ends quite abruptly, and its edge looks to be a straight line, the pony contemplated. That could indicate the forest was cut back, and that maybe I am standing at the edge of a farm or something.

Looking, down the pony noticed that the snow lay even on the flat ground, with no stalks of grasses or weeds poking through its cover.

If I'm right, the lack of vegetation might indicate that this is a cultivated field rather than a wild meadow.

As another gust of icy rain slashed across the pony's face as it considered its options.

This weather is beyond nasty. I don't think I would last very long out here in the open. Strange as it seems, I'm freezing! The pony thought as a great shiver danced over its barrel and its teeth began to chatter. I thought pegasus magic made me resistant to cold weather. Clearly, it’s not working here. I think I will be better off going back into the forest. I'll wait until daylight–

The ponies thought’s were interrupted suddenly as a violent cracking noise sounded behind it, followed by a loud squealing groan, ending finally in a whole multitude of crashing noises.

“Eep!” the pony gave a little scream and leaped forward, high into the air.

As the pony came down from its panicked leap, all four of its hooves slipped on the ice-crusted snow, causing it to pancake down onto its stomach. The pony lay there for a moment, shivering from its sudden fright and the pain incurred by its undignified belly flop. Looking fearfully over its shoulder, the pony increased the illumination from its horn again, seeking out the source of the noises.

Feeling stressed from its recent excitement, the pony spoke aloud. “Heh! That's a relief. It’s only a big branch that broke off that tree and fell down.”

After a moment the pupils of the pony’s eyes constricted down to little circles as it whispered to itself, “A really big branch, practically half of the main trunk. What could cause that?”

The pony looked about, anxiously seeking a reason as to why the tree's limb had broken. After a moment, the pony turned its gaze to the other, as yet undamaged trees and for the first time noticed how heavily those tree's limbs were bowed down.

“Oh no!” the pony exclaimed.

“The ice! There's so much ice that the tree limbs are at their breaking point!” An indignant look crossed the pony's face. “Who would dare schedule such terrible weather? Don't they know what kind of damage it's doing? That's criminally negligent!”

At that point, a creaking groan accompanied by more cracking and crashing noises, sounded off somewhere in the darkness, beyond the range of the pony’s light. The pony's expression took on a blank look as it spoke further to itself, “No, I mustn’t go back into the forest. It's not safe.”

After recovering from its fright, the pony carefully raised itself up on its hooves again.

The wind continued to bombard the pony with droplets of freezing liquid. As the supercooled droplets struck the pony's coat, they splashed, penetrating deeply among the hairs, before freezing solid. It was becoming too much for the pony.

“Argh! What's with this crazy rain?!” the pony ranted. “It's like some kind of liquid ice. I've never heard of anything like it! Pegasi are supposed to be immune to the weather, but this stuff is shooting ice right up against my skin.”

“I can't go back into the forest to wait out the storm. And I can't stay out here!” Said the pony. “And I’ve nearly used up all my magic. I don't even have enough to shield me from the rain. Who knows how long this storm is scheduled to last.”

Come on Twilight. Think! She urged herself. I am probably standing in some farmer's field. So maybe somewhere out there across this field, there is somepony who can help me. Or, at least I might find some building where I can take shelter.

Twilight turned her head to look forward, her eye squinting against the stinging rain and ice pellets. At first, she saw nothing other than the ruddy glimmer of the raindrops' dancing reflections illuminated by her magic. Quenching her light, she looked again over the darkened field with utmost care. She saw nothing.

A feeling of despair fluttered about, attempting to settle about her withers but she was having none of that. Instead, Twilight fired up her determination and continued her search. Eventually, she was rewarded by a faint glimmer ahead and somewhat off to her left.

“A light! Oh sweet Celestia, I can see a light!” Twilight attempted to move towards it.

She had only taken a few steps, however, when her right front hoof skidded out from under her, causing Twilight's other foreleg to slide out as well. With a crunch, her face hit the snow, smashing against the hard crust of ice on top of the snow.

“Ow! What happened?” she groaned to herself, holding a hoof to her face. Pausing to collect her thoughts, Twilight suddenly noticed the thick layer of ice covering the snow as it lay glistening before her eyes.

What is this?! she thought, indignantly. Ice belongs on lakes, not on top of the snow. This place is crazy!

After a moment’s cogitation, she came to a discovery. It's this crazy rain again. It's freezing onto everything! Onto the trees and then breaking them. It’s freezing the instant it hits the snow. It's even freezing onto me. And every second, each drop of rain is adding more and more ice. I've got to get out of it.

Carefully, Twilight got up on her legs again. She was amazed that the ice on top of the snow was strong enough to support her weight fully. She cautiously attempted a step forward, but her hoof slipped out again. Luckily, she caught herself this time and avoided a second face plant.

“How am I supposed to walk on all this ice?” she shouted in anger, and stamped her hoof. The impact caused her hoof to break through the layer of ice upon the snow, and suddenly she found her leg had penetrated down into the underlying snow by about a hoof. Though this unbalanced her nearly to the point of taking another tumble, Twilight realized that she had an answer to her rhetorical question.

With renewed determination, Twilight set out again in the direction where she had spied the light. As she walked, she would carefully strike the ice with the forefront of her hooves. It required a great deal of mental concentration. Striking the ice just hard enough to gain an edge for her hooves. If she struck too hard, it would result in her hoof completely penetrating the ice, sinking deep into the snow. When that happened, the sharp edges of the ice that rimmed the hole would cut at her pasterns and fetlocks. If her hoof struck too lightly, the ice remained unbroken and treacherous to walk on.

In effect, Twilight was forced to walk tippy-hooves over the treacherous surface. Her progress was very slow. She found the task to be extraordinarily demanding.

As time passed, all of these difficulties were taking their toll on Twilight. The driving ice-rain had penetrated her coat deeply, causing the heat to drain from her body and her muscles to stiffen. Her cautious 'spear' steps brought on a weary fatigue.

Often, Twilight would lurch in a sudden misstep, as her legs trembled, nearly giving out beneath her.

Oh no! This is bad. This is really bad, she thought fearfully to herself. At this rate, I might never get to any shelter. But, I have to. Come on Twilight. You can do it!

Gathering her determination like a cloak about her, she resumed her journey, treading carefully upon the treacherous ice, willing a strength which she did not have into each footstep.

Twilight's muscles now burned constantly with fatigue. Her mind was weary from the effort of having to precisely and deliberately plant each hoof into the ice. It was such a dull, repetitive task, but it required her absolute concentration. Though she did not know it, her legs were bleeding from the numerous times they had plunged through the ice crust, grinding up against its sharp edges. The driving ice rain, no longer blocked by the trees of the forest, stabbed through her coat and clung to her body. A deep bone chilling cold had already worked its way through her body.

It was a desperate nightmare of a journey.

Through some mysterious inner sense, or maybe just luck, Twilight managed to keep her chosen course without deviating from it. To make forward progress, she needed her horn's light in order to observe her footing, but it blinded her to the faint beacon she strove to reach. Occasionally, Twilight would pause, extinguish her horn's light, and search for that glimmer of light upon which she had rested all her hopes.

Gradually, that light of hope grew brighter, waxing from an occasional twinkle into a steady spark and eventually becoming a bright shining star. Wanting so desperately to gallop towards the light, Twilight was constrained to a slow mincing progress, carefully planting each hoof. It nearly killed her spirit.

It was a grinding, drawn-out journey, conducted at an excruciatingly slow pace. It extracted from Twilight, all of her strength and determination, and then even more than she knew that she had. By the end of her journey, Twilight had lost her sense of time. She moved as if in a living nightmare, her whole being filled with pain and the singular determination to move forward. As if the journey had been set in motion from the beginning of time and would continue on until the end of same.

Eventually, Twilight did arrive and reached the promised light.

She stood there, with her head drooped down, staring dumbly at the snow and ice in front of her face. She was, for the moment, incapable of any thought or feeling. She felt neither joy nor relief over her journeys end. A slow minute passed by in silence beneath the icy rain before Twilight finally awoke to the fact that she had come to a stop.

Returning to a state of mentation, Twilight found that she had walked herself right up to the light. Some instinct having halted her motion before she bashed her head into a thick wooden pole set into the ground. High up on the pole was a single lamp which cast a bright pool of illumination about the area that Twilight stood in the middle of.

The light up on the pole was very bright and illuminated several surrounding buildings which Twilight had not previously noticed. She was dismayed to realize how far gone she had been, to not have noticed any of these buildings before now. She realized how close to collapse she was.

Behind her, and to her left, was a wide, dark building with what appeared to be a massive door nearly as wide as the entire building, its purpose unknown. She must have walked right past it on her way to the light. Further back and farther off to her left loomed an even larger building. She could not make out any details, other than the fact that something was there.

Ahead and to her right was another building. Unlike the other buildings, this one appeared to be constructed of bricks. From the number and arrangement of windows, it appeared to have two floors. There even appeared to be a door in the centre of the wall closest to her. One of the windows located on the upper floor shone with a dim yellow light.

Twilight had been standing quietly for several minutes now, as she considered her surroundings. During this pause, the heavy toll on her body began to manifest itself. A wave of weakness swept over her, and Twilight had the sudden urge to lie down and fall asleep. Even the ice in her coat didn't seem so bad to her anymore, she could hardly feel the cold. Twilight's eyelids drooped down and briefly closed. The beckoning tides of sleep pulling at her fuzzy thoughts.

As her muscles relaxed, Twilight's right rear hoof slipped on the ice, startling her to wakefulness. She jerked her drooping head up.

No. I can't fall asleep here. Not here.

Why not? Twilight argued. It's not cold anymore.

With that last thought, a sudden spike of fear shot up from her tail and through her spine as she realized that she was no longer feeling the cold.

“I can’t feel the cold anymore. I'm hypothermic! If I fall asleep here, I'll die!” Twilight exclaimed in a panicky voice.

Awakened by her fright, Twilight looked about herself again and seemed to notice, for the first time again, the building ahead of her. The one with the light shining in the window. I need to go there and ask for help.

Summoning her strength for one last effort, Twilight resumed her careful walk.

Soon, she was approaching the door. A broad low platform, elevated by a height of about three hooves, was located in front of the door, forming a stoop. In her depleted condition, Twilight found the task of climbing up two simple steps to nearly be beyond her. It took her three consecutive efforts to attain the last step.

Finally, she reached the door. Despite her depleted condition, she still spared a thought to puzzle why there appeared to be two doors. An outer door mostly made of glass. And an inner door made of wood.

How is an earth pony or a pegasus supposed to navigate that obstacle, she thought.

No matter, that looks like a doorbell, she thought as she looked at the door.

Summoning her telekinetic magic, Twilight pressed the button.

DONG… A melodic chime faintly sounded from within the building

Twilight stood there, waiting for somepony to answer the door as another wave of weakness swept over her. Twilight's patience came to an end as she realized that she was in danger of collapsing right there in front of the door.

Twilight fought back by focusing on some simple task. With unconsciousness encroaching, the only task that came to her mind was the last one she had performed. Press the button…

DONG… The distant chime sounded again.

With desperation, Twilight clung to her simple task. Press the doorbell button, and wait, was her mantra.

DONG…
DONG…
DONG…
DONG…

Time passed as Twilight gamely fought off approaching unconsciousness. Every use of her telekinetic magic seemed to drain her, increasing her weakness.

DONG…
DONG…
DONG…
DONG…

A stomping noise grew louder from inside the building and then stopped. A sudden 'clack' sounded from the inner door which was then violently pulled inward. Revealed in the light was the silhouette of a tall creature rearing up on its hind legs to nearly twice Twilight's height. Its forelegs lunged forward towards the outer glass door.

The tall creature punched into the outer glass door, slamming it outward as it screamed out.

"WHAT! WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT?!”

Twilight was suddenly very awake. The sudden appearance of this bizarre alien creature was quite a shock. Its screaming challenge was an even bigger shock. The pupils and irises of Twilight's eyes constricted to tiny dots. She felt an overwhelming urge to run. Unfortunately, her legs chose that moment to give out, and she fell down into a four-legged crouch.

After its initial outburst, the alien creature had stopped screaming. Suddenly, it had a puzzled expression on its face as it looked around suspiciously, attempting to find the perpetrator of the supposed doorbell prank.

Finally, the creature looked downwards to see Twilight lying on the platform. It froze.

As quickly as it came, Twilight's adrenaline surge wore off. She suddenly felt calm as the vanishing adrenaline took all traces of her panic with it. The encroaching lethargy allowed her mind one last moment of clear thought.

It's so simple, she thought. Either I’m rescued now, or I die. There’s nothing more to worry about.

Twilight looked up into the eyes of the creature. Their eyes locked for a moment, then she spoke.

“Please...” Her voice croaked huskily. She tried again, “Please, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I really need your help. I–”

The faint light from her horn faded as the waiting darkness roared in victory, finally having come to engulf her.

Author's Note

(1) 'Hoof': Equestrian measure is commonly based on 'hooves'. Three 'hooves' equals one 'foot' but equestrians use the latter measure so little that it is virtually obsolete.

(This is a revision. The original text mentions the snow's depth as being 10 cm. But Twilight does not use the Metric system.)

Hello folks.

It is with fear and trepidation that I introduce myself; a new writer, writing his very first story.

Constructive criticism is welcome (after I finish with all the screaming and the butting of heads against the walls).

This is a PoE story. For those of you who can't stand those, Well, I'm sorry you feel that way.----------------

Edited Oct 5, 2016. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software. Special thanks go to Eckaji for his help in editing and reviewing this chapter.

2. Answering the call

It was December 20th, and all evening programming was full of the typical Christmas schmaltz, children’s Christmas cartoons, classic Christmas movies and other Christmas specials.

Earlier that day, Mike had been busy. He had been out doing his regular shopping. As expected for the season, the Christmas crowds had overwhelmed the stores. Even such a simple task as grocery shopping had taken three times longer than usual. By the time he had arrived back home, most of the day was gone.

After putting away the groceries, Mike decided to spend the rest of his day doing a few domestic chores. Over the course of the next few hours, several loads of laundry were processed through his washer and dryer. He kept himself busy between loads by running his vacuum cleaner cursorily throughout the house. At the conclusion of all of this activity, Mike pronounced the house to be 'fit for the holidays'. Not that Mike was expecting any company.

By the time Mike had finished all the cleaning, it had gotten well into the evening. So Mike started preparing his supper, making a simple meal of spaghetti and meatballs.

Taking his meal with him into his living room, Mike had sat down on his favorite recliner and turned on his TV. As he consumed his solitary meal, he watched the news, taking special note of the massive ice storm that Southern Ontario was expecting to arrive overnight.

Anybody with even half a brain won't be out this evening. And I’ve just started my two weeks of vacation. Ahh, I'm all set for some rest and relaxation. Mike thought smugly to himself.

After the meal, Mike loaded his dirty dishes and cookware into the dishwasher and then returned to his chair.

As he pushed the recliner back into a more comfortable viewing position he focused his attention on the TV. As was mentioned before, it was not the season for innovative or interesting TV programming.

Mike idly surfed through the channels, not really expecting to find anything. After a fruitless search for anything new and interesting, he ended up on the classic movie 'It's a Wonderful Life, with Jimmy Stewart'; at least that's the way the program announcers would always read it off to the audience. Mike had no particular objection to watching that movie. In fact he knew that he liked it. It was just that he had already seen it so many times it could no longer hold his attention.

Unfortunately, everything else currently playing was either less interesting or downright irritating. So, Mike settled down into his recliner with one of his favorite books, one which he surely must have read four times already. He allowed the movie to drone on in the background.

Several hours after the movie had ended, Mike lay down his book. He grabbed the remote and with a yawn, turned off the TV. Moving methodically through the house, Mike performed his bedtime check. He checked that the doors had been locked, all appliances were off and lastly, made sure that all lights were off. He then proceeded upstairs, carrying his book with him and got ready for bed.

After completing his bathroom ministrations, Mike crawled in under his blankets.

Since he had planned on going to church in the morning, Mike dutifully set his alarm clock for 9:00 a.m. He left the bedside lamp on as he got comfortable and continued reading his book.

It did not take very long for Mike’s eyes to get heavy. He experienced several episodes of finding himself waking from a light doze only to resume reading the same paragraph over again. Eventually, his eyes closed in true slumber. The book slipped out of his grasp, tumbling to the floor. The bedside lamp burned on.

DONG…

Mike's eyes started open. What? Was that the doorbell? Mike lay there, feeling groggy, his brain not yet in gear.

Prob'ly a dream. Mike tried to convince himself, even though a vague feeling of guilt kept prodding him awake. There was a lingering feeling that the doorbell was something important.

No. It was just a dream. There was no bell. Mike rolled over onto his back as he became aware that the bedside lamp was still burning.

Maybe I should turn off the light, thought Mike, anxious to return to sleep.

Before I nod off again, I really should just reach out to that lamp and–

DONG… Mike's sleepy contemplation of the bedside lamp was rudely interrupted. His eyes snapped open as he leaped out of his bed.

An expletive almost burst forth from Mike's lips as he stumbled over to his closet, reaching for his bathrobe. He normally liked to sleep in just a pair of boxer shorts but certainly did not wish to greet anybody at the door that way. Besides, the house was quite chilly at night. Before reaching his bathrobe, however, the doorbell sounded again.

DONG… Apparently, the caller was getting impatient. Mike was hurriedly struggling to put on the bathrobe, for some reason it had gotten reversed and he found that the belt was on the inside of his robe.

DONG… Mike was frantically reversing the bathrobe. Finally, he was able to cinch the belt across his waist.

DONG… Mike also managed to locate his slippers. Now how did they get way over there? He wondered, too befuddled to realize they were right where they were supposed to be.

DONG… Now, Mike started getting angry. Irritated by the incessant ringing of his doorbell. Who's doing this? Mike rushed towards the stairway leading down to the first floor.

DONG… Mike was now halfway down the stairs, his frantically pumping feet responding to his anger. This was not a good idea since Mike was still not fully awake. One of his slippers, technically it was a 'mule' - the kind of slipper that was backless, flew off his foot. That unexpected occurrence caused him to stumble.

Fortunately, Mike had kept his left hand on the stair's banister. As soon as he stumbled, his hand clutched at the banister like a vice grip; preventing what could have been a serious fall. Mike found himself hanging off the banister, almost in a head down position, his left arm stretched taut as it held onto the banister, his right hand pushing at the balusters below it. His legs were stretched out behind him as if he had attempted a headfirst dive down the stairway.

The scare from the tumble gave Mike a shot of adrenalin, which mixed in unfortunate ways with his anger. On the positive side, Mike was now most definitely awake. On the negative side, Mike was now somewhat out of control, his emotions firmly ensconced in the driver's seat of his soul.

DONG… Mike growled feelingly as he recovered himself from his sprawling position on the stairs. Hunting down his missing slipper, he jammed his foot into it.

DONG… Neglecting to readjust his rumpled bathrobe, Mike began stomping his way towards the kitchen. He needed to pass through it to reach his back door, the source of the doorbells. “HOW DARE THEY?!” Mike was muttering threats aloud.

DONG… As Mike reached the kitchen, he flicked the switch to turn on the lights and rapidly crossed the floor, stomping as angrily as he could.

Reaching the door, Mike unlatched its deadbolt with a resounding 'clack.' Gripping the door’s handle, he yanked it open in as forceful a manner as he could manage. Without a pause, he rushed forward, slamming the storm door's latch and practically blowing the poor door outward.

Mike's temper seemed to know no bounds, yet, throughout all this, he strove to keep a civil tongue in his head. It was just his hard earned habit to do so.

“WHAT! WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT?!” he screamed out, right into the face of his imagined tormenter.

Having vented himself, Mike suddenly felt his anger leave him, like a candle that had been blown out. Now suddenly, Mike felt remorse for such inexpressibly rude behavior, chagrined that he would now have to apologize to the troublesome person at his door.

A moment passed before Mike realized that he could see no one at the door. Puzzled, he looked around to the right and then to the left of the door, supposing that they had moved off to the side. But still, Mike saw no one.

A sudden blast of frigid air blew up his bathrobe, of which the belt had come undone. The sudden chill drew Mike's attention downwards. His world changed at that moment.

What Mike saw was a moderate sized creature laying down upon the stoop before his back door. The creature appeared to be nearly white, having been frosted all over with a heavy encrustation of ice but with undertones of some darker color underneath that ice. Hanging over its head, covering its face, were strings of irregular ice cubes which merged together into a matted sheet. Similar sheets of ice also hung down off of its neck. But most peculiar of all, a softly glowing horn protruded from the top of its icy forehead.

Mike took in most of its appearance with a glance, but his attention was arrested by the sight of two of the most enormous eyes he had ever seen. At first he saw only two white globes, but soon recognized they each contained small quivering pupils, each the size of a quarter. When he met that gaze, Mike froze. A sudden terror of the unknown creature upon his doorstep held him rigidly in place.

Suddenly, the eyes of the creature changed, the constricted pupils ballooning outward rapidly. Mike was suddenly aware that the creature had been quivering in fear but only because its quivering had abruptly stopped. The creature’s head moved slightly. Mike tensed, expecting the worst.

“Please…”

Upon hearing recognizable speech from the creature, Mike's head felt like it had exploded.

The creature continued again, this time in a clearer voice. “Please, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I really need your help. I–”

Upon the delivery of those words the creature, Twilight, closed its eyes. Its head fell down, and the light from its horn was snuffed out. Apparently, it had lost consciousness.

Mike stood there, ignoring the frigid winds fondling his legs. His mind was in a whirl.

Mike’s first thought was, I know I’m not crazy. But I very clearly heard it talking, in English.

His second thought was, I can't believe it! There's an alien on my door-step.

Suddenly, Mike's thoughts became a jumble as he remembered several sci-fi movies and books.

Like 'Alien'; horrifying parasitic embryos.

Or 'Predator'; butt-ugly alien hunts people like they were game animals.

Or, the classic story, 'Who Goes There?'; Alien found in the Antarctic ice, thaws out and starts killing scientists and assuming their identity. Patiently, it sought other victims in order to reproduce itself. That last idea seemed halfway plausible, as the creature now before him appeared to be covered in ice.

Mike struggled with these fictitious scenarios for a moment. The sight of one small, pitiful creature lying before him helped to put those ideas down. The last words it had spoken, finally penetrated his thoughts. 'My name is Twilight Sparkle,' echoed the memory of its voice. 'I really need your help.'

Okay, Mike, stay calm, he advised himself. It gave you its name and asked you for your help.

What kind of monster gives you its name? ‘Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, Just so you know, before your horrible unremarked death.’ Mike shook his head, trying to clear it of irrelevant thoughts.

Okay. Mike thought to himself. It said, ‘I need your help,’ now how do I help it?

Mike took a deep breath. Having thus calmed himself, he took stock of the situation and began to speak, enumerating such facts as he had available.

“An unknown; sentient; alien creature is lying before me.”

“It's covered in ice. So my guess is, it's freezing.”

“It's now unconscious. So I'd say it's in deep trouble.”

“And I think it might have hypothermia.”

“And it asked me for help. Me. Myself. Mike.”

At that moment, Mike started putting aside his fears and opened his heart to compassion. The kind of compassion that God had been teaching him about. His thoughts went on, Somebody needs my help. What kind of person would I be if I left that somebody, even an alien, to die?

Remembering the lessons of his faith, Mike's resolve reached the sticking point.

As God has loved me, so I will try to pass on that love and help this creature. Lord, I trust you. That you have not sent me an evil space alien intent on sucking out my brains, but rather, someone who needs my help.

And with that short prayer, Mike stepped outside to bring the creature into his house.

The ice was thick on the platform and Mike's slippers, mules, were not equal to the job. His foot slipped, and Mike came crashing down on his butt, banging his elbow as well. His bathrobe hung askew, and Mike yelped, both from the pain of the fall as well as from the bare skin of his legs meeting the frozen ice along most of their length.

Mike scrambled to raise himself to his knees, the ice seeming to burn holes into his bare skin. He was sorely tempted to rush back inside to find some suitable clothes but forbore. Remembering his promise, he decided to put the needs of the creature first.

Mike shuffled forward on his hands and knees until he reached the creature's side. With only a slight hesitation, Mike reached out his arms and attempted to pick up the limp creature.

“Ahh! It's like hugging an ice cube!” Mike yelled, backing off momentarily.

Mike rocked back into an awkward kneeling position, as he sought to work out how to carry the creature. He quickly adjusted his bathrobe for maximum coverage before attempting to grab the creature once more. With two hands he tried to lift it by its torso, but some part of its body moved in an unexpected fashion, and his hand slipped free. Mike looked at the creature more closely.

“It has wings!” Mike exclaimed.

Great! Guess I had better be more careful when handling those. Mike remembered how delicate birds' wings could be.

Mike tried again, attempting to get a grip on the body underneath the wings. This time, the manoeuvre went much better. Mike was able to haul the creature up, lifting its barrel up over his shoulder. At the same time, Mike noticed that the creature had four legs, which ended in hooves. Just in passing, Mike thought about horses.

Mike adjusted his grip and managed to raise the creature over his back and shoulders in something approximating a fireman's carry. The creature's head and left foreleg now dangled over his right shoulder, while its hindquarters were draped over his left shoulder.

Carefully, Mike tried shuffling towards the door on his knees. This did not work too well, as Mike found he could barely move his legs while keeping his balance. Mike was forced to twist his lower limbs to the side, lowering his right thigh onto the ice. Mike gasped, the cold from the ice was excruciating. Next, he put out his right hand on the ice to keep his balance.

Working his legs like a bellows, Mike slowly manoeuvred himself up to the storm door. Carefully he raised himself to his knees again and was able to reach for the door handle with his left hand. Pulling open the storm door, Mike turned and awkwardly deposited Twilight onto the floor just inside the door. Seemingly, its name had taken up permanent residence in his brain. Mike did not notice.

Having thus unburdened himself, Mike was able to cautiously get up off the ice and step back inside to the welcoming warmth of his home.

With firm footing underneath, Mike was now able to scoop up the creature named Twilight and carry it in his arms. Mike paused, wondering where to put Twilight. Under the bright kitchen lights, he could see the masses of ice embedded in its fur and… was that a ‘mane’?

More than ever, Mike was convinced that Twilight was suffering from hypothermia.

Hypothermia was a condition in which the core body temperature drops. The condition, if untreated, could lead to heart failure and death. With all that fur and hair and feathers, Mike thought it was reasonable to assume that Twilight was a warm blooded creature and possibly subject to the malady.

With a human, one could simply dry them off and wrap them in warm blankets. Under conditions of moderate to deep hypothermia, however, a body could no longer generate enough heat to warm itself up, no matter how many blankets were used. Under those conditions, the patient might only survive if they reached a hospital in time.

Mike did not think taking Twilight to a hospital or even a veterinarian would do it any favors. Its alienness would be noted, hysterical calls would be made and some secret government agency would soon have a new permanent guest. However, such thoughts of hospital's were useless, even the simple act of trying to get this creature to one would probably generate enough uncertainty and confusion as to result in its death.

No. Mike realized. Trying to pass this off to the professionals, trying to avoid his own responsibilities, would be equivalent to a death sentence for Twilight. He had promised to help.

Twilight, however, simply by being the creature that it was, had made things more complicated. The problem was, the ice was deeply embedded in its fur, making its removal difficult.

Mike's first thought was to use running water; the fastest, most expedient way to remove the ice. Even cold water was warmer than the ice which was embedded in its fur. Unfortunately, it was actually a very bad idea to warm hypothermia victims by applying too much external heat to their bodies. The sudden application of warmth to their extremities would cause the victim’s blood vessels to open up. Rapidly chilling their blood as it began circulating through the colder tissues. The chilled blood would then lower the victim's core temperature even further, potentially causing their heart to stop.

I've simply got to get that ice off of you as quick as possible, but I don't think I can comb it out. It's risky but running water it has to be.

If Twilight was to have any chance at all, Mike had to get this done quickly.

Mike carried Twilight out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his only bathroom, straining as he did so. With all the ice adhering to the creature's body, it probably weighed over 60 kilos. Reaching the bathroom, Mike placed Twilight down into the tub, with its tail towards the faucets, and its head facing out towards the end of the tub.

Tail? A distracting thought flickered through Mike’s head. How come I never noticed its tail until now?

Mike considered Twilight, now lying in the tub, for a moment. He was wondering how he should proceed with the deicing.

Mike left Twilight alone, leaving the bathroom to find the supply closet where he kept his towels. He started grabbing everything he could find: all of the face cloths, numerous regular towels, and several bath towels. Returning to the bathroom, he put everything down on the floor outside of the bathtub, within easy reach.

As Mike proceeded to fold a bath towel in half, lengthwise, he began to speak out loud, as if Twilight were listening.

“Right, so I noticed that the fur underneath your wings is still relatively dry, and not quite as cold as the rest of you. So, in order to protect those areas from getting wet, I am going to wrap a large towel around your barrel and underneath those wings. I hope to keep those areas as dry as possible.”

Awkwardly lifting the unconscious creature up by holding it under its abdomen, he slipped one end of the towel underneath it. Manipulating its left wing, he threaded the towel under it and folded the towel's end over the creature's ice covered back. Mike took the other end of the towel and passed it under the creature’s right wing and over onto its back, being equally as gentle with that wing.

Now taking a second bath towel, Mike folded it twice lengthwise, resulting in a thick bolt of cloth, just one quarter the towel's original width.

“Next, I am placing a towel directly under your body. It probably won't make much difference, but maybe it can help keep the chilly water away from your belly. You are not covered with any ice there, so I wish to try avoiding getting that too wet.”

He proceeded to lift up sections of Twilight’s body, sliding the folded towel underneath. Eventually, Twilight's body was lying lengthwise on top of the second towel, elevated off the bottom of the bathtub by nearly half an inch.

Finally, Mike grabbed a regular towel and rolled it up to make a bolster. He placed it under Twilight's chin, elevating its head.

“And now, we start the water and adjust the temperature.” Mike kept on explaining.

Mike then reached up to the end of the tub and turned on the cold water. After that, Mike opened up the hot water tap; just a crack. After 20 seconds or so, Mike put his hand in the water and held it there. The water was pretty cold but not so cold as to make his hand ache.

Mike guessed that the water was at about the right temperature; he hoped that he was right. It needed to be warm enough to break up the ice rapidly. But he was afraid that the running water would suck the heat out of this creature’s body even faster than the ice did. Warm water held its own dangers.

Maybe it's simply not possible to do this. I might end up killing this Twilight creature, Mike thought, despairingly.

“Right, here we go,” He said aloud, suppressing his doubts.

Mike grabbed the hand shower and switched the water flow over to it. Fine needle jets of cold water began spraying out of it. Mike quickly moved the nozzle over to Twilight's head and directed the water jets over its mane, between its ears, and over its face. He made sure to keep the water playing over a small area. Very quickly, the ice that was encrusting its mane and fur started breaking off.

Next, holding the shower spray away from Twilight's body and off to the side, Mike grabbed a face cloth and lightly rubbed down the deiced area, eliminating the last of the ice and removing excess water.

Mike was startled to see the colors that were revealed from under the ice. The creature’s fur was a rich lavender color. Its mane was colored a dark navy blue. Most surprising, were two coherent stripes of color which ran through the mane. One stripe was a deep purple color and the other a rather vivid pink.

Not allowing himself to be sidetracked by the creature's unusual color scheme, Mike proceeded down along its body. He was now deicing Twilight's neck. Deice, rub down and move on.

After its neck, Mike moved on to the creatures withers and shoulders, first the left side, then the right side. He was only taking a small section each time, to avoid overexposing Twilight to the chilling water. As he proceeded, Mike became aware that he was mentally applying equine terminology to the creature’s anatomy.

It does look rather like a horse, except for that strange horn and those freaky wings and, of course, its color scheme. So it’s probably best to use the most relevant terminology. Maybe I should think of it as a ‘miniature horse’? Ahah! That’s a ‘pony.’ It even sounds better than calling it a 'horse.'

When he reached the middle of the pony's barrel, where the wings were attached, the deicing got a little complicated. First Mike took a wet face cloth to wipe the melting ice off of the pony's wings. it came off easily due to it not adhering too well to the pony's feathers.

Next, Mike unwrapped the bath towel's ends, from where they lay over the top of the pony's ice covered back, folding the ends of the towel outwards, over the outside of its wings. Using his right hand, Mike pressed down firmly on the towel over Twilight's right wing, compressing the towel, like as gasket, between the wing and the pony's barrel. Mike then brought over the shower head, still being held in his left hand and soaked down the right side of Twilight's back.

As soon as he had deiced the right side of Twilight's back, Mike removed the towel from under its right wing, and rubbed down the wetted area of its back. The fur under the pony's wing, happily, had remained dry. Cheered by this small victory, Mike quickly switched the shower head to his right hand, and proceeded to deice the left side of Twilight’s back.

After getting past Twilight's complicated wings, it was a simple matter to finish off the rest of the pony's body with the simple motions that had been established earlier. In less than ten minutes, the whole ordeal was over. The last part was deicing Twilight's tail. Pulling it out behind the creature, Mike simply ran the shower head over it for a few seconds until all the ice had broken up. A fresh towel was used to pat the tail dry. Mike did note in passing, however, that the tail had the same color scheme as did the mane on Twilight's head and neck.

“Right, that's done, so let’s get you dry,” Mike spoke up again, as he shut off the water.

Twilight's ear gave a slight twitch. Noticing this, Mike smiled. He took it as a sign that his very important guest was, no longer unconscious, though possibly half-dreaming in some fugue state of consciousness.

“No arguments now. Getting you dry is very important. So please forgive me if some of this makes you uncomfortable.” Mike laid out another dry bath towel on the floor.

The ear gave another twitch. “Thank you,” Mike said, with a smile in his voice. “I believe we are having a most stimulating conversation. Don't you think?” The ear rose up slightly.

“Okay. I am now going to lift you out of the bathtub. Please try to remain calm. I won't hurt you.” The ear dipped momentarily but then gave another twitch. Mike took the movement as a sign of consent.

Mike reached down into the tub and cautiously slid his arms underneath the pony. Carefully he rose, bringing Twilight up over the rim of the tub to place it down gently onto the large towel lying on the floor.

Mike grabbed whatever dry towels remained and started to gently pat down Twilight's fur again. He could not, however, dry the pony too vigorously, since excessive rubbing would stimulate blood flow, cool down its core temperature and risk its life. Also, skin that had been excessively chilled could become delicate and was easily damaged.

Holding up Twilight's head with one hand cupped under it, he gently wiped its face dry, using a few light patting motions over its closed eyes. Mike used similar light pats of the towel to dry its ears.

Soon Mike had dried Twilight's entire body, even having rolled the pony onto its side in order to dry its belly. Mike took extra care to close his eyes and use a thick towel when approaching Twilight's nether regions, figuring that 'sexing' the pony could be extremely insulting and probably lead to false conclusions anyway. It was after all an alien. What if its species came in five different flavours?

Just as he was finishing up, Mike noticed that there were blood stains on some of his towels. His breath caught as he worried that he had done something stupid, and injured Twilight. Anxiously, he took a closer look at his guest. He quickly noticed that the pony had several nasty abrasions and cuts to the lower parts of its legs, which were sluggishly oozing blood.

Wow, your blood is red, just like mine, Mike thought in amazement.

Getting up to rummage through the bathroom's vanity, Mike found a large roll of gauze, a package of cotton balls a bottle of spray antiseptic and antibiotic cream.

“Okay,” he said. “I can see that you have some cuts on your legs.” Twilight's ear dropped just slightly.

“It’s nothing too serious, but I'm just gonna wrap them up with some bandages so they can heal cleanly.” An ear twitched.

Mike grabbed a leg, and sprayed it generously with the antiseptic. He then spread antibiotic cream onto the various cuts. Putting cotton balls over the deeper cuts, to absorb any blood, he then wrapped the appendage with gauze. Finally he tied off the gauze wrapping.

In similar fashion, Mike managed to treat all four legs of the pony.

“There. You’re all done now. Let’s get you warmed up.” Mike stated, with some satisfaction while looking to the pony’s ears. They amused him. He thought them quite expressive and rather charming.

Mike did not see any reaction from Twilight. Suddenly, he was seized with the realization that he had messed up big time. Performing the first aid for a minor issue had taken some time and had distracted Mike from the major life-threatening condition that was now threatening Twilight.

I'm so stupid! He thought bitterly. I got distracted by some minor bleeding, but I should have been focusing on getting Twilight warmed up again. I left Twilight lying there on my bathroom floor, with damp fur. Now its lost consciousness. And it's hardly shivering anymore.

Twilight needs to be warmed up, but it needs to be done gently. The only thing I can think of is to share my body heat.

Up until that moment, Mike had been studiously avoiding any thoughts along those lines, shying away from the idea of having that much contact with the alien. Reluctantly he was forced to embrace the notion. There is no other way. I don't have a second to lose.

Urgently, Mike scooped up Twilight. Cradling the pony in his arms, he carried it into his bedroom and placed it upon his bed. Throwing off his bathrobe, Mike climbed into bed with Twilight and pulled up the covers. Slowly, hesitatingly, Mike reached out and pulled the pony towards his body.

Ahh! That's cold! Mike gave a mental shout, as the chilled pony shocked his body.

Indeed, Twilight's fur was still damp and had cooled down significantly. Gritting his teeth, Mike drew Twilight firmly up against his body. Mike rolled over onto his back, drawing the pony’s body up fully on top of his own abdomen and torso. The full weight of the pony, almost 50 kilos, pressed itself firmly against his body, abdomen to abdomen, chest to chest, maximizing the thermal contact.

With a free arm, Mike rearranged the pillows, laying his head on just the very end of one and piling the second pillow upon the portion of the first pillow he was not occupying so that it overlapped his right shoulder. Next, he arranged for Twilight's head to come over his right shoulder to lay upon the second pillow. Finally, Mike reached up, under Twilight's wings and clasped his hand behind the pony's back. His arms could warm the pony's sides a little and his hands might do the same for its back.

Mike was starting to shiver now, Twilight's body having already sucked up a portion of his own warmth. On the plus side, the parts of their bodies in contact with each other had started to accommodate nicely, so that he no longer felt like he was holding an ice cube.

Some time passed as Mike lay there patiently, shivering constantly, if not too violently. At the moment he was resisting the stupid temptation to let his hands explore the sensory landscape offered by the pony's fur. As Mike thought about it, he realized that his hands were located over the pony's hindquarters, just a little up from its tail. Cautiously, he shifted his grip a little higher up its spine.

Next, Mike became aware that the unconscious pony's hind legs had dropped down on either side of his waistline. In effect, Twilight was straddling his hips in a very intimate manner. The use of Twilight's inner thighs in this arrangement was certainly optimal for maximizing the surface area of their body to body contact but it brought a certain embarrassment to Mike.

Great, I'm being mounted by an alien pony, he reflected wryly to himself.

Then, some time later, I wonder if Twilight is the equivalent of a female? That could end badly for me in so many ways.

Mike lay there musing in the dark, his thoughts spinning through various anime inspired scenarios.

Option one. Somehow this obliges me to marry her/it or else face execution. Ugh. Married? To an alien?
Option two. She/It beats me up so bad I will be wearing a body cast for the next six months. Not looking forward to that one.
Option three. She/It destroys me in a sudden fit of alien rage. Not liking where this is taking me either.

Mikes thoughts continued in this vein for several moments. Eventually, he was able to arrest those unruly imaginings.

So what? He concluded. I am doing what needs to be done. No matter how embarrassing this is to either myself or Twilight, this needs to be done; a life is at stake.

After reaching that conclusion, Mike strove to blank his mind of any further thoughts and focused instead on the task of feeling warm.

Mike woke suddenly to a quivering sensation. He lay there for a moment, puzzled as to what was going on. Suddenly, he realized there was a weight pressing down on his body, and he remembered that he was holding Twilight. Apparently, the quivering sensation was coming from the alien pony.

Mike was alarmed. Something's wrong! He thought at first.

Then, he realized what was happening. “You're shivering!” He said, speaking softly to the pony.

Twilight's ear gave a sharp twitch as the pony's limbs weakly clasped onto him and tried to pull him in, desperately seeking more warmth. The pony's wings also clamped down on its body, pinning his arms.

“It's a good sign," Mike explained. "Though you're probably feeling miserable right now. The shivering means that your own body is now starting to warm itself.”

“I was very worried for you.” Mike continued to speak in a soft whisper.

“Don't worry, I've got you,” Mike whispered, twisting his head about to get a look at Twilight's face, up above his, on the second pillow. The pony's face was illuminated by the bedside lamp, which was still burning brightly.

Mike saw the pony give a flick of its ear. He could almost swear that he saw the edge of Twilight's mouth curve up in a faint smile.

Do alien ponies smile? Mike wondered.

I never did remember to turn off that lamp. Mike's thought's strayed. I suppose it was for the best.

At that moment, as if in response to his very thoughts, the light flickered, flashed brightly and then went out. The house suddenly grew quiet as the furnace stopped. The only sounds which could be heard now were those of the wind gusting outside, the tiny, dull 'tiks' of icy pellets being slung against the window and the sound of two bodies, breathing.

Mike lay there for a moment, stunned at what had occured.

Shoot. It’s a power failure. What do I do now?

Nothing, he concluded after a moment. Twilight's quivering mounted in intensity.

I stay here and give my little alien friend all the body heat he, she or it needs. Mike's thoughts were colored with determination.

Over the next hour, Mike stayed awake as Twilight's shivering intensified. As the pony's core body temperature rose, it found the resources to act more aggressively on its own behalf. At times the pony's whole body shook, while its limbs sought to clutch him ever tighter. Mike waited anxiously as he felt his whole body being shaken. It felt as if he were inside a hardware store paint mixer.

After ten minutes of the most severe shaking, Mike was starting to feel somewhat battered. The pony's legs were showing real strength as the grip they had on him became painful. But, it was obvious to Mike that the violent physical activity was taking its toll on the pony as well. The pony began to groan and occasionally whimper. Mike's only response was to hold Twilight tightly, offering what little comfort he could with his own physical presence.

“It’s going to be okay,” he spoke softly, over and over again. “It’s just a little longer. You can do this.”

Mike liked to believe that his encouragement had helped because at least the whimpering stopped. Just in case, Mike held on to the pony, rubbing it's back. He could feel that the pony's fur was now almost dry, just slightly damp.

Finally, after about another half hour, the violent shivering began to subside, and the pony's groans diminished and then ceased altogether. The pony also began to relax its desperate grip on Mike.

After another fifteen minutes, the shivering had died down to an occasional quiver. An hour passed as Mike lay there quietly, waiting to be sure that the crisis had fully passed. By then, all traces of shivering had departed from the pony, and it was sleeping peacefully atop him. Mike gently let go of his hold upon Twilight and dropped his arms down by his side.

Surprisingly, as soon as Mike’s worries and fears were eased, he dropped off peacefully into a dreamless sleep. After all, it had been a very long night.

Author's Note

Well things are starting to move along now.

This story takes place somewhere in Southern Ontario, Canada, starting from the time of the 'monster' ice storm that hit the region in December of 2013.
I thought those dramatic weather events could add a little spice to the story. But its all just for some background coloration. Its not the idea behind the main story.

Edited Nov14, 2014 - Minor cleanups.
Edited Feb 4, 2015 - More cleanups.

Edited Oct 10, 2016. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software. Special thanks go to Eckaji for his help in editing and reviewing this chapter.

3. Pillow Talk

Twilight was dreaming.

She was having an awful dream about being lost in a land filled with horrible crystal trees. The trees looked beautiful, but they gave off an aura of menace. Everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by crystalline danger. Their limbs moving in slow agitation, reaching out to embrace her.

Even as the trees threatened her, Wendigoes circled above her, showering her with sudden blasts of ice and cold. Occasionally, they would break off from their circling to stoop down upon her.

Twilight would have galloped away, even dashing between the clutching tentacles of the crystalline trees. But she was unable to do so. Every time she tried, the ground would reach up to bite and tear at her legs. Every time, she would stumble, and the Wendigoes added another layer to the icy shell surrounding her.

The Wendigoes were almost upon her again, she had to move, had to move…

"No!" She screamed…

Disturbed by her nightmare, Twilight awoke. At first, she lay there, with her eyes closed, her heart pounding hard enough to make her body shudder. Gradually she became aware of a wonderful sensation of warmth. She welcomed that warmth, using the sensation to counter the residual terror of her nightmare.

After a while, Twilight also became aware of a considerable amount of bodily discomfort. Her legs ached, her breast ached, her withers ached, her neck ached, her head ached, and most definitely her horn ached. The horn ache was a sure sign that she was suffering from magic exhaustion.

Groaning, Twilight opened her eyes. At first, there was not much to see in the dim light. Twilight blinked, failing to recognize her surroundings. She raised her head to look around, which turned out to be a bad idea.

“Ohh. My head.” Twilight groaned as she squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head again.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of somepony drawing in a deep breath, so close as to be right in front of her face. Coincident with the drawn breath she had the unsettling feeling that the pillow underneath her was rising upwards. Alarmed, Twilight raised her head again, wincing with the movement and looked about. She was shocked to see a strange face mere inches to the right of her head. It was sunken down, just below the level of her chin, which was why she had missed it earlier.

Twilight’s first instinct was to freeze. Motionless, she looked upon the apparition before her. Even in the dim light, it was easy to tell that what she saw was not the face of a pony. Rather, it looked like one of those creatures she had met in that world behind the magic mirror but it seemed different somehow.

Like those creatures, it lacked fur and had no visible muzzle. Like them, it also had a protruding nose and an abbreviated dark brown mane that failed to cover its neck. Its eyes, though, were different from what Twilight could remember; they were smaller. And they were looking directly into her eyes.

“Yahh!” Twilight screamed as she attempted to leap away from the creature; her legs exploding with pain after managing to lift her only a few inches, causing her to collapse and fall down again.

“Oof,” she heard from the creature sharing her bed. “Thank you. I've always wanted to experience deafness.”

Twilight lay there gasping in pain. She hurt so much that she literally could not even think about what the creature had said. Within a few seconds, as her own pain subsided, she heard the creature sigh and speak again.

“I'm sorry. That comment was uncalled for; you were obviously quite startled to find yourself waking up in my bed.”

Twilight lay there with her eyes squeezed shut, her headache was slowly subsiding. At the moment it was back down to merely pounding mercilessly.

Puzzled, Twilight tried to recall the words she had heard earlier. What? Twilight was confused. The creature wants to be deaf? Why? … Oh, sarcasm. I must have screamed directly into its ear.

Twilight considered its second statement. And it’s already apologizing for the rude comment. Maybe the creature is civilized after all.

“Wait? I'm in your bed!” Twilight exclaimed loudly. Wincing as her raised voice caused her headache to spike.

“Ahh!” the creature winced in pain as well. “Um. Yes. It was kind of necessary you see.” It paused.

Aware that she was scarcely able to move, Twilight needed to gain control of the situation. Stay calm Twilight, stay calm and stay in control.

She kept her voice level. “I'm waiting to hear an explanation.”

The creature kept silent for a few moments and then it spoke. “Last night, or rather, early this morning, you collapsed in front of my door. Just before you collapsed, you begged me for assistance.”

Twilight lay there quietly, trying to remember any of this.

“I carried you inside my home. You were in such a bad state. You were all covered with ice and had fallen unconscious. You also had numerous lacerations on your legs.”

As the creature spoke, Twilight painfully stretched out a forelimb a few inches and noticed with dismay that it was indeed wrapped in gauze.

“From your symptoms, I treated you for hypothermia. You must have had ten kilos of ice adhering to your body.”

Twilight was shocked. Hypothermia was a very rare and grave condition for a pony to find itself in.

“Umm, 'keelos'?” Twilight asked. Her curiosity was piqued.

“Ah. Let me think. That would be somewhat more than twenty pounds of ice if that style of measure is any more helpful to you.”

“Oh yes. It is. I am quite familiar with pounds. Please continue.” Twilight replied politely.

Privately, Twilight thought that the creature was exaggerating about the ice.

For some unaccounted reason, the creature gave her a puzzled look but then resumed its narration.

“After getting all the ice cleaned off of you and drying your fur as best I could, you had fallen unconscious again–”

“Wait, what do you mean 'again'? I have no memory of any of this.”

“Ah well, while I was drying you off, you became somewhat responsive. You were flicking your ears in response to my verbal comments. Maybe you weren’t fully conscious, but I think you were coming around to it.”

Mike continued. “Anyway, soon after that, I noticed that your legs were hurt. While I was treating them, you must have gotten chilled because, by the time I was finished, you had lost consciousness again; your ears had stopped responding. That was when I noticed that you weren’t even shivering anymore. I knew that was bad, so I immediately took you with me into my own bed to warm you up.”

“Please,” the creature begged, “you have to understand. You were already hypothermic, and your fur was damp, chilling you even further. I had no other means to warm you up; I could only share my body heat with you.”

Twilight considered the creature’s story. She was certainly shocked. However, if it was telling her the truth, then she could only conclude it had done nothing wrong. Indeed it had probably saved her life. If she could believe it.

Still not sure, she decided to defer the issue of the creature’s truthfulness until later.

“Thank you.” She said. Bringing a smile to the creatures face.

After a few moments, Twilight's curiosity stirred.

“Do you have a name?” she asked. “And what are you. What name do you use to describe your kind?”

In the world beyond the Mirror, Twilight had never gotten around to asking what those beings had called themselves.

“Umm, Mike, my name is Mike Konik. I am a man. That is, a male human. In the common vernacular, our kind would call ourselves humans.” After he had said this, Twilight saw that Mike was looking expectantly at her.

“Oh, of course.” Twilight attempted to formulate her reply in a similar manner. “I–," she paused for effect. "Am Twilight Sparkle. I am a mare, a female pony. In the common vernacular, as you phrased it, our kind would call ourselves ponies.” She smiled. “Further to that, I am an alicorn, a species of the pony subgenus.”

Twilight hid the fact that she was a Princess. That title had brought her nothing but trouble.

As she spoke, Mike's face assumed a pained expression. “You're female?” he asked.

“Of course.” she replied happily.

Mike groaned. “I'm sorry. I offer you my most sincere apologies.”

If that expression had been on a pony, Twilight would have thought he was worried about something. “Whatever is wrong? What does my being a female matter?”

“Um, maybe you haven’t noticed yet since you just woke up, but I have held you on top of my body all night long. To keep you warm, you understand. In fact, you're still lying on top of me and, well, the position could be considered compromising. If you are anything like human females, the fact that I am a male might be interpreted as an egregious insult to your body and personal integrity.”

Compromis... Oh. Twilight's face burned as she realized what Mike meant by that.

Twilight's tail swished in response to her uneasiness. Suddenly she could feel it brushing up against the inside of both of his legs. Her face burned even brighter.

Mike inhaled a short, sharp breath. His face grew visibly darker in the dim light. Twilight thought he might be blushing as well. “Please don't do that!” he urged with a voice that sounded tight.

Twilight stilled her tail, consciously suppressing any further swishing. Though she was now quite embarrassed, she considered her response carefully.

“You're right.” she began, “I could be offended. But I forgive you. You only did what you had to do.”

In fact, she thought, while cataloging what sensations she could glean from her body, the arrangement is very effective for heat transfer. Though I find the amount of contact and where we are in contact, to be absolutely mortifying.

Twilight's blush grew even brighter, prompting her to attempt to scramble up off of Mike. A sudden agony throughout her body, most especially in her legs, put an end to that. She collapsed back onto Mike again.

“Ahh,” she gasped weakly.

“What's wrong?” asked Mike. He sounded worried for her.

“It hurts.”

“What hurts?”

“Everything,” she gasped. “Everything hurts. My flanks, my withers and my neck. My legs hurt so bad that I can hardly move them at all. And to top it all off, I also have a monster headache.”

She lay there quietly for more than a few moments - recovering.

Finally, she asked, “Do you have any willow-bark tea? I think it would help me considerably.”

Mike considered the request in silence. A few moments passed by before he replied.

“I’m afraid that I cannot make you any tea right now. The power is out, so I am unable to heat any water. I can, however, get you a couple of aspirin's and a glass of water. If I remember correctly, aspirin's active ingredient was originally derived from willow bark.”

“Yes please,” Twilight replied. “Please do that. Wait, the power is out? What do you mean?”

“I mean the electricity is out. All appliances and utilities in this house run on electricity. Apparently, the ice storm has broken the power lines somewhere.” Mike paused and then went on. “I was still awake when the light from the bedside lamp went out. So I knew what had happened.”

“Why were you awake?” Twilight asked in a fit of curiosity.

“You had been shivering,” Mike replied with a tiny smile. “Your shivering nearly vibrated the two of us out of bed. And I do mean that; your shivering was exceedingly intense. Come to think of it; that may be why you are experiencing so much pain. That intense shivering may have over-strained your muscles.”

Twilight considered that theory and was somewhat inclined to accept it. In a good way, it was comforting to be able to put a label to her pain. And in a perverse way, it also seemed to confirm his story about how she had gotten here.

She sighed, “Thanks. You may be right about that. Um, about that 'asrin' you mentioned.”

“Right, the aspirin.” Mike paused. “I'm sorry, but I will have to move you. If my theory about over-strained muscles is correct, it should not hurt you too much if I am the one doing the moving.”

Twilight winced. Steeling herself for the potential onslaught of pain, Twilight took several deep breaths. “Okay. I'm ready. Go ahead.” She squeezed her eyes shut.

Mike gently clasped her in his arms and shifted his body, rotating to his right. He deposited her onto the bed, on her left side. Twilight groaned.

“I'm sorry, did that hurt?” Mike asked as he climbed out of bed.

“Not really,” Twilight replied, “it wasn't too bad, except that it strained my neck. That's what hurts.”

“Sorry,” Mike said. “I forgot that you have your pillows stacked up double. May I?”

“Yes, go ahead.” she replied.

Mike cupped his hand under her head, holding it up gently, as he adjusted the pillows. Slowly he lowered her head down onto the remaining single pillow.

“Ahh,” she gasped. Then she sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

Now that she was more comfortable, she was able to look up at Mike who stood beside the bed, seeming to tower over her.

Despite having met humans before, he still looked odd to her eyes. From her perspective, he stood so very tall. His barrel was flat, broad and mostly hairless. And he had tiny teats? Twilight frowned briefly at the incongruous sight.

Despite spending three days in the Mirror World, she had never observed the unclothed human form, not even her own.

Nevertheless, he did resemble one of the mirror world inhabitants. Hands, arms, legs, the shape of his head and body, he had all of those. And like those beings, he also had no tail.

Almost, but not quite, coincident with noticing Mike's lack of any caudal appendage, Twilight became aware that 'Mike,’ she reminded herself of his name, was covered by a small article of clothing, which concealed his… private parts.

Twilight smiled. The barrier represented by the clothing seemed to verify Mike's statement that he had not intentionally set out to compromise her.

Mike moved off and spent several moments fussing around in a part of the room which Twilight could not see from her position. All the while he muttered comments about how cold it was. After a while, Mike left the room. Presumably to get the 'asprin', whatever they were.

Twilight considered the wrappings on her legs.

Now how did I get injured? She wondered. Of a sudden, a memory came to her.

She was walking through the storm on tippy-hooves over the ice covered ground. There was no light present except for her own magic. Every step required her to carefully strike the ice covered snow. Sometimes, her hoof would plunge through…

“Oh, Celestia. That really happened. It wasn’t just a dream.” Twilight moaned.

She lay there quietly, recalling more details of that experience. She recalled the cold, the dark and the demonic rain which coated her body in ice. Even the memory of that journey left her feeling exhausted.

I guess Mike really was telling me the truth about the condition I was in, she thought.

Though I think I was already totally exhausted when I reached this house. Any shivering I did as I recovered from the hypothermia simply increased my exhaustion and muscle strain.

Fatigued, Twilight soon drifted into an uneasy slumber.

Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep…

Twilight started awake as a raucous noise penetrated her sleep.

She ground her teeth as the irritating noise continued unabated. It seemed to be the most perfectly irritating noise in the world. Unable to move as she was, she could not identify the source of the irritating noise, though, by swivelling her right ear, she could locate its position to be somewhere behind her head.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Her headache now seemed to be getting worse again, pounding in sync with the rhythmic irritation.

Suddenly Twilight heard Mike's hoofsteps as he entered the room. Her ear tracked him as he approached the night table she had seen earlier. There was a soft click, and the annoying noise was silenced.

“Sorry about that,” she heard. “I forgot that I had set the alarm to wake me at 9:00 a.m.”

Twilight kept her peace.

“I've got your aspirin,” stated Mike.

“Uhh.” She groaned even as she stirred. Opening an eye, she could see that Mike held a glass of water.

“Could you,” she paused. “Could you help me up, so I can drink that,” Twilight requested.

Putting the glass down on the night table, Mike came over to Twilight. “Sure. Um, how exactly?”

“Help me roll back onto my stomach and raise me up, so I can support myself on my forelegs. Please.”

“Right,” Mike proceeded to do exactly that.

It certainly did hurt to move, but Twilight found she was able to lock the joints of her forelegs and continue supporting herself without demanding anything more from her muscles.

“Here.” Mike held out his hand. Two white pills lay upon the broad flat area.

“Don't chew them,” Mike warned. “They taste awful. Just hurry up and swallow them whole.”

Having tasted willow bark before, Twilight could well believe his admonition. She tried her magic and found herself sufficiently recovered to levitate the pills out of his hand as well as the glass of water from his other hand. Quickly she took the pills into her mouth, washing them down with the water.

Her horn ached from even such a minor exertion.

“Yah!” exclaimed Mike, pulling back. “What was that?” His eyes were wide.

“That was magic. I gather from your reaction that you were surprised.”

“Yeah, you could say that. I tell you the truth. I have never before seen anything even remotely like your 'magic.'”

“We can discuss it later.” Twilight sighed. She really was not feeling up to conducting an exposition on magic at that moment.

“Could you please help me down?” she asked.

Mike nodded his head slowly. Drawing near to Twilight in a more tentative manner. “All right. But first, you should drink all of the water, Twilight. Your headache might also be the result of dehydration.”

“Yes of course. I should have thought of that,” Twilight replied. Levitating the glass once more she proceeded to drink the rest of the water.

After that, Mike proceeded to lift her up slightly, just sufficient to allow her to unlock the joints in her forelegs. He then lowered her down again.

Mike spoke again, “You should rest now. Let the aspirin do its job.”

“Yes, thank you again, Mike.” She said while lowering her head to the pillow.

Mike grabbed the covers and pulled them up over Twilight's withers. He asked, “Are you going to be alright if I leave you alone for a while? Like, a few hours. There are some things I need to take care of.”

“Go, I'm fine,” she replied.

“Thanks.” Mike made some more noises from the back of the room. Twilight ignored them.

In short order, Mike had completed whatever he had tasked himself with and left the room.

The room became quiet. Soon, Twilight's breathing settled down to the slow and regular sounds of a sleeping pony.

When Twilight awoke again, several hours had passed. The room was now reasonably well illuminated from the daylight coming in through the window.

I wonder if the 'power' has been restored yet, she thought to herself. I would really like to have a cup of tea.

The second thing Twilight noticed was that she felt much better. Cautiously, Twilight attempted to lift her head up and was very pleased to discover that her headache was very nearly gone. Compared to the headache which remained, she had certainly withstood much worse during some of her all-nighter study sessions.

Even her muscles were much improved. As she experimented with moving about, she found her legs, by far the worst affected, merely felt stiff and sore.

It seemed as if her alicorn constitution was in play, restoring her body at quite a rapid pace.

Twilight worked her way towards the side of the bed. Upon reaching the edge she rolled off the bed.

Twilight crashed down onto a carpeted floor with a thud, finding that she was still too stiff to manage that manoeuvre as gracefully as she had planned.

Eww. That's a lot of dust bunnies. She thought, as her position on the floor gave her an unimpeded glimpse under the bed.

If I have to stay here for any length of time, Mike will clean that up under there. A scowl darkened her face for a moment. She couldn’t stand the accumulation of dust.

Taking her time, Twilight was able to raise herself up onto her hooves. Cautiously she proceeded to walk about the room. After a minute or two, as her muscles warmed up, Twilight was quite pleased to discover that walking became easier and less painful.

She found herself less than pleased at the dishevelled state of the room. Shoes positioned haphazardly against one wall. Articles of clothing heaped upon a chair.

Soon other matters caught her attention.

“Mike?” Twilight called.

No answer.

“MIKE!” Twilight called out again.

Again, there was no answer.

Guess I have to find the little filly's room by myself.

Twilight was visibly irritated when she exited the bathroom.

While nobody could blame Mike for being a bachelor, his lifestyle showed in the upkeep of his home. Twilight took exception to the obvious disorganization she had witnessed within that room. Further, in her weakened state, she had found it very awkward to use the human-sized bathroom fixtures, which did little to help her mood.

What really took the cake, however, was the fact that the little filly's room did not have any running water. Though there was no truth to the matter, Twilight felt vaguely soiled.

Twilight could at times get slightly obsessive-compulsive about matters. It was unfortunate for Mike that he now became the focus of just such an obsession.

I need to make a list. But first I need a quill and some paper.

Twilight returned to the bedroom. After rummaging around briefly, she was rewarded with the discovery of a notepad and a pencil in one of the night table's drawers. She smiled happily.

With her newfound trophies, Twilight methodically made her way through the house. Room by room, upstairs and downstairs, the list grew. Eventually, she was forced to stop when the pencil was worn down.

Twilight sighed as she was forced to stop her note taking. She found herself in a large room on the lower floor.

The room contained a comfortable looking plush couch with a matching chair. At the other end of the couch was a second chair which did not match the decor of the couch and the first chair. A low piece of furniture, much like a table, was located in front of the couch. Twilight thought that this was a family room, though some items in the room remained unfamiliar.

Twilight approached the couch and lay down upon it. Her list was put aside. Her heart grew heavy as she recalled the events that had trapped her here.

Twilight was seated in her study, pretending to read a book. Actually, she really was reading the book. Why pretend to read a book when you really do want to read it? She had thought. Nevertheless, she needed to misdirect Spike's curiosity, and conceal her current activities.

“Twilight?” Spike entered the study.

“Yes, Spike.”

“Rarity asked me if I could help her out today. Is it alright if I leave now? I've finished my chores.”

“Did you remember to dust all the books in our bedroom?” Twilight asked.

“Of course!” he exclaimed. “Sheesh. You forget one time, and she never lets you forget,” he grumbled.

“Alright, Spike. I guess I can do without my number one assistant for the rest of the afternoon. You can go and help Rarity.”

Actually, Twilight had been waiting to get Spike out of the library. She had even asked Rarity to request Spike's assistance.

As soon as Spike left, Twilight put aside the book she had not been pretending to read. A rosy glow surrounded the book as it levitated over to her current interests shelf.

Twilight squinted slightly as she concentrated, teleporting what appeared to be a brown paper package onto her reading table. She had been hiding it in the basement lab, where Spike was least likely to stumble across it.

When Twilight unwrapped the package there, on the table, lay revealed – a book. It came with several cards.

The first card stated:

The House of Enchanted Comics (HEC) thanks you for your purchase of this pre-enchanted literary blank.
This superior product was crafted…

Twilight stopped reading that card after reading only two lines.

The second card:

These license terms are an agreement between House of Enchanted Comics (HEC) and you…
You may only install one literary work in this product. Any violation of this term will be…
This enchantment is licensed “as-is”…
HEC gives no express warranties, guarantees or conditions…
HEC excludes implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose…

Nopony, not even Twilight, had the patience to read through all that legal boilerplate. Well, she had once. But she was too disgusted to ever repeat the experience. Instead, she was currently pronking in circles around the study.

"Yes! I'm so excited," she exclaimed. She was positively giddy.

"Spike is going to be thrilled. I can't wait to see his face when I give him this for his birthday present."

"First, he'll say, 'Oh its a book. Gee, thanks, Twilight.' And then he'll grumble in typical disappointment, 'What a surprise.' "

"Hah! But then I'll tell him that this book is enchanted, just like his 'Power Ponies' comic was. And that I wrote it myself, just for him. It'll be an interactive story covering all of Starswirl the Bearded's greatest discoveries!"

With a final giggle Twilight managed to contain her excitement. Settling down in front of the literary blank, she prepared the spell for imprinting a new story onto it.

Twilight's eyes closed and her horn glowed brightly, as she prepared the imprinting spell. Her quick mind easily composed the interactive adventures she had previously selected, a total of forty-nine stories of Starswirl's best spell discoveries.

The imprinting spell was almost ready. Twilight only needed to add the extra exit sequences. Nopony was going to get stuck inside one of her stories.

“Twilight. I'm back; I forgot to get–” Spike called out as he re-entered the library downstairs.

Startled at the thought of Spike discovering what she was up to, Twilight released the spell energies prematurely, shooting her magic towards the literary blank. Alarmed, she attempted to call back the spell. Reaching out with a significant portion of her alicorn magic.

For a moment, Twilight held on to the energies of her imprinting spell, but the effort was futile. It started to merge with the reality generator that was at the core of the book's enchantment.

She was still grasping at her imprinting spell when it suddenly, unaccountably, shattered. To Twilight's senses, the literary payload disintegrated, leaving nothing but an empty imprint spell. Another side effect of the disruption, however, was that the imprinting spell became entwined with her own active magic.

The book's enchantment pulsed rapidly, Twilight's magic warping and twisting the book's complicated spell in unforeseen ways, causing the book to initiate its 'reader spell.' It started pulling Twilight in.

However, as Twilight's magic was now firmly entangled in the enchantment's spell matrix, her substance did not proceed smoothly down the normal transport channels. Instead, she was diverted through the literary input port, dragged along by the now vacant imprint spell.

Finally, stressed beyond all measure with an alicorn involuted inside its spell matrix, the book's reality generator exploded.

Twilight sighed again. Just yesterday, everything was going according to plan. And now…

All of this activity is pointless, she thought. Making futile lists. I'm only fooling myself, trying to avoid thinking about what happened.

She buried her face in her legs. Her withers heaved as she began sobbing.

“I've trapped myself here inside this runaway spell. There’s no exit. No counter spell. No one knows I’m here - inside this book.”

Author's Note

Hello again. It's been a fun few days, correcting my poor punctuation practices.
My personal thanks to 'Lab'. Who took the trouble to bring the matter to my attention.

If my writing was previously driving any of you batty, then I can only apologise. I hope that this chapter shows improvement.
I have also gone back and edited the first two chapters. Cleaning them up in similar manner.

Oh. And about this chapter?
I just want to state that I have no intentions of writing clop. Or even something steamy.
Will there be romance? No guarantee's. We'll just have to see where the muse takes me.

Edited yet again, Oct 16, 2016. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software. Special thanks also go to Eckaji for his help in editing and reviewing this chapter.

4. Looking for Twilight

Pinkie had spent the morning throwing a birthday party for a young colt named Toasty Oats. His family lived on a farm some distance to the west of Ponyville, and had contacted Pinky to arrange a special party for his fifth birthday. They felt that living on an isolated farm as they did, it may have caused their foal to fall behind on his socialization skills.

Like always, Pinkie had taken the party challenge to heart. She prepared her most Super-Duperific-Funtastic-Happy-Fifth-Birthday-Social-Party ever. Everypony had been amazed by her party. The parents had been even more amazed and thankful that she had arranged special transportation to cart in every other isolated filly and colt of a like age from miles around the farm.

It was now early afternoon. The party, like always, had been a huge success, and the little ones were all being carted on their way back to their homes again. Now that her work was done, Pinkie was humming an original tune to herself as she trotted along the road leading back to Ponyville. As always, she had a huge smile on her face.

At the moment, Pinkie was a pony on a mission. She was on her way to the Town Hall, to ask Mayor Mare about a fantastic new idea she had just had. She wanted to ask if Ponyville could sponsor a series of parties for the young preschool foals of the outlying districts, to help them begin socialization and learn to form friendships even before they entered school. It wasn’t that the foals were deficient in any way. It was only that out on the distant farms, they hardly ever even met their neighbors.

Pinkie’s thoughts were fully occupied as she trotted through Ponyville. So then, it came as a huge surprise to Pinkie, when halfway through Ponyville, her whole body started to shudder. Immediately, she knew that she was having a doozy. Even among doozies, it was a doozy. It was, in fact, a doozy of a doozy. Pinkie vibrated randomly about the road, unable to make any forward progress before the doozy came to an abrupt end, a full ten seconds after it had started.

Any other ponies witnessing her doozy immediately ran away and shut their doors. This was because anypony that had lived in Ponyville for any length of time soon learned that ‘When Pinkie is twitching. Take cover, fast!’ So when the doozy ended, Pinkie found herself alone in the middle of a deserted street.

“Oh-My-Gosh! Oh-My-Gosh! One of my friends is in trouble!” she announced as she began to gallop. Although Pinkie counted everypony and the cows and several mules in Ponyville as her friend, she knew somehow that this doozy was for one of her special friends; it was for one of the elements.

When the doozy had ended, Pinkie found that Rarity's home was the one she was nearest to. She directed her gallop towards it. In but a few moments, she arrived at the Carousel Boutique. Without bothering to knock, Pinkie barged inside, screaming out, “RARITY! Are you okay?”

“Yahh!” Rarity screamed back. “Pinkie! What is the meaning of such uncouth behavior? You scared me half to death, barging in like that. Don't-”

Rarity did not get the chance to finish her tirade as Pinkie broke into one of her trademark rapid explanations. “Sorry, Rarity. I was walking-towards-Town-Hall-after-a-really-great-party-when-I-had-a-doozy-of-a-doozy, and that's when-I-knew-that-one-of-you-was-in-trouble-so-I-came-as-fast-as-I-could-to-see-if-you-were-the-one-in-trouble, but I can see you're fine so-I-gotta-go-check-out-the-others. Bye!”

Rarity was left gasping in frustration as Pinkie vanished faster than the blink of an eye. “But I didn't get to finish what I was saying.” she whined. “Young lady it is simply unacceptable for you to go around scaring ponies like that. Why you might have given me a frazzled mane.”

Pinkie, however, was already on the road towards Twilight's library and did not get to hear any of Rarity's complaints. Half way there she ran into Spike who was making his way towards Rarity's boutique. She knew he was headed towards Rarity’s because of the goofy grin on his face.

“Spike!” Pinkie called out to him, “I'm-so-glad-your-okay. Is-Twilight-home?-I-need-to-see-her.”

“Huh?” Replied the baby dragon. “Slow down Pinkie. I couldn't understand a single word you were saying.”

“I said, Spike! I'm so glad you're okay. Is Twilight home? I need to see her?” As she repeated herself, the pink pony was literally hopping up and down, feeling the urgency of the crisis. Unfortunately, Spike mistook her activity for her usual cheerful exuberance.

“Why wouldn't I be Okay? As you can plainly see I'm looking good, real good.” Spike laid on a few macho poses for her.

“Tee-Hee, that's funny Spike.” Pinkie tittered at his antics. However, in a rare display of focus, Pinkie reiterated her question. “Is Twilight home? I need to see her. My Pinkie-sense tells me that something bad has happened to one our friends.”

Naturally, Spike had a proper respect for the party mare's Pinkie-sense. After all, he'd seen Twilight getting repeatedly clobbered while ignoring those same warnings. Immediately, he assumed the worst. “Oh no! What if Rarity needs rescuing? I'm coming for you Rarity!”

Spike started running towards Rarity's boutique, though he did not get any further than two paces before Pinkie stepped on his tail.

“Rarity's just fine Spike! I just came from her place. Now tell me, is Twilight home at the Library?”

“Uh, no Pinkie. I just came from there a few minutes ago. She wasn't home. I was expecting her to spend the afternoon studying some books, but she must have trotted out for some reason.”

“Okay, thanks, Spike you just saved-me-from-checking-on-Twilight-when-she's-not-at-home. Gotta-go!”

Pinkie resumed her gallop, only now she was headed northeast towards the market, where she hoped to find Applejack. Spike resumed his interrupted journey towards Rarity's boutique, anxious to make sure that Rarity was actually unharmed.

Pinkie was in luck. Upon reaching the market, she found the orange coated earth pony, Applejack. Applejack appeared none the worse for wear, simply minding her stall, selling apples.

“Applejack!” She called out.

“Well, howdy Pinkie, how ya doin'?”

“Applejack!-Am-I-glad-your-okay.-I-was-walking-towards-Town-Hall-after-a-really-great-party-when-I-had-a-doozy-of-a-doozy,-and-that's-when-I-knew-that-one-of-you-was-in-trouble-so-I-came-as-fast-as-I-could-to-see-Rarity-but-she's-okay-and-then-I-saw-Spike-and-he's-okay-but-Twilight-is-not-at-home-right-now-and then I came to see you.” After delivering her speech, Pinkie gasped, taking in a huge breath.

“Now hold on there. Ya say that ya had a doozy?” Applejack was worried now. She took Pinkie's twitches very seriously.

“Uh huh!”

“An it was concernin' one a us?”

“Yep!”

“An Rarity is fine?

“Yepper's!”

“An ya saw Spike, an he's okay too?”

“Double Yep!”

“But Twilight's not at home, so yer still trying to find her?”

“Yep-a-roonie! Have you seen Twilight, Applejack?”

“No I haven’t seen hide nor tail of her today. Well ah'm fine and yer fine an you say Rarity is fine. So that just leaves us with locatin' Fluttershy, Rainbow and Twilight.

“Pinkie, what says we split up, an you try an find Rainbow, and then the two of you together can try findin' Twilight. Ah'll head on over to Fluttershy's place an see if she's doing okay. Let's just all meet up back at the library.”

“That's a really great Idea, Applejack. Bye!” Pinkie departed in a cloud of dust, galloping off to the west. She had a hunch that Rainbow would be out that way, over the park, practising her flying routines. She had seen her earlier when she was returning from Toasty Oats' party.

AppleJack took a few moments to close up her stand and then she was galloping as well, off towards the east, past the outskirts of Ponyville, towards Fluttershy's cottage home.

Spike ran up to Rarity's boutique and entered inside. “Rarity! Rarity!” he called out urgently to the pony of his heart. Rarity, of the snow white coat and the most beautiful of indigo manes.

“Hello, Spike. And what is my little dragon assistant all excited about today?”

“Rarity, you’re okay. I ran over here to save you. Ah, I mean, to see if you needed my help with anything.”

“Spike, whatever do you mean? Why would I not be okay?”

“Oh that, Heh! Well, Pinkie told me-”

“Pinkie! Why I saw her not half an hour ago. She stormed in here and gave me such a shock that I think my mane is starting to frizz.”

“The nerve!” Spike agreed.

Rarity, however, was curious about Pinkie's earlier outburst. She never had found out what had gotten into Pinkie, to make her behave so rudely. “Spike, you were saying something about Pinkie?”

“Oh yeah. Pinkie was saying that she had a doozy-”

Rarity's face blanched, though it was difficult to notice under her immaculate white coat. What one could see were the pupils of her eyes, first dilating and then constricting. Her ears also folded back.

“-and that one of her friends was in trouble. But that could be anypony she knows. And Pinkie knows every pony in Ponyville. So it's probably nothing important.”

“Spike! How un-gentlestallionly of you. You should never dismiss anypony's troubles as being unimportant.

Spike was suddenly speechless, mortified. Stricken by a reprimand from the pony he loved.

“Still Spike, I have a suspicion that Pinkie's doozy was for one of us element bearers. The way she barged in here earlier… I can see now that she was only acting that way because she was very worried about me. And since it wasn't me, then maybe one of our other friends is in trouble.”

“What?” Spike cried out. All of his apprehensions from earlier had quickly faded as soon as he saw that Rarity was okay. Now they returned as he considered the possibility that something had happened to one of Twilight's friends. And Spike held all of Twilight’s friends as his friends.

“What if something happened to Applejack, or Rainbow or Fluttershy?” Spike voiced his anxiety.

“Or even Twilight.” Rarity added.

“Twilight? Pfft! That's ridiculous.” Spike rejected the notion. The very idea that his marvelous and most powerful caregiver, the rock in his life, Twilight, could ever be in trouble was not even conceivable.

“Spike, I do think we should head over to the Library. I have a feeling that we will all need to be meeting together there quite soon.”

Rainbow Dash was a cyan colored pegasus. Her most distinguishing feature was her rainbow-striped mane, from which she proudly took her name. She had spent several hours that morning practising her aerial routines.

Feeling somewhat fatigued after a hard training session, she had transformed a couple of her cloud pylons into a fluffy cloud bed and proceeded to take a well-deserved nap.

“RAINBOW…" "RAINBOW…" "RAINBOW!”

Rainbow Dash was feeling slightly irritated when Pinkie's voice woke her up from her nap. Pinkie was a dear friend and the best pranking buddy a mare could ever ask for, but a nap was a nap. She decided to ignore the call.

“RAINBOW!” Pinkie's last call, made with a megaphone, nearly shook Rainbow Dash out of her cloud. She was awake now.

Rainbow Dash peeked over the edge of the cloud. “Uh, Hey Pinkie. What's up?”

Pinkie gasped in a huge breath, “Rainbow! Am-I-glad-your-okay.-I-was-walking-towards-Town-Hall-after-a-really-great-party-when-I-had-a-doozy-of-a-doozy,-and-that's-when-I-knew-that-one-of-you-was-in-trouble.-So-I-came-as-fast-as-I-could-to-see-Rarity-but-she's-okay-and-then-I-saw-Spike-and-he's-oka-but-Twilight's-not-at-home-right-now-and-then-I-saw-Applejack-but-she's-okay-too-and-we-decided-to-split-up-and-search-for-the-others-and-then I came to see you.”

For some reason, Rainbow Dash, who always had trouble following Twilight's speeches, never had any trouble following Pinkie Pie's rapid deliveries. When asked about it, she always claimed that Twilight's talks were too 'egg-heady.'

“Woah Woah Woah! Pinkie, are you saying you had a 'doozy' telling you that one of us is in trouble?

“Uh-huh. And I’ve already checked on Rarity and Applejack. And now I see that you’re okay and of course, I'm okay.”

“Well, that just leaves Twilight and Fluttershy. Oh no! Fluttershy! She might be in trouble, I've got to check on her–” And without another word Rainbow Dash bolted off towards Fluttershy's house, leaving a rainbow colored streak in the air behind her.

“But Rainbow–” Pinkie yelled after her. Then in a normal voice, “We were supposed to look for Twilight.”

Rainbow Dash pumped her wings as hard as she could, but did not quite manage to do a sonic rainboom. As it was, she arrived at Fluttershy's house just as Applejack raced up to the door.

“Rainbow!” Applejack breathed heavily after her hard run. “What in tarnation are ya doin' here? I told Pinkie that the two a ya were supposed ta look for Twilight. If'n there's trouble we'll need her help double quick like.”

“Pfft. Twilight's fine, she’s probably at home reading a book. I’m sure Pinkie can find her. I’m more worried about Fluttershy.”

“Well, for your information, Twilight’s not at home right now. That’s why ah wanted you an Pinkie to look for her together. But since you're here an all, let’s get this over with.” Applejack walked up to Fluttershy's front door and knocked. Rainbow Dash, who didn't bother with doors, just flew into an open window.

“Eeek!” A subdued shriek sounded from inside the cottage. That was enough for Applejack, she forgot all propriety and push open the door, running inside.

Inside, she saw a yellow pegasus with a long and pink, flowing mane, cowering on the floor. Rainbow was hovering above, with an expression of chagrin on her face.

“Fluttershy, are ya all right?” Applejack called out to the yellow pegasus. “We was worried about ya.”

“Um, that's all right. I don't mind. That you scared me I mean.” Said the yellow pegasus, coming out of her timid crouch, now that she realized that the intruders were only her two friends.

“Whew! Thank Celestia that you’re all right Fluttershy. I thought something awful had happened to you.” said Rainbow Dash.

“Um, no. I'm fine, I think. I mean I'm fine if you think I'm fine.” she replied with her characteristic timidity.

AppleJack was the first one to put the puzzle together. “Wait Rainbow. If we're all here, an Pinkie is fine, an she said Rarity is also fine, then that leaves-”

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Could somepony please tell me what's going on. I mean, if that's all right with you of course.” Fluttershy requested softly.

“Ah'm sorry Fluttershy, ah should a told ya right off what's goin' on. Pinkie had one a her twitchy fits. Said that it was a doozy, an that it meant one a us was in trouble. An like ah just said, we're all accounted for, 'ceptn' Twilight.

“Ah reckon the first thing to do is to meet at Twilight's house. Ah already told Pinkie we would be meeting there. Rainbow, could ya go and fetch Rarity? Make sure she meets us there.”

“Sure thing!” the cyan pegasus shot into the sky leaving behind a rainbow streak.

“C'mon Fluttershy, we need ta get a hurry on.” The orange mare took off at a gallop, with the yellow pegasus flying along behind her.

Rainbow Dash sped to the west, arriving at Rarity's boutique. She quickly found that all the windows were closed, so she was forced to consider her personal route of last resort, the front door.

As she approached the door, however, Rainbow could see that a 'CLOSED' sign was posted in the door's window. Upon closer examination, Rainbow Dash spotted a tiny diamond in the center of the 'O.' That was Rarity's private signal, known only to her close friends, that she had left the shop.

Taking off again, Rainbow Dash started a search for the white unicorn mare. Almost immediately her search was rewarded as she spotted Rarity from the air. Rarity, together with Spike, was trotting towards the library.

“Oh, Rainbow!” Rarity exclaimed as she saw Rainbow Dash come up to hover beside them. “Have you heard? Pinkie had a doozy, and she thinks it's for one of us.”

“Yeah, Rarity, we know. I've just come from Fluttershy's place−”

“Oh no!” Wailed Rarity. “Not Fluttershy. Whatever shall I do without her on spa days.”

“Relax, Fluttershy is fine, and so is Applejack and Pinkie too.”

“But, that means-” began Rarity.

“No−” breathed out Spike. “That's not possible. N-Not Twilight.”

“Oh, Spike. We don't know anything yet. It's too early to be sure of anything.” Rarity attempted to comfort the little dragon.

“B-B-But, it’s a doozy!” he wailed.

“There there, little guy.” Rainbow Dash also attempted to comfort the dragon, “You gotta learn to be tough, like me.”

“You're not helping, Rainbow!” Rarity hissed at the pegasus.

“Yeah Yeah, whatever. All I'm saying is that it's too early to start crying. Like Rarity said, we don't know anything yet.”

“Twilight!” Spike took off running down the street. His little draconic legs pumping furiously.

Rarity made a “Humph” sound. “Really, Spike! You know that running will ruin my hair. But just this once. Spike! Wait up; I'm worried about Twilight too.”

Rainbow Dash left the two of them behind as she sped ahead towards the Library.

Naturally, being the fastest pony in all of Equestria, Rainbow Dash was the first to arrive at the library. A quick check inside the library revealed that no one else was present yet. Seeing that she was the first to arrive, Rainbow Dash went back outside and took a perch up on one of the branches of the tree.

The next to arrive were Spike and Rarity. The little dragon was huffing quite dramatically, winded from his run. Coming up behind Spike in a mild canter, Rarity did not look any the worse for wear, yet she immediately began grooming her already perfectly styled mane.

Upon their arrival, Rainbow called out from her perch, letting them know she was present. “Hey, guys.”

Having already met Rainbow Dash, mere minutes before, Rarity kept her reply brief. "Good to see you too, Rainbow."

After a few minutes, Rainbow could see Applejack and Fluttershy approaching rapidly. Rainbow Dash flew down and joined the others just as the two ponies arrived at the Library.

“Is this everypony? Where's Pinkie at?” Applejack asked the group.

“She wasn’t here when I arrived.” Rainbow stated. “Do you want me to go look for her?”

Rarity answered the question. “If you would Rainbow, please do find Pinkie. We need everypony if we are to organize a proper search. But do come back after ten minutes, even if you don't find her.”

“Right!” Rainbow replied, putting action to the plan.

It wasn't but two minutes before Rainbow Dash returned, slamming down onto the grass before the group in a perfect high-speed four-point landing, her knees and hocks bowing only slightly.

“I found her!” the rainbow-maned pony called out.

“Well, where did that gal get herself off to?” Applejack inquired on behalf of the entire group. Several voices murmured their agreement with the question.

“I found her coming out of the Ponyville hospital–”

“What?” Several voices called out anxiously.

To which Applejack added “Did she say why she was there?”

“Yeah.” Rainbow confessed sheepishly, with hoof rub to the back of her head. “She said she was looking for Twilight 'Just like Applejack told us to do'.”

“ 'Ceptin' you, of course, came tearin' over to Fluttershy's 'stead ah helpin' Pinkie look for Twilight.”

“Um, Guys?” Fluttershy attempted to interject.

“Hey! Ya snooze ya lose! It's not my problem if Pinkie didn't tell me anything before I left.”

“Guys?” Fluttershy called again.

“But ya didn’t even give her a moment to tell ya. Ain’t that so?”

“GUYS!” Everypony looked on in astonishment at the yellow mare, who had uncharacteristically raised her voice. Even beyond that, she had truly shouted at them. Knowing the yellow mare, they understood that the outburst showed just how much concern the yellow pegasus had for her missing friend.

Having caught their attention, Fluttershy continued in a normal voice. “Guys. Twilight is in trouble. And the last thing she needs is for any of us to be fighting amongst ourselves.”

“Ah reckon yer right Fluttershy.” The orange mare bowed her head briefly in a display of embarrassment. “What matters is that we're all here now. An we're going to find Twilight.”

“Your right Fluttershy. What she said.” Rainbow Dash pointed a fore hoof towards Applejack.

“Mmm-Hmm. That's right!” Added Pinkie who, was suddenly in their midst.

“Pinkie!” Exclaimed Spike, who had been quiet up to this point. He rushed forward towards the Pink mare and fell on his knees before her. “Ya gotta help us! Something terrible has happened to Twilight!”

“Yeah I know.” Pinkie hung her head sadly. “Rainbow told me that you found everypony, except for Twilight.”

“All right everypony,” suggested Applejack, “let's split up an start lookin for Twilight.”

“Ah, I'll go talk to my little animal friends and ask if any of them have seen Twilight today. I'll also check out the White-Tail woods.” volunteered Fluttershy.

“And ah gotta close my stall and get my cart back home to Sweet Apple Acres. But then ah'll get my family to help with the searchin'. Big Mac's an ah'll be searchin' our farm and the Everfree forest.” declared Applejack.

“I'll fly around and check out all the surrounding parks and farms. I’ll check out any cliffs and ravines, even the Ghastly-Gorge.” proffered up Rainbow Dash.

“And I'll help by checking into all the shops in Ponyville. I'll also go talk to the mayor and let her know what's going on.” Rarity volunteered.

Spike was torn. He wanted to accompany Rarity, his crush. But he was also very worried for Twilight. “I-I'd better stay here and wait, just in case Twilight comes back while everyone is out searching.”

“Oh, my little Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity came over and hugged Spike. “You must be absolutely devastated, as are we all. But you are so brave. Yes, you stay here and wait for Twilight.”

“I-I'll clean up the place while we're waiting. I'll make sure that everything is in its proper place, just the way she like's it.” The dragon visibly brightened at the prospect of something to do.

“Hold it right there Spike!” This last surprisingly came from Pinkie, who was now wearing a deerstalker hat and had a calabash bubble pipe in her hoof.

“Don't touch anything. There might be some important clues inside the library. You don't want to clean up the only evidence we have of what happened to Twilight, do you?”

Spike grew pale.

“Honestly Pinkie. What game are you playing now?” protested Rarity, “Can't you see that you're frightening our dear little Spike?”

“I don't know.” Chirped the pink mare, “I just have a feeling. Maybe there's something in that library.”

“All right then,” Applejack spoke. “Ah trust yer feelin's Pinkie. But maybe we should wait for later. So’s we can all look together, an so's we can all put our heads together an think about what we find.”

“What if we find a clue involving magic?” Fluttershy asked the group.

“Well, maybe Princess Celestia could recommend somepony to help with that.” Rarity suggested. “I know some magic, but I’m nowhere near as knowledgeable about it as Twilight was.”

“Wait!” Spike interrupted. “Shouldn’t we send a note to Princess Celestia right now?”

“Of course.” Rarity quickly agreed with Spike. “Maybe Twilight just left on some business on behalf of the Princess. Before we run off, we should ask if the Princess knows anything about Twilight's whereabouts.”

“Yeah.”, “Mm-hm.”, “Oh I hope so.” A chorus of agreements came from the others.

“Spike. Take a letter!” Rarity commanded.

“Uh, just a second, I need to find a quill and some paper.” the dragon replied.

“Here you go, Spike!” Pinkie handed him the requested items. Where she kept them, nopony had ever figured out.

“Uh, thanks Pinkie.”

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Princess Celestia was in the middle of enjoying a rare recess. It was not often that her afternoon court sessions were light enough to allow her the luxury of a recess. Her guards knew that ‘recess’ was code for ‘tea break.’

The princess was enjoying a sip of some Ginseng-Green tea when a missive arrived with Spike's characteristic flash of magic.

Celestia smiled with pleasure, anticipating another one of Twilight's letters. Although Twilight no longer submitted friendship reports, she liked to keep Celestia apprised of the goings-on in her life. Celestia cherished these ongoing tokens of their relationship.

With a glow of her magic, she caught the roll of paper as it appeared, before it had dropped so much as an inch. Celestia unrolled the letter and started to read. She quickly lost her smile.

Dear Princess Celestia.

Forgive us for taking the liberty of contacting you in this manner. However, we are all very concerned about the whereabouts of Twilight. It seems that she has gone missing. Even now, we are organizing a search to find her.

We were hoping that your Majesties might have some information regarding her present whereabouts, thus relieving us of our worries.

Spike is quite beside himself with worry.

We are all anxiously awaiting your reply.

Your loyal servants
Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and of course Spike.

Celestia was of course deeply shocked to learn that Twilight was missing. But a millennium of crisis management had taught her to think on her hooves.

Taking up her own quill, she quickly penned a reply. Even as she wrote she called out. “Guards!”

Two guards stepped into the room. “Princess?” one of the two, Sergeant Clean Cut, answered.

“Please inform the court that I am extending this recess to a full hour. An urgent matter has come up.”

“Right away princess.” The two guards left the room.

Celestia used her magic to send the letter she had written in reply back to Spike via the Dragon Smoke spell.

Now, she needed to wake up Luna and ask her if she knew anything about Twilight’s whereabouts.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

With a loud burp, green flames erupted from Spike's mouth and coalesced into a letter from Celestia.

“Well, that sure was quick,” Applejack commented.

“C'mon, read it already!” urged Rainbow Dash.

A faint blue glow enveloped the scroll, carrying it over to Rarity. She had noticed that the little dragon was starting to shake with anxiety, worried about the letter might contain.

“Sorry Spike. You just try and take it easy for a moment.” Rarity opened the letter.

She read it quietly for a moment, and then out loud for everypony else.

Dear Elements and Spike too of course.

The news you send is disturbing. I regret to inform you that Twilight is not undertaking any task of which I am currently made aware.

I will immediately be contacting Luna, to determine if she has some light to shed upon this news. Should she know of anything, I will of course contact you immediately.

Please continue your efforts to search for Twilight. If your efforts should fail to find her, then rest assured that we will join you at the Ponyville library soon after we have finished lowering the sun and raising the moon.

Celestia.

As Rarity lowered the letter, she saw Spike standing there quivering in silent grief and worry. Great tears were falling from his eyes.

“Well,” Applejack spoke up, “y'all heard the Princess. You know what ya got to do. Let’s get going an find Twilight.”

“Cheer up Spike!” Pinkie slapped the dragon on his back. “I'm sure Twilight is going to be fine. It's not like she got eaten by a Hydra or ponynapped by Queen Chrysalis or fell down a bottomless well or−”

Upon hearing those stark possibilities, Spike began bawling and ran upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Twilight.

“Honestly Pinkie, you could learn to show a little more tact!” Rarity admonished the party mare.

“What did I say?” Pinkie asked in confusion.

“Gee, Pinkie. Even I know you just filled his head with thoughts about really bad things happening to Twilight.” Commented the blue Pegasus.

“Um, she is after all his only family. Without her he would be totally alone,” Fluttershy added.

“Ah, I'm sorry guys. I just wanted to cheer him up. Oh I know, some cupcakes will cheer him up.”

Applejack put a stop to the recriminations. “Stop it Pinkie. Just leave him alone for now. Anything ya try to do will just make him feel worse. Only one thing that will cheer the little guy up now, an that’s to see Twilight, safe and sound. So, we'd best get searchin' for her.

“Let's all meet back here at the library when the sun goes down.”

“Um, okay.”, “Yeah, finally!”, “Oki-Doki.”, “Why of course.” all the ponies voiced their assent and left the library to begin their searches.

Spike was waiting anxiously outside the library as the sun was lowering towards the horizon.

Unable to contain his tears earlier, Spike had dashed upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Twilight. Without a moment's thought, he had thrown himself upon Twilight’s bed, perhaps seeking comfort from its close association with her or perhaps it carried her scent. Whatever the reason he found himself there, Spike had cried himself to sleep, while curled up on top of Twilight's blanket.

When Spike awoke several hours later, he felt somewhat better, though he was at a loss as to what to do with himself. He certainly wasn't hungry, not ice-cream or even an aged gem engendered the faintest spark of his appetite.

Spike felt restless. His normal solution for that was to clean the library. But, remembering Pinkie's comments about possible clues he could not do any such cleaning. So, in the end, he simply parked himself outside the library and waited for the return of the others. He found himself hoping against hope, that he would see a certain lavender alicorn come walking down the street.

The coincidence was little short of amazing when all the ponies suddenly returned, all within the span of two minutes. The first to arrive, as always was Rainbow Dash. From her dejected expression, Spike knew her search had been unsuccessful.

The next to arrive was Fluttershy. Immediately after alighting upon the turf she rushed over and gave Spike a consoling hug. There was a sorrowful look in her eyes. Again the message was clear.

Next to arrive was Pinkie. Upon seeing Spike, she immediately burst into tears and threw herself down before Spike. His apprehensions shot upwards like Rainbow Dash performing a full power ascent. “No.” He whispered, from her behavior he was expecting the worst.

“I'm sorry Spike!” Pinkie bawled, “I want to see you smile, but Applejack said that only Twilight can make you smile right now. And I couldn't find her…” the rest of Pinkie's sentence dissolved somewhere amidst her fountain of tears.

Suddenly Spike found himself hugging Pinkie, trying to cheer her up. “There there, Pinkie. I know you tried.”

“What's the matter?” interrupted Rarity, who had apparently joined the group sometime after Pinkie started crying. “Why is Pinkie crying? Did somepony find Twilight? Is she– Is she…” Rarity could not finish such a dark question.

Fluttershy answered Rarity. “We haven’t found Twilight yet Rarity. Pinkie is just crying because she could not find Twilight for Spike.”

“Well shoot, that's just dandy. Big Mac and I searched high an low for that mare, but we never saw a sign a her.” the orange colored earth pony added as she came up to the group. “I was really hopin' that one a you's had found her.”

“Nope, nothing.”, “None of my animals saw any sign of her.”, “Oh this is my worst failure ever.” every pony shook their heads and expressed a lack of success. Pinkie did so by resuming her waterworks, “Bwaa…”

The depressed group stood there for several minutes as night descended around them.

They were interrupted when a bright flash of light appeared overhead, followed rapidly by a second flash. Looking up, the assembled ponies saw both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna descending towards them. It took but moments before the two diarchs stood before them.

“That's enough of that Pinkie.” Celestia directed a firm yet understanding glance towards the pink mare who was still watering the grass.

“Okay, Princess.” Pinkie resumed her usual cheerful demeanor in an instant.

Luna stepped forwards. “Have you found our errant princess as of yet?” she asked the assembled group.

“We are sorry Princess. We have all searched most diligently–” Rarity began.

“Yeah. I flew my wings off searching every farm, brook, gully, meadow and park within fifty miles.” interrupted Rainbow Dash.

“And I asked all of my animal friends, both at home and around the White-Tail woods and even inside the Everfree forest if they had seen Twilight, but none of them can recall seeing her today.” added Fluttershy.

“And I searched every hiding place, fun place and sad place not to mention every friend that I know.” Pinkie Pie added.

“An she were'nt to be found anywhere's on Sweet Apple Acres or inside the Everfree. Big Mac an I looked everywhere. We also checked with Zecora.” added Applejack.

“And I have personally contacted every place of business in Ponyville and inspected their establishments. I have also contacted our Mayor and the local guard contingent. But none of us can report finding the slightest trace of Twilight. Isn't that right girls?”

“Yep.”, “Yeah.”, “I'm sorry.”, “That's right.” agreed the other ponies.

“I see.” said a frowning Celestia. “Ladies, I thank you for your efforts. But it appears that this has become a serious matter. I am calling out the guard. In the morning you can expect to see a major contingent arrive here in Ponyville, to carry out a more exhaustive search. Luna, perhaps we should return and start the preparations.”

“Wait!” shouted Pinkie, once again wearing the deerstalker hat and holding the calabash bubble pipe with it’s white meerschaum bowl. “We still haven't looked for clues in the library.”

Celestia appeared surprised at the suggestion. Or perhaps she was surprised that it came from Pinkie.

Luna too was slightly puzzled by Pinkies appearance. But in Luna’s case, she was confused by her appearance, not yet having found time to read any of the stories of a certain fictional detective. “Couldst thou be so good as to explain thy request,” she asked Pinkie.

“Well of course. Twilight is missing. And that's a mystery. And whenever you have a mystery, the only way to solve it is to look for clues. And that's how you find out who done did what to who for whatever reason.”

Upon hearing that, Applejack and Rainbow Dash hoofed their faces, while Fluttershy preferred to conceal her face behind her pink mane. Rarity too, might have hoofed her face, except it would have dirtied her coat. Celestia simply looked on with interest, though her eyes seemed to sparkle a little brighter.

“And art thou proficient in the art of finding such clues?” Luna asked.

“Yeppers. Twilight showed me how. I even solved the mystery of who ate the Chef's Contest Entries on the train as we were traveling to the National Dessert Competition.”

“Perhaps Pinkie, it would be in all our interests if we all go inside the library and start 'looking for clues' as you put it.” Celestia interrupted her sister's impending reply.

Soon they had all entered the library.

Luna was temporarily engrossed with the antics of Pinkie Pie. No sooner had they entered the library than the pink mare had whipped out a magnifying glass from some unknown location, and was currently crawling about, examining every surface imaginable.

“Hey, guys.” Applejack called out, ignoring Pinkie, “Let's say we split up, each of us take a room an check it over for anything unusual.”

“Like, what are we looking for?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Ah don't rightly know Rainbow. Just anything that feels odd or out of place or wrong somehow. I'll take the kitchen and the bathroom. Rainbow, Fluttershy, maybe you two could check out the bedroom and the upper loft.” Applejack directed.

“What about me?” Rarity inquired.

“Don' know. Looks like Pinkie is already doing the main library. Maybe ya could check out the basement.”

“Oh, all right.” Rarity agreed.

Spike was wringing his claws nervously. He just knew that Twilight would freak out when she learned that both princesses had been inside and had seen the disheveled state of her home.

“Can I get you something? Some tea perhaps?” Spike asked the princesses nervously.

“Please stay calm Spike.” Celestia urged Spike. “We are not here to be accommodated in comfort. We are here to learn what became of Twilight. Could you please tell us where you last saw her.”

“Sh-She was in her study. Reading a book.”

“Could you please take us to Twilight's study?” Celestia asked. Luna tore herself away from the sight of a pink mare creeping on the wall and followed after.

Celestia was glad she had followed Pinkie's suggestion after all. What they found in the study was most unusual.

“Eeek!” Rarity's scream, practically a shriek, echoed through the library.

Applejack raced out of the kitchen back into the main room of the library, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew down from the upper floors. Both Celestia and Luna teleported back into the main room in two bright flashes of light. Even Pinkie paused in her search for clues.

They all arrived just in time to see Rarity come dashing up from the basement shaking her mane and tail violently. “Eww! Ugh! Yuck! Get off of me!”

“Rarity, what happened?” Applejack demanded.

“You would not believe how dirty it was down there. When I turned on the lights, I was surrounded on all sides by dusty surfaces. In a sudden fright, I backed right into a spider's web. Oh my tail. My beautiful tail.” Rarity swished her hind appendage, its wavy curls bouncing. “It’s got dusty spiderwebs all over it. I shall have to wash it as soon as possible.”

The two princesses hid their smiles behind their hooves. All the other girls grinned openly, except for Fluttershy, who hid her smirk behind her mane.

“Oh, Rarity, the way ya carry on sometimes, always about a little bit a good clean dirt.” Applejack scoffed. “Come on everypony, let’s get back to looking for clues.”

“Actually everypony.” Celestia interrupted. “We may have found what we are looking for up in Twilight's study. Please join us there.” The two alicorns teleported away again.

Spike had been waddling down the stairs to see what all the fuss was about. He had just reached the bottom when all the girls scrambled past him on the way up.

“Aw! Come On!” Spike called out in exasperation, reversing course and waddling upwards again.

The girls crowded around the two princesses in the study. What they saw was a scene of minor devastation. A burned and charred book lay open upon Twilight's desk. Scraps of paper, both burned and unburned lay scattered for several feet about the destroyed tome.

“Well, I'll be. What could a caused all this.” Applejack voiced her thoughts.

“I agree, this mess is so unlike Twilight.” Rarity added.

“Well where you guys see a mess, I see clues.” added Pinkie brightly, pushing her way through the group.

“Indeed, and what clues do you see?” inquired the Solar Princess.

“Just give me a minute. I need to look over everything. Not having all the clues can cause you to jump to the wrong conclusion.”

The other ponies snickered at that statement because that was exactly what they expected Pinkie to do. Pinkie, of course, was oblivious to their amusement.

All the girls watched, slightly embarrassed for her, as Pinkie repeated her ridiculous performance with the magnifying glass. This time however, the pink mare spent some considerable time studying every fragment of paper, and then the charred book itself, tilting it up gently to peek at the back side of its cover. Pinkie even looked through the contents of the waste-paper basket.

Nopony, except Princess Celestia, noticed that Pinkie never disturbed a single item. Though it appeared she was running rough-shod over everything, not the tiniest scrap of paper was moved in the slightest. Not a fleck of ash fell off of the book.

Finally Pinkie completed her investigations. She found a clear spot somewhat off to the side of the desk and sat down facing the others. A thoughtful frown was upon her face as she blew a few bubbles from the pipe.

Celestia tittered softly and hid her smile behind a hoof, though she quickly brought her expression under control. “Pinkie, could you please tell us what you found?” she asked.

“I'm not totally sure.” She replied, still frowning and blowing bubbles. “But I think it was the book that made Twilight disappear.”

The other girls wore expressions of gaping astonishment.

“I knew it. She’s gone completely random,” Rainbow commented on Pinkie's behaviour. The other mares voiced murmurs of agreement.

“Dost thou offer any proof of thine assertion.” asked Princess Luna.

“Well first off, this was a new book that Twilight had just received. She had just opened it.”

“My dear Pinkie, how did you reach that conclusion?” Celestia asked.

“Well, in this wastepaper basket I found three items.” Pinkie hauled out a mass of torn brown wrapping paper. “The first was this wrapping paper; it appears to have been addressed to Twilight Sparkle, care of Rarity at the Carousel Boutique.”

All eyes and not a few frowns turned towards Rarity. The pupils of her eyes grew wide as she suddenly became the focus of everypony's attention.

“I-I didn't know what that was. About two weeks ago Twilight told me that she was expecting a package and that it would be delivered to my place of business because…” Rarity's voice trailed off.

“Because what, Rarity? What do you know about this package?” demanded a suspicious Rainbow.

“I-I'd rather not say. Please don't make me.” Rarity whimpered.

“Rarity. If thou knowest something that could lead us to Twilight's recovery, t'were wise not to conceal it.” Luna advised the white mare.

Rarity wilted under the princesses’ gaze, “Twilight said it was part of a special birthday present for Spike. It was supposed to be a secret. I'm sorry Spike, now I ruined your surprise.”

Spike started tearing up again. Just the thought that Twilight had gotten into trouble while doing something for him was like a terrible burden.

“Oh don't worry Rarity. You didn't ruin it. It was ruined already.” Pinkie pointed at the charred remains of the book. Upon hearing those words Spike let out a sob. Fluttershy rubbed a consoling hoof along his tiny back.

“So the mystery of the book is explained…” began Celestia.

“Not quite.” Interrupted Pinkie, blowing a few more bubbles for emphasis. “The second item I found was this.” she held up a card.

“Well what so special about a card?” asked Rainbow impatiently.

“The card reads, and I quote, 'The House of Enchanted Comics (HEC) thanks you for your purchase of this pre-enchanted literary blank.'. The book on her desk happens to have been a pre-enchanted literary blank, that Twilight special ordered from a company called The House of Enchanted Comics.”

“I am unfamiliar with any such company.” said Princess Celestia.

“And what, pray tell, is a literary blank?” Luna added.

“Oh my, that name sounds familiar.” murmured Fluttershy.

“Ah agree. Ah think I heard that name before as well.” added Applejack.

“Well, it should.” Pinkie reminded everyone. “Don't you remember that time we all got pulled into Spike's Power Ponies comic book?” Again she puffed a few more bubbles from the pipe.

“Oh, I don't want to remember. I became so violent.”, “My character was Lightning Lame!”, “Oh yes, creating accessories on demand was lots of fun.”, “Grr, I got hogtied by my own rope.” All the girls recalled the incident quite well.

“Girls.” Princess Celestia interrupted, “Could you tell me more about that incident? It seems it might be the key to understanding what happened here.”

“Ahem. Perhaps I should start. It was my comic book after all” Spike volunteered.

“Of course Spike. Please begin.” Celestia agreed.

“It happened about one month ago. We had all planned on spending the day at your old castle, the one in the Everfree forest, fixing it up. Unfortunately, I wasn't much help to the girls and ended up being told by Twilight to take it easy and to go finish reading my comic book. So I did that.

“Well, I was surprised when the story suddenly ended on a blank page. Down at the bottom of the blank page was some really small fine print. I needed a magnifying glass to be able to read it. It said 'You can return to the place you started when the Maneiac is defeated. Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book.'

“And as soon as I had read that, a really bright light shone out of the blank page and it pulled me inside. Twilight must have seen what was happening because she grabbed onto me and tried to pull me out. But the pull of the book was too strong for us.”

“And I grabbed Twilight.” Rainbow Dash added.

“An ah grabbed Rainbow.” added Applejack.

“And then both Fluttershy and I grabbed onto Applejack.” added Rarity.

“And I jumped in because it looked like they were having fun.” finished Pinkie.

“So as I understand it, a spell on this 'comic book' was strong enough to pull all six of you inside.” commented Celestia.

“What did you encounter while inside the book,” Luna asked curiously.

“Well, it was a whole other world, with buildings an places and other ponies. Funny thing was, we all ended up in some really weird costumes an had some freaky unnatural powers an stuff.” Applejack stated bluntly.

Celestia and Luna traded a significant look with each other.

Luna used sound dampening magic to have a private conversation with Celestia, “It sounds as if–”

“Indeed it does dear sister.” Celestia interrupted her. “It is most disquieting to imagine such a dangerous and forbidden spell as that one is being used so frivolously.”

“We shall investigate immediately.” replied Luna, preparing to teleport.

“Wait Luna. Try to be discreet yet thorough before you take action. We do not wish the proprietors of this business to escape through some advance warning or any oversight on our part. If they have knowingly been using forbidden spells, then they may have prepared themselves for a hasty exit.”

Luna nodded her agreement and then vanished in a bright flash of light as she teleported herself back to Canterlot.

While the Princesses had their own private conversation, Applejack asked a question, “Pinkie, are ya saying that Twilight was trying to make a comic book for Spike?”

“Mm-Hm. That's right. And it would have been a really super-duper surprise too. We all know that Spike is a little bored with Twilight's presents.

The ponies all nodded knowingly while Spike folded his arms together, assuming a defiant look. “Come on." He interjected. "You all know that it's always a book.”

Pinkie continued. “Well imagine Spike’s surprise when his 'just another book' present turned out to be a special book that Twilight put together herself, just for him. And besides that, it was a magic book, letting you experience the adventure just like that comic book did to us.”

“She wanted to do that for me?” Spike looked up at the girls, tears in his eyes again.

“Yes, of course, my little Spikey-Wikey. Why wouldn't Twilight want to make a wonderful surprise for her number one assistant?” Rarity cheered the dragon. Spike hiccuped as he fought conflicting strong emotions, simultaneously happy yet fighting the tears of his terrible loss.

“Spike” asked the Princess. “Do you still have that comic book?”

“N-No. Pri-hic! Princess. It va-hic! Vanished after that. Hic!” Spike replied. “I looked everywhere b-hic! But I couldn't find it again.”

“Hmm. That is unfortunate. Let us hope that Luna has better luck in tracking down this 'House of Enchanted Comics.'”

“He-Hem.” Pinkie had returned to her pose again, with the serious look on her face and the blowing of bubbles.

“Yes, Pinkie. Did you have anything further to add?” the Princess inquired.

“Yep, I do. Twilight was sitting right in front of that book when it exploded.”

“What?” six other voices asked simultaneously.

“Please explain your reasoning.” urged Princess Celestia.

“You see all those bits and pieces of paper lying around?”

“Yeah. So what, it's just trash.” Rainbow offered her own evaluation.

“Not quite. Those blank pieces of paper must have come from the book when it exploded. And if you look carefully, you will see that there are pieces of paper everywhere, except for this clean area right here that looks like a wedge pointing straight back at the book.

“I think Twilight was sitting right there, in front of the book, and her body blocked the spray of exploding bits of paper. I see that all the time when I shoot my party cannon.”

“Well that's fine and all. But where is Twilight?” demanded Rainbow Dash, growing exasperated with the slow pace of the investigation.

“I think I can answer that Rainbow Dash.” Princess Celestia spoke up. “Twilight was pulled into that book.”

“WHAT?” All the ponies exclaimed simultaneously.

They all turned to look in horror at the burned and charred remains of the literary blank.

Spike fainted.

Author's Note

Author's Note:

Some of you may be wondering at how seriously Pinkie is behaving.
Well Pinkie is always a strange character, and playing Sherlock Holmes would only be a fun game to her.
And as always her mysterious abilities do kick in at the oddest times, especially when they are needed in order to make a difference.
In this case, her random powers are working overtime in order to make her an 'effective' detective.
Trust me, it cannot last.

Second, I must comment about Luna's old style equish. I realize that in more recent episodes of MLP, her speech has improved.
Here, the stress of worry over Twilight is causing her to revert somewhat.
Other than that, all grammatical and wording mistakes are mine.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

Edited Oct 18, 2016. Edited with ‘Grammarly’ software.

5. One of those things

Mike had a few things to worry about.

Twilight's freaky psychokinetic display had disturbed him greatly. It did not help that she had called it 'Magic.' As if putting a childish label on it made any difference. No, Mike had begun to worry for his personal safety. Flying Purple Pony People Eaters? No problem! But this pony had shown him some real, inexplicable powers. Mike could not conceive of any way he might resist such powers.

When Twilight requested his help to lower herself down again, he had been afraid to touch her.

Just act casual, he thought, as he worked up the courage to approach her again.

After he had helped her to get settled down again, Mike continued to struggle with himself.

Calm down. You've already slept the night together without coming to harm. Mike argued to himself.

She was unconscious then. Now she's dangerous! He countered himself.

She isn't unconscious now. She's showed no intention of hurting me. Another reversal.

I need to get out of here. Just – put some distance between Twilight and myself. Give myself some time to think.

While dithering to himself about what to do, Mike's eyes had caught sight of his alarm clock. He was suddenly reminded that it was Sunday and that he had planned on attending Church services that morning. In fact, for that Sunday in particular, his attendance was particularly important. Mike latched on to the idea like a drowning man clutching at a Life Preserver.

Yeah. I’m going to Church.

Mike asked Twilight, “Are you going to be alright if I leave you alone for a while? Like, for a few hours? There are some things I need to take care of.” Mike was quite relieved at her reply.

Rushing to his closet Mike grabbed the clothing he referred to as his 'Sunday best'. First stop, the bathroom.

As he flushed the toilet, he remembered that his plumbing would soon lose water pressure. Mike had to make do, washing his hands and face with a minimum of cold water. Shaving was a rather hurried and unpleasant experience. After that, he got fully dressed.

Sneaking back into the bedroom to get his dress shoes, Mike observed that Twilight had fallen asleep again. Despite his worries and fears, he found the sight intriguing

This is so weird. There's a purple pony lying on my pillow. And, if I ignore how dangerous she is, I might even say that she looks kind of cute.

Shaking his head and worrying for his sanity, Mike left the house.

Everything was working together to delay Mike that morning.

First off, the power outage prevented his garage's automatic door opener from working. To raise it manually, he had first needed to chip off the ice which welded it to the concrete floor of the garage.

Next, Mike discovered that not all the roads had been salted yet. Apparently, the Salters had been busy all night, just keeping the major roads and highways clear. A good third of Mike's travel was on lesser side-roads. And they were covered with a thick layer of ice. Mike had to drive very slowly and carefully on those roads.

Arriving late at the Church, Mike discovered that his worrying had been for naught. It turned out that the start of Church services had been delayed by nearly an hour.

Overall, it was a successful service, despite the thin turnout. Mike had contributed adequately to the special choir performance being put on that morning. Mike, as well as several other men, had allowed themselves to be cajoled into joining a special Christmas choir ensemble. Those special songs did of course sound so much nicer when performed with male accompaniment.

After completing his part in the choir performance, Mike sat down to brood over his situation, while ostensibly listening to the sermon.

Having distanced himself from his fears, both physically by distance, and by totally forgetting about them during his white-knuckle drive over icy roads, Mike came to the conclusion that he should give Twilight a chance. Truthfully, she had not done anything to harm him, nor even threaten him.

Having put his fears in their place, Mike began to worry for his special guest. It hadn’t been right to leave Twilight all alone to herself. She was still ill, though she probably needed nothing more than some bed rest. But here he was, at Church.

Mike worried that the power might still be out and that the house would slowly be getting colder. Already that morning, the inside temperature had felt like it was only fifteen degrees. Mike did have a backup generator, but it was out of commission at the moment.

But most of all Mike fretted about the very existence of the alien pony.

What am I going to do with her? I can't tell anyone. I don't know anyone that I can trust.

Could I tell the pastor, or maybe one of the deacons? No! I don't know them well enough. They'll be sure to freak!

What does she need? Does she have some special dietary requirement that I can't meet?

How long is she going to stay?

Why was she wandering around in the storm? She nearly died out there.

Is she a criminal or a refugee or something? Is that why she did something so desperate?

Did she crash her spaceship nearby? I’ll bet it's packed with all sorts of amazing technology.

I don't know anything about her, except that she's an ALIEN – and a pony.

I never should have left her alone!

Though he tried several times, Mike simply could not put his focus on the worship service. He may as well have stayed at home. The thought only added to his misery.

It was a relief when the service finally ended. As politely as possible, Mike bolted for the door.

Mike was an experienced winter driver. But he had never seen such sights he was driving past today, both now and earlier.

He was constantly amazed by the sheer extent of the destruction caused by the ice storm. Everywhere he looked, trees were broken. Massive branches were lying on the ground, shattered debris lay strewn about. Great wooden wounds decorated the tree trunks above. Places where those trunks had formerly been graced by branches.

Mike turned on his radio and listened to the special news reports that spewed out continuously. They only underscored how badly the storm had affected everyone. Why, in the city of Toronto alone, initial reports claimed nearly 100,000 people were without power.

Mike was now seriously concerned about how long the power failure would last at his house. With this many people in the cities and towns suffering power failures, it might take days to restore power to his home out in the countryside. The cities always took precedence over the countryside.

To his growing worries over Twilight and how he had abandoned her, Mike now added the conviction that his home would be suffering a prolonged power outage. With that thought, Mike turned his truck around and made his way back towards town.

Mike, who lived in a renovated farmhouse out in the countryside, was quite familiar with power failures. Consequently, he had acquired and installed an emergency generator. Just two weeks ago, during a test, he found out that it was not working. According to the diagnostic displays, the generator simply needed a new battery.

Back in town again, Mike started searching for a battery. The first store he tried was closed. Impromptu signs pasted onto its doors announcing that it was 'closed due to the power failure.' The second store he tried had a similar sign. Mike remembered that his church had had power, so he kept searching.

Finally, at a time well past one p.m., Mike managed to locate a store that was open for business on the other side of town.

Mike walked up to the automotive counter and waited for a service agent to notice him. Even though he was the only customer, it took a few moments before a service agent took any notice.

“Hello, sir. How can I help you?”

“Hi, I need a battery-” Mike proceeded to give the agent the relevant details.

Soon the transaction was accomplished, though Mike figured that he had been gouged. It was probably the most expensive battery they had available. He did not care, however, because, by this point he just wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

A sudden worry struck Mike. “Does this battery need to be charged before I can use it?”

“No, sir. All our new batteries are fully charged, and can be used immediately.”

Mike was happy to avoid any further delays. The agent claimed he was glad to help cart the heavy battery out to Mike’s truck.

In short order, Mike was finally back on the road, headed home.

I hope everything's okay with Twilight, Mike thought to himself.

It was getting closer to two-thirty when Mike's truck finally drove up to his home. Mike parked in his driveway at a point that was closest to his home's back door. Exiting the vehicle, he walked cautiously up the ice-covered walkway.

Need to throw some salt on that. He reminded himself.

Reaching his back door, Mike pulled out his keychain, unlocked the door and stepped inside.

I was hoping it would be warmer. But it’s getting pretty cold in here. Mike could see the fog from his breath. “Right... I need to get some power restored.”

Mike headed towards his bedroom, intending to change out of his 'Sunday best'. As he passed his living room, he noticed the lavender pony lying upon his couch.

Twilight appeared to be asleep. Mike stood there observing her for a moment. She was curled up, rather like a cat or a dog, with her side pressing against the back of the sofa for some warmth. As he watched, Mike noticed a tiny shiver shake her exposed flank.

Give her a chance Mike. Be friendly and maybe it will work out okay.

Remembering his decision to give her a chance, Mike cautiously approached Twilight. After taking only a single step, he halted again. Mike could see faint whitish tracks in Twilight's fur, running down from her eyes on either side of her muzzle.

She's been crying, Mike thought to himself, astounded by the sound of his heart breaking.

If there was one thing that moved Mike, it was tears. Instantly, in his mind, Twilight had become that much more human. He suddenly found it hard to think of her as being extraordinalrily dangerous.

Mike. You dummy! He chastised himself. You've been selfishly gallivanting around all this time, and she's been stuck here all alone, crying.

Do Something! Mike twitched in response to his mental imperative.

Mike approached Twilight. Squatting down so that he would not loom over her, he gently laid his hand upon her withers, shaking her gently.

“Hey!” he whispered. “Wake up Twilight. You'll catch a chill if you keep on sleeping there.”

The alien pony stirred a bit but settled down again. “Just five more minutes.”

Mike continued patiently. “Twilight… Twilight…”

Twilight finally responded to Mike's repeated calls, opening her eyes.

“Wha–. Oh, Mike. You're back. I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep like that.”

“It’s alright Twilight. I'm the one who should apologize. I should never have left you all alone in the first place.”

“No. No. I'm fine, perfectly fine. All better now. See.” Twilight clambered down off the couch. She then proceeded to stretch her muscles. Again, Mike was reminded of a cat.

“Well, I'm glad to see you've had a speedy recovery, but I can tell that something is bothering you.”

“What? No. Wh-Whatever gave you that idea?” Twilight replied.

Mike paused in his reply, considering how to approach this. He was no good at the personal and sensitive stuff. “Twilight, I can see tear-tracks on your face. You've been crying.”

At this revelation, Twilight immediately turned her face away and began to scrub at the tear tracks with a forelimb.

Mike continued. “And the first thing that comes to my mind was that I had hurt you by leaving you all alone.” Twilight suddenly turned back to look at him, astonishment apparent on her face.

Mike went on. “Now maybe I hurt you. And maybe it's got nothing to do with me. But I am still to blame for leaving you here to face your burdens all alone. I would like, no I need, to ask you for your forgiveness.

"It may be that your concerns are none of my business. I won't press you about them. But if you are willing to share those concerns, I would be willing to listen, and maybe I could even help. It's what a friend would do.”

As he was speaking, Twilight had simply stared at Mike, her teeth worrying her lower lip. Still, she did not say anything. After he finished his little speech, however, she suddenly gave him a timid smile.

“No Mike, you haven’t hurt me. Do you really consider me to be your friend?” she asked.

“Well, maybe it’s too early to be throwing around that word so casually. But, yes, I would like us to become friends.”

“Yes! I'd be happy to call you my friend too!” Twilight smiled broadly.

Oh Yeah, thought Mike. No mistake about it. That's a smile!

Mike still had no idea what she had been crying about. But at least she seemed to be happy now.

Abruptly Mike stood up and left the room. A moment later he came back carrying a cardigan sweater-vest, holding it up in front of Twilight. “Here put this on. I don't want you catching a chill. This house is starting to get really cold.”

“You’re right. It is pretty cold in here.” Twilight's eyes comically crossed as she noticed her own breath for the first time.

“Twilight, I'm very sorry. But I need to go outside again to see if I can fix the emergency generator. If I don't fix it, this house will keep getting even colder. Will you be okay without me?”

Twilight took a moment to consider the matter, but just as she was opening her mouth to reply, Mike interjected, “I promise I won't be far away. The generator is located just outside, behind the garage, the building closest to this house.”

Twilight smiled. Yet again astonishing Mike with her human mannerisms.

“Could I come with you?” her reply surprised Mike. “Maybe I could help.”

“If you think you’re feeling well enough, then I don't mind. Here take this sweater.” Mike held up the cardigan again and shook it in front of her.

“Thank you, but I won't need that. As long as I'm awake, I won't have any trouble keeping myself warm.”

Mike looked at her dubiously. “And who was it that I found at my doorstep last night, half frozen to death?”

“That was something different. I just couldn’t handle that freaky rain. It was unnatural. What was it?”

“It's called freezing rain. But can we save that conversation for later? Right now we had better get started. It will be getting dark in an hour or so.”

“Really?” she exclaimed. “What time is it now?”

Mike stretched out his arm to check his watch, “Oh it's about three right now. But it will be getting noticeably darker in another hour.”

Twilight had a puzzled look on her face. Mike just knew she was going to keep the conversation going with more questions. “Excuse me,” he interrupted. “But I need to change my clothes into something more appropriate for working on the generator.”

Twilight's expression took on a slightly disappointed look.

“Whatever you were about to say, we can discuss it later.” The words hung in the air as Mike left the room abruptly.

Mike ran upstairs to change his clothes. He also made a quick trip to the washroom, where he noticed that the toilet had stopped flushing. Twilight must have used up all the water remaining in the main pressure tank.

Mike returned downstairs. “Okay, Twilight. I'm ready.” He said while slipping on a navy blue ski Jacket.

Mike proceeded through the kitchen towards his back door, the sound of Twilight's hooves clopping along behind him. He turned about, looking appraisingly at her.

“What?” she asked.

“I think it’s going to take a while for the two of us to get used to each other's presence. The sound of your hooves on the vinyl flooring was quite – unusual.”

Twilight's ears dropped back for a moment then rose up again.

“Don't worry about it,” she said with a smile. “Friends adapt. I could tell you that I too find some of your behaviors to be irritating.” Twilight ended her speech with a challenging grin, “We can discuss it later.”

Not taking the bait just offered by Twilight, Mike resumed his preparations for venturing outside, putting on boots, hat, and gloves. Mike spoke as he was stepping outside, holding the door for Twilight.

“Careful Twilight, everything is still covered in ice. It’s very slippery out there.”

Twilight did not bother to reply as she cautiously stepped out upon the ice covered stoop. She looked around curiously.

“You know,” she spoke up. “When I arrived here last night, it was too dark to see anything, but this, this is amazing.”

Mike saw that she was staring at the few trees decorating the grounds surrounding the house. Their branches shimmered in the late afternoon light, all covered in a crystal sheath of ice.

“I don't suppose those are Willow trees?” Twilight asked.

“Huh? No, those are Maples. Why do you ask?” replied Mike as he approached his truck and opened one of the rear passenger doors.

“Oh. Well the way the branches were bent all the way down to the ground, they kind of looked like Willows.”

“What's that?” Twilight suddenly asked.

Mike grunted as he lifted the battery out of the truck. “This? This is a battery.”

“No, not that. That, the large object you are standing beside. It looks like some kind of carriage.”

“Well yeah. I guess you could liken it to a carriage. But it’s properly called a truck. Now come on. It's getting late.” Mike huffed as he attempted to traverse the icy ground while holding the heavy battery.

Apparently noticing his struggles, Twilight offered to help. “I can carry that for you.”

“No offense Twilight, but you're such a tiny thing. I think I can manage.”

“No really. Here I'll take it.” Twilight's horn lit up as she lifted the battery out of Mike’s hands.

“Yaaah!” Mike screamed in surprise. As the battery lifted away, the sudden shift to his center of gravity caused him to fall backwards. He landed rather heavily on his butt.

“Mike! I'm so sorry. Are you alright?” Twilight asked him anxiously.

Mike took stock of what had happened, from his sore behind, to the battery which continued to float in mid-air, surrounded by a rose colored nimbus of light. “Twilight–” Mike paused.

“Y-Yes,” she replied rather timidly.

“Do you remember when I mentioned that some things about each other would take a while to get used to?” Mike paused again.

“Yes.” she replied.

“Well, this was one of those things.”

An awkward silence ensued as Twilight absorbed Mikes rebuke. She hung her head low.

Now Mike felt guilty. It was apparent that he had bruised Twilight's feelings when she had only been trying to help. He looked at the battery again. “I'm sorry Twilight. I shouldn't have sounded so cross; you were only trying to help. However, I see now that you can hold that heavy battery without any difficulty.

“Twilight, could you help me out, by carrying that battery the rest of the way?”

Twilight raised her head and returned a smile.

Somehow, Mike thought to himself, I think I managed to say the right thing again.

“Come on,” Mike got up off the ground, and resumed his careful walk towards the back of the garage. Twilight followed behind, walking equally carefully.

They came upon the generator immediately after turning the corner around the back of the garage. It appeared to be nothing so much as a large rectangular steel cabinet.

Mike knelt down beside it. After un-dogging several latches, he was able to remove a large panel and set it aside.

“You can put that thing down now,” Mike instructed Twilight, noticing that she was still levitating the battery. She promptly lowered it to the snow.

“Let’s see now,” Mike voiced as he stuck his head inside the box, attempting to get a good view of the battery connectors. Mike suddenly noticed that Twilight had also stuck her head into the box alongside his own.

“You see that battery there,” he remarked conversationally, pointing at the device. “We need to remove it and install the new one."

“Hold it!” he said, as soon as he saw a rosy glow appear around the old battery. “Not yet. I still need to disconnect it.”

“Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away.” Twilight apologized sheepishly, rubbing a hoof alongside the back of her head. Mike was amazed at how familiar her gesture seemed to him.

Mike turned his attention back to the generator. “Looks like I will need some tools to remove those battery leads. Wait, here while I go fetch them.”

“Wait!” Twilight stopped him. She frowned briefly in concentration as her horn glowed brightly. A beam of light shot out from her horn, and a wrench appeared in mid-air, hovering in front of Mike. “Will this do?” she asked.

Mike's eyes opened wide. For a while he just stared at the wrench, his thoughts were whirling around.

Don't freak. Don't freak. Don't freak. Don't freak

Ahhh the heck with it! It’s just a wrench, right?

With a glare at Twilight, Mike grabbed the wrench out of mid-air. He returned to the generator and started in on it without a pause.

Amidst the sounds of his tinkering, Mike's voice echoed out from inside the generator casing, “Twilight… You did it to me again.” There was a plaintive note in his voice.

Twilight giggled. “Sorry. I can't help it. It just comes so naturally to me that I–”

“It's okay. I do admit that it was useful. It's just so…” Mike sighed, unwilling to chastise Twilight any further.

Mike pulled back from the generator housing. “There, it’s disconnected. Twilight, if you would do the honors, please.”

Twilight levitated the two batteries and quickly swapped them.

Look at that. She's floating two heavy batteries around like it’s nothing. That’s so amazing! Gone now was the fear that Mike had experienced earlier in the day.

In short order, Mike attached the battery terminals to the new battery. Rising up from his labors, he stepped to the side and touched a control on the generator. Several lights, both red and green lit up.

“Is that all?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Wait for it.”

“Wait for what? Mike, is something supposed to happen?”

After a moment the generator started whining and shuddering. Finally, a loud roaring noise burst forth. Twilight leaped backwards in sudden fright.

The roar of the generator diminished as Mike replaced the access panel. “Thanks for the assist Twilight, here's your wrench back. Twilight?” Getting no reply, Mike became aware that that the curious pony was missing.

Looking about, he spied Twilight about two meters behind him. She appeared to be getting up off the ground. What is she doing on the ground, and why is she way back there? Mike thought.

“What…” his voice trailed off.

Twilight finished getting up and stared contemplatively at Mike. After a moment she spoke, “Mike, do you remember when you told me that some things we found out about each other would take some getting used to?” He nodded.

“Well, now it's my turn to say 'This was one of those things.'” She had a tiny smile on her face.

Mike smiled in return, “Heh...”

Mike found himself trying to hold back his laughter. “Hmpfh…” his face contorted with the strain.

“Hee hee,” Twilight began to titter at the silly look on his face.

“Hah! Hah! Hah!—” Mike finally burst out, Twilight's laughs joining with his “Hah Hah-”

“Hah! Hah! Ha-AAUUUGGHH!” Mike's laughter shook him so hard he lost his footing on the icy surface, landing him again on his abused posterior. “Ow!”

“Hah! Hah! Hah!” Twilight was shaking hard with laughter as well. She lifted a forelimb to wipe away some tears from her eyes. “Hah! Hah! H-waaahhh!-” Twilight's three-limbed stance proved insufficient as the icy surface claimed its second victim. “-Oof!”

