Gifts and Curses

by flamevulture17

20. Timeless

[Chapter 20]

Timeless

---

As Lyra ran through the part of town that she assumed was the route Andrew took, many ponies here and there were talking amongst each other in much larger numbers than usual. She thought Andrew's gallop through town would no doubt cause a stir between the townsfolk. It seems the rumors had already spread. Beside the chatter that was going on, she had no other way of knowing where the troubled stallion went. She stopped to eavesdrop on a group of ponies talking to one another, but did so acting as if she was minding her own business.

Unaware that Lyra was within earshot of their conversation, the three ponies of the group were asking each other a series of questions.

“Did you see that stallion run through here recently?” the brown Earth pony said.

“Yeah,” said the navy-blue pegasus. “He had a horn and wings.”

“That can't be right,” argued a gray unicorn filly. “Are you sure he had both?”

“I saw them with my own eyes. I also didn't see cutie mark.”

“No cutie mark?” the brown colt asked. “I don't believe it.”

“It's true. He looked like he was in a hurry, too.”

“Where did he go?” the filly asked.

“I don't know, but he was heading for the edge of town.” The mare gestured a hoof west. The gazes of her companions followed the general direction where she was pointing. Lyra did the same. “I saw Princess Luna flying after him, too.”

Lyra soon remembered what was west of Ponyville.

Instead sticking around to hear the rest of the conversation, Lyra pressed on her quest to seek out Andrew and hopefully not scare him away again. She slowed her pace to a trot, then to a casual stroll. Why would Andrew go to Sweet Apple Ac-

Then it hit her.

---

Luna stepped closer to Andrew to plop down right in front of him. He wasn't afraid anymore. He didn't move another muscle since turning around the face the Princess. His unfolded wings did twitch occasionally, but other that, he was as still as a statue with his eyes half open. His tentative complexion remained.

“You mind?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“Thanks.” Luna lowered her body to his level and sat down. She took a deep breath. “I know how you feel.”

“I doubt that.”

“No really, I do. I have been through a time when my emotions of anger got the best of me. They threw me in a dark mist from which I could not escape.”

Andrew seemed uninterested. His expression hardly changed. He was skeptical if she really did fell his lament. The Princess didn't look like the kind of individual who would have any problems with a hierarchical life like hers, being a ruler of an egalitarian society and all. Egalitarianism never worked with human societies, and probably never will, but this world was populated by an entirely different species with very different rules. He wasn't sure if the politics were anywhere near perfect. Despite it being a preferable place to live, he was an outsider; an intruder; an alien. Hopefully going back home was still possible, so he kept that hope lingering inside, waiting for a chance to make everything normal again. Living as a pony creature was the last thing he ever thought would happen in forever and a day.

“It all began over one thousand years ago,” Luna stated.

That number suddenly got his attention.

“You're kidding, right?” he inquired.

“Oh I am very serious. My dear sister and I live very long lives. All alicorns do. We are not strictly immortal, but almost. We have ruled Equestria together for thousands of years and will continue doing so for many more to come, but our time is limited.” Luna paused to see if he followed, noticing his face spring to life. She tilted her head a bit. “Lost yet?”

“No no, I got it, it's just that I have a hard time believing you, but anything is possible right?”

“Certainly. I have discovered a number of things in my life that I did not think was possible, like you for instance. I never thought other worlds existed beyond normal space, and I'm sure you thought the same. I enjoy new discoveries, as does my sister. Although when you see something that appears impossible, however, you show a level of fear that rejects those notions. Why is that?”

Andrew sighed. “I guess it's just who I am. The culture I belong to tries to explain everything using science, but there are some people gullible enough that will believe anything. I'm somewhere in between.”

“Interesting.” Luna pondered for a moment to find the appropriate words to say. “Our little ponies follow the wonders of this magical land according to an ancient mentality of mystery. At least I do. So in effect, we attempt to seek beyond our normal understanding where some things may appear impossible, which is the reason why we must accept whatever we find in the event the impossible becomes a reality. Among all the marvels this world offers, it also has its dangers.”

