As Time Passes by

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Loneliness was grabbing hold of my heart a long time ago.

I was only five years old, when my parents have gotten into business. They never had time to play with me or care for me at all. They overloaded me with games and toys and that’s when my loneliness was awaking.

Whenever I did something wrong they got mad and yelled at me for not worth shipping what I’ve got. Not personally but on a video-chat, when they were flying from one meeting to another.

Even if you won’t believe it, I was happy to see them at least then.

Yes only when I did something wrong I was going to see them. When I was doing well e.g. in school or in contests when I was wining, they were only sending me money to support me. It was their way of saying ‘we love you’.

I soon started watching cartoons and animes, reading fantasy novels and stuff. It was then when I felt my loneliness fade away just a little bit. I wished to have friends, playing games and laughing with me, but I had none. The kids in my neighborhood weren’t as rich and well educated as me, so my parents just forbade me to play with them, because I was something better than them.

Seriously how is one better than another because of money? I never got it.

My only intention was to have fun with them. Not more. But my parents grounded me with several guards around, so I would stay inside the house.

Whenever I tried to sneak out to play with them, the guards picked me up and put me back in my room.

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Time went on and I grew older. In the time being I started several hobbies to distract myself.

I started playing guitar, got into Tae Kwon Do, playing soccer (I also did many other sports, but they are too numerous to mention, so I’ll leave this out) and what I most enjoyed, I discovered sailing. It is fun and relaxing too.

By now I’m master of two martial arts, earned myself some building and fixing skills (I went on a rampage through my room sometimes and it comes in handy at times like this) and started parcour a while ago.

One day I was on a boat trip, sailing in the width of the Atlantic Ocean and this is where my story is taking its beginning.

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It was a beautiful day. The wind was blowing tender and the sea was nearly motionless. I was sitting at the front of my boat (ok not mine but since my dad was always busy, I claimed it for me) while it was floating like a zeppelin through the air.

“Such a beautiful day and this sweet silence” I said to myself, looking up from the book I had to read for my studies.

I know it’s a bit strange to talk to yourself, but since I’m all alone all the time it got rather entertaining for me.

Also combining boring studying and relaxing boat trips was far better than studying at home where they are even more boring.

“That’s the best idea I’ve ever had”.

I was just restarting with my studies as something blocked out the sun. I looked up and saw one lousy pitch black cloud floating over my boat.

“Oh come on. Are you really trying to rain right here and now? I dare you; I double dare you to do so.”

Right after the words left my mouth I felt a raindrop on my nose.

“Oh no. Oh no no no no. Not now not here!”

Soon it was raining cats and dogs and I had to sail away from this bastard of a cloud.

But as I looked back after a while I saw that said cloud seems to have a get together with the nastiest storms of the whole fucking world.

“Oh fuck! I have to get away from here!”

Now, in a mild state of panic, I was rushing through the sea maps to find an island where I could sit out the storm.
“Where to go, where to go? Aha!” I shouted to one of the maps tapping my finger on a nearby island with a beach to go to at anchor, so my boat won’t get washed away.

By the time I arrived at the island I threw out the anchor and ran to a cave I had seen from afar.

I reached the entrance of the cave and got a few steps inside in order to escape the main force of the storm raging outside.

After I had catched my breath I was looking to my boat. It was still in one piece, but how long would this last? How long will the storm last?

Questions flooded my mind as suddenly a lightning bolt hit the top of the entrance, producing a landslide which trapped me inside of the cave.

“Oh Jesus! This can’t be true. I’m trapped inside a cave on an island I don’t know and the rocks blocking my way out are either too heavy to move or too sharp to grab a hold on them. Wait a second. How am I supposed to see the rocks in front of me so clearly? I have no torchlight with me and it should be pitch black dark in here. So why am I able to see them?”

I turned around and saw that the walls of the cave had reflecting surfaces, sending light through the whole cave.

So there must be someone who made the light, shining all over the place.

As for the fact that I was trapped and got nothing better to do, I was starting to wander inside of the cave, trying to discover the source of the light.

I was going around for what felt like hours, but may have been just fifteen minutes. The light grew brighter and brighter with every step I took and as I finally got around one last corner, I was standing in a rather large chamber and what I saw just made my jaw drop.

A bright circle of light was hovering mere centimeters over the ground, framed with another one shining in the colors of a
rainbow.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. A thing like this was physically impossible. This had to be something abnormal or even paranormal, but since I was trapped in this cave and nobody knew I was here, curiosity got the better of me and I stepped forward in order to take a better look at the phenomenon I was seeing.

It seemed that it was only made of these two rings of light, hovering in the air. I was able to see the opposite wall of the cave on the other side of it, so I walked around it to see if there was anything wrong with it.

As I was on the other side of it I wondered. On this side I only saw darkness when I was watching through it and not the opposite wall of the cave. It was very strange, but I thought nothing about it.

I finally rounded it and looked at it again. Something seemed off, but I couldn’t say what it was until realization hit me like an anvil in the face. In the hovering ring of light, there was another path going out like the one I was coming from earlier. But if it was the same path, then this thing had to be a mirror, but I was not able to see my reflection in it.
So, what in the name of god was this thing?

I was staring at this bright light thingy (yeah I named it that way) for a good hour now, but nothing seems to happen. I was bored to the bones by that time and my curiosity was overwhelming, so I decided to take a closer look at it.

“Ok bright light thingy here comes daddy” I said, closing up with it.

I stretched out my hand and tried to touch the picture in it, but there was nothing. I simply grabbed thin air. Now my curiosity was too strong to do any other thing than to just jump through it and see what would happen.

I prepared for everything that might come to me, but what happened caught me off guard, or rather not, because there was nothing happening.

I expected myself running in a wall, falling into depths no one had ever experienced before or being attacked by some sort of alien creature, but all that happened was, that I was landing safely on the other side of the bright light thingy.

I looked around in the chamber and everything seemed normal to me. Normal until I turned and looked at the bright light thingy again. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Right behind it there was the massive wall of the chamber. I was sure as hell that it wasn’t there moments before.

But regardless of that, I heard the scream of a falcon or an eagle, coming from the path opposite of the bright light thingy and since I got nothing to lose, I decided to wander the path to find out if I was right or not.

Soon I could hear the sound of wind brushing against rocks in a gentle breeze. Also the lighting got better and I was able to see more clearly.

A few turns later I saw what I desired to see. My way out. I was overjoyed. There was a way out and I was just a few meters away.

I sped up my pace and ran out into the light. My eyes took about half a second to adjust to the brightness of the light outside of the cave, but this was enough to nearly kill me. I was standing at the edge of a high mountain path just millimeters away from falling down, waving my arms to regain balance. It took all of my acrobatic skills to drop myself back at the path with a thud and a little cloud of dust.

As soon as I regained my composure I looked down where I nearly fell and was glad that I didn’t. The little valley down there was not that far away, but there was a nasty little surprise waiting at the outskirts of it. Really big sharp rocks. They would’ve sliced me into bite-sized pieces and I didn’t plan to serve as food for some random animals.

‘Good thing I reacted so fast. That would have been nasty.’ I thought to myself.

I took a deep breath and let my eyes wander around the mountainside.

“This is quite a sight here.” I said, taking in the beauty of the day. Something was missing, but I couldn’t point out what it was.

“Wait a second!” I shouted, as the recognition hit me.

“Why the hell am I on a mountain?! I landed on an island with nothing but sea all around it! What the fuck is going on here?! Where? How? Argh! This is crazy! Ok Rob come down now come down. I’m certain that there is a simple answer to all of this. At least I hope so.”

After I calmed myself down for quite a bit, I was ready to face the situation.

The path lead in two directions, one was uphill the other obviously downhill.

I had a hard decision to make. Which way to go. Both of them looked promising, but I couldn’t decide between the two of them. It doesn’t matter which one I was taking, since the other one would be upset to be left alone, so I made the only fair and random move I could make. I tossed a quarter.

‘Head downhill, eagle uphill’ I thought, flipping the coin up in the air. I caught it with my right hand and immediately smacked it on the back of my left hand. “The moment of truth” I proclaimed.I lifted up my hand and saw an eagle staring at me. “So uphill it is” I said to the path and stuck the coin back in my pocket.

I walked up the path a little bit when I heard a crashing noise.

I ran back to where I got out of the cave but the entrance was gone. The mountain was as smooth as a mountain could be where it should have been.

‘This is bad. Now I’m stuck here’ I thought to myself. But I’ve never been one to give up this easily. There was still the path ahead of me. I was determined to find some kind of civilization, so I got going.

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“Ow. My head.” A voice muttered in the dark.

“Where am I? What happened?”

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“You received your orders. Now go and fulfill them.”

“Yes, princess. We’ll do our best” One said.

“We won’t disappoint your highness” the other one added.

“Good. Now get going. I have business to take care of” the princess said, standing up from her haunches, trotting over to the big double winged doors. Her mane waving in an ethereal sphere, no pony was able to see. She opened the doors with her magic and turned to the two mares.

“Remember that you have to stay undercover while watching over my most faithful student. I don’t want her to be harmed nor finding out who you two are. Your disguise has to be perfect. I ordered a royal guard to take your belongings to town already, so you can travel with light package. I’m giving you a week before I’ll sent her there. Get in touch with the residents and make friends with them. Now off you go”

“As you wish your highness” both mares said, saluting to the princess.

The mares got out of the throne room, heading for their quarters.

“We’re going to meet at the main gate of the palace in half an hour, so be ready by then” the first mare told the other one.

“Will be right there” the other one responded, rolling her eyes. ‘As if I am the one who always comes too late for a meeting’ she thought.

Half an hour had passed and both mares were standing at the big main gate of the palace, where they checked their bags one last time.

“I’ve got everything. What about you?” the first mare asked.

“Uuum… Yes everything packed” responded the other mare.

They took a final look at the palace, where they used to live and headed off in the direction of their goal, a little village settled near the outskirts of the Everfree Forest.

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I was wandering around for several hours now and what I got was mountains, mountains, mountains and, guess what, more mountains. This was getting on my nerves. I mean nothing against wandering, but this was starting to piss me of.

“Ok. That’s it!” I shouted at an innocent mountain. “If there is nothing behind you that is worth seeing I’m going on a rampage. I’m done!”

I dragged myself over the top of the mountain, closing my eyes and flexing my muscles for the upcoming rage, which I could feel welling up in my guts.

I opened my eyes, but much to my surprise there was a wide valley with fields of flowers, little groups of trees several mild hills and some small rivers flowing through it, lying in front of me. But the most amazing, beautiful and stunning view was a little town in the distance. It was located at the edge of a rather large forest, which looked not this inviting.

A bit more to the west there was a castle built in the side of a mountain, but it would be more difficult to get there than that town, so I decided the town would do for now.

Soon I found a dirt road and decided that it would be better not to be too bold, so I kept a distance to it. This way nobody would notice me if I don’t want to and I would be able to see everyone who was walking on it.

I don’t know what the residents of the town are like and it is possible that my appearance would scare them, so this was the best way to face the subject.

Some time passed as I walked along the dirt road. I thought that I would never see anyone until I reach that town when I heard steps approaching.

I hid behind a large rock to take a closer look at whoever was coming by. As they came near I could hear their conversation and from the sound of the steps I could tell that they must be riding horses.

“You know, I really don’t get it why we have to go there. It’s not like she can’t defend herself” Said a female voice in perfectly fluent English.

‘Good. At least we are speaking the same language’ I thought.

“It doesn’t matter what we think about it. It’s a royal order and we have to do it. Or do you want to speak up to the princess?”

‘Ok. Two females. Good thing. I think they won’t kick my ass and they are living in a monarchy, so there is a leader to talk to if things get hairy. This will be easy’

“No” answered the other female.

“Good. After all you have to remember that we are secret agents from the royal guard. No pony knows that we are under direct command of her majesty. They all think, that we are just two mares that moved from Canterlot to flee the stressful life we had back there.”

‘Wait, wait, wait. Did I misunderstood them or am I going insane? They are talking as if they were actually two mares. Or maybe they are mad? Oh no, karma strikes again.' But I want to see who is talking there before I freak out. 'Easy Rob, easy’

I looked around my hiding place to get a better look of the females, talking, but what I saw and more important heard, was too much for me to handle, so I held my breath and hoped that they won’t notice me. Nevertheless I still kept looking at them.

They were actually mares. Pony mares to be exact. The first one was a mint green coated (I can’t believe I’m actually seeing this) unicorn (!!!) with a grey-green mane with a large silver stripe in it. She had a lyre tattooed on her flank and was wearing saddlebags with the same image of a lyre on them.

The other one was a unicorn too. (Still can’t believe my eyes. Did I take drugs or what?) Her fur was a lighter blue while her mane was of a darker blue and it had this stripe of silver too. On her flank I could see the tattoo of an hourglass ran halfway through. Again she was carrying saddlebags with the same image on them as her tattoo was. But that wasn’t it.
Their looks were totally different from ponies I knew from home.

Their snouts were shorter than usual, they were shorter than a normal pony and if I might add the color of their fur was a little bit disturbing.

I mean I know that horses have brown, white, black or even a slight red fur color, but green and blue?

'I’m done. I’m so damn done.'

And on top of that they were speaking like I do. Words and stuff!

I let a gasp of surprise escape my mouth. Just a little one, but they noticed and turned towards the stone, asking in unison “Who is there?”

I started to panic and thought of a way to escape.
Then I had a great idea. I made my voice as soft as possible, letting out a little “Meow”.

“Oh, it’s just a cat” said the green mare.

“I love cats!” the blue one said euphoric. “I’ll just go and comfort her a bit. I’m sure we scared the poor little thing”

‘Oh great, a cat loving pony. How can this get any worse?’

The mare set into motion and came for my hiding spot. Now it was time to think fast.

‘Oh fuck, oh fuck shit fuck. What to do now?’

I looked around and spotted a little group of trees some meters behind me. It was now or never. I sprinted over to the trees, still ducked so they won’t spot me. At least I hoped so.

I was wrong.

Right when I entered the shadow of the trees, the blue mare came in sight and spotted me jumping in the woods.
She came after me and I got running, but since karma is a bitch and god is the biggest troll ever, I stumbled and fell.

That alone wouldn’t be this bad, but the trees were standing on a slope and I lost the ground under my feet. I bumped into several trees, standing where I was falling, until there was a gap where I could gain speed. Unfortunately my head smashed into the first tree after the gap, blurring my vision as I was starting to faint. Several bumps later the tree line ended and I landed on the dirt road.

‘Great. Now I’m exposed to everyone that comes by’ I managed to think.

The two ponies were coming down the road and I heard the blue one saying something about a cat and that she was upset that it ran away, but it didn’t matter to me as unconsciousness was grabbing hold of my mind.

The last thing I saw before fainting away was the shocked expression on the faces of the mares as they noticed my body lying on the road.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Kitty kitty kitty. Come here. There is no need to be afraid of me.” Colgate said, rounding the boulder. As she did so, she saw a large shadow diving into the woods.
‘Why would it run away from me and why was it so big? Cats aren’t supposed to be this big.’ she thought, wearing a worrisome look plastered on her face.

“Hello?” she asked into the woods. “Are you still here kitty?” No response. ‘Must have run off.’ She toughed and shrugged her shoulders.

“Are you coming?” Lyras voice echoed through the air.

“Yeah, I’m coming. Seems like it ran off to nowhere.” Colgate shouted back. “I’m there in a minute.” She was really worried about that cat.

As she came back to the dirt road she was greeted with a frowning Lyra saying, ”Are you done searching for now, or are you going to waste more of our time? I didn’t plan to stay overnight here.”

“Come down Lyra. I was concerned about it. No reason to complain.” Colgate responded, sticking her tongue out in Lyras direction.

The time Colgate reached the dirt road again, Lyra set into motion as well.

“You know, you can’t just pick up every cat you see and care for her. You’ll end up as one of those crazy cat-mares, which only lives for their cats.”

That’s not true!” Colgate shouted. “I just wanted to see if it was alright and I would have left it alone if it had been ok, but unfortunately it ran off.”

“Yeah, sure.” Lyra said, turning her head towards Colgate. “You would’ve picked it up and… Colgate?”

A look of pure shock was drawn on Colgate’s face as she pointed on the road ahead of them. Something was laying there and neither of them could say what it was.

“Ok, this is definitely no cat over there.” Lyra said mouth wide open.

The mares slowly covered the distance between them and the thing lying on the ground.

“Is it dead?” Colgate asked Lyra with a look of worry and fear.

“I think it’s still alive. It’s still breathing.” Lyra said. “It must be unconscious.”

“But. What is it doing here? How does it get here? And most important. What is it?”

“I don’t know. It can be lost or being here on purpose. It can be friendly or dangerous. It can even be intelligent. Look at its clothes. They are covering the most parts of its body and it looks nothing like us. It has no hooves, but claws, looking close to the dragon that is with the student of the princess. What was his name?”

“Spike.”

“Thank you. So, for the fact that it has claws I’d think that it is walking on its hind legs like him and that it is probably able to speak. Though I have no clue what language it will speak in. And the last thing I’d like to say about it, is, that it is most likely the *cat* we heard earlier and for this wanted to fool us into believing that it was only said cat, so that we don’t go looking for it. Unfortunately for it you love cats and went to its hiding place. It panicked and ran off into the bushes. It fell down the slope, hit its head, came to a halt and fell unconscious.”

“It seems to be hurt very bad. There is a stream of blood running down its head.” Colgate noticed very concerned about the being, completely ignoring Lyra in the process.

“Uuuh! What did I say just moments ago? Hehey, Equestria to Colgate! Wait. You don’t think about…”

“Let’s take it with us. We are responsible for it. Without us it wouldn’t be hurt like this.” Colgate blasted out, before Lyra could say anything.

“Oh for Celestia’s sake Colgate! You are too caring. We can’t just take this thing with us! It’s possible that it is dangerous and wants to do harm to us! Just imagine what would happen if other ponies are seeing us with it!” Lyra cried out.

“Calm down. We scared it and are responsible for it as I said so before. It’s true that we can’t just go carry it around and freak everypony out, but you know, we are unicorns after all and we have something called magic. We are able to make it invisible to the other ponies until we are out of sight and if it really wants to do us any harm we could, let me think about it, use our magic to knock it down again and transport it to the palace. Once there, the princess would take care of it. So don’t chicken from something you don’t even know.” Colgate reasoned.

“Well, thank you. I would’ve never guessed that we can use our magic.” Lyra said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s just that I don’t feel comfortable with it near to me. I’ve never seen anything like this before and this could mean that it is an alien or something from the Everfree Forest. I’m only worried. Is it so hard to understand?”

“No it’s not, but wouldn’t it have attacked us the moment it was aware of our presence when it was trying to harm us? I think it was afraid of us and because of this disguised itself as a cat, so we would go away. See? We are the cause to its pain and fear. We owe it to it.” Colgate replied, understanding Lyras worries.

“Fine, you got a point there, but I’m still not feeling well with this thing, invisible and nicely draped over one of our backs. It’s still dangerous for us to bring it near to a town. It could cause a panic, if it wakes while we are carrying it around.”

“Ok I’ll take it then. Don’t you worry little filly, aunt Colgate got that big ol’ mean thing and will keep it out of your rangey wanegy.” Colgate said like talking to a little scared foal.

“Hey! Stop messing with me and get it loaded up already. We have to go to a town, remember?” Lyra asked, still a bit antsy.

The mares settled the strange thing up on Colgate’s back, casted an invisibility spell around it and started heading for Ponyville again.
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“What’s going on? Why is it so dark here? Where is here?” the voice asked itself in the darkness.
“Is there anyone? Hello?”
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There were my parents. They were actually sitting in the living room of our house, looking truly sad.
Some other guys were standing in the room searching everywhere. I wondered what they were searching for, so I went over to my parents and wanted to ask them what was wrong.
“Hey mom, dad. What’s wrong? Why are you all making a frown? Did something bad happen?” I asked them, reaching out to the shoulder of my dad.
But nobody answered me or took even notice of my presence.
Something was clearly going wrong and my hunch was right.
As I tried to touch my father’s shoulder, I simply slipped through him and the couch, like they were made of thin air, only stopped by the floor.

I freaked out instantly as I hit the floor, pulling myself in a corner of the room and rocking me back and forth. “This can’t be real! It has to be a bad dream! I can’t possibly be a ghost! Nooooo!”

I cried out loud for several minutes, until I finally accepted that I can’t do anything to change the situation and let myself calm down until I was only sobbing lightly.
It was then, when one of the guys I couldn’t recognize went over to my parents and started to talk to them.

“Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, we haven’t found any trace of your son or a letter from him or any kidnapper. It looks like he just disappeared. But by any chance, could it be possible that your son is sailing on the ocean and just stayed there for a longer period of time? It could possibly be that he …”

“No it can’t!” cried my mother. “He would have sent us a message if he would be staying any longer. No! Something must have happened!”
She was looking more upset than sad, but that’s just like them. Worrying about me, because I am the one to take over the family business once they are not able to do it anymore.
I was really starting to feel bad for my parents and then this. (I don’t get them. I seriously just don’t get them.)

“Search for him. Everywhere. Turn the whole area upside down if you need to, but find him. Also check the gps of our cars, the boat and his one propelled plane, if some of them are missing. I had it installed to find him no matter where on earth he went.” My father added in an authorial voice. (Just what the hell is this coward thinking? That I’m just deciding to leave one day with one of his cars or something and never come back? This man is crazy! Someone call the asylum, we have an inmate running free!)

Suddenly they were all standing in the middle of the room, staring at each other. It also seemed to be earlier than just mere moments before.
My sobbing had stopped and I was walking over to them to hear what they were talking about.

“I’m sorry Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. We found out that your son got in a heavy storm and was forced to anchor on a little island. We found the boat, but there was no sign of your son. It is like he isn’t in this world anymore.”

“That’s impossible.” My father laughed. “My son can’t just vanish with not a single trace left. Are you sure he was not on the boat or the island? Have you searched everywhere?”

“Yes, we are sure that he is neither on the boat nor on the island. We have searched the whole territory and he was nowhere to be found.” the guy answered.

