"Pheew, trimming up the wild ends is harsh work, hows your end of the tree AJ?"
"Lookin' good sugarcube, lookin' real good." Applejack said from her side of the tree that we are pruning together, we have to get this tree and several others before tonight's thunderstorm arrives and so far with our track record we are well on our way to completing it early. Just the way I like it, finished early and without a single mistake.
"Well if I do say so myself this looks marvelous!" the two of us overhear Rarity speak up as she apparently finishes up her trimming and when we look to see how good of a job she did we see something entirely unexpected of a prune job.
What we see is a pony-esque shaped branch with a little glittering bow attached to it, and several more throughout several other branches.
"Rarity, we were supposed to prune the branches not beautify them." I said as I took another snip at the branch I was working on before getting off the ladder and taking a look at my handy work.
"I know that but sometimes I just can't help myself, they do look better than they used to am I right?" Rarity said as she levitated over a pair of sheers and a couple of ribbons behind her, it makes me wonder why she would even bother to take those things when she knows it will all be blown away in the ensueing gusts of wind and harsh rain.
Rolling my eyes I pulled up the scroll that was in my coat pocket and looked over until I stopped at the last line on the list and crossed it off before putting it back inside my pocket and started to walk home until I felt a drop of water touch my forehead.
Moving my hand to my forehead I touched the wet spot and pulled back to reveal a water mark and when I looked up at the sky I saw that the thunderstorm has arrived but it arrived four hours earlier then scheduled. God, damn it Rainbow Dash, can you please stick to the provided schedule instead of rushing it?
"I guess we better hurry up and finish whatever tree is left, Rarity and Applejack, you get the tree that is near Sugarcube Corner while I'll get the one near Ditzy's home."
"Alrighty then sugarcube, we'll get this done lickity split." Applejack says with a wink at me before turning around and trotting off in the direction of Sugarcube Corner while Rarity took a few moments to maker her latest work look appealing even though it will be blown off and away in a matter of moments.
Turning away from the two mares I quickly ran over to the last tree on my list and when I arrived I realized that this is going to be easier then I expected because it was already mostly done by the breeze.
Placing the latter down and climbing up I pruned what little I could find that already hasn't been removed and after a few minutes I snip what I think might be the last branch and swept it up before placing it into the nearest green-recycling trashcan before checking it off my list.
"Well, looks like I get to go home early, I wonder how the other girls are doing." I mused to myself as I finished the last of the pruning on the tree, for the most part I am just glad that I get to go home early, Gilda hasn't been much help with this work since she saw me return home hurt with a few broken ribs when the dragon flicked me, that was easily cured with a healing spell on my part as Twilight watched and wrote down what she saw. Silly mare thinks she can learn a spell by watching it happen, you have to read a book that has been offered by your instructor, have said instructor lead you through it and then practice it, several times without fail then you have learned a new spell.
Once I have crossed off the last tree on my list I immediately went home and on the way there it started to rain steadily at an even pace and as soon as it started to come down I started to run fate, almost slipping on the slick road and falling down but I caught myself and kept on running until I arrived at the Golden Oaks Library and opened up the door just in time to see Barb wearing her signature pink heart apron with a tray in her hands, cups filled with pipping hot, hot chocolate and for a moment I could have sworn that there was small marshmallows floating around in them. My favorite drink on a cold, stormy day right beside Firebrand Whisky, god save your soul if your a light weight cause that will ruin your day.
Stepping into my temporary home I wiped my feet on the welcome mat and placed my coat on the coat rack beside the entrance and walked over to the sofa and sat down only to realize that there isn't a single talon grabbing me and that is when it hits me. Gilda said that she would be spending some time with Rainbow Dash to try and patch up their friendship, I hope it works cause I am tired of being forced into a spooning position against my will.
"Hmm....this place feels empty now that Gilda is at Dash's place..."
"Well Tatalito she can't be here all the time."
"I know that, but its a bit sad that she can't, I am starting to like her presence even though it usually ends with us fighting or arguing."
"That's gryphon politics and social life or you."
"How do you know this about the gryphons?"
"Oh, I asked her while you were gone and I also read a few books on gryphon culture, you know that in their culture it is the male gryphons challenge the father of the female they wish to date and/or their talon in marriage, and if they win they prove that they can protect and take care of the female gryphon in question. It changes depending if the parents are still around or if they are using the old customs."