From his position, sitting on the ground, Mike witnessed Twilight's pratfall. Throwing back his head he began laughing like a hyena. “Hahahahahaha–”

“Hah! Hah! Hah!–” Spurred on by Mike's escalating hilarity, Twilight rejoined the laughter.

The laughter continued in waves for over a minute before it eventually died down.

That felt good, Mike thought, smiling broadly to himself.

“Thanks,” Twilight spoke, “it felt good to laugh. I've kind of been worried and upset lately.”

Mike remembered the evidence of her tears he had seen on her face earlier. He suddenly realized that he was not the only one who might be unsure of their current situation and recent events. “No. Thank you, Twilight. The truth is, I've been having a lot of worries as well. But I kind of feel a lot better now.”

Mike smiled at Twilight. She returned one of her own as they both proceed to get up on their feet, or in Twilight's case, their hooves, again.

Mike dusted the snow off of himself in a reflex action, though there was virtually no need. The ground was coated with a heavy layer of clear ice, and though his fall had cracked through it, no snow had stuck to his clothing.

Mike looked around trying to locate Twilight's wrench. “Twilight, I think I lost your wrench. Do you see it anywhere?”

“Don't worry about it Mike. It’s probably vanished by now.”

“Please, Twilight. I don't want you to think that I'm the kind of guy who goes around losing your stuff.” He started pacing around in circles, looking carefully at the ground.

Twilight tittered, drawing Mike's attention. She continued, “No Mike, I'm not saying that about you. You see, magically created objects are not real. They are created by establishing a concentration of magical energy. A suitable spell matrix is then used to modify and shape an inverse kinetic field. But eventually the inverse kinetic field will use up all the magical energy it was imbued with, and the 'object' will disappear, usually after only a short duration.

“I suppose you could say that this is just another 'one of those things.'”

“Oh,” Mike replied, not understanding much of anything Twilight had said, “well, alright then. Come on, let's get back to the house. The job's not over yet.”

They proceeded cautiously back to the house, re-entering it via the back door.

During their excursion, short as it was, the house seemed to have become even colder. Though it was warmer inside that it was outside, Mike had little inclination to remove his coat.

Walking over to the kitchen counter, Mike picked up a flashlight. He always kept one there, so he could easily find it in case of emergencies.

Leaving the room, Mike walked a short way down the hallway, reaching the door which hid the stairs leading to his basement. Turning on his flashlight, he proceeded down. Twilight followed him down as well.

Mike made his way to the wall where the service panel was situated. Shining his light about, he quickly located the cutover switch for the generator and threw it. It made a clunking noise.

Within seconds, sounds began to emanate from the other parts of the basement. The furnace announced itself with a whirring noise, followed by a wooshing boom as the burner ignited.

In another part of the basement, the water pump added its shrill noise to the cacophonous symphony of sound.

“Eeep!” Mike heard a shriek from somewhere near the stairway, accompanied by a clatter of nervous hooves tapping on the concrete floor.

“Sorry Twilight!” Mike called out in the dark, “what you are hearing are the sounds of the water pump and the furnace–” A booming rumble started up, joining the existing noises, interrupting Mike.

“And that new sound is also from the furnace; I guess it’s all just another 'one of those things.' I'm so used to all these noises that I never think twice about them.”

Returning to the foot of the stairs, Mike switched on the lights, illuminating the basement. Twilight stood to the side; her ears were lowered while her body held a posture of wariness.

How is it possible that I can recognize her body language? She's an alien. Mike wondered.

“Come on; I'll give you a quick tour, to show you what’s causing those noises.” Mike walked over to his furnace. Twilight followed, finally perking her ears up.

“Over here, as you can see, is the big noisemaker, the furnace–”

“What do you use a furnace for?” Twilight interrupted.

“Wha–” Mike was so startled, he gaped like a fish. “You don't know what a furnace is for?”

“Of course I do. Furnaces are used for heating or smelting metals, but I don't see any evidence of metal work being done down here.”

Mike was so flabbergasted at her assumption that it took him a few moments to compose a suitable reply. “Yes, of course, there are furnaces used for such purposes. This unit, however, is a little different, it heats air. Air is circulated through those large ducts you see leading into the furnace at the bottom and out of it at the top. A powerful fan is used to keep the air moving and circulating throughout the house, keeping it warm. Most of the noise you're hearing is from that fan.”

“Oh I see,” said Twilight, “at home, we simply burn wood in our fireplaces. Magical conduits carry the heat around to the rest of the building. In fact, you too have a fireplace; I saw it in one of the rooms upstairs. Why aren’t you heating your home with that?”

“Fireplaces are inefficient. Nearly all the heat from the fire goes straight up the chimney. This furnace, however, is something like 95% efficient. Only five percent of the heat is lost out through the chimney.”

“Well, I never before thought about the efficiency of fireplaces. They simply are.” Twilight paused with a thoughtful look, “I guess this is another ‘one of those things' again.

“You know. I don't see any wood lying around, and I don't see any chimney. Do you heat with some form of magic? I'd be very interested in knowing what it is.”

“Magic? There’s no such thing.” Mike expostulated.” Ahem. Sorry, I mean that we don’t know of any such thing.” He corrected himself, observing Twilight start to bristle at his first statement.

“Perhaps the closest thing we have to something like you suggested would be an electric furnace. Forget about those, this furnace burns propane gas.”

“What?!” she exclaimed, “But that's dangerous. Don't tell me you are dumping combustion products directly into the air we are breathing?” Twilight started backing away, turning towards the stairway.

“Relax Twilight; you're safe. “ Twilight paused in her flight to safety. “The fire is contained within a hermetically sealed steel box. Fresh air for the flame is brought in through this pipe here, and the exhaust gasses go outside the house via that pipe there.”

As Mike expounded on the inner workings of the furnace, Twilight returned, giving the furnace a closer scrutiny. “Flames, blowers, pipes, and ducts; fireplaces are so much simpler.”

“Yes and no,” countered Mike. “This furnace offers a very high efficiency, so it only requires maybe one-twentieth of the fuel that a fireplace would require. The flame is smokeless, so there is no buildup of soot and creosote in the chimney, eliminating the risk of chimney fires. Neither are there any ashes needing to be cleaned up and removed. Finally, its operation is fully automatic. There is no need put on another log, or add more coal or some such.”

“Coal?” Twilight questioned. “You would consider burning coal as a means of heating your home?” She looked at Mike as if he were crazy.

“Of course not,” Mike replied, puzzled by her question. Human technology wasn’t that primitive anymore. “Sure, I’ll admit that at one time, about a hundred years ago, it was commonly burned to heat homes in this part of the world, but we don’t use it for that anymore.

“Why? Do you have a problem with our former use of coal?” Mike asked.

“Not really,” Twilight replied, somewhat defensively. “It’s just that where I come from coal is somewhat rare and very expensive. I’m surprised that you could even consider heating your home with it.”

“That’s surprising,” Mike replied, “we don’t use it much anymore, but by no means would I consider coal to be expensive.”

Twilight appeared to consider Mike's speech, eventually giving him a slight nod to show she understood.

Gah, all this discussion about a furnace? Furnaces are boring. What planet did you come from?

… Oh.

Okay, I've got to finish this tour.

“Moving right along,” Mike gestured towards a large cylindrical object, “this is the water heater. It’s simply a large tank full of hot water. It too burns propane gas to heat the water. If you listen carefully over all the other noises, you might hear its burner and exhaust blower running.

“Next, we have the water pump. Currently, this little noise demon is filling up that holding tank with water under pressure. It will stop automatically when the tank reaches capacity.”

The pump abruptly stopped, ending its annoying whine.

After a brief pause, Mike decided to wrap up his boring tour, “Over there, you see the electrical panel containing the circuit breakers. And over against that wall is my laundry area. And that door over there behind the stairs leads to my office.

“Any questions?”

Twilight stared at Mike. “Thank you, Mike. Yes, I do have more questions, but first, could I ask you for something to drink? I'm really thirsty.”

Mike smiled. “Of course Twilight.”

A sudden rumble echoed from her abdomen. “Heh heh. And could I ask you for a little something to eat as well?”

“Those are both very good ideas.” Mike gestured for Twilight to precede him up the stairs.

From the top of the stairs, Mike turned off the lights in his basement, plunging the hallway into even deeper darkness. “Excuse me Twilight.” He said as he passed her in the darkened hallway.

Mike entered his kitchen and turned on the lights.

“Let's see. Something to drink…” Mike began to ramble, “I have water, Orange juice, Coffee, Tea, Milk–”

“Tea!” Twilight interrupted, “Yes! Some Tea would be nice.”

“Tea it is then. Let's see, I've got Black Tea, I think I might have some Green Tea, and maybe some Herbal Tea.” Mike enumerated as he filled his electric kettle with water.

Mike set the kettle down on its contact pad and switched it on. “I have to warn you Twilight; I hardly ever drink Tea, so it might have gotten a little bit stale.”

“Stale? What do you mean stale?”

“Some of the Teas have been sitting on the shelf for two or more years.” Mike offered the explanation with a sheepish grin.

Twilight groaned and hooved her face, “Okay, let’s try the Black Tea. It's not my favorite, but that just means that I will be less disappointed if the taste is a little off.”

“Black it is.” Mike rummaged around in the cabinet containing his Tea pantry and came out with a pair of tea bags. Fetching two ceramic mugs, he dropped a tea bag into each.

“So, Twilight. You had some questions for me earlier today…”

“That's right, I had a question about that nasty rain, what did you call it,-”

“Freezing rain.”

“That's right, Freezing rain. I've never heard of anything like it. That's not to say it’s unknown in Equestria. While I do pride myself on my knowledge, I freely admit that there are a lot of things I don't know anything about. Could you tell me what you know about it?”

“Well,” said Mike, warming up to lecture mode, “Freezing Rain occurs when there is a thermal inversion. The ground and lower atmosphere is blanketed with a mass of cold air. And when I say cold, I mean its temperature is sub-freezing. Meanwhile, an approaching mass of warm moist air collides with the cold air and gets forced up over and on top of it. As it gains altitude, the moisture in the warm air mass condenses out as precipitation. Falling downward, the raindrops pass through the cold air mass and become supercooled. By that, I mean that the water in the raindrops is cooled to a temperature below the normal freezing point of water.”

“But why does it simply not freeze into ice as it falls?” she asked.

“Ice is not simply 'hard' water. It is actually water that has crystallized." Twilight nodded her understanding as Mike continued. "The water in the raindrops is so pure that there are no nucleation sites upon which crystal formation can begin. Hence the supercooled water remains a liquid.

“But here's the nasty part, when that supercooled liquid touches something, anything, which can trigger crystal formation…”

“Crystallization starts and the water instantly turns into ice!” Twilight finished triumphantly. “Eee!” she squealed happily.

“You liked that explanation?” Mike asked in surprise. “Every time I start to lecture about something people just get a glazed look in their eyes and ask me to either shut up or dumb it down.”

“I loved it!” Twilight exclaimed, her eye's gleaming, “You detailed the entire mechanism from start to finish. And then left a suggestion for how to derive the final part of the solution. Yes!

"I love learning new things.” She added in a calmer voice. Mike smiled, happy to bask in the presence of Twilight's joy.

A click sounded from the kettle as it switched itself off, announcing that the hot water was ready. Mike picked up the kettle and poured boiling water into the waiting mugs. Picking up the mugs he brought them over to the table.

Twilight approached, peering suspiciously at her mug, “What's this?”

“Your Tea, Madam.” Mike intoned sonorously, a snooty affect in his voice.

Twilight giggled. “Seriously, what are those brown things floating around in there?”

“Those are tea bags. Tea leaves nowadays come pre-packaged in those paper pouches. The paper is very porous to allow the hot water to circulate freely around the tea leaves.”

“I don't think I will enjoy tasting paper pulp in my Tea.”

“Don't worry about that. It’s a special paper that will not affect the taste. Neither will it get soggy and disintegrate in the hot water.”

Mike noticed his tea was starting to get a little too dark for his tastes. Quickly he found and returned with a spoon and a saucer. Using the spoon, he fished his tea bag out of his cup.

“Why did you do that?” Twilight asked curiously.

“These are two cup teabags, intended for small teapots, not directly in these mugs, such as I am doing. I don't like strong tea, so I took out the tea bag before it had steeped too long.”

“Give me that spoon!” Twilight lit up her horn and literally yanked the spoon out of Mikes' grip. It was fascinating to watch her magical dexterity as she fished the tea bag out of her own mug.

I wonder if she really needed that spoon, or if she could have gotten the tea bag out directly with her magic? Mike thought lazily. He was about to express the question when Twilight spoke up.

“You know. For best results, the Tea is supposed to steep in a teapot for several minutes. Removing the Tea leaves too soon is sure to affect the flavor.” With that, she levitated the mug up to her mouth and took a cautious sip. “Hmmm, not too bad–”

Right, I saw your face go 'yuck.'

“-do you have any honey?”

“No. No honey I'm afraid. Is sugar acceptable?” Mike got up to hunt for his sugar bowl. He rarely used it.

“Yes. Sugar is fine,” she replied even as Mike put down the sugar bowl in front of her. She stared curiously at the bowl.

“Is something wrong?”

“I'm used to sugar cubes. How much should I use…”

“Just a guess mind you, but each spoonful should approximate one cube's worth of sugar.”

Nodding her head, as if assenting to his suggestion, Twilight added two spoons of sugar to her Tea. She swirled the spoon around, waiting for the sugar to dissolve. She took another sip from her mug. “Mmm. That's better.”

Mike stood up. “Well, I had better get started cooking up something for supper.”

I think maybe I'll cook up a pack of Ribs. They'll taste great with the Potato salad.

Twilight spoke up again. “I’d rather not wait that long. Could you just make me a sandwich or something?”

“I’d be happy to,” Mike replied. “Do you have any special dietary requirements, Twilight?” He asked, remembering his speculations from earlier in the day.

“No nothing special, just what any pony would eat.”

Mike froze. Pony? On Earth, ponies eat hay and oats. I don't have any of that.

Unfreezing himself, Mike turned towards Twilight. “Ah, Twilight? What exactly does a pony eat?”

Author's Note

As a new writer, I really wonder how this story is being received. Is the pacing too slow, or too fast? Is the story too cheezy?
How's my grammar and punctuation?

As always, I would appreciate your comments and feedback.

About the story:
Warning - I love technical and scientific information.
As such I fully intend to let both Twilight and Mike rip away at each other with their best scientifically accurate bafflegab.
However, I do not intend for this story to become a disguised science and technology lecture.
Though if you catch me out on a scientific inaccuracy, (I don't know everything, I only think I do) please call it out.

The Magic bafflegab will be harder to manage. I need to construct some sort of pseudo scientific magic system, give it a consistent set of rules and terminology and have Twilight give discourses on it. Let the headaches begin.

Edited Dec 6, 2016. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

Also, there are some small changes to this chapter.
1) I added a statement by Twilight, expressing the scarcity and value of coal in Equestria.
2) I tweaked the dialog at the very end of the chapter, to give a smoother intro to the following chapter.

6. Promises

For Twilight, it had been a long and trying day. From the first moment she woke up, to find herself locked in a strange creature's embrace, followed later by her private emotional breakdown to her recent adventures with Mike. Through it all, she had wanted nothing more than a simple cup of tea. Finally, when her desire reached the level of desperation, she had broken off Mikes tour. Now she had her tea, and she was going to savor every moment of it.

I so needed this. Twilight sighed blissfully to herself, taking a small sip. It wasn't the best tea she had ever had, not by any measure, but right now it was more satisfying than anything she could remember.

Her peace was not to last. As soon as Mike made mention of supper her abdomen started rumbling. Embarrassed, Twilight decided she couldn’t wait that long.

“I’d rather not wait that long. Could you just make me a sandwich or something?”

“Do you have any special dietary requirements Twilight?” Mike inquired.

“No nothing special, just what any pony would eat,” she replied, still determined to spend some quiet time with her tea. I don't care what he makes, just leave me alone with my tea.

“Ahh, what exactly does a pony eat?”

Well, I guess that's a valid question. Twilight breezily listed off a few items, “Oh just normal stuff like Sandwiches, Cakes, Fruits, Salads, Hay, Vegeta-”

“Hay! You eat hay?”

“Of course, it's not overly nutritious, though. We mostly use it as a filler to bulk up meals and to add fiber. But I'll eat some if you have any.”

“Sorry, no hay, humans can't digest cellulose; so I don't have hay or anything like it in this house.”

“Fruit. Do you have any fruit? An apple maybe?”

“Nope. I can't stand how apples get all soft and mealy at this time of year. If it's not crisp, I won't eat it. So I don't have any–”

Soft and mealy? Don't they have proper food preservation spells?

“-apples. I've got some bananas and oranges, though.”

Yuck thought Twilight who was not partial to bananas. Oranges? No, I don't want any juice, I've got this tea. She took another sip.

“I'll pass on those. Maybe a Daffodil sandwich?” she asked hopefully.

Mike blinked in astonishment. “Daffodils? You put Daffodils on your sandwiches?”

“Mmm-hmm. It’s one of my favorites. Haven’t you tried them?”

“No, and I never will. Daffodils are toxic. Maybe I should just say that humans generally do not eat flowers because so many of them are poisonous.”

Now it was Twilight's turn to be astonished. Flowers are toxic...?

“Well what do you have to put on your sandwiches then?” she asked.

“Let me think, I have cheese, lettuce, tomato...” Mike did something odd with his fingers, too quickly for her to see, yielding a sharp snapping noise, “I know, I can make you a BLT.”

“A BLT?” she asked, puzzlement in her voice; forgetting for the moment his mention of cheese.

“Yeah, BLT. It stands for bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It's a great sandwich.”

“Well if you say so. Twilight agreed, not so sure of the ‘bay-con.'

She was about to ask when another growl from her stomach forced her hoof. “Fine, I'll try one of those. Only, no cheese!”

“Alright. You won't be sorry. Would you like the bread toasted?”

“I don't know, you’re the chef. What do you recommend?”

“Toasted, definitely. It adds to the flavor.”

“Then, yes please.”

Mike proceeded to get busy. First, he opened a drawer under his kitchen counter and withdrew a package from it. It appeared to be a loaf of bread, bagged in something resembling cellophane. He simply reached into the bag and pulled out several slices of bread.

What's with that bread? The loaf has lines in it... Wow. It's pre-sliced! Twilight marveled at the utter simplicity of the concept. I can think of any number of ponies whose lives would be easier if they didn't have to struggle with simply cutting a slice of bread. Why has nopony thought of this already?

No, they probably have thought of it. It doesn’t work because with that many cuts in it, the bread will quickly go stale. Maybe that strange cellophane is the secret. I'll have to ask him about it.

Instead of asking, however, she took another sip of her tea.

She watched as Mike picked up two slices of the bread and inserted them into a mysterious box located at the other end of his counter. He depressed a tab on the side of the box and the bread slices sank down into its interior.

“What's that device you put the bread into?”

“It’s called a toaster. It toasts bread.”

“Oh.” replied Twilight, realizing she had always relied on Spike to 'toast' her bread with his fiery breath. Why don't I know how to toast bread?

While Mike's answer was complete, she felt it was lacking in details. She was too embarrassed to ask further.

Mike must have caught something in her tone of voice, because he spoke up again, “It uses electricity to heat coils of wire. The heat toasts the bread slices.”

“Really?” Twilight walked over to the counter and stood up on her hind legs, leaning over the toaster.

I can see the coils, they're glowing bright red! I can even feel the heat on my face, that's quite the inferno in there. To think this is being done without magic. Twilight stood there staring into the toaster. Too distracted to notice any of Mike's other activities.

Twilight's intensive study of the toaster was interrupted by a sequence of beeps and a mysterious humming noise coming from a large black box hanging from an overhead cabinet. Mike had apparently done something with it.

Beep!

Before she could ask about whatever was making those strange new noises, Mike reached up and removed a tray from inside it.

Ewww. Twilight recoiled as a slightly sweet yet also slightly rancid odor wafted by her nose.

“What is that?” she demanded, aghast at the smell.

“It’s bacon!” Mike sniffed deeply, waving his hand under his nose. “Smells great, don't you think?”

No, I don't think it smells great. Twilight politely kept her inner thoughts to herself.

“I'm not sure," she replied cautiously. "What is bay-con?”

Mike's face suddenly showed surprise. “Bacon is meat. I thought you knew, though, I was kind of surprised when you didn’t object to having some.”

Clunk! The toaster made a noise behind her.

At the mention of meat, Twilight’s mind immediately flashed back to the harpy incident. Her pupils shrank, her head pulled back, she reared up, and for the first time, Mike saw her wings flare out.

“MEAT!” she yelled. “You murdered somepony! And now your eating them? MONSTER!”

“Twilight, what–” Mike protested his confusion.

“Stay right there monster. Don't move!” Twilight levitated Mike up and off the floor, his limbs flailed wildly.

“Waahh!” he screamed. “Put me down!”

“You won't have a chance to hurt me! You, you PREDATOR!” she screamed back, her mind filled with the terrifying image half of a half butchered carcass.

Twilight was extremely upset at the sudden turn of events and breathing heavily, trying to gain some measure of control over her galloping emotions.

I can't believe he fooled me. That Snake! That Carnivore! Deep breaths... Deep breaths... Cadence...

Slowly she reigned in most of her anger. She noticed that Mike had also stopped struggling. He had some undefinable expression on his face.

What do I do with him now? I can't hold him up forever. I'm not fully recovered yet, and I'll start to feel the strain pretty soon. Twilight cast about, looking for something to tie the beast up with.

“I'm sorry I ever helped you.” Mike spat bitterly. “I believed your act, that you were an innocent in need of help. Well, what are you waiting for? Don't make me suffer. Kill me quickly.”

“What?!” she screeched. “I'm not a murderer. You're the murderer.” She stamped her hoof for emphasis.

“Lies. It's obvious that you are part of an alien invasion..." Mike paused. "What? A murderer?”

“Invasion?" She responded with incredulity, his statement confusing her. That makes no sense at all, she thought before exclaiming, "There is no invasion!" Even as she declared her truth, she had to wonder whether this 'Invasion' was part of the story she was trapped in.

“A murderer?" Mike repeated himself. "You take that back. I ain't no murderer. You hear me. I am not a murderer!”

“Stop denying it! The proof is right there!” She pointed a hoof towards the kitchen counter.

“What? I don't see anything.”

“There! That meat! What did you call it...”

“The bacon? That’s ridiculous. It’s just food.”

“Exactly! You had to kill somepony to have that meat!”

“That's ridiculous! I haven’t killed anything. I bought that meat at the supermarket.”

Supermarket? He must be referring to some kind of market. But there's nothing 'super' about killing innocent ponies. Suddenly she was gripped with nausea at the thought of meat, pony meat, being bought and sold like common produce. She gulped to settle her gorge.

“You buy Meat?” she whispered. “That is so obscene. Regardless, you are still abetting and condoning the actions of the real murderers.”

“There you go again. Throwing around accusations of murder and killing. Where do you get that?”

“Don't you dare deny that somepony had to die to make that… that stuff, that bay-con?”

“Well sure, I guess. But if you're worried that it was a pony, it wasn’t. Bacon comes from pigs.”

Well thank goodness that it wasn’t a pony. But how does he think the fact that it was a pig makes it any better? Twilight became even angrier.

“And is that any better? Pigs have families too. This used to be somepony's sibling.”

“You're not making any sense again. Pigs are pigs. They're just animals.” Mike protested.

“For your information, monster, you're wrong. I do know something about pigs. My friend Applejack has a small herd of them living on her farm. They're nice friendly creatures, with strong family ties. At times I have overheard them talking to each other about their experiences.”

“Are you crazy? Pigs can't talk.”

"Not in Equish, no," Twilight replied before catching herself. She lowered her head slightly and pawed at the floor with her forehoof; her ears were pinned back. “Are you trying to deflect the truth by calling me a liar?”

“No, but I grew up on a farm, and I know pigs. They don't talk, they don't socialize and they certainly don't have families. They're just dumb animals. Dirty, smelly animals that do nothing more than eat, excrete, and urinate.”

Twilight was repulsed by his incredibly derogatory description of pigs. It was greatly at odds with what she knew of the happy and carefree creatures.

“How can you say such evil things about them? Sure they like to get dirty, but they have thoughts and feelings too.”

“Pigs have feelings? That's ridiculous. Newborn piglets need to be taken from their mother, to prevent her from crushing them to death when she lies down. I know, I've personally seen that happen. And though I've not seen this, it's also a well-known fact sometimes the sow will even eat her own newborn piglets.”

When she heard that last part Twilight lost it, she threw up. Even as her stomach tried to turn itself inside out, her magic failed and Mike came crashing down onto the floor.

“Bleaaaaghhhh-” was heard from Twilight.

“Oooff-” was heard from Mike.

Oh, dear Celestia. I can't get that image out of my mind! She thought, even as her stomach strained to empty itself once again. She was tormented by a confused melange of images, drawn from her memories of the harpy nest and images of newborn piglets.

Several weeks back, a band of harpies had found their way into the Everfree forest. Unhappy creatures with the head of a pony and the body of a buzzard, primitive yet extremely cunning; Harpies were bestial predators that wielded stone tools.

Harpies were also rare creatures, long ago driven out of civilized lands by the magic of harmony. It was unheard of to find any within Equestria. And yet a small venue had made their nest next to Ponyville. As a newly minted princess, Twilight had insisted on accompanying the guards, hoping to encounter the fabled creatures.

Now, she deeply regretted that decision. One of the local cows had fallen victim to them before their nest was discovered. The harpies’ larder, a scene of butchery, had been beyond disturbing.

Please. Not again... She begged as her body clamped itself rigidly into an instinctive posture and her stomach clenched for another heave.

Forelegs spread to tilt the barrel forwards; head tilted back aligning the oral cavity with the esophagus, neck straight and angled down towards the ground... The words of a clinical description she had read in a medical text scrolled through her brain. Stop it! I don't want to enhance this experience.

“Ohhhh.” she barely noticed the groan from Mike, fully preoccupied as she was with her own misery. Wave after wave of dry heaves continued to assail her body.

Suddenly she felt Mike's body alongside her own, gripping her tightly about her around her shoulder. “What's wrong?” he asked.

Make it stop. Make it stop. Oh please make it stop. Get it out of my head!

“... Sick... buaaaaghhh... Can't... bluuuuuuuu... Stop... uuuuuuugggg... Thinking... gggluuuuuu...” Twilight was panting heavily between heaves, straining to utter even single words. “Eating uaaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhh...”

Slap! - Her head rocked to the side, a sharp stinging sensation on the side of her face.
Slap! - Again the world rocked, and her face stung even more. Twilight was bewildered and confused.
Slap! - Suddenly Twilight realized that Mike was positioned in front of her, hitting her with his hand. She focussed her attention on him.

She saw his hand was raised to strike her yet again, but it failed to strike. Abruptly he lowered his arm and backed away. A look of concern appeared on his face. “Feeling better?”

Twilight glared at him. Her anger was boiling. He hit me! She began then halted her mental tirade as she realized what had happened. Mike had broken her mental fixation. Letting out a sigh, she lowered herself down to the floor. “Yes. I think. I should thank you, except for the fact you are the one who put that awful image in my head.”

She lay there for a while on the cold floor. Her head was tilted back and held high, with her eyes closed as she tried to subdue the turmoil in both her body and her mind.

After a while, she spoke. “Why Mike? Why did you help me? After I called you a murderer and a killer and restrained you. When I lost it, you could easily have killed me and eaten me.” She cracked her eyes open to look at Mike.

“Mmmpfgh.” She was surprised to see Mike struggling with what appeared to be nausea as well. He turned to the side, panting heavily as if he were preparing to spew.

“Don't say that! How could you possibly think that I could kill and eat a sapient being? Something that thinks and feels; has dreams and hopes for its future. Urgh- The very thought sickens me!”

Twilight was confused. Mike's words would seem to reinforce her position and undermine his own from earlier.

“But you're eating the pig-”

“I told you,” he cut her off, “pigs are not intelligent. They may be sentient, but they're not sapient. They are, just, dumb, animals.” enunciating the last three words as clearly and distinctly as possible.

“But, but...” her mind whirled. How can it be that pigs can't talk, are not intelligent?

“But they are intelligent, I know they are.”

“Is this some sort of special magical ability of yours Twilight? Are you able converse with animals in their own secret language?”

“No, of course not. But I have heard them speaking in their own language, just like you and I are conversing right now. My friend Applejack knows a bit of it and sometimes tells me what they are talking about.”

“Twilight, what you are claiming is impossible. Maybe it’s true on the world you come from. But it's certainly not the case here, on Earth.”

Maybe in this Story World – It's called Earth? Pigs really are different. But what about other animals?

“What about cows?”

“Just animals.”

“Sheep?”

“Animals.”

“Bison?”

“Animals. Twilight, I have to tell you that the only intelligent creatures to be found on this green earth are us humans. And now,” he added with a sad smile, “yourself.”

She was struck speechless by the enormity of what he had said. No other intelligence? Every creature is a dumb animal? A final question came to her.

“What about ponies? Surely they can talk.”

He looked directly into her eyes. “I'm sorry. Ponies are unintelligent animals also.”

Tears came to her eyes. “Then you humans eat ponies.”

“No Twilight. We don't eat ponies. At least in this part of the world.”

That's not very reassuring.

“Here our equines have served in other roles. Mostly as beasts of burden, but they have become much beloved due to their long association with us. It began about three or four thousand years ago if I remember correctly.

“Frankly,” he continued, “I don't think it could be any other way. Equines don't thrive in environments where they don't receive appropriate love and care. It’s my belief that humans have adapted themselves to be able to provide those things.”

Twilight closed her eyes. She sniffled as her tears threatened to become a runny nose. “Mike, I called you a murderer, I'm sorry for that, but even if every animal is a dumb beast–”

“They are.”

“That still does not excuse the fact that you humans are killing them.”

Mike lifted his hands and dropped them suddenly, a look of exasperation on his face. “What can I say? Humans eat meat. We have been eating it since the beginning of our species. Meat is an essential part of our diet, necessary for maintaining our health.

“Yes, I admit it, we are killing those animals. But what could we do? If we spare them, then we ourselves would sicken and die.”

“But so much killing…”

“Twilight. How can I apologize for being what I am? What meaning would such an apology have? Maybe you don't have to live with it, but I do. I will not fall into the trap of despising myself for being born as a human.”

“Yes, you’re right of course. It’s part of your nature. But,” Twilight gave a shudder, “I can't stand the thought of being here, in the same room, the same house even, as the flesh of those poor animals. I can't help but think of how they died, screaming in agony…” Her voice trailed off in a whisper.

“We're not monsters Twilight. The thought of inflicting such pain is extremely upsetting to most humans as well. We have devised means of reducing their suffering to a minimum.”

“I just know I am going to be sick again, but I have to ask. How?”

“Wait a moment; I want to explain in a way that does not give too graphic an image.” Mike paused while Twilight trembled, awaiting his reply.

“They use a special tool which delivers an impact to a specific site on the animal's cranium. It results in instant brain trauma and death.”

Twilight gulped. “So, they don't suffer?”

“I don't believe so…

“No. I have to qualify that. Twilight, I can't promise you that the animals don't suffer at all. There's the experience of being forcibly transported to - the site of their coming demise. And once arrived, perhaps they can smell something of the death that awaits them. I'm sure that they do experience fear in some measure.

“But as for any physical suffering. I can truthfully assure you that we would never allow those animals to experience the pain of – becoming meat.”

Twilight closed her eyes, despairing inside. I really can't blame Mike; he's just following his nature. But oh, the loss of life, it hurts to think about it. The way Mike describes it, it's happening to hundreds of animals. It’s too much. I'm so glad that Fluttershy is not here to find out about this.

Mike interrupted her thoughts. “I'm so sorry for causing you to be so upset Twilight. But I can make you this promise. As long as you choose to stay here with me, I won't eat any meat. Starting right now, I am going to collect and dispose of all meat and meat containing products that I have.

“I do this for your sake, so as to spare you any further offense.”

“But you said that eating meat was essential to your diet. You need that meat.”

“Yes, I did say that. However, humans are omnivores, so while we may desire meat, we don't need it on a daily basis. I could go for several weeks, maybe a month or two before I developed any adverse symptoms. Also, over the last few generations, many humans have investigated living on a vegetarian diet. They have discovered ways of meeting our nutritional needs without consuming meat. It is feasible to thrive on a purely vegetarian diet.”

“I can't let you do that.”

“I'm not saying that I am gonna like it. I’m setting aside a whole lifetime's worth of dietary acculturation. But I'm doing it anyway, for the sake of my guest.

“Please accept this, in the spirit in which it is given. You said you could not stand the thought of being near the remains of those animals. I want to remove that pain from you.”

Mike stood up, “Well, I'd best get started.”

Twilight stood off to the side, watching wide-eyed as Mike went about disposing of all the meat he had in the house.

From somewhere he had located a large bag, seemingly made from opaque dark green- cellophane? From there he had opened up what she could only assume was his refrigerator and began to remove numerous items. She listened in growing horror as Mike removed items from the fridge, throwing them into the green bag. He enumerated the items as he went along.

“Bacon... Salami... Chicken loaf... Kolbassa... Mystery Meat...” Twilight felt her eye twitch at the mention of that last item.

“Pepperoni, Liverwurst... Cooked Ham... Pot Roast... Hot Dogs... Oktoberfest Sausages... Eggs-”

“Not the eggs! I mean, eggs are okay. We ponies can eat eggs.”

Mike looked back at her, his eyebrows raised, “Really?”

“Yes, as long as the eggs are not fertilized. Are those eggs fertilized?”

“I doubt it. Modern egg farms don't allow the hen to meet up with a rooster.”

“Yes, well, carry on.” Twilight felt her cheeks heating up briefly. She hoped it didn’t show.

Mike turned back to the refrigerator. “Right, keep the eggs. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Meatballs... Cabbage rolls... Ewww, should have thrown that out months ago... and last but not least, the spaghetti sauce.” Mike removed two containers from the fridge. Prying off their lids, he poured a thick goopy red substance into the bag.

“Was that... blood?” Twilight asked in a faint voice.

“Nope!” Mike answered cheerily. “The sauce is tomato based, hence the red color. But I did add some meat to it when I was making it. So, out it goes.”

“That's a relief. I mean that it's not blood.”

Mike closed the upper door to the refrigerator and pulled on the lower handle. The whole door pulled outward, revealing a large drawer. Mists rolled out from it, leading Twilight to believe it was a freezer. “Hmm,” Mike mused, “I'd better get another garbage bag.”

Soon Mike was purging the freezer as well. “Hamburger... Chicken burgers... Chicken Kiev... Ribs... Pizza-”

Twilight held her peace. If Mike was removing it, then the Pizza somehow had meat in it.

“Fish fillets-”

“You can keep the fish. Some ponies eat fish, I won't mind so much if you do.” Mike nodded at her.

“-and the Turkey.” Mike removed a larger box and closed the freezer drawer.

“You, are, meat crazy! I counted 21 distinct items, 22 if that 'Eww' was a distinct item.”

“Still not done yet.”

“What!”

Mike opened up a second cabinet that was located under the kitchen counter. Reaching inside, he began to pull out cans. “Two cans of Pork and Beans... two cans of Chicken Soup... one can of Beef Barley soup and one can of Clam Chowder. Do shellfish count as fish?”

“I'm not sure. I've never before heard of anypony eating clams.”

“Out it goes then, just to be sure.”

Mike now had two bulging sacks loaded with – meat. Donning his odd looking coat, he took the bags outside.

I can't believe how much meat he had. How can there be so many different items? Meat is simply meat, isn't it? Though I suppose different animals might have different tastes. Eww, I can't believe I just thought that. Feeling her gorge rising again, Twilight hastily dropped that line of thought. Looking about the kitchen, she shuddered at the thought of all the horrors that had been lurking beneath its surface. Even now it still felt− tainted.

Her eye soon caught sight of the cup she had been drinking tea from. She groaned. The tea was cold, and what little tea she had managed to drink, was now a smelly mess on the floor. She wanted to clean it up but had no idea where Mike kept his cleaning supplies.

Searching around, Twilight soon encountered a garbage pail under the kitchen sink. She found out the hard way what it was when she opened its lid. “Umph!” Twilight gagged at the smell. I'm pretty sure there's decaying meat in there.

Something else about the garbage nagged at her. Feeling that it was important, she kept winkling away at the feeling even as she continued walking about the kitchen.

The meat? No.

The cellophane bag? No.

Those filthy wads of wet paper? That's it! I've seen that paper somewhere before, but where?

Now looking about with a purpose, she soon spied a whole roll of the oddly textured paper standing upright on the counter, close to the toaster. Using her magic, she levitated the roll over to herself and inspected it closely.

This paper looks fairly absorbent, and from what I saw in the garbage pail, it's intended to be disposable.

Quickly she tore off several sheets and proceeded to clean the spot where she had sicked up earlier. She put the soiled sheets into the garbage pail.

Returning to her former spot in front of her tea cup, she looked at it forlornly.

I've treated Mike badly, haven’t I? She sighed.

He was doing his best to provide me with a meal, and I assaulted him, both physically and verbally. And when I got sick he– helped me. He was angry and frightened. I know he was. He was so frightened that he was expecting me to kill him at any moment. And yet, he helped me…

Twilight continued thinking those and similar thoughts, awaiting Mike's return. As the minutes passed, she became anxious, wondering what could be keeping Mike.

After about fifteen minutes, the kitchen door opened again, revealing Mike, minus the meat bags.

“Whew! It's getting really cold out there!” he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. After a moment he removed his coat and approached her.

Twilight hung her head, unable to look at him.

“Twilight? What's wrong, are you sick again?”

“No.” she whispered. Suddenly she raised her head, looking him in the eye.

“Why Mike? Why did you help me? I assaulted you and accused you of horrible things. You were deathly afraid of me, I remember what you said; how you thought I wanted to kill you. So, why?”

Mike stood there, a variety of expressions flitting across his face. Taking a seat across from her at the table, he replied to her question. “Truthfully Twilight, I really don't know. I... just did.

“Maybe I had some lingering emotional attachment to you from last night. Maybe I just responded to your obvious distress. Maybe, I was moved by the Holy Spirit. I don't know where it came from, I simply found myself moving to help you. Whatever it was, in an instant, I knew that it was the right thing to do.” As he finished his explanation, Mike hung his head, much as Twilight had done earlier.

“You don't know? I don't understand you, Mike. What am I to make of all that happened?”

“That's easy,” he replied with a grin, raising his head again. “It means that I forgive you.”

“You forgive me?” she asked with dawning hope in her voice. “Does that mean I'm still your friend?”

“Yes.”

“Eeee!” Twilight squealed with joy, her heart soaring.

Pop!

Twilight's horn flashed brightly as she teleported right up to Mike, throwing her forelegs around him in a hug.

“Ahhh!-” Mike screamed.

“ThankYouThankYouThank You! And I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”

“What was that?” he asked, nearly shouting the question.

Twilight released Mike. “It's called a hug. Don't you know-?”

“No not that, there was a bright flash, and suddenly you were all over me.”

“Heh!” She was rubbing the back of her head with her hoof. “Guess I surprised you with that one. I used my magic to teleport myself.”

“I see. Clearly, that was 'One of those things' Twilight. 'One of those things.' ”

“Sorry! Sometimes I just can't help myself.”

“Just how many of those magic surprises do you have waiting to spring upon me?” Mikes voice was sounding peevish.

“I know twenty-seven distinct forms of magic and hundreds of spells. So far I've practiced and become proficient with nearly all of them. And there are hundreds more that I can perform if I have a reference book at hoof.”

“So, the fun never stops…” Mike groaned.

“You know, it’s not all fun for me either.” she snapped. “That bay-con thing truly, deeply, upset me. I hope you don't think that I regularly explode like that.”

“No, I suppose you don't. So, changing the subject. Are you still hungry?”

At the mention of hunger, her stomach rumbled loudly, bringing a blush to her face.

Why does it do that the moment I think of food? It never seems to rumble before I realize I'm hungry

“Yes, I'm famished. But, this place still upsets me. Just the memory of all that meat, I couldn’t eat anything... By the way, there's still some meat in the garbage pail under the sink there. I could smell it.”

“Thanks, Twilight. I'll take care of that shortly.”

Mike sat in silence for a moment, thinking about something.

“Twilight, do you have a spell for invisibility?”

“What? Yes, I do, but it's not very practical. Invisible objects tend to get lost rather quickly.”

“No, I mean magic to make yourself invisible.”

“Oh, well that's even less practical. If a pony's eyes become invisible, they can't interact with the light streaming through them and they won't see anything, only darkness.”

Mike frowned, “Guess I hadn’t thought of that.” Suddenly he brightened as an idea came to him, “How about a spell to keep people from noticing you?”

“That's almost as bad as invisibility. From the books I've read, those pony's ran a constant risk of being stepped on, sat on and crashed into. There was even one documented fatality. The pony was crushed by a delivery cart.”

“Darn. I was hoping to take you into town, to see if we couldn’t find something to eat. It would be vegetarian of course. But if anyone else sees that you’re not human, there would be no end of trouble.”

He wants to take me out for a meal? Twilight was thrilled at the prospect. But he's right. I shouldn’t let myself be seen. If only I were human like I was in the Mirror World. She considered the possibility. No, a transformation spell would take me weeks to prepare...

“I have it! I can make a spell, to make everypony think that I'm human.” Suddenly she sighed. “But no, I can't use it.”

Mike leaned forward, clearly interested. “Why ever not? That sounds perfect!”

“It's an ethical restriction. Such a spell comes under the category of mind-altering spells which are strictly controlled and never to be used without official authorization. A year ago I got into a whole lot of trouble using one of those for what amounted to selfish reasons. Now that I'm a p–”

Mustn’t let him know that I'm a princess. I don't want him to act differently around me. She thought sadly to herself.

She resumed her explanation, “-now that I'm in my current position of responsibility, it’s even more important that I observe the law.”

Mike sat there in silence, clearly mulling over her concerns. What he had to say surprised her. “I might, possibly, have a solution to your ethical concerns. But to evaluate my idea, I think I need to hear more details about the kind of trouble that those 'mind-altering spells' can cause.”

I don't want to tell him that story; I'm so ashamed of what happened.

Oh, Twilight, that's no excuse, be a big mare and tell him. Her ears flicked back as she realized she was trying to evade one of her most valuable lessons.

“I have two stories I can tell. I'll start with my own story first.” She took a deep breath and began.

“A few years ago, Princess Celestia had asked me to submit regular Friendship Reports.-”

“Friendship Reports?”

“Friendship Reports. Magic is closely associated with emotions. Friendship happens to be the foundation of the greatest magic known in Equestria. But that's another story for a different time. Suffice it to say that I used to be a lonely bookworm until I was sent to Ponyville and met five other ponies. Together we all became the most wonderful of friends.”

“They sound interesting, when you have the chance, I'd like to hear more about them.”

“Thank you, I would like to tell you about them. So, as I was saying, as part of my magic studies Princess Celestia had me submitting these reports on the Magic of Friendship. In the beginning, my friends and I had any number of experiences, learning about each other, and learning life lessons in friendship. And every week, I dutifully wrote up a Friendship Report.”

“But eventually, there came a week without any new or notable experiences. That week I blissfully continued through my routines until the day for submitting the report arrived. Suddenly I realized that I had nothing to put into it.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad. Reporting 'Nothing to report' is still a valid report.”

Twilight heaved a huge sigh. “I know that now. But back then, I was naive. You have to understand, I hold Celestia in the highest regard, I adore her. As her personal protégé, I have never, ever, failed to meet my assignments. I always worked my hardest to give my very best. I was both proud of my record and very insecure in it. Suddenly I was faced with the prospect of being tardy on a report. I went a little crazy.

“I began running around, asking all of my friends if they had any problems I could help them with. Nothing. Nopony needed my help for anything. At that point, I went from a little crazy to a lot crazy. I hatched a plan make some ponies start fighting, and then I would step in, and help them become friends again.”

She signed again. “I took my Smarty-pants doll-”

Mike snickered, “Smarty-pants...”

Twilight huffed indignantly, “I loved that doll when I was a filly. You got a problem with that?”

“Sorry, It’s just that on Earth, a name like 'smarty-pants' carry’s some cultural baggage.”

“Hmpf, whatever. As I was saying, I took my Smarty-pants doll and cast the 'Want it, Need it' spell on it.”

Mike shot a questioning look at Twilight. “Very well, the 'Want it, Need it' spell does exactly what the name implies. Anypony who laid eyes on the doll, even for a brief moment, is suddenly seized with a strong compulsion. They want to have the doll. They need to have the doll.

“Well, I gave that doll to three young fillies, and they immediately started fighting over who would possess the doll. At that point, I tried to step in and find a friendly solution to their problem.”

“Let me guess. They should share the doll?”

“Yes, exactly. Only I couldn’t get them to listen to me, their entire focus was on the doll and precluded any rational thought. Soon others saw the doll, and they started fighting over it as well. It was only a matter of a few minutes before practically the whole town was fighting over that doll.”

“You mean arguing-”

“No, I mean fighting. Kicking, punching, biting, a full-blown brawl was occurring in the streets. It only ended when Princess Celestia herself made a personal appearance and dispersed the spell. I was so ashamed of what I had done, at being caught out by Celestia herself, I could have died.”

“Okay, I think I understand some of the issues here. First, the spell took away the volition of those affected. Their very thoughts were bent towards a goal not of their own choosing. This could be characterized as total slavery. Second, the spell resulted in harm to the affected. They suffered physical consequences, and also damages to their interpersonal relationships. And Third–”

Twilight's head shot up. There’s a third item?

“-the one using such magic runs a serious risk of damaging their own soul. The power to bend others to ones will can be very corrupting. It engenders a further desire for dominance. Where one's own feeling of self-worth can only be fed by exercising ever more and greater mastery over others.”

Like Sombra. Is that why he did such evil to the ponies in the Crystal Empire? Twilight shuddered, imagining herself falling to a like fate.

“But from what I have seen so far, I don't think you suffered any damage in that third category. Perhaps because you were originally seeking to produce an effect, rather than obtaining dominance.”

I am impressed at how insightful he is.

He smiled, “You mentioned a second example?”

“Yes,” Twilight collected herself, “It concerns those same three fillies I mentioned in the first example.”

“Fillies? Children. How do children get involved with mind-altering spells?”

“With those three, you can expect anything. But, ahem, I may have had a small part in this one as well.” Twilight had the grace to blush.

“It was Heart's and Hooves day-”

“Heart's and-”

“It’s a traditional event, occurring annually, where those who have a romantic partner, find ways to show consideration for each other.”

“I think I know what you mean, we humans have something similar. Please, continue.”

“These three fillies conceived a notion that their teacher deserved to find a Special Somepony on this most romantic of days. So they located an eligible bachelor and attempted to encourage romantic ties between the two.”

“Oh dear. It sounds like a blind date being set up by children.”

“That's exactly what it was. And as you can imagine the two subjects came away from their surprise tryst with a great deal of embarrassment, but no romantic inclinations. After this first failure, the three fillies still sought to devise some new means of bringing the two subjects together.

At that point, they literally bumped into me, and I started to regale them about the book that I was currently reading, a book about the origins of Hearts and Hooves day. When I mentioned how a love potion was involved, the fillies immediately saw that as the solution to their problem.

“Foolishly, I loaned them the book, thinking they were only interested in the romantic stories. But it was the love potion they wanted. Soon they had re-created the potion and had administered it to the two subjects.”

“Let me guess, one or both recipients happened to fixate on someone else.”

“No, nothing dramatic like that. And stop guessing. They both successfully fixated on each other. The problem was that the fixation is so strong that everything else is excluded from their lives. Family, responsibilities, work, even eating and taking care of one’s needs. The love potion is more properly termed a love poison, since the victims eventually waste away, having succumbed to an overdose of love. In this case, the remedial action was simple. The two parties had to be kept separated for one full hour, and the spell was broken.”

“So it turned out well in the end?”

“Yes, it did. The two victims even collaborated in deciding the fillies' punishments. From what I gather, they still occasionally meet each other. Who knows, maybe the incident has created a common point of interest between the two, and they might end up together through the normal course of events.”

Mike pondered for a moment and delivered his analysis. “As amusing as it was, I found that story to be even more frightening than the first one. I see the same three issues at play in this story.”

“Wait. How do you figure the third issue, moral corruption? Does the potioner acquire some insane desire to play matchmaker?”

“Yes, exactly. A Mad Matchmaker, wielding the power to decide whom should love whom, and who should not be allowed to love. Though I admit such a possibility is less likely, don’t dismiss it. Many people have a natural inclination to meddle.

“Even though the third issue is unlikely, the second issue, concerning the potential for damage and injury, was much more significant. In this case, there was a high probability of death and broken lives as opposed to the injury and broken relationships of the first story.”

“That's such a stark analysis, Mike. I must admit I've never before thought of that incident in such a light. When I get back I'm going to re-classify that book as restricted.”

“You're going to re-classify the book?”

“I serve as the town's librarian. The books are all my responsibility.”

The conversation paused until Twilight broke the silence again. “So Mike, you've heard the stories and have been informed about some of the risks involved. Do you have any solution?”

“I think I do. Twilight, during your stay here on earth, I offer myself as proxy for your Approval Authority.”

What!? He can't do that. He has no authority whatsoever.

“For all spells which carry ethical risks, such as the mind-altering spells we have been discussing, you are required to petition me for approval. Such a petition must attempt to identify the risks to all parties, the subjects, possible bystanders and also the caster.

“The Approval Authority is charged to hold as his primary concern, the liberties, and well-being of any subjects actually or even potentially affected by such a spell. If there is the slightest doubt about the safety or consequences resulting from that spell, the Approval Authority is required to decline the submission.”

“Mike, that would simply be trying to pass my responsibility on to somepony else.”

“Not quite. By taking you in, by harboring you, an alien, in my own home, I have already taken responsibility for your actions. Any harm you bring to this world or its people will become my responsibility. I am fully aware of this, and I am committed to preventing any such harm from ever occurring. You see, I am already assuming responsibility for your actions, and thus I am already an approval authority.

“Of course, this position was not officially approved by the Earthly authorities. They are the last ones you want to get involved if you value your life. But morally, and ethically, I am prepared to serve; I am serving, in this post.”

“But it’s my responsibility. I can't just give it away.”

“No Twilight, it’s not. Your responsibility ends when you submit your will to the decision of the approval authority. You do not and cannot have the authority to approve your own ethical violations.

“And as for myself,” Mike placed his right hand on his upper barrel and held his left hand up in the air, “ 'I Mike Konik, do solemnly swear to discharge my responsibilities as an Ethical Approval Authority faithfully and to the best of my abilities, placing the needs and interests of all others above my own, so help me God.' ”

I don't know what all the gestures were about, but that seemed to be very solemn promise. It reminds me of a Pinkie Promise. And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise.

“Mike, what significance did that promise hold for you?”

“Twilight, I made that promise with God as my witness, asking Him to help me to keep it. And I really, truly, do not want to disappoint Him. My feelings about that are pretty much as you described your anxiety at disappointing Princess Celestia, only more so.”

Why are you doing this Mike? That’s a really strong oath, and I know that failure can be devastating.

“Alright Mike, I'm going to take a chance and trust you. You can stand in as proxy for my approval authority.”

“Thanks for trusting me.” He took a deep breath.

“Shall we get started? Please submit your request.”

Author's Note

(1) Since most ponies have difficulty peeling oranges, they rarely trouble themselves to eat them. They typically juice them. Hence Twilight's thoughts about not wanting juice.

(2) Twilight does not think twice about the fact that she can read Mike's facial expressions. She comes from a world where multiple species, Ponies, Zebras, Dragons, Griffins and one Draconequus all have similar facial expressions.

3) Added 22/05/2015. So maybe the talking pigs weren't the best option I could have gone with.
But Applejack keeps sheep in pens. And those sheep talk. And pigs are smarter than sheep. So I extrapolated a little.

Well, here were are again. Same requests as before.

If you see something in the grammar and punctuation...
If you see something in the quality of my storytelling which needs improvement...
If you see something in my factual information that's wrong or simply questionable...

... Please let me know.

You may have noticed that I have started including footnotes. Mostly for headcanon stuff. But sometimes just to point something out.

Also - check my Blog for more information about Twilight's World.

Edited Feb 13, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

Also, there are some small changes to this chapter.
1) I have tried to correct an issue which a number of readers have complained about.
That of Twilight's extreme OOC reaction and prejudice against Mike for being a meat-eater.
To remain faithful to the original text, I have left her reaction, in its entirety, unchanged.
I merely added a plausible explanation for the source of it.

2) I provided a reason for a certain 'stupidity' on Mike's part. Where he start's making a BLT sandwich for a herbivore. Again, the original content remains the same.

Changed, 18/11/2017.
I downgraded the 'pigs talking' to a separate language similar to how the goats communicate. As seen in the second season episode, "Putting Your Hoof Down".

7. Night watch

Owlowiscious had been sleeping throughout the day, which was a perfectly normal activity for any nocturnal creature. However, in Owlowiscious's case, he had been especially tired after a busy evening of helping Twilight.

According to her explanation, they had to work several extra hours into the night in order to make an unscheduled opening in her schedule. This was all according to her secret schedule, the one that the reptile did not know about, which detailed her plan for working in secret on the reptile's birthday gift.

So it was no wonder that Owlowiscious had slept through all the fuss over Twilight's disappearance earlier that afternoon. To be sure, the commotion during the afternoon had briefly roused him from his slumber, but he was used to the noisy goings-on of ponies and had merely closed his eyes to go back to sleep again.

Having rested sufficiently through the day, Owlowiscious woke up at his accustomed time shortly after sundown. He was just contemplating taking a short excursion to find himself a tasty breakfast vole when his thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of several ponies into the library. Owlowiscious recognized the ponies as Twilight's friends of course.

These ponies were regular visitors, so Owlowiscious made nothing of their arrival. The short reptile too was also a standard feature of the library and engendered no further interest from him. The two ruling Diarchs which followed the ponies in were, however, something out of the ordinary.

“Hoo!” he hooted softly under his breath.

Owlowiscious, being the intelligent bird that he was, made note of the fact that Twilight was not among them. Curious, he delayed his breakfast, hoping to discern what was transpiring. Perched quietly in a corner as he was, none of the ponies paid him the slightest attention.

He listened as the ponies discussed splitting up to search the library. Though for what he did not know. If they had asked him, he might have been able to help them in their search. As it was, all he could do was listen and observe carefully.

A chance comment from the large white pony, Princess Celestia, immediately caught his attention. Something had happened to Twilight!? To his pony? Owlowiscious was disturbed upon hearing this, though there was not the slightest change to his demeanor. Remaining quiet upon his perch, he essayed to overhear further details. Owlowiscious knew that whatever one pony discovered would soon be communicated to the others.

Soon his hunter's patience was rewarded as the large white pony, Princess Celestia, re-entered the room to announce something of interest had been found in Twilight's study.

Once all the others had left the library proper and ascended to the study, Owlowiscious unfurled his silent wings and flew even higher up through the central space of the tree, up to Twilight's bedroom. A set of stairs led down from her bedroom into the study. Silently alighting upon the topmost step of that stairway, he was able to observe most of what was taking place below him in the study.

From his vantage point, Owlowiscious noted the pink one was carefully scrutinizing everything in the room. He settled down to await developments. Perched there upon the step, listening to the ponies argue inconsequential details, he recalled how he had started his association with Twilight.

Owlowiscious was a clever bird with a keen eye for the tiniest detail. Not so unusual for owls in general, but Owlowiscious had gone a step further than most owls. Perhaps it was because he noticed that the mice were more plentiful near the pony habitations, or perhaps also he had cultivated a genuine curiosity about ponies. Either way, he had become proficient in understanding their speech, and he had even taken an interest in reading over the shoulders of young foals as they learned their letters.

One newly arrived pony, in particular, had captivated his interest, as he often noticed it staying awake long into the night and he wondered if it was a new breed of nocturnal pony. Obviously, the color of its coat was one more suitable for the night.

It had been late one blustery and moonless night that, while checking out his nocturnal pony, he heard a muffled cry of disappointment come from inside the big tree where it lived, even as a piece of wind driven parchment flew past him. It may have been instinct which prompted him to pursue that fluttering sheet of parchment, but it wasn't instinct which inspired him to return it to the pony that had lost it. He was, in fact, hoping to interact with his nocturnal pony. Returning the scroll of parchment was something that was easy to do.

Returning with the scroll, he found an opening into the pony's tree and set himself down as close as possible to the open window; just in case. Unfortunately, the nocturnal pony was so agitated it did not even notice his presence.

Eager to be noticed, Owlowiscious called out with a sharp “Hoo!” and laid down the scroll.

The pony stood there, frozen, staring at him. Feeling slightly disappointed with the results of his attempt at interacting with the pony, he turned around and started beating his wings.

“Wait!” The pony called out. Immediately he settled back down again. Could it be that the pony wanted to interact with him after all?

“Don't go. Don't be afraid.” the pony added. At those words, Owlowiscious turned around and observed the nocturnal pony approaching him.

“Thank you for returning my scroll.” she offered.

The simple acknowledgment thrilled him. “Hoo, Hoo” he responded politely, acknowledging his pleasure at meeting the mare. His thanks, however, were interrupted by a sudden blast of cold air coming in through the window.

“Hoo-Hoo” he exclaimed, shivering. It was time to go hunt up some food, to keep himself warm through the cold night.

However, the nocturnal pony was not done with him yet, for she said: “Gosh it’s cold tonight.” He could only agree with that. “Say! Would you like to relax in here and keep me company while I work?”

“Hoo, Hoo” he replied, greatly surprised by her offer. Bounding across the desk, he found a comfortable roost on a nearby drying rack, even as she closed the window behind him.

Over the course of that night, he listened avidly to her comments on everything, which included her work, her friends and even herself. It was thrilling to know that she now considered him to be her friend. It was also during that night, he remembered fondly, that she, Twilight, had given him the name Owlowiscious. He loved it.

During his reminiscence, Owlowiscious had continued to listening to events in the room. His hunter's instincts would never fail to alert him if something significant was being spoken. It alerted him now even as the large white pony, Princess Celestia, spoke her conclusion.

“Twilight was pulled into that book.” said the large white mare.

“What?” All the ponies exclaimed simultaneously.

“Hoo-Hoo?” exclaimed Owlowiscious as well, though no one heard him.

They all turned to look in horror at the burned and charred remains of the literary blank. Owlowiscious as well, though his feathered features were unable to display any of the emotion he was feeling.

Turning back to observe the ponies, he noted that the talking reptile had fainted.

Owlowiscious listened to the ensuing discussion, hoping to hear news that Twilight would soon be returned.

“So, ya know how to get her outta there? Right?” the orange pony asked the large white mare.

The large white mare closed her eyes for a moment as if carefully considering what she would say. “I am unable to give you an answer to that, Applejack.”

The ponies all gasped.

“The damage to the book, as you can see, is quite extensive. We will first need to consult with the spell's author to gain a proper understanding of what happened here.

“It is quite possible that Twilight remains safe and sound within that literary creation, but with the book destroyed, it will be like a closed bubble, making it quite a difficult task to reach her.

“We must also consider the possibility, however unpleasant it may be that Twilight did not survive the destruction of the book.”

“What?”, “No way!”, “Oh please no!”, “Now just hold on there!” rang out a chorus of replies.

“I refuse to hear it.” was the smaller white mare's scornful reply. “Twilight is the most resourceful and determined pony that I know. She would never allow herself to become immolated by some paltry book.”

“Of course, my dear Rarity. Neither do I believe that such a fate befell Twilight. I merely mention it as a remote possibility that needs to be investigated as well. Rest assured, though, that both Luna and I shall not give up until we have found our fourth Princess.”

“Well, what do we do now?” asked the pink mare, her mane now hanging limply. Owlowiscious thought that was a very good question.

“For now, there is nothing you can do. Luna has already departed on a mission to find the creator of the literary blank. It is vital that we obtain that pony's cooperation.”

“Maybe we could help you find that pony?” offered the rainbow maned pony, repeatedly smacking one hoof into another. Why the blue mare did this, Owlowiscious was not sure, but he suspected it portended violence of some sort.

“No, your help will not be required Rainbow Dash. Luna's search will be quite− thorough.” replied the large white mare.

“Ungh.” groaned the talking reptile, who was finally waking up from his faint. “Twilight!” he called out anxiously as he sat up abruptly. A golden light surrounded him as the large white pony levitated him over to her side.

“Until further notice, no one is to disturb this room. It shall remain untouched until we can bring appropriate resources to bear. To that end, this library remains closed until our investigations are complete.

“Spike, since Twilight is currently unable to look after you, you will be returning with me to Canterlot.”

“What? No! I want to stay and help look for Twilight.” protested the─ Spike. Owlowiscious finally consented to think of him by his proper name, out of consideration of the deep attachment to Twilight they both had.

“Ya can't stay here Spike. The library is closed.” explained the orange mare.

“I could stay with one of you guys.” a desperate Spike countered.

“Oh, Spike.” Began the little white mare. “Under any other circumstances, we would be happy to look after you for a few days. But at this time there is nothing any of us can do for Twilight. It's in Princess Celestia's hooves now.

“We all have our work to try and keep our minds busy while we're waiting. But what would you do with yourself if you stayed here in Ponyville? When you have nothing to do, and you aren't even allowed to enter this library?”

“Indeed Spike. You will be able to help by assisting in my research on this spell back in Canterlot. Twilight has stated that you have become quite the able assistant.” the large white pony, Princess Celestia, confided to him.

Owlowiscious had heard enough. He now knew what his task would be. The room where Twilight had disappeared needed to be guarded, and he was the perfect owl for the task.

He would keep a watch on the room during the long hours of the night, making sure that nothing untoward happened, not even a mouse would disturb even the slightest scrap of paper.

Taking to the air on nearly silent wing beats, Owlowiscious powered his way upwards, toward the observatory platform. There, Twilight had set up an owl door for him, so that he could enter and leave the library tree whenever he felt the need.

He still needed to find himself some breakfast. Perhaps he would get two voles. His breakfast had been delayed, and it would be a long watch.

All the ponies had apparently left the library, leaving it dark when Owlowiscious returned. The lack of illumination did not present any serious problem to an owl who could fly with ease through dense forests on dark overcast nights.

With nary a beat of his wings, Owlowiscious swept down all the way from the observatory, through the bedroom, and down the stairway into the study. His long silent glide taking him over to his regular perch. After a quick ruffle of his feathers, he settled down for his long watch.

The watch was boring, but owls were born to handle boredom. They had the ability to sit motionless for hours on end, senses straining to catch the tiniest movement and hear the slightest sound. These were part and parcel of an owl's natural hunting skills and required little or no conscious input.

As the hours passed, Owlowiscious sat and reminisced on the times he had spent assisting Twilight into the long hours of the night. Though there were times she could run his feathers ragged, requesting that he fetch her book after book, those times were relatively rare.

Usually, he was allowed to just sit peacefully on his perch, absorbing knowledge and listening as his friend spoke her thoughts aloud while writing her notes and observations. At times she would even pause and ask him for his opinion on some matter or other.

His fondest memory was of one evening she had turned her study to the subject of owls. She had found some pretentious book, purporting to be an authoritative treatise on owls and owl behavior. Soon after she had begun reading it to him, he had fallen off his perch and began to convulse. Not knowing what had happened Twilight rushed to his side.

Her expression of worry, however, had soon changed to a frown when it became apparent from his hoots, and from the way he was holding his belly with his wings, that Owlowiscious was merely convulsing with laughter. Though annoyed with the interruption, Twilight waited patiently until he had recovered his composure and his perch. Once assured that Owlowiscious had quite recovered, though still mystified as to what has set him off, she had resumed reading that ridiculous book.

It was not until Owlowiscious fell off his perch for the third time that she finally realized that her so called expert book was the source of his amusement. Twilight's expression when she realized that her 'authoritative' book was in fact 'wrong' had been one of stunned sadness. So sad in fact that his laughter quickly came to an end.

The following hours of that night, however, were among some of his fondest recollections as Twilight and he had collaborated on writing a document to correct the errors set out in that book. “After all,” Twilight had said to him, “the best authority on owls, would have to be an owl.”

Many hours passed and nothing disturbed either the room or the night. Owlowiscious was feeling smug about his skills at guarding the room when a faint flicker caught his eye. Noiselessly his head tilted down to look directly at the spot where he had noticed the flicker.

Owlowiscious listened for all he was worth, but couldn't even hear so much as an ant. He stared fiercely but saw nothing other than the faintly glowing shred of paper.

Glowing? Owlowiscious gave a start, spreading his wings halfway and uttered a brief remark, “Hoo?”

How had he not noticed before that the tiny piece of paper was glowing? Owlowiscious settled down and looked carefully about the darkened room. The first thing he noticed was that there were several other glowing pieces of paper, though the others were not nearly as bright as the first one he had noticed.

Not to say that the first piece of paper was glowing brightly. It was rather dim, like a cloudy sky seen during the fading twilight after the sun had set.

Owlowiscious counted six pieces of paper that had at least some glow to them. He stared at them all carefully. After a while, he noticed something peculiar. The first piece of paper, the one that had been brightest, was no longer the brightest; in fact, it had slowly begun to dim. And two new pieces of paper had started to glow dimly, even as one of the original dim pieces faded ever so slowly to black.

With all the patience of a hunter waiting for a vole to move out into the open, Owlowiscious kept watch over the exploded fragments of paper. As the hours drifted by, he saw that there were scores of them. Over the course of an hour, they would slowly brighten and then dim. At any one time, only a small number would be glowing, and most of those were usually quite dim.

Twice more, he saw the glowing scraps flicker, like when a flying pony obscured the face of the moon momentarily.

Several more hours passed as Owlowiscious watched the glowing debris. He noted that their glow was getting dimmer and dimmer. Eventually, several hours before sunrise, all of the papers that had been growing dimmer and dimmer, became totally dark.

Owlowiscious was an intelligent bird. He knew that the glow was something important, though what it meant was beyond him. Sitting there in the dark, keeping watch over Twilight's study, he pondered how he might be able to communicate his discovery to the other ponies.

Author's Note

(1) A special acknowledgment to 'TwilightsmyMare' whose use of Owlowiscious' POV in his story 'The Second Year, Gravidity (Chapter 13)” inspired me to do the same and use his characterization. Thanks, for letting me borrow your character and your inspiration.

(2) I say it was a moonless night because at the beginning of the episode 'Owl's well that ends well.' We see everypony gathered to witness a rare event. A meteor shower judging by the show's animation. And if Luna is going to all the trouble of putting on a special display, her first in over a thousand years, she probably made sure the moon was dark so as not to wash out her special display.

A note to my readers: Originally this feature, with Owlowiscious, was part of a much larger chapter. However, some recent changes have occurred which made the themes of the two parts not fit together so well. Consequently I decided to separate them and you have what you see here, a rather short chapter.

Don’t fret. Don’t worry. The next chapter should be full sized and its development is well under way.

Some of you may happen to be wondering where in the timeline this particular chapter fits in. It takes place during the evening of the day Twilight disappears and proceeds into the early hours of the morning of the following day.
Earth time however is offset from Equus by about 12 hours. Twilight exited Equus at 1:30 PM and arrived on Earth at 1:30 AM.
So... Twilight is freaking out over the discovery that Mike consumes meat (Chapter 6) at around the same time that Owlowiscious can no longer detect any glow from the pieces of paper.

I know this because I have a large spreadsheet detailing the two timelines.

Edited Feb 13, 2017. Edited with ‘Grammarly’ software.

8. A Spell for dinner

“Shall we get started? Please submit your request.”

Ugh. I'm tired, and I’m thirsty.

“Wait. Before we begin, could I trouble you for another cup of tea? I sort of, heh, lost the previous cup.”

Mike started, “Of course. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking... Give me a moment.” He stood up, taking away the two mugs that now contained cold tea. Next, he emptied them into the kitchen sink and placed the dirty mugs into a curious cabinet under the counter.

That’s a strange location for the dirty cups. Wouldn't it be better to rinse them and leave them in the sink? Though I suppose they will need to be washed soon.

“Is there a special reason why are you storing the dirty cups down there?”

“I was just putting them in the dishwasher,” said Mike as he turned on the kettle. As she watched, he also did something to a second device which lit itself up with several glowing lights.

He must have recognized her puzzled expression because he began to explain further. “A dishwasher is a machine for cleaning the dishes. It's pretty much a standard appliance in most homes nowadays.”

“At home," Twilight replied. "I usually ask Spike to clean the dishes. Believe me; it’s a manual process involving soap and water and lots of knee and fetlock grease. We don't have any magic for cleaning our dishes. How can your machine possibly do it?”

“I'm not too sure, but I believe it simply sprays high-pressure jets of hot water at the dishes. After about an hour of such action, the food particles have been either blasted off or dissolved away by the chemicals in the detergent.”

“I see. Spike would love one of those; he hates getting his claws soaked. He says his scales start to swell and warp.”

“Spike has scales? What kind of pony has scales?”

“Well, Spike's not a pony. He's a dragon and my number one assistant. But actually, he's sort of like my little brother. When I was a little filly, I hatched him from his egg. With Princess Celestia's help, I've been looking after him ever since.”

Twilight saw a ridiculous expression appear on Mike's face. What's up with that look?

“Is something wrong? Do you have a problem with Spike being a dragon?”

“No, just ignore me, it's nothing really.”

“Please tell me; we shouldn't allow any more surprises to creep up on us.”

“Well... It's kind of silly," Mike began. "Just a stupid thought. But, when you said that you hatched Spike from his egg, I kind of had a mental picture of you sitting on a huge egg. You’re not by any chance, oviparous, are you? I mean, you do have wings...”

Twilight felt her jaw drop momentarily before she succumbed to a fit of giggles.

“Hee hee... Your right, that is ridiculous.” More giggles ensued as she imagined herself, a little filly, perched upon spikes egg. “And no, I'm not oviparous either. Hee...”

Twilight soon recovered her composure and began explaining. “Hatching that dragon's egg was part of my entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I hatched him with my magic.”

“Really? They use dragon eggs as the subjects of a magical entrance exam?”

“Well, yes. And I'm very glad I got to know Spike that day. You should have seen him sucking on his tail. He was so cute!”

Mike, however, did not smile. “Twilight, I am concerned. My ethical senses are tingling. As a duly self-appointed Ethical Approval Authority I have to question the propriety of subjecting a sapient being, in his prenatal state, to random and potentially harmful magics. Why was the dragon egg not in the proper care of his mother?”

His ethical senses? Tingling? He almost makes sense, but he doesn't make any sense. And is he accusing me of something?

“I didn't hurt Spike. He came to no harm. And as for his mother..." Twilight paused for a moment. "As near as we can tell Spike’s egg was orphaned.”

“I'm glad you didn't harm him, but you could have. Where you so sure your magic would work flawlessly?”

No, I didn’t know the first thing about hatching a dragon's egg. And then there was that uncontrollable magic surge... Twilight’s thoughts suddenly came to a dramatic halt.

Oh, Spike; I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that I put you at risk. Twilight suddenly found herself crying silent tears.

“And then there were other potential candidates for the entrance exam," Mike continued. “How might they have affected Spike?” He paused, his voice taking on a gentler tone. “I'm not blaming you Twilight. You said you were a little filly when you hatched Spike, correct?” She nodded.

“Then the blame should be on the school and those examiners who treated another sapient, and a minor, so callously.”

He's right. I must confront those examiners as soon as... as... I have no idea who they were.

“Um, Mike?”

“Yeah.” Suddenly the kettle clicked. “Go on; I'm listening,” Mike said as he turned away from her and busied himself with pouring a new cup of tea.

“It suddenly occurred to me that I never saw those four examiners again. I mean, over the next three years, I got to know all the professors and lecturers at CSGU, but I never met any of those examiners ever again. I have to wonder if Princess Celestia hasn't already dealt with them.”

“I never even suspected...” She added in a low murmur.

What they did was horrible; I realize that now. But why did Princess Celestia never tell me? Was it to protect me? Or perhaps she was protecting Spike.

Twilight's line of introspection was broken when Mike placed a saucer holding a mug of tea, and a spoon, in front of Twilight. He returned to the kitchen counter.

Oh good, he gave me a spoon. That will make removing the tea bag much easier. Keeping an eye on her steeping tea, she observed that Mike was again busy with something.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m just making myself a cup of coffee. It should be ready in a minute.”

beep, buzz –

Another set of strange noises assailed Twilight's ears.

That’s another machine, no doubt. But, what's cough-ee?. Is Mike feeling ill?

“Are feeling Okay Mike? You're not getting sick are you?”

“No, I'm fine," he replied. "Why do you ask?” he said, turning around to face her.

“You said something about a cough.”

At that moment the noises from the machine stopped, prompting Mike to turn back towards it. When he turned around again, he was holding a steaming mug.

“Coffee. It's the name of this drink I’m holding.” Mike lifted up his mug for emphasis. Then he added, almost as an afterthought, “By the way, your Tea is starting to get dark.”

“Ahh!” Twilight frantically fished the teabag out with her spoon. Having narrowly averted disaster, she took a cautious sip. Her face beamed a radiant expression of satisfaction, after which she added two teaspoons of sugar.

“Somebody's enjoying their tea,” Mike noted with some amusement.”

Twilight glanced at Mike but did not reply. Of course I am, and I’m not going to let you bother me. Tea had always had its own magic for Twilight; her earlier agitation about Spike's treatment and Celestia's secrets was mellowing away.

Mike removed a box from the refrigerator and poured something white into his mug.

“Twilight, did you ever see any other students of that CS place in the company of young or recently hatched dragons?” Mike returned the box of white stuff to his refrigerator.

“No. Come to think of it, there were no other dragons. Spike was the only one. And it’s called CSGU which stands for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.” She couldn’t help but correct Mike.

Returning to his seat at the table, Mike took a sip of his drink. “Is hatching dragons' eggs an easy task to accomplish?”

“Certainly not, I would have failed that test if I hadn't been startled into emitting an enormous magical surge. From what I know now, even a unicorn mage might find it challenging.”

“I could be wrong, Twilight. I certainly have no knowledge of your society, but if that had happened here on Earth, among humans, then I would have to suspect that you were deliberately set up with a test you could not pass. Have you ever considered the possibility that you were supposed to fail that test?”

What!? But why? Mike's right, of course, I don't think any other unicorn was ever asked to hatch a dragon's egg. But that part about them setting me up to fail? I will need to investigate that. That is if I can ever escape this story... Twilight's musings were interrupted when Mike sat down across from her at the table, allowing her to catch a whiff of his drink.

Ohh! What is that stuff he's drinking? Her muzzle lifted and her nostril's quivered for a moment. It smells like; I don't know what, but I have to know.

She narrowed her eyelids and stared Mike in the eyes “I want to know what that is you’re drinking. It’s not something related to meat is it?”

“No, it's not anything like that. It's coffee, made from beans. Actually, it's not a bean, it's a seed. We just call it that because it kind of looks like a bean. It's full of flavor and quite strong, bitter even, so I usually add some Cream to moderate the taste. Uh, Cream is okay, isn't it?”

Right, the coff-ee he told me about earlier, I must have forgotten. And Cream.

Twilight relaxed her gaze. “Yes, Cream is good.” She gave a tentative sniff in the direction of his cup, “It smells... strangely enticing. Would you let me try a cup? Not right now, of course, I still have this tea.”

“You can try some tomorrow morning. Besides I would not recommend drinking it at night.”

“But─ you’re drinking it,” Twilight replied.

“That's because I know the effect that it has on me. It’s not so late yet, and I want the extra alertness when we go out soon. Coffee is a natural stimulant. I expect to suffer some consequences later tonight.”

“Why? What does it do?” She asked, slightly alarmed.

“Nothing too bad. Coffee just has a tendency to keep people awake. I might find it difficult to fall asleep.”

Oh, well then I definitely need to try some. Maybe it can help when I stay up late doing my projects and assignments. But Celestia doesn't give me study assignments anymore. I miss those... Twilights thoughts began to take a melancholy turn.

A brief silence ensued as Twilight's thoughts dwelt on happier days. Suddenly, it was broken as Mike returned to the business they had been discussing earlier.

“Well, we both have our drinks now. So let’s get back to determining if you can ethically use your magic. Twilight, your proposal please.”

What? Oh. Yes. Twilight frowned, trying to remember the last time she had submitted such a request.

“Well, Mister Approver sir, I would like to make use of the Clover-Marehammer third order horaómorphic glamor, to disguise my appearance amongst other humans.”

“Clover Mark ham... third order... hoary morph...," Mike struggled with the unfamiliar words. "That's quite a mouthful. Could you please describe what this spell does?”

“Clover the Clever, a famous mage, and Mare Hammer, a famous spy, collaborated to create a series of horaómorphic spells.”

“A horaómorphic spell manipulates the target's perception of their senses. The spell implants an animus into their mind that causes them to perceive an object as something else, for example, it could cause them to perceive an apple as an orange.”

“So, if you put an apple in front of me, I would see an orange?”

“In the broadest sense, yes, you are correct. But you're missing the important part, your eyes and brain will always see the apple; the apple has not changed; your brain has not been altered, it's your mind that perceives the orange.”

“I am still unclear on this. Brain, mind, it's the same isn't it?”

“Your body is separate and distinct from your mind. This spell only affects the mind's perception. Not the body’s perception.”

“Suppose I was asked to think of an apple. Would my mind end up thinking of an orange?”

“No, the spell's animus only affects your mind at the stage where the experience is initially perceived. Previous experiences of apples have become an integral part of your memory and won't be altered.”

“Okay, I think I got it now. What about that third order part of the spell?”

“A first-order spell is cast directly upon the subject and would make the subject generically see apples as oranges. A second order spell is cast upon the specific object and causes anypony who looks at that object to perceive it as directed by the spell’s animus.

“A third-order spell starts with either a first or a second order spell. But the animus is enhanced, providing exact details for what is to be perceived. For example, you would perceive a specific orange with readily identifiable attributes or markings distinguishing it from all other oranges.”

Twilight took another sip from her tea and looked expectantly at Mike.

Mike had been sitting quietly, apparently thinking. Suddenly he shifted, becoming aware that Twilight was waiting for his response. He cleared his throat.

“Okay, Twilight, on the first issue, concerning the subject's volition, I don't see this magic as having any direct effect upon it; though the magic could be used to influence the subject’s decisions by carefully shaping their perceived environment.

“What really matters here are the specific details of what the subject perceives. Do the alterations to their perceptions lead the subjects to make choices they otherwise would not make? Choices that are detrimental to themselves.”

“It shouldn't. The magic’s animus will simply cause the subjects to see me as a human mare.”

“The word you should use is ‘woman,'” Mike corrected with a smile. “Not ‘mare.' Or if they are young, the word ‘girl’ would also be suitable.”

Hmm. Ponies also sometimes use ‘girl’.

“Thanks. The woman they perceive, will move and act in a manner consistent with the local environment and my own activities. When I walk, they will see the woman walk. When I eat, they will see the woman eat, as humans eat. The subject's mind will supply the necessary details.”

“That should be interesting. Will they perceive the human you as being enhanced in any way? I have to ask because conspicuous or exaggerated body attributes could bring unnecessary attention.”

He doesn't mean what I think he means. Does he? Twilight blushed. I'm not vain about my human form. I wouldn’t enhance it like that. But that doesn't mean that it isn't enhanced already.

“I– I really don't know, Mike, all I have is a memory of what I would look like as a human.” After the briefest of pauses, she added “It's from some research that I did earlier. Would you like to see-”

“Hold it!” Mike interrupted, gesturing at her with a strange motion; he was holding his hand up, its flat side presented towards her face.

“Let’s complete the rest of the ethical review before you try using any of that magic. If we can satisfy ourselves about the other two issues, we'll come back, and evaluate your appearance.”

“That sounds reasonable,” she conceded.”

Mike paused, assuming a more serious mien. “Now, concerning the issue of damages; the potential for causing damage is very high. This magic can easily manipulate subjects into performing actions that are injurious, even deadly, to themselves and others. That might happen if they were unable able to perceive something that was dangerous.

“But, such dangers would only manifest as the result of malicious designs on your part. From your statement, I believe it's safe to assume your intentions are benign, and not formulated with any purpose of manipulating the subject.”

Mike paused, staring intently at Twilight. He had a serious look upon his face. “You're not an evil pony, are you?”

“What!” Twilight expostulated, “Of course not! I'm...” she fell silent as she saw a smirk form on Mike's face and realized that he had been tweaking her. She glared back.

Oooh, he got me. I'll have to think of some way to get back at him.

Mike resumed his analysis. “The final issue concerns the moral corruption of the magic user. As with the second issue, the risks are commensurate with the magic user's intentions. Here I see some danger to the magic user of their ego becoming inflated. Even if their intent was to benefit the subject.”

“Benefiting the subject is harmful to the magic user?”

“If successfully manipulating the subject feeds your ego with a measure of satisfaction. Then yes. The pursuit of such satisfaction could lead to continued manipulations.”

I can see that. It’s a little like what happened to Rainbow Dash. She did a good deed, and her ego became a monster. Mare Do Well had to do some pretty serious intervention to save Rainbow from herself. We were all so glad when she returned to her senses.

“I understand. Something like that happened to one of my friends; she rescued somepony and got a swelled ego.”

“I'm glad you understand. The only safe way to use this magic is to keep all manipulation neutral. Ideally, the subject's actions remain unchanged.”

“Now, you stated that the purpose of this magic is to conceal your true appearance, something which should not be the concern of humans other than myself. And you have no other objective, such as manipulating or benefiting other persons. Therefore, I deem this to be a neutral use of magic.”

Mike grinned. “So Twilight, you are granted provisional approval to use the Clever Mark third... uh, whatever. All that remains now is to show me how you will look before I can grant final approval.”

Twilight closed her eyes, gathering her concentration. Mentally, she went through her checklist.

Let’s see, the Clover-Marehammer horaómorphic glamour–; got it. The counterspell is–; just my normal dispersal magic will do. Second order–; to be cast upon a body which is myself. Third order–; set up a matrix to impart specific details to the animus and finally, I use my memory of what I looked like in the Mirror World.

Her horn, which had been glowing for the past few seconds, flashed brilliantly.

Twilight opened her eyes to find Mike staring at her; his jaw had dropped open.

Heh. This is just another 'one of those things' Mike. A smile appeared on her face.

Twilight levitated her mug and took another sip of her tea. She grimaced; it was getting cold and had lost its appeal. “So, how do I look?”

Mike shook himself as if waking up from a trance.

“Absolutely amazing! You appear so real and lifelike. Twilight, what I see is a young girl, who is still recognizably you. I just saw you pick up your mug with your right hand. Am I mistaken, did you actually transform into a girl?”

“No, I'm quite unchanged. I’m still an alicorn.”

“Unbelievable! So lifelike. I can't tell that it's not real, and I know it's not!”

Mike rose from his seat but continued to stare at Twilight. He walked around her to observe her from all sides. “Hmm...”

“Do you see anything wrong?” she asked. Her head turned, tracking Mike as he walked around her.

“A few things,” he replied. “The most noticeable is that you have a lavender skin tone.”

“What’s wrong with my color?”

“It’s not normal. No human has lavender skin. Could you change the image, make the skin color more like mine?”

I could, but I think I’ll let him make the changes. As Twilight called upon her magic, her horn flashed, and then maintained a steady glow.

“Actually, you can make the changes yourself.”

“What? How am I supposed to do that?”

“I'm holding open the spell matrix for the perception animus, if you concentrate on what you desire, the animus' parameters will modify themselves accordingly, changing what you see.”

“So if I imagine that you have a normal skin color- woah! Now that's impressive.”

Twilight sat there quietly, holding the spell matrix open, while Mike paced around her like a hungry Manticore.

“Skin tone is good...”

It was fine already, Mike; I can't imagine why anypony would have cared what color I was.

“But the eyes are too large for a human, make them smaller... a bit more... hmmm, just a tiny shade larger, perfect!”

Well, I knew Mike had smaller eyes, but what's wrong with mine? Nopony mentioned them while I was in the mirror world.

“I see that your hair still has the same color stripes as those in your mane-”

What! Don't tell me he's going to do away with my personal mane colors! She bristled inside, preparing for an argument.

“You know what? I like those stripes. Let's leave them there. And I like your hairstyle too, very pretty-”

Mike's comment disarmed Twilight's growing indignation. “You mean that?” She asked.

“Oh yes, and even as a pony I find your mane to be very pretty.”

Twilight felt confused yet strangely elated. She rarely got compliments about her appearance. Even Rarity was more likely to suggest changing her look than to offer her compliments.

She quelled her unsettled feelings by acknowledging Mike's compliment. “Thank you.”

“Next thing we need to change is your age. Right now you look like an adolescent of about fifteen years of age. Are you really that young?”

“No, I'm ac-” she started to reply, but Mike cut her off.

“Nothing wrong with that, but if we are to be seen together in social settings it might be better that you appear to be older... Say about twenty... Nope, still too young. Let’s try twenty-eight... Umm, no... Somehow that age doesn't suit you, let's go back to twenty...two. There, that looks about right.

“You know Twilight; these adjustments are simply fantastic. How do you make them so quickly and accurately?”

“I'm not. You are the one making the changes Mike. Your mind is supplying the necessary details.”

“It's incredible. It’s like I have facial composition software in my head. Only it works in living Three-Dee.” Mike added a strange emphasis to his last few words.

He's really getting too excited about this. Twilight thought wryly. And what's facial composition software?

“Mike! Are you getting a swelled ego through your power over my appearance? Maybe I should end this right now.”

“Wait! Sorry Twilight, maybe I have been enjoying this a little too much. But, before you end this session, there are still some important things I must correct.”

“And what would those be?” she asked suspiciously.

“The problem is your clothing. You, your image I mean, needs to dress appropriately for our winter weather. Otherwise, you will draw attention.”

“Okay, that makes sense.”

“Alright, now what does a pretty twenty-two-year-old woman wear in the winter...

“Okay, first, lose those tacky leg warmers... Now change that poufy dress for some jeans... Purple!? Why are the jeans purple? You know what? It works; we'll leave the color alone, but change that thin blouse for a pink sweater. Ugh, Cashmere, a little less fuzz please...”

I think I've created a monster. Twilight mused. He's as bad as Rarity! She sighed, resigned to her fate as a magical ponyquin.

But no more changes came. Mike just stood there staring critically at Twilight, or rather, at her human image.

“Twilight, your human image looks good for indoor locations. But when going outside, it's necessary to wear additional clothing such as boots and a coat. Can the spell manage that?”

“You can make the perceived image as detailed as you want," she replied. "I thought you understood that.”

“You misunderstand. Your human image will need to don and doff a coat according to the ambient temperature. Not wearing a coat when outside in freezing weather will draw attention, as would be continuing to wear a coat while inside a warm building.”

Twilight considered the problem. I could make two distinct glamors; one with a coat and one without. But no, that would expose me during the switchover. Could I wear a coat? No, my true appearance, wearing a coat or not, is obscured by the glamor. Oh. I know!

“I can cast the glamor of a coat onto some simple object that I wear. The image of the coat will follow that object, whether being worn or laid aside. Do you have a necklace or anything like that?”

After brief consideration, Mike replied, “I think I do, wait right here.” Mike left the room. Twilight could hear his hoofsteps as he went downstairs to the basement. It was but another moment before he returned carrying a thin strap having a rectangular black stick dangling from it.

Is that some kind of necklace? If it is, it’s rather ugly.

“Here you go; this data-stick came with a neck strap. You can use this. I don't need it.”

“Data-stick?” Twilight asked as she levitated it out of his hand. As it settled over her neck, she was surprised at how light and comfortable the necklace felt. Oh, I see. It's not jewelry. It’s a textile strap designed for utility and comfort rather than providing visual appeal.

“The name refers to that black object dangling from your neck," Mike answered. "It's a generic term referring to a certain class of data storage devices we use with our computers. I'll tell you all about data-sticks and computers later, probably tomorrow. That's simply too enormous a subject to go into right now."

There he goes again, always deferring his explanations.

“Are you done with the changes to my human image, Mike? I need to close up the first control matrix before I create a new one.”

“One second... there! I just gave your human self some stylish calf length boots, suitable for outdoor excursions and for wearing indoors at a restaurant. Okay, you can close the matrix now.”

Twilight did so and proceeded to apply a third order horaómorphic glamor to the ugly necklace, setting it up with the image of her lab coat, that being the only coat she could think of at the moment.

“Uh, Twilight? Whatever are you wearing? It looks terrible.”

Twilight turned her head and glanced at her body, seeing it covered by her lab coat. I wonder why Mike thinks something’s wrong with it.

“I’m just wearing my lab coat, Mike. It looks fine to me, but if you don’t like it, you can change it to something else.”

“Your lab coat?” He asked incredulously. Then a look of comprehension took over his features. “You mean your pony lab coat.”

Suddenly Twilight realized she had made a mistake. She had given the lab coat’s glamor specific parameters as to its size and appearance. Those were conflicting with the requirements of her human glamor. She sighed internally.

“The control matrix is open.” She offered, hoping to change the subject. “You can change the coat at any time.”

“One stylish peacoat coming up.” Mike declared with a smile.

Suddenly Twilight was engulfed by volumes of heavy looking fabric. Hastily, she adjusted the spell matrix to exclude herself from its effects. If a human wearing pony clothing looks bad, She thought. Then a pony wearing human clothing is equally as ridiculous.

Mike, however, still wasn’t done. “Hmm, let's fix that color. Aaand Voila!” Mike made a peculiar gesture, bringing his bunched fingers up to pursed lips. “C'est Magnifique!”

He is! He is like Rarity! She couldn't help but smile at that reminder of her friend.

“Say Twilight?”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Can you make it so that I'm excluded from the effects of these two glamours?”

“Easily. May I ask why?”

“Well, I've kind of gotten used to your true appearance. And I would prefer to get to know the real you, rather than some illusion. Even if, no, especially since I had a hand in creating that illusion.”

He wants to get to know the real me? Twilight thought in wonder. She smiled at him. “Why thank you, Mike. That's the nicest thing anypony has said to me all day long.”

Mike had re-donned his coat and was putting on some boots. “Come on Twilight. Let’s get going; I'm starving.”

Upon the mention of food, or rather, the lack thereof, Twilight's stomach gave agreement in the form of a loud rumble.

Give me a break! She thought. It's like some kind of Plevlovian behavioral response.

Twilight followed Mike out the door. Upon exiting the house, the first thing she noticed was how dark it had become. Full night had fallen.

But it's only about 5 o'clock, she thought.

The second thing she noticed was the temperature. It had gotten considerably colder than it had been just a few hours ago.

Mike approached his carriage and walked around to the opposite side, opening the door. “I hope you can climb up and sit comfortably on this seat, Twilight.”

She looked dubiously at the opening, “I guess we won't know until I try.”

Twilight placed her forehooves firmly upon the seat. she kicked off with her hind legs and hopped in, managing a clean entry, standing upon the seat with all four legs. She sat down carefully.

“Those seats were engineered for humans, how are they for you?” Mike asked.

“A little tight,” she replied honestly. “My tail is bent, and my forehooves are too close to the front edge of the seat. They could slip off if the ride got bumpy.”

“Is it possible for you to lean back in the seat; like a human would?”

Twilight recalled her experiences in the mirror world. “I think so. Let me try that.”

Twilight tried leaning back but quickly dropped forwards again as the pressure on her tail mounted.

I don't like tucking my tail between my legs and sitting on it, but I think it’s the only way this might work.

With her tail between her legs, she tried leaning back again. This time she was successful.

“Is this necessary Mike? It’s not too bad, but I wouldn’t call this comfortable.”

“It’s necessary because you should wear a seatbelt. It's the law. Having said that, is there anything I can do to improve your comfort?”

“The worst part is how the seat forces me to lean so far back. It puts added pressure on my tail.”

“Here, let me try adjusting the seat’s back.” Mike reached over and touched a control on the side of the seat's lower portion. Suddenly Twilight found herself tilting forward as the back of the seat was raised.

“Stop! That's a little too far. Can you go back a little... right there! Thanks, Mike. That's much more comfortable.”

“Okay, Twilight, I'm going to show you how to buckle yourself in.

“This,” Mike pointed at a broad strap with an embedded metal tang, located to her right and somewhat behind her, “is your seatbelt. To use it, simply pull it forward in a smooth continuous motion, like so...” Mike demonstrated pulling out a great length of the seat belt.

“Next you take the tongue,” Mike was holding the metal tang, “and insert it into the buckle.” Mike swiftly inserted the tongue into a strange protruding stalk located at Twilight's left side. Twilight heard a distinct 'click' as it went in. As Mike let go of the belt, it snugged up against Twilight's body, startling her.

Mike continued, “To release the belt, simply depress this button located on the buckle.” Mike proceeded to do so; pressing a prominent orange colored button. The seat belt was suddenly whipped away. She heard the metal tongue clatter as it struck the side of the carriage. For some reason, this caused Mike to wince as if he were in pain.

“Now you try it. Just–, when you do, try to keep the seat belt from retracting so violently.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Twilight protested.

“I know.” He replied. I’m just asking you to do better than me.” Strangely, Mike’s reply pleased Twilight. She had always been a pony who owned up to her actions, and it seemed that Mike did too.

She turned her attention to the seat belt. This seems simple enough. An assumption Twilight proved by buckling and unbuckling herself several times.

Observing her exercises, Mike chuckled, “You know, when I bought the truck earlier this year, I never would have imagined that one day a magical alien pony would be sitting in my front passenger’s seat.”

Twilight simply looked back at him. What could she say? She was indeed sitting in his truck.

Apparently finished with his self-amusement, Mike called out, “Watch yourself, I'm closing the door.” After doing so, Mike came around the carriage and climbed into the seat adjacent to Twilight's.

Twilight observed Mike's actions carefully, as he held up a ring of keys. One key, in particular, was larger than the rest. It fit into a lock mounted on the side of a strange 'mushroom' growing out of the panel in front of him.

A twist of the key and the carriage started to produce a muted roar, even as she felt a faint vibration through her seat. Light bloomed in front of the carriage, illuminating the garage almost as brightly as daylight.

Ooo. This is so exciting. Twilight gave a silent 'sqee'. A whole new technology. I can't wait to find out the particulars on how it works. I've got to ask Mike for a quill and some paper. Yes, lots of paper.

At first, Twilight found their motion confusing. The carriage started moving back, turning sharply to the right as it did so. Before she could ask Mike what was happening, the carriage stopped, Mike moved a large lever that was growing out of the side of the 'mushroom,' and the carriage began moving forwards, only now it was turning sharply to the left.

Oh, he was simply getting the carriage turned around. But no, it’s not a carriage, Mike said it was like a carriage, but he called it a─ 'Truck.', That's it. It's called a truck.

They moved forwards slowly, approaching a large gap in a line of trees. Just after passing the trees the truck stopped.

“Why are we stopping?”

“Just making sure there's no oncoming traffic before moving onto the road.” With a roar, the truck turned to the right and started moving again, much faster now.

Twilight could not see anything of the landscape outside the darkened cab. However, the road stretching in front of the truck was lit up in brilliant detail for a considerable distance.

“Is it okay if I ask you a few questions, Mike?”

“Ask away. I imagine you have quite a few by now.”

“Oh, I most certainly do," Twilight affirmed, almost gleefully. "But let’s start with this truck. What is its motive power?”

“It has an eight-cylinder Internal Combustion Engine.”

“Internal Combustion Engine?”

“You know, expanding gasses push against a piston, which turns a crank, which provides the rotary motion.”

“Oh. That sounds like our steam engines. We use them to power our trains.”

“Ha, Ha, Twilight. I'm pretty sure your spaceship runs on something better than steam power. You can't tell me you got to Earth with that level of technology.”

“What's wrong with our technology? It might not be as advanced as your generators, and trucks and toasters but I'll have you know that we are quite proud of our railroads and trains.”

Mike seemed shocked. “But you came here in a spaceship. That's so much more advanced than a steam locomotive.”

“What's this spaceship thing you keep talking about?”

“Twilight! You’re an alien, not from this world. It's obvious that you come from another world, from some far-off star system. You must have come in a spaceship of some kind. Or maybe you prefer to call it a starship?”

“I know quite a lot about the stars and other heavenly objects. I love to study the night sky and have spent many a night at my telescope doing observations. But I am quite unfamiliar with these things you call star systems and starships. What do the stars have to do with it? My question was about that Internal Combustion Engine?”

Instead of answering, Mike abruptly slowed the truck and brought it to a stop at the side of the road.

“What wrong? Why are we stopping?”

“Because I think we are about to have a huge – revelatory discussion. I don't want to drive while being heavily distracted. It's not safe.”

“That's the only thing you've said recently that makes any sense.”

“Twilight. Your question, 'What do the stars have to do with it' totally staggers me. Either you're putting on a massive act...”

“I'm doing nothing of the sort!”

“Or there's a massive disconnect between our two worldviews.”

“I still don't understand. You still haven't answered my question.”

“Forget the engine for a moment. Twilight, It's about cosmology and our understanding of the universe. Let me begin with something simple. First off, the Sun is a star. And all the other stars in the night sky are suns in their own right.”

“That's not right, Princess Luna makes the stars in the night sky.”

Mike sighed. “Please, don't bring up mythological references. I'm trying to present scientific facts here.”

“Princess Luna is not mythological.” Twilight replied sharply. “She is the Princess of the Night. She raises and lowers the moon and the stars. I've personally stood by her side and watched her change the constellations.

“And Princess Celestia raises and lowers the sun. The sun is not a star.”

“That's ridiculous," Mike retorted, "nobody moves the sun! The world rotates on its axis, thereby giving the illusion that the sun revolves around it.”

No, that's ridiculous, Twilight thought. Everypony knows the world is much bigger than the sun.

“Celestia does too move the Sun. When she was abducted recently, the sun stopped moving through the sky. I ought to know; I was there. I was even instrumental in finding and rescuing her. According to various clocks, several days passed before the sun, moon, and stars were moving on schedule again.”

Mike sighed and dropped his head onto the 'mushroom.' Several long moments passed before he raised it again.

“Twilight. You say you have personally witnessed such things. I'm not going to dispute you. But believe me, when I say that is not how things work here. Of this, I am certain. We have so much scientific evidence that what I told you about our sun and stars is considered irrefutable fact.

“I─ I'm starting to think you come from another universe. One that is wholly different, having physical laws that radically diverge from our own.”

Yes, I know. This is just a fictional universe, accidentally created by a misfire of that literary spell. I suppose anything can be 'true' here.

Twilight hung her head, saddened by the turn the conversation had taken. “I know Mike. I've known from the beginning that I'm not in my own universe. But until we had this conversation, I had no idea just how different it was from my own.”

Mike was resting his head on the mushroom again. Eventually, Twilight became worried for his mental state and broke the silence.

“Mike? Now that we have established that we are from different universes, perhaps you could tell me something about yours? You were telling me something about the stars, and– and spaceships.”

Several more moments passed until Mike sat up abruptly, and set the trunk in motion again.

“Well, I think 'the big shock' is over, maybe I can manage to drive while I explain some things.”

“I'm glad you’re okay Mike. I'll try not to distract you from your driving.”

“No need to restrain yourself Twilight. Now that I know how different our perspectives are, I won't be so distracted by the very nature of your questions.”

The truck came to a stop again. Apparently, the road they were on was crossing another road. She thought Mike was checking for oncoming vehicles again. The truck turned left, onto the new road. Soon it had accelerated to quite an impressive speed, possibly twice as fast as an Earth Pony at full gallop.

Mike spoke up again. “As I said earlier, the sun is a star. There are several planets including this Earth which orbit the sun-”

“Planets? Orbits?”

“Planets are heavenly bodies, large rocks basically, which revolve around the sun. The Earth is an example of a planet. An Orbit is just a technical word. It refers to the path a planet takes as it revolves around the sun.

“As I was saying, the stars are suns in their own right. And they, in turn, have their own planets.”

“So you're saying that each star could have worlds just like this earth?”

“Well, not every star. Every star may well have planets, but our current theories would have the formation of an Earth-like planet to be a rare occurrence.”

“Why would they be rare?”

“Well for one thing-” Twilight noticed that Mike's voice sounded much more relaxed now. Apparently, he enjoyed expositing on his cosmology.

“-the planet's orbit has to lie within a certain distance from its sun. Too close and the planet boils from the heat. Too far away and the planet is cold and frozen.

“A second factor is the size of the planet. Too small and it has insufficient gravity to retain a breathable atmosphere. Too large and the greater gravity would retain a thick, dense atmosphere so heavy that it would cause the world to overheat.”

“So the earth is of an ideal size and in the ideal location?”

“Actually, the earth is too large to be habitable. There is a neighboring planet, Venus, which is only slightly smaller than earth. But Venus has a thick heavy atmosphere that holds in the heat all too well. Its surface temperature is hot enough to melt lead. The current theory is that the moon, which orbits the earth, has helped to strip off most of that thick heavy atmosphere, making the Earth habitable. Venus has no moon, and remains inhospitable to life.”

This may be a fictional universe. But I bet Luna would love to hear that story.

Twilight, following along with great interest, spoke up. “So you have three factors, distance from the sun, the size of the world and the presence of a moon as contributing factors determining its habitability. I shouldn't wonder that Earth-like planets may be rare.”

“That's right. And though they are rare, when you consider how many stars there are, it is reasonable to assume there a good number of them out there. Twilight, ever since I first met you, my assumption was that you had come from such a world.”

Mike gave her a huge grin. “You know, we humans have written a great deal of speculative fiction about exploring those worlds among the stars, about coming in contact with beings from those other worlds.”

“Fiction? You mean you have not traveled to those worlds? You don't know if other worlds even exist?”

“Oh, we do know they exist. Our telescopes have been able to detect thousands of planets orbiting those stars. Sadly, our telescopes only have the sensitivity to detect the larger planets, ones which are much larger than our own Earth.”

“But you haven’t traveled to them.”

“Well, humans have traveled to the moon. It was a huge undertaking, and the whole world celebrated that achievement. But we have not traveled any further. The distances are too extreme.”

Well, Luna has been to her own moon, so I don't think that achievement is quite so extraordinary.

“What kind of distances are you talking about?”

“I believe the closest star is Proxima Centauri; it’s about four light-years distant.”

“Light years? I've never before heard of that measure.”

“A light-year is the distance light travels in a year.”

Wait. Light? Light has a speed of approximately186,000 miles per second! And a whole year? Twilight did a quick calculation. That distance is insane!

“Impossible! That's 5.7 million-million miles. Nothing is that far distant. It vastly exceeds the size of the universe as we know it.”

“Maybe your universe. But our universe has an observable radius of about thirteen billion of those light years.”

Twilight immediately worked out the distance in miles. She felt her thought's sputtering as she tried, and failed to comprehend the resulting number.

“Don't bother trying to convert it into miles. Even a single light-year is too vast a distance to comprehend. Just accept it as being the appropriate unit of measure when discussing stellar distances.”

“Are you reading my mind now?”

“No, of course not. But it’s a common fallacy for people to attempt to convert an unfamiliar measure into something they are comfortable with. I'm just giving you some helpful advice.

“Twilight, for the sake of argument, or rather for the sake of our not arguing, I provisionally accept that your universe is as you say it is. Can you accept that mine is as I have said?”

Well sure. This is, after all, a fictional universe. But why does it have such attributes? Why does it have such an inconceivable size? On the surface, everything else I have seen today appears normal. I need to solve this mystery.

“Fine, I'll suspend my disbelief for now. But I want to see that scientific evidence you mentioned earlier. And you know, you still have not answered a single question!”

Mike sighed. “Right, your question. Well, I had assumed you came from a planet circling some distant star, and knowing the distances involved, I further assumed that you had arrived in a ship, a spaceship, or starship, which was capable of conveying you over those vast distances.

“Such a starship would represent energies and technologies far exceeding our current capabilities. I was flabbergasted when you proudly claimed steam power as your technology.”

“Oh. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it is.”

Twilight suddenly realized that they had been passing by numerous buildings for a while, each with lights glowing or signs illuminated. She stopped talking in order to observe as much as she could about human habitations.

Suddenly Mike was slowing the truck but did not bring it to a stop. Instead, they turned off the road and entered an open area before a building. There appeared to be four other carriages stopped in this area. She noted with interest that Mike drove his truck up into a gap between two of the other carriages.

“Sorry to interrupt Twilight, but we're here. Everybody out.” Mike announced.

Immediately, Twilight released her seat belt, but the door defeated her. She was about to call out to Mike for assistance but caught sight of him pulling on a square looking ring embedded in the side of his door. His door promptly popped open.

Oh, so that’s how. Do I have one of those rings on my side? Yes, I do. Using her magic, she found it quite easy to open her own door. Hmm, that lever is certainly not pony friendly. It's difficult to grab with a hoof and impossible for one’s mouth. Only a unicorn would be comfortable with it.

Clambering out, she found herself standing between Mike’s truck and another carriage. She saw a large illuminated sign emplaced upon the building in front of them. Large green cursive letters shone out into the night, illuminating a considerable area. To her eyes, the sign's cursive letter styling distorted the message to the point of being almost illegible. After a moment's study, she came to the conclusion that it read 'Sinful Salads'.

Finally, I might get something to eat. Her stomach agreed with a loud grumble.

Author's Note

This chapter has been edited and slightly revised. to clean up some OOC behaviour on the part of Twilight.

(1) Using magic to fetch a wet sloppy object, like the teabag, while it is immersed in water is rather difficult to accomplish. Though not impossible.

(2) At the time I wrote this, I knew of no examples in the TV episodes were anypony drinks coffee. I have since been corrected. But it was a secondary character, who lived in Manehatten. So, in my head cannon, coffee is a rare specialty drink that few ponies ever come to like. Usually only available in the big cities.

(3) horaómorphic: I coined a new word here. (the greek word horaó: to see, perceive) and (morph: to transform or be transformed). Thus is coined a new scientific sounding word for “perception-transformation”. (To any linguists out there, please don't hate me. It's all in good fun.)

(4) animus: (purpose; intention; animating spirit) is the usage I am going with here.

(5) Plevlov: A pony who published important work and theories on classical conditioning. Though most ponies only remember his work as 'that experiment which caused dogs to drool whenever they heard a bell'.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

Edited Feb 23, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

9. Tears and Laughter

Mike climbed out of his truck, stretching to relieve his back of some tension before closing his driver's side door. Glancing around, he took note of the restaurant and its parking lot. Someone had generously salted the parking area as well as the walkway in front of the building; no ice was present. In contrast, the cedar hedge at the north end of the lot had buckled; bowed flat to the ground from its load of ice. Apparently throwing salt on the hedge was not an option.

The restaurant itself was fronted with large glass windows whose light offered a beckoning warmth to Mike; standing as he was in the chill temperatures outside.

Mike circled around the back of his truck, expecting to help Twilight but found that she had already exited the vehicle.

Well so much for chivalry. He thought. It’s funny how I'm putting myself all out for my alien visitor. I'm all wound up about showing her a good time, just like I was for Cousin Zena who visited me two years ago.

Mike saw that Twilight was staring at the restaurant's sign, but from his angle, he could not see her expression. “What are you looking at?” he asked.

“That sign," she explained. "I'm having a hard time reading it. What's with all those loops and swoops obfuscating the letters? I think it says 'Sinful Salads.'”

“Heh, reading that sign gives most people trouble. They went way overboard with the fancy calligraphy. Come on; let’s get inside where it's warm.” Mike waved his arm as if shooing her forward.

In response, Twilight started walking forward between his truck and the minivan parked beside it; Mike following behind her. As he passed the truck’s passenger door, he pushed it shut and began fumbling in his pocket for his keys.

Reaching the walkway in front of the restaurant, Twilight paused and turned around, waiting for Mike who had slowed down.

Mike, having found his keys, triggered the remote door lock. Muted clicks were heard. As was his usual habit, he triggered the lock a second time to engage the truck's security alarm.

Beep! The horn sounded, and the truck’s lights flashed. As soon as it happened Mike knew that he had made a mistake.

“Yeek!” Twilight pronked upwards in startlement. Her legs thrashed vigorously, and her wings were spread out, beating the air.

“Sorry!” Mike called out urgently, afraid that he might have startled Twilight into running off. “I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking, I...” Mike's voice trailed off as he gazed in wonder at the sight before him.

"You're flying?"

Having recovered from her initial start, Twilight continued to hover in the air with slow, lazy flaps of her wings. She glared at him fiercely, her ears folded back. “What the hay was that! Why did you scare me like that?”

She's flying! She's flying! I can't believe it. She's flying!

Mike's mouth dropped open and stayed that way for a moment before he could utter anything. “You're really flying.”

“Yes, I'm flying. Never mind that. Why did you scare me like that?” Twilight demanded as she dropped down to the walkway and folded her wings.

“What? Oh, the alarm. I was locking the truck and activated the security alarm. It beeps the horn and flashes the lights to let me know it’s activated and in working order. I'm sorry Twilight. I lock the truck so often that the action has become second nature to me, an automatic reflex. I never even had time to think about how it might startle you before I went ahead and did it.”

“Well give me a warning the next time you do that," Twilight replied acerbically. "You got that?”

Lowering her voice and softening her expression, she added, “I nearly flew off into the dark due to that sudden fright.”

“Of course, I'll try to remember,” he assured her. “But Twilight, how are you able to fly? I mean, you've got wings, I can see that. But I thought they were merely ornamental.”

“Ornamental? Well, I suppose I don't use them as often as I should, but I assure you that they are fully functional. Why would you think that I could not fly?”

Why? Well, it should be obvious. He thought, but at that point, his stomach gave a loud grumble. The sound was not loud enough to be obvious outside of his winter coat, but he could feel it.

“You know Twilight; this sounds like a discussion we should be having over dinner. Shall we go inside?”

Twilight's stomach chose that moment to make its presence known. “Heh heh. Yes, let’s do that.”

Acting the gentleman, Mike walked up to the restaurant’s door and held it open for Twilight to pass through.

The restaurant did not have anything much in the way of a lobby. Just a sign which read, “Please wait to be seated.” Mike stopped in front of it while Twilight stood at his side. Looking about, he saw an L-shaped room which held maybe a dozen booths. The 'lobby' they stood in was at the top of the 'L.'

“Do you have restaurants where you come from?” Mike asked mindlessly. Having slipped into 'kill some time' mode due to the fact he was waiting in line. He and Twilight were the only ones in the line, but it was still a line.

Augh! Did I really say something that stupid?

“Of course we do. Serving and presenting good food is an honorable and valued profession. How could you think otherwise?”

“My apologies. That was a thoughtless question, prompted no doubt by nervousness, and force of habit.”

“Nervousness? Could you explain that?”

“I had a cousin come and visit me from overseas a few years ago. While I was thrilled with her visit, I was constantly all in a dither, trying to show her and her fiancé a good time. Trying to keep them occupied, seeing the sights, finding good places to eat, stuff like that.

“I'm starting to feel the same way with you Twilight. You are perhaps the most extraordinary guest that I, or any human, may have ever hosted.”

Twilight looked up at Mike, a serious expression on her face. “Thank you, Mike, for saving me and for giving me a place to stay. I am and will always be, grateful for that. But you mustn’t concern yourself with entertaining me or showing me a good time. I'm simply a lost pony. I don't have a right to expect anything at all from you.” Her face began to look glum. “I regret my anger, earlier today, and also the way I treated you-”

“We’ll have none of that Twilight. You have already apologized for it, and I have already accepted. Let's not drag it back into the light and have it spoil our dinner.”

At that moment a waitress came up to them. “Hello. Welcome to Sinful Salads. Will you two need a table?”

“Yes, that would be fine,” Mike replied as the waitress picked up two menus and proceeded down the long arm of the L-shaped room. She stopped just two booths down from the entrance.

“Is this table okay?” Asked the waitress.

Mike looked at Twilight, who answered his implicit query by simply hopping into the seat. Mike was fascinated by how she did it. First, Twilight turned her hindquarters around, aiming them at the booth's seat and with a bounce of her rear legs placed her rump up on the seat. Immediately after that she shoved off powerfully with her forelegs and raised herself up into a fully seated position, her tail neatly tucked between her legs. She had performed it so smoothly that it seemed a well-practiced maneuver.

Mike caught hold of his wandering attention after Twilight's interesting distraction and returned it to the waitress. “Yes. I think this table will be fine, thank you.”

“I'll just leave you to look over these menus. I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders.” She departed, presumably returning to the kitchen or wherever it was that waitresses go.

Turning back to his dinner companion, Mike was surprised to see Twilight already levitating a menu, her face buried in it.

“Do you need any help with that?” Mike asked.

Twilight lowered the menu which had been obscuring her face. She was smiling, her eyes dancing.

“This menu is interesting! Not only does it name the menu item, but it comes with a short description of the ingredients. And even a color picture for each of the items!”

She flipped a page with her magic; her eyes expanded momentarily. “And it even has stuff other than salads! Like Muffins and Pancakes and ooh– I've never heard of 'Belgian' waffles before, but they look so good in this picture!”

Mike could feel the nervous knot in his stomach letting go.

I'm glad. At least I did something right by choosing to come to this place. Thanks, Jim, Sandy, for showing me this vegetarian restaurant. Mike gave silent tribute to his past friends. Past friends because they had moved to California soon after they had gotten married. That had been well over a year ago.

“Mike? If you’re such a meat eater, how did you know about this restaurant?”

“Turn that menu over Twilight, and look on the back side.”

She did so, and her eyes widened to their fullest. What she saw depicted on the back side of the menu, was a generous outlay of various desserts. There were cakes and pies, Ice creams and puddings and much more.

“This restaurant would never survive if all it offered was just an assortment of vegetarian salads. It has acquired quite a bit of fame among the local populace as serving some of the most delicious desserts. And as you’ve already seen, it also serves a delicious assortment of breakfast type meals.”

“Oooh. These cakes do look really good...” She licked her lips in anticipation.

Mike suppressed a snicker. A bit of a sweet tooth I see.

Twilight attempted to recover her dignity by throwing back a question. “Really? You make it sound as if it's a very popular restaurant. But I see that only two other tables are occupied.”

Mike had to hold in his amusement even as he tried to give serious consideration to her question. He caught a lucky break with the return of the waitress carrying two glasses and a pitcher of water.

“Sorry Miss, I couldn’t help but overhear the last part of your question,” she said as she set down the glasses and began to fill them. “We've been wondering the same thing ourselves. We figure that a lot of people are simply staying home until the storm is completely over.” Twilight appeared quite startled by the waitress’s sudden interjection into their conversation.

Hoping to keep amicable relations with their waitress, Mike spoke, “Yes perhaps that's it. Thanks.”

The waitress flushed, perhaps realizing that she had intruded into a private conversation. She suddenly lifted her order book and asked, “So, are you ready to make your order?”

Mike saw Twilight frantically lift up her menu, pouring over its contents.

“Could you please give us just a few more minutes?” He asked the waitress.

“Sure. No problem.” She replied with a cheery smile.

“Take your time Twilight. There's no pressure.”

“No pressure you say! Everything looks so good, and my stomach is singing arias. Help!”

“Is that what that noise is? How long has it been since you've last eaten anything?” Mike asked, slightly concerned.

“Ah, my best guess is about six hours before I came to your door last night.”

“Well, that's something like twenty-two hours already. And additionally, you've suffered from hypothermia. We have to get some food into you as soon as possible.”

“Well, I'm not arguing with you. But everything looks so strange and so good, I can't decide on what I want.”

“Don't worry about that Twilight. You can order several items if you like. I won't mind.”

Mike could see the waitress approaching.

“Do you think you're ready to order now Twilight?”

“Well, if you're sure you don't mind– then yes, I do know what I want to order.”

“Great!” Said the waitress who had arrived at their table as Twilight was speaking. Turning to Twilight, she asked, “What will you be having?”

“I would like to try the Rainbow Salad first please, followed by some of those Belgian Waffles, and after that a slice of that Black Forest Cake. It looks so good.”

What? How is she going to eat all that? Well, Mike considered, we can try to get a doggy bag.

“Anything to drink Miss?” she asked Twilight.

“I’ll have some tea please.”

“Will that be black tea, green tea, or herbal, Miss?”

“Green, I think.”

“All right.” She noted the details on her pad. “And you sir?” She asked, turning to Mike.

Suddenly Mike realized that he had neglected to determine his own order. He glanced over the menu and quickly picked out an item that he remembered having read. He had a vague memory that it sounded interesting.

“Ah, I think I'll have the Green Mountain Salad. And a slice of pecan pie for desert.”

“Any drink?”

“Some Decaf if you have it.”

“No problem.” She started to turn away.

“Oh, Miss!” Mike called out after the departing waitress. Suddenly remembering something he had forgotten to ask Twilight.

Turning to Twilight, he asked, “Do you like dressing on your salads?”

“Dressing? What's that?” she replied.

“I'll provisionally take that as a 'no.'” Mike replied.

Turning to the waitress, Mike gave her some additional instructions. “Sorry Miss. But for both of our orders, could you please not put any dressing on them. Just bring it on the side?”

“Sure, we can do that. A lot of people ask for their dressing on the side. Is there anything else?” She took out here order pad and added the new details.

“No, nothing else, that was it. Thanks.”

“What was that last thing you mentioned? Dressing? How do you clothe a salad?”

Mike smiled. “In a manner of speaking, you could say that we do indeed clothe our salads. But I digress. A dressing is basically a mixture of vegetable oil and vinegar, with some added herbs and spices. It's poured over the salad, and the salad is then tossed to ensure the mixture coats everything evenly.

“I wasn't sure if you would enjoy that. You may find either the vinegar or the oil to be objectionable. So I asked the waitress to not put any onto the salad, but to bring it on the side. That way you can try adding a little bit by yourself to see if you will like it or not.”

“Thank you, Mike, that was thoughtful. We usually eat our salads plain, though sometimes we like a bit of salt sprinkled over them. I think I will try a little of that dressing when it comes.

“But Mike, oil, and vinegar don't mix. How does the dressing manage it?”

“It doesn’t manage it. But if you shake the bottle vigorously, the oil and vinegar break up into an emulsion and stay that way for a good while.”

“Oh, of course.” She planted a hoof on her face. “I knew that.”

They sat there in silence, temporarily without a topic for discussion. Suddenly Mike remembered the incident just outside the restaurant.

“You can fly Twilight. How is it that you’re able to fly?”

She looked him searchingly in the face. “You asked that before. And I told you, I have wings, and they work. Why did you suppose they would not?”

“Well Twilight, for one thing, they are too small. I suppose if you beat them rapidly, say at the same speed as a hummingbird, they might do the job. But I saw you flapping your wings pretty darn slowly, and still, you kept on hovering. It's just not possible.”

“Why is it not possible?” Twilight asked. “Can you explain your reasoning?” She sounded genuinely curious.

“Well, we humans have learned to fly. We have worked out the laws of aerodynamics and use them rigorously when we design our aircraft, our flying machines. The lift generated by a wing is proportional to the area of the wing and also proportional to the square of the speed that wing is moving through the air. According to those laws, either you should be flapping much more vigorously, or you should be displaying a total wingspan of 20 meters or more.”

“I see.” She replied calmly. “And did your calculations account for my magic?”

“Magic?” Mike replied dumbly.

“Yes, magic. I see now where you are coming from. And yes, it's true; there have been cases where Pegasi have lost their magic. And in such condition, they are no longer able to fly, no matter how hard they flap their wings. But when their magic returns to them, they are able to fly again.

“I knew of course that you humans don't have any magic of your own. I just wasn't thinking about its implications. You said you have machines that fly? Do they actually fly with wings? Or are they just balloons.”

Gah. Magic. Of course magic. Everything she does is magic. She oozes magic from her pores. Okay, the next time she surprises me, just think 'magic.'

“We have balloons as well,” Mike replied. "But they are mostly used by hobbyists, who prefer a lazy afternoon in the sky, just drifting with the wind. No, most of our flying is done with various aircraft.”

“What are they like? Are they like the birds? Do they flap their wings?”

“Ah, no. The technical name for something like that would be an 'ornithopter.' They never were successful, mainly because the mechanism for flapping the wings was enormously complex. That complexity resulted in a considerable weight penalty.

“We have two types of aircraft, fixed wing, and rotary wing.”

“This sounds interesting. Please tell me more.”

“I have books at home which go into more detail. I'll show them to you. But for now, I'll explain it briefly. Remember how I told you that the lift generated by a wing is proportional to its area and the speed it moves through the air?”

“Actually, you said it was proportional to the square of the speed through the air.”

“Yes, I did. But I'm just talking in very general terms here. Well, there are engineering limits to how large one can make the wing. Not to mention weight constraints and other factors such as the impracticality of having an overly large wing. So that only leaves us with the option controlling the speed at which the wing travels through the air.

“In a fixed-wing aircraft, the wing is permanently attached to the aircraft in its flight ready position. The engine provides the motive force to propel the aircraft forwards. When the whole vehicle is moving fast enough, the wings have sufficient lift to raise the aircraft up into the air. If for any reason, usually pilot mismanagement, the aircraft slows down below that critical speed, the wings will stall, lose their lift, and the aircraft falls.”

“So a fixed-wing aircraft could be likened to myself extending my wings out and holding them there. That sounds a lot like gliding.”

“Gliding is a perfect example. You are converting the potential energy from your altitude for the kinetic energy required to maintain your forward velocity. And according to our theory, if you let your forward velocity drop too much...”

“I would suddenly tumble out of the sky unless I used my magic to lift myself up. Yes, I see.” She said.

Mike dove into the subject again. “Now rotary wing aircraft are strange beasts. They have the same issues that fixed-wing aircraft do, the need to move the wing through the air fast enough to generate lift. But they accomplish it differently. They put the entire wing on a shaft and rotate the whole assembly. The aircraft is motionless, but the wing, positioned above it, is spinning rapidly.”

“Oh, we have those. I think my friend Pinkie Pie built something like that.”

“You’re asking me about aircraft, but your friend already has one? Why didn't you ask him or her about it?”

“Her, Pinkie's a mare. Trust me, Mike. You can't learn anything from Pinkie. She may be my good friend, but she defies all physics, and all magic, all the time.” Twilight dropped her face into both hooves. Her voice came out muffled “I gave up trying to understand anything she does.”

“Okay. If you say so.” He took a sip of his water.

Their conversation was interrupted as the waitress brought them their salads.

“One Rainbow Salad...” she placed a large bowl of salad, having the most colorful accents imaginable, down in front of Twilight.

“And one Green Mountain...” Mike received an equally huge bowl of – greenness. It appeared to be mostly kale, but with slices of jalapeño and green peppers thrown in. It was topped with some sort of crumbled white cheese, probably Feta, giving the semblance of snow on top of a mountain. Finally, several Falafel balls occupied the periphery of the bowl. For a vegetarian dish, it looked appetizing.

Or maybe, Mike thought, I'm just too hungry to complain.

“I'll be back shortly with your drinks.” the waitress announced before departing.

Mike looked at Twilight who was already hard at work on her salad. He was mildly surprised that she was using her fork.

I had hoped to say grace. But oh well, I think I'll just say it quietly for the both of us... Dear Lord, I thank you for the blessing of this company, my new friend Twilight. And thank you for the food-

“Is something wrong with your salad? Don't you like it?” she asked, interrupting his internal dialog. Mikes head had dipped during his brief prayer. Looking up, he could see Twilight observing him. She had an expression of concern on her face.

“Everything's fine. I was just saying grace. Giving thanks to my God for the bounty of this meal, and for the company I have to share it with.”

“Oh.” She blushed. “You're thanking her for having my company?”

“Him, Twilight. Our culture comprehends God in a patriarchal role without implying any sexual context. But yes; I do thank Him for sending you into my life.”

“Are you saying that your God is responsible for my being here?” Twilight's voice was somewhat louder than normal and had a bit of urgency in its tone.

Her question made him pause. She seems upset about something.

“Of course not. Didn't you come here to my universe of your own volition?”

Mike was shocked to see tears had suddenly appeared in her eyes. Twilight took a deep breath, “No. I did not choose to end up in this universe.”

What? Now, this is a surprise.

Mike waited for her to continue. When she kept silent, he prompted her to continue, “Can you tell me what happened?”

“My being here is just an accident. Something that could not have gone wrong went terribly, horribly, wrong. And now I'm lost, cut off from everything, everypony I know...”

She was breathing deep breaths now, trying to keep her composure.

“Mike. No pony even knows what has happened to me. I was all alone when the accident happened. And as far as I know, there is no way out. I can never go back home.” With that last statement, she lost control and broke down in silent sobs, burying her face in her hooves.

This is terrible. She's cut off from everything she knows, lost in a strange universe. I had no idea she was holding in such a terrible burden. I don't know what I can do, or even what to say...

Not knowing why he did it, Mike got out of his side of the booth and slid in beside Twilight. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. She resisted briefly but then gave in. Turning towards him she buried her face in his torso, near his shoulder, crying mute tears. Mike could feel his shirt getting wet in the vicinity of his armpit.

All he could do was to hold Twilight tightly, rubbing her shoulder gently.

The waitress approached. Catching sight of her, Mike shook his head and held a finger up to his mouth in a silent shush. The waitress nodded and left quietly. A few minutes later she approached the table, holding out a box of tissues. Mike accepted them, smiling at her to show his appreciation.

“Hey, Twilight. How are you doing? Are you feeling any better?”

“No.” She replied in a tiny voice.

“Well, that's okay. Take whatever time you need. But I have something to tell you.”

“What?” she whispered.

“Remember that I told you that I'm glad that you were sent into my life?”

“...” she made a tiny non-vocal sound. Mike took it as assent.

“Well, I did not mean to imply that God is responsible for your current problem, absolutely not. What I meant was that I'm glad that He chose me, of all people, to help you in your time of need.

“And something else. On a more personal level, the reason I'm so glad that I was chosen is that I have never met a more wonderful pony than you.”

She remained silent for a moment, before replying with a tiny bubble of laughter. “Hah. I'm the only pony you've ever met.”

She raised her head from his shoulder and sniffed, before looking him in the face and giving him a little smile. “I'm glad I met you too Mike. You've been very kind.”

Mike plucked several tissues from the box the waitress had so kindly provided.

“Here you go. You might want to blow your nose.”

Twilight levitated the tissues out of his hand with a murmur of thanks. She blew her nose somewhat indelicately.

Woah! I don't want to see that. Fortunately, he did not have to, as Twilight somehow disposed of the soggy mass of tissues with a flash of light.

“Hey.” Mike spoke, “Don't you worry about your little problem. Because that's all it is, a little problem. So don't lose hope. If the two of us work together, I believe we can find a way for you to get home.”

“Really? How can you make a promise like that?”

“The truth is, I can't. But that doesn't stop me from firmly believing that we can do it. And I hope you will believe it too.”

“We can start working on it tomorrow. But for now, let's just finish dinner and have a pleasant evening as friends. Okay?”

“I think I would like that.” She smiled.

Twilight took a short tour of the washroom to clean up. After she had returned, they resumed their meal, pretending that the incident had never occurred. The pretense was in vain, however, as for the most part, they ate in silence.

Despite the awkward silence, Mike found that he was enjoying his salad. He found himself looking on in curiosity as Twilight levitated her dressing and cautiously dribbled a few drops onto at her colorful salad.

“Are you enjoying your salad?” he asked Twilight.

“Oh yes. It's really good. All the different vegetables, the carrots, the beets, the zucchini, the cucumbers, the radishes and the lettuce, they all come together in interesting ways to create random taste combinations. And the presentation was very appetizing as well.”

Yuck! I might have tried that salad, if not for the beets. Mike kept his thoughts to himself. Watching as Twilight tasted a forkful of the salad that had some dressing.

“But,” Twilight continued. “I don't think I like this dressing stuff. It's not bad tasting mind you, but I could do without the oily texture it adds to the vegetables.”

She looked closely at Mike's salad. “What are those brown things?” She asked. Curiosity was very evident upon her face.

“These are called Falafel balls. Here try one.” Mike rotated his bowl to bring an untouched falafel closer to Twilight.

She hesitated, but eventually, her trust in Mike won out over her suspicions. A rose glow surrounded the falafel as it was levitated directly into Twilight's mouth.

That's kind of freaky. Like eating with your fingers, only it’s totally sanitary. Mike was slightly jealous of her ability to handle food in that manner, without spoons, forks, chopsticks or even fingers.

“Hmm, not bad.” She chewed slowly, evaluating its taste. “In fact, it's quite good. It's deep fried but not greasy, slightly spicy, but I can't quite identify the main ingredient.”

“Chickpeas.” Mike offered helpfully.

“Really? Well, I never much liked Chickpeas, so maybe that's why the taste is unfamiliar. But these? I think I could grow to like them. Thanks for letting me try one.”

They resumed eating their respective salads in silence. Soon they had finished their salads.

The waitress came to whisk away their dirty dishes. Soon returning with a platter of Belgian Waffles, which she placed in front of Twilight. A dish of butter patties and a small decanter of syrup accompanied the platter.

Twilight's eyes grew huge as she looked at her plate. It certainly was impressive; two Belgian waffles, over ten centimeters across, and fully three centimeters thick, with deep and inviting indentations, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar; slices of strawberries freely strewn about the plate.

“Are you sure you can eat those?” Mike asked, “You just had a substantial salad.”

“Normally I wouldn't be able to, but after last night and today, I'm still hungry,” she replied starting in on the waffles. “Is this syrup?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the syrup decanter.

At Mike's nod, she levitated the decanter and poured a small amount of the syrup onto her waffles. She cautiously brought a forkful to her mouth.

Mike would always treasure Twilight's expression as she tasted Maple Syrup for the first time. Her eyes flew open, and the pupils and even the irises of her eyes expanded to their fullest. He swore he could see stars twinkling in their depths. Then her eyes closed and she let out a high pitched “Mmmmmmmm...” of ecstasy. Her forehooves beat a rapid little tattoo upon the table.

“What is this?! I've never tasted anything like it,” she exclaimed excitedly even as she levitated the decanter to pour more, a lot more, syrup onto her waffles.

