A Twilight Landing

by MerlosTheMad

Chapter 17 : Egghead

Jo knelt down to pet two of her cats, both felines were happy enough that she was home to seek her out after the front door clattered open. "Hey fuzz-butts, what are you doing awake?" Normally the furry devils were seemingly always asleep, but such was the life of cats.

The felines both attacked her hands, eagerly vying for her attention while entertaining the hopes of treats as well.

Over the sound of her pets' meowing, Jo could hear Alice and Twilight talking and laughing from further in the house. She again picked up her gym bag and followed the noises, which lead her towards the kitchen. Along the way, she sighed at the stacks of random books that had begun to infest her dining room. Apparently, the large open space and sizable dining table had made the unused eating area an excellent study space, and one of Twilight's preferred rooms in the house.

Although, Twilight did her internet perusing from the secluded office near the back of the house. Such perusing had also yielded some embarrassing circumstances. Jo blamed herself for that.

Despite the somewhat jarring things that Twilight had learned about Earth, and humans in general, she had been adjusting well despite her short time there. At the very least, she seemed to be acting more herself, as far as Jo could tell. Going out wasn't on either one of their usual list of normal daily activities, although one made the other look like a regular hermit by comparison.

Twilight would go outdoors and walk through the town nearly every morning, something Jo had only found out about a few days ago. Still, both women stayed indoors for much of their time, meaning the home was more of a lair. As a result, that of course left it to Alice and her renewed lease as Jo's best friend to try and liven things up. At least, that was how Alice saw it.

Jo rounded the corner unannounced and entered the kitchen, a relaxed, tired smile on her lips. She came face to face with Twilight and the friend she had left her with.

"Hey guys, you— What the?" Both Twilight, and Alice, were in their underwear. They were also chatting merrily by the kitchen counter.

Jo stood in the doorway. Her mouth dropped open, agape. The smile she had put on to greet her friends was gone.

"Come on, just say it!" Alice had her hands on either side of her, her back resting against the counter. "Pleeease," she pleaded to the taller girl facing her.

Twilight laughed back, from what, Jo was left to wonder. "Okay! I'll say it, though I still don't get it." She coughed and held a hand up to her mouth, while Alice made a squeeing noise and held her hands up beneath her chin in rapt anticipation and excitement of whatever was about to happen.

"I'm the T to the w, l i g h t, and ain't no other pony troll it down like me, I'm Twilightlicious!" Twilight grinned across the kitchen at Alice who began jumping and shouting.

"Aaah! Oh my God, she did the vooice!" Alice continued on like that, breaking down into laughter right after.

"I don't understand it though! Trolls are dangerous, Alice?" Despite the meager protest, Twilight still smiled at the show of enthusiasm and laughed along with her blonde friend.

"Ahem." Jo's face was as blank as a rock's.

Alice and Twilight's laughter petered out slowly after noticing Jo had entered the room. "Oh! Hello, Jo," and "Good Morning!" were respectively chimed out merrily by the other two girls.

Jo blinked, feeling a distinct sense of disbelief towards the two barely clothed sights that stood nonchalantly in front of her, and what had just transpired before her very eyes.

"Do I even want to know?" Jo finally asked, staring openly, a rictous frown forming. "We just bought you more clothes," she directed at Twilight. "And you, just what are you doing!?" She jabbed a finger at her blonder friend. Really Alice? Are you trying to acclimate her or something!? Twilight was more than used to wearing clothing, at least to the point she no longer forgot to get dressed every morning, which saved Jo from a lot of tedious reminders.

Alice looked at Jo, then rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and pursed her lips in what was a blatant a mockery of innocence. "She made me do it," the blonde girl muttered, pointing a single digit from her crossed arms at Twilight.

Twilight looked back and forth between Jo and Alice a moment with a worriedly, before catching on to her human friend's fib. "Liar," she giggled and stuck out her tongue at Alice, then faced Jo. "Sorry Jo, I knew this bothered you, but I didn't expect you home just yet. I read online that you shouldn't wear clothes while working with electronics. So I suggested to Alice that we minimize the risk!"

Jo stared blankly, thinking typical thoughts about Twilight acting typically.

"After all," Twilight continued. "I would hate for my present, or my research to get ruined due to an accident. Lab safety conditions are always my top priority, and-" Her explanation was cut short by Jo.

"Alright, alright, it's fine. I'm used to it anyway." Jo still glared at Alice, who historically did spend a lot of her time taking quiet pleasure in Twilight's cultural ignorance, and encouraging embarrassing situations.

"Hehe," Alice giggled and sauntering, passed Jo on her way out of the kitchen. "That's what she said."

Jo face-palmed, while something the unicorn said made her back-peddle the train of thought in her head. "Alice, go get dressed. Twilight, did you say present? And what was that about electronics?" She shifted back to looking at the still open mouthed Twilight, who picked up right where she left off.

"Oh uhm, well please don't be angry that I did this without asking, it was a surprise, and Alice said you wouldn't mind, but...well it worked fine anyway so, I apologize and hope that-"

Jo held up a finger.

Twilight blushed and bit back what she realized was becoming a rant.

"Twilight, could you get to the point?" Jo asked gingerly. She was developing a sinking feeling, only slightly mitigated by the lack of any fire alarms or smoke coming from some part of her house. To be fair to Twilight, it was Alice that Jo felt was the bigger risk when it came to property damage.

"Well, after your computer stopped working last week, and you told me that my arrival here probably caused it when it was knocked over, I thought I would look into fixing it! And I did." Twilight wore an ecstatic look of satisfaction, while Alice stood beside her, wide eyed and nodding encouragingly to Jo. "Fix it, I mean. I fixed it." And after a moment she held her hands up, palms out, grinning. "Yay?"

Jo, for her part, tilted her head a fraction. "Really?" She fixed my computer?... I was sure it was an electrical short though, how did she fix it? "How? Did you replace the parts?" Jo looked into the dining room at Alice with a cautious look, who was getting dressed. Those parts weren't cheap.

The blonde girl spotted this and with a coy smile shook her butt at Jo.

Rolling her eyes, frowning, and trying to ignore that had just happened, Jo looked back at Twilight, who was busy shaking her head 'no' to Jo's question.

