//------------------------------// // Stories // Story: A Place to Call Home // by starshine_dash //------------------------------// Pinkie and I went our separate ways after discussing our plans for the evening. She would head off to pick up the rest of the girls while I went and found Rainbow and pranked her a little. It doesn't take long to find a napping Rainbow especially when the weather forecast for the day was supposed to be clear skies and there happened to one puffy little cloud floating near the edge of town. I stealthily approached and softly landed on the cloud by her head. Leaning down, I smirked and put my lips right next to ear and whispered, "Zoom zoom..." She was up like a shot and off a good distance away as I collapsed and began to laugh. Her eyes were as big as dinner plates and she was gasping for air. Once she recovered, she glared at me and flew closer, "Hey! What's the big idea!? Who are you anyway?" I grinned, "Well, I guess I'm technically your new cousin! Starshine Dash, at your service!" She titled her head, "I don't know any Starshine's in the clan. What's going on?" "Your uncle Ironwing had me join the clan since I was clanless." Her wings flared and she landed on the cloud, nose to nose, "Clanless?!" "Well, I only became a pegasus when Discord showed up." She looked extremely confused, "Come on, let's go to Twilight's library, I'll explain everything there." "Okay, weird new pony..." she said. "Race you!" I shouted, taking off and leaving my own little sparkling trail of something resembling stardust as I flew off toward the library. I distantly heard her shout in response before she caught up, easily keeping pace before blasting passed me and handily winning the race. I landed a few moments later, grinning. "Can't beat me, I'm the fastest flier in Equestria, after all." "I didn't want to win, I just wanted to finally race you!" "Alright, let's get inside, you have some explaining to do." "I'm aware!" I said with a smirk as I entered the library. Pinkie had done a remarkably efficient job at assembling the other girls and they were all waiting there trying to weedle more information out of her. She had zipped her lips, though, and not even a diamond dog could dig up the key. I smiled and waited for their attention to turn to me. "Well now, who's this?" said Applejack, looking me over carefully. "Well, I'll give you a hint. I used to have hands." They all stared at me blankly. "UGH! You ponies. It's me, Tara!" I was rewarded with 5 dropped jaws and Pinkie giggling. Twilight was the first to regain her composure, "So, when you said you needed to research some things and would be staying Canterlot for a while..." "The research was on how to live as a pony, yeah. I also joined the Royal Guard so I wouldn't be completely useless, earned my cutie mark by mimicking a shooting star, and was accepted into the Dash pegasus clan. My new name is Starshine Dash. I like just Star though, so... um... yeah!" "How'd y'all become a pony in the first place? Last ah saw ya, ya were definitely no pony." "Discord." The girls all either winced or shuddered. I sat down and began to relate the story of the forest and its illusions and trials and everything up until I got to the part where I killed a griffon. I skipped the aerial battle in the telling, though I had to trip over my words a few times to do so, and they could obviously tell something else had happened. Thankfully, they didn't press the issue, "So," I said, wrapping it up, "I'm officially here as a liason between the Elements of Harmony and the Royal Guard as well the bodyguard of the Element of Laughter. Unofficially, I think Commander Ironwing knew I wanted to be close to my marefriend and didn't really want to stay in Canterlot." "Speaking of my uncle," Rainbow said, narrowing her eyes, "Why'd he let you into our clan, anyway?" "Well, we seem to share a particular bull-headed streak, considering we'd been trying to break through that unicorn squad's shield for half a day and I was getting pissed off. I also think he'd never seen anypony turn into a comet shrouded in lightning before. Plus, he knew I'd never been a pony before and that a clanless pegasus is... well, y'know." "Yeah..." the rainbow-maned pegasus said with a nod, "Still, nice of him to think of that. Most clan heads I've met wouldn't think twice about just leaving you in the wind." "Once you got past the drill sergeant exterior, he's a lot like you, Rainbow. Confident, yes, but loyal to his friends and family." Everypony nodded at that, then Applejack spoke up, "So why'd ya turn down bein' an Earth Pony or a Unicorn? Ah can understan' not wantin' to be an Alicorn, but..." "I don't think I really ever had a choice, honestly. When your little Harmony Nuke hit Canterlot, I just felt like I was being torn apart and put back together again, nowhere in there was a thought of 'I want to be a pegasus!' or anything like that. Truth be fully told, I wanted to go back to being a human the entire time. Though, to be harmonious, I suppose that was never really an option." The girls looked a bit downcast, so I quickly backpedaled, "Don't get me wrong though! Now that I'm used to it, I love being a pony! Flying is so... freeing, and I can go places without getting looked at funny. I tell ya though, those colts weren't very nice about me being a blank flank at first." "Weren't there any other mares?" "Not pegasus ones. All the mares I saw were earth ponies." "Hmph, figures," A.J. said, smirking, "Unicorns are either too prissy like Rarity or too fuddy like Twilight to handle it." "Hey!" the two girls shouted simultaneously. "I'm just joshin' ya! Calm down, now, y'hear?" I laughed softly, "So, what all happened to you six while Mr. Muckup was in town?" "Who?" I rolled my eyes again, "Discord." "Oh, well..." Twilight sighed and went into the story of everything that happened once they left for Canterlot. I found myself sniffling a little, having the episodes hit so close to home now that I'd been living and hanging out with these girls for so long. Once she'd finished, I drew them all into a tight group hug before I started to find out what they'd been up to while I was gone and if anything interesting was coming up. Turns out I'd missed out on the "tardy" incident. "So that was what the reports of 'rioting in Ponyville' were about. I was wondering," I said with a grin. Twilight just rolled her eyes, "Hey, y'know, Nightmare Night is coming up soon, are you going to participate this year?" "I'd be hard pressed not to. I'm sorry I was so antisocial last year but... being a time traveler from another dimension and knowing that the whole thing was coming just made everything so hard... Yes, I knew Discord was coming, but Princess Celestia trusted you girls, and I trusted you too. I knew you could do it. I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but..." I was enveloped in another hug and given my forgiveness from them. I doubted if I could ever forgive myself, but what was done was done and it was time to move on. At least now in my position as a member of the Royal Guard I could warn them of the Changelings... Hell, maybe I'm the reason they had the shield in the show, but I doubt it. Still, that was several months away at least, possibly longer. It was time to enjoy my new life. "Oh, man, I can't wait for Nightmare Night though, you girls are going to be so surprised. Got your costumes picked out yet?" Most of the girls shook their heads, save for Twilight. She knew she was going as Starswirl already I bet. As for Pinkie, I turned to her and smiled, "Might I suggest a chicken?" Her eyes went wide and she grinned, "Genius!" I giggled a little and we all chatted for a while longer before I stood, "Well, it's been a long day for me, so I'd like to get home, though... Pinkie, care to join me for dinner first?" "Oo! A date?" "Our very first as a pony couple!" "I am sooooo in!" she shouted, bouncing out the door as I held it open. I wished the others a good evening and followed the prancing party pony toward Ponyville and dinner. Hopefully, I'd be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.