//------------------------------// // An Invitation. // Story: When Scars Heal // by gelorum //------------------------------// It has been one week since things started getting awkward. Lil Macintosh had moved outside the house, preferring his space and quiet. I built him a house of his own with three bedrooms so when he expanded he would have room, allowing him a special access door into the main house, I decided to ask him a question. “Hey Mac?” “Yes?” “Can I ask you a favor?” “Of course!” I hand him a book with some pictures in it, “Study these Images, and if you see any of these while you're out roaming let me know as quick as you can!” I say making it sound important. “Why?” “Because. Any one of the things in this book means very bad things for Equestria!” “I’ll let you know.” “Good.” I went back into the house and checked the time. “Four hours till I pick Scoots up from school, guess I can work till then.” I say to myself as I make my way downstairs. “Gamma, I’m going to be working for a while please don’t let me be disturbed and remind me to get Scoots from school in three and a half hours!” “Sure thing Mr. J!” Three Hours Later. “There that batch is done, only eight more to go!” I tell myself triumphantly. “Done early Mr. J?” “Yep, and still got time to grab a soda before I leave to pick up Scoots!” “Have a nice day Mr. J!” Gamma says as I step into the elevator. “Thanks Gamma. Get some rest, would you kindly?” I say as the elevator closes. “Good night Mr. J!” I step out of the elevator and move toward the fridge swiping a bottle of Dr Pepper and stripping it of it’s label. I walk through the door. Thoughts of the day of that day a week ago came to mind. came back to the front of my mind. My trip to town is relatively short as I only live a little ways back in the forest behind the schoolhouse. Upon getting there I find Scoots and the gang headed for the acres. "Hey Scoots where ya going!" I called out as I trotted up. "We got a Dash club meeting, and then some crusading to do. "Ok then have fun." "See ya later Dad!" “Oh one last thing , bring your friends over after club meeting, we got some preparing to do for Nightmare Night!” “But it’s 6 weeks away!” She replied, looking at me like I was an alien. “Then we are already late!” I called out as I bolted for town. “Weirdo.” She sing songs under her breath. “I heard that!” Now off to visit Doc Shy Mane and make sure my eyes are functioning normally. “Man I do not know how I got around before wings!” I say in excitement. “You probably walked silly.” “It’s a good thing I’ve come to expect you in random places Pinkie, otherwise I might have fell out of the sky.” “No you wouldn’t silly.” “Cause you’d catch me right?” “Nopey Lopey.” “What!” I yelped screeching to a halt. “You’d catch me Wingsy!” I took in what she was saying and for some reason lowered to the ground. “Of course I would my dear Madame Pinkie, but how could our love flourish when another longs for my devotion?” This is going to be hysterical. I know right. “But Wingsy, how am I to care for little Sprinkles, how am I supposed to tell him his daddy cares about him when he’s not even around to help me raise him? What am I supposed to do when he asks what you look like, hugh? What then?” Wow nice job on the tears, very realistic. He-He! Thanks. “But ze dressmaker she beckons for me, like a caged bird beggingz to be zet free from zer prison of lonely nights inz her shop, speaking to zer plastic modelz and cruel feline!” Wow you do za good vork on ze prench no? We. “Is that what you told the school teacher when you left her for me, that I called to you because I was sick of the lonely nights in the bakery speaking to my flour, and baking mixes? Is it!?” You do that? No “No dear Pinkie no, I told her nothing of the sort, though now I think that would have been better.” “Alright now you listen here you ruffian, if that is how you think you can treat my friends leaving them for other mares, and after having foals with them no less then so be it.” Hold on just a bit longer. I’m trying Pinkie I’m trying. “But don’t you dare come near me, I don’t care how attracted I am to you, or how lonely I am.” Nope can’t hold it! Me neither. “I will not allow myself... Why are you laughing?” For a good ten minutes the only thing Rarity heard from Pinkie and I was