Twilight Sparkle moves to Ponyville.(Comment-Driven)by FaelaArtsChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 1Twilight Sparkle ascended the stairs to her room, boxes following behind her in a purple aura. Opening the door, she set them down in a corner, and smiled at her new room. Walking past the bed she had gotten delivered here, she opened the doors leading to the balcony, and breathed in the fresh country air. “Nothing like a fresh start, and new books, am I right?” Upon not receiving an answer, Twilight turned, and poked her head out the door. Looking to the stairs, she saw Spike trying to lift up one of the heavy boxes. Rolling her eyes, she took the box in her magic, and pretended Spike was carrying it up despite her taking most of the weight. “Sorry Twilight, I was only trying to help.” Twiddling his thumbs, Spike the dragon looked toward the wooden floor, and Twilight was struck by how adorable her assistant was. Rapidly shaking her head, Twilight placed the box gently over with the others, and crouched down, placing a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty for you to do when we start unpacking.” Giving a wink, Twilight stood up and exited the room, heading toward the entrance of her treehouse. Grabbing a few more of the boxes, she spotted a group of five ponies coming to greet her, and put them back down. “Hey girls!” Twilight beamed a smile, and Pinkie brought Twilight into a big hug. Feeling the warmth of her friend, Twilight was reminded of the special bond she now shared with these five. They didn’t know each other that well beyond their first meetings, but Twilight was sure they would all be the best of friends. “So Twilight, what are you going to do first?” Rarity and the others began to take some of the boxes, Twilight taking the remaining in her magic as she led them inside. “Probably unpack, sort the shelves.” Nodding to herself, Twilight considered what sorting system she should use. There was ever-faithful Dewey, or by Surname. The possibilities were endless. “No, when you are finished packing in dear.” Rarity smiled, trying desperately to ignore the thin layer of dust covering the bookshelves. Twilight would take care of it, she was certain about that. And if she didn’t? Well, Rarity had weekends free for the moment. “Oh uh.” Twilight put her boxes down, and turned to sit on her bed, musing for a moment. What did she want to do? Surely she should hang out with her friends. What if there was an event? Pinkie was likely to throw a party too. “I don’t know, but I’ll let you all know when I do. Right now, I just want to relax before I get to work putting this library in tip top shape.” Twilight beamed a grin, and the others sent one in return. Fluttershy glanced away, looking toward the floor. “Would you like to go do something relaxing? I know a great spa.” Rarity saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash cringe. Twilight frowned, wondering what she should do. “Or you can come down and spend some time with mah family down at tha’ farm.” Suggesting her own, she tried to make sure she didn’t mention any work being involved. A learned pony like Twilight could use a little more exercise. “Or you can come with me to see some awesome tricks.” Rainbow Dash fist pumped the air, hovering slightly above the group. Glancing between them, Twilight bit her lip. Just which one should she choose. All sounded like great relaxing ideas. Truthfully, she wanted to just sit on her bed and read a good book. “T-The animals would l-love to m-eep-eet you.” Fluttershy cowered slightly, her voice barely audible despite the silence in the room. “All of that sounds really good, I don’t know what I should choose.” Twilight bit her lip, unsure whom she should pick. Not wanting to disappoint them, she was struck with indecision. The five shared a glance, Rainbow Dash raising an eyebrow. Rarity stepped forward, and smiled gently. “Twilight, you don’t have to do everything at once. You live here now, we have plenty of time to get to know each other better. Just choose the one that feels right to you.” Rarity glanced back to the others, all giving encouraging nods. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, that was good to hear. And yet, it didn’t solve her problem. “I’ll need to think about it, I’m honestly now sure what to do.” Twilight made a motion with her hoof, and Spike tapped her side. “Uh Twilight, which one of the boxes had the frozen food?” Stepping back, Spike was still unprepared for how close Twilight got to him. Eyes wide, she dived toward the boxes, rapidly opening them as Spike slowly joined her. Sharing a glance, her friends began to help out with the search. As with most things, it was the very last box they found. Twilight quickly levitated the items out, trotting toward the fridge. It looked like they had made it in time. Breathing out, she smiled as the top of the fridge closed. Well, it was the freezer compartment of her fridge. Ear flicking, she turned back to her friends. “Sorry about that. I bought a bunch of food just in case I have trouble finding everything I need during my first week here.” Giving a sheepish smile, Twilight could see none of them was really that bothered, but she knew it was polite to apologise despite that. “S’all good Twilight,” spoke Dash, giving a shrug as she landed on the wooden floor. Leaving them back into the main room, Twilight followed them toward the door. As nice as it was to see them, she needed to unpack before she did anything. “I’ll unpack today, and tomorrow I’ll decide who to visit first,” she told the five, who all nodded. That sounded like a fair decision. After all, they had all seen the amount of boxes in the room. Would one afternoon really be enough time? “Do you want any help?” Pinkie Pie giggled, planning the party to welcome Twilight to the town as they spoke. Mind full of streamers and secret invitations, she wondered if she should make it a surprise party. Oh Twilight hadn’t liked her first one, but Pinkie was sure that- “No that’s fine, thank you for the offer though.” While she was happy they had all come around to welcome her, Twilight really needed some time to get used to her new surroundings. And possibly read some of the books. Tomorrow would be the time to get to know them better. Waving them goodbye, a stray thought also reminded her she could brush it off for another day, and just read some of the many books behind her. Twilight closed the door, seriously considering the offer. Putting herself out there and talking to them, making a choice on who to go to, it was a difficult decision. One Twilight could not recall making before. “Alright, the decision can wait for now. Time to unpack!” Author's Note What sorting system should Twilight use? What should Twilight do tomorrow? Notice:Due to one answer being 50 50, I have tossed a victual coin between them using random.org. Self-insert is 1, and Barack is 2. The result is here: http://i.gyazo.com/df74c364b2eb898e7bc670cb9320d4bf.png Time remaining to next chapter: 1 Day Current results can be seen here. Chapter 2“There, and in record time.” Twilight admired her perfectly sorted shelves, knowing she had picked the best way to sort them. There was zero chance she would regret this later. Regardless, Spike has blinked at her when she had told him. She would have to punish him later for leaving her to do it all alone. “I mean, it’s such a simple sorting method.” From heaviest to lightest, with the lightest on bottom and heaviest on top. On the shelves themselves, they were arranged by colors of the rainbow, red on the right and purple on the left. If two were the same color, she had arranged them by the amount of letters in the title. Organization is very important! “So it’s about lunchtime. That leaves me plenty of time to head down to Fluttershy for today.” Agonising over her decision, Twilight had come to the conclusion some quiet silence would be just the thing she needed to relax. “Spike! I’m going to Fluttershy’s, I’ll be back later.” Trotting toward the door, Twilight head a soft reply from upstairs, and went on her merry way. Turning down a road, she asked a pony for directions, and thanked him