//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Hospitality // Story: World of Chaos // by ugugg93 //------------------------------// “Clyde? Really? That's his name?” It had been almost an hour, and in that time, the six mares—while still trying to get their room in order—were still not settled with the situation they were caught in. In fact, if anything, they were more unsettled now than ever before. The mares had tried to put off the elephant in the room for the entire time, but with Rainbow's final outburst, said elephant was brought front and center. “Okay girls,” Twilight started, ignoring Rainbow's fifteenth comment about how Clyde's and Martha's strange names, “I'll be honest, I don't know what to do next, so for now, lets just try to lay low a little bit. Tonight, when we have dinner with them, we can ask those two where we are, and maybe even get to see a map of the area. When we do that, we can figure out where we are, and how to get back to Ponyville.” “Ah think that's a mighty fine idea, Twi. Though Ah don' reckon ya know any spell tha' can get us back home real quick-like?” Applejack said to Twilight, the mare resting herself on one of the beds. Twilight sighed. “Sadly not. I can teleport myself several miles on a good day, and all of us a few hundred feet usually, but nothing near the distance we would need to get home. Assuming I even could, I don't think I could fight Discord after doing something like that for at least a few days, let alone right after we teleport. My magic would be tapped out.” “And she's named Martha?” “Either way! We have to thank those two! These ponies look all sad and haven't had a laugh in for-EV-er!” Pinkie gasped. “We should throw them a party!” “We're trying to lay low, remember Pinkie?” Twilight rubbed her brow with her hoof. “Pinkie, I promise we'll throw all the parties we can handle when we get home, but right now, we have to work on getting home, okay Pinkie?” Pinkie glared “Fine, but I’m just letting you know that I’m' going to have make up for the lost party somehow.” With that foreboding statement, Twilight thought to herself again. “Maybe if we are near the ocean we can book a passage on a boat and get back to Equestria that way...” “Martha and Clyde!?” “Shush.” Rarity looked away from Rainbow Dash, looked at the other three, and added, “This is a wonderful plan, but may I be the stick in the mud and point out that we do not have any bits among us. Even if we did, dear Twilight, we don't know if these ponies even take that kind of currency.” “Ugh. Yeah you're right. How did I forget that?” Twilight groaned, thinking even harder. “I couldn't bring myself to ask these ponies for bits, or whatever they use, after all the generosity they've shown us. Umm... we could get part time jobs or something, but considering how much a boat ride might cost, it might be faster to just walk... the long way...” Applejack had lay herself down on the bed at this point. “Well ah for one don' mind a good day of hard work, and Ah think jus' walkin' it back ta Equestria tha ol' fashion way migh' work too. It all depends on how far it is, ya know? 'Sides, some of us could use tha' workout!” she snickered, poking Twilight, which was replied with a friendly glare. “Clyde? Martha? What kind of names are those?” Fluttershy softly whispered to her chromatic friend. “Oh Rainbow. Please don't be rude. Those ponies were so very nice to us. I'm sure he thinks our names our strange too.” “Are you saying you think my name is strange?” “Why yes. I mean no. I mean... I love your name... I mean... I...” Fluttershy descended into whispered squeaks as she faltered. “Rainbow! Fluttershy is just saying that you should be a lady and be grateful that the kind stallion took us in.” Rarity stepped forward, making her presence known to the brash pegasus. Sighing, Rainbow lowered her head. “Yeah yeah, I hear ya. Hey Fluttershy. Look, I... uhh... don't be upset okay? You know I can't really get mad at you, right?” Rainbow gave a smile towards the yellow mare. Fluttershy smiled back. “Oh, I know Rainbow Dash. Thank you.” Twilight looked at the other five, and sighed. “Look, I don't think we're going to figure this out tonight. I know that I'm usually the one with the plan and the checklist and... well... everything! But this is too much too fast. We'll think of something, but right now lets just settle down, and relax for the night. I think a good night's sleep will help us all figure out what we need to do to get this situation under control. “Who knows! Maybe this is all a dream and we'll wake up tomorrow with everything back to normal right?” Looking around, she saw their faces, showing her all she needed to see about their thoughts. “Yeah... I didn't think so either, but either way, a