Chapter three
The next morning I woke up and looked at the clock. "9:30." I whisper to myself.
I quietly get out of bed and turn to the stairs to go downstairs for breakfast, not wanting to wake the others.
Then something catches my attention, out of the corner of my eye I see Dreamstrider... Except I can see what look like specks of dust in the sunlight around her... But she isn't in the sunlight...
On closer inspection, they appear to be softly glowing, and Dreamstider has what looks like a very faded cloud around her colored in all the colors of the rainbow.
"Beautiful." I whisper to myself, in awe of this aura she has around her... "Interesting... I wonder if this is 'normal' for her... " I quietly say to myself.
I make my way downstairs and put together some breakfast, by the time i'm finished I hear somepony waking up.
It's probably Dreamstrider considering Spike doesn't usually get up until around 10:30.
I see Dreamstrider come down the stairs, making as little noise as a grain of sand would dropped on the beach.
"Good morning Twilight." she whispers with a smile.
"Good morning Dreamstrider, did you sleep well?" I reply with a smile.
"Defiantly, remember I told you that whenever I sleep, it's always the same thing of making things up in my head until I wake up?"
I nod.
"Well I tried something new last night to try and get some normal sleep, and it worked!"
I gave a quiet laugh, "I noticed."
"Oh?" She said, "How?"
"When I woke up, I saw you sleeping with little specks of light around you and surrounded in a rainbow cloud."
She giggled a little, "It sounds like quite the sight."
"It was." I said as we sat to have breakfast.
"This is new." Dreamstrider said.
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.
"Well..." She said, looking at the hay in front of her, "It's the first time I have eaten as a pony... And Iv'e never eaten hay before.... Then again, Iv'e only been here for a day."
I gave a small giggle, "What kinds of things do humans eat?"
"Lot's of different things, but we tend to not eat hay." She said, "Might be interesting to see what it tastes like."
She continues on, "At least we are used to eating plants."
"I do have other things if you like..." I say, wondering if she would rather have something else.
"It's fine." She said, "It will be an adventure in itself tasting these new types of food."
We both smiled and Dreamstrider ate some hay and muttered, "Huh, not bad."
She laughed a little, and I smiled back.
She had just finished breakfast and we could hear Spike waking up, "Whoa... huh? Twilight?"
"We're down here Spike." I replied.
"Hey Spike." Dreamstrider said as Spike walked down the stairs.
"Hey." He replied in a drowsy voice.
"Did you sleep well?" I said.
"Yeah, but I had a really weird dream, It's was like... Kinda like if I tought of something it would kinda just... Appear... Not really very interesting and it seemed to go on forever." He says with a groan.
I looked at Dreamstrider in a questioning look.
"OK, so maybe my method still needs a bit of work."
We both laugh, leaving Spike looking confused. I said to Spike, "It's fine Spike, just a little mistake."
He shrugged and got himself some breakfast.
After Dreamstrider had finished her breakfast she went upstairs to make her bed, along with ours, "I had better start earning my keep!" She said with a slight laugh.
After she was upstairs, which took some doing, not entirely sure why, Spike sat at the table and asked, "So whats this little 'Mistake' that you mentioned?"
I groan, "You really weren't playing attention to the conversation yesterday, were you?"
Spike shuffled a little in his seat and replied in a slightly guilty tone, "Well I was kinda... Eating lunch at the time..."
I just sigh, "Is food all you pay attention to?"
"Well, now you mention it..."
We both laugh a bit, then we hear Dreamstrider from upstairs.
"Hey Spike, wanna see something awesome?" Dreamstrider said with a hint of excitement.
"Umm, sure?" Spike replied, not too sure how else to answer at this time in the morning.
"Kay, just let me get downstairs..." Slowly walking downstairs, as if trying not to trip... Come to think of it, she did take a little while to get up the stairs last-night...
"You okay Dreamstrider?" I asked.
"Yeah fine, just gimme... A... Sec... There!" She said as she reached the bottom of the staircase.
"Okay, that something cool... Probably the middle of the room will do." She said as she almost skipped her way to the center of the room.
"What are you planning to do Dreamstrider?" I said in a confused tone.
"How did Trixie put it?.. Prepare to be amazed!" She said in a burst of laughter.
I rolled my eyes hearing that line.
"Heh, well come to think of it... I have no idea whether this will work or if i'll just end up as a slightly well-baked mare..."
Confused and worried by this statement I tried to protest, but she spoke before I could get a word in.
