//------------------------------// // Chapter Five // Story: Beyond the Books // by TTV_KingPhoenixEmbers //------------------------------// Beyond the Books Chapter Five “So how'd it go?” “How'd what go?” She rolls her eyes, even as she checks in the tux you're returning. With a bit of a chuckle, you give her a straight answer. “I'd say it went well, we split up smiling.” Rarity smiles as she hangs up the clothes, “I'm very happy to hear that. Do you have another one planned?” “What time is it?” “Eleven-forty-five.” There's a pause, before you exclaim, “WHAT. It's that late already? I gotta get going!” “You've already paid, so go ahead, dear.” You thank the dressmaker quickly and race out of the Carousel Boutique, trying to get to the park before your date – but by the time you can see the place, you can already see the purple unicorn relaxing on a bench and reading some obnoxiously large tome. Deciding to take your time for a moment, you hover high above her. How should you make this entrance? Dramatical landing, casually come in on that spare cloud you see over there, or a boring old landing? What kind of choice is that? “Hello,” You say casually, as you calmly float down on the cloud. Twilight giggles and rolls her eyes at your antics. “Hello,” She responds. “How long were you up there?” “I had enough time for a short nap.” The look she gives you only makes you laugh and you admit that you'd just gotten there. “How'd you guess?” Twilight gives a knowing smile, “I saw you.” “So you asked just to humor me?” “More or less.” “Good to know for when I need to humor you, I suppose,” you tease, earning a giggle. “What book is that? It's huge!” “Just some research,” She answers casually, before snapping it shut and shoving it into her bags. “So, what do you want to do?” You shrug, “Something fun? I don't know.” “You're a lot of help.” “Glad to be!” You grin, making her laugh. Such a nice sound. “How about we just chat for a bit?” “Uh, what about?” You shrug, before asking her about what her days were like in Canterlot. She perks up, and happily tells you about what she used to do back in the capital city. You'd never been there before, and after admitting this, she gives a gasp. “Oh, I have got to take you there!” She exclaims enthusiastically. Then she pauses at the idea, and you catch on. “I'm free this weekend, what about you?” You ask. Twilight thinks for a bit, “I believe I'm free, but I'll have to check my calender to make sure." “What time should we hop on the train?” you assure her with a chuckle. “It's a fairly short ride, so how does 8 sound?” You know that such an hour is extremely early considering your sleeping habits, but you agree to meet her at the train station at the time anyway. You realize that you probably won't make it on time, but that's a risk you gotta take. Especially since this is really important to the both of you, clearly. You stay to chat for another hour or so, before you admit that you have to run off. There's a light rain that you have to help set up, which you don't mind telling her so that she can get back to her home where she'll have some cover. Taking a moment to watch her go, you put your resting place back and fly over to the weather office. There, you get to the meeting just in time for it to start. “You're just in time,” The boss says to you with a grin. “What were you doing, hangin' with your marefriend?” You blush. That's enough of an answer as she giggles. Deciding to let it go and take a seat, you plop your butt down on the floor and pay attention. It appears that, either as a twist of fate or some sort of prank, your boss has charged you to be the one to place the clouds above the library. Deciding to visit first, you head on in without knocking. Twilight doesn't seem to notice, and an idea comes into your mind. Sneaking up as quietly as possible, you stop next to her and remain silent as she focuses on the book before her. Looks like something about... well, you don't really know, but whatever it is it's way over your head. It's as she turns the page that you lean close, hold your breath, aaaand... “Boo.” “GYAAH!” The unicorn promptly scrambles backwards, tripping over her own hooves in the process and winds up knocking into a bookshelf. The books protest by falling on top of her. For a moment, you wonder if you hurt her – but then her head pops up out of the top of the pile, and you can't help yourself. You fall over laughing. “Haa ha, you should'a seen your face!” You exclaim, holding your sides from how hard you're laughing. “It was perfect!” Twilight has to take a moment to gather her wits from her panic before glowering down at you. The effect is weakened considerably when she starts to giggle herself. Spike comes running down the stairs, and looks in confusion at the two crazily laughing ponies and the mess of books that Twilight was laying in. “Uhh... what're you guys doing?” He asks. You try several times to explain, but every time you start to speak, Twi's spooked look pops up in your mind and you start laughing all over again. The unicorn just shakes her head and starts to help her assistant reorganize. She bonks you over the head with a particularly thick tome to catch your attention. “Ow!” You say, despite the grin on your muzzle. “Okay, okay, I'll help pick up. But still, that was perfect!” “I thought you had a storm to set up.” “I do. I'm setting up the clouds above the library. We don't start for a while, so I thought I'd hang here before we do that.” She nods, as she hands