“That... sorta makes sense. If only all humans were like that, unfortunately. Me? I try my best to understand as much as I can, but I fail a lot. The accepting part is not easy.”

“I agree. So are you capable of understanding the story of my banishment from Equestria? Fill free to ask questions as I tell you this true tale.”

Okay, NOW he was curious.

“You were banned from your own country? Talk about harsh.”

“Indeed. This occurred as a result of my anger as I've mentioned. See, my sister and I share our duties by bring forth the day and night.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We use our powerful magic to raise the sun and moon each day and night.”

“Literally?”

“Yes. It is what give our subjects the warmth of the day and the beauty of the night. My sister, Princess Celestia, controls the sun with her share of magic, while I am in charge of bringing forth the moon at dusk, which will be approaching soon enough.”

Andrew had difficulty understanding the 'control' part of that statement, let alone accept it, but when she said magic, that was it. Whenever the word magic was mentioned, he didn't care if it wasn't possible by practical means. It's freaking magic!

He simply gave her a nod.

“It was my belief that my beloved night was shunned by my little ponies as they slept it away. I was heartbroken. My emotions of resent had greatly overshadowed my judgment. All the bitterness deep inside me had eventually taken over. I was inevitably transformed into the evil Nightmare Moon from the resulting anger.”

“Was it still you inside?”

“Partly. The creature known as Nightmare Moon had consumed me.I tried to break free myself, but I had become too weak to fight back the darkness. Nightmare Moon began its reign over Equestria by shrouding in eternal night. I was trapped inside this form, helpless, as its terror loomed across the land. I watched as its power was too great a match for my elder sister, Princess Celestia. However, there was only one source of power strong enough to contain the Nightmare. The Elements of Harmony. My sister wielded the Elements to defeat Nightmare Moon, banishing it away for good, taking me with it.”

“Where did you go?”

“The moon.”

Andrew couldn't help but laugh. “Seriously?”

Luna, however, didn't think it was remotely funny. In fact, she was slightly insulted by his reaction. However, she should have known he'd find it astounding, comical even. She was incompetent of a human's sense of humor and decided to leave it alone.

“Yes. My banishment as Nightmare Moon lasted a thousand years, until very recently when Twilight Sparkle and her five friends used the Elements of Harmony to break the spell for good, releasing me from the evil I desperately sought to overcome, but could not do so on my own. I owe my life to those six mares.”

“It's a bit much for just going nuts, don't you think? A thousand years is a long ass time.”

Luna looked away for a second. Andrew noticed a single tear form on Luna's eyes. She fluttered her eyelids to shake the teardrop free. He also heard variations in her breathing when she exhaled slowly. It was an indication that Luna genuinely felt the regret come back to her. She quickly collected herself and faced him again, somewhat embarrassed for not keeping her composure together.

Luna sniffled. “I suppose.”

“Oh.”

Luna shuffled to her hooves. Standing nearly three times taller than Andrew in his current position, she turned around, took a few steps, and gazed off into the distance.

“I have never felt so dreadful in all my life. I have no memory of my banishment while trapped within the moon. It went by so quickly, like no time had elapsed at all. A thousand years ago still feels like it was just yesterday.” She paused to hold back a sob. “The worst part is that all of my closest friends, and every pony I knew, are now long gone. I never even got a chance to say goodbye.”

Andrew felt more humble with each word the Princess forced herself to say. As if his problems weren't bad enough, it was nothing compared to what Luna had evidently experienced. Her lament was sincere, and now that it all started to come back to her, she could not help but hide her face from him. If what she felt was true, Andrew had no right to complain.

It was quiet for several seconds before Luna continued.

“I lost every friend I ever loved; ponies, dragons, and gryphons alike. All because I thought I wasn't being treated fairly. All because I hated being the one pony no one cared about. I know now that is not true, but I was too blind to realize that. I did have good friends. I loved them. But now that they're all gone, there is no way of knowing what they felt when I left. I with I had a chance to tell them how much I really missed them.” Luna gained the courage to turn back to Andrew. “My sister is all that I have now. Sure, I've made new friends after the curse was broken, but I can't help but think about what I've done.”

