//------------------------------// // Talking Time // Story: The Piano Man: Act II // by The Sentient Cloud //------------------------------// I sigh loudly as I sit up. I can do that, because I’m alone. “Christ, I am just the rudest person ever.” I exclaim loudly, getting to my feet as quickly as I can. I look around the suite. ‘Where’s the clock in this place? How long was I asleep?’ “Shit…” I snatch my cane up from where it had fallen during my sleep – namely; the floor. I do a quick turn on the spot to search for the clock, which I find hanging from the frame of the door onto the balcony. The hands read ten to twelve. “Hell.” I grumble, turning around again. “Did I seriously just fall asleep while Maneworthy and Twilight were here?” A little voice in the back of my mind reminds me that I didn’t have a nightmare this time, but my rest only lasted a grand total of forty minutes, so I don’t think it really counts. I put a hand to my head, at a loss of what to do. My first instinct is to apologize to someone for falling asleep, but of course, that isn’t on the table at the moment. In fact, it’s only now that I notice what is on the table. The coffee table is now supporting a plate, which in turn carries a pair of what look like peanut-butter sandwiches, and a note. I wearily stoop over and retrieve the slip of paper, letting out another choice curse at my own rudeness as I begin to read. Keys: Maneworthy has gone to see his wife (She is in the later stages of pregnancy) and most likely will not be available until tomorrow. I will be taking the ‘day off’ that you seem so certain that I need, and won’t be back until dinner. (Don’t worry about food. I’ll stop by the kitchens on the way.) You should take some time to rest and get settled into the suite. I’d advise against going for a walk unless you have somepony to make sure you don’t overexert yourself. The sandwiches have been treated, so they’re safe to eat. -Twilight. I shrug, before letting the piece of paper flutter back down to the coffee table. There’s no such thing as a brief note when Twilight’s involved. Of course I still remember Maneworthy’s wife, Light Wing. The note doesn’t explain why Maneworthy had to leave, so I assume that there’s nothing in particular wrong, and that he simply went to see her. It makes sense that he would, considering how much of his time I take up. I lean down and pick up a sandwich from the plate. I don’t feel particularly hungry, but neither do I feel full. Now that I think about it, I’ve gotten quite a bit done, and it was all completed before midday. After a few seconds of hesitation, I take a bite from the sandwich. It was less terrifying to eat back before Twilight mentioned that if my food wasn’t magically altered it would kill me. Now I constantly pause before biting to fearfully wonder what might happen if one of the chefs made a mistake, or I’ve been given some unaltered food by accident. It seems that my life is in the hooves of others in more ways than one. Not only are the princesses providing for my accommodation and living, but the royal chefs are making sure that my food won’t rip my insides apart. Including right now, I’ve only eaten twice since Twilight told me what work goes into my food, and I can already see exactly what she means. It’s true that the food does indeed taste blander than what I used to eat back on Earth. I only really noticed once it had been pointed out, but now I can’t not notice. But really, who cares? I’m lucky to be alive at the moment. Griping about the magically altered food that isn’t costing me anything would be more than a little rude. Sandwich in hand, I shuffle towards the right wall of the suite, which is partly obscured by the stairs up to the second level. A set of shelves set into the wall has caught my eye. Most of them are occupied by large square sleeves – except for one, which carries a gramophone resembling the one at Pinkie’s party yesterday. Curious, I rest my cane against the wall and pull out one of the many sleeves, which reveals itself to be the cover for a record. I raise an eyebrow when I first see the title. ‘Buck: Violin and Cello in G Major.’ “Featuring Octavia and Symphony.” I chuckle as I read the remainder of the title before opening the cover and removing the record itself. I gingerly position the record on the gramophone, set the device going, and bring the needle into position, and wait. After a few seconds the gramophone lets out a little crackle, and beings to serenade me with some well-suited string music. The volume seems just perfect for the music to carry across the room without intruding upon thoughts or conversations. I smile and step away from the wall, once more retrieving my cane and taking another bite from the sandwich. As I turn and hobble back towards the centre of the room, I can’t help but repeat a thought I had quite a while ago. When I first played the piano for Trixie I wondered whether there was a pony version of Beethoven. It would seem that Bach has been translated into Buck, but he was a composer for more than just key-based instruments. If nopony here can play the piano, does that mean that Buck couldn’t play the organ? If that’s the case, then it’s fully possible that there is no Beethoven of this world. I finish off the sandwich as I reach the couch, and promptly bend down to retrieve the other. This altered food is actually very intriguing, and I can’t help but wonder about one of the upsides to Equestria – namely; if unicorns are able to bleach the substance out of food, but still have them physically indistinguishable from standard food, then does that mean Equestria has no obesity issue? Comfort food wouldn’t be a health hazard on Earth if companies were able to manufacture them to be low mass. I take a bite of the second sandwich, and am about to sit down and enjoy the music when a thudding sound reaches my ears. I turn to the entry of the suite as whoever is at the door knocks a second time. “Coming!” I call, before taking another hasty bite and ambling towards the door. After pausing to swallow my mouthful of sandwich, I open the door, revealing a white unicorn mare with a brilliant purple mane and a glowing horn. “Good…” I glance over my shoulder at the clock. “…Afternoon, Rarity.” “Good afternoon, Keys.” Rarity stumbles slightly on my name. “I ran into Twilight out in Canterlot…” “Uh-huh.” I step back and motion for her to come in. “…And she mentioned that you’re moving into your new suite.” Rarity trots in through the door, revealing the reason her horn is glowing. “So I decided that I’d bring your clothes over from the clinic.” “That’s very considerate of you.” I watch as Rarity levitates two large stacks of neatly folded clothing through the door. “Thanks.” “Think nothing of it.” Rarity waves her hoof, trotting past me into the suite and proceeding to gush over my accommodation. “Oh my, how modern!” “That’s what I thought.” I comment absently, following her into the apartment. “Seems odd for a palace as old as this.” “Not really.” Rarity stops out near the centre of the room to take a look around. “Celestia remodels different areas every few years or so. I think she likes the variety.” “Makes sense.” I shrug. “Oh, I think the bedroom is upstairs.” Rarity nods, turning towards the stairs and continuing to walk, before pausing to listen to the music. “Hmm… is that… Buck?” “Yeah.” I glance at the gramophone, wondering how much longer it has to run. “Violin and Cello in… G Minor, I think.” “Tasteful.” Rarity comments before starting to walk up the stairs. “So how did you convince Twilight to take a day off? Celestia knows we’ve all tried, so how did you manage it?” “I promised that I’d answer some of her questions about humans if she did.” I look down wistfully at my sandwich, now wishing that Rarity had come by a little later so that I could finish eating it first. “Clever.” The white mare compliments as we reach the top of the stairs, revealing the rest of the apartment to me. Two thirds of the upper floor is taken up by a dinning room, complete with an elongated table, while the remaining third is sectioned off by a wall and door. There are two more doors against the back-wall, through which I see a bathroom and what looks like an office, which leaves the sectioned-off area as the bedroom. “Thanks. Uhh… I think it’s through here.” I take the lead, walking over to the door and opening it. “Oh, yeah. It is.” I push the door wide open and motion for Rarity to go through, which she does. Following her through, I myself am able to take a look at my bedroom for the first time. The rear wall is taken up by a double-bed and its two night-stands, complete with lamps and clocks. It’s nicely complimented by a pair of in-wall shelves above the bed. Opposite the back wall is the glass rail looking out over the left-most third of the lounge, providing a nice view of the piano on its