good night's sleep will help.” She was stopped by a low rumbling coming from her stomach, causing an embarrassed chuckle. “Ah think maybe ya need to get some food in ya first, sugarcube.” Applejack snickered. A few minutes later, they heard a knock on their door, along with soft grumblings about stairs and how there were too many of them. Twilight walked up to the door, and after her magic to carefully hit the latch, and saw the face of their friendly host. Peeking in the room, Clyde smiled at the six girls. “Dinner's in a couple minutes! Why don't ya'll come on down and get yourselves situated 'n all. Ah'm sure Martha would love to meet ya.” “Thank you. We'll be right down!” Twilight said back to the smiling stallion. She finished opening the door the rest of the way with a hoof, and with a on each of them, the six proceeded to follow Clyde down the stairs to the main room where they first met him. By now, the lights in the room were dimmed—the room just bright enough to allow them to see how the room had changed. The chairs around the tables had been put up, the floor swept and mopped, and the glasses that the patrons were using were cleaned and ready for the next day. All throughout the walk, Clyde smiled and made idle conversation to the girls. In actuality, it was less of a conversation and more of a monologue by Clyde that the others could only listen to. Even Pinkie didn't get a word in past his rambling. His talks were on a random assortment of topics, ranging from how the business was doing, the weather, to even how he suspected that there was a house down the street that was haunted by the ghosts of a broken toilet. This last one got a soft muffled squeak from Fluttershy, and a wide smile from Pinkie. Walking past the counter, they went to the back room, where there were two tables of different shapes and height, one rectangle and taller and one circular and a few inches shorter, that had been haphazardly pushed together to make what could be called a large dinning table. To the sides, there were three other doors, one being a set of swing doors that led to a kitchen, where the sounds of dinner being made came from. Clyde motioned for his guests to sit at the odd table, and pulled out the chair for Rarity and Rainbow as they sat down. “Now if ya'll would be so kind to excuse me, Ah'm gonna bring out the grub. Trust me! You won't get any better home cookin' than here!” With that, he totted into the kitchen where new sounds of conversation were added to the noises of cooking, leaving the mares to their own devices Looking at the others, Rainbow smirked a little. “I change my mind. I don't know who this guy is, or what kind of name 'Clyde' is, but he's funny! I like him.” “Ah don' know... Ah don' trust him,” Applejack softly replied, keeping one eye on the swing doors. “What's not to trust! He seems like an amazingly crazy colt! He even gives Pinkie a run for her money with how fast he talks!” Rainbow pointed at the pink pony, who simple nodded as fast as she could with a giant grin on her face. “Ah hear ya, but Ah jus' don' trust him. Ah don' know why though... Ah think it's the way he talks.” Rainbow cocked her head to the side. “...Huh?” Lowering her head closer to the table, Applejack continued her hushed accusation. “Ya know... it's his accent. Ya can' trus' an accent like tha'. Ah think he's lyin' about somethin'.” The other five just looked at her at her with those words, the face of bewilderment showing through on all of them. As the seconds past, Rainbow and Pinkie's faces started to contort, fighting the grins. Eventually, they were unsuccessful. “Phhhahahaha! Really AJ? You must be pulling my leg here!” Rainbow spit out, holding her sides. “Ah ain't pullin' nothin'! It's true!” “Applejack, you silly filly! I never took you as a prankster!” Pinkie was nearly falling off of her chair laughing. “Dashie and I should take you on our next pranking session! You'd fit in perfectly!” “Ah don' get why ya'll are laughin' so darn much! Ah'm serious here!” Applejack's face starting to show frustration. Rarity merely sighed. “Darling, do you mean to tell us that our host, who has been ever so generous in granting us our humble rooms out of the kindness of his heart, is being... dishonest with us?” “Yup!” Applejack nodded. “...Because of his accent...” “Yup!” “...Which so happens to resemble yours quite impeccably?” “Yu—wait what? Impeca-what?” Applejack just stared at Rarity, while Rainbow and Pinkie's laughter got even louder. Even Fluttershy was trying to fight a giggle through her pink mane. Twilight could only put her hoof to her forehead and groan. “Applejack, dear, your accents are uncannily similar. I do say that if I didn't know better, you two would be related somehow.” Applejack's mouth