Author's Note

I’m sorry to keep you all waiting, but this next arc is proving quite a lot more delicate to put together than the last. Thank you all for your patience, and welcome to all the new readers! And now...

Ahem.

Esteemed guests, without further ado:

13: Party Fowl

---Protean---

The Golden Oaks Library stands tall over most buildings in Ponyville. As the last rays of sunlight spill out over the town, it’s nothing short of a sight to behold. Though the surrounding houses are silhouetted, its bark still always seems to glow the wonderful golden color of the sun, which, I’m told, is supposedly how the tree had received its name.

When I asked, nopony was sure exactly whose dumb idea it had been to hollow out the majestic tree for its current purpose, but then again, they didn't seem to mind. The magic within the oak keeps its leaves growing, after all, so it does stand to reason that no real harm had been done to it.

Most residents of the town today don’t really give the building much thought at all. But, if anypony were to ask them, they’d certainly be able to tell you that the tree is a beautiful and iconic landmark of their quiet town.

I slide off the bench I’ve been sitting on with a yawn. I stretch all four legs, taking in the sight one last time for the day before I head inside to eat. Since being unceremoniously taken from my world three weeks ago, ‘their quiet town’ has now become ‘our quiet town’. I can’t complain, though. I really like it here.

I’m not technically grounded anymore, but I still haven’t really been allowed much freedom- not that I’ve really tried to convince Twilight or Luna otherwise. This tree has become my home, but I still don’t quite feel comfortable with the idea of just gallivanting around town. The freedom to simply watch the sun setting from my favourite bench is enough at the moment.

I walk the short distance between the bench and home, ready to cap off another happy and uneventful day.

As I close the door behind me, I can hear chatter coming from the library’s front desk. “Yeah! And the coolest part was when he used his final ripple, wasn’t that amazing?!”

I don’t recognise the voice. Must be someone here for a book, although I’m almost certain the library is meant to be closed already. Sure enough, going to investigate reveals Spike sat behind the library desk, talking animatedly with a young and nerdy-looking unicorn stallion. Spike notices me standing there pretty quickly and stops talking, giving me a little wave.

“Welcome back from your break! Is it nice out there?” he says.

“As wonderful as always.” I say, with a nod my head. Looking at the desk’s counter, I can see a pile of books on Spike’s ‘returns’ trolley. “Do you want me to help you with those, by the way?”

I’ve actually been helping Spike out quite a bit with running the library since I’ve been able to move about easily in this body. Turns out that the library has been open pretty infrequently since I got here- and as soon as I found that out, I suggested that I could help Spike out with what I could. It took a little convincing, but after I said that it would be good for me to get used to interacting more with other ponies, and assuring Twilight that I would still be practicing reading when things were quiet, she reluctantly agreed.

I still feel like I could be doing more to help out, but any other requests I make are summarily denied by either Spike or Twi. I’m not quite sure why, either. I was always raised to do my share of the chores, or more, when others couldn’t or didn’t, but in a society like this, who can say what the most prevalent child-rearing strategy is?

“I could do with the help, Bookish,” Spike says with a hum. “But are you sure you’ll put them in the right place?”

I’ve been waiting to hear that. Spike has always handled reshelving the books himself, at Twilight’s request- she said something about a letter from Luna, I think? But the other day I finally got Spike to explain the ordering system to me, and after building it up in my head for days as this super-complex system that would blow my mind… It’s literally just the dewey decimal system. Except in this world, they call it ‘Starswirl’s Sort’.

I give Spike a catlike grin. “I’m certain.”

Both he and the stallion standing on the desk roll their eyes. Spike picks up the book on top of the pile, and taps on its hardback cover with a claw.

“Prove it then- where does this go?” he says.

“O ye of little faith. Let’s see…” I take the book from him and look at the spine. It’s titled ‘Ripple’s odd adventure’, and is numbered as 834. “Easy as pie. Fiction section, just the other side of that bookcase.”

I point the book at where I mean, and Spike raises both eyebrows in pleasant surprise. “Right! Was that a fluke, or did you really learn Starswirl’s Sort so fast?”

“I really learnt it so fast.” I say, and start to wheel the trolley over to where the first book needs to go, raising my voice so he can still hear me. “There’s only, like, twenty categories to memorise. Why are you acting so surprised?”

“She’s almost as bad as Twi…” I barely hear Spike mutter under his breath. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.