"Oh well, as that guy said, ALLONS-Y!"
Then there was a gather up of magic light around her, then a flash and it was all over.
"YEAH! NOW THAT'S A WAKE-UP CALL!" He shouted, I can already guess what he did.
"A few of my more feminine parts of bone structure are different, but besides that I think i'm about the same! SUCCESS!"
Spike at this point was rubbing his eyes trying make sense of this, but I already knew what he had done. For starters, he was just showing off by now, and secondly, why change genders?.. Again.
"What just happened?" Spike asked, dizzy with confusion.
"You... Woah..." Dreamstrider attempted to speak, but was dizzy from the gender-change.
"You have just witnessed awesomeness... And I think I won't change back for a while... I'm really dizzy..." There was a loud *smack* as Dreamstriders face made contact with the floor.
"Ow..."
"What are you doing down there?" I said in a playful tone, probably more so than I intended.
"Saying hello to the floor. Could I have a hoof here?" He asked, unable to get up on his own I helped him onto his feet and assisted him to a chair.
"Thanks Twilight." He said, then turning his attention to spike, "And THAT'S an explanation of what the girls were talking about yesterday!"
"Wait, -wha-, how, huh?!" Spike was now completely confused, "Your a Pegasus! How did you-?!"
"I got some of that shiny magic in me, perhaps a bit more that you would think." He said proudly, although struggling to not stammer from the exhaustion of magic she had just been through.
Spike was just looking at him and trying to make sense of this, I mean, that's what I did when he did the same right?
Dreamstrider remarked, "I think the words in the back of your mind go somewhere along the lines of, 'Well, that escalated quickly.'"
I face-hoof and was wondering what the point to all that was, "Dreamstrider, what was the point in wasting your magic reserves doing a gender change... Again."
"Well," He started, "A: Because it's a quick explanation of what half of Spikes questions were going to be.
"B: Because I wanted to see if I could do it, and C:.."
"And C?" I asked.
"Uh.. Nevermind, there is no C..." He was clearly blushing now and the thought of asking why skimmed through my head, but I avoided asking, I didn't want to know.
"Fine, but now you have bedazzled Spike with your magic-trick over there he is going to be like that for an hour."
"Hey, give me some credit, you may be an Alicorn, but it would still be hard to do a gender-change spell."
"Yes it would, but I don't have any reason to." I say in a I-don't-really-care-right-now way.
"Yeah, your right, but I think I will go out soon, get to know town and maybe see if Rainbow Dash is about."
I give him a questioning look,
"What? I was going to ask her if she would teach me to fly."
"Fine, just don't go causing any disturbances, last thing we need is everypony disliking the newcomer." I advised him.
"Hey Twilight, everything is fine, i'm not stupid enough to go around and walk-up to the nearest pony and tell them their life story..."
I raise an eyebrow, "You could do that?"
"Well, maybe not their whole life story, just a great chunk of it that's all." He gave an innocent smile.
"Maybe one day you will tell be just how you know everything about everypony?"
"Maybe, but I don't know whether that will make you an enlightened being that can bend space and time, or if it will cause this reality to implode, or if it does nothing."
I let out a confused "Huh?" before Dreamstrider continues, "Don't worry, it's all under control."
"But anyway, do you know if anypony will be awake at this time?"
I look at the clock, "It's 11:15 so there might be a few ponies out and about," I say, "But if you want to see Rainbow then you might have to wait for a while, she tends to get up late and I don't know if she will be in the mood to teach you how to fly."
"Heh, yeah she will probably be a little drowsy, but we'll see whether or not she will be up for it today."
"But it would be nice to see if I can make some friends, and maybe I can start with Rainbow." He says with a hint of excitement
"Go ahead, but don't go running off into the Everfree Forest, it's dangerous in there." I warn Dreamstrider.
"Yeah, I won't. But honestly, I think the reason why the Everfree is feared is because when some mythological creature wrecks Ponyville you stuff it in the the Everfree."
I shoot him a disapproving look.
"Hey, I'm just saying..." Dreamstrider says as he retreats, "Who knows how many parasprites are in the Everfree since you rolled that ball of them in there?"
I have had just about my fill of this knowing-everything thing. And I STILL can't get a answer out of him.
"Dreamstrider, you are really creeping me out with all these things you know about me, my friends and... Well... Everything!
"So could you please tone it down a little on the past experiences stuff?"
