JUN 21 Sunday.

I slowly open my eyes to see a dark room I don't recognize, it takes a bit for my brain to kick in, and when it does I let out a groan before rolling out of bed. I'm still in Ponyville, I was hoping for this to be an odd fucked up dream, guess I'm not that lucky.

After I wake up a bit more I take my time doing several morning exercises, nothing too heavy but still enough to get myself breathing hard. After I'm done I look out of the small window to see the sun rising over Ponyville, well I have a nice view at least.

Yesterday after we all settled into our rooms we decided to just lounge around the library and stay inside, except Willow who went out to buy a few things for dinner. As uninteresting as it sounds, we just played games with each other and spent time together.

Sure we could have gone out and done things, but as much as I like Ponyville we had no idea where to go to find anything to do and with only a few hours of sunlight left. So ya we had a fun day and night inside, plus we got to listen to Willow tell all kinds of stories, turns out she's quite the storyteller.

I look over to Entropy as she moves her head out from under her wing and looks over to me. "Morning girl." I smile at her, she flies over to me and demands attention, and I give her just that. After a little pampering, I cast the Illusion spell on her and took both of us out of the bedroom.

I head over to the bathroom and clean myself and Entropy off, she's annoyed that I washed her but calms down after she's nice and clean. I dry both of us off and reapply the illusion spell before leaving the bathroom and heading downstairs. When I enter the main living area I see only Willow sitting down and drinking some tea while reading a book. She hears me and turns to look at me, "Oh, good morning. I hope you slept well?" She asks kindly.

I nod. "Good morning, and I slept very well thank you." I walk over and sit down at the table with her. It's a quiet morning, me and Willow talk for a while as the other ponies slowly get up and walk down the stairs. Blaz looked a little tired for a bit but woke up quickly. Maple seemed to be wide awake from the moment she came down the stairs. But as I've come to learn over the years, Daisy is not a morning pony, and she acts like a dead pony walking for a while.

It takes a while for us all to wake up fully, mostly Daisy. And I spent that time helping Willow cook some breakfast, she wanted me to just sit and wait but I insisted on helping. I'm a guest and I should act like one. After we all eat we start discussing what we want to do today.

"So what are you all thinking?" I ask curiously.

Daisy, who's now woken up enough to not look like she's crazy, speaks first. "Well I want to do a little shopping with Willow, even if I don't expect too much from the town market it should be fun. Anypony want to join us?" After a moment of silence Maple nods. "Great, what about you two?" She asks me and Blaz.

I think about it but decide against it. Last night after some thought I decided to try and carefully look around Ponyville, it's a good opportunity to gather some information about the town. Blaz is the first to answer Daisy, "Well I remember Willow telling me about a small game area some ponies set up and it sounds like a fun time."

I smile, that's about what I expected. I answer after he's done, "I'm thinking of just exploring around, it's going to be busy so what better time to experience a town like this." I explain, and get nods all around.

"Seems like we'll be splitting up then, how about we all meet at the town hall at noon for the festival?" She asks and we all agree. After that me and everypony else besides Maple head back to our rooms to grab things we may need. I decided to just take my saddlebags with me and leave nothing. I like having everything I might need nearby.

I double-check my things, and by the time I go back downstairs again everypony else is gone. I head down to the first floor and decide to look around the library for a bit before leaving. It's not a large place, several rows of bookshelves.

After a little looking nothing really stands out all that much so I move on to my next goal. I have no idea what type of tree this place is carved into but I'd very much like to take a seed and clipping with me when I leave. So I walk to a secluded spot and touch one of the walls.

I focus on my life magic and try to grow a small branch out from the wall, after a little effort a small branch does grow. I use even more magic to try and create flowers, but while doing so I notice that I'm using much more life magic than I expected.

The tree has a fairly high amount of life magic so I expected it to take a decent amount of life magic, but it's much more than I expected. It takes nearly all of my magic to grow a single seed from the branch. The seeds reminds me of a maple seed but with an odd golden-yellowish color to it.

I pick up the seed and use what magic I have left to return the wall to normal while taking the leftover branch with me. I don't know what this tree is but with how much magic it took to grow a single seed it has to be magical in some way. I pack both things into my saddlebags and head outside.

It's a nice day and ponies are out in force doing various things, but it's still nowhere near as busy as a normal day in Canterlot. I don't really know where to start, and I want to explore around and see the sights. And what better way to do that than saying fuck it and picking a random direction, so I do just that.

At first, nothing really catches my interest, so after a while I decide to try and find Sugar Cube Corner, because why not? I walked down a side street to cut across some buildings and find a new street, and I see a very pregnant mare doing the same from the other end. She has a light tan coat, very light blue eyes, and a large, orange, curly mane.