hung open, “Ah... Ah don' have an accent! Ah don'!” She turned to Fluttershy, “Do Ah?” Fluttershy sunk into her chair, trying to look as small as a pegasus could. “I... umm... well... I don't...” Thankfully for her, Clyde and an earth pony mare walked out of the kitchen with a few bowls for them and their guests. The mare was a light gray, had longer black hair, and was—as with everyone else in town—without a cutie mark. Looking at the scene around him, Clyde chucked. “Well Ah can see tha' Ah missed something! What's so funny?” All the girls hushed up quickly, except for Pinkie, who continued to laugh. “Applejack was just telling us the funniest joke!” “Well shoot! Ah'm sorry Ah missed it. Ya'll have to tell it again for me soon. But not now. Dinner's ready.” Once the bowls were placed in front of the girls and the two empty spots for the married couple, Clyde trotted back into the kitchen, and on his back came one of the largest pots of soup that any of the girls—minus Applejack—had ever seen. Placing it on the table, the aromas from the dish forced even Rarity to fight the drool that tried to escape from her mouth. Almost immediately, the six attempted to take some of the soup from the pot, but were quickly stopped by a loud coughing by Clyde. “Ah know ya'll ain't from 'round here, but 'round these parts, we like to give our thanks for our meals,” Clyde softly spoke, giving a sincere smile towards the, now somewhat embarrassed, mares. Clyde and Martha bowed their heads down slightly, which the six friends, after looking at the two, followed suit. Clyde began. “Oh heavenly God, ruler of all tha' world and the creatures upon it, please bless this food in fron' of us, so tha' it may provide the nourishment we so desire. Please bring us the rain we need for our crop, and let the sun stay in the sky less over the next few days than the last, so tha' the heat won' be as harsh. And thank ya for ya generous blessings of late, by providin' our ruling Lord the courage and strength he needs to protect us against the other domains. Our prayers are yours.” The girls continued to bow their heads, until Clyde coughed again, “Ya'll girls wan' me to serve ya'll?” The six looked at each other, and nodded quickly. As the bowls were passed around, Clyde once again spoke up, “Aw shoot! Ah'm sorry! Ah forgot to introduce mah wife! Ladies, this here be mah lovely wife, Martha.” “Its a pleasure to meet you all. I've heard stories of ponies from other lands, but never could I imagine that they would look so...” Martha paused to look around the room at the colorful ponies, and smiled, “...vibrant.” Twilight smiled back. “Please, the pleasure is all ours Ma'am. I'm Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends: Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy.” Twilight pointed at each in turn when their names came up, and each in turn smiled and nodded. “I have to admit, I'm surprised that you two would be so kind and generous as to allow us to stay and eat with you two, especially when we don't have anything to give. I don't know how to thank you two enough!” “Oh don't you mention it, deary! We rarely get any travelers through these parts, and all of those either pass us by, or have family in the area. When a bunch of young mares come through looking lost like you, we couldn't let you just stay out in the elements! Besides, Clyde is the one who you should thank.” Clyde nodded, “Wha' can ah say? Ah know if mah wife here were travelin', Ah'd hope everypony would treat 'er well. Leas' Ah can do.” “But we do mean it. It is awfully generous to let all six of us stay here.” Rarity smiled in response. “Well little one, I admit, when he told me we were having six guests over for the night, why, I thought some of the customers were too drunk to stand again.” Martha let a small chuckle escape her mouth. “But six traveling mares from parts unknown? I have to say, never expected that one!” By this point, the bowls of food had been passed around, and Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie were all digging in, while the other four were content with just talking to each other. Martha continued, “But anyways, what ARE you girls doing all the way out here? Hmm?” The question almost made Rainbow spit out the soup that she had in her mouth. “Vacation!” was what she said before anypony could say otherwise. Twilight coughed a little to give herself more time to think. She knew blurting out, “Oh you know, we were fighting the embodiment of all chaos when we were teleported here, and now we need to find our way home before the entire world is destroyed,” would sound a little far fetched. Instead, she decided to continue with Rainbow's lie. “Yes. That's right. A vacation. See, we had been working for so long without