Underwelming, Overwhelming
"Yawn, I'm definitely not sleeping tonight," I mumbled while rubbing my eyes.
The drowsiness of waking up made me shake my head. There was some bright light blinding me, I assumed it to be my monitor's screen. It took a few blinks. But I managed to make my eyes adapt to the incoming light. I had to squint my eyes a bit to identify what I was looking at.
Leaves? Why am I looking at a bunch of leaves? I mused while staring at the foliage that had just about enough room to let light peek through at my face. And what is up with this magenta wig in front of my eyes? I inquired while trying to wipe the strands away. That was when I saw it.
My hand looked like a dark gray hoof. Moreover, the dark gray hoof moved as I commanded. Looking at the rest of my body, I saw a thin barrel with long legs and a magenta tail. Imagining myself rolling around, I had my belly on the ground while I kept staring at my chest. There was grass underneath me. Picturing myself standing on all fours, I rose from the ground while keeping my eyes to the dirt. I could feel the dirt beneath my hooves. And there was a sharp pain at the base of my neck. I had felt something similar when I cut my fingers before.
"Ok, I feel stuff. So, I am awake," I mumbled before raising my head and looking at the tree trunk in front of me. "The data thing was true," I whispered while the information processed in my head. Like an egg clock, there was a sudden click, followed by an alarm, and something finally came out of my mouth. "WHAT DO I DO NOW!?"
"Hey there, calm down now. Everything is ok," A somewhat familiar voice said from behind me.
Looking behind me, I could see a gigantic mess of colorful blurs behind two ponies I could see clearly. One of them was Applejack, and the other was Big Machintosh. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together.
I'm in the Apple Family Farm. WHY AM I HERE?! And why can't I see?! Did I lose my glasses? Why am I still short-sighted? Isn't the whole point of another body to throw away that kind of stuff?
"Listen, we found you on the road. You were out cold. So, we picked you up and brought you here to the farm," Applejack said while taking off her hat. "We were going to take you off the cart slowly. But the wheel broke, and we lost control of the cart. Then, you went flying and hit a tree. We are mighty sorry about that," She explained while her brother kept nodding.
"Ye-ep."
I didn't answer since I was too busy with bringing myself to calm down. One minute home, the next in the middle of a dirt road in another world. That was not normal. THAT WAS NOT NORMAL. I felt something rolling down my neck. With a glance, I saw a small red stream rolling down my chest. The two brothers must have noticed it too. Because Aj came quickly to check on it while Big Mac ran into the house only to come back in a rush with a box that had the first aid symbol on it.
"Stand still there partner. We'll clean that up and have you patched up in no time," Aj said while picking up the bandages and bottle of hydrogen peroxide from the box. She splashed the back of my neck with that stuff. This caused me to wince at the sharp sting as the wound got cleaned. Then, Aj wrapped the bandages around my neck before tying them tightly. "There, all better."
"T-Thank you," I said as the sudden sting cleared my mind enough for me to speak.
"Right! You had some things on you!" Aj said while rushing to the cart. She returned with a pair of glasses and a necklace that looked familiar. After putting them on her hoof, Aj offered them to me. "Ah, don't know why you carry such a weird necklace. But here ya go."
It took some effort, but I managed to put the glasses on as well as the necklace. And just as one would have expected, the rest of the blurs behind them were the other members of the Apple Family. I felt disappointed with the fact that my bad eyesight followed me back to a new world and body. As for the necklace, it was the same one as the picture I had received from my brainstormer. A pendant with a slid pupil and blue and green iris hanging from a regular chain. Luckily, it was smaller than the picture.
"Thank you. And sorry about the scare," I said while running my hoof over the bandages. "Thank you for the bandages. My name is," I paused for a brief moment while bringing my hoof to my head. That was when I noticed the lack of a horn, and since I had no wings on my barrel when I first looked at it, I concluded I was an earth pony. I could not express my disappointment as I finally managed to reach a world with magic and lacked the means to cast it. The no-flying thing was also a big let-down. Seeing as my coat reminded me of coal a bit, and my mane was between magenta and red, I decided on my name. "Velvet Coal. Sorry about that, my head is a bit hazy."
Aj looked worried for a moment before putting on a smile. "I'm Applejack. But almost everyone calls me Aj. This one here is Big Machintosh. We call him Big Mac for short. And back there we have," And thus, began a complete listing of all their relatives present at the time. Like in the show, they had about enough ponies to create a small settlement. But, my little brain got stuck over a stupid detail that shouldn't bother me as much as it did.
She keeps mentioning "everyone" and "no one" without using the word "pony" at the end of those terms. I blame these thoughts on my OCD. Everything up that point was a copy-paste thing straight from the show. So, I thought that detail would also appear.
"And this here is Apple Bloom," Aj said as she presented her little sister. Realizing that the presentation was over, I turned my attention to the size of the little filly. Emphasis on little, there was no way of putting it lightly, I was tall. About as tall as Big Mac, but nowhere near as burly.
"Hello!" Apple Bloom said while waving her little hoof.
"H-hi," I said while waving back. Apple Bloom smiled before hopping back to the group of ponies composed mainly of mares. "So, is this the famous Sweet Apple Acres?"
"Famous? Ah, wouldn't call it that," Aj said while scratching the back of her neck. "Ah, mean it's a big piece of land. But, nothing much to talk about."
"But, isn't the Apple family the biggest provider of Apple products in Equestria?" I added with a tilt of my head.
I remember Aj boasting about their products and such. Why would she be humble about it?
"Now you're just being nice," Aj said while waving a hoof as Big Mac smirked at the reaction she had.
"Ok. Um, I guess I should head to town. And look for a place to...right. I am broke," I mumbled while tapping my hoof against my chin. "I don't suppose you know of a place I can pass the night, do you?" I inquired.
"We have a guest room. The rest of the family usually sleeps in their traveling carts," Aj suggested while Big Mac seemed to be very entertained by the conversation.
"I can't impose. Sorry, but I'll look somewhere else. You already have a lot of ponies here to handle. So, thank you for the offer, but I'll look for another place to stay without being a hindrance. Thank you," I replied while looking at the road. "But would you be so kind as to?"
"You can help us with cooking. We have a lot of dishes to prepare for a big party. That way you pay for your stay, sounds fair?" Aj persisted with a stern tone.
I can make basic sweets. But other than that, my food is pretty bland. I don't think that's a good idea. Wait, big party? When did I land? Nevermind, first things first. Do not get this mare angry.
"Do you think it's a good idea? My cooking skills are mediocre, at best," I mumbled before Aj walked up to me.
"You're not going to wander off alone without a place to stay. We injured you and you were unconscious on the road. So, you're helping us," Aj argued while poking my chest with her hoof. Her glare made me recoil a bit as she seemed ready to throw a jab at me if I tried to argue again. And I was well aware of how strong earth ponies were. A jab from her would probably break my sternum.
"Ok," I said with a defeated sigh as my ears dropped.
"Good. Ah, am not leaving an injured pony walking around when we could help. Ain't that right folks?" Aj asked the rest of the family. Their response was an honest collective nod. With a satisfied look on her face, Aj trotted towards the group before speaking again. "Now, let's start working everyone!"
"YEAH!" The group replied collectively before they started kicking the trees and picking up utensils in their wagons.
I stood there in confusion as the rest of the ponies went on to their maddening, organized mess. I can say with certainty that I was overwhelmed by how things progressed at that point. I woke up in a different world and body. Met with one out of six heroes that will basically save this said world. Got refuge in the new world. Moreover, I was in the middle of a HUGE family reunion. Moreover, I was underwhelmed by my body and features. I didn't feel stronger, I didn't feel smarter, I didn't feel magical. I felt, normal. I felt like I always been, the background character that does things on his own. I felt someone poking my shoulder and looked at the bulking pile of muscles that was Big Mac.
"H-hi," I said while shrinking in my tiny frame. If that thing decided to poke me with a tad bit of force, I'm sure he would snap my spine in two while turning my bones into dust.
"Hello. I have a question, are you a mare or a stallion?" He inquired while taking a seat at a decent distance from me.
OH, GOD, NO. Oh, it's down there. What is this about? It's visible. Is he pranking me or something?
"I'm a stallion. But, why do you ask? Can't you see?" I asked while tilting my head and pointing at the space between my legs.
"I don't go around looking at the stuff between other pony's legs," Big Mac answered with a frown.
"Oh, so that's impolite" I whispered while holding my chin. "Sorry about that. I thought you two would have seen it considering you two lifted me and carried me in the wagon."
"We can't see those parts unless we are trying to see them. That's common sense, did you hit your head before we found you?" Big Mac shot back while pointing his hoof at me.
I think I might have. WHY DO YOU TALK SO MUCH!? Also, how does that hiding thing work?
"Not that I know of?" I replied with uncertainty.
"Well, it's good to run into another stallion in these parts," Big Mac said in almost a whisper. "Be careful. If those mares over there hear about it, they might make a move on you," He warned while paying attention if anyone was around.
Oh, no. Is this a reverse gender role or something? I don't want to end up as someone's little pet. My self-esteem is bad enough as it is.
"Thanks for the warning," I said while letting out a sigh.
"Be mindful of some stallions too. Don't get me wrong. But it's kinda hard to tell if you're he or she," Big Mac said with a bit more concern. "There are some stallions like that. And sometimes they get into trouble because of it."
Do I really look like a mare?
"Um, ok," I said while looking at my body and then at his. The difference in our frames was ridiculous. But then, another difference struck me, my voice. "What about my voice? Can't you tell if it is from a stallion?"
"I wouldn't bet on that. Some mares have voices as deep as mine. And some stallions with voices as soft as Fluttershy," Big Mac replied with a strange look on his face.
Oh, my god. What the hell is up with this place? Wait, did he just assume I know Fluttershy or something? Nah, he probably threw a random example without thinking much.
"So, what do I do now?" I asked while turning my attention to the ponies moving around and setting up cooking stations. Glancing at Big Mac, he had a smirk on his face as he chuckled.
"You should really be careful. Look at the other stallions. Like those two over there," Big Mac said while pointing at two ponies that I knew about. Twins that I wanted to plant my hooves on their faces repeatedly until their faces were on the back of their skulls. I called them "bacon brothers" since their manes remembered me of cartoon bacon.
"They're...peeling apples. Wait, why are they eating them? Isn't it for a recipe?" I asked while screaming at myself a much more important question. HOW ARE YOU HOLDING A KNIFE?! There is no aura around your horns!
"Those are the types that just sit back. Then we have Braeburn over there," Big Mac said while pointing at the pony with a leather vest and a cowboy hat.
"He is beating up the dough," I said bluntly.
"That's an active stallion. Most stallions are between those two extremes and act as commanded. Therefore, not completely laid back, but not exactly active. The ones like those two are not very well received or treated. While the ones like Braeburn tend to pull the spotlight to them. You should see the line of mares trying to get him," Big Mac explained before getting up. "Just try to see where you fit. And think of how it will draw attention to you."
"Um, Thanks?" I mumbled while watching the ponies working hard.
Is that supposed to discourage me from trying to help or something? I mused while my gaze drifted to a large bucket full of apples. With gears grinding in my brain, I trotted up to it. I could still remember how ponies would lift those things using their muzzles and toss them to their backs. Pushing my nuzzle underneath the bucket, I ended up tilting the bucket and spilling the apples on the ground.
"Damn it," I mumbled while using my hoof to put the bucket back in the right position. Then using both my front hooves, I picked the apples and tossed the apples back in.
"What are you doing?" Apple Bloom asked while I continued my chore.
"Um, picking the apples I dropped. I tilted the bucket while trying to get it on my back," I explained while placing the final apple back in.
"Why didn't you bite the stem to throw them back? It would have been easier than picking one by one with your hooves," Apple Bloom said before doing what she suggested to an apple I missed.
"Oh, I thought that touching the apples with my mouth would be anti-hygienic," I retorted while blinking a few times at the "what are you talking about" face Apple Bloom had on her.
"We don't use the stems. So, they are free game. And, does that word mean dirty or something like that?" Apple Bloom asked before I planted my forehead on my hoof for using a complicated word with a child.
"Yeah," I said before staring at the bucket. I decided to bite one of the handles and then lift it. That thing was heavy and I felt my cut stinging while I tried to lift the thing. I felt my neck getting strained a bit before managing to put it on my back. "Wow! You're strong, Mister!"
I froze in place while staring at Apple Bloom for a second. "You know I'm a he?"
"Well," Apple Bloom said before stopping and looking over her shoulder. "Big Mac wouldn't have sat and talked to you for very long if you were a mare."
"Why?" I asked tilting my head. Her response was covering her mouth before letting out a nervous giggle and trotting away. "Ok. Don't let that bother you," I mumbled while trotting towards the cooking stations. "It's going to bother me for the rest of the day now," I muttered under my breath before approaching Granny Smith. "Um, do you know where I should drop these?"
"O-oh, WHat?! Oh, Hello there, dear. Are you a friend of Applejack? You look so thin, little filly," Granny said almost screaming at me.
I should have seen that coming.
"Sorry to disturb you! I'll see if anyone needs these apples! You can go back t sleep!" I said loudly as Granny nodded before laying back on her rocking chair and falling asleep.
I started trotting around and asking if they needed some apples. Everyone seemed to have what they needed, and they were very polite to decline them. That is until I got to where Applejack was rolling the dough.
"Hey there, Vel," Aj greeted while keeping her work running. I frowned at the nickname, but I don't think she noticed it. "Are you carrying those for someone else?" WHERE IS THE "PONY" PART?!
"No. I'm checking who needed the apples."
"Can you peel them for me? Three apples should do the trick," Aj asked as I gulped while looking at the apples. "What is it?"
"Um, where do I get myself a knife?" I replied before grabbing the basket and putting it back down.
"You're not a unicorn to try and use a knife to peel an apple," Aj said with a worried tone. "Just put the apple on that peeler over there, I'll show you how to use it."
Nodding, I picked three apples and placed them on the table Aj was working on. Meanwhile, Aj brought an apparatus that had three parts. One of which was a rotating table with a nail at the center and a curved blade the right shape for the apples. The second was a pair of pedals that had a poley system that connected to the rotating plate. And the third part looked like a box filled with blades.
"Ok. Now, you get one of those and stick it to the nail. Make sure the core is aligned with it. Great, now, you gently hit the sides of the apple to make the apple stick there. Good, now you sit over here and start pumping the pedals while pressing the blade towards the apple to adjust to the apple's size. Once you're done, push the box down, and it will slice the apples," Aj said while guiding me step by step before returning to the dough.
That's a handy tool. Good to know they have some tools for messing around with food and other stuff.