pedestal. This effect is furthered by a well placed armchair and reading lamp, which allows whoever sits in it to lookout over the entirety of the lounge. The dividing wall has no notable features aside from one chest of drawers pushed up against it on the balcony-end, while the opposing wall to the entry has two wardrobes set into it. It also boasts a full-length mirror with which Rarity takes a second to admire herself, before opening one of the wardrobes and busily sorting the clothes into it. I watch curiously as she works. Unicorns have bad multi-tasking capabilities. Rarity came in here carrying my clothes as two whole stacks, which meant that she was really only performing two tasks at once. Now she’s deposited one of the stacks on the bed, and is removing articles from the other. Now she’s manipulating three objects, by keeping the stack in place, and removing two separate articles at any one time. I wonder how many objects Rarity can manipulate at any one time. How many tools has My Little Pony shown her using? I’m sure it’s no more than four. If I could find a Pony with the ability to manipulate five or more objects at once – by which I mean, controlling them separately and having them do tasks and actions independent of each other – then maybe I would be able to teach them some simple piano pieces. The entire prospect daunts me. There are so many variables and factors to be considered. I find my eyes drifting to my own reflection in the mirror. I’m starting to get used to the reasonably gaunt figure I’ve acquired, but I still feel that little scrap of confusion every time I see myself in a reflective surface. Right now I’m more entertained by the humorous portrait I paint with my moderately formal attire and walking cane’s clash with my slim build and the half-eaten peanut butter sandwich. “So.” Rarity continues to chat as she works. “You’ve promised to answer some of Twilight’s questions. I have to wonder, do you actually plan to?” “Definitely, definitely.” I nod, even though she isn’t looking at me. “I don’t make empty promises.” “Indeed you shouldn’t.” Rarity quips cheerfully, retrieving the second stack of clothes as she finishes the first.. “If you did, then you’d need to file a restraining order against dear Pinkie Pie.” I pause to mull over her advice, before giving a little shudder. “Stick a cupcake in my eye…” I whisper quietly, suddenly fearful of what it would actually be like to associate with Pinkie Pie while there’s a broken promise that has yet to be resolved present. “What’s that dear?” Rarity asks, pausing mid-sorting. “Nothing.” I respond evenly. There’s no reason I would know what a Pinkie Promise is, so it’s best to just avoid the subject. “I’m just wondering what questions Twilight’s going to ask.” “If I’d have to hazard a guess… I’d say ‘a lot’. I hope you aren’t planning anything else tonight.” “I suppose I’ll need to reschedule my angst hour… oh, and my appointment with the pope.” I reply sarcastically, even though my words simply confuse the white mare. “Sorry darling.” Rarity tuts awkwardly. “I don’t get the reference.” “I wouldn’t expect you to.” I reply disinterestedly. “Human humour.” “Ah.” Rarity closes the wardrobe door and turns back to me. “And that’s that. I suppose I should get out of your hair, and give you some time alone. I myself have orders to fill.” “You’re working?” I blink in surprise. “But… you’re in Canterlot. I’d have thought that you’d be relaxing, and seeing the city. “I’m doing both.” Rarity replies proudly. “And I could never just stop working! The world of fashion never goes on vacation, now does it? I nod, turning around and leading her back out through the dinning room. “Thanks for coming by. I really appreciate it.” “Oh hush.” Rarity chides. “It’s always nice to talk to a friend.” I raise an eyebrow. I suppose that we are indeed friends, although the casual way she drops the word seems wrong. It doesn’t seem like something Rarity would just say in conversation. Similar, but not right. Did she put the word in to make a point? “I agree.” I speak slowly, wondering what exactly the mare is playing at. Maybe she’s trying to gauge whether or not I consider the ponies my friends. “Talking with friends is always fun.” Rarity nods pertly as we descend the stairs back to the lower level. “Oh, there’s no need to stand on occasion, dear. I’ll show myself out.” “Are you sure?” I raise my eyebrow once more, noting that music has stopped