"That seems somewhat familiar to the way the beastman out in the deserts find their mates, but I think they end up just forcing themselves onto females because they are nothing but savages, the gryphons seem like civilized predators. But I don't see why this concerns me."
"Remember how you got in a fight with Gilda when you first met her?"
"Yea, I broke her beak, some bones and her wings, why do you ask?"
"Remember what I just said on how they ask for their talon in marriage or even for a chance at a date?"
"No." I said slightly worried, I can see where this is going and I am afraid of what my purple friend is saying.
"Yes, I think that she has an eye on you, and I can gaurentee you that she is trying to earn your attention."
"How can you know?"
"Because she gave me a letter yesterday, she asked me to send it back to the gryphon capital to her parents. Its easy to put the two together."
It took me a while to figure it out but as soon as I did I started to sweat so badly that one can probably mistaken it for me being wet for falling in a puddle.
"No, there is no way that Gilda is seeking approval from her parents for either of those two options! If neither of you two have noticed I am not a gryphon let alone looking for a relationship at the moment. What would the point be if I was in one only for me to go home back to Eorzea, there would only be heartbreak and sorrow if I got into a relationship with anyone right now if I go home." I said as I tried not to think on Gilda having a crush on me, first off we are different species, second off I don't even think she would ever see me in that kind of light and thirdly the size difference between us is ridiculous!
It is not like I keep several vials of Fantasia on standby...
Lastly, I don't think my pride can take it if she see's what I look like naked, there is a reason why we are sometimes called small lovers...sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I was a Hyur or a Roegadyn, at least I would be big and not be insulted for being tiny.
"Oh come now, I am sure it can't be that bad." Twilight says as she looks down from her book to stare at me, apparently she can't get the hint.
"Twilight, I don't think you understand, it won't work, trust me, it just won't." I said as I grabbed one of the steaming hot mugs from the tray, the young dragoness is in the kitchen, I can tell that she is in there because she is humming loudly.
"At least give it a shot." Twilight says with a mischievous wink before bursting out in a fit of giggles.
"No, a culture that is based on violence isn't something I want to be a part of, especially if I have to break bones and nearly kill someone in the process, that is barbaric." I said, I may have my violent tendencies when my anger spikes or am in a no-win situation but I am a civilized man, we duel in the streets with swords to settle our problems. I rather keep it that way.
"Then if your against having a relationship at all then why are you allowing Barb to sleep in your bed? If you are so against it then why do you keep letting her do that then?" Twilight asks me as I fidget in my seat.
I know that at any time I can kick Barb out of my room and back into her old bed with Twilight but I don't, I need her near me at all times, I need to hold her while I sleep, I need to make sure that she is alright while she is asleep beside me, no fits or nightmares, just peaceful dreams, I just can't tell her or anyone else for that matter, its only for myself to know.
"Because Twilight...I like her and I am afraid of losing one of the few closest friends I have, she reminds me of myself, hard working, small, has a charm to her that is like my own, she is smart and funny, knows how to cook, is better at me in cooking, and lastly....I think she is pretty." I said as I give Twilight a few reasons as to why I keep her nearby but I just can't give her the main one as to why I can't let her away from me.
"Oh really? Well all I can say is that if your going to ask my little sister out you better make yourself better by not being so rough around the edges, and maybe wash the dishes around the library more often." Twilight says in a smirk-filled grin and I realized what I just walked into, she tricked me into revealing my feeling for the young draconian lass.
Smart student, you may very well outpace your master, but now lets see how you can handle somethings you are not meant to know.
"Well Twilight, if I do start dating your younger sister should you be expecting wedding bells soon after? I do not know much about your culture when it comes to dating and maybe afterwards marriage, but I do wonder if they are even connected in some fashion or manner of path?" I said as I smuggly grin back as Twilight sputters and nearly does a spit-take with her mug of hot chocolate.
Before Twilight could answer me Barb finally walks into the room with a small tray and on it is a bag full of the large marshmallows and beside the tray is a bunch of sticks. I think what Barb is trying to recommend is for us to make smores or cooked marshmallows...either two are nice and for the wealthy but here it seems like its for the common person, how quaint.
"What are two talking about?"
