Lost Soul

*YAWN* Still sleepy and sore after yesterday, Longwing was sitting by the table in the Ponyville's library, supporting his head on his hoof he was reading ,,The Guide to Equestria".

Yesterday Twilight, Applejack and Rarity showed him big part of the Ponyville what took them most of the afternoon. At the way back to the library they went to the bakery again to buy some snacks, but it appeared that Pinkie Pie had other plans for them.
When they entered, there were dozens of ponies there and a big banner "WELCOME TO PONYVILLE LOGNWING SURPRISE PARTY".

He smiled at the memories of the last evening, he met a lot of new ponies and had fun till dawn. Twilight advised him to not tell anypony about his origin to not freak them out, and ponies at the party were decent enough to not ask about the lack of his Cutie Mark, although he could feel curious glances on him all the evening.

So that was it. Longwing, the traveler from distant lands, who stopped in Ponyville for some time, was officialy accepted by the local community. Technically there wasn't any lies here. He has always been a sociable person so it was easy to make friends with the ponies there. Tales about the lands he seen, aroused quite the interest, nopony had to know that he was talking about the other dimension. When asked about locations or names of the places he visited he replied that he wandered without a map or plan of any sort, he said that by this approach the world was infinite for him. Such vision of the errant traveler seemed very romantic for some mares and earned him a few dreamy glances.

He couldn't believe in what was happening around him. Despite the fact, that he was a total stranger to almost all of the ponies there, they accepted him as if they knew him for a long time. This place is really magical...

He was so absorbed in reading that he didn't notice when a big mug of tea appeared in front of him. "Thanks Spike."

"No prob." Spike sit on the opposite chair with an identical mug in his hands. "Still doing your homework?"

"Yup." He chuckled and closed the book. "The letter from the Princess indicated that it may take some time to send me back, so Twilight said that I should learn something about Equestria." Letter from the Princes arrived earlier this morning by rather strange way.

Dear Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student.

First of all I want to say that I'm happy to hear that, no matter how unusual and strange situations happens, I can always rely on your judgement and wisdom.
Your letter intrigued me greatly, for as far as I or my sister can remember there were no such incidents in Equestria.
I ordered the librarians in Canterloth to search the chronicles for any useful information.
I'm sorry to inform you that neither I nor Luna will be able to visit you and seek into this matter.
Tensions in our relations with Kairak Empire keeps me in constant diplomatic mission, and Luna is still getting used to concept of ruling modern Equestria.
I will visit you as soon as possible, but I don't think that it will happen this month, until then, take care of our guest.
Please pass my best regards to Longwing and assure him that I will do everything in my power to help.

Yours Princes Celestia.

"Just don't let Twilight know when you finish it, she will bury you under the dozen of similar books." Dragon chuckled sipping his tea. Then they heard knocking.

When Spike opened the door his sight was obscured by a big wooden box and a grey, blond maned pegasus lying on it panting heavily. "Hello... Spike... A delivery... for Twilight." She rolled down on the grass.

"Oh my." Spike tried to drag the box inside but with no success. " It's so heavy. Longwing could you help me?"

Longwing trotted to them and looked at the grey mare. He remembered her from the yesterday party. She seemed to be very nice and lively pony, bu as soon as the dances started she retreated to one of the tables and spent the rest of the party talking with a brown stallion with an hourglass mark on his flank. Longwing could swear that he was watching him all the evening. When he asked Twilight about them she said that Ditzy doesn't dance because of her clumsiness which was legendary in Ponyville, her companion was called Doctor, mysterious earth pony that was often disappearing for weeks, sometimes even months only he knew where and what for. "Oh hi! I think we met at the party yesterday, you are Ditzy Doo right?"

She smiled, still breathing heavy. "Yes hi." Longwing pushed the box inside the library.

"Hey it's realy heavy. Why did you bring this on your own?"

Ditzy walked behind him an sit on the couch. "Sun Jump broke her wing last week, and Sky Hopper is still in Fillydelphia so I'm the only mailmare in my area."

"That's awful." Spike managed to open the box. "I told Twilight to order books in smaller batches."

After a few minutes Ditzy jumped from the couch. "I wish I could stay but I still have a lot of letters to deliver."

Longwing walked with her outside the library. "Se you later Ditzy, just don't overwork yourself like this okay?"

She smiled at him. "I promise. Bye Longwing!" She took off and hit a branch but quickly corrected herself and flew away.