"Oh... Yeah, sorry..." His ears flop a little and he looks at the floor before perking up and saying, "Well, I had better get going, and you probably want some space from this insane know-it-all pony."
He was just about to open the door when he asked, "Oh, and where is Dash likely to take her nap? Just in-case I miss her while she is still conscious."
I giggle a little and reply, "Probably the park, but no promises. And if you can't find her, just ask somepony until you find her."
"Thanks." She says as she struggles a little with the door-handle, but eventually gets it.
"Heh... Anyway, see-ya later!" He says as he waves to me.
I wave back and he closes the door.
Well, he or is it she? GAH! Dreamstrider has gone out so I guess I should get to my studies... And I have to write that letter to the Princess, I should probably get that done now while its fresh in my mind.
"Come on Spike, snap out of it, you've seen weirder things." I say as I wave my hoof in front of his face.
"Huh?.. Oh... Yeah, sure."
I shake my head, but then again, wasn't this somewhat like my reaction to Dreamstriders first transformation?
Why is it that I trust Dreamstrider so much? We only met yesterday and it's already like I know Dreamstrider as a room-mate or something. Oh well, as long as it isn't a bad thing I suppose it's nothing to worry about.
Never mind, I need to get that letter done to the Princess.
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"*Yawn* Wow, I may be called Dreamstrider but that doesn't mean that I can't get tired." I say to myself as I make my way to what I assume to be the town square.
"Hmm, I could go and see if there is a coffee shop somewhere, but how will I pay? I don't have a job... Well, I could always make a few bits here just this once, I mean, no-pony is going to notice a picture-perfect Bit coin as a magically summoned... Err, forgery? I don't think that is really the proper term to use here but that's what it feels like right now."
"I don't think doing it this one time will cause any long-term problems."
This. One. Time. I Think to myself, since I always 'Cheated' in video games get more money.
I find a nearby shade of a house and use whats left of my magic reserves to make 15 Bit coins in a bag.
"I really need to be careful when I do that... I'm getting dizzy again..." I steady myself against the building and then realise that I have no saddlebags to put my money in.
"Oh d-."
No. No swearing in human expressions here. Period.
"Oh ponyfeathers."
"There, that's better... More or less, but I still need somewhere to put my money... AHA!"
I zap the bag with my magic and a long cord appears around it.
"Lucky that didn't use too much energy, but now I carry the bag around my neck!"
I revel in this small victory, because I could really take as many of those as I can.
"Heh, now i'm starting to sound like Rainbow Dash."
I put the bag around my neck and make my way to the town center so I can start my search for a decent café.
I approach the Town Hall, "Let's see, here is the town hall and this is pretty much the best place to start looking so..."
I cut myself off and mentally slap myself because i'm doing things the hard way again.
Just ask somepony where the nearest café is. no need to become a Daring Doo of city streets. Oh look there's Roseluck at her stall, perhaps she might know. Just play it cool and don't act like a smart-ass Dreamstrider.
I approach Roseluck, almost having her stall fully setup, "Hello there."
"Dammit Dreamstrider, that was bad to the point of downright creepy. Please don't notice, please don't notice..."
"Why hello there, iv'e almost finished setting-up my stall but feel free to look around!" Said Roseluck in a sweet, cheery voice.
"Actually, i'm kinda new here and I was wondering if help me with something."
"DAMMIT! That could have been a better choice of words."
"Oh? And what would that be?" She asked.
Man I really have got to stop thinking like this is Earth, people here don't take every poor choice of words as an idicator that your just some-
"No, i'm not finishing that thought, just answer the question."
"I was wondering if there is a coffee shop in town, I kinda got up early for me and I need a boost."
"Oh, you'll be wanting Buzzing Beans, they do the best coffee in Ponyville!" She said with another beaming smile, "To get there you just need to continue down to the left of Sugarcube corner over there, and you will see it eventually on your right."
"Thank you very much." I say in a polite tone.
"You say your new here? My name's Roseluck, whats yours?" Roseluck exclaims as I am about to go, I knew she was a beautiful as her roses, but I never imagined that her beauty would be so hard to pull away from.
I mean just look at those eyes!
"My name is Dreamstrider, nice to meet you Roseluck." I say in a weird way, I used to do this a few years back when I wanted someone to think I wasn't a complete twat but at the same time I didn't want to talk in the first place, but I tried my best to put on a smile for the beautiful mare.
"Well, nice to meet you Dreamstrider, are you staying long in town or just passing by?"
