//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Quesadilla Conquest // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// The evening promised to be cool and glorious, with a gentle breeze coming in from the west. The sun hadn’t set, not yet, but it would soon, and this time of day made Twilight think of her friend, Sunset Shimmer. A train blew its whistle, a longing and mournful sound, though Twilight could not say why she thought this way. Fluttershy had wandered off to find food and Twilight knew that she should be doing the same, but she couldn’t help but have a bit of a look around. It was right then and there that Twilight, unprepared, was assailed with hugs from all directions, and in her confusion, she almost defended herself out of surprise until she realised what was going on. “It’s been a while!” Wrapping her wings around her assailants, Twilight nodded. “It sure has, Piper. How’ve you been?” “Trying to keep up with this lot!” was Piper’s shrill reply and then she started laughing as she adjusted her glasses, which had been knocked askew during the huggle-struggle. Recovering herself, Twilight found that she was out of breath from Hennessy’s hug, and she looked up at the colt that had grown long and tall. “All of you look great… I’ve missed you.” Her head turning, Twilight had herself a good look at the crowd, all of whom were wearing sunglasses. Flicker, the stoic, was the same as he ever was. Big, burly, over-muscled, he was the largest short pony that she had ever seen and his neck alone had to be as big as her barrel. Hennessy was tall, slender, and some might say feminine in a rough sort of way. Piper had never filled out, she remained scrawny, too thin, and frail looking. Twilight’s smile became a pinched frown of worry as she thought about Piper’s study habits—Piper was another Moondancer. And then, much to Twilight’s delight, a sight that turned her frown back upside down… “Stinkbug! Celaeno! What are you two doing with these incorrigible reprobates?” Sitting on Stinkbug’s back, Celaeno gave Twilight a proud smile. “We’ve joined the Underwatch. Stinky here is good at making vermin drop dead and my knowledge of poisons can be used for good.” “It’s really good to see all of you again. It’s so rare that I get to see you in daylight, if much at all,” Twilight said as she took another step backwards so that she might take all of them in. Ponyville’s fall purge was when she had seen them last, she reckoned, because she hadn’t been present for the spring purge. “We stay busy,” Flicker replied in a gruff voice that sounded as though he had been gargling with whiskey, gravel, and shards of broken glass. “It’s nice to have some downtime though. We don’t get aboveground much these days.” “Celaeno…” Braeburn’s thick drawl filled the air. The stallion hesitated, looking uncertain. “I done came to find Twilight and tell her that her friends want her back for dinner. I didn’t expect to see you.” “Brae, how ya been?” Celaeno’s eyes became misty and the little harpy fluffed out, making herself look twice as large as she was. “Feelin’ bad for what I did all those years back,” Braeburn replied as his drawl became thicker and huskier. There was a faint rustle of feathers as Celaeno shifted on Stinkbug’s back, and then, with a flap of her wings, she lept to Braeburn’s back and perched there, mindful of her sharp claws on soft, fleshy pony skin. “You didn’t know and you did the right thing. My kind are dangerous to your kind. There’s no hard feelings, Brae. Never has been, never will. My heroes guide says that heroes aren’t supposed to hold grudges and I do my best to live by the book.” No one present said anything to contradict Celaeno as it had been Twilight that had written A Harpy’s Guide to Heroic Endeavours. Blinking a few times, Braeburn, aware that everypony present was staring at him, let out a muffled squeak of embarrassment. “You came to help us when our poo done got pilfered. We had ourselves a grand adventure—” “Those were good times,” Celaeno said. “—and at some point, you became my dear friend. Not a day passes where I don’t feel regret over what I did… I just didn’t know and I’m so sorry.” Braeburn’s tone was apologetic and his snuffles were sincere. “You tear up every time you see me.” “You’s my friend and I done near killed you before I had a chance to get to know you!” Braeburn blurted out. “I feel powerful bad ‘bout that.” Smiling, Twilight excused herself. “I’m going to find myself some dinner. It was nice seeing all of you again. Piper, keep in touch, okay?” “Okay,” Piper called out, waving at Twilight. “Come on, Braeburn, let’s go catch up on old times,” Stinkbug said. “Piper, Flicker, Hennessy, we’ll catch up with you later, okay?” “Okay…” The dining room in the hotel wasn’t nearly as crowded and it had a pleasant coolness. Twilight shivered as she passed through the doorway, the evapourating sweat from her body causing her to feel cold and clammy. She knew from experience that the feeling would pass, but extreme temperature transitions had always made her uncomfortable. Quite a spread was laid out on the table, a light meal, lots of fruit and greenery. Twilight’s eyes lingered on the green, orange, and pink bits of melon as she approached, and she licked her lips without realising it. Inviting moisture glistened in the harsh light of the bare electric bulbs hanging from the ceiling up above. Rainbow Dash was leaning back against the wall behind her with a bottle of soda clutched in her fetlock. Beside her, Applejack was eating a green, leafy salad. Fluttershy had a tall glass of iced tea clutched between her front hooves, and her dainty lips were wrapped around her straw. Rarity, looking quite dirty, grimy, and sweaty, slouched in her seat while chewing on ice cubes that she fished out of her glass of iced tea. Pinkie Pie was chowing down on some kind of fruit ambrosia salad, with Pebble and Sumac sitting on either side of her. Spike was being pestered by Boomer and all was right in Twilight’s world. Twilight sat down with a fatigued huff and rested her forelegs on the edge of the table in a very unprincesslike manner. Rarity poured a glass of iced tea, which Twilight accepted with a grunt of thanks. Twilight realised that she was sweaty, gritty, and matted with salt. She also had a strong suspicion that she was smelly, with funky wing pits that might knock a pegasus from an outhouse roof. “Pebble made a pretty stool,” Fluttershy said to Twilight. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Sumac, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Boomer all started giggling and Twilight didn’t know what was so funny. Rarity rolled her eyes and her lip curled back in disgust. Taking a sip of her iced tea, Twilight shivered with relief as her parched throat moistened and she felt Fluttershy touch her foreleg. “I had a good look at Pebble’s stool, it’s amazing.” More sniggering. Twilight, feeling annoyed, didn’t get the joke. “It was perfectly smooth, with no lumps,” Fluttershy continued. Rainbow Dash shot soda out of her nose and then hissed in pain while Applejack clapped her on the back. Clutching her sides, Pinkie Pie fell out of her seat and crashed down onto the floor with a curiously pink-sounding thump. Shaking her head, what little patience Rarity had departed for its own vacation, and the dirty white mare let out a groan of utter disgust. Spike and Boomer both were now clinging to each other with their eyes squeezed shut, laughing, their tails twitching. “I’m rather proud of my stools,” Pebble deadpanned. As she spoke, one ear twitched. “Sumac watched me do it and I’m glad he was there to coach me along. You know you’re comfortable with your coltfriend when you can make a stool with him watching.” Now it was Applejack that fell out of her chair and she pulled Rainbow Dash down with her. The two clutched at one another as several of the guests in the dining room watched. Twilight still didn’t know what was so funny, and was now feeling vexed because she didn’t get the joke. Pinkie Pie was now pounding the floor with her front hooves while she howled with laughter. “What’s so funny?” Fluttershy asked, blinking in confusion while her yellow face turned as pink as her mane. “Why is everypony laughing?” To which Twilight replied, “I wish I knew…” Gathered in Twilight’s Princess Suite, Rarity, now fresh and clean, addressed her friends. “I’ve reserved a number of the hot mineral springs for us this evening. I thought that after a long day, we could all use a good soak. I know that I’m dying for one.” Nodding, Twilight thought that sounded pretty good right now. She was sore, achy, and tuckered out, to borrow a phrase from Applejack. A nice soak in the springs and maybe, just maybe, they could take turns rubbing each other's’ backs. That might be nice. Twilight felt a growing tightness in her barrel brought on by anticipation of a good backrub. Without realising it, her eyes settled on Rainbow Dash, a silly pony that laughed far too hard at words like ‘stool.’ Rainbow Dash made Twilight’s feathers feel all tingly, and she didn’t know why. Perhaps it was a pegasus thing that she just didn’t understand. “There is no way I am soaking in a hot spring with a bunch of mares,” Sumac said as he folded his forelegs over his barrel in defiance. “Ooh, darling, there will come a day when you will think back on what you just said and you will feel a lasting sense of regret,” Rarity said, breathing the words in her most fabulous way. A coquettish giggle escaped her lips, her head turned, and she batted her eyelashes at Spike in a knowing way. Spike collapsed in upon himself, clutching at his cheeks with his claws, and he let out a peculiar sounding giggle that made Boomer roll her eyes. She held up her hand in mimicry of one of Rarity’s theatrical poses and the dragoness pantomimed fainting, which made Rarity’s lower lip protrude in a pout. “Boomer gets better and better at that with each passing day,” Applejack remarked and her words earned her the stink eye from Rarity. “She’s just jealous, because Spike adores me.” Rarity’s head tilted back and she let out a sniff. “I am not!” Boomer retorted as all of her frills and spines stood out. “Am not!” Feeling as though she was back in her school, Twilight sucked in a deep breath. “Time out,” she said in her patient teacher’s voice. “No fighting, no bickering, and no being rude. That’s enough out of both of you. Rarity, she apologised for leaving a dead trout in your heat vents, so stop being catty.” Turning to look at each other, both Applejack and Rainbow Dash began sniggering, much to Rarity’s dismay. The white mare huffed, made a dismissive wave with her hoof, and then let the issue drop. Twilight waited and watched Boomer, ready with a scolding, but the dragoness thought better of her actions. Her frills and spines relaxed a bit, much to Twilight’s relief. But Fluttershy, it seemed, had other plans. “You know, Rarity, that was really uncalled for.” Fluttershy’s voice was calm, smooth, and without anger, she spoke like a foalsitter. “Boomer even helped you out to make up for what she did and she discovered a love of sewing. You found a competent, gifted assistant that is eager to help you and puts so much pride in her work.” “You’re right, darling.” Rarity, ears drooping and looking ashamed, held out a foreleg to Boomer. “Come here, Boomer, and let me hug you. I’m sorry. Are we still friends?” Reluctant, Boomer slithered off of the bed, scurried over the floor, her claws clicking and her tail swishing from side to side. She went over to where Rarity was sitting and the two embraced, with Boomer being snatched up to be hugged by Rarity. A beatific smile appeared on Fluttershy’s face, and she beamed at the two friends making up. “You know, darling, Spikey-Wikey used to be my little loyal helper around the shop, but he just got so busy.” Rarity squeezed the dragon she was holding and Boomer let out a smoky sigh of contentment. “I don’t know what I’d do without you and your dextrous little claws.” Secured in Rarity’s embrace, Boomer stuck her long, forked, serpentine tongue out at Spike, and all was right in the world.