“But what about our crusading?!” exclaimed an exasperated Marshmallow to her sister.
We were currently standing in the Carousel Boutique, after Rarity fetched us from Featherbrain. She didn’t tell her about the incident last night. Would be stupid if she had honestly. I mean, she missed to watch us, so that we walk off into a dangerous forest at night? Yeah, not such a good thing to say.
Worse would have been that I was walking into the forest first and that the three fillies followed me. Go figure who Rarity would have punished the hardest if that came out. And I know her punishment methods.
Ugh, soap. I will try to avoid that one. At least until I can subdue her.
But let’s get back to the discussion. Seems like Marshmallow wants me to spend her day with her while they do some ‘crusading’. I personally couldn’t care less normally, but I rather wanted to join her when the alternative came up.
“I told you that I need to do some shopping for his first day of school and his new room. And after that we have to meet up with Cheerilee. It won’t take the whole day. So you should just start without him.”
Yeah. Not gonna happen.
“How about no?” I answer her with as much disdain as I could muster. “I’m not going to school! I think my knowledge is more than sufficient to manage things here for the rest of my life.”
“Oh, really? Then what can you tell me about the history of the three pony tribes?”
I scoffed. “I don’t need to know such crap!”
“Careful, Charming. You are treading on thin ice,” she warns me in a scolding motherly tone.
I just scoff again, but don’t reiterate. I’m not eager for another mouth full of soap.
Rarity meanwhile rubs her temples in an attempt to calm down.
“Please lend me an ear, Charming. You may see it differently, but education is of utmost importance. Especially in a world as dangerous as this. You don’t want to ‘turn’ now, do you?”
I just cocked an eyebrow at that.
‘What exactly does she mean?’
She continued before I could question her further.
“Especially the lessons in Demon Lore are important to help you live through the day and have a better understanding of this country and its workings.”
‘Interesting,’ I think. ‘Can I get information that easily? It would help catch up with everything what happened in the past, what was it, thousand years? I had honestly no idea what happened to the demons I left behind. This could be useful after all!’
“Fine,” I relented. I might as well try this ‘school’ out, if only for the sake of gathering intel.
“I still don’t think this is a good idea!” complains Marshmallow.
I could only cock an eyebrow at that, not understanding why she would protest, since it would lead me to spend more time with her. You know, going to the same school since this backwater town seems to only have one?
“How about we make a compromise then? I will take him to Cheerilee first, and he can after that join you directly. I will just do the shopping myself after I escort him to Sweet Apple Anchors.”
Marshmallow nodded, but she still looked queasy.
I didn’t really ponder on it, as my vassals were going ahead. Chicken and Bowgirl didn’t seem to mind. I will still have to show them their rightful place later on.
We were walking through Ponyville. I was getting eyed by a whole lot of ponies as soon as we drew closer to the inner village.
Unnecessary to say that I didn’t like the attention. I’d rather have them groveling at my feet.
“Are we there yet?” I asked annoyed.
“Not yet.”
“Now?” I asked again after a few steps.
“No, Charming.”
“Yet?”
I could see her gritting her teeth. “No. And we will still take a bit!”
“Why does she have to live in the middle of this village?!” I asked annoyed, as another pony eyed me. I felt like an animal being watched in a zoo. I guess that is the disadvantage of the disguise. But better then without one. It is also mention worthy that they have a lot of guards stationed here. I didn’t see that the day before, since we travelled only at the edge of it and not in the middle like now. I wonder if this is a strategically important village?
‘Ugh! Are we still not there?!’
“…”
“Are we finally there yet?!” I groaned frustrated.
“NO! NO! NO! WE ARE NOT THERE YET!”
“And now?”
“I swear by Celestia, Charming, if you don’t stop asking this question this instant, I will give you a makeover and dress you in the most frilly ensemble I have in my boutique!”
“Oh yeah? I’d like to see you try!”
An unladylike smirk suddenly appeared on her face. “Oh, I have no problems with that~”
I suddenly froze as the color drained from my face. I knew very well that she had the muscle, or in this case cheater magic, to back it up. I only grumbled at that. “Fine.”
This seemed to lift her mood a little.
Well until someone run her over and she stumbled to the ground with said pony.
A smirk of my own appeared on my face at that.
‘Justice!’