quietly. Leaving Ponyville, she followed the path leading to the cottage, and knocked on the door. “H-Helllo…” Fluttershy was barely visible as she slowly opened the door, letting Twilight in. Looking around, Twilight liked the homey feel of the cottage. A bunny bounced over, and she lowered her head. It was pure white, and looked utterly adorable. “Aw, who’s this wittle guy?” Blinking, Twilight leaned back as the bunny slapped her nose. What a rude rabbit! “That’s Angel. He’s a bit...high maintenance.” Smiling nervously, Fluttershy tried to not offend her bunny. If she did that, he would only make it harder for her later. Twilight nodded, and glanced toward the back door as Fluttershy made her way toward it. Following, they entered a large backyard with several large cages. “Wear this.” Fluttershy pulled out a paper bag, putting one over her own head. Raising an eyebrow, Twilight was about to argue, but decided to listen. She wasn’t an animal expert after all. Walking toward the cages, Twilight finally got a look at the creatures inside. They looked like hairless apes. “What are these creatures Fluttershy?” Curiosity piqued, she watched as one approached the side of the cage, and began making strange noises. A part of her wondered if it would be possible to translate that. It would require a lot of testing, but she did so love science. “They are called Humans. They come from a strange portal in the Everfree. These three are healing before I escort them back.” Pulling out a handful of oats, Fluttershy refilled their food bowls. Twilight nodded as she absorbed that information. “Barrraccck. Obaaama.” One of the Humans began to slowly sound out two words. Both turned, frowning. “That’s Skyle, I’ve been teaching him pony. He says he wants to take over Equestria.” Fluttershy saw the disbelief on Twilight face, and quietly whispered to Skyle. “I will conquer this fair nation! It is much better than America. I don’t know why as the writer of this story is Australian, but I want to lead somewhere better.” The human fist pumped the air, and Twilight sighed. Thinking quickly, she made up a name for a place on the spot. “If you are good, I’ll show you how to overthrow Canada. Sound good?” Seeing the bobbing head, Twilight considered that one less creature she had to worry about coming from the Everfree. One Nightmare Moon was enough, thank you. “Why do we have to wear these paper bags anyway?” Turning, Twilight watched Fluttershy shrink, and wondered if she had said it too harshly. Really, it was always difficult talking to her, like walking on eggshells. “W-Well if we don’t, the poor creatures die of heart attacks. I-I don’t know why.” Tears starting to show through the bag, Twilight bit her lip and hesitantly brought Fluttershy into a hug. While they were friends, Twilight wasn’t sure they were close enough for comfort hugs just yet. After a moment, Fluttershy stepped away, a soft smile on her face as Twilight glanced toward the sun. “Oh is that the time!? I’ve got to go buy dinner! See you Fluttershy.” Rapidly waving goodbye, Twilight dashed out of the backyard. Dumping the paper bag in her saddlebags the moment she was out of view of the cages, she wondered just what she should buy for dinner. Spike was easy, but for her she wanted something filling. Hay Fries weren’t going to cut it. “Oh dear, I hope Spike doesn’t get into his ‘good dragon’ stash because I lost track of time.” Especially since he hadn’t earned it. Really, that dragon needed a thorough lesson in responsibility. Leaving something not done had consequences for the future. Passing Rarity, Twilight quickly paused to greet her. “Hey Rarity, sorry I can’t stay. I gotta grab dinner before heading home.” Seeing her friend smile, Twilight waved goodbye, and continued to the stalls. Most were starting to close up. She only hoped there were enough left open for her to buy the ingredients. “Should I grab dessert too?” Slowing down, Twilight was relieved to find out most were still open. It didn’t change the fact she would have to hurry, but it allowed her to see what was open. Looking at all of them, a moment of indecision crossed her. What should she eat tonight? There was even the trader stall. ‘The pony’s a little weird. I mean, he sells meat. I know some creatures that pass through Ponyville are carnivores, but what sort of creature did it come from?’ Shuddering, Twilight discarded such thoughts, turning toward the much more pleasant side. Full of fruits and hay, her mouth began to water. “So much, so little time to choose.” Biting her lip, Twilight glanced rapidly around. What should she choose? So many choices, which one did she want? Author's Note How should Twilight punish Spike? What should Twilight have for Dinner? See the results below. Here. Chapter 3Twilight blinked in surprise as all stands excluding one suddenly closed. Sighing, she trotted over and quickly ordered the one thing on the menu. While she hated meat, it was something ponies could ingest, at least in small quantities. So, taking her bag of meat, Twilight turned and headed home. Spike was waiting for her when she got home. However, that wasn’t what caught her attention. For some reason, a wolf was sitting at the table, conversing with Spike. When the door closed behind Twilight, it turned and stood up. They were around the same height. “Who are you? And why are you in my house?” Crouching, Twilight prepared a spell to cast in case the wolf attacked them. The wolf didn’t react, and confusion rose on her face. “I’m your neighbor. I came over to introduce myself, you can call me Ware.” Smiling, the wolf only made Twilight more nervous, but she forced herself to be hospitable. “Sorry, pony instinct. I’m Twilight Sparkle, and that dragon who let you in is called Spike.” Giving a pleasant smile, Twilight glanced toward the packet of meat she had just purchased. Raising it above her, she offered it toward Ware. “I’m having meat for dinner, would you like to join us?” Grimacing, Twilight saw the wolf almost howl with joy. “Would I? That would be awesome, thank you.” Quickly returning to her seat, Ware smiled at Twilight, who headed into the kitchen to cook it. While it was likely the wolf didn’t need it cooked, Twilight did. After all, she didn’t want to get sick from it. “And dinner is served.” Sitting down, Twilight served out two plates of mystery meat, and a bowl of gems for Spike, who gorged himself. “So why are you called Ware, if you don’t mind me asking?” To be honest, Twilight didn’t know much about wolf culture, as they normally only got Timberwolves around here. “Well, wolves are named on either their color, or a sense. And well, I’m a very aware wolf.” As Ware grimaced, and Twilight understood why. A name made based sorely so a pun could be made. “Well, I must return to my home, feel free to come around for a visit.” Bowing her head, Ware stood up, and headed out the door. Twilight waved her hoof in farewell, and waited until the door was closed, to glare at Spike. “You were trying to get out of punishment weren’t you.” Twilight quickly grabbed the fleeing dragon, holding him in place as he struggled in her magic. “I’m sorry Twi! Please don’t do thi-,” with a poof, Spike vanished. Twilight nodded in satisfaction, a few hours on the moon would do the dragon some good. Glancing to the calendar, Twilight blinked. “Oh that’s right, a friend of Rainbow Dash is coming into town tomorrow. Pinkie is likely going to throw a party, I should grab a present for both Rainbow Dash and this ‘Gilda’.” Strange name for a pony as it was, Twilight didn’t choose baby names. If she did, she’d name it something like Thousand Papers. Now THAT was a name. “Let’s see, I could go with a book, or maybe buy something in town tomorrow.” Twilight glanced at her private collection of books, the one’s that others couldn’t borrow. There was a Daring Doo book. Rainbow Dash might like that series. Heading upstairs, Twilight settled into her bed, reading while she mused on it. Until she knew what time the party was on, she had the day free too. What did she want to spend it doing? That was a good question. “Alright, that’s long enough.” Concentrating her magic, Spike appeared in her room. Shuddering, he whimpered, and curled up into his bed. Twilight nodded, glad to see the lesson had sunk in. Flipping a page, she wondered if she should go for a picnic or something tomorrow. Or the spa with Rarity, something relaxing. It was likely Pinkie would cut them off though, so Twilight didn’t think it was a good idea. With somepony new in town, this party was going to be very loud. Twilight only hoped it wouldn’t take place so late, she needed her beauty sleep after all. ‘I wonder how Applejack is doing. I could always lend a hoof down at the farm once Gilda leaves.’ Speaking once more of Gilda, how should Twilight treat her? Like a friend? Like an acquaintance? She certainly didn’t want to make a bad impression, especially considering it’s Dash’s friend. Spike began mumbling, and Twilight growled in annoyance. As soon as she set her scathing glare on him, he became silent. Honestly, it was so hard to train a dragon to be obedient sometimes. Flicking off the switch, Twilight settled into sleep. With any luck, her dreams would revolve around her finding an unknown type of magic. The awards, the recognition, she smiled softly. Author's Note (I am using this as the timeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvhr1pdHSrI) What two presents should Twilight give Gilda & RD? What should she spend the day doing? How should she treat Gilda? What does she dream about? See the results: here. Time remaining till next chapter: 0 days Chapter 4Twilight dreamt. First, she dreamt Luna was chastising her for sending Spike to the moon, but it suddenly changed to Ware walking down a path with clothes on. After a moment, it changed once more, this time ponies were eating books that were eating ponies. Finally it showed a ball of fluff jumping on a rainbow. Blinking, Twilight found herself strapped to a surgery table, in front of her Ware was battling a monster while Luna whispered into her ear, speaking of how this might come to be. For some reason, on the other side Pinkie was breathing down her neck. After a moment longer, all she could see if Pinkie and Discord on twin thrones. Twilight blinked her eyes open, she was in a clear plastic box being delivered by Derpy. Dash is flying beside, making suggestive winks. It began to rain science equipment and books, before everything suddenly explodes, leaving a wasteland. Stepping out of the box, Twilight found herself running a sushi bar. Her customer was a duck making strange noises. Tasting her food to make sure it was fine, Twilight ingested a hot pepper and breathed fire on the duck. And then for some reason, her building transformed into black rectangles with dots on them, and began sniffing her. Twilight, for no reason, swallowed a ‘computer’ and flew away into space with Luna while playing with a yoyo. Twilight was in her bathroom, her horn stuck somehow in a tub of toothpaste. Spike came into the bathroom in a panic, knocking down most of the ceiling and walls as he dragged the moon behind him on his back. For some reason, there was also a guy named Bill Cipher in the room. Twilight woke up, and knew that she would never be trusting her dreams to the hands of strangers again. “Here, this is a mare, she is now your friend, you now have a marefriend.” Ware dumped a pony in front of Twilight after coming out of the filly foolers bar. Storming away, Twilight blushes in embarrassment. Why had she thought asking her neighbor to help her find a marefriend had been a good idea? That was something you asked friends for help with. Not strangers. Twilight smiled as she greeted Gilda and Rainbow Dash. Holding out their gifts, she watched both unwrap them. Confusion on their face, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. “Uh Twilight, what are these thin cases with strange circles inside?” Tilting her head, Rainbow Dash noticed Gilda’s present as the Gryphon opened her mouth. “Coupons for free pancakes, and they’re lifetime? You do realise I can’t eat pancakes right? I’m half bird you know.” Gilda glared at Twilight, and she gave a sheepish smile. Well, she might have known that, had she studied a bit about Gryphons. “I’m sorry,” was all she could say in response. Twilight had no idea what those circles were for. And she hadn’t studied enough to know that about Gryphons. In reality, there was only way way to cover her mistake. “Gilda, please come with me home. I want to make it up to you. Dash do you mind waiting here?” Twilight smiled at them both, and they agreed slowly. Turning, Twilight led Gilda back to her home, and descended down to her basement. Gilda squinted in the darkness. Suddenly, something hit her in the back, and she slumped unconscious. Twilight closed the door, and strapped Gilda down, flicking the light on. After a moment, she used a spell to rouse Gilda. “W-What the?” Blinking, Gilda noticed the tool coming toward her, and tried to break free. Unable to, she screeched in pain as each individual feather was plucked from her stomach. Frowning, Twilight pulled out a shaver, and just shaved away the feathers. There wasn’t any time to be picky about how they were removed. Sliding a knife down Gilda’s stomach, Twilight opened it up and pulled out the organs. Gilda’s cries went unanswered under her soundproofing spell. Finding the lung, she poked a hole in it, and proceeded to slice up the intestines as blood slowly filled Gilda’s lung. Gurgling, she died a slow, painful death. Finished her work, Twilight put the organs back inside, and sewed up her incision. Horn glowing, she concentrated, and Gilda’s body became ash with a soft poof. Sweeping it up, she used it to fertilize the plant that grew in the dark of the basement. It was more a mushroom to be honest. Wiping off the blood, Twilight considered what she should do tomorrow. Apparently tomorrow was the day a Zebra came into town. Twilight was curious to meet this Zebra, wondering what her culture was like. Ascending the stairs, she closed the door, and headed back toward the party to tell Dash what had happened to Gilda. Author's Note What should Twilight tell Dash? How should she treat Zecora? What happens when she enters the Poison Joke? See the results: here Chapter 5Twilight opens the door, returning to the party. Dash walked over, and smiled at Twilight. Frowning, she looks around for Gilda. “There’s no point looking for Gilda, she’s dead.” Twilight spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, catching every pony in the room off guard. Looking between them, she glanced away guiltily. “I don’t know what came over me. It suddenly felt like I HAD to kill her.” Twilight bit her lip, and watched as the other five shared a glance for a moment. Sighing, Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead. “Look, what you did was terrible. But it wasn’t your fault. Now before you get asking us why, we can’t tell you. At least, not yet.” Rainbow Dash glanced behind Twilight, as if she was looking for something. Looking at Pinkie Pie, Dash followed her point, before finally looking directly at something. “But-” Getting cut off, Twilight glared at Dash she she was shooshed. After a moment, she rolled her eyes, and dropped the issue. Quietly, they discussed what she had done with the body, before Dash looked away, and closed her eyes. “I think it’s time for us to call it a night.” Any objections were quickly cut off when Dash looked to Pinkie Pie. Quietly, and swiftly, the party wrapped up, and Twilight headed home. Dejected, she felt cold and alone as she ascended toward her bed. Slipping into it, she cried herself to sleep. What had she done? “In a big tasty stew, soooo... Watch out” Gasping for breath on top of the table, Pinkie Pie glared at Twilight. Narrowing her eyes, she looked out the window, and tried to leave. Typically, they held her down, and soon enough Zecora was gone. “Seriously, you guys are so superstitious.” Twilight glared at them, muttering her annoyances as Applejack began to look around. “Apple Bloom’s gone!” And so, they set off into the forest to find Applejack’s sister. Twilight growled in irritation as they entered some glowing blue flowers. Really, why was Applejack’s sister allowed to run off, but no