//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Decision 
// Story: Penned IN 
// by Qwix 
//------------------------------//

Some time later, they arrived at an iced-over lake. Pinkie was merrily careening across it, whistling to herself.
"Pinkie! I'm here!" Twilight shouted.
She glanced over, let out a smile, and skated over to them. "Oh hey, Twilight! Glad you're here!"
"Why is this lake still frozen?" asked Twilight. "I thought Winter Wrap Up was three days ago!"
"That's what I thought!" said Pinkie. "I guess the team just missed this one. I can't do this by myself in time, so–"
"Do you need helping score the ice?" asked Twilight.
"Of course! Did you bring your own skates?" Pinkie asked.
"Oh! Darn, I didn't. Should I–?" Twilight began, only to get cut off by Pinkie.
"Not a problem! I've got a bunch of spares…"
She hopped off the lake and stuck herself into the hollowed out part of a log. She reemerged with 4 sets of ice skates in her mouth. "Nah ah prahem! I goh some rai here!"
She spat them out. "But I thought you sucked at skating, Twilight. How're you gonna manage this time? Waitwaitwait, let me guess… you read about the proper way?"
"Well, yes..." admitted Twilight. "But more than that. I'm gonna use my magic to control it while I'm in them." She grabbed a pair with her magic, fiddling with the laces. "Give me a minute…"
Bon Bon and Lyra picked out a set each, sitting down a ways away to put them on. Pennaprose grabbed the last pair; covered in glitter and hot pink. He shrugged to himself and put them on with some difficulty.
By the time he was done, Twilight was already on the ice. She was constantly looking down, guiding the skates with her magic. Deciding her method was the best way to go about it, he hobbled over to the ice and levitated himself carefully onto the lake, trying not to fall. To his surprise, his magic kept them steady; with a thought, he propelled them forward and immediately fell onto his stomach. "Geez! Ow… this is no joke…!" he grumbled to himself.
"Need help?"
He looked up from the ice. Lyra was hovering over him with a grin on her face. Bon Bon and Pinkie were skating a figure eight on the other side of the lake, while Twilight was near the edge a ways away. He hesitated. "Um… Sure?"
She flipped him right side up with her magic and immediately tied a rope around his waist. She tied the other around hers and sprinted off across the ice faster than he was prepared for, causing him to fall on his rump again.
"H-hey, Lyra? Can you stop for a second?" She seemed not to notice, leaving him to slide across the ice on his rump; she swerved to the left, jerking his rope hard. He landed on his side, thoroughly winded. "Hargh… Lyra…"
She stopped and skated over. "Oops! I guess you really can't skate! Oooh well… I guess I'm gonna have to tie the rope a bit… tighter," she mused. "Yes, tighter."
The rope snapped in two with her magic and she untied her half. There might have been 3 feet left; she used it all to bind them together. "Uh…" Pennaprose mumbled, face uncomfortably close to Lyra's.
"Oh, don't be such a wuss." Lyra said. "This'll solve the problem. Left step, shove out, right step, shove the other way… it's easy enough."
She showed the motions, poking his leg in the process. I guess so, he thought. But… just wish she didn't have to be this… close. And how'll this score the lake faster? Beats me.
She pushed off the ice, snuggling up to him while doing so. He pushed back to keep them right side up, but shivered in annoyance in how she seemed entirely to pleased about it. She… doesn't care about the lake, does she?
She giggled, directing them to the center of the lake while placing a hoof around his neck. "See? How bad did you expect this to be, really? Though I guess it's your first time then?"
"Uh… that, yes. Though I'm still a little used to two feet, so–"
"OH! Silly me, how could I forget? Poor thing can barely walk on four hooves, how could he ice skate?" she said. Without warning, she jumped and tried to twirl in midair, whipping the pair of them around in circles. He was beginning to get dizzy; the sound of her laugher just agitated it. 
"Hurk…! Can you… not do that again…? Hurgh…" he petered out.
She didn't make notice of his protests. "I'm gonna get you used to it really quick. So spiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnn…!"
