Making Adjustments

Chapters

New In Town
Triple Trouble
Ponies in Love (or, Ye Olde Open-Ended Shipping Chapter)
Workin' For The Mare
Taken
The Rescue (Or, One Loose-Ended 'Ship Finally Tied Up)
The Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball
Epilogue
Waking Up in Equestria (or, Dude, Where's My Hands?)

New In Town

For Tristan, the simple task of walking had proven to be anything but. Even with Twilight Sparkle constantly at his side, the newly-formed unicorn had taken more than his fair share of trips and tumbles. Flights of stairs had proven to be even more of a challenge, which, much to his chagrin, there were plenty of in the castle. Twilight's patience had been tested thoroughly throughout this ordeal, but she found Tristan's cluelessness somewhat adorable and her assistance worthwhile. After what seemed like forever for the two, they finally reached the castle door.

"I think I'm finally starting to get this walking thing down!" Tristan beamed. Nearby, a Royal Guard glanced incredulously in their direction before resuming his patrol.

"Good," Twilight said, smirking. "You're gonna be doing a lot of that." She faced the large, wooden door that stood between the two, separating them from the streets of Canterlot. She looked back towards Tristan. "Are you ready?"

Tristan drew in a deep breath, then expelled it as he set his focus on the door. His heart raced with anticipation. He swallowed nervously then simply nodded. Twilight gave Tristan a reassuring nuzzle, then used her magic to push the door open. Tristan gasped in awe at the scene that was presented before him.

A stone street lay before him, populated by dozens upon dozens of well-dressed ponies. Colorful buildings that housed high-end shops and fancy restaurants extended in both directions as far as Tristan could see. He expected as much, but the sight of it all still really put everything into perspective. He took a nervous step through the doorway and out onto the street, Twilight Sparkle just a step behind him.

Through the bustling streets of Canterlot, Twilight led Tristan to the train station. There, her fellow Elements and Spike were waiting for the next train to Ponyville. Spike took notice of their arrival and ran over to them.

"The train for Ponyville should be here any minute." he informed. "I think you're gonna like it there, Tris. Er, I mean, Star Skipper."

"You guys don't have to call me Star Skipper, you know." Tristan corrected. "You all can still call me by my human name, if you want. I'll just have everyone else call me Star Skipper so I can fit in a little easier."

Applejack smiled at him. "Ya mean everypony, there sugarcube." she corrected.

"Haha, yeah. Everypony" he repeated. "That'll take some getting used to, as well."

A train whistle sounded as their transportation slowed to a stop. Shortly after, the conductor, along with a multitude of passengers, stepped off of the train.

"All aboard for Ponyville!" the conductor boomed. Spike bounced in excitement and ran back to join everyone else, who had begun to board the train. Tristan looked over the colorful transport, then, with a playful nudge from Twilight, also boarded. Everyone migrated to a cabin in the back which had been specially reserved for the group by Princess Celestia herself. They took their seats and a few minutes later, the train began it's journey to Ponyville.

Tristan found himself pressed to the glass of a train window for most of the trip. He watched in fascination as rocky mountains devolved into the beautiful rolling hills of Equestria's countryside. With the others chatting among themselves in the cabin, Twilight mainly kept her attention on Tristan, finding entertainment in his captivation.

"Oh, you'll just love it in Ponyville." Rarity said, peeking up from her seat behind Tristan. "It's such a lovely place. There's a spa there where you can-"

"I highly doubt Tristan is into all that girly stuff." Rainbow Dash objected.

Rarity shot Rainbow Dash a sinister smirk. "You seem to enjoy it, Rainbow." She bounced her eyebrows tauntingly.

"I-I do not! You guys made me get that hooficure! You know how much I hate getting my hooves touched!"

"That's not what Aloe and Lotus tell me..."

Tristan chuckled to himself as the two continued their argument. He had just returned his attention to the scenery outside the train window when he received his first glance of Ponyville. It appeared to be a quaint little town, much different than Canterlot. Houses and small businesses lay scattered over grass fields and dirt roads. The train gradually slowed to a stop at the Ponyville train station and the passengers began exiting their cabins.

Tristan drew his first breath of fresh, Ponyville air as he stepped off the train with Twilight and Spike. His lungs received it well, a pleasant change from the polluted, city air he had been used to. The other Elements soon followed behind them, and they all gathered together near the ticket office.

"Ah'd love ta stick around, y'all," Applejack began, "But Big Mac needs mah help somethin' fierce back on the farm. You should come by sometime, Tristan, get ta meet the kinfolk. But Ah'll see ya tonight for yer party."

"The party!" Pinkie Pie remembered. "I almost forgot! I have so much to do! Come by Sugarcube Corner later this evening and everything will be all set! See ya later!"

Before Tristan could even respond, she had sped off into town. The others also disbanded, each with their own business to attend to before the party. Twilight had sent Spike home to take care of a few chores while she gave Tristan the grand tour of Ponyville. Twilight looked over at Tristan and gave a warm, yet excited smile as the two began making their way into town.

Twilight pointed out some key locations as they strolled down the dirt street that ran directly through the center of Ponyville. Tristan made mental notes on the buildings as they were named off to him: Town Hall, the Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, and the Marketplace had been covered in thorough detail. They were approaching one of Twilight's favorite shops when a perplexing thought voiced itself.

"Quills and sofas?" Tristan asked aloud. "What an odd mix. But I guess if he's getting good business, then-"

Before Tristan knew it, he found himself tackled to the ground. He was blindsided by a pegasus who had apparently flew too low and wasn't paying attention to their flight path. Letters and other pieces of what appeared to be mail lay scattered around him. Confused and in a slight amount of pain, Tristan looked back at his attacker, who had landed just a few feet past him.

He was about to give the pony what for, but stopped his train of thought when he observed her a little closer. The pegasus had a light gray coat and a long blonde mane. Furthermore, he noticed that her yellow eyes seemed to be confused as to which direction they were looking, which might explain the collision.

"Oops! My bad!" she apologized. "I didn't see you there!"

The gray pegasus hopped back up to her feet while Twilight levitated the envelopes back into the mail-mare's carrier bag. Tristan shakily regained his stance as the pony trotted up to him.

"You okay, mister?" she asked. Tristan nodded slowly, not removing his eyes from hers. The mare shifted her head to the side and squinted her eyes, inspecting him. She then perked back up and flapped her wings excitedly. "I've never seen you around here before!"

"He's new to this area." Twilight explained, joining the two.

"Oh! A new pony! My name's Derpy Hooves! What's yours?" The gray mare blinked a few times, her eyes changing positions.

"I'm Tris-, er, I mean, Star Skipper." Tristan replied. "Nice to, uh, meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too!" Derpy cheered, giving her wings another flap. "Has Pinkie Pie given you the offical Ponyville welcome yet?"

"Pinkie knows me."

"Of course!" Derpy replied, as if the answer was obvious. "She knows everypony! Well, I gotta go make more deliveries! See ya!"

Derpy took off clumsily, zig-zagging through the air as she flew out of Tristan's sight. He gave Twilight a concerned look, to which she simply chuckled.

"She's actually pretty good at what she does." she assured. "Come on, I think it's time for lunch. You probably need it."

The two unicorns reached the cafe a short time later. They took seats at a table that the owners had set up just outside. It was certainly nice enough weather for an outdoor meal, however, Tristan found himself fidgeting in discomfort on top of the pile of hay that he sat on.

A young earth pony approached them carrying two menus in his mouth. He gently laid them on the table and proceeded back into the cafe. Twilight magicked her menu up to eye level and began skimming through the selections. Tristan placed a hoof on top of the other and slid it closer to him.

Tristan looked perplexedly at the menu for a few seconds before attempting to open it up. He tried hooves, mouth, and even an awkward attempt to blow it open before Twilight took notice of his frustration. She smiled to herself and opened it for him with her magic. Tristan sighed and began reading.

"You know," Twilight said, returning her menu to it's previous place on the table, "We're gonna have work on your magical abilites."

Tristan cocked his head to the side, taking his attention away from the menu. "Magical abilities?" he echoed.

Twilight nodded. "Why do you think you have that horn for?" she asked. "Decoration?"

Tristan shrugged. "I'm still wrapping my mind around being here, let alone being able to use magic. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that quite yet."

"Why not find out now?"

"Right now?"

"Yup! It's pretty easy once you set your mind on it."

"What if I accidentally make something explode?"

"I think you'll be fine." Twilight replied, smirking. "Lets start with the menu. Try levitating it."

Tristan returned with an incredulous look. "You're crazy."

"Just try it." Twilight pushed. "It's essentially using your imagination. Imagine it floating, then make it happen! Simple as that!"

Tristan narrowed his eyes, then sighed. "Alright, fine." he said, defeated. Tristan pushed the menu towards the center of their table with his hoof and began staring menacingly at it. He furrowed his brow, gritted his teeth, and even grunted a few times, but the menu did not move.

Twilight shook her head. "Try not to force it so much," she advised, "And just picture it happening. Mind over matter."

Tristan regained his focus on the menu and did exactly as Twilight instructed. He pictured the menu gently rustling to life, then slowly ascending. He replayed the sequence in his head again and again. Suddenly, his felt a warm sensation in the middle of his forehead.

Much to Tristan's surprise, he noticed that his imagination had become reality. The menu was surrounded by a silver cloud of magic and had been floating high above the table. Tristan jumped in disbelief, causing the magic to disappear and the menu to gently flutter back down to the table. He stared at the menu for a second, then flashed a wide smile to Twilight.

"I-I did it!" he said, breathless. "I used magic!" Tristan bounced around on the small haystack victoriously while Twilight let out a soft giggle.

"See? It wasn't that hard. You did great." she said, smiling. As Tristan continued celebrating to himself, Twilight couldn't help but melt from the sight. Seeing him with such high spirits sent a warming sensation throughout her body. A few moments later, their waiter re-emerged from the cafe.

"Sorry about the wait, you guys." he began. "It's packed in there and-"

"I can do magic!" Tristan blurted. The waiter returned his interruption with a look of confusion.

"Uh, yeah, that's... great. Anyway, what can I get for you guys?"

"I'll have the daffodil and daisy sandwich."

"Ah, the usual, eh, Twilight?" the waiter said, taking mental note. He turned to Tristan, who had finally simmered down.

"Um... I'll just have what she's having." Tristan said, scooting the menu next to Twilight's.

The waiter picked up the menus with his mouth and carried them back inside. Twilight hummed softly as she glanced around occasionally waving at familiar faces. This carried on for a few minutes before Tristan spoke.

"It was your idea to bring me here, wasn't it?" Tristan asked suddenly.

The unexpected question made Twilight snap back around to face him. Her heart rate increased.

"Look, I can explain!" she answered quickly. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." he said, calmly. "I'm not mad at you."

Twilight wore a puzzled expression. "You're not?"

"Of course not." he replied. "I may have lost a few things since I left my world, but I'm already gaining so much from this one. I'm happier now than I have been for a long time," Tristan placed a hoof in the middle of the table. "And it's all thanks to you."

Twilight blushed a little and smiled, placing her hoof on his. A smile came across Tristan's face, followed by laughter.

"It was probably your idea to name me Star Skipper, too." he joked.

Twilight glanced away from Tristan quickly as a different waiter burst through the cafe doors. This one was a unicorn, using his magic to levitate their orders to the table. He gently laid the plates down in front of the two.

"Here you are. Sorry about the wait." the new waiter apologized. He quickly ran off into the cafe again without another word. Twilight shrugged and took a bite of her sandwich. After a couple more bites, she noticed Tristan had not even touched his meal.

"It's good, I promise." she said. Tristan stared at the sandwich before leaning down and taking a bite. He wasn't sure if it was the sandwich itself, or the possibility of his taste buds going through a mutation of their own, but Twilight was correct. He happily finished his lunch in time for Twilight to do the same. Twilight magicked a couple of gold pieces onto the table and hopped from her seat.

"What's that?" Tristan asked, staring at the gold Twilight had left behind.

"They're bits." she replied. "That's the currency here in Equestria."

Tristan slowly slid off of his small haystack and joined Twilight, still looking at the gold bits. "That's crazy." he said, disbelief lingering in his tone. "Back in my world, those two little things could pay off my rent for a good while."

Twilight giggled to herself. "Come on. There's still a few things we need to see before your party tonight."

Later that evening, Sugarcube Corner had closed its doors to any further businiess, but not to Pinkie Pie and her friends. They ran about the establishment, some ponies decorating while the others prepared refreshments. Applejack had just pulled an apple pie out of the oven when Pinkie Pie bounced into the kitchen.

"How's it coming, AJ?" she asked cheerfully.

Applejack set the pie on the counter and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow before answering her fellow earth pony. "Just got done with the pies." she reported. "Ah'm about to bake the fritters now."

"Great!" Pinkie said, bouncing again. She turned to Fluttershy, who was tossing ingredients into a massive punch bowl. "What about you, Flutters?"

"It's all done!" she quietly replied.

Pinkie Pie nodded and began bouncing her way back into the main room, where Rarity was using her magic to place streamers and balloons across the walls and ceiling.

"Rarity?" Pinkie asked.

"Just a second, dear. I'm in the zone." Rarity returned. Pinkie Pie waited for a few seconds in rare silence, then sighed and turned to the gigantic pair of speakers set on either side of a small table that held intricate electronics.

"Ready to rock, Vinyl?!" she cheered.

A white unicorn with edgy blue hair and purple glasses popped out from behind one of the speakers and took her spot behind the table. "Aw, yeah!"

Rainbow Dash burst through the doors, wearing an expression of annoyance as she landed in front of the pink pony. She removed the messenger bag that hung from her neck and dropped it to her side.

"Well, that was pointless." she declared.

"Did you get those invitations delivered?" Pinkie asked, completely oblivious to her friend's despair.

"That's just it!" she exclaimed. "I went to deliver the invitations you gave me, and everypony I went to told me that they've already got one from Derpy earlier!"

Pinkie Pie put a hoof to her chin as she glanced up in thought. "Oh, yeah. I did send the invitations out already, didn't I?" She giggled to herself as the cyan pegasus simply rolled her eyes and made her way into the kitchen. A few moments later, there was a knock at the front door.

"We're closed!" Pinkie Pie called.

"No, we're here for the party!" a voice replied from the other side of the door.

"Oh! Lyra! Be there in a sec!" Pinkie trotted to the door and pushed the lock over. Upon opening the door, she saw the aquamarine unicorn standing with a large group of ponies lined up behind her.

"Junebug said she just saw Twilight and the new guy leaving Froggy Bottom Bog on her way here." Lyra advised. "We better get ready."

Pinkie nodded and stepped aside to let in the crowd. After the last of the ponies was inside, she slammed the door shut. "Okay, everypony," she announced, "Get in position!" The other ponies did so as Pinkie Pie killed the lights in Sugarcube Corner.

Outside, Tristan and Twilight Sparkle caught sight of Sugarcube Corner as they passed around the Town Hall. Tristan noticed that there was no light coming from inside. Their approach slowed a bit.

"Are you sure they said Sugarcube Corner?" Tristan asked.

Twilight nodded. "I'm sure they'll be coming any time now." she assured.

"Unless it's a surprise party." Tristan thought aloud. He smirked at Twilight. As they reached the door, Twilight chuckled a little to herself.

"At least act surprised." she said. Tristan winked and pushed the door open. The two unicorns walked into the darkness of Sugarcube Corner, only to be greeted with sudden light a few seconds later. The room had been packed with ponies, which caught Tristan off guard.

"SURPRISE!"

Despite knowing about the party, Tristan was genuinely surprised. Everything looked amazing, from the decorations to the snacks that lay all along the counters. He was overwhelmed that they had put so much thought and effort into his party. Pinkie Pie bounced up to him and Twilight, grinning from ear to ear.

"Are you ready to party?!" Pinkie squealed. She nodded to Vinyl Scratch, who clicked a button on her equipment. Electronic music began pumping from the speakers and a the windows shook slightly from song's powerful bass. The lights were dimmed and ponies took to the middle of the room to dance. Tristan nudged Twilight towards the middle of the floor and the two joined in on the festivities.

About an hour into the party, Tristan started back towards the punch bowl for much needed refreshment. He had made multiple trips before to quench his thirst, but he felt like he couldn't quite shake the need for more. After knocking back another glass, Rainbow Dash flew over to him.

"Hey, Tris. You... don't look so good." she said cautiously.

Tristan spun around to face the pegasus, a goofy expression spreading across his face. "Nah! I'm great! Errythin's great!" He teetered back and forth a bit before Rainbow Dash steadied him. She growled and looked back to the crowd of dancing ponies.

"Berry! I told you no funny business!" she called.

A plum-coated earth pony staggered away from the crowd towards them, sharing the same symptoms as Tristan.

"I musta missed that on tha invitation..." she said, her words slurring worse than Tristan's. Twilight Sparkle noticed the commotion from across the room and quickly trotted over.

"What happened?" Twilight asked.

"Berry Punch happened." Rainbow Dash replied, glancing over to the other drunken pony who now sat on the floor.

Twilight looked down at Berry Punch, then back up to Tristan. She sighed and quickly trotted back to the DJ booth. Twilight whispered into Vinyl's ear, and soon after, the music was cut. Groans from disappointed ponies sounded throughout Sugarcube Corner.

"Sorry, everypony," Twilight announced, "But this party's officially over! Thank you all for coming!"

The mumbles of discontent arose from the crowd as they filed out of the front door. Once the last of the party-goers had left, Rarity magicked the door shut. Twilight raced back to Tristan, who had regained little stability.

"Come on, let's get you home." she said, taking to his side.

Tristan let out a goofy laugh as Twilight hiked one of his legs over her shoulder. Spike ran and opened the door for the two unicorns as they started through the main room.

"Thanks for the party, you guys." Twilight called. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

The others waved goodbye as Spike, Twilight, and Tristan made their way outside. Pinkie Pie shut the door behind them and turned to her friends.

"Well, that was fun, right?" she asked. He giddy inquiry was met sighs of exhaustion.

"I'll take that as a yes."

The walk home was tiresome for everyone involved. There would be many times when Tristan would sway away from Twilight's side, leaving Spike to shove him back her way. The group reached the door of the Golden Oaks Library and let out a collective breath of relief. Spike flung the door open and illuminated the inside of the hollow tree. He got halfway to the stairs before turning to Twilight.

"Where are we gonna put him?" Spike asked bluntly.

Twilight froze for a second in thought. "W-Well.... I'm not sure..."

"Do we still have that spare bed? You know, from when Rarity and AJ stayed with you?"

"No, I gave it to Big Mac since he accidentally destroyed his old one."

"I'm surprised that didn't happen sooner."

Twilight glanced around, her frame growing weaker from holding up Tristan. "I can't just leave him on the floor..."

