The Puppeteer

Applejack took a few steps back to admire her work, a hammer held securely between her teeth. She used a forehoof to wipe the sweat from her brow and looked over at her friends.

Most of them appeared exhausted, with the exception of Rarity; the marshmallow mare stood some distance away from the newly-constructed home and examined her pristine hooves as she absent-mindedly held a few nails in her magical grasp. Twilight appeared moderately frustrated, yet satisfied, likely due to her raw magical prowess being of little help when performing something as technically unique as building a home.

The ambient bustle of the nearby marketplace veiled their pants and huffs with a harmonic blanket of comfort, reminding them of the community they were helping to strengthen with their efforts. Their satisfied soul-bonding was trampled into the sawdust beneath their hooves as a booming clap pierced their eardrums, causing the mares to lightly flinch. The towering creature responsible then clapped a few more times, with considerably less force.

Miles stopped clapping and stepped up to his new home. He placed his hands on his hips and beamed at his companions with joy. "Well, ladies, I have to say - you have truly outdone yourselves here. Excellent work," he said. Twilight and Fluttershy looked at him with gentle smiles. Applejack rose to her hind legs and leaned against the home with a tilt of her stetson.

"Well, partner, it's the least we can do for ya," said Applejack. "I think ya deserve at least somethin' of yer own, considerin' all, uh... Y'know..." She twirled a hoof as she spoke.

"Yes, well, I appreciate it nonetheless," Miles replied as he stepped over to Twilight and playfully ruffled her mane. "You little ponies are beyond kind. Thankyou."

Pinkie Pie hobbled around behind the gathering, attempting to balance a hammer on the tip of her snout. Miles followed her with his eyes and then swallowed thickly, directing his attention to the front door. It was simple and plain, yet sturdy. He had insisted upon having the strongest wood his money could buy. The bungalow had a few small windows, yet the floor plan was expansive enough for them to have constructed a few rooms to accommodate Miles's needs.

It turned out that working odd jobs around ponyville was surprisingly lucrative. Whether that was due to a genuine quantity and quality of work, or simply because the clients wanted to see what was up with the alien creature that dropped into their midst mattered not to Miles. The outcome was the same.

"So," said Miles, "how about we head inside and I pour you lovely ladies some water for all your hard work? We already stocked the kitchen with glassware."

Twilight and Fluttershy stepped up onto the small porch to meet him. Applejack dropped back down to all fours and said, "Well it's mighty kind 'a ya to offer, sugarcube, but Dash and I have somethin' we gotta settle back at the farm." Her leering gaze drifted up to Rainbow Dash, who had been reclining in the air with a bored expression on her face.

Dash perked up at Applejack's look and replied, "Uh, yeah, we do." She grinned challengingly down at Applejack. "And we both already know that I already won." With a breathy chuckle, Dash sped off in a blue blur, leaving Applejack literally spluttering in her dust.

"Ah, consarn it, she-" Applejack puffed some of her mane out of her face. "I'll see ya later, folks. Gotta go!" And with that, Applejack too sprinted away in an effort to follow Rainbow's trail.

Rarity instinctively gulped as Miles's piercing emerald eyes flicked to her frame. "I have to- I have some work to do for an upcoming pageant in Manehatten. Yes..." she said with an awkward laugh. "G-Goodbye." Rarity blinked away with a sparkle of magic, leaving just Pinkie Pie still stumbling around with a hammer on her muzzle.

Miles looked down at Twilight with an almost pleading expression, causing her to giggle into a forehoof and pluck the hammer from Pinkie's face with her lavender aura. "Pinkie," said Twilight, "are you coming in, or...?" Miles crossed his arms and looked down at Fluttershy. When their eyes met, he rolled his with a playful smile. Fluttershy, too, giggled like a filly.

"Uhm, do you have food in there yet?" asked Pinkie. Twilight groaned.

"No, Pinkie, we literally just finished building it. There's no food."

"Oh, well... I'm hungry! So, I'm sorry, but no can do!" She pulled out her party cannon and aimed it at the trio. Miles set his jaw. "Congrats on the new home though, Milesy! I'll be sure to throw you a housewarming party later!" The cannon detonated, showering Miles in confetti, yet leaving the other two mares comparatively confetti-free.

Miles did not speak, but when he cleared his eyelids of papery frustration, the pink mare had already vanished completely. He sighed and turned to wordlessly enter his home. Twilight and Fluttershy looked at each other behind his back and suppressed further giggles at his expense. "Aww, come on, Miles," said Twilight. With a flash of her horn, the confetti covering him was gone. "I think you'll warm up to Pinkie's antics eventually."

