Chapter 1 - Just a Stupid Show Made For Foals and Young Colts...
Celestia's sun creaked over the sill of the window that overlooked my bed. The warmth enveloped me, and stirred me from my sleep. My eyes creaked open, and with a certain sluggishness they surveyed the room; immediately they noted that the clouds outside were refracting the sunlight in orange and pink hues, painting the library's loft with a welcoming and joyful stream of colors. I took that to be Celestia's way of saying 'good morning' and with a stretch, I hopped out of bed and began my day.
The smell of hay browns wafted up to my balcony. Spike, it seemed, was up and at it earlier than usual. I wasn't about to complain; hay browns sounded really good that moment. I wandered downstairs towards the kitchen to mix up a coffee and get my day going. On my way down I noticed a stack of old videos, almost all titled 'My Little Human and Friends' or 'My Little Human Tales'. An odd wave of nostalgia hit me as I thought back to when I bought those videos for Spike. When he was quite young, I helped him collect every episode. He loved those shows, and I remembered watching them with him. Needless to say, he enjoyed them much more than I did; after all, they were geared toward younger viewers. Male viewers. In other words, not me.
I continued down the stairs towards the kitchen, and helped Spike prepare breakfast.
The hay browns were perfect. I had no idea where Spike learned to cook so well. He certainly hadn't learned it from me; I couldn't cook to save my life. Even the coffee I had prepared flaunted a bitter taste which could not be masked by any amount of milk or sugar.
"Thanks for breakfast, Spike," I said cheerily, "it was delicious!"
"Hey, I am your number one assistant, right?"
"That you are!" I giggled slightly. There was peaceful silence for a moment as we each finished our plates. I downed the remainder of my coffee first so that the last of the hay browns could mask the bitterness. All in all, the day was off to a good start.
Just as Spike was about to clear the table, his face contorted into a cringe and with a mighty heave, he released a cloud of green smoke that formed itself into a nice little parcel.
"Ah! It's here!"
Once a month, Celestia would send me a set amount of money to help me pay for necessities. But being she was of royalty, she had access to more money than any one pony could ever need, so she often overpaid me. Quite a while back, Spike and I had agreed to splitting the excess cash sixty-forty between the two of us, and since then, each payday we would go out and do something fun. Traditionally we'd stop at the local bookshop first (the books were mostly for me to look at, but Spike enjoyed searching through the videos). We'd each pick up something that caught our eye, and afterward we'd go out for a nice meal.
It looked like today was going to be another one of those awesome days.
After clearing remnants of breakfast and finishing our chores for the day, we set off for the bookshop.
"So Spike," I commented nonchalantly, "anything in particular you're looking for?"
"Well, there's this brand new My Little Human series that just came out, I was hoping to pick up a copy."
I stifled a laugh, "You still watch that? After all these years?"
"No, this new series isn't like the others. I hear it's really good. It's by this one director named FyreFlye, she's really famous...she was an animator on Colts Next Door, and did a bunch of writing for The Awesomesauce Fillies."
"Well...it's your money. If you want that, go for it!"
The bookstore was fairly quiet, which was fine by me. The moment we got in the door, Spike made a mad dash for the video section, and out of curiosity I followed. What Spike had said earlier had piqued my interest.
The videos were listed alphabetically. I glanced through them with mild interest. In the D's I spotted Doctor Whooves series three...it crossed my mind to buy it and get it autographed. Dandy Tennant was a resident of Ponyville, it wouldn't be too difficult. I picked it up and followed after Spike. When we got to the M's, I was rather surprised at who we found there.
Rainbow Dash, holding a My Little Human video, looking terrified.
"Oh, er...hey, Twilight!" she said, "I was just, uh...um...I know Spike is a fan, I thought I might get a copy for him!"
Spike apparently didn't pick up on Dash's white lie.
"Hey, you didn't have to do that. I was going to pick it up anyway," he said, grabbing another copy off the shelf.
"Oh, er...okay then!"
Hesitantly, she replaced her copy of the video on the shelf, and followed us as we made our way to the register. Spike ran ahead several paces, and when he was well out of earshot, I turned back to Dash and sighed.
"You wanted that for yourself, didn't you?"
She was hesitant for a moment, but then with an intense expression (and still showing a hint of fear), whispered harshly to me, "you tell nopony about this, got that?"
"I never saw you here," I said with a smirk, and wandered off.
Afterwards, we went to Everfree Cafe for dinner. It was a nice little place, and it was good to see that they were still in business.
"So this series is different, huh?" I asked Spike after we had picked out a table by the window.
"Yeah, that's what everypony's saying. There's been a lot of hype about how interesting and mind-blowingly awesome it is. I can't wait to watch it."
"And this 'Fyreflye'...you said she's pretty famous?"
"Yeah! She was the co-creator of Le Flour's Home for Imaginary Friends, which won several awards, I'm pretty sure..."
