Utter shock was all Twilight could express as she stared down at her assistant and the strange creature lying unconscious beside him. From the commotion she had heard on her way back to the library, it sounded as though some kind of monster had broken into her home. What was now passed out in her basement was far from what she was expecting.
“What is this thing, Spike?” she asked, as though her infantile assistant would have all the answers to the many questions that were swimming through her mind.
“I-I don't know!” Spike shouted, clearly distressed by both his caretaker's arrival and being attacked by the creature that was now at his feet. “I just found this thing buried under the books. It woke up and started calling me an Arched-emon or something, and then he starts screaming and swinging that big knife thing at me!” He pointed toward the sword that was near him. “It ended up knocking itself out on the door.”
As the dragon explained the situation, Twilight slowly trotted down the stairs, the creature never leaving her sights. All she could think about was the creature's appearance, trying to place it with any species she had researched or read about. Sadly, nothing could come to mind, despite her vast knowledge on the fauna of Equestria.
“Do you think this has to do with that weird earthquake from before?” Spike asked, finding the silence of the unicorn unnerving.
Twilight blinked at the question, almost chuckling at the idea. “Oh, of course not,” she replied. “Natural disasters and strange creatures have nothing to do with one another. Maybe a twenty foot mole monster, but that's preposterous as well. No, the earthquake is just a simple coincidence. Though...” she rubbed her chin in thought, “that still doesn't explain what this is or where it came from.” Another few moments went by in silence as the scholar thought on their next course of action. “Let's bring it upstairs, then I can figure out what to do. Grab it's legs, Spike.”
Seizing the creature's body in a magenta glow, Twilight levitated it slightly off of the ground, while Spike reluctantly held up the feet at the heel. Backpedaling up the stairs, the lavender mare kept her focus on lifting the creature up each step. She took her time with the task, not wanting to strain herself with carrying the heavy body up too high.
After they managed to reach the top of the stairs, it became simple for the pair to carry the creature into the library. Thankfully, Spike's excellent job at cleaning provided ample room to set the creature down. With that task complete, Twilight was trotted back down into the basement, taking only a few moments to return with the glassy blue weapon floating above her, finding it much lighter than the creature itself. Unsure of what to do with it, she simply set it down on the table, making sure to keep it in the exact center to prevent any accidents with the sharp object.
“Okay,” Twilight murmured, “what to do with this creature.” Biting her lower lip, the young unicorn began pacing back and forth, her head lowered while she stared down at the floor in an expression of deep thought. “So there's a strange, possibly dangerous creature lying unconscious in the library. What to do... what to do.” A few moments passed with the only being made was four quickened hooves striking the wooden floor. “Get help from somepony?” She quickly shook her head at the idea. “No no no, that wouldn't end well. A strange creature showing up at the same time of an earthquake, there would be a panic before they even understood anything.” The unicorn grimaced as she recalled how the inhabitants of Ponyville reacted toward Zecora. Now with a creature that even her own knowledge couldn't identify, chaos would surely ensue in a maelstrom of screams, panicking ponies, thrown houses, and more screams.
“Maybe we can get the princess?” Spike suggested, his emerald eyes repeatedly drifting toward the creature uneasily.
“Oh no, I can't do that,” Twilight muttered in reply, as though it was her own suggestion. “This creature could be potentially dangerous. I can't involve the princess, not without knowing how much of a threat this thing is.” Several more minutes passed with the mare nearly wearing a rut into the floor. As it seemed her perplexed state would continue into hours, her spirits uplifted as she turned to her assistant. “Spike, go get a quill and scroll.”
Without delay, the dragon ran off and quickly searched through their supplies. It took only a moment for him to return with a quill, inkwell, and piece of parchment in hand. Twilight was already busy with the creature, setting it's body in the most open space in the library.
“Alright then,” she said, her voice brimming with determination, “I am going to do this as scientifically as possible. I'll examine this creature and gauge if it's any kind of threat. Spike, write down everything I say.”
“Gotcha,” Spike replied, his quill at the ready.
Twilight nodded as she looked down at the creature with a discerning gaze. The scholar started with its face, seeing its black hair and smooth skin. Its hair was long and parted at the center, the bangs tucked back behind the ears. She also noticed a thin, shadow of facial hair that covered the lower half of the creature's face.
“Hm,” she murmured. “The creature appears to be masculine, based on size and thick shape. This will be assumed until proper...” she cleared her throat forcibly, “attributes can be fully known. Face appears to be hairless in some areas, lacking a coat. The creature also appears to have a mane, though it seems to grow in a strange way, sprouting all across the top and back of the head.”