“So, I gather you like our Maple Syrup?” he asked with a grin. The waffles started disappearing at a rapid rate.

“Are you kidding? I've often been invited by Princess Celestia, my teacher, to share a meal with her. And surely something this good would have found its way onto her table. The taste is indescribable. You called it May-pul Syrup?”

“That's right. It's nothing more than the concentrated sap from a Maple tree.”

“A Maple tree? Well, I find that a bit odd. According to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, tree sap tastes terrible.”

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“Three little fillies I know who are always getting into trouble, and surprisingly often, they wind up all covered in tree sap.”

“Hah! I'd love to meet them. They sound like quite the troublemakers. That syrup, however, comes from a special kind of Maple tree called the Sugar Maple”

“Oh, that makes more sense. Perhaps we don't have any Sugar Maple trees in Equestria. If I ever do find a way to go back, maybe I can take some seeds with me.”

“Well, that's only part of the story. The sap can only be harvested at a certain time of year, around the time of early spring. At other times the sap will be bitter and unpalatable. But once you have collected the sap, all you need to do is to boil it down until it thickens.”

“So the sap needs to be collected in spring, right after Winter Wrap Up.” She repeated eagerly.

“What's a Winter Wrap Up?” Mike asked. Totally clueless as to what she was talking about.

“Winter Wrap Up is the day you clean up winter. You know, remove the snow, make the trees green with foliage, recall the birds, wake up the hibernating animals and warm up the air.”

Mike was so astonished he nearly did a spit take. Easy Mike. Different universe, remember?

“And you do all this in a single day?” he asked.

“Well, it used to take longer, but some recent organizational improvements-” for some unaccountable reason, Twilight looked a little embarrassed, “-have reduced that to a single day. Yes, we now do Winter Wrap Up in a single day."

“And what is the season that you call spring?”

“Spring is simply the week after Winter Wrap Up. The temperatures are nearly the same as summer. Only the remaining chill and dampness in the ground keeps the temperatures a bit low for a few days.”

Mike shook his head sadly. “That's absolutely nothing like spring here on Earth. It's no wonder you don't have Maple Syrup. The ideal weather needed for the sap to run occurs when the daytime temperatures rise a little above freezing, and the nighttime temperatures drop below freezing.

"To get a good Maple Syrup harvest, you need a few weeks of these daily temperature cycles. As soon as the tree begins to put out its buds and starts growing foliage, the sap's flavor is ruined, and collection must end.”

“You mean, because we go from winter to spring and cause the trees to foliate, all in a single day, our chances of getting maple syrup-”

“-are exactly zero.” Mike finished her sentence.

Twilight seemed to deflate. It seemed the loss of such a food delicacy was a massive blow.

She recovered in record time, however. “Tell me about your Spring, Mike. I gather that it's very different from ours. What's it like without any Winter Wrap Up.”

Mike leaned back in his chair, blowing out a slow breath between pursed lips. He was thinking hard about how he would describe a season to someone who had never experienced it. He began his narrative.

“As winter draws to a close, the days grow longer, before long the days are getting warmer as well. Every day, a little more of the snow melts away, until eventually, in a few weeks it is all gone. When the snow disappears, the ground begins to thaw, and the trees start pushing nutrients up from their roots to their branches. On those branches, the tiny buds, which have waited patiently through the winter, begin to grow and burst out into tiny leaves. Day by day you can see the trees getting progressively greener, their leaves growing slowly.

The migratory birds start to return and begin looking for territory and nesting sites. Birdsong returns to the air. At first, the sound of a bird is rare and exceptional. A few weeks later, it's everywhere.

The greening of the earth, the trees, the birdsongs, it all puts a certain freshness into the air. One senses an excitement for simply being alive. There is a kind of vitality, a bursting forth of life that feels simply magical.”

“Oh don't get me wrong. The days are chilly, and the nights can still be freezing. It frequently rains, turning the skies gray, and the half-frozen ground becomes a muddy quagmire.

"But after the rain and the gray skies, come beautiful blue skies, and flowers that push their way up from the muddy soil. It all feels so wonderful. An experience in your heart. This powerful force of nature. Spring. Redeeming the world from the death of winter, bringing it back to life.”

Twilight had a faintly troubled look on her face. “You're saying that the trees and the fields will green themselves?”

“Yes. As the days grow longer and the temperatures become milder.”

“And the birds come back all on their own?”

“Yes. Sometimes they arrive early and might have a miserable week or two, but they manage well enough.”

“And the animals?”

“They will come out of hibernation all on their own, usually before the last of the snow is gone.”

“That is so unlike Equestria Mike. Everything has to be managed. We manage the weather and the seasons. We need to manage the leaves on the trees, when to grow and when to fall. We need to show the birds where to go and we need to wake the hibernating animals.”

Yeesh. Talk about your ecological disaster. Does anything in her world work without intervention?

“Well, Twilight that must be quite the operation. But I think I prefer my Spring. Despite its messiness, experiencing it is like medicine for the soul.”

The waitress, who must have been watching their table, came by to remove Twilight's dirty plate. By this time the pony had finished her waffles and was eyeing the small residue of syrup longingly.

“Would you like your desserts now?” the waitress asked.

“Are you sure you can handle a piece of cake after all that Twilight?” Mike asked the pony.

“Whew! Maybe I'd better not. I am feeling pretty full.”

Mike turned to the waitress. “Is it possible to box up our desserts so we can take them home with us?”

“Sure. No problem. People come here all the time just to buy our cakes and take them home. Is one box for both of them okay?”

“Yes, that should be fine. Please bring our bill. I'll be paying by credit card.”

Their table descended into silence again.

Soon the waitress returned to their table with a white box and with their bill. After considering her tact and helpfulness during Twilight's emotional episode, Mike wrote in a generous tip for the waitress and presented her with his credit card.

She brought out a wireless card scanner and inserted his card into the slot, punching several keys before handing the scanner over to Mike. After entering his PIN code, a receipt spewed out. The waitress took back the scanner and handed the receipt and credit card back to Mike. “Thank you. Have a good evening and drive carefully.”

Twilight had stared at the whole procedure, following their movements, her eyes wide. Mike could see that she was holding back her curiosity.

“Shall we get going?” He said as he stood up.

Mike started to reach out a hand to Twilight, to help her get up, but then stopped himself.

She doesn't need my help to get up out of her seat. Rather, she needs to get down on the floor.

“Don't forget your 'coat.'” Mike reminded her.

“Oh, right. I mustn't forget that” she replied, levitating the data stick's strap around her neck.

“How did you pay for the meal?” Twilight asked as they rode back home.

I knew she was going to ask about that. Mike smirked to himself.

“I didn’t see you give her any bits. Do you have a tab with that restaurant?”

“No, I don't have a tab there. Bits? Is that some kind of money?”

“Yes, we use Bits, coins, to buy goods and services. But I didn't see you give her anything.”

“I used my credit card. Ah– that's kind of like a tab. Only it’s a general tab, maintained by a third party, a financial institution. The card I presented uniquely identifies my tab, so it does not get mixed up with anyone else's. Likewise, the restaurant has an account with that same financial institution.

“Periodically, that institution will transfer to the restaurant, all the monies that have been accrued to them from all their customers. And they will send me my personal bill for all of my accrued charges for all the various purchases I have made.”

“So, instead of carrying a bag of coins, you carry that little card.”

“Correct.”

“And instead of keeping a separate tab at every place you shop. You only keep a single tab?”

“Correct.”

“That makes a lot of sense. But I'm still puzzled by some things. How does that third party find out about the charges? And what happens if your card gets mixed up with someone else's? How do you keep them from using your tab? They might buy something really expensive.”

“Well, it used to be more troublesome. Originally, the restaurant would have to provide these little forms, which identified the restaurant and their account. They would take an impression of my card, transferring its account information onto the form, and I would have to sign it, to verify that I consented to the transaction. These forms were then mailed to a central office for processing.

“But nowadays, the process is instantaneous. The account information from the restaurant and my card are both sent electronically to the third party. I verify my consent by entering a secret number that only I possess. That's what I was doing when she handed me that device.”

“But what about when the cards get mixed up? And what did you mean when you said 'electronically'?”

“Theft is, of course, a big problem. Cards get stolen all the time. What the third party institution does is charge the restaurant a percentage of the monies they collect, using it to pay for insurance which covers any financial losses due to theft and misuse of the cards. The restaurant, in turn, raises its prices to cover the cost of that insurance.”

“Personally, if I notice my card is missing, I simply report that event and I am not held responsible for any charges a thief makes subsequent to my report. If the thief does make purchases before I report my card missing, I still have the option of attempting to prove those charges were fraudulent.”

“This is quite a bit to consider. It seems convenient, but that third party seems to complicate matters quite a bit. What about that 'electronically' thing you mentioned.”

“Do you have electricity?”

“Yes.”

“Electric lights?”

“Yes we have them, but most of our lighting needs are still accomplished magically.”

“Well, there you have it. If you flip the switch or make or break the contact, or whatever you use, you have just sent information down the wire to the light, telling the light to be either ‘on’ or ‘off.’ Expanding upon that basic concept can allow you to send virtually unlimited amounts of information.”

Mike glanced over at Twilight. She was frowning heavily.

“It's a massive subject Twilight. Spawning many specialized disciplines, all of them dealing with electricity in one form or another. Perhaps a simple demonstration is in order.” Mike reached out and turned on the radio.

...tonight, lows are expected to be minus ten degrees. Winds are expected to gust at up to 20 kilometers per hour...

The radio faded into the background as Mike turned down the volume, only a faint murmur remained to be heard. Twilight was staring with fierce intensity at the console Mike had used to turn on the radio.

She turned her head towards Mike, “What? Who?” She was at a loss for words.

“That was the radio. We've had that technology for nearly 100 years now. The physics behind it is simple. If you move an electric charge, you create an electromagnetic wave in space. Those waves propagate outwards at the speed of light. And those electromagnetic waves can, in turn, induce tiny movements in any electric charge which they encounter.

“Physically, you simply apply an electric potential, in other words, a voltage, to a conductor such as a wire, and the electric charges will move. Conversely, the electromagnetic waves will induce a voltage in any conductor which they encounter.”

Twilight gave Mike a look of astonishment.

“Somewhere out there, sitting in a booth is someone speaking into a microphone. Some specialized electronic circuits take the signal captured by his microphone and create an oscillating electric field in the broadcast antenna. In other words, an electric charge is wiggled back and forth. The strength of the oscillation varies according to the voice signal. At my end, electronic circuitry senses those tiny electric currents that are induced in my radio's antenna and amplifies them. After suitable amplification and processing, the received signal was presented to us. We heard the sound of that someone talking.”

Twilight considered Mikes words. “That sounds so simple. But like all of your machinery, it's probably very involved and complicated.”

“In some ways you are right. But the complexity of useful electronics can range from ridiculously simple up to truly mind boggling.

“Take for example this radio. A child could make a very crude radio with nothing more than a penny, some bits of wood and suitable lengths of wire. All he would need to purchase would be a cheap earphone or headphone, to be able to hear the sound.”

“Headphones I know, but what's a 'penny'? I think I’ve only heard that word used in reference to an obscure coin.”

“That’s right. A copper coin, our smallest unit of fractional currency. Oh, and the coin must be tarnished, that’s important. The copper oxide crystals are the active component of the radio.”

“Really? That's something I have to see for myself. If it really is that simple, it would be something amazing to bring back home...” As she began her sentence, Twilight sounded enthused, but she ended it with a sad voice that trailed off.

“Okay, Twilight, I'll try to find you something on that. Though you might want to learn something more a bit more advanced. Without a transmitter, a receiver would be useless.”

“Thanks, Mike, but that really doesn't matter. What matters are the new principals of science that it demonstrates, and that we Equestrians might learn to make use of.” Now her voice sounded stressed, as if she was forcing herself to sound positive.

She's really hurting. Mike thought. I need to find some way to take her mind off of her problems. Right now talking seems to be no good. Every discussion we have seems to lead her back to thoughts of home.

They rode in silence for the rest of the journey home, while Mike considered how he might be able to cheer Twilight up.

The drive home was uneventful. Eventually, Mike turned the truck, into his driveway. He drove his truck straight into his garage. As they exited the darkened structure, Mike was forced to close the garage door manually.

When they entered the house, Twilight finally spoke. “My hooves are dirty Mike, with some of that gritty stuff you have spread on the walkway. Do you have something I can clean them with?”

Mike had never before considered the matter of having dirty hooves track dirt into his house. “Um, I think so. Give me a second.”

Mike took a tea towel out of a drawer, went to the sink and dampened it under the kitchen faucet. He brought it to Twilight. With a murmur of “Thanks.” she wiped down her hooves. While she was occupied with that chore, Mike filled the kettle and started heating some water.

They waited in silence, neither one venturing anything for discussion.

When the water was ready, Mike took out two more mugs and set about preparing tea for the two of them.

I'm running low on mugs. He thought to himself. I'll need to run the dishwasher tonight.

“Here Twilight,” Mike called for Twilight's attention, “I've made you a cup of tea. Let's take these into the Living Room. I have something special planned for tonight.”

Twilight levitated her mug and saucer. “What's that?” she asked in a dull monotone.

“Oh, just a little something that I am hoping will cheer you up. Maybe get your mind away from those depressing thought's you've been brooding about.”

“You don't have to do anything for me, Mike. I'm fine. I'm not brooding.” She protested, attempting to deny the evidence of her recent behavior.

“Well then, if you’re feeling fine, you will surely enjoy this even more. Come on, this way.”

Entering the Living Room, Mike put his tea down on the table beside his recliner. He gestured for Twilight to take the couch. “I believe you're already familiar with my couch; please make yourself comfortable. Oh and remember your tea. Don't let it get too strong.”

Mike walked over to his movie library and selected a particular DVD. Picking up his remote he turned on the High Definition Television, setting it for input from his Blu-Ray player. After a minute he was able to get the disk tray to open. He dropped in the selected movie.

Returning to his recliner, he sat down, picked up his cup and pulled the tea bag out of it.

“What's this about? What's happening?” Twilight asked.

“Well, Twilight. We are about to watch a movie.”

“A movie? What kind of movie? And don't you have to go to the cinema to watch a movie?”

“Ah, the miracle of modern electronics. Nowadays everyone can watch a movie in the comfort of their own home. If you will observe, that big flat thing over there,” Mike pointed at his TV, “is called a Television or TV for short. This particular movie is a favorite of mine. It's a romantic comedy which also happens to be an extreme parody of humans and the human condition.”

“We’re watching a romantic comedy? Seriously?”

“Give it a chance. It's really funny. Just remember that this is a work of fiction from beginning to end. The events and persons and even the technology portrayed are all fictitious.”

“Well, all right. I'm willing to watch.” Twilight’s voice dropped to nearly inaudible mutterings as she continued. “Romance? The very last thing on my mind is romance.”

At that moment the TV screen lit up – capturing Twilight's attention.

“Just ignore all the folderol at the beginning. Every corporation that sells movies seems to think that we viewers represent a captive audience and they can forcibly subject us to advertising.”

“Sadly I'm familiar with the principle, if not this particular practice,” Twilight commented.

I wonder where she encounters advertising, Mike wondered. Maybe at her movie theaters.

Two minutes later... “Well we certainly don't have it this bad in Equestria, when will it end?”

“Patience, Twilight. As annoying as all the advertising is, the movie is well worth the wait.”

Just then the main menu came up. Mike started the movie. “Here we go, it's starting now. Uh, sorry, that’s just the corporate self-identification.” Strains of 'When you wish upon a star' were playing.

And then a desk lamp started bouncing in front huge block letters which spelled out the word 'PIXAR'.

Mike was starting to feel embarrassed. “This is much worse than I remembered,” he muttered to himself while a rubber ball was being victimized.

“Sorry Twilight, that’s the self-identification for the animation house which produced the movie.”

“Animation house?” she asked.

“Animation is the name given to a movie produced from drawn images. Rather than a photographic presentation of real world objects, what you will see here, will be images created by many artists.”

And then the movie proper started. They were presented with beautiful scenes of space, stellar nebulas, a view of the Earth, and an incredibly cheesy song playing in the background.

Ugh. Talk about bad first impressions. Hang in there Twilight; it gets better.

They watched in silence as an aerial view of a desolate landscape revealed a tiny object moving rapidly through a canyon, leaving dust trails behind. Suddenly the camera came in for a close-up, revealing a dirty, rusty 'box' of a machine.

“You said these images would be drawings,” Twilight commented.

“They are. The drawing is so detailed that every speck of dust or flake of rust has been accounted for and lovingly drawn. And before you ask, no, humans are not capable of drawing to that level of detail. This is another miracle of modern electronics. We have created machines which assist us in the drawing of these images.”

After a minute of following the dull boring antics of the box, the camera zooms back and the movie's title appears.

“‘Wall-' 'E' Twilight announces. “I don't understand. This movie is about a machine?" She asked dubiously. "I mean it looks like a fascinating machine, but in the end, all it does is turn trash into cubes.”

“Just keep watching Twilight. Part of the premise of this movie is that Wally has been left alone for a very, very long time. And he has developed a few idiosyncrasies.”

“He?”

“Yes, Wally is a parody of a male.” They continued watching.

...

“Oh. He's so lonely, the poor thing!” Twilight exclaimed.

Mike could only smile. It appeared she was getting into the movie.

“Hah Hah Hah. Boy does he have a hard time getting up in the morning.” A few seconds later, “Wait what was that?” Twilight asked in confusion.

“Solar cells Twilight. Like the leaves of a plant, they can absorb energy from sunlight, though the solar cells seen in the movie are impossible. Sunlight simply does not have that much energy in it. What they show as taking seconds would, in reality, take a week or two.”

...

“What is all that for? It makes no sense.”

“Just the animators having fun with us. They invent a vast, needlessly complex machine, which does nothing more than deliver... an egg.”

...

“Eeek! What was that? Why did it do that.” The egg had just blasted away the rock Wally was hiding behind.

“Well, I suppose if you are given an autonomous mission in a hostile environment. The application of a little force could be considered useful.”

“A little? What that egg did was ridiculous.”

“I know.” Mike chuckled. “Don't you find that to be funny?”

“I'll let you know when I do.” she replied tartly.

...

When Eve reacted to the plant and became inactive, Wally's pleading cries were full of pathos. “Nooo!” Twilight cried out. She was now fully involved with the characters.

...

She gasped in wonder at the sights as the rocket passed by the Moon, the flaming surface of the sun, the cool ice of Saturn's rings. “Oh if only we could see such astronomical sights up close like that. But it was just some animator's fantasy wasn't it?” she asked sadly.

Mike paused the movie. “Actually, the answer is both yes and no. The actual images presented, are rather accurate, though the presentation was very self-serving to the movie. No spaceship could possibly approach that closely to the sun, though the images showing that body are pretty accurate. As for the rings of Saturn, those rings are indeed composed of uncountable particles and fragments of ice. But we have no idea how they might appear to an observer who was up close and intimate with them. So the idea of having Wally brush his arm through the crystals like that was merely a fantasy.”

“You're saying that what I saw could be something real?”

“Or very close to the reality. I promise Twilight, on this subject, you won't be disappointed.”

“Eeee!” she squeed happily.

“Can we resume the movie?”

“Oh yes. By all means, please continue. I want to see what happens with Eve.”

...

“Hah Hah Hah. He's such a tease!” she was laughing in response to Wally's interaction with Mo.

...

Gasp! Was Twilight's reaction to the enormously FAT humans.

At that point, Mike felt he had to say something, to defend his species. “Remember Twilight. This is a parody. The writers are trying to convey the sense of a society which has no responsibilities. All they do is consume with abandon, and create mountains of waste.”

...

'... day 255,642 ...’ announced the Captain. “Seven hundred and ten years,” announced Twilight.

Wow she is incredibly fast with her calculations. Mike thought.

'... 700 year anniversary ...’ announced the Captain.

“What?” exclaimed Twilight. “That's clearly wrong-”

“Ah, Twilight?” Mike interrupted her denunciation of the Captain. “How many days are you assuming are in a year?”

“Three hundred and sixty. You mean it's not?”

“I suppose that in a universe where your sun circles your world, you can choose any arbitrary number of days for the length of your year. Here in this universe, where the Earth revolves around the Sun and sets the length of its day by its own rotation, a year is something like three hundred and sixty-five, and a fraction, days. The exact definition of a year is the time taken to accomplish one complete revolution around the sun.”

“A fraction of a day?” Twilight's left eye was twitching. As if she found the irregularity to be a personal affront.

“Sorry about that Twilight. The earth is as the earth does. You can't imagine how it complicates our calendars.”

“No don't tell me. I'll just stick with my Equestrian calendars. Nice and simple.”

...

“Wally!” She screamed as the plant evaluator mechanism completely crushed the stricken robot.

...

“Oh nooo!” She let out a wail when it became apparent that Wally was gone. Only a soulless machine remained.

She watched, sniffling back her tears, as Eve paid her final farewell, holding Wally's manipulators as he had so often desired to do with her in his 'life.'”

"YES!" She screamed. As Wally's optics began once again to dance their silly little dance.

'...Eva?...' a bewildered Wally spoke on screen.

“Yes-yes-yes... Yeeees!” Twilight was off the couch, pronking for joy all about the Living Room floor.

“Whoa whoa who-a! Calm down Twilight.” Mike urged, afraid that something valuable would get knocked off the shelves. Light as she was, the whole room was shaking with her every bounce.

“What?” Twilight stopped pronking. Suddenly, she seemed to notice that the movie was playing a song and rolling credits. “Is it over already?”

“I'm afraid so Twilight. So, I gather that you liked it?”

“Yes, Mike. I really enjoyed that movie. At first, the ending made me sad, and then, I was so incredibly happy again. It was a thrilling experience.”

Twilight grew silent, though Mike did not have the impression that it was related to her previous melancholy. He hoped that she was only thinking about the movie she had just seen.

After a moment she revealed her thoughts. “I know you said that this movie was work of fiction, but are there any real machines like that Wally character?”

Mike was happy that her mood was improved. “I'm afraid not,” he replied, “even after decades of effort. We have not been able to create any machine that is even sapient much less one that is sentient as well. No, we're not even close. Still, we keep trying.”

Twilight had obviously been saving up her questions. She brought out her next one.

“What was that mysterious glowing red spot, that Wally found?”

“That was simply a glowing spot, produced by a beam of light.”

“Oh.” She appeared to deflate; the simple explanation was obviously disappointing.

“But– there was something very special about that light beam.” Twilight seemed to inflate again.

“It was produced by a device called a Laser. One of the more significant scientific discoveries made during this last half century. Hold on a minute; I think I have one that I can show you.” Mike got out of his recliner and went downstairs into his office.

After searching through his box of knick-knacks he found his laser pointer. It was something he did not need but had once purchased on impulse to satisfy his inner child. A quick test revealed that it was still in working order.

Mike ran back up the stairs.

“Found it,” he stated, holding it up for Twilight's view. All in all, it was not very impressive looking, just a small cylinder somewhat smaller than a pen. “Now observe that wall behind you as I turn on the laser...”

“That really does look quite similar to the red dot I saw in the movie. But what's so special about this 'lazer', is that the name for this special hue of red?”

“Well Twilight, a laser is special because of the properties of the light it produces. You see, the laser produces a coherent beam of light. All of the rays of light within that beam have the exact same wavelength, and they are all perfectly in phase with each other.”

Twilight looked at him in astonishment. “But if all the rays have the exact same wavelength-”

“The light is monochromatic. A single perfectly pure color not mixed with any other color.” Mike finished her thought.

“I see,” she said, absorbing the significance of what he had told her. “That is a most unusual property for a light source. It might have some scientific uses. But what did you mean when you said the light waves are perfectly in phase with each other?” she asked.

“Well, for one thing, all the rays of light are moving in parallel with each other and will spread minimally as the beam of light propagates outwards. Research grade Lasers have been aimed towards the moon, something like four hundred thousand kilometers distant, and the beam will have only spread out to about four kilometers in diameter.”

“That’s one part in one hundred thousand. A very impressive achievement but how does that fact make this 'lazer' thing significant?” She asked.

“According to the physical principals by which the laser operates, the light rays are in fact perfectly parallel to each other. There should be no spread at all, but manufacturing imperfections do result in the beam spreading out.”

“A perfectly parallel beam of light? Such a beam could go on forever!”

“To infinity and beyond!” Mike announced with a large grin. Heh! Never thought that phrase would ever come out of my mouth. Thanks, Disney!

“I just said that.” Twilight gave him an annoyed look.

“So, in the movie, those red dots were 'lazer' lights shining down from some high altitude.” Twilight had made the connection back to the movie.

“Exactly. Now there's one last thing, another property of a beam of light that has all of its waves perfectly in phase with each other. Take a close look at that spot on the wall Twilight. Do you see anything unusual?”

“Umm, up close it looks funny, kind of sparkly. Come to think of it, the movie also showed an unusual glow to those red dots.”

“That's right. Those sparkles are due to the interference pattern between the light waves reflected back towards your eye. You are familiar with the concept of wave interference patterns?”

“Of course. That's just basic science.”

“When the laser light, whose rays are all perfectly in phase with each other, encounters the tiny irregularities of that wall, the reflected rays of light are no longer in phase. Some reinforce each other, and some cancel each other out. We observe the result as-”

“Sparkles!” Twilight enthused.

Mike bowed to his appreciative audience of one.

“Wow. That really is a very special light. The effects are subtle but highly specific. And you call that thing a 'lazer'?”

“The name is an acronym, spelled 'L', 'A', 'S', 'E', 'R'. It stands for Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” After his last statement, Mike could see Twilight mouthing the words as if committing them to memory.

She needn't bother. He thought. From what I've seen her memory is already as sharp as a laser. Hah!

“Laser, she repeated. But how is the light produced?” She asked hopefully.

Mike sighed. “Oh no.” He held up his hands. “The answer to that question lies in the domain of Quantum Physics. That's a whole new branch of physics. It’s much too large to get into tonight. Besides I'm tired, and I'm not really very knowledgeable in that subject area.”

Mike had been standing in the location where he had first entered the room. Now Twilight walked up to him and put one of her hooves on his thigh. It was the first time she had ever initiated any contact with him. Mike's eyes widened slightly as she looked beseechingly up at his face.

“Please. Won't you try? Even if you don't know that much about it. This seems to be another area of fundamental physics which we don't have in Equestria. I would dearly like to know something about it.” Her eyes seemed to grow more luminous, as she gazed upwards at him. “Please.”

Mike couldn't resist those incredible eyes, he caved. “Oh alright. But this is the last one for tonight.” He admonished sternly. “It's starting to get late and I'm getting tired.” Twilight grinned up at him.

This technical discussion has been removed. If you still desire to follow it. Simply read the following chapter 'Interlude: Twilight's lecture notes on Lasers'.

Twilight's jaw dropped. “That's it? That's the deep dark secret? If a photon strikes an atom in an excited energy state, the atom will give up its excitation energy as an identical photon.”

“Well, you glossed over quite a few details, but that's basically it. That's the core concept of the laser.”

Twilight appeared to be happy. She sat on the sofa, with her eyes closed, a small smile forming on her face.

After observing her for a few moments, Mike was overtaken by a yawn. He glanced at his watch.

Wow, it's going on Eleven O'clock. Didn’t think we'd been talking for that long.

“Well, that's enough for tonight Twilight. It's been a long day. Let's both of us get some sleep.”

At his first words, Twilight opened her eyes. Her ears drooped down halfway; clearly, she was disappointed that Mike's Question and Answer session was over.

Mike grinned, “Shouldn't all good little ponies be in bed by now?”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “That's true. Except that I'm not a 'little' pony anymore. Actually, I'm not that tired.”

She's really loosened up around me. I definitely think the movie was a good idea.

“Actually Twilight, I suspect you are, what with your recent illness and physical exhaustion, followed by a day of starvation and several emotional shocks. I think you have already been showing some signs of fatigue.”

I think her recent bouts of depression are clear a clear indication that she is very tired. But I can't remind her of that.

“Come on Twilight. Let me show you to the guest room, where you will be sleeping tonight.”

Without encountering any further complaints or arguments, Mike led Twilight upstairs and showed her the guest bedroom where she would be staying.

It was a small room. It and a second even smaller room were located at the opposite end of the floor from where Mike's room was. The bathroom occupied the central location between Mike's room and the guest room.

Opening the door, revealed a double-sized bed, covered by a purple duvet. A small wardrobe and a simple dresser stood along one wall; a tiny night table and lamp situated at the head of the bed on the opposite wall. The room was rather crowded, but somehow all the furniture still fit into it.

Twilight stepped inside and suddenly cracked a yawn. “Heh, perhaps I am tired after all. I guess this is good night Mike.”

“Good night Twilight.” Mike departed for the bathroom.

As soon as he entered the bathroom, he was assailed by a foul odor. “Wuff!” Mike expelled his breath in reaction to it.

Augh! I used the toilet earlier today. I forgot that I couldn't flush it.

Hurrying over to the toilet Mike pulled the handle to flush its contents. Next, he opened the window to allow fresh air into the room. Suddenly Twilight appeared at the door to the washroom.

“Ewww! What is that smell? No, don't answer that. I think I can guess.” She held a hoof up to her muzzle, her ears were fully laid back.

“Heh Heh. Sorry Twilight, my bad. I used the toilet earlier today, but without power, there was no water to flush it properly. Later after we got some power restored, I forgot all about it. I've got the window open now. Just give it a few minutes to air out.”

“Alright, Mike. But, if you make a regular habit of this, it will be very difficult to live with you.”

“I assure you that it is not my habit to do such things. It was just an oversight.”

“Well anyway, I came to ask you if you had a toothbrush I could use.”

“I sure do.” Mike started rummaging through a drawer under the vanity. “Here you go, a new toothbrush just for you.” Mike handed her a sealed tube containing the toothbrush.

Twilight looked at it curiously, levitating it just in front of her, her magic rolling the container around to be examined from all angles.

“Oh.” Mike exclaimed, “Let me open that for you, they can be diffi-”

Mike's offer of assistance was cut short by a flash of light as Twilight simply teleported the toothbrush out of its container. “I think I can manage.” She tossed him a smile. “Where do you keep your tooth powder?”

“Powder?” Mike asked, somewhat confused.

“You use it to clean your teeth. It’s just a mixture of salt and baking soda. Surely you have some. But if you’re all out, it’s easy to make some more.”

“Right,” Mike replied. “I remember someone once telling me that they used salt to clean their teeth. Can't say I've ever tried that. I've always used toothpaste.” He rummaged through the drawer again and brought forth a small tube of toothpaste.

Twilight levitated it over and looked curiously at it.

Mike picked up his own brush and toothpaste, “Just open the cap, and gently squeeze out a bit of the toothpaste onto your brush. Just don't swallow the toothpaste, it's not toxic, but it might not agree with you.”

“Thanks, Mike. I think that's all I will need.”

Soon they had both made themselves ready for bed; though Mike did have to make a trip downstairs to put away their mugs and start the dishwasher.

After the light had gone out, silence descended upon the house. Despite the caffeine from his earlier cups of coffee, and the excitement of those memorable events he had experienced throughout the day, Mike had no difficulty whatsoever in falling asleep.

Author's Note

(1) Truth. Stealing a salad from a restaurant’s menu seemed unethical to me. So I ended up coining my own fake salad names. But I'm not a chef, and I simply could not imagine what would go into them. Out of idle curiosity, I did a google search on the names I had coined. And wow, what an assortment of recipes to choose from.

(2) I don't care if someone out there finds an episode of MLP that mentions Maple Syrup. As long as ponies have Winter Wrap Up, then they don't have spring. And if they don't have spring, then they don't have Maple Syrup. Q.E.D. If you pull out 'magic' as your argument, I'm not listening. La La La...

(3) After I had written this chapter, I did some research and found out that almost any kind of Maple Tree will, in fact,d suitable sap for Maple Syrup. However, the Sugar Maple does provide superior yields.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

Edited Mar 6, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

Interlude: Twilight's Lecture notes on Lasers.

Warning: Not every reader is interested in following the technical details of Mike's exposition on how lasers produce light. For those who don't care. Just skip this.

“... But how is the light produced?” She asked hopefully.

Mike had been standing in the location where he had first entered the room. Now Twilight walked up to him and put one of her hooves on his thigh. It was the first time she had ever initiated any contact in an effort to motivate him. Mikes eyes widened slightly as she looked beseechingly up at his face.

“Please. Won't you try? Even if you don't know that much about it, this seems to be another area of fundamental physics which we don't have in Equestria. I would dearly like to know something about it.” Her eyes seemed to grow more luminous, as she gazed upwards at him. “Please.”

Mike couldn't resist those incredible eyes, he caved. “Oh, alright. But this is the last one for tonight.” He admonished sternly. “It's starting to get late, and I'm getting tired.” Twilight grinned up at him.

Mike grinned back. “Okay, I'll start with atoms. Do you know the atomic theory of matter?”

“All matter is composed of tiny indivisible particles, called atoms. Yes, that's a confirmed scientific fact.” was Twilight's reply.

“That’s good. So, in the hopes of shortening this explanation, what do you know about the internal structure of atoms?”

“Nothing really,” Twilight confessed. “Some scholars have postulated that atoms must, in fact, have an internal structure. And that theory is generally well accepted by most scholars, including myself. But as for any specific knowledge of or evidence for the internal structure of atoms, we have none so far.” Her ears drooped sadly.

“Well then, let me start off by telling you that an atom is almost exclusively composed of empty space.” Twilight was surprised to hear that. Her ears perked forward attentively.

Mike continued. “An atom is something like 99.9999% empty space. Actually, I'm pretty sure there are a lot more nines to that number, but you get the idea. It turns out that almost all of the mass of an atom is concentrated in a tiny ball of particles at its center. We call this the Nucleus.

“A Nucleus is comprised of two types of particles, a positively charged Proton and a neutral particle called the Neutron. The number of Protons in the nucleus determines the atom’s 'element.' One proton makes a Hydrogen atom. Two protons make a Helium atom, three makes Lithium and so on.”

Twilight instantly grasped the concept and raced ahead. “What purpose do the 'newtrons' serve?”

“Well Twilight, I am not an expert in nuclear physics, but my understanding was that they play a major role in bringing all those positively charged protons together in the nucleus. Otherwise, the like charges of the protons would cause the nucleus to fly apart.” Twilight nodded her head in understanding.

“That's enough for the nucleus. Our main focus, for now, will be on the Electrons, those negatively charged particles which occupy all the rest of the atom's space.

“I should mention, however, that the proton and electron carry electric charges of equal size. So, for an electrically neutral atom, there are-”

“Equal numbers of protons and electrons.” Twilight finished his thought.

“See, so far it’s all very easy.” Mike congratulated her.

“But Mike, what keeps the electron from being attracted by the nucleus. Won't it end up being snuggled right up against the protons?”

“Ugh, I was hoping to avoid that question. You're too bright for my own good. You know that?”

Twilight smiled at Mike's veiled compliment.

“Well to answer that question I will need to digress somewhat, and introduce you a foundational concept of Quantum physics, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.”

“What?” Mike’s strange comment caused her to feel uncertain.

“Sorry, just cribbing a quote from a famous piece of literature.

“The Uncertainty Principal states that there is a fundamental limit to how precisely one can determine the exact position and momentum of a particle. If you know its exact position, then you must accept increased uncertainty as to that particle's momentum. Conversely, if you know its exact momentum, then its position is uncertain.”

“But, that's so ridiculous! Of course, I know where something is. For example, you Mike are sitting in that chair, and you are not moving, so your momentum is zero.”

“Yes Twilight, at macroscopic scales, you know those two values as precisely as you need to. However, Plank's constant, a number which expresses the fundamental scale at which the uncertainty comes into play is an extremely small number. You only start to see noticeable effects when you operate at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles.”

“Okay, the effect only occurs at very small scales. But why can't I just measure both the position and momentum of an electron?” She insisted on her point of view.

“In concept, you imagine you can. However, all attempts to measure a particle will involve having it interact with other particles that you have sent in to probe it.”

Twilight considered his statement for a moment. “How about using rays of light to track the particle?”

“A good idea except for that fact that even light is composed of particles. We call them Photons. If you hit an electron with a photon, that will definitely affect the electron's momentum.”

“Light is composed of particles?” She asked incredulously. "A few minutes ago you were talking about the rays of light from the laser and their wave behaviors.”

“One of the most confusing things about Quantum Physics is the fact that it demands an acceptance of the fact that all particles are simultaneously both particles and waves.”

“But they can't be both. How is that even possible? The two concepts are mutually incompatible.”

Mike sighed. “I don't know Twilight. All I can do is repeat for you one school of thought. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is more than just a statement about the limits of observability; it is a statement about the nature of the universe.

“Do not think that of the particle as having some 'true' position and momentum which you are simply unable to measure. Think instead, that the particle actually does simultaneously occupy all positions and possesses all possible momentums as defined by the limiting uncertainty.

“In effect, the particle lives a ghost-like smeared out existence, occupying all locations, and traveling all possible paths, that it is possible for it to have. The aggregate effect of the probability of all possible interactions with any other particle at some localized point can be characterized as a wave function.”

“But, but, this is simply too fantastical to believe.”

“Believe me Twilight, this is incredibly non-intuitive. I don't think our minds are built to comprehend it fully. And the math can be especially obtuse.

There are famous experiments, which always show the same results; A single particle, demonstrably alone, still manages to have interference patterns with itself, as though it were a wave.”

Twilight did not reply. She merely sat still, thinking furiously. “I want to see that experiment!” She practically hissed her demand at Mike.

“You've got it Twilight. But enough thinking about wave-particle dualities. Let’s return to your question about the electron.

“You see, between the protons in the nucleus trying to constrain the electron to an almost infinitesimal location, and the uncertainty principle, the electron ends up resonating between the confines of the nucleus and the relaxed freedom of the outer parts of the atom. It ends up in one of several, well, you could think of them as resonance zones, within the body of the atom. We call these resonance zones, orbitals; others might call them electron shells.”

Twilight nodded slowly, overwhelmed, trying to picture what such an atom would look like. “Why call them shells?”

“I'm not sure. But to my mind, it forms a simplified mental picture if you imagine the electrons being arranged on successively larger shells inside the atom, kind of like a Matryoshka doll.”

“A what now?”

“Uh, you know, like a doll within a doll within a doll. Um, maybe you don't have those...”

“Oh, now I know what you mean, Stalliongrad nesting dolls!” Twilight smiled as she recalled some fond memory.

“Right. Stalliongrad nesting dolls.” Mike shook his head as he briefly wondered at the confluence of names between their two universes.

“Anyway, the electrons and their positioning within the outermost electron shells are what determine the chemical characteristics of the atom.” Twilight's face lit up in pleasure at that revelation.

“Back to lasers. After a whole lot of research into the internal structure of atoms, our scientists realized that an electron could absorb a packet, or quanta, of energy and jump up to one of the higher energy electron shells. Conversely, the electron can release, or emit, the same size quanta of energy and drop back down to the lower electron shell. Such jumps are characterized by specific quantity of energy. No more and no less.”

Twilight frowned. “Assuming everything else you told me holds true. I can sort of see that.”

“Now, suppose you take a large population of atoms, and hit them with a sudden burst of energy, such as a very bright flash of white light or perhaps an electrical discharge. If done correctly, what you end up with is a substantial population of atoms which have just absorbed the required quanta of energy to jump an electron into a higher shell. Such atoms are said to be in an excited energy state. Very soon, some of those excited atoms will emit their absorbed quanta of energy. It will appear as a photon. One of those light particles I told you about."

Twilight nodded her understanding.

“Now here's another mystery of Quantum Physics. When a photon, which has the exact energy as that retained in an excited atom, strikes that excited atom, it stimulates the atom into releasing its absorbed quanta of energy as a second photon. The new photon emitted by the atom is in all measures exactly identical to the first one. It will have the same energy, the same phase, and will be traveling in exactly the same direction.

“Imagine those two photon's encountering more and ever more excited atoms. What started with a single photon has now swelled into a mighty tsunami, forming a bright burst of light with some decidedly unique properties.”

Twilight's jaw dropped. “That's it? That's the deep dark secret? If a photon strikes an atom in an excited energy state, the atom will give up its excitation energy as an identical photon.”

“Well, you glossed over quite a few details, but that's basically it. That's the core concept of the laser.”

Twilight just sat there on the couch, reveling in the satisfaction and excitement of new knowledge learned. Slowly a smile crept onto her face as she considered the deeper mysteries of the universe that had always been there, lying at her hooves, simply waiting to be unlocked.

Author's Note

I struggled with this chapter/interlude. Not with the technical details, but with the question of whether to include it.

On the one hand, I want this story to follow all of Twilight and Mikes discoveries of their respective worlds. Twilight I am sure would lap it up. On the other hand, I do realize that some (possibly most) of my audience will be put off by the overtly technical content.

So. This interlude chapter is my way of allowing a compromise. Those who are interested can follow along. Those who could care less can skip this whole part.

And for you Quantum Physicists among my audience. I am not one, so I may have projected my own 'views' and mental paradigms onto Mike's exposition. Which is totally acceptable; Mike is not an expert either, so he ended up doing the same thing.

Edited Mar 12, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

10. Twilight memories

Celestia's sun had only just begun to peek above the horizon when Fluttershy left her bed.

She had lain awake all night, unable to sleep as she wrestled with grief over the possible loss of her friend. She couldn't properly give in to her grief, for she did not know for a fact that Twilight had died and it would be very unkind to regard anypony as dead when such a fact was not established.

On the other hoof, she was filled with fear, worrying that Twilight was lost in some dreadful place, full of Timberwolves and monsters and dragons and darkness and lightning and other frightening noises. Her imagination had caused her to cower under her sheets more than once during the long night.

It was a disheveled and exhausted pegasus that put her hooves on the floor that morning. She stood there for a long moment in the morning gloom, facing the window. Before long the growing light of a new day began to suffuse her bedroom and the butter colored mare seemed to swell. “No!” She exclaimed aloud, though no other was there to listen.

“I won't accept it. Twilight is not gone. She will come back to us!”

The pegasus mare raised her head up high, and a steely determination grew on her face. “I will not let Twilight down. She needs me to believe in her, and that's what I'm going to do!” Fluttershy ended her declaration with a hearty shout. Turning about, she trotted out of her bedroom and headed towards her bathroom.

The animals were uncharacteristically silent when Fluttershy eventually came down the stairs. They had sensed that she was distraught when she had come home the previous evening. That impression was further reinforced when she had fed them in silence, hardly speaking a word to them as she did so.

But now, after hearing the shouting coming from her room and bath this morning they cowered in their hutches and holes, peeking out cautiously, wondering what had become of their wonderful caregiver.

Fluttershy was halfway across her main room before she noticed how quiet it had gotten. Abruptly she stopped and looked about, only now noticing how the animals cowered in their dens. Even Angel stood aloof near the door, his ears pinned back. At the sight of these things Fluttershy's ears lowered and tears formed in her eyes.

Looking all about, she began to speak, addressing the creatures that had hidden from her. “I'm so sorry my friends, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm not angry or upset with you. It's just that I'm very worried about a friend of mine who's in trouble. But I promise that everything will be alright, I− I...” Suddenly Angel was hugging her, and her voice broke down. Fluttershy collapsed on the floor, crying.

All the fears and worries she had struggled with through the long night came to the surface, released in a massive outpouring of grief and tears.

The animals now came out of their holes and approached Fluttershy. No longer cautious, they came en masse and enveloped her with a multitude of tiny nuzzles and hugs. Angel found himself held tightly in Fluttershy’s forehooves, getting thoroughly soaked by her tears. Though it annoyed him immensely, he endured his salty bath for Fluttershy's sake.

Eventually, Fluttershy's weeping subsided, leaving an exhausted mare, peacefully sleeping on the rug in the middle of her floor. Tears and weeping now bequeathed unto Fluttershy the rest that had been cruelly robbed from her by fear and worry.

At about the time Fluttershy fell asleep, Rainbow Dash became aware of a stabbing pain in her wings.

The previous night, as the group of friends left the library to go their separate ways, Rainbow had been seized by the urge to fly; to escape if it were possible, the sensation of loss welling up in her heart.

High above the moonlit clouds, where nopony would bear witness to her grief, she had performed endless repetitions of her training routine. The sheer concentration she devoted to her routine, to the loops and rolls, turns and weaves helped her to ignore a certain painful thought that nestled like a worm deep within her. What if Twilight was truly gone for good?

But no matter how hard she concentrated, no matter how many times she went through her routine, that painful question would return the moment she paused to rest and catch her breath. Eventually, she screamed out her frustration and flew off at high speed. And for a certain rainbow-maned pegasus, that was a high speed indeed.

Rainbow simply flew, without a thought to her destination, losing herself in mindless flight, often changing her course on a whim. She lost herself, experiencing the feel of the wind passing over her body at high speed, watching the scattered clouds creeping past her, the feel of the magic in her wings propelling her forward. Whenever she felt the painful thought returning, 'What if Twilight was really gone?' she increased her speed and flew even faster.

Rainbow's flight had gone on for hours before the pain in her wings outgrew the pain in her heart and brought her to her senses again. Suddenly she realized that she had flown aimlessly and without direction for the entire night. A stab of fear came with the understanding that she could now literally be anywhere.

Anxiously the cyan mare looked about, attempting to discern a recognizable landmark. What she saw was a snow-covered landscape that stretched from horizon to horizon. It shocked her to her core.

She felt an immense relief when she finally saw something recognizable behind her and slightly to her left. There, standing proudly amidst a white landscape, not twelve miles distant, was the central spire of the Crystal Empire; glistening brilliantly in the rays of the newly risen sun.

Even as her anxiety abated, Rainbow slowed down, greatly reducing the demand on her straining wings. She adjusted her wing beats so as to turn around in a gentle bank towards the beckoning spire.

Aware once again of her surroundings and headed towards a place where she could rest; Rainbow took stock of her condition. “I can't believe I did this to myself.” She muttered through chapped and dry lips. “I've practically flown myself into the ground,” she added as she strained to continue her flight towards the Crystal Palace; commanding her now aching wings to carry her back a dozen short miles.

Although her airspeed was reduced, Rainbow was still able to reach the Crystal Palace after another five minutes of flight. By this time, her flight muscles were on fire, and it was an effort to stay aloft. Rainbow's flight path began to dip and rise as she repeatedly caught herself dropping downwards. With a final push, she reached the towering palace and stilled her wings, gliding down steeply for a hard landing on the main balcony.

The Crystal Empire's guards, however, had not been caught unawares as to the approach of a lone flier from the north. As soon as the rainbow-maned pegasus touched down, she was hemmed in by a ring of spears pointed directly at her.

“Hey, guys! It's me, Rainbow Dash.” She announced with a jaunty air. At least that's what she attempted to say. The effect was ruined when her pain, exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration caught up with her, causing Rainbow Dash to collapse in a heap in front of the guards.

Before she lost consciousness, she heard one of the guards call out. “Send word to the Princess and the Prince immediately. One of the Elements has arrived...”

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, otherwise known as Cadence to her friends and confidants was finishing off a rather dismal breakfast with her husband, Shining Armor when the guard came rushing in to announce the arrival of Rainbow Dash.

To be fair, it was not the breakfast itself that was dismal; rather it was the mood of the two participants. Just minutes after the sun had been raised that morning, a letter had arrived from Princess Celestia which bore the shocking news of Twilight's disappearance. What should have been a lovely breakfast of Baked Crystal-Oatmeal porridge with Crystal berries and heavy cream was turned into little more than the taste of ashes in their mouths.

Princess Cadence could tell that the news had hit Shining Armor particularly hard, though he attempted to hide his distress by retreating into the stoic shell of his guard training. She watched him as he sat rigidly and formally at the breakfast table, barely speaking a word. Cadence herself felt little better, seeing as she had known Twilight from when she was a sweet, charming and very precocious little filly.

So it was that two sets of grieving eyes opened wide in astonishment at the news that one of Twilight's friends had suddenly arrived.

“Rainbow Dash is here?” Shining Armor exclaimed to his wife; his astonishment having dragged him out of his shell.

“Perhaps she is bringing us some news about Twilight.” Cadence replied hopefully.

Shining turned back to the guard, “Quickly, bring her here to meet us.” he commanded.

“I'll get the chef to prepare another breakfast. She can't have eaten yet,” said Cadence while motioning to one of the servers who stood at the ready.

“Ahh− your Highnesses,” the guard interrupted nervously, “the Element has collapsed and is presently lying unconscious. Do you wish for us to carry her here?”

“What?” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza practically shouted. “Why didn't you tell us this when you first made your report? I hope for your sake and that of your squad leader that she's not just lying there, being gawked at by a bunch of guards.”

The messenger gulped in sudden terror, not that the Princess and Prince had ever been cruel or harsh to their guards. “N−No your highness, we sent immediately for a doctor. However, it was felt best not to disturb her until the doctor had a chance to examine her.”

“At ease.” Shining Armor spoke to the guard who now appeared desperate to efface himself. “Your squad leader did the right thing. Now take us to where Rainbow Dash is.”

The guard, heaving a surreptitious sigh of relief, wheeled about and led the two royals towards the balcony where he had last seen the cyan-colored pegasus.

They soon arrived at the scene which had begun to attract a crowd of curious onlookers. Princess Cadence was pleased to note that most of the guards were not gawking at the downed mare, but had formed a protective ring around her, facing outward and keeping curious onlookers away.

As soon as they made their way past the crowd and through the ring of guards, they noticed two other guards, one of them being the squad leader, standing watch on either side of Rainbow Dash. A third pony, whom Cadence recognized as Doctor Quick Salve was crouched down beside the unconscious pony.

“How is she, Doctor?” Cadence asked as they approached.

The doctor, a unicorn stallion having a dark orange coat, a turquoise mane and bearing a mortar and pestle for a Cutie Mark, rose up to greet the Princess. “Good morning your Highness. From my preliminary examination, I believe that your visitor is mostly suffering from a severe case of magic exhaustion as well as dehydration.”

“So she's going to be all right then?” Cadence asked, a tone of hopeful relief evident in her voice.

“I would say so. She will be asleep for a while but should wake up in three to four hours. I expect that she'll be very thirsty and ravenous with hunger. Whatever may have brought her here, it's plain that she's quite over-strained herself in doing so.”

“I see,” Cadence responded. “Thank you, Doctor. Shining Armor and I will see to her comfort.”

The doctor nodded and turned to depart, even as Cadence's turquoise aura enveloped the sleeping pony, levitating her up off the floor.

“Come along Shining; I'm sure Rainbow Dash will be able to rest more comfortably in a guest room. And we will want to clear our schedules so that we can hear what she has to say when she wakes up.”

Pinkie was not having a good day. But that was no reason to ruin it for everypony else. So far as anypony else knew, she was as cheerful as ever.

Pinkies day started when she awakened from a restless night's sleep just as the first flush of rays from Celestia’s sun began to brighten the horizon. “That's odd,” she said, thinking out loud. “I normally dream about eating cupcakes and candies and ice cream. But that dream was weird, even for me.”

Pinkie reached behind her head and pulled off a small green alligator that had been chewing on her fluffy mane. She addressed the bright green crocodilian creature as she held it up in front of her face. “I dreamed that I found a really, really huge cupcake and I started eating it, of course. Mmm, it was chocolate fudge with pink vanilla frosting. But then the cupcake took a bite out of me!

“Soon we started going round and round trying to see who could eat each other faster. What do you think Gummy? Do you think I taste good?” she asked the dentally challenged alligator.

Gummy responded by blinking his right eye, followed by his left eye, which usually meant 'yes'.

“I knew it! Why else would a giant cupcake want to eat me?”

Putting Gummy down, Pinkie made her way to the bathroom and got ready to face the day. As she looked in the bathroom mirror, she could not help but notice a certain sadness hiding in her eyes.

“No no no no no no! Hold it right there girl! That's not the face you’re going to show to everypony. Come on, where's your smile?” Pinkie face slowly lit up with a happy expression.

“You call that a smile!?” She barked like a drill sergeant for the guard. “Drop that frown and give me twenty!

“Happy− Sad, Happy− Sad, Happy− Sad...”

Thus Pinkie began her day with a round of facial exercises for strengthening her smile, no matter what she might be feeling inside. Pinkie was always happy, but today, her heart knew different.

Soon after Pinkie had completed her morning exercises and eaten the half-dozen emergency cupcakes that she kept in her mane, she decided to visit the nursery to say good morning to the twins.

Mrs. Cake was there when she arrived. “Hello Pinkie, I'm glad you're here. Could you look after the twins for about half an hour? I need to help Mr. Cake get everything ready for the special we're running this morning.”

“I'd be happy to.” Pinkie replied, easily painting a smile on her face. “We're running a special?” She asked, maintaining her smile with greater effort. “That's great! What's it about?”

“Well,” explained Mrs. Cake, “Applebuck season is starting in less than two weeks from now. Mr. Cake and I thought we would run a special on apple cakes and apple cupcakes to use up our existing stock of apples before the new crop comes in. So, while supplies last, we plan on selling the apple cakes at a price of 'two for the price of one plus one bit', and the apple cupcakes will be on sale as ‘buy two and get one free.' ”

“Wow, Mrs. Cake. That's fantastic! You’re sure to sell a ton of cakes today.” Pinkie enthused, thinking about the extra cupcakes she could buy.

“I know, that's why I have to get downstairs and help Mr. Cake with the baking. We have to be ready before we open for the day. Take good care of the twins; I have to go now.” With a final wave, Mrs. Cake left the room.

Pinkie kept up her smile but stood there staring at the door where Mrs. Cake had exited the room. For a short while, her brain was blanked out. Coming to herself again, she took a breath, double-checked her smile before turning to the twins.

“A-bah!” Pumpkin Cake announced, smiling gleefully. Somehow the twins could sense that Pinkie was not on top of her game today and that meant that they were going to have lots of fun with her.

All morning, Applejack had found herself considerably distracted by her worrying for Twilight.

Her first thought after breakfast had been to get out in the orchard and lose herself in some hard labor, bucking for early season apples. She soon abandoned that idea after nearly injuring herself. Thoughts of Twilight's fate constantly pulled at her and distracted her from the focus she needed to buck apples safely.

Limping slightly and muttering to herself about how she was some kind of a 'ninny headed foal' she located Big Mac and informed him that she was going to take the cart into the Market instead, even though it was a Sunday.

“You al'right sis?” her brother asked.

Applejack sighed. “Yeah, I'm fine Big Mac. It's just that I can't stop thinkin' about Twilight none.” Applejack had related the details of Twilight’s disappearance to her shocked family the previous evening. “I don't have the clear head I need for buckin'. So if'n I can't buck, maybe I can at least sell some apples.”

With that, she had loaded up her portable apple stand and brought it and herself to the Ponyville market.

Now, Sunday was not one of the days the Ponyville residents expected to find an Apple selling their wares in the market. It was not unheard of, especially when festivals and celebrations approached, but everypony knew that Sunday was not the day you could expect to find apples at the Market. Consequently, Applejack had hardly any customers approach her, which suited her just fine.

While standing idly behind her cart, Applejack's mind wandered back to the time she first met Twilight.

* * *

It was the day before the big Summer-Sun celebration. The whole town was bursting with pride that Princess Celestia had chosen Ponyville for the event, and everypony was bustling about getting everything ready.

Applejack had been hard at work in the orchard, near the front gate. At the moment she had paused in her labors to contemplate the position of the sun. It was getting really close to dinner time she noted. Applejack was about to head back to the picnic area when she spotted the approach of a lavender unicorn mare with a strange little purple and green creature waddling along beside her.

Now, Applejack had been selling apples to Ponyville for years, and she knew every resident by sight. This unicorn was somepony she had never met before, and equally obviously, from the looks of her neatly cut mane− some busypony just come out from Canterlot.

Nestled among two apple trees, she watched silently as the mare and the odd little creature, engrossed in their private conversation, walked right past her.

“... And of course this Sweet Apple Acres just has to be located way out here. I can't be wasting my time trotting up and down the country roads Spike. It's important that I get back to my research.” said the lavender mare.

“Well you have been appointed to check up on the Summer-Sun celebrations Twilight, and this is where Sweet Apple Acres is supposed to be.”

Little feller's got himself a clear grasp of the obvious. But miss snooty over there seems to have an opinion about us already. Applejack thought to herself.

The little critter continued, “And don't forget that Princess Celestia said you were supposed to make friends.”

“Friends? How am I supposed to make any friends when they act like that last mare I tried talking to. That pink one. She just gasped in horror at me, like, like I was some kind of three-headed hydra and ran off faster than a Wonderbolt.”

Heh, heh. Applejack chuckled to herself. So you met Pinkie already have you? I guess that accounts for some of your attitude, so I won't hold that much of it against you. But what's this about making friends?

The lavender mare continued, “Besides, friends are a waste of time.” Applejack was shocked when she heard that.

“But Twilight.” the little critter, Spike, protested. “Princess Celestia said-”

“I know! I know! I just wish she hadn't given those instructions for today of all days.”

The Princess wants miss 'busy-britches' to make some friends huh? Suddenly Applejack had a big grin on her face. Well, why don't I help the Princess out some, and show that mare just how friendly an Apple can be? And if she don't like it, then that's her problem.

The two strangers finally reached the front gate, at which point the little guy, Spike, produced a roll of parchment and started reading. “Summer Sun celebrations official overseer's checklist. Number One: Banquet preparation – Sweet Apple Acres.”

Applejack took this as her cue to introduce herself. “YeeeeeHaaaaa!” she yelled exuberantly.

Startled, the lavender mare and the little guy whipped around to identify the noise coming from behind them.

What they saw was Applejack galloping straight at an apple tree, but just before colliding with it, she dug in her front hooves and pivoted around to deliver a precision buck to the tree. All the apples, of course, were knocked off and dropped neatly into the waiting containers.

Applejack ended up standing off to the side of the tree, crossing her forelegs in a blatant act of showmaresship she had picked up at the rodeo. Ain't nopony does it better! She thought smugly to herself.

Apparently, the lavender mare wasn't so impressed because she sighed and then muttered, “Let's get this over with.”

Wearing a pleasant smile, Twilight approached Applejack and then announced, “Good afternoon, my name is Twilight Sparkle-”

Applejack interrupted Twilight's introductory speech by grabbing one of her hooves and vigorously shaking it. “Well howdy-do miss Twilight, I'm Applejack! A pleasure makin' yer acquaintance, we here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like to make new friends.” She emphasized the last word, plunging the unicorn into confusion.

Heh, heh. That's just what the Princess ordered.

Applejack was pumping Twilight's forelimb so hard that Twilight's voice shook as she tried to protest Applejack's claim. “F-Friends? A-Actually-y I-I-”

Not letting Twilight get her hooves underneath herself, so to speak, Applejack cut her off again before she could finish expressing that negative thought. “So what can I do ya for?”

“He-hem,” Twilight cleared her voice, trying to regain her composure after Applejack's violent hoofshake. “Well I am in fact here to supervise preparation for the Summer Sun celebration, and you're in charge of the food?”

Applejack suddenly had another idea.

“We sure as sugar are, would you care to sample some?” Without waiting for an answer Applejack rushed back to the outdoor picnic area set up around the Arbour and rang the dinner triangle.

“Soups On EveryPony!” Applejack called out enthusiastically at the top of her voice.

There was yet to be born an Apple that did not have a healthy appetite. The sounding of the dinner bell instantly started a stampede, which by Applejack's happy design enveloped Twilight and Spike and carried them forth to be seated as guests of honor underneath the Arbour.

While this was taking place, Applejack surreptitiously let some of the others know that she wanted to show her guests some 'real Apple hospitality.' The word quickly spread.

Applejack ran back to her guests. Mustn't keep em waitin' too long. Gotta keep em off balance.

“Now why don't I introduce y'all to the Apple family?

“This here's Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apple, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp−.”

Applejack suddenly had to draw a breath before she continued, “Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom a-and Granny Smith.

“Up and at em Granny Smith, we got guests.” Applejack hollered at Granny.

“Wha?” The ancient mare got out of her rocker and voiced several unintelligible grumbles.

Heh heh. Bless yer heart Granny. No one can understand a thing ya say when you’re half asleep like that.That’s exactly what I needed.

Applejack turned to the lavender unicorn and delivered the final blow. “Why− I'd say you're already part of the family.”

Twilight, whose mouth was full of food, did a gross spit-take. She exuded a look of desperation.

“Ah-ha-ha.” Twilight tried to laugh off her adoption. “Okay, well I can see that the food situation is handled. So we'll be on our way.”

Not so fast. Thought Applejack, quietly pushing Applebloom forward.

The little filly's lower lip quivered as she gave Twilight a full blast of those twin carriage-lights of hers. “Aren't you gonna stay for brunch?” A couple of blinks were thrown in for emphasis.

Oh, she's real good. Chortled Applejack.

Twilight was starting to look desperate. “Sorry, but we have an awful lot to do.”

By this time the whole family had been made aware of Applejack's request.

“AWWWW!” They all groaned in mock distress.

Twilight finally cracked. “Fine...” She let out as she lowered her head dejectedly.

* * *

Applejack's face bore a sad smile as she finished recalling that memory, it was one of her dearest memories of Twilight. Somehow it's recollection seemed to lift her spirits.

Applejack lifted her head proudly, and put away her sad expression as one of the flower sisters came up to her booth. “Why howdy Lilly. What can I do ya for?”

Rainbow awoke slowly from a dreamless sleep. At first, she just lay there, trying to re-capture that state of sleep she had just recently exited; she felt so very tired. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable. She squirmed around trying to find a more restful position.

What the− this isn't my cloud mattress.

Suddenly it struck her that she was not sleeping in her own bed, or even in her own home. Rainbow's eyes popped open, and she looked curiously at smoothly polished walls of some dense perfectly featureless material.

Where am I?

Looking up, she saw the walls transition from their vertical rise by breaking away in multiple triangular facets that all met at a peak above the center of the room. Rainbow had seen such rooms before.

The Crystal Palace? How did I get here?

Memory crashed down upon the rainbow mare. Suddenly she remembered arriving at the Crystal Palace after a long night of aimless flight. She had been flying because she did not want to think about something. She did not want to think about−

“Twilight!” she called out, sitting up abruptly.

“Ahh!” she cried as a stabbing headache made its presence known. She collapsed down onto the bed again, holding her head in her two hooves.

“Here drink this.” spoke a gentle voice from behind her. “It will help you feel better.”

Still clutching her head with one of her hooves, Rainbow turned around and saw a crystal pony holding out a glass of some reddish sparkling liquid.

Suddenly realizing that she was incredibly thirsty, Rainbow reached out a forehoof and grabbed the proffered glass. It went down her parched throat in a few quick gulps. She barely even had time to notice its bubbly effervescence and the tart taste of some unfamiliar berry.

“That was really good. Could I have another?” Rainbow held out her glass to the other pony.

The crystal pony smiled. “Of course you may, Miss Dash,” she said, taking the empty glass from Rainbow. She turned around to refill it from a bottle that was sitting on a side table.

Observing her, Rainbow noted that she was a little unusual for a crystal pony. Her translucent body held a deep brownish red hue while her mane and tail were much lighter with a brownish amber color. Her Cutie Mark was that of a blue star inside a crystal bowl.

“I'm Garnet Wish, one of Princess Cadence's personal attendants.” The crystal pony said as she poured Rainbow a second glass of the unnamed drink. Turning around, she brought the refilled glass over to Rainbow before speaking again. “Princess Cadence assigned me to watch over you until you woke up.”

“Uh, thanks.” Rainbow was slightly miffed that the Princess thought she needed looking after, though she accepted the glass and downed it just as eagerly as she had the first one. The crystal pony, Garnet Wish, smiled as if she could read Rainbow's thoughts. Perhaps she could. Rainbow was never one to hide her irritations.

Garnet spoke, “The Princess said that you would be very thirsty when you woke up.”

Rainbow couldn't help but agree with that assessment, though she was loath to embarrass herself by asking for a third glass of whatever that delicious drink was.

“Would you like something to eat?” Garnet Wish asked.

At the mention of food, Rainbow suddenly felt ravenous, and her stomach chose that moment to erupt with a most fearsome growl, sounding very much like a forty foot Cragodile.

“Ah Heh heh.” Rainbow tried to laugh off her abdominal noises, “Yeah, I think I had better find something to eat.”

“If you will follow me then, I'll take you to the dining room.” Garnet Wish exited the room; after a moment's hesitation Rainbow scrambled to follow after her.

A short excursion through the labyrinthine corridors of the palace brought Rainbow to a familiar room. It was the private dining room used by the royals. Rainbow remembered it from her previous trips to the Crystal Empire with Twilight and the rest of the gang.

Twilight. Rainbow suddenly remembered. And just as suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore.

Rainbow sat down at her usual position at the table and bowed her head, remembering the first time she had ever met Twilight.

* * *

Rainbow was thrilled. So far her special routine for wowing the Wonderbolts was going perfectly, just four more moves and it would be done.

Accelerating rapidly, she shot straight through a small cloud, dragging part of its nebulous substance along behind her. As she flew along, she released a continuous stream of vapor from the cloud-stuff she was holding, streaming a contrail behind her in a razor sharp line, a thing of beauty.

Just as she ran out of cloud-stuff, she doubled back as if she had bounced off a brick wall and flew back along the cloud trail with an inside corkscrew maneuver. Accelerating as she went, she gyrated around the cloud trail at an ever-increasing rate. Rainbow was concentrating fiercely, striving to maintain an even spacing to her corkscrew spirals; despite her ever increasing speed.

Reaching the base cloud, which had donated so generously of its substance for her cloud trail, she transitioned out of her tight high-speed corkscrew and entered smoothly into an inside loop around the cloud. Perfect she crowed, having exited the corkscrew and entered the loop from underneath the cloud. She watched the cloud carefully, keeping her loop centered about it while maintaining her high speed.

She flew exactly one and a half inside loops, and then just as she reached the top of the inside loop she did a snap half roll, converting to an outside loop. It was her final move.

“Yeah! Woohoo!” she cried. I'm a shoe-in for the Wonderbolts. When I show them this tomorrow, they'll be begging me to join them, she thought rapturously. Her momentary lapse in concentration, however, caused her to loop to expand, bringing her dangerously close to the ground.

Rainbow only had an instant to snap out of her self-congratulatory dream as she saw herself flying inverted directly into the ground. Frantically she beat her wings and adjusted her flight path to avoid impact with the ground. It was almost enough.

Rainbow had barely managed to level off a mere two feet above the ground when she saw that her path would intersect with a lavender pony. It was far too late to change course. Spreading her wings wide she endeavored to slow down as much as she could, but was forced almost immediately to pull her wings back in again to prevent them from being damaged in the collision.

Rainbow crashed into the lavender pony, and earth tumbled over sky. Both of them skipping and rolling along the ground for a good hundred hooves before they stopped in a mud puddle. The stranger's face ended up being firmly planted into the mud while Rainbow lay atop her.

“Uhhh.” the lavender pony groaned. Rainbow quickly got off the other pony.

Rainbow was far more embarrassed at having messed up her final move than at having plowed somepony into the mud. “Heh he he he he− Ahh− excuse me?”

“Mmmm” exclaimed the lavender unicorn, glaring angrily at Rainbow, but that was the extent of her response.

Hey, she's alright. Thought Rainbow. If it had been either Applejack or Rarity, I would have had an earful by now.

I'm gonna see if I can have a bit of fun with her. Thought Rainbow as a wicked idea came to her.

“Heh he he− let me help you,” she said, and immediately dashed off to tear off the lowest part of her base cloud. The part of the cloud where the moisture always had a tendency to concentrate.

Rainbow brought back the water saturated parcel of cloud and positioned it directly over the lavender mare. Rainbow then flew atop the cloud and started hopping on it. With every leap, magical shock waves radiated through the cloud, inducing it to release its moisture as a fierce downpour.

The lavender pony must have known what was coming when she saw Rainbow bring up the cloud, but she never moved. She just sat there scowling. Even after being totally soaked by the downpour the lavender pony kept silent.

I like her. She's a really good sport. Rainbow thought to herself.

“Eh-heh-heh. Oops, I guess I overdid it.” Rainbow now offered a more honest apology for taking her prank a little too far.

“Umm. Ah− how about this? My very own patented Rain-Blow-Dry!” Rainbow moved her cloud off to the side and suddenly started flying in a very tight orbit around the lavender mare, creating a phenomenally tight micro-tornado to engulf the lavender mare. Rainbow’s special contribution was to use her pegasus skills to force all excess moisture inside the tornado outwards to the outside air.

After a few seconds of such action, Rainbow arrested the micro-tornado and came to a hover off to the side, her eyes closed as she savored the satisfaction of a tricky maneuver well executed. “No-No don't thank me, you're quite welcome,” she said in a show of entirely false modesty.

Not hearing any of the praise she was expecting, Rainbow opened her eyes to see what was holding it back. What she saw was the lavender mare's mane all heaped up in horrendous coils and tangles.

Uh-Oh. Rainbow thought, beginning to react to the humorous sight.

“Snork− Snerk− Shk!” Rainbow tried valiantly to hold in her laughter. The effort was in vain.

“Bwah ha ha ha ha...” She burst out, falling to the ground convulsing with belly laughter.

The lavender mare spoke for the first time, “Let me guess, you're Rainbow Dash.”

Suddenly Rainbow's laughter ended, and she found herself hovering in front of the lavender mare's face. “The one and only. Why? You heard of me?” she asked eagerly.

In a steady voice, the lavender mare replied. “I heard you're supposed to be keeping the sky clear.”

Rainbow was astonished that this mare couldn't even compliment her on her precision flying and instead chose to focus on some boring weather duty that any Pegasus could perform. Feeling she'd been put down somehow, she flew up to her former rain cloud and lay down, snubbing the lavender mare.

Seeing Rainbow's reaction, the lavender mare sighed before announcing, “I'm Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather.”

Rainbow gave Twilight an off-hoof wave of dismissal, “Yeah, yeah. That'll be a snap. Just as soon as I'm done practicing.”

“Practicing? For what?” Twilight asked, with the sound of honest curiosity in her voice.

Hearing that, Rainbow turned around and eagerly began to sound off on her favorite subject. “The Wonderbolts! They're going to perform at the celebration tomorrow. And I'm going to show 'em my stuff.”

“The Wonderbolt's” Twilight asked, confusion in her voice.

“Yup!” Rainbow replied.

Twilight's face assumed a coy look. “The most talented flyers in all of Equestria?” she asked.

“That's them,” Rainbow replied smugly.

“Hunngh− Pfft− Please.” Twilight dismissed Rainbow's plans. “They'd never accept a pegasus who can't even keep the sky clear for one measly day.”

“Hey!” Rainbow was indignant, and not a little irritated, “I can clear the sky in ten seconds flat.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes and looked challengingly at Rainbow; almost a sneer hovered over her lips. “Prove it,” she said.

Ohh− That Twilight. She's challenging me. Well, I'll show her.

Suddenly Rainbow took off, accelerating madly towards a larger cloud. She bounced violently off the cloud, her hooves sending out shock waves powerful enough to vaporize it. As she raced towards the next large cloud, she wove a twisting flight path past the smaller clouds. Those, she could disperse by simply doing a fly-by, using the magic vortices shed from her wings to blow them apart.

One, two three, she zigged between the clouds, pirouetting and spinning madly to line up her hooves for perfect strikes.

Four, five, six, she raced at incredible speeds leaving nothing but a rainbow streak in the sky as she raced to the cloud clusters lying further afield.

Seven, eight, nine, Rainbow arced high overhead drilling through the alto-cirrus clouds at such a speed that they broke up instantly.

And ten, Rainbow raced back towards Ponyville, and with half a second to spare performed a perfect outside loop around her base cloud. The loop which she had messed up while doing her routine earlier. She concluded by turning inward sharply and shattering her base cloud.

Heh, good workout. Rainbow complimented herself. I haven't done improvisational maneuvers in a while.

“What'd I say.” Rainbow settled down on the side wall of a bridge, where she could lord it up over Twilight from an elevated position. “Ten− Seconds− Flat!

“I'd never leave Ponyville hanging.” Rainbow Dash announced. And she meant it.

The look of astonishment on Twilight's face was the best reward Rainbow could ever have received.

“Hah-ha. You should see the look on your face.

“Hah− You're a laugh Twilight Sparkle. I can't wait to hang out some more.”

* * *

And I was right about her. Rainbow remarked to herself. Twilight was one cool pony that day, never getting mad or upset with me. And boy did she ever pull me into some cool adventures...

Rainbow had a smile on her face when Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor entered the room.

“Aren't you going to eat anything Rainbow?” the Princess asked. “I thought for sure you would be hungry after flying yourself to exhaustion like you did last night.”

Startled by the sound of Cadence's voice, Rainbow opened her eyes and beheld a huge bowl of porridge set on the table directly in front of her.

When did that get put there? She wondered sadly to herself. Have I been thinking so hard about Twilight that I didn't notice anypony else in the room? That's the kind of stuff that happens to Twilight. Which thought reminded her of the current circumstances surrounding Twilight again. Her smile faded.

“Ah, I was hungry, but then I sort of lost my appetite.” Rainbow's voice faded off into a near mumble.

“That's alright Rainbow. If you’re not hungry right now then perhaps you will be later.” Cadence attempted to sooth Rainbow.

Shining Armor spoke up, anxious to learn what had happened to Twilight. “Rainbow, we didn't get very many details in Celestia's letter about what happened. Could you fill us in with whatever you know?”

Rainbow nodded slowly. She really didn't want to think about it, but this was Twilight's family. She owed them a decent explanation.

“Well, I guess it all started yesterday when Pinkie had one of her doozies...”

The sound of knocking was heard at the door.

Fluttershy awoke part way, lying there all fuddled; half caught in a light, dreamy slumber. She thought she had heard something.

“Fluttershy, my dear, are you home?” came the sound of somepony's voice.

At the sound of the voice, Fluttershy came further awake, opening her eyes and raising her head.

Where? What? What am I doing here on the floor? She thought to herself. Confused as to how she came to be where she was.

“Fluttershy, are you okay in there? Forgive me dear, but I am coming in.” The door began to glow with a pale blue light and suddenly opened inward, revealing a unicorn mare, having an alabaster coat and rich, full mane and tail of deep indigo-purple color.

“Eeep!” Fluttershy shrieked, instinctively frightened by the intrusion. But as soon as she saw who it was she found her voice. “Rarity? What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Rarity's voice was filled with concern as she came into the room, “I came to invite you to an afternoon at the spa. But forget that, what are you doing down there on the floor?”

“Oh, ah, um,” Fluttershy took stock of her present situation, “I think I fell asleep,” she said even as she got up off the floor.

“On the floor? Oh, my dear, whatever possessed you to sleep on the floor?” Rarity asked. Too late she noticed the matted fur underneath Fluttershy's eyes, realizing that Fluttershy had been crying recently.

Fluttershy turned her head away even as her ears dropped down, too embarrassed to admit to her breakdown.

Rarity hastened to apologize to her friend, approaching to give her a friendly nudge, “I'm so sorry my dear, I just realized. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Can you ever forgive me?”

Fluttershy turned her head back towards Rarity and gave her an honest smile “It's alright Rarity, I know you never meant anything. I suppose it was rather silly of me to fall asleep on the floor like that.”

“Yes, it was. A bed is so much more comfortable than the floor.” Rarity tried to lighten the mood with some levity.

At that point a white rabbit, Angel, ran up to Fluttershy, holding a bowl. Angel had a scowl on his face as he tapped the bowl meaningfully.

Fluttershy's eyes irised open in shock “Oh that's right! I forgot to feed all my dear little friends. Thank you for reminding me, Angel.”

Fluttershy began running around, pulling out bags of animal feed, nuts, and various greens, placing them in heaps on the floor or into various bowls. She placed these strategically near the various holes and hutches about the room. As she did so, the animals began to come out and partake of their long-delayed breakfast.

Rarity looked on in bewilderment at Fluttershy's burst of activity Why haven't the animals been feed already? She thought. Dawn was hours ago. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

“Fluttershy, please tell me that you weren't sleeping on the floor all night long.”

“What?” the yellow pegasus mare stopped her frantic rush of activity. “Oh, no no. I um, I was in my bed all night.” Fluttershy replied meekly.

“Well, that's a relief. You'll ruin your health and that beautiful complexion of yours if you make a habit of sleeping on the floor you know.” A thought came to Rarity causing her some puzzlement.

“But Fluttershy, if you had a good night's sleep, why would you fall asleep again before giving the animals their breakfast?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy hung her head and looked to the side again, hiding behind her slightly disheveled mane. “I didn't sleep.” her voice faded out on the last word.

“What was that dear?”

“Ah hm,” Fluttershy tried to gather some fortitude. “I said I didn't sleep at all last night.” Fluttershy's voice faded to a thin squeak.

“What!? Oh, my stars. Do you mean to say that you lay awake all night long?” Fluttershy meekly nodded her head.

“I'm so sorry Fluttershy; I didn't realize. We all feel terrible about Twilight, of course, but I had no idea you were taking it so hard. Well then. It's decided; you, my dear are coming with me to the spa today.”

“But I−” Fluttershy tried to protest that she needed to look after her animals.

“No buts, Fluttershy. I realize that your animals are depending on you right now, but come two o'clock I expect to see you at the spa or else I'm coming back to drag you there.”

“Oh you don't need to bother yourself with me, I'll be fine−” Fluttershy protested again.

“I absolutely will not accept any excuses Fluttershy; you will be there.” As she spoke, Rarity was glaring intently at Fluttershy; her ears partially pinned back, underscoring how serious she was. Suddenly her features mellowed out into a sad smile, and her ears drooped to the sides of her head.

“Please Fluttershy; we are all of us hurting over Twilight. And we need to be together to support each other. We need you, and you need us.”

“The others will be there too?” Fluttershy asked in curiosity. It usually took some special planning to get all the girls to attend a spa day together.

“Well, when I first came over, I had originally just planned it for the two of us Fluttershy. But the more I think about it, I am convinced that the others are feeling just as adrift as we are. I'm sure they will be there. In fact, I will be going now to invite them all.

“And I'm not taking no for an answer. We all need to be together at a time like this.”

“Okay, Rarity. I'll be there.” Fluttershy smiled, encouraged by the thought of being able to meet her friends and perhaps being able to show them some kindness and encouragement. In case they were feeling as down as she was.

“Well then, I'd better be going now. And thank you for agreeing to come. Bye for now” Rarity turned and made her way to the door.

“Oh, but wait!” Fluttershy called out.

Rarity paused and turned around to look at the yellow mare. “Yes, Fluttershy?”

“Um, it's Sunday. Um, ah, I thought the spa was closed on Sundays.” Fluttershy hung her head and shyly tapped the floor with her right front hoof. As if embarrassed to be asking a question.

Rarity smiled. “They do occasionally open it on a Sunday for special requests by special customers. I, of course, purchased the package for a 'Special Emergency Spa Treatment' last year.

“Of course I've never had to make use of it till now. Mind you I've been tempted to use it several times, but I'm so very glad that I didn't do that. If ever there was an emergency, then this is it.”

“Oh, I see,” Fluttershy replied, watching as Rarity turned back to the door and trotted on through it.

“Bye, Rarity. And thank you.” Fluttershy called out to the retreating mare.

“Hey, Sugarcube.” “Hello, Fluttershy my dear.” Applejack and Rarity called out from the hot soaking tub they were currently lounging in.

“Oh, hello, girls.” Fluttershy returned as she approached the tub and daintily settled herself down into it.

“Did you happen to see Rainbow Dash today?” Rarity asked Fluttershy.

“Um, no. I haven't seen her since yesterday at the-” Fluttershy gulped before continuing, “-library.”

“Darn that filly,” grumbled Applejack. “Always gone somewhere else when ya want to find her.”

“Wait.” Fluttershy was stunned. “Rainbow's missing too?” She could feel fresh tears welling up in her eyes.

“Now hold it right there missy.” Applejack admonished her. “I didn' say nothin of the sort.

“Knowing that gal, I suspect that she's simply flown off somewhere where nopony can see how much she's hurtin'. If'n we can't find Rainbow it's cuz she simply don't wan'ta be found.”

“Oh, I guess you're right.” Fluttershy murmured. Then she added, “Where's Pinkie?”

Rarity spoke up. “Pinkie left us a message with Lotus Blossom. She said that there was something she had to do and that she would be a little late.”

“Oh.” was Fluttershy's only comment.

None of them had anything else to say, so the group fell into silence as they waited for Pinkie.

Still feeling the effects of her sleepless night, Fluttershy started to doze off.

Applejack pulled her ever-present hat down over her eyes and settled back for some quiet relaxation. The opportunity for which was sure to vanish the moment Pinkie arrived.

Rarity closed her eyes and hummed softly to herself, feeling the small ripples in the Hot tub lap around her neck. Several minutes passed before there was a small disturbance, the sound of somepony moving quietly in the water. By this time everypony was feeling very relaxed. No one stirred to look at the source of the sound. Simply assuming it was one of their friends moving about.

“Ahhh,” A rough voice sighed from Rarity's left, “That feels so good.”

Rarity's eyes flew open upon hearing the unexpected voice. “Rainbow? When did you get here?” she called out in astonishment.

Applejack too, sat up abruptly at the sound of Rainbow's voice, pushing back her hat to reveal her face before greeting the rainbow-maned pegasus, “Hey Sugarcube, where you been hidin' all day? We've been lookin for ya.”

Fluttershy woke up from the commotion and quickly recognized her oldest friend. “Oh Rainbow, I was so worried about you. For a moment I thought you had vanished like – Twilight.”

“Hey, guys.” Rainbow offered in way of reply, making as if her absence was of little consequence.

“Rainbow Dash.” Rarity scolded her. “How could you go missing like that? Especially now, when we are all so very worried about Twilight. I know you can take care of yourself, but still−.”

“It wasn't very nice ta the rest of us.” Applejack finished Rarity's statement, earning herself a tiny glare from the fashionista for stepping on her speech.

Rainbow drew in a breath and let it out with a sigh. Her ears flicked down and back, and she looked down for a brief moment. “Yeah, sorry guys. I just sort of lost my head last night and started flying, trying to forget about what happened.

“It wasn't until morning that finally woke up to what I was doing. When I did, I found myself in the Crystal Empire.

“The Crystal Empire!” Both Applejack and Rarity exclaimed.

Fluttershy's reaction, however, was different. Her eye's dilated momentarily, after which she zipped her way straight to Rainbow's side. Incidentally throwing up a monstrous cascade of water from what could only be called her bow wave, soaking both Rarity and Applejack, drawing squeals of outrage and indignant protests from each of them respectively.

“Oh you poor thing,” Fluttershy exclaimed, rapidly touching and examining a stunned Rainbow. Pulling out one the cyan speedster's wings she gasped, even as Rainbow winced, “You flew all night at maximum effort didn't you? Why Rainbow, you've nearly exhausted all of your magic.”

“Heh Heh” Rainbow blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. “Guess I couldn't hide it from you Fluttershy.

“Yeah. I guess it was a really stupid thing to do. As it is, I've effectively grounded myself for several days. And there's no 'nearly' about it Fluttershy, I have totally exhausted my pegasus magic.”

“You're forgiven Rainbow Dash.” Rarity spoke up, quite recovered now from the unexpected bath that Fluttershy had given her.

Rarity went on. “Even if I don't understand what you were feeling Rainbow, I do understand that you were very upset.” Rarity waved her hoof around to encompass the entire group. “We're here right now because we are all, each in our own different way, suffering in our hearts from Twilight's sudden absence.

“Why, last night I kept having these awful nightmares and did not rest very well at all. And yes I know that a nightmare is just a nightmare, but it’s more than that. All day I've felt like there's a hole in my heart. I try to act normal and carry out business as usual, but I simply can't.

“I find that my inspiration has abandoned me and right now I couldn't even design a paper bag. I've lost my fashion sense and even my desire to make dresses. Why even the sight of gems is downright repulsive to me right now.” When Rarity finished her declaration, she was half in tears, her lower lip quivering.

Rainbow's eyes opened wide. “What!? But Rarity, you love those things.”

Rarity gave Rainbow a sad smile. “It's true Rainbow. Every word that I said. But there is one thing that does help to fill that hole in my heart. And that's having my friends here with me right now.”

“It's true Sugarcube.” Applejack decided to throw in her story. “I can't stop thinkin' 'bout Twilight none. I tried ta work the orchard like I do every day, but every time I tried ta buck some apples I got plumb distracted with my worry for her. I nearly wrenched my hooves a couple of times before I gave it up as bein' too dangerous." She gave an amused huff. "Heh, imagine that, an Apple what can't buck apples."

Applejack continued. “But bein' here right now, with my friends─ It's like takin' a load off my sore achin' hooves after carryin' around Big Mac all day long.”

“That's right!” exclaimed Pinkie as all the others jerked about in surprise, startled to find her already in the Hot tub with the rest of them.

“Pinkie!” They all called out simultaneously.

Pinkie gave them all a sad smile, leaving them thunderstruck. They had never before seen such an expression as that on her face.

Pinkie spoke up before any of the others could collect their thoughts, “That's right Applejack, and Rarity. I feel so much better now that I'm here with the bestest-best of my very best friends.

“My face hurts. I mean it really-really-really hurts. I've been holding a smile for everypony I meet all day long. And then the Cakes had a special sale going on so of course so there was always somepony in front of me as I worked the front of their shop. Or sometimes I was asked to look after the twins, Pumpkin and Pound, and I really couldn't give them a frowny face.

“But inside, I felt like I had lost my smile, so I had to work extra-super-duper hard to keep a smile on my face and make everypony else happy. Who knew that smiling could be such hard work.

“Guys, I can't smile anymore, it hurts too much.” Pinkie suddenly dropped her sad smile. “But I want you to know, that being here with you, for the first time today I'm smiling in my heart.”

“Awww.” Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack all converged on Pinkie and gave her a wonderful hug. Rainbow held back for a moment but then muttered “Fine.” and joined the group hug.

When they all let go, it revealed a beaming Pinkie Pie. “Oh, Wow!” she exclaimed. “I'm smiling again. And it doesn't hurt my face at all. Thanks, guys.

Suddenly Pinkie inhaled sharply, “You know what this means?” she exclaimed happily and inevitably, quite loudly.

Applejack suddenly grabbed onto Pinkie, wrapping her forelegs around the pink mare. “Now hold yer horses Pinkie, we don't need no party right now.”

Rarity added her voice, to reinforce Applejack's statement, “That's right. How can we possibly think of music and fun and games when we still don't know what happened with Twilight.”

Pinkie's expression drooped, and she sniffled sadly. Thankfully, her mane did not deflate. “You're right; it just wouldn't be the same without Twilight.”

Fluttershy now spoke up, “No it wouldn't, I for one could never enjoy myself at a party when I don't know what's happened to Twilight.

“Last night I was so worried and afraid for Twilight that I couldn't sleep the least little bit all night long. When Celestia finally raised the sun this morning, I got out of my bed thinking that I was okay, but I started acting strange and scared my animal friends.

“When I realized that I wasn't acting like myself, I broke down and started crying right there. I was so tired from not having slept that I must have cried myself to sleep right there on the floor.”

Again the group called out collectively, “Awww.” They came together again in another group hug, from the midst of which there was emitted a single startled “Eep!”

As the group separated again, it revealed a butter-yellow pegasus with a happy little smile on her face, albeit one that was flushed with crimson.

Rarity brought the topic around to Rainbow again. “So you see Rainbow, we are all so very worried about Twilight that we are all 'grounded' as it were.”

The group fell into silence until Applejack broke it. “Rainbow, Sugarcube, ya mind explainin' to us what you were doin' in the Crystal Empire?”

Rainbow looked around slowly and noticed that everypony else was looking at her. “Fine, I'll tell you. Just give me a sec.”

“Like I said earlier, I just flew my wings off last night.” Rainbow extended one of her wings up above the water; it was visibly shaking. She retracted it again as she continued talking, “By the time I woke up to the crazy that I was doing to myself, my flight magic was almost totally gone, and my wings were cramping badly. Luckily I was close to the Crystal Empire and just barely managed to land at the palace.

“I must have collapsed as soon as I landed because the next thing I remember was waking up in one of the palace's guest rooms. I was told that Princess Cadence herself carried me there.”

“When I woke up, one of the Princess's attendants brought me to the Royal's private dining room.”

“I'm glad they thought to feed you Rainbow,” Fluttershy commented, “You know it's very important to eat after exhausting your flight magic.”

“Well at first I wasn't hungry because as soon as I thought of Twilight being missing, I lost my appetite.”

“What?” Fluttershy exclaimed in what was for her a shout. “You didn't eat anything? You know that's very bad for your magic, Rainbow.”

“I know Fluttershy; I know that. But just listen while I tell my story.” Fluttershy held her peace, but she was still obviously distraught. After hearing Fluttershy's comments, the other ponies were also starting to get worried for Rainbow Dash.

“Cadence and Shining asked me to fill them in on everything that I knew about yesterday, so I started to tell them. The funny thing was, the more I talked about Twilight and our search, the more my appetite returned. So pretty soon I was eating this really tasty porridge they had brought out.

“Wow, that stuff was really tasty.” Rainbow smacked her lips and gave a sigh of repletion. “I ate two huge bowls.”

“That's it?” Rarity asked indignantly. “You flew to the Crystal Empire, gave them a rundown on Twilight being missing, and then you stuffed your face?”

“It wasn't like that Rarity.” Rainbow protested. “We talked plenty. I'm just not any good at telling how things went.

“After I told them about what we did yesterday, and what we saw in the library, we started trading stories about Twilight.”

“Oh, and what kind of stuff did you have to say about Twilight?” Rarity asked archly. “Maybe something about how you were teaching Twilight how to fly, and how many times she crashed?”

“No, nothing like that. I told them the story about the time I first met Twilight. She really impressed me you know.” Rainbow's last statement drew the full attention of the whole group.

It was Applejack who spoke first, “Now let me get this straight. Rainbow Dash, future Wonderbolt, the best flyer in all of Equestria─ was impressed by Twilight? This I gotta hear.”

Rainbow held her head up proudly. “Well, I was. It was the day before the Summer Sun celebration, and I accidentally crashed into her, knocking her face-first into a nasty mud puddle. And then I soaked her with too much rain trying to get her clean, and then I used my patented Rainblow-Dry maneuver to dry her off and accidentally turned her mane into a fright-wig.”

Rarity suddenly gasped at that last, as if it were of some personal significance to her.

Rainbow continued, “And except that it all started as an accident, it was one of the greatest pranks I ever pulled on Twilight. And you know what Twilight did?”

The other ponies looked at each other blankly. Pinkie was the one to ask, “No. What did Twilight do?”

“Nothing,” Rainbow answered her question. “Absolutely nothing. Think about it, a total stranger knocks her face down into the mud, deliberately soaks her and then makes a joke out of her mane and she takes it all without a complaint or even a single harsh word.

“I'm telling you that that pony's incredibly even-tempered. And you know what she did after that?”

“No! What?” Pinkie asked breathlessly again.

“She turned the situation right around on me and dared me into clearing the sky. She was really clever about it. At first, I thought I had the laugh on her because boy, was she ever surprised when I cleared the sky in ten seconds flat. But it wasn't until later that I figured out what she had pulled on me.”

“Whoa Nelly,” Applejack interrupted. “Now that's really somethin'. It's easy to get Rainbow to come for dinner, but it's nearly impossible to get her to do some work.” She wore a big cocky grin as she said the last part.

Rainbow attempted to splash some water at Applejack in reprisal for the insult but was limited in that she could only use her hooves to do so.

Rainbow continued, “You know girls, as I told Cadence and Shining that story about Twilight, how I first started respecting her and thinking of her as my friend, that's when my appetite came back.”

“And then what happened Rainbow?” Pinkie asked.

“Well we talked for a little while longer, I chowed down some more food, and then Princess Cadence and Shining Armor put me on the Eleven-Thirty train. I slept some more on the train before I arrived back here.

“Oh and thanks for putting up those signs everywhere Pinkie. I would never have thought of coming to the spa if it weren't for those signs.”

“Signs? What signs?” Rarity asked.

“The ones that said 'Rainbow, see you at the spa.' I put them up all over Ponyville.” Pinkie replied.

“You did what!?” Rarity screeched and then groaned heartily “Lotus Blossom, and Aloe are going to be very upset with me! They normally don't open the spa on Sunday's because they need a day off from their work. But I begged them to open it today, just for us, as a special favor for an emergency. Now everypony in Ponyville will be asking them if they can open the spa on Sundays.

“Ohh!”, a foreleg was laid dramatically against her forehead, “This, Is, The, Worst, Possible, Thing!” Rarity fell back against the wall of the Hot tub, slowing sinking below the surface and blowing bubbles, only her ears and horn remained visible above the water.

“Rarity? Are you alright.” Fluttershy asked cautiously.

“Heh, Heh, Don't you worry none Sugarcube,” Applejack addressed Fluttershy. “That there little conniption of hers is proof that Rarity's feeling a whole lot better.”

“I was not having a conniption!” Rarity suddenly re-surfaced to argue with Applejack.

The whole group, except for Rarity, burst into laughter. However, in short order, Rarity joined their laughter.

Soon, the laughter died down, and silence descended, only to be broken by Applejack. “Ya know Rainbow, I was thinkin' today also, 'bout the first time I met Twilight and what I saw in her.”

Everypony's ears swiveled towards Applejack.

Rainbow looked up with interest. “Oh yeah? Let's hear it.”

Applejack launched into her tale. “It was the day afore the Summer Sun celebration, and I was working down near the gate, when right around the time for lunch I spied a pony, and the weirdest little critter come walking towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“I moved up secret like an heard 'em talkin'. I've got to tell ya, I wasn't too impressed with 'em at first. Little miss busy-britches was complainin' that she was too busy to come all the way out ta Sweet Apple acres and that friends were just a waste of time.”

“What!?” the whole group gasped.

“It's the honest truth, that's what I heard her say. But don't y'all act so surprised or nothing, she never made a secret about the way she used ta think about friendship afore she met us.”

“It's true.” commented Fluttershy, “Twilight said the same thing, about how at first she didn't care about friendship when she made her coronation speech.”

“That's right Fluttershy, she did. Anyways, right after she done said her say about friends being a waste of time, that little critter, Spike, spoke up and mentioned how the Princess had ordered her to make friends. And that's when I got myself an idea on how ta prank her.”

“What!” Both Pinkie and Rainbow exclaimed. “You pranked Twilight?” Rainbow asked.

“Sure did Sugarcube. I got me the idea, that if a mare who didn't want friends, was ordered by the Princess to make friends, then it was my duty to the Princess to be the friendliest of friends. And everypony knows that Apples are mighty friendly to start with.”

Rainbow was smiling broadly; Rarity tittered, Fluttershy hid a timid smile behind a hoof and Pinkie giggled crazily.

Applejack concluded her story “Well, to make a long story short, I nearly shook her leg off, managed to introduce her to the whole Apple clan and then I told her she was inducted into the family.”

“Bwah hah hah ha...” Rainbow burst out in unrestrained laughter. Rarity tittered and Pinkie giggle-snorted, “Tee hee hee, snerk*.” Even Fluttershy was smiling openly now.

“...You inducted her into─ your family, Heh heh.” Rainbow gasped as she finished laughing. “Oh boy, I would have loved to have seen her face.”

“Heh Heh.” Applejack chortled, “Oh it was somethin' to see alright. She looked like the mare what bit into an apple only to see half a worm wriggling out of the other half she hasn't eaten yet.”

“Bwahh− Hah hah hah...”, “Hah Hah Hee hee hee...” Both Rainbow and Pinkie took off laughing again. Rarity however looked to be simultaneously amused and nauseated by the gross metaphor. Fluttershy simply looked sad, filled with concern for the metaphorical worm.

Applejack grinned as she waited for the laughter to die down. “That day, I saw somethin' in Twilight; she was a good pony. For all my pushin' an prankin' her, her resistance ta makin' friends wasn't 'cause she looked down on us country folk. She simply didn't know what a fine thing havin' a friend was.

“I made my choice right then and there that I would be her friend for real, if'n she'd let me.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie called out exuberantly. “Twilight is simply one of the best friends ever. I knew it from the very first moment I saw her that she was my best friend.”

“Ahh Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “everypony's your best friend. Since when is a pony not your best friend?”

“Of course everypony is my best friend.” Pinkie replied. “I love to make everypony smile. But nopony puts a bigger smile on my face than you girls.

“When I saw Twilight for the first time, I had a really big 'GASP!' and that’s how I knew that she was my bestest of best friends, just like you girls.”

“Why darling, what do you mean when you say you had a really big 'gasp'?” Rarity inquired.

“Why shucks Pinkie. Ya gasped when ya saw me for the first time. I thought ya did it for everypony.” Applejack added.

Fluttershy went “Mmm-hmm” and nodded her head in agreement with Applejack.

“Tee-hee. Oh, you sillies. You know what I mean.” Pinkie replied with a happy titter.

“No Pinkie, we don't know, so give us the lowdown on your ‘gasp.’” Rainbow demanded.

Pinkie blinked in astonishment. “Why I thought you all knew. My 'GASP' is just like my Twitchy-Tail.”

At the mention of the phrase 'Twitchy-Tail' all the ponies spasmed. Fluttershy curled up into a tight ball, pressed tightly against the side of the Hot-tub. Rarity and Applejack both jumped right out of the Hot tub and dived under a bench positioned along one wall; it was a tight fit. Rainbow, hampered by the loss of her flight magic, threw both hooves over her head and submerged herself under the water with only her ears remaining above.

Pinkie looked on calmly. “What'cha do-in?” she called out in a voice simply oozing with curiosity.

“Um, you said you had a Twitchy-Tail.” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Hee-hee-hee snerk*. No, I didn't, silly. I said my 'GASP' is just like my Twitchy-Tail.”

“Ya mean yer 'gasp' is one ah yer Pinkie-sense things?” Applejack asked as she crawled out from under the bench.

“Yeppers!” Agreed the happy mare.

“Oh thank goodness,” Fluttershy exclaimed, uncurling from her ball.

“Pinkie my dear, you should have said that in the first place.” Rarity's admonishment held a bit of a whine as she worried over the dirt she might have picked up from under the bench.

“Let me get this straight.” Rainbow, who had now resurfaced above the water, demanded testily. “You say your 'gasp' is one of your Pinkie-senses?”

“Uh-huh.” the pink pony nodded enthusiastically.

“And it means what? That the pony you're gasping at is going to be your best friend.”

“Oh it's much more than that Rainbow,” Pinkie was grinning from ear to ear, “I've only ever 'GASP'ed for the four of you. And then Twilight came to Ponyville and I 'GASP'ed at her too, and that's when I knew she was going to be my fifth bestest of best friends, just like you four are.”

The other mares blushed a bit in embarrassment at Pinkie's compliment, yet they all smiled back fondly at her.

“Why Pinkie,” Rarity spoke up for all the others, “you're one of our bestest of best friends too.” The other ponies all nodded and 'mm-hm'd their agreement.

Pinkie's smile, if it were possible, grew even wider.

Rarity spoke up again, “Well, it seems that we are telling stories about how we first met Twilight, or rather, what we saw in her when we first met her.”

The other ponies looked at Rarity, their eyes glittering with interest. All except for Fluttershy, her eyes irised open in shock as she realized her turn would be next.

Rarity began telling her story. “I was 'in the zone' as it were, doing a simply marvelous job of preparing the decorations for the Summer Sun celebration when I heard the voice of a young mare speaking to me. When I turned towards her voice, I beheld the most hideous sight you could ever imagine.”

“Hey! Don't you go calling Twilight hideous.” Rainbow exclaimed angrily, staunchly defending her absent friend.

“Of course not Rainbow,” Rarity returned smoothly, “I was simply describing the state of Twilight's mane, which I now know we have you to thank for.” Rarity concluded her statement with a glare in Rainbow's direction.

“Ahh, heh-heh. Oh yeah.” Rainbow Dash laughed sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head with a hoof.

“Well, as I was saying, Twilight's mane was in truly dire need of attention. My heart leaped out for the poor thing, and immediately I brought her to my boutique.”

Rarity paused for a moment as if embarrassed, “I must say that I got a tiny little bit carried away−.”

“Ya mean ya primped and pressed her up like a dress-up doll.” Applejack interjected, causing Rainbow Dash and Pinkie to snicker and even Fluttershy had to hide a grin behind her hoof.

“Ahh− Erhem, Well yes, I won't deny it. But the point I'm trying to make was that nothing I tried worked.”

“What do you mean nothing worked?” Surprisingly it was Fluttershy who spoke up, “Um, if you don't mind my asking that is.”

Rarity smiled at her friend. “What I mean my dear is that none of the styles and ensembles I fit her into seemed to work. They were all too much or not enough. 'Too green,' 'too yellow,' 'too poufy,' 'not poufy enough,' ‘too frilly,' 'too bright.' Oh, the list of things I tried just goes on and on.”

“Ah'm surprised that Twilight sat still for all a that there fussin',” commented Applejack.

Rarity sighed, “Truthfully, she ran off after I fit her into my twenty-sixth ensemble,” both Applejack and Rainbow chucked into their hooves, “and I was devastated of course. But as I sat there and tried to figure out why nothing I'd tried had seemed to work, I realized that there was something special about Twilight.”

“What was that Rarity?” asked Pinkie, eagerly bobbing up and down in the water.

“I realized that Twilight carries with her an inner beauty. On the outside Twilight is just a pretty, if somewhat average looking mare. But what sets her apart is the honest beauty of her heart. There's just something in the way she carries herself, her voice and the depth of her eyes. It shines out for anyone who has eyes to see.

“The reason my ensembles all failed was that they tried to enhance her outer beauty, but in so doing, they distracted ones sight from her inner beauty.”

Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Ehh, I don't know Rarity. I never saw anything like that. You sure you weren't just imagining things.”

Rarity smiled brightly, “I'm very sure Rainbow because you saw the same thing.”

“What?” Rainbow jerked her head back in confusion, her ears twitching about rapidly.

“Didn't you just tell us a little while ago that 'she really impressed you,' that 'she took it all without a complaint or a harsh word' and that 'she was incredibly even tempered'. What you were saying Rainbow was that you saw her beautiful heart.”

Rainbow froze; a stunned look on her face.

“And you Applejack, you were telling us 'you saw something in Twilight,' and that 'she didn't look down on us country folk.' In fact, after you saw her heart you chose to be her friend.”

Applejack grinned happily, “Yeah, I suppose maybe I did see her heart at that.”

“Ohh, and me! And me!” Pinkie waved a foreleg in the air excitedly. “I saw her heart too.”

“I'm sure you did Pinkie,” Rarity replied calmly to the pink mare’s exuberance, but now I think it's Fluttershy's turn to tell us about her meeting with Twilight.”

All of the other members of the group turned their eye's upon the timid mare.

“Eeep!” Fluttershy gave a little peep and cowered behind a lock of her pink hair as well as a raised forehoof.

The other's waited patiently as Fluttershy struggled to overcome her inhibitions; they were all her dear friends after all.

Pinkie's plea broke through Fluttershy’s last bit of reluctance. “Please Fluttershy, won't you tell us what super-duper special thing you saw in Twilight.” The other mares held their silence.

“Well, ahh, I guess I could do that if you really want to hear it, that is,” Fluttershy replied in her typically soft voice.

“Fluttershy,” surprisingly it was Rainbow's rough voice which answered her, “You are going to tell us because− It's about Twilight. So yeah, I really want to hear everything about Twilight and your part is the only part we're still missing.”

Fluttershy smiled thanks at her oldest friend.

“So um, I first met Twilight on the day before the Summer-Sun celebration. When she walked up to me I was so scared and shy that I couldn't talk to her, I couldn't even tell her my name. Eventually, she complimented me on the music and left me alone.”

“What?” Rarity exclaimed, “She just up and left you alone?”

Fluttershy hung her head; her ears lowered to the sides. “Yes and I was very thankful she didn't demand any response from me, but I felt very bad for her, she must have walked away thinking I didn't like her.”

“Well then Sugarcube, when did ya become friends with Twilight?” asked Applejack who had a puzzled frown on her face.

“Well,” Fluttershy resumed her narrative, “right as Twilight was walking away, Spike came walking along the path. As soon as I saw him I got so excited that I rushed right to his side. Ohh− he was the cutest little baby dragon I've ever seen.”

“Fluttershy? Have you been seeing other baby dragons besides Spike?” Pinkie asked, her face squinched right up into Fluttershy's.

“Eeep!” Fluttershy squeaked as she tried to fade into the wall of the tub.

“Because if you have, I'm gonna tell him that you've been cheating on him.” Pinkie concluded.

Rarity's jaw dropped and Rainbow facehooved. Applejack just pulled her hat down over her face to hide her expression.

Fluttershy desperately shied back from Pinkie, “No! Spike is the only baby dragon I've ever seen.”

Pinkie backed off and waved happily, “Oh, well that's all right then.”

“Fluttershy my dear,” Rarity spoke up, attempting to calm Fluttershy down after Pinkie's unnecessary disruption. “Please don't mind Pinkie, she's just being− Pinkie.” Upon hearing that Pinkie grinned brilliantly.

Rarity continued her effort to encourage Fluttershy. “Please continue with your story; you were saying how Spike was the cutest little baby dragon you've ever seen? I can certainly agree with you on that.”

“Oh yes.” Fluttershy started speaking again, caught up on her memories of the baby dragon. “I thought Spike was so cute, and then when I found out that he could talk, I was absolutely ecstatic! Well, pretty soon I had encouraged Spike into telling me his whole life's story. And as I listened, I started to learn things about Twilight.

“Spike, well Spike's just a baby, and naturally everything he said was centered about himself. But through his story, I saw Twilight. I heard how she had hatched Spike, how she had helped Princess Celestia take care of Spike when he was just a helpless hatchling. Spike never said it, but I recognized from his story that Twilight had gradually taken over more and more of Spike's care and education even while she was still just a filly herself.

“By the time Spike finished his story, I had come to realize how caring and nurturing Twilight really was. Spike's not a pony, he'll never have a Cutie Mark and find his talent and place in our society, but Twilight has given him a home and given him a purpose as her assistant.

“And that's how I saw Twilight's heart and thought that I would like to be her friend, if she didn't mind, of course.”

Rarity came over and gave Fluttershy a hug. “Darling, I'm so proud of you for telling us your story. We shall treasure it in our hearts.”

“Yeah.”, “Sure thing Sugarcube.”, “Pinkie promise!” the other mares agreed with Rarity.

“Now then,” Rarity took command, “I think we've all had enough time in this Hot tub, who wants a massage...”

Five mares, their hearts, and bodies feeling refreshed came out of the spa, squinting in the light of the late afternoon sun.

They stood in a loose circle, wondering sadly why they had to break apart again after they had just found so much strength in each other.

A soft whisper of rapidly beating wings, barely heard began to register on their ears when a brown and tan projectile struck the ground in their midst.

All the ponies shied back a step at the sudden intrusion, but they arrested their motion as they got a better look at the intruder. There on the ground, in the midst of a circle of five ponies, stood a medium sized owl.

Fluttershy's eyes opened wide and her ears pricked forward as soon as she recognized their visitor. “Owlowiscious, what are you doing here?”

Author's Note

(1) 'A nightmare is just a nightmare': For many generations, prior to Luna's return. Ponies have had to deal with their nightmares the old fashioned way. Rarity is just commenting on a fact of life that she and all her companions have grown up with.

Well everyone, here's the latest installment. What can I say, It took a few weeks longer than I expected.

As always, your feedback and comments are welcome and I really do enjoy reading your postings.

Edited June 4, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

11. Monday morning

Twilight awakened slowly, enjoying the peace and quiet of the dark behind her eyelids. She savored the warmth beneath the blankets, the stillness of her room.

Wait. Something's missing. She thought muzzily.

Slowly she became aware of various discrepancies. Her pillow felt wrong somehow, perhaps a little too soft. The blankets were a little too heavy. A soft susurration of noise started up from somewhere. As all of these oddities added up, she suddenly realized what was missing.

“Spike!” She called out, sitting up abruptly, realizing that the sound of his snoring was absent.

The light was dim, but she could make out the features of an unfamiliar room, one that was not her own bedroom. Suddenly the realization of where she was returned to her. She let out a breath that she did not realize she had been holding in.

Oh. I'm not at home. I'm here, lost in this strange world.

Twilight quickly recalled the events of the previous day. She considered them all carefully.

At first, she recalled her disagreeable encounters with the human. Mike. How shocked she had been to have woken up in bed with him. And her disappointment with his sloppy housekeeping. Finally, she had discovered that he was a carnivore and how angry and upset she had been with him.

Now that's just not fair! She protested against her own thoughts. You know he gave you critical assistance when you might even have died. And he has been nothing but kind to you, giving you a place to stay. Besides, he's actually an omnivore, and he made that promise to not eat any meat, just for your sake! Then he took you to that restaurant. Oh! That Maple Syrup was so delicious. Her thoughts digressed momentarily.

And… And then he comforted me… when I sort of broke down and started crying. Twilight's memory lingered for a moment on the odd sensations she had felt as Mike held her. His 'hand' had been soft, yet firm, and had conformed oddly to the shape of her body where he had held her. It had felt… nice.

Twilight's thought's flashed ahead to the movie they had watched. She was struck by a sudden thought, I wonder if Mike did that deliberately? Celestia only knows how low I was feeling, but that movie really helped to raise my spirits. If Mike suspected that I was feeling down, then I really owe him a big thank you.

Twilight's thoughts about Mike started to firm up. He was definitely a friend, and if not yet a good friend, he was getting there fast. In fact, she needed to find ways to show that she was his friend as well.

That's going to be a problem. So far I'm totally dependent on him. There's not too much I can do for him. Twilight sat upon her bed and worried away at the problem of showing her friendship to Mike.

Twilight sighed. Friends… I wonder how the others are doing. Do they even know that I am gone? Yes of course they do. Spike probably came home before supper, decided that I was out on some business and started eating all the ice cream. Only hours later would he have started worrying, finally reaching the conclusion that I was missing.

Before the light outside her bedroom window had grown too much brighter, Twilight ended her melacholy ruminations about her friends and went to the washroom. She was grateful that this time the toilet was working and that there was water to wash her face and hooves. But she was displeased with what she saw in the mirror.

Ugh. My mane and tail are both a matted mess, and they even look dirty. A bath sure would be nice.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she turned to look at the bathtub behind her. A grin formed on her face.

Quickly Twilight inspected the bath, to make sure there would be no undue surprises. That must be the faucet, the red handle is probably for hot water, and the other for cold. But what's this extra hose?

Looking up she saw the hose leading up to what looked like a shower head. Cautiously she tried to move it with her magic, to see if it was adjustable. Instead, she found that it levitated right off the wall. Oh, that's so simple and clever, a shower head on a flexible hose.

Twilight was familiar with Equestrian showers, mostly they were only found in the homes of well-off ponies, or in the palace. But for the most part, they were little more than a long pipe arching overhead. A few really elaborate ones were constructed like a cage of pipes rising about the bathtub, delivering water through multiple shower heads. Most ponies made do without a shower, they simply had a faucet with an elevated nozzle.

And I'll need some mane and tail shampoo. Almost immediately she noticed a container perched in the corner where the tub met two walls. It says 'Shampoo,' well Mike doesn't have a tail, but he does have a mane, so this should do. Though I wonder what 'Conditioner' is? Sounds like something Rarity would know.

And that looks like a washcloth. And that nook in the wall looks like it’s got a bar of soap. Good.

Having everything she thought she needed. Twilight proceeded to take a shower. It took her a moment to figure out how to kick the water flow over to the shower head, but when she did, she found the sensation of steaming hot jets of water directed upon her coat to be quite relaxing. The shampoo also worked up into a fine lather which gave of a pleasant herbal scent.

Twilight quite enjoyed her shower and may have luxuriated in it a good many minutes longer than was strictly necessary, but eventually, she ended it. A quick flash of her magic dried her coat, mane, and tail.

Uh-oh. I need a brush. Twilight climbed out of the tub and cast about for something to brush her mane and tail with. She found a most curious brush-like instrument upon the vanity. It had a handle like a brush, but the bristles, very stiff and sparse, were capped with curious tiny balls. The bristles, if one could call them such, were wrapped all the way around the business end of the 'brush.'

Twilight proceeded to use Mike's strange cylindrical brush. She was quite pleased with how smoothly it glided through the long hairs in her mane and tail; she didn't even have to concentrate on its orientation. It was also a pleasure to not feel any scratching of bristles against her hide. Soon both mane and tail were neatly brushed out and practically glowing. It made her feel good about herself.

As Twilight opened the door to the bathroom, she practically ran into Mike. Apparently, he had been waiting patiently just outside the door.

“Waugh! Mike! You scared me!”

“Morning, Twilight. Wow. You’re looking really nice this morning. Your mane is lovely.”

“Why thank you, Mike. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. Let me get out of the way.” Twilight couldn't hide her smile as she exited the bathroom.

Twilight went downstairs to wait for Mike. She found herself in the kitchen. As she stood there, she pondered the question of how to be a friend to Mike.

Well, maybe I can start by getting familiar with his kitchen. That way I could get things for myself and not have him constantly waiting on me.

Let’s see, that’s the refrigerator. I'm not sure I want to look inside there. Twilight shuddered as she remembered how much meat had been inside it.

That, I think, is a stove. Over there is the kitchen sink; the faucets look comprehensible. And that, if I remember correctly is the kettle Mike used for heating hot water…

Twilight levitated the kettle over and examined it closely. It appeared to be made from a white horn-like material, not metal as she would have expected. It also had a long transparent window on its side, by which she could see the water level. That window is very useful; I can plainly see there is not enough water left inside.

Next Twilight opened the lid and peered inside; she was surprised to see the bottom on the inside was metal. Twilight returned the kettle to its original spot. She was unsure how it operated, so she thought it best to leave it alone.

No! The thought suddenly blazed through her mind. This may not be Equestria, but I refuse to be so helpless that I can't even figure out how to boil water! She levitated the kettle back towards herself again.

Let's see. First, it needs to be filled with water. She remembered Mike getting water from the kitchen faucet last night.

After a moment’s trial and error, she managed to get water to pour out of the faucet. She played with it for a few seconds and even tried turning the tap all the way as an experiment to see how fast the water would flow. It came out with surprising force.

“AUGHHH!” A muted scream sounded from somewhere upstairs.

Twilight immediately shut off the water and ran up the stairs. “Mike?” she called out. Hearing the sounds of the shower, she moved up to the door. “Is anything wrong Mike?”

“Twilight? Were you playing around with the water?” she heard Mike shouting, though he didn't sound angry. It was probably just an effort to be heard over the running water.

“I wasn’t playing with it. I was merely familiarizing myself with the kitchen faucets.” Twilight shouted back.

“Well Twilight, when you turned on the water at full flow, it diminished the flow of cold water in my shower. I nearly got scalded by an excess of hot water.”

Twilight was mortified, her ears dropped down all the way. “I'm so sorry, Mike. I didn't know.”

“That's alright,” he called back cheerily. “You’re not the first guest to do that to me. And it's not the first time I forgot to warn my guest about it.

“It's alright if you use the faucet Twilight, just limit your water usage to a moderate flow whenever you know someone is in the shower.”

“Okay, thanks, Mike.” Relieved that Mike was not upset with her, Twilight's ears came up again. She made her way back down the stairs, the kettle floating along behind her within her magic's grasp.

Arriving back in the kitchen, Twilight managed to fill the kettle without scalding Mike.

Next, I need to heat the water. From what I've seen, most of Mike's machines run on electricity. If I assume that this kettle does so as well… Ah, then this long bump must be a switch. A little bit of magic and the switch moved, making a clicking noise. Twilight put the kettle back on the counter.

After waiting a full five minutes, Twilight saw no evidence that the water was heating.

Why is it not heating the water? Twilight wondered. Come on Twilight, are you going to let a kettle beat you? Think!

The kettle works on electricity. The presence of the switch agrees with that supposition. And electricity requires an electrical transceiver unit. Or at least a conductor. She thought, remembering that Mike's world did not have any knowledge of Magic. Huh? Where are the wires?

Twilight levitated the kettle again, to get a better look at it. It was only when she lifted it up, to have a look at its underside that she noticed a significant detail. In the exact center of the kettle's bottom was a circular depression. The depression contained two concentric rings of metal, and a metal pin stood in the exact center of the depression.

Well, there are metal conductors, but I still don't see any wires. Twilight raised herself up, putting her forelegs up on the counter and took a closer look at its contents. She immediately noticed a white disk, the same color as the tea kettle. The disk had a circular protrusion in its center which seemed to match the depression under the kettle. A more detailed look revealed a wire coming out of the side of the disk.

I wonder. Twilight mused. Acting upon inspiration, she lowered the kettle down upon the disk. Her sensitive ears detected the faint sound of a spark. Within a minute she could also hear the high pitched hissing sound of millions of microscopic steam bubbles forming and collapsing.

I did it! I'm smarter than a kettle. Twilight indulged in a feeling of levity. Just one small step, towards learning about this world, but a giant leap for my self-confidence.

Twilight waited patiently for the water to boil and then, like a little filly, spent a few moments watching the water roil. She was amazed to discover that the kettle could turn itself off.

Twilight wanted to make a cup of tea but could not remember any details about where Mike kept it, other than she was pretty sure it was not in any of the lower drawers. So she started searching the kitchen, looking for tea bags.

The first conclusion she reached, was that there was no tea on top of the kitchen counter. So she started searching the upper cabinets. These, however, presented a problem. Twilight could not see into the upper shelves from her natural eye level. Raising herself up on the edge of the counter helped, but not enough.

Well then, I've got these new wings, I'll fly up there and have a good look.

The search was somewhat tedious because most of the items she found came in little packages and boxes. While concentrating on keeping a steady hover, Twilight needed to levitate the items out of the cabinets and look them over carefully, reading labels in an attempt to discern their contents.

“Aha!” Twilight verbalized the triumphant end of her search; levitating a box of something called 'Tetley Tea' in front of her. She was not sure what 'Tetley' was, but the small print on the box identified it as being black (orange pekoe) tea.

“You know, I could watch that all day long,” Mike commented from where he stood at the entrance to the kitchen.

“Woah-ahh!” Twilight's startlement caused her hover to become radically unstable. She set down quite abruptly in a maneuver best described as a controlled crash.

Twilight glared at Mike for startling her.

Mike chuckled, “I was thinking that you looked so graceful, hovering there. But I take that thought back.”

“Ha Ha. Very funny Mike. I'll have you know that these wings are a─ recent development. I'm rather new to this whole flying thing.”

“Then I offer my sincere apologies Twilight. I realize that it's not right to disparage the efforts of a beginner, whatever their undertaking might be.

“But Twilight, you surprise me. You weren't born with those wings?”

“No, up until a few months ago, I was quite happy living my life as a Unicorn.” she replied glumly.

“A Unicorn? What happened? Did you volunteer for some bizarre medical experiment?”

“No, it was nothing like that. What happened to me was something unprecedented. My own magic somehow transformed me into, this, an Alicorn.”

“You say that as if it were something bad. Tell me; are you now some kind of oddity, like perhaps the only Alicorn in existence?”

“What? No.” Twilight was startled at the absurd thought. “I'm not the only Alicorn. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are both Alicorns. And so is Princess Ca—” Her voice stopped abruptly.

Twilight you idiot! Why did you have to go on and on about Alicorns? Twilight turned her face aside and squeezed her eyes shut, her ears folded down tightly. She waited, expecting Mike to figure things out at any moment and to start treating her differently.

Mike, however, remained silent. Twilight was getting fidgety as she waited for the worst to happen.

Finally, he spoke. “So, you are now an Alicorn. Does that mean that you are a Princess also?”

I knew he would figure it out.

“Yes, I am.” she replied morosely, still looking away from Mike.

Mike grabbed a chair and surprisingly turned it around to settle himself onto it in a atrange backward position, holding onto the backrest with his hands. “What's wrong Twilight? You say that as if you're unhappy about it.”

Momentarily confused by Mike's surprisingly odd seating arrangements, Twilight answered his question without thinking, “I am.”

Twilight's eyes irised fully open as she registered surprise at what she had said. She hastened to correct herself, “Ahh; I'm not! Not unhappy to be an Alicorn that is. Being a Princess is an honor and who wouldn't feel honored at that. So, of course, I'm happy that I'm a Princess…” Twilight's voice trailed off.

With a woebegone look on her face, she concluded her speech. “Except that I'm not happy when all my friends and neighbors start treating me differently because I'm now a Princess. And now that you know that I'm a Princess you'll be treating me differently as well.”

Mike did not answer her right away. Instead, he regarded her with a thoughtful silence.

Twilight's heart grew heavy as she waited. Whatever Mike says, he can't help but start treating me like a Princess.

Eventually, Mike spoke up again, “I hope you don't mind Twilight, but I don't think I can go around calling you Princess.”

Twilight blinked in astonishment, Mike's words were the last thing she had expected him to say. A strange sensation gripped her chest.

Mike continued, “The Twilight I've gotten to know over this last day is the only pony that I know. She's a really nice pony, and I think she could use a friend right about now. But as for this Princess, I haven't met her yet.”

That strange sensation in Twilight's heart suddenly resolved itself into a feeling of warmth. She was so happy that Mike chose to see her as herself, rather than as a Princess.

“I think I can accept that.” Twilight found herself smiling happily. Her eyes felt suspiciously moist.

“So−” Mike stood up from his chair and clapped his hands together. Twilight found the hand gesture to be rather odd, though it did sort of punctuate the end of their conversation. “What should we have for breakfast?”

Oblivious to Twilight's recent crisis, her stomach rumbled. Quiet you. She admonished her unruly gut.

“Maybe you could list what you have available,” Twilight replied.

“Well. I could offer you a cold breakfast of milk and cereal.”

Twilight shook her head.

“Some toast. However, I don't have much to put on it. Just some peanut butter and strawberry jam.

“Or maybe," he continued upon seeing her puzzled expression. "I could whip up a hot breakfast. Eggs maybe, or perhaps pancakes-”

At the mention of pancakes Twilight pounced on a hopeful notion. “Would you have any of that Maple Syrup─ for the pancakes I mean?”

Mike smiled at Twilight. “I just so happens that I do.”

Mike had gotten busy preparing breakfast. Twilight was, however, mildly surprised that all Mike required was a box of 'pancake mix' and some milk. Back home it would have been a more involved process involving flour, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, and baking powder.

It was not too long before Mike brought two platters of fluffy pancakes and a bottle of that marvelous Maple Syrup to the table. Then he placed a saucer bearing a mug of hot water, a tea bag and a spoon before Twilight. For himself, he put down a mug of his mysterious cough-ee.

“Oh, you’re drinking cough-ee, I remember wanting to try some of that.” Even as she spoke Twilight was working the bottle of Maple Syrup. It had a peculiar seal, like a stopper held down by a spring metal bail to keep it firmly pressed onto the bottle.

“Well then, if you give me a minute, I’ll make you a cup. There's nothing like a good cup of morning coffee to go with a sweet stack of pancakes.”

A minute of beeps, buzzes and pouring noises ensued. During the wait, Twilight was enjoying the delectable taste of Maple Syrup on her pancakes.

Mike returned with a cup of dark, almost black steaming hot liquid, placing it before Twilight. She looked at it dubiously. “It's not the same as what you have in your cup.” stating the obvious.

“I know. Coffee is a drink that is rarely appreciated by the first time drinker. Most people find it bitter tasting. For that reason, some experimentation is recommended; adding small amounts of cream and or sugar until it becomes more palatable.

“After one becomes acclimated to the taste of coffee, one often finds oneself cutting back on the amount of sugar or cream being used.”

Encouraged by Mike's scientific approach to cough-ee drinking Twilight took a cautious sip.

It was bitter. An unpleasant streak of bitterness was tasted along most of the back of her tongue. No she did not like it, but scientifically, she had to admit that the bitterness was not overwhelming.

“How was it?" Mike asked.

“On a scale of one to ten, ten being 'Absolute Bleaugh!' I would have to say it rates about a five or maybe a six.”

“As expected,” he replied, pouring a tiny amount of cream into her cup. “Try it now.”

Bracing herself for a repeat of her last taste, Twilight was pleasantly surprised. The strong sense of bitterness down the back of her tongue had mostly disappeared. Now she sensed a milder, gentler bitterness across the middle of her tongue.

She reported the change. “I'd say the bitterness has decreased significantly. It's now only a three on the 'Bleaugh' scale.”

Mike poured a little more cream into the cough-ee. After another taste twilight reported, “Maybe it's down to a two, maybe.”

“I think we are at the point of diminishing returns. Any more cream will not noticeably improve the taste but will start overwhelming your mouth with the fatty sensation of cream. Though some people like that, I don't think you would be one of them.”

“No,” she replied, thinking about the 'dressing' on her salad last night.

“Okay, next we try adding a sweetener like sugar.” Mike indicated the sugar bowl on the table.

Twilight, still following the dictates of a scientific experiment added a single spoonful of sugar to her cough-ee. After stirring it in for a moment, she tried another sip.

“It's not so bad now. There's still a hint of bitterness, mostly though it’s being masked by the sugar,” she reported thoughtfully. “Perhaps some more sugar…”

After a moment. “I can't say I like this cough-ee. But at least it's palatable now.”

“Don't worry about it Twilight. Most people start drinking coffee out of necessity, but after a while, they grow used to the taste and continue drinking it for its stimulating effect upon one's mental alertness.

“Besides, I enjoy the coffee's bitterness as a counterpoint to the sweetness of this meal. I think the syrup and the coffee complement each other marvelously.” Mike illustrated his comment by soaking his pancakes in syrup and stuffing his mouth with them. Soon followed by a sip of his coffee.

Curious about his statement, Twilight tried emulating Mike. Taking a draught of her coffee, she turned to the remains of her pancakes.

Mmmm. It's true. The sweetness of the syrup stands out even more after having some of that cough-ee.

After they had both finished their meal, Twilight took the initiative and magically took hold of their dirty dishes.

“Where do you want these Mike? In the sink?”

“Yes please, though I would like my mug back,” Mike stated, grabbing his mug from Twilight's magical grasp.

“You're drinking more of that stuff? You just had a full cup.”

“We, Twilight, are going to do some research. And I find having a hot drink at hand while I'm on the computer to be quite relaxing. Since I hope you will be joining me, perhaps you too would like another cup of coffee, or perhaps some tea.”

Computer? What's that? But the idea of research sounds good. I'm pretty good at researching things.

“Tea sounds good. I still have the unused tea bag you gave me for breakfast. All I really need to do is refresh the hot water.”

Soon they found themselves equipped with their hot drinks. Mike led the way, taking Twilight down to the basement. Twilight was puzzled as to what could be of interest down there.

Her question was answered when he approached a door located adjacent to the stairs. Opening the door Mike led the way inside, turning on the lights.

At first, all Twilight saw was the opposite wall. It was a long wall and had two small windows mounted just under the ceiling. Otherwise, the wall was unadorned. Initially, Twilight thought the room to be rather sparsely appointed. Turning her head quickly disabused her of that impression.

The wall behind and to the right of the opened door was filled with bookshelves which were in turn filled with books. Twilight found herself drawn to them like a magnet, her eyes first drawn to what appeared to be a book on astronomy. Just as she was about to pull that book out, she noticed that the entire wall holding the door she had entered through was also covered with bookshelves. It too held mostly books, but there was also an assortment of odd knickknacks and devices.

Diverted from the astronomy book, Twilight now found her attention being drawn to a protruding shelf which held a most peculiar large sphere. The sphere was covered with colorful irregular shapes and writing. She also saw that the sphere's surface was oddly textured with wrinkles, bumps and shallow depressions. She walked up close to nuzzle it and feel its texture. Surprisingly, it rotated freely under her touch.

“What's this?” Her curiosity drove her to ask.

“That, Twilight, is what we call a Globe of the World. It is a physical representation of our world. The blue areas represent the seas and oceans. The colored areas delineate the political boundaries of the various nations as found upon the continental landmasses.”

“But─ it's spherical,” she voiced her confusion.

“That's right; our world, the Earth, is round. A sphere if you will. An oblate spheroid when described with scientific exactitude.”

Twilight’s ear flicked as she heard that Mike called his world the ‘Earth’, but it was only a trivial distraction. She had a more serious question to ask. “But how can the world be a sphere? Won't things, ponies, uhh, pee-pull, fall off?”

Mike sighed. “And we are back to our conversation of last night, where we were discussing the differences between our two cosmologies. Just give me a second to collect my thoughts.

“You must have gravity in your universe Twilight.”

“Of course we do. It is a natural force that emanates straight upward from the ground.”

“Wait?” Now Mike appeared perplexed. “You say that gravity 'emanates' upwards from the ground? That does not make sense. The word emanate implies that it is something that can be observed and apprehended.”

“Of course it can. I have magic for manipulating the gravity emanations. Here let me show you.” Twilight focused her thoughts and shaped her magic to produce the spell for reversing gravity's emanations. Her horn flashed. She could feel the magic flowing out, but nothing happened.

What? I know that spell works! I used it to find the Crystal Heart in Sombra's dark tower. I did not forget it. Twilight reviewed her magic carefully and cast the spell again.

“Something's wrong Mike.” Twilight announced apprehensively, “That spell should have worked. I should be walking on your ceiling right now.”

Mike released an anxious puff of air. “I suspect Twilight, that you have just run up against one of the fundamental differences between our two universes.

“In this universe, every particle that has mass exerts an attractive force upon every other particle that has mass. And before I forget, that same force is the reason why our world assumes its spherical shape. The combined attractions of all the particles in that body work out to be equivalent to an attraction towards the center of mass of the whole body. All the particles get scrunched down under their own weight, spreading out against each other to form a sphere.

“At any coordinate, down is the direction towards the sphere’s center. Up is the direction directly outwards, away from the center.”

“That is so extraordinary. I can even see how it would result in a spherical world, and why ponies don't fall off the sides, your world truly has no sides. But why would my gravity magic fail to work?”

