Chapter 13

The Ponyville library, a rather normal looking structure aside from the fact it was built inside a still growing oak tree. The upper canopy drooped under the weight of the snow piled on top and the branches still held a few green and brown leaves despite it being the winter season. Icicles clung like fingers to the underside of the observatory

platform holding a telescope that should probably be brought inside.
We came to the door just as the sky was beginning to darken with the sun setting behind the passing storm clouds where I looked up to see Pegasi darting through the tuffs of grey and white. One pony in particular caught my eye as she left a dazzling rainbow blur in her wake.
“Pegasus like Dashie control the weather around here!” Pinkie explained seeing what I was gazing at. “Well at least here in Equestria, except in the spooky everfree forest where weather happens all on it’s own. Sometimes storms come from beyond our nation’s border too and it’s Dashie’s job to break em up!”

“But you still let some storms through.” I pointed out.

“Well duh! We need the water and stuff to live, pegasi make our weather and rain normal so we can avoid big nasty storms, but sometimes on or two might get past us from out
of town or the everfree.”

We watched the Pegasi for a while longer. I noticed a multi-colored blur speed towards us at an astonishing rate almost like a fighter jet using it’s after burner. Within a millisecond the pony I now recognized as Rainbow Dash stood in flight goggles and a maroon jump suit. Some frost and ice still clung lto her beautiful rainbow colored mane
adding streaks of white that spread along her cyan coat like veins. The words “Extreme Weather Patrol-Division 1” were emblazoned on the side in black.

I was about to greet her however, she simply strode past me and embraced Pinkie Pie in hug.
“Pinkie Pie! You’re okay! We’ve been going crazy after you left the hospital with that human-thing none of us could find you especially with the weather like it is!” Rainbow exclaimed still holding the Pink mare in a tight embrace. “You’ve been missing for two whole days!!”
“I’m right as rain Dashie, Sammy here and I were at Lyra’s mansion looking for books about humans and ponies and stuff.” Pinkie replied smoothly. “Besides I think with how good Twilight is at magic you girls could find me lickety split even with this storm.”

Rainbow released Pinkie and rolled her eyes. I got the impression she was annoyed with Twilight to a great degree. “Ugh, don’t get me started on that egg head ever since she met Sam over here she’s been locked away with Spike in the library studying up on this as she put it * something about a new teleporting rock and the discovery of a species that was thought to be myth or ex-ex….” Rainbow sighed exasperated flinging her hooves in the air.

“Extinct?” Pinkie chimed in cheerily

“Yes that! Whatever! The point is she wasn’t very useful when we were looking for you!” she sighed and looked over to me “By the way about, what happened at the hospital….” She looked nervous discussing that incident. “Fluttershy, wanted to apologize for what she said and told me to pass it on if I ran into you. We were still anx-anx….”

“Anxious?” Pinkie helpfully interrupted.

“Yes what Pinkie said, and tired from the day before. Fluttershy especially, she blamed herself for what happened to Pinkie and well now she’s not been the same Pegasus I grew up with in Cloudsdale she’s still nice and everything but as soon as she tends to her animals she holds herself up in that cottage.”
A silence followed. Not the awkward kind but one where no one was sure what to say next. Does that make the silence awkward? I remembered back to when Pinkie said Fluttershy would visit to apologize she. She never did.

“Maybe it would help if I went and talked to her?” I more asked than declared.
RD looked up it her face held a small smile “Would you? I think it would totally help if she had someone to talk to she barely even replies when Rarity or me knock on the door. And normally she tells us she’s fine and we don’t need to come in. I don’t buy it one bit.”
“Sounds like me…” I muttered involuntarily.
“What was that Sammy?” Pinkie asked her head cocked.
“Nothing! What I mean is, I will definitely go and talk to her tomorrow I need to apologize to her after all and to accept her apology in turn. It’s not like what she said wasn’t true.” I said rather quietly.

“Oh no! Don’t you go start and blaming yourself for what happened I already got enough of that with Fluttershy. The whole thing was no pony’s…eerrr…or human’s fault!
Besides I’m the one who ran into Pinkie in the first place and I said I was sorry already.” Dash was adamant on that point. “I’m paying for Pinkie’s medical bills too.”
“
Aw Dashie you don’t have to do that…”Pinkie was embarrassed
“Yes I do.” Rainbow replied. I could tell there was no arguing with her once her mind was set and I was impressed by her commitment.
“That’s very selfless of you Rainbow I’m glad to see someone like you is looking out for Pinkie”.
She blushed a little but snapped out of it quickly “Yeah well don’t go getting all mushy or anything it’s something any pony would do.” She looked up to see some pegasi struggling to break up some of the massive storm clouds overhead. “I better get back to my team they look like they need my help.. Again! Catch ya later guys. Say hi to Spike and Twilight for me. And please tell her to stop being such an egghead.” Just like that she was back with her team overhead.
I smiled but I couldn’t help still feeling guilty. Even so it was nice to hear what Dash had said. Thankfully Darkside decided to keep quiet but I could still hear him inside festering and feeding on my guilt.

