“So you’re just like us. Abnormal.” Silky leaned forward and sucked determinedly at her overly-iced blueberry milkshake.

“I don’t see what’s so abnormal about you guys.” Blue Screen stared at the dandelion sandwich sitting on his plate. He sniffed it warily before wrinkling his nose in disgust and pushing the plate away.

“Do you think every pegasus can turn into any kind of key on command?” Brightshadow whispered flatly. She eyed a mare trotting by, who considerately picked up her pace.

“How about an earth pony using magic?” mumbled Silky.

“Yeah, but she’s not...”

“Shh!” Silky warned, “The fruit has ears!” The coral pegasus was referring to the cantearlope sitting on her plate. It was a joke, but Blue Screen got the point. These ponies were full of paranoia.

“Sodapop and Horizon are pretty normal,” he offered.

“Burping bubbles large enough to float on is pretty weird,” began Silky, “But his horn glows every time he does it, so I guess it’s part of his magical ability.”

Brightshadow stared at her cup of creme brulee soda as if contemplating the idea of burping out giant bubbles. She seemed to decide against it as she scooted the cup away slightly with a hint of her magic.

“Horizon,” she said, “Horizon is a foreigner, which makes him weird enough.”

Silky looked up and smiled. “Speak of the Cerberus.”

Horizon was treading up to the table with Lockin’ Key and Sodapop close behind, snickering loudly. The turquoise pegasus was large among Ponyville standards. He was at least three inches taller than any Ponyville stallion, and only about two inches shorter than the great goddess Celestia herself. There weren't many Ponyville stallions who sported exceptionally long manes or jewelry, but he proudly wore a long blonde ponytail, and kept it gathered with a silver band. A similar band at the base of his tail kept it slightly hiked in the air. A Saddle Arabian native, Horizon did not have the luxury of a cutiemark but instead flaunted a silver saddle with a long and regal purple saddle pad, with holes in the sides to allow his wings to come through. The pad had a symbol on it which he described as his family crest.

When first arriving in Ponyville, the whispers about his “flamboyant” saddle and long mane began almost immediately. He tried to explain that it was simply the garb of his home country, and was actually quite plain, but no one paid much attention. Something about a thick accent they couldn't understand. It wasn't until he met Sodapop, then Lockin’ Key, and the rest of the collective did he find ponies that actually seemed interested in his heritage. The whispers eventually ended and he was treated quite civilly now, but there were times he still didn't feel respected. Something about him being an expatriated spy for the Griffins. He didn't pay attention to politics much.

“You look puzzled Horizon,” Brightshadow droned.

“What’s wrong Horizon?” Silky asked.

Blue Screen looked up with with ears perked. Whatever was wrong with Horizon was probably much more interesting than the dandelion sandwich he was prodding.

“Ponies keep running past me asking me if I’m sweet on Zecora. I think I understand the phrase ‘sweet on’. I’ve learned it has nothing to do with taste...”

“It might have something to do with taste,” Sodapop snickered and Lockin’ Key gurgled with laughter.

“...But I don’t even know who Zecora is!”

“She’s a zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest,” Blue Screen said. Brightshadow and Silky looked at him as if they were surprised he knew this information. He was not one to care much about what anypony would consider common knowledge “That’s all I know,” he grunted before returning to prodding his sandwich, which was considerately flat and squishy by now.

“Zebra? There are zebras in Equestria?” Horizon sounded shocked and fairly pleased.

“Not normally,” Silky said, “She traveled here.”

The Saddle Arabian’s face went downcast. “Oh... So just because she’s a foreigner like me, we somehow belong together.”

“Now they don’t mean it like that Ho-”

“How do they mean it then?” he snapped.

Brightshadow saw this as an opportune time to change the subject. “What are you two snickering for?” she asked, looking back at Sodapop and Lockin’ Key.

They looked at each other a moment and snickered some more before finding the voice to answer.

“I asked Horizon if he tapped that plot,” Lockin’ Key answered, barely able to contain himself.

Sodapop burst into laughter.

Brightshadow’s eyes widened astronomically. “You asked him WHAT!?”

Silky could see this was going to turn into an argument and she quickly stood. “Well, I have a lesson with Vinyl Scratch today. So if you excuse me...” and she quickly trotted away. Looking back she could see Horizon and Sodapop try to scoot out of the vicinity. Poor Blue Screen was left there sitting between the quarrel, prodding his dandelion sandwich.

“Why would you ask him that!”

“It’s not like I’m interested!”

“You sure sound interested!”

“I didn’t mean it like that, honest!”