“Our more advanced theories propose that gravitational attraction comes not from any emanation such as you are familiar with, but is simply the warping of space-time.”

The warping of space-time? What the hay is space-time?

“Space-time? Warping?”

“I'm sorry Twilight. I really know very little about that theory except that it involves some really difficult mathematics. You’re going to have to do some self-study on that one. About all I can tell you is that our universe has four dimensions. There are the three spatial dimensions that we are all familiar with, length, width, breath, and there is the fourth dimension we call time, hence the term space-time.”

“I love self-study. Do some of your books cover this subject of space-time?” She asked eagerly.

Mike had a thoughtful look for a moment. "You know some of them might. I think I have a good book for introducing you to the concepts of Special Relativity, which you will need before starting in on General Relativity which is the theory that covers gravity and the warping of space-time.”

Mike was searching through his shelves. “I don't think I got rid of it,” he muttered.

After a minute's searching, he exclaimed “Found it!” and came back with a thin white book. The cover held the title 'Space and Time in Special Relativity' by 'N David Mermin.' “Here you go,” he said. “It's an easy read, yet technically very accurate and insightful.”

“Thank you, Mike.” Twilight took the book in her magic, flipping eagerly through the pages.

Oh, this is great. I have a whole new area for scientific study. This book has math formulas and plenty of diagrams to help explain things. I am so going to read this today!

“But enough distractions Twilight, what I really brought you down here for, is to show you my computer.”

“Computer? You mentioned that word before. What is it?”

“This.” Mike gestured towards the wall furthest from the door.

Twilight saw what appeared to be a large human-sized desk which appeared to be fully thirty hooves in length. It extended nearly the full length of the wall, which itself was about forty hooves foot long.

In the center of the desk was a curved arrangement of what appeared to be three TVs facing towards a human chair. In front of the center TV, was a flat tray with a great number of small boxes adorning its surface; each little box had a letter imprinted on top. Off to the side was a large black box, seemingly unrelated to the other devices.

Though she didn't know what it was called, she remembered using something similar in the Mirror World. Mike's 'computer', however, was significantly different from the apparatus she had used the Mirror World. The extra TVs confused her.

“So, your computer is a collection of three TVs?" She asked. "Are we going to watch more movies?”

Mike smiled. “We could, but the large television upstairs is more suitable for such activities. No, I plan on using this computer for some constructive research. Now please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Twilight, I am going to teach you how to use this computer. I expect that over the next few days we will be spending a lot of time down here making good use of it. You'll see that in a moment.

“Now let’s begin. This button here...” Mike indicated a circular bump on the black box that was off to the side, “is the main power button. If you press it like so-” Mike performed the action, “-the computer should start up.”

The black box began to whine, and emit several clicks and similar noises. Twilight felt a little apprehensive causing her ears to fall back.

“Don't worry about the noises Twilight. Some parts have rapidly spinning components, that's some of the noise, and other parts get hot and necessitate the use of a fan to keep them cool. That's really all that you are hearing.”

Twilight appreciated Mike's explanation. It may be irrational, but unexplained noises make me half expect something to come crawling out of the box. She felt her ears start to rise back up until a series of clicks and a b-r-r-r-p noise emanated from the box.

“What about the clicks and thumps I am hearing?” she asked.

“Those rapidly spinning devices I mentioned are storage devices. Imagine if you would, my bookshelves over there to be situated on a spinning carousel. The noises are made by a mechanical arm, moving up and down from one shelf to another.”

Twilight's ears shot up, and her eyes twinkled as she had an amusing image of herself, standing in the middle of her library, while the tree and all the library shelves spun around her like the carousel Mike had mentioned.

I just might be able to create a spell to do that. It should blow even Pinkies mind. She conjectured in amusement.

Despite the discussion about storage devices and Twilight's inner amusements, she had continued to watch with interest the three TV panels as they started flashing images and mysterious text. After a minute the images stabilized.

“What you saw flashing on the screens were mostly just some self-diagnostic messages as the computer boots up. I like to have them presented to me as a reassurance that the startup is proceeding normally.”

“ 'boots up?' ” Again Twilight was forced to ask about an unfamiliar term.

“A somewhat prosaic term. It derives from a colloquial expression 'to lift oneself up by one's bootstraps.'”

“Bootstraps?”

“Do ponies ever wear boots?”

“Yes, ponies use them when walking through snow and slush or mud.”

“Well, suppose you affixed straps or handles to those boots. You grab those straps on your boots and pull upwards. Adults used to use that imagery to boggle the mind of credulous youngsters, who would imagine that was a technique by which one could levitate oneself.

“The imagery is apt however when describing how a computer starts up. The only thing a computer knows when it starts is to immediately start executing instructions beginning at the first address in its memory.”

Memory? Twilight wondered. Does the computer have a mind?

“Those instructions are extremely minimal, just barely sufficient to have the computer read in the first block from its storage device; execution control is passed on to the instructions embedded in that first block.

“That first block contains sufficient instructions to be able to locate a much more complete set of startup instructions that are found somewhere else on the storage device. Execution control is now passed to those more advanced start-up instructions.

“Finally, those advanced start up instructions, will find and load, in the correct order, all the various components of the full operating system. And when that is complete, control is passed to the fully realized operating system.”

The computer played a short four note melody. Mike continued. “And now we can see the evidence in front of us that the boot up is complete and the operating system is ready.”

“Operating System?”

“The Operating System is a program which facilitates all interactions within the computer; any interaction between any parties present on this machine. Whether that party is a program, the operating system itself, a human or a pony, the computer's hardware or even some other external computer.”

Execution. Programs. Hardware. I sort of follow his meaning, but I'm falling behind.

“Mike, I'm getting overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and new terminology. Spherical worlds, space-time, gravity, warped space, special relativity, general relativity, boot up, Operating System and─ and spinning bookshelves.

“Do you have some paper and maybe a feather quill that I can write with? If you don’t have any quills, I could pluck one of my feathers, though I’d rather not.”

Mike appeared nonplussed, “A quill? You write with a quill?”

“Yes, you take a large feather and cut the tip into a nib, dip the quill in ink-”

“Yes, I know what a quill is.” Mike interrupted her. “It's just that quills went out of vogue over one hundred years ago. They were replaced by fountain pens, similar in concept to quills, only much more durable. And about fifty years ago fountain pens were replaced by ball-point pens.”

Twilight felt annoyed, Mike's explanation had felt a little condescending. She had used quills successfully for all her short life. She was not about to abjure their use just because humans had moved on to something marginally better.

“That's all very good Mike, but do you have anything that I can use?” she asked pointedly.

Mike blinked, surprised by her tone. He then grimaced. “I'm sorry Twilight. That was rather rude of me. I just…” Mike broke off his words and turned to his desk.

After rummaging through several drawers, Mike presented Twilight with a notebook and a long straight implement. She supposed that it was one of those ‘ball point pens.' “Here,” he said softly, “use these. I'll give you a few moments to make your notes…”

Mike turned his attention away from her, now seemingly focused on sipping his cough-ee.

Twilight was delighted by the notebook. It had, according to the cover, over three hundred pages, and was cunningly bound into a booklet via a spiral metal spring wound through a row of holes along the top edge of the paper. She was puzzled however as to why the paper was marked with horizontal green lines.

The 'ball-point pen' however defeated her. And Mike had neglected to give her any ink.

“Mike, I can't write with this ball-point pen thing you gave me. It has no nib. And I don’t have any ink.”

“Huh?” Mike turned towards Twilight; he appeared confused by her question.

“This ball-point pen thing does not write.”

“Oh… Well, let me see that.” As Mike reached for the pen, Twilight thought that he was acting more subdued than from what he had been like before.

“There.” Mike depressed one end of the ball-point pen, and with a 'click,' a metallic point appeared on the other end. “It should work for you now,” he replied quietly.

Yes, Mike definitely seems quieter and less voluble than before. Twilight observed.

“Is something wrong Mike?” she asked.

“No, nothing's wrong.” he denied quickly.

“Mike, we may only recently have become friends, but I think I can tell that something is bothering you. Won't you please share it with me?”

“I'm just upset with myself Twilight. It's nothing you need to worry about.”

“Now that's where you’re wrong. A friend can help simply by listening to your worries and concerns. When you share with a friend, the problem can seem lighter, and sometimes that friend can offer a perspective you never even thought of.

“Please tell me, Mike, I would like to help.”

Mike hesitated, he seemed torn between telling her his thoughts and holding them to himself. Eventually, he spoke.

“I am upset with myself Twilight. Because I let my habit of always explaining everything, in great and excessive detail, take over. I constantly bore people, putting them off with my incessant explanations of everything around us. And I did that to you earlier. I'm so sorry for that.”

Mike had ended his speech looking down at the floor, unable to meet her eye. Twilight's ears were laid back, flattened by the sadness she heard in his voice.

What? He's not boring me at all. I'm thrilled to be learning all these new things.

“That's simply not true Mike. I may have been a little annoyed earlier because I thought you spoke condescendingly about my use of feather quills. But I love your explanations. So much so, that I'm just bursting with questions I never seem to get a chance to ask. My greatest problem is that I've had no means of keeping track all this new information, much less my questions.” Twilight raised the notepad higher and jiggled it to emphasize her last sentence.

“Really? I’m not boring you?” Mike asked. His expression held a hopeful look.

“No, you're not. You’re not boring in the least little bit.” Twilight stated with a smile.

“I'll tell you a secret Mike, some of my friends have me pegged as being an egghead and boring too.”

“So, you understood how I felt.” Mike appeared surprised

“Without a doubt.” She assured him. “Now, if you can just give me some ink I can start writing all this stuff down.”

“You don't need ink Twilight. The pen comes pre-loaded with enough ink to fill that entire notebook. Just write with it.”

Upon hearing that Twilight caused the 'pen' to start flying over the notebook's pages.

Hey! This 'pen' is great. The writing is sharp and precise. The ink doesn't blot or run, and it doesn't fade at all! Maybe Mike was right to talk condescendingly about quill pens.

And I certainly won’t need to pluck one of my feathers.

In but a few minutes Twilight had caught up on her notes. She simply loved the way the notepad allowed her to write on both sides of the page while still keeping everything organized via its spring binding.

Heh, Rainbow won’t be able to blow away these notes in a storm of flying papers.

Twilight looked up from the last page she had been writing. “I'm ready Mike.”

“Okay, what you see now is the log-on screen. Think of it as a door, asking for the correct password, the key to the door if you will; before it allows us permission to interact with the operating system.

“And the password, which needs to be typed, is 'H,' 't,'-”

“Wait. I realize that you type into that thing. But why is it so complicated?”

“What do you mean complicated? What could be simpler, one key, one letter.”

“That's not how Equestrian typewriters work. We simply have two pads, one for each foreleg.”

“How could that even work? At best you could only use two letters, one per pad.”

“It's really very simple Mike. When the pony presses down on the pad, a mechanical linkage causes the strike bar to hit the paper on the platen. But here's the critical part, an enchantment in the pad senses the letter intended by the typist, instantly forming it on the head of the strike bar. The enchantment is a variation of the spell I used to create that wrench for you yesterday. It's all very simple really. Well maybe not the enchantment, but operating one is quite simple. ”

Mike seemed quite astonished at the concept, his mouth had dropped open.

Coming out of his daze he replied, “Wow that sounds like a typesetters dream.”

“Actually the basic mechanism and enchantment was invented by a typesetter. A unicorn named Quick Cast.

“A few years later, a journalist by the name of Scarlet Letter, did a feature article on Quick Cast and his thriving business. She realized that Quick Cast's typesetting machine could be adapted for typing ordinary print onto paper. Together they invented the typewriter.”

Twilight grinned as she saw Mike shaking his head in astonishment.

“Well, I'm sorry to say Twilight; our typewriters put a much greater burden on our typists. We must either search laboriously for each and every key we need to type, or we must memorize that letter's position on the keyboard. I trust that you will be able to handle such a burden.”

“Yes, of course, I'll find some way to manage.”

“Okay. So as I was saying the password is 'H,' 't,' '65,' 'Big,' 'Red,' 'Shoe,' and then you hit the 'Enter' key.” With a final keystroke, Mike did exactly that.

And suddenly the screens were transformed.

Each TV screen took on a brilliant blue image of some abstract art. A type of flag composed of four sections seemed to be placed in the center of the TVs. Columns of tiny pictures lined the sides on one TV, while hardly any tiny pictures appeared anywhere on the other TV’s.

“At this time Twilight; I would like to introduce you to the desktop metaphor.”

Over the next ten minutes or so, Mike introduced Twilight to the computer. She learned about the desktop metaphor, using the mouse and its buttons, icons and how to manipulate them via the mouse pointer. She learned that she could click and drag the icons and even double-click them to cause interesting things to happen.

Twilight’s pen was working furiously, the notebook’s pages disappearing under a wave of ink.

“But what I really need to show you twilight, is the crowning achievement of computerdom, the Internet.”

“What’s that?” She asked eagerly.

“What you see before you is one computer. With whatever information I have amassed and have stored upon my local storage devices. But out there, in the wide world are millions of other computers, each having their own unique bodies of information.

“The Internet is a system of networks, spanning the entire world, which interconnects all of those computers, allowing them to share information with each other.”

“By network, you obviously mean a group of interconnected or interrelated objects, right?”

“Yes, of course. Twilight, if you would, please put your mouse over that icon there, the one that looks like a curled up fox, and double-click it…”

That's a fox? Oh, I guess I can kind of see the head of a fox, but it's tail looks like it's on fire.

“Why does it look like a fox with its tail on fire?” she asked.

Mike chuckled, “An apt image don't you think? The program that icon represents is called FireFox. Don't worry, it's got nothing to do with real foxes. No animals are being burned. It's just a rather unique name that the creators dreamed up to distinguish their product.”

Twilight double-clicked on the icon as Mike requested, eager to see the fabled internet.

Another large rectangle opened up on the display. Along the left side was a column of very small icons associated with some text. Some of the text looked like names.

“Put your mouse on any one of those labels along the left side and click on it.”

Twilight did so, the large white rectangular area changed. It now proudly displayed, in large letters, the message "Server not found."

“What!” Mike exclaimed loudly. He appeared to be quite upset.

Grabbing the mouse from Twilight, he rapidly moved the mouse pointer down to the bottom right corner of the display. Mike selected and clicked on something, but was too fast for Twilight to follow, she barely had time to notice a bar move up from the bottom edge of the display before it was gone again, replaced by a small rectangular display which was in turn quickly replaced by a large one.

The large display had a simple picture on it which drew her eyes. It appeared to be three objects (icons again?) arranged in linear sequence with lines connecting them. On the left was an icon that appeared to resemble a computer display, in the center, was an icon that looked like a park bench? On the right was a round icon that reminded Twilight suspiciously of the ‘Globe' Mike had on his shelf.

Clearly overlaying the line which joined the park bench and the world was a large red ‘X’. Twilight was not sure what the diagram represented, but possibly the red 'X' indicated something was wrong.

“Noooo.” Mike groaned, dropping his head to clunk it on the desk in front of him.

“Is something the matter?” Twilight asked.

Mike raised his head back up and looked at Twilight. “Yes, something is wrong. The connection to the Internet is down.”

Author's Note

This chapter has been edited and slightly revised.
* Thanks to a reader who caught my inaccurate description of the Internet.

** More edits: Rewrote that awkward section where Twilight admits she is a Princess.

(1) I got the idea for an elaborate Equestrian shower from a bath I remember seeing during a tourist excusion through 'Casa Loma', a castle built in the city of Toronto in 1914. I have this image in my mind that the really rich and noble ponies would have a bath and shower like that. Everypony else has a bath like the one seen in MLP:FiM 'Feeling Pinkie Keen'.

(2) The book listed is real. I highly recommend it. But I bought it new for a mere six bucks. That was over thirty years ago. Nowadays, a certain online bookseller will charge you an arm and a leg for it.
You're not that desperate to learn about special relativity are you?

(3) The equestrian ‘hoof’ is approximately 1/3 of a foot. Three ‘hooves’ per ‘foot’; ten ‘hooves’ per ‘meter.’

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

Edited again on July 13, 2017. Edited using ‘Grammarly’ software.

12. Connections

Mike raised his head back up and looked at Twilight. “Yes something is wrong. The connection to the Internet is down.”

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked.

“It means that this computer is not connected to the system of networks comprising the Internet. It cannot access information from outside sources.” Mike replied.

Mike was in the dumps. He had promised to help Twilight find her way home again, and he saw the Internet as the optimum tool for helping her get whatever answers there were to be gotten.

“What might have caused that?” Twilight asked. “Was it the ice storm? Maybe it caused you to lose the Internet just like you lost power to your house.”

“No.” Mike replied. “The house lost power because tree limbs collapsed on top of power lines somewhere, causing breaks. There are probably even multiple breaks and it may take days to restore service.

“But the Internet service I have is through a satellite service. Instead of wires, I have a Satellite dish outside...”

Of course! Mike's eyes grew round as he suddenly realized the probable cause of his Internet problems.

“The buildup of ice may well have interfered with the signal! Thank you, Twilight. That was a great idea. Come on we need to get outside to see if there's anything we can do to fix it.”

In a few moments, the two of them had made their way outside. Mike led the way around to the far side of his house, in the opposite direction from the walkway leading towards the garage. They had to tread carefully since the ice from the storm had not as yet melted. The ice covered snow was still as treacherous as it had been the previous day.

Coming around the corner of the house, what they saw was a large parabolic reflector dish. It was mounted on a solid metal pole and positioned up high, almost two meters off the ground. Mike had wanted the extra clearance so he did not hit his head when mowing the lawn.

Ah-ha, so that's the problem. It’s all covered in a layer of ice which is attenuating the signal.

What Mike had ordered when he had installed the satellite internet communications was a 'larger' one hundred and twenty centimeter dish. Such larger dishes were normally used at much more northerly latitudes, but he had figured that the larger dish would capture a stronger signal and work better during inclement weather. That theory had worked out very well during all the rainy days of the previous season. But now, it wasn’t working out so well. Mike saw that there was an awful lot of ice on the satellite dish.

“It's covered in ice.” stated Twilight. “Is that a problem?”

“Yes, it’s quite the problem. The signals from the satellite are being blocked or attenuated by that coating of ice, and they cannot get through.”

“What's a satellite? And you mentioned signals. Does it have something to do with that radio you told me about last night?”

“The astronomical definition of a satellite is a body which orbits another body. The most obvious example is the moon, which orbits our earth.” Mike intended to pause for a few seconds, to allow Twilight time to absorb the information.

“Go on.” she urged almost immediately. Once again he was impressed with how quickly she could absorb new information.

Mike was surprised to observe that Twilight had her own little satellite. She had apparently brought the notebook out with her and it now floated off to the side, the pen busily jotting down the information on satellites.

“For nearly fifty years now, humans have been launching artificial satellites into orbit around the earth. They serve a variety of interests, from observing the weather and performing scientific study of the earth to providing communications.”

Twilight had an intent look upon her face. “Do you mind Mike if I ask you some questions about what you just said. All three of those 'interests' you mentioned just demand further explanation.”

“Sure go ahead.” Mike said as he reached up and tried tapping the satellite dish. He was hoping the vibration would dislodge the ice, but it appeared to be stuck on there, quite firmly.

“Okay. Let’s start with the last one you mentioned, communications. How does an object in orbit help with communications.”

“Well, the radio spectrum is quite crowded.” Seeing that Twilight was about to ask another question, he held up a hand to forestall her. “Radio signals are broadcast at a highly specific frequency. The radio which attempts to receive that signal uses a resonance circuit attached to the antenna in order to select signals of that frequency and only that frequency.”

Twilight's expression lit up with an 'Oh' of sudden comprehension.

Mike continued. “Other users of the radio will tune their broadcasts to a different frequency. And thus every user can keep their signals distinct from the others. Unfortunately, there are many, many users of the radio frequency spectrum. To satisfy the demand, our electronics technology has been pushed to make effective use of higher and ever higher frequencies.

“There is a problem with that however. At the higher frequencies, the radio signals will only travel by 'line of sight', meaning that the two antennas must have an unobstructed straight-line path between them.

“As you now know Twilight, the world happens to be round, and with any significant distance separating the two radio antennas, the curvature of the earth gets between them and blocks the signal. Raising the antennas up on a tall mast, elevating them above the curvature of the earth can extend their range. The ultimate range extension is achieved by putting a satellite into geosynchronous orbit, it is at such a great height that we can have the satellite relay the signal from one radio to another radio situated anywhere on nearly half the surface of the world.”

“Okay, I see that now. It makes quite a lot of sense, but what is 'geosynchronous'?”

“That's a term which is applied to a special orbit. Satellites in a geosynchronous orbit take exactly one day to orbit the earth. And considering that the earth takes exactly one day to do a full rotation-”

“Wait,” Twilight interjected. “Your earth rotates?”

Um... Mike’s thoughts ground to a halt; startled by Twilight’s question.

Everybody knows the Earth rotates. Everybody that is, except a pony from a different universe. He thought, realizing that he had made an assumption.

“Yes, Twilight. Our Earth rotates. Currently, the part of the world we are standing on is facing the Sun,” Mike pointed a finger at the cloudy sky above. “And we have daylight. When the earth’s rotation moves us away from the Sun we have night.”

Mike paused to give Twilight time to absorb the information before he continued. “So as I was saying, if a geosynchronous satellite takes exactly one day to orbit the earth and if the earth takes exactly one day to rotate on its axis-”

“The satellite appears to be motionless overhead. That’s amazing. Eee!” Twilight gave a little hop.

Mike was starting to understand Twilight a little better. Any time she got to learn new things and managed to ‘put the facts' together she got excited. It was rather endearing. He couldn't help but smile at her excitement.

“Okay. I get that part about the communications now. What about the weather? Why would you need to observe the weather from a satellite? Don't you just make it however you want it to be?”

“I think you said something last night about how you ponies manage your weather, or at least your seasons. We can't do that here Twilight. Our weather is not controlled. The best we can do is to try to predict it so that people can arrange their lives around its more unpleasant effects.”

Twilight's eyes grew huge, “So that ice storm I got caught in-”

“Was uncontrollable natural weather.” Mike interrupted her. “We knew it was coming and we all took shelter. But the severity of its effects still took everyone by surprise.”

“I see.” She replied. “I'm not familiar with the workings of weather like Rainbow would be, but I think I can understand how a bird’s eye view of the weather and developing storms might be useful for that.”

Rainbow? Is that the name of some organization that controls their weather? Mike wondered.

“I think the satellite provides more than just a view of the clouds.” Mike added, “The satellite can also observe temperature, dust, smoke, fires and even city lights. It also observes these things continuously, so estimates can also be made about such things as wind speed and direction.

“But that's a good introduction to the other satellites I mentioned which are for scientific observation. Those satellites can do things like observe vegetation, with a phenomenal sensitivity to the least little color change. Or observe the ocean's color, or its temperature, or its sea state, or with time-lapse photography the progress of glaciers. The list of observations is nearly unending, and more things to observe are being thought of every year.”

“Oh, well I guess that answers my third question.” Twilight stated happily.

“Would that this problem was as easily solved as I can answer your questions.” Mike sighed in frustration, looking glumly up at the satellite dish again.

“If the ice is such a problem, you must have a means of dealing with it.” Twilight commented.

“There is, this antenna has a special heating element, to melt any snow or ice. Unfortunately, the power failure has disabled that.”

“I thought your generator has restored your power?”

“That's just an emergency generator, capable of supplying enough power for essential services, with just enough extra to be able to enjoy a few amenities. Unfortunately, I did not think to include the deicing heaters for the satellite dish as being part of those essential services.”

“Surely there are alternate solutions.”

“Well─ a flamethrower might work, if I had one. But even if I did have one it might harm the dish. A better option would be to spray a few gallons of anti-freeze on the dish. That's a tried and true method which works very well for deicing aircraft. The problem is, I don't have any anti-freeze on hand, and it would probably poison my lawn.”

“What's 'anty-freeze'?”

“Um, it's Ethylene glycol, I think. It's a chemical that lowers the freezing point of water. Put some of that on the ice, and it will just turn back into a liquid, melting away. But like I said, I'm worried what it might do to my lawn. And it might even contaminate the groundwater and poison my well.”

“Mike? I'm pretty sure that I can get the ice off for you.” offered Twilight.

“I hope you’re not suggesting the use of force. Any sort of impact would damage the smooth curvature of the dish. And simply trying to pull the ice off by force may warp the dish and ruin its alignment with the satellite.”

“Nothing like that Mike, My magic couldn't get an adequate grip on just the ice anyway, to simply pull it off like you suggested. No, it was something you said about that anty-freeze, how it could turn ice into water. I was thinking that I could just liquefy the ice.”

“You mean you can heat it up so it melts. That would work, just don't burn the equipment.”

“I could do that too, but I was thinking of a different spell. It's a variation of the stone liquefaction spell used by unicorn stonemasons. This spell will cause the ice to liquefy without heating it. As soon as the spells effects are removed, the ice becomes solid again.”

“That certainly sounds like it could work.” stated Mike, “Though why would your stonemasons need to liquefy stone?” he asked curiously.

“They create molds and pour liquefied pieces of stone into them, creating a single large piece of intricately cast stone. You should see the beautiful objects they can create just by carefully positioning the mold between each pour of different types and colors of stone.”

“And all of this is done without heating the material to its melting point?”

“No heat is used whatsoever. Instead the physical properties of the stone is altered so that it behaves like a liquid; though it’s not quite right to say that the stone actually becomes a liquid. It's a special spell that makes the crystals dimensionally amorphous, while at the same time giving them the freedom to slip past each other. The history of its development is quite fascinating reading. You see, just making the crystals dimensionally amorphous was not enough; the stone would just sit there like a big soft blob of rubber or stretchy taffy. It wasn’t until they added the spell components to allow the rock's crystals to unbind from each other that it would flow like a liquid.

And just the crystal unbinding spell alone was not sufficient either, that spell caused the rock to crumble and flow like coarse sand. The result of such a pour was a kind of weak sandstone with the inclusion of air pockets between the grains. Actually, the crystal unbinding spell was from an earlier, alternate attempt to discover how to liquefy stone.”

Mike listened with interest to Twilight's long explanation about liquid rock. It's only fair; she listens to me when I go on and on. Besides, it’s interesting.

“So let me guess, this magic should work on ice because ice is also composed of crystals.”

“Yes.” Twilight smiled at his perspicacity. But then she corrected herself, “Well no, not the original spell. That one is specific to rock. But I think I can modify it to be specific to ice crystals.”

“I'm all for this if you can get it to work Twilight. But maybe you should test it out on something safe before you put my satellite dish at risk. I wouldn't want its crystal structure to become unbound.”

“Oh yes, of course. That makes sense.” Twilight looked embarrassed.

Wait? She was thinking of trying it directly on my dish?

Twilight continued. “I'll try it first on some of this ice here on the ground.”

Feeling cautious, Mike moved to stand somewhat behind Twilight.

She seemed irked at his lack of confidence, throwing him a brief moue.

Twilight stood still for a few seconds before her horn lit up with its characteristic rosy glow. A patch of ice-capped snow in front of her, perhaps twenty centimeters across, glowed briefly and instantly slumped down, falling like it was a sudden burst of rain, soaking the ground below.

Almost instantly Twilight ceased her magic and the layer of liquid-ice upon the exposed grass was motionless, solid ice once again. It had all happened so quickly that the surface of the ice displayed ripples and waves from the agitation of having splashed down to the ground.

Mike walked up to the patch, to have a closer look. He tapped at it with his boot.

Yep. That's ice alright. It's pretty obvious that there was no heat involved. If that was melt-water it would still be liquid right now. Also the grass appears not to have been affected.

Mike looked at Twilight. She had a satisfied grin on her face, as if she was saying 'You didn't believe me did you?', but of course Twilight would never say such a thing.

“All right, I'm now convinced. Twilight. Could you please remove the ice from this satellite dish?”

In answer to Mike's request, Twilight spread her wings and took to the air. Within seconds she had raised herself up to the level of the upper rim of the dish, nearly three meters off the ground. Her horn shone brightly and liquid-ice started sheeting off of the dish. A few sweeps of her horn and the whole dish was clean. Nevertheless, she maintained this action for nearly half a minute, allowing the majority of droplets to run down and off the dish. It may have been liquid-ice but it clung to the dish with a surface tension like that of water.

A considerable pile of icy gravel had piled up underneath the dish. Apparently, as the droplets of liquid-ice fell and departed the immediate zone of Twilight's magic, they instantly became solid ice again.

Twilight landed lightly with a careful flap of her wings. She folded them tightly up against her sides.

I just can't get enough of that. The way she can fly. She looks so graceful up there, what a gorgeous sight.

“Well I think that should do it. I couldn't see any more ice on it.” Twilight stated.

“I think that will do very nicely Twilight. Come on let's get back inside.” Mike turned away and started walking cautiously back towards the house.

“Oh Mike.”

“Yes?”

“I was thinking. This is a kind of radio antenna, right?”

“Yes it is.”

“Well, I did not see anything remotely like this on your truck. And you have a radio in there.”

“It's a special kind of antenna, Twilight, and it's not intended for the type of signals associated with ordinary radios such as I have in my truck.”

“What' so different about the signals?” she asked.

“Well for one thing, this dish was designed to work with signals having an extremely high frequency, we call them microwaves. They have a frequency in the range of twelve to eighteen gigahertz. Whereas radio in the truck works with signals having frequencies in the range of one-half to one-and-a-half megahertz.”

Twilight again, displayed her phenomenal ability to calculate. “You said last night that these electromagnetic waves moved at the speed of light, if so, then that makes the wavelength for this antenna something like a quarter hoof long, or even shorter. And the signals your truck's radio receives have a wavelength of up to five hundred celestials. I guess those are pretty different from each other.”

They had made their way to the back door and were coming in to the kitchen now.

“Just so. Different antenna designs are required and they have different intended uses as well. This parabolic dish has two unique characteristics that are required if it is to communicate with the satellite. First it is like a telescope in that it only focuses on signals coming from a small patch of the sky. I think its beam width has an angular resolution of less than two degrees. Second this dish is like a reflecting telescope, gathering a large quantity of the weak radio signals over its entire surface and focusing them all together onto a small area where the actual antenna resides.”

“You compared that dish with telescopes, but I know of no telescopes that look even remotely like it.”

“Why? What do your telescopes look like?” Mike asked.

“They are long tubes, with lenses at each end. An objective lens at one end, that's always a big expensive lens, and a focusing lens at the other end of the tube, where you look through it.”

“That's what we call a refracting telescope. It works by the refraction of light through a lens, just as you say. But there is another kind of telescope that we have. It’s called a reflecting telescope.”

“A reflecting telescope? And what, it has mirrors?”

“The optical kind does use mirrors. A mirror, shaped to a parabolic curve will function exactly like your objective lens does. And a mirror totally avoids the problem of chromatic aberrations. You know, I think I have a book which describes how to make your own telescope...”

They both preceded downstairs, Twilight's pen furiously scribbling notes.

Upon re-entering his office, Mike went to fetch the telescope making book from the shelf where he had put it.

Here we go, 'Standard Handbook For Telescope Making, by Neale E. Howard'. Yep. That's the one.

“Here you go Twilight.” he said as he handed the book to Twilight. Her eyes fairly glowed with pleasure. “Almost everything you wanted to know about making your own reflecting telescope.”

As a rosy glow enveloped the book, pulling it from his grasp, Mike thoughts reflected on how indescribable the sensation of magic felt. As the book came alive and lifted out of his fingers, his fingertips felt simultaneously both cooler and warmer, and yet neither.

Mike soon sat himself down in front of his computer as he worked to re-initialize the satellite link. After a moment he was rewarded by a fully functional network map.

Twilight had resumed her position at his side, ready to learn again. Apparently she had figured out the meaning of the network map because she asked “The red 'X' is gone. Is everything working now?”

“I think so Twilight. Here why don't you do the honors?” Mike let go of the mouse.

As if there had not been the slightest interruption to their earlier session, Twilight's magic took control of the mouse to click an item in the bookmarks sidebar of the web-browser. This time a web page came up and it was - 'Schlock Mercenary'.

Mike did a face-palm. Not the most brilliant example of the world-wide-web in action.

“I don't understand Mike; this reminds me of one of Spikes comic books. Is there some special meaning to the content?”

“You’re right Twilight, it is a form of comic, and no, it has no special meaning beyond me finding it to be occasionally humorous. Try a few different ones, try several in fact.”

In quick order Mike saw his Bank's web page, Slashdot, the Makerbot store, a Windows help site and several other web sites flash by.

“Okay Twilight, that's enough. What you have been seeing are the offerings of just a few of literally millions of other computers out there on the Internet.

“As I said before, the Internet is a global system of networks, spanning the entire world, allowing computers to interconnect with each other. I say 'allow' because as useful as the Internet is, being connected to it is not mandatory and sometimes even detrimental. You saw that this computer was unable to connect to the Internet for a while.

“I'm not sure I understand yet, but why would something so supposedly useful also be detrimental?” she asked.

“Don't worry about that for now. We'll get to that in a later session.

“The Internet started coming into existence through the efforts of scientists. They and their laboratories were separated from each other; sometimes they were located in separate cities. They started devising various ways and means of sending letters and data to each other over existing voice communication networks. Being scientists, who regularly engaged in widespread collaborative endeavors, they rapidly evolved and adhered to a standard protocol for their inter-computer communications.

“The Internet, as it was known then, grew rather slowly. Competing protocols even, sprang up for specialized use in the corporate world. There were even a few primitive message sharing protocols developed by computer enthusiasts among the mass population. BBS's I think they were called.”

“That's a strange name. BBS.” Twilight commented.

“It's an acronym. It stands for Bulletin Board Service. It acted as a central message board where people could post messages. And others would visit that BBS to read the posted messages. For a while it had some popularity among the general population.

“However, everything changed when a scientist by the name of 'Tim Berners-Lee' invented something called the World-wide-web. The Internet, up till then the domain of scientists and higher institutions of learning, suddenly exploded in popularity. Everybody who had a computer had to get connected to the Internet. And everybody who did not have a computer had to get one and connect it to the Internet.”

Twilight's pen wiggled and jiggled, faithfully writing down copious details in the notebook. Mike idly noted that she had already filled a third of the notebook.

I'd better see about buying her a few more of those. She’ll be crying foul by the end of the day.

“What was so special about this 'World wide web'.” she asked.

“It implemented an existing concept called hyper-text, but found a way to apply it universally across all the computers connected to the internet.”

“Hyper-text?” she asked eagerly.

“Hypertext is a very simple but powerful concept that extends the concept of a document. The hyper part of the name describes a document which can branch and reveal additional detail according to the reader's direction.

“Certain sections of document act as triggers or links, opening up other documents to provide additional information. All you need to do is click your mouse pointer on the link and the computer will instantly display the linked document.”

Mike saw Twilight's pen slowing down, a puzzled frown was upon her face.

He tried a different approach. “Think of it as footnote in a book that you are reading. By following the footnote, you might find yourself reading another book to get more insight in the authors thinking.”

Twilight spoke up. “Arrgh! Sometimes footnotes make me want to shave my mane. Do you know how often I send requests to the Canterlot Library to find a copy of a referenced book? It always takes several days and it's all so aggravating!”

Despite her comment, Twilight was smiling again, showing that she had caught on to the idea of hyper-text. Her pen was driving furiously through the notebook again.

“So imagine the utility of having your hyper-text document linking to any other document on any other computer in the world, in a giant web of inter-connected information. I suppose that’s the reason it’s called the 'World-wide-web'.”

Twilight nodded for Mike to continue, she was still smiling.

“To accomplish this, that scientist devised a type of program called a web browser. Basically at heart it’s a hypertext document reader, but with the capability to access and navigate its way through the Internet in order to fulfill those links.”

“But nowadays, a web browser is now so much more than just a fancy document reader. It can also display photographs, play music, show movies and even play games.”

“Play games?” Twilight asked. “Why would that be needed?”

“The computer, and by extension the web-browser is now so versatile that it has become an entertainment center. If something is fun to do, somebody has found a way to put it on the Web.”

“Web?” Twilight asked. “Oh, I suppose that's short for the ‘World wide web’?”

“That's right. Now this particular program we are using, called 'FireFox', is such a web browser.”

Twilight's was listening avidly to Mike, her pen working her notepad. She began to frown. “But not every document has links to every other document. Sooner or later you will exhaust your search. How do you find a document in the first place?”

“That's a very good question. And I think you will like the answer. In the beginning, people had to manually keep track of other sites on the Web. Word of mouth, published lists and such, it was very tedious.

“Soon some bright entrepreneur created a program to automatically seek out every web site, every document and search them for every branch of every link that it could find. It recorded everything that it found. This was called a search engine. Then they allowed anyone to ask questions of that search engine.”

“Questions?” Twilight sounded intrigued.

“Why don't we try it out? You see that green 'plus' symbol up on top there? Click it and open up a new tab. Most web browsers provide tabs. You use them as a simple handle to help you manage multiple open documents.”

Twilight clicked on the indicated control, and a mostly empty screen was displayed. She tried clicking the original tab and her last page was displayed again. Then she returned to the new tab. She was a quick learner.

“Is there a limit to how many tabs I can have open?”

“I really don't know Twilight. Probably when you have so many that you start to lose track of which is which. First they fill up the width of the window, and then they start getting narrower to make room for more.

“Now back to your question. You will notice that the new tab is not a totally blank display.”

“It has a long rectangle with the word 'google' in it.” she replied.

“That's because new pages are by default set up with a link to a search engine. The word 'google' you see there is the name of the company whose search engine will be handling our requests. Type a question into that box.”

“This area?” Twilight asked, moving the mouse onto the input field.

“That's right.” Mike confirmed. He watched as Twilight slowly made use of the unfamiliar keyboard for the very first time. She typed in the words 'How do I get home?” and nothing happened.

“You need to indicate that your input is complete.” Mike stated. “Either by hitting the enter key, there, or by clicking on that box which contains the label 'search'.”

“Okay.” She clicked on the search box.

After Twilight had submitted her question a page was returned listing what google thought were suitable hits for her query.

Alright. Now we're making progress. Thought Mike.

“Take a look at this...” Mike directed her attention to a line at the top of the page which gave the search statistics. “It found 'About three hundred and twenty million results' for you in about a third of a second.”

To say that Twilight was stunned was an understatement. The pupils of her eyes constricted and her jaw dropped. Even her ears sagged a bit.

Mike tried to get Twilight's attention. “Twilight... Twilight...”

Mike waved his hand in front of her face in an attempt to wake her up. “Twilight!”

“Wah! Oh Mike. You startled me.”

“You were sort of out of it for a while. I was starting to think that I broke you.” he said with a humorous smile.

“Ah, maybe you did. I just cannot believe that. Three hundred and twenty million results...”

“Well, ahem, about that. Your request was rather vague, so the quality of what was returned will surely be disappointing. However, examining the results will still be informative.”

“My request was vague? In what way?”

“You must understand that is just a computer program, a machine. It is unable to comprehend your question. All it can do is decompose your sentence into phrases and perform exhaustive searches for any matching patterns in the index files.”

“I think I understand Mike. It does not understand what I meant by 'getting home', it does not know who 'I' am or where my 'home' is.” she smiled sadly at me, “It was a poor question wasn't it.”

“Now I didn't say 'poor', I said it was rather 'vague'.”

“Same thing.” she said sadly. Her ears drooping.

“No it is not.” Mike corrected her. “After all I'm still tutoring you through your first query ever, on a system you know nothing about. This is not a test and you did not do 'poorly'.”

Twilight smiled her appreciation at his kind words and perked up noticeably.

“Now let us continue. You have page full of hypertext links to other documents that relate in some fashion to your query. Try some of them out.” Mike indicated an item which read 'BASTILLE // Get Home ( Official Video -Tour 2011 )'.

The Google page was replaced by a YouTube video which started playing immediately. A clear solo voice began singing.

How am I gonna get myself back home...
Ay-ay, Ay-ay, Ay-ay...

Mike reached out a hand to the keyboard and paused the playback.

Figures. A strange song I've never heard before by a group that I've never heard of before. There must be a million of those.

Twilight looked at him in astonishment. “It was singing, and playing a movie...”

“I mentioned before, that a web-browser can play music and show movies. That link took you to a particular music-video which was found on a site that specializes in collecting videos. It has literally millions of videos. That site is called 'YouTube', and you will probably see a lot of it in the future.

“Did you notice however, that the song’s lyrics were about 'getting myself back home'?”

“Why, come to think of it, it did! I was so astonished by what I heard and saw that I did not even notice that.”

“Well, even though a song is not what you were hoping for, you can at least admit that it was 'relevant' to your question. The lyrics did after all contain almost the exact same words that you used.”

Twilight nodded her head, a thoughtful frown upon her face. Mike noted that her pen which had been still, briefly wrote out something in large bold characters.

“Now, let's just leave this music-video. You see that left-facing arrow at the upper left... It allows you to back-track along the link you just used...” Mike quickly introduced Twilight the forward and back buttons on the web pages.

I'll let her figure out for herself that the forward-back feature does not support branching histories.

“Did you notice Twilight, that the color of the link has changed?”

Twilight gasped in sudden realization. “It's showing that I have already clicked on that link.”

“That's right. Let's try the next one. It even contains the exact wording of your question, 'How do I get home'.”

After a second's reading, Twilight snorted. “Well, it seems that I am not the only one who has asked that exact question. But I don't think our situations are at all comparable.”

“Cheer up Twilight. When you think about how fast and comprehensive the search engine can be, it's an invaluable tool. With a little practice you will soon develop better skills at formulating a query.

“If a particular query proves fruitless, you can try rephrasing it, or use synonyms or alternate expressions for the same concept. The narrower the subject of your query, the more likely it will be successful.

“And sometimes a query is naturally unambiguous and works very well. For example, try typing in 'Vegetarian recipes'.”

“What? Why do we need to see Vegetarian recipes?”

“I’m sorry to change the topic so suddenly Twilight. But I suddenly realized that we are pressed for time. We need to leave soon in order to get our shopping done.”

“Shopping? I thought we were going to do some research. In fact I'm quite eager to get started. This Internet and Web thing is quite exciting.” Twilight appeared somewhat bewildered by Mike’s suggestion.

“I'm sorry Twilight. The urgency is due to the fact that Christmas is in two days. Soon, if not already, the malls and stores will soon be so crowded that finding a place to park will be a serious problem. And it’s urgent that we do our shopping today and preferably this morning. Our food supplies are inadequate.”

“Is this kris-mas some kind of disaster? Like a storm or a stampede?”

Stampede! I like that. Mike was amused by Twilight's question. With the way they crush the malls at this time of year that's not too far off the mark.

Smiling, Mike replied to her question. “No, it’s nothing bad like that. Christmas is a very significant holiday. Businesses will be closed for several days. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The following day is Christmas Day and the day after that is Boxing Day. We need to ensure we are self-sufficient for those three days.

“All the stores and most restaurants will be closed and I for one would feed badly if I went out and attempted to patronize any restaurant which did stay open. It would be as if I expected the chefs and waitresses to work for me when they should be at home enjoying the holiday with their families.”

“Oh. I see.” said Twilight. “And I'm an extra mouth to feed, and you just threw out most of your food on my account.” Her ears drooped.

“Hey don't worry about that Twilight. In fact I'm looking forward to being able to spend this Christmas with somebody, or should I say somepony.” Mike grinned at her.

“Really? You want me to share this kris-mas with you?”

“Absolutely. Christmas is known as the 'season of giving', and it would please me greatly to have you join me this Christmas.”

“Thank you Mike. I think I would like that.”

“I'm honored that you can join me. So let’s plan out the next few days. Try that query on 'Vegetarian recipes', if only to make sure we don't spend the next few days listening to each other’s stomach's growling.”

“Planning! I like to plan and organize.” Twilight said excitedly even as she typed in the query.

“Wow. This query has over a million results.” Several clicks later, “and they all seem to be for vegetarian recipes.” she exclaimed excitedly.

“Well, when you think about it, those two words left very little room for ambiguity. Say Twilight?”

“Yes?” she replied.

“These are all good recipes; however it is traditional to have a feast for Christmas. How about we see if the query 'Vegetarian Christmas recipes' can find something more appropriate?”

“Okay.” Twilight started typing in ‘vegetarian kris mas recipes'.

“Hold it Twilight! It's spelled 'c', 'h', 'r', 'i', 's', 't' not 'k', 'r', 'i', 's', and it's all one word.” Mike corrected.

“You sure? You've been pronouncing it like 'kris'-with-a-'K'.” she asked.

“Trust me Twilight, I'm sure. When you spell it with a 'K' it's not really Christmas.”

Twilight obediently entered the correct query.

“Ohh! That 'Golden-glazed carrot, mushroom and hazelnut tart' looks so delicious!”, Twilight clicked on the link. “Oh and it even uses maple syrup!” Twilight stood up from her seated position, betraying her excitement.

“Well then I think we have to try that one. But we'll need to choose a few more recipes for our other meals.”

“Yes of course. This will be interesting.”

Both of them began an eager discussion of the various recipes they found, planning out their meals for the next few days and making a list of whatever groceries they found they would need to purchase.

It was nearly noon when Mike and Twilight finally brought their planning to a conclusion and climbed into the truck.

“Tell me about this Christmas.” Twilight asked as they drove into town.

Mike thought about it carefully before answering her question. “Christmas is several things. To most people Christmas is just a big holiday we have at this time of year, a festival where public events and displays are staged. And private citizens also put up elaborate decorations on their homes. And have numerous gatherings and celebrations. It's a time to party.

“On a more intimate level, Christmas is a time for families to gather together and strengthen their bonds. To celebrate family ties, love, togetherness and reconciliation when such is needful. People are more inclined to engage in thoughts of love, peace and joy. They indulge their children with gifts and holiday activities such as putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it. There will usually be a feast and an exchange of gifts with friends, family and loved ones. The children especially look forward to that last item.”

“But what about you?” Twilight asked.

“To me, Christmas holds its original and deepest meaning. It is a remembrance of when God sent his Son to live among us. In a very real way, Christmas is actually his birthday. But instead of the birthday child receiving gifts, the child is God's gift to us. That event happened over two thousand years ago and it still echoes through the world, even to this day.”

“That's amazing. Um, what was his name? If I'm allowed to ask.”

“His name was Jesus. And we came to call him the Christ, which means the anointed one. It's from that name that we get the word Christmas.”

Twilight had another question. “You did not mention anything about celebrations and feasts when you described its personal significance.”

“Well just because I attribute a solemn significance to the holiday where most others do not, does not mean that I don't celebrate it. Everything I mentioned earlier about families and parties is still valid.”

“I did not see any decorations in your home.”

Mike sighed. “I live alone Twilight. I don't have any family to share this holiday with. So I don't bother.”

“I'm so sorry, I didn't know.” Twilight attempted to apologize.

“That's okay Twilight. I'm quite used to it. But that's what makes this Christmas different. This year I have a friend that I invited to share it with.”

“Mike! You're expecting too much of me. I don't know anything about your Christmas. I'm not even human, I'm a pony.”

“Your arguments are irrelevant. All that is truly needed is a willingness to enjoy each other’s companionship. Perhaps we can allow ourselves to share in some holiday experiences. We could try baking cookies, setting up and decorating a tree, listening to good music, even read a book. Little things. Simple things.”

Twilight considered his words. Eventually she broke the silence. “You mentioned cookies?”

Author's Note

(1) Stone-casting among ponykind is analogous to Bronze-casting among us humans, except their casting materials are dirt cheap. Twilight was referring to certain exceptional pieces of artwork she had seen.
Stone-casting also has its more common uses. In construction it satisfies the same role as poured concrete does for humans.
Lastly it should be mentioned that stone-liquefaction makes the repair of damaged stone structures and buildings an almost trivial task. Sigh, if only humans could fix a cracked foundation as easily as ponies can.

(2) 'Hoofs and Celestials': (Added Dec. 17, 2019) - I edited this chapter to eliminate the former use of 'inches' and 'feet'. Those are strictly human measures, being based originally on the human body.
If you remember, a previous note identified the 'Hoof' as being about four inches long.

The 'Celestial' refers to the length of Princess Celestia's body. Think of it as being about four feet long. Somewhat longer than our Yards and Meters.

This was a difficult chapter to write. Every one of my readers is an expert on the web to some greater or lesser extent. If you were not, then you would not even be here, reading this.

At first I had written a horrid description of Mike leading Twilight through every button push. And it truly was awful. And so very boring.

After some reflection, I finally realized that I needed to take a higher route, introducing the concepts behind the Internet and the Web, tying them together and minimizing any button pushing tutorials. Thus what you see here took form.

For the first time ever, I got a friend to review the chapter. At his prompting I managed to pare down the excessively technical discussions about hypertext. It made the story flow much more smoothly.

All remaining errors are mine.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

13. Royal Duties

Luna’s teleport brought her back to the palace where she arrived in a flash of light. Hovering outside the balcony of her personal tower, she took a moment to look about, seeing the city of Canterlot glowing under her nighttime sky. Her brow furrowed as she gazed upon the lights of the city. Somewhere within its districts was the lair of some pony who scoffed at Royal Law, practicing proscribed magics.

Never shall it be spoken that Luna hath failed her friend Twilight. I shall do my utmost to apprehend whomever hath done this unto her. Was the singular thought on Luna's mind.

Blinking her eyes to clear away some unexpected moisture, Luna released her frown and flew towards the balcony where she landed and made her way into the tower. Passing through the balcony's antechamber she turned to the two guards that were stationed there. Originally holding themselves at somewhat relaxed attention, the two guards, a Corporal and a Private, now stiffened to full attention as the Princess's gaze fell upon them.

For her part, Luna barely noticed their response, her worries for Twilight gnawed at her even as she spoke, “Corporal, thou must send word to the Captain of the Watch. We require him to ready and assemble two squads of the guard formed in standard EUP mix. Inform the Captain to have them ready in the assembly area in one hour.”

After having given the order Luna felt an urgent need to depart, to get on with the search for Twilight's wrongdoer, but caught herself before turning away. It simply would not do for a Princess to show disrespect to her troops by ignoring them.

As expected, the Corporal, acknowledged the Princess's order with a salute, “At once your Highness.”

Luna nodded and turned swiftly away towards the tower's stairwell. Dropping his salute, the Corporal paused briefly to pass some instruction to the other guard who would remain behind. After a moment the Corporal was trotting briskly after the Princess towards the stairwell.

Luna, having the advantage of wings, used them shamelessly to turn her descent of the tower's staircase into a rapid series of gliding leaps. The Corporal, though a Pegasus, declined to do so. The Princesses may not have been subject to Royal Guard regulations on the subject of appropriate behavior, but the Corporal certainly was. “Stairwells are to be traveled by using ones hooves.” EUP Guard Regulations - Section Eight, Subsection Two, Item Fourteen.

The last two flights of the stairwell opened up considerably as they descended into the voluminous chamber occupying the base of the tower. Luna took those two flights by leaping over the balustrade and descending in a steep glide, banking sharply at the bottom of the chamber to line up with the doorway to the left. Luna's coordination was impeccable, in that just before she impacted the closed door her horn glowed with magic to swing open the door even as her wings flared majestically, reducing her speed to deposit her onto two opposing hooves and into a graceful trot. Without the slightest break in her forward motion, Luna folded her wings and proceeded through the doorway and into the courtyard beyond. There, across the courtyard was her objective, the Royal Administrative building.

Before the door to the tower closed behind her, Luna caught a glimpse of the Corporal descending the last two flights of the stairwell – on his hooves of course. Luna's lips twitched in a brief smile as she noted the Corporal's discretion in not letting her catch him using his wings, which he most obviously had to have done in order to have descended the stairwell so rapidly.

As she crossed the courtyard, Luna recalled a conversation she had with the Captain of the Guard during the first year following her return. She'd been reviewing the modern day Guard Regulations and had been quite pleased with herself to have identified scores of 'ridiculous' regulations which she had loudly proclaimed 'could only hinder the Guard in their duties.'

Luna smiled as she remembered how Shining Armor had explained those same regulations to her. “Some of the Guard Regulations are carefully designed to be onerous for any Guard performing their day to day duties. Most ponies will simply plod along, observing those regulations. Those are the good reliable Guards. Some smart-flanks will flout the regulations and soon identify themselves by getting caught. With a little extra attention we can shape them into very effective Guards. But it's the truly clever ponies, the ones we end up tagging as potential officers, who show that they know when it's correct to observe the regulations and when it's possible to disregard them.”

Luna suspected that the Corporal was destined to become an officer. However, such thoughts were of no consequence. Finding Twilight was what mattered at the moment and Luna was approaching her own destination.

Upon entering the Royal Administrative Offices, Luna wasted no time. She walked past the reception booths and into the main office area and unleashed her Royal Canterlot Voice.

“CEASE YOUR ACTIVITIES AND GIVE HEED UNTO THY PRINCESS.” Loose papers blew wildly, manes danced about and after the echoes had subsided dust trickled down from the lamps above.

Luna paused, to allow the ponies time to give her their full attention, or rather, just those ponies which had not taken fright at the sound of her voice and were still huddled under their desks. The mere fact that some had hidden under their desks was a sad reminder to Luna of the valuable lesson which Twilight had taught her about the use of her Royal Canterlot Voice.

If thoughts of Twilight rekindled the ache in Luna's heart, they also helped her to focus on communicating her needs to the office workers more clearly. She needed to speak with a kinder, more modern voice.

Luna cleared her throat and continued, “Your attention please. An extremely urgent matter has arisen. We, your Royal Princesses of the Sun and Moon, must locate a certain business establishment which is believed to be situated within Canterlot. We must ascertain all that there is to know about this business, where it is located, who its owners are and what all of their previous dealings might have been.

“If the Deputy Assistant Manager of the Exchequer, the Assistant of the Deputy Vice-Mayor of Canterlot and the Night-Assistant Deputy Keeper of the Royal Archives would join Us, We will be able to present what little information We have already obtained.

“To all ponies who are listening, I assure you that this is a matter of the gravest concern to your Princesses. As soon as a plan is formulated and assignments are issued, We urge you to exercise your utmost care and diligence in this task.”

The three managers which had been called out by Luna fairly scrambled to come forward, after which they all made haste to enter the nearest available office of sufficient size to hold them all. Their discussions were short however. After a mere five minutes the managers emerged and started giving instructions to the waiting administrators and clerks.

Luna sighed as she attempted to wait patiently; her chair was slightly undersized for her frame and rather uncomfortable as generic office furniture was wont to be. For the sixth time in the last ten minutes she wondered if she should reconsider the decision which had caused her to relocate to the tiny meeting room she presently found herself in.

No, she sadly reminded herself again, I am their Princess and it will not do to burden the managers with unfounded fears that I could be divining their secrets by rummaging through their offices and their privacy.

At that moment, a clerk entered the room levitating a pile of folders. Luna's discomfort vanished as she watched the pile of documents being placed on the table in front of her. Her magic reaching eagerly for the topmost folder, Luna barely had the presence of mind to dismiss the clerk who had brought her the documents. “We thank thee. Thou art dismissed.”

Reading the documents, Luna began to form a picture of one certain business, originally known as 'Enchanted Books' which had existed quietly in Canterlot for the last twenty-nine years, earning its proprietor only a modest income...

“If it pleases your Highness, I brought you a more comfortable chair.” Luna's intense thoughts were interrupted by the return of the clerk who had brought her the documents, a dark gray stallion with a dark pink mane. Being jarred away from her thoughts, Luna's brief mental disorientation manifested itself as a scowl directed at the clerk trying to curry her favor.

Seeing Luna's scowl, the clerk wondered if his boldness had brought trouble down on his head. However, Luna's expression quickly cleared up and her next words calmed his nerves.

“Didst thou say a chair? Certes Our Royal flank hath little love for that upon which it now rests. We command thee; bring forth thy more comfortable chair.” Luna's face and posture was now the very picture of eagerness, with her ears canted forwards and her starry mane undulating more rapidly behind her.

The stallion gulped as he lit his horn to roll the chair into the office. If the Princess did not like the chair he had brought, then trouble might still find him. His knees nearly buckled as Princess Luna took the chair from his control; standing on her hooves she moved the chair into position under her flank. The old chair was practically tossed aside, underscoring how little the Princess thought of it.

“Ahh. Much better.” Luna voiced her pleasure. “Tell me, what thy name is?” she asked with a smile.

“My name is Bright Shine,” said the stallion. His Cutie Mark was the image of a large silver orb with a sparkle near the upper edge, suggesting a bright light was gleaming off of it. Bright Shine relaxed into a happy and relieved smile as he answered the Princess, now certain that he had won her favor.

Luna dropped her smile, “Thou art forgiven for interrupting Us Bright Shine, for truly that other chair was undeserving of its name. However, Our need is great and We shall brook no more interruptions, unless thou shall bring more documents for Our perusal.

“Do you understand?” The Princess added emphasis by switching up to modern Equish while staring Bright Shine directly in the eyes.

No longer smiling, but rather gulping nervously with his mouth gone dry and unable to speak, Bright Shine could only nod his head sharply. He felt like a rabbit cornered by a fox.

Luna directed her gaze away from the Stallion. “Thou art clever and perceptive Bright Shine, for none other but thee saw fit to address Our discomfort. Use thy talents to serve other ponies instead of aggrandizing thyself.”

Luna returned to her study of the documents even as Bright Shine scrambled to make a hasty retreat from her presence.

There were no further interruptions until twenty minutes later when Bright Shine quietly dropped a second small pile of documents onto the desk. When Luna eventually opened the second set of documents her expression became grim.

In the courtyard of the assembly area, the guards were getting restless. There was nothing overt about it, but to the Watch Captain, whose business it was to know such things, it was blatantly obvious. Ears twitched nervously, tails flicked in minute movements, heads would toss and occasionally eyes would scrutinize the entryway which led to the castle interior.

A full thirty minutes past the time set by Luna, she arrived in the courtyard through that selfsame entryway.

As Luna passed the two squads of guards, now standing at attention, she noted with wry amusement that the Corporal she had met in the tower had managed to find himself a spot on one of the squads. Obviously the Captain of the Watch had seen something in the Corporal as well and had granted him an opportunity to join the action.

Luna trotted up to the Captain. “Thank you Captain for your patience with Us.”

“We are the Guard, your Highness,” the Captain replied, “we are always ready to serve.”

“Nevertheless Captain, wasting your time serves neither Ourselves nor Our Sister Celestia. Please, allow your ponies to stand at ease, We wish to address them.”

“Yes Princess.” The Captain turned to the assembled Guards, “RIGHT SQUAD, LEFT SQUAD! AT EASE!” he bellowed.

All of the assembled guardsponies moved simultaneously into a more relaxed stance, a dozen tails which had been held out in proud display, now relaxed downwards. Two dozen ears which had been held rigidly unmoving at forward attention were now able to move freely. Many of those same ears soon pinned back in an unconscious display of displeasure at having been keep standing in formation for the past hour.

Luna trotted out before the two squads, preparing herself to address them in modern Equish.

“Guards of Equestria,” she began. “We regret to inform you that harm has befallen our dear Princess Twilight Sparkle through the inadvertent misfire of a spell from a magical artifact.”

Upon this revelation, the guards shifted uneasily and a few mutters could be heard. Many of the guards knew Twilight from her days when she was a student under Princess Celestia. And all of them knew of her as Equestria's fourth and newest Princess.

The Captain drew a breath, preparing to bellow a command at the guardsponies, but held his peace when Luna raised a wing in front of him. “Please Captain, give them a moment, I am sure they will settle down.”

Perhaps the guards overheard Luna's comments to the Captain, because they abruptly grew silent, only now their attention was firmly fixed on the Princess of the Moon, straining to hear whatever else she had to say. They did not have long to wait.

“Princess Twilight would not have recognized this spell, for it is known only to Princess Celestia and Us as an ancient and proscribed magic and We Ourselves are not well conversant with it.

“It is Our desire to apprehend, alive and unharmed, the pony or ponies responsible for creating this magical artifact. We require them unharmed, so that they should be made to assist us in undoing the harm that has been done unto Princess Twilight.”

Complete silence had fallen upon the guards. There were no more tics, flicks and twitches amongst them now. Now they beheld Luna with an earnest desire to assist in capturing an evildoer.

“One of our targets is a business known as 'Enchanted Books'.

Luna continued with barely a pause, “For nearly thirty years this business has conducted itself quietly under the name of 'Enchanted Books' until two years ago. At that time the business was sold and its original proprietor retired.

“It is Our belief that the original owner of the business has some knowledge of the proscribed magics we seek. One squad will be tasked with the duty of finding that pony and returning them here to Canterlot.”

Luna now paused in her speech. As the moments dragged on, the guards could not help but wonder what task awaited the other squad.

“When 'Enchanted Books' was sold, its new proprietor changed its name to 'The House of Enchanted Comics'. This is our second target, and now I must tell you the reason We were delayed tonight.”

Again there was a slight pause before Luna continued, “Our investigations of this 'House of Enchanted Comics' show it to have been the subject of numerous Legal filings.

“All of these Legal filings have been made by ponies claiming that the wares sold by 'The House of Enchanted Comics' have been the cause of deleterious effects upon their foals.”

A titter arose from some the assembled guards, those who remembered their own parents telling them that comics would rot their minds.

“We assure thee, tis no laughing matter.” Luna hissed angrily at the guards. Their ranks abruptly grew silent again.

“We speak of effects such as ‘Stupor and Lethargy', 'Diminished Magic' and even 'Reduced Mental Capacity' some of which claims were accompanied by medical affidavits.”

Some of the guards bore a shocked appearance as their eyes flew wide open while the pupils of many more eyes than just theirs were irised down to points.

“Taken individually, the Lower courts could not help but see each such suit as being nothing more than a random coincidence, certainly nothing like cause and effect was presented. Thus all of these suits were denied, all eighteen of them.”

There were four that should not have been. Luna thought unhappily to herself.

“But when presented together before Us, Our eyes saw a pattern of Dark magic being used, that these 'enchanted comics' have been siphoning off the magical energies of the young foals who were reading them.”

An angry mutter arose from the guards now. The amusement of a few moments ago was now transformed into outrage.

“We cannot say with certainty that Dark magic is being used. But the possibility is great. For this reason We have prepared certain countermeasures.” At that point Luna levitated small dark bag out from underneath her flowing mane. The bag opened and a constellation of dark red jewels floated out, dispersing towards 'Right Squad'. Two of the jewels were directed towards 'Left Squad'.

“These are my Dream Rubies. You will each take one and place it on your helmet, they are enchanted so as to stick onto your helmet quite firmly, so be careful where you place them. These jewels will allow me to travel with you in a waking dream, allowing me to see what you see and hear what you hear, and if necessary, to act on your behalf against the workings of Dark magic.”

The guards of Right Squad each took their proffered ruby but hesitated to apply it to their helmets, instead soft whispers and mutters could be heard.

As they continued to procrastinate Luna grew irritated. “Why do you delay? Affix the Dream Rubies onto your helmets.”

The unicorn stallion at the head of Right Squad, Sergeant Sharp Lance, stepped forward and answered the Princess, “Your Highness, we are concerned that the Dream Rubies will allow you to hear our thoughts and that−”

“Say no more Sergeant.” Luna interrupted. “Yes, the Dream Rubies will allow Us to hear your thoughts,” the muttering increased in volume, “BUT,” Luna's raised voice stilled the muttering, “only such thoughts as you explicitly speak towards Us. We shall not hear any of the random thoughts or concerns that might roll about your minds.

“But know this!” Luna's eyes flashed white. “We are Luna, Princess of the Night and Guardian of Dreams. As such We have seen many secrets within the dreams and nightmares of our subjects and We have never betrayed this trust, not even when the Nightmare did rule Our heart.

“If any guard does not have sufficient faith to trust Us at this time, then let them fall out now. We shall not hold this against them. It must be this way, for without the Dream Ruby, We cannot protect you from the Dark magics.”

A shuffling was heard from the squad, and Luna immediately closed her eyes and turned away. Her heart was heavy, fearing that what she was hearing was the sound of the entire squad falling out.

When the sound of shuffling ceased, Luna opened her eyes and turned back. What she saw nearly made her heart burst, for all the guards had set the dark red jewels upon their helmets, not a single one had chosen to depart. Along with the broad smile she was suddenly sporting, Luna could feel tears forming in her eyes.

Thank you. She whispered to them in the silence of her own thoughts. Thank you for trusting me.

It meant so much to her to have the loyalty of these guardsponies. It lifted her spirits no end and gave her confidence that Twilight would soon be found.

It had been a long and wearying day for Princess Celestia. Anxiety over Twilight's fate beat on the back of her mind like a drum, slowly altering her perceptions. As the day wore on, it became increasingly difficult to look with kindness upon the Little Ponies who petitioned her. Whenever she did decide in their favor, it began to feel as if they were imposing on her generosity.

Still, the Princess held onto her composure. The depths of reserve and forbearance learned over the last thousand years helped to keep her both outwardly and inwardly calm.

This is the last one, she resolved, soon I won't be able to remain objective.

The next petitioner, an obviously well fed Noble-Stallion by the name of Cold Edge, began his petition by attempting to portray himself as a type of 'starving artist' who suffered for his art. His body so obviously contradicted his presentation that Celestia was hard pressed not to giggle. Again a millennium of practice aided her greatly, and Celestia was able to show interest in what the Noble-Stallion was presenting.

It was not long before Cold Edge began to unveil the heart of his petition.

“...and in my vision, I saw a Glorious Statue of you my Princess. You stood fully fifty feet high at the withers, sculpted of the finest white marble gleaming in your own glorious...”

Celestia tuned him out, but maintained an interested expression on her face. In her long reign she had been constantly assaulted by Nobles and Artists alike who thought that she was capable of being bedazzled by gifts and flattery.

When will they learn? Celestia sighed inwardly. I am far more interested in bettering the lives of my Little Ponies.

Celestia's attention was suddenly drawn back to the Noble-Stallion. What?!

Instantly Celestia's mind recalled the words spoken over the last few seconds and caught her up with the Stallions oration. “...in my vision I saw that the ideal location for the statue is a small tract of land, situated between my estate and that of Fancy-Pants, just above Trace Street. From which location you would always have a most excellent and unimpeded view of your Glorious Statue. To that end we petition your Highness to expropriate that parcel of underutilized land, so that it can be redeemed as a park whose centerpiece would be...”

Celestia tuned out the Noble-Stallion again, to better deal with her seething anger.

Does this foal think that I cannot see the statue for what it truly is? Celestia's thoughts fairly shouted at the pony. His entire proposal is a veiled attempt to remove that block of lower class houses. A vicious and calculated plan to dispossess hundreds of hard working Canterlot families of their homes.

The sheer callousness of the stallion's petition sickened Celestia. There was no kindness for his fellow pony in his intentions. His generosity was only to himself and would in fact impoverish hundreds of families as they were forced to scramble amongst themselves for the few homes that could still be found in Canterlot. Most would be forced to leave the city and seek their livelihoods elsewhere.

Celestia felt sickened. And she countered that feeling by becoming angry. So, while the foal prattled on, Celestia found herself on the verge of igniting into flames, so hot was her anger. Indeed, her mane gleamed very brightly and her royal pillow now bore scorch marks showing a fine imprint of the Royal Plot.

In the end the Noble Stallion concluded his petition without incident and Princess Celestia simply thanked him for bringing the matter to her attention, informing him that she could consider his request and give it all the attention it deserved.

Oblivious to the delicate streams of smoke arising about the Princess, Cold Edge turned about and pranced away happily. Convinced that the achievement of his clever design was imminent, the ignorant foal exited the throne room escorted out by one of the guards.

Celestia snorted, releasing her anger. She stood up in an effort to stretch her muscles and relieve some of the tension she had been holding in.

Calmly eyeing the puff of smoke which had arisen from her pillow after she had raised her flank, Celestia called out to the Sergeant of the Guards, “I think that will be all for today Sergeant. No more audiences.”

Next, Celestia spoke to her secretary, Precious Prose, a white unicorn with a chocolate brown mane done up in a conservative bun. “Ms. Prose, please cancel the rest of my appointments for the day and have that pillow destroyed. After that you may consider yourself free for the day.” Celestia flashed her secretary a brief smile, “Go− enjoy yourself.”

A clatter of familiar hooves behind Celestia caused a faint smile to grace her face as she noted the arrival of her sister Princess Luna.

Luna took a moment to eye the pillow being levitated away by Precious Prose. Still smoking, it looked positively charred.

“Thou shouldst have taught that knave a lesson my sister. The simpleness of his ploy was an insult to both thine intelligence and thy honor.” Stated Luna as she mounted up the steps of the pedestal upon which resided their shared throne.

“I very nearly did Luna.” Celestia squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head. “But I think I will wait until I am calmer before I render any decision. He is a foal and a stupid one at that, rest assured I will find an appropriate response to lesson him with.”

Luna drew back to obtain a better look at her sister. There, for those who knew how to read an Alicorn were the subtle signs of stress. There, a tiny ripple in Celestia's flowing mane which caused a few locks to dance to a different flow, all but invisible amidst the rest of her mane. When Luna spoke again it was with a softer voice, “I perceive that thou art distraught. Tis well indeed Celestia that thou hast chosen to end thy court early.”

Celestia looked away, as though she were reluctant to discuss the issue.

Luna placed a wing over Celestia's withers and nuzzled her cheek. Using modern Equish, she spoke again to Celestia, “I do understand sister. He was nearly made into a lightning rod for your inner discomposure. In truth you are bedeviled and pursued by thoughts of our dear friend Twilight. As likewise am I.”

Ever the consummate master of concealing her emotions, Celestia merely stood there observing her sister. But the signs were there, Luna could see that her comments had struck true.

Attempting to lift Celestia's spirits Luna gave out a tidbit of information, “Be of good cheer sister. I bring what may be good news.”

Celestia's finally revealed her emotions as her breath caught, “Did you find the pony?”

“I have indeed dear sister. In fact I found two of them. Word has just arrived of the apprehension of the second one. The first was apprehended earlier this morning.”

Celestia's mood brightened considerably. “Come Luna. I suddenly have a craving for Tea and Cake. Why don't we go to our lounge and then you can tell me all about it.”

Located behind the back wall of the throne room was a service area containing a guard room and also several storage closets for the various accouterments that decorated the throne room. Behind those was the Royal Lounge. The Royal Lounge was a spacious yet cozy chamber with a massive hooded fireplace, several bookshelves and two large couch's set around a low-slung tea table.

A substantive fire crackled and hissed inside the fireplace, a magic spell cast by Celestia causing the logs to burn eternally. Despite the eternal flames, whatever the season the room never became overly warm because another spell limited the amount of heat radiated by the fire to always be just sufficient for making the room warm and comfortable, but never too hot.

Though the lounge and its fireplace had existed for hundreds of years, the wall opposite the eternally blazing fireplace held a double door that was only a few years old. It was a heavy door made from a pale Ironwood and intricately carved with the depiction of the two Alicorn Sisters in rampant poses, their figures lavishly depicted with inlays of Gold, Amethyst and Mother of Pearl; Silver, Schorl and Lunite. One figure was placed onto each door.

It was to this room that the Diarch's often retreated whenever they took breaks from their court sessions.

This day however, the Lounge was not empty. A solitary figure in purple and green sat close in front of the roaring fire. He sat with his little knees huddled up to his chest, occasionally giving mournful sighs.

Spike felt absolutely useless. The girls had their lives and their work, Celestia had her court and he had nothing. He didn't even have any books to shelve, and Twilight was gone.

Spike was so lost in self-pity that when the double-door began to open his first and only thought was to hide himself. Before the glowing door had fully opened, to admit the two Alicorn sisters into the room, Spike had scooted around the side of the fireplace and hid himself successfully behind it.

The moment Celestia entered the room, the golden glow from her horn enveloped a tiny bell sitting unobtrusively on a side table beside one of the couches. It danced merrily in the air for a second, emitting a tiny crystalline tinkle before setting itself down on the side table again. Magically linked with a similar bell in an adjoining room, it announced to the palace staff that one of the Princesses required their attention.

Not two seconds passed before a much less elaborate door in one of the side walls was pushed open to admit a nervous looking mare wearing the livery of a palace maid. Her tail, which should have been held up proudly, was very low and practically hugged her belly. Her ears were slowly waving back and forth, as though unsure whether they should be pinned back in fear or pointing forwards at attention.

Celestia took note of how nervous the maid appeared and made an effort to settle her own nerves before addressing the mare. “This this your first time attending us isn't it Cloud Drop?”

The maid, a Pegasus mare with a silver-gray coat and a silver mane froze when she realized Princess Celestia knew her name. She cleared her throat but found herself too nervous to speak, eventually settling for an abrupt bob of her head.

“And you've been working here at the palace for what− three maybe four weeks now?”

Astonished that Princess Celestia knew so much about her mundane existence, Cloud Drop forgot her nervousness and began to come out of her freeze. “Y-Yes Your Royal Highness.” she replied.

“Please, just call me 'Princess'. Could you do me that favor Cloud Drop?” Celestia coaxed.

“Y-Yes, of course− Princess.” Cloud Drop blushed prettily, overcome by the Princesses gentle voice and the sudden confidence bestowed upon her. No longer frozen, Cloud Drop now remembered her duties as a maid. “How may I serve you− Princess?”

Celestia smiled at Cloud Drop. “My sister and I would have some Tea and also some of that delicious Cloud Cake if there is any left.”

“Right away Princess.” Cloud Drop bowed to each Princess and trotted from the room, her tail now flagging her newfound pride, that of a happy servant. Even as Cloud Drop left, the two Princesses approached their respective couches.

Luna, now reclining on her couch, felt the urge to comment on what had just occurred, “From a nervous filly thou hast created another devoted servant. At times I do envy thee sister, for whom such deeds are but foal's play.” A sigh accompanied the last statement.

“Don't envy me too much Luna. Yes my kind and generous nature makes it easy for me gain the confidence and adoration of my subjects, but from that same nature they hold me in their hearts as though I were their Mother. Many will venerate me, but few will befriend me.” Now Celestia sighed.

A few seconds later Celestia resumed. “At times I envy you Luna. Yes, you may have a bold and direct way of speaking which drives ponies away from you. But despite that, there are always those who are willing to face the truth, those who find in themselves some smidgen of loyalty and end up becoming your friends.

“So how is it Luna that you are envious of me when you have more friends than I do?”

Luna eyed Celestia. It was so unlike Celestia to speak in such a manner. What did she mean when she claimed Luna had more friends than her?

Luna's eyes opened wide in astonishment. “Thou speakest of Twilight,” she declared. “Surely thou knowest she is thy friend also.”

Celestia closed her eyes and hung her head lower, her ears wilted to the sides.

“Nay Sister! Do not fall prey to such lies.” Luna exclaimed, half rising from her couch. “Twilight's absence hath made thee distraught indeed if thee dost begin to entertain such thoughts.

“I have seen Twilight's nightmares, Celestia, and some portion of her dreams which followed. Though I will not speak of what I have seen, I do know of a surety that Twilight holds you as her friend. Thou must only give her time to uncover this truth for herself.”

Celestia's head and ears perked up and her eyes were open again. “Thank you Luna, your words touch my heart and give me hope.” Celestia gave her sister a smile.

“How do you do it Luna, watching everypony's nightmares?”

“Tis my duty Tia, something which I alone am able to do. It pleases me to guard Our Little Ponies, to stand watch over their hearts in the darkness of the night and guide them with the light of truth.” Luna gave Celestia a quizzical look. “Dost thou think it strange of me if I should say, I find it− fulfilling?”

Celestia smiled warmly at her sister. “No Luna, it's not strange at all. Loyalty and Honesty are a part of who you are. They were your Elements after all.”

“An thou Tia, ever dost thou ease the hearts of Our Little Ponies, lifting them up as thou didst with the maid. Thou wert most assuredly the bearer of Kindness. But dost thou not grow weary of upholding all who come before thee.”

“Truthfully Luna, it relaxes me.” Celestia stated. “Over the last thousand years I have learned that one of the best things for improving my mood is helping other ponies to enjoy their work. Even the work of their hooves can speak volumes about their joy. Celestia nodded towards the double door they had entered by.

“Tis indeed a beautiful work of art Tia, but I fail to comprehend this 'joy' thou speakest of.”

“It's so much more than a work of art Lulu.” Celestia reciprocated Luna's familiar term with her own. “If you study it, you will see all the love and care the artist took when working with his materials, how each jewel and each flake of Pearl is perfectly shaped and perfectly fitted together, even down to the minutest detail.“

“So...” Luna ventured with a smile, having spotted Cloud Drop entering the room with a tray holding their refreshments, “you appreciate having your likeness carved onto this door but a fifty foot marble statue of thine own likeness would not be to thy liking?”

“Pffffpbpbpbppt.” Celestia blew a loud raspberry, causing Cloud Drop to stop abruptly, her eyes wide.

“Come in Cloud Drop, just put the tray down on the tea table.” Celestia addressed the maid, showing Luna that she had been aware of her little prank all along.

Cloud Drop hurried to do so, suddenly anxious to avoid overhearing anything even more damning. Having deposited the Tea, Cloud Drop exited the room with as much haste as she could manage without breaking decorum.

Celestia waited until Cloud Drop left the lounge. “Oh Lulu, now Cloud Drop is going to worry about losing her job because she heard me acting a little un-Princess-like. Since you were so interested in how I ease the hearts of ponies, I'm giving you the job of easing Cloud Drop's heart.”

“What? Art thou not afraid that my bold and direct ways will not drive her away?”

“I think you'll do just fine Lulu. Just think of it as handling another bad dream. Show her the light of truth.”

Luna grumbled, not having an answer for Celestia's last point. Belatedly, she realized that the prank had been turned around upon her.

Not wishing to dwell upon her defeat Luna changed the conversation back to the door again. “So− you were saying something about finding joy in the doors?”

Celestia was willing to accept the change in topic; apparently she felt there was something special in the doors. “If you only cared to look, Luna, you would see how an equal amount of pride went into both our images. Neither is greater, neither is lesser. That's what I love the most about that door Luna; it shows the two of us together.”

Celestia closed her eyes and allowed a brief moment of silence to pass when suddenly she shot up from her couch and stamped her right front hoof on the floor, the room shook and the fire in the fireplace flared madly.

“We should all be together! It's driving me mad with worry Luna. Twilight is our family too. She is our newborn Alicorn Sister, barely three months old, and yet she has been cruelly ripped from our side by some miscreant's thoughtless magic.” A tear welled up in each of Celestia's eyes.

If Cold Edge had been able to stress a few strands of Celestia's ethereal mane earlier, it was nothing compared to Celestia's mane now. Her mane fairly seethed and writhed in disharmony.

“Tell me you have them Luna, tell me for certain that we have them and that there is no mistake.” Celestia pleaded with her sister.

“Be thou assured my dear sister,” Luna affirmed, “we have them.”

“One, the present owner of The House of Enchanted Comics, was a user of Dark Magics.”

“Dark Magic? Why was I not informed? Was anypony hurt?” Celestia asked with a grim intensity.

“Peace, good sister. I divined the nature of this beast through a reading of such court filings as had been levied against the business.

“Sister, it doth pain me to say that beyond the loss of our precious Twilight, many young foals have been harmed by those enchanted comics. Those nefarious artifacts were designed to siphon the magic of those who read them.”

“Are you certain Luna?”

“Indeed I am sister. Forewarned as to the nature of the beast I devised a means to protect my guards and accompanied them to this house of dark repute. During the night hours, we entered the premises.

“With my assistance the guards found and disabled numerous traps composed of Dark magics. Further investigation led us to uncover various apparatusus for magic-capture and thaumic-distillation. It was most obvious what the stallion intended, a vain attempt to attain eternal youth by consuming the magic of foals.

“After thoroughly searching the premises we found several notebooks, one of which was on the workings of the enchanted books.”

“Then we have what we need to recover Twilight?” Celestia asked eagerly, ignoring for the moment Luna’s report of the Dark magic that had been conducted there.

“Nay, we were not so fortunate. When this owner purchased Enchanted Books from the previous owner and renamed it as−”

urgh, must I say it?

“−The House of Enchanted Comics, he received an occult spell package for creating the enchanted books, plus a few ancillary spells for investing and maintaining them.”

“Occult−” Celestia murmured, disappointment written plain on her face.

“In the end, the owner of that fell shop proved to be but a lost soul. As the morning came, so did the owner to open his shop. My guards awaited him inside his shop and easily took him unawares. It is sad sister, but it appears he has been working the Dark magics for too long and his mind is so badly frayed that little remains of it.

“As soon as he perceived the guards holding him, he did begin to rant and rave about how he would use his Dark and Terrible Powers upon them, thus confirming his guilt. E’en now, he still raves from his cell within the dungeon.”

Celestia's face was expressionless now, “What are we to do Luna? If the workings of the spell for the Enchanted Book is hidden from our sight, and the shop owner's mind is too damaged...”

“Dear sister, it pleases me to announce that we have found the former proprietor of the shop.”

Celestia's eyes lit up with hope again, 'You have? Where are they?” Suddenly Celestia caught herself and her eyes dimmed a bit, “Will they be able to help recover Twilight?”

Luna answered Celestia's last question first, as it was the one most important to her sister. “The previous owner hath not dabbled in the Dark magics and should be able to assist us. When my guards questioned the mare, she did profess to having created the spell for the Enchanted Book.”

Celestia stood up, “Take me to her. I wish to speak with the mare.”

“She is not here. My guards do escort her hither and doth bring her on the train from Baltimare.”

“From Baltimare? But you said−” Celestia's eyes narrowed as she looked at her sister.

Luna also narrowed her eyes and returned her sister's stare, as if daring her to voice her concerns.

“Dream Rubies.” Celestia took up the dare.

“...” Luna held her silence. She was a big mare now and knew what she was doing.

The impasse lasted for all of ten seconds until a strange gurgling noise erupted from the vicinity of the fireplace. Both mares swung their heads about to stare at the location the noise had come from.

Suddenly a smile lit up Celestia face and she gave Luna a wink while nodding towards the fireplace. Luna appeared confused for a moment until suddenly a smile appeared on her face as well.

“It seems my sister, that we are not alone. Some knave has been dropping the eaves upon us.” Luna then lit up her horn and reached out her magic for the intruder hiding behind the right side of the fireplace.

“Wha− Woh− Woh− Waaaaaaah!” Levitated by Luna’s magic, Spike came flying out from behind the fireplace. Luna's magic had Spike hanging upside down and thrashing wildly.

“I−I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, honest! I was just sitting here by the fire and then you two came in and I got scared and I−” Spikes words were stopped as Princess Luna rotated him right side up and placed a hoof to his mouth.

“Thou art forgiven Spike. We have no issue with thee abiding in this room with us.”

“Really?” Spike's relief came out as a half-sob. Luna put him down on the floor.

“Truly. But thou shouldst have declared thy presence, instead of yielding to thy fears. What hath thine fear gained thee, but to suffer cowering in the corner all this time.”

“Yeah. I guess you're right.” said Spike, reluctantly admitting that Princess Luna might have a point.

“However,” Luna now glared down upon the tiny dragon, “Thou, young dastard, art most wicked for having dropped the eves upon our Royal selves. Thou hast heard our privy conversation and hast earned a just retribution.” As Luna began to speak, Spike's eyes opened wide and he began to edge away. This soon turned into a total rout as he turned and attempted to run.

Spike's efforts to escape were doomed for Luna's magic easily caught him and had him hanging in mid-air again.

“Tia. Bring forth the Royal Instrument of Torture.” A gleeful smile wreathed Luna's face.

“Of course Lulu.” Celestia answered calmly, but then she too grew a wicked smile.

“Wha−What are you going to do? I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'll never do it again. “I− I− No! No! Nooooooo!”. Spike's screams split the air as Celestia slowly extended her wing out towards him.

Celestia tickled the little dragon in earnest as he wriggled and squirmed. “Ahh Ha Ha Ha. St−Stop. Please, st−stop. I− I− can't take it. Ha Ha Ha. No Ha Ha...”

Still tickling Spike, though she did relent and ease off, Celestia turned to Luna, “So Luna, you were about to tell me why you were using Dream Rubies before Spikes stomach interrupted us.”

Speaking louder in order to be heard over the sound of Spike's screams of laughter, Luna answered. “A necessary risk Tia. Against a user of the Dark magics, I must needs secure the safety of my guards.

“Six Rubies did I use to protect my guards as I took the shop. The guards travelled close together to support each other whilst I held myself ready nearby should direct intervention be required to protect the jewels. None however, came into danger and I have already recovered mine self from them.

“Two more rubies do at present accompany the guards who sought the previous owner. That encounter was peaceful, and other than lending my presence to those guards during the questioning, no further demands have been made upon them.”

Apparently Celestia had stopped tickling Spike during Luna's explanation, because his stomach gurgled loudly from where he hung in midair. “Umm, do you think I might have one of those Dream Rubies for a snack?”

Both Alicorns wore looks of astonishment on their faces, this held for a few moments until Celestia suddenly burst out laughing. Celestia laughed so hard that she was barely able to stumble back to her couch before flopping down onto it. It took her more than a full minute before she was recovered sufficiently to speak again.

“See Luna. There's the danger in using your Dream Rubies. You never know when a hungry young dragon will come along and eat one of them.” Celestia burst out laughing again.

“Soo− I don't get it. Do I get a Ruby or not?” Spike asked plaintively.

Luna appeared to be in a snit, refusing to say anything, so Spike had wait for Celestia to recover from her second bout of laughter.

“Not these Rubies Spike. If you ate a Dream Ruby you would be eating a part of Luna herself. They are infused with a portion of her mind and magic, allowing her presence to accompany the bearer of the Ruby.”

Spike who had been drooling at the thought of tasting a new kind of jewel, suddenly gulped. He did not like the thought of hurting Luna −or any pony− one little bit.

“And if anything should destroy one of those Rubies a portion of Luna would likewise be destroyed. Luna knows that I fear for her safety when she uses them.”

Rather than feeling hungry, Spike's stomach now felt queasy at the thought of eating a part of Luna.

Now Luna spoke up. “Be that as it may, my decision to risk using the Dream Rubies remains mine to make.”

“I know Luna. But if anything happened to you...” Celestia's comment died out, unspoken.

After a moment Celestia spoke up again, changing the topic. “When will she arrive?”

Luna suddenly had a far off look in her eyes, but after a moment her attention returned to Celestia. “My guard reports that the train from Baltimare will depart within the hour, but the journey is long. They shall not arrive until late this night.

“She is an elder mare and it is quite plain to me that the shock of her arrest and the stress of travel doth wear heavily upon her. She will need rest before she is ready to assist us in finding Twilight.”

“So,” Celestia mused. “Nothing can be done tonight. Very well, she shall have her nights rest in one of our guest suites. Tomorrow we shall all depart for Ponyville and see what may be done for locating Twilight.”

“Even me?” Spike asked.

“Yes Spike,” Celestia smiled, “even you.”

Five mares, refreshed in their hearts as well as their bodies came out of the spa, squinting in the light of the late afternoon sun.

They stood in a loose circle, wondering sadly why they had to break apart again, after they had just found so much strength in each other.

A soft whisper of rapidly beating wings, barely heard began to register on their ears when a brown and tan projectile struck the ground in their midst.

The ponies shied back a step at the sudden intrusion but soon arrested their motion as they got a better look at what had alarmed them. There on the ground stood a medium sized owl.

Fluttershy's eyes opened wide and her ears pricked forward as soon as she recognized their visitor. “Why Owlowiscious, what are you doing here?”

“Hoo.” Owlowiscious replied politely to Fluttershy.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash interrupted angrily, “What's the meaning of scaring us− Uh, ah, I mean scaring the others like that.”

Fluttershy rose to Owlowiscious' defense, “Oh I'm sure Owlowiscious did not mean to scare us like that Rainbow Dash─”

“I wasn't scared,” proclaimed Rainbow Dash, “but that bird had better start watching where he's flying.”

“Hoo, Hoo.” Owlowiscious replied, confessing that he had simply wanted to get their attention.

“What was that? Are you saying I was afraid of you?” Rainbow Dash demanded, mistaking Owlowiscious' reply for a snarky comment. Rainbow's ears fell back and her head lowered even as she crouched down, ready to pounce on the nocturnal bird.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy called out in a loud voice, even as she interposed herself between the pegasus and the owl. “You stop that. Owlowiscious did not say any such thing.

“He only said that he was trying to get our attention.” The yellow mare paused briefly and then added softly, “I think it may have something to do with Twilight.”

“What!” Pinkie instantly appeared in front of the owl, “You know something about Twilight?”

Suddenly Pinkie was wearing a battered fedora and her demeanor assumed a hard-bitten look, pressing her face up against Owlowiscious' body, Pinkie addressed the owl in hoarse gravelly voice, “Okay stoolie, talk! Tell us everything you know.”

Alarmed by the invasion of his personal space, Owlowiscious shuffled backwards several paces, but to no avail as Pinkie advanced, keeping her face pressed up against his.

This lasted for no more than a second or two before Applejack bit down on Pinkie's tail and pulled her off of the beleaguered bird. “Pinkie!” Applejack called out sharply, “Stop botherin' Owlowiscious. He's probably here 'cause he's just as worried 'bout Twilight as you are.”

Pinkie dropped her over-acted impersonation of a cheap detective novel character and beamed an ingenuous smile at Owlowiscious, “Sorry Owlowiscious, of course you're not a bad bird. We're buddies right? No hard feelings?”

Owlowiscious needed a moment to recover from Pinkie's assault. Staring at the pink mare for a moment, he fluffed his feathers and turned his body around until his back was facing her. “Hoo!” he exclaimed sharply.

The impact of Owlowiscious' rejection was immediate. Pinkie's smile dropped from her face, her ears dropped down sideways and her mane suddenly drooped heavily, threatening to go straight. Pinkie's lower lip quivered, “W-What did I do?” she asked.

“Um, ah, I think you hurt his feelings─” began Fluttershy.

“I'll tell you what you did!” broke in Rainbow Dash, “You called him a Pigeon. That's what you did. Owls have their pride you know.” Owlowiscious turned his head towards Rainbow and nodded in agreement.

“Whaaat!” Exclaimed Pinkie. “I said no such thing! I simply said 'Okay stoo-Mmph Mm mmf mphmpmp mmf mmmu'.” Pinkie's voice descended into inchoate mumbles due to the presence of Applejack hoof in her mouth.

For once, Pinkie seemed to notice the hoof in her mouth. She locked her eyes on Applejack for an explanation.

“Ya said it once already Pinkie, just be glad I kept ya from sayin' it twice.” Applejack explained.

Rarity, who had been holding herself aloof from the Pinkie spawned turmoil, chose that moment to intervene. “Pinkie my dear, as I understand it, 'stoolie' is a slang term for a stool pigeon. I know you didn't mean to hurt Owlowiscious' feelings, but you did, and quite badly.

“It would be like somepony calling you a− a−”

Rarity's mind raced, every creature she thought of using as an example was sure to bring a pleased smile to Pinkie's face. Suddenly she had it, the perfect and only possible example.

“−a Party-Pooper!” Rarity finished her sentence.

Pinkie's blue eye's irised open as wide as they could go, accompanied by the sharp inhalation of her breath. “A Party-Pooper? Nooooooooo!” Pinkie's wail of anguish rent the air, startling ponies throughout the town square.

Even Mayor Mare poked her head out of her office window, trying to discern if some new threat to the town of Ponyville was looming. As soon as she saw Pinkie, lowered down onto her stifle joints with forelegs dramatically raised up into the air she gave a sniff and retreated back into her office. “Just Pinkie being Pinkie.” she murmured to herself.

Rarity waited patiently for Pinkie's histrionics to end. “Ahem, as I was saying Pinkie, you really hurt Owlowiscious' feelings. You really need to apologize to him.”

Nodding sadly, Pinkie got up onto her hooves and walked several paces towards the owl and stopped. Owlowiscious still had his back to her. With her head lowered down Pinkie began to apologize. “I'm sorry Owlowiscious, I got really carried away with something that I saw in a movie. I didn't know that a stoolie was a pigeon. I didn't even know that being called a pigeon was an insult to Owls.

“But I'm really really sorry that I did say those things. I never wanted to make you sad. Can you forgive me? I Pinkie Promise it'll never ever happen again.”

Owlowiscious turned around and laid a wing on Pinkie Pie's head. “Hoo.” he said.

Fluttershy broke out in a broad smile. “He forgives you Pinkie.”

Pinkie nuzzled Owlowiscious and began to smile again, “In fact,” Pinkie raised her head and took a deep breath, “to show you how happy I am that you forgave me, I'm going to give you a Part-umpfghh!”

Whatever Pinkie had been about to say was again muffed by the presence of Applejack's hoof.

“Now what did we all agree on before Pinkie? No parties while we're still waiting to find out what happened to Twilight. And I think Owlowiscious might feel the same way 'bout that as the rest of us.

“Fluttershy,” Applejack redirected the conversation, “ya were sayin' somethin' about Owlowiscious wantin' ta get our attention?”

“Hoo.” interjected the bird.

“Um yes, Owlowiscious says he has something to tell us.”

“Hoo. Hoo” Owlowiscious cranked his head around and directed his hoots towards Fluttershy.

“Oh my, I didn't know you were there with us at the library last night.” Fluttershy responded.

“The poor darling,” murmured Rarity, “he must be heartbroken over Twilight.”

“I'm so sorry you were left behind Owlowiscious, we were all so upset that none of us even remembered you−” Fluttershy began, only to be interrupted.

“Hoo.”

“Um? You were'nt upset at being left behind at the library? I don't understand.” Confusion was written upon Fluttershy's face.

“What?” called out Pinkie and Rarity together. “Didn' ya care 'bout Twilight?” was Applejack's plaint. Rainbow however simply glowered at the bird.

“Hoo. Hoo-Hoo. Hoo-Hoo. Hoo.” Owlowiscious must have made quite the speech because Fluttershy sat down suddenly on her haunches. She blinked her eyes several times but did not say anything.

“Fluttershy my dear, what did he say?” prompted Rarity.

Fluttershy turned to face the others. “He says that he heard the Princesses' order. That no one was to disturb the room where Twilight disappeared. So he took it upon himself to keep watch all night long. Making sure that nopony, not even a mouse, would disturb it.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash's hoof pounded the air, as she forgot her angry glower of a few seconds ago. “Now that's something I can really respect. Way to go Owlowiscious.”

Owlowiscious turned his head to Rainbow Dash and acknowledged her praise with a slight nod.

“Wow! That's super terri-riffic.” exclaimed Pinkie.

“Oh that was so brave and noble of you.” gushed Rarity.

“Ah figure ya really do care 'bout Twilight. She'd be right proud ah ya.” declared Applejack.

However Fluttershy did not speak, and for once the others noticed the absence of her voice.

“Fluttershy, Darling, is there something the matter? You're so quiet.” asked Rarity.

Fluttershy let out a nervous breath, “Owlowiscious said that while he was keeping watch something strange happened.”

“What!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, shooting six feet up into the air. “Did somepony break in and mess with the room? When I get my hooves on them I'll− Ahhh!” Rainbow gasped in sudden pain and dropped heavily out of the air, her wings held at full extension and canted at odd angles.

Fluttershy turned to the cyan mare and scolded her, “Rainbow Dash! You know that you shouldn't even be thinking of flying in your condition. You've just set your recovery back by a full day.”

Rainbow was visibly wincing as she slowly attempted to fold up her wings again. Sighing glumly she replied, “Yeah, I know, I know. It's just that I gotta do something to help find Twilight.”

Pinkie giggled. “Oh Dashie, we all feel that way.”

“Sure thing sugarcube, we know how ya feel. When they catch the pony what gave Twilight that book I'm kinda hopin' that ah get a chance ta buck the apples right out'a their family tree, if'n ya know what ah mean.” Applejack finished her speech with a hard glower, her ears were pinned back hard against the nape of her neck and her tail was swishing menacingly.

Silence descended upon the group as they contemplated the depth of Applejack's anger. Although in Pinkie's case she was thinking about what Applejack would do if the family tree in question was a Pear tree.

Pinkie's question was never uttered however as Owlowiscious took the brief silence for an opportunity to continue his narrative.

“Hoo! Hoo-Hoo!”

Pinkie was the first to answer, “Come on Fluttershy, tell us what Owlowiscious is saying.”

Pinkie's comment re-focused the attention of the group back onto Fluttershy who shied back, not caring for the sudden attention.

“Um, Owlowiscious says to tell the bl− ahh− I mean Rainbow Dash, that nopony disturbed the library last night. But Owlowiscious did see something glowing in the room where Twilight vanished.”

“Pffht! Something glowing? That's it?” Feeling let down by the absence of any physical intruder, Rainbow Dash dismissed Owlowiscious' report.

“Hoo!” was the reply made back to the rainbow-maned mare.

“Umm, he says there were lots of glowing objects.” Fluttershy translated faithfully.

“Hoo!-Hoo!−”

“And that they would get brighter and darker−”

“Hoo!-Hoo!” Owlowiscious ruffled his wings and settled back, having said his piece.”

“But not all were glowing at the same time.”

“Ooooh. I want to see the glowy things!” Pinkie enthused, “Maybe they're ghosts!”

Pinkie’s comment served to re-ignite Rainbow Dash's interest again. “Ghosts! Yeah! Maybe I can punch me some ghosts and make them tell us where Twilight is.”

Applejack took up the task of reigning in the combative mare, “Ya do know Rainbow, that ya can't lay a hoof on any ghost. 'Sides, I don't think it were any ghosts involved. Princess Celestia's already told us that it was the book's magic what done pulled Twilight into it.”

“No ghosts?” Pinkie's lower lip quivered.

“Indeed not,” answered Rarity, “but perhaps the glow is from some residual magic, from whatever spell took away our Twilight.” Rarity paused to think. “As loath as I am to give up my beauty sleep, I think I will need to spend the night in the library and see this glow for myself and then send a report to the Princesses. It's the least I can do for Twilight.”

“That's a right fine idea Rarity. And ah'm joinin' ya.” announced Applejack. “That way I can keep ya from accesorizin' the whole library.”

“What! A lady would never dream of violating another ponies belonging's much less their home. And I am a lady.” Rarity ended her speech with her muzzle elevated and her head cocked to the side, the perfect picture of elegant outrage.

She held this position for a second and then snorted, releasing her pose. “But I do confess that I might be tempted, just a little, to redecorate Twilight's abode. Thank you Applejack, I would be ever so glad to have you accompany me.”

“Hey!” announced Rainbow Dash. “Count me in. I'm coming with you.”

“Yer welcome to come Rainbow, but ya know ya don't need ta be there. It'll probably jus' be somethin' really boring.”

Rainbow caught Applejack's gaze. “I know Applejack, but if spending the night at the library, on the off chance that it might help Twilight is something that I can do, then I'm gonna do it. I need to do it.”

Rainbow looked down and kicked glumly at the grass under her feet, “Besides, I'm kinda grounded right now. I can't even fly up to my own home and sleep in my own bed.”

“Oh, uh, you're welcome to sleep at my house Rainbow. If you want.” Fluttershy interjected softly, a hopeful look on her face.

“Thanks Fluttershy,” replied Rainbow Dash, “but I'm staying at the library tonight.” Fluttershy retreated, now with a sad look on her face.

Pinkie had been watching the interplay between her friends. Suddenly she stiffened up and quivered excitedly.

“Ooh. Ooh I have an idea. Why don't we all come and have a SLEEPOVER!” Pinkie screamed the last word ecstatically.

“Pinkie, ah tol' ya that we ain't havin no parties.”

“Well duh.” Pinkie retorted, “I know that. But if you and Rarity and Dashie are going to spend the night at the library then Fluttershy and I should come along as well.”

“Oh I couldn't─” began Fluttershy.

“Oh Fluttershy, you're just being silly. Of course you need to come,” chirped Pinkie, “didn't you tell us that you didn't sleep at all last night? What if it happens again and you miss another night's sleep, that would be two night's without any sleep, and if you missed the night after that, that would make it three nights and if-you-missed-the-night-after-that-it-would-be-four-nights-and-before-you-know-it-you-might-never-ever-sleep-again-and-that-would-be-bad-because-sleeping-is-great-and-you-would'nt-want-to-miss-something-great.”

Surprisingly it was Rainbow who supported Pinkie's argument. “Pinkie's right everypony. Fluttershy, wouldn't you feel a lot better spending the night with all of your friends rather than try sleeping alone again?”

The reminder of her previous night's ordeal was sufficient to convince the butter colored mare, “Oh, uh, yes. I would like to join you at the library, that is, if you don't mind.” Fluttershy retreated shyly behind her pink locks.

“Then it’s settled.” Rarity spoke authoritatively. “Let's all meet back at the library an hour before dark. Bring your own bedding and pillows everypony, we'll be sleeping on the -ugh- floor in the main library so as not to disturb anything.

“We are already bending the Princesses' command by being there; we certainly don't want to give Princess Celestia any cause to be truly disappointed with us.”

Author's Note

(1) 'Thestrals and Luna's Guard': I deliberately chose to eliminate 'Thestrals', 'Bat Ponies', 'Vamponies', what have you, from my concept of the MLP universe.
a) I offer my opinion that those creatures we saw in the Second Season episode “Luna Eclipsed” were only two Pegasi disguised by a spell. This spell was probably developed by the Royal Guard as an alternate uniform for Nightmare Night guard duty. At a guess, the Unicorn Guards and Earth Ponies are probably spelled to appear as mummies or some such.
b) The MLP TV series only teaches that there are three basic races/types of ponies, not four. And that fact sort of denies that 'Thestrals' are a race.
c) I did not count the Alicorns in the previous point because they are a sort of combo deal, and it’s pretty clear that the combo does not include any 'Thestral' features.
d) Any thought that Princess Luna would physically transform her guards into such creatures makes her out to be a cruel and disturbing monster. Not at all the kind of pony a prior holder of three Elements of Harmony would be.
e) Besides all that, it's a personal thing. I truly despise and reject the very concept of 'vampires' in any way, shape or form, even when used as villains I reject them.

(2) Instances where Celestia singes her pillows are extremely rare and the Royal staff are trained to look for scorch-marks and to destroy any such pillows`.
Interestingly, there is a story of how one such pillow, the first one, was smuggled out of the Palace, becoming a collector's item. The story goes on to say that the pillow was eventually destroyed in a mysterious fire.
No pony knows if the story is true or not and no pony has had the temerity to ask Celestia about it.
Telling this story to the new recruits is however the pleasure and privelege of the older guards.

(3) 'Schorl': Also known as Black Tourmaline. I had to look this one up on the web.

(4) 'Lunite': A deep blue crystal known here on Earth as Benitoite. Again something I looked up on the web. Because this gem is very rare on Earth (it only comes from one place in the world), I think the Equestrians found and named it before we humans ever did.

(5) 'occult': I used this word in its scientific meaning. It's a fancy word meaning 'hidden'. When a doctor asks for an 'Occult Stool' he/she is referring to a test to detect the presence of blood 'hidden' within a patients stool sample.

(6) 'dropping the eves': Luna is not quite conversant with the modern word 'evesdropping'. Though she does have fun expressing it in the way that she does.

(7) 'Pidgeon is an insult': to an Owl. Much as is the ponies use the word 'Mule' as a mild put-down. However the divide between the predatory birds and non-predatory birds is much more distinct. To call an 'Owl' a 'pidgeon' is to basically refute its entire existence.

Whew! Writing for Princess Celestia and Luna was much harder than I ever expected.
They basically gave me the worst case of Writers Block I have yet experienced.

I admit it, I do like to goof off for a week between each chapter and in this case I let that grow to something like three weeks. But after that I assure you, it was the 'block'.

I you are interested how I developed my characterization of Celestia and Luna, check out my most recent blog.

On the positive side, I finally get to release my new cover art. Thanks Void Heart.

14. Mike

Riding in the truck with Mike, Twilight observed the passing scenery with great interest. She had not been able to observe very much during their outing of the previous evening. It had been too dark and her argument with Mike about cosmology had been distracting.

From the moment the truck had left the house, it appeared to be traveling on a gravel road. Twilight noted with interest, not that she was any expert in such matters, how smooth and broad it was. Equestrian roads typically became rutted by all the cart traffic. But there was no sign of any ruts in this road.

Ooof. There aren't any ruts in the road but they sure do have holes in them.

“Why are there holes in the road?” she asked.

“Those are called potholes. They are formed when a section of the road's surface gets weakened by pooling water. The weight of passing vehicles displaces material, starting a hole. Over time the hole increases in size.”

Twilight wrote down the information in her notepad. There was no chance that she would ever leave the notepad behind.

The truck reached the cross road she remembered they had come to last night. As it made the expected left hand turn Twilight noted how this road surface was different from the gravel road.

“This road is different from the one we just on. It's a lot smoother. And am I seeing lines painted on the road?” she exclaimed.

“It's still basically the same as the last road.” Mike answered. “Only now they've added an asphalt cap on top of the gravel base. The lines are used to inform vehicles when it is unsafe to attempt to pass another vehicle.”

“Asphalt? Unsafe?” she asked.

“Asphalt is a name we have for a crude form of pitch. What you see on the road here is a mixture of asphalt and gravel-”

Pitch I know about. It's a byproduct from burning wood to make charcoal. They must have used quite a lot of wood to be able to 'cap' this entire road.

Twilight did not pursue that issue. In truth she was not all that interested in the construction of roads. The passing scenery was too distracting.

Mike however, continued answering her questions. “-If you study the lines, you might notice that they are broken when you have a sufficient line of sight to be able to see oncoming traffic, should you be attempting to pass a vehicle in front of you. A solid line simply means 'do not cross', though that may be due to a variety of reasons.”

It's hard to imagine why they need such a system. Just stay out of the way of the other 'vehicles'. Twilight concluded, though she did begin observing the lines on the road, trying to verify Mike's words.

The mystery of the lines was soon revealed however. Their truck was just cresting a hill, when another vehicle coming from the opposite direction crested the hill as well. Within seconds both vehicles passed each other at a fairly high speed. Twilight suddenly saw the wisdom behind the road lines.

After they had passed the hill they found themselves passing between stands of what looked like pine trees. As they progressed further, the trees fell away revealing open fields interspersed with occasional sets of buildings.

Are these farms? Twilight wondered, observing a common pattern in the layout. A house, rather similar to Mike's house, was always situated closest to the highway. Then, further back, were several larger outbuildings.

Is Mike a farmer? He did mention something about growing up on a farm. Twilight looked over at him but he seemed to be fully engrossed with controlling the truck.

“Mike?” Twilight asked, drawing his attention. “Tell me about yourself.

“I mean, here I am, a pony that you've given a place to stay. You've cared for me, fed me and given me a bed to sleep in. Mike, you have repeatedly made promises to help me and I thank you for all of that. But I really know nothing about you at all.”

Mike drew in a breath and blew it out again. He lifted his right hand off of the mushroom, brushing it through his mane.

“That's a pretty boring subject Twilight. I'm sure that you don't-”

“Please Mike!” Twilight interrupted him. “Please tell me something about yourself.”

“Well... I really don't know where to start.” He blew another breath through pursed lips.

“How about you tell me what you do. You must have a special talent. Everypony does.”

“I─ I can't say that I do. I don't have any particular talent Twilight.”

“What do you mean you don't have any particular talent? You have a Cutie Mark don't you?”

“Cue-Tee mark? What's that?” Mike brought the truck to a stop in the middle of the road. Hanging suspended up in the air above the front of Mike's truck, Twilight saw a peculiar device with three circles on it, one of them was glowing red.

“A Cutie Mark! You know one of these...” Twilight used her left foreleg to place a hoof on her left flank. Mike glanced over.

“Oh that! Well I just thought that you had some kind of body art Twilight. And no, I've never been inclined towards getting myself tattooed.”

“That statement makes no sense whatsoever Mike. What do you mean 'you’re not inclined towards getting tat-too-ed, if that's what you call getting your Cutie Marks?”

Twilight noticed that the light overhead had suddenly changed. The red circle had gone dark; instead a different circle was glowing green. Mike started the truck moving forward again. Is Mike moving the truck according to those lights overhead? A part of her brain questioned.

“Well Twilight, I’m perfectly happy with my unadorned body. Besides getting a tattoo is said to be painful and carries with it a risk of contracting some nasty infection or disease.”

Mike's statement gave Twilight pause. Painful? Risk of disease? What-

“What exactly are you talking about Mike? Are we even talking about the same thing? This discussion feels a bit like the one we had on cosmology.”

“What do you mean Twilight? I was just saying that I didn't want to get a─ what did you call it, a cue-tee mark?”

“That's exactly it Mike. From what you said, I don't think a Cutie Mark and a tat-too are the same thing at all. What exactly is this tat-too thing you mentioned?”

Mike gave her a startled glance; coincidentally Twilight felt the truck swerve slightly. Um, perhaps I should have asked Mike to stop the truck, like he did last night. I'm starting to see how a distraction can cause─ problems.

Mike must have felt the truck swerve as well because he quickly turned his attention back to the road.

“A tattoo, Twilight, is a process whereby ink is injected subcutaneously under the skin. It involves, hundreds, no thousands of closely spaced needle pricks which pierce the skin and drag colored ink below the skin's surface.

“When completed, an image has been embedded into the subject’s skin. It’s a painful process and infections are a common occurrence. Unscrupulous tattoo artists, who do not properly sterilize their equipment, have been known to spread life threatening diseases from client to client.”

Twilight shuddered. “Thousands of pricks with a needle? Ugh, why would anypony subject themselves to that?” she asked plaintively.

“Well, it's called body art. People use it to express themselves and send non-verbal signals through the use of imagery. Teenagers especially get tattoos in the mistaken belief that it will help them to define themselves.”

Body art? Imagery to send non-verbal signals...

“Wait. You said earlier that you thought my Cutie Mark was body art. What exactly did you think it meant?” Twilight was curious as to how Mike viewed her.

“Well, to tell you the truth Twilight, I thought it was an attempt to attract the attention of the opposite gender, 'Hey look at my cute flanks'. Or is 'haunches' the prop-”

“WHAAAAT!” Twilight shrieked in mortification. The truck swerved again as her outburst startled Mike. Fortunately he was bringing the truck to a stop in front of another red light at the time.

Twilight could feel her entire face burning with the heat of a massive flush. Looking over at Mike, she saw that he appeared surprised at her reaction.

“Mike! That is not what my Cutie Mark means!”

“I'm sorry-” he began to say, but Twilight trampled over his words as she continued talking.

“A Cutie Mark appears on a pony's flank when he or she discovers that certain something which makes them different from every other pony.” Twilight quoted from a well-known speech given by Princess Celestia some four hundred and thirty two years previous. The speech was so famous that it had even become part of the school curriculum on Cutie Marks.

Twilight continued, adding her own thoughts, “A Cutie Mark shows everypony that you have found your path in life. For some, that may be finding that they have a special talent or skill, like my friend Rainbow Dash who is probably the fastest pony in all of Equestria.

“For others, it may show that they have found that place where they need to be, like my friend Applejack who runs Sweet Apple Acres and devotes herself to making it a thriving business.

“Sometimes a Cutie mark may show that a pony possesses a special character attribute, like my friend Pinkie who has a buoyant and lighthearted attitude. Her greatest desire in life is to see everypony smile.

“Um, the light is green.” Twilight paused in the middle of her rant to reminded Mike, pointing up at the mysterious device overhead. He had gotten so focused on her little speech that he appeared to have had forgotten where they were.

“Oh. Right. Thanks Twilight...” Mike said, even as the truck started moving forward again. Twilight noted that there was now another vehicle following behind them.

“I'm sorry for having made assumptions about you Twilight. That was highly inappropriate on my part.”

I think I'll forgive him that comment about my Cutie Mark. He didn’t know what it was, and he does pay such good attention to what I am saying. I like that about Mike.

Mike spoke again. “So I gather that this cue-tee mark carries a great deal of significance in your society. How are they applied? Is the process similar in any way to our tattoos?”

“You're making assumptions again Mike. A Cutie Mark is magical. It suddenly appears when a pony discovers that certain something in them. It's nothing like your tat-toos. It is neither chosen by the recipient nor is it given by any other pony. It simply appears.”

“Wow. So you are saying that every pony discovers something special about themselves and that they get one of those marks to show it? All I can say is that we humans have nothing like it. We just muddle through life, not knowing if what we are doing is the best thing or not.”

Twilight was shocked at what Mike was implying. Did he live in a society where no one knew what made them unique?

“Yes Mike, every pony has their Cutie Mark. So what you told me earlier, that you 'don't have any particular talent'...”

“I meant just that Twilight. Oh, there are some people who are born with a fantastic aptitude in some endeavor, such as music or sports, or even socializing. But most people are just ordinary beings without any special aptitude for anything at all.

“Speaking of aptitudes, I suppose that I do have one. I discovered that I loved reading at quite an early age, but so have many others; it’s nothing which makes me unique. No, we humans must spend years in school developing our general knowledge and perhaps practicing some skill we may have chosen to acquire.”

Twilight noted that they drove straight past another one of those funny overhead lights. It was showing green however.

“The truly sad part, Twilight, is that we sometimes don't discover that we made a mistake in our choices until years have passed by. And by then it is often too late. It is often too expensive both in terms of time and money to learn a different skill set.”

That's so sad, to waste a part of your life chasing after a path in life, only to find out that you’re on the wrong path. Twilight blinked her eyes, surprised to discover that a few tears had found their way into them.

She looked over at Mike. “What about you Mike? What skills have you learned? Have you found your path in life?”

Mike did not answer immediately. Twilight was hesitant to press him for an answer. The silence dragged out. Eventually the human spoke.

“I don't know Twilight. I drifted through several subjects when I was going to University. I started out hoping to become a scientist, eventually I ended up with a degree as an electrical engineer. But it was difficult to find work in my chosen field, so I ended up taking a job as a computer programmer.

“It's funny though. Even though I ended up in a field that's vastly different from where I first saw myself as being, I do enjoy the work. Maybe, by chance, I have found my path in life. And then again, maybe I haven't, it's just something that I don't find too objectionable.”

Twilight simply did not know what to make of Mike's statement.

He has no Cutie Mark. And he does not even know if he's even found his path in life. How can anyone live that way? Twilight felt herself growing frustrated at how little she could do about Mike's situation. I think it’s time to change the subject.

“What's your job like? You said you were a computer 'pro-grammar'? Arrgh! That phrase makes absolutely no sense! I thought you said that computers cannot comprehend speech, but your job involves promoting grammar to computers?”

Mike laughed. “The word is programmer, which is a word for 'a person who writes programs'.”

“Oh like those 'programs' you had on your computer. Well that makes a lot more sense.”

Twilight was smitten by curiosity. “What's it like? Writing programs I mean. You said you like doing it.”

“Yes I do. I find it simultaneously both stimulating and relaxing

“The stimulating part comes when you do the analysis and design for the new program. Making sure you have identified all of the program requirements. During the design phase, you might get to address difficult and obscure data manipulation problems, as you attempt to find effective and elegant solutions. Sometimes you might spend days thinking about some problem. The flash of insight, when it comes, is so rewarding it makes me feel like singing and dancing right then and there.”

Twilight smiled, imagining Mike doing just that. She noted that they had passed several more green lights.

“Then after all the analysis and design work, come the days and weeks of coding. I find this to be the relaxing part, where you turn your intellectual creation into tangible software.”

Twilight frowned. Soft-ware? What's that?

Mike continued. “Day by day the program grows, pieces being added to it as you write the code for its component parts. Each part needs to be tested. If some part is not working the way you envisioned it, you make revisions to the code and soon it starts working as expected.”

Suddenly, Twilight saw the light they were approaching turn─ yellow? Mike began slowing down the truck. Within a few seconds the light had turned red. The truck was now stopped in the leftmost lane.

Mike smiled. “You know, Twilight, I enjoy the coding so much that I have a little fantasy that I indulge in. I imagine myself as being a modern-day equivalent to an old-style blacksmith who stands in front of his forge, hammering away at his metal, shaping it into the form he desires. But in my fantasy, the forge is my computer, and instead of metal I’m hammering on the software. If something about the software is not correct I edit it, which is metaphorically akin to 'whacking' it with my 'hammer'.”

Twilight listened with interest to Mike's metaphor. She was also observing a steady stream of vehicles crossing the road in front of them. Looking to the side she noticed that the cross traffic had their own set of lights, and that theirs was green. Suddenly the red and green lights made sense to Twilight.

“Finally, at the end of the project, you get to reveal your intellectual child, and watch proudly as it metaphorically takes its first few steps.”

It sounds to me like Mike has found his path in life, even if he doesn't have a Cutie Mark. She felt happy for him.

“It sounds like you are really enjoying your work Mike.” Twilight stated with a smile. “Though you used a word I did not understand. What is soft-ware?"

As Twilight waited for Mike's answer, she watched avidly as the cross-traffic's light turned yellow. She noted that some of the traffic immediately slowed down and came to a stop, while other vehicles appeared to speed up. Some of them did not make it through before their light became red.

Now that's just wrong. She thought. The red light means they should be stopped, and I see that our light is now green. Something bad could have happened. Why is Mike not concerned?

“Software. A word used to describe the body of instructions that a computer performs. In other words, a program. You can think of the hardware as the physical part of the computer and the software as the program or programs the computer is running.”

'But I like to think of it this way. Hardware is a word which describes a physically tangible object. And software is a word used to describe tangible objects, the programs, which are not actually physically present.”

Mike had advanced his truck into the intersection but waited for the oncoming vehicles to pass, before turning left.

“I think there is something wrong with your explanation.” Twilight argued. “Tangible means something perceptible by touch. If it's not physically present it can't be touched.”

“I see what you mean. However, in a computer, a body of data can be properly thought of as an object. Would you be willing to stretch your definition of 'tangible object' to include touching and manipulating that object by means of a mouse pointer?”

“Oh I see.’Software'...” Twilight considered the word, realizing now that it was one single word. “I think I like that word. A name for the parts of the machine, the programs, which are tangible, yet are without physical existence.” She wrote down the new information in her notebook.

The rest of the drive was silent. Twilight entertained herself by trying to puzzle out the meanings of the various roadside signs.

A few minutes later, they had apparently reached their destination. Twilight looked out upon a sea of carriages as Mike drove slowly through their ranks. The sheer number of carriages, and the occasional truck, implied to her the presence of humans, lots of humans. It made Twilight feel uneasy to be in the vicinity of so many carnivores.

There's no reason I should be feeling nervous. There's no way they are going to see through my disguise. Take deep breaths... Calm down... Twilight quietly began the calming exercises that Cadence had taught her.

“Why are you driving in circles?” she asked in an effort to distract herself from her feelings.

“I'm looking for a space where I can park my truck. But it looks as if we arrived too late in the day.”

“Why are there so many of these carriages here. Is this normal?” she asked, again prompted by her feelings of uneasiness.

“No Twilight, this situation is not normal. All these cars are here because everybody is trying to get in their last minute shopping before Christmas. I was afraid this would happen.”

They're called cars, the not-trucks are called cars. Twilight shifted her focus onto that tidbit of information. I wonder if 'car' is short for ‘carriage’?

“I think I see a spot!” Mike crowed out suddenly. The truck accelerated sharply. Even as she felt herself being pressed back into the seat, Twilight noticed that another car was rapidly approaching from the other direction. Apparently it too had designs on the same parking spot.

It was plain to Twilight that the other car would arrive at the same time as Mike. Unhappily she realized that she was caught in the middle of a contention over a parking space.

Humans are carnivores after all, and carnivores will fight over scraps. Twilight prepared herself for the worst. Her feelings of uneasiness intensified.

Twilight was pleasantly surprised however when Mike brought his truck to a stop, graciously allowing the other car to reach the parking space first. It was plain to Twilight that the other car had made no such concession, continuing its race forwards to claim the prize.

“Why did you stop?” Twilight asked. Observing the other car slow down abruptly as it finally reached the parking spot.

“I let him have it. I saw that we would have both reached it at the same time, and from there we would only have argued.” They observed the car ahead of them as it slowly turned into the parking spot.

Mike continued. “I find it better to spend my time searching for another spot rather than engaging in a fruitless argument─ what is that guy doing?” The source of Mike's exasperation was apparent as they watched the other vehicle repeatedly back out of the parking spot and then attempt to re-enter it again. On each attempt the other vehicle was only able to enter the parking spot half way.

“I think the parking spot is too small for him, but he's either not too bright or he's very stubborn.” Mike commented on the scene in front of them.

I think Mike handled this situation perfectly, avoiding conflict and acting peacefully. Twilight was looking thoughtfully at Mike, his actions had left her feeling calm and relieved.

He doesn't behave like a carnivore at all. I think I feel safe with him and I shouldn't have any worries about being around other humans.

Eventually, the driver of the other vehicle came to the same conclusion about the parking spot Mike had reached a full minute earlier. The other car backed out for the final time, aligned itself with the parking lane and shot forward with an audible squeal of its tires, accelerating rapidly towards them.

As the other car passed them by, the driver was revealed to be a jowly woman with flaming red hair. Her face held an angry expression and she was apparently shouting something at them. She held up a clenched fist, out of which emerged a lone finger.

I wonder what she was doing with her hand. Was it some form of greeting between passing vehicles? Probably not, she seemed angry.

“Why was she so angry at us?” Twilight asked in a small voice, with her ears folded back. Twilight was rather sensitive to outbursts of anger.

Mike started moving the truck forwards.

“That Twilight was an example of a selfish and childish individual. Always ready to blame everyone but themselves for their own shortcomings. Instead of admitting to her mistake, she found some way to lay the blame, and her anger upon us.” Mike replied even as his attention was drawn towards the abandoned parking spot. “It’s quite easy to see that that parking spot is too small for either of our vehicles. She should have recognized that immediately, and not even bothered trying to park there.”

As they drove slowly past, Twilight looked at the parking spot. Where each vehicle should have been parked neatly between two lines, one of the adjoining cars had parked itself diagonally, intruding a good two feet into the empty parking spot. The car on the opposite side, though it was parked straight, was parked right up against the line separating it from the empty spot.

“Wait!” Twilight called out. “I'm sure we can park there.”

“Now Twilight, I just told you that that space is too small for my truck.”

“Please Mike. Just hear me out.” She pleaded. “I can move those two cars and make plenty of room for your truck.”

“What? That's not possible Twilight. Those cars weigh up to two tons─ each.” Mike's voice was a little loud, suggesting he was alarmed by her suggestion.

“That's really not a problem Mike, I can do it. Do you trust me?” she asked.

That last question silenced Mike’s protestations. When he spoke again, it was with a much quieter voice, “Are you sure Twilight? Can you really do this? I wouldn't want you to strain yourself.”

“Trust me; I've handled much heavier objects than those cars.”

It's just the truth. She thought. Though I hope Mike doesn’t think I'm boasting.

“Alright Twilight, let me just move the truck back a bit, to give you a better view.” Mike put the truck into reverse and backed them up until they had a good view of the parking space through the front window.

Mike made a show of looking around. “Okay, I don't see anybody around here. Do your thing Twilight.”

Twilight immediately began to focus her magic upon the two cars. A bright light shone forth from her horn and her brow furrowed as she brought forth and maintained an intense concentration of magic.

The familiar rosy glow surrounded both vehicles as they rose about two hooves into the air. Twilight was surprised when the wheels protruded downwards from the vehicles, allowing them to maintain firm contact with the ground.

She focused a little harder, increasing the magic's concentration and its gradient, which resulted in both vehicles being lifted up by another two hooves. She was rewarded with the sight of two cars floating in mid-air, their wheels dangling limply.

Twilight could hear Mike's hiss as he drew in a breath. She didn't hear him exhale.

I knew I could lift those cars, but this is much easier than I expected, it's hardly an effort at all. Maybe it’s because I'm an Alicorn now.

Slowly, because the cars had a lot of mass, and she did not want to give them any troublesome momentum, Twilight moved the cars into their proper position between the white lines and lowered them back down to the ground.

The breath Mike had been holding in was suddenly released in one explosive exhale. In an instant Mike began moving his truck. It took mere seconds for the truck to slip into the just cleared parking spot in one smooth motion.

“That─ was─ amazing! Woo-Hoo!” he shouted, startling Twilight. “I've always wanted to put those ignorant parkers in their place. That's showing them Twilight!” he turned to her with a broad grin on his face.

A matching smile formed on her face as well. “Heh. I guess I literally did 'put them in their place', didn't I?”

“You sure did. And you probably saved us half an hour of searching. Come on lets go shopping.”

As they came away from the truck, a car passed them by. It was the same jowly woman from before, still searching for her own parking spot. The sight of their truck neatly parked in the same spot that she had been forced to abandon earlier was apparently too much for her. She was gesticulating wildly and they could hear muffled screaming coming from inside her car as she hurriedly drove past.

“Mike? She did that gesture again, the one with the finger. What does it mean?”

“Trust me Twilight. You don't want to know that.”

“Oh.” Twilight reconsidered her speculations about the gesture. “Was it something rude?”

“Very. Let's just leave it at that.”

“I'm sorry for the long walk Twilight. It's just that it was not possible to park any closer to the store.”

Long walk? Mike thinks this is a long walk? I walk further to get to the market in Ponyville every day. She mused.

“It's not a problem Mike. I'm used to taking much longer strolls than this every day. In fact, if I sit around your house much longer I will need to start exercising.”

“Exercising, hmm.” Mike replied. “I could do with a bit of that myself.” He patted his abdomen a few times. “Though this is a really bad season for outdoor activities. This time of the year, we humans mostly find ways to exercise indoors.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all if you came with me for some walks Mike.” Twilight was a little surprised at herself. She wasn't sure where that statement had come from.

“Not making any promises Twilight, but I think I would like that.” he replied.

I had better shut up before I surprise myself again. Was Twilight's thought to herself.

As they had been talking they finally approached the entrance to something which labeled itself as
a 'SuperStore'. Twilight was slightly apprehensive as she observed the growing numbers of humans. Some were entering the building. Others were making their way out, pushing strange carts in front of themselves.

Mike made his way inside, Twilight following close behind. She observed with interest, how the doors opened of their own accord as they approached. It almost seemed as if someone was using magic to open the doors for them, though she knew from Mike's statements that humans had no magic.

Mike had procured one of the strange carts from a large alcove off to the side of the door. Twilight hastened to follow behind him as he made his way through a second set of magic doors. After passing through the doors Mike made his way over to a clear space, off to the side.

As she came through the doors Twilight was stunned by all the sights, smells and noises which assaulted her senses. The milling humans, each one pushing a cart, made her feel much more anxious.

“Excuse me? Would you mind not standing in the doorway?” The voice of a polite older mare pushing a laden cart towards the doorway helped Twilight to come out of her stunned daze.

“Sorry!” Twilight exclaimed, flashing an apologetic smile at the mare. Quickly she walked over to where Mike was waiting. She started her deep breathing exercises, attempting to regain her calm.

“What's wrong Twilight? You appear to be disturbed?”

“It's so─ so─ busy in here. All these humans, their voices, the smells, it's quite overwhelming.” She took a longer sniff and grimaced. “I smell blood too. There's meat in here, isn't there?”

“Unfortunately, yes. But I've planned our route to avoid those sections, so at least you won't have to look at any of it. Is that acceptable Twilight?”

“Yes. I think I can manage; the smell is not too strong. Do you mind if I stay close Mike? All these humans, carnivores, make me uneasy.”

Mike appeared surprised at her statement. “Of course you can Twilight, if it makes you feel better.

“But you shouldn't be afraid of people in that way. Even if you were here without your disguise, probably not a single one of these people would dream of attacking you. And they certainly would not have any intent of eating you. In reality you would start a mass panic and they would all run away screaming.”

“Really? They would run away screaming?” Twilight's expression was one of wry disbelief.

“Seriously. Most of these people would be thinking and screaming 'Help! There's a wild animal loose in the store! Somebody do something!’ Some few of the children, not having learned caution around animals will be going 'Mommy, I want to see the doggy!' or pony or whatever they think you are.”

Twilight frowned, trying to imagine such a reaction from all these humans.

I'll have to admit, that's pretty much how us ponies would react if a strange animal suddenly appeared. Twilight thought.

Mike continued. “But here's the real danger. Eventually the police would arrive in response to the commotion, and they would be obligated to 'do something'. The most likely scenario I can imagine is that you are captured and sequestered by the authorities for 'scientific study'.”

“The po-leece?” Twilight asked nervously.

“That's the name we use for our officers of the peace. People who are charged with the duty of maintaining law and order-”

They sound like Celestia’s guards.

“- and they do deserve our respect. But in your case Twilight, they would be more or less duty-bound to capture you and remove you from the public, all in the interests of preserving the peace.”

“I see.” She said uneasily. She shuffled closer to Mike, unconsciously seeking the comfort of a friend.

Mike stooped down suddenly and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a brief hug about her shoulders. “Don't worry Twilight. I'll keep you from getting into any trouble like that.” he whispered from somewhere near her left ear.

The hug, brief as it had been was just what she needed. Twilight could feel herself growing calmer again.

“Thanks Mike. So─ shouldn't we be trying to find some food?” she asked.

“Right. We'll Twilight, my plan is to avoid the far back wall of the store. That's where most of the meat is kept. I imagine you would not want to see any of that.

“So, along this wall and among those stands, is where the fresh produce is kept. Well start here...”

Two hours later Mike and Twilight came out of the so called 'SuperStore'. Mike was pushing a cart, well laden with groceries in front of him.

“Please tell me you don't have to go through all that every time you need to get some food.” Twilight grumbled to Mike.

“I'm sorry about that Twilight. I certainly didn't enjoy waiting over an hour in line any more than you did. And no, normally it's a much faster experience.”

It had taken them nearly an hour to locate every item (or a suitable substitute) on their shopping list. Mike was unfamiliar with many of the items necessitated by the new vegetarian menu, and they had spent a great deal of time searching through the aisles for them. Added to that was the problem of avoiding the blatant displays of meat in certain sections of the store.

At several points, in an effort to save time, Twilight had bravely volunteered to walk among the aisles of the dead. But Mike steadfastly declined her offers, he had seen how even the sight of a single package of meat in another shopper's cart had upset Twilight greatly.

