The Party

by Shaderunner

Chapter 6

A mint green unicorn was pacing outside the Golden Oaks Library uncertain of what to do. There was a note on the door saying “Back in 20 minutes”, a blatant lie seeing that she was waiting out there for over half an hour. Sighing in defeat she took a seat on a nearby bench, deciding to wait a little longer for the librarian to return. Her childhood dream was within hofs reach now, she could spare a few more minutes to find the whereabouts of her query. To occupy her time she removed her saddlebags, with a harp design on the flaps, and checked it’s contents for the 9th time since she left her home.

“Lyra! I had a feeling you’d show up sooner or later.” a lavender unicorn greeted her, holding a set of keys in a purple aura.

Lyra pulled her nose out of the saddlebag after hearing her own name. Her jaw dropped when she saw that standing next to the purple unicorn was a tall grey skinned humanoid with a winged lizard on its shoulder. Sounds of joy, and surprise was heard as a green blur tackled the humanoid before the saddlebag could hit the ground.

With a heavy thud she pinned the robe clad humanoid to the ground landing on top of him. “Smooth skin! Lacking any signs of a coat! Some semblance of a mane on the head. Subject is bipedal, the upper limbs clearly not designed for walking ending in hannddssss.” A tremor of joy shook the green unicorns body as she mentioned the last word. She continued her examination ignorant of the shocked look the subject was giving her. ”The clothing seems to be made of some sort of cloth covering up most of the body, obscuring it’s anatomy.” Rubbing her hoffe against the buckle on his belt, fiddling away in an attempt to remove the leather belt and get a better look of the creatures anatomy.

The grey skinned humanoid was now panicking, unsure of what to do now. He needs their help to get home and now that a crowd had gathered the wrong move would be disastrous. Before he could ask his companion for help the green mare on top of him let out a painful yell, she stopped to look behind her for a few seconds then crumbled on top of him. Now things seemed to have gone from bad to worse.

"Lyra!... Bram! What did Jerry do!?" asked the purple unicorn scared of what just happened to her green friend.

Bram saw Jerrys head popping up above the unconscious mare looking quite pleased with himself, apparently the little reptile had jumped on to Lyras back stinging her in the flank with his poisonous barb. Bram let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry Twilight. Jerry’s sting isn’t deadly, it just puts you to sleep for about 10 minutes." He pointed out having noticed snore/neigh escaping her lips every few seconds.

“Oh” ” Twilight let out a sigh of relief glad that things were not as serious as they seemed.”Well I can’t say she didn’t deserve that. Alright everypony, nothing to see here, move along.” She quickly dispersed the crown.

Bram meanwhile crawled out from under Lyra and examined Jerry’s handiwork. ”So, what are we going to do with her?”

”Well we can’t leave her out here. Best bring her inside.” she unlocked the door and held it open for Bram to carry the sleeping unicorn in.

“Alright buddy I’ve got it from here. And thanks for the rescue.” Bram thanked his tiny savior then slid his arms under Lyra lifting her up, she was surprisingly lighter then she looked, and carried her inside taking great care to avoid hitting his head on the small door.

A few minutes later Lyra woke up on a unfamiliar couch, her rump quite sore on the left cheek. Rising up to a sitting position she heard voices talking amongst themselves. “Aha. So Jerry isn’t a real dragon but a distant relation to them on the evolutionary tree. Still, why is he so fond of Spike?” asked a familiar voice.

“From what I know regarding pseudodragons is that they have great respect towards their larger cousins, well those of a more goodly nature. It doesn't seem to matter how old they are.”Seated at a table Bram and Twilight were enjoying a steaming cup of tea while they talked. One of them finally noticed that she had awoken. “Well good morning sunshine. And earlier I thought you ponies were the peaceful type” Brame jokingly greeted his green assailant.

Remembering what happened earlier and realizing that she pretty much stallionhandled the creature she wanted to meet since fillyhood. Lyras face turning bright read despite her coate. “I am so sorry. This was not how I thought my first meeting with a human would go.” She sat down bowing her head apologetically not sure what to do. Her first encounter with a human and she botches it up royally.

“I’m also sorry. Princess Celestia entrusted your care to me and I promise that this will not happen again. Right?” the purple unicorn looked quite insistingly at Lyra.

