Trial and Error: Second Edition

Chapter the Twenty-Third: Return to Ponyville

When he woke up the next morning, Kai was delighted to find that Fluttershy was lying next to him. She had stitched together a mattress during her stay, and had been sleeping on it for the past week. Now it had moved from her bed to the floor right next to it. While she wasn't happy to be returning to bundles of rags for her bed, she would rather have Kai sleep on it while he recovered.

Seeing that she was still asleep, he stood up and quietly exited the room. He woke Usu, who had been sleeping in Kai's bed, and the two went down to the kitchen. "Alright, Usu, I need your help. I promised Fluttershy a nice breakfast today. She and I both know I don't know how to cook anything good."

"Is that why she does all of the cooking?" yawned Usu.

"Yes. Now it's my turn. I plan to make good on those words, but I can't do it alone."

Usu nodded. "Let's see what we have, then."

Their remaining stock of ingredients was beginning to run low. There was mayhaps a half cup of flour, a few potatoes, two eggs, a single apple, a container of vegetarian sausages, some bagels, a quarter of an onion, some spinach and a lump of cheese. There was also a bit of butter, as well as salt and pepper.

"I have a plan." smiled Usu. "Shred and rinse those potatoes. We're making latkes."

Kai did as he was told. In the meantime, Usu finely chopped the onion and mixed it with the flour and the eggs. He added salt and pepper for flavor, then tossed the butter into a pan to melt down. When Kai was finished with the potatoes, he was tasked with peeling and chopping the apple for applesauce.

Even though the garbanzo sausages were safe to eat raw, they were better when fried. The pan was quite large, large enough to fry the latkes, the apples and the sausages at the same time. Though to Kai's surprise, Usu flattened the sausages from links into patties.

The latkes and patties were cooked, the bagels toasted, and the cheese sliced. Into the bagels went the cheese, sausage patties and the spinach. The latkes were served on the side, with applesauce. "That should make a lovely breakfast," smiled Usu.

"I hope it's good enough."

"It smells nice, whatever it is," Fluttershy said from the doorway.

After a lovely breakfast, the three of them packed up their belongings. Usu, knowing he would be in full view, donned a wig, scarf, and a pair of spectacles. Kai would be wearing his cloak. He only needed to cover his face and wings. Fluttershy had no need to hide, but she still wore the cloak she had worn last night.

"When we go into town," said Usu, smoothing down his false mane, "I need you to refer to me as Turnkey. That's my alias. If you say my real name, it could draw the guards down on us."

Kai nodded. "If anypony asks, You were both involved in a secret project. You signed a document stating that you can't tell anypony what it was."

"That's an NDA." Explained Usu. "A Non-disclosure agreement."

"Right. Nopony needs to know the specific details."

"So when we return," Fluttershy cut in, "Kai and Key, you two are going to take care of my home. As much as I would rather do it myself, it's my turn to visit the spa. I haven't had a bath in a month."

Kai nodded again. "We follow that up with a trip to the market to restock your kitchen and pantry."

"And when that's finished, we all go out to dinner, with Kai paying the bill," added Usu.

They all nodded in agreement and headed out. As Kai couldn't carry anything, Fluttershy carried his saddlebags and Usu carried the mattress Kai had slept on the night prior, rolled up and tied together. It was fairly small for a mattress, and while not necessarily portable, it was easy enough to carry for an hour or so.

The group made their way through the forest with Kai as their guide. He had made the most trips along this path, and was therefore most qualified to follow it. The trip was fairly quick, completed in under an hour. Once at the edge of the forest, it was a only a short jaunt back to Fluttershy's cottage. Only Kai and Usu went in, however, as Fluttershy started into town.

Halfway through Kai's chores, Twilight showed up. "You weren't here yesterday," she said, quickly descending on him. "Why is that?"

Kai pulled up the edge of his cloak. Not enough to show his couplers, but enough to show the bandages across his chest. "I was injured. I'm feeling much better now."

Twilight was shocked. She tried to look closer, but Kai had dropped his cloak. "What happened?"

"Just some guy with a knife,"answered Kai. "Nothing to worry about, really. I just need a few days' rest."

Twilight's brow furrowed. "Then why aren't you resting?"

"I'm almost done. Just because I'm hurt doesn't mean I can let all these animals go hungry."

"That's all well and good that you're taking such care of them, but I don't think Fluttershy would want you to be overexerting yourself when injured this badly."

"I have help." Kai pointed to Usu, who was in the back, doling out grain from a large sack. "What's more, I'm told that Fluttershy should be returning some time today. In fact, she's graciously allowed me to stay at her residence until my wounds are healed."

"Now that sounds like the Fluttershy I know," smiled Twilight.

At that moment, Fluttershy came around the bend where she and Kai had met. She was freshly bathed and groomed, her mane and tail trimmed back to their normal length. To Twilight, she just looked like regular Fluttershy. In Kai's eyes, she had never been more beautiful. She wasn't covered in a thin layer of dust, nor cast in shadow. Her colours were vibrant and stunning. Her wings caught the sun, making her seem to glow. But the most beautiful thing of all was that, despite all that he had put her through, she had only kindness to give him.