Miles grumbled under his breath in response, his light growl causing Twilight to bite her lip and lightly flick her tail, something Fluttershy noticed with a blush. Miles said, "Well, it took months to finish building this house, and she was around for a good portion of that time." He sat down on one of the sofas they had placed in there a few days ago. Although, the rest of the room was mostly barren, making the sight somewhat uncanny. "And yet, I still find myself feeling no differently about her 'antics'."

The two mares took their seats across from the human. A small tea table between them separated the two sofas. To Miles's left was a door leading to the hallway, and to his right was a small window. In front of Miles, and behind Twilight and Fluttershy's sofa was a large window with a view of the porch outside that could be seen while seated. Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Just give it time, Miles. Just give it time."

While Fluttershy had been present for some of the construction of the house, she still had not spent much time with Miles outside of their tea party back when he first arrived. Thoughts of that event filled her with anxiety. However, this was not due to the actions of the goliath himself sitting across from her. No, her mind was instead reminded of his words, and her closest friend they relate to. Her breath hitched in her dry throat, and her face flushed deeply at the thought - something Miles took notice of.

"Oh, dear me; I do apologise. Let me get you that water I promised." Miles stood to his feet and made his way over to the kitchen. The house had been constructed with his stature in mind, so he did not need to duck his head as he walked through the door and out into the hallway.

Twilight and Fluttershy sat in silence, simply enjoying each other's company in the afterglow of their exhaustion. The sounds of glass and running water resounded from another room. Some moments later, Miles arrived with some glasses of water. He handed them to the mares with a smile and took his seat. He took a sip of his own water and eyed Fluttershy. She found herself fiddling with her glass and struggling to meet his gaze.

"So, Fluttershy. We haven't spoken much since our little run-in," said Miles. He pulled a paper towel from the pocket of his shirt and wiped at the condensation forming around the outside of his glass. Twilight watched him do this with curiosity.

"Y-Yes... We haven't..." muttered Fluttershy.

"Well, I do hope there are no hard feelings between us. I am sorry for being inappropriate at the time." Another wipe.

"Oh, n-no!" said Fluttershy, a little too loudly. Her voice then lowered. "Uhm, I mean, you don't need to be sorry. I may be a little shy, but I still know a joke when I hear one." Twilight looked at Fluttershy as she spoke, her expression neutral and unsurprised.

Twilight jolted ever so slightly, however, as she felt Miles looking at her from the corner of his eye. It was at this moment that she made a realisation. Her neutral expression transformed to one of forced surprise and confusion.

Miles closed his eyes and listened to the gentle twinkle of Twilight's magic surrounding her glass. He smiled softly to himself as he made a realisation of his own.

Twilight spoke to Fluttershy, doing her best to control her stuttering. "Joke? What joke?" She turned her eyes to address Miles, the ensuing eye contact searing her retinas like a staring contest with the sun. "Sorry ab-bout what?"

"Oh, it's nothing serious, Twilight. Miles just made a joke back then about how close Discord and I are, and I got a bit embarassed about it. That's all," mumbled Fluttershy.

"Yes, indeed," said Miles. "I was being insensitive. I still offer my apologies, regardless." Twilight breathed a sigh of relief once freed from Miles's gaze. She felt glad to have salvaged that blunder.

Fluttershy giggled into her glass and swallowed a sip of cool water. Miles offered out his hand with his palm facing upwards. Fluttershy wiped a hoof on her fur to clear it of condensation from her glass and reached over to Miles, allowing him to cup her hoof and gently bow his head. She smiled with appreciation at the gesture.

Twilight watched this interaction with an expression almost as transparent as the glass held in her magical aura. She watched Miles soothingly rub Fluttershy's hoof with a thumb just before he pulled away. Something in her brain began to writhe in protest, causing her to huff and sit back into the sofa.

Miles and Fluttershy shared a look across the table. The human cocked an eyebrow in apparent confusion, while Fluttershy smiled awkwardly. It was once Fluttershy noticed the extremely quiet mumbles from Twilight and the occasional glance she would send Fluttershy's way that the butter-yellow mare knew it was time to take her leave.

The warm orange glow of the autumn evening sunset spilled through the windows, bathing the barren room with its fallen sunlight. Fluttershy took this as an opportunity to make her leave, and so she hastily finished the last of her glass before delicately placing it on the coffee table. Condensation dripped down and permeated the fresh, beige wood of the tea table, deepening its colour around the base of the glass. Miles's eyes widened and he pulled at his collar with a concealed frown.