while we were in the bedroom. Rarity’s telling someone not to follow social rules? Now that’s just scary. “Quite sure.” She assures me. “It was nice seeing you.” “Likewise.” I hold out my hand, which the white mare meets and shakes with her hoof. “Enjoy the rest of your day.” “You too. Don’t let Twilight get too carried away.” “I won’t.” I come to a stop by the coffee table as Rarity continues to walk, waiting patiently for the mare to leave As she walks away, I hear her voice. It’s extremely faint. No more than a mutter, which she must think I cannot hear. “Stick a cupcake in my eye…” Rarity whispers under her breath, causing me to do a double take. She heard. Worse than that, she knows I lied to her. I want to slap myself. I need to learn when to shut my damn mouth. “Auf wiedersehen.” Rarity calls as she reaches the door. “Au revoire.” I respond shakily, which draws a surprised look from Rarity as she shuts the door. I sigh, and turn around. It’s just impossible for me not to fuck up, isn’t it? I can’t just have a normal conversation without letting something slip. Taking a subdued bite of my neglected sandwich, I walk out onto the balcony and sit down on the shaped-glass deck-couch, which forms the mid-point of a semi-circle made up out of the couch itself and two shaped-glass deck-chairs. I put one arm over the backrest of the couch, and look out at Canterlot. One small blunder around Rarity. Not really that big a deal. Pretty soon it won’t matter anyway. Twilight will be back in a few hours. It seems like a long time, but it gives me all the time in the world to prepare my answers to the questions that I can’t tell the truth on. I have no intention to lie. What I intend to do it to tell half truths. Rather than say My Little Pony is a show, I’ll claim that we have stories of the ponies and their exploits. At least wording it like that won’t drop a tactical nuke on their entire civilization. I take another bite of my sandwich, taking half of what remains, and then breathe deeply through my nose. After a few seconds, I tear my eyes away from Canterlot, and get to work carefully thinking over what I’m going to say. *** knock-knock-knock. “It’s open!” I call loudly, leaving the piece unfinished as I rise from the piano. I feel on-edge, and nervous. It’s imperative that I don’t screw this up. The door swings open as I approach, and Twilight enters, accompanied by two plates of food held aloft by her magical aura. “Hey.” I nod, leaning my cane against the counter of the kitchen and taking both plates. “Thanks.” Twilight smiles briefly, shutting the door behind her as I look over the food. They’re both plain salad, except that one has been augmented with multiple slices of sausage meat. “Just a second.” I deposit both dishes on the counter, before hobbling into the kitchen and retrieving another plate. “What are you doing?” Twilight walks around to the front of the counter as I begin removing the slices of sausage from my salad and relocating them to the third plate. “We’re going to be having a conversation…” I speak quickly, for no reason other than how It reminds me of those bad crime shows on TV where everyone talks too fast while they’re arranging the evidence into their latest epiphany. “…So the least I can do is not eat meat while we talk. I’ll save it for later.” Twilight looks at me quizzically. “Uh… thanks.” I wave a hand, picking up the third plate and shifting it to the refrigerator. “It’s seriously not something worth thanking me for. I don’t feel like having meat anyway.” “Right…” Twilight seems slightly unnerved by my abruptness, but what little nervousness she has is being suppressed by her huge amounts of excitement and anticipation. Her face looks very calm, but her movements say otherwise. I smile slightly. My abruptness is a result of my own nerves – my own worries that I’ll somehow do something wrong. I’m not entirely sure why I’m nervous. I have my answers sorted out, so the only other step is watching what I say. “Come on.” I pick up both plates, once more. “No time like the present.” “Uh, okay.” The lavender mare follows me as I make my way through the apartment and out onto the balcony. I look around for a second, trying to decide which seat to take, before eventually shrugging, sitting down on the left side of the deck-couch, and passing Twilight her plate. Unsurprisingly, Twilight takes the seat next to me, and we sit in silence, neither one of us touching