I did mess up a bit on the first two apples. Applying a tad too much pressure, I removed a piece of the apples. The third apple was the only one to lose a chunk of its body. And I became very afraid of how sharp the blades in the box were. They sliced the apples like they a knife on hot butter. I didn't even feel the resistance when I sliced them.
"Good partner!" Aj exclaimed while I fell backward and had to roll around to get back up. "Where were you at? Visiting the mare in the Moon?"
"Oh, no. Just focused, I guess," I replied while brushing off the dirt from the bandages.
"Well, get that focus of yours and beat up this dough, and then roll it. The last one got too frail. It would ruin the pie," Aj said while pushing a bowl to me. "Ah, will tell you when to stop."
"Ok," I replied automatically before sitting in front of the bowl and beginning the task.
As I beat the dough to a pulp with my hooves, I began to think.
I went from being a human to a pony. I woke up in a body that has no similarities to my own. I got wounded. I have a place to stay, for now. But I won't have shelter for long. I have a cut on my back I don't know how long it will take to heal. The stuff I was studying is useless in this place. Anatomy lessons went out of the window. I'm broke. I don't even know if I can read things here.
Right, so, let's try to think here about more pressing matters. I don't know if this is permanent, or just a temporary issue. In either case, I need to think that I'm in this for the long run. And in that case, priorities. First, getting a job. Getting a job will give me the means to secure temporary lodging and necessities. Anything will do as long as it's basic. Don't try to bite more than you can chew. Second, Verify the language in which things are written here. Knowing if I am illiterate will allow me to seek proper education and stop me from signing things I can't read.
Third, securing permanent lodging. This one is self-explanatory. But it is definitely the last item to be done. Lodging implies in furniture and other basic things to even live in one, which means more expenses. So, I'll need to save up on things. Or I can start with a rental room or house. And, is this going to work like the dream? Because if it does, I just have to wait it out until we reach the Tirek fight. Then I'll be back. Although, I don't think that is going to happen. Oh, well, It's not like it's all bad. Aside from the eventual bad guy, this place is probably safer than my world.
"Thanks for the help, partner!" Aj said snapping me out of the trance. "Ah'll just put this on the oven and we will see if the recipe came out alright. Got to make sure everything we prepare for the party is just right."
"Understood," I replied in a monotone voice while staring at the table.
I sometimes forget that the screws on my head are a bit loose. Why don't I feel anything? I should be crying. I should be scared. I should be worried about my family getting the news on my disappearance in a locked room crime. But here I am, thinking of the steps to rebuild. Why can I disconnect so easily from others?
"You're ok there partner?" I responded with a nod. "You don't look so good."
"Ah, don't worry," I said while staring at the peeler's blade. "Just thinking about stuff. What do we do now?"
"Well, we wait, the pie is baking," Aj said as I turned my attention to the table.
"Right," I said while staring at the patterns in the wood. "Thanks again for the help. And the lodging."
A brief moment of silence between us. Only the sound of tools, fire crackling, and ongoing conversations around us made me think that time hadn't halted. In my head, I began to make images form on the patterns of the wood. Then, I started to imagine songs in the back of my head as the background noise slowly faded into nothing. I felt as if I was in complete silence. My vision slowly lost color as only the area I had my focus on gained vibrant colors, and it started to move as if it was made of liquid.
"Hey, HEY!" Applejack said while waving her hoof in front of my eyes. Shaking my head sideways, I turned my attention to her before tilting my head inquisitively. "You are really out of it. Do you need to rest?"
Well, it's comforting to know everyone is as kind as in the show. I mused with a soft smile.
"Nah, if I go to sleep now," I said before making a brief pause to look at the sky. Based on the color, it looked like we were reaching the end of the afternoon. "I won't be able to sleep at night. I might even wake up in the middle of the night."
"Say, why were you in the middle of the road?" Aj asked after a brief pause.
"I'm pretty sure I was dumped there by something," I replied bluntly. Coming up with an excuse for that would get worse the more the others started to ask. "One minute I'm in my home, the next hello tree."
"What? Were you kidnapped or something?" Aj asked while I tapped the table rhythmically.
"You can say that. I was taken from one place to another against my will," I said while tracing the patterns on the wood.
"Why, we need to tell the guards! Where do you live?" Aj asked while I waved dismissively.
"I doubt anyone can do anything. You can say that where I came from doesn't exist."
"Are you for real?" I nodded. "You're not from an asylum, are you?" I shook my head sideways. "Do you want to talk about it?" Aj pressed as I simply shook my head. "Ok."
"Thanks for understanding. I don't think it matters anyway," I said while putting on a smile. "Not like I can say I miss the place."
"Bad memories?" Aj asked as I chuckled.
"Everyone has bad memories now and then. But I can say without much thought that the good outweighs the bad. Plus, I kinda wanted to travel to somewhere new anyway," I replied before we heard the bell from the pie ring.
The conversation died there as we went on to eat the pie and pretty much every dish they had prepared for the night. It was quite the feast, and the food tasted good. The Apple family really knew their stuff when it came to cooking. But, it wasn't like the sort of thing I would read on the stories. I didn't have a moment of ascension because of how good the stuff was. I didn't feel as if I would never be able to eat food from my world again.
It was tasty food. That's about it. Reality is a thing, but you got to enjoy it. Even if it isn't what you build up in your head.
Aj didn't speak much to me either after that little chat. She led me to my room and went away. The bed was soft and warm. And it had a scent of apples and pears. It took me a while, but I managed to sleep after an hour or two. But not before staring at the moon and determining when I arrived.
Hello there, Nightmare Moon.
Opening my eyes, I could see something familiar. A scene from the show played out with enough realism to make me think I had jumped back in time now. Except, it was bloodier. I watched things from a distance, and couldn't hear the events clearly. But, I felt my chest get tighter. Especially when I saw what looked like a coffin. I knew that there was no coffin in the show. Because that was not how things played out.
Celestia was supposed to get up. She was supposed to get up and bring the elements out of their vault. My vision felt hazy. I felt something creeping up on my chest while I watched that. It hurt, it hurt more than getting stranded. It hurt. I don't know how or why, but I knew that the one behind that stary mane was hurting.
I looked down. The floor around me looked normal. I could see the stones and a carpet. But, something was lurking between the stones. It looked like the hazy mist from Nightmare Moon's fog form. A glance to the side and I could see her standing there. But she didn't seem to notice me. Her gaze was locked on the coffin and the one that had to be Luna. I felt pain again.
I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I tried it, again. Nothing came forth. I stretched my hoof towards her, and as I did, the thing on the floor pulled me away. But before I disappeared, Nightmare Moon's gaze seemed to soften a bit.
Opening my eyes, I felt as if my head was touching something wet. Rubbing my eyes, I got up and looked back on the pillow. It was soaked with tears.
Cry in your dreams since no one will remember seeing the tears. I mused before hearing knocking on my door.
"Hey! Vel! Breakfast is, are you ok?" Aj asked after opening the door and taking one look at me.
"Just fine," I said while getting up and putting on my glasses. "My eyes get teary whenever I stay without my glasses for too long. And I woke up earlier than I should. In short, my bad," I replied while trotting towards the door.
"Sure," Aj said with a frown.
"What's on schedule today?" I asked while walking past her.
"Today? Um, nothing really. We worked hard yesterday, so, today is a leisure day. Ah, was planning on heading to town for a stroll. Want to come?" Aj offered while I entered the bathroom to alleviate myself and clean my teeth. They had a liquid thingie that did that for you instead of a toothbrush. So, it didn't take long. On a side note, my eyes are purple now, I saw them before going to sleep on the previous night.
"It might be a good idea," I said while exiting the bathroom. "Getting acquainted with the town can't harm."
"Ok! We'll head there after breakfast. We have bread, a few apples, some juice, and some left-over cake," Aj said while walking towards the stairs.
"Hey, there Mr. Coal!" Apple Bloom shouted as soon as I appeared in the living room.
Aj glanced over to me before raising a brow. "A stallion?" I nodded. Aj replied to my response with a frown. "Ah, was wrong then," She mumbled before trotting to the kitchen.
That was a rather tame reaction. Good to know she is the calm type.
"How's the cut?" Big Mac asked while I took a seat by Apple Bloom.
"I can't feel it anymore. I think I'm ok."
"We can check it in the afternoon. The bandages are clean. So, there shouldn't be anything left there. As long as you don't push yourself and the wound should be ok," Big Mac replied before taking a sip of his coffee.
"Aren't we a chatter-box today?" Granny said while pouring me a glass of juice. "Did this filly over here get you all talkative?"
"I am a stallion, Granny Smith!" I said in her ear.
"Oh! So, you got a friend! That's good to hear!" Granny replied with a broad smile.
It seems this part of the family is pretty chill. Maybe the issue is with the rest of the family?
Breakfast went on quietly. I couldn't hear anyone outside. So, I assumed Aj's relatives were asleep. With our bellies full, Aj and I went outside. As I presumed, the family was fast asleep in their wagons.
They probably feel like a vacation. Well, I always felt like sleeping in when I went to travel. I mused as we gained the road to the city. The road was made of dirt. And there wasn't much to see besides the apple trees to our right, while the Everfree forest stood to our left. Aj kept humming while we trotted towards the town. As we grew closer to the town, the number of trees reduced little by little until all we could see were bushes and grass.
"Welcome to Ponyville," Aj said while we approached the sign naming the town.
"Friendliest place in Equestria, right?" I quipped as Aj replied with a nod.
"Once we get to Town Square, we can reach just about any place in town," Aj said as we approached the fountain with a pony standing on a pedestal. "That big building over there is Town Hall. That cupcake building over there, that's Sugar Cube Corner. Over there, you see Carousel Boutique," Aj said the last one while rolling her eyes.
"Something wrong with Carousel Boutique?" I asked while noticing Rarity flipping the sign in front of the store.
"No, the store is fine. It's Rarity. She isn't a bad pony, but she has a nasty habit of throwing things for free if someone throws her a sappy story," Aj said with a frown. She even crossed her arms and let out a huff while staring at the store. "She won't be able to hold her store if she gives things whenever someone asks with puppy eyes."
She did get swindled in Manehattan by that wannabe seamstress. No one mentioned anything about her being swindled before tough.
"I guess that her generosity is rivaled by her naivitée then? Why don't you call her out on it?" I offered as Aj let out a sigh in response. "Already tried, huh?" Aj nodded. "Does she have many clients?"
"Not really. Most of her income comes from custom orders from Berry Rich's wife, Spoiled Rich," Aj said while leaning back.
"Well, you warned her. Sometimes bad things need to happen to make someone change," I said while staring at Rarity clean the windows.
"Ah, just wish she didn't have to deal with that," Aj replied while leaning back.
"How about I do something stupid?" I said while getting up and bitting my bandages off.
"What are you doing?" Aj asked while going wide-eyed at the wound that was starting to heal.
"Something stupid," I said before throwing myself in a puddle of mud that was near us.
After that, I got up and forced a limp, and went towards the Carousel Boutique. I knocked on the door getting mud all over it, and then I fell in front of it.
"Hello? Oh, my STARS! Are you ok, darling?!" Rarity asked while I feigned difficulty breathing.
"Please, help," I said with a wheeze and coughing. A little fact about myself, I like to act. And I was part of the drama club. Never managed to be part of a play, since the club disbanded due to issues with the scheduled meetings.
"Of course, darling! Please, let me help you?!" Rarity said before letting out an eep as I stood straight up with a poker face and walked into the store without a limp. That caused the floors to get marked with mud and hoof marks. "Um, can I help?"
"Sure!" I said happily while rapidly raising my hoof, launching mud over her table. "I'm a baroness that got kidnapped from Canterlot, tossed in the road nearby, and got a cut on my neck after being hurt by a being slung at a tree. I need new clothes. But I also lost all of my money due to the kidnapping," I explained while showing the wound covered in mud that disguised the mid-healing process. The trashing in the mud opened it a bit allowing the blood to drip a bit.
Rarity looked ready to throw a bucket on my head. But when she saw the wound on my neck, she looked desperate. She quickly started to dash around and collect some clothes to match my mane and coat. She didn't even question me claiming to be a mare.
"Here! Take these for free! they should be more than enough to?!" I cut her midsentence while getting mud on her coat. "Why you!?"
"Ok. I got you annoyed enough," I said while getting up and walking to the door. "I was kidnapped. But I am not from Canterlot. I got wounded. But I'm ok, I opened this wound myself. I am broke. But I don't need to take things you made for free. I am a male. I am not of noble birth. I couldn't more of a peasant if I wanted to. I heard from someone that if you threw a sad story at your face you would give things for free. And it seems they were right. You should really watch out for the next pony that throws you a sad story to your face. I'll throw myself in the river and get this mud off. Then I'll be back to clean up this mess," I said before receiving a bucket filled with water to the face.
"Out of my boutique, now!" Rarity exclaimed while I nodded and trotted away.
"You are insane," Aj, who, based on her look, had watched the entire thing, said while I shook myself getting a bit of water on her. "You got off easy considering you hit her coat with mud."
"Not crazy. Stupid," I replied while tossing the water away from my hooves. "I doubt it will make much of a difference. But someone telling them they lied straight to her face should make her think twice before accepting all the sappy stories she hears," I added before looking over my shoulder. "Hope I didn't make an enemy with her right away."
"Just wait for her to cool off. Then both of us can go so you can make peace with her," Aj said while glancing at my shoulder. "We better get you to Red Heart. She will get that cleaned up and patch that cut in no time," I simply gestured her to lead the way.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to talk to Red Heart. She seemed stressed and worried about something and was quick to treat me and get us out of the hospital. Red didn't even put it on record. As far as the hospital was concerned, some bandages and sterilizing material just disappeared. I'm not sure why they spend entire bottles of peroxide on small cuts like this. Unless, infections are something deadly in this world, in that case, I would ask them to pour three bottles of that thing on it.
However, as soon as we exited the hospital I met with the third out of six ponies that would make this already safe world, safer. And what announced their arrival wasn't anything less than an explosion of confetti to my face.
"Hello! And welcome to Ponyville! Were you surprise?! Were you?! Were you?!" Pinkie pie asked while doing her bouncing thing.
"Very surprised. I appreciate the gesture," I said before a brief pause to take some of the confetti off my mouth. "But you should be more careful with that. If you do that to someone with a weak heart, they might have a heart attack," I added with a smile before shaking the confetti off my head.
"Silly! I would never use this unless I knew they could take it!" Pinkie said with her weirdness showing off.
"Well, good to know you have your research being that thorough. Keep it up!" I replied with a smile. Pinkie stopped and stared me in the eye for a few seconds.
"You're not going to ask how would I get that information?" Pinkie asked with a frown.
"That's your business and your business alone. Besides, you're not hurting anyone with it, so, what's the problem?" I answered while tilting my head.
