*insert catchy/snarky chapter name here*
After I had gone and showered in the castles unisex showers (not awkward at all) I returned to my room. I entered and was surprised to find Princess Cadence and Shining Armor waiting inside. They looked uneasy, yet happy and excited at the same time. Behind them rested a large... thing, covered with a sheet. I couldn't tell what was under it since the sheet was partially hovering to conceal the shape.
The pink mare cleared her throat and began"Hello Goliath. We would like to thank you for bringing her back more formally than what happened in the throne room. You see... We were just so excited to have Twilight back that we just forgot about you. While you were in the shower we got a carpenter, he managed to make this..." she pulled the sheet away from them over to the side of the room, immediately folding itself in seconds before touching the floor. I didn't really notice that though, I was too amazed by the sight before me. It was a massive bed, big enough for me! Eight feet tall and ten feet long. With enough room and support for my massive bulk, and enough surface area to lay on it comfortably. How long had I been in the shower?
"We could hear you groaning and grunting all the way down the hall, so we knew you were uncomfortable." Shining awkwardly added. Honestly, I would have assumed other things had I heard those noises.
"Uhh, thanks. It'll be nice to be comfortable tonight. How did you make it so fast?"
"Oh magic can work wonders. This castle was built in three months."
"Really? That's just... wow... just wow. Are you sure it's stable?"
"It's lasted three thousand years hasn't it? Not counting it's banished years of course."
I just nodded.
"So, anyway, Twilight's friends showed up while you were rescuing her, and they'd like to meet you in pony... er person."
"Omigosh!YoumeanFluttershyRarityPinkiePieandRainbowdash? Oh and Applejack I guess."
Cadence nodded slowly, "Um... yeah. Their in the banquet hall. Pinkie is throwing a welcome back/ thanks for saving my friend party."
I turned around and bolted out the door way heading to the right. Halfway down the hall I realized I needed directions. Coming to a quick stop I accidentally stopped too quick and landed on my face. I got up and looked back, catching a quick look at Cadence laughing to herself before she stopped and pointed the other way. I barreled down the hallway again, this time in the right direction. I asked for directions from a few cowering guards on the way there. (Seeing a four hundred pound four armed gorilla coming down an narrow hallway at thirty five miles an hour in your direction is scary okay?)
Finally I made it to the banquet hall. It was already done up in streamers and balloons. There were three discharged party cannons in the corner. I would have to ask Pinkie for one later. Pinkie Pie is my very favorite pony. I even planned on getting dressed up as her at the bronycon I ended up not attending on account of getting the Mumps (no fun and no fair).
I looked around and saw her straightening the pin-the-tail-on-the-pony poster. I padded over wearing a gigantic smile. This would be great. As I approached I noticed her tail twitch, uh oh... Suddenly out of nowhere something soft and heavy hit the back of my head. I fell forward and smacked my face on the floor, again. I looked up and saw all the ponies, barring Fluttershy and Twilight taking defensive stances all around me. Please tell me Twilight explained who saved her.
Rainbowdash approached first. Before she could get a word out I yelled at the top of my lungs, "What the hell was that for?"
Forgetting the size and strength of my new voice, I launched several drops of spittle that landed all over Rainbow and Applejack, thankfully none got on Rarity as she appeared to be wearing one of her originals.
They backed away several steps. "You can talk?"
Suddenly I felt something small and cold run up my back as I was still on the ground. I heard Spike screech "Wait!"
Applejack who now had a lasso out, Discord knows where from, and stated as obstinately as usual "git away from that thing Spike! It was gunna eat Pinkie!"
Before I could think about it I yelled "No I wasn't, Pinkies my favorite!"
"I'm your favorite what?"
Before I could respond Twilight dashed into view and began scolding her friends. "How dare you attack him?! He is a guest here and the pony... er person that saved me! If it wasn't for him even more ponies could have died trying to save me than did. He was probably excited to meet you all since he's one of those humans that watched us on that weird human device some of the other humans mentioned!"
They all looked pretty guilty then. I slowly got up and reassured them. "Look gals, no hard feelins, I have to admit I do look pretty scary. But as long as I'm not provoked I'm just a four armed shaggy teddy bear." Oh wait... Would they know what a teddy bear is?
Either way it seemed to have the desired effect, as they all seemed to calm down and feel better. I saw Fluttershy slowly come out from under the nearest table and give me a tentative grin. I waved, and smiled back warmly.
Pinkie trotted up to me and gave me a long hard look, before suddenly bursting out ecstatically "I like you!" and trotted off to continue putting together the party.
I approached Rainbowdash, who was lifting up a pinata and tying it to the ceiling. She glanced at me and looked away. Obviously embarrassed for sky tackling me. I looked around some more and saw Rarity levitating another table into the room out of a closet. Without other things to do I went over and grabbed four more out of the closet. Boy were these things heavy. I think they were all made out of crystal. I carried them pout and assigned them their positions relative to the pattern rarity was setting up with them. Two parallel to the length of the hall, and two perpendicular next to those, arranged in one long row down the large stretch of the room. I looked back to the room and saw rarity levitating out two more before closing the door behind her, an obvious sign she was done with the tables. I watched her put them into place and looked around for some more work to help with.
I felt a slight prodding at my shin. I looked down and saw Spike nervously tapping me on the leg. "Yeah?"
"Uhh... It looks like you're looking for something to do. That right?"
"Uh huh."
"Would... Would you like to help me set the tables with tablecloths and punch?"
"Sure, I'll follow you."
He nodded, and waddled to the next room. I followed him in, ducking under the low doorway, and saw a bunch of dishes layed out and a group of chefs eyeing the fire breathing dragon and titan gorilla apprehensively as we grabbed foods and drinks and took them out to the party to set them up. I wondered why they weren't helping but didn't question it. I didn't really know of anything else I could do around here other wise.
We brought out four kinds of punch, apple cider, a cake, two kinds of cupcakes, three types muffins, about ten flavors of jello, a fancy fruit salad with extra apples probably intended for me, and a large bowl of hay chips. It all looked delicious, except the chips.
"Alright every pony" yelled Pinky "Time to get the party started!