The Alter Accords.

The Alter Accords

Chapter Four: Oh hey Velox, what are you up to today? Wait, who are you?

Applejack, the strong, honest farm mare of Sweet Apple Acres was currently upset. The reason was simple, an employee of hers had failed to show up for work, though if you asked her she would have said it was a friend that failed to show up instead of an employee. Regardless of the title and what she thought, he was still late and this resulted in her being in an already miserable mood. Apple Bloom was still in the hospital, and while she was being properly taken care of, Applejack was always thinking and worrying about her.

‘So many sick ponies in the hospital wha’ if she catches somethin’ one of them has, she is weaker than a newborn kitten right now after all.’ Was just one of the current thoughts she was having and to make matters worse she would have to stay bucking apples later then she wanted to cause of the absent worker. ‘That pony has some right explainin’ to do when ah get hold of ‘em.’

The attitude was so bad even her brother Big McIntosh, or Big Mac’ as he was affectionately referred to by most, was staying clear of her. Or at least that is what she thought before spotting the big burly pony bucking an apple tree lazily nearby in the grove that was supposed to be Velox’s job. “Darn it Big Mac’ don’t go doin’ that lazy bum’s work for him, ya need to let him come back and do it himself.”

Mac obviously didn’t hear her or purposefully ignoring her, the latter of which AJ personally thought as she had yelled it pretty loud. Continuing her rant she kept on over there thinking to give her brother a piece of her mind, except slowly but surely she started to recognize differences in the pony bucking the trees and her brother. The first being the mane color, while Mac had a mane the color of ripe oranges, this burly pony had a mane color of a deep red wine an almost burgundy or rust colored mane. While their coats were just about similar this stallion’s coat was a shade brighter. When she was close enough to him now she noticed he was also a touch smaller then the big draft pony, but not by very much as he was still plenty bigger then herself.

“You’re not Big Mac, who are you?” It seemed the stallion ignored her for a moment bucking another tree before looking at her and then simply nudging his nose towards his cutie mark. AJ took the hint to look at it. “Wait is that Velox’s cutie mark?” ‘No wait, it’s not.’ At closer look would reveal it was similar to the Pegasus’ mark but with a few noticeable differences. On the lower left part of the three part yin and yang symbol where the blue dot was filled, this one was instead a dull gray. The colored dot for this pony was at the top with a red the same color as his coat, and where Velox had a swirl of feathers all around the outside of his, this pony had lines looking like they were cut from stone radiating outwards from his mark.

“Lego.” Came a deeper voice from that stallion then that of her friend before he turned around and bucked another tree almost lazily causing all the apples to fall as easily as any other of the apple family. “Brother is sick so I am replacing him.” AJ was about to protest that he shouldn’t work to cover his brother but he cut her off before she aired the thought. “Family is the most important thing in the world, if you can’t support them and hope they do the same then it would be a sad, sad world. Plus if I am right I should have his work done today and his work tomorrow down…maybe even the next two days if my plan is correct.”

AJ couldn’t fault anything that he said and cause of that it had made both her anger at Velox for not showing up vanish, but also the anger that this pony had caused her seeing him working in his place. She wasn’t comfortable with it in the least but she couldn’t fault him. AJ was about to ask him about the plan but instead he moved over to one of the wagons that the family used and dragged it and the baskets he had loaded into it to another tree and placed new baskets down before bucking once more.

If she wasn’t used to her brothers silence for most thing she would have thought the pony was rude, what was more was that he was moving to the wrong trees in the grove, well at least by how she showed his brother how to do them, either he didn’t know or he ignored it. For now she was content to just keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t hurt himself or mess up too badly.

‘Similar cutie mark, similar gray eyes, but the demeanor and personality difference of those two are nearly opposite. Ah mean sure Mac’ and me are different in a lot of ways but Velox is outspoken, hard working, and a tad weird at times but is a good pony. That pony, ah think he said his name was Lego or maybe that is another word or something, anyways his brother seems strong, but lazy. Ah have to tell Mac to keep an eye on him.’ Heading over to the barn where said brother was currently at, fixing up a wagon that had busted itself from a bad bump to town the other day and had something break in the underside. AJ would admit she didn’t know as much about that stuff as her brother so was content to let him work on it. However what she had to say was more important. “Mac’, can ah have a word with ya?”

