The Great Search for Pink Milk

Fun fact about the elemental houses, they all come packed with several tea variations. I took a sip, leaning back in my cozy chair. While I was never a big tea drinker myself, I often had to partake in tea drinking on diplomatic missions. Even though I wanted to stay inside and enjoy the warmth from my fireplace and tea, I knew I had to get back out there and discover some way back home. Putting my teacup in the sink to be cleaned later, I left my home and went out to the Everfree Forest.

By the time I left, it was sunset, which left the forest with only a few gloomy, orange slivers of light trying futilely to provide light to the entire forest. Not that this bothered me; after all, every novice spellcaster learns a few light spells. It was then that I heard the sound of a treant's awakening. I know I didn't summon one, which meant only one thing -- timberwolf. Likely more than one as well, unfortunately. I stood motionless on the path, poised up-right and ready to fire a blast at a moment's notice.

The beast lunged at me from behind me, so I tilted my head upward and shot at him without even having to turn around. Half the timberwolf shattered into splinters, and the rest of it melted into a green puddle that soon was absorbed back into the earth. Where once a vicious beast stood, a red Amaryllis flower now gently waved in the breeze. In truth, it was quite beautiful. I waited there a few minutes longer, waiting for another one to attack. Nothing ever came of this; however, it seemed I had bought myself some safety for a little while longer. After walking for a few more minutes, I finally reached the Two Sisters' castle.

It stood tall and dilapidated, the grounds overgrown with weeds. It wouldn't surprise me if the castle was haunted. Save for the noise from my hooves on the cold stones, the court was silent. I looked up at the sky and noticed that I still had quite a bit of light from the sunset left. With some time to kill before utter darkness and the return of Princess Luna, I walked into the library and helped myself to some hidden knowledge.

Sitting down on my haunches, I tried to deduce the location of that book that Spike found in inspiration manifestation. It was somewhere in the library, but with how big the library is, that didn't narrow it down much. It was behind a wall, not a bookcase, from what I remember. Considering that it wouldn't lead to outside the castle since the book was contained in a small room, its location narrowed down to either the left or right side of the library -- or the middle.

"second to last shelf, second shelf to the bottom, brown book in the corner," I repeated to myself in a whisper. Following what I remembered from the show, I eventually found a bookcase that matched. I pulled the brown book in the corner, revealing a locked cage door. I knew how unlikely it was that this book would help me get back to my home universe. Instead, I would use the book to fund my research and experiments. The cage door wasn't a problem; I just pulled the door off its hinges with my magic and threw it into the surrounding pit.

Knowing better than to walk on the stairs, I levitated the book over to me. It felt as though it were made of stone rather than leather or fabric. I held it to my chest and went back out of the castle to instead move over to a tower left off by itself. It remained just as I remembered it; the elements of harmony sat on their strange display. Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, Magic, and ... "since when were there seven elements?" I asked myself with incredulity. Levitating the last element over, I began to examine it. It looked just as the other ones did, trapped in a rock. At least I know that this one won't be needed at dawn.

With this seventh element of harmony and the inspiration manifestation book, I left the two sisters' castle and ran my way back home. Nightfall had come, and I knew better than to miss Pinkie Pie's Welcome to Ponyville party. I especially wouldn't want her to start snooping around and figuring out that I don't quite belong here. Skidding to a halt right outside my door panting, I opened my door and slammed it shut just as fast as it opened. Looking at the clock revealed that I was quite late for the party. I hid the book and element on my alchemy table and went into the adjoining bathroom.

Of all the things the magic council could've done to change the elemental house, them putting curtains in the earth house was one of my favorites. Back in the day, you'd just have windows into the bathroom, which led to plenty of spying on people showering, or worse. The shower was built for a human, but this didn't make it unusable to a pony. It just meant I had less room to move. The water never runs out, suitable for research in hot climates. Using a prepackaged tiny bottle of shampoo and body wash, I jumped into the shower and cleaned off the scent of trees, dust, and old magic.

