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Anon and his Twi Mom By RiggyRag

By Anonimoose
Created: 2021-05-19 09:40:46
Expiry: Never
scootalootwilight/aie//mom/ponemomsscootalooxanon

  1. Created: 2014.11.07 00:50:33 UTC
  2. Last modified: 2014.11.07 00:50:33 UTC
  3. Archived from https://pastebin.com/Cb4DayAh on 2020.12.21 16:53:14 UTC
  4.  
  5. >You are Anon
  6. >Being the only human in Equestria isn't as bad as you'd think.
  7. >Having a princess as your mom? Waaay worse.
  8. >Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she didn't treat you like a kid all the time.
  9. >You're 16 for Celestia's sake. Since when do you need supervision?
  10. >At least she's letting you choose.
  11. >As if that's any comfort.
  12. >"Oh Anon, I'm not babying you! See? I let you get to CHOOSE your prison!"
  13. >What a bunch of garbage.
  14. >You sit up on your bed.
  15. >Your room is decorated with knick knacks and posters
  16. >You grab a pair of wonderbolt goggles you recieved from your mother's friend Rainbow Dash.
  17. >You've always enjoyed their shows. These goggles mean a lot to you.
  18. >You cringe a little bit, thinking of your grade school days.
  19. >As if being human wasn't enough, you always wore these goggles to school each day.
  20. >Didn't exactly help your image.
  21. >Your bag sits open near the door, ready to go whenever you want.
  22. >You toss the goggles in, you never know.
  23. >Alright, now comes the matter of choosing where to stay this week.
  24. >Oh yeah, it's a WEEK. This is not gonna be fun.
  25. >Mom left you a note with all the names and addresses of her friends.
  26. >You recognize most of the names from family and friend gatherings, and even from a couple history lessons.
  27. >Pinkie Pie
  28. >Rainbow Dash
  29. >Rarity
  30. >Applejack
  31. >Fluttershy
  32. >Hmm, you haven't visited many of these ponies before
  33. >Well, except Rarity
  34. >She is your sister-in-law technically.
  35. >Big bro Spike has some exquisite taste in mares.
  36. >Hey, maybe if you go to her boutique, you can see Bro!
  37. >This might be a harder decision than you thought.
  38. >You hop out of bed and get dressed to leave
  39. >Nothing fancy, just some custom made shorts made by Rarity, a T-shirt, and your black and white sneakers.
  40. >It may be late September, but the days are still hot as hell.
  41. >You pack your lucky lettercolt jacket. It can get chilly at night.
  42. >You leave your house with your bag hanging off your shoulder.
  43. >Well, not really a house. More like a buckin' castle.
  44. >You start walking through the middle of town
  45. >Everypony knows you, you're the 'son' of a princess who happens to also be a human.
  46. >You don't exactly blend in.
  47. >The sun bakes your brow, and you're starting to get impatient.
  48. >You really should figure out where to go.
  49. >You keep walking through town, looking at all the businesses, getting sidetracked left and right.
  50. >Where are you even going?
  51. [spoiler]Let me give something a try: dubs chooses where Anon goes from the list. Trips can tell him to go to anypony. Even background pones.[/spoiler]
  52. >You sit down in the shade, and place your bag on the ground.
  53. >Alright, time to nail down a decision. You can't dick around the subject any longer.
  54. >Pinkie Pie owns a sweets shop doesn't she? That'd be pretty cool.
  55. >And Applejack has a farm... which is kinda interesting.
  56. >Fluttershy works with animals. Animals are cool. Except that buckin' rabbit.
  57. >Rarity has Big Bro, which is always fun
  58. >Don't know if you can handle that much Rarity though.
  59. >A glint from your bag shines on your eye.
  60. >You reach inside and pull out your flying goggles.
  61. >Then there's Rainbow Dash.
  62. >It would be pretty cool to hang out with a wonderbolt, wouldn't it?
  63. >Hmm
  64. >You put the goggles around your neck.
  65. >Alright, Rainbow Dash it is.
  66. >You start walking...
  67. >Somewhere.
  68. >Wait, doesn't Dash live in Cloudsdale?
  69. >Huh
  70. >Didn't really think this one through.
  71. >Also, you are a human. You'd just fall through the clouds.
  72. >Not exactly the best course of action.
  73. >Maybe Mom has a book that can help.
  74. >You're not magic by any means, but there certainly must be some kind of zebra or earthpony magic you could perform.
  75. >Stranger things have happened.
  76. >You walk back to the front door of the castle
  77. >Suddenly, a guard shoves a spear in your face
  78. >"Sorry Sir, you are forbidden from entering."
  79. "What? This is where I live!"
  80. >"Princess Twilight specifically stated that you are not allowed back in the house after you have left."
  81. >She really didn't want you staying in the house alone.
  82. >Mom's crazy.
  83. "Oh come on. What if I forgot something important?"
  84. >"Your mother has taken the liberty of placing spare supplies at the residents you are to be staying at."
  85. >The guard grins slightly
  86. >"You can't forget anything important."
  87. >Yep, Mom's definitely crazy.
  88. >You're pretty frustrated by now.
  89. >Why would mom even put Rainbow Dash on the list? It doesn't make any sense.
  90. >You start walking away from the castle.
  91. >Something very hard smack you on the top of the head.
  92. >You fall to the ground in pain.
  93. "WHAT THE BUCK?!"
  94. >You hear giggling from above.
  95. >"Hahaha, sorry Non. Meant to toss that in front of ya."
  96. >You know that voice anywhere.
  97. "Rainbow Dash, you gotta work on your aim!"
  98. >She snorts to herself
  99. >"You gotta look up every once and awhile."
  100. >You stand again, but your head is throbbing now.
  101. >"So word is the squirt is staying at my house this week."
  102. "What? How'd you know I chose you?"
  103. >"Oh come on. I'm Rainbow Dash. As if there was even any competition."
  104. >She's cocky, but she isn't wrong. You did just kinda choose her out of the blue.
  105. "Yeah. Sure. Not that it matters anyway. I can't fly or walk on clouds."
  106. >"You don't have to worry about that junk. I've got you covered."
  107. "Oh yeah? How so?"
  108. >"Did you even look at what hit you in that empty noggin of yours?"
  109. >You look on the ground for what may have given you a minor concussion.
  110. >A medium sized glass vial lays on the ground next to your foot.
  111. >You pick it up
  112. >It reads 'Cloud Walking Elixer"
  113. "This is oddly convenient"
  114. >"Your mother gave it to me just in case you chose me."
  115. "Okay, but that doesn't fix the whole flying problem. Wonderbolt or not, you can't carry me all the way to Cloudsdale."
  116. >"Just take the balloon in the back up."
  117. >That's a good plan.
  118. >You know, minus the part where you have no idea how to fly a hot air balloon.
  119. >Other than that though, solid plan.
  120. "Uh... Alright. I'll give it a shot."
  121. >"That's the spirit!"
  122. >You head to the back garage where the balloon is held.
  123. >Not a guard for miles.
  124. >Your mom won't let you go inside your house, but she'll leave the hot air balloon unattended.
  125. >You shake your head.
  126. >The old balloon is dusty as all hell.
  127. >You guess when mom got her wings, she didn't really have a need for a hot air balloon.
  128. >Though, you hear that Pinkie Pie takes it out from time to time.
  129. >Regardless, you hop into the old thing and fire it up.
  130. >Surprisingly it still holds air just fine.
  131. >Here goes nothing.
  132. >You can recall Big Bro bringing you up in the balloon when you were really young.
  133. >You two used to fly through the clouds together and it blew your mind every time.
  134. >Especially when Bro used his fire breath on the balloon
  135. >That shit was the best.
  136. >You've always enjoyed flying.
  137. >You've just never done it without Spike.
  138. >The ballon starts to acsend, and you hear Rainbow Dash cheer as it leaves the ground.
  139. >"There you go! Wasn't too difficult was it?"
  140. "Heh. I guess not."
  141. >That wasn't the hard part though.
  142. >Getting it off the ground is one thing, landing it is another.
  143. >You steer to the best of your abilities, and you're doing surprisingly well.
  144. >You've gotten to a nice altitude and you're keeping up with Rainbow Dash pretty easily.
  145. >You get reminded of something
  146. >Better drink that potion BEFORE you hop out onto clouds.
  147. >You pull the vial out of your pack.
  148. >'One swig will last a day, two will last a week.'
  149. >Well that isn't too difficult.
  150. >Bottoms up?
  151. >You start to take a couple gulps of the potion.
  152. >This shit tastes delicious.
  153. >It's like a sweet tea, with some herby after-taste
  154. >You take an extra couple swigs.
  155. >That is refreshing as hell.
  156. >You throw the vial into your bag and continue steering the balloon.
  157. >After about 20 minutes, you finally see it.
  158. >Cloudsdale is now in sight.
  159. >You carefully position the balloon to make it slowly land on the fluffy landing pad below.
  160. >Rainbow lands and waits.
  161. >Alright, the descent is slowed, and you can just hop out and let the balloon land.
  162. >As the balloon approaches the landing zone, you jump out and land next to Rainbow Dash.
  163. "Ha, piece of cake."
  164. >Rainbow Dash has a goofy grin on her face.
  165. >She looks like she is holding back tears.
  166. >What's gotten into her?
  167. >She points behind you
  168. >You turn to see the balloon gliding straight through the cloudy landing zone
  169. >Oh right.
  170. >These are still clouds.
  171. >You watch helplessly as the balloon slowly glides back down to earth.
  172. >At this point, Rainbow Dash is in stitches.
  173. "Rainbow! We gotta grab that runaway balloon!"
  174. >She regains her composure
  175. >"Oh no, Nonny. That thing is looooong gone. Didn't you see how fast that thing was descending? It'll hit the ground before we could even catch up to it."
  176. >Crap.
  177. >You just lost mom's balloon.
  178. >Well, I guess you're in for it when she gets back.
  179. "Man... that's not good."
  180. >Rainbow Dash chuckles again
  181. >"Cmon, I'll show you where you'll be staying tonight."
  182. >You follow Rainbow Dash through Cloudsdale
  183. >The city made of clouds is more beautiful than you imagined.
  184. >The whole society is build around creatures that can fly
  185. >Stores go up vertically, and stack on eachother.
  186. >The fluffiness of the clouds make the whole place feel close and soft
  187. >The sky above you is comepletely clear.
  188. >After all, the weather is below you.
  189. >You follow Dash to her house.
  190. >It's a lot larger than you expected, stacking up to what appears three stories.
  191. >But this is coming from the guy who lives in a castle so... yeah.
  192. >The house looks like a temple inspired by greek mythology, with large pillars and openings to get up to any level.
  193. >Obviously a good nest for a birdhorse
  194. >You walk in and are in awe of the large open foyer.
  195. >Pictures and posters litter the walls
  196. >Rainbow's time in the Wonderbolts certainly got her a lot of merchandise.
  197. >You wonder how they even hang pictures on clouds.
  198. >Pegasus magic, it doesn't make any sense.
  199. >Rainbow Dash leads you to a small room.
  200. >"Just leave your bag there."
  201. >She points to a small area of the room that has darker clouds.
  202. >"Those clouds are dense enough to hold the weight of your bag, they're specially designed by the cloud factory for earth ponies, and I guess humans too."
  203. "That's actually pretty cool."
  204. >You set your bag down on the darker clouds
  205. >"Make sure you don't try to put anything on the white clouds, it'll fall right through to the underclouds, if you're lucky anyway."
  206. "Underclouds?"
  207. >"It's a big ole sheet of those dense clouds that can catch non-pegasai objects. They are under the majority of Cloudsdale."
  208. "So why didn't the balloon get stopped by this 'undercloud?'"
  209. >"Because you were approaching a pegasus landing pad. You were supposed to go lower and land on the airship landing pad. There is no undercloud my the landing zones."
  210. >Well that made you feel stupid.
  211. >You look around the room trying to change the subject
  212. >It's only now that it hits you that you have no bed.
  213. "Hey where am I supposed to sleep? There's no bed in here."
  214. >Rainbow Dash lowers her eyebrows and gives you a questioning look.
  215. >"You're in a room made of cloud. I don't think sleeping will be an issue."
  216. >Again, feeling pretty dumb.
  217. >You toss your things in the corner then head downstairs.
  218. >You don't even know what there is to do around here.
  219. >Rainbow Dash flies down the stairs.
  220. >Her mane is done up and she's wearing a very colorful dress.
  221. >"Alright, listen up kid. I'm gonna be at a Wonderbolt party all night. It's a really fancy party, and it ain't gonna end early. There's some bits in the kitchen for you to order food."
  222. >Wait what?
  223. "You're just gonna leave me alone? My mom didn't even trust me enough to leave the house unguarded, and yet you're going to leave me alone in a place I don't know?"
  224. >"Yeah, and?"
  225. "What if my mother finds out?"
  226. >Rainbow grabs manages to clip on some earrings.
  227. >"She won't if you keep your big mouth shut, kiddo."
  228. >That's true.
  229. >And you'll finally be able to do what you want.
  230. >Rainbow Dash doesn't even care.
  231. >Maybe tonight will be more interesting than you thought.
  232. >Rainbow Dash heads for the door.
  233. >"One last thing, Squirt. You're back here before I get back. So you pretty much have until morning. If you're not home by then, you'll suffer the same fate as your balloon. Got it?"
  234. >[sweat intesifies]
  235. "G-got it."
  236. >Rainbow nods before blasting through the front entrance.
  237. >A whole night for yourself. This is gonna be good.
  238. >Or at least you hope it will be good.
  239. >You don't really know your way around.
  240. >And the place isn't exactly catered to your species, seeing that you don't have wings.
  241. >You walk over to the table where Rainbow Dash has left a small purse of bits.
  242. >You pour them into your hands.
  243. >10 bits
  244. >Really digging deep aren't ya Rainbow?
  245. >Well, you won't get so much as a pizza with this.
  246. >May as well shop around a bit.
  247. >You grab a backpack you brought along and walk out the front entrance.
  248. >This bag is your survival pack, you made it with Spike when the two of you went camping with Big Mac, Snips, and Snails.
  249. >Everypony was so much older than you, it was awesome
  250. >You've got all your essentials in there, water and snacks, a journal, a nice knife, etc.
  251. >Generally you just wear it around town, but today it might actually help.
  252. >You've been lost in your thought for awhile now, and you find yourself standing in the middle of Cloudsdale again.
  253. >There is a balcony to your left, and you can see an amazing sunset
  254. >You can almost see the curvature of the earth from up here.
  255. >You run over to the balcony and admire the orange sun.
  256. >You never see stuff like this at ponyville, it's awesome.
  257. >You watch the sun go down for awhile, until Celestia tucks it beneath the earth, and Luna drags the moon from its slumber.
  258. >Suddenly you snap out of your daydreaming.
  259. >You start walking to the shops.
  260. >Everything is so lit up at night, and you can see the stars perfectly.
  261. >You think about what you want to do.
  262. >You can't think of a single thing to do around here.
  263. >Well, except that party Rainbow Dash is at.
  264. >Actually, that party sounds pretty amazing right about now.
  265. >A Wonderbolts party is no joke though, it is very selective.
  266. >And it would be hard to fake it, considering you aren't a pony.
  267. >But where there's a will, there is a way.
  268. >You reach into your survival bag.
  269. >This was always a joke between Big Bro and you, but now it seems pretty damn helpful.
  270. >You reach into a back compartment of the bag, and pull out a shrink-wrapped package.
  271. >Being careful not to drop it, you unwrap the plastic.
  272. >Inside is a pristine black suit, never used before.
  273. >Rarity custom made it for your 15th birthday. She insisted when he told her you didn't have dress clothes.
  274. >Bro always used to say, "Keep this close. You never know when a mare will need a dashing human companion."
  275. >You put it in your survival bag to keep the joke rolling. You never thought it would actually be helpful one day.
  276. >You run into a nearby alley and quickly change
  277. >The suit fits like a glove; the dress shirt, the pants, the jacket, everything.
  278. >It even came with a red tie.
  279. >At least now you look like you belong in a party.
  280. >You run to the middle of town.
  281. >If this party is as big as Rainbow Dash says, then it shouldn't be that hard to find.
  282. >It won't exactly be a small event.
  283. >Wonderbolts always go big.
  284. >You see spotlights in the downtown area.
  285. >5 bits says that's the place.
  286. >You run through the busy streets.
  287. >There aren't exactly roads, more like airways.
  288. >Leaving gravity-challenged guest such as yourself with a lot of running space.
  289. >You slide down a couple steep blocks and make your way downtown.
  290. >Cloudsdale is a happenin' place!
  291. >It's like Maredi Gras around here.
  292. >Pegasai litter the sky and street, and parties are everywhere.
  293. >But none stick out quite like the Wonderbolts
  294. >A huge building flashes spotlights over the whole sky.
  295. >It's surrounded by hundreds, maybe thousands, of fans standing at the gates.
  296. >You walk up to join the crowd.
  297. >You don't really need to get close to see, you're much taller than the rest of them.
  298. >Holy shit they have a red carpet and everything.
  299. >You spot Rainbow Dash chatting to somepony near the entrance of the building.
  300. >To the right of the carpet you see the Wonderbolt cadets standing at attention in full uniform.
  301. >It must be horrible standing at attention while you watch the current Wonderbolts live it up.
  302. >They're wearing their blue and yellows proudly with flight jackets and goggles.
  303. >You look across the faces.
  304. >Your eyes meet with an orange mare with a pink mane.
  305. >Wait, you know that pony...
  306. >Could that really be
  307. >Scootaloo?
  308. >You and Scoots went to school together years ago.
  309. >Or rather, you and Scoots went to the same school together.
  310. >She was an upperclassmen, years ahead of you.
  311. >But that didn't stop you from getting to know her.
  312. >She and you used to hang out during lunch, because all the grades shared that period.
  313. >She was the only pegasus attending that school, and you were the only human
  314. >You just sort of bonded over misfitness.
  315. >She was teased a lot for hanging out with an underclassmen, but that changed pretty fast when you suddely became taller than everypony.
  316. >But she graduated 5 years ago, and you just did last year.
  317. >Has it really been 5 years since you've seen her?
  318. >She wasn't joking about becoming a Wonderbolt, she must've worked her ass off to go from barely being able to fly to being a Wonderbolt in 5 years time.
  319. >She turns back to attention.
  320. >Maybe she saw you, it'd be nice to catch up.
  321. >But that's for later, right now you need a way in.
  322. >Maybe you could enter through the kitchen posing as a chef, then make your way into the party that way.
  323. >Only issue with that plan is the whole human thing.
  324. >Yeah, this is going to be more difficult than you thought.
  325. >Suddenly you hear a voice from behind you.
  326. >"No wayyy. You're Anon, right?"
  327. >You look down to see Soarin the Wonderbolt.
  328. >How the hell did he sneak up on you?
  329. >Everypony hears his voice and turns around.
  330. >All eyes are on you.
  331. >"Hey, buddy, you hear me?"
  332. >You look at him again.
  333. >"You're Anon! Princess Twilight's son."
  334. >A Wonderbolt knows your name without an introduction
  335. "Y-yeah."
  336. >"Dude you've grown! Hey, you remember me?"
  337. "Of course I do, you're Soarin."
  338. >He chuckles
  339. >"Well yeah, you KNOW me, but do you remember me? I performed at your 5th birthday man!"
  340. >At first you don't understand, but then a faded memory comes back.
  341. >Mom got Rainbow to pull some strings and bring Soarin in for a very small one-pony performance.
  342. >Soarin was your favorite back in the day. As a little kid you really enjoyed the bolts.
  343. "Oh yeahh. I remember that! It was really amazing!"
  344. >He laughs again.
  345. >"Don't flatter me. Dude you've got a sick outfit on."
  346. >A random mare in the crowd yells
  347. >"It looks great!"
  348. >The rest of the crowd cheers along.
  349. >Soarin speaks again.
  350. >"Hey man, you comin' in?"
  351. "O-oh, I don't think I'm on the list..."
  352. >"What? Dude you're royalty! You're on every list. Haha!"
  353. >Soarin addresses the crowd.
  354. >"I've got the only human in Equestria as my special guest tonight everypony! Give it up for Anon!"
  355. >The crowd goes absolutely insane.
  356. >Soarin certainly knows how to work the crowd.
  357. >He punches your leg.
  358. >"Alright, let's get in there big guy."
  359. >You crouch down and tell him something you almost forgot.
  360. "Listen, Rainbow Dash is taking care of me tonight. I don't want her to catch me here."
  361. >Soarin smiles
  362. >"Well Rainbow Dash just so happens to be my wingmare tonight. I'll do my best to keep her away."
  363. >He winks
  364. >Buckin' Soarin man.
  365. >He gets it.
  366. >You walk up to the bouncers and escorts and they immediately open the gates with a small bow.
  367. >"Master Anon."
  368. >Wow, guess your status is pretty well to the ponies that matter.
  369. >You walk down the red carpet, between the fans and the cadets.
  370. >You look to your right and see Scootaloo again
  371. >At first she doesn't seem to look at you, staying at attention.
  372. >Then her eyes flash to you and she grins a little bit.
  373. >Could have sworn she even winked.
  374. >You walk into the large building past the spotlights
  375. >The ceiling seems to be a mile away.
  376. >How many floors is this? 4?
  377. >The building goes up in a spiral, with stair cases leading up to each level.
  378. >You suppose even a pegasus gets tired of flying.
  379. >Soarin prods you again.
  380. >"Alright kid, have some fun. Just not too much fun. Rainbow and I will probably be in the main room chatting with the guests. As long as you don't go there, you should be fine."
  381. >You nod, he nods back.
  382. >He walks away as another pony comes to show him where Dash is.
  383. >You can't believe what just happened.
  384. >You're at a private Wonderbolt party
  385. >And you don't have anypony to tell you what to do
  386. >Your 16 year old self is damn near in tears
  387. >You finally have a bit of freedom.
  388. >You decide to head upstairs first, trying to distance yourself from Rainbow Dash
  389. >This is a really high class party.
  390. >You find yourself walking around with your chest out and perfect form.
  391. >Big Bro taught you how to present yourself for parties like these.
  392. >After all, you've had to attend some pretty intense events before with your mother.
  393. >A few mares are looking at you while they chat.
  394. >It's not that uncommon for ponies to gossip about you.
  395. >You walk into a large theather that is projecting the history of the Wonderbolts on a huge screen
  396. >Oh Celestia that is kick ass.
  397. >You watch for a couple minutes before moving on.
  398. >A mare with a platter of drinks walks by
  399. >You grab a drink as you walk by and nod.
  400. >She looks behind herself as you walk by.
  401. >This is great.
  402. >You take a sip of the drink
  403. >It's very bitter and burns your throat
  404. >That's not cider.
  405. >...but that's not a bad thing.
  406. >You chug the rest of it down.
  407. >On that note, you need to take a leak.
  408. >You head to the stallion's room and duck through the doorway.
  409. >Public bathrooms are the worst, they don't exactly cater to you
  410. >There's a lot of crouching involved.
  411. >You walk into a stall and start to do your business.
  412. >Suddenly you hear some crashing outside of your stall
  413. >You open the door to your stall to see what's going on
  414. >Two suited stallions are wrestling a smaller yellow colt while yelling.
  415. >"Nice try freeloader. Who do you think you are sneaking in through the kitchen?"
  416. >Huh, guess that plan wouldn't work after all.
  417. >You watch as the two suited stallions pick him up and start to drag him out.
  418. >The yellow one starts wriggling and attempting to break free.
  419. >He's really want to stay.
  420. >You notice tears in his eyes while he struggle.
  421. >He REALLY wants to be here.
  422. >And about 30 minutes ago, you would've done the same thing.
  423. >You step out of the stall and stand up straight.
  424. "It's fine, he's with me."
  425. >The two suited stallions turn around in surprise.
  426. >"Master Anon, this colt is not on the list, nor was he invited in. He doesn't belong-"
  427. "Then consider this my invitation to him."
  428. >You realize how much you tower over these ponies.
  429. >Their heads barely make it to your ribs.
  430. >You try to seem less threatening.
  431. "Seriously, it's cool. I'll keep my eye on him."
  432. >The stallions wear a defeated expression.
  433. >"Yes Master Anon. But do not hesitate to call us if this ruffian-"
  434. "THANK YOU, gentleponies. I shall handle it from here."
  435. >The suits leave you and the yellow colt behind.
  436. >You turn to him.
  437. >He's a smaller yellow pegasus. His mane is a dirtier yellow, spiked, but is a bit frizzed.
  438. >He's got a bruise on his cheek, and his nose is bleeding a bit.
  439. >Those suits really laid into him.
  440. "You alright?"
  441. >He wipes his nose and gets up.
  442. >Unlike those guards, he doesn't look defeated, he looks pissed.
  443. >The dude's got pride
  444. >"Yeah. I'm alright. Thanks a lot, I owe you one big time.
  445. "What's your name?"
  446. >He smiles
  447. >"Spark"
  448. >You start washing your hands
  449. "Well Spark, you're gonna have to stick with me. I can't save your ass if you aren't with me."
  450. >"Who says I'll need your saving next time?"
  451. >You look at him with a sarcastic leer.
  452. >"Alright, alright. Point taken."
  453. >This guy is something else.
  454. >You and Spark walk out of the bathroom and start sashaying around the party.
  455. "So where are you from?"
  456. >"I'm a pegasus, where do you think?"
  457. "I know plenty of pegasai that live outside of Cloudsdale"
  458. >Well, one: Fluttershy. But you doubt he'll call your bluff.
  459. >"Yeah well, I ain't one of them. I was born and raised in this crummy place."
  460. >Crummy? The whole damn thing is made of cloud.
  461. >He doesn't speak like a gentlecolt, he sounds more like a kid from the streets.
  462. "How old are you?"
  463. >"14"
  464. >He's roughly the same age as you.
  465. >Ponies don't age the same way as humans do.
  466. >Time moves quickly for them at first, then deccelerates until a point, then accelerates again.
  467. >So a 14 year old pony is more like a 16-17 year old human.
  468. >And a 35 year old pony is more like a 24 year old human.
  469. >But a 50 year old pony is more like a 60 year old human.
  470. >This fluctuation is normal to ponies, you're the freak here.
  471. >Who the hell ages at a set rate their whole life?
  472. >At least it isn't as confusing as dragon age, where a dragon is systematically immortal, and maturity and growth rates are based on their material posessions.
  473. >Bro is older than you, but he hasn't aged a day after 21.
  474. "Cool. My name is Anon."
  475. >"Yeah, I know ya." he raises his hooves and speaks in a sarcastic tone, "Son of the incredible Princess Twilight, what a joke."
  476. >This guy
  477. "You know I could get you thrown out at any time."
  478. >"Yeahh, but you won't do it. You've already wasted enough time on me. You wouldn't just throw me out like that."
  479. "Wanna bet?"
  480. >He sighs
  481. >"I'm sorry I insulted you and your fancy pants mother"
  482. >you chuckle
  483. >Alright, good enough.
  484. "Fine. You can stay in my fancy pants presents for now."
  485. >He smiles
  486. >"Ya know, for a royal you aren't exactly the most snobby guy I've ever met."
  487. "You're not just trying to butter me up, are you?"
  488. >"Hey, if I were tryin' to do that I wouldn't have needed you to bail me out back there. I woulda just buttered up a Wonderbolt, like Rainbow Dash. Nopony can deny the Spark."
  489. >He seems satisfied with that last statement.
  490. >You roll your eyes.
  491. "I dunno, Rainbow Dash doesn't really chase your type."
  492. >"Oh yeah? What type is that?"
  493. >You chuckle
  494. "The asshole?"
  495. >He laughs
  496. >"Yeah, okay. Fair enough. Besides, how would you know what Rainbow likes?"
  497. "I don't really, but I AM spending the week at her house."
  498. >Spark nearly trips over himself
  499. >"No kiddin'?"
  500. "I swear on my 'royalty'"
  501. >"Buck dude, that is amazing!"
  502. "Eh, it's not really much in the way of fabulous."
  503. >"What? Compared to your castle? Get your head out of the clouds ya royal ape."
  504. >This takes you by surprise.
  505. >Maybe you are thinking too pretentiously.
  506. >Rainbow did open her house to you.
  507. >Note to self: Be a bit more grateful.
  508. >You and spark head out to the second floor balcony.
  509. >The crisp night blows through your hair.
  510. >The two of you have been wandering around chatting for an hour or so.
  511. >There isn't really much to do here. It's more of a socializing kind of party than a cut loose kind.
  512. >It's nearly 11
  513. "It's a helluva a night tonight."
  514. >Spark rolls his eyes
  515. >"If you say so big guy."
  516. >You lean on the railing.
  517. >Tonight's been interesting, but you haven't really done much more than crash this party.
  518. >You feel kind of melancholy that, even with your freedom, you can't think to do anything more fun.
  519. >Suddenly you feel a shove from behind.
  520. >The shove makes you start to head over the railing.
  521. >You hear Spark yelling
  522. >"WHAT THE BUCK?"
  523. >Right before your weight shifts in the downward direction, somepony bites your collar and pulls you back.
  524. >You land on your back with a grunt.
  525. >"Still got some pretty crappy balance, don't you Nonny?"
  526. >You look up and see Scootaloo looking down at you.
  527. >"It's been awhile."
  528. >Your heart is still thumping
  529. >You sit back against the railing.
  530. "Holy buck Scoots, You scared the shit out of me."
  531. >Scootaloo giggles as you shake it off
  532. >Now you can really get a good look at Scoots
  533. >She's wearing her blue and yellow Wonderbolt suit with a flight jacket.
  534. >She has the collar down, and her goggles around her neck.
  535. >The suit hugs her body tightly, it really looks nice on her.
  536. >Spark suddenly speaks up
  537. >"Hey wait a tic, you're a Wonderbolt?"
  538. >Scootaloo smirks at him
  539. >"Not quite. Cadet, First Class."
  540. >"But you're still kind of a Wonderbolt, right?"
  541. >"Yeah, sure."
  542. >Spark looks at her, then at you with disbelief.
  543. >"No buckin' way"
  544. >You stand to face Scootaloo
  545. >She's hardly up to your ribs now.
  546. >That's something different.
  547. >"Woah. You've grown up haven't you?"
  548. "Last time you saw me I was 11, did you think I'd stay 5 feet tall forever?"
  549. >She turns her head a little.
  550. >"Honestly? Kind of."
  551. >You shrug.
  552. "You know I never suspected you'd actually make it to the Wonderbolts academy."
  553. >"Wow Nonny, thanks for the encouragement."
  554. "Hey, you couldn't even fly when you left school, how was I supposed to know you're actually a great flyer?"
  555. >Spark seems both delighted and confused.
  556. >You two were spitting a lot of information at once.
  557. >"So what are you two up to tonight?"
  558. "You're looking at it. I didn't even expect to make it this far into the party."
  559. >"You're just here for the party? Why? This thing is such a formal event. I just got dismissed, and I was about to head home. That is until you came wandering in."
  560. "Yeah, it seems kind of stuffy. "
  561. >"What happened to you, goldy?"
  562. >Spark blows air out his nostrils
  563. >"A couple of gentlecolts did not believe I was suitable for this establishment."
  564. >Oh Celestia he's trying to talk fancy
  565. >He's trying way too hard to impress the future Wonderbolt.
  566. >Scoots laughs
  567. >"Wow, you must be hard core."
  568. >Scoots rolls her eyes
  569. >"Why were you trying to get in anyway?"
  570. >Spark shrugs
  571. >"Honestly? I wanted to see if I could steal a pair of goggles."
  572. >Scoots turns her head again in confusion.
  573. >"Why a pair of goggles? Why from here? You can just go buy a pair at a nearby shop."
  574. >Spark smirks
  575. >"Yeah, but I want a pair of Wonderbolt goggles. Not cadet ones, a real pair."
  576. >He looks at the two of you with a toothy grin, he's pleased you're both so intrigued.
  577. >"Wonderbolt ones are specially designed to grip the eyes in a very specific way. They're all unique to the pony wearing them."
  578. "I've got a pair of goggles Rainbow Dash sent me as a kid you know. Is that the kind of thing you're looking for?"
  579. >Spark shakes his head.
  580. >"If you've worn them before, then they've already formed to your face. Once somepony wears them, they'll never fit anypony else but them."
  581. >Scoot squints her eyes
  582. >"Well then, what made you think you could find them here? This is a formal gathering, not a goggle factory."
  583. >Spark chuckles
  584. >"This party is all a publicity stunt used to capture the attention of investors for the Wonderbolts academy. They give out legitimate Wonderbolt goggles to the biggest investors."
  585. "... and you were planning to steal from these investors?"
  586. >"They get a pair every year, and they never wear them. I don't see any problems arising if one goes, uh, missing."
  587. >Scoots shakes her head, but this has got you all worked up.
  588. >Hanging out a party is one thing, but stealing a legitmate pair of Wonderbolt goggles is another.
  589. "Yeah let's do it!"
  590. >Scootaloo looks at you with a shocked expression.
  591. >"You aren't seriously entertaining this idea, are you?"
  592. "Oh come on, what difference does it make if we take one pair of goggles from some snobby investor?"
  593. >"The difference is that my ass could be on the line. Stealing as a cadet is a serious offence in the corps. I could lose rank!"
  594. "Then you won't do any of the actual swiping. Leave that to Spark and I."
  595. >"I really don't want to risk anything..."
  596. "C'mon, don't be such a chicken."
  597. >You grin as she shoots daggers at you
  598. >She's blushing profusely
  599. >You knew that one would strike a chord.
  600. >"F-Fine! Let's do it."
  601. "That's more like it."
  602. >Spark is smiling wide
  603. >"If you guys are serious about this, I've been looking around, and I think I know where to go."
  604. "Sounds good to me, but remember I kind of stick out like a sore thumb."
  605. >Spark squints his eyes
  606. >"A sore what?"
  607. >Force of habit. At home you and Bro both had thumbs and fingers. You constantly forget such phrases are not as common with most ponies.
  608. "Nevermind. The point is, I'm not a pony."
  609. >Spark waves his hoove
  610. >"No worries, we'll be away from the party most of the time. Besides, having somepony as tall as you will come in handy I feel."
  611. "Alright, so are we all agreed? We go for the goggles?"
  612. >Spark nods
  613. >Scoots looks away with a sour expression
  614. "Scoots?"
  615. >She roles her eyes.
  616. >"Alright fine. But you better get me a royal pardon if they try to demote my ass."
  617. >You laugh.
  618. "Alright, then we're all set."
  619. >You and Scoots follow Spark as he leads you downstairs
  620. >He looks both ways before motioning the two of you into a door away from most of the party
  621. >You read the sign
  622. >'Employees only. DO NOT ENTER'
  623. >You smile as you walk through with Scootaloo.
  624. >Being a royal means you can get away with pretty much anything.
  625. >Hell, you could probably even just ask for a pair of these goggles.
  626. >After all, the royal families fund the Wonderbolts a lot.
  627. >But where's the fun in that?
  628. >Now crashing a party and playing a little espionage in a suit?
  629. >That's fun.
  630. >Spark leads you down a well decorated hall.
  631. >"So they would store the goggles in these little care-package type deals.
  632. >He puts his hooves about a foot apart to show their size.
  633. >"We can only grab the goggles though! I'm pretty sure there is some extrememly important stuff inside."
  634. >"If we grab anything more than the goggles, we would get in WAY more trouble."
  635. >The three of you peer around the corner.
  636. >There is a set of double doors being guarded by two suited ponies.
  637. >The doors read 'Store Room'
  638. >"That room is right next to the kitchen, which is right next to the formal dinner all the big guys are invited to. We gotta-"
  639. >Spark stops with a groan
  640. >"You gotta be buckin' me."
  641. >You look around the corner again to see what he's moaning about.
  642. >At first nothing seems strange, then it hits you
  643. >Those are the same two stallions that tried to throw out Spark.
  644. >Shit, that complicates things.
  645. >"Great, if those two catch me doing anything out of the ordinary, they'll throw me out and pin it on you."
  646. >You shrug
  647. "Not really much they can do to me."
  648. >"Yeah, but if somepony gets a royal in trouble, it can means big consequences."
  649. >That is true, if mom found out what Spark was getting you to do, she'd vaporize him.
  650. >Well, not really. But it wouldn't be pretty
  651. >You snap your fingers
  652. "Maybe this can be used to our advantage."
  653. >You remove a tablecloth from a nearby endtable.
  654. >You read about this in a Daring Do book
  655. >After a bit of scheming, Spark nods and readies himself.
  656. >He stumbles out into the opening
  657. >"Hhhhooo, what a *hic* party. H-hey, you're the asses that gave me this broooos"
  658. >He's a lot better at acting than you suspected. It's actually quite impressive.
  659. >The two stallions seem almost insulted by Spark's presence.
  660. >"We asked you once before to leave, if it wasn't for Master Anon's or invitation-"
  661. >Spark interrupts
  662. >"Yeah yeah yeah, save it for th-the judge. Y-you know, you aren't that tufff. I bet *hic* I bet I could beat you guyss"
  663. >Spark spits onto one of the stallion's jackets
  664. >Their faces are masked with outrage.
  665. >Might've gone a little too far
  666. >Spark starts backing up as they approach.
  667. >They come closer to the wall you and Scoots are hiding behind
  668. >They pass it as they crack their necks, getting ready to give Spark another pounding.
  669. >You nod to Scoots
  670. >She nods back
  671. >The two of you jump out with the table cloth, throwing it over the stallions' heads.
  672. >The start yelling obscenities as Scoots dashes around them at unbelievable speeds, wrapping them.
  673. >Suddenly the tightness of the cloth knocks their heads together and they collapse to the ground.
  674. >That shit really worked
  675. >Spark was readying himself for a beating before he opened his eyes to see the two guards down.
  676. >"Oh Celestia, they're out cold."
  677. >Scoots seems rather nervous.
  678. >"I don't want to be here when they wake up."
  679. "Well, we've come to far to back out now, come on!"
  680. >You motion to the door
  681. >As you open them, you are greeted to a large room that can only be compared to an armory mixed with a library.
  682. >The room goes up two floors.
  683. >The walls are littered with Wonderbolts apparel and equipment, the second floor has bookcases
  684. "Damn, this place is impressive."
  685. >You can see a large shelf filled with small boxes that matches Spark's description
  686. "Are those the boxes you were talking about?"
  687. >Spark trots closer
  688. >"YEAH! These are them!"
  689. >Spark tries to open one, but is having a bit of an issue
  690. >You laugh and walk up
  691. "Here, let me try."
  692. >It has a very small latch on it with a tight fit.
  693. >For your average pony, this thing is a nightmare to open
  694. >For a human, however, this thing is nothing.
  695. >You pop it open
  696. >Spark greedily snags the goggles without hesitation
  697. >Who's box is this anyway?
  698. >The label says, 'Filthy Rich'
  699. >Yeah, he probably doesn't need any Wonderbolt goggles.
  700. >"ALRIGHT! We got them!"
  701. >You smile and look back a Scootaloo
  702. >She seems a hell of a lot less nervous
  703. >Suddenly you hear yelling from the hall
  704. >They must have found the two knocked out guards
  705. >You turn to Spark
  706. "Spark! You gotta get out of here NOW."
  707. >Spark looks around, and spots a window on the second floor
  708. >He takes off and opens the window, then jumps outside with the window closing behind him
  709. >You look at Scootaloo
  710. "Follow my lead, alright?"
  711. >Scootaloo looks lost
  712. >"U-uh, okay?"
  713. >The doors burst open with a resounding thump
  714. >Five suited stallion rush in and look around
  715. >You start talking
  716. "...I don't believe we're in the right place, how foolish of me."
  717. >You turn to the stallions
  718. "Oh, hello there. Perhaps you all can assist me."
  719. >You speak with your 'Royal Voice', something Bro taught you for talking to very important guests.
  720. >You put every ounce of pompous douchebaggery you can manage into every word
  721. >Your tone is calm and polite, and runs smooth as butter.
  722. >The stallions seem conflicted; they're angry that two of the guard had been knocked out, yet confused to find you.
  723. >"M-Master Anon, what are you doing here? This is a restricted area. Guests are not allowed back here."
  724. "Ah yes, I was escorting my lovely friend here to the formal dinner, but unfortunately in my attempts to impress her, I have lead her astray."
  725. >You chuckle to yourself lightly
  726. "Isn't that right darling?"
  727. >You look down at Scoots to see her blushing
  728. >"Yep. I can't believe you got us so lost, uh dear."
  729. >The guards are flabberghasted
  730. >"Well- um. Did you happen to see a small yellow pegasus? That was the last pony a pair of guards saw before they were knocked out and tied up."
  731. >You shake your head
  732. "No, I have not met any pony that matches that description tonight. How about you Scootaloo?"
  733. >"Nope, haven't seen one."
  734. >She smiles a big pretty grin
  735. >She is a terrible actor.
  736. >The guards have gotten a bit more loose
  737. >"B-but, they said you were the one who invited him in!"
  738. "Are you questioning the truth of my statements?"
  739. >You put a slight bit of aggression behind that last one
  740. >You place your hands in your pockets and lean back
  741. >The stallions bow their heads and begin apologizing
  742. >"Of course not Master Anon, we apologize. We meant nothing by it."
  743. >You puff air out of your nostrils
  744. "Then if there are no other interruptions, I think we'd like to get to the dinner now. Come along Scoot."
  745. >You start to walk out before being stopped
  746. >"Please Master Anon, let us bring you there. Wouldn't want you getting lost again."
  747. "Oh no, that is quite alright."
  748. >"I insist sir! Please allow me to escort you there!"
  749. >The stallion bows so far his muzzle is firmly planted into the ground
  750. >You might have overdone the angry-royal act
  751. >The stallion is even shaking a little
  752. "Uh. If you insist..."
  753. >He looks up at you
  754. >"Thank you sir, please come this way"
  755. >You and Scoots follow the group into the main hall, and they lead you towards a huge doorway on the left.
  756. >Scootaloo looks at you nervously
  757. >This isn't good, you don't want to go to this dinner
  758. >Not to mention Rainbow Dash is there too
  759. >That complicates it even further
  760. >But if you suddenly decide to not attend the dinner, these guards might grow suspicious.
  761. >Better to just hope for the best.
  762. >They lead you to the large doorway on the left side of the main room.
  763. >"This will lead you to the lounge and dining room. I hope you enjoy yourself."
  764. >The doorway leads to a long hall scattered with couches and table, which leads to the Dining room at the end
  765. "Y-yes. Of course."
  766. >You walk inside with Scootaloo
  767. >As you walk in, you see Soarin
  768. >He's chatting with a couple ponies and standing next to Rainbow Dash
  769. >He lazily looks in your direction
  770. >He nearly spits up his drink
  771. >He looks to Rainbow Dash
  772. >"Say Dash, why don't you head into the dining room. The meal should be started soon."
  773. >"You're right! I wanna get a good seat!"
  774. >"I thought the seats were assigned..."
  775. >Dash ignores Soarin and trots into the dining room.
  776. >Soarin runs up to Anon
  777. >"Dude! What are you doing here? I thought you were trying to stay away from Rainbow Dash!"
  778. "I know, I know. Things got, uh, complicated. Listen, can you bring Scootaloo outside? And don't make much noise about it! I don't want her to get in trouble for anything."
  779. >"Normally I'd have to punish cadets for going against orders, like going into the party after you've been dismissed."
  780. >Scootaloo braces for what seems like her unavoidable demotion
  781. >"Fortunately I was dismissed an hour ago myself, haha. I won't be your commander until tomorrow. C'mon, let's get you out of here."
  782. >Scootaloo looks like she could faint.
  783. >You watch as Soarin brings her outside past all the guards
  784. >Thank Celestia that went over well
  785. >Soarin is such a bro.
  786. >But here's where the tricky part comes in.
  787. >You walk into the large dining room
  788. >The room is decorated with large Wonderbolt banners and the table is set to seat well over a hundred guests.
  789. >You sigh with relief
  790. >Even if Rainbow is sitting at the same table, as long as you are on the opposite side she probably won't notice you.
  791. >Sitting down you are about the same height as the ponies, so you won't stick out so much.
  792. >The biggest thing is to sprint out hereas fast as you can when the meal is done.
  793. >A small butler pony wanders up to you.
  794. >"Ah, Master Anon. I am relieved to tell you that, even with your short notice arrival, we have a chair for you."
  795. >You walk with the butler to a chair in the middle of the table.
  796. >Again, still not a big deal as long as you are distanced from-
  797. >"A-Anon?"
  798. >Rainbow is sitting directly across from you
  799. >Feck
  800. >You're sitting at a table of over 100 ponies
  801. >And you get placed across from Rainbow Dash
  802. >Of course.
  803. >You sit down
  804. >Before Rainbow can say anything a mare stands up and starts to speak
  805. >"Welcome the Wonderbolts Honor Banquet, where we spend a moment to thank the wonderful investors that keeps our corps up and running."
  806. >Holy shit, that's Spitfire talking up there.
  807. >She contiunes her speech
  808. >You can feel Rainbow Dash staring at you from across the table burning a hole in the side of your head.
  809. >You don't dare to look
  810. >Suddenly you hear Spitfire mention your name
  811. >"And tonight we have the honor to welcome a part of the royal family, Anon the human!"
  812. >Like clockwork you immediately stand and wave to the guests at the table
  813. >You've been trained quite well.
  814. >The guests applaud then you return to your seat.
  815. >You get a glimpse of Rainbow as you sit back down
  816. >She doesn't appear pleased
  817. >Spitfire finishes her speech and the crowd applauses afterwards
  818. >You lock eyes with Dash.
  819. >To your surprise, she doesn't look as angry as you'd think
  820. >More like horribly confused and terribly annoyed
  821. >The food comes out. It's mostly desserts and coffee, after all it is pretty late.
  822. >You begin to banter with some of the guests, using your 'Royal Voice'
  823. >You lock eyes with Rainbow again
  824. >She motions towards the bathroom
  825. >Here we go.
  826. >She gets down and makes her way over there.
  827. >You excuse yourself
  828. "Pardon me gents, I'll return in a moment."
  829. >You prepare yourself for the verbal destruction that is about to take your innocence.
  830. >Mom was never shy to speak her mind, but Rainbow Dash doesn't have a filter
  831. >What is about to occur will be heard through generations.
  832. >You are Rainbow Dash
  833. >You are rather tiffed
  834. >This banquet was going very well up until this point
  835. >The investors seem pleased, and everypony is enjoying themselves
  836. >And now, out of nowhere, the kid you're babysitting is at the party
  837. >This is a rambunctious 16 year old hooman that is your responsibility
  838. >He may be accustomed to this kind of event, but one slip up and it's your ass on the line
  839. >Finally he makes his way to the hall leading to the bathrooms
  840. >"Now before you say anything, you did say I could do whatever I wanted until-"
  841. "Listen up, I don't care how or why you are here, but you better get one thing straight: You better be a damned saint tonight, because you don't want to make an enemy out of me. Got that?"
  842. >Anon gulps
  843. >"Alright, alright! I'll be good! I didn't even mean to come to this meal thing anyway. I was about to leave until the guards found me."
  844. >Something about that statement wasn't right
  845. "What do you mean the guards found you?"
  846. >"O-oh, well, uh, I was lost is all."
  847. >He's hiding something
  848. >But you really don't have the time to deal with it at the moment.
  849. "Alright fine, whatever. Just remember what I said. You stay the whole meal, you say thank you for everything, and you stay polite. If you even think about doing anything other than that, I will follow you out and drag you back"
  850. >Might be laying it on a bit thick
  851. >But you weren't kidding, leaving during something like this highly frowned upon. You'd really drag him.
  852. >"y-yes ma'am"
  853. >You sigh
  854. "You do look quite nice."
  855. >"You look rather... dashing yourself"
  856. >he smirks
  857. >Just gonna ignore that
  858. >You are Anon
  859. >A combination of relief and nervousness made you just spout the most autistic pun that has every been made.
  860. >And has probably been made a million times
  861. >May as well put on a bow tie and call yourself Cheese Sandwich
  862. >But at least things are looking up
  863. >You're slowly coming to terms with the fact you won't be destroyed
  864. >Now all you have to do is get through this dinner, and you're in the clear.
  865. >You return to your seat and continue eating and chatting with guests
  866. >The topics are pretty normal for these kinds of events: Mostly talk about money, politics, and the occasional off-color joke
  867. >Despite the fact that it's a little boring, you're still having a good time.
  868. >Rainbow Dash seems content with you, she even laughs at the occasional joke
  869. >As you take a sip of your drink you look through the window behind Rainbow
  870. >You see a flash of yellow
  871. >You swallow your drink, and look a little more carefully
  872. >You can make out the shape of a pegasus hovering outside of the window
  873. >As your eyes adjust to the lighting, you see the Wonderbolts uniform, and Scootaloo's face
  874. >Your eyes widen
  875. >She should be with Spark shouldn't she?
  876. >She starts motioning for you to get outside
  877. >It looks urgent
  878. >Oh boy. This can't be good
  879. >You need to leave early after all
  880. >That's not good.
  881. >You've gotta find an excuse to leave, and you've gotta find a way to keep Rainbow Dash in her seat.
  882. >You look up and down the table and realize you don't see a Soarin
  883. >He must still be outside
  884. >That's the excuse, but how are you gonna be able keep Dash on lock down?
  885. >You wait a little while, trying to formulate a plan
  886. >At this point, everypony is walking around a little bit and mingling with guests at different parts of the table
  887. >A large group of Wonderbolts come over to Rainbow Dash
  888. >This could work
  889. "Hey Dash, have you seen Soarin?"
  890. >You ask loud enough so that her whole group can hear
  891. >"No..."
  892. "Ya know what, I'll go find him." You begin putting on your jacket, "He can't be too far off."
  893. >Rainbow catches on to what you're doing
  894. >"Oh no, I'm sure he's fine. Probably just getting some fresh air."
  895. "Aww, did you scare him off? You never told me what you said when he asked you out earlier."
  896. >The bomb has been dropped
  897. >Let's see if these Wonderbolts take the bait
  898. >Before Rainbow Dash can even respond Spitfire has already turned Dash around and started interrigating
  899. >"Oh he DID did he?"
  900. >Rainbow Dash blushes
  901. >"No he did not!"
  902. >Spitfire looks at here with a smirk
  903. >"Suuuuuuuure. Why don't you just tell us? You know we're all friends here."
  904. >"No I-"
  905. >"Was it romantic? Did he go for a kiss? Spare no details!"
  906. >Rainbow Dash is bright red now.