Pinkie stared at me for a couple more seconds before chuckling. "You're weird. I like that! See you at the celebration tomorrow!" She said before zipping away leaving a puff of smoke with her shape behind her. I simply chuckled at the antiques.
"You adapted pretty quickly to Pinkie," Aj said while shaking the confetti from her hat. "Aren't you weirded out by her in the least?"
"Can you mention a single pony without anything weird about them?" I replied while brushing confetti out of a spot Aj missed on her head.
"Ah, am not weird at all," Aj said while I rolled my eyes at the memory of her talking a tree to sleep.
"And that is your perspective on the matter," I replied while trotting towards the town.
"Hey!" Aj shot back as I broke into a sprint. This led to me rolling downhill due to me tangling my legs and faceplanting on the road. "You get what you deserve!" Aj shouted before helping me get up.
"This is official Canterlot business. Please, stand clear of the security crew," An unfamiliar voice said while I got up.
A strange unicorn with a broken horn stood in the middle of the streets. Her coat was colored like wine and she had bright blue eyes. She wore a ring around her horn that created a spectral-looking horn. There was a scar over her right eye, and she wore a piece of armor that didn't match the usual brand of the Royal Guard. Her armor was deep blue with the only golden area being the symbol of the sun over her chest.
That's right. Twilight had a magical lighting rod in the library. Huh, Nightmare Moon's return must be close if they are preparing things for her.
"Good day, officer?" I said while brushing off the dust.
"My name is Tempest Shadow. Move aside civilian, I have a business to attend to," Tempest said while walking past us with a crew that was carrying a metal rod.
"She seems nice," I said while Aj kept staring at the unicorn. "Something wrong?"
"Just wondering what would have caused a wound like that," Aj replied before turning back to me. "Unicorn horns are very durable. They shouldn't snap like that."
"Well, she is a soldier, right? Maybe it's something she got during the line of duty. But does that matter?" I said while looking towards the library.
"Ah guess it doesn't matter."
And like that, we spend the rest of the day out and about. Ponyville didn't have too much in terms of sight-seeing. But I did have a chance to memorize some locales such as the spa, Quills and Sofas, Cheerilee's school, and the Flower Stands. Most ponies seemed to be out and about on their business to pay us any mind. Although, I did receive some curious glances from ponies crossing paths with us.
The day went on without much effort. For my grand adventure in a new world, that was probably the most underwhelming start I never imagined happening. But you won't see me complaining about a nice and peaceful start to get my bearings. As for my wound, I had them removed, and I wouldn't have to wear them anymore unless I did something stupid, again.
Little did I know though, that night I would be overwhelmed by a single question and an affirmation.
"Will you come to the Summer Sunset Celebration? Princess Celestia will be there to raise the sun for us this year!"
WHAT!? No. No-no-no-no-no! I don't have time to plan anything!!! Can I even help here? Should I help? The elements are all here but, WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?! I can't use magic. I don't know if things will work like in the show. Damn it! Why is all this happening all at once? Give me some time! I need more time!!!!
Author's Note
Ok.
Let's see how things evolve from here. Let me know what you think in the comments!!
Thanks for reading! Have a nice day!!!
I had no time to sleep. I spent the entirety of the night twisting in my bed. Hours upon hours of careful thinking meant nothing before all the unknown factors surrounding Nightmare Moon's Arrival. All I managed to come up with was the following.
I need to let things play out as before. I should only intervene should the need arrive or when some other factor comes into play. This is their story. I'm but a humble background character in their play. Therefore, as long as they stick to their roles, I shan't intervene. And this is my choice, the choice of the main character of my story. Yeah, right.
I reached that conclusion around two in the morning. I went to sleep after it, or that's what I call my attempts of calming my anxiety. Whenever I reached that level of anxiety, my sleep would be broken down into small naps of about ten to twenty minutes, followed by abrupt awakenings where I would have my eyes shot open in the dark. The short naps would be enough to keep me from being exhausted throughout the day. However, I would not be in peak performance.
Before Aj even had a chance to wake up, I had already been at the porch with my legs dangling through the railings. Things were about to go crazy for Equestria, but everyone was fast asleep. The sun would rise like always, and the sky would turn bright blue like always. Everything worked perfectly in harmony as the world continued with its little path.
I have no place in trying to intervene. I might as well watch things work. I have no magic to speak for. And, if I hadn't appeared in the middle of the road, I wouldn't have met Applejack at all.
Letting out a resigned sigh, I leaned forward on the railings while turning my attention to the sunrise. That was the first time I ever saw the sunrise. The pictures and art I had seen before didn't come close to the real deal. Smiling at the scenery before my eyes, I chuckled before muttering my thoughts under my breath as the sun slowly painted the fields with its orangish glow.
"Not that I mind living a peaceful life here."
The sun rose, and the rooster did its job to announce the coming of dawn. Unlike the previous day, all of the ponies started to get out of their carts and head to the cooking stations.
I bet they will prepare the dishes while setting up their breakfast.
"Early bird, eh?" Big Mac said from behind me as I nodded. "Anxious?"
"Who wouldn't with the Keeper of Harmony herself making an appearance for us?" I replied with disinterest.
"You couldn't sound more excited if you wanted to," Big Mac said with a smirk while taking a seat by my side.
"So, what do you all need me to do today?"
"Well, I had to go to the town square and guide a special guest around town today. However, since Granny Smith is a bit under the weather, would you mind going in my place while I do her part here?" Big mac said while imitating me. "This is a nice way to pass the time."
"Sure thing. Who am I looking for?" I replied while stretching my legs.
"You'll be looking for a lavender unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. According to the request we received, she will have a list of things to check on. Therefore, just guide her from place to place, and you'll be done in no time," Big mac explained while I got up and tried to wear off the stiffness.
So, Twilight was supposed to have a guide in that first episode? That's new. I concluded while measuring the height of the railings.
"Ok. No biggie," I replied while trying to hop over the railing. Something I succeded on, only to trip over a root of a nearby tree. "As long as it doesn't involve acrobatics, I think it will be ok," I added with a chuckle after brushing off the dirt.
"It should be ok," Big mac said with a smirk as I trotted away.
I was aware of what would happen as soon as Twilight came to the Farm, therefore, I didn't bother with breakfast. Moreover, it was somewhat exciting to meet another one of the main characters. Of the main six, she was the one I liked the most. The dorkiness, OCD, and awkwardness of certain moments in the show made me see a bit of myself in her.
The town was livelier than the previous day. I could see the other ponies moving around, the lazy clouds floating above my head as a certain pegasus napped on a cloud, a yellow pegasus guiding her birds through the town towards a spot in the nearby park, and Rarity carried her supplies to the Town Hall. I knew better than to poke a hornet's nest, therefore, I went to the fountain and took a sit to wait for the carriage.
However, there was a small detail that I overlooked. Twilight would have brunch with the Apple Family, not breakfast. Therefore, I had to wait on an empty stomach until around eleven-thirty in the morning. Twilight's carriage arrived as expected, pulled by two pegasus guards donning golden armor. However, there was a third passenger there. Tempest Shadow, the guard from the previous day, was on the carriage with Spike and Twilight.
Offering her hoof, she helped Twilight out of the carriage before taking her luggage and annexing it to what looked like a saddle. Getting up from my comfortable spot, I went to greet the group.
"Good morning," I greeted before Tempest positioned herself between us. "My name is Velvet Coal. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am here on Big Machintosh's behalf. His Grandmother, Granny Smith, isn't feeling too well. Therefore, he asked me to come here to serve as the guide for Mrs. Sparkle. I hope this isn't a problem," I explained while putting on a smile for both of them.
"This is irregular. If he had a problem, he should have contacted us. How can we confirm you are here on his behalf?" Tempest said while keeping her position between me and Twilight.
"Well, his sister, Applejack, gave me a tour of the town yesterday. You saw her when we had just left the hospital to check on my wound," I reasoned while pointing to my neck. "If you wish to confirm, you can accompany us to Sweet Apple Acres while we check on the banquet preparations."
Tempest stared at me for a couple of seconds while examining me from head to hoof. Letting out a sigh, Tempest took a step to the side. "Big Machintosh's grandmother is indeed an old mare. And you were with his sister yesterday. I will not hinder the procedures for the Celebration. Miss Sparkle, if there is any problem, do not hesitate to contact me," She said before trotting towards the library with the luggage on her back. "I'll be running security checks in the library and Town Hall."
"Thank you, Tempest," Twilight said while bowing her head before turning to me. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Coal."
"It's Mister, actually," I replied while adjusting my glasses. Twilight gasped before trying to apologize. I interrupted her by raising my hoof. "Don't worry about it. I already had others mistaking my gender. I don't mind, honest."
"Very well then," Twilight said while scratching the back of her neck. "Um, Spike, what is it we need to check?"
"Banquet preparations," Spike said while proudly holding the list and quill.
I miss my opposable thumbs.
"Those are being prepared in Sweet Apple Acres. I can get you two there. Follow me," I said while gesturing for them to follow me. After a couple of steps, I glanced back and saw Twilight and Spike standing behind me with confused expressions on their faces. "What?"
"You're not going to freak out or ask about me?" Spike asked while scratching his head with a quill.
"You came in with Miss Twilight, why would I be scared?" I answered while raising a brow.
"But, you're not going to comment about anything else?"
"You're a dragon. A fire-proof, fire-breathing, thick-scaled, and sharp-teethed creature that is pretty much a mystery to ponies since everyone is just afraid to approach them. Why would I be scared of you? It would make more sense to be curious," I replied bluntly. That was when it clicked.
I just sputtered a bunch of details that have not been mentioned, let alone explained by anyone up to this point. Good job on giving away that there is something off about you. In front of the smartest pony in Ponyville, nonetheless.
The two of them stared at me for several seconds in silence.
"Are you a dragon enthusiast?" Twilight asked while stepping in front of Spike.
"Not really? Just read a lot," I replied while feeling threatened at the glare Twilight had locked on me. "Just to clarify here, what exactly is a dragon enthusiast?"
"Someone who would do everything in their power to get their hooves on dragon parts. Even taking a baby," Twilight answered before I started to look around us to see if anyone was looking at Spike.
"That's bad. Well, if it makes you feel better, you can walk with him at a set distance. Just don't get lost, ok?" I said before trotting towards the farm.
Looking over my shoulder, I checked to see if the newcomers were keeping up. Thankfully, my screw-up wasn't enough to warrant complete distrust from them. As long as things stuck to the rules of the show, I didn't have to take any drastic measures to secure the future. The apple trees started to crowd the plains, signaling our approach to Sweet Apple Acres.
Walking towards the entrance, I saw Applejack running around and bucking the trees. As soon as she saw me, Applejack started to wave at us.
"Hello, Vel!" Aj said as I opened the gate for Twilight and Spike. Aj glanced a Twilight for a moment before turning to me. "You were gone this morning. We were starting to get worried. Is she why you snuck around?" She added with a smirk and a wink.
"Nope," I replied bluntly. Not a big fan of others assuming my relationships. That is the type of thing that can cause some nasty fights. "I'm covering for Big Mac and showing our guest, Twilight Sparkle, around town. She is here to check on the preparations for the Summer Sunset Celebration," And with that cue, the scene from the show started to play right in front of my eyes.
"Well, how do you do, Miss Twilight?" Aj said after grabbing Twilight's hoof and shaking her up and down repeatedly.
Aj didn't lose any time grabbing Twilight and presenting her ENTIRE family while making sure to show her guest ALL of the treats they had prepared. I felt my mouth watering up as each dish got placed in front of Twilight. I wasn't the biggest fan of apples when I was back on earth. But here? Let's leave it that my body felt extremely compelled to eat all of those treats.
Once Applejack had finished the presentation, I snuck behind her and poked her shoulder.
"Can I have some?" I whispered in her ear. Aj tilted her head at my question before my stomach announced my situation. Aj chuckled before giving me a wink. Aj wandered towards Twilight, who had already been manipulated by Apple Bloom's eyes, she then returned to me with a plate filled with dishes. "Thank you."
"No problem," Aj replied as I trotted off to the balcony, balancing the food on my plate.
Seeing as Twilight would not be up from her brunch anytime soon, I ate at my own pace. After finishing my plate, I glanced at Twilight. Even with the distrust because of my fuck up, I could see her pleading for help. Letting out a chuckle, I walked through the crowd swarming her and sat by her side. Both she and Spike looked stuffed to the point of bursting.
"Miss Twilight, I do believe we need to keep going," I said as everyone took a look at me and grew silent. "There are other topics, are there not?"
"Yes, yes there are," Twilight replied with a sigh of relief. "Spike?"
"The weather," Spike said before covering his mouth to suppress a burp.
"You two better look for Rainbow Dash then," Aj intervened as everyone seemed to be accepting our duties and opened up a path for us to leave. "She should be taking a nap at the town square."
"Did you memorize her schedule?" I inquired while helping Twilight get up.
"Nope. She just likes to nap too much. And no one looks up in the town square. They are too worried about their shopping to notice Rainbow sleeping on the clouds," Aj replied while rolling her eyes.
"Noted. Well, you're probably the most honest of the bunch here. So, I'll take your advice," I said before gesturing to Twilight to take the lead. "See you later!"
Aj waved goodbye at me as we left the farm. Twilight looked less stuffed than in the show as her belly wasn't bloated with food. Spike, on the other hand, looked like a little balloon. I felt sorry that Twilight had to carry him on her back while she seemed to be struggling to keep a steady pace. However, I knew better than to ask to carry Spike after what she told me.
"If you need to take a break, don't hesitate to ask," I said while matching my pace with hers. There was no hostility towards me, meaning she was either too tired to complain or she changed her inclination towards me. I would bet on the first theory.
Twilight didn't reply, she simply pushed on towards the city. The scenery returned to the now quieter town. I knew the reason why there were so few ponies wandering the streets. But I kept to myself to not spoil the surprise. Twilight had to be deprived of her studies for things to work.
As we reached the town square, I could see a lot of clouds above us. All of them stand static in the sky. And that was when it hit me, Rainbow would not be napping at that point. She would come crashing into Twilight. I heard the sound of something zooming through the air. I was prepared to duck out of the way, however, I saw that Spike looked sick. If he got bumped by Rainbow at that speed, there would be a lot more to clean than a bit of mud.
"Watch out!" I shouted before bumping Twilight out of the way with Spike. The result? I went flying into a puddle of mud face first as Rainbow buried my head deeper into the mud. Surprisingly enough, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.
"Oops," Rainbow said while letting out a chuckle. "Sorry," She added while flying off.
Removing my head from the dirt, I spat the mud that had entered my mouth before getting off the puddle.
"Hey, Miss, are you ok?" Rainbow asked while I tried to remove the mud from my eyes.
"It's Mister. And I'm ok. Blergh!" I said as a bit of nausea made me gag due to the taste of dirt in my mouth.
