//------------------------------// // Ch2. Second dreams // Story: Equis Dreams. // by Aiwhisper //------------------------------// “Have a good night.” Pinkie had waved goodbye to her new friend and gotten back to cleaning up after the party. She couldn’t remember his name but smiled. “Pinkie, what were we just talking about?” Twilight was shook her head a bit confused and felling like she just forgot something. “Also who was this party for again?” Pinkie smiled and put a hoof on her friend’s withers. “Twilight it was for our new friend…” Pinkie tapped her chin also unable to remember. She shrugged then finishes, “I don’t remember but i’m sure we will see them again.” Twilight’s mane frazzled a bit as she glared at Pinkie. Pinkie just shrugged and pulled out a cupcake from her mane then ate it, “Want one?” Twilight returned to her library and sighed. She had stuck around a bit longer to help Pinkie clean up once she had calmed down. “How could I, the Princess of Friendship forget about a new friend’s name or even what they look like?” Flopping down onto her bed and stretching her wings spike grumbles from his one bed, “Hey Twilight, you’re back late.” “I was helping Pinkie clean up after the party. Spike, do you remember why we had that party?” She rolled onto her back but her new wings made it uncomfortable. She still hadn’t gotten used to them and Rainbow was still pushing for flight lessons. “Nope, but it was a Pinkie Party so it could have been for anything. Anyway, back to sleep. Night.” Spike conked back out immediately and began snoring. “Night spike.” Twilight said then tried to get comfortable. She also could no longer remember what the party had been for yet, for some reason it didn’t bother her. I was freaking out and pacing in the living room. After finding the first app for Equestria Dream’s bank, I had started a mental review. Wondering why I hadn’t freaked yesterday quickly took over my thoughts. When I found my cutie marks I thought nothing about them! The question was answered when they both glowed and I immediately calmed down. No wonder, these things raised my acceptance of the strange towards eleven. Now unusually calm, I checked my phone again and found another app labeled Equis Store. This one offered limited products such as apples from Sweet Apple Acres, with the ability to upgrade it…somehow. So here’s what I know so far. My dream world is real, I can bring money plus other stuff to that world and maybe back, and my phone and I became magical. “Cool.” I flopped down on my parents living room couch and checked the store app more closely. “So aside from buying stuff I can also sell stuff for bits or dollars, Nice. It looks like the bank is also an inventory but how does that work?” I closed my eyes and thought about holding a bit in my free hand. A golden coin appeared moments later and a notification popped up showing the withdrawal. “Wow it’s real gold. Wonder if I can sell it for a money glitch.” My phone gave an angry buzz and a red notice was on the screen that I read. “The Equis Dream’s bank does not recommend such actions as it will cause recalibration of the exchange rate. Current exchange rate: one dollar equals two bits.” Thinking about it, Makes sense, can’t just go flooding the market with gold and not expect consequences. I close my hand around the coin and picture it back in my account, causing it do disappear. “Wonder if I can store other stuff.” I grab a book from the coffee table. Focus on storing the book I manage to store, then retrieve it from my inventory. This earns a few more notifications in the process as well as information about the current storage limit. “A limited number of items [10:stacks] may be stored and brought with you anywhere, cash not included. Asset storage may be upgraded and please beware of consequences when transferring items between realms.” “Bet it would make theft super easy.” I casually remark and earn another red notification. “Please note only owned items can be stored without explicit permission.” “I wasn’t going to really become a thief.” I huff. I spend the next few minutes browsing the store. Every food item conveniently has a disclaimer on human/equine compatibility so I decide to get a few apples. The moment I buy them they show up in my assets as a stack and I pull one out. “Damn Applejack really does grow the best apples.” I smile after taking a bite of the sweet, delectable fruit. “Bet I could make a profit transporting these things.” There was no warning notification this time, however the store’s purchase limit meant if I wanted bulk orders I would have to buy them in person/pony. “Hey kiddo how’s things going?” My dad asked. He had called to check in and let me know they made it safely to the hotel. I was currently sitting outside on the