Twilight's journey

by Skarsnik

Chapter 10 - Emerald

Day 1x :

It’s been a week already since she can do magic again. I expected her to practice a lot but she get mad quickly, having to learn like a foal. Well young unicorn have trouble focusing enough magic to lift or move something, she has trouble restraining herself to do the same. At first it was fun to watch small rock fly one hundred meter in the air at top speed, but it get pretty boring after one afternoon. Today Spike tried to teach her some minor spells like creating light with her horn, but she said that doesn’t make sense for her, she said I quote “I understand the theory, but that’s not right”, only when I show her the spell multiple time she said “Oh I see”, and managed to cast it. But being blind for ten minutes was not a pleasant experience, so we choose to stick to levitation for now. When she is too annoyed by magic, she try to fly or go exploring alone the forest, she seem to enjoy flying even if she crash a lot. I guess learning something new is more appealing.

Ok that should be enough though Emerald while closing his journal. This whole thing is crazy, I think I need something to relax, I need... a drink, yeah just a drink, not getting drunk, but enjoying a moment of peace, maybe some company.

He combed his yellow mane and tail with a brush, then took another one for his coat. He eyed his suit that was neatly folded on a drawer, but decided against it. The stallion left his room and saw Spike on the couch reading a comic.

“Spike, I am going out.”

“You don’t have to ask, I am not your father.”

“I am not asking.”

“Whatever, have fun.”

Emerald was trotting through door when Twilight saw him from the stairs and asked “Where are you going?”

The stallion stopped and turned his head “Err, I am going to the bar.”

Twilight reached the bottom of the stair “For what?”

Emerald put a hoof behind his head “Err. to try to meet new… ponies”

One ears of the alicorn perked and she smiled “Can I come?”

“What? No sorry, Twilight. I rather go alone.”

“Ok…” her smile quickly faded.

Emerald was ready to move again, but he noticed the change of expression on Twilight, “Why are you sad? I am not leaving.”

“Oh it’s not that. I spend most of my time here or in the forest. Every time I am in the town, ponies try to avoid me, you are the only pony I am comfortable talking, with Spike.”

“We can talk more tomorrow, if you want.”

“It’s maybe stupid, but for once I wanted to talk with other ponies around” Twilight bit her lower lips “I don’t know, it feel more normal.”

“Hm I see” here goes my plan “Ok Twilight you can come” Emerald switched his gaze to drake in the room “if Spike is ok with that.”

Spike lowered his comic book away from his face, “Why do you ask me? I am not her dad.”

Emerald raised an eyebrow “The way you act toward her?”

Twilight interrupted the small exchange “I am here you know.”

Spike and Emerald shared a small laugh, then the stallion looked at the alicorn. “Alright, let’s get going.”

“Remember-” started Spike

“I know dad, no magic” Twilight stick out her tongue at Spike and giggled then she grabbed her concealing cloak.

Emerald let her out first and closed the door. When they were some meters away from the house Twilight talked again “So, you do that often? Going to bars to meet new ponies?”

Err, I don’t want she think I am some kind of tail chaser “Well, I try to meet new ponies to have some company of my age, Spike is nice but even if he look young, I know he is older than me.”

The mare sighed “It’s still hard for me to see him all grow up like that.”

“You should be happy. I mean he clearly really like his job.”

“Yes, he look serious. he said he took that from me” Twilight smiled “All I remember is seeing him sleep or read comics when he was not helping me.”

Emerald chuckled “Oh he still does that a lot when he is not working.” The house of the town were quite shattered so they still had some distance to trot. Emerald asked “What he looked like when he was younger?”

Twilight was describing some of her memory of Spike when they arrive at the entrance of the bar. Emerald got struck by a realisation, Wait I am going to a bar alone with a mare, ok this is awkward.

They went to a table a bit isolated, even if Twilight wanted to be around other ponies. Emerald didn’t know what they would talk so he wanted to avoid some eavesdropping and that seems to please the bartender to not have a cloaked figure in plain sight.

“I am tired of this thing” Twilight let a small sigh while removing her hood. “I think I didn’t ask. What does ponies know about me?”

“Not that much actually, outside of what you have done.”

“That’s all?’

“Actually Spike explained me why. The Princesses prevented the media to not spread too much information on you, so ponies involved in your life could have a normal life.”

“I guess I can understand their reason. It feel weird they are hiding so much.”

“Not really. Spike told me you can find a lot of information in the Royal Archive in some restricted area that will go to public once enough time is passed, but you can also ask the good ponies to learn more.”

Emerald looked a the empty table in front of them and the waitress serving another table, she was a orange unicorn mare with a beer keg for cutie mark, he asked Twilight “So what do you want to drink?”

“Err, I don’t know, I think I never went in a bar like that.”