The real delay had been due to another series of unfortunate events. First, as explained by their frazzled cashier, nearly a third of the staff had not shown up for work due to the aftereffects of the ice-storm. Next, the store had suffered a server failure, causing massive confusion at the checkout counters. For nearly half an hour, the scanners were off-line. In all probability the one person who looked after the computers had not made it in due to the ice-storm.

And lastly, it was the Christmas rush. Throwing nearly three times as many customers as were normally expected into this situation was a recipe for disaster.

As they began their trek back to the truck, Twilight commented to Mike, “I'm glad that's all over with. Shopping is so much easier in Ponyville.”

“Sorry to break the news to you like this Twilight, but we're not finished with all our shopping.”

“What!?” Twilight didn't quite shout her response, but it was close.

“But it's for you Twilight.” Mike's rebuttal left her confused.

“How do you figure that Mike? I don't need anything.”

“Well, I've noticed that your notebook is getting pretty full...”

OhMyGosh! It's two thirds full already! And I just started filling it this morning! Twilight felt a thrill of alarm coursing through her veins. I have to get more notebooks!

“Why yes, it is getting full.” Twilight's calm response belied her inner agitation. “It was certainly very thoughtful of you to notice that I needed more notebooks. If we have to do more shopping, I'll be happy to come with you.” Twilight said with a smile. In reality she was falling over herself to ensure she had a steady supply of notebooks.

“Um, where exactly do we need to go?” she asked in a coy manner.

“Well, the best place to get them is 'Staples', a store which sells office supplies and stationary. But it's located at the other end of the shopping mall.”

They finally arrived at Mike's truck and it took but a few moments to load the bags of groceries into the truck's rear seating area, especially with the aid of Twilight's magic.

“Are we going to take the truck to the other store?” she asked.

“On any normal day I would. But you saw how difficult it was to get this parking spot. No I plan on walking there. Come on, the first thing we have to do is return this cart.”

Twilight trotted up alongside Mike. Together they headed back to the grocery store. The prospect of a long walk did not bother her but the silence did.

“Mike. I asked you before if you could tell me about yourself, but we never finished that conversation. Could we maybe return to that topic?”

“I've told you before Twilight, that my life is a boring subject.”

“How can you possibly say that? How can any person possibly think that their life is boring?”

“Twilight, in my entire life no one has ever asked me for my story. And you know why? It's because I'm boring. I'm so boring that people even avoid me.” Mike sounded sad and slightly angry.

“Well I'm not a 'pee-pull', I'm a pony, and I am asking you because I am interested. Please, won't you tell me a little about yourself?”

Mike seemed to be debating with himself whether he should tell his story. Twilight recalled something he had said the previous day. “You said that you grew up on a farm. Why don't you start by telling me about that?”

“It wasn’t a real farm, more like a hobby farm.” Mike returned.

“A hobby farm?” She asked.

“Yeah. The name pretty much describes it. My parents bought a small farm, to indulge themselves in the 'pastoral life'. Perhaps they were nostalgic for the simpler life they experienced when they were children. Perhaps they did it for economic reasons; some things my father said led me to believe that jobs were scarce during that time. One thing you can say about living on a farm is that there's always plenty of food, if you’re willing to work for it.

Regardless, of why exactly they came to do it, we found ourselves living on a hobby farm. Nothing we had was sufficient to make the farm economically viable. We had fifty acres, four cows, two pigs, two dogs and numerous cats. For a while we even had a small herd of four sheep, but my dad got rid of them after the first spring.”

“Got rid of them? You don't mean-” Twilight was suddenly apprehensive over the fate of the sheep.

“It was nothing bad Twilight. My dad simply sold them to another farmer. The sheep had a tendency to destroy their pasture by grazing it too closely. With the pasture half devastated, we had to spend money to buy extra fodder for the other animals. And then when the sheep needed to be sheared─ let's just say it cost more to get a sheep shearer to come in and do the job than the wool from four sheep was worth. I remember my dad was really upset about that.”

Mike wore a tiny smile as he remembered that detail.

By now, Mike had returned the grocery cart and they had walked a ways past the entrance of the 'superstore'. Twilight could see that they were approaching another doorway where numerous humans could be seen entering and exiting.

“The point was, we had insufficient land for raising more than a tiny handful of animals. It wasn't enough to make the farm economically viable. But the animals and the apple orchard and the garden were an enormous help towards making our family self-sufficient in food.”

“An apple orchard? You grew apples?” Twilight was wide-eyed, astonished at the mention of an apple orchard. It reminded her strongly of her friend Applejack.

“If you can call a mere twenty trees an orchard. Half of those trees had grown too old; they were large and full of gnarled and dying branches. I remember my dad cutting them down and pulling the stumps with the little tractor we had. Then he planted new trees in their place.”

“It sounds like you enjoyed your life on the farm.” Twilight commented as they entered through the doors.

This is not a store. Twilight observed. It's more like a passageway in Princess Celestia’s castle, only it’s very broad and very plain.

“No. I hated it.” Mike surprised Twilight with his answer. “In my callow youth I resented all the chores my parents had me do, especially the gardening. Do you know how disgusting tomato horn-worms and potato beetles are? Every day I had to go out and pull them off the plants. Every day! Eeyyyucckkk!” Mike shuddered dramatically.

“When I was thirteen, we moved away from the farm and back into the city. I vowed I would never do those chores ever again.”

Suddenly they came to the end of the short passage and found themselves in what Twilight could only describe as a market, except it was indoors. Mike had turned left as they entered a very broad passageway. Twilight could see both sides of the passageway were lined with shops.

But what Twilight noticed above all else were the humans. There were masses and masses of humans walking up and down the length of the passageway. They walked singly, but sometimes they came in groups, chatting amiably amongst themselves. Some walked slowly, checking out the storefront displays, and others walked quickly, determined to get to their destination with as little delay as possible.

And they were all carnivores.

I know they won't suddenly attack me. And I believe what Mike told me, how they would be afraid of me if they saw me. But I just can't help it, I feel like a foal surrounded by Timberwolves.

Twilight could feel her unease growing by leaps and bounds. In short order she was pushing Cadence's breathing exercises for all they were worth. She started falling behind Mike. Before she knew what was happening she found that she had unconsciously drifted up against the bowl of a potted tree that was set in the center of the passageway. She huddled there, trying to appear small, trying to regain control of her emotions.

This is silly, I'm being irrational. Twilight shouted internally at herself, attempting to reason her way past her anxiety. These humans won't harm me. Just like Mike wouldn't harm me. Thinking about Mike suddenly made her realize that he was absent. Where's Mike? She thought. How could he leave me here all alone? A whimper escaped from her throat, she squeezed her eyes shut.

Upon opening them again she saw one of the humans was suddenly right there in front of her. Twilight's eyes dilated in shock and surprise, her ears folded back and she shied away from the intruder.

“Twilight!” the intruder called out quickly, and suddenly she realized that it was Mike, squatting in front of her.

Her relief was so palpable that she lunged forward and threw her forelegs around him in a hug. “Mike!” she called out happily. “I'm so glad you didn't leave me.”

“Urk! You... should know... I would... never... do that...” Mike was speaking in a strange manner, making a funny wheezing noise between every few words. But it didn't matter; Twilight could feel her anxiety melting away in the presence of her friend. She hugged him even tighter for the sheer joy of it.

“Uhhh... Twilight... too... tight...” Mike's voice was definitely degrading; she could barely make out those last few words. Suddenly the words meaning worked their way to the forefront of her mind.

I'm hurting him. I didn't mean to hurt him. Those thoughts coursed through her mind even as she released her tight grip.

Gasp! “Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you all right Mike?” she asked.

Mike winced and took a few deep breaths before answering. “Ow! I can't believe how strong you are.”
Accompanying those words was a friendly smile, mitigating any damage they might have wrought.

Twilight smiled back, having forgotten for the moment the masses of humans passing by on all sides. “I take it that means you are all right then.”

Well this is a surprise. Mikes more than twice my size, how is it that he's so fragile? She thought to herself. I'll have to try and remember that so I don't hurt him in future.

Mike rose from his squatting position. “Never-mind about me, what about you Twilight? I was walking along when suddenly I discovered that you were missing. Fortunately I found you nearby, but it looked like you were having a really bad time. You didn't even see me approaching.”

Twilight's ears drooped back and she looked aside. “I'm just really nervous around all these humans Mike, these... carnivores.” she finished in a small voice.

“Well Twilight, you need to stop thinking of them as carnivores, because that's wrong. Whenever you do that, you also associate us with the concept of predators, and I assure you that these people are not predators. We are omnivores.

“Why don't you start thinking of them as 'people' instead? That's a word for intelligent and reasoning beings who would happily sit down with you to enjoy a salad meal. By that definition, I'm a person, and you’re a person, and they’re all persons.” Mike waved his arm towards the passing humans. “Together, collectively, we are all of us─ ‘people’.”

Twilight looked into Mike's face. Have I been frightening myself with a word? Have I been projecting my fear of predators onto all these 'pee-pull'?

“I'll try to do that Mike. But in the meantime, could I walk closer to you? I'd feel better if you were nearby.”

“Sure thing Twilight, I don't mind.” Mike stepped close and put a hand on her shoulder. “I could even hold you like this as we walked?”

“I─ I don't think that will be necessary.” she replied, afraid to show Mike exactly how uneasy the crowds made her feel.

Oh who do I think I'm kidding? These crowds make me really uneasy and I should accept Mike's offer.

“Suit yourself-” Mike began to reply pulling his hand away, but Twilight interrupted him.

“On second thought maybe we could try that... You holding me that is... For a little while... Until I can learn to relax around these─ pee-pull.” Twilight attempted to communicate her reconsideration without appearing to be desperate.

“Of course Twilight, come on, we still have a good ways to go.”

Twilight found Mike's close presence to be quite calming. His hand on her shoulder felt somewhat like a friendly nuzzle.

Under Mike's friendly hand Twilight was able lower her anxiety to the point where she could view the humans more objectively and began to practice thinking of them as 'persons' and 'pee-pull'.

Mike's right. I do need to change my mental viewpoint. These humans are pee-pull, not predators. Pee-pull, what a funny word.

Just then she noticed a sign that read 'Peoples Jewellers' on one of the store fronts.

Pe-o-ple, pee-pulls. A sudden thought struck her. I wonder...

“Mike?”

“Yes Twilight.” Mike halted their forward progress.

“I saw a sign back there, the name on that jewelry store. Is that how you spell the word pee-pull?”

Mike turned about and attempted to see the store in question through the milling crowd, as he did so he let go of her shoulder. When his hand left her shoulder Twilight was both pleased to discover that the presence of the crowds of humans no longer seemed to bother her so much, and saddened by the loss of Mike's touch.

“You mean the 'Peoples Jewellers' store? Yes Twilight, that's how we spell the word people.” suddenly he grinned at her, “Why, what strange phonetic spelling have you been thinking of up till now?”

“Never you mind.” she replied emphatically, pulling his hand back onto her shoulder with her magic and giving him a gentle push to get moving again back in the direction they had been traveling.

It's simply to distract him from that question. Yes, that's why I have him holding my shoulder. Not that I need it anymore. She told herself equally emphatically.

Soon they had arrived at the store Mike had been seeking. Twilight thought it had a very strange name for an office supply store.

'Staples' might be an appropriate name for a food store, for selling staple foods. But for office supplies it makes no sense.

Mike led the way past multiple aisles filled with all manner of items. Twilight never imagined that any office could possibly need so many different things. Soon they found the notebooks.

Twilight was amazed at the sheer variety of colors and styles the notebooks came in. She felt like a filly in a candy store as she lifted up a sample of every type of notebook with her magic.

Mike waited patiently as she compared notebooks.

It’s so hard to decide. I like the wire type I've been using because I'm able to record my observations serially. But this other kind of wire notebook has five built in dividers, allowing me to easily organize my notes and observations by subject!

Finally, reluctantly, she settled on three notebooks of the type she had already been using. She hoped that she could convince Mike she needed that many. She would probably use one per day.

“Only three?” Mike asked, surprise evident in his voice. “It would have thought, the way you write, that you would need a lot more than that.”

“You mean I can get more?” she asked eagerly.

“Sure, get ten or twelve if you want. If you don't use them than I'm sure I can eventually find a use for them.” was his nonchalant reply.

“Eeee!” She let out a squeal of excitement. “Thank you Mike.” In mere moments she had six of each type, in a broad selection of colors.

“Here, I think we could use a few of these as well.” Mike added some 'writing pads' to her collection.

“Why do I need these?” she asked. “I have plenty of notebooks with these lovely spring bindings.”

“These writing pads have detachable sheets of paper. I find that they're good for just scribbling out your rough thoughts and ideas, and then throwing away your rejects. They're also good for writing notes and letters, simply detach the page the note is on and send it.”

“Okay. I can see how that would be useful.” Twilight agreed. Suddenly she changed the subject.

“What about this pen Mike? Do you think it will last through all these notebooks?”

“Let me see.” he said, reaching for the pen. Twilight floated it over to him.

With a deft motion of his versatile fingers, he unscrewed the silvery tip of the pen. The interior components displayed themselves. Up until that point she had not considered the internal workings of the pen she had been using. She found it a fascinating sight.

“See this plastic tube here.” Mike pointed a finger on the offending object. “This holds the ink. When new, the ink filled it up to here,” he indicated a point near the end of the tube, where Twilight could see a faint demarcation of cloudiness, “but as you can see, the ink has almost all disappeared.” His finger now indicated the dark substance remaining at the other end of the tube.

“So, it’s nearly out of ink.” She replied glumly, her ears dropped down a bit.

“Looks like it. So, while we are here we should get some refills for it.” He looked at the stack of notepads she was levitating alongside her. “Lots of refills.”

Twilight squee'd for joy when she saw the selection of pens.

The walk back was uneventful, though Twilight continued to 'allow' Mike to hold on to her shoulder. In truth she rather enjoyed the contact and didn't want it to end. It seemed to satisfy something in herself she couldn't quite fathom.

I like this. I don't know why. But I like the feel of his hand on my shoulder. It's a little like being nuzzled. And it also reminds me, just a little, of Spike's weight when he's riding on my haunches.

Buoyed by her feelings of contentment, Twilight asked Mike to continue his story.

“You were saying Mike, that you hated being on the farm, and that your family moved to the city. Why are you back on the farm now?”

“I told you, I was a stupid kid-”

“Kid?” Twilight interrupted. “Are humans related to goats?”

Mike smiled back at her. “Child, Twilight, 'kid' is a slang term for 'child'. At one time its use was considered offensive to many. But now it has become the norm. Even the dictionaries have stopped identifying it as 'slang' terminology.”

“Oh. Sorry to interrupt. You were saying?”

“I was saying that I was a selfish and very willful child. I would constantly focus on all the chores I disliked so intensely. As a child, I ended up convincing myself that I hated the farm itself.

“It was only years later, that I found myself missing the peaceful quiet and open spaces that were part of my everyday life on the farm. I had been so focused on my dislikes that I totally overlooked the things that I loved about the farm. As I grew older, city life became less and less satisfying.

“Three years ago, I contributed into a lottery pool the office employees had set up. They had been playing that game for years, but for once, one of the lottery tickets they had bought won a big prize. There were sixteen of us in that pool, and the prize was eighteen million dollars.

When I received my share of the prize, the very first thing I wanted to do with it was to buy a farm. I spend a year looking for the right farm. I wanted a place that was not too far away from the city, so I could still work there. Yet I also wanted a farm with lots of space without being too expensive.

I spent a whole year looking for the right place. Then I spend another year having the house renovated and adding various other improvements.”

“So, you've only been living in your home for a year now?” Twilight asked, figuring the date from the time he claimed to have won the lottery prize.

“Um. About thirteen months now, I'd say.” Mike clarified.

“What were those other improvements you mentioned?”

“Oh, you've seen most of them. The garage where I park my truck is a new building. The back half of the building is my new workshop. Then there's the emergency power generator and the satellite internet service.”

“What do you plan to do with your farm?” She asked.

“I'm not sure yet. In reality, this is just my hobby farm, I enjoy my work too much to want to quit or retire from it. As for this farm, I might try to plant a small orchard, or even try my hand at cultivating some crops. But mostly, I just want to enjoy having all this open space around me. Whenever I have an urge to build or do something, there are no restrictions which prevent me from doing it.”

Their walk had taken them all the way back to the side corridor where they had entered the covered market. Twilight was so engrossed in Mike's story that she scarcely noticed when they exited the enormous building.

“I don't think you told me why your family moved away from the farm in the first place?” Twilight kept digging into Mike's past.

Mike drew a breath and let it out as a long sigh. “It was on account of my little sister.” he replied.

“You have a younger sister?” Twilight was surprised. Nothing Mike had said previously had suggested that he had any siblings.

Wow. Mike is an older brother to his sister. Just like Shining is to me. Oh I'd love to meet her and ask her what she thinks about Mike.

“She's gone now.” He replied with a sad voice.

What? She's dead? But I never got to meet her. Twilight was shocked.

“I was thirteen years old, when she got sick, I mean really sick. I remember that in particular because my parents got the news of her illness just two days before my thirteenth birthday. I was supposed to have a big party and I got so mad when everything fell apart and my sister became the center of attention. I told you that I was a selfish and willful child. I guess you can add shallow to that list.”

“I'm so sorry for your sister Mike. You don't have to say any more if you don't want to.” Twilight responded. She wanted to give him a comforting hug right then and there.

“It's all right Twilight, I don't mind. I think the best thing I can do for her now is to remember her, both the good parts and the bad parts. She was only ten years old when she got sick. In only eight months she was gone.”

“If you don't mind my asking, what happened to her?”

“She had leukemia. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia was the exact diagnosis the doctor's called it. It's a type of cancer which affects the blood.”

“Cancer...” Twilight appeared to consider the word. “I don't think I've ever heard of cancer. What is it?”

Mike stopped abruptly. “You don't know what cancer is?” he asked incredulously.

“Mike, I just said that.” Twilight spoke gently, still mindful that the true subject at hand was Mike's sister.

“Cancer is a disease where some cells in the body become abnormal and begin to divide and reproduce uncontrollably, becoming an ever growing mass of abnormal tissue. These abnormal cells also have a nasty habit of spreading to other parts of the body. Maybe you know of the disease by another name.”

Ewww. Twilight suddenly imagined the cancer as being some kind of globular lump growing out of her body.

“That disease sounds absolutely horrible Mike. I'm fairly well read, but I've never heard of anything like that. I could be wrong, maybe it is known in Equestria, but I think it would have to be a very rare disease indeed.

Twilight paused, puzzled by one of the details Mike had mentioned. “You said this cancer causes the growth of a mass of abnormal tissue. How does that work for blood? She didn't fill up with excessive amounts of blood did she?”

“I looked it up years later. The cancer is in the marrow of the bones, where new blood cells are formed.-”

New Blood cells are formed inside the bone marrow? I didn't know that. I wonder if it's the same for ponies?

“-The leukemia starts growing increasing numbers of non-functioning blood cells. Eventually the dysfunctional cells start to outnumber and crowd out the functional blood cells. At that point the patient has a variety of life threatening symptoms. Poor blood clotting and anemia were the two symptoms that plagued my sister the most.”

They had reached Mike's truck now. Twilight suspended her curiosity while they stowed their purchases and climbed aboard. She kept her silence as they exited the parking lot, waiting until they had returned to the main road and proceeding on their way home again.

“Can the disease be treated?” Twilight was burning to ask that question.

“The standard method of treating leukemia is chemotherapy.” Twilight waited to see if Mike would explain the new term. Her patience was rewarded as Mike spoke up again.

“Chemotherapy is a treatment based on injecting special toxins into the body to destroy the cancer cells.”

They treat the patient by poisoning them? That's insane. No that's sheer criminal stupidity! Twilight was incensed.

“That's absolutely ridiculous! Whoever came up with that treatment should be arrested as a murderer.” She exclaimed heatedly.”

“You might think that Twilight, but it's not so simple. As far as any medication goes, those cancer cells are indistinguishable from normal cells. Anything that targets them will also target the normal cells in the body.

“But cancer cells have one slight vulnerability. They divide much faster than normal cells. So if you administer a toxin which destroys cells that are in the process of dividing, the toxin has a much larger impact on the abnormal cells than it does on the normal cells.

”So yes, the treatment amounts to slowly poisoning the patient to death. But there is a reasonable hope that the cancer cells will all die off before the patient expires.”

“Treatment by differential toxicological sensitivity...” Twilight mused out loud. “So... If the cancer cells are sensitive enough, the patient is cured, but if they aren't sensitive enough...”

“Then the treatment is a failure, and the patient is left extremely weakened, and feeling so ill that they might despair of life itself. And that's exactly what happened in her case. Four times they tried the chemotherapy, four times she suffered, and four times they failed.”

“Was there no other treatment they could have tried?” Twilight was aggrieved for Mike’s sister. “You mentioned that the key-mo-therapy was the standard treatment.”

“Her leukemia was simply too aggressive. The doctors tried to find a suitable match for a bone marrow transplant, but she died before they found one.”

“A bone-marrow-transplant?” Twilight tried to imagine what that might be, and failed.

“It's a process whereby they deliberately destroy the patient’s bone marrow. It destroys both the cancer cells as well as the normal cells. Then when they are sure all the cancer cells are gone, they transplant new bone marrow from a healthy donor into the patient.

“I gather that it involves some very large needles which penetrate into the marrow of the bone.”

That sounds so simple so elegant... except for the killing the marrow part. And the large needles. Nopony likes needles.

“That's so simple, so direct. Why didn't they do that in the first place?”

“With the bone marrow, you also acquire a copy of the donor's immune system. If the donor is not exactly matched to the recipient, the new blood will attack and begin killing every cell in the recipient’s body. That's called graft versus host disease.”

“So, despite the doctor's best efforts, they could not save your sister. How did that affect you?”

“When she first became ill, Twilight, I was an absolute monster. I was angry at how she had turned everyone's life upside down. And even though I hated the farm, I was angry that our parents sold it, so we could move into a house in the city, closer to the hospital.

“But it's funny. Little by little, I came to realize what my sister meant to me. I came to respect her incredible bravery as she met every trial and endured every treatment, and yet she stayed cheerful. I came to love her as the precious irreplaceable person that was my only sister. I...”

Mike’s voice choked off, Twilight could see tears running down his face. He reached up with his hand and to wipe away the tears.

“I− I'm sorry Twilight. I can't continue.” He rasped out.

“I'm so sorry Mike.” She extended her left wing and touched his shoulder with it. “You really loved her. I can see that. I'm sorry that I never got to meet her, she sounds like an incredible person.”

“She was, Twilight, she was.” Mike spoke softly, his voice trailed off.

They spent the rest of the journey home in silence.

Author's Note

Sorry I took so long to write this chapter folks.

Is there such a thing as a chapter that does not want to be written? Because that's what this one felt like to me.
I mean, shopping? How much excitement can I make out of a shopping trip?

The strange thing is that much as I didn't want to write it, I still felt it had to be written. I felt that Mike's background deserved some exploration.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

15. Conversion

For a while, Mike had been lost in his memories of his sister. He wasn't grieving so much as permitting the memories to have their way with him. In a strange way, this was his private homage to his sister, to never shut out his memories of her, whenever and wherever they came upon him.

It wasn't until he was turning the truck off the highway, onto the concession road leading back to his home, that he realized that the two of them had been silent for quite a while.

She's been so quiet. I hope I didn't upset Twilight. He thought. I appreciate being allowed some time to indulge in my memories and collect myself, but I certainly didn't intend to shut her out.

“Twilight?” he asked, hoping to check how she was feeling.

“Mike.” She turned to face him suddenly. “I hope I didn’t upset you with my questions earlier.”

“Not at all, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I was upset or anything. I was just indulging in some memories of my sister. ”

“Well that's a relief. I was starting to get a little worried about you.”

“I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me, and I’ve long since made my peace with what happened to my sister. On the other hand, Twilight, I do worry a little about you.”

“Me? Why would you be worried about me?” she exclaimed in puzzlement.

“Please don't think I'm trying to intrude on your privacy or anything like that, but from what I can see you are still affected by what has happened to you.”

“Wha-What do you mean?” Twilight's ears folded back and she looked away, as if she did not want to hear any more or engage in this conversation anymore.

“Twilight, when we were in that mall, you nearly had a panic attack-”

I won't mention how she clung to me afterward, though I kind of liked holding on to her shoulder.

“-and then afterward in the store, you were practically bouncing around in excitement over some paper and pens.

“Twilight, I don't for a minute think that a strong intelligent girl like you would be unable to handle a whole mall full of predators. But I do think you might be experiencing was a bit of emotional instability brought on by the stress of your situation.”

“M−My... situation?” she repeated with a nervous note to her voice.

“Twilight, something is bothering you, and I don't think it's simply the fact that you are currently here on this world. If you don't want to talk about it, then just tell me to shut up─ but I think you need to face whatever it is that has been bothering you.”

They rode in silence for a while. Twilight did not respond in any way to Mike’s observations. She sat there just staring at the dashboard.

Well, here's hoping that silence is implicit assent.

“Twilight, just this morning, you called yourself my friend, and pleaded with me to share something that was bothering me. Well right now I can see that something is bothering you and as your friend I am asking you to share your worries with me.”

Mike waited for her reply. Letting Twilight have the space she needed. She hadn't told him to shut up− yet.

The only reaction from Twilight that Mike could see was that now she would steal glances at him, as if she were having an inner debate concerning him. Mike kept waiting, but it was not long until they reached his home.

Mike slowed down the truck as he approached his driveway and checked the road ahead for oncoming traffic and using his mirror, the road behind as well. Determining that there was no other traffic in sight he drove his truck onto the opposite side of the road and stopped alongside his mailbox.

“What are you doing!?” Twilight asked in sudden alarm, breaking her silence

She must have been observing the driving habits of both myself and others for this driving irregularity to draw her attention. Mike noted.

“Don't worry; I made sure there were no other vehicles on the road before pulling this maneuver. I'm just checking my mailbox to see if I have any mail.” After opening his window, Mike pulled down the front cover to his mailbox, even as he explained his actions to Twilight.

Mike noted that the mailbox contained a bundle of letters and postcards, and all too many advertising flyers. Reaching into the mailbox he pulled out the entire collection, depositing them into the spacious coin tray that was located in the center console between the front seats. Twilight looked at them curiously.

After closing the mailbox cover and closing his window, Mike started the truck moving again, turning into his driveway. Soon the truck was parked in his garage.

Instead of getting out of the truck, Mike just sat there staring ahead into the unlit depths of his garage. Twilight had released her seat-belt and popped her door open before she noticed that Mike was not moving.

“Mike?” she asked.

“You haven't answered my question Twilight. Do I shut up about it, or do you want to discuss what's been eating away at you?”

“Please Mike, I really don't think that there's anything we need to discuss.” she stated in a small voice.

Well that's it then. She told me to shut up.

“Well okay then. I think you're making a mistake. But have it your way.”

Twilight gave a tiny nod indicating that yes, this was what she wanted.

Getting out of the truck, Mike proceeded to open the rear passenger door in order to grab some of the groceries when he noticed the whole lot of them glowing rosily and floating off to join Twilight on her side of the truck.

“You didn't have to do that Twilight; I could have carried some of them.” Mike protested

“It's really no problem Mike. In fact it's a lot easier for me to carry them than it is for you.”

Mike felt unhappy for Twilight who was obviously working hard at pretending that nothing was wrong.

When they approached the back door, Mike was at least able to hold it open for Twilight and her payload of groceries. She cantered into the kitchen with a good score of bags floating in behind her, as well as the mail. Even as the last of the bags of groceries were still coming in, Mike saw Twilight fanning out the individual pieces of mail in front of her; obviously she was curious as to what human mail looked like.

“Just put the bags down on the floor Twilight.” Mike directed. While her attention was distracted by that trivial task, Mike reached out and plucked out the few real letters, Christmas cards mostly, from the fan of mail that was hovering in front of Twilight.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, and then immediately backed off, “Uh, sorry, it is your mail after all.” Twilight responded meekly.

“Not to worry Twilight, I was just taking advantage of your magic.” Mike gave a big smile to show all was okay and held up the envelopes in front of him. “This is my mail. The rest,” he indicated the spread of flyers still floating in front of her “is just unsolicited junk. Please put those into that basket up on the counter over there.” Mike pointed at the indicated receptacle.

“Junk?” she asked, nonplussed at his casual dismissal of the flyers.

“Yes, it's just various stores and restaurant's advertising their special sales and promotions. Can't avoid getting them really. Canada Post Corporation has been losing money these last few years, and has started accepting contracts for its mail couriers to deliver these flyers on their local mail routes. I just throw them out; don't even bother reading them.”

“You throw them out?” Twilight seemed stricken by the notion. “But they're so colorful and shiny. Somepony went to a great deal of trouble to make these− and you're not even going to read them?”

“I'm sorry Twilight, but the flyers simply have no relevance for me. If something is advertised as having a special sale price, I don't go rushing out to buy it when I have no need for it. And I never go out to eat at any restaurants.”

“We went to a restaurant last night.” she argued.

“Perhaps I should have said I don't go out to restaurants alone. Last night I had a lovely dinner companion who helped make it a memorable and enjoyable experience.”

Apparently Twilight didn’t have a rejoinder to that statement, so she focused back on the flyers. “But the effort that went into them...”

“The cost is quite minimal I assure you. My guess is maybe a hundred dollars for ten thousand flyers.”

“A hundred dollars? Is that a lot?” she asked.

“My guess is that it's somewhere between a week or two worth of food for a pony.” was Mike's reply after some consideration.

Suddenly, Mike could hear a grumble coming from Twilight's stomach. She blushed and tried to laugh it off “Ah heh, heh.”

The stomach noises reminded him that they had not eaten anything since breakfast. “I'm hungry, would you like it if I made us something to eat?” Mike asked. “How does an asparagus omelet sound?”

Twilight's stomach growled even louder. Mike grinned. “I'll take that as a yes. Just give me a few minutes to put everything away.”

As it turned out, putting everything away took a little longer than expected. They had purchased quite a lot of fruits and vegetables, not to mention a variety of new and unfamiliar spices and condiments as identified in the vegetarian recipes that they had selected earlier.

Eventually, however, Mike got busy making the promised omelets. He obtained two stainless steel mixing bowls from his upper cabinets and cracked a pair of eggs into each. At the same time he turned on the oven and began heating a pot of water on the stove for blanching the asparagus.

Mike finished prepping the eggs by adding various spices ─ salt, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, chives and a squirt of milk. It only took a minute.

The silence stretched between the two of them as Mike waited for the water to boil. When it was ready he added the asparagus, letting them blanch for a few minutes.

Several times as he waited, he opened his mouth to try and convince Twilight to change her mind. Each time he closed his mouth again.

No! I pressed her too hard earlier and forced her to tell me to drop it. I agreed that I would shut up.

Soon the asparagus had blanched and Mike was able to proceed with the making of the actual omelets. First he poured the egg mixture into the greased pan. After the egg mixture had partially set he added in chopped pieces of blanched asparagus and sprinkled some shredded parmesan cheese over the greens. In another moment he had folded one half of the omelet over the other half.

In just a few minutes both omelets were plated, whereupon he put the two plates into the oven to finish cooking. While he waited for the omelets to cook, he made the toast.

The silence continued to be depressing.

“Here you go Twilight. Careful, the plate just came out of the oven, so it's very hot” He stated as he carried the still steaming omelet over to the table to place in front of her. “Oops, I forgot the cutlery.”

“Mmm. It smells and looks delicious.” Twilight commented. The plate before her bore an omelet folded into the traditional half circle, along with two pieces of unbuttered toast.

“Go ahead and get started if you want.” urged Mike as he placed a knife and fork down beside Twilight's plate.

“That’s okay, I think I'll wait for you to finish making your own so we can sit down and eat this meal together.” She flashed him a wan smile.

Mike placed a jar of strawberry jam and another jar of marmalade upon the table. Returning to the table with his own plate, he noticed Twilight levitating both jars, turning them so that she could read the labels. Her head gave a slight nod, as if approving what she saw.

Doffing his oven mitt, Mike sat down and offered a quick and silent prayer of thanks for their meal.

Dear Lord. Thanks for blessing us with this food. And Lord, I know Twilight is hurting. Help me to find a way to help her.

Well I think she enjoyed her meal. Mike was thinking to himself. Her next statement confirmed that supposition.

“That was delicious, thank you Mike.”

“You’re welcome. Are you sure you don't need anything else?”

“No, I'm quite satisfied, thank you.” she replied. And there the conversation ended.

Mike was frustrated with her withdrawn demeanor. He was also frustrated with himself for bringing it about.

Okay, maybe we can just do some planning for tomorrow.

“Um, Twilight?”

“Hmm?” Her response lacked enthusiasm, as if she wished to avoid any further conversation.

“I was thinking, all of my business is taken care of for the next few days, so without that as a distraction we can get started on finding you a way home.”

Twilight was looking directly at Mike now, though her ears still drooped down half way. No other expression was apparent on her face.

“So I was thinking, the first thing we might do, is try to find the location where you first entered my world-”

“Why?” She interrupted. Her voice sounded distraught.

“Why?” Twilight's question brought Mike up short. “Why to find clues of course. To see if there is anything remaining at the arrival site which might help you find your way home. Some residue, some energy signature, some− some− I don't know what. But there has to be something.”

“That's not necessary Mike, I already know how I got here. There won't be anything there for us to find.” Twilight dismissed his proposal with a sad voice.

“How do you know that?” Mike was confused by Twilight's statement. “Even if you do know how you got here, a full analysis may turn up some useful anomaly.”

“Please Mike. When it comes to magic, I'm the expert.” Twilight's voice was gently condescending. “I know that there will be no anomalies at the place where I entered your world.”

“But have you actually checked?” Mike persisted.

“There's nothing there Mike. I'm sure.”

The way she avoided the question irritated Mike.

It's one thing to tell me to keep my nose out of her problems. Mike thought. But it's another thing altogether to squash my attempts to find her a way home. Something is wrong here. Mike was getting angry.

“You didn't answer my question Twilight. Have you checked already?” Mike's voice held a little more intent than usual, being driven by his growing anger.

“Please drop this Mike,” now Twilight's voice was getting heated as well, “we don't need to waste our time returning to where I entered this world. It would be an absolute waste of time, we won't find anything there.”

Mike couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could feel a fury rising. You can't just take something as fact unless you can verify it. Unless, maybe she can't verify it−

“Oh. I guess you're unable to detect the use of magic.” Mike stated bluntly, hoping that he had simply misunderstood what Twilight had been saying all along.

“Of course I can detect magical discharge signatures.” Twilight stated proudly.

Suddenly Mike's anger flared at how Twilight was crippling herself with her mindset.

- SLAM! -

Mikes hand slapped down on the table making the crockery, and Twilight, jump into the air.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GIRL?” Mike yelled.

The pupils and irises of Twilight's eyes shrank to little dots and her ears were pinned back tightly as she reared back in her chair.

“Have you just given up? Are you getting ready to just lie down and die?” Mike raged.

“Have you abandoned your friends and family without even trying to get home? What would they say to this behavior? What would your teacher, Princess Celes− Seles−” Mike stumbled upon the name.

“Celestia.” Twilight added in a small voice.

“Right, Celestia.” His voice calmed down and he continued in a more normal tone, “What would your teacher Princess Celestia say if she could see your apathetic attitude right now? If she saw how you're not even trying?”

Tears began streaming down Twilight's face and her mouth moved even as she tried to speak, but nothing came out except a sob. She buried her face in her forelegs and wept.

Oh no, I made her cry. I didn't want to make her cry. Mike nearly started crying himself for what he had done.

“I− I−. You don't understand Mike.”

Mike came around the table, to stand behind Twilight and placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned forward and spoke gently into her ear. “Then help me to understand Twilight. What possible reason could you have to neglect a chance, even the tiniest, slimmest, one-in-a-million chance of finding a way back home?”

“B−Because I k−know how I g−got here, and it means that there simply is n−no way home!” she stuttered through her weeping, her sobs taking on a renewed strength.

“And why is that?” He spoke gently again. This time he rubbed her shoulders, trying to establish his empathy.

“If I t−tell you, you'll hate me! And I don't w−want you to hate meee!” she cried.

Mike paused suddenly, his hands no longer rubbing her shoulders. Wait. She's worried that I'm going to hate her? That I might turn on her?

Mike moved around to a position where he could face her, “No I won't Twilight. I don't abandon my friends. Nothing you could possibly say will make me hate you− unless of course it's to tell me that you've been lying to me all along and that you really are here to conquer the earth.”

Mike winced at what he had just said. Way to go stupid! This is no time to crack a joke.

“What?” Twilight's head shot up from her forelegs, “N−No! I haven't lied to you Mike.”

“Well then, you can tell me what's going on.”

“I can't. I just know you'll hate me!” she buried her head in her forelegs again, weeping softly.

“All right Twilight. That's enough.” Mike spoke firmly to the mare. His anger was growing again, though he was trying hard to rein it in.

“You are being quite insulting you know, presuming to 'know' that I will hate you. In truth, you know no such thing, but are letting your own fears and worries run away with you.”

Twilight raised her head again. She wore a surprised expression on her face.

Mike continued with his lecture. “Well I won't have it. I am no longer the shallow self-centered boy I was before my sister died. And Twilight, you can just drop that silly notion right now. There is no way I will hate you.”

Twilight gazed upon Mike, her expression one of agonized indecision.

“Twilight, I trust you, and I trust my God that everything will be okay. Won't you trust me?”

Slowly, Twilight's weeping subsided and her face grew peaceful. “Okay.” she whispered.

“Good.” Mike replied. Slowly he raised his hand and used a knuckle to wipe the tears off of the soaked fur on her face. “Let's get you cleaned up first. I'm sure it will make you feel better.”

It was a new Twilight that returned to the kitchen table. Physically she had merely washed her face and combed out her mane, but mentally and spiritually she looked much relieved.

Mike watched as she returned to her seat. Even though she appeared nervous, she wore a faint smile as if anticipating the moment.

Mike prompted her. “Okay Twilight. What is this dark secret that you were so afraid to tell me?”

Twilight looked down, as if unsure how to start. Mike gave her some space, allowing Twilight to find her voice. Suddenly she looked up again and drew in a breath.

“It concerns the nature of the accident which put me here.” she began.

“I was preparing an enchanted book for my assistant Spike.”

An enchanted book? Mike thought. How in the world could a book make me hate her? A frown appeared on his face.

Twilight must have noticed Mike’s puzzlement because she stopped to explain “Perhaps I should explain what an enchanted book is. It creates a pocket universe patterned after the narrative of the story. The pony reading the story, the subject, gets transported into that story world and becomes engaged with the narrative flow. When the subject meets or fulfills certain conditions set out in the narrative they are returned to their proper universe.”

It sounds like some kind of immersive virtual reality. Mike thought. But−

“What do you mean 'gets transported into the story'?” he asked. “Do their minds somehow fully interact with the story, like some kind all inclusive hory-morphic glamor?”

“That's horaómorphic.” Twilight corrected him automatically. Suddenly her face took on a look of astonishment, “You know that just might be possible...” her voice trailed off as she became lost in thought.

She soon came out of it with a shake of her head, “But no Mike. I mean that the pony is physically transported into the pocket universe.

“What?!” Mike exclaimed. “Their whole body? Transported right out of their universe and into a book universe?”

Twilight nodded. “Exactly so. What's more, the transport can reshape their very being, altering them so that they can properly become part of the narrative.”

Mike was disturbed by what he was hearing.

“Twilight, as an Ethical Approval Authority proxy, I have one thing to say to you ponies− Are you out of your freaking minds!” Mike raised his voice for that last part. Twilight's ears pinned back and she looked down at her hooves.

Upon seeing Twilight's reaction Mike started to apologize. “Pardon, I did not mean to yell.”

“No, scratch that, I did mean to yell, but not at you Twilight, I meant it for whichever lamebrain of an Ethical Approver ever allowed such a spell to be used.”

Twilight looked up again upon hearing Mike’s apology. When she realized his anger was actually directed at some other party her ears raised themselves up as well. She appeared confused, “Why what's wrong with an enchanted book?” she asked.

“Ugh. Where do I begin...?” Mike muttered to himself. “Never mind Twilight. We can save that conversation for later. Right now it's distracting us from the real issue at hand. You were telling me the truth about how you got here.” Mike gave her a reassuring smile.

Twilight's eyes expanded momentarily, as if she was astonished at how the conversation had gotten so far off track. Twilight's expression firmed up, taking on a look of resolve.

“As I was saying, I was preparing an enchanted book for my assistant Spike.” she paused for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut.

“I had almost finished preparing the imprinting spell, that's the spell that sets and shapes the universe with the given literary content. All I needed to add were the exit sequences, which permit the participant to return from the book's universe.” She sighed.

“And then, something startled me and I let go the imprinting spell prematurely.” She gave another sigh. “I must have been badly rattled, because next I did the most foalish thing imaginable. I reached out with my magic and tried to take back the imprinting spell.”

Foalish. Heh! That's funny. Mike smirked briefly, thinking his own foolish thoughts.

“But it was too late. The imprinting spell had already engaged with the book's reality generator. And due to the interference of my own magic, the transport spell also started up. Now I was being pulled into the book.”

Mike listened in silence, but internally− I knew it! That magic is inherently dangerous.

“And this is where things went very wrong. The imprinting spell− shattered. All the literary content was lost, and there was no pattern for forming the pocket universe.

“I've thought pretty hard on what happened next and this is what I figure happened. Without the requisite literary matrix, the pocket universe could not be formed. And without the pocket universe, the transport spell had no place to put me. With no other place to go, my etheria ended up being dragged along with the now empty imprinting spell, into the reality generator's spell matrix.

“How I survived that experience, I may never know, but when I finally woke up, I was here on your world suffering from severe magic exhaustion. I found myself all alone in the middle of a forest, the night was pitch-black and that miserable icy rain was slowly freezing me to death.”

Twilight had apparently finished her story, so Mike spoke up. “I'm glad you managed to make your way to my house Twilight. But I don't get it. Why would that story make me hate you?”

Twilight's eyes teared up again, “Because Mike, your universe is nothing but a pocket universe created by that enchanted book. This world is simply part of a story. And I know for a fact that there is no exit sequence, because I did not have time to add it to the imprinting spell. I can't leave.

Her eyes were streaming tears again, though her voice remained firm. “I'm so sorry Mike, but you yourself are nothing more than a character within the story. You're not real.”

Twilight dropped down from her chair and left the kitchen.

Mike sat there stunned, listening to her hoof-steps as she proceeded up the stairs. After that he heard a door close when she entered her bedroom.

Mike sat quietly at his kitchen table. Mulling over the bombshell that Twilight had dropped.

My universe is just a story in a book? Mike was trying to wrap his head around the concept.

Well what if it's true? What would that mean? He tried to analyze it logically.

According to Twilight, this all occurred early yesterday morning, so... the universe was created forty hours ago?

Then what is all this stuff I remember, like my childhood, school, my sister's death, university, a job, my father’s death and moving to this farm?

Is my entire life just a 'background story'?

Mike thought hard about the implications of that. Eventually he realized that his life was far too detailed to be any sort of literary creation. He had far too many memories of trivial inconsequential events for such a life to be a 'back story'.

“My life is not a background story.” Mike spoke aloud, declaring his conviction. “And Twilight− is wrong.”

Finished with his brooding, Mike raised himself up from his chair and followed Twilight upstairs. Soon he was standing in front of her door.

Tap. Tap. Tap. -

Mike knocked gently on Twilight's bedroom door.

“Twilight.” He called out. “Are you all right in there?”

There was no answer, but he could hear a creak from her bed.

Knock! Knock! Knock! -

Mike knocked again, louder this time.

“Please Mike. Just leave me alone.” came her response through the door.

“I'm sorry to bother you Twilight. But it’s important that we finish our talk about what you told me earlier. Can I come in?

“Please.” He added, surprised that there was a note of pleading in his voice.

After a moment, the doorknob rotated and the door swung inward into the room. Mike could see Twilight resting on top of the bed. She was lying down on her abdomen, resting on all four limbs, much as a dog or cat would. Her body was generally aligned with the bed, her front facing towards the headboard.

But as Mike came in he saw that her head was raised up, and turned around to face the door.

“Thank you.” Mike murmured as he entered the room. He approached the bed and sat down on the edge across from her shoulders. He angled his legs and torso so as to face in the same direction as Twilight. At least she only had to turn her head to the side now.

Twilight was frowning and her ears were held low. She did not look happy at Mike's intrusion, but for some reason did not ask him to leave.

“Twilight, the first thing I need to say is thank you for being honest with me.”, Mike then reached out and put his hand on her shoulders, “The second thing I need to tell you is that I don't hate you.”

Astonishment lit up her face. “How can you not hate me? I just told you that you don't exist. That your whole life is amounts to being a story book character motivated by magic.” Mike could hear a certain amount of bitterness behind those words.

“Twilight, I've spent the last few minutes thinking about exactly that. And I've come to the conclusion that you’re wrong. I am not a character in any story. And the corollary which follows is that I'm your friend, your real friend.”

A slight smile graced her face, but soon disappeared, “Well of course you'll think that you are real. Your character is supposed to behave like that.” Twilight turned her head forwards and lowered her chin down upon her fore hooves.

“No Twilight. I did not reach my conclusion by basing it upon a subjective feeling. My conclusion was obtained by applying reason and logic to a few simple facts.”

“What kind of 'facts' are those, which allow you to 'reason' that you exist?” she asked, her voice had equal parts curiosity and despondency.

It made Mike wonder about her state of mind. What must it be like from her point of view? To desperately need a friend, and yet be forced to swallow a 'reality' where you end up destroying your friend. I forced her to admit that her friend was nothing more than a fabrication.

Well cheer up Twilight. Your friend is here for you.

Thus filled with concern for his friend, Mike began his argument.

“The philosopher Rene Descartes is perhaps most famously known for this statement 'I think therefore I am.' So, plagiarizing a bit from Monsieur Descartes’ philosophy, I wish to preface my reasoning with a similar statement, 'I remember, therefore I am.'

“My argument begins with this question, 'If I were a character in a story, then how detailed would my life need to be?'

“If I am nothing more than a character in a story that was created a mere forty hours ago, then obviously I could not have actually lived any part of my life. It follows then that all memories in my possession should amount to nothing more than a reasonably detailed 'back story' for my character to act upon. Anything beyond the required minimum would be a waste of time and effort, or perhaps in this case, of magic.”

Twilight's eyes widened momentarily at that last statement. Obviously he had caught her attention in some way.

“So, here's a question for you Twilight, exactly how detailed should any character's back story be?”

Mike could almost see Twilight running calculations in her brain. She spoke her conclusions. “Today you told me about your work and how you won a lottery and bought this house. You told me about your childhood on a farm and how your sister tragically died. Mike, all of those things make a wonderful back story for your character. I have encountered quite similar amounts of detail in many stories that I have read. Few stories have more.” Twilight's expression was more animated now, as if she were enjoying a debate.

Mike nodded to himself. Exactly what I would have said.

“Yes indeed, those events, as I have related them are my back story, not because I am a character but because I was relating to you those events of my life which you had asked for.

“But tell me Twilight, in addition to those events I have related to you, why do I also have a lifetimes worth of detailed memories? I have endless memories of countless days of trivial events which are of no possible consequence to my character's development.”

Twilight face now bore a troubled expression. “Could you give me some examples of those memories?”

“Of course,” stated Mike. He then launched into a presentation of innumerable banal memories.

“...I remember, when I was a child, I was in grade three I think, I stepped on a nail. And then not two months later, I stepped on another nail. I was so angry at myself for not having learned my lesson the first time. Now both experiences were extremely painful of course, but no lasting harm was done. How do those experiences make any difference to my existence here and now...”

“...I remember in grade seven, I rather disliked my teacher, simply because of her appearance. Then for some reason she left her position and a new teacher took over. I ended up disliking her as well, but for her it was because her perfume reeked. What does it matter that I had two consecutive teachers in grade seven instead of only one teacher. The material I was taught was not altered. But I remember those two teachers, a Mrs. Olsen and a Mrs. Laroq...”

…

Five minutes had passed and Twilight seemed riveted to Mike's narration. Not interrupting as he continued to pour out memory after memory.

…

“I remember my first job. My boss was a Mr. Smith and he had a very unique laugh. I remember hearing his laugh echoing from a ways down the corridor and knew from past experiences that he would pop into my work room in the next minute or two, just to say hello. You know, that peculiar laugh of his is stuck in my memory, but I'll never be able to let others know what it sounded like. That was three jobs ago and I'll never meet him again. What possible impact does Mr. Smith's laugh have on my present existence...”

“...I still remember the combination code for my high school locker. It's 12-46-33. Now what possible relevance does that have for my present existence? That padlock is long gone...”

“...I remember that the last time I boiled an egg for breakfast, last Tuesday I think. The egg's shell cracked and a large puff of coagulated egg-white was protruding from the egg shell. What weighty significance does that have for my character?”

Mike had gone on for a good fifteen minutes; Finally Mike noticed the mare had begun to fidget.

Perhaps she's getting a crick in her neck. Mike thought. Still, he continued pulling up memories.

“I remember-”

“Alright!” Twilight exclaimed. Her ears had fallen back and her face held a vaguely disturbed look. “Alright. I will admit that you have a large number of memories that don't seem to have any relevance to your character-”

“But that's exactly my point Twilight.” Mike pounced on his opportunity. “They aren't irrelevant memories. They are simply the memories of my existence. A whole lifetime's worth of memories.”

“But− the spell! The reality generator created this universe.” she argued. “It had to have created you.”

“If so, it has managed to craft an immense work of simulated life, without any holes or contradictions.”

Twilight grew still; her eyes were now riveted on Mike. Perhaps she was awaiting something.

Mike drew a deep breath. Time for the closing argument.

“Twilight, do you honestly believe that this reality generator, or any spell for that matter, is capable of creating my character complete with all the memories I have for every single day of my life?”

“No.” she stated with a small voice. “Not any longer.” Then she smiled, “You've convinced me.”

Suddenly Twilight jumped up from her recumbent position and embraced Mike in a hug for the second time that day. “You're real.” she stated, “You're really real.”

This time she did not squeeze nearly so hard, for which Mike was grateful. “Yes I am.” he replied, “So my argument convinced you?”

Twilight giggled. The sensation of her fur vibrating upon his skin as she did so was indescribable. Sadly, Twilight ended the hug and sat back upon the bed, leaving Mike feeling strangely disappointed.

Seated on her haunches as she was, her face was nearly of a level with Mike's when she spoke. “You didn't know it Mike, but you won your argument when you first started enumerating your memories. The amount of magic required for any spell increases as the square of the complexity. And every memory you gave simply increased the complexity count.

“Even then I did not want to see it. I was still holding on to my initial assumptions, but at the end of your argument you finally made me realize that you do have a lifetime's worth of memories, tens of thousands of memories and more. The magic required to create a being like you would be far in excess of what I or even Princess Celestia could manage.”

Mike noted how she had left unstated the lesser capabilities of some enchanted book.

New tears began to pool in her eyes and threatened to drop down her smiling furry cheeks.

“What are you crying about now?” Mike asked plaintively.

“I can't help it. I'm just suddenly so happy.”

“Heh. I imagine you would be. Suddenly finding that your friend who you thought couldn't be a friend really is your friend.” Mike couldn't resist, he reached out a hand and tousled Twilight's mane. She shied away from his grasp with a giggle.

A look of astonishment took up residence on her face. “How did you know that?”

Mike smiled, “It wasn't hard to guess. A lost pony, all alone in a strange world. Who wouldn't need a friend under such circumstances? It must have been terrible to think that your only friend wasn't real.”

She hung her head and sniffed. “It was.” She lifted her head again and took a long look at Mike. Her eyes narrowed as if she was thoughtfully contemplating something that she saw.

Mike began to grow nervous as her intense scrutiny continued. “Is anything wrong Twilight? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh? Sorry Mike, I was just having a good look at my very real friend. And then I started to wonder how you could possibly exist in this universe. A universe which was created by the reality generator? I can't figure that one out.”

Mike grinned at the purple alicorn. “That question is easy to answer Twilight.”

“Well if it's so easy then why don't you tell me.” said the alicorn in mock affront.

“I think Twilight, that you would have already seen the answer for yourself if you weren't clinging to a certain erroneous assumption.”

Twilight frowned at his elliptical response. “What erroneous assumption?”

Mike would have grinned even wider if that were possible. “Your assumption Twilight, that this universe was created by your enchanted book.”

Twilight's eyes grew startlingly wide, and her ears, which had been at half mast, pinned themselves upright.

Soon confusion was evident upon her face. “What? It does make sense− but how− I know for a fact that I was dragged into the book. There's nowhere else I could be.”

Twilight turned pleading eyes upon Mike, as if begging him to resolve this logical conundrum.

Mike shrugged. “I have no explanation for how you got here. But maybe the explanations can wait for later, after we collect more information and are able to formulate a suitable hypothesis.”

Mike gently touched her face, under her chin, “But what I can do is offer you proof that this universe is real. Would the 'complexity' argument suffice for this as well?”

Twilight nodded her affirmation.

“Good. Then why don't we take a trip down to my office.”

The trip to the office was interrupted by the acquisition of some hot drinks. Mike elected to make himself a cup of decaffeinated coffee, while Twilight made herself a cup of tea.

Mike looked on in amusement as Twilight's magic simultaneously operated the kettle, opened the cupboards and fetched their mugs and unpacked a teabag. As he began making his own coffee, he couldn't help but notice her keen eyes tracking his every movement.

She'll be making me a cup of coffee real soon now. He thought to himself.

Soon their drinks were ready and they finished their interrupted journey to his office. The computer was soon booted and they were ready to proceed.

Twilight's attitude was different now. Instead of showing resistance to the idea that Mike's universe was real, she appeared almost eager to see what he had to show her.

“Okay.” said Mike, taking position in front of his keyboard. “Since the subject is the universe, how about if we begin our journey by examining it on the macroscopic scale.”

Mike keyed in a search for 'Hubble images'. In two seconds Google presented them with a list of selections, the most obvious of which was a mosaic of miniature astronomical views under the label 'images for hubble'.

Mike heard a sharp intake of breath from Twilight as she caught sight of the colorful images. Without waiting he clicked on the link.

Within seconds they were presented with a wall of tiny astronomical images. Using the mouse, Mike started scrolling the page downward, slowly.

“Are these...” Twilight began to say. But then she corrected herself, “Some of them look like pictures of stars. But most of these images are like nothing I have ever seen. What are we really looking at?”

Mike grunted in dissatisfaction as he became aware that the image wall was not strictly composed of Hubble images. Among what he presumed were Hubble images were 'artist's conceptions' and other more liberal works of graphic art.

I can’t base my argument on fabricated evidence.

“Believe it or not Twilight; most, but not all, of those were astronomical images captured by the Hubble telescope.” Mike clicked on the back arrow to return them to the main search page.

He continued, “The Hubble Space telescope is probably our most famous telescope and has captured incredible images of astronomical sights and objects. It has a power and resolution far beyond that of most earthbound telescopes.”

“Space telescope?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. It's positioned out in space, orbiting the earth.” Twilight's eyes widened in astonishment. Mike continued, “Being outside of our worlds atmosphere, it can take pictures with unparalleled clarity.”

After searching for a more 'pure' site, Mike finally selected 'HubbleSite – Gallery, Picture Album'. Up came a somewhat busy page that had a slide-show presenting Hubble images. Mike found the control for making the images go full screen.

Suddenly they were seeing the Hubble telescope images in all their glory. Twilight was entranced as the images fled by. But she soon noticed that the images also had accompanying text.

“Wait! Stop!” She cried out as one image vanished to be replaced with another. “Can we go back?” She pleaded.

“Which one?” Mike asked after finding how to pause the slide-show.

“Two pictures back, the one that looked like a big moth.”

Mike found a likely image in the gallery at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on the miniature image reset the slide show to a view of the Butterfly Nebula.

Twilight took the opportunity to read the text and examine the image closely. Suddenly her aura pulled Mike's hand off of the mouse. With a click she was delving along the 'Learn more' link, to find out all she could about the Butterfly Nebula.

“Don't follow the links any deeper than that Twilight.” Mike admonished after taking a sip of his coffee.

“Why not?” she asked plaintively.

“Because I know how distracting the web can be. It's quite easy to follow the links one after another until you find yourself quite lost. Normally I would be quite happy to let you follow your fancy, but not right now. We came down here for the purpose of determining whether this universe is a construct of your enchanted book.”

Twilight's expression grew somber. “You're right of course. We need to get this matter settled.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I'm not saying you can't look at the links, just don't get lost in them. Save any new questions you have for later research.”

“Okay, I know what to do.” With that Twilight turned her attention back to the computer and began a journey through the night sky.

As she absorbed the information being presented before her, Twilight's requests to Mike for additional clarification became fewer and fewer. After about an hour, Mike felt it was safe to leave Twilight's side.

She was cooing excitedly over the stellar imagery and did not notice his absence.

About ten minutes later Mike returned, carrying a tray laden with a teapot and their uneaten desserts from the night before. Mike had even taken the trouble to locate his teapot and prepare a 'proper' cup of tea for Twilight.

“Care for a break Twilight.” he announced.

“What?” the mare asked intelligently, her eyes never leaving the screen. It was obvious that she was having a hard time dragging her thoughts back to the real world.

“Would you like to take a break Twilight? I brought you some cake and a fresh pot of tea.”

Twilight's concentration broke at the mention of cake. Her eyes were soon fixed upon said confection.

“Are those the deserts we ordered at the restaurant last night? Which one was mine again?” she asked, eyeing both with interest.

“I believe you ordered the Black Forest Cake, though if you want I suppose we could switch desserts.”

Twilight considered Mike's generous offer, but a rumble from her abdomen prompted her to go for broke. “Um, is it possible that we could share? They both look so good.”

“What?! Your own dessert isn't good enough for you? You want a piece of mine as well?” Mike gasped in mock affront.

Twilight made a pouty face at Mike, but showed that it was no more than an act when she let escape a short giggle. “No I meant we could cut each dessert in half and share them that way.”

“Ah, I thought that's what you meant.” stated Mike as he uncovered a knife that had been buried under some napkins. Twilight smiled at his preparedness.

Very soon, with the help of Twilight's magic, the desserts had been divided into equal halves, enjoyed by both man and pony.

“Mmmm!” Twilight crooned around a mouthful of cake. “The icing on this cake is real whipped cream!”

“Sure is.” Mike agreed after taking a bite from his own cake. “But I think the cherries are what make the cake exceptional.”

Both of them enjoyed their break without further comment, the occasional sound of gustatory delight and a sip of hot beverage being the only noises for the next couple of minutes.

Mike put down his empty plate on the counter. “So Twilight, have you reached any conclusions about my universe?”

Carefully Twilight levitated her own plate, now empty of course, to where Mike had placed his and stacked her plate on top of his.

“First, Mike, I have to say that I am impressed by the quality and detail of the images I have seen so far. I find them to be stunning and utterly fascinating. Never have I seen their like.”

Twilight paused and then went on, “Your night skies are so incredibly dynamic. I've seen images of stars being born and images of stars dying and images of stars assembled in groups called clusters.

“Beyond that, I’ve seen the stars assemble themselves into enormous assembly’s called galaxies, comprising hundreds of billions of stars rotating majestically in the night. And even those galaxies, immense as they are, are in turn grouped into clusters.

“The galaxies are also very dynamic. Sometimes they collide with each other, throwing sprays of stars across the heavens, and sometimes the galaxies mysteriously emit powerful jets of energy from their cores.” The mare closed her eyes.

She opened her eyes again and looked directly at Mike. “As soon as I realized what a galaxy was, how an assemblage of hundreds of billions of stars interacted with each other by their combined gravity, I knew that no amount of magic could ever manage to create something with the complexity I saw before me.”

Twilight's expression became bleak. “If I'm not in the closed reality bubble created by my enchanted book, where am I? I feel even more lost than ever before.”

Mike's heart went out to the mare. Getting out of his chair, he approached Twilight and knelt down beside her. Reaching out an arm he pulled her in for a tight hug.

“You’re in a place of hope Twilight. Before, you thought you were in a place without hope. But now you find yourself somewhere altogether different. And you have a friend.

“How you got here, I cannot say, but it was surely by different means than what you assumed it was.”

A smile formed on Twilight's face, her ears were both focused on Mike. “Thanks Mike. Do you really think there is any, hope I mean?”

“Absolutely.” Mike affirmed. He suddenly let go of Twilight and stood up. “What do you say to watching another movie before we go to bed for the evening. After a tumultuous day like today, I think we could both use some entertainment.”

“I think I might like that. What kind of movie did you have in mind?” Twilight asked.

Upon hearing Twilight’s response, Mike began shutting down his computer.

“Hmm,” Mike pretended to give her question some thought, though he had already picked out the movie he wanted to show her. “I'm thinking of a movie about two very lonely individuals overcoming their differences to become friends.”

“A movie about friendship? Oh I really want to see that!” Of a sudden, Twilight seemed very excited though Mike could not figure out why.

“What's it called?” she asked as they exited the office, Mike turning off the lights behind them.

“Hmm? Oh, It's called ‘Wreck-It-Ralph'.” replied Mike.

Author's Note

(1) Etheria: Another word I coined. I derived it from the old (disproved) concept in physics of the 'Luminiferous Aether'. The idea that if light is a 'wave', those waves must necessarily propagate on some invisible medium. My thoughts here were to establish that the transport spell (and even normal unicorn teleportation) transforms the physical body into a cohesive bundle or knot of magical energy akin to the invisible medium that was proposed as the luminiferous aether.

PS: Etheria: Not to be confused with 'etheria' from the old cartoon “She-Ra: Princess of power”. I was very surprised when my web search stumbled across that reference.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

16. Recovery

Disclaimer: Wreck-It-Ralph is owned by Disney.

“A movie about friendship?” A sudden thrill raced up Twilight's spine causing her ears to prick up.

I would really love to see how other humans value friendship.

Not able to contain her excitement she blurted out, “Oh I really want to see that!”

“What's it called?” she asked excitedly even as Mike was turning off the lights to the office

“Hmm?” responded Mike in an absentminded tone. “Oh, It's called ‘Wreck-It-Ralph'.”

Twilight's eyes narrowed as she contemplated Mike's retreating back. You don't fool me. You're pretending to be casual, but you’re up to something.

As they reached the top of the stairs Mike turned to Twilight saying “Excuse me Twilight, do you mind giving me a han− um no, that's not right. Uh, I need your assistance?”

Twilight giggled. He had been about to say 'hand'. Though what he really should have said was−

“Hoof. The word you want is hoof. ” Twilight corrected. “What kind of help do you need?”

Mike swept into the kitchen he turned to Twilight. “Well if we're going to watch a movie, I thought some snacks would be appropriate. Would you mind carrying those things into the living room?” Mike waved a foreleg at a collection of bowls, glasses and bottles sitting upon the formerly uncluttered kitchen counter. “Take everything except that big bowl. Just put them on the coffee table.”

“I'd be glad to, but what's a coffee table?”

“It's that long low table in front of the sofa.”

“Got it.” Twilight called out, “But I'd call that a tea table.” she said as she levitated the collection of objects Mike had indicated and began walking towards the living room.

Noticing that Mike was not following behind, she stopped. “Aren’t you coming too?” She asked.

“Now Twilight, I'm not the kind of guy who asks a girl to do all the menial labor. My contribution will be to make a fresh batch of popcorn. How do you like it? Plain or buttery?”

Though puzzled by Mike’s use of the word ‘buttery’, she didn’t know what Mike meant by it, Twilight was able to answer the question after a fashion. “I've always eaten popcorn just as it is, maybe with a little salt added.”

Mike nodded. “Plain it is. As for me, I like it buttered. How about if I make a bowl of each? That way you can at least try it.”

“You know you don't have to do anything special to accommodate me.” Twilight protested. “What you've done for me already is exceptional.”

“I know.” Mike replied. “But I really don't mind. I want to do this.”

Accepting that Mike could not be dissuaded from his generosity, Twilight resumed her journey into the living room, placing the various items Mike had asked her to bring onto the tea, no− coffee− table.

She was about to examine the bottles to discern their contents when strange noises from the kitchen distracted her.

beep, beep -

I've heard those noises before In fact it was yesterday when Mike was preparing that nasty smelling meat. 'Bay-kon' I think he called it.

Twilight quickly made her way to the kitchen, suddenly apprehensive that Mike might have renounced his vow to give up meat.

I'm sure it's nothing like that. Twilight fought to keep an open mind. Mike has repeatedly proven himself to be a being of character.

She found Mike staring at that same box, hanging underneath an overhead cabinet that had been involved in the previous days' disgusting meat preparation.

vrrmmmm -

The box made the same humming noise she remembered from the previous day. Her apprehensions grew.

Feeling decidedly nervous, Twilight gulped before asking. “What's that thing that's making the noise?”

“That, Twilight, is a microwave oven.”

An oven? Twilight felt a wave of relief as she realized the ominous noise was from a common kitchen appliance. But what's a−?

Again, Mike anticipated her question. “A microwave oven uses radio waves to directly heat the food, while traditional ovens heat the food indirectly through the application of an external heat source.”

“How do radio waves manage to heat food?” was Twilight's next, and obvious, question.

“Well, water molecules are electrically polarized, and radio waves of the right frequency will cause those water molecules to rotate in synchrony with the radio waves. The movement imparted to the water molecules increases their thermal energy. In other words, the water molecules become agitated, causing the water molecules and surrounding molecules to get hotter.”

Twilight was amazed. Directly changing the temperature of something at a molecular level is a high level spell. I've often seen Celestia heat her tea with it, but it's definitely not an easy spell to do. These humans are doing it with a machine, a common oven no less.

“Wow Mike, I must admit that using such a technique for an oven is quite impressive. You say that it works on the water molecules? What if the food has very little water in it?”

Mike grinned at the alicorn, “A very insightful question. If the food has insufficient moisture it simply will not heat, or will heat very slowly. However, water is not the only molecule which is electrically polarized and subject to this heating effect. Oils, fats and greases are also effective heating molecules.

“Right now, those popcorn kernels are resting in a layer of cooking oil which is rapidly getting hotter and-”

pop! -

Twilight's ears twitched as the first kernel popped. Soon it was followed by the next kernel and then a mounting barrage of popping kernels.

The barrage of noise however, was music to Twilight's ears, easing as it did all of her fears of Mike's potential recidivism.

Soon the popping noises diminished and grew infrequent. Before they were done however, Mike reached out his hand and touched the oven.

beep! -

The oven's humming noise stopped, as did the sound of popping kernels. Mike depressed a rather large button and the door to the oven suddenly swung open. Reaching inside, he retrieved a colorful object, but Twilight did not see any popcorn. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement.

It's a paper bag! Twilight suddenly realized, and then she thought. How do you cook food in a paper bag, without incinerating everything?

“How do you−” Twilight began to ask, but stopped herself in mid-sentence. “Never mind.”

“What's that?” Mike asked, puzzled by her aborted question.

“It’s nothing.” Twilight replied. “I was just wondering how you were able to cook food at high temperatures without incinerating that paper bag. But I think I've figured it out. No water molecules in the paper, right?”

“Right.” Mike confirmed Twilight's hypothesis making her smile with satisfaction.

“Although,” Mike added, “we generally never cook food with a microwave, it’s no good for cooking food. For the most part it can only be used for heating food.”

Twilight was surprised. Do the microwaves destroy the food's nutritional value? Or maybe they impart some toxicity to it. Twilight felt alarm as that last thought came to her.

“Why is that? Does the oven do something bad to the food?” she asked hesitantly, suddenly wondering if there was a polite way to refuse to eat any of the popcorn.

“No. It doesn’t harm the food in any way.” Mike answered calmly, not noticing the worry behind Twilight's question, busy as he was preparing a second bag of popcorn for the oven.

beep, beep, vrrmmmm -

Having finished attending to the oven, Mike turned around and faced Twilight. “It's just that the oven cannot heat the food beyond the boiling point of water. At that temperature the moisture gets driven out as steam. Most of our food recipes rely on being able to heat the food to higher temperatures.”

“I never thought of that.” stated Twilight, hiding the relief in her voice. “Unless you heat the food to a higher temperature it won't experience caramelization. If the food doesn’t brown then I suppose it would look rather unappetizing.”

And I suppose that's why unicorn chefs don't cook with magic. Twilight thought to herself.

Mike carried two bowls of popcorn into the living room, setting them down on the coffee table. Before he did, a rosy glow enveloped the items already present on the table, rearranging them to make room for the bowls Mike was carrying.

“Thanks Twilight.” Mike acknowledged her assistance.

As Twilight made herself comfortable on the couch she observed with interest what Mike was doing at the other side of the room. He was searching through what at first glance appeared to be several bookshelves that surrounded the television.

As Twilight had discovered on her first morning of exploring the house, the objects on those shelves were not books. They were strange flat containers made from an equally strange material that only passingly resembled the cellulose she was familiar with. When, after some trial and error, she had managed to open a few of the cases, she had found that they held nothing other than a mysterious silver disk.

Up till this moment, the mysterious disks had slipped her mind.

Mike gave an “Ah!” of satisfaction and picked out a particular case from the shelves. Twilight observed him extract the silver disk that was inside, holding it carefully by the edges. She presumed that the disk was somehow connected with the movie they were going to watch.

I must have been really upset last night, not to have noticed him pulling out one of those silvery disks. Was the wry thought she expressed to herself.

“What's that silver disk you have there?” she asked Mike, even as he squatted down to push a button on the front face of a black box located underneath his television. With a muted whine, a small tray extruded from the box.

“This,” Mike began, giving the silvery disk a quick shake, “is called a DVD. That's an acronym that stands for 'Digital Versatile Disk'.” He placed it onto the tray that had appeared moments before.

I need to write this down. Twilight thought happily to herself. But at that very moment her calm was brutally shattered. A spasm of horror raced down her spine and stiffened her tail.

“WAIT!” Twilight cried out, leaping off the couch. Her outcry caused Mike to startle so badly he attempted to leap up from his squatting position, losing his balance as he did so and crashing backwards down onto the floor. The whole room shook and several small objects fell off the shelving that surrounded the television.

Mike's accident, preceded as it had been by a wild flailing of his arms had wholly drawn Twilight's attention away from her own predicament.

She stepped quickly over to his side, looking him closely in the face. “Mike. Are you okay?” her voice was full of concern.

“Aaaugh.” Mike groaned. “No. I think I hurt my back.” His face was clenched into a grimace of pain.

Mike opened his eyes and looked directly at Twilight who still held her face in front of his. “Forget about me. What about you? You suddenly shouted 'wait' and I could hear in your voice that you were upset.”

Shock descended upon Twilight as she realized that she herself had brought Mike to these straights. The extremity of her outburst had been totally unwarranted.

Twilight closed her eyes momentarily as her face reddened in embarrassment. Nevertheless she owed Mike an explanation. “I'm sorry Mike, I− I got over excited when I realized that I didn't have my notepad with me. I'm sorry that you got hurt because of me.” Twilight lowered her head and gave Mike a brief nuzzle on the cheek to emphasize her apology.

Mike's eyes grew wide. After a moment he smiled and asked. “Your notepad huh?”

“Yes. I know that it was silly of me to make such a fuss about a−” Twilight's confession was interrupted as Mike laid a finger across her muzzle, effectively startling her into silence.

“It's all right Twilight. Heh! All this commotion for a simple notepad. I'd be laughing right now except that it hurts too much.”

“But−” Twilight tried to speak, only to be silenced again by the finger.

“Not your fault Twilight, or at least very little of it is. I probably strained my back yesterday when I was carrying that heavy battery around. Either that or it was from those two times that I slipped and fell on the ice. Back pain is sneaky that way. It usually makes itself known a day or two after the initial injury.”

“You fell twice? I only remember that time when we started laughing after you fixed your generator.”

“Ah, that was the second time. The first was when I first found you half frozen to death outside my back door. I stepped outside to pick you up and slipped on the ice.”

“You hurt yourself while trying to save me?” Twilight's eyes grew moist; she could feel a tear working its way down her cheek.

Mike brought his hand up to her face and wiped the tear away. “Not your fault. I chose to save you. To do what was right. I don't regret that action in the least.” An impish grin suddenly appeared on Mike's face. “Unless of course you're really here to conquer the earth.”

Twilight's tearful gaze was quickly replaced with a glare. Her eyes were narrowed as she raised her left forehoof to rap Mike smartly on the head with it. “Oww!” he exclaimed.

“Enough with the stupid jokes about conquering the earth, it's getting old. Just get up already.”

Acquiescing, Mike's lifted his shoulders preparatory to rolling over and getting up off the floor. Suddenly his face went white and he let out a strangled scream “Auuuugh!” which was quickly followed by a hiss drawn through clenched teeth. There followed several moments of strained breathing as Mike's rigid body slowly relaxed.

Twilight was startled by Mike’s reaction and drew back from him. The pupils of her eyes had constricted in terror at Mike's display of agony, her ears were pinned back.

He's really in a lot of pain. This is something serious. What do I do? She thought frantically.

After a moment she recovered from her involuntary reaction. “Mike, what's wrong?” she asked.

“I told you Twilight that I hurt my back. I was hoping that it was only a minor injury, but I guess that's not the case. This one is starting to feel quite bad.” Mike grimaced again as he attempted to slowly wiggle about and relieve some persistent discomfort. After those feeble efforts, he was panting heavily.

Mike sighed with frustration. “It looks like I'll be sleeping right here on the floor tonight.”

His statement caught Twilight by surprise. “What!? Were you somehow paralyzed when you fell?” she asked Mike, dismay plainly evident in her voice and writ large upon her features.

“Calm down Twilight.” Mike attempted to sooth her. “I'm not paralyzed. It's just that I find it a little too painful to move, at least for now.”

“Don't know what I'm going to do when I have to go to the bathroom.” Mike added sotto voce. Not expecting Twilight to hear him say it.

That's no problem; I can easily levitate him into the bathroom if it comes to that. Twilight thought to herself.

“But Mike,” Twilight's expression was worried, “there must be something wrong with your back. Otherwise you shouldn't be in this much pain.”

Mike let out an exasperated sigh. “Don't worry yourself about it Twilight. The human species has been plagued with back pain since they first assumed an upright posture. This pain is caused by spasming muscles.”

“Spasming muscles?” she asked. Not quite sure how muscles could cause such levels of pain.

“Yeah, though it's a little more complicated than that. It usually starts out with just a tiny injury that you don't even feel. Whether from strain, disease or injury, a nerve or a muscle becomes inflamed.

“Then the autonomic nervous system does a strange thing. It causes the surrounding muscles to lock up in an effort to keep the injured tissues immobile. This in itself is not painful, but eventually the strain begins to tell on those surrounding tissues and they become inflamed from their constant overwork.

“This inflammatory response grows in a vicious feedback loop. The initial inflamed nerve or muscle induces inflammatory reactions in other muscles or nerves which in turn involve yet more nerves and muscles.

“The only cure is rest. Drugs to help relax over strained muscles are also useful. But I don't have any of those.”

Twilight pondered Mike's description of what was happening in his back. Sore and over strained muscles. I'd bet Lotus Blossom and Aloe could really help him with those. Those two earth ponies can really work some powerful magic with their hooves...

Suddenly Twilight's face lit up. “Mike! I have an idea. I think I can help you.”

Mike's brow wrinkled in a puzzled expression. “Help me? What do you mean?” Suddenly his eye's grew wide as he considered one possibility. “No! No! I would never dream of asking you to carry me into the bathroom.” His face held a frantic expression.

At first Twilight did not understand Mike's comment. It was so− random and unrelated to the topic at hoof. Unless, she thought, his whispered comment from before was something significant and it’s been pressing on his thoughts all this time.

Twilight smirked as she realized the golden opportunity Mike had presented her with.

She leaned forward again, bringing her face, now showing earnest sympathy with both her ears pricked forwards, down close to his. “But Mike, you're in so much pain. I'd be happy to carry you to the bathroom. Do you need to go right now?” Then she lit her horn as if preparing to levitate him then and there.

Mike's eyes got incredibly wide and he positively screamed, “Noooooooo!” Though that outburst soon ended in another spasm of pain. “Aaaauuuugh!” Mike screamed a second time, though not as loudly.

“Hah!, Hah!, Hah!...” Twilight had literally fallen over backwards and was kicking her legs up in the air from laughing so hard. If not for her wings, which she had spread out for stability, she would literally have been rolling on the floor laughing.

Twilight soon ended her laughter, mostly due to guilt over Mike's continued groans of pain. She got back on her hooves and approached Mike again. She sat down with her face over his again.

“I'm sorry Mike. I didn't mean to hurt your back any more. But that was such a perfect opportunity to get back at you for all those terrible jokes you've been throwing at me.”

“You were joking?” He asked, with an enormous expression of relief appeared on his face.

“Yes and no.” Twilight explained. “I really would be willing to help you go to the bathroom.” Mike's eyes again grew wide with apprehension, but before he could say anything Twilight continued. “But I really don't think that will be necessary.”

“Not necessary?” Mike asked, his expression was blank. Apparently the recent series of shocks had reduced his brain to the functionality of a parrot. Twilight sat back on her haunches.

“Exactly. I think I have a way to heal your back and bring those muscles of yours back to normal.”

Mike's expression was now a peculiar mix of fear and hope, at least that's what Twilight thought she saw in it.

“You have a spell that can heal my back?” Mike asked nervously.

Considering how skittish he was about my magic yesterday, I would not be surprised if he was worried about my using healing magic on him.

“No I don't, have a healing spell I mean. Healing spells only work correctly when the spell caster has a thorough knowledge of the physiology of the body being worked on, and I'm not a physician. In fact even a pony physician would not be able to help you since he would have no knowledge of your human physiology.

“What I'm proposing is to give you an Earth pony massage.”

“A massage?” Mike asked querulously. “I don't have any experience of those. Not sure if one will help much.”

“Not a massage. An Earth pony massage.” Twilight corrected him.

Mike's response was to look at Twilight directly in the eyes, as if searching for some hidden meaning in them. Twilight looked back into Mike's eyes. I never noticed before but he has blue-grey eyes. It's an odd color that I've never seen in a pony, but they look like kind eyes.

After a moment of soul gazing, Mike sighed and looked away. “Could you please explain.” he asked.

Twilight was happy to oblige. “Back in Ponyville we have a spa, its run by two lovely Earth pony sisters named Lotus Blossom and Aloe. They provide a special massage called an Earth pony massage. Using their Earth pony magic to sooth and restore sore and abused muscles.

“More than once I've wound up all stiff, sore and beat up. Their Earth pony massage works wonders.”

Mike gave Twilight raised eyebrow, as if questioning her veracity. “Why would a Princess get herself 'beat up' as you so succinctly put it?”

Twilight stretched out a wing. “I told you before, these wings are relatively new, and I'm still learning how to use them.” She blushed suddenly, looking away in embarrassment, “I've become rather intimate with the ground on more occasions than I care to remember.”

Mike chuckled. “I think I understand,” he said while reaching out to rub her shoulder consolingly.

Twilight smiled in response to Mike's gesture and continued with her explanation. “Well during one of those sessions, I got curious as to what Lotus Blossom was doing and watched closely as she manipulated the magic during my massage.

“I think I can do for you what she did for me.”

“You think? Hold on, you've never done this before.” Mike stated accusingly, his eyes widening with alarm.

Now Twilight sighed. “It's true, I haven't done this before. In fact I've never done any sort of Earth pony magic before.”

She looked him steadily in the eye. “But Earth ponies don't do 'spells' like unicorns do. They simply manipulate the natural magic which is present in all living things. And by manipulate I simply mean that they have the ability to move it. They push and pull and move it around; gathering and concentrating or dissipating and dispersing.

“For the Earth pony massage, I will be gently moving magic, your own life-magic, through those sore and inflamed muscles. It should help them to recover their normal state quite rapidly.”

“How rapidly?” Mike asked. He didn't sound nervous at all now. Apparently her explanation had been satisfactory.

“Um, about ten minutes.” Twilight hazarded a guess based on her past experiences in the Ponyville spa. “Maybe longer, since I've never done this before and I'll be sure to act slow and cautious.”

“Alright.” Mike stated. Once more looking her in the eye he said, “I trust you.”

His simple statement made Twilight happy. She was coming to realize that when Mike gave his trust, it truly meant something.

It had not been easy for Mike to get ready for the massage. Twilight's levitation was not the same as weightlessness, as she was in fact 'grabbing onto' various portions of his body. As she levitated him, the shifting forces would cause Mike to flex and bend.

Twilight tried to be gentle as she levitated him off the floor and then rotated him face down. But every stretch and pull on his back muscles had a tendency to make them spasm.

She had also needed to remove Mike's shirt. She found it frustrating when it turned out he had a second shirt under his outer one. An inner-shirt as she privately chose to call it.

Finally Mike was lying face down on the floor with both his shirts off. He was grimacing in discomfort as his back muscles refused to fully relax.

“All right, I'm going to start now. Let me know what you're feeling from the massage.”

“Okay, I'm ready as I'll ever be.” was Mike's muffled reply. He had his face buried in a pillow obtained from the couch and had his head turned in the direction away from Twilight.

Twilight leaned over Mike and lightly placed one of her fore hooves on his back. Using her magic senses she observed the life-magic that shimmered within Mike’s body. She could even see irregularities in his life-magic where the muscles were injured.

Concentrating on her hoof, she attempted to 'pull' or draw his life-magic towards them. Nothing happened.

Still maintaining her focus, something she had learned through all her years as a unicorn practicing magic, Twilight sought a new technique. Remembering that Earth ponies mostly worked their magic through their hooves she attempted to 'feel' Mike's life-magic with her hoof-magic.

Twilight was such an accomplished unicorn that she had hardly used her hoof-magic for many years now, but her old foalhood skills came back to her. Gradually she began to sense something that she had never sensed before. Her hoof-magic began to impart to her the 'feel' of Mike's life-magic.

Having identified the 'feel' of the life-magic, she tried again to draw it towards her hooves, only now she was able to focus that effort through the new sensations her hoof-magic had revealed to her. Slowly a small wave of Mike's life-magic, thick and viscous like honey accumulated under her hooves.

“Ohhh!” Mike exclaimed.

“Is this hurting you?” Twilight asked anxiously, halting her 'pull' on his life-magic.

“Nooo. That feels─ wonderful.” Though Mike's head was turned away, Twilight could see the corner of what had to be an enormous grin. “It feels like a cooling ice-pack, banishing the pain. Only it's not actually cold.”

Thus encouraged, Twilight began to slide her hoof slowly and gently over Mikes lower back. Wherever a hoof went, a wave of Mike's life-magic oozed along with it.

“Ahhhhhh!” Mike relayed his pleasure, thus buoying up Twilight's mood as well.

Twilight was simply repeating the slow and gentle movements that she had observed Lotus Blossom perform. But she found it to be a thrilling experience. I'm actually doing Earth pony magic. She thought in amazement. It feels so very different from any of the Unicorn magic or Pegasus magic I've done before.

After a few minutes of this Twilight asked Mike how his back was feeling. “Is there any pain left?”

“No. It's all gone, totally gone. I can't believe it.” Mike's reply conveyed his amazement.

Satisfied that the inflammation in Mike's muscles had been eliminated, Twilight moved on to the second stage of the massage, it required a change to her technique.

Twilight now put both fore-hooves on Mike's back allowing her weight to press down on him. With both hooves, she alternately 'pushed' and 'pulled' on the treacly life-magic under her hooves. When she 'pulled', a concentration built up under her hoof. As soon as the concentration had built up to a significant amout, she would 'push' and the concentration of life-magic flowed out and away from her hoof.

She was more aggressive now, using more force to manipulate the magic, each push-pull cycle taking about five seconds to complete, the waves and troughs of life-magic deeper than before. Occasionally she would move a hoof and change the area being worked on.

“Ohhh.” Mike groaned. “Whatever you’re doing, don't stop. It feels like alternating hot and cold packs and it feels goood.”

“What I'm doing now should cause your muscles to heal at a greatly accelerated rate. The flow of life-magic passing through the tissues causes them to heal and rejuvenate.”

Twilight brought the Earth-pony massage to a close by smoothing out any remaining ripples in Mike's life-magic. Letting go of his life-magic, she removed her hooves from Mike's back.

“There, that should do it. How do you feel Mike?” There was no reply.

“Mike?” Twilight raised her voice feeling apprehensive that something had gone wrong.

Mike's lips twitched into a smile. “Five more minutes mommy.”

Twilight's eyes narrowed. He's joking around again. Well I have an answer for that.

“Oww!” Twilight's hoof had made contact with the back of Mike's head.

No way did I hit him as hard as he's pretending I did. Twilight wore a tiny smile.

“Try to get up. You should be feeling a great deal better now.”

Suddenly serious again, Mike pulled in his arms and cautiously raised himself off the floor. As he raised himself higher, his face broke out in a beaming smile.

Testing the limits of his recovery, he started performing a few exercises. Twilight grew alarmed when she saw him bend in half, touching his toes on the floor.

“Go easy on those exercises Mike. You need a good night's sleep before your muscles are fully recovered.”

“Okay. But I'm happy to report that everything seems to be in top working order again.”

Mike got down on one of his knees, bringing his face level with Twilight's. He reached out an arm to touch her shoulder. “Thank you so much Twilight. Never in my life have I ever had such a pleasant cure. You give really, really good massages.”

Twilight smiled. “Thanks Mike. I was happy to be able to help you like you've been helping me all along.” she held his gaze for a moment, then added. “But I think we're running behind schedule with that movie.”

“Yeah, I'm sorry for all the trouble that I've caused. But we can get started now.”

“Wait!” Twilight called out, but this time with less urgency in her voice. “I still need to get my notepad.”

Twilight returned from the office in the basement bearing her precious notebook and pen. She had also brought along the two books that Mike had given her. After the movie, she intended to do a bit of studying. Her heart felt light. She was about to watch a movie about friendship.

Upon entering the living room, she saw that Mike was once again wearing his shirts, and that he was sitting on the sofa. Mike, noticing Twilight's arrival in the room, scooted down toward one end of the sofa, leaving ample room for Twilight.

Twilight was puzzled. He has his own chair. Why is he sitting on the couch? She shrugged, not caring where Mike chose to sit.

Twilight hopped up on the sofa and got comfortable. She was levitating a half dozen kernels of popcorn into her mouth, one by one, when Mike suddenly slid down the sofa, seating himself much closer to her.

Twilight was surprised at Mike's move. She looked up at him questioningly.

Upon seeing Twilight's expression. Mike sighed and bowed his head.

“I'm sorry Twilight. I suddenly had a desire to sit close to you. It's been a long and stressful day and I'm feeling a little out of sorts. I thought sitting close to a friend would help.”

“Your day was stressful?” Twilight asked. “From what I saw of your behavior, I thought you were just having a typical human day. If anything has caused you stress, it would have to be my presence. I'm so sorry for that.”

“Don't be sorry Twilight, I willingly chose to help you. I don't regret your presence.

“As to the causes of my stress, well first there was that one hour lineup at the grocery store checkout, oh, and before that there was that psychotic woman driver in the parking lot. And yes, later when I had that argument with you and you told me that I'm not real, that was quite a shock.

“I had quite a bit of anxiety there before I realized the truth and was able to prove that I was real after all. And yes, there was a little while there when I was wondering if the universe itself might not be real, but that wasn't for long.

“But forget all those. The biggest stress inducer by far, outweighing all the rest, was hurting my back. Pain has a strange way of burning through my reserves of strength, and that back pain was really bad...” Mike's voice trailed off into silence, as if embarrassed by his weakness.

Twilight looked up at Mike and considered his confession of need. It didn't take her long to reach a decision. Raising herself up, she moved herself over to his side and leaned up against him.

“I don't mind Mike. If it makes a friend feel better, I'd gladly sit close to them.” she stated with a calm voice.

Mike reached out an arm and clasped her shoulder in a friendly hug. “Thanks.”

Twilight giggled. “So let's get started with this movie, we are half an hour behind schedule now.”

“We have a schedule?” Mike asked in puzzlement.

“Of course.” Twilight answered primly, “And it's your fault that we're half an hour behind.” While teasing Mike, Twilight neglected to watch what she was doing and accidentally levitated her next munch of popcorn out of Mike's bowl.

Twilight's eyes opened wide as a strange taste flooded her mouth. She realized immediately what must have happened.

I'm eating Mike's popcorn. Twilight took another tentative chew. It's─ not bad. Not bad at all. In fact− more chewing ensued, and then a swallow. I think I like it with butter.

She levitated another munch from Mike's bowl.

“Hey!” shouted Mike. “That's my popcorn. Get your own!”

Twilight munched away on her purloined kernels, then winked at Mike and giggled.

Mike smiled, confirming that he was only joking. “I'm glad you like it. But leave some for me.”

Mike let go of Twilight and reached over to the coffee table, picking up an elongated oddly shaped device. To Twilight's eyes it was all curves and bulges, somewhat shaped like the body of a wasp, its upper surface covered with buttons.

Twilight just had to ask some questions about it. “I gather that you use that thing to control the television. Why does it have such an odd shape, and how does it work?”

Mike smiled, and put his arm around Twilight again, giving her a quick hug. “I love your curiosity, you know that?”

Twilight smiled. Mike's easy reply, accepting her inquisitive nature, boosted her own spirits tremendously.

“To answer your question, this is called a remote, which is short for remote control unit. The shape is arbitrary, except that the manufacturer was attempting to make it ergonomically efficient. It works by sending−”

“Wait, what does that word 'ergonomical' mean?” Twilight just had to interrupt Mike. Having been Celestia's personal student, and a very studious one at that, it was not every day that she ran into a word she had never encountered before.

Mike blinked, caught off guard by her question. His mouth opened as if to speak, and then closed again. Eventually he found his voice. “You know, I've never looked up the exact meaning of that word, it just sort of came into general use over the last few decades.

“It's called 'ergonomics', and my guess is that it's simply the study of human factors in the design and efficiency of the tools, artifacts and processes that we use.”

Twilight's pen was flying across her notebook, but her gaze never wavered from Mike. She was hanging on his every word.

“For example, this remote here, is shaped in such a manner as to be easily cradled in a human hand, yet leaves my thumb free to access all the buttons on its top surface. Additionally, its surface has been given a non-slip texture which makes it easier to hold on to without dropping it.

“Or take for example a simple chair. A few decades ago, office workers frequently complained of back pain. Often it became severe enough that they were forced to take many days off of work. Then some people started to design chairs that accommodated the peculiarities of the human body, taking into account our physiology and our posture while working. People using those new chairs started feeling better, having fewer incidents of back pain. The people were happy and the employer was even happier due to their increased productivity.

“Or take simple tools. For thousands of years a hammer was nothing but a lump of metal on the end of a straight handle. But recently, I've been seeing hammers that have a slight curve to the handle. So instead of stressing my wrist like this−” Mike held out his right foreleg, holding the remote and tilting his hand at the joint in such an extreme manner that the remote was aligned in parallel with the axis of his foreleg. “−an ergonomic hammer would reduce that stress.” Mike's wrist and the remote tilted up by about fifteen degrees.

“You know, It would be fascinating to see what a pony style hammer looks like. Even if you don't have a formal science of ergonomics, I imagine your own physiology must have had a strong influence on the shape of your tools.

“Heh. I can't imagine anything more stupid than asking a pony to use a human style hammer. What would they do with it, grab the handle with their teeth? Ouch!”

Twilight held a fake grin as her mind raced back to an incident when a bunch of construction ponies had come into Sugar Cube corner. While Twilight had been waiting for Pinkie to finish up in the back, she could not help but overhear the conversation between the construction ponies. She remembered how surprised she had been that much of their conversation had been about the relative merits of various dentists.

It all makes sense now. Those construction workers would be very interested in dental care because gripping the hammers and other tools in their teeth would eventually damage their teeth.

And if they hurt their teeth, then they can't work. Oh! This sounds exactly like those chairs that Mike mentioned. Suddenly Twilight was excited again, as she saw the connection between workplace injury and tool design.

Twilight cleared her throat to get Mike's attention. “Thanks Mike. Ergonomics. We certainly don't have anything like that back in Equestria, but I am very glad you told me about it. This is an idea that I think will be very much appreciated by everypony.”

Mike smiled. “Glad I could help.” He then turned back towards the television.

Holding out the remote, Mike pressed a button. Soon the movie began to play. Twilight hurriedly finished writing up her notes on ergonomics.

Mike allowed the commercial preambles to play in their entirety since Twilight was curious to see what insights they might offer.

She nearly jumped out of her hide when the room shook from the sound of exploding skyrockets.

She tried, and failed, to elicit any meaning from an assembly of monsters having a party. The human girl with a fish's tail simply confused her and flying machines that had faces and talked with mouths... well she did not know what to make of those.

“Okay Mike, what was that we just saw? I simply don't know what to make of it.”

Mike did something with the remote which caused the images to stop moving. “Those were commercials advertising the availability of several other movies. The first commercial was for a movie about a bunch of monsters going to college and how they became friends.

“The second commercial is for an old children’s story about a mermaid who falls in love with a prince, but they come from two incompatible worlds.”

Twilight nodded at that one. It had similar counterparts in equestrian literature.

“And the third commercial. Well, all I can say is that human children love to anthropomorphize, believing and imagining that an animal or a toy or some other object, in this case airplanes, are alive and sentient and talk just like people. It's an imaginative bit of nonsense that only a child can appreciate.”

Mike's description about the first movie was tugging at Twilight's mind. “About that first movie. You said that it was about how the monsters became friends?”

“Yes. Though I would not recommend watching that movie unless you have some time to waste.”

“Why is that?”

“Every great movie has a unifying concept or theme which pulls it together emotionally. They sort of lost their way with that one, giving it a jumble of emotional themes.”

Twilight had heard enough. “Okay Mike, let's continue.”

Mike clicked a button on his remote again. And the display on the television changed.

Twilight shivered when she read a display with bold shields and the 'FBI' label. It was an ominous warning. She hoped that Mike was not doing anything illegal.

A few more quick scenes appeared that Twilight figured were some sort of self-identification.

The actual start of the movie was so confusing that she nearly missed it. It showed a 'box' with a television in it, emitting some very strange noised and melodies. Upon the television she saw strange red figure made up of squares. What clued her in that the movie was starting was the voice speaking.

“My names Ralph, and I'm a bad guy-” A yellow something, also made of square pieces, blew out puffs of (square pieces) smoke and pushed the (square pieces) tree stump over to an indeterminate pile of (square pieces) something. A sign was stuck into the pile declaring it to be a dump. The voice continued.

“Ahh, let's see. I'm nine feet tall and I weigh six hundred and forty three pounds, −”

Yay! Pounds. I don't know what measurement system Mike is using, but if they can use pounds in this movie why doesn't he use them?

The red figure, which Twilight assumed to be Ralph, threw a temper tantrum and pounded at the dump. It spoke and words of text appeared above it, echoing its speech.

“Hey, you moved my stump!”

“Got a little bit of temper on me. My passion bubbles very near the surface I guess. Not gonna lie.”

Twilight watched growing more and more confused. The narration voice was talking, the little red human made of squares was talking and all the images, made of squares as they were, were terrible to look at.

Twilight tried to maintain an open mind, as apparently a large building was constructed within seconds. For some unaccountable reason, the red figure started destroying it.

Twilight watched in horror as the red figure plucked another tiny figure from out of a window and threw it across the screen eliciting a tiny scream that faded away.

Not able to take it any longer, Twilight used her magic to press the button on the remote which caused the images to freeze. She had been watching how Mike used the device.

“Mike! Why are we watching this? This is simply horrible. That monster is hurting others. And the images are giving me a headache as well.”

“Please remain patient Twilight, stay with it for just another minute or two, and I guarantee you, you will start seeing Ralph in a different light.”

“Ralph? You mean the red figure who is trying to wreck the building.” She asked.

Mike nodded confirmation.

“That’s not very likely, He’s a monster.” She muttered under her breath. Twilight turned her attention back to the movie as Mike started it playing again.

“The thing is, fixing is the name of the game, literally. Fix it Felix Junior.−”

A multitude of tiny figures appeared in the windows of the building and called out in unison..

“Fix it Felix!”

Suddenly, the image changed to show a hammer. Twilight twitched as she recognized it. She realized that it had to be a 'human' style hammer, and that it was basically indistinguishable from an equestrian hammer.

Note to self. Do not let Mike see an 'equestrian hammer'. After what he said earlier, that would be kind of embarrassing. Her brow furrowed. Why are ponies using human style hammers?

Another (square pieces) character suddenly appeared next to the (square pieces) hammer.

“I can fix it!”

The story grew even more confusing for her when a blue figure somehow began correcting the destruction left behind by the antagonistic red figure.

“So naturally the guy with the name Fix it Felix is the good guy, He's nice enough as good guys go. Definitely fixes stuff really well. But, heh, if you've got a magic hammer from your father, how hard can it be.−”

Magic does not work like that. Twilight observed with some indignation.

As Twilight observed the movie, the characters were suddenly assembled on the roof of a now spotless building. A round golden object suddenly appeared above Felix and the smaller characters.

“When Felix does a good job, he gets a medal. But, are there medals for wrecking stuff really well? To that I say 'HAH'!”

Suddenly the tiny figures all grabbed the large monster and threw it off the roof.

Yay! Twilight cheered internally as she watched the red monster tumble down the side of the tall building.

She watched it splat into a puddle of mud and lay motionless. Oh no! They killed it. Why would they want to hurt it like that?

Twilight was distraught at the untimely end to the monster and almost missed what happened next. The camera pulled back and she recognized that she had been watching crude images presented on a television. A legend appeared near the top of the movie screen declaring that the scene they had been watching was from 'Thirty Years Ago'. It had all been some sort of flashback.

The narrator's next words caught at Twilight's attention.

“I just gotta say− it becomes kind of hard to love your job when no one seems to like you for doing it.”

That just seems so backwards to me. She thought. With a Cutie Mark you know what you love, what you're good at before you find your job. Only a human could end up in a situation like that.

Suddenly the camera dove through the television and into the world of the Fix it Felix game. Everything she had observed earlier, with its painful-to-watch squares, was now crisp and clear yet recognizably the same identical character or object.

The camera's viewpoint swooped around the building making Twilight feel as if she was actually flying around it. Soon the camera's viewpoint ended up on the ground again, showing the figure of the red character, Ralph, lying prone in the mud. Ralph got up out of the mud and made his way dejectedly over to a mountain of bricks off in the distance.

Well, I'm glad that he didn't die. But he's still a horrid beast.

Twilight watched as Ralph made his bed out of a pile of bricks. Suddenly the monster looked very lonely as he gazed up from his bed into the apartments at the top of the building. The narrator resumed talking.

“But, if I'm really honest with myself, I see Felix up there getting patted on the back, people giving him pie, thanking him and so happy to see him all the time.−”

The view of the apartment faded out, to be replaced by a view of Ralph who was suddenly revealed to be the narrator who had been talking all along.

“Sometimes I think─ Man, sure must be nice being the good guy.”

Twilight stopped the movie again.

“Mike! What exactly is going on here? First I learn to despise this Ralph monster and now I'm starting to feel sorry for him. And their world confuses me. Are there actually tiny people living inside the television boxes?”

“Alright Twilight. Yes, Ralph is the main protagonist for this story. As to why− well that's a little more complicated.”

“As you know Twilight, us humans don't have magic, but we do have video games. A video game is simply a computer program that's designed to show a visual representation of an imaginary world and lets a human interact with that world. Personally I think that the effect is just a little bit like your enchanted book.”

Twilight started when she heard that comparison. Mike did not notice, and continued with his explanation.

“The player, a real human in the real world, can control events in the imaginary world of the video game by means of various buttons and levers on the game console. In actuality the computer program is simply responding to that user's inputs and changes the images presented on the screen accordingly.

“Do you remember that I told you human children like to anthropomorphize, imagining how animals and inanimate objects can be human?” Mike asked.

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well we adults don't anthropomorphize, but we still have fond memories of the joy our imaginations brought to us when we were children. This movie incorporates that into its basic premise. The supposition that those little characters we witness in our video games are somehow− alive.”

Mike paused to think for a moment. “You know, our discussion from earlier today, about characters being created for a story, is perhaps very relevant to this movie.”

Twilight's eyes were riveted on Mike. She had made the same connection in her own thoughts.

“The story that you have seen so far, is simply Ralph recounting his own back story. And he seems to be unhappy with the limitations imposed upon him by his back story.

“Ralph's back story boils down to three or four short sentences. 'I'm Ralph, a big brute who lives in a stump. One day some people arbitrarily dispossessed me of my stump, moving it to the dump. In a fit of anger I must seek retribution by dispossessing them of their home. But by the rules of the game, I am forever destined to fail.' ”

A lump formed in Twilight's throat as she felt sorrow for Ralph's plight. Ralph isn't the monster. The true monster here is the universe he's in, the video game that consigned him to his violent role and a fate of loneliness and frustration.

Mike hugged Twilight. “You know that this is just a story, that none of it is real, right?”

“Yes of course I know that.” Twilight sniffed. “It's just that suddenly, now that I know what is happening, this story has become so sad.”

“Cheer up Twilight. Ralph has a big adventure ahead of him. Why don't we watch the movie and discover what kind of life he finds as he looks for something beyond his destiny.”

‘Something beyond his destiny.’ Pondered Twilight. Is such a thing possible?

“...Turns out I don't need a medal to tell me that I'm a good guy. Cause if that little kid likes me− How bad can I be?”

Twilight closed her eyes, damming up her tears. The end of Ralph's soliloquy had expressed such a profound sentiment.

Twilight sniffed, feeling a little moisture in her nose. Another sniff sounded beside her, causing her eyes to open in astonishment.

She looked up at Mike and saw that his eyes too were brimming with tears.

“Mike, were you crying?” Twilight asked solicitously, suddenly reminded of her brother.

“It's nothing really. I love that ending to the movie, but no matter how many times I see it, it always gets to me.” He raised his hands and wiped his tears away. “There, all better.”

Mike had suddenly recovered his composure and was smiling again. “Man, I really like that movie.” He turned to Twilight, “So how about you?” he asked her with a grin.

“I really liked it too. Though they started out with considerable animosity, the friendship that grew between Ralph and the little girl was very touching. I'm glad that they became friends, but I'm not sure how it happened. That little girl was quite unpleasant at times and was very manipulative in the way she got him to initially help her.”

“It was the moment she showed him her home.” Mike answered.

“How do you mean?” Twilight asked. “Does showing your home have a special cultural significance to humans?”

Mike laughed. “No. Ralph suddenly developed a compassion for the girl when he realized that she was living in a dump, consisting of odd scraps of garbage, just like he was. At that point his heart changed and he truly wanted to help her. That's when he realized that they both shared a common hardship, loneliness.” Mike spoke the last word softly.

I think Mike's analysis is correct, they were both lonely. That's very perceptive of him. Thought Twilight.

Twilight spoke again “I liked the movie, but there were some scenes I really think it could have done better without.”

“What? You mean the scene where the villain pulled the heart out of the zombie’s chest? You screamed like a little girl.”

“Urrrgh.” Twilight's ears wilted and an expression of absolute disgust filled her face. “Yes Mike, that scene, and please, don't ever describe it to me again.”

“Alright Twilight. I promise I won't mention that again.”

That was not quite enough for Twilight who drew back from Mike and gave him a poke the side.

“Oof!” Mike grunted.

“Besides,” she added, “I am a girl, so what does it matter if I scream like one?”

“It doesn't, it doesn’t matter at all.” Mike agreed vehemently, clutching protectively at his side.

Twilight offered another comment about the movie. “I also found those Sigh-bugs to be very disturbing.”

“How can you say that? They were an essential element to the whole storyline.”

“Oh I agree with you. They were essential to the plot, but I still don't like them. They remind me entirely too much of Parasprites.”

Mike was surprised. “Your world has Cybugs?”

Twilight made a face at Mike. “Of course not, Parasprites are a far cry short of those Sigh-bugs. But once you've suffered through an infestation of one kind of rapidly multiplying insect vermin you develop an aversion to all of them.

“And then there was the scene near the end, where King Candy ended up driving right into the mouth of a massive Sigh-bug. Brrrr.” Twilight gave an involuntary shudder. “I don't like to see anyone die, even a fictitious villain like King Candy.”

Mike smiled and took up the argument “Oh come now Twilight, he continued to live on in the Cybug.”

“I would have to disagree with you there Mike. Earlier in the movie Lieutenant Kal-hoon stated quite clearly that the Sigh-bugs become what they eat. We even saw the Sigh-bug eat Ralph's weapon and suddenly its legs turned into weapons.

“It's obvious to me that King Candy died, and the Sigh-bug only became a duplicate of him.”

“Au contrair, mon petit étranger, In the world of video games, the code is the character, and the character is the code, we saw that in that surrealistic scene where King Candy manipulated the game code to retrieve the medal. The Cybug assimilated King Candy's code and it continued to live on in the Cybug.”

“Is that what that was? I was wondering what was going on at that point. But I'd still have to disagree with you. King Candy's code may have been assimilated, but that implies it is definitely subordinate to the Sigh-bug's code. King Candy's code now exists as a mere adjunct of the Sigh-bug.” Twilight delivered that last with a huge grin on her face.

“He may be an adjunct, but his code still exists, so he is still technically 'alive'.” Mike countered with an equally huge grin to Twilight's.

“He's lost his free will to a Sigh-bug.”

“The Cybug allowed him free reign over his body.”

“If you can call that bloated monstrosity his body.”

Suddenly the two of them burst out laughing. The argument had reached the point of absurdity.

“You win Twilight. I grant you that King Candy did possibly perish when the Cybug ate him. That was a fun discussion; you're really good at debating.”

“Thank you Mike, I really enjoyed debating with you as well.”

“I'm just glad you enjoyed our evening together.” was Mike's reply.

Mike stifled a yawn and then dragged his hand down his face. Twilight thought Mike looked quite comical as his face distorted under the pull of his hand.

Mike spoke, “Well look at that, it's past ten o'clock already. I'm beat.

“Twilight, you said that I should get a good night's rest for my back to finish healing. I think I'll do just that. Thank you so much Twilight for your company this evening.” Mike raised himself from the couch, grabbed several items from the coffee table and made his way into the kitchen.

Twilight jumped off the couch and followed after him, levitating the remaining paraphernalia of their party off the table, carrying it along with her. “Here, I'll help!” she called out.

In the kitchen, she watched with interest as Mike loaded the dishwasher, inserted a tablet, (upon asking, she found out that it was just detergent), and pushed a button to start the machine.

That machine is so simple to use. I wish we had dishwasher's in Equestria, Spike would love it.

Not long after that Mike had completed a trip to the bathroom and was headed off to bed. He stopped by Twilight's room.

“Good night Twilight.”

“Good night Mike. If you don't mind, I think I will stay up a while longer and start reading one of those books you loaned me.”

“No problem. See you in the morning.” Mike waved and turned towards his bedroom.

Twilight felt alive again. Her gloom and dissociation for the past two days had been stifling, crushing her spirit. Now, suddenly, she was filled with hope.

Looking back she felt the turning point had come when Mike had proven to her that he was real. And beyond that he had shown her that she was in a real universe, not some closed off reality bubble from a damaged enchanted book.

She was full of joy just knowing that Mike was her friend, intrigued by all the wonderful new science that surrounded her. A whole new reality just brimming with new things to discover surrounded her. And to top it all off, there was a possibility that she might be able to get home again.

Thanks Mike, for waking me up. Without your help I think I might have given up and died.

Twilight's heart was so full and she just had to let it out.

Suddenly an idea seized her. Quickly she brought up her notepad and turned to a fresh page.

Dear Princess Celestia.

It has been a long time since I wrote you a friendship report.

Yes, I know that I am now a Princess and that I no longer have a duty to report to you. But know this. In my heart I will always be your faithful student. And even though this letter will never find its way to you, I have such a desire to tell you what I have learned that I can barely contain myself.

When you think you are lost, completely and irrevocably lost, lost without hope and without light, at times like those it is a true friend who searches for you in your darkness and guides you back to the light.

I thought I was lost, inside a pocket universe created by a damaged enchanted story. I though I was lost in a story with no escape, no hope, and no friends, that all whom I met were fictitious characters. Incapable of friendship.

Then I met somepony, only he's not a pony, he's something called a human, and his name is Mike.

When I first met Mike, I was near death's door.
He saved my life and took me into his home.
He has shown me kindness and generosity.
He has been honest and loyal and frequently makes me laugh.
In short, Mike became my friend.

Only− I was drowning in despair, because despite my initial joy at meeting Mike, I believed him to be no more than a character. A mere shell of a pony (Mike would use the word 'person' instead of the word 'pony'.)

Mike showed himself to be a true friend when he recognized my inner despair. He convinced me to divulge my fears, even though I knew such knowledge would destroy him. And then Mike did something wonderful, he banished those fears.

You see, Mike proved to me, to my complete satisfaction using nothing but logic and reason, that he was a real pony (or person as he would say). And further to that, he showed me, again to my complete satisfaction, that this universe where I find myself is in fact a real universe.

Mike gave me so much today.

Today, I found out that I have a true friend.

Today, I found out that I am alive in a new universe full of limitless possibilities.

And today, I found a hope that there is some way to get home.

Because, as Mike told me, If I'm not lost in a pocket universe created by an enchanted book, then I arrived in this universe by some other mechanism. And I mean to discover what that mechanism is.

Full of hope and abounding with joy- Your faithful student.

Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight carefully tore the sheets she had written her letter on out of her notebook. The perforations along the tops of the sheets allowed them to separate cleanly. She rolled them up as a she would a scroll.

Another sheet from the notebook was transmuted into a seal bearing her own mark. She slipped it around the rolled up pages, holding them together.

Twilight knew she was only acting out a whim, that this letter could never reach Celestia, but her heart demanded that she go through all the motions properly. To provide closure.

Taking care to do everything right, Twilight's horn glowed brightly, invoking the spell that Celestia taught her after she became a Princess. It was a spell that transformed the letter directly into magical dragon smoke, much as if Spike had incinerated it.

The rolled up letter vanished instantly with a brilliant flare, leaving a swirl of sparkling smoke behind. Twilight watched for a few moments as the smoke circled aimlessly around the room. Darting about as though it were a frantic bird trapped within the room.

Twilight sighed. She hadn't expected the letter would be able to reach Celestia. They were in two distinct universes after all.

Ignoring the smoke, Twilight turned her attention to the book she had brought to her room. She gazed at the cover.

Let's see 'Space and Time in Special Relativity'.

She opened the thin volume and started reading the preface:

The special theory of relativity, alone among the areas of modern physics, can in large part be honestly explained to someone with no formal background in physics and none in mathematics beyond a little algebra and geometry.

Oooo! This is so exciting...

Twilight did not notice when a certain swirl of sparkling smoke suddenly stopped circling the room and departed through the open doorway. It wriggled through the air, proceeding down the stairway and entered the living room. From there it made a beeline to the fireplace. By chance, the fireplace's damper had been left open a crack, allowing the smoke to find its way up the chimney flue.

Attaining to the outside air, the magical swirl of dragon smoke vanished into the overcast night. Straight as an arrow it streaked across the ice covered fields. Proceeding onward, it came to a forest of crystal covered trees, passing over them as well.

Bare moments later, the smoke slowed down, descending upon a monolith in the forest. The monolith was a glacial erratic, an enormous boulder that had been abandoned by some retreating glacier from the last ice-age. The wisp of smoke circled around the boulder, as if hunting for something.

The pause was brief however, for soon the smoke had picked up the scent of whatever it was seeking and dove straight into the boulder, vanishing utterly.

Twilight's letter, addressed to Princess Celestia, had found a way to depart the Earth.

Author's Note

(1) 'munch of popcorn': Twilight does not have hands, so I could not write 'handful of popcorn'.
While it's true that Twilight could have used her hooves, allowing me to write 'hoof-full of popcorn' I felt that she would never do that unless she had no other choice. She is a very accomplished magic user after all.
I was unable to look up any word which indicated a grouping of popcorn, so I was forced to make up an appropriate phrase. I must say, the phrase does have a nice ring to it. It even sounds tasty.

(2) 'mon petit étranger': French for 'my little alien'.
Hmm. Mike's French is a little odd. Although 'étranger' can mean 'alien', it's more common usage is 'foreigner' or 'stranger'. Defiantly not what Mike was going for. (Psst: Blame google translate.)

(3) Addendum (Oct 23, 2015). re: 'Earth Pony Massage' - I just noticed this week that some card has added my story to a group called "Massage is Love...maybe desire?"

I think that's hilarious. And all because of this chapter.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

17. Journeys

It was still quite dark when Mike awoke. Opening his eyes to the new day, he wondered why he felt so charged up when it was still fully dark out. A glance at his alarm clock showed that it was only 5:47 AM. Mike realized that the sun wouldn't be up for another two or three hours yet.

Oh great! I finally get my vacation days, and my body suddenly decides it doesn't want to sleep in?

Grumbling about the injustice of it all, Mike turned over onto his other side, away from the glow of the alarm clock and played dead, hoping that he would be able to fall back asleep. His hopes were in vain however as various thoughts and ideas began to obtrude upon his consciousness. For the most part, they were thoughts of Twilight.

Fighting his own thoughts like a Sumo wrestler, Mike struggled to subdue and banish them.

Empty my mind... Don't think... Don't think...

…

Twilight leaned against me during the movie. A sudden memory came, of feeling her weight against his side. That was− nice.

What?! No! Stop that! Too late, like a dam bursting, a kaleidoscope of memories swirled through his mind, recalling several other times he had touched or hugged or been hugged by the lavender pony.

Groaning, Mike flipped over onto his back and opened his eyes, staring upwards into the darkness.

Twilight, he sighed; unaware that he had a silly grin on his face.

As Mike lay there he began to catalog what he knew about his alien guest.

So... She's smart, got a really good memory, and loves scientific stuff. Mike appreciated that. It was nice to be able to converse about technical and scientific things with another intelligent... person.

But, she's been so fragile. Her emotions have be yo-yoing up and down and all around. Mike frowned as he considered recent events. But to be fair, she has been under exceptional stress. And when you consider that she thought I wasn't even real- just some creepy shell of a character and not able to support her as a friend? Now that's some real isolation. It's enough to shrivel your soul.

Well that changes right now. In the dark, Mike's face grew determined. I'm going to make sure to remind her that I'm here, and that I'm her friend and that she can count on me.

Charged up and knowing that there was no longer any hope of falling asleep, Mike threw back the covers and leapt out of bed.

It took Mike a few moments to realize that he was standing there poised and ready for action like some sort of comic book hero. Mike let out a snort as he realized he was also posing in his boxer shorts.

I wonder how that happened. He thought in wry amusement. But wow! Do I ever feel good right now. In fact I haven't felt this good in years.

After puzzling over that fact for a few moments Mike came to a realization. This must be from that Earth Pony Massage that Twilight gave me. I'll have to find a really nice way to thank her.

Mike threw on his bathrobe and exited the room, making his way to the bathroom to take care of business and for a quick shower.

As he stepped out into the hallway he noticed a light coming from Twilight's room. Curious, he moved silently down the hall.

Tapping lightly on the door jamb, Mike eased the door open a bit and stuck his head in to see what was keeping Twilight engaged so early in the morning.

What he saw was Twilight sprawled out on top of the covers, asleep with an open book lying across her snout. Mike couldn’t help but smile. It was obvious that she had been reading the book until exhaustion had taken her unawares.

Mike's smile faded as he noticed a shiver race across Twilight's flanks. Turning away from Twilight's room, Mike opened up the linen closet which was adjacent to her door and extracted a spare duvet cover. Walking softly into Twilight's room, Mike paced the duvet over her shivering body.

Next he lifted the book off of Twilight's face and placed it upon the tiny table beside her bed. Mike was about to exit the room when a strange impulse took hold. Without taking the least bit of time to think about what he was doing, Mike suddenly leaned over Twilight's sleeping form, wanting to kiss her on the forehead. Her horn seemed to be in the way however, so he settled for a gentle kiss on the tip of her horn.

Twilight's only reaction was a distinct fore and aft wiggle to her ears and a slight murmur, as though she were trying to say something.

What did I just do? Mike asked himself, confused at his own behavior. Where did that come from? Did I just kiss a pony? Mike stood over Twilight, frozen in astonishment as a whirlwind of confusing thoughts swept through his mind.

No, not a pony; but a rather sweet girl. She happens to look different and is having more than her fair share of trouble. Looking back upon the sleeping Alicorn, Mike smiled again as he turned off the lights and closed her door. “Sweet dreams, Twilight,” Mike whispered.

Once more out in the darkened hallway, illuminated only by a battery powered closet light, Mike blinked in astonishment as he eyed his empty linen closet. For some reason there were no more clean towels. Of a sudden he remembered using most of them to thaw out Twilight several days ago.

Faced with an unanticipated chore, Mike sighed and entered the bathroom. Besides picking up the laundry hamper there was another more urgent reason for why he needed to be in there.

In short order, Mike exited the bathroom carrying the laundry hamper which happened to be overflowing with soiled towels and made his way down to the basement. His shower would have to wait until he did some laundry.

Arriving in the basement, Mike set about charging his washing machine with a load of towels. A measure of detergent and a few button presses later was sufficient to start the wash and free up Mike to consider his next task.

Mike hated getting up early, but on those rare occasions such as this one, where he was up anyway, he had to admit that it felt liberating to get all his chores completed and out of the way at the start of the day. Today however, he felt uncharacteristically charged up and eager to get started on something else.

Mike considered his options. He could make himself breakfast, but no, he wanted to wait for Twilight, so they could enjoy it together.

Heh, she was up half the night reading, it might be a good three or four hours before she's ready to get up. Mike's thoughts toward the sleeping pony where charitable. So perhaps a cup of coffee will hold me until then.

Five minutes later, still in his bathrobe, Mike was seated in front of his computer with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

Let's see, I will need to plan out tonight's supper and I want to try a couple of those fancy vegetarian dishes we found on the Web.

Mike soon lost himself to his work, selecting recipes, listing out the steps and ingredients required to prepare them, noting their cooking times and the required oven temperatures. Slowly he began to work out a plan for the day's feast.

Over the next two hours, Mike grew absorbed in his work, planning out two separate feasts, one for Christmas Eve and the other for Christmas day. Even the interruption of putting the first load of laundry into the dryer and starting off a second load of towels in the washer was an inconsequential distraction.

Mike hummed a pleasant Christmas melody as he resumed his planning, having remembered a conversation in which Twilight had expressed an interest in cookies.

It never occurred to Mike to question his motives for putting out so much effort into planning these feasts. It was Christmas Eve after all and wasn't that enough reason to feel excited?

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Twilight was seated on a lone hillock, part of a tiny meadow filled with grass and flowers. She eyed the passing scenery as her small meadow floated through space. Occasionally other meadows would float by, sometimes with one of her friends standing on them.

One such meadow came relatively close, bearing a happy Pinkie hopping around, smelling the meadow flowers before eating them. “Pinkie.” Twilight called out. “I hope to see you at our picnic later today. You'll be there on time won't you?”

“Silly Twilight, the picnic was yesterday.” Pinkie called back. “Since nopony showed up I ate all the cupcakes I brought, no sense in letting them go to waste.”

“What are you two talking about?” demanded Rarity. Her own meadow had been floating past both Twilight and Pinkie. She looked up briefly from her sewing machine. “The picnic is tomorrow, which is a good thing since I couldn't possibly make it today what with all these orders I have to fill.”

“You've got nothing to worry about Rarity. I'll help you with whatever you need.” Replied Spike who sat at Rarity's side, his eyes glazed over while wearing a fatuous expression.

“No it isn't. It's next Monday....” Shouted Rainbow Dash, her voice dropping in pitch as her meadow shot past all the others at high speed. The Doppler Effect distorting her voice as her meadow receded quickly into the distance.

Applejack merely looked sadly upon all her friends who for some reason didn't know the right time even when it bucked them in the face. She of course was right on time and her picnic was just about to start. Applejack's floating meadow sported a lovely apple tree under which she had spread out a red and white checkered blanket.

“I'm so sorry, Twilight.” Fluttershy spoke softly, trying to hide behind her pink locks even as her meadow scooted by overhead, “I wasn't told yet about any picnic. I don't know when it is. I'm so sorry I didn't know.”

Twilight just stood there on her hillock, listening to her friends argue even as they drifted further and further away from her and from each other. Eventually Twilight realized that all her friends were nearly gone from her sight.

“They left me.” She whispered to herself.

“PLEASE COME BACK. EVERYPONY... DON'T LEAVE ME!” She shouted out to her vanishing friends. The sound of a freshening breeze rustling the meadow flowers was her only reply.

Twilight dropped down to the ground and began to weep. Even as she hid her face under her hooves, a bitter swirl of cold air descended upon the meadow, leaving Twilight shivering. The meadow began turning white as it slowly succumbed to the creeping frost moving in from its outer edges.

Shivering and huddled down among the whitening grasses, Twilight barely noticed the sound of hoofsteps approaching. While still weeping piteously to herself she felt a warm shroud being laid over her. Comforting warmth enfolded her, spreading out from her barrel down to her flanks and up through her withers and neck, slowly banishing the freezing cold.

Still weeping for some reason she could no longer remember, Twilight refused to open her eyes. “No, I can't open my eyes, they’ll see me!” Though who it was she was hiding from escaped her.

Twilight continued to huddle under the safety of her blanket when unexpectedly there came a sensation like a surge of warmth and affection through her horn.

Suddenly Twilight was a foal again. After falling asleep while studying, Shining would always pick her up and carry her to her room. As he picked her up, she'd be groggily half awake, but mostly not, and after tucking her into her bed, Shining would kiss her horn. Just like now. It was the best feeling in the world.

“Big Brother?” She murmured from beneath her concealing shroud.

“Sweet Dreams, Twilight.”Spoke a voice out of the enfolding darkness. Somehow she knew that voice but couldn't quite remember who it belonged to...

Mike? Are you my Big Brother? Twilight wondered briefly. No matter. She was warm and loved. Everything was alright because she knew she wasn't alone anymore.

After that, Twilight's dreams did indeed become sweet.

The dim morning light was beginning to seep through the window when Twilight woke up from an enjoyable dream. She had been lying down on cool green grass, basking under a warm sun while having an enjoyable picnic with all her friends.

Instead of immediately rising to the new day, Twilight just lay there peacefully for a moment with her eyes closed, immersing herself in the memory of her last dream; enjoying pleasant reminiscences of her friends.

Fluttershy, as Twilight recalled, had been telling everypony about a cute little fox kit that had become lost in the forest, coming into her care until his parents could be found.

Before that Rarity had been gushing on about Sapphire Shores' latest visit to her boutique and the order she had made.

Pinkie was out of it, wearing a vacuous drooling grin on her face after having described what the Cakes were designing for the next National Dessert Competition. Occasionally she would mumble something about frosting.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were there also, sprawled across the picnic blanket, huffing and grunting, taunting each other as they hoof wrestled. Though there did not seem to be any reason as to why they were hoof wrestling.

And Mike was seated right beside her, a comforting arm laid over her withers and around her opposite shoulder as he chatted amiably with Spike, discussing cookie recipes.

Wait?! Mike?! What's he doing in my dream?! Twilight shot up in sudden alarm, barely noticing the blanket that went flying.

Having caught herself from that brief start, Twilight reconsidered her thoughts. Well, what's wrong with seeing Mike in my dream? Twilight took herself to task.

It was a perfectly lovely picnic and all my friends were there. So I suppose seeing Mike in my dream means that I consider him to be a friend as well; Somepony, ah− somebody who I'd be happy to introduce to the rest of my friends.

A memory of Mike's arm across her body flashed through her mind, causing Twilight's internal monologue to halt abruptly. She could feel her face heating up.

Several seconds passed as Twilight struggled to come to grips with that memory. Even her thoughts could find no voice to utter themselves. Finally the dam burst. Alright! I admit it! I liked it when he held me like that. Twilight's face glowed brighter now even as a smile began to take hold.

His touch felt... good. Soft and firm and very comforting, she remembered. Twilight's head bowed down in embarrassment as she worked her way through these feelings. Touching and nuzzling were actions usually reserved for more intimate friendships.

Another memory came, one of her nuzzling Mike's face as he lay on the floor – wracked with pain. It suddenly put everything into perspective. I think that's what the dream means. Mike's not just a friend. He's a close friend. Though I barely know him, Mike's become as true a friend as Spike and the girls are.

As if that realization were a trigger, another memory of what she had written in her letter to Princess Celestia the previous evening came to mind. She had called Mike her true friend in that letter.

This in turn brought back recollections of what she had discovered about Mike and about this universe she found herself in.

Suddenly Twilight felt an excitement building within her. There were so many things to do and see and read. A world lay before her to investigate. New spells waited patiently for her to craft them.

She needed to begin her search for a way home. That was something to organize! Her excitement began to rise exponentially.

And she had a new friend who would help her in her impossible task. Twilight's excitement broke all boundaries and now filled her entire being. Bouncing on the bed Twilight shouted out an exuberant “Yes!”

“Ye-e-es!” She repeated for good measure.

Suddenly aware that she was bouncing on the bed and screaming her head off, Twilight caught herself in mid-bounce. Her face was flushed with embarrassment; though her ears were still fully perked forward as she lowered her head and whispered to herself in a soft voice “YES.”

Jumping down from the bed, Twilight levitated her notepad and pen and began working on a schedule for the day. No, that's too ambitious; I don't have enough information right now. Perhaps a Task-List will do for now.

Twilight flipped to a new page and began writing down her first task.

'INVESTIGATE ARRIVAL'

Twilight's stomach chose that moment to growl. Guess I was wrong. Twilight giggled as she scribbled in a new first task. Finding Mike and having breakfast is my first task.

As she turning her attention to the bed – to make the sheets – Twilight's jaw dropped in astonishment. She could see that, apart from being slightly mussed and having a pillow out of place, the bed appeared not to have been slept in. Looking about for an explanation, she saw a large, thick and very rumpled blanket hanging precariously off the end of the bed. I'm almost certain that that blanket wasn't here when I entered the room last night. Where did it come from?

Twilight lit up her horn, briefly invoking a memory-recall spell. It allowed her recall her memory of a given time with perfect clarity. Sure enough, that blanket had not been present when she had entered the room the previous evening. Mike must have come in to check up on me. He saw that I had fallen asleep and threw a blanket over me.

That was very thoughtful of him. She observed, a smile encroaching on her face. Her horn lit up as she simultaneously fluffed the pillow, smoothed the bedsheets and folded away the extra blanket.

Twilight hurried through her morning routine, eager to find Mike and start the day and begin her investigation. She soon found herself downstairs, looking about for Mike.

A quick look into the kitchen the living room and even the dining room failed to reveal Mike. Maybe he's still asleep. I have no reason to assume that he stayed awake after throwing that blanket over me. With that thought Twilight made her way upstairs again and checked Mike's bedroom.

Well− he was here. Came her exasperated thought, as she observed the rumpled and thrown back blankets and sheets on Mike's bed.

Mike is a slob. Twilight's eyes narrowed in annoyance, as she used her magic to re-make Mike's bed. Still, it made her happy to return a small favor to her host.

Having accomplished her small deed, Twilight was again left with the question of Mike's whereabouts. Now where could he be? She pondered as she came down the stairs for the second time that morning. I don't think he would go outside without his coat. It's still hanging on its hook beside the door.

Twilight found herself standing by the foot of the stairs as she silently pondered Mike's disappearance. It was at that moment a soft sound intruded onto her senses, a sort of rhythmic thumping.

Thump. It went. Thump, Thump. Puzzled at first at what she was hearing, Twilight soon realized that she was hearing some kind of music. It was coming from the basement.

“Of course! He's in his office.” Twilight exclaimed as she rapidly made her way down.

Gently pushing open the door to the office, Twilight was greeted by the rich sounds of a lovely song. Something about it made her pause to simply listen. Even though she could not understand a single word that was sung, the emotions came through to her with a startling brilliance. It was a song of yearning and soaring hope, of gentleness and tender love.

All too soon the song came to an end, leaving Twilight with a warm mix of feelings. Before she could recover and announce her arrival to Mike, another song started playing.

Different from the first song, this one began with a rich orchestral sound incorporating a strong slow beat. Soon a strong voice, clearly female, began to sing.

Who can say where
the road goes,
where the day flows,
only time?

And who can say if
your love grows,
as your heart chose,
only time?

Twilight was transfixed by the beautiful melody. Together with the lyrics, which were now quite comprehensible, the song seemed to caress her heart and enfold her with a sense of peace.

Who knows? Only Time.
...

As the song drew to a close Twilight let out a breath of air, as if she were letting go of all her worries. Though it had obviously been another song about love, what Twilight took away from it was the feeling that everything would eventually work itself out, and after the stress of the last two days that feeling meant a great deal to her.

The next song began its prelude as Twilight silently moved up to a position right beside Mike and sat down on the carpeted floor. As she looked up at Mike, she saw that he was leaning back in his chair and had his eyes closed, unaware of her presence.

Twilight held her peace, interested in following Mike as he proceeded on his musical journey. It gave her an opportunity to closely observe her new friend in his natural state.

The music picked up from what had sounded like random orchestral ramblings and began a sharp though distant sounding beat. Twilight nearly jumped off the floor as the beat escalated to a heavy thumping sound – which soon swelled to nearly a full orchestral accompaniment.

After several repetitions of the heavy beat, it faded back and clear tenor voice began to sing.

She calls out to the man on the street
“Sir, can you help me?”

“It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep,
is there somewhere you can tell me?”

He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her.

Twilight was beginning to enjoy the song until the words of the third and following lines hit her like a hoof-smack from Applejack. What is this song saying?! She wondered incredulously. The 'man' in the song is ignoring somepony in need... How could he be so uncaring, so... unfriendly.

Twilight's mental rant was brought up short as Mike began to sing, joining what was presumably the chorus.

Oh, think twice, 'cause it's just another day for you and me in paradise.