I could no longer deny that I kind of wanted to see what it was about. I made a mental note to take a look at it later.
That evening, when dinner was over, Spike put in his new video and started watching. I remained in the room - my expectations were still set low, as I was a bit skeptical, but I was still willing to give it a chance.
The prologue didn't impress me much. Except for the mildly intriguing concept, it was basically exactly what I was expecting. I sighed and forced myself to keep watching. I wanted to at least be able to say I tried a full episode.
The opening theme song kicked and I was hit by a rather unwelcome wave of nostalgia from Spike's early videos. It didn't seem much different from what I remembered and it wasn't impressing me very much.
And then it changed.
The childish tone of the song crossed into a more upbeat and enjoyable take on the theme. It became more watchable. As the episode went along I found myself laughing at more of the jokes. It wasn't the best thing I had ever seen, but I was enjoying it more than I expected to.
When the first episode ended, I realized I kind of wanted to watch another episode.
"Maybe in a bit," said Spike, "I think I'll make some popcorn..."
I sat there on the balcony staring at our Saddlesung television's blank screen. Corn kernels could be heard popping on the floor below. I was itching to see where the previous episode's cliffhanger would lead in the next episode. The series had me genuinely captivated, and the anticipation only amplified this feeling.
Spike came back into the room a few minutes later, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. As he set the second episode up to play, I grabbed a hoof-full of popcorn and munched on it intently as the show re-captured my attention. The animated figures painted themselves across my vision and took away my sense of self as I became a metaphysical part of the television screen. I could no longer distinguish between my mind's eye and the episode.
With the end of episode two, I stood up, stretched, and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I couldn't believe that I enjoyed what I had just seen. In fact, I was still in doubt about whether this was even the same series I had watched with Spike when he was younger.
"Want to keep watching?"
"YES," I failed to keep my response from sounding eager.
Five episodes later, I was wide awake and ready to keep going, but Spike was ready to get some sleep.
"You can keep watching if you want, but I'm going to bed..."
At that moment, I heard a knock at the door. I hopped down the staircase and answered it promptly.
"Oh, hey Pinkie Pie, what's up?"
"Twilight...can I tell you something?"
"Of course, you can tell me anything!"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"I'd never laugh! I respect you."
With a deep breath, Pinkie Pie let it out.
"I watch My Little Human!"
I stifled a chuckle.
"Hey!"
"No no no, I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you. It was just funny to me because I just got done watching the first seven episodes."
Pinkie Pie's hurt expression lifted into a grin.
"Same here! Oh my gosh, the Prime Minister is just the most epic character, isn't he?"
"I know! He's such a weirdo but when it matters he can get serious! I kind of like Trenton, though. He's got an awesome backstory."
"Yeah, totally! Hey, so...um...anyway, my TV stopped working, do mind if I watch it over here with you guys?"
"Well, Spike's asleep right now and I'd rather not wake him up...but I know somepony else we can watch it with."
"Who?"
"Well...I told her I wouldn't tell anyone, but since you're a fan too it really makes no difference."
"Yes it does! Don't tell me, it'll ruin their trust in you!"
"No, it's cool," came the voice of a familiar blue pegasus. Rainbow Dash had arrived for what appeared to be the same reason as Pinkie Pie.
"I knew, Twilight," Dash said in a much more confident tone than the one she'd shown at the store, "I knew that when Spike started watching those episodes, you'd catch a glimpse too. And I knew, I knew that you'd get hooked. It was inevitable."
"Right?" Pinkie Pie chimed in.
"Hey...if you want to keep watching, you can come to my place. It's all cool."
We all set off toward's Dash's house in the clouds. It struck me for a moment how cool my friends were. Not only that they would confide their secrets in me, but that their guilty pleasures were so legitimately awesome...
I was glad to have friends like them.
"Lieutenant Cyn," the Captain noted that one of his subordinates was moving rather sluggishly, "What's the matter? Are you ill?"
The lieutenant shook her head no, "Sorry, Captain, it's just...I worry for First Sergeant Trenton sometimes. He is (and I mean no disrespect to him) not nearly as strong as he pretends he is."
The Captain sighed, "I know. But you can't stop him from acting of his own accord. He'll resent you for it. Though if I may ask...what is First Sergeant Trenton to you? What is your connection?"
"As workplace is concerned, sir, the only connection is camaraderie."
"Ooh! Ooh! I get it! She's got a crush on Trenten! Oh my Celestia, OH MY CELESTIA!" Pinkie Pie began shouting at the screen. Before I could react, Rainbow Dash's back hoof was in Pinkie Pie's side. I paused the video just as a small fight began to break out. That is, if you could call it a fight. Rainbow Dash was the only one fighting, but Pinkie Pie was winning. I stifled a giggle, and when everypony was settled back in their seats, I pressed play.