farm house's massive porch enjoying the evening breezes. “Going great dad. Animals are all fine so just been hanging out around the farm. A few people stopped by to check on their horses or ride today but not much else. Your employees took care of the guests so I just relaxed.” “Great, I forgot to warn you about that so your mom and I got a bit worried.” He chuckled. I laughed, “I know it’s been like ten years since I’ve moved over to the city but I didn’t forget everything about farm life.” “Good. Thanks again for taking over for a bit and see you in a week.” We exchanged goodbyes and hung up. After heading back inside I got ready for bed, set my phone on the nightstand, and tried to get comfortable. Wonder where I'll end up tonight. "Ugg." I quickly stood up and swiveled my equine ears. I was back on the outskirts of Ponyville but luckily not in the Everfree. "Wonder what time it is here." As if to answer my question my cellphone dropped on the ground in front of me. "Huh." I picked it up with my hoof and read "9:15, that's about the same time I went to bed back on earth. Now how to send this back." Concentrating didn't work so, I tried putting the phone in my mane instead where it quickly disappeared. "Nice, that's handy." I laughed at my own joke while heading into town. Plenty of ponies I had met yesterday gave me friendly waves that I happily returned. "Wonder what I should do now? I could find a job like back home or something." The possibilities left me somewhat overwhelmed once I realized I knew nothing of this world. I had only ever considered it a dream until yesterday but now realized I should take it more seriously. "Oh! didn't Twilight say she ran a library." When I made it to my destination I was about to knock then remembered, Its a public building, so I just opened the door instead. The Golden Oaks smelled heavily of old parchments and books, it was wonderful. While taking a deep breath, "You know I thought only twilight did that." I coughed a few times looking sheepish. "Hey Spike, yeah I just love the smell of old books ya know." It looked like he didn't recognize me for a moment then rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh hey, Dream Catcher right? No worries, what can I, Twilight's Number one assistant, help you with?" The young dragon smiled. "Well I was looking to check out a few books and I'm guessing I probably need a library card." I smiled back. "Did someone say library card?" Twilight came down excitedly and jumped behind her desk almost tripping on her wings. Once she sat up, "Hi." "Hey Twilight, yeah I want to check out some books." My tail swished a bit at the prospect of learning about a whole world. She paused similarly to Spike before speaking. "Sure Dream Catcher, lets get you all sorted out." The whole process was fairly quick and only cost ten bits. "So you only have to renew your card once a year and you can check out any book for a week without renewing. I don't really charge late fees unless another pony wants the same book or for the more popular ones like Daring Do. So what are you going to check out first?" I rubbed my chin with a hoof. "Well I don't really know. Got any books on magic for beginners?" She levitated over a small stack of books from various shelves, "Sure here you go. These are more for unicorns though so they won't really help an earth pony you know." "Oh." I was a bit disappointed inside and gave a fake smile and rubbed my neck. "It's more of a curiosity since I haven't really gotten out much." "Well I'm not one to deny anyone seeking knowledge." She finished with an enthusiastic smile. Over the next hour I browsed a few books while Twilight did her own studying. It's crazy to think how only two alicorns keep the whole planet alive with the sun and moon. I had just finished a reading a chapter in the Basic History of Equestria. "Hey Twilight?" I now needed to quell my curiosity. "Yes?" She mumbled from behind her book. "You're a princess right?" "Yes, though Like I said, I don't use my title often." She blushed a bit while looking over her book. "So do you control a heavenly body similar to how Celestia and Luna manage the Sun and Moon?" I casually asked. "Not at all. I am the princess of Friendship and Magic so my domain is more intangible." She went back to her book. "Huh." I looked over towards her cheeky and said under my breath. "Well I wouldn't say you don't at least manage one heavenly body princess." I went back to my own book but I could feel her looking my way with ears perked up. After spending the morning in the Library and checking out a few books I decided it was time for lunch. Apparently, even asleep I'm going to need to eat. I eventually found a nice Café and sat down in the last open table. "Afternoon, can I start you with a