~~ CHAPTER TWO ~~
~~ A JOURNEY PLANNED ~~
No matter how many times you tossed and turned or flipped your pillow or fluffed your blankets, sleep wouldn’t come. Your mind refused to slow down, conjuring up memories of your newfound crush and all the things she’d done these last several weeks that had made you fall for her. All of the small smiles, the friendly hugs, the color of her cheeks when she blushed... hell, the sheer passion she displayed whenever she found a new subject to learn about. You always had a thing for nerdy girls, you supposed, and Twilight was perhaps the nerdiest girl you’d ever met.
Girl. You frowned and sighed deeply as you got out of bed, gingerly stepping across the cool wooden floor and out upon your room’s grand balcony. Twilight wasn’t a girl, was she? She wasn't even close. She was a mare. A pony! A horse! The thought put a bitter taste upon your tongue, and you lowered your head in shame at the idea that you could fall for such a being. Back home, such a thing would have been beyond taboo. Here, for all you know, it was too. You knew the various pony races got along just fine, but you had never seen a griffon and a pony couple, or any pairing of different species.
You paused as a random thought crossed your mind. Were you ashamed because she was a pony? Or were you more ashamed because you were ashamed that she was a pony? Twilight was Twilight. There was far more to her than just her species. Did human taboos even have any place in a world like this? Being so far away from home, you realized that the only time you’d ever see a human again would be in the mirror.
Were you even physically attracted to her? You closed your eyes for a moment and imagined what it would be like to… take Twilight to bed. Would it be like making love to a human? Or would it be like rutting a horse? You scowled; the thought of Twilight mating like a simple beast brought you some degree of discomfort. You knew she was far more than a beast. She was a person, same as you, but different in all the ways your morals told you mattered.
You didn’t know what to think, and that panicked you.
A sudden, chill breeze brought you back, and you shivered in the night as a pack of timberwolves howled from somewhere beyond the borders of Ponyville. Quickly, you stepped back inside and shut the glass doors of your balcony and moved to warm your hands by the crackling, magical fire.
You weren’t used to not knowing things. It stressed you out, and when you were stressed, you tended to panic. You weren’t so different from Twilight in that regard, you thought. When you were panicked, you would seek knowledge. Your fear came from the unknown, that great nebulous cloud of hows and what ifs that ignorance could never quell, that would build in your mind and allow your fears to run wild. Knowledge was like the sun that burned away that fog, that allowed you to see your problems for what they really were: manageable and far more easy to solve than your panicked mind had originally thought.
No, you chuckled. Not so different from Twilight at all.
Perhaps you could read up on the subject? No doubt Twilight had many books on romance. She had whole shelves for every subject under the sun, you knew. Just because you had never heard of ponies loving different species doesn’t mean it couldn’t occur, and if you could learn about these things then perhaps you could come to terms with your own feelings for your own best friend.
There were so many things you didn’t know. But now that you had a plan, it all seemed easier somehow, and as you climbed back in to bed and pulled the covers over your body, you said a silent prayer to Princess Celestia – or whatever god ruled over this land – that you could find answers and finally be at peace.
Slowly, ever so slowly, you fell sleep.
~~
You woke early in the morning. Just as the sun was rising and the birds were beginning to chirp, much to your displeasure. You had never been much of a morning person, and thanks to your insomnia last night, you reckon you had only slept for four hours or so. You hoped there was fresh coffee.
Groaning, you rolled out of bed and made your way to your bathroom. A quick shower and a shave, and you dared to feel just a tad more alive than you had previously.
Surprisingly, Twilight was nowhere to be found. As you walked by her bedroom, you saw that her bed had already been made and the magical fire had been snuffed. However you soon smelled the faint aroma of pancakes (and coffee!) and followed your nose down to the main hall, where you discovered the bookish alicorn already wide awake, poring over several different books at once and occasionally muttering as she gazed over to what appeared to be an old parchment map, all laid atop the table she claimed to be a “Cutie Map” of some kind.
In silence, you took a mug and poured a cup of coffee and took a seat at the far end of the table. You smirked; Twilight didn’t seem to realize you were there.
“Good morning!” You said, louder than you probably should have, and you had to suppress a laugh as Twilight jumped in her chair, yelping in surprise.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Twilight growled.
“I’ve been here for almost a minute now, Twi’.” You answer.
Twilight opened her mouth to respond but found that she had no winning argument for that, and so she just splayed her ears and gave you a small blush as she looked away. “Guess I was just a little busy,” she muttered.
You gave a small ‘hmm’ in acknowledgement and leaned in. “What are you working on?”
That seemed to light a spark in the alicorn. She looked up at you, eyes wide and full of energy. “I think I found it!” She exclaimed. However, she must have sensed your confusion, because she decided to go on.