The Captain smiled gently and looked Lieutenant Cyn in the eyes, "I understand."
"You do?"
"Completely. I will press the matter no further. "
The Lieutenant motioned to hug the Captain, but restrained herself and instead shook his hand.
"Thank you, captain."
The episode faded to black, and credits rolled. There was a sudden burst of confusion among us as we tried to locate the case for the video and play the next episode. When Pinkie Pie found it in the freezer, she returned to Rainbow Dash's living room wearing something as close to a frown as she was capable of.
"That was the last episode, girls," she said solemnly, "we watched the entire season."
Rainbow Dash fell of the couch with an uncool thud.
"...what?" she asked in a monotone. I sensed it was rhetorical.
"How can we have watched all the episodes?" I chimed in, "We've only been here for..." I stopped short when I looked out the window and noticed that the sun had just begun to rise.
We had been there the entire night.
"Well...it doesn't matter. I can go out and buy a copy of season two!" I said, "I've still got some cash set aside, I think I can cover it..."
"Twilight, there are no more seasons," Rainbow Dash spoke sternly, "There's only one season released on video so far. I heard the second season has been airing on regular broadcast, but the rerun times are extremely inconvenient."
"Oooh! I know where we can get the new episodes!" Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up at the thought of getting 'moar humans', "all the episodes are up on PonyTube!"
A quick glance was exchanged between the three of us, followed by a lull, then finally a mad flurry of hooves and wings as we ran off to Dash's computer room.
The "Ubunthoof" loading screen seemed to last forever. When finally it disappeared, Rainbow Dash clicked frantically at the FireFoal icon. We waited eagerly as the PonyTube main page loaded.
There, in the "featured videos" section, was season 2, episode 1.
Click.
"Oh wow, they changed the opening!"
"The music sounds remixed!"
"This is so exciting!"
"Hey...um...I don't recognize that name. Is that...um...a new writer?"
The three of us all looked away from the screen with a start. That last voice wasn't Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash, and it certainly wasn't me. There was a fourth voice here, and it was unmistakeable.
"Fluttershy?" we all said simultaneously. The lilac-maned pegasus edged away from the screen with a nervous smile. We knew there were questions to be asked, but it was fairly obvious that watching the episode was more important.
"Trenton!" said the Prime Minister, "So good to see you! Are you well?"
The Prime Minister jumped back when Trenton dropped a heavy duffel bag on the desk that separated the two of them.
"What's all this?"
"This is my debt, plus interest."
"No no no, that's supposed to go to the rebel army! They need it more than I do, and I'd just end up giving it to them anyway!"
"No you won't. You will use this off-the-books. There's a project you've been secretly funding, and I want in."
"How do you know about that?"
"Ask your assistants. They'll tell you how persuasive I can be."
The Prime Minister clearly didn't know what to think of this change of events.
"Am I in? Or do I take my information back to the rebel army and spread word that you've been going behind their backs!"
"I am guilty of no crimes by our agreement. You have no leverage over me."
"If what you say is true, then why keep it a secret?" Trenton was getting angry, but seemed pleased with his results. He knew this conversation would not end in a stalemate no matter how much the Prime Minister wished it.
"Look, Trenton...such information is sensitive. I was hesitant even to trust my hand-picked associates with the information, and as you have just demonstrated, even that was too big a leap for me to take."
"So let me ask again...am I in or not?"
It was mid-day by the time we had caught up on every episode. There had been ten thus far in the new season, and the latest two had been possibly the best in the series. We all left the den feeling dazed.
"So, Fluttershy...you watch this show, too?"
"Oh, why...yes. I enjoy it very much."
"And your favorite character is...let me guess...Alice?" Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.
"Alice? Er...no. She reminds me too much of...well, me. No, I think Trenton is probably my favorite character."
I grinned slyly at Dash, "You can't argue with Trenton. You just can't."
"Well, how was I supposed to know that Fluttershy likes bad-flank characters?"
Suddenly and without my consent, a thought wormed it's way into my brain. I couldn't stop it, or shoo it away, or even indicate to it that I wasn't listening. For once in my life, my brain was far too hospitable to an idea. And this particular idea was the last notion I wanted to entertain at that moment. Nonetheless, I acted.
"Hey...let's head back to the library," I said, "There's something I wanted to take a look at..."
When we reached the library, I hurried up the stairs back to where I had paused on the landing nearly twenty-four hours prior. There, on the shelf, was what I had returned here in search of.
My Little Human: Rescue at Deadlock Fortress. The original My Little Human episode. I'd forgotten about it for quite a while, but now that I thought about it, I remembered it being somewhat thought-provoking and subtly intriguing.
"Anypony feeling adventurous?" I called down to Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy from the second-story loft. All three of them smiled back and hurried up to the loft. When we had all gotten settled in, I powered up the television set and put in the dusty video. I prepared for the worst, but hoped for the best...