"You see Barb, are friend here likes y-ipe!" Twilight started to speak up but I cut her short with a weak spark of electricity to her flank causing her to yelp out in minor pain and rub the sore spot where I have zapped her.
"What Twilight was trying to say is that we are talking about that I like mangoes, seeing how I get them every chance I can and well, they are pretty good, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh, well mangoes are okay but nothing is better then a well taken care of sapphire, those things are amazing!"
"Remember Barb that not all of us can bite into a gemstone without breaking our teeth. Though I have licked a gem once I didn't exactly get that 'tasty' vibe that you can get."
"Maybe you should try transforming yourself into a dragon, I am sure that Twilight has a spell book that can do that around here somewhere."
"I highly doubt that she has access to a species-changing spell book in her arsenal of tomes here in this library, am I right?"
"Actually I-" Twilight was about to say that she probably did have a spell book like that lying around here somewhere when someone kicks the front door open.
The one who kicked the door open was actually two dam looking ponies, well one less damp-then-the-other, Applejack being more dry then Rarity for having her hat, and neither of the two look very happy to say the least. Grabbing a nearby towel on the coffee table with Barb in tow we went over to the two wet ponies and tried to dry them off only to be stopped by Rarity levitating the towel out from my hands and for Applejack to shake herself dry like a wet dog, I guess that is one way to make oneself dry.
"Welcome Applejack and Rarity, how did it go with the last tree?"
"It was goin' great until little miss froo-froo here had to make it look all perty even when it was gonna get all wet in ta first place."
"I couldn't just leave as it was Applejack! I had to make it look absolutely fabulous, and besides you were the one who kept trying to cut it off with those sheers, it would have made a disaster!"
"Rarity, its a tree in a small hamlet, now a tree growing in a royal garden, nobody is going to care on what it looks like besides you." I said as I took a sip from my cup of delicious hot chocolate, and I can say that this is amazing.
"There is no need for us to be uncivilized brutes like those diamond dogs out there beyond Ponyville or like your friend Gilda, Tatalito and here I thought that you were a cultured pony and not some ruffian."
"Miss Belle, I am a civilized Lalafell, but sometimes I can choose to be one that perfers hard work and grueling labor, it builds character, something that you are forgetting or lacking. Behaving like a noble and actually being noble are two different things Miss Belle, in case you have forgotten while you are busy talking to those nobles the other day from that spoiled city you ponies have for a capital." I said as I stood up and eyed the ivory mare, her well-maintained curled mane is drooping a bit from being slightly wet from the rain but as I stared the white mare down it drooped even more.
"You believe that nobility would get you into the upper crust of society but you know nothing of the sort, nobles, no matter of what rank or status amongst each other, they will always be looking for a way to undermine and cripple those that they hate or oppose them, they will dig up dirt, blackmail you or worse threaten those you love and care for just have an advantage over you and to use said advantage to topple those that they hate more. It is a never ending game of chess, those that play it often fail and never get to try again and those that do are forever changed for the worse. They will visually look the same but on the inside they are cracked, maybe even broken, their goals changed and checked, constantly trying to outmaneuver others at their own game and those that fail will fall by the wayside will be forgotten, never to be spoken of or head of again. You may think that nobility is that of being the best, the brightest, the greatest the world has to offer and yet its not that, nobility is chaos, a gaping pit waiting to swallow us all." I said as I went from looking at Rarity before going back to my cup of hot chocolate before drinking all that is left which is sadly the entire cup before placing it down on the table and walked off to put on my sleeping pajama's.
"Ouch, your going to need Mrs. Redheart's pain relief pill for that one." Barb says as the rest of them see the look of shock on Rarity's face, I guess I just broke her purist thoughts on what nobles really are, hopefully.
I had several chances of being a noble back in Ul'Dah but I never took that chance, all the times I spent in court as an Immortal Flame agent, I always overhead the plans and schemes of the syndicate members, of the servants and guards discreetly talking to one another, a game for a throne that none of them can hope to gain because none of them have the power or the guts to overthrow the sultan...a sweet Lalafell lass that strives to keep us all safe from the dangers of the wastes around us all.
By the time I return back to the lobby of the library I see that Rarity and Applejack have settled in and started to enjoy themselves but as soon as I return they see me heading down to my botany room and for a few minutes I am not seen until I come back up holding my journal and a quill before plopping down by the fire and started to write.