"You're not hurt, are you?" Twilight asked as she fired up her magic. With a bright flash of light, the mud on me disappeared as if I had never landed on it in the first place.
"That was a nice trick. I didn't even have to wipe out my patented Rain-blow Dry! What's your name?" Rainbow exclaimed as her attention shifted focus to Twilight the moment I mentioned being a stallion. I decided to sit out of that one to keep my intervention limited.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle. You shouldn't be flying so fast near the ground. That was dangerous!" Twilight scolded as I began to curse myself for intervening.
"No biggie. I'm always careful. Your boyfriend didn't even get hurt. I hit the brakes when I realized you were on the way. You wouldn't even get a scratch on you," Rainbow boasted while assuming a superhero pose. "I am the best flier to ever get out of Clouds Dale."
"We aren't together. And you expect me to believe the word of a mare that can't even keep the skies clear one measly day?" Twilight shot back with a smirk.
"Hey! I got to practice showing my stuff to the Wonderbolts. I get to that once I'm done!" Rainbow replied while waving her hoof at Twilight dismissively.
I like to where this is going.
"THE Wonderbolts?" Twilight inquired with a look that made me certain of how things were about to develop.
"Yep."
"The best fliers of Equestria?" Twilight pressed as Rainbow frowned at the question.
"Yep. That's them," Rainbow continued with less certainty.
"Again, hard to believe you could impress them if you can't keep the skies clear for one day," Twilight shot back with a grin.
"Hey! I can clear the skies in ten seconds flat!" Rainbow replied with a glare.
HELL, YES! Score one for timeline correction!
"Prove it," Twilight taunted as I squealed internally at the scene playing before my eyes.
Just as in the show, Twilight watched dumbfounded as Rainbow zipped across the sky. As she promised, ten seconds and the sky was clear. Twilight had her mouth agape while Rainbow chuckled at her expression.
"You should see the look on your face!" Rainbow said while making a victorious loop behind Twilight. "You're a laugh, Twilight Sparkle. I can't wait to hang out some more," Rainbow added before flying off.
There were a few seconds of silence before Twilight shook her head. "Did that just happen?" She inquired while staring at me.
"Yep. You won't find a more loyal pony in this town. Once she gives her word on something, she will keep it no matter what," I replied before turning to Spike, who looked less nauseated than before. "What's next on the list, Spike?"
"Um, decorations," Spike replied after glancing at the scroll. I mentally sighed as I knew who we were about to meet. Then, I also realized that there was one less detail for Twilight to interact with Rarity.
"That would be at the Town Hall," I said while pointing at the big tower near us.
I didn't want to meet with Rarity again. But I knew I had to rectify the lack of a messed-up mane for Twilight to interact with Rarity. Trotting towards the building, I began to try and figure out a way to make Twilight and Rarity connect. After all, my stunt the previous day would undoubtedly result in her not trusting in anything I said. Therefore, my only choice was to make Twilight infer that she was from Canterlot. And that was when I recalled something from the winter wrap-up episode. I had my shot at bringing that fact to light.
Opening the front door, I gestured to Twilight to enter.
"It's gorgeous!" Spike praised almost instantly.
Twilight glanced at the ribbons and banners decorating the walls before giving her an answer. "Yes. The decor is coming along quite nicely."
"Not the decor," Spike interjected with a brief pause. "Her!"
As presented by the show, Rarity was in place while floating some ribbons near the curtains. "Sparkle always does the trick, does it not?" Rarity said before turning to us. I could feel the disdain when her eyes landed on me. It was bone-chilling. Again, if looks could kill, I would have turned into a corpse at that moment.
"Well, Miss Twilight? What do you think of the hoof-made decoration? The only magic used was to place the items that are currently out of reach," I explained as calmly as I could. Earning a sudden change of expression from Rarity, as well as an awe-struck look from Twilight, I waited for Twilight's response.
"You're kidding, right? All of these were hoof-made?" Twilight shot back before I nodded. "I can't believe it! Every decoration in Canterlot is made through magic. And they don't look anywhere as good as this!" She exclaimed as I fist-bumped mentally.
"Canterlot!? The fashion! The sophistication! I always dreamed of living there! Please, you have to tell me all about it!" Rarity said as she dragged Twilight away. I could see Twilight's eyes pleading for help, but it had to be done.
Now, I wait outside the shop. I concluded while slowly trotting out of the building.
It must have taken about an hour or so of standing by the front of the store. But Twilight finally exited the Boutique. She had a package on her back, and a smile painted in gold as Rarity said her goodbye.
"We are going to be the best of friends, you and I. Next time, I'll get you something with some rubies!" Rarity said with glee before noticing my presence by the door. "Although skilled enough to notice a good product. Be careful with who you associate with. That ruffian over there pretended to be a mare yesterday. Good day," She added with an angry look on her face before closing the door gently.
Twilight turned to me with a glare before speaking. "First, you will pay for that. She almost broke my ribs! I thought she was going to dye my coat a new color! Second, what did she mean by you pretending to be a mare?"
Letting out a chuckle, I scratched the back of my neck. "A friend of hers told me of a habit of hers that was harmful to her business. So, I played into the said habit and told her that I lied straight to her face. Among the lies, there was the idea that I was a noblewoman from Canterlot. My intent was trying to dampen the bad habit's effects by making her more aware of lies," I explained with embarrassment.
Twilight stood there staring at my face for a few moments, she then proceeds to hit her face with her hoof while letting out a groan. "That has to be the stupidest thing I ever heard. No wonder she was glaring daggers at you!" I sighed in response and started walking towards the park.
This was a subconscious move on my part. I knew that Fluttershy went that way earlier that day and that she was the last one to be met before the welcome party from Pinkie.
"Well, her friend didn't have the heart to lie to her to prove her point. And Rarity doesn't have the heart to deny someone in need. I don't have the heart to take something I don't deserve because of lying to get them. So, I thought that doing that would help her out of that habit without losing anything of worth," I explained while we walked towards the park. My guess? Both of us were on autopilot. I could hear the chirping of birds in the background.
"That doesn't make sense! You don't know her!" Twilight replied loudly. This caused the sound of birds' wings flapping to occur behind me. I didn't even realize that we were that close. My focus on our conversation made me misjudge the distance between us and the birds. Twilight must have noticed Fluttershy dealing with the birds because she rushed over to her.
It seems that things are adapting to my presence. Good. Time is almost up anyway. Once they take their role, things will be ok. Wait, where is Spike? Did, did he stay behind at Rarity's place?
"I'm so sorry! We didn't mean to frighten your birds!" Twilight said as Fluttershy landed and pretty much disappeared behind her mane. "They're not lost now, are they?"
"N-no," Fluttershy replied. But from the look on Twilight's face, she didn't hear it. Another neat little fact about me, because of my bad eyesight, my ears functioned slightly better when I'm paying attention. So, I usually could hear stuff from games and movies others would overhear unless they have the volume cranked up. I could also play games without needing to have the TV's volume up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that," Twilight said with a smile. Fluttershy responded, but again, Twilight didn't seem to hear. So, I intervened by sitting by Fluttershy's side. This caused Fluttershy to recoil a bit. "What is it?"
"She said that the birds aren't lost," I replied as Fluttershy seemed to tilt her head at me.
"You can hear her?" Twilight asked. I nodded in response. "Well, I'm glad that your birds aren't lost. My name is Twilight Sparkle, what's yours?"
"Fluttershy," I said after Flutters gave her answer. "You probably won't find a kinder pony around these parts, or so I'm told," I added while smiling.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Um," Twilight said while using her magic to retrieve a scroll from the package on her back. "Fluttershy, you're the one responsible for the music, right?" That was Spike's list.
"She said yes. Fluttershy says that she and her birds were just having a last-minute practice to make some adjustments. She hopes it is ok," I translated Fluttershy's whispers as she seemed to stand up while hiding behind her mane. Seeing as the two of them went quiet for a moment, I decided to throw my question about the dragon's whereabouts in there. "Wait, where is your dragon friend?" I intervened briefly.
"I had Spike escorted back by Tempest. Why?" Twilight replied with a tilt of her head.
I tried to answer Twilight, however, she turned her attention to Fluttershy, who looked curious about Twilight's statement. This was evident after Fluttershy's face finally appeared from behind the pink curtains, and I don't blame Twilight for having her attention swayed by Fluttershy.
Putting on a smile, Twilight used the softest voice she could muster. "You're very beautiful. And no problem at all, Fluttershy. So long as you're on time, there is no issue with a few extra practice sessions."
I want more answers on how Spike got in and out of that place without me seeing them. Especially since I was at the front door the entire time Twilight was in there.
"I-I'm sorry. But, did he say that you have a dragon?" Fluttershy said in a tone that, based on Twilight's reaction, was audible. Meanwhile, I was surprised by Fluttershy getting my gender right. "B-but, you don't have to answer that. If you don't want to."
"A baby dragon, yes," Twilight replied with a hint of caution.
"That is amazing. I've never seen a baby dragon before." Fluttershy squealed with excitement. "Can I ask you some questions for my books on non-pony creatures?" She added with growing excitement.
"You're writing a book on non-pony creatures?" Twilight asked, her caution hadn't disappeared, but her curiosity seemed picked. Fluttershy nodded in response. "What type of creatures did you study so far?"
"Bunnies, rats, insects, birds, bears, and," The list of animals continued to grow. I expected Fluttershy to care about animals, but writing about them? That was certainly new. "I want to build a sanctuary for animals here in Ponyville, eventually! That way all the animals can have a safe place to rest and be cared for in case of injuries!"
"That is a nice thought," Twilight replied while baffled by the sudden change in behavior. But Fluttershy's passion for animals, in general, seemed to break the caution flags she had raised. "I'll gladly any questions you have about Spike."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Fluttershy replied with her soft voice before clapping her hooves together. Then, she turned around and looked at the clock tower at the top of City Hall. "Oh, no! I have to go. Um, thank you," She said before hugging Twilight and flying off.
And with that, we have won the lottery ladies and gents. Thank you all for the support. The mission was a success.
We were now alone. And the next destination was the Golden Oak Library. I promptly got up and started to trot to the library when I felt a tug on my tail. Looking behind me, I saw Twilight using her magic while keeping her back turned toward me.
"Is something wrong?" I inquired.
"Did Celestia send you here to monitor me?" Twilight asked in a cold tone while keeping her grip on my tail.
"What?" I blurted out confused.
"Don't take me for some stupid filly. I am aware you know more than you let on," Twilight replied while using her magic to place me sitting in front of her.
What? But I didn't do anything suspicious! Save for the dragon thing.
"You think I didn't notice you took the most convoluted process to check the items on the list? We arrived in town. At the town square, you could have taken me to City Hall, checked on the weather, the park, and finally the farm. That would be the most convenient process since we were in town already. You've been acting like you're trying to follow a script. And made me talk to all of those ponies. All of which, based on what I read in books, now have come to consider me a friend. You honestly thought I wouldn't notice you trying to waste my time? You purposefully sent me to Rarity's shop. You even guided me to the park without knowing what was the next item on the list. Meaning, that you were already aware of the things I needed to check up on."
"Listen, I-"
"I'm not done," Twilithg intervened while pointing her hoof at me. "I said to Princess Celestia that something was going to happen. And she responded that I needed to make some friends. Then, you, someone Tempest wasn't aware of but had coincidentally met the day before my arrival and was seen with a relative of my assigned guide, appear and proceed to make me meet and pass time with not one, but four ponies. Do you take me for a fool?" Twilight asked with a low growl.
At that point, I was trying to grab air with my nonexistent hands. Twilight's eyes were turning red, and she was ready to cry.
"Miss Twilight, while it may sound unbelievable. I assure you, I have NEVER met Princess Celestia. In regards to my arrival, I've been in this town for three days, today being the third day. I was found by the Apple Family in the middle of the road leading to their farm. That's how I got acquainted with your guide and his siblings. I met Tempest yesterday after I left the hospital to check on this wound on my neck that got re-opened during my stroll with Applejack," I said while pointing at the healing cut on my neck.
"As for the ponies you met and spoke to. The Apple Family is welcoming to everyone. They got me a place to stay without even knowing who I was. They tended to my wounds and all. I hadn't met Rainbow Dash before today. And I stood out in the conversation because I noticed she chose to ignore me the moment she heard I was a stallion. She would not have listened to what I had to say if I had tried to intervene. In Rarity's case, I knew she would hold hostility towards me. So, I tried to make you praise her and such so that we could leave. I didn't expect Rarity to abduct you to her store. I even stayed outside of the store waiting for you to come out," I continued while trying to make my arguments sound reasonable.
"And as for the park. This was a complete accident. I didn't know they were rehearsing here. I didn't know Fluttershy, nor did I know she was in charge of the music. You were the one to take the initiative and talk to her. I was a interpret, nothing more," I added while trying my best to not look suspect.
"Lies. Tempest told me she had seen the one responsible for the music at the park. And that was the first place you led me to when we rendevous at Rarity's front door. You didn't even bat an eye, why is that? Why would you lead me to the park if you didn't know Fluttershy would be there?" Twilight pressed as I felt intrigued and a little scared of what was happening.
I had to come up with an answer. And at the time, telling her I knew the future didn't seem like an option. Twilight wasn't about taking phrases or claims without seeing facts. Bridle Gossip made that clear, Twilight was impressionable, but not stupid. So, my panicked brain came up with the best excuse it had for that moment.
"Is it bad that I wanted to talk to you too?" I replied meekly while reflexively blushing at the possible implications of that question. Twilight must have picked on my embarrassment because she too blushed a little before shaking her head and narrowing her eyes.
"You led me to a park to talk, why?" Twilight insisted with a deep frown on her face.
DON'T SAY ANYTHING STUPID.
"I wanted to know a bit more about you. That's all," I replied as calmly as I could.
THAT IS SO CREEPY! Why did I say that!!!
"That is not normal. You could have talked to me while we walked. You didn't have to lead me anywhere," She replied with the frown slowly turning into a scowl as she didn't seem to be buying my explanation.
Don't make it sound like you're interested! That will make things worse!
"Well, you said it yourself. I am stupid. And I do things that don't make any sense. I suck at this," I replied meekly while feeling the blush intensify due to my increasingly flustered state.
"Why bother?" Twilight asked with a cold tone.
"Excuse me?" I said while raising my eyes to meet with her.
"Why bother making friends? Or wasting your time on others? The only way time is well spent is when you're studying. Making your mind stronger. You don't need others to do that," Twilight mumbled while keeping her eyes locked with mine. She looked stern, cold, and distant. Like, there was a huge chasm between us.
Not knowing how to respond to that, I said the first thing that came to mind as her words reminded me of a character from a story. "Don't you need others?"
"No," Twilight replied bluntly.
"So, Spike is expendable?" I said while hoping that would throw her off.