“Do you remember how I said last night that King Grover never kept a diary?” You nodded. “Well, I spent most of the evening wondering about that. As it turns out, he might have!” Twilight turned the map she was looking at around and pushed it toward you. “I woke up a few hours before dawn this morning and looked through some old books of mine, and I think I found references to his personal, hidden library!”
You sipped your coffee. “Okay,” you said.
“It’s a griffon legend!” Twilight exclaimed. “Almost all records of it have been lost to time, but I think – at least I suspect – that some of the references made in these books…” she gestured at the thick tomes scattered across the table. “These books might be able to help us find it!”
“That’s… amazing!” You offered, and smiled widely at Twilight’s own grin. How she managed to decode several different references from several different books you’d never know, but if anyone could do it, you knew she could.
That’s when it hit you. “Us?”
The alicorn leaned in. “You want to come?” She asked. “I could ask Rainbow, she usually loves this kind of thing. I don’t think you and I have ever gone anywhere though, just the two of us.”
You weren’t sure how to respond. Go out in search of a lost library? Like a classic Dungeons and Dragons-type quest? You had to work at the post office in a couple of hours! What’s more, you had never even been camping for more than a day or two back home. Why would Twilight want you to tag along on her journey?
“It’ll be fun!” Twilight encouraged you and hopped to her hooves, a big smile on her face. “There’s so much I could show you! There’s so much of Equestria you haven’t seen! We can travel through the Whitetail Woods, and we’d pass over Neighagra Falls! Oh, it’ll be so amazing!”
“Is it… dangerous?” You asked. “And how long would it take?”
Twilight chuckled. “Dangerous? I sure hope not! And maybe a week or so each way.” She must have seen you getting ready to speak, because she quickly added: “I can get the time off for you. I know Derpy wouldn’t mind. She owes me a favor, anyhow.” She paused. “And besides, if there is any danger, you don’t have to worry. I can protect you!”
You couldn’t help but blush.
Sighing, you lean back in your chair and closed your eyes. This was a bad idea. You knew it was. You were no Indiana Jones, no Daring Do. You belonged in Ponyville. Well, technically you belonged on a far-off planet you’d never see again, but all things considered Ponyville was a decent second choice.
Then again, you thought, maybe this was a chance for you think on your feelings. Some time alone on the road, just you and Twilight, would give you time to think about her, to get to know her, just her, in a way you hadn’t been able to here in town. If you were ever going to make a move – if - you'd need to be sure she would feel the same way about you.
This was a bad idea. You knew it was, and yet you also knew that your heart had already made its choice.
“Yeah,” you said. “I’ll come along.”
“Yes!” Twilight cheered. “I promise we’ll have fun!”
You hoped so, you really did. But, in your soul, fear began to gnaw at you.
~~
A few hours passed and morning turned to midday as Twilight galloped through the palace making sure all of her provisions were packed and ready to go. You knew she wouldn’t leave unless her saddlebags were at least triple-checked, and so you decided to quickly call on Ponyville’s resident tailor to see if she had anything a little more outdoorsy to wear than the simple garb she had sewn for you to wear around town.
The bell on top of the door gave a musical chime as you walked in.. Equine mannequins of all shapes and sizes stood throughout the main room, some in elegant glittering dresses, and some in dashing tuxedos. Hundreds of fabric samples of every color were scattered about every table you could see, and from a back room somewhere, you heard a sewing machine hard at work. Obviously, somepony must have placed a big order.
“Hello?” You called.
The sewing machine fell silent, and you heard the telltale sound of hooves on marble as the unicorn you were looking for trotted out. The moment she saw you, she smiled brilliantly. “Darling!”
“Morning, Rares!” You opened your arms for a hug, and she gladly complied. “How are things?”
“Oh, busy as usual, of course. The Grand Galloping Gala is coming up, and of course everypony simply must have the latest fashion!” She shook her head and ran a hoof through her mane, then quickly used her magic to set it back in its elegant swirl. “Please don’t tell me you need a tuxedo, dear.”
You chuckle. “I haven’t worn a tux since high school prom. No, I was just wondering if you had anything made for me that I could use for a trip through some less than civilized areas. Something a little thicker than linen, maybe.”
Rarity’s eyes widened. “Through the wilderness? Good heavens dear, I didn’t think you were capable of going more than a mile or two out of Ponyville!” She furrowed her brow for a moment before she gasped. “I was working on some fall fashion for you. It’s a tad warmer and hardier than what you’re wearing now. Just give me a moment to find it for you!”
Nodding, you let the unicorn trot off to one of her many walk-in closets, and you smiled as she began to hum a whimsical tune as she rummaged through what you assumed to be drawers and drawers of unfinished projects.