Fluttershy hopped off of the sofa with a graceful flap of her soft wings. Once her hooves gently clopped against the carpet, she said, "Well, I suppose I had better be getting back. Angel won't be happy if I miss his dinner time." She giggled and stole a glance at Twilight, who was now looking at her with a smile. Fluttershy was not one to miss its slight strain, however.

"That is understandable, Fluttershy. I'm sure we can catch up again soon," said Miles. He stood from his seat and made his way past her. Fluttershy appeared confused for a moment until she stepped out into the hallway and saw him opening the front door for her. The warm light spilled through the entryway, its glow framing the man's jawline as it cascaded through the bristles of his stubble. He leaned against the doorframe with a gentle smile as he waited patiently.

Fluttershy troted past him, turning once she reached the bottom of the porch. Twilight appeared in the doorway next to Miles. The mares smiled at each other and Twilight said, "Thanks for helping us with the house, Fluttershy. I know it isn't usually your kind of thing, so it means a lot." She turned to make her way back inside. "See you later." Her voice was soft.

Fluttershy briefly flicked her eyes between the pair and then began walking away. "Goodbye, Twilight," she said. "A-And Miles..." She waved over at the pair one last time before the door clicked shut.

Twilight stepped back into the living room and reclaimed her seat. Miles followed shortly thereafter and did the same. She noticed that Miles's paper towel from earlier had been placed beneath her glass on the tea table. Miles's glass sat, having been wiped completely clean. Miles leaned over and picked up Fluttershy's glass, stacking it inside his own. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out another paper towel. Twilight remained silent as he wiped the circular water stain from beneath Fluttershy's glass. He rubbed at it, and yet the stain remained. His brow furrowed.

Twilight smiled at him and with a flash of her horn, the stain was gone. He looked up at her with surprise, yet soon found his smile matching her own. "Thankyou, Twilight," he whispered.

"Oh, it's no problem..." She looked down and off to the side, wondering what to say next. "So, do you think you can make it work?"

"Hmm?"

"Y'know... The house. Do you think you can make it a home?" She gave him what she thought was her best winning smile. It was one she had practiced in the mirror for hours. It was a smile she had rigorously and mathematically ensured was precisely the kind of smile a stallion would adore. If Miles's expression was any indication to her, the veracity of her results was all but assured.

Miles chuckled. "Yes, I think I can, Twilight. It will not take long to put the finishing touches on the interior." He licked his lips and pointed to her glass. "Would you like another drink?"

"Oh, no. I'm fine, thanks." She didn't take her eyes off him. What more was she missing? "Did you read that book I gave you?"

"Ah, yes. I did, actually. I finished it last night." Miles leaned forward in his seat, demanding her attention. Not that he didn't have it already. "I meant to ask you a few things about that. I must say, magic is an absolutely fascinating subject."

"Yes, it is!" Twilight shouted. She quickly placed a hoof to her lips and coughed. "S-Sorry... Yeah, it is." Miles laughed.

"Well, if you're interested in magic, imagine how interesting it is for me, having come from a world bereft of it completely. To be quite honest, depsite the ridiculous things I have seen since I arrived here, I find time travel to be a bit of a stretch." Twilight's eyes widened to orbs, practically glowing with childlike excitement.

"Well, all I can tell you is that it's possible! I have a story about that, actually," She giggled. "But another time, perhaps. Anyway, now that you have the entire history of magic in Equestria covered, what more do you want to know?!" Twilight leaned across towards him, her front hooves resting on the edge of the table in order to keep her upright. Had her excitement been any more obvious, and her coat framed by a deeper, more masking orange light, Miles could easily have mistaken her for Pinkie Pie.

Miles placed the heel of one leg above the knee of the other as he settled back into his seat. "Well, for one, I find the idea of non-magical creatures wielding magic to be exciting. I know that only very basic spells are possible, but it still piques my interest. Would you tell me more about that?"

"Of course!" Miles's smile gradually grew lopsided as the purple princess began enthusiastically sharing her special interest with him. "The book I gave you mentioned that it was possible, but not how. Put simply - spells can be stored in spellstones, which can be crushed and used when needed by anyone. This includes non-magic users." Twilight raised a hoof at nothing, as though she were pointing to a blackboard. Miles stifled a laugh. "There are several other methods, but they're generally either less reliable or less ethical."