Twilight walked forward and took Jo by the hand. "Come on!" She grinned and spoke excitedly, "I'll show you! I did it all on my own, although it wasn't easy, I had to solder here or there, but after meticulously following some diagrams and how-tos, plus some help from my friends, it was a trot in the park!" To say the pony-girl was a little giddy over whatever this was would be an understatement.

Jo looked back at Alice while following Twilight as gracefully as she could without tripping over her. The girl in front gripped her hand tightly and despite trying to, slipping out of the hold didn't work for Jo.

Worse, Twilight was as unsteady as ever, even in the lead. She seemed to have hit a speed bump in progressing further with balance on two legs ever since week one. So, the two of them stumbled together up the stairs.

Behind them, Alice followed unimpeded and grinned her trade mark grin of mischief, which could mean anything for her. "Hey Twilight, did you say friends? Like besides us? You never mentioned that." She watched the head of purple hair in front of her sway back and forth while they all thundered up the stairs.

The question also got Jo curious.

"Some humans I've been talking to online! They're experts on anything technology, and really helpful. Though they seem to be a little narrow as far as their fields of study. Nonetheless, they've been a big help when it comes to getting my hooves...my hooves on things to learn from." She slowed down as they came to the crest of the stairs. "Which is good, without magic or my...old studies being relevant, I can at least look into...into..."

Jo managed to slip her hand out of Twilight's grip, and spotted a wan smile on her expression. "Twilight?"

The taller girl faced her and straightened, smiling bigger. "Sorry, lost my train of thought! I mean to say I can at least look into technology that could possibly lead me home. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, your gift."

Once again Jo was hauled away. "Cripes, calm down Twilight. Did I take in the librarian from Ponyville or the hyperactive baker?"

Twilight turned and put on a smug look. "Oh, you would know if you had Pinkie Pie in your house, Jo. Think Alice times ten, but uhm...without all of the awkward...uhm..." She looked tentatively at Jo's friend.

Jo could see Twilight struggling with the term. "Sexual innuendo?" She quirked an eyebrow, then looked back at Alice with a grim, knowing expression. The target of said expression had a merry look of innocence once again.

"What?" Alice asked, one index finger held to her cheek.

"Uhm, yes, that. Anyway, tada!" Twilight opened the door to the room that had once belonged to Jo's brother, rather than her bedroom. In it, was a worktable with dozens of tools, a leather apron for some reason, a laptop, and the desktop in question, running smoothly. "It hardly took me an hour after getting everything planned out ahead of time. I even improved it, and we did some cleaning."

Jo walked in and stared in disbelief at the whirring sight. "You're kidding. This...is pretty awesome." She gave the other girl a grin, then immediately set about doing a once over of her baby. "I'll have to test it later with a game or two, but it seems to be running great."

Twilight nodded sagely to herself as she responded. "I didn't have much to gauge the improvements with, and I've never actually done this sort of thing before, so I apologize again for...not asking. I was very confident though! Oh my goodness Jo, you have no idea how thrilling it is to bring such small devices to life like this." She let out an excited, shrill giggle and balled up her hands into little fists.

Jo was infected by the other girl's excitement, smiling back in earnest. "Easy Twilight." She had never behaved like that before, as Twilight or Alice did a lot, not since she was a little girl. It just stopped feeling right, and up until recently, she discouraged it in others, too. Being around Twilight though, she made her feel...good.

Meanwhile during Twilight's squee-spree, Jo began opening things to test the PC. Everything check out.

"This is impressive, I thought it was done for." Jo's eyes widened, everything seemed to work, where before it had ceased to even boot up. "You might have just saved my job Twi', or at least a lot of my money. The laptops can't run the same stuff this machine can." She'd been ready to buy the expensive replacement already.

Twilight looked up absently at the ceiling. "Weeell, after I hid your router a couple weeks ago, and everything else really, I felt I owed you one, Jo." She coughed aimed to change the subject by leaning over Jo and pointing to the corner task bar. "I've added a couple of extra fans, you'll notice that it's running cooler now." She looked down with her trademark smile at the human.

"Cool." Jo flashed her own, rarer smile.

"Oh, yes I just said that." Twilight quirked an eyebrow from where she leaned over the desk. She then let her hand fall from pointing at the screen, which she hadn't been touching directly this time. That had been a hard learned lesson.

"No, I meant-" Jo just stared back for a moment. "Never mind," she muttered, then faced forward again, at least until Alice piped in, laughing slowly.

"Heh, Heh, Heh, so..." Alice leered over in front of Jo, gaining her unwilling attention. "You might say that... your PC now runs twenty percent cooler!" If her grin could get any bigger it would have left her face altogether.

Jo's eyes shut as soon as it dawned on her what Alice had said. She groaned and covered her face with both hands.

"Huh, isn't that Rainbow Dash's saying?" Twilight looked up at the ceiling with a thoughtful look, one finger pressed interestedly to her chin.

"So, Twilight!" Jo started exuberantly, and pushing a laughing Alice away with a free hand. "You said people online helped you?"

"Hm?" Twilight looked down in mild surprise. "Oh, yes, I met some friends on a tech blog and forum website I found. That's a blog that has a lot of people that like to talk about, well, everything! Theoreticals in science, mathematics, and technology! It's-" A sudden immense look of pure, unadulterated happiness spread across Twilight's face. "-It's like paradise! Oh I love it so much, I can talk and talk, and debate and- There's just no end to it! Seeking out intellectuals like this is a nightmare in Equestria, almost nopony has any interest in the sciences like you all do!"

Jo's amused look took a moment to deadpan while she thought, well, not really all of us are like that... Coughing, and with a desire to not sit there all night while listening to Twilight start talking about wormhole theory again, she said, "That's great Twilight, I'm happy you found something...you like about here. You're careful while talking to them though, right? I probably don't have to remind you about people, and worse, people on the internet that treat anonymity like a badge of honor."

"Easy, Mom." Alice smirked mockingly from where she was reclined on the old bed in the room. "I'm sure our little girl's learned her lesson about being careless on the internet." She gave Twilight a knowing look before returning her grin to Jo.

Jo gave Twilight a consoling look, the girl in question shuddering from obviously knowing exactly what Alice was teasing about.