"You and Applejack should totally sleep over! We'll have a slumber party, I always wanted one of those." Twilight says as I see a few strands of her mane pop out of place, I wonder if this is a bad thing.
'Slumber Party? A party to sleep? That makes about as much sense as throwing an egg in the middle of a hurricane with the wind blowing right at you.'
The response I was expecting to hear from Rarity would be an overly polite way to say yes but what she said caught me slightly off guard.
"Oh uh goodness, erh uh I do believe that I have another engagement scheduled for this evening but it completely slipped my mind just now ha ha ha...oh silly me. I can't possibly stay here all night, with Applejack." Rarity says as she looks around to make sure that Applejack wasn't around to hear that and apparently she wasn't, I wonder where that farm mare went.
Pfft wow, what a bitch, say that behind your friends back why don't you.
Watching Twilight quickly trot to the bookcase behind her I see her horn light up just as a book on the shelf glow the same color and levitate off its shelf and down between both herself and Rarity.
"Slumber 101, all you will ever need to know about slumber parties but you were afraid to ask." Rarity said aloud as I started to write down what happened two weeks ago, the dragon sleeping incident, my recover of a week and a half from broken ribs, so far if this journal ever gets home I just hope that it gets to either my parents first or the Immortal Flames.
"My own personal copy! It's a fantastic reference guide, you should see the table of contents! I've been waiting for a chance to use it and today's the day! This is going to be so great!" Twilight excitedly said as Rarity looked like she had made a big mistake.
'Run mare run! This is your only chance to escape!"
But instead of running like an sensible person would do, she just laughed in a fake manner and accepted her fate, while Applejack who I can now see is outside in the rain trying to clean her hooves off with a hose and sprays herself in the face...classy.
By the time Applejack came back inside I was busy watching the two unicorns apply some sort of facial makeup to their faces, a strange greenish muddy, ooze thing, and Applejack spoke exactly what was on my mind but not using my colorful vocabulary.
"What in tarnation." I wish she used my words, it would have made it a whole lot better.
"Now wait a garsh darn minute, you make me was the mud off my hooves but its okay for y'all to have mud all over your faces?" you know Applejack you have a point there...but then again I am only a man so I don't know much about you ladies and what you do in your off time, except for Twilight and Barb, one reads books the other cleans around the house.
"Silly, this is called a mud mask, its refreshing and it rejuvenates your complexion." if I knew that then all the times I was face first in the mud when training with the Immortal Flames was actually for something instead of getting my ass handed to me.
"We're giving each other make overs! Eeh he! We have to do it, it says so in the book." Twilight squeals in joy as I look at Applejack and silently plead for her to run and to take me with her.
"Oh hey would you look at the time-" 'Oh god damn it Applejack take me with you!' "-I gotta skedaddle along home quick I am late for somethin' a uh...good night!" 'You traitor!' as soon as she tries to leave the library a random bolt of lightning goes off and scares her back inside. "Or maybe I'll stay here for a spell."
"Hurrah for slumber party!" Twilight happily says as she claps her hooves while Applejack gives an uncertain frown, me on the other hand...
'NO! Applejack you doomed us both!'
Before Applejack even had a moment to think on what is going to happen, she take a mud ball to the face before Rarity comes up and starts to apply the so called 'facial mud mask' to her.
Sighing in defeat I put my journal down and lock it before going over to the mares and sit down, if I am going to suffer through this I might as well enjoy it while I can before the ensuing insanity of it all comes kicking in.
"Uh Tatalito, I need you to remove your...eye patch so I can put on the mud mask." Rarity asks me as I cross my arms and give her a flat stare with my working eye.
"No." I plainly say as Rarity puts down her mud mask bowl.
"But if you don't I can't-" Rarity tries to speak up but I cut her short.
"No." I say again, I hope this mare knows when to accept no.
"But why not?" Rarity tries to ask me but I just give her a simple answer.
"Just no, work around it." she better take the hint while she can.
"Ugh! You are so insufferable sometimes."
"I try my best Rarity."
For a moment it felt strange but as she kept applying it I felt it feel normal, it was alright, once you get used to it.