  907. >"Nothing happened! Anon just-"
  908. >She looks to your chair to find nothing. At this point you are already retrieving your adventure bag from the closet and on your way out the door.
  909. >You pass Soarin as you run down the now barren red carpet.
  910. >You can't stop to chat, so you ramble an apology off at the speed of light
  911. "HeymansorryIgottagobutIneedtogocheckonsomestuffandalsoyoumayormaynothavesomeexplainingtodowhenyougobackinsidethanksforeverything!"
  912. >Soarin has no idea what the hell you've just said
  913. >You run by and head down the road to where Scoots was.
  914. >Scoots lands in front of you.
  915. >You're pretty out of breath, and hunched over.
  916. "What... is it Scoots?"
  917. >Scootaloo shakes her head
  918. >"Something is wrong with Spark"
  919. "What do you mean?"
  920. >Scootaloo starts flying down the road, you follow her.
  921. >After a couple blocks, you see Spark standing by the railing, looking out over the rolling clouds.
  922. >You walk over and stand next to him
  923. >He looks really depressed
  924. >He turns and looks at you, then reaches into his bag.
  925. >He pulls out the goggles
  926. >They're completely shattered
  927. "Woah! What happened?"
  928. >"I landed on them. I buckin' landed on them."
  929. >He shakes his head
  930. >"When I hopped out that window, it closed on my wing. I fell 20 feet from there flat on my face."
  931. >He lifts the broken shards of the goggles
  932. >Not only are the lenses broken, but the frames have been warped and flattened
  933. >There's no magic on the planet that could fix those.
  934. >"I can't believe it. I had the goddamn thing in my hooves"
  935. >He scrunches his face
  936. >"I was in the home stretch and I BUCKED IT UP."
  937. >He throws the goggles off the ridge as hard as possible, sending them way past the city limits.
  938. >No way the undercloud can catch that
  939. >He sits down and leans against the railing
  940. >"I'm so sorry you guys. I'm sorry I let you do all those crazy things for nothin'"
  941. >He looks down at his hooves
  942. >"I can't believe I bucked this up."
  943. >You put your hand on his back
  944. "Listen, Spark. We had a great time, even if we have nothing to show for it. And you don't need those crummy goggles."
  945. >Spark shakes his head.
  946. >"Those things weren't for me, they were for my little sister."
  947. >Up until this point you hadn't heard anything about Spark's family life.
  948. >Spark sighs
  949. >"My little sis really wants to be a Wonderbolt, but she's got this disorder thing where her wings are too small. The doctor says it's a genetic thing, and she may or may not grow out of it"
  950. >He adjusts himself
  951. >"So she still can't fly, and it's almost time for schooling right? Well a pegasus that can't fly can't go to Cloudsdale Public, and we can't afford to send her to a private place."
  952. >Scootaloo's eyebrows raise. She knows this story.
  953. >"So she's gotta be sent to Ponyville to study there with this weird 'special needs pegasus' thing, and she'll be away from home the majority of the year."
  954. >Scootaloo looks out over the clouds with a sad expression.
  955. >"I mean, yeah. You can still go visit her, but we gotta work to pay the bills. Time off isn't that easy for us."
  956. >You see a tear roll down his face and drip off his chin.
  957. >"I mean, you're tellin' me I can't see my little dew drop unless I take a 30 minute trip to Ponyville? *sniff* What kind of cruel joke is that?"
  958. >Spark wipes his eyes and gets quiet.
  959. >He stands up.
  960. >"But either way, that's my business. I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me tonight. I'll find a way to repay you two. But for now, I'm goin' home."
  961. >You get an idea.
  962. "You wanna pay off that debt right now?"
  963. >He turns around, and Scootaloo stands next to you
  964. >She was thinking the same thing.
  965. "Take us with you."
  966. >You and Scootaloo follow Spark as he leads you through town
  967. >You have your guard up. After all, you've only known Spark for a little while.
  968. >If any ponies try to jump you, it won't be much of a fight, you've got a height, strength, and thumbs advantage
  969. >But you don't think that will happen.
  970. >Spark may be a good actor, but he that was no performance
  971. >He's got too much pride to pretend to cry
  972. >You've all been walking through town for about 20 minutes now.
  973. >The scenery changed from vast complex businesses to simple looking houses near the outskirts of town.
  974. >You see the weather factories in the distance, sitting still this late at night.
  975. >Spark speaks up to explain
  976. >"My family has been in the weather business for generations. It's hard work, but the pay is good."
  977. >He sighs
  978. >"But medical bills have been piling up a bit, thanks to my pop's bad joints and all the visits to check on Sis."
  979. >He looks back to look at you and Scoots
  980. >"But that's life. Ma works the night shift and Pop works the day shifts. I mostly look after my sister, but sometimes I need to take my dad's place."
  981. >Spark's life is so distant from yours
  982. >You've hardly worked a day in your life, and you don't really need to worry about your future too much. You'll always be royal.
  983. >The three of you approach a small house in a tiny neighborhood
  984. >"Here it is. Not much to look at, I know."
  985. >The house is a little small, but it looks nice. It's comfy
  986. >You wonder what it's like living in such a building.
  987. >"Well cmon in, my mother shouldn't have left for her shift yet."
  988. >He opens the door and trots inside, you follow after.
  989. >He raises his voice, but doesn't quite yell. He's trying to be at least a bit quiet
  990. >"Hey ma! You still home? I'm back."
  991. >He wanders into the kitchen.
  992. >You stand in the doorway and remove your jacket
  993. >Scootaloo is standing beside you, looking around.
  994. >The doorway leads to a small living room sparcely decorated.
  995. >You hear some talking in the kitchen a room over.
  996. >"Oh honey! What happened? You look like you've been thrown down a flight of stairs!" declares a feminine voice
  997. >"No no. It's nothin'. Just got in a bit of a scrap is all." Spark responds
  998. >"Did you bring guests? I'm not exactly ready to entertain anypony right now. I have work in an hour!"
  999. >"Well these guests insisted, my hooves are tied."
  1000. >"W-what do you mean insisted?" the feminine voice asks nervously
  1001. >You walk through the doorway to the kitchen
  1002. >Inside you see Spark sitting on a chair while a small tan mare has her back to you.
  1003. >She's dabbing Spark's wounds with rubbing alcohol
  1004. >"Well, uh, why don't you ask them yourselves."
  1005. >She turns around to face you. Her mane is dirty blond, and it's tied in a bun.
  1006. >Her eyes grow wide and her mouth goes slack at the sight of you.
  1007. >"These are my new friends, Anon of the Royal family and Scootaloo of the Wonderbolt cadets."
  1008. >Spark's mother doesn't respond, but rather runs into another room.
  1009. >"Uh, don't mind her. She's just never met a royal before."
  1010. >He looks at Scoot
  1011. >"Nor a Wonderbolt now that I think about it."
  1012. >You hear rustling and mumbled talking from the other room
  1013. >You really hope she'll come back, you didn't mean to scare her off.
  1014. >Suddenly there is another commotion, and she returns with a dark yellow stallion
  1015. >He has a mustache and greying black hair.
  1016. >His face is rinkled a bit, and he looks aged beyond his years
  1017. >When he sees you, he looks at you with the same surprise the mare did.
  1018. >"Y-you're really the hooman son of Princess Twilight"
  1019. >For reasons you don't know, you speak very cleanly and articulate well.
  1020. "I am. My name is Anon. It is a pleasure to meet who I can only assume are the parents of Spark?"
  1021. >Without a word the father drops his head to the ground
  1022. >"The pleasure is all mine, sire. ALL mine! You are welcome here whenever you need!"
  1023. >His wife also bows.
  1024. >You've been bowed to numerous times before, but this time was different
  1025. >You feel disgusted by it
  1026. >Not because of them, but because of you.
  1027. >These ponies do so much more for the ones they care about, and yet they bow to you.
  1028. >What makes you so worth bowing to?
  1029. "Please lift your heads. I assure you I will take no offense. You humble me."
  1030. >They lift their heads again
  1031. >"My name is Overcast, and this is my wife April Showers. You've met my son Spark, and my daughter Misty is upstairs. We are at your service."
  1032. "No no. Tonight you are not in my service. I come as a friend. Please."
  1033. >They seem confused
  1034. >You're kind of confused yourself.
  1035. "A-and this is my close friend Scootaloo, the Wonderbolt."
  1036. >Overcast smiles wide
  1037. >"So you're a Wonderbolt?"
  1038. >Scootaloo blushes,
  1039. >"I'm just a cadet for now. But hopefully I will be in a year or two."
  1040. "May we visit your little sister Spark? I am eager to meet her."
  1041. >Spark gets out of his chair.
  1042. >"I-I dunno. She should be sleeping now."
  1043. >April Showers laughs
  1044. >"Oh Sparkly, you know she doesn't sleep while you're gone. She refused to close her eyes until you told her all about your wonderful adventure."
  1045. >You chuckle a little bit
  1046. >'Sparkly' not that original but still adorable.
  1047. >Though you shouldn't be laughing, technically your last name is 'Sparkle' so...
  1048. >Spark sighs
  1049. >"Of course she's waiting for me. That's Misty for ya."
  1050. >Spark leads you and Scoots up the stairs to a little bedroom
  1051. >From the slightly open door, you can hear a small voice singing a lullaby.
  1052. >"Don't you cry, little fellow"
  1053. >"Don't you even weep"
  1054. >"For we can find, pretty meadows"
  1055. >"In the places, we find in sleep."
  1056. >"We always love, one another."
  1057. >"Even with our closed eyes"
  1058. >And even when, we lose eachother"
  1059. >"That love can never die"
  1060. >"No matter how far we may be"
  1061. >"From hugging eachother"
  1062. >"I'll remember my family
  1063. >"Mommy, Daddy, and Brother."
  1064. >Her beautiful voice nearly paralyzing
  1065. >You've attended many operas
  1066. >You've had private performances done by some of Equestria's greatest voices
  1067. >But they have never sent shivers like these down your spine
  1068. >The sound, the song, it was all so genuine
  1069. >Spark motions for you to stay outside of the room
  1070. >He walks into the room
  1071. >The little voice squeaks with delight
  1072. >"Sparksy you're home! Didja get into that Wonderbolt party even though you lost your invitation?!"
  1073. >Heh, lost an invitation eh Spark? Well I guess he wasn't lying in the end, after all you did invite him.
  1074. >"Hehe, yeah I did dew drop. And it was really cool, I got to meet some really cool ponies."
  1075. >She sounds excited.
  1076. >"Didja see Spitfire? Ooh Ooh, or how about Soarin?"
  1077. >Spark chuckles
  1078. >"Yeah, yeah. I told them how much you love them. They told me to tell you to keep eating right and exercising those wings."
  1079. >"Really? I don't believe you..."
  1080. >Scootaloo dashes into the room without warning.
  1081. >She saw the opportunity and she took it.
  1082. >"So you don't believe a Wonderbolt would say that stuff?"
  1083. >You peek in through the door
  1084. >Spark doesn't seem thrilled that Scootaloo came in without a proper introduction, but Misty's eyes open with excitement.
  1085. >Misty is a little yellow filly with a dusty brown mane
  1086. >She has little brown freckles sprinkling her cheeks, and her mane is like her brother's: Spikey, but a little frizzed.
  1087. >Her eyes are a glaring blue, and she is absolutely adorable
  1088. >She speaks out of excitement
  1089. >"Are you a Wonderbolt?!"
  1090. >Spark starts to answer
  1091. >"Well, she's a cad-"
  1092. >Scootaloo interrupts him
  1093. >"Yes I am! The newest Wonderbolt, and fastest yet: Scootaloo!"
  1094. >She speaks with intense passion, and sounds incredibly strong.
  1095. >"And I hear you want to be a Wonderbolt too!"
  1096. >Scoots sits down on the bed
  1097. >Misty gets excited
  1098. >"More than anything in the world!"
  1099. >Scoots chuckles
  1100. >'You're going to fly as fast as Rainbow Dash one day?"
  1101. >Misty's expression changes quickly
  1102. >She looks depressed, almost ashamed
  1103. >"M-maybe. My wings don't work too good."
  1104. >Scootaloo tilts her head and smiles
  1105. >"That's okay, mine didn't when I was your age."
  1106. >Misty looks shocked
  1107. >"R-Really?"
  1108. >Scootaloo chuckles and pulls Misty in for a small hug.
  1109. >"I couldn't fly until I was much older, but I worked real hard, and ate right, and exercised every day."
  1110. >Misty is smiling, her eyes wander and spot you in the door
  1111. >"Who is that?"
  1112. >Guess it's your time to shine.
  1113. >You walk into the room and stand up straight, she is in awe at your height.
  1114. "I am Anon, the son of Princess Twilight."
  1115. >Misty's eyes widen again
  1116. >"You're Princess Twilight's baby? But you're not a pony!"
  1117. >You laugh.
  1118. >She's as blunt as she is honest.
  1119. "You're right, I'm not a pony. But Twilight is my mom, and she did raise my brother Spike and I."
  1120. >Her jaw goes slack
  1121. >"Woooooooow!" she says with genuine amazment. "Do you live in a castle?"
  1122. "haha, yes I do. I live in the one in Ponyville"
  1123. >Misty looks to her brother in disbelief, then back to you.
  1124. >"Can I visit it when I go to..."
  1125. >She trails off
  1126. >You know what she was going to say.
  1127. "Tell you what, once you're a Wonderbolt do you promise to visit me?"
  1128. >She snaps out of her trance and seems happy again
  1129. >"Yeah! I'll come visit you! I'll visit everyday, and fly around your castle, and say hi to Princess Twilight, and play in the gardens, and, and, and fly around the castle!"
  1130. "Okay, you have to promise me!"
  1131. >"I promise! When I become a Wonderbolt I'll visit!"
  1132. >Scootaloo removes her jacket and puts it around Misty
  1133. >"Then you're gonna need a jacket for cold nights."
  1134. >Scoots takes off her goggles as well
  1135. >"And a pair of goggles so you can see while going at amazing speeds!"
  1136. >Misty start freaking out
  1137. >"Really? I can keep them?"
  1138. >Scootaloo nods
  1139. >"OH WOW! Look Sparksy! A Wonderbolt gave me a pair of real Wonderbolt goggles! Isn't that amazing?!"
  1140. >Spark is stuttering a bit
  1141. >"Y-yeah! That's great Sis! Y-you'll wear them right?"
  1142. >"Everyday! And I'm gonna exercise, and eat right, and try to fly everyday until I'm a Wonderbolt, just like Scootaloo!"
  1143. >Scoots picks her up and starts gliding her around the room making plane noises
  1144. >"And you're never gonna give up, are you?"
  1145. >Misty shakes her head violently
  1146. >"NEVER EVER NEVER!"
  1147. >Scootaloo brings her in for a tight hug and Misty returns it
  1148. >"Thanks for all this great stuff Scootaloo! I'll never forget you."
  1149. >You see a tear fall from Scoots eye
  1150. >You feel your eyes tearing up a bit too.
  1151. >When Scoots releases the hug, she runs up to you
  1152. >You crouch down to the bed, and she hops onto your chest
  1153. >You cradle her in your arms
  1154. >"When I come to your castle, can I meet your mommy?"
  1155. >You chuckle
  1156. "Of course, and we can play hide and seek in the halls."
  1157. >She hugs you around the neck
  1158. >"I can't wait! I'll get real good at flying, you'll see!"
  1159. >You hold her tight
  1160. >This little filly made you realize some things.
  1161. >Her life hasn't been easy, but she maintains this incredible outlook on life.
  1162. >You could have anything in the world, and it wouldn't matter to you because you'd just recieve it
  1163. >But that coat and those goggles mean more to her than any other material in the world
  1164. >It's not the value of the equipment that matters, it's the significance to the pony who owns it.
  1165. >You close your eyes and silently thank this little filly
  1166. >Maybe you've been seeing everything in the wrong light.
  1167. >As you put her down Spark starts to speak
  1168. >"Alright my little dew drop, you're up way too late as it is. Say goodbye to Anon and Scootaloo"
  1169. >You and Scootaloo stand by the door waiting for your goodbye
  1170. >Misty prepares herself
  1171. >"GOODBYE ANON AND SCOOTALOO! I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN LATER! I PROMISED!"
  1172. >Ouch
  1173. >One more tug at the heartstrings for good measure eh?
  1174. >You and Scootaloo go out to wait in the hall
  1175. >Neither of you exchange a word, you listen carefully to the inside of the room
  1176. >You hear that cute little voice again as she's tucked in
  1177. >"I'm really gonna become a Wonderbolt one day Sparksy! I just have to work extra hard! If Scootaloo did it, I can too!"
  1178. >Spark laughs
  1179. >"That's right, but you need to go to sleep now. Okay?"
  1180. >"Okayy" she says with a yawn
  1181. >Spark walks to the door
  1182. >"Goodnight ya little dew drop" he says softly
  1183. >"Goodnight you fluffy cloud. I love you." She responds
  1184. >"I love you too."
  1185. >He turns off the lights and closes the door behind him
  1186. 'Well I think that went over well."
  1187. >He hasn't moved since he closed the door. His hoof still rests on the handle.
  1188. >"H-hey, Spark, is everything alright?"
  1189. >He starts to shudder a bit, and you see tears dripping on the floor
  1190. >He turns to face you two
  1191. >"I-I haven't s-seen her f-f-face light up like that in a l-long time."
  1192. >He falls to the ground bawling
  1193. >He puts his hooves over his eyes
  1194. >"Y-you two, you di-didn't owe me anyth-thing. Wh-Why would you, how could you... b-b- why?"
  1195. >You crouch down and put your hand out to help him up.
  1196. "Because you're our friend Spark."
  1197. >He opens his eyes, now red with tears
  1198. >He looks up at you
  1199. "Besides, you took me on a great adventure tonight. I had fun, and your family is wonderful."
  1200. >He takes your hand and you help him to his hooves
  1201. >He sniffs, then regains some of his composure
  1202. >"I'll never be able to repay you two. But I would appreciate if we could have some fun this week, while you're here Anon."
  1203. >He gives a very grateful smile
  1204. >Scootaloo speaks up
  1205. >"I have to be at the academy most of the day, but during the nights I can sneak off."
  1206. >You're all heading down the stairs now.
  1207. >"I have to work all week anyway, so nights are my only option as well." Spark says with a weak voice
  1208. "And I should be available anytime really."
  1209. >Of course
  1210. >You're basically on vacation.
  1211. >You and Scootaloo approach the door, and you put on your jacket.
  1212. "We'll leave it like this for tonight. We'll see you tomorrow?"
  1213. >Spark nods
  1214. >"Definitely. Thank you two for everything."
  1215. >Scootaloo leaves first, and before the door closes behind you, you pop your head in.
  1216. "One last thing."
  1217. >Spark turns his head a little
  1218. "Her medical bills, her schooling, all of those expenses; Consider them paid in full, courtesy of the royal family. Consider it an investment for a future Wonderbolt."
  1219. >You pull your head outside and let the door slam behind you.
  1220. >You didn't even see Spark's face
  1221. >You've always wanted to do that; Give somepony something truly special, then leave without another word.
  1222. >Of course, now you need to explain this to your mother, but who cares?
  1223. >You've always wanted to do that. And you did it.
  1224. >You smirk as you walk away from your new friend's house.
  1225. >The air feels cool, the stars are bright, and life feels great.
  1226. >You and Scootaloo walk through the empty street together.
  1227. >You two don't have much to say just yet.
  1228. >What just happened was absolutely crazy, and both of you gave something of yourselves tonight.
  1229. >You look over at her
  1230. >All she has on now is her Wonderbolts uniform
  1231. >In clings to her body, and you see her curves very well.
  1232. >You can tell if a mare is attractive or not, after all youwere born and raised by ponies, not humans.
  1233. >Come to think of it, you don't even know what a girl human LOOKs like.
  1234. >But mares you know well, and Scoots has really grown.
  1235. >As you observe her, you notice she is shivering a bit
  1236. >You remove your jacket and drape it over her.
  1237. "Must be cold without one of those on."
  1238. >She chuckles
  1239. >"Yeah, a little. This suit may protect me from high force winds, but it doesn't do much on the ground."
  1240. >Without a jacket on, it does feel pretty chilly.
  1241. >But you're a stallion! Erm, human? Man? Yeah, that's it. You're a man! You can take it.
  1242. >After about five more minutes of walking you're already feeling numb
  1243. >You're a bitch of a man.
  1244. >The two of you walk to a lookout railing and lean against it, looking out into the night.
  1245. >"We did some pretty cool stuff today."
  1246. >You nod
  1247. "Yeah, we did."
  1248. >Suddenly you realize something.
  1249. "Hey, weren't those things, the goggles and coat, Wonderbolt issued? Won't you get in trouble?"
  1250. >"Haha, yeah. They were. It's alright, though I might have to pay a couple of bits for the goggles. Jackets get lost all the time, but goggles are a bit more expensive."
  1251. "Haha, yeah I suppose so."
  1252. >You remember something
  1253. >You reach into your bag and pull out your old goggles.
  1254. >The golden rims say 'Wonderbolts', and 'Rainbow Dash' pressed into the leather strap.
  1255. "Here, you can have my goggles."
  1256. >Scootaloo looks at the goggles before her eyes nearly jump out of her head.
  1257. >"These are Rainbow Dash's goggles!"
  1258. "Well, yeah. She gifted them to me."
  1259. >"No no, you don't understand. These are her cadet goggles! She wore these while training to become a Wonderbolt! They're one of a kind."
  1260. >This is all news to you.
  1261. >You just figured they were regular old goggles
  1262. >But the more you look at them, the more you realize just how beat up they are
  1263. >These things are quite well used, they have way more use than you've given them over the years.
  1264. "Well, then you have them."
  1265. >Scoot's feathers puff out with shock
  1266. >"N-no way! There's no way I'm taking something that valuble off your hooves. Erm hands."
  1267. >You look at the goggles again. They've been through a lot with you. But you probably don't value them as much as Scoots would.
  1268. "No, I insist. Take them,"
  1269. >"Nonny please, I don't want-"
  1270. "I insist." you say assertively
  1271. >She backs down and finally accepts them
  1272. >"Fine. But if you ever want them back, y-you just tell me, alright?"
  1273. "I don't need them back. I wasn't using them anymore. But if you use them while you're flying, it's almost like I can see what you see."
  1274. >Okay, where is this coming from? You were never really philisophical
  1275. "So in a way, your eyes can be my eyes too. It's so much better this way."
  1276. >She looks at you with an odd expression, one you've never really seen before.
  1277. >You smile back
  1278. "Go ahead, try them on!"
  1279. >She slowly turns forward, then pulls the leather back over her head and ears.
  1280. >A perfect fit
  1281. >It hugs her face like they were made for her.
  1282. "You look absolutely stunning, if I do say so my self."
  1283. >She smiles and puts her wing around you. She drags you close to her.
  1284. >She kisses you on the cheek
  1285. >"Thanks Nonny, you goofball."
  1286. "N-no problem"
  1287. >She chuckles
  1288. >You must be blushing.
  1289. >She pulls you in with her wings again
  1290. >She pulls your head against hers
  1291. >You smile back and look out to watch the sunrise.
  1292. >Wait.
  1293. >Sunrise?
  1294. >Ah shit
  1295. >You stand up suddenly
  1296. "Ah buck, buck buck. I gotta go."
  1297. >Scootaloo starts to hover
  1298. >"Yeah I gotta go soon myself. What's the rush?"
  1299. "Rainbow Dash said I had to be back before morning, and as you can see..."
  1300. >You point to the rising sun [spoiler] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwSKkKrUzUk [/spoiler]
  1301. "It is getting pretty close to morning."
  1302. >You're freaking out a little bit
  1303. >You've gotta get back to Rainbow's house ASAP
  1304. >She's probably already mad at you for ditching the party, you can't get home late too!
  1305. "Ehhh, which way does Rainbow live?"
  1306. >Scoots points up the hill, where the nicer building are
  1307. >Right, you remember now
  1308. >"She lives right up there, Cloudsdale Heights"
  1309. "Thank you, I gotta jet."
  1310. >You turn around to get sprinting
  1311. >"One more thing Nonny"
  1312. >You turn around
  1313. >As you turn around she kisses you again on the forehead.
  1314. >You stand there blushing for a second.
  1315. >She giggles
  1316. >"Alright, you're free to go."
  1317. >You run at the speed of light
  1318. >You sprint hard up the hill and find yourself running out of breath pretty damn fast.
  1319. >Why in the name of Celestia did you never get more fit?
  1320. >You don't stop running, and continue to head up the hill and through town.
  1321. >You spot Rainbow Dash's house at the end of the road.
  1322. >Alright, you're in the home stretch.
  1323. >Suddenly, you see Rainbow Dash coming down the road towards the front of the house
  1324. >Gotta avoid that
  1325. >You run to the left of the house in Rainbow's blind spot
  1326. >You find your window and hop in.
  1327. >Thank Celestia you've got long legs, otherwise you wouldn't have reached.
  1328. >You fall on your face in your room then get up and throw your stuff onto the dark clouds.
  1329. >Your shirt, shoes and pants are off in an instance, and you quickly throw on your PJs
  1330. >Rainbow finally opens the door downstairs
  1331. >Better to meet her head on than have her come looking for you.
  1332. >You open your door and go into the hall.
  1333. >Rainbow Dash is waiting
  1334. >Feck
  1335. >Rainbow raises an eyebrow and points her hoof
  1336. >"YOU"
  1337. >ohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit
  1338. >She starts walking towards you
  1339. >What do you do? Should you run? No, that's just foolish. However at this point, you might even fake a heart attack if it means getting out of being destroyed
  1340. >She's closing in
  1341. >It's too late
  1342. >"YOU!"
  1343. >FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA JUST GET IT OVER WITH
  1344. >"YOU... are one lucky human."
  1345. >She hugs you
  1346. >What
  1347. >The
  1348. >Buck
  1349. >Your bafflement goes beyond this mortal plain
  1350. >It goes on for generations to come
  1351. >Your grandchildren's children will be baffled by the actions that just took place
  1352. "Y-you're not mad at me?"
  1353. >"Oh no, I was livid when you left me to explain how Soarin did not actually ask me out to all of my squad mates, and they didn't believe a word I said."
  1354. >You gulp
  1355. >She must not be hugging you
  1356. >She must be preparing for a suplex
  1357. >"However"
  1358. >A glimmer of hope
  1359. >"When Soarin found out about it, he confessed that he was planning on doing it later that night."
  1360. >HOLY SHIT
  1361. >"And the reason he was outside for so long was because he was trying to muster his courage. It just so happens your little fib is what pushed him over the edge."
  1362. >HOLY SHIT
  1363. >"I've been waiting weeks for him to finally ask me out, and thanks to you he did it. So, I'll forgive you for ditching the dinner."
  1364. >Soarin just saved your ass again.
  1365. >When you get back to the castle, you're knighting him or something.
  1366. >She releases the hug and gets a good look at you.
  1367. >"So you must have been out fooling around with my cadet Scootaloo huh?"
  1368. >You can feel the blush burn your face
  1369. >Did Soarin rat you out?
  1370. >There goes his knighting
  1371. "Wh-who told you that?"
  1372. >Rainbow Dash motions to your head
  1373. >You run your hand through your hair
  1374. >You pluck an orange feather out from the back of your head.
  1375. >Of course.
  1376. >"Looks like you two got rather well aquainted."
  1377. "We're just friends, that's a-"
  1378. >"Anon, you've got kiss marks on your cheek and forehead"
  1379. >Oh for the love of Celestia
  1380. >0 for 2 today Anon
  1381. "Okay fine, she may have kissed me once or twice, but it was nothing big!"
  1382. >Rainbow Dash chuckles
  1383. >"Hey, you don't have to explain anything to me kiddo. Go out and have your fun. It doesn't matter to me. Just make sure my cadet gets back to camp on time."
  1384. >Rainbow walks away chuckling to herself
  1385. >"Oh Nonny, you silly monkey."
  1386. >You're left standing there
  1387. >You still haven't come to terms with the fact that you got off scott free.
  1388. >You walk into your room then collapse onto the soft ground
  1389. >You're exhausted
  1390. >As you drift to sleep, you think about Spark and Scootaloo
  1391. >This week won't be so bad after all.
  1392. >You are Scootaloo
  1393. >Tonight has been wonderful
  1394. >As you fly back to the Wonderbolt training camp, you hear your new goggles flapping in the wind around your neck
  1395. >The goggles Nonny gave you
  1396. >You knew Nonny from grade school, but it's been so long.
  1397. >He hasn't changed much, but what has changed simply makes him more, dare you say it, attractive?
  1398. >It's kind of odd to think about these feelings of yours
  1399. >After all, Anon is hooman, the very fact you find him attractive is weird enough
  1400. >But there is something deeper than that, something more to him.
  1401. >Of course, any mare will swoon to him. He's royalty after all, and he acts like it too.
  1402. >But in a good way. Over the course of the night he proved to be consitently nice, smart, flattering, and-
  1403. >You're starting to blush.
  1404. >You shake your head
  1405. >It's a little overwhelming right now, after all you've only gotten to catch up with him for a night. You might be jumping to conclusions.
  1406. >You land at the academy
  1407. >You trot your way over to the barracks
  1408. >You open the door and quietly sneak in
  1409. >Looks like everypony is asleep.
  1410. >You make your way to your bed and remove your goggles
  1411. >You put them in your chest
  1412. >Don't want anypony stealing those
  1413. >It is only now that you realize you are still wearing Anon's jacket
  1414. >You throw it on the bed and remove your Wonderbolts uniform
  1415. >Thank Celestia, that thing was comfortable, but it was getting kind of stuffy.
  1416. >You open your trunk and pull out your pajamas Wonderbolts t-shirt
  1417. >You pop it on and hop in bed
  1418. >Tomorrow is a free day, so you can sleep in a bit.
  1419. >You hop in your bunk under the covers.
  1420. >Something hits your hooves
  1421. >You bring it up to your face so you can see it in the dark
  1422. >Anon's jacket
  1423. >Without thinking, you take a big sniff
  1424. >It smells just like him.
  1425. >As you exhale you hear your bunkmate from the top bunk.
  1426. >"Hey, did you have a good night?"
  1427. >You smell the jacket again and pull it close under the covers
  1428. "Better than you know."
  1429. >Maybe you do have more feelings than you're ready to admit.
  1430. >You drift to sleep, surrounded by warm blankets, and Anon's scent.
  1431. >You are Anon
  1432. >You wake up slowly
  1433. >If you can even call it waking up
  1434. >These clouds are ridiculous
  1435. >But you'd like to get started on the day
  1436. >You sit up and stretch a bit
  1437. >Memories from last night spin through your tired brain
  1438. >You smile as you remember how it all ended
  1439. >What time is it?
  1440. >You look at a nearby clock
  1441. >Noon?
  1442. >Scoots won't be dismissed for another 6 hours, and Spark said he was working today.
  1443. >You sigh
  1444. >Gotta kill some time you suppose
  1445. >Back at the castle, you got rather good at burning time.
  1446. >After all, you didn't exactly have that many close friends.
  1447. >Things are more complicated as a royal.
  1448. >You used to play with Bro mostly, especially when he started training.
  1449. >Then you two would have sword fights all the time. He even let you wear his armor a bit.
  1450. >But even to this day he is way taller than you, so you could never win.
  1451. >First things first though, you need a shower.
  1452. >You walk into the bathroom and open the warm water
  1453. >The water here comes straight from a cloud, so it feels fresher in a way
  1454. >You close your eyes in the stream
  1455. >Your mind wanders
  1456. >As you scrub your face you think about the pony who pressed her lips against it
  1457. >You wonder what it means
  1458. >The first kiss may have just been an exaggerated thank you, but then she kissed you again.
  1459. >But let's not get carried away, after all it was only on the cheek and forehead
  1460. >Relationships have never really come your way, after all most ponies are intimidated by the royalty
  1461. >And the rest are kind of scared away by the whole hooman thing
  1462. >You sigh
  1463. >Well, whatever this Scootaloo thing is, you hope it continues.
  1464. >You step out of the shower and dry off.
  1465. >You put on a t-shirt, jacket and cargo shorts.
  1466. >You walk into the kitchen yawning
  1467. >Rainbow Dash is sitting at the table with a mug of coffee, reading the newspaper
  1468. >Well, the comics section
  1469. >She looks up at you
  1470. >"Well well well, you're still alive. I thought I was going to need to get an ambulance"
  1471. "Oh yeah, you're one to talk. You look just as bad as me."
  1472. >"Yeah well you don't have a hangover."
  1473. >She looks you up and down
  1474. >"Right?"
  1475. >You nod
  1476. >"Alright good. Now listen, I gotta be at the academy in 30 minutes. We got to wake up late today, but we still need to take care of business."
  1477. >She heads upstairs to get ready for the day while you prepare breakfast for yourself
  1478. >The only breakfast food she has is the Wonderbolts cereal 'Wonderbombs'
  1479. >You know, the one with her on the box
  1480. >You chuckle as you pour them into a bowl, imagining her smug grin while she does it.
  1481. >You sit down and start eating
  1482. >Mmm, fake fruit flavoring. The best kind.
  1483. >Rainbow Dash flies down the stairs
  1484. >"Alright, I'll be back later tonight. You gonna be here all day?"
  1485. >You shrug
  1486. "I dunno. I might go out tonight"
  1487. >Rainbow Dash lifts her eyebrows
  1488. >"Am I gonna have a cadet missing too?"
  1489. >You blush a little
  1490. >She laughs and closes the door behind her.
  1491. >Rainbow Dash sure likes smashing this Scoots thing over your head.
  1492. >After breakfast you put your bowl in the sink and stand
  1493. >And just like that you have no idea what to do
  1494. >You start walking around
  1495. >If you don't have anything to do, you may as well explore a little bit.
  1496. >You look around the first floor
  1497. >Other than the kitchen, there is a lounge area with a fire place, and an open foyer with loft ceilings, naturally.
  1498. >You explore a bit more of the first floor, and find that it is mostly just normal things: living room, dining room, a kitchen, lounge, etc.
  1499. >Guess it's time to travel to the upper floors
  1500. >You walk up the stairs
  1501. >You know your room is right down the hall, so you start off going opposite of it.
  1502. >On the second floor you find a lot more interesting stuff.
  1503. >She was holding back information, because she failed to mention the game room and bar
  1504. >Normally this is kind of a basement thing, but it might be tricky to have a basement in the clouds.
  1505. >Not only that, but she has a full size gym taking up most of the second floor's space
  1506. >Weights, treadmill, resistance gear, being a Wonderbolt must require crazy strength
  1507. >You think about exercising a little bit
  1508. >You think about it, you don't do it, but you think about it.
  1509. >As you look at one amazing room after another, you sigh a little
  1510. >You find yourself not feeling as impressed as you feel you should
  1511. >Your home is equipped with all these things and more, you were raised with the stuff.
  1512. >Spark would lose his mind if he got to spend a week in what may as well be paradise.
  1513. >Losing this spoiled attitude on life may be harder than you thought.
  1514. >The second floor was packed with some pretty awesome stuff, but the third floor is actually quite basic
  1515. >This floor is much smaller than the rest as it is half outside with a huge balcony.
  1516. >There appears to be a couple of rooms, so you decide to do a little more snooping
  1517. >The first room you enter is obviously Rainbow Dash's bedroom
  1518. >Yeah, you really shouldn't be here.
  1519. >You're about to leave when a picture frame on her dresser catches your eye.
  1520. >You pick it up and get a better look at it
  1521. >It's a picture of your mom, Rainbow Dash and the rest of their friend group.
  1522. >You look at Big Bro
  1523. >He was such a tiny dragon! It's impossible to believe that your 7 foot tall brother could have ever been as short as that.
  1524. >You look at your mom
  1525. >She was really, really young in this picture, like, younger than Scootaloo.
  1526. >Wait, does she not have wings?
  1527. >What the hell?
  1528. >You look around at all the familiar faces
  1529. >There's Pinkie Pie, she doesn't look any different
  1530. >Hey, Rarity has her mane down. You've hardly seen that before.
  1531. >Fluttershy looks similar, though her mane is a bit longer than you're used to seeing.
  1532. >Applejack looks mostly the same, though her hat certainly looks a lot more in one piece.
  1533. >It's kind of surreal to see all these ponies you know so well in their youth
  1534. >Of course you've seen pictures of them together before, but mom always had wings, and Spike was a bit older.
  1535. >You put the picture down and look around the room more.
  1536. >Rainbow Dash's bed is just a big cloud in the middle of the room.
  1537. >Can't blame her, clouds are comfortable.
  1538. >You look over a few more pictures
  1539. >There's a picture of her getting her spot in the Wonderbolts
  1540. >She's standing proud as always, with her new Wonderbolts goggles glistening
  1541. >Around her neck you spot another, more used pair
  1542. >Wonder if those are the same ones she gave you.
  1543. >You place the frame down again and spot a smaller wooden one.
  1544. >It's a picture of Rainbow and Soarin' at a pub together, slamming back cider by the look of it.
  1545. >You chuckle
  1546. >Those two were meant to be together.
  1547. >As you put the frame back down, you brush another making it fall.
  1548. >It lands on the cloudy ground, to your surprise.
  1549. >Guess the cloudy ground of houses can catch things
  1550. >So then Rainbow Dash must have been bullshitting you as a joke
  1551. >That'd explain all the smirks she gave you whenever you scrambled to throw things on that specific cloud.
  1552. >Dammit, she got you.
  1553. >At least you didn't embarass yourself in front of Scoots
  1554. >Then again, she'd probably just laugh it off
  1555. >Your train of thought comes to an end when you look at the frame
  1556. >The picture is of your mom and Rainbow Dash sitting together
  1557. >And there's you sitting between them
  1558. >You're so young, you're holding onto your mother's foreleg as she brushes the hair out of your eyes.
  1559. >It brings a smile to your face, it was simpler times then.
  1560. >Before you went to school, before you realized how different you were.
  1561. >You used to think you were a pony who hadn't grown its fur yet, and you just had to wait.
  1562. >It was crushing to know you were nothing like your mother.
  1563. >But neither was Spike, and he helped you through it all.
  1564. >You were both freaks.
  1565. >A melancholy feeling comes over you.
  1566. >Memories from grade school flash back again.
  1567. >Ponies never really accepted you in your class until much later.
  1568. >But as fillies and colts, they never held back.
  1569. >It alway hurt you to know how much more your family was.
  1570. >Saviors of the world, princesses and warriors, even just ponies who worked for a dream, or live it.
  1571. >You were Nonny, the little human of no significance.
  1572. >The only thing that defines you is your species.
  1573. >You look over the picture again.
  1574. >You realize the edge is folded back in the glass.
  1575. >You pop open the back to fix it, and see something written on the back of the picture.
  1576. >It's Rainbow's mouth-writing
  1577. >'Finally got to meet the little guy! He's small right now, but Twilight says he'll grow to be taller than Celestia! He can't say much right now, but he said 'Blanebrow', so I'll take it for now...'
  1578. >Your eyes wander down to the bottom of the written note
  1579. >'I can't wait to get to know the kid. He's like my nephew.'
  1580. >You turn the picture back around.
  1581. >The only one looking at the camera is you.
  1582. >Both Dash and mom are looking at you
  1583. >They're smiling big proud grins.
  1584. >You smile and put the picture back.
  1585. >That's enough of this room.
  1586. >You check the next room over.
  1587. >You open the door and find a room that completely surprises you.
  1588. >The walls are littered with bookshelves, and a fine desk with chair sits by the window.
  1589. >Is this a study?
  1590. >This is definitely a study.
  1591. >Funny, you never had Rainbow pegged as the literary type.
  1592. >You walk in and begin looking at the shelves
  1593. >There are books of every type; Wonderbolts autobiographies, Histories of different places and things, Daring Doo novels, even dictionaries of foriegn languages.
  1594. >You run your fingers across the spines of all the books
  1595. >You make your way to her desk.
  1596. >Papers are spread hap hazardly across the table
  1597. >You look at some of them curiously
  1598. >'...but being a Wonderbolt isn't all fun and games, you need to be in peak physical condition. You need to know exactly what you are doing...'
  1599. >It looks like a rough draft of an autobiography.
  1600. >Rainbow Dash would be excited to have a whole book filled with her life.
  1601. >Well may as well take a read.
  1602. >You sit down on the leather chair
  1603. >It's incredibly soft, and it feels great to sit on.
  1604. >You look through the papers
  1605. >'What it takes to be a Wonderbolt' 'How I acchieved my dream to be a Wonderbolt' 'The intense training you must go through'
  1606. >All these papers are really rough, seems like she is having a hard time with the Wonderbolt bit
  1607. >You grab another paper
  1608. >To your surprise, this one isn't wrinkled at all. In fact, it seems almost preserved.
  1609. >You read the title
  1610. >'Friends and Family'
  1611. >The paper is printed on, and it is clean as hell.
  1612. >It starts off strong
  1613. >'Friends aren't like family, they just are. Of course I have my friends in the Wonderbolts, but they were my heroes before they became my friends.'
  1614. >You continue reading
  1615. >'True friends start off as just that, friends. But as time goes on, they become your heroes. They become the ponies you look up to, and rely on, and trust will always throw you a birthday party.'
  1616. >'We're all big parts of eachother's lives, and even with Rarity and Spike being together, and Twilight's Princessness, we still find time for eachother.'
  1617. >You skim through a bit before suddenly spotting your name.
  1618. >You start at the beginning of the paragraph
  1619. >'So friends are our heroes, and our family. Which means any family they may have is part of your family.'
  1620. >'Twilight is the first one to have a child, kind of. Like Spike she adopted another helpless baby. Now I am not allowed to disclose from where or how, but Twilight's child is a human. It's kind of like a monkey, but it has no fur and is way bigger.'
  1621. >You've just been demoted to monkey. That hurts.
  1622. >'But it's totally different! When I first met him, he was babbling like any newborn filly would. Flash forward to when he's 6 years old, and he's telling me all about how he loves the Wonderbolts.'
  1623. >'He was totally into it, he reminded me of Scootaloo who I mentioned before.'
  1624. >'But this time around, he wasn't just some fan wanting to be my sister, he was part of my family before all that. He knew me as a baby, and he saw me like some kind of aunt.'
  1625. >you smirk a bit
  1626. >'I can't get enough of the kid. He's always asking me questions about the Wonderbolts and me, I sent him my pair of cadet goggles for his birthday. Word is he hasn't taken them off since.'
  1627. >'Even though he's a human, he ain't much different from anypony else.'
  1628. >You stop reading there.
  1629. >Best not to spoil it much more.
  1630. >You close the book.
  1631. >Were you really that close with Rainbow Dash before? What happened?
  1632. >You make a mental note to rekindle that flame.
  1633. >She has some fresh notes
  1634. >'To Write: Anon coming to visit. Anon crashing party.'
  1635. >Then circled with wet red ink
  1636. >'Scootaloo + Anon? Always thought they would have chemistry'
  1637. >You blush and quickly out of the room.
  1638. >You've seen a little more than you were supposed to.
  1639. >At least now you know why Rainbow Dash keeps bringing it up.
  1640. >You sit down on the stairs, thinking about what Rainbow Dash kept so close.
  1641. >But one line bothers you amongst all this good.
  1642. >' Now I am not allowed to disclose from where or how, but Twilight's child is a human.'
  1643. >Obviously you never thought you came from your mother's womb, but you always tried to avoid thinking about it too much.
  1644. >You think of some human mother, what ever she may look like, crying for her baby. Looking for her son. For her little Nonny.
  1645. >And the father, who lost his boy many a year ago. Is he still searching? Does he ever think of you? Does he ever wonder how things could be?
  1646. >You stop yourself there.
  1647. >You wipe a tear away from your eye
  1648. >You shouldn't think about such things right now.
  1649. >This isn't the time, nor the place.
  1650. >You stand up and look at the clock
  1651. >5:30
  1652. >Really? That late already?
  1653. >May as well get walking. Cloudsdale is a pretty big place.
  1654. >You grab your bag and walk out the front entrance.
  1655. >The sun has only started its descent, and the air feels warm against your skin.
  1656. >You start walking through town. It's quiet today, with the shops all closing for the night soon, and no Wonderbolts parties scheduled.
  1657. >You pass the nice houses and head towards the industrial district.
  1658. >You see the weather factory puffing white clouds out.
  1659. >That won't stop for a couple more hours.
  1660. >You see Spark's house at the end of the street and start walking towards it.
  1661. >Suddenly, Spark pops out of a nearby bush.
  1662. >"There you are!"
  1663. >You jump at the ninja assault
  1664. "Oh Celestia, you startled me!
  1665. >"Yeah, sorry about that. I just didn't want you gettin' too close to the house is all."
  1666. >You're confused.
  1667. "Wh-what do you mean? Did I offend your family or-"
  1668. >He laughs hysterically, interrupting you.
  1669. >"OFFENDED MY FAMILY? Are you nuts? If you step foot in that house, you'll never get out. My parents will devote their damn lives to you and Scootaloo. Hell, I was considering it myself."
  1670. >You chuckle with relief.
  1671. "Yeah, let's not have that."
  1672. >You look at his front yard.
  1673. >You see Misty jumping around in the cloudy field. She's wearing Scootaloo's jacket and goggles, making zapping noises with her mouth.
  1674. >You think back to Rainbow's book.
  1675. >Yeah, you've been there before.
  1676. >Cloud 9
  1677. >You and Spark start walking back to Cloudsdale Heights
  1678. >"So where is Scootaloo?"
  1679. >You scratch your head.
  1680. >"I don't think she gets out for a little while longer."
  1681. >"Oh, well where are we meeting her?"
  1682. >Hmm
  1683. >Hadn't thought of that.
  1684. "Well uh, let's just go to Rainbow Dash's house. That's probably where she'll expect to find us."
  1685. >Spark's voice nearly cracks with excitement.
  1686. >"Wait, I get to go into Rainbow Dash's house?"
  1687. "Well yeah. You'll see her there too."
  1688. >Spark shakes his head and chuckles
  1689. >"Two days ago all i was focused on was getting into that party. Now I'm getting invited to go into Rainbow Dash's buckin' house to meet her."
  1690. >he shakes his head again
  1691. >"What the buck?! I mean seriously, how did this come to be?"
  1692. >You laugh and smile
  1693. >Spark's pretty humorous when he rants like this.
  1694. >The two of you finally get to Rainbow's house.
  1695. >Spark is admiring the large building, his jaw hanging in awe.
  1696. >The two of you enter the house, you hear Rainbow's voice from the kitchen
  1697. >You walk over
  1698. "He, who're you talking-"
  1699. >You look inside to see Scootaloo chatting with Rainbow Dash
  1700. >This is the first time you've seen her without her Wonderbolts uniform on since grade school.
  1701. >Her mane remains short, with a little curling at the front. It really suits her.
  1702. >She has a little earing stud in her right ear, but other than those things she's just an older and more elegant looking Scootaloo.
  1703. >She turns to you.
  1704. >"Oh hello Anon! So I was right when I thought you were staying with Rainbow Dash"
  1705. >She winks
  1706. >Oh Celestia
  1707. >Rainbow is pulling a fast one Scoots
  1708. >She doesn't know.
  1709. >"It's been awhile! I thought I saw you at the party, but I never got to catch up with you."
  1710. >Rainbow smirks as she lifts a mug of coco to her face
  1711. >"Oh, I'm sure you and Anon will catch up quickly"
  1712. >Scootaloo nods
  1713. >You slap yourself in the face.
  1714. >"Oh I agree" responds Scootaloo "In fact I'm sure we'll get along just like we did back-"
  1715. "Scoots she knows about the kiss."
  1716. >Scootaloo's face goes from orange to red in a heartbeat.
  1717. >Rainbow Dash can barely contain herself.
  1718. >She really had Scoots fooled.
  1719. >The silence is interrupted by Spark
  1720. >"Wait, YOU GUYS KISSED?"
  1721. >That was only the most awkward exchange you have ever had.
  1722. >So now you're all sitting at the table, Scootaloo next to you and Spark next to Rainbow Dash
  1723. >All the introductions have been made, and Spark hasn't stopped grinning since you all sat down.
  1724. >You assume it's because he is sitting next to Rainbow Dash, but you feel like the Scootaloo thing has something to do with it too.
  1725. >The table remains silent
  1726. >Finally Scoots speaks up
  1727. >"I-I'm sorry for being out so late that night Rainbow Dash. I should have been back at the-"
  1728. >Rainbow lifts a hoof to stop her while taking a sip of coffee
  1729. >"Save it, I broke plenty of rules at the academy. Just be happy you're mine and Soarin's cadet."
  1730. >Scoots nods gratefully and lets out a sigh
  1731. >"So..." Rainbow Dash begins with a smirk, "How'd all this come about?"
  1732. >You and Scoots blush
  1733. >Spark is overjoyed and chuckling
  1734. >He must enjoy the gossip
  1735. >Rainbow continues
  1736. >"You two certainly have gotten more intimate in one day than you ever were as kids, are you two getting a little closer than friends?"
  1737. >She makes a huge grin
  1738. >Scootaloo has one hoof up to cover her eyes and she is stirring her coffee with the other one
  1739. >You think on your toes
  1740. "I dunno, how intimate have you and Soarin been since he asked you out?"
  1741. >Now it's Rainbow's time to blush
  1742. >Spark turns to look at her with his mouth wide open
  1743. >Scootaloo seems less embarassed now
  1744. >"Did he really ask you out?"
  1745. >Rainbow tries to play it off
  1746. >"Well we came to an understanding at the party-"
  1747. >Scoots intrerrupts her
  1748. >"I knew you were flicking your tail in his face on purpose in training today!"
  1749. >Spark blasts coffee out his nose before laughing outloud
  1750. >You let out a chuckle too
  1751. >Rainbow's face is definitely red now.
  1752. >"I-I don't know what you're talking about!"
  1753. >She tries to change the subject
  1754. >"Hey aren't you all supposed to be doing something tonight?"
  1755. >You shrug
  1756. >You guys never really decided what to do
  1757. >Spark pipes up
  1758. >"Oh yeah, we've got a big night ahead of us."
  1759. >You and Scoots look at him with a confused glance
  1760. >"Yeah, a big night. In fact we best get moving."
  1761. >Spark gets out of his chair
  1762. >"Thanks for hosting me Ms. Dash. It was a real honor meeting you. You have a wonderful cadet too."
  1763. >Rainbow Dash, you, and Scoots all look at him with disbelief
  1764. >Didn't expect that phrase to come out of that mouth.
  1765. >Rainbow Dash smiles
  1766. >"No problem, feel free to stop by anytime."