The cream colored pony meanwhile stood up. She had a pair of glasses on and a red mane with purple streaks to it. She wore a black sweater which did a good job at hiding the form her curves and bust, which I was quite thankful for. The jeans in contrast was more tight fitting. I’m not thankful for that.
Suddenly a cold shiver run up my spine as I eyed the mare further. Call it instinct, call it self-preservation drive, but this mare gave me a bad vibe. I immediately was behind Rarity, just as a safety measure of course! There is nothing wrong with using her as a living meat shield. It’s what demons do.
“I’m sorry!” said the new mare hastily in what seemed more like panic than nervousness. “I just got distracted!”
“It’s alright dear,” Rarity groaned out as she stood up, helping the other mare shortly afterwards. “But I must admit that I’m quite curious. Why are you in such a hurry, Moondancer?”
“It is Twilight! Sheshesheshe-!”
Rarity lay a comforting hand on the strange named mares shoulder. Actually they are all strange named. This was a real issue with this place. Even after being trapped here for so long I could never really get accustomed to it. I mean, Moondancer? What comes next? Rainbow Dash? Yeah, I snorted at that. Twilight Sparkle was just as ridiculous. Wait, didn’t she just talk about her?
“What happened?”
“Well, it was like this-“
POV: Moondancer
Last Night
‘Where is she?!” I thought in panic as I paced around the room. ‘She said she only wanted to take a walk. That she would be back in an hour. That she didn’t need me looking out for her, but of course she needed me! I should have never agreed to stay behind!’
My ear flicked back as I could hear the distinct creaking of a door.
“I’m back,” I heard Twilight say with a tired yawn.
I instantly zipped in front of her and she flinched at my worry-filled face.
“Where were you?! I was worried sick!”
She lifted her hands in a comforting gesture. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I know it is late, but I just met a friend on my walk and we forgot the time!”
Then she smiled. THAT smile. I know that smile. It is fake. She is hiding something from me.
“Oh? That late in the night?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly indicating that I’m not buying it.
“Yeah, seems like I’m not the only one who had the same idea about a late night walk!” she said with a nervous laugh.
I eyed her suspiciously and she knew it, if the sweat forming on her brow was any indication. After closer examination something peeked my interest.
I reached with my hand out and took some debris from her shoulder.
“What is this?” I asked raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, I just helped my friend around the house! She had some chores to do!”
“Chores with stones?”
“Eh…yeah, her family…owns a…rock farm?”
I snorted derisively. She couldn’t be any worse at lying, even if she tried to. I was just about to take her down a peg for such a ridiculous lie, as I noticed something else.
My magic levitated a few blue flower petals from her shirt.
“And you coincidentally walked into the Everfree Forest, maybe? Since this is Poison Joke. And Poison Joke can only be found around these parts in the Everfree Forest.”
“I need to get the remedy!” she said as she tried to get to the door.
“Oh no you don’t!” I said as I cut off her escape, blocking her from the entrance. “How could you walk all alone inside the Everfree Forest?! It’s dangerous!”
“It was nothing! I just had to ask Zecora something! You should stop worrying all the time!”
I gritted my teeth at that. “I’m your number one assistant! Of course I’m worried! It means I failed! I failed the princess! I failed you! I failed as a friend!” I said with growing frustration and sadness. My voice was straining at the end.
Twilight was visibly taken back and neared to comfort me. She held her arms to her side, before wrapping me in a warm hug.
“I’m sorry. If anything, I failed you. You are my assistant, and I shouldn’t have lied to you. I was just trying to show you that I could handle myself, so that you would finally stop worrying about me. I’m not a foal after all.”
I sighed contently as I took in her faint scent of lavender.
“Maybe you are right. I’m rather clingy, aren’t I?” I let a dry chuckle escape my lips.
“Oh, that you are!” replied Twilight chipperly with clear amusement, “And since nothing happened to me in the Everfree you can stop worrying so much. Agreed?”
I was just about to give my consent, but then I eyed the debris more closely. That texture… I scanned it with my horn to get further intel. Suffice to say, the results weren’t pretty.
I parted with her and held the debris out in front of her, eying her suspiciously.
“So you say, nothing happened?”
She started sweating again. “Yes! Nothing at all!”
“When how come that this debris is a clear manifestation of a cockatrices magic?”
There was it. Her eyes widened in shock at being found out. I was right, and nothing she could say would convince me otherwise now. I had the undeniable proof.
“I…uh…Fluttershy had a cockatrice as a house guest?”