"I thought we agreed to never mention that again?" Twilight gave Alice a deadpanned stare, the other girl laughed aloud in return. "Uggh, and it's not funny! Oh nevermind, yes, Jo, ever since you gave me that thorough explanation of what is safe and what isn't on the internet, I've been quite careful. I even avoid those little pop ups that declare I'm the millionth visitor on a site now, although I had been skeptical of those from the get go. The odds of such a thing happening were simply too unbelievable and slim..."

Alice stared out the window and absently declared, "You still clicked on them and tried to get the prize though-"

Both Jo and Twilight stiffened and with raised voices growled, "Alice!"

The blonde girl's eyes widened, and held up her hands in defense. "Sorry, never mind!" She still wore an unashamed look of delight, despite this.

Jo let out a sigh with Twilight and spoke up. "Well, where were we?"

"I was explaining the ponies I met." Twilight answered with a renewed smile. She leaned against the desk and folded her arms, ready to continue her explanation of the deeper implications of finding a community of fellow intellectuals. One that she could speak to at the touch of a button as well! Even if she couldn't quite type as fast as they seemed to be able to.

Jo only raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hm, is something wrong?" Twilight's smile faltered and she felt around her face and hair. Did I not brush my mane again? Oh, maybe I should have gotten dressed before showing Jo the computer. She resisted the urge to peer down at herself and draw more attention to it.

"You said ponies again, Twilight, not people." Alice chimed in for Jo.

Jo looked over at Alice and began to speak out, but stopped and frowned wearily. Smooth, Alice.

"Oh." Twilight swallowed, and relaxed back against the desk. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. It's uh-" She folded her arms beneath the strange lumps human women had, trying to think of what to say.

"You don't need to apologize Twilight, besides, I like hearing that stuff. It's...unique." Jo put on a serious smile and held it until Twilight looked back. The other girl returned it with her own, brighter version.

"I don't even realize I'm doing it when I do, but I find your own renditions of Equestrian speech fascinating, actually. It reminds me of how I've heard other races from my world speak differently." Twilight paced in a circle as she academically voiced her thoughts aloud. "In fact, it still blows my mind that we even speak the same language at all..." She held one hand up to her head and briefly recalled the implications of such a truth amidst so many other differences.

Jo and Alice watched as Twilight disappeared slightly into her own thoughts. They could both tell their purple crowned compatriot had entered 'that little world of her own' again, but allowed her to go uninterrupted. Alice found herself wishing she had more popcorn, while Jo waited considerately without a second thought.

As an end result of remembering the language brain teaser, Twilight looked up and let out a frustrated noise. "It makes me want to try and study what forces could be at work to have caused that, what is responsible for it all? There are so many weird similarities, but why? If only human knowledge extended past just technology... I bet the Princess would know... It's not fair that I can't find out!"

Twilight pouted and glared down at her feet. Behind her, Alice was busy holding her hands over her mouth, desperately trying to resist squealing d'aaaw. Jo shot her a brief look of disfavor.

"Anyway," Twilight continued, "I've only met a couple other ponies from outside of Equestria myself, but I do know some Prench and Germane. I wish I had studied them better while I had the chance, there might be more clues in the other languages. What I need, though, is a concrete method to study it." She hummed quickly, thinking eagerly about the philosophies and implications that always tore her apart.

It was at this point that Jo was beginning to think she should stop Twilight from engaging in another, random lecture, but she felt bad every time she did so. The programs running quietly on the computer that served as her distraction were what kept her from doing so again, in the end.

Twilight paced a few steps into the room, then turned around, looking up at the ceiling as if something of considerable intrigue hung there as she spoke. "Actually, I was very surprised about something I quite literally stumbled upon the other day, it seems that Earth has its own versions of races native to Equestria in legend. That further supports our theory about humans somehow catching wind of other worlds, namely my own. The information I've found about your own legends-"

Two loud coughs snapped Twilight out of her rant. The purple haired girl's eyes shot wide open and she stared blankly at her friends.

"Twilight, that's great, really." Jo ignored the now hysterically laughing Alice while speaking, then tried shushing her.

Twilight's penchant for getting very into whatever she began speaking about never ceased to amaze, or guiltily entertain the other two girls. Perhaps she was just that knowledgeable, rather than it being her Equestrian roots, but it set her apart from the two humans as much as did her true nature and history.

"Sorry about that, I do tend to lecture, even when I don't mean to," Twilight grinned sheepishly and apologized.

"It's fine!" Jo sat up, the computer now turning off. "And thank you again for this, Twilight, it was great. Anyway, how about you get dressed and we'll continue this." She raised her eyebrows and waited patiently for the other girl to catch on.

Twilight's eyes widened slightly again, and this time looked down at herself. "Oh right, just a moment!" A blush formed on her cheeks, starting to get used to embarrassment over such things.

Twilight pulled the sleeveless shirt on over her head and shrugged her arms through the available holes. It was loose, and wasn't very complicated, which made it a comfortable 'everyday' style as she saw it.

"Perfect fit." She said ironically, grinning and smoothing the fabric over the front of the clothing.

Jo called it a tank top, which had been pretty funny to Twilight at the time. She had asked what made it like a tortoise, only to get a funny look. It had seemed that joke had gone over her human host's head, only for Alice to start giggling uncontrollably right after and pick up the slack.

Twilight reached down to scratch one of Jo's cats on the head, the furry thing had followed after her into her bedroom. She spared a second to think of her own pet, then her friends, her family, and home, then walked quickly out towards the living room, as Jo called it.

"No, and no, that's a terrible idea, and I wouldn't even go if it were just me." It was Jo's voice, arguing with Alice about something as usual.

The blonde girl's voice replied back. "You never have any fun! You never let her have any fun either. At least you never encourage it, Halloween is perfect for us to get out and have a good time! Come on, she's been studying for eighteen hours straight a day for weeks now, let's go out and do something for a couple days. Heck, we don't even need to help her walk anymore, it'll be great, Jo, trust me. That party is tomorrow, let's just go and relax and be normal for a little while."

Twilight listened intently. It seems they're talking about me again. What's that about a Halloween party? Whatever that is... The arguing was normal, she decided, and didn't mind it in the slightest. They were great friends after all, and not terrible impromptu hosts, either. At least, Jo wasn't. Twilight had been talked into staying over at Alice's apartment place once. That had been a mistake. I didn't know a floor could even get that covered in junk... Overall, she was thankful that they were both good...people.