her? Who was the adult? "Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" There was Apple Bloom, and standing just outside of the blue flowers was Zecora. Twilight smiled welcomingly, wondering if she’d ever get a chance to have a proper look under that cloak. It seemed unlikely, as Applejack dragged everypony out of the forest. Twilight decided to head home and do some research on Zebras. There was not a lot of information, but apparently they were a very tribal race. A few pictures of masks that looked frightful to Twilight were apparently in welcome. Closing the book, she stifled a yawn, and headed to bed. “Urgh,” she groaned, feeling like a train had run her over. Rubbing a claw over her face, she blinked, opening her eyes to stare at it. To her shock, she was now a Draconequus. “WAAAARGH!” Her cry sent her house spinning, and as she tried to use her magic to fix it, it slammed, upside down, back into the ground. Trying to repair it in a panic, she made it into a burger. “Twilight, something’s wrong with-” “I think I have the bigger problem right now Rainbow Dash!” Slowly crawling out of the burger, Twilight held Spike by her tail, looking toward her assembled friends. Surprisingly, Spike was holding a book. Taking it, Twilight skimmed it, surprised to find the exact picture of the plant in question. “Where’s Apple Bloom?” Applejack glanced around in fright, and the five began to form assumptions that it was Zecora. Twilight sighed, and turned the book around so they could see. “Zecora didn’t do this, we did from walking into the plant. You should really learn not to judge a book by it’s cover.” Twilight picked up the tiny Applejack, and led her friends into the forest. Avoiding the patch of flowers this time, they politely knocked on Zecora’s door. “Hey Zecora, is Apple Bloom here?” Twilight smiled warmly, please to finally get a proper look at the zebra. Quickly counting the stripes in her head, she was surprised to find out Zecora was a white horse with black stripes. Curiosity sated, they all entered as Zecora welcomed them inside. “Welcome new friends, she was here, for your end. She gathers ingredients for my brew, which will heal what ails you.” Zecora motioned to the big pot, just as Apple Bloom entered the house. Glancing to Applejack, her narrowed eyes betrayed her expectation. “Apple Bloom, you are in so much trouble for running off when we get home. But you were right about Zecora, so ah suppose you three deserve an ‘onest apology.” Applejack pulled off her hat, bowing slightly. Twilight nodded, happy to see everything had been solved quickly and efficiently. She even triple checked the count of Zecora’s stripes. “I hope everyone is happy, and has learned a lesson today. I shall heal you all, except what Twilight has swayed.” Zecora points toward Twilight, offering a sad expression. “Never has one been affected like you. My brew is too weak to heal a dose of two.” Zecora bowed her head, and Twilight gulped. “You mean I’m stuck like this?” Gulping, Twilight tried to avoid the nod that Zecora gave her, before bowing her head. Just great, now she was a Draconequus. How could things get any worse? Author's Note What happens next? See the results: here Chapter 6The ants marched along the ground, a thin line of movement that occasionally paused to ensure they were tracking the scent markers properly. Coming to a strange blockage, the front ant paused, using it’s feelers to inform the line there was a complication. The line began to fan out, probing the new structure. Using their heat sensors, the ants knew this object was not living, and was completely immobile. Slowly, they began to fan around it, some attempting to climb over it. All three prongs made it to the other side, informing the lead ant of the exact size and shape of the object. The lead ant informed the rest of the line, and picked a path around it based on the information. The ants fell back in line, following the scent trail while laying a new one. As they moved, they came to the source of their journey, their home, and noticed something immensely different. Entering their home, the ants residing inside informed the lead ant that their home had changed composition. All the ants were quietly and efficiently expanding the nest now that their home had become a rich source of food. The ants went back to work instantly, the lead ant pausing as he received a new directive. Informing a small group to follow, the lead ant once more left the nest in search of a new home. With their home now food, it would only be a matter of time before they needed to move. Using it’s feelers, the ant probed the world, heading out down an old scent path. The hoof came down, smashing the ant and killing it instantly. The creature grimaced, wiping the grime off as it knocked on the burger. There was a sound of movement, and a head peeked out from inside of it. The four behind gave shaky smiles, and the creature began to speak. “Twilight, you can’t just hide inside a burger all day.” Rarity gave an encouraging smile, grimacing as Twilight merely returned to the inside of her burger, tail sticking out slightly. Sighing, Rarity open the folds of the bun, entering the burger, shuddering as she tried to ignore the squishy meat under her. “Leave me alone, it’s bad enough I can’t wallow under a bed anymore.” Twilight sobbed quietly behind her claws, depressed and feeling alone. Rarity brought a hoof around Twilight, looking at the body and wondering if she could even create an outfit that would go well with so many mismatched colors. “Come on sugarcube, ya’re looking at this tha wrong way. Ya just gotta look at that silver lining.” After all, Twilight could still walk and talk. Sure, magic might not ever be possible again, but that didn’t mean Twilight’s life had to end. Twilight merely shook her head, and a third pony came in, taking a bite of the burger. “Jeez, this burger is tasty, you’re saying this was a tree?” Both Rarity and Applejack glared at Pinkie Pie, who gave a sheepish smile. Twilight nodded once, still hiding behind her claws. “Come on Twilight you can’t just let some mean old flowers tell you what to do.” Stepping inside, Rainbow Dash also snuck a bite of the burger’s bun. Behind her, Fluttershy quietly followed. Hollowing out the bun, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash shared a quiet snicker. Rolling their eyes, Rarity and Applejack try to comfort Twilight. “Hey, is my sister here?” A small filly look around, before noticing Applejack and giving a smile. Behind her was a whole line of ponies. Apparently a lot of people wanted to see inside the burger house. “Woah,” exclaimed Apple Bloom as she was pushed inside, the burger quickly becoming crowded. Twilight raised her head, swishing her tail as she began to cry harder. “Just leave me ALO-ne?” Looking around, Twilight blinked as her house had returned to normal. Except now everypony was a statue. Biting her lip, Twilight glanced around with worry, what did she do now? Who should she turn to? “Oh god oh god oh god.” Twilight wondered if swearing to Celestia would be better than swearing to some unnamed god, but quickly shock it off. Priorities, she had to think. What could she do about her current situation. The good news was she now had her home back, but the bad news was her friends were now statues. “Okay, first priority: Find a way to reverse it.” Nodding, Twilight pulled out a list, and wrote her priorities down in clear, even font. While her magic handwriting was far superior, she was surprisingly doing ok with a claw. Of course, if any of her friends were not statues, they would have wondered what the horrific thing she was drawing was. “Second: Find some way to learn to control this magic.” While she hated to admit it, Twilight knew she had to at least learn how to turn it off. She couldn’t keep causing burgers, statues, and other such random things to happen. Looking at her list, she sat down and considered her options. As she swirled her tail, she blinked as the chair began to levitate. As she began to rotate counter-clockwise in the air, Twilight tapped her chin, considering her options. Author's Note Who should Twilight contact for help? What help does she receive? See the results: here