I slammed my fists frustrated on the nearby table. “You were stoned!”
“It isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds!” she pleaded.
“It isn’t? IT ISN’T?! You were falling prey to a dangerous demon! How could things have been any worse?!”
“Fluttershy helped me, so there is nothing to worry about. Everything worked out in the end!”
“And what if she wasn’t there?! Do you have any idea what would have happened then?! You can’t go and walk into the Everfree alone! Nopony is supposed to walk these woods alone! I’m sure your other friends won’t approve of this either!”
“I…You are right. Maybe this wasn’t one of my brightest ideas.”
“You think?” I asked sarcastically. She flinched at that.
“Ok. How about this. I promise never to enter the Everfree Forest alone again. Would that appease you?”
I made a short thinking pose. This was definitely too little for such dire circumstances. Maybe if…
“…Maybe if you would lend me your first edition of the ‘Starswirl the Bearded Biography’, I might overlook it this time. But ONLY this time.”
She giggled. “Agreed. Now I’m starving. Do you have still something left from dinner. I could do with a midnight snack.”
“You do remember that it isn’t recommended to eat so shortly after being stoned, do you?”
“You are not letting me get away with anything, are you?”
I smiled. “Nope! Bed rest is just what the doctor has ordered after such an experience, so that’s what you are going to do, no matter if you want to or not!”
“Fine. I will relent this time, because it’s you. A good night’s sleep is probably what I need. But I will still need to get the poison joke cure in the morning.”
“I will do that. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
“Thanks, Moondancer.”
“No problem. Goodnight, Twilight.
“Goodnight, Moondancer.”
POV: Laharl
“I see, so you are in such a hurry to bring her the cure for the poison joke?” asked Rarity sweetly.
“Not exactly. I was more interested in making her a soup. Twilight is not going to leave the bed today, if I have anything to say about it! The Poison Joke was in fact rather helpful to ensure she wouldn’t loosen the straps I used to pin her down with while she was sleeping with her magic.”
Rarity reeled back in surprise.
“Oh my. Don’t you think you were going a little too far with that?”
“Nah. You know Twilight, she wouldn’t have taken the time to rest if you don’t force her. She is always so fixated on her studies.”
‘And you are fixated on her,’ I thought silently.
“I guess that she is. Also a good thing you scolded her properly. The Everfree Forest is not a simple jest. She can’t risk her life so careless over a simple task she could have performed in the morning. I know that if Sweetie Belle would actually venture in there alone, without any of us, I would ground her for months to come!”
“I’m glad you are seeing it like this. Twilight is probably only overreacting then she said I’m exaggerating. She just needs an iron hoof to lead her sometimes.”
“My sentiments exactly! Tough love is never outdated!”
“L-l-l-love?! I-I wouldn’t go as far as that! She is just a good friend! My childhood friend, with which I spent every free minute of my life! Nothing more!” she quickly denied with flushed cheeks and a goofy smile as she rubbed said glowing cheeks with both of her hands. It made Rarity titter, while I felt sick. Or even sicker than the presence of this clearly sickening mare is making me.
Luckily it was then the mare snapped out of it, remembering her errand.
“I have to go now! I will see you tomorrow!” she simply stated running off.
Rarity said her own quick goodbyes, but this Moondancer was already off. It was then that she looked around until she spotted me.
“…Charming, why in Celestia’s mane are you hiding behind my legs?”
“This pony gave me a Creepy Belle vibe.”
Her white-furred hand immediately found her way to her face, as she sighed.
“Don’t you think you are exaggerating a little? Sweetie might be a little…enthusiastic about your engagement, but which mare wouldn’t be?”
I snorted. “A little enthusiastic is a little downplayed in my opinion. I mean, sure she didn’t strap me down on the bed while I was sleeping…yet.”
Rarity sighed yet again, “You should know that she isn’t that bad. She is just a…clingy personality. Seriously Charming. She is quite the catch if you only would just give her a chance.”
“And I already told you that I am not that approving of being forced into a marriage. Anyway, can we get moving again? I’m kind of sick of getting stared by every single pony in this town!”
“It will get better soon Charming. Trust me on this. They will get used to you. Until then I hope you can endure it. We are almost there anyway,” she said pointing to a thatched roof house.
I simply nodded as we walked towards it. Let’s just hope we can get this out of the way quickly.
Also let’s hope this teacher isn’t as insufferable as her students.