“You never hang out with friends?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really remember...”

Hum better not let wondering her memory too much “Ok, want me to choose for you, then?”

“Hu, sure.”

Emerald left his seat and went to the bar counter. He get back with one beer for a him and a glass of a red sparkling liquid. He put the beer in front of his chair and the other glass in front of the mare.

“Thank you”, Twilight looked at his drink a puzzled look on his face

“It’s a Prench cocktail called Monaco. It’s a very light drink: grenadine, some beer and lemonade.” Emerald noticed the small twitch on the face of the alicorn “Oh sorry, maybe you don’t want something with alcohol, I can get you something else.”

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to bring you to Spike drunk.”

“I don’t need his permission” Twilight giggled a little and start sipping from the straw provided with the drink. “Oh it’s really good” she took another sip and asked “Can I ask you something?”

“Yes”, Emerald replied just before taking another small sip of his beer

“Can you tell me more about you?”

Emerald almost choked the content of his month on the table but just swallowed, why that sound like something you said on a date

“Err, why that?”

“You probably learn a lot about me and Spike, but you rarely talk about you.”

Ok that make sense “Oh right, hm where to start.” Emerald eyed his glass and took a sip.

“As you know, I am from a noble family, but it’s not the type of noble most pony think. I will not do a complete history lesson of my house. The house Scroll was one the main guardian of knowledge of Equestria, originally we were responsible for nearly everything. But now we only run the Royal Canterlot Archive and the Canterlot Library. It’s a council that take global decision for all Equestria. But you probably know about it already.”

“Not really, I think I always asked the Princess directly.”

“I just realise, you probably have meet my mother, she was at the reception of the library before meeting my father. Sapphire Flower?”

“Hm, no sorry, I don’t remember” Twilight took another taste of her dink “Why did you say most pony think about noble? I probably never paid attention to that.”

“I am surprised considering your brother is a Prince, but I should not assume so much thing about you” Emerald brought his glass to his mouth before talking again “Hm, how to said that. Most pony only see noble as ponies playing politic and seek for social influence.”

“And your family not?”

“Well my father often say: ‘When you control knowledge you don’t really need more’ but it’s more a joke. Actually a lot of noble family are just happy with what they have.”

Twilight paused for a second, “And what about you?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you talked about your family, but you?”

“Sorry, as you probably guessed I am a student, I study in the CSGU, well now I more on my own with Spike. It’s a long story, but you will probably laugh at me.”

Twilight eyed her drink them looked at the neutral expression of Emerald “Why I will do that?”

Nice how to explain to a genius, that your are not a good student?

“I should have left the school three year ago, but I am not that good with all advanced theory of the last years. Actually I never enjoyed theoretical magic theory” Emerald paused to look at the reaction of Twilight, her gaze was focused on nothing. “Twilight?”

She shook her head “Oh, sorry, I was trying to remember what I have learned, but again nothing or nothing that make sense.”

“It’s alright.” Emerald replied but said nothing more. He was worried that Twilight would cry or start yelling. She didn’t take so well to remember nothing about magic, Emerald could understand, despite not being a model student, he would not be happy himself to forget everything he learned about magic. That left a silent were both of them enjoyed of their drink. Twilight finished her drink, that give an opportunity for Emerald. he also finished his beer and said

“Want another one? or something else?” buck that sounded like I am trying to get her drunk

Twilight released the straw and looked at the stallion with a smile “Another one is fine.”

This time Emerald asked for the waitress to have new drinks. After he was done Twilight talked again:

“Sorry I interrupted you”

“So I was saying, yes. I did the last year twice, but the third time the school didn’t want me again. Luckily for me, Spike was searching for a new assistant and made a deal with my father and the school. I would be Spike’s assistant for two years, in this time I have to write a study and Spike could train me to teach foals and I will get my degree.”

“That’s nice of him.”

The stallion chuckled “Well he really don’t have a choice and me neither. Most of students found that job boring and other just don’t trust him. But I have to admit being his assistant is not bad, and he is good company.”

“Something that bother me. If I remember correctly you can leave the school earlier, there are intermediate degrees.”

Emerald sighed “Yes, but I don’t really know what to do, my dad want me to have this degree, and my special talent offer me a limited job choice.”

Twilight tilted her head, trying look at the flank of the stallion “Oh what is your special talent? Are you a writer?”

Emerald looked behind him, but he could not see the familiar light green quill resting atop a yellow star that adorned his flanks “The quill? Pony always think it’s related to writing because of the quill. No I am good at pick up magic signature. It’s rather useless by itself.”

A frown formed on Twilight’s forehead “I don’t understand.”

