Chapter 18: Turn The Page
Ash wakes up and feels an unfamiliar weight on his chest, he looks down and sees Sweetie Belle sleeping, her head resting on his chest her forehoof laid across his barrel, his left foreleg pinned by her. He smiles remembering last night and gently rubs her mane with his right forehoof.
Sweetie wakes and snuggles against Ash. “You’re nice and warm.”
“We don’t have to get up in a hurry.” Ash says, “so stay for a little.”
Sweetie moves and kisses his cheek. “What if I want to move?”
“That’s fine if you do, but I’d suggest getting out of bed and more of that tea before we do anything else.”
Sweetie nods. “You’re right, we have to be careful.” Sweetie snuggles against him again. “We can just lay here like this right?”
“Yeah, although we will need to clean the bed sheets at some point.”
Sweetie nods and after a few minutes she moves and gets up. “I’m going to need a shower again.”
“You okay?”
“A little sore, but not too bad. I more feel like I just to clean up after last night, and not in a bad way.”
Ash nods, “I’ll strip the bed and get the sheets clean.”
Sweetie nods, “and I’m going to get that shower.” She says as she rolls off him and stretches before she gets out of bed. “Sure you don’t want to join me?” She waves her tail seductively.
“Sweetie, as much as I’d love too, you’re not thinking all that clearly right now. You need to get more of that tea in you.”
Sweetie giggles. “Actually I was just teasing you this time, it’s fun.”
Ash chuckles. “Maybe next time I won’t be thinking so clearly either.”
Sweetie blushes, “Okay, you win.” With that she heads into the bathroom. Some time later Sweetie comes downstairs to the smell of cooking pancakes. “Smells delicious.”
Ash smiles as he uses his magic to cook, “hey Sweetie.”
“You can cook?” Sweetie asks surprised.
“Apparently,” Ash answers. “I also seem to know how to do laundry well, I have the bedding clean and hanging on the line.”
“You’re kidding.” Sweetie says as she runs to the window and looks out. “How did you do it?”
“I just did it without realizing it. My magic seemed to know how to do it without me directing it. I’m guessing that I was raised to do my own cooking and laundry, so I did it often enough that it’s a reflex.”
Sweetie sits at the table and looks at the pitcher of tea sitting there and sees a note. She grabs the note in her magic and looks at it. “After breakfast I’m going to need to get the ingredients to make more tea, this won’t last me too long.”
Ash nods as he brings the food over and sits down. “I was hoping I could go to the library and see if I could match up anything from the sites in my dreams. Princess Luna did say my dreams are probably fragmented memories, I’m hoping that the fortress I saw in my dreams is in one of the books.”
“Why don’t I take you to the library and leave you there while I run about my errands?” Sweetie asks. “I’m sure you’d rather not run around collecting the ingredients for moon tea.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Ash admits.
Sweetie bites into one of the pancakes "these are delicious!" She quickly gobbles down the entire stack.
"Hungry Sweetie?" Ash asks.
"I'm not now. Those were the best pancakes I've ever had."
Ash chuckles, "glad to hear it." Sweetie starts cleaning up the kitchen as he eats. "I was going to get to that when I was done eating."
"It'll be quicker if I clean up." Sweetie says. "I'm done eating, so why not?"
"Fine with me."
==========
Some time later the two of them arrive at the library. They are immediately greeted by Spike. "Welcome to the newly opened Ponyville Library."
"Hey Spike," Sweetie says.
Ash looks at Spike oddly. "Is Twilight in?"
Spike nods. "If she's not taking care of some royal duty she practically lives here. Wait here I'll get her." He runs off.
Ash watches Spike leave. "Exactly what is he?"
Sweetie chuckles, "he's a baby dragon."
Ash shakes his head. "That raises so many questions I'm not sure where to start."
"Twilight hatched him with her magic. She's pretty much been his mother since."
"Believe it or not that answers all my questions."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" Twilight asks.
"I didn't mean all of my questions, just the ones pertaining to your assistant." Ash answers.
"What can I do for you?"
"I keep having a dream about some kind of fortress, I was wondering if you might have some pictures or drawings of fortresses."
"Hoping that they might jog your memory?" Twilight asks.
Ash nods. "Maybe one of the pictures will be the fortress from my dreams."