"Alice we've talked about this so many damn times I feel like the only way to shut you up about it is going to be to...to..." Jo trailed off.

"Hi Twilight!" Alice quirked a smile and waved obnoxiously to the other, recently arrived girl.

"Uhm, hi Alice. Is something wrong, girls?" Twilight ceased holding onto the doorway and walked in, eyes traveling between her two friends.

"No, nothing, just Alice here wanting to take you to a 'human' party- No Twilight, we can't go." Jo responded swiftly to the lighting up she saw in the Equestrians face, both hands held out in defiance.

"Aaaw," Alice butted in with disappointment.

"Why not?" Twilight asked, both humans looked at her, Alice with glee, Jo with worry. "Okay, besides the obvious." She shrugged and looked at Alice.

Twilight coughed and straightened up. At the very least I want to know more about what you girls were talking about. "I would rather like to go, actually...a lot. Besides that...really weird 'vegan' restaurant you took me too, we haven't really done anything."

Both of the humans watched as Twilight's expression sank further, they couldn't guess why, until she spoke again to continue.

"I mean, I haven't made even the slightest bit of progress I- Every time I got my hopes up for something I read about, it turned out to be very intricate fiction, and almost everyone on the net laughs at me. At least, they type phrases like 'l-o-l' and 'l-m-a-o' or 'tits or g-t-f-o', whatever those mean." Twilight sighed, crossed the floor, then sank into one of the dining room chairs.

Alice and Jo shared a downtrodden look between themselves, but neither made to speak.

Twilight had been quiet about Equestria recently, or getting home, at least in this tone of passage. Every time they had to explain something or a question for her that related to her quest, she cheerfully thanked them and left again to continue looking in the computer room, or the book room.

Jo moved first and sat beside Twilight, gently moving a twenty novel high stack of literature so she could make eye contact. She laid her hand on purple haired girl's shoulder. "Twilight..." Straining, she tried to think of something to say. She settled on, "Hey, you know what? I'm sure Celestia and Luna are pretty close to finding a way to get you home already."

Twilight looked up at Jo, her face lighting up a little.

"So how about this, tomorrow, let's show you how we have a good time on Earth, and why you ponies don't even know the meaning of the word party." Jo couldn't help it, she put on the most boastful, wolfish grin she could. Getting excited for things wasn't her style, unless it was a game tournament, but somehow she was getting that feeling now.

It was probably the overjoyed look that Twilight was giving her.

"Nothing crazy, so don't be worried about that." Jo waved a hand defensively before looking at her friend again, smiling reassuringly.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, Jo." Twilight grinned in return. A second later and without warning, she lunged forward and hugged the smaller woman fiercely. "I'm sure you're right, too. There's bound to be somepony, the Princess or not, that will help me get home. Until then, should have a little fun."

"D'aaaaaaaaaAAAAaaaaw!"

Both seated girls looked up at Alice, who was standing beside them and practically trembling where she stood.

"Oh no, don't stop, I want in on the group hug too, oh my God you have no idea!" Alice hopped up and down slightly where she made it apparent she was about to burst.

Jo blinked, a scowl deepening on her face, while Twilight held out an arm, grinning enthusiastically.

"Yay!"

Both the Equestrian, and grumpier human harrumphed as Alice enveloped them in a hug.

It was a gruesome experience for Jo, as she came to realize what was going on.

Twilight began to pull away first, looking up at Alice, and then over to Jo. "So, what's Halloween?"

Alice waved goodbye, yelling farewell in her loud but somehow sweet sounding voice. Except to Jo, to Jo that voice was like nails on a chalk board in terms of irritability. "Okay you two, I'm taking off! They have need of me at work for the night. Those lucky, ungrateful jerks. Don't have too much fun without me! Jo, you know what I'm talking abou-"

"Oh my God, finish that sentence and I will kill you." Jo's lips curved up at the corners with just the barest hint of a positive expression directed at Alice.

Beside Jo, Twilight's smile, something that had been powerful enough to make her face hurt a little, began to wear off.

"Hehe, ciao." Alice ducked from view, a moment later the sound of a door shutting punctuated her leaving.

Twilight sighed beside the gently smirking Jo, who looked over. The Equestrian's now pained expression was a bit of a surprise to the native human. A tepid silence began to stretch on.

"What?" Jo asked her. She stood up and smiled again, intending to head upstairs and maybe enjoy her newly repaired gaming and work computer. It had been too long since her ritualistic noob fragging.

Twilight, wincing, opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again.

Jo paused before walking passed her. "Seriously Twilight, what's wrong? Second thoughts about the party? I don't know those people at all so...we don't have to go." They had just been having a great time, joking, laughing, planning what was sure to turn into a train wreck the next day...

"Your uhm, how do I put it? Turn of phrase just then...with Alice." Twilight started saying, folding her arms in front of herself.

Jo watched her go through the motions. To her, Twilight seemed to do that a lot; ball up her fists, fold her arms, as if she didn't know what to do with them half of the time.

Twilight continued. "You threatened to kill her...obviously you weren't serious, it's just-" She heaved a sigh and worked a tired smile onto her face. "I dunno, I'm sorry Jo it's just never ending culture shock for me over the littlest things. I'll adjust, I couldn't ask you to-"

"No, I'll stop." Jo said quickly, surprising herself a little, and also not. "I mean...I know I don't need to explain people to you again Twi', but for me it's just bad habits. I'm kind of aggressive and I'm always hanging out with just guys, so...slang and rough jokes like that are normal."

"How is that normal though?" Twilight asked incredulously. She had meant to drop the conversation, but it had been brought up now as she saw it. "That shouldn't be normal, for stallions- I mean, for men, or women, or anypony else! I mean, okay, setting aside culture...life is something to be cherished, isn't it? Joking about it like that just seems, well, like something Discord might do." A short breathed sigh escaped her and she spoke up quickly again. "You're right, I know why that sort of thing is so common here. It really is just...me having trouble getting used to it."

