As Blue as the Ocean

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I am sorry I have not written for a while, but a family matter has arisen and needed my attention. The matter has been fixed, at least, for now. I will be sending a pony to live in Ponyville so he can interact with other ponies and make some new friends. The circumstances of his anti-socialness are a bit different from what yours were, but I still believe you can help him. I have enclosed some bits for him to stay at the local inn, please make him a reservation under the name “Triton”. I will visit soon to check on him. Please help him.

Your Loving Mentor,

Princess Celestia

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“‘Family matters’? Is something wrong with Luna?”, asked a concerned Spike. “She didn’t go all Nightmare Moon again, right?”

“I don’t think she meant Luna when she said ‘family’, but it’s either Luna or Cadence, and Cadence has recently written that she and Shining are fine. But I’ve never heard of the pony she mentioned. ‘Triton’? Sounds like an old name.”, said Twilight, climbing up onto the couch in the library’s main room. She quickly read the letter again and sent Spike to make the reservation at the inn.

I wonder who Triton is?

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From behind the large doors, voices could be heard, slightly muffled but distinct.

“You can’t be serious.”, said one voice.

“Oh, but I am. I have already made arrangements, and you could stand to get out a little more.”, answered a second voice.

“That’s what you said last time, a look how well that turned out.”

The second voice took longer to respond this time. “Well, you still have to do this. Times have changed, it won’t happen again. You still need to get out there and meet some more mares. It doesn’t hurt that it’s almost spring, and mares will be looking to get into a relationship.”

“So you want me to abuse an aspect of nature that ponies can’t resist, for my own selfishness? You really are living up to that nickname Luna gave you.”

“You’re going to Ponyville tomorrow, and that’s final!” The doors swung open, hindered by water resistance, and revealed an angry princess walking away from an equally angry blue-green alicorn.

“I may have to go, but I don’t have to socialize.”, the blue alicorn concluded quietly to himself.

“You may think that, but you will end up meeting ponies, probably forcefully.”, chuckled Celestia as she walked away.

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Triton grumbled to himself as he trudged along the dirt path leading to Ponyville. The woods and animals in them went unnoticed by him as he moved towards his destination.

“Stupid Celestia, always thinks she knows best. Celestia, who’s never been in a relationship. Celestia, who never got to know a stallion after the first night. Damn it! Why does she do this?” While questioning the events that lead to this, Triton failed to notice he had entered the town. His head hanging low, he was ignorant of all the ponies staring at him. He continued to walk through the town square, the water in the fountain moving to push against the side closest to him. He crossed a bridge, and the water below swelled upward a bit, trying to reach him.

Suddenly, he noticed he was walking on cobblestone. He looked up and around, confused and lost in the small town. Luckily for him, the first pony he ran into was none other than the pony he was looking for, though he did not notice.

“Hello!” Triton turned to face the direction the voice had come from. Walking toward him was a purple unicorn with a dark purple that had a pink highlight in it.

“Are you new here? My name is Twilight Sparkle.”, said the unicorn, now known as Twilight, as she offered her hoof in greeting. Triton reached out his own and slowly shook the unicorn’s outstretched hoof.

“My name is Triton, and yes I am new here. I was sent meet to the librarian here. Can you direct me to the town’s library?”

Twilight was dumbstruck. A pony who had never heard of her. Saving Equestria twice, ruining a Gala, being Celestia’s personal student, and having a brother for a prince had made her and the other Bearers of the Elements of Harmony fairly well known, if not famous. But here was a pony who had no idea who she was.

“Well, I am the librarian, Twilight Sparkle. Did you say your name was Triton? Did Celestia send you?” Triton nodded.

“Well then, we better get off the streets so she doesn’t find you. My home is nearby, follow me.”

Triton was about to ask who “she” was, but Twilight turned and started walking the she had come. Triton followed, at a slower pace, to a tree with a door and several windows higher up. He thought he saw a balcony, but that would be ridiculous.

Twilight opened the door to the tree and shouted, “SPIKE! Can you make us some tea? Triton just arrived.” Triton, who was expected a stallion to answer, was mildly surprised to find that a small dragon rushed into the kitchen, supposedly to make a brew.

“Just make yourself at home. I’ll be back in minute.” With that, Twilight walked up the stairs toward the back of the tree to what Triton guessed was the living area of the library/tree/house. Spike walked out of the kitchen, having just put a kettle on.

“So, anyone notice your wings yet?”, Spike asked Triton as he situated himself on the purple sofa. Triton shifted on the sofa, rustling his leathery wings.

“I think not. Nor do I care. I want to be left alone, I do not care if Celestia sent me.”, answered Triton gruffly, still angry with the white alicorn.

“Alright, I won’t tell anyone. But somepony will find out eventually.”

“Thank you. I think that the extra attention would be unwelcome.” Triton sighed. How long was he going to stay in this small town? He hoped not very long.

After a minute of silence between the two males, Twilight trotted down the stairs and handed Spike a rolled up parchment. He sighed knowingly and sent it on its way out the window and to the Princess.

“So, Triton, what brings you to Ponyville?”, Twilight asked as she walked into the kitchen to fetch the kettle, which had just begin to whistle. Spike walked into the kitchen to make his “famous” brew.

“Well, the Princess and I had a disagreement, and it wound up with her sending me here.” Triton shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, hoping the conversation didn’t go into too much detail.

A disagreement?! Twilight wanted to yell at this strange pony for even thinking of disagreeing with her tutor. The thought was inconceivable.

“So, how long will you be staying?”, she said, hoping to continue the conversation. The new pony did not seem the talkative type, so it would be up to her to further their dialogue.

“I don’t know. Not long, I hope.”

Twilight almost laughed. She remembered when she first came to Ponyville, hoping the visit would be quick and she could away from these crazy ponies. She grew to love the town and its inhabitants, no matter her judge on their sanity. She just knew that Triton would warm up eventually.

They sat in silence for a minute, sipping their tea. Until Triton glanced out the window.

“It seems to be getting late. Thanks for the tea. Now, could direct me to my inn, and then to the nearest bar.”