The spinning intensified, faster and faster, until the others and the scenery melted into a green-and-blue blur. He was on the verge of passing out, wondering faintly how this was supposed to get him used to this faster, until he heard a snapping sound. He couldn't make out what happened, but he could feel himself sliding across the ice, the weight of Lyra on his left gone. In seconds, he hit something squishy, heard a shriek, and stopped spinning. He collapsed to the ice, trying to get his bearings.
He stumbled up and inspected the scene. There was a hole in the ice a few feet from him, while Pinkie and Bon Bon were crowding around a spot some distance away. Bon Bon looked up while Pinkie jumped in. "What are you doing?! Twilight can't swim, go save her!"
His mind blanched. After glancing at the hole in the ice, a sudden dawning horror rising in his chest. Without a second thought, he flung off his skates and dived right in.
The water's chill tore through his coat, ripping like fire in his mind. Its chill penetrated deep, driving all but one rational thought to oblivion.
This isn't natural cold…!
He dove deeper after the purple blur in his vision, despite the water's thick veil. He tried to focus, to grab her with his magic, but the chill was too distracting; he couldn't muster a flicker. Giving that option up, he dove deeper recklessly, coherent thought abandoned, to grab Twilight by the tail with his teeth.
He broke the surface, hauling her to the ice. Bon Bon and Pinkie were already there; they carried Twilight to the banks while Pennaprose shook off the water and cold. Lyra was also there, curled up and visibly shivering.
Pinkie started bouncing on Twilight's chest. He watched for a second, then got to his hooves and galloped around the edge of the lake. He spied the log that Pinkie had hidden the skates; unsure of how he knew without seeing it before, he pulled out two blankets and hastened back to the rest.
He draped the first over Lyra, who didn't bother to look up at him; she merely disappeared into the folds and stopped shuddering. Meanwhile, Twilight shoved Pinkie off of her, violently shuddering from the cold. He draped the other blanket around her.
"T-t-thanks, Penni. I can't swim… of all things to not have read until today… Stupid…!"
"Safe to say–" Bon Bon said as she adjusted Lyra's blanket to better cover her head. "–that we're done scoring the ice for now. Pinkie?"
"Mmm… yeah. The holes'll make it melt eeeeven faster!" said Pinkie. "C'mon let's get somewhere warm. How about the library, Twilight?"
"Hrrgh… achoo! Byea… yeah, let's go… hahchi! Buh…" said Twilight through the cold. Pinkie helped her up, while Bon Bon nudged Lyra into getting up, careful to keep the blanket wrapped tight. Pennaprose collected the skates and dropped them off in the log, hurrying up to catch them.
The trek was long and quieter than before. Pennaprose noticed that Lyra didn't say as much, but was inwardly glad that the dip had stopped her fawning for now. He stared at her for a while, wondering, until the door to Twilight's house was upon them. He nudged it open.
"Spike? You here?" Pennaprose asked to nothing. "Spike?"
"In here, Pennaprose," came his voice form the kitchen. "You get all the things done on your list, Twilight? Uh, Twilight…?" He wandered out of the kitchen, carrying a ladle and looking at Twilight. "What's wrong?"
"Can you start 5 or 6 mugs of hot cocoa?" asked Pennaprose. "There was an incident at the lake."
Spike shrugged, heading back into the kitchen without a further word. While Pinkie and Bon Bon helped Lyra and Twilight into a seat near the fireplace, he found and struck a match, throwing it into the pit. It roared to life, spreading warmth throughout the room. He and Pinkie trotted off to the kitchen without another word. Bon Bon collapsed on the couch, falling asleep for a quick nap.
Lyra stirred, poking her head out of the covers. "…Is he gone?"
Twilight, who was staring a hole into the carpet, perked up at her question. "Mm… yes. …Can I ask you something, Lyra?"
"What?"
"Why do you like him so much? He's a human, yes, and he's nice, sure. But you're obsessed with him."
"You just want him for yourself."
"W-what?!" Twilight protested, nearly dropped her mug. "I do not!"