“It’s alright, really. No doubt half my clan would have done pretty much the same. As Eve would put it, proper introductions are in order. My name Bram Harpel, and that’s Jerry.” Bram motioned to one of the two miniature dragons sitting on a plush pillow on the other side of the room enjoying some pictured story books called comics.The dragon Bram pointed out reared up it’s barbed tail in a friendly warning with a smug look on his face.

Lyra looked back at the grey skinned humanoid who seemed to overlook her earlier behaviour and walked up to the table hoping for a better start to their meeting. It was not her day. “Lyra Harper… I mean Lyra String… I mean...”

“Ahm... Is she alright?” Asked a rather worried Bram as Lyra tried to say her name over and over again never seeming sure what it was.

“Not sure, but I think so. Let me explain. This here is Lyra Heartstrings, she’s an old acquaintance of mine back in magic kindergarten. We studied together at Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. She specialized in ancient songs, legends and folklore. But what she’s most known for is her work regarding mythical beasts, you humans being the dominant subject.” Twilight properly introduced the mint mare who was still trying to figure out her own name.

“That explains it.” Bram noded, remembering how his eccentric clansmen reacted when they meet a exotic creatures. “Well miss Heartstrings, despite my better judgment,” He started in a joking tone ”I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding humans. Even though I’m not one.” At that moment Lyra snapped back to her senses.

“Wait what!? But... But you match the description perfectly, well minus the horns but still.” Lyras ears went flat hearing that. This remark also sparked Twilight's curiosity.

“Well I might be half human, you see I’m what they call a tiefling. A half breed resulting from the union between a being of the infernal or abyssal plains and a mortal.” Bram began to explain his dark heritage, having lived his childhood among the wizards of Longsaddle the fact that he was a tiefling ment quite little compared to the other outlandish beings living in the town, like the toad-horse. This meant he was never persecuted for the stigma of his heritage and had a somewhat normal childhood, well as normal as it can be around the Ivy Mansion

” And what of your other parent.” She asked before her mind could stop her, having taken a guess at what the ‘might ‘ ment.

“Well, I was not born in the Harpel clan, they found me by the road side and adopted me into their midst.” He admitted in a dry even tone. Although he had made peace with that fact, it still left a sour taste in his mouth.” All I can say is that I’m a tiefling and a Harpel.” he continued in a more jolly tone trying to lift the mood.

“I’m sorry I asked. Still I’m sure Lyra here has lots of questions for you.” Twilight caught on to Brams intentions swiftly pulling over a cushiony pillow for Lyra and pouring her a cup of tea in hopes of changing the subject.

“Oh right.” Lyra levitated her saddlebags fishing out a piece of parchment and rolling it out in front of her.” I’ve made this list when I was a filly. Alright! First what do you use hands for, I mean besides the obvious. What would be the most revolutionary thing human kind has accomplishes with it’s two hands?”

Bram gave Lyra a look of both amusement and bewilderment not sure how to answer that. “You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?” he asked the excited mare who shook her head in response.

“Well...” He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.”Mostly everything that the humanoid races made has involved their hands in one way or another, they are the main means by which we can manipulate tools and everything around up. Dilline’s people have actually designed an intricate language based only on hand gestures.”

“Wait so you can communicate with those things?” Lyra asked eagerly not expecting something on that magnitude. Just how useful are those things she asked herself.

“Well no, not me. But Evelina managed to master it quite well, best talk to one of them if you want to know the depth to which that language goes. Let me see what else... Oh the mastery of magic would be the crowning achievement in my opinion.”

Lyra just stared, blank faced, at Bram as her quill fell to the floor freed from the golden aura that held it earlier.”WHAT?!!” She yelled at the top of her lungs.”But...but there’s no mention of this in any of the lore I’ve unearth. It does say that you are capable of amazing feats but never had I come across the mention of magical ability. I thought you simply couldn’t do magic.” The minty mare reared up placing her forehooves on Brams shoulders giving him such a commanding stare that even Fluttershy would be impressed. “SHOW ME.”

Bram turned to Twilight for help but she just smiled back amused.” Actually, I would like a demonstration too.”