"-do everything by the book and it will make my slumber party officially fun!" Twilight say as she claps her hooves, I guess if it works in the book then it will work in real life, if it doesn't then this will be a learning experience for all four of us, Barb is busy ignoring us all, reading a book on 101 Ways to Cook with Gemstones.
"Did you hear that Applejack? You wouldn't want to ruin Twilight's very first slumber party, would you?" Rarity said as Applejack backed up a bit, wow they are really going to be doing that here, of all places and times.
"Of course not, and you wouldn't either I reckon." Applejack said back, those two are straight up spiteful of one another.
"So we have an agreement." Rarity says with a weak smirk as she stares down the farm mare.
"You bet'cha." Applejack says as she wears a smirk of her own, and for a good reason.
As soon as the two came into an agreement I watched Applejack spit into her hoof and Rarity visibly blanched away from her in disgust.
"Applejack, you know there is messy and being just rude."
"You know there is being fussy and there's plain getting on my nerves."
I can just feel the heated tension in the air, they almost want to kill each other but sadly I can't let them do that, they are the national hero's after all.
Watching those two snap at each other Twilight gets in between them, not knowing what is going on, and hugs them both before talking again but I tuned her out a bit as the storm outside started to pick up.
"Soo, how are you getting along over there Applejack?" Rarity said as I relaxed on the floor, my hair is too short for her to do anything to it so I was spared of the hair curlers, Applejack on the other hand...
"Just fine, Rarity." Applejack said as she gave the look of a wet cat to the white unicorn.
"This is so awesome hehe! Make overs, check! Oo, it says here we have to tell ghost stories! Who wants to go first?" Ghost stories you say? He he he oh this is going to be good!
"Me!" Applejack shouts right before I ever could. Well it looks like I get to go next, oh the stories of the Copperbell Mine outside of Horizon will probably scare the shit out of them.
It turns out Applejack's ghost story is just an underhanded snip at Rarity, not much of a story but it did have its charm. Rarity's was just as bad as Applejacks, both of them taking snippets out of each other until the lights go out.
"Now its my turn, this story is all true, back home, beside my hometown of Horizon, outside beyond its walls is the Copperbell Mine, it provides Ul'Dah with all of its iron, copper, zinc, and tin ore for its metalworking purposes, within that mine worked and toiled the various races of Eorzea but most importantly it was worked by the Lalafell, my people. Every day the miners worked, they sweat, they shouted in glee at the finding of a motherlode, but when the sun rises at noon at the center of the sky, when the clock rings within the hollowed land, the miners stop working for the beasts of the earth come out and play. On that fateful day all of the miners hear a low moaning from deep within the mines, 'Who pushed me into the abyss.' 'Who killed me for that gold?' 'Why did you betray me?', the spirits of dead miners long ago trying to talk to the living, trying to find justice but it never comes, they never find their peace, they always search, always. The ghosts are unrelenting spirits, they are always searching for you, always looking for your soul, they can hear you breath, hear your whimpers, they always know where you are, and they will never, stop, hunting you down." and as soon as I stop the lights turn on, with me standing behind all of them and they all scream in terror.
As they all calm down Twilight comes from behind them, hugging the two.
"Who wants smores!" I almost wanted to shout 'ME' but I refrained myself, I am not a child anymore...but the child within me is shouting for smores.
Watching Rarity slowly make a single smore is a painful experience, it looks extremely easy to make and yet she takes her sweet time in making it.
'Girl I will wreck you if you don't pick up the pace, it doesn't need to be perfect, just done right.'
Applejack has the right idea, she just slaps it on between two cracks, a chocolate bar and eats it or she forgoes the smores itself and eats the marshmallow by itself while its still hot, that takes an iron stomach to do, I could do that too but I rather not burn my throat when I swallow it.
"This may seem messy but we are not at a royal party nor are the royal authority here so I can by messy this one time."
"Yeah, you just eat them." and just like that Applejack ate the freshly made treat as I did a soft clapping notion, applauding the farm mare for doing what was needed to be done.
As soon as Applejack finished eating the smores, she let out a minor belch, the same one would make if they had something amazing but not too filling to make it glass shattering and atrocious.
"You could at least say excuse me." Rarity complains as I pinch the bridge of my nose as I let out an explosive sigh, much like the same whenever Rainbow Dash decides to do something when she is told to.