Spike scratched his head. "What about your bed?"

Twilight Sparkle's face grew instantly red at the thought. "Wha?!"

"Yeah," Spike replied. "You let me sleep with you sometimes when I have a bad dream."

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "This is a tad different, Spike."

"How?"

About that time, Tristan lost his consciousness. The full weight of his body shifted away from Twilight and he began falling to the floor. Twilight quickly levitated him with his magic, catching him with hardly an inch to spare. She shot a look at Spike.

"I guess my decision's been made for me." Twilight said, breathless. "Let's go."

Spike nodded and ran up the stairs ahead of Twilight, flinging open the door to their room. Twilight trotted in behind him with Tristan in tow. She levitated him onto her bed and released him of her magic. Panting, she approached the bed and cautiously climbed in the unoccupied side.

"This feels so wrong." Twilight whispered. "What if he thinks I tried something? I don't like it."

Spike sighed and flopped into his tiny bed, cocooning himself in its blankets. "I'm sure he'll understand. Just get some... sleep..." With a yawn and a fluffing of his pillow, Spike was soon fast asleep.

Twilight looked over at Tristan, who lay sleeping himself with two hoofs hanging off of the bedside. Twilight smiled a little and kissed his forehead before turning away. She, too, let out a small yawn, and slowly drifted to sleep.

Author's Notes

Sorry this took longer than usual, you guys. I've been extremely busy this past week, so my writing time has been supremely limited. Still, I hope this chapter makes up for it.

I kinda enjoyed writing this chapter. There was a time where I was thinking about making this a two-parter, but for "Making Adjustments", I'm going to try and strictly limit the amount of times I do that, so expect chapters this long (or possibly longer) in the future as the story develops.

Another thing: DERPY HOOVES! *Fanboy Face* I wanted to slip her into the beginning somewhere, just so Tristan could get a more in-depth sense of how crazy things can get in Ponyville. Also, by throwing Vinyl Scratch, Berry Punch, and Lyra Heartstrings in the story, I'd like to think I've made a decent start at covering some fan favorites. I have plans to bring in more as the story progresses, but I'll keep those details to myself ;)

In the next chapter, Tristan meets everyone's favorite trio of fillies, and is thrown headlong into one of their crazy misadventures. Obviously, silliness will ensue, so I hope you guys check it out!

Thanks again for your continued support in this story! Keep the comments and such rolling in and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Keep being awesome!

Spazzy Jamz

Triple Trouble

Twilight Sparkle woke up before Tristan the next morning, being extra careful not to wake him as she climbed out of bed. She allowed Spike to sleep in as well and quietly made her way to her vanity, where she tugged and pulled at her mane with her brush until she was satisfied with its appearance. The purple unicorn yawned as she opened the door and glanced back to Spike and Tristan, both snoring away contently. She smiled and headed down the stairs and towards the kitchen for a much needed cup of coffee.

A few moments later, Tristan gently stirred, groaning. He slowly opened his eyes and flinched at the bright sunlight that flooded in through the window. More groans came from the sleepy unicorn as he held himself up, noticing the bed he lay on. Tristan rubbed his head, feeling a slight headache growing inside. He couldn't remember for the life of him how he got in a bed, or, more importantly, whose bed it was.

He looked around the room. The floor, walls, and even the ceiling appeared to be bare wood, almost like he was inside a tree. Upon further investigation, he saw Spike, sleeping in a basket on the floor just feet away. The baby dragon tossed and turned, pulling the blanket over his head. Tristan smiled a little, but his smile faded quickly as his brain began putting two and two together. Just then, Twilight re-emerged through the bedroom door, smiling while levitating a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Twilight greeted. "I assume you had a good time last night?"

Tristan said nothing, but simply continuing to stare in Twilight's direction with even wider eyes and a dropped jaw.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, approaching the bed. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

Tristan swallowed before speaking, not removing his eyes from Twilight as she sat the coffee on the nightstand. "H-How did I get here?"

Twilight sighed. "Berry Punch spiked the refreshments last night," she replied, "You were pretty out of it. I had to practically carry you all the way home."

"Did... uh... did anything h-happen... y-you know..."

Twilight furrowed her brow in thought, then, upon realizing Tristan's inquiry, shot her eyes wide open. "Oh, no, no, no!" she said, quickly shaking her head, "Nothing happened at all. You passed out before I even got you upstairs." The purple unicorn glanced away, blushing. "Besides, I couldn't just leave you on the floor. I don't have a spare bed and Celestia forbid you fit in Spike's with him."

Tristan breathed a sigh of relief, then reached for his coffee. He looked over at the lone hoof that hovered near the warm mug and sighed.

"Right. No hands."

Twilight giggled. "Try using your magic again," she reminded, "Practice makes perfect!"

Tristan opted instead to reach for the mug with both hooves, carefully applying just enough pressure to both sides in order to hold it. "I'm going to practice with something that won't leave me in second-degree burns, if that's cool with you," he retorted, sipping slowly at his beverage.

"Fair enough," Twilight replied with a smile. She looked down and gently nudged Spike. "Wake up, Spike. We have a lot to do today."

Spike groaned and rolled away from her. "Five more minutes," he replied groggily.

"Not today, Spike. I have some errands to run and I'm trusting you and Tristan with the library while I'm gone, especially since the CMCs will be here researching for a school project."

Tristan took another sip of coffee with an expression of curiosity. "CMCs?" he repeated.

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders. They're just three little fillies. About Spike's age," Twilight informed, "They're normally not too much trouble."

Spike groaned more before summoning the strength to climb out of bed. "I'll get breakfast started," he said lethargically.

The baby dragon stomped out of the room as Tristan carefully sat his coffee back down onto the nightstand and climbed out of bed. Twilight smiled as she, without the need to carry him, walked with Tristan out of the bedroom.

After a well-prepared breakfast courtesy of Spike, Twilight levitated her saddle bags onto her back. Spike remained in the kitchen to finish up dishes and Tristan followed the purple unicorn out to the main room of the library, marveling at the ceiling-high shelves of books.

"Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo should be here in a couple hours," Twilight informed, checking her to-do list, "If they need help finding any books, just ask Spike. He knows where everything is located."

"Kid does a lot of work, doesn't he?" Tristan asked, taking his attention from the bookshelves.

"But of course," Twilight replied, "He is my assistant after all. But I really should get going. I'll more than likely be gone most of the day, so I'll see you whenever I get back." She gave Tristan a light kiss on the cheek and turned to leave with a chuckle. "Get some practice in while I'm gone!" she called. She pushed open the library door and proceeded outside. Tristan smiled and found himself rubbing the cheek that had been kissed.

"So are you two a thing now or what?" Spike asked. His presence came suddenly to Tristan, causing the unicorn to flinch a little.

"I-I'm not entirely sure," Tristan replied. "I mean, we haven't exactly made it official or anything."

"You mean you haven't asked her to be your marefriend?"

"I... uh, well... no. But after everything that's happened so far, is it really necessary?"

"Maybe you two should go on a date or something and find out."

"You think so?"

Before Spike could answer, the door burst open and in bounced three small ponies. They stood about Spike's height and were all wearing wide, cheerful grins on their faces.

"Hi, Spike! Hi, Tristan!" they greeted in unison.

Tristan's eyes widened. "How do you know who I am?!" he asked, surprised.

The yellow earth pony giggled. "Applejack told me all about ya!" she cheerfully replied. "She said you'd done come to Equestria from your world!"

Tristan raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "How do you know AJ?"

"Why, Ah'm her sister!" she said, flipping her red mane. "Can't ya see the resemblance?"

"Oh, right!" Tristan remembered. "You must be Apple Bloom!"

Apple Bloom bounced. "Eeyup! An' this here is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! We've heard a lot about ya, ya know?"

The filly unicorn was next to speak. "Rarity has told me about you, too!" she beamed. "My sister says you took care of her and her friends while they stayed with you!"

Tristan cracked a small smile, somewhat delighted that he had become so well known. "Sounds like you guys have heard quite a lot," he said, chuckling.

"We also heard that you were Twilight's coltfriend." Sweetie Belle remarked, bouncing an eyebrow.

Tristan blushed at the sudden statement. The three fillies giggled to themselves, then began chanting in sing-song voices.

"Twilight and Tristan, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The song was repeated a few times before the trio concluded with even more giggling. Tristan looked down at Spike, who was making a failed attempt to hide his amusement. Hoping to change the subject, he turned his attention to the orange pegasus filly, who flapped her tiny wings giddily. "I take it you're related to Rainbow Dash somehow?"

Scootaloo snorted in amusement. "Psh, I wish!" she replied, jealousy hanging in her words, "She's only the coolest, awesomest, most radical pegasus in all of Equestria!"

Tristan chuckled at the remark, then remembered their reason for being there. "Twilight said you guys wouldn't be over for another hour or so," he stated, "What brings you here so early?"

His question went unanswered as the fillies scattered, taking to the shelves of books, pulling one after the other onto the library floor.

"Hey!" Spike shouted, "I have to fix those!"

The baby dragon ran wildly around the room, frantically reshelving the books that had been tossed about. Tristan smiled and walked back into the kitchen for something to practice his magic with.

Tristan sat at the kitchen table, his sights fixed upon one of Twilight's quills. He had been sitting there for nearly half an hour and all he had to show for it was moving the writing utensil about an inch to the right. Deep down, Tristan could feel himself get more and more agitated by his constant failure. He shook his head.

Gotta keep trying, he thought.

He focused on the quill and did as Twilight had instructed him. He imagined the quill taking off like the menu, floating in the air and doing a quick little twirl for show. He repeated the process in his mind and saw the quill shiver to life once more. This time, Tristan kept his excitement contained as he willed it up into the air. It gently floated a mere foot from the table's surface.

And now, he smirked, The grand finale...

"TRIS!"

The unicorn jumped, sending the quill rocketing upward and sticking itself into the kitchen's ceiling. Tristan growled inaudibly before turning to Spike, who stood before him with worry. He collected his composure before answering the breathless dragon.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Apple... Sweetie... Scoot... Whitetail," the dragon panted.

"You aren't making any sense, Spike," Tristan said, "Breathe."

Spike took a few deep breaths and started over. "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo ran off to the Whitetail Woods! I tried chasing them down, but they were just too fast for me."

"Whitetail Woods?" Tristan asked, somewhat confused, "What's wrong with that?"

Spike threw his claws up. "Only the fact that a crazed psychopath lives in those woods!" he shouted.

Tristan pictured the situation in his mind: The three fillies, cowering against a grotesquely disfigured tree as a shadow loomed over them. He shook the image from his mind and jumped out of his seat. "What are we gonna do?!"

"We have to go after them!" Spike replied, as if the answer was obvious.

"I have no clue where Whitetail Woods even is!" Tristan retorted.

Spike mulled it over in his head, remembering that he had read about the woods before. "It's on the other side of town," he informed, "But we have to hurry! Knowing those three, they're probably already there!"

Tristan nodded in agreement. The baby dragon ran to his side and made a flying leap atop the unicorn's back. Tristan grunted and gave his unexpected passenger a bemused look.

"What?" Spike asked.

Tristan shook his head and made a beeline for the library door. As they ran out, Spike quickly spun around slammed the door shut behind them. Tristan stopped a few feet outside the library and looked around for the quickest possible route. Spike pointed north and the two sped off.

Sweetie Belle glanced around nervously as she followed Scootaloo and Applebloom through the woods. They walked along a beaten path that appeared to have not been used for quite some time. The sunlight barely pierced through the tree branches in certain spots, making the already faded path even harder to follow.

"Are you sure it's safe to be here?" the unicorn asked.

Scootaloo shot back a smirk. "Of course it is!" she replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Because I heard a crazy pony lives back here"

"A crazy pony? Really, Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah. I heard that somepony lives back here and that he preys on anyone who enters his territory."

Apple Bloom snorted. "That's just an old mare's tale, Sweetie Belle," she assured. "You should quit worryin'! We gotta get first-hoof experience for our project if we wanna impress Miss Cheerilee! Who knows, maybe we'll even get our Cutie Marks!"

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow to the earth pony, but decided that she was probably right. Her mind set on the task that lay before her, and the possibility of earning her Cutie Mark, the unicorn tossed all worries away and began to hum a tune. The fillies continued down the path, carefully studying their surroundings. Little did they know that from under the cover of a nearby tree's shadow, they themselves were being studied.

Breathless, Tristan and Spike finally reached the edge of Whitetail Woods. It appeared to look like any other forest Tristan had ever seen, contrary to the mangled trees he had envisioned earlier. Still, he carefully placed a hoof through the treeline, followed shortly by another. Spike swallowed nervously as Tristan proceeded further into the trees.

After a few minutes of wandering in thick brush, the two finally came across a beaten path. Tristan looked up at Spike, who shrugged in return. They decided to follow the path in hopes that it would lead to the three fillies.

"Do you think they're okay?" Spike asked, glancing around.

Tristan sighed. "For both of our sakes, let's hope so," he replied dryly. "I'm sure Twilight would have my head if she found out about this, let alone AJ and Rarity."

Tristan continued down the path, checking every passing object for any clues that could lead them to the runaways. Spike stood atop Tristan's back, hoping to get a better view of their surroundings.

"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" Spike called.

"Apple Bloom!" Tristan shouted, "Where are you guys?"

The calling continued for a short while until their shouts were answered with an even louder scream. Terror overcame Spike. He looked down at Tristan, but the unicorn had already returned to his previous all-out sprint.

Spike clung to Tristan's neck once more, keeping a keen eye out for the source of the screaming. Tristan blazed down the path as fast as his pony legs would take him. Fatigue soon began to set in for him. He couldn't remember the last time he had ran so much. An alert from the baby dragon took his mind away from his physical limitations.

"I see them!" Spike shouted, pointing ahead, "They're right there!"

Adrenaline kicked in as Tristan quickly closed the distance between him and the fillies. He was soon able to see Scootaloo and Apple Bloom standing in a small clearing staring upwards in horror. Spike tried looking through the trees for the target of their attention, but the low, thick clusters of leaves made it impossible for him to see anything higher than him. The two finally skidded to a stop next to the two Crusaders. A clear expression of relief washed over them.

"Thank Celestia we found you guys!" Spike said. He hopped from his breathless mount and landed on the lush forest floor. "Where's Sweetie Belle?"

Scootaloo frantically shot a hoof upward. Spike followed the direction of the hoof and nearly jumped out of his scales at what he saw. From a tree branch just above him, suspended by an old rope, was Sweetie Belle. She thrashed to and fro, attempting and failing to untangle herself from the trap she had found herself in.

"Help! Get me down!" she cried.

Spike quickly began to scale the tree's massive trunk, using his claws to dig into the bark for a decent grip. He climbed until he was about an arm's length away from the branch that lay under the rope and began slashing at it. It took a few attempts, but he was finally able to snap the rope, sending Sweetie Belle falling.

The unicorn filly landed on the ground with a painfully audible thud. Her friends rushed to her side as Spike slid back down the tree trunk and joined them.

"You alright, Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked. "Are ya hurt?"

Sweetie Belle stood and shook off the leaves and dirt. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice trembling.

"Who the hay done this?!"

"I dunno. I didn't see anypony."

Tristan's eyes darted around, looking for the suspect. Nearby, a twig snapped, capturing the group's attention. Tristan snorted and glared in its direction.

"Who's there?!" he called. He could feel his jaw clenching up again and his heart racing as a shadowy figure emerged from behind a bush. It chuckled and sauntered over into the small clearing, appearing as a maroon-coated pegasus mare wearing a black vest. It flipped its long maroon and navy-blue mane to the side and proceeded towards them.

"Who are you?" Tristan demanded.

"Yeah, lady, what gives?!" Spike added.

The pegasus took on an expression of annoyance. "I'm not a mare!" it boomed. "I'm a stallion, thank you very much!"

Tristan cocked his head to the side, confused. "You are?"

"Yes, I am! That I can assure you!"

Spike scratched his head. "But you look-"

"I know I look like a mare, but I'm not!" he shot back harshly, his brown eyes glaring at the baby dragon.

Spike flinched a little at the pegasus's words. Tristan took a step forward, still not sure who, or what, he was dealing with and exhaled. "You never answered my question," he pressed. "Who are you?"

The pegasus flipped his mane again, fixing his attention on the unicorn. "My name is Swift Gleam, if you must know." he replied. "Who are you and what are you doing in my woods?"

"My name is Star Skipper," Tristan informed, "I'm here to retrieve the fillies, the same ones that you seem to be creeping on and capturing."

Swift Gleam's expression softened into a smirk. "It's not like I was gonna eat her or anything," he stated, "I was gonna let her go eventually. Just having a little fun."

"You trap ponies for fun?!" Spike asked, bewildered.

"Pretty much," Swift replied.

"How is that fun?!"

Swift chuckled to himself before answering. "The thrill of the hunt," he said, glancing over at Sweetie Belle. "Every time its a challenge, and I love a good challenge."

Tristan placed a hoof in front of Sweetie Belle and slid her behind him, never taking his eyes off of Swift. "You've had your fun, and I've got the fillies," he said, "So lets just go our separate ways and avoid any more trouble. You should really re-think your idea of fun, you know."

Spike turned the Cutie Mark Crusaders around and began to lead them back to the forest entrance. After a few seconds of watching Swift Gleam, Tristan turned and followed them.

"I'll see you all later!" Swift called. "Bring me some chocolate chip cookies next time!"

Tristan stopped for a second, then looked back, but Swift Gleam had disappeared. Tristan scanned the area around him, then uneasily returned to walking with Spike and the fillies.

"Hey, Tris," Spike said, climbing back onto the unicorn, "What do you think he meant when he said, 'I'll see you all later'?

"I dunno," Tristan replied, "But I honestly don't think I want to know. Dude gives me the willies."

"I hope we have cookies."

The fillies burst through the door of the library with Spike and Tristan following close behind. Spike hopped from Tristan's back and shut the door. He laid against the door, then sighed as he slid down into a sitting position.

"I'm exhausted," Spike complained.

"You're exhausted?!" Tristan asked, "I was the one who ran all the way there! You rode on my back they whole time!"

"Riding can get exhausting, too."

Tristan sighed and took a seat at one of the chairs positioned by the table in the main room. Spike had went back to work reshelving books and the fillies all sat in a circle on the floor next to Tristan, chattering on about future Cutie Mark Crusades. Minutes later, the door was surrounded by a magenta aura, then flung itself open.

"Hello, everypony!" Twilight Sparkle greeted. She trotted happily across the floor to Tristan and levitated her saddle bags onto the table. She nuzzled Tristan and smiled, trying to ignore the giggling that emanated from the younger ponies. "How was your day?"

Tristan glanced over to the fillies, then to Spike, then back to Twilight.

"Eh," Tristan shrugged, "Kinda boring."

