An Earthly Portal

by Nightmare Darkness


Party

I couldn't really what really happened in the first few minutes. Several hooves were shaken and many said hello and welcome but I simply nodded and smiled giving them a polite 'thanks' or 'nice to meet you.' Pinkie was going around chatting many ponies up and joking around and Zecora was approaching me and a smile flashed crossed her face.

"I hope your tour was fun, I finished helping twilight with a simple potion," Zecora said as she poured herself a cup of punch that was on the table beside me. I looked at her not knowing really what to say.

"I...I don't understand. None of these ponies know me. I've never had a party or been to one." I said as she sipped her cup.

"Pinkie is a fine party planner, has them ready to go for whomever, it doesn't matter," Zecora said as Spike was stuffing his face with cupcakes and then was scolded by Twilight for gorging himself.

"You mean Pinkie doesn't care for who it is? She just likes to party?" I asked with a frown and Zecora shook her head.

"I have never met a more selfless pony, she cares almost too much about others that if was anyone else it would be most likely phony ." She said and I looked at Pinkie who was laughing at a joke a brown earth-pony was saying.

"I can see it," I said as I heard another cup being poured and then Zecora gave it to me and I looked down at it, taking a sip, fruit punch but you could tell it was hand squeezed or well...hoof squeezed. Suddenly three drops fell into my drink and I blinked realizing I was tearing up. I sat on hunches and wiped my eyes quickly and I saw a look of concern on Zecora's face as she looked around to see if anyone else saw me tear up.

"Do you want to go to someplace secluded, one not so open and populated?" she offered, I simply nodded and Zecora walked me to a room keeping herself between myself and the main bulk of the crowd. After we entered the kitchen and she pulled a seat out for me which I thanked her and sat up straight.

"Whats up is everything ok?" I heard a voice ask and I looked over to see Twilight standing in the doorway. Zecora was looking at me quietly also wanting to know.

"I-i don't know why I broke down like that. I...I've never been treated so nicely and a party...this is the first party for me I've ever had." I said with a meek smile.

"You have never had a party? What about Birthdays, Hearths warming, Nightmare Night?" Twilight asked walking fully into the room.

"I feel like my problems aren't really worth the time of a princess," I said giving a soft hearten chuckle. Twilight looked at her wing that slightly opened and she shook her head.

"Don't worry about that kind of thing...I don't think I'm a princess really...I don't even know what I'm the princess of, but that's me. Friends are more important than position." she said finding a spot at the table.

"I came from a...rough background. My mom left when I was young, my dad had to deal with me since then and well he liked to drink." I said leading for them to fill in the blanks. Twilight looked confused but the look on Zecora's face said she knew what he meant.

"Why would your fathers drinking not let you have a party?" Twilight asked.

"He would get mad often if I didn't do as he wished. Not to mention he wouldn't have any money used for frivolous purchases that were not for food and what he wanted." I said rotating the cup on its bottom causing the punch to swirl. Twilight was beginning to understand and she placed a hoof on my shoulder and I stopped the cup and looked at her violet eyes that showed concern that I was not use to. Her eyes looked to my wing and she frowned.

"Did he do that?" she asked suddenly and I had to look at my wing to understand what she was asking.

"No, I got that from running away from wolves in Everfree," I said and her eyes widened and she looked at Zecora for clarification.

"I found him being chased by a pack of timber wolves, wing broken and surely doomed if I did not have my whistle he would most likely have been food." she said and Twilight looked back at me.

"You were running away from your home?" She surmised and I gave her a simple nod.

"You could have died, didn't anypony tell you that Everfree was dangerous?" she continued before I held up my claw and she quieted.

"Don't take this the wrong way Twilight but I don't know anything really about Equestria. Think of me being from Griffinstone." I said and she looked like she was going to say something but stopped.

"Well, what are you going to do now?" She asked me.

"I have no clue, but I feel very welcomed because of Pinkie and everyone. More than I have back home." I said with a smile.

"Maybe I can get you a job...how old are you?" She asked and I was 16 but whether I was a different age as a griffin.

"I'm 16," I said as Twilight gave me a look over once more.

"Where are you staying right now?" She inquired and I looked at Zecora who nodded.

"I've only been here one night and I spent it at Zecora's," I said as I heard a loud clamor and saw Pinkie starting a conga line.

"Well, I'm sure Spike could use some help. I kind of run him ragged and I'm sure he could use the help." She offered.

"You want me to be a librarian? I don't know what I would be doing." I said surely. Twilight put a hoof to her chin in thought.

"Perhaps we should let him speak unless you know better than Feather Beak," Zecora interjected as she drank more of her punch.

"Oh, of course, how silly of me. What are you good at?" she asked pointedly and that put me on the spot. What am I good at? I can draw but I know it's an amateur drawing at best a 3-year-old at worst. I tended to keep to myself at school but I really did enjoy metal work but I don't know if that could apply here. I rather liked things that were hands on. Also, I did well at archery at summer camps that the school fun raised, those were the only times for a week at a time I would get to do something without my father screaming at me for asking for ten dollars to go. Of course when I got back... I shuddered a moment trying to force the memory of my father's heavy fists cracking against my head.

"I like to work with my hands or my claws." I corrected quickly.

"Like carpentry?" Twilight asked and I simply nodded.

"Never really knew much about it, I also like archery. I took first place a couple of times." I said and Twilight smiled and nodded.

"I think I can introduce you to a local carpenter, privileges of knowing a princess and all." She said with a wink. I gave a small laugh as Zecora nodded approvingly.

The party didn't look like it was dying down anytime soon and a clock said it was 2 am. When these ponies party...they really party. I saw Rarity and Applejack both slip out with sleepy fillies of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo was still there at 2 am but looked alone and eyes fighting sleep so I approached her and she looked up at me.