There was one detail that she needed to know about the creature, his diet. Without actually seeing how he acted once hungry, there was only one other way she could think of with finding it out. Her gaze then fell onto the creature's mouth. What stood out to her was how pronounced his lips were, appearing like no other animal she had ever seen. She soon found herself touching them, placing her hoof against his mouth and slowly shifting the soft lips back and forth. A light, wet squishing sound came from it as the small amount of saliva within reacted to the movement. Twilight gave her head a quick shake as, breaking away the near trance she was in.
Remembering the task she was on, the scholar looked about the room for a moment. Finding what she was looking for, she levitated a small quill toward them. Pushing it into the creature's mouth, she used it to separate the lips and allow her to view the white teeth that were within.
“How interesting,” Twilight whispered, amazed as she examined the creature's dental work. “The creature appears to have teeth akin to that of both plant and meat eaters. This must mean a diet that consists of both foliage as well as animals, hopefully such a mixture would mean much smaller animals as it's prey.” She gulped forcibly. “Hopefully much smaller than a pony.”
Finding nothing else that was too noteworthy, Twilight set her sights lower and detailed the creature's body. It was obvious the creature was far from being a pony, with long limbs and an obvious bipedal stature. His armor was also something that caught her attention, seeing the black metal with a faded gold added to it. She also noticed the symbol on the chest, showing two, crudely made griffons that stood back to back, their wings fanned out to the sides.
“The creature's torso appears to be similar to that of a minotaur,” Twilight continued, hearing the faint scratching sound of Spike's quill against the parchment, “though being much smaller in terms of muscle. He also appears to be wearing a strange suit of armor. The craftsmanship is like nothing I've ever seen, having much more detail put into it than that of the royal guard armor, as well as covering the entirety of the body save for the neck and head. A strange symbol is also present on the armor, depicting two griffons. Research must be done on possible affiliation between the creature and the Griffon Empire. Perhaps this thing is a pet of sorts to nobility, dressed as a loyal protector? Theories cannot be made until further information is acquired.”
Twilight's gaze then drifted down below the waist of the creature. She noticed a lack of a tail, though she wasn't sure if he didn't just have a small one that was beneath the armor or not.
“His legs are straight and segmented into a thigh and shin,” Twilight said, “much like the legs of a young dragon.” There was a pause in the writing as Spike involuntarily peered down at his own legs.
As the scholar's gaze landed on the creature's feet, a thought occurred to her and one of his metal-clad feet was engulfed in a magical glow. All the mare had to do was give a slight tug and the metallic boot was pulled free. Setting it aside, she saw that underneath of the boot, the foot was covered in a light brown cloth that was laced at the top. It wasn't difficult for her to remove that as well, displaying the creature's bare foot.
Twilight's eyes then focused on the small appendages that were at the end of the foot. “The feet of the creature end in stubby, rounded toes that lack any form of claw. There is however, strange plates of what look like hardened flesh that cover the top of the tips. They appear to hold no purpose, being smooth and not sharp in the slightest.”
Though she wanted to try and remove all of the armor, the scholar was uncertain she would be able to easily. Having removed his boot, Twilight looked back toward the creature's hand, eying the gauntlets he wore. Grabbing the right one in a magical hold, the unicorn slipped the gauntlet off with as much ease as she had with the boot. “Hm,” she murmured as she eyed the bare hand. “His hands are much like his toes. There are no claws or even talons to see, as they simply end with the same hardened plates.”
As she continued to examine the hand, her eyes caught something that stood out. On one of his fingers, she could see a coloring of brown at the base of it. Leaning her head closer toward it, she noticed it was band of what looked like wood that wrapped around the appendage. Again, she leaned closer toward it, attempting to examine it further. It was then that she felt her heart stop beating as she witnessed the fingers on the creature's hand twitch.
Twilight gasped as she retracted back, seeing the creature's face quivering as well, hearing groans emanating from his waking form. “Oh no,” she breathed, feeling her heart racing as she began to panic. “He's waking up!” She began to look frantically about the room, trying to find something that could help her in any way. “What do I do? What do I do? I'm not ready for this! I-I'm not prepared yet!” Her sporadic gaze then fell on a large tome that was on the nearby shelf. With nothing else to go on, she grasped it in a magical aura and levitated it above her head, her desperate eyes locked onto the creature's head.
The scholar didn't make her move though, within that instant, she felt her body freeze solid as the creature's hand reached up toward her. The action was not one of a viscous physical intent. Instead, the bare hand was pressed lightly against her cheek, rubbing the spot with a tender touch. Her body warmed to the contact, especially as his hand trailed downward, caressing her neck with his smooth skin,.
The creature looked up at the mare with a half-lidded gaze, a kind smile parting his lips. “Easy girl,” he whispered in his barely conscious state, still rubbing her neck in a comforting motion. Twilight could only stare down and meet his eyes, locked in a firm hold that neither of them could break. It was quickly ended as the unicorn brought the tome she had down hard, striking the creature across the head and knocking him out cold.
