The Equestrian Event

Twilight’s eyes opened with a flutter as she sat up on top of her sheets. Warm rays of the morning sunlight shined through her window and fell onto her face. She yawned and squinted at the alarm clock on her night stand.

9:42 A.M.

Groggily, Twilight rolled out of bed and onto her hooves. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, she walked down the stairs from her loft. Looking around the rest of the room, she noticed that Spike was still deeply burrowed in his blankets. Twilight’s stomach suddenly growled, almost causing her jump in surprise.

“I should probably see about making some breakfast,” Twilight thought to herself.

As she made her way to the kitchen downstairs, Twilight did her best to recall what had taken place the night before. She remembered most of it, though it was little hazy. Even if she could clearly remember everything, it wouldn’t have made the whole event seem any less bizarre. Perhaps she could ask Jay a few more questions when he was awake. For now, food would have to come first.

Twilight let out another yawn as she walked into the kitchen. Using her magic, she opened one of the overhanging cabinets and peered inside. A small assortment of cereals and oats were arranged within. Twilight grabbed one of the boxes of cereal and turned to the fridge. A startled gasp suddenly escaped her mouth, followed by the dull rattle of the cereal box landing on the wooden floor.

Jay was sitting at the dining table with a book in his hand. A formidable pile of reading material was stacked in front of him.

“Morning, sunshine,” Jay said, not looking up from his book. The words, “A Traveler’s Guide to Equestria,” were imprinted with golden script across the green cover.

“I-I didn’t realize you were down here,” Twilight explained once she had regained her composure. She picked up the box of cereal to inspect it for any damage. Seeing that it was fine, she set it on the table.

“Sorry if I startled you,” Jay said. “I’m a bit of an early riser.”

“How long have you been up?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, I’d say…” Jay raised his arm to get a better look at his watch. “About four hours now. Got a little caught up in the reading.”

“Well, I can understand that,” Twilight said, setting a carton of milk next to the cereal. “Have you eaten anything yet?”

“I find it rude to raid someone’s pantry without their permission,” Jay said as he set the book down to stretch his arms.

“You’re already sleeping here,” Twilight said opening a drawer next to the sink and pulling out a spoon. “You might as well eat here too.” She turned to Jay and stared at him for a moment. “Um, what do you eat anyway?”

“Depends on how hungry I am,” Jay said, leaning back in his chair. “What do you have?”

“Not much at the moment,” Twilight said as she poured the cereal into a bowl. “It’s been awhile since I’ve gone to the market. There’s some hay, a couple of apples, and I think a few slices of bread left.” She glanced at the contents of the milk jug.

“You got a toaster?” Jay asked.

“Sure,” Twilight gestured to the counter, “over there.”

“Milk and toast,” Jay said as he got up. “I’m sure it’s the breakfast of some champion.”

As he walked over to the bread box, Twilight sat down and began to eat. She noticed that Jay was still wearing the same clothes from the night before.

“Did you bring something else to change into?” she asked curiously.

Jay inserted two pieces of bread into the toaster and turned it on.

“Nope,” Jay said, turning to look directly at Twilight. “Been wearing the same thing for six months now.”

Twilight’s only response to the statement was a deadpan stare.

“I’m joking,” Jay said with a smile. “I’ll wash up when I’m done eating.”

“If I’m being honest,” Twilight turned her attention back to her breakfast, “it can be hard to tell.”

“I get that a lot,” Jay said. Having removed the bread from the toaster, he then poured himself a glass of milk. Taking a sip, he inspected the glass with a curious look.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked, taking notice.

“Is this two-percent?” Jay asked.

“Two-percent what?” Twilight asked, confused.

“That answers that question,” Jay said.

Twilight opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but was cut off by the sound of hiccupping that echoed from upstairs.

“You’ve got mail,” Jay muttered before taking a large bite of toast.

Sure enough, Spike soon came stumbling down the stairs, rubbing his throat. He held a small scroll in his claws.

