**********
Twilight walked into the library and found that all the lights were turned off and all the blinds were closed.“That’s strange. Why would all the lights be turned… Realization hit like a ton of bricks. Her eyes snapped wide, but before she could do anything to prevent what was about to happen she was blinded by the lights being turned back on.
“SURPRISE!” a large group of ponies shouted in unison.
Pinkie Pie had thrown a surprise party and had invited the half of Ponyville to it. Seeing how Kyle had reacted to when Pinkie dropped in on him at the hospital, she feared how all of this was going to turn out. A loud thud permeated the air drawing Twilight's eyes behind her and to Kyle's unconscious form. She rushed over to his prone body to look for injury. Not able to find any outward wounds Twilight did a quick scan of his head to make sure there wasn't anything internally. Twilight gave a sigh of relief when all she found was the beginning of a bruise.
With Twilight's minor panic attack abated she became aware of the gruff laugh of one of her closest friends. She turned her attention to a cyan coated pegasus clutching her sides as she rolled on the ground. Messing up her already windswept rainbow colored mane.
“It isn't funny, Rainbow Dash. He could’ve been seriously injured, especially since he's still recovering from a concussion!” Twilight exclaimed, leveling a glare at her friend.
It took Dash a few seconds to realize that Kyle hadn’t gotten up. When she did, her laughter quickly dried up and her ears pressed back against her head.
“It’s going to be okay, right?” Rainbow asked. She slowly approached the prone human as she glanced at Twilight.
“I think he is going to be fine. It doesn’t look like he was hurt too badly, but it isn’t good to have multiple concussions in such close succession.” Twilight lifted Kyle’s unconscious form with her magic and laid him down on a nearby couch. “Sorry, everypony, but the party is going to have to wait.”
There wasn’t any argument by the gathered ponies. In fact, a few were all too eager to leave. In a matter of moments from Twilight’s announcement, the library was empty except for nine ponies and a dragon. They all gathered around the unconscious human, the three youngest all but standing on top of him. “Now, Apple Bloom, Ah know Ah taught ya better than that,” said an orange-coated mare, she flicked her blond-haired tail in irritation.
“And that goes for you too, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Applejack is entirely correct. It isn’t polite to crowd around a pony like that,” Rarity chided, from a nearby chair. A chair that she had claimed for herself shortly after arriving. The aforementioned foals backed up but didn’t stop staring at the strange, mostly hairless creature in front of them.
“Oh, the poor thing. Are you sure he will be alright…? Oh, not that I’m doubting what you said,” asked a timid yellow coated pegasus peaking around Applejack. Worry plain on her face, despite the fact that it was half hidden behind her pink mane.
“Yes, Fluttershy, Kyle should be just fine. I did a scan before I moved him and nothing looks to be broken and I don’t think there is any–” Twilight’s explanation was interrupted by a groan from Kyle.
“Is there anything I can get you, Kyle? Maybe some tea or water or maybe a pillow?” Twilight asked, her voice came out louder than intended.
“Can you keep your voice down? I have a killer headache,” Kyle said bringing a hand up to his head rubbing at his temple.
“Sorry,” Twilight whispered.
“You don’t need to whisper. Just don’t yell. You wouldn’t happen to know what aspirin is, do you?”
“No sorry.”
“That’s fine it was a long shot, to begin with.” Kyle let out another groan as he sat up. His eyes shifted around as he took in his surroundings. That was until his eyes landed on the group gathered around the couch he found himself on.
“Um… Who… are your friends?” His eyes going from one pony to the next.
“Oh, right, sorry. Let me introduce you. This is Applejack and her little sister Apple Bloom.”
“Howdy,” greeted the blond mare.
“Yer really weird lookin’, mister,” a little filly said. She had a bright pink bow holding back her red mane. Before Kyle knew it Applebloom had her front hooves planted on Kyle’s knees and face uncomfortably close. He was able to get a good look at her bright orange eyes filled with the unbridled curiosity of youth.
“Apple Bloom! Ya, don’ say that to ponies! An’ what did Ah just say about giving ponies their space? Apologize right this instant, li'l missy!” Applejack chastised as she pulled Apple Bloom back by her tail.
Apple Bloom hung her head her ears splayed back. She scuffed the floor and said, “Ah’m sorry, mister.”
Kyle chuckled, “It’s fine. I imagine I look quite strange to you, Apple Bloom.” Kyle smiled fondly at the filly and mussed her hair. She playfully batted his hand away and smiled up at him. Twilight couldn’t help but smile warmly at the display.
The moment was shattered by the sound of someone groaning. “Enough with the mushiness already!” Kyle looked over at Rainbow Dash then at Twilight and raised an eyebrow.
Twilight answered Kyle’s unspoken question, “That would be Rainbow Dash.”