…

Andrew was completely silent. He was not sure what to say. Any response he could come up with wouldn't do much good. She was right. She did feel his pain, if not more so. In fact, she lost everything she cared about and was struggling severely to let it all go. She couldn't. Although moving on was a part of life, this was not the life Luna thought she would have after so long. Everything she said was from her heart. It wasn't just a story, but a painful memory that scarred her from the inside out.

After a few more unsettling moments, Princess Luna was finished. Both with her story and the emotion that followed. She could have planted the memory inside his mind with a spell, but she didn't have to. She saw it his eyes. He was on the verge of crying himself. Rather than worrying about her own life, she wanted to help Andrew fix his with all her heart and soul. Preventing others from experiencing a similar fate allowed Luna to release the overflowing sadness that continued to linger internally. Bit by bit, she'd eventually forgive herself. For now, he needed her help more.

“Can you say the same?” she finally asked.

He slowly nodded, avoiding eye contact with her.

“I know you must think everything around you must be a dream.”

“Not anymore.”

“Good.” She paused. “It can only get better from here. Despite all I've said, I try to live with my mistakes and deal with whatever trouble comes my way. I'm not about to give up on you, and I hope you don't give up on yourself.”

Andrew his head down the whole time, but that statement was enough to fuel his spirit to look up at the distraught Princess. They stared at each other for a moment, then smiled.

“Do you still want to go back home?”

“Yes. But I guess it can wait a little longer.”

---

Lyra strolled through the Apple orchard as the sun began to set below the horizon. The rays of light sprayed warm air onto her coat. Loose leaves brushed in the wind, dragging along the gravel around her hooves. That, with the addition of singing birds, filtered out all other sounds. She looked up at the growing fruit on the trees of the late winter season as she walked, unmindful of the terrain in front of her. Because of that, one of her hooves kicked something in her path. A single red apple rolled along the dirt and came to a stop to greet more of its fallen friends.

Right then, she heard voices directly ahead of her. They were muffled, but familiar. She picked up the pace.

“How do you use these things anyway?” said Andrew's voice. “They feel so weird.”

“They take some getting used to,” Luna responded. “Are you able to move them?”

Lyra finally found who she was searching for. She came around the final tree, taking cautious steps around fallen apples. She was in plain sight, but neither pony noticed her presence.

“Hi,” she said to get their attention.

They quickly turned.

“Lyra?” Luna said. “What are you doing here?”

“I, uh, just wanted to see if I there was anything I could do.” Lyra paused, wondering if she was interrupting. “Is this a bad time?”

“Not at all.” Luna stood up and walked over to the unicorn. “May I talk to you first? Alone.”

“Okay?”

They didn't go far, just out of earshot and behind an Apple tree. Andrew was left to wait for them to finish, but was in a much brighter mood than before. As the two left to exchange their private conversation, he used the given time to stand up and stretch, and maybe figure out how to use his extra limbs. He attempted to move the muscles that connected the wings to his back and forced them to flap up and down in a sloppy manner. Another pair of limbs felt strangely invigorating.

- - -

“Is Andrew alright?” Lyra asked.

“Yes. He is fine now. Listen, I don't mean to disappoint you, but I expected you to follow my demands. This is important and I did not want any distractions.” Personally, Luna was half-expecting Lyra to disregard those orders and try to make things right.

The mint-green unicorn was taken back a little. Luna was hardly this persistent, but she understood why. At least Lyra wasn't as sensitive as her friend Twilight.

“I know, but it hurt me to see him like that. I couldn't just do nothing.”

“Neither could I.”

“I mean, I've been dreaming of meeting a human in person, but I never imagined it like this.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I spared you the trouble of reasoning with him. I assume you came here to do that. He's over it now. He is willing to be more compliant if we find a way to help him return home. Once he is safely back in his own world, then we can close the case, okay?”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot we were still on our investigation, hehe.”