He watched her go and wondered what it must feel like to fly on your own. He tried to flap his wings but with no effect. I hope that Rainbow Dash will teach me how to do this.

Longwing helped Spike to unload the crate and catalogue the books, but even then it took them over an hour.

"Twi... Twilight realy should order books in smaller batches." They were both sitting on the floor, next to the empty crate back to back breathing heavily.

"And I thought that being a librarian is an easy job."

"Hey guys!" Twilight entered the library with smile, carrying two bags on her back.

"Ow you got to be kidding me!" Spike cried out and facepalmed. Angry that they had wasted that much time to do a job that would be done in fraction of this time with Twilight's magic, and she appeared just as they finished.

"Hahaha! Nice timing Twilight!" Longwing laughed and rolled on the floor.

When she spotted the dragon and the pegasus she gasped. "I forgot about the delivery! I'm really sorry guys."

"Heh, thats no problem Twilight." Longwing was still laughing but Spike glared at the unicorn. "You owe me one Twilight."

"Sorry. I will make it up for you, I promise. How about ice creams?" She giggled as Spike pressed his hand against his mouth. "No no more ice creams!" The memory of his yesterday ice cream overdose was still fresh in his mind. "Just kidding Spike."

Half hour later they were eating lunch made by Twilight, when Longwing saw that Spike was eating gems he wanted to check if it's real and almost broke a tooth.

"Twilight I was thinking... You are taking care of me, feed me, allow me to live here, and Princess Celestia said that it will last more than three weeks before she will be able to look for a way to send me back. Maybe I can help you with your work? I don't want to behave like a parasite." In fact he wasn't the hard worker type, but he wanted to make a good impression on the ponies he met, after all he was on their... mercy? He shrugged at this thought hoping that they are as kind as they seem.
Besides he didn't like the idea of living at someone's expense, especialy if that someone saved his life.

"Don't worry, it's realy not a big deal. And I don't think that there is anything you can help us with. For most of the time it's quiet here and Spike manages to do everything."

Spike opened his eyes wide and rised his hand triumphantly . "Aha! I have an idea! Why don't you ask Applejack if she needs some help? There is a lot work at the Sweet Apple Acres this time of the year. And she wont need to hire anypony else to help her."

Twilight turned to her assistant and smiled. "Spike that's brilliant idea." Though Sweet Apple Acres for most of the year were run only by the Apple familly, for spring they always hired a pony or two to help them preparing soil and sowing the plants.

Longwing stood up and headed to the exit. "Sooo... What are we waiting for?" Eager to help his new friends and to test capabilities of his new body, work on the farm would be a perfect opportunity to do both.

...............................................................................................

The sun was slowly starting to set as they reached their destination. Apple trees were cowered in white flowers, orange light reflected in the nearby lake, all this composed in the sight like from the painting. Under one of the trees they spotted the mare they were looking for.

"So... Ya want ta help me here on the farm?" Applejack seemed a bit surprised.

"Yup. I don't want to prey on Twilight's hospitality, besides sitting in one place all the day doing nothing drives me crazy."

After a few moments of consideration the orange mare replied. "Well we could use two pairs of hooves here.Ya look like ya are fit for the job. Have ya ever bein' workin' on the farm?"

"I used to work on my uncle's farm. I will of course need to readjust, the new body and everything... But I don't think I'll have any problems."

Applejack smiled. "We'll see. Ok ya'll move ta one of the guest rooms here, so you wont have ta run all way from the library every day. Go pack yer stuff and Ah will show ya yer room."

"Applejack. I don't have anything." He grinned.

Applejack laughed. "Right, sorry. Now meet my brother Big Macintosh." She pointed in the direction behind Longwing.

When he turned around, he came snout to snout with a biggest pony he has seen this far, a bit taller than himself and a lot bulkier. How he managed to come that close so quietly Lonwing didn't know. "*gulp* Ehh Hi. I'm Longwing."

"Howdy. Big Macintosh." Red stallion shook his hoof.

"Hey Mac, Longwing is goin' ta help us with the fields so don't hire anypony else."

"Eeeeyup!"

"Ok come on, Ah will show ya the farm and introduce ya to Granny Smith."

"Okie dokie!"

Twilight and Spike left him on the Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack led him through the farmstead telling him the history of the farm and what duties he will have next day. When they finished he met the matriarhh of the Apple family and ate a supper made of their own crops. Tired and full, he was led to his new room by Applejack there he went asleep fast, thinking about tommorrow and his upcoming lesson with Rainbow Dash.

It will be so awesome.