Pheonix arose early in the morning with a pep in her step and a sparkle in her eyes—she was ecstatic. Today was the day she was to go to the Golden Oak Library and get the information she needed on the Dragon Lands. The young unicorn was so excited she did not even notice when a finch crept out from under the bed and flew onto the dresser where she had left her brush after combing her mane. Pheonix's mind was on one thing and one thing only: getting ready for a day of note-taking at the library, which is why she also missed when two more small birds appeared from behind the dresser and joined the first.

As the birds gathered around her mane brush, Pheonix organized everything from her bag that she would require at the library and was about to stash the rest into one of the dresser drawers when she finally noticed the critters and what they were attempting. The now seven birds were holding parts of the brush in their beaks and trying to lift it into the air. It was no easy task either since the mane brush was solid gold, which was heavy for any small critter. The scene had taken a minute for Pheonix to process, but once she realized that it was not her mind playing tricks on her, she sprung into action.

"Hey! That's mine, so you put it down now!" she yelled at the birds, which had managed to lift the brush and were flying it to the door. Pheonix had opened the door halfway when she awoke since the room had no windows and was a little stuffy that morning.
"No, no, no. NO!! That's a family heirloom--- if I lose it, my mother will kill me!"

The birds ignored the young unicorn's pleas and continued on their mission. Pheonix dropped what she had been holding and, with her aura, grabbed the brush and tried to tug it from the cluster of bird's grasp. However, as if they appeared from the ether, more birds joined their friends in the fight for the mane brush. It was not long before the group went from seven to a number that Pheonix could not count without losing her grip, and they had managed to pull the brush and its owner to the top of the second-level steps.

"Give...me...back...my...bru---!" Pheonix had been shouting but stopped midsentence, now falling down the stairs.

She felt every step as she came crashing to the first level of the Inn and landed on something long and hard. The young unicorn was flat on her back, or as flat as she could while lying on top of something else, and her head was pounding from banging against the wall while she fell. The pain only worsened when the bird cluster decided they did not want the brush anymore and dropped it onto her head from the second floor.

"Oh, sugar-honey-ice-tea!! What happened here!?" asked Goldie Compass as she dashed in from the parlour.
"Birds tried to steal my brush, so I tried even harder to get it back and ended up falling down the stairs," Pheonix explained the best she could while rubbing her temples.
"Those dang birds! Well, are you two at least alright?"
"Two?"
"Down here, dumb butt," said a voice from under Pheonix.

Apparently, the thing Pheonix had landed on was another pony. The young unicorn picked herself up quickly and stumbled to her hooves, and once she did this, the other one rose from the floor grimacing. The other pony looked like a mare around Pheonix's age, with a coat and eyes almost identical to Goldie's and a straight mane in various shades of orange and yellow. Once the other mare was on her hooves, Goldie had lovingly fussed over her, fixing the large cloak she wore by straightening it out on her body. She was not a unicorn, but it was clear that she was related to the Innkeeper. While the older unicorn gave the other mare a once-over for injuries, said mare gave Pheonix an expression of pure annoyance while she stared back awkwardly.

"Well, you're lookin' fine, sweetheart," said Goldie to the other mare before turning to Pheonix.
"Now, how about you? Do you feel okay, Ms. Flame?"
"Oh.., yes. I feel just fine now," answered Pheonix.
"Ya, sure? After taking a tumble like that, plus having something heavy dropped on your noggin, I would think your head would be more sore than my hooves when I decided to climb the tallest mountain in Equestria."
"Don't worry about me. I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Pheonix smiles at Goldie for her kind concern but makes the mistake of trying to smile at the other mare as well. The other mare is staring at her with ever-increasing rage and suspicion. What was this pony's deal!? Luckily, the older unicorn noticed the tension in the room and tried her best to ease it with a double introduction.

"Sparky, this is the guest I was tellin' you about, Pheonix Flame," said Goldie, gesturing to the young unicorn with her hoof.
Pheonix gave the other mare a nervous wave.
"And Ms. Flame, this is my amazing daughter, Sparkling Shield."
The mare, Sparky, continued to stand there and stare Pheonix down without a word. The silence was deafening--- Pheonix despised the lack of noise--- and Goldie once again tried to ease things.

"Ms. Flame, did I tell you that as a guest of the Adventurer's Respite Inn, you're welcome to a complimentary breakfast?" the Innkeeper asked cheerfully.
"Oh, no. You left that out last night," Pheonix answered, now trying to avoid Sparky's piercing gaze.
"Well, you are, and we both would be happy if you'd join us."

Sparky looked as if she was about to protest, but her mother had already begun ushering her toward the dining area while yelling at Pheonix to "Follow me. The food is this way." Despite the other young mare's demeanor, breakfast was quite pleasant, with the two unicorns chatting about various topics. In the hour they spent eating and talking, Sparky seemed to have calmed down her death-staring and now appeared indifferent to Pheonix's presence. However, while the other mare paid Pheonix no mind, the young unicorn thought about how melancholy Sparky was looking and that maybe she should try to involve her in the conversation. That would turn out to be a mistake.

"So..," Pheonix started, turning her body to face Sparky as much as possible.
"...do you like to travel too? Have you been on any trips with your mom? Where have you been, and what did you see while there? Do you keep any pictures from your travels, or maybe a souvenir or two? Did you get that cloak on a trip? It looks sooo good on you. Can I touch it?"