A smile slowly emerged onto Lyra's face. The Princess smiled back. They were just about to rejoin Andrew when Luna suddenly remember something.

“Oh, one more thing. Have you considered my offer yet?” she asked.

“I'm still thinking about it. Are you sure your sister will allow it?”

“Oh please. Celestia can be a bit bossy, but I get to make my own decisions as Princess of the Night.”

“I guess so. I always liked you more. Don't tell her I said that though.”

The mares chuckled. Luna nodded.

“You have my word.” She placed a hoof on Lyra's head and rubbed her mane. “Come on silly filly. Let's not keep our new friend waiting.”

They strolled back to join Andrew, but when the apple-riddled area came into view, he was gone. They rushed over to the clean patch of dirt under the apple tree and frantically whirled their heads around.

“Up here guys.”

The worried pair snapped their heads directly above them. They found Andrew hanging on for dear life from one of the highest branches of the tree.

“Hi,” he said, smiling anxiously.

“You taught him how to fly, too?” Lyra asked, dumbfounded.

“Not exactly.”

“A little help here,” he called.

Luna immediately flapped her wings and swiftly flew out of sight. A few seconds later, she returned, pushing a sizable white cloud down from the sky. She placed it directly beneath the tree, two meters from the ground.

“Oh nu uh! That stuff is freaky,” he complained, looking down at the cloud. He clutched the branch tighter against his chest.

“It's not that bad. Just try not to overreact this time.”

Andrew was hesitant at first to fall a second time, even when he knew what to expect. He squeezed his eyes shut as he released his grip and fell several yards until he landed directly on his target, bouncing in a similar manner as before. Fun? Yes. Freaky? Definitely. Luna lowered the misty substance to ground level. He quickly started squirming to get on solid ground, but not as fiercely as before. He almost fell over when all four of his hooves contacted the dirt.

Before Luna brushed away the cloud, Andrew studied it. He touched it a few times, even punched it. It felt soft and spongy. His hoof pressed against the mist which resulted in a physical interaction like pressing into a plush foam wall. It was cold and comfortable at the same time. He would never fully understand the physics.

Luna and Lyra watched him examine cloud with glee. Even witnessing the human trying to understand the attributes of something as simple as a cloud was entertaining. Luna didn't even know what a human really looked like in physical form. Lyra had a somewhat undefined idea. As much as it killed Lyra to know more about him, and possibly his culture, there was simply not enough time to cover it all. They were planning to send him back as soon as possible anyway. She has already learned a lot from the short time she's been with Andrew. There was so much she could learn if he stayed a little while longer.

The sky began dimming down as the rays of sunlight were almost horizontal. Luna was aware that the sun would not set until she raised the moon. Luna waited for this particular moment as she thought it would be perfect to show Andrew how it she used her power for the coming night, but had a more credible idea in mind. She had no doubt he'd be more impressed than a simple cloud. Even though it was routine to magically move celestial objects, it continued to amaze even Luna herself. The process seemed almost effortless.

When the curious colt had enough of the floating white ball of water molecules, he pushed it aside where it hit a tree and dissipated. He chuckled.

There was one thing Luna had to do before her demonstration. Keeping Andrew's attention on edge, Luna used her magic to manifest a paper and quill out of thin air. She carefully began writing something down. Half a minute later, she rolled it up and it disappeared the same way it came.

“What was that about?” Andrew asked.

“You wanna see something even more amazing?” Luna said, grinning ear to ear. “Follow me.”

---

Canterlot Castle
6:46PM
Princess Celestia's Quarters

The Princess of the Day gazed out over her balcony towards the horizon. The sun was waiting to slip below the Smokey Mountains, sitting motionless in the sky. The sun remained in the same position for fifteen minutes, which was not normal. However, it was hardly noticeable to ponies if they weren't paying attention to the movement of the sun. Sundown was usually her favorite time of the day with the vibrant colors of the sunset that were absolutely marvelous to watch. She had always admired her own work, as well as that of her sister's. Beautiful, for the lack of a better word.