Jo floundered and leaned back against the counter behind herself heavily, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah...sorry about that Twilight." She threw on an uncharacteristic, admonished look and rubbed one arm. After a moment, she looked at her friend and managed to catch her attention again. "Are you sure everything is so black and white in Equestria, don't you guys have theft? Or Murder?" She bit the inside of her cheek almost immediately. Where did that come from Jo...

Twilight merely looked back, then answered slowly. A surprising, but small smile appeared. "I know you asked Alice not to remind me of home, Jo, so aren't you breaking your own rule?" It wasn't really a secret, Jo yelled at Alice about that frequently.

Jo shrugged, and in the calmer atmosphere left by Twilight softening up, took the chance to make a much needed drink. "What can I say, I'm only human." She flashed a smirk towards the pony-girl, glass in hand.

"I will say, the diversity that has been born from the lengths humans will go to, is...very, very...uhm..." Twilight scrunched up her face an put a hand on her chin.

"Fascinating?" Jo offered.

"More than that, it's...awe-inspiring. The only other thing, or I should say, pony, that has made me feel like this is Princess Celestia herself." Twilight watched absently while Jo poured a glass of the liquor.

Jo followed her gaze. "Really? Huh, I've never thought we were that impressive, even when I do think hard on it. I understand what you mean though, I guess." After a moment, she added. "Want one?"

Twilight straightened up, eyes widened a little, and one hand pulled up in front of herself defensively. "W-what? Want one what?" Before Jo could answer though, she kept on going. "That? One of that? Those, I mean, no. No, Jo, thank you, but I will never adjust so much to Earth that I will try alcohol." She strolled, eyes shut and arms straight at her sides, to sit down pointedly with a thump in her reading chair.

"Aw," Jo grinned, taking a sniff of the drink. "It's honey flavored though, you can't even taste the alcohol, it's one of my favorites." She looked down at the glass. "My mom used to love it."

Twilight opened her eyes and looked at her human friend, detecting the twinge of sadness in her voice. "Thank you, I'm sure it's delicious, but no thank you."

"Not even for...science?" Jo chuckled and walked over to the table, the bottle in hand. "Don't ponies toast for things? Maybe we could have a toast, to friendship." She sat down gingerly and pulled a leg up over the other, bouncing one foot. Next, the glass found its way up to her lips and she took a sip, humming from the sweet flavor, then downed the glass quickly. "It's really good, Twi', just saying."

Twilight eyeballed her warily, but didn't dare look at the glass or drink. Can't let her think I'd actually consider it...even if it does taste good, and probably wouldn't hurt me...since she's fine...no! Nope, not happening, Twilight. Instead, she changed the subject. Smiling she asked, "I'll pass, really. Yes we toast, but what does alcohol have to do with the tradition?" Before the other woman could answer, Twilight leaned forward more and questioned, "What's gotten into you Jo? Usually you're so...well, not to be rude, but sometimes you're as dull and cranky as one of my old Professors. Boy was he-"

Noticing the dark expression Jo had taken on, Twilight coughed and pressed onto her point. "Well, maybe not so much like him... Anyway, I was just a little curious about you, I know so little about...well, your life. You seem to know every little scrap there is to know about me! That's hardly fair, wouldn't you say?" She sat back in her chair, satisfied they were miles from the topic she had stumbled into about Jo and human vulgarity, which she felt bad about.

Across from Twilight, Jo's expression softened and she looked down at her glass, then refilled it in the interim. "Normally I'd require someone that asked that to at least have a drink with me." The glass emptied itself again. "I just loosen up with alcohol, I like it. Simple as that. Otherwise, I just feel like a corked up bottle under too much pressure. Alice? Yeah I love her like a sister, but being around her wasn't...I dunno, it wasn't a good feeling anymore. So I avoid her to keep from stressing out. It's nothing special Twilight, my life I mean. Not like yours. You don't want to hear about me."

"Everyone's life is special, Jo." Twilight reached a hand out across the table corner, her eyes desperate and searching. "How can you say that?"

Jo stayed quiet for a moment. She poured another drink in the next. Twilight watched silently.

"Maybe life itself is special, but mine isn't." Jo could hear Twilight inhaling a breath already to respond. "I mean it Twilight, that goes for a lot of people too, maybe even ponies. Aaanyway, let's not argue about this-"

Twilight jumped in and talked over her anyway. "It's not an argument, I just...don't want you to feel like...like you're..."

Jo rolled her eyes, readying another drink simultaneously. "Worthless? Twilight, I don't, I just know my life and it wasn't that...great. All considering though," she gave Twilight a level look over sipping from her glass, "it wasn't bad, either. For instance, I could have been born in Somalia."

Twilight exhaled a long breath through her nose and frowned. "Oh, Jo..."

The human frowned to match and looked away from the pony-girl. She couldn't keep battling against those sad eyes. "How about we talk about something I can talk about without sounding like a jerk..."

"You're not a jerk, Jo." Twilight replied fiercely.

Jo let out a quiet breath, but smirked. "How about this, try and guess who my favorite pony is from the show. Bet you can't."

Twilight was caught of guard by the change of topic, her expression reflecting that a great deal. "Oh, sure," she laughed out. "I've only watched the first 'season' though, will that matter?"

Jo shook her head, "I don't think so. Go on, guess." She reclined back in the chair and through an arm over the back, smirking. In truth, she was trying to hide the queezy feeling that was building in her stomach. I drank too fast... The thought distracted her a little from Twilight's guesses.

"Alright," Twilight grinned. "Uhm, Applejack?" She raised her head up smartly, confident that the athletic, rough and tumble earth pony would be Jo's favorite.

"Heh, nope." Jo put a hand over her mouth and concealed a burp. "Guess again?"

Twilight hummed and put her arms on the table, studying Jo carefully. Could it be one of the 'background ponies' she mentioned? Maybe the cross eyed one... She pointed her out constantly right until she fell asleep that night. "Is it Rainbow Dash? It has to be Rainbow, you and her are equally rough around the edges with other ponies- er, people."

Jo laughed, regretting it a second later and coughed. She set her glass down and avoided looking at it for the time being. "Nope, wrong again, egghead."

Twilight opened her mouth in a mockery of being incredibly upset. A grin and a giggle escaped her right after though, ruining the act. "Yep, maybe I was wrong then, who is it? Tell me? Pleeeease? It can't be me." She stuck her tongue out at the very idea of someone being her fan.