our food. I look down at my plate for a second. “Okay. I take it that you have a lot of questions, so… start small.” “Right.” Twilight shifts uncomfortably, and I’m actually surprised when she doesn’t pull out anything to write down my answers. “Small…” She trails off, and I let out a little sigh. “Don’t you know where to start?” I ask gently. I would have thought that she’d come better prepared than this. “Uhh… not really.” Twilight grins sheepishly while I frown thoughtfully. “Huh. Well, I suppose the best place to start is… the name.” “The name?” Twilight raises an eyebrow, slightly confused by the vagueness of my statement. “The name of where I come from.” I pick up a piece of lettuce from my plate, and take a bite. “We call it ‘Earth’.” “Earth…” Twilight mutters thoughtfully, as if the name has any real meaning. “Like ‘earth-pony’? “Yeah. Earth is another word for dirt, and it’s also what we named our planet. Some people call it Terra, but not many.” The lavender mare pauses for a long minute as she thinks over what I’ve just said, and then moves on to her first question. “What’s the average life expectancy for a human?” “Uh…” I bite my lip. This is the sort of question I’d expect from Twilight, because it’s something she’d think is worth knowing. “I think it’s about… seventy years. What about ponies?” “It depends on the different species. Earth ponies have shorter life expectancies than unicorns due to how much more strenuous their professions tend to be, etcetera…” “So…” I gesture for Twilight to continue her train of thought. “…So the overall average for ponies in general is about sixty five, although that’s hardly accurate for any of the three species, and I won’t even mention Alicorns.” I smile slightly. “And I thought I was meant to be the one giving the big answers. What’s next?” “What similarities are there between Earth and Equestrian culture?” Twilight asks quickly. She’s starting to get into the swing of things, and I can practically see her excitement bubbling up to the surface. I raise an eyebrow. So much for starting small. “Similarities?” I smile slightly. “I think it’s better to point out differences. Equestria and Earth are… extremely similar. I mean, what do you call the language spoken by ponies?” “Equestrian.” Twilight blinks in confusion, at which I nod. “Indeed, and I speak English. So why can we understand each other?” I ask, looking Twilight in the eyes. This is getting into dangerous show-related territory. “Uhh…” The mare puts a hoof to her chin. “Hmm…” “It’s because our worlds are linked, for some reason.” I continue, now spouting a load of uninformed bullshit. “That’s how Trixie was able to summon me, and that’s why they share so many similarities between them.” I reply plainly. “I don’t know how they’re linked, but they clearly are.” “That seems… unlikely…” Twilight muses, her brow creased as she mulls over the subject. “Incredibly unlikely.” I agree. “And yet, it’s evident. Look at Manehattan. We have a city on Earth called Manhattan. On both planets, their name contains a pun pertaining to the local species. ‘Man’ for humans, and ‘Mane’ for ponies.” “What’s a ‘man’?” Twilight asks quizzically, changing the subject without even realizing it. “’Man’ is the human equivalent for ‘Stallion’. ‘Colt and Filly’ becomes ‘Boy and Girl’, while ‘Stallion and Mare’ becomes ‘Man and Woman’. You have a couple of those words here in Equestria, but on Earth they're used exclusively.” “Wow…” Twilight hums, even though the information isn’t awe-worthy. “So you’re a… man?” “I’m nineteen. Once you reach eighteen, you count as a man.” I turn my gaze to look out over Canterlot, which is lit a beautiful red and yellow from the setting sun. “So Twilight, has anypony ever been into space?” “Into space?” Twilight repeats my words in surprise. “Of course not. Princess Luna was banished to the moon, but nopony’s ever been into space…” I wait patiently as Twilight pieces together what I’m getting at, which she quickly does. I can’t help but smile when I hear her gasp in surprise. *** Our conversation so-far has surprised me. Twilight’s managed to stay away from the touchier subjects, and has mostly stuck to the more trivial parts of human society. I can see the questions there, though. I’m pretty sure she’s dying to ask them. So far, we’ve talked about human excursions into space, the aggressive nature of my species in general, the way the human population is spread across Earth, and