Celestia grew worried of her sister. She wondered if Luna was so wrapped up in her responsibilities that she had lost track of time and forgot to raise the moon on schedule. For a pony being awake all night and day, she hoped insomnia and/or fatigue wasn't to blame. It was a quarter to seven, which was far past the normal time for the transition between day and night in the spring. It wasn't like Luna to neglect her responsibilities.

However, Celestia was prepared in the event that Luna did forget. She stood out on the balcony, ready raise the moon for her little sister. She was confident enough to do both jobs, having done so for over a thousand years, but now that her sister was back in her rightful place, it would not be right to steal the task without proper consent. There had to be a good reason for Luna's tardiness.

Celestia couldn't wait any longer. She closed her eyes and lit up her horn.

*zap*

A small burst of light somewhere in the room broke her initial concentration. She turned around to find a scroll laying in the middle of her room with the lunar insignia imprinted on the strap. Perfect timing, little sister. It's about time.

Celestia levitated the parchment to eye level, unwrapped the seal, and read the letter.

Dearest sister,

I apologize for the late report. The investigation is going better than expected and we finally found what we've been looking for. However, matters have gotten more complicated than I have anticipated. I will explain everything later when we are finished. There is one thing I ask of you that will show our new friend of our true potential. I will need you to reverse the direction of the sun at exactly 6:50pm for a few seconds. That way, it will convince him that we have the power to send him back home. It will totally blow his mind! It would mean a lot.

Thanks

- Luna

What? Is she being serious?

P.S. I'm being totally serious.

Oh.

Celestia read the letter a second time. Then a third time. Who's this new friend? Why must she need to show him this extraordinary favor? What would moving the sun backward accomplish? If is was important, it's a bit much, isn't it? She had no major problems with requests in the past, but this was pushing it a bit. This better be important, but then again, her entire day had been nothing but surprises and discovery. The more she thought about it, the less she wanted to waste time arguing to herself. It was only a for a brief time right? There's no harm in that.

The regal white alicorn sighed. She trotted over to her royal desk and gently placed the scroll next to a neat pile of marked scrolls labeled 'Friendship Reports'. The minute ticked at six forty nine on her antique grandfather clock beside her. It would be the first time in a long time Celestia reversed the orbit of the sun.

Trotting back onto the balcony, she gazed back over the horizon.

---

Sweet Apple Acres
6:49PM

Princess Luna, Lyra Heartstrings, and Andrew Fera cleared the treeline and made is to a small hill on the Apple plantation. They came to a halt on its peak.

“Here we are.”

“Where's here?”

“A vantage point, for what I want to show you,” Luna answered.

“Okay...” Andrew looked around. “What am I looking for?”

Lyra was just as curious. She was wondering if proving to Andrew of an alicorn's extraordinary power was really necessary, yet she wondered even more what that stunt would be. The one thing that the both of them could see was the spectacular view of the sky, post-sundown. From where they were situated (within the valley basin), the sun had already moved below the mountains. But in Canterlot, where the city is elevated some couple thousand feet above the valley floor, the sunset was just about to begin, making way for the night. Maybe Luna wanted to show him how the process of lifting the moon was done? Would it matter though if he was already accepting of this world's abilities of magic?

“Remember I told you that my sister, Princess Celestia, controls the sun?”

“I think so,” Andrew replied. “That's probably the only thing I don't believe you on.”

Luna looked back towards the mountains. It would be any moment now, hoping her sister got the message in time. She counted on her to make it happen.

“You wanna watch the sunset again?”

“Tomorrow? I'm not-”

“No,” Luna interrupted. “Right now.”

Andrew scrunched the muscles in his face to express his confusion. “I don't see-”

All three of their gazes converged at the reddest part of the sky, just above the horizon. For a few seconds, nothing seemed to happen. The everything was the same. Nothing changed.

Then, for a split second, an immense flash of white light flickered beyond the horizon as a visible wave of energy streaked across the sky before their very eyes. Its effects spread rapidly and faded above them as fast as it came, but by then, there were very few words to describe what followed.