"You really wanna know?..." Jo said sarcastically, staring at the refilled glass. "Well, honestly I always liked Pinkie Pie the most."

"Pinkie, really?" Twilight exclaimed in disbelief. "Not Rainbow Dash?" She snickered when Jo glanced up with a glare.

Jo relaxed her features. Actually, Twilight probably didn't mean that as a gay joke, Jo. Hm, would it be wrong if I asked her if old Rainboom Butt actually does swing that way? She decided it probably wasn't the smartest question, but only just given the amount of honey flavored whiskey she was drinking.

Jo sighed and looked over at Twilight for a brief moment, then back at the table. "Meh, Rainbow's cool, I've got nothing against her as a character at all, too. Or a...pony, I guess. But I meant the show to begin with. Anyway, Pinkie Pie though, I just feel she was portrayed the best, at least early on." She took a sip of her drink, then grinned across the space at Twilight. "For instance, she had that great 'Party of One' episode where she got really down on herself because she thought that her friends didn't like the thing that made her special. Pinkie Pie is a girl, part of that is getting unreasonably depressed about things that don't make any sense. If that isn't worthwhile character development, I can't say I know for what is." Chuckling, Jo took another sip of her drink.

Once the glass rested once more on the table, where it likely wouldn't stay for long, Jo caught sight of Twilight.

"Thinking about it in the context of entertainment," Twilight spoke up, "I could see that. Sorry, could we talk about something else? Thinking about my friends like they are...not real is a little weird."

Jo scratched the side of her head ashamedly. "Oh, sorry, I didn't even think about that. I really should apologize again Twilight, and not just for right now. I suck at talking to people. Ponies too, apparently."

Twilight smiled back warmly and rubbed her friend's hand. "That's okay! I'm not so good at it either." She laughed out loud cheerfully then. "I guess it's lucky neither of us are very big talkers, huh?"

Jo's eyes flickered to the physical contact. The fact ponies were so touchy and childlike to her, still bothered the sense in her mind of what was normal and what was fiction. "Yeah," She said quietly. "I guess. I do want to talk about something though. Alice was right, we just sit in here being bums." That was more her, she knew, but guiltily didn't want to say it aloud.

"Okay," Twilight smiled again, not one to discourage. "How about I tell you some about Equestria, then? I appreciate you not bringing it up...but the memories aren't painful, and I'm not alone either, so I don't mind at all talking about home. Maybe I would have...at first, but not now." After a moment, she added, "It's been a while, after all. Almost a full month."

Jo blearily looked up at Twilight, managing a sympathetic look.

"So! Ask away Ms. Human, anything at all." Twilight beamed back exaggeratedly.

Jo smirked. "Alright then, well, you didn't answer my question earlier you know. Isn't there killing and bad things where you're from, too? Equestria can't really be perfect except for the occasional goofy evil villain." She regretted the way she'd asked that almost right away. It was a little tactless, she decided. The glass emptied itself again.

"Well," Twilight still replied though, and began slowly with, "Simply put..." A long pause held between the two of them, Twilight hesitating. "Sort of."

Jo readjusted her butt in the seat, going a little numb from sitting so long, and looked over at Twilight with scrutiny. "Sort of?"

Twilight wilted a bit under the look she got from the other girl. "Uhm, yes, sort of. Let me explain," she took in a deep breath.

"By all means." Jo held turned up one hand and set down her glass. After a second's hesitation she poured more of the drink into it.

"It's rare, yes, but it does happen. Nopony ever really hears about it though, when it does." Twilight had a hold of her tank top as she spoke, in both hands wringing the fabric. She stared solidly at the ground. "I don't mean to say it's hidden, either. Here on Earth, it gets publicized, almost...declared and yelled from the roof tops so everypo- everybody hears about it. Where I'm from, nopony would want to hear about it, so you'll never see it in a paper or talked about."

Jo folded her arms. "Ponies really don't like anything to do with that stuff."

"No," Twilight answered quickly. "We don't, most of us anyway." She added the last bit in an academic tone, leaving behind the hesitant, wary one. "I say most because there are, exceptions, it's just," a strangled laugh made it out of her in almost a cough. That surprised Jo. "It's just that there are so few cases like that," her eyes met Jo's, forming a solid stare between them. "That Celestia can see to every case herself. She has for a long time, and it's the most horrible burden that anypony could ever have to bear."

Jo blinked first between them.

"I can't imagine how she does it." Twilight relaxed and looked up at the ceiling, trying to picture her mentor's sun in the sky. Though, it was night time there on Earth. "I always felt so strongly for her because of that. After coming here, those feelings are a little confused, actually. I've seen...well, you know."

Jo nodded, "Sorry for making the night take such a dark turn. I should have just told you about how my dad used to dress up as Santa Claus every year for Christmas or something." She laughed lightly, joined in by Twilight.

"I miss my dad... Hm, I think I've run into that name before, Santa Claus. And isn't Christmas a holiday? I had meant ask earlier actually, is Halloween a holiday of some kind, too?" Twilight grinned, Jo seemed to be nodding asleep all of a sudden. "I can't say why, but it sounds incredibly familiar to me. I must have heard you or Alice talk about it recently..."

"Halloween? I love Halloween. I haven't dressed up for it in years, but it was always my favorite. Christmas though? I hate Christmash, always visiting old relatives for Christmas. I never liked that, every one of them was shadier than an underground cavern." Jo blinked while she spoke, staring at her glass and infrequently at Twilight. She seemed to almost be talking to herself.

"Uhm, interesting!" Twilight grinned, an unsure look in her eyes above it. "I was wondering, what is Christmas or Halloween though, Jo?"

Jo raised her and looked at Twilight, tilting her head slightly. "Oh, Halloween is Nightmare Moon night, Christmas ish...Herf'swarming Eve."

Twilight tilted her head slightly to match her friend. Is it just me, or is she acting even weirder now? "Did you mean Nightmare Night? As in dressing up with costumes, trick or treating, or bobbing for apples?" At Jo's nod, her eyes widened at the implications. "That's...I'm starting to think our worlds follow some sort of pattern, Jo."

The woman across from Twilight smiled down into her glass.