“That’s right and you better remember that name ‘cause I’m the fastest flyer in Equestria,” she said as she jumped into the air doing a backflip then settled into a hover. Kyle was staring at her wings, which caused Rainbow to puff out her chest. “Yeah, I know. I’m awesome.”
“How are you flying with those tiny things?” Kyle asked. Twilight couldn’t hold back the wince at Kyle’s wording. If she knew her friend she would take offense to that. Now that Twilight thought about it there aren’t many pegasi that would take it as anything but offensive.
Rainbow bristled, as she asked in a low tone, “And what are you trying to say?”
“What I’m saying is that your wings should be too small to support your body,” Kyle said, seeming to not notice the tone of her voice. Twilight noticed her friend pull her hooves in closer to her body. Which Twilight has learned from watching pegasus guards practice is a sign that they are readying to attack. Twilight didn’t think her friend would do something that would harm Kyle intentionally but it was best to step in before it devolved any further.
“Rainbow, I don’t think Kyle meant anything by what he said,” Twilight said taking up position between Kyle and Rainbow Dash. She looked over her shoulder to Kyle before continuing. “Isn’t that right, Kyle?”
“No, what did I say?” Judging by the death glare that Rainbow gave Kyle that was the wrong thing to say. She flew over Twilight and forcefully pushed her hoof into Kyle’s chest causing him to wince as it pushed into his bruised ribs.
“You insulted my wings, you hairless ape! Now you pretend that you didn’t do anything?!” Rainbow Dash yelled. She jabbed her hoof into Kyle’s chest with each sentence making him wince at each jab.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it, honest!” Kyle crossed his arms blocking Rainbows access. “I simply meant that proportionately to that of a bird’s wingspan, yours is smaller. And from everything that I know about aeronautics, which I admit is very little, the size of your wings shouldn’t give you enough lift to fly.”
“He's right, Rainbow. If it wasn’t for pegasus magic, you would only be able to glide short distances,” Twilight added, pulling the flyer away from Kyle with her magic.
“But he called my wings tiny!” Dash protested.
“Yes, but he did apologize for that didn’t he?” Twilight argued.
“Well, yeah, but–” Twilight shushed Dash with a raised hoof.
“He didn’t know. Saying a pony has small wings must not mean the same thing where he comes from,” Twilight said.
“Fine, but don’t you ever insult me like that again!” She glared daggers at Kyle.
“I promise I won’t. I'm sorry it came out that way. I really didn’t mean anything by it.” Kyle rubbed the back of his head not meeting the pegasus’ gaze. An uncomfortable silence settled on the group for a few seconds before Kyle broke it. “So… um, where were we?”
Twilight frowned in thought as she mentally ticked off who was left to introduce, “Right, the one who has been hiding behind Applejack is Fluttershy.” She gestured to the yellow and pink pegasus that hadn’t moved from her spot behind Applejack. Applejack rolled her eyes stepped aside revealing the shy mare in full. Fluttershy let out a squeak as she shrunk in on herself. She tried her best to hide behind her mane. Kyle couldn't help but draw comparisons to the way his little sister acted
“Hello, Fluttershy was it?” The little mare did not show any indication that she had heard Kyle, keeping her face hidden behind her mane. “Well it’s nice to meet you, and I know that I may seem strange but I promise I am quite harmless.”
Kyle left his spot on the couch, instead, he took to the floor sitting cross-legged. Hearing the movement Fluttershy looked up at Kyle through her bangs to see his reassuring smile. She came out of her bangs a little more and gave him a small smile back, even if it was a little strained. Kyle’s smile brightened a bit more before he turned his attention to the last two who had yet to be introduced.
“And who might these two cuties be?” Kyle asked.
Twilight opened her mouth to introduce them but before she could a white unicorn filly with a main of purple and pink blurted, “Hello, I’m Sweetie Belle! Rarity is my big sister, and the cutie over here is Scootaloo,” She said gesturing to an orange coated pegasus filly. Her purple mane was just as messy as Rainbow’s mane but the way it fell looked like it was more intentional. “We’re friends of Apple Bloom.”
“I am not cute!” Scootaloo said pouting a little and crossing her hooves across her chest, which caused Kyle to chuckle.
“You’re absolutely right you're not cute,” Kyle said his smile turning mischievous. “You are absolutely adorable! Especially with that pouty face!”
Scootaloo glared at Kyle trying to look menacing but failed to look anything but adorable. Snickering, Rainbow Dash flew over to Scootaloo and ruffled her mane as she landed.
“You know he has a point, Squirt, you are adorable when you pout like that.”
Scootaloo turned to Rainbow Dash indignation in her eyes, “Not you too, Dash!” Everypony chuckled at Scootaloo’s outburst and she huffed and mumbled something about too cool to be cute.