"H-hey Feather Beak... sweet party." She said with obvious tiredness in her voice.

"Where are your parents?" I asked concerned and she simply waved a hoof.

"Ah, places. It's ok they said I could do whatever I wanted," she said with an almost drunken smile.

"Where is your house?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and Zecora joined me just then.

"Hey Zecora...you know you talk funny." she said with a goofy grin, that's when I and Zecora looked at one another with half lidded looks.

"Ok, you're going home," I stated and lifted a claw up and Pinkie saw me and in a flash, she was standing in front of me.

"Hey Feather Beak you liking the party?" she said full of energy. I didn't know how she maintained such a high level of it but then I pointed at Scootaloo.

"Do you know where her house is?" I inquired and Pinkie nodded vigorously.

"It's 879 Greenery way." she said with a smile and I looked at Zecora who shrugged and shook her head.

"Sorry to say Pinkie, neither know where that is," I stated.

"Oh of course! Here I am thinking you already know the town like the back of your claw!" she laughed, and the truth of that would be a proper analogy since I don't know the back of my claw.

"Yeah, do you have directions?" I asked and she waved her hoof.

"I'll show you the way," Scootaloo said as her eyes blinked slowly. I doubted she could stay away let alone give us directions.

"Pinkie could you show us the way?" I hoped and Pinkie nodded again.

"It's too late for a filly to be up," she said wagging her hoof at Scootaloo in a playfully serious manner. I reached down and lifted Scootaloo surprisingly easily onto my back and she nuzzled my back as she smiled, her eyelids closed slowly and she fell asleep.

"What am I a down pillow?" I asked with a smile and all I got was a small smile back and Pinkie leads the way followed by Zecora and me.

"Feather Beak is leaving." I heard somepony say so I turned and waved.

"I'll be around town tomorrow. Thanks again everypony I've never felt more welcomed." I said and they all cheered and began to make marry again. I shook my head and the door closed behind Zecora and the partying resumed.

"That was a good party," I said even from my limited experience of such events.

"Glad you enjoyed it. I heard you have never celebrated a birthday or any party for that matter." Pinkie said coolly which was unlike her.

"Yes, my life up unto this point has been...party less," I said trying to not make a big deal of it. Pinkie stopped and turned to face me.

"Before I got my cutiemark I'll say it, life was miserable, but a loud bang and then a rainbow in the sky blowing away the clouds and all my dreary feelings...." She said as she smiled as she remembered a fond memory.

"It was amazing!" she exploded suddenly loudly and confetti burst out of her mane which made me look at her shocked and then back at Scootaloo who was still asleep.

"Sorry, just can't think of a life without parties. If we can't celebrate one another what point is there for living?" she said solemnly and continued to guide us. What she said struck me and it made me think what was I living for than if I didn't celebrate...or was forced not to celebrate. It made a heat in my chest swell up and a stone in my stomach turn as I thought at the fact of so much of my life had been taken from me by my father. A feeling of a hoof on my shoulder and I glared at Zecora then gave pause and my glare dissipated. I don't know how she does it but she knows when I was getting upset.

"I'm very happy Pinkie for the party you threw for me. I've always kind of wanted a party." I said with a smile.

"There are plenty of parties planned for you my feathered friend!" She said in her usual bubbly attitude. We rounded a corner and a similar thatched roof of a home came into view and I read the sign saying Greenery way.

"mom--my I got a picture.....Rainbow..." I heard from Scootaloo as she was about to stretch out until she was about to fall off my left side and I was able to catch her with my left wing. If she had fallen on my right side ...she would have been in for a rude awakening. We approached Scootaloos house and the lights on showed sompony was home and the door opened and a frazzled mare stood there.

"Have you seen Scootaloo?" she asked desperately.

"Are you Scootaloo's...mom?" I asked she shook her head.

"No I'm her babysitter, Cherry Blossom." she said.

"I have her here, she was at my welcoming party," I explained, Cherry Blossom hit herself in the head softly.

"Of course she was... I'll take her up to her room." She said as I turned for her to get Scootaloo.

"Are Scootaloo's parents coming home soon, Its late well after two," Zecora asked and Cherry Blossom gave a quizzical look and she deciphered Zecora's question.

"Scootaloo's parents are always busy. Their jobs take them all over the place I'm almost a perma-nanny," she said looking at all three of us.

"Well.." I began and she smiled again forcefully.

"It's late and I need to get her to bed so Thanks again..." She left herself open for me to say my name.

"Feather Beak." I finished for her.

"Feather Beak, yes. Goodnight." She said and closed the door. The three of us exchanged glances.

"Well, it is late..." I began and looked at Zecora.

"Would not be wise to travel in Everfree at night, things more ferocious come out for a bite." she said.

"You don't have a place to crash? I know just the place for you guys." She said as she lead us through the dark and came around the corner and sugar cube corner came into view.

"Wait you mean?" I began and Pinkie smiled.

"Your crashin with me tonight," she said approaching the door and pulling out a key from her mane and unlocking it. Zecora and I looked at one another and we both shrugged together and followed Pinkie inside. Pinkie locked the door and she lead us upstairs past two doors and then to I guessed was her room. It held a couch and a bed and a dresser with a large mirror. Pinkie opened a closet and removed blankets and a small single self-inflating mattress. It was like a small camp out. I laid the single inflatable mattress by the couch and took a blanket and one pillow. Zecora found her place on the couch and Pinkie found her bed and before long we were all in our respective sleeping arrangements. My eyelids felt heavy suddenly and I looked at the roof once more before my eyes closed and sleep took me.