The door to the library opened suddenly. A frazzled looking purple alicorn wearing a pair of reading glasses rubbed her eyes. “EEP! The human! I have SO much more to ask you!”

“Hiya Twilight!” Pinkie yelled excitedly
“
Huh?! Pinkie! Where have you been!?”She sighed exasperated. “It doesn’t matter, I have so much to tell you both!”

“About what?” Pinkie asked quizzically.

Twilight sighed again impatiently “About everything that’s happened these last few days. Now inside the library quick. We have much to discuss.”
Pinkie and I shared a confused glance at each other. “But Twilight, Sammy and I were gonna find Lyra and ask her to help us plan a fantabulous super spooky, welcome to Ponyville party where I’ll be serving my super-duper signature éclairs. Plus we gotta return this quilt to her that Sammy is wearing.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow looking me over “Right….”

I was clutching the quilt around my neck while the now ratty hospital blanket hung over my shoulder. I doubt they would want that blanket back after what it went through. Twilight shook her head
“Lyra and Bon Bon are inside, ever since I told them about a human in Equestria they’ve been studying with me-well mostly Lyra but, where ever she goes Bon Bon is never far behind. Regardless you two will meet them soon enough. Now get inside.”
She picked us up in her magic which was a rather unpleasant experience as I felt a sense of fatigue and unbridled excitement overwhelm my emotions. It didn’t take me more than a second to realize that unicorn magic seems to be controlled by the casters state of mind.
I suppose I should have been more astounded with witnessing my first act of magic, but to be honest it was only mildly interesting. This was probably due to my current fixation on the diary under my quilt.I hoped that Twilight and Lyra would provide some insight.

Twilight levitated us inside gently placing laying Pinkie and myself onto a green couch infront of a roaring fire. The whole room smelled of oak and old wood. A musk that I could never forget. The shelves full of tomes and books swallowed the light brown walls spilling over into a second room. Each case reached the ceiling towering over Ponies and humans alike. Stacks of ancient knowledge littered the floor and any open desk space available. A map of what I assumed was Equestria and the lands beyond it was projected as if it were a hologram floating over a strange magical contraption emanating a purplish light. A kitchen laid off to our right and a small bedroom above a short staircase looked over us like an indoor balcony. The entire spectacle gave off a sense of home and safety as if nothing could hurt you inside this immense and powerful Oak tree.
Twilight or Princess Twilight.- She’s told me I can call her either one in this piece of writing but she prefers the former. Walked off to inform Lyra and Bon Bon we had arrived. Pinkie and I were alone again.

“You didn’t mention to Rainbow our accident at Lyra’s.” I pointed out as Pinkie got comfortable on the couch.

“Neither did you silly.” Pinkie giggled

“Well I didn’t really feel it was place to after all the only pony I really know here is you….” I paused for a moment. Did I really even know this Pink mare, I mean sure we already experienced many shall I say, life and death situations but could I say I knew her as well as a Pegasus like Rainbow Dash or an alicorn like Twilight?
“Don’t worry about that. I’m sure that my other friends will like you, besides Twilight was new here and we got to be bestest friends even though she is super shut in bookworm egghead or at least was.” Pinkie said casually.
“Who’s an egghead?” Twilight asked in a chastising tone.

“You were Twilight, when we first met!” Pinkie called.

Twilight sighed shaking her head. She pointed a hoof accusingly at Pinkie. “Well you were an out of control party animal when I met you for the first time.”
Twilight didn’t seem like she was in the mood for jokes, thankfully Pinkie corrected herself quickly. She excels at reading ponies and situations I have found.

“I’m only teasing Twilight” she glanced around nervously “Anyway where are Lyra and Bon Bon…”Pinkie paused then beamed. “Are we playing hide and seek! Are they sneaking around like snakes in the basement??!”
Twilight sighed putting a hoof to her face. I suppose it was the pony equivalent of a human face palm.
“ No Pinkie, it’s just that Lyra is very nervous about meeting our friend here.” Said twilight calmly pointing a hoof at me.
“I told you not to tell them that!” A voiced yelled from below us. Twilights ears flattened she looked embarrassed.
“Are the floors really that thin…no no… I do my soundproofing spell. I reenchant every first Tuesday of the month…let’s see it’s January and the first Tuesday was last week but that was when Celestia called me to Canterlot about a human in the hospital…” She facehoofed again. “oohhh pony feathers.” She was muttering this whole time.

