"So, how's your day at college been?" I asked Spicy, Spicy Note is one of my fillyhood friends. We've always been rather close but recently we've been seeing each other less and less. I guess it's because of college, though, he's specialised in music whilst my domain is Physics and we just never have much time for each other.
"Same as usual, got about fifty more assignments to do for over the mid-term week." He swiftly replied.
"Ditto," I said trying to stifle back a laugh. "I feel way too overworked. On the bright side though, we're doing Astronomy again which is always a plus for me."
Spicy rolled his eyes. "You and your space theories, you're ridiculous."
I just smiled, I am ridiculous. "Well, at least we can spend some time together again during this week? We can hang out like old times! We can get Data to come along too."
I met Data Wave through Spicy as he goes to his college, he's a great friend and all but he's obsessed with time travel to the past, not the magic kind but the machine, non-magic kind. Data is a techy pony, you don't get a cutiemark in it without being good I guess. It's just that, I'm all for forward time travel as there are theories to back it up but time travel to the past... It just doesn't settle right with me.
"Yeah, I'm up for that, as long as you don't end up throttling each other for having conflicting beliefs." Spicy chuckled.
I just rolled my eyes at him. "We're not that bad." I contested.
"Uh huh, sure you aren't. Hey, it's getting late, wanna crash at my place? I don't want you flying home at this time, Cloudsdale is pretty far." Spicy motioned, pointing towards the town.
Now that he mentioned it, I was rather tired. I gave him a nod and followed him towards the town... or was it a village? It is called Ponyville after all. "Quite the town you live in, I haven't seen your new house yet. What's the deal?"
"Well, it's pretty cozy and my college is located here too." He stated like it should be common knowledge. Gave me a good frown too.
"I know that... I mean, your house, what's it like?" I sassily replied. "Actually kind of offended that you think I don't listen to you, to be honest. I've known you, for what? Almost 15 years now?" I kind of unintentionally pouted too, just that it got to me that my best friend thought that I thought little of him. My eyes felt tingly too.
"Brighten up, Stellar. I was joking, I know you're not that much of a dipshit." He wiped my eyes. "Always such a drama queen."
I giggled a little at him, of course he was joking. I need to stop being so melodramatic.
We walked for another five minutes or so before we got to Spicy's house, it's small, but that's to be expected, he is a student after all.
"I would say you could sleep on the couch but, it's not exactly big enough. We'll have to top and tail in my bed if you're fine with that?"
Spicy offered.
Spicy and I did try a relationship a few years back, but we knew it wouldn't work out, so we gave up on it. Sometimes what you want in a best friend, you don't want in your special somepony. "Yeah, that's fine with me," I replied. Even though the relationship thing happened, it's not awkward between us. It's probably the fact we talked it over and that we could just forget about it, act like it never happened. I was fine with that at first but... I just don't know, it doesn't feel right that I should just forget about it, I had some of my best memories during it.
We got in Spicy's bed and I snuggled up to the covers. "Night, Spice."
"Night, Stell"
Saturday
I woke to the smell of coffee, Spicy loves his coffee. I ought to get up and get myself some.
I climbed out of bed and walked towards the kitchen, stretching my wings in the process. "Cheers for the coffee." I joked.
"Oh, I didn't know you were up. I would make you tea instead but I don't have any from home." He replied
"Oh yeah, nothing like some Great Bridle tea, I was going to head back sometime during next week, to visit my parents and buy some more tea whilst I'm over there. You can join me if you like?" I offered.
"Sure, we'll get Data to tag along too." He offered me a cup of coffee. "Here."
"Thanks." I took a good sip, I regret it. "Fuck me! How hot do you make these?"
He had a good laugh at my expense. "Sorry."
All I could do was give him a look. "Yeah, thanks for burning my tongue, great start to the holiday."
"Hey well, let's go to the train station, go and meet Data in Canterlot, I told him we would today and it's late enough as it is."
"Alright, lead the way then."
"Where are we supposed to meet him?" I asked Spicy. We're in Canterlot now, the train is pulling up at the station.
"He said he'd just be at the station when this train arrives, look, there he is," Spicy replied, pointing towards Data Wave.
I followed him off the train and on the platform. "Is that the one and only Data Wa... No!" I joked.
"Hey Stell, hey Spice."
"Let's go to a cafe, I'm starving." Spicy inputted, I could only nod in agreement.
We arrived at a cafe which sold food and drink and sat inside. I went and bought myself a newspaper and joined them at the table.
"Hey guys, have a look at this," I revealed the paper to them to which they read the front page.
"The Griffon Empire makes threats against Equestria?" Data read aloud. "What do you make of that?"
I carried on reading, "After the peace negotiations in Griffonstone went south a couple weeks back, the Griffon Empire has declared war against Equestria to take its land for its own." I gave the two a worried look. "This can't be good. There is a calling for able-bodied ponies to sign up to defend their land and join the cause. Intel has it that the first attack will be on the ponies in... Great Bridle! Mum and Dad!"
"You don't even need to tell me, I'm already in," Data said. "These griffons won't take our homeland."
"Too right mate," Spicy replied. "We can stop these griffons, Stell."
That was that, that's how it all started. Little did we know how bad it would really be.