Twilight chuckled and turned to the fillies. "Did you find everything you were looking for?"

"Eeyup!" Apple Bloom quickly answered.

"Sure did!" Sweetie Belle chimed.

"Everything we need!" Scootaloo added.

Twilight smiled a bit more. "That's great! What was your project on, anyway?"

Sweetie Belle bounced up. "We were supposed to learn more about-"

"Aw, ponyfeathers!" Apple Bloom blurted. "Ah gotta get on home! Ah jus' remembered some chores Ah didn't get done!"

Following the lead of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumped up and galloped to the library entrance.

"Bye, Twilight!" Apple Bloom shouted.

"Bye, Spike!" Sweetie Belle called.

"Bye, Tristan!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

The fillies were gone in a second. Spike walked back over to the door and shut it once more. He then proceeded to waddle back over to the bookshelf at which he was working. Twilight returned her attention to her saddlebags and began unpacking. Tristan remembered his talk with Spike earlier that day and cleared his throat nervously.

"U-Um, Twilight?" Tristan asked shakily.

"Yes?" Twilight responded, still unpacking and checking its contents.

"D-Do you think that... um... w-well... maybe we could... you know... go out-"

"On a date?!" Twilight squealed, whipping her head around.

"W-well, yeah," Tristan said. "I mean, if you want to. I just think that we should de-"

"I would love to!" Twilight shouted. She wrapped her hooves around Tristan's neck and embraced him tightly. Twilight kept him squeezed together in her arms for a good while before releasing, allowing Tristan to breathe once again.

"I've never been on a date before!" Twilight continued, "I'm so excited! We can go tomorrow evening! I know just the place!"

"Great!" Tristan replied. A wave of relief washed over him.

"Mhm! Oh, and Rarity would like to see you tomorrow, so we can go after you're done there."

"Rarity?" Tristan asked, confused. "What would she need with me?"

"Oh, she just needs a model for her stallion line she's designing. Nothing major."

"Oh. Well, okay," Tristan remarked. A small grin spread across his face. "So, tomorrow then?"

Twilight nuzzled Tristan again, then smiled warmly.

"Tomorrow."

Spazzy Says!

Yes, I've changed the name of my chapterly author's notes into something a tad more original.

First off, I really want to apologize to you guys for making you all wait so long for this. Like I said in my blog, I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues, which only added onto my crazy work schedule and some other things I'd rather keep to myself. Thank you for understanding.

Secondly, in case you haven't figured it out yet, this was the chapter that I used Decrylian's OC in as a result of that little contest I had. Super special thanks to him for letting me use it. I hope I was able to bring him to life the way he imagined.

Finally, thanks again for reading. Do stick around for the next chapter, when Twilight and Tristan go on their very first date! How cute! But not before Tristan finds out from Rarity why she really turned down Spike. And Rainbow Dash reveals a secret that could have made this story go a completely different direction! What the what?! I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself!

Keep leaving those comments, everypony, and more importantly, keep being awesome!

-Spazzy Jamz

Ponies in Love (or, Ye Olde Open-Ended Shipping Chapter)

Tristan spent the rest of that day practicing his magic and secretly daydreaming about his date with Twilight Sparkle. Sometimes, his mind would get so distracted with the thought, he would become sidetracked from his magic, leading to a multitude of mishaps, one of which involved throwing Spike across the room. Despite the setbacks, Tristan had comfortably learned to master the levitation spell, running about picking up random objects with glee.

Twilight had also received her old bed back from the Apple family, who had saved up enough money from apple sales to get Big Mac a bed to replace the one he broke. Twilight placed it in one of the library's back rooms and dubbed it Tristan's room. Tristan happily accepted this, not wanting to cause an awkward situation like the one this morning. Spike was also excited to have his "big brother" become a permanent member of the household. So excited, in fact, that he moved his little basket into Tristan's room to spend the night with him.

The next morning, Tristan woke up in his new bed to a wonderful smell that had snuck its way into Tristan's room beneath the door. He righted himself in his bed, stretched, yawned, and trotted across the floor to the door. Upon making his way into the kitchen, the smell had taken full effect on the unicorn. He inhaled the aroma deeply, then slowly let it back out.

"What's that glorious smell?" Tristan asked, approaching a certain scaly chef.

"Just some haycakes," Spike replied, "But I'm trying out a new recipe. This one has a lot of different ingredients."

"You cook like this all the time?" Tristan asked, half-surprised. "You'll be a great husband someday if you keep this up."

Spike rolled his eyes. "That'll be a looong time from now."

Tristan chuckled and took a seat at the kitchen table. He glanced around for another unicorn, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Is Twilight up yet?" he asked.

"Yeah," Spike sighed. "She said she had more early morning errands to run and she needed to prepare for you two's date. She didn't even stay for breakfast."

Tristan smiled and a warm feeling spread inside him. Spike brought over the finished product and laid it in front of his hungry roommate. It was a massive stack of the haycakes Spike had described earlier, accompanied with some smaller strips of hay that resembled bacon and a glass of orange juice.

"Tell me what you think," Spike requested. He wrung at his little apron nervously as Tristan levitated a haycake into his watering mouth. After a few seconds of chewing, followed by an audible swallow, Tristan gave a nod of approval. The baby dragon breathed relief as Tristan continued with his meal. Spike set a stack of haycakes to the side for himself and removed his apron, joining the unicorn at the table.

"So, they're good?" Spike asked.

"Best haycakes I've ever had." Tristan joked. The two laughed for a bit, then enjoyed the rest of their breakfast. Afterwards, Tristan levitated his dishes over to the kitchen sink as Spike watched in amazement.

"Looks like you've mastered levitation." Spike chuckled, thankful that the dishes actually arrived at their destination and not elsewhere.

Tristan nodded again and laid back on his seat, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction. Spike carried his dishes over to the sink and began running the water. He had donned his apron once again and, with the help of a sponge, began scrubbing at the dishes, careful not to scratch or break them with his claws. Tristan raised himself from his relaxed position on the chair and climbed down from his seat.

"I better go get freshened up," Tristan stated, "Rarity is expecting me soon."

Spike said nothing as he continued to do the dishes, although he began to scrub the dishes with a little more force than before. Tristan paused in thought and sighed.

"Sorry, buddy," the unicorn apologized.

"It's fine," Spike lied. "No big deal."

Tristan approached the baby dragon. "You shouldn't let this affect you two's friendship," he advised, "I'm sure she feels just as bad about the whole ordeal as you do. But if you keep acting distant, you'll lose a good friend."

Spike set a plate down on the counter and sighed. "You're right," he reluctantly mumbled.

Tristan gave Spike a pat on the back and proceeded back to his bedroom, where he brushed his mane and tail to his liking and made his bed. He trotted back into the kitchen, letting Spike know of his departure.

"I shouldn't be gone for too long," Tristan informed him. Spike nodded and waved, then quickly returned to his cleaning. The unicorn then made his way to the library door and magicked it open, beginning the short trek to the Carousel Boutique.

Tristan arrived at the door of Rarity's home in practically no time. He looked the building over for a second before knocking. At first, there was no reply, but eventually he could hear a galloping noise coming from inside. The door shook a bit, then was slowly pulled open by Sweetie Belle, who looked up at Tristan with a smile.

"Hi, Tristan!" she chirped. "Come in!"

The filly pulled the door open further and led Tristan inside. Dresses, saddles, and other accessories lined the walls of the room with a large pedestal off to the side in front of some mirrors. Tristan walked around, inspecting some of Rarity's work before she called out to him.

"Tristan, darling!" she said. Tristan looked to see the white unicorn trotting happily down a set of stairs on the far side of the room. Her mane bounced with every step as she approached him. "So good to see you! You're right on time!"

Tristan smiled at her. "Yeah, Twilight said you needed to see me?"

Rarity nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I'm planning a new line of stallion-wear and I was hoping to use you as a model of sorts." She levitated a measuring tape their way along with a quill and paper and began taking Tristan's measurements. "I hope it's not too much trouble. Nopony else was available and I simply must get this finished before the season."

Tristan wearily watched the measuring tape float about him. "Oh, it's, uh, no problem," he replied.

Rarity jotted down the last of his measurements and sent the measuring tape back to its place. "I'll be back down in just a second, dear, make yourself at home."

Tristan nodded as Rarity trotted back up the stairs and disappeared from sight. He sat down and quietly glanced about the room. Sweetie Belle, who had remained in the room, stood beside him.

"How are you liking it in Ponyville?" she asked, staring intently.

"It's... different," Tristan answered, "But I think I'm getting a feel for it."

"That's good!"

"Yeah. Did you do well on your project?"

"What project?"

Tristan cocked his head to the side in confusion, then noticed Rarity descending the stairs once more.

"There we are!" she said, levitating some dark-colored clothing towards him, "Try these on, dear."

Tristan received the clothes with his own magic and stared at them for a second before slowly making his way to a changing room that was next to the pedestal. As he shut the door behind him, Sweetie Belle bounced and began running for the building's exit.

"Sweetie Belle, where are you going?" Rarity asked.

The filly skidded to a stop in front of the door and looked back at her older sister. "I'm heading over to the library for a second."

"Weren't you just there yesterday?"

"Yeah. I think I left something over there. I'll be back soon."

Sweetie Belle disappeared before Rarity could get another word in. The fashionista looked down to the floor in thought.

I don't recall her taking anything with her...

During Rarity's thinking, Tristan had re-emerged from the changing room. He was sporting a charcoal blazer with fine, gray pinstripes and a maroon neck tie. Rarity's eyes lit up as she watched him approach.

"Fabulous!" she exclaimed, "And very handsome on you, too!" She walked a circle around Tristan, inspecting every seam and stitch. "It seems like I could let it in a bit. Would you mind hopping up there for a moment?"

Tristan looked over to the massive pedestal that Rarity had directed him to. He climbed up and stood as still as possible as Rarity began working again.

"So, how are you liking it?" she asked, keeping focused on her work, "Being a pony and all."

"I'm getting used to it," Tristan replied.

"That's good. And you and Twilight?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Rarity began with a smile, "Are you two an item now? I don't mean to be obnoxious about it, but-"

"I honestly don't know," Tristan answered. "Spike told me that I should talk to her about it."

Rarity's smile disappeared, being replaced by a slight frown. "Oh, how is he doing?" she asked solemnly.

"He's taking it pretty well, I suppose," Tristan returned, recognizing the subject change, "Doesn't talk much about it."

"You understand, don't you? I love the child to death, but I'm afraid not in the manner he was hoping. And that's another thing: he's just a child. I don't think I-"

"I understand."

Rarity let out a sigh. "Besides, there's... somepony else."

Tristan nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing this, causing Rarity's needle to find a new home in his left front leg. Rarity quickly extracted the needle and inspected the wound.

"Good, heavens, are you alright?!" she asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Tristan assured, "Just got taken aback, that's all."

Rarity sighed once more and finished up her work. "I wish these things weren't so complicated." she confessed, sending away her needle and thread.

"It's never going to be easy," Tristan advised, "But you two have to talk this out. Otherwise, you'll lose each other's friendship, and I'm sure you don't want that."

Rarity shook her head, then took a step back and observed the final product. "Finished!" she said, hoping for a subject change. "What do you think?"

Tristan studied himself in the mirrors and nodded. "Very nice!" he complimented, "Your line is going to take off, I just know it!"

Rarity clapped her hooves together in excitement. Tristan chuckled to himself, then stepped down from the pedestal and began for the changing room. The white unicorn stopped him before he could reach the doors.

"No need, darling," she informed, "Go ahead and keep that set for yourself."

Tristan looked back at her, then at his clothes. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I have the pattern on file, I'll just need to change some of the numbers." A smile formed on the Element of Generosity. "Besides, you may need this for your special occasion."

Rarity's smile grew larger and she gave a wink. Tristan thought for a second, then realized what her words meant.

"You know about mine and Twilight's date?" he asked.

"Oh, absolutely!" Rarity blurted, "She filled me in just before you got here. She could hardly contain herself!"

Tristan smiled warmly at the thought of Twilight rushing in, spewing to her fellow unicorn about her plans. He found it amusing, yet heartwarming at the same time that she was thinking of him. He snapped from his daydreaming and turned for the door.

"I have to get a few things," he stated, "You know, for tonight. The date." A goofy grin appeared on his face and he could practically feel himself blushing. Rarity giggled, then waved as Tristan trotted out of sight.

Still wearing the clothes Rarity had made for him, Tristan trotted about Ponyville, catching the eye of every mare in town. He could hear their hushed chatter as he passed. The attention he had begun receiving caused him to carry himself with more vigor. He trotted proudly with his chin held high and a spring in his step.

He weaved through the mass of ponies in the Marketplace and, once in the clear, took off in a sprint for the library. He was nearly there when a voice sounded out.

"Yo! Tristan!"

Tristan slowed to a trot, rubbernecking for the source of the voice. He stood only a short distance from the library, alone. There was chuckling, then the voice called out again.

"Up here!"

He looked up and saw Rainbow Dash, waving from atop a low-flying cloud. She rolled off of the cloud and glided down, landing softly in front of the unicorn. Rainbow Dash inspected Tristan's clothes and shot a smirk.

"Nice threads, Tris," she said. "Where'd ya get those?"

"Rarity made them for me," Tristan giddily replied, trotting in a tight circle. Rainbow Dash smiled and rolled her eyes.

"What's the occasion?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I have a date with Twilight later!" the unicorn cheered.

"That's great! She's really lucky."

"How do you figure that?"

"You're a pretty cool pony, Tris. I'm glad you and Twilight are happy together. She almost missed her chance, to be honest!"

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her mouth, then quickly faked a smile. "I-It's nothing! Nothing at all, haha..."

Tristan gave her a doubtful look, causing the cyan pegasus to release a sigh.

"O-Okay... well... you see... when we were on in your world... a-after my first day out... I kinda... sorta... got a small crush on you."

"Oh, crud!" Tristan snapped. "I-I'm so sorry! I had no clue!"

"It's okay, it's okay," Rainbow Dash replied, "It was only a small phase. Nothing to fret about at all."

"A phase?" Tristan repeated.

"Yeah. You see, when we pretended to be a couple, it had been the first time I was close to somepony like that. It was weird, and for a few days afterward, I thought I had feelings for you."

Tristan felt himself become slightly uneasy with the conversation, but decided to keep his thoughts to himself as Rainbow Dash continued.

"If I would have actually acted on those feelings, then I'm not sure you would even be here, let alone be Twilight's coltfriend. Honestly, I'm actually glad I didn't."

Tristan raised an eyebrow once more. "Oh?"

"Yeah," confessed Rainbow Dash. "Because after doing some thinking, I've figured out that I like another pony much more. No offense."

"None taken," Tristan chuckled. "So who is the lucky guy, er, stallion?"

Rainbow Dash glanced about. "That's the thing. It's-"

"Tristan! Rainbow Dash!"

The two looked back to find Twilight Sparkle trotting in their direction. She flashed a giddy smile to Tristan, already excited by their plans. As she arrived next to him, she took note of the blazer and tie Tristan wore.

"Where did you get those?" she asked him.

"Rarity gave them to me as thanks for helping her out," Tristan replied. "You like 'em?"

Twilight blushed. "Absolutely."

Rainbow Dash took a step back. "Well," she said, turning, "I have a few things to take care of. You two have fun."

With that, the pegasus took off like a rocket into the sky. Tristan watched as she flew from sight, then turned his attention to the door and magicked it open. Before he and Twilight could take another step, a white-coated unicorn filly bounced out of the library and broke into a full-speed run.

"Sweetie Belle?" Tristan asked.

Twilight looked back in confusion, then to Tristan. "I wonder what she was doing here."

Tristan shrugged, then followed Twilight back into the library, where they found Spike staring dumbstruck out the door.

"You okay, buddy?" Tristan asked.

"I dunno," Spike replied. "Scootaloo was just here, then almost right after she left, Sweetie Belle showed up. They were talking about some sort of game."

"A game?" Twilight said. Spike nodded. "What kind of game?"

"Beats me," the baby dragon answered. "They didn't say what this 'game' was. Nice threads, by the way."

"I know, right?" Tristan said, turning to give Spike the full view. "I've been getting stared at all day by a lot of ponies. I think I may have found myself a new look."

Twilight grimaced at the thought of the other mares making eyes at Tristan. It didn't sit well in her stomach. Was she getting jealous? She had been jealous before, but this time it was different. She immediately returned her thoughts to her date with Tristan, and it seemed to make the annoying feeling go away.

Spike picked himself up from the floor and proceeded to one of the bookshelves. Twilight remained by Tristan's side until she trotted off towards the staircase.

"I'm going to freshen up for our date and I'll be right back down," she said, smiling.

Tristan smiled back and began feeling the proverbial butterflies in his stomach. This would be his first real date for a long time, so the giddy feeling he was experiencing was something that had seemed forgotten. He hoped that this date went smoothly, and that he could finally ask Twilight what she thought of their relationship.

With his heart a flutter, Tristan trotted into the kitchen with Spike to await his date.

"If cigarettes existed in Equestria, I would be begging for one right now."

Spike glanced over from his spot at the oven. "Why would you need a cigarette?" he asked. "I thought those were bad for you?"

"They are," Tristan replied, "But my nerves are shot right now. I haven't been on a date in a long time."

"What about when you took the ponies out when we stayed with you? Aren't those kind of like dates?"

"No. Well, maybe. I don't know. Could you whip me up a cup of coffee real quick?"

Spike nodded and ran to the cupboard. Tristan, who sat at the kitchen table, laid his head down on the table's surface and let out a long, exasperated sigh. This awkward combination of excitement and anxiety was beginning to take a mental toll on the unicorn. What if he messed up? What if things between him and Twilight weren't what they seem?

"You're overreacting," Spike said, carrying a fresh cup of coffee to the table. "Trust me, I know about overreacting. You'll be fine."

Tristan looked up at the coffee cup. "Are you sure?"

Spike giggled. "Positive. You know, for a big brother, you sure are getting a lot of advice from me."

Tristan chuckled and levitated the coffee towards him, taking a quick sip. He could feel the anxiety wash away as the liquid goodness flowed into his stomach. He smiled with satisfaction and took another sip.

"What do you think?"

Tristan was mid-sip when he turned to see Twilight Sparkle standing in the doorway. Her mane was pulled into a bun in the back and she was wearing a bright yellow dress with a pink ribbon around the neck. Simple, yet still so elegant. She blushed a little while awaiting a reaction and Tristan nearly choked on his coffee, causing the purple unicorn to flinch.

"What's wrong?!" Twilight asked.

Tristan coughed a few more times before finding the breath to answer. "I-It's nothing," he stammered.

Spike looked over to Twilight and scratched his head. "Isn't that the dress Rarity made you for your birthday?"

