Upon Theo's return from the castle, all he could think about was going to bed. He was exhausted and had lost most sense of balance. During his training session with Starlight, he was taught two different spells. The first was a shield/bubble spell to be used for protection. Wile it could prove useful if Theo ran into the Timberwolf again, he was gonna stay as far away from that shit as possible anyhow. The second one was a magic beam, something Theo could only call one thing. LAZER BEAMS! This spell was the one Theo was the most grateful to know, purely because, well, it a fucking LAZER! Another spell they started to touch on was teleportation. Theo just managed to pull one off, at the cost of the loss of his balance. While Starlight told him that that was normal at first, he secretly knew nothing was 'normal' in this world.
Theo trotted into sugar cube corner to silence, something he hadn't had in ages. Even back home his father listened to music in the dead of night because 'it helped him think'. As Theo was about to walk to his room, Mr cake walked out from the back room. Theo jumped, but mostly because he was tired rather than actually being scared.
"How come your up this late." Theo asked with mixtures of fatigue and confusion stirring around his face.
"Cleaning." Mr cake responded." My wife thought she could beat Pinkie in a cupcake baking competition."
"Who won." Theo asked him, despite him not really caring.
"Pinkie did." Mr cake answered." But the real loser was me because I had to clean up." Mr cake then changed the subject after a shot pause." How was your day then?"
"It was ok I guess." He moaned, too tired to show enthusiasm." I went to the library inside the castle. This girl called Starlight Glimmer taught me some spells and stuff." Theo yawned, he was extremely tired. Even Mr cake picked up on this.
"Just get to bed son." Mr cake told him." Celestia knows you need it." Theo was slightly confused as to his choice of words, yet dropped the subject due to exhaustion. He had quite a rough day. After wrestling a Timberwolf, changing the way he talks and learning how to cast various spells, he deserved a rest.
-0-0-0-0-0-
It was the dead of night, or early morning. It was irrelevant as Theo was fast asleep in bed. Silence fell through the room, say for an insect moving towards Theo. It was reminiscent of a cockroach or a woodlouse, was a bright white and pitch black in colour and had four stump-like legs. It slowly made its way over to Theo,and upon reaching him, dug its jaw-like mandibles into Theo's neck. Thorough its mind ran all Theo's memories, his fears, his secrets. Everything that could be turned against him taken from his mind and copied into the creatures mind. Theo awoke out of the pain from his neck to notice the thing, being quick to capture it in his levitation spell and throwing it out the window. After this, Theo went back to sleep immediately.
The bug walked to the nearby forest for cover, but did something unimaginable. It coated itself in some kind of aura and grew in size. It's shape also changed through this light into something more dark. He was the same size as a pony now.
It looked kinda like..
-0-0-0-0-0-
As the morning came, Theo gradually opened his eyes. Upon waking, he quickly jumped out of bed and stretched. He looked outside the window next to his bed in an effort to see the weather, stretched again then left the room. It was at this moment Theo noticed the sheer silence coming from the house. While he liked quiet, Theo found something suspicious about it. Walking down the stairs, he entered the main shop area. What happened next caught Theo off guard. Several ponies jumped out from nowhere and yelled "SURPRISE", catching Theo off guard. It was at this moment Pinkie fell from the sealing, landing on her hooves and bursted over to Theo. He knew what was coming.
"Guess what?" Pinkie asked him in an extremely enthusiastic voice. Theo sighed.
"Your probably gonna tell me." He answered. Pinkie smiled.
"Today is the 'welcome to Ponyville party' for you and your friends silly." Pinkie stated as if it was the most obvious thing in Equestria. As if they were signalled, Made and Ivan walked into the shop. Theo sworn he saw Ivan mouth 'help me', but chose to ignored it.
"This is gonna happen no matter what I tell her, isn't it?" He said to Made, who nodded in response. Theo sighed again." Well, when is it then?" Pinkie seemed to get more and more giddy the more time went by.
"Tonight." She giggled. She seemed more exited for the party than most in the room. Theo rolled his eyes. He at least had the time to get in the right frame of mind before it started. All of a sudden another pony bursted into the shop. She was white with an elegantly styled purple mane, a horn and a trio of gems as her cutie mark (as Theo learned the butt-tattoos were called).
"Pinkie? The preparations are ready." She explained in a somewhat posh accent. She then gestured to Made. Pinkie then went over to Made, making her somewhat nervous.
"Made, this is my friend Rarity." Pinkie explained." She has come to take you to the spa."
Made looked terrified. There was only one thing in existence that she hated more than her current situation, and that was spa's. She remembered her mom taking her to one as a child, yet she feared it completely. It's one of the reasons she is a tomboy. She was about to think of anything to get out of it, when the lady-like pony dragged her out with her magic. Made mouthed 'help me' to Theo and Ivan, and while Theo simply ignored it, Ivan seemed to have gone goo-goo eyes for Rarity. He slowly went for the door until Theo stopped him.