whole hearted, pleats of laughter. “You....fell for....our....improv....hook...line....and sinker.” I answered in between gasps of air and pounding my chests. “That wasn’t funny.” Rarity deadpans. “Then why is everyone but you laughing?” “It’s still not funny!” Rarity answers, the floodgate was about to break. Watch me turn this around Pinkie! Hehe good luck, you’re going to need it. “Fillies and Gentlecolts! Please give a round of applause to are Improv victim today, The magnificent Miss Rarity Filigree!” I shout to the spontaneous crowd of onlookers, who instantly erupt in cheers. “See Rarity, they love you and all you did was be a good target.” I whisper. “Yes but that doesn’t mean I am not still lonely, or that I do not find you attractive!” “I find you attractive as well but that doesn’t mean I’m in the market for a marefriend, and in fact am already spoken for by another. Whom by the way until they say I can I won’t tell you, but I assure you that you aren’t the only mare vying for my affection. Perhaps you should privately ask a certain school teacher about her thoughts on griffins,” “I suppose I shall, come by the shop sometime and see me maybe we could have tea?” “Sure, I’d like that.” Now back to the hospital trip. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Good evening sir, how can I heeeeellpp you? Oh!” She says as she looks up from her papers. “Something the matter Miss?” Please don’t be racist! please don’t be racist! “Just don’t see a Griffin here often, ever actually.” “So I make you uncomfortable, or is it just strange?” “Just strange.....and really cool!” “Uh hugh, why?” “You’re an albino, and to see a griffin is rare, but an albino griffin is statistically impossible, and....and an a...a..a.aand wow!” “I’m spoken for Miss Red Heart.” Fwoomp! “Nurse Frostbite to the front desk, nurse Frostbite to the front desk Please!” I called out over the intercom. I put down the microphone and walked back over to the waiting area, and put on my hoodie. “Hey!.....Hey, Mister Griffin!” Oh please dear God give me a break. “Can I help you...Lyra?” “You know my name!?” “Lyra, A.K.A Heartstrings, seafoam green coat, hair is near match with white streaks, cutie mark portrays a golden lyre, your trademark instrument, your fathers name is Dewey Decimal, and since childhood you’ve been obsessed with humans, and even through constant nagging of your roommate you continue to pursue the truth!” “Are you..is that it?” “Oh no certainly there is more to the mysterious mare known as Lyra, but I would rather hear it from said mares mouth, than to quote files written by a stranger. Does that suffice or would you like to come over thursday evening with your roommate for dinner, say seven?” Hope they like mushrooms. “U..uh..uhm, sure 7 o'clock thursday evening, we will be there.” she says with a sheepish grin. “Nothing fancy now, I’m not a five star person just a simple drake looking to make some friends.” “So what did you come to the hospital for.” “I wanted Doc Shy Mane to check my eyes and make sure they’re working right.” “Why?” “You mean you haven’t heard about the blind griffin who lifted the entire school to the Cloudsdale Colosseum?!” “That was you!?” “Yeah, see why I came.” “Could somepony tell me what happened here please?” Nurse Frostbite asked. “I can Miss Frostbite, I came to visit Doc Shy Mane and began talking to nurse Redheart, she start telling me how rare I was, being an albino griffin then she just stopped talking and began staring at me, I said I was taken...” Fwoomp! “And that happened.” “Hey Lyra!” “Yeah?” “What you in for?” “I’ve got the flu.” “Come here.” “What’s up?” “Hold still.” I gently grabbed her ear and blew softly down the inside. “You should be fine within the hour, so could you lend me a hoof with getting these mares off the floor before they catch the fluuuu.......I did something only coltfriends do didn’t I?” “Uh hugh!” She says shivering with embarrassment, her eyes wide and face red as an apple. Oh Lord I done did it now. “Urgh, look help me get these mares settled in a chair, and I will explain what exactly just happened.” “O...ok..kk..kk.kay!” After setting the nurses in chair where they would lean on each other, keeping them from hurting they’re necks, we left. “Drat the class is out for recess. Lyra do you trust