"It is," Twilight confirmed. She returned her attention to Tristan. "Is it too much?"

Tristan shook his head quickly. "No, no! It's fine! You look... beautiful."

Twilight's blushing became more apparent. "Y-You really think so?"

Tristan nodded with a smile. Spike, who was now cleaning up the minor coffee mess on the table, grimaced from the mushiness of the conversation.

"Do you have our lunch ready, Spike?" Twilight asked, giving the baby dragon a somewhat stern look.

Spike carried over a large picnic basket, to which Twilight lifted from his claws by use of her magic. "It's all there."

Twilight smiled and motioned Tristan towards her. Tristan climbed from his seat and trotted over to her. After a warm passing glance, Twilight returned her focus to the baby dragon.

"We'll be back in about an hour or so," she informed. "Mind the library for me until we return."

"Like I have anything better to do," Spike mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The two unicorns proceeded back through the main room and over to the door. Tristan magicked the door open and stood aside. Twilight giggled at the gesture.

"Such a gentlecolt," she remarked.

Tristan shrugged with a smile and waited for Twilight to pass before exiting after her. He began to pull the door shut, but a yellow filly suddenly appeared before him.

"Hiya, Tristan! Hiya, Twilight!" Apple Bloom greeted.

"Hello, Apple Bloom!" Twilight returned. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah came to... uh... look fer a book fer Big Mac!" she replied. "Yeah, that's it."

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I didn't think Big Mac was much of a reader."

"There's a lot about Big Mac ya don't know," Apple Bloom quickly answered. "Now, if y'all excuse me..."

She quickly dashed past the unicorns into the library and pulled the door shut behind her. Tristan gave Twilight a confused look.

"Do the CMCs come here a lot?" he asked.

"Not really," Twilight replied. "It's kinda strange that they've all been here at some point or another today. Do you think she's in on this 'game' that Spike has been talking about?"

"Beats me."

Twilight smirked. "Well, we have plans of our own to attend to. Let's go."

Tristan nodded and happily followed Twilight through town, going over in his head the question that was to be asked.

The unicorns arrived at the picnic area that Twilight had picked out. It was a simple hill overlooking a wide, colorful meadow with a small stream running beside them and a lone apple tree at the hilltop. Tristan felt a soft breeze through his mane as he watched the tall grass dance in the wind, creating a rippling effect. A soft sigh of contentment escaped past his lips and he turned back to his companion.

Twilight Sparkle had already begun unpacking the massive basket by first removing the classic white-and-red checkered cloth. She then quickly began setting up what would soon be their dining area with an array of plates, cups, and the food containers. After everything had been prepared, she laid herself onto the cloth and silently invited Tristan over with a head gesture, to which Tristan obeyed immediately.

As Tristan laid down across from Twilight, the purple unicorn levitated a sandwich and a small side salad over to his plate. She retrieved the same items for herself and poured them both a glass of lemonade. Tristan smiled as he watched Twilight distribute the meal, occasionally shifting his glance to Twilight herself. Her mane's bangs flowed softly in the breeze and her violet in her eyes shone, making the scene all the more peaceful and serene.

Eventually, Twilight caught notice of Tristan's gaze. Tristan quickly broke away and feigned fascination in his sandwich. Twilight half-smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you looking at?" she asked softly.

Tristan levitated the sandwich up to his mouth and took a large bite, chewing thoroughly before swallowing. He gently dropped the sandwich to its resting spot on the plate and looked back at Twilight.

"Oh, nothing," he lied. He watched as Twilight began partaking in her portion of the lunch. After a few seconds, he returned to his meal as well and the next few minutes were spent silently as the two unicorns finished their lunches.

Moments later, Twilight had packed up everything but the cloth they sat on back into the basket. The two sat in more silence as they simply sat and watched over the field, taking in the warm sun and the aesthetic beauty that nature had to offer.

Deep down, however, Tristan was deeply conflicted. The date was nearly over, symbolized by the hardly-existent orange tint in the sky, and he hadn't said a word to Twilight about the concern he held. He fidgeted slightly from the pressure.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, her voice filled with concern. "Is this a bad date?"

Tristan waved his hooves wildly. "No, no, no! It's not that at all!"

"What is it then?" Twilight pressed.

Tristan let out a sigh, then took in a deep breath. "I need to ask you about something," he admitted.

Twilight could feel her heart racing now. It wasn't in the excited kind like she had been getting used to recently. It seemed to bring on fear and discomfort. She couldn't remember anything that she could have done to make Tristan mad at her, but the paranoia lingered nonetheless.

"Y-Yes?" Twilight asked nervously.

"Well," Tristan shakily began, "Oh, how do I put this.... What, um, are we?"

Twilight tilted her head to the side. "What are we?" she echoed. "What do you mean?"

"What we are," Tristan continued. "I mean you... a-and me...."

Twilight thought hard for a moment or two, then simply shrugged. "We're ponies, I guess. Unicorns to be exact."

Tristan put a hoof on his face and sighed. "No... I mean... you know... relationship wise..."

Twilight's eyes shot open. Not only was this a sudden question, but she wasn't sure what they were either. They had both confessed feelings for each other, she had kissed him, she even begged and pleaded Princess Celestia for weeks to bring him to her over hundreds of dimensions. Despite all this, she still wasn't sure what to make of it all.

"I... I hadn't really thought about it...." she said. "You mean... like... marefriend and coltfriend?"

Tristan swallowed and nodded. "Y-Yeah. Is that what we are?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Can we be?"

Silence once again overtook the two unicorns. Tristan sat nervously, awaiting a reply from Twilight, who struggled to find the words to say. Time felt like it had stopped just for them. Tristan grew increasingly uneasy with each passing moment.

"Twi-"

His words were stopped suddenly as Twilight pressed her lips against his. The passion he felt overtake him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Tristan's eyes were widened by the unexpected action, but he soon came around and went along with it, closing his eyes and falling into the kiss.

Meanwhile, several feet away at the south edge of the field, a pair of binoculars protruded from a hedgerow.

"Ah, how romantic," Rarity thought aloud. "Young love is such a beautiful thing."

"Oh yes, I agree," Fluttershy added, "They're just so right for each other."

"We should have a congratulatory party for the new couple!" Pinkie Pie chimed.

"Are y'all sure we should be doin' this?" Applejack asked. "Ah mean, spyin' an' all."

Rainbow Dash gave a light elbow to the farm mare. "I'm sure you wanted to see this just as bad as they did," she replied.

"And you didn't?" Spike retorted, crossing his arms. "You're a big softy deep down, we all know it."

Rainbow Dash glared at the baby dragon. "And what's your story, tough guy?" she returned. "I thought you hated all this mushy stuff?"

"Well, I had nothing else better to do after Apple Bloom ran me out of the library," Spike huffed.

Applejack glanced backwards. "What has gotten into that filly recently?" she asked. "Ah reckon Ah'm gonna need ta give the young one a talkin' to."

Rainbow Dash shook her head, then returned her attention to Twilight, who had rested her head on Tristan's shoulder. After a minute or two, the unicorns stood and trotted off side-by-side back towards town.

"They're leaving!" Pinkie Pie alerted. "Everypony run!"

In a panic, the group scattered from their hiding spot as discreetly as possible to avoid detection. Spike tugged at Applejack's tail before she could get too far.

"Hey, AJ," he asked, "If it's no trouble..."

Applejack smiled and knelt down. "Hop on, sugarcube," she instructed.

As Applejack carried Spike back into town, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had taken off and were gently flying above the treetops. Fluttershy increased her speed and arrived at Rainbow Dash's side.

"I hope to have something like that someday," she confessed. "Wouldn't that be just wonderful?"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be too bad."

Now if I can only get around to figuring out to say it.

A few minutes after the ponies' departure, several feet from the bush where the group was hiding, a shadowy figure dropped from the top of one of the trees. It sauntered over to the spot and looked down, picking up a blue feather with it's mouth and storing it in a bag.

"All in due time," Swift Gleam said, chuckling. "All in due time. The hunt has only just begun."

Spazzy Says!

I'll admit, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I've been busting it for the past few hours to get this done because I have to leave for work in, like, five minutes and I wanted to get it out there before I left. So, here ya go!

I'm sure you all have even more questions now than what you did when you started reading, and I'd love to elaborate more about what's to come, but I really need to go. But by all means, leave those comments. Let me know what you think. I'll put in a blog post what's to come for the next chapter.

Keep Being Awesome!

-Spazzy Jamz

Workin' For The Mare

A week has passed since Tristan's date with Twilight Sparkle, where the two unicorns have deemed themselves an official couple. Tristan had adapted to life as a pony quite well during this short period of time. Twilight took him, as well as an overly-eager Sweetie Belle, as her own personal students in the use of beginner's magic. Tristan had also been taking his own tours of Ponyville in order to get better acquainted with his new environment.

While his relationship with Twilight flourished, he felt bad for not contributing to the household. He would be given small errands to run and, occasionally, watch over the library in her place with Spike to help him, but he still wasn't convinced that he was helping much at all. One morning, as he arrived into the kitchen for breakfast, Tristan decided to take matters into his own hooves.

"I need a job," Tristan said, laying his chin on the kitchen table.

Spike took a quick glance backwards to the unicorn, then returns to flipping a haycake. "Why do you think that?"

"Because," Tristan replied, lifting his head, "I hate just sitting around here while you and Twilight work. I feel like a bum."

"You're not a bum, honey," Twilight comforted.

"I am a bum," Tristan sighed.

"Wait, what's a bum?" Spike asked.

Tristan groaned in frustration and laid his head back onto the kitchen table with a thud. "This sucks. I'd sell vacuums if I had to."

"Why do you want a job so badly?" Twilight asked as she set the table.

"I want to help out around here," Tristan stated. "Financially, that is. I feel guilty for just laying here. Like a bum."

Twilight perked up a small smile. "Please stop saying that. I promise you, you're not a bum."

"Yes I am," Tristan groaned.

"Seriously, what's a bum?" Spike asked again.

Twilight took a seat next to him and put a hoof on his shoulder. Tristan lulled his head to the side, releasing a sigh. After a couple minutes of staring blankly at the table, an idea finally came to the Element of Magic.

"Maybe one of the others can help you out."

Tristan lifted his head just enough to give Twilight an expression of confusion. "Huh?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, hoping to lift his spirits, "I'm sure somepony could use a helping hoof. Maybe you can get a job helping one of them."

"Except Rainbow Dash," Spike added, starting on a new haycake. "Tristan can't fly, so he can't help her. Everyone else is fair game, though."

Tristan righted himself in his seat. "I guess its worth a shot," he mumbled.

"Great!" Twilight chirped, "Now, eat up. You'll need all your strength and energy."

"I will?"

"More than likely."

"Fun."

With breakfast finished and the dishes all cleaned and put away, Twilight levitated her saddlebag onto Tristan's back and secured it. She licked a hoof and fixed a wild strand of hair on Tristan's mane, then delivered a soft kiss to his forehead.

"There you go!" she announced cheerfully, "You're all ready for you big day of job hunting!"

"I feel like I'm being sent off to my first day of school all over again," Tristan replied, "All I'm missing is my Power Rangers lunchbox."

Twilight giggled and magicked the front door open. "Okay, then!" she said, giving Tristan a friendly, yet forceful nudge. "Have fun! I'll see you later!"

Tristan stopped just outside the doorway. "Wait, you're not going to come with me?"

"I would love to, but I can't," Twilight informed. "Miss Cherilee asked me to host the Filly Book Fair today."

Spike heard this and poked his head out from the kitchen. "And you agreed to this?" he asked suspiciously.

Twilight turned to him. "But of course!"

"Can't I go with Tristan?" he begged. "Please?"

"I need you here to help with the event, Spike." Twilight reminded.

Spike threw his arms up with a huff and returned to the kitchen. Twilight returned her attention to Tristan with a look of annoyance.

"What's up with him recently?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm not sure," Tristan replied. "Maybe I should talk to him later."

"That would be a great idea," Twilight agreed. "But you should get going. Rarity was telling me that she had a large order to fill, so maybe you can start there."

"Well, I suppose-"

"Great! See you later!" Twilight chirped.

She surrounded the door once again with her magenta magic and slammed the door. Tristan stood in place for a second, then turned in the direction of the Carousel Boutique.

Upon arriving at the Carousel Boutique, Tristan could hear a frantic commotion coming from inside. He could easily distinguish Rarity's voice, but her tone and inflections gave way to a sense of panic. Tristan figured that maybe it was a bad time to be bothering her for a job. He began to turn away when the door was flung open by the store's proprietary herself.

"Tristan, darling!" she greeted. "So good to see you!"

Her mane was messy, heaps of cloth lay across her back and a multitude of sewing needles hovered around her. The bags beneath the eyes of the Element of Generosity gave Tristan insight to a possible all-nighter.

"I wish I could say the same to you," Tristan replied bluntly. "What's going on?"

"Oh, I have a rather large order to fill and a limited time to do so," she said, leaning against the door frame. "I guess that's just the price to pay for success. But enough about me, dear, what brings you by?"

Tristan hesitated. He made a few quick glances around before answering.

"I was just wondering if there was a possibility that you needed help," he said quietly, "You know, with the business and all."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like a job?"

Tristan nodded somberly. "It seems to be a bad time for you, so I'll just-"

"Nonsense, dear!" Rarity returned, fixing her stature. "Although, it is odd for a pony such as yourself to want in on this line of work. I assumed you would sell vacuums or something."

Tristan sighed a little. "That's what I was thinking."

"Oh, I'm just teasing," she said, waving a hoof. "But I must ask, do you have any experience working with fabric?"

"I patched a hole in my jeans before using some mismatched thread, a needle, and a pair of old boxers."

Rarity flinched at the image her mind drew for her of the tattered jeans with an orange thread around a polka dot patch. She shivered from the thought, and though Tristan's experience was little, her need for help at this stage of development was greater.

"That will have to do." she finally replied. "Come on in."

Tristan followed Rarity into the Carousel Boutique and up the stairs into her workroom. Pony-shaped mannequins stood about the room, along with shelves and shelves of miscellaneous fabrics and threads. Rarity quickly trotted over to her work area and began working again. Tristan stared at the inventory another second longer before joining her at the workbench.

"So, uh," Tristan fumbled, "What do you want me to do?"

Rarity took a quick glance to the bench next to her. "I need those two pieces of cloth there sewn together with no more than an inch overlapping," she instructed.

Tristan levitated the needle and thread. With a deep breath and a nod, he went to work. Rarity looked over a few minutes later to see Tristan making the last push with the needle. She hovered her work over to an empty mannequin and inched over to him.

"Okay, deary," she said, "Let's see what you've got."

Tristan laid down the needle and held up the finished product with pride. The two pieces of cloth were, indeed, sewn together, but Rarity had seen better work from Sweetie Belle. She forced a smile as a bead of sweat rolled from her brow.

"Oh, it's, uh, fine," Rarity stated, trying to keep a high spirit.

Tristan sighed. "This isn't working, is it?"

"No, not really."

"Dammit."

Rarity frowned. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"It's cool," Tristan replied. "I just hate letting Twilight and Spike take care of the bills and stuff. I want to help out."

"Well, that's very commendable," Rarity said, putting a hoof on his shoulder. "Actually, I think Sugarcube Corner is in need of a helping hoof. Maybe you should try there."

Tristan smiled and dropped the cloth disaster back onto the workbench as he bolted out of the room.

"Thanks, Rarity!" he called, zipping down the stairs.

"No trouble! See you later!" she returned. She took a glance back at Tristan's work and chuckled, removing the thread and starting the project over.

The possibility of redemption had sent Tristan speeding through Ponyville. He dodged ponies left and right on his way to Sugarcube Corner, and was soon joined by another pony who appeared to be heading the same direction.

"Hey, Tristan!" Pinkie Pie gasped. "What's up?"

"I was actually on my way to see you at Sugarcube Corner," Tristan replied. "Do you not work today?"

"Yeah! I'm late! I gotta hurry hurry! I'll see you there!"

"But I thought you... lived... there..."

Tristan slowed to a trot as Pinkie Pie rocketed away in a pink streak, zig-zagging between the crowd of ponies. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, then began trotting again until Sugarcube Corner came into view. Tristan approached the door and pushed it open, revealing a rather calm interior.

The unicorn glanced around, taking short notice of the few customers that stood in the shop. He found himself admiring the contents of the glass case of which he stood in front of. Cakes, pies, and other delicious desserts tempted Tristan's tongue. Maybe this was a bad idea, too.

Before he could think any further, Pinkie Pie bounced up from behind the counter, startling the unicorn.

"Hiya! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" she greeted. The earth pony giggled a little.

"Hey," Tristan replied. "Uh, Rarity told me you guys were possibly looking for another employee?"

Pinkie Pie bounced. "We sure are!" she answered. "The Cakes aren't here right now, but they've left me in charge of things until they get back, including hiring!"

Are they insane? Tristan wondered. He shook off the thought, not wanting to doubt the Element of Laughter, and instead perked up a smile.

"I just have to ask some questions," Pinkie continued, motioning him to the back of the shop. "It's a formality. Just has to be done."

"I totally understand," Tristan replied. He followed the pink pony to the back room of Sugarcube Corner where he guessed the "interview" would take place. As he stepped into the room, the door was locked behind him and the lights were killed.

"Hey! What gi-"

Tristan felt himself grabbed and slammed into what he assumed was an old chair. Before he could react, he also felt something like rope being wrapped around him, completely immobilizing his front legs. He struggled against the restraints until a single lamp illuminated part of the room. Pinkie Pie picked it up and shined the bright light onto the unicorn's face, causing Tristan to wince.

"What's your name!?" Pinkie Pie demanded. Her facial expression had changed to one of anger and scorn.

"Wha-?"

"Answer the question, punk!"

Tristan glanced around, not sure of what to do. The best possible solution to this madness, he figured, was to simply comply.

"T-Tristan Shay?" he sputtered.

"Wrong!" she boomed. "What's your name?"

"Star Skipper?"

Pinkie Pie switched off the lamp. Fear had set back in for the unicorn, but it was quickly alleviated when the room was illuminated again by the room's main lights.

"Oki Doki Loki!" Pinkie Pie said, beginning to untie Tristan. "That's it! You're hired!"

Tristan shot an incredulous look to the earth pony. "Seriously?! You put me through all that for a name you already knew?!"

"I told you it had to be done," she replied, bouncing out of the room. "Gotta be professional and all. Wasn't that fun, though?"

Tristan released a deep breath and slowly made his way into the kitchen with Pinkie Pie. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Pinkie Pie pulled the oven door open, presenting a perfectly baked pie to the apprentice unicorn.

"See?" Pinkie said, "Easy as pie!"

Tristan groaned inaudibly at the joke. After a short giggling fit, the pink pony proceeded over to Tristan's oven.