I hear the stallion give a little laugh. “She’s quite the clever young mare! Say, Spike, I haven’t seen her around Ponyville before- is she the very same filly that I’ve heard Twilight has been looking after?”

“Yup, that’d be her.” Spike replies. “She was a bit of a clawful just after she arrived, though.”

Oh, how I want to yell a rebuttal to that. Thankfully for Spike, I don’t want anyone’s impression of me to be ‘the filly who screams and can remember things’, so I let it go and let the two return to their conversation before I arrived, which seems to be about one of the books he had been reading.

I keep at my work, and continue to push the returns trolley between bookshelves, until I find myself pushing towards the last book’s home, which I know is just across from the main desk.

It’s weird though, since I can’t seem to find the empty spot where it should go. I’m sure it’s meant to go here, did I make a mistake? I look again at the book’s Starswirl number, and no, I’m pretty sure it should go back around here. I’m just about to begrudgingly ask Spike for some clarification when a voice cuts through my thoughts.

“Oh! That one goes up high, let me help you with that!” the stallion says. I don’t have time to yell for him to stop before I see his horn ignite with magic.

I yelp with pain and reflexively raise a hoof to my horn, losing my balance in the process. I stumble for a few steps, trying and failing to take a calming breath as the pain of thaumic feedback start to set in. Even though I know that the sickening, stomach-churning feeling I’m feeling is just my own body automatically responding to a perceived magical threat, it doesn’t make it any better.

Mercifully, his magic stops after a few seconds, and that stupid damned unicorn has the audacity to rush over to my side, his face all concern and worry. He reaches out nervously with a hoof, but it’s slapped away by Spike.

“Don’t.” Spike says, with unusual terseness. “She’s probably okay, but give her some space, Minim.”

“Okay… I’m sorry…” he says in a very small voice, bowing his head low and backing up as instructed. He apologises a few more times, and excuses himself before dashing away, shame plastered all over his face.

I take a few shaky breaths in and out, and blink away tears that I didn’t realise I’d been crying. This is starting to really get out of hoof. It feels like every time it happens, my reaction to magic gets a little bit worse, and even after weeks, I still haven’t made any progress in stopping the reflex.

“I’m really sorry about Minim, he didn’t mean to hurt you…” Spike says, once there’s no doubt that we’re alone in the room. “Did you try to do what Twi told you?”

“It’s ok…” I sniffle, nodding my head. “I tried, butI just can’t do it. The pain is too much for me to calm down in time.”

“There’s gotta be a way for you to do it. I just know there is!” says Spike, and I give him a weak smile.

“I know there will be, but in the meantime, hey- at least we can close the library on time. I’m starving.”

He thumps me on the shoulder playfully. “Alright, alright. Can you go lock up? I’ll whip you up something to eat, pronto!”

I feel a little lazy, so I think I’ll take some time to collect myself before getting up. I’ve probably earned a little laziness after that mess of a social interaction, anyway. I lie back against the desk, content to just daydream for a while.

After I close the front door behind me, I hold my hoof to the locking runes. I listen out for the telltale ‘click’ of it activating, then I stroll my way along to the kitchen, where a delicious and peaceful dinner should be waiting for me. I round the corner, and...

“SURPRISE!”

I’m not sure if my ears are ringing from the yelling or from the party poppers, but since they’re all an inch from my face, I’d hazard a guess that it’s both.

The kitchen is filled with about a dozen ponies, both familiar and not, all wearing party hats. I stand there dumbly with my mouth hanging open, completely unsure of what to make of the whole situation. On the table, I can see plates piled with everything from salad sandwiches to carrot dogs, and looking over at the kitchen counter I can even see a bowl of punch. I feel almost bad for how much effort must have gone into what was almost the most unfortunately timed party of all time, and I’m now incredibly glad I took those few minutes to relax before I came in here.

The entire room is silent, and from the faces of the crowd I can tell that they’re eagerly awaiting some kind of reaction from me. I shut my open mouth, and put on the best smile I can muster.

“Thank you so much everyo- everypony,” I start. What in the everloving fuck does one say in this scenario?! “Let’s all have a lot of fun!”

There’s a cheer, and the crowd breaks apart, most serving themselves some food. I sigh, and scan the rather crowded room for either of the only two faces I expected to be seeing here. I need to find one of them, and I most definitely need to ask them what the fuck is going on.