“You sound like Applejack!” Pinkie laughed.

Twilight sighed again losing her composure a little. “Lyra this human is perfectly nice I think you will get along fine with him, please come up! Don’t you want to tell him all that we have discovered?!” She called down looking a little silly yelling at the floorboards.

We waited for an answer, to tell the truth I too was nervous about meeting Lyra considering I defaced an undoubtedly priceless statue in her yard and “borrowed” an ancient diary along with an ornate quilt without permission. I clenched my fists trying to hold a relaxed facial expression. I heard whispering down below though I couldn’t make out what was said. It got heated the pony pair’s voices rising but still just barely out of understandable range.
It stopped abruptly, the clopping of hooves began up the basement steps. Upon reaching the top a unicorn and an earth pony greeted us. I deduced Lyra to be the one with a lyre on her flank…herp de derp she is a unicorn with a brilliant mint green coat with a cyan and white mane. She was quite visibly terrified biting her lower lip and trembling. The pony next to her gave a nervous smile putting a forehoof on her companion’s back in an attempt at reassuring the unicorn. Bon Bon, a name I still find quite charming, has a cream colored coat with a deep blue and pink mane and tail.
Bon Bon ushered Lyra forward, “Say hello Lyra.”
The green unicorn seemed about ready to faint but she managed a quiet greeting “He-Hello…M-My name is Lyra Hear-tstrings.” She gave a anxious smile. “I’m s-sorry it’s just I-I never thought I would meet a hu-human in real life…”
I tried to give a relaxed smile “Well Lyra it’s a pleasure to meet you, Pinkie has told me you study humans quite enthusiastically.”
She seemed to relax a little or at least she stopped visually shaking, although her mane was matted in a nervous sweat as if she was staring into the eyes of a killer.
“Oh ye-yes in fact I have a degree from-“
“The Canterlot College of Anomalous Creatures.” I finished for her.
Lyra’s anxiety faded further her eyes shone with surprise and curiosity “Why yes, how did you know that?” she asked perplexed.
“Well…you see when Pinkie and I left the hospital the first place we headed was your house to see if you, Lyra had any books regarding similarities between my species and the ponies in equestria and…well with the storm and all we were kind of trapped there for the past two days.”
“Well then that certainly is understandable, I mean I don’t exactly have an easy access house being on the outskirts of ponyville and all…but still how did you get in I know I gave Bon Bon my spare key” Lyra replied warily.
Twilight was also giving me a suspicious look as if she was second guessing her decision to trust me.

“I understand if you are upset with me I am a stranger to most of you-“

“Hold on a Second!” a Pink mare interjected.

“Pinkie maybe you should let me explain this-“ I tried to continue.

“Nuh uh, let me Sammy.” Pinkie gave me a look that adamantly dissuaded any argument and turned it towards Twilight and Lyra. Their faces expressed surprise at the sudden change in the party pony’s demeanor.
“Listen girls, going to Lyra’s manor was my idea. I totally wanted to throw a great awesomely humongous party for Sammy here, but this time I didn’t know how. I mean it’s not everyday you meet a completely different species!”
“Pinkie we are-“ Twilight tried to interject
“Nuh, uh, let me finish Twilight!”
Twilight opened her mouth to protest then promptly shut it again.

“When we reached Lyra’s place I couldn’t find the spare key to let us in, so Sammy and I split up to look for the key. The storm was super duper bad by this time I could barely see and when I decided to search the front courtyard I must of collapsed from the cold. I laid out there for a long time before Sammy came around looking for me. I was too weak to call back but somehow he found me. I felt really sleepy and passed out, the next thing I knew we were inside on Lyra’s sofa with a fire going.”
Pinkie gave me an affectionate smile and turned back towards the three mares “So stop being so suspicious of him, he saved my life and I trust him. And I’ll even throw in a Pinkie Pie Promise that Sam is not here to hurt any pony. Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye!” Pinkie said resolutely her fore hooves going through the motions similar to someone that just finished praying.