a break, we all decided to get together, and take a long vacation to, well, see the world. Ah he he he...” Twilight gave a very large and very guilty smile towards the two. If Clyde or Martha suspected something, they didn't show it. Instead, Clyde simply smiled. “Ah see. Well, wha' do ya'll do anyways? Work wise Ah mean.” Twilight smiled, glad to get off that topic, “Oh, well... guess you could say I'm a librarian officially, but I do lots of research into various topic.” “Oh my! You have enough books to have a library? Why... that's got to be a lot! More than what we have in our entire village. You must truly have a dedicated passion indeed!” Martha smiled, making Twilight blush slightly. “And you... Rarity was it?” “Yes,” Rarity said, “and I am the preeminent fashion designer of all of Equestria, if I may be so bold. Perhaps you've heard of me?” Clyde rubbed his chin for a moment with his hoof. After thinking he shrugged his shoulders, “Nope. Got nothin'.” Martha frowned. “Me either, deary.” Rarity frowned, but Martha quickly spoke again. “But don't be upset. We don't get out much. Why, I've never heard of this Es-squash-ia before either.” Twilight filed that little tidbit of information in the back of her mind—the fact that they were far enough away from Equestria that they hadn't even heard of it. As she did this, Clyde turned to Applejack and asked, “Well, wha' about ya? Ah'm gussin' tha' Stetson ya wearin' tha' ya be one of them cowponies. Am Ah right?” “Sorry, but no bit for ya'll.” Applejack chuckled. “Ah'm an apple farmer actually. Me and mah brother run Sweet Apple Acres. Finest apples around, if Ah may toot mah horn.” “What's an 'apple'” The six of them turned to Martha, dumbstruck. Even Pinkie, who had soup dripping down her face, looked at the mare as though she had told them she'd never seen the sky before. Applejack finally recovered enough to say exactly what she was thinking. “Uhh!?” “I'm sorry. I didn't know these apples were so... umm... important? Are they like oats?” Martha quietly spoke, hoping to not offend the farmer any more than she already had. If anything, Applejack got even more confused, her jaw nearly hitting the table in the process. Pinkie started giggling at the sight, and Twilight could tell from the shifting eyes that the mare was debating either throwing napkins into the gaping mouth or force feeding the soup to the mare. Other than the quiet giggle of the pink mare, the room was silent for a good fifteen seconds. Eventually, Clyde broke it. “Anyways... uhh... how abou' ya Pinkie Pie? Wha' do ya do?” “Oh that's an easy one! I help Mr. and Mrs. Cake bake at the bestest bakery ever: Sugarcube Corner! And I'm the number one party thrower ever!” Pinkie nearly yelled at the end, bouncing up and down in her chair as she excitedly spoke. “Heh, well Ah'm sure tha' ya got the best baking skills 'round here. Only baker in town worth a damn is Walter, and he only bakes bread. As for parties, well, Ah admit Ah haven't had a party since Ah was a colt mahself.” Pinkie gasped. “Then there's no time to lose!” She leaned across the table, farther than her figure would suggest she could, until she was right up against the married couple's ears. She whispered, “Tomorrow. Sundown. Bring an onion.” Clyde blinked for a second, “...Wha'?” Pinkie snapped back to her chair, and grinned a wide, toothy smile, “Oh, nothing!” “I... ummm... I see... deary,” Martha nervously said. She then turned towards the yellow pegasus, “And what about you my quiet one? You haven't said a peep this entire time. What do you do?” Fluttershy hid her face at the question, dreading having the attention put on her. After a few tense moments of silence, she felt a hoof rubbing her back. Jumping a little, she looked to her right, and saw that Rainbow trying her best to comfort the skittish mare. Settling a little, Fluttershy took a deep breath, and finally whispered a response. “I... umm... I take care of animals.” Martha said back in a hushed tone, trying not to startle her any more, “I see, so you are like a shepherd?” Fluttershy nodded in response, not wanting to point out how many ways that statement was incorrect. “Well that's very kind and noble of you. I'm sure you are very skilled at what you do deary. No reason to be shy about it.” Martha turned to the last of their group. “Now how about you... Miss...” “Just call me Rainbow,” she said with a smirk. “Right. Well what do you do?” Rainbow took her hoof off of Fluttershy's back and smiled. “Only the most awesome job ever! Weather Manager of the entire freakin' town, and soon to be Wonderbolt!” Clyde and Martha looked at Rainbow, looked at each other, then back to Rainbow. “Uhh... you mean like a weather reporter or something dear?” Rainbow merely laughed. “No