I wondered how much time had passed between when I was trapped in that cave and them searching for me.

“It has been three weeks now.” my father said out of the blue. “I think it’s time that we stop seeking for him. He can’t possibly survive this long. We have to live our lives no matter how hard his loss might be for us.”

(Ok, so it has been three weeks since I got trapped in this cave… Wait a second! Did he just break off the search? What is this old fucktard thinking? Ok, I’m dead, but he can’t possibly know it!)

They all hung their heads low in one minute’s silence for me and scattered afterwards.

The scenery was changing again and I was suddenly standing in front of our house. (Whoever wants to scare me with this shit, congratulations, you did it.) It was far older than I remembered and fell apart at some place. I saw four men carrying a coffin out of it and could overhear some talk shred.

“It’s a shame. They lost their son twenty years ago and went on living in the house, refusing to take even one little step outside all these years.” The first one on the left said in a causal tone.

“Yeah. They thought that it was their fault that their son disappeared. They were waiting for him so long, but he never returned.” The second one on the right added.

“A true tragedy. His wife only lived for ten years and killed herself because of guilty feelings and nightmares hunting her down to insanity.” The second one on the left said, shaking his head.

“And now the old man died. He broke the moment his wife’s soul left her body behind, but lived on for ten more years, always hoping that his son would come back and free him from the guilty feelings, assuring him that it wasn’t his fault that he disappeared.” The last one of the four resumed, dropping a single tear.

I was touched. They really thought that it was their fault that I disappeared. (And now I’m even sad. Whoever is pulling this off, have some piece of my mind. This is not funny.)
I wanted to run up to the coffin and whisper, even though no one would actually hear me, that I don’t hold anything against them and am happy that they’ve waited for me so long. I wanted to say my goodbye. At least to my father.
But as I tried to move I couldn’t. It was like I was glued to the ground. I had to watch as they loaded my father in the hearse and drove away, leaving me behind in total silence. (No it’s not like there was nothing to be heard. The sounds of the environment were still present, but I didn’t notice them.)

I was standing there for what felt like one and a half eternities, what probably was about ten to fifteen minutes, when the whole place fell apart. (Hey don’t look like that, I’m only telling what happened.) I found myself floating in a dark void, a little dot of light shimmering in the darkness in front of me. I approached the light steadily. (I don’t know how I did it or why, so don’t ask.)
As I was just a bit away from it, I heard an evil laugh coming from behind. It was a creepy dark laugh. One of those laughs, that freeze the blood in your veins in an instant.
Since I was not thrilled to meet the owner of the voice, I sped up and hoped for the best.
Coming closer to the light I could hear a female voice. “Strange thing…hurt…care…” she muttered.
Or at least sounded like it.
For now I really gave a fuck and floated, ah what am I saying, flew in the warm embrace of the light. (I’m sure that it was better than waiting for whatever was in the dark.)

Chapter 3

The two mares were trotting along the way to Ponyville with their, now invisible, passenger slash patient dragged over Colgate’s back.

“Hey Colgate, we’re reaching Ponyville soon. I think we should watch out now. It’s dangerous to carry such a creature through the town, hoping that nopony will notice the glow of my horn as I keep it in place. What do you think should we do about that?” Lyra asked with a frown forming on her face.

“Hmmm… Let me think about this… That’s it! You take my saddlebag and levitate it in front of you.
We just say that you lost a bet and have to carry it like this as a punishment.
Your magic is strong enough to hold it up and the poor thing in place.
Like this they will also think that our magic level is not very high and we need a lot of magic of ours to levitate a simple saddlebag.
It’s better when they underestimate us and the power we can use, than knowing about our full potential.” Colgate responded, grinning Lyra right in the face.

Lyra on the other side squeezed her eyes shut, stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at her, levitating Colgate’s saddlebag off of her back and in front of her at the same time.

“There. Are you happy now?”

“Yes. Very happy. Now I only have to carry this poor creature and am able to move more freely.
You know, even though it seems to be light weighted; it is not. I think it’s about seventy five to eighty kilogram and its limps are dragging over the ground when you are not holding them up with your magic, so I guess it’s fair that you carry my saddlebag for me.” Colgate responded.

Lyra gave a heavy sigh, looking in front of her again, spotting their destination.

“Look we are finally there. We are…”

“Oh hey, you are new here aren’t you? Oh silly me! Of course you are! I know everypony in Ponyville and I have never seen you two before! Where are you from? Are you from Canterlot? I like Canterlot! They have yummy sweets there, but I prefer the ones from Sugarcube Corner here in Ponyville! Do you like sweets? I’m sure you like them! Everypony likes sweets!” a pink coated mare with a bubbly pink mane and tail, and three colorful balloons as a cutie mark babbled without taking in a single breath, while she kept babbling, coming out of seemingly thin air, right in front of the two unicorn mares.

Lyra and Colgate, shocked from the sudden amount of pony where air should have been, landed on their rumps, dropping both, their saddlebags and the invisible unconscious creature, as their magic flow was disturbed.

Fortunately for them they placed a high quality invisibility spell on it that keeps it invisible even when they would rest their magic for a while, or for other magic requiring actions.
It required a bigger amount of magic, but was worth the effort as they now saw.

The pink mare now bounced in place, waiting for them to answer her questions, beaming at them the whole time.

“Where the buck did you just come from?” Lyra asked the beaming mare in front of them, after she regained her composure.

“From Ponyville silly. Where else should I come from?” the pink mare asked with a quizzical look on her face.

“Ungh. That’s not what I meant. I mean, where do you come came from right now. You had to be anywhere near us to be in front of us from one second to another.
So tell me where you were hiding.” Lyra said, annoyance rising within her.

“I wasn’t hiding anywhere!” the mare responded, puffing her cheeks. “I was at Sugarcube Corner, improving the recipe for my Mmm-cake, when my Pinkie-sense started tingling, indicating the arrival of three new friends to Ponyville. So I came here to greet you and ask you who you are. I’m Pinkie Pie by the way.”

“You.” Lyra growled under her breath, ready to kick Pinkie Pie away with her magic any time now.
Colgate however laid a hoof on Lyra’s shoulder to calm her down and looked at Pinkie.

“Hello Pinkie, my name is Colgate and the lovely mare next to me is Lyra, and I think what my friend wanted to ask is where you have been seconds before you appeared in front of us.” She asked Pinkie in a candy sweet voice, smiling softly at the pink mare.

Pinkie Pie sat on her haunches, tapping her chin with the right fore hoof, supporting it with the left one, placed at the elbow of the right, wearing a thoughtful expression on her face.

She sat like this for several minutes, not moving a muscle at any time, before Colgate interrupted her thoughts.

“So? Where did you come from? Do you remember now?” she asked Pinkie, curiosity dripping from her eyes.

“I don’t have a clue.” The pink mare said a goofy smile on her face.
Lyra groaned, rubbing her temples, trying to avoid an upcoming headache.
“I stood in the kitchen when my Pinkie-sense was tingling and a few seconds later I was standing in front of you two.” She answered Colgate’s question, beaming as wide as the skin on her face would allow.

Now the jaws of both unicorn mares hung open and they were staring at Pinkie with wide eyes, before they closed said parts of their faces and face hoofed.

“Well, I have to go now, greeting the third pony that came here and then back to my Mmm-cake before it burns to ashes. Goodbye, see you later for your welcome to Ponyville party!” the mare said, while the two unicorns were still dragging their hooves down their faces.

By the time their hooves left their faces and they opened their eyes again, the pink earth pony was gone.
Their jaws instantly flew open again and they quickly scanned the area with their magic, to see where she had gone to, but her presence was gone completely missing.

“What the? ... How did she? … What in the name of Tartarus is going on here?” Lyra stammered, her face changing expressions one second to the other.

“I have no idea.” Colgate responded, still awestruck and with a puzzled look on her face.

“Ugh.” Came a voice from nowhere and shook them out of their daze.

“Oh right, that thing is still here with us. I totally forgot about it.” The mint green mare acknowledged, snorting displeased.

“Oh come on. Shut your muzzle Lyra and help me here.” Colgate nagged, gathering the creature and their saddlebags.
Lyra lifted the saddlebags up in the air, sat her own on her back and levitated Colgate’s in mid-air in front of her with her magic.
Colgate on the other hoof lifted the creature up on her back and as soon as it was set right, Lyra held up its legs so they won’t scratch over the ground, making noises and leaving tracks.

They continued their path down to Ponyville, luckily missing out a pink pony, popping out of nowhere, this time.

They soon arrived in town, taking in every bit of peace lingering in the air. Their nostrils breathed in the fresh air, that was clearly missing in Canterlot and they both sighed in relief, that no further incidents disturbed their little journey.

“So far so good.” The mint blue unicorn whispered to her teammate, looking out for the house Princess Celestia had gotten them.
The mint green unicorn mare could see the anticipation shimmering in the eyes of the other unicorn mare, as she was looking around the place.

“Why are you so antsy Colgate?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Just in case you haven’t noticed, we are running around in town in search of our new home with an invisible creature over my back, nopony knows us here, we have a meeting with Major Mare later on and worst of all, this mare Pinkie Pie lives around here, could come our way at any time and probably is sooner or later. And you ask why I’m antsy?” Colgate listed, giving the other mare a stern look.

“Don’t try to fool me Colgate.” Lyra said with a smile on her face. “You want to get to our house to look at the creature. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Ok, ok. You got me.” Colgate said, blushing slightly. “But we have to look out nevertheless. I don’t want to cause a panic. That would blow our cover for sure.” She added in a calm and calculating tone.

The two mares trotted to the town square, looking for further information about their, soon to be home.
When they arrived, they saw that the market was running and the whole town square full of ponies trotting and flying around.
Small stalls were standing in front of the houses of the ponies, which were also mostly shops, where they lived in and sold their goods.
There were stalls with carrots, apples, wheat, bonbons and many other goods, each one of them looking like the harvest was good this year.

The air was filled with the chatter of friends talking and others haggling about prices of the goods they were selling and purchasing. Bits were wandering from hoof to hoof, filling the bags of the salesponies.

“Celestia damned!” both mares cursed, sweat beginning to run down their faces, while they clenched their eyes shut and gritted their teeth.

“We will never make it through with this thing on your back. Somepony will notice and freak out for sure.” Lyra hissed, eyes darting back and forth in search of any way to get through it without anypony noticing their little “package”.
“What do we do now?”

Colgate raised one of her fore hooves up to her chin, bit her lower lip and made a thoughtful expression. Her eyes were slowly looking over the place, examining every possibility for a way through the crowded town square.
After a few minutes of thinking, and Lyra nervously stepping from one hoof to the other, she sighed and spoke up, a shimmer of desperation painted in her face.
“I see a possible way for us to get through.”

“Great!” Lyra interrupted, with her chest full of hope and her face lighting up.

“But,”

“Oh please. No buts. Everything but no buts.” She pleaded, her ears falling flat against her head and her chest deflating as both, air and hope, were leaving her body again.

“But.” The mint blue mare went on, concern and confidence fighting to take over her face. “We have to go through the middle of the town square and, before you say anything, I know that it is risky and that we’ll have to look out for others crossing our path, but I trust them to mostly stand at the stalls and buy things, leaving free a rather big midway.”
She said, pointing to a gap between the ponies at the market. “We can walk along this way and get through it without anypony noticing, but only if we keep calm and don’t draw any attention on us.”

She gave a reassuring look and began to walk into the town square.

The moment Colgate set into motion; Lyra’s face fell and left only one emotion.
Sheer panic.
She was taken aback by the bold move her teammate did and her heart pounded heavily against her ribcage.
Her heart rate reached levels, she normally only experienced, when she fought against Colgate, or the captain of the Royal Guard; Heavy Armor, an elderly unicorn stallion with dark brown coat, a light, dirt brown, mane with a silver stripe in it and a pony equipped with full body armor as cutie mark.
She never thought a simple invisible creature over the back of her teammate could speed it up this much.
She suddenly felt dizzy and shook her head to regain total control over her senses again, just to see that Colgate was a fair bit away from her now, trotting among the citizens unnoticed, or when noticed just being greeted kindly.
‘Ok Lyra, keep it together. You have been through worse situations. You can handle this.’ She thought, gulping down the lump that had formed in her throat, following the mint blue mare.

At first she was nervous, looking left and right, but relaxed soon after when she saw that nopony was paying much attention to her.

When she caught up to Colgate, she slowed her pace, trotting lightly next to her with a now joyful face as she saw the plan of the other mare working out just fine.

They reached the other end of the town square without anypony noticing their “package” and sighed in relief. Looking around for their house, they scanned through the other part of the town and grew more and more desperate with every step their hooves covered.

They walked the whole area three to four times, not finding the building described to them by Ink Well, the Royal Canterlot administrator and, unknown to the majority of the Canterlot citizens, chief of the department of information of the special forces of the Royal Guard, a pegasus with a black dotted white coat, a hazelnut brown mane and his cutie mark resembling a quill, writing on a piece of parchment.

“That’s impossible.” Lyra said, eyes darting around nervously once more, in search of their house. “He said it would be a brown house with white windshields on the windows and a roof made of hay, but there is no such building here in town.”

Colgate looked on the ground, wearing a thoughtful expression again. “You’re right Lyra. He can’t be wrong. He never gave us any misleading information. There is only one option left.”

“And that would be?” the mint green unicorn mare asked her curious.

“They changed its appearance. They changed some minor or major details and now we can’t find it because of that.” Colgate responded matter of fact, a bemused expression forming on her face.

“What do you mean by “They changed some minor or major details”? He gave us the information a bit more than a day ago.” Lyra asked dumbstruck.

“Well, we may have gotten the information a day ago, but the question is, when he had gotten it? It could have been only a few hours before we got it, or they received it quite a while ago when the former owner moved out. It could be that they didn’t receive any new information since. That on the other hoof would mean that everything could have happened in the meantime.” The mare explained.
“So I think we will most likely not recognize it. That is, if I’m right and I’m sure I am. Unfortunately that means, that we’ll have to go to the town hall and ask the major where it is.” Colgate concluded, her face darkening in its expression more and more, before she finally relaxed it, closed her eyes, hung her head low and sighed in defeat.
“I think we have to go to the major earlier than we wanted to.” She growled to Lyra, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

“You can’t be serious! What’s with this thing over your back? They are going to notice it, even if it is invisible!” the mint green mare shrieked in response.

“Sssh. We still have our saddlebags.” Hissed Colgate.

“Our saddlebags? What do they got to do with our situation?” Lyra asked in a more hushed tone, looking at Colgate confused and a tad bit angry.

“Do you ever use your brain except for fighting and eating?” the mint blue unicorn mare asked her teammate with a flat look.

“Hey! Don’t just insult me like that! That’s mean!” she huffed.
“If you noticed, I’m carrying our saddlebags and hold up the legs of that creature the whole time and as far as I know this require a decent amount of concentration, so I’m not really able to think much right now”

“Yeah. Sorry. I tend to forget this, when I can rest my magic” Colgate responded, giving the other unicorn a sly grin.

“Oh Colgate! You’re such a tease!” Lyra said, puffing her cheeks while giving her teammate a light magic punch on the shoulder.

“Ok, ok. I’ll say it. We are using our saddlebags to excuse ourselves to our new home, lay it down somewhere in the house, place a sleeping spell on it so it won’t wake up while we are away and get back to the major. Everything clear?” she explained.

“Yep. Everything. Now let’s go.” Lyra said; trotting of to the town hall.

The two unicorns reached the town hall several minutes later, looking around curiously.
They felt as if they’ve been watched the whole time, but it seemed that nopony was following them
They peeked behind them one last time and upon seeing no pony following them, or hiding anywhere, they went into the town hall.

Unnoticed by them, a little cloud was just above their heads and a pegasus was looking over its edge again, after hiding from their view.

“Damned! I lost them!” the pegasus cursed, returning to the duty of the weather patrol schedule.

Once inside Colgate and Lyra were looking around for an information desk. Normally it would have been in the center of the large main hall, but due to the preparations of the Summer Sun Celebration, taking place in Ponyville this year, it wasn’t anymore.
They already moved the big desks and most of the furniture in some side offices around the main hall. Only a few offices were still clean and in use, one of them being the office of Major Mare.

The two mares were slowly going along the left wall of the main hall to avoid being in the literal center of attention. When they were about to reach the first door on their way, another one opened.
Coming out of it was an elderly earth-pony mare with a light brown-greyish coat, grey mane and tail and a rolled up scroll with a blue ribbon around it as a cutie mark. She wore thin framed, half-moon shaped glasses and a serious expression on her face.
She was clearly coming out of her office to check on the progress of the preparations.
Looking around she soon spotted the two unicorn mares, which were not moving a single muscle, hoping the major wouldn’t notice them.

“Ah, you must be the new mares in town. Good to see you finally arrived here.” Major Mare greeted them as she saw them staying to her right, just a few meters away.

“Damned!” both mares cursed under their breath, making a little frown before giving the major a warm smile.

“Why yes, we are indeed the new mares in town.” Colgate answered her kindly.

Now that a conversation was unavoidable, the two unicorn mares approached her slowly, getting more and more nervous with every step they took.

“Now that you are already here, we should clarify the modalities. If you would most kindly follow me in my office, so we can speak in private.” She asked Colgate and Lyra.

She turned around and started trotting back to her office, when she heard a groan coming from the direction of the mares.

The two of them also heard the groaning and Colgate, not preoccupied with using magic already, casted a muting spell over the creature.
Lyra, acting surprisingly fast for her state of mind, put on a displeased face.

“Could we probably reschedule clarifying the modalities? It is rather exhausting carrying these saddlebags around all the time and we wanted to take a shower after our trip. The only reason we came here is, because we couldn’t find our house.” She groaned in fake exhaustion.

“Oh yes. We repaired and recolored your house for you. We want our new citizens to feel at home after all. We also exchanged the key locks, so your key wouldn’t fit. Fortunately I’ve got the new one with me in case you wanted to see it first. Your house is located near the library right next to Mrs. Scratch’s and Mrs. Punch’s place. You can’t miss it, just follow the bass. There’s just one thing I want to know.”
The major said, grabbing the key, which was placed around her neck with a simple cord, and hoofed it to them.
“Why are you carrying both saddlebags on your own and don’t share the weight with your friend?”

“Don’t ask major. I lost a bet and now I have to carry them around like this until we get home.” Lyra responded, glaring angrily at Colgate.

“I see.” The light brown mare said quirking an eyebrow. “Then go on to your new home, toss the saddlebags in a corner, refresh yourselves and come back as quick as possible.”

The two unicorn mares galloped out of the town hall as soon as Colgate grabbed the key with her magic and, unseen to anypony else, steadied the creature on her back.

As they were nearly out of the door of the town hall Major Mare called after them.

“It could be that I’m not here when you return. If that’s the case, ask my secretary Pageturner where I am. She will be in my office when I’m away. See you later.”

“Will do!” they called out in unison and were out of the door.

As the two unicorns were out of the town hall they galloped to their new home, knowing exactly where it was located now.

Meanwhile the creature on Colgate’s back was stirring more and more, slowly waking from its unconscious state.
Upon noticing its stirring the mares sped up even more, hoping to get to their house in time.

When they reached the front door of their new home, the creature mumbled something in a worried tone and shifted around on Colgate’s back more frequently.
The mint blue mare quickly grabbed the key with her magic and turned it in the lock, hearing a metallic click.

As soon as the door was unlocked Lyra kicked it open and the mares rushed inside, bands of sweat running down their faces and every other part of their bodies. They slammed the door shut with their magic again, dropped their saddlebags on a drawer standing in the hallway and the creature on a couch located in the living room.

“Quick Lyra, we have to take the invisibility spell off of it! I don’t know what is happening, but it seems to suffer!” Colgate yelled at her.

“Calm the buck down Colgate. I’m taking it off already.” The other unicorn responded calmly, making the creature visible again.

The now visible creature was flailing its forelegs around, trying to cover its face from something, maybe the light in the room, and its eyes were already fluttering as if it was about to wake up.

“Oh damned!” Lyra shouted
“It would be bad, if it is to wake up now. We have to sort things out first. Colgate, you need to lay a long lasting sleep spell on it. When everything we have to do at the moment is done, we will take care of it, I promise, but please knock it out again for now.” She begged, the underside of her fore hooves touching each other, whilst she was on her knees.

“It’s ok Lyra. I’m sad that we can’t stay by its side and make sure that it is alright for now, but I also know that we have more important things at hoof for now and that it is necessary.” The mint blue unicorn sighed, gathering the needed amount of magic in her horn.

“Wha…Where am I? What is go…” the creature mumbled, before Colgate’s spell sent it away in the land of dreams again.

“You heard that?” Colgate asked Lyra, eyes wide as dinner plates.

“Yes I heard it. It spoke!” the mint green mare responded, mouth opening and closing constantly and eyes as wide as Colgate’s.

They stood in front of the creature for several more minutes, completely in awe, until they simultaneously fell on their haunches, taking in a big breath they didn’t notice they were holding all the time.

“Ok. That was unexpected.” Colgate said with a whistle, regaining control of her body and mind again.

“I…I…Lets just…refresh and…go to the…major.” Lyra stuttered, trying to set her mind back up at ease again.

The two mares got up slowly and walked away from the sleeping creature, getting their saddlebags and heading upstairs. They refreshed themselves and trotted out of their house, soon after they made sure nopony would find the creature while they were absent by casting another invisibility spell on it.

They made their way to the major’s office, now greeting everypony that came their way kindly and with a big smile.

Once they got to the town hall, they went to the major’s office in a straight line, not afraid of being discovered every second, because of some invisible creature on Colgate’s back.
Walking in Major Mare’s office they frowned a little. The major wasn’t present and they were greeted with the rump of a young earth pony mare, sorting some documents into a folder, which was already near to burst. She had a cream colored coat, a brown mane tied back into a ponytail and a staple of documents as cutie mark.
Her tail was swinging lazily around while she was humming a love song to herself, smiling genuinely all the time.

The two unicorns couldn’t withstand the urge and, with sly grins on their faces and trying to fight back a fit of giggles, whistled.

