//------------------------------// // Terrible Times of Tonya // Story: The More Things Change // by The Crane //------------------------------// It always seems to be a sunny day in Ponyville. Rain, snow, and other such weather isn't a random phenomenon as with most other places. All the weather is strictly controlled by the winged ponies known as pegasi. They can easily 'buck' a cloud into producing the right weather for any occassion. As such, it is always a good time to walk outside and to enjoy yourself. Twilight Sparkle and her new friend exit the library while the latter has a regrettable tone. She groans at the thought of discussing this, but knows that it needs to be said. "Tonya's not been having all that great a time. She's always got the short end of the stick." "Oh?" Twilight wonders. "How's that?" "She was orphaned early on. Her parents were lost in an accident." "That's terrible!! I'm so sorry to hear that...." "She grew up, eventually moving out of the orphanage on her own. Over the past couple of years that I've known her, she finally has started to look more content with her life. Happy, even." "Oh? She didn't look all that happy to me!" "That's because she's regressed badly recently. It all came crashing down!" For a moment, Twilight looks around herself as a cold shiver runs up her spine. "What's wrong?" Kat asks. "Nothing," Twilight groans. "It just looks like I'm talking to myself. You're a pegasus, right?" Though not seen, there is a light fluttering sound as Kat flaps her wings a little. "I got wings, if that's what you mean." "Follow me," Twilight says as she starts to flap and rise off the ground. "We'll go somewhere more private." ==-==-== Momentarily, Twilight and (presumably) Kat fly up above the town. As they do, the clouds that are normally overhead are now underneath them. Twilight floats up to one and literally pulls one up under her behind. She sits on it as if it were a fluffy pillow. "Have a cloud," she offers. "Seriously?" Kat wonders. A nearby cloud slides closer as she investigates. An invisible hoof prods it carefully and curiously. "I am so gonna fall through. I eat too many donuts!" "It's fine," Twilight says with a smile. "Trust me." To further illustrate her point, or maybe to just tempt Fate, she bounces on her nimbus like a little filly. Eventually, there is a distinct rump-print on the cloud as Kat takes a seat of faith. "Not bad. Pretty comfortable." "Hey Twilight!" another slightly raspy voice says. A blue pegasus with rainbow mane and tail floats nearby with a curious expression on her face. "Do you know what's up with Fluttershy?" She waves a hoof down towards the ground to nudge her friend's point of view. Twilight takes the hint and looks down to where Fluttershy's cottage is. "It looks like she's hugging her chicken coop." The reason is not lost on her, though. Twilight turns her view back towards the other cloud with a disturbed look. "Watcha doin' up here?" Rainbow Dash asks. "You're not usually one I find up here." "Oh! Rainbow Dash! This is Kat! I'm trying to help her with her invisibility problem." Dash looks over to the nearby cloud and sees... nopony. While it might be speculated that Kat is waving an invisible hoof, nothing can be seen of it. "O-kay. You know, Twilight, if you wanted more friends there are plenty of ponies down on the ground. You're pretty popular, you know. I don't think the whole 'imaginary friend' thing will be good for you right about now." "Kat isn't imaginary!! Are you, Kat?" There is a long silence from her direction. While Twilight was sure that Kat would back her up, there is nothing to confirm Twilight's words. "Twilight..." Rainbow Dash says quietly. "Look, whatever's bothering you, we're here to help you. We really don't need you going all crazy on us. Again." "Again?" Twilight spouts. "When have I ever gone crazy?" "How about when you freaked out about missing ONE weekly letter to the princess?" "Okay. One!" "Your time travelling doppleganger?" "Twice." "Winter Wrap Up?" "OKAY!!! So I get kind of caught up in things...." "Just sayin'," Dash finishes as she flies away. Twilight sighs a little regretfully as she departs, but then looks at where she believes her 'imaginary' friend is sitting. Her eyes narrow as she says "you threw me under the chariot!" "Yeah, well. I thought it would be funny." But, Twilight's mood lightens a little. "Is Tonya going to be okay?" "I hope so. She's pretty broken. After all the bad stuff, she got married. She was expecting a child. She was happy!! I started to see a fresh new side of her." "So then," Twilight asks. "What happened? That doesn't sound like the pony we saw down there." "Everything pretty much blew up. Her husband had to go off to battle a hostile threat. While he was gone, she had a miscarriage. Inside, she just sort of... died. Our enemies took advantage of the situation... and we were defeated. She blames herself for our loss. But it was all in their plan." Twilight listens with an evergrowing disturbed expression that nearly has her in tears. "I had no idea...." "Actually, I'm kind of hoping we're here for awhile. I don't know what brought us here, or for what reason. But, I think it will do her some good to get away for awhile. A vacation from her problems." "I understand. I'll find a place for you two to stay." "Five." "Excuse me?" "If we're all here, there's five of us here." "Alright. Now, then. Shall we return to getting your problem fixed?" "Sure," Kat says happily. "But I do find it more amusing to be Invisipony. And now I can sit up here on the clouds and ponder all of life's questions in peace. What is the meaning of life? What is the grand design of the universe? What's in the pod?" ==-==-== Back at the library, Tonya remains where she was. She lies on the floor curled up into her own personal cushion. Spike mills about the place while putting books away. He zips up the ladder to return a book to the shelf before returning for another. "Oh, this one is for Fluttershy. I'll put this aside for her." But, just as he is about let it be, a thought pops into his head. "Oh!! Owlicious! I could get him to bring it to her. Oh. Wait. Nocturnal. NEVERMIND!!" Even as he goes about his business, there is a knock at the door. While he shouts out a comment to the next guest, he quickly runs towards them. He opens the door with a smile. A red coated pony with cinnamon mane looks down at the little dragon. Her blue eyes stare at him momentarily. "Hmph. A dragon...ish. Cute. Anybody else home? Little micropony told me that I could find someone to help me. Where is Twilight Sparkle?"