I barely get a second to breathe before I feel someone place something on my head, and my vision fills with Pink. Ah. That would explain the surprise party. I pull my head as far back as I can without moving, and sure enough, I’m treated to the sight of one of Twilight’s friends, Pinkie Pie. Twi had told me a while ago to expect a party from her at some point, but I didn’t think it would be like this.

“Hi, Bookish! My name’s Pinkie Pie! Twilight said you should already know that, but I figured ‘what the hay, I’ll tell her just in case!’, so here I am, telling you!” she says, in a single breath. My eyes glaze over as she continues, “Twilight didn’t want to tell us much about you because it’s supposed to be a secret, BUT she did say that you were some sort of creature from another world that got stuck here, and that made me think you must be really sad and lonely, so I told myself ‘I’ve just got to throw that pony a party, that’ll cheer them right up!’, but Twilight said that I couldn’t, but then two weeks ago--”

Spike walks between us, and closes a hand around Pinkie’s muzzle, mercifully silencing her motor mouth.

“I think she gets it, Pinkie.” he says. “Right, Bookish?”

Spike snaps his fingers in front of my muzzle, and I focus my eyes on him. “Uh, right, yeah!” I hastily say.

Now that I’m paying a little more attention, I notice that he’s wearing a party hat too, though one of his spines has poked a hole in the back. It’s an amusing sight, but after casting my eyes around the rest of the room, I give a look of puzzlement to the pony I know must have planned this all.

“Actually, wait, I don’t think I do get it. What exactly is this a party for, Pinkie?”

Spike releases his grip on Pinkie’s mouth, allowing her to answer. “Well duh, it’s for you, silly! It’s your ‘Welcome to Equestria, And Congratulations on Only Making One Kafka Joke’ Party!”

“Huh. That… mostly makes sense, I suppose.” I scratch my head with a hoof, still baffled by the whole situation.

“See Pinkie?” Spike says. “Now buzz off, and let her enjoy herself.”

She didn’t seem to mind his rudeness, happily responding with “Oki doki, loki!” and bouncing away to the other side of the room. Complete with her own ‘bouncing’ sound effect, seeming to come from nowhere. My mouth is once again agape, and I feel like I know significantly less about what’s going on for having asked.

“Welcome to Pinkie Pie.” the dragon says, giving me a solemn look. “I’d say you get used to it, but…”

Trailing off there tells me all I need to know, really. Spike and Twilight had told me stories about Pinkie Pie’s wild antics before, but neither did the mare justice. Even I seem to be at a complete loss for words of how to describe her. I watch her hop about and make small talk, and it dawns on me. She’s utterly chaotic, yes, but smiles seem to follow in her wake. She’s like a hurricane of happy bubbly energy.

It’s when Pinkie has made a full lap of the room that I frown, and return my attention to Spike.

“Have you seen Twilight anywhere?”

He nods, and points to the ceiling. “Yeah, but she’s still in her study though. Why, do you need her to bail you out of this?” He says, looking suddenly concerned.

I hold out a hoof to try and halt his train of thought. “No, I’ll be fine, I promise- just feeling a little overwhelmed. I’ll try and enjoy myself as much as I can.”

Spike’s expression softens, but doesn’t go back to a smile.

We walk over to the table, and I load up a plate with a mixture of everything on offer-- I’ve not been a pony for long enough to have found anything I hate yet, thankfully. Although that might just be an endorsement of Spike’s skills as a chef, who knows. Speaking of, I recognise a lot of the dishes. All of them, even. I’d better make a mental note to properly thank Spike later for doing the catering.

I sit myself down in a corner, and place my plate in front of me. Spike joins me a moment later with a little dish of assorted gems, and a large glass of punch.

“So who all is here, then?” I ask quietly, taking a few bites of a carrot-dog. God these taste good.

Spike takes a long drink, before replying: “Well I know you know Pinkie Pie, and we met with the Apples last week,” I nod. “But there’s also Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rarity…”

I sigh. “And I suppose I should try to socialise?”

He smiles apologetically. “Probably, if you’re feeling up to it? You want me to introduce you to somepony?”

“I think somepony just wants an excuse to talk with Rarity~” I say in a sing-song voice.

“Do not!” Spike retorts, making the most adorable angry face. I burst into laughter as he throws his arms up in exasperation. “Fine then, you’re on your own.”

I finish my carrot-dog with a giant bite, and hop up onto my hooves. It wouldn’t make a great first impression anyway, hiding behind Spike as he introduced me. This is technically my party, after all. Let’s go gettem, Me!

The only question that remains then, is who to pick?