some of the technologies we have. Twilight was very interested in the ideas behind aircraft. I myself have broached subjects like Pinkie’s defiance of the laws of physics, and how earth-ponies can operate doorknobs with their hooves. Twilight drew a blank on the first question, but was far more helpful on the second. Apparently, it’s just part of the natural magic all ponies possess. It’s best defined as ‘extremely short distance telekinesis’. It helps in handing over bits, and grasping objects, which would explain how musicians like Octavia are able to grasp their instruments. I notice that it’s still useless for playing something like the piano. You wouldn’t have thought that so few topics would have managed to eat away so much time, and yet we’ve managed to chat away the last two and a half hours. I have to say; I’m really enjoying myself. This stuff is amazingly interesting. I still have to ask about wingboners, but that should probably wait until another time. And now we’re discussing a more interesting topic that’s relative to both worlds: Clothing. It’s an interesting topic, actually. “It’s pretty straight-forward.” I shrug. “Humans are mammals, so we’re covered in hair. The problem is that this hair is very thin. It doesn’t shield the cold like your coats.” I gesture at Twilight, who nods. “So clothes are needed to keep warm?” “Pretty much.” I nod in return. “We’ve been wearing them for so long, that our society has developed a taboo on nudity that’s completely unrelated to body temperature. Now showing things like… well, genitals, is a punishable offense.” “That’s a crime in Equestria too.” Twilight adds. “It is, but ponies don’t show-off their bodies just by walking. Everything is hidden on the underside. If a human were to walk around nude, everything would be on display.” I can’t help but smirk slightly at the topic. I didn’t really expect to discuss the concept of nudity, although I probably should have realized that talking about my instance on wearing clothes would lead to it. That doesn’t make it any less awkward to discuss. “Wait,” Twilight suddenly adjusts her position on the seat. “does that mean I’m offending you? I’m so sorry!” “Oh, no. Not at all.” I shake my head, not wanting to make the mare uncomfortable. “Standards are different between species. I don’t see anything offensive in Equestrian nudity. That’s just part of being a pony. “Okay…” Twilight frowns, looking slightly confused. “So the entire reason human nudity is wrong, is just because you’ve worn clothes so long that it’s considered offensive to not wear clothes?” “Offensive or sexual.” I correct her bluntly. “Think of it this way: Why are some words considered offensive? They’re just sounds, and a sound in itself cannot be called offensive. It’s just noise. The reason a word is offensive is because of the negative implications and meanings attached to it by the speaker and the listener.” Twilight nods thoughtfully. “I’ve had that very same thought.” “I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” I comment needlessly, before allowing the mare to continue her train of thought. “So there’s nothing wrong in nudity itself, but on Earth the social implications behind it are what make it wrong?” “Ten points.” I raise a finger, and Twilight smiles. “When you get down to it, human society is pretty stupid, and it’s full of double standards. Stripped to the basics, our entire society is fuelled by a desire to impress potential partners. So-many of the things we do are sex oriented in some way or other, like our humour and entertainment.” “Right.” Twilight frowns. “Seems unpleasant.” “It easily can be, but it can also be very entertaining. I suppose it’s more saddening than anything.” I shrug. “But it’s impossible to change an entire society because you disagree with one of its aspects. I think I’ve found a much better way to dispel my worries.” “What’s that?” Twilight looks down at her plate briefly. We’ve spent the last few hours picking at our salads, but neither of us has really eaten. “Well for one, I don’t need to deal with constant shit-storm that is human social interaction any more.” I gesture out at Canterlot. “I mean, it’s completely off the table. It’s actually very liberating. Equestria has looser gender-roles. The entire pony social order is much more ideal than any society on Earth.” “Right.” Twilight seems pleased by my comment, but lets me continue without saying anything.. “And