“Wherever it is, I can tell you now that it still isn’t fully done. I’m afraid it’s a little… sparse.” Rarity called out from the closet.
“Sparse?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I had hoped to add a few sapphires to complement the color of your eyes, darling.” The mare replied. “Sadly, I had to commandeer them for a dress for a client.”
“That’s more than okay!” You said. Shuddering, you remember the pajamas Rarity had made for you last spring, and how pokey the gems had made them in, well, all the wrong places. You were more than okay if your jacket was sparse.
“If I may ask, where do you plan on going?” Rarity asked. You heard a drawer slam shut and a second slide open. “Pardon my saying so, but you’ve never come across as a Rainbow Dash kind of stallion. Or an Applejack. You’ve always been more of a, well, a me. Far more accustomed to observing the great outdoors, and less so being immersed in it.”
You laugh at that. “I suppose so. But Twilight’s offered to take me along on a trip of hers to find some great lost library, and you know how hard it is to say no to Twilight when she asks so nicely. Though I suppose I do feel a little anxious about the whole thing.”
The rummaging paused, and the alabaster unicorn’s head poked out from around the corner. “Twilight asked you?” She inquired, though it sounded more like a statement than a question.
“Uh, yeah,” you answered. You felt as though the whole world’s attention was suddenly upon you the way Rarity regarded you. “Why?”
The mare paused for a moment and she gave a curious expression, one you couldn’t place but suggested deep thought. “Well, if Twilight asked you accompany her, then there is nothing at all to worry about!” She gave you a warm smile. “I have never known Twilight to make any decision unless she had good reasons!” Then, her head disappeared back behind the doorway and the sounds of rummaging resumed.
You sighed as you turned to look out the window. Several ponies made their way down the main avenue. Some stopped and looked in the windows to peruse the various dresses the Boutique had on display, and more than one waved happily as they saw you. It made you think. Of all the ponies in Ponyville, surely Twilight could have asked one more accustomed to long treks and wilderness camping.
“Why do you think Twilight chose me?” You asked, calling out for the unicorn still looking through drawers.
“Oh, well I couldn’t possibly tell you, darling!” Rarity called back. “Aha, there we are!”
Once more, a drawer slid shut, and soon the mare trotted out from the closet, towing a fairly impressive assembly of garments in her magic. “Here we are, dear!” She exclaimed, and pushed the goods toward you.
The coat was a dark brown woolen gambeson, fastened by silver buttons down the middle. You could see along the cuffs small sewn patterns, likely where the fashionista had originally planned to place her sapphires. The trousers were the same color, and the boots were just a shade darker and tall enough to come up to your calves. And to top it all off, a dark green cloak and hood made of fine silk, fastened at the gambeson’s neck by a gleaming silver clasp.
“Wow,” you exhaled. You had thought Rarity would have given you some thick trousers and a heavy coat, but this… this was amazing.
“Shall I assume from the sparkle in your eyes that it’s to your liking?” The mare asked, giggling. “I’m glad, darling. Just make sure to tell anypony who asks who made it for you!”
“It’s gorgeous,” you said, and then added, chuckling, “I’ll try not to get it too muddy.”
“I do hope you have an excellent trip, dear.” The unicorn offered you a warm smile and a caring nuzzle against your chest. “You will have to tell me all about it when you get back, perhaps over a cup of tea.”
“Sounds good,” you said, giving her a little rub behind the ears. “Well, I should be going. Twilight’s probably finished her checklists, and I’d like to have a little lunch before we head out.”
Smiling, you took the garments and bundled them up in your arms and made your way out of the Boutique. Rarity was kind enough to hold the door open for you, and as you made your way through Ponyville back to the Friendship Palace, the doubts in your heart began to wane, replaced by a growing confidence. If Twilight wanted you alongside her, you knew you trusted her to make the right call. Maybe she saw something in you that you couldn’t, and that… that was encouraging to you. And besides, a week or two alone on the road, just you and her… the thought made your heart beat just a little quicker.
Perhaps this would be a journey you’d remember for the rest of your life.
By the time you had gotten back to Twilight, she had only just finished packing her bags and reminding her dragon Spike about all of the very many things he had to do while she was gone. You were glad to have missed it if the young dragon’s thousand-yard stare was at all telling. Then came all the goodbyes. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had just happened to drop by, as had the unicorn tailor whose shop you had just come from. It was nice to see her taking a break, short as it may have been.
Finally, Twilight came up to you, saddlebags stuffed full and a big smile on her face. “Are you ready?” She asked. You nodded. “Okay!” she chirped. “Be good, Spike! See you soon, girls!” The two mares present waved goodbye, and Spike rolled his eyes, muttering something about “not being a little kid anymore”. And then, just like that, you were off on the longest road trip you’d ever taken.