//------------------------------// // Breakfast Blues // Story: Tenna // by Listener //------------------------------// Tech walked along the streets of Ponyville, humming a happy little tune to himself. He was on his way to the Ponyville Library to see Tenna. His thoughts turned a little darker when they turned to why Tenna had to spend the night at the library in the first place. Shaking his head, he started humming again. It was too early in the morning to be thinking about that type of things. Besides, the library was up ahead. Walking up to the door, he knocked. 000 Twilight looked at Tenna, the look in the changeling’s eyes making Twilight feel such a deep empathy for her, she moved across the short distance between her and Tenna. Tentatively, she gave Tenna a hug, trying to comfort her sad friend. A knock on the door distracted her, and with a jerk of her head, she conveyed to Spike that he should get that. Spike, who had just been sitting there awkwardly, nodded, glad to have an excuse to go do something. Running up to the door, he opened it to a smiling Tech waving at the dragon. 000 Tech waved at the purple dragon, smiling. “Oh, hi Spike! I was wondering if Tenna was awake yet?” Tech asked. Spike froze. “Uh... Hi Tech.” He said, warily. Tech picked up on Spike’s uneasiness. “Everything okay in there?” “Um...Yes! No... Maybe?”” Tech raised an eyebrow. “What?” Spike sighed. “Would you wait here a moment?” He asked. Tech nodded, confusion apparent in his eyes. Spike closed the door halfway, before going back to the kitchen. Tech stood there, his ears automatically picking up on the conversation going on in the library. “Tech’s here Twilight.” He could hear Spike say. Twilight sighed. “Let him in Spike.” Tech nudged the door open with his nose, stepping inside, slightly. “Everything okay?” He yelled out. Spike came out of the kitchen, standing in the doorway. “Didn’t I ask you to stay outside?” He said, crossing his arms. “Isn’t this a public library?” Tech asked. Spike opened his mouth to retort, before closing it. Finally, he smiled slightly, laughing at the joke. “Touche.” “Hey Tech, could you come here a moment?” Twilight called out. Tech walked into the kitchen, and took a half step back at he took in the scene before him. Tenna was crying into Twilight’s shoulder, with Twilight looking at Tech. Twilight was trying to convey that she needed help without saying anything. Tech just looked back. He eventually mouthed ‘What did you do?’ at her, while his eyes narrowed slightly. Twilight saw this and mouthed back. "It’s not what you think.”  She then turned to Tenna. “Hey Tenna? I have to go talk to Tech for a moment, okay? Will you be alright by yourself?” Tenna nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” Twilight said, before standing up and walking over to Tech. “Let’s talk in the main room.” She said, nodding her head towards the entry room of the library. Once there, Tech gave Twilight a level stare. “What happened this time?” He asked, his voice low. Twilight sighed. “It doesn’t make sense to me either. This morning things were going well, so I asked her some questions. When it came out that she didn’t remember anything, I thought that somebody had just blocked her memories.” Tech gave her a confused look. “Um... I thought she still had her memories, but her ability to access said memories was blocked by some sort of magic. It would’ve been a simple process to unblock them, giving them back to her.” She sighed, before starting again. “The problem was that there were no memories. I can’t even begin to imagine the magical dexterity and power it would require to do a full wipe!” “Twilight, this is a real pony we’re talking about, not a scenario. There is the real world, with real problems stemming from it.” Tech said, trying to make Twilight see the problem with it. “I know... It pains me that I can’t do any more to help her. But without finding the unicorn that took her memories in the first place, we can’t get her memories back. The most I could do is piece some of the fragments together for her, but I think that would create more questions than it would solve.” It was silent for a minute or two before Tech spoke up again. “So... that’s what she’s upset about?” Twilight nodded. Tech sighed before perking up a little. “Well, you know who always manages to make anyone smile?” Tech asked with a small one himself. Twilight looked at him curiously. “Who?” Tech stared at Twilight, before facehoofing. “Sorry, I forget you just moved here.” Twilight nodded, before asking the question. “So, who is this pony.” “I’ll give you a hint, she’s pink, and she’s impossible to understand.” “Pinkie Pie?” “Bingo. Come on. Have you been to Sugarcube Corner yet?” Tech asked, smiling again. “No...?” “Then it’s high time you went. I’ll go get Tenna.” Twilight nodded again as Tech walked into the kitchen. Taking in the kitchen again, he smiled slightly. Tenna had moved from the floor to the to table, where she was playing with her oatmeal idly. Tech moved up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. Tenna jumped. “Hey, hey, don’t worry. It’s just me.” He said, comfortingly. Tenna turned around, smiling a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hey Tech.” “Hello. So... I, uh... heard about what happened.” Tech said awkwardly. Tenna nodded. “It doesn’t change my promise, okay?” He said, Tenna looked at Tech with a small, sincere, smile this time. Tech drew Tenna in for a quick hug, before dragging her to her feet. “Come on, we’re going to go cheer you up!” 000 The walk over to Sugarcube Corner was fairly uneventful, with some small talk being exchanged the three ponies. Tenna was back into her grey pegasus persona, and was slowly becoming more comfortable around Ponyville, and around Twilight. By the time the trio made it over to the confectionary, Tenna was smiling and even laughing a little bit. Pushing