Twinning Isn't Everything

One moment, I was kept as hostage by Trixie so she could get what she wanted. The next, she pushed me through a portal to another destination. I found myself in a world that looked to be in one of those early Equestrian cities. I remembered what they had looked like from my history lesson when I was a filly, even though I was, what Cosmo would say, "goofing off" during those times. If I remembered correctly, this was known as the renaissance era. I could tell it was the renaissance era because of how the houses looked compared to the textbook from memory and the fact that ponies here were selling weapons such as swords, battle axes, and war hammers. The only reason why I actually paid attention to this subject in my elementary years was because I always wondered what it would be like to live in a time as adventurous like this. Getting to actually live in a world like that had been pretty normal compared to Ponyville so far, then again I was only here for about ten minutes. I tried to get up, but I forgot that I was still tied up in the chair Trixie put me in under hostage. I tried to get out myself, and I almost got out of it, but I still couldn't get out completely. Suddenly, a stallion came by to help me out. He had a blue coat, a white mane, and a cutie mark that looked like a potion bottle.

"Doth thee needeth help?" the stallion asked.

"No, I just happen to enjoy being tied in a chair all the time," I said with sarcasm.

"Art thee serious?" the stallion asked.

"No, not really," I responded. "Just help me get out."

He then helped me get out of the chair and untie all the knots in the rope that was holding me hostage. Then I thanked him and said, "Thanks for getting me out of there. I'm Astro."

"Thou mayest refer to me as Bottler," he replied.

"Bottler huh, I like it," I responded. "Maybe you could tell me where I am."

"Thee art in Ponyville," Bottler responded.

"Ponyville?" I asked. "Are you sure?"

"I am quaint sure this is Ponyville," Bottler responded. "Wherefore doth thee asketh?"

I really thought that this world was an okay place to be in, and I didn't want to scare him away by saying that I was from another world, so I tried to change the subject. "No reason. So Bottler, what is it you do for a living?"

"I am an alchemist," Bottler answered. "I maketh potions for several occasions."

"An alchemist huh, that's pretty cool!" I replied. "How exactly does alchemy work?"

"It's a little complicated to pray pardon me," Bottler said. "It's like cooking a homemade meal with rather unusual ingredients."

"Well, I guess that's one way to put it," I said. I was starting to get hungry, so I asked, "Hey, do you know a place where we could eat?"

"Thither is this one lodging," he answered. "I cannot recall what tis hath called though."

"Do you know where it is at least?" I asked.

"Followeth me," I insisted. "I shalt taketh thee thither."

We walked all the way over to the place he referred to, and it proved to be quite the walk. The outside of the structure looked like a diner, and I could see why Bottler had a hard time figuring out the name of it, and that's because it hadn't been named. I didn't know what to expect, but I was hungry after all, so that left me with no choice. We walked in, and the first thing we saw was a sign that said, "Seat Yourself." And so we did just that. When did sat down, I talked to him furthermore because I really thought we could become the best of friends.

"How often do you come here?" I asked him.

"Not a whole lot," he answered. "I am a peasant after all."

"I thought you said you were an alchemist," I mentioned. "Don't you sell potions for profit?"

"I am not allowed to," Bottler explained. "At least, not in public. If 't be true I doth, then I receiveth thrown in the dungeon."

"Why is that?" I questioned.

"Because lest I not a licensed alchemist," he explained again. "Only licensed alchemists art allowed to selleth potions out in public. Lest I only a couple years from becoming licensed, but if 't be true I receiveth hath caught selling potions out to the public..."

"I get it now," I said, cutting him off. "You do it because you love it. That's why your cutie mark looks like that. But because you're not an official alchemist, you could get in trouble if you market that stuff."

"Precisely," he finished. "I don't very much maketh potions for wage concluded, be it. I do't because it's mine special talent, and I love doing it."

By the time we finished talking, the waitress had come over to take start us off with some drinks. I told the waitress what I wanted to drink, which was a mug of whiskey, but Bottler did nothing but just stare at her like he had been shot by cupid. He looked flustered and a bit lovestruck by the looks of it. I tried to snap him back into reality but nothing worked. I decided to order him some apple cider because, first of all, the waitress was the whole reason why he couldn't order, and second, he didn't look like an alcoholic. The waitress walked away and Bottler woke up from his daydream.

"Wh-What just hath happened?" he asked with confusion.

"The waitress came over and you just dozed off," I explained.

"Didst I?" Bottler wondered. "That seemeth a bit unusual to me."

"Let's just say, I hope you like apple cider," I responded with a small chuckle.

"I would rather prefer a glass of champagne," Bottler started. "But a glass of apple cider never hurt anypony."

The waitress had come back with our drinks and Bottler had that same look on his face toward the waitress. It was almost like he was under a hypnotic spell, triggering that look every time she came over to serve us. She asked if we wanted any appetizers before the main course, but I told her that me and Bottler would rather skip the appetizer. When she heard my response, she gave us more time to decided what we wanted to have as far as the main course goes and left our table. That's when Bottler returned back to reality.

"Bottler, are you okay?" I asked.

"What? Oh, I-I am fine," he responded. "I guess I just...uh..."

"Have a crush on the waitress?" I finished. "You know, you're a lot like my sister. She's smart, but she's shy. I've been trying to make her life more exciting ever since we moved from..." I paused myself, remembered that Bottler doesn't know where I'm from, and thought to keep my story to myself. Then, I continued, "...well that's not important, but the point is to never be afraid of trying new things, and Cosmo just needs to learn that."

"Cosmo?" he wondered.

"The name of my sister," I responded.

"Whither is thy sister?" he asked

"I don't know," I answered. "One moment I was with her, and the next, we got split apart."

"Oh, I see," Bottler replied. "And about earlier, thee wast right. I am in love with the waitress. I just receiveth nervous around that lady oft."

"You really don't got anything to lose," I mentioned. "The worst that could happen is if she says 'no'. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Thee doth has't a point," Bottler admitted. "Very well, I shalt gather mine courage and..."

He was cut off when the waitress came over and made the same face he made before when she previously came to our table. I told her we were ready to order our food. I ordered some hot wings with a blue cheese dip. For a change, Bottler actually spoke to the waitress and told her what he wanted, which was the fish and chips dish. Then, she left to go get our food. Later on, she came back to give us what we ordered and we ate what we got. When we got done eating, the waitress came back to take our dishes. Just when she was about to leave, Bottler asked her a question.

"Would thee like to wend with me?" he asked.

"I would love to," the waitress replied.

"Within this wall of flesh, there is a soul that counts thee its creditor," Bottler said back.

"I shalt returneth in just a moment," the waitress said was she walked away with the dishes.

The look on his face made me feel that I had done something right. Bottler looked like he could jump for joy as he just asked the waitress if he could go out with him, as she accepted his proposal. When we were done at the restaurant, me and Bottler walked out and chatted for a little longer. I had also realized something very unique about "Ponyville." So I asked him, "This is gonna sound a bit strange, but why are there only unicorns in Ponyville? I mean, where are the earth ponies and pegasi?"

"Can we please talk about something else?" Bottler responded.

"Okay, if it's too touchy of a subject," I responded. From there we talked about town life as well as his own life. The one thing we talked about the most was the waitress at the restaurant. We had talked about her for a while, but the one thing that made the whole conversation, in my opinion, was that this conversation wouldn't exist without my assistance.