Sighing in defeat he retrieved a small ball of gum arabic from one of his robes many pockets and smashed it in his hand releasing a eyelash hidden within. A move of the hand and a word of power later Bram disappeared from sight. The only trace that he was ever there was a giddy Lyra still rearing up against something. “Cool...Whoooo!!” She swiftly fell face first on the cushiony pillow where Bram was sitting only a few moments ago.

“I do hope you're impressed.” Bram’s disembodied voice could be heard through the room.

“Yes. You’ll have to tell me the theory behind that spell.” Twilight was amused by the little trick Bram pulled on Lyra, but she wouldn’t admit it out loud.

The wizard reappeared next to the fallen mare and helped her back on her hoofs. “Sorry about that. “ He then turned to the hostess giving a textbook response.” Well the theory consists of gathering the right amount of arcane energies in a specific pattern then activating it with the correct word of power. Though some spells need a regent or catalyst in order to achieve the desired effect. Afterwards you just unleash said energy on the target. It may sound simple but it get’s a lot more complicated when you actually try to piece everything together.”

“Hm... unicorn magic is not that much different, in theory. The only difference is that we channel energy through our horns and we don’t need a word of power or reagents to keep the spell energy together.”

“Yes I’ve noticed. I was thinking that your horns have properties similar to diamond dust. It’s like a universal regent but is too expensive and hard to obtain for use in spells whose regents are easier to obtain.”

“Perhaps, and taking into account that the horn is linked directly to a ponies mind, which would grant us a much better control for the flow of magical energy....”

“...that could fill the need for any words of power. Of course this is all theory.” Bram completed the scholarly unicorns idea.

“Ah... could you repeat the part about the arcane horn thing?” Lyra was struggling to keep track of what the other two were talking about. Magic was not her strong suit, that’s why she decided to study music and history.

Twilight and Bram looked at each other then let out an embarrassed laugh. The two got caught up in their little theory that they forgot about Lyra. “Bram, seeing that you’ll be moving in for the foreseeable future, I’m willing to let Lyra have you for the day. She’s had this coming for quite a while.”

“Are you sure?” asked a grateful Lyra, she knew how much Twilight valued researching above pretty much everything. So the fact that she let her take the reins on this particular endeavour meant quite a lot.

“Of course, ask away at your leisure, I’ll write everything down for you so you can concentrate on what his saying.” She levitated a few writing utensils over just as Lyra gave her a grateful hug that the librarian returned in kind.

“Now lets see.” Lyra returned to her question list.”Here’s one that’s related to what you said earlier. You said most of the humanoid race, does this mean there are more than just one type of humans?”

“Yes, humans are not the only sentient race back on my world, but they are the most numerous of the civilized races and subraces. There are the elves, dwarfs,gnomes, goblinoids...” Seeing the confused expressions on the two ponies Bram decided that this was a good subject he could elaborate on for this day.

“Alright let’s start from the top....” The rest of the day was spent discussing about the various types of races that inhabit the northern realms of Faerun. They talked about the goodly races like the elves, dwarfs, gnomes. About the young orc kingdom of Many-Arrows and some of the more savage races like the goblinoids, gnolls , giants. And how they all interacted with each other. This topic dragged on until sundown interrupted by a swift lucheng of Spikes pasta in sour cream and mushroom sauce. The three scholars left the library after sundown having left Spike and Jerry fast asleep within. Lyra was practically radiating joy having acquired enough data to write a substantial paper regarding Faerun's races.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve told me Bram. After having spent so much time trying to prove something was real despite everyone elses disbelief, well it’s a truly uplifting experience.” she was jumping for joy every few steps just like a certain pink pony they knew.

“It was a pleasure, so where are we of to?” He turned towards Twilight.

“Well as you remember Pinkie made me promise to bring you back to her at sundown. And believe me, I’d rather have to face Discord again then break a promise with her.”

“Discord?”

“It’s a long story, lets just meet up with the others.”

Author's Note:

Alright guys I’ve got some bad new for you guise, the time between chapters is going to be extended to about 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately I can't push out content any sooner, thanks for the understanding and you're welcomed to join me and the gang tor tea and crumpets in ponyville park, Pinkie’s baked some crumpety crump crumpets. Any constructive criticism is welcomed.