Rarity is a no on principle, seeing as how I don’t want my wingman to swoop in and be stolen away afterwards. I would like to find a pony ‘my age’ to talk to, but this town (or at least this party) seems wholly devoid of teenagers--or rather, the pony equivalent thereof. There’s a trio of ponies I can see huddled under the table that look like they’re almost a full head smaller than me, which I think puts them at around half my age? That rules them out. I hardly feel like talking to a kid, much less three kids- they can get real annoying real fast. How about Fluttershy? I wrack my brain for anything I’ve heard about her from either Spike or Twilight, and can’t remember much besides her love for bunnies and her apparently timid nature. I can’t imagine talking with her being much fun, either.

That leaves the only three other ponies in the room that aren’t in the Apple family: a duo of candy-colored mares who seem to want the world to know that they’re madly in love; or a lone earth pony mare with a grey coat and an immaculate black mane, who completes her look with a bow tie around her neck.

My debate between finding the lesser of two evils or giving up and sitting with Spike is interrupted when I see somepony new enter into the kitchen.

A beautiful blue pegasus walks in, and the world seems to hold its breath as she moves. I’ve not been here for long, but even an idiot like me can see how incredibly fit she is. She stands at a head taller than me, and her muscles look so well defined that even her wings somehow outstrip the few other pegasi I’ve seen, and her flank… I force my eyes away, staring into her sparking magenta eyes, which stare right back at me…

“I think you broke her, Dashie!” says Pinkie Pie, and the sound of the room returns all at once.

I’m not sure whether to respond with ‘No, I’m fine,’ ‘Your mane looks amazing!’ or a confused ‘How did you get here so late?’. Unfortunately, I open my mouth before I settle on one option, and blurt out “How did you get looks so fine?”

I would’ve assumed she’d laugh at my embarrassing display, but she merely flicks her mane and flashes me a winning smile.

“Yeah, I get that a lot.” she says, not a hint of annoyance or reprimand in her tone. She knows how ponies see her, and she’s proud of it.

Her eyes dart around before she leans in, moving her muzzle close enough to me that I can feel her warm breath tickling my ear.

“Although, usually it’s from colts.” she whispers. The hairs on the back of my neck all stand on end, and then I feel my muzzle heat up in a fierce blush.

I fall to my haunches, and the mare I now know for certain to be Rainbow Dash walks casually over to the punch bowl with Pinkie in tow, leaving me totally awestruck.

Smooth.

---Protean---

The smooth sand of the badlands stretched out for miles. The sight was serene: white sand, bathed in pale moonlight beneath a starry sky. Truly, an unparalleled view.

But to Jet, however, the night was nothing to admire. To him, the night was a time of great danger. If caught without the heat wards of one of his family’s nests or hives, the sand would be far too cold at night for his chitinous body to withstand for all that long.

The badlands were beautiful, yes, but they were deadly.

During the days, meganeura hunted amongst the sands, and at night, if the cold didn’t get you, the nightmarish Serpopards would.

But deep down, Jet knew what the deadliest creature in the badlands was.

He shivered, feeling his carapace starting to harden in the cold night air. He liked the night. Moreso than his brothers and sisters, at least. The cold helped him to think, and the stillness and peace, along with the distance from the others, helped him clear his mind of the day’s worries.

And tonight, he had a lot on his mind.

Was it normal, he wondered, to question the methods by which you remained alive? He knew he must be the only one of his kind to think that way, but surely in Equestria, things were different?

If only he had been born there, in one of their wonderful cities or quaint towns. He wouldn’t have to hide his nature, or repress any thoughts he didn’t want his mother to intrude upon. He wouldn’t have to live with the horrifying guilt of how he got his meals every day, he’d be normal! His conscience would be clear, and he’d spare as much thought to the flowers he ate as he once did towards his food.

Perhaps someday, he thought, he could run away. Disguise himself as a traveler, and journey to Canterlot. When he was younger, he’d even thought that if he was lucky, he might be sent there officially, to guard one of the trade caravans.

But he was older, now.

Jet had been out in the cold air for too long, and while he could feel that he wouldn’t last much longer without the warmth of the hive, he wasn’t ready to go back yet.

He took one last longing glance at the moon, closing his eyes in a silent prayer for salvation. Jet turned his back, not wanting to see that his prayers would go unanswered for another night. He scurried back into the warmth of the hive, a place which he knew with certainty that prayers to the Two Sisters did not reach.