Chapter 1Twilight Sparkle ascended the stairs to her room, boxes following behind her in a purple aura. Opening the door, she set them down in a corner, and smiled at her new room. Walking past the bed she had gotten delivered here, she opened the doors leading to the balcony, and breathed in the fresh country air. “Nothing like a fresh start, and new books, am I right?” Upon not receiving an answer, Twilight turned, and poked her head out the door. Looking to the stairs, she saw Spike trying to lift up one of the heavy boxes. Rolling her eyes, she took the box in her magic, and pretended Spike was carrying it up despite her taking most of the weight. “Sorry Twilight, I was only trying to help.” Twiddling his thumbs, Spike the dragon looked toward the wooden floor, and Twilight was struck by how adorable her assistant was. Rapidly shaking her head, Twilight placed the box gently over with the others, and crouched down, placing a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty for you to do when we start unpacking.” Giving a wink, Twilight stood up and exited the room, heading toward the entrance of her treehouse. Grabbing a few more of the boxes, she spotted a group of five ponies coming to greet her, and put them back down. “Hey girls!” Twilight beamed a smile, and Pinkie brought Twilight into a big hug. Feeling the warmth of her friend, Twilight was reminded of the special bond she now shared with these five. They didn’t know each other that well beyond their first meetings, but Twilight was sure they would all be the best of friends. “So Twilight, what are you going to do first?” Rarity and the others began to take some of the boxes, Twilight taking the remaining in her magic as she led them inside. “Probably unpack, sort the shelves.” Nodding to herself, Twilight considered what sorting system she should use. There was ever-faithful Dewey, or by Surname. The possibilities were endless. “No, when you are finished packing in dear.” Rarity smiled, trying desperately to ignore the thin layer of dust covering the bookshelves. Twilight would take care of it, she was certain about that. And if she didn’t? Well, Rarity had weekends free for the moment. “Oh uh.” Twilight put her boxes down, and turned to sit on her bed, musing for a moment. What did she want to do? Surely she should hang out with her friends. What if there was an event? Pinkie was likely to throw a party too. “I don’t know, but I’ll let you all know when I do. Right now, I just want to relax before I get to work putting this library in tip top shape.” Twilight beamed a grin, and the others sent one in return. Fluttershy glanced away, looking toward the floor. “Would you like to go do something relaxing? I know a great spa.” Rarity saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash cringe. Twilight frowned, wondering what she should do. “Or you can come down and spend some time with mah family down at tha’ farm.” Suggesting her own, she tried to make sure she didn’t mention any work being involved. A learned pony like Twilight could use a little more exercise. “Or you can come with me to see some awesome tricks.” Rainbow Dash fist pumped the air, hovering slightly above the group. Glancing between them, Twilight bit her lip. Just which one should she choose. All sounded like great relaxing ideas. Truthfully, she wanted to just sit on her bed and read a good book. “T-The animals would l-love to m-eep-eet you.” Fluttershy cowered slightly, her voice barely audible despite the silence in the room. “All of that sounds really good, I don’t know what I should choose.” Twilight bit her lip, unsure whom she should pick. Not wanting to disappoint them, she was struck with indecision. The five shared a glance, Rainbow Dash raising an eyebrow. Rarity stepped forward, and smiled gently. “Twilight, you don’t have to do everything at once. You live here now, we have plenty of time to get to know each other better. Just choose the one that feels right to you.” Rarity glanced back to the others, all giving encouraging nods. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, that was good to hear. And yet, it didn’t solve her problem. “I’ll need to think about it, I’m honestly now sure what to do.” Twilight made a motion with her hoof, and Spike tapped her side. “Uh Twilight, which one of the boxes had the frozen food?” Stepping back, Spike was still unprepared for how close Twilight got to him. Eyes wide, she dived toward the boxes, rapidly opening them as Spike slowly joined her. Sharing a glance, her friends began to help out with the search. As with most things, it was the very last box they found. Twilight quickly levitated the items out, trotting toward the fridge. It looked like they had made it in time. Breathing out, she smiled as the top of the fridge closed. Well, it was the freezer compartment of her fridge. Ear flicking, she turned back to her friends. “Sorry about that. I bought a bunch of food just in case I have trouble finding everything I need during my first week here.” Giving a sheepish smile, Twilight could see none of them was really that bothered, but she knew it was polite to apologise despite that. “S’all good Twilight,” spoke Dash, giving a shrug as she landed on the wooden floor. Leaving them back into the main room, Twilight followed them toward the door. As nice as it was to see them, she needed to unpack before she did anything. “I’ll unpack today, and tomorrow I’ll decide who to visit first,” she told the five, who all nodded. That sounded like a fair decision. After all, they had all seen the amount of boxes in the room. Would one afternoon really be enough time? “Do you want any help?” Pinkie Pie giggled, planning the party to welcome Twilight to the town as they spoke. Mind full of streamers and secret invitations, she wondered if she should make it a surprise party. Oh Twilight hadn’t liked her first one, but Pinkie was sure that- “No that’s fine, thank you for the offer though.” While she was happy they had all come around to welcome her, Twilight really needed some time to get used to her new surroundings. And possibly read some of the books. Tomorrow would be the time to get to know them better. Waving them goodbye, a stray thought also reminded her she could brush it off for another day, and just read some of the many books behind her. Twilight closed the door, seriously considering the offer. Putting herself out there and talking to them, making a choice on who to go to, it was a difficult decision. One Twilight could not recall making before. “Alright, the decision can wait for now. Time to unpack!” Author's Note What sorting system should Twilight use? What should Twilight do tomorrow? Notice:Due to one answer being 50 50, I have tossed a victual coin between them using random.org. Self-insert is 1, and Barack is 2. The result is here: http://i.gyazo.com/df74c364b2eb898e7bc670cb9320d4bf.png Time remaining to next chapter: 1 Day Current results can be seen here.