Miles raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh? Like what? Does this have anything to do with the magical leeching I read about with the centaur villain you defeated? Tirek, was it?" He gave her a wink.

Twilight rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly and continued. "Y-Yeah, sort of. But not exactly like that..." Twilight trailed off, suddenly appearing hesitant.

Miles leaned forward once again, his face alight like a Hearthswarming tree. "Not like that...? Is there more to it?" Miles's eager, innocent expression and Twilight's desire to share her special interest overwhelmed any wondering her mind did to her friend Discord. She had known Miles for months now; there was no reason not to share these things with him. If he found them so interesting, who was she to deny learning to an eager student?

Twilight discreetly jostled her head. She needs to stop overthinking things. A good friend trusts her friends, after all. "Well, I'm sure you read about Grogar and his distant past in Equestria." Miles nodded eagerly, causing Twilight to grin once again. "Well, he once had a great power similar to Tirek's; however, he instead used a bewitching bell to steal magic from other creatures and take it for himself in its purest form."

"Oh, I see. So it is a direct transfer of power, then. As in, abilities one to one? The book mentioned the bell, but not exactly how it works." Miles struggled to contain his now very genuine excitement.

"That's exactly right. He couldn't take magic from the bell without taking all of the magic from the bell. He either took all of it, or none of it. It also required a specific spell in order to activate it. I believe it's all explained in further detail in Dark Magic: A History of Equestria's Forbidden Arts."

Miles reigned himself in for a moment. "Well, that sounds quite interesting, yet somewhat intimidating." He laughed bashfully, causing Twilight's shoulders to relax. "So, I think I will stick to learning about quaint spellstones before I learn about the 'dark magic' to stay away from. I quite like the idea of performing simple spells for fun."

Twilight saw a twinkle in his eye - a twinkle that resounded in her mind, producing images of herself as a young filly, desperate for knowledge and basking in the joy of magical discovery and experimentation. Her legs twitched and she once again bit her lip as she peered at Miles through her bangs.

He looked over at her and they both froze for a moment, neither saying a word. Twilight flushed, yet noticed he was looking not at her, but through her. He smiled and winked with a small grin. Twilight furrowed her brow.

As quickly as it started, it was over, and Miles's gaze returned to her in full.

Twilight looked behind her and out of the window, yet saw nothing. "Miles?"

"Hmm? Oh, I am sorry, Twilight," he said. "I got lost for a moment there; thought I saw something." He folded his arms across his chest. "Anyway, would you care to teach this human a thing or two about performing magic?"

Twilight paused for a brief moment and then perked up once again. "Of course! I have some spellstones back at the castle. I can show you how they work!"

"Wonderful," hummed Miles. "It's not dangerous, is it?" Twilight shook her head. "Well, before I end up killed by a magical mishap, you should know that we humans have very potent resilience." Twilight listened intently. "Should we be brought to near death, we briefly gain an overwhelming durability and strength in order to exact our revenge before passing on."

"R-Really? That's incredible!" Twilight clearly wanted to learn more, but held herself back. he had made a request of her, after all.

"Yes, I believe that biologically, it is supposed to help protect offspring in the case of an attack, or something along those lines. Not too much is known about it, but many believe it to be a spiritual power." Miles leaned across and collected the glasses from the table as he casually said this. He stood to his feet and hummed, "There - now our exchange of knowledge is not so one-sided, eh?"

Twilight followed suit and chirped, "Well, I'll make absolutely sure we don't have to test that. You're in safe hooves. Let's go put our parts together and I'll show you some magic!"

Miles coughed out a barking laugh and ruffled her mane as he walked off into the kitchen with the glasses. Twilight appeared confused for a moment, but soon realised what she had just said.

Her tail tucked between her legs and she stammered, "I-I meant heads! Let's p-put our heads together! So that I can share my knowledge with you!" She received no response, and so started to shuffle from hoof to hoof. "But I was also thinking about... P-Parts that I'll need to tell you about so that I can show you how to do the thing with the spellstones and-"

Miles stepped back into the room and stopped her speedy rambling by clamping her muzzle shut. "Twilight. We can go play with your parts, no problem." Twilight's eyes widened and her tail flicked once again. She looked at the hand clamped over her muzzle and then up at him with a mixture of hope and embarassment. "Let's get going. I'm extremely eager to learn about using these parts for spellcasting." Her features quickly sagged.

She followed Miles out of the door with her wings covering her eyes and her cheeks on fire.