“Letter for you, Twilight,” he said, tossing the scroll on the dining table as he walked by. “We’re lucky my sheets didn’t go up in flames. Again.”

Twilight unrolled the paper with her magic and held it up to read.

“It’s from the princesses,” Twilight said. “They want us to come to Canterlot as soon as possible.”

“You sound surprised,” Jay said as he plucked the letter from the air.

“I didn’t think they would respond so quickly,” Twilight said, glaring at Jay.

“Says here that we’re supposed to be met by an escort when we get to Canterlot,” Jay said as his eyes scanned the paper.

“Sounds like they don’t fully trust you,” Spike said. He was now rummaging through the cupboards.

“How are you going to convince them to let you help with the investigation anyway?” Twilight asked.

“I got you to let me sleep here, didn’t I?” Jay said with a sly grin.

“No, you didn’t. I offered, remember?” Twilight said, annoyed.

“You see,” Jay said maintaining his confident attitude. “I didn’t even have to try. This whole council thing should be no problem.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and continued eating her cereal.

“For now though, I’ll go and take that shower we talked about,” Jay said, heading toward the stairs. “What’s the temperature supposed to be like today?”

“I heard the weather teams had an overproduction of clouds recently,” Twilight said, looking out the window above the sink. “So, probably a little cooler than normal.”

“The usual apparel it is then,” Jay said as he disappeared from view.

When Twilight was sure that he was gone, she turned to Spike, who was now hungrily munching on a small handful of gems.

“Are you not bothered by him?” Twilight asked.

“Not really,” Spike said, his mouth full. “Are you?”

“Of course I am,” Twilight thought.

“A little, I guess,” she said.

“I think he’s kinda cool,” Spike said. “Maybe a bit weird, but it’s nice to have another guy around. Besides, if you’re so bothered by him, why did you invite him to stay here?”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Twilight snapped.

Spike stared back at her, unsure of how to respond.

“I… I’m sorry Spike,” Twilight said, rubbing her temples. “I’m just stressed from everything that’s happening.”

“I get it,” Spike said. “You’ve handled bigger problems than this though. Don’t kill yourself over it, alright?”

“I suppose your right,” Twilight laughed. “Thanks.”

“Of course I am,” Spike replied. “You should go get ready to see the princesses though. I’ll start cleaning up around here.”

“Eager to do your chores?” Twilight asked.

“Erm… Well…” Spike nervously tried to answer. “I was hoping maybe I could go see if Rarity needed some help around the boutique afterwards.”

“Sure,” Twilight said with a grin. “As long as you finish your work here first.”

“R-right,” Spike said. “Sure thing.”

As Twilight got up from the table, she glanced at the pile of books that Jay had been reading. Most of the subjects seemed to be about history or politics, but a few were over local geography and the native flora and fauna. To Twilight, most of it seemed like general knowledge.

“Where are you from?” Twilight thought as she headed back upstairs. “And just what are you doing here?”

*****

“What to do, what to do?” Jay hummed under his breath.

He wiped away the steam that had built up on the bathroom mirror and reached into the black travel kit that rested next to the sink. Finding a small plastic comb, he pulled it out and began to run it through his hair in a rather meticulous fashion.

“Whatever to do on this wonderful day?” Jay continued in his upbeat manner.

Satisfied with the styling, he slid the comb back into the bag grabbed his worn leather belt from the counter. After fastening it around his waist, he proceeded to dig through the travel kit once more.

“Whoever would take this shining sun away?”

Withdrawing a small orange bottle of pills, he unscrewed the lid and poured two small capsules into the palm of his hand. Tightening the lid back into position, he set the bottle back in the bag. Jay casually tossed the pills into his mouth and swallowed them dry, clearing his throat afterwards.

“Certainly not I. Not on such a beautiful day.”

A sudden thumping on the bathroom door registered in Jay’s ears, interrupting his tuneless song. He pulled the bag’s zipper shut, then turned and opened the door. Standing on the other side was a rather impatient looking Twilight.