the second thing is this very conversation.” I smile as Twilight nods, asking a needless; “How so?” “You’re an impartial viewer, unaffected by the heavy biases that every human carries. You have an outside opinion on the entire system of human civilization. When you get down to it, every last pony here is more qualified to make observations of human society than many of the sociologists on Earth.” “I wouldn’t say that…” Twilight disagrees. “Many ponies here would be biased towards our own system.” “True, but that would only be relevant when comparing the two.” I shrug. “Things like this are so twitchy." “Yeah.” Twilight nods in agreement, and we both fall silent. I give a little sigh, and look down at both of our plates. “I don’t think it was the best idea to bring food for this.” “Yeah…” Twilight agrees, picking up both plates with her aura and standing up. “It’s getting late. I should probably get going.” “Wait a second.” I hold up my hand, and Twilight pauses. “Yes?” I let out another little sigh. “I know there’s a question you’re dying to ask…” I close my eyes briefly, before opening them again and looking Twilight in the eye pointedly. “…So go ahead. Ask it.” “Wait, really? Are you sure?” Twilight raises both eyebrows in surprise. “Yeah.” I nod. “I haven’t been fair, Twilight. Ask it.” The lavender mare still hesitates, opening and closing her mouth twice before finally speaking. “You know what?” She gives me a little smile, turning back towards the opening into the suite. “I think it can wait until next time.” “Oka- wait, it can?” I sit up, shocked by Twilight’s sudden change of heart. “Really?” “Yeah. Like I said; it’s getting late.” Twilight shrugs as I push myself to my feet – which is much harder and more painful without my cane. “Next time seems like a better idea.” I stare at Twilight in shock as we walk back inside. Is she seriously doing this? It seems so… unusual. There has to be some sort of ulterior motive. Is she holding out for something else? Wait. That would be even more out-of-character. I mean, it’s not like there’s a rule that Twilight can’t show some self-restraint. It’s just confusing. The only reason I can think of is that Twilight’s still worried that I’m not in a fit state to be answering stressful questions. Actually, that’s probably the entire reason why she declined. I watch, still mildly baffled, as Twilight carries the plates over to the kitchen. “Uh, just leave those. I’ll do them in the morning.” The mare pauses, turning back to look at me. “You sure?” “Why not?” I shrug. “It’s not like I do that much around here.” Twilight has essentially done me a huge favour. I was fully prepared to answer her questions, and yet she still gave me a reprieve. I’ll have to find a way to return the gesture. Actually, I know just what to do. I clear my throat as Twilight rests the two plates on the counter. “Hey, Twilight.” “Yes?” She turns her head to look at me yet again. I cough lightly. “Would you mind, uh, bringing the other girls over tomorrow?” “Okay then.” Twilight replies cheerily, not even bothering to ask why. I think our entire conversation has put her in an extremely good mood. I watch curiously as Twilight exits the kitchen, and approaches the exit. “This has been really fun, Keys.” Twilight says simply. “But I need to get back to my rooms and write all this down before I forget any of it.” “Just bring some paper next time.” I force a chuckle. “Will do. Goodnight.” Twilight opens the door with her magic. “Goodnight. Oh, and Twilight?” The mare stops, turning her head slightly. “Yeah?” “Sorry for falling asleep.” I grin sheepishly. Twilight gives a little laugh, and shakes her head. “Seriously? It’s fine, Keys.” With nothing to add, I simply give a small wave as I watch the door close behind her. Still mildly confused, I turn away from the door and hobble back to the balcony exit, sliding each half closed. What’s going on here? Why did Twilight have that change of heart? Sure, it could be because she thinks I’m not ready to answer the big questions, but what if it’s something else? I feel like there’s something else happening that I haven’t been told about. It’s unnerving. I desperately want to know why she changed her mind – and at the same time, I feel like it can wait until tomorrow. Right now, I’d like to just go to bed, and get back into a normal sleep pattern. For what seems like the tenth time tonight, I sigh. And then I turn, and hobble off to bed.