"I was about to but you interrupted me, pardon." Applejack says as I realize that if these two don't kill and make up then all is lost.
"-now the next item on the list is truth-or-dare." Twilight said and as those words reach my ears I realize that I might be actually doomed here.
'Oh shit...Nald'Thal protect me.'
"I dare Applejack to do something careful and neatly for a change." Rarity says as I realize exactly what is going on.
Shots fired.
"Oh yea? Well I dare Rarity to lighten up, to stop obsessing over ever, little, last, detail, for a change."
Shots returned.
"I think the truth of the matter is that somepony should stand a bit more attention to detail."
"And I think the truth is that somepony should put in so that somepony can get some things done."
I don't even know what the hell is going on anymore.
"Um, I don't think that is how the game is supposed to work. You have to give an honest answer to any question or do whatever anypony dares you to do."
Oh fuck me side ways...
"I dare you to step outside and let your precious, tidy mane get ruined again." Applejack says which earns a gasp of shock from both myself and Rarity. That is just cold Applejack, I would just tell her to let that mane of hers go unkept for the rest of the night after messing it up.
With a downward glare I watched Rarity slowly make her way out the front door and stand in the rain, she is not pleased and as soon as she comes back inside I felt a bit sad for her, only a little bit but it was there.
Standing back inside Rarity was completely soaked, her mane is ruined, waterlogged and laying limply on the floor.
"Okay then, I dare Applejack to play dress-up" oh no...this won't end well. "-in a froo-froo, glittery, lacy outfit." Rarity says as she walks up to Applejack right up to her face, oh the evil in those eyes right now.
It takes a while for Applejack to get up the stairs and even more time to put on her outfit, but while she is doing that Rarity looks at me as I contemplate what I am going to do to her.
"Rarity, I dare you to stand still while I dry you off."
"What? That isn't much of a dare."
"It is when I am using fire magic to dry you off." I said as I grab my staff and walk up to the dripping wet mare."
"No wait! Please!" was all Rarity could say before I used a heating spell on the mare, and at that moment I realized I might have made a mistake in the matter.
Almost immediately all of Rarity's fur and mane puffed up like angry cat, her mane and fur was standing on end, fluffy and adorable but the ungodly glare she is giving me is something to fear.
"Uh...."
"You will pay for this."
"Want me to get you wet again so you don't have to look like this?"
"No, just get me brush...I'll fix it."
By the time Applejack came back down Rarity was somewhat back to her old self but her mane and tail are still uncurly and are now just flat and de-curled. When Applejack stopped before us I at first thought it was just a trick of the light but when Applejack coughed to get our undivided attention I actually had to look away because I was blushing.
And I never blush...hardly blush when its a friend that is dressing pretty, but Applejack pulls it off so well. Her mane is done in with a few tight curls, straightened and pressed, her outfit may be a bit gaudy but it is something that royalty or a high ranking noble would wear but to see a simple farmer wear it and make it look beautiful, I just had to look away because I was not worthy.
"Do I ever get a turn?"
"Oh yes, go ahead."
"Okay...*cough cough* Tatalito, do you have feelings for Barb?" Twilight said just as Barb entered the room, this time holding what looks like a scroll of sorts and when she heard that question I realized that I am doomed. I can't lie because I know that Applejack will see right through it and Twilight probably has a lie detecting spell and if I tell the truth not only will they know but I have a inkling of a feeling that Barb might get more bold and brazen if she hears it from me.
"I, I do have feelings for Barb and that is all you are getting out of me." I said as I closed my eye, crossed my arms and looked away from them.
As soon as I said that they all started to squee happily, clapping their hooves in joy while Barb blushed deeply and looked away from me, holding her spaded tail in her hands as I tightened my grip on my staff.
"Aww! Isn't that adorable! I can already hear wedding bells!" Rarity says as she starts to prance around.
"You talk about a wedding about us two in my presence and I will hang you by your own mane in this very tree. I highly doubt that Barb is even close to my age let alone even want to marry me." I said as I looked outside the window, I can't even look at them because I don't want them to see me blushing.
After everyone has their laughter filled up we all moved onto our next thing on the list but sadly Applejack and Rarity goes back to snapping at each other, the ceasefire was wonderful while it lasted.