The mare instantly spun around, ready to smack any stallion square in the face, but froze in the middle of her motion.

“Ah, young love.” Lyra said, the sly grins on their faces growing with each second.

“Who is the lucky one?” Colgate asked teasingly, nudging the mare in the side.

Totally shocked and not knowing how to handle a situation like this, the cream colored mare blushed furiously.
“Her name is Lemon Juice and we confessed our love for each other just yesterday.” She said shyly, making little circular motions with one of her forehooves on the ground.
The two unicorns exchanged a look of amusement, before they simultaneously spoke to the secretary mare again. “Well, we wish you the very best for your relationship.”

“But that aside. I'm Lyra and this is Colgate. We are here to meet Major Mare. Do you know where we can find her at the moment?” Lyra asked her.

“I'm Page Turner. She’s at Sweet Apple Acres now, checking the preparations of the food for the Summer Sun Celebration. But it could be possible that she’s gone when you arrive there. I’ll give you a copy of her to do list, so you can go to all the places she has to go.” The cream colored mare said, turning around to the major’s desk, flicking through some documents.
When she finally found the copy under a literal tower of other notes, she grabbed it with her teeth and, with a strong tuck, pulled it out without any other note moving even slightly.
“Here it is.” The mare said, hoofing the copy to the two unicorns.

Colgate took it in her magical grasp, sliding it into a small pocket she and Lyra were always carrying.
The two unicorn mares bid their farewell to the earth pony and left the town hall, heading for Sweet Apple Acres.

“Those two were nice.” The secretary thought, smiling softly.
“Wait! Did I just tell them about Lemon Juice and me? Oh great Page! You bucked up completely!” she suddenly realized, her face going through several shades of red, before it turned pale like a ghost.
She suddenly felt very sick and wanted to go home.

Meanwhile a certain pegasus spotted the two unicorn mares again. “There you are. I knew I’d find you again. Now show me what you are up to.” The pegasus mumbled to itself, watching Lyra and Colgate through nearly closed eyes.

“So our first stop is Sweet Apple Acres. They make the best cider in all of Equestria.” Lyra stated, licking her lips.

“Yeah, I heard that it is delicious. They even said there is a line of ponies going on for kilometers once they open up cider season at Sweet Apple Acres.” Colgate responded with dreamy eyes.

“Wait just a Celestia damned second! You never even tasted the Apple Family Cider?! Like not a single time in your life?!” Lyra shouted at Colgate, freezing at the spot.
The jaw of the mint green unicorn was falling to the ground, making a little crater and her pupils dilated.

“What’s the matter with you? You act like it is a crime to not drink their cider.” The mint blue unicorn mare sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Are you bucking kidding me?!! It is as bad as one! Once you tasted their cider you will abandon every other cider in Equestria!” Lyra shouted even louder, waving her forehooves wildly through the air.

“I don’t believe you. It can’t be this good.” The mint blue mare said, starting to walk again.

“But it is! It’s the most delicious cider in all of Equestria! I would even compare it to chocolate milk and I love chocolate milk! It’s like the best drink in all of Equestria and I really like balloons! You know like red ones, green, yellow blue and pink ones! I love pink! Maybe that’s the reason why I’m pink! Puffy cupcakes are also yummy! I think I should make those for your welcome to Ponyville party!” Pinkie Pie excitedly exclaimed, appearing right in front of Colgate’s nose from nowhere again.

The unicorn mare stumbled backwards and landed on her haunches out of pure shock.
Again.
Lyra on the other hoof just stood there, staring at the pink pony with wide eyes. She saw the mare popping out of thin air again, but couldn’t believe her eyes. She saw her teammate walking away and in the blink of an eye the pink mare was there, blabbering incoherent gibberish without taking a breath even once.

They both unfroze again, this time a bit faster, because they were getting used to her popping out of thin air.

“Hello Pinkie.” Lyra sighed. “I think you heard our little conversation and I completely agree with you on the cider, but you really don’t have to throw a welcome to Ponyville party for us. We’ll get along with the other citizens just fine. And I think with ‘puffy cupcakes’ you meant mufmfm.” Colgate looked back in shock as the pink mare vanished from her field of view and reappeared in front of Lyra with one of her forehooves shoved in the unicorn’s mouth.

“Don’t you ever say the m word in, or around, Ponyville ever!” Pinkie Pie hissed at her with a stern look. “You neither.” She added, turning her gaze to Colgate.

The mint blue mare nodded and so did the other.

Upon seeing and feeling their approval, Pinkie took her hoof out of Lyra’s mouth and went back to her normal behavior. At least what is considered to be normal when Pinkie is around.

“Oh, but I have to make a welcome to Ponyville party! I make parties for everypony! I throw them for every occasion! It’s just so much fun to have a party and I simply love to make everypony smiley-wily! And I’m friends with everypony in Ponyville! I want to be friends with you too! Are you going to be my friends?! Are you?! Are you?!” she blabbered again, as if nothing happened just now.

Lyra and Colgate stared at Pinkie in disbelieve and simply nodded again, totally oblivious of the consequences, until Pinkie extended her forehooves like they were made of rubber and pulled the two of them in a big, spine cracking, hug.

“Yay!!! You’ll be my friends!!!” the pink pony shouted with joy, streamers and confetti flying through the air. “So, I’m off again! The sweets won’t make themselves! Or would they?! I wonder what sweets making sweets would look like?! Oh! My hazelnut-cake is nearly ready! Have to go! Bye!” with that Pinkie Pie let go of the mares and vanished again.

“That pony sure is strange.” Lyra said quirking an eyebrow.

“Agreed.” Colgate responded, shaking her head at the impossibility of the earth pony mare.

The two unicorn mares continued their walk to Sweet Apple Acres in silence and without further incidents caused by a certain pink mare.

Upon reaching the farmhouse of the Apple family, the two unicorns were greeted with the sight of a red muscle packed stallion with a gold-blond mane and a green apple half as cutie mark, pulling a big cart with buckets and buckets full of apples without any visible effort.
They stepped closer to him, when he noticed their presence.

“Well hello there. Ah’m Big Macintosh, but everypony calls me Big Mac. How can Ah help ya ladies?” he asked in a thick southern accent.
“Hi Big Mac. This is Colgate and my name is Lyra. We are in search of Major Mare. Have you seen her around?” the unicorn mare asked, a kind smile on her face.

“Eeyup. She’s in tha farmhouse talking ta Granny Smith and looking after the apple trees afterwards, but Ah think that Applejack will do tha walking part.” Big Mac explained to them.

“Thank you Big Mac. See you around.” Colgate said, walking to the farmhouse.

“Yer always welcome ladies.” He responded, waving at them with a forehoof.

They entered the farmhouse and called out for the major and Granny Smith. As an answer they heard a light snoring coming from the living room, together with a faint creaking noise.
The two unicorns went on, heading into the living room. Entering it Lyra and Colgate saw an old mare with a lime green coat, a grey-white mane and tail and an apple pie cutie mark, sitting in a rocking chair. She was sleeping soundly and her wrinkly skin wobbled a bit every time a little snore escaped her muzzle.
Standing in front of her, they gently woke her up.

“Well hello there. What brings two young mares like ya ta Sweet Apple Acres?” the old lady asked, yawning then and now.

“Uhm, hello Mrs. Smith. We are searching for Major Mare. Have you seen her?”

“Yes Ah have. We spoke about tha catering for tha Summer Sun Celebration about half an hour ago, but now she’s out with Applejack looking at tha apple trees.” The old mare responded, smiling softly.

“Thank you Mrs. Smith.” The unicorn mares chorused.

“Aw shucks. No need ta be so formal. Just call me Granny Smith like everypony else.” She said, waving a hoof dismissively.

The two mares walked between the apple trees, most of them freed from the ripe apples, lying in baskets around them.
The only trees where the apples still hung were the ones Applejack and Big Mac hadn’t bucked yet.
The closer they got to the trees that were still loaded with ripe apples, the louder the sound of hooves hitting bark grew, until they saw an orange earth pony mare with white freckles on her face, blonde mane and tail, with a Stetson atop of her head and a cutie mark made of three red apples.

They looked around for Major Mare, but couldn’t find her.

“Um…excuse me? You are Applejack right?” Colgate asked the orange mare.

“Yes Ah am. What do ya want from me? Need some apples?” she responded.

“No, not really. We want to talk to the major and Granny Smith said she is out here with you.” Lyra informed her.

“Oh, Ah’m mighty sorry, but tha major left twenty minutes ago. She said she had ta go on ta her next stop, or she wouldn’t be ready in time.” Applejack said frowning.

“Ah, nothing to worry about. We will find her sooner or later. Thank you for the information.” Colgate said, giving the earth pony mare a warm smile.
They bid their farewell and the two unicorn mares trotted back in the direction of Ponyville.

“Where is her next stop?” the mint green unicorn asked.
Her teammate took the list out of her pocket and unfolded it with her magic.

“The next point on the list, are the construction workers in the town square, which are preparing the stage for when princess Celestia will raise the sun. We should hurry, or we will miss Major Mare again.” Colgate said, tugging the list back in her pocket.
The mares quickened their pace to a full grown gallop and soon reached the town square.
They looked around for the major, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Unable to find her, Lyra and Colgate went to one of the construction worker ponies.

“Hello sir. The mare to my left is Colgate and I am Lyra. We have a meeting with the major and were told we could find her here.” She asked a light grey coated earth pony stallion with an ink blue mane and tail. On his flank a hammer and a saw were crossed, the first laying atop the letter.

“Hello to you too. My name is Work Bench and I’m waiting for her myself. She was scheduled to come here about ten minutes ago.” The stallion answered, looking at the town’s clock tower.

“So you have no idea where she went?” Lyra asked frowning.
The light grey stallion shook his head. “Please tell her we were here and headed to where the next part of her list is when she shows up.” The mint green unicorn mare asked Work Bench.
The stallion nodded and they trotted away.

“What are you up to? Are you trying to sabotage the Summer Sun Celebration?” a certain pegasus muttered to itself, hidden atop a cloud. It crept to the edge of the cloud to get a better view of the two mares, when suddenly one of them shouted.

“Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash where are you?!”
‘What? How? How do they know my name?’ the sky blue mare thought to herself, jaw hanging agape. She unfurled her wings and shot down to the two unicorns, dissolving the cloud she was resting on mere moments ago in the process.
The pegasus mare landed in front of the unicorns with a rather loud thud.

“Who are you? Why do you know my name? What are you up to? Are you spies?” Rainbow Dash asked them rapidly, stepping closer to them with each question.
The pegasus was nearly muzzle to muzzle with Lyra, glaring at her intensely.

“Uuum…Ahem. First of all, no we are no spies. The mint blue mare here is Colgate”
“Hi.”
“and I’m Lyra. We came from Canterlot today and have to clarify our living and working conditions with her. And we know your name from the list of ponies Major Mare has to go, to look after the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. Page Turner, the secretary of the major, gave it to us and your name is written on it. Have a look.” The mint green mare explained, lifting up the list in front of Dash’s face with her magic.
There it was.
The sky blue mare read the entry in the list about her aloud.
“Weather control. Responsible pegasus, Rainbow Dash. Oh there is a note on the side. While being close to a single little cloud shout out her name. She’s probably taking a nap on it and will wake up from it. Hey! That’s mean!”

“It’s what’s written here. Whatever. Did you see her recently?” Lyra asked politely.

“No. She hasn’t stopped by yet, but wait. You are the mares moving in to Lucky Slevin’s house. I fixed the roof.” Rainbow said with pride.

“Oh! What happened?” Colgate asked concerned.

“Nothing. Lucky moved to Las Pegasus five years ago and nopony lived in the house since. It was just old and since nopony looked after it for so long, it partially fell apart. We repaired it three days ago and now it’s one of the top houses in Ponyville.” She assured them.

“Well, good to know that we won’t wake up in a ruin one day.” Lyra chuckled, earning an annoyed glance from Colgate.

“Whatever.” The mint blue unicorn said, giving her teammate a flat look. “We have to find the…”

“There she is.” The rainbow maned pegasus mare interrupted her, pointing a hoof in the direction of a gingerbread like building. It was very colorful and looked like one could just take a bite out of it. Over the main entrance hung a sign, with frosting like letters on it, saying: Sugarcube Corner.
The major was just coming out of it, waving at a yellow earth pony stallion with orange mane.

“Good thing we finally found her. Now we…Wait a second. Sugarcube Corner? Colgate? Wasn’t Sugarcube Corner the shop Pinkie Pie told us she was working at?” Lyra asked her teammate, cold sweat starting to run down her neck.

“Yes it…” the other unicorn started, before a pink blur shot past the yellow stallion and out of Sugarcube Corner. It passed Major Mare, hit one of Rainbow Dash’s hooves, spinning her around like a spinning top and came to a screeching halt in front of the two unicorn mares, revealing the mare in question.
“…isssss.” Colgate finished while Pinkie pulled them into a tight hug, pressing all air out of the lungs of the mares.

“There you are! You know when you want to have your party yet?! Do you?! Do you?! Do you?! Oh, I can’t wait for it! It will be super-duper fun! With balloons and streamers and confetti and cake and party games! We will all be gathered together and I will introduce you to everypony! We will dance and sing s…” Pinkie babbled out, before Lyra tried to silence her with a hoof in the earth pony’s muzzle.
At first the pink coated mare kept on babbling with Lyra’s hoof in her mouth, coating it with saliva, before she realized that something was preventing her from speaking. She looked at her muzzle and followed the mint green hoof up to its mint green owner with a look of slight confusion on her face.

“We…got…the…point…Pinkie.” Lyra said between short gasps for air.

“Yeah…I…think…we…will…have…our…par…ty…this…af…ter…noon.” Colgate added, slowly running out of oxygen too.

“Yipeee!!!” Pinkie Pie beamed, shouting Lyra’s hoof out of her mouth. “I’ll prepare everything right now!” she announced and another pink blur shot right back into the bakery, releasing the two unicorns from her grip, allowing their lungs to inflate again.

They were still gasping for air, trying to fully fill their lungs again, when Major Mare approached them.

Well, as I see you know of Pinkie Pie, the number one party mare in town. You must forgive her, she’s just so random. Nopony really understands how she’s ticking and when you get to know her she’s a very good friend, making you smile when you make a frown.” She told the unicorn mares with a genuine smile.
“But now I have to talk to Miss Dash here. Just wait a bit.” She excused herself, turning to Rainbow Dash.

After a short talk with the prismatic pegasus the major turned back to the mint green and mint blue unicorn.
“I’m done out here. I have just one more thing to do, but the pony I have to talk to should already be in the town hall, so we are able to go to my office directly.” The light brown coated mare informed the two.

A short walk later the three mares found themselves in the town hall again. Right in its middle, looking around in every direction, stood a marshmallow white coated unicorn mare with styled dark purple mane and tail and a cutie mark with three baby blue diamonds arranged in a tri-force.

“I see you are preparing on how you’ll decorate the town hall Miss Rarity.” Major Mare spoke up, getting the mares attention.

“Hello my dear. I just arrived here several minutes ago. I’m just waiting for the muse to kiss me and I will start right away. But business aside, who are those two lovely mares by your side darling?” the marshmallow white unicorn asked, nodding in the direction of the two mares, standing near to the major.

“These are the mares moving in Lucky Slevin’s house. They just arrived earlier today and I’m about to have a meeting with them to talk about the townsfolk and what they have to look out for. You know like the two words.” She informed Rarity.

“Oh that is simply magnificent! I chose the decorations myself and I think I topped myself off with it.” The white unicorn said with pride swelled breast.

“Well it’s lovely Miss Rarity.” Colgate grinned sheepishly.

“Good. I didn’t except anything else. I’ve used t… Oh no!” Rarity cried out with a whiny expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” A concerned Lyra asked.

“I forgot to introduce myself properly! This is so un-lady like! I’m ashamed of myself!” the marshmallow white unicorn pitied herself.

One of Lyra’s forehooves immediately tried to make contact with her face, only to be blocked by a mint blue hoof in a split second.
The mint green mare sat her hoof reluctantly back to the ground and Colgate spoke up.
“It’s nothing. Everypony forgets things then and now.” She reasoned the mare in front of them.
“The lovely mare next to me is called Lyra and my name is Colgate.” She smiled at the marshmallow white coated mare.

“As you already know, my name is Rarity. I’m the best fashionista around and own the Carousel Boutique. At your service.” Rarity smiled weakly. “If you’ll excuse me now, I have to get started with the decorations. I’ve got a bunch of dresses, waiting to be made for the Summer Sun Celebration too, so I’ll have to start really soon in order to get ready in time.” With that said the fashionista turned around again and mused about the decorations.

“Now that this is out of the way, please follow me into my office.” Major Mare said, going ahead.
The three mares walked into the office and, after Page was gone, started their conversation.

“Well now that we are finally alone I’ll tell you some important things you have to memorize.” Major Mare began.

“You mean except looking out for Pinkie Pie, trying to hug us to death?” Lyra asked sarcastically.

“Yes, there is more to memorize. First of all, we have some strange things going on, because Ponyville is located near the Everfree Forest, but I assure you that is perfectly fine. Then you shouldn’t ever question how Pinkie is doing things. Many tried figuring it out before and failed miserably, so let it be. Lastly and most importantly do not, I repeat, do not speak out any of those three words.” She said, holding up a piece of paper.

Lyra and Colgate took the piece of paper and read the list on it:

Forbidden words
The words written here shall never be spoken aloud, or they will summon certain doom.

1) Party = Pinkie Pie:
Party pony with paranormal abilities. Appearing out of thin air when word is mentioned anywhere near or around Ponyville.
Caution! Do not ask how things work with her, just accept them.

2) Muffin = Derpy Hooves:
Grey coated pegasus mailmare with blonde mane and tail and crossed eyes.
When word is mentioned anywhere near Ponyville or Cloudsdale, Derpy will crash into you or any destroyable object near you.
Caution! Extremely clumsy.

3) Alcohol = Berry Punch:
Fuchsia coated mare with whine colored mane and tail. Owner of the Ponyville liquor store ‘Berry’s Liquors’.
When word is mentioned anywhere near Ponyville, she gallops to you with nearly speed of sound.

Warning! Do not say any of those words, unless you want to summon the pony to them.

As the two mares looked up from the sheet, they were slightly nervous.

“Well, now that this is out of the way, let’s talk about you. As far as I know, you are members of the royal guard’s special forces and are here to watch the towns safety installments for the arrival of her majesty.” The major stated.

“Yes we are here for this, but we are also here to protect the personal student of her majesty. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. She will be here the day before the Summer Sun Celebration, looking after the preparations once more. But this is an absolutely top secret information. Not even Twilight Sparkle knows of it. You mustn’t spread the word about her arrival, or else her majesty will be very upset. Her intention is that nopony knows of her personal student upon her arrival here in Ponyville.” The two unicorns explained, switching back and forth between the sentences.

“The p…p…personal student of her m…m…majesty is c…c…coming to Ponyville? W…w…what an honor.” Major Mare stuttered, sweat drips forming on her forehead.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
“Ow!” the voice cried out. “My head! I have to get out of here. If it’s even possible that is.”
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I nearly did it. I nearly escaped this evil, laughing voice. I could see light, forcing its presence into my mind, so I tried to cover my face with my hands to block it out. I saw schemes of objects around me and heard the voices of two females, but could just make out pieces of what they were saying.

“…bad…wake up now…sort out…everything…take care…for now…I’m sad…it is ok…more important things…necessary.”

I saw something glowing in front of me and was finally able to pull myself together.
“Wha…Where am I? What is go…?” That was all I managed to say, before unconsciousness got hold of me again.
I was falling back. Back to those nightmares, back to this voice. But I don’t want to go back. I want to stay awake, want to gain consciousness again.

I fought the unconsciousness for what felt like just several seconds.
It must have been longer though, because when I finally won the duel against the darkness of the nightmare and woke up, no one was there.
I was lying on a couch in the middle of a living room, a light breeze coming from an open window to my left. The breeze was carrying sounds and voices inside.
They strangely reminded me of a medieval market. Unfortunately I felt a headache kicking in and rubbed my temples. Slowly getting up, I noticed a hallway at the other end of the living room and a small kitchen to my left.
Since my headache made no attempt to go away I decided that I needed a handful of fresh cold water in my face to cool my head and stop the headache from spreading any further.

My bad luck never failing me, I found the sink to be broken. I tried everything, but to no avail.
I’m not one to give up easily, but I’m no plumber and broken is broken. That’s it.

Upset from the lack of refreshing water on my face, I turned on the heel and went for the hallway.
I hoped to find a bathroom, where I can splash the refreshing goodness in my face, as I looked through the rooms. Not finding any bathroom in the first floor I went up some stairs, located at the front door.
Upstairs I found two bedrooms, something like a conference room with maps, plans and other material and the, long awaited, bathroom.

As I stepped inside I knew something about this all was wrong, horribly, horribly, wrong.
The shower and the bathtub seemed normal, but as soon as I saw the reflection in the mirror I knew it. (I was a goddamned pony!!! Nah, just kidding) Or better it was the thing in the reflection, which was missing entirely.
My body.
I touched the mirror and jumped back instantly. At first I thought that it had been a fake mirror; just an image of the room, hung there to trick people.
But oh how wrong I was.
When I touched the cold silvery surface of the mirror, I could see my fingerprints appear.
That’s right. I saw them the moment I touched the mirror.
(Time for panic? Let’s see what time it is. OH! Already quarter to mindfuck? It’s about time!)
I stared at them in shock and disbelieve. Well, at least I think I did, because I was freaking invisible!

“This cannot be, this cannot be. This is impossible!” I told myself rocking back and forth on the ground in a fetal position, holding the sides of my head with my hands.
Clenching my eyes shut I told myself that it was not real, that I’m just seeing things.
After a minute or two of saying this to me, a warm feeling spread from my very core in my whole body and disappeared as fast as it came.
I don’t know why, but this rush of warmth gave me enough confidence to stand up and look in the mirror again.
There I was.
Face?
Check.
Body?
Check.
Arms?
Check.
Hands?
Check.
I was there again. Trying out the sink in this room I found it to be working. I finally splashed a lot of water in my face, fighting back my worsening headache.