"Let's see how yours turned out!"

The Element of Laughter repeated the process of opening the oven door, but instead of a smile, a grimace spread across her face. Tristan leaned over to observe the object of Pinkie Pie's expression only to share her feeling of disapproval. He levitated the pie pan out, its contents looking something similar to a nuclear test gone horribly awry.

With a heavy sigh, the unicorn dropped the pan onto the counter. He dropped the pan onto the counter and began removing his apron.

"This isn't working either," he said quietly.

"You can't just give up, Tristan!" Pinkie Pie replied. "It was only your first try! Come on, let's try again!"

Tristan hovered the apron back onto the rack with the others and retrieved his saddlebags. "No thanks, Pink," he declined soberly, "You guys have a good bit of work to do. I don't want to get in the way."

Pinkie Pie reached out for her discouraged friend, but he was already too far from her grasp. He sauntered out of the shop with his head hung low in defeat.

Once Tristan had made his way outside, he wandered aimlessly into the middle of the Marketplace. He made glances at the vendors and shops that lined the sides of the street in hopes of a "Help Wanted" sign. To his despair, he found none.

"Ugh," he muttered, "I'm getting nowhere with this. There's gotta be something around here that I can do."

"Now what's got ya talkin' to yourself like that?"

Tristan looked up quickly to see Applejack. She was carrying saddlebags that appeared to be full of random gears, rods, and other miscellaneous nuts and bolts.

"Oh, hey AJ," he greeted, faking a smile. "What are you up to?"

"Well," the farm mare began, shifting the saddlebags, "Ah had ta pick up some parts Ah need for this contraption back on the farm. It's a plow that also plants the seeds and replaces the soil as it goes along."

"That sounds cool," Tristan replied.

"It sure does!" Applejack agreed. "The only problem now is puttin' the darn thing together. Ah'm not too bad at makin' sense of blueprints and all, but this is a tad out of mah league."

"Can I have a look?" Tristan asked impulsively. He normally wouldn't have asked, but for some reason, his curiosity got the better of him.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, then fished a rolled piece of paper from one of the saddle bags and tossed it his way. Tristan received it with his magic and unrolled it, silently studying the various diagrams and notes that had been scribbled next to them. After a few solid minutes of reading, he rolled the blueprints back up with a smirk.

"Piece of cake," he said, placing the paper back into Applejack's saddlebag.

"You understand all that mumbo jumbo?" replied the Element of Honesty.

"Yeah," Tristan said. "I used these all the time when I had my human job."

Applejack's smile returned rapidly. "Ya think you could help put 'er together?" she asked. "Ah'm sure Ah could make it worth your while. That is, unless your busy, of course."

"I've been job hunting all morning," Tristan replied, "But I suppose I can take a break from it for a while."

The farm mare reared at Tristan's answer, then re-adjusted her Stetson. Tristan began to follow her out to Sweet Apple Acres in a much better mood, knowing that at least he was going to be somewhat productive today.

Tristan wheeled himself out from underneath the contraption after about half an hour of working. He levitated the wrench away back over to the toolbox and wiped some sweat from his forehead with a semi-clean rag.

"Okay," he said, standing, "I think she's ready to go."

Applejack beamed at the announcement, waving over a rather large stallion. As he silently began to hook himself up to the plow, Tristan decided to finally make some conversation with the brawny farmhand.

"So, you're Big Mac, right?" he asked.

"Eeyup," the stallion replied, still attaching the equipment.

"You're like the main muscle around here, huh? Kickin' trees, plowing, etcetera."

Big Mac stopped to think for a moment, then nodded. "Eeyup."

Tristan narrowed his eyes. "You don't talk too much, do you?"

"Nope."

Tristan sighed as he took a step back, finding himself next to Applejack. She shook her head with a small smile, then turned to her brother.

"Alright, Mac!" she called, "Let 'er have it!"

Big Mac's facial expression instantly changed from one of indifference to determination. He gave a great pull with his body and the plow followed suit. As the stallion charged through the field, Tristan found that the contraption had been brought brilliantly to life. All the gears turned effortlessly, the bolts held their place, and one after the other, seeds were planted into the tilled earth and quickly covered.

Tristan sighed in relief, glad that his work had paid off with success. Applejack's grin grew wider as Big Mac plowed a couple more rows before coming to a stop in front of her. As the eldest sibling began unhooking himself from is harness, Tristan looked over to Applejack.

"Works like a charm," he commented.

"No kiddin'!" Applejack remarked, "Did she run good, Big Mac?"

"Well," the stallion began, "Ah think one of the belts is a little loose and the harness seems to be coming apart on the strap that lays across my back, but other than that, Ah think it runs great."

Tristan silently stared at Big Mac with a twitchy eye, taken aback by his sudden vocabulary growth.

"Thank ya kindly for your help, Tris," Applejack said, "Ah do appreciate it and wish there was a way we could repay ya for your work."

Tristan rubbed the back of his head with a hoof and smiled. "Oh, no worr-"

Tristan's stomach interrupted him, gurgling loud enough to draw the two Apple siblings' attention to his torso. His face became red as he held an arm over his side to block their view. Applejack chuckled to herself.

"How 'bout a down-home lunch?" she said. "You deserve it."

Tristan took another bite of Applejack's signature apple pie, smiling at the pure deliciousness that it contained. Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith all occupied the table in the kitchen, devouring the mid-day meal.

"Thish ish really good," Tristan complimented, indulging in yet another bite.

"Why, thank ya, sugarcube," Applejack replied. "Ol' family recipe. Ain't that right, Granny?"

"Wha?" the senior asked, looking up. "Speak up. Ah can't hear ya."

"Ah said," Applejack repeated, "'Ol' family recipie', right?"

"Who ya seein' tonight?"

Applejack put a hoof to her face. "Nevermind," she mumbled. The farm mare turned her attention back to Tristan. "So what had ya all down in the dumps earlier?"

Tristan swallowed his last bite before answering. "I was feeling bad about not helping out Twilight and Spike financially, so I've been desperately hunting around for a job all morning." He hung his head. "It seems like everything I try for ends up in failure."

Applejack nodded in understanding. "Ya haven't brought yourself down to selling vacuums, have ya?"

Tristan shrugged. "At this rate, it may be more of a reality than I'd honestly like. It doesn't matter as long I'm contributing to the household somehow."

Applejack looked at her half-eaten pie in thought, then was struck with a brilliant idea. "Why not be a handypony?"

"Huh?" Tristan asked, wearing a puzzled look. "A handypony?"

The Element of Honesty nodded quickly. "You fixed up our equipment like it was nothin'! And even back on your world, ya said you were good at puttin' stuff together and fixin' things! Why not do that here?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac commented, starting on a new pie.

Tristan thought for a moment as a small smile stretched across his face. "You know what? That may work." he said. He had begun bouncing in his seat from excitement. "Yeah! That's great! I gotta go tell Twi!"

Applejack smiled warmly. She pushed her plate to the middle of the table. "Ah'll see Tristan out, Granny."

Tristan also pushed forward his plate and followed Applejack just outside of the house. The earth pony turned to him and smiled.

"Ah'll make sure to get the word around town about ya," she stated. "You'll have business in no time."

"Thanks AJ," Tristan replied. "I appreciate it."

"Least Ah can do, sugarcube," she returned. "But, uh, can Ah ask ya about somethin'? It's a little crazy, but I'm pretty sure I can trust ya."

"Absolutely."

"Well... uh... ya see... Ah have a crush on somepony..."

Tristan chuckled. "It seems everypony is coming to me about this sort of thing. First Rarity, then Rainbow Dash, now you. Has the love bug bitten everypony in town or something?"

Applejack blushed. "Ah reckon so."

Before she could say another word, Apple Bloom bounced up to them, grinning from ear to ear. "Hiya, sis! Hey, Tristan!"

"Howdy, Apple Bloom!" Applejack greeted. "How was the book fair?"

"It was okay," the filly replied, "Ah checked out somethin' pretty, uh, interestin'."

Tristan looked to Apple Bloom. "What was it? I don't see you with a book..."

Apple Bloom blushed. "Oh! Uh, Ah musta forgot it at the library! Silly me..."

The filly bounced past them and into the house. Applejack squinted at the door, then snapped her eyes back open.

"Aw, ponyfeathers!" she said, "Ah completely forgot! Have a safe trip home Tristan! Ah gotta ask a certain somepony about a certain somethin'."

She dashed off into the house, leaving Tristan standing alone at the beginning of the dirt road that led back towards town. He shook his head and began walking.

"What's gotten into everypony recently?"

Tristan burst through the door of the library, throwing his saddlebag off to the side of the room as he galloped full speed up the staircase into Twilight's bedroom. He knocked the door wide open, startling the purple unicorn that sat inside on her bed. Books lay on both sides of her.

"Twilight!" he shouted, "I've figured it out!"

Twilight fixed her head to the side, staring in confusion. "Figured out what?"

"I've figured out what I can do for a job!" he replied, bouncing in excitement. "Applejack helped me figure it out!"

"Vacuum Salespony?" she teased.

"Very funny."

"Are you going to be working at Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Nope," he said. "I'm going to fix and build stuff!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like a handypony?"

"Well, sorta," Tristan answered. "I'm hoping to figure out a better title, but essentially, yes."

Twilight smiled and closed the book she had open. She climbed off the bed and trotted over to give her companion a congratulatory nuzzle.

"That's great!" she said. "I'm so happy that you found something you can do!"

Tristan beamed with pride. "Yeah. I fixed Applejack's plowing machine at the farm, and then I thought, 'Since I was so good at it back home, why not make it a career here?'".

Twilight levitated a small scroll from her dresser and presented it to the unicorn. "That's perfect! I already have your first job for you!"

Tristan's prideful grin dissipated into the same look of confusion that Twilight wore just a moment ago. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"As you can see, there are drains that need unclogged, some of the lights aren't working, which i suspect is because of some faulty wiring. Also, there's a few-"

Tristan gladly took the list from Twilight's magical grasp and planted a light kiss on Twilight's cheek before trotting back through the bedroom door.

"Honey," Twilight called, "Don't you need tools first?"

Author's Note

Okay, guys, first off, I'm extremely sorry about not updating the story sooner. I've been going through a bit more personal stuff (attempting to quit smoking, working nearly six days a week, etc.), so I haven't really been able to write nearly as much as I would have liked. So again, major apologies and thanks for sticking with me.

Also, on top of all that, I've been trying to kick start my solo music career (which is going supremely slow, thanks for asking). I have been writing a few songs and I may or may not have a gig set up this coming weekend, but it's all acoustic stuff, which, being a pop-punk/metal artist, is supremely weird for me. I'll see what I can do about filling you guys in more about that later. You all can follow me on Twitter @ThatSpazzyKid if you want in the loop about my music or my life away from the keyboard.

Thank you guys for reading this. I promise the next few chapters will have some more exciting content, seeing as how this one was a tad humdrum. Anyways, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments section below and I'll see you all in the next chapter!

Spazzy Jamz

Taken

"There," Tristan announced, taking a step back, "All finished."

Within an afternoon and some of the evening, the unicorn had completed every task on Twilight's to-do list. The drains inside the tree-house had all been unclogged, the furnace had been fixed, and now, all the faulty wires in the library had been repaired and once again carried their circuits without a hitch. He levitated his new tools back into the bag, placing them in their respective sleeves and pockets.

"And just in time for dinner!" Spike added, making his way into the room. "I hope you've worked up an appetite!"

Tristan nodded and hovered his tool bag next to the far wall as he followed Spike back into the kitchen. With the table set and the food already distributed between the three plates, the boys sat down in their respective seats, exchanging looks of excitement while another unicorn joined them.

"How's the list coming along?" Twilight asked, her eyes fixed intently on Tristan. She levitated a forkful of roasted greens into her mouth.

"It's already done," Tristan beamed. He puffed out his chest in pride and also began eating.

Twilight paused to blink. "You're finished?" she asked in disbelief. "I figured you would have taken all night!"

A confident smile crept across Tristan's face as he shoveled more of his meal into his watering mouth. He offered no verbal response to his marefriend, but simply bounced his eyebrows. Spike ignored the conversation and quickly devoured the rest of his dinner and tossed the dishes into the sink. The loud clatter that followed tore the two unicorn's attention from each other and directed it to the purple streak that flew past them.

"Where are you going?" Twilight called.

"Just gotta go see about something!" Spike returned. "I'll be back in a few minutes!"

The Element of Magic shook her head in confusion. "What has him acting so strange?" she asked.

Tristan shrugged, then remembered his talk with Applejack. "I'll talk to him when he comes back."

"I've tried talking to him," Twilight replied, "But I can never get anything out of him. He's definitely hiding something."

Tristan smirked. "Maybe he needs a guy talk."

"A... guy talk?"

"Yup," Tristan confirmed. "He's about that age, you know."

Twilight Sparkle's eyes widened and her jaw dropped from the horrifying thought. "You don't mean..."

"I'm afraid so," Tristan laughed. "But don't worry a bit. I'll handle this."

Twilight levitated her's and Tristan's dishes to the sink and gave him a warm nuzzle. "Thank you. I'm heading off to do some quick reading and then I'm going to bed."

Tristan happily returned the nuzzle. "Goodnight."

Twilight walked a ways before turning her head towards him with a soft giggle. "Sleep tight! Don't let the Parasprites bite!"

With a raised eyebrow in suspicion to these "Parasprites", Tristan watched Twilight climb the stairs to her bedroom. He kept his attention fixed on the darkness until he heard the faint shutting of the door. A sigh of content escaped him and he stretched in his seat. The idea of sleep after his long day sounded more than pleasant. The unicorn tidied up what was left of the dinner mess and began towards his bedroom when a different door was heard being shut.

"Oh, hey, Tris," Spike quickly said, blushing. "Hitting the hay, huh? I'm feeling pretty tired, too. I'll see you in the morning!"

Spike made an attempt to run, but Tristan stopped him in his tracks with a foreleg. Spike glanced up quickly, only to be greeted by Tristan's knowing smile. Seeing this made the baby dragon's face even redder than before.

"Let's chat."

Morning came early for Twilight Sparkle, who stirred gently in the limbo between conciousness and slumber before stretching her limbs in all directions. She yawned and sat herself upright in her bed, taking another short moment before rubbing her eyes and forcing them open. The sun still sat behind the other buildings in Ponyville and the purple-coated mare, who was now lethargically making her way to her vanity, was pondering the events that took place in her mind during the night.

What could that have meant? she thought to herself, running a brush through her unruly mane. I've never had a dream like that before. And Tristan...

She gently placed her brush back onto the vanity and inspected her mane. Do I tell him about it? He was there, after all. Twilight sighed. I'll just keep to myself. I'm sure it was just a one time thing and it'll probably never happen again.

The unicorn somberly made her way down the stairs, taking notice of the sun's slightly changed position in the sky. The new found sunlight streamed in through the window and illuminated the path to the library's kitchen. Twilight let out another soft yawn before preparing to open the library.

Soon afterwards, as Twilight was re-shelving books, Tristan's bedroom door gently clicked open. The startled librarian whipped around quickly, but breathed a sigh of relief as it was only her sleepy assistant wobbling her way.

"What're you doing up so early, Twi?" Spike asked drowsily.

Twilight glanced away. "I'm always up this early," she lied.

"Not this early," Spike pressed. "Did you have a bad dream or something?"

The unicorn's face grew a little red. "Um, yes. That's it."

"Okay. I'm gonna get a start on breakfast, I suppose."

"You do that."

With Spike busy in the kitchen, the librarian made a quick glance at Tristan's bedroom door, which remained open. She stared into the darkness that lay past the door, then, as a soft smile crept across her face, magicked the door shut again.

Gentle nudging shook Tristan from his slumber. He groaned in rebellion, but eventually rolled over to meet the eyes of Spike, the dragon responsible for his awakening. Tristan blinked in silence.

"Tris," Spike began cautiously, "It's noon."

Tristan blinked again. "It is?" he asked, somewhat shocked.

Spike nodded.

"Why did you let me sleep in so late?" Tristan yawned.

"Twilight's orders," the baby dragon replied. "She said you deserved the rest. I wish she'd let me sleep in every now and then..."

Tristan chuckled and sat himself up in the bed. After a few moments, he climbed off of the bed and stretched out, slight crackles sounding throughout his body.

"One more thing," Spike added, rubbing his arm, "About last night...."

"Don't worry, kiddo," Tristan said with a wink. "Guy Code."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Guy Code?"

Tristan nodded and led the way out of the bedroom. Spike followed behind him into the library's main room, where Twilight Sparkle sat levitating several books in front of her. The baby dragon made a hasty move for the door, but not before being noticed by the purple unicorn.

"Where are you going?" Twilight asked, not so much as lifting her eyes from her books.

"I'm going to take over for him," Tristan answered, "It'll be alright."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked nervously, finally taking her attention from her reading. She looked back to the door and saw that Spike had disappeared from sight.

"I'm positive," the former human replied.

Twilight accepted the situation and placed bookmarks in all the books before levitating them onto the table that sat in the middle of the room. She was instantly reminded of another situation that needed addressed.

"Did you talk to Spike last night?" Twilight asked. "What's going on with him and the fillies?"

Tristan let a small laugh escape him before answering. "Sorry," he apologized. "Can't tell ya."

Twilight frowned. "Why not?" she asked, concerned.

"Guy Code."

"Guy Code?"

"Yup. Guy Code," Tristan confirmed. "But I promise it's okay. Nothing to fret about."

Twilight could feel herself getting slightly annoyed with having a secret kept from her. She pushed the feeling away, trying to take Tristan's word that it wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it out to be. With a sigh of defeat, she stood up from her workstation.

"Let's go grab some lunch," she said. "You can begin your library duties afterword."

Tristan smiled and nuzzled his marefriend. The moment was quickly broken by a knock at the library door.

"Come in!" Twilight called.

The door was gently pushed open and Fluttershy entered the library. She kept most of her face hidden behind her mane as if she was in some sort of trouble.

"Hi, Twilight," she quietly said before coming to a stop just inside the library. "I-Is this a bad time? I'm sorry if it is..."

"Nonsense, Fluttershy!" Twilight cheerfully greeted. "Come on in. What brings you by?"

Fluttershy seemed to perk up some as she approached the two unicorns. "I was wondering if you had seen Rainbow Dash recently," she began. "I'm afraid I can't find her anywhere. She wanted me to meet her today to talk about something."

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I haven't seen her. In fact, I don't think I've seen her since the other day."

"You're kidding," Tristan said in disbelief. "That's not like her at all."

Fluttershy whimpered, her eyes beginning to give way to hardly noticeable tears. "I hope nothing had happened to her..."

"Nonsense!" Twilight quickly replied. "I'm sure she's just fine."