  1767. >Spark smiles too.
  1768. >You and Scoots get out of your chairs to follow him.
  1769. >As you are about to exit the kitchen you think about what Spark said.
  1770. >You turn around and see Rainbow start to bring the dishes to the sink.
  1771. >You walk over and stack the dishes to be put in the sink and bring them over.
  1772. >Rainbow Dash seems surprised to see you doing this.
  1773. >"H-Hey thanks kiddo."
  1774. >You smile
  1775. "Thanks for the coffee."
  1776. >She smiles back
  1777. >"No problem."
  1778. >Scootaloo pop her head back into the kitchen as you're about to walk out.
  1779. >"NONNY- oh. Sorry. Are you coming or what?"
  1780. "Yeah, I'm coming."
  1781. >"Alright, let's go then! Spark is waiting outside!"
  1782. >She turns around quickly
  1783. >You get a faceful of her tail
  1784. >She looks back at your with a grin
  1785. >Was that on purpose?
  1786. >You look at Rainbow Dash
  1787. >Her smirk creeps up the sides of her face and she lifts her eyebrows at you.
  1788. >You blush and follow Scoots out the front
  1789. >Outside Spark is waiting
  1790. >"Alright you two. I owe you guys big time, and tonight I'ma start payin' ya back."
  1791. >You look at Scoots then back to Spark
  1792. "We told you Spark, you don't owe us anything."
  1793. >"Then it's not for you, it'll be for me."
  1794. >You roll your eyes
  1795. >Whatever it is, he won't take no for an answer.
  1796. >Spark leads you and Scoots down towards his part of town
  1797. >You pass the many quaint houses and head towards the cloud factory
  1798. >"Now you can't tell anypony about this okay? This is our little secret, got it?" says Spark
  1799. >That makes you a little nervous
  1800. "Uh, sure. No problem Spark. Where exactly are we-"
  1801. >"It'll be revealed soon enough, Anon. Just keep following."
  1802. >You approach a chainlink fence with a gate out front of the factory.
  1803. >Spark opens it with a key, then leads you towards the factory's back area
  1804. >You and Scootaloo follow him closely
  1805. >Something tells you that you're not supposed to be there.
  1806. >After all, the factory is closed
  1807. >But Spark works here, so may it's alright.
  1808. >He heads towards a large hanger in the back behind the factory.
  1809. >He goes up to the lock and pops it open.
  1810. >"Alright, I know it's not much, but for everything you've done for my family, we made you a couple things."
  1811. >Made you something? Good, at least he didn't try to buy you anything. You really don't want his money.
  1812. >He reaches into his bag and brings out a piece of paper
  1813. >"For you, Scootaloo, Misty drew you a picture. She'd kill me if it didn't get to you."
  1814. >You look over Scoot's shoulder to see the picture
  1815. >There's a little blue and yellow circle with lines as legs flying with another, but bigger one.
  1816. >In chicken scratch, you read "SCoOtallu" over one and "M3" over the other.
  1817. >You smile just like Scootaloo is doing.
  1818. >Your eyes reach the bottom left corner
  1819. >There's a little castle with a stick figure standing next to it and a little yellow circle creature
  1820. >The titles above your heads read "aMNon" and then "Bro!"
  1821. >You read every word in her little voice.
  1822. >Goddamn that is touching
  1823. >"I love it. I love it so much!"
  1824. >She smiles
  1825. >How could you not love it?
  1826. >Spark goes back into his back and pulls out a bit of red string
  1827. >He drops it in your hands
  1828. >"Misty and I used to make these necklace things all the time to make a little money on the side."
  1829. >You look at it a little closer
  1830. >It's a simple necklace with a simple knot pattern going all the way around it.
  1831. >This must have taken ages to make without fingers
  1832. >"What do you think? I know it isn't exactly fine jewelry but..."
  1833. >It may be simple
  1834. >And it may not be very elegant
  1835. >But for some reason, you really love this thing
  1836. >This new appreciation for such a simple thing is new
  1837. >You decide to embrace the feeling
  1838. "It's awesome! I really love it. Thanks Spark."
  1839. >You put the necklace on over your head
  1840. >It's tight to put on, but extremely comfortable around the neck
  1841. >You hardly notice it's there.
  1842. >"Alright, it's time for the icing on the cake."
  1843. >He opens the doors to the hangar and motions for us to go inside
  1844. >You walk in and are greeted by a large pit
  1845. >You look inside and find it is filled with puffy white clouds, almost like a pool.
  1846. >"Here it is, the reject cloud storage. I usually use this place to help Misty learn to fly, but you guys can enjoy it all you want."
  1847. >The clouds look puffy and welcoming, and you can feel yourself leaning in.
  1848. >You feel some rustling in your bag, like somepony is going through it.
  1849. >Scootaloo soars in at lightnight speed.
  1850. >She bounces off one clouds and rebounds off another before landing in a softer one.
  1851. >"Yeah, these clouds were rejected for either being too soft, and thus not able to hold rain, or too rigid, which made them resist wind."
  1852. >You put your bag on the ground and jump after Scootaloo
  1853. >The first cloud you hit is like elastic
  1854. >It bends down before blasting you back into the air
  1855. >You fly straight up before flying down and landing on a soft cloud
  1856. >It's beyond comfortable
  1857. >You hear Spark yelling from above the pit
  1858. >"You can come here as much as you guys want, just tell me first. This is the best I can offer."
  1859. >You laugh
  1860. "Spark, how many times do I have to tell you? You don't owe us anything, you're our friend, dude!"
  1861. >Spark flies into an extra puffy cloud.
  1862. >He knows his way around the joint.
  1863. >"Yeah, I know I don't. But it's not about what you want, it's about what I feel. My parents taught me that one good deed deserves another, yeah? So that's just the way it should be."
  1864. >You admire Spark's view on life, so selfless about it all.
  1865. >Even though doesn't even have a fraction of what you have, he still feels an obligation to return acts of kindness.
  1866. >That's the kind of pony- erm, person, you want to be.
  1867. >It'll take a while, but with a little hard work you might get it done.
  1868. >Maybe
  1869. "This is pretty awesome Spark. I'm really flattered you-"
  1870. >Suddenly a laughing Scootaloo knocks you right through the cloud you're sitting on.
  1871. >The two of you tumble down the pit of clouds
  1872. >You bounce off soft ones, bouncy ones, and ones as hard as a cloud can get
  1873. >Finally you tumble into a super soft cloud ass first
  1874. >You're followed by Scootaloo who slams directly into your chest.
  1875. >The air gets knocked out of your lungs and you let out a weird heave.
  1876. >"Oops! Sorry!"
  1877. >You shake your head and realize she is wearing your goggles
  1878. "Oh hey! You have the goggles on! I didn't see them on you before."
  1879. >She blushes a bit
  1880. >"Oh yeah, I hid them in your bag while Rainbow Dash was around. I didn't want her recognizing her goggles and assuming anything. Not that any of that mattered, since she knew about the..."
  1881. >She trails off with a bit more of a blush
  1882. >You smirk
  1883. "Kisses?"
  1884. >She smiles
  1885. >"Haha, yeah those."
  1886. >You hear Spark from near the top of the pit
  1887. >"Hey, don't get too intimate down there!"
  1888. >It's at this point your realize that Scootaloo is literally sitting in your lap facing you while you sit in the cloud.
  1889. >Scootaloo realizes as well and blushes profoundly
  1890. "Maybe, we should move?" You whisper sarcastically
  1891. >She nods and stands and turns
  1892. >Her tail trails under your nose
  1893. >She takes off towards Spark
  1894. >That's the second time. She's definitely doing this on purpose.
  1895. >You jump from cloud to cloud, gaining more height with each elastic one you hit
  1896. >You slowly make your way back to where the other two are gliding around
  1897. >The clouds shift under your feet, and you jump higher and higher
  1898. >You're jumping damn near 20 feet in the air
  1899. >If you close your eyes for that second of weightlessness, you feel like you're flying
  1900. >Time slows down
  1901. >Everything is moving at half its speed
  1902. >Everything is serene
  1903. >For a second, you see a freeze frame of the scene
  1904. >Spark relaxing in his cloud chair, Scoots flying against clouds to bounce off
  1905. >Your necklace floats up to your eyes as you descend
  1906. >What a wonderful place.
  1907. >Hours skip by as the three of you hop around like kids in a toy store
  1908. >Finally you're all on the side line of the cloud pit, panting and sweaty.
  1909. >You're all smiling and chuckling at the memory you've just made.
  1910. >After a few minutes of sitting her, you look at your watch
  1911. >12:45am
  1912. >Time flies at a much faster rate than you expected it to.
  1913. >You stand up.
  1914. "Alright. Tonight was pretty fun. We have you to thank for that Spark."
  1915. >Spark is laying down on the ground.
  1916. >"Yeah yeah, no problem."
  1917. >Scootaloo stands
  1918. >"If we're all gonna disband, I'm gonna fly back to the academy to get some shut eye. I've got tomorrow off, and I want to get up early for some extra training."
  1919. >You nod
  1920. "Sounds good. We can hang out tomorrow too!"
  1921. >She smiles
  1922. >"That's the plan"
  1923. >Spark rolls around on the cloudy ground
  1924. >"I dunno. Maybe I can work something out with my boss to get out early."
  1925. >He sits up
  1926. >"Otherwise I'll be late tomorrow just like today"
  1927. "Alright, glad we got this all sorted out."
  1928. >Scootaloo puts on her goggles and opens her wings
  1929. >"See you guys tomorrow!"
  1930. >"Cya Scootaloo"
  1931. "Bye Scoots!"
  1932. >She takes off through the door and glides away.
  1933. >You and Spark start walking to the gate
  1934. >He seems rather quiet
  1935. >He pulls out the key and longs the gate behind you as you exit.
  1936. >He turns around and faces you
  1937. >When he turns, he reveals the biggest shit-eating grin you've ever seen.
  1938. >He raises one eyebrow
  1939. >The kind you make when you know something you can hang over their somepony's head.
  1940. >Please don't be what you think it is.
  1941. >He opens his mouth slowly
  1942. >Celestia please
  1943. >"So you and Scootaloo huh?"
  1944. >Feck
  1945. >You don't respond, but you can't help the blushing
  1946. >Spark likes this new power he has over you
  1947. >"So when you said you two kissed, what did you mean? Was it good?"
  1948. >His evil little grin has crawled up to his damn ears at this point
  1949. >You sigh
  1950. "It was just on the cheek and forehead, it wasn't anything big."
  1951. >"But was it good though?"
  1952. >You look at him with a funny look
  1953. >Surprisingly he doesn't look like he's trying to tease you anymore.
  1954. >He genuinely wants to know.
  1955. "Well, yeah. It was great. She pulled me in twice with her wings."
  1956. >"She used her wings on you? That's a big deal in the pegasus race, my dude."
  1957. >Didn't know that, gonna store that for the future.
  1958. >"So what are you guys now? Are you like, going out or something."
  1959. >You nervously laugh
  1960. "I don't think so. It was just a couple simple kisses, nothing big."
  1961. >"Yeah, well she drew you in for each one yeah?"
  1962. "Well yeah, but we haven't seen eachother in years. I think we all just got a bit passionate last night. I know you did."
  1963. >Spark laughs out loud
  1964. >"Of course I did! My family means everything to me. I care about them, so when good things happen to them I get passionate."
  1965. >You and Spark start walking towards his house
  1966. >"The same goes for anypony you care about. You don't get passionate unless that pony, uh or human, means something to you."
  1967. "Yeah but, maybe it was just a friendly kiss, you know?"
  1968. >Spark sends a deadpan look your way
  1969. >"A friendly kiss huh?"
  1970. >You blush again.
  1971. >Spark begins again
  1972. >"Look, I guess what I'm askin' ya is if you feel something for Scootaloo. That's all I'm asking."
  1973. >You've thought about this for awhile now.
  1974. >Back in grade school you developed a crush on her for obvious reasons
  1975. >She was a misfit like you, but she was so much cooler than everypony else.
  1976. >It wasn't hard to fall for her.
  1977. >And now that you're both adults, kinda, those old feelings come back again
  1978. >But are they real? Or are they still just a school days crush?
  1979. >"Anon!"
  1980. >Your train of thought is interrupted by Spark again
  1981. >"What's your answer?"
  1982. >You decide to just speak your mind, something you've never really done before with anyone but Bro.
  1983. "Well, yeah I guess. I have feelings for her. But I think they may be misguided. They're probably from back in grad-"
  1984. >"Bah bah bah bah bah" Spark says quickly to stop you
  1985. >"I didn't ask about whether your feelings may be misguided or not, I asked if you have them."
  1986. "Y-yeah. I have feelings for Scoots."
  1987. >He smiles
  1988. >"Then that's all you need to know, yeah?"
  1989. "But I feel like they are influenced by our past."
  1990. >"So what? My feelings for my family are built off our past together, what makes what you've got any different?"
  1991. >You're unsure about what he's saying, but he seems impossible to reason with right now.
  1992. "Maybe you're right..."
  1993. >"Of course I'm right."
  1994. >The two of you show up to the front door of Spark's house.
  1995. >"Listen bud, if you have feelings don't you hesitate."
  1996. "But, what if she doesn't want a relationship or anything? What if I'm misreading it all?"
  1997. >Spark is on his way to the door
  1998. >"Who cares? Better to give it a shot. At least then you'll know."
  1999. >He opens the door to his house and turns to face you.
  2000. >"Don't think so much Anon. Just do it. I'll see you tomorrow."
  2001. >He enters the house and the door closes behind him.
  2002. >You start walking back to Rainbow's house
  2003. >He does have a point: You'll never know unless you ask right?
  2004. >Tomorrow you'll have to chat with Scootaloo.
  2005. >Maybe you can bring her somewhere, like a diner or something.
  2006. >You don't know. You haven't exactly had much contact with girls before.
  2007. >You shake your head.
  2008. >It's a pain in the ass, but you're definitely going to do it.
  2009. >You must do it.
  2010. >After a long walk, you make your way back to the house.
  2011. >Your mind is buzzing with thoughts.
  2012. >You're not really too tired, after all you slept in pretty late.
  2013. >You step into the front entrance
  2014. >You're actually pretty hungry
  2015. >Probably shouldn't have skipped dinner.
  2016. >You head to the kitchen for something to eat
  2017. >You look around a bit for something simple
  2018. >Buck it: Cereal for dinner
  2019. >Your laziness far outweighs your desire to eat something else.
  2020. >As you munch on your bowl of Wonderbombs you think more about what Spark said
  2021. >You want to find out what it all means
  2022. >You want to know how she feels
  2023. >But you don't really know how to go about it.
  2024. >As you shake your head you hear hoofsteps coming down the stairs
  2025. >A Rainbow Dash trots into the kitchen.
  2026. >She is slightly startled by your presence
  2027. >"OH- geez. Ha, I thought you weren't gonna be back until late."
  2028. >Rainbow has her mane up, and is wearing a bathrobe
  2029. "Yeah well, we had a lot of fun with Spark, but we didn't want to stay up quite so late."
  2030. >You continue munching
  2031. "What are you still doing up?"
  2032. >Rainbow fills a mug with coffee
  2033. >"I'm just writing some things for the Wonderbolts."
  2034. >Yeah right
  2035. >She's writing that book of hers.
  2036. "Cool."
  2037. >Silence fills the room as the coffee maker bubbles away and fills Rainbow's cup
  2038. >You think about Rainbow Dash's book and her pictures upstairs.
  2039. >You think about that relationship the two of you once had.
  2040. "H-hey Rainbow Dash"
  2041. >She turns and looks at you
  2042. "What do I do, if I want to ask a mare how she feels about me?"
  2043. >Rainbow's eyebrows go up and she smiles
  2044. >It's not her regular teasing smirk though, it's different
  2045. >It's genuine.
  2046. >Rainbow grabs her now full mug of coffee and trots to the table
  2047. >"I'm guessing this is about you and Scoots."
  2048. >You nod with a blush
  2049. >Rainbow sits down at the table with that same smile
  2050. >"I don't really understand your problem."
  2051. >You lean your head on you hand
  2052. "I dunno. I just want to ask her how she feels about me. I know these feelings came on fast in a matter of days, but I really feel something."
  2053. >"So what's the issue?"
  2054. >This confuses you.
  2055. "Well, uh, I don't really know... erm, how to ask?"
  2056. >Rainbow Dash's smile curls a bit
  2057. >"You don't want to buck it up essentially."
  2058. >That's a blunt but apt way to put it.
  2059. >You run your hand through your hair
  2060. "Yeah. Basically."
  2061. >She chuckles
  2062. >"Do you remember why I didn't kill you last night? Even though you disobeyed the one order I gave you?"
  2063. >You nod
  2064. "Because I got Soarin to ask you out."
  2065. >She nods
  2066. >"Soarin and I have been pretty close for years, but over the past couple weeks we got a lot closer."
  2067. >You lean over the table
  2068. >"He knew how I felt about him, and I knew how he felt about me. We never had to ask each other anything."
  2069. >This doesn't sound encouraging for your situation.
  2070. >"But he still didn't ask me for a relationship."
  2071. >At this point you're leaning directly over the table.
  2072. "Why?" you ask a bit too excitedly
  2073. >She shrugs
  2074. >"He wouldn't be able to tell you, but it certainly had nothing to do about how I felt about him."
  2075. >She leans over the table too.
  2076. >"He was hesitating because he didn't trust himself."
  2077. >You're at complete attention.
  2078. >"He didn't want to buck it up, he didn't want to ask me out and have it all fall apart."
  2079. >You unconsciously nod with this claim
  2080. >"So he hesitated for a long time, he liked who we were before taking it to the next level, and he didn't want to risk losing it."
  2081. >She smiles
  2082. >"But you need to take that risk to get more out of life. You need to put it all on the line sometimes to experience something truly great."
  2083. >She sips her coffee and looks into the mug
  2084. >"You can't fly unless you jump from up high."
  2085. >You nod again
  2086. >Holy shit this advice was everything you needed
  2087. >It made sense to you that you don't trust yourself, you've never had the best self-esteem
  2088. >There were a lot of reasons for this, but none quite like the royalty
  2089. >But now isn't the time to think of such things.
  2090. >Now is the time to show your gratitude.
  2091. >Rainbow looks at you over her coffee
  2092. >"Does that make any sense to you?"
  2093. >You stand up and hug her out of her chair
  2094. >She seems surprised, but she wraps her hooves around you.
  2095. "Thank's Rainbow Dash. You've really helped me a lot tonight. I owe you one."
  2096. >You hear her sigh
  2097. >"You don't owe me anything at all. We're family."
  2098. >She hugs you a bit tighter
  2099. >After a long warm hug, you put her back on her chair.
  2100. >She looks happy
  2101. >"So are you going to bed soon?"
  2102. >You nod
  2103. >"Good. Don't stay up too, too late."
  2104. >You smile
  2105. >The grin she is wearing reminds you of the picture upstairs.
  2106. >An unconditional feeling of happiness, the only difference is she's looking up at you as opposed to down.
  2107. >You bring your bowl to the sink and run it under some water.
  2108. >As you clean it your mind throbs with activity
  2109. >Your emotions are mixed, but things are becoming more clear.
  2110. >Spark said that feelings can come from the past, and that passion is for ponies that matter to you.
  2111. >The more you think about it from this newfound perspective, the more you realize just how good that advice is.
  2112. >You never give passion to those who don't mean anything to you, and for awhile that was everypony.
  2113. >But with this new light, your passion has finally leaked onto somepony other than your immediate family.
  2114. >Even though your passion seemed to have dried up for ponies like Rainbow Dash, you can still get it back.
  2115. >You just need to trust yourself more, and not close yourself off.
  2116. >You need to let it out.
  2117. >You finish cleaning your dishes and wipe your hands on a towel
  2118. >Before leaving you look again to Rainbow Dash
  2119. "Goodnight Rainbow"
  2120. >She looks up at you with a small grin
  2121. >"Goodnight Nonny."
  2122. >You smile
  2123. >She hasn't called you by that nickname in awhile.
  2124. >You leave the kitchen and head for your room.
  2125. >When you get there you throw your clothes on the ground
  2126. >Rainbow really was pulling your leg when she said everything would just fall right through the ground.
  2127. >She's really convincing.
  2128. >Or maybe you're just really gullible
  2129. >You put on some pajama pants and a loose shirt.
  2130. >You head to the bathroom to brush your teeth.
  2131. >You take a knee to look in the mirror
  2132. >You look into your human eyes and your human face
  2133. >A feeling of sadness creeps up
  2134. >Your eyebrows arch and scrunch near the middle
  2135. >You run your hand over your nose and mouth
  2136. >No snout, just a nose.
  2137. >No mane, just some hair
  2138. >No fur, just skin.
  2139. >You're reminded of those days in school after Scootaloo left
  2140. >You were pretty alone, a weird looking kid with a weird family.
  2141. >Few ponies even tried to converse with you, be it out of spite or simple Anthrophobia
  2142. >Whatever be the case, you were alone after Scoots left
  2143. >But not while she was there
  2144. >She didn't care you were a human, she still stayed with you
  2145. >Even if you were a lot younger than her.
  2146. >Passions go beneath the skin, you suppose.
  2147. >You stand and finish up.
  2148. >You walk back to your room and flop on the soft clouds in the middle.
  2149. >You pull a blanket over and stare at the white ceiling.
  2150. >Today gave you a lot to think about.
  2151. >You drift to sleep slowly and let the cloudiness of your brain die down.
  2152. >You don't dream, only sleep
  2153. >Suddenly the light returns to your eyes
  2154. >You're woken up by a light tapping sound
  2155. >You sit up a little grumpy
  2156. >The clock reads 2:14am
  2157. >What the hell?
  2158. >The tapping continues
  2159. >You're still a little groggy from sleep, so you can't immediately pinpoint where it's coming from
  2160. >It continues, a little more excitedly
  2161. >You look around the room
  2162. >When your eyes make it to the window, you see a black figure
  2163. >Your heart skips a beat and you jump out of your bed-cloud
  2164. >After a couple sconds you catch your breath and approach the window.
  2165. >As soon as you make out the orange fur you know exactly who it is.
  2166. >You prop open the window
  2167. "Scootaloo?"
  2168. >Scootaloo scratches the back of her head
  2169. >"Hey. Can I come in?"
  2170. >You nod. Even though it's late, you don't really mind.
  2171. >She swoops into your room and lands on your bed.
  2172. >You close the window behind her
  2173. >You turn to face her.
  2174. >There is an odd silence for half a minute
  2175. >Scootaloo stares at you the whole time
  2176. >You look at her.
  2177. "So..."
  2178. >She blushes and opens her bag
  2179. >She pulls out your dress jacket
  2180. >"I-I had, erm. Y-you left this with m-me."
  2181. >Oh yeah, you forgot about that thing completely
  2182. >You walk over and take it from her.
  2183. "Thanks Scoots! I completely forgot about it."
  2184. >You put the jacket on over your t-shirt
  2185. >It smells like Scootaloo, and it has orange fur and purple hair here and there.
  2186. >Something tells you it's been worn more than just that night.
  2187. >You sit down on your bed with your back against the wall.
  2188. >Scootaloo sits opposite of you.
  2189. >"I-is something on your mind?"
  2190. >She seems rather nervous for some reason
  2191. >You think back to your conversations with Rainbow Dash and Spark.
  2192. >You swallow hard
  2193. "Scoots I want to ask you something."
  2194. >She blinks
  2195. >"Y-yeah Anon?"
  2196. >You scrunch your face a bit
  2197. "I want to ask you something, but I don't know if I can."
  2198. >"Why?"
  2199. >Your lips move on their own.
  2200. "I'm scared. Not because of you but because of me. I'm scared I can't live up to the question I want to ask."
  2201. >Scootaloo walks accross the bed towards you.
  2202. >"Why would you think that?"
  2203. >You look up at her
  2204. >Her beautiful purple eyes look at you with concern
  2205. >You feel your heart ache
  2206. >Something makes its way to your voice
  2207. "I'm not like you, or anypony. I'm so different, but not in a good sense."
  2208. >Your lips continue to move without thinking. Your voice forms words you don't expect.
  2209. "Everypony I know is so incredible. They're princesses and Wonderbolts, heroes and beautiful beings, and I'm none of that."
  2210. >You shake your head in your hands
  2211. "I'm just a spoiled rotten human that lives in a castle that doesn't know how to help others, let alone himself."
  2212. >You bring your legs up and press your head against your knees
  2213. "What good could I possibly bring to the world? My family does it exceptionally well, but I just can't get a knack for it."
  2214. >You feel tears rolling down your face. You didn't expect any of this to come out now.
  2215. "My mother has saved the world multiple times before, and when she wasn't saving that she was learning about what it means to be a good friend."
  2216. "I'm surrounded by so much good, but I don't have anything to offer."
  2217. >You look up at Scootaloo, tears rolling down and dripping off your chin.
  2218. "I'm just a misfit that wastes space."
  2219. >Scootaloo seems taken aback by your sudden tone change
  2220. >She crawls up next to you and sits down.
  2221. >"Do you really feel that way?"
  2222. >You nod
  2223. >"Well, for what it's worth, that's not how I see you."
  2224. >You snort air out your nose
  2225. "Yeah, sure."
  2226. >She gets a little aggrivated
  2227. >"Don't say that! I mean it. When you're walking around you have an air of, of, I dunno, something around you. It's infectious."
  2228. >You look at her again.
  2229. >"I don't know why, but when you walk around and speak and listen, you feel so real. You're genuine, even when you are pretending."
  2230. >You tilt your head.
  2231. >"It's like, ponies feel happy when you're around, and they love to hear what you have to say. You have a wonderful way with words, and..."
  2232. >She stops for a moment, blushing
  2233. >"... and you're kind of attractive, okay? So you spread happiness with who you are and what you do. You don't need to defeat some giant villian to be a hero to some ponies."
  2234. >She closes her eyes and scrunches her snout, blushing.
  2235. >She seems rather flustered
  2236. >"Ponies like me. So stop this 'waste of space' business. That's not you."
  2237. >You're stunned by this explosion of information
  2238. >You feel yourself blushing while she does too
  2239. >The two of you
  2240. >blushing
  2241. >together
  2242. "Scootaloo?"
  2243. >She looks at you
  2244. >"Y-yeah?"
  2245. "The question I wanted to ask, was, do you want to be... more than friends?"
  2246. >She blushes
  2247. "I-I know it came on fast, but I really feel something is there. A-and I want to explore it."
  2248. >Her eyes grow large
  2249. "So, do you want to go-"
  2250. >"Of course I do you buckin' jerk!"
  2251. >A single tear rolls down her cheek
  2252. >Looks like she had some passion as well.
  2253. >You suppose this is your opportunity
  2254. >You put your hand around the back of her neck.
  2255. >She puts her wings around your back and her hooves around your neck
  2256. >You press your lips against hers
  2257. >She pushes herself into you hard
  2258. >You feel her lips
  2259. >You feel her tongue
  2260. >You've never done anything like this before
  2261. >But it's something truly unique
  2262. >After a few passionate minutes the two of you break away, still surrounded by eachother's arms and wings
  2263. >You both smile at eachother's post-kiss faces
  2264. "I'm relieved you didn't think we were rushing into things. I mean it's only been a few days but-"
  2265. >"It feels like so much more than that"
  2266. >You nod
  2267. >"I was nervous about that too."
  2268. >You smile
  2269. >She smiles back
  2270. >You two aren't too different, are you?
  2271. >You are Scootaloo
  2272. >Everything has changed tonight
  2273. >Your head rests delicately on Anon's chest as your hooves wrap around him.
  2274. >He snoozes quitely while you're soon to drift off yourself.
  2275. >You feel his breathing as his chest bobs up and down slowly.
  2276. >You hear his heart beating
  2277. >You feel his skin
  2278. >And you've tasted his lips
  2279. >You were worried that you might be taking things to fast
  2280. >That maybe the two of you were acting foolish
  2281. >But now that you're here in his arms
  2282. >Now that you're guard is down
  2283. >You realize how right you were.
  2284. >His scent surrounds you once more.
  2285. >And you feel safe.
  2286. >You feel happy.
  2287. >Your eyes close.
  2288. >You don't have any dreams
  2289. >You don't need them.
  2290. >You are Anon
  2291. >THE STRONG
  2292. >You comb the skies, searching for demons to slay
  2293. >Your trusty marefriend Scooticus has gone ahead to scout.
  2294. >Your chestplate feels tight today, and your helmet rattles
  2295. >Something about this day is wrong.
  2296. >Scooticus returns
  2297. >She lands beside you
  2298. >"I don't see anything for miles Anon. Are you sure that villager gave us the right information?"
  2299. >You nod, tapping your finger on your sheathed sword.
  2300. "I trust that village, I saved them from a platoon of Orcs a few years back."
  2301. >Scooticus nods
  2302. >"Very well."
  2303. >You kneel down to her level
  2304. "We'll find this beast, and return it Lady Rarity back to my brother. This I swore."
  2305. >Suddenly a rumbling from below
  2306. >A large cave dwelling troll stomped out in front of you.
  2307. >In his hand is Lady Rarity
  2308. >You grab your sword.
  2309. >You turn to Scooticus and you kiss for good luck
  2310. >You stand.
  2311. >The beast charges
  2312. >Scooticus flies high above, and you skillfully roll out of the way.
  2313. "You dare challenge the might of Anon? Prepare to be disemboweld!"
  2314. >Scooticus uses her mouth to pull back the string on her crossbow
  2315. >"HEY UGLY"
  2316. >The troll turns to face her.
  2317. >As the string releases a sharp flash of blue lightning springs from her crossbow
  2318. >In a blink an arc connects with the troll's face
  2319. >The troll screams in agony as the he feels the burns
  2320. >You charge the troll from behind, making a large bounds
  2321. >You spring 12 feet off the ground landing on the troll's back.
  2322. >You remove your sword from your back
  2323. >The steel is engulfed by green flames, enchanted by big brother Spike
  2324. >You lift it above your head
  2325. "DEMON I SHALL YOU MERCY BY SENDING YOU OUT OF THIS MORTAL PLAIN"
  2326. >You plunge the sword deep into the troll's back
  2327. >He drops Lady Rarity as the green flames engulf him.
  2328. >Scooticus catches her before she hits the ground.
  2329. >The troll collapses to the ground
  2330. >You pull your trusty sword from his back and walk to Scooticus.
  2331. >"Well done Nonny."
  2332. "Same to you Scoots."
  2333. >As you walk away you hear a voice
  2334. >"Anon"
  2335. >You turn to see a blue hooded figure
  2336. >She seems familiar
  2337. "That is I..."
  2338. >"All will be revealed in time. Keep patient."
  2339. "W-what?"
  2340. >Suddenly the troll erupts into a green fireball.
  2341. >As your eyes open you see the green flame lick your face.
  2342. >You jump back as a scroll lands in your lap, waking Scootaloo
  2343. >"Wha... what is it Nonny?"
  2344. >You look down at here as she cutely rubs her eye
  2345. >On your chest you feel the scroll that exploded out of green flames in front of you.
  2346. "It's a note from Bro!"
  2347. >She closes her eyes and rests her head on your chest again.
  2348. >"From Spike? He can send you notes like that?"
  2349. "Yeah, he did it all the time for mom when we were kids"
  2350. >She rubs her hoof on your neck
  2351. >"Well read it already"
  2352. >You slowly undo the golden seal with silver ribbon.
  2353. >Rarity obviously got her hooves on this before he sent it
  2354. >You're rather excited, you haven't spoken to Bro in a little while.
  2355. >Despite him being in town, he is often out of town for missions.
  2356. >You unravel the scroll
  2357. >'Dear Anon,
  2358. >'Any particular reason that mom's balloon is in the middle of the Everfree Forest?'
  2359. >You raise your eyebrows
  2360. >"What does it say?"
  2361. "Uh, well. They found my mom's balloon."
  2362. >"Did it go missing?"
  2363. >You chuckle
  2364. "I kinda missed the landing pad on my way here."
  2365. >She snorts
  2366. >"Did you really?"
  2367. >You nod
  2368. >The door gets thrown open
  2369. >Rainbow walks in
  2370. >"Hey Anon, I got a message from Spike asking me about-"
  2371. >She stops and looks at you and Scootaloo
  2372. >She blushes with a smirk
  2373. >"I didn't see anything!"
  2374. >You hop out of bed and head for the shower.
  2375. >Scoots just flops her head back into your warm spot.
  2376. >You walk into the bathroom and look in the mirror
  2377. >You've got Scoot's feathers all over yourself
  2378. >I guess that's what happens when you sleep with a pony
  2379. >Well, sleep in the same bed.
  2380. >You pull the feathers out of your hair and hop in the shower
  2381. >You sit quietly and wait for your usual thoughts
  2382. >But they never come
  2383. >For the first time in a very long time, your mind is quiet
  2384. >At first you feel startled by this development
  2385. >But you start to smile
  2386. >The silence is bliss.
  2387. >You hop out of the shower and brush your teeth
  2388. >There's Scootaloo feathers coating the floor
  2389. >You pick them up and throw them away.
  2390. >With a towel wrapped around your waist you re-enter your room
  2391. >Scootaloo is up now and fixing her earing in the reflection in the window
  2392. >You quickly put on a pair of boxers and pants while her back is turned
  2393. >She's still messing with that earing
  2394. >You chuckle and walk over to her
  2395. "Stop fidgeting. I used to have to do this for Rarity all the time when she and Spike were dating."
  2396. >You quickly fasten the earing and turn it so it's right
  2397. "See? Not too shabby eh?"
  2398. >She smiles
  2399. >"Those things sure are helpful."
  2400. "What hands? Oh yeah, it's pretty great."
  2401. >You put a shirt on and start packing up your bag.
  2402. "So do you know any way to get back down to Ponyville? I should really discuss this with Bro."
  2403. >Scootaloo thinks for a moment
  2404. >"You can always use the chariot service, they generally go to Canterlot only, but with you I'm sure they'll make an exception
  2405. >Chariot service?
  2406. >That would have been nice to know about before.
  2407. >You head to the kitchen first where Rainbow is sitting with a newspaper.
  2408. >She's definitely been waiting for you.
  2409. >No way she is reading that newspaper for pleasure.
  2410. >"So we ended up having a little company over, eh Nonny?"
  2411. >You shake your head as you grab some muffins from the pantry
  2412. "Nothing happened last night."
  2413. >She nods
  2414. >"But you jumped right?"
  2415. >You turn and look at her
  2416. >She's smiling with a motherly grin
  2417. >The kind where it isn't about hand holding, and it isn't congradulating you.
  2418. >She's just proud
  2419. >You smile back
  2420. "Yeah. I did."
  2421. >You walk out of the kitchen and back up to your room.
  2422. >Scootaloo is stretching her wings
  2423. "I grabbed you a muffin."
  2424. >As you get closer she flings the muffin out of your hand with her wings
  2425. >She jumps up and eats it out of the air.
  2426. >"Thjangks" she says with a mouthful
  2427. >You chuckle
  2428. "No problem."
  2429. >You sit on the end of your bed
  2430. "So listen, we're gonna have to take a road trip. That balloon was my responsibility"
  2431. >Scoots nods
  2432. >"Alright! We'll just catch the chariots then. Are you sure Rainbow is okay with this?"
  2433. >Good question, you should probably run this by her first.
  2434. >You stand up start heading downstairs with Scootaloo
  2435. >You approach the kitchen again
  2436. "Rainbow Dash, I've gotta-"
  2437. >"Money is on the counter, you tell Spike to send me a message when you get there."
  2438. >Right, she got a letter too.
  2439. >She turns from doing the dishes to face you
  2440. >"If he doesn't send me one within the next couple hours, I'm coming looking for you."
  2441. >She points at you
  2442. >"Do not make me come after you, squirt. It won't be pretty."
  2443. >Grab the bits off the counter and nod
  2444. "Thanks Rainbow!"
  2445. >You and Scoots head for the door
  2446. >When you open it you are greated by Spark
  2447. >By the looks of his position, he was just about to knock.
  2448. >"Uh. Hey guys."
  2449. "Spark! What are you doing here? I thought you had work."
  2450. >"Yeah I did, but the factory had a bit of a buck up, and everypony was sent home early."
  2451. >Weird
  2452. "A buck up?"
  2453. >"Yeah, some cloud came out wrong and wasn't picked up by quality control. The thing exploded inside one of our machines and really gummed it up. Since it's one big production line, that shut down the whole shabang."
  2454. >You nod
  2455. "Well, on the bright side, at least now maybe you can join us on our journey."
  2456. >"Journey?"
  2457. >Scootaloo peeks out from behind you
  2458. >"Yeah, we're retrieving Nonny's balloon, which he royally bucked, from his brother."
  2459. >Scootaloo seems rather satisfied with that pun.
  2460. >Spark tilts his head to the side
  2461. >"Wait, Anon had a balloon? How'd you buck that up?"
  2462. >You scratch the back of your head
  2463. "I didn't land it on an actual landing zone."
  2464. >Spark starts giggling then evolves to full on laughter
  2465. >"So what? Did it, did it just float down to the surface?! Oh Celestia that is rich!"
  2466. >You pout a little
  2467. >Everypony is raggin' on you today.
  2468. "Are you gonna come with us or not?"
  2469. >Spark finishes laughing at your expense and calms down
  2470. >"Yeah, yeah. I'll go with ya. It'll be interesting."
  2471. >The three of you head out the door and follow Scoots to the chariots
  2472. >You go through the middle of town, and end up heading down the hill again
  2473. >You find the chariots zone in downtown Cloudsdale
  2474. >Now here comes the tricky part
  2475. "So who do I have to convince to bring us to Ponyville?"
  2476. >Scoots points to an old stallion in a small booth
  2477. >"That's the conductor of everything. You convince him and we're set."
  2478. >You nod then walk up to the booth
  2479. >The booth is short, and you need to crouch to look inside
  2480. "Hello?"
  2481. >The old stallion inside lowers his newspaper
  2482. "Uh, hi! I require a chariot-"
  2483. >The stallion suddenly recognizes you
  2484. >"YOUR HIGNESS, it is an honor to serve you."
  2485. "Thank you, I need to travel-"
  2486. >"To Canterlot? I can get you on a chariot right now."
  2487. >You shake your head
  2488. "No, no, I need a chariot to Ponyville. It's very imp-"
  2489. >The old stallion slams a button on his desk, and a chariot connected to two pegasai flies in
  2490. >"One chariot heading to ponyville."
  2491. >You look the stallion up and down
  2492. >You reach into your pocket and pull out the bits you were given by Rainbow Dash
  2493. "Now before you say ANYTHING, I insist that you accept these."
  2494. >You place the bits down like you're lowering a weapon
  2495. >You hop on the chariot and signal to your friends
  2496. "Thank you for the help, have a great day."
  2497. >The old stallion bows his head
  2498. >"Yes m'leige"
  2499. >The chariot takes off
  2500. >Sometimes being a royal is a pain.
  2501. >You lean on the edge of the chariot
  2502. >Clouds soar past you at great speeds
  2503. >It reminds you of those balloon rides with Bro
  2504. >Everything looks so small below you.
  2505. >So insignificant.
  2506. >Yet so beautiful.
  2507. >You reach your arms out of the chariot to drag it through a cloud.
  2508. >The cool mist of the cloud waves over your arm.
  2509. >It's been a few months since you last saw Bro.
  2510. >He may be in the same town, but you hardly ever see him.
  2511. >You sigh
  2512. >This isn't the way it used to be.
  2513. >You rest your arms on the railing of the chariot
  2514. >Your mind drifts back many years
  2515. >As the clouds pass over your hand, the clouds in your mind part.
  2516. >You see the shining halls as they were years ago
  2517. >Everything was so much bigger back then.
  2518. >You're sitting in a large hallway
  2519. >The walls are a deep shade of purple crystal, and the floors are black, reflective tiles
  2520. >You're wearing a little t-shirt and shorts
  2521. >Bro pulls you along in a wagon
  2522. >He's only a few feet tall, and he's only wearing a soldier helmet.
  2523. >He usually helps mom with things, but he's off today.
  2524. >He laughs as you and him recklessly crash through the halls
  2525. >You're laughing along with him through the facemask of a hoofball helmet
  2526. >As you take a turn, the wagon tips to the right
  2527. >You're thrown out of the cart and slide accross the floor.
  2528. >You gently slide to a stop.
  2529. >Bro runs to you
  2530. >"Nonny! Are you alright?"
  2531. >You get up, your head is spinning.
  2532. >You shake your head and look into Spike's worrisome eyes
  2533. >You laugh
  2534. "That was awwesome!"
  2535. >He smiles too
  2536. >"Haha! You're pretty tough Nonny!"
  2537. >He lifts you up and puts you back in the wagon.
  2538. >Suddenly he burps up a scroll
  2539. >He picks it up off the ground
  2540. >"Oh hey, a scroll! C'mon, let's bring it to Twi- I mean, mom."
  2541. >You giggle
  2542. >He starts pulling you again
  2543. >The two of you race to the library
  2544. >You wave at the two guards standing outside of it
  2545. >They chuckle as you pass
  2546. >Inside you see mom, hanging over a book.
  2547. >"Hey mom!"
  2548. >Mom turns her head and looks at you two with a smile.
  2549. >"Oh ho ho. Two brave explorers traveled to my library I see."
  2550. >Bro nods, making his helmet rock back and fourth on his head.
  2551. >Mom laughs as she picks you up with magic, lightly placing you into her foreleg.
  2552. >"And for what reason do I owe the pleasure?"
  2553. "Yoo got a squoll!"
  2554. >You can't really speak well yet, but you're getting better.
  2555. >Mom pushes her nose into your belly, tickling you
  2556. >"Oh I did, did I?"
  2557. >Spike smiles and hands her the scroll
  2558. >She reads it to herself
  2559. >"Oh okay, this will only take a moment."
  2560. >She places you on the table next to her.
  2561. >She catches your helmet before it slips over your eyes
  2562. >Her quill levitates over to the ink bottle and dips in
  2563. >She quickly scribbles onto the paper
  2564. >She looks up at you
  2565. >At this point, you've already started playing with the ink bottle, getting it all over yourself.
  2566. >She giggles as she takes the ink bottle away
  2567. >"Do you want to sign this to Auntie Cadence?"
  2568. >You nod
  2569. >She let's you smack your hand onto the paper
  2570. "Bap!"
  2571. >As you lift your hand away, you see the mark clear as day.
  2572. >Mom kisses your cheek
  2573. >"That's my little monkeyboy."
  2574. >You impersonate a monkey scratching your head and pits
  2575. "Ooo Ooo Ooo!"
  2576. >The ink gets all over your face and helmet
  2577. >Spike laughs out loud at the mess you made
  2578. >Mom laughs too
  2579. >"C'mere you!"
  2580. >She pulls off your helmet and grabs a towel
  2581. >"You always know how to make a mess of yourself!"
  2582. >The towel presses against your face and covers your eyes
  2583. >Suddenly the chariot bumps a bit, breaking your day dream.
  2584. >You're really close now, you can see the towers of your castle from here.
  2585. >You stand up straight
  2586. >You wonder why that memory came up.
  2587. >It is one of your favorites
  2588. >The clouds whizz by as you descend.
  2589. >Spark and Scoots are close behind.
  2590. >You scratch the top of your head.
  2591. >Mom hasn't called you her little monkey boy in a long time.
  2592. >You came to resent the name in school.
  2593. >It was embarrassing.
  2594. >Yet, you find that you miss it.
  2595. >In the past years you haven't exactly seen eye to eye with her.
  2596. >Then again, you haven't really been making it easy.
  2597. >Everything she wants ends up being a fight.
  2598. >Even the little things
  2599. >Why?
  2600. >Why does everything become a fight?
  2601. >It isn't her, though she is rather overprotective.
  2602. >It's you.
  2603. >You know that.
  2604. >You've always known that.
  2605. >So why do you start fights all the time?
  2606. >Your train of thought is derailed as the chariot makes contact with the ground.
  2607. >It slows to a halt, and Spark and Scoots land next to you.
  2608. >You hop out and thank the two chariot pullers before they fly off.
  2609. >Spark looks around with an odd expression.
  2610. >"So this is ponyville? Seems like a mighty small town to have a castle in."
  2611. >You look around
  2612. "Yeah, but it's a special place."
  2613. >You nod a bit
  2614. "It's got some real charm to it."
  2615. >You start walking to the boutique with Scoots and Spark following not too far behind.
  2616. >You pass many familiar houses and business.
  2617. >You walk over the stone bridge towards the other side of town.
  2618. >Spark seems entertained by it
  2619. >He was born and raised up in Cloudsdale
  2620. >This must be pretty different for him.
  2621. >Scootaloo speaks up
  2622. >"I haven't been back in Ponyville in awhile. I've been pretty preoccupied at the academy."
  2623. >You chuckle
  2624. "I hadn't seen you in years."
  2625. >Scoots blushes a bit
  2626. >"When I learned to fly, I swore I wouldn't stay down on earth anymore."
  2627. >She looks up at the sky
  2628. >"Yes, the clouds were the place for me."
  2629. >She locks eyes with you
  2630. >"But I kind of realized how much I left behind here. So I came and visited Applebloom and Sweetiebell a bit, but they're always busy, like me."
  2631. >You nod
  2632. >That must be rough.
  2633. >You didn't know Applebloom or Sweetie Bell very well, but you knew Scootaloo was very attached to them.
  2634. >They were together before they got their cutie marks
  2635. >They made some kind of group to find them, the Cutie Mark Crusaders or something.
  2636. >You wonder what it must be like being away from close friends for so long.
  2637. >The boutique is in sight
  2638. >You see the balloon wrapped up inside its basket next to the boutique.
  2639. >It doesn't look like it's in too rough of shape.
  2640. >You sigh with relief.
  2641. >At least its in one piece.
  2642. >Maybe you won't get in as much trouble now.
  2643. >You walk up to the door
  2644. >You take a deep breath
  2645. >Your hand clunks against the door a few times.
  2646. >You hear a bit of a rustle behind the door
  2647. >A familiar voice is muffled behind
  2648. >"Just a moment!"
  2649. >After a few more seconds of cluttered sounds and a cat meow the door finally clicks
  2650. >"Yes hello?"
  2651. >Rarity pokes her head out the door
  2652. >She looks up and looks you in the eyes
  2653. >"Oh Anon! You came so soon!"
  2654. >She smiles at you before looking down at your friends
  2655. >"Scootaloo! You're traveling with Anon? What marvelous timing! Sweetie Bell is back from Canterlot this weekend!"
  2656. >Scootaloo pushes her head under your hand to get closer
  2657. >"R-really? That's great!"
  2658. >Rarity nods, then looks around the two of you at Spark
  2659. >"And who might you be?"
  2660. >Spark walks to the door and bows his head very slightly
  2661. >"My name is Spark. I'm a friend of Anon's from Cloudsdale"
  2662. >Rarity smiles
  2663. >"Well met! You have wonderful manners, darling."
  2664. >Rarity walks backwards and opens the door.
  2665. >"Don't just stand out there! Please! Come in, come in, come in!"
  2666. >She shoos the three of you in as she closes the door behind you.
  2667. >As you walk in, you remove your shoes without thinking
  2668. >It's an old habit you formed when you used to visit here all the time as a kid
  2669. >The shoes come off so you don't end up ruining anything.
  2670. >Of course, this was back when you were a kid and you were jumping around on the furniture.
  2671. >But that doesn't really matter
  2672. >You remove them anyway.
  2673. >The boutique is bigger than you remember
  2674. >It has its full fashion stage along with multiple changing rooms and mannequines.
  2675. >You follow Rarity into the back.
  2676. >She leads you to the living room
  2677. >In the middle of the living room is a large glass table, surrounded by two loveseats, a couch, and a recliner
  2678. >Judging by the weird dents in the recliner, you assume Bro sits there a lot.
  2679. >His spikes did make sitting in chairs difficult.
  2680. >"Please have a seat everypony! I'll be back with refreshments!"
  2681. >She trots into the kitchen
  2682. >You take a seat on one of the loveseats
  2683. >Scootaloo joins you, and Spark sits in the recliner
  2684. >You hear the clinks of glasses in the kitchen
  2685. >It must be difficult to work with glasses and such when you have hooves
  2686. >You sit still for a moment
  2687. >You stand, scratching Scoots behind the ear while you get up
  2688. "I'm gonna go help Rarity in the kitchen"
  2689. >Scootaloo turns her head
  2690. >"Uh, okay. Sounds good to me!"
  2691. >You walk into the kitchen
  2692. >Rarity has placed cups in a row, and is struggling with the heavy pitcher of lemonade
  2693. >She stumbles to the right
  2694. >You rush over and stop her from dropping the pitcher
  2695. >"Tchalck wash a clerch on" she says with the pitcher still in her mouth
  2696. >You take the pitcher from her
  2697. >"Thank you Anon!"
  2698. "It's the least I could do. Thank you for serving us on such short notice.
  2699. >You turn and start pouring the lemonade.
  2700. >Rarity stays silent for a moment
  2701. >"Why, it's no problem, really. Thank you ever so much for the help."
  2702. >She goes over to pick up a tray of sweets
  2703. >"When did you become such a gentleman? I swear, you've grown up far too fast."
  2704. >You grin
  2705. >You put the lemonades onto a tray and bring it into the living room.
  2706. >You follow Rarity as she places the tray of cookies she was carrying on the table
  2707. >You place your tray next to it
  2708. >"Sweetiiiieeee, we have guests!" Rarity yells
  2709. >You hear some thumping from upstairs
  2710. >"Okayyy!"
  2711. >The voice sounds familiar, but only a little.
  2712. >It has an odd air of beauty to it, it flows very well.
  2713. >Rarity sits down on the open loveseat
  2714. >She is still wearing her working glasses, and she has her mane up in a bun.
  2715. >She carefully sturs sugar into her lemonade with a spoon being lifted by magic
  2716. >As she uses her horn, she seems to be uncomfortable
  2717. "Rarity? Is everything okay?"
  2718. >She looks up with a slight blush
  2719. >"Oh yes I am fine. I overworked myself yesterday assisting Spike bring the balloon in. Do not worry, it's only temporary."
  2720. >You feel a twang of guilt run up your spine.
  2721. >That explains why she wasn't doing any heavy lifting with her horn.
  2722. >Sometimes unicorns can overexert their magic, and it gives them a hornache
  2723. >At least, that's what mom used to tell you.
  2724. >But what really sucks is that you're to blame.
  2725. "I-I'm sorry about the balloon. It was an accident."