Chapter 2“There, and in record time.” Twilight admired her perfectly sorted shelves, knowing she had picked the best way to sort them. There was zero chance she would regret this later. Regardless, Spike has blinked at her when she had told him. She would have to punish him later for leaving her to do it all alone. “I mean, it’s such a simple sorting method.” From heaviest to lightest, with the lightest on bottom and heaviest on top. On the shelves themselves, they were arranged by colors of the rainbow, red on the right and purple on the left. If two were the same color, she had arranged them by the amount of letters in the title. Organization is very important! “So it’s about lunchtime. That leaves me plenty of time to head down to Fluttershy for today.” Agonising over her decision, Twilight had come to the conclusion some quiet silence would be just the thing she needed to relax. “Spike! I’m going to Fluttershy’s, I’ll be back later.” Trotting toward the door, Twilight head a soft reply from upstairs, and went on her merry way. Turning down a road, she asked a pony for directions, and thanked him quietly. Leaving Ponyville, she followed the path leading to the cottage, and knocked on the door. “H-Helllo…” Fluttershy was barely visible as she slowly opened the door, letting Twilight in. Looking around, Twilight liked the homey feel of the cottage. A bunny bounced over, and she lowered her head. It was pure white, and looked utterly adorable. “Aw, who’s this wittle guy?” Blinking, Twilight leaned back as the bunny slapped her nose. What a rude rabbit! “That’s Angel. He’s a bit...high maintenance.” Smiling nervously, Fluttershy tried to not offend her bunny. If she did that, he would only make it harder for her later. Twilight nodded, and glanced toward the back door as Fluttershy made her way toward it. Following, they entered a large backyard with several large cages. “Wear this.” Fluttershy pulled out a paper bag, putting one over her own head. Raising an eyebrow, Twilight was about to argue, but decided to listen. She wasn’t an animal expert after all. Walking toward the cages, Twilight finally got a look at the creatures inside. They looked like hairless apes. “What are these creatures Fluttershy?” Curiosity piqued, she watched as one approached the side of the cage, and began making strange noises. A part of her wondered if it would be possible to translate that. It would require a lot of testing, but she did so love science. “They are called Humans. They come from a strange portal in the Everfree. These three are healing before I escort them back.” Pulling out a handful of oats, Fluttershy refilled their food bowls. Twilight nodded as she absorbed that information. “Barrraccck. Obaaama.” One of the Humans began to slowly sound out two words. Both turned, frowning. “That’s Skyle, I’ve been teaching him pony. He says he wants to take over Equestria.” Fluttershy saw the disbelief on Twilight face, and quietly whispered to Skyle. “I will conquer this fair nation! It is much better than America. I don’t know why as the writer of this story is Australian, but I want to lead somewhere better.” The human fist pumped the air, and Twilight sighed. Thinking quickly, she made up a name for a place on the spot. “If you are good, I’ll show you how to overthrow Canada. Sound good?” Seeing the bobbing head, Twilight considered that one less creature she had to worry about coming from the Everfree. One Nightmare Moon was enough, thank you. “Why do we have to wear these paper bags anyway?” Turning, Twilight watched Fluttershy shrink, and wondered if she had said it too harshly. Really, it was always difficult talking to her, like walking on eggshells. “W-Well if we don’t, the poor creatures die of heart attacks. I-I don’t know why.” Tears starting to show through the bag, Twilight bit her lip and hesitantly brought Fluttershy into a hug. While they were friends, Twilight wasn’t sure they were close enough for comfort hugs just yet. After a moment, Fluttershy stepped away, a soft smile on her face as Twilight glanced toward the sun. “Oh is that the time!? I’ve got to go buy dinner! See you Fluttershy.” Rapidly waving goodbye, Twilight dashed out of the backyard. Dumping the paper bag in her saddlebags the moment she was out of view of the cages, she wondered just what she should buy for dinner. Spike was easy, but for her she wanted something filling. Hay Fries weren’t going to cut it. “Oh dear, I hope Spike doesn’t get into his ‘good dragon’ stash because I lost track of time.” Especially since he hadn’t earned it. Really, that dragon needed a thorough lesson in responsibility. Leaving something not done had consequences for the future. Passing Rarity, Twilight quickly paused to greet her. “Hey Rarity, sorry I can’t stay. I gotta grab dinner before heading home.” Seeing her friend smile, Twilight waved goodbye, and continued to the stalls. Most were starting to close up. She only hoped there were enough left open for her to buy the ingredients. “Should I grab dessert too?” Slowing down, Twilight was relieved to find out most were still open. It didn’t change the fact she would have to hurry, but it allowed her to see what was open. Looking at all of them, a moment of indecision crossed her. What should she eat tonight? There was even the trader stall. ‘The pony’s a little weird. I mean, he sells meat. I know some creatures that pass through Ponyville are carnivores, but what sort of creature did it come from?’ Shuddering, Twilight discarded such thoughts, turning toward the much more pleasant side. Full of fruits and hay, her mouth began to water. “So much, so little time to choose.” Biting her lip, Twilight glanced rapidly around. What should she choose? So many choices, which one did she want? Author's Note How should Twilight punish Spike? What should Twilight have for Dinner? See the results below. Here.
Chapter 3Twilight blinked in surprise as all stands excluding one suddenly closed. Sighing, she trotted over and quickly ordered the one thing on the menu. While she hated meat, it was something ponies could ingest, at least in small quantities. So, taking her bag of meat, Twilight turned and headed home. Spike was waiting for her when she got home. However, that wasn’t what caught her attention. For some reason, a wolf was sitting at the table, conversing with Spike. When the door closed behind Twilight, it turned and stood up. They were around the same height. “Who are you? And why are you in my house?” Crouching, Twilight prepared a spell to cast in case the wolf attacked them. The wolf didn’t react, and confusion rose on her face. “I’m your neighbor. I came over to introduce myself, you can call me Ware.” Smiling, the wolf only made Twilight more nervous, but she forced herself to be hospitable. “Sorry, pony instinct. I’m Twilight Sparkle, and that dragon who let you in is called Spike.” Giving a pleasant smile, Twilight glanced toward the packet of meat she had just purchased. Raising it above her, she offered it toward Ware. “I’m having meat for dinner, would you like to join us?” Grimacing, Twilight saw the wolf almost howl with joy. “Would I? That would be awesome, thank you.” Quickly returning to her seat, Ware smiled at Twilight, who headed into the kitchen to cook it. While it was likely the wolf didn’t need it cooked, Twilight did. After all, she didn’t want to get sick from it. “And dinner is served.” Sitting down, Twilight served out two plates of mystery meat, and a bowl of gems for Spike, who gorged himself. “So why are you called Ware, if you don’t mind me asking?” To be honest, Twilight didn’t know much about wolf culture, as they normally only got Timberwolves around here. “Well, wolves are named on either their color, or a sense. And well, I’m a very aware wolf.” As Ware grimaced, and Twilight understood why. A name made based sorely so a pun could be made. “Well, I must return to my home, feel free to come around for a visit.” Bowing her head, Ware stood up, and headed out the door. Twilight waved her hoof in farewell, and waited until the door was closed, to glare at Spike. “You were trying to get out of punishment weren’t you.” Twilight quickly grabbed the fleeing dragon, holding him in place as he struggled in her magic. “I’m sorry Twi! Please don’t do thi-,” with a poof, Spike vanished. Twilight nodded in satisfaction, a few hours on the moon would do the dragon some good. Glancing to the calendar, Twilight blinked. “Oh that’s right, a friend of Rainbow Dash is coming into town tomorrow. Pinkie is likely going to throw a party, I should grab a present for both Rainbow Dash and this ‘Gilda’.” Strange name for a pony as it was, Twilight didn’t choose baby names. If she did, she’d name it something like Thousand Papers. Now THAT was a name. “Let’s see, I could go with a book, or maybe buy something in town tomorrow.” Twilight glanced at her private collection of books, the one’s that others couldn’t borrow. There was a Daring Doo book. Rainbow Dash might like that series. Heading upstairs, Twilight settled into her bed, reading while she mused on it. Until she knew what time the party was on, she had the day free too. What did she want to spend it doing? That was a good question. “Alright, that’s long enough.” Concentrating her magic, Spike appeared in her room. Shuddering, he whimpered, and curled up into his bed. Twilight nodded, glad to see the lesson had sunk in. Flipping a page, she wondered if she should go for a picnic or something tomorrow. Or the spa with Rarity, something relaxing. It was likely Pinkie would cut them off though, so Twilight didn’t think it was a good idea. With somepony new in town, this party was going to be very loud. Twilight only hoped it wouldn’t take place so late, she needed her beauty sleep after all. ‘I wonder how Applejack is doing. I could always lend a hoof down at the farm once Gilda leaves.’ Speaking once more of Gilda, how should Twilight treat her? Like a friend? Like an acquaintance? She certainly didn’t want to make a bad impression, especially considering it’s Dash’s friend. Spike began mumbling, and Twilight growled in annoyance. As soon as she set her scathing glare on him, he became silent. Honestly, it was so hard to train a dragon to be obedient sometimes. Flicking off the switch, Twilight settled into sleep. With any luck, her dreams would revolve around her finding an unknown type of magic. The awards, the recognition, she smiled softly. Author's Note (I am using this as the timeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvhr1pdHSrI) What two presents should Twilight give Gilda & RD? What should she spend the day doing? How should she treat Gilda? What does she dream about? See the results: here. Time remaining till next chapter: 0 days
Chapter 4Twilight dreamt. First, she dreamt Luna was chastising her for sending Spike to the moon, but it suddenly changed to Ware walking down a path with clothes on. After a moment, it changed once more, this time ponies were eating books that were eating ponies. Finally it showed a ball of fluff jumping on a rainbow. Blinking, Twilight found herself strapped to a surgery table, in front of her Ware was battling a monster while Luna whispered into her ear, speaking of how this might come to be. For some reason, on the other side Pinkie was breathing down her neck. After a moment longer, all she could see if Pinkie and Discord on twin thrones. Twilight blinked her eyes open, she was in a clear plastic box being delivered by Derpy. Dash is flying beside, making suggestive winks. It began to rain science equipment and books, before everything suddenly explodes, leaving a wasteland. Stepping out of the box, Twilight found herself running a sushi bar. Her customer was a duck making strange noises. Tasting her food to make sure it was fine, Twilight ingested a hot pepper and breathed fire on the duck. And then for some reason, her building transformed into black rectangles with dots on them, and began sniffing her. Twilight, for no reason, swallowed a ‘computer’ and flew away into space with Luna while playing with a yoyo. Twilight was in her bathroom, her horn stuck somehow in a tub of toothpaste. Spike came into the bathroom in a panic, knocking down most of the ceiling and walls as he dragged the moon behind him on his back. For some reason, there was also a guy named Bill Cipher in the room. Twilight woke up, and knew that she would never be trusting her dreams to the hands of strangers again. “Here, this is a mare, she is now your friend, you now have a marefriend.” Ware dumped a pony in front of Twilight after coming out of the filly foolers bar. Storming away, Twilight blushes in embarrassment. Why had she thought asking her neighbor to help her find a marefriend had been a good idea? That was something you asked friends for help with. Not strangers. Twilight smiled as she greeted Gilda and Rainbow Dash. Holding out their gifts, she watched both unwrap them. Confusion on their face, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. “Uh Twilight, what are these thin cases with strange circles inside?” Tilting her head, Rainbow Dash noticed Gilda’s present as the Gryphon opened her mouth. “Coupons for free pancakes, and they’re lifetime? You do realise I can’t eat pancakes right? I’m half bird you know.” Gilda glared at Twilight, and she gave a sheepish smile. Well, she might have known that, had she studied a bit about Gryphons. “I’m sorry,” was all she could say in response. Twilight had no idea what those circles were for. And she hadn’t studied enough to know that about Gryphons. In reality, there was only way way to cover her mistake. “Gilda, please come with me home. I want to make it up to you. Dash do you mind waiting here?” Twilight smiled at them both, and they agreed slowly. Turning, Twilight led Gilda back to her home, and descended down to her basement. Gilda squinted in the darkness. Suddenly, something hit her in the back, and she slumped unconscious. Twilight closed the door, and strapped Gilda down, flicking the light on. After a moment, she used a spell to rouse Gilda. “W-What the?” Blinking, Gilda noticed the tool coming toward her, and tried to break free. Unable to, she screeched in pain as each individual feather was plucked from her stomach. Frowning, Twilight pulled out a shaver, and just shaved away the feathers. There wasn’t any time to be picky about how they were removed. Sliding a knife down Gilda’s stomach, Twilight opened it up and pulled out the organs. Gilda’s cries went unanswered under her soundproofing spell. Finding the lung, she poked a hole in it, and proceeded to slice up the intestines as blood slowly filled Gilda’s lung. Gurgling, she died a slow, painful death. Finished her work, Twilight put the organs back inside, and sewed up her incision. Horn glowing, she concentrated, and Gilda’s body became ash with a soft poof. Sweeping it up, she used it to fertilize the plant that grew in the dark of the basement. It was more a mushroom to be honest. Wiping off the blood, Twilight considered what she should do tomorrow. Apparently tomorrow was the day a Zebra came into town. Twilight was curious to meet this Zebra, wondering what her culture was like. Ascending the stairs, she closed the door, and headed back toward the party to tell Dash what had happened to Gilda. Author's Note What should Twilight tell Dash? How should she treat Zecora? What happens when she enters the Poison Joke? See the results: here
Chapter 5Twilight opens the door, returning to the party. Dash walked over, and smiled at Twilight. Frowning, she looks around for Gilda. “There’s no point looking for Gilda, she’s dead.” Twilight spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, catching every pony in the room off guard. Looking between them, she glanced away guiltily. “I don’t know what came over me. It suddenly felt like I HAD to kill her.” Twilight bit her lip, and watched as the other five shared a glance for a moment. Sighing, Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead. “Look, what you did was terrible. But it wasn’t your fault. Now before you get asking us why, we can’t tell you. At least, not yet.” Rainbow Dash glanced behind Twilight, as if she was looking for something. Looking at Pinkie Pie, Dash followed her point, before finally looking directly at something. “But-” Getting cut off, Twilight glared at Dash she she was shooshed. After a moment, she rolled her eyes, and dropped the issue. Quietly, they discussed what she had done with the body, before Dash looked away, and closed her eyes. “I think it’s time for us to call it a night.” Any objections were quickly cut off when Dash looked to Pinkie Pie. Quietly, and swiftly, the party wrapped up, and Twilight headed home. Dejected, she felt cold and alone as she ascended toward her bed. Slipping into it, she cried herself to sleep. What had she done? “In a big tasty stew, soooo... Watch out” Gasping for breath on top of the table, Pinkie Pie glared at Twilight. Narrowing her eyes, she looked out the window, and tried to leave. Typically, they held her down, and soon enough Zecora was gone. “Seriously, you guys are so superstitious.” Twilight glared at them, muttering her annoyances as Applejack began to look around. “Apple Bloom’s gone!” And so, they set off into the forest to find Applejack’s sister. Twilight growled in irritation as they entered some glowing blue flowers. Really, why was Applejack’s sister allowed to run off, but no her? Who was the adult? "Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!" There