A long, awkward pause was quickly created then. All Twilight could do was look down at the creature she had just assaulted, feeling her skin continue to react to the strange sensation of the creature's touch. “That... was weird,” she murmured. The young scholar had never been touched in such a way, she was almost reeling with the amount of care and sentiment placed into it, as well as feeling the new found sensations course through her.
Twilight's blank expression was quickly shattered as she heard a knock at the library door. She jumped as the sudden knocking continued, being followed by a familiar voice on the other side. “Twi, are ya there? It's me, Applejack.”
“Applejack?!” Twilight gasped, becoming frantic once again as she looked down at the unconscious creature lying before her. Trying to block out the sound of her friend's incessant knocking, her gaze focused on the second floor of the library, where her bed was kept. Without taking the time to think her plan through, she turned back to the creature and picked him up with her levitation. With a single swing of her head, she tossed the creature across the room, throwing him onto the ledge of the second floor.
A loud crash sounded as his body landed on the wooden surface. It was quickly followed by the thud of his missing gauntlet and boot as the unicorn threw those too. A fourth item was sent flying up to the second level as well, a baby dragon who screamed as he sailed through the air, hitting the floor with his own thud.
“Spike, make sure he isn't seen,” Twilight called. The scholar then turned toward the door to answer it, her breathing turned heavy from her magical exertion in haphazardly throwing the heavy creature. “I'm coming, Applejack,” she shouted to the door.
Taking one last look behind her, the lavender mare nearly bit her own tongue off as she saw the creature's weapon still lying out in the open. Levitating it up, she tossed it up to the second floor with everything else. The action elicited a cry of shock from Spike as the large blade stabbed into the wall next to him, missing him and the creature by mere inches.
With everything as it should be, Twilight put on the best false smile she could muster before opening the door, revealing her orange-coated friend waiting patiently outside.
“Howdy, Twilight,” Applejack greeted, stepping into the library as Twilight stepped aside to invite her in.
“Uh.. H-hello, Applejack,” Twilight returned, her brow beginning to sweat as her stress was building. “What brings you here?”
“Oh I was just checkin' on everypony,” the cowpony replied, looking about the library. “After that sudden earthquake and all. Things didn't get too bad down at the farm, bunch of apples fell from their trees and Apple Bloom's a bit shook up, but nothing too bad. Ah just wanted to make sure Ponyville was alright, seein' as how it was a lot worse up here.”
Spike made sure to keep himself and the creature at the furthest wall of the bedroom, preventing their visitor to see them unless they were to make their way upstairs. His attempt to conceal their mysterious guest was nearly stopped as he heard light groans escaping the creature. The baby dragon looked to see him stirring, his head lolling from side to side as he was propped up against the wall. Only a quick search was needed before Spike found a book sitting on the nightstand beside Twilight's bed.
Applejack and Twilight both jumped as they heard a loud thud sound off from the upstairs area. “What in tarnation was that?” the blonde-maned mare asked, looking up toward the source of the noise. Twilight could feel her heart pounding forcibly against her chest, as though it was about to burst out of her.
“It was nothing,” Spike shouted, his voice carrying down to the library floor, “just getting a nasty looking spider.” Tilting her head slightly in thought, Applejack appeared to accept it and turned back toward her unicorn friend. Then once again, the heavy sound of a book striking something hard sounded off. “Got it that time.”
“So, Applejack!” Twilight said loudly, diverting her friend's attention away from her scaled assistant. “How's everypony else in Ponyville?!”
“Oh, uh...” Applejack murmured. “Well, Ah haven't checked on Fluttershy yet. Thinkin' I probably should, all those critters she's got, there's no tellin' how frantic they'd be after an earthquake like that.”
Twilight nodded her head frantically. “Okay then, why don't you go and do that now, I just have a few things here to pick up myself.”
“Twilight,” the orange-coated mare said, “are you feelin' alright? You're lookin' as though somethin's wrong.”
Applejack soon regretted the question as she saw her friend reply with a large grin, she could have sworn she heard motion creak loudly, like a rusty hinge on a door.” Oh that's absurd,” Twilight said, even her tone making the earth pony uneasy, “everything is absolutely fine, couldn't be better.... heh-heh.”
“Uh... well, alright, Twi,” Applejack replied, taking a step back toward the door. “Ah'll just be gettin' out of your mane then. But if you need anythin', you know where to find me.” Without waiting for a farewell from the unicorn, Applejack turned toward the door and trotted out of the library.
Waiting still for several moments to make sure her friend was actually gone, Twilight collapsed onto the floor, heaving a heavy, drawn out sigh of relief. “That was close,” she breathed, feeling her tensed nerves slowly relax. Her gaze then drifted upward to the bedroom, her mind racing with what she should do next. An idea then came to her, as she was certain she had some spare rope lying around somewhere.