They were daring each other to do the exact opposite of what the other liked, no rodeo if it came to down, be forced to go into the rodeo when it shows up, don't brush your mane a hundred times, brush your mane at least once, I swear they are bickering and arguing like an old married couple.
"Uh...what is this, pillow fights?"
"Pillow fights? A battle with pillows, that is no way near as entertaining as fighting with snowballs." I said before taking a pillow to the face, falling backwards and landing on the floor. Whoever threw that pillow has an excellent throwing arm.
"Oh please, I am not at all interested in participating in something so crude." Rarity said before taking a pillow to the face as well, some feathers fly out of the pillow upon impact and as I get back up, with a pillow in hand I glare at Applejack who is smirking as Rarity and myself stare her down.
"Oh it is on!" and like magic the pillow fight began, pillows were being tossed left and right. Rarity and Applejack threw pillows with their mouths by grabbing the ends or by kicking them. I grabbed two pillows and ran down the middle, jumped in the air and threw both of my pillows at Rarity, both hitting their mark which was her face but she retaliated by getting a large pile of pillows and launched them all at me. I was consumed by the pillows as I flew with them before impacting against Applejack, it was chaos, pillows were being tossed and no one knew what was going on.
Applejack started to use her lasso to hurl the pillows at us, Rarity using her magic to throw them at a high rate.
"Oh I get it, pillow, fight!" Twilight says just as she gets pelted with pillows, in all it was her own fault, she is standing in the middle of the warzone.
"Uh girls, maybe you should take it down a notch." Twilight pitters out as her eyes go all swirling from the impact she has taken.
"I will if she will." Applejack says as she tilted side to side to easy avoid Rarity's poor aiming skills.
"She started it." Rarity says, dodging Applejack's barrage of pillows.
"And I am enjoying it!" I said just as I get knocked down again but this time landing on top of Twilight who softened my landing.
Pulling herself out from the pillow pile which forced me back onto the floor, Twilight spat out some feathers that was in her mouth as I got back up only to take a magically hardened pillow to the face.
"Girls, maybe we should just call it a night."
I agree on this one, I don't think my face can take any more hits.
Once everything has settled down and calmed down enough to the point where we are not tearing each others heads off, we went upstairs and went to bed, I went to my room as Barb joined me and immediately clung onto me before going out like a light once her head hit the pillow, as for Twilight she just passed out as well. But Rarity and Applejack, those two kept on arguing even though it is roughly almost midnight, and I can clearly hear them quietly yelling at each other.
"Keep your muddy hooves on your side of the bed."
"My hooves ain't muddy."
"They were, they might still be a little bit on them."
"There ain't, see."
"Eww."
"Now who is being inconsiderate?"
"I have to make the bed so the blanket will be right, get up."
"Hey!"
I just stared at them, with Barb clinging to my back and drooling a little bit on my right shoulder. I was able to hear them across the house, behind a closed door, and I couldn't sleep while they argued over a stupid bed arrangement.
"Uh uh uh! You'll ruin it, you'll have to do it like this."
"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."
Applejack did a little shout before jumping onto the bed, launching Rarity out of it and taking the blanket for herself.
"Hey! You did that on purpose."
"Um, yea?"
"Get up so I can fix it again."
"Can't hear you, I'm asleep."
The fake snoring started and in that moment I prayed to Nald'Thal to give me the strength to not murder my friends in the same room as by best friend and her younger sister.
"I ain't budgin'."
"You will if you want any blanket."
"Give it back." "I will not." "Yes you will." "Wont!" "Will!" "Wont!" "Will!"
"Enough! IT says right here that -" I just tuned her out at that point, how could you even bring that stupid book up at a time like this? I am tired, I am sleepy and above all else I have a young sleeping dragoness on my back who is drooling and I swear she is starting to talk in her sleep about me.
Then Applejack and Rarity started to fight again, I swear if this keeps up then I pray that something bad happens just to make everything better.
And just like that my prayer was answered with a lightning bolt striking a tree right next to our house and when we all looked out the window I could only facepalm in anger, I can't believe these people made me pray for a problem to happen.
"You see, thats why we needed to take own all those loose branches in town. Not spiffy them up, now if you excuse me times a wastin'." Applejack says as she grabs her lasso and runs over to the window, if I think what I think she is thinking then this plan might work perfectly.