  2726. >Rarity seems surprised by the apology
  2727. >"Oh I don't blame you for any of this, Nonny. It was my fault for trying to carry too much at once."
  2728. >Her reply helped allieviate the guilt a little.
  2729. >"However I believe it is your mother that needs your apologies the most."
  2730. >And there's the guilt again.
  2731. >The thumping from the second floor finally makes its way to the stairs.
  2732. >The railing on the stairs rattles as a pony trots down them
  2733. >"Who is visiting Rarity?"
  2734. >It is now that you see Sweetie Bell completely
  2735. >Her beauty is something you can hardly describe with words
  2736. >So here you go trying to describe it with words
  2737. >She has an elegance about her, much like Rarity, but it embodies itself in her slender figure and long curled mane
  2738. >She is certainly gorgeous, but she feels so clean and pure
  2739. >Scootaloo is quite beautiful herself, but she's a lot more rugged.
  2740. >You prefer the rugged type anyway
  2741. >Sweetie Bell's eyes open wide when she sees Scootaloo sitting next to you.
  2742. >"SCOOTALOO!"
  2743. >Scoots smiles at seeing her friend, and the two of them rush towards eachother
  2744. >They embrace in a most peculiar way
  2745. >It's hard to understand, but they gave off vibes of sisterlike closeness
  2746. >It may have been a regular hug, but it felt like more.
  2747. >The two of them start speaking at a mile a minute, obviously catching up.
  2748. >"Where have you been Scooty? You haven't visited in awhile!"
  2749. >"Same place as always, Cloudsdale, working towards the Wonderbolts. Where have you been? Whenever I visit ponyville you aren't around!"
  2750. >"I've been studying music theory in Canterlot! Princess Twilight got me a full ride!"
  2751. >"No kidding?! That's awesome Sweetie!"
  2752. >"I know! It's been great!"
  2753. >Sweetie's attention suddenly turns to you.
  2754. >"Oh! You're Twilight's son, Anon. Right?"
  2755. >You nod
  2756. "Yep!"
  2757. >"I thought so! We never really talked in school, but I saw you with Scoots all the time."
  2758. "Yeah, it has been awhile"
  2759. >"You're a lot taller too! You've really become quite the human."
  2760. >You blush. Coming from someone as attractive as Sweetie Bell, this means a lot.
  2761. "Thank you."
  2762. >She smiles
  2763. >"You and Scoots used to be close back in grade school! I guess you two are just as close these days too."
  2764. >Scootaloo chuckles under her breath
  2765. >"You have no idea." she says, looking back at you.
  2766. >Sweetie Bell raises and eyebrow with aconfused expression.
  2767. >She looks at you, then Scoots, then you again, then back to Scoots.
  2768. >Suddenly her eyebrows shoot up with realization, and a large smile crawls across her face.
  2769. >You could swear you heard an odd 'squee' noise.
  2770. >"Oh you two are so cute together!"
  2771. >You and Scoots both blush
  2772. >That's one thing you remember about Sweetie Bell: She's not very discrete.
  2773. >Rarity looks at the two of you and blushes with a smirk.
  2774. >If she didn't see it before, she does now.
  2775. >Spark chuckles a little bit into his lemonade
  2776. >Sweetie Bell turns to him
  2777. >Spark suddenly stops laughing
  2778. >"Oh hello! Who are you?"
  2779. >Spark's head sinks into his shoulders.
  2780. >"I'm, uh, Spark. I'm friends with Scootaloo and Anon."
  2781. >Sweetie Bell looks him up and down with her eye not covered by hair.
  2782. >She's very obviously checking him out.
  2783. >Again: Being discrete is not Sweetie's strong suit.
  2784. >"Well it's nice to meet you Spark~"
  2785. >Spark blushes
  2786. >"A-and same to you Ms. Bell."
  2787. >You snicker a bit
  2788. >He's always so polite to strangers, yet so unfiltered with those he knows.
  2789. >Sweetie Bell jumps next to Spark in the recliner
  2790. >It's a large chair, after all Spike is a large guy, but it's still tight for two ponies.
  2791. >Spark's face is glowing red at this point
  2792. >He doesn't seem to know what to do in this situation.
  2793. >Sweetie smiles
  2794. >She knows what she is doing.
  2795. >You shake your head with a smile.
  2796. >Scootaloo sits down next to you again, and leans her head on your shoulder a bit.
  2797. >You all chat for a little while about life.
  2798. >Spark talks about his family back home
  2799. >You talk about your adventure with the balloon
  2800. >Scootaloo talks about the academy
  2801. >Rarity talks about the shop
  2802. >Sweetie Bell talks about Canterlot
  2803. >Everyone tells a story, and everyone listens.
  2804. >You catch yourself smiling
  2805. >All this feels familiar
  2806. >You remember a time when this happened a lot more often.
  2807. >Years ago, before you spent holidays in your room reading and goofing off.
  2808. >Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Bro, and pretty much anypony else you could think of would come over for every event.
  2809. >You remember going out and playing in the leaves during the fall before you grew out of it.
  2810. >You remember wearing a brown acorn vest during Winter Wrap Up before it became too childish for you.
  2811. >And most of all you remember large meals and huge happy discussions with lots of ponies before they...
  2812. >Before they... something.
  2813. >Before they became something you didn't want anymore.
  2814. >You guess.
  2815. >You haven't sat down and had a happy chat with ponies you cared about in a long time.
  2816. >It feels good to be back at it.
  2817. >You're all interrupted by the sound of the bell attached to the door.
  2818. >You smile as you hear a familiar voice
  2819. >"I'm home Rare!"
  2820. >You recognize the deep masculine voice anywhere
  2821. >Bro is home.
  2822. >You hear footsteps towards the living room as he speaks
  2823. >"Did we ever get anything back from Anon? He still needs to get back to-"
  2824. >As he walks through the doorway he stops speaking
  2825. >"Oh hey, you're here already!"
  2826. >You smile wide as you see your brother again for the first time in awhile.
  2827. >He's one of very few things around here that is taller than you.
  2828. >He stands at 7 feet tall, and he is beyond strong.
  2829. >His muscle structure may be similar to yours, but his muscles are much larger.
  2830. >He has the body of a soldier, the kind where he has trouble fitting into chariots due to his shoulders.
  2831. >He scratches his strong jaw as he smiles at you.
  2832. >He's wearing a his shoulder pads from his armor, but everything else seems to have been removed, other than his under armor clothing.
  2833. >You stand up and walk up to him.
  2834. >The two of you embrace with a huge bear hug.
  2835. >You both squeeze eachother as hard as possible.
  2836. >This was the way the two of you always hugged, it was not just a display of affection but of strength.
  2837. >As you release, he puts his hands on his hips.
  2838. "Hey Bro. Long time no see."
  2839. >He nods
  2840. >"Yeah it's been awhile. I would ask if you've been staying out of trouble, but the balloon out front kind of speaks for itself."
  2841. >You chuckle nervously.
  2842. >He laughs and smacks his hand on your back.
  2843. >"I wish I could have seen the look on your face when that balloon fell through the clouds."
  2844. >He starts to guide you back to the living room
  2845. >"From what Rainbow told me, it was priceless."
  2846. >That reminds you.
  2847. "Yeah. It was rather shocking. Rainbow wants you to send her a message and tell her I got here."
  2848. >Bro nods
  2849. >"In due time Nonny."
  2850. >You both walk back to the chairs.
  2851. >Everyone says hello and smiles.
  2852. >"Hey Scoots! You're here too? Keeping Nonny company?"
  2853. >Scootaloo blushes a little and nods.
  2854. >"Y-Yep, caught up with him at a Wonderbolt party."
  2855. >Bro laughs out loud again
  2856. >"A Wonderbolt party? My, my, sounds like Nonny really has been having a lot of fun."
  2857. >He turns to you again with a toothy grin, revealing his large fangs.
  2858. >"Well I'm glad that you're being Nonny's companion."
  2859. >You're not sure, but you could've sworn Bro winked at Scootaloo.
  2860. >Did Rainbow Dash gossip?
  2861. >That's a very strong possibility.
  2862. >Everypony seems happy to see bro
  2863. >Everypony but Spark, who seems completely awe struck.
  2864. >He's looking up at the giant standing infront of him, completely dumbfounded that such a creature could exist.
  2865. >Bro looks over to Spark
  2866. >"Haven't seen your face before, you a friend of Nonny's?"
  2867. >Spark nods dramatically
  2868. >Bro smiles
  2869. >"I'm guessing you don't have many dragons in Cloudsdale"
  2870. >Spark shakes his head violently again.
  2871. >You look over at Bro
  2872. >He's gonna do it.
  2873. >Bro's nostrils start to flare a bit, and you can see sparks jump from his mouth.
  2874. >He's definitely gonna do it.
  2875. >He inhales deeply, then suddenly blows two short green spurts of fire out of his nose in rings
  2876. >Spark's eyes grow wide in wonder, and he clutches his glass of lemonade close.
  2877. >The rings turn to white smoke before floating to the ceiling
  2878. >Spark looks like he just saw Luna in a tutu.
  2879. >A combination of conflicting feelings of fear, wonder, and pure curiosity
  2880. >Bro seems pretty happy with himself as he chuckles.
  2881. >Rarity speaks up
  2882. >"Oh Spikey, I really wish you wouldn't breathe fire inside, dear. You know how it makes my fabric smell."
  2883. >Spike walks up to Rarity and crouches down
  2884. >The two of them kiss a little bit
  2885. >When they part, Bro puts his hand under Rarity's chin.
  2886. >"And how's my little gem's horn today?"
  2887. >Rarity blushes as she stirs and sips her tea
  2888. >"It is fine. I told you it was nothing."
  2889. >She must not like being belittled in front of us.
  2890. >Bro kisses her on the cheek before standing up, making her blush and smile.
  2891. >Yeah, if anypony was madly in love it was those two.
  2892. >Spike stands up straight
  2893. >He stretches and yawns, showcasing his set of teeth.
  2894. >"I'm gonna go take a shower real fast. Then I gotta talk to Nonny."
  2895. >Bro heads up the stairs
  2896. >Spark finally comes to his senses
  2897. >"S-So that's your bro?"
  2898. >You nod
  2899. "That's Spike. He's really something else, isn't he?"
  2900. >"Something else? He's awesome! He's even bigger than you!"
  2901. >You chuckle a bit
  2902. "He's small for a dragon you know. He could be 100 feet tall if he started hoarding gold."
  2903. >Spark's jaw flaps down
  2904. >"No kiddn'? That's nuts!"
  2905. >Rarity chuckles
  2906. >"Try being married to him."
  2907. >Spark shakes his head again.
  2908. >"I just still can't believe that he's your brother Anon! That's so cool!"
  2909. >It is pretty cool having him as a brother
  2910. >Of course the dragon bit is pretty cool as it is, but Spike as a person is amazing too.
  2911. >Up until a couple years ago, the two of you were inseperable.
  2912. >Of course school got in the way a bit, and by the time mom let him go off on his own, he and Rarity were already dating.
  2913. >By the time he moved out, you were already distant from everyone.
  2914. >You break your trance and notice Sweetie Bell chatting with Spark.
  2915. >They're so close together on the chair, their noses nearly touch whenever they face eachother.
  2916. >Spark doesn't seem very comfortable.
  2917. >Sweetie, on the other hoof, seems extremely intrigued.
  2918. >Her eyes are half glazed, and she raises her eyebrows in a superior fasion.
  2919. >You lean to Scootaloo, who is under your arm.
  2920. "Hey, what's up with Sweetie Bell? Does she have a thing for Spark?" you whisper.
  2921. >Scootaloo looks over at them.
  2922. >"Oh most definitely." she responds without a second glance
  2923. "No offense to Spark, but why? They just met eachother."
  2924. >Scootaloo finishes up a sip of lemonade
  2925. >"Spark is a handsome stallion, Nonny. Not really my taste, but Sweetie Bell goes nuts for that hard-worker look."
  2926. >You shake your head.
  2927. >You can't really gauge the attractiveness of a stallion
  2928. >You have a hard enough time with mares.
  2929. >Scootaloo rubs her face against your shoulder, getting a little more comfortable.
  2930. >Rarity carries away the plates
  2931. >She gives you a look telling you she's got it.
  2932. >You would have helped anyway, but Scoots just got comfortable.
  2933. >You watch with amusement as Spark leans backwards and Sweetie leans forward while they chat away.
  2934. >Spark usually seems overwhelmed by all the things happening today.
  2935. >Not only did is he outside of Cloudsdale, but a pretty mare is flirting with him, and he met a dragon.
  2936. >Busy day for him.
  2937. >You pet Scootaloo's mane and scratch her behind the ears
  2938. >She really enjoys that.
  2939. >She releases a deep breath, as if decompressing.
  2940. >You lean back in the loveseat.
  2941. >You feel drowsy
  2942. >The warm pony under your arm, the quiet clinking from the kitchen, the idle chatter of Sweetie and Spark
  2943. >It all comes together to make your eyelids feel heavy.
  2944. >After a couple minutes of resting your eyes the thumping upstairs returns
  2945. >It meanders around a bit before heading towards the stairs
  2946. >Bro comes thumping down the stairs
  2947. >He's wearing a black v-neck, and a belt and jeans.
  2948. >He got into the habit of wearing clothing when you were young.
  2949. >At first he did it so you wouldn't feel left out, but Rarity loved designing clothing for him.
  2950. >You always wore clothing because you don't have fur.
  2951. >"Oh Celestia that feels better."
  2952. >Bro turns and looks at the pair in his recliner
  2953. >"Don't get TOO comfortable on my chair. I'm gonna want it back."
  2954. >Sweetie smirks while Spark's face becomes even more red.
  2955. >Bro chuckles.
  2956. >He turns to you.
  2957. >"Alright, you're gonna help me."
  2958. >You nod and stand, carfeul not to let Scoots fall.
  2959. >"Hey Rare? We're gonna go bring the balloon back to the castle!"
  2960. >Rarity yells from the kitchen
  2961. >"Very good! See you in a bit."
  2962. >Bro addresses the room
  2963. >"We shall be back in a little while."
  2964. >He looks at you and nods
  2965. >That's your cue
  2966. >You head out the door with Bro and head for the side of the boutique.
  2967. >Bro leads you to the balloon.
  2968. >It's rolled up and tossed inside the large basket
  2969. >You see him put his hands on his hips.
  2970. "Listen Bro, I didn't mean to-"
  2971. >Bro puts one hand up in front of your face, cutting you off
  2972. >He points to one side of the basket
  2973. >"Lift that side, I'll get this side."
  2974. >You nod and walk over to the basket.
  2975. >He lifts his side as you lift yours
  2976. >It's a large basket, but it isn't too terribly heavy.
  2977. >The two of you get walking
  2978. >With each step you take, your nervousness grows.
  2979. >You just want to get it off your chest.
  2980. "Spike, I'm really sorry about all this. I didn't mean to let the balloon go, I just-"
  2981. >You're interrupted by Spike laughing.
  2982. >You get a little flustered
  2983. >He slows to a stop.
  2984. >"Nonny, put the basket down."
  2985. >You do as he says.
  2986. >He leans over his side of the basket facing you.
  2987. >You lean aswell.
  2988. >Spike smiles, gathering his thoughts
  2989. >"Now, I appreciate your apology. It's nice to hear that coming from you, but you don't have to worry about anything."
  2990. >You tilt your head in confusion
  2991. >Spike laughs again
  2992. >"Do you really think you're the first one to use the balloon without permission? And buck it up in the process?"
  2993. >You finally begin to register it all
  2994. >"Remember? It was my last year of schooling..."
  2995. >The memory comes flooding back to you.
  2996. >You are Anon
  2997. >And you are in trouble
  2998. >Deep deep trouble.
  2999. >But nowhere near as deep as your big Bro
  3000. >You stand next to him, standing tall.
  3001. >He's wearing a nice vest and collared shirt combo and has his headphones around his neck
  3002. >Rarity sure loved to dress him
  3003. >Of course, she's in trouble too.
  3004. >Mom stares down the two of you
  3005. >Kind of
  3006. >You're at about eye level, and Spike is two feet taller
  3007. >Mom paces in front of you, like a drill sergeant looking at his cadets
  3008. >She finally turns and faces you
  3009. >"What in the world were you two thinking?" she asks with a raised voice.
  3010. >It isn't quite yelling, but she sounds very stern.
  3011. >You look nervously up at bro who doesn't say anything.
  3012. >Mom shakes her head and looks up at Bro.
  3013. >"Do you know how stupid that was; Taking the Balloon like that, Spike?"
  3014. >Bro sighs
  3015. >"I know how to fly it." He responds in a grumbled voice, his voice not quite as deep as it is now.
  3016. >"Just because you know how to fly it does not mean you're allowed to take it without asking! You could have gotten hurt!"
  3017. >Mom points her hoof at you
  3018. >"And you got your brother involved too! What made you think this was a good idea?"
  3019. >Spike's demeanor changes.
  3020. >Originally he stood strong, but now he has some visible shame
  3021. >"I..."
  3022. >Spike pauses
  3023. >"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see Rarity is all. I haven't been able to see her much.
  3024. >Mom barely lets him finish his sentence
  3025. >"But you didn't have to be unsafe about it! You didn't have to sneak out! You didn't have to hijack the balloon and get Nonny to release it for you! Rarity is coming back from Canterlot in two weeks, you could have waited."
  3026. >Mom shakes her head.
  3027. >"Instead you took my balloon and crashed it into the everfree forest, and we had to fish it out."
  3028. >Mom hugs you and Bro, flying up to your levels
  3029. >"I thought I had lost my number 1 assistant, and I couldn't find my monkeyboy."
  3030. >You feel tears hit the back of your neck.
  3031. >Bro didn't want you to tell mom that he had taken the balloon that night, so you decided to hide from her all day.
  3032. >It wasn't until later that you found out the reason she was looking for you so frantically was because she got the news her balloon had crashed.
  3033. >Even though Spike had escaped unharmed, all mom knew was her balloon had crashed, and she didn't know where her children were.
  3034. >The tears you feel on the back of your neck bring with them feelings of shame.
  3035. >You wrap your arms around mom.
  3036. >You feel Bro do the same
  3037. >She doesn't want to punish or yell at you
  3038. >She just doesn't want to lose you.
  3039. >You come back to reality
  3040. >Bro notices your melancholy expression
  3041. >He chuckles lightly
  3042. >"Yeah, I bucked up a lot when I was your age."
  3043. >You look up at him again
  3044. >He laughs
  3045. >"I was grounded before I did any of that, because I wasn't paying attention in class. My grades were dipping."
  3046. >He smiles
  3047. >"I mean, after that I was grounded for another month, on top of the sentence I was already serving."
  3048. >You smile
  3049. "Ma used to tell you she was gonna throw you in the dungeon."
  3050. >Bro laughs,
  3051. >He starts scratching his nose
  3052. >"Haha, yeah. She never did it though. I feel like she came close, but she never did."
  3053. >Bro shakes his head
  3054. >"I kind of wondered what went wrong back then, ya know?"
  3055. >His face becomes serious for a moment
  3056. >"I mean, I didn't want to be a part of mom's life anymore, you know? I couldn't wait to move out and chase after Rarity, and leave that castle."
  3057. >Bro turns and looks at the castle in the distance.
  3058. >"But now a days, I wonder why."
  3059. >He leans his back on the basket
  3060. >Your mind thirsts for answers to these questions
  3061. >You wait eagerly for your brother to continue
  3062. >"But I always made the right choice in the end. I always said sorry and please and thank you."
  3063. >He nods
  3064. >"I never just shut everypony out."
  3065. >You look down at the dirt.
  3066. >You notice the red rope dangling around your neck.
  3067. >Prior to this week, you probably would have rolled your eyes.
  3068. >You probably would have shrugged Bro's story off, and kept living your dillusional life.
  3069. >But that version of yourself isn't dating Scootaloo
  3070. >And that version of yourself didn't witness Spark's beautiful family.
  3071. >And that version of yourself did not have this necklace.
  3072. >And you are not that version of yourself.
  3073. >You are different.
  3074. >And maybe you are more.
  3075. >Bro turns around and faces you.
  3076. >"Rainbow Dash told me all about you and Scootaloo."
  3077. >You knew it
  3078. >"And she also told me all about what a great guy you were."
  3079. >He smiles
  3080. >"Doing the dishes, please and thank yous, apologies on the spot..."
  3081. >He runs his hand over his head-ridges
  3082. >"It was unexpected, I'll be honest, but it was good to hear."
  3083. >He signals to pick up the basket with him
  3084. >As the basket leaves the ground, he speaks once more.
  3085. >"I was scared about what was going on with you Nonny."
  3086. >You nearly miss a step.
  3087. >"I mean, you haven't had the best track record. And then I heard you crashed the balloon? I was so confused."
  3088. >You readjust the weight on your shoulder as you walk.
  3089. >"But then I read the letters, and I heard what Rainbow Dash had to say, and I was just as surprised, but in a good way."
  3090. >You hear him chuckle a bit.
  3091. >"I was scared I had lost the little Bro I knew before for a little while there. I thought you were going in another direction."
  3092. >This statement burns your arteries
  3093. >It tightens your throat, it sears your eyes, and it reddens your face
  3094. >"I'm glad I was wrong."
  3095. >Silence between you two is not very common
  3096. >When it does happen, however, it's never on a bad note
  3097. >You don't know how or why, but Bro always manages to phrase things in the best way for you.
  3098. >You think about what he said
  3099. >Bro has been your closest family member above all others, and he and you have a wonderful relationship.
  3100. >Yet even he started to worry about you over the past few years.
  3101. >You weren't aware how apparent it all was.
  3102. >You guess the absence of polite conversation played a major roll, but it wasn't the only thing.
  3103. >Just how stand offish and cold were you?
  3104. >You hear Bro laugh on the other side of the basket
  3105. >"Do you remember the time Pinkie Pie broke into the castle to give you a cupcake when you were really sick?"
  3106. >You smile to yourself
  3107. >How could you forget
  3108. "And her excuse was that the front doors were closed, but a window was open."
  3109. >Spike chuckles again
  3110. >"The look on mom's face was hilarious! Especially when she found her hoofprints all over the ceiling."
  3111. >You laugh out loud.
  3112. >Pinkie Pie used to sneak sweets in to you and Bro when either of you were feeling under the weather.
  3113. >One time in particular, while you had a cold, she dressed in all black and climbed through the 4th floor window.
  3114. >She then proceeded to sneak around in a black jump suit and descend from the cieling with a wire.
  3115. >She put cupcakes in every bedroom, and nopony spotted her until mom walked in on her in your room.
  3116. >You were sleeping at the time, but mom's shocked screams woke you up, and you watched as mom dragged Pinkie Pie out by her tail.
  3117. >Pinkie Pie was always pretty funny.
  3118. >The two of you laugh a little bit more, enjoying the nostalgia.
  3119. >Finally you reach the castle and head towards the back.
  3120. >You place the basket down where you found it a couple days ago.
  3121. >Bro claps his hands together in a 'job-well-done' sort of way.
  3122. >"Alright, that oughta do it."
  3123. >You nod
  3124. "I'm glad it's back. Mom will hopefully cool off over the next couple days."
  3125. >Bro cringes a bit
  3126. >"About that, mom's coming home tomorrow."
  3127. >Your heart sinks
  3128. "I thought she had important business in Canterlot!"
  3129. >"Well she did, but after hearing what happened she insisted on returning."
  3130. "So what does that mean for me?"
  3131. >"It means you're staying with us tonight. Rainbow will bring your stuff down later."
  3132. >You shake your head
  3133. >This changes a lot
  3134. >Your head feels light
  3135. >Mom wasn't supposed to come home for another 3 days.
  3136. >But now she'll be here by tomorrow.
  3137. >And now your week of freedom is cut short.
  3138. >Bro looks you up and down.
  3139. >"You alright Nonny?"
  3140. >You blink a couple times
  3141. "Yeah, I'm alright. I guess I was just hoping for a little more time on my own."
  3142. >You look down
  3143. >Bro looks around a bit, leaning on the basket.
  3144. >"Hey"
  3145. >You look at him.
  3146. >"Now you gotta stay with me for the next day. But, maybe Rarity and I get distracted. Maybe you and your friends sneak out while we go to bed. Maybe you get back before we wake up. Who knows?"
  3147. >He smiles at you
  3148. >He's right
  3149. >You've still got today, and you've still got tonight
  3150. >You can still make the most of what you have, right?
  3151. >Bro smirks a bit
  3152. >Now you're a little skeptical
  3153. "What's the catch?"
  3154. >He laughs
  3155. >"You gotta bring Sweetie"
  3156. >You tilt your head
  3157. "Why?"
  3158. >Bro stops leaning on the basket and walks up to you.
  3159. >"I'd just like to have some alone time with my wife, alright?"
  3160. >The gears start turning and it finally clicks
  3161. >You blush
  3162. "Oh. Yeah, okay. No problem."
  3163. >Bro winks then laughs out loud
  3164. >He grabs you around the shoulder and drags you into a hug
  3165. >"Haha! I knew you'd come around."
  3166. >Didn't really have much of a choice
  3167. >But you don't mind taking Sweetie along.
  3168. >As long as she doesn't fillynap Spark
  3169. >It'd be hard to explain to his folks
  3170. >"Well come on, let's head back now."
  3171. >You nod and start walking next to your brother
  3172. >Your mind is buzzing with ideas for today.
  3173. >The two of you walk back to the boutique, idly chatting
  3174. >You're not really paying attention to the conversation
  3175. >You want the next 24 hours to be the best they can be.
  3176. >You need to fit all the adventures you can in this ridiculous time span.
  3177. >The first thing that crosses your mind is a party
  3178. >But that doesn't seem like the best idea
  3179. >You need to be out of the house, not throwing a party inside of it.
  3180. >Next you think about what there is to do in Ponyville
  3181. >Unfortunately it's a small quiet town, and the exciting scenes are scarce.
  3182. >You scratch the back of your head as you keep drawing blanks.
  3183. >You want to have some kind of extravagent night like you did in Cloudsdale.
  3184. >A crazy party, with a little adrenaline rush
  3185. >Chances of you finding that here is pretty slim unfortunately
  3186. >You have faith though
  3187. >Your group will find something to do
  3188. >Though you fear Sweetie Bell might be a pain about it
  3189. >She might not see eye to eye with your group's plans
  3190. >You'll just have to hope for the best
  3191. >You apporach the boutique
  3192. >Bro puts his hand on your shoulder
  3193. >"Remember, have a good time, but don't get me in trouble with the Mrs, and don't get me in trouble with mom."
  3194. >You chuckle
  3195. "You got it Bro."
  3196. >He pats you on the back
  3197. >"Awesome."
  3198. >The bell rings above your head as the door opens
  3199. >You hear voices from the other room.
  3200. >"Spike dear, is that you?"
  3201. >Bro comes in behind you
  3202. >"Yep! The balloon has been returned!"
  3203. >Rarity trots into the room with some fabric.
  3204. >"Oh wonderful! I'm sure it wasn't too much for a couple of macho gentlemen like you two."
  3205. >She winks at the two of you, but you're pretty sure it was mostly directed to Bro.
  3206. >The two of you chuckle
  3207. >You exchange a glance with Bro
  3208. >Without saying anything, the two of you know what the other wants, and what you should do.
  3209. >That's just how brothers are.
  3210. >You walk into the living room
  3211. >The scene looks the same, with a few minor alterations
  3212. >Scootaloo is laying down across the whole loveseat.
  3213. >You don't blame her. You probably left a nice warm spot in the soft pillows.
  3214. >What is most interesting is the development on Spike's chair.
  3215. >Spark is leaned over to his side as much as possible, and Sweetie Bell is leaning her head on his shoulder.
  3216. >His face is bright red, and he doesn't move an inch.
  3217. >You have a weird feeling he has been paralyzed for awhile now.
  3218. >You chuckle at the thought of Rarity just letting this happen.
  3219. >Scoots looks up at you
  3220. >"How was your little trip?"
  3221. >She looks at you with playful eyes
  3222. >You smirk
  3223. "It was real fun. Had a grand ole time."
  3224. >Scoots flashes you a toothy grin
  3225. >"Oh yeah? Well what's the deal today? What is our plan of action?"
  3226. >You scratch your neck
  3227. "Well, uh. Turns out my mom is coming back tomorrow."
  3228. >Scoots lifts up her head
  3229. >"R-Really? Already?"
  3230. >You nod
  3231. "So I'm staying here. But we can still do something."
  3232. >"Like what?"
  3233. >You stand there awkwardly
  3234. >You were hoping an idea would come on the spot, but it didn't
  3235. >The group looks at you in silence for a couple seconds
  3236. >Suddenly Sweetie Bell speaks up
  3237. >"Well if nopony has any ideas, we could go to Sweet Apple Acres! I'm sure Apple Bloom would love to see Scootaloo again!"
  3238. >You think for a moment
  3239. >You didn't have any ideas anyway
  3240. >And Apple Bloom hasn't seen Scoots in awhile
  3241. >And Spark would really prefer to get out of that chair.
  3242. >You look at Scoots
  3243. >She seems okay with anything, really.
  3244. >You look to Spark
  3245. >Not really gonna get much out of him.
  3246. >You nod
  3247. "That sounds good! Let's do it."
  3248. >Sweetie Bell smiles wide and jumps out of the chair.
  3249. >Spark flops to the ground and snaps out of his trance.
  3250. >He looks at you with a look of fear and confusion.
  3251. >Scoots walks by and you follow after.
  3252. >As you leave the room, Bro walks in
  3253. >"My chair finally open again? Awesome."
  3254. >He sits down and puts his clawed feet up, grunting the whole time.
  3255. >You smile as you leave.
  3256. >You walk next to Scootaloo behind Spark and Sweetie
  3257. >Your friend group has certainly expanded over the last few days
  3258. >Before you walked around town alone, absorbed by your own worries
  3259. >But now you have 3 ponies surrounding you, lightly chatting
  3260. >"So Nonny, why is your mom coming home so soon?"
  3261. >Scootaloo's voice breaks your train of thought
  3262. >You look down at her next to you
  3263. "Why do you think? It's about the balloon."
  3264. >"Spike told her? Why doesn't Rainbow Dash bail you out?"
  3265. >You shake your head a little
  3266. "She couldn't if she tried. I'm the problem, not her."
  3267. >You frown a bit after listening to your own phrasing.
  3268. >Scootaloo pushes her head under your arm and rubs her face against your body.
  3269. >You feel her mane and ears brush just under your ribs
  3270. >"It'll be alright. I'm sure she'll understand."
  3271. >You smile
  3272. >She certainly knows what to say.
  3273. >You're still nervous about what mom is going to do when she gets back.
  3274. >But you're certainly not as nervous as you would be alone.
  3275. "Yeah, hopefully."
  3276. >Sweetie Bell turns around
  3277. >"Okay, so I've gotta know, when did you two start seeing eachother!? I mean I never suspected that you two would end up together, what with Anon being a human and-"
  3278. >Scootaloo stamps a hoof
  3279. >"SWEETIE!"
  3280. >Sweetie Bell jumps from surprise.
  3281. >Scoots blushes
  3282. >Admittedly, the human comment stung a bit, but you're rather used to it at this point.
  3283. >"Oh, uh, sorry Anon. But, I'm really curious to know."
  3284. >You blush and scratch the back of your head
  3285. "It's quite the story actually."
  3286. >Spark speaks up for the first time
  3287. >"They saw eachother at a Wonderbolt party, had a lovely walk home and I'm just gonna assume they had a heart to heart at some point."
  3288. >You and Scoots both feel the blood rush to your faces
  3289. >Dammit Spark
  3290. >"Am I wrong?"
  3291. >Scoots pouts while you look at the ground
  3292. >"I'm not wrong."
  3293. >Spark smiles and starts giggling
  3294. >"You two are too easy."
  3295. >Sweetie Bell snorts a bit
  3296. >"I had no idea they were so sensitive about it!"
  3297. >You look down at her in an attempt to look intimidating
  3298. >But your flushed cheeks betray you, and you just come off as embarassed
  3299. >Sweetie's snout wrinkles as she holds back giggles
  3300. "Don't we have a place to be?" you say grumpily
  3301. >Sweetie giggles a bit more
  3302. >"Haha, Yep. Let's move!"
  3303. >She starts trotting ahead
  3304. >She chuckles one more time
  3305. >" 'Am I wrong?' that's funny. Who knew you were so funny Spark?"
  3306. >Spark's head droops a bit and his ears lose their perk
  3307. >So much for his new found confidence
  3308. >The four of you continue to walk until the buildings become scarce and the farmland plentiful
  3309. >You're surrounded by apple trees of all different varieties
  3310. >None quite as common as red Macintoshes though
  3311. >Spark seems very amused by it all.
  3312. >You doubt he's been in a place with so many trees, after all he lives in the clouds.
  3313. >As you approach the white picket fence just outside the farm itself you spot a large red stallion with a crate of apples on his back
  3314. >Speaking of Macintoshes
  3315. >"Hey big Mac!" Sweetie shouts
  3316. >Big Mac turns to look at your group as you walk towards him
  3317. >He's got a small orange beard and seems very strong, almost lumberjack-esqe
  3318. >His lazy eyes look up at you
  3319. >"Is Apple Bloom home?"
  3320. >He nods
  3321. >"Eeyup"
  3322. >He hasn't changed much at all
  3323. >He eyes the rest of the group
  3324. >Sweetie jumps a bit
  3325. >"Oh, I almost forgot! You remember Scootaloo, and this is Anon, Twilight's son and Spark, a good friend of mine."
  3326. >Friend of hers?
  3327. >Big Mac nods to us all
  3328. >"Howdy."
  3329. >He speaks calmly and collected, like hes trying to use words as efficiently as possible.
  3330. >Even with this rather reserved response, it doesn't feel offputting.
  3331. >It actually feels rather nice.
  3332. >Your friends all say their greetings then let Sweetie take it from there
  3333. >"So where's Apple Bloom? Can we see her?"
  3334. >Mac turns his head
  3335. >"She's in the barn."
  3336. >He bobbs his head towards the barn.
  3337. >"Is she working?" Sweetie asks
  3338. >Big Mac shrugs
  3339. >"Dunno."
  3340. >You've been to the farm before and spoken with Mac before
  3341. >Honestly this is probably the most words you've ever heard him say in your presence.
  3342. >Then again, you haven't conversed with Mac too many times
  3343. >Maybe you ought to get to know him better too.
  3344. >"Thanks Big Mac!"
  3345. >He nods, and your group heads for the barn.
  3346. >You approach the large red barn's front doorway
  3347. >The paint is chipping, and the wood is splintering, but without a doubt it is a beautifully crafted barn.
  3348. >The large doors are wide open, and the dust and dirt clouds from the barn billow out like brown fog clinging to the ground.
  3349. >Your friends trot inside
  3350. >You follow slightly after, a little lost in thought
  3351. >You all look around for a bit, trying to find Apple Bloom
  3352. >Finally, Sweetie simply yells
  3353. >"Hey Apple Bloom!! Are you here?!"
  3354. >A clanking noise echos through the barn, followed by a loud bang
  3355. >A voice can be heard grumbling
  3356. >"Ah apples..."
  3357. >You hear trotting from the right side of the second story, which is a ring around the perimeter of the barn, but not the center.
  3358. >A yellow mare with a red mane appears above your group.
  3359. >She's wearing a welding mask, and is covered in a black grease.
  3360. >"Sweetie what did ah tell you about coming in here and yelling yer' head off?" she says with a heavy accent, muffled by the mask.
  3361. >As she says this she notices Sweetie's company
  3362. >Sweetie grabs Scootaloo under her foreleg
  3363. >"Look who came to visit!"
  3364. >Applebloom lifts the mask up, revealing her orange eyes
  3365. >"Scootaloo?" she asks
  3366. >There is a moment of realization
  3367. >"SCOOTALOO!"
  3368. >Apple Bloom runs to the edge of the balcony and jumps off
  3369. >Before she falls very much, she catches a rope in her mouth
  3370. >The rope is attached to a counter weight and a pulley, lowering her carefully to the floor.
  3371. >She releases the rope as she hits the ground
  3372. >"Ah thought you'd be gone for awhile longer. It's been months!"
  3373. >Apple Bloom's red mane is tied in the back with a bit of flowing ribbon.
  3374. >You recall her wearing a similar bow when she was younger, you wonder if the ribbon is from it.
  3375. >She's covered in sludge and grease
  3376. >She's been tinkering again.
  3377. >Scootaloo shrugs
  3378. >"There was a little change in plans. I'm here a bit longer."
  3379. >Apple Bloom drags Scoots into a hug
  3380. >A little bit of the grease gets on her fur, but she doesn't seem to mind
  3381. >"It's really good to see you Scoots!"
  3382. >Apple Bloom is pretty, just like her two friends, but in a more rustic way. It's very comforting, but intimidating at the same time.
  3383. >She seems strong and confident, like she'll snap you in half if you rub her the wrong way.
  3384. >Not the athletic kind of strong that Scootaloo is, just good old fashioned strong. Stocky, almost.
  3385. >She releases and looks to you
  3386. >"You're Anon! Twi's son, yeah?"
  3387. >You nod
  3388. "Yep."
  3389. >"Are you still in school or are you out?"
  3390. >This question takes you off guard.
  3391. >The only ponies that ask things like that are relatives like Auntie Cadence or Uncle Shining.
  3392. >It's weird to hear it again
  3393. "Uh, out. I graduated last year."
  3394. >Apple Bloom smirks as she removes her mask
  3395. >The fur covered by the mask is a vibrant yellow, while the rest is slightly more dirty
  3396. >"Wale you and your ma don't come to visit enough. Ah thought you was at school the whole time."
  3397. >You clear your throat a bit
  3398. >It's rather upsetting knowing how missed you and mom are, even in your home town.
  3399. >There aren't exactly a lot of family outings anymore.
  3400. >You usually scoffed at the thought of it whenever mom brought them up.
  3401. >You shake your head as you think about it.
  3402. >"Anon?" Apple Bloom asks in a concerned tone
  3403. >You still haven't answered
  3404. "Oh, sorry about that; Not visiting, that is. We've just bin a bit busy is all."
  3405. >You force a royal smile
  3406. >Apple Bloom grins
  3407. >"Ahlright then! No harm done! Just remember to come by when you're not so busy!"
  3408. >She turns to Spark
  3409. >"And who're you?"
  3410. >Spark has moved a bit to the right of Sweetie, trying to distance himself from her.
  3411. >"I'm Spark, a friend of Anon's..."
  3412. >Sweetie seems a little saddened by his remark
  3413. >Her ears lose a bit of their perk
  3414. >Spark rolls his eyes
  3415. >"... and Sweetie's."
  3416. >Her ears perk up again
  3417. >You swear she has sparkles in her eyes.
  3418. >Apple Bloom extends her hoof
  3419. >When Spark takes hold of it, she shakes him violently
  3420. >"Nice to meetcha! The name's Apple Bloom, and this is mah family's farm!"
  3421. >As she releases him he stumbles a bit, regaining his balance.
  3422. >You guess the strength is an apple family thing.
  3423. >That's what happens when you work on a farm your whole life.
  3424. >Spark shakes his head
  3425. >"Quite the hoof shake you've got there!"
  3426. >Apple Bloom chuckles
  3427. >"Yeah, wail, Applejack always tells me ta' keep it firm, and let 'em know you mean it." she says, slightly imitating her sister's voice.
  3428. >Spark laughs
  3429. >"Sounds like my pop. He tells me first impressions are the best right before I go to meet anypony. He says it every single time."
  3430. >"Right before ya leave right? Stops ya halfway through the door?" Apple Bloom responds
  3431. >Spark nods
  3432. >"Sounds like my Granny Smith. she couldn't let me doing anything without some piece of wisdom."
  3433. >They both laugh
  3434. >You smile
  3435. >Spark seems right at home on the farm.
  3436. >He can certainly speak to Apple Bloom better than with Sweetie Bell.
  3437. >Apple Bloom sighs after laughing.
  3438. >"So what brings y'all to my place?"
  3439. >Sweetie Bell inhales, as if to start explaining, then stops
  3440. >She seems confused
  3441. >Scootaloo rolls her eyes and speaks
  3442. >"We're bored, so we thought we'd come by and visit you. We're trying to find something to do."
  3443. >Apple Bloom picks up a rag with her mouth and tosses it on her dirty hooves
  3444. >She starts to clean them with it
  3445. >"Ah'm off work tiday. We could have a little fun I suppose."
  3446. >She looks down at how filthy she is
  3447. >The rag is now completely black
  3448. >Poor little bastard didn't stand a chance
  3449. >"First I gotta get cleaned up."
  3450. >Scootaloo's face lights up
  3451. >"Why don't we go to your pond for a swim? It's pretty hot today anyway!"
  3452. >That does sound pretty refreshing actually.
  3453. >Apple Bloom thinks about it
  3454. >"Might hafta ask Applejack if it's okay first. Y'all aren't strangers, but I still gotta make sure."
  3455. >You nod
  3456. >Seems reasonable enough.
  3457. >Your posse follows Applebloom to the house near the barns
  3458. >It actually looks a bit like the barns in design.
  3459. >You walk through a few small fences and stamp your feet on the welcome carpet on the deck
  3460. >Apple Bloom opens the door and leads you inside.
  3461. >It's a very quaint house, with pictures on the wooden walls covering every inch
  3462. >There's more photos than wall paint
  3463. >You smile as you peruse a few of these captured memories
  3464. >Apple Bloom trots up the stairs
  3465. >"Hey Sis? We've got some company!"
  3466. >There's a shuffle or two upstairs, followed by a couple muffled voices
  3467. >You look back at the pictures
  3468. >There's more than a few Apple family reunions here
  3469. >It's like a timeline
  3470. >The pictures range from newly taken to decades old
  3471. >One catches your eye
  3472. >It's a lot more recent than most of them
  3473. >There are a few extra members tacked onto the end of the large group
  3474. >You recognize them instantly
  3475. >It's your mom and company again
  3476. >With that same little Bro you saw in Rainbow's picture.
  3477. >They're standing with Applejack, covered in dirt
  3478. >They hold hammers and nails in their mouths
  3479. >The barn behind them is the same one you were just in, but it looks brand new.
  3480. >You wonder what the story behind it all is
  3481. >You guess they helped raise the barn, but you can't be sure.
  3482. >You wonder what other adventures your mother has been on.
  3483. >She used to tell you about them all the time, but that was awhile ago.
  3484. >Maybe you could ask her friends too.
  3485. >The thumping from upstairs goes towards the stairs
  3486. >Apple Bloom trots down, followed by a familiar orange mare
  3487. >Applejack looked almost exactly as she did in the picuture, though a little more mature looking
  3488. >Guess apples do a good job at preventing aging.
  3489. >"Howdy y'all. I see a few familiar faces amongst ya."
  3490. >She nods at you and Scoots
  3491. >"If y'all wanna use my pond, yuh just gotta be respectful of it, yahear?"
  3492. >Your group nods
  3493. >"Alright then."
  3494. >She looks at you
  3495. >"Wouldja lookit you. You're a regular giant nowadays aren'tcha Anon?"
  3496. >You smile as she travels down the stairs
  3497. >"Ah swear, you're taller everytime I see ya."
  3498. >As you mentioned before, ponies don't grow like humans do.
  3499. >By the time they're 14, they've grown to be roughly the height they're going to be their whole life.
  3500. >But from what you've seen, humans only just begin to grow at 14.
  3501. >You get taller every month, so even the local ponies are shocked by your growth.
  3502. "It's been a little while since I've seen you. How have things been?" you say with your well trained royal tone
  3503. >It feels a bit different this time, however.
  3504. >Usually when you use this royal voice, and engage in small talk like this, it's purely cosmetic.
  3505. >You never actually care about what's being discussed.
  3506. >This time around, however, you ask with genuine intent.
  3507. >"Ah've been well. Y'all know how it is, workin' hard to earn my keep 'n all."
  3508. >Your voice starts on its own
  3509. "Unfortunately I don't really know how that is. But maybe I can learn soon enough."
  3510. >Applejack seems taken aback from your response
  3511. >It was quite unexpected, even to you.
  3512. >Where the hell did that all come from?
  3513. >"Yeah, well, you're free to come work on the farm anytime you'd like, Anon. Havin' a tall feller like yourself would be helpful 'round here."
  3514. >You chuckle
  3515. >A real, true, laugh.
  3516. "I may have to take you up on that."
  3517. >She smiles at you
  3518. >"How's your mother?"
  3519. >You shrug
  3520. "Right now? Probably absolutely livid."
  3521. >She raises an eyebrow with a questioning look
  3522. "Crashed her balloon."
  3523. >Her nose wrinkles as she smirks
  3524. >You scratch the back of your head
  3525. >She smiles wide before talking again
  3526. >"Okay! Have your fun, I'll catch up with ya later."
  3527. >You smile back and follow your friends as they trot out the door.
  3528. >As you walk off the deck you sigh
  3529. >For some reason, that conversation was truly refreshing.
  3530. >You come back to reality at the sound of rapid hooves
  3531. >Your little group has started sprinting after Apple Bloom down a trail
  3532. >"C'mon Anon! Try to keep up!" Scoots shouts before gliding away.
  3533. >You nearly trip as start to attempt to catch up to them
  3534. >They blast down the trail with intense momentum.
  3535. >They got a good head start on you
  3536. >Your feet slam against the ground as you push yourself to get to them
  3537. >You're not exactly a runner, but your long legs give you the advantage you need.
  3538. >The thump of your heart throbs in your ears, and you're only a few steps behind Sweetie at this point.
  3539. >Dirt is kicked up from the dry ground all around you and your group travels in a huge cloud of tan and brown
  3540. >You follow them down a large trail heading deeper into the orchard
  3541. >Trees blur by as you focus on keeping up
  3542. >You're breathing heavy, it's hard to keep up with them.
  3543. >Suddenly the trees stop, and the sun glares at you from above
  3544. >There's a large clearing, then a small pond with a massive white oak hanging over it
  3545. >Scootaloo and Spark both fly in first, making small splashes as they land in the water
  3546. >You start to remove your shirt as you run
  3547. >It staggers you a bit as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell jump in with reckless abandon
  3548. >Stupid ponies
  3549. >They don't need to worry about clothing
  3550. >You stop just before the pond and throw your shirt on the ground.
  3551. >You kick off your shoes and pants, but leave your boxers on.
  3552. >Don't want to be TOO revealing.
  3553. >The others are already having a good time in the water
  3554. >They're so unsuspecting
  3555. >You take a couple steps back as quietly as possible
  3556. >Suddenly you blast over the lake as hard as possible, positioning yourself directly in front of your friend's in the pond.
  3557. >Spark is the only one to have noticed you prior to impact
  3558. >But it is already too late
  3559. >You hit the water with the force of a thousand party cannons
  3560. >You smirk underwater as you feel the hooves around you kicking from shock
  3561. >If they weren't totally soaked yet, then they certainly are now.
  3562. >You swim a bit under the water
  3563. >The water is brisk and refreshing
  3564. >It surrounds your body like a matrix of anti-gravity
  3565. >If you stop moving for a bit, you can almost forget you're in water
  3566. >Like you're floating in space
  3567. >You decide it is time to come up for air
  3568. >Your head breaks the water in a more shallow area
  3569. >Not a second after you've caught your breathe, a pair of hooves forces you back under.
  3570. >Somepony stands on your back, forcing you to the bottom of the shallow shore
  3571. >You have a feeling you know who it is.
  3572. >You hook your arms beneath their hind legs and stand out of the water
  3573. >The water only comes up to your crotch here
  3574. >As the water floods out of your ears, you hear Scootaloo laughing from behind.
  3575. >She wraps her hooves around your neck while you carry her around the shallows of the pond.
  3576. >You feel her put her chin on your shoulder
  3577. >"What's the deal with drenchin' us ya dork?"
  3578. >You shrug your shoulders
  3579. "I don't know what you're talking about, I was just going for a swim."
  3580. >Scoots blows air out her nose on the back of your neck.
  3581. >"Oh 'ha ha', that's real funny. Don't play dumb with m-gwaiurhajg"
  3582. >Before she can finish her statement you flop back into the water, bringing her with you.
  3583. >Her grip tightens as you glide through the slightly murky waters
  3584. >You stand back out of the water to the laughter of the rest of the gang.
  3585. "Boy this water is refreshing. I'm so glad I decided to go under!" You say in a dumb tone
  3586. >Scoots spits water at the back of your head
  3587. >"You think it's funny huh?"
  3588. "Yeah, pretty much."
  3589. >You look over your shoulder at her
  3590. >Her wet mane drapes over one of her eyes and she wears a smirk
  3591. >Her violet eye glimmers with the pond's water
  3592. >Your cheeks flare a bit, and time slowed for awhile
  3593. >In almost slow-motion you watch her grin grow across her face
  3594. >She puts her hooves over your eyes and everything comes back to reality
  3595. >You feel two hooves on the bottom of your back
  3596. >The hooves push hard, while the ones on your face pull back
  3597. >The awkward bend of your back makes you flop forward into the water.
  3598. >She releases you as you hit the water
  3599. >You turn around in the water like a shark and spot your orange prey
  3600. >You squint your eyes as you prepare to make a move
  3601. >You lower yourself close to the sandy bottom
  3602. >The sand floods between your toes as you dig them in
  3603. >Scootaloo's hooves seem calm
  3604. >She doesn't know yet
  3605. >You put your hands on the ground in front of you
  3606. >Your feet stop sliding through the sand, and you finally have a launching pad
  3607. >Scootaloo's hooves suddenly start kicking hard
  3608. >A shark loves a a struggle
  3609. >You kick off with all your might
  3610. >Your arms pull the ground behind you
  3611. >Your eyes squint as the water is pushed around your speeding body
  3612. >As you fly towards the panicked orange pony, your reach out your arms
  3613. >You lock them around her as you launch out of the water like a dolphin snagging a tuna
  3614. >The two of you fly through the air for a moment before crashing into the shallow shore.
  3615. >You plant your hand down as support and prop yourself up.
  3616. >You're breathing heavily, you stayed under the water more than you should have.
  3617. >You rake your free hand through your hair
  3618. >Scoots looks up at you over her lying on her back
  3619. >You look into her eyes
  3620. >She smiles at you
  3621. >You wipe your eyes as some water drips down your face
  3622. >As your vision clears, you feel warm lips press into yours
  3623. >A hoof graps around the back of your neck and pulls you in a bit deeper.
  3624. >You close your eyes and push in a bit.