me?” “N..n..no.” “Good get on my back!” “O...o...oh....o..okay.” “Now hold really still!” I ordered. Raising my wings to keep Lyra safe from stray unidentified flying toys, I began my march through the playground.” “Hey Scootaloo why does your dad want us to come over for Nightmare Night planning?” “I don’t know I think it might be his first Nightmare Night.” Wow Scoots real perceptive. “Cool maybe he’ll have a sleepover, and a costume party!” Sounds fun I’ll put that on the list. “Nah that sounds like somethin little fillies would do.” Your point being. Finally making it to the front door I realize that Lyra has succumbed to the stress and passed out. Great gonna be some heart damage to take care of. The moment I open the door a smell hits me like a freight train. Oi that’s disgusting. I can’t believe I forgot to clean up.. I make my way to my bedroom and lay her down, before scanning her vitals, and checking how much Damage I caused to her heart. Well I’ll be a termite’s tail, no heart damage with all that stress! Wonder woman in pony form! (Sniff) “I need a shower too, that would be embarrassing to find out she passed out from how bad I smell.” I say to myself as I grab some clothes from the drawer and head to my bathroom. “Jeeves, please prepare the water coffin for use, would you kindly?” “Certainly sir!” The more reserved Ai replies. Now to leave a note for Lyra in case she wakes up and make sure the place is nice and smells nice. "Water coffin is ready sir." "Thank you Jeeves." After making sure all the loose ends were tied up I returned to the bathroom to clean up. “Jeeves, close and fill water coffin please.” I asked stepping into the almost dunk tank like cylinder and putting on the respirator. “Right away sir.” As the water quickly filled the tank I began to wonder how I would explain being ignorant of how culture worked here, and also what costumes I would make for the other fillies. I know what Scoots and I are gonna be, but I don’t know what to do for AppleBloom, maybe some sort of fix-it-felix costume “Degrease cycle initiated sir.” I wonder If I will end up being Lyra’s coltfriend? I don’t want to be, but well she is a pretty cool mare, and we both like music. "Rinse cycle initiated sir." I wonder if Bon-Bon would disapprove? Not that it matters. “Drying cycle initiated sir.” Does she even want to be in a relationship? “Bathing finished sir, have a splendid evening!” “Thank you Jeeves!” I replied as I stepped out of the coffin and began dressing my human form. KNOCK-KNOCK “Who is it?” “Mr. Griffin, it’s Lyra!” “Just a moment Lyra, and you can call me Jordan.” I tell her. Opening the door and walking back into the bedroom. “But...bbb.bb.bb.bb..but how?!” “I would like to know that myself.” “No I mean how did you learn about humans, and where did you learn your magic!?” “Woah! slow down, 1st, I am Human. And 2nd, It ain’t magic.” “So when you blew in my ear you weren’t putting the moves on me?” She asks. “No, I’ll admit that was not my intent.” “Ponyfeathers!” She curses under her breath and slumps her head. So she does want a relationship. “That bad hugh?” “I can’t even get a stallion to notice me, since I moved from Canterlot. It’s like I’m ugly now that I moved to Ponyville!” She rants, tears beginning to form. “That’s not so!” “What?” She asks as she wipes her nose with a magically appearing box of tissues. “I find you to be extremely beautiful, but I try to keep all my thoughts about mares to myself, as some are very keen to telling me their feelings!” “You find me attractive?” She says sniffling. “Yes I do, but in most cases I would lie and say I’m spoken for, but it would be stupid to say that right now, what with you crying and all.” She just sits there for a few minutes leaning against my bed, as I lean against the dresser waiting for her to speak. “So, Human?” “Yep, the one and only!” “Oh the irony!” “Hmm?” “How long I said, ‘Humans exist’ and yet I and my words were disregarded as the ravings of a mad mare!” “But not anymore, I will allow you to bring a small group of your closest friends and I will show them you are not crazy.” “You’d do that for me?” “Sure. As long as they promise to only speak to the two of us about it, I don’t mind at all.” “Can I bring them on thursday?” “Heh, if you make sure I get some recipes for pony food, still a