Big Mac slide out from under the propped up wagon on a little wheeled trolley covered in a few grease stains. “Eeyup.” He was a stallion of few words if there truly ever was one that was for sure.

“Seems ah found out wha’ done happened to Star, seems he caught sick and his brother just got here to help us out.” The response to that was just a raised eyebrow of the draft pony. “Right big feller he is, almost as big is ya Mac’ but seems a touch on the lazy side, so keep an eye out for him kay?” He just nodded his head and wheeled himself back under the wagon. “Anyways going to take our last wagon out, seems Lego, ah think his name was, is usin’ our back up wagon to collect apple baskets. So while ah am in town sellin our family’s sweat and tears ya make sure he don’t hurt himself none.” This time a grunt from under the wagon told her that he understood.

Today was a good day for sure for selling, everypony seemed to be busy for one reason or another and didn’t have time for a proper lunch so she ended up selling all of her apples earlier then she thought she would. ‘Granny is goin’ be so happy to hear this, plus it means ah can get back to work buckin’ the trees.’

As she wheeled her wagon through the fields up to her home she noticed a distinct lack of the new stallion in his section of the orchard. To bet that a few choice words came to mind to the work-oriented mare’s mind would have been a sure bet as she mumbled to herself about lazy stallions as she got to her house.

*THUMP* came a heavy blow of hoof on wood as AJ stared at her brother and Velox’s brother hoof wrestling. “One ta zip.” The big stallion of the orchard stated to his opponent with a slight grin. “Don’t right know why ya asked for a best of seven but-.” He ended his sentence with a shrug.

‘Oh this ah got to see.’ AJ smiled to herself. She wouldn’t admit it, but she had more than a touch of unhealthy pride in her family when it came to various things. Mac’s strength was one of them. “Ah take it you boys are taking a break to have some fun huh?”

“Eeyup.” That was all the answer she would get as they set up for another round. Hoof locked to hoof waiting on some unseen signal they had both agreed on. When the signal passed the two struggled for a moment before the rust maned stallion’s hoof hit the table. “Two ta zip. Ya put up an effort that time though.”

The farm mare smiled to herself as she remembered that when fairs and festivals would happen her brother often would beat out every pony in town at these sort of events, he had only lost once before and that was cause he was fighting a cold at the time, and even then it was one to two in a match of three. ‘Big guy has him licked he just doesn’t know it yet.’

Round three of the seven went as the last two did though this time it took a while before Lego’s hoof hit the table; it was also the only time during this he spoke. “Alright found the pattern. It is time to put it to the test to see if it’s true.” If the mare didn’t know any better she would say he sounded like Twilight just a bit then.

When round four started the apple farmer her brother would win the set with this. Instead they hooves barely moved in Mac’s favor and it seemed he would eventually win. Suddenly the reverse happened and Mac’s hoof hit on his side.

“Nope.” Mac’s voice called out as he set up for the next round only for Lego to roll his shoulder some.

When the lighter red stallion rejoined hooves he looked at the draft pony and simply stated. “My test proved I was right, means that you can’t win now.”

Both Mac’ and AJ seemed to dislike the seeming boastful words of the pony as the unstated signal passed once more. However the results were the same though this time coming about quicker in favor of the temporary worker.

“Three to two, still match point for you. If you can throw something into the formula to mess with the outcome you can win.” Lego’s words fell onto deaf ears though as the biggest resident of Ponyville locked hooves with him causing him to sigh slightly.

The match ended the same way as the last with Mac becoming more frustrated cause it ended in half the time as before. “That’s it time ta get serious.” The pony said removing his yoke and setting it aside and getting a firm stance.

The rust mane stallion just shook his head. “You won’t win like that, in fact your just reinforcing my formula and will cause you to lose quicker. Stop and think for a moment.”