“What’s up?” Jay asked, leaning on the door-frame.

“I was checking to see if you were ready yet,” answered Twilight.

“Just need to grab my things and we can get going,” Jay said, closing the bathroom door behind him. He walked the short distance to the guest room before turning to face Twilight. “By the way, how do I look?”

Twilight examined the human’s apparel for a brief moment. He had on the same boots, possibly the same pants, and the same watch from the night before. The only discernibly altered feature was the black collared shirt he now wore.

“Fine, I guess. What do you need now?” Twilight asked.

“Just some reading material for the trip,” Jay replied, pulling a small brown messenger bag out of one of the larger black duffels. “Well, that and notes, blackmail, incriminating recordings, etcetera. Got to make my case somehow, right?” He slung the strap around his chest and walked toward the stairs.

“None of that’s going to get us in trouble I hope,” Twilight said, giving the bag a nervous glance.

“Depends. Do you want it to?” Jay said, smiling.

“I’m not joking Jay,” Twilight said. “Do you take anything seriously?”

“Only in the direst of situations,” Jay said reaching the front door of the library. “Besides, you worry too much.”

“That’s what I tell her,” Spike piped up from the kitchen.

“Do you want me to find more chores for you?” Twilight shouted back.

“I practically do everything around here anyway,” Spike retorted.

“Whoa!” Jay interrupted before Twilight could come up with a response. “We should probably get going. It’s almost noon and I don’t want to keep our royal hosts waiting.”

“You’re right,” Twilight said. “Spike,” she shouted, “remember to lock up when you’re done.”

“Sure thing,” Spike called back. “Say ‘hi’ to the Princesses for me.”

Eager to leave, Twilight slipped past Jay and opened the door. However, after less than two seconds, she quickly slammed it shut, a panicked expression now pasted on her face.

“Something wrong?” Jay asked. “You look like you’re having an anxiety attack.”

“The Celebration!” Twilight said, hysterical. “Everypony is getting ready for it!”

“Which means… what, exactly?” Jay asked.

“Just look out the window,” Twilight said.

Jay shrugged and peered through the window beside the library entrance. He could now see what Twilight was talking about. What had been a desolate street the night before was now a bustling hub of activity. Mares and stallions of all sizes and color were busy at work. To one side, a group of earth ponies was assembling an assortment of colorful banners and flags. Above them was a pair of pegasi, who flew from lamppost to lamppost with rolls of streamers. Jay turned back to Twilight, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“I fail to see the problem,” he said.

“The problem is that if we walk out that door, everypony will see you!” Twilight said, as if the situation wasn’t already apparent.

“That tends to happen when you walk by people,” Jay said. He narrowed his eyes into a jesting glare. “Are you afraid of being seen with me?”

“N-no,” Twilight stammered. “I just… I don’t know how everypony will react to… well, you know.”

“Ah,” Jay said, crossing his arms. “How could I have never thought of this exact situ- Oh, I did! But what was the solution?” He suddenly snapped his fingers. “That’s right! I just keep walking.”

“That’s it?” Twilight asked. “We just walk out?”

“I don’t see the difficulty in grasping the concept,” said Jay. “You walk out, I follow, and we act casual. Now take your meds. I don’t need you having a meltdown.”

“Fine, fine! Let’s just get this over with,” Twilight said, taking a deep breath.

Bracing herself, she opened the door and took a timid step outside. Looking at the ground, she could see the rays of sunlight that streamed down between the tufts of cloud filling the sky. A small breeze rustled the branches of the Golden Oaks Library, creating a blend of noise that amplified the chatter of the working ponies. The streets ahead appeared to stretch on for much longer than Twilight thought they did.

“If I stroll around by myself,” Jay said, startling Twilight out of her trance, “it would be a lot harder to explain.”

“This isn’t easy for me,” Twilight hissed back.