"Spike is family. That is different," Twilight shot back with rehearsed practice.
"Ok. Let's try a different approach then. You mentioned Princess Celestia. You said you warned her about something. Why would you do that?" I replied.
"Equestria would be in danger otherwise," Twilight replied promptly.
"But, why does that matter?" I replied.
"My family lives here. Therefore, they would be in danger as well," Twilight replied confused.
"Pay close attention to what you just said. You said "as well," I replied while pointing at her. Twilight didn't respond as she tilted her head at me. "Who is the "as well" referring to?"
"The other ponies in Equestria. By warning the princess, I warn my family and them as well," Twilight said with a raised eyebrow.
"Again, if you don't need others, you wouldn't feel a need to warn anyone but your family. Actually, according to what you said, you would warn no one. Yet, you tried to warn everyone. Why would you do that?" I pressed as Twilight looked disgusted.
"So, I should just allow the situation to escalate? A lot of ponies would get hurt by it," Twilight replied with growing indignation.
"But, others don't matter. You can get stronger by yourself. Therefore, you can survive by yourself. Your mind is strong, and therefore, you will be ok," I replied while keeping a neutral tone.
Twilight looked confused and mortified. "That's heartless. Even if you don't need others, helping others is a natural thing to do. Only a heartless pony wouldn't help those around them!"
"Oh, so you don't need others to get stronger. But, you should help others because it is the right thing to do. But, wouldn't others also don't need you to help since they can get stronger on their own? Since you don't matter to them?" I replied while tilting my head.
Twilight looked at me with confusion. "But. This argument doesn't make sense! We were talking about having friends! Not about the fate of the kingdom!"
"True. What would you say is more important? The kingdom, or your family?" I threw it in to get Twilight even more flustered.
"That is an idiotic question! Of course, my family is more important!" Twilight answered promptly.
"Ok! So, let's revise the conversation up to this point. You a smart pony used pure logic to conclude that you don't need others to get stronger, mentally," I said as a confused twilight agreed with a nod. "Therefore, you are a more logical pony. Someone who uses facts and probability to determine her choices," She continues to agree. "And logically speaking, which weighs more, four or five lives? Or hundreds of thousands of lives?"
"The hundreds," Twilight replies with a frown as it finally seems to click in her head.
"Therefore, your answers to the entire conversation I just proposed are more based on emotion than logic. A nonsensical conversation that created a conflict between what you said and what you believed. In other words, a conflict between what you think it's right, and what you feel is right," I said while pointing at her head, and then her chest.
"But, what? No! I'm certain in my theory! I don't, I don't need others to be better," Twilight said while holding her head with her hooves.
"Being better doesn't automatically connect to being stronger. So, do tell, would you think about any of this had you not spent time speaking to someone that actively wants to be your friend? If you hadn't spoken to someone that wanted to know you a little better?" I inquired as Twilight lowered her hooves and stared at me. About fifteen to twenty seconds of silence pass before she speaks once more.
"I don't think so," Twilight replied while staring at the ground.
"Do you think something came out of this conversation?" I pressed on.
"I don't know," Twilight replied with a sigh. She doesn't look angry, but she looks frustrated. "Because I don't know what to make of it."
"And that's ok. Not everything has a right or wrong answer. And sometimes, things need time to become clear. Sometimes, we need to listen to our hearts. Sometimes it's a matter of logic. Sometimes, we need to pick one of the two. And sometimes, there is no right answer," I replied before doing something stupid. Approaching Twilight, I gave her a peck on the cheek.
Oh, crap.
I perked my ears and jerked my neck backward, I rapidly trot beyond Twilight. "Let's head to the LIBRARY! You like to study to get mentally stronger, right!?" I exclaimed while trotting away without looking back.
What did I do?! What did I do!? WHY DID I DO THAT!? I know for a fact that the show doesn't end at Tirek's fight! So, there is a chance that Twilight was probably destined to meet someone else! And I might have interfered with that stunt just now!
I was in a blind panic. I could feel my left eyelid moving on its own. I could feel my tail twitching a bit as if trying to scare flies away. And my heart was up to my throat about to hop out of the upper hatch and drop like a rotten fruit with a loud *splosh* on the dirt. My utter disregard for my surroundings led me to bump into the front door of the library and stumble back to the ground.
And considering that the first thing I saw was Twilight with a faint tinge on her cheeks and a frown as she looked back at me. I stood quietly there for a few seconds before rolling to the side and opening the front door so she could come in. I then froze in place as Twilight glanced at me from the corner of her eye. The frown had deepened and I was pretty much ready to bury my head into the dirt like an ostrich.
Twilight must have been too focused on our situation to flip the light switch. Because I invited myself into a pitch-black room. I could not see a palm, or hoof, in front of my face.
"Do you know where are the lights?" I heard Twilight inquire. Her voice was unusually close to me.
"SURPRISE!" A chorus of voices cried as the lights turned on. Twilight's voice had a reason for being unusually close because she was sitting in front of me. Practically scowling at me while I wanted to shrink away into nothing.
"I swear I had nothing to do with this," I said while forcing a smile. I knew about it. But had no hand in it, therefore, I wasn't lying.
"Oh?" Twilight asked while leaning closer with her scowl burrowing deeper into her face.
"HEY!" A sudden shout caused Twilight to lose her footing. I think she took a step to the side and stepped on some streamers. Those things can make the floors slippery as hell. But I managed to catch her. The issue is the fact I reacted as a human. So, I extended both my front legs while balancing myself on my hind legs.
I caught her and, because of the bad anatomic issue of being a pony not meant to stand on two legs, my torsos twisted to the side and I spun around as if we were dancing. We ended up with me holding her as if we had just finished a tango dance (Sly Cooper 2 second stage, Dance mission, a good game, and a good mission, kinda wish I could recreate the image of the final dance move), and everyone started clapping as if it had been some type of performance.
"You're smooth!" Pinkie shouted from behind us as I yanked Twilight to make her stand up normally while I fell flat on my face.
"Pinkie!" I screamed after ungluing my face from the floor. "I know you just wanted to make her smile. But, Do not! DO NOT make that scene look like more than me trying to stop her from falling!" I yelled as I gathered myself from the ground.
"What?" Pinkie asked before I notice Twilight Walking away with her back turned to me. "Are you two a thing?"
My jaw dropped to the floor before I let out an annoyed groan. "No. We are not together. What even gave you that idea? Pinkie, you scared her, I tried to catch her. And she is angry at me because she thinks I wasted her day while checking the preparations for the Summer Sunset Celebration. And now she thinks I prepared this party."
Pinkie grows quiet and her eyes get completely static. I don't know what was going on in her head. Pinkie suddenly tilted her head and blinked a few times with a neutral expression. And then, she simply said. "Ok," and bounced after Twilight Sparkle.
I sat confused while looking at the pink pony that bounced into the crowd. Only at that moment, I realized that everyone had already started the party. Since the spotlight was removed the moment I faceplanted, I decided to let things work out and remove myself from the huge open area at the center of the room.
Ok, about the library. The place is enormous. I think there were about forty to forty-four ponies in that place. The lines in the wood are amazing and pretty much EVERYTHING is carved out from the tree itself. The stools, tables, kitchen, shelves, and so forth, the craftsmanship on them is insane. Especially considering how Ponyville has a tradition of doing things by hoof. Pinkie went above and beyond to cover the place on streamers, a banner saying "WELCOME TO PONYVILLE," and pretty much all types of beverages and treats that I can only assume to have come from the Sugar Cube Corner.
I walked through the crowd while searching for something to eat when I catch Tempest in the corner of my eye. She was sitting alone in the corner by a table. Tempest looked like she was on watch with everyone moving around in the place. I decided to try and be friendly, so I went to a table that had a jar of water, poured water on two different glasses, placed them on a tray, and brought the tray to where Tempest was.
Tempest must have noticed me. Because she had an answer ready the moment I got close enough. "I am on duty. I will not share drinks with you or anyone here for I need to remain sober and vigilant."
After placing the tray beside her, I put on a smile. "It's just water. I just thought a bit of cold water in the summer would be a good thing. And both glasses are for you. If you're hungry, I can fetch you something from the treats table. That way you won't have to leave your post," I explained while walking towards the table with the food.
Tempest stared at me and then at the glasses. "I appreciate the concern with me. I would appreciate something to eat, yes. Preferably, something sweet. Sugar will help keep me energized."
With mild amusement at her preference for sweets, I turn around to ask her. "Is there anything you don't want to eat?"
"Chocolate," Tempest replies bluntly. I nodded and walk away.
It took a bit of effort to navigate the sea of ponies swarming the sweets. But I managed to shoulder my way there and look at the pastries. There was a bright cupcake with purple frosting a cherry on top of it, and another pink frosting with a thin slice of apple on it. Both didn't look like they had chocolate on them. So I picked them up and put them on a plate. Then, I turn my attention to a cupcake with chocolate chips on it.
I'll take that one.
"Ahem," I heard by my side.
Turning my neck to the side, I see the white Marshmallow that is the fashionista of Ponyville. Still looking annoyed at my presence and staring straight at me, Rarity stands still while I have a cupcake on my hooves as I was transferring it to the plate. I look at the cupcake, then at her, and, through some weird jump in logic, I offer her the cupcake.
Rarity looked at me before frowning. "I wish to speak to you."
My response is simple and direct. "Ok. Do you mind if I give this to the lady back there first? She's been working the entire day," I said while pointing at Tempest who is holding the glass of water with her hooves.
"Very well," Rarity retorted after eyeing Tempest from top to bottom.
I chomp the cupcake in one bite and swallow it before taking Tempest's plate and leaving it to her. She just nodded to me before resuming her scan of the area. But, as I'm walking away, I glance over my shoulder, and I see her happily munching on the cupcakes as if she was a child. It was adorable, and luckily, she didn't see me. For some reason, I felt as if I had seen that scene before. It felt nostalgic.
But, I have never seen her before. A topic for later.
Back to the food table, Rarity sat by the cakes while waiting for me.
"Ok," I said while taking a seat with some distance between us. "I would like to apologize for my prank back at the boutique yesterday. I'm sorry I got the store dirty and all of that. And I'm sorry for splashing mud over you," I said while my head hung low.
"Applejack has told me everything," Rarity replied bluntly and with an annoyed voice. "While I do appreciate her concern. I do not appreciate the fact I had to bathe myself for quite a while to remove all of that mud from my coat," Rarity said with a stern tone. She then reluctantly sighed. "And you have a good eye. Not many ponies know that I make my designs and decorations by hoof. You're still a ruffian though," Rarity says before trotting away with a frown on her face.
Yay for not being a complete piece of shit in her eyes, I think?
Shrugging at the abrupt ending to that little skit, I trotted over to the drinks table to see what they had to offer. They had soft drinks, sodas, cider, and something labeled "Vodka." I decided to ignore that and poured myself something with grapes on the label from where the sodas were placed. After finishing it, I had taken the first sip when I heard something that made me spit all of the soda at nearby guests and choke a bit.
"BOOO!" A raspy voice shouted while I jumped and did as I mentioned above.
Still coughing because of the scare, I turn to see Rainbow Dash looking at me with a smug smile that screams "got you."
"Where is Twilight? You two fight or something?" Rainbow asked while I suddenly stop and glare at her.
WHAT?! I asked mentally while glaring intensively at Rainbow.
"I saw you kissing her on the cheek," Rainbow adds with a bigger smirk on her face.
"It was an apology. And I made a mistake in doing so. So, please, top remind me that I am an idiot. I have better things to do than feel miserable," I replied with my eyes nearly jumping out of their orbits for glaring at Rainbow too hard.
"You're a weird stallion. You are aware that things are supposed to be the other way around, right? I think we should talk some more later," Rainbow replied before floating away.
Why are you guys shipping me with Twilight!? I was working with her to help her! Is this how it feels to be shipped? This is so weird!
Soon after, Twilight came by as Pinkie made her little speech about preparing the party for her since she wanted to give Twilight lots and lots of friends. I recognized what came next. Trotting towards her, I snatched the glass of hot sauce she had poured, dropped the liquid over a cupcake, and shoved said cupcake into Pinkie's mouth.
"This is good," Pinkie said while munching on the treat. Meanwhile, Twilight looked flabbergasted at my acts.
"You poured hot sauce into a glass. If you drank that, you would have an unpleasant visit to the bathroom later," I explained while turning the bottle for her to look at the label. Twilight simply stared at me while the rest of the girls behind her seemed to be giggling about something.
"How are you one step ahead of me all the time?" Twilight said with a sigh while I poured her a glass of grape soda.
"I was at this table before you. I just happened to see the label on the bottle you picked," I replied while passing her the glass.
"Why are you at every turn I make?" Twilight pressed as I just tilted my head.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to help when I see someone about to do something that might potentially hurt them. You can say I have sort of an oath to not bring harm if I can, and help when I can," I replied with a smile while paying attention to the little parade of chuckling and giggles from behind Twilight.
Silence. Twilight grew completely quiet while looking straight at me. I could still hear the background music and conversations occurring. But the air around me and Twilight felt still. Suddenly, her horn flared up and I felt my ear being pulled. Twilight suddenly got up and dragged me away and up the stairs. I could only watch as the rest of the guests stared at my embarrassing moment. Tempest quickly followed and locked the door behind us once we were in Twilight's bedroom.
"Please don't kill me," I sputtered as soon as Twilight let go of my ear.
"You are a pain in the flank. You keep interfering with my plans. And you do not know what is coming," Twilight growled while passing around the room.
"I don't/I'm not done," Twilight intervened cutting me mid-sentence.
"I wasn't about to swallow a glass of hot sauce. I planned to walk off after feigning to do so!" Twilight said with an annoyed groan.
Ok. Twilight is more cunning than I thought.
"I didn't know that. I just saw the bottle and tried to help."
"I don't need help! I need my studies! Nightmare Moon's return is upon us and I wasted the entire day because all of these crazy ponies wasting my time trying to be friends all the time!!" Twilight scolded before covering her muzzle with her hooves. "Please, don't panic."
I blink a few times before smiling at Twilight. "Oh, so that's what this is about. The big threat you mentioned is the eternal night threat from the old prophecies."
Twilight isn't capable of responding to me as she enters a loop of sputtering jibberish. I look behind me, and Tempest seems to be trying her best not to laugh up a storm. Although it does stop once she notices me looking at her.
"How do you know about that?!" Twilight asks while coming closer to me as I lean back.
"I read it. In Starswirl's Book of Prophecies," I replied while trying my best to keep my balance.
"Is this why you're here?! You came to try and stop it too?" Twilight asked while starting to trot around. "Now it makes sense! You got in the way because you had already prepared things, right?!" She inquired while turning to me.