open the door with her magic, Twilight went through the door followed by Tenna, then Tech. A small bell rang to alert the owners that they had costumers. “I’ll be out in a moment!” Said a mare in the back. “No worries Mrs. Cake!” Tech sat down at one of the tables, and gestured at Twilight and Tenna to do the same. Twilight sat down next to Tech, while Tenna sat across from them. When all of a sudden, there was a loud *thumph* and suddenly Pinkie Pie was there, sitting next to Tenna. Tenna froze at the sudden intrusion of her personal space. “Hi Twilight! Hi Tech! Hi Tenna! Oooohhh, I love what you did to your... everything! Sure it isn’t shiny and black, but it’s all gray-e and awesome!” The group stared at Pinkie, mouths slack and eyes wide. Tenna spoke up finally. “Ho-How did... wha?” Pinkie giggled at Tenna before booping her in the nose softly. “Silly Tenna. You may be completely above other ponies’ leagues, but even you can’t beat the master!” She said, pulling a moustache completely out of nowhere and attaching it to her nose. Twilight sighed as Tech smiled. Tenna laughed shyly. Pinkie suddenly enveloped her in a hug. “There we go! We don’t want to see you frown like a grumpy McGrumpy Pants, now do we?” She said happily, her moustache hanging slightly off balance on her nose. And as suddenly as Pinkie had appeared and had sat down next to Tenna, she was back up and leaning against the table with her two forelegs. “Sooo, what can I get you guys! You’re here early, so I assume that you guys want something sweet, yet something filling for breakfast, right?” She gasped suddenly, a glint in her eye showing something fun was going on in her mind. “I know exactly what you need! Hang on a moment, and I’ll be back with Pinkie’s Patented Super Duper Breakfast Galore! It’s super-awesomely-amazing delicious!” And with those fast spoken words, she disappeared with only a smoke outline and a puff of confetti to mark that the crazy pink pony was there at all. Tenna turned towards the other two, her eyes conveying her confusion. Tech was trying to stifle his laughter and failing, while Twilight simply shrugged. Then, as quickly as she disappeared, Pinkie was back, precariously balancing a platter of food on her nose, before somehow throwing it up onto the table. “Here you go! Pinkie’s Patented-Mfph!” Pinkie started out, only for Twilight to stick her hoof up and stop Pinkie before she really got going. “Thank you, Pinkie. It looks delicious.” She said, giving the platter of food an odd glance. Tech and Tenna both laughed at this. Pinkie nodded, before sitting down next to Tenna again. “It’s a pancake made with actual cake mix! It’s got the fluffy texture of a pancake, with the taste of a cake! And then you’ve got syrup that’s extra sweet! And for the fruit part of your healthy-” Tech and Tenna grinned, while Twilight’s eye twitched slightly.”- breakfast, we have some super amazing apples right from Sweet Apple Acres!” She finished her super fast talking not even out of breath, smiling at the group. “Uh... That certainly sounds... fun, Pinkie.” Twilight said slowly, before levitating her fork and cutting a piece off of hers. She stared at it for a moment before popping it in her mouth. Pinkie was watching her every reaction, holding her breath a little. Twilight chewed and swallowed, smiling. “So?” Pinkie asked. “It was pretty good Pinkie! It isn’t like anything else I’ve had before.” Pinkie’s smile grew even bigger at that. “Thank you!” Tech shrugged and dug in, demolishing his pancake at an amazing speed. Tenna tentatively looked at hers, poking it with a fork. She was just about to try it when all of a sudden Pinkie gasped again, causing Tenna to jump and drop her fork on the plate. “OhmygoshTenna! You never showed up to the party! That means that I’m going to have to go plan another whole “Welcome to Ponyville” party! Not that I mind planning parties! Oh, we could have it up at the Apple’s barn, and we could invite the entire town! There’ll be balloons, streamers, and music!” Pinkie said, listing off things that she would need for the party. Tenna froze. “Ev-everyone?” She asked timidly, nervously tapping the table with her hooves. Pinkie nodded vigorously. “Uh-huh! Otherwise how would it be a super duper amazingly awesome party for you to meet other ponies?” Tech picked up on what was happening. “Maybe the party should just be a few ponies Pinkie. A small group can has as much fun as a large group can, right?” Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. “Welllll, I suppose you’re right Tech! But it’s up to Tenna!” She turned to Tenna suddenly. “Would you rather a large party, or a small one?” Tenna stopped tapping, and looked a Pinkie for a moment before responding. “A-a small party please.” She said, before turning back to her pancakes and finally managing to eat a piece. Smiling, she turned to Pinkie again. “Th-this is really good! Th-thank you.” Pinkie nodded quickly. “Okay then! I’ll invite just a few ponies!” She suddenly looked up at the clock on the wall. “Ohmygosh, the muffins! Ditzy's going to kill me if they burn! Sorry guys, but I’ve gotta go!” She said quickly, before bolting from the booth and up the stairs. Tech rolled his eyes. “Welp, that’s Pinkie for you.” He said, as he pushed his plate away from him. “I’m done.” Twilight looked over at him in surprise. “Already?” She asked. “I’m barely halfway through with mine. Tenna looked at her own plate, which she had barely started. Tech just shrugged. “I was hungry. Didn’t get a chance for breakfast this morning.” He said simply. Twilight nodded and went back to her own pancakes, with Tenna doing the same. ‘All things considered’ thought Tech. ‘It’s been a pretty good morning.’ He looked over at the grey pegasus sitting across from him, and the purple unicorn sitting next to him. And smiled. Life had gotten very interesting in such a short amount of time.