I feel like I recognize her but can't tell from where. Right now she's just slowly walking in the opposite direction of me with a bag in her mouth. But as we get close to walking past each other she trips on something unseen, I see her about to tumble and react on reflex.

She's falling towards me so I quickly rush forward and grab her with my front two hooves while rooting my back legs in place as best I can. She's very pregnant and because of that she's heavier than I expected but I'm able to stabilize us both and keep her from falling over. After making sure she's ok I speak up, "You ok Miss?"

After a moment of regaining her balance, she looks over at me and answers me. "Yes I'm fine, thank you for the help." She says with a thankful look and tone. Her voice has a small southern drawl, it's something I've heard before but not this strong. It's at this moment that she looks down, "Oh no." She says with a tired and stressed tone.

The bag she was holding fell when I caught her and spilled its contents on the dirt street. the bag seemed to have been filled with tea and it was spilled everywhere, it's mixed with the dirt and didn't seem savable. "Buck." I'm surprised to hear the mare curse at the sight, she seems to remember I'm here a moment after and looks very embarrassed. "OH, I'm so sorry about that." She says looking very apologetic.

I can't help myself and just chuckle, "It's fine Miss, I'd also be less than pleased, here let me help." I offer and decide to cast a simple spell. I gather the tea and dirt it's mixed with into a pile and draw out the spell matrix, this is a simple spell I found while researching tea-making methods.

It lets me separate impurities from tea leaves, it just moves the unwanted impurities and doesn't destroy them. The main downside is that because the spell is so weak it can take a little while to work fully, I sit there and slowly watch the spell separate the tea out of the dirt for a few minutes, before passing the now-cleaned tea back to her in the paper bag.

When I first cast the spell the mare looked a little shocked but watched fascinated as the tea was cleaned up, by the time I was done she was smiling and looked much happier. As I offer the bag to her she takes it with a smile, "Thank you kindly, Colt, this is expensive tea, I owe you one." That last part is said a little more seriously than I expected.

I wave it off. "It's no trouble at all Miss, I'm happy to help." It's not like it was hard to do.

She nods with a slight frown. "Still you helped me, and I don't like owing favors." I want to say she doesn't owe me anything but before I can, she stops and seems to properly take in my appearance. After she does she smiles slightly again. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but you don't look like you're from Ponyville, are you visiting?" I can see where this is going but also I don't see any harm in answering, so I nod.

Her small smile grows a little. "Great, how about I give you some directions then?" She seems determined to pay me back in some way, a strong-willed mare from the looks of it.

After a little thought, I nodded again, I wouldn't mind some directions. "Yes that would be very welcome, thank you. Do you know where I can find Sugar Cube Corner?" I ask, I want to visit it, and as much as I like exploring around, I don't want to miss my chance and run out of time before I can find it.

She smiles fully at my question. "If you go that way it's two left and will be at the end of the street on your right." I quickly commit that to memory.

"Thanks again I appreciate it." I smile back, this should save me some time.

The mare seems happy to have paid me back in some small way. "No problem. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Pear Butter. Thank you again for the help but I have to get going." She says happily.

I pause at the name as I definitely feel like I know it, but I shake those thoughts off for the time being. "I was happy to help Miss Pear, have a nice day," I say as she picks up the paper bag in her mouth again and nods to me before leaving with a smile. :Well that was interesting:

I decide to follow the directions and I find the place I'm looking for not long after. It's just as I'd imagined and I spend a moment looking at the outside of the cafe before entering inside. It's a nice place with a good sign and large windows on two sides. I look through a window and see a pony I recognize, Mr. Cake.

I don't remember if he has a full name in the show but I do remember he exists so that's something. He looks to be in his twenties, maybe a little bit older but I don't think he's past thirty. He sees me enter and smiles, "Welcome, tell me if you need anything." It's a simple greeting, but I don't mind simple.

I take a moment to look around the interior. It's not a large place but still has some decent floor space, on the left side is a wall of windows with small sitting booths. And on the back wall is the counter filled with many sugary treats, the wall to my right has some paintings and a few newspaper clippings about this place.

I walk up to the counter and see all the goods on display. After some thought, I decided to get a white frosting donut as a treat and ask for just that, "This one please." He looks at where I'm pointing and nods.

A few moments later he sets a paper bag on the countertop. "Four bits please." I pay him and walk to a booth to sit down and give Entropy some treats while eating. I give her some berries and relax, but then something starts to nag at me, I think back to the mare I helped, Pear Butter.

I really feel like I should know that name for some reason, I keep thinking about it while eating my donut. "Pear Butter," I mutter the name out loud and as I'm about to take another bite I remember why I know that name, she's Applejack's dam.