Mac didn’t listen letting his anger get to him as he locked hooves. ‘Somethin’ ain’t right here.’ AJ couldn’t help thinking. ‘It feels like he is playin’ Mac but, if so why would he tell him what he has.’

She would watch closely this time and cause of it she seen what her brother was missing. He was pushing as hard as he could against the other stallion and exhausting himself each time earlier then the last time cause of his anger. When he had run out of steam for that push he would roll his shoulder to get some relief to go for another charge but it was during that roll that spelt his defeat. With no tension in his arm Lego put all his strength into the push in his side and with Mac in mid roll he couldn’t recover since his control was no longer his.

Suddenly she recalled what she overheard Mac say when she found them as well as tad other things. ‘Best of seven, he lost the first three on purpose to find Mac’s weakness, makin’ it so when they kept going he learned more and more about it and just had to tough it out till Mac showed his weakpoint. That is…scary smart of him.’ “Well Big Mac’ seems ya met your match, something ah thought ah would never say anytime soon. Ah don’t think ya can rightly beat this pony unless ya think about what he said and how ya wrestle.”

The apple pony couldn’t believe the words he heard his sister say, but for some reason the look on her face told him he had missed something, so he just nodded and headed to the barn to finish repairing the wagon and think. “I would have preferred an six out of eleven match but your brother said he didn’t want to leave me with a hurt hoof. Six out of eleven usually is the best way to test but the best of seven is the second best.”

Looking over at the stallion who was talking half to himself and half to her she. “Wha’ did ya challenge him in the first place? Didja think ya were stronger the whole time?”

The big stallion just rolled his shoulder again and walked over to her. “No, he is stronger than me without a doubt. It was a question of technique.” This made a small amount of sense but she still tilted her head to the side with a confused look. “He took a break and bucked some apples and I noticed how he was rolling his shoulders slightly when getting into the stance before bucking. I then noticed it was the same way you buck, if so I then came to this thought, ‘Why are they bucking this way with strength?’.”

AJ didn’t like what he was insinuating before realizing something. “When did ya see me buckin’ any trees, ah just met ya today.”

All he did was point up to the hill overlooking the farm. “From dawn till noon I was up there mapping the groves I would be working on as well as other parts of the farm when I seen you working. It took me till noon to finalize my plan before I came down here to work.”

As he got up she noticed he was heading to the gate of the farm and had to ask. “Where do ya think you’re going mister?”

Looking back over his shoulder he simply stated. “Oh I finished today’s work and tomorrow’s. I will be back tomorrow to finish out the rest of the weeks work since I know my plan now.”

She just watched him walk out in stunned silence before running to Velox’s part of the orchard. Sure enough, all of the day’s work was done as well as tomorrows. “Sweet Celestia.” Was all she could say about that.

Two days later a week’s worth of bucking was done and AJ decided to give herself and Mac the day off seeing as how they were now ahead of the curve for this time of year and could relax some. Of course her day of relaxing had caught the attention of the fashionista of Ponyville demanding that she join her and Fluttershy at the spa. Being too honest for her own good and not being able to lie to her friends she was dragged to the spa where she was currently getting the most dreaded thing she could imagine: a Hooficure.

“And so you say he challenged Big Mac’ in a test of strength? What is more he beat our resident tough pony?” Rarity loved to gossip and this piece of news would catch fire quickly. “And you sure it wasn’t that Pegasus with big muscles and tiny wings, oh what is that pony’s name? I am dreadful when remembering that pony’s name. Anyways I am sure it will come to me soon enough.”

A quiet voice barely spoke up loud enough for them to hear. “B-Bulk Biceps, its Bulk Biceps Rarity.”

An overdramatic motion of her hoof over her face with the over the top voice came in response to the gentle voice of Fluttershy. “OH thank you so much deary, I feel just so awful that a pony such as mwah couldn’t remember another pony’s name like that.”

A comment was hovering right on the edge of AJ’s lips however Lotus was currently grinding away on a sharp angle to smooth it out on her hoof and she was clenching her teeth together preventing her from speaking instead she had to think it instead. ‘Ah think that is cause he isn’t to your tastes or its all of the times he says ‘YEAH!’ that make ya forget Sugarcube.’