“Just look straight ahead and walk,” Jay said, his voice softening. “No one will be looking at you, trust me.”

He gave Twilight a small push, causing her to stumble into a steady trot. Jay followed suit, taking in his surroundings as he walked. Examining the buildings that lined the streets, he noticed how most kept a form of unity in their pastel color pallet and structural design.

“Wood walls and straw roofs,” Jay thought with a frown. “I bet the fire department has good job security around here.”

As he and Twilight neared the crowded street, some of the working ponies had taken notice of the pair. A small murmur began to flow like a wave, accompanied by a flurry of shifting gazes. Jay continued with his personal sightseeing tour, while Twilight simply did her best to avoid eye contact.

“No hysterics yet,” Jay thought as he observed the ponies.

While this was true, he did notice a trend of bodies shuffling to either side of the street, leaving a more open path to walk on. A glance at a passing reflection in one of the shop windows revealed the multitude of heads turning as he went by. Jay increased his speed to match that of Twilight’s.

“What did I tell ya,” Jay whispered to Twilight as they walked in unison. “You might as well be invisible.”

“I can feel them judging us,” Twilight said through clenched teeth. “Just keep walking and don’t acknowledge anypony.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing,” Jay said.

“I was talking to myself,” Twilight said, eyes forward.

“Would conversation help?” Jay asked. “Anything you wanted to ask me?”

“I don’t think now is the best time,” Twilight said.”

“I promised you answers,” Jay said as they walked through an intersection. “How’s about you ask me something and then I’ll ask you something, alright?”

“Fine,” Twilight huffed. “Um… Where are you from?”

“Earth,” Jay said. “The U.S. to be more specific.”

“I’ve never heard of it before,” Twilight said. “Where is it?”

“Far away from here, that’s for sure,” Jay said.

“What’s it like?” Twilight asked, cocking her head.

“It’s different from around here,” Jay said as he noted the hills that rose in the distance. “Hotter, drier fields, not as many mountains, and a lot less talking horses. Now, if I’ve been counting correctly, that’s three questions you’ve asked me. Now it’s my turn.”

“Oh, sorry,” Twilight said. “What do you want to know?”

“I’m curious how things work around here,” Jay said, checking his watch. “The books I was reading covered some things but not others. For instance, I have trouble understanding the weather.”

“Really?” Twilight giggled. “That’s what you want to know about?”

“Seriously,” Jay said. “Why do you need the pegasi to control it?”

“Because they’re the only ponies who can handle the clouds,” Twilight said. “The rest of us would pass right through if we tried to touch them.”

“The weather runs itself where I’m from,” Jay said. “And from what I read, so does the weather in the Everfree Forest. Why is that?”

“Nopony knows,” Twilight said. “The Forest is a place of dark magic. Animals take care of themselves, the weather changes on its own, and few ponies go there. How does the weather change where you live?”

“Mostly through the temperatures and winds I suppose. The heat evaporates the water, which makes the clouds. When they get to full, it rains, and the cycle continues,” Jay explained. “The tilt of the axis in relation to the sun accounts for the seasons and the wind comes from the rotation. Trust me, if I could control the weather back home, I would’ve.”

“What axis?” Twilight asked, turning right at the next crossroad.

“The axis of the planet,” Jay said. “Don’t you study science and stuff? Do you guys know anything about astronomy? The way the planet behaves?”

“Well, the planet doesn’t rotate on an axis,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. “Where did you get that idea from?”

“Ugh,” Jay groaned, vigorously rubbing his face with both hands. “Okay! Why do you need the princesses to raise and lower both the sun and the moon?”

“So we have a night and a day,” Twilight said. “Why else?”

“I know that,” Jay said. He could feel his eye beginning to twitch. “But the sun doesn’t technically raise or lower, the planet just spi-”

He suddenly snapped his fingers, causing a few of the working ponies to give him nervous looks.

“Never mind, I’ve got it! Solved a mystery of the universe in two seconds.”

