It is now the day after the mane 6 were released from recovery and could return to their daily lives. They no longer feel sore, tired and overall just feels like themselves again. The library is now cleaned up after their 'Recovery slumber party' as Pinkie Pie called it. While it is strange it is all over, it's not like they're sad about it cause no way did they like going through all that.
Today Twilight was in the throne room doing some paper work she didn't manage to do during that week of stress. She managed to do the work peacfully, a bit too peacefully she felt. She put down her work and looked around wondering about the whereabouts of a certain demon. "He's probably in his room. He never leaves the castle anyways" Speaking those words lit a lightbulb in Twilight's head. "He never leaves the castle. I didn't realize that. It's Not a good idea to keep him isolated here, maybe i can ask him to go outside with me later" She said to herself.
All of a sudden she heard a crash in the library, and she sprung up on her hooves, bursting through the doors of her throne room. Running as fast as her hooves could take her, Twilight reached the library and pushed the doors open. She saw a mess of books on the floor, aswell as the culprit behind the mess floating near a bookshelf. Bendy seemed just as surprised the alicorn. Twilight released the breath she didn't know she was holding. "Bendy, what are you doing?" She asked. Picking up the books from the floor. Having calmed down, Bendy landed infront of Twilight. "I'm so sorry if i startled you, Dear. I was just bored so i decided to read in your library. I was very curious on what books and knowledge this world contains" He said.
Twilight didn't see that coming. Despite his apearent knowledge, Bendy didn't really struck to her as a book type. She keeps on forgetting about the 'Don't judge a book by its cover' lesson. "Have you been in here long?" She asked. Bendy thought about it. "I don't know i didn't keep track of the time, but long enough for me to have almost read through half of the library" He said. The princess's eyes widden, she definantly didn't see that coming. She placed the books she had in her magic grasp down before speaking. "My, that's impressive. I didn't think you were the book type, no offense" She said.
(Belive me guys, i would've cringed too at that 'repeated joke' hadn't it been for me being sick and brain dead)
"None taken, Twilight. Reading is the most effective way to pass the time in my openion, wich i had alot of back home" The demon said. Twilight flapped her wings so she could float up to Bendy's eye level. "Maybe so, but it's also nicer with company. Would you mind if i keep you company?" She asked. Bendy was a little taken back by that, but quickly came over it. "Not at all, My dear. I would love to have your company" He said, smiling. Twilight returned the smile as she grabbed a couple of books from the other bookshelf and gave some to Bendy. He accepted them and layed down on the floor with a pillow supporting his back. Twilight layed beside him on her tummy and opened a book.
It's been a good hour, and the two was still reading. They weren't reading in silence of course, they did spark a conversation here and there, mostly sharing openions on the books they read. Though at the moment, they're both very invested in the books their reading. However after while Bendy sighed wich caught Twilight's attention, causing her to look up from her book. "I know this is a random topic of discussion, but i feel it's something worth talking about. 'Manipulation', in the books i've read that deals with the topic they treat it like the plauge. How come?" The demon asked. Twilight raised a brow. "That was a pretty random question" She thought, but decides to engage in this new conversation.
"Well, i mean. Manipulation is bad. Being forced into doing something you don't want to" She said. Bendy chuckled. "That is what your instincts tells you to see it. Here is a Thought experiment for you, My dear. What makes Manipulation bad?" He asked. Now this certainly sudden for Twilight, but she doesn't mind a thought experiment. "Well, in some ways manipulation can be caused through a pony figuretivly entering somepony's mind and slowly changes their views to their benefit" She explained. Bendy hummed at that. "But here is the thing, my dear. I may have just been here for a few weeks, but i can already tell you've been unkowingly Manipulated AND Manipulative a couple of times in your life" He said, smirking.
The princess blinked and stood up defensifly. "What in the hay makes you say that?!" She asks. Bendy raises his hands. "Calm down, Twilight. Don't let your pride take deffence now, i was about to explain" He said. Twilight did calm down from that sudden outburst and layed back down. "First, the part about you being unkowingly manipulated. Has somepony, for exampel Pinkie Pie asked you out on something you weren't too keen on at first, but when she tells you it'll be really fun you end up going anyway?" The demon asked. Twilight was a bit creeped out by that, cause that has happened a few times with her and Pinke. She nodded anyways. "There you have a scenario of 'manipulation'. You didn't want to go with Pinkie at first, but then her words persvuades you other wise and you end up going" He finnished explaining.
That hit Twilight like a book to the head. However when she takes a step back and think about it, he's absoloutly right. She was manipulated by Pinkie those times, but there was no hidden agenda to them. "So that means.." However she stops herself. "What about the part where i have unkowingly manipulated?" She asked. "Well, i'm not 100% confident that you have done this. But there does exist a common scenario that involves manipulation. Say you're throwing your friend a surprise party, everything goes smoothly until the friend is dangerously close to discover the party and you're not ready yet. What do you do?" Bendy asks, leaning his head on his hand. After that previous scenario, Twilight already knew where this was headed. "I pursvuade them to go somewhere else..... I.E manipulate" She said.
Bendy nodded. "So tell me, Twilight dear. Is manipulation 'an evil trick'?" He asked. "Not really it seems. Ponies manipulate eachother without even realizing it, i guess it mostly depends on the pony's motive" Twilight answered. The demon hummed. "Well, yes. But then again the pony can twist their words and say that their motive were noble. Manipulation is a method of speech there's not much black and white to it, but that makes it more complicated to understand. Wich is why ponies such as yourself find it easier to view it as a bad thing so that you don't have to think much about it" He explains.
Twilight was amazed, not only has she learned something new about Bendy, but a new door of knowledge has opened up to her, it's not much but it's there. "Wow, Bendy. I get more and more impressed with your abillities. I don't think i would ever consider thinking about that topic, normally i would deem it 'unescessary for the moment'" She said. Bendy chuckled. "I belive all knowledge is good knowledge. Of course, the information given to us might not be all that fun or pleasent, but at least it helps us build our intelligence and understand the world around us better then anyone else could teach. Sometimes you got to teach yourself" He said. "My, That was phyllosophical. Well if you're one for learning, maybe you would like to go outside with me. We can check on the others and you'll learn what they do in their daily life" Twilight suggests.
Now Bendy was surprised. "I can leave the castle? I had the feeling you wanted me to remain here" He said. "Why would i want to isolate you? And if you're worried about the citizens of Ponyville, they have seen worse so i doubt they'll worry about you" The princess assured him. Bendy thought about it.
"Well, all knowledge is good knowledge"