“While I am glad he helped you with your work Applejack, I am just a tad worried for our winged friend. Three days and we have no word to know if he is doing any better.” Rarity said with a dramatic sigh and would have put her hoof over her face if not for the fact it was the one currently being worked on by Aloe.

Fluttershy was worried as well but for a different reason. “I asked Nurse Redheart if he had come by, she said she hasn’t seen him. That means he isn’t taking anything for it or if he is it might not be good for him.” Suddenly taking a panicked look she almost yelled out, well as much as her naturally quiet voice would let her. “W-what if it was a cold but now it is worse cause of it?!”

Lotus was finally done with Applejack as she moved onto Fluttershy. “Ah am sure he is fine Shy, he did say he has two brothers. So the other one is, no doubt, fixin’ him up right as rain.”

“I-I guess so.” The Pegasus of the group muttered nearly silently.

Rarity suddenly had a look to her and a slight grin was the result of whatever she was thinking about. “So tell us, is the brother of our dear Velox a looker?”

If the farm pony had been drinking anything she would have spit it out in surprise. “’Scuse me!”

That just got a dignified giggle from the Unicorn. “Oh come on and spill, was he fetching at all?” The only answer she got was a towel thrown in her direction causing her to giggle more ferociously.

Overall the spa day wasn’t all that bad and she felt more relaxed then she could remember in a good long time, though would never admit it to anypony. She also would admit, even if only to herself, that it was nice being waited on and pampered if only once in a great while.

AJ was moving to the hardware store though to see if she could get anything that would help the farm out while her mind wondered back to Rarity had asked about. ‘Sometimes ah think that mare only thinks about her knight in shining armor, almost a shame that Twi’ brother bares that name and is with a princess, almost would be worth it to see Rarity finally get her special somepony just to get her stop checking out every colt that passes by.’ Picking up a wrench and deciding they didn’t need another she moved onto another while her thoughts continued. ‘Ya Lego is big and strappin’ and real smart but that would be too much like datin’ Big Mac’ and ah just can’t think of any colt that is so similar to him like that. Ah mean they nearly have the same coat color, almost makes me wonder if Pa had a few good times that no pony knows about.’ Giving a tiny giggle at the thought of the two red coated stallions each eating an apple and saying ‘Eeyup’. ‘Besides, that colt seems like he spends too much time thinkin’ and not enough time doin’ that is why his brother is more my ty-.’

She quickly facehoofed almost hard enough to leave a mark at the sudden turn of mind when she thought that. ‘Gosh darn it Rarity, now ah am thinkin’ of that sorta thing.’ Looking at a screwdriver but not really looking AT it the mare found herself in a territory she wasn’t comfortable with. ‘Ah mean sure he’s fit and all, maybe not as strong as an Earth Pony, but he sure ponies up when its important. Look at what he did for Bloom, took away his own flight to fight that critter. He could have just backed off but didn’t. Instead he fought tooth and hoof against riskin’ his own skin to even give it a chance to scamper off.’ AJ had run into Twilight yesterday going on about the results of the ‘thing’ that Velox could do too. ‘Not sure what all Twi meant by what she said but sounds like it could end up hurtin’ him just as much as its useful.’

Picking up few items she headed over to the counter to pay for the ones she picked out. ‘While his brother has been a lot better help then him, ah do hope he gets better so he can drop back by.’ Paying the bits for the tools she stored them in her saddle bags. ‘Not ‘cause ah want to see him again but because he is an Apple family farmer even if he is just hired.’

Satisfied her thoughts and feelings were in proper order she smiled feeling better to know her feelings were just platonic. ‘Even if he does look right handsome after a hard day’s work.’ She stopped right in the middle of suddenly. ‘Where did that thought come from?’

The day after the spa found the hardworking mare looking over her trees inspecting them for bugs and other ‘critters’ that may cause harm to them, after all they were her legacy and her family’s pride and joy.

When the sound of wings on wind caught her attention she quickly looked towards the source finding Rainbow Dash and strangely a feeling of disappointment. ‘Guess he is still sick.’ “Howdy Dash, what brings ya here today?”