I expected this plan to work perfectly but instead it wasn't, Rarity tried warn Applejack to not do it but the farm mare outright refused her, instead she lasso'd the tree branch and tugged it so it wouldn't fall onto the neighboring house which is great cause she saved someone else but its not so great cause she tugged it a little too hard and caused the tree branch to come soaring straight into the room.
"I tried to tell you that it would come crashing down in here!"
"Well you shoulda tried harder!"
"Oh would you two shut the fuck up! By Nald'Thal's beard you two bitch, whine and complain the entire night about each others flaws and mistakes! Give it a rest already, we get it you both hate each other for being the exact opposite on the spectrum but for once, tonight just work together to help remove this bloody tree branch out of here!" I shouted at them as Barb let out an adorable yawn before going back to sleep.
"I'm sorry! Your annoying attention to detail would have saved us from this whole mess."
"Bit its icky!"
"Why I...Yes, icky is a part of hard work but ya'll need to get over it, I can't fix this mess on my own."
And just like magic Rarity got over her irrational fear of icky dirt and mud and helped remove the tree branch by transforming it into several cute ornaments, and as for the tree trunk itself, Applejack removed that by picking it up and dropping it outside.
That was solved way to fast and way to easily...
Once everything was over I immediately went back to bed but first I placed a sign on the door before closing it and falling on my bed with Barb still on my back, how she can sleep through all of that noise and motion I can never guess but it must be a useful skill to have.
The sign clearly reads 'Do not Open the Door, Do not say a peep, I will turn you into a newt if you disturb my sleep.'
As I slept within the confines of my room, my mind cast aside its mortal flesh and went into the dream realm only to take a different approach and tactic to enter, and instead of entering the usual facade of the realm of the night, it went into a realm of chaos and change, a purple realm of haze and confusion.
"Ah my child, welcome back, it has been so long since you have last shown up for your check-up, please do come inside and regale us with your stories."
A mysterious voice from my past spoke up, the flapping of wings can be heard in every direction in this forgotten realm.
"Maybe another time my friend, maybe another time, but for now I am need of your guidance."
I said to the voice, I could never completely give my trust to this being but I have little choice whenever I come here.
"And what would that be my apprentice?"
The mysterious voice said, its voice smooth as silk while at the same time rough and crackly like the rocks of the desert.
"How do I deal with these feelings, these emotions...this...love?"
I said, hoping the being would know how to deal with my plight but all I got back was a cackling shrill laugh before it spoke.
"Emotions are a weakness young pupil, you must forgo them in order to achieve true power, cast aside your affection to the young maiden, she will only hold you back."
The voice said as it started to fade as I realized that was all of the information I am ever going to get out of it for this night.
Waiting for the voice and its presence to completely fade away I heard another set of flapping wings but this time it is softer and quieter then the first one, and I immediately recognized it.
"Little Zephyr, shouldn't you be back with her instead of here?"
I said to the little being beside me, its tiny wings are adorable on its small frame.
"But if I was with her then I wouldn't be here hearing your awesome stories!"
The small being said with a squeaky voice, it is truly adorable, in a strange way if you are not a black mage.
"Little Zephyr, you already know my stories, you were there after all."
Crossing my arms I looked down at the little being as it glided around me, trying to make me dizzy.
"Yeah but I was hidden remember?"
It said as it stopped behind me before appearing right in front of me.
"I know that, you have to be hidden for a reason."
"Is it really that important for no one to see me?"
The squeaky voice asked as I gave it a slow nod yes.
"Yes, it is paramount that you are not revealed yet, you are still incredibly weak to exist within the mortal world before succumbing to the pressure and magics that this world holds over us all."
I said as I gave it a pat on the head, being sure to avoid hurting it due to how fragile they are.
"Aww, your no fun at all, but I understand."
"You better, I am not going to be explaining it to her if you appear with me before your time and you expire."
"Fine have your secrets, you know I will know them sooner or later."
"But you already know them."
I said as it let out a weak-hearted laugh before slowly fading back into the purple haze of the realm.
"But its a secret!"
"You confuse me so much sometimes." was all I said to the strange little being before fading away, going back to the dream realm to avoid any suspicion that I might have created tonight.
I can only hope that the next few days and weeks will be easier on me.