"And Christmas is Hearth's Warming Eve? That's odd, Hearth's Warming is the story of the unification of the pony races and founding Equestria... Is Christmas the story of joining groups of humans, or the founding of Mare-ica?"

Twilight leaned back in surprise when Jo laughed loudly with a bark of laughter.

"No, no... it's..." Jo choked out some laughter, then sighed. "We've got some interesting times to look forward to tomorrow, Twilight. How about we get some rest?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "Rest?" She looked over at the digital clock on the wall, it read only a little past eight. "Let's talk more, Jo, I think it's been a few day since we said more than a few words to each other." A vibrant laugh escaped Twilight. "I've almost felt like I'm back at Celestia's academy! I haven't had this much time to myself since before I moved to Ponyville." She looked at the table happily, briefly picturing her home.

"Oh, well, I'm going to bed actually." Jo pushed a half full glass away from herself. "I'm more tired than I thought, it was rough at the gym. Overdid it there, maybe."

Twilight looked up, and then pensively stared at the glass of the amber colored liquid. Well, it looks like you overdid something alright.

"Night Twilight, shleep tight."

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. As Jo came to walk past her, she stood up and gave the other mare another big hug. Slowly, the human returned it. "Goodnight Jo, and thanks again for everything."

"Geez Twilight, you can't keep thanking me. It'sh nothing" Jo smirked.

"Sure I can! What kind of pony would I be if I didn't?" Twilight flashed the girl her biggest, happiest grin. "I'll see you tomorrow Jo! Oh, there used to be a time when I hated parties and distractions, gosh, it didn't help that I couldn't dance, but I've gotten way better! Will the humans at the party be dancing? Do you think I should avoid it? Oh wait, I didn't think about this, but will there be-"

Jo put a hand on her. "Twilight, good night."

Twilight grinned sheepishly. "Whoop, sorry, get your rest Jo."

"Oh yesh, I intend to." Jo answered.

Twilight stood on her toes briefly and replied to Jo, who was disappearing around the corner. "In the morning you should tell me all about your holidays! Or, maybe I could research them tonight..."

A loud thump came from around the corner, catching Twilight's attention. She turned her head to look out into the living room. There wasn't another sound, even after she waited a moment. A gathering sense of confusion filled her. "Jo, was that you?" She called out. No answer came. Worried, she stood up and entered the other room quickly. "Jo, are you alrig-" A gasp escaped her.

"Oh pony feathers, Jo! Jo? Are you okay?" Twilight ducked down to her friend's level, who was face down on the bottom section of the staircase. She put her hands on the downed girl's shoulders and shook her. "Jo!?"

Jo groaned, then mumbled a barely audible response. "Nrrg, not now...too drunk." She was a pitiful sight, her butt stuck slightly up in the air from the position she had fallen into.

"Are you alright?" Twilight looked down at her friends face, which was only slightly turned to the side where she could see her. "Did you fall? Well I mean obviously you fell, but are you hurt? I know how easy it is for humans to get hurt...should I call you a physician?" She waited patiently for a response. The wait stretched well into a minute, her hand rubbing the other girl's back comfortingly in the meantime. "Jo?"

"Oh, hi Twilight." Jo smiled dumbly.

"...Hi Jo..." Twilight's lips thinned into a flat, exasperated expression. "Did you hear me? Are you really that impeded by that horrible stuff you drank? I knew it, it did effect you a lot. Darnit, why do you humans do this stuff to yourselves, it doesn't make the smallest drop of sense!"

"Nrg." Jo groaned and pushed herself up a little.

Twilight leaned down further and put her hands on the other woman's arms. "Are you trying to get up, Jo?"

"Yeah, and I'm fine." Jo's expression hardened a little, her body wobbling upright. "I shouldn't have done that..."

Twilight tilted her head slightly, Jo seemed to not be speaking to her. Consolingly, she softened her features and tried to meet Jo's eyes while helping her up. "Jo, can you hear me? Should I call a human doctor?"

"What? No," Jo said immediately, surprising Twilight. The other girl was proving to be very inconsistent. "I passed out was all, I never could drink much. Uggh, just...help me upstairs, Twilight."

"Well, okay, if you're sure Jo." Twilight put a hand on the railing while one of Jo's arms snaked over her shoulder. "Oof-" What the hay, how is she so heavy? The other other girl swayed slightly beside herself even as they were making their ways up the steps.

Jo rested her head against Twilight's side. "Thanks Twilight, and yeah I'm sure." Her voice was much too loud for how quiet the house was, not to mention how close she was to Twilight. "You know, it's funny, stuff seems different when you're under the influence. I don't care much about that, but, I feel like I can truly appreciate your being here right now because of it. In fact, as long as we're talking about humans and what we're all about, I'd say that's one of our biggest sins, definitely."

Twilight gave the top of the shorter mare's head a confused look. What is she talking about? "Okay." She answered simply.

Jo barked a laugh. "You don't know what sin even is though, the word I mean. Ah, nevermind." She looked up at Twilight. "That's so weird. It seems impossible, everything you've shared with me since you got here." At the top of the stairs, Jo stepped away from the other girl to regard her.

Twilight managed to keep one hand on her arm though, just in case the unstable lush fell down the stairs or something. "Jo?"

"No, listen, I mean it. I-" Jo paused, staring at Twilight with a serious expression, her mouth working.

Twilight's frown deepened. She waited for her friend to continue with what she was about to say, it was obviously very important. "Jo, what is it? Is it something you need to ask me? You know you can ask me anything you'd like. Or is it-"

"Nope, that's not it." Jo stumbled back a couple steps and began moving down the hall with surprising speed. She ran towards the bathroom.

"...Jo?" Twilight quirked an eyebrow and followed after the other girl at a fast walk, the human ducked into the bathroom, leaving the door open. Just as Twilight caught up with the human, Jo's face bucked forward violently over the porcelain toilet without warning.

Twilight cringed from the bathroom doorway, where she'd followed until the other girl had begun making sickly noises. The last time the castaway pony had heard that much puking had been an incident concerning Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and a lot of poorly baked cupcakes.