The town looked beautiful at night; I almost wanted to spend the entire night outside merely exploring the town. I knew better; however, when Pinkie is throwing a party, she won't rest until you've had it. This needs to go well, so I need to put on a show and give them exactly what they want. I smiled and made my way to the Golden Oaks Library. The number of lights and voices assured me that this was the place, not that I needed much more assurance.

I used my magic to enter the library; the party was still going strong. The music played, the ponies danced, there were only three large cups for us all to share, so you know we'll all be sick in a few days. I found a corner and just stood there, smiling, almost like a non-playable character from a video game. Considering I was one of at least nine ponies doing this, it wasn't a big deal. Some of the ponies had gone off into their own little groups of twos and threes. The largest group was the mane 6 -- now the mane 5, what with Twilight being upstairs.

Pinkie Pie somehow appeared behind me, no noise, no distortion of air, nothing. If this horse eventually turned evil, I know there'd be no hope for anyone surviving.

"WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, LIVELY HOLLOW!" She said before blowing some confetti noisemaker at me. I was momentarily caught off guard because I had never mentioned my name to her. Then I remembered that she was Pinkie.

I smiled at her in a stereotypically happy way and thanked her. Being extra sure that I pushed how much I loved parties, purely for her benefit, of course. She rambled on about some such, but I was busy looking behind her. A small, slightly chubby purple dragon walked across the library and stood next to Rarity. Sure, I knew he existed, but seeing him in the flesh reminded me of one of his episodes. Somewhere in season three, I think, he will get in trouble and need to be saved. I usually wouldn't outright care, but I would have to take advantage of this for the chance to have him indebted to me for life.

When I eventually brought my attention back to Pinkie Pie, I realized she wasn't even talking anymore. She was only making guttural noises and smiling at me. I tried to smile cutely in hopes that this would placate her. It must've worked because she ran off to 'get something,' as she said.
It then began to make sense to me. If there were secretly seven elements, then the seventh likely belonged to Spike. I'll be making sure he doesn't get it before a time when I can safely discard it. I sat down and put my hoof to my muzzle in thought, what will happen when he goes looking for the book and can't find it?

Figuring everything happens the same way, he'll likely just be disappointed that he unlocked a secret passageway, and it revealed nothing. I could live with that for now. I would have to do some research on that book too. I know the magic is dark, but dealing with dark magic is nothing new. Supposedly it also has some small amount of mind control magic with it. I'll need to be careful when I return home. When I snapped out of my thoughts, I noticed that everyone in the room was looking directly at me. My eyes shrunk, and I apologized profusely before having a blindfold wrapped around my eyes, a piece of fabric shoved into my hoof; I was then spun around like a spinning top.

I had no idea what was going on and teleported myself a few blocks away in an attempt to gather myself. I didn't expect that to happen at all; I figured that they'd gladly leave me alone. "Lively." I heard from behind and turned around just enough to see Pinkie Pie was standing there; she looked sad. I felt my heartbeat race and knew that I needed to play this cool. She's already got me out here, alone, singled out. She needs to lose this line of reasoning. I came up with a quick response and handed her back her blindfold, and what I now know is a tail.

"You'd better get back to the party," I said with a smile. "The rest will be wanting a turn." Pinkie Pie just kept staring, looking sadly at me like I just told her she was a slave for life.

I gasped in faux surprise. "Pinkie, there's a building full of ponies over there that aren't smiling." Just more staring. "The sun will rise soon, shame the party planner left. You really should return." She started walking towards me, her hair has deflated, and she looked as though she was lost. I smiled cutely again; it worked last time. She wrapped her hooves around me in what I recognize as a hug. I kept my smile on during the entire thing; she wouldn't catch me again.

She eventually let go of me and walked somberly back to the library. I hated that; this entire thing was a bust. It's basically guaranteed that she'll come back and -- I teleported myself home.

I had a book that makes what you imagine come to life, an element of harmony, and now the pink one's unlikely to leave me alone. I'm no closer to being home than I was this morning. This couldn't have gone any more wrong. These ponies can't be trusted. Despite the day's events, I still remembered what I was doing here, what I fought for. I will have my revenge.