The weathermare seemed to look upset but not at AJ. “Well you see…I kinda forgot where Velox was camping out and was wondering if you could help me find it.” Seeing a sudden smirk coming across the farm mare’s face she quickly went to intercept that. “Nonononono, it’s not like that…I was just kinda wondering if he could teach me that thing he does. I mean if I can add that in to my martial arts training it would really give me an edge in a lot of grounded fights in competitions.”

‘Yep that’s dash for ya, always wantin’ to be the best.’ “Sure ah rememba where he is bunkin’ and since his brother helped out so much ah have some free time.” AJ found herself in a suddenly good mood as she started to trot out of the farm with the Pegasus hovering beside her.

On the way RD had found out that Velox had been sick and that his brother came by to cover for him. This of course made the winged mare even more determined to go see him to check up on him. She found the tale of him beating Big Mac’ amazing though she claimed that how he did it was too ‘Egghead’ for her, which of course AJ could tell she was lying about seeing as how intently she had listened to the details of that.

When they finally got to where AJ swore that Velox ‘bunked’ they were both surprised. “Um AJ I already looked here, there is nothing that is why I got you to show me, cause I thought maybe I was remembering wrong.”

“Not a chance Sugarcube.” The orange pony stated. “Ah remember this is where he was, see look over there.” She said pointing to a patch of dead grass. “He had that cloud parked there for so long that the grass died, though it seems like he wasn’t too keen on throwing away his trash properly.”

Rainbow picked up the piece of parchment and uncrumpled it and began to read it, AJ was going to tell her how rude it was to read another pony’s things when she heard her gasp. “Hey I would never sign off on something like that.” Dash came over to her friend and hoofed over the note. “I have to personally sign off on cloud bucking and I already checked and Velox wasn’t in any kind of loitering zone, this area is outside of Ponyville and isn’t owned so can’t be a loitering zone. I also made it so that his cloud was legit so he wouldn’t get in trouble.”

Applejack was many things, a friend, family mare, hard worker, and most of all the Element of Honesty. So when somepony lies and purposefully causes harm to one of her friends with it, to say it riles her up is an understatement. “Why that large load of horseapples.” Her eyes were closed in angry and she had slammed her hoof down with the note under it. “Dash ya said ya have to sign off on things like that right and that ya made his cloud ‘legit’?” The nod she got confirmed that. “Can ya get the papers that ya signed for them, ah think we need to take this to Twi and then Mayor Mare.”

RD couldn’t agree anymore, she was the Element of Loyalty after all and sticking up for any of her friends was always the top of that list.

When they all had met up at Twilight’s all the Elements had ended up coming after Rarity encountered AJ and Dash meeting Fluttershy, Pinkie just showed up Twilight’s cause her Pinkie sense had said she should…no pony questioned it.

“Alright girls, is this everything?” The magical pony asked looking at the note they had brought, the orders from the head weathermare’s office, as well as two written statements that Dash had gotten out of two of her employees that stated how they took a job for Filthy Rich that night to buck a ground cloud. Seems the colorful pony had overheard them talking to each other about how they should take more jobs from ‘FR’ more often.

With a nod from them she looked it over. “Well seems he has definitely overstepped his bounds, the problem is that Velox put his cloud outside Ponyville and while what he did was wrong to our friend it isn’t technically illegal since it’s not your teams job to control weather outside Ponyville. Only weather that will affect Ponyville can you actively contest before it enters Ponyville’s range.”

Spike who had been handing everypony some tea spoke up then. “So there is nothing we can do? I mean we can just let him do that can we?”

Everypony was looking to the Unicorn mage with the same question on their minds; however the look on her face was all the answer they needed even before she shook her head. “I’m afraid not everypony.”

The silence in the library was thick, so thick that apparently Pinkie was trying to cut it with a knife…literally. “What? I was wondering what silence tastes like but I need to put it on some bread or something, after all it is not healthy to eat it by itself.”

With a round of facehoof courtesy of that statement the silence was broken with a knock to the door which Spike went to answer while the six friends were trying to think of something to help their friend. “Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library do you need any kind of help umm?”