  3625. >After a few seconds, she releases
  3626. >The two of you look into eachother's eyes in a glazed, almost drunken state.
  3627. >The kind of feeling you only get after a rush of emotion, followed by true unbroken euphoria
  3628. >The two of you aren't even blushing anymore, only smiling with half open eyes
  3629. >As the two of you become more sober again, you hear Sweetie and Apple Bloom making noise
  3630. >"Awwww that was adorable!"
  3631. >"Mah sister said to behave yerselves!" Apple Bloom says with a giggle.
  3632. >And the blood rushes to your faces again
  3633. >But it doesn't feel as bad as it used to
  3634. >Maybe it's still just the post-kiss intoxication, but you don't feel as embarassed
  3635. >The two of you smile at one another once more, and Scoots rolls her eyes are her friend's gawking
  3636. >"Give it a rest over there will ya?"
  3637. >You sit up off of Scoots and sit in the sand next to her.
  3638. >Sweetie grabs Spark under a foreleg and drags him close
  3639. >"Wasn't that precious Sparky?"
  3640. >Sparky? Is that a pet name you hear?
  3641. >Spark looks at his reflection in the pond, cheeks burning with rose
  3642. >"Y-yeah, get a room next time you two..." he says in an unstable voice
  3643. >Even in that state he'll still take a jab.
  3644. >You all chuckle at Spark's blushing and sudden shyness
  3645. >Sweetie just has the effect on him.
  3646. >Who knew?
  3647. >After the laughter subsides, you clear your throat
  3648. "We still need to find something to do tonight. It may be my last night of freedom for a very long time."
  3649. >Sweetie Bell twists her neck to crack it
  3650. >"I dunno, I'll have to ask Rarity first..."
  3651. >You wave your hand in front of you
  3652. "You're off the hook. Spike asked me to keep you out of the house anyway."
  3653. >She seems confused
  3654. >"Why would spike want me out of the house?"
  3655. >The entire group stared at her in complete silence
  3656. >The only noise that filled the air was drops of water falling into the pond
  3657. >After what seemed like an eternity, Sweetie's eyebrows raise in realization
  3658. >"Oh..."
  3659. >Apple Bloom snorts before breaking out into almost hiyena-like laughter
  3660. >You smile and chuckle through a grin
  3661. >Even Spark has a good laugh at her expense.
  3662. >Apple Bloom wipes a tear from her eye.
  3663. >"Ah don't have much to offer. Ah've been busy working." Apple Bloom states calming down
  3664. >"I can't even go home, so I don't have anything." Sweetie Bell retorts
  3665. >"Scootaloo and I are from Cloudsdale, so we can't offer anything either." Spark adds
  3666. >"How about a party?" Says Pinkie Pie
  3667. >Wait, Pinkie Pie?
  3668. >Your friends jump all at once when they notice their extra member
  3669. >Pinkie Pie sits next to Sweetie Bell on the end
  3670. >She hasn't changed much from the photo you saw earlier, except that her mane is cut to be shorter
  3671. >Still curly and poofy as all hell though, even though it's a bit wet.
  3672. >She sips a juice box and seems confused
  3673. >"What? Don't you all like parties?"
  3674. >Everyone regains their composure
  3675. "P-pinkie, how long have you been here?"
  3676. >"Oh, I've been here awhile! I was gonna check if Apple Bloom was done tuning up my party cannon, but Applejack said you all head down here! So I jumped in while you and Scootaloo were wrestling!"
  3677. >She smiles a huge grin
  3678. >Yep, that's Pinkie
  3679. "Okay then. A party would be cool, but where would we throw it?"
  3680. >Pinkie turns her head
  3681. >"What do you mean silly? We'll throw it right here!"
  3682. >Apple Bloom is the first to react
  3683. >"Now wait a minute! Applejack wouldn't be too happy about a party here!"
  3684. >"Of course! But she's invited!"
  3685. >Apple Bloom thinks about arguing, but gives up to the Pinkie logic
  3686. >It's a lost cause.
  3687. >You shake your head trying to understand what Pinkie is talking about
  3688. >She pulls the straw out of her juice box and places one end into the water
  3689. >She blows bubbles in the lake that somehow break the surface and pop in the air
  3690. >Everyone in the pond is mesmerized by this.
  3691. >After a few seconds of staring you finally manage to release some words.
  3692. "So wait, we're having a party?"
  3693. >Pinkie Pie lifts her straw out of the water and nods
  3694. "We're having here, at the pond?"
  3695. >Pinkie chews on the straw and nods again
  3696. >"Mhmm~!"
  3697. "And Applejack is okay with this?"
  3698. >You don't see the straw anymore
  3699. >Five bits says she ate it
  3700. >"Well DUH! Of course she's okay with it! She's only my super duper favorite cousin!"
  3701. >You look to Apple Bloom
  3702. >She raises her eyebrows and nods in confirmation
  3703. >Who knew they were related?
  3704. "Okay then. Don't we need to prepare then?"
  3705. >Pinkie Pie nods
  3706. >"Yep yep yep!"
  3707. >She starts to move towards the shore backwards, as if someone is pulling her by her tail
  3708. >You have no idea how she does any of this.
  3709. >You recall mom spending a lot of time trying to research it years ago
  3710. >It was one of very few times you saw her give up on something
  3711. >You get shudders as you remember
  3712. >That's weird.
  3713. >Pinkie shakes herself on the shore, poofing her already bouncing hair
  3714. >"We gotta get ready for the best party ever!"
  3715. >Any party would have sufficed, now she's calling it the best party ever.
  3716. >Come to think of it, nobody ever gave her the greenlight to throw this party
  3717. >You're all just going along with it.
  3718. >Oh well
  3719. "Alright Pinkie, what do you need?"
  3720. >She points at you
  3721. >"WE need to get into the castle and get a few things of mine."
  3722. >Your eyes widen
  3723. "Oh no! We're not breaking into my mom's castle."
  3724. >Pinkie giggles
  3725. >"Not YOUR castle, silly. Celestia's old one!"
  3726. >For a moment, your group remains silent
  3727. >They hope that they misunderstood Pinkie's bold statement
  3728. >Sweetie is the first to speak
  3729. >"Are you talking about the castle of two sisters in the everfree forest?"
  3730. >Pinkie snorts
  3731. >"DUH! I don't know any other castles around here that belonged to Celestia. I think. Maybe there IS another castle we don't know about. I mean, Celestia must have had more than two homes, she is the princess goddess pony or whatever. Maybe sh-"
  3732. "Uh, Pinkie. I don't know if it's a good idea to go there." you interrupt
  3733. >Pinkie smiles and tilts her head
  3734. >"Oh don't worry Nonny! I know that place inside backwards and sideways! Even diagonal!"
  3735. >It's not getting lost that worries you, it's staying safe.
  3736. >Mom thought about renovating the castle, but decided to leave it as it was.
  3737. >She didn't want to bring unneeded attention to it.
  3738. >That being said, the thing is crawling with traps and danger.
  3739. >You'e unsure you want to risk it for the sake of the party.
  3740. >"But you need to take risks to have the most fun Nonny! Just trust me!"
  3741. >You nervously chuckle
  3742. "Maybe you're right. I guess I-"
  3743. >Wait a minute
  3744. >Did she just-
  3745. >"Excellent! Then all you ponies and hummans get out and follow me!"
  3746. >She starts to bounce down the trail
  3747. >You're still confused about it all.
  3748. >Now you understand why mom wanted to do so many tests on Pinkie
  3749. >You hop out of the lake and start putting your clothes back on.
  3750. >Seems like you just got in, but you'll be back for the party
  3751. >Water drips from your bodies as your group follows Pinkie back down the path
  3752. >Your boxers are damp and uncomfortable as they rub against your thighs
  3753. >Pinkie's signature skipping actually goes at a pretty quick pace
  3754. >You wonder how a pony can have that much energy
  3755. >She's jumping with enormous bounds, almost as if she were defying gravity
  3756. >As her mane bounces and bobs with each jump, she hums a tune to herself happily
  3757. >You speed up a bit to walk next to her
  3758. >She bounces up to your eyes before falling back to the ground
  3759. "So, what exactly are we getting from the castle?"
  3760. >She turns to look at you
  3761. >"OH! I have a bunch of super duper awesome party stuff I keep there! There's a lot of room, after all, and what's safer than a castle?"
  3762. >You wonder if mom has any idea that she's doing this
  3763. >Probably not
  3764. >The Everfree forest feels cooler than the rest of the world
  3765. >Trees provide a lot of shade, and it coats the forest floor with dots of light peeking through
  3766. >The sun is beginning to decend, and a light orange haze lights the fog on the floor
  3767. >Nobody says a word, but you're all feeling a bit nervous
  3768. >No matter how much you age, the stories about this place still haunt your worried mind.
  3769. >You feel Scootaloo push her head under your arm
  3770. >You look down at her smiling face
  3771. >She doesn't seem very bothered by it.
  3772. >She smirks
  3773. >"Feeling a little antsy Nonny?"
  3774. >You chew the inside of your cheek
  3775. "Admittedly, yeah. What makes you so confident?"
  3776. >She chuckles
  3777. >"The three of us got lost out here once when we were young. If it wasn't for Fluttershy, we might have been done for."
  3778. >Apple Bloom laughs
  3779. >"That stare of hers is strong!"
  3780. >The trio snickers with nostalgia
  3781. >You've heard of the Fluttershy stare before, mom mentioned it once or twice
  3782. >You wonder what it's like to get stared down by her.
  3783. >She always seemed so fragile, you can hardly imagine her getting intense.
  3784. >You can imagine how rattling it would be.
  3785. "I wouldn't imagine that getting lost in the woods would improve your confidence."
  3786. >Scoots is about to respond when you are interrupted by a Pinkie yelling
  3787. >"We're heeeeerree~"
  3788. >The trees and vines no longer surround you as you approach a large hanging bridge.
  3789. >Behind the fog covered bridge you see the outline of an intimidating castle.
  3790. >You sigh a bit
  3791. >Even from here the castle seems to be in shambles
  3792. >The silhouette has chunks missing, and the setting summer sun burns its orange rays through
  3793. >For some reason the condition of the old castle makes you feel melancholy.
  3794. >Pinkie begins skipping over the old hanging planks
  3795. >"C'mon everypony! Let's get in there!"
  3796. >Scoots and Spark look at the bridge, before sharing a mutual glance of agreement
  3797. >They hover above the bridge and start to soar across.
  3798. >Spark notices your concerned expression.
  3799. >"Well, it SEEMS safe enough. I'm sure it'll hold your weight!"
  3800. >He smiles nervously before being consumed by the fog.
  3801. >Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell both trot across while you hesitate.
  3802. >You don't want to be on this old thing until everyone is off.
  3803. >Don't want to risk having too much weight on there.
  3804. >The fog makes it near impossible to see the opposite bank.
  3805. >You catch a glimpse of everypony waiting for you on the other side.
  3806. >Your eyes shift to the bridge itself.
  3807. >The planks are covered in moss, and appeared to have started to rot
  3808. >You can't remember whether mom replaced the bridge or not.
  3809. >This just makes you more nervous.
  3810. >A part of you shouts to run back
  3811. >To walk through the forest and head home
  3812. >Just give up on this ludicrous goal of breaking into the old castle and throwing a party.
  3813. >To leave this whole week behind you and prepare for what your mother has to say to you.
  3814. >To drop everything and run.
  3815. >It's a loud voice in your head, and it makes you sweat.
  3816. >Suddenly, you find yourself gritting your teeth.
  3817. >Your face flushes and your fists clench
  3818. >A surge of anger rises over you.
  3819. >No, not anger.
  3820. >Shame.
  3821. >You're ashamed of these feelings.
  3822. >Feelings of abandonment
  3823. >Feelings of isolation.
  3824. >You're done standing on this side of the bridge.
  3825. >The first board creaks as you step on it.
  3826. >You're done feeling this shame.
  3827. >The rope vibrates viciously to your weight
  3828. >You're done alienating yourself from a healthier life.
  3829. >The dirt crunches beneath your feet.
  3830. >You're done.
  3831. >You look up at the group of ponies who were waiting for you on the other side.
  3832. >They smile at you, relieved you made it across.
  3833. >You smile back.
  3834. >You crossed it without looking back.
  3835. >Now that you've passed through the fog, you can observe the castle better.
  3836. >It does nothing to improve your mood, however.
  3837. >Its bricks seep with moss and mildew.
  3838. >The great front doors are rusted and rotting slightly.
  3839. >Even the strong oak used to make these doors could not hold up to time itself unscathed.
  3840. >Statues of gargoyles and griffins decorate the rooftop
  3841. >Scraps of old armor and weaponry can be found half-buried around the base of the fortress.
  3842. >Holes in the structure reveal the dark castle within, and some even show light through the back.
  3843. >The highest points of the castle are completely crumbled, except for the identical towers that once housed the sisters.
  3844. >Pinkie Pie skips up to the doors without hesitation.
  3845. >Her hooves click and clack against the stone stairs as she pulls the doors open.
  3846. >You'd think the doors would be locked.
  3847. >Actually, they probably were locked, but Pinkie doesn't follow the same rules as the rest of you.
  3848. >"Oakschay. Egvryprony gescht ischlide." Pinkie says with the door handle still in her mouth.
  3849. >Your group wanders in cautiously.
  3850. >Scootaloo hides behind you a bit.
  3851. >So does Apple Bloom, and Sweetie behind Spark.
  3852. >Neither you nor Spark feel qualified to be in front, but you lift your chins and trudge inside.
  3853. >The castle is actually well lit with the sunlight.
  3854. >The great throne room reveals itself to you.
  3855. >It is simple: Two thrones with two tapestries above them.
  3856. >Each throne made for each sister.
  3857. >The hall is a lot cleaner than you imagined.
  3858. >You know your mother did clean it up with her friends at one point, but that was long ago.
  3859. >The red carpets and wood walls give a rustic feel to it all.
  3860. >It feels quite humble compared to the castle you've visited in Canterlot.
  3861. >More down to earth.
  3862. >Pinkie hops into the room and put her hoof on her chin.
  3863. >She seems to be contemplating something.
  3864. "Is everything alright Pinkie?" You ask hesitantly
  3865. >She smiles
  3866. >"Oh yeah! It's just I don't know where my things are!"
  3867. >Your whole group joins in a collective groan.
  3868. >"What do you mean you don't know where they are?" Scootaloo blurts.
  3869. >Pinkie giggles
  3870. >"Stuff tends to move around on its own here! We'll have to find it."
  3871. >You feel a chill go down your spine.
  3872. >Searching around this old castle doesn't sound like fun.
  3873. >The corridors of the old castle are tight and dark, like a wild cave.
  3874. >Suits of aged aromor stand guard on both sides of the long hall.
  3875. >Their eyeless visors silently seep out mist, and their joints remain locked to their bodies.
  3876. >They give the whole hall a haunted feeling.
  3877. >You and Scoots wander aimlessly.
  3878. >She stays close for security.
  3879. >You feel paranoid as you search for Pinkie's party kit.
  3880. > 'It's in a small pink and yellow box with my name on it! You'll know it when you see it!' is what Pinkie said
  3881. >You don't doubt here
  3882. >Anything remotely related to Pinkie Pie ought to stick out in this dreary setting.
  3883. >You search the west wing, searching each room with Scoots.
  3884. >Most rooms are store rooms, holding old and expired cooking supplies, weapons, or just knick knacks.
  3885. >One of the handles of an upcoming door intrigues you.
  3886. >It's made from glass, and still shines, even under layers of dust.
  3887. >As you push down the handle the door creaks in protest, as if you woke it from a very deep hibernation.
  3888. >You peer inside, and find yourself surrounded by beautiful tiles and esquisite furnishings.
  3889. >It appears to be a luxurious bathroom, complete with a large tub and a huge sink.
  3890. >You and your companion walk in.
  3891. >The mirror is dirtied by dust, completely coated with grey particles.
  3892. >It offers you no reflection.
  3893. >Scootaloo takes a closer look at the tub.
  3894. >"This is quite the place. I wonder why it was abandoned."
  3895. >You nod as you test the valves in the sink.
  3896. >You wonder that often yourself.
  3897. "Must have been something catastrophic, or something changed. Either way, somepony wanted to get out of here."
  3898. >A sudden yelp and clank takes you by surprise.
  3899. >You turn to find Scootaloo lying on the ground with a metal pipe next to her.
  3900. >Her eyes roll around in their sockets.
  3901. >You rush over to her.
  3902. "Woah! What happened? Are you alright?"
  3903. >She blinks a few times and rattles her head
  3904. >"The shower curtain thing fell on me I guess. That's gonna leave a bump." She says with a smirk.
  3905. >You chuckle as you help her up.
  3906. >Scoots leads you out and heads for the stairs at the end of the hall.
  3907. >The two of you work your way up a spiral to the higher floor.
  3908. >You assume that you've entered one of the towers.
  3909. >For a castle, it's actually a small space.
  3910. >Above ground, at least.
  3911. >At the top of the stairs you're met with a door.
  3912. >Its wooden bars are accented by a large moon crest.
  3913. >This must have been Luna's room.
  3914. >You run your fingers over the raised symbol and feel the raw carvings scraped into it.
  3915. >Scoots bumps your leg.
  3916. >"We going in or what?"
  3917. >You shake your head a bit.
  3918. "I'm a little uncomfortable going in here. This was Luna's room at one point."
  3919. >Scootaloo blows air out her nose
  3920. >"It was her room centuries ago, and the whole place has already been searched by Twilight and her friends. We won't be disturbing anything."
  3921. >She's right. Any personal property or sense of ownership this room once possessed is long gone.
  3922. >You push down the door handle and push the door open.
  3923. >Surprisingly the door opens pretty easily without even a squeak.
  3924. >The door swings in, and the room presents itself to you.
  3925. >It's a cluttered mess, with books thrown into ad-hoc piles, and papers littering the floor.
  3926. >It appears to be a large floor, divided into three different rooms.
  3927. >The first room, the one you're standing in, is a decent sized library. There's also a dangerous looking balcony and a barren bedroom.
  3928. >The shelves of books line the walls, and make multiple rows.
  3929. >It's funny, but you didn't take Luna as the reading type.
  3930. >The shelves seem newer than the castle, and the papers on the floor appear to be recent as well.
  3931. >The entire place is devoid of dust.
  3932. >Somepony was up here utilizing the space.
  3933. >As you survey your surroundings, you become aware of an object sitting in the middle of the room.
  3934. "Hey, here's Pinkie's box!"
  3935. >You shift a blanket off a large pink and yellow chest.
  3936. >It has Pinkie's signature balloons on it.
  3937. >"I'll be damned, there it is. Wonder how it got up here..."
  3938. "It's like Pinkie said, things must just move around in this castle.
  3939. >Scoots looks around the room.
  3940. >"Guess so!"
  3941. >It's not too large, you should be able to bring it down.
  3942. >You stretch your arms before crouching down to grab it.
  3943. >You grasp the brass handles and use your legs to lift.
  3944. >The weight of the box is incredible, and you stumble backwards as your grip loosens.
  3945. >Your head smacks into the book shelf, and you are buried in an avalanche of literature.
  3946. >Scootaloo laughs at your misfortune.
  3947. >You don't hold it against her, you'd laugh too.
  3948. >As your dizziness subsides, you begin to pick yourself up.
  3949. >The books flop to the ground as you step out of their pile.
  3950. >You dust yourself off and remove the book on your head.
  3951. >Scootaloo whistles to you.
  3952. >"Check this book out! 'Mystical Creatures of Equestria: Volume 3'. How much you wanna bet we find a picture of Spike in this badboy?"
  3953. >You laugh as you look over her shoulder to inspect the book.
  3954. >The book itself is in simple binding, but it has scrapes and claw marks up and down it.
  3955. >It has diagrams of exotic creatures and monsters of Equestria, you wouldn't be surprised if Spike was actually in the book.
  3956. >Scoots brushes your hand.
  3957. >"What book do you have?"
  3958. >You realize you're still holding the book that was on your head.
  3959. >You chuckle as you lift it up to read it.
  3960. "Looks like I've got-"
  3961. >Your hands tighten around the book as you read the title.
  3962. "Anthropology"
  3963. >From your mind comes an odd sensation of familiarity
  3964. >You have no idea what Anthropology is, but you feel like you've heard it before.
  3965. >You feel acquainted with it.
  3966. >"Antrowpology? What is that?"
  3967. >You sit down so Scoots can look at it with you.
  3968. >The book itself is very simple looking, bound with leather and labled with an imprint.
  3969. >The cover has a large emblem on it.
  3970. >You brush the dust off to get a better look.
  3971. >As your hand glides across the cover, it falls into a groove perfectly
  3972. >The book surrounds your hand as if it were molded for you.
  3973. >You pull your hand away out of instinct.
  3974. >Dented into the leather is hand print.
  3975. >As you look it up and down, you find your heart racing
  3976. >At first you thought the print was your own, and that the old leather gave way to your brushing
  3977. >But upon closer inspection, you can see that the hand is actually a bit larger than yours.
  3978. >Your fingers travel over the grooves and valleys of the cover.
  3979. >"That looks just like your hand. Just like it! It's not scaled like a dragon's hand, and it's too big to be a monkey hand."
  3980. >Scootaloo stops speaking when she notices your confusion
  3981. >Your heart is beating quickly, and you feel a bead of sweat roll down the side of your face.
  3982. >Why is this book making you so nervous?
  3983. >A million questions flash through your mind all at once.
  3984. >What is Anthropology?
  3985. >Why is there a hand print on the cover?
  3986. >Why is it here in the tower?
  3987. >Who used this tower recently?
  3988. >Without thinking, your fingers grip under the front cover.
  3989. >In a moment of clarity, the questions stop and you come back to reality.
  3990. >What's in this book could change a lot.
  3991. >You could learn things you don't need to learn.
  3992. >You blink and swallow hard.
  3993. >Your hand opens the old book with ease and the title page reveals itself to you.
  3994. >"Anthropology: Everything Human."
  3995. >You grit your teeth
  3996. >Scootaloo finishes reading the title then looks back to you.
  3997. >"Is this a book... about humans?"
  3998. >You turn to the first page and a word in the title catches your eye.
  3999. "Humanity. It's a book about, 'Humanity'."
  4000. >You bite your lip as you taste that new word fall from your tongue.
  4001. >Humanity
  4002. >The first chapter's title has already given you new motivation to continue.
  4003. >'Chapter 1: Humanity at its Core'
  4004. >As you skim the first chapter, your eyes race with anticipation.
  4005. >New information is thrown at you left and right, references you don't understand are mentioned and brushed away.
  4006. >'Humanity has created incredible acchievements, like the Pyramids of Egypt, Eiffel Tower, and the Statue of Liberty. Such objects stimulate our busy human minds, bringing us great wonder. Hence the name, the Wonders of the World...'
  4007. >You lower your brow as you read more and try to absorb it all.
  4008. >What are the Pyramids of Egypt? What is this Eiffel Tower? Who built the Statue of Liberty? What world are these Wonders in?
  4009. >You wish there were illustrations, then maybe you'd have a better idea.
  4010. >You flip ahead a few dozen pages or so to catch a new area of the book.
  4011. >Scoots nudges your arm
  4012. >"Uh, Nonny?"
  4013. >You decide not to respond
  4014. >You're too enticed by this book.
  4015. >This page is about the Psychology of humans. Who is this Freud? It's all so facinating.
  4016. >You jump to another part of the book.
  4017. >"Nonny?"
  4018. >It appears this part of the book is about a culture of humans in a place called the 'Middle East'
  4019. >What kind of name is the 'Middle East'?
  4020. >Then again, you live in a town called 'Ponyville'
  4021. >They play a game called Buzkashi.
  4022. >It's a different language than your own! So different humans speak different languages, just like ponies!
  4023. >The plethora of knowledge continues to flood into you.
  4024. >You turn to another page near the middle of the book.
  4025. >"NONNY!"
  4026. >This page is about-
  4027. >Something falls from the page and lands in your lap.
  4028. >As you watch it fall, you realize that Scootaloo has her forelegs on your lap.
  4029. >She looks quite flustered and confused.
  4030. >You blink twice before addressing her.
  4031. "W-What's wrong Scoots?"
  4032. >"You've been reading that book and ignoring me for ten minutes!"
  4033. >You place the book down on the chest in front of you, open to the page for quick access.
  4034. "I'm sorry, it's just- wow. This book is incredible."
  4035. >You stand up and look around you.
  4036. >The titles of the books you ignored before become clear to you now.
  4037. >Anthropology, Histories of humanity, Psychology of humans, even comic books with human heroes surround you.
  4038. >You walk around picking up book after book.
  4039. "This is incredible! Why wasn't this room ever documented or discovered? Where did all these books come from?"
  4040. >You skip about like a child.
  4041. >"Listen, Anon. Calm down. We don't know where these books are from."
  4042. >You walk over to her
  4043. "I wish I knew where they were from! Imagine the place that these books detail! Whoever brought these books here must have taken quite the interest in my species!"
  4044. >You step on something
  4045. >You look down to see a little bit of string hanging off a slip of paper.
  4046. >You bend over to pick it up.
  4047. "I would have killed to read this when I was younger. It would have explained so much to me!"
  4048. >It appears to be a bookmark that fell out of the Anthropology book
  4049. "At least I have it now, no need regretting what is out of my control, right?"
  4050. >You dangle the book mark by the string attached to it.
  4051. "What a nice little bookm-"
  4052. >You notice a familiar symbol on the slip of paper.
  4053. >You grab it to take a better look.
  4054. >The symbol is a star surrounded by five other stars
  4055. >You know this mark.
  4056. >This is your mother's mark.
  4057. >At first you feel nothing but a bit of confusion.
  4058. >Your mother must have been here before, reading these books and learning their secrets.
  4059. >Your hands begin to clench as a sudden wave of anxiety and rage floods over you.
  4060. >You feel your upper lip twitch as you try to understand these feelings.
  4061. >She had these books and she never showed you.
  4062. >She never let you read them.
  4063. >She never let you discover them.
  4064. >She never gave you their secrets.
  4065. >It feels like a part of you was hidden this whole time.
  4066. >As if your mother took a piece of who you are, WHAT you are, and stole it away for you to never find.
  4067. >You feel sweat roll down your brow as you grab a nearby book and head for the door.
  4068. >Scootaloo follows behind you, confused.
  4069. >You start to head for the library.
  4070. >Every castle has one, it's just about finding it.
  4071. >What other secrets has your mother been keeping from you?
  4072. >Scootaloo yells from behind as you trudge through the cooridors.
  4073. >"Nonny! Stop! Where are you going?"
  4074. >You let out some hot air through your nostrils.
  4075. "I'm gonna find the library and learn more about this stuff."
  4076. >Scootaloo sounds stressed
  4077. >"I don't know if we should, we left the box back there."
  4078. "Pinkie will find it soon enough. This is more important."
  4079. >Scootaloo hops in front of you as you cross the throne room.
  4080. "What?!" you bark
  4081. >She seems intimidated.
  4082. >"I-I don't think you should do that."
  4083. >You squint your eyes as you realize what she said.
  4084. "What did you say?"
  4085. >She swallows and stands straight, conquering her nervousness.
  4086. >"These books, they do something to you. You're not acting right, Maybe you should just leave them be."
  4087. >You tilt your head in confusion.
  4088. >Your face flushes with rage.
  4089. "How can you say that to me?! I barely know anything about what I am, and now I get the chance to find out and you want me to stop?!"
  4090. >Scootaloo looks angry.
  4091. >"Well there's nothing in that book that will help you! All it will do is cause problems! What use is there learning about a world you've never been to?!"
  4092. >The rest of the group trot into the throne room which echos to the external halls.
  4093. "How do you know any of this? What do you know about me? You don't know what it's like to be a, a-"
  4094. >You pause as with your eyes wide as you try to hold back your emotions
  4095. >But the dam has broken
  4096. "A FREAK?!"
  4097. >Scootaloo looks at you with teared eyes
  4098. >"I guess I didn't know you, as well as I thought."
  4099. >You stamp a foot.
  4100. "That's right! You don't know what it's like being an outcast. Like a human amongst ponies!"
  4101. >"Or a pegasus that can't fly?" Sweetie Bell shouts at you.
  4102. >You turn your head to see the crowd you gathered.
  4103. >Scootaloo flies down to the group as Spark glides to you.
  4104. >"Alright pal, take it easy. You don't want to make this worse. I don't know what's got you all fired up, but you need to slow do-"
  4105. >You yell when Pinkie Pie catches your eye.
  4106. "Pinkie!"
  4107. >You walk down the stairs and loom over Pinkie
  4108. >"Yeah?~"
  4109. "Your box was in a room my mother used as a study. In that room there were books on humans, why didn't you ever tell me?!"
  4110. >Pinkie is surprised by your strong tone
  4111. >"U-uh, well we weren't supposed to tell you-"
  4112. "WHY NOT?!"
  4113. >Pinkie starts to shrink down as her mane deflates.
  4114. >"T-Twilight told us we couldn't tell y-"
  4115. >The sound of your mother's name flares you even more.
  4116. "THAT'S NOT RIGHT! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME!!"
  4117. >Pinkie doesn't respond, she simply sinks further to the floor and covers her eyes and ears with her hooves.
  4118. >You pant heavily as Spark grabs onto your shoulder.
  4119. >"ANON CUT IT OUT. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU."
  4120. >Without thinking you smack Spark to the floor with your arm.
  4121. >You turn and start to head up the stairs.
  4122. >You head for the tower again and walk towards the archway to the hall.
  4123. >Just before you enter the hall, you stop.
  4124. >Your group is heading out the door.
  4125. >Scoots' head hangs low, and the rest seem rattled.
  4126. >But one sends chills down your spine.
  4127. >Spark looks at you with a bloodied nose, like the one those two stallions gave him in the party so long ago.
  4128. >But his face did not wear an expression of defiance, nor a strong stonewalled face of power.
  4129. >His expression rang with defeat.
  4130. >Not because of his injury.
  4131. >Because of something much worse.
  4132. >You puff hot air out your nose as you head for the tower.
  4133. >You slam the door against the wall, rattling books off their shelves.
  4134. >You make a beeline for the book on the chest, still open where you left off.
  4135. >You take a seat next to the chest and shake your head.
  4136. >You're overcome with anger, and your hands shake.
  4137. >Such passion has never come to you before.
  4138. >It scares you.
  4139. >On the ground you spot the book mark again.
  4140. >You pick it up by its tassle and throw it against the wall.
  4141. >The very thought of your mother reading these books sends you into a fury.
  4142. >The only thing that could make you feel right again is this book you fought so hard to read.
  4143. >You sit down over the book and crack your neck.
  4144. >You're still burning, but at least this will calm you.
  4145. >The book is still open to the page your mother had marked.
  4146. >You nearly close the book wtihout reading her page, as if it were tainted with her very presence.
  4147. >The book remains open however, as you read the title of the page.
  4148. >"Childhood and Adolescence"
  4149. >Beads of sweat drip off your forehead and onto your tingling hands.
  4150. >You begin to read the first paragraph hunched over the table.
  4151. >"When one becomes a parent, they feel an immediate bond with their offspring. The way the human mind is programmed, we have no choice but to find babies adorable and worth protecting. It is in our instincts."
  4152. >Your eyebrows begin to raise as you pull the book closer
  4153. >"However, other animals have such an instinct as well. Even more curiously, they have it with human babies as well as their own."
  4154. >You read rapidly, absorbing the information like before.
  4155. >But as you read your hands start to shake again.
  4156. >"... humans babies have been proven to be likely candidates in cross species adoption. Animals ranging from Wolves to cats, Horses to Elephants, have taken a liking to taking human babies under their wing."
  4157. >The flash of a purple feather splashes out from you memories.
  4158. >"A human child is impulsive and emotional. It will stamp its feet and scream its head off to get what it wants."
  4159. >Your heart beats faster as you read more
  4160. >You sit against the wall with the book pressed nearly against your nose.
  4161. >"...however, even with all these shortcomings, children are still the most genuine and honest of all humans, and they deserve the love and affection needed to grow."
  4162. >Your reading stops as you come upon a tampering with the text.
  4163. >The paragraph is highlighted with a purple highlighter.
  4164. >You read it slowly:
  4165. >'Perhaps the most important thing for a child is love and patience. A parent must be willing to sacrifice themself to the child. They open their home, their hearts, and their very being to the child. Like a bear protecting its cubs, a parent will never stop
  4166. when it comes to protecting its offspring from the harsh and bitter world around them.'
  4167. >You're halted again by a sentence that has been underlined, highlighted, and circled.
  4168. >You read it outloud to yourself.
  4169. "No matter what a child may act like, no matter what it may look like, and no matter what it may grow up, to a parent, it is always their child. To a true parent, there is noone more important than their kid. No matter their age or behavior, the love of a
  4170. parent is unconditional. It is important to remember this sometimes."
  4171. >You close the book with shaking hands and throw it accross the room.
  4172. >You stand up and run for the bathroom.
  4173. >You feel sick.
  4174. >You burst into the room and lean on the counter, gasping for air.
  4175. >Your emotions mix into an untranslatable mess.
  4176. >You feel fear and anger creep up from inside you
  4177. >But most of all you feel confused.
  4178. >You look up at the dusty mirror
  4179. >With one hand you clear a portion off to see yourself.
  4180. >You gasp as the image becomes clear.
  4181. >Your hair is a mess, and your face is flushed.
  4182. >Your eyes are wide and crazed.
  4183. >Your mouth frowns back at you.
  4184. >Is this really who you are?
  4185. >You scowl at yourself and recognize the familiar expression.
  4186. >In recent years, you've seen this face looking back at you in the mirror
  4187. >A look of discontent, of bigotry, of arrogance.
  4188. >Of hate.
  4189. >As you lean closer to the mirror, something catches your eye in the background.
  4190. >You turn and walk to the tub in the back.
  4191. >Lying on the ground is a metal pipe
  4192. >But resting delicately on the tub is an orange feather, left behind by somepony you know.
  4193. >Somepony you felt happy with.
  4194. >You lift the feather to your face.
  4195. >Somepony you felt normal with.
  4196. >The cold tile rubs against your knees as you fall to the tub.
  4197. >You lie your head on the side of the tub.
  4198. >Somepony you fell in love with.
  4199. >The water hasn't run in this castle for years.
  4200. >But the tub slowly fills none the less
  4201. >The next twenty minutes fly by in a blur.
  4202. >Your emotions empty into the tub and swirl down the drain.
  4203. >You feel like a husk; devoid of life, devoid of passion.
  4204. >As if out of obligation you walk up the stairs to the tower.
  4205. >You wander in and sit next to the pile of books.
  4206. >You gave up your friends for these books.
  4207. >And you have no idea why.
  4208. >You stare down at them with dry eyes
  4209. >Your tears are gone. The demand is still there, but the supply is not.
  4210. >Your face feels raw and tight, as if it were made of leather.
  4211. >Originally you were going to blame the books.
  4212. >The books corrupted you right? You weren't thinking straight, right?
  4213. >No. No, you don't even believe that.
  4214. >You know that it was you shouting in that throne room.
  4215. >You lost your control.
  4216. >And you pushed everypony away.
  4217. >Just like that man in the mirror always did.
  4218. >You sit against the trunk again.
  4219. >You stare out to balcony window as the sun finally sets
  4220. >Its orange and red rays fill the room with color.
  4221. >Its beauty does nothing to lighten your mood.
  4222. >You close your eyes and place your face into your hands.
  4223. >You ruined everything.
  4224. >And there is no one left to blame but you.
  4225. >Suddenly a chill runs down your spine
  4226. >As you remove your hands, a figure stands on the balcony.
  4227. >You can see your breath as a cool feeling washes over you.
  4228. >"Come closer~" says the figure in a whispered tone.
  4229. >You stand and approach it.
  4230. >"Closer~"
  4231. >As you walk into what is now the night, the figure becomes clears.
  4232. >You see her mane float in the summer breeze, and watch as the shines reflect back at you.
  4233. >"You have had an eventful night tonight, Nonny."
  4234. >Luna speaks softly and properly
  4235. >"You should take a rest."
  4236. >Your arms fall to your sides and your body's tenseness releases a bit.
  4237. >It's surprising to see Luna here, of course, but you can't feel much of anything right now.
  4238. >The only things you feel are the bags under your eyes and the rawness of your cheeks.
  4239. >Luna walks around you a bit.
  4240. >She inspects you up and down.
  4241. >Without thinking you sit on the ground.
  4242. >You're not really in the mood to stand.
  4243. >It's not like you need to kneel to Luna, she's basically your aunt.
  4244. >Or something.
  4245. >The way royalty works is not based on bloodline, but rather on select ponies. After all, granny and pappy aren't alicorns, and are by no means royal.
  4246. >Even so, Luna has been around for a very long time, and by all means she is basically a deity of Equestria.
  4247. >But regardless, you couldn't care less right now.
  4248. >You lean your head into your hand.
  4249. >Luna stops again in front of you.
  4250. >"You have been busy this past week."
  4251. >You groan in confirmation.
  4252. >She tilts her head.
  4253. >"You made a lot of friends."
  4254. >You don't respond.
  4255. >"I find it fascinating that you made friends in such a-"
  4256. "How do you know about any of this?" You interrupt with a grunt.
  4257. >Luna raises an eyebrow
  4258. >"I know about all my subjects during the night. It's my job."
  4259. >You roll your eyes
  4260. "I'm not one of your subjects."
  4261. >"This is true, however, are your friends not my subjects?"
  4262. >Your head sinks a bit as your eyes glaze.
  4263. >Now that you think about it, the most important moments happened in the middle of the night.
  4264. >But you don't dwell on it.
  4265. >Luna trots closer to you
  4266. >"You are not the same Nonny I knew once."
  4267. >You look at her through tired eyes.
  4268. >Even in your empty state, those words still flare something.
  4269. >"You have grown very well. You are strong."
  4270. >You sigh
  4271. "I don't think so, Luna. I'm the same weak being I've always been."
  4272. >"Nonny, this attitude you have now is not a healthy choice for you."
  4273. >You pull your knees to your chest.
  4274. "I know." You whisper.
  4275. >"I am confused Nonny. Do you choose to be in this state?"
  4276. >You shake your head, finding some strength to care enough to respond.
  4277. "I didn't choose, but it's still my fault."
  4278. >Your eyes lock to the floor.
  4279. >You look at her decorative shoes and how the glisten in the night.
  4280. >Luna thinks for a moment before speaking.
  4281. >"Then you should choose to be happy again."
  4282. >Even with so much time in modern Equestria, she still hasn't gotten the hang of the current langauge.
  4283. >Regardless, she certainly sounds calming.
  4284. "That's not how that works."
  4285. >A glow above you catches your view.
  4286. >Luna's horn is alight with a blue aura.
  4287. >"You shall show yourself the way, Nonny. I know a pony who can help."
  4288. "W-What?"
  4289. >She presses her horn against your forehead, before a flash of light bursts from your vision and all goes white.
  4290. >As your eyes adjust, you realize you are no longer at the castle, but instead standing at the door of a small familiar cottage.
  4291. >The sound of water can be heard behind you, but anything beyond a point turns to white.
  4292. >Your new surroundings startle you, but your empty heart again fails to give a reaction.
  4293. >It appears all your feelings ended up in that tub.
  4294. >You decide to play along and knock on the door of the cottage.
  4295. >Your eyes widen as the sound of the knock gives you an odd sense of deja vu.
  4296. >The door opens entirely, revealing a scene inside.
  4297. >There sits a yellow pegasus in the middle of the room.
  4298. >Fluttershy
  4299. >As you walk inside, the door shuts behind you.
  4300. >You begin to approach Fluttershy.
  4301. >Suddenly she speaks out.
  4302. >"So, what do you think Nonny? Isn't it wonderful?"
  4303. >You look at her confused as she stares to the left.
  4304. "Wonderful? What do you-"
  4305. >"It's really neat! I just can't get the hang of it though." spouts a small voice
  4306. >The left side of the room clears from whiteness
  4307. >Sitting on the carpet next to Fluttershy is-
  4308. >You
  4309. >In a pair of overalls and some puffy sneakers, a 5 year old Anon sits in front of you.
  4310. >In his hands is an instrument, about his size.
  4311. >But even more perplexingly, made for him.
  4312. >In his tiny hands is what a appears to be a tiny instrument with four strings.
  4313. >You walk closer to your past self and catch the word on the side
  4314. >'Ukulele'
  4315. >"Well you'll just have to practice until you're better at it, won't you?" Fluttershy states
  4316. >Little Nonny nods his head rapidly
  4317. >"I guess so! Thanks for the present Auntie Fluttershy!"
  4318. >Fluttershy smiles at your miniature self.
  4319. >You come to realize this is a memory of yours.
  4320. >You recall being babysitted by Fluttershy often when you were very young.
  4321. >And you can vaguely remember the Ukulele.
  4322. >You remember playing it to yourself at night
  4323. >Its light hearted strumming being a lullaby of sorts when your mother was not around.
  4324. >Your glazed eyes still show no expression to this nostalgia.
  4325. >You don't feel a thing.
  4326. >Little Nonny plucks the strings a bit more, releasing a typhoon of sour notes
  4327. >But everyone once and awhile, you hear a strong, delicious note.
  4328. >You put your hands in your pocket as you look at your memory.
  4329. >Your hands brush against something and an odd wave of coolness rushes over you.
  4330. >As you pull what was in your pocket out, you hear your old self speak once more.
  4331. >"This is really hard, I wish somepony could show me."
  4332. >The object in your pocket was the orange feather from before.
  4333. >As you swivel it in your hand, you notice your past self turn in the background.
  4334. >"Hey? Can you show me?" he says to you.
  4335. >You blink as you put the feather away.
  4336. "Are you... talking to me?"
  4337. >Fluttershy giggles.
  4338. >"Oh Anon, I did not see you come in. Why don't you take a seat?"
  4339. >You stand still for a moment, trying to understand.
  4340. >You thought this was a memory, a vision.
  4341. >So why is this memory talking to you?
  4342. >You walk over and take a seat next to Nonny.
  4343. >He looks at you with shining eyes.
  4344. >You look to Fluttershy for answers, but she just smiles back.
  4345. >"So can you play this thing?" Nonny asks innocently.
  4346. >You look into your own eyes as Nonny hands you the Ukulele
  4347. "Yeah, I can play a bit I suppose."
  4348. >You haven't touched one of these in a long time.
  4349. >But as you adjust your fingers, they seem to find their way.
  4350. >You strum a C, then a D, then a G, then an A, then an F
  4351. >You smirk a bit at your old skills returning to you.
  4352. >Nonny crawls onto your leg a bit to get a closer look.
  4353. >"Wooooow! You can play it really well Anon!"
  4354. >You chuckle a bit at his cuteness
  4355. "Well, it takes hard work and determination! You need to practice every day, you hear?"
  4356. >Nonny nods as you continue to strum.
  4357. >You begin to play a short tune, plucking at fingerings and hearing the Uke's sweet sound echo.
  4358. >Your fingers move freely, and you're a lot less rusty than you thought.
  4359. >After a short while, you hand it back to Nonny.
  4360. "So, here's the C chord, and here's the G. If you put your fingers like this..."
  4361. >As you grab his fingers you realize how much bigger your hands are.
  4362. >His little fist can fit in the palm of your hand.
  4363. >After a bit of fenangaling, Nonny is ready to play.
  4364. >After a few missed strums, he finally plays a C.
  4365. >His face lights up as he hears the proper sound.
  4366. >You smile at him.
  4367. "Very good."
  4368. >He smiles back then returns to playing.
  4369. >"You were always like that as a child. Such a smiley boy." Fluttershy says from behind.
  4370. >You turn to look at her again.
  4371. "I don't understand how any of this is possible. Where am I? Am I dreaming?"
  4372. >Fluttershy looks at Nonny then back at you.
  4373. >"In a way. This is a dream of mine."
  4374. >Your theory was correct, but only to a point.
  4375. >You had suspected Luna sent you into a memory of your own through you own dreams, but it appears she sent you into one of Fluttershy's.
  4376. "You dream about me from time to time?"
  4377. >Fluttershy laughs
  4378. >"Oh Nonny, we all think about you from time to time."
  4379. >You bite the inside of your cheek
  4380. >It's all so weird, this dream world.
  4381. >But at least you have company with Fluttershy.
  4382. "Why do you all think about me? This week is the first time I've visted any of you in a long time. Why would I cross your mind?"
  4383. >Fluttershy tilts her head to your question.
  4384. >"Oh, well, I don't know." Fluttershy responds in a calm tone.
  4385. >Not exaclty helpful.
  4386. >You look forward again and lean against the wall.
  4387. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter."
  4388. >Fluttershy looks at you then at your younger self, still strumming away on loop.
  4389. >"We sometimes wonder about you, I guess."
  4390. >You roll your head against the wall to face her again.
  4391. >"You don't visit us very much, but we miss seeing you these days."
  4392. >You lean forward again, listening to her speak.
  4393. >"When you were a little human, you were really part of the family."
  4394. >She looks at Nonny.
  4395. >"I would babysit you, and you would play with Rainbow Dash outside when she came down."
  4396. >She smiles
  4397. >"And you and I would visit Sweet Apple Acres when you were very young. You were always getting in trouble, going on little adventures through the orchards."
  4398. >She giggles at the thought of it.
  4399. >You feel warmth in your cheeks as the corners of your mouth start to journey north.
  4400. >"But Applejack would never mind because you always loved eating their apples and playing in the hay bails."
  4401. >You smell the hay and feel the cool fall afternoons as your nostalgia begins.
  4402. >Fluttershy sighs with a smirk.
  4403. >"Ah, but your favorite time of day was when you left, and you followed your mother home with Spike. It was so cute watching you hold hands with Spike for the walks home."
  4404. >You smile at while looking at the floor, focusing on hearing the stories as she tells them.
  4405. >You remember most of these things, but the memories are faded.
  4406. >Fluttershy exhales softly
  4407. >"But that was a long time ago. An we don't see you like we used to. So we think about you, which is the next best thing."
  4408. >An odd warmth fills you.
  4409. >You're glad she reminded you of those days.
  4410. >They were better days than your school days that followed after.
  4411. "I'm sorry I haven't come by in so long, I've been a little lost." You confess
  4412. >She smiles
  4413. >"Oh, it's quite alright. I'm glad we get to spend some time together now."
  4414. >You nod
  4415. "I'm glad too."
  4416. >You relax and stare out the window.
  4417. >There is nothing very defined, just foggy whiteness.
  4418. >You suppose that is where the dreamscape ends.
  4419. >You know a bit about Luna's powers, after all you used to visit the sisters a lot as a kid.
  4420. >Whenever mom decided to head to Canterlot, you were always going to tag along.
  4421. >You still enjoy going to Canterlot to visit Auntie Cadence and Uncle Shining.
  4422. >However, boredom seemed to be your only motivation to go on such a trip.
  4423. >You think about how you never visit anyone just for the sake of visiting.
  4424. >It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
  4425. >"Luna tells me you've had a bad night." Fluttershy quietly states
  4426. >As you remember the night, it leaves more than a bad taste.
  4427. >You feel a disgusting aura surround you.
  4428. >You grit your teeth a bit.
  4429. "I made a lot of mistakes tonight with a lot of ponies I liked."
  4430. >You look down at your hands.
  4431. "I lost control and bu- screwed everything up." You censor yourself
  4432. >"Can you fix it?"
  4433. >You shake your head
  4434. "I said some pretty foolish things, Fluttershy. I don't know how I can fix it."
  4435. >You feel yourself tightening up again as your legs start to pull to your chest.
  4436. >Fluttershy puts her wing around you.
  4437. >"You need to set things right Nonny."
  4438. >You look at her before being met by a determined and serious gaze.
  4439. >You feel like a child being scolded.
  4440. >You look back at your past self.
  4441. >He's stuck in a freeze frame, as if someone paused him.
  4442. >The dream only seems to function when Fluttershy is focused on it.
  4443. >But right now, she's only focused on you.
  4444. >You look back to her.
  4445. "How do I fix a screw up this big?"
  4446. >"With an even bigger apology." she says in a very matter-of-fact way.
  4447. >You can tell she deals with immature creatures a lot.
  4448. >When she says something that's right, you can't argue it.
  4449. >You scratch the top of your head as you comb your mind for a solution.
  4450. >It just seems impossible to take back everything you did in that castle.
  4451. >Especially with Scootaloo.
  4452. >Fluttershy sees your distraught expression.
  4453. >"Having trouble coming up with something?"
  4454. >You nod
  4455. "I don't see anyway to fix this Fluttershy. I don't think I do it."
  4456. >"Oh, um. Why don't you just be honest with them?"
  4457. > You shake your head
  4458. "Will that really be good enough?"
  4459. >"It's like Rainbow Dash says, oh how did it go..."
  4460. >She thinks for a moment.
  4461. >You look up at her
  4462. >" 'You have to jump from high places in order to fly', or something like that I'm sure."
  4463. >The words remind you of earlier in the week, when you were asking Rainbow for advice.
  4464. >She told you to take a risk, to expose your inner self.
  4465. >To believe in what you're capable of.
  4466. >And when you took that risk, you won over...
  4467. >Scoots
  4468. >Who's to say that you can win her back?
  4469. >Your emotions reform, and you heart starts pumping passion again.
  4470. >The warmth in your chest spreads through your body.
  4471. >You've stablized once more.
  4472. >You stand and face Fluttershy.
  4473. "I think I need to go now."
  4474. >She stands and smiles at you.
  4475. >"I enjoyed spending some time with you again Nonny."
  4476. >You smile and nod.
  4477. "I'll come by and visit real soon."
  4478. >You tighten your hands into fists as you speak.
  4479. "I promise."
  4480. >Fluttershy trots past you.
  4481. >"Okay Nonny! Anon is leaving, and it's time for a nap! Say goodbye!"
  4482. >Little Nonny glitches back into step, acting as if nothing happened.
  4483. >"OKay! Goodbye Mr.Anon! Thanks for teaching me how to play!"
  4484. >You take a step to walk out, but kneel in front of your doppelganger.
  4485. "Listen kid. You love your mom right?"
  4486. >Nonny smiles
  4487. >"Of course I love my mommy!"
  4488. >You grab his shoulders
  4489. "Never change kid. For the love of Celestia never change."
  4490. >Nonny tilts his head
  4491. >"Okidoki! I won't change!"
  4492. >Fluttershy pipes up.
  4493. >"Um, you know that won't change anything, right? Once you leave this will all go poof. That's the arrangement Luna made for us."