you a book to put on the top shelf. Hovering up, you quickly put it in its proper place. “What'd you do that for, anyway?” You give her a wide grin, “Because it was fun!” She gives you a flat look, and bonks you on the head again. You laugh anyway, getting a smile out of her. You spend a few minutes in relative silence, only speaking to clarify where a book goes. By the time you're finished, you've got to get back outside and do your job. Don't want to get fired, after all. Once in the air, you spot the rest of the team pushing clouds around as well. In not time at all, the entire little town of Ponyville is covered in dark clouds, all of which are ready to give a downpour. You take a couple of minutes to make sure that, like it's supposed to be, none of the clouds you're in charge of have a electrical charge. It's not supposed to be a shocking night, just a wet one. “You all set?” You turn and nod, “All clear here, boss.” “You know the signal.” You nod again as she heads off; of course you know the signal – an incredibly loud whistle that your boss has grown ridiculously attatched to. A few moments later, said object is blown, and you give the large pile of interconnected cloud a swift buck. The entire weather team waits a minute before heading out, having to stay to ensure the rain happened the way it was supposed to. Then you waste no time racing back down to the library, since Twilight offered you a place to stay for the night earlier that day. “There you are,” She greets you as she hears the door open. “You were only out there for a few seconds, how are you that soaked?” “Twilight, it's a downpour,” You deadpan. “I was going to get wet at least a little bit.” She giggles a bit before letting you know where the bathroom is so that you can dry off. When you return to the main room, you spot her back at her reading stand. A notepad and quill are hovering beside her, and the sound of notes being taken fills your ears. You hover around the library, hunting for a book that might catch your attention – but your gaze keeps getting drawn towards the mare. “So... any books you want to recommend?” You ask at last. “They're on the desk there,” She answers, nodding to the circular desk in the middle of the room. You take a minute to look over their titles, “These are all books on flying.” “Yes? What's your point?” “Twilight... look at me.” She finally turns to you, and a look of realization appears on her face. “Oh... right...” She finally says. “Pegasus.” “Yeah.” “I'll, uh... go find some... better suggestions...” You laugh, “Don't bother. What is it you're reading now?” “It's the Theories and Laws of Natural Magic, and it's all about... uh...” “Stuff that I probably wouldn't understand?” “Yeah...” There was a mutual silence for a moment. “Should I ask Spike to cook something?” Twilight asks. “Nah, don't worry,” You assure her. “I'm fine.” That is when your stomach growls, proving otherwise to your statement. It is rather late, but your composure still fails a bit as you blush and give a sheepish smile. Twilight just laughs, and invites you to join her and Spike for dinner, something you can't help but accept. The little dragon is already cooking, and he easily adjusts it to accommodate you. “Will you be staying the night?” Twilight asks you as the three of you eat. “I can make it back home.” “In this kind of a storm?” “I'm not that bad of a flyer.” “Never said you weren't, but that's not the point.” “What, are you inviting me to stay?” “Yes! I can't let you risk flying home in this weather!” “It's only rain!” “And it's dark and cold! You could get sick! No, I simply must insist that you stay!” “But –” “No objections!” “Oh, fine,” you sigh as you decide to stop arguing with her. It's not like you actually mind staying the night. Twilight smiles, “Good. We'll set up a place for you to sleep.” “Thanks.” After dinner and helping Spike clean the dishes, you join the mare in the library. She already set out a book of your favorite series, one you had yet to read. You thank her, and start reading almost immediantly. It's not until you yawn almost three hours later that you finally stop, and look at the clock. Then you rub your eyes and look again – is it really almost midnight?! Looking over at Twilight, you notice that her note-taking is starting to slow down and you make an executive decision. “Alright, c'mon, let's go to bed,” You say as you shut your book. She yawns as she shakes her head, “I have to get these notes done.” “What time is it?” “It's... almost midnight, why?” “And you're yawning again. That's three times in less than a minute.” “...So I'm a little tired. It's fine.” “No, it's not. C'mon.” Twilight tries to put up a fight, but the night has drained her of a lot of her energy, and that just makes it easier to get her upstairs to her bed. Spike had been tucked in a couple of hours ago, and was already snoring; you're careful to be quiet as you basically force her under her sheets. When she's about to fall asleep, despite her protests, you manage to ask where you're sleeping. She doesn't appear to think about it as she levitates another pillow onto the bed, scoots over, and pats the spot beside her. Then she turns over and falls asleep. Your face is red, but you decide not to argue – not that such would be possible now – and carefully take up the remaining space. Deciding to not tempt fate, you face away from her, and manage to calm down just enough to fall asleep. Hopefully she doesn't take this the wrong way in the morning...