“It’s confusing said like this, let me clarify. it’s not like Spike where he have an understanding of what kind of spell is cast or the strength of it. I can memorise and identify pony magic signature, like if you enchant something, I will know it’s you when I find the enchanted item.”

The alicorn splitted the straw she was nibbling on “Wait you have memorised my signature?”

“Oh sorry, It’s a bad habit I have taken when I was younger. Tet’s say it was hard to prank me without staying anonymous. I hope that doesn’t offend you.”

“No, I am just curious, how does that work?”

“Well I heard, some powerful unicorn can do the same if they train for it. I can describe it’s like memorise tasting a dish and being able to recognize it, how it work I don’t know.”

The eyes of the mare lit up “Can you keep track of an infinity number of signature? how long can you keep it? Do you need to see it once?”

And here we go that again, it’s kinda cute, “Haha, you are really curious,” Emerald let out a small laugh and smiled.

“Oh Sorry.” Twilight blushed a bit

“No don’t be sorry, it’s fine, but it’s hard to answer if you ask too many question at the same time,” Emerald paused, the waitress arrived with their drinks, put them on their table and smiled at Emerald and give him a wink before leaving. Hm weird, is she flirting with me? Whatever she is too old for me.

Emerald took a sip of his beer before talking, “So to answer your questions, I can’t memorize everything, it’s work probably like smell, the more I get exposed to a magic trace, the more it’s easy to recognize. But they are exception, like I don’t think I can forget your signature, it’s really peculiar.”

“How so?” the alicorn shifted in her sit.

Emerald paused to took another sip of his beer before answering, Twilight did the same with her drink

“Hm, how to describe that, It felt strong, pure...and beautiful” wait did I really say that? Great Emerald, now she must think I am trying to flirt with her.

“Beautiful?” Twilight blushed and had trouble focusing one something.

“Err, don’t get the wrong idea, it’s just magic signature, it’s hard to describe.”

There was an embarrassing silence for both of them, I hope she think I didn’t mean to offend her, Emerald took a large sip of his bear, he start feeling the effect of alcohol hm etheir this beer is very strong or I was more tired than I think. He watched Twilight take a large sip too, but she stopped, a confused look on her face

“I... feel sleepy”

Wait! she barely drink anything “Maybe we should get back home” He rose from his chair.

Twilight tried to rise up too, but she had trouble holding still, she said “Oh, it’s...turning.”

“It’s alright Twilight. Wait here I will pay and help you”, Emerald went to the counter to paid for the four drink, then he get back to their table. He watched Twilight having trouble staying on her four leg. Err, seem like I have to carry her

“Twilight, hm, can you climb on my back? I will carry you.”

“Thank... you” Emerald helped the mare to climb on her back. They started walking out of the bar. Emerald was not an earth pony but the alicorn actually didn’t weigh much, it was more troublesome to avoid slipping on trailing the cloak.

When Emerald was near the exit of the bar, the waitress give him a wink. What again?, No... she was not flirting. Are you kidding me?. He turned to her “What did you do with our drink?!”

The mare smirked “Oh relax, just giving you some help, she looked so clueless.”

Emerald scolded the waitress “You were thinking I was on a date with Twi” buck ”.. my sister?!”

“As I could have know” the waitress waved one hoof and get back at her work.

Emerald moved through the door and left “I can’t believe some pony still does this kind of thing.”

He was mid way to their house when he paused, he felt Twilight shift position on his back, he felt hooves getting around his neck.

“You... are... like... him” said the soft voice of Twilight.

Emerald started panicking What? does she take me for her coltfriend?

“Listen, Twilight I flattered you see me like…” he felt the hooves get a tighter grip on him, he turned his head to look at the alicorn on his back, she was closing her eyes and he heard her said a name with a small smile on her face

“Shiny...”

The stallion smiled too Shiny? so it was his name.

When he arrived at the their house, Emerald was getting tired and sleepy, No light? Spike must be already in bed. He opened the door and he looked at the stairs. He yawned Ok I don’t think I can climb that. “Twilight, wake up”, but he get no answer. He could hear and feel her steady breath on his neck, it was relaxing, too relaxing. He yawned again. I need to put her in my bed.

He reached his room, place himself aside of his bed and lean to try to make the alicorn on his back fall, but her grip on his neck was too strong and only the lower half of her body was on the bed “Hm, Twilight wake up.” again no answer, he tried again “Miss Sparkle? Can you let’s me go?”

Emerald had a last thought before he place himself along her on his own bed great, Spike is gonna kill me

Author's Note:

This is the chapter that make me replan a lot of time how this story could go from here. Luckily for you I will stick to the original plan (understand no weird romance starting after that)

I realise I never described how Emerald looked like: so here a picture

Comments

[Cross Lament]

Totally-innocent sleeping arrangements. Honest!