Rising higher and higher as it reversed its direction, the glorious orange star that is the sun was lifted out of the dark to reveal the spectacular glowing orb of sheer hot mass and energy. The very thing that made life possible decided to screw physics in all worlds and flip its orbit. The shape and brightness of the enormous object of relentless power radiated into clear view of the trio as rays of sunlight contacted their bodies and the unblinking stares in the eyes of two ponies.

In effect, the atmosphere became more illuminated and the landscape came back to life. The air got a tad bit warmer, but it was mostly felt by direct exposure to sunlight heating up the fur on their faces. It was nothing less than unbelievable for the sun to travel so far backwards in such a small amount to time. Fifteen seconds tops. Andrew wanted to deny it ever happening, yet there is was, resting peacefully above the mountain range as it did just one half hour ago.

It took Andrew and Lyra by complete surprise as they watched in absolute awe of what they had just witnessed. Lyra's predictions were way off, but this was far more convincing and impressive to her. She knew it wasn't impossible, but this was the first time seeing it for herself. Ancient texts in several old books she read in the library of the royal archives briefly mentioned it as event to test the potential of an alicorn's true power. However, she noticed Luna didn't light up her horn during that whole event. One more thing that puzzled her.

Lyra shook her head free of the mesmerizing sight to get her thoughts straight.

“Luna?” she began. “I'm aware that you're perfectly capable of raising the both the sun and moon. So why weren't you the one to reverse time by moving back the sun yourself?”

“In actuality, dear Lyra, time was not reversed. Anypony in Equestria fortunate enough to watch the event did so in natural time. The sun simply moved counter to its original path across the sky.”

“Simply!?” Andrew shouted, coming back to reality. “Are you crazy? That was... that was...”

“Unbelievable?” Luna said.

“Awesome! I was going to say awesome. Unbelievable works, too.” Andrew too a deep breath and looked back at the sun, which began to move normally again. Lyra was busy forming thoughts and questions in her mind for both ponies, but delayed her speech to admire the sunset.

A minute later, after the sun set for the second time that day, Lyra finally got the chance to voice her concerns.

“Did you ask your sister to do that?” she asked.

“Yes indeed,” Luna replied. “I sent a quick letter directly to her, notifying her of my request. I had some doubts she would do it on such short notice.”

“But why her and not you?”

“Because, I will be needing all the power I have in me to send Andrew home.”

Luna then manifested another parchment in front of her and began writing another note.

---

Sugarcube Corner
7:01PM

Silence filled the lobby of the pastry shop. Actually, everything's been silent for the last ten minutes or so. Before that, a series of incoherent mumbles and questions bounced off the wall of the room as four mares went ballistic. One moment, Ponyville was preparing for the night as the outside lighting dimmed darker, but the next thing they know, the entire store suddenly lights up from an sudden increase in brightness. They all ran outside to investigate the immediate vicinity the building, hoping it wasn't a sign of impending danger. Among the group, Pinkie Pie was the first to notice the something peculiar about the sun.

As far as Twilight was concerned, she never thought she'd live to see the day when the sun reverses its orbit so unexpectedly. Strangely enough, the star only rose high enough for them to witness a second sunset in the same day. She was desperate for an explanation that she dashed back inside to promptly assault Lyra's Project Black Book for the answer. Her friends were far more perplexed and captivated than Twilight, watching the sun slip beneath the horizon once more.

(Shortly after Lyra left, a chariot pulled by two pegasi of the Royal Guard finally arrived to Ponyville with a small load of items. It took them almost three hours to be precise. The guards explained the issues they had with properly transporting her belongings, having been held back with duties Princess Celestia gave them. Better late than never, but of course, there was really no set deadline to transport the goods other than to ship them to Ponyville whenever possible. Applejack helped Twilight unload four items: two hard cases and two saddlebags. With so little luggage delivered, it took them just one trip back inside. The guards took off immediately with no time to waste. As they got the stuff settled on one of the tables, the orange farm pony wondered why Rainbow Dash was still hanging around. She was examining Andrew's things that she was told to gather from Pinkie Pie's bedroom. It wasn't like the pegasus speedster to wait. She hates waiting. Perhaps this instance was an exception for obvious reasons. At least she found something to occupy her precious time with. It was shortly after when the rise in exterior lighting grabbed their attention.)