was Apple Bloom, and standing just outside of the blue flowers was Zecora. Twilight smiled welcomingly, wondering if she’d ever get a chance to have a proper look under that cloak. It seemed unlikely, as Applejack dragged everypony out of the forest. Twilight decided to head home and do some research on Zebras. There was not a lot of information, but apparently they were a very tribal race. A few pictures of masks that looked frightful to Twilight were apparently in welcome. Closing the book, she stifled a yawn, and headed to bed. “Urgh,” she groaned, feeling like a train had run her over. Rubbing a claw over her face, she blinked, opening her eyes to stare at it. To her shock, she was now a Draconequus. “WAAAARGH!” Her cry sent her house spinning, and as she tried to use her magic to fix it, it slammed, upside down, back into the ground. Trying to repair it in a panic, she made it into a burger. “Twilight, something’s wrong with-” “I think I have the bigger problem right now Rainbow Dash!” Slowly crawling out of the burger, Twilight held Spike by her tail, looking toward her assembled friends. Surprisingly, Spike was holding a book. Taking it, Twilight skimmed it, surprised to find the exact picture of the plant in question. “Where’s Apple Bloom?” Applejack glanced around in fright, and the five began to form assumptions that it was Zecora. Twilight sighed, and turned the book around so they could see. “Zecora didn’t do this, we did from walking into the plant. You should really learn not to judge a book by it’s cover.” Twilight picked up the tiny Applejack, and led her friends into the forest. Avoiding the patch of flowers this time, they politely knocked on Zecora’s door. “Hey Zecora, is Apple Bloom here?” Twilight smiled warmly, please to finally get a proper look at the zebra. Quickly counting the stripes in her head, she was surprised to find out Zecora was a white horse with black stripes. Curiosity sated, they all entered as Zecora welcomed them inside. “Welcome new friends, she was here, for your end. She gathers ingredients for my brew, which will heal what ails you.” Zecora motioned to the big pot, just as Apple Bloom entered the house. Glancing to Applejack, her narrowed eyes betrayed her expectation. “Apple Bloom, you are in so much trouble for running off when we get home. But you were right about Zecora, so ah suppose you three deserve an ‘onest apology.” Applejack pulled off her hat, bowing slightly. Twilight nodded, happy to see everything had been solved quickly and efficiently. She even triple checked the count of Zecora’s stripes. “I hope everyone is happy, and has learned a lesson today. I shall heal you all, except what Twilight has swayed.” Zecora points toward Twilight, offering a sad expression. “Never has one been affected like you. My brew is too weak to heal a dose of two.” Zecora bowed her head, and Twilight gulped. “You mean I’m stuck like this?” Gulping, Twilight tried to avoid the nod that Zecora gave her, before bowing her head. Just great, now she was a Draconequus. How could things get any worse? Author's Note What happens next? See the results: here
Chapter 6The ants marched along the ground, a thin line of movement that occasionally paused to ensure they were tracking the scent markers properly. Coming to a strange blockage, the front ant paused, using it’s feelers to inform the line there was a complication. The line began to fan out, probing the new structure. Using their heat sensors, the ants knew this object was not living, and was completely immobile. Slowly, they began to fan around it, some attempting to climb over it. All three prongs made it to the other side, informing the lead ant of the exact size and shape of the object. The lead ant informed the rest of the line, and picked a path around it based on the information. The ants fell back in line, following the scent trail while laying a new one. As they moved, they came to the source of their journey, their home, and noticed something immensely different. Entering their home, the ants residing inside informed the lead ant that their home had changed composition. All the ants were quietly and efficiently expanding the nest now that their home had become a rich source of food. The ants went back to work instantly, the lead ant pausing as he received a new directive. Informing a small group to follow, the lead ant once more left the nest in search of a new home. With their home now food, it would only be a matter of time before they needed to move. Using it’s feelers, the ant probed the world, heading out down an old scent path. The hoof came down, smashing the ant and killing it instantly. The creature grimaced, wiping the grime off as it knocked on the burger. There was a sound of movement, and a head peeked out from inside of it. The four behind gave shaky smiles, and the creature began to speak. “Twilight, you can’t just hide inside a burger all day.” Rarity gave an encouraging smile, grimacing as Twilight merely returned to the inside of her burger, tail sticking out slightly. Sighing, Rarity open the folds of the bun, entering the burger, shuddering as she tried to ignore the squishy meat under her. “Leave me alone, it’s bad enough I can’t wallow under a bed anymore.” Twilight sobbed quietly behind her claws, depressed and feeling alone. Rarity brought a hoof around Twilight, looking at the body and wondering if she could even create an outfit that would go well with so many mismatched colors. “Come on sugarcube, ya’re looking at this tha wrong way. Ya just gotta look at that silver lining.” After all, Twilight could still walk and talk. Sure, magic might not ever be possible again, but that didn’t mean Twilight’s life had to end. Twilight merely shook her head, and a third pony came in, taking a bite of the burger. “Jeez, this burger is tasty, you’re saying this was a tree?” Both Rarity and Applejack glared at Pinkie Pie, who gave a sheepish smile. Twilight nodded once, still hiding behind her claws. “Come on Twilight you can’t just let some mean old flowers tell you what to do.” Stepping inside, Rainbow Dash also snuck a bite of the burger’s bun. Behind her, Fluttershy quietly followed. Hollowing out the bun, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash shared a quiet snicker. Rolling their eyes, Rarity and Applejack try to comfort Twilight. “Hey, is my sister here?” A small filly look around, before noticing Applejack and giving a smile. Behind her was a whole line of ponies. Apparently a lot of people wanted to see inside the burger house. “Woah,” exclaimed Apple Bloom as she was pushed inside, the burger quickly becoming crowded. Twilight raised her head, swishing her tail as she began to cry harder. “Just leave me ALO-ne?” Looking around, Twilight blinked as her house had returned to normal. Except now everypony was a statue. Biting her lip, Twilight glanced around with worry, what did she do now? Who should she turn to? “Oh god oh god oh god.” Twilight wondered if swearing to Celestia would be better than swearing to some unnamed god, but quickly shock it off. Priorities, she had to think. What could she do about her current situation. The good news was she now had her home back, but the bad news was her friends were now statues. “Okay, first priority: Find a way to reverse it.” Nodding, Twilight pulled out a list, and wrote her priorities down in clear, even font. While her magic handwriting was far superior, she was surprisingly doing ok with a claw. Of course, if any of her friends were not statues, they would have wondered what the horrific thing she was drawing was. “Second: Find some way to learn to control this magic.” While she hated to admit it, Twilight knew she had to at least learn how to turn it off. She couldn’t keep causing burgers, statues, and other such random things to happen. Looking at her list, she sat down and considered her options. As she swirled her tail, she blinked as the chair began to levitate. As she began to rotate counter-clockwise in the air, Twilight tapped her chin, considering her options. Author's Note Who should Twilight contact for help? What help does she receive? See the results: here