“That was just my imagination. My mind is playing tricks on me. That horrific dream affected my judgment of reality.” I said to me, trying to calm my nerves as I leaned on the sink with my hands, hanging my head low so the water which got into my hair could drip back instead of on my shirt.

After a few minutes I successfully calmed down my nerves enough to grasp a hold of my situation.

“Alright Bob. Think carefully. You most certainly fell off your boat and nearly drowned, than someone found you and took care of you until you were good to go again. Yeah. That’s it. It has to be.
But why did I dream of strangely colored ponies with tattoos on their flanks and why in the name of god were they able to talk?
Why did I wake up on a couch and why was no one around?
Why am I still in my clothes and why am I still injured?” I wondered aloud, looking out of the bathroom window.

Taking in a deep breath, I looked at the surrounding area. It looked like I was in some kind of medieval town where industrial revolution hadn’t taken place yet.

“Ok. That’s odd. Are they really that far beh…AAA…mpf.” I nearly screamed, ducking away from the window. I kneeled right under it, my hands clasped over my mouth, while I held my breath, praying that it hadn’t noticed me.
Now I know that I’ve gone nuts, because I just saw a pegasus flying by. Eyes wide as dinner plates I dared to look out of the window again.
I saw pegasi flying around in the air, pushing clouds from here to there, kicking some of them into nothingness; unicorns, floating things in front of them with some kind of force field and normal ponies, pulling carts, selling goods and going around, chatting idly with others. At least what is considered to be normal. They weren’t just the occasional black, white, brown and, rare, reddish, but also purple, green, yellow, pink and other colors.

“What in the name of all that’s good and holy is going on here? Why do I see multicolored ponies walking the streets?
Why are no humans around?
And most important why are they talking?!” I thought, sinking back down the wall until I sat on the ground again. I didn’t want to accept the fact that this is real. It was just too much.

“Outch!” I yelped in pain as I pitched myself. “So this is no dream. It is all real.” I sighed in defeat.
“Wait! When this is real, I really met those two unicorns and am possibly in their house right now! Oh holy shit I have to get out of here before they come back, because I really don’t want to know what they are going to do with me!”
Panic starting to creep into my body, I rushed to the front door and twisted the door knob.
Nothing.
The door was locked.
That was bad.
Actually…
it was good, because I couldn’t run into the streets, possibly startling the ponies, giving them a reason to attack me.
Nevertheless it was bad in my opinion.
I was trapped inside of a house, in a town full of colorful, talking ponies, pegasi and unicorns.
I ran to and fro through the house to find a possibility to get out of there without drawing any attention towards me.

After I exhausted myself enough and cooled down, I went to the living room and sat on the couch, thinking of a way out.
The front door was out of question. It was locked and everyone would see me instantly.
The windows facing the street were the same problem. I’d be seen in a split second.
The windows on the side of the building were also out. To small.
The only option was the door to a small backyard, surrounded by a wooden fence.
But I couldn’t go out just yet. It was too bright outside and I’m not the best when it comes to sneaking around.

“I’ll have to wait until twilight or even night, when it is dark outside.” I pondered
“But first of all I have to find a place to hide if these two unicorns, I think they were green and blue, come back in the meantime.”

Time passed by while I was staying in my hiding place.
It was near twilight when I heard the unicorns. They unlocked the door and stepped in, chatting idly.
I peeked out from my hiding place only to see the rear end of the blue one staring at me. She put something in a drawer in front of her and as far as I could see it was her saddlebag. At least I think it was.

“Oh buck!”
We both flinched at the scream echoing through the house. It was clearly the voice of the other unicorn and it sounded like she was shocked to her bones.
No doubt she was.
I was away for no reason and I don’t think they liked it one bit.

“Colgate! Come here! Fast! The creature! It’s gone!” the green one yelled.
The head of the unicorn in front of me yanked to the right violently and she galloped into the living room, leaving the front door wide open.
Clever me.
Before I hid I opened the door to the backyard, so they’d think that I ran away.
While they were arguing in the living room I snuck out of my hiding place and looked out into the streets. They were nearly empty as was the sky and big bushes along with long shadows promised good possibilities to hide.
With barely any sound I slid out the door and ducked behind the next bush I could find. Looking through a little gap between the leaves, I saw the two unicorns I tricked storming out of the house.
They frantically looked in every direction, said something I couldn’t understand and darted to opposite directions.

“Good. At least I got rid of them for now, but I have to get out of here.” I thought, looking left and right for any citizens passing by.
As soon as nobody was in sight I dashed out of the bush, making my way out of town from hiding place to hiding place.
Whenever I saw a pony passing by I stayed in the shadows or bushes, avoiding getting in their ways.

When I finally was at the edge of town I saw the forest I had seen when I left the mountain range and just in front of it there was a little cottage with critters all around it.
I tiptoed around it and dared to take a look through one of the windows. Inside I saw a light yellow coated pegasus mare with long, flowing mane and tail and one of those tattoos on her flank. It was showing three pink winged butterflies with bright blue bodies.
She was giving food to some critters, which obviously lived in her cottage, and hummed a little tune to herself, a small smile on her face.

I don’t know what it was, but something about this mare seemed awfully familiar. It was like I knew her from somewhere, but I just couldn’t remember where I saw her.
Maybe it was nothing.

I continued to walk into the forest when I left the cottage behind, still wondering where I saw that mare before.
This mare was still lingering in my mind when I entered the woods. I just couldn’t ban her from my mind. I would have to go back some time and find out where in the name of hell I’ve seen her, but for now it was more important to leave this madness behind.

I ran deeper and deeper into the forest until I was completely exhausted.
Leaning on a tree I caught my breath again. It was night time by now and I needed to find a place to rest.
I wandered around for a bit until I saw a village in the distance.
Finally seeing some civilization again I began to quicken my pace.

Unknown to me a pair of eyes was watching me hungrily. I was nearly out of the woods, in the clearing the town was located in, already seeing schemes walking around the streets busily, as a big wolf were jumping in front of me.
No.
This wolf was not like any wolf I’d ever seen.
Normally a wolf wouldn’t be made of branches and thorns with glowing green eyes staring right into your soul, trying to paralyze you.
I instantly froze on the spot and did not dare to move a single muscle, hoping this wolf thing would lose interest in me when I imitate an immobile object.
Unfortunately it wasn’t falling for it and slowly approached me.
I started to back away slowly, keeping an eye on that wolf thing all the time.
After a few steps back I stepped on a branch.
The moment it snapped under my weight was like a kick start for both of us.
The wolf thing was jumping at me, ready to sink its fangs and claws into my flesh and I spun around and started running away from the town in the clearing and this wild beast.
The town and the clearing were successfully growing smaller in the distance with every second, but, as my luck was never failing me, the wolf thing was keeping up with my pace and it looked hungry.

“Oh fuck! Get lost already!” I shouted at it.

As if answering me the wolf thing howled. Sadly it wasn’t an answer to my request, but a call for the rest of its pack, which appeared by its side moments after.
I saw that seven of them were chasing me now and I don’t know how, I was able to increase my speed even more.
(I think the saying ‘fear gives you wings’ is true)
I ran for a good five minutes. In this period of time clouds covered up the last bits of the sky I could see through the thick treetops of the trees, lightning struck appeared here and there, it started to rain heavily and my muscles were hurting like hell, nearly refusing to work anymore.
Sheer terror and the fear of being eaten alive were the only things that kept me running.
My clothes were soaked; my hair was lying flat against my head and the muddy ground slowed my pace steadily.
Now every time I looked back they were a bit closer to me than the last time. I could already feel their foul breath on my neck, bracing myself for the pain of my skin and flesh being ripped off my bones.
With my last bit of willpower I sped up one last time, avoiding to be eaten alive for just one more moment.
I ran and then…
Tripped.
I tripped over a stone on the ground and fell, face first, on the muddy ground.
The time seemed to slow down as I fell.
I saw my whole life running through my mind; the good times, the bad times and everything in between.
I must say…
My life sucked!
And now mud was invading my mouth and nostrils with its schlick consistency.
My body slid over the sloppy ground and with a furious growl the first wolf thing jumped.
I felt a sharp pain as its claw was digging into my skin, piercing right through it, but it was even worse when I heard an impact, the pain filled howl of the wolf thing on top of me and its claw jerking back violently, ripping a long wound across my back.
I lifted my head out of the mud, turned it around, coughed up some mud I swallowed, and screamed.

When I stopped screaming I opened my eyes and saw the wolf things trying to get through to my body, just to be blown away by blue and golden shimmering blasts of pure energy.

“Oh thank god. Someone helped me.” I whispered to myself.

Unfortunately the fire rate of my saviors was not high enough and one of those wolf things got through.
It hit me square across the face, luckily missing my eyes, and tripped.
That was my chance.
I shot my hands up to its head, dug my fingers in its eyes and jerked them out of its skull with immense force.
It howled in pain and blindly tried to hit me with its claws, but this time I was prepared. I grabbed its limbs and smashed them on the ground until they broke and were hanging down useless.
I took several more or less serious blows, but it was totally worth it.
My last action with this beast was to grab its throat and rip it out.
Too bad I was lying beneath it and light green glowing blood I think it was, was spurting out of the wound and all over my upper body.
(Amazing what powers fear, rage and pain can set free)
Suddenly everything around me was silent.
No energy blasts or howling and growling wolf things anymore.
I stood up just to see that everyone was frozen on the spot.
They looked at me eyes wide open.
I must admit that I must have been a sight with my ripped shirt, my scarred face, the mud and the light green blood covering my body.
I took a step in the direction of the wolf things and they tucked their tails between their legs.

“Come on! Who’s next?!” I suddenly shouted, making them run away like beaten dogs.
I turned to my saviors, the green and the blue unicorn mares by the way and looked at them reproachfully.

“You’re late.” I said weakly, trying to sound as badass as my state allowed it.

Author's Note

Took me long. Is not perfect. Going in my corner now cursing myself.

Chapter 4

Now, as Lyra and Colgate were going back to their new house from the major’s office, it was already evening and the warm summer air was wafting around them lazily.
The whole town of Ponyville was basking in a nearly unnatural golden glow as the shadows slowly grew longer and the ponies all around started leaving for home. The merchants were packing up their carts with the leftover goods and left the town square or just closed down their shops for the night.
The two unicorns were idly talking to each other, their mood higher than a few hours ago, greeting everypony on the way home.

“Well. This went rather good now.” Lyra commented, a small grin gracing her features. “Without that thing on our backs the whole ordeal was just a walk in the park.”

“Sheesh, Lyra. It was not that bad having it around. It was just bad luck that we couldn’t find the house because they changed its appearance while fixing it. Else we would’ve loaded it down there sooner and would’ve saved some time. But that’s not the matter now. We are done for today and I just can’t wait to get home and have a closer look at it.” The mint blue unicorn mare said wagging her tail a bit from side to side. She absentmindedly waved to some passerby ponies and giddily looked ahead to their destination.

Upon hearing Colgate’s retort, a sly grin crept up on Lyra’s face. “You like it.” The mint green mare stated, eyes slowly sliding to her teammate.

“Wha… Uh… Huh? Wha-what do you mean like it? I don’t like it. I’m just concerned, that’s all.” The unicorn mare tried defending herself, swiping a stray lock of blue hair out of her face.

“Reeeeaaaaally?” the mint green unicorn mare teased her teammate again, wiggling her eyebrows and nudging her in the side with her elbow. “Are you sure you don’t want to do… more?” she added, breathing the sentence in the blue mare’s ear like a whisper of the wind, eyes still wiggling.

Colgate’s fur on her neck was immediately standing on end, her ears shot straight up, her eyes widened, her back went stiff and a light pink blush was creeping its way on her face together with a shudder that was running down her spine. “Lyra!” the flustered mare hissed dangerously. “Stop that! You know I’m just concerned about it. And stop teasing me with something like this. You know I hate it when you do that.”

Lyra was taken aback a bit by the other mares harsh hissing for a moment, but regained her composure momentarily, cocking an eyebrow as she went back to just normally going beside her. “Then tell me my dear, why are you blushing?”

At first she didn’t notice it but her reply had caused her companion to stop in her tracks and stand there with her mouth slightly agape. When she finally saw that she was walking next to mild summer air, which company wasn’t unpleasant but not what her eyes thought to see, she halted herself and craned her neck to look over her shoulder. She saw how the expression on the face of the other mare changed ever so slightly but clearly, undergoing shock, awkwardness, bewilderment, a fleeting image of lust, panic and, as the cherry on top, rage; where it finally stuck. Colgate’s eyes drifted to the cause of her conflicting emotions ever so slowly and when they finally locked eyes she growled at her. “Lyra! I’ll get you for this one!”

The mint blue unicorn pounced on the other one to get to her and maybe strangle her just a teeny tiny bit, but her teammate saw it coming and made a head start down the road.

“You’ll have to catch me if you want to get me!” she gleefully yelled over her shoulder, etching the other mare on even more.

“Come back here and take it like a mare you chicken!” Colgate shouted after her, breaking into a mad sprint to chase the fellow unicorn mare.

“Make me!” the mint green mare shouted back between giggles and blew a raspberry at the other unicorn, dashing through the streets of Ponyville like her tail was on fire.

“I’ll get you! And when I do you’re so done for it!” the outraged unicorn yelled angrily as they passed some ponies on their way back home, each of them giving them a nod to say hello.

They chased each other through town for a while, Colgate’s raged look melting into one of joy eventually as they bolted past ponies, around houses and through side streets.

After what felt like an eternity but also much too short to both of them, Lyra skidded to a halt in front of a store labeled ‘Bon Bon’s Bonbons’, breathing heavily and falling on her stomach.
Tongue lolling out of her mouth Colgate arrived two seconds later and heaved a mighty breath before lightly punching the mare lying on the ground in the shoulder and flopping down on her belly too.
They both panted for a good while, lying absolutely still, whilst the fatigue of their long run caught up to them and they took in bigger amounts of air to get their muscles working a bit sooner.

“Lyra?” the blue mare asked, panting heavily with her tongue hanging out of her mouth and nearly on the ground.

“Yeah? … What … is it?” asked a just as worn out green mare, slowly rolling on her back.

“I miss things like this. Just running around, chasing each other like mad mares for no reason. It is so much fun and you forget everything around you.” She hummed dreamily, looking at her companion.

“Yeah. I miss those times too. Maybe we can get them a bit more now that we are assigned to watch over the princess’s student.” The other mare said in a hopeful tone, looking to the side and spotting the door of the shop they collapsed in front of. “Hey. You hungry? The store here is still open and I could use some sweets in me right now. Whadda ya say?” she asked, already getting back up on her hooves again.

“Well, why not. I could use something sweet right now. Bet our muscles would sing us the song of their ponies if we refused to get them a bit of energy back. And my tummy is making the rumblings anyways.” The mint blue unicorn replied, getting up too and beginning to walk over to the entrance slowly as not to upset her muscles any further.

The two mares huffed and puffed the short way to the door more than any pony not suffering a terrible form of asthma should, but smiled nonetheless, anticipating the sweets that soon would tingle their taste buds in oh such wonderful ways.

“Alright. Fight training and running are clearly different things. We should increase our running skills again.” Lyra panted, reaching for the door.

“Hey, we are unicorns. Our skills are more in magic than in bodily abilities.” Colgate retorted, walking into the shop as the other mare held the door open with her magic.

“Yeah, yeah. We still have to do something about it.” The mint green unicorn shot back playfully. “Your flank is getting pretty pudgy and I bet it’d jiggle nicely if I’d give it a little pat.” She underlined those words with a light swish of her tail on the other mare’s side while she walked up to the counter of the shop and knocked on a bell resting on top of it lightly.

“Hey! You know I met my family a few weeks ago and they practically shoved the cake down my throat.” The blue mare snapped back, ears laying down to the side of her head and her face taking on a light pink tinge. Trying to hide the tinge and the sourpuss expression she gained she started looking around in the shop and had a sudden interest in the goods displayed in the front windows.

“First. You know you loved every last slice and every crumb you could lick from the plate. And second, that jiggly mass on your flank is not just from your little get together with your family. I know what a sweet tooth you have and don’t even try denying it. I know of your secret stash. Nearly everypony knows. The scent is just too strong.” The mint green unicorn teased her teammate, snickering all the while.

The teased mare prepared a heavy retort but was cut short by the sound of hooves approaching from the back room. “This isn’t over just yet.” She hissed as she got next to Lyra again to make her order.

Through the back door came a cream colored earth pony mare with a curly purple and pink mane and tail and three bonbons with light blue wrapping, which had a yellow stripe in the middle, as cutie mark. She wore a big smile and greeted the two with a chipper tone. “Hello. This is Bon Bon’s Bonbons. I’m Bon Bon. What can I get you? Huh?”
The mare stopped in her tracks for a moment and she looked confused for a moment.

“Lyra? Is that you?” she asked excitedly, already sporting a bigger grin then before.

The mare in question, which stuck her tongue out at her companion, slowly turned around to face the mare on the other side of the counter and her face lit up too.

“Bonni! It’s you!” she shouted in recognition. “I never knew you moved to Ponyville! So that’s where you went to.”

“Yeah! I haven’t seen you in forever! How’s it going for you?” the earth pony mare replied happily trotting around the counter and wrapping the unicorn in a bear hug.

“Great! And how’s life treating you?” she asked once Bon Bon let go of her and faced her again.

“It’s really sweet!” the cream colored mare answered, giggling at her own pun.

“Oh buck! Bon Bon! That pun was so bad!” Lyra laughed and nudged her lightly.

“Huh? Um… Lyra? Care to explain that one to me?” asked a very confused Colgate.

“Oh right you don’t know each other.” The mint green unicorn noticed facehoofing lightly. “Silly me. Colgate this is Bon Bon an old friend of mine, Bon Bon this is Colgate a new friend of mine.” She continued, snickering quietly at the end.

“Your puns are not better than mine.” The cream colored mare said giggling. “Nice to meet you Colgate. I hope you two like our little town. But why did you move from Canterlot and here of all places. Not that it isn’t great here, but I’d imagine something like Trottingham or Manehatten would be something more your style.”

“Nah. We wanted to get away from the big cities and get to a place where we can relax. Ponyville seemed like the perfect solution. Not too far away to move here and it’s nice and quiet.” Lyra replied matter of factly.

“So you two were coming here to have some alone time.” Bon Bon said with a sly grin, eyebrows jumping up and down.

“Wha…? NO!” Colgate shouted her face turning beet red. “We’re just good friends and both needed to get away from Canterlot. And since we didn’t want to run bankrupt we decided that we’d move together. That way we were able to afford a house big enough for the both of us to live in and still get over the bumps at the start of the road. We’re not in a relationship.”

“Really? You were teasing each other just like a couple. But maybe it’s just me living here for so long. You know this is a town with a high percentage of mares and just the occasional stallion. And with some of the stallions being stallion-swingers more mares tend to be mare amorers since there are not nearly enough stallions, even with herds. Guess it’s just everyday life speaking here.” She sighed and rubbed her neck with one of her forehooves, a sheepish smile on her face. “Sorry for that.”

“Ah, don’t sweat it Bonni. You said it yourself. You lived here a long time. It’s nothing to be ashamed of to get accustomed to the situation you are facing every day. And now get us some sweets. My tummy is making the rumblings only your sweets can satisfy.” The mint green unicorn mare answered while locking the earth pony in a head lock and rubbing her hoof over her mane, making it all messy.

“Hey!” the mare protested with a flushed face. “Let me go and I’ll see what I can get you two. And you are very lucky that I’m closing the shop after you left for today or you’d be in for trouble right now Lyra.” she added growling lightly.

She escaped Lyra’s deathly head lock and went around the counter again, filling some sweets in two small bags and hoofing them over to her costumers before she went in front again.

“Hey, wait a second. We still have to pay these.” Colgate said to Bon Bon.

“No need to. Just see them as a welcome to Ponyville present from me and leave it at that.” The cream colored earth pony mare responded with a slight smile. “Speaking of welcome to Ponyville. I bet you already met Pinkie Pie. Am I right?”

“More like she met us. She just popped out of thin air, babbled on and on and disappeared again. This mare it crazy to the bone.” Lyra sighed, shoulders slumping slightly at the memory of the pink maelstrom of impossibilities.

“Oh good. What did she say to you when you arrived? Did she say that she had something planned?” Bon Bon asked curiosity clearly evident in her voice.

“Well, she said that she wanted to greet us after something she calls her ‘Pinkie Sense’ went off and blubbered something about a cake she was making and how good the sweets here are. Why are you asking?” Colgate summarized their encounter with the hyper pink pony.

“Oh just interested in how she greeted you two. She does that with everypony.” The earth pony mare replied with a hidden grin none of the other two mares were able to see. But now you have to go. I want to close the shop for the night. Maybe we can meet up later and talk some more. What do you think?”

“Great idea Bonni.” The mint green mare said in an instant. But she stopped for a second with a look of concentration on her face as if she was thinking hard on something. “Well, we have to settle in first and get everything in order. Do you mind if we meet up some time next week?”

“Sounds good. And since I have my shop to take care of how about Sunday? I’ll have the whole day free and we can spend it in the park if you want.” Bon Bon said excitedly clopping her front hooves together in anticipation.

“Then that’s settled. We’re meeting up in the park next Friday.” Lyra stated loudly, throwing her right front hoof in the air for a high hoof, which Bon Bon met enthusiastically.

“Have a nice evening you two!” The earth pony mare called after them when they were out of the door and a bit in the street, as she turned the sign of her shop from open to closed.

The two unicorn mares waved goodbye to Bon Bon and turned around again, each a candy cane in their mouths and the rest of their sweets stashed away in their saddlebags.
They were merrily licking away on the sugary goodness, the fatigue from earlier nearly gone, when Colgate remembered something.

“Oh horsefeathers! We completely forgot it!” she suddenly stated, turning her head to Lyra abruptly.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” the mare asked with the candy cane loosely hanging from the corner of her mouth like a cigar.

