Chapter 1: Special Features
It's the morning and the sun's light is spreading throughout Canterlot and into the window of the room of Canterlot's biggest movie producer. A sapphire blue unicorn stallion with a ragged, light blue mane and tail that both have a red trim around the blue. The stallion stirs around in his bed from the light hitting his face. He let out a long groan as his eyes slowly opened. "Well, another day, another lousy morning." He said under his breath while he gets out of bed and downstairs to get breakfast. He puts on a pot of coffee and heads outside to get his mail.
He sits down at a table in his kitchen and sorts out his mail. He opens up an envelope with a small, golden star on the front. "Alright then, must be important." He said as he rip it open and took the letter out from inside.
Dear Special Features,
For your latest movie, I need you to go to the little town known as Ponyville to film some scenes. You should be there for a few days at least. I've already gone and paid for your train ticket, it's in the envelope. Hope it goes well, oh and be nice to the ponies there, I know how you can get sometimes.
Motion Pictures
"Ponyville, huh?" He questioned to himself. "Well, can't be that bad. It's always a pleasure to go out of Canterlot sometimes." He said with a slight grin growing on his face. Being a big shot movie producer in Canterlot can be boring occasionally. Special Features is always happy to get new scenery from time to time. He took one last sip of his coffee and went up to pack a bag for his trip.
Once he got on the train and sat down, he sat his bag down on the ground beneath his hooves. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting out a tired sigh. His eyes opened back up as he looked to his left and saw that another pony sat by him. It was a light blue earth pony mare with a straight, white mane and tail. She was wearing a black and pink dress with a set of pinkish purple goggles. "Ah, miss Finish, how nice to see you again. Where are you headed?" He said as it was his good friend Photo Finish.
"Ah, Mister Features, vhat a pleasure to see you. I'm just heading out to Ponyville for a photo shoot for my new magazine. How about you?" She responded.
"I'm headed out to Ponyville for some scenes for a movie I'm making." Said Special Feature lifting up his camera with his magic.
"Oh? So ve are goingk to Ponyville together. How vonderful." She said with a smile.
"Yes, it appears so." He said with a small grin. With his work being very stressful and boring on occasion, he doesn't smile very much. When he does, it's short lived or very small and barely noticable. But Photo Finish could tell he was smiling a little. There were few people who could make him smile even slightly. His mother who had passed away when he was 18 and had done his first movie and his good friend Photo Finish who's been his best and only friend for as long as he could remember.
They had arrived in Ponyville after about an hour or so. They got off the train and headed into the middle. "Vell, my photo shoot iz over there. See you later Special Features." She said while heading toward the Carousel Boutique.
"Alright bye, Photo. See ya around." He said while waving. He began looking around Ponyville and reading the script for his movie so he could find where to film the movie. Since he hasn't been here before, he decides to ask for directions. He walks up to a lavender, unicorn mare with a straight dark purple mane and tail, both with a pink and a light purple streak down them, and taps her shoulder. "Excuse me ma'am."
The mare turns around and looks at Special Features. "Yes? How can I help you?" She asked. She looked to be going somewhere. For all Special Features knows, he was stopping her from going somewhere for something important.
"Uh, yes. I need help getting around, I'm new in town and I don't know this place too well." He responded. He looked around at the scenery as he spoke, trying to get an understanding of where he is. To the left was, what appeared to be a residential zone, there were lots of houses. To the right, a large tree with windows and a red door, as well as a balcony with a telescope pointed upward.
"Oh, ok then. I can show you around if you like. I always like to show new ponies around town. What brings you here, sir?" She asked with a friendly smile. Special Features didn't expect anypony to be this kind. It made him feel happy to be treated like a normal pony. When he's out in public in Canterlot, he gets swarmed by crazy fans. "Oh, silly me," She puts a hoof on her forehead, "I forgot to ask for your name."
"Oh, yes right. I'm Special Features. I'm here for business." Replied Special Features.
"Special Features? That sounds familar." Said Twilight while rubbing her chin with a hoof.
"Well, if you been in Canterlot at all these past ten years, you might know my name. I make movies." He said, pulling out his camera.
Twilight's eyes went wide. "Wait, you're THE Special Features. The famous movie producer, maker of the Daring Do movies based on the books!" She gave an excited smile and jumped up in happiness.
"Yes, yes. I've always loved the books as a kid. I still own first editions of each one." He said with a half smile. He thought he had escaped the crazy fans. Apparently he was strongly mistaken. "Now, calm down, please. I was enjoying the time where I wasn't being treated like some sort gift from the heavens." He said, leaning his head down a bit.