meat eater in human form possibly more so than my griffin one.” “You bet I can!” “Then thursday at seven, I will prepare a small feast for your friends.” “This is so awesome, I can’t believe after all this time I finally get to meet a human!” “Calm down Lyra, your gonna make your heart explode from excitement! Come I will walk you home.” I say walking towards the door before stopping. “Hold on can’t go around looking like this, I’d get spotted so quick.” "What do you mean?" "I'm a changin mah shape!" I quipped in the old lazer meme voice from countless youtube videos. Changing form is almost second nature to me now, able to shift with a mere thought rather than, minutes of intense concentration. "That....that's incredible! Are you sure you aren't a unicorn?" She asks with a skeptical look. "Absolutely sure, besides if i was a unicorn I wouldn't need to parade around as a weirdo griffin!" I answered her crossing my eyes and cracking a stupid grin, causing us both a good bit of laughter. We reached the door, only to be greeted by the crusaders. "Hey girls, perfect timing, we were just coming to get you three!" "Uh Dad what is Lyra doing here? No offense Lyra!" "Funny story that!" I said with a sheepish grin. "Dad?" Lyra asks confused. "Hugh, oh yeah Lyra, Scoots is my daughter, I adopted her a while back. And Scoots to answer your question I am in the midst of making some friends around Ponyville, Lyra being the first." "Cool! So where are you going?" "To get some recipes from Bon-Bon." "But what about the Nightmare Night planning? She asks with a tweaked eyebrow. "Climb on girls! We'll discuss costumes on the way." I replied extending a wing for them to climb up. "Ready?" "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER GRIFFIN RIDERS YAY!!!" I Reached over and lent a claw to Lyra, who had fell to the sudden vocal onslaught of the CMC! "I don't know how you aren't deaf with that scream behind you!" Lyra yells. "Iv'e had worse." I tell her. at the same time I relieve the effects of mentioned pain. "Now lets get going." “So what are you going to be for Nightmare Night Dad?” “I thought we could do a tandem costume.” “What’s a Tandem costume?” “It’s a costume where two or more ponies work together to pull it off Scootaloo.” Sweetie Bell stated. “Well that’s the point, but this is different. I have some pranks planned but we're going to have to practice and pull it off perfectly.” “So what are we going to dress up as?” Apple Bloom asked. “Well Apple Bloom, are you afraid of spiders?” “No, but Fradie Bell here is!” She answered before narrowly avoiding a swipe from Sweetie. “Well then it’s all settled. Sweetie, you're costume will be a robot and Apple Bloom will be Doctor Octopus!” “What am I going to be Dad?” Scoots asks eagerly. “Yeah and who’s Doctor Octopus?!” “You’ll see!” I sing songed. We had finally arrived at Lyra’s house to pick up the recipes for Thursday evening and drop her off. “I’ll be back in a minute with those recipes you wanted!” Lyra chimed. “Okie Dokie.” “So Scootaloo’s Dad, why are you getting recipes from Lyra?” “Please Applebloom call me Sparrow. And to answer your question because I don’t know how to cook for you veggie eaters, only meat eaters.” “Got a special delivery for ya Mister Griffin!” Derpy called as she hovered down. Since when did mail run on Sundays. “Thanks Derpy who’s it from?” “Soarin Sky, 1324 Wonderbolt lane!” She says in a cheery voice. I signed for the package and she pulled out a fair sized box from her mail satchel. “Thanks Derpy, have a muffin!” I said pulling a freshly baked blueberry muffin out of nowhere. “Muuuufffiiiinnn!” Nnnnnnnggggghhhhh “How did you do that?” Lyra asked having returned from getting the recipes. “Ah, ah, ah, a magician never reveals his secrets. Oh I meant to tell you to be ready Monday morning at 7:30 sharp!” “Why?” “You’ll see!” I said turning around and trotting to town. “Hey Dad open the package from Soarin!” Meh, what could it hurt?. I set the package down and let the girls slide down my wing. “Coooooome on Dad hurry up!” Scootaloo whined impatiently. “Patience is a virtue Scoots.” I said as I opened the last flap on the box and removed a letter. “What’s it say Dad, what’s it say.” No way she is that adamant about seeing what I can do. “Well It seems I’m going to be a Wonderbolt.”