“And that is the last of the introductions. You have already met Pinkie Pie and Rarity.” Rarity gave Kyle a friendly nod and Pinkie… “Wait where did Pinkie run off to… Oh well, she will show up soon, I’m sure.”
**********
Luna lay in her bed staring up at the ceiling. She had been tired when she went to bed this morning and had fallen asleep almost instantly, but something had awoken her and now she was unable to go back to sleep. What exactly had caused her to wake she couldn't say for sure no matter how she thought about it. Pondering what the cause may have been, did nothing more than prevent her from getting back to sleep. She laid on her bed staring at the stars through her enchanted ceiling.
She looked at the clock on her bedside table. It read 5:45 PM. There was little point in going back to sleep now. She would have to raise the moon in little over an hour.
“We might as well get our night started early,” she groaned tiredly and rolled out of bed. She made her way to the washroom but before she could take more than a few steps a flash of pink in her peripheral vision stopped her progress.
“Halt who goes there!” she growled as she lowered her stance and lit her horn readying a spell, a determined expression set on her muzzle. The response to her query was not what she expected. Instead of a stammering apology of a maid or the battle cry of a would-be assassin she heard a familiar giggle. “Pinkie, what art thou doing here?”
“Ooh, you’re good. How did you know it was me?” Said the pink mare bouncing out of a book about halfway up a bookshelf in the corner of the room.
“How did…” Luna said looking at Pinkie Pie to the book she just jumped out of. “Umm, never mind, what brings thou to Canterlot Pinkie?”
“Well you see there is this Human that Twilight accidentally brought through this portal and I met him at the hospital to try to cheer him up because nopony likes to be hurt and in the hospital but when I got there I ended up scaring him not the ‘ah where did you come from kind of scare’ but the ‘AHH DON’T HURT ME’ kind of scare. So I wanted to throw him a surprise Welcome-to-Ponyville-and-Equestria-and-Sorry-for-Scaring-You-Party at the library where he is staying until Twilight can find a way to send him back home because who doesn’t like a surprise party. Well, it turns out that Kyle doesn’t like surprise parties because he ended up being more scared than when I burst into the hospital room and he ended up hitting his head on the door frame like ‘BAM down for the count.’ So the first party was over before it really began and I felt really, really, reeeeally bad for scaring him a second time that day and just when he got out of the hospital too. So I would reeeeally like to make it up to him and make him a smaller party that he might like more so I thought who would be good to invite to the Welcome-to-Ponyville-and-Equestria-and-I’m-Really-Sorry-for-Scaring-You-Party-Take-Two, and I thought that it would be good to invite his friends but then I was like he doesn’t have any friends here yet so then I was like oh I should invite my bestest-of-best friends but they are already there so there is no point in inviting them. But I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make this party with just nine ponies and a baby dragon so I thought Pinkie, hmpf hrrm frmpf," Luna cut Pinkie off with a hoof over her mouth though she just kept going as if the hoof wasn’t there.
Luna took a moment to process what Pinkie said before asking, “So thou wants Us to join this welcome party for this Kyle?" Pinkie nodded in confirmation. “And at what time does this party take place pray tell?”
“Rmf nmf!” Luna removed her hoof from Pinkie’s mouth.
“Sorry…" She smiled sheepishly at Pinkie. “What time is it?”
“Right now! Won't you come? I know Kyle would like you to come!" Pinkie says bouncing excitedly.
“Why dost thou say that?" Luna asked looking unsure.
“I had an itchy back, creaky knee and, floppy ear," She said as if that should explain everything. Even though Luna didn’t understand in the slightest, she decided it best for her sanity not to ask Pinkie to clarify.
“We have a busy night ahead of Us, We are unsure if we could." Luna lied. She didn’t feel up to go to any gathering, even if it was with the mares she considered close friends. After the unrestful day she had, she did not like the idea of making a trip to Ponyville.
Almost before Luna finished speaking Pinkie slumped, looking defeated. Her hair went from its usual curly to straight. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she slowly began to walk to the door saying, “Oh… Okay then… I will just go then…"
Luna could feel a slight twang in her chest at the dejected look on Pinkie’s face. I didn’t think that this meant so much to her I… Luna let out a defeated sigh, “I might be able to work in a small visit to Ponyville." Almost instantly Pinkie perked up and a giant smile broke across her face.
“YAAAAY, I’ll go and let everypony know! See you in a few, Princess!" With that Pinkie bounced out of Luna’s room humming a happy tune. A few seconds later, a guard poked his head in with a bewildered expression on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Luna lifted her hoof to belay him.
“‘Tis better not to ask, trust Us," Luna said in reply to the unasked question. The guard nodded and returned to his post. Luna shook her head, an amused smile on her muzzle. “That mare does know how to brighten one's day." Luna went to finish getting ready for the night, she would need to inform her Majordomo that night court would be delayed this evening.