“The creature.” The mint blue unicorn hissed in a hushed tone. “We left it alone and the sleep spell will wear off soon. We have to get back. And no more distractions. We should have enough time, but I don’t want to take the risk.”

“Chillax filly. The spell will hold for another hour or so. When we go to our house now nothing will go wrong.” Lyra said completely calm as she moved her steps in the direction of their house.

A short time later they arrived at the building and the mint green mare unlocked the front door with the key.

“See? Just in time. Nothing to worry about.” She said to Colgate, walking in and tossing her saddlebag into a corner. “I’ll go check up on our ‘visitor’.” She informed her teammate and walked in the living room.

Relieved that they got there in time the mint blue unicorn mare lifted her saddlebag from her back with her magic, her horn shimmering a healthy blue, and put it away in a drawer that was standing in the hallway.

She just wanted to close the front door behind her as a loud shout rang through the house.

“Oh buck!”

Colgate cringed a bit at the sudden sound and was about to ask if everything was alright as Lyra called out again.

“Colgate! Come here! Fast! The creature! It’s gone!”

The head of the mint blue mare snapped to her right and she immediately took off into the living room.

“What?!” Colgate shouted eyes wide as saucers. “How is that possible? We had it out cold!”

“I don’t know! But the back door is open and it is not here anymore! We have to find it!” the green unicorn mare shouted back hectically and they both raced to the front entrance without a second thought.

“Wait!” the mint blue mare yelled after her companion, racing out of the house right behind her. “We can’t just run around in the town and search for an invisible creature frantically. We have to get it without anypony noticing and we have to make it quick. I’ll go left and you go right. We’ll meet up at the town hall as if we just enjoyed the scenery. Got it?” she added in a whisper once she was outside and next to the mint green unicorn.

“Got it. But what if we don’t find it? What are we going to do then?” Lyra asked, already jumping from one hoof to the other.

“Then we’re going to search out of town. And it shouldn’t be too hard to spot it because the invisibility should wear out riiiiiiight…Now.” Colgate said looking around the scenery, spotting nothing out of the ordinary.

“Alright.” The mint green mare said, after turning her own head back to her comrade. “Seems as if we have to search for it. Meet you at the town hall in a few.”

They nodded to each other and galloped off.

Half an hour later Colgate and Lyra met up at the town hall again, both with their hooves empty and a frown on their face.

“You didn’t, right?” the mint green unicorn mare asked the other mare in front of her while both were panting heavily.

“No. Searched high and low, but couldn’t find even the slightest clue. I think we have to spread our search. I don’t know what will happen if somepony found it.” The mint blue mare said, voicing the grim thought that haunted them both.

“Yeah. Me neither. This could get ugly if it were to run into somepony.” She shivered and added, “And I said we shouldn’t bring it with us in the first place, but you refused to listen to reason and now we have the salad. We have to find it before anypony sees it and it’s your fault!”

“Hey! I couldn’t know that would happen and I think after the reaction it had when we saw it, its highest interest lies in avoiding any more ponies for the next time. So it will hide somewhere. We’ll find it in time. I promise you.” The mint blue mare reacted defensively.

“Uhm…” came a barely audible whisper from a few steps away, but none of them noticed it.

“You and your caring sense. It always gets you into trouble. And now I’m in on it too. Just great.” Lyra moaned in desperation.

“Sorry…Uhm…Hello?”

“Don’t you scold me because I’ve got a caring heart and you just got a block of ice in its place and would let innocent creatures suffer. At least I can say that my hooves are clean. What about you?” Colgate shot back angrily.

“Could it be…that uhm…that you’re speaking of a…a creature walking on two…two legs that had some sort of…of clothing on?”

“Oh? You really think so? Well to your inf…” the mint green unicorn said but stopped. “What was that?!”

Both of them turned around and saw a butter yellow pegasus mare with flowing pink hair, which she was using as a curtain right now to shield herself from the stares of the two mares, and three butterflies with pink wings and light blue bodies as cutie mark. She was startled by the sudden attention she got from them and only whimpered in response.

“You…you saw a creature like that?” Colgate beamed.

“Where did you see it? Where did it go?” Lyra added eyes widening.

The questioned mare, instead of answering the demanded answer, hid behind her own hair some more and sunk to the ground and tried to desperately escape the stares of the mares in front of her.
Colgate noticed that behavior pretty easily, but it seemed as if Lyra was not getting it at all. So the mint blue mare held a hoof in front of her teammate’s chest and pushed her back gently.
The mint green unicorn looked at her in befuddlement but let her push her out of the way nevertheless.

The mint blue mare approached the now shivering and whimpering pegasus, slowly pulling her into a comforting hug. “Sssh. Ssssh. It’s all good. We’re not mad at you or anything. Just please tell us your name, where you saw the creature and where it went afterwards.” She said in a soothing tone, stroking the back of the pegasus mare gently.

A minute or two later the foreign mare calmed down enough to make a first attempt to speak.
“I’m Fl….” She mumbled inaudibly.

“Sorry. I couldn’t understand you. Could you repeat that please?” Colgate asked the mare, moving her ear near the muzzle of the mare to her the words she was speaking better.
Meanwhile Lyra was standing aside, fiddling with her hooves nervously. She was worried about what might happen with the creature on the loose but was also astonished by the job her teammate was doing on calming the butter yellow pegasus down.

“My name is Fluttershy.” The mare said just loud enough to be heard by Colgate faintly.

“Well hello Fluttershy.” She addressed the pegasus in an audible tone so Lyra could catch it too while she broke the hug, held the yellow mare by her shoulders and gave her a big smile. “My name is Colgate and the mare behind me is Lyra. We are pleased to meet you. We just moved here and the thing you saw was with us, but something or somepony scared it. Could you tell us where it went now?”

The other mare, seeing her smile and feeling a confidence boost spoke up; this time whoever it was audible enough for both of them to understand. “I saw it near my cottage. It looked in my window and ran away very fast. As I got out of my door it was at the edge of the Everfree Forest and running on in.” Her voice was shaky and she was nearly in tears and looked on the ground. “I wanted to stop it from going in there but the Everfree is such a scary and dangerous place. I was too afraid to follow it inside.”

As soon as the words ‘Everfree Forest’ left the mouth of the pegasus the eyes of both unicorns dilated and their breaths picked up. Every foal in Equestria knew that the Everfree Forest was a dangerous place. Nopony would willingly go in there, if it wasn’t necessary. The creature sure thought that a forest was a good hiding place seeing as it went into some foliage to hide in as the unicorns first saw it, but the Everfree was another thing. Some of the most dangerous animals in all of Equestria were lurking in the shadows of those trees and the magic there, if it existed was wild and chaotic.
The head of the mint blue unicorn mare whirled around so she was directly looking into the eyes of her companion. Her deep blue orbs were screaming in fear and determination. They were pleading her to go to the Everfree with her and rescue the strange creature. And even though Lyra could not deny that she wanted to get rid of the creature as fast as possible, she didn’t want to see any living being getting slaughtered in these woods. The thought alone of a being that was possibly sapient, was able to even speak their language, being ripped apart by fangs and claws of monsters or dying because of some poisonous plant in there made her stomach twist and grow cold.

After what felt like ages for them, but was actually only two or three seconds, Lyra’s eyes went from her shocked state to one of determination as the ones of her teammate and she nodded her head.

“Alright then. Let’s do this.” The mare said, her golden eyes nearly glowing.

A relieved smile spread across the face of the other unicorn and she turned to Fluttershy. “Thank you very much for your help Fluttershy, but we have to go now. Maybe it comes out of there again and we can bring it back home.” She said a grateful look in her eyes.
She stood up and together with Lyra they broke into a gallop down the road and to the Everfree Forest.

“Oh and before I forget it.” She yelled over her shoulder. “Please be so kind and tell Pinkie Pie that our party is delayed until we give her another date. Right now we can’t have that. And tell her we are very sorry but have to take care of something very important. Thank you!”

The pegasus mare was just sitting there until they were out of sight until she timidly replied. “O…ok. I’ll…I’ll do that. T…Take care.”

The two unicorns were racing like crazy to the Everfree Forest, their hearts beating so hard that one could fear they were to jump out of their chests, but they didn’t pay it any mind. It was far more important to find the creature and get it back if that was possible. And if that won’t work they could still teleport to the edge of the forest and run back into town.

After a few minutes of mindless running the two unicorn mares reached the edge of the Everfree Forest. They skidded to a halt right in front of it and took some deep breaths to get their cardio back in track.

“Hey… Lyra… Thanks… for being… with me… on… this… one.” The mint blue mare wheezed.

“No… No problem. Can’t… let any… creature… get… munched… down… in there… Right?” the other unicorn replied with a small grin.

They sat there for two more minutes catching their breath and already looking around the foliage before them for any sign of the creature. A minute in their recovery Lyra nudged the other unicorn mare in the side and pointed a hoof to their left, where some branches were snapped and grass trampled down.
The mint blue unicorn mare nodded her head and as soon as they were good to go again, they crossed the border into the forest, following the tracks the creature left in its wake.

A few minutes into the dark and gloomy woods the mares could make out somepony shouting in the distance. They couldn’t understand what was said, but they knew somepony was in danger.

They started running off in the direction the shouts came from and moments later they saw the source of the shouts. It wasn’t a pony but the creature; stumbling down over a rock while a big wolf made of thorns, branches, twigs and chunks of wood was jumping on top of it, sinking its claw in the creatures back. The skin broke easily and the glowing green eyes of the wolf were focused on the creature’s neck, ready to deliver the final killing blow by biting the neck and snapping it, breaking the spine and severing the nerve ends.

They saw that and a whole pack of the wolves already waiting for the one on top of the creature ending it so they could feast. The ponies were shocked for a moment before Lyra breathed out one word. “Timberwolves.”

And as if a spell was broken by that one little and simple word, Lyra and Colgate charged their horns and both hit the Timberwolf on top of the creature. It howled in pain as it was flung off of its victim, but the claw still in the back of the creature ripped a long gash down in its back before the wolf lost its hold and flew in front of its pack.

The other members of the pack were not pleased that something came to the aid of their lunch and prevented them from having any. They jumped forward and tried to get to their prey to kill it so they could just drag it deeper into the forest and wolf it down. Unfortunately for them the ones aiding their meal were not going to give up that easily and shot them with more beams of energy which flung them back again and again.

Soon enough the wolves saw that it was futile to just jump in and try to munch down on their prey, so they adapted and more of them run directly at the target at once, while others changed their way and charged for the ones shooting them instead.

“Watch out!” Colgate screamed over the magical assault they were delivering. “They are trying to attack us too. To your right!”

The mint green mare turned her head in the direction her teammate warned her about and shot the approaching Timberwolf dead in the center of its head.

Unfortunately the distraction the added attacks to the unicorns caused, forced them to cease their fire on the wolves that were approaching the creature.

Due to the ceased fire rate of the unicorns to protect the creature, one of the wolves got through and slashed it across the face.

But what then came surprised them and the wolves.

They just blasted back the last of the Timberwolves and were aiming for the one on top of the creature, when its front limbs shot out and its claws dug deep into the eyes of the wolf.

Time seemed to go by in slow motion for Lyra and Colgate as they saw how the creature they just desperately tried to safe, ripped out the eyes of the wolf on top of it. The wolf howled in pain and swung its paws around wildly, hoping to hit the creature. But nothing like that happened. The creature grabbed both swinging limbs and smashed them on the ground repetitively until they were completely useless.

Then the ponies could see the eyes of the creature and even though they knew nothing about it, they could swear that they saw anger in them. Pure rage even.
They were all standing there slack jawed, ponies and Timberwolves alike. Stunned by the display of brutality in front of them.

And then the creature moved its claws to the throat of the wolf on top of him, which was still howling in pain, grabbed hold of the throat of the animal and ripped it out in one swift motion, spilling the life juices of the wolf all over his upper body and face.

After the trickle of light green blood died down a little, the creature shoved the lifeless body of the Timberwolf off of it and slowly stood.

Facing the pack the creature turned its back to the two ponies and what they saw made them gasp in horror.
They had seen that the first Timberwolf had done some damage to its back, but couldn’t focus too much on it since they were trying to fend off the other ones.

The view given to them now was horrible to say the last.
The back of the creature had a long, deep gash across it, from the right shoulder to the left hip. The skin was torn and hung down slightly at the edges due to the rough surface of the Timberwolf’s claws. The gash itself was filled with a mix of blood, dirt and even some life juice of the wolf it felled just now. Some strands of fabric were also thrown in the mix as its shirt scraped over the wounds. And some of the bizarre mix was flowing down his back constantly.

The mares nearly vomited there and then, when they saw the damage, but were able to restrain themselves. They had to be at the ready if the Timberwolves tried anything again.

But to their surprise, and seemingly to the one of the wolves too, the creature took a step forward and the tails of the Timberwolves went between their legs.

Nothing had ever dared as much as to try to shove them away in order to be able to run from them, let alone attempted to kill one of them. But this creature in front of them, this creature which they thought of as a meal, this creature turned the tables and killed one of them. And they suddenly felt something they never felt, for they were always stronger than anything they hunted down. Fear. Fear for their lives. They looked at each other nervously, waiting for one of them to make a move, but none of them wanted to end like the lifeless pile of wood they once called a member of their pack.

Suddenly, and out of nowhere, the creature shouted loudly, taking a sudden step towards the wolves.

“Come on! Who’s next?!”

The wolves didn’t need any further proof that their hunt has gone horribly wrong as their former prey took a step to them and challenged them. They knew when they had to retreat and ran away immediately.

The two unicorn mares stood behind the creature, jaws lingering on the ground for a good while now.
Their eyes met each other and went back to the creature in front of them.
Nopony had ever taken on a Timberwolf and came out alive at the end. Being in the position it was in nonetheless. And then it killed, KILLED, the wolf just like that. Injured and all.

They were still staring at the creature in awe, when it slowly turned around to face them.

They quickly snapped out of it, picked their jaws up once more and gave the creature their full attention.

It looked at the mares, smiled a bit and, with something they could describe as mockery shimmering in its eyes, crossed its front limbs in front of its chest.

“You’re late.” It said. Just that. Nothing more.

It kept that stance a few moments, seeing as the jaws of the mares dropped so hard that it looked like they’d fall off any moment, and then, as if it was all it wanted to see, dropped to the ground, losing consciousness.

The mint blue unicorn lit her horn fast, before the creature could hit the forest floor and levitated it to them.

The face of it had a long slash across it but nothing too deep and it missed its eyes.
A pony would’ve been easily blinded by such a hit, but luckily for him his eyes were smaller than pony eyes.

“I… I… What was that? It just killed a Timberwolf!” The mint green unicorn mare stuttered out, eyes nearly bulging out of her head.

“I saw that Lyra. But we have to get out of here before the Timberwolves decide to look for us one more time. It scared them away, but we can’t risk being in here longer than necessary.” The other mare stated relatively calm, gesturing at the creature in her magical grasp. “We can worry about that kind of stuff later.”

“You… You are right. But I never saw something even coming close to surviving a Timberwolf attack, let alone killing one. That was amazing. And kind of unsettling if I might say so.” She replied, heaving a deep sigh.

“We can talk about everything later when we are out of this place and back home Lyra. You know that we have other things to do too and now we have to see how intelligent it is. You heard it speaks our language, at least a bit, so I assume we can talk to it when it wakes up. And on top of that we have to tend to its wounds to prevent infection. But now we have to go.”

The two unicorn mares set into motion, slowly getting out of the Everfree Forest, watching out for each and every rustle in the foliage. They wanted to avoid any more situations in which they had to fight, especially with the dead weight the creature now symbolized.

Luckily the three of them got out without any more incidents and made for the town.
The invisibility spell was laid over the creature again so even if anypony was still out they wouldn’t see it.

As they got into Ponyville again, it was night already. The moon was slowly rising above the horizon and the stars in the dark blue, nearly black, night sky started to sparkle.

It was a beautiful night and on their way home they could see some couples sitting in the park, enjoying each other’s presence.

Lyra and Colgate were also watching the night sky as it shone in this pure white light from the moon and all the stars around it. Staring at it made them slow down, but they didn’t mind. The scenery was astonishing.
Once they reached their home they quickly unlocked the door and slipped into the darkness of the house.
Colgate, who had the creature gliding through the air next to her, went straight for the bathroom to wash all the filth that collected in its wounds out.
Lyra in the meantime went to the kitchen and prepared some food for them to restore their energy with. On the way back she saw a note lying on the table.
The note was apparently from Pinkie Pie who wanted to know why they cancelled the party this evening, when they wanted to have it rescheduled to and to write everything down on the back note. She would get it.

The mint green unicorn mare took a look around the room to make sure the pink party pony wasn’t there and wrote that they would come by and tell her everything when they were ready.

She set the note down again, turned around to the tray with food she placed on a side table and when she turned back around the note was gone.
It creeped her out immensely, but after the pink mare appeared out of thin air and had no magic trail on her signaling the use of a teleportation or any other spell she ignored the physics breaking around her and just took it as best as she could.
This not meant that she was not developing a headache just because the earth pony mare did things that seemed impossible without magic.
She went to the bathroom, tray in her magic golden glowing field, and rubbed her temples with one of her front hooves.

When she arrived she could hear water running. She stepped in just in time to see how Colgate removed the last bit of clothes from the creature in order to get it into the tub and rinse its wounds with warm water.

The pants fell down and both mares eyes went wide just before a deep blush adored their faces and Lyra nearly dropped the tray with food on the ground.

“I… I… I didn’t think that magic would have that kind of effect on it.” The mint blue mare stammered, turning her head away, blushing deeply.

“We… Well. Seeing this… this, I think it’s safe to say that it is a he. I… I just bought us something to eat.” The other unicorn also stammered, setting the tray of food down between them.

“Uhm. We… We should put him in the water to… to clean his wounds.” Colgate said, looking just enough to set him in the tub and hold his upper body upright. “W… Would you help me with the cleaning Lyra?”

“Sure, sure. I uhm will help you with that.” The mint green mare replied and lifted a soft sponge to the creatures back in order to clean his wounds.

A bit more than an hour later the wounds of the creature were clean and a healing paste was applied to its back and face.
Lyra asked why they don’t just heal it with magic, to which Colgate threw in that they didn’t know how it would react to magic as the former incident was any indication. They both blushed again with the memory of the beginning of the session coming back, but fought it down quickly. The wounds on the creatures back were also wrapped up so as little as possible could get inside them and possibly cause infections.

“We don’t know what else could happen to him if we left him just like that with his wounds open.” The mint blue mare stated, wrapping gauze over the creatures face, successfully covering the gash on it without doing the same with his eyes. “He could roll around and get Celestia knows what in the wound and I don’t want to clean out everything when an infection starts spreading. Do you?” she asked her comrade, laying the creature back on the couch in the living room where it slept for the first time they brought him here after she was done wrapping the gauze around his head.

“No. I wouldn’t want to do that. You’re right. It’s better to be cautious than to clean up a mess in the end. I’m just happy we made it out of that pit of Tartarus alive and relatively unscratched. Well, the two of us. He was not so lucky. Just hope he heals up soon so we can speak to him. I want to know what he is, where he came from and what he wants from us.” The other mare replied and yawned heartily, holding a hoof in front of her mouth.

“It’ll have to wait until tomorrow though. Today was tiring and we need some rest too. I’d say we leave him here and get up bright and early to see how he fares in the morning. Even if he awakes he’d be in no condition to move very far and after how he reacted seeing us in the forest I’d think that he’ll stay here rather than going out again.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The mint green unicorn said, trotting out of the room and switching off the light.

Walking through the now moonlit house, going up the stairs to their rooms, the mares wished each other good night and went to bed.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Everything was black.
I think I fell unconscious again.
The last thing I remember is the attack of those wolf things and how I killed one of them.
I still remember the two ponies or better yet the two unicorns standing before me mouths agape and eyes wide in shock. Must have made something really impressive to make them gawk like that.

Though. Killing a thing like this wolf after being totally owned by it sounds really badass in my book. And I bet me being covered in mud; scars and this greenish blood must have been quite a sight.

I was floating through a void space, and it seemed just like the one I escaped from earlier that day. The feeling was offsetting and I would have preferred a nice dream at any time but at least the voice I heard last time I was here wasn’t present now.

It was numbingly boring.
At least until a splitting headache made its way in my head and decided to use the inside of my skull like a giant tennis court, smashing my brain left and right.

Boring sounded very nice at that moment.

However, the pain was slowly subsiding and I could ease up again. I opened my eyes, because seriously, who keeps their eyes open while a surge of pain blasts your head to the heavens above and back, and was shocked.

Before my very eyes I saw my room. Everything was like the moment I left it. Well not completely. A thick layer of dust covered every surface and hundreds of cobwebs adored the nooks and corners.

It was like one of this then and now pictures only the then was missing completely.

Sunlight streamed through the windows and I expected to see small particles of dust gliding lazily through the air, but not even those were there.
I felt like being in a grave or something like this, flying like a ghost over what was once my home.

“No. I said we’ll leave it like it is until he returns and that’s final.” I heard a female voice from outside my room.

Mom. This was mom. But what does she mean? Probably my room as it sounds like she was right in front of the door, talking to someone who wanted to go inside.

“But don’t you think he would like to have a clean room to get back to honey? You wouldn’t want to get back to a dirty room either, do you?” My father asked her, concern swinging in his deep voice.

He already gave up. I could hear it. And after how my room looked I’d guess it had been some time since I vanished from the face of the world.
I couldn’t really blame him. I guess it’s been about half a year or longer and there was not a trace to be found.

Still.
It hurt to hear that he’d given up on finding me ever again. I’m sure he did everything in his power to find me, but to no avail.
Mom was still clinging to whatever hopes she has and refuses to let go and that pained me even more.

I know we had not the closest of relationships between child and parents, but loosing each other and not being able to say goodbye or knowing what happened hits hard, no matter how the relationship is faring.

“No! Nothing in there will be moved one millimeter! What if something breaks or there is something not in the right place? He could be upset or even afraid that someone broke in his room while he was away. No. When he gets back we’ll show him that everything is as we left it and then and only then it can be cleaned so that he sees that nothing is amiss.” Mom started to reason with dad.