His eyes still closed, Mike's head began bobbing and his arms began to wave in synchrony with the melodic beat. Though amused by Mike's antics, Twilight was still upset with the song’s lyrics.

It took another set of verses before she began to realize that the true meaning behind the words was a call to 'think twice' about such heartless and un-friendly behavior.

Think about it.
…

Even as the song ended, Twilight was left wondering. Is this common behavior among these humans? Do they really need such a song to remind them to care for each other?

It was at this moment that Mike chose to open his eyes. Catching sight of Twilight out of the corner of his eye he jerked up in his chair and turned toward her. At the same time he reached over to his mouse and did something with his computer, silencing the music.

“Twilight! I didn't see you come in.” Though at first he called out happily, Mike's face abruptly took on a light flush. “Ahh, how long have you been sitting there?” he asked cautiously.

Twilight grinned back at Mike. “Long enough – maestro.”

“You saw that huh?” Mike replied sheepishly while anxiously rubbing a hand along the back of his head.

“Oh don't worry, Mike. It was fun watching you enjoying yourself. To tell the truth I kind of lose myself to the dancing whenever I'm at any of Pinkie's parties.”

“So you didn't think I was weird?”

“Weird? Of course you’re weird. You’re a pinky-beige colored bipedal alien wearing some sort of robe that looks like it was made out of a towel.” Mike blinked in astonishment at those words, glancing down at his robe. But before he could formulate any reply, Twilight spoke again. “But you're also my friend, and I don't know what would have become of me without you.”

Getting up off the floor, Twilight took the few steps required to approach Mike. She brought her head over the side of the chair and briefly nuzzled Mike's upper arm. Looking up into his face she said, “You're more than a friend to me, Mike, you're a close friend. I just realized that this morning.”

Mike appeared to be stunned for a moment before breaking into a wide smile. “Thanks. I think that you've become a close friend to me as well.” Mike extended his arm out past the chair and stroked her mane down the side of her neck. It was a different sensation for Twilight, but she didn't mind. For some reason Mike stroked her mane several more times. Twilight did nothing to stop it.

As if to cut their bonding moment short, Twilight's stomach suddenly emitted a loud grumble. Before she could react to her uncouth gut, Mike's stomach grumbled in mock reply.

“Hear that Twilight?” Mike grinned. “We really are friends; our stomachs are already in sync. Heh, heh.” Mike laughed at his own joke. “Let’s get us some breakfast.”

As Mike was getting up from his chair, Twilight was reminded of something which had piqued her curiosity. “Seriously,” she asked, “why does your robe look like it was made from towels?”

“It's a really cheap bathrobe.” Mike groused.

Twilight's fork raised the last bite of pancakes to her mouth. She savored the taste. Mmm, I love that Maple Syrup. I wonder if it’s even possible to get tired of it. She idly mused.

Mike rose from the table, still clothed in his bathrobe, rubbing a hand against his face. “Well, I'm off. I need a shower and a shave before I'm presentable.”

Twilight also climbed down from her chair. “What do you mean presentable?” She asked. “We're only going out to find my arrival site and do some investigations.” During breakfast Twilight had laid out her plans. Mike's enthusiastic offer of assistance had made her quite happy.

Oh no. Twilight exclaimed internally as a sudden thought struck her. “Did you have any special plans for today Mike?”

“Yes I do.” Mike smiled. “I have a friend who's staying over for the holidays. And since this is Christmas Eve I thought I'd honor the day by trying to cook up a special meal, possibly even a feast. It's traditional you know.”

I forgot. We are in the middle of his special holiday period. Twilight was embarrassed. Does this mean he won't help me investigate today? That thought left Twilight feeling sad. “So what exactly are your plans? You will be helping me with my investigation, won't you?”

“Oh, there's no doubt that I will be there for you, Twilight. But if we plan on getting back before it starts to get too dark, say about four PM, that should give me enough time to prepare dinner.”

Twilight considered Mike's plans. They dovetailed with hers quite nicely. “I think that will work out.” Twilight realized that there was something else she wanted to add. “If you don't mind, could I help you out with preparing the dinner?”

Mike smiled. “I'd be delighted. It is Christmas after all, and helping and sharing are a part of it.” Mike glanced upwards, at something on the wall above their heads, “Wow, its quarter after nine already, I'd better get going.”

Confused, Twilight looked up to where Mike had looked. There's a clock up there? How come I never noticed that before? Maybe because it's so impossibly thin ─ Twilight did a double-take, realizing she hadn't responded to Mike's last statement. Quickly trotting over to the stairs she caught a glimpse of Mike's cheap robe disappearing behind the upper baluster. “THANKS MIKE!” She called out in a loud voice.

“NO PROBLEM.” Mike called back, followed by the sound of the bathroom door closing.

Twilight entered the Living Room. Seating herself on the couch she began amending her task-list, adding to it Mike's information concerning the time of sunset and their planned evening activities. Next she went back to the beginning of the list.

BREAKFAST received a check-mark.

INVESTIGATE ARRIVAL SITE received some additional thought. Exactly what would she be investigating; something magical or something physical? Perhaps both. I need to ask Mike if he can help out with any physical investigation.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Coming out of his room, Mike felt like a million bucks. Still energized, despite having awakened so early, the effect was only enhanced by an invigorating shower and close shave. Add to that a clean change of clothes, and Mike was raring to go.

Man. I feel great. Mike tried to analyze whatever it was that he was feeling. I'm not feeling hyper or anything like that. In fact I feel perfectly normal. It's just that I feel so ─ so ready!

Yeah. I'm ready to go. Mike concluded with a smile. Let's see what the day holds for us. Time to see Twilight and help her with her investigation.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs Mike spied Twilight lounging on the couch. His lips curled up in a tiny smile. Twilight's posture had a lot in common with that of a dog or cat, and she looked so cute. He couldn't help but take a moment to observe her.

Taking her gaze off of the notepad levitating in front of her she turned towards him. “Mike, I'm not sure what we may find at my arrival site. I can handle the magical part, but I have no equipment for conducting a physical investigation should that be necessary. Could you help me with that part of it?”

Mike shifted his attention from the pony on his couch to consider her request. “A physical investigation? I'm not sure what that would invol−” Mike's voice faded for a second but then returned with strength. “No. Scratch that. I think I know exactly what to do.”

“Well that's good to hear. Would you mind telling me what you have planned?”

“A few years ago a friend of mine who happens to be a Police Officer−”

“A Po-Leece officer? Like the ones you warned me about yesterday?” Twilight sounded worried.

“Yes exactly. They're not bad people you know, they're just obligated to intervene if they encounter any societal disruptions. And when such disruptions have already occurred, their mandate includes performing an investigation.” Mike paused to allow Twilight an opportunity to comment, but she kept silent. Mike continued. “As I was saying, my friend was bemoaning the amount of time he had to spend investigating a certain automotive accident.”

“Automotive accident?” Twilight inquired, her ears tipping back slightly.

“Yes, when vehicles, such as cars or trucks suffer high speed collisions. They can get quite−” Mike hesitated, “violent.”

“Oh.” Twilight's ears pinned back all the way. She was probably trying to imagine how violent 'violent' could actually be, and not liking whatever she came up with.

Mike cleared his throat to get her attention. “From what he described, such investigations involve incredibly detailed observations of the accident site. He would take copious photographs. Survey the accident site in order to make detailed identification, measurement, mapping and logging of every single piece of debris, skid-mark and pothole. Plus a whole lot more details about the road itself and all extant conditions at the time of the accident, plus collecting eyewitness accounts from all possible observers.”

“Wow!” Twilight gaped. “That's impressive. I wouldn't think so much detail would be required for an accident, even if somepony got hurt.”

Mike flashed Twilight a false grin. “It's because of our legal system and our Insurance Companies. They fight intense legal battles to shift or deflect blame for the accident. The insurance company of whichever individual is forced to accept the blame must pay out the claims.”

Twilight had a blank look. “I don't understand.”

“If the defending Insurance Company can show the investigation was flawed or incomplete in some tiny detail then they can argue that evidence exonerating their client of any blame was missed by the investigation.”

“I don't follow. I would assume that the Police officers were properly trained and would not miss anything important. How could the omission of some trivial detail amount to exoneration?”

Mike sighed, “Whoever loses the legal battle now has the option of suing the Police for damages resulting from their negligence. Needless to say, that officer’s superiors take a dim view of such outcomes.”

“So that's why the Police officer's investigation needs to be so thorough.” Twilight commented. She brightened considerably. “Well I can certainly approve of being thorough. I always took my assignments from Princess Celestia with the utmost seriousness.”

She's missing the point. Mike reflected ruefully. But the fact that our legal system is a mess isn't really her problem.

“Rest assured Mike, I'm taking this investigation seriously. So, why are we discussing your Police and their investigations, however thorough they may be?”

Suddenly Mike felt exposed, as if the current conversation was his fault. Well, perhaps he did have some part in that. Focus, Mike. You want to help Twilight.

Mike caught a moment to gather his thoughts by clearing his throat. “The reason I brought up Police investigative procedures is because I thought I could emulate them. First you take lots of photographs to capture the overall scene and relative placement of everything and then you follow up by measuring, bagging and tagging everything you find at the scene.” Mike finished proudly.

Did I start talking like a CSI? Mike felt slightly embarrassed. I've been watching too many cop shows.

Twilight's ears perked up again. “I'm not sure what you mean by bagging and tagging, but the photographs and measurements aren't a bad idea at all. I like it.”

Mike exited the house after Twilight, turning to close the door.

Mike made quite a sight. Fully prepared for a lengthy stay in the wintry outdoors he had on pair of black ski pants underneath his navy ski jacket. Perched upon his head was a red and white maple-leaf toque (very Canadian) and upon his feet a heavy pair of olive colored winter boots that had yellow trim. Completing his un-complimentary ensemble was a strap running diagonally across his torso, supporting a dark green camera tote down by his waist.

In hand, Mike gripped a dark gray backpack. Neatly collapsed and webbed to its top was Mike’s camera tripod. Protruding from a side pocket of said backpack was a large stainless-steel thermos. Strapped in on the other side − a small hatchet. A pocket above that held a GPS. A pair of insulated work gloves, colored a bright 'safety yellow’ dangled below, held fast by a quick release hook. Hidden within the bulging knapsacks interior was an assortment of items such as fresh notepads, pens, pencils, two types of tape measure, a box of freezer bags, a utility knife, a small blanket and most important of all – a second thermos and enough sandwiches for a small picnic.

Mike hadn't noticed any complaints from Twilight as he took the time to assemble the contents of his backpack. Since it was towards the investigation it was all good. But now that they were finally on the move she seemed to have acquired a measure of impatience. “Come on, Mike, It's well past ten. We have to find my arrival site.”

“Why the sudden urgency, Twilight?”

“You yourself reminded me how short the days are. I just hope that we have some time for a reasonable investigation before we are forced to return.” Twilight's ears pinned themselves back as she wore a pained expression. “Trust me, Mike, you don't want to walk on the ice in the dark. Walking on it in the daylight will be bad enough.”

She plans to walk all the way? Was Mike's surprised thought. “Why don't you fly?”

Twilight dipped her head apologetically. “Well, I could fly, but that would leave you behind. And I'm no Rainbow Dash to try hovering all the way while you’re walking, that would be really exhausting. So I guess we're both walking.” Twilight turned her head to look at the back fields where a faint series of snow-filled divots led away towards the distant tree line of the forest.

Mike grinned. “Don't worry, Twilight. I won't be walking either.”

“What do you mean you won't be walking? You certainly can't fly...” Twilight's voice faded abruptly as her ears twitched upright and her tail flicked.

“I won't be walking because I plan to be riding my Snowmobile.” Mike approached his garage and entered through the side door. Dropping his backpack just inside the door, Mike only needed a few steps to reach the main door. One mighty heave later and it was open, allowing the overcast daylight to suffuse the interior of the garage. Twilight trotted in front of the opening and glanced curiously at the interior.

The building was in essence, a double garage with extended length vehicle bays. At present Mike's truck occupied one side while his Snowmobile, occupied the other side, hidden under a dusty tarp. Approaching the snow vehicle, Mike grabbed the front edge of the tarp and whipped it off.

“Is that it? Your snow-mo-beel?” Twilight asked, cautiously sounding out the word. “I'm surprised I never took notice of it before. What exactly does it do? Wait. You said you would be riding it, so it has to be some sort of vehicle.” Twilight moved up to inspect it closely.

“That's exactly right, Twilight.” Mike stated while busy hooking a pair of elastic tie down straps over his backpack, securing it to the machine's cargo rack.

Seating himself on the machine, Mike called out a warning to Twilight. “Watch yourself, I'm going to start it up now and it's a little loud.”

“WAIT!” Twilight exclaimed, interrupting Mike's plans. “You’re not wearing a helmet!”

My helmet! I forgot about it. Mike chastised himself.

“Uh, thanks, Twilight. But how did you even know that I should be wearing one?” he asked as he climbed off the machine, walking towards the back of his garage.

“I read the Warning labels printed on the machine. I'm not sure you should be riding this thing, Mike. There are an awful lot of warnings−” Twilight closed her eyes, tucked her tail and pinned her ears back. “S-some of them even warn of injury or death.” Her voice quavered.

Returning with his helmet Mike realized that Twilight was fearful for his safety, and if the truth were told, he had been quite lax about it himself. Mike sat down sideways on the Snowmobile's seat, allowing his body to face towards Twilight. “You’re right, Twilight. I know all of those warnings and procedures; I've studied them and even memorized them. But I've never ridden this machine before and I guess in all my excitement at finally getting to do that, I forgot about the most important thing, my own safety. Thanks for reminding me.”

“I'm happy to have helped. But maybe you shouldn't be riding this machine.”

“I have to disagree with you on that one, Twilight. Yes these machines can be dangerous, but when operated carefully and in a responsible manner they are quite safe and reliable.”

“Hey, I have an idea, why don't we go through the Warning labels together to see if everything is in proper order and all conditions met for my ride.”

Twilight's eyes lit up, her ears perked and her tail gave an eager swish. “A Checklist!” She called out eagerly. “I'll make a Startup-checklist for you right now.” With that her pen and notepad appeared out of nowhere, as far as Mike could tell, and she began eagerly transforming the various decals posted on the Snowmobile into a checklist.

Within five minutes she was done, presenting the completed list to Mike for his perusal. Now that's impressive. Mike admitted to himself. It took me two days to memorize these details but in a mere handful of minutes she's managed to create a checklist from only one reading.

Mike handed the list back to Twilight. “It looks really good. Could you help me out by reading off the checklist, to make sure I do everything properly?”

Twilight gave Mike a happy smile. “Of course, Mike. Reading off checklists is something I'm very familiar with.”

Twilight winged her way through the sky, tracking the faint trace left in the ice by her own hoofprints of two days past. Mike raced along behind, following her on his Snowmobile.

Mike opened up the throttle on his Snowmobile nearly as wide as it could go, slowly catching up to the lavender Alicorn. Mike didn't know if she was flying at her fastest, but it was fast enough – and it was glorious. He had loved watching Twilight fly previously, but now – with her marvelous wings propelling her through the air and her mane and tail streaming behind her, she was a beautiful sight to behold.

Speeding along over the smooth ice and snow − okay, maybe it wasn't quite so smooth, but he didn't care − gave Mike the sensation of flying right along with Twilight. It was radical, it was fun and it was beyond exhilarating.

“Woooooo~hoooooooo!” Mike screamed his head off within the confines of his helmet. Twilight's head turned a fraction to the side, as if she were looking back at him. Did she hear me? He wondered. Nah, between this helmet and the engine noise that's highly unlikely.

In all too short a time, less than a minute in fact, they had traversed the full length of the back fields and now approached the tree line. Twilight's wings changed their motion, suddenly making great sweeps from back to fore, reducing her forward velocity to almost nothing as she let herself drop gently towards the ice covered ground. From what Mike could see, she was almost level, but her rear hooves would contact the ground before her front hooves did.

Just as Mike pulled in his snowmobile up to a stop, a gust of wind caught Twilight, rolling her to the left and tilting her body with respect to the ground, causing her left rear hoof to make first contact with the ice-capped snow. Unprepared to support herself on a single leg on such a slippery surface, Twilight's hind legs immediately went out from under her.

“Eeaagh!” She screamed as her dropping hindquarters threw out her front legs as well.

Mike turned off his Snowmobile and cautiously made his way over the slippery ice towards the fallen pony. Twilight lay motionless on the ice, her wings spread out like some fallen bird. Her head and neck, motionless, lay stretched out between her forelegs while her eyes remained closed. Disturbingly her hindquarters were rotated at an angle from the orientation of her barrel; both her hind legs appearing on her right side.

Oh no! Was Mike's worried thought. “Twilight! Are you alright?”

“I'm fine.” Twilight replied from where she lay on the ground, to Mike’s great relief.

“Does anything hurt?” He asked, still concerned that she may have injured herself.

Abruptly Twilight opened her eyes and raised her head, turning to look at Mike. “Only my pride.” she admitted with her ears drooped down, a quirky smile hovering about her muzzle. Mike couldn't help but give a laugh at Twilight's comment. That joke was a classic and apparently had seen use by both their cultures.

Twilight proceeded to straighten herself out and climb shakily up onto her hooves. “See, I'm fine.” She gave him a sheepish grin.

“Glad to see you’re okay, Twilight.”

Twilight turned towards the forest. Mike followed her gaze only to observe what could be described as a scene of carnage. Broken limbs had fallen with abandon along the whole length of the forest edge. They lay about so thick that an entry route was not readily apparent.

Mike shuddered at the sight of one tree located directly in front of them. It was a singularly large tree, but had broken at a point halfway up the trunk where a massive branch, at least 30 centimeters in diameter, joined the main trunk. Mike lifted his arm and pointed it out, “I'll bet you're glad you weren't here when that thing came down.”

“Actually, I was here when the tree-limb came down.” Twilight's calm reply surprised him. “I had just exited the tree line and was standing maybe ten pony-lengths beyond it when the tree broke.” Twilight looked about carefully, searching for signs of her earlier passage. “I think− Yes, if you look carefully you can see some of my hoofprints at the edge of those fallen branches, leading towards the tree. I think I passed right under it just a few moments before it broke and the branch fell down.”

Dear God. Mike prayed. I'm glad you were looking out for her that night. She could have died right there.

“That's incredible.” he commented. “I'm glad you weren't hurt.”

“Me too.” she agreed succinctly.

At that moment the sun broke through the clouds for the first time in several days. Immediately the ice shrouded trees began to sparkle. No, under the full brightness of the winter sun, the trees shone with an outstanding brilliance! Millions of blinding flashes of light twinkled and sparkled as the wind gently moved the ice laden branches about. For that brief moment, Mike beheld the forest edge as a gleaming wall of glittering glory.

Standing as close as he was, Mike could hear Twilight breath a sharp intake of air. “It's beautiful.” she murmured. Silently, Mike agreed with her.

They stood there for several moments, awestruck by the sight before them until the sun faded behind a cloud. Released from their momentary rapture, Twilight and Mike looked towards each other, as if seeking some assurance it had not been a dream, that someone else had witnessed the same vision, confirming it to be true. Slowly, both of them broke out their smiles.

“We saw that, right?” Twilight managed to speak first.

“Yes we did.” Mike replied. “I think I'll remember this moment for as long as I live.”

“So will I, Mike. It's hard to believe that something so deadly, that freezing rain that nearly killed me, could leave behind such incredible beauty. Even the widespread destruction it caused is something I find to be quite awesome.”

Hoping for a repeat of the experience, Mike cast a quick glance upwards, observing the overcast sky. Here and there in the distance he could see a few breaks in the clouds. Let's hope we get some more sunshine like that today. I'd love to take a─

“Shoot! I forgot to take a photo!” Mike palmed a fist in frustration.

“Maybe later, Mike.” Twilight consoled him. “Right now we need to get going. And I don't think I'll be able to fly in that forest.” Turning back to the forest, Twilight cocked an ear towards him. “Are you able to ride your snow machine in there?”

“Maybe.” Mike answered “But I'd rather not try. There's a good chance it would get trapped by the close growing trees or caught in some hidden terrain feature. No, it looks as if I'm walking from here.” Upon hearing this, Twilight gave a nod of her head and began walking cautiously towards the forest.

Putting action to his words, Mike made his way back to his Snowmobile. After removing his backpack from the cargo rack he tried to put it on. Immediately he noticed the hip strap would not close. “What the...” Mike muttered to himself, looking down at the harness. Shoot! I forgot to let out the straps for my winter clothes!

It only took Mike a moment to make the appropriate adjustments and re-don his backpack. After completing the task of fitting it properly Mike looked up. Twilight was nowhere to be found.

Mike felt a pang in his chest. Did she go on ahead without me? I thought we were friends.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

“... No, it looks as if I'm walking from here.” Twilight heard Mike state his intentions. Good. Twilight nodded her head and began approaching the thick brush which made an impenetrable tangle at the forest's verge.

That snow machine of his makes too much noise and no matter what Mike says− Twilight stole a glance back at Mike who had just returned to said machine and was beginning to free his backpack. I still think it's dangerous. At least now, we'll be able to talk while we're walking.

Upon reaching the area underneath the tree canopy, Twilight could feel the snow change underneath her hooves. The upper branches must have sheltered the snow from the worst effects of the freezing rain. Her analytic mind observed.

At first glance, an impassable thicket lay before her. But, upon closer examination there were numerous openings around and underneath the tangles of bush. Twilight frowned. Strange, I don't remember encountering all these bushes the first time I was here. The bushes represented a minor mystery. Eager to solve it, Twilight worked her way between several ranks of bushes. Her passage was made difficult as the bushes and saplings were all twisted and bent over from the weight of ice upon them.

Once past the new growth Twilight searched for the spoor of her previous passage. Looking along her old trail she could see that the undergrowth was much diminished underneath a certain large tree. The very tree she had passed under prior to its collapse. Well that solves that mystery.

“Twilight! Where are you?” Mike shouted from somewhere on the other side of the debris from the fallen tree branch.

“I'm right here, Mike, inside the forest. I'm just checking out the broken tree from the other side.”

“Um. Please don't go anywhere else. I'm coming to join you.”

Twilight waited patiently as Mike made his way into the forest. At first she could hear his footsteps pacing back and forth somewhere outside. This went on for over a minute. Eventually she started hearing muted crackling noises and various mutters from Mike as he began to make his way through the bush.

At one point Mike let out a short scream, “Ahh!” accompanied by a heavy crunching noise and the tinkle of falling chunks of ice. Twilight waited anxiously, worried for Mike, until the silence was once more broken by the sound of muttering and grumbling as well as a resumption of the crackling noises. Twilight raised her hoof to her muzzle, suppressing a sudden urge to laugh. Poor Mike. She thought somewhat guiltily. Stuff like that happens to me often enough. I shouldn't laugh.

Eventually Mike’s the tall bi-pedal figure could be seen emerging from the undergrowth. He was nowhere near where Twilight had come through. “Twilight?” Mike called out.

“Over here Mike!” She waved a foreleg at him.

Twilight observed him carefully as he approached. He did not appear to be injured but she decided to make sure. “Are you okay Mike? It sounded as if you were having quite the experience while making your way through the bush.”

From his expression, Twilight thought Mike was irritated. “I saw your tracks, Twilight, where you entered the bush. But unlike you I couldn't easily slip under and around all those tangled branches.”

Twilight frowned upon hearing Mike's comment. It wasn't that easy for me to get through either but I have to admit I never gave a thought as to how Mike would manage it. She owed Mike an apology, especially for laughing at him earlier. Though he doesn't need to know about that.

“I'm sorry, Mike. I totally overlooked your special needs. I assure you I won’t let it happen again.”

Mike's head jerked back and for an instant he gave Twilight a strange look. But it passed almost as quickly as it came. “No need to apologize, it is what it is and can’t be changed.”

Now Twilight was curious, she needed to know the details on how he had made his way through bush. So she could plan for it in any future endeavors of course. “So how did you manage to get through the bushes?”

“I couldn't go under it, so I was forced to go over it. As you know, the branches were all covered in ice, which is why they were all bent low and entangled with the other bushes. This made them very slippery. Sometimes, when I stepped on them, the ice would crack away and they sprang up like little whips.” Mike reflexively rubbed his face, which Twilight now saw sported several faint red lines that hadn't been there earlier.

“My turn for a question. Why did you leave so suddenly, leaving me alone out there?”

Embarrassed, Twilight kicked at the snow by her hooves, “I suddenly realized that I hadn't run into any of this dense brush and undergrowth the night I arrived. I guess I got caught up in my search for an answer.”

Twilight pointed a foreleg towards the broken and fallen tree. “As you can see, there was very little growth beneath that tree before it collapsed. Somehow I just got incredibly lucky and wandered into the only existing break there seems to have been in this forest.” Twilight stared pensively at the obstructed exit. “You know Mike? Considering the condition I was in that night had I run into these bushes, not knowing where I was or how extensive they were, I would have turned around and kept on wandering this forest until I collapsed. I should have died out here but for this one tree which I somehow stumbled across and which held the way open just long enough for me to escape.

Mike stared at the blocked opening for a moment before turning back towards Twilight. “Don’t think about that, Twilight. It's too depressing.” Mike squatted down on one knee beside her. “I feel like giving you a hug. May I?”

Without even pausing to think, she answered his question. “Yes please.”

Twilight's eyes expanded suddenly, shocked by her own words. Too late! Suddenly Mike's long arms caught her, folding around her withers and shoulders, pulling her close to his body. Her head came over his shoulder nearly causing her face to impact some metal contraption he had placed across the top of his backpack. His heavy clothing and the numerous straps and belts which crisscrossed his torso also made the hug a less than pleasurable experience.

But despite the physical discomfort, Twilight's heart felt light. Mike's hug showed that he truly cared. The feeling of warmth and concern she now received lifted her out of the mire of black thoughts which had occupied her mere moments before.

The hug felt wonderful, and so did Mike's concern. But all too soon the physical sensations began to dominate. Reluctantly Twilight pushed Mike away. “Thanks, Mike. I really appreciated that. But next time, could you maybe take off your backpack? Those straps and buckles were digging into me.”

“Are there any dangerous animals in this forest?” Twilight asked as they followed her old trail back to its source.

“Dangerous animals? Hmm.” Mike fell silent. Presumably he was thinking about his reply.

“I don't think there's anything more dangerous than Skunks or Foxes in these woods. But we're too big for the Foxes and the Skunks aren't interested in us either.

“There is however a possibility that these woods are in the territory of some Coywolf.”

“A C-Coy-wolf?” Twilight stammered. “Is that anything like a Timberwolf?”

“Sort of.” Mike replied. “There is a population of wolves a good distance north of here, in Algonquin Park, but this area is no longer part of their range. But even so, they very rarely bother humans.

“Those Wolves however have cross-bred with Coyotes. And we now have a new hybrid species of animal called the Coywolf that's been displacing the Coyotes from their habitat.”

Twilight could feel her tension increasing. “I've encountered Timberwolves before, so I know what they're like. But I've not heard of a Coy-Oh-Ti before. So I have no idea what to expect from this Coy-wolf creature.”

“A Coyote is a member of the Canid family, like dogs and wolves. It’s a wild animal, about the size of a dog. A solitary hunter, it’s known for its cleverness and adaptability. You’re a bit larger than a Coyote so it would avoid you..

“The Coywolf however is larger than a Coyote, sometimes approaching the size of a wolf. But its behavior is mostly that of the Coyote. Like the Coyote, it’s a solitary hunter but has also been known to run in packs. I haven’t heard mention of any in our area, so I shouldn't think we’ll be bothered.”

“So– we won't be attacked by a pack of these Coy-wolf things?”

“Probably not. The weather has been mostly mild up until this point.” Mike assured her, considerably lightening her mood. “But it might not be a bad idea to keep an eye out for anything trying to sneak up on us.” And now she felt nervous again.

“How do you know so much about these Coy-wolves? Have you encountered them before?”

“No I haven't. But I watched a documentary about them on TV.” Twilight had nothing to say to that.

They walked in silence for a short while until Mike spoke up again. “I have a question for you, Twilight, one that's been at the back of my mind for a while.”

“Well, let me hear it and I'll see if I can answer it.”

“Twilight, how is it that you speak perfect English? Your English is perfect, barring of course a few hippocentric pronouns that surprisingly, I still find easy to comprehend.”

Twilight looked up at Mike, somewhat confused by his question. “What do you mean? I've been speaking Equish all along. Not this Ing-lish as you called it.”

Mike stopped walking causing Twilight to do so as well. “Twilight,” he responded patiently, “among humans, language is an enormous barrier. Where tribes of humans are separated by time and a little distance they invariably develop separate and distinct languages. For example−

“Parlez-vous Français ? Je serais surpris si vous pouviez.”

Twilight felt a deep surprise at hearing Mike’s words. That was Prench, I think.

Before she could respond, Mike spoke again. “Ви говорите по-українськи? Я впевнений, що ви не знаєте це.”

Again Mike had surprised Twilight. “The first one was Prench, I think, but I can't quite place the second one. It does however remind me of a pony from Stalliongrad I once knew.”

Now it was Mike's turn to be surprised. “You astonish me, Twilight. I introduce two other languages and you identify them as having a pony equivalent. This only deepens the mystery.”

“Well, your knowledge of two other languages is certainly impressive but I fail to see how that makes a mystery?”

“But that's exactly my point. Do you speak French, Twilight? Did you understand what I said?”

“Well, no.” Twilight grew embarrassed that she had let her language skills remain undeveloped. Her Prench – Did he say French, with an ‘F’? – remained rudimentary at best.

“So you can understand how two persons would be unable to communicate if they didn't speak the same language. Think about how that should have applied to us.”

And suddenly Twilight understood what Mike's question was about. We are two different species, coming from two different universes. Two isolated cultures─ how could I have missed this?

“It's statistically impossible for two isolated cultures to develop the same identical language.” Twilight exclaimed, making sure to put an emphasis on the word impossible. “Sure, there may be a hoof-full of root words driven by biological commonalities, but that's about all one could expect. In our case we don't even have that much.”

“That's exactly what I talking about” Mike exclaimed excitedly. “How is such a thing even possible?” Mike's question stated Twilight's own thoughts. She could almost feel a deep mystery swirling around her.

“I-I don't know, Mike. I've only just now come to realize this and I'm at a total loss.” Twilight gasped suddenly. “And it’s not just our spoken language, Mike, but the written form as well. I can read your books as easily as if they were printed in Equestria.”

They both stared at each other for a moment. There was nothing more to be said, so they both turned to resume their journey. Walking in silence, they meditated on the coincidence of their common tongue.

Twilight was deep in thought, following Mike's lead along the trail when she was interrupted by his voice, breaking the silence. “Isolation.”

Startled out of her own thoughts she wasn't sure what he had said. “Sorry, what was that?”

Mike had stopped again, as if walking and speaking concurrently was a difficult task. “Isolation. You said it yourself, that it was statistically impossible for two isolated cultures to develop the same language. Would this not mean that our two cultures, our universes even, are not isolated from each other?”

Mike's proposed solution did not sit too well with Twilight. “That's ridiculous. Surely we would know if our two worlds were in contact with each other.”

“Maybe.” Mike replied, “And then again maybe not. Our mythology does contain references to Unicorns, Pegasi, Dragons and other fanciful beasts. So maybe there has been contact with your world in the past. Who's to say that some form of limited contact isn't still ongoing?”

“I think your theory is wildly speculative. How could our cultures have sufficient contact for their spoken and written languages to converge while still remaining unaware of each other?”

“I don't know.” Mike admitted. “But you're here and that's an established fact. So contact between our universes is possible.”

Opening her mouth for a rebuttal, Twilight discovered she couldn’t refute his logic.

It was apparent, from the length of their walk that Twilight had wandered through these woods for a considerable distance. But after half an hour of retracing her steps, they had reached the end.

They had wandered into a small clearing under the trees. The clearing was no more than five or six body lengths wide but ran up a very gentle slope for about twelve body lengths before coming to an end at a rock face.

Twilight halted abruptly and grabbed Mike with her magic momentarily, to prevent him from walking any further into the clearing. “I think this is it. This is where I arrived into your world.”

“Are you sure, Twilight? Not that I doubt you or anything, but what makes you so sure that this is the location?”

“I think I was unconscious when I arrived but I seem to remember seeing that rock wall soon after I woke up. It's rather unclear, here let me try something−” Twilight’s horn lit up with a burst of light as she invoked her memory-recall spell for the second time that day.

Twilight wanted to sleep, yet her body ached intensely and a deep penetrating cold burned wherever she came in contact with the ground. Coming further awake she realized that she was lying in total darkness, though something glimmered faintly at her from off to her side.

Alarmed at finding herself alone in the dark in some unknown location, Twilight struggled to stand up. The effort proved unsuccessful, merely revealing how weak her entire body was.

Now terrified, Twilight resumed her struggles with the aid of a surge of adrenaline. Climbing successfully onto her hooves, she used her horn to illuminate her surroundings.

A stab of pain at the base of horn nearly caused her to let go of her magic, but she held on as the pain slowly receded. As the pain receded to a dull throb, Twilight was able to open her eyes and look around. She found herself standing in snow that was about a hoof deep. Trees surrounded her on all sides of her little clearing, except for a wall of rock to her right whose edges extended beyond the reach of her horn's light.

Dropping her spell, Twilight shook her head and blinked as she reacquainted herself with the daylight. Mike was holding her and shouting. “...Twilight! Please wake up. Can you hear me? Twilight!”

“Yes, Mike. I can hear you. Why are you shouting at me?” she asked, confused by his behavior.

“Are you kidding?” He exclaimed, pulling her in for an uncomfortable hug. “Your eyes went really wide, all white and glowy. They were practically shooting out beams of light!” Mike released his hug and shoved her back. “And then you just stood there, not moving and I couldn't get you to respond. You had me scared half to death, Twilight. I didn't know what was wrong with you.”

Twilight could not help but smile at Mike. “It was nothing to worry about Mike. I was using a memory-recall spell on myself, to see if I could remember anything from the night I arrived. It's a variation of some magic I encountered recently which allowed me to look at the past. The glowing eyes and trance-like state are just some unfortunate side effects. It was my mistake for not warning you ahead of time, for that I'm sorry.”

“Well, I hope it was worth it.” Mike glowered at her. “You really had me scared. Seriously, that glowing eyes thing you did was really creepy.”

Secretly Twilight was pleased by Mike's reaction. She wasn't proud of the feeling, it was a little selfish, but she had to admit that it was there. That feeling of being happy somepony cared so much.

“It was worth it, Mike. This is where I woke up, and I remembered seeing that rock there.”

“Well then.” He said, calm once again. Mike began to remove his backpack. “If every thing's okay, let's get started.”

Author's Note

(1) In case you’re wondering. Mike's home is still being powered off of his emergency generator. Most of his large appliances are gas (propane) powered in order to reduce the electrical demand on the generator. In case some of you think this power outage is too long, the ice storm which hit the Midwest and Southern Ontario on Dec 21 & 22, 2013 was very disruptive and some areas remained without power for up to 10 days.

(2) The first part of Twilight's dream is loosely based on chapter 11 of the book “Space and Time in Special Relativity”. That chapter in particular is titled 'A relativistic tragicomedy'. Twilight must have gotten at least that far in her reading of the book and the chapter's narrative became grist for her dream.

(3) Unicorn Horns are sensitive to magic and sometimes love can manifest with magic-like attributes. Though he intended nothing special by it, Mike's kiss on Twilight's unguarded horn inadvertently carried an emotional charge of 'warmth and affection' directly into her dreams. Twilight's dreams started confusing Mike with her Big Brother.

(4) Sorry Folks. I can imagine that 4/5-th's of my audience (teens mostly) are writhing on the floor from my music selection. Yeah I know – what I like is usually not appreciated by others. Tough. Mike happens to share my taste in music. Anyway, as Twilight walks in on Mike while he is listening to his music, you too will be exposed to the same. The music which Twilight heard is listed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_6uVztVyw8 “Onegai Teacher OST3 – Sora No Mori De”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7wfYIMyS_dI “Enya – Only Time”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YiUQE5bJKFU “Phil Collins – Another Day In Paradise”

(5) French to English translation: “Do you speak French? I would be surprised if you could.”

(6) Ukrainian to English translation: “Do you speak Ukrainian? I'm sure you don't know it.”

(7) Twilight based her 'memory-recall' spell off of Zecora's Alicorn potion as seen in the Season 4 opener of the “My Little Pony” TV show. Twilight's version is much simpler and does not require any potion. It is however limited to showing a pony's their own memories.

Writer's Block. That's all I have to say with regard to my long delay in getting this chapter out.

You may have noticed that I couldn't keep up my schedule of inter-chapter POV changes. I still hope to write in that manner as much as is feasible in future. But this chapter officially introduces my use of intra-chapter POV changes.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

18. Surprises

To say that Princess Celestia was upset to see the ponies before her would be an understatement, but through countless years of practice she managed to hide the full extent of her displeasure. She did however let enough of it show through to allow the ponies arrayed before her be aware she was displeased. Several of them gulped nervously while trying to wet their lips from suddenly dry mouths.

Just moments before, Princess Celestia recalled, she had arrived in her carriage along with a troop of her guards. Riding with her in the carriage was Spike and one Penny Dream, the de facto expert on– and former proprietress of– Enchanted Books. Celestia's mood had been cautiously optimistic as she looked forward to achieving Twilight's return.

However, the moment she had landed one of her guards, a Sargent Sweet Rock, had come running up to her, bringing with him some unpleasant news. Early that morning, five ponies had been caught trespassing inside the Golden Oaks Library. They were currently being detained just outside the library, awaiting her attention.

Shocked at first, Celestia's thoughts had briefly spun out of control, imagining the worst, that the sole remaining clues as to Twilight's disappearance and possible whereabouts had been destroyed by the careless hooves of some random Neighdals. But the truth she witnessed when her guards marched the trespassers out before her was even more heartbreaking.

Wearing an intense neutral expression that was calculated to make others uneasy, Celestia slowly paced back and forth in front of the ponies that stood before her. Bracketing the prisoners were four of her Royal Guards, and even they began to display signs of nervousness from her unusual pacing. Time to finish this. She thought, feeling sick to her stomach.

Wheeling about suddenly, Celestia confronted those who had deliberately disobeyed her orders and put everything about Twilight's recovery in jeopardy. From the vantage of her greater stature, Celestia looked down upon the assembled Elements of supposed Harmony.

“Eep!” Fluttershy, at the end of the line off to Celestia's right, gave a shriek and dropped to the ground, quaking violently. The sight of Fluttershy's huddled terror caused Celestia's own kind heart to skip a beat. As she stood there for a moment, observing the yellow Pegasus her neutral expression shifted to one of sorrow.

Perhaps curious as to the sudden quiet, Fluttershy, who had been hiding behind her mane and hooves, chose that moment to cautiously lift a hoof and peek out, only to catch sight of the Solar Princess looking directly at her. Instantly, her hoof came down again as she convulsed with another “Eep!”

Pinkie, who happened be standing directly in front of Celestia, in the middle of the line, was not at all intimidated. She giggled and beamed a broad smile. “Hi-ya Princess Celestia. It's great to see you!” For her part Celestia was equally resistant to the distraction of a bright cheery greeting. She did however focus more of her attention back on the pink mare.

“Awww– are you upset because you missed our sleepover?” Pinkie of course, was totally missing the point of their current encounter.

“Don't be sad Princess,” Pinkie continued, “we'll be sure to invite you for our next sleepover! We simply didn't think to ask if you wanted to join us; you being wa-ay up there in Canterlot and all.” Pinkie swept a flamboyant hoof off towards the direction of Canterlot.

Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia was able to witness Rainbow Dash giving herself an emergency facehoof, the action accompanied by a soft smacking noise. Applejack, situated on Pinkie's other side merely reached up a hoof to pull her hat down lower over her face, murmuring a soft “Whoah-nelly."

“Cheer up Princess!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We'll be sure to invite you to our next one.” Pinkie was now bouncing up and down with excitement.

Rainbow Dash, always ready to take direct physical intervention, suddenly grabbed Pinkie in mid-bounce and held a hoof over her mouth. Speaking softly into Pinkie's ear, but loud enough for all to hear, Rainbow wheezed out through clenched teeth, “Not– helping– Pinkie!”

Perhaps Pinkie's erratic behavior had served some purpose after all. Her little by-play with Rainbow Dash, as well as Fluttershy's terror moved Celestia's heart a tiny bit away from the black despair which had gripped it. Celestia took a step back to re-consider the ponies before her.

These were the Elements, the ponies which had stood as true friends with Twilight through all her adventures; together they had faced down incredible danger and adversities. And they stood there still. To believe that these friends would put Twilight at risk would be the same as losing hope in Twilight's return. They were connected to Twilight through the Elements of Harmony, and whatever actions they took might well have been guided by that same Harmony.

Celestia's attention was brought back to the group as Rarity suddenly cleared her throat. “If it pleases Your Royal Highness, perhaps I should explain.” Celestia responded by calmly moving to place herself directly in front of Rarity. Looking down upon the white mare, Celestia was impressed at how Rarity held her head and ears up, projecting both poise and dignity even though her hind legs did quiver slightly.

Feeling much calmer now, Celestia cocked both of her ears forwards towards Rarity. “If you would be so kind, Rarity. I'm listening.” The sound of her even tempered voice seemed to encourage the fashionista, and caused Applejack, standing between Pinkie and Rarity, to push her hat back up again. Even Fluttershy, Celestia observed, had managed to uncover one of her eyes and peek out again.

“We ever so humbly ask your forgiveness, Princess, for disobeying your orders to stay away from the library. But we did what we felt was absolutely necessary. We did it for Twilight's sake.

“And however great your punishment might be, we knew that we could never live with ourselves if we didn't investigate the matter which Owlowiscious found.”

“Owlowiscious?” Celestia blinked, trying to recall where she had heard that name before.

“Um, Twilight's pet owl, Your Highness.” Fluttershy suddenly spoke up from the ground where she still huddled. She had uncovered her head to do so. “He came to us yesterday to tell us that he had seen something strange in Twilight's study.”

“Pet Owl? Something strange?” If Celestia didn't know Fluttershy any better she might have assumed that she was being pranked. But Celestia did know Fluttershy, and she knew that the yellow mare had an uncommon rapport with animals, stronger even than her own.

Pinkie chose that moment to clarify the situation. “That's right. Owly here came to tell us that he saw something glowy in the Library.” Pinkie began to pick up speed. “And-then-Rainbow-said-'Pffht!'-and -then-Owly-said-it-was-lots-of-glowy-things-and-then-I-said-'Maybe-they're-ghosts!”-and-then-Rainbow-wanted-to-punch-the-ghosts-and-then...” Pinkie's voice suddenly cut off as a globe of soft yellow light enveloped her head. Pinkie continued to gesticulate even as her mouth remained in animated motion.

“Forgive me ladies, and especially you Pinkie,” Celestia bowed her head, “but I find that my patience has been sorely tested these last few days. Rarity, if you would please continue.”

Rarity cast a worried glance at Pinkie, who continued talking, oblivious to the fact that she was doing so in total silence. “Yes, well. Perhaps I should start over, and explain more fully.” Celestia smiled at Rarity's wise decision.

“When Owlowiscious came to us, we learned that he had been present in the Library that night we first learned the details of how Twilight had come to be missing. Owlowiscious was there when you gave your instructions that the Library was not to be disturbed, and he took it upon himself to guard Twilight's study. Oh, it was such a terribly brave and selfless thing to do, but what else should one expect from Twilight's assistant.”

“Hey!” Spike called out angrily from where he stood near the carriage. His expression, from what Celestia could see, fairly radiated jealousy.

“I'm sorry Spike.” Amended Rarity. “I meant to say Twilight's number two assistant.”

“That's not what... Spike squelched his voice in mid-utterance as he suddenly caught a look from Celestia. Though her mood had improved somewhat, it had worsened again with having to silence Pinkie, and at the moment she did not appreciate another party, even Spike, hijacking the conversation.

Rarity continued. “Owlowiscious stood watch over Twilight's study all night long, and it was a good thing that he did. He discovered that there were a number of faintly glowing objects on the floor of the study. Fortunately Owlowiscious knew that this was something out of the ordinary. So the following day, yesterday in fact, he came to tell us about the glowing objects.

“He told us that there were quite a few of them, and that they would sometimes glow brighter or get darker but they did not all do so at the same time.”

Celestia frowned slightly as she considered the news. Could it be some active form of residual magic? Those can be dangerous.

Rarity continued. “And that's why I decided to spend the night in the library Princess. Owlowiscious' report needed to be independently verified, and if possible this needed to done without delay. Who knows what might happen to Twilight or to this clue if we were forced to wait another full day just to verify it.” Rarity bowed her head, as though awaiting Celestia's judgment.

As she heard the story, Celestia was pleased to discover the leadership being displayed by the alabaster fashionista. Rarity's reasoning was sound and did much to justify what she had done. Still, Celestia had yet to hear the full story. “And so you spent the night in the Library. What did you discover? Was there anything worthy of note?” Celestia asked.

“Yes, Your Highness. We all saw the glowing lights,” Rarity raised her head again and glanced meaningfully about at the other Elements, “just as Owlowiscious described them. I- I did approach one of the glowing lights, but was unable to sense any magic in them, nor could I detect any residual magic upon it or any magical aura coming from it.”

“What kind of spells did you use?” Celestia asked, more sharply than she had intended.

Rarity blinked, caught by the sudden bite in Celestia's voice. “Why none, Your Highness. I know my limitations. I only used my passive magical senses to determine if there was any magic or aura to be sensed. As I said before I was unable to sense anything.”

“My apologies, Rarity,” Celestia dipped her head briefly towards the white mare. “I was merely worried that the use of active magic may have contaminated the scene, making our own investigations that much more difficult. But I see now that you kept your wits about you and I commend you for that.”

Applejack cleared her throat, drawing Celestia's attention. “Yer forgettin' somethin', Rarity.”

Celestia turned her attention from Applejack back to Rarity. “Was there something else?”

“Oh, Ah-hah, Eh, yes. Sorry Your Highness. Yes, thanks to Applejack's clever thinking, we did discover something important.

“Applejack suggested that we simply turn on the lights in Twilight's study, to see what it was that was making the glow. Well at first that didn't work too well, because under the bright lights we couldn't see anything glowing. But after a bit of experimentation with dimming the lights down low enough, we found out that the glow was coming from some of the scraps of paper that had been blown out of the destroyed book.”

“The paper scraps where glowing?” Celestia asked in surprise.

“Yes, Your Highness. But not all of them were involved. The glow was only given off by the ones that appeared blackened, which we had originally supposed to be burned. The unburned scraps of paper never glowed.”

“Oh, and don't forget the smell.” Pinkie chimed in, having somehow managed to escape her voice trap, which now englobed a tiny green alligator. Celestia blinked at the sight. The alligator blinked back at her. Right eye followed by left eye.

“The glowing objects had a smell?” Tearing her attention away from the alligator, Celestia tried to make sense of Pinkie's last statement.

“Well yes, Your Highness. But none of us could agree on what we smelled. The only thing I could make out was the smell of dirt−” Rarity wrinkled her snout in disgust.

“I smelled Rocks!” exclaimed Pinkie. “A very nice pink gneiss.”

Appplejack spoke next. “Ah don't know about any rocks, Princess. But ah'm sure ah smelled trees. Maple and Poplar and Beech mostly, but other kinds too.”

“Hmph! You're all wrong.” Declared Rainbow. “ That glowy paper thing smelled like snow. And by that I mean it smelled like snowy weather.”

When Fluttershy whined and scuttled back several paces. It became obvious to Celestia that the mare had been too frightened to attempt getting close to any of the glowing objects.

These are all intriguing clues. Celestia thought to herself. It's obvious to me that those scraps of paper are actively involved with whatever happened to Twilight. She shuddered to think of what may have happened if anypony had given the order to 'clean up this mess'.

Celestia's frown had by now fully disappeared and she could feel her previous optimistic mood slowly returning. “One more thing, Miss Rarity. If you chose to spend the night at the Library, how is it that all of you were arrested there this morning?” As she said this, a faint smile played about her lips, too tiny for the other ponies to catch.

“Ah reckon that’s my fault, yer Highness.” Applejack spoke. “Ah knew Rarity weren't feelin' too well – none of us were – what with Twilight bein' gone an such – so Ah volunteer'd to keep her company. An then Rainbow decided ta join us─”

“Hey,” A feisty Rainbow Dash spoke up. “I told you that if there was something doing that had the slightest chance of helping Twilight then I needed to be there doing it.”

“And then I suggested we make it a sleepover− sorry for not inviting you Princess.” Pinkie lamented sorrowfully. Celestia's lips quirked slightly as she repressed a smile.

“And then Pinkie convinced Fluttershy to join us so she wouldn't be spending the night all terrified and alone.” Concluded Rarity.

Celestia sighed inwardly to herself. The Element Bearers had once again performed admirably beyond her expectations.

“Guards, you may return to your duties. I find that the Bearers of the Elements have acted in a responsible manner and are hereby exonerated of all charges against them. Girls, please stay with me for a moment.”

Celestia waited until the guards had moved off a distance. “Thank you, Ladies. Once again I find myself amazed by the friends Twilight has found. Rather than waiting quietly, in meek and passive obedience to my flawed orders, you chose instead to do that which you knew to be Right.

“Your actions, Ladies, may have brought us some vital clues to understanding what has happened to Twilight. Indeed, without this knowledge we may have done something irrevocable and lost her forever.”

“What do you mean, 'lost her forever'?” Rainbow Dash spoke up, her voice full of anxiety. “Uh, Princess.” she hurried to add the missing honorific.

“I mean just that Rainbow Dash. Now that we know there is something special about those paper fragments we will be sure to treat them with the respect they deserve. But without this news you have brought to me, it is all too easy to imagine that somepony might simply 'clean them up', or perhaps unthinkingly break whatever lingering magic they represent.” Hearing this, Rainbow gulped and backed off a pace.

“And one more thing, Ladies. I would like to apologize for my unseemly display of anger earlier. I find I have been out of sorts these last few days.”

Surprisingly it was Pinkie that responded. “We understand Princess. We've all been hurting really bad ever since Twilight got lost. Rarity's lost her inspiration, Fluttershy can't sleep and has been getting cranky with her animals, Rainbow's wings have lost their magic and she can't fly, Applejack's forgotten how to buck apples and I even lost my smile.

“So I think that Twilight getting lost has made you hurt really bad, Princess, just like us. And that probably means that you've lost something too.” Pinkie brought a hoof up to her chin, posing for a moment in deep thought before she chirped up brightly again. “Maybe you lost that part of you that you need to keep yourself from getting angry.”

Surprisingly, all of the Elements nodded and affirmed their agreement with Pinkie's statement.

“Would you like a cupcake, Princess? It'll make you feel better.” Pinkie held up a cupcake before the Princess. Celestia had to admit that it looked quite appetizing, with pink frosting and gold sprinkles set upon it in the pattern of her Cutie Mark.

“Thank you, but not right now, Pinkie.” Celestia was forced to answer in reply. As a Princess, she could not allow herself to be seen eating casually in public. Celestia lowered her head down to Pinkie's ear and whispered, “But I would like to try that later. Perhaps you could put it into a box so I can take it home with me.”

Pinkie gave her a wide grin. “Sure thing, Princess.”

Celestia turned her head, away from the Elements. As valuable as this session had been, she could feel the time she had lost for the investigation. It was time to get started.

Celestia stood in the doorway to Twilight's study. Except for the presence of Penny Dream in the room, the study appeared exactly as the last time she had seen it.

“Your Highness?” Penny Dream interrupted her thoughts. Realizing what was needed Celestia immediately dampened her Thaumic signature. “Uh, never mind.” Penny Dream concluded.

Penny Dream must have been a striking mare in her day. Her copper-red coat was surely the inspiration for the 'Penny' part of her name, while her poufy bright-white mane, nearly a match for Pinkie's, could make the clouds envious. Her Cutie Mark, which was two copper bits within a white cloud, only served to complement her name.

Now past her prime, it was easy to see why Penny Dream had sold her business and sought retirement. Though Penny Dream's white mane was mostly immune from the ravages of time, the rest of her was not. Her face had begun to show some wrinkles and her muzzle held a frosting of gray and a little of that bulbosity which was common to the elderly. Her legs also no longer held the sleek lines of youth but had begun to entertain a few wrinkles about certain joints.

Standing near the entrance, a mere three paces into the room, Penny Dream opened her spell book, which was actually her old lab journal, giving it a moment's review. Closing her book, she began to cast her magic.

Celestia fought back an urge to instruct the mare on how to perform her tasks. They had already discussed how the investigation should proceed and Penny Dream had assured her that no disruptive or destructive magics would be involved.

Well her mind seems as capable as ever. Observed Celestia, as she sensed Penny form a surprisingly intricate and delicate spell matrix. At first she thought it was Oak Mare's standard spell used for enhancing residual Thaumic energies, but quickly revised her opinion as the room was illuminated by the faint glow of fluorescing Thaumic residues. I'm sure that that's Cold Light's last spell. I certainly wasn't expecting Miss Dream to know forensics.

“How is it that you know Cold Light's Residual Refulgence?” Celestia asked. “That's a rather specialized forensic spell known only to the Guard and Senior Mages at the School for Gifted Unicorns. They use it for investigating very faint Thaumic residues wherever there is evidence of a magical disturbance.”

Penny Dream paused from her examination of the magical residue and turned towards Celestia. “Is that what she called it? I wouldn't know about the Guard or the spells they use, Your Highness, but Cold Light and I were close friends. We grew up together as Fillys in Trottingham and kept in touch. Penny Dream sighed and bowed her head. “I still miss her...”

Celestia sighed inwardly as she remembered Cold Light and the tragic incident with a defective chariot. Still when she and Luna had interviewed Penny Dream shortly after breakfast that morning they had caught nothing to indicate her association with Cold Light. That was probably because the questioning had been focused on Penny Dream herself and the magic behind her Books. In hindsight, their interview had been all too brief. They had cut it off after discovering that Penny Dream had developed her own special talent into these same Magic Books not as a nefarious plot but as a the realization of a lifelong dream.

Penny Dream's special talent was the ability to create and enter the world of whatever story she was reading. As a filly and even as a young adult, she had taken great joy in entertaining young foals, taking them with her on thrilling adventures into the world of their favorite books.

But her joy became a dim memory as the adult world brought with it its own burdens such as working for a living. Such stories as most adult ponies were interested in were too embarrassing and graphic for Penny to dare venture into. Taking an adult into their fantasy world was to her either boredom or nightmare, sometimes both.

Eventually Penny Dream found a way to make use of her special talent by becoming a writer of adventure stories, and a successful one at that. Using her talent she merely had to live the adventure and then write it up. It was a living, but she found it unsatisfying. To Penny Dream the written word taken without her talent was a hollow experience.

Feeling frustrated and missing out on the joy of bringing other ponies into the world of a story, Penny Dream conceived the notion that it might be possible to imbue the book itself with her own special magic. Finding a way to replicate the mysterious workings of her special talent had been an arduous task, filled with many trials and disappointments.

It took her fifteen years of fumbling research and development, without even the benefit of an education in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but Penny Dream eventually achieved her dream of creating her Magic Book. It did not perform precisely as did her own talent, but it did allow the reader to participate in the worlds created by written words.

Sadly for Penny Dream, by the time she realized her dream of bringing her special gift to the masses, most of life had already passed her by. Her fortune was spent, her notoriety as an author had faded and age and declining health sapped her strength.

Penny Dream woke from her fugue and resumed speaking, waking Celestia from her own musings as well. “Cold Light was always a great help to me when I was trying to develop my Magic Book, always encouraging me to keep on trying, and giving me new ideas that I could try. That Magic Book has as much of her magic in it as it does mine.”

That's it! Celestia crowed in sudden understanding. That's how Penny Dream obtained those restricted spells. Working for the Guard as she did, Cold Light certainly had the access to spells and ideas from that section of the Library.

Penny Dream was still talking. “Along the way she developed these diagnostic spells for me. They were incredibly useful, allowing me to diagnose and understand how my spell components were failing and breaking.”

Again Celestia had a flash of insight. And now I understand how Cold Light came up with those forensic spells so rapidly during the Unicorn-bomber incident. She must have based them on the work she originally did for Penny Dream.

Laying aside the question of how Penny had obtained her diagnostic spells, Celestia now looked about, taking an interest in the Thaumic residues that had been revealed. It was not a pretty scene. Obscuring the entire room was a thick fog that blanketed everything like a pink miasma. Within this fog she could make out several bluish blobs of Thaumic residue that only happened to be visible due to their close proximity to the doorway where she stood.

“Does this mess mean anything to you?” Celestia asked calmly.

“It's− a disaster. I can tell you that much, Your Highness.” Penny spoke cautiously. Celestia had feared as much.

“In all the years I spend developing my book,” Penny Dream observed, “I've witnessed countless failures of the Reality builder. Events where it literally tore itself apart, spewing cascades of magic residue everywhere. But I've never seen anything nearly as bad as this.”

Penny's words were like a sword driven through Celestia's heart. It was the pain of all the fears she had for Twilight descending upon her all at once, clawing away at her hope. “Please, can you do anything to resolve this present mess?” Celestia was amazed to hear herself speaking calmly and rationally. “Could you at least do something about this fog?”

Penny seemed to start, as if realizing something. “Why yes, Your Highness. That was just the inclusive display. I'm actually illuminating four different magical residues at the moment.” Penny Dream's horn flashed briefly, modifying the spell matrix she had constructed for the forensic spell.

Vanished now was the rose fog. Now Celestia could see numerous blobs of Thaumic residue, exhibiting a blue color, floating about the room. Celestia of course knew a great deal about magic, and could see that these blobs of residual magic told their own story. Normally, the Thaumic residue which originated from the destruction of a spell would bear a faint attraction to other remnants of the same spell. One could expect, considering the time which had already passed, that these blobs of spent magic would have begun to coalesce.

“Your Highness,” Penny called out, “What we are seeing now are the energies that comprised the Reality builder. If I could direct your attention to the book.”

“Yes, I see.” Celestia replied. “A good fragment of that spell's Thaumic residue should have remained in the book.” She stopped there, not willing to voice her own conclusions. Celestia had found over the years that ponies would willingly discard their own theories in favor of her own, sheerly on account of the weight of her prestige and title. By not giving any conclusions or theories of her own, Celestia effectively forced Penny Dream to speak her own.

“Well, Your Highness.” Penny Dream resumed her explanation after a lengthy pause. “This tells me that the Reality builder came totally unraveled. And I mean totally. Normally there should be a significant amount of residual magic clinging to the book. The builder doesn't contain a great deal of Thaumic energy and so it can’t exceed a certain level of dispersal. But as you can see, there is virtually nothing left of it, the disruption it experienced was severe enough to cast away all of its energies.” Celestia nodded, Penny's explanation fell in line with her own thinking.

“Only once have I seen such complete destruction occur, and that was during one experiment where I injected a large quantity of Thaumic Energy into the Reality builder.”

“How did you manage to inject additional magic into the Reality ‘builder'?” Celestia asked, her curiosity piqued. She used Penny's terminology for what she suspected was actually a Reality Generator – a prohibited magic. “Once the builder has been created and bound to the book, would it not become static and require no additional magic?”

“Yes and no, Your Highness. The builder is bound to the content of the book; however the book always starts out blank. The builder has an additional section of active magic which I added to its matrix. That active section is designed to receive and consume an external spell called the Libris, which I use to convey the literary content into the builder. The actual story as it were. Once it does so, the book contains and displays the printed story.

In that experiment I mentioned, I attached a fully charged Thaumic accumulator to the Libris. The results were quite similar to what you see here. Why would anyone attempt to inject Thaumic Energy into the book like that?”

Celestia could not imagine any scenario by which Twilight would take to performing such an irresponsible experiment on a book she intended to give as a gift to Spike. After a while she shelved her fruitless speculations. “What about the other thing you mentioned, the Libris?” she asked.

Another flash from Penny Dream's horn and the floating blue blobs were replaced by a cone of fine green particles sprayed out from the book's epicenter, one larger green blob floated near the book. “Oh dear.” Penny announced in a shocked voice.

“Please explain.” Commanded Celestia, unable to interpret what she was seeing in front of her.

“That green blob near the book is typical residue I would expect to see from the Libris spell itself. But that fine spray of green particles is what's left of the Libris's literary content. I'm afraid that little of the story made its way into the builder.”

“How would the generator function if it had no story content?” Celestia was forced to ask. “What would happen to a pony caught in such a reality?”

Penny Dream's eyes expanded their Irises dramatically and then shrunk down. “Are you saying, Uh Your Highness, that some pony was caught up in this− this Disaster?!” It hadn't been intentional, but suddenly Celestia realized that she had neglected to inform Penny Dream that a pony had indeed been involved.

“Yes,” was Celestia's simple reply. “Now, please tell me if you know, what effect would the lack of story content have on the builder and the pony caught up in it?”

Penny Dream began to shake and her legs slowly folded underneath her. “I− I don't know.” She sobbed. “In all of my experiments I never attempted entry into a blank or damaged Reality. A-are you sure that a pony was transported into this book?” Celestia nodded. “W-Who was it?” Penny asked.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia felt like breaking down in tears as she spoke the name of her former student and now sister Alicorn. She was sure that her eyes were watery.

“Nooo!” Penny Dream responded in anguish at hearing how her life's work had been responsible for hurting the newest Princess. She fell down, burying her head in her hooves, weeping.

Though her own heart was breaking, Celestia nevertheless found the compassion within her to comfort another of her little ponies. She immediately lay down and placed one of her wings over the elderly mare. A motherly nuzzle over her neck also seemed to help.

Soon Penny Dream's sobs came to an end. “T−Thank you Your Highness. Your kindness is far more than I deserve.” Celestia retreated by getting back on her own hooves, allowing Penny to rise up as well.

With a final sniff Penny Dream illuminated her horn and caused the forensic spell, Residual Refulgence, to shift again. Once again the traces of another spell contained within the workings of the Magic Book was revealed.

This Thaumic residue appeared as visible entities within the room. Their arrangement was quite striking. Strings of tiny golden bubbles formed themselves into chains. Extending outward from a golden haze, occupying the location where Twilight had sat, they arced gracefully upwards and outwards before descending down again.

The paper scraps! Celestia observed with some excitement. Every hazy golden thread seemed have its own unique terminus in one of the paper scraps the Elements had mentioned. It was hard to tell without taking inventory, but it seemed to her as if every scrap of paper, both blackened an otherwise, was pointed out by its own golden thread of Thaumic residue. Interestingly, the delicate wispy threads never touched the paper scraps. They faded out at about a hoofs distance away from the paper scraps.

Penny Dream had a stunned expression on her face. “I− I'm sorry Your Highness. I have never seen anything even remotely like this.”

“What is it you expected to see?” Celestia asked calmly. Inwardly she felt a strange elation at possessing some secret and prior knowledge about the paper scraps littering the floor. Almost, she allowed herself to hope that this was the clue which would bring Twilight home.

“These are the residual energies associated with the Transport Engine. It converts the pony into etheric form and transports them into the Reality prepared by the builder. I would have expected a solid chain of these residue bubblies trailing from the book to the position where the po-Princess was. Instead we have this...” Penny's voice trailed off in confusion.

“Thank you Penny Dream.” Celestia announced to the shocked mare. “Your answer has been the first piece of good news I have heard since we began this investigation.”

“How so, Your Highness?” asked a bewildered Penny Dream.

“Please, just call me Princess or even Celestia.” The Solar Diarch replied with a smile. “You told me that your Transport Engine conveyed the pony in their etheric form. Alicorns are particularly resilient and immune to harm when in their etheric form. Even when the Reality builder exploded, it was probably not enough to harm her.”

“Truly, Your Highness?” Questioned a hopeful Penny Dream, having immediately forgotten Celestia's request that she stop using that form of address.

“I have every confidence that it is so.” Affirmed Celestia with a smile. “Further, if you consider the fact that these scraps of paper represent the remains of the book, then what we see here is evidence that Twilight was successfully transported into it.”

“Yes. I see that now!” Penny dream exclaimed. She wore a happy smile for a moment but then suddenly lost it.

“I'm so sorry Princess.” Penny declared sadly. “Even if Princess Twilight is still alive, I have no way to reach her.” A brief pulse of light from her horn changed the parameters for the Residual Refulgence spell once again, turning the room pink with a foggy miasma.

“Normally, a nexus should form within the book, an access point joining our reality with the Book's reality.” Penny Dream paused and took a deep breath.

“But this dispersed fog of magical residue tells me that there is no nexus, no joining point between the Book's reality and ours.”

Penny Dream and Celestia spent another half hour performing detailed magical scans on all items in the room, but nothing further leading to Twilight's fate was discovered. Celestia in particular had paid attention to the paper scraps as they had been singled out by both the elements and Penny Dream's forensic spell, but there was nothing there that she could discover. No Thaumic residue, no magical aura, nothing at all to her magical senses.

Nothing that is, except for the fact that she could not levitate them. Her curiosity had led her to attempt to levitate one of the blackened pieces of paper. It shocked to her core to discover that she could not move it! At first puzzled, Celestia tried to levitate it with greater and greater amounts of her magic. Soon, fearing she might contaminate the scene, she was forced to abandon her efforts. Still not giving up, Celestia asked Penny Dream to levitate a blackened scrap of paper. The results were the same.

After some thought, Celestia turned her attention to one of the un-blackened pieces of paper. She felt vaguely disappointed to discover that it levitated upwards exactly as she had expected. Releasing it from her magic, it flipped once in the air and came down to rest – blackened side up. Quickly testing out a theory, Celestia confirmed that the same piece of paper she had lifted but seconds ago was now immune to her magic. At least this discovery showed that all of the scraps of paper were the same, some were just flipped the wrong way, or the right way, however one chose to think about it.

Heavy was Celestia's heart when she finally exited the Library. Penny Dream too was acting subdued. Their best efforts had failed to find any clue as to Twilight's present situation. Penny Dream was visibly saddened at the loss of Princess Twilight.

Celestia’s first order of business was to thank Penny Dream for her assistance and order her wait in the Royal Chariot. She dreaded her next task. That of addressing the group of five ponies, and one dragon, that were eagerly waiting for her to make some sort of happy announcement.

“Ah sure hope ya have good news Princess.” Announced a smiling Applejack.

“Will Twilight be coming home today?” Pinkie shot off a question. “Ooh. I'd better get started on a 'Welcome-Back-We're-Glad-You-Were-Rescued' party!”

The eager hopeful faces of Twilight's friends tore at Celestia's heart. It was too much, too soon. Great tears formed in her eyes and tracked slowly down her muzzle, shocking the Elements and even some of the Guards who were close enough to see.

“I'm sorry everypony.” Celestia began her painful announcement. She could see everypony's expressions falling, their ears bending backwards as well. “We were unable to discover anything about Twilight's whereabouts.” A silent groan, not so much heard as it was felt, came from the assembled ponies. ”But despite that unhappy news, there are a few reasons to remain hopeful.

“First - I have good reason to believe that Twilight survived the initial experience of having the Book explode, however rough that may have been for her, it should have caused her no lasting harm.”

All those assembled gave a sigh of relief.

“We'll that's somthin' ta be glad about.” Applejack exclaimed, followed by sounds of assent from the rest of those assembled there.

“Excuse me, Princess...” Fluttershy's timid voice called out. “But you said there were a couple of reasons that we...” Her voice faded suddenly into inaudible squeaks as she noticed everypony had turned their attention to her.

“Thank you Fluttershy. Yes there is one more thing. I have investigated those paper scraps that you reported to me and I believe they hold the only clue we have for getting Twilight back.”

“What's so special about them – uh, Your Highness.” Demanded Rainbow Dash. “They look just like burned pieces of paper, so why do they glow in the dark?”

Princess Celestia proceeded to relate to those assembled everything she had discovered about the scraps of paper blown out from the book.

“... And even though they remain a mystery, I feel that those pieces of paper are perhaps our last and most valuable link to Twilight. But we have to find out what that is.

“I'm so sorry to impose on you like this, but could I ask you girls to keep a watch over those scraps of paper at night. Please report anything unusual that happens with them.”

And this will give them something useful to do to keep them out of trouble. Celestia thought privately to herself.

“Spike, you won't be returning with me. I want you to stay here in the Library. You should be fine if one or more of the girls stays here with you every evening.” Spike’s face lit up with joy at the prospect of returning home and being able to help.

“Now remember, Spike,” Celestia lowered her head down to look him in the face, “I'll want you to send me a report every morning, even if there's nothing to report.”

“Yes ma'am!” Spike brought up his right foreclaw and saluted in Guard style.

Addressing the assembled Elements, Celestia attempted to encourage them with a few parting words. “Even though Twilight is still lost, we still have hope. Don't─”

Whatever Celestia had been about to say was left unsaid as a curl of sparkling rose colored smoke darted in front of her and with a tiny -pop- transformed itself into a scroll.

Suddenly Celestia felt her magic grow unsteady as she caught the scroll. The smoke had been a rose color and the feel of the magic within it was familiar, like... It's not possible. Could it be? Hope whispered within her mind.

The Elements, expecting to hear whatever encouragement the Princess had been about to say to them looked on with puzzlement as Celestia fumbled with the letter. Clumsily she broke the seal bearing her mark and unrolled the scroll.

Dear Princess Celestia.

It has been a long time since I wrote you a friendship report...

As she read the letter, Celestia had to stop numerous times to blink the tears out of her eyes. Her little Twilight was alive! And somehow, incredibly, had managed to contact her!

Joyously she tossed her head about in a large circle causing an enormous rolling wave to pass through her mane, the sight of which caused everypony's eyes to pop.

Suddenly Celestia's eyes expanded as a thought struck her. Oh no. Whatever chance allowed Twilight to send me a letter from another universe might not last long. I'll need to reply immediately.

Quick as a thought, Celestia teleported scroll, quill and ink out of her carriage and set to penning her reply

My Dearest Twilight.

Please know that I have indeed received your letter.

We have all been so incredibly worried for you. The news that you are doing well is a huge relief to myself. And it soon will be to all your friends as well.

I urge you to write again with more details about your adventure and this other universe you say you have fallen into. We will bend every resource we have towards finding you and bringing you home.

Hoping for your safe return

Princess Celestia

Writing the letter had taken less than a minute, rolling it up and affixing her seal a mere moment, translating it into the magic smoke which would send it speeding off to Twilight but a mere flicker of thought.

Celestia watched anxiously as the smoke circled aimlessly around her head. Soon it slowed down, eventually dissolving away on the light breeze. Celestia's ears drooped.

Spike must have been watching the letter's progress. “I don't understand Princess. When I send a letter that can't get through, it always returns.”

“I used a variant of the normal spell, Spike. It sacrifices the ability to return the letter for the benefit of extended range.”

The ponies wore confused expressions. Celestia had been speaking to them when suddenly a letter had consumed her full attention for several minutes. Then she had attempted to send a letter, which had failed.

“Iff'n ya don't mind my sayin', Princess.” Applejack began. “That was some awful urgent letter. I hope it weren't somthin' that takes ya away from helpin' us find Twilight.”

Celestia gave Applejack a bittersweet smile. Dear Applejack, always grounded in the important things.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia answered Applejack. “Do not worry, Applejack. That letter was some good news for a change. In fact, I have an idea.

“Spike, if you please, would you read this letter out loud for everypony.” She levitated Twilight's letter over to the young dragon.

“Of course, Princess. I'm always ready to help.” He took the letter and began to unroll it.

In truth, Celestia could have read the letter to them herself, but this way she would be able to observe their individual reactions when they received the good news. And Spike had certainly started off with a bit of excitement.

“HOLY SMOKE!” The dragon shouted, his eyes bugging wide and his tail ramrod stiff. “It's a letter from Twilight!”

“WHAT!” Exclaimed the entire group.

“Let me see that!” Cried Pinkie, grabbing the letter out of Spike's claws. “It is! It is! It's a letter from Twilight!” She began jumping up and down, in her excitement neglecting to actually read the letter.

Suddenly a blue aura surrounded the letter, whisking it away from Pinkie's grasp. “Hey! I was reading that.” Pinkie mock grumped.

“Actually, you kinda weren't.” Replied Rainbow Dash. “C'mon Rarity. Let's hear what Twilight has to say.”

Spike who became indignant at having the letter taken away from him suddenly settled down with a happy smile as soon as he realized Rarity had the letter. Celestia for the most part was enjoying their antics, hiding a smile behind her hoof.

Rarity held the scroll out in front of her, cleared her throat and began to read its contents.

“Dear Princess Celestia.”

“It has been a long time since I wrote you a friendship report...”

A happy hum seemed to come from the others as they revelled in hearing Twilight's words.

“Yes, I know that I am now a Princess and that I no longer have a duty to report to you. But know this. In my heart I will always be your faithful student. And even though this letter will never find its way to you, I have such a desire to tell you what I have learned that I can barely contain myself.”

“But, Twilight, WE DID GET YOUR LETTER.” Pinkie shouted as loud as she could, as if Twilight just needed a bit of volume to hear her reply.

“Darn tootin' we did!” Added Applejack. “Yeeeeeee-Haaaaawww!” She screamed, flinging her hat upwards.

Rarity wore a smile while she waited patiently for everypony quiet down. Soon she resumed reading the letter.

“When you think you are lost, completely and irrevocably lost, lost without hope and without light, at times like those it is a true friend who searches for you in your darkness and guides you back to the light.

“I thought I was lost, inside a pocket universe created by a damaged enchanted story. I thought I was lost in a story with no escape, no hope, and no friends. That all whom I met were fictitious characters. Incapable of friendship.”

Rarity paused, perhaps dismayed at the grim tone of the letter. The other Elements appeared equally shocked and Spikes lower lip was quivering. “Please continue Rarity.” Celestia spoke up, encouraging her with a gentle smile.

“Then I met somepony, only he's not a pony, he's something called a human, and his name is Mike.” At this point Rarity's eyes expanded momentarily and she acquired a quirky smile.

“When I first met Mike, I was near death's door.−”

“Oh no!” Interrupted Fluttershy, suddenly concerned for the health of her friend. “Eep!” she squeaked, belatedly realizing that she had interrupted.

Rarity continued.

“He saved my life and took me into his home.”
“He has shown me kindness and generosity.”
“He has been honest and loyal and frequently makes me laugh.”
“In short, Mike became my friend.”

While Rarity read those lines, Celestia observed each Element straighten up and fill with joy when her own Element was in turn mentioned.

“Whoa Whoa Whoa.” Interrupted Rainbow. “Who's this Mike guy? How do we know we can trust him with our Twilight?”

“I think he sounds like a nice Stallion.” Murmured Fluttershy so low that Celestia almost missed it. Privately, Celestia agreed with Fluttershy's opinion.

“Maybe he's Twilight's Special Somepony.” Pinkie's suggestion startled Celestia so much that the ripple in her mane stopped for a second. A quick glance at Rarity's deepening smile told her that Pinkie was not the first to imagine such a thought.

“Maybe if ya'll let Rarity finish readin' then maybe we can find out.” Suggested Applejack.

Clearing her throat again, Rarity resumed.

“Only− I was drowning in despair, because despite my initial joy at meeting Mike, I believed him to be no more than a character. A mere shell of a pony (Mike would use the word 'person' instead of the word 'pony'.)”

“I knew it!” Rainbow exclaimed. “He's a dirty no-good.” She said, while smacking her forehooves together threateningly.

“Rainbow, shush!” Rarity admonished. “There's more.

“Mike showed himself to be a true friend when he recognized my inner despair. He convinced me to divulge my fears, even though I knew such knowledge would destroy him. And then Mike did something wonderful, he banished those fears.

“You see, Mike proved to me, to my complete satisfaction using nothing but logic and reason, that he was a real pony (or person as he would say). And further to that, he showed me, again to my complete satisfaction, that this universe where I find myself is in fact a real universe.

“Mike gave me so much today.

“Today, I found out that I have a true friend.

“Today, I found out that I am alive in a new universe full of limitless possibilities.

“And today, I found a hope that there is some way to get home.

“Because, as Mike told me, If I'm not lost in a pocket universe created by an enchanted book, then I arrived in this universe by some other mechanism. And I mean to discover what that mechanism is.

“Full of hope and abounding with joy- Your faithful student.

“Twilight Sparkle.”

As Rarity lowered the letter, Celestia could see that her eyes were full of tears, just as her own had been. In fact, all of the ponies, and even Spike were sniffling back tears of joy. Somehow none of them asked about sending a letter back to Twilight. They must have realized that she had already tried and failed.

Celestia took the letter away from Rarity. “I'll be taking this with me. I need to bring it back to Luna as soon as possible. I'm sure that reading it will bring her as much happiness as it has brought to you. She has been just as upset at losing Twilight as any of us.”

“Awww.” Pinkie interjected. “Do you have to go already, Princess? Don't you want to stay and have a 'Twilight-Is-Alive-And-Doing-Okay' party with us?”

“Thank you Pinkie, but Luna would be very angry with me if I delayed any longer in bringing her this good news.” Celestia lowered her mouth to Pinkie's ear and whispered conspiratorially, but loud enough for all to hear, “But if it will make you feel any happier, I can tell you that I've found that part of me which keeps me from getting angry.”

“Good bye Princess.” All the other Elements offered as they watched her turn away.

Celestia made her way to her chariot, her retinue of Guards following behind.

It was not until the chariot had lifted off and she was well on her way back to Canterlot that she discovered the pastry box stuffed with a dozen of Pinkie’s ‘Celestial Cupcakes’ sitting on the seat beside her.

Author's Note

(1) 'Neighdals': Okay – this is a (very) weak pun. But I couldn't very well use the word 'Vandals' could I? Vandals is the historic name of a tribe of Germanic barbarians which repeatedly attacked the Roman Empire during the 3'rd, 4'th and 5'th centuries. (For examples – see the first part of the movie 'Gladiator'.)

(2) Celestia silences Pinkie: As soon as I wrote this I was thinking of 'The Cone of Silence'. (re: 60's TV series - 'Get Smart' ).
Addendum: It's amazing that I thought of this independently of (and probably before) Twilight used a similar bubble of silence in the fifth season show - "Amending Fences".

(3) Right eye, Left eye: I’ve already stated in an earlier chapter that this is Gummie's way of saying ‘yes’.

(4) 'Penny': 'Penny' is slang terminology used by Trottingham Ponies. It denotes a single 'Copper Bit' and is little used outside of that city and its immediate districts.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

19. Discoveries

Mike was scared. He didn't know what to do. Twilight had suddenly gone rigid and her eyes had lit up, shining with a bright white light. It was obviously something magical, but to Mike's mind it seemed more like Twilight was having a seizure.

Rushing up to the pony, Mike grabbed Twilight about her withers and gave her a shake. “Twilight!” He shouted. “Wake Up! Twilight!” Mike shook her more vigorously. “Please wake up. Can you hear me? Twilight!”

Suddenly the light left Twilight's eyes and the unnatural rigor left her body. She shook her head and blinked curiously at him. “Yes, Mike. I can hear you. Why are you shouting at me?”

Mike was flabbergasted at the very calmness of her reply. “Are you kidding?” He exclaimed, suddenly pulling her in for a hug. “Your eyes went really wide, all white and glowy. They were practically shooting out beams of light!”

Realizing that he was distraught, Mike made an effort to calm down by letting go of Twilight and pushing her back to her original position. Unable to let it go, Mike finished by telling Twilight how much she had upset him. “And then you just stood there, not moving and I couldn't get you to respond. You had me scared half to death, Twilight. I didn't know what was wrong with you.”

“It was nothing to worry about, Mike.” She replied with a smile. “I was using a memory-recall spell on myself, to see if I could remember anything from the night I arrived. It's a variation of some magic I encountered recently which allowed me to look at the past. The glowing eyes and trance-like state are just some unfortunate side effects. It was my mistake for not warning you ahead of time, for that I'm sorry.”

Despite her explanation, Mike still felt an urge to take a bite out of Twilight. I should just – let it go. I don't want to, but when it comes right down to it, Twilight and magic are inseparable. I'm just beating my head against the wall here. And she did just apologize.

“Well, I hope it was worth it.” Mike glowered at her. “You really had me scared. Seriously, that glowing eyes thing you did was really creepy.” Having spoken his mind, Mike's last bit of anger began to fade away.

“It was worth it, Mike.” Twilight's tail flicked, as if to emphasize her statement. “This is where I woke up, and I remembered seeing that rock there.”

Mike turned his head to glance at the rock in question some ten or twelve meters away. Abruptly his mind turned to the task which had brought them here in the first place. “Well then.” Mike said as he began to remove his backpack. “If everything's okay, let's get started.”

After discussing their approach, it was decided that Mike would start photographing the clearing in a grid pattern, while Twilight would conduct a series of tests to determine if any type of magical residue was still present. They would begin at the end of the clearing where they were presently at, and work their way towards the rock which dominated the other end.

Mike began by setting up a grid for the clearing. Grabbing his Surveyors Tape and his hatchet out of his backpack, Mike made his way to the left side of the clearing and walked carefully along its edge until he drew level with the rock face. Taking his hatchet, Mike chopped off a limb from a nearby tree and quickly shaped it into a stake. After using his hatchet to pound the stake into the frozen ground, Mike attached the end of his surveyors tape to it.

Mike then retraced his steps down the side of the clearing, stretching the tape behind him. At the bottom corner, he made another stake and pounded it into the ground. Holding the tape taut, he wound it around the second stake several times so that it would not slip. Then he walked across the bottom of the clearing, pulling this stretch of tape across at a ninety degree angle from the first leg.

Another stake was placed at the bottom right corner of the clearing and a few extra wraps of the tape went around it to ensure that the third leg would be starting off at a 'foot' mark. A third and final run of tape went up the right side of the clearing until it came level with the rock face again. At this point a fourth and final stake allowed Mike to tie off his tape, completing the grid.

What Mike had accomplished was to lay out his measuring tape along three sides of a rectangle. The bottom part was not significant, but he had established and reasonably aligned a measuring tape running up each side of the clearing.

Mike now took out yet another tape measure from his backpack. This was one of the spring loaded self-retracting kind, used by handymen everywhere. Extending it carefully, he laid it out across the width of the clearing.

Twilight had been watching his efforts with some interest. “That's really quite clever, Mike. I was wondering how you would manage to take your photographs in any sort of a systematic manner. But you solved that by creating a set of rectangular coordinates that won't disturb the immediate area.”

Mike grinned at the purple Alicorn. “There's just one thing I haven't managed to solve.”

“Oh? What's that?” she asked, a smile hovering about her muzzle.

“How to straighten up the cross tape while keeping both ends aligned with the appropriate reference mark. Would you care to help me by grabbing one end? We just have to pull it taut while lining it up with the right marks. After that we can lower it down onto the snow.”

“I think I could manage that.” She lit up her horn, a faint rose glow enveloping the end of the tape.

Twilight liked Mike's grid scheme so well that she quickly revised her own investigative procedure. Soon they were both working side by side. Mike would go first, setting up his camera and taking a picture of a featureless square of snow, with the yellow contractor's tape along the bottom edge of the photo to indicate its horizontal position relative to the clearing. At the same time Twilight attempted to detect any residual magic.

Once the preliminary steps had been taken care of (and carefully notarized in her ever present notepad), Twilight would project her magic upon the same area, causing the snow and ice to become invisible, allowing Mike to take a second photo of whatever lay beneath.

They had been going at it for a good while before Mike gave in to his curiosity and asked, “How are you doing that?” Seeing the questioning look that Twilight gave him, he clarified himself. “I mean, how are you making the snow invisible?”

“Oh, it's quite simple really, I saturate the snow crystals with magic and that allows me to adjust their index of refraction to be the same as the air which surrounds them.”

“The index of re-” began Mike, but then he paused to reflect on what she had said. “I was about to say that changing the index of refraction was impossible, that it's a fundamental property of the material, but then I remembered that magic was involved.”

Twilight bore a thoughtful look. “You know, you're probably right about it being a fundamental property of the material. I seem to remember reading that somewhere but I never really thought about it. Back home− I mean, back on Equus, virtually everything is altered in subtle ways under the influence of magic so we hardly ever think of it as having its own fundamental properties.”

“How do you mean?” Mike asked.

“Well−” Twilight thought for a moment. “Rainbows! A perfect example. The suffusion of a certain type of Pegasus magic into water will create Rainbow water. When exposed to light the liquid will separate itself into the spectrum of rainbow colors. It's then called Liquid Rainbow.”

Mike could not help but protest what to him was a ludicrous statement. “I find the notion of Liquid Rainbow somewhat hard to believe, Twilight. Here on Earth it's simple physics. Shorter wavelengths of light refract more strongly than the longer wavelengths of light. Thus white light passing at an angle through transparent media bends and gets separated into its spectral colors. It's just an intrinsic property of light that the blue light will bend at a sharper angle than the green, which bends sharper than the yellow and so on till we get to the red light which bends the least. The rainbow we see after a rain is simply the aggregate effect of light passing through the curved surface of countless water droplets suspended in the air. But the water is still just water.”

Twilight glared back at Mike. “All right. I'll prove it.” Twilight looked about for something, Mike wasn't sure what she wanted but before he could ask she exclaimed, “Aha! Perfect!” Mike turned his head, attempting to identify what Twilight had found only to see the cap from his thermos flying toward them from the vicinity of his backpack. Mike had no time to protest before it came to a stop between the two of them, hovering in the air, caught in Twilight's rosy magic glow.

Next, Twilight levitated a piece of ice and held it above the cup. Before Mike could even ask what she was doing, her horn pulsed brighter for a second, causing the ice to melt and dribble down into the cup as a tiny puddle of gently steaming water.

Next Twilight looked Mike in the eye, making sure she had his attention. “My friend Rainbow Dash lives in a very nice cloud home. When I was learning to fly she invited me over often. It's a very nice home and has several cloud-scaping features, most notable of which is its miniature rainbow-fall. One day I asked Rainbow Dash to show me how Pegasi make Rainbow water. It was quite simple really, simple that is - if you have Pegasus magic.”

Twilight extended her right wing and held it up beside the cup. Slowly the transparent liquid, nearly invisible at the bottom of the white cup turned an iridescent gray color and then – like bubbles of oil coalescing and floating up from the vinegar in a shaken bottle of salad dressing – the separate colors aggregated together, pulling themselves into colorful stripes. It looked for all the world like a true spectrum, with the colors blending smoothly and invisibly into each other.

“Liquid Rainbow.” stated Twilight. “It's quite real. Go ahead, try a little taste.”

“What? You want me to drink some weird chemicals?”

Twilight frowned. “It's just water, Mike. Water that's been infused with magic. That's the point I'm trying to make. Magic can alter some of the fundamental properties of matter, so much so that you would not recognize this water as being water. But underneath it all, it's still just water and it’s totally safe to drink.”

Now Mike felt guilty. He'd let his fear and paranoia run away with his mouth, almost stating outright that he did not trust Twilight. He'd practically called her a liar, and hadn't he promised himself that very morning she could count on him? “Alright, I'll try it.” Mike grabbed the cup from where it was levitating in midair. In one swift move he lifted the cup to his lips and downed its contents in a single gulp. There wasn't much really, just one or two cc's; barely enough to wet his mouth. But wet it, it most certainly did.

“Mike!” Twilight screamed loudly. “I told you to taste it – not drink it!”

Mike's mouth was suddenly assailed by the most intense sensations imaginable. The first one was heat. It was like he had been chewing one of those Ghost peppers he had heard about. Almost before he fully realized the heat searing his mouth, the sensation vanished and was replaced with tang, a sensation so strong that his face, lips and tongue were paralyzed. Tang was followed by a sour strong enough to make him think his entire head had shriveled up into a tiny prune. After sour came fresh, exploding in his mouth like a plutonium bomb, searing it with minty sensations. After fresh was cool, like a tall glass of liquid nitrogen on a hot summer's day, along with a brain freeze so intense his vision whited out. Strangest of all was the final sensation – electric. There was no good way to describe the electric sensation, because there was nothing good or familiar about it. It also had the effect of wiping away virtually any memory he had of it.

The sensations cycled through Mike repeatedly, heat – tang – sour – fresh – cool – electric – heat – tang – sour – fresh – cool – electric, like a demented merry-go-round he couldn't get off of, though with every cycle Mike thought he could feel the intensity reducing slightly. It wasn't all bad however, for even as the terrible sensations in his mouth slowly diminished, they began to diffuse into his body, blending into a feeling of generalized warmth and alertness throughout.

Despite the all-consuming activity in his mouth, Mike still had some sliver of awareness of Twilight. He could hear her monologuing, “What to do? What to do? C'mon, Twilight think!” But as his misery extended itself, Mike sort of lost track of Twilight and her monologue. He thought at one point that he heard her shout. “I've got it! Hold on, Mike.” But Mike was too out of it to give her any heed. He sank down onto his hands and knees, unable to spare the effort to stay on his feet.

After about the twentieth or thirtieth cycle (He had lost count) Mike was finally able to gasp out a single pitifully weak word. “-help!” Twilight had apparently been busy, because just as he uttered his plea she presented him with the same cup he had just recently drank from. “Here, take this, don't worry, it's just melted snow-water.”

Desperate for anything to alleviate his suffering, Mike took the proffered cup and sucked in a mouthful for a quick swish around his mouth before he spat it out again. The water he spat looked like cool-aid, spewing out in seven rainbow colors. Thankfully, the sensations in his mouth lessened immediately, now down to a tenth of their former strength.

Able to think again, Mike felt an enormous gratitude for Twilight's help. Now able to raise himself up to a kneeling position, Mike took another mouthful of water. Some swishing and even some gargling reduced the sensations even further. This time the water he spat out was nearly colorless.

Well, that wasn't the most idiotic thing I've ever done− Thought Mike, briefly remembering an incident in his pre-teens where he had jumped off a roof into a friend's backyard swimming pool, only to receive a fractured ankle for his efforts. −but it was a close second, or at least a solid third.

“What was that?” Mike demanded while panting breathlessly. “I thought I was going to die.” He drained the last of the water in the cup to commence his third swish and gargle.

“I'm so sorry, Mike.” Since he was kneeling, Twilight was able to look him straight in his eye. She had the most mournful expression he had ever seen, her ears were hanging low. “I never expected you to drink it like that. I only wanted you to take a tiny taste of it; not to drink the whole thing.”

“I thought you said it was only water?”

“It is only water.” Twilight sagged down in obvious frustration. “The spiciness comes from the absorbed magic. I just wanted you to try the tiniest little taste and learn about Liquid Rainbow's secondary characteristic. I'm so sorry; it's my fault for not warning you to be careful.”

Mike could still feel the 'spicy' sensations cycling through his mouth, though they had by now faded to a pallid echo of their former intensity. The sensation was still a distraction, but no longer enough to keep him from noticing how down Twilight was feeling.

Great! I just wanted to show her my support, and now I've caused her to get all depressed again.

Mike stretched out his hand, placing it under her muzzle to lift up her head so he could look her in the eye. “It wasn't your fault, Twilight. I'm the one who did something dumb. I should have given some thought as to why you wanted me to taste it in the first place. At the very least I could have asked you what to expect.”

Mike's speech seemed to perk up Twilight; at least her ears rose up again. “Thanks Mike. And you're right, that was dumb.” She had a tiny smile as she said the last.

“No. Thank you for that timely cup of water. Ugh.” Mike exclaimed. “It's still in my mouth. How about we take a break and have some lunch. Maybe some food will scrub away the taste of that stuff in my mouth. It's almost noon anyway.”

Twilight could feel her stomach rumbling at the mention of food. “Alright. That sounds like a good idea.”

Mike reached into his backpack and pulled out the items he had prepared for their lunch break, laying them out on the broken snow. One of the items was a small blanket. “This is for you, Twilight. It's so you don't have to sit on the cold ice and snow.”

“That's very thoughtful. But it looks a little small for the two of us. Do you have a second blanket?”

“I'll be alright. These ski-pants are pretty warm, and practically waterproof. They'll serve as my own personal blanket.”

“Okay then.” Twilight took the blanket and shook it out so that it floated in midair like a magic carpet. Next she used her magic to flatten the snow in a square area next to where she was standing, lowering the blanket down on top of it. She made an effort to shake off the snow clinging to her hooves and fetlocks before stepping onto the blanket. Gingerly she sat down on the faux curly-lamb fabric. “This is nice and soft. I like it.” She said, while giving her hindquarters a little wiggle. Mike had to suppress a snort of laughter at the sight of her getting cozy like that.

Mike too was about to sit down across from Twilight when she held up a hoof. “Mike, if you'll step aside for just a moment, I can smooth out an area for you as well.” Bemused, Mike stepped back and in no time whatsoever the snow between Twilight and himself became smooth and flattened. Moving forward again he lowered himself and sat down cross-legged on the prepared area.

Uh-oh. He thought as his butt slowly began to slide sideways down a gentle slope until he hit the edge of the smoothed out area. Apparently Twilight's 'smoothing' had glazed the snow, and the slick nylon shell of his ski-pants was taking him for a ride. His face must have showed something of his surprise because Twilight suddenly burst out laughing.

While Mike's ride was short, certainly no more than half a meter, it was inconvenient because he was no longer seated directly across from Twilight. Grumbling, Mike got onto his feet again and sought some way to rectify the situation. He ended up kicking some additional snow onto his area. Meanwhile, Twilight had sufficiently recovered from her laughter to re-smooth the area. This time she took some care to level it and even made a slight depression in the portion where Mike would be seated.

After seating himself again and wiggling about to check that he would not be sliding off again, Mike spoke. “Thank you.” He gave a snort before commenting. “I suppose it was kind of funny.”

“Oh it certainly was.” she replied. “You should have seen the look on your face.” Twilight dissolved in a fit of giggles.

Mike took Twilight's distraction as an opportunity to reach over to his backpack and pull out the surprise he had been hoarding: a second thermos. Twisting off the thermos' lid revealed a second cup nestled within. It only took a moment for Mike to fill the cup with the container's steaming contents. Presenting the cup and its aromatic contents to Twilight he spoke a single word. “Soup?”

Twilight's eyes opened wide even as her nose twitched. “Oh yes, some hot soup would be really nice right now.” Her magic gently took the steaming cup out of Mike's hand (giving him that cool yet warm sensation in his fingertips again). Holding the cup up to her nose she took a deep sniff before sipping cautiously at the steaming brew. “Mmmm, Whinnestrone - one of my favorites.”

What!? Mike's mind spasmed briefly as he heard Twilight's unintended pun. He quickly realized that the soup was already known to Twilight.

After pouring and enjoying some soup for himself, Mike noticed that Twilight had already finished hers. He handed her one of the sandwiches he had packed and offered to refill her cup with more soup.

“Mm, this sandwich is good. What did you put into it?” she asked.

“What zee have zere ees a 'Chef Mikael' oreegeenal.” Mike replied with a cheesy French accent, while simultaneously twirling an imaginary curly mustache. “Zee zandwich ees made from zee finest Whole wheat bread, Izeberg lettuce, Suiss cheese and my most zpecial zecret ingredient.”

The pupils of Twilight's eyes expanded momentarily when he mentioned the Swiss cheese, but then returned to normal again. “There's cheese in this sandwich? Why didn't I notice it?”

“It's Swiss cheese, it has a white color and there's only a single slice of it in your sandwich so it's easy to overlook.” Mike considered Twilight's concern. “Twilight, do you have a problem with cheese or other dairy foods?”

“H-How do you mean?” She asked nervously. Mike's suspicions began to gel.

“Many people have a condition known as Lactose Intolerance. It's simply a genetic condition where, as they grow out of their childhood years their digestive systems stop producing an enzyme which is needed to digest the Lactose sugars found in Milk and Milk products such as Cheese.

“Whenever they eat those foods they can suffer a variety of symptoms ranging from excess gas, cramps, bloating and even diarrhea.” Mike paused to consider what he had just said, then grew embarrassed. “Eh, sorry. I forgot we were having lunch.”

“Eww.” Twilight drew back in disgust from Mike’s unpleasant description. “I most certainly don't have anything like that. In fact I don't think it's possible for a pony to develop such a condition. You see our digestive systems incorporate magic. As long as the magic is not disrupted then our digestion is fine.”

“I see.” Mike was intrigued. Perhaps that's why she doesn't have a massive abdomen like cows and horses do here on earth. Perhaps she has magically charged enzymes which directly break down foods such as hay without any bacterial fermentation.

“But still I see you have stopped eating that sandwich, Twilight. Do you not like cheese?”

“I used to love it.” Twilight whispered softly. “But now I'm afraid to eat it.” Mike could see that Twilight was reluctant to discuss the issue, so he decided to drop the subject.

“What's the secret ingredient?” Twilight asked suddenly.

“What?” Mike asked, having forgotten about his earlier playacting as a French chef.

“The secret ingredient, you said the sandwich had Cheese, Lettuce and a secret ingredient.”

Mike chuckled as he suddenly remembered. “It's just potato salad. I hope you’re not adverse to potatoes and mayonnaise.”

“No, I'm not.” She replied, taking a huge bite out of her sandwich, quickly devouring it. Mike was slightly amazed to how large a bite Twilight had.

After finishing her sandwich, Twilight immediately proceeded to finish her second cup of soup. Why is she in such a hurry all of a sudden? Mike wondered.

“I used to love cheese, Mike, until the day that love was taken away from me.” Mike was surprised that Twilight had returned to the subject of his earlier question; he thought she had dropped it. Hurriedly, he finished chewing so he could give Twilight his undivided attention.

“It happened about three years ago. I was in school having lunch with my friends, when as a prank, somepony set off a 'come to life' spell on all the cheese in the lunchroom. I was−” at this point Twilight gagged. Mike could see that she was fighting down what looked like a panic reaction. He started to get worried, but soon she had calmed herself down again.

“You see, I had just bitten off a rather large piece of Mouda when it happened. All the cheese in the room took on the characteristics and simulated behavior of soft gooey −cheesy− Amoeba." Twilight paused while she dealt with some particularly difficult memory.

“The cheesy amoeba spell had a guidance factor which directed it to move straight towards the heart of whichever pony it was closest to, an easy way to dirty a pony's coat. But while everypony else in the room was having fun, shrieking and running around trying to get away from the pursuing blobs of cheese that were attempting to get into their hair, I was choking. My cheese blob, being in my mouth already, went straight down my throat and into my lungs before I even knew what was happening.”

Mike was shocked speechless. Twilight continued. “Fortunately, the noise in the lunchroom attracted one of the instructors who saw that I was in trouble. I was doubly fortunate in that teleportation was the special talent of one of the other instructors. Within a minute she had teleported me to the hospital and the doctors saved my life. But I don't remember that part, I was unconscious by then.

“Ever since, Mike, I can't eat or look at cheese without remembering that incident.”

Though shocked and dismayed at Twilight's story Mike finally found his voice. “I'm so sorry, Twilight. If I had known I would never have put cheese in these sandwiches. Why didn't you simply remove it from your sandwich?”

“I've been working hard to overcome my fear, Mike. I've gotten to the point where I can now eat cheese again, especially if it's hidden or buried in a sandwich like you did with these. And yes I enjoyed the sandwich, cheese and all, so please don't apologize for putting the cheese into them.

“But melted cheese is the worst. The sight of it is almost more than I can bear.” Twilight's face bore a look of horrified disgust.

Mike sighed quietly to himself. Guess we won't be having French Onion Soup tonight.

Despite Twilight's revelations, lunch ended up being a quick affair as it was a pretty cold day. The temperature felt like minus ten or thereabouts to Mike, and sitting on the snow was getting to be uncomfortable after about ten minutes. Mike turned to his backpack and removed the second thermos, or rather the one that had been strapped to the outside of the backpack.

Mike poured out another steaming cup of liquid and offered it again to Twilight. “No thanks, Mike, I'm good. After that meal I couldn't eat another...” Her voice trailed off with a pair of inquisitive sniffs as the wind playfully wafted the smell of hot chocolate over to her nose. “On the other hoof, some hot chocolate might help take the chill out of my flank.” She said, taking the cup out of Mike’s hand. Next she got up onto her hooves with a small groan.

“We're almost done.” Mike commented as he surveyed the progress they had made. “We've surveyed a little over two thirds of the clearing now.”

“I agree with you about that,” Twilight answered back, “but I hope we find something soon. We haven't found anything yet and I'm starting to get worried.” Mike could see a frantic expression starting to form on Twilight's face.

Mike downed the last of his hot chocolate before answering Twilight. “Twilight, I know you are feeling anxious, but please keep in mind what we have already found out. This is the site where you arrived, so there is something here to be discovered. And if we don't at first find it, that simply means that we haven’t been looking for it in the right way.”

Twilight stared down into the depths of her cup, the hot chocolate still faintly steaming in the frigid air. She raised her head and brought the cup to her lips, downing it all in one gulp. “You’re right, Mike. I am acting silly. Something big happened here and it's not reasonable to think we won't be able to find any evidence of it.”

“That's right. So how about we get back to work?” Mike replied while starting to pack up the remains of their lunch, mostly just a few wrappers and the two thermoses. Twilight stepped off the blanket, allowing Mike to pack that away as well.

Soon they were hard at work again, falling into their previous routine.

It was on the second to last pass before they would run up against the rock, that they encountered their first oddity. It appeared the moment that Twilight made the snow invisible and appeared to be nothing so much as a small scrap of paper hovering a few inches above the ground.

Twilight for her part drew in a breath and held it, as if astonished that they had found a clue. Mike wondered curiously as to why it was floating in midair until he realized that it was simply embedded in the now invisible snow, at which point he took a second photo. While Twilight undertook to perform several additional spells and sketch out a description of their find in her notepad, Mike returned to his backpack to fetch a handful of plastic freezer bags.

Returning again to the find he asked Twilight, “Have you found out anything about it?”

“Yes, it's a piece of paper from the Enchanted Book that sent me here. And clinging to it, is the most peculiar residual magic that I've ever come across. I'll need to study it more closely but I have nothing to carry it in.”

Upon hearing Twilight's complaint, Mike smiled and held out one of the freezer bags. “Will this do?”

Twilight looked curiously at the proffered item. “Well, I suppose we can roll up the paper fragment in that sheet of plastic. Yes it will do.”

Mike was confused by Twilight's reply until he realized that she had probably never encountered a plastic baggy before. “Uh, sorry.” Mike offered as he gripped and spread the two lips above the zip seal. The act of pulling the bag open elicited a gasp of astonishment from Twilight. “It's actually a re-sealable bag that's both airtight and waterproof.” Mike explained.

“That's incredible.” Twilight breathed. “Oh yes, I'm sure that will do nicely.” This time her agreement came with much more enthusiasm. “But there's still a problem. I can't use my magic to pick up the item. Doing so would only dilute and contaminate the residual magic clinging to it. Normally in such cases I would use either tweezers or a spatula to pick it up. But I don't have any such tools with me.”

“Tweezers huh?” Commented Mike. “Hold on. I think I may have a solution.” With that Mike returned to his backpack and extracted his hatchet again. A short trip into the surrounding bush allowed Mike to obtain several sticks which he was able to whittle down into a crude pair of chopsticks. They weren't symmetrical, in fact one of the pair was nearly as wide as a butter knife, but that did not matter, since Mike wasn't going to be eating with them.

Returning to Twilight, Mike held up his new cutlery for her perusal. “I suppose the wide one could be used like a spatula. But the other is too narrow to be of much use,” she said.

“Watch and learn, Twilight. Watch and learn.” Mike made a fist and struck the snow directly over the paper, cracking the crust of ice. After picking off the larger chunks of ice, he removed his glove and held the chopsticks in the classic Asian style. “There are nations on Earth which from ancient times have never known forks. Instead they used two sticks, similar to these to pick up and convey bites of food to their mouths.” Mike carefully jabbed his chopsticks through the invisible snow and clamped them down upon the hapless fragment of paper. “Whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant, I prefer to eat using chopsticks.”

Mike withdrew his chopsticks from the snow, the paper fragment now held victoriously between them. Twilight's eyes were wide with interest as Mike continued his story. “I always thought it was more fun to eat ethnic food with the appropriate ethnic utensils.”

“And thus, I learned how to use chopsticks.” Mike concluded as he held a plastic baggy in one hand and inserted the end of his chopsticks inside before releasing the paper fragment. A second later and he had swiped the zip seal to hermetically seal in their trophy. “There you go, Twilight.” Mike held out the baggy.

“Thanks Mike. And good work with those chop sticks.” Twilight complemented him. “But could I ask you to hang onto that? I don't want my magic to get anywhere near that sample just yet.”

“Sure Twilight. Not a problem.”

Finishing their scan of the clearing should have taken the two of them no more than five minutes. However, that first scrap of paper was the herald for a veritable storm of paper scraps. Twilight's initial scans indicated that they all had some form of residual magic clinging to them. In the end they had managed to collect some twenty eight paper fragments.

While Mike kept himself busy snapping photographs, collecting and bagging the multitude of paper scraps, Twilight had been kept busy recording all of the details surrounding their placement and the order in which they were collected.

Mike heaved a sigh of relief as they finished their last scan. “Whew! I'm glad that's over with. For a while I thought we would run out of baggies.”

“So am I Mike. And though I would dearly like to go home and warm up my hooves, we're not done yet.”

“I thought you said Alicorns were immune to the weather? And what do you mean we aren't done yet?”

“We are mostly, but I've been tromping around in this snow for over two hours without so much as a scarf to keep me warm. We've been pretty sedentary for the last little while and my hooves are starting to feel cold.”

“Well then we should go back now.” Mike insisted. “I won't have you getting frostbite or whatever in your hooves.”

“Relax, Mike. I may be uncomfortable but I'm well able to tolerate this for days on end. I'm just− a little soft.” Twilight's ears dipped in embarrassment. “But all that doesn't matter. My analysis of the scattering of the paper bits tells me that that rock is the next thing we need to investigate.”

Mike sighed. Rats. I was hoping we were finished here. My face is getting frozen too. For the umpteenth time Mike took off his gloves and placed his hands onto his cheeks in an effort to warm them up. I should have worn a balaclava− except that I don't have one.

Twilight had gone motionless again, her only discernible activity was the flaring and dimming of the aura about her horn as she tried out various detection spells upon the rock. Mike took the opportunity for a quick series of photographs of the rock face.

With nothing else to do he took the opportunity to stare at the rock face and tried to analyze it. It's most likely just a gigantic rock. Probably a Glacial Erratic dropped here after the last ice age. Mike pondered, pulling out his high school education. It probably isn't an exposed outcrop of the Canadian Shield, in this region of the province the soil layers are usually hundreds of feet deep.

Mike noticed that there were several black pits scattered about its face. Are those volcanic pores? Out of boredom he counted them. Enough! Mike's mind shouted at him. Stop counting the spots on the wall.

With nothing better to do Mike turned away from the rock and stared at Twilight. She's much more interesting to look at than any dumb rock.

As he gazed upon Twilight's profile, Mike took note of several factors he had never noticed before. First, she had a good form; her bodily shape was pleasing to the eye. She held herself erect and did not slouch; there was power in her chest and shoulders, a fact that was somehow emphasized by her delicately folded wings. Unlike Earth's native horses and ponies, she did not have a bulging gut but rather her waist narrowed down somewhat before joining her well-proportioned flanks. Her Cutie Mark was large and prominent, stylish even. The way she held her tail made a beautiful arching bow, not too high and not too low. It was really fetching how the color stripes in her wind-blown mane and tail always stayed − for lack of a better word − coherent. Her eyes− well, Mike had never paid them much attention before except to note how large they were− her enormous eyes were a lovely magenta color, sparkling with wit and intelligence. In fact she was looking at him−

“See anything interesting?” Twilight's wry comment took Mike by surprise.

“You're beautiful.” He replied unthinkingly. A look of surprise blossomed on his face.

“W-what?” Twilight stuttered back, her magic now forgotten as she swung about to focus her attention fully on Mike. For his part, Mike was doing his best to imitate a tomato.

“What I meant to say was− I meant− I mean−” Come on Mike; don't let some sudden embarrassment turn you into a liar. There's a reason you said what you said. Mike's conscience prodded him sharply.

Suddenly Mike smiled at Twilight. “You are. I see that now.” Twilight's eyes expanded wide. “I was feeling kind of bored and somehow I ended up looking at you instead of that rock. But as I looked, I saw something that I had not noticed before. You're beautiful.”

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

“You're beautiful.” He replied.

Confusion overwhelmed Twilight. “W-what?” She managed to stammer out.

I couldn't have heard that right. She thought to herself, but the damage had been done. Twilight's thoughts began spiraling inward. I'm not beautiful. I've never been beautiful, not like Princess Celestia or Cadence or even Rarity. I don't even care about being beautiful. She barely noticed Mike's sputtered reply. Not until his voice suddenly firmed up again.

“You are. I see that now.” Twilight’s eyes expanded wide as Mike confirmed his earlier statement. “I was feeling kind of bored and somehow I ended up looking you instead of that rock. But as I looked, I saw something that I had not noticed before. You're beautiful.”

“But I'm not. I'm not beautiful.” Twilight protested instantly; insecurities she had long forgotten suddenly rushing to the fore. “I'm just an average looking mare.”

“Look at me, Twilight.” Mike lifted up his arms, spread wide, in an odd gesture. “I am at present the most objective observer you will ever find.” Mike dropped his arms. “I have no obligation or desire to sooth or stoke your ego. What I'm telling you is simply how I see it.” He chuckled. “The fact that an alien anthropoid is telling you this should only emphasize the point.” He paused to consider his last statement, his smile vanishing suddenly. “Then again maybe that's not such a plus after all.”

Mike's self-denigration shook Twilight out of her self-denial. “Don't you dare think that about yourself, Mike. It doesn't matter what your physical form is...” Twilight paused, “Not when you spoke it from the heart. And if your heart thinks that I'm− beautiful, then I guess my response should be to believe you and to say thank you.” Twilight looked away, trying to hide the blush she could feel spreading across her face. Despite her embarrassment, she could feel a happy glow somewhere inside her being.

Mike took a step back from the force of Twilight's initial rebuke but otherwise stood silent as Twilight delivered her speech. They both stood in silence for half a minute or more before Mike cleared his throat.

“I'm sorry, Twilight.” Mike began. Twilight suddenly turned her head back towards him. Is he trying to retract what he said? She wondered intensely, her eyes squinting down into a frown, while her ears dropped back slightly.

Mike raised his hands up, close in front of his body, palms facing outward “No I'm not sorry for saying what I said, but I am sorry for being such a distraction and interrupting you from your work.”

Twilight felt relieved, happy that Mike had not recanted his statement. It was enough to make her give a half-giggle. “You weren't a distraction, Mike. I was just finishing my magic scans when I suddenly noticed that you were staring at me.”

“Oh? What did you find out?” He asked in an obvious effort to change the subject.

“Nothing.” Twilight spat out dejectedly. “Despite all evidence to the contrary, I cannot find any residual magic on or within that rock face. I tried every detection spell I could think of, even some forensic spells used by the Guard that my brother taught me. But there is nothing special about that rock. It's just one big lump of gneiss, mostly a pink color, having ten striations of some darker mineral reminiscent of Schist running through it and there are seven pits in its surface.”

“Six.” Mike replied. His statement was such a non-sequitur that Twilight was left confused.

“What?”

“I only counted six holes in the rock.” Mike stated calmly. “You must have miscounted.”

“There're seven. I don't make mistakes like that. Look for yourself,” Twilight swung her head around to face the rock again, “there are─” Twilight stopped in mid-sentence.

“What's going on?” She demanded. “There are only five pits now.” Twilight stared furiously at the rock's pits, as if her stare could intimidate them. This went on for more than a minute as she desperately sought to locate the missing pits.

“Twilight−” Mike called out nervously.

“I see it.” Twilight replied, fascinated by what she was seeing. Twilight watched in amazement as a new pit started appearing in the rock, first as a thin crescent shape and then slowly expanding itself into an irregular dark hole. She moved closer to the rock, to examine the phenomena more closely.

As she observed the slow formation and dissolution of the pits she noticed that their edges had a strangely squirmy quality, distorting the grain of the rock as they expanded, ever so slowly. Off to the side, she noticed one of the original pits shrinking even as two new crescents announced the arrival of more pits.

“They're moving!” Twilight called out excitedly. “I can see them moving ever so slowly across the face of the rock.” She urgently needed to check out the interior of the pits or holes or whatever they might be. Spying Mike's 'chop-sticks' protruding upwards out of the snow, Twilight grabbed the thin one with her magic and inserted it into the pit she was watching.

Twilight groaned. While she could push her magic beyond the boundary of the hole−, Yes, it's definitely a hole. −that would not have helped any. She was unable to determine anything beyond the fact that the hole was deeper than the stick was long. “You'd think that having been a Unicorn all my life, I would remember my magic gives me no tactile sense whatsoever.”

“Mike! Can you stick a finger into one of those holes and tell me what you can feel in there?”

Mike's face took on a startled expression before settling into a frown. “You've got my full support, Twilight. But if you think I'm going to stick one of my precious digits into some mysterious magical hole, not knowing if it will suddenly disappear, you've got another think coming.”

“Please? You don't know for sure that it will close off.” Twilight argued, frantic to get some information about a hole's interior.

“Oh? And what happened to the two missing holes? First you counted seven, and then there were only five.” Mike's statement of fact broke through Twilight's mania. Suddenly she was filled with remorse for the risk she had asked him to take.

“I'm sorry, Mike. I should never have asked that of you. It's just that I get so− excited− whenever I run across an unexplained mystery like this. I get these overwhelming urges to investigate them.”

Mike glared balefully at Twilight for a moment longer before letting up and tossing her a grin. “Apology accepted. But if it means that much to you then I could certainly help you out with your research.”

“No, Mike! I said I'm sorry for asking you to stick your finger into those holes. Please don't do that.”

“Who said anything about using my fingers?” Mike replied. “You said earlier that your magic has no tactile sense. Well my fingers do. Give me that chopstick.”

Twilight levitated the chop-stick she had been holding over to Mike who proceeded to insert it back into the same hole she had probed earlier. “Hmm,” he mused to himself, “in any transverse direction, the walls feel jagged. In the linear direction, along the depth of the hole, the walls feel impossibly smooth, almost frictionless.”

Oh, he's able to feel vibrations and the position of the stick with his hand. It's just like when I was a foal and did mouthwriting with a pencil. I should have thought of that. Twilight thought admiringly.

As she listened attentively to the wealth of information being provided by Mike, her pen danced furiously across her notebook, faithfully transcribing his words. Mike continued. “I can feel there is a definite edge to the hole at a depth of ten or twelve centimeters.”

“How deep is ten or twelve sen-tee-meeters?” Twilight was forced to ask.

“Uhh.” Mike pulled back the stick slightly and jiggled it back and forth for a few seconds. He withdrew the stick and held it up. “About this long,” He stated, “from the tip to the foremost edge of my thumb.”

Okay. Twilight thought as she stared at the stick Mike was holding up. About one and one-eighth of a hoof, maybe slightly less. She estimated, “Got it.” she announced to Mike, who immediately dropped the stick.

“Is that it?” She asked. “Was there nothing else you could determine?”

“Only that there seems to be a larger cavity beyond the hole.” Mike replied, as he picked up the measuring tape they had been using for their horizontal coordinates while surveying the clearing. As soon as Mike had pulled the spool on the end towards himself, he did something which caused the tape to retract back into the spool.

There's probably just a spring in that spool. She thought. But it's still quite clever.

Now carrying the tape spool, Mike approached the hole in the rock which he had been probing earlier. Cautiously he extended the tape into the hole.

Twilight watched avidly as the markers disappeared within the stone. One foot, two feet, three, four−”

-snap-

Suddenly the tape made a noise and jerked in Mike's gloved hands. Twilight was so surprised that she jumped backwards with her wings spread. Mike merely growled as the tape retracted out of the hole.

“What happened?” Twilight demanded. There was a nervous quaver in her voice.

“Nothing to be alarmed about, Twilight, the tape is cupped, see?” Mike pulled out a length of tape out of its spool and held it out for her to examine. She had noticed the curvature earlier but had not thought to ask about it. “The curvature gives it strength to resist bending in a certain direction.” Mike demonstrated by extending three or four feet of the tape out into midair.

“I see. So if you extend it too far, it becomes too heavy and the material will deform.”

“Right you are.” Mike replied, pulling out several more feet of tape. Suddenly it emitted its snapping sound and collapsed down onto the snow. “So the tape collapsed while I was trying to measure the depth of the hole. I'm going to try again, but I'll try holding the tape at a different angle.”

Mike repeated his probe several times with varying amounts of success. Sometimes the tape went in only to snap after a short distance of three or four feet. On one occasion, Mike stated that the tape must have fallen, even though there had been no snapping noise. Upon inquiry, Mike stated that he could not feel the weight of the tape, so it had to have collapsed.

By now they had determined the optimum angle at which Mike needed to hold the tape. After taking a short break to re-warm his fingers, Mike extended the tape into the hole again, hopefully for the last time. Soon it had extended further than it had ever gone before. Mike stopped his activity after hearing the tape snap. “I think I touched something that time before the tape broke. Let's see, I make the depth out to be about seven feet and five inches, give or take half an inch.”

“Uh-oh,” Mike exclaimed. “I think the tape is caught on something. It won't retract.” Mike pulled firmly on the tape. When that didn't work he tried jiggling it back and forth in the hopes of working it free. “It's really caught on something, I think−”

Whatever Mike had been about to say was forever lost as the tape jerked violently in his hands. “What the−” he began, only to lose his voice as the tape surged out of the spool and disappeared into the hole.

“Mike, let go! Get away from there.” Twilight shouted at him; sage advice which he immediately heeded. Retreating from the hole, Mike stood beside Twilight. They both watched in fascinated dread as the tape spool bounced and rattled against the rock. Suddenly the tape reached the end of its length, causing the spool to bash up hard against the rock, after which the spool fell back down several inches to dangle against the rock face.

Twilight continued holding her breath for several seconds before she became convinced that the incident, whatever it may have been, was over. She let out her breath in a relieved sigh. Surprisingly she heard Mike letting out his breath at exactly the same moment. If things hadn't been so serious she might have laughed at the coincidence.

Mike took a step towards the tape, when it suddenly leapt up towards the hole again. Shocked by the sudden resumption of activity, Twilight was once again holding her breath. A slight creaking noise could be heard coming from the spool when suddenly there was the sound of a bang as the spool leapt away from the rock.

They both stared aghast at the body of the spool which continued to emit a furious whirring and buzzing noise for two or three seconds, even as its body rotated around in the snow.

Mike was the first to say something. “I think something just pulled the tape off of my tape measure. It pulled on it so hard that it broke off.” As pause, and then “Am I ever glad I didn't stick my finger in that hole.”

Twilight could only agree with Mike's assessment. But now she had an even deeper mystery to consider. A thrill of excitement ran through her even as a smile began to form on her face. I wonder what's on the other side of that hole?

Author's Note

(1) 'Surveyor's Tape': The first 'tape measure' that Mike used was a 100 foot Surveyors Tape. Also known as a Landscape Tape. You might simply know it as 'the kind of tape measure that has a crank handle.'

(2) Twilight ate cheese in Chapter 15 (revised): Now that Twilight's aversion to cheese has been made cannon, I needed to either revise Chapter 15 (Mike fed Twilight an Omelet with grated Parmesan cheese in it.) or explain it away. Also – what Twilight said about Quesadillas “They’re so cheesy”, implied that the problem was that it was either too much cheese or that she had an issue with the form the cheese came in and that she might otherwise be able to tolerated cheese. I chose the latter.

(3) Temperature: Despite the scientific accuracy of Mike's epidermis, the temperature was actually about -12º C. (or about 10º F to my U.S. readers.)

(4) 'Mouda': Gouda. (Puns Rule! Yeah!)

Sorry about the long wait folks. Originally, I had planned a lot more activity for this chapter, but the next part would take too long to finish, so I ended up splitting this chapter into two parts.

What this means to you the reader is that I already have a decent head start on the next chapter. So hopefully it won't take a whole month before it arrives.

20. Touching Moments

Rainbow speared upwards through the center of the pentagon formation the other Wonderbolts had made. Her rainbow contrail formed a colorful spire, allowing the Wonderbolts to activate their smoke spells and wind upwards along its length in tight multicolored spirals.

“...ie.”

Rainbow cut off her color emission as she departed the maneuver. Now she began to fly a lazy spiral upwards to an even greater altitude, preparing for the finale. Even at altitude, Rainbow could feel the roar of the crowd beating against her body. It felt good, real good.

“...ashie.”

But however good it felt, she had no time to bask in the crowd's approval. The other Wonderbolts were already positioning themselves for the finale and she was approaching her entry position.

“Dashie.”

With an abrupt rollover Rainbow began her power dive, aiming for a precise point in the open sky. Meanwhile, the Wonderbolts had diverged into a modified starburst pattern, streaming smoke and scribing a pentagon of five vertical loops in the sky. By this time they had already flown the upper half of their loops and were just beginning to pull out of their dives, curving inwards for the lower half of their loop. The audience could already anticipate their loops coming together, to touch the rims of their aerial figures together at a single point.

“Dashie.”

Rainbow could feel a familiar shock wave forming around her body as she prepared to meet the now ascending Wonderbolts and set off her signature move, her Sonic Rainboom, right at the point where their loops touched together. She was approaching fast, and needed to time her Sonic Rainboom just right or else serious injuries would occur to the whole team. On three. One, Two, Thr─

“Rainbow!”

- Snerk*! -

“Huh?”

Rainbow Dash woke suddenly from her dream. She lay there for a moment, hugely disappointed to realize that she had been dreaming and not in fact flying as Prima Ala for the Wonderbolts in front of a packed stadium. Despite her disappointment, Rainbow made haste to recall as much as she could of the dream. Some of her best routines had been inspired by such dreams.

“Rainbow!” At the sound of Pinkie urgently calling out her name, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes only to discover that everything was still dark. It only took her a second to realize that she was in the Library, sleeping on Twilight's couch.

“What is it Pinkie?” Rainbow called back. By the sound of it, Pinkie had been calling to her from Twilight's study, where she was keeping watch.

“Come quick. There's a weird worm thingy coming out of the floor. Well before that it was a stick, but now it's a worm. A really, really long worm.”

A worm? Rainbow wondered to herself. Pinkie, you're making even less sense than usual. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go and see whatever she's making such a fuss about.

One of Rainbow's skills was to fall asleep quickly, anywhere and anytime. What few ponies appreciated, or even realized, was that she also had the ability to come fully awake just as quickly. Remembering at the last second not to use her wings, Rainbow Dash rolled off the couch and onto her hooves. Just one more day. She thought to herself. And I should be able to fly again.

Making her way rapidly through the darkened library, Rainbow found the stairs and proceeded upwards. At the landing she paused for a moment to listen for any noises. She was rewarded with a sonorous rasping noise coming from her right, where additional stairs lead upwards to Twilight’s bedroom. Heh, Spike's snoring again, and he complains about me being loud. A smirk formed on Rainbow's face.

Rainbow's contemplation of Spike’s sleeping habits was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a peculiar snapping noise coming from Twilight's study. Rainbow rushed towards the study where she knew Pinkie was keeping watch. As she did so, she could hear additional tinkling and jingling noises coming from it, quite unlike anything she had ever heard before. “Pinkie!” she called out as she burst into the room. “Are you okay? What was that noise?”

“I'm okay Dashie. At least I think I'm okay. Ahh!” Pinkie gasped. “What if I'm not okay and I don't know it? What if I only think I'm okay but I'm really, really not okay? Oh no!” Pinkie gasped again. “I was feeling a little sleepy a while ago. What if that's the first sign? Oh Dashie,” Pinkie began to blubber, "ya gotta help me!"

Relieved to see Pinkie acting normally, Rainbow stuck a hoof in the pink mare's mouth. “Relax Pinkie, I'm pretty sure that you’re okay.”

“I am?” Pinkie asked, her face showing astonishment.

“Yeah Pinkie. You are definitely random.” Pinkie smiled at the compliment. Rainbow continued. “It's when you're not your random self that I know there's something wrong with you. Now what's been going on in here? I heard strange noises in here.”

“I dunno what you heard Dashie. Maybe it was wormy over there.” Pinkie pointed off to the side.

Turning her head to follow Pinkie's pointing hoof, Rainbow's eyes grew wide and then shrank to pinpricks as she beheld a something coming out of the floor. Even as she watched it continued to grow in rhythmic spurts, elongating itself by a about a hoofs length before pausing briefly. Suddenly the thing emitted that snapping noise she had heard earlier and toppled down, accompanied by further jingling and twanging noises.

Rainbow watched, stunned, as the invader rapidly shrank back into the floor and vanished into the floor. No! Not the floor. Rainbow revised her observation as she watched the spot where the thing had retreated to become brighter. It came out of one of those glowing scraps of paper. Looking about, Rainbow suddenly realized that several of the scraps of paper were glowing quite brightly. In fact they gave off enough light to dimly illuminate Twilight's entire study. She could see Owlowiscious, perched on Twilight's drying rack, observing her from across the room.

“Pinkie, what's been going on in here? What was that thing?”

“I dunno, Dashie. I was just sitting here, feeling a little sleepy and thinking about the cupcakes I'll be baking for Twilight's Happy Homecoming party, when this stick suddenly came out of the floor. And I thought to myself 'Dashie should see this.' so I started calling you. But you didn't wake up and the stick went away, so I thought 'Maybe Dashie doesn't want to wake up if there's no stick to see.' But then the stick came back again so I thought 'Maybe Dashie will want to wake up and see this stick.' So I called you again, and the stick went away again−” Pinkie's torrent of words came to an end as Rainbow Dash held up a hoof in front of Pinkie's face.

“Woah, woah, woah, Pinkie. Just tell me what you saw, not what you were thinking. And you don't need to tell me that you called me either, ‘cuz, well, I heard you.”

Pinkie gave Rainbow a sad confused look. “But Dashie, I'm always thinking about what I'm saying. If I can't say what I'm thinking then how will I be able to tell you anything?”

Rainbow felt the urge to facehoof. “That's not what I meant Pinkie. Um−” Rainbow tried to think of an alternate way to convey her instructions. She had almost given up when an idea came to her. “How about this? You can tell me the words you’re thinking to tell me the words you’re telling me...” Rainbow's voice trailed off as she became lost in the intricacies of trying to match Pinkie's thought processes. “Arrgh!” She decided to plow ahead with her speech. “But, I don't want to hear about what you were thinking about before you think the thoughts for telling me what you’re thinking to tell me.”

“Ohhh,” Pinkie replied, “Well why didn't you say so earlier.”

Rainbow finally planted a hoof on her face. “Pinkie, just tell me what's been happening in here.”

“Well, the stick must have gotten an itch; because it started scratching itself on the edge of its hole and then it went away. But after it went away this long wormy thing started coming through the hole. It shakes and quakes, all snappy and jingly. It's really fun to watch.”

“What's fun?” Spike asked, padding up quietly behind the pair.

“Hi Spikey.” Answered Pinkie cheerily. “Did you come here to see the worm thingy too?”

“A worm?” Spike asked, rubbing at his sleep filled eyes. “You guys wake me up in the middle of the night, what with all the noise you're making, and you tell me it’s because of a little worm?”

“Yeperooni!”

“I-iii don't know, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash interjected. “That didn't look like any worm I've ever seen before.”

“Of course it's a worm, Dashie. It's long and wiggly and floppy and it comes out of the ground.”

“Urrgh!” Spike growled, “You two aren't making any sense. Would somepony tell me what you’re talking about so I can ignore you and go back to be...” Spikes eyes grew round as he finally spied something long thin and wavery extending itself out of the floor behind Pinkie Pie. It grew longer even as he watched.

“What in Equestria is that!?” He shouted, pointing a claw at Pinkie's worm thingy.

“Oh Spikey.” Pinkie chided him. “That's just the worm thingy.”

“I still don't think it's a worm Pinkie.” Rainbow remarked suspiciously as they watched it grow upwards out of the floor. Even though her heart was racing, Rainbow was pleased at maintaining a cool demeanor.

“Of course it's a worm Dashie. Just look at how it's waving at us.” Pinkie said, referring to how the object quivered and wobbled back and forth in slow languorous swings. “Wooooh! Wooooh! Hi Wormy!”

As if in response to Pinkie's greeting, the creature hit the top edge of one of Twilight's bookshelves, at which point it went–

-snap!-

“Augh! It's a monster.” Spike who must have been feeling incredibly nervous, screamed, ducking behind Rainbow Dash and grabbing onto one of her hind legs for protection.

Spike's scream into Rainbow's ear, as well as the jolt of pain from his claws digging into her hind leg sent a surge of adrenalin through Rainbow's body. “Eeee-ah!” she screamed in response. Suddenly she felt a strong urge to get physical with something.

“Watch the claws!” Rainbow shouted at Spike and kicked her leg, taking care not to hit Spike, but shaking him free from her leg.

“Uhh, heh heh. Sorry Rainbow.” Spike attention was momentarily diverted onto the fuming Pegasus. It did not stay there for long.

“Oh look, Spikey. It's trying to take one of Twilight's books.” Pinkie remarked excitedly as the strange creature appeared to have fixed itself to the top edge of a book’s spine. For a moment, it was clear that the creature was tugging hard upon the book, deforming it slightly.

“Oh no!” Spike cried out. “That's one of the special books Twilight has on loan from the Canterlot archives. It's irre− erra− Ah nuts! It can't be replaced!” Again, as if it had heard Spike's declaration of the book's value, the 'worm' stopped pulling and began to jiggle and dance, all the while emitting its strange noises.

Rainbow had had quite enough, she exploded into action. “Stop right there you- you worm! -”

“Told ya.” Pinkie singsonged, though Rainbow barely noticed her.

“You're not stealing one of Twilight's books.” Shouting her declaration, Rainbow rushed forward and bit the worm – hard. She jerked her head back, nearly stumbling at how easily it was drawn out of its 'hole'. Rainbow knew that she had done the right thing because the worm instantly released the book it had been trying to steal, falling to the floor while making more of its tinkly, jingly noises.