At that moment, another knock was heard at the door. Fluttershy jumped at the sudden interruption.

"Come in!" Twilight called again.

Applejack quickly rushed in and kicked the door shut behind her, a barely missed Spike following close behind. "Have y'all ran into Rainbow Dash? She was s'posed help me on the farm today an' Ah haven't seen her."

"That's what Fluttershy was just telling us," Tristan replied. "Nopony's seen her at all."

Fluttershy whimpered once more. "Twilight, I'm worried..."

"Alright, nopony panic," Twilight said, attempting to comfort her friends, "I'm positive she's okay. If it'll ease you, we'll go out and look for her."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Right. What's the game plan?"

"Ah say we split up," Applejack suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way. Ah'll head back over to Sweet Apple Acres to see if she's shown up yet."

"Tris and I will start at Sugarcube Corner," Spike added. "Maybe Pinkie Pie knows something."

"And I'll take Fluttershy with me to check out a few other spots around Ponyville," said Twilight. "We'll meet back here in one hour. Hopefully she turns up by then."

Fluttershy's eyes began watering again, but nodded in understanding. The makeshift search party then quickly exited the library and fanned out in hopes of finding the Element of Loyalty before someone else did.

Shorty after their departure, Tristan and Spike arrived at Sugarcube Corner. Spike climbed down from Tristan's back and the two entered the establishment as calmly as they could. Once inside, they noticed that the bakery had been empty of customers, a rare event on a day such as today. The two approached the counter and peered over the glass case of sweets and pastries in hopes of finding their pink-coated friend on the other side. Tristan was disheartened to see that the back of the store appeared just as empty as the front.

"Look's like she's not here," Tristan said.

"Who's not here?"

Tristan and Spike jumped and quickly turned to find Pinkie Pie herself standing directly behind them. Spike breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, we've found you," Tristan replied, happy to see her.

"Oh. Were we playing Hide and Go Seek?" Pinkie asked. She shook her tail in excitement. "You win! Now you go hide!"

"We don't have time for games right now Pinkie," Spike retorted. "We're looking for Rainbow Dash. Have you seen her around?"

"Is she playing, too?"

"I wish," Tristan sighed. "Applejack and Fluttershy came by the library looking for her. I'm sure she's-"

"Oh, she's probably still with the Wonderbolts!"

Spike scratched his head. "The Wonderbolts? Why would she be with them?"

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Sillies, they sent her an invitation to watch one of their practice sessions!"

Tristan, too, had become confused. "But, aren't the Wonderbolts in Cloudstown or something?"

"Cloudsdale," Spike corrected.

"Right. Couldsdale."

"Nope," Pinkie replied. "She said the other day that she had gotten a letter from them to meet in Whitetail Woods."

"Whitetail Woods? That's kinda fishy." Tristan asked.

The two stood in thought, then turned to each other in horror as they arrived to the same revelation.

"WHITETAIL WOODS!"

Pinkie Pie bounced. "Yup! Whitetail Woods! Kind of an odd place for the Wonderbolts to practice isn't it? It's not very spacious at all for them to zoom around in, and I heard that a crazy pony-"

"Thanks, Pinkie!" Tristan called as he dashed out of Sugarcube Corner with Spike clutched closely to his back.

"You're welcome!" Pinkie returned, waving a hoof. She turned towards the direction of the kitchen and shook her head in amusement.

"They must be playing a super exciting game of Hide and Go Seek."

"Whitetail Woods!" Spike said, still in disbelief. He bounced around violently as Tristan galloped at full speed towards the woods. "I knew there was something up with that Swift Gleam! I knew it!"

"God knows what he's up to with Rainbow Dash," Tristan replied. "How could Rainbow Dash be captured so easily? She's one of the toughest ponies I know!"

"I know! Then again, I don't think you understand how easily influenced RD is by the Wonderbolts," Spike informed.

"They're like her kryptonite, apparently."

"Her what?"

"Nevermind. Look, we're almost to the woods. Be on your best guard."

Tristan slowed to a trot as he made his way through the treeline and into the woods. His eyes darted back and forth, weary of any and all movement. Every falling leaf, every crawling insect never escaped Tristan's attention. Spike stood atop his back, hoping to gain a better view of their surroundings, and the two carefully proceeded deeper and deeper into the woods.

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Twilight and Fluttershy had just arrived at the Carousel Boutique in hopes of recruiting a certain fashionista to their search party. The bell made a delightful ching as they entered Rarity's home business.

"Just a moment!" her voice called, sing-song in fashion.

Rarity trotted down the stairs and met her friends in the main lobby of the building. She offered them a warm smile, but upon observing their expressions of worry, the unicorn felt that something was amiss.

"Twilight, Fluttershy!" she greeted, "How nice of you to stop by. Is everything alright?"

"Not exactly," Twilight began. "We're looking for Rainbow Dash. Nopony's seen her for a couple days now and some of us," she motioned towards Fluttershy, "are getting worried."

Rarity put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh, dear. I'm afraid I haven't seen her, either."

"Can you help us find her?" Fluttershy blurted. Upon realizing her outburst, she retreated behind her mane. "T-That is, if y-you want to. I won't be upset..."

"Oh, darling," Rarity said, giving her friend a comforting pat on the back. "I'm sure she's just fine. Rainbow is certainly one to handle herself."

"That's what I've been telling her," Twilight informed. "Nothing at all to worry about."

"But alas, I'm swamped with work, or I would join you," Rarity sighed.

Twilight was struck with revelation. "Swamp! Maybe we should check Froggy Bottom Bog?"

Rarity shivered from the thought. "Er, yes. Maybe she's there," she agreed, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "I think I heard something about Pinkie Pie heading that way later on. Maybe you two will bump into her?"

Twilight nodded and escorted the yellow pegasus out of the Carousel Boutique, their course changed towards the direction of Froggy Bottom Bog. Rarity watched as her friends left, then magicked the door shut behind them, quickly returning to her work.

Despite several minutes of searching, Tristan and Spike had nothing to show for it. The woods seemed as empty as ever. Tristan sat, defeated, near a small stream and allowed the baby dragon to dismount. Spike waddled around and fell beside the unicorn.

"What are we gonna do?" Spike asked, the worry in his voice growing.

"Keep looking, obviously," Tristan replied, panting. "We can't give up on her. Not now. But first, I need a drink."

Tristan scooted closer to the stream and began to drink from its crisp, clear waters. Spike watched for a moment before he himself began to cup the water in his claws and drink. The cool rush of the water could be felt as it traveled from his tongue into his stomach and it sent a small chill throughout his body. This refreshing sensation was interrupted, however, by another sensation that was quite the opposite.

"Tris, do you smell something?"

"Oh, no," Tristan retorted quickly, "You're not blaming it on me this time."

"Not that," Spike groaned, "That."

Spike pointed to a vague smoke trail that floated a good distance above them. Tristan jumped to his hooves and studied the smoke before following it to what he assumed was the source. His eyes widened and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end, signaling that this may be the break they needed.

"Spike! Hop on!" Tristan demanded.

The dragon made no hesitation to climb atop the unicorn's back. Once Tristan felt Spike's still-surprising weight on his shoulders, he began galloping north-east, the direction from which the smoke was coming.

Hang on, Rainbow Dash. We're coming.

Spazzy Says!

I'M BACK, BITCHES!!!

....

Okay, nobody get up to say hi all at once...

But seriously, thank you guys for being so supportive during the hiatus of this story. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate reading all your comments asking about the continuation of "Making Adjustments".

I know that you guys were all like

While I was all like

Also, I know this is a bit of a short chapter, but short chapter is better than no chapter to me, and hopefully you guys agree.

So thank you all again for being so Celestia-damn awesome.

As per usual, I have some excuses to follow this shitstorm:

Number 1: Writer's Block From Hell (aka, Don't Piss Off the Readers Syndrome)
I wanted to continue the story after the airing of Season 3, but the Twilicorn event threw me for a loop that I couldn't get out of for a long time. I want to continue this in my own way and let the events pan out in my own choosing. If I lose followers for that, I deeply apologize, but this is the direction I must go. A few things WILL NOT be canon. But then again, I'm pretty positive 98% of the stories on this website aren't following the canon, so WHATEVER!

Number 2: Getting Back Into Music
As some of you may know, my first love and primary passion has and always will be music. Writing it, practicing it, performing it, furthering my music career is my foremost priority, annoying my fiancee and writing falling shortly behind it. After a year and a half of not being on stage and not being accepted into ANY band in my area, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start my own project. With time, I hope to have enough members to play shows and write more music in a shorter time. I already have a couple songs in the making, so if you would like to follow my band on Facebook or Twitter, I would seriously appreciate that too.

Well, I best be off. I have a wedding to attend in a few hours and I'm not nearly dressed for the occasion. Don't forget to leave comments or shoot me a message telling me what you think of the chapter, and thank you guys again for your (seemingly) undying support. I normally don't say this until the second date, but I love you all and I'm glad to have you guys reading my chicken-scratch stories. Please, please, please....

Keep Being Awesome!

Michael "Spazzy Jamz" Price

The Rescue (Or, One Loose-Ended 'Ship Finally Tied Up)

The self-proclaimed rescue party was closing fast on the source of the smoke. The stench of burning logs filled his nostrils more and more with each passing moment. What's more, he didn't recognize any part of this forest at all. If he and Spike were to make it out of the thick woods, he would have no ability to back trace his steps. Any landmark that could have been preserved to memory had been overlooked. Rescuing Rainbow Dash was the only thing currently on his mind. Spike could have been doing this for him all along, but the violently bumpy ride that his steed had created for him kept his eyes shut and his arms wrapped tight around Tristan's neck.

Moments later, however, Spike's eyes did open, and what appeared to be a small encampment came into view. Tristan slowed to a light trot and scanned his surroundings. Random tools, utensils, provisions, and other items lay scattered about the forest floor around a large oak tree and the source of the smoke was nothing but a small campfire. As Tristan looked upward, he noticed a run-down shack that, from the condition of it, looked as if it were simply dropped into the tree's limbs.

"Get a load of this dump," Spike commented, hoping to bring some fiber of light to the situation.

"I know," Tristan agreed, his expression unchanged. "It looks like my house."

"Only if you squint a little."

Tristan shrugged off the thought and inspected every nook and cranny he could from where he was standing.

"So, do you think this is the place?" Spike asked. His eyes darted back and forth with worry.

"This has to be it," Tristan assumed. "Does anyone else live out here?"

"Can Angel Bunny fly?"

"Hell if I know. This place gets weirder by the week. But there doesn't seem to be a sign of..."

PSST

Spike flinched at the sound. He and Tristan exchanged cautious looks before looking back at the camp.

"PSST! Is anypony there?" the voice said.

"Rainbow Dash?" Tristan returned, almost excitedly. "Is that you?"

"Keep it down!" Rainbow Dash hissed. "Come around the tree! Quickly!"

Tristan and Spike took light steps as they maneuvered through the camp and around the massive tree's trunk where, sure enough, Rainbow Dash lay. Her wings were bound to her body by an old rope and each hoof was shackled and chained to a familiar-looking boulder.

"What the hell..." Tristan muttered.

"Who did this to you?" Spike demanded. "Was it Swift Gleam?"

"Yeah, it was him, alright," Rainbow Dash replied, "He kidnapped me and he's holding me hostage!"

"But, how did he even kidnap you?" Tristan asked in shock.

"I don't even remember. I just remember getting a letter in the mail about the Wonderbolts meeting in this forest and me showing up. After that, it all went kinda black and I woke up here."

"Where's Swift?"

"He just left to go get some 'supplies'. I don't know what that means, and I don't exactly plan on hanging around long enough to find out."

"Alright, we'll get you out," the unicorn assured. "Just hang tight a sec."

Tristan quickly glanced around, making sure there was no sign of Rainbow Dash's captor before returning his attention to his prisoner friend. "Okay, I won't lie, I'm not sure how well this is going to work," he began, "But close your eyes."

Rainbow Dash blinked in worry. "Wait, Tristan, what do you mean you-"

Tristan focused in on one of the shackles and released a quick shot of magic. The sudden blast was more audible than he had hoped for and it sent his rescue partner to his back. Regardless, his plan had worked, and the iron cuff shattered before them.

He took a second to admire his work before repeating the spell on the rest of Rainbow Dash's shackles one by one. The pegasus then bit at the rope that bound her wings, tearing it just enough to where she could snap them off herself. Rainbow Dash stood slowly and gave her aching wings a much needed stretch.

"Okay," she said, breathing a sigh of relief, "Let's get the buck out of here."

"Leaving so soon, my love?"

Tristan whipped around to find Swift Gleam, standing before them with a smirk across his face and a bag of apples dropped by his side. "That's not very nice to skip out on a date before the food arrives."

"Why did you kidnap Rainbow Dash?" Tristan shot, glaring.

"Yeah, you creep!" Rainbow Dash added. "What's your problem?!"

"Don't you see, darling?" Swift began, "You and I make such a great pair, you know. Strong-willed, athletic, attractive..."

Spike forced a cough of refutation, which Swift met with a malicious glare.

"What are you trying to say, excatly?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"I've always loved you, Miss Dash," Swift confessed, changing his glance. "Ever since I first saw you grace the sky with your presence, I've been infatuated with you. But who am I? A sad, lonely shadow in this forest, and you, the possibly the fastest flier in all of Equestria, the famed Element of Loyalty, and the mare that haunted my dreams in the best way anypony could."

Tristan placed a hoof to his face, hiding an expression of disgust.

"Anyway," Swift Gleam continued, "I didn't know how exactly to go about expressing my feelings for you, so I just decided to employ the element of surprise!"

"BY PONY-NAPPING ME?!"

"What can I say? I'm shy."

"Sorry, dude," Rainbow Dash spat, "But you're not necessarily my type."

"You'll be mine, Rainbow Dash. One way or another."

"That's it, Swift," Tristan said, hoofing at the ground. "Back down and let us go."

Swift Gleam's smirk grew wider. "And if I don't?"

"I'd rather not go that route."

"You mean to say you would fight me? I don't want to fight you, Star Skipper, but I'm not letting the lady leave."

"I beg to differ."

Tristan broke into a full sprint, his horn glowing with magic. He stared wild-eyed ahead to see Swift's smirk turn into an evil grin as he stood ready for Tristan's attack. As Tristan neared him, he used his wing to pull a metal object out of his satchel.

"Tristan, look out!" Spike called.

In a flash, Swift threw a hand-crafted knife quicker than the eye could follow. Tristan jumped to the right, the blade barely making contact with his silver coat and sharply planting itself into the giant oak. The sudden change of direction caused the unicorn to lose his balance, sending him tumbling into a rack of rusted pots and pans.

"Hah!" Swift scoffed, "You need to be quicker than that to take me on!"

Tristan gritted his teeth and climbed out from under the mess of cookware to face his opponent. He flung himself at Swift Gleam once again, only to find that he had leaped into the air, using his wings to gain just enough hang time. Swift kicked his rear legs at Tristan, catching him in the back of the head and sending him into the dirt.

"You must really care for her," Swift called, beginning his descent. "I'd hate to see what would happen if you loved her the same way I do, but you don't, and that fact alone will always have me coming out on top."

Tristan shakily tried to stand again, but he quickly became dizzy from the blow and fell down again.

"Seriously, this is almost pathetic," Swift mocked, slowly approaching the fallen unicorn. "You have magic on your side and you still can't defeat me!"

Swift gave a brutal kick to Trista's side, forcing a grunt of pain. He then turned back to Rainbow Dash and smiled.

"Now, my love," he said, "Unless that poor excuse of a dragon is going to put up a fight, I believe we have a dinner to attend to."

Rainbow Dash crouched down, preparing to take on her captor herself, when a shrill cry came from nearby.

"DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HOOF ON HER!"

The sudden shrieking startled Tristan. He weakly turned his head just in time to catch a streak of yellow and pink fly just above him and into Swift Gleam. There was a short-lived tumbling sound before all the commotion finally died down.

Spike's eyes widened. "Is that..."

Fluttershy stood atop Swift Gleam, keeping him pinned to the ground with such strength that Swift had never before experienced.

Swift struggled to bring the air back into his lungs. "What the..."

"How dare you pony-nap Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy boomed. Her eyes widened in anger and the force on Swift's limbs increased.

"Ow, lady, you're-"

"You have no right to take Rainbow Dash like that, do you understand me?! She doesn't deserve a good-for-nothing coward like you!" She pressed down harder.

"OW OW OW!"

"I got the tip from Pinkie Pie and got here as fast as I could. I've been watching you this whole time, boasting about how much you love Rainbow Dash. You don't know anything about love! After everything we've been through with her, after all the adventures and battles that tested us, your love is nothing compared to the love and respect that I have for her!" She brought her face close to his and lowered her voice to a threatening tone. "Now, I'll ask one time. Let. Her. Go."

"AAARGH!" Swift cried, "Okay, okay! Take her! She's all yours! Just get off of me!"

Fluttershy held her stare for a little while longer before easing the hold she had him in and stepping away. Swift quickly jumped to his feet and took flight, speeding away from the pink-maned menace.

The yellow pegasus watched him until he was out of sight, then closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, then sighed it out. She opened her eyes to Rainbow Dash and Spike, whose jaws were inches from the forest floor. She glanced back to the still-laying Tristan that shared the expression as the others. Fluttershy lowered her head and hid behind her mane.

"Um," Fluttershy whispered, her face turning a vibrant scarlet, "W-Was that too much?"

Rainbow Dash stepped towards the Element of Kindness. She could practically feel her heart in her throat. "Is...Is that true, Fluttershy?" she asked nervously. "Do you...love me...like that?"

Fluttershy hesitated. She felt herself getting nauseous and tears began to form in her teal eyes.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash," she began, almost sobbing, "I'm so sorry you had to find out like this. The truth is, I've loved you for quite a while now. You're always on my mind and I can't stand to be away from you. You mean so much to me..." Her voice broke and tears began running down her cheeks. "But I didn't know if you felt the same way about me. I was so scared to tell you. I was scared that I was going to lose the one pony I-"

Fluttershy's words were cut short by the kiss of the cyan pegasus. Her ability to speak had emotionally, and physically, disintegrated. Her eyes were struck wide open in shock, but gently fell shut as she returned the kiss. Time seemed to stop for the two of them, and the rest of the world momentarily faded away.

Rainbow Dash finally broke away from this kiss. Fluttershy opened her eyes to see her forming tears of her own.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked shakily. "I've been wanting to tell you that same exact same thing for so long. You're everything that anypony could ever want. You're kind...caring...you always seem to be the one fixing me whenever I was hurting, for both my body and my heart. I can't picture my life without you in it."

Fluttershy's crying intensified. "Oh, Dashie..."