"Sorry. But I am no hero. The one with the makings of one here is you. And I'm sure that Princess Celestia knows it too. Since she sent you here after you warned her of the danger," I replied with a bit of shame.
"WHAT?! But, why? If, then you, What is wrong with you?! If you knew about Nightmare Moon's return, why did you get in my way?! Why didn't you try to warn anyone?!" Twilight asked while pulling my face towards her and staring at me wide-eyed.
"Well, because when I saw you, I knew everything would be ok. I'm sure you will be able to stop it. Sure, it will probably be a big thing, and you might need help, but I'm sure you will pull through in the end," I replied as I found myself a bit lost in the lavender eyes in front of me.
Twilight looks at me with a confused expression. Disbelief seems to hit her like a wave as she seems slowly cracks in front of me. Twilight's lips tremble as she starts to try and suppress sobbing. Her eyes fill up with tears as she seems to try and argue back at me. She finally breaks down and spits everything that seemed to be building up in her chest on that day.
"I am an apprentice mage. I recently graduated. I have no training in combat and my knowledge is restrained to books. I have no real-world experience. My repertoire is limited to magic tricks that have no purpose in battle. I'm a civilian, not a soldier. HOW AM I THE ONE TO STOP THIS?!" Twilight hollers with her voice cracking.
I fucked up badly here. How do I fix this?! I conclude while watching the unicorn break into tears in front of me.
Now, my heart is clenched and my body feels like lead. I have no control over my actions as every part of me seems to be moving solely through instinct. My trembling hoof slowly lifts off the floor and moves towards Twilight. It goes around Twilight's neck and pulls her into a hug.
"I'll help with what I can. But I know you can do this. You have a strong heart. And when you feel like you don't know how to move on, think of the ponies you want to keep safe. Think of what you want to protect. Then, you start preparing your plans. Don't think about what you can't do, think of what you CAN do. Because that is what matters in the end. And remember, you have a heart with the spark of a hero. You just need to let it shine," I said with my brain not filtering the words that left my mouth.
Twilight continues to sob on my shoulder while I gently rub her back. She eventually collapses in exhaustion. I grab her before she falls, and Tempest walks up to us. She puts Twilight on her back and gestures for me to leave the room. With a bit of effort, I managed to unlock the door and headed downstairs. As I'm climbing down the stairs, I realize that something is off about the party.
What happened to the music?
As soon as I reach the archway, I'm greeted by a crowd of ponies staring at me as if expecting something.
"Hi," I say bluntly while trying to check if there is something out of place behind me or with me. I felt someone tapping my shoulder. Turning to face them, I see the one called Mayor Mare standing by my side. "Can I help?"
"I'm Mayor Mare, and yes you can. Um, Miss Twilight Sparkle, is she available? She was supposed to give me a report on the preparations for the celebration," Mayor Mare inquired while looking up the stairs behind me.
"No, Twilight is not available right now. But, I filled in for Big Mac and took her to check on the preparations. Everything is in order. And I'm Velvet Coal, a pleasure to meet you," I replied promptly while gesturing for Mayor mare to head down the stairs.
"Oh, is there a reason for Miss Twilight being indisposed?" Mayor Mare inquired while we headed down. The rest of the guests were staring at us while waiting for my answer.
"I think she was building up stress because of the celebration. She just collapsed upstairs after giving me an earful on effective guiding for optimal time usage. Her guard is making sure she gets some sleep before the celebration," I replied while watching the public's reaction from the corner of my eye. They seemed disappointed.
What is up with you guys? Seriously! I just met her!
After that, everyone seemed to quiet down. I dragged myself to the corner of the room away from everyone and sat by one of the windows. I stared down at the moon while waiting for the face on it to disappear. While doing this, I heard the sound of the music slowly dying down.
I guess the party is over. I mumbled while keeping my focus on the Moon.
Suddenly, I saw the stars approach the moon while forming the five points of a star. The Moon shone brilliantly for a split second and the face of Nightmare Moon disappeared from it.
Showtime. I said to myself while trotting out of the library.
As soon as I was out in the streets I mumbled to myself under my breath. "Time to be stupid."
As if following the show's script, all of the ponies gathered in City Hall. The world was about to witness the beginning of a series of events that would pretty much change the peaceful life of Equestria. I searched for a spot that would make me stand right in front of the balcony. I knew what was about to happen, but that didn't make me feel any better. Watching something happen through a screen and witnessing it in real life was a much more terrifying feeling. I think I felt worse knowing what was about to happen than if I had been completely ignorant about it.
I felt a presence by my side. Looking towards it, I saw Twilight accompanied by Spike and Tempest. Everything is in place now. I concluded while the sound of birds singing and trumpets echoed across the building. Twilight looked worried while Spike looked in awe at the celebration. As for Tempest, she was pretty much unphased by the entire thing. And she was aware of the danger.
"And now, please welcome the keeper of harmony, the good, the wise, the pony who graces us with the sun and moon every day, Princess Celestia!" Mayor mare announced as the curtains rose on the balcony.
Now, I have some confidence in my memory. And, as far as I'm concerned, there was supposed to be a moment of silence before Nightmare Moon stormed the party. Everyone is supposed to get confused and worried about the disappearance of Princess Celestia. However, the moment the curtains dropped, thunder and lightning strikes happened behind the figure of a devilishly stunning black mare that stood there with a malevolent grin on the balcony.
"Who are you?! Guards! Seize-?!" Mayor Mare didn't have a chance to finish her sentence as Nightmare Moon flapped her wings and pretty much send everyone within ten feet of her flying against the walls. And that included all of the guards that had rushed her the moment they noticed her presence, save for Tempest who had positioned herself in front of Twilight.
Abort! Abort! This isn't like the show!? What the fuck lady?! Killing your "subjects" is a big NO-NO!
"Hello, my dearest subjects!" Nightmare said with her fangs glistening under the silver moon. "It brings me so much joy to see your lovely faces," She added with a chuckle. No one seemed to be amused in the slightest. They looked ready to run but were too scared to make a move. Save for one fool.
"HEY!" Rainbow screamed from near us. "What did you-WHA-AA?!" I interrupted Rainbow by tackling her before she could take off.
"Rainbow, shut it! This is not the time to be brash. Keep your eyes on Twilight, she seems to know what's going on and might need help. Pass the message to Aj, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Ok? Once you're done, have the guards that are awake slowly evacuate this place. Don't let her notice you, got it?" I whispered/screamed at her. Rainbow looked confused before she nodded and disappeared amidst the crowd.
I looked over to Nightmare Moon. She seemed to be a tad confused by the scream and no one being on her. Turning my attention to the crowd, I could see Rainbow warning the guards while also whispering something to the other four girls. I thanked whichever star allowed me to convince her to not do something stupid. Nightmare Moon was acting out of the script, so the danger of things turning out for the worst grew with every second she had her attention on the main six was real.
"Where are the cheers? Is my crown not regal enough for any of you? Do you not know who I am?" Nightmare inquired while staring at the crowd. Meanwhile, I kept praying that she wouldn't notice the evacuation that had begun at a snail's pace. For which I was glad since Nightmare Moon could blow up if she noticed it.
"Oh! A guest-?! Mmhmm!" Pinkie tried to get her joke across, however, Aj was fast enough to not allow Pinkie to try her game by shoving an apple into Pinkie's mouth. Not having to hold Rainbow allowed her to act quicker than in the show. I mistakenly let out a sigh of relief before the next line hit me.
"I know who you are!" Twilight shouted from behind me. I pretty much felt my life drain from my body as I turned around to see Nightmare Moon on the ground floor, and stepping closer to Twilight.
"Stand back!" Tempest hollered before her horn fired an erratic beam of energy that struck Nightmare Moon on her chest piece. However, Nightmare Moon didn't move an inch. Tempest prepared another blast. However, Nightmare Moon slapped Tempest with her hoof (I would say Nightmare Moon backhanded Tempest, but no hands here, so, yeah) and caused Tempest's magic to blast through a window as Tempest hit a pillar and collapsed on the floor.
Twilight's eyes widened as Nightmare Moon marched towards Tempest. I was pretty sure she was about to kill the poor mare. And thus, enter the most outrageously stupid, nonsensical, suicidal, and insane move I ever did in my life.
Sprinting towards Nightmare, I stood between her and Tempest. "Your Highness. It is an honor to meet Nightmare Moon, Ruler of the Night. I am overflowing with joy at the chance of meeting the next ruler of Equestria. A monument of beauty. And bringer of the sea of diamonds that graces our very sky every single day. I cannot contain my excitement with the idea of gazing upon such beauties for as long as I live," I greet while putting on my best theatrical bow I could muster.
Nightmare Moon seemed to be taken back for a moment. I think that she was certain no one would remember her. However, she quickly recovered and with a smile, she spoke. "So, there are those who remember me. However, step aside. I have to deal with that traitor."
"Oh, but worry not Your Highness!" I exclaimed while looking at a nearby guard that was slowly gesturing for some of the civilians to leave. "You!" I called out while trotting towards him. The soldier looked at me, I winked at him while keeping my back turned to Nightmare Moon. The poor soldier froze in place. His color drained as if he was ready to die. I bet he called me all types of names while cursing my existence. His life must have flashed before his eyes.
"SOLDIER!" I screamed at his face. He took a step back. "See that unicorn over there?" I asked while pointing at Tempest. The soldier nodded, clearly confused by my actions. "Take her to the holding cells, she shall be made an example off. While you're at it, get the rest of your soldiers and do the same to the rest of these traitors of the crown." I ordered loudly while winking at him once more.
Things finally seemed to connect in his mind as he let out an inaudible "oh," He then stood in full attention and saluted me as if I was his captain. "YES, SIR!" The guard said before trotting towards Tempest. Meanwhile, I'm panicking inside at the idea of the guard breaking out of character. Which thankfully doesn't happen.
I then turn back to Nightmare Moon and trot to stand before her once more. Nightmare Moon stares at me with a grin. "And what do you plan to do to them?"
Now, Earth has a pretty bad history of setting examples through execution and torture. Therefore, when she asked that, the first thing that came to mind where the many types of torture and stuff that had happened to conspirators in my country during a period when mining gold was a huge deal. And let me tell you, the stuff that came out of my mouth was enough to make me curse myself for even saying it.
"We shall hold a public execution once all of this is over. Then, the sad sob that decided to attack you, Your Highness, shall be dismembered, disemboweled, and her organs as well as body hung on the street lights of every city in Equestria to demonstrate what awaits those that threaten the true ruler of Equestria," I replied while smiling at Nightmare Moon the entire time.
I could hear the gasps from the crowd as those words left my mouth. To pretty much everyone that wasn't part of the royal guard, I had just announced a horrific crime with a grin. In short, I was a crazed sociopath. Nightmare Moon looked shocked into my eyes before bursting into a maniacal cackle that made my blood freeze.
"That is a pony that knows how to pass a message. That is an acceptable method. I approve. However, I do wish to witness the execution of all traitors, for all of them shall suffer the same fate," Nightmare Moon said with a grin that made me want to run away. However, I stood my ground, bowed, and replied.
"As you wish, Your Highness," I said while turning around and gesturing to the guard that had already sent the rest of the soldiers to gather the wounded. "You heard the Queen! Get them out of here, or you're next!" I exclaimed while glaring at the baffled soldiers. They seemed to be completely stunned by the conversation as they froze in place. "NOW!" I hollered while stomping my hoof. The soldiers quickly shook their heads and took the wounded away.
Turning back to Nightmare Moon, I noticed Twilight standing there, with a horrified expression on her face. My next step was clear, I had to get Twilight out of there, and distract Nightmare while doing so. "Well, My Queen, there is a banquet ready and waiting. All of it is made with the best apples in Equestria. Please, follow me right this way," I said while gesturing toward the table with the food for the Celebration.
"It has been far too long since we have delighted ourselves with a proper meal," Nightmare Moon said while walking past me. The moment she had her back turned to me, I took this chance to pass a message down to Twilight by waving my hoof to point at the exit while moving my mouth to repeatedly spell the word "RUN."
Twilight stared at me. Her eyes widened as she managed to read my lips. Getting up as discreetly as she could, Twilight sneakily made her way towards the exit. I glanced around and then noticed Rainbow sneaking out through the window. Fluttershy exited through backstage windows with Rarity, while Aj escaped through a window hidden behind a table knocked over by Nightmare Moon's gust of wind. I never saw Pinkie enter or leave. The last time I saw her, Aj had shoved an apple in Pinkie's mouth.
Ok. Everyone is working in their roles. Now, keep her busy.
I trotted towards Nightmare Moon. Everything happened so fast that she didn't notice me falling behind. As soon as I stood by her side, I noticed she seemed to be torn between what to pick.
I could use that to buy some time. Make stuff up. Keep her here.
"The apple pie is delicious. And the caramel apples are pretty sweet. But they don't hold a candle to the candied apples. But you should save space for the cider," I intervened while putting myself at her side, at a safe distance, mind you.
Nightmare Moon continued to watch the different assortments of food while looking more irritated with my suggestions. Nightmare Moon's glares at the food intensified as her cheeks turned into a strange bright blue shade, whose name I will not attempt to recall. Nightmare Moon then huffed and walked away with an annoyed expression on her face.
SHIT. Distraction now! I concluded while picking an assortment of items and putting them on a plate. I managed to get a bit of almost everything before rushing towards Nightmare Moon. I placed myself in front of her and pointed to a nearby table.
Using her magic, Nightmare Moon yanked the plate from me. "This will serve, for now," She said while heading to the table.
I stood there for a few seconds while allowing my heart to try and calm down. However, I didn't have the time to do so, as I was suddenly enveloped by magic and dragged towards Nightmare Moon's table. I was placed on the side opposite Nightmare Moon's seat. She pushed some of the food from her plate and placed it in front of me.
"It is most unpleasant to eat alone. We require company. Consider this an honor," Nightmare Moon said while using her magic to bring the food to her.
I could feel the eyes of the ponies around us on me. I could feel their disgust and their hate. They despised me. And I honestly couldn't blame them. In their eyes, I had sentenced several ponies to death. And I was sucking up to a tyrant that appeared out of nowhere to claim the throne to herself. Dining with her, praising her, and doing her wishes without hesitation.
To them, I was a monster.
"Eat," Nightmare Moon commanded. Putting on a forced smile, I complied and started to eat. "This meal is passable," Nightmare Moon said while using a napkin to clean her mouth. She had devoured all of her items in a matter of minutes.
"It pleases me oh so much to hear that, My Queen," I replied after swallowing a piece of candied apple. "Is there anything else you wish to try?" I said while gesturing to the dishes in front of me.
Nightmare Moon didn't respond. Raising an eyebrow, her eyes moved from the food and back to me. "Won't you eat? Your Queen has given you food directly from her plate. Is this how you show your gratitude?" She inquired with a death glare locked on me.