Twilight stops in her tracks after hearing this. "Right, sorry about that. I'm just a really big fan." She said rubbing the back of her neck with an embarrassed smile. She had realized she went a little overboard with thr fangirling. "Wait, did you say you have 'first edition' of each Daring Do book? I haven't been able to find them ever!" She asked when the rest of what he said sank into her mind.
"Yes, I have first edition Daring Do. A couple of them are even signed by A.K. Yearling herself." He responded proudly. With him casting her in his movies, it wasn't really a challenge to get her to sign them. In between scenes he would occasionally ask her to sign his books, with them becoming good friends through the production of the movies, she was happy to.
Twilight's mouth was agape when she heard this. "Careful now, you might catch flies." He said with chuckle. He put his hoof under her chin and closed her mouth. "Ok, enough about that. I think that's enough adoration for today. I don't believe you ever told me your name, miss." He continued.
Twilight shook her head and gave an embarrassed chuckle with a light shade of red appearing on her face. "Right, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm sorry for my behavior, I'm usually much better around ponies." She said with her down slightly. Looking up at him in the process. She had just embarrassed herself in front of her favorite movie producer. She had no idea how to come back from that. She didn't even know if she could.
"Oh, it's quite alright. I'm used to it. Happens all the time in Canterlot." He said holding his hoof out. Twilight picked her head up, with her embarrassment crimson showing on her violet coat. She took his and gave it a shake. Her crimson face got darker as the thought that she just shook hooves with one of her idols dawned on her. She pushed her bangs in front of her face, trying to hind her scarlet embarrassment. "Anyway, I need a tour of your town. I gotta find places to shoot scenes for my movie. Also, I need a place to stay for a couple days while I'm here. Know a place I can stay?" He asked, looking around again.
She uncovered her face and spoke. "Well, the hotel is all booked, and I don't think you know anyone here that has a house. Hmmm." She pondered with her hoof on her chin. Then a thought came to her. "If it's alright with you. I've got a spare bedroom at the library, which also happens to be my house." She offered, pointing the large tree he saw earlier.
"You live there?" He asked.
"Yep."
"Cool. Yeah, that will work."
"Alright then, I'll have Spike prepare it for you, Mr. Features." She said with the same friendly smile she had earlier.
"Spike?" He questioned, unsure of who this Spike could be.
"Yes. Spike. He's my baby dragon assistant." She responded.
"A baby dragon? Cool! Let's go then." He said, picking up his bags and camera with his magic. "You can give a tour tomorrow." He continued.
"Alright then, Mr. Features." She replied with her same smile.
"You can call me Special Features. I don't like the formal stuff." He said.
"Oh, of course. Well, let's head to the library." She said, leading him to the library. He already knew which way it was, but he didn't mind. He liked the kindness Twilight Sparkle seemed to show. He smiled to himself. He was being treated like any other pony. He couldn't appreciate it anymore than he already does.
-To Be Continued-
Chapter 2: The Library Tree
Special Features and Twilight Sparkle arrived at the red door at the front of the large tree. Special Features inspected the tree. "Whoa! What I wouldn't give to live a place this simple and homely." He said with a very light smile. As much as he loved his big, luxurious house, but this country side, library house seemed nice and welcoming. He's longed to have a home like this for about 4 years now.
Twilight looked over at him. "Why don't you get one? What's stopping you?" She asked in curiosity. She figured a guy with his fame and money would laugh at a simple, little home such as this. She realized he really wanted someplace like this, but she was unsure he didn't just get one.
"I live in a part of Canterlot that's near the castle. So, a pony of my riches and fame can't really just get a place as nice as this. The part I'm at, puts high expectations on my residence and way of living. It's not easy being a Canterlot Elite." He sighed sadly and looked down at his hooves. "A stallion can dream. Maybe I'll get a home like this someday." He continued, his light smile turning to a deep frown.
Twilight pats his back, with a frown on her face. She felt deeply sorry for him. She didn't think a Canterlot Elite, such as himself, would be so miserable with his life. "Well, maybe you can move out here. To Ponyville. Where it's nice and calm." She said, giving him a quick rub on the back.
He looked up at her. His frown faded back into his normal straight expression. "I would, but as you said before. There's no free places to stay except this room in your house. And...I'd rather not share a permanent home with a mare that isn't my special somepony." He said.