Twilight had no luck yet finding a section on time reversal. Probably because she was hardly a quarter the way through it by the time her friends returned indoors. She hoped to find the answer from such a unknown book, researched by some unknown pony from some unknown place, written during an unknown era of era of the past with the most unknown information about the unknown in the history of the unknown. Very intriguing.

It never occurred to Twilight as to where the Mr. and Mrs. Cake had gone. They haven't returned from what she assumed to be a quick errand, but Pinkie Pie told her they took the day off. They trusted Pinkie enough to run Sugarcube Corner for a whole day without setting it of fire.

However, she was often distracted when a more pressing concern came to mind. She kept thinking of three particular ponies. Above all, there was so much she could learn from this whole endeavor, and Andrew was the key component. However, to counteract her avidity, the words Lyra hit her with were taken into strong consideration. She didn't was to admit it, but Lyra was right. It would be wrong to neglect him for their selfish benefit. Twilight felt a reoccurring pity every time she thought about it. She became more concerned for poor Andrew. He'd been through a lot in so little time. She only hoped Luna and/or Lyra were able to gain his friendship if and when they found him.

Another distraction that presented itself was Rainbow Dash. Her fast-flying friend occasionally acted like a immature foal when one of the small black devises buzzed. It was the same object that buzzed before Andrew told them it was harmless. He said it was a 'phone'. Telephone. Cellphone. Is there a difference? Twilight repeated each word to herself in her head. It was definitely not in the Equestrian Dictionary, and she's read the dictionary at least five times. The device seemed highly advanced, made of a material she has never seen before.

Twilight got back to her book. Or at least she tried to. The short conversation with Andrew was fascinating. She didn't know for sure whether he was smarter than her. How could she know? She didn't know how a telephone worked and probably would never get a chance to. Hay, she was even scared of such a small object when it came to life. She thought it was alive for corn sake!

Applejack was helping Pinkie Pie bake some cupcakes in the kitchen for if and when Luna and Lyra return with Andrew. They thought it would be a good idea to cheer him up a bit. The rest of the lobby was silent, except for Rainbow's squeaky giggles. Twilight was on the brink of going nuts.

The phone buzzed once again and, to Twilight's surprise, she heard a different voice in whom she did not recognize. It was followed by a gasp.

“Hello?”

The voice echoed from somewhere in the room, and it definitely wasn't Rainbow Dash talking. Twilight looked up from the pages in front of her and over to Rainbow. They both shared the same face.

“Who was that?” Twilight asked.

“Is anybody there?” the voice said again. It was hard to understand through the choppiness of the words.

“I- I don't know,” Rainbow shrugged, her expression showing a hint of fear.

Twilight got up off the floor and trotted over to the light-blue pegasus.

“Who's there?” it said again.

This time they found the source of the voice. It came from the small black phone sitting of the table. It was talking to them. It was distinguishably a male voice. The two ponies eyed each other, and stared back down at the device, anticipating it to speak again.

“I can hear someone talking.”

“Should we say something?” Rainbow suggested.

“Who is that!?” it immediately said. Rainbow jumped when it responded to her.

“Eeep!” she shrieked.

“Calm down, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight uttered.

“Rainbow Dash? Who the hell is using this phone!?”

Twilight covered her mouth with a hoof to hold back a similar shriek as her friend. The both of them back away slowly.

“It knows we're here,” Rainbow whispered. “Is there somepony using magic to spy on us with that thing?”

“I don't think so,” Twilight replied in the same subdued voice. “But let's not keep it waiting.”

Rainbow Dash lightly nodded. The mares cautiously walked back to the table.

“Answer me! I know someone's there. What have you done to my best friend!?”

Twilight gulped.

“H-hello?”

Comments

[flamevulture17]

Have chapter 20 early

[0]

A welcomed update.

[Northwest Brony]

This one is long and has lots of information. Another!