"Dammit, those eyes are just too much like jewels to ignore, some people will just say she is another pretty mare, but meeting her in person is another thing. Its like there are stars in her eyes... And why am I talking to myself?! *sigh*, I guess that's why I chose the name "Dreamstrider". Come on man, focus for a few minutes."
I figured I might as well make myself not seem like a grump, so I muster all my friendly abilities and answer her question.
"Living here with a friend." I say with more of a convincing cheer than I thought I could muster, "Had some troubles back where I used to live, so one of my friends gave me a place to crash and I landed here, and it is a very nice place."
"Sounds like quite the trip."
"If you only knew..."
"But listen to me ramble, you will probably want to go have your coffee now. Maybe we will see some more of one-another in the future!" She says with a grin at the end, almost like the way Colgate does.
"Looking forward to it! C'ya!" I say with a slight wave.
"Bye!" She returns my wave tenfold.
I started walking towards Sugarcube corner, then taking a left to go down the neighboring street.
While on the lookout for the elusive dragons hoard known as Buzzing Beans, I found myself doing one of my trademark habits... I was talking to myself.
"Well that was an interesting encounter, and she was very helpful. I mean, I knew ponies were nice and all, but that was something else... And why am I surprised about this? I knew that she would help me, almost all ponies are nice, but then why did I think she would just try to get rid of me? Too much time spent on earth I guess... But she was beautiful. I mean, her eyes were literally sparkling! I mean, she was pretty, but not really attractive, she was just really cute -"
At that point I actually noticed I was thinking out loud and decided to stop before anyone heard me talk about things like 'How pretty Roseluck is', because I really don't need that right now.
Just then, my eyes widened, and I let out an adorable *Squee* sound, for I had found it... And it was beautiful.
"Buzzing Beans!"
Before I could celebrate further, the smell of delightful and exotic blends of coffee wafted up my nose.
"Coffee is one of my biggest weaknesses, and I love it!" I thought to myself and I opened the door to the shop.
There were a few other ponies inside, sipping on coffee and talking about whatever happens in this town.
The decor was just like any other high-quality coffee shop, there were photos in frames of Italian buildings, although i'm not sure what the Equestrian term for 'Italy" is, there were expensive pieces of modern art on shelves, and most of the place was a delightful brown to match the coffee.
The whiteboard behind the counter that listed all the variations of coffee was a little hard to read, to be expected due to different influences in writing methods, but thankfully the coffee names were the same.
"Hello there, welcome to Buzzing Beans!" Said a golden brown unicorn mare who's mane was a lovely cream with a slightest hint of brown, and her coat shimmered with an incredible gold.
She was literally a cappuccino.
"What can I get you this fine morning?" I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, she obviously loved coffee as much as her appearance makes out.
"I would like a medium cappuccino with a little less milk than normal please." I said, being careful not to sound really picky because that's not something I want to labelled as.
"Sure thing, lemme guess... Two brown sugars and a cinnamon dusting?"
"Oooh, Iv'e always liked people who can do that. And that's exactly what I want too."
"Yep, thanks." I should probably acknowledge her ability rather than dismiss it, "And nice skill you got there, not many ponies can do that."
She was beaming at the fact her little skill is being acknowledged, "You mean about the coffee? Yeah, it's just something that comes naturally, I always had a knack for knowing what people want."
"Hey, your new here aren't you?" She exclaimed as she started making the liquid of the gods that is coffee.
"Yeah, just moved down here to stay with a friend." I say, sticking to the story I told Roseluck, "Troubles back home, so a friend of mine gave me somewhere to crash."
"Oh? May I ask where you used to live?"
Damn, hadn't covered that bit. Come on man, think, think...
"Fillydelphia."
"Ah I see, getting away from the city eh?" She said in an understanding tone.
"Yeah, the city life gets to you one way or the other."
"Interesting... Ah!" She exclaims as the coffee maker started flowing and put the coffee together as if she was dancing.
"Here you are, that's three bits please!" She said with a smile as she placed the wonderful substance on the counter.
Reaching into the corded bag around my neck, I pulled out three bits with my mouth, which was somewhat of a challenge, and placed them in the counter.
"Thanks! Enjoy your coffee!" She said as another customer walked into the shop.
Daring not to spill this wonderful liquid, I looked around to see if anypony was watching, and I hovered the mug over my hoof but low enough so no-pony would notice, and sat down on one of the lovely sofas and began to sip my coffee.
And it was amazing.