  4494. >You nod
  4495. "I know. I just wish that somepony did that to me when I was younger. Maybe things would have been different."
  4496. >You open the door to the white abyss.
  4497. >As you close the door behind you, you see Fluttershy bringing Nonny to take a nap.
  4498. >She takes his Ukulele and puts it on a high shelf, then leads him upstairs.
  4499. >As the crack tightens into nothing, you smile to yourself.
  4500. >The white light blinds you once more
  4501. >Your eyes open to Luna, standing on the balcony.
  4502. >You're back in reality.
  4503. >The first thing you notice is a string of drool leaking down from your mouth.
  4504. >You wipe it away with your arm and a groan of disgust as you stand.
  4505. >You look out to the starry night sky as the cool evening breeze blows through your hair.
  4506. >Luna looks at you patiently, awaiting a response to all of this.
  4507. >You inhale deeply and let it out slowly
  4508. "How long have I been asleep for?"
  4509. >She speaks calmly
  4510. >"An hour or so."
  4511. >You notice lights shining through the night sky over the trees.
  4512. >Ponyville is in that direction, they must have thrown the party without you.
  4513. >You stratch the back of your head and keep your hand there.
  4514. >It hurts to know they'd leave you like this.
  4515. >But you were the reason they had this change of heart.
  4516. >And it's your job to change their minds.
  4517. "I have a lot of work to do tonight Luna."
  4518. >"Yes, you do."
  4519. >You turn around and face her before looking into the room again.
  4520. >You walk into the room and start to place the books back where they were.
  4521. >Anthropology books, history books, biology books.
  4522. >They all were put back
  4523. >As you placed the books away you spoke to Luna again
  4524. "Did you come here only to tend to me, or was there another motive?"
  4525. >Luna smiles
  4526. >"Nonny, you are not just another of my subjects. You are different."
  4527. >You smirk a bit
  4528. >"As I watched your group head towards this castle during the setting of the sun, I knew there would be trouble."
  4529. >You continue to listen as you slide books into the shelves
  4530. >"And I was correct. It broke my heart to see you arguing with Scootaloo."
  4531. >You freeze for a moment with the last book.
  4532. >You look at the book of humanity you hold, and for a moment consider placing it in your adventure bag in the corner.
  4533. >But your arm moves on its own as it pushes the spine of the book until it clunks against the back.
  4534. "After I apologize to her, the most I can hope is that she doesn't hate me."
  4535. >You lift your bag and put it on your back.
  4536. "I'm almost certain that our little relationship is over."
  4537. >Luna looks at the moon
  4538. >"I am not certain of such a thing."
  4539. >You lift an eyebrow as you look at her through the large arched doorway
  4540. >She turns to face you.
  4541. >"In dreams I see the truth behind feelings. I learn who they truly care about, I learn who they idolize..."
  4542. >She smirks
  4543. >"I learn much from dreams, Anon THE STRONG!"
  4544. >She flexes her foreleg in an attempt to mock your arms.
  4545. >You fold your eyes and lift your eyebrows as you feel the blood rush to your face.
  4546. "Really?" you say sarcastically.
  4547. >She chuckles to herself.
  4548. >"The point that I am making an effort to make, is that I have seen Scootaloo's desires and dreams, and you are in them more often than anypony else."
  4549. >She blows out a bit of air with a chuckle as she blushes.
  4550. >"Occasionally without clothing."
  4551. >You suddenly become very aware of your body
  4552. >You cough in an attempt to allieve the awkwardness.
  4553. >"But in every dream you are in, she spends time simply existing with you. The two of you needn't say a word in her dreams, she just enjoys your very presence."
  4554. >Your heart bashes against your ribs as she describes it all to you.
  4555. >She smiles and starts speaking less formally.
  4556. >"I really enjoyed the one the night after the party. You two where both on a train, and you got out of your seat to sit next to her. You were wearing a winter jacket and a wool hat, and she was wearing a scarf around her neck. You complimented her
  4557. wings and she complimented your eyes. And by the end of the dream..."
  4558. >She stops herself, realizing how much she has been talking.
  4559. >She clears her throat before falling back into formal speech.
  4560. >"I apologize, I have said too much. It's just, everything she did with you was so ordinary. It was not overly romantic, it was not absolutely stunning. You two were always doing ordinary activities. It was always set up so the two of you came together, and
  4561. in the end you were always in embracing eachother. She cares about you, not the circumstances."
  4562. >She stares at the moon again.
  4563. >"That is not something that can be destroyed in a night of shouting."
  4564. >You smile at that final remark.
  4565. >Your cheeks feel warm, and your body light.
  4566. "Thank you Luna."
  4567. >Luna trots into the room.
  4568. >"You are welcome Nonny."
  4569. >She makes a gesture suggesting you crouch.
  4570. >As soon as you reach her height, she wraps her forelegs around you in a hug.
  4571. >You return the hug as she whispers in your ear.
  4572. >"We all have our dark moments, Nonny. Do not let them drag you down."
  4573. >This small comment really hits you.
  4574. >You know about what she's been through.
  4575. >Perhaps she knows this situation better than anypony.
  4576. >You try to convey these strong feelings to her.
  4577. "Okay" is all that escapes your lips
  4578. >Somehow, that word was enough.
  4579. >Luna leaves the hug and stares at you with concerned cyan eyes, forelegs still supported on your shoulders.
  4580. >"I expect to see you in Canterlot soon."
  4581. >You nod
  4582. "I'll be there."
  4583. >Her concern melts away, and she lets you stand.
  4584. >You head for the door
  4585. >As you are about to leave the room, you remember the box Pinkie was trying to get to
  4586. >You approach the box and start undoing its latches.
  4587. >The least you could do is bring her what you came here for.
  4588. >The first step of what you assume to be many to win back her trust.
  4589. >You undo the latches and lift the lid
  4590. >As the lid falls back a horn blares as confetti explodes in your face.
  4591. >If you weren't certain this was Pinkie's chest before, you are now.
  4592. >The trunk itself is a jumbled mess, covered in streamers and confetti
  4593. >You shuffle through the party supplies and make your way to the things inside.
  4594. >The first thing you notice is a large rock at the bottom of the chest.
  4595. >Just, a rock.
  4596. >You now know what made the trunk so heavy, but it simply raises questions.
  4597. >You lift a few papers out of the confetti
  4598. >Printed blurry pictures of Pinkie and her friends at parties.
  4599. >They really took a lot of pictures.
  4600. >There's a few from Uncle Shining and Auntie Cadence's wedding.
  4601. >You've seen the pretty formal pictures on the walls of the castle before, but Pinkie's pictures are much more interesting.
  4602. >They're all amateur shots of the after party.
  4603. >There's a picture from behind the DJ table looking out to the crowd
  4604. >Another shows Rainbow and Applejack drinking cider together.
  4605. >One picture catches your eye.
  4606. >It's your mother with a mug of cider herself, lifting it with her friends.
  4607. >You smile as you see your mother in another light.
  4608. >You set the pictures back as you search for what Pinkie wanted from the chest.
  4609. >She never told you, but you assume it will be apparent.
  4610. >You shuffle through more pictures and momentos
  4611. >Near the bottom you spot something that might be relevant.
  4612. >You reach into the box further.
  4613. >The box really doesn't seem this deep from the outside.
  4614. >As you reach the bottom, you grasp a tube and drag it out
  4615. >Your hand returns covered in streamers and confetti, hugging a tube with the word, "FireRocket" stenciled on the side.
  4616. >It looks like a firework of some kind.
  4617. >You're not sure, but you have a feeling this is what Pinkie was looking for.
  4618. >You open your bag and toss the firework inside.
  4619. >You begin to gather all the streamers and papers that fell out of the trun and put them back in.
  4620. >The pictures you saw are placed at the top, and you reach for another batch on the floor.
  4621. >You notice a small picture binder in the chest.
  4622. >You gather some of the picture and open the binder to store them.
  4623. >As the cover opens, you are greeted by pictures you hadn't suspected to see.
  4624. >A Nonny similar to the one you saw in your dream stands next to Pinkie wearing a yellow party hat.
  4625. >He's missing a tooth, and appears to be very excited.
  4626. >In the background, you see a banner saying, 'Happy 7th birthday!'
  4627. >You flip through some of the pages and look back.
  4628. >During your 10th birthday, you see Scootaloo in the background, watching from back a bit.
  4629. >This was when she was still bigger than you
  4630. >You wonder how she viewed you then.
  4631. >You go back in pictures until one page stops you cold.
  4632. >Written in pen, the page is labled 'Anon's first birthday!'
  4633. >One picture shows you as a baby looking quite confused about cake.
  4634. >Another is of Pinkie with you on her back.
  4635. >She smiles wide, satisfied she got you to sit still long enough for a picture.
  4636. >But the picture that gets you the centerpiece of the page.
  4637. >Your mother cradles you in her forelegs, sitting on a couch.
  4638. >On either side is Rarity and Fluttershy
  4639. >Spike sits between Rarity and Twilight, looking at you curiously.
  4640. >You see Applejack's hat and ears near the bottom left corner, and Rainbow Dash's head peers in from above.
  4641. >Pinkie Pie pops up in the middle, looking up at you.
  4642. >You're yawning
  4643. >Everyone wears an expression of happiness and admiration.
  4644. >You take the picture out of the sleeve, and place it in a small book off the floor for safe keeping.
  4645. >You throw the book into your bag and zip it up before placing it on your back again.
  4646. >You put everything back and close the chest.
  4647. >As the chest closes, you catch a glimpse of Luna staring at the moon from the balcony.
  4648. >She looks at it aimlessly.
  4649. >You stand and walk through the door.
  4650. >As you stamp down the stairs, you feel something stab into your thigh.
  4651. >You cringe from the sudden sharp pain and reach into your pocket.
  4652. >Your hand wraps around the soft orange feather from before.
  4653. >You observe it once more, remembering who it belonged to.
  4654. >It's a small feather, no more than an inch or two long.
  4655. >It must have come from under the wing.
  4656. >This little feather dragged you out of a very dark place.
  4657. >Much like the pegasus that left it here, it means a lot to you.
  4658. >You scratch the back of your neck.
  4659. >You feel Spark's necklace brush your thumb.
  4660. >You put your fingers under the string and bring it up to eye level.
  4661. >Without really thinking, you slide the feather into an open seam and tighten the string again.
  4662. >It fits perfectly.
  4663. >Happy with how it hangs from your neck, you tuck it back into your shirt and begin running through the throne room.
  4664. >You've wasted enough time, and you need to hurry.
  4665. >You blast through the heavy wooden doors a little too quickly.
  4666. >A throbbing burn covers the palms of your hands where you smacked the doors.
  4667. >You continue to sprint, making your way to the forest
  4668. >The bridge appears through the fog.
  4669. >Your legs attempt to slow down, and you get a bit nervous.
  4670. >You shake your head and continue sprinting
  4671. >The clunking of the wooden panels against your feet fills your ears
  4672. >Before you can even acknowledge what you are doing, you've already made it to the other side.
  4673. >As bridge fades into the fog behind you, and the forest surrounds you, a feeling of determination begins to spark.
  4674. >The trees blur into a tunnel, and the dimly lit woods do nothing to deter you.
  4675. >You've come to far to let everything fall apart now.
  4676. >Like the bridge, you leave a part of yourself behind.
  4677. >A new Anon sprints through the forest without fear.
  4678. >Maybe old Anon couldn't win back Scoots
  4679. >Maybe old Anon would read those books and remain secluded.
  4680. >This new Anon won't give up without a fight.
  4681. >And he won't let this week mean nothing.
  4682. >Your feather necklace bumps up and tickles your jaw.
  4683. >You smile and push on.
  4684. >The bright moon guides your way as you continue through the eerie forest.
  4685. >You lift your knees in an attempt not to trip.
  4686. >As you jump from rocks and ledges, you see a flash of orange from the necklace.
  4687. >Your feet ache as they slam into the ground even more.
  4688. >The trees start to become less dense, and you see moonlight up ahead.
  4689. >You finally break the treeline
  4690. >You stop for a moment.
  4691. >You smell the clear summer evening air.
  4692. >The path to Sweet Apple Acres is directly in front of you.
  4693. >It has freshly pounded hoofprints from the crowd that was heading there.
  4694. >Looks like Pinkie invited a lot of ponies.
  4695. >You turn and begin running to further down the path parralel with the forest.
  4696. >Before you can hit the party, you need to make a stop.
  4697. >The white fences whizz by you.
  4698. >You're breathing heavily
  4699. >You may be fit, but you're not exactly trained for this kind of running.
  4700. >However, your burning lungs are the last thing on your mind.
  4701. >That spark of dedication is a raging inferno, vortexing in your heart and spirit.
  4702. >Your body wants to collapse, but your mind won't let it.
  4703. >Like a puppeteer steering a marienette, you pull your body forward as you sprint towards your destination.
  4704. >You turn a corner and stamp over a dirt path.
  4705. >Finally your goal comes into view.
  4706. >A small cottage covered in bird houses and foliage.
  4707. >You hardly slow down as you jump the small stream rather than take the small bridge.
  4708. >Your velocity finally slows as you approach the door.
  4709. >Taking a moment to catch your breath, you prepare to knock on the door.
  4710. >As soon as your knuckle taps the door, it slowly opens on its own.
  4711. >You poke your head inside.
  4712. >All of Fluttershy's candles are out, and you start to feel a bit antsy.
  4713. >You carefully walk inside, being aware of all the sleeping animals surrounding you.
  4714. >A light flickers in the kitchen and captures your attention.
  4715. >You quietly walk over to the kitchen and peer inside.
  4716. >In the middle sits a small candle on kitchen table.
  4717. >And next to it is an old Ukulele.
  4718. >You tip toe in and lift the rustic Uke.
  4719. >Remarkably, it still has all its strings intact, but the whole thing is terribly dusty.
  4720. >Attatched to the front is a small yellow note.
  4721. >You pull it off and read it to yourself.
  4722. >'I took this out of the attic after I woke up. I had a feeling you might want it. If you don't mind, lock the door on your way out. -Fluttershy'
  4723. >You hear a creak from upstairs as Fluttershy shifts in her sleep.
  4724. >You smile and place the Ukulele in your pack.
  4725. >It doesn't quite fit, and the neck pokes out the top.
  4726. >You sling your pack over your shoulder again.
  4727. >You quickly write 'Thank you!' on the note, then head for the exit.
  4728. >You hit the lock as you leave, and quietly close the door behind you.
  4729. >The lights from the party can be seen polluting the starry night sky.
  4730. >A smirk crawls accross your face as you tighten your bag down.
  4731. >Next stop: The party.
  4732. >You hear assorted notes echo from your bag.
  4733. >The strings must be bumping against items in your pack.
  4734. >The neck of the Uke occasionally hits the back of your head as you bobb violently up and down.
  4735. >You try to be as smooth as possible, but it's nearly impossible on these bumpy dirt paths.
  4736. >You ignore all the outside influences and focus on your goal.
  4737. >The turn comes up ahead
  4738. >As you apporach it, you slide from your intertia.
  4739. >You balance yourself just in time, and continue running with the momentum.
  4740. >You smile to yourself.
  4741. >That was probably pretty cool looking.
  4742. >Shame nopony saw.
  4743. >You continue to steam ahead without a pause.
  4744. >You feel like a soldier, with a pack slamming into your shoulders and place to be.
  4745. >The lights become brighter and brighter as you approach them through the trees.
  4746. >The orchard trees look much less scary than the one in Everfree.
  4747. >Suddenly the path becomes dense with ponies.
  4748. >You dodge left and right, trying not to collide with anyone in the crowd.
  4749. >Pinkie must have invited the whole town!
  4750. >Was that a griffon?
  4751. >You've got a creeping feeling Applejack won't be happy about this.
  4752. >You continue to weave through the pony traffic.
  4753. >Suddenly a Pink blur explodes in front of you.
  4754. >"Nonny! You came!" shouts Pinkie Pie
  4755. >Her sudden appearance nearly sends you careening for the fences.
  4756. >You regain your balance and slow yourself down.
  4757. >You breathe heavily bending over.
  4758. >You sit up with a smile
  4759. "Pinkie! I'm so happy to see you!"
  4760. >She bounces a bit
  4761. >"I'm happy to see you too Nonny! I'm so glad you could make it!"
  4762. >You feel a bit confused by her cheery demeanor.
  4763. >You crouch down to her level.
  4764. "Pinkie, I'm sorry about what happened in the castle."
  4765. >You pause
  4766. "That's not me, I swear. Those books just did something to me."
  4767. >Pinkie nods so quickly you can't make out facial features.
  4768. >"Maybe that's why Twilight hid them from you."
  4769. >You feel a twang of guilt.
  4770. >It hurts to know that you're that predictable.
  4771. >But at the same time, you're conflicted about having a mother so ready to protect you.
  4772. >Yet, it may have been her censorship that caused this mess.
  4773. >You don't know, and it's not important right now.
  4774. >That's for another time.
  4775. >Pinkie reads your confused expression.
  4776. >"Oh don't worry Nonny! This party cheered me up real fast!"
  4777. >You smile back to her
  4778. >You wrap your arms around her and pull her close.
  4779. "Thank you Pinkie."
  4780. >She puts a hoof around your neck.
  4781. >"No problem Nonny. You know I'd do anything for you!"
  4782. >You blush and hold her even tighter.
  4783. >A wide smile grows across your face.
  4784. >That was something you really needed to hear.
  4785. >You're reminded of something.
  4786. "Oh, I grabbed what I think you needed"
  4787. >You undo the hug and open your bag.
  4788. >You reach down deep and pull out the FireRocket.
  4789. "Is this what you needed?"
  4790. >Pinkie's eyes light up with excitement.
  4791. >"Ah! This is the super-duper bright firework I needed!"
  4792. >She takes it off your hands
  4793. >She looks both ways before looking back at you.
  4794. >"I'm not entirely sure this thing is legal! It fires the sparks so high, it can hit Pegasi!"
  4795. >You laugh out loud.
  4796. >That's Pinkie for you.
  4797. >You sigh.
  4798. "I've got a big mess to clean up. And I need to apologize to a lot more than you."
  4799. >Pinkie smiles up at you.
  4800. >"Well, if you want to make a BIG apology, you need it to be LOUD!" she says in a dramatic way.
  4801. >She points a hoof behind you.
  4802. >The party has a small stage set up, and a band it playing on it.
  4803. >You see the microphone and understand what she is implying.
  4804. "That could work."
  4805. >You walk further down the path with Pinkie Pie by your side.
  4806. >The ponies on the stage continue playing.
  4807. >The music hits your ears with gnarled notes and hefty filters.
  4808. >It's hardcore punk.
  4809. >A green pony smashes a drum, and a unicorn sits on a stool playing a guitar with his horn and hooves.
  4810. >And at the center stands an elegant white mare with a pink and purple hair, yelling into the mic.
  4811. >Sweetie Bell?
  4812. >You knew she was going to school for singing and music, but you didn't have her pegged as a punk lover.
  4813. >She continues to sing perfectly in tune with an aggressive tone.
  4814. >Even with such a vicious genre of music, her incredible voice come through it.
  4815. >The song hits its last verse.
  4816. >"You know I have no escape!
  4817. >"And it's not fairrrr~!"
  4818. >"But I found out farrr too late!
  4819. >"That you doooon't carreeee~"
  4820. >"So take your wings and soar away!"
  4821. >"Leave me behind youuuuu~!"
  4822. >"You'll come back another day!
  4823. >"And we'll beeee~ throouuuuughh~."
  4824. >As she holds the last note the guitar fades away in the background.
  4825. >The drummer continues banging until the end, where he smashes the symbol.
  4826. >The crowd goes berserk.
  4827. >Applause and whitsles echo from the crowd.
  4828. >Sweetie and her crew walk off stage and Pinkie Pie jumps up from next to you.
  4829. >"Wowie! That was awesome~! I hope everypony is enjoying themselves!"
  4830. >The crowd continues cheering.
  4831. >It's a huge turnout, half the town must be here.
  4832. >"Haha~! Alright! Well, we have a somepony who needs to say some things! So here's ANON THE HUMANNN!"
  4833. >The crowd cheers regardless of who was introduced.
  4834. >They just seemed hyped up to be there.
  4835. >Pinkie motions for you to climb to the stage.
  4836. >You crawl onto the small stage and take the mic from Pinkie
  4837. >"Alright! Time to apologize! Make it epic Nonny!" she says as she bounds off the stage.
  4838. >The crowd quiets down, and you stand in their silence.
  4839. >You've spoken to crowds before, but you've never made a public apology before.
  4840. >You spot Sweetie Bell and Applebloom near the front.
  4841. >They seem conflicted between surprise and anger.
  4842. >From the stage you can see the rest of the party.
  4843. >The pond itself is completely lit up with under water lights, and a new diving board stands 20 feet off the ground.
  4844. >There are multiple food tents and balloons and streamers litter the clearing.
  4845. >Pinkie Pie doesn't mess around.
  4846. >Yet with all these things surrounding you, everypony seems to have stopped and stared at you.
  4847. >You take a deep breath of preparation.
  4848. >This is going to be difficult.
  4849. >You bring the mic up to your mouth.
  4850. "Hello." your voice booms into the clearing
  4851. >Everpony around you just stares up at you.
  4852. >You realize you're already making things awkward.
  4853. >You think about using your royal voice
  4854. >Putting on that facade of superiority and extreme politeness.
  4855. >For a moment, you even think about talking to them all privately and just walking off the stage.
  4856. >You could just come up with a bullshit excuse why you're up there too.
  4857. >Your mind races, then stops in an instant.
  4858. >You take a deep breath
  4859. >None of that will fix this.
  4860. >Honesty will.
  4861. >You open your mouth again.
  4862. "A lot of you may know me around here. You'll know me for different reasons I'm sure."
  4863. >Ponies from other areas are starting to join the crowd.
  4864. "A lot of you will know me as Twilight's human son. Some of you will know me as the polite, albeit cold, royal child."
  4865. >You sigh and put your hand in your pocket.
  4866. "Some of you will know me as that freak in your class that you went from ridiculing to fearing. Some of you will know me as that human that doesn't talk to anypony."
  4867. >The crowd grows by the second.
  4868. >The splashing of the pond silences as its occupants flood out.
  4869. >The words begin to flow out of your mouth without much control.
  4870. "Most of you." you begin
  4871. >You walk to the edge of the stage and sit on it.
  4872. >You gesture with your hands as you speak.
  4873. "Most of you, know me as an arrogant kid. One who avoided all of you, who alienated myself from you."
  4874. >At this point you aren't addressing the crowd, you're speaking to a non-existant friend.
  4875. >A pony or person you might have had a conversation with had you been more open in the past.
  4876. "Why?" you ask, "Was it because I was different? Was it because I felt alienated as a kid?"
  4877. >You shake your head.
  4878. "No. It was because I wanted to back then." you emphasize by pressing your hand into your chest.
  4879. >You scratch the back of your head.
  4880. "I have nopony to blame but myself."
  4881. >As you lift your head back up, you see the shining eyes of hundreds of ponies, all looking at you.
  4882. >You smile.
  4883. "So yeah, most of you know me as that."
  4884. >You hold your hand out over the crowd, pinching as if to be holding a bit of sand in your fingers.
  4885. "But a few of you, a few of you know the real me." you say looking at your hand silhouetted against the moon and the stars.
  4886. >You grin even more
  4887. "A few of you know that I don't want to be cold anymore. A few of you know I just want somepony to support me. A few of you know that I'm just like you."
  4888. >You point over the whole crowd.
  4889. >You retract your hand as you cringe.
  4890. "And I scared some of those few away. Some of the most important of those few.."
  4891. >You look down at your shoes.
  4892. "And the awful truth is I can't live without them anymore." you say frankly.
  4893. >You stand again and start pacing.
  4894. >A burning passion fills you again.
  4895. "I know it may seem like I have everything, I know it may seem like I shouldn't have a worry in the world, but the truth is I need friends just as much as anypony else."
  4896. >You thump back and fourth on the stage.
  4897. "I may walk on two legs, but I am no different from any of you!"
  4898. >"YEAH!" a pony shouts from the crowd.
  4899. >Your passion burns brighter.
  4900. "We all need somepony to lean on, somepony to hold..."
  4901. >You pause
  4902. "Somepony to love."
  4903. >You hear some more shouting and whistles from the crowd.
  4904. "Alicorn, Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth, Dragon, Human, Goddess, it doesn't matter! Nopony is important without other ponies. Without other ponies, we fall apart, just like any of you."
  4905. >You hear some hooves clapping while the shouting continues.
  4906. >You shake your head.
  4907. >You lost your purpose for a moment.
  4908. "And that's why it's so important for me to apologize."
  4909. >You lift your hand out to Sweetie Bell and Applebloom in front of the stage.
  4910. "Sweetie Bell, Applebloom. I am sorry for the things that happened in the castle. I wasn't the pon- erm, person, I really am. I was burdened by a lust for knowledge I never thought I could acchieve. Can you ever forgive me?"
  4911. >You let a bit of your royal language out in that last bit.
  4912. >Sweetie looks to Applebloom and they share a glance.
  4913. >Suddenly a voice cries from the crowd.
  4914. >"C'mon! Give him another chance!"
  4915. >The crowd starts cheering and the ponies behind them push them to the stage.
  4916. >Sweetie takes your hand and you help her up, then Applebloom.
  4917. >They're both smiling.
  4918. >The crowd is going insane.
  4919. >Sweetie takes the mic from your hand.
  4920. >The cheering quiets down.
  4921. >"Anon." Sweetie starts
  4922. >The whole crowd is on edge.
  4923. >She turns to Applebloom and smirks before looking at you with a smile.
  4924. >"We know you weren't being yourself, and we forgive you."
  4925. >The crowd explodes.
  4926. >Horns go off from one of the previous bands that played and streamers fill the air above the crowd.
  4927. >It echos through the forest.
  4928. >Sweetie and Applebloom hug you as you bend down to grab the mic.
  4929. >You stand back up and address the crowd.
  4930. "Spark, are you out there?"
  4931. >The silence fills again, and everypony turns around looking for Spark.
  4932. >After a few seconds you hear a voice from the left.
  4933. >"Yeah. I'm here." Spark walks out from the cover of the trees to the left.
  4934. >It looks like he wasn't participating in the party very much.
  4935. >He starts walking to the stage.
  4936. "Spark, I'm sorry buddy. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was in a dark place at the time. When I saw what I did, it immediately knew it was a mistake."
  4937. >He trots up the stage.
  4938. >He has a bandage on the side of his face where you elbowed him.
  4939. >His expression is neutral.
  4940. "And all I ask for, is your forg-gladgk"
  4941. >You gurgle as Spark plants a hoof into your cheek by hovering to your level.
  4942. >You step back trying to register the pain.
  4943. >As you turn you see the smirk on Spark's face.
  4944. >"That's for throwing me on my ass."
  4945. >He chuckles
  4946. >"Yeah, I forgive ya."
  4947. >The pain fades away as happiness fills you.
  4948. >You grab him out of the air and give him a bear hug.
  4949. >The crowd blasts into another frenzy.
  4950. >The horns go off and the cheers cover miles.
  4951. >Confetti and streamers fill the air thickly, and it flutters over your head.
  4952. >You release the hug and pat Spark on the back.
  4953. >You look back out into the crowd.
  4954. "Last but definitely not least, I need to talk to Scootaloo."
  4955. >The crowd looks around for her.
  4956. >After a minute or two of confusion they look to you.
  4957. >Applebloom prods your leg.
  4958. >"Um, Anon?"
  4959. >You look down to her.
  4960. >"Scootaloo went home."
  4961. >You look at her with wide eyes.
  4962. "When?"
  4963. >She kicks her hoof.
  4964. >"As soon as we got back from the castle."
  4965. >You stand in awe for a moment.
  4966. >You face the crowd then shake your head.
  4967. >In a whisper you talk to yourself.
  4968. "No, no. This isn't how this is supposed to go. This is supposed to be my comeback. I'm supposed to win her back."
  4969. >Sweetie shakes her head and approaches you.
  4970. >"I'm sorry Anon, but she's probably back in Cloudsdale by now.
  4971. >You pop up and stare out into the crowd.
  4972. "Well then I need to get to Cloudsdale!" You shout.
  4973. >You put the mic back.
  4974. >You move around hectically.
  4975. "I'm gonna need to find a ride there, something fast."
  4976. >You walk forward.
  4977. "I'll have to find something but I doubt I'll-"
  4978. >Your foot misses the stage as you walk off the front.
  4979. >You smack into the grass face first.
  4980. >As you feel the pain everything goes black.
  4981. >You find yourself standing in the darkness.
  4982. >Literally, you find yourself standing in the darkness.
  4983. >Standing in front of you is little Nonny again.
  4984. >You immediately know you're dreaming, after all you're knocked out.
  4985. >But it is these dreams that not even Luna can see.
  4986. >It's just you and Nonny.
  4987. >He stands in front of you with his ukulele, a lot like the one you have.
  4988. >You realize you're holding yours aswell.
  4989. >Without a word, he starts to play a familiar tune.
  4990. >You put your fingers on the neck of your uke as well.
  4991. >You follow his fingers as the tune becomes more clear.
  4992. >The song brings up memories, but they're all blurred.
  4993. >Nonny opens his mouth to sing.
  4994. >His voice is distorted, as if he is singing underwater, but a few words come out.
  4995. >"Shaghhasdhh darling shasahdhhkawe you."
  4996. >You strum along with him and close your eyes.
  4997. >The memory starts to come to you.
  4998. >Just as the lyrics become clear your eyes open to all your friends surrounding you.
  4999. >"You alright Anon? You went out like a light." Spark asks.
  5000. >You reach your hand out and use him as a support to get up.
  5001. >You bop back up and the crowd cheers again.
  5002. >Desperately looking for a solution, you grab the mic.
  5003. "I gotta go now. But remember what I said about all of this."
  5004. >The voices start shouting again
  5005. >"GO GET HER KID!"
  5006. >"Hey, give her a kiss for me, alright?"
  5007. >"What are you doing here? GO!"
  5008. >You're too panicked to smile.
  5009. "Alright, get back to partying!"
  5010. >You run through the crowd as they clear a path for you.
  5011. >Whistles and cheers surround you on either side.
  5012. >Your friends are on your heels.
  5013. >"Anon! What about us?"
  5014. >You turn to see Spark keeping pace.
  5015. "Stay here and have fun."
  5016. >You smile.
  5017. "I need to do this on my own."
  5018. >Spark's confusion melts into understanding.
  5019. >Without a word he nods and flies away.
  5020. >You two only needed to exchange glances to get a point across.
  5021. >Brothers are like that.
  5022. >You sprint towards the town through the farm.
  5023. >Maybe there's a chariot you can grab, or some kind of aircraft.
  5024. >You dodge ponies on the path and continue sprinting.
  5025. >You break through the familiar fences of Sweet Apple Acres and cross the stone bridge.
  5026. >Your mind is racing for options but none can be found.
  5027. >You start to slow down and stop at the fountain on the west side of town.
  5028. >There isn't much you can do at this time of the night.
  5029. >No chariots are running, and the balloon is destroyed.
  5030. >Not that you would take it again if it were fine.
  5031. >You learned your lesson.
  5032. >As your thoughts blast through your mind, a rattling sound comes from behind.
  5033. >You turn to see a golden chariot floating down from the sky.
  5034. >At first it is a speck with the stars, but its speed is incredible.
  5035. >It blasts by you in a blur before screeching to a halt 30 yards down the road.
  5036. >You run to it.
  5037. >As you get closer, you recognize the ponies who are drawing it.
  5038. >Rainbow Dash smiles at you as you run closer.
  5039. >"C'mon Nonny! Hurry it up!"
  5040. >You finally make it to the cart in awe.
  5041. "Rainbow, what are you doing here?"
  5042. >"I'll explain en route, let's go!"
  5043. >You look next to her to see another familiar face.
  5044. "Soarin? What is going on here? Did Rainbow talk you into this?"
  5045. >Soarin chuckles
  5046. >"It didn't take much convincing."
  5047. >Rainbow Dash's cheeks turn a bit violet.
  5048. >"Uh, guys, kind of urgent right now. Get in the damn chariot Nonny!"
  5049. >You nod and hop into the cart.
  5050. >Soarin and Rainbow start to turn the chariot around.
  5051. "How did you know I needed a lift?"
  5052. >Rainbow speaks over her shoulder as the walk to a better take off area.
  5053. >"Somepony came to me in my dream and told me very specific instructions."
  5054. >You connect the dots in your head.
  5055. >So Luna was one step ahead of you.
  5056. >She must have known about Scootaloo going back to Cloudsdale.
  5057. "So did Luna visit you too Soarin?"
  5058. >Soarin scrunches his face with a smirk.
  5059. >Oh he's got an idea for something.
  5060. >He's trying to hold it back.
  5061. >"No," He begins, "I don't have dreams anymore."
  5062. >He turns to Rainbow Dash and goes in close.
  5063. >"All of mine have already come true."
  5064. >Before Rainbow Dash can react he kisses her on the cheek.
  5065. >Rainbow blushes and rolls her eyes.
  5066. >"Oh Celestia I can't believe you just said that."
  5067. >Soarin chuckles
  5068. >"Corny or not, it worked didn't it?"
  5069. >Rainbow Dash stops
  5070. >"Oh look, we're ready to take off. You ready, dearrr~?" Rainbow exaggerates that last word to the point of insult.
  5071. >Soarin snickers
  5072. >"Oh, of course sweetieeee~"
  5073. >The two of them smile at eachother before adjusting their goggles.
  5074. >"You strapped in back there Nonny?"
  5075. >You check your belts and nod.
  5076. "Uh, yeah."
  5077. >Rainbow smirks.
  5078. >"Hold on tight."
  5079. >The two of the rear back to get ready for lift off.
  5080. >For a moment, there is a sound of static that fills the air.
  5081. >You feel your shirt cling to your body.
  5082. >Then they take off.
  5083. >In a second they lift the chariot off the ground and blast headlong towards the heavens.
  5084. >The gravity is incredible.
  5085. >You pull yourself to the front of the chariot with your arms as hard as possible.
  5086. >Your eyes can only open a crack, the wind is too fierce.
  5087. >The wind may hurt as it rolls by, but the cool air feels nice on your swollen cheek and bumped head.
  5088. >You've really taken a beating tonight.
  5089. >The chariot does not fly on the air.
  5090. >It carreens direcly through it.
  5091. >The clouds shift around you as Rainbow Dash and Soaring push forward.
  5092. >They appear to exchange a glance before Soarin turns to you.
  5093. >"Brace yourself for this next one!"
  5094. >You grab onto the front of the chariot and lean forward to minimize air resistance.
  5095. >Soarin nods to Rainbow.
  5096. >With a blast from their wings, the speed doubles.
  5097. >Rainbow Dash blurs into an actual rainbow being left behind.
  5098. >Soarin leaves an electric cloud in his wake.
  5099. >And you leave a stream of saliva from your flapping mouth in the wind.
  5100. >The clouds no long shift, they simply get holes and trails burned through them as they pass.
  5101. >To say they were blurring is an understatement.
  5102. >Everything just seemed like a tunnel of white surrounding you.
  5103. >If it weren't for the stablizing belts, you would have fallen off at the beginning.
  5104. >After 5 minutes the clouds clear.
  5105. >You rub your eyes when you see Cloudsdale not more than a mile away.
  5106. >The ride usually takes half an hour.
  5107. >You got there in 5 minutes.
  5108. >They blast past and head for the Wonderbolt Academy nearby.
  5109. >You see the barracks and the training grounds.
  5110. >Your escorts bring you down to the front gates.
  5111. >They slow to a stop.
  5112. >Your ears are ringing from the loud whistling of the air funneling over your ears.
  5113. >"Alright Nonny. This is your job!"
  5114. >You hop out and hug Rainbow Dash
  5115. "Thank you, I won't disappoint."
  5116. >You turn and face the large academy.
  5117. >You don't really know where you're going.
  5118. >But an invisible string seems to pull at your essence.
  5119. >It drags you lightly by the chest.
  5120. >You grab the neck of your ukulele and pull it from your bag.
  5121. >You put on the red flannel you've been carrying and put it on to combat the chilling winds.
  5122. >The unbuttoned front blows in the headwinds, and you look up and around.
  5123. >It's a very clear night.
  5124. >You can see all around you for miles.
  5125. >You inhale and sigh.
  5126. >You zip your bag and throw it on your back.
  5127. >You're ready.
  5128. >The first step you take is a good one, and you're begin to run.
  5129. >As you take your first few bounds, an incredible bang sends you into a stumble.
  5130. >You turn around to see a flash of orange and yellow exploding from the direction you came from.
  5131. >You recognize what it is immediately.
  5132. >Pinkie wasn't lying when she said that thing was illegal.
  5133. >It's so massive it burns like a supernova, lighting up the ground for miles.
  5134. >And it doesn't appear to be alone, as more sparks appear to be flying upwards as well.
  5135. >You turn and move to forward again.
  5136. >Everything seems to move in slow motion as you watch the orange and gold flashes on the sides of buildings you pass.
  5137. >Your feet hit the ground slowly, and you move with purpose [spoiler] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EV9IdeU3D0 [/spoiler]
  5138. >As if to guide you in the starry night, the explosions at your back leave the whole camp illuminated.
  5139. >You're not the only one that wants to get to her.
  5140. >The world wants it too.
  5141. >You sprint around corners and roads, using the occasional flash of light to help navigate you.
  5142. >A sign sits in the fork of the road.
  5143. >You run to it and plant your feet.
  5144. >The academy itself is huge.
  5145. >Over a dozen offices, a custom training ground, plenty of landing and take off pads.
  5146. >The map makes your head spin
  5147. >There's just far too much information.
  5148. >You scroll your finger over the list of locations and find the barracks.
  5149. >After a bit of searching, you find the small barrel shaped housing units.
  5150. >You plant your finger on the picture satisfied.
  5151. >While your finger is on the board, you realize that it is slowly moving down the board.
  5152. >In fact the whole board is moving up.
  5153. >You look down to see your legs slowly being devoured by the clouds below you.
  5154. >You panic and pull your feet from the clouds, falling on your back.
  5155. >You watch as you slowly sink into the clouds as if sinking into pudding.
  5156. >The puffy shapes slowly glob over your legs and body.
  5157. >You fight back, and push yourself back to the surface.
  5158. >On the surface of the clouds, you still sink like quicksand, but if you continue to move, you won't sink through.
  5159. >You grab onto the sign.
  5160. >What the hell is going on?
  5161. >You shouldn't be sinking through, you took that potion.
  5162. >Two sips is supposed to last a week.
  5163. >But wait a sec.
  5164. >You remove your bag and fish through it.
  5165. >You find the bottle at the bottom, right where you threw it.
  5166. >With one arm wrapped around the sign, you read the back of the bottle to yourself.
  5167. >'Cloud Walking Elixer. One swig will last a day, two will last a week.'
  5168. >You already know this, but there's more beneath it.
  5169. >In small golden font there is an extra bit of information.
  5170. >'Warning: Excessive consumption of the potion within a one week period will result in adverse side effects. Please consume responsibly, and do not drink more than two sips every 168 hours.'
  5171. >You recall the taste of the potion while floating in the balloon.
  5172. >You drank half the damn vial back then.
  5173. >Oh for the love of Celestia.
  5174. >You put the potion back in your bag.
  5175. >Drinking even more will probably make things even worse.
  5176. >You look back the way you came.
  5177. >It'd probably be easier to just hop in the chariot and get you back down to earth where it's safe.
  5178. >It would definitely be easier.
  5179. >Your legs start peddling on their own.
  5180. >But you're not heading back to Rainbow Dash.
  5181. >You're heading to the barracks.
  5182. >You contort your face in determination.
  5183. >You promised you wouldn't disappoint.
  5184. >You start to sludge through the clouds
  5185. >Sludge is the only way you can describe it, it's like trying to wade through waffle batter.
  5186. >You're constantly up to your shins, and occasionally you slip to your knees
  5187. >You don't want to find out what happens if you sink all the way.
  5188. >The road seems much longer as you wade through the cloudy mud.
  5189. >From the map you can tell that your best bet is to continue heading North.
  5190. >You gasp for breath as you fight through the syrup.
  5191. >It's certainly more draining than just running.
  5192. >But it doesn't matter to you.
  5193. >You know why you're doing it, and that's all that matters.
  5194. >Your fingers clasp around your necklace.
  5195. >With one hand on her feather, and the other wrapped around your instrument, you violently continue.
  5196. >You grit your teeth and push against the clouds.
  5197. >Your legs move with more speed.
  5198. >Your feet begin to lift.
  5199. >Your speed increases.
  5200. >Suddenly your foot breaks the surface.
  5201. >With incredible speed you skip across the surface of the ocean of clouds like a stone cast over water.
  5202. >You're running faster than you've ever run before.
  5203. >At least, you believe so.
  5204. >Part of it is out of fear of sinking through.
  5205. >But most of it is from a burning fury in your chest.
  5206. >Your determination and obsession pushes you
  5207. >The invisible string tugging at your heart has begun to reel you in, and you gladly accept it.
  5208. >You turn corners and dash between grand buildings, but you pay them no mind.
  5209. >You hurdle fences, jump gaps, and make your way.
  5210. >Finally the buildings become clear once more.
  5211. >You have no idea what building Scoots is in.
  5212. >But you'll find out.
  5213. >Even if you have to search every single one.
  5214. >The feather around your neck escapes your grasp and flashes in front of your eyes with every step you take.
  5215. >The flame in your chest continues to grow.
  5216. >You blast through the barrack gates to the rows of buildings.
  5217. >This is it.
  5218. >As you slow down, the syrup engulfs you once more.
  5219. >You fight your way through to the first building.
  5220. >The buildings themselves are made out of cloud, but you fear trying to push through them may result in some unwanted consequences.
  5221. >After all, who knows who's sleeping in there?
  5222. >While the buildings are clouds, the windows and their panes are not.
  5223. >You wade over to the window of the first building.
  5224. >You kick your feet to reach the height of the window.
  5225. >You peer inside and are greeted by an unfamiliar sight.
  5226. >The barracks are empty.
  5227. >In the building you peer into, there aren't any filled bunks.
  5228. >Out of the 40+ bunk beds, none of them have occupants.
  5229. >It's eerie.
  5230. >Scootaloo is definitely not here.
  5231. >You flop away from the first bunker and head for the next.
  5232. >As you peer inside you see the same scenario.
  5233. >No ponies.
  5234. >Just bunks.
  5235. >Come to think of it, the whole academy is a ghost town.
  5236. >You didn't pass a single cadet, officer, or even custodial staff on your way here.
  5237. >Is Scootaloo really here?
  5238. >You check the next bunker to no avail.
  5239. >As you shimmy back into the center of all the barracks, you come to realize how many there really are.
  5240. >There are 5 on each side, and you're having trouble getting to each one.
  5241. >Before you get discouraged, you see a flicker from a window on the other side.
  5242. >You push as hard as you can, and you make your way to the lit bunker.
  5243. >The clouds push against your sneakers as you push yourself up to the window.
  5244. >The light appears to come from a lantern placed on a small dresser next to a bunk further down the back.
  5245. >You peer even further into the building by pressing you face against the glass.
  5246. >Your heart stops.
  5247. >The clouds freeze.
  5248. >The candle halts its dance.
  5249. >And the world become silent.
  5250. >A gorgeous young mare lays in her bed, curled up on her bed in a fetal position.
  5251. >Her orange coat reflects the light beautifully.
  5252. >It compliments her magenta mane.
  5253. >She breathes softly as she rests in the bed.
  5254. >But her pattern betrays her display.
  5255. >You can tell she isn't sleeping.
  5256. >You know how she breathes when she's sleeping.
  5257. >It's delicate, and deep.
  5258. >These shallow breaths are of a person lying in bed with a busy mind.
  5259. >You know that feeling well.
  5260. >You continue to fight the clouds to stay afloat.
  5261. >She doesn't face you, her back is turned.
  5262. >You're planning rapidly what to say.
  5263. >You need everything to be phrased right, you need to make it all clear.
  5264. >It's hard to know what the damage is, but you assume it's bad.
  5265. >Suddenly a sparkle catches your eye.
  5266. >It's from a wastebin next to her bed.
  5267. >It glistens at you.
  5268. >A gold shine reflects to you.
  5269. >You stop moving as you realize what it is.
  5270. >Your hands press against the glass in disbelief.
  5271. >The goggles sit at the top of a pile of trashed documents and discarded garments.
  5272. >They seem to stare at you.
  5273. >The clouds consume your knees as you start to slide beneath the window pane.
  5274. >You look down and see the feather around your neck.
  5275. >A tear falls from your view and hits the clouds below you.
  5276. >A spot on the cloud darkens from the drop..
  5277. >You clench your fists.
  5278. >You're not going to lose her.
  5279. >No way in hell.
  5280. >You struggle your way to the other side to the bunker and pull yourself to the large window.
  5281. >The pane stretches across several beds, so it isn't able to be opened from the outside.
  5282. >You try to find a solution, but nothing comes to mind.
  5283. >You decide the simplest solution is the most obvious one.
  5284. >You are Scootaloo
  5285. >The pillow smells like tears.
  5286. >And your eyes feel raw.
  5287. >You tried closing them to sleep, but you can't dream tonight.
  5288. >The world came crashing down around you, and you can't feel a thing.
  5289. >A few hours ago you were struck with a blow that left you numb.
  5290. >When it all started with him, you wondered if you were rushing into things.
  5291. >Now you wonder if you were right.
  5292. >Your heart is bleeding, but it still shouts his name.
  5293. >It echos to infinity and back.
  5294. >But your brain won't have any of it.
  5295. >It refuses to let you want him.
  5296. >He stepped on your heart, and it's dying.
  5297. >You suppose you were wrong to assume things about him.
  5298. >The barracks are empty for vacation and training.
  5299. >When you arrived, you were left with yourself.
  5300. >And nothing feels right.
  5301. >Part of you wanted to go back and fight him.
  5302. >Not fight him out of rage, but out of desperation.
  5303. >You wanted to knock some sense into him.
  5304. >But the victor of that battle was common sense, which stated he hurt you.
  5305. >You shouldn't go near him anymore.
  5306. >But...
  5307. >You pull your body closer together under the covers.
  5308. >You just want all of this to stop.
  5309. >You just want to continue with your life.
  5310. >Leave him to his books.
  5311. >Leave you to the Wonderbolts.
  5312. >It's probably better this way.
  5313. >Another tear rolls off your snout.
  5314. >You shake your head in anger.
  5315. >That's the last tear you shed for him.
  5316. >You're stirred by a tap on the glass.
  5317. >At first you ignore it, thinking it's the wind.
  5318. >But the tapping continues.
  5319. >Suddenly there's a squeak on the glass, as if something is rubbing against it.
  5320. >You sit up and look over your bed frame and out the window.
  5321. >At first you see nothing.
  5322. >Then a fist jumps in front of you from below and taps on the glass even more.
  5323. >There's no way that's...
  5324. >You undo the hinges of the window and open it.
  5325. >You look down and peer down at Anon, sinking into the clouds.
  5326. >There's a moment of silence between the two of you as he stares up at you.
  5327. >"Scoots" he begins
  5328. >Your anger flares
  5329. "Scootaloo." you correct with venom.
  5330. >His face contorts in a painful way.
  5331. >You heart bumps in an odd way.
  5332. >Even with it bleeding out, it still tortures you with these feelings.
  5333. >"Scootaloo" he adjusts, still sinking into the clouds, "Please, help me up. I need to talk to you."
  5334. >You look down at him with a scowl.
  5335. "I don't see a reason to let you in, don't you have a potion that can solve that?"
  5336. >He sinks further into the clouds.
  5337. >"It's not working, please."
  5338. >You roll your eyes.
  5339. "I'll help you up, but I'm not in the mood for talking."
  5340. >You reach for his hand, but he pulls it away.
  5341. >At this point he's sunk to his chest.
  5342. "What are you doing?!" you shout.
  5343. >He looks up at you with a look you've never seen before.
  5344. >A serious look.
  5345. >Behind his eyes is something incredible.
  5346. >It pierces you to your core.
  5347. >"If I can't talk with you about this, I'll just let myself slip."
  5348. >You can't let this idiot fall to his death.
  5349. "STOP FOOLING AROUND AND GRA-"
  5350. >"I'D RATHER FALL THROUGH THESE CLOUDS THAN LEAVE WITHOUT AT LEAST TRYING, SCOOTALOO."
  5351. >He doesn't shout, but rather declares proudly.
  5352. >He lets his arm get taken by the clouds.
  5353. >The clouds are up to his neck.
  5354. >You look around frantically, with your heart and brain battling eachother.
  5355. "ALRIGHT FINE! WE CAN TALK!"
  5356. >He immediately reaches out his hand grabs your hoof.
  5357. >Remarkably, he doesn't need any help at all.
  5358. >He fights his way back to the surface.
  5359. >You watch in awe as he struggles up to the window and sits in its frame.
  5360. >He could have saved himself at anytime.
  5361. >But he didn't do anything until you told him you'd talk.
  5362. >He steps onto a carpet on the ground between the bunks and leans against the wall.
  5363. >And then the two of you stood there, together.
  5364. >A silence filled the room.
  5365. >You are Anon.
  5366. >Your heart is beating very conservatively, to your surprise.
  5367. >You feel calm, serene.
  5368. >But more than that, you feel happy.
  5369. >Very happy.
  5370. >As you look into her violet eyes, you can't help but feel anything but happy.
  5371. >Even if she drops you here, you're just glad you get to see her.
  5372. >She looks at you with bags under her eyes and scorn in her stare.
  5373. >She really didn't want to see you again tonight.
  5374. >You can't really blame her.
  5375. >You didn't want to face yourself earlier.
  5376. >But this is important, even if you had to take drastic measures.
  5377. >"I can't believe you did that."
  5378. >You smirk a bit with a single chortle
  5379. "It worked, didn't it?"
  5380. >She blows air out of her nose.
  5381. >She isn't amused.
  5382. >The way she stares, the way she stands, it's all painful to see.
  5383. >You know she has a lot to think about with you.
  5384. >But you're here to make it right.
  5385. >She sighs and sits on her bed.
  5386. >"Alright, you got me to pull you in so we can talk. So talk."
  5387. >You pluck a string on your ukulele
  5388. >She looks at you in confusion.
  5389. >You start to slowly strum.
  5390. >First the C
  5391. >Then the G
  5392. >Then the F
  5393. >Then back to C.
  5394. >You've never been one to sing to others.