:Well, Fuck me sideways:

I nearly groan out loud as I make my realization. :Why do I keep running into ponies I don't want to be near? Is fate just fucking with me at this point?: I try and remain calm about the situation. At least I didn't fuck anything up badly, then again I did change her day by helping her so maybe I did already fuck it all up.

I try and keep myself from spiraling down the same thoughts about what this could mean for the future, but despite my best efforts I still feel anxious about what happened. I try to remind myself that the future has already changed and this isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

But thoughts about the future bring a different kind of feeling with them, I feel some dread. In the show neither of Applejack's parents were alive. That realization hits me like a brick and makes me immediately think about something. If Pear Butter is alive then, what was his name? I think about it for a moment, right it's Bright Mac.

If Pear Butter and Bright Mac are still alive, then could I save them?

I let that thought hang in my mind for a moment, I expect to feel some fear or anxiety about these thoughts. And I do feel both of those, but I mostly just feel a little tired about the whole situation. I expected to have to deal with a noisy Pinkie Pie or an overly friendly Rarity, maybe Rainbow Dash, instead I'm debating changing the future or letting two innocent ponies die.

I sigh and finish my now unappetizing donut. If I do nothing those two ponies will likely die, but if I do something it will change things in a big way. Recently I said to myself I wouldn't change big events, but can I really just walk away from this? Could I really live with letting them die?

I push my mind past that tired feeling and start really thinking through my options. If I do nothing what would that be like? As I think of this my mind wanders back to a different day, a while ago I saved a Changeling, I refused to let them die just because they wanted to live.

Even though I definitely changed the future in some way, I wouldn't compromise my morals for a life, I absolutely refused to do so. And even though I worry over the consequences I don't regret my decision in the slightest and would do the same thing all over again.

So can I really live with myself if I do nothing? I lapse into silence while looking at different ponies walking past the windows. No, I don't think I can, I just can't bring myself to sit here and let them die. I feel my mind pulling in the other direction as my fears eat away at me with worry and uncertainty.

I try to ignore that but it keeps nagging at me. :SHUT UP!!: I snap back internally, I force down those fears and take out my notebook. These fears keep distracting me, they keep trying to make me ignore who I am for a potential safety that may never come. And I'm tired of listening to those fears, tired of doing nothing to the detriment of other ponies.

I WILL help them, I need to prove to myself that I can help them. With my mind made up I try to think of all I know about Applejack's parents. I don't know much, I know they die but not how or why. So what could I do to help them without putting myself in the spotlight, I'm willing to help but not to the point it reveals who I am.

That may be selfish of me, limiting my help for my own sake, but that's who I am. I'll gladly help others, but I also have ponies I care about and I refuse to endanger them for being close to me. So I refocus my mind on thinking of the best way to help from the shadows.

Well, how I can help them mostly depends on what kind of threat they will face. What can I rule out? Well both of them are earth ponies, and with how close they live to a town so they can get medical help easily, so I find it unlikely that a disease or injury would kill both of them.

Pear Butter is pregnant so she could have a complication with the birth, but I also find that unlikely. Unlike humans, ponies have a much easier time giving birth because of the way their bodies work, it can still happen but it's nowhere near as common as it was for humans. And like I said before they can get medical help easily, and that would only kill one of them.

With those out of the way I can only think of two options. They are killed by another sentient being, which is a very unlikely outcome. Or they are killed by something like a wild animal, they do live near the Everfree Forest so it's not an unlikely outcome to happen, and that does seem likely now that I'm thinking about it.

I've done some research in the Everfree, not that I found much about it, it's considered a very dangerous area so very few ever try to research it. But that's not the point, let's assume that the most likely reason they die is being attacked by some type of animal or monster, what could I do to help them with that?

A warning? No, that wouldn't work. The warning would either have to be so vague it would be basically useless, or so specific that it could only be seen as somepony knowing about the future, or planning the threat. So what else could I do?

I could send them a weapon? But they'd have no idea how to use it and probably would just be freaked out that some unknown pony is sending them a weapon for self-defense. I could send them something to defend themselves? Not the worst option but I'd need something to work with.

I don't have any gems on me and it's unlikely I'll find one of decent enough quality in this town on such short notice. Wait? How much time do I have? Well, I guess it depends on how much of their future has been changed by my influence, but trying to figure that out is just a waste of precious time.

Let's just say that their deaths will happen at the same time as normal, it's not the best framework to base a plan off of, but it's the best I have right now. If I follow canon then Pear Butter is probably pregnant with Applebloom right now, and as Applebloom is alive in the show it stands to reason Pear Butter won't die until Applebloom is born.

So if nothing else I probably have a few weeks at a minimum, but that's just a guess. So I have a little time, what's the best defense I can make for them? Well, it will need to be at least somewhat portable and easy to use, so a shield enchanted into a gem is probably my best bet.