The two pegasi laid their heads around each other, both silently sobbing tears of joy. Tristan finally found the strength and equilibrium to stand and slowly approached the two. A dumbfounded Spike also joined them, taking his place beside Tristan. Rainbow Dash placed a light kiss on Fluttershy's cheek.

"Let's go home."

Twilight Sparkle landed back on the ground after clearing a small creek and continued her full-speed gallop towards Whitetail Woods. She could feel the exhaustion building. Ever since Fluttershy hurriedly flew away from Froggy Bottom Bog, she had been doing her best to follow her. Normally, this would be an easy task, but she lost sight of the pegasus pony only seconds after takeoff.

As she fast approached the forest, however, she saw three ponies calmly walking in her direction, one of which carried a dragon-life form on their back. Twilight expelled a breath of relief and slowed her pace until she met the group.

"Oh, thank Celestia!" she breathlessly exclaimed. "I'm glad you're all okay! What happened? Where was Rainbow Dash?"

"It's okay, babe," Tristan replied calmly. "Everything's fine."

Twilight looked over Tristan's shoulder to see Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash nestled close together. She raised an eyebrow, then glanced at her coltfriend suspiciously. Tristan smiled and kissed the top of Twilight's head.

"Um, R-Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. "I-If it's okay with you, that is...would you maybe possibly, um, come over to my cottage? You know, for a proper dinner?"

Rainbow Dash smiled warmly as the ironic butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "I couldn't possibly think of anything else I'd rather do."

"Not even fly with the Wonderbolts?" Fluttershy joked.

"Who are the Wonderbolts, again?" Rainbow Dash replied before nuzzling the yellow pony.

Twilight Sparkle, who was walking ahead with Tristan and Spike, overheard the conversation and smiled.

"It's about time they found each other," she said.

Tristan was struck with bewilderment. "You mean you knew?"

"Of course," Twilight confirmed. "I could tell from the way they would sometimes act around each other. I'm honestly surprised that they couldn't see it themselves."

Tristan watched as the pegasi flew close together high above them. "Maybe they weren't sure what they were feeling at first, so they couldn't identify it when the other would act that way because they were too busy trying to shrug off the feeling themselves." He smirked at Twilight. "Sound familiar?"

Twilight sighed contently and began walking closer to Tristan. "I'm glad I was able to figure it out before it was too late."

"Me too, Twi."

"Ugh," Spike groaned. He slid down Tristan's unoccupied side and branched off from the couple. "I'm going to Applejack's. She asked me to help her with a few things."

"Okay," Twilight said, still fixed on Tristan. "Just be back before nightfall."

Spike waddled down his own separate path, occasionally glancing back to the two unicorns who refused to be separated. What was so great about this love junk, anyway? And if it was so great and common, why hasn't it happened to him yet? He pushed the thought from his mind and continued on.

Later that evening, after dinner, Tristan was helping clean the dishes when a flashy piece of paper caught his attention.

"The Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball?" he read. "What's that all about?"

"It's arguably the biggest event in Ponyville," Twilight replied. She hovered a stack of plates into a cupboard and magicked it shut. "Everypony is going to be there. Even the younger ponies go. There's dancing and food and, for some, a very romantic night."

Tristan narrowed his eyes. "You know that for a fact, huh?"

Twilight took note of the stallion's jealousy and walked over to comfort him. "Don't be silly. I normally help organize. I've never been anyone's date or anything."

"Hmm."

Twilight inspected the flyer a little closer. "Oh! It seems like it's being held in a few weeks. I'm going to need to start a list of supplies."

Just then, as if the sentenced summoned him, Spike pulled himself around the door of the library and trudged inside.

"Hey, little guy," Tristan said, glancing back. "How was Applejack's?"

"It was good," Spike simply answered.

"That's cool. Are you hungry? There's some leftover spaghetti here."

"I'm good, thanks. Applejack insisted on feeding me before I left as a 'thank you' for helping her."

"Well, that was nice of her," Twilight stated, placing herself in the conversation. "I'll be sure to thank her the next time I see her."

"Yup," Spike agreed. A yawn escaped him. "I'm exhausted. I think I'll be going to bed now."

"Yeah, you're going to need your sleep," Twilight advised. "The Ponyville Ball is in a few weeks, and we're going to start our event planning in the morning."

Spike said nothing as he trudged out of the kitchen and down the hallway into Tristan's room. Tristan magicked away the last of the dishes and let out a yawn of his own. "Sleep sounds like a great idea," he said. He gave Twilight a quick peck on the cheek and started out of the kitchen. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Actually," Twilight said, stopping him, "I was hoping you could come help me with something before you went to bed. Something's wrong with the light fixture in my room. Also, the sink in my bathroom isn't working, do you think you could take a look at it?"

Tristan half-jokingly hung his head and sighed. A stallion's work is never done.

Spazzy Says!

Haha. Wow. I'm mildly impressed with how fast I got this chapter wrote. Then again, I was super excited to write this and I've been writing during my lunch breaks, so those two factors together created this ungodly amount of productivity. But I'm not complaining, and I'm positive that you guys aren't either.

Honestly, I believe this is the last that we'll be seeing of ~~that pony-napping asshole~~ Swift Gleam. I think he played a pretty big part in this story's development, and I'd like to thank Decrylian for allowing me to use his OC for that purpose. (So D, if you're reading this, you rule! :D)

And before anyone blows up on the FlutterDash 'shipping and how generic it is, please note that I genuinely believe that, although they may not be my favorite 'ship, I definitely support it to its fullest. Flutters is kinda like the Yin to Dash's Yang, the cheese to her macaroni, the Mother to her Norman Bates.

Alright, maybe that last one wasn't too great. Hmm.

Well, I'm going to head off to bed now. As always, definitely leave your thoughts on the chapter in that cool little space down below. Also, I'm estimating a good 2-3 chapters more before I end this story. But do not be sad, my friends! I have plans for the future that you may be happy to know about!

Alright but seriously, I'm falling asleep at the keyboard. Bedtime for Spazzy!

Keep Being *yawn* Awesome!

Michael "Spazzy Jamz" Price

The Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball

"What about this one?"

"Yeah, that one's fine. Now let's get outta here before-"

"Just fine? I don't want fine, i want-"

"Dude, you're being too paranoid. That's normally my job. Trust me, it's perfect."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Will you just buy it already?

"Yeah, okay. You're right."

"..."

"...Or maybe-"

"Oh, come on!"

"Okay, okay. I'll take this one, please."

Weeks had passed, and the Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball was here. The town was bustling as its citizens were making the final preparations for the big night. Sugarcube Corner and Sweet Apple Acres had joined forces in the name of concessions, with Applejack overseeing production and Pinkie Pie overseeing the tastiness of each batch. Rarity had locked herself away in the Carousel Boutique to finish up the last of her dress orders before turning her full attention to the ensemble that she would be sporting.

Over in Town Hall, the rest of the gang is busy doing their part as well. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash zoomed about the ceiling and balconies as they decorated the area with streamers and balloons of purple and silver, the event's colors. Back on the ground, Twilight Sparkle, along with her trustworthy clipboard, was making her rounds to ensure that everything was running as smoothly as possible.

"Can we get those tables moved to this side of the hall, please? How's stage set-up coming along? We only have a few more hours until sunset, ponies! Let's get a move on!" Twilight wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. She glanced around and saw that the boys, Tristan and Spike, had been missing. "Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy!" she called. The respective pegasi halted their duty and swooped down to her.

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Have you seen Spike or Tristan around? They said they went off to check on everypony else, but that was hours ago," Twilight worriedly replied.

Fluttershy gave a reassuring smile. "I'm sure they're fine," she said. "They're probably on their way here right now."

"We're back!"

Twilight turned to find that the voice belonged to Tristan, who had returned from his task with and exhausted baby dragon atop his back. Her mood was visibly improved by their arrival and she waved them over.

"Hey!" she greeted, "We were just wondering about you two. I was starting to get worried."

Spike hopped off Tristan's back and scoffed at the purple unicorn. "Worry? About us?"

"Yes, I worried. Especially since it's you two"

Tristan held a hoof to his chest. "Ouch, Twi," he replied, miming his pain, "That hurts a little."

"I'm sorry," Twilight sighed, "There's just been a lot of weird stuff going on lately and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you two, or any of my friends for that matter."

Tristan approached her and wrapped her up in a hug. "It's okay," he comforted, "Nothing else is gonna happen. Smooth sailing from here on out."

Spike knelt down and knocked on the floor.

After a long day's work and weeks of planning, the Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball had officially begun. All the townsfolk had arrived dressed to impress and, much to Twilight's relief, everything was going off without a hitch. The music, supplied by the local orchestra, floated about the air as the ponies danced and mingled with one another. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had taken their dancing above the crowd, and most of the other pegasi had done, to make room for everyone else below. Rarity was conversing with a couple of out-of-town ponies who were much more interested in her dress than the actual conversation. The whole town seemed to be having a grand time, except for one, who had been far too busy working to enjoy hardly any of it.

"Come on, babe," Tristan insisted, now wearing his Rarity-made tux, "You deserve to be having just as much fun as anypony else tonight."

Twilight kept her eyes glued to the clipboard. "I'm fine, Tristan," she retorted, "I'm getting plenty of enjoyment making sure everything goes perfect."

"If that's not the biggest load of B.S. I've ever heard...."

"What's B.S.?"

"Nevermind." Tristan magicked the clipboard from her magic's grasp. "Everything will be fine. You go home and get ready. Rarity made that beautiful gown for you and I'm sure she'd hate to see it go to waste."

"But-"

"Trust me, okay?" Tristan leaned in and gave a soft kiss to Twilight's cheek, followed by a soft smile.

"Oh, I can't say no to you," she replied, nuzzling him. "Okay. I won't be gone very long."

"Take your time."

Tristan waved as Twilight galloped for the front door. After she had left the building, he skimmed over the list she had made. Spike sauntered over and took a peek at it for himself.

"Do you think you can handle it?" Spike asked, who was wearing a similar tux.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie had also joined them, and the farm mare gave an encouraging, however rough, slap on the back.

"You'll do just fine," Applejack chimed. "An' if ya want, we'll help ya out!"

"Yes-sir-ee-doodle-bob!" Pinkie agreed.

"It's just for a few minutes, guys," Tristan assured, "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Man, don't you read comic books? You never say that, because sure enough-"

"HELLO, MY DARLING PONY FRIENDS!"

The music stumbled to a stop. The ponies conversations fell silent, and all attendants turned to a balcony where a shadow stood. It's devilish grin pierced through the small void and the character stepped into the light. He flipped his long, maroon and navy-blue mane and the light caught a glint from the buckle on his black vest.

"Swift Gleam?!" Tristan realized.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy swooped down and landed aside Tristan, and Spike hid behind him. The Element of Kindness took to a facial expression that seemed to be the exact opposite of such, causing the silver unicorn to inch away out of fear for himself.

"And I would like to give a special salutations to Ms. Dash and company," Swift Gleam continued, "Thank you so much for being here."

Rainbow Dash snarled, "I thought we told you to take a hike!"

"Ah, my love," Gleam replied, making sure to give a glance to Fluttershy, who was inches from losing her cool. "I did take I hike, and I met a new friend! Someone who has the same interests as I, and by interests I mean punishing your friends for the shame they've caused us!"

"Us?" Tristan questioned. "What do you mean, 'us'?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Gleam grinned. He clapped his hooves and all the doors and windows sealed shut. The plates and tables began swirling through the air, coated in a light-blue cloud of magic. The ponies trapped inside screamed in horror, and the tables were released from their spell, sending them flying across the hall.

"I've seen that magic before," Tristan recalled, "But that was-"

"Hello, Tristan, darling! It's been so long!"

Tristan watched in his own personal horror as a light-blue, silver-maned unicorn descended from the balcony directly across from Swift Gleam, laughing manically as she drifted downwards, directly placing herself in front of Tristan.

"Trixie?!" he exclaimed, feeling his grasp on the situation slip away. "B-But, how? Twilight... Princess Celestia..."

Pinkie Pie stepped forward and raised a hoof. "I think I know just what happened."

Rarity shot a glare at the pink earth pony. "Sweetie, I don't think-"

"After being harshly defeated by Twilight, no doubt locked up back on Tristan's world, and figuring that Princess Celestia was coming for you, you somehow managed to break out, change your human appearance, flee the city, evade the princess and her guards, and bring yourself back to Equestria, where you woke up in Whitetail Woods, was again captured, except by Swift Gleam, then you told him about how Twilight ruined your life and he told you about how Fluttershy ruined his life and then you both were like, 'But wait! Twilight had a guy with her and Fluttershy had a stallion with her, too!, and you both deduced that it was none other than Twilight's coltfriend and our bestest friend, Tristan! Although, his name is Star Skipper here so he can fit in easier, because, let's face it, Tristan is a super weird name for a pony, but that's beside the point. You saw that the Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball was tonight and you teamed up and now you're here to rain down pain and humiliation to the ones who have done the same to you! Did I get it right? Do I win? What's my-"

Pinkie's ranting was cut off by a blast of magic that sent her flying across the hall. She landed with a crash into a group of other ponies. Applejack and Rarity immediately bolted towards her.

"I swear, Pinkie Pie, you can be so annoying," Trixie calmly said.

"You won't get away with this!" Tristan shouted. "When Twilight gets back, she'll-"

"Do nothing," Trixie interrupted, "There's no way for her to get in, and the outside of Town Hall is riddled with traps, thanks to my cohort. It's just you and me now!"

Trixie threw a blast of magic which struck Tristan and sent him flying. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash zoomed through the air and caught him just before hitting another balcony. They gently lowered him back to the floor.

"You okay, Tris?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"I'm fine," Tristan achingly replied, "You two go take care of Gleam. I'll face Trixie."

Fluttershy gasped at the thought. "You can't! I'm sorry to say this, but she's a lot more powerful than you! You'll be-"

"I have to at least try," Tristan retorted, "You guys can't keep fighting for me. I'll hold her off until Twilight can figure out a way in. Now go!"

Rainbow Dash nodded to Fluttershy and they both took off through the air once again, this time making a beeline for Swift Gleam. His smug expression of entertainment was quickly replaced by one of panic as he witnessed the two pegasi zooming towards him. He made a hasty retreat for the shadows once more, and the mares followed close behind.

"We're ending this now, Trixie!" Tristan boomed.

"You're absolutely right!" said Trixie. Using her magic, she picked up a large collection of tables and hurled them at Tristan. He buckled down, concentrated, and shot a blast of silver magic that deflected the oncoming furniture. His eyes widened at the stunt he had just pulled, just as surprised as his opponent that he could have done such a thing.

"Someone's been practicing!" Trixie exclaimed. The thought of defeating Tristan had become, in her mind, like squashing a helpless bug. However, she was beginning to see the situation as trying to swat an annoying pest. "Let's see how you deal with this!"

Trixie fired another direct blast to Tristan, who simply dodged it and began closing the space between them. Trixie saw his oncoming charge and let loose a feverish volley of magic. Tristan froze and, once again, hunkered down. He desperately focused and surprised himself yet again when he made a small magic barrier just big enough to shield him from the attacks. There were large explosions and soon the area around Tristan was enveloped in smoke and dust. As the others coughed and hacked at the pollution, Trixie kept vigilant, looking for any sign of victory or otherwise.

She was quickly answered with a beam of silver magic that pierced through the smoke and was quickly heading in her direction. She instinctively shot a similar beam back and the two met, their magic pushing against each other in a contest of sheer will and power.

"Give it up, Shay!" Trixie demanded, "You'll never defeat me!"

"I'm not backing down from you anymore!" Tristan protested. "I'd rather be sent to the moon!"

"Wish granted!"

Trixie sent every ounce of energy she had into her magic, which was beginning to overtake Tristan's easily. Tristan saw the powerful force heading his direction and did his absolute best to slow the inevitable, but it wasn't enough. His doom was inches from his face. He closed his eyes and heard himself whisper aloud.

Someone...help...

It was at his bleakest moment when he heard something that resembled a poofing noise. He figured it was his body becoming dust or his actual arrival to the moon. Expecting to see the emptiness of space, Tristan slowly opened one of his eyes to find that he had not died, nor was he transported to the moon's rocky surface. Much to his surprise, he saw that he was actually still in the Town Hall. Even more surprising, he found that Trixie's magic was being pushed back towards her, and at an astonishing pace.

"No!" Trixie exclaimed. "No! Stop! Please!"

Trixie was blasted away, nearly unconscious from the force of the explosion. She was caught mid-air by a cloud of gold magic. Tristan fell to his knees from exhaustion and slowly looked back to find the golden magic's source.

"Princess Celestia!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Woohoo! She's here! She saved Tristan! Yay! Three cheers for the princess!"

The Princess gave a soft chuckle. "No need for that, my little pony. I'm just glad I could make it in time."

"But how?" Tristan asked, "How did you know what was happening?"

"Well, I did have a little tip from an anonymous citizen," she replied, giving an inconspicuous wink in Spike's direction, "And besides, the Ponyville Ball is one of my absolute favorite annual events! I'm afraid I missed it last year, so I had intended to come all along."

"Well, it's a darn good thing ya showed up when ya did, Princess," Applejack added, "Or else Tristan here woulda been halfway to the moon right now."

"Speaking of which," Celestia turned and approached the captured Trixie until their muzzles were inches apart, "You've been causing far too much trouble for far too long, Trixie Lulamoon. I have a special place for you and your friend and you're going to be there for a very long time."

A handful of royal guards burst through the front entrance of Town Hall with a bruised-up Swift Gleam already in custody. One of the guards approached the prisoner-to-be with a sort of steel cone with a lock. He magicked the cone on top of Trixie's horn and the lock was applied.

"Just to make sure you behave yourself," Celestia smirked, "You'll be sporting this Horn Lock, which renders your magic useless. Maybe during your time away, you can think of how to make your magic useful for others. Take her away, please."

The golden cloud of magic dissipated and the guards escorted Trixie and Swift Gleam out of the building.

"Mark my words, Tristan Shay," Trixie muttered to herself, "I will take my revenge. Whatever it takes, I'll- Ow!"

"Quiet!" one of the guards barked.

Celestia watched the guards and the prisoners leave Town Hall with an expression of stone. Once the doors closed, Tristan remembered another pony who would soon make her way back to Town Hall.

"Twilight!" Tristan panicked, "She's going to be here any minute and see that the place is a wreck and she'll be like, 'You had one job', and the night will be ruined and-"

"Star Skipper, please!" Celestia interrupted. She exhaled and resumed speaking in a much more clam tone. "I've sent Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to occupy Ms. Sparkle until we've dealt with the troublemakers and cleaned up. Shall we get to work?"