“Honey. It’s not like there is anything highly fragile in there. If something falls down there will only be a small scratch on it and nothing more. And I bet when he comes back he’s too happy to see us that he won’t bother with minor details such as this.”

“I said no and that’s it. End of discussion.”

“At least let me tend to his garden. He won’t be happy about all his plants being dead and rotten, I’m sure of it. Let me tend it and when he gets back he’ll have them even bigger and in better condition. I know that he’ll appreciate it and I’ll even say we cared for his plants together. Does that sound good to you Sweetheart?”

There was a brief pause before mom spoke with a lot of hesitation.

“That…might be okay. Yeah. If you can guarantee he’ll be happy about it you can do that.”

“Alright. The plants and nothing more.” Dad said in a soothing voice, and it was easy for him to use it with how deep it was. “If you want you can sit in the pavilion and drink some tea while I tend to his garden. You’ll get out again; will be in the sun and you can see what I’m doing with it.”

I could hear them walking away side by side and boy was I happy that dad had her calmed down and out of the house again.
Wait.

If she’s out of the house ‘again’, does that mean that she was cooped up in here all the time and was waiting for me to get home?

“Mom.” I silently whispered as a wave of sadness washed over me.
She waited inside the house for god knows how long for me to come back, just to jump up with her hopes up high whenever the telephone rang or somebody opened the front door and having it all shatter again as there was another voice answering her calls for her son.

I felt miserable. I know I couldn’t have done anything against it, but I wished I could go back home, wait until they got back from their business trip they were on when I left, and just hug them for being there sometimes. I’d tell them that I’m okay with them being away on business trips for longer as long as they promised to come back.
I just wanted to be there to prevent them from becoming that.
But I couldn’t.
I tried to go through the door to at least see my parent’s faces again, but as I tried to touch the door handle my hand ran clean through.

“Oh, ghost. Almost forgot.” I remembered and just flew through.

But on the other side wasn’t the hallway that was there normally. I was back in the black space.

I saw a light in the distance and flew in its direction.

“I hope this leads me out here again like last time and I’ll wake up.” I frowned deeply. “This place and those dreams about my parents are depressing.”

So I flew in the light and shielded my eyes from the sun that would surely fall directly into my eyes. And I was right. Just as I flew into the light it got bright like the sun and my eyes could adjust to the brightness slowly.

“Clever me.” I cheered a bit for myself as my eyes slowly adjusted, but my cheers and the little smirk I allowed myself fell from my face all too fast.

I was outside. That much was good, but I could see our house to my right and dad working on my plants just as he had said earlier.

This was not waking up. This was another phase of my dream.

“Goddamnit!” I cursed under my breath. “Now I can’t even say if I’m going to wake up or if I’m just entering another dream stage. How are these my dreams?”

My flat right hand automatically tried to hit my face with full force, but my left came to my rescue and stopped it right before it could hit home.

“Nice try righty, but not this time.” I said, scowling at my hand as if it was a little brat that you just prevented from doing something incredibly stupid and annoying.

“See honey? It’s not so bad to do this, now is it?” I heard my dad call over to mom in the distance.

I saw her and she was on edge already. You could see it in her eyes that she wanted nothing more than to run up to dad and shoo him away from my garden. In the best case yesterday. But she saw reason behind what my father did and held herself back.
To her it must be a sin to touch anything her son once owned, as if it would be defiled the moment another soul laid hands on it.

I don’t know why, but right at that moment, no matter how far we were apart, when I’d still be with my parents and in my own universe, I’d go right up to mom and give her a long hug.
Same would go for dad.
I don’t want them to be wasted like this. Even if they were away most of the time, it was still good to see them from time to time. Just… knowing they were there and we could go to each other if needed.

This was now gone. I’m all alone in this new world and there is no one there for me.

I can still see my father working on my garden and mom watching him from the pavilion, now sipping at a cup of tea and more calm then before.
Must’ve accepted this change. Finally. And I say finally because now my plants were back alive and ripe with fruits. There must’ve been a time skip I didn’t notice.

Honestly, I couldn’t care less about my garden or my father working it. I just wanted to go home and forget all about the storm, the cave, the portal and the world behind it.
But instead my dreams are taunting me. Or maybe that is what I think will happen while I’m gone. I don’t know. All I know is that it hurts. It hurts me to see these things happening to them and it hurts me to see everything and not being able to do anything.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I awoke in the middle of the night on the couch of the home of those two unicorns. My eyes were tearstained and there was a wet patch where my head laid.
Surprisingly I also felt a damp spot at my face and went to touch it.

‘My face wouldn’t soak up my tears like this. What is it?’ I thought and ran a hand over my face.
There was something on it something that felt familiar. ‘A gauze!’ realization hit me and I breathed in deeply in my surprised state. Or at least I intended to. Another band aid wrapped around my torso prevented me from breathing in too deeply. “Hmmm… Why is this…? Oh right. My back. Outchy.”

I laid there and waited for the pain to settle back in, which could only be seconds. I made the mistake of remembering the damage done to my body. Seeing that, I instantly concentrated on them and that would, without a doubt, lead to electrons running through my nerve ends until they found the one spot in my body that screamed in pain and would directly send a wave of pain up my spine to show me where exactly this spot was located.

My eyes were scrunched shut, while I was waiting for the oncoming wave of pain.
Ten seconds.
One minute.
Five minutes.
Nothing.
I felt no pain.

It was weird. After something like the beating I received in the forest every nerve end around the wounds should be screaming like the lead singer of Aerosmith the whole time.
But instead I found that I could even roll on my side with no problems at all.

That gave me confidence and I tried to lean up as I was lying on my left side.
Figures my wound took that moment to wake up too.

I screamed as jolts of pain rocketed through my entire body. It wasn’t very loud, due to my throat being dry as sand, but it served its purpose.

My mind went into high alert mode because something could’ve heard me and thus distracted me from my pain enough to sit up in the blink of an eye and scan the room for any movement.

Luckily for me due to my dry throat my scream wasn’t loud enough to wake my two acquaintances or any other living being.
After I made sure nothing was coming I tried to stand up, but found myself unable to due to my legs being wobbly as jelly.

‘Well that’s a problem. I’m parched and can’t stand up without toppling over or anything.’

I just thought about how I could make it to the kitchen and snatch me a glass of water to liven up the inside of my mouth and throat again, as I saw a glass already standing there for me.

‘Must’ve guessed that I could wake up when they are not here and placed it for me in advance. Nice.’ I smiled as I grabbed the glass of water and gulped it down greedily.

“Aaaaaah. That’s the stuff.” I wheezed and set the now empty item back on the table in front of the couch.

Looking out of the window I noticed that the moon was just a bit over the top of the sky, so I must’ve slept for a few hours now.

Deciding that I wouldn’t be able to do much in the darkness and for the fact that too much movement meant pain right now, I decided that laying down and sleeping some more sounded like a good idea.

So I rolled back down, wincing at the sting my back sent me to remind me to be careful, and closed my eyes again, falling into a deep dreamless slumber.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The morning arose and the sun was sending its first rays through the curtains in Colgate’s room.

They travelled from the top of the ceiling down over the wall. Not quite bathing the room in its glorious warmth yet, the sun was reflected off of a photo on a drawer and right into the eyes of the sleeping mare.

“Mrrrrrrm.” came the answer to the assault on her eyes from the unicorn as she tried to find the sweet land of dreams again without moving too much.
Yet it proved to be a futile attempt.

“Oh for Celestia’s sake. I knew it was a bad idea to place the photo there.” The unicorn mumbled annoyed.
She used her magic to envelop the photo in the deep blue hue of her magic and turned it just enough so that the light was shining somewhere else.

“Ugh. Finally I can get back to…” She started before the ringing of her alarm clock interrupted her harshly.

“…sleep.” She sighed and put a front leg over her face.
“Just my luck it seems. Being awoken by the sun before I have to get up, only for the damn alarm to go off a minute later. Go figure.”

With one final breath underneath the cozy blankets, Colgate tossed them aside and stood up, just to be met with the thing every former refugee of the blanket castle, crisp morning air.

The mare shivered slightly as she stopped the alarm and walked over to the door.

“Damn cold morning air.” She grumbled. “Always making my coat stand on end.”

The mint blue unicorn made her way over to the bathroom to wash up for the morning and was just about to turn the doorknob, when it swung outside and barely missed her face, knob shimmering with a golden glow of magic.

Both mares were shocked for a moment; Colgate for nearly getting the bathroom door for breakfast and Lyra for nearly smashing said close call breakfast in her teammates face.

“Sorry. Didn’t think you were up already.” The mint green mare greeted.

“Yes. Me neither. Stupid light fell on my photo and right in my eyes.” The other mare grumpily murmured.

“See? I told you it was a bad place to put it. Should’ve set it up on your nightstand next to your bed. There’s no sunlight in the morning to fall on it and on your face, disturbing your sleep.”

“Oh cut it Lyra. I’m not in the mood right now. Why are you up anyways? Normally you’re the one sleeping in and I have to drag your lazy flank to the dining hall and the training grounds before you even start to wake up.” The mint blue unicorn countered in a mocking tone of voice.

“H…hey! That was a onetime thing! I’m an early morning pony by nature.” She huffed back, scrunching up her muzzle.

“Yeah. A onetime thing every day. If you are a morning pony then I’m Photo Finish.” Colgate countered, her brain starting to work properly at this point.

“Yeeesh. Fine. Be that way. I’ll go in my room and finish brushing my mane. If you need anything don’t ask me.”

The mint green unicorn mare began walking away to her room already as her comrade suddenly stopped her with an outstretched hoof.

“Wait. I know you are not a morning pony, so why are you up so early and why are you so chipper?” she asked her with a suspicious glance in her eyes.

“N…no reason. It was such a beautiful day and I thought I’d start it early.” Came the nervous reply.

The mint blue unicorn caught up on the nervousness of the other mare and arched an eyebrow.
“Really?” she asked with a deadpan look. “That’s all you got?”

“Wha…what do you mean, all you got? That’s the truth.” The mare answered, eyes shifting left and right.

“Yeah. Sure. You know that I know when you lie, right? And right now you are lying so hard; a lie detection spell would jingle like the bells on the hat of Starswirl the Bearded. So tell me what your true intent is. You know I hate it when you lie to me.”

The stern voice the mint blue unicorn used combined with the look she was giving the other female quickly crumbled the weak wall of lies Lyra created hastily.

“Alright, alright. I was still nervous about the creature in the living room. I thought it may have done something else and would be missing again. Walking through the streets and causing a ruckus. So I went down to check up on it and was relieved as it was still there. I went up to the creature and gave it a once over look. It seemed to fare rather well and even drank the water you put on the table in front of it. And since it shouldn’t be too long until it awakes and we can finally get rid of it after we gather all the information needed I’m just happy for the day to come.” The unicorn mare admitted in an innocent tone.

“What?!” her comrade fumed. “Get rid of it?! First of all, my dear, we discovered yesterday that, it, is clearly a male so you should say him; second, are you bucking nuts?! We can’t just throw him out like this after we know what we want! He’s wounded! And tell me this, how are we supposed to get him somewhere without anypony taking notice of him? And what if he had to flee from his home because there were bandits or monsters trying to get him? How could we send him back there if that’s the case? Would you be so cold as to send away a poor soul that just wants to be safe?”

“Uuuuuuhm… Aeeeeeem… No?” Lyra asked in shock.

“That’s right. No! And what was it that you wanted to do with him? Just that! Did you not think of the consequences?” the mint blue unicorn mare snapped angrily at the other.

“I did!” the mare retorted weakly, shrinking under the other ones gaze. “I just thought we… we…”

“No. You didn’t think about them properly.” The mint blue mare sighed. “You saw him as something abnormal; something that doesn’t fit in your little world. You thought he was dangerous just because you’ve never seen anything like him ever before. Lyra… You must learn to accept that there are things we would never dream of that live in our world and just because you never heard of them doesn’t mean that they want to wreak havoc where they stand. So far he’s done nothing in any way to harm us. He was even careful enough to not be spotted by anypony on his way to the Everfree Forest and only by chance that pegasus mare spotted him entering the woods. And think. He even complained that we were pretty late before he fell unconscious. Taking this in account I’d say he’s sapient and we can reason with him so he won’t be a burden.”

“I… I…”

“So I take it you get my reasoning and you are okay with it. … Good. Cause I’m going to use the bathroom now. See ya when your mind caught up.” The mare said, walked over to the bathroom door and shut it rather forcefully.

“Hey! Stop that! I’m not dumb! I’m just not really awake yet!” The mint green unicorn huffed in annoyance.

“And there I thought you were a morning pony. Well seems like I was right all along.” Came the muffled answer through the door.

“Why… I… You… Ugh!” the unicorn gasped; scrunching up her face and blowing a raspberry at the door.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A little while later Colgate was out of the bathroom and was greeted by Lyra already waiting for her at the door, sitting on her haunches.

“Hey. I’m sorry about earlier. My fears got the better of me and I jumped to conclusions.” The mint green mare apologized, ears drooping and head hanging low. “I just feel uncomfortable around him. You know I’m not good with new things crash landing into my life and changing something I was familiar with.”

“I know Lyra. I just wanted to tell you that this fear was unreasoned. I think I went a bit overboard myself.” Her comrade admitted, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of her neck with a front hoof.

“So all good again?” she asked before stretching out a hoof for the mint blue mare to shake it.

“Yep. All good again.” The mare responded and shook the offered appendage.

“Good. Then we can finally go and get some breakfast in. I’m starving.”

“Oh Lyra.” Colgate giggled.

The two mares walked down the stairs both giggling due to the infectious nature of the happiness spreading sound.

They walked through the living room with the still sleeping creature laying curled up on the couch and advanced on into the kitchen.

“What do you think of some pancakes for breakfast?” Colgate asked the other unicorn, already wielding the pan in her magical grasp.

“Pancakes! Really!?” Lyra asked tail wagging happily as she sat down on the kitchen table.

“Yep. Really.”

“Aaaaaw yeah! That’s so sweet! Oh wait can it be blueberry pancakes?” the mint green unicorn hoof pumped, but switched to a wide eyed puppy like expression with drool pooling in the corners of her mouth already.

“Blueberry pancakes? I don’t know. Isn’t it a bit too much?” the mare asked teasingly, hiding her grin by turning her attention to the stove in front of her and lighting it up before she put the pan on it with some butter within.

“Noooooo it’s not. It’s delicious!” the mare at the table wailed.

“Okay, okay. Just kidding. Blueberry pancakes it is.” The unicorn laughed and prepared the pancakes.

Soon the smell of the freshly made pancakes was wafting through the house and reached into the aerial zone of the couch in the living room as well.

“Hmmm… Pancakes.” A tired voice emitted from it and a blanket was shoved aside.

“Must follow sweet aroma and eat source.” It said again as the belonging body slowly rose from the furniture and lazily dragged itself to the confines of the kitchen.

The two unicorn mares were just starting to dig in their fluffy tasty goodness known as blueberry pancakes, as a voice coming from the door interrupted them.

“Hey there. Got anything left for me to munch? My stomach is kinda making the rumblings right now.”

And that was the moment the forks that were meant to ravage some innocent pancakes, met the cold hard floor of the kitchen.

Chapter 5

It was good to rest at least. My mind was clear of any troubling dreams and I actually managed to sleep until morning.

I was just waking up to the mild morning sunlight streaming in through the windows as I heard two female voices from somewhere in the house. Probably upstairs since the bedrooms are located there. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but one of them was more prominent than the other and it seemed as if they had an argument, judging by the tone of their voices. But that was none of my business, so I laid my head a tad deeper into the pillow and successfully entered a state of half sleep as the voices ceased.

Not too long after this, at least I think that it was, my state of mind was rudely interrupted by the heavenly scent of pancakes.

“Hmmm… Pancakes.” I muttered from within my blanket.

“Must follow sweet aroma and eat source.” I said in half dizziness, throwing the blanket aside and walking up to the kitchen, where the aroma was luring me in to.

Now I’m not really one of the best persons to talk to in the morning when my stomach fuel was running low, or in this case, when my stomach tried to digest itself to give me any form of nutrition, but I managed to focus long enough to, once again, acknowledge the ponies sitting at the kitchen table as being the ones that took me to their house and rescued me after I made a break for it into the forest nearby.
And being the sensible person I am I leaned against the door frame and interrupted the beginning of their breakfast with a little question.

“Hey there. Got anything left for me to munch? My stomach is kinda making the rumblings right now.”

Both of them immediately froze in place and dropped their folks, which they held with their magic, I assumed, since the glow around their horns was matching the glow on the utensils used, to the cold hard tiled floor in order to properly gape at me.

We stayed like this until their eyes slowly went down my body and they both developed a heavy blush. I was a bit puzzled at first, as to why they would just blush when I’m standing in front of them.
It’s not like they developed a sick interspecies fetish while I was asleep on their couch or something.
And then it dawned on me. My eyes widened, my pupils shrank and my gaze wandered down my own body for the confirmation of my fears and, clear as day, my pride was not only hanging out, but instead I just walked in on them in my Adams costume. And it was lacking the most important part, the leave.

My cheeks turned beet red in an instant and we all simultaneously began to scream. The two unicorns girly screams because I was standing before them, flashing what I got and I for forgetting to put something on or around myself as well as being incredibly ashamed.

Waking up with an utterly empty stomach and running in the kitchen with two females I had known for all but two minutes at most, if seeing them counted, sitting at the table just about to start their breakfast and me interrupting them stark naked? Sounded like me on an empty stomach and sleepiness still fighting over my consciousness alright. Yay me!

The two of them immediately spun around, hiding their faces behind their front hooves and ears snapping back as their blushes were intensifying tenfold.

I on the other hand fared far better than them. I dropped my posing, clutched my hands in front of my privates and hastily blabbered out some apologies.

“I’m sorry! Totally forgot I was naked! Sorry! I… I’ll be back in a second! Please don’t be mad at me!” I forced out, turning on my heels to sprint back to the couch to grab my safety blanket.

As soon as I was there I swiftly recovered the view obscurer and wrapped it around me. After that I ran back to the kitchen and was about to blurt out more apologies and show them that I wasn’t showing off anything anymore, as my adrenalin sunk to the critical mass and the pain from my wound was coming in like a sledge hammer hitting my back full force.

Just as I reached the door I fell over on my hands before the pain shot through my arms into my back and I rolled onto my side, a few whimpers escaping my mouth.

The unicorn mares heard that and turned around again, spying through the gap between their hooves and gasping at my winding form on the ground.

“Ow! God damnit!” I swore loudly. “That hurts like hell!”

The blue one sprang into action at first; leaping from her chair and over to my body.

“What are you doing? Your wounds are not healed enough to be running around just yet. Wait a second. I’ll cast a painkiller spell on you.” She all but shouted in my direction as her horn began to glow a deep dark blue.

I felt the pain subside as it was giving way to a lingering tingling sensation I could deal with easily.
My muscles unclenched themselves as I heaved a sigh of relieve and laid mostly still.

“Thank you. That felt good.” I thanked the mare in front of me with a smile on my face.

But instead of answering, her worried expression slowly slipped away from her face and was replaced with another blush and eyes widening in alarm. I looked past her to ask the other unicorn what was wrong with her friend, but she hadn’t even moved an inch and had the same expression on her face as the other one, staring at me wide eyed.

“What? Is something wrong? I said I am grateful that you eased my pain. Hello?” I added, waving my hand in front of her face, but she didn’t react at all.

Well, that was awkward.

A minute passed with neither of them moving and I slowly grew antsy.
I snapped my fingers in front of the blue unicorn sitting before me and managed to get her out of her stupor at last.

“Huh? Wha…?” she tried to say unintelligibly.

“I said thank you for helping me out. The pain was really bad.” I said again.

“Oh. Uhm. Sure.” She replied blush still lingering on her face.

“Uhm. Not to interrupt you or anything,” I said, propping up my head and steadying my body with my left arm, “but is there a reason why you are blushing again?”

The blue mare in front of me suddenly snapped back to reality completely and gave me a death stare with eyes and cheeks practically burning.

“Yes there is you pervert!” she yelled, pointing an accusing hoof at me. “You don’t go around flashing your… your thing in a mares face when you are in the mood for something! That’s just gross! Do you have any kind of decency?!”

“Uuuum… Come again?” I replied

“And then you get off from me casting a spell on you! Males! All the same!” the mare began to seethe.

“Wait.” I stopped the oncoming verbal onslaught of the mare, holding my free hand in front of her face to which she moved her head back slightly.

“Why would you think I was flashing anything on purpose? I was just waking up when I smelled those pancakes and my body went on autopilot. Before I knew what I was doing I already stood in the door frame and addressed you two. It simply slipped my mind that I wasn’t wearing anything. And how come you think I’d get off to your magic? More so when it’s directed at my back and not down there.” I finished with my hands making all the necessary movements.

“Really? Are you that stupid?” the green one finally groaned and joined in on the discussion.
“We were cleaning your wounds when we got back here and your clothes were in the way, so we took them off with our magic. That alone was enough that your member came out of its sheath. And now that Colgate applied magic directly at you, you play innocent?” she rested her case, eyebrow arched; front legs crossed and blush still present on her face.

“Wait. What do you…?” I started, but my mind clicked in place and the wheels began turning, setting everything together.
“Oh. You think that I… And then assumed that… Concluding that… Bwahahahahaha!” I broke down laughing, slamming my right fist on the ground rapidly as I tried to regain my composure.

Good thing she cast that painkiller spell on me or that would’ve been a short laughing fit.

“What’s so funny about you being a perverted sicko?!” the green mare, still sitting at the table, asked in an highly annoyed tone, her face starting to morph into a frown.

“Let me answer that with a question.” I wheezed, slowly coming down from my high. “Did you ever see anything like me in your whole entire lives or have any information on the subject?”

That shut them up for good. They tried to come up with something and rose one of their front legs several times and making an aha face, just to stop in mid movement and sink back down with a look of contemplation on their faces.

After a few minutes of inner debating they looked at each other.