Instantly recovering her footing, Rainbow turned and ran out of Twilight's study, pulling an ever increasing length of the worm behind her.

“Wow Wormy! You're really long.” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly.

Rainbow ran to the landing and down the stairs, reaching the main floor of the library. She continued running across the floor until a sudden hard jerk from the worm pulled at her head and her whole body swung about only to smack down on the floor. As she impacted the floor, her bite loosened and the worm slipped free. Shaking off the pain, Rainbow jumped onto her hooves again. “I've had it with you!” She shouted.

As she took few steps forward in the dark, Rainbow happened to step on the worm, causing it to make its distinctive noise. “Ah hah! I found you. You’re going down, worm!” Gripping the worm tightly in her teeth again, Rainbow pulled. The worm resisted. Setting her hooves, Rainbow jerked on the worm and pulled back as hard as she could.

For a few brief moments the worm withstood her efforts. But Rainbow had no doubts that she would prove to be the stronger of the two. Suddenly the worm let go ceasing all resistance and causing Rainbow to tumble violently backwards head over tail. Rainbow slammed into one of the bookshelves, hitting her head and bringing down a cascade of books on top of her.

“Yeah. Way to go Rainbow! You got it!” Rainbow could hear the distant sound of Spike's cheering.

Rainbow groaned from underneath her pile of books, hearing spikes comment, but not in any condition to care. Her entire world consisted of an aching head and the sensation of several heavy objects pressing down upon her in the darkness. Wait. I know this feeling. This is exactly how it feels to crash into Twilight's bookshelves.

“Hello Wormy, we're so glad you came.” And Pinkie was already making friends with the worm.

“Pinkie, I don't think you should be touching it.” Spike's comment caught Rainbow's attention. Suddenly the mound of books began to shift and several books slid away as Rainbow Dash shot out of the pile.

“Pinkie!” Rainbow called out as she skittered across the pile of books; they had a tendency to slide out from under her hooves. “Stay away from it.”

Rainbow had lost track of the worm in the darkened library, but on the stairway she could just make out the lighter streak of its body, illuminated by the faintest of light coming from the study. Good, it hasn't tried to run off yet. She thought even as she moved towards the stairs and gripped it firmly in her mouth again.

Rainbow moved up the stairs and towards the study, the limp worm hanging down from both sides of her mouth as she dragged it along behind her. Reaching the study she spat it out and placed a hoof down upon its body. “Could somepony turn on the lights? Let's get a good look at this worm.” She asked.

Spike took Rainbow's request as his cue to rush over to the light control. A quick swipe of his claws was all it took to invoke full illumination from the room lights.

“Ahh!” Spike screamed while Rainbow clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth, blinded by the action of the bright light upon her night adjusted vision.

“Spike!” Rainbow called out. “Not so bright.”

“Sorry Rainbow. Uh−,” a sound of scratching came from the area where Spike was, “−just give me a second, I can't see a thing right now.”

“Let me help.” Pinkie announced. There came the sound of several hoofsteps after which the light dimmed back down to tolerable levels. “That's better.” She announced.

Rainbow opened her eyes to see Pinkie standing beside Spike and removing a pair of dark sunglasses from her face. How did she−? Rainbow wondered. Ah forget it. She probably has a Pinkie sense for 'Blinding Bright Lights'.

“Ooo, look at poor Wormy, he's not moving. He looks so sad.” And once again Pinkie derailed Rainbow's train of thought with a random comment.

Rainbow, finally, got a good looked at the worm which lay trapped underneath her hoof. Its color was golden yellow; its body could only be characterized as impossibly 'straight'. Looking closer, Rainbow noticed that its body bulged smoothly along its length, imparting to it a gently rounded convex shape. Where she had her foot on it, it was flattened down to something like the thickness of paper.

Alarmed that she was causing grievous harm to the worm, Rainbow lifted her hoof, whereupon the worm immediately sprang back into its normal shape. Relieved but still suspicious, Rainbow kept her hoof in the air, ready to stomp down on the worm again at the first sign of trouble.

“Rainbow?” Pinkie spoke. “I don't think Wormy's a worm.”

“What makes you say that Pinkie?”

"Looky here.” Pinkie used her forehoof to point at a different section of the worm from the one Rainbow had been standing on. “See, it has all those markings and numbers on it. And see there, and there. Those black marks are equally spaced and numbered, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four and twenty-five.

“And there, see those thin lines between the big marks, they've all got numbers written beside them. And between the lines are even smaller marks with smaller numbers, one eighth, one quarter, three eight's, one half−”

“What are you guys talking about? I still can't see anything.” Spike interjected plaintively.

“Hoo. Hoo.” Owlowiscious hooted gleefully from the other side of the study.

“Yeah, well, you'd be seeing spots too, if you'd been staring right into the lamp when it turned on. That lamp wasn't supposed to be there. When I catch whoever moved the lamp I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind.” Spike muttered darkly.

Rainbow suppressed a snicker at Spikes statement; she could see Pinkie doing the same. I wonder if Spike will follow through with his threat when he finds out that it was Rarity that moved the lamp. The sound of Rarity's voice from the previous evening echoed in Rainbow's memory. 'It improves the atmosphere in here ever so much, don't you think, Girls?' This was answered by what Rainbow imagined Spike's probable comment would have been, had he been here at the time. 'Of course. Everything you do is perfect, Rarity.'

Hiding her snickers from the temporarily blinded Dragon, Rainbow shifted her attention back to the worm, taking a close look at the section Pinkie had been pointing at. As she examined that part of the worm closely, a horrible suspicion came upon her. Pinkie was right. It wasn't a worm at all, in fact−

“It kinda looks like one of Rarity's tape measures.” Rainbow exclaimed. “Only who ever saw such a weird measure instead of honest hooves. And it breaks those down into twelve parts? And then breaks those parts down into eighths?

“Hold on.” Rainbow interrupted herself. “I need to see something.” Rainbow turned around and went back to the stairway. From there, with the illumination streaming out of the study she could make out the front end of the suspected tape suspended in midair, half way down the stairwell. Rainbow proceeded down the stairs only to turn around as she reached the bottom. On the way up again she took the end of the tape in her mouth and brought it back into the study.

“Look Rainbow, your end's got a hook on it. Maybe it's some kind of tape-worm.”

“Gahh!” Rainbow spat out the tape and shied back as a sudden spike of fear shot through her. The tape dropped from her mouth and moved to straighten itself out while playing its tinkling noises again as though in laughter.

Rainbow shuddered. Oh how she despised the very thought of tape-worms. She glared at the Pink mare who was convulsing with laughter. “That wasn't funny Pinkie.”

“Hah hah hah! Oh Dashie, you should have seen your face. It was a worm but now it's a tape. It's a tape-worm. Get it? Hee hee.” Pinkie poked Rainbow with a hoof as she tittered at her own cleverness.

“Yeah, yeah.” Rainbow answered back with a scowl, disgruntled at how good Pinkie had gotten her. Inwardly she was still shuddering at the thought of having one of those parasites in her mouth even though that hadn’t been the case.

“Even when I'm right here, I'm still missing out on the good stuff.” Spike grumbled quietly to himself. Upon hearing Spikes muttered comment, Rainbow favored him with a silent scowl as well.

Glancing down at the fallen tape measure, Rainbow was surprised to see that Pinkie had been correct, there was some sort of hook on the end, only it was blunt and only came out at a right angle, in fact─ Rainbow crouched down for a better look.

“Your right Pinkie. There is a hook on the front end. But it's metal and it looks like it was riveted onto the tape. In fact - I think the tape itself is made out of metal.” Rainbow added, recalling the taste and smooth hardness of the tape in her mouth.

“Metal?” Spike queried. He stepped over to the head end of the tape and bit off a piece. Apparently his vision had started to return.

“Hmm.” Spike commented while smacking his lips. “There's iron, and a hint of carbon, so it's some kind of steel. But I'm tasting a whole lot of Chromium and some other kind of metal too.” Spike bit off another piece of tape as if it were licorice, all the while smacking his lips. “I'm not sure what it is; I've never tasted anything like it.”

“Leave some of that tape for Rarity and the other's Spike. They might have some ideas about it.” Pinkie informed him.

Spike suddenly appeared stricken as he considered the fact he had been casually devouring something Rarity might have an interest in. “Nooo!” he wailed, dropping the now beheaded tape.

“So it's some kind of steel huh.” Rainbow decided to move the conversation along. Besides, who cared what flavor it had to a Dragon. “Well why would somepony be sticking an alien tape measure made of steel through one of those glowy pieces of paper?

“In fact, how is it even possible that it came out of a piece of paper?”

“I don't know, Dashie.” Pinkie replied. “Maybe the tapeworm was just trying to see how deep the hole was?”

“Gah! Stop calling it a tapeworm.” Rainbow shuddered. “It's not a worm, alright? Somepony must have been pushing it through from the other side.”

“GASP!” Pinkie jerked suddenly, “And you broke it! Do you think they're upset now? Oh no!” Pinkie wailed. “Now-they-might-not-want-to-be-our-friends.” Rainbow and Spike gazed at each other in befuddlement as Pinkie suddenly zipped out of the study.

“What just happened?” Spike asked.

“Hoo.” Owlowiscious commented from his perch on the other side of the study.

“I'm not sure Spike.” Rainbow shrugged her wings, feeling a twinge of pain as she did so. “Who can figure out anything that's going through Pinkie's mind?”

At that exact moment Pinkie zipped back again. “I got it!” She announced, holding up a pastry box as well as several long thin wooden sticks, skewers actually.

“A stick? What good are some sticks?” Rainbow asked.

“You'll see.” Pinkie singsonged. She then opened the box, causing Rainbow's eyes to goggle at its contents. It was full of cupcakes, Teensy tiny little cupcakes, less than and eight of a hoof wide. Pinkie picked up one of the tiny cupcakes; it had a dark pink frosting the same color as her mane. Pinkie impaled the tiny beautiful cupcake upon a skewer and shoved it down into the largest of the glowing paper scrap ‘holes’ she could find. Surprisingly, the end of the stick just sat there, protruding out of the 'hole' by about a hoof, and not sinking down any further.

“Everypony loves cupcakes. I'm sure they'll want to be our friends now. Even if Dashie was a big meanie and broke their tapeworm.” As she spoke, Pinkie prepared another Cupcake on a stick and inserted it down into a second 'hole'. This second cupcake had a blue frosting similar in appearance to Dash's coat color.

“Pinkie. We're not supposed to touch those scraps of paper.” Spike whined. “They're the only clue we have for getting Twilight home again.”

“Relax, Spikey. I only stuck the cupcakes through the holes. I didn't even touch any of the pieces of paper.” Spike scratched his head, trying to deal with the strange sensation of Pinkie's logic making sense.

After several minutes had passed Rainbow grew bored of waiting. “Do you seriously expect this to work, Pinkie? There's no way─” Rainbow's comment was arrested by the sight of the first stick disappearing as it suddenly shot down into its hole.

“Ooo, we’ve got a nibble.” Pinkie declared, clapping her front hooves enthusiastically.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Mike was the first to comment. “I think something just pulled the tape off of my tape measure. It pulled on it so hard that it broke off.” After a pause he added “Am I ever glad I didn't stick my finger in that hole.”

“What do we do now?” Mike asked pulling Twilight away from her mental speculations. “We've got nothing else to probe the hole with, and it even looks like it's begun to shrink.”

As soon as Mike mentioned the shrinkage, Twilight became aware of it as well. She also noticed that during their investigations, five holes had disappeared and another four had replaced them. Twilight stamped a hoof in frustration over the fact that she could not detect any magic, either residual or active, associated with the holes. In fact, she almost felt as if they were mocking her.

And Mike's right, she thought, we don't have anything with which to probe those holes. Twilight sighed in defeat, “I can't think of anything. Do you have anything back at your house we could use to probe these holes?” Twilight gave Mike an expectant look. “Maybe if you went back to get it and brought it here again...”

“I have several things back home that we might use, Twilight. But I think we are out of time for today.” Surprised, Twilight glanced overhead at the position of the sun. It was only about an hour past noon, surely there was plenty of time left in the day.

Mike forestalled her. “I know what you’re thinking, Twilight. But you have to remember that we took about three quarters of an hour to get here, what with all the traipsing through the woods that we had to do. So at a minimum, a trip home and back here again will take us about one and a half hours − let's say we return here at about Two-Thirty.

“Then you have to remember that it starts getting dark a little after Four. We shouldn't be traveling in the woods when it starts getting dark, so ideally we should plan on leaving again before Three-Thirty.”

“That still leaves us almost an hour, Mike. We can do this.” Although a part of Twilight agreed with Mike, her scientific curiosity was making her rather aggressive.

Mike grimaced and let out a strained sigh. “I'm sorry to let you down like this Twilight, but I don't think I can handle being out in this cold for another three hours. My extremities are getting cold and my face is feeling frozen. Too much more of this could have an impact on my health.”

Twilight was shocked by Mike's declaration. True, Mike had been acting in an odd manner over the last little while, stamping his feet, shaking his arms and repeatedly removing his hand covers and pressing his bare hands up onto his face, but she had dismissed his behavior as just being − well, Mike. Much as she had learned to ignore Pinkie.

Twilight's pupils expanded and then contracted as she realized she had been thinking of Mike as if he were a pony and expecting his stamina to be the same. Come to think of it, even an Earth Pony would not be happy to stand around in this cold like we've done for the last three hours. In fact, I'm uncomfortable too− she stamped her hooves and flicked her frozen ears back and forth. −and the only reason I can even consider staying here longer is because I'm an Alicorn, with Earth Pony stamina and the Pegasi’s resistance to cold. If I were still a Unicorn, I really would have called it quits by now.

“You're right, Mike,” Twilight gave him a smile to let him know she understood, “we are done here for today. We've finished our survey and I've got plenty of samples to analyze. Risking your health simply to discover the depth of those holes is not worth it.”

I can only hope the holes are still here when we come back again tomorrow. Twilight thought glumly to herself.

“Well I can't say I'm too disappointed about how things turned out, Twilight. The truth is I'm spending so much energy on trying to keep myself warm that I’ll soon become exhausted. We have to go soon.”

“Right.” Said Twilight. “Let's pack up our stuff and get going. The sooner we start, the sooner we can get warmed up again.”

It took less than four minutes to pack everything up. Mike went around the clearing, winding up his Surveyor's Tape and re-packing his camera equipment, while Twilight packed her notes and cautiously sorted the samples, waiting for Mike to non-magically place them into his 'saddle-pack' as she had privately named it.

Having completed her tasks, Twilight took a moment to look around, mentally preparing and checking off her departure checklist.

Notes. ...........................Check.
Samples. .......................Check.
Lunch cleanup. ..............Check.
Camera. ........................Check.
Tripod. ..........................Check.
Measuring Tape's. ..........Check and Ch...

Twilight suddenly remembered that she had not seen Mike picking up the broken spool. “Mike, did you pick up the spool from your broken Tape Measure?”

“Uh, no. Guess it sort of slipped my mind.” He stated while packing away his camera into its protective bag. “Could you get it for me?”

“Sure.” Twilight agreed.

Twilight could have easily levitated the broken spool from where she stood, it was plainly visible, but she decided instead to take a walk back up to the rock face. Just one last look, before we have to go. Twilight's thoughts betrayed a lingering desire to stay and continue the investigation.

As she approached the rock Twilight levitated the broken spool out of the snow and sent it through the air, placing it directly in front of Mike. Next she scanned the rock face, counting the holes one last time. Two─ Four─ Six, Seven. That's all of them. Twilight moved closer to get a close look at one of the holes that was in the process of disappearing. The process was similar to, only the reverse of, the formation of a new hole which she had witnessed not half an hour earlier.

“Come on Twilight. I'm all packed up and ready to go.” Mike called from the edge of the clearing.

Twilight turned her head to answer Mike. “I'm coming.” But instead of returning to Mike, Twilight's attention was caught by a curious pink bump protruding from the rock which was itself a pink colored Gneiss. Out of curiosity, Twilight moved closer, aware all the while of Mike's growing impatience.

The pink bump had a uniform color, darker than and quite unlike the surrounding rock. It also had a symmetrical dome shape and most curiously – fine striations, like a corrugation, barely visible underneath its pink dome. Twilight moved even closer. Suddenly she gasped and wondered why she had not noticed before that the pink bump was protruding out of one of the mystery holes. Eight. Twilight unconsciously bumped her hole-count upwards.

“Twilight!” Mike called for her attention again.

“Mike come and have a look at this,” Twilight called back, “there’s something new here.” Thankfully Mike didn't voice any complaints. Instead he began moving towards her.

As soon as he arrived, Twilight showed Mike what had caught her interest. “Look there, Mike. There's a tiny pink dome protruding out of the rock. I'm certain that it's coming out of one of the holes.”

Mike unlatched his saddle-pack and set it down in the snow before approaching for a close-up examination of the newfound mystery. As he did so, Twilight pulled herself back to give him some room.

Glancing over the rock face again she was startled to discover that a second tiny dome, this one having a blue color, had appeared and was protruding from one of the other holes. I know that hole was empty just a minute ago! She thought excitedly. “Mike! I see a second one. Look over here.”

“Now that one really stands out against the rock.” Mike commented. “I wonder why I didn't spot it earlier.”

“It wasn't there a minute ago.” Twilight answered confidently. “Two minutes ago, when I counted the holes, it definitely wasn't there.”

It's like something pushed them out of the holes for us to find. Twilight was thinking hard. But why?

“Twilight.” Mike began. “If something behind the holes pulled on my tape, then it's reasonable to assume it's feeling angry for the intrusion. It might have sent these objects here to cause us harm.”

No, not angry. Twilight's thoughts suddenly became clear. Apologetic.

“You've got it wrong, Mike, they aren't angry with us. Whoever broke your tape is trying to apologize.”

For a moment Mike froze, staring at Twilight with his mouth open. “You think they want to apologize? Where did that come from? You have absolutely no evidence to support such a conclusion.” Mike's arms were flapping in an agitated manner.

“Mike, you have absolutely no evidence to support your conclusion that they are hostile.” Twilight countered. “And before you bring up the fact that they broke your tape that could equally as well have been the result of panic and confusion. We were after all probing their space.” Twilight's ears drooped and her eyes shifted downwards as she realized it had been her own investigative excitement which had instigated everything.

Mike sighed, “You're right, Twilight. I don't have any proof for my conclusion either. Maybe I'm just expressing some racial paranoia. But we have a saying here on Earth, 'It's better to be safe than sorry'. Could we at least move back a little?”

Recognizing Mike's concern for their safety, though not in agreement with his paranoia, Twilight elected to move back several steps. Mike kept pace, moving back with her. It soon became clear to Twilight that Mike still remained anxious about their proximity to the mysterious objects. I wonder if this is how Celestia feels when her Guards get a little overzealous. She thought to herself with a few backwards flicks of her ear.

“Mike, you said your actions and concerns might arise from some form of 'racial paranoia'. Believe me, I can understand that. You only need to think back to my reaction to you when I found out that you ate meat. But please understand that right now my actions and convictions are coming from my sense of Harmony.”

“Harmony?” Mike asked, clearly not understanding her explanation.

“Harmony.” Twilight repeated. “The essence of friendship, cooperation and tolerance. You see, on my world, magic permeates everything. That magic in turn resonates with everything it is in contact with such as the rocks, land, air, water. It resonates deeply with all living organisms and even more strongly with sentient beings. And all of those things resonate with the magic, causing minerals to form, animals to become partially sapient and fully sapient creatures such as us ponies able to manipulate magic.

“When beings are cooperative and friendly with each other, whether by accident or design, the magic resonates and the surrounding material world operates that much more smoothly. Trees are healthier, streams are clearer, rocks are less likely to be obstacles, animals are more cooperative and friendlier, and the list of effects goes on and on. This magical resonance affects our entire world and we call it Harmony.

“Mike, I have−” Twilight paused, not wishing to boast about being one of the Elements, “a special relationship with that Harmony. In fact, I have devoted my last year to studying Friendship and the Magic of Friendship as they relate to that same Harmony.

“Right now, everything I know and even the magic within me is telling me that that those objects represent an act of friendship.

“Mike, please trust me.” Twilight looked up into Mike's eyes, silently pleading with him while simultaneously trying to project the confidence that she felt.

“Alright.” Mike said, letting his shoulders sag. “I said that I would support you, and that's what I'll continue to do; my own contribution to our friendship. Just promise that you'll be careful.” Twilight flashed Mike a grateful smile.

Perhaps, Twilight thought as she turned her attention back to the rock, Mike does have a point about 'better safe than sorry.' It wouldn't hurt to check out those objects before I disturb them. They might intend friendship towards us, but they could still harm us quite unintentionally.

Invoking her magic, Twilight quickly scanned both objects for the presence of magic and not a few harmful substances that she was aware of. She was quite pleased when her tests all came up negative. “They don't contain any magic.” She informed Mike. “I'm going to pull out the pink object now.”

Surrounded by the rosy glow of her magic, the pink object was levitated out of the stone. Almost immediately, the pink dome was revealed to be just that, a dome, situated on an even tinier brown trapezoidal cylinder. Surprisingly, the cylindrical section was mounted on a smooth stick about two hooves long.

Twilight levitated the object up to her face for a closer look. Out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but notice Mike tensing up. It looks like nothing so much as a cupcake. Was the surprising thought that popped into Twilight's head. But that's impossible!

But the more Twilight tried to reject the idea, the stronger it became. The more she looked at the object the more obvious it became that it was just a cupcake. The dome was pink frosting, the brown cylinder underneath looked like onionskin that had been adapted somehow into a miniature paper cup including the cup’s corrugations and the stick it was mounted on looked like an ordinary roasting skewer used for grilling vegetables. Spike used them all the time.

“What is it?” Mike asked in a soft whisper.

“I think it's a cupcake.” Twilight replied.

“Ridiculous!” Mike blurted out. “Who would even consider making one so small?”

As soon as Mike asked the question, Twilight knew the answer. She knew of one pony who not only could but would bake such a ridiculously tiny confection.

“Pinkie!” she exclaimed, a wave of happiness washing through her as she put a name to the mystery baker. Thinking about her friend, she popped the minuscule cupcake into her mouth.

“Twilight!” Mike shouted; alarmed by her precipitous action.

“Mmm, delicious.” Twilight announced, still savoring the taste of the tiny morsel after it had dissolved in her mouth. Plucking the blue cupcake from the other hole, Twilight brought it up in front of Mike's face.

“Here, Mike. This one’s for you.” She announced while favoring him with a mischievous smile.

“It's chocolate!” Mike exclaimed in astonishment after having taken the tiniest nibble from his cupcake. He quickly took another cautionary bite, then another. In an instant the entire cupcake was gone. Twilight could see a pleased smile on his face.

“Honestly.” Twilight muttered to herself. It had taken a good three minutes of arguing to overcome Mike's paranoia and have him try a taste. Mike had shown no signs of acquiescing until she had threatened to take the treat back and eat it herself. For some reason the threat of losing it had suddenly made him treat it as something edible.

Suddenly Twilight smiled as she remembered how Celestia used to pull that trick on a much younger Spike. Wait! Twilight's smile vanished as realization struck her. Cadence and Shiny used to pull that trick on me!

“I'm sorry, Twilight.” Mike's apology pulled Twilight out of her musings. “I let my fear take over and I gave you a hard time. I only came to my senses when I thought you were about to give up on me.”

Twilight felt moved by Mike's statement. He hadn't been won over by a childish trick, but rather by something more significant. Her good opinion was what had truly mattered to him. Enough for him to suddenly overcome his paranoia and fear.

“You know, for a friendship offering, those cupcakes were kind of small. Do you think they have any more?” Mike asked Twilight with a smirk on his face.

Twilight gasped. She had gotten so involved, arguing with Mike, that she had forgotten who it was that had sent them the cupcakes. I need to write a letter. Now! Frantically Twilight began looking for her notebook. “My notebook. Where's my notebook? Where's my pen?”

“Relax Twilight, they're in my backpack.”

Backpack? It's called a backpack? Twilight's mind filed away that piece of trivia even as she fought with her urge to levitate the 'backpack' over to herself. No! If I use my magic I'll contaminate the samples!

“Please Mike, I can't use my magic anywhere near those samples but I really need something to write on. It's urgent that I send a note right away. One of my friends is on the other side of those holes.” If her words were not enough, the sight of Twilight pawing at the snow with her forehoof would certainly give Mike an idea for how urgent the matter was.

Mike took his backpack and began to unpack it. Twilight couldn't help but notice that his hands appeared to be stiff, slow and clumsy as he attempted to unlash the bindings holding his camera tripod in place. She realized that his growing clumsiness was probably an effect the cold had on him. Feeling guilty at her unconscious attempt to push Mike faster, Twilight stopped pawing at the snow.

Regardless of his stiff fingers, Mike soon had the top flap of his backpack opened and was reaching inside to search through its contents. “Careful, Mike! Don't mix up the sample bags.” Twilight called out anxiously.

Mike paused briefly, as if to calm himself before resuming his activity, using both hands now and being more deliberate with his motions. After a few seconds he produced one of the spare notepads and soon after, Twilight's pen.

While Mike busied himself with retrieving her notepad and pen, Twilight had set about mentally composing her letter. As soon as her magic gripped pad and pen she began writing as fast as she could manage.

Dear Pinkie.

I know it was you who sent us the cupcakes. Thank you, they were delicious.

I wish I could hug you to say thank you for being there right now.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel but sad too, knowing that you are so close; Just a few hooves away on the other side of these mysterious holes.

And mere words cannot express how happy and relieved I feel, to be able to send you this note letting you know that I'm okay.

Please let everypony know that I'm fine, and that I'm working on finding a way to get home.

If you see Spike, give him a special hug from me. Tell him that I'm so sorry for messing up his birthday like this.

Please let Princess Celestia know that I'm doing well and that I've found a good friend to help me through this difficult time. His name is Mike.

Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. Mike forgives you for breaking his Tape Measure.

P.P.S. Mike was wondering if you had some more of those cupcakes. He's right about one thing. They were a little bit on the small side.

As soon as she finished writing the letter, Twilight read it aloud for Mike's benefit. He nodded his assent to the postscript but looked a little embarrassed as she read out the post-postscript.

Twilight tore the page out of the notepad (still marveling at the convenience of having a line of perforated-holes forming a tear-line at the top of the paper) and rolled it into a tight cylinder. Using her magic, she levitated it over to the hole from which the pink cupcake had arrived and inserted the scroll into it as far as she could. She hoped that this particular hole wasn't abnormally deep.

“Eee!” Feeling as if she had been released from a tremendous burden, Twilight squealed like a giddy filly and jumped up to embrace Mike in a hug, her forelegs clasped about his neck, her head beside his head while her wings beat slowly, keeping her in the air, level with his shoulders.

“Yes! I did it! Yes! I've contacted home! Yes! Now my friends will know that I'm okay.”

Mike was speechless as Twilight's continuing hug and beating wings slowly rotated them around several times. Stealing a glance, she saw that he was smiling, even as he reached up his arms to hug her in turn about her withers. She felt so happy and the hug felt so good that she elected to continue it for far longer than was necessary.

“Mmm, Twilight. You feel so nice and warm.” Mike commented humorously, snuggling his cheek up against her neck. “Can you do my other cheek now?”

“What!?” She drew her head back in mock indignation. “Am I nothing but a warm pillow to you?”

“You’re so much more.” He replied with a smile. “But right now getting warm again is occupying a considerable portion of my thoughts.”

“Well, in that case...” Twilight shifted her position slightly and resumed the hug, now warming Mike's other cheek. They held that pose for a few moments longer before eventually breaking free. Twilight could see that Mike's cheeks had warmed up enough to display a weak blush.

After that bout of excitement, Twilight attempted to settle down as she anxiously waited for a reply to her note. Her efforts to remain calm proved fruitless however, as she found herself to be almost as restless as Mike, and she didn't have the excuse of suffering from creeping hypothermia. After a wait which seemed to last forever, a white cylinder emerged from the 'pink' hole, as she had taken to calling it.

Twilight emitted a squee of delight as she pulled out the cylinder of parchment. Eagerly she unrolled it and began reading the contents.

Dear Twilight−

she began reading, recognizing Spike's familiar claw-writing.

Ohh Spike! I've missed you. Twilight closed her eyes as a wave of home-sickness washed over her.

Hi. It's me, Spike, Helping Pinkie to reply to your letter. Oh, and Rainbow's here too.

Twilight paused again as another wave of nostalgia flooded her at the mention of Rainbow's name.

Pinkie says Hi and she's happy that you liked her cupcakes and that, maybe, you, tomorrow

Sorry about that, Pinkie's talking way too fast for me right now. So I guess I'll just go ahead and take this break to say that I've been really worried about you. Don't worry about my birthday (I can't believe I even wrote that) because hearing that you're okay is the best present I can think of right now. Even Princess Celestia was crying when she got your letter yesterday, I've never seen her so happy.

Wait, the Princess got my letter? What letter was that? Twilight remained puzzled until she remembered her impromptu friendship report from the night before. The irises in her eyes expanded as the implications of that struck her. She was simultaneously pleased to have contacted the Princess and annoyed to have been unaware of its success.

Twilight. This is Pinkie again. I'm really, really, really happy to get your letter and even if we can't see each other it's good. I'm good, you're good, Spike's good and Rainbow's good. Oh, and Owlowiscious is good too. Sorry Owlowiscious, I nearly forgot you. Twilight, I'm sending you some more cupcakes now.

Twilight lifted her eyes from the page and saw that a small forest of cupcakes were protruding out from the stone. Mike was already helping himself, quite a far cry from his earlier paranoia. Twilight picked out three of them for her own enjoyment.

Rainbow here, Twilight. I just have to say that I hope you’re having an awesome adventure, but please come home soon. It's just not the same without you around here. And tell that Mike guy that he'd better be taking good care of you or else I'm going to take good care of him.

Don't worry Rainbow, he is. Twilight replied mentally as she gave Mike a look. What she saw wasn't too encouraging. Mike was absorbed in his strange dance again, trying to warm up his extremities. I have to end this soon. Mike is suffering.

Spike here. Just so you know. I didn't have anything to do with breaking that weird measuring tape. Rainbow did it.

Pinkie, Rainbow,and Spike . and Owlowicious.

P.S.: Rainbow and I are wondering why you're doing this in the middle of the night. Its way past midnight and I want to go back to bed.

Twilight was shocked to realize that the two universes had their diurnal cycles so far out of sync. It made her realize that continuing this conversation was an imposition on her friends as well as on Mike. Quickly she penned a reply and shoved it through a hole – after removing a fourth cupcake of course.

Dear Spike.

I did not know that it was after midnight there. From where I am, the time is about one in the afternoon.

It's also Winter here, and strangely the days are very short. Both Mike and I have been out in the cold for several hours and it’s been hard on him. We need to get back to his house to warm up. By the time we warm up again, night will have fallen, so I won't be able to return to this place again until tomorrow.

But now that I know where this place is, (we are standing in front of a rock, in the middle of a forest) I think I can arrive two hours earlier than this. Whatever time it is there for you right now – tomorrow, about two hours earlier.

Spike, what you said about Princess Celestia receiving my letter was really important. I had not expected that letter would ever reach her. I wonder why she didn't try to send me a reply. Maybe she did, but the magic only works in one direction.

As soon as you read this letter, please try to send me a note using your Dragon Mail flame. It doesn't have to have anything written on it. The important thing is that you try to send it.

I want to try an experiment. Later when I get back to Mike's house, I'm going to send two letters using the Dragon Smoke spell that Celestia taught me. One to you and one to Celestia. I don't know if either of them will get through. But don't worry if they don't show up. This is an experiment and finding out what doesn't work is just as important as finding out what does.

Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. Mike and I are leaving now. So, goodnight everypony.

P.P.S. Don't forget to try sending me that Dragon Mail.

P.P.PS. And tell Rainbow not to worry. Mike has been taking very good care of me.

“Okay Mike. That was the last note.” she announced after pushing it into a hole. After passing her notepad and pen back to him she announced. “Let's go home.”

Mike had just finished returning the pen and notepad to his backpack, and was buckling the top flap when Spike's Dragon Mail arrived, startling Mike sufficiently for him to stumble backwards and fall down. Fortunately the broken ice and snow cushioned his fall.

“What was that?” Mike asked, glancing at the rolled up paper caught in her magic.

“Just an experiment. I asked Spike to send me a letter using his Dragon Mail. I guess I was wrong. It does work in both directions.”

“Dragon Mail?”

“It's a kind of magic that delivers a letter directly to the recipient, no matter where they are. I hadn't expected it to span universes but I've been informed that it's working, albeit somewhat sporadically. I'm conducting a few experiments to try and discover what the problem is.”

Glancing at the note Twilight saw that Spike, for his part, had indeed sent her a blank sheet of paper. He always gets so literal whenever he's tired. She mused. I bet he's already gone back to sleep by now.

But the sheet of paper wasn’t blank. Somepony, Pinkie most likely, had drawn four smiling faces on it using four different crayons. The faces were colored pink, cyan, purple and brown, the last face was recognizably that of Owlowiscious

It's strange, she thought, her eyes suspiciously moist, how happy the sight of this a crude drawing is making me feel. Underneath, the faces, in large bold letters, Pinkie had written two words. BYE BYE! Suddenly Twilight no longer felt as if the day's work out here in the forest was being left incomplete. Instead she had a feeling of remarkable accomplishment.

Feeling a sentimental attachment to the foalish drawing, Twilight rolled it up and turned to Mike. She wanted to ask him if he could carry it in his pack along with the other letters. But instead of seeing Mike all loaded up and ready to go, his backpack was still open.

Mike was holding some small gray object in his left hand while poking at the object with a finger from his right hand. Curious, Twilight moved closer to get a better look. She saw buttons on its lower half while images and symbols appeared and disappeared from its upper half. “What's that?” She asked, her curiosity burning.

“This, Twilight, is a Jee-Pee-Ess.” Upon hearing such a strange name Twilight's right ear twitched.

“That's an acronym which stands for 'Global Positioning System'. When you mentioned how your dragon-mail was able to find you anywhere, it made me remember that I had this GPS with me.”

Global Positioning System? Twilight wondered. Is that some kind of teleportation device? The name sort of implies that.

“What this device can do, is tell me my absolute position anywhere in the world. It's the ultimate navigation tool.”

Twilight was both disappointed that it was not some kind of human teleportation system and intrigued to learn about how humans navigated without the aid of magic. “How does it work?” She asked.

“Well, as I understand it, a large number of satellites are in orbit, passing overhead even as we speak. Each satellite broadcasts a special radio signal which announces its exact location and the exact time at which it sent out the signal. Since they are constantly moving they continually update this information.

This unit here, receives the signal from several satellites and through a sort of three-dimensional triangulation, calculates its position in three dimensional space. It's accurate to within three meters.”

Twilight froze as her thoughts took off; attempting to work out the basics of the geometric puzzle so casually given by Mike. It needs a spherical coordinate system! She thought excitedly as she recalled the 'globe' Mike had in his office. But all too soon Twilight hit an insurmountable problem. As described by Mike, there was insufficient information for solving the problem. “How do you determine the exact distance from the satellite to your little device there?”

Mike had a ready answer for that. “It's just a straight forward speed, time and distance calculation. The radio signals travel at the speed of light, a known constant.” From her reading of that book the previous evening, Twilight could readily accept that. “This device calculates the amount of time the signal needed to traverse the distance by using the time stamp embedded within the signal. From that the distance is easy to calculate.”

Twilight thought about it for a moment. It was easy, except- “How does your device synchronize with the clocks on the satellites? If your device's time base was off by just one second off then the error in position would be nearly two hundred thousand miles.”

Mike appeared to think about her question for a few moments. “I'm sorry Twilight, I don't know. This cold is too distracting and I can't think too clearly right now. Maybe it gets its time base from the satellite itself. The satellite is moving quite rapidly and if you compare the time delay from two separate position reports it might be possible to work that information backwards to determine the time base of the satellite.”

Twilight was starting to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calculations required. “How is it possible for such a small device to do such things? The problem may be interesting from a mathematical point of view. But it's totally impractical for any pony in real life.”

“This device is basically a computer Twilight. That's what computers do; they perform mind numbing computations quickly, easily and repetitively. This unit is a computer which has been dedicated solely towards performing GPS calculations, and then displaying that information on a map.”

“A map?” Twilight asked, intrigued by the possibility of seeing a map of their surroundings.

“That's what I've been trying to do Twilight. I've been trying to call up a map of my farm and the surrounding area.” Mike fell silent as he continued to punch buttons. After another half-minute he grunted and then exclaimed “Ah-hah.” Some more finger and button activity ensued before Mike held out the device for Twilight's examination.

What she saw was a rather simplistic map. A rather large, narrow triangle was situated somewhat near the edge of a large green area. Up above it, just outside the green area was a smaller round dot, and much further beyond that yet another dot. “The Triangle shows our current position within this forest. The smaller dot, here,” Mike used a finger to point at it, “is where I estimate my snowmobile is located. From what this device tells me, our current location is just two hundred and sixty meters away from where we entered this forest. In this snow, that's less than a ten minute walk.”

“What? How? It took us nearly half an hour to get here...” Twilight was chagrined to realize she had traveled a much larger circling path the night she had arrived. “Oh never mind.”

Mike hit a button on his device and started walking in a direction to the right of and past the rock face. Twilight followed behind wondering if the device could truly be as accurate as Mike had claimed. In response to her question, he showed her that the device was now showing a circular dial, with a large arrow pointing directly towards their destination. Another part of the display was counting down the 'meters' remaining until they reached it.

In remarkably short order they arrived at the forest's edge, Mike's device having brought them within easy sight of the same broken tree they had observed earlier that morning. Their path, had they not changed course upon first sight of it, would have taken them to within one hundred hooves of it anyway.

By unspoken consent they paused behind the veil of the fallen branch, taking a break. “That device you have is quite impressive, Mike. Your decision to use it was a very good idea.” Looking up at Mike revealed that he had his eyes closed and he was breathing heavily, his arms limp at his side. “Mike?” She asked. “Is everything okay?”

After a few seconds Twilight grew anxious and prompted him more forcefully. “Mike!”

“Sorry Twilight.” Mike opened his eyes. He looked rather pale. “I'm feeling exhausted. I tried to warm myself up by forcing a quicker pace.” Mike paused for several breaths. “Either I overdid it or the cold is sapping my strength, maybe a little of both.”

“Will you be alright?” She asked with some concern.

“I think so. But I'm really not looking forward to making my way through those thickets again.” Mike's eyes fell closed again even though his breathing had eased up considerably.

As she considered Mike's condition and the distance they still had to cover, Twilight knew what she had to do. Where once a mighty tree had stood guard as the gateway into the forest, that tree, broken, had closed the gate. Twilight would force that gateway open again.

Gathering her magic in a deliberate fashion, a bright rose colored nimbus formed around her horn, and then around the massive branch and around all its smaller branches, branchlets and twigs. Next, a great crystalline ringing sound was heard as Twilight transformed all of the ice clinging to the tree limb into liquid ice. The falling droplets, now un-liquified again, were impacting the ground like a cart-load of crystal beads.

Next, the massive branch groaned and shook as her magic began to levitate its many tons into the air. It pivoted slowly about the thick tongue of living wood which still attached it firmly to the main trunk of the tree. Twilight's magic blazed even brighter, the density of the magic aura about her horn rippling like water as she began to repair the massive broken limb. Massive splinters writhed and began to merge as the branch pivoted back up, approaching its original position and orientation. Foreign moisture, ice and debris were either squeezed out or encapsulated as ruptured fibers sought out their matching ends and fused seamlessly back together again. Galleries of crushed and twisted capillaries reformed and opened up again, and damaged cells quickly healed and grew even stronger under the onslaught of magic. Numerous twigs that had been frozen to the ground and broken off were replaced by new buds, awaiting the coming of spring.

In all, the effort had taken Twilight over a minute to complete, leaving the forest guardian standing proud and whole again. Thank you for holding the way open when I first arrived. Twilight thought in silent tribute to the massive tree.

“Th-That was incredible.” Mike stood in wide-eyed amazement. “But why did you do it?”

“I had my reasons.” Twilight blushed lightly and looked away. She did not want to admit to Mike that she had done it for his sake. He had helped her so much. Surely it wasn't too much to ease his path when his strength was failing?

“Come on, Mike. Let's get you home.” So saying, she led the way, under the newly repaired tree. Sure enough, she could see Mike's snowmobile parked directly in front of them.

Author's Note

(1) 'Prima Ala' – According to Google Translate, 'Prima Ala' is (B)italian for 'First Wing'. It is similar in concept to the phrase ‘Prima Donna'.

(2) Why Pinkie and Rainbow are watching the Library: Rainbow is still ground-bound and refuses to not be there for Twilight. Pinkie, despite appearances, is actually quite good at watching things (like mailboxes, cake and drying paint. Okay – maybe cake wasn't the best example). Turns out she's also good at watching glowing scraps of paper. Who knew?

(3) 'Feet': Equestrian measure is commonly based on hooves. Three 'hooves' equals one 'foot' but equestrians use the latter measure so little that it is virtually obsolete. Rainbow's keen eye is very good at measuring distances, so that's how she knew the tape measure was marked in 'feet' (or 'foots' as Rainbow thought of them).

(4) 'Rivets': Equestrian technology uses rivets where warranted. The Ponies of Cloudsdale are familiar with them due to their import of manufactured goods from the other races.

(5) Teensy Tiny Little Cupcakes: Rainbow described them as “less than an eighth of a hoof wide”. Three hoofs to the foot. Divide by eight, and we have cupcakes that are “less than half an inch wide”. For those who use SI, you can think of them as “about one centimeter wide.”

(6) Twilight repairs the tree: In the first season episode “Look Before You Sleep”, Rarity demonstrated the ability to reattach fallen limbs back onto a tree. Twilight also would know several spells for the maintenance, repair and growth of her living tree-home. Becoming an Alicorn and also having Earth-Pony magic would only enhance those abilities.

21. Getting Closer

All of Mike's extremities ached and burned from the cold but what hurt most especially was his face, having been exposed to the cold winter air for several hours now. On the journey back, Mike was forced to drive the snowmobile at a reduced speed in order to minimize the wind upon his cheeks and lower forehead.

I thought I was getting a deal when I bought this snowmobile off that guy and he threw in the helmet for free. Now I know why he gave it away. It doesn't have a face shield! Mike thought ruefully as he ducked his head down to minimize the wind on his face. For the most part he was driving blind, only looking up occasionally to briefly check on his position.

Twilight's raised voice came to him over the sound of the engine. “A little to the left, Mike.”

Looking up, Mike saw that he was approaching the fence which separated the field from his house and yard and that he wasn't quite aligned with the opening. On his present course he would crash right into the fence. Easing off on the throttle reduced his speed while a quick correction on the handlebars brought the snowmobile into alignment with the opening.

Looking out to the side where he had heard Twilight's voice, Mike was startled to see her flying right alongside him at about shoulder level, just over a meter away; if he reached out an arm he might, almost, be able to touch her wingtip.

Twilight's flight took a sudden wobble as a stiff gust of crosswind overtook her and messed with her feathers. “Ah!” She cried, before recovering. Turning to look at him, she flashed him a smile.

“How long have you been there?” He shouted back, curious as to why he had not noticed her presence earlier.

“Ever since I noticed that you weren't keeping up with me, which was at the other end of this field. I looked back when I thought I heard you screaming.”

“I had to slow down,” Mike replied, “the wind on my face was hurting really bad.” Twilight acknowledged Mike's statement with an exaggerated nod of her head.

Mike had now passed through the fence opening and was coming up on his garage. He reduced his throttle nearly all the way, until the snowmobile was only moving at a walking pace. Keeping the speed low, Mike drove alongside his garage, turned, and finally took the snowmobile straight inside the structure. After killing the engine, Mike briefly considered the merits of just abandoning everything to make a dash for the comforts of his home.

Pushing aside the minor temptation, Mike stiffly unlimbered himself from the machine and started removing his backpack from where he had secured it behind his seat. His numb hands and feet did not make the task easy.

It was with the utmost relief that Mike entered his home, feeling the blessed caress of warm air upon his cheeks. The relief was so palpable that Mike immediately zoned out until a light shove on his back, accompanied by the sensation of magic brought him back to his senses again. Quickly he stepped aside, out of Twilight's way.

“Sorry Twilight. I got caught up in the feeling of warm air on my face.”

“Well there's better ways to warm up besides standing in an open doorway.” She said, swinging the door closed with her magic. “But I agree, coming in to the warmth is quite nice,” she gave a sniff, “though a little smelly.”

Twilight's eyes expanded suddenly and then contracted as she realized her gaffe. Her ears dropped. “N-not that I meant anything by that last comment. I-It's just that every home smells different. My friend Pinkie's home always smells of cake and icing and Applejack's home smells of cooking, apples and wood. And Fluttershy's home smells−”

“Relax, Twilight.” Mike interrupted. “I'm not offended. That my home has a unique smell to you I can well understand; it's only natural that my lifestyle and -ahem- male charm,” Twilight giggled, “has imparted a unique imprint upon this home's aroma. The question is, does it bother you?”

The question seemed to surprise Twilight. “No. Not really.” She began to sway from side to side as she took a moment to consider the matter. “In fact, I don't even notice it anymore and there wasn't anything really objectionable about it. It was just − different.”

Twilight suddenly seemed to become aware of her swaying motion even as her hoofs began to tap restlessly on the floor. Again her eyes expanded momentarily, announcing she had come to some inner realization.

“Ah− sorry, Mike. I've got to go!” Twilight excused herself and dashed up the stairs, announcing her intentions with the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut. Mike grinned to himself as he put together the clues of Twilight's recent body language.

Mike's smirk vanished suddenly as his own bladder decided its time had come.

Suddenly Mike was standing outside the door of the only bathroom in the house while performing his own dance. He pounded on the door. “Hurry up, Twilight! I have to go too!”

More than anything, Mike wanted a hot shower, to take the chill out of his bones, but he chose instead to make it tepid. Even with the water at such a mild temperature, his hands, feet and face felt as if they were close to burning. It took more than a few minutes of cautious exposure to the stimulating flow of water before he began to feel normal again. After the shower he got dressed in some warm dry clothes and proceeded down the stairs into the kitchen to make himself a hot drink.

Mike's first thought was to make himself a cup of coffee but something about that didn't seem right. We deserve a little treat. He thought. A little reward to ourselves for our accomplishments today.

As he waited for the kettle to boil, Mike set out a tray for Twilight. He thought she might enjoy something different, so he placed a selection of herbal tea bags on a saucer which went on the tray with her cup. For his own treat, Mike made himself a cup of hot Mocha, stirring in a generous dash of cream to make it richer. The kettle clicked itself off just as he finished making his drink.

Coming out of the kitchen with a tray of steaming hot drinks, Mike paused to observe Twilight who was lying prone upon the sofa, scribing industriously in her notepad. He made his way towards Twilight, placing the tray upon the coffee table and sat down beside her. For her part, Twilight gave no indication of having noticed his arrival.

Mike lifted his mug and took a sip. Oh yeah! That hits the spot.

Slowly sipping his specialty coffee, Mike sat in languorous silence, observing Twilight as she wrote her copious notes. Probably observations and theories about what we found in the forest clearing. He thought.

What Mike failed to observe was his own growing fascination with Twilight. Thoughts and concepts flashed through his brain. Thoughts such as 'smart', 'intelligent' and 'industrious' dominated while other concepts such as 'lovely', 'kind' and 'cute' hovered in the background, filling in any rough edges the front-line thoughts may have held.

Mike's mind was curiously ambiguous about whether he found Twilight to be cute-adorable or cute-attractive. If one delved a little deeper, the concepts of 'girl' and 'pony' vied equally against each other, perhaps explaining the ambiguity.

Twilight's horn had been glowing continuously as she manipulated her pen and pad, so there was no warning when the last sheet she had written tore itself out of her notepad and rolled up into a little scroll hovering in mid-air. A second sheet tore free of the same notepad. It glowed brightly as it seemed to melt and flow, transforming itself into a paper band that wrapped itself snugly around the first scroll of paper. Focusing his eyes upon it, Mike caught a glimpse of raised insignia which seemed suspiciously similar to Twilight's own flank markings.

Mike's observations were cut short however as Twilight pulsed her horn brightly, resulting in the near instant immolation of the scroll by rose colored flames. It left behind a dense cloud of rose tinted smoke that sparkled, roiled and darted about as if it were alive.

Mike jerked back as the cloud of smoke streaked past his face. Instinctively he turned his head, trying to keep it in view. He barely caught a glimpse of the smoke disappearing into the fireplace. His first thought was to exclaim, “What was that?”

“Oh. Mike!” Twilight called out. “Sorry for startling you like that, I didn't see you there.” Her remark confirmed to Mike that she had been oblivious to his arrival.

Mike's second thought was, “No harm done, except that I might have spilled some of my coffee.” Mike looked carefully down at his shirt and lap, searching for any telltale wet marks. Finding nothing amiss, he looked up at Twilight again. “Nope, I'm good. What was that you just did? Oh, and before I forget, I brought you some tea.” He waved a hand toward the tray on the table.

“Why thank you, Mike.” She gave him a smile, her ears perking up. “I was just sending a letter to Spike. He's my assistant. It was sort of an experiment to see if I could contact him with dragon mail from this location. And it looks like it worked.”

Twilight was staring at the saucer with the tea bags. “Why are there three tea bags on the saucer?”

“I thought we deserved something special after today's events. So I brought you a selection of teas. On your right, is your regular black tea. On the left is a herbal blend called Red Zinger and in the middle is Apple Cinnamon Spice. The choice is yours.”

Twilight's eyes fairly gleamed as she picked up the three tea bags in her magic and levitated them up to her muzzle, allowing her to inhale their fragrance one after the other. “Oh this one I definitely have to try. It smells so intriguing.” So saying she plopped the chosen tea bag into her cup of hot water.

By the color of the water leaching out of the tea bag, Mike could tell that Twilight had chosen the Red Zinger.

Recalling Twilight's last statement about her recent activities, Mike asked the question which had been nagging at his mind. “Twilight, you said that you sent that letter successfully. How could you tell? To me, it appeared as if the scroll was totally destroyed.”

“If it hadn't worked, the smoke would have lingered in the room and eventually would have reconstituted the letter, returning it to me. But I know it worked because the smoke exited the building. By now Spike has already received my letter.”

No way. Mike thought. I saw that scroll reach its maximum entropic state; it's destroyed. There's no way it can be reconstituted back into a letter.

Mike's expression must have given away his disbelief.

“Oh, Mike, it's not that hard to understand. You saw me receive a letter from Spike earlier today. You know, by dragon mail.”

“Actually, no I didn't. I just heard a loud pop somewhere in the vicinity of my head. Next thing I know you were holding a scroll in your magic. But forget that, it should be impossible to convey information that way?”

“What do you mean, Mike?”

“Well it should be obvious. That letter was consumed by fire. In the end there was nothing left but smoke, with millions upon millions of microscopic particles of ash all swirling about randomly. In other words it reached maximum entropy.”

Twilight' face broke into a smile. “That's very insightful, Mike. Oh it's so nice to be able to talk to some-one,” Twilight's voice barely broke over her choice of pronouns, “who can use terms like entropy and who knows what the word means.

“But you are quite correct. That letter had indeed reached a state of very high entropy. What you might not know however, was that the letter was not consumed by fire. The 'fire' you saw was actually the act of the Dragon Letter spell absorbing all of the scroll's ectropy −”

“Ectropy?” Mike asked.

“Um, yes. Ectropy is the opposite of entropy. Actually we think of entropy as being anti-ectropy if you will. If you remove ectropy from an object, that object will have ectropy deficit; in other words an excess of entropy.” Mike's mind froze, boggling at the concept of anti-entropy or ectropy or whatever it was, he wasn't sure how to deal with it.

While Mike's mind was caught up in its boggle, Twilight took her first sip of tea. An expression of bliss spread across her face. “Mm, this is quite good. Thank you, Mike, it really is a treat.”

Setting aside her tea for a moment, Twilight continued. “Anyway, when the letter reaches its intended recipient, the magic envelope dumps all of its ectropy back into the smoke and the scroll is reconstituted.”

Mike was left speechless as he struggled to make sense of what Twilight had told him. In the interim Twilight tore out two more sheets from her notepad and rolled them up into a second scroll. A third blank sheet of paper was again re-formed into a band which held the scroll.

“Mike, I have a second letter that I intend to send to Princess Celestia, watch carefully.”

Twilight's horn lit up brightly and the new scroll began to burn, only this time much more slowly. Mike watched as a wave of flame advanced slowly up the length of the scroll. Only it wasn't quite a flame. It appeared as if a wave of disintegration was slowly advancing along the scroll. Innumerable sparks of light shot out even as a brightly luminous fog of microscopic particles wafted away from the disintegration front. An instant after its creation the luminous fog darkened into gray smoke. As he watched, Mike became aware that the smoke seemed to be contained within some invisible boundary, beyond which it never ventured. Eventually the whole scroll was converted into another cloud of sparkling smoke.

“It's not acting like the other one.” Mike commented, observing the knot of smoke orbiting listlessly about the room.

Twilight bit her lower lip. “I don't think it's able to reach the Princess.” Eventually, after another minute of listless circling, the cloud of smoke transformed into a scroll again, emitting a minuscule popping sound as it did so.

“So what happened?” Mike asked. “Why didn't the smoke exit through the chimney again?”

“That was another experiment. To see if I can send a letter to the Princess, but apparently it couldn't reach her.” Twilight's ears drooped and she looked downcast.

She's obviously disappointed about that. Mike observed. “But the first letter got through, right?” Mike tried to cheer Twilight by focusing on her successes.

“Actually I sent her a letter last night, never expecting it to get through,” Twilight brightened up again, “but Spike told me that it did reach her. So that tells me that it's not impossible to reach her and that I only need to figure out why one letter made it, and the other didn't.”

“I'm sure you will.” Mike laid a hand on Twilight's withers and gave her a gentle rub. Seeing her squint her eyes briefly as she looked at him, Mike removed his hand, alarmed that he had offended her.

“I'm sorry for being so casual, Twilight. I shouldn't have−”

“It's alright, Mike. I didn't mind. Really I don't. I was just thinking how lucky I am that I found you. I said as much in my first letter to Princess Celestia.”

“You wrote about me to your Princess?” Mike felt mostly astonishment but it came with a hint of trepidation.

Twilight took a moment, staring into Mike's face and sipping her tea, before she replied. “I wrote that letter as a sort of personal diary, Mike, never expecting it would ever reach the Princess. But even if I had known that it would reach her, I don't regret what I wrote.”

Twilight looked away. “You have to understand that the last few days have been a tremendous strain on me.” Twilight looked back again. “I like to think of myself as an intelligent and well balanced individual, but just between you and me, I have to admit that I have a tendency to freak out when overwhelmed by uncertainty. And these last few days have been filled with uncertainty.” Tears formed in Twilight's eyes.

Mike remembered the emotional roller-coaster he had had to deal with yesterday and the day before.

“And every time I started to freak out, you were there. I was so freaked when I found out that you ate meat that I nearly became violent, but you calmed me down, despite my fear of you. When I was depressed, you found a way to cheer me up with a movie and some science. When I became afraid and started panicking in that large shopping palace, you comforted me. But most of all, you showed me the truth, about yourself and about this place, this universe. So many wonderful things have happened today because of that truth.

“Mike, those are the things that I wrote about you in my letter. I would feel privileged to introduce you to my mentor, Princess Celestia, as one of my close friends.”

Mike leaned back, digesting the information Twilight had imparted. I didn't know she felt that way. Did I really do all those things?

“So─” Twilight’s voice trailed off.

“Hm?” Mike queried.

“I− I wouldn't mind if you− you put your hand on me again.”

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After their return to Mike's home, Twilight had kept herself busy in a bubble of industriousness. However, all good industry must come to an end and even as she tore Spikes letter out of the notepad and prepared to send it off she could feel the weight of failure pressing down upon her. What do I do now? She had thought. I wasn't able to detect the slightest bit of magic at my arrival site. I still haven't the slightest clue as at how to reverse this situation and get myself home.

Fortunately, Mike's surprise appearance was sufficient to distract her from any further thoughts such as those. Their subsequent discussion on dragon mail and its inner workings of ectropy and entropy filled her with intellectual satisfaction.

But it was the touch of Mike's hand on her withers that awakened a strange hunger within her. It only grew stronger as she made her speech to Mike about how much he had helped her. Unable to contain herself she decided to do something about it.

“So─” Twilight could feel her resolve weakening. No, I really want to ask this.

“Hm?” Mike made a noncommittal noise.

“I−” Twilight gathered her courage. “I wouldn't mind if you− you put your hand on me again.” Twilight felt a surge of emotions, both satisfaction and embarrassment whirling through her being, even as her cheeks heated up.

As Mike reached out and touched her withers and began rubbing them, that strange hunger within her changed to a feeling of happiness. She couldn't help but give out a sigh.

“You should be aware,” Mike spoke, “that I've been holding myself back from doing this sort of thing.”

What? Twilight was confused. Did I act inappropriately by asking him to touch me? Maybe it's an alien thing... Still, she was reluctant to have him stop. That rubbing thing he did with hand felt wonderful.

“How do you mean?” Twilight questioned, attempting to elicit further information from Mike.

“I was afraid you might find it demeaning if I petted you as I would some animal. Please understand, I see you as a bright, intelligent and lovely young girl, despite your differing body plan.”

Twilight considered his words. “I think I understand what you're saying.” She replied cautiously. And I do. She thought privately. The type of social contact I requested must be quite similar to whatever humans give to their pets. But it's not so strange for a quadruped to be touched like this.

“But I assure you,” Twilight continued her reply, “you're not demeaning me. You should understand that touching is an important part of a pony's social makeup. It's not natural for us to go for long without it. Is it not the same for humans?”

Mike took his time answering. Twilight began to wonder why such a simple question needed so much thought. “Yes it is.” Mike finally replied. “Touching is socially significant for humans. We just do it a little differently.”

That response set off a storm of curiosity in Twilight's mind. “Different? How?” She demanded.

Mike stopped rubbing her withers. Inside, she groaned, fearful that she had said something to end his comforting touch. “Please.” Twilight grabbed Mike's hand with her magic and drew it towards her withers again. “Don't stop.”

“No problem.” Mike acceded with a smile before he began speaking. “The first thing you should know, Twilight, is that our hands are one of our major sense organs; they are incredibly sensitive. So it's only natural that a very large part of our social behavior involves the use of our hands.”

Mike began by placing his hand high up on her neck, just behind her ears. He dragged it slowly down her mane, down towards her withers.

“Some forms of touching are considered appropriate.” Mike paused for a moment, before continuing. “And some forms of touching are not.”

As if gaining in confidence, Mike returned his hand to the top of her neck again and repeated the dragging motion but with a slightly faster tempo. It felt like nothing Twilight had ever experienced before, but she found it to be very soothing. Mike’s touch was so soothing in fact that she was distracted from asking how touching could become inappropriate.

Slowly she closed her eyes and soaked in the luxurious experience of the touch of her friend's hand. “Mike?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. Whatever you're doing, don't stop. You don't know how calm and relaxed this is making me feel right now.” Mike's hand paused briefly. Opening her eyes to look at Mike, she saw that he wore an expression of surprise on his face.

“I didn't even know I was doing that. That was one of those petting behaviors I told you about.”

“Don't worry about that, Mike. I'll be sure to tell you if you do anything I find demeaning.”

Mike resumed the actions his hand had been performing. After a while he spoke. “You know? Our hands practically have a mind of their own. When our thoughts are occupied or we are bored you will often find that our hands will start moving on their own. They don't though. Have minds of their own, I mean. It's just the effect of that portion of our brains seeking some stimulus.”

That's been known to happen with ponies. Twilight thought. Some unicorns will unconsciously manipulate small objects, levitating them. Pegasi will move their wings to play with air currents and Earth Ponies will shuffle and tap their hooves.

“At the same time,” Mike continued, “our hands and fingers are very sensitive. Touching or stroking some object or animal provides an enormous amount of tactile stimulus and the action becomes pleasurable and almost instinctive.”

“I don't mind if your hand is pleasuring itself right now.” Twilight replied innocently.

Abruptly the stoking stopped, though Mike did not remove his hand, instead he was making soft choking noises. Opening her eyes again to see what was happening, Twilight saw Mike struggling to hold in his laughter.

“What did I say?” She asked.

Mike's laughter burst forth from its restraints. “Hah, ha, ha, …” Waves of his glee echoed through the room, leaving Twilight even more puzzled as to what she had said.

Suddenly she thought of a possible double meaning to her previous utterance. Oh Celestia. She thought in sudden mortification, hiding her reddening face in between her forelegs. I didn't mean it that way.

It took a while for Mike to calm down. When he did he put his hand back on her withers again. “Dear Twilight, I know you didn't mean it like that, but when you said it, it was just so funny I couldn't help myself.

“Rest assured however that the pleasure I am feeling from my hand is both simple and plain, like the satisfaction you get after meal or relaxing with a good book that you love to read again and again.”

Embarrassed, yet relieved, Twilight sought to redirect the conversation. “You said your hands were sensitive, Mike. Just how sensitive are they?” All Twilight could remember about the time she had possessed hands in the Mirror world was that they had overwhelmed her with unfamiliar sensations. She had quickly learned to hold them closed, opening them rather infrequently.

“They’re sensitive enough for this.” Mike stopped stroking Twilight's mane. Suddenly she felt something digging and tugging at her mane. The sensation stopped suddenly with the feel of several of her mane hairs being pulled.

She saw Mike holding a tiny bit of debris between two of his fingers. It wasn't any bigger than a quarter of eight-hoof; gray and lumpy. I must have picked that up somewhere in the forest. She thought to herself.

“You could feel something as tiny as that?” She asked.

“Twilight, that's just the biggest example of what I could feel in your hair. I can feel a lot of grit no larger than grains of sand.” Mike resumed stroking her mane.

“Mind telling me what's wrong, Twilight?”

What? How did he−? Twilight sighed mentally. “How did you know?” She asked.

“Just a guess. You told me that touching is an essential part of pony social interaction, and I suppose you've been starved of that contact for the last few days. For that I hope you will forgive me, I've just been unsure about how to interact with you.

“But right now, you seem desperate for that contact. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that something has you upset.”

For a moment Twilight debated with herself whether to tell Mike about her worries. It wouldn't be right for me to ask for his touch, keeping me calm, without sharing my concerns with him. Friends help each other. Friends need to help each other.

“I'm afraid, Mike. I simply don't know what to do next. I was so happy when I made contact with my friends, but now they seem so impossibly distant. My whole universe is a few inches away through a tiny hole in a rock, and I don't know of any way to cross over.

"I tried, Mike. I really tried to detect any sort of residual magic or active spell. But there was none.” Twilight nodded her head toward the plastic bag lying on the tea table in front of them. Beside it was an irregular scrap of paper and a pair of shiny tweezers she had liberated from the bathroom.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she could feel the hot moisture in her eyes, threatening to become tears.

When Mike replied, he did so hesitantly. “I don't have any ready answer for you, Twilight. But I'm going to tell you what my College professors told us when most of the class, including myself, struggled with some of the problems they gave us. It usually helped.”

“And what was that?” Twilight opened her eyes again, turning her head to look Mike in the face.

“They told us to 'Restate the problem. Come at it from a different angle'.”

Twilight snorted in half amusement. “That's so like what Princess Celestia often told me. 'When you take the time to view the problem in a different light, you might discover that it's a different problem'.” Sudden enlightenment struck her. I've been looking at this from a purely magical point of view. What if this universe, this reality, is part of the problem?

“Thanks Mike. You just reminded me that I've been ignoring half of the available evidence.” She stated, even as her mood lightened considerably.

“What evidence is that?”

“I don't know yet. But I just realized that this universe is probably contributing just as much to the formation of the holes in that rock as any magic. And that might be why I couldn't sense any magic in them. Do you know of any phenomena in your universe where it can form 'holes'?”

Mike assumed at startled look. Presumably he had recalled something. “There are theoretical objects we call black holes. Well, maybe not so theoretical now. I believe I read somewhere that astronomers have actually discovered celestial objects which they believe to be black holes. If I remember correctly, there is supposed to be a truly massive one at the center of our galaxy.”

Twilight thought the name at least sounded promising. “Just, how are these 'black holes' formed?”

“They are formed when a star's fire burns out. They collapse inward under the weight of their own gravity. As they shrink into a smaller volume, the gravity increases rapidly since it's inversely proportional to the square of the radial distance from the center of mass. As the gravity increases, the star shrinks, and as the star shrinks the gravity increases. It's a runaway process that, mathematically at least, ends in infinities.

If gravity is the result of space and time being warped in the presence of matter, then think of a black hole as being a point where space-time is warped to the extent that there is nothing left but a hole in space. Whatever falls in, never comes out.”

As Mike spoke, Twilight's disappointment grew. A star? A collapsed star? If what Mike said about stars in this universe being actual suns−, that's so far outside the range of possibility that it's ridiculous to even talk about it.

Mike continued. “Of course those are the only ones we know of with any certainly. But theoretically, a black hole could be any size.” Twilight's interest in black holes grew again.

“Tell me more about these black holes.” She prompted.

“Well, I don't know too much. I've never studied them. It's just a few facts, perhaps nothing more than fiction that I've come across while reading.”

“Please tell me. I won't mind if it's simply speculation and rumor. At least it will give me something to investigate.”

“Well...” Mike's voice faded as he concentrated on remembering more details. His hands too, had stopped stroking her mane, but instead they had started doing something odd. Twilight twisted her head slightly. She saw Mike's hand attempting to twirl a curl of her mane around one of his fingers. The stiff lock of her hair complied until it nearly made a full loop around his finger before springing free. The sudden bounce from the lock of hair was felt as a very faint tug and tickle. She didn't mind, if fact she found it amusing and the weight of his arm across her withers was still comforting.

Mike came back from his cognitive journey. “There are some theories that speculate a black hole can punch its way right out of our universe. That maybe the matter which falls into such a black hole might erupt through another black hole somewhere else in this universe or even in another universe. There was also some talk about a kind of reverse black hole called a white hole.

Twilight was starting to feel excited now. These black holes were starting to sound more and more promising.

“So if a pony entered such a black hole, they might end up in some other universe entirely?”

“Uh, yeah. That's the theory. The extra-universal passage formed between the black-hole pairs is called a wormhole. But, there's a problem. And it's a big one. If you enter a black hole, the gravitational forces would rip you shreds, right down to your subatomic particles. Also, I seem to remember reading something about matter passing through a wormhole causing it to constrict or something like that and blocking off the passage. Might have gotten that last part totally wrong though, I can barely remember what I read, or where I read it.”

Twilight groaned. Mike's explanations were sure taking her for a wild ride; she felt like she was learning to fly all over again, where her panicky flapping would cause her to loop around uncontrollably. “So wormholes are inherently useless?” she stated.

“Again, I can't remember, but there was something about a wormhole being propped open with something called exotic matter. Hey, I wonder if magic can fill that role, propping open a wormhole.”

Twilight didn't respond to Mike's speculation for it had spawned a whole new train of thought in her mind. What if? She thought with increasing excitement. What if those holes are wormholes? And my magic is stabilizing them, holding them open just like Mike said was needed.

Twilight started speaking again, eagerly trying to communicate her thoughts to Mike. “I think you're on to something Mike. If those holes are wormholes, it's entirely possible that magic is keeping them open. But why can't I sense any of that magic?” Twilight bobbed her head and flicked her ears in frustration. Her tail gave a quick flick as well.

“I know nothing about magic, Twilight, but I do know a little something about black holes. We also call them singularities because infinite forces are involved. Space-time is being warped and twisted all the way to infinity. Conceivably, it exits our universe altogether. Perhaps those forces are warping and distorting your magic into some state you would not normally be able to recognize.”

Twilight instantly understood what Mike was getting at. If the magic holding the wormhole open is being distorted somehow...

Suddenly Twilight scrambled off the sofa and began prancing about in the center of Mikes' living room. “Yes!” She shouted. “Yes-Yes-Yes!” She did at least have enough presence of mind to restrict her motion to prancing and not engage in any full on pronking. She remembered that Mike didn't like her doing that inside the house.

Twilight suddenly halted her gyrations and turned to face a smiling Mike. “What kind of distortions?” She asked excitedly, hoping Mike could suggest an avenue of investigation. He did not disappoint her.

“Every scientific description of black holes I've ever read talks about relativistic distortions such as dilated time and changes in mass and length. Exactly what you read about, or will read about in that book you were going through last night.”

The irises of Twilight's eyes grew large as she realized she already had some material that she could study.

“The book!” She exclaimed as she rushed off to her bedroom. “I haven't finished reading it yet.”

Soon returning with the book in question, Twilight lay down upon the sofa again and began applying herself to learning everything she could about this 'Special Relativity'.

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Seeing that Twilight had substantially cheered up and was totally engrossed in her book, researching the possible effects of relativity on her magic, Mike looked about for something to do.

Well, it's Christmas Eve, which in my family means a traditional feast. Mike sighed. Losing his mother to Alzheimer's two years ago had put a big damper on his Christmas joy. And last year was a bust too, he thought to himself, after Jim and Sandy moved away.

Enough of feeling sorry for myself. Mike's expression grew determined.

I want to make tonight a special evening but I don't think I can manage that. And it's too much to throw at Twilight, expecting her to fit herself into my traditions. Mike took a deep calming breath. I'll just have to do my best and let whatever happens, happen.

Having reached that conclusion, Mike entered his kitchen, prepared to do battle with dinner.

It was about two hours later when Twilight emerged from the living room and apparently, her studies. She stopped at the entry to the kitchen, her eyes wide and ears erect. Mike could see her taking a few tentative sniffs of the aroma of things cooking.

“Mike, this is incredible. You did all this? What's the occa─” Twilight's eyes suddenly did that weird expansion-contraction thing and her ears drooped down. She bowed her head. “I forgot. I can't believe I forgot. This is a special day for you and I promised to help you prepare the dinner. I'm so sorry− I forgot all about it.”

“It's alright, Twilight. You were doing something far more important. And you can still help with some of this. In fact, I was just getting started on our main course; that baked Maple-Carrot-tart thingy.”

Twilight's eyes lit up again as she recalled the tempting dish. Mike pointed towards the dining table, where he had the various recipe sheets laid out.

“What!?” She exclaimed, looking at the recipe sheets Mike had there. “You’re cooking all of these? Mike, it’s too much.”

“No it's not.” He stated, pausing from where he was trimming the green beans. “Besides, I figure that between what I burn and whatever is barely palatable, the two of us might be lucky to walk away from the table without feeling starved.”

“Very funny, Mike.” Her nose sampled the air again. “I can tell that nothing is burning, and by all the delicious smells in the air it's going to be quite a dinner.”

“You can tell all that?” Mike looked at Twilight with his most ingenuous expression of wide-eyed surprise.

“Stop that.” Twilight giggled. “Of course I can. And unless your nose is totally dysfunctional, you can too. But still, it's too much. I know this is a special day for you, but−”

“The day is special because of you, Twilight. I wanted to make you feel welcome by preparing and sharing this holiday feast with you. But what I've done is nothing special really, just a collection of vegetarian dishes that I thought were achievable within my cooking skill-set.

“Now, are you going to help me finish this, or are you going to keep on complaining?”

Twilight smiled. “Help you finish of course.”

An hour later dinner was ready. Having just taken the carrot tarts out of the oven, Mike was plating the first tart when he saw the second tart being levitated onto a second plate.

“Please Twilight. You’re my guest; you should let me do that.”

“Honestly, Mike. I helped you cook some of the meal. Shouldn't the cook's assistant get to serve some of the food as well?”

“Non! Chef Mikael sez non! Only ze head-Chef ez permitted.” Mike brought out his fake French accent, hoping some humor would get Twilight to acquiesce.

Twilight walked up to Mike, staring him right in the eye. “Chef Twilight says yes! And Chef Twilight says, I'd like to see you stop me.” Despite her narrowed eyes and serious demeanor, Mike could see the sparkle in her eye. Her spirits had certainly improved from a few hours earlier.

Mike threw up his hands. “Alors. Et ez ze rebellion in ze keetchen.

“Oh-kay. New plan! Twilight, ze are now promoted to sous-Chef. Ze sous-Chef serves ze head-Chef. But ze head-Chef serves everyone else, includings ze sous-Chef.” Mike glared heavily at Twilight as he made that last point. In response, Twilight broke out a happy grin.

Mike carried the tart he had plated over to Twilight's seat at the table where apparently the flatware had already been laid out. Twilight levitated the plate she had prepared over to Mike's seat where the flatware had likewise been prepared already. Apparently Twilight had been sneaky, using her magic to set up the table when he wasn't looking. Examining the setup critically, Chef Mikael gave an aggrieved sniff, tilting his snoot upwards but letting the injustice pass. Twilight's grin grew wider.

Returning to the oven, Mike grabbed a hot pad and the casserole dish of Greek Potatoes out of the oven, placing them on the table.

Mirroring his actions, Twilight placed the dish of crispy-roasted Green Beans down on the table, using a hot pad as well.

Mike however, had a secret weapon in their serving wars. Proceeding to the refrigerator, he removed the salad bowl he had prepared earlier. Knowing that Twilight did not appreciate dressings he had prepared something that should appeal to both of them, even without any dressing. It was nothing more than a bowl of baby spinach leaves, garnished with some thinly sliced canned pears and some thin-sliced rings of a sweet onion to add a bit of zest.

As he placed it on the table, Twilight's jaw dropped at the sight of it. “When did you make this?” She asked.

“I made it earlier, before you finished studying. I really hope you like it.”

“Like it! I can barely look away from it, it looks so delicious. All of this looks so delicious.”

“Oops, I almost forgot.” Running back to the far end of the kitchen counter, Mike held up a cloth covered basket. “Twilight? Could you take this and put it on the table?” Immediately he could feel her magic levitating it out of his hands.

Rummaging through the cupboards and drawers, Mike obtained a couple of salad plates as well as a pair of salad tongs and two large spoons for serving the side dishes. As he brought his haul to the table he could see that Twilight had uncovered the dinner rolls in the basket and was in the process of levitating one onto his plate.

Reaching out with the salad tongs, Mike snared a second roll and moved it onto Twilight's main plate, earning him a happy smile. He then proceeded to serve Twilight some of the salad, placing it onto one of the salad plates, placing it down behind her main plate. Holding out the tongs and the second salad plate, Mike invited Twilight to reciprocate the action.

Bowing her head in acknowledgement, she proceeded to serve Mike a portion of the salad, her magic manipulating the salad tongs perfectly. Twilight spoke. “Would you like some of the green beans?”

“Yes please.” Mike smiled back at Twilight as she levitated the spoon he had placed in the casserole dish, scooping out a serving of the roasted green beans, depositing it onto his main plate beside his carrot tart. “And if it's no trouble, some of the roast potatoes as well.” Twilight did so.

It was Mike's turn now in their strange little game of serving. He found the social interplay of give and take, serving and being served, to be quite stimulating. I'm having fun. He thought to himself, broadcasting that fact with a happy smile.

“Would Miss Twilight be wanting any green beans?” He asked when she had finished serving him.

“Yes please. And those potatoes do look tempting; I would like some of those as well, thank you.” Twilight smiled back at Mike; apparently she was also enjoying the game.

“Would you like some water?” Twilight asked as a pitcher and glass floated past Mike's head.

Where did she get that− Oh. She must have seen the pitcher in the 'fridge while I was getting the salad. Mike concluded. “Yes please.” He answered, maintaining his genteel affect.

Twilight's smile grew even broader. Mike was thinking furiously. If you discount the bread basket as a shared effort, this puts her a full point ahead of me.

Not to be discouraged, Mike graciously took the pitcher from Twilight's magic and poured her a glass of water, bringing it over to her side of the table.

Mike cleared his throat. “My compliments to the sous-Chef. A most excellent presentation.” After giving Twilight a bow, he seated himself at the table.

“My compliments to the head-Chef.” Twilight answered in return. “This all looks so good.”

“One more thing.” Mike interrupted Twilight who had a forkful of salad on its way to her mouth. “If it's not too much trouble, I would like to say grace before we start. I hope you don't mind.”

“Grace?” Twilight queried, busily chewing on the salad. “Uh, no.” She swallowed hastily. “I don't mind. Do whatever you want. What is this grace thing anyway?”

Mike had to smile at Twilight's antics. In answer he just dove into it. “Dear Lord. Thank you for the blessing of this rich abundance. The food. The friends. And your provenance which brought us together in this marvelous adventure. Bless our endeavors to get Twilight home safely, and bless this meal. Amen.”

Twilight sat still for a few moments. She seemed to be thinking heavily on the words of Mike's prayer. When she spoke, she surprised Mike considerably. “Ah, Mr. Lord? I don't know if you can hear me, or even if you exist. But if you do, then I would like to say thank you so much for bringing Mike and I together. I just want you to know that he's been a true friend to me and, ah, thank you for-this-meal-too.” Twilight concluded her 'prayer' with a rush of words; a faint blush was showing on her cheeks.

Mike found the innocence of Twilight's impromptu 'prayer' to be totally endearing, speaking as she had in earnest thankfulness. He couldn't say whether God had indeed been attentive to Twilight's words, but he liked to think so.

“Come on, Twilight. It's time to eat.” Mike was smiling as he picked up his fork and started in on his salad.

Initially they ate in silence but despite that, the mood felt light. They were comfortable in each other's presence and they both knew it. They were simply happy to be having a meal together.

Mike found it interesting to watch the way Twilight wielded the knife and fork with her magic as she attacked the carrot-tart. The knife held in her magic would whirl around to cut the pastry from whatever angle was most convenient. It appeared as if Twilight was slowly working her way around the tart in a spiral pattern, consuming it, bite by bite, from the outside in towards the center.

And from the sounds she was making she found it to be quite tasty, though that could have been due to the maple syrup. Mike suspected that Twilight had tampered somewhat with the recipe and had added a bit of extra syrup while she was helping with the cooking.

The two of them enjoyed their meal, interacting with each other through various banalities, though occasionally something would touch off an interesting conversation.

“So, how far have you gotten in your studies?” Mike asked early on, while biting into a forkful of his carrot tart.

Twilight paused to swallow. “Well. I've finished that book you gave me on special relativity.”

“What, already?” Mike paused with a potato wedge half-way to his mouth. “It took me nearly a week to get through that book.” Though maybe I shouldn't feel so bad. He comforted himself. I was only able to read it for a few hours in the evenings after classes. Still, to think that she was able to absorb that material in just four or five hours... Mike directed a hearty mental kudo towards Twilight.

“So, did it give you any ideas?” He asked carefully after dealing with his mouthful of Greek-roasted potato.

“A few.” Twilight responded while a forkful of green beans hovered in front of her. “I'm beginning to think that the magic itself might be trapped in another frame of reference. Relativistic distortions inside these supposed wormholes, if strong enough, might be preventing its detection.

“But the book I read gave me nothing at all on wormholes or how I could accommodate that distortion.”

“Hm.” Mike meditated for a moment, while Twilight proceeded to chew her beans. “We haven't confirmed that we are in fact dealing with wormholes, but if you feel that relativity studies have been of some help, then all I can do is suggest that we get you moved on to studying General Relativity.”

“I think so too. Do you have any books on that?” She asked hopefully.

“I'm afraid not. That's really heavy duty stuff and I've never looked into it. Could you serve me some more salad please?” Mike's request brought the conversation back onto the subject of their dinner.

“Certainly.” She replied as her magic levitated another tong full of salad onto his plate. “My complements to the chef, it's a lovely salad and those slices of canned pear you put in it took it to a whole new level.”

Twilight rotated the salad bowl until the tongs presented their handles towards Mike. “I think I would like some more salad too.” She grinned playfully at Mike.

Mike felt ridiculously pleased to continue playing the game. Strangely though, when he served Twilight her salad, her plate ended up having a few extra pear slices. She made no complaints about his service.

More moments passed in quiet enjoyment until Mike recalled a particularly vivid moment from earlier that day.

“You know,” Mike began, “I really enjoyed watching you fly this morning. The way your mane and tail were streaming in the wind and your wings were pumping majestically, you looked so free, like you owned the sky. That's a sight I'll remember for a long time to come.”

“You were pretty free yourself, Mike.” Twilight gave him a mischievous grin. “I could hear you screaming behind me. Though I couldn't quite make out what you were saying.” Twilight's grin grew larger.

“You heard that?” Mike asked. “How? I thought for sure I was being drowned out by the roar of the engine and you yourself should have been battered by wind noises.”

Twilight turned her head slightly and flicked the ear that was closest to him. “Hearing is one of our major senses, and our ears help make our hearing quite sensitive when we want it be. It was no trouble to make out the sound of your voice over the roar of the engine.

“As for this wind noise you speak of, part of a Pegasus’ magic is the maintenance of a shell of still air around our bodies. It has a number of effects, including the elimination of turbulence and wind noises.”

“Huh?” Mike was astonished. “So when you fly, you have a kind of super boundary layer of air surrounding you which promotes laminar flow of the airstream?”

Now Twilight appeared to be surprised, though her expression quickly transformed into a pleasant smile. “Yes, that's it exactly. I'm impressed that you know something of aerodynamics, Mike.”

Mike gave Twilight an engaging smile as he reached for his water. “I read a book or two on the subject while trying to get my Pilots License.”

“What's a pie-lot's license?”.

Mike held up a finger as he finished taking a sip out of his glass. “About six years ago I set out to learn how to fly an airplane. A license certifies that the holder has undertaken sufficient training and passed all the requisite tests to be permitted to operate such an aircraft. The operator is called a pilot, hence the term Pilot's License.”

“So you can fly these air craft?” Twilight asked delightedly.

“Well, yes and no. I had nearly completed my flight training when my life was overtaken by certain events.” Mike paused as he remembered his father's sudden heart attack and death. He had had to revise his priorities to take care of his mother after that.

“My training stopped and I never got my license.”

“I'm so sorry, Mike.” Twilight commiserated. “It sounds like you've spent a lot of time and effort into getting that license. I feel bad that you didn't get it.”

“Thanks Twilight, but there's nothing you need to feel bad about. I made a decision at the time, and I'm convinced that it was the right decision. Maybe, someday, things will settle down and I'll get a chance to try again.”

Apparently something about the conversation had left Twilight feeling awkward, because she didn't pursue it any further. They both returned to finishing the remnants of their meal.

Clean up was easy. They simply had to load everything into Mike's dishwasher. Mike was surprised however that Twilight begged him to let her do it.

“I want to learn how to do it.” She explained. “And maybe I’ll learn a little about how you humans manage your everyday life through machines.”

Well, it’s not rocket science. He thought to himself. “Sure Twilight. If you really want to do it, I suppose you can.” Twilight grinned happily, as everything on the table began glowing with a telltale rosy color and levitating upwards en-mass.

“But,” Mike admonished, “You're my guest and I really shouldn't be letting you do this.”

“Just think of me as a guest who's most happy when learning and experiencing something new. For me this is an exciting experience. I'm the first pony in history who is going to use an advanced alien machine to wash her dishes. Yes!” Twilight pranced a few steps in her excitement.

Twilight's excitement was certainly contagious, and Mike couldn't help but break out into a broad smile. “Alright, alright. Here's how you do it...”

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Twilight settled herself down on the couch beside Mike. She felt herself to be strangely at ease. The meal had been very good, but her most lasting impression of the meal was that silly game she and Mike had fallen into. Only, it hadn't been a silly game at all. Every move had been made in earnest and she felt that Mike had been equally entranced by the give and take of serving each other.

No rules had been spoken. Well actually Chef Mee-kyle stated the rules, but that was clearly nothing more than a concession to silliness. She reminded herself. But we both chose, quietly and together, without any planning, to suddenly turn the dinner into a game. Warmth spread through Twilight as she recalled her feelings of happiness at serving Mike and the intense anticipation of his return service.

And in between the moments they had played the game she had allowed herself to relax and enjoy the food. Mike had as well, she was sure of it. It was like we were having some kind of − dance. She concluded.

Twilight's introspective mood was suddenly interrupted as Mike spoke. “What are you thinking, Twilight?”

“I'm just sitting here thinking─” Twilight paused briefly. “About how much I enjoyed the meal.”

“No.” Twilight interrupted herself. “That's not right. The food was delicious of course, but that's not what I meant to say. I meant to say that I really enjoyed the whole experience. There was the goofy haphazard way we set the table and then there was that silly yet wonderful game we played and the company and the conversation...

“What I'm trying to say is that it all came together and made it a most memorable experience.”

Mike did not reply immediately, but seemed to be pondering his answer. I like that about him. Twilight thought. He takes time to think – usually – before he says something.

“Thank you for that, Twilight. All that I could have hoped for this meal to be, has been answered by your kind words. Truthfully, I had no expectation that it would turn out as it did.”

“What do you mean, Mike?”

“This particular meal, on this particular day, carries a great deal of significance to me. It's full of tradition and many happy memories of times spent with my family or friends. But I knew that this occasion meant none of those things to you and that it was unfair to lay those expectations upon you. So I laid aside those memories and hoped for nothing more than a good supper, to be shared with a friend.

“But it didn't turn out that way. I found myself having a wonderful time and now that I know you did as well, all I can say is − thank you, Twilight, for finding that which was lost.” Throwing out his arm, Mike started stroking Twilight's mane.

Twilight relaxed under the sensation of Mike's closeness. It was not to last however as Mike gave a dissatisfied grunt and rose from the sofa.

“Mike? What's wrong?”

“I'm going to fetch a brush. Your hair is still full of debris. Stay there, I'll be right back.”

At first when Mike had returned with the brush, Twilight had attempted to take it from him. At the first sensation of her magic, however he had pulled back, and she understood that Mike was continuing the game.

It was one thing for them to serve each other a meal, but it went a step too far, perhaps, to have Mike grooming her mane. Despite her misgivings and slight embarrassment at having a dirty mane, she did not ask him to stop. She even had to admit, with a bit of guilty pleasure, that she was enjoying it.

“Really, Mike. This is going too far. A pony is responsible for their own grooming.” She protested half-heartedly, flicking her ears.

“Who was it that gave me that earth pony massage last night? If I remember correctly, you were up close and very personal with me. To my mind, I'm simply returning the favor.”

He has a point. Twilight admitted to herself. But she wasn't about to concede that quickly.

“They're not equivalent.” She argued. “Your injury was something which you could not address on your own. Brushing my mane however, is something that I'm perfectly capable of doing myself.”

Mike smiled. “Well I'm enjoying this, brushing your hair. Can you tell me that you don't enjoy it as well? Maybe just a little bit?”

“Um, nooo−” Twilight drew out her denial in such a way as to remove all conviction from it.

“That's what I thought.” He replied smugly. In reply she swatted him gently with her tail.

For some reason Mike paused, the brush stilled while only halfway through her mane. “Ah, I− I think I'll let you handle your own tail.” He said before resuming his brushing of her mane, more slowly now.

What? Twilight wondered, somewhat disappointed at the partial success of her argument.

“Here, Twilight.” Mike announced the completion of his self-imposed task as he presented her with the brush. Sighing to herself, Twilight roused from her peaceful repose to take the brush from Mike.

Turning her head around to observe the member in question, she began grooming her tail. As she did so, she wondered why she had argued for Mike to stop grooming her in the first place. Pausing for a moment to reposition her tail, she noticed out of the corner of her eye, that Mike was studiously looking across the room, and that his cheeks held a faint blush.

“Twilight?” Mike interrupted.

“Yes?” Twilight looked up from her brushing, only to discover that Mike was still studying the other side of the room. He must be looking at the Tee-Vee. She concluded. Perhaps he's trying to think of a movie for us to watch tonight. She had come to enjoy those sessions as they presented her with a wealth of ideas and concepts to think about.

“I've been thinking, about that discussion we had before dinner. Do you remember how I said I knew nothing about magic?”

“Yes, and right after that you gave me a wonderful idea to look into. That maybe the magic is being distorted by the forces inside the wormholes.”

“Maybe you’re right, Twilight. Maybe my answer did help you. But that was more a case of my mouth running on. That idea owes more to serendipity than to any thought on my part.

“No, my excuse that I don't know anything about magic was exactly that, an excuse. A way of fooling myself into thinking that I could not help you anymore.”

Twilight was shocked. “That's not true, Mike! You've been a great help to me.”

“You're right. But you, or rather we, cannot continue to rest our hopes on serendipity and coincidence. There is a wealth of knowledge stuck inside my head, Twilight. But to make effective use of it we need to communicate better. To do that, I need to learn about magic.”

Twilight stared at Mike as her mind began to race through the ramifications of his proposal. On one hoof, the subject area of magic was massive. She had been studying magic for nearly half of her lifetime. On the other hoof, Mike's casual knowledge of the workings of this universe probably reflected another half-lifetime's worth of study. If, as she suspected, she needed a synthesis of their two knowledge domains then Mike's active assistance became essential.

Twilight smiled. “Okay, Mike. When do you want to start?”

“Why don't we start right now? You can begin with an overview, outlining what magic is. It's something that's totally outside my world-view, because it did not exist. Yet after meeting you I now know that it does exist.”

Twilight could feel herself getting excited. Here was an open, intelligent mind just waiting for her to pour her knowledge into it. Maybe I'd better start off slow, like I would if I was explaining magic to a young foal. Only, Mike's not a foal. Hmm, this requires some thought. If I take the same syllabus intended for a young foal but upgrade it to use proper terminology and illustrate it with some real examples...

“At its most fundamental,” Twilight began, “Magic is change, or perhaps more accurately, magic is change and the potential for change.

“Every time something changes, say a rock bouncing off of another rock or I suppose, even those electrons you told me about jumping to a new energy level, magic is being expressed. The key word here is change. A change in energy, a change in momentum, a change in velocity or a change in physical makeup; change, all change, is the expression of magic.”

“Wow, Twilight. Everything? That's quite a concept. Can it really be true for my universe?”

Ignoring Mike's interruption, Twilight continued. “Living organisms are in a constant state of change as their very cells continually undergo the processes of anabolism and catabolism, of building up and tearing down. Indeed magic is the essential component which facilitates life. To say that your universe has no magic is a logical absurdity; if it has life, then it has magic.

“If it has light even, then that universe must have magic, else those particles of light would never have been emitted in the first place. Magic is that fundamental.”

“And God said, 'Let there be light'.” Mike murmured softly. Twilight's ears twitched, but decided to ignore him. He probably didn't expect me to hear that anyway. She thought.

“Such magic is called bound magic, or natural magic.” Twilight continued. “We call it that because it is mediated by matter, expressing only such changes as are consistent with the basic properties of the matter it is bound to, whether it be a gas, a rock or a living organism.

“You, Mike, are full of this bound magic. I know from personal experience that you have such magic because I directly manipulated it when I gave you that Earth Pony Massage last night.”

“So,” Mike interjected, “that's what you do when you perform magic? You simply manipulate this bound magic?”

“Patience, Mike. I'm getting to that. It's not quite that simple.” Mike nodded.

Twilight took a breath before continuing. “We ponies,” she began, “and other sentient beings in Equestria have access to unassociated magic or free magic as it is commonly called. Unassociated magic is magic that is not bound up with matter.”

“Why is there a distinction?” Mike asked. “Why is some magic bound, and some free?”

Twilight paused. Mike had derailed her easy presentation with a simple question. I think I'll answer that. I just have to not lose sight of the main presentation. She thought.

“That's a little bit complicated, Mike. For now, I'll just give you the abridged explanation. Reality consists of several planes of existence. There's the material plane, which we reside in and several others. Of those, the most important for now is the etheric plane, where the magic resides. Our current theories state that bound magic is simply magic which has diffused through the planar boundary and become attached to the matter here in the material plane. Free magic, is simply magic which has diffused across the planar boundary into our material plane but is not bound to anything.”

“You make it sound like a gas diffusing through a membrane.” Mike commented.

“That's not a bad analogy.” Twilight replied. “I personally thought it analogous to a sealed container with a pool of water at the bottom. Some of the water evaporates and fills the air as water vapor. Don't you have any questions about the multiple planes of existence?”

“I'll take your word for it, Twilight. Scientifically, there's no evidence for multiple planes of existence, but I am acquainted with a similar concept through my religious convictions. Though it's got nothing to do with magic, some of us believe in an alternate plane of existence called heaven.”

Twilight knew that other planes besides the etheric existed, but very little was known about most of them. No unicorn had ever been able to access them. No alicorn either as far as she knew. Maybe Mike's fellow humans have knowledge of one of those other planes? Twilight wrote a note to follow up on that question.

Setting down her notepad she returned to her lecture on magic. “The interesting thing about this unassociated, or free, magic is that it can be mindfully directed in such a manner as to impose useful change.

“Earth Ponies can use free magic. At an instinctive level, they use it to reinforce their bodies, making themselves much tougher and stronger than other types of pony. They can also use it intentionally, to achieve effects outside of their bodies. For example, when my friend Applejack bucks her apple trees, she uses free magic to cause all of the apples to drop simultaneously. And the apples don't just drop randomly either, she can make them all fall neatly into a single basket she has placed under the tree. Earth ponies also have a natural ability to manipulate life magic, that's what they call the bound magic of living things.

“Pegasi use free magic to manipulate the clouds and the very air. With our wings,” Twilight extended a wing towards Mike, “we attach ourselves to the bound magic of the air masses which surround us. Becoming 'one with the air', as it were, allows us to fly. Our hooves also, give us the ability to manipulate the bound magic in clouds, allowing us to walk on those clouds. Like the Earth ponies, there is also an instinctive part to our magic. The hairs in our coat, mane and tail maintain a shell of still air around us, keeping us warm and allowing us to slip quietly through the air.”

“Then there are the unicorns, such as I was before I became an Alicorn. Our horns give us the ability to manipulate free magic in an almost unlimited number of ways. I say almost, because there is almost nothing easy or instinctive about our magic; we learn our magic through study and training. If there is any instinctive component to a Unicorn's use of magic then it is that virtually every unicorn has a particular spell, not necessarily unique, that comes to them quite naturally, without hardly any practice at all. For instance, my friend Rarity has a spell which can locate gems, even if they are hidden or buried.”

“What about you, Twilight?” Mike asked. “What was your instinctive talent?”

Twilight was half expecting this question; knowing how curious Mike was. “I don't actually have one. Or perhaps I should say, I have a talent for all spells.”

Seeing Mike's vacant look, she gave additional details. “Any unicorn could learn Rarity's Gem detecting spell, if they were willing to devote the hours or even weeks required of them to do it. The amount of effort required varies with the individual and with how much experience they have had acquiring other related spells.

“When I learn a new spell, it usually only takes me a few minutes. Even learning new forms of magic comes easy to me. Princess Celestia taught me the fundamentals of emotive magic in about fifteen minutes.”

“Emotive magic?” Mike questioned. “I thought magic was either bound or free. Is there a third kind?”

“No, at its most fundamental, magic is simply magic. The terms bound and unassociated simply refer to its current dedication. Never forget that, no matter what other terms I may mention.

“The confusion in terminology comes from the various schools of magical manipulation that are available. They are distinct from each other in how one objectifies the world and conceptualizes the spells for manipulating it. Emotive magic is an approach whereby one uses ones emotions to shape and power a spell. As an ethical approver proxy, you should be aware that emotive magic is highly restricted.”

Mike's eyebrows both climbed upwards. “What's the reason for that?”

“At best, emotive magic is difficult to perform. Most unicorns that attempt it, find themselves relying on the more intense emotions of hatred and fear as being the easiest to sustain. Constantly striving for those dark emotions simply to aid their magic has a heavy cost. It darkens their spirits and corrupts their minds. Eventually they become practitioners of dark magic, although that's really just an unbalanced form of emotive magic.”

“I see.” Mike stated. “Okay, Twilight. That's enough of the magic lessons for tonight. I think I need some time to absorb the implications of it all. It's quite a bit to take in after all, an infinite chorus of magic events are happening all around us and even within us, making up our very existence.”

I have so much more to teach you. Twilight thought irritatedly, her ears lowering, before realizing she had already gone through the foal’s introductory syllabus and covered quite a bit of additional material beyond it.

Maybe Mike does need some time to adapt to this new knowledge. She thought, her ears raising themselves up again. “Alright, Mike. We can stop here. What should we do for the rest of the evening?”

Mike smiled. “I was thinking about that earlier. If you’re not adverse to another movie, I have something in mind. It's a true story, about mortal danger and overcoming adversity that I think will inspire you with hope concerning your own situation.”

Twilight shuffled her hooves. Yes! A movie. She thought eagerly until she recalled what Mike had said.

“About my situation?” She asked. How could anything relate to my situation? “What's the name of this movie?”

“Apollo thirteen.” Mike replied.

Author's Note

(1) 'Letter Seals': In my head-cannon, the sender of the letter affixes it with a seal bearing their Cuti-Mark to identify who it is from. The magic used to send a letter by Dragon-Smoke implicitly delivers it to the recipient so nothing else is required in that regard.

(2) 'Ectropy': Negative entropy. I won't go so far as to say Ectropy is 'real'. But then, neither is Entropy. Both are philosophical/mathematical concepts having real effects upon the behavior of matter in our universe. Some might disagree with that statement, and that's fine. However Ectropy is a concept that has been discussed by philosophers and scientists and is sometimes used in mathematical thermodynamics. As such, it's perfect grist for the 'magic' mill. (see: http://www.eoht.info/page/ectropy)

(3) 'Quarter of an eight-hoof': A 'hoof' is four inches. An 'eight-hoof' equals half an inch. And finally, a quarter of that becomes an eighth of an inch.

(4) Here are the web pages I got the menu ideas from. I had to find recipes which did not include hidden meat products (such as ‘chicken stock’ etc.). Check out these links to see what Twilight and Mike had for dinner.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/golden-glazed-carrot-mushroom-hazelnut-tart
http://www.food.com/recipe/greek-potatoes-oven-roasted-and-delicious-87782
http://www.primaverakitchen.com/how-to-make-crispy-roasted-green-beans/
Oh, and I always love a baby-spinach salad. The slices of canned pears and sweet onion was my idea but I found a picture of something almost like it.
http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/pear-and-spinach-salad-27663

(5) 'Boundary Layer': All objects moving through the air, are surrounded by a thin envelope of air in which the wind speed transitions from being perfectly motionless at the point where the air is in contact with that object, to moving at the full external wind-speed when a little ways distant from that object.
What I am proposing here is that Pegasus magic (via their mane and their coat) controls the boundary layer of air surrounding their bodies, extending it greatly and streamlining their flight through the air.
It is also the reason why a Pegasus has a seeming immunity to the cold and why sleeping on a cloud does not get them damp and chilled. (Boy, I’ve been sitting on this piece of techno-magic trivia for a long time.)

Chapter 17 still holds the title for 'writers block champion', though Chapter 21 certainly tried its very best to beat that record.

A few readers sent me PM’s asking when the next chapter would arrive. To them I say “Thank You”. I appreciated your queries. They helped me to stay focused.

Finally - I wish to thank my new friend Truthseeker for taking the time to pre-read and edit this chapter as well as helping out as a creative consultant. I urge my readers to to check out some of his stories. This one - The Unity Pact, is quite good.

22. Christmas Inspirations

Disclaimer: Apollo-13 (the movie) is owned by Universal Studios. The historic events which occurred are a matter of public record.

“What should we do for the rest of the evening?”

Mike smiled at Twilight's question. “I was thinking about that earlier. If you’re not adverse to another movie, I have something in mind. It's a true story about mortal danger and overcoming adversity that I think will inspire you with hope concerning your own situation.”

Twilight shuffled her hooves. Yes, A movie! She thought eagerly until Mike's statement sunk in.

“My situation?” She asked, puzzled. How could any movie relate to my situation? “What's the name of this movie?”

“Apollo thirteen.” Mike replied before turning away. “I'll make some popcorn.” he called out as he exited the room.

What's an A-paw-low? She puzzled the word. And what does the number thirteen have to do with it?

The sounds of cabinets being opened and packages rustling soon intruded upon her thoughts, even as she realized that it was too soon after dinner to eat any snacks. She quickly hopped off the sofa and hurried after Mike.

“Mike. Stop.” She called out.

Mike turned to look at her. “Is something wrong? Don't you want any popcorn?” He asked.

“I'd love some,” Twilight flashed him a brief smile, “but not right now. I’m still feeling quite full and I couldn't eat another bite. Why don't we simply relax before starting the movie?”

“Alright, we can simply watch the movie.”

“Without popcorn? Don't be ridiculous.” She rejoined, sparking a bit of mental confusion. I can't believe I said that. That's something Pinkie would say.

Twilight hastened to correct herself. “What I mean is, yes, I would love to see that movie, but what I would like even more, is to relax and have a conversation. You know, like when you were brushing my mane...” Twilight's voice trailed off even as her cheeks began to feel hot.

“Oh, so it's more of the brushing you want?” Mike chuckled.

“No!” She exclaimed. “I mean, yes, it did feel really nice.” Her face felt even hotter now. “But we were also having fun simply enjoying each other's company – and I feel like it ended too soon.” Twilight was looking at the floor in embarrassment, her ears wilting to the sides. I don't know where this is coming from! She thought to herself.

Mike did that funny thing he did, lowering himself onto his haunches, while still keeping himself balanced on his two feet. He put out an arm and stroked her mane. “Well I'm pretty sure I was enjoying your company as well.” Twilight raised her head again.

“But before we go back and get comfortable,” Mike continued, “let's just get ourselves some tea or coffee. Would you like some more of that Red Zinger?”

“Hmm-” Twilight considered his question. If I drink it too often, she thought, it’ll become common and not nearly as good a treat. “It was delicious, but no, I think I'll just have some regular tea and save that one for special occasions.” And when I do, maybe I can convince Mike to brush my mane again.

“Mike?” Twilight asked in response to a passing thought. “Earlier when you were brushing my mane, why did you suddenly stop and then tell me to brush my tail myself?”

Mike froze, as if he had traded glances with a Cockatrice. After a moment he let out a sigh and turned to Twilight. “It's like this. I am a Male and you are a Female. I felt that your tail, pretty as it is, was too close to your, umm – female parts. I didn't want to do anything that would offend you.”

On the surface, Mike's statement seemed straightforward, yet it remained opaque to her understanding. “I don't see how brushing my tail could ever offend me –” She began to assure him, only to stop abruptly.

My 'female parts'? Why would he be concerned about those? She frowned. I always keep myself covered like any proper pony should... Suddenly her eyes shrank and her ears rotated back. “W-Why were you thinking of my female parts.” She could feel a blush forming on her face.

Before Mike could answer, Twilight's embarrassment quickly transformed into indignation. “I'll have you know-” she announced, stamping her hoof for emphasis. “-that I keep myself covered at all times and that I would never expose myself.” Now her ears were fully laid back and she could feel her tail begin to swish in response to her anger.

“Covered?” Mike asked in apparent confusion. “I don't understand.”

Twilight's anger had already peaked and began to subside somewhat. It was plain that Mike did not know what she was talking about. She suddenly realized that she had yet again fallen into trap of thinking that Mike was a pony.

“I'm a civilized pony.” Twilight began to explain. “Of course I cover myself. Every pony covers themselves. Did you think that we walked around like animals, with our – parts – exposed to view?”

Mike said nothing, the furious blush on his face answering her question in the affirmative.

How could he even think that? She felt hurt.

“I never wanted to think that.” Mike cried out. Then in a much more subdued voice, “You're my friend, Twilight. I never allowed myself to think that.”

She opened her mouth to set him straight when she suddenly realized that Mike wore clothes. In fact, he wore clothes all the time. Even to bed. She recalled. He was wearing something to bed that day he saved my life.

He wears clothes in order to cover himself. She deduced. Mike has no coat and no magic either, so he can't cover himself like I do. And − eww, that's just − eww! She winced and averted her face as her imagination caught up to her thoughts, giving her a lurid image of what Mike might look like without any clothing; certain medical textbooks concerning stallion anatomy, which she had found while still a filly, filling in the details. Now it was her turn to blush.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the image, she realized that if she had been thinking of Mike as a pony, he might have been thinking of her as a human. And since I don't wear any clothes then Mike must have assumed that I − eww. No wonder Mike was being so cautious around my tail.

“I’m sorry, Mike.” Twilight began to apologize. “I think I understand now. We ponies have a coat and a form of instinctive magic which allows us to manipulate our hair. I just realized that you don’t have a coat like we do.

“We learn as foals to protect our more delicate parts by merging our coat hairs together into a thick cover.

“So you see, Mike. There was never any risk of your accidentally getting near my – parts.” Twilight concluded her lecture by wheeling about and lifting her tail. “See –“

Caught off guard, Mike’s eyes flew open in surprise.

“Wah! No. Don’t…” Mike cried out in alarm.

“Huh?” He commented wonderingly from between hands. “I didn’t see anything.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Twilight laughed in delight at Mike’s reaction. She hadn’t planned to startle him like that, but his reaction was priceless. He had turned away so fast he wasn’t even aware of what he had seen to cause his reaction.

“If only you could have seen your face.” She noted with a grin.

Mike sighed, and shook his head. “Thanks for explaining things, Twilight. But that last surprise was a little much, don’t you think?” There was a pause. “Can you forgive me for making such unreasonable assumptions?” He asked. His voice sounded softer than normal.

“I forgive you.” She replied. “But only if you forgive me for getting upset with you. I’m just as guilty, assuming humans covered themselves the same way we do.”

“I do.” Mike responded, dropping down onto one of his knees, he gave her a quick hug. It was a bit awkward, considering what had just occurred, but it still felt great.

“If I remember correctly, the plan was to relax. So, any ideas as to how we are supposed to relax?” Mike asked as they settled down onto the sofa.

“I was thinking that maybe we could talk and that way we would get to know each other better.” As Twilight finished speaking, Mike began to grin. “What's so funny?” She demanded, hoping that he wasn't thinking about how they had recently been the opposite of relaxed.

Mike chuckled. “I was just thinking that females are the same everywhere, always trying to get us males to talk.”

“So,” Twilight seized on his statement, “you're saying that human females are more talkative than human males?”

Mike's smile vanished as his expression turned to one of thoughtfulness. “On the whole, maybe they are, but I've known a number of men who could talk your ears off.

“I was however, referring to how our women always want us to open up and talk about our feelings.

“That's usually the last thing we want to do.” He added with a smirk.

Strangely enough, what Mike had just said agreed with what Princess Celestia had once told her about Stallions. Her exact words had been 'Stallions do not like to talk about their feelings, Twilight, but rather they would prefer to show them through their actions and deeds'. It seemed likely that Mike would also resist talking about anything too personal.

Perhaps I can use that. Twilight thought to herself as she began to hatch a plan. If I can get Mike to talk about the things he has done rather than talking about himself, he might be more open, and then I can get to know him better. It did not take long for Twilight to find a suitable change in subject.

“So Mike, you said that today is a special day. What would you be doing if I wasn't here? How would this day go?” Twilight thought she had been rather clever in asking this question, but the sudden change to Mike's demeanor was quite startling.

Mike's smile vanished, even as his limbs drew inwards to his body, as if he was withering. Unconsciously, he drew in a slow breath and seemed to hold it. In the ensuing silence Twilight became worried for Mike.

“Nothing, Twilight.” Mike spoke in a soft flat voice. “I would be doing nothing. I would have a plain supper. Watch some TV, read a book maybe, and then go to bed; just like I do every night.”

Twilight felt as though she had been hoofed in the face, Mike's statement hit her hard. Suddenly she recalled a memory of sitting in Mike's truck, hearing him sigh and say 'I live alone, Twilight. I don't have any family to share this holiday with. So I don't bother.' A sense of sadness overtook Twilight as she heard, as she never had before, the weight of loneliness expressed in those words.

And when you went to bed, you might even have cried yourself to sleep. Twilight thought, tears welling up in her eyes. “I'm so sorry, Mike. Truly I am for making you think about that. I think I understand now.” But rather than changing the topic, she decided to redirect it. “But if you don't mind, please tell me about your best memories of this day. What was it like? What were the things that first made it so special?”

Mike sat in silence, but Twilight could see his blank expression begin to transform. His eyelids fell closed and a tiny smile grew upon his face. She just knew that he was thinking of better and happier times. She sat patiently, looking at her friend.

Eventually Mike’s eyes opened again; he began to speak. “There are none who feel the season of Christmas quite as strongly as children do. There's a feeling in the air, a tension, a certain excitement; Christmas is coming. Cookies and Cakes abound, the snow beckons us to play and school is closed for nearly two weeks.

“People we hardly knew would drop in to visit our parents, bringing with them their children with whom we played and made new friends.

“Our hearts danced to the secret refrain; Christmas is coming.

“And as the day approached, we anticipated the presents we hoped for. I swear to you Twilight the anticipation of those gifts was more memorable than the receiving. A tree would be set up in the living room and we children were eager to assist our parents in decorating it. Shiny ornaments would be hung from its branches and streamers of tinsel adorned it like silvery snow. Best of all would be the colorful lights set amidst the branches. They would glow all colors of the rainbow, red and blue and green and yellow and orange and white.”

Twilight could almost see the tree in her mind. “What kind of tree was it?” She asked to confirm her suspicions.

Mike smiled kindly upon her interruption. “By tradition, it’s an evergreen, something like a spruce or a pine, chosen for its symmetry and evenly spaced branches. Now as I was saying, we decorated the tree with shiny ornaments, but the topmost spire of the tree received a special ornament, a large beautiful star symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem.” Mike chuckled. “I remember that my sister and I would always fight, arguing over which one of us would get to put the star on top of the tree. She always won because she was the younger of us two.” Mike chuckled again.

“Underneath the tree would go the presents, wrapped up in bright colorful paper and tied off with gleaming ribbons and bows. They were placed there several days before Christmas, driving us mad with anticipation. Whenever we thought our parents weren't looking, we would sneak over to the tree and shake our presents, trying to guess what was inside them.”

Twilight couldn't help but give a titter. Mike's description reminded her very much of her own Hearth's Warming Eve's and Spike's eagerness to get his claws onto his own present.

“Now traditionally, among the peoples and culture prevalent on this continent, presents are to be opened on the morning of Christmas day. But our family held to a different tradition; mom and dad were immigrants from a country overseas. In our family we held our celebrations on Christmas Eve.

Mike raised an eyebrow. “Just for your information, today happens to be Christmas Eve, but I don’t have any presents for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I think I’ll survive.” Twilight answered with a droll voice. “Don’t worry about me, Mike.”

“Right, don’t worry about Twilight.” Mike gave her a grin and strangely enough, a wink, before continuing.

“It's funny now. I remember so clearly my impatience with how slowly the day dragged on. All I wanted was to get to my presents. But after all these years my clearest memories aren't of the presents I received but of all the 'time wasting' ” - Twilight thought she could hear quotes in his voice. - “family activities our parents made us do.

“The greatest gift my parents ever gave us was not something that came wrapped up in a box, but the time they took to spend together with us, as a family.”

This is starting to sound quite a lot like my own Hearth's Warming Eve. Twilight thought wonderingly as Mike paused.

“Please,” Twilight urged gently, “tell me about the things you did with your parents. Those things you once thought were wastes of your time.”

Mike's face softened as he began to recall those events. “I remember that we children would wake up, full of excitement, 'Today's the day' we would say. But after a hearty breakfast of our favorite food, our soaring elation would immediately turn to into lead balloons. Mother insisted that we needed to help her clean the house. She would always set us the task of polishing the furniture while she took care of vacuuming the house and washing the floors.

“Oh how we grumbled and groaned at the injustice of it all, but it really didn't take that long before we were done. Mom usually had things in tip-top shape so very little was required.

“You know,” Mike sat up straighter, “that's one tradition that I still observe. I like to clean up my house before Christmas. I did it the day before you arrived.” He announced proudly.

Inwardly Twilight shuddered. If that's true, he obviously hasn't looked under his bed in a while. She thought, remembering the dust bunnies she had seen there.

Suddenly she recalled writing down a list of cleaning infractions in a little brown notepad. Looking about, she spied it lying on a shelf underneath the tea table. With a sneaky grin she levitated it up, bringing it over to Mike.

“What's this?” He asked in surprise.

“Oh, just think of it as a little something from your mother.” Twilight replied with a grin.

“What?” Mike's face showed confusion, until he opened the notebook and started reading the notes Twilight had written. “Noo. It can't be.” He wailed in dismay.

“Is it really that bad?” He asked, turning to Twilight. Solemnly she nodded her head.

Mike bowed his head and covered his face with the palms of his hands. “I'm sorry mom.” He exclaimed his voice sounding muffled through his hands. “I really let you down. And after I promised you that I would always keep a clean home.”

Suddenly Mike raised his head; a fire glowing in his eyes. “Well a promise is a promise and I mean to keep my word. It's Christmas Eve and I'm going to get this house clean while it's still today.”

Mike stood up and started walking determinedly out of the room, towards the hallway. “Where are you going? Mike?” Twilight called out, unsure of what was happening.

“I'm getting out my vacuum cleaner. There's no way I'm going to let this house stay dirty on Christmas Eve. I promised my mother.”

But- but I wanted to relax. Twilight's thoughts were bewildered. And my perfect plan to get Mike talking; it's all ruined! Why is this happening? Belatedly, she realized that she had set this off by giving him the list.

With a sigh, Twilight left her comfortable position on the couch. I suppose I may as well help and make sure that he does everything on the list.

After a short pause another thought came to her. I wonder if Spike ever feels this annoyed when I announce we are going to clean the Library?

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“This is your vacuum cleaner?” Twilight asked looking over the contraption Mike had brought out. “It's so small; and so complicated looking.” She was referring of course to his shiny new Dyson vacuum cleaner. Not being one to appreciate house cleaning chores, Mike privately thought of it as his 'ball and chain' vacuum cleaner.

“It is and it most certainly is.” Mike replied while unwinding the hose and extending the telescoping hand wand, attaching it to the motor head. A series of clicks announced each successful operation as the two pieces eventually became one.

Twilight's eyes were wide with interest, her wings ruffling in unconscious excitement, as Mike's hands reconfigured the machine from its compact storage size into something considerably larger.

“I can understand the long pipe extending downwards from the handle, you're so tall when you're standing up, but what's that device on the end of it?” She asked, her eyes practically glowing with curiosity.

“That's the motor head.” Mike stated as he pulled the power cord out of the body of the main unit. “There's a motorized brush inside it which sweeps the floor, even as the vacuum sucks up the dirt.” After plugging in the power cord, Mike lifted up the motor head to give Twilight a look underneath.

“What a clever idea.” Twilight exclaimed happily as she gave the motor head a good look. “That cylindrical brush should do a good job of beating the dirt right out of a rug. Equestrian vacuums certainly don't have anything like that. I suppose it's all powered by electricity?”

“It is.” Mike confirmed, stepping on the big power button prominently displayed on the main unit. Nothing happened.

What? Mike's mind drew a puzzled blank as his foot depressed the power switch several more times.

His confusion must have shown on his face. “Was something supposed to happen?” Twilight asked.

“There's no power.” He mumbled numbly to himself. Suddenly his own words registered, causing Mike to bop his forehead with a fist. “Well course there isn't any power. How could I forget? We’re still running off of the emergency generator.”

“Why would that make a difference?” Twilight asked.

“The generator is only able to produce a limited amount of power. Only certain appliances and circuits are connected to it. Don't worry, I know what to do. Wait here.” Mike directed as he took off down the stairs.

A quick trip to the basement was sufficient to obtain an extension cord. Upon consideration, Mike chose to sacrifice his coffee-maker in order to obtain the necessary power he needed. Quickly, he strung the power cord from the kitchen appliance's wall socket and up the stairs.

Coming up the stairs, Mike could see Twilight standing over the main body of the Dyson vacuum. She appeared to be totally absorbed with an examination of the intricate details of its construction, her face mere centimeters away from its housing. Yeah, those little vortex thingies are really fascinating. Mike thought to himself. Grinning, he picked up the machine's power cord and plugged it into the extension cord.

vvvvrrrrrr - The vacuum began operating.

“Eeep!” With a shriek, Twilight pronked upwards into the air and landed again on all four hooves, only now she was a good meter's distance back. Her head was lowered and her ears were folded back even as her wings splayed out by her sides in what Mike could only assume was a threat display. Her eyes which had shrunk to pin pricks now returned to normal as she raised her head and directed a glare at Mike.

“You!” She exclaimed angrily. “You did that on purpose!”

“Mmphf-phf-ha-ha.” Mike held a palm over his mouth to cover a laugh, though it didn't help much. “I'm sorry, Twilight. You were so absorbed, I simply couldn't resist. But I only wanted to surprise you, not make you jump out of your coat.”

Twilight glared at him for a few moments longer, but then a grin stole its way onto her face, totally ruining her glare. She giggled. “You got me. I guess it's payback for earlier.”

“No, this wasn't retaliation, Twilight. I was simply overcome by a sudden urge to surprise you. Can you forgive me?”

Twilight smiled. “Well, since it wasn't pre-meditated I'll forgive you. But -” There was a pause. “- if ever in future I run across a good opportunity to surprise you...” Her voice trailed off suggestively.

Mike groaned. What have I begun? He lamented to himself.

Now that the vacuum cleaner was operational, they proceeded to clean house according to the list Twilight had made. The first item on the list was Mike's room.

Mike dragged the vacuum cleaner through his doorway and began struggling to push the power-head underneath his bed. He ended up getting down on his hands and knees, hoping to spot the accumulated dust. Suddenly, the bed and all of the bedroom furniture as well as a passel of shoes, enveloped by the rose glow of Twilight's magic, levitated up towards the ceiling.

“Oh, thank you Twi–” Mike’s voice cut off as he felt the first twinge of what he was sure was his first heart attack.

As the bedroom furniture was raised, air currents induced by their rapid rise caused thick piles of accumulated dust bunnies to swirl and dance about in tiny whirlwinds. Clots of dust bunnies were revealed, clinging to the walls where they had been sheltered behind the furniture. Mike simply stood there in shock, his vacuum droning uselessly.

“Mike! Start cleaning.” Twilight's voice cut through his stunned demeanor. “I can't hold this stuff up all night.”

Spurred into action, Mike began vacuuming the entire floor and the dusty walls of his bedroom. With all the furniture hovering near the ceiling, the work went quickly. All too soon however, the tiny dust canister of his vacuum filled up. Mike shut it off.

“What's wrong?” Twilight queried. “Why are you stopping? So far you haven't even cleaned half of the room.”

“I'm sorry Twilight, this can't be helped. The vacuum is full of dust already.”

“What do you mean your vacuum is full of dust? How can a vacuum get full of dust? Is it broken?” She asked, puzzled.

Mike removed the dust canister from the vacuum and held it up so that Twilight could see the dust filling it. “I don't know how vacuums are supposed to work on your world, but here they get full of dust and need to be emptied.”

“It's easy to do. I just depress this button here,” Mike pointed to a red button affixed to the top of his handle, “the bottom plate unlatches and swings open on this hinge.” Mike explained, indicating the relevant parts. “With the bottom open, the dust simply falls out.”

“I see.” Twilight murmured before concentrating for a moment. With a flash of rose colored light, a smallish trash can appeared between them. “Okay, Mike. Empty your vacuum into this bin.”

“That's a magically created object, isn't it?” He asked, thinking of a certain wrench she had created several days ago. “If I dump this dust in there, there'll be a terrible mess when it vanishes and leaves the dust behind.”

“Normally, you would be right. But I have some different plans for it. Now hurry up and empty your dust into it before it really does vanish.” Prompted by her urgent words, Mike proceeded to do just that.

After several seconds of shaking the vacuum cleaner's dust canister, Mike closed up its bottom plate and pulled back. “Okay Twilight, I'm done.” Immediately the trash can vanished in a flash of light, taking the dust with it. Nothing remained behind but the thin cloud of dust which had risen when he had emptied the canister.

Mike stared in astonishment at the spot where it had been. “Where did the dust go?” Did she just violate Matter-Energy Conservation laws?

“I translated it to the etheric plane.” Suddenly Mike was relieved; the foundations of his universe as he knew it might not have been yanked out from underneath him. If Mike had understood Twilight's brief magic lesson correctly, the etheric and material planes were both integral parts of the universe. No matter had been destroyed, just relocated so to speak.

Twilight continued. “There the dust will sublimate into its constituent particles and atoms which will then diffuse back to this material plane. The trash can, being composed of free magic has already dispersed into that plane's ambient magic.”

In a flash of insight, Mike realized that Twilight had probably done this same thing before. So that's how she disposed of that wad of soggy tissues when we were in the restaurant.

“Well, all I can say is that it's a pretty neat trick.” He said while snapping the dust canister back into the vacuum cleaner.

Wait! The atoms will diffuse back? Where will they reappear? And over how wide an area will they be dispersed? Mike suddenly had visions of silicon foundries all over North America reporting unacceptable levels of contamination in their latest batches of computer chips.

He was about to ask Twilight about it when she redirected his concerns. “Thank you, Mike. Now please get back to work, this furniture is not getting any lighter.”

Was I blind or something? Mike wondered to himself for the umpteenth time. How could I have looked at these rooms and thought they were clean? He asked himself repeatedly as he took a sponge and vigorously cleaned the accumulated dust and dried soap scum off of the bathroom's fixtures and counter-top. When that was done, he attacked the mirror.

An assorted collection of bottles and bathroom implements hovered in the air, held there by Twilight's magic, while Mike scrubbed diligently on the surfaces below. He had to admit that Twilight's magic had been of tremendous benefit and had helped to cut his cleaning time in half, if not more.

Now, more than an hour later, the end was upon them as Mike finished wiping dry the mirror and counter top. As Mike dropped his sponge into the cleaning bucket, Twilight settled the counter's various accoutrements down upon it again, if somewhat more neatly arranged that they had been originally.

Collecting a handful of shampoo containers, Mike placed them into the cabinet below. A spent can of shaving cream went into the wastebasket while a box of bandages went into one of the drawers. Turning to Twilight, he spoke. “Thank you so much for your help, Twilight. I think we are done.”

Twilight flipped through the pages of the little brown notebook before replying to his statement. “Everything is checked off, so I think so too. Just let me do a triple check...” Her voice trailed off as the pages in the notebook started flipping again while surrounded by her magical glow.

Mike's eyes widened momentarily upon hearing her last statement. I'm beginning to think that she has a thing for checklists.

Confident that a smart girl like Twilight would not have overlooked anything, he began packing up his vacuum cleaner. As he lifted the vacuum cleaner and began to carry it downstairs he could still hear Twilight mumbling to herself while going through the checklist.

After winding up the extension cord, Mike called up the stairs. “Come on, Twilight. You know that list is complete, just let it go already.”

A faint- “What?” could be heard from above as Twilight came to realize she had lost her audience. Immediately there was the sound of hooves clopping their way carefully down the hardwood stairs.

Mike could see that Twilight had grabbed the cleaning bucket with her magic. As she reached the bottom the bucket floated over to where he stood beside the broom closet. “You forgot this.” She told him.

Reaching out a hand he grabbed the bucket out of Twilight's magical aura, no longer thinking any thoughts whatsoever about touching that aura or about the sensations he felt when he did so. He placed the bucket into the closet, alongside the vacuum cleaner. “Was that on your checklist?” Mike asked, tongue in cheek.

“As a matter of fact, it was.” Twilight replied primly.

Huh. I guess the triple-check was worth it.

Cleaning is thirsty work and Mike thought some hot drinks were in order to celebrate their successful completion. Evidently Twilight thought so as well, eagerly accepting his offer of a drink. It was just as well, since they hadn't finished their drinks from earlier, allowing them to get cold.

Having gotten themselves some new hot drinks, the two of them settled back down on the sofa again. Mike took a sip of his Hot Mocha. It was prepared just the way he liked it, with extra cream. “Ah.” He breathed. “It's nice to have a treat after all that hard work.”

Pausing from blowing on her Hot Chocolate which was also graced with extra cream but sadly lacking any marshmallows, Twilight looked at Mike. “I believe you were telling me about the things you did with your parents, the things that made this day such a special day.”

Mike looked askance at Twilight. “Aren't you going to let that go? All it got us was over an hour's worth of cleaning. And that sort of killed the mood.”

A quick rueful expression flitted across Twilight's face, but it was soon gone, replaced by something more calculating. “You said that your mother made you help clean the house every Christmas eve. And my guess is that it didn't dampen your spirits too much when you were children, so it shouldn't do so now. Especially so, now that you can truthfully say that you have honored your mother's tradition.”

That I did. Mike mentally patted himself on the back, basking in a glow of self-satisfaction from a job well done. But the truth is I couldn't have done it without Twilight's help. I suppose I do owe her. Mike smiled a mental 'thank-you' towards Twilight.

“So, after you and your sister finished the chores given by your mother - what did you do next?” She asked.

Mike knew Twilight was trying to manipulate him. But even as he wished to avoid it, he couldn't help but think of her question. Surprisingly, the memories he found brought with them a happy nostalgic feeling, pushing back the fatigue of his recent activities. Oh Twilight, you are a clever girl. How is it that you are able to motivate me so easily?

Mike couldn't help himself. As the happy memories flooded back he began to speak. “Well, after helping our mother to clean the house, my sister and I generally had the afternoon to ourselves. We would go outside to play in the snow, and if the weather was not agreeable we would stay inside. Sometimes we played board games and sometimes we watched TV. On Christmas Eve there was usually a movie playing on the TV in the afternoon.

“I think we both have had enough of playing in the snow for today, but if you're trying to re-create my childhood experience, watching that movie I mentioned earlier might be appropriate.”

“Well then, let's do that.” Twilight agreed. “After all that cleaning, I'm certainly ready for some popcorn.”

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“Well then, let's do that.” Twilight agreed, relieved that it had not taken too much effort to get Mike back in line with her plan. My plan is working, he doesn't suspect a thing. She thought happily.

“After all that cleaning, I'm certainly ready for some popcorn now.” She added.

Mike got up. “Stay there, Twilight. I got this.” Mike told her.

“Don't you need any help?” She asked.

“Nope.” He replied. “I got everything ready earlier. We already have our drinks, so all I need to do is pop the popcorn.”

“Alright.” Twilight conceded.

Soon, after the requisite amount of beeping, humming, popping and crinkling paper noises had been accomplished, Mike returned to the living room clutching a bowl in either hand. The larger bowl held popcorn, as she was expecting. But it was the smaller bowl which immediately caught her attention.

The smaller bowl was made of a bright silvery metal and it was filled with bright, orange, puffy, elongated – somethings. They looked so unusual, so unnatural, that she was almost afraid to ask. “What are those things?”

“Those are...” Mike stopped abruptly, as if reconsidering his words.

“Those are -” he began again, “- made of puffed corn, much like this popcorn. The bright color comes from a dusting of powdered cheese.”

At the mention of cheese, Twilight gulped. She felt herself shiver.

“I thought you might like them because you told me earlier today that you used to love cheese and they're mostly just puffed corn and what little cheese there is on them just gives them some flavor and, and... I'm sorry, Twilight...” Mike's voice trailed off. His expression was sad.

Although Twilight did at first react negatively to the mention of cheese, she wasn't about to reject Mike's offering immediately. As she gave careful consideration to Mike's description of the food item, she realized the potential it offered. I've overcome my trauma to the point where I can eat and even enjoy cheese if it's hidden in a sandwich. But I still dislike the open sight of cheese. Maybe these things are different. He did say that they're not actually made out of cheese.

Using her magic, Twilight reached out and levitated a single piece from the mound in the bowl, slowly bringing it up in front of her face. She rotated it about within her magic, scrutinizing it carefully from all angles. This went on for nearly a minute. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Mike was sitting on the edge of the sofa, tense and full of anxiety, his eyes shifting equally between her and the puff floating before her face.

Wow, Mike is really anxious, hoping that I'll like it. She thought. I can't disappoint him by refusing to even try one.

Slowly, the puff floated down in front of her muzzle. Twilight opened her jaws but then closed her eyes, hoping that her anxiety would be reduced if she didn't have to look at it. Just as her eyes fell closed, she saw Mike tense up even further. Well, it's now or never.

crunch! -

The sharp taste of a pleasantly aged Sheddar greeted her tongue. But instead of feeling a pellet of some dense, malleable, greasy, cloying cheese in her mouth, there was only the light abrasive sensation of crispy puffed corn. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. Almost instinctively, she popped the rest of the puff into her mouth, chewing carefully as she reviewed the taste and texture combination.

“It's good!” She announced. Mike suddenly propelled himself backwards to plop down into the sofa, explosively releasing the tension he had been holding in. “What do you call them?” Twilight was already levitating a second one towards her mouth. This time I won't close my eyes. She thought intently.

Whether her eyes remained closed or not, Twilight could hear the relief in Mike voice. “I'm glad you like them. They're called Cheese Sticks or Cheese Puffs. I've even heard them called Cheese Doodles, though that last name sounds kind of rude if you ask me.”

“Well,” Twilight announced mushily, her mouth now fully engaged with several of the cheesy confections, “Given the choice, I think I prefer the name cheese puffs. How are they made?”

“Hey, hold on there already.” Mike reached over and snatched the bowl away, taking the opportunity to pop a puff into his own mouth. You've gone and eaten half the bowl and I haven't even started the movie yet.”

“Oh.” Twilight was astonished to realize that she had very nearly eaten as many as Mike had claimed. I guess I'd better control myself. She thought. “I just got carried away by that wonderful cheesy taste and it didn't seem to trigger my aversion to cheese.”

Twilight quickly moved over to where Mike was sitting and nuzzled his shoulder. She could feel him startle with surprise. “Thank you, Mike. You don't know wonderful it is to be able to enjoy the taste of cheese again without feeling ill. I used to love it so much.”

As soon as she felt Mike start to relax she raised herself up and repositioned herself close beside him. “Now, please get that movie started.”

“I think I'd better do that, before we run out of snacks.” He said, getting up from the couch.

“Do you know how they are made?” Twilight asked him again for the second time.

“It's just cornmeal, heated and compressed to a high temperature and pressure in an extrusion machine.” Mike was loading the silver disk into the DVD machine as he spoke. Twilight stole herself another cheese puff.