"Of course," Twilight says. "Spike could have just gotten that for you."
"I'm sorry I was a bit unnerved by your assistant."
"Have you not met a dragon before?" Spike asks.
"I honestly don't know."
"Spike this is the pony I was telling you about."
"Oh," Spike says blushing. "You must be Ash, I apologize for my behavior."
"I apologize too, I was caught off guard." Ash says then glares at Sweetie. "My fillyfriend could've given me a little warning."
"Sorry." Sweetie says. "I didn't think about it."
"I'm just teasing." Ash says and kisses her lightly.
"Spike would you get those books for him?" Twilight asks and Spike nods. "Sweetie can I talk to you for a few?"
"Of course." Sweetie says and Twilight motions for her to follow her and they trot to another room.
"Here you go." Spike says as he carries some books to a table.
Ash sits at the table. "What do you call those things?"
"My claws?" Spike asks waggling his claws.
Ash nods. "They seem useful."
“I use them much like your average unicorn uses their magic.”
“That makes sense.” Ash says. “Thank you for the books.”
“No problem.” Spike says as he walks off.
Ash lifts a book with his magic and opens it and begins looking through it.
==========
Several hours later Sweetie returns. “Any luck Ash?”
“I’ve not seen any of these fortresses that looked anything like the one in my dream.”
“I’m sorry.”
“There is something though.” Ash says as he opens up an Atlas to a map of Equestria “See right here just south of the Smokey Mountain? For some reason I swear I remember seeing a map with a fortress there.”
“Maybe this is an old map.”
“This is the latest edition.”
“So you remember a map to a secret fortress?”
“I think so, I want to go there and see if there’s something that sparks my memory.”
“We should tell Twilight, I’m sure she’ll help you.”
“Are you sure we can trust her with this?”
Sweetie nods, “Yeah, I think we’ll be fine.”
The two of them leave the library and head to the castle. "This thing is massive!” Ash says as they approach the castle.
“And it just appeared thanks to the Rainbow Magic.”
“Something doesn’t sound right about all this.”
“I know.”
The two of them enter the castle and walk to the thrones room when they hear voices.
“So you’re telling us Princess Celestia wants us to keep Ash in Ponyville?” Rainbow Dash asks.
“That’s what the letter says.” Twilight answers.
“Does she give any reason why?” Rarity asks.
Sweetie gasps hearing her sister’s voice, Ash puts a forehoof against her mouth and shakes his head no. They sneak closer to listen to the conversation better.
“Just that she’s concerned that the griffons may have attacked us trying to get to him.” Twilight answers.
“That don’t make sense.” Applejack says. “He doesn’t even remember anything.”
“It seems like nopony wants him to remember.” Twilight says. “Celestia instructed us not to question him on his memory, so it seems even she doesn’t want him to remember.”
“The poor dear.” Fluttershy says.
“Can I throw him a party anyway?” Pinkie asks.
Twilight sighs, “if you can convince him to let you, you can throw him any party you think is appropriate.”
“Okie dokie lokie.” Pinkie says.
“So Darling, what do we do if he asks to leave?” Rarity asks.
“Stall him anyway you can think of.” Twilight answers.
“If it helps I think he and Sweetie were intimate last night.” Rarity says.
Sweetie blushes heavily in their hiding spot.
“I thought as much, I took the liberty of lending Sweetie a particular spellbook. I am hoping the added distraction helps too. Altogether that should buy a few weeks. I doubt she'll be able to get together enough herbs for more than a few days at a time." Twilight says.
“So we shouldn't have to worry about them running off anytime soon." Applejack says.
“You think he'd run away without Sweetie?" Rainbow asks.
"Sweetie would be heartbroken." Fluttershy mumbles.
"Sweetie saved his life, I doubt he'd go without her." Rarity says
Everypony nods. "Now onto other business." Twilight says and as she does Sweetie and Ash slip out of the castle.
Once they’re away from the castle. “Ash, we need to get to that fortress.” Sweetie says.
“There’s no way we can walk from here to there Sweetie.” Ash says.
“We’ll take the train to Tall Tale, we should be able to get enough supplies to walk from there.”
“We’re going to need money to do that.”
Sweetie grins. “I think I have an idea. "