Spike was at a loss, it was a pony he didn’t know and whom only smiled at him kindly. “Yes Spike I was wondering if you would be so kind as to find me some books on zoning in Ponyville, mostly about residential areas and possible land ownership and taxation. There are a few other things too but I wrote a list before hoof so here you go.” The pony asked giving him a list.

Looking over the books Spike had to admit not many people even asked for these books, so little in fact the dragon found that he didn’t know where they were. “One moment let me go ask the Librarian.”

The golden blonde mane of the green coated Unicorn swayed as he nodded. “Sure, Twilight will know where they are for sure, I will be outside reading if you need me.” Turning around and closing the door the pony was now out of sight.

There was two steps taken before the males eyes narrowed. ‘Wait he knew my name, he knew Twilight’s name too but I don’t recognize him. Hmmm weird, better ask Twi about this.’ Walking over and waiting for the girls to calm down from their talking he inserted himself into the conversation. “Twi, there is a guy out there looking for some odd books and seemed to know us.”

A violet glow enveloped the list that he held in his claws as the book mistress looked over the list as she pulled out the books on the list and looked at her assistant with a curious glance.

“Wait you said you didn’t know him?” An affirmative nod was given to her as she was even more curious. “Where is he now?”

Walking outside she found him right where Spike said he would be, reading a hardbound book that she recognized as one of her favorites. “Oh is that Magical Focus and Theory, OH it’s even a First Edition.”

She had a moment of déjà vu as the Stallion chuckled and marked his place in the book closing it and standing up. “I would think so, you caught my brother with it when you met him. Or so he says anyways.” Holding out his hoof the smile was genuine and heartfelt from the Unicorn. “Novo Starshifter, a friend of Velox is a friend of mine.”

Taking his hoof and shaking it she couldn’t stop herself from asking as it had been on her mind ever since it was mentioned. “All is one and one is all huh?”

The smile grew as he nodded. “Indeed it’s an obvious riddle that we have the answer to all around us yet everyday pony’s forget it. When one remembers it a whole new perspective is opened and possibilities that were impossible become almost obvious. But I can’t tell you what the answer to that riddle is, only you can.”

She had to try even if he was right. “That is what he said, but was worth a shot. So how is he anyways, we all heard he was sick, is he getting enough to eat and drink. A fever can really dehydrate a pony if they aren’t careful.”

“Ya, and if he gets all dehydrated he will be like a mummy pony when he returns, or a grape or something.” Pinkie said from the door.

Seems they all were listening in and looked concerned as well as curious. “He is fine, but I suppose my brother should have been more forthcoming in his thoughts. Velox is sick, but not the cough, cough type of sick. He was so upset with a recent happening that he had to go cool off his head or he would do something foolish and he knew it.”

They all seemed to get it as Rainbow Dash spoke out. “Ya what that rich doofus did was horrible, I would have been all over him with a hi-yah of that Current thingy Velox has.”

There was a moment where angry flashed over Novo’s face before he nodded again calm. “I see you all have found out about it somehow, but yes that is the reason he isn’t around. But while we were discussing it we thought about how do we ‘stick it’ to this Rich guy. So my thought is, buy property and move in formally and build a rather nice cloud house to rub his nose in it. Either that or let Velox go ‘hi-yah’ to his foe’s…well everything.”

A round of quick giggles went through the girls and Spike as Novo took his saddle bags off his flanks. “Oh it’s just like Velox’s.” Out came the voice of Twilight.

What she was referring to was the cutie mark of the Unicorn before them. Like his brothers he had the same three part yin and yang symbol at the centerpiece of his mark with the lower right dot being the same green as his coat while the other two dots were grayed out. Surrounding his mark though wasn’t the feathers of his winged brother or the stone grooves of the thoughtful brother, but seven different gemstones all with a different color of the spectrum surrounding it.

“Mostly, though mine has some differences I am sure you can see.” The reason the stallion had put his bags down was so he could pull out a piece of coal. “But here a gift to you all since you are looking. A sort of…hint to the meaning of my riddle.” A forest green glow surrounded his horn as he levitated a piece of charcoal from his bag. “All is one, one is all.”