"Do you have a special somepony?" She asked.
"No, but I don't care about any of that. I'm happy with being on my own." He replied. "Look, let's just get inside and get my room set up." He continued, faking a common light smile, common for him at least.
"Okay then." She said, surrounding the door in a magenta aura. Using her magic, the door opened. "Spike! I'm home!" She yelled. When she did, a small, purple dragon with green spikes up and down his head to his tail comes down the stairs.
"Twilight, you're back!" He hugged her front leg. After he did, he looked over at Special Features. "Um, who's this guy?" He said, looking back at her quizzically.
"Oh! Spike, this is Special Features!" She gestured to him. "Special Features, this is Spike, my assistant and best friend." She continued, gesturing to Spike this time.
"Hello there, Spike. It's nice to meet you." Said Special, holding out his hoof toward the dragon. Spike hesitated for a second before grabbing his hoof with both claws because of the drastic difference in size his hoof has to the claws.
"Hey, nice to meet you too." He said while shaking Special Features' hoof. After the friendly hoofshake, he turned back to Twilight. "Um, Twilight? Why is this guy here?" He asked.
"Oh, right. Mr. Features is here on a business trip here in Ponyville and needs a place to stay while he's here." She smiled at Spike. Spike was sceptical. He wasn't sure what to think. He was happy and unhappy on having a stallion stay here. Happy because he was glad to have another guy there to talk to and hang out with. Unhappy because he didn't want him to court and take Twilight away. "He's a movie producer from Canterlot. He's the stallion responsible for the creation of my favorite movies! Isn't it great!" She exclaimed with the smile growing even wider.
"Ok, I'm glad it's that and not what I thought it was." He replied. "It should be kinda fun, having another male here for once." He continued with a smile growing across his face.
"What were y-" She stopped right in the middle, her face going red when she realized. "Oh, nonono, it's nothing like that!" She yelled in embarrassment. Her face's red color faded and looked down with a slight frown. "It never is." She sighed sadly. She'd never had a coltfriend. It's always been tough for her to find one, she felt bad about it, like she wasn't good enough for any stallion.
"Um, Twilight? You ok?" Asked Spike with concern, waving a claw in front of her face. He had never seen Twilight get like that before. It worried him.
She lifts her head and fakes a smile. "Yea, I'm just fine. Don't worry about me." She said, walking up to Special Features. "Shall we show you to your room?" She asked, gesturing toward the stairs.
"Yes we shall, Miss Sparkle." He said before wispering into her ear. "May I ask what the fake smile is about? What might you have to hide?" Twilight's eyes went wide.
"What? How did you-?" She asked.
"I fake them all the time, I know fake ones when I see them." He answered while grinning.
"Wow, that's incredible and useful." She said.
"I know, it's a gift." He replied, heading to the stairs.
That was very unexpected. Twilight wasn't sure what to think. But now's not the time to think about this, so she went upstairs with him. "Alright, Special Features. Your room is up here on the right." She said, opening a door with her magic. The walls were lined with bookshelves, all stocked full with books. Special Features' eyes went wide and his jaw shot open. He'd never seen so many books in such a small room.
"Are these the library's?" He asked in awe, slack-jawed. "This is magnificent." He said, walking in and looks around at the books.
"Nope, these are only a quarter of my personal collection." She said proudly. "I'm happy to see that you like books like I do." She said with a big smile.
"Why yes, I love books. I find it weird when people don't." He said, looking back at her. "I get to sleep in here?"
"Yes." She replied.
"This is so amazing." He said, looking back at the books. "I don't even know what to say. I must pay you back somehow, Twilight. This is far too kind of you." He continued while walking back over to Twilight.
"Oh no, it's alright. That won't be necessary." Said Twilight holding up her hoof. "It's no trouble, no need to pay me back." She continued with an actually genuine smile this time.
"Are you sure? I can pay you just about anything." He said, pushing her hoof down. It was baffling to him that she wasn't in want of pay when he could give her just about anything.
"No, it's alright, Special Features. You're my guest, no pay necessary."
"Well, alright then. If you say so, Twilight."
"Well, I'll let you get situated. Come back down when you're ready. Spike is making lunch." She said, heading out the door and down the stairs.
Special Features put down his bag at the foot of the bed. He sat down on the bed and layed down. He let out a content sigh. "This is nice." He said under his breath. He felt at home already, like he didn't even want to get up and leave. He could get used to living like a normal pony. This was going to be one awesome business trip.
-To Be Continued-