The shocked looks on the faces of the three mares turned to guilty.
I brought my gaze upon Twilight and Lyra “What she said is true minus a few details, I just did what I knew needed to be done for someone-“
“Somepony!” Pinkie corrected excitedly
“-somepony I care about.” I concluded

She pities you, she doesn’t truly care about you darkside whispered. And yet as I heard this, for the first time I realized that it was for once much more probable that it wasn’t true. Perhaps I can possess some qualities that encourages someone to care about me. At the time I still believed I did not deserve it but, I wasn’t willing to push this care away. I was selfish or at least that is how it felt.
“I did however, break into your home Lyra, and I accidentally damaged an ornate statue along with the gutter built into your balcony. In my defense it was the only way I could think of to get Pinkie and myself inside before we froze to death in the blizzard. I also burned logs in your fireplace and borrowed this quilt, satchel bag and journal, in fact you should probably take them back now.” I removed the leather satchel which still held the diary we obtained, and the ornate quilt and placed them on the floor next to Lyra.
The eyes of the two unicorn mares softened. Lyra walked over to me and placed a hoof on my arm.
“We believe you, and I want to apologize…. it’s just that the first human seen in centuries disappears for two whole days with a personal friend right after both of you leave the hospital.”

I lowered my eyes. That does sound pretty questionable and suspect.

“But, from Pinkie has said and how you have behaved I think we can say that we trust you.” She said with sincerity

“What about the statue and your mansion?” I asked surprised.

“Oh don’t worry about that I wouldn’t of cared even if it hadn’t been a daring survival scenario, and that old quilt has been gathering dust in my closet for years I’m glad it is giving somepony some much needed warmth.” Lyra said nonchalantly

“Plus there are hundreds of statues in the courtyard and most are just replicas I think I can manage without all of them being in perfect shape”. She gave a gentle smile and looked toward Twilight
“I think it’s about time we had some food, we can discuss everything over dinner.”
Twilight smiled nodding in agreement “I’ll grab Spike from the basement, he’s been cleaning up after us so much he’s practically been living down there.” She said guiltily
Lyra gave an apologetic smile “Well I think Bon Bon and myself can make dinner and if I run over to Bon Bon’s I can grab some gems for our superb assistant.”
“I could help in the kitchen-“ Twilight began

“No! I mean that’s alright Twilight! We got it, let us treat you for once you’ve given us so much and helped my research a ton.” Lyra responded quickly. I could tell there was another reason she didn’t want Twilight in the kitchen

Twilight smiled “You know that’s fine. And thank you girls.” Twilight looked over to Pinkie and myself “You two should make yourselves comfortable after hearing what you’ve been through I think a little relaxation is in order”. With that Twilight and the other two mares left to handle the tasks of making dinner and cleaning up the basement leaving pinkie and myself alone in the living room the fire still burning brightly.
“So! Sammy what do you want to do while we wait for dinner, we could make paper hats, paper boats, or build a rocket or even concoct a special potion that makes every pony super green! Or….!!”

“Wait super green? Why would you ever want to turn some pony green?”

“Well duh so they can get out of work and have more fun or you could totally use it as super stealthy camo in the woods!”
I laughed “that is true, but normally when I go over to someone’s house or when we have company we play board games. Like monopoly or Chess.”
“Monopoly!” Pinkie exclaimed “That sounds just like Gems and Bitopoly!” she reached into a crevice in the wall and pulled out a box with the title “Gems and Bitopoly- The Equestrian game of business.”

“It’s totally super fun and I’m really good at it!” Pinkie gave me a devilish smile “No pony has ever beaten me and I can teach you how to play!”
I smiled we did have some time to kill until dinner of which the smells were beginning to waft into the living room making my mouth water. Yeah a distraction from that smell would be nice.

I nodded my head “Alright Pinkie it sounds like fun just go easy on me I’m not entirely good at these kinds of games.” That was only the partial truth however, most of the time I’ve played monopoly has been when I played against my sister and those games lasted for hours. Most of the time it would be decided when someone got tired of playing and left to sleep or eat food. I guess that’s the problem with playing with only two people or rather a person and a pony in this instance.
Pinkie beamed and pulled the board out of its box and began to deal money while I picked out our tokens. We rolled dice to see who would get to go first and luck was on my side as it turns out. Placing my rather goofy looking token of a Pegasus in a flying contraption on GO I rolled once again. Pinkie watched with uncharacteristic attention as the die left my hand and tumbled on to the table.
“Here goes nothing…” I mumbled and thus our game began.

Author's Note

Hey people or ponies whichever you prefer, here is chapter 13 edited to the best of my ability I think. . I was happy with how I wrote RD in this section and I was surprised at how much I liked writing her dialogue. The next chapter is almost finished and things get exciting...well at least I think they do I mean it could be garbage to some of you (but I hope it's not . Anyway hope you enjoy and as always thanks for reading.