“I saw that!” Mike exclaimed, causing her to giggle.

Obviously he wasn't too upset with the purloined puff as he continued his explanation. “As the strand of cornmeal dough gets extruded, the superheated moisture instantly flashes into steam, expanding the strand into these fat puffs and thoroughly cooking them at the same time. It's pretty much the same thing that happens when a popcorn kernel pops.”

That’s so simple. She wondered in amazement, before writing the details down in her notepad. Maybe some enterprising pony back in Equestria can start making them.

As Mike returned to his former position, Twilight noted that he was as close to her as he had been before getting up. Other than noting the fact, she didn't think about it any further. Just as she hadn't thought about her initial action in seating herself so close to him.

The movie began, bringing Twilight a familiar sight. Dawn appeared to be breaking, though the horizon seemed to be tilted sharply towards the vertical. The unfamiliar horizon quickly grew, evolving into a globe, much like the one Mike had in his office downstairs.

I suppose that’s correct for this universe. Twilight pondered even as her considerations were quickly disrupted by the flight of golden letters out from behind the globe, forming the word ‘UNIVERSAL’. As the letters positioned themselves in front of the globe, a sad horn began to blow; its tune sending shivers along her spine. It’s such a sad sound. She thought.

“Why is the music so sad?” She asked.

“You’ll see. Just keep watching.”

Within moments the on screen credits ended and the movie proper began. Twilight could see bold writing appear on the screen.

APOLLO 1 PRE-LAUNCH TEST
CAPE KENNEDY, FLORIDA
JANUARY 27, 1967

Twilight watched with fascination as several humans clad in bulky white suits, their heads totally englobed within glass balls, marched past the camera. Oh – I bet those suits are to protect them from the vacuum of space. Princess Celestia told me that at an altitude of fifty miles and higher there was essentially no air worth mentioning.

“… that killed American astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffe…”

The narrator’s comments brought Twilight's scientific speculations to a screeching halt. “They died? That’s horrible! Mike, tell me this isn’t true.”

Mike paused the movie. “It’s true, Twilight. This movie is based on a true story, and what you just heard are known historical facts. But those tragic events are not the subject of this movie. That was the beginning, the first Apollo mission which ended in disaster before it even got underway. This movie is about a mission which came later. Apollo thirteen.”

Twilight swallowed. Her heart beat loudly, underscoring her feelings of both sorrow and dismay she felt. Nodding her head, she indicated that Mike could continue the movie.

She listened in fascination as the announcers detailed a momentous event. A human was about to walk on the moon. As she looked on, she saw the TV within the movie, was displaying a caption.

LIVE FROM THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

What? Her thoughts became focused and extremely attentive, just as if Princess Celestia was showing her a new spell. These images are from the moon?

She listened, utterly captive to the dialog being uttered by some person actually present on an analog of Princess Luna’s own heavenly body.

“…I’m at the foot of the ladder. The lem-”

What’s a lem? She wondered.

“-footpads are only depressed in the surface about one or two inches. It’s almost like a powder.”

The authoritative voice of the narrator echoed the new legend flashing on the TV screen.

ARMSTRONG IS ON THE MOON.

“That’s one small step for man, -” Twilight heard from the screen; presumably from the human in the bulky vacuum protection suit. “- one giant leap for mankind.”

The weight of that speech gave Twilight considerable pause. It implied volumes about Mike and his fellow humans, about their drive and tenacity as a species. At that moment, she nodded to herself, making a resolve to see this moon. I’ll ask him after the movie.

“That was actually a picture of a human walking on the moon?” She turned to Mike and asked. “It wasn’t made up for the movie, was it?” She simply had to know.

“That was the real thing, Twilight, or so I've been told. It actually happened some twelve years before I was born, so I wasn't an eyewitness to those events. They used recorded images of the actual historical TV broadcasts to make those scenes.”

“Oh.” Still feeling a bit confused she attempted to clarify her understanding. “So everypony, uh- sorry, every-body was at the party to watch a film of a human walking on the moon?”

“Oh no.” Mike answered with a broad smile. “You misunderstood that part. Those images were being transmitted right from the moon. The people in that living room were watching those events even as they occurred. We call that a 'live broadcast'.” Suddenly Twilight recalled seeing the caption 'LIVE FROM THE MOON'.

Twilight thanked Mike for his explanation and returned her attention back to the move again. If anything, it had gotten even more complicated.

. . .

“How are you enjoying the movie so far, Twilight?” Mike asked a few minutes later.

“It’s – a little hard to follow.” She admitted, Feeling a little overwhelmed by the rapid scene changes, complicated equipment and the dialog she had no reference for. At this point she still wasn’t sure she could even recognize who the main characters were.

“Could you maybe explain what’s going on? Please.”

“Yeah.” Mike admitted. “I can see that this might be going a little too fast for you.” Mike paused the movie again. “Okay, so here’s a quick synopsis of what’s going down.

“Jim Lovell, that guy there with the short dark hair, is, or rather was, slated to be the commander for the Apollo fourteen mission to the moon. Disturbingly, there are rumors that his mission may never happen on account of forces within the government looking to save some money by canceling future missions.

“Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the designated commander for the Apollo thirteen mission became ill and would not be able to continue. To keep everything on schedule, Jim Lovell and his crewmates are advanced to take over the Apollo thirteen mission. He is quite elated, as you just saw, when he announced the news to wife.”

“So what is this we are watching now?”

“They are in a simulator, practicing how to handle their spacecraft and other details of flying the mission.”

“It looked incredibly complicated.” She commented.

“It is. To counter that, the simulator is designed to allow them to experience virtually any type of equipment malfunction imaginable. They spend months learning how to recognize and deal with such problems.”

Twilight was astonished. “Months? Surely they could cover everything with a set of well written lists. A few days should be all they need for practice.”

Mike gave her a shocked expression. “Lists? You can’t use a written list when your problem is ten seconds away from killing you. Your responses need to be ingrained to the point that they are an automatic reflex. I learned that while doing my pilot training.”

“But –” Twilight’s voice stopped abruptly. Ten seconds might be too short a time to find the correct list, read it and apply it. She conceded.

“Fine, I can accept for now that that’s how you humans do it. But I’m positive I can think of a better way. Maybe flash cards…” Twilight’s voice faded into a mutter as she considered the problem. While she considered the matter, Mike restarted the movie.

. . .

Twilight’s organizational thoughts were pulled back to the movie as a raucous beeping began to sound. Rumbling noises grew louder in the background, like the ominous approach of thunder. She could see the humans. What were they called? ‘Astro-noughts?’ Dressed up in their bubble helmeted suits reacting to the alarms.

Within seconds, pandemonium had broken loose. Instruments burst, raining fragments of glass down upon the Astro-noughts. Hoses broke, sparks flew and soon after, a door burst outwards. The rumble swelled into a deafening roar as what seemed to be a mighty wind blew one of the Astro-noughts out through the door. He barely managed to save himself by catching hold of a bar with one of his hands.

Terror seized Twilight as a chair broke free only to knock the struggling Astro-nought out into the black void. The orchestral background came to a screeching crescendo, only to stop abruptly as the scene switched to that of an enormous eyeball.

“Eee!” Twilight, already terrified, shrieked and jumped up to clutch Mike. After a second or two her composure began to return allowing her to realize that she was clinging to her friend. Another second passed before she was able to let go. “Sorry Mike.” She had the grace to blush. And then, “What was that!” She asked heatedly.

Twilight could see that Mike was amused by her reaction, though thankfully he did not laugh at her. “Sorry, Twilight. I forgot about that scene being in the movie. My best guess is that the movie’s producers are trying to stir up some suspense. What we just saw was a foreboding dream that Lovell's wife was having. But I don’t think such a dream ever occurred.”

“Do humans have portentous dreams? Like that we just saw?”

“Maybe we do and maybe we don’t. As far as I know, it’s never been scientifically documented, so it remains little more than superstition. And speaking of superstition, this movie is full of it.”

“How do you mean?” She asked.

“Well, in our western culture, there is a superstitious belief that thirteen is an unlucky number. And this mission was identified as Apollo thirteen. You might not have noticed it, but there have already been verbal suggestions in the movie about the mission having bad luck.”

“Thirteen is considered to be an unlucky number?” She asked incredulously. Better not tell Pinkie that. She thought. She always tells us that the thirteenth cupcake in a 'baker's dozen’ is extra lucky.

Mike nodded his head solemnly. “A lot of people believe that. It is an irrational fear after all.”

Mike gestured towards his TV. “We are getting distracted from the movie. For now, for the fun of it, try to identify any other references to the number thirteen.”

Twilight settled back again to do just that. It didn’t take her long to find several such examples.

. . .

“Me-suls?” She prompted.

“It's an infectious disease. He explained. “Somehow Mr. Mattingly there has been exposed to it just two days before their mission. The flight surgeon, uh – the doctor,” he amended, “is ruling that Mattingly must stay behind, since there is a good chance he might fall ill during the mission.”

“Well that stinks.” she commented. “Months of preparation and then somepony tells you that you can’t go?” She muttered, while imagining how she would react to such news. This really is turning into an unlucky mission.

. . .

Twilight watched as the Astro-noughts went through their final preparations and marched toward their vehicle. They were accompanied by squads of assistants. Soon she saw entire roomfuls of humans sitting at complicated consoles.

“Why are there so many humans involved? I would think that they would just fly off and get going.”

“Well, it’s a very complicated machine, flying a very complicated mission. I don’t know how you feel about checklists, Twilight. But this is how you manage a checklist with hundreds of thousands of steps.”

Twilight suddenly felt giddy. A checklist with hundreds of thousands of items? Eee! She fairly screamed her delight at the very thought of it.

. . .

“… twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight …”

Oh wow! Twilight marveled. They are even counting down the seconds. I love that checklist.

As the count reached zero, Twilight became more astonished than she could ever have imagined. Red flames bloomed and gushed prodigiously outwards. Gantries swung back in synchronized dance and the leviathan began to move upwards through a blizzard of what looked like ice. The rocket’s roar, matched only by the swelling orchestral accompaniment, consumed her to the point her mouth was hanging open.

“Wow.” She had no words to describe what she was seeing, nor the sound pounding through her chest.

“That– that’s so amazing!” She shouted to Mike over the roar of the rocket’s engines before her jaw dropped downwards again.

“I can’t believe it! They’re already outside the atmosphere already.”

“What was that?!” Twilight exclaimed a few seconds later. “Did a piece of their rocket just fall off?”

“That’s normal. I’ll tell you about it later.”

My notebook! Twilight exclaimed to herself. I’ve been forgetting to write down my questions. Frantically she began scribbling notes while simultaneously trying to watch the movie, anxious that she not miss anything.

. . .

Twilight jerked, kicking her hind legs in sudden spasm as the space-craft's panel blew out. She knew beyond a doubt that this was the disaster the whole movie had been leading up to. This event was no dream.

She watched in horrified fascination as Jim Lovell and his crew struggled to comprehend what was happening as rumbles and ominous banging noises abounded. The control personnel back in Hue-stun began speaking rapidly over top each other, confused and disbelieving as to what their displays showed them.

“Houston, we are venting something out into space.” Jim Lowell announced the news which Twilight dreaded to hear. No. No. No. No. This can't be happening. She thought frantically. If her ears had not been pinned back already, they most certainly were now. Without oxygen, they’ll die! Without any conscious thought she moved closer to Mike, instinctively seeking comfort from a friend.

Twilight started breathing again as the white chief in Hue-stun took control – “Let’s work the problem, people.” He called out. “Let’s not make things worse by guessing.”

Something about the white chief’s words calmed her while at the same time inspiring her. She wrote the words down in her notepad, for future consideration.

Twilight could feel her hope growing as a plan was made to salvage whatever remained of their oxygen. Her hopes were cruelly dashed when the plan failed. She pressed tighter to Mike, not noticing when he put his arm around her. His action however, did help to calm her down by a considerable amount.

Unaware, for the moment, of her position nestled up against Mike's side and under his arm, Twilight's attention remained riveted to the movie. The crisis was unabated and indeed had probably been made worse by the failure of the first plan.

She watched anxiously as a measure of order slowly developed out of the renewed chaos; the Astro-noughts and Hue-stun both developing the same alternate plan. Fervently, the Astro-noughts bent their efforts towards its implementation.

As Twilight understood the situation, there were two spacecraft that were linked together. She was not sure why there were two spacecraft in the first place, one should have been enough, but in any case the arrangement proved fortuitous as the Astro-noughts began relocating themselves to the second craft.

The problem they now had was that the other craft was not ready to assume the duties of the first. Apparently it took three hours, using the checklists, to get it ready. Twilight shivered. They're being forced to abandon a perfectly good checklist. She thought, feeling a touch of nausea. It's like forgetting to study for a test – unthinkable.

They did it! Twilight cheered as the immediate crisis ended. She could feel the tension begin to leave her body. Her wings began to ache as they slowly relaxed from being clamped so tight.

Suddenly she became aware of where she was, pressed tight up against Mike, underneath his arm. How did I end up here? She wondered. Tilting her head upwards, she looked into Mike’s face. From her new perspective, his chin dominated his features. “I’m sorry, Mike. I don’t know how this happened or what I was doing.” She made an effort to move away.

Mike’s arms tightened around her as he spoke softly. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I don’t mind.” Then his arm loosened up again, emphasizing the point that the choice was hers.

Perhaps, she thought, I should stay here. Just in case the movie gets too intense again.

. . .

Twilight watched in silent wonder the Apollo spacecraft drifted around the moon. It’s so strange, so different from, yet at the same time similar to, Luna's moon. She thought contemplatively. And what pony, even Luna, could ever have imagined such a concept as, night time on the Moon. Yet I have seen it, in a universe where the moon does not shine with its own light, but merely reflects the light of the sun.

She continued to watch as the spacecraft flew into the sunrise, allowing the Astro-noughts to look down upon the now brightly lit features of the moon. She listened intently as they brought up unfamiliar names to reference the features they saw. Lovell, she saw was acting strange, staring fixedly at something far off.

Suddenly the scene faded to one of a lone Astro-nought climbing down the side of the ugly looking spacecraft onto the surface of the moon. That spacecraft must have the sole purpose of landing on the moon. Twilight realized. As the Astro-nought adjusted his visor, she could see that it was Jim Lovell, who began to run and cavort about upon the moon. She could see his boots digging into the lunar soil, which was kicked about by his antics. He reminded her very much of a young foal kicking their hoofs up in excitement on the first day after Winter Wrap Up.

Yet as she watched, the same sad horn which had bothered her at the beginning of the movie was playing again. As the music came to a crescendo, the lunar scene faded, revealing Lovell staring out the window of his stricken spaceship. I think I understand. Twilight thought sadly. He mourns for his lost dream of walking on the moon; of making history.

But it's better to be alive, than to walk on the moon. Isn't it?

“…Gentlemen, what are your intentions? I’d like to go home." Lovell echoed her exact thoughts. Twilight was so proud of his decision.

. . .

As the movie progressed, Twilight became quite accustomed to snuggling under Mike’s arm. It became necessary as the Astro-noughts’ problems continued to mount in rapid succession.

First there was a crisis of having enough power to even return home. From that point on, the temperature inexorably began to drop.

As the temperature dropped, one of the astronauts was revealed to have become ill. Their situation was becoming miserable if not yet unendurable.

Next, they faced critical buildup of deadly Carbon Dioxide gas; a silent crisis that threatened their lives. The solution that the Hue-stun humans came up with was nothing short of improvisational genius. But she nearly cried when they needed to destroy their books and manuals in order to make the required apparatus.

The next hoof-biter was their course correcting burn, to be made without assistance from their machines. Needless to say, they were not Rainbow Dash and it was a wild ride that narrowly skirted disaster. When it was over, Twilight found herself quite grateful for Mike's solid presence.

. . .

Twilight was worried. Despite the trials the Astro-noughts had already overcome, a final crisis loomed. Apparently, for some reason, they needed to return to their abandoned spaceship and there was no known procedure for restarting it. She watched as Mattingly, the former crew mate, cast so unceremoniously out of their crew, labored unceasingly to devise as solution.

Even as Mattingly's repeated failures to find a solution ratcheted up the tension levels, she couldn't help but see something else, something apparent only to her eyes. She saw him embodying the attitudes of both Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Rarity, in that he labored to help is former crew mates despite the hurt they had done him. Rainbow was found in his unwavering loyalty and fierce determination to succeed.

When he finally came through with the essential restart procedure, Earth was looming quite large in the spacecraft's windows. Twilight wished her aching wings would unclench.

. . .

Time passed. “No.” Twilight moaned softly, fearing the worst as the time of the Astro-noughts expected return came and went. “No.” She whimpered, turning her head to bury her face in Mike's shirt.

And then –

“Hello, Hue-stun, this Odyssey. Good to see you again.” Lovell's voice was heard.

“YES!”

Twilight's shout reverberated throughout the house.

Turning her body around, she latched onto Mike and hugged him fiercely, shaking him like a rag doll.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Tom Hanks' voice drifted haunting and bittersweet, narrating over the ending scenes of the movie.

“… And as for me, the seven extraordinary days of Apollo 13, were my last in space. I've watched other men walk on the moon and return safely, all from the confines of mission control and our house in Houston.

“I sometimes catch myself looking up at the moon, remembering the changes in fortune in our long voyage, thinking of the thousands of people who worked to bring the three of us home.

“I look up at the moon and wonder, when will we be going back? And who will that be?”

When the credits began to roll Mike let out a sigh, dropping his head back against the couch, relaxing as the movie ended. That part always gets me. He thought. It's such a sad yet fitting end to the movie.

Twilight too, seemed to be in a meditative mood as she lay there, having nestled under his arm again; lending him a cozy warmth. A fading twinge from his ribs reminded him of how surprisingly active a movie companion she had been, at times almost crushing him. That victory hug as she celebrated the Astronauts survival was something else. But I don't think I mind all that much. He smirked to himself, accepting the fact that he had enjoyed her intimate company.

Twilight began to stir, letting go of whatever musings she had had at the end of the movie. She turned her head about in order to look up at him from her position near his shoulder. He could see tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Mike. I found that to be a very moving story.” She turned her head away, facing forward again. “It certainly gave me a great deal to think about.”

Twilight rested there against his side for several moments. She stirred again, turning her head and looking up, beseeching him with her huge eyes. “But I have some questions.”

Mike couldn't help but snort a laugh. “Of course you do.” He teased with a broad smile. Twilight's response was to throw him a moue. Attempting to placate her, he curled his arm back to stroke her hair where it hung down along the side of her neck and shoulders. “I'll do my best to answer them.”

“Well then, here's my first question. You told me that this was a true story. But then some things you said, like about that dream, indicated that it was fictional. How much of that movie can I even believe?”

“That's–” Easy... Mike had started to say until it struck him how complicated things were. “Um. Give me a moment. I have to think about this.” Mike began to think furiously about Hollywood actors, CGI and the actual historical events.

As he thought on his answer, Twilight moved away from his side and resettled herself on the couch. She probably needs to relieve her wings. He thought, momentarily distracted as he watched her folding and shifting the members in question like some kind of giant bird. At least she didn't waggle her tail.

“The movie we just saw was a recreation.” Mike began. “With actors playing their parts to create a movie whose image and sound quality meet studio standards. What we just saw was whole orders better than the actual historic footage and sound recordings.”

Twilight nodded her head. Obviously she understood the concept of a historical drama.

“The movie faithfully portrays the decisions that led up to the mission as well as those which took place during it. Everything the Astronauts said and did is a matter of record, and that's what we saw in the movie. Every technical detail and piece of equipment was reproduced or modeled with exquisite attention to detail. Even the scenes with the actors on the spacecraft were actually filmed on board a special aircraft which reproduced weightlessness.”

Twilight pounced on that statement. “Wait a minute. You told me yesterday that gravity was an effect of space and time being warped, that you humans could not affect it. How is it that they filmed those scenes in weightlessness?”

“I said they used a special aircraft. Basically, it flies up to a high altitude and then dives down towards the ground in a precise trajectory designed to mimic the acceleration due to gravity. In essence, the plane is falling and everything inside it experiences weightlessness.”

“The aircraft is diving towards the ground?” She asked incredulously.

“Yes, and they don't have much time before they have to pull up out of their dive. I imagine they can only get half a minute or so of weightlessness per dive. It must have taken them hundreds of flights to complete the movie.”

“Hm.” Twilight considered the facts. “From my own flying experiences, I think I can believe that.”

Mike smirked. “The aircraft has a nickname that is both poetic yet descriptive. It's called the Vomit Comet, because many a lunch has been lost.”

“Ugh.” Twilight exclaimed with distaste. “Don't remind me. So that's why they showed that disgusting scene in the movie.”

“Okay.” Twilight returned to her original question. “So the movie depicted actual historical events. I still don't know what parts of the movie were non-historical.”

“Basically,” Mike began, “anything of a personal nature outside of the actual mission is suspect. The wife's dream? Very dramatic but it probably never happened. Their family interactions? Imaginative but unverifiable. Small talk at the party? Probably scripted to help move the story along. Lovell's daydream where he walked on the moon? A bit of whimsy with great emotional impact.”

“I see.” She said.

“And that Hue-stun place. That was real, right?”

“Yes it was.” Mike replied. “From beginning to end there were literally dozens, maybe hundreds, of people helping out by continuously monitoring everything that happened on their spacecraft. Everyone an expert pertaining to the systems they were monitoring.”

“Well, I was certainly impressed by all of that. And I especially liked that white chief guy.”

“White chief? Who –” For a moment Mike was confused until he remembered that Gene Kranz, the flight director, had been wearing a white vest.

Twilight's next question surprised him. “Why was he blowing smoke all the time? Was he related to dragons somehow?”

“He was smoking cigarettes. It was a common practice back then.” What most surprised Mike however, was how little attention he himself had paid to the director's smoking.

“What are cigarettes?” Of course she asked the natural question.

I guess ponies don't have that vice. Mike thought. “It's a small paper cylinder filled with shredded leaves from the tobacco plant. You light one end on fire and inhale the smoke through the other end.”

Twilight's eyes grew larger as Mike attempted to describe the process of smoking. “Humans actually inhale smoke?” She asked, her voice rising with a note of incredulity.

“Yes, it's bad for us and it leads to all sorts of health problems. The reason smokers continue their habit is because Tobacco contains nicotine, a toxic yet highly addictive chemical.

“Smokers are addicts?” Twilight appeared shocked. “The white chief was displaying his addiction in public?”

“In a word. Yes.” Mike explained. Well Twilight, I guess you ponies are familiar with the concept of substance abuse. “Back then, probably fifty percent of the population smoked. It was deeply entrenched as part of the social norm.”

“But,” Twilight appeared thoughtful, “I don't remember seeing any smoking during our trip to that shopping place yesterday. Does that mean humans don't smoke anymore?”

“Forty years ago, smoking was thought to be a harmless activity. Eventually though, we found out that smoking and even breathing someone else's secondhand smoke was harmful. For the last decade or so, society has been making a strong push to discourage and even eliminate smoking.

“I'd say that fewer than twenty percent of people still smoke. And laws have been passed which prohibit one from smoking indoors in public places. That's probably why you didn't happen to see anybody smoking.”

“Any more questions?” He asked.

“A few, but only one that's really bothering me. When the Astro-noughts returned to earth, they experienced something called a blackout, a period of time when nopony knew what was happening. It was a real hoof-biter and had me deeply worried. I have to wonder, was that something the writers added to the movie to add drama and suspense.”

“No, that too was real.”

“Really?” She queried. “I don't know anything about how your communications – your radio – works, but why would they lose communications like that?”

“You saw how their capsule heated up and began to glow during re-entry?” Twilight nodded.

“Well, the heat of re-entry is much hotter than any simple flame. It's violent enough to strip the electrons off of the air molecules, forming ionized plasma. During re-entry, that plasma envelops the spacecraft like an electrically conductive shell, blocking all radio signals.”

“Thanks Mike. That helps.” Twilight got busy writing the details down in her notes.

After a moment she put away her notebook and looked up. “There’s just one more thing. After seeing that movie, I really want to see your moon with my own eyes.” She dropped her eyes. “I know it's cold outside, but could we maybe go outside and look at your moon? It would mean a lot to me.”

Twilights request caught Mike off guard. She wants to look at the moon? He wondered.

A smile stole over his features. Well why not? I was planning on doing some stargazing during my vacation. Tonight's good.

“I think that's an excellent idea, Twilight. If the weather remained clear like it was earlier this afternoon, we should have no problems. And if I remember correctly, the moon should be entering its last quarter tonight.”

What time is it? Mike thought, giving his wristwatch a quick glance. “Wow, it's eleven-forty already. The moon should be rising soon. I'd better hurry if I'm going to set up my telescope.”

Twilight's reply was to approach him rapidly. Rising up, she put both of her fore hooves on his shoulders. “You have a telescope?” She asked with intensity, looking him directly in the face.

She was so close that Mike went a little cross eyed observing her muzzle, parked as it was barely a centimeter in front of his own nose. “Didn't I tell you earlier about my scope?” He asked ingenuously.

“Nooo.” Twilight drawled out. “I'm pretty sure you didn't because I would have remembered that.” As she spoke she relaxed her eyes, giving them a more pronounced almond shape.

Mike found himself enjoying Twilight's intrusion into his face-space. Sloe-eyes. He thought, mesmerized by her two dark violet orbs. She's got the most amazing sloe-eyes. Both Mike and Twilight held their pose for several moments. Mike felt as though he was gazing into her soul, and he liked what he saw.

“Well–” Twilight's voice broke their tableau, allowing them to look away from each other. Mike could feel his cheeks heating up. If he hadn't been examining the floor, off to his right side, he might have noticed the heat in Twilight's cheeks as well.

“Where is this telescope of yours?” She asked as she took a step back, dropping her fore hooves back down onto the floor.

“I keep it in the basement.” Mike answered, glad for the distraction. “Just give me a minute to fetch it.”

“Do you need any help carrying anything?” Twilight offered eagerly, all hints of what had just occurred smothered under her obvious delight in things astronomical.

'Not really.' Mike was about to say, but one look at Twilight's face was all it took to change his mind. Her enthusiasm was infectious, causing him to smile in return. “Now that you mention it, I could use a little help.”

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Twilight felt like prancing, but that of course would not do at all. She was levitating part of Mike's precious telescope, together with something called a 'power tank' in her magic, so she was being extra careful with everything.

They paused in the kitchen while Mike acquired the heavy clothing he needed for venturing outside. While he did so, she moved what was obviously the business end of Mike's telescope closer, giving it an in-depth examination.

The short, fat, orange cylinder with the glass plate in one end was obviously the telescope itself. It looks so odd. She thought, mentally comparing it to her own telescope. It's too short. How can something this short be a proper telescope? Does it use mirrors like Mike mentioned the other day?

In Twilight’s experience, telescopes were ungainly long tubes, and quite heavy. My own telescope is twelve hooves long and it’s only a toy compared to the ones at the Canterlot Royal observatory. This thing of Mike's is only three hooves long. By all rights, it should be a toy.

Could it be that Mike's telescope really is a toy? She wondered. Three hooves was about the length of certain cheap toy telescopes made for six year old foals. They were sold in their thousands by Filthy Rich's company, Barnyard Bargains.

No. She quickly discarded that thought. This thing is too heavy and finely crafted to be a toy.

And what’s up with this telescope's mount? She wondered next. I recognize it as being a two axis mount like the one on my own telescope – but half of the yoke is missing. And the half that’s still there has been blown up to a monstrous size. I swear that it's as big as Celestia's hoof!

And why is the outside of the yoke arm covered in buttons? Buttons whose purpose she could not discern, though she considered herself a veteran star-watcher.

It was all so exciting.

“Alright, I'm ready.” Mike announced, interrupting her scrutiny of the telescope.

Eager to get going, Twilight used her magic to open the door, holding it open for Mike. She followed immediately after and closed the door behind them.

I can't believe how cold it is. Twilight shivered. It's gotten a lot colder than it was this afternoon. I wouldn't mind having that nice scarf Rarity made me right about now.

Mike stopped abruptly and began setting up the tripod he had been carrying. It was on a salt rotted patch of ice which comprised part of his driveway. While I'm at it, I should also wish for those matching winter boots Rarity made. Twilight wrinkled her nose in disgust at the thought of getting salt in her hooves.

Twilight looked up and was amazed to see how dark the sky was. Unlike Luna's night sky, which always carried a deep violet tint, a faint glow even - this sky was black. The most perfect and absolute pitch black she had ever seen. And strewn about like sand blown onto a beach towel was a glorious multitude of stars, like, yet unlike anything she had ever seen before. As if that were not enough, she could see a faint milky white band painting a luminous slash across the sky. She didn’t know what it was.

It quite took Twilight's breath away to see these alien stars shining so brightly in this alien sky; a treasure beyond compare. If ever a race of beings, she thought solemnly, had an incentive to watch the stars, then surely these humans did. It's so beautiful.

She lost herself in the wonders above.

“Twilight.” Mike's voice called her back to the world. “It's set up.”

She grinned sheepishly, not wanting to admit that she had lost all sense of time while gazing at the stars. Looking at Mike, she saw the telescope she had been carrying was now assembled on top of the tripod which stood beside him. When did he...? Twilight could only shake her head at how inattentive she had been, allowing Mike to take objects right out of her magical grasp like that.

Get your head together, Twilight. She took herself to task. The stars may be beautiful. But I came out here to see the moon. Suddenly she gasped, realizing how dark it was. “Where's the moon?” she asked, looking about wildly in sudden alarm. For as long as she had lived, the daily rhythm of the sun and moon had always been a constant in her life. That it was missing now was something of a shock.

“Look over there, to the east.” Mike replied. “See that bright glow behind the trees on that rise? That's the moon.”

Even as Mike directed her attention, a sliver of silvery brightness began to edge its way above the rise, gleaming through the fringe of distant trees.

“There it is.” Mike commented with satisfaction.

“I don't understand.” She voiced her confusion. “Shouldn't the moon have risen hours ago? It should have been raised just as the sun went down.”

“I'm not sure what you’re asking,” Mike replied, “Tonight is the start of the last quarter, so it's quite normal for the moon to rise at about midnight.”

“It's supposed to rise at midnight?” Twilight repeated, not understanding but peaking both of her ears forward in curiosity.

“It's just geometry. The moon revolves around the earth, taking some twenty eight days to make one full orbit around the earth. If we begin our consideration at that moment in time when the moon is directly behind the earth with respect to the sun, then we see the full moon rise in the east just as the sun is setting in the west.”

Mike's words painted a picture in her mind of some decidedly odd celestial mechanics.

“Each day that passes sees the moon advancing one twenty-eighth of the way along the path of its orbit, the position of the moon having advanced sufficiently to delay moon-rise by about fifty minutes. Correspondingly, since the moon rises late, it will also set late, sharing the sky with the sun for about fifty minutes during dawn.

“Continue this cycle, advancing the delays by another fifty minutes each day. After seven days you will arrive at the pattern we see tonight. Moon-rise has been delayed by six hours, causing it to rise at midnight. Tomorrow, we can expect to see the moon in the sky all morning long, until it sets at noon.”

That only adds up to three hundred and fifty minutes. Twilight’s mind immediately seized upon the computational discrepancy. But no, Mike was probably only using the nearest round figure.

Suddenly, Twilight gasped. “According to your explanation, in another seven days, there will be a night with no moon whatsoever.”

“That's right.” Mike affirmed her deduction. “It happens every month. We call it a 'new moon'.”

“That is so incredible.” Twilight took a moment to write everything down in her notebook, using her horn to provide the necessary illumination. When she was done, she looked back up at Mike. “Thanks Mike. I guess your world seems so similar to mine at times, that it's easy for me to forget just how different it is.”

Silence ensued as they waited for the moon to rise above the trees.

Several minutes passed. The stars were shining. The wind which had been sighing through the branches of nearby trees died down for a minute and an eerie stillness settled about them.

Mike spoke softly into the silence. “This reminds me of a song we sang on Christmas Eve.”

Before Twilight could reply, Mike's voice pierced the night, breaking its stillness.

Silent night, holy night!

Twilight was stunned by the rich tenor sounds which issued from Mike's throat, but she soon collected her wits sufficiently to listen to the song.

All is calm, all is bright.

It was a lovely piece, the way Mike sang it, A Capella, made it almost a lullaby in its gentleness.

Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Mike's song ended. But he wasn't finished. “I remember how we would gather after dinner, in front of the Christmas tree, mom, dad, my sister and I. We turned off the lights, except for the lights of the Christmas tree and we sang. Of all my memories of my family and this day, this one is by far my most precious. I can still hear their voices.

Mike cleared his throat. “Sorry Twilight. I guess I got caught up in a bit of nostalgia, what with the darkness surrounding us, the stars shining up above and the wind falling down into stillness for a moment.”

“Please don't apologize. That was beautiful!” She enthused, stomping her hoovesin brief applause. “I had no idea you could sing like that. But please don't stop, I want to hear more.”

“Um, I can't remember the other verses.” Mike admitted. Though she couldn't see his face, she could hear the sheepishness in his voice.

“Mike! How could you not remember the words to such a lovely song?” Twilight chastised him gently.

“Sorry.” Mike hung his head in embarrassment. “Pretty much all the songs I know are like that. I might remember the first verse and the chorus but for anything more I'd always have the printed words in front of me.”

“You might remember the first verse?” Twilight asked incredulously. “Mike, if your memory is so deficient, then how is it you remembered the song you just sang?”

“It's one of my favorites.” Mike admitted proudly. At which admission Twilight could only clap a frozen hoof over her face. It's 'one of his favorites' yet he doesn't make an effort to remember all the verses? Well maybe it's a really long song and hard to remember. She though hopefully.

“Well, how many verses are there in that song?” She asked, hoping that Mike would redeem his shattered image.

“Three verses, I think”

“Argh!” Twilight buried her face under both hooves. Having just been on the icy ground, they were quite cold, causing her to abort her dramatic gesture. “You have such a wonderful singing voice and its just being wasted with that attitude. You couldn't even remember three short verses?”

“I am sorry,” Mike offered contritely, “but I've never really needed to memorize them. It's not like I just wander around, ready to burst into song at a moment’s notice. Wouldn't that be ridiculous.”

That's exactly what happens among us ponies. Twilight thought with some exasperation. But maybe it's not the same for humans. I should know by now not to assume anything.

But – he does have a very nice singing voice. The thought was intriguing. “Do you know any other songs?” She asked, hoping to hear more.

Mike nodded and began a new song.

O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Twilight stamped her hooves in approval again. “More!” She enthused.

Mike smiled and nodded before taking in a breath for starting another song. The instant he did so, a fit of coughing took him.

Twilight's delight turned to concern. “Are you alright?” She asked.

Mike gave a quick nod before rasping out “I think so. But I think I should stop singing. This cold air is not doing me any favors. Have you noticed how much colder it's gotten tonight?”

“Yes I have.” She acknowledged. “I really want to thank you for sharing your special day with me through your memories, and those songs were really wonderful. Those memories of your family, I can see that they meant a lot to you.”

“They did, and they still do.” Mike replied, his voice sounding much better.

“I think we've waited long enough.” Mike changed the subject abruptly. “The moon's cleared those trees now. Would you like to see it through the scope?” Mike, having now become visible in the moonlight, waved a hand towards the instrument.

“Thank you, Mike.” Quivering with excitement and hiding it under a false calm, Twilight marched herself to the back end of the telescope. I'm an expert. She reminded herself. I know better than to make sudden moves around a delicate instrument.

Immediately a problem presented itself. “Where's the eyepiece?” She asked in puzzlement.

“It's that short tube sticking off perpendicular to the side.” He answered. “The eyepiece can be mounted directly into the bottom of the telescope but that can make looking through it awkward or even impossible, depending on how the telescope is oriented. A simple diagonal mirror allows us to view from the side at a more convenient angle.”

“I see.” She commented as she repositioned herself off to the right side of the telescope. Bringing her eye near, she saw a large white blur. “How do I focus it?”

“Just rotate the knob on the main telescope tube.” Mike instructed.

“Okay.” She replied. Nervously she began using her magic, applying a bit of torque to the knob. I've got to be careful to limit the amount of magic I use. She cautioned herself. I don't want to break anything.

Suddenly, the image sprang into clarity, revealing the moon she had sought to see. And it was breathtaking.

Dear Princess Celestia.

Twilight was lying upon her bed, reflecting upon the events of the day and updating her notes, when she suddenly realized she had something personal to write to her teacher about.

You might think that I would be distraught to find myself lost in this strange universe. And you would be right. I have suffered several bouts of depression and despair.

Fortunately Mike has been right here beside me, always finding ways to lift my spirits and restore my optimism. He's been a wonderful friend. And through Mike's help, I learned an important lesson today.

Tonight, Mike showed me a movie. It was a film dramatization of a certain historical event. In this story, the humans built a spaceship, a ship for traveling in airless space, and undertook a journey to their moon.

It wasn't the first such journey these humans had undertaken; others had already made the journey and walked on the moon twice before them. What made this journey notable however was that it nearly ended in disaster. A few days into their journey, a part of their spaceship exploded, causing them to lose all of their oxygen.

The technical details of how they survived are unimportant, but I will say this about those three Astro-noughts; those humans traveling the depths of space. They persevered and they persisted. Crisis upon crisis fell upon them, each one a literal turning point between life and death. Yet they survived, meeting each challenge in turn.

My first lesson was that I too should be persistent. I might feel frustrated as my research hits a dead end, and I might feel homesick to the point of tears as I consider how close I can get to my friends yet how inexorable our separation. Despite those things, I need to keep trying. I must not fall to despair. I must not give up.

The second lesson I learned was that those poor Astro-noughts had help. They were in constant contact with a team of hundreds of supporters back home. And that support-team worked very hard indeed to support those Astro-noughts by giving the very best, the most sound, advice that it was possible to give. It saved the Astro-noughts' lives.

I too have such help. I have a marvelous group of friends who support me. And not just the Elements and Spike, but you too Celestia, and Luna as well. I count you all as my dear friends, my support team.

Oh, and as for those Astro-noughts? They made it home again, safe and sound. I take that too, as a lesson to myself. I will get home. I will see all of my friends again.

Your faithful student, and friend.

Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. I think I will attempt to send this letter to you directly.

I don't want to relay it through Spike because he might, accidentally, read it and I don't want him to know how distraught and upset I have been feeling. That would only add to the burden of separation he is undoubtedly feeling right now.

P.P.S. I do hope that this letter gets through to you. I tried sending a report (on my observations) to you earlier today, but it failed. Strangely, a note which I had sent to Spike just a few moments before that succeeded.

We really need to work on determining the parameters by which a letter can be successfully sent. I need to establish reliable contact with my support team.

After rolling up the letter and affixing her seal, Twilight invoked the Dragon-Letter spell which Princess Celestia had taught her.

She watched avidly as the packet of smoke began to circle about the room. Soon it shot off, exiting the room through the open door.

“Yes!” She exclaimed softly, not wanting to disturb Mike who was probably asleep by now. It's going to reach the Princess. She thought happily. Now if I only knew why.

Yawning widely, Twilight climbed under the covers on her bed. Soon she was fast asleep.

In her dreams, she was watching movies while comfortably cuddled up against Mike's side.

Author's Note

(1) 'Equestrian Vacuum Cleaners': Twilight only makes passing reference to the fact that Equestrian Vacuum Cleaners never get filled with dust. This is because they are literally nothing more than a tank with a magically charged spell crystal at the bottom. The magic crystal translates anything contacting it (air, dust, hair, etc.) to the etheric plane. They are however, magic intensive, and only of use where unicorns of at least moderate strength can keep them charged. The spell crystals are somewhat subject to surging, depending on their magic charge and how quickly the dust impinges upon them, so the tank also serves a secondary purpose by evening out and moderating the strength of the suction.

(2) 'Sheddar': A very, very weak pun. ('Shetland' plus 'Cheddar' → Sheddar).

(3) 'hard-hooved': A pony phrase equivalent to the human term 'heavy handed'.

(4) 'Mike's telescope': For those interested in such things, I did a bit of research and chose this ( Celestron Nexstar 5SE ) as the telescope model that Mike had. My choice of scope was mostly driven by Mike's character and his financial standing; technically minded but not rich enough to go wild. Mike's choice does not reflect any desire on my part to promote this equipment above other manufacturer’s equipment..

(5) 'Sunset and Moonrise': Twilight is acclimated to her universe, where the moon always rises just as the sun sets, and the sun rises just as the moon sets.
Interestingly, Twilight had another question to confound Mike with. “Why then didn't this 'quarter moon' rise six hours after sunset,” which in southern Ontario, in late December is around four-thirty.

I left it out because trying to explain details about the Earth's tilt, and variable day-lengths would have just dragged the story down. It's a little too complicated to explain with words alone and it really has nothing to do with the moon.

Well, we now have a new 'writer's block champion'. I won't bore you with the reasons why.

You may have found this chapter was very much a 'Slice of Life' chapter. I felt it was necessary to approach it this way for a number of reasons.

First, I had sort of painted myself into a corner by announcing the 'Apollo 13' movie in the last chapter. This is a story about Twilight. It's not the 'movie review' story. It took a bit of thought and effort to extricate us from that trap. Plus 'Apollo 13', as a movie, was very complicated and a bit too much to handle.

But eventually I arrived at this chapter. I hope you liked learning a bit more about Mike and seeing him and Twilight getting comfortable with each other.

Another round of “Thank-You's” to those readers who gave me a poke, asking when the next chapter would come out.

23. Waking Dreams

Celestia's sun peeked over the distant mountains, soon to brightly shine its light over the sleeping town of Ponyville. As the sun rose higher above the mountains, it found the crown of a singularly large oak tree that happened to be located on the western edge of that town. Even before the sun's rays brushed that tree, a small flight of blue finches resting within its branches were stirring about, breaking the dawn's silence with vociferous chirps and tweets as they greeted each other and flirted about. Among blue finches, flirting was always the first order of the day.

Also situated within the upper branches of that same tree was a window. As the sun rose, its rays bore down, demanding entry into the window, to which the window happily acceded. Within the hollow bole of the tree, the streaming light illuminated a large alcove which happened to serve as a bedroom. To one side was located a very sturdy, low-slung bed. Near the other end of the room was situated a large basket that also happened to serve as a bed. Unlike the first bed, which clearly had not been slept in, the basket was occupied.

Saucy bird calls outside the window went unnoticed, drowned out as they were by the sound of loud snores emanating from the basket's occupant. Nor did the sun have any effect upon said basket's occupant. Even as the first beams of golden sunshine crept up to the basket, the occupant’s response was to simply roll over and curl up beneath his blanket. If anything, the sun's warming rays merely served to make the slumbering dragon more comfortable.

Within his castle of dreams, immune to the bothersome sights and sounds of the new dawn, Spike was dreaming; sharing endless tubs of Sapphire Swirl and Ruby Pistachio ice cream with none other than Rarity.

“Oh my dear Spikey-Wikey.” Dream Rarity spoke. “I cannot tell you how glad I am that you invited me over for this ice cream tasting. To show you my appreciation I've brought you this little gift.” Dream Rarity brought forth a full container of the rarest and possibly most exquisite of ice creams. “May I present you with a gallon of Diamond Jubilee Ice Cream, straight from Princess Celestia's special reserve.”

Striding forward on his long masculine legs, Sir Spike the Knight took the precious tub of ice cream from where it hung, levitated in Rarity's magic. He leaned forward to thank her with a courtly kiss. As Sir Spike’s jewel-crusted, ice-cream-smeared lips approached Rarity’s, he closed his eyes, anticipating the sensation of her soft lips upon his own.

“Rarity?” Spike called out questioningly, puzzled as to why they had not kissed yet. Opening his eyes, he could not see the white mare anywhere. “Where are you?” He called out anxiously, for everything had disappeared, Rarity, the ice cream, everything. Instead he found himself surrounded by a white infinity.

“My apologies, Spike, for so rudely interrupting your dreams.” Spike whirled around to his left to see a dark blue mare appearing out of the mists.

“Princess Luna!” He exclaimed. “Am I glad you’re here. You gotta help me find Rarity!” The diminutive drake, now showing his normal stature, demanded anxiously. “She was just here and now she’s gone. It’s not like her to run off like that. What if she’s in trouble?”

“I am sorry Spike. That was just a dream. Rarity was never actually here.”

“I don’t get it. Why are you saying Rarity was just a drea─m?” Spike’s verbal torrent stuttered to a stop as he realized what was happening. Oh no. Now she knows how I feel about Rarity. Anxiety filled his thoughts.

“Uh, I guess you saw that, didn’t you.” Spike’s cheeks were flushed with scarlet. "Could you, ah, please not tell anypony what you saw? About my dreams, I mean. About Rarity. Please?” He asked, begging piteously.

Luna smiled. “Never fear, Spike. Your dreams are yours to dream and I shall never reveal them. That is our Royal Promise.”

Upon hearing that, Spike smiled with shamefaced relief, raising his left claw to rub at the frill of spikes behind his head; embarrassed yet feeling a surge of relief.

“Uh, Princess Luna?” Now that his secret was safe, Spike could not help but give voice to his curiosity. “Why are you here in my dream? I know you sometimes help out ponies with their nightmares but ─ I don't think I was having a nightmare.”

Luna tittered. “Indeed you were not - Sir Spike.” Spike flushed with renewed embarrassment at Luna’s jibe, yet felt pleasure upon hearing the honorific. Luna continued. “Your dream was one of innocent desire and self-fulfillment. Would that all were able to dream as contentedly as you.

“No. I have come to ask you for your morning report. I thought that I could bring some cheer to my Sister if I received your report while you still slept. I could then bring it to her as we meet together for our common meal this morning. I know that otherwise she would fret as she awaited your awakening.

“We realize that you are a young dragon, still tender of years and needing your rest -

“Tell that to Twilight.” Spike muttered under his breath.

“- so I have devised this scheme to obtain your reports in a timely manner without any undue imposition upon yourself.” Luna finished her explanation, looking expectantly at Spike.

Spike stood there, feeling a glow of satisfaction as he absorbed the implications of the fact the Princess had come to him.

Luna blinked impatiently. “Well, Spike? Do you have anything to report since my Sister's visit to the Library yesterday?”

“Huh? Oh yeah. I guess something did happen last night.”

“Oh happy news indeed.” Luna thrilled, breaking out a warm smile. “We should be most interested to hear about it.”

“Well,” Spike eagerly began to relate recent events. “I was asleep in my own basket, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie started yelling and talking loud enough to wake me up...”

As Spike began his story, Luna’s horn glowed softly. Almost immediately the mists about them began change, becoming darker, almost a pitch black while dim walls appeared about them. The scene thus formed was that of the sleeping alcove which Twilight and Spike both shared together.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Since they were already in the realm of dreams, Luna did not require any special magic for Spike's memories began to play out around them. The spell she had cast was merely an aid to assist Spike's recall, ensuring that his memories would play out in an orderly fashion instead of jumping about according to his own interests. The young are always flighty. Luna excused her interference. If I left it solely up to him he might only remember those things which he personally found interesting, ignoring some detail which might prove crucial.

Luna watched with interest, the story unfolding around her. She saw for the first time, how the shards of paper scattered about Twilight's study glowed brightly. It confirmed the reports she had received third-hoof from her Sister, but they seemed to be significantly brighter than those reports had stated.

Her first sight of the 'worm' as it elongated its way out of one of the glowing paper scraps caused her eyes to widen in astonishment. Rainbow's subsequent attack upon it, was somewhat surprising, though in retrospect, not entirely unexpected considering how Spike’s claws digging into her flank had incited the Pegasus’s natural combativeness.

She had to suppress a giggle when Spike managed to temporarily blind himself. For several moments all that could be seen in the dream realm was a pulsating afterglow cycling through a variety of interesting colors. Reduced to listening in on the ensuing conversation, she was again impressed by Pinkie's observational skills. Such markings truly doth describe a tape measure. Luna reflected. A conclusion further reinforced by Rainbow's added observations.

By this time, the afterimages had begun to fade from Spike's vision, allowing him to pick up the tape and take a bite out of it. Luna frowned at the young Drake’s heedless destruction of the mysterious artifact but found his report on the presence of an unknown metal intriguing.

Again Luna was witness to Pinkie's deductive reasoning skills, or a lack thereof, as the pink mare leaped to the conclusion that there was somepony on the other side of the glowing paper-scrap holes. She rolled her eyes as Pinkie initiated a dialog using tiny cupcakes, only to widen her eyes in astonishment as the skewers holding the tiny cakes suddenly vanished down the holes. Pinkie and Rainbow immediately fell to bickering in a pointless argument over what had just happened with the cupcakes.

Through it all, Spike kept up a running commentary, mostly emphasizing his own worthy contributions and downplaying his embarrassing moments. Spike’s next comment, however, drew her attention. “Yeah, all that stuff that was really exciting, but what happened next is the best part.” Luna could see a happy smile appearing on Spike’s face.

Indeed? Luna thought. Then we shall behold this ‘best part’. Luna attempted to ready herself for the next development.

One of the bright holes dimmed momentarily and a small cylinder, slid up out of the floor. After reaching its maximum extension, it stopped and uncurled slightly expanding outward at the top. It looked nothing so much as a leaf of parchment paper rolled up into a scroll.

“It’s a letter.” Pinkie declared, grabbing it out of the hole in one swift motion. Her eyes briefly scanned its contents. “And it’s addressed to me!” She shouted happily, throwing the letter upwards into the air while standing on her hind-legs, raising her fore-hooves up in a jubilant pose.

Spike grabbed the letter as it fluttered away from Pinkie only to come drifting down in front of him. The briefest of glances was all it took for him to recognize the horn-writing. “It’s from Twilight.” He shouted excitedly.

Luna moved up, her head craned forward to catch a glimpse of the letter, her ears perked forward, as she lost herself to the excitement of the moment.

“Hey!” Pinkie called out, making a determined grab for the letter. Spike showed surprising agility as he ducked away from her grab. “That’s my letter.” Pinkie pouted. “You know it’s not nice to read other pony’s mail.”

“And I’m Twilight’s assistant, so I should be the one to read her letter.”

Spike was about to reply when a blue blur swept past him, taking the letter with it. “Hah! Ya snooze, ya lose.” Rainbow Dash chanted from mid-air before gasping in pain and abruptly lowering herself to the floor.

“What happened to Rainbow Dash.” Luna asked, feeling some concern for the blue mare. A minor tweak from her dream magic causing the scene to pause.

“Oh, she just exhausted all of her magic by flying around one night. No big deal.” Spike replied disparagingly.

Another tweak of Luna’s magic allowed Rainbow to continue. “If this letter is from Twilight, then I think we all need to know what’s in it, and fast, so why don’t I read it out loud for all of us to hear.”

“Hmm.” Pinkie mused. “You might have a point. Okay.” She chirped. “You can read my letter.”

“Alright.” Spike agreed with a grumble, taking a dispirited kick at the floor.

Rainbow cleared her throat, preparatory to reading the letter.

Dear Pinkie.

I know it was you who sent us the cupcakes. Thank you, they were delicious.

“Well of course they’re delicious. Why wouldn’t they be?” Pinkie replied conversationally, as though Twilight were there.

I wish I could hug you to say thank you for being there right now.

“Thanks. I love hugs.” Pinkie stated cheerily.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel but sad too, knowing that you are so close; Just a few hooves away on the other side of these mysterious holes.

“Aww.” Pinkie replied, blushing.

And mere words cannot express how happy and relieved I feel, to be able to send you this note letting you know that I'm okay.

Please let everypony know that I'm fine, and that I'm working on finding a way to get home.

If you see Spike, give him a special hug from me. Tell him that I'm so sorry for messing up his birthday like this.

Upon hearing Twilight’s request, Pinkie immediately grabbed Spike before he had a chance to make a run for it. Her forelegs wrapping around him like twin Anaconda’s. “Here you go Spike. One Ultra-Super-Special hug from Twilight. She’s reeeee-ally sorry.” As she said this, tears glistened in her eyes on Twilight’s behalf.

“Urgk!” Spike was speechless, especially when being subjected to Pinkie's constrictor like embrace.

“Hey you two. Hello.” Rainbow broke in. “Knock it off. I’ve got a letter to read.”

“Go ahead, Dashie. We’re listening.” Pinkie announced, while still hugging the stuffing out of Spike. Luna could see the dream imagery growing hazy as Spike began losing consciousness.

“Not until you put Spike down.” Rainbow declared. “If I’m going to read out loud for everypony then I expect everypony to be listening.”

Suddenly the dream imagery firmed up again as Pinkie released Spike. The poor drake lay there on the floor, where he had collapsed, muttering between his heaving gasps for air. “I’ll.” Gasp. “Get you.” Gasp. “For this,” Gasp. “Twilight.” Luna did observe however, that Spike’s muzzle bore a happy little smile.

Seeing that her audience was back, Rainbow continued reading the letter.

The exchange of letters which followed contained little of substance except for the time of Twilight’s next visit to the site where she had found the portals. That and her intent to attempt further correspondence via dragon fire.

This be most glorious news. Luna remarked to herself as she thanked Spike and exited his dream. Sister will be well pleased to hear it.

As a parting gift, Luna cast another spell to help Spike remember the dream she had interrupted. The dream realm took care of the rest. She couldn’t help but giggle as the last sight she saw was of Sir Spike’s gritty, ice-cream besmeared face puckering up for a kiss with Rarity.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Princess Celestia and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza were waiting patiently for Luna’s arrival. Or rather Celestia was. Cadence was becoming impatient. Though not annoyed, Celestia was curious as to Luna’s tardiness; rarely was her sister late for their shared breakfast. They had been waiting for Luna for over ten minutes.

“Aunt Celestia, it feels like we’ve been waiting for half an hour.” Cadence was exaggerating to make her point. “Shouldn’t we send someone to check on Auntie Luna?”

“Have patience my dear.” Celestia replied. “My sister is rarely late for our morning meal so I’m sure she had a good reason ─” she broke off as Luna sauntered into the Royal dining salon.

“Good morning Luna.” She called out. Somethings up. She thought to herself, noticing a pleased look on her sister’s face. There might even have been a twinkle in her eyes.

“It is indeed a good morning, Sister.” Luna returned. “And Cadence! You’re here too? When did you arrive? Are you not supposed to be looking after things in the Crystal Empire?”

“Hello Aunt Luna, it’s nice to see you too.” The Alicorn of Love shot her a cheery smile, causing Luna to show a bit of chagrin for her blunt greeting.

Cadence continued. “But in answer to your question, both Shining and I weren’t doing the Empire much good after learning of Twilight’s disappearance. Our spirits felt so crushed. When Auntie Celestia sent me that letter yesterday, informing us that Twilight was lost in another world but had managed to make contact; both Shining and I decided right then that we just had to come and offer whatever assistance we could in getting her home.

“It took us a while to make all the arrangements to cover for a brief absence but we managed it somehow. Shining was even able to commandeer the Crystal Express, so we could travel by fast train directly to Canterlot.

Our train just arrived a half hour ago, right after Celestia raised the sun. I left Shining at the station and came directly to the castle where I met Aunt Celestia. She’s been bringing me up to date with everything we know about the current situation.”

“I am truly sorry to say, Cadence, that we have not learned much else since I wrote you that letter.” Princess Celestia offered sadly.

“Fret not dear Sister, nor you, Cadence.” Luna declared. “For I have just recently met with Spike in his dreams, where he related to myself marvelous developments which have occurred this very night.”

Celestia’s eyes widened with interest. “I presume you have good news about Twilight?” She asked, almost eagerly.

“Indeed I do.” Luna replied with a smile, before launching into a summary of Spike’s report. “It seems as if those glowing scraps of paper are much more than they appear. For they are nothing less than portals and their mysterious glow betokens nothing more ominous than daylight ...”

Three Princesses sat in silence around the table, their food had barely been touched as Luna presented Spike’s ‘report’. Celestia could feel the excitement in her body as she contemplated all that had been revealed. Now that we know there is a direct pathway to Twilight, she thought, it should be a simple matter to bring her home. She fought the urge to teleport herself directly over to Ponyville.

Patience, Celestia. She reminded herself. I should follow the same advice I just gave to Cadence. Besides− She frowned momentarily, remembering her schedule for the day. I have a few important meetings that just can’t wait.

“Thank you Luna.” Celestia complimented her sister. “It is well that you contacted Spike in the manner you did. Your report was very helpful.”

“Was there anything else? Something to indicate how Twilight herself is doing?” Cadence inquired.

Luna, who had levitated a spoonful of her own oatmeal porridge to her mouth, paused as she considered the question.

“Perhaps there was.” She replied after swallowing her spoonful of porridge. “I was able to read Twilight’s letter to Pinkie. I believe she is somewhat saddened by her separation from her friends.

“They remain on the other side of the portals which she has discovered, yet she cannot see them or talk directly to them. It is a situation with which I am somewhat familiar.” Luna’s expression darkened.

Perhaps she’s reminded of her own experiences, trapped within the nightmare and banished to the moon. Celestia thought with some concern for her sister.

Luna’s mood brightened again, becoming more confident as she continued speaking. “Yet for all of these present hardships she faces, I am confident she remains strong. She spoke well of the one who is assisting her, so surely she is not feeling totally alone.”

“You may be right about that Luna.” Celestia responded, supporting her sister. “No one was more surprised than I when I received Twilight’s friendship report yesterday. She is now a Princess and no longer answerable to me as a student.

“But she did send me that report and something in the wording of it made me think she wrote it more as a means of consoling herself than as any actual attempt to communicate.”

Celestia turned suddenly, quirking an innocent smile towards Cadence. “Her report did however mention her new friend. ‘Mike’ I think his name was.”

Cadence’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest as she 'took the posy'. “Might I trouble you for that report, Aunt Celestia?” She asked sweetly.

Celestia snickered internally, knowing what interests captivated her niece, the ‘Princess of Love’. Gotcha. She thought amusedly. Luna too, she saw, was hiding a smile from her niece.

“Indeed you may.” Celestia replied as a sudden flash of light heralded the appearance of the report in question.

As Cadence fell upon Twilight’s latest friendship report, devouring it with her eyes, Luna turned towards Celestia. “Sister, I believe I shall make a journey to Ponyville. I wish to examine these tiny portals for myself.”

“I intend to do the same,” Celestia announced, “and for much the same reason. However I cannot leave yet. I have a meeting this morning with an emissary from Yak-Yakistan, and you know how difficult they can be.”

Luna simply rolled her eyes, indicating she was fully aware of how intransigent the Yak’s could be. That they had even sent an ‘unofficial’ emissary signaled a thawing in relations and Celestia had no intention of losing such an opportunity.

“If I delay or cancel this meeting,” Celestia continued, “our attempts to establish diplomatic relations could be set back again by another four hundred moons.” Celestia shut her eyes momentarily, wincing at the memory of her last ‘official’ contact with Yak-Yakistan officials.

“But, following that meeting, however it turns out, I will proceed to Ponyville. I expect to arrive sometime after the noon hour.”

“Could you take me with you when you go, Aunt Celestia?” Cadence inquired, having finished reading Twilight’s letter.

“Of course, and Shining Armour may come as well. By the way where is he? You did say the two of you came on the same train.”

“Shining went directly to his parents’ house. He’s worried over how they might be taking the news of Twilight’s disappearance. At the very least he and his family will wish to comfort and console one another. He hopes to encourage them to remain patient and calm even as we continue keeping the news of Twilight’s disappearance a secret.

“He’s terribly grateful, by the way, that you kept them notified about Twilight.”

“Twilight’s disappearance might be a state secret for the moment,” Celestia replied, “since losing our newest Princess, or any Princess for that matter, would be quite upsetting to many ponies. But I would never allow such concerns to interfere with legitimate familial bonds. They have a right to know their daughter is in trouble.

“Wouldn’t you agree, Luna?” Celestia turned towards where her sister should have been, but Luna was not there.

I see she’s already left for Ponyville. She observed silently. Suppressing a sigh, she silently wished that she could get away from her duties as easily as Luna.

“She could at least have finished her porridge.” Cadence remarked, eyeing Luna’s half eaten bowl of rolled oats.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Pinkie raised herself up on her hind legs, looming over Spike’s basket. Wearing her trademark smile, her front hooves were spread wide apart, holding a pair of cymbals.

Waking up to a new day is great fun. She thought excitedly. Spike will be so happy to wake up – I can’t wait to see the expression on his face. There are so many things to do today.

Just as she was about to crash the cymbals together, a heavy pounding sounded downstairs on the Library’s front door.

Spike’s snoring terminated. “Huh? Wazza?” He mumbled blearily.

“I’ll get it!” Rainbow’s voice shouted from the library down below, further awakening Spike.

“Oh poof.” Pinkie blew out a puff, momentarily lifting the curly forelock of her mane; disappointed at not having awoken Spike. Quickly she lowered her cymbals, stowing them away in her mane before Spike became aware of what she had been about. It had been intended as a surprise after all.

“Pinkie? Did you just say a naughty word?” Spike queried; now awake. His young ears aquiver with the possibility of learning some socially malappropriate words. Suddenly, his expression grew annoyed. “And why are you standing over me? Did you wake me up?”

“Nope!” Pinkie denied using any naughty word. Naughty words weren’t fun at all because they made other ponies upset. “No reason.” She denied any attempt to surprise the dragon. Ruining a surprise was definitely not fun. The surprise, because it was still a surprise, could wait for later. And finally, “I didn’t wake you up.” She confessed her innocence, adding. “Princess Luna woke you up.”

“Princess Luna? But I just talked with her in my dreams; she said she didn’t want to wake─”

“It’s Princess Luna!” Rainbow Dash called out from down below, much louder than was necessary within the open-concept library tree. Spike gave Pinkie the ‘how did you know’ look she was so familiar with. Pinkie didn’t know how she knew. She just did.

“She wants to check out Twilight’s study.” Rainbow Dash bellowed out again before a clatter of hooves sounded from below. It was the sound of two ponies ascending the short flight of stairs towards Twilight’s study.

Spike leapt out of his basket, wide awake now.

“Hey! Wait for me.” Pinkie called out as she followed after the tiny dragon.

“What’s the hurry?” Pinkie demanded as she caught up to Spike. His little legs slowed him down considerably as he negotiated the stairs leading down to the study.

“Twilight would be disappointed in me if I left a Princess unattended.” Spike huffed out a reply, just as they reached the landing.

“Princess Luna.” Spike called out as he came into the study. “Can I get you anything? Whatever you want I can get it for you.”

“Hi Princess Luna.” Pinkie chirped a greeting the Princess as well.

“Greetings to you Spike. And to you too, Pinkie.” Luna answered, looking up from her scrutiny of one of the blackened scraps of paper. “I thank you Spike, however I need nothing at the moment. I have come to personally examine these holes which you reported earlier.”

“Yeah, I was just showing them to the Princess.” Rainbow spoke, letting Pinkie and Spike know what was happening.

Pinkie nodded her head vigorously, eager to contribute to the conversation. “You should have been here last night Princess. The holes were really bright and a tapeworm that wasn’t a worm came through and Rainbow went ‘Grrr’ and broke wormy and then─” Pinkie suddenly found her voice was gone. She was still talking only there was no sound.

What’s wrong with my mouth? Pinkie briefly wondered. It stops working at the oddest times. Sometimes somepony accidentally slips and gets their hoof stuck in it. And sometimes it stops working and not a sound comes out of it - like now. How am I going to yell surprise if I can’t make a sound? And what’s with the hooves? Everypony knows that cupcakes taste better. So why is my mouth attracting hooves instead of cupcakes? Mmm – cupcakes with frosting. Creamy, Creamy frosting. At this point Pinkie’s mind began to dissolve in sugary bliss.

Luna’s next words brought Pinkie back from the edge. “There is no need to explain any more, Miss Pinkie; and you too Rainbow Dash. I have visited Spike in his dreams earlier this morning. And he has already shown me the events which occurred last night.”

“That’s great!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Hey! My voice is working again. Do you ever find that your voice stops working suddenly Princess Luna?”

“No.” Luna answered. “I can’t say that it ever has. If you remember, my problem was with speaking too loudly. You however, do seem to have a problem with losing your voice.” Pinkie nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

“Well, I am confident that if you rest your voice for a bit, it will come back again.” Upon hearing that encouraging news, Pinkie smiled happily and nodded head again in thanks.

Princess Luna had been examining several of the burnt paper scraps intently. Turning her head around and about, she examined them from several angles. Occasionally her horn gave off its characteristic glow showing that she was trying out various spells. All that magic stuff was really mysterious to Pinkie.

“Princess?” Spike interrupted her examination. “The paper scraps are dark now.” He continued after gaining her attention. “What if they’re broken? We might never hear from Twilight again.”

Pinkie could tell that Spike was working himself up with worry. But for the need to guard her voice she would have assured him that she felt confident the holes were fine. Instead, she walked over and gave him a nuzzle, accompanying it with a smile.

“Do not worry Spike. The portals are dark now because it is nighttime on the other side.” Princess Luna replied.

“Nighttime?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “How can it be night, when the Sun’s up high?”

“What lies on the other side of these holes, Rainbow, is a whole other world. Its sun is not the same one that my Sister moves. Do you not remember what Twilight wrote in her letter? When you asked her why she was contacting you in the middle of the night, she said that it was but an hour after the noon hour for her.

“The bright glow you saw coming from the portals last night was merely the glow of daylight. But now they are dark because it night where she is.”

“That is so weird.” Rainbow muttered in apparent confusion.

“Wait.” Spike broke in. “That can’t be right, we saw the holes randomly start to glow and then after a while they went dark again. That doesn't sound like any kind of daylight I know of.” Both Pinkie and Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, Spike’s got a point.” Rainbow Dash added. “That sure doesn’t sound like daylight to me.”

Luna paused to consider the new information. “It is possible,” she spoke slowly, “that the portals are not wholly stable at the other end. They might be opening and closing in a regular cycle.”

Luna’s voice grew firmer. “In fact, that is very likely what is happening. From what little we know about other portals, they are never stable. For example the mirror that Twilight went through to recover her crown only opens for three nights and two days once every thirty moons. And the portals to the Breezies cavern only open for a single day once every twelve moons.”

As she was speaking, Luna used her magic to create a long stick. It reminded Pinkie very much of her Cupcake skewers.

“What’s that for Princess?” Pinkie asked. “It looks like one of my Cupcake skewers, only a wee bit longer. Do you want some Cupcakes to put on the end? I bet you could put three or four of them on the end of that skewer.”

Luna blinked. “That will not be necessary, Pinkie. I simply intend to test these portals, to see which of them are open. This rod is all I need.” She then levitated the skewer over to one of the darkened portals and plunged the stick down.

‘Bang!’

Everypony jumped as the stick vanished in an intense flash of sound and light. Luna, who had been closest to the stick, stumbled back, momentarily blinded by the flash. “What happened?” Rainbow demanded. Pinkie thought her voice sounded funny, as if there was a wall between them.

“Something hath disrupted the magic of the stick we had created.” Luna replied, reverting to her older speech patterns. “Nay, it is much worse. We could feel the magic within the stick being absorbed into the portal. As the spell unraveled, the magic within the stick came unbound with the result you saw.”

“She should have used a Cupcake” Pinkie held a hoof to her mouth as she gave a whispered aside to Spike and Rainbow Dash. Luna simply stared at Pinkie, her right ear flicking back.

“Perhaps you are right, Pinkie. But rather than the Cupcake, I would rather have one of your wooden skewers.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want a Cupcake instead, Luna? These Cupcakes are really gooo-d.” Pinkie reached back into her mane with a forehoof and withdrew a skewer, complete with attached Cupcake. Luna blinked.

Maybe she has an eyelash stuck in her eye? Pinkie thought. I bet she’ll feel better if she eats a cupcake. “Here try this. It’s really tiny but so-o-o good.”

“Thank you but no.” Came Luna’s response. “Why don’t you have the Cupcake for me? I will be satisfied if you just give me the skewer.”

“Okie-Dokey” Pinkie replied, popping the tiny Cupcake into her mouth and holding up the stick for Luna. Luna took the stick in her magic and plunged it into the same hole she had used earlier. Rainbow Dash and Spike both flinched back, closing their eyes tightly.

Luna held the stick in the portal for several moments. Both Rainbow and Spike breathed sighs of relief as she withdrew it without incident.

“Aww, I was hoping for another one of those Bang-Flash’s. That was exciting.” Pinkie commented as she pulled out a second Cupcake-stick from her mane. It vanished in a single gulp.

The princess ignored Pinkie. Instead she used her magic upon the stick, causing it to glow brightly. She then re-inserted it back into the hole. Pinkie and the others watched intently as the glow faded, quickly at first, then more slowly as time progressed. After half a minute, the stick’s glow had faded to imperceptibility.

“Was it supposed to get dim like that?” Spike asked.

Luna sighed. “It is as I feared. The portal absorbs magic. The higher the concentration of magic, the faster it is absorbed. My first stick was a magic construct. Being essentially made out of highly concentrated pure magic, it broke down immediately.”

“And the second stick?” Spike asked.

“Being made of wood, and having no magic, it was unaffected by the portal. I then imbued it with a low concentration of magic using a simple Glow Spell.”

“As you saw, the magic drained away most quickly at the beginning; commensurate with the concentration of magic.”

“Comm− Comma−” Spike struggled with the unfamiliar word Luna had used.

“ ‘Commensurate: Corresponding in size or degree.’ I guess that means that the magic drains quickly when it’s strongest but the weaker the magic gets the slower it drains.” Pinkie said, looking up from a dictionary. She had Rarity’s close-work glasses perched on her muzzle. “Wow, we sure are using a lot of big words lately.”

“Hey, those glasses─” Spike began.

“What about them?” Pinkie asked, slipping the glasses back into her mane.

“Uh, never mind.” Spike grumbled.

“Forget the glasses.” Rainbow declared. “What does all this have to do with getting Twilight back?”

Luna answered. “What it means, Rainbow Dash, is that we cannot use powerful magic to get Twilight back. The more powerful the magic, the faster it will be absorbed by the portal.

“I do confess that I was hoping to find an open portal through which I could pass through as an astral mist.”

“Oh. Oh.” Pinkie was waving her hoof around like one of Cheerilee’s school-fillies, trying to get the teacher’s attention. “You mean like the mist Nightmare Moon used when she was flying around everywhere?”

“Yes, Pinkie. Exactly like that.” Luna’s expression grew flat at having been reminded of the Nightmare. “My thought was to go through the portal, find Twilight on the other side and bring her back home the same way.

“Unfortunately, with the way the portal absorbs magic; such an action would surely result in an injury most grievous.”

“So what are you saying?” Rainbow cried. “That Twilight can’t get home again?” Rainbow’s face was torn with anguish. The moment she said it Pinkie felt like sobbing and Spike’s lower lip seemed to quiver.

Luna dropped her head, her ears drooping. “Certainly not the easy way I was hoping to do it, no.” She replied sadly. “I am sorry.”

Luna’s ears perked up again, as though she were remembering something. “But we are Luna,” she declared proudly, “and we shall not concede defeat so easily. There may yet be ways to overcome this difficulty.”

“Like what?” Pinkie asked, feeling cheerful again.

“The answer has not yet revealed itself Pinkie. But for now, if I can find an open portal I may be able to find out more of what I can and cannot do.”

With that, Princess Luna began probing the other portals with her cupcake-stick.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Celestia closed her luminous eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Manipulating the slipstream of air flowing past her royal chariot, she brought a stiff breeze over her head and withers, allowing her mane to stream majestically behind her. She didn’t often allow herself such personal luxuries but it felt so good to get out of that stuffy conference chamber with the Yak-Yakistan emissary and let her mane out.

“Are you all right Celestia?” Cadence asked from the opposite bench where she sat with her husband Shining Armour. Her brows were delicately furrowed with concern.

“I’m fine.” Celestia replied, opening her eyes again. “Just relaxing a little after that session with the Yak-Yakistan emissary.”

“Excuse me Princess, but did the negotiations go well?” Shining Armour inquired.

“Shining! Don’t bother Aunt Celestia about affairs of state.” Cadence chastised her husband. “She was kind enough to let us ride with her in her chariot. Twilight’s situation is much more important right now. Don’t you agree?”

“Of course dear. You’re right.” The prince replied, deflating slightly.

He’s probably thinking about the safety of the Crystal Empire in order to distract himself from worrying about Twilight. Celestia mused.

“It went about the same as it always does.” She replied with a gentle smile. “Which is to say; it was an exercise in frustration. Our relations with Yak-Yakistan have not improved but neither have they worsened. The most positive thing I can take away from today’s meeting is that the opportunity remains for future talks.”

As Shining Armour fell silent again, Celestia probed her own feelings. Despite the dreary morning and in contrast to the previous day, she felt cautiously optimistic. Optimistic that Twilight’s return could be accomplished, despite Luna’s disturbing report on the effect the portals had on magic. Her optimism stemmed from her own outlook on life. For every problem she had encountered, every piece of information gleaned about it was another step towards its eventual resolution. Patience and yet more patience. It always comes down to patience. She thought as she reflected once again on the secret to her long and successful reign.

As the Pegasi of the Royal Guard brought her Chariot to a stop in front of the Golden Oaks library, Celestia was not at all surprised to see the Elements and several towns ponies assembled there to greet her. She had after all announced her coming by way of a letter sent to Spike. But she was a bit surprised, however, to see Mayor Mare standing amidst Twilight’s friends.

No doubt the Mayor is concerned about my frequent visits. This is my third visit in as many days.

“Welcome to Ponyville, Princess Celestia.” Mayor Mare stepped forward with an effusive greeting, bowing low. Despite the honorifics, the Mayor appeared nervous at Celestia’s unscheduled arrival.

Inwardly, Celestia sighed. Her ponies loved her, yes. But they constantly put her on such a high pedestal that they became positively nervous when she arrived anywhere outside of a scheduled function or celebration. They always assume that I’ve come because of some emergency. Celestia gave a mental snort at her own thoughts. Maybe they’re right. I’m here now because Twilight’s disappearance is an emergency.

“It is a pleasure to see you Mayor Mare.” Celestia returned the mayor’s greeting with a pleasant smile as she took control of the conversation. “First, let me assure you, that my visit does not directly concern Ponyville, nor yourself for that matter. Might we go somewhere private to discuss this, my Carriage perhaps?” It had the advantage of not displaying her presence all of Ponyville.

“Yes, yes. Of course.” The mayor agreed instantly, relieved that nothing disruptive was occurring.

Celestia turned to Princess Cadence and Shining Armour, “Please wait for me inside the Library. I’ll be with you shortly. I’m sure you have some catching up to do with all of Twilight’s friends.”

“Yes we do.” Cadence affirmed warmly. “Come on Shining, let’s go talk to the girls.”

Celestia led the mayor to her carriage. Once they were seated inside she cast a spell, creating a Bubble of Silence around the entire carriage. Mayor Mare appeared subdued as she waited for Celestia to speak.

“Mayor Mare, what I am about to tell you is a State secret. I have no doubt that you are able to keep a secret, but I must warn you that these are serious matters, not to be taken lightly. Revealing this information to anypony will incur my gravest displeasure.” The mayor began to sweat nervously. Reluctantly she nodded her understanding.

“Three days ago, Princess Twilight was caught up in a foul magic which has whisked her away from Equestria.”

Mayor Mare gasped. “Oh my Celestia – no! Is she all right?” She demanded breathlessly.

Celestia couldn’t help but flick her left ear in annoyance. She hated hearing her own name being used in such an empty utterance. “She is currently safe and unharmed and that is all I am prepared to say about this matter.

“My presence here at the Library is concerned with achieving Twilight’s safe return. To that end, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armour and of course, all of Twilight’s friends are also involved.

“Madam Mayor, can I count on your assistance in keeping this matter out of the public eye?”

The mayor gulped nervously but then straightened up, looking Celestia in the eye. “Your Royal Highness, you can count on me. Though ponies will talk, I will do my best to redirect their curiosity concerning both your presence and Princess Twilight’s absence.” So saying, she bowed down.

Celestia was pleased with the mayor’s response. Releasing the Bubble of Silence, she stepped down from the carriage. “Thank you for your time, Madam Mayor.”

Taking her cue, the mayor came down after the Princess. Expressing her thanks, the mayor departed with as much dignity as she could muster while trotting away in a hasty retreat.

Celestia sighed to herself as she watched the mayor depart. Though Mayor Mare was trustworthy, her very presence here today was a sign that other ponies were becoming curious. Twilight’s disappearance would not remain a secret too much longer.

As Celestia entered the Library she was surprised to discover her sister was there as well.

“Luna.” She exclaimed. “What are you doing here? I thought you had retired for the day.”

“Indeed, so was my intent after I sent you that report on the nature of the portals. But I changed my plans after a chance comment made by young Spike here–” Spike visibly swelled up at the mention of his name, somehow directing his pride towards Rarity. “–helped me think of a means by which I could contact Twilight.”

Celestia turned towards the young drake. “Indeed. And just what is it you said that so inspired my sister, young Spike?”

“Well,” Spike began modestly, “I was telling everypony what happened last night and how Luna visited me in my dreams. When I mentioned how much easier I found it to give a report by dream rather than writing, Princess Luna got excited.”

“And that, Sister is when I realized that I might be able to reach Twilight by my Dream magic.”

Celestia’s eyes widened fractionally as she realized what was being suggested. Her ears fell back as she turned to her sister in alarm. “Luna! No. You can’t be suggesting that you will project your dream magic through one of the portals.”

Luna’s ears dipped back momentarily as she stared defiantly at her sister. “I am.”

“Luna. You cannot do this. If anything were to happen to you–”

Luna’s ears flipped forward again as she began to entreat her sister. “Sister, I know this plan is dangerous but it is necessary. How can I–” Luna paused momentarily, “–We– refuse to risk anything when we know Twilight is alone and cut off from all Ponykind.

“She is lost in a strange and foreign world. I know you Tia. If you had my dream magic, you would not hesitate to do this yourself.”

Celestia felt her heart squeeze as the truth of Luna’s words hit home. She’s right. If I had my sister’s ability I would not hesitate to risk this for Twilight… Or for you, Luna. But there are greater concerns that I must heed.

“You are right Luna; I would do this for Twilight. But I cannot. The good of Equestria must come first. For that reason I must hold myself back from my own desires, and so must you.”

“Hah!” Luna exclaimed bitterly. “Equestria cares naught for I. Half of the Nobleponies would be glad to be rid of me. The other half have dreams of becoming my suitor so that they may lay claim to greater status.”

“That is not true Sister. When will you see that you are loved by many.”

All of the Elements were standing with their mouths gaping open. Their ears alternately pinning back and moving forwards as the sudden argument between the two Royal Sisters flowed back and forth. Princess Cadence and Shining Armour were equally stunned.

“Yes, well, ahem– “Luna coughed, backing off a bit from her rhetoric. “Perhaps I spoke a bit hastily. But I am determined go through with this. Will you not assist me?”

“How could I?” Celestia cried. Her voice fell down to a quiet murmur. “If something were to happen… I could not bear to lose you as well, Luna. I just got you back after waiting for a thousand years.

“If this ill-advised attempt should cost you your life then I would be devastated. My grief would be boundless. The moon would be lost and the sun itself would likely fail.” Celestia could feel the tears streaming down her face.

“Tia.” Luna tried a more conciliatory tone. “I am well aware that there is risk, but after careful consideration I deem it to be acceptable. I know my own magic well enough to be able to say that no permanent harm can befall me. And as for sustaining injury, if you are here to watch over me then the chance of that is greatly diminished.”

Celestia was not unmoved by Luna’s logic. But her sister’s assurances were not enough. The ache in her heart simply told her ‘no’.

“Tia. By far the greatest injury to me would be to my heart if I abandoned Twilight, and never even tried to contact her because I kept myself ‘safe’.” And with that statement, Luna had won. Yet Celestia was still unable to accept it.

“I cannot allow this.” Celestia spoke quietly, her mind made up.

“If not I, then who? Who shall reach out to Twilight?” Luna’s voice was strained with emotion.

Silence stretched between the two sisters; bound as they were by love yet deep in conflict.

“I’ll go.” A soft voice spoke up. “That is if you don’t mind. If it’s even possible.”

Both Celestia’s and Luna’s eyes widened in surprise at Fluttershy’s interruption. Simultaneously they turned to look at her; at the yellow Pegasus now cringing on the floor between Rarity and Princess Cadence. Apparently she had crept forward through the gap between the two.

“Fluttershy! What are you saying?” Rarity cried out; aghast that her friend could be so bold.

“I’ll go.” Fluttershy repeated, more firmly now as she got up on her hooves, glancing furtively at the two princesses from behind her pink locks. “That is, if it’s even possible for Luna to send me in her place. Twilight is my dear friend and I’ll do whatever it takes to help her.”

“It would do no good if I sent you to the dream realm, Fluttershy.” Luna spoke up. “You have no magic. You cannot walk amongst dreams to find Twilight. Even if you were a unicorn, teaching you would take years, perhaps decades.”

Celestia closed her own eyes for a moment. If only there were someone else who could handle the dream magic. I regret that I never had the time to learn it from Luna, but my own talent runs counter to her dream magic. It would have taken me a hundred years or more to learn it.

“That’s a relief.” Applejack spoke up for the benefit of the other Elements. “For a second there I thought we might be a-losin’ Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy seemed to cringe at Luna’s pronouncement, but then she straightened up again. “But you can send me, right?” She demanded, addressing the Princess of the Night. Luna, her face showing surprise, reluctantly nodded a ‘yes’.

“Then I can at least go to the dream realm on the other side. Even if I can’t do anything else, I can see if it’s safe for Luna to go there.”

Celestia was amazed. Once again she felt humbled by the level of courage mustered by the Element of Kindness. It brought back memories of her own, of a time when she had once wielded that Element herself. Perhaps that is the true issue here. She reminded herself. Clearly the spirit of the Elements are in play and it could well be disastrous to hinder them.

Luna looked towards Celestia. “There you have it sister. The way is clear. If Fluttershy can first show us that there is no danger. Then I shall be entering the dream realm on the other side, to contact Twilight.”

“Fluttershy.” Celestia spoke gently to the timid mare. “I would never put one of my little ponies at risk, even for Twilight’s sake. The decision must be yours. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I am.” She stated confidently, her head held high. “Um, if it’s not too much trouble that is.”

“And if she changes her mind. Then I’ll do it.” Rainbow Dash declared proudly. “Way to go, Fluttershy.”

“Me too.” Applejack spoke next.

“Me three-e-e.” Pinkie sang out.

“And I would do anything for Twilight as well.” Rarity chimed in while restraining Spike who obviously wanted to join the chorus.

“As Twilight’s brother, I should be the one doing this. I’d gladly take this risk for Twilight.” Shining Armour spoke up.

“I would go too Auntie Celestia.” Princess Cadence spoke last. “Twilight means that much to me. She is after all my little sister-in-law.”

Luna was the last to speak. She repeated Celestia’s question. “Are you sure about this Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy had shrunk down to the ground again, trying to hide behind her flowing mane as though regretting her offer. She raised her head, peeking out from behind her locks. “Yes. Though I am very scared.”

Luna smiled and sank down beside Fluttershy, giving her a light nuzzle. “Really? I could not tell.” She said with a grin. “Do not be afraid, Fluttershy. With Celestia’s help I am quite confident that We will be able to keep you from harm.”

“Thank you.” Fluttershy squeaked in the tiniest of voices. Her voice firmed up again. “I trust you Luna.”

Everypony was gathered in Twilight’s study and all was in readiness.

Owing to the considerable number of ponies wishing to be present, the darkened paper scraps, or portals as they were now known to be, had been carefully moved into a corner of the room. This was mostly accomplished by Spike, whose sharp claws were able to get underneath the one-sided paper scraps. Impossible to levitate from by their ‘portal’ sides, their opposite surfaces which were merely paper responded readily to his claws.

The ‘white’ paper scraps had also been turned over, exposing more of the dark portals. This nearly doubled the number of portals they had available. Next, Luna had carefully probed several of the portals, locating one that was currently beginning to open. The expectation was that it would stay open for a while.

Fluttershy was shivering nervously where she lay on the floor. Luna had had her lie down opposite herself, the chosen portal carefully placed between them. Celestia stood beside her sister, ready to lend her magic and any other assistance that might be demanded of her.

“I can hardly believe Fluttershy is doing this.” Rainbow Dash spoke in an aside to Applejack.

“I can.” Rarity interjected. “When it comes to her friends, Fluttershy is the bravest pony I know.”

“I’d have to agree with you there, Rares.” Applejack agreed.

“Mmm-hmm.” Pinkie added. “When this is over I’m going to bake Fluttershy a great big thank-you cake.”

“Oh you don’t need to do that for me, Pinkie.” Fluttershy answered Pinkies declaration “I’d rather just have some treats I can give to all my animal friends.”

“I’ll make you a cake and some yummy treats for your animal friends.”

“Are you ready Fluttershy?” Luna asked gently.

“N-No.” Fluttershy whimpered. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.” She drew a deep breath. “But... do it.” Her voice ended in a barely audible whimper.

“Then I shall begin.” Luna stated.

Just as Luna’s horn began glow a swirl of sparkling rose colored smoke darted up through the portal, coalescing into a scroll in front of Celestia. She was so startled that she almost forgot to capture it with her magic.

“It’s from Twilight.” She exclaimed.

Fluttershy unsquinched her eyes, raising her head up with an expression of relief on her face.

Trembling with excitement, Celestia broke open the scroll, reading the contents in just a matter of seconds. She called me her friend. Came Celestia’s astonished thought as she lowered the letter. Oh how I have longed to hear those words. She closed her eyes, momentarily overwhelmed with emotion.

Shining Armour cleared his throat. “Princess, if you permit, may I read my sister’s letter?” Celestia could see that there were tears in his eyes.

Quickly making a decision, Celestia levitated the scroll to Shining Armour. I think Twilight is being too protective of Spike. He should be able to handle this. Besides, if I tried to exclude him from this group, his heart would break and he would still find a way to learn of its contents.

As soon as Shining Armour took the scroll, Celestia called up her quill and a fresh scroll. Hastily she penned the briefest reply possible.

Twilight.
I have received your letter.
Celestia.

With a brief flash, it was converted into smoke. Unfortunately, the Dragon-Letter smoke refused to go anywhere. This is very frustrating. Celestia thought to herself. Why, when I can receive Twilight’s letters, can I not send one to her? Spike was able to send her a letter earlier.

Oblivious to the smoking disappointment of Celestia’s reply letter, Shining Armour positioned Twilight’s letter in front of himself and Cadence. His wife leaned up against his side, sliding her head in beside his, in order to read the letter alongside him.

Clearing his throat, Shining Armour began reading Twilight’s missive to the rest of the ponies.

Dear Princess Celestia.

You might think that I would be distraught to find myself lost in this strange universe. And you would be right. I have suffered several bouts of depression and despair.

Tears began to roll down Shining Armour’s cheeks. But he continued reading, his voice firm.

Fortunately Mike has been right here beside me, always finding ways to lift my spirits and restore my optimism. He's been a wonderful friend. And through Mike's help, I learned an important lesson today.

Shining Armour sniffed and wiped at his tears. Princess Cadence began to smile. Taking a quick look at the Elements, Celestia could see that Rarity too had a sparkle in her eye.

Tonight, Mike showed me a movie. It was a film dramatization of a certain historical event. In this story, the humans built a spaceship, a ship for traveling in airless space, and undertook a journey to their moon.

Luna gasped. Clearly she was astonished by such a feat and by the temerity they displayed. Applejack’s and Rainbow Dash’s mouths dropped open with astonishment.

It wasn't the first such journey these humans had undertaken; others had already made the journey and walked on the moon twice before them. What made this journey notable however was that it nearly ended in disaster. A few days into their journey, a part of their spaceship exploded, causing them to lose all of their oxygen.

Upon hearing this, Fluttershy gasped. Worried for the safety of beings she had never known. Rainbow Dash too, looked worried.

The technical details of how they survived are unimportant, but I will say this about those three Astro-noughts; those humans traveling the depths of space. They persevered and they persisted. Crisis upon crisis fell upon them, each one a literal turning point between life and death. Yet they survived, meeting each challenge in turn.

Shining Armour’s voice firmed up. With his guard training, he appreciated what it took to meet and survive life and death challenges. “Yes!” Rainbow quietly voiced while pumping a hoof.

My first lesson was that I too should be persistent. I might feel frustrated as my research hits a dead end, and I might feel homesick to the point of tears as I consider how close I can get to my friends yet how inexorable our separation. Despite those things, I need to keep trying. I must not fall to despair. I must not give up.

“Now yer talkin’. That’s the Twilight ah know.” Applejack shouted her encouragement.

The second lesson I learned was that those poor Astro-noughts had help. They were in constant contact with a team of hundreds of supporters back home. And that support-team worked very hard indeed to support those Astro-noughts by giving the very best, the most sound, advice that it was possible to give. It saved the Astro-noughts' lives.

I too have such help. I have a marvelous group of friends who support me. And not just the Elements and Spike, but you too Celestia, and Luna as well. I count you all as my dear friends, my support team.

She called me her friend. Once again Celestia’s felt astonishment. For the first time in over a year, from the time when her sister had returned, she felt a tear in her eye. She shot a quick glance at Luna who seemed to have something in her eye as well.

Oh, and as for those Astro-noughts? They made it home again, safe and sound. I take that too, as a lesson to myself. I will get home. I will see all of my friends again.

Your faithful student and friend.

Twilight Sparkle.

By this time, Pinkie and Fluttershy were weeping and Rarity was dabbing at her eyes with a frilly hoofkerchief. Rainbow had turned her face away from the rest. Applejack though, did not seem too moved other than there being a subtle tightness about her jaw.

Taking a breath, Shining Armour looked down at the letter, preparing to read the post scripts. He drew in a sudden surprised breath.

“Go on Shining.” Celestia urged him. “Read the next part. It will be okay.”

Cadence rubbed her head against his. “Go on Shiny. It’ll be alright.” Shining Armour’s ears shot back as Rainbow Dash snickered. He was more annoyed at his wife’s public use of his private nick-name than at Rainbow Dash.

Drawing another breath he continued reading.

P.S. I think I will attempt to send this letter to you directly.

I don't want to relay it through Spike because he might, accidentally, read it and I don't want him to know how distraught and upset I have been feeling. That would only add to the burden of separation he is undoubtedly feeling right now.

P.P.S. I do hope that this letter gets through to you. I tried sending a report (on my observations) to you earlier today, but it failed. Strangely, a note which I had sent to Spike just a few moments before that succeeded.

We really need to work on determining the parameters by which a letter can be successfully sent. I need to establish reliable contact with my support team.

Shining Armour signaled that the reading was at an end by lowering the letter. “That’s everything ladies, and Spike of course.”

For a moment, nothing could be heard except a few quite sniffles.

“I can’t believe it!” Spike exploded. “Nopony helps Twilight more than I do. And she didn’t want me to read her letter?”

“Now Spike–” Rarity began, only to be usurped by Pinkie.

“No, Spike. You can’t be mad at Twilight.” Suddenly she was holding the little dragon’s face between her forehooves, entreating him earnestly. “Twilight really, really, ree-e-ally wants you to be happy. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s about being happy.

“That letter was full of sad things that she didn’t want you to hear. She didn’t want you to feel sad. But I know you’re a big dragon now. Even if you didn’t like to hear those things, you can handle them and still understand how she cares about you. Right, Spike?”

Spike closed his gaping mouth and looked around at the others, trying to find some support for his fading anger. “She’s right you know.” Rarity spoke with finality. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Upon hearing that Rarity agreed with Pinkie, Celestia could see Spike visibly deflating as he let go the last of his anger.

“Princess Luna?” Fluttershy interrupted Spike’s little drama. She drew a deep, shaky breath. “Let’s get started. I think Twilight really needs our help.”

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

Twilight levitated the last two cheese puffs out of the bowl and into her mouth. She gave out a pleased giggle at having beaten Pinkie to them, even if they were broken and rather small.

“Aww.” Pinkie exclaimed, before turning to Mike. “Hey Mike! Do you have any more of those cheese things?”

“Sorry Pinkie, that’s the last of them. Here, have my cupcake instead.” Mike held out the cupcake that he was eating. It was more or less intact but for the one bite he had already taken out of it.

“Okie Dokie.” Pinkie agreed, suddenly enveloping his entire hand with her mouth. Pinkie never could say no to a cupcake, even a half-eaten one.

I’m gonna Wreck it! - Ralph shouted from the Tee-Vee.

“He’s such a Brute! I’m not sure I want to watch this.” Rarity declared.

“I agree.” Said Applejack who had seated herself in Mike’s special reclining chair. “What kind of pony goes around breakin’ other pony’s homes?”

“Aw come on you two. This show is just starting to get interesting.” Rainbow Dash argued.

The room suddenly grew silent, leaving Twilight puzzled as to why everyone had stopped talking. In fact they appeared frozen.

“Greetings, Twilight.” Princess Luna spoke as she entered from the hallway that led out of Mike’s living room. Twilight could see Fluttershy peeking out from behind the Princess.

“Hello, Twilight.” The yellow Pegasus mare waved shyly.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight cried happily, rising up from where she had been leaning on Mike. “And Fluttershy! I’m so glad you could join us.”

Twilight waved a hoof about, indicating the room in general. “Find yourselves a seat; the movie’s just started. Hey Mike.” Twilight burbled with excitement. “Do you mind restarting the movie?”

Mike, still frozen, did not reply. “Mike?” Twilight asked, puzzled by his strange lack of response.

Luna trotted forward, and began examining the human with a great deal of interest. “So this is the ‘human’ you wrote about. He looks – interesting. Somewhat like a Minotaur in overall form but less – bulky. He is quite unlike a Minotaur in that his head is round like a pony’s. And he has tiny ears and no muzzle at all.” The princess looked up from her examination of Mike. “Twilight, are you sure this ‘he’ is not really a ‘she’?”

“Luna?” Twilight asked anxiously. She had waited for Luna to finish talking, not wishing to interrupt a princess. “What’s happening? Why is everypony frozen?”

“My apologies Twilight, this is my doing. Your dream, pleasant as it may have been must be put in abeyance while we converse with you.”

“A dream?” Twilight asked, looking around at all of her friends and then back to the princess. “Princess Luna? Is that really you? I’m not dreaming you too, am I?”

Luna’s face took on a thoughtful look. “The answer to that question may surprise you, Twilight. Yes, you are dreaming us.” Luna swept her hoof, indicating both herself and Fluttershy. “Yet at the same time you are fully awake within your dream. My special magic has allowed us to enter your dream and engage you in this manner.”

Satisfied with Luna’s response, Twilight became intrigued by the mechanics of being conscious while still dreaming. She was about to ask Luna about it when Fluttershy raced forwards to grab her in a hug.

“Oh Twilight. I’m so glad we found you. Are you all right? You aren’t hurt, are you?” Fluttershy let go of Twilight and immediately began checking her over for signs of any injury.

“Fluttershy?” Twilight stated in abject surprise, now consciously aware of Fluttershy’s presence. “Why are you here? Not that I mind; you can’t even imagine how glad I am to see you. But–“ Twilight shook her head and reared back as Fluttershy tried to pull open her lower eyelid. Presumably the yellow mare wanted to examine the sclera of her eyes.

“Please stop that, Fluttershy. I’m fine, really. Now, how did you come to be here?”

“You seem to be fine.” The yellow Pegasus murmured reluctantly, even as she continued her examination, now using her hooves to palpitate Twilight’s body. Twilight wasn't at all sure that her body within the dream represented the state of her real body but she realized how important this examination was to Fluttershy’s peace of mind. With a sigh she allowed the awkward examination to continue.

“Oh, you asked me a question.” Fluttershy paused in her examination of Twilight. “Well, ah, Princess Luna brought me.” For some reason Fluttershy gave off an aura of embarrassment. “It’s kind of a long story, but I kind of did Luna a favor. In return she was kind enough to bring me along with her when she went to find you.”

Fluttershy looked Twilight in the eye. “We’ve been so worried for you. I couldn’t even sleep because I was so worried for you. Now hold still. I’m still not finished.”

“Twilight,” Luna broke into their proceedings, “I too am greatly pleased to see you. But we must first speak of more important matters, our time may be limited.”

“Is something wrong Luna? If this is a dream, why are we pressed for time?”

Luna directed a glare towards Twilight. “Do not doubt that this is a dream, Twilight. To reach you, I am directing my dream magic through one of those portals scattered about your study. Without the use of such a portal, I would never be able to reach this universes’ dream realm.”

“I have portals in my study?” This was news to Twilight.

“You do.” Luna affirmed confidently. “The fragments of that book you were working on have formed numerous portals to this world.”

Suddenly Twilight made the connection. Those ‘portals’ are the holes that Mike and I found in that rock. Though I didn’t know they were anchored by the book fragments left behind in my study. It kind of makes sense though. That’s where the spell for the Enchanted Book went wrong.

Those holes… So strange… The way they come and go… Twilight’s pupils contracted as she came to a realization.

“Luna, I just remembered that those ‘portals’ don’t stay open for very long. Is that why you’re pressed for time?”

Luna nodded slightly. “Yes Twilight that is why our time may be limited. I would rather not find out what happens if my dream magic gets cut off while our minds are still dreaming within this other universe.”

Twilight considered the problem. “Couldn’t you just – Yeee!” Twilight squealed and shied away suddenly as Fluttershy palpitated one of her wing-pits. “Fluttershy!”

“I’m so sorry, Twilight.” The yellow Pegasus apologized profusely. “I was too rough. I didn’t know that you were so ticklish under your wings.”

Neither did I, until just now. Twilight thought with dark annoyance. A frown touched her face, but only for a moment. “It’s all right, Fluttershy. Just be more careful.” Twilight forgave her friend. She couldn’t really be upset with Fluttershy. She was simply too overjoyed to see her again.

“Luna, couldn’t you just switch to another portal when the first one closes?” Twilight finished the question she had been asking before getting interrupted.

“I can, but only after I have extricated Fluttershy and myself from the first portal. And when I drop my magic, your now conscious mind will wake you from your slumber.”

“Oh, well then I’ll just use a Sleep Spell to put myself back to sleep.” Twilight offered what she considered to a simple solution.

“I am afraid not, Twilight. Such spells induce a state of unconsciousness rather than true sleep. In such a state you would have no dreams for me to return to. If you were to use any magic at all, then I would advise that you to limit yourself to a simple relaxation spell.”

“But I must admit that establishing a connection through these portals is somewhat exhausting. I am afraid I will have to limit myself to one or at most two visits per day. And owing to my initial dealings with Fluttershy here, this is already my second visit to this dream realm. I need to conserve my strength; I do have my duties as a Princess to consider.”

Twilight was curious as to what those dealings with Fluttershy were, but realized from Fluttershy’s earlier response that her friend did not want to discuss it.

“I understand.” Twilight’s tone was subdued. Then her expression brightened again as she gazed on Fluttershy. “Princess Luna, thank you so much for bringing Fluttershy here to see me.

“I miss all of my friends. If it’s not too much trouble, could you please bring the others with you on your next dream visit?”

Luna smiled encouragingly. “Of course. You are my friend and fellow Princess and gladly would I bring your other friends to come visit you as I have done with Fluttershy here. Though I may only be able to bring one or two with me.

“Now, Twilight.” Luna’s face became stern. “I must warn you about these portals. Be very careful you do not bring any high powered magic into contact with them.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” Twilight was confused by Luna’s warning. She had not been able to sense any magic within them.

“They are sinks, Twilight. Magic absorbers with the most intense gradient I have ever seen. I would not have known this except that when I inserted a magical construct into one of the portals, it exploded.”

Twilight was suitably shocked. Her pupils contracted and her ears fell back as she struggled to revise her mental image of the portals.

“So be doubly cautious, and take no chances,” Luna continued, “if you had attempted any high-level magic such as a Keyhole Teleport through one of these portals, you might well have been destroyed.”

Twilight grew pale. “I– I never considered using teleportation; so much was going on at the time we were there. I do know that spell of course; I’ve even tried it a few times...” Twilight’s voice faded out.

“Then it is well my warning has reached you in time. Now,” Luna’s voice suddenly became bright and cheery again, “tell us of your adventures within this realm. What is this world like? We know so little from your two letters.”

Fluttershy, now finished her detailed examination of Twilight, agreed with the princess. “Yes Twilight. Tell us how you have been.”

Twilight found herself eager to tell of her experiences. Besides it kept her from dwelling on a certain might-have-been involving teleportation.

“In a lot of ways, this world is very much like Equestria. The land looks the same, the trees, the ones I have seen, are the same ones we are familiar with. The sky, when not cloudy, is just as blue as ours.

“But there are some really weird differences. One thing Mike showed me was that this world was round, like a ball. Gravity works differently here, the Anti-Gravity spell is totally useless. It’s late summer in Equestria, but here it’s early to mid-winter. I gather that it’s daytime in Equestria right now, but its well after midnight here. And oh – Luna, you simply have to see the nighttime sky over here.

“The night sky is utterly pitch black and the stars are embedded in it like beautiful jewels beyond number. This universe is so unimaginably huge, and there are sights and wonders within it's depths that will take your breath away.” As she spoke, the dream-scape around them started to shift, bringing up scenes of the stars, galaxies and nebula Twilight had witnessed on Mike’s computer. Their awesome beauty startling her two visitors, judging from the gasps they let out.

Becoming aware that her own memories were projecting upon their surroundings, Twilight tried to consciously choose one last image. It worked and she was able to treat Fluttershy and Luna to the sight of the humans’ moon breaking over the crest of a distant snow-covered, tree-lined hill. She knew the moon would look quite odd to Luna. It was what Mike had called a ‘quarter moon’.

“The moon.” Luna gasped. “Half of it is missing.”

“It’s all there Luna. As I understand it, in the humans’ universe, the moon does not cast its own light.” This drew a sharp glance from Luna. “Its apparent light comes from sunlight being reflected off of it.” Luna’s eyes grew wide upon hearing that.

“I’m a little hazy on the details, but as I understand it, at this time of the month its position relative to the Earth and the Sun causes it to be illuminated from the side, rather than full on. We are seeing the illuminated half; the other half is in shadow.”

“Truly, tis a strange and disturbing concept.” Luna confessed. “Why would this world’s Princess manage her moon in such a complicated manner?”

Before Twilight could answer, the eyes of all three ponies widened in surprise as the sound of a male voice came drifting in. It was Mike, singing his ‘silent night’ song. Twilight was startled because she had not intended to do more than show Luna the humans’ moon and night sky. Certainly she had not intended to include any auditory memories.

“Oh, what a lovely song.” Fluttershy spoke, her ears tweaking about, trying to locate the source of the singing. Her head was canted slightly to the side.

Luna as well seemed to appreciate it. “A lovely song indeed, Fluttershy. For it declares my beauteous night to be holy. Who is that singing, Twilight?”

“That’s Mike.” She confessed with some embarrassed pride, even as she managed to mute the singing. “We were watching the moon rise when he just suddenly started singing. I’m sorry, I hadn’t intended to include Mike’s singing when I was showing you this world’s moon, Luna.”

“That is simply the way of dreams, Twilight. To control the imagery you project within the dream realm requires much practice and discipline. You did very well for your first effort.”

“Tell us about Mike, Twilight.” Fluttershy asked shyly. “I was scared when I saw him earlier. He looked so big and strange and – scary. But when I hear him singing that lovely sweet lullaby, I think he might actually be nice.”

“He is nice, Fluttershy. I know for sure that you would like him.”

“Really?”

“Really, Fluttershy.” Twilight walked up to her friend and gave her a comforting nuzzle. “We were watching the moon rise, the wind died down, everything got very quiet for a moment and then Mike started to sing. He told me later that the quiet moment reminded him of some happy memories of when his family sang that song together.”

“Happy memories of his family?” Fluttershy asked. “Twilight, is his family okay?”

“I don’t really know, Fluttershy. But I don’t think so, he rarely talks about them and when he does it’s always in the past tense. I once asked him about his sister and he told me that she died from a really horrible disease.”

“That’s terrible.” Fluttershy cried, holding a hoof up to her mouth.

“I’m pretty sure that Mike lives alone. In the three days I’ve been here he’s never talked about any friends. I think he needs me just as much as I need him.”

“Tell us more about this ‘Mike’.” Luna requested, not quite making it a demand. “His song notwithstanding, is he fit to be your companion during this trial you find yourself in?”

“He is, Luna. He saved my life, and has been nothing but kind and supportive. Even when we had some issues with our differences, he was always kind to me.

“Differences?” Luna pounced on Twilight’s choice of words. “Did these differences arise from the fact that you are a pony?”

Twilight giggled. “I don’t think that really bothered Mike too much. When I woke up on my first day here, I found myself in bed with him.”

“Whaaat?!” Both Luna and Fluttershy cried out together. Aghast at what she had said.

“It’s not what you think!” Twilight hastened to add. “When I arrived in this world, I was suffering from magic exhaustion. On top of that, this region was experiencing a terrible ice storm.”

“An Ice-storm?” Fluttershy asked in puzzlement. Luna’s ears however, pinned back as she obviously had some idea of what Twilight was talking about.

Around the three ponies, the scene changed, revealing a scene of Twilight struggling to move forward through the darkness. With every step, she was forced to impact the tips of her hooves into the ice covered snow. They saw her slip and recover on one hoof even as another leg was driven through the snow. When she withdrew her leg, they noticed that it was bloody from numerous scratches and deeper lacerations.

“Twilight!” A shocked Fluttershy cried out. “You’re hurt and you’re all covered in ice!”

“That rain was truly terrible, Fluttershy. You know of course that our Pegasi magic doesn’t protect us from the rain but those raindrops were supercooled to a temperature below freezing. The slightest contact caused them to freeze onto whatever they touched. The humans call it freezing rain.”

With an effort of will, Twilight blanked out the terrible dream imagery, leaving them in a dark featureless void. “There’s not too much else to say. I saw a light and followed it. The light led me to Mike’s home.

“Mike says he found me, lying unconscious in front of his door. Guys, I- I nearly died that night.” Twilight managed to choke out. “Mike tells me that I was suffering from hypothermia.” Fluttershy gasped upon hearing that diagnosis.

“He treated me the best he knew how, holding me against his body all night long in order to warm me up.”

Upon finishing her story, Twilight found herself being hugged again by Fluttershy. Luna came near and enfolded both of them with her broad wing while giving Twilight a nuzzle.

“Truly, this Mike has treated you with kindness.” Luna said, releasing the two ponies from her embrace. “Yet what were these differences you mentioned.”

You can trust that Equestria’s Princesses do not lose track of things that are being said. Twilight observed.

“Magic.” Twilight explained. “In this world magic seems to be unknown.

“The first time I levitated something, a glass of water, Mike looked scared. For the first day or so, he seemed to get – not quite upset I think, but uneasy every time he saw me using my magic.

“He was upset by you using your magic?” This time Fluttershy asked the question.

Twilight drew a breath and let it out. “Neither the humans of this world nor, from what Mike tells me, any of the animals or plants seem to have any association with magic. It is totally unknown to them.

“It’s really strange, because there is plenty of free magic here. I can perform magic just as I do at home.”

Suddenly Luna stiffened, throwing her head up. Her pose was similar to that of a pony trying to catch some faint sound.

“I am sorry Twilight,” The Princess stated, “but the portal we are using is nearly closed. We must depart immediately.”

“But you haven’t told me everything that you know about the portals. When will I see you again? We need to make a schedule.”

“You know enough for now, Twilight. Be careful how you use magic around those portals. Until tomorrow - Fare thee well.”

“Goodb–” Fluttershy’s farewell was cut off in mid-word as both she and Luna winked out abruptly, leaving Twilight alone, surrounded by dark mists.

“Great.” Twilight muttered to herself. “What am I supposed to do–”

Twilight gasped as she came awake with a start. Within her mind was the vivid memory of the conversation she had just had with Princess Luna and Fluttershy. It felt like mere seconds had elapsed since their departure, so abrupt had been her awakening.

Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Twilight lay there in the darkness, fixing the dream in her memory. She knew without a doubt that she really had been visited by Princess Luna and Fluttershy.

As she lay there thinking about the visitation, a tension she hadn’t realized was within her began to drain away. She was no longer cut off from her friends. As suggested in her letter to Celestia, her support team was coming together.

Eventually Twilight began fantasizing about the coming meetings with her friends. What they might say and ask and what answers she might prepare for them. Soon her fantasies became more and more dreamlike.

Before long, Twilight had drifted off to sleep again. No spell required.

Author's Note

(1) 'Crystal Express': This is the advanced Train seen in the Season Four episode ‘Three’s a Crowd’. It was not explicitly named anywhere in that episode, so I took the liberty to give one. It seems to be the product of Crystal Empire magic/technology, hence the name I gave it − the ‘Crystal Express’.

(2) ‘Took the posy’: Pony equivalent to the human metaphorical phrase ‘took the bait’. Some ponies do engage in fishing, I know. But it is not a common pastime in their society. Most ponies however are tempted by a bouquet of tasty flowers – hence the expression.

(3) ‘Sleep spells induce unconsciousness’: Very much like our human ‘sleeping pills’, sleeping spells work through a sedative effect. They do not bring on natural sleep.

About this chapter:

Although I had started writing this chapter several months earlier, it really didn’t get going until August rolled around. As I took a break from my new hobby (see below), I found my enthusiasm for writing returning.

The last two weeks have been spent writing and re-writing the final dream sequence at the end of this chapter. I occurred to me that Fluttershy’s presence would be important for creating a first impression of Mike for Twilight's friends. A secondary benefit was in getting Twilight to verbalize some of her own thoughts and feelings about Mike. So I worked on getting Fluttershy more engaged with the dialog.

Fluttershy may be timid, but she’s no pushover. Not when it comes to her friends. I think I like how it turned out. I hope you like it too.

It’s been a fair while since I wrote the previous chapter, so I guess a few words are in order.

Without saying too much about it, I have been dealing with a number of health problems. They were not incapacitating by any means, but the numerous medical appointments were quite disruptive.

During this time, I also took on a new project. I am setting up a (small) workshop in my basement for woodworking. (Hey. It’s my new hobby. Don’t judge until you find your own hobby. Then you can tell me how much of your time that takes up.)

One good thing about the long delay is that I’ve had lots of time to consider my various ideas for this story in greater depth.

Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s good to be busy, but it’s even better to finish what I started. So here it is - the next chapter of ‘Twilight’s World’. Hope you enjoyed it.

Interlude: Crusading for Twilight

The sun shone brightly down upon the town of Ponyville. The weather was warm, verging on hot, and the streets of Ponyville were full of ponies.

On one of those busy streets which lead towards the market, ponies pricked up their ears, hearing a soft droning sound that rapidly grew louder. Quickly, though unconcernedly, most of the ponies cleared the center of the street, as if aware of some approaching trouble. Two of their number, however, unfamiliar with what was happening, only had time to glance nervously at each other before events overtook them.

Skidding around a corner came three young fillies wearing crash helmets. One filly was standing on a scooter, her tiny wings beating furiously, making the strange droning noise. The other two were sticking desperately onto a tiny wagon that was being drawn by the scooter. Though, perhaps not so desperately, for all three fillies were grinning with enthusiasm.

Within a heartbeat, the scooter and wagon flashed past the two startled ponies, narrowly missing them by less than a hoof.

As the strange apparition raced on down the street and slewed around a corner, ponies drifted their way back onto the street with seeming indifference. The two newcomers, however, stood frozen, as if rooted to the ground.

After a moment -

“Did you see that?” The mare remarked to her husband, Shining Armor. “It looked like three young fillies.”

“Yes, I did, Cadence,” he replied. “I think we’ve just had our first encounter with those ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ that Twilight writes about.”

“Really? I hope you’re right about that because I like them already. They seemed quite – rambunctious. Wouldn’t you say?”

“I’m not sure what to call them,” Shining stated, staring down the street towards where the fillies had disappeared. Frowning; “I don’t remember Twilight ever being in such a hurry.”

“Dear, you know I love Twilight unreservedly, but you have to admit that when she was their age, her best friends were books. I just think it’s nice to see such lively enthusiasm in the young ones. I’m quite looking forward to meeting them again.”

Shining nuzzled his wife. “Come, dear, let’s continue exploring Ponyville. We might even find this Sugarcube Corner place that Twilight wrote about.”

“You don’t fool me, Shiny. I know you want to see how their cakes compare with those of our own royal kitchens.”

“Hmm. Maybe.” The white unicorn stallion agreed as the couple continued their walk down the street.

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

-----------< Half an Hour Earlier >----------

“Alright, class, put away your stuff and all eyes up front. I have an announcement.” declared the magenta-colored mare.

Throughout the classroom, some fifteen fillies and colts looked up. It was the day before the weekend, and the school day was scheduled to end in about fifteen minutes. Glad to be quit of their current assignment, the students looked up, wondering what was so urgent that it needed to be said in the last few minutes of the school week.

“Oh, oh.” A white unicorn filly with pink and purple hair and a budding romantic imagination stuck up her hoof and began waving it. “You’ve found a Special Somepony!” She declared.

“What!?” The other students gasped.

“What?” Exclaimed the shocked teacher. “No, no! I don’t have–.“ Cheerilee, for that, was the teacher's name, stopped talking abruptly, and shook her head, as if to clear it.

“No, I don’t, Sweetie Belle. But I think you’ve just earned yourself a Special Assignment.” From experience, Cheerilee knew that such thoughts on the part of her students needed to be nipped in the bud. In the case of Sweetie Belle and her two friends, early, and with heavy pruning.

“What?” Sweetie Belle shrilled out. “That’s not fair!”

“Yeah.” Declared Scootaloo, a small pegasus filly sporting a gamboge colored coat and a fuschia mane. Scootaloo always backed up her friends with fierce determination, whenever she wasn’t fighting with them.

“Well, it serves you right. Blank Flank!” Taunted another filly. One with a pink coat and a lavender mane through which ran a white stripe.

The teacher glared at the taunting filly. “That’s enough, Diamond Tiara. I’ve warned you before about such behavior in class. You have a Special Assignment now, too.

“In fact,” she announced. That’s the announcement I had. I have a special homework assignment for the whole class.”

“Awww!” the class groaned.

“Thar goes our Crusadin’ this weekend.” a filly with a light-yellow coat and shocking apple-red mane, muttered gloomily.

“Do we have to?” Queried a squat unicorn colt named Snips.

“Yeah, do we have to?” Echoed his friend. A tall, lanky unicorn colt with the unlikely name of Snails.

“Now settle down everypony.” Cheerilee went on. “As you know, we’ve all been studying modern inventions for these last few weeks. Things like trains and airships and printing. Well, now it’s your turn.

“I want each of you to pick an invention and write a one-page report about it. If you remember, an invention isn’t something that you find in nature, like a rock or a jewel or an animal. It’s some ‘thing’ or some ‘process’ that somepony created, which makes our lives easier or happier. You will then need to write a one-page report about it.”

“When ith the report due?” Lisped Twist. A filly with a light beige coat. She had a curly red mane and large purple-framed glasses.

“It’s due in one week,” announced Cheerilee. “Instead of our regular show and tell; next week, you will read your reports in front of the whole class.

“Can we write our reports together?” Asked the light-yellow filly, Applebloom.

“Yes, you can,” the teacher replied with a smile. Applebloom turned to her two friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, knocking upraised hooves with them.

“But! I expect an extra page for each pony that you share your assignment with. A two-page report if two of you work together on it and three pages if three of you work together.” Several of the foals visibly deflated, as the ‘easy-report’ escape was neatly blocked off.

“Don’t worry Crusaders, we’ve got this.” Declared Sweetie Belle.

“Not so fast, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee interrupted. “You two have earned a ‘Special’ assignment. Remember?”

The fillies in question, rocked back, their eyes large. They had already forgotten about their teacher’s promised punishment.

“You two are expected to write one and a half page reports.” Both fillies groaned while Diamond Tiara glared at the Sweetie Belle and her two friends.

“You can still work on the assignment with your friends,” Cheerilee continued, “but I expect that whatever report you come up with will be an extra half page longer.

“Before I dismiss you for the weekend, are there any more questions?”

A forest of tiny hooves shot up.

A stream of fillies and colts poured out of the schoolhouse. Three of those students paused to confer together.

“Yay! Now we can get to our crusading.” Scootaloo exclaimed, her tiny wings buzzed briefly, underscoring her excitement.

“Ah don’t know,” drawled the light-yellow filly, Applebloom. “Don’t ya think we aught ta get started on our assignments before we go out crusadin’? Ah sure don’t want AppleJack to get mad at me like last time. Ah had a whole month of extra chores.”

“Yeah,” agreed Sweetie Belle. “And I’ve got an extra half-page to write too.” She let out a sigh.

“Ah, come on, girls.” Scootaloo attempted to coax her friends. “That report will be easy. All we need to do is pick an invention.”

“Not so easy.” Challenged Sweetie Belle. “Whatever we pick has got to be good enough for three and a half pages.”

“That’s okay.” Applebloom countered. “If we can pick the right invention to write about, then maybe we can split the report into three parts, helpin’ each other too. Any ideas?”

Silence descended as the three crusaders thought furiously.

“This is hard,” declared Scootaloo, giving her scooter a desultory kick. “I can’t think of any inventions at all.” She looked up hopefully, “Maybe your sisters can give us some ideas. How about Applejack?”

Applebloom’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. Applejack’s got her stand set up in the market today; she’s real close.” Her enthusiasm crashed suddenly. “But ah’m pretty sure she’s gonna tell us that ‘doing it on yer own will be good for ya.’ ”

Scootaloo and AppleBloom both turned towards Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, no!” Sweetie Belle took a step back and shook her head rapidly. “Rarity was in one of her ‘creative’ moods this morning. I don’t want to get stuck posing as a model for her dresses. And you don’t want to either.”

“Come on, Sweetie Belle. Ah’m sure Rarity‘ll have some great ideas for inventions if we can break her away from that sewing machine.”

“You don’t understand, Applebloom. My sister’s been real mopey about something for the last few days. Then last night, she comes home all smiling and cheerful and starts creating dresses like crazy.” Sweetie Belle dropped back on her haunches and waved her forehooves around frantically, putting emphasis on the word ‘crazy.’

“Come to think of it, mah sister’s been acting kinda strange too.” Applebloom mused.

“I can’t even find Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo groused. “She’s been gone for days.”

The three fillies fell silent again.

“Ah know,” Applebloom spoke up. “Let’s go ask Twilight.”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo enthused. “Maybe she knows what happened to Rainbow Dash.”

“Ah was thinkin’ more about us askin’ her about what inventions we could write our report on.”

“Oh.” Scootaloo looked a bit surprised. “Yeah, that too.” She replied while glancing upwards at the nearby clouds, hoping to catch sight of a certain rainbow tail.

Scootaloo pulled up in front of the Golden Oaks Library, allowing her scooter and attached wagon to roll to a stop. Almost before the wagon had stopped, the two passengers jumped off. Together with Scootaloo, they raced for the door.

“Twilight!” they all called out after breaching the entrance. Somewhat violently, it should be noted.

“We need your advice,” called out Sweetie Belle. “Ya’ve got to help us,” added Applebloom. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?” threw in Scootaloo. The last statement causing the other two fillies to turn and look at Scootaloo.

“Heh, heh. Sorry.” the fuschia maned filly muttered. “But I really do hope she can tell me where to find Rainbow.”

“Twilight?” Sweetie Belle called out again. The library responded with silence.

“Looks like she’s not home,” Scootaloo replied glumly.

“Maybe she’s sleeping.” Applebloom considered, remembering her sister tellings stories of how Twilight could study so hard and long that she would almost literally drop on her hooves.

“Or maybe she’s busy working on something.” Sweetie Belle added, remembering Pinkie’s stories of the mysterious machines Twilight kept in her basement.

“If she’s sleeping, I’ll find her.” Scootaloo declared, immediately running towards the stairs. Her excitement showing as her stubbly wings bristled their feathers outward.

“I’ll check the basement!” Sweetie Belle declared, turning towards the appropriate doorway.

Applebloom took a moment to consider what options were left for her. Finally, she huffed an exasperated sigh. “Fine. Ah guess ah’ll just look in the kitchen.”

Scootaloo raced up the stairway, eager to find Twilight. She skidded to a stop in the upper loft, Twilight’s bedroom, and proceeded to look about. The mare was nowhere to be seen.

Undeterred, the little filly soon spied a door behind the stairs she had just come up from. Investigating, she discovered that the door led upwards to Twilight’s observatory platform. Unfortunately, Twilight was not in her observatory either.

With a glum look on her face, Scootaloo descended down from the loft, only to pause at the landing situated midway between the library and Twilight’s loft. A short hallway led off in the opposite direction from the stairway she had just come down.

A door located midway within the hallway was Scootaloo’s first target. Shoving the door open, she flushed with embarrassment to realize she had barged into Twilight’s bathroom, which might have been occupied. Nevertheless, she proceeded to check all of the facilities, to make sure that Twilight had neither fallen into or was hiding inside any of them.

As she exited the bathroom, she met Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, who had come up the stairway onto the landing.

“Any luck?” Applebloom asked.

“She’s nowhere upstairs,” Scootaloo replied. “And believe me, I looked everywhere.”

“Same here.” Sweetie Belle announced. There’s lots of strange stuff in the basement, but no Twilight.

“Have you checked there?” Applebloom inquired, indicating the doorway behind Scootaloo.

“Yeah. It’s just the bathroom.” Scootaloo sighed. Now drained of all her early optimism.

“Well, what about that room?” Applebloom pointed to the end of the hallway.

“We haven’t checked that yet. Come on!” Scootaloo whirled around and ran towards the only room that remained unexplored.

“Twilight!” Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom cried as they rushed into the empty study. Their mad charge came crashing to a halt as they realized Twilight was not in this room either.

“She’s not here.” Applebloom declared. Looking about, she saw a great many paper fragments strewn haphazardly about the floor in one corner of the room. Many of them even looked to be burned black.

“That’s odd.” Sweetie Belle interrupted Applebloom’s thoughts. “Twilight likes to keep her library clean, but this room – ”

“ – is a dump.” Scootaloo finished.”

“Maybe Spike sneezed or something.” Applebloom offered, having spotted the charred remains of a heavily burned book up on Twilights desk.

“That’s some sneeze.” Scootaloo kicked at a couple of paper fragments near her hooves. “There’s paper everywhere.”

“I know!” Sweetie Belle chimed up. “If we help clean up this mess, Twilight’s sure to thank us by picking out a great invention for our assignments.”

“Okay.” Agreed Applebloom. “But only because it will help Twilight. Ah don’t want no Cutie Mark fer cleanin’ trash.”

“No problem.” Scootaloo countered. “I’ve had to clean my room hundreds of times. And I’ve not gotten a Cutie Mark out of it yet.”

“That’s a rel– “ Applebloom started to say when Sweetie Belle interrupted her with a shrill cry.

“Eeee! They won’t let go!”

Startled, Applebloom whirled around to see Sweetie Belle madly shaking her right forehoof. “What’s wrong?” She asked, not seeing any apparent problem.

“I started to pick up the trash,” Sweetie Belle replied, still shaking her leg, but managing to hold still for a moment. Applebloom and Scootaloo could see a mat of four or five paper scraps covering the underside of her hoof.

“Then my hoof started feeling weird, so I dropped it. Guys. They won’t let go!” Sweetie Belle gave a particularly vigorous shake to her hoof and stomped it on the floor. The last maneuver, however, was unfortunate as she stomped another paper scrap, adding it to her collection.

“Ahh! Now it feels worse!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Scootaloo commented, “just push it off like dirt.” Referring to the natural ability of ponies to shed dirt from their hoofs and coats. Sometimes it required a more conscious effort.

Sweetie Belle paused for a moment to glare at Scootaloo. “I’ve been doing that. It’s not working, and it hurts my hoof. The harder I try, the more it hurts.”

Applebloom, who had stood quietly through Sweetie Belle’s explanation, moved up to give support to her friend and fellow crusader, briefly touching her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Sweetie Belle. We’ll figure something out.”

The stricken filly felt encouraged and began to calm down. Soon, she sat down, holding her leg out at an angle. “Thanks, Applebloom.”

“How bad is it? Can ya’ manage for a while, while we try an’ figure things out?”

Sweetie Belle sniffed. “I-I don’t know guys. If I sit here quietly and don’t do anything, the weird feeling is less, but now my hoof is starting to feel numb.”

Applebloom and Scootaloo gave each other a startled glance. Recognizing that whatever was happening to Sweetie Belle was something serious.

“Well, t’aint natural.” Applebloom mused, unconsciously echoing her older sister's speech patterns. “An’ if it ain’t natural, then it’s something magic.”

“It’s kinda like a Bleetch,” Scootaloo commented, thinking how equestrian leeches would suck the color and magic out of a pony. The crusaders had run into some of those during one particular crusade earlier in the year. They first noticed them when pale spots started growing in their coats.

“Do you think salt will get rid of them?” Sweetie Belle asked hopefully. Turning her leg about so that the other two could get a better view of what was stuck under her hoof. At the time, Sweetie Belle had been hard hit by the Bleeches. Something about her light coat color providing camouflage.

“Not salt,” Applebloom replied. “That only works because the Bleeches are critters. And no critter likes too much salt. Far as I can see, those pieces of paper ain’t alive. They’re magic.”

Several thoughts from the previous conversations came together in Applebloom’s mind. “Ah’ve got an idea!” She exclaimed.

“What?” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both asked.

“Scootaloo might be right about them pieces of paper acting like Bleeches. Mah sister once told me about another way of getting rid of them Bleeches, a way that doesn’t use salt. It might work.”

“Please do it.” Sweetie Belle urged.

“Yeah. Do it.” Scootaloo agreed, buzzing her wings for emphasis.

“Okay, Sweetie Belle. But I gotta warn you, It’s gonna hurt.”

“I don’t care,” Sweetie Belle cried. “My hoof is so numb that I probably won’t feel anything.”

“Oh, you’ll feel this,” came Applebloom’s muttered reply.

“It’s something that only Earth Ponies can do,” Applebloom spoke as she carefully laid down in a position where she could manipulate Sweetie Belle’s foreleg.

“Using my Earth Pony magic, I can try to pull all of your magic out of your leg. A Bleetch will drop off when there’s no more magic for it to feed on.”

Applebloom placed both of her forehooves onto Sweetie Belle’s leg. One near the hoof, the other further up the limb. She took a deep breath. “Ready?” she asked.

“Mm-hmm.” Sweetie Belle nodded anxiously. Applebloom closed her eyes and began to sweep her hooves gently along Sweetie Belle’s leg.

Initially, Sweetie Belle could feel the part of her leg, nearest her hoof, getting warm. Soon it became hot! Then even hotter. “Ahh, “ she cried out. Applebloom paused, worried that she was hurting her friend.

“Don’t mind me,” Sweetie Belle urged with a grimace. “You told me it would hurt. I believe you now.”

“You can take it, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo urged. “You’re a Cutie Mark Crusader.”

Applebloom nodded her head emphatically. “Yeah, hang on Sweetie Belle. I know this hurts, but it shouldn’ be too much for ya.” Closing her eyes, she resumed her efforts to sweep the magic out of and away from Sweetie Belle’s hoof.

The ‘heat’ that Sweetie Belle was experiencing was due to the rapid movement of her natural magic through her limb. After a moment, the intense burning sensation began to fade; the natural magic no longer being moved as rapidly.

Sweetie Belle could also feel the numbness in her hoof diminishing. “I think it’s working. Keep going.” She urged.

Applebloom was starting to breath hard. Manipulating another ponies ‘inside’ magic was harder than she had thought. She wasn’t used to such an intense and sustained effort.

“It’s working!” Scootaloo crowed! One of the papers just fell off. “Oh. There goes another one!” Thus encouraged, Applebloom redoubled her efforts and worked even harder on pulling magic out of Sweetie Belle’s hoof.

Two things happened. Sweetie Belle yelped as even more magic was swept away from her hoof. And the remaining pieces of paper let go all at once.

One of the pieces of trash flipped as it fell and ended up with its dark side contacting the upward-facing dark sides of al previously fallen piece of paper.

There followed an explosion of magic, knocking the Crusaders back, and stirring up several other, as yet undisturbed, pieces of paper into the air.

As one of the fluttering pieces of paper came down, it too presented its dark face directly on top of another scrap. Dark face met dark face. A second explosion occurred. Sufficient scraps of paper were laying about to ensure there followed a succession of loud, powerful explosions, one after the other.

Sweetie Belle did not notice any of the explosions, however. Applebloom’s sudden release of her natural magic had caused it to rebound down her leg with a vengeance. She blacked out from the pain.

Sweetie Belle awoke to the sound of Applejack’s rather loud and insistent voice. “What in tarnation’s going on here!”

Author's Note

(1) 'Bleeches’: In the grand old MLP tradition of giving creatures punful name. I took the lowly Leech (a water-dwelling parasitic worm that sucks blood) and elevated it to become the Bleech. This magical variant of the Leech prefers to suck magic, rather than blood, from its host. But blood will do in a pinch.
Physically, the creature appears identical to the regular leech. But, as it drains magic from a pony, a growing circle of faded (or bleached) color becomes apparent. Hench the name – Bleech.

(2) Applebloom’s special Bleech removal technique. Fundamentally, this is the same Earth Pony technique that Twilight demonstrated in Chapter 16. Twilight healed Mike’s back by gently manipulating his ‘life-magic.’ Applebloom, however, needed to get rough to push around as much of Sweetie Belle’s ‘inside’ magic as she could.

(3) What’s up with those paper scraps? The black side is an extra-dimensional wormhole, which sucks in magic. When Sweetie Belle used her hoof magic to pick up the paper scraps, they became attached to her hoof and remained attached as they continued to drain her magic.
When Applebloom pulled Sweetie Belle’s ‘inside’ (or ‘life’) magic out of her hoof, the magical suction from the paper scraps ended.

About this chapter:

Hello to all.
You might think this chapter is a throw-away. But I've been intending to write this interlude all along. It helps set the scene for events to come.

Also, this chapter, short as it is, is proof that I’m getting my muse back.