//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Acquaintance // Story: Proxy // by Thithle Candytufth //------------------------------// “Hey! Hey!” An animated voice exclaimed. Twilight groaned. The caffeinated tone scratched against her inner ears and made her spine shiver. She opened her eyelids slowly, revealing a face cloaked in morning light. “Are you okay?” Twilight’s vision began to stabilize. Before her was a pale violet unicorn, with a wispy black-and-mauve streaked mane. Her wide eyes gazed at Twilight curiously, darting over her disheveled features. Twilight’s eyelids refused to remain open for longer than a few seconds. “Hey!” Twilight groaned again, forcing her eyes open. “What?” “I was asking you if you were okay.” “If I’m okay?” “Well, yeah,” Twilight noticed the unicorn’s eyes roll, “It’s not every day you walk down the street and some hobopony is sleeping in front of the monument!” “Hobopony?” “Can you believe I just thought of that?” She said, proudly. “Clever,” Twilight said, her voice completely deadpan. “Well, I thought so,” the unicorn said, huffing a little. “Is there a particular reason you’re bothering me?” Twilight snarled, turning her face away. She puffed up her chest slightly. “Well, I’m sorry to wake you. I would have just taken you somewhere to rest, but I guess I can report you to the authorities for trespassing after hours.” Twilight leapt onto her hooves. She cracked massive fake smile. “No need to do that! I’d gladly accept your offer, uh—” “Lavender.” “Lavender! Lovely name.” “Thank you.” Lavender cracked a friendly grin. “And you are?” “Twilight Sparkle.” “Charmed.” Lavender gave an aside glance. “What say I forget about this little transgression,” She smirked mischievously, “on one condition.” Twilight sighed, but then immediately returned to her excessive simpering. “Of course!” The sound of her teeth gritting together amplified her developing migraine. “You let me show you around town, and then you could stay at my place!” She said, both her body and her voice bouncing excitedly. Twilight shook her head. “No thank you. I’m pretty familiar with this area.” Lavender cocked her head. “Really? Where’s your place? I’ve never seen you around before, and I know nearly every unicorn within a five-mile radius.” “Uh, I’m not—” “So, you aren’t from here?” “Well, no.” “So, you need a tour!” She clapped her hooves together. “No need. I know my way around.” “But do you have a place to stay?” “Well, not really.” Lavender gasped. “So, you really are a hobopony then!” “Please never use that word again.” Twilight scowled. Lavender flipped her streaky mane. An aptly-colored glow surrounded her horn, and a scrap of paper and quill materialized before her in a puff of smoke and sparkles. The quill began to move across the paper. “Let’s see here, ‘Dear Mr. Chief of Police…’” Twilight smiled so largely and falsely it hurt her jaw. “There’s no need for that! I was just about to say how much I’d love a tour and how much I appreciate your hospitality, Miss… uh—” “It’s Lavender.” “Right, right. Of course.” She’s clearly not buying it. “So, no time to waste! There’s a whole lot of Ponyville to see!” She pointed a hoof forward, directing Twilight to walk beside her. Really? This is what I’m stuck doing? She thought, still holding the jaw-breaking smile. Lavender’s gait was dignified; she held her head up high and swung her tail from side to side with each step. Twilight stared at the pavement beneath her and her tail swished impatiently. They wove through the crowded streets, which were cluttered with Ponyville citizens, push-carts, vendors, and foals at play. After a woefully brief silence, Lavender piped up: “So, where are you from, Twilight?” She sure starts a lot of sentences with ‘so’. “I’m from Canterlot.” “Wow, really? So you must be all high-class and stuff!” Twilight sighed. “Sure.” “Did you like it there?” “I’ve never known anywhere else. Don’t know what to compare it to.” Liar. “What brings you here?” Twilight paused for a moment. “I wanted a fresh start. A change of scenery.” Lavender looked at her, perplexed. “Didn’t you have a job or anything in Canterlot?” “Well, no. I was somewhat of a graduate student, I guess. Private apprenticeship.” “Oh, do they have good magic education there?” “How would you—” “I’m just curious. I teach magic.” “Really, now?