"Oh dear. I'd say I told you so, Jo, but I think that you're doing it well enough for me!" Twilight smiled a little, but frowned right after, the grossness of the sound starting to get to her. She sighed and moved further away, turning on Jo's bedroom light and waiting while her friend finished relieving herself of the poison she insisted on drinking.

"I can't imagine why anypony would ever do that to themselves." Twilight patiently stood by, entertaining herself by alternating a tapping rhythm on the floor with her feet. "I wonder if there's a law back in Equestria against distilling alcohol? I never would have thought that anypony would ever think to actually drink it. But maybe Celestia put one in place? Hm." After a moment of thinking over the consideration, it occurred to her that she hadn't heard from Jo in a few minutes.

Twilight looked up at the open bathroom door. "Jo?" She called out. Looking in, the girl was leaned over the toilet still. "Uh, are you-"

A loud snore interrupted her, like a pig snorting in the mud, or a Hydra pulling itself up out of the muck in a swamp.

"Oh great Celestia that is disgusting." Twilight winced and gingerly picked up the down human by her shoulders. Her friend's head flopped back, revealing a placid expression of sleep. Come on, let's get you to bed, Jo.

With a little trouble, and hitting Jo's head on the doorway once, Twilight was able to get her friend into bed. Jo's bed being a couch strangely enough. "Easy..." Gently, or at least as much as she could, she lowered the girl down. All the while she thought about how much easier it would be with her magic, or even as a pony. Her new body seemed to be...very weak. At first she had thought something was wrong her.

Maybe I should take Jo up on going to that gym with her? I should ask again about human bodies. Twilight tucked her friend in, then stood up with her hands behind her back and stretched, sporting a strained look. She breathed out a breath of relief after having struggled the severely hampered human up the stairs and down the hallway.

On the bedroom's sleeping arrangement, Jo was already snoring loudly, a contented look pointed up in Twilight's direction.

"That, is just too cute for words. I wonder... would Jo think it's strange if I told her humans are adorable?" Twilight Sparkle had made sure to whisper, but had to hold up a hand to keep from giggling to loudly. "Good night, Jo."

Quietly, she made her way out of the room, carefully making sure not to trip on any cats. "Honestly, I feel like I'm having a heart attack sometimes from their expressions. Why can't Equestrians be that adorable?"

Shrugging with a sigh, Twilight made her way back downstairs and into the dining room. Her eyes immediately came to rest on Jo's strange bottle and her glass. Now what to do, what to do... She sniffed derisively at them both while thinking, capping the bottle and putting it back on the far shelf. I suppose I should get to bed... We all have a big day tomorrow; the mall, then that party, and whatever surprise that Alice claimed to have.

Twilight clicked off the light to the room, bathing it in the Earth's relative darkness. At first, it seemed very dark, but slowly her vision adjusted, odd as that seemed. Once she could see again, the dim moonlight from the window caught her attention. Luna. She thought, and walked towards the light.

"Perhaps I'll go for a walk." Twilight stared flatly outside, it seemed nice out right then. Typically, she had noticed that the night time was far more pleasant than the day on Earth. It was as hot or hotter than Appleloosa randomly where Jo lived, a state called 'New York'. She assumed the lack of Pegasi to shepherd the weather was likely the reason for that.

Following true to her thoughts, Twilight slid on her sandals and stepped out into the cool night air. She shivered slightly, her only guard against the chill temperature being a thin layer of clothing, rather than her much missed coat of fur. It's getting colder, just like back home. Unlike back home, it was happening sooner in the year, and not all at once. She looked around Jo's front yard a moment, studying the stone columns at the end of her walkway, the grass which desperately needed mowing, then the road, which stretched in either direction. All along either side of the road were strange looking houses, all of which contained a family of humans. Not ponies.

Heaving a taciturn breath, Twilight stepped out into the night, her eyes climbing up to watch the stars every few seconds. She didn't keep watching them, walking while looking up maybe her feel as though she would tip over in her human body.

"Star light, star bright..." Twilight sang gently. She laughed a little, stopping at the road's curb to stand still and just look.

The constellations on Earth were very strange indeed. For one, they never changed. For two, Twilight had realized, given a little time, they were still beautiful. The lights hanging overhead were dull and distant compared to the vibrant specks that dazzled and twinkled in Equestria, but if you looked carefully, on a clear night, Earth's had a very charming beauty to them.

"Hm." Twilight continued, thinking aloud during her routine village walking adventure. "It's nice to get out sometimes, I wish I could go back to my fillyhood and tell myself to do it more." After a brief moment, she remembered she probably could, at that, to forget a little bit about what she was right then. That is, had she any magic to work with. I should have made better use of that time I had...

Twilight ceased walking to stare down at her feet. A shiver ran through her as an autumn breeze rolled down the street from behind her. "I really want to go-" She halted mid sentence. The strangest of sights sitting in the lawn of one of Jo's next door neighbors.

Standing in the lawn with a menacing look in its red, glowing eyes, was a tall monster of indescribable horror. Its fangs and claws were all bared, and it seemed as if it were ready to eat her.

Twilight shrieked, and in her panic fell back on her tush on the cold, hard ground. "NO!" She flipped around and scrambled away immediately from the night horror. One of her sandals flew off, but that didn't matter to her right then. Her breath came out ragged, her legs pushing themselves hard to get back to the house, back to safety, from whatever that thing had been.

What was that? A chupacabra maybe? Why would that be here? I'm not a goat! Twilight thought, full of surprise and fear from how quiet the creature had been. The front door to her sanctuary flew open, then slammed shut behind her.

Twilight's breath heaved her whole body, she tried to slow it and calm herself down, to think logically. Gotta lock the door! Turning in a flash, she did just that. Next, she rushed over to—and nearly fell in the process—the window and looked outside carefully. I've never seen anything that fearsome in any of my books, did it come from the Everfree?

Twilight slapped a hand to head and straightened up, realizing what she'd just thought. "If that wasn't some dark horror from Tartarus or something, then what was it?" She knew full well that creatures like that existed, but not on Earth; humans at least seemed convinced they didn't. I wonder if I should wake up Jo... Unsure of what to do, she merely continued to peek out the window for several minutes, her fear not leaving, but her hesitation to raise the alarm staying as well.

"It...it was probably nothing," she shakily told herself. However, in her fright of a new place and amidst her doubt, she didn't leave the window.