"Forgive me, My Queen. It would seem that my anxiety got the best of me. If I try to eat, I do believe the food shall return the same way it went in. And I do not wish to make My Queen witness such an unsightly scene. It is your grand return. I just wish to make it the best you could hope for with the little resources I have. Nothing would make me happier than to see My Queen smile," I explained while feeling my stomach twist inside me.
I knew I would be dead the moment Nightmare Moon realized what I had done. And I knew that I would be put in jail once this madness was over if I managed to survive Nightmare Moon's rage. So, I wasn't lying when I said I would throw up. I felt sick. But I couldn't help but stare at the dishes intensively.
"Is this a celebration? All my subjects are doing is staring at us," Nightmare Moon commented while showing her fangs.
"I assure you, My Queen. They are stunned by your beauty and power. And, not many were aware of the truth behind the Mare in the Moon. I promise you that none of them mean to disrespect you, My Queen. After all, it's not every day that we receive the beauty of the Moon itself made manifest in pony flesh," I explained while keeping my composure. The ponies were too scared to do anything. If I tried to drag them, I was sure they would end up getting themselves killed. Once more, there was a brief moment of silence as Nightmare stared me down.
Seconds passed as if they were hours. My mind started to bully me into submission. All I could see at that moment were the possible scenarios of my failure. Twilight and the others stuck in an eternal night was my first thought. However, it soon fell into the background. Images of me being killed the same way I had sentenced the traitors to. Then, I saw myself getting torn apart as ponies pulled ropes tied to each of my limbs. One after the other, my mind came up with the worst possible scenarios for my failure.
I didn't notice initially, however, I had started to cry. I wasn't sobbing. And I didn't make a scene. However, I stared down at Nightmare Moon with tears rolling down my face.
"Why are you crying?" Nightmare Moon inquired. My eyes moved away from hers for a second and I saw the constellations in her mane.
"It's beautiful," I mumbled absentmindedly as my brain stopped filtering my thoughts at that point. It wasn't a compliment directed at Nightmare Moon, but at the star-filled sky that made me feel a moment of peace. I am unsure of the tone I used or how loudly I said it. But of all of the compliments and attempts to keep Nightmare Moon's full attention directed at me, that was the one that had her on full alert.
"What did you say?" Nightmare asked in a quiet tone. Her eyes dilated a bit as they stared down my soul.
"Your sky. It's beautiful," I repeated while staring back at her eyes. My high levels of stress weren't on par with my exhaustion at that point. I didn't even notice how deep I was pushing myself in. One thing was certain to me at that point.
I'm not the right type of person to be a hero. I'm not built for this type of life. I concluded while keeping my eyes locked with Nightmare Moon's.
"There is no sky in this place, plebian," Nightmare Moon replied with another change in tone.
"Look yourself in the mirror, Your Highness. You'll see the sky in your eyes," I replied with a monotone voice.
This seemed to break Nightmare Moon's composure. Her eyes averted from mine, and a hint of blue struck her cheeks as she turned her gaze towards the table and then back at me. My mental state wasn't anywhere near stable. I probably didn't notice at the time, but I struck so many cords with those words. I lucked out in terms of making my plan work. Because I could have easily ended my life at that point if I had said one wrong thing.
You could say that I stumbled my way into victory, or so it seemed.
"Of course! We knew that!" Nightmare suddenly blurted while I began to feel drowsy. "What is wrong?"
"I may have pushed myself too hard to get things ready," I mumbled while my eyelids slowly started to close.
I was sure I would collapse right then and there. However, I felt a strong surge of energy flooding my brain as every single synapse in it lit up like a Christmas tree. My eyes shot open and I went on high alert. Looking at Nightmare, I caught a glimpse of her horn's magic disappearing.
"You're not going to sleep. Not right now," Nightmare said with a strange tone and a frown. "There is something we need to discuss," She added before I saw her mane expand and engulf us both.
(A few moments ago Twilight Sparkle's perspective)
"Where is it!? There should be a book on the Elements of Harmony here!" I said to myself while throwing all the books around.
"Ok. Your boyfriend is quick to catch on. He is way faster on his hooves than a lot of stallions I know," I heard from behind me while I continued to ransack the library in search of anything referring to the Elements of Harmony. That had to be Rainbow Dash.
"I don't have time for your gossip or your assumptions of my relations to that stallion," I retorted while throwing the final book from the four o'clock to five o'clock section in the library. "All I need right now is to figure out what are the Elements of Harmony. They are the key to stopping this."
"The Elements of Harmony, a Reference Guide," Pinkie Pie said as I rushed her and pulled the book out. "I was supposed to say that I found it under the letter E. But we need to rescue Velvet. I don't think he is going to like what comes next," Pinkie added with a weird smile.
"What do you mean?" I asked while looking back at Pinkie.
"What?"
"What do you mean by, he won't like what comes next?" I replied with a raised brow.
"Who won't like what comes next?" Pinkie replied while tilting her head.
"Nevermind," I replied before slamming the book on a table and opening it. "Ok. The Elements of Harmony are gemstones that hold the power to create Harmony and bestow it upon the land. Their numbers vary each time they were used or mentioned in Equestria's history. But, they always represent an aspect or characteristic of their bearers. The last known elements were Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Honesty. A sixth element was shrouded in mystery during its last appearance in Equestria's history, however, all it would take is a spark to awaken it, should you call out its name. And an even more elusive seventh one is found in some mentions of older texts. However, no bearer or identifiable feature was ever mentioned in said texts. The element's last known location is the ruins of the castle of the Two Sisters. Ruins are now located in the Everfree forest," I read out loud while multitasking with a map.
I must mention how as I read those words, I remembered the comments Velvet Coal had made about the mares I met that day. Applejack with honesty, Rainbow Dash with Loyalty, Rarity with her Generosity to a fault, Fluttershy with kindness, and Pinkie trying to make me laugh. As I marked down the path on a map, I couldn't help but think to myself.
He couldn't have thought that far ahead, could he? There is no way he planned this? He said he didn't know anything about this. And, wait. I mused before turning to the mares and deciding my next move.
"Why did all of you follow me? Was it because I said I knew who Nightmare was?" I asked the five mares.
"Not really," Applejack said while scratching her head. "I did it because Rainbow said to do so."
"I overheard her whispering to Fluttershy," Rarity commented while tilting her head.
"I overheard when Rainbow came to tell Aj to tail you in case you left the City Hall," Pinkie interjected while hopping around the library.
"And you?" I asked while turning to Rainbow.
"Your boyfriend pinned me to the ground and told me to pay attention to you. He said you looked like you knew what was going on. So, I should stick with you since you could end up needing some help," Rainbow said while shrugging.
No-no-no! He knew what was going on too. He sent me five mares that fit the description of five of the elements?! That stallion planned all of this!!! Who is he!? Is he some kind of secret agent or something!? I thought while trying to make sense of that piece of information. This Velvet Coal character had been a step ahead of me the entire day, and now this? All of that couldn't be a coincidence.
"We better go, now," I said while folding the map and heading towards the entrance point that used to lead to the old ruins.
There was a hint of hesitation from the group as we approached the edge of the Everfree. I couldn't blame them for it. That forest was a famed deathtrap for a lot of ponies that were either too brave or too stupid to venture it. However, they didn't falter after I took the first step. All five followed me, determined to go through with it, determined to help me. I felt, happy. I guess I could say that. Aside from Princess Celestia, Spike, and my family, it was difficult to get others to support some of my ventures.
As we headed through the forest, I began to feel rather strange. As if things were going too smoothly. I would have expected Nightmare Moon to at least try and stop us. However, we didn't find any traces of her magic anywhere. The woods were oddly calm. It got to a point where Applejack matched my pace and we started talking.
"So, did you know Velvet?" Applejack asked while I continued to use the map to maneuver around the place.
"Not before today, no," I replied somewhat bluntly while trying to check if I should make a left turn or follow straight.
"Huh, that pony is weird. Jumping into danger like that. I thought for sure he knew you. I heard him tossing around in his bed the entire night yesterday. I thought he was worried about you or something," Applejack said while my ear twitched at the comment.
"I had never met him before, so, no. I doubt that was the cause," I replied while deciding the right path was forward.
"But he read you like a book," Applejack commented. This caused me to turn to her with a raised eyebrow. "You thought Ah, didn't notice you trying to skedaddle away from our brunch. He also picked on how full you were," Applejack replied while I scoffed at the comment. Noticing I was full was hardly something worth praise. "Well, think what you want. But Velvet sure does have the heart to do what he wants. Just about enough to hear you out when you're not speaking."
"But I didn't say anything," I replied while looking at Applejack in confusion. It was as if she had read my mind.
"That pony has just about enough heart to know when someone is in need. Ah, have just about enough talent to pick up on things to know that you didn't believe his reading was worth praising. Before you can be honest, you need to know about lying," Applejack said before peeking at the map. "We should turn here," She added while taking the lead.
How did she? And why did she defend him? I mused while looking at Applejack wide-eyed and with my ears twitching.
"Ah, like the stallion. But he could have been more careful when picking a fight," Applejack said while looking over towards me.
We continued down our road. We walked past a sleeping chimera, something none of us would have noticed if not for Fluttershy. She darted in front of us so quickly to lead us around it that I couldn't help but be astonished by her silent flight. It was almost as if she was part of the night guard. After we had made enough ground for us to trot normally once more, I walked up to Fluttershy.
"How did you hear that manticore? It hardly made by noise," I asked while Fluttershy seemed to whisper something to a bird she had hidden in her mane.
"If you're quiet enough and kind enough to listen to those who don't often speak, you can notice things that others often overlook," Fluttershy said while rubbing her hoof over her left leg.
"That's from the Silent Heart novels, isn't it? It's from when The Count speaks to the Lady of Whispers, right?" I replied with a hint of excitement. Fluttershy nodded in response. "Why did you quote it?"
"B-because I listened to the birds while all of you were walking ahead. They were afraid of the manticore. I calmed them down and asked for information," Fluttershy replied while adjusting her mane.
"I see," I replied tilting my head and looking at the branches above us. There were a lot of bird nests all around us. I hadn't noticed them before. "That was kind of you, to look after the birds before asking why they were scared."
"I-I just wanted them to feel like they were being heard. When they were afraid. As he did," Fluttershy said while shrinking behind her mane.
"You mean the Count?" I inquired with a tilt of my head.
"N-no. The kind-hearted pony that was with you earlier. H-he tried to make me feel more comfortable when we were talking," Fluttershy said before distancing herself a bit.
Well, I guess he got an admirer, I think. I concluded before bumping into Pinkie Pie.
"My turn!" She said lively as she started to bounce around. I didn't want to try and process why she acted like that, so I just continued to walk. "I liked how he wasn't scared of my research! Everything I do is to make others smile! But when he just followed me right away, it made me smile! We switched roles! But he also called me out when I pushed things a bit too far with my popping in and out. Usually, ponies just walk away grumbling. He spoke up to me! Which is when I went to speak to you! But you didn't want to talk. So, I went back to the party! And I saw that he made your grumpy guard smile too! And that makes me smile even more! It felt like I had a little helper! Plus, he is pretty! He is pretty like a mare, even though he is a colt. Which is nice! He can play around with it and pull pranks with it! OH! River serpent!"
I stopped dead in my tracks, I didn't even realize that we had approached a river during that long rant about her opinion over Velvet Coal. The river meant we were close to the ruins. I was about to step into the waters when a couple of mounds appeared as stepping stones for us to pass. I looked to the side and noticed Rarity waving at a GIANT river serpent with an orange mustache.
"Thank you kindly for the tips, Ms. Rarity," The serpent greeted us as Rarity led us across the river with enough grace to make me wonder if she was a dancer. "Safe travels!"
"What did you do?" I asked as I landed on the other side of the river.
"I just shared a few secrets of the trade," Rarity said with a wink as she adjusted her zealously well-kept mane. "Are we close now? This nasty wild weather is ruining my coat."
"We are almost there," I replied with a hint of disbelief. What kind of secrets would she have to make a Serpent grateful enough to aid us in crossing a river shallow enough that we could walk across? But instead of asking her just that, I went for a stupid question. "Why are you helping Velvet anyway? I do believe you didn't see him in good light," I added as we resumed our voyage after Pinkie landed near us safely.
"While I do believe him to be a ruffian still. He was the only one to do something that shook me enough to think before acting on my impulse. Based on how he was afraid of me earlier, I assume he knew the risk of dirtying my coat and mane. However, he did so just to make sure I wouldn't lose any more money. A bubbly method for sure, but the intent to help was heartfelt, no doubt about it," Rarity explained as we trotted about the forest. "Oh, look! We've arrived!"
Rapidly turning my eyes towards the front of the group, I saw that Rainbow Dash was near a pillar of stones tying up a rope connected to an old bridge. It didn't make sense. All of those small little events, all of those small obstacles were things I could get around if given time. However, with them around, I felt as if I was the one holding them back. All I had contributed thus far was getting a map and a book.
But the ponies I thought were going to get in my way or at best support me, were the ones clearing a path for me. While I did start the venture, I didn't do anything on my own. It was strange. I felt frustrated for not being able to collaborate with anything we had done. But, I felt reassured too. Because, now that I had seen what they could do, how they could approach things their way and come on top, I felt as if I could allow myself to trust them.
That feeling made me feel warm. I felt as if some weight had been lifted. I felt like I wasn't alone. And it made me feel stronger. But that couldn't be right. I knew for a fact that I could get stronger on my own. I knew I could grow on my own. Yet, there I was, feeling unburdened by a group of strange mares that a random stallion sent my way.
I was glad to have them with me.
"So, you led us all the way here, what now?" The raspy voice from Rainbow Dash made me snap back from those thoughts. We were over the bridge. And sitting right in front of us, the elements. Six spheres were made out of stone sitting on the pedestals of a model of the arcane galaxy.
I used my magic to float the elements down. All six of them sat before me. Now it was my time to shine. I knew that. It was time for me to show them what I could do. I had the pieces of the puzzle. Five mares represent the elements. Each of them was assigned to one stone. However, there was an issue. The gems were dead. As relics of power and magic, they were dead. There was no power in them. Whatever power they had was lost during the battle against Nightmare Moon. So, the question was, how could I revive them?
The answer is a spark. The book said that a simple spark could awaken the elements. All I had to do was generate a spark at the right element, the sixth one. If I could guess it, I could ignite it. If that could awaken it, then surely its power would restore the remaining spheres.
"Hey, Twilight?" Rainbow asked while poking my head. "You got the stones down. But, what now?"
"I need to awaken them. With a spark. But, I need to figure out which one is the sixth element," I replied while observing the stones before me. They looked eaten and damaged by nature's takeover of the ruins. "I don't know if I can get it wrong more than once."
