Penned IN

by Qwix

Chapter 7: Mare Magnified

A faint twitter of morning streamed through the library once more. Pennaprose stirred in the light that now hit the side of his face. He peered blearily, squinting in the morning light, only for it to be quickly blocked out by the sudden appearance of feathers.

He sneezed, getting up in annoyance. "W-huh…? Spike?" He peered down, seeing the purple dragon waving a feather duster around. "Why'd you wake me up? It's not even brunch or something yet…"

"Just dusting," he said, shoving the duster in his face. "Besides, Twilight left early to place an order for more parchment and wanted me to tell you that she'll be back soon anyway."

He strolled away, whistling. Pennaprose stared at him while he worked for a while, then decided to dig out his laptop. An idea for a short story had just hit him in the ebbing grogginess of post-sleep. As he began, there was a knock at the door. Spike set his duster down and answered, only to close it immediately. Pennaprose paid it no mind.

Pennaprose didn't look up, but as he stopped typing to ponder a phrasing, it happened again; he also registered that Spike muttered something about prank calls.

Then it happened a third time. He stopped, saving his document reflexively, then looked up. This time, Spike swung the door wide open and stepped outside. He looked in either direction, but while he looked, something fell from the sky, breaking over his head. He fell to the ground; before Pennaprose could get up to help him, several more things happened in rapid succession. A high-pitched squeal came form somewhere, the door swung shut, and a sea green blur flew through the air.

Before he knew it, the blur crashed into him, sending his laptop, glasses, and blankets everywhere. The cot's support snapped under the sudden motion, dumping him on the floor. Sight blurred and panicked, he got up and frantically searched for his glasses. The second he spotted them, he was tackled from behind, slamming him to the floor.

"Hi! Hihihi! Good mooooooooooorning!" came a voice, mildly familiar. He twisted his head just enough, vision still blurry, to make out the form of a sea-foam green mare.

"Huh? What're you–?"

"You're human, aren't you! Don't deny iiit! Nopony knows what dollars are!" she said. "Remember me? Mememememe!"

It hit him as he got up. "OH. Oh. Oooooh… shit. Lyra, right?"

She bounced off and started running circles around him, squealing. "Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes! A human knows my name, a human knows my name! NOW–" she said, abruptly stopping to shove her face uncomfortably close to his. "I have so many questions to ask you! Like… whatsitlikehavinghandsandfeetandwalkingontwolegsandhavingatiny–"

"ALRIGHT, back up. Hold your horses, geez…" he said. He immediately regretted it when Lyra squealed and hugged him a little too tight. "Eee… a little air, please…!"

At that moment, the door burst open. Pennaprose couldn't see who, but a milkshake hovered over the two of them, distracting Lyra and loosening her grip. She dropped him and chased after the shake, which landed next to the basement door. Pennaprose coughed off the near-strangulation and saw who walked in; Twilight and a pony he recalled as Bon Bon.

"You okay?" Twilight asked. "Should have known, after the two of you met at the party last night. You let it slip… didn't you?" She was circling around him, appearing to check him. "…Well, can't help it now. Cat's out of the sack. Bon Bon?"

"Your name was Pennaprose right?" Bon Bon asked. "I'm sorry about Lyra. She's been obsessed with everything human for longer than I can remember. Now that she knows…"

He winced involuntarily. He felt something sidle up to his right; Lyra was sipping the shake and watching him with that same unnerving intensity as the night of the party.

"…You're bucked." Bon Bon finished.

"About three and a half bucks, I'd wager," responded Pennaprose in a nonplussed tone.

"Anyways," Twilight began, "Penni, I've got some other around-the-town chores to take care of. Mind helping me?"

Taking a quick glance at Lyra, who was now cuddling up next to him with an empty shake, he said with haste, "Yeah, I'd love to. Let's go!" He began to walk towards the door, but Lyra hanging by his tail dragged him down. He shot Twilight and Bon Bon a hopeful glance and questioning look, but they both just shook their heads in resignation. He sighed and meekly followed suit.

---

After a while of walking, the four of them arrived at a place near a forest. Fluttershy was near the line of bushes defining the edge of the forest, head buried in the foliage. As they approached, Twilight cleared her throat. Fluttershy looked up in surprise, but immediately grinned. "Oh! Hello, Twilight! This is more hooves than I was expecting to help!"

"Not a problem, Fluttershy," said Twilight. "Glad to help."

She nodded. "Yes, of course… anyway, I need to get these berries picked." She waved a hoof at the bushes behind her. "Taking care of animals doesn't pay any bills, but at least I'm tax exempt. I collect these berries throughout spring to make and sell jam. For a little extra profit, you know…" She trailed off, reaching behind her. She dropped a few baskets on the ground.

"Alright, one basket each. But a quick note," said Fluttershy. "See how there are green and purple berries in these bushes? Don't harvest the green ones. They aren't ripe yet."

Indeed, the bushes were spotted with a swath of berries of either color. "Got it!" said Twilight. She, Fluttershy, and Bon Bon picked up their own basket. Pennaprose moved to pick up his, but Lyra's hanging onto his side stymied him.

"Um… Lyra?" asked Pennaprose.

"Yes! What is it, my liege?"

He nervously twitched again, the phrase deepening his unsettling feeling. "Do... D'you mind, um… not sticking to my side? How about helping out? …Please?"

She fell of his side, rolled over, and grabbed a basket without a further word. He sighed in relief, picking up a basket and attending to the bushes.