“Got what?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” Jay said. “Besides, the train station is just up ahead.”

Twilight looked at the road again and noticed that Jay was right.

“Well, I guess talking helped shorten the walk,” she said.

“Not so nervous now?” Jay asked.

“Let’s just get our tickets and go,” Twilight said. She trotted up to a small building where a yellow stallion wearing an engineer’s cap sat behind a small ticket window, gazing absentmindedly at a magazine.

“Excuse me, sir,” Twilight said politely.

“Train isn’t running today,” the stallion said as he looked up. “Oh, Miss Twilight! Pardon me, we’ve been expecting y-” The words caught in his throat, his eyes fixed on Jay.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight said.

“Sorry,” the stallion said, blinking a few times. “Your… friend just surprised me, that’s all.” He turned back to Twilight. “As I was saying, we’ve been holding the train until you arrived, Princess’s orders. You and…”

“Jay,” Jay said, giving a small nod.

“You and Jay can board when you’re ready. I’ll let the conductor know you’re here.” The stallion exited the back of the ticket booth and headed toward the front of the train.

“Let’s go find a seat,” Twilight said walking onto the boarding platform.

Hanging back, Jay took a moment to examine the train. It appeared to be a type of steam engine, a large smokestack rising from the front. Jay couldn’t help but gag a little at the colorful passenger cars and heart shaped decals of the locomotive.

“This thing is an assault on my eyes,” Jay said. “Seriously, how many shades of pink do you guys have around here?” He looked at the second to last car.

“And why is that one shaped like a cupcake?” he shouted to Twilight.

“Just get on the train,” Twilight said, hopping aboard.

Jay followed, shaking his head. He found the view to be much more pleasant once he was inside, the colors shifting to a more pleasant tone of green and brown. Jay took a seat across from Twilight, who was resting on a cushioned bench that was backed by a decorative glass panel.

“I guess we’re the only passengers then,” Twilight said, looking around the car.

“Well, don’t I feel like a VIP,” Jay said as he glanced at his watch. “The Princess probably wants to keep this little fiasco as quiet as possible.”

A long, drowsy yawn was Twilight’s only response. Jay set his bag on the seat and leaned back. Looking out the window, he saw what he assumed to be the conductor speaking with the stallion from the booth. Bouncing his knee up and down, Jay shot yet another look at his wrist. His leg began to move faster.

“Why do you keep doing that?” Twilight asked.

“Doing what?” Jay asked.

“Your watch,” Twilight said, nodding to Jay’s wrist. “You keep checking it.”

“Habit, I suppose,” Jay said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I prefer to be punctual.”

A sudden jolt from the train car and the blowing of the engine’s whistle signified their departure from the station.

“Looks like we’re on our way then,” Jay said. “How long till we get to Canterlot?”

“Around half an hour or so,” Twilight said. She stared at Jay’s wrist for a moment. “May I see it?”

“What? My watch?” Jay asked. “I guess.” Pressing two small pins on the back of the wristband, he slid the timepiece off of his wrist and held it out in his palm. Levitating it up to eye level, Twilight inspected the watch, turning it over a number of times.

“No numbers?” Twilight noted, returning the device.

“Nothing special,” Jay said, re-clasping the watch on his wrist. “But it does its job.” He reached into his bag and withdrew one of the books he had borrowed from the library. “Mind if I read for the rest of the ride?”

“Conflicts Throughout Equestria,” Twilight read the title aloud. “That’s… an interesting choice.”

“Thought I’d brush up on my history,” Jay said as he flipped through the book. “I figure if I have a better understanding of the past then it’ll be easier to relate to the present. Besides, I’ve always liked the subject of war.”

Twilight regarded Jay with a skeptical look for a moment before staring at the passing landscape.

“Your phrasing could do with some tweaking,” Jay thought. He turned to the next page in the book and kept reading.

“Now, let’s see if we can figure out where things went wrong.”