Just as I finished saying that. A horrendous cackle echoed across the ruins. A rush of cold sweat rolled down my neck as I looked around. It didn't take long for me to hear something else that made my legs shake.
"AA-AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The scream was definitely from Velvet. But, he is supposed to be back in town. Tricking Nightmare Moon. Tricking her to buy me time. Oh, no. She caught up to him! I need to do something now! But what do I do??! I can't do anything without the elements! I can't! I can't. Wait. I can't. What can I do? I can use blink. I can use a magic beam. I can levitate things. I can make a dummy. WHY AM I THINKING AS HE TOLD ME TO?! But, I can't...stop. I can ask for help. Five mares helped me. They are here to help, right?
"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked from behind me. "D-did you hear that?" She asked while trembling on her hooves.
"Yes. I think it's Nightmare Moon. And she seems to have caught on to Velvet's act. I have to help him. But, I don't think I can do this on my own," I said while trying my best to come up with a speech to have them help me. However, nothing came out of my mouth.
Behind Fluttershy, the other four came out of hiding. They were smiling and gesturing for me to go ahead. They didn't say a thing, however, I could tell that they would be there for me. I knew they would help. I felt the warm feeling in my chest grow again. But this time, it wasn't just relief. It wasn't just about feeling I needed to help. It wasn't about feeling confident. It was something else.
"Why?" I asked while feeling my eyes tear up. "Why would you help me like this?"
"We are your friends, aren't we?" Rainbow said with a deadpan.
"Right, darling. Friends are supposed to be there for each other," Rarity added while adjusting her mane.
"Through the bad and the good," Aj continued Rarity's speech while straightening her hat.
"To make sure everyone is happy in the end!" Pinkie finished before throwing confetti upwards.
"And make sure we did the best we can," Fluttershy finished with a bit more confidence.
I couldn't believe it. I felt so happy. My heart pounded in my chest while I felt tears roll down my face. I felt as if I could accomplish anything so long as they were with me. It was like a magic spell. My brain clicked and I finally realized.
"Magic," I mumbled to myself. "We have all of the elements!" I exclaimed while my horn lit up with a much brighter aura than usual. "The final element, the spark that resides in the hearts of us all! It's magic! The magic of friendship!" I added as all the orbs shattered and lunged at us. Everything went white for a few seconds, and when the dust settled, we all had accessories shaped like our marks. But their color was slightly dull. However, I didn't think about it all I said was simple and to the point.
"LET'S DO THIS!" I yelled while charging to the castle accompanied by my friends.
(Nightmare Moon's POV)
Everything was perfect. I had my big return. And I found myself a pony who admired me. Not the sun, not Celestia, ME. I was sure that after all these years, I would have been forgotten. However, I was wrong. That stallion, who was gasping for air on the floor, was ready for my return. He exerted leadership and dealt with any nuisances that came to disrupt my plans. Not to mention being cunning enough to know how to pass a message about those who opposed me.
However, it would be a lie to say I wasn't taken by his words and actions. No pony had ever worked themselves to the brink of exhaustion for my sake. And in his words, I felt genuine admiration for my creations. And the sky, the words he said, only one other pony ever told me about my eyes. And that was Celestia. When she said it, it wasn't genuine. It was an obligation. I am sure of it. Celestia only ever had eyes for her ponies.
But this stallion. He was honest about it.
My return was perfect. All I needed now was to be rid of the Elements of Harmony. And then, I would have truly won. I was about to start my search for them when I heard steps closing in on our location.
"Nightmare!" A lavender pony screamed as she emerged from the stairs. Her eyes were locked on me until she took notice of the stallion, Velvet Coal, lying on the floor by my hooves. He was still conscious. My spell had yet to wear off. And I wasn't done just yet with him. "VELVET!"
That mare. She is the one that was protected by one of the traitors. Now, she comes for MY prey? Impudent little mare.
"Oh, so you come for him, have you?" I said while stepping forward and standing over him. "Is this stallion all you came for?"
"We came to help! We will stop you!" The unicorn replied while charging her magic.
"Oh, is that so? Sorry. But he is my property now. You should learn your place, little pony. And I will gladly teach you!" I replied while preparing my attack. However, as I charged my spell, I noticed something on the top of the unicorn's head. A golden tiara with a star-shaped gem. The gem fueled her magic, the gems around the necks of her companions further increased her magic. "It can't be."
"Nightmare Moon! We are the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony! You lost!" She yelled before firing her magic at me.
The Elements' magic won't miss. Once fired, they will target the disruptor of harmony no matter what. I've lost. NO! I won't! WHAT?!
My thoughts went haywire as something I didn't see coming happened. My wings had opened and I was about to rush out of there in hopes of escaping. I knew it was hopeless. My wings couldn't push me away fast enough to escape the attack. But Velvet managed to stand up and threw himself on me. He was within the blast radius. And as my supporter, he was bound to be destroyed by the Elements too.
He tried to shield me from the attack. And, in doing so, he pressed his lips against mine. Even in the end, when facing death, he tried to help me. In the end, I would leave the world in the hooves of someone who genuinely cared for me.
I guess, this is my victory, then. My happy ending.
(Velvet's POV)
"I died. Good. It's better than facing whatever Nightmare was about to do to me after that little hiccup," I said to no one while staring at the dark halls before me. "Wait. This looks like that dream. And my body isn't aching. Damn it. I'm still alive."
I followed the halls while searching for any signs of Nightmare being around. That was the one pony I did NOT want to run into again. The first date was good enough. It doesn't matter how beautiful someone is, if they are excited about someone getting disemboweled in real life, I'm steering clear of them, forever, FOREVER.
I calmly trotted towards a flickering light that appeared in the distance. Video game logic dictated that I should do so. It didn't take long for me to find the scene from my dream. Princess Luna, crying over the body of her sister, Princess Celestia. I stepped into the room, and the scene started back from the top, almost like a rehearsal for a play.
"Sister! Stop this! Lower the Moon! You are not yourself!" Celestia screamed at Luna before she got struck down by a beam of energy. Which was way faster and different from the dream I had.
"T-tia?" Nightmare Moon mumbled while her form returned to Luna's form. "S-stop pretending," She continued while hopping off the top of the stairs. She kneeled before Celestia's body and started crying. Suddenly, the scene restarted one more time. However, Luna straight-up shot Celestia before the scene could even start.
Celestia's body landed close to my hooves. It was kinda obvious what was happening in there. Luna was stuck in a bad dream of her own. And so long as things continued the way they were, the dream would keep looping. So, I decided to try something. Luna walked up to Celestia, however, before she could do anything, I purposely bumped into her. This caused the entire room to distort and look like some sort of messed-up painting.
"W-what?" Luna stammered while I stared at her blankly. "W-who are thou?"
"I am Velvet Coal. It's a pleasure. Princess Luna, correct?" I inquired while the room distorted more.
"Where did thou come from?" Luna inquired while glancing around the palace. "What is happening? What has thou done to this place!? Cease thy trickery at once!" Luna yelled as the room started to return to its original shape. I looked over at Celestia's body, and there seemed to be something leaking from Celestia's necklace.
"I'm not the one with power over dreams. That's on you," I replied while sitting in front of her.
"Dream? DREAM?! We are mourning the death of our sister. HOW DARE YOU MAKE SUCH A IMPUDENT INSULT OF OUR SUFFERING?!" Luna yelled as her eyes turned white. Another glance towards the necklace, and I saw that the leak had increased. The room got more stable.
Ok then. The body is the main ingredient here. Maybe, if I bring her attention to the body?
"You mean this?" I said while pointing at the supposed corpse before us. "This is not Celestia," The leak turned into a flood. A pitch-black fluid flooded the room. It behaved like a normal liquid around me, but it looked alive while in contact with Luna's body.
"YOU DARE DEFILE THE MEMORY OF OUR SISTER!?" Luna screeched while the black liquid started to climb over her.
Bad! Bad! Bad! I'm on a timer! Make it clearer!
"I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect," I said while lowering my head. The liquid stopped moving.
Ok! It's like a stress meter. Keep her calm.
"It's just that, I saw what happened," I said while looking Luna in the eyes. She seemed to be getting angrier as her frown deepened. "I won't claim to know what made you do it. I can't imagine the pain that would make someone attack their own family," The liquid got agitated. "I just find t hard to believe that the ruler of Equestria would be defeated like that."
"Are thou calling us feeble? Does thee not know of our might?!" Luna growled while the liquid climbed her legs.
"I'm not saying that. Just think about it. You know your sister better than anyone, would she be defeated by such a blast?" I inquired. Luna's frown shifted into a surprised expression. The liquid retreated for a moment. "You've seen what your sister can do. So, can you say with certainty that the magic blast that you just used would be enough to kill her?"
Luna's eyes widened while she turned to face Celestia's body. I think she couldn't see the flood. Because from where I stood, all I could see was Celestia's wing.
"Tia and I faced a mighty dragon. We faced armies of changelings. We've been at wars with magical monsters. Tia's resilience was always something to be envied," Luna commented while holding her hoof to her chin. The liquid cleared up as the crystal on Celestia's necklace got exposed.
"So, would she be dead from an attack like that?" I pushed as Luna seemed to finally connect the dots.
"No, she wouldn't," Luna replied as the liquid disappeared and the crystal on Celestia's necklace cracked.
Raising my hoof, I stomped the crystal with all I had. The gem shattered causing the fake corpse to crack and shatter into pieces. The shattered pieces turned into a black smokescreen.
"You may not have killed her, but do you honestly believe she would forgive you?" The smoke said while I stepped closer to Luna. "You betrayed her. She was ready to imprison you on the moon forever. Your sister was glad to be rid of you."
"WOW!" I whined loudly cutting the smoke's speech. "Sure! Let's just gang up on Luna and be mean to her. Yeah. It's not like six mares are trying to rescue her right now. It's not like Celestia kept up with both her AND Luna's duties for a thousand years. And you know SO much more about what Celestia would and wouldn't do. Shut up, and leave Luna alone!"
"But, she is right," Luna intervened with a quiet voice. Her head hung low as she stared at the floor. "What we did was unforgivable."
"See? Even little Luna agrees. You have no place in this realm, pony. LEAVE!" The smoke growled as a giant maw filled with fangs formed before us.
"Sorry. I can't leave if I don't know how I got in," I shrugged. We were in a dream. She couldn't do anything to me. And she knew that. That nightmare's only weapon was fear. And in there, I had nothing to fear. "But I can tell you something I do know."
"Oh? And what is that?"
"I know that the only ones that can decide whether Luna's deeds are unforgivable or not are the ponies she hurt. Which includes me. So, here is what I have to say to her. I forgive you, Luna," I said while turning to Luna. I raised my hoof and made Luna face me. "And if someone as petty and little as me can forgive you, what's to say the others can't do the same?"
Luna's eyes began to tear up as she started to sob. She didn't say a word, but the smoke around us did the speaking. As Luna's tears started to flow, the smoke surrounding us started to fade. The room crumbled away like a mirror being shattered and it turned into a pathway made of stars. I looked over my shoulder and saw a doorway that screamed EXIT.
Alright! It's time for her to wake up. I thought while shaking Luna.
"Princess, I believe it's time to go. The others are waiting for you," I said while pointing to the door.
"Does thy think we can be forgiven?" Luna asked while wiping away her tears.
"You can do your part, Princess. You'll need to keep moving forward even if the answer is no. The real question here is whether you can forgive yourself, or not," I replied while looking at the door. "But this world is kind. And ponies are very forgiving. Just know that you're not alone. After all, the biggest villain of the night was me. So, don't worry. Just focus on taking the first step."
"The first step?" Luna inquired while getting up on her hooves.
"Yep. One hoof after the other. No matter what you do, you need to keep walking," I said as Luna took her first step towards the door. I looked back at myself and saw a smaller dark figure sitting in the pathway. "Just like that. I need to check something. Keep on going on."
Getting up, I walked toward the figure.
"I knew you weren't gone."
(Twilight's Perspective, the real world)
I woke up feeling as nauseated as if I had one too many mugs of cider. My head throbbed and my knees shook as I tried to get up from the ground. The last thing I could recall before passing out was Velvet using his body to pin down Nightmare Moon.
He pinned down Nightmare Moon. It was a direct hit! Oh no! I realized while fighting nausea to get up as fast as I could. The cloud of dust from the impact made it harder to see and created noise thanks to the damage to the room's structure. And the fact my legs weren't responding properly made things worse. I managed to drag my hooves across the floor. And one by one, I found my friends. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. Seeing, as one of them was missing, I continued to search.
And as the dust started to settle, I finally heard it, sobbing. I followed the crying until I saw the silhouette of two ponies. When I got close enough to see it, I realized who one of them was. Velvet lay unconscious on the hooves of an alicorn mare. Her coat and mane were blue, and her mark was that of a crescent moon. She kept crying while holding Velvet's body. My mind averted my eyes from the body, which led me to see something else. Near the mare, I spotted fragments of Nightmare Moon's armor.
That was when I recalled the myth.
And her jealousy turned her into a wicked mare of darkness. The one who got transformed was, Princess Celestia's sister. Princess Luna is alive. I concluded as my eyes returned to Luna's figure. Only for my brain to finally process the final bit of the puzzle.
"V-Velvet?" I stuttered. My voice caused Princess Luna to gasp as she turned to see me. We locked eyes for a few seconds. Not a sound came from either of us. I could hear the groaning of my friends as they woke up behind me. I could hear the sound of pebbles hitting the floor around us. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. "I-Is he?"
Luna's eyes teared up as she didn't look away from me to say what I feared. "H-He is not waking up," She said with a sob.
It, it can't be. I just learned about how precious friendships can be. I just learned how strong someone can be by having others they can rely on. You believed that. You're the one who said all of that. You said that I could do it. You said it would be fine because I was here. So, you can't. You just can't end up like this. You can't! I ranted silently while standing before Princess Luna.
"Twilight!" Applejack called from behind me as everyone trotted over. "Twilight, what's wrong?" Applejack asked as she reached my side. Not a word came out of her mouth after that. The others stood by me. None of us spoke a word as we looked at Velvet's body.
I saw a flashing light from the corner of my eye, but I couldn't look away from that moment. The sound of metal hitting stones made it clear who it was. But, I just kept looking. I was angry. I was sad. My heart hurt as if it was about to fall apart from all the emotions surging within it. That stupid pony put himself at risk for someone he didn't know. He threw himself in the line of fire to secure our victory.
He did all he could, and that's what he got?
It didn't make sense to me.
Hard work and effort are supposed to pay off.
So, how come this is the end?
If that's the payoff for all that effort, I wouldn't call this a victory.
I walked up to Velvet, I raised my hoof while trying my best not to cry.
Frienship takes heart, right? So, get yours back!
Author's Note
Another one.
I am slowly breaking down. GO FOR IT!