Picking the berries, he noticed that the green ones were covered in some sort of liquid while the purple ones were completely dry. He poked one; it seemed to pulsate.

He filled a basket, plucking them by magic. When that was done, he turned to see a small pile of baskets being inspected by Fluttershy. She noticed his glance. "Oh, that was fast wasn't it? Who picked all of these?"

Before he could speak, Pennaprose was bowled over by Lyra, knocking off his glasses and sending the pair of them rolling into the bushes. "Iiii diiiiiiid~!" she sang.

Twilight fished the two of them out of bushes, suspending Lyra in midair while setting Pennaprose back on his hooves. "Um… all right. That's done. You need help bringing these back to your cottage, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, I can manage. I'm sure you're plenty busy today," she answered. "Didn't Applejack ask you oversee the demolishing of a barn?"

Twilight perked up. "Oh yes! That's next on my list, actually." She dropped Lyra abruptly, who wasted no time in trying to hug Pennaprose again.

He held up a hoof between them. "Lyra? Do you mind not clinging to me? It's kinda hard to walk around with you weighing me down…"

She stared for a second, then excitedly nodded. "Okay!" Then she just sidled up next to him a little too close for his comfort.

Twilight poked him. "Talk to me later," she whispered. "About her." She turned around. "Okay! Let's get going!" she said at the top of her voice.

The four of them left, though Pennaprose couldn't help but think that it was going to be a long day as he kept trying not to be directed into the bushes by Lyra.

---

They arrived at a hill within Sweet Apple Acres, the sounds of machinery already lighting the scene up. A large crane dominated the scene, towering over anything and everything around. The barn next to it already had a few holes punched in it; Twilight flew ahead, kicking up the grass, to talk to the operator. The noise died down momentarily the crane did too; Pennaprose noted with a pang that tied to end of the crane was a grayish pegasus mare instead of an iron ball. She was dragging a bale of hay.

Twilight flew down from the operator's chair, letting the machine rev back into motion. "I'd advise us stepping back. Berry Punch is driving that thing."

Pennaprose stared. "That's a bad thing, I take it?"

The crane swung suddenly, causing Twilight to use her magic to force everyone to duck. The mare tied to the end dragged the bay hale, dropping it next to them with a louder thud than suspected. "And Derpy's tied to the end. I heard those two started up a house remodeling business recently… but a crane?!"

The hay fell off, revealing a large fridge. Bon Bon opened it; apples, hay, apples, cider, more apples… "Think there's enough apples?" she remarked.

"Why the buck was that in there in the first place!?" Twilight yelled. "And why didn't they think to remove it before starting?"

The crane swung around again, but this time they had the foresight to duck. Pennaprose heard a loud, wringing metallic sound while his muzzle was in the dirt. When he looked up, there was a large hole in the back of the fridge and all of the food was gone. "Hey, is now a good time to back up, or should we wait for the toaster oven too?" he quipped.

As he finished speaking, Berry swung the crane around particularly fast, causing Derpy to shear off the top of the barn. The debris blinded them momentarily, but Pennaprose heard an 'Oof!'

Opening his eyes, he saw that Twilight was knocked unconscious. Derpy did not stop, however; Berry Punch flopped out of the driver's seat, seemingly passed out. The crane began to roll backwards, towards them.

"Quick, somepony stop that crane!" Bon Bon screamed.

Lyra bound forth, jumping into the control panels. Pennaprose, on the other hand, panicked, looking from the crane to Twilight. "Oh geez, oh geez, oh crap, oh geez…! Eff it!" He used his magic to grab Twilight by the tail and yank her out of harm's way. Meanwhile, Lyra spun the wheel to port, jammed her horn in the key hole, and blasted it. The engine sputtered in detest, then died, causing the angled treads to slow it down just enough to stop on the slope.

Lyra jumped out, a smile of triumph on her face. "I did that! Pennaprose, did you see? Pennaprose?"

Pennaprose was leaning over Twilight concernedly, poking her until she woke up. Lyra pouted, trotting over until Bon Bon stopped her. "Look, don't worry about it. You prevented some serious property damage either way, what's to complain about?"

"…Hmph. You're right. Whatever…" fumed Lyra. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean? Who said I was complaining?!" she retaliated, glaring at Twilight.

"Oh, forget it," answered Bon Bon. "You're kinda transparent about it. Even if he's as thickheaded as he looks, even he at least suspects."

Lyra snorted. "Hah, what? I have no idea what you're talking about, Bonnie."

"Sure. And I don't have candy wrappers on my flank, they're TIE fighters. I'm secretly a Star Mares fanatic, but nopony else knows it."

Lyra's grumpy expression vanished, replaced with one of confusion. "Really? How about Transformares?" asked Lyra. "Is there even more than meets the eye with you?"

Bon Bon stared. "…Yes. Yes, there is, but I'll tell you later."

The two of them looked over as Twilight stirred. "…Huh? What happened…?"

"You got sideswiped by the crane," said Pennaprose. "It's stopped now, though."

She got up, glancing over at the wreckage of the barn. "…Well, that's all we came to do anyways. C'mon, I told Pinkie I'd… wargh…" She held a hoof to her head.

"Come again? You sure you're all right?" Pennaprose asked. "You did kinda just get a concussion."

"I'm fine, I'm fine…" she insisted. "I have a checklist to finish. This isn't gonna stop me now."

She wandered away, towards the trees. Pennaprose and Bon Bon followed without further comment, but Lyra skulked behind them. Her gaze was fixed on Twilight alone.

Comments

[Moongaze14]

Lyra was funny in this chapter.