“Got anything Lyra?” The blue unicorn named Colgate asked the green one which name was Lyra apparently.

“Nothing. You Colgate?” Lyra asked back.

“No. I got nothing either.” Colgate replied.

They were both turning to me again, now with slightly puzzled expressions.
“We’ve got nothing. You are a new species as it seems. But we can’t be too sure since we are no zoologists.” Colgate addressed me. “Why is that so important?” Lyra added, head tilting slightly to the side.

“Because, my dears, that means you know absolutely nothing about my anatomy.” I confronted them, grinning slightly all the while.

“No. You don’t mean to say…” Lyra started, eyes widening and head centering itself.

“Yes?”

“…that what we thought was flashing us was just how your body is and got nothing to do with our magic?” Colgate finished for the other mare.

“Exactly! You win a new skateboard!” I exclaimed happily.

I don’t know what it is, but with those two I seem to be happy. Don’t know why though.

They both gave me bewildered looks and worked their jaws, but nothing came out.

If anything their blushes were deepening once again and they looked down in embarrassment.

“You treat my wounds and the first thing you assume, even if you have never encountered something like me before, was that my body reacted in any way with your magic, because you thought that because of it my thing came out of my sheath?” I asked them sitting up on my behind and arching an eyebrow myself.

“Uhm… Kind of.” The blue unicorn mare admitted; face now glowing red with embarrassment.

Both of them were now looking away from me, ears drooping and looked like they would want to crawl into a hole until nobody would know them anymore.

“Oh that’s so rich!” I laughed, tears forming in the corners of my eyes, as I couldn’t keep the straight face anymore.

And again, both of them looked at me with bewilderment in their eyes.

“You are not mad at us?” they asked me in unison eyebrows moving up.

“Why would I? It’s too hilarious!”

“Bu… but, we misjudged you and even offended you. And you laugh about that? Why?” Colgate cut in.

“Well.” I breathed deeply to calm down again. “First of all, I’m a laid back guy. Offending me is no easy feat. Second, you made assumptions and that is what everybody makes if confronted with an alien life form. And until you have further proof of what said life form is you only have those to go by. In my case you could ask me but that is not always a given. And considering my out cold state for most of the time we spend together, asking me was a bit out on the left field. Third, I just feel happy when I’m close to you. I don’t know why, but it is the case. And you are just too cute for me to be mad at you for longer than point five seconds.”

The sight my eyes beheld was glorious. With each passing word of mine their jaws went lower and lower until I was afraid they would fall off. But at least their ears went up again and weren’t stuck to their heads anymore.

Now that my little explanation was over, they came to and both shoved their mouths shut with a front hoof, making a clicking sound.

Now still with a light blush, though I think it is due to me calling them cute, they stare at me, mouths opening and closing like a fish sucking in food.

“Logic’ed.” I laughed, stood up and walked to the kitchen table to sit on a chair.
While doing this I saw the mares slowly processing what I just said until Colgate finally snapped out of it.

“Uuuum… Yeah. That was pretty much on the spot.” She replied, with a sheepish grin forming on her face.

“Then you can clearly tell us why you ran away from us even though you knew we were sapient and could talk with you. In the same language even.” Lyra butted in from the side lines, brows furrowed and mouth in a slight frown.

Now it was my turn to feel embarrassed.
I rubbed my neck with a hand bowed my head slightly down and stared on the wooden table like it was a very rare and interesting sight.

“Well… To tell the truth, I didn’t know who you were, and still know next to nothing except for your names, and wasn’t so sure about your intentions. For all I knew you took in a creature that, by the looks in your eyes, you’ve never seen before and let it crash on your couch. Now I don’t know how that is here, but waking up in a house that is not yours isn’t really considered a good sign to someone where I come from. It actually mostly means that you’ve been kidnapped and some sicko is going to do weird things. It’s extremely rare that an individual is nice enough to do what you did and just take me in. So since I’m more used to the aforementioned sicko, I rather fled the scene to escape a possibly ugly fate than to stay and have my fears confirmed. And there was also the possibility that you could’ve gotten the government involved. And I don’t like things poking me and being an interesting test subject. No sire I kindly decline.” I told them, face turning red in the process.

“Uhm, you mean foalnapped? We’re ponies not deer you know. And why would anypony poke you with things or why would you be a test subject?” Lyra asked totally taken aback by my statement and clearly shocked my mind would wander to such places.

“Because that’s how government works like from where I am. When there is something new they never encountered before the first order of business is to assume that it can bring the end of all civilization as we know it. And until it is a proven fact that it’s safe in any way or form possible, it remains locked up and is being tested on. Doesn’t speak a language that they know or isn’t able to talk at all? Quarantine. We are generally a paranoid kin. But don’t think on it too much. You’ll only get puzzled.” I clarified.

“Okay. The Q&A time has to wait until later. We still have things to do and can’t concentrate on you too much. And as long as you stay inside everything should be fine.” The green mare argued, levitating the forks off of the ground and over to the sink with a soft golden glow appearing around her horn and the cutlery.

“Aaaw, but I wanted to know more about him.” The other mare whined, standing up and walking back to her previous seat.

“Well. It seems like I’m stuck in this here house for some time, so I guess you can ask me lots and lots of questions when you have some free time. And even though I’m kind of trapped here, I won’t take advantage of your hospitality. I could do the house routine. You know like cleaning, cooking…” I offered them generously.

“That’d be good.” The blue unicorn answered with a little smile. “You okay with that Lyra?”

“As long as he behaves himself and isn’t seen by anypony except us it should work out. Just know I’m watching you.” The green mare stretched the words as she fished new forks out of a drawer, taking them in her magical grip.

As we all sat at the table, there was suddenly a sound like a cat arguing with another, what kinda sounded like baby screams when they got louder, and everybody instantly turned their head to me.
Those noises came from my stomach, which I’ve been neglecting all that time and now it decided to take it to the next level and moan loudly.

“Uhm… About the pancakes again...”

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After the two unicorns gave the creature some of their pancakes to stop the unholy noises his stomach was bringing forth, they cleaned up the dishes and sat down in the living room together.

“So. Now before we go out we have to set some things straight.” Lyra began, sitting down on the couch with Colgate, while the creature sat down on a chair with the back of it turned to them and sitting with his arms crossed on it, chin resting on the crossed arms.

“Shoot when you’re ready.” He disclaimed lazily, looking at the two unicorn mares.

“Okay so first of all, what are you and what’s your name?” the mint blue mare asked away enthusiastically and received a dirty look from her comrade for just blabbering.

“Hey. I don’t want to always refer to him as a creature and when we know his name we can address him properly too.” She defended herself, turning her head back to him.

“Totally understandable and reasonable right?”

“Yep. That it is.” The creature answered smiling.

“Aaaw!” the other mare groaned frustrated. “Alright. Just get it over with quickly so we can get started on the important stuff.”

“Right, right. So first order of business. My name is Robert and I am a human. And since I know you probably don’t have the slightest idea what in the name god that is I’ll tell you that too. A human is a, as you can clearly see, bipedal being. We originate from either a god that just set us on the world or evolved from apes. You know what apes are right?”

“That we know.” Lyra assured bemused. “Now continue we have a schedule to keep.”

“Jeeesh Lyra. Why so antsy? We’ve got enough time for this.” Her teammate cut in, giving her a flat look.

“Alright. Just get it over with. He’s not that interesting.” The mint green unicorn harrumphed and lay down on her stomach.

“Good. Now that she’s out of the way,” Colgate said and promptly received a nudge in the side for this. “Can you tell us what happened while we were away? I want to know how you managed to wake up and get out. I mean the invisibility spell was still on you, but we met a mare that saw you entering the Everfree Forest, so you must’ve had something to disrupt the spell.”

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘managed to wake up’, I just did. I was sleeping and woke up like normal. No big deal.” Robert replied, shrugging.

“But I had a sleeping spell on you that should keep you from waking up and causing a commotion.”

“Well, it didn’t. I also tried to find something to drink when I woke up and tried the sink in the kitchen. Being lucky old me, there was no water pressure on the pipes, so no water there. After that I looked for another sink and found one in the bathroom upstairs. At that point I thought that, maybe, you were just a dream and some of my kin found me on a shore and took me in. That was until I looked in the mirror and saw nothing. My reflection was missing. I jumped back and down on the ground in shock and digested that for a moment. After a minute or two of recovering I stood up again and found my reflection being there again. I thought my mind played tricks on me and splashed water in my face. Then I heard the noises from the street coming in through the window and assumed that I stranded in some kind of medieval town. You know vendors on the streets and the rustic smell. But when I looked out and saw pegasi flying around, unicorns carrying their bags without touching them and the normal ponies pulling carts and stuff, all with bright and colorful coats; I freaked.”

“I knew you were not a dream and panicked. I wanted to run out and away for good, but my rational part caught up to me and told me it would be bad to attract attention. I knew you’d come back eventually and opened the back door. Then I hid in the closet in the hallway at the front door and waited for you. And just when you ran to the living room, Colgate, I slipped out through the door and sneaked my way through town until I was in the clear.”

“But that shouldn’t be possible!” Colgate shouted in shock.

“You should’ve been asleep and invisible the whole time we were away! That shouldn’t be possible!” she erupted, throwing both her front hooves in his direction.

“Oh but as you see it is. You saw me wide awake and fully visible in the forest beating those stick-wolves. Don’t know what they really are though.” The human cut in, yet again prolonging the discussion.

“Yeah, we saw you. You were getting marehoovled by them. And until we shot them, you looked like their early lunch to me. And for your information, those were Timberwolves. Nasty things. Don’t go near them or their territory if you cherish life.” Lyra retorted with a sharky grin.

“Gee. I wonder if I can remember that somehow. Oh if I just had a reminder of this encounter that would stop me from doing such foolish things again.” The man wailed in fake despair, holding the back of his right hand to his forehead, closing his eyes and turning slightly away with his head.
He held that sarcasm dripping pose for several seconds before he lowered his hand again and turned to the mint green mare with a flat look.

“Oh come on. Don’t give me that. You ran into there on your own and we even rescued and patched you up again as best as we could. Give me a break.” The annoyed unicorn snorted, waving it all away with a front hoof.

“I didn’t say anything!” Robert gasped in mock surprise that Lyra would accuse him for his foolishness, lifting the hand that he just used for his little drama show to lay his fingers on his chest.

“Colgate my dear, did you hear me say anything?” he asked the mint blue mare with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

The mare caught on what he was doing and just barely suppressed a giggle. “No I didn’t. Lyra? Are you certain that you didn’t misinterpret anything?” she asked her teammate, barely keeping a wide grin from creeping up the edges of her mouth and turning into full blown laughter.

“Oooooh! For Celestia’s sake Colgate! You side with him?” the mare facehoofed and dragged her limb slowly down her face, rage slowly boiling up inside of her.

“Okay, okay we’ll stop.” The man assured waving his hands in front of him in a defensive manner.

“But back to the subject. Yes I was awake and visible. You said I shouldn’t be and I have not the slightest idea why I wasn’t anymore. It could be that I’m a natural magic repellant or that I just react differently on it. Maybe it just doesn’t affect me that much because I’m dissolving it. Whatever it is I have no idea whatsoever.”

“That could all very well be, but we can’t say for certain until we know more about your nature.” Colgate mumbled; hoof stroking her chin while she was thinking.

“But that’s not really important right now.” The mint green mare said calmly, addressing the human.

“The important thing is that nopony sees you or hears you until we are ready to break the news to Princess Celestia. She’ll want to know about you since you seem to be an unknown being that just appeared out of nowhere. And I assure you that she is the fairest ruler you’ll find anywhere. So don’t worry and try to run away again.” She said in a soothing tone.

“Nah. Won’t do that again. And besides I think I can trust your judgment on this one. I’m not here to cause any trouble and I doubt she’d do something to me when I’m no threat to her subjects. Besides. When she should go bonkers because of whatnot, you two will get in and get me the hell out of there right?” he clarified his actions and demands.

“That is acceptable, but if the princess wants you imprisoned for whatever reason, we can’t do anything about it. We can always try to argue with her to make her see that you mean no harm to us, but that’d be the only thing we could do when push comes to shove. We will however try to get through this without causing a panic. Now if it is all the same I think we should be going. We have quite the week ahead and I don’t want any nasty surprises waiting for our guest of honor when the preparations for the ceremony are in the final stage. Just remember; low profile.” The mint green unicorn said, holding out a hoof to Robert.

“Take it or leave it. It’s your decision.” Colgate threw in from the side, wearing a small comforting smile.

“I’ll take it.” The human said, grasping Lyra’s hoof in his hand and shaking it. “It’s a deal. I keep a low profile like being invisible and mute and will do chores in the house and you help me out with other things like food and getting through that minefield called monarchy.”

“Good.” The mint blue mare threw in. “Just a question. What is a minefield?”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s a saying from my place. Means moving in dangerous territory.”

“Well, whatever. We have to get moving. See you when we get back… Robert was it?”

“Yep.”

“Hmmm… Strange name. Well, none of our business. You coming Colgate?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

The two unicorn mares stood up and headed out the front door into the Ponyville morning, while Robert got up too and walked over in the kitchen to clean the dishes.

…………………………………………………………………

The mares walked through the waking town, sun just a little bit above the horizon and morning dew glistening on the grass. The early birds were chirping in nearby trees and a few stray salesponies walked about, getting goods to their shops.
Over their heads some pegasi were already arranging the weather for the day and between them a derpy eyed grey coated and blond maned mailmare with a blue vest and hat of the same color with little wings on it and postal saddlebags on her back, flew from house to house, dropping letters or packages in mail boxes. Whenever she’d meet a pony just exiting the building she was delivering mail to, she would stop for a moment and talk with them before waving goodbye and taking off to the next mail box.

“Hey Colgate, isn’t that one of the mares the major warned us about?” Lyra asked, pointing her hoof at the now hovering pegasus.

Following the hoof of the other mare the mint blue unicorn chocked her head slightly and eyed the mailmare more closely.

“Yes, I think that’s her. I think hers was the M word. But she looks a bit lost.” Colgate replied, beginning to walk in the direction of the seemingly confused pegasus.

“Hey. What do you think you are doing there?” the mint green mare questioned her comrade.

“Trying to help her out. She’s obviously lost and when we help her we gain points with the ponies here and they will accept us faster.” The mare reasoned with her head turned halfway backwards to the other unicorn, as she was approaching the still hovering pegasus mare.

Rolling her eyes Lyra followed her teammate to the mailmare.

As they got to her, the mare was still looking around now with a package in her hooves and reading the label on it, oblivious to the presence of the two newcomers.

“Excuse me Miss.” The mint blue unicorn mare began. “You seem a bit lost. Is there any way we could help you?”

The pegasus mare jumped slightly in the air, being ripped away from her thoughts and blinked several times, before looking at the two unicorns.

“No, no. It’s okay. I’m just… Wait. You are the two mares that moved here from Canterlot right?” She held the package up to her face. “Lyra and Colgate.”

“Yes we are, but how…” Colgate started to say, but was interrupted by the mailmare.

“It was easy to figure out. Nopony calls me Miss. My name is Derpy Hooves, but just Derpy is fine. Everypony in town calls me that. So with you addressing me the way you did I knew right away that you just recently came here. And for your names; they are on the package. When Pinkie Pie gave it to me this morning she said that it was for the two new unicorn mares in town. So I counted two and two together.” The grey mare replied, smiling slightly.

“Well, that makes sense.” Lyra stated dumbfounded. “Wait. The package is from Pinkie Pie? What did she send us?”

“I don’t know.” Derpy answered shrugging, holding the package out to the two mares in front of her. “We are not allowed to open packages or ask of their contents. It’s one of the most important rules in the mail delivering business.”

“Thank you.” Colgate said, grabbing it with her deep blue magic aura and set it down in front of her.

“No problem. Now I have to go. Have a nice day you two.” The grey pegasus answered, flying away from them and waving goodbye.

They looked at the leaving mare until she made a one eighty turn in the air and came straight back to them.

“Uhm… Just for the record. Where is your house again?” she asked sheepishly grinning.

“We were told it belonged to a stallion named Lucky Slevin before he went away to Las Pegasus. Do you know where that is?”

“Oh yeah. He was a nice stallion. I know where it is. Thank you. Now I can replace his name on my route with yours.”
She flew away again and now the two unicorn mares were sitting in the middle of the street with a package from Pinkie Pie in front of them.

“What do you think?” the mint green mare asked.

“Hm?” the other mare hummed as she was broken out of the strange situation that was still running through her head.

“About the package? What do you think she send us?”

“I don’t know. And I’m not sure that I want to find out in the middle of the street.”

“You’re right. It’s still early. Let’s go to the park and open it there.” Lyra said, taking the package in her gold colored magic and went in the direction of the park.

Ten minutes later the two unicorns had found a bench that was standing next to a little pond and right under a cherry blossom tree. The sun was casting a long golden glow over the surface of the pond and several petals fell from the tree as a gust of wind blew through its branches.

Sitting on the bench with Pinkie Pie’s package in between them, the two unicorn mares looked at each other.

“Ready?” the mint green mare asked, engulfing the flaps of the package with her magic.

“Ready.” The other mare answered, staring intently at the light brown cube in front of her.

“Okay. Here goes nothing.” Lyra said, opening up the box.

The flaps lifted up and inside of the box, they could see two cupcakes sitting in it, together with a letter.

Pulling the letter out with her deep blue magic, Colgate ripped it open to see what the crazed pink party pony had written, but suddenly a cloud of confetti, streamers and even some balloons popped out of the envelope, scaring both of them half to death.

“GAAAAH!” they both yelled as the magic around the envelope vanished and it fell to the ground.

After that encounter the mares were holding one of their front hooves to their chests, trying to keep their rapidly beating heart under control.

A minute passed and Lyra regained her breath. “What the buck is wrong with this mare? How did she even do it? I mean I was expecting something like this from the box, but not the envelope!” she wheezed, pointing an accusing hoof at the envelope lying on the ground.

“I don’t know and I honestly don’t want to.” The other mare replied still a bit out of breath.

“On second thought I don’t want to know either.” The mint green unicorn added. Her face trapped in between rage and confusion.
“But now I want to see what she wrote.” She said, grabbing the envelope, taking out the letter inside and reading it aloud.

“Dear Lyra and Colgate,
I hope you remember that there is still a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party waiting for you and that you’ll have to give me a time and place to set it up.
Oh. And those cupcakes are a little pre party pastries for you to enjoy. Don’t want you to have to get through your first days in Ponyville without at least a bit party spirit until your party.
I was so sad when Fluttershy came to me and told me that your party would have to be cut short, because you had something very important to do.
A fast reply would be superduperific.

Pinkie”

“That mare.” She groaned as she finished the letter and put it down; hoof slowly connecting with her face and being dragged down.

“I think we should reply as fast as possible.” The mint blue mare stated. “Who knows when she’ll send the next package.”

“You’re right Colgate. We should think of something. Hey. Maybe we can have our party at Sugarcube Corner this afternoon. What with our situation at home and all. What do you say?” Lyra asked her.

“Sounds good enough for me. If we are allowed to take the party there that is.” The mint blue unicorn replied.

“Sure thing. That’s no problem. I’ll send out the invitations.” Pinkie Pie’s voice came from the envelope just before she herself jumped out and ran towards town.

“I… Wha… Did she just…? Nope! Not going to think about it. I simply can’t care enough.” Lyra shook her head and walked away snatching one of the cupcakes up with her magic.

Colgate in the meantime had her eyes wide as dinner plates and was gaping at the tiny piece of folded paper, mouth hanging wide open. Upon hearing her teammate leaving in confusion she automatically began trotting after her, taking the box, envelope, letter and her cupcake with her.

“Let’s never talk about this ever again.” The mint green mare stated as the other unicorn caught up to her.

“Mhm.” Replied the other one, still staring blankly ahead and trying to wrap her head around what just happened.

The two walked in silence until they were at the gates of the Ponyville Park. That’s when the mint blue mare broke the serenity of the rustling leaves and soft gusts of wind with her voice.

“Did Pinkie Pie just come out o…?”

The mare suddenly felt something in her mouth blocking any more words from spilling out. She looked down and saw a mint green hoof stuck there. A glance towards its owner assured her that she should shut her trap immediately.

“Never again.” Her teammate hissed with brows furrowed. “Let it be.”

The unicorn mare nodded slowly and the hoof was drawn from her mouth, a little saliva still sticking to it.

“And now I think we should head home and take a nice long day off until the party of this crazy pink party pony starts. I think we’ll need it. Desperately.” Lyra sighed as she rubbed the excess saliva into the grass beneath her hooves.

“B…But the princess’s pupil will be here soon. We can’t just take a day off.” Colgate argued her ears falling flat on her head, thinking of the punishment that awaited them if they’d slack on their duties.

“That’s not a problem.” The mint green unicorn reassured her teammate with a nudge in the shoulder. “Our task is to find out if there are any dangers hiding in Ponyville that could threaten Princess Celestia’s star pupil. And with a big you know what going on we can investigate on the matter even better. We know that Pinkie Pie throws, that, for Everypony new in town and that a good percentage of it is probably going to come to it since she is scary even in her happy demeanor. And when we are there with Everypony else we can ask them how it is to live here and if there is something dangerous we should know about the place. If they refuse to talk we can still use a mind reading spell and get the information we need that way.”

“You are probably right.” The mint blue unicorn sighed, head drooping low and eyes closed. “I’m just worried you know.”

“Don’t be. We are two mares of the special force of the Royal Guard. We can take on far bigger things than some commoners slacking in means of manners. Besides. Do you want to go through town time and time again just to snuff up the tiniest bit of information when the wielders of the information are coming to us willingly?” the mint green mare snorted, laughing at the thought.

“No. You’re right of course. But it feels like we are going slack on our duties. No matter how easy it’ll become to gather the required information.” The other unicorn frowned, shifting a sad eye in the direction of her mint green comrade.

“We’re not!” Lyra protested, tail swishing behind her viciously, making the other mare lift her head. “With the party we can gather information and gain the trust of the townsfolk easier. And the princess said we should befriend them anyways. The better we’re fitting in the better we can fulfill our task.”