Tristan nodded and, with the combined forces of Tristan, Celestia, Spike, and the remaining Elements of Harmony, Town Hall was picked up, cleaned, and set back in order as if no life-threatening battle had taken place. The orchestra had even began playing again, and the ponies all slowly started to dance and mingle once more. Celestia leaned down next to Tristan.

"Do you still have it?" the princess asked.

"Yup!" Tristan excitedly replied, his attention fixated on the front door of the building. "Right here in my tux pocket! Just gotta wait for the right time and-" Tristan stopped his train of thought and widened his eyes, expressing his shock to the princess. "How did you-"

"Oh, just some gossip floating around," Celestia replied, adding a wink.

It was about that time when Twilight Sparkle had entered Town Hall once again. Her flowing, midnight-blue down trailing ever so softly behind her. She approached Tristan and gave him a loving nuzzle.

"You look phenomenal," Tristan complimented, "But I've been getting used to that."

"Aww, thank you!" Twilight replied, a blush setting in across her face. "And you've managed to keep everything in order! I'm so proud of you!"

"I'm proud of you, too. I have the most amazing, caring, and definitely the smartest marefriend anypony could have ever asked for."

"Tristan, you're so-"

"Hold on, I'm not done yet."

Twilight looked puzzled. "Okaayy?"

Princess Celestia gave the signal and the orchestra stopped playing. All attention was focused towards Tristan and Twilight.

"A year ago, I was stuck in the bottom of the barrel. I had no direction, no motivation, and ultimately, I had no-one. But then, I was given the gift of friendship by the arrival Spike and the others. But most importantly, I was given the gift of love by means of you. And even though we've only known each other a short time, I feel like I'm ready to take on everything this world can throw at me, just as long as you are right here by my side. So I'll just ask this one question..."

Tristan magicked from his inside tux pocket a silver ring with a modest, yet impressively radiant diamond affixed to it. He knelt down before Twilight, his body shaking all over from nerves. Twilight gasped and tears instantly began to well in her eyes.

"Twilight Sparkle, love of my life, will you marry me?"

The room fell completely silent, the crowd surrounding the couple seemed to be on edge until an answer was given. A pin dropped, and Pinkie Pie knew, because she could hear it. Twilight stood before Tristan, almost paralyzed from the flood of emotion that swelled inside her. Moments passed in silence, until the dramatic tension became too much for one unicorn to bare.

"For Celestia's sake, darling!" Rarity burst. "Answer the poor boy!"

Twilight covered her mouth with a single hoof and began nodding, her eyes now fountains of the happiest tears. "Yes, Tristan. Yes, yes, a million times yes!"

The two embraced as the crowd around them cheered. Rarity, sharing in the emotional value of the sudden proposal, began crying hysterically, and was in the process of being comforted by Spike and Applejack. Rainbow Dash sensed her own tears coming, but made an ill attempt to hide them. The orchestra took this as their cue and began playing again, this time a soft ballad.

Tristan pulled back from the embrace and offered a hoof out to Twilight. She smiled and placed a hoof of her own in his, and the two proceeded to dance. The rest of the crowd followed suit. Fluttershy danced with Rainbow Dash, Rarity with one of the out-of-towners from before, and Applejack with Spike, which brought a couple glances of curiosity. The Fourth Annual Ponyville Ball, despite a massive hiccup, was a spectacular success for everyone involved.

Author's Note

Spazzy Says!

Please see next chapter!
:pinkiehappy:

Epilogue

The ceremony for the wedding of Tristan "Star Skipper" Shay and Twilight Sparkle was held a couple months after the Ponyville Ball in Canterlot's Royal Hall. It seemed the entire town of Ponyville had made the trip for the occasion. Princess Celestia herself officiated the event. Tristan stood at the front of the hall, with his groomsman, Big Macintosh and his best man, Spike, by his side.

"You freaking you yet?" Spike asked jokingly.

"Nah," Tristan replied coolly, "If anything, I'm more calm and happy now than I've ever been."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Spike. I'm sure."

"You know, this is it for you." Spike egged on. "Once you do this, the old part of you dies. You'll be caught in a vicious cycle of going to work and coming home, with very few things in between. You can't have raging parties anymore, you can't..." Spike's words trailed off as he noticed Tristan's slightly annoyed stare. Tristan eventually gave in to a giggle and pat the baby dragon on the head.

"I'm fully aware of that," he said, "And I wouldn't change it for the world."

Just then, a fanfare sounded, and Twilight Sparkle walked through the entrance of the grand hall, a white wedding dress adorned with precious stones and small silver and gold accents. Tristan beamed an almost ridiculous smile. The bridesmaids, the remaining Elements of Harmony, watched on as their best friend approached.

Twilight came to a stop, standing directly across from where Tristan stood. Celestia leaned down towards them.

"I understand you two have prepared your own vows?" she asked.

Twilight and Tristan both nodded in agreement. Twilight looked back towards the corner of the room and levitated towards her a massive scroll. Applejack rolled her eyes in amusement from both the lengthiness of her vows and Tristan's panicked reaction to it. Twilight looked at the scroll for a moment before ultimately levitating it back to it's place. She cleared her throat.

"Star Skipper," she began with a wink, "I had prepared an almost exact telling of how we had met and everything we've been through up until now, but the truth is, I'm far more excited about what lies ahead. Although, I had always wondered if I would ever be standing where I am today, and I was always wondering about who I would be so lucky to be spending the rest of my life with. You came into my life as sudden and unexpected like nothing I've ever encountered before, and yet, you turn out to be the one with which my heart lies. This is the beginning of a new chapter of our lives, and I am honored, grateful, and filled with joy that I get to take that first step with you."

Tristan smiled and began searching through his tux pocket for a small piece of paper on which his vows were also written. Another small case of panic went through him as he realized he had forgotten his vows in one of the castle's rooms where he readied himself. He let out a small chuckle before speaking.

"Well, I didn't need them anyway, because everything I want to say to you is everything I want to tell you over and over again. Since your arrival into my life, I had yet to experience a day where you have left my mind. You've shown me things I could not have ever seen for myself and you've made me feel things I never knew existed. You make me the happiest ma-, er, stallion in the world. I cannot repay you for everything you have given to me. You're everything I could have ever hoped for in a friend, and even more than I could have ever dreamed about as my one and only. I promise to do everything in my power to care for you, protect you, and love you with every fiber of my being. I love you, Twilight Sparkle."

Princess Celestia smiled in adoration for the young couple's commitment to each other. "Well, that basically covers all the other formalities, but just to be official, do you, Twilight Sparkle, take this stallion to be your husband?"

"I do," Twilight replied.

"And you, Star Skipper, take this mare as your bride?"

"Absolutely," Tristan replied. "I mean, yes, I do."

"Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife! You may-"

Tristan swept Twilight off her hooves and planted a deep, passionate kiss on her, which she kindly, and almost eagerly, returned. The attendants cheered as the music played and the two walked down the aisle, Twilight's head leaned against Tristan's. The couple left the ceremony and everyone headed to the reception.

"Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Star Skipper!"

The crowd cheered again as the newlywed couple made their way into the reception area, which was the main Dining Hall of Celestia's castle. Pinkie Pie, who was in charge of the reception, managed to book DJ PON-3 for entertainment and the room instantly became a dance party. Traditions were continued as Twilight threw the bouquet, which was aggressively caught by Rainbow Dash and promptly given to Fluttershy. Tristan introduced a tradition of his own with the tossing of the garter, which Spike reluctantly got his hands on and his purple scales turned to a vibrant red.

Once seated at the table for the wedding party, Berry Punch passed around small glasses of champagne and a toast was made to Tristan and Twilight, but upon the actual ingesting of the drinks, Tristan found out that Twilight Sparkle was refusing hers.

"What's wrong, babe?" Tristan asked. "Champagne not your thing?"

"No, it's not that," Twilight replied, "I just don't think it would be too safe is all."

"Please, this stuff is weak. You'll be fine."

"I'm not talking about me, honey."

"Then what do you... Oh..." Tristan waved at Berry Punch. "Can I get a few more of these? I'm going to be a father!"

"To twins!"

"Double that, please!"

There were cheers of congratulations from the bridesmaids and a fit of excitement from Spike, who was ecstatic to become an uncle. Everyone certainly had plenty to celebrate as their lives together would only get more interesting from-

"Are you about done, Mr. Narrator?" Pinkie Pie asked.

E-Excuse me?

"You think I couldn't hear you? I've been listening the whole time!"

That's impossible.

"It's absolutely possible!"

"Pinkie," Applejack interrupted, "Who in the hay are ya talkin' to?"

"The Narrator, silly!"

"The who, now?"

"The Narrator! He's been talking this whole time!"

Applejack listened intently. "Nope. Nothin'."

"Ugh. Well, I hear him, and it's time to end this story before we tire out this Fourth Wall bit."

That's a great idea. I wish I could say that this is the end of Tristan's tale, but the truth is, it's not. He's a newly married stallion and he'll have his hands full with twins very soon. His true story is about to begin, and, with the love of his wife and his best friends in the universe, he's only destined for a happy ending.

The End

Author's Note

Spazzy Says!

Well, here it is. The ending you guys have been waiting two years for. I truly hope it was worth the wait.

Also, I would just like to thank you guys once again for putting up with my temporary "death" and for welcoming me back into the community. I promise to not leave you guys hanging like that again without a proper two-weeks notice :derpytongue2:

As far as further writings, keep tuned to my blog where I will spill the beans on my next project within the next few days.

I'm glad I was able to finish this story, seeing as how a lot of you were really hoping for an ending. I don't write for myself. I came back for you guys, I wrote for you guys, and I will continue to do so until you get sick of me! :pinkiehappy:

Well, thank you for reading another one of my tales, and, as always, keep being awesome!

-Spazzy Jamz

Waking Up in Equestria (or, Dude, Where's My Hands?)

The morning sun shone through the castle windows as Tristan Shay regained full consciousness. He blinked a few times, then smiled up at Twilight Sparkle. Tears of joy welled in the eyes of the purple unicorn that stood above him, who did everything she could to not let Tristan's first sight of Equestria be that of her crying. She let out a sigh of relief and contentment. Tristan took some deep breaths before finally speaking.

"W-Where... where am I?" he asked. His voice was weak and raspy. Twilight's heart sank a little from his condition, but her pleasant expression continued.

"You're in Equestria." she answered softly. "Princess Celestia brought you here."

Tristan shook his head quickly, as if he were trying to rattle his brain back into operation. Twilight backed away from the bed Tristan had been laying on to allow him some breathing room. He forced himself up into a sitting position, yawning as he groggily took in the rest of his surroundings.

The stone floors, stained glass windows, and lavishly decorated walls gave Tristan the impression that he was in some sort of church or castle. The bed he had been on laying felt of fine silk and the scent of incense floated in the air around him. He shook his head again and returned his focus to the far side of the room, near the door, where more familiar faces stood, smiling just as brightly as Twilight.

Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and the others hurriedly rushed over to Tristan's bedside, spewing words of welcome between tears of joy as Tristan continued to grasp this new reality. Still standing at the door was two white-coated pegasi in golden armor, simply watching the emotional event take place with unchanging, and to Tristan, nonexistent, emotion.

Spike jumped up on the bed, wrapping Tristan in a tight embrace. Tristan choked at the surprising strength of Spike's grip, but welcomed it just the same and returned the embrace. Upon hugging the baby dragon, Tristan's eyes shot wide open as he felt something was definitely amiss. His mind was screaming something to him, but he just couldn't decode what that was. It came to him as Spike released Tristan and crawled back off of the bed.

Why can't I feel my fingers? Tristan thought. More sensations occurred to him as panic began to course through his body. Or my toes for that matter. Wait, why am I naked? And what the hell am I sitting on that's so damn uncomfortable?

Tristan motioned to pull the silky blanket off of him when he saw it. He gasped a little too loudly as he looked down, motionless from shock.

A.... hoof?!

Tristan quickly backed up until he collided with the headboard. He checked again and saw that it was not only his hands that had been replaced, but his feet, too. He inspected the rest of his figure. His sun-kissed skin had been replaced by a light gray coat and a charcoal mane adorned the top of his head. Looking down further, he noticed his lengthy tail, its color matching that of his mane. Tristan reached upwards and felt he had some sort of protrusion on his forehead. It was sensitive to the touch, but firm, like a bone.

A horn, too?! Seriously?!

Tristan had found himself hyperventilating at this point. He held a hoof over his chest, fearing his heart would stop at any given moment. It felt way too real to him to be a dream, yet too crazy to be reality. The thoughts that raced through his mind and the growing number of unanswered questions had soon became too much for him to physically keep up with.

"Is there a trash can or bucket nearby?" he asked, breathless. Twilight nodded quickly and levitated a dented, metal pail in his direction, placing it just between his legs. Pinkie Pie bounced up next to Twilight, who had begun to shield her eyes with one of her front legs. Seeing this had piqued the curiosity of the Element of Laughter.

"A bucket?" the pink pony asked. "What do you need... oh... o-okay..."

Pinkie Pie backed away slowly, trying not to watch as Tristan had started vomiting into the little metal bucket. Inaudible groans were made among the others as they themselves blocked their view while Tristan finished. The newly formed unicorn hung his head, gasping while Twilight floated the bucket of waste away from him. She next retrieved a small piece of cloth to wipe what remained form the corners of Tristan's mouth.

Tristan had remained slouched when the subtle sounds of metal on stone graced his pony ears. He slowly turned his head, facing the direction of Princess Celestia. The regal, white alicorn approached him, accompanied by another alicorn with a coat like the night sky and a mane that resembled a miniature nebula, stars and all. Her eyes appeared cold and her gaze piercing, giving Tristan instant goosebumps. He corrected his posture at once and bowed before the two. Celestia counterbalanced her companion's stare with a smile that felt as warm as the sun itself.

"Ah, good, you're awake." she began. "It's great to see you again, Tristan. How are you feeling?"

Tristan looked up at Celestia, adjusting his hind legs to where he could comfortably lay down. "A little shaky, to be honest." he replied. "I'm not exactly used to trans-dimensional travel just yet."

Celestia chuckled at Tristan's remark and motioned to the other alicorn that stood by her side. "This is my sister, Luna." she introduced. "She assists me in watching over Equestria, primarily during the night."

The dark-blue alicorn stepped forward to Tristan, her eyes never leaving his. Tristan once again found himself intimidated as the night princess observed him. She stopped a few feet away from the edge of the bed alongside the others.

"We have heard many things about you, Star Skipper." she said. Her voice, much to Tristan's discomfort, was as icy as her stare, yet there was a slight undertone of sweetness in her words. "Thou hast protected the Elements during their engagement in your dimension. We wish to express our utmost thanks."

Tristan smiled weakly. "It was no problem at all." he assured. "Really. I... wait." He thought for a moment before speaking again. "Star Skipper?"

Luna's face bore an expression of confusion. "Why, yes. That is thy name, is it not?" she asked. Tristan's face mirrored that of Luna's for a second before Celestia stepped in.

"Star Skipper is what I referred to you by when I informed Luna of your arrival here." she clarified. "I chose that name for you because you are the only human to have ever visited Equestria. Therefore, that is the name that everypony will know you by."

Tristan removed his attention from Celestia and stared back down at his hooves. He inspected them and scanned the rest of his leg, then his chest. He followed his curiosity back towards his flank, where a sharp change of colors had jumped out at him. It was a design of some sort.

Is that my... cutie mark?

He moved his head closer and squinted. It was indeed a Cutie Mark. He wanted to squeal with delight, but he forcefully kept his composure and studied the marking closer. The arrangement consisted of a blue shooting star positioned above and between two clusters of smaller yellow stars, almost as if it were simply changing galaxies. Nebula hopping.

Star skipping.

It finally all clicked together for Tristan at that moment. He knew that Twilight Sparkle had something, if not everything, to do with his existence in Equestria. Even if that weren't the case, he felt like he was destined to be here anyway. The day they had visited his world, the second he opened his door to them, the ties of fate had bound them all together. His life didn't change today, when he woke up as a unicorn hundreds of dimensions away from home. It changed when he met them. He simply didn't know it then.

Tristan exhaled softly and smiled as he returned his attention to the group that stood before him. The princesses, Celestia and Luna, patiently awaited Tristan's next words. Pinkie Pie stood between Applejack and Rarity, beaming from ear to ear as she was already making mental preparations for Tristan's welcoming party. Fluttershy gently hovered above them with Rainbow Dash, and Spike sat atop Twilight's back. He even made a glance back at the Royal Guards, whose facial expressions still haven't changed.

This was his life now. His chances of reconnecting with what little family he had back home had been obliterated. He would never again be able to have dinner at Ginetta's, where he would unload his worries on it's motherly owner in return for words of encouragement and the occasional free sundae. He was saddened by these thoughts, but remembered something his mother once said to him in her final hours at the hospital.

"No matter what you do in life, no matter who you choose to be or where you decide to go, I'll always be right there with you. I'm proud of the young man that you've grown to be. You'll do great things, I just know it."

She passed away almost immediately afterwards. The image of seeing her on that hospital bed would still haunt him sometimes, but it was those words that seemed to make her death less painful to remember. Despite the sudden change of scenery, he wasn't about to let her down now. Tristan sighed contently.

"If I'm correct," Princess Celestia began, "It was your birthday back on your world, wasn't it?" She gave Pinkie Pie an inconspicuous wink. The pink pony gasped in excitement.

"No way!" she squealed. "It's your birthday?! This calls for a double-party! Double the streamers, double the snacks, double the fun! I have so much planning to do! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Tristan smile grew as he started for the edge of the bed. Unfortunately, the softness of the bed coupled with his lack of experience of walking on all fours sent him tumbling forward, then off of the bed, landing him on the stone floor next to Twilight's hooves. He groaned in frustration.

"This... will take some getting used to." he said, making another awkward attempt to stand. Twilight Sparkle giggled to herself as the rest of the group began making their way to the door. She remained behind to help Tristan along.

"Okay, let's try this again." she said, smiling. "Just put one hoof in front of the other."

Author's Notes

Yay!

I'm so excited to finally have the ball rolling on this new story. Yes, it was another awkwardly short first chapter, but I'm saving some of the more important stuff (Exploring Ponyville, meeting other ponies, etc.) for the next chapter. It'll make more sense later, I promise.

Thank you guys so much for supporting the furthering of the "Tristan Shay/Star Skipper" saga. If it wasn't for the awesome feedback that I received from "My Little House Guests", then "Making Adjustments" honestly would never have happened, so thanks again!

In the next chapter, Star Skipper finally gets the whole walking thing down, and he meets some of Ponyville's other residents and, in general, gets a feel for the place. Also, Pinkie Pie's party (what could possibly go wro-)

You're right. Better keep my mouth shut. But you guys don't have to! Do yo thang wit those comments and such! See you all later for Chapter Two!

Keep being awesome!

Spazzy Jamz