"Then why is it he worries so much for your well-being? He's the one who dove after you in the lake. He's the one who saved you from that crane." She let the cover fall off completely, her eyes fixated on Twilight and burning with the glow of the fireplace. "…Well?"
"He just–"
"–really likes you? I wish I was in your saddle right now," said Lyra dejectedly.
"That's not it, Lyra! He just… wants to be a nice houseguest! I mean–" said Twilight as she wildly gestured. "–he doesn't have anywhere else to go, I extended my roof to help him! And, well, it just… stuff. He is nice… He loves books too, he loves to write! I can't imagine a more pleasant houseguest."
Lyra sighed and stared at the fire. "…First mare wins? Hah… I'd have done the same thing, actually…"
Twilight hesitated, leering at Lyra from over her blanket. "I don't like him like that, Lyra. I've read a lot of books. And I mean a lot of books. Over thousands of genres. And I've met ponies. A lot of ponies. Over a thousand kinds of ponies. Such is the nature of being a princess. And I read you like an open book."
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Lyra, tone hardening.
"It's all too obvious you love him. But he isn't a human at the moment. There's something… more, isn't there?"
Even the glow of the fire couldn't mask her blushing face. "Don't ask about it…"
"There is. I know–"
"–everything. Your Majesty High-and-mighty, even the peasants have their secrets. Please do not pry."
Twilight's blanket flew off as her wings beat in the affront. "Ex-cuse me? Why are you–!"
The fire flickered, spitting out flakes of ash into the room between them. The warmth seemed to shrink as Lyra turned away, her back presenting to her. Twilight glared at her, until she decided that Lyra wasn't speaking anymore. She gathered up her fallen blanket, huddling closer to the fire.
A few minutes later, the sounds of clinking mugs came and Pinkie, Spike, and Pennaprose came out of the kitchen carrying two mugs a piece. Lyra glanced up as Pennaprose made a beeline for Twilight and her, shooting a quick glare that Twilight did not miss. They glared at each other, seemingly ready to pounce, until Pennaprose lowered both his cups to each of them.
Twilight stared at her cup, the smell of cocoa wafting upwards and warming her. He sheepishly glanced back at Lyra, who was similarly engrossed with cup. Pennaprose seemed not to notice, as he had turned back to Pinkie to grab his mug, until he noticed that she had already downed both her's and his. He sighed and muttered something about getting another mug for himself, heading back into the kitchen.
"…Lyra?"
She turned head ever so slightly, enough to see Twilight. "…Yes?"
"…I'm sorry. I admit I like him, but… can we just set that aside? It's his choice, let him decide. Besides, I... Um... well, I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable while he's here for the moment. I will get him home. So why bother developing feelings for him, heh? …Y'know what, just… he's all yours."
Lyra's face hid behind her mug, the sounds of mugs being set down and cocoa being drunk mixing with the crackle of the fire. Eventually she looked up, meeting Twilight's gaze. "…Whatever. I get the feeling that he isn't even aware of how you feel about him. And even if you are already giving up on him… like you said, it's his choice. But how long will that take?"
She took a long sip from her mug and drew closer to the fire. "Too long, and he might not want to leave. Too early, and you might regret it. It's all a matter of magic..."
Twilight smiled awkwardly, waving goodbye to Pinkie as she mentioned something about expecting them at Sugarcube Corner when they felt better. Lyra smirked, a tinge of annoyance still tainting her smile. They both finished their cups, though Twilight stared into the bottom of her cup, reflecting on Lyra's words.  If I succeed… If I didn't? If she couldn't...? It's all a matter of magic…
She winced internally. She hated to admit to the reality that it might not be possible to return him to his world. It bothered her to no end that she knew she would feel guilty on two levels; that she felt to uphold her promise and that she would prefer he stayed anyways. No, she told herself. I will succeed. This is a matter requiring all I possess in the ways of magic. A feat worthy of Star Swirl himself. And also one worthy of a princess… albeit a princess without a defined role yet.
It will mean I have to let go of these feelings. And to hurt Lyra's feelings, too. It is… an awful lot to sacrifice, but no solution to a problem is without it. Steel yourself, Twilight… You have Equestria to uphold.