  5395. >But you sing to yourself often in the privacy of your room.
  5396. >Supposedly, there are first times for everything.
  5397. >You start to hum the tune to that familiar song.
  5398. >The one you remember singing as a kid.
  5399. >The one your mother sang to you when you were young.
  5400. >The one Spike sang with you when mom was away.
  5401. >But you've been thinking about a few modifications to the lyrics.
  5402. >The song starts slow, with a few strums between words.
  5403. "Rest... your.... hooves...
  5404. Give me... the... key,
  5405. Because dar...ling.... you,
  5406. Unlock... parts... of me."
  5407. >The song ups in tempo
  5408. "I sing this song to remind myself,
  5409. how tough, life can be.
  5410. Whenever I'm not wiiith you,
  5411. And you're, not with me.
  5412. Oh can't you seeeee~?"
  5413. >Your hands continue to strum and you close your eyes to embrace the music.
  5414. >You can't mess this up.
  5415. "Sometimes the distance between us seems,
  5416. Much more, than it should be.
  5417. But one fact will always be true,
  5418. And this, I give for freeee~."
  5419. >You strum harder for the chorus
  5420. >The tempo increases again as you bellow out the notes
  5421. "That I've fallen for you!
  5422. You've fallen for me!
  5423. And we'll always come through!
  5424. Maybe now you can seeee~!
  5425. We're so close together!
  5426. Even during hard times!
  5427. We're part of eachother!
  5428. Every moment's suuuubliiime~"
  5429. >You head back down to the opening.
  5430. >You look up at Scootaloo's expression.
  5431. >She seems captivated by your song.
  5432. >You inject the lyrics you deem fit.
  5433. "I... know... you....
  5434. You.... know.... me...
  5435. And I.... hurt.... you...
  5436. But you... know... me..."
  5437. >You strum a bit faster, out of character for the song, as if hitting a nonexistant bridge.
  5438. "I know you've been cryin',
  5439. And darling, so have I,
  5440. But I'd be sooner dyin',
  5441. Than leaving you behind.
  5442. Because I.... criiiiiiied..... too.
  5443. And I'll..... fiiiiiiiind..... you.
  5444. And when...... IIIIIIIIII... knew.
  5445. I pierced the skyyyyyy... for... you.
  5446. Oh Darling it's true~"
  5447. >You lower your voice and the strumming becomes quiet.
  5448. >Your passion floods out of you, and a tear rolls down your cheek. as you think about how Scootaloo felt.
  5449. >You think about how you felt.
  5450. >You think about how you may fail here.
  5451. >But even so, you return to the script of the song.
  5452. "Rest... your... heart....
  5453. Lift up.... your... hooves....
  5454. And remember... our... start
  5455. Because I... love... you......"
  5456. >You pause as the music slows
  5457. "I love my... Scoots."
  5458. >You strum one last chord as it echos through the bunker.
  5459. >At first, there is nothing.
  5460. >You look into Scootaloo's eyes.
  5461. >You stand in front of her with your ukulele, facing her bunk.
  5462. >Her expression puzzles you.
  5463. >Her eyebrows are lifted as if she were frightened.
  5464. >You really don't know how to take that.
  5465. >You sigh and take your pack off and crouch down to place your uke in it.
  5466. "Listen, what happened in that room, in that castle. It wasn't me. I didn't mean what I said then."
  5467. >You continue to stare down at your pack after you've zipped it.
  5468. >The silence is killing you.
  5469. >Roaring fire that consumed your soul has been released, and now you wait for a response.
  5470. >She continues to stand and say nothing.
  5471. >You can't take this anymore.
  5472. >You stand and turn to walk to the door.
  5473. "But for the record, I did mean everything I said in that song."
  5474. >And with that you start to walk to the door.
  5475. >You heart thumps with a lonely beat.
  5476. >It acts like it doesn't want to pump at all.
  5477. >You don't blame it.
  5478. >You don't blame anything anymore.
  5479. >"You really meant it?"
  5480. >You turn around to see Scootaloo holding the goggles you gave her in her hooves on the bed.
  5481. >You nod.
  5482. "Yes. Of course I meant it."
  5483. >You walk back to her.
  5484. >She looks down at the goggles.
  5485. >"Say it again."
  5486. >You tilt your head, puzzled.
  5487. >You crouch to her level.
  5488. "What?"
  5489. >"You know." she replies with that same confused or scared expression.
  5490. >You inhale deeply.
  5491. "Scootaloo. I know I've said a lot of things tonight. Some were in a fit of rage, others were out of confusion..."
  5492. >You pause for a moment.
  5493. "But what I say here is true to who I am. And Scoots-"
  5494. >She looks at you with intensity, the kind where someone is on the edge.
  5495. "I am in love with you."
  5496. >For a moment, all is still.
  5497. >She places the goggles around her neck.
  5498. >She puts her hooves on your cheeks.
  5499. >She smiles as her puffy eyes stream more tears.
  5500. >In a flash, she pulls you in for a kiss.
  5501. >A kiss unlike one you've ever had before.
  5502. >She pushes into you with incredible passion, and you push back.
  5503. >Your tongues twist into eachother, and you exchange flavors of flare and spit.
  5504. >Your lips rub against one another.
  5505. >It felt like heaven.
  5506. > Before you lost yourself to it, she breaks away and looks into your eyes.
  5507. >"Nonny"
  5508. >You look at her, intoxicated with her very being.
  5509. >"I love you too."
  5510. >You begin to wrap your arms around her, but she jumps from her bed into you.
  5511. >You land on the ground, and she lays on your chest as she invades your lips once more.
  5512. >Her soul injects into yours, and your auras mix in a whirlpool of emotion.
  5513. >For a moment, she stares down at you from above, her wings covering the majority of your view.
  5514. >There's a crack and a whistle outside.
  5515. >You see the orange illumination reflect off Scoots
  5516. >They're firing more fireworks.
  5517. >But neither of you notice.
  5518. >Because the spark is here.
  5519. >Between you.
  5520. >She kisses you on the neck.
  5521. >The two of you lie together.
  5522. >She on your chest.
  5523. >You on the floor.
  5524. >The cracks and pops of the fireworks echo into the bunker even more.
  5525. >You scratch her behind the ear.
  5526. "Scoots?"
  5527. >She looks into your eyes.
  5528. >"Yeah Nonny?"
  5529. >You smile at her.
  5530. "I never want us to fight like that again. I never want to drive you away."
  5531. >She smiles and holds you close.
  5532. >She has her head on beside your neck, and she cuddles you tightly.
  5533. >"You'll never drive me away Nonny, because I love you."
  5534. >You blink and smile.
  5535. >You feel warm.
  5536. "I love you too, Scoots."
  5537. >The room lights up with orange and yellows.
  5538. "I love you too."
  5539. >After a few minutes, Scootaloo releases her embrace to look out the window.
  5540. >You sit up off the floor and lean on the sill.
  5541. >The fireworks are still going.
  5542. >The colors and shapes change with each explosion.
  5543. >A purple smile, a green heart, a red figure 8
  5544. >They were so beautiful in the night sky.
  5545. >Scootaloo appears to have just noticed them.
  5546. >"So this is what those bangs have been."
  5547. >You put an arm around her body pull her to your side.
  5548. "That was what I was supposed to get from the castle."
  5549. >She turns to you.
  5550. >"Fireworks?"
  5551. >You raise an eyebrow.
  5552. "ILLEGAL fireworks."
  5553. >She snickers
  5554. >"That explains why she stored them in the castle."
  5555. >You nod as the two of you continue to stare.
  5556. >With your hand around her, you feel her breathe slowly.
  5557. >In...
  5558. >...and out.
  5559. >Her wings twitch a bit with your arm under them, but they soon relax.
  5560. >Her heart beats quicker than usual.
  5561. >She's anxious.
  5562. >"So what happened to you tonight?"
  5563. >You look at her with a confused expression.
  5564. >She makes a motion to your face where the swelling is.
  5565. >You laugh to yourself.
  5566. "Spark belt me one across the cheek as revenge."
  5567. >You scratch the back off your head.
  5568. "And I fell on my face too."
  5569. >She snorts.
  5570. >"So you're really beaten up, but that doesn't explain the sinking thing." she replies, "I thought that potion you drank made it possible to walk on clouds for a week."
  5571. >You shake your head.
  5572. "I drank too much of it. Like, way too much."
  5573. >"So now you just sink through the ground?"
  5574. >You sigh and lean on her bed with your head back.
  5575. "Pretty much yeah. I don't know how I'm gonna get back to Ponyville."
  5576. >"You don't have to head back tonight."
  5577. >You continue staring up at the ceiling with your head back.
  5578. >You raise your eyebrows.
  5579. "Oh yeah? My mom is coming back tomorrow. It's probably best to get home."
  5580. >"You can just spend the night here," she replies in a soft tone.
  5581. >Before you can piece together what she is implying, you feel a hoof on your chest.
  5582. >As you lean your head forward, your lips meet yet again.
  5583. >She pushes into you hard, and uses her forelegs to brace herself.
  5584. >You're not sure what you're doing.
  5585. >You kiss her back as she pushes you to the bed.
  5586. >You kiss her neck and she surrounds you with her feathers.
  5587. >Your shirts end up on the floor.
  5588. >Everything turns into an orange blur.
  5589. >You've never done this before.
  5590. >But Scootaloo shows you the way.
  5591. >The cool breeze blows against your bare chest.
  5592. >The fireworks have diminished, and the night is still.
  5593. >You adjust yourself on the window sill.
  5594. >You watch the light pollute the air around Ponyville and bounce off the clouds.
  5595. >A small cough turns your attention behind you.
  5596. >Scootaloo snoozes peacefully in her bed.
  5597. >Your flannel surrounds her, and she has her muzzle buried in it.
  5598. >Her eyes are delicate, her mane unkept, and her mouth grins,
  5599. >Her face looks soft again.
  5600. >You smile to yourself.
  5601. >You run your hand through your messy hair.
  5602. >Tonight was something different all together.
  5603. >And you're stranded here until morning.
  5604. >You quietly apologize to your mother.
  5605. >You might run a little late tomorrow.
  5606. >A yawn creeps out of your mouth and leaves you feeling drowsy.
  5607. >You step back inside of the nearly empty bunker.
  5608. >Scootaloo's bed is small and not made to fit humans.
  5609. >But you know you can manage.
  5610. >You slip under the covers next to Scootaloo.
  5611. >With her back to you, you slowly wrap your arms around her.
  5612. >She pushes herself into your body with a happy sigh.
  5613. >Her warm fur feels incredible against your bare chest and arms.
  5614. >You scratch her under the jaw with one hand and keep her close with the other.
  5615. >You let out a sigh yourself.
  5616. >It's been a long day.
  5617. >Time for sleep.
  5618. >Your eyelids slowly flop over your eyes and you lose track of reality.
  5619. >You are Scootaloo, the physics major.
  5620. >Your second year at the University of Manehatten has gone by quickly.
  5621. >It's already fall, and the leaves on the trees are the same color as your fur.
  5622. >You push your nose into your scarf a bit further as you sit in the coffee shop next to the biology building.
  5623. >Your aerodynamics homework for physics lays half done on the table in front of you, next to a coffee.
  5624. >You look out the window.
  5625. >The autumn sun peers through the slowly dying trees.
  5626. >It's only 3pm, but the sun sets a bit earlier now.
  5627. >You miss summer.
  5628. >You lazily look around the cafe.
  5629. >Mares and Stallions all chat idly as they sip their warm drinks.
  5630. >None of them chat with you.
  5631. >Your earrings and lack of girly-ness intimidates others.
  5632. >Eh, buck em. You don't need too many friends here.
  5633. >You've got a couple good ones back home, and not many here.
  5634. >So far you only have Spark, but he's always so caught up with working on things and goofing off.
  5635. >He's such a dweeb.
  5636. >As your eyes lazily trace the cafe again, the bell to the door rings.
  5637. >You turn to see who it is.
  5638. >Your eyes widen as a giant walks into the cafe.
  5639. >You've seen this thing before in a creatures index in the library.
  5640. >He's a human.
  5641. >He's clothed from head to toe, with a fuzzy hat, a leather jacket, jeans, and converse shoes.
  5642. >He scans the room then heads for the counter.
  5643. >You look back at your homework, trying not to seem nosy.
  5644. >You watch him out of the corner of your eye.
  5645. >He orders a drink and pays, then walks to the back of the sitting area.
  5646. >Ponies speak about him in hushed tones as he walks by.
  5647. >They don't really respect the fact he can hear them gossiping.
  5648. >It doesn't seem to bother him.
  5649. >You admit you're kind of intrigued.
  5650. >He sits down.
  5651. >As he reads the paper, he sips his drink easily.
  5652. >His hands let him pick it up with ease and bring it to his mouth.
  5653. >No complications at all.
  5654. >He starts to take a sip
  5655. >As he dips his cup back, his eyes shift to you.
  5656. >You realize how obviously you are staring at him and quickly return to your homework.
  5657. >You try to play it cool, but your cheeks are flushed.
  5658. >It doesn't matter. You need to work on your physics homework.
  5659. >What is the answer to #3?
  5660. >"An object is placed a distance f/ 2 (half of the focal length) to the left of the lens. On whichside of the lens does the image form, and what is its distance from the lens in terms of f?Justify your answer. (Assume this is a thin lens.)"
  5661. >You look over the question and begin writing notes.
  5662. >If f is...
  5663. >And the lens is...
  5664. >....
  5665. >....
  5666. "Grrrrr" you growl as you look over the question before class starts.
  5667. >It's the only question you didn't complete for the class.
  5668. >It sucks to have to hand in unfinished work.
  5669. >But you're trapped in this class for an hour anyway, may as well just ask.
  5670. >You lean back and crack your back on with the hard back of your desk's chair.
  5671. >It's a pretty uncomfortable chair, but it does wonders for the spine.
  5672. >As you flop back into the seat with your newly loosened back, you look down the rows of seats in front of you, filled with other students.
  5673. >Sitting in the back has always been the best.
  5674. >You get to just listen when you want and tune it all out when you don't. Nopony bothers you back here.
  5675. >In fact, the whole back row is empty in all your classes, except for english.
  5676. >Spark is with you in that class.
  5677. >The two of you have a great time swapping jokes and being partners for group exercises.
  5678. >You wish Spark was in the class, it's a drag.
  5679. >The professor trots into class, and your fellow classmates quiet down.
  5680. >The small tan earthpony at the front of the class removes his earmuffs and gross plaid scarf.
  5681. >His bushy mustashe twitches with black and grey fur.
  5682. >His mane is actually quite bushy and long for his old age.
  5683. >As he unfolds his lesson planner and puts it on the pedastal, he clears his throat.
  5684. >"Alright class, we've got a new student to the class today."
  5685. >You have a weird feeling about this.
  5686. >"Everypony please welcome Anon."
  5687. >The giant steps into the classroom with a backpack slung over one of his shoulders.
  5688. >You felt like something like this would happen.
  5689. >It feels like Deja vu.
  5690. >The giant steps to the back of the classroom and takes his seat next to you, so he doesn't block the view of others.
  5691. >Great, now the back feels crowded.
  5692. >He removes his jacket to reveal a red flannel he was wearing under it.
  5693. >As he takes off his hat, you get to see his hair.
  5694. >It's actually nice. It looks good on him.
  5695. >Not too terrible looking either.
  5696. >But something about him is eerily familiar.
  5697. >The professor begins talking about gravitational force on objects with torque.
  5698. >You put your head on the desk and close your eyes.
  5699. >This stuff is so boring.
  5700. >As you rest your eyes you feel sleep start to come to you.
  5701. >A flash of blue startles you.
  5702. >A piece of crumpled paper smacks you in the face.
  5703. >You lift your head and see Anon is the one that threw it with a smile on his face.
  5704. >You squint your eyes as you lift your head back up.
  5705. >The class ends uneventfully.
  5706. >"Read chapters 3 and 4 for Monday's class!" the professor shouts.
  5707. >Awesome, more reading.
  5708. >You sigh as you pack your things.
  5709. >At least this was your last class of the week.
  5710. >You toss your bag onto your back.
  5711. >Another ball of paper hits you in the side of the head.
  5712. >You turn to Anon on your right and puff your nostrils.
  5713. >He smirks and leans off his desk.
  5714. >"You ready to go?" he says with a matter-of-fact tone.
  5715. >You squint at him.
  5716. "Do I know you?"
  5717. >He chuckles.
  5718. >"Not yet, but I want to change that."
  5719. >You roll your eyes at him.
  5720. "Listen pal, I'm not interested."
  5721. >He shrugs.
  5722. >"Aww c'mon. I just want to chat with ya a bit. I'm behind in this class and I could use some help."
  5723. >You think about ignoring him and walking out.
  5724. >But something feels different about him.
  5725. >Not his body, of course that's different, but something about his mannerisms.
  5726. >He's not intimidated at all.
  5727. >You decide to reconsider.
  5728. "Alright fine. I'll help you with your classwork."
  5729. >He smiles wide.
  5730. >"Awesome."
  5731. >You nod at him.
  5732. "The name is Scootaloo. Who are you again?"
  5733. >He flashes his teeth with a toothy grin.
  5734. >"Anon".
  5735. >It's so familiar.
  5736. >...
  5737. >...
  5738. >Anon really doesn't like this place.
  5739. >The frat house isn't the best place to be on a friday night.
  5740. >Everypony gets a little too intoxicated.
  5741. >He sits on the stairs outside.
  5742. >ZBT was having their annual Post-Nightmare Night party as usual.
  5743. >This is the time most ponies get absolutely wasted.
  5744. >You chat idly with Spark.
  5745. >He's had a few beers, and already got in a fight with one of the hoofball players.
  5746. >It's like he lives to get pummeled.
  5747. >"I'm tellin' ya, if one of his buddies hadn't cut in I woulda had him."
  5748. >You shake your head.
  5749. "Mhmm. Keep tellin' yourself that Spark."
  5750. >He smirks and prods you in the chest.
  5751. >"Oh, don't think I won't."
  5752. >Your buzzed brain makes everything fall in a blur around you.
  5753. >Honestly you could care less about the party scene.
  5754. >But free booze is free booze.
  5755. >You sip from your screwdriver and watch the party evolve.
  5756. >As the night goes on, the party gets more and more drunk.
  5757. >More and more mistakes are made, and more and more ponies hobble home.
  5758. >You catch sight of Anon sitting at the door.
  5759. >He's not really chatting with anypony.
  5760. >In the month he's been here, he really doesn't chat with anypony but you and Spark.
  5761. >It's odd.
  5762. >But he's a sweet guy.
  5763. >Always looking out for everypony.
  5764. >Again, he doesn't like this place.
  5765. >But he came anyway, just for you.
  5766. >Just for you...
  5767. >...
  5768. >...
  5769. >Spark swings back and fourth off of Anon's shoulders.
  5770. >He drank way too much tonight.
  5771. >You're still a little buzzed, but Anon seems almost sober.
  5772. >Cider doesn't have any effect on him.
  5773. >He's got that big human liver.
  5774. >All this stuff must be piddly to him.
  5775. >Spark occasionally grumbles from behind as you walk down the road with Anon.
  5776. >There's a bit of a silence between you.
  5777. >"Had fun?" he suddenly asks.
  5778. >You shrug
  5779. "As much fun as drinking supplies I suppose. Thanks for carrying Spark back for me."
  5780. >He smirks
  5781. >"Anything you need Scoots."
  5782. >You don't understand Anon.
  5783. >He does a lot of things for you without asking for anything in return.
  5784. >And he always smirks when you say things to him.
  5785. >He's always listening.
  5786. >But most of all he's genuine.
  5787. >The two of you make it to the stallions dorm on the east side of campus.
  5788. >Outside is a young grey stallion waiting for you.
  5789. >It's obviously one of Spark's friends.
  5790. >He nods at Anon
  5791. >"Drank too much?"
  5792. >Anon shrugs then nods.
  5793. >The grey stallion rolls his eyes.
  5794. >"Typical."
  5795. >Anon places Spark on the back of the Stallion and he walks into the building.
  5796. >"Gnight."
  5797. "Goodnight," you respond.
  5798. >Anon stretches his shoulders.
  5799. >You take a step back.
  5800. >A flash of blue makes you stumble a bit.
  5801. >You've got a headache all of a sudden.
  5802. >You must be a bit more than buzzed.
  5803. >You look up to Anon.
  5804. "H-hey Anon."
  5805. >He looks down at you.
  5806. >You blush.
  5807. "I dunno if it's a good idea for me to walk back to the dorms alone..." you begin.
  5808. >You start to realize how corny this sounds.
  5809. >He smiles at you.
  5810. >"I'll walk you back."
  5811. >You smile at him.
  5812. >You just feel better with Anon at your side tonight.
  5813. >The two of you walk through the abandoned campus.
  5814. >Friday nights are the biggest party nights, so nopony is walking the paths.
  5815. >The cool autumn breeze blows over you.
  5816. >You shiver a bit.
  5817. >You left your scarf at home.
  5818. >The forecast said it would be warmer.
  5819. >Why is it so chilly all of a sudden?
  5820. >Another gust of cool winds blows over your fur, and your teeth actually chatter a bit.
  5821. "Celestia it is brisk out here." you say, as if it will make you warmer.
  5822. >You squint your eyes to the cool breeze.
  5823. >Something falls over your back.
  5824. >It's Anon's flannel.
  5825. >You look at him, now wearing nothing but a t-shirt.
  5826. "Oh no you don't. You need this more than me."
  5827. >He laughs.
  5828. >"Nah, I don't need it."
  5829. >Your cheeks turn red as you scrunch your face.
  5830. "Nice try, you don't have any fur tough guy."
  5831. >He shrugs
  5832. >"I like the cold. Just keep the flannel alright?"
  5833. >You roll your eyes and stumble a bit.
  5834. >You should have drank more water at the party.
  5835. >There's no point arguing with Anon.
  5836. >The two of you come up to the staircase in front of the mare's dorm building.
  5837. "Alright, I can handle it from here." you say as you approach the stairs, "Goodnight Anon."
  5838. >He folds his arms as you take your first step up.
  5839. >Your legs wobble beneath you, and you lose your balance a bit.
  5840. >He stops you from falling to the left.
  5841. >"Yeah. Just let me help."
  5842. >He picks you up in his arms and starts to carry you up the stairs.
  5843. >You look up at him.
  5844. >You're blushing, though it may just be the cider and beer.
  5845. >But as you watch him carry you, an overwhelming feeling of warmth surrounds you.
  5846. >He's been so nice to you tonight.
  5847. >Did even have fun at all tonight?
  5848. >You owe him something.
  5849. >He places you on the top stair.
  5850. >"There, now you can probably handle it from here."
  5851. >You turn and look at him.
  5852. >With him standing on the lower stairs, he's at about eye level with you.
  5853. "Thanks Anon."
  5854. >He shrugs again
  5855. >"Anytime Scoots."
  5856. >It might have been the alcohol
  5857. >it might have been you.
  5858. >But you push youself into Anon's lips.
  5859. >You go for it.
  5860. >He gently pushes into you as well.
  5861. >He's a good kisser too.
  5862. >Even during this passion, something about him feels very familiar.
  5863. >A flash of blue makes your head throb as you pull away from the kiss.
  5864. "Thank you for everything Anon"
  5865. >He smiles at you with an odd expression.
  5866. >"Huh."
  5867. >You raise an eyebrow, that's not the response you expected.
  5868. >You pull on his flannel, still on you.
  5869. >"That was pretty romantic Scoots."
  5870. >You laugh nervously as he chuckles.
  5871. >He takes a deep breath and looks you in the eye.
  5872. >"Is this what all your dreams are like?"
  5873. >You close your eyes when a cold gust of wind passes over you.
  5874. >The window of the barracks squeaks as the wind makes it open and close.
  5875. >You open your eyes and smell the fresh morning air.
  5876. >There's an arm pulling you in tightly, and a flannel surrounding you.
  5877. >Someone breathes on the back of your neck.
  5878. >You smile and sigh.
  5879. >You'll wake him up in a little bit.
  5880. >For now, you just like being where you are.
  5881. >You are Anon
  5882. >And you haven't quite woken up yet.
  5883. >As you drift back to real life from your dream, you feel the grogginess start to set in.
  5884. >You feel the crust in your eyes, and you taste your unbrushed teeth.
  5885. >Your right arm is completely asleep from being under Scoots all night.
  5886. >Even with all this, you don't want to leave the bed.
  5887. >It's warm with Scoots next to you. You slept better here than in your royal bed back home.
  5888. >The crust breaks as you open your eyes slowly.
  5889. >The first thing you're greeted with is Scootaloo's large pair of violet eyes.
  5890. >She smiles as you come to.
  5891. >"Morning Nonny."
  5892. >You smile back.
  5893. "Morning Scoots," you say with a tired voice,"Sleep well?"
  5894. >She blushes a bit
  5895. >"Mhmm. I slept very well."
  5896. >You sigh and flop to your back.
  5897. >She rests her head on your chest and puts one hoof over your stomach.
  5898. >The air is filled with silence except for the occasional clanking of metal outside from the flag pole, and sometimes the windows.
  5899. >She lets out some air.
  5900. >"I hope you're well rested. Today's the day, isn't it?"
  5901. >You continue to stare at the ceiling.
  5902. "Yeah, today is it."
  5903. >Scootaloo puts her chin on your chest and looks at you.
  5904. >"What do you think you'll say to her?"
  5905. >You shrug
  5906. "I have no idea."
  5907. >You scratch the back of your head.
  5908. "There's a lot to talk about."
  5909. >There's a small gust of wind outside as Scoots looks at you a bit longer.
  5910. >She sits up on the bed with one hoof on your chest.
  5911. >The flannel she's been wearing all night slides off one of her shoulders.
  5912. >You chuckle at how cute she looks sitting there in the morning sun with her messy mane.
  5913. >She smiles and leans down.
  5914. >She gives you a small peck on the cheek then hops off the bed.
  5915. >"Alright, you need to get dressed. I'm not holding you away from your mother today. I know better than to cross Twilight Sparkle."
  5916. >You put your hands over your face and rub your eyes.
  5917. >Today is the day.
  5918. >You sit up with your face still in your hands.
  5919. >Getting out of a warm bed is much harder when you have a big day ahead of you.
  5920. >It'd probably be a lot more simple to just spend the day with Scootaloo.
  5921. >But you didn't come this far to wuss out now.
  5922. >You scratch the back of your head as you look out the window.
  5923. >The blue summer sky is clear as can be, and the sun glares on you.
  5924. >It's actually not that warm today by the feeling of it.
  5925. >You lazily turn your legs so they're hanging off the bed.
  5926. >Scootaloo trots back to you from the bathroom.
  5927. >She's brushing her teeth.
  5928. >The toothbrush has a clip made out of rubber on it that fits a hoof.
  5929. >She walks towards you as the foam streams out of her mouth a bit.
  5930. >"Hchere" she says in a muffled tone.
  5931. >She throws your flannel at you,
  5932. >It lands over your head, and you hear her giggling.
  5933. >It smells like her.
  5934. >You take it off your head and put it on.
  5935. >It has a few more feathers in it than you remember.
  5936. >You stand on the carpet as you look around for your shirt.
  5937. >You toss aside the blankets on the bed.
  5938. >Your t-shirt is wrinkled underneath the covers.
  5939. >You shove it in your bag and remove your toothpaste and tooth brush.
  5940. >What would an adventure bag be without a few toilettries?
  5941. >Unfortunately, you haven't swapped out the toothpaste in your bag for awhile.
  5942. >It's a bit crusty, and tastes a little off.
  5943. >You ignore it and continue brushing your teeth.
  5944. >Any flavor is better than the dumpster that is your morning breath.
  5945. >You watch as Scoots shakes her head and brushes her mane.
  5946. >Her earrings are on her nightstand.
  5947. >You've done this song and dance before.
  5948. >You grab the earrings off the night stand and walk from carpet to carpet until you reach the open bathroom.
  5949. >You walk behind Scoots and start putting in the earings as she works on her mane some more.
  5950. >She smirks at you through the mirror.
  5951. >It amuses her how you already know to help.
  5952. >You spit and rinse your mouth in the sink next hers.
  5953. >You stretch your arms out and groan.
  5954. "How in Equestria am I gonna get to the chariots?"
  5955. >Scootaloo cracks her neck.
  5956. >"I think I know a way."
  5957. >Before you know it, you're wearing bags on your feet.
  5958. >Well, they're not just any bags.
  5959. >"They're hyper-hydrophobic polymers that we use to make crash suits. They'll push you off the clouds."
  5960. >Scootaloo feels very sure about this.
  5961. >Of course you don't, you just feel like an idiot.
  5962. >You're standing there with a red flannel and jeans with two bright orange bags tied up to your shins.
  5963. >You look absolutely idiotic.
  5964. >And on top of that, you don't have much faith in your new foot wear.
  5965. >Scootaloo trots over to the door and opens it to the cloudy road outside.
  5966. >She turns to you and holds the door open.
  5967. >You look at her with an unsure expression, then back at the door.
  5968. >You tighten the straps to your bag then walk forward.
  5969. >You take your first step off of the carpet and into the clouds.
  5970. >To your surprise, and relief, the bags appear to work.
  5971. >Sort of.
  5972. >They're not like walking on a flat surface, but rather like stepping in to magnets with the same charge.
  5973. >Rather than just having your feet touch the surface of the clouds and feel solid, these dig into the clouds a few inches, and never feel like you have grip.
  5974. >It's like walking on ice covered in a few inches of snow.
  5975. >It's very odd feeling.
  5976. >You hobble your way to the middle of the road and regain your balance.
  5977. >The neon orange bits of rubber blind you as you walk, and it makes things a lot more difficult than it should.
  5978. >Scootaloo walks through the ghost town with you.
  5979. >Occasionally you stumble with exaggerated flailing of arms, but she's always there to stabilize you.
  5980. >She laughs at you, of course, but at least she stabilizes you.
  5981. >At least you get to practice a bit on your way to the town.
  5982. >Maybe you won't seem like as big of a fool.
  5983. >You'll still humiliate yourself, but perhaps not as bad.
  5984. >After what seems like an eternity, you and Scoots are back in Cloudsdale itself.
  5985. >The whole place is busy, with ponies opening their shops and others getting to work.
  5986. >The air is fresh and clean, and it still feels like morning.
  5987. -----
  5988. >You wobble down to the chariot station with Scootaloo.
  5989. >Ponies look at you as you pass, half because you are human, and half because you're floundering.
  5990. >Whatever be the case, you've finally made it to the secure chariots.
  5991. >You sit down in the golden cart while Scootaloo speaks to the conductor.
  5992. >Considering the amount of groveling that happened when you did it, it's probably best she take the lead of this one.
  5993. >You lean against one of the walls of the cart and stare into space.
  5994. >Your mind wanders about as you try to mentally put off this encounter.
  5995. >You wonder whether Spark ever made it back to Cloudsdale.
  5996. >You chuckle to yourself.
  5997. >Sweetie probably convinced him otherwise.
  5998. >Either way, you missed the majority of the party, so you're not sure what went on there.
  5999. >You're actually a little upset about that. It seemed like a really good time.
  6000. >In the end though, what you did instead was far more incredible.
  6001. >And far more important.
  6002. >Your train of thought derails a Scootaloo trots back over to you with a ticket under her wing.
  6003. >You lean forward to greet her.
  6004. >"Alright, you're all set. A couple pegasai will tow you back to ponyville in a bit."
  6005. >She grabs the ticket with her mouth and gives it to you.
  6006. >You pluck the ticket from her teeth and continue to look at her.
  6007. >Her face lets off a hint of concern.
  6008. >You smile to her.
  6009. "It'll be alright. I'll send you a letter afterwards to give you an update."
  6010. >You don't seem to help her uneasiness, but she smiles back anyway.
  6011. >She comes closer and puts a hoof on your face.
  6012. >She gives you a heartfelt kiss.
  6013. >Your heartbeat slows a bit, and you enjoy it while it lasts.
  6014. >She calms you down in a way words could never do justice to.
  6015. >The kiss breaks as the chariot pullers start to latch themselves up.
  6016. >You look into her eyes, and she looks into yours.
  6017. >"Good Luck."
  6018. >You nod then bring her into a hug.
  6019. >She holds you tightly for a few seconds.
  6020. >You scratch the back of her neck, right where her mane starts.
  6021. >She loosens up a bit.
  6022. >Anything to relieve her nervousness.
  6023. >The chariot starts to shake a bit as the pegasai wait anxiously for you.
  6024. >The embrace releases, and she steps back.
  6025. >You stand as the chariot starts to move forward.
  6026. >You wave to her before you dip below the clouds.
  6027. >You're hoping you'll be able to see her again soon.
  6028. >You're hoping you'll be able to leave the castle within the next century or two.
  6029. >But for now, you go on your journey alone.
  6030. >The buckles rattle on the chariot as you coast through the sky.
  6031. >There's a crisp feeling in the air, and the sun shimmers off the shiny gold chariot.
  6032. >You move slowly between clouds and the ride is very smooth.
  6033. >Compared to your ride up here, this trip is taking forever.
  6034. >But your mind isn't on the ride.
  6035. >You're too preoccupied with your destination, and the ponies who will be there.
  6036. >You have a lot to discuss with your mother.
  6037. >It seems this week has radically changed your perspective on almost everything.
  6038. >As if you matured more in this one week than in your entire teenage experience.
  6039. >That being said, you still have to face the consequences of what you've done.
  6040. >You stole a balloon, crashed it, made your mom leave Canterlot early, infiltrated an abandoned castle, read books you shouldn't have, threw a party, and now you're late.
  6041. >Quite the list.
  6042. >You let out a sigh and stare into space.
  6043. >Perhaps the true mystery doesn't lie with how she will react, but rather how you will.
  6044. >With this new state of mind, how will you respond to being scolded?
  6045. >You know how you have responded in the past.
  6046. >Your day dream becomes more clear as your eyes no longer see the clouds, but the halls of the castle.
  6047. >You're standing in your room's doorway with your hands in your pockets.
  6048. >It's late afternoon, and the castle seems dreary.
  6049. >A feeling of uneasy tenseness fills the entire castle.
  6050. >You lean on the wall as your mother looks up at you with a frustrated expression.
  6051. >Her eyebrows are arched, and she seems less than thrilled.
  6052. >"Look at me Anon."
  6053. >You roll your eyes, and adjust your gaze from the window of your room to your mother.
  6054. >"What has gotten into you? You're behavior is unacceptable!"
  6055. >You blow air out of your nose and flare your nostrils.
  6056. >She squints her eyes.
  6057. >"Are you going to tell me why you played hooky from school today?"
  6058. >You just stare her in the eyes without responding.
  6059. >You can't believe your mother is scolding you over something like this.
  6060. >It's not your fault that you never get to see Bro, she's the one that makes you go to class every weekday, and he works late on the weekends.
  6061. >It was enivtable that you skip class once in awhile to catch a break from all the garbage that goes on there.
  6062. >All your friends have moved on from this trashy little town, and you've been stuck here without them for years.
  6063. >Thank Celestia you only have this year left.
  6064. "It doesn't matter. My grades are great. I can miss a day."
  6065. >"It's not about your grades, it's about the principle of it! You lied to me when you said you were going to school today."
  6066. >You roll your eyes again and avoid eye contact for the rest of the conversation.
  6067. >Who cares about all this? It's not your fault, and you're just going to be grounded for a week, or a month then it will be over.
  6068. >Not that grounding even matters. You don't go out much as it is, and she can't cut you off from books or writing, so nothing she does will really affect you.
  6069. "Whatever. I'm over it."
  6070. >Your mother's face is red with frustration.
  6071. >She's going overboard with this.
  6072. >You missed school for one buckin' day, she needs to get a grip.
  6073. >"WOULD YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE?!"
  6074. >You raise your voice and stare at her with daggers.
  6075. "CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE ROOM TO HAVE FUN?!"
  6076. >There's a long silence as the shouting echoes the large empty halls.
  6077. >The guards around the corner have definitely heard every bit of this conversation.
  6078. >She lowers her head and takes a few deep breaths.
  6079. >Her eyes are watering a bit.
  6080. >As she cools off, she looks back up at you.
  6081. >"I am sorry I yelled."
  6082. >You shrug and look at your doorway.
  6083. >She should be.
  6084. >"It's just, when the school informed me you weren't there, I didn't know where you were. I worry about you."
  6085. >You groan.
  6086. "Geez ma, I'm 15 years old and I'm taller than anypony for miles. Nothin's gonna happen to me."
  6087. >She sighs and looks down the hall.
  6088. >"I'm sorry. That's just how I feel. I just don't want you to hurt yourself."
  6089. >She has so little faith in you.
  6090. >You just want to go back in your room.
  6091. "Whatever."
  6092. >She gets closer and puts a hoof on your leg.
  6093. >"Come on Nonny. I'm sorry for yelling, please just talk to me."
  6094. >You move your leg away.
  6095. "I'm gonna go listen to some music."
  6096. >She stares at you with a defeated expression as you close the door behind you.
  6097. >With a click of the door, the conversation ends.
  6098. >What a joke.
  6099. >You cringe as the memory comes to a halt.
  6100. >You sit up and rub your eyes, then lean again, combing your hair with your hand.
  6101. >That's the kind of memory that keeps you up at night.
  6102. >And the more you think about it, the worse it gets.
  6103. >Sadly, it wasn't very long ago at all.
  6104. >But cutting school pales in comparison to the rampage you've left in your wake these past few days.
  6105. >You shudder a bit.
  6106. >Half from the cool winds, half from the confrontation you're about embark on.
  6107. >It's not going to be pretty, that's for sure.
  6108. >Your hands grip the chariot a bit tighter.
  6109. >You're not sure how to feel.
  6110. >You're not scared, but you're not calm either.
  6111. >Nervous doesn't seem fit either.
  6112. >You're just off balance, and you can't rebalance.
  6113. >As if you're flailing your arms to get back on the beam, but you feel yourself succumbing to gravity.
  6114. >It makes your stomach lurch a bit.
  6115. >The chariot makes its decent towards Ponyville.
  6116. >The clouds pass around you, revealing the large castle you grew up in.
  6117. >The very sight of the fortress makes the nausea worse.
  6118. >You hope these extra bits of stress don't cause you to have a meltdown like you did in the castle of the two sisters.
  6119. >You take a deep breath and hold it.
  6120. >The wind is slowing around you, and the chariot now falls sharply.
  6121. >The hooves of the stallions that pull you thump against the ground.
  6122. >They slow the chariot's speed gradually, and it finally comes to a pleasant stop.
  6123. >There's a pause as you undo the straps and look at the ground.
  6124. >You take the step off the chariot and tip the chariot pullers.
  6125. >The two stallions take off, and within a few seconds they're out of your sight.
  6126. >You grab the straps of your pack and turn to face the castle.
  6127. >You stand directly in front of it, with the doors a few yards in front of you, and two guards at posts on either side.
  6128. >They look at you knowingly.
  6129. >You look back at them.
  6130. >You can't really understand what that look in their eyes hints at.
  6131. >Perhaps it's sympathy, empathy even? Or maybe it's a judgemental gaze.
  6132. >You hope for the previous.
  6133. >You walk towards the large doors.
  6134. "Good morning." you say to the guards.
  6135. >They look at eachother with an odd expression.
  6136. >"Erm, thank you sir." one of them responds.
  6137. >You nod at him.
  6138. "I'm going to assume my mother is in?"
  6139. >The guard slowly nods.
  6140. >You nervously look back at the doors and take another deep breath.
  6141. "Alright. Thank you for your help."
  6142. >The guard pauses yet again before speaking.
  6143. >"You're very welcome sir..."
  6144. >With that you walk to the large wood doors you have passed through many times.
  6145. >You don't open them.
  6146. >You stand before them, the way a slave would stand before their master.
  6147. >You look up at them, then back at your feet.
  6148. >It's enivitable, you're going to have to enter at some point.
  6149. >A hand rubs against the wood of the door and heads for the handle.
  6150. >It finds its mark, and wraps around the old metal part.
  6151. >You sigh, then inhale deeply.
  6152. >It's time for this.
  6153. >You push on the door.
  6154. >The cool air from inside sweeps onto you.
  6155. >A familiar foyer is filled with the creaks from the door.
  6156. >You step inside, one hand still on your bag.
  6157. >A sliver of light becomes thinner and thinner.
  6158. >It finally disappears as the door clunks closed behind you.
  6159. >You walk further in.
  6160. >The foyer is large and greeting.
  6161. >With several tables sporting lanterns and mirrors, surrounded by comfy chairs and beautiful architecture.
  6162. >The entire castle is accentuated by enormous, incredible crystal, and the structure is a deep dark hue.
  6163. >The foyer is round and wide, and has a spiraling staircase that leads to the upper area of the castle.
  6164. >To the 'branches of the tree' as Bro used to say.
  6165. >You walk into the main lounge area when something catches your eye.
  6166. >The mirror just before the lounge reveals you from head to toe.
  6167. >Staring back is a very different sight than what you're used to.
  6168. >Your hair is messy, but it looks natural, and actually very nice.
  6169. >You're wearing a flannel with nothing under it, and your jeans are a bit ripped and dirty near the bottom from running around so much.
  6170. >Your nice sneakers have a few more battle scars than you remember as well.
  6171. >Very different from the clean cut, well dressed kid that walked out of here earlier this week.
  6172. >It's like you have your own style now.
  6173. >You like it, you feel rugged.
  6174. >You smile at yourself before moving towards the stairs.
  6175. >Guards are at every entry point, and they can't help but seem confused by the way you look.
  6176. >You wave at them and say hello as you pass, and they nod and thank you back.
  6177. >Yet as you walk by, you catch them glimpsing at eachother.
  6178. >You start to feel a bit more confident, and your stride become wider.
  6179. >Even they think you're not the same.
  6180. >So maybe you really are different.
  6181. >You pause at the base of the stairs directly to the right of the foyer.
  6182. >All staircases lead to the same general area on the second floor.
  6183. >But this one is special, because it leads directly to the thrones room.
  6184. >You take the first step, and the rest follow suit.
  6185. >You're already late, you don't have time to think about it all.
  6186. >The light taps of your sneakers against the crystal staircase is very different from the creaks you heard in the last castle you were in.
  6187. >You spiral around as you ascend staircase.
  6188. >The floor of the second floor passes your eyes as you slowly climb up.
  6189. >A bit of dirt chips off your shoe as you reach the final step.
  6190. >You sweep it off the nice marble and continue forward.
  6191. >You really should have removed your shoes before you started trotting around the castle.
  6192. >You walk through another small foyer towards a very decorated set of wooden doors.
  6193. >It is made of fine oak, and is finished with a deep brown coat.
  6194. >The hinges of the doors are especially embroidered with jewels.
  6195. >A single guard leans lazily against the wall, and stands at attention as you come closer.
  6196. >This area is usually off limits to visitors, so it's the most boring spot to guard.
  6197. >You nod at him, and he nods at you, as if to give you some more confidence.
  6198. >You clear your throat and place your hands on the double doors.
  6199. >Something will change in this room, you hope it isn't you.
  6200. >You attempt to move the doors open, but you're paralyzed.
  6201. >Your arms won't respond.
  6202. >Your legs won't move.
  6203. >And your head bows to the door, staring at the ground.
  6204. >You grit your teeth in frustration.
  6205. >You've come so far, yet you still get cold feet about this confrontation.
  6206. >The memories of your past talks with your mother flood your mind and bind your limbs.
  6207. >They haunt your body and make it shake.
  6208. >They burrow into your soul and make you sick.
  6209. >There's been so many times you've done this wrong.
  6210. >There's been so many times you've hurt your mother.
  6211. >There's been so many times you've hurt yourself.
  6212. >These instances of grief lie heavily on your back.
  6213. >You close your eyes, trying to clear your head.
  6214. >Your fingers curl on the door.
  6215. >It's no use.
  6216. >You're stuck.
  6217. >The doors push you away, convinced you haven't changed.
  6218. >Your doubt builds in the back of your mind.
  6219. >You just want to prove you're different.
  6220. >"Ya know Nonny, you can't fly unless you jump from up high." echoes Rainbow Dash.
  6221. >The sudden quotation takes the spotlight suddenly.
  6222. >Another voice hits you.
  6223. >"And when did you become such a gentleman? I swear, you've grown up far too fast." Rarity inquires.
  6224. >"Heh, you're free to come work on the farm anytime you'd like, Anon." Applejack happily offers.
  6225. >With each memory from the week, your arms feel a little stronger, your legs less stiff.
  6226. >"I enjoyed spending some time with you again Nonny, come back soon." Fluttershy quietly adds.
  6227. >"You know I'd do anything for you!" Pinkie cheers.
  6228. >Your arms are nearly unfrozen, and your legs begin to bend.
  6229. >"I'm glad I was wrong." Bro adds.
  6230. >"Remember to come by when you're not so busy!" Applebloom asserts
  6231. >"You've really become quite the human!" Sweetie Belle observes
  6232. >You feel the necklace around your neck.
  6233. >"My parents will devote their lives to you! Hell, I was considering it myself!" Spark starts.
  6234. >"I'll never be able to repay you." he states in a low tone.
  6235. >There's a moment of silence in your thoughts.
  6236. >Everything that buzzed before has disappeared.
  6237. >Your heart beats loudly in your ears.
  6238. >You feel a tickle on your chest.
  6239. >You feel the feather as it swings back and fourth.
  6240. >"I love you." Scootaloo whispers softly in your ears.
  6241. >You're calm.
  6242. >Your heart slows.
  6243. >Your legs unhitch.
  6244. >Your arms start to build power.
  6245. >You've already proven you've changed.
  6246. >You're just hear to show it off.
  6247. >The door begins to creak.
  6248. >This isn't a confrontation.
  6249. >A small crack between the door starts to grow wider.
  6250. >This is your victory lap.
  6251. >The doors burst open in one push.
  6252. >You walk into the throne room without a shred of doubt.
  6253. >The tall circular room has 6 large thrones around a golden floor.
  6254. >Guards stand at attention at every entrance.
  6255. >At the far end of the room is a large crystal-covered window.
  6256. >Looking out of it is a taller than average purple pony.
  6257. >She turns and looks at you with deep purple eyes that pierce you.
  6258. >You don't flinch.
  6259. >You look your mother directly in the eyes.
  6260. >Your mother wears chrome shoes and neckpieces, decorated with a pink star.
  6261. >On her head lies a golden crown, just above her impressive horn.
  6262. >Her wings folded at her sides.
  6263. >Her long, striped, purple mane falls down to her legs.
  6264. >It curls slightly by her jaw and over her eyes.
  6265. >As soon as her eyes trace over you a look of surprise evolves into a serious expression.
  6266. >You stop walking halfway through the room and stand tall.
  6267. >She opens her mouth.
  6268. >And it begins.
  6269. >"Where have you been?" she begins in a restrained tone.
  6270. >You open your mouth to speak.
  6271. "I was in Cloudsdale."
  6272. >She inhales with a bit of a groan.
  6273. >"You were supposed to be with Spike." she responds in a tired voice.
  6274. >You nod.
  6275. "I know." you say honestly.
  6276. >She begins to walk towards you with a sigh.
  6277. >"This is my fault. I should never have left you with the ability to choose where to go."
  6278. >She shakes her head again as she approaches closer.
  6279. >"I know all about what happened with the balloon. Spike told me the condition he found it in."
  6280. >You nod at her.
  6281. >"From what I hear, Rainbow Dash talked you into it. It was my fault for allowing such an option to exist. I should have kept you at the castle."
  6282. >You cringe a bit as she speaks about Rainbow.
  6283. >Yet, you're not specifically in trouble yet.
  6284. >Twilight looks you up and down.
  6285. >There's an odd feeling in the air.
  6286. >She appears to keep her distance from you.
  6287. >An uncomfortable amount lies between you and her.
  6288. >Enough that you are chatting to eachother in a more personal manner, but not too close.
  6289. >She stands a few yards away awkwardly, and you don't know what to make of it.
  6290. >She sighs again and rubs her eyes.
  6291. >"I was at a very important meeting with Celestia and Luna, and I had to rush home to make sure you are alright."
  6292. >She pauses.
  6293. >"Then I find out you threw a party and went MIA? Not even my best sources for information could tell me where you ended up."
  6294. >She shakes her head.
  6295. >"I heard about the castle."she says quietly
  6296. >You stand silently, listening to her say it all.
  6297. >You saw all of this coming, none of it surprises you.
  6298. >Yet you still feel a bit unstable, and feel outright foolish.
  6299. >It's hard for you to believe how irresponsible you were this week.
  6300. >She sighs and heads for her throne.
  6301. >"At least you are safe. I was hoping my friends would keep you out of trouble."
  6302. >You begin to realize that you aren't getting any of the heat for this.
  6303. >"I suppose I was wrong." she groans, "I shouldn't have put them in that position in the first place."
  6304. >Your palms get sweaty.
  6305. >A part of you feels giddy and light.
  6306. >You're getting off the hook without a bit of punishment.
  6307. >You lucked out.
  6308. >There's a moment where this lightness overwhelms you, and you think about remaining quiet.
  6309. >But it ends as that part of yourself is dragged back down.
  6310. >That was the old you.
  6311. >The only thing that was important to him was himself.
  6312. >But now you have so much more.
  6313. >Scootaloo, Spark, Bro, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Misty, Soarin, Luna...
  6314. >And your mother.
  6315. >She doesn't turn to look at you, she stands at her throne with one hoof on it.
  6316. >Your legs move on their own.
  6317. >You don't guide them. Rather, they guide you.
  6318. >You walk up next to her and sit down.
  6319. "It's not your fault."
  6320. >You hear a short inhale from your mother next to you.
  6321. >Neither of you look at eachother.
  6322. >You gaze over the guards staring inward at attention.
  6323. >You know they're all glued to this.
  6324. >You want them to know things won't be the same anymore.
  6325. >You want the whole kingdom to know.
  6326. "It was never really your fault." you begin.
  6327. >Your voice echoes in the large open room.
  6328. >It reminds you of how she used to speak with you when you were younger.
  6329. >She always kept it simple.
  6330. >She always kept it honest.
  6331. >You feel your calm center, and continue without any boundries.
  6332. >You speak from the wisdom you gathered from reflecting upon yourself.
  6333. "You know, for the last five years, I didn't have anypony close to me. Of course I had Bro, but that's just how brothers are. I suppose I just felt dettached from everypony."
  6334. >Twilight turns her head to look at you as you stare onward.
  6335. "I was different, to say the least, and I was convinced everypony simply agreed I would never find a place in this world."