As famous as Vinyl Scratch is, it surprised Silky that she still resided in Ponyville. Surely she had the fame and fortune enough to move somewhere like Canterlot or Manehatten or even Applewood, Los Pegasus. She felt greatly honored that the unicorn had agreed to train her in the deejaying arts, but maybe all she really had to do was ask.

Silky walked passed the mailbox that read Octavia and Vinyl Scratch (Octavia played a violin or something right?) and walked up the doorstep. She raised a hoof and rapped the door. There was no answer. She waited and did it again. This time there came a shout, from Octavia it sounded like (she plays oboe! No it it definitely has strings...), then there was the sound of hooves clambering through a large mess. This sounded odd to Silky because their house was never a mess. Octavia made sure of that, she had OCD (and plays the... cello!). But even Vinyl wasn't as messy as this sounded. The door opened a crack and Vinyl poked her head out. She looked left and right before even looking at who was in front of her and blinked blankly at Silky as if she didn't know who she was.

“What’s up Vinyl?”

“Hi-hi! Yo... What’s up? Um... what are you doing here?”

Silky made a face. Was Vinyl suffering from amnesia? “I come here every Wednesday,” she said slowly, “For my lesson?”

Vinyl shifted her eyes again before responding. “Yeah. Lesson. Yeah. Yeah! About that... I meant to call...”

“Call?” Silky was thoroughly confused.

“...But I forgot your number see.”

“My number?”

Vinyl was looking past her. Silky also turned around but didn't see anything of interest, just a few ponies walking by and smiling at them. The coral pegasus turned back around and waved a hoof in front of the white unicorn’s face. She flinched.

“Number! Oh wait... right... never mind. Look Ms. Ribbon...”

Ms. Ribbon? Where was that coming from? She and Vinyl were on a first name basis.

“I can’t do it today. Maybe next week. I’ll let you know.”

“Uh, ok.” Silky just stood on the stoop in shock as the door was practically slammed in her face. She barely registered what Vinyl had said. What she couldn't understand is how Vinyl could cancel like that, without saying anything. If the ponies in Ponyville were known for anything, it was being reliable. If they couldn't keep an appointment, they always let somepony know.

Always!

The coral pegasus turned around slowly and stepped off the stoop. She wondered how she would spend her Wednesday for the next hour. It would be weird just to show up somewhere, but she figured it would be ok to go to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie just exudes weird... Silky lifted her drooping head enough to see Blue Screen headed down the road. She called his name, loudly she thought, but he apparently didn't hear her, because he kept on walking without even turning around.

Yes, he must not have heard me, because ponies in Ponyville are always polite. Always...

Blue Screen had heard Silky Ribbon clearly, he just didn't feel like being bothered. Sure, she was his friend, but the annoyingness of her nature was second only to Pinkie Pie. Besides, he was expected somewhere, and Ponyville ponies always stuck to schedule right?

Every Wednesday, between the hours of two and three, he'd head over to Lyra's place to listen to her babblings about humans. She was highly misinformed, but he still listened just to see how much was known. He wondered how she got information, and the little human nick-nacks she stashed. Something about a doctor. He wasn't fond of them.

Today he had something for her. His laptop, which was blackened with smoke damage. He would've never let her handle it while it was in working order, but now he would let her tinker with it. She might even get it to work again like she did some other things. For an artifact this big she'd be ecstatic. She'd ask him where he got it.

Crap.

Blue Screen realized, too late, that he had forgotten to come up with a good excuse on how he'd acquired a human artifact. But he had already knocked on the door and it was clicking open and…

"Oh, hi Bon Bon."

"Blue Screen! Have you seen Lyra?"

His eyes widened. "She's not here?"

"No! And she didn't come home last night! I thought she might have gone to your place."

Why would she do that?

"I haven't seen her Bon Bon."

"I'm going to Twilight's to ask her to organize a search party."

Blue Screen looked Bon Bon up and down. She was a mess. Her mane was a tangled ball of blue and pink, not the neat rolls he was used to. Her cream coat was dull. Her eyes were large and red and it looked like she didn't sleep last night. As he watched her he saw her neck twitch. A nervous tick?

“How about I go to Twilight’s place,” he offered, “You should get some rest.”

“Oh thank you Blue Screen! You truly are a gentlecolt! I just need a quick nap and I’ll be sure to join the party.”

“Take your time,” said Blue as he turned to leave.

“This is Lyra we’re talking about. I shall take no time!”

Blue Screen was near the road.

“Oh! Blue Screen, dear!”

He stopped.

“Twilight’s house is the big library that looks like a tree.”

Blue Screen mumbled his thanks and kept walking.

Author's Note

I'm sorry it took such a long time to post this. I wished to do a once-a-week posting, but being that it is the end of senior year, I've been really busy. Anyway, I should have plenty of time to write now that summer has started!