Everyone watched as he touched his horn to the piece of coal enveloping it in its glow before the color became too deep to see the charred wood. They saw it change shape, becoming a lot smaller before he would set it down in front of them. “Hopefully this covers the cost it takes to make me a library card.”

Rarity was the first to speak as she seen what was before them. “Is that an Emerald?”

“Transmutation magic, but at such a level is rare. I can do the same though the outcome I get is random and unpredictable.” Twilight said. It was a magic she herself could do but it took quite a lot of knowledge not only of the object that you started with, but the object you wanted to end up with as well. However her frown came when she realized she had no clue still as to what he meant.

“It is perfect.” Rarity’s voice brought Twilight out of her musing. “No flaws at all, perfectly formed and cut.”

Novo just nodded with his ever present smile. “They say Discord is in the details, but I personally think it’s worth it, especially all things considering.” The mare with gemstones on her flank looked at him expectantly as if waiting for him to explain, except all he did was smile at her.

Twilight took that moment to float the books out to him. “Of course it will, and here are your books, I will get you the card next time I see you, or hoof it to one of your brothers when I see them.”

There was a moment when green mingled with violet when Novo took over the levitation of the books and causing Twilight to gasp at the touch of his magic against hers. “Something wrong Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight blushed when asked but seeing only the curious glance from him made her realize that he didn’t know what he did. “N-no, no problem at all.”

Giving a smile he stored all but one away as he levitated the first before him. “Thank you very much, I have to be on my way now, got a few experiments to conduct as well as a lot of research. Have a wonderful day everyone.”

They watched him put his bags back on and walk away though Rarity wasn’t going to let this chance go to waste. “So Twilight darling, it seems he got a tad intimate there didn’t he.”

“I-I don’t know what you are talking about, anyways I have to get back inside and do some research, bye everypony.” She quickly rushed inside as everyone looked at Rarity.

She giggled and smiled. “When two Unicorns touch magicks like that its considered personal between a mare and stallion, VERY personal.” Putting emphasis on the last two words making everypony and Spike blush. “But judging from his actions I don’t think he saw it like that, which isn’t unusual, but it was very flirtation regardless.”

“Pfft, I don’t see what the big deal is, I mean I have seen you and Twilight levitate things back and forth before plenty of times. No need for her to go thinking things like that.” Dash spoke with a tone that said plenty in the ways of her personal perspective.

AJ however wouldn’t let this pass up. “Sugarcube it would be like if another Pegasus came up to you and rubbed his wings against your own.”

Everyone laughed as there was a sudden ‘eep’ as Dash’s wings shot out stiff causing her to fall to the ground. Well almost everyone.

“I don’t get it, what’s a wing touch or magic touch got to do with it? I mean I seen you and Twilight touch magicks before” Spike asked of them rubbing his chin with a claw.

The fashionista moved to nuzzle the dragon and smile. “We will let you know when you are older Spikey-wikey.” This of course made the dragon swoon and ignore the age comment. Rarity for sure didn’t want to explain that Twi and her’s ‘touches’ barely ever mingled like what just happened.

Novo was at the cave that he had found to set up a temporary home in. It was near the Everfree but with a few trinkets from Zecora it had been made safe to live in for now. “Well I have all the books I need to do what I need to. It would take several days to read all of them though, well at least for me. Velox can read all this quickly then I can switch back to Novo to put it all in perspective, or maybe Lego since he will think his way through it all first before taking action.”

His cutie mark changed as he was talking, the green dot fading to gray as the lower left dot became blue. When it did a glow would overtake the pony as his body deformed and reshaped itself, losing his horn and growing wings as his body became sleek and a tad smaller for efficient flying as the gemstones were replaced with feathers swirling around the mark.

“Might as well get started, bought myself a few days to read bucking as Lego and I am looking forward to seeing that smug face of Rich when he finds my cloud house making his home look pitiful, after all, nothing beats a cloud bed.” The Pegasus grinned as he spoke his thoughts out loud.