no no, I mean like make the weather and such! You know, moving the clouds, making sure it rains, you know... the fun stuff.” Clyde looked more confused than ever, “Ah... uhh... see. Well tha's jus' swell,” he muttered in a monotone. At this point, he had given up on having them explain all these jobs and what they meant. “Anyway, Ah'm starvin'! Don' mind me, but Ah'm diggin' in!” He said right before sticking his mouth into his bowl, and slurping a large amount of soup. “Clyde! Manners! Remember the guests!” Martha fussed at him. “Pick it up like a proper pony, instead of... whatever that is!” Just a second later, she heard another slurping, this time from Applejack. She looked up, soup on her face, dripping on the table in front of her. “Eh he he he... sorry.” Rarity sighed, and whispered to her friend, “Applejack, I know you can't eat like Twilight and myself, but please try not to draw attention to yourself like that.” Rarity's horn lit up as she picked up the bowl with her magic, taking a dainty sip out of the soup. The aroma that invaded the groups nostrils earlier did not do the soup justice. “I do say, this soup is the most marvelous thing I have ever—” The mare was stopped two loud crashes of bowls hitting the table, then floor, breaking in the process. Nearly releasing her bowl from the sudden sound, she quickly turned towards the hosts, who's eyes were larger than she thought possible. Both of them were frozen in the position they were in: Their hooves were near their faces as if the bowls were still in their possession. In any other situation, it would've been the most comical position. Right now, not even Pinkie Pie laughed. It was nearly a full minute and a half before Clyde was able to stammer out a response, “Wh... wh... wh...” Twilight was growing concerned. “Uhh... Clyde? You ok?” “WHAT WAS THAT!?” Taken aback, Rarity asked, “What was what?” “What ya did! Wit the bowl an' the glowin' an' the flyin'!” “What? Magic?” “Tha' was magic!?” “Umm... yes? I know there aren't many here, but you must have seen a unicorn use it before.” Clyde slowly turn towards the only other unicorn pony in the group, “Y... you can use it too?” “Uhh... yes.” Twilight admitted, feeling like it wasn't a good idea to admit it, but they were already deep in this situation. Lying now was nearly impossible. For the next minute, the two hosts just looked at the two mares before them. Eventually, they both looked at each other, and stood up. Clyde stuttered out, “Ah'm sorry ya'll, but all of... this is takin' a... toll on us ol' folk. Big ol'... shock and all. Ah... we need to lie down... for the night. Ya'll can eat ya fill, and just... uhh... leave all the dishes till mornin'. G'night an'... uhh... yeah...” With that, the two hosts slowly backed into the back room, stumbling around until they got through the door, shutting it behind them. The remaining six looked at each other, not entirely sure what had just happened. Instead of saying anything, the six quickly finished the soup in their bowls without any grace or fanfare, and quickly made their way upstairs. As they did, Twilight could hear Applejack mutter to herself. “Now ah know this ain't gonna end well...” “My Lord.” “Yes, Captain.” “There's a situation that I need to appraise yourself to.” “Yes?” “We've gotten word that there have been a group of six mares that have committed a capital offense within the town of Conflound.” “You disturb my dinner for something as simple as this? Execute them as any other criminal, or do I need to rethink my putting you in your position?” “I understand your confusion, my Lord. Normally I would have done just that. However, this is a different situation. Its... well...” “Out with it.” “The offense was the open use of magic.” “Hmm... do you have a description of the offenders?” “On some. There's a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, a cyan pegasus with a rainbow patterned mane, an orange one with a blonde mane, a—” “Wait... was one of them a purple unicorn? With a purple mane?” “Uhh... with a pink stripe yes. Is that important?” “It might be. Hmm... very interesting. Detain them if you can. Do your best not to kill any of them. I wish to speak to them all personally.” “And if they resist?” “I have faith that you have trained your soldiers well so that casualties will be low enough.” “My Lord? Is this wise?” “Are you questioning me Captain?” “No. Not at all my Lord. I just was wondering what the reasoning behind all of this is.” “The reason is my own. See to their capture, Captain.” “As you command, my Lord.” “And Captain.” “Yes?” “See to it that this stays secret. I don't want this incident to get out of Conflound, much less to the neighboring provinces.” “Lord?” “They never existed. Understand?” “As you wish.”