Pheonix leans over the table to place a hoof on the material, but as soon as she gets close enough to feel it, the other mare pulls her seat back and exits the dining room as though it were on fire. Shoot, she had scared her off. Pheonix was not surprised that Sparky had left--- most ponies did when she talked too much or got overly touchy, but it still hurt that the other mare left without even saying bye. Goldie must have noticed the young unicorn's sadness from being rejected by her daughter and placed a hoof over her still outstretched one.

"Hey, don't feel so bad," the older unicorn said reassuringly.
"Sparky is like that with most ponies, even me. She has had trouble connecting with others for a few years ever since..."
"Ever since what?" asked Pheonix.
"Ya know what, that is not my place to say. Forget it. Shouldn't you be moseying down to the library about now? It opens at 9am, and the clock says it's already 8:25."

"Oh my goodness, you're right! I was supposed to leave at eight sharp so I'd have plenty of time to find it. What if the streets are crowded like yesterday!? I could get lost again and not make it till an hour after opening, or worse, not make it till closing time! What if I also can't remember my way back to the Inn, and I end up not getting to research and having to sleep in the cold!?"

"Now, now. Calm yourself down, sweety. The library is only a 20-minute walk from here, and they leave it open till midnight, so even if you are not there the second it opens, you will still have plenty of time for research. The streets also don't start getting busy till around noon."

Pheonix was quickly put at ease by these revelations. She gave the older unicorn an embarrassed but thankful smile, feeling silly that she got so worked up for nothing and happy she was talking to someone with a more collected demeanor. Goldie smiled softly back in return, although it soon became more toothy and mischievous as if she had an evil thought magically entered her mind in that split second. Maybe she could use the young unicorn's worries to help her daughter while also giving Pheonix the entire day to research to her heart's content.

"Ya know, if you're still worried about not being able to find the library, I can have a guide take you there?" Goldie said nonchalantly.
"Really? You'd do that for me?" Pheonix asked with a sunbeam bright smile.
"There's one stayin' right here at the Inn. Give me about 5 minutes, and I will have them downstairs."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you so much."
"Think nothin' of it, Ms. Flame. I want everyone happy (mumbling) whether she likes it or not."
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Let me get that guide for you."
Goldie dashes out of the room before Pheonix can say another word, moving so fast she leaves a her-shaped cloud of smoke where she had been standing.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, on the third floor of the Inn, Sparky is sitting at her old desk with a book in her hooves. She had been irritated and shocked at the new guest's actions, wondering what kind of pony would try to touch another without permission--- the same pony that would fight a group of birds for a dang mane brush. Sparky could not believe someone would have such gall, not to mention could talk so long without breathing in between sentences. The cloaked mare did her best not to think about the whole thing too much, knowing it would only bring her more rage and put all her energy into reading instead. At least, that was the plan till her mother barged into her room with the force of a tornado.

"I need...you...to take Ms. Flame...to the library," Goldie said out of breath.
Sparky did not bother looking up from the book, being used to her mother's interruptions. All she did was give the unicorn a simple response;
"No."
"What do you mean no? Ya can't say no before I even told you why you have to go with her."
"I can say no because I know exactly why you want me to take the chatterbox."
"Sparky, sweetheart, my darling little filly. I have no idea what you are talking about. Ms. Flame has a little trouble navigating her way through town, and I figured since you spend so much time at the library, you would be the best pony t---"
"Mom?! Can..? Can we please not do this today?"

Goldie did not intend to upset her daughter--- she never intended to, and only wanted her to make a friend. Since the accident, Sparky has closed off from everyone and refused to talk about her feelings. The mare used to have friends from all across Equestria that she wrote to weekly, but now her stationery lay gathering dust in a corner while she sat in her dimly lit room, only venturing out when she needed to run errands. Goldie had been trying and failing for years to get Sparky to connect with someone, usually by tricking her into hanging around the few guests they would welcome at the Inn, but it seemed that the young mare had caught on to her mother's game and was sick of playing.

"I'm sorry," the unicorn sighed.
"I know I shouldn't push you. You know I only do it 'cause I'm worried.., right?"
"I know, Mom," Sparky mumbles sadly.
"I wasn't lying when I said Ms. Flame needed an escort to the library or that you would be the best one to show her the way, but if you are uncomfortable, you don't have to take her."

Sparky knew her mother was only trying to do what she thought was best for her daughter, but she just wished that what her mom thought did not often involve pushing past her well-structured boundaries. Goldie wanted her to be happy, and when she was not, neither was Goldie. At that moment, the young mare decided to let her mother's worries rest and give in to the simple request.

"Mom," Sparky said quietly.
"Yes, sweetheart?" said Goldie, somewhat questioning. The unicorn had been shuffling her hooves to the door and had one up when her daughter spoke.
"I'll take the chatterbox to the library, BUT that doesn't mean I plan on talking to her while we walk. You understand, right??"

Instead of answering, Goldie quickly closes the distance between the two with a bone-crushing hug. Sparky rolls her eyes but ultimately returns her mother's affection. It was not long before the unicorn dragged her daughter down to the first floor to meet with Pheonix Flame, who, upon realizing that Sparky was her guide, gave what she hoped was an apologetic smile. Sparky gave her a curt nod, acknowledging the young unicorn's attempt before gesturing for her to follow the other's way.

In her mind, Sparky hoped that this trip would be as quick and painless as any other errand she had run for her mother. Little did she know that agreeing to do something small for her mother's happiness would lead her on a path that would take her on the biggest adventure of life.

Author's Note

I think I could have written this chapter better, but I am also trying to have a consistent uploading schedule and want to get chapters out no more than a week or two apart. I don't know, maybe I am just being overcritical of my writing--- let me know if you think the same.