“Well. When you look at it like that you do have a valid point.” The mint blue unicorn mare answered, a sly grin spreading on her face. “It seems your brain is useful when you’re using it once in a while.”

“Yeah I know I’m go… Wait. What do you…? Oh just wait till I get you!” the mare shrieked, turning to the other unicorn to get back at her, but found herself facing a dust cloud.

“As if that’ll ever happen!” Colgate yelled over her shoulder while she galloped off into the distance, giggling like a school filly.

“Gaaaarhg!!!” the mint green mare screamed in feigned anger and set into a fast sprint to catch up with her teammate, a grin spreading itself on her face.

The two mares chased each other down until they reached their house again, manes billowing in the wind and hooves digging into the ground.

Once they reached the doorstep they skidded to a halt and breathed heavily through their mouths while they fell to their haunches.

“We clearly have to exercise more Lyra.” Colgate wheezed out, still laughing a bit even though her breaths were ragged. “We’re just not in form anymore.”

“Right you are. But we can begin training when we are through with the whole ordeal of the princess’s student coming here. Now I’m more concerned about us resting up for the thing Pinkie Pie is planning for us this evening.” The mint green mare stated, fishing out the key to their house and opening the door to let them in.

Once they were inside however their jaws popped open in amazement and saliva threatened to drip from their muzzles.

The inside of the building was so clean that one could eat from every surface and the scent of fresh baked bread wafted through their nostrils.

“We were gone for three or four hours and he managed to do all that?” Colgate asked, more to herself than the other mare standing next to her.

“Seems like I underestimated him big time.” The other unicorn whistled and stepped forward, placing her saddlebags in the closet by the door.

“Both of us.” The mint blue mare gaped, slowly setting her own saddlebags aside, entering the house properly.

As the two of them walked into the living room and set the package from Pinkie Pie, with the muffins still untouched, on the table residing in the room and called out in unison.

“Robert? Where are you?”

“I’m here!” the voice of the human spilled from the kitchen.

The mares turned to it and walked in the tile floored room. The male was sitting sideways on one of the chairs, with his clothes back on and arms lay on his knees with his face to the oven and looked at a little kitchen timer on top of it.

“You are back early. Is something the matter?” Robert asked; head turning in their direction as her heard the first hoof hitting the tiles.

“Our plans changed and we decided to make it a lazy day until we head out in the evening.” Lyra told him, sniffling deeply. “So you’re baking fresh bread.” She continued.

“Yes I am. After I cleaned the house I had nothing to do and thought you’d appreciate a little fresh made something for lunch. I hope you like cinnamon rolls.” He replied turning his head back to the timer.

“But you didn’t have to do all this. And besides, what about your wound? You can’t just walk around and do things like that with something like this weighing you down.” The mint blue mare scolded, voice full of concern.

“Ah, don’t worry. I can’t feel it anymore so it should be better.” The human answered with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Wait a second. Oh horseapples! The painkiller spell is still active!” Colgate yelled, startling the other two occupants of the room. “Take your shirt off! Now!”

The male did as he was instructed, still a bit puzzled drawing up his shirt and tossing it aside.

There it was. The wound on his back was not healing properly, but instead widened due to the work the human did in the absence of the two unicorns.
They both gaped at it and their eyes grew wide and then shrunk to mere pinpricks in seconds. Their ears flinched backwards and their tails tugged themselves in between their legs.

“It’s gotten worse!” The mint blue unicorn mare screamed in shock and the human panicked.

“What? It’s gotten worse?!” he snapped in terror and froze.

That’s when the mares felt it. It was like a surge going through them, making them dizzy for a moment or two, before Robert let out an ear piercing scream.
Both of them rushed to the now kneeling human in a heartbeat.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” the mint green mare asked concerned.

“Th…The pain. I…It’s back.” He pressed out between gritted teeth clutching his barrel tight.

We have to do something! Fast! We have to heal him!” Colgate yelled igniting her horn and lowering it to the wound on the humans back.

“Not you alone.” Her comrade cut in, lowering her glowing horn to the same spot. “You know that we use up our own life energy when we cast this spell.”

Both of them let the magic seep deep into the tissue of the man crouching on the ground and the wound on his back slowly but constantly closed. As it was but faint scars that would vanish with time, both of them groaned and cut off their spell, falling in a sitting position beside the human.

“Let’s not do this again so soon.” Lyra coughed in her hoof. “We spend a good amount of energy on that spell and it would’ve knocked you out if you tried it alone.”

The scolding of her teammate reached Colgate’s ears, but all she managed to do was nodding her head weakly in approval.

Meanwhile Robert took his hands from his barrel and moved a bit. There was no pain in his back anymore and when he stood up and looked in a mirror, he saw what the mares had done.

“You healed me! That is awesome!” he exclaimed happily. “Thank you so much.”

“Not a problem.” The blue mare grinned and stood on shaky legs.

“Hey. What’s wrong with you? Do you feel unwell?” he asked bowing down to examine the mares closer.

“Haven’t you heard what I said earlier?” the mint green unicorn asked him, eyebrow quirked and legs as shaky as the other mares. “I said this spell directly takes energy from our life’s energy and helps others heal. So it’s only natural that we are a bit winded after what we just did.”

“But why? Why would you do that?”

“Well. Seeing as you were suffering in pain and we are just beaten like a full day of work now, I think it was a good decision. Although somepony was not too thoughtful about it.” She replied giving a sideward glance to the mare lying next to her.

“I get it. I get it.” The mint blue unicorn wheezed. “No healing severe injuries alone.”

“Good. Now could you give us something to get our strength back? We are quite literally starving.”

Not a second after she finished that sentence, the timer on top of the oven rang and a small grin spread on the man’s face. “Care for some cinnamon rolls and apple juice?”

………………………………………………………………………………………….

A few hours later the three sat in the living room, a hot cocoa placed on the table for each one of them.

“Thank you for the cinnamon rolls again.” The mares bowed their heads and took a sip from the mugs held in their magical grasp.

“No problem at all. You are giving me shelter and even healed my wound. It was nothing compared to the generosity you are showing towards me.” The human nodded and blew on the steaming hot cocoa.

“We still appreciate it.” Colgate said, taking a whiff of her drink. “But there is one thing nagging on my mind still.”

“What is it?” asked the other mare, taking a long sip from the drink and sighing contently.

“The moment after Robert panicked and before he started screaming, I felt something like a wave passing through me and making me dizzy for a moment. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was an anti-magic field nullifying the painkiller spell and rustling our inhabitant magic. At least that would explain why the pain in his back came crashing in again and why the dizziness set in. But that would mean somepony did that. And nopony can. It would counter with their own magic and cancel it again.” The mint blue mare stated matter of factly.

“It couldn’t come from a magic user. That we know. But that’d only leave Robert in the equation.” She mused, tapping her chin with a fore hoof.

“Hey. Maybe it is me.” He offered, shrugging. “At least that’d explain why I woke up before you lifted the spell and went visible. The shock in my dream caused your sleeping spell to break, and let me wake up. And the second shock when I was staring at the mirror and seeing no reflection broke the invisibility spell. As far as I know I’m coming from another world altogether and that could mean that I can repel magic whenever I want if I focus hard enough.”

“You think that might be possible?” The mint green unicorn asked, eyebrows rising in interest.

“Yeah. I mean it is the best I have. And we can always test it.” Robert offered giggling.

“What do you mean with ‘test it’?” the mint green mare asked head cocked to the side. “We’re not going to put you to sleep or turn you invisible just for the sake of it. That’d still cost precious energy I’d rather keep.”

“No. Nothing of that sort. I thought if you knew something like levitation or something easy that can be seen if the magic is broken, I could try to focus and dispel the magic. If it works then we know I can break your spells whenever I want.” Robert told the mares, smug grin plastered on his face.

“Hah! We’ll see about that! Levitation is one of the easiest spells and each unicorn learns it when they learn to manipulate magic at will. Furthermore it is hardly taxing. I bet I can hold you in the air easily.” The mint green unicorn boasted, standing on all fours and puffing her chest out.

“Okay. Challenge accepted.” The man replied with a smug expression himself. “But don’t lift me up too high. Just like a hoof above the ground. That should be enough. Don’t want to hurt myself again after you two fixed me up recently.”

“Okay then. Here goes nothing.” Lyra smirked and a golden glow engulfed her horn and the human, lifting him about a hoofs width in the air. “Let’s see you getting down from there.” The mare nickered.

Robert floated there, readying himself for the impact on the ground and shut his eyes in concentration.
The man seemed to be in deep thought for about five seconds until he opened his eyes and a wave, just like the one running through the unicorns in the kitchen, came forth from his body, immediately breaking the spell around him and making the mares dizzy once more.
He landed on the ground with a thud, waving his arms a bit for balance and stood proudly before the two mares with their eyes still spinning from the dizziness.

“Well. Looks like it was really me.” The human snickered hands now lying on his hips. “Hey! That means I can repel magic! How cool is that?”

“What does low temperature have to do with it?” Colgate scratched her head with a front hoof.

“Hmmm? Oh, sorry. Saying from my world. It means that something is good.” He replied waving a hand dismissively. “Don’t think about it too much. Just go with it.”

“We’ll try. But back to you being a magic nullifier.” Lyra cut in with a raised hoof pointing at the non-pony occupant of the room. “It’s a bit unsettling to have someone like you around. You know, no offense of course, but we don’t know if your ability only comes to light when you want it or if it just happens. It is just too risky. I mean, what happens when somepony comes to visit us and your nullifying field is activating itself? They’d feel it like we did and I’m not sure if we can play it off as just dizziness that happens sometimes, like when you jump up from a nap. And that wouldn’t be the worst of it. If you’d be invisible and it’d happen you’d be discovered and there’d be a panic for sure.”

The mare threw herself in a frenzy, thinking up scenarios left and right, until Robert laid a hand on her head, which prompted her to stop her rambling and look up to him.

“I wouldn’t be too worried about that Lyra. I willed the field into existence every time and until now nothing outside of them happened. So I’m fairly certain that I have full control over this. Would’ve been good if I knew that earlier. I could have stunned those… Timberwolves it was?” he asked looking at the unicorns with a questioning gaze, to which they nodded their heads in approval. “Yeah, Timberwolves and got to this town in the forest. I already saw the shapes of ponies milling about just before those suckers cut me off and I had to turn around again.”

“Wait. A town in the Everfree Forest? I never heard of something like this. All I know of is the ruins of the old castle of the princess. But never was there a town closer to the borders of the forest than Ponyville. Are you sure you are not mistaken and saw things as you hightailed away from the Timberwolves?” The mint green unicorn mare asked concerned.

“I’m absolutely sure. There was a town in the woods with ponies going about their daily business. Or better yet nightly business. Why is that important?”

“Well…We’re kind of part of a special forces team that ensures the safety of Equestria and we happen to have to investigate this here town. If there is any danger we are to erase it if possible and call reinforcements if not. And you just gave us a reason to worry. We don’t know why there is a town in the Everfree, but it is a matter of concern. I say we see to it tomorrow and if what you say is true, will investigate further. But for now we need rest. We have to go to a party this afternoon and want to have enough energy for it.” Colgate summed up and was about to stand up as a knocking came from the door.

“Hey! Lyra! Colgate! It’s me Pinkie!” the cheerful voice of the pink party pony echoed through the house. “I’m here to give you your invitations!”

The human looked up with a bewildered look on his face and was about to say something, as he saw the expression of horror on the faces of the two mares.

“Oh no! It’s her!” Lyra hissed between clenched teeth. “What do we do? She can’t see Robert!”

“Turn me invisible again!” the man answered her in the blink of an eye. “Fast!”

“Okay, okay.” The mint green mare hurried over to the human and began casting the spell. “Colgate, answer the door and block her out somehow. I need a moment.”

“Alright. I’m on it.” The other mare nodded and walked to the door. “I’m coming Pinkie!”

As the mare reached the door and opened it, a bouncing mass of pink pony came into her vision and she followed the movements with her head. “Hiya Colgate! I heard you talking with somepony in there? Is it a new friend of yours? Or an old one? Huh?” the pink mare bounced happily in front of the unicorn.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The unicorn mare gasped slightly; sweat appearing on the back of her neck. “It’s just me and Lyra in here. Nopony else.”

“Nuh uh. I heard a male voice coming from inside.” Pinkie Pie stated with a wide grin. “Can I see him?”

“Now’s not the best moment for that. We’ve things to do and…” Colgate started but was interrupted by the earth pony bouncing past her, giggling all the while.

Meanwhile inside Lyra heard what was going on at the front door and came to the conclusion that Pinkie would come here one way or another. And she had heard Robert, which means turning him invisible was not an option anymore.

Luckily she had built up enough magic to add just a bit more and perform a different spell. It was hard redoing it just like that, but she managed to alter the influence the magic would have on the man.

Just when she was halfway through, she heard Pinkie bouncing on the first floorboards in the hall. Now it was too late to complete the spell she was about to perform and so she decided to cut it short and hope for the best.

“I’m sorry Robert.” She silently muttered under her breath as her magical aura engulfed him and with a little flash completed the spell.

The man had no time to ask what the mint green mare did to him, as Pinkie Pie bounced around the corner and her eyes went wide as she saw him.

“Ow. Was that really necessary?” Robert whined with a voice too high for it to be his own.

“Yes it was.” Lyra said in a stern voice, like she’d scold a child. “We said no swearing and you swore. So I had to do this.”

Robert was completely taken aback as to why Lyra would say such things. He only knew of a sore spot on his hide that he kept rubbing as he sat on the ground rubbing it.

“Hi Lyra!” Pinkie beamed as she bounced over to the two. “Why did you discipline the little cutie? I’m sure he didn’t mean it and it just slipped out. Maybe he doesn’t even know what it means. You know; colts his age trend to pick up language from everywhere and use it.” The party pony added, ruffling Robert’s mane.

…………………………………………………………………

To be honest, I was kind of surprised that the pink pony just bounced over and defended me. On the other hand Lyra scolded me for something I didn’t do and even talked to me like I’m a child. The nerve!
But I must say that it felt strangely good as she ruffled through my mane.

…

Wait a second. Mane?
Now that I think about it, why is she taller than me and why is…she…referring to…me as a… No!
No! She didn’t do what I think she just did!

Luckily I remembered that I’d have to act like a child in front of that pink mare as to keep my secret hidden.

I tapped on the hoof still rustling my mane and the earth pony mare looked at me.

“What is it little one?” she asked, baby blue eyes staring at me in wonder.

“Uhm… As nice as the petting of my mane is, I think I have to go to my room.” I told her in a downcast tone drooping ears and all. “Right mom?”

How I did the thing with my ears? No idea. Why I called her mom? Revenge! Plain and simple.

Oh the look she was giving me. So wonderful, so real, so shocked.

I barely caught myself from laughing then and there and kept my downcast mien.

I shakily rose to my newly acquired hooves and made my first attempts at walking. Let me say the change in perspective is not the only thing that is new to you when you are in my predicament.

I wobbled a bit and managed to completely regain my footing. Or should I call it hoofing now?
Luckily for me Colgate came in and saw me standing between the two mares.

I looked her in the eyes and a new idea sprang to life.
Slowly and quietly I sat on my rump again and began to tear up and sob.

Tell me those acting lessons were for naught one more time. Hah!

Whatever. My quiet sobbing got louder by the second and soon I was a teary wreck with hiccupping here and there.

“Auntie *sniff* Auntie Colgate! *hic* Mommy Sp…spanked me too *hic* hard, and now *sniff* my…my butt is all stingy.” I bawled like my life depended on it.
“Can you take me to my room? Please?”

With wide, pleading eyes and a quivering bottom lip for all real ponies to see I sat there and stretched my front hooves in Colgate’s direction, waiting patiently for her to pick me up.

The flabbergasted mare, standing in the doorway, quickly saw that it was me being a little colt and for all but a second her gaze zipped to the mint green spawn of Satan who put me in this measly body.

The look she gave my ‘mommy’ was one that could tame a bull if he was unfortunate enough to get into its range. And then I saw what I wanted to see all the time. A nearly unnoticeable twitch in her mouth that indicated a grin well hidden.
Now looking the accused mare in the eyes completely Colgate was in the act and started right away.

“Lyra! How often do I have to tell you to be more careful with your punishments! Your poor colt is going to walk funny for the rest of the day again! You should be ashamed!” the mint blue unicorn huffed, gesturing between me and Lyra with one of her front hooves.

“But I didn’t. I mean I haven’t…” ‘Mommy’ protested totally confused.

“No buts Lyra.” Colgate interrupted the other unicorn and I could see her horn glowing with a faint dark blue color. The next moment I felt something on my hindquarters as my ‘auntie’ looked at my ‘mommy’ with a stern gaze. Then the glow on her horn brightened and I was levitated in the air beside her, with my butt directed at the other two mares standing in the room.
“I know you had to punish him a bit, but look at what you’ve done! His hindquarters are all red again. You should really keep your emotions in stock when you do this. I’m going to take him to his room and you can think about what you’ve done in the meantime.”

I know she was referring to Lyra turning me into a little colt instead of making me invisible and not spanking her child. It was like an inside joke. Well, for the two of us. Lyra on the other hand had a stern looking pink pony standing next to her and no means of escape.
Not my problem. I could hear that the earth pony mare sighed, while Colgate was carrying me upstairs and out of sight. Once we were around a corner at the top floor she sat me down again and we both listened in on the mares below. Oh eavesdropping you guilty pleasure.

They went for the front door and, for the sake of being in this body I’ll stay with my version of their names, auntie and I heard mommy saying goodbye to the pink mare.

“Goodbye Pinkie. It was nice of you to come by. But now I have to take care of my colt.”

“Okie dokie lokie. But don’t forget that your party is in a few hours. And now it’s even an ‘Oh-my-gosh-three-new-ponies-in-Ponyville-welcome-party-party’. And don’t forget to bring the little cutie with you. I’m sure he’ll find some new friends there.” Pinkie said in an enthusiastic tone.
Upstairs I and auntie froze in place and I’m sure the same thing happened to mommy at the door.
We looked at each other and cold sweat ran down both our faces.
I only hoped that mommy wouldn’t make a horrible mistake and say that I’d co…

“Sure. He’ll be there with us. But be a bit patient with him. He’s a bit shy.”

Aaaaaw shit.

“Wohoo! I’m sure he’ll have lots of fun!” the pink earth pony mare exclaimed happily and a shudder ran down my spine.

“I’m sure he will. See you at the party Pinkie. Goodbye.” Mommy said, closing the door.

“You too.” Came the reply before the door fell shut.

The following silence was nearly deafening.
None of us spoke a word as auntie levitated me in the air again and we went downstairs. Once we got there we saw mommy still standing in front of the closed door, staring at it as if the end of the world would await her, would she dare to open it again.
Auntie Colgate tapped her on the shoulder as she passed her by and went in the living room again and mommy followed.

Once we were seated on the couch we all deflated.

“Well. Seems like we are all going to a party.” Mommy sighed with her eyes distant and full of worry.

“Are you nuts?!” I yelled into the silence. “I don’t even know how to walk on hooves! How am I supposed to survive a party? That’s insane!”

“No it’s not.” Colgate said calm and collected. “And even if it is, we can’t do anything about it now. Pinkie Pie knows of you and I bet it would be suspicious if we’d come to the party without you in tow. And walking on hooves is not that hard to learn. We can show you how. Just please play along for a while. Maybe they’ll accept you easier if they know how you are before they know who, or better what you are.”

“I’m still not sure. It’s not like I want to avoid everyone. Making friends here might help me getting back home. But directly jumping full front into a party where I’m a total stranger. That seems contra productive to me.”

“Oh. But it is not.” Mommy countered. “We ponies, for the most part, are very social creatures. On get-togethers like this party we can meet new ponies and tighten bonds we already had. Sure the way Pinkie does it is, very uncommon and a bit disturbing if you ask me, but I’m sure it won’t be too bad.”

I thought about her words for a minute or two. On one hand she was right and gaining the trust of the citizens and their friendship could do wonders when I reveal myself, but on the other hand the consequences that could possibly arise were not to be looked past.

“Alright. I’ll go to this party with you.” I hold up a hoof to their grateful faces.
“But.”

“But?” they asked as one, leaning closer to me.

“But you’ll have to show me how to work this body correctly and I’ll refer to you as my mom and aunt at all times I’m in this body. You know who is who already so I’ll jump the explanation. Any problems with that?” I stated flatly, looking them both in the eyes deeply.

“Why do I have to be your mother?” Lyra whined with her ears lowering back against her head.

“Because, my dear mother, you made me. Well, you created the body I’m in now and because of this you’ll have to shoulder the punishment of being my mother for the time being.” I retorted, grinning at her.

She looked at me like she was about to lose it.

“But I did my best! It’s not my fault that Pinkie Pie was too fast and I had to change spells on a Bit. I really wanted to turn you invisible, but Pinkie heard you and was on her way to us. So I couldn’t turn you invisible anymore. And since I had no time, gathering more magic to create an adult body was impossible. And that’s why I had no choice but to turn you into a colt. I’m sorry for that, but who could know what would happen?” she rambled, eyes pleading me to understand her and watering a bit.

“Ungh. Okay.” I groaned. “Since I’m in this body and we don’t want any pony in this town getting suspicious I’ll play along. And from the looks of things I think I’ll have to attend school here. At least I saw a building that looked like a schoolhouse to me on my way in the forest. And I assure you that I’m okay with that too. It gives me the opportunity to learn more about your world. And you’ll have to teach me the basics of what I should know before I go out there. I think my speech pattern might be a bit strange to someone when they hear me speaking.”

Both of them looked at me in shock as to how easy I seemed to adjust to the situation.

“Sure. We’ll do that.” Auntie Colgate answered. “Uhm. I think we’ll start with the walking and go over to the history lessons and speech patterns along the way. Is that acceptable for you?”

“That’s fine.” I reassured them. “Oh. But before we forget it. I think I’ll need a new pony name. I don’t think ponies will be accepting Robert as a normal pony name. Any ideas?”

The two mares looked at each other for several seconds until Colgate spoke up.

“How about…?”