drink?" The server asked cheerly, as if she just loved her job, while she passed over a menu. "Lemonade please." I smile at her and she quickly trotted off. Ponies are so super cheery all the time. "What to get, what to get?" I tapped my chin. "You should get the daisy sandwich it's really good." Said a smiling peagsus sitting across from me with a bubble cutie mark. "Hi I'm Derpy Hooves. All the other tables are full can I share yours?" "Sure, help yourself." "Oh, thank you!" she clapped her hooves together. "Most stallions don't want to sit with me and give the wrong impression. What that impression is I don't know though." She gave a cute little tilt of her head while her eyes looked in two different directions. "I Couldn't tell you either Derpy," I shrugged. "Oh good, we can both not know together." She nodded sagely, as the waitress brought my drink and took both our orders. The two of us shared a nice lunch and she told me all about her job as a Mailmare. "Sometimes I just really don't know what goes wrong you know? I try to make sure everyone gets their mail but ponies still yell at me." I had no idea how anyone could yell at such a cute creature. "It's ok Derpy, I bet you always try your best." She perked back up right away and nodded so intensely she knocked her glass over spilling it. "Ops let me just." Over the next few moments she went from trying to clean up the mess to falling on her face with her rump in the air and lemonade on her head. She sniffled. "I don't know what went wrong." I quickly got up to help her and wiped off her mane. "There, there Derpy it was just an accident." "Thanks, your super nice. Well I have to get back to work now." She gave me a quick nuzzle, which made my fur a bit sticky, then flew off. "She didn't pay for her lunch." I said to myself, shook my head, and laughed at the absurdity of the situation. "I really don't want to work tomorrow." I had found myself in park outside of town after lunch and decided to just lay around in the grass on a hill. Becoming a pony with fur had made certain actions so much less uncomfortable. "Well hey there partner what are you doing here." Applejack had just walked up with a basked and blanket on her back. There was a dog the size of a small foal following along next to her. "Just laying around." I looked at her, upside down since I was currently on my back. She blushed and I noticed my bits were all exposed. I quickly rolled over and blushed. "Yeah I can see that. Are you joining us for the Pet Playdate?" She chuckled as the dog bounded up to me and gave me a sniff. I gave the good girl pets and she melted right under my hoof. "Wow Winona must really like ya." "Yeah I love dogs. And no I was just hanging out, what's a Pet Playdate?" "Why darling it's when all of us get together with our pets and have a picnic." Rarity had just walked up with a cat on her back. "We try to get together once a week. A stallion such as yourself is more than welcome to join us even without a pet." She flashed me a smile and a wink. "Now Rares I was just about to explain all that to him." Applejack said while laying out her supplies. Winona had already run off after a leaf. The two argued for a moment but were quickly interrupted by a purple blur crashing between them causing a dust cloud. "Bah ha ha ha." A cyan pegsus, Rainbow Dash, landed right after. "Twilight you won't ever learn to fly if you keep doing that." Twilight spit out some grass as an Owl landed on her back and a tortoise with a propeller landed next to Dash. "Ug I really don't like to fly, and Dash you didn't..." She cut herself off and panicked a bit when she noticed I was sitting there snickering a bit. "Dream what are you doing here?" A few mane hairs frizzled out of place. I shrugged. "I Didn't know this was you girl's spot but decided to stick around." Eventually Pinkie and Fluttershy showed up as well to join the conversation. We all hung out into the evening until I felt a strange tickle in my ear. "Something wrong?" Fluttershy asked sweetly. "Oh, oh, is it Dreamy SenseTM?" Pinkie noticed my ear twitching. "No I think its..." I woke up. Twilight and the girls all blinked for a few moments then went back to chatting. Applejack was a bit confused when she had to pack up an extra seventh plate. I Slapped my old alarm clock next to my bed that read 5:00. I had forgot to change the set time, one from forever ago, when I turned it on the night before. I don't even need to get up this early any more. I feel bad for leaving the girls hanging. Laying in bed I tried to get back to sleep. It didn't work, I grumbled then got up. "May as well watch TV or something before work time." I then remembered the books I checked out and tried to summon one. The moment it appeared I was all smiles and got to reading in bed.