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Yep!” Lavender’s smile grew wider, clearly noticing an ounce of sincerity from Twilight. “Did you see the blue spiral-y building in front of the train station?” “Yeah, why?” “That’s where I work. It’s the Star Swirl Academy for Talented Unicorns.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Star Swirl? As in, the Bearded?” “Yes!” Lavender practically jumped, “You wouldn’t believe it, but you’re the first pony I’ve met who got that!” “Really? He’s just so important! How could nopony have gotten that?” “I know! I have to tell my students all the time! I dedicate a semester to his contributions!” Twilight could not think of anything to add. There was a brief silence. “So, I can assume you were a student of magic, right?” “Well, yeah.” “Who was your teacher? Maybe I’ve heard of them!” “Um, probably not. She’s pretty obscure.” Stop lying. “Try me.” Come on Twilight think of something think of something think of something “Cheerilee.” “Huh, you’re right. No idea who in the hay that is.” Twilight wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. “Well, uh, she’s let me off for winter break, so I figured I would visit here.” “You picked no better place, Miss Sparkle. Ponyville’s the most beautiful city in all of Equestria.” I know. “Prove it,” Twilight smirked. “You’re on, Twilight Sparkle.” Lavender’s eyes glimmered with resolve, “Follow me.” She hurried her pace, leading Twilight to a tower in a plaza wholly unfamiliar to her. She led Twilight up the corkscrew-like staircase, up to the very pinnacle of the momentous tower. Twilight took in the view. Compared to the view she had gotten from overhead on multiple occasions, Ponyville was massive. A great deal of the Everfree Forest was cleared— a whole second village, practically, where Fluttershy’s cottage was. There were multiple watermills placed on the river that encircled the city. Sweet Apple Acres occupied a far greater space, with a great deal of what was the Everfree Forest to Twilight now speckled with red. Carousel Boutique, if present, was blocked by an array of other buildings. The same town hall occupied the square, and the bustle was clearly visible even from their height. What did Celestia even do? Did she really match the current architecture so it wouldn’t look archaic, but kept the key points, like the size, and Sugarcube Corner and the library, from when she was here? She really just re-skinned her Ponyville? How much thought went into this? What did the Ponyville my friends lived in really look like? She’s messing with me. She’s up there still screwing with my head. She’s probably still watching me. This is all a game to her. “Hey, Twilight?” Twilight shook her head. “Yeah?” “You okay?” “Of course! I’m just admiring the view, is all.” Lavender pointed out to the southwest. “See that?” Lavender said, “That’s Sweet Apple Acres.” “Oh, I’ve heard of that!” Twilight said. I’ve probably spent more time there than you have. “That’s where the vast majority of the apples everypony eats are harvested. It’s been owned and operated by the Honeycrisp family for generations.” Twilight swiftly turned to Lavender. “Don’t you mean—” Stop. You’re an idiot if you think the same family will run the place for a thousand years. “What was that?” Lavender looked at Twilight quizzically. “Hm?” Twilight turned back to the view. “Nothing, just admiring the scenery.” “It is indeed gorgeous,” Lavender said, “but I’m sure it’s nothing you couldn’t get see Canterlot, I’m sure.” You couldn’t be more wrong. “Yeah, where’s this ‘most beautiful city in all of Equestria’ you promised?” “It’s not just beautiful because of the scenery,” Lavender said, “it’s the ponies who live here that make it so!” Twilight gagged a little. “That’s… wonderful. But all this sightseeing’s made me exhausted. If you could just show me where I’d be staying that’d be—” Lavender grabbed Twilight by the hoof and began dragging her towards the stairs. “C’mon Twilight! You’ve gotta meet my friends first!” You can get through this, Twilight. She’s just a little excitable. Nothing you can’t get past. She loves magic, you love magic. You need a friend in this town, and she’s most certainly offering that. This can work. “Oh, you’re right!” Twilight exclaimed, releasing her hoof from the mare’s grasp, “I’d love to. Where are we headed?” “My friend owns a record shop by Star Swirl Plaza. You probably passed it.” Quills and Sofas. “Yeah, I did.” “Great! They’re probably just opening up now, so let’s go drop by!”