I have time so I can wait for this trip to be over, but it would be difficult to send the gem to them from Canterlot without mailing it, and if I do that they'll need my name. As I'm thinking of ways to deliver the gem an idea pops in my head and I start doing some rough math. I come up with a few promising numbers, so I check the time and see I still have two hours to meet my friends.

I put my notebook away and stand up, I thank Mr. Cake and make my way outside. I look around and start heading to the nearest edge of town, it only takes me ten minutes at a fast trot to arrive. I move even further away from Ponyville and start looking around, eventually I find a patch of fairly dense trees and bushes a little out of the way.

It's far from perfect but it should work, I find the most secluded spot and turn to Entropy. "Look around girl, try and remember this place," I ask while drawing a circle in the ground around us. Through all her training I've always drawn a circle to indicate a place I want her to take us.

I intended to make her understand that when I do this she should remember the location, and considering how intently she's looking around the area right now it's working. I wait as she looks around her, I plan to have Entropy take me to my apartment and back.

I did the math and it should be just far enough for her to do a round trip. As I'm double-checking my math just to be sure another thought strikes me. I could use Ponyville as a place to train Entropy's teleportation.

Her progress in teleportation has almost completely leveled off and I've been thinking about a new place to use, but until now I haven't found a decent location. As I think about it I start liking the idea more. I don't want to spend more time than absolutely necessary in Ponyville, but having easy access to it has benefits.

My best option is to find a spot an hour or so away from Ponyville and have Entropy take us there. It still gives me relatively quick and easy access and should be far enough away that I won't run into any ponies by accident. After more thought, I decided it was my best option for Entropy's training and made a mental note to come back here soon to find a proper spot.

My thoughts are interrupted by Entropy shifting on my back and looking at me expectantly. I smile up at her and give her a few scratches, "Take us home girl." She goes silent, I can't see her eyes so I'm not sure if she's concentrating, that question is answered when I feel the familiar feeling of the Void a minute later.

After a moment I look around me to see my apartment and the sounds of the busy city outside. I checked on Entropy first, she's fine and even a little less tired than I expected. I quickly make some tea to help her regain her magic and let her rest while I take some time to unwind my stressed mind a little with some tea.

After half an hour Entropy has recovered enough to move us back without being too tired. After Entropy's recovered we teleport back to Ponyville, it works just as normal and Entropy isn't tired enough to need sleep. But I let her nap on my back anyway as I started walking back to Ponyville.

After we return I'm more relaxed about the whole situation, I have a half-decent plan now and that helps me unwind and enjoy the rest of this trip. Checking the time I start leisurely walking to town hall to meet up with my friends. It's not a long walk and I arrived a little early.

I find a bench and sit down. Ponyville holds a yearly festively slash fair around town hall and I can see it starting around me. The street is full of stalls, with games, merchants, and many other oddities. From what Willow said, this event lasts until a little after the sun goes down.

Many places in Equestria have different traditions around this holiday. Many stay up all night to watch the sunrise, some have parties and festivals, and so many other ways to celebrate. It's not a very strict holiday, hell many ponies just take the day off to sleep in, sounds nice.

After a little waiting, I see a small group of four ponies walking down the busy-ish street. Seems Blaz already met up with the mares, I wave them over to the bench I'm sitting on and greet them, "How's it going?" I ask happily.

Maple gives me a simple nod, and Daisy speaks up with a happy tone, "It's been really fun, we even found Maple a new bracelet." I look back to Maple and see a second bracelet on her other foreleg. She normally wears a silver bracelet on her left leg that's made from silver and has three small rubies in it.

The new bracelet is also silver but has five sapphires in it, it looks nice. "Good find." I turn to Blaz to ask him how the games went, but stop after seeing his less than pleased expression. "No good games?" I guess at his look.

He shakes his head. "No." I raise a brow but he doesn't elaborate further.

So I turn to Daisy hoping she knows more, and seeing her smile she's been waiting to tell me. "I didn't see the beginning, but I did see the end. He got in a contest and nearly won, but an old grumpy mare was his last opponent, and he got his flank kicked. He didn't even stand a chance." She says while chuckling.

I just start laughing at the mental image of Blaz losing to an elderly mare. "Ya laugh it up you two, but I warn you don't mess with that Apple, she's a monster at Scrabble." I nearly choke at the mention of who I presume to be Granny Smith, but that passes and I start laughing even harder knowing who he lost to.

After I've recovered we all start walking down the street talking about anything that catches our eyes and joking around. Life can be stressful, but it's times like this that make it worthwhile.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :]

Also the inspiration for the tea spell is probably not that interesting but I wanted to mention it, mostly because it involves a hobby of mine. I make tea, and god there are several times I wish I'd had this spell.