  6336. >You raise your hands in front of you.
  6337. " 'Where do I belong in this world?' I would ask myself 'Where does a human prince fit?'"
  6338. >You lower your head.
  6339. "The answer I kept getting was 'Nowhere, there's nowhere you fit in. There's nopony who will accept you for who you are.'"
  6340. >You look at your mother.
  6341. "You were the only pony who actually cared about me, but I always saw it as you doing it out of obligation. You are my mother, after all. What choice did you have?"
  6342. >You shake your head and look down again.
  6343. "I resented you for that. I felt you were so busied by me, so burdened. You only cared and took interest because you had a duty to as a mother. It was never about me, it was about your son."
  6344. >You scratch the back of your head.
  6345. "So I pushed you and everypony else away, because I thought they didn't care. They just felt obligated to take of the freak that was me."
  6346. >Your mother looks at you with her deep purple eyes.
  6347. >Her mane seems a bit frizzed from stress.
  6348. >You take note of it, and use it as fuel for your passionate opening.
  6349. "And I was so smart and clever, that there was no way I was wrong."
  6350. >You sigh and look up a bit.
  6351. "But I have never been proven so wrong in my entire life."
  6352. >Twilight continues to look at you with an expression of confused disbelief.
  6353. >She probably thinks your a changeling.
  6354. >There is no way these words are coming out of her son Anon.
  6355. "So all the grief I caused was never justified, it was always just my own self-defeat. This week reminded me of a lot of things I forgot over these past couple years."
  6356. >You nod to yourself.
  6357. >This is what was needed to be said.
  6358. "So don't blame yourself, and don't blame Rainbow Dash, or Spike, or anypony else. I was the one who crashed the balloon, I was the one who came home late, and I was the one that didn't listen to you."
  6359. >You look at your mother.
  6360. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."
  6361. >There's a long silence between you and your mother.
  6362. >It seems as if she is trying to comprehend what just came out of your mouth.
  6363. >She seems flabbergasted
  6364. >She's at a loss for words.
  6365. >She turns away from you and her throne.
  6366. >She approaches the window and gazes out.
  6367. >The guards stare, finding it hard to keep their composure.
  6368. >You've really dropped a bombshell here.
  6369. >Yet, you're still calm.
  6370. >You don't feel anxious.
  6371. >You don't feel upset.
  6372. >You feel great.
  6373. >Like there's a weight coming off your shoulders.
  6374. >She stares out the window for awhile before speaking again.
  6375. >"You take responsibility for this?" she asks slowly.
  6376. >You smirk
  6377. "Yeah."
  6378. >There's another pause.
  6379. >"Then, in that case, you're to be grounded for a month." she says in a proper tone.
  6380. >A month? That's surprisingly short.
  6381. "Okay."
  6382. >Your mother lifts her head quickly and sighs as you respond.
  6383. >Another twist she didn't see coming.
  6384. >She turns and faces you.
  6385. >Her face betrays her, and you can see her puzzled expression clearly.
  6386. >She really is perplexed by all of this.
  6387. >She searches for an explanation.
  6388. "Before I go to my room, can I tell you about my week?" you ask as you stand and walk towards the middle of the room.
  6389. >Twilight's eyes never leave you.
  6390. >You smile at her.
  6391. >You must seem like a madman.
  6392. >Awesome.
  6393. >You remove your pack and put it on the floor.
  6394. "I chose to go to Auntie Rainbow's house because she kind of obliged." you begin.
  6395. >Your mother shakes her head when you call Rainbow Dash 'auntie'
  6396. >You unzip your bag.
  6397. "But I didn't have a way up to Cloudsdale, so Rainbow suggested the balloon."
  6398. >You chuckle to yourself.
  6399. "And that's really where all the trouble started, haha."
  6400. >You remove the vial from your pack.
  6401. "With this I could walk on the clouds! I drank a little more than I should have, but it worked for awhile. Also Rainbow hit me in the head with it."
  6402. >The vial tinks as you place it on the ground.
  6403. "I don't know what's in it, but it tastes great."
  6404. >You start to fish through your bag a bit more.
  6405. >As you do so, you hear your mother's hooves start to head in your direction.
  6406. >You smile and continue looking through your bag.
  6407. "While I was in Cloudsdale, I went to a party and saw Scootaloo. I also made a friend named Spark while I was up there!"
  6408. >You begin to get a bit excited as you talk about your friends.
  6409. "Spark is a really nice dude! He has an incredible family. His mom and dad both work around the clock to support him and his sister, Misty."
  6410. >You smile extremely wide, uncontrollably.
  6411. >You're getting excited bragging about your new friends.
  6412. "You should've met Misty, ma. She was one of a kind. She was also stupidly cute."
  6413. >You look up at your mom.
  6414. >Amongst the confusion, you see a bit of a smirk.
  6415. >You continue talking, your voice getting quicker.
  6416. "He gave me this necklace and let me jump around on rejected clouds! Which reminds me, I really want to pay for his sister's education and medical bills and stuff. They're a great, hardworking family, but she has flying problems."
  6417. >You're letting your hyperactivity out.
  6418. >You get more and more animated as you talk, and you can't help but smile.
  6419. >You don't mind seeming childish.
  6420. >You're finally talking to your mother.
  6421. "So I'm not sure whether we can pay for her stuff, but I'd at least like to try, or start a fundraiser or something."
  6422. >You reach into your bag and pull out a crumpled up streamer.
  6423. "Oh, after a night or two at Cloudsdale, I flew down to Bro's house and hung out with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, along with Spark and Scoots of course."
  6424. >You let the pet name for your marefriend out.
  6425. >Your mother's confusion has started to fade.
  6426. >She smiled when you said 'Scoots'
  6427. >Your mother acknowledges the pause.
  6428. >"Go on." she asserts with a motherly tone.
  6429. >You smile and continue
  6430. "Bro and I brought the balloon back to the castle. We got really nostalgic on the way there and back. Then he made a deal I could have the night to myself as long as I got Sweetie Belle out of the house."
  6431. >Your mother chuckles a bit.
  6432. >It makes your heart skip a beat.
  6433. >You're making your mother laugh.
  6434. >"Yep, that's Spike for you."
  6435. "So we were getting out of the house, and we went to the pond on the Apple property. We hung out there with Applejack's permission. She wants to catch up, by the way. Then Pinkie Pie showed up and wanted us to throw a party!"
  6436. >You remove some crumpled streamers from your bag.
  6437. >You decide to gloss over the castle bit for now.
  6438. >No need to spoil the mood.
  6439. "The party was incredible. There was live music, and Sweetie Belle sang. I gave a speech and spoke to the whole crowd and got them really pumped up. It was nothing like those speeches I gave before, it was so much more honest."
  6440. >You slow down a bit, and scratch the back of your head.
  6441. "Uh, then Rainbow Dash flew me back up to Cloudsdale to talk with Scootaloo, and I ended up spending the night there."
  6442. >You clear your throat.
  6443. "So that's why I was late today. Sorry about that. I just had something urgent to discuss with Scootaloo."
  6444. >Your mother is smiling back at you, sitting at your level.
  6445. >"So urgent you stayed all night?"
  6446. >The blood floods your cheeks, and your face turns a pleasant red.
  6447. >Open or not, this is still awkward to talk about with your mother.
  6448. "Well, I was pretty tired by the time I got up there..."
  6449. >She raises an eyebrow and hums a bit.
  6450. >"From what I hear, you and Scootaloo have gotten a bit closer than friends."
  6451. >Curse her and her spies.
  6452. >Then again, you were being watched by her closest friends, and that's where she probably got her information.
  6453. >Not exactly espionage.
  6454. >You clear your throat once more and take a deep breath.
  6455. "Yeah. We're dating now, I think. We never really said anything outloud, but it seems about right."
  6456. >Your mother's eyes widen a bit with excitement.
  6457. >She lowers her head to get a bit closer.
  6458. >"So you like her that much? After so little time you discover you like her?" she asks with a playful voice.
  6459. >Your mother is supposed to be a high and mighty ruler, yet here she is excited for gossip.
  6460. >She may be an alicorn capable of infinite power, but she certainly doesn't act like it.
  6461. >You look up a bit while scratching the top of your head.
  6462. >You grumble a bit under your breath, so the guards can't hear as well.
  6463. "Like her? Well, I mean, I think I, well, love her..." you let out in a mumbly tone.
  6464. >Your mother smiles wide and blushes just like you do.
  6465. >She nods her head.
  6466. >"Oh Non- Anon, I'm so happy for you!"
  6467. >You cringe a bit as she avoids using your nickname.
  6468. >Even now she sits yards away, seeming a bit restrained.
  6469. >The pieces start to come together.
  6470. >You remember you pushing her away in the past.
  6471. >You realize you can't remember the last time she gave you a hug.
  6472. >Or rather, the last time you let her get near you.
  6473. >You release the straps of your bag.
  6474. >You stand up and walk towards her.
  6475. >She stays put and looks up at you.
  6476. >You kneel to her level, then wrap your arms around her.
  6477. >Slowly, you pull her into a hug.
  6478. >At first she doesn't return it.
  6479. >She gasps as you bring her in tightly.
  6480. >You feel a bit of a shudder tremor through her body.
  6481. >You close your eyes and put your chin on the back of her neck.
  6482. "I'm sorry mom. I'm sorry about the things I've said and done recently. I'm sorry I pushed you away."
  6483. >You feel a drip on your back.
  6484. >Then another
  6485. >And another.
  6486. >Her hooves come up around your neck.
  6487. >You hear her sniff.
  6488. >"Oh Nonny... I thought I lost you."
  6489. >Her statement hits you like a truck.
  6490. >It's a statement you needed to hear.
  6491. >"I don't know what has gotten into you, and I don't know how long it will last, but please just hold me for a bit longer." she squeaks a bit.
  6492. >"I just want to be with my monkeyboy a bit longer."
  6493. >Your eyes begin to water.
  6494. >You start to feel unstable.
  6495. >Your defences crumble.
  6496. >Your facade of strength falls apart.
  6497. >Your mouth opens again.
  6498. "Mom, I know I don't say it often enough, but I love you."
  6499. >She no longer has any illusion of collectiveness.
  6500. >She begins to sob loudly on your back.
  6501. >The dam breaks
  6502. >Your tears burst out of you again like that night in the castle.
  6503. >All your regrets,
  6504. >All your worries,
  6505. >They all burst from your eyes without hindrance.
  6506. >You're not a human with a pony.
  6507. >For the first time in a long time, you're just a son and his mother.
  6508. >The guards seem utterly destroyed.
  6509. >They have no idea what to make of what they saw.
  6510. >After all that you've done in the past, it's hard to comprehend such a sudden change.
  6511. >But they stand there with smiles, witnessing first hand the revival of a more innocent and approachable anon.
  6512. >Tonight, they'll head home to their families and spread the news.
  6513. >Tomorrow, their family will gossip amongst the town.
  6514. >Some of them may have been at the party and heard your speech.
  6515. >Maybe some of them will even be filled with happiness.
  6516. >But one thing is for sure, the word will spread to your 'aunts'.
  6517. >Perhaps, that's the best part.
  6518. >Your mother releases you after a long cry, and you sit there in silence.
  6519. >You recall something in your pack.
  6520. >You reach over and grab your bag, then fish out the small book you got before.
  6521. >You skim through until you encounter the picture you found.
  6522. >You pull out your birthday picture and hand it to your mother.
  6523. "I found this picture. Do you think I can get it framed?"
  6524. >Your mother looks over the picture fondly.
  6525. >She smiles.
  6526. >"Of course. What a lovely picture. If I recall, Pinkie had this stored in her trunk." she says as she wipes a tear.
  6527. >You nod.
  6528. >"I know all about the books, Anon. Luna told me."
  6529. >You nod again.
  6530. >You suspected.
  6531. >Your mother sighs again.
  6532. >"I don't really know what to say."
  6533. >You shake your head.
  6534. "I don't either.
  6535. >There's a pause.
  6536. >Your mother clears her throat then trots to her throne.
  6537. >She takes a seat and faces you.
  6538. >"Nonny"
  6539. >You stand
  6540. >"I think it is time I explain a few things."
  6541. >Your feet make soft impacts against the stone floor as you follow your mother down the steps.
  6542. >There's an odd smell in the air.
  6543. >A muskiness that only really large building seem to possess.
  6544. >The dungeon was never a very accessable place.
  6545. >You'd think a dungeon wouldn't be included in the "Friendship Castle"
  6546. >Yet here you two are, descending into the bowels of the fortress.
  6547. >Your mother stated she needed to explain some things, but you have no idea what that entails.
  6548. >You haven't discussed much since you started walking down the spiraling staircase.
  6549. >Without thinking, you begin to speak.
  6550. "Mom, about the books. I don't really understand-"
  6551. >"Why I hid them from you?" she interrupts.
  6552. >You scratch the back of your head
  6553. "Yes."
  6554. >She clears her throat.
  6555. >"Partially, it was to protect you, but mostly I believe you were not mature enough to handle them."
  6556. >You move your head to the right a bit as you pass a deep red torch to your left.
  6557. >It's obviously fueled by magic.
  6558. "What do you mean?"
  6559. >She sighs
  6560. >"You were going through a phase where nopony would be happy around you. Not even yourself. It was because you felt you didn't belong here, in this place."
  6561. >Your feet hit flat cement.
  6562. >A long dark hallway decorated with suits of armor lays before you.
  6563. >It's very ominous.
  6564. >"I thought that having these books and gaining their knowledge would simply perpetuate that lonliness, and from what Luna told me, I was right."
  6565. >You sigh loudly behind her.
  6566. >You certainly behaved in a predictable way that night.
  6567. >You're not proud, but you're glad it happened.
  6568. >You learned a lot from it.
  6569. >A certain thought creeps up on you.
  6570. >As you follow your mother to the door at the end of the hall, you bring it up.
  6571. "Am I mature enough for them now?" you ask, narrowly avoiding the weaponry being held by the empty husks of armor.
  6572. >Your mom looks over her should at you for a moment.
  6573. >"After this, perhaps you will be, perhaps not. All I know is that I need to do this now, while you're in this state of mind."
  6574. >The way she says the last bit hurts a little.
  6575. >To her, this could all be temporary, and the Nonny she was so excited to greet could be dust in the wind in a week.
  6576. >You hope she's wrong.
  6577. >You know she's wrong.
  6578. >This change won't be reversed.
  6579. >Her comment does raise more questions, however.
  6580. >She continues to lead you deeper and deeper into the dungeon.
  6581. >You pass things you have never seen before.
  6582. >Prisons without occupants, guards wearing dark armor, odd looking rooms that must have specific uses.
  6583. >It all makes you on edge.
  6584. >Yet you pass it all, just to head down another corridor then clunk down another set of stairs.
  6585. >You have no idea how deep you've descended.
  6586. >At this point, you're probably deeper than the castle is tall.
  6587. >It's an odd thought to be lost in the same place you grew up.
  6588. >But all of this takes to the sideline of your thoughts.
  6589. >All that haunts your mind is the wondering of where you're being led to.
  6590. >Your feet continue to smack the ground behind your mother's hooves.
  6591. >This staircase is incredibly long.
  6592. >It continues to tunnel down through the ground.
  6593. >At the end of the long, deep corridor is a blue and purple light seeping through the cracks of a large locked door.
  6594. >Your heart starts to pound as you approach it.
  6595. >It is a thick door with your mother's crest carved into it.
  6596. >Your mother concentrates her magic on the lock of the door,
  6597. >At least, you think it's a lock.
  6598. >The door itself doesn't appear to have a doorknob.
  6599. >Instead, it has a gem in the middle, surrounded by arcane symbols.
  6600. >You've learned enough about magic to know certain spells can be used for sealing.
  6601. >The touch of your mother's magic changes the color of the crystal to a deep purple.
  6602. >It begins to spin, and the door pushes away.
  6603. >As the door opens, the blue light leaks into the hall and illuminates the stairs.
  6604. >You're blinded for a moment your eyes adjust to the new, bright light source.
  6605. >Once you've had time to adjust, your jaw flops onto its hinge.
  6606. >Before you is an enormous cavern.
  6607. >It is very natural looking, as if carved out of the raw stone.
  6608. >Except for the floor and walls, which have been littered with scientific resources, magical academia, amongst other things.
  6609. >Bookshelves line two stories, and the entire room must be as long as two hoofball fields.
  6610. >This place is not a library, a study, or even a laboratory.
  6611. >It's more akin to a cathedral.
  6612. >There aren't a lot of words exchanged between you and your mother.
  6613. >She's giving you time to process the room you're standing in.
  6614. >No torches light this room, rather stalagtites and stalagmites glow with a deep blue and purple hue.
  6615. >It lights the entire sanctuary, allowing you to see every corner.
  6616. >In the middle is a small garden, with a cute flowing stream.
  6617. >The garden is surrounded by yellow crystals that glow brightly.
  6618. >They appear to have started to form on some of the branches of a nearby willow, and another oak.
  6619. >The small star clusters relfect off the water and shine onto the dark ceiling, giving it the look of stars at night.
  6620. >As you step in further, you realize you're elevated on a small balcony.
  6621. >The floor is tiled with reflective dark blue stone.
  6622. >The garden resides in the center, with grass growing out past its boundries.
  6623. >The grass flows into a bit of sand, which is contained by a wooden border.
  6624. >Spiraling up the walls is the immense library.
  6625. >Tens of thousands of books swirl around the entire room.
  6626. >You wonder how many your mother has read.
  6627. >To the left corner, there appears to be a study.
  6628. >Labratory equipment, open books, messy notes, and plenty of raw ingredients litter multiple tables.
  6629. >To the right is an area filled with projects.
  6630. >Engineering endeavors are left half finished.
  6631. >Magical artifacts are left half covered by cloths.
  6632. >Research must be being done on most of them.
  6633. >Your mother trots in and turns to you.
  6634. >"This is my personal sanctuary of knowledge, kept hidden from the public world." she states proudly.
  6635. >You whistle with an exhale.
  6636. >This entire room blows your mind.
  6637. >It's incredible to think such a place existed in the very castle you were raised in.
  6638. >But, this is to be expected.
  6639. >Castles are magical things. They always have something new to offer.
  6640. "It's incredible mom." you say in awe.
  6641. >She smiles humbly.
  6642. >It seems she may have designed it herself.
  6643. >She begins to trot down the stairs towards the garden in the middle.
  6644. >You follow her down and approach the foliage.
  6645. >"I know what you're going to ask, 'how can plants and trees survive in a dark cavern without any natural light?'."
  6646. >You nod with a smirk.
  6647. >You actually are quite curious about it, but if you had to bet, you'd say it's due to the...
  6648. >"These are Solar Quartz." she says tapping one of the shining yellow stones.
  6649. >Won that bet.
  6650. >"Solar Quartz give off the same radience as the sun iteself. Obviously not as bright, nor as hot, but the nutrients these trees and flora need to survive are all in the stone."
  6651. >She speaks as if giving a lecture on them.
  6652. >She often speaks like a professor when she's intrigued by something.
  6653. >"A curious thing about them is how they can spread and grow. They're like plants, spreading their essence through small particles that catch and root."
  6654. >She smiles and walks through the grass to the largest stone in the back.
  6655. >"They were a gift from Celestia. This boulder used to be the size of an amulet, but within a year it had grown to be bigger than Spike! It's growth has slowed a lot nowadays."
  6656. >You smile at your mother.
  6657. >She's giddy with nostalgia.
  6658. >You look into the small lake in the center of the garden.
  6659. >Your reflection stares back at you as the water flows towards the back wall where it is drained.
  6660. >It reminds you of a hanging question.
  6661. >You know your mother doesn't want to answer it.
  6662. >But she knows she can't keep it from you.
  6663. >There was a reason you two came down here.
  6664. "Why was I never brought down here before? Why did you keep it secret?"
  6665. >"The easy answer would be that I don't need to show you everything I do."
  6666. >You chuckle a bit.
  6667. >This is true, there's no reason you need to be aware of everything your mother does.
  6668. >She grins then sighs.
  6669. >"But the real reason is because there are things here that you weren't ready for, just like the books. But now you have read the books, and the time has come."
  6670. >She inhales deeply.
  6671. >"I think you're ready for a few more answers."
  6672. >You follow your mother as she crosses a small bridge over a part of the stream.
  6673. >The artifacts and projects on the right side of the room begin to come closer.
  6674. >You feel an eerie chill run through your body.
  6675. >Your hands shake a bit.
  6676. >This feeling is familiar.
  6677. >You're feeling weaker.
  6678. >It's not common for your mother to act secretive, so you're already outside of your comfort zone.
  6679. >But now she keeps vaguely mentioning these "answers"
  6680. >It makes your palms sweaty.
  6681. >Whatever these answers are, they are to rock your reality.
  6682. >Why wouldn't you be nervous?
  6683. >There's some pieces of knowledge you need, that you didn't even know you needed.
  6684. >Your steps become hard once again as you leave the soft grass and sand and step back onto the tiled floor.
  6685. >The clicks and clacks of your mother's hooves echo a bit in the sanctuary.
  6686. >You follow closely as you begin to enter the grove the covered artifacts.
  6687. >You pass odd looking machines and runes.
  6688. >One machine looks like a sphere with rotating shells.
  6689. >A rune appears to have two hoof marks on it, surrounded by glyphs you don't recognize.
  6690. >The gray tarps covering them leaves a lot up to the imagination.
  6691. >You continue to pass tarped objects until you head towards the direct back corner.
  6692. >Something you hadn't observed before was another door near the back.
  6693. >It's very out of the way, and the many projects obstructed it from view.
  6694. >But the door itself is very peculiar.
  6695. >It is bound with crystals surrounding it entirely.
  6696. >Another lock system, you assume.
  6697. >As your mother approaches it, her horn glows.
  6698. >The crystals retreat, as if made from organic materials.
  6699. >They release the door, and slither through the cracks.
  6700. >By the time you make it to the door, it is completely naked.
  6701. >It longs to be opened.
  6702. >Your mother looks up at you.
  6703. >"This artifact was retrieved from Celestia's castle and implanted here. I locked it away for you to see it one day."
  6704. >She places her hoof on your leg.
  6705. >"You mustn't blame me for keeping this from you."
  6706. >You exchange a glance with your mother.
  6707. >A silent promise is made, and the door suddenly crunches as it opens for the first time in years.
  6708. >Out emits a deep purple glow.
  6709. >You walk in first, with your mother on your heels.
  6710. >You don't know what to expect.
  6711. >But as you walk in, you see your reflection.
  6712. >Embedded in the wall surrounded by crystal is a large mirror.
  6713. >Your heart beats heavily.
  6714. >This is getting interesting.
  6715. >You're a little confused at first.
  6716. >You were expecting some kind of grand artifact that will awaken your inner understanding.
  6717. >Or something.
  6718. >You need to stop reading so much fantasy.
  6719. >Yet you're greeted by what appears to be a mirror.
  6720. >A very old mirror at that.
  6721. >The gems surrounding the entire border are cracked and grown over by new crystals.
  6722. >The decorative metal bars have been consumed by the crystal walls aswell.
  6723. >It appears everything has started to absorb the mirror.
  6724. >Everything is damaged or consumed.
  6725. >Except the mirror itself, which remains spotless.
  6726. >From what your mother implied, this room was closed for years.
  6727. >Yet not even dust rests on the mirror.
  6728. >It looks as if it has been freshly polished.
  6729. >You know that there is a secret to this mirror.
  6730. >But you're scared to find out what it is.
  6731. >Your mother looks into the mirror.
  6732. >You look down at her.
  6733. >Your mouth is dry, but you move it nonetheless.
  6734. "What is it?"
  6735. >She continues to stare at her reflection.
  6736. >"It's a mirror, Nonny. A special mirror."
  6737. >She's staying vague.
  6738. >She doesn't want to say it.
  6739. >She wants you to ask for the answers.
  6740. >She wants you to let her know you are ready.
  6741. >You heart thumps into your ears, and you feel ill.
  6742. >But you've come so far now.
  6743. >You've changed so much.
  6744. >Now is the time to learn about such things.
  6745. "W-what's so special about it?" you stutter out.
  6746. >Your mother sighs a bit while continuing to stare into her reflection.
  6747. >"It's special because it is a passage way. It goes from this world to another."
  6748. >You're beginning to piece together what she is saying.
  6749. >"But even more than that..." she says slowly.
  6750. >You look into your reflection's eyes.
  6751. >For a second, you swear it smirks at you, as if it knows.
  6752. >"It's special because it delivered you to us."
  6753. >The words your mother spoke pinned your tongue to your teeth.
  6754. >You attempted to gurgle out a word with no avail.
  6755. >It leads to another world she says.
  6756. >A world you came from.
  6757. >She speaks once more.
  6758. >"This mirror acts as a portal, from our world to a human one."
  6759. >It's beginning to make sense.
  6760. >The books must have come from this other world.
  6761. >The wonders described in that Anthropology text must exist on the other side of that mirror.
  6762. >And you came from that world.
  6763. >Yet, you are here.
  6764. >Why?
  6765. >"The mirror itself is older than most of Equestria, even before Celestia."
  6766. >Another chill is sent down your spine.
  6767. >This thing is ancient. Celestia has been alive for millennia.
  6768. >It takes your breath away knowing you're in the presence of something so incredibly aged.
  6769. >And even more so that you're relevant to it.
  6770. >But why are you here?
  6771. >There's a silence before your mother continues to speak.
  6772. >As if reading your mind she begins
  6773. >"Sixteen years ago, Celestia, Luna, and I were experimenting on this mirror. It was hidden away in the bowels of Celestia's castle. She found it deep in the forbidden studies."
  6774. >Forbidden studies?
  6775. >A lot of this is going over your head.
  6776. >"We wanted to know what magic it was utilizing, and whether it could be used by those of less than pleasant inclinations. So we began to test its materials."
  6777. >She sighs
  6778. >"But something went awry."
  6779. >Your eyes widen as you look to your mother.
  6780. >"One of the materials we used was Poison Joke, an herb with magical properties. This is common with Equestria's flora, but what is uncommon with Poison Joke is the kind of magic it uses."
  6781. >She lifts a vial with the blue petals out of her bag.
  6782. >"Unicorns, Pegasai, even Earth ponies, have magic in them. Harmony magic, which runs through all living things. Celestia, Luna, even myself, use Harmony magic."
  6783. >She shakes the vial a bit.
  6784. >"Poison Joke, on the other hoof, uses a much more rare kind of magic: Chaotic. The magic of uncontrollable mischief."
  6785. >You've heard of chaotic magic before.
  6786. >It can break laws of physics and bend space and time.
  6787. >It's simply the nature of chaos to mess with things.
  6788. >That's what makes it so powerful.
  6789. >"During one of our tests, Poison Joke was introduced to the surface of the mirror and changed everything."
  6790. >She trots up to the mirror.
  6791. >"You see, the mirror not only works as a gate, but a paradox compressor."
  6792. >You speak up.
  6793. "Is it like a parallell universe? Where there are human versions of everypony here?"
  6794. >Your mother shakes her head.
  6795. >"No, that is an alternate reality. The inhabitants of their world are nothing like the inhabitants of ours. That being said, the mirror does play a role in preventing reality-ripping fallacies."
  6796. >She looks at the mirror.
  6797. >"Anything entering the human world will be changed to its human equivalent. Most sentient beings become humans, though some are changed in radical ways. Others suffer no changes whatsoever. But one thing is certian."
  6798. >She turns back to you.
  6799. >"You become what's appropriate to the world."
  6800. >You're having a hard time understanding everything she is telling you.
  6801. >From what you gather, anything going into the mirror comes out in the other world.
  6802. >But as you go through, you transform into your otherworldly equivalent.
  6803. >Yet, here you are as a human in a non-human world.
  6804. >Your mother lifts the vial once more
  6805. >"Like I said before, the normal method is to be transformed as you pass through the mirror itself, but Poison Joke's nature is to play cruel tricks and break the rules."
  6806. >She sits down.
  6807. >"And it played an especially cruel joke on us all that day."
  6808. >She sighs
  6809. >"There was an opening in the mirror, a one way route. When the Poison Joke made contact, it warped the nature of the mirror for half a minute. It still bridged the gap between worlds, but it didn't account for fallacies."
  6810. >She turns to you once more.
  6811. >"So when this hole in space opened up, and a baby was transported through, the infant did not change. It remained something not of this world."
  6812. >Your breathing slows.
  6813. >There's a surreal feeling of calmness as you figure it all out.
  6814. "Me. I didn't change into a pony. I stayed a human."
  6815. >She nods.
  6816. >Questions swarm your mind.
  6817. >Your calmness is met with intense curiousity.
  6818. "Why didn't you just bring me through the mirror again? Why didn't you bring me back into the human world?"
  6819. >"Because the hole closed. The only way back is through the mirror."
  6820. "And? That shouldn't be an issue, right? I'm already a human, it wouldn't need to transform me."
  6821. >Your mother shakes her head.
  6822. >"That's not how it works. To the mirror, you are not a human from the human world, you're a human from the pony world."
  6823. >She picks up on your confused expression.
  6824. >"What's the equivalent of the only human in the pony world?"
  6825. >You speak straight from logic.
  6826. "The only pony in the human world?"
  6827. >She nods with a slow blink.
  6828. >"If you go through that portal, you will become a pony on the otherside."
  6829. "That's not so bad, I'm sure I could explain the magic..."
  6830. >"Sweetie." Twilight begins in a motherly tone.
  6831. >You look down into her concerned eyes.
  6832. >"Their world is not like ours. There is no magic and there are no talking animals."
  6833. >No magic?
  6834. >How is that possible?
  6835. >Everything in the pony world has magic, how can the human world be so different?
  6836. >"But, there is more than that."
  6837. >Your expression lets on your confusion and concern.
  6838. >Your mother musters courage to speak.
  6839. >"That world is one of great turmoil."
  6840. >This makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
  6841. >From the books you read about humanity, it sounded like a rather peaceful place.
  6842. >With the wonders of the world and the different cultures, where would turmoil arise?
  6843. >"It is capable of such humbleness, such beauty, such elegance. Humans helping others, humans laughing with eachother, humans loving eachother..."
  6844. >She drifts a bit.
  6845. >"But it is capable of incredible sorrow. It is darkened by a history of war and death. Humans who hate, humans who kill, humans who tear eachother apart."
  6846. >Your mother's expression changes to one you have never seen before.
  6847. >Her eyes grow wide.
  6848. >She seems almost blank.
  6849. >Her emotion flows through her voice.
  6850. >"It is a place where humanity comes second to land, or religion, or some other useless thing."
  6851. >She shakes her head.
  6852. >"Men and Women die. Children are abandoned, and nobody accepts anybody."
  6853. >She pauses.
  6854. >You're feeling weak as you look down at your exhausted mother.
  6855. >"It's not a nice place to live. Especially if you are different."
  6856. >You slide to the ground.
  6857. >Your legs feel like they are tingling.
  6858. >You can't stand on them anymore.
  6859. >Fluids pump through your brain, and you feel a headache coming on.
  6860. >You're very aware of everything right now.
  6861. >As you stare into the mirror you feel a wing around you.
  6862. >Your mother pulls you closer and puts a hoof on your shoulder.
  6863. >Your awareness begins to melt a bit.
  6864. >The flurry of your emotions have subsided.
  6865. >You're calming down again.
  6866. >Your hands feel like pins and needles, and your toes feel cold.
  6867. >You always knew you weren't your mother's child.
  6868. >But you never suspected you came from a completely different world.
  6869. >That you were a mistake, a cruel joke.
  6870. "Can't you use the Poison Joke again?" you blurt out.
  6871. >Your mother shushes you quietly.
  6872. >"Shhhhh"
  6873. >You relax more and quiet down.
  6874. >"That's the thing about Poison Joke, sometimes what it does can be reversed with a potion, sometimes all it takes is a little harmony. But sometimes it is irreversable."
  6875. >She sighs.
  6876. >"Any time we use the plant on the mirror, we get a different result. You cannot control chaotic energy."
  6877. >You exhale deeply
  6878. >A question crawls down your spine from your brain and out of your mouth.
  6879. "Why did you keep me?"
  6880. >Your mother chuckles a bit.
  6881. >"We couldn't send you back to your world, we had no choice but to keep you here."
  6882. >You shake your head and turn to her.
  6883. "No. Why did YOU keep me? Why not somepony else? Why not bring me to some lab to be tested and raised in a controlled world?"
  6884. >You pause and swallow.
  6885. >"Why didn't you just quietly get rid of me? Why did you personally take me under your wing? Surely it was a burden for you."
  6886. >The question hangs in the air like fog on a swamp.
  6887. >Your mother keeps her head above it as she forms a response.
  6888. >A smile crawls across her face.
  6889. >"The first night after you arrived, Celestia, Luna, and myself took turns looking after you. We decided that we would find an appropriate temporary parent until we could find a solution."
  6890. >She looks at the mirror.
  6891. >"We didn't even know what you were or how to care for you. We did not know what you ate, why you cried, or how to stop you."
  6892. >Her smile calms her face.
  6893. >"So, I took my turn, and sat next to you while you lay in a basket full of cloths and pillows. It was a bed I used for Spike when he was a really small baby."
  6894. >She chuckles.
  6895. >"I rocked you back and fourth and made funny faces, but you never stopped crying. I tried so hard to soothe you, but nothing I did seemed to work."
  6896. >She looks at you with a smirk.
  6897. >"But then, while I bent down to look at you better, you opened your eyes and looked into mine, and you were silent. I did not move, because it was the first moment of quiet I had experienced in hours."
  6898. >Your body feels warmer.
  6899. >Your face feels relaxed.
  6900. >"So there we sat, staring into eachother's eyes. You had the most beautiful eyes. After ten minutes, you showed me a smile that reminded me of Pinkie's pet alligator."
  6901. >You chuckle a bit, thinking about 'Gummy'.
  6902. >He's a huge beast these days, but you've seen the pictures.
  6903. >"Then you reached out with your cute little hand, and grabbed my horn. You fell into a laughing fit. You found my horn so hilarious!" she says, giggling along the way.
  6904. >A smirk grows on your face.
  6905. >"To this day I don't know why you loved my horn, but something happened that night. Your little laugh made me feel so happy, you reminded me of Spike when he was a baby."
  6906. >You smile at the comparison.
  6907. >It's nice to seem similar to Bro.
  6908. >"So I thought about Spike, and realized what a kick he would get out of you. I thought I should show you to him before we brought you back. So I decided to take you as a temporary parent. I figured I would have you for a week, maybe a month."
  6909. >She pulls you in tighter.
  6910. >"That first month was hectic, of course, but it was one of the best months of my life."
  6911. >Her phrasing confuses you at first, but as the message sinks in you feel a sudden rush.
  6912. >There's an odd feeling you can't identify.
  6913. >But it's a good one.
  6914. >"So, after a few months, Celestia finally declared that there was no going back for you. We both agreed that it would be better for you to be a human in our world than a pony in theirs."
  6915. >She pauses
  6916. >"But honestly, I was so happy to hear that I got to keep you. I skipped around with Spike and even had a celebration with the girls. It was wonderful."
  6917. >The warm feeling grows stronger, and the unidentified one follows suit.
  6918. >You're smiling.
  6919. >Even with all this on your mind, you're smiling.
  6920. >You know your mother loves you.
  6921. >Perhaps you knew all along, or maybe you doubted it recently.
  6922. >But now you have no doubt.
  6923. >Now you are sure of it all.
  6924. >Part of it was the way she recited it from memory.
  6925. >But most of it was because of her smile.
  6926. >You bring her such happiness.
  6927. >It feels nice to be sure of it.
  6928. >It feels right.
  6929. >Without warning your mother stands.
  6930. >She inhales before speaking.
  6931. >"I've told you what you need to hear. Now I leave it up to you."
  6932. >You start to stand, but she sits you back down.
  6933. >"I'll be in the garden, but I have no power over what you do tonight."
  6934. >She motions to the mirror.
  6935. >"We made those choices for you then, but now you have control. If you choose to do so, you may walk through that mirror and leave this world. I won't stop you."
  6936. >This sudden shift takes you off guard.
  6937. >She's given you freedom.
  6938. >You can make any choice.
  6939. >You can see the world you were meant to be in.
  6940. >Something beats the back of your head while you watch your mother begin to head for the door.
  6941. >It finally clicks, and you shout it.
  6942. "What about my human parents? What of them?"
  6943. >Your mother stops in the doorway then looks over her shoulder.
  6944. >She smiles at you in a humble way.
  6945. >You're unsure if you want to hear the answer.
  6946. >"I went into the human world to get the books I now possess on humans. During my time there, I looked for a someone missing their child."
  6947. >She looks you in the eyes and smiles.
  6948. >"The only baby missing was from a local orphanage. It was abandoned the night before. It hadn't even had a name yet."
  6949. >She nods at you.
  6950. >"Spike called you Anon after the word 'anonymous', because we didn't know who you were. It just stuck, I suppose. Our little Nonny, my little monkeyboy. I don't know who your real mother was, but she missed out."
  6951. >She seems to pause on the words 'real mother'.
  6952. >Real mother you've never met.
  6953. >Twilight closes the door behind you, and suddenly you are alone with your reflection.
  6954. >You sit a few feet in front of the large sheet of reflectiveness
  6955. >Your own eyes stare back at you.
  6956. >You're calm.
  6957. >You're happy.
  6958. >But most of all, you feel the unidentified emotion from before.
  6959. >It beats through your soul.
  6960. >You can feel it with every pump of blood.
  6961. >It warms your body.
  6962. >You try to put a lable on it.
  6963. >As you feel it tick through your still hands and flow to your warm feet, you begin to understand what it is.
  6964. >You felt it with Scoots, you felt it with Spark, you felt it with Bro.
  6965. >But your mother is the one you felt the biggest rush.
  6966. >It's a feeling of wholeness
  6967. >Of being more complete.
  6968. >Like a part of yourself was returned to its rightful place.
  6969. >You don't feel uncomfortable with this incredible portal next to you.
  6970. >You feel at peace with yourself.
  6971. >Yet, the mirror still makes you question all of this.
  6972. >After all, the world on the other side of that frame is the one you belong in, right?
  6973. >...maybe.
  6974. >You stand and walk to the mirror.
  6975. >The flat surface doesn't appear special in any way.
  6976. >But there's an aura that fill the room, the kind the makes your hair stand on end.
  6977. >It has a looming presence, as if announcing its power.
  6978. >You stand near it for awhile.
  6979. >You can't believe that this mirror leads to your real home.
  6980. >You lift your hand and slowly bring it towards the mirror.
  6981. >Can it really be your real home if you have never seen it?
  6982. >Your fingers break the surface of the mirror, with a shining outline as you put it through.
  6983. >It feels like a thick liquid, and is very chilling.
  6984. >At first, your hand feels normal, but after a few seconds it starts to feel odd.
  6985. >The shining outline shines brighter, and you begin to feel nervous.
  6986. >You hope you'll be able to get your hand back.
  6987. >As if on command, you notice a lack of sensation in your fingers.
  6988. >You try to wiggle them, but feel no movement.
  6989. >You push your other hand into the mirror as well.
  6990. >You wrap it around your other arm's appendage.
  6991. >As your fingers meet their target, they grab around something hard.
  6992. >You know the feeling anywhere.
  6993. >Your hand has become a hoof.
  6994. >The second hand transforms over time as well.
  6995. >You hit them together, and while you cannot hear the sound you feel the resounding clop.
  6996. >It's peculiar not having hands, and very uncomfortable.
  6997. >Your heart beats quickly.
  6998. >You start to bring your head closer to the mirror.
  6999. >You want to see your home.
  7000. >With about an inch between your nose and the mirror, you stop.
  7001. >You're paralyzed, much like with the door upstairs.
  7002. >But this time it is different.
  7003. >The hooves that pushed you through that door now pull you back.
  7004. >You can feel them tugging on your shirt, and pulling on your arms.
  7005. >You feel Spark's hooves on your chest, pushing you away.
  7006. >You're confused, why would they prevent you from seeing your home?
  7007. >Why would they not want you to see the place you belong?
  7008. >They're your friends, you would think-
  7009. >Your train of thought halts.
  7010. >They are your friends.
  7011. >And your mother, and Spike, they are your family.
  7012. >Maybe they do understand.
  7013. >Maybe that is why they try to stop you.
  7014. >An unfamiliar voice speaks into your ear.
  7015. >"Release. Don't bother yourself with such things."
  7016. >The voice rings in your ears.
  7017. >"That place is not your home. This place is where you belong. Do not make such a foolish mistake."
  7018. >You just want a look.
  7019. >But perhaps a look into this human world is too much.
  7020. >You pull your arms from the mirror, revealing the your hands once again. Fingers and all.
  7021. >You sit up straight and stare at your reflection.
  7022. >For a moment, the picture becomes distorted as your hands send ripples through its glassy surface.
  7023. >Your reflection looks different for a second before returning to it's original state.
  7024. >It stares back with a smile.
  7025. >You swear it may have even winked at you.
  7026. >The door creaks behind you as it closes slowly.
  7027. >Your mother's santuary is much brighter than that dimly lit room.
  7028. >It actually blinds you a bit.
  7029. >You feel like you just woke up from a long nap.
  7030. >It's a groggy feeling, like your legs are stiff, and your body is less willing.
  7031. >Willing or not it begins to step towards the garden.
  7032. >Your mother sits on the small bench near the shallow pond in the center of the grassy area.
  7033. >A pool formed by the rushing stream.
  7034. >You clunk across the bridge and onto the grass.
  7035. >She's reading a book, waiting patiently.
  7036. >She does not look up.
  7037. >You wonder if she hasn't noticed you, or if she just wants you to speak first.
  7038. >For her, there was a chance her son would never return from that room.
  7039. >But, it's like your change has reignited her trust in you.
  7040. >She knew you would return to her.
  7041. >Maybe that's what you most proud.
  7042. >You sit down on the moss-ridden bench next to her.
  7043. >As it creaks, she still does not look to you.
  7044. >You look up at the starry ceiling.
  7045. >It twinkles over the blackness, and calms you.
  7046. >You know what to say and how to say it.
  7047. >You have little to worry about.
  7048. "You're my real mother. Don't ever doubt that."
  7049. >She smiles widely, but doesn't look up.
  7050. >You wrap your arms around her and kiss her cheek.
  7051. >She doesn't need to look at you anymore.
  7052. >She knows you're going to be like this for awhile.
  7053. >When you break away, you lean on the back of the bench.
  7054. >This sanctuary is no longer a secret to you, maybe you will be able to find the knowledge here someday.
  7055. >But for now...
  7056. "I'm still grounded for a month, right?"
  7057. >Your mother nods with a chuckle.
  7058. >"I talked a big game with those guards watching. I have to uphold your punishment."
  7059. >You sigh with a smirk.
  7060. "Guess I won't be able to see my friends for awhile then."
  7061. >Your mother responds with an affirmative hum.
  7062. >She sniffs once.
  7063. >"Of course I'll be very busy, so I won't always be able to stop you if you decide to sneak out."
  7064. >She finally looks up from her book with a smile.
  7065. >"If you accidentally find yourself outside of the castle, or if somepony comes to visit without me knowing, just be smart. Okay?"
  7066. >You smile at her disguised permission.
  7067. "No problem mom."
  7068. >You stand up and tighten the straps on your pack.
  7069. "Guess I'll head back upstairs then. I need to be in my room, right?"
  7070. >She nods at you.
  7071. >You nod back.
  7072. "See you at dinner, I suppose."
  7073. >She hums again.
  7074. >Your smile creeps across your face once more.
  7075. >With that, you head to the stairs.
  7076. >Your back turns to the secrets that were just revealed to you.
  7077. >No matter how defining they were, you came to a singular conclusion.
  7078. >You are not these secrets.
  7079. >Last week, you were nothing.
  7080. >You defined yourself as nothing more than a human.
  7081. >Because that was what you felt made you truly different.
  7082. >But over the course of the last few days, different truths were revealed to you.
  7083. >It's not being a human that makes you who you are.
  7084. >It's everything you do.
  7085. >The rattling ukulele in your pack makes you happy.
  7086. >It's nice to have retrieved a momento from your past.
  7087. >Now you can practice it even more.
  7088. >You could even ask Fluttershy if she knows anything more about how to play it.
  7089. >Maybe even Pinkie Pie, she plays many instruments if you remember correctly.
  7090. >And Sweetie Bell is studying music, maybe she can help too.
  7091. >As you think about your newly kindled friendships and connections, your body feels light.
  7092. >Your brain no longer surges with questions.
  7093. >It is quiet, but more than that.
  7094. >It's as if you've been watching a sunset.
  7095. >It is occupied with only the good for now, and it knows the bad will come.
  7096. >But you feel like you are prepared for it.
  7097. >As you march up the spiral stairs from the dungeon, you see that the morning light has become dreary.
  7098. >It is raining outside, and it pales the purple and blue crystals that line the walls.
  7099. >It does nothing to dull the mood for you.
  7100. >Your climb to your room.
  7101. >The light slaps of your sneakers against the floor are like a pleasant symphony to the choir of the heavy rain outside.
  7102. >It's certainly nice to be home.
  7103. >In your real home.
  7104. >You open the door to your room an see it once again.
  7105. >The last time you were here, you were deciding who to spend the week with.
  7106. >You look at the Wonderbolt posters on you wall, now filled with new meaning and significance.
  7107. >You remove your shoes and socks and walk to desk.
  7108. >You remove some of the contents of your bag onto your desk.
  7109. >The ukulele, which you lean against your dresser.
  7110. >Some of Pinkie's streamers, which you stuff into a mug on your desk for future nostalgia.
  7111. >The vial of Cloudwalking elixer, placed on the edge of your desk for later use.
  7112. >Probably gonna drink the correct amount next time.
  7113. >The picture you retrieved from Pinkie's chest is put off to the side to be framed.
  7114. >Lastly you remove the small book that contained the picture from before.
  7115. >You never checked to see what it was.
  7116. >It isn't labled, and the writing inside is done by mouth.
  7117. >The front cover states the owner is by somepony named: Luminous Pulsar.
  7118. >You don't recognize the name.
  7119. >You lie down on your bed.
  7120. >You open to a random page of the notes.
  7121. >You're shocked to find a detailed illustration of the mirror, with notes surrounding it.
  7122. >The writing is hard to make out and faded, but from what you can read it appears to be a study on the mirror itself.
  7123. >You close the journal and place it on your desk.
  7124. >You've had enough with the mirror for one day.
  7125. >You sit up and head downstairs.
  7126. >The warm summer rain mists into the windows.
  7127. >You decide you want to feel the rain a bit.
  7128. >Your feet feel great as you walk through the warm shallow puddles being made in the garden.
  7129. >The castle's garden was never huge, but it was always a nice place.
  7130. >It's a lot like the sanctuary in the dungeon, but less crystal.
  7131. >It has a forest's worth of trees that keep you as dry as they can.
  7132. >You cross the entire garden, past bushes of flowers and trees that border the garden itself.
  7133. >Near the back is a small gazibo with a swinging chair.
  7134. >Your feet leave five toed wet prints behind you as you step onto the dry wood.
  7135. >You're pretty wet, but you're happy.
  7136. >That's what matters.
  7137. >You sit back and watch the rain as it drips off the trees
  7138. >You listen to it hit the ground.
  7139. >You predict this isn't the end of that mirror or your issues.
  7140. >But for now, you're glad to have a lot of things figured out.
  7141. >Glad to have all the pieces of yourself for the first time in a long time.
  7142. >There's a clopping sound coming from the path.
  7143. >As your adjust your focus from the rain, you see an orange figure approaching.
  7144. >You smile.
  7145. >Now you have all the pieces to yourself.
  7146. >She couldn't resist coming to see you.
  7147. >Training must have been cut short due to the rain.
  7148. >They do tend to fly at lower altitudes for such things.
  7149. >She trots up the steps.
  7150. >You look into her eyes, and she looks into yours.
  7151. >Maybe she snuck in.
  7152. >Maybe your mother told the guards about her.
  7153. >Whatever be the case, you happily invite her to sit next to you on the chair.
  7154. >She jumps up, and you put your arm around her wet fur.
  7155. >She burows her head into your chest, and sighs deeply.
  7156. >You exhale as well.
  7157. >Not a word is exchanged for awhile.
  7158. >You don't need words.
  7159. >That's how love works.
  7160. >You are Anon
  7161. >Being the only human in Equestria can be confusing sometimes.
  7162. >Having a princess as your mom? Just as confusing.
  7163. >It's nice, however, to have somepony who knows you're just a kid.
  7164. >You're only 16 years old after all.
  7165. >You have plenty of time to grow up.
  7166. >But at least you have a bit of life figured out right now.
  7167. >And a big family to spend time with.
  7168. >And a best friend to trust.
  7169. >And a love to pull close.
  7170. >Funny how you already had everything you needed.
  7171. >You just didn't know you needed it at the time.
  7172. >You tighten the hug around Scootaloo.
  7173. >She smiles widely with closed eyes.
  7174. >You rest your eyes and do the same.
  7175. >Now you know.
  7176. >And you're not going to let go.
  7177. >The rain patters around you.
  7178. >The trees drip down.
  7179. >drip
  7180. >drip
  7181. >drip
  7182. >You're happy.
  7183. >drip
  7184. >drip
  7185. >drip
  7186. >And so is everypony else.
  7187. >drip
  7188. >You jumped from pretty high this past week.
  7189. >drip
  7190. >drip
  7191. >But now you can fly.
  7192. >drip
  7193. >drip
  7194. >drip
  7195. >Fin
  7196. [spoiler] (Of Book 1) [/spoiler]
  7197. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  7198. Note from the author:
  7199. And there she is in all her terribleness.
  7200. I must admit, when I first started this story I was bored in German class and wanted something to do. I had just finished writing a 9000 word greentext, and I felt like I could make a small one for this thread.
  7201. Yet, here we are, with a story that is 69.5 thousand words, which qualifies it as a novel, and plenty of people who have followed it.
  7202. I must confess, it was you guys that really pushed me to work on this. There were times I felt I wasn't going to finish what I started, but you all helped me push through.
  7203. I feel accomplished, you all kept me working and improving, and for that I am grateful.
  7204. Two months of working has paid off in spades. I'm so happy I was able to help and amuse so many wonderful people. I love my O'hana, and I can't wait to write the sequel. Though I do need time to plan it.
  7205. I apologize if the story is not what you hoped it would be, but I believe it is enough.
  7206. Thank you, everyone, for everything you've done for me.
  7207. -RiggyRag, the writefag.

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