"Dude, really?" Theo asked.
"Dude, why not?" Ivan snapped back, his eyes still fixated on the mare in the distance. Theo just face hooved himself.
"Later." After this, he focused on Pinkie again." Wait what about us?"
"Oh, I forgot about you two." She said, laughing slightly afterwards." I guess you wait for your friend." Theo was going to mention something about how she forgot his despite him living with her, but decided to walk out of the place with Ivan. Just thoughts then shifted to Made. Why did she react that way over a bloody spa?
-0-0-0-0-0-
Made sure knew how to overreact, the spa wasn't as bad as it was when she was a kid. She was offered everything 'on the house', yet chose to only have a massage for her nerves the day prior. She was sat a few feet from the mare who brought her here, still filled with mixed feelings about her. Rarity then looked over to Made with a somewhat smug look on her face.
"Not as bad as you thought, is is darling?" She asked. Her posh accent was somewhat irritating, but Made knew she wasn't a bitch like most of the girls she knew. She was more caring and generous, features she found likeable. Still, she wasn't quite over her dragging her here though.
"Okay, don't rub it in," Made said." It's not that bad I guess. Helps with the stress."
"Of the boys?" Rarity asked playfully." They don't seem that bad, especially that Ivan fellow.." Made glared at her.
"Keep your hooves off him, he's mine!" She yelled out before covering her mouth quickly. Rarity laughed a bit at this.
"Oh, you like him don't you?" She sniggered, causing Made to blush a light red. "I don't gossip, you can say."
"Well, I've known him since I was a kid, and he's always had my back. He's one of the most loyal friends I've ever had." She said, somewhat saddened." But, he's always interested in 'other' girls, he completely forgets I'm here, or tries to make me help him. Do you know how hard that is?" Made started to vent and rant until Rarity walked over to her and placed her hoof on her shoulder, causing her to stop.
"Don't worry darling, as long as your there for him, he will notice you eventually." This small piece of advice allowed Made the space to breathe, and Rarity tried to change the subject." Why are you only getting a massage? Everything is free. They don't offer that to anypony you know." Made thought for a moment.
"Don't know, just never been that kind of person I guess." She thought for a second. "Meh, why not. You only live once, right?" Rarity nodded at her, and two other spa employees walked towards her. She suddenly regretted the words she just spoke.
-0-0-0-0-0-
After Made's abrupt exit from the bakery, Ivan and Theo decided to wait for her in the clearing outside the spa. Pinkie more or less forgot to set set up anything for the lads, so they just took the time to wait for their friend, prepared to help her if she was emotionally scarred from the experience.
"Hey?" Ivan called, looking at Theo.
"Yeah?" Theo answered.
"You ever wonder why we're here?" Ivan asked. Theo and Ivan didn't really have a man on man conversation since their first meeting, so it was slightly awkward to speak.
"I don't know man," Theo said." We know it was Made who opened the portal, but was that meany to happen? Is this all predetermined, already meant to happen? Or is it just an accident that was caused by me not deciding to skip school on the first day? I just wish things made more sense man, maybe we'd know." A small silence fell between the boys while Ivan figured out what Theo said.
"What?" He asked, clearly confused." I mean why are we here when we could be under that tree or sat on that bench."
"Oh, right." Theo said, slightly embarrassed.
"What was with all that metaphorical shit?" Ivan asked.
"It's exactly what it sounds like. I wasn't thinking about chicks, like someone.." Theo snarled.
"Don't even go there bitch." Ivan hissed.
"No, this needs to be said. You moan about internal screaming, try to run from town moments after getting there and have a freak out in a cafe about your lack of hands. And the very next day, your flirting with someone? Dude, really?!!" Theo looked at Ivan with sheer confusion.
"Okay man, chill." Ivan pleaded." I'm trying to fit in. Not everyone is used to it, so give me a chance man."
"Okay mate, fine, I'll give you a break. Just keep your guard up. I have a feeling somethings about to errupt." Theo rubbed the back of his neck (at least he still thought is was a neck, dumb pony body).
"You think I don't know that?" Ivan asked." I'm the one who predicted the fucking Timberwolf attack, you think I'm an idiot?" Theo thought for a minute.
"Well.." Theo started.
"Ok, don't be a dick." Ivan saw the joke coming before Theo could finish.
"Hey guys, I'm done." Yelled Made, running out of the spa. She seemed more positive that usual and had her hair styled differently than before. She walked up to the guys. "So, what you talking about?" Ivan turned to Theo to answer.
"Why we're here." Theo answered." Don't you find it slightly suspicious that this happened only because of a small pebble banging into a computer?"
"I guess. That means this thing wasn't my fault, right?" Made asked.
"Being honest, I don't think anyone is to blame." Theo continued." This was either a mistake or fate. Either way, something is gonna happen soon, I can just feel it." Theo begin to walk off.
"Where are you going?" Ivan asked him. Theo stopped and turned briefly.
"To the library, I need to look into something."