//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Journey Beyond // by Derpyditzydoobubbles //------------------------------// A soft and lone wind blew through the streets of ponyville as Spike and Riolu trotted softly upon the dirt path. Riolu looked around cautiously with anxiety building up inside him, hoping that no one was watching them stroll down the street. "So, Spike," Riolu whispered as they walked silently. "Where exactly is this place?" Spike looked at Riolu and pointed his finger at a white house-like building that stood about a couple of blocks away. "Right over there." He replied happily. Riolu squinted at the building as he walked. It seemed to be somewhat small height-wise, but it did look to be somewhat roomy. Riolu and Spike then continued to walk toward the shop, their feet pressing up against the hot path. Riolu perked his ears up in attention as he heard the sound of dry lip smacking come from spike. "Riolu, are you somewhat parched?" Spike questioned. "Not really," Riolu answered with his gaze still on the shop, "Why are you so thirsty all of a sudden?" "No reason," Spike mumbled. "It's just getting a little hot outside so I thought maybe…Riolu, look over there!" Riolu turned his gaze as spike pointed his claw to a nearby small, blue stand that stood on the opposite side of the street where the shop was. A picture of a yellow looking fruit was placed right on top of the stand. "It's a lemonade stand!" Spike cheered. Riolu looked at the stand in confusion. He then stared at spike who now had his tongue lolled lazily at the edge of his lips. "Don't tell me you're going to do what I think you're going to do." Riolu sighed. Spike looked straight at Riolu with a small grin that had now forged itself on his face. A twinkle of excitement glimmered in eyes. "Come on, Riolu," spike whispered as he gave him a friendly hit on the shoulder, "You know it's been a long day for the both of us, and twilight wouldn't mind if we took a break." Riolu gave spike a stern look. A shade of doubt had shone in his gaze. "Are you sure about this? I'd hate to make her even more mad. Believe me, she seems to be very over reactive." Riolu stated. "Hmm...I wonder where I've seen that before." Spike breathed. Riolu gasped with shock and looked at spike with utter annoyance in his eyes. "Hey, at least I don't tell people what to do!" He shouted out loud. Spike rolled his eyes lazily at Riolu. He had already heard enough from him. "Look, Riolu. Let's just go get some lemonade and then go get some ink. We can discuss you and Twilight's flaws later." Spike spoke as he ran toward the stand. Riolu stared at spike's running back in disbelief. He then reluctantly padded over to the lemon stand where spike stood lolling on its counter. Behind the counter, was a stubby, brown-maned, white mare with a green visor on top of her head. She stared at spike with a worried look on her face and looked over at Riolu in total shock. "W-what can I get for the both of you?" She stuttered in bafflement. "I'll have a large cup of your finest lemonade!," spike spoke happily. "Riolu, what do you want from here?" Riolu shrugged with indifference. He really wasn't all that thirsty, but then again, he was curious about the taste of the lemonade. "I guess you can give me a small." Riolu answered softly. The mare stared in even greater amazement at the sound of Riolu's reply. It was as if she was astonished at the fact that Riolu could speak words. "Sure thing, sirs." The mare replied in awe as she grabbed a small and a large cup from underneath the counter. Riolu and spike watched as the mare got out a pitcher of ice cold lemonade from the back, and gazed with curiosity as she poured the contents into the two cups that were sat out, and then softly shove the two cups toward them. "That'll be two bits." The mare directed. "Of course! I have some extra change right here." Spike replied happily as he took two bits right out from under his scales. "You keep change under your scales?" Riolu questioned as spike handed the change to the mare. "Only when I'm running some errands. Like this one." Spike replied as they quickly drank their lemonade while they walked. Riolu nodded in agreement. He then directed his attention to the quills and sofas shop that now stood just a few feet from them. The roof resembled green grass, and the exterior walls was a pearly white. It reminded Riolu of something familiar. As if he had seen these distinct colors before. "Riolu, are you coming in?" Spike questioned as he opened the door to the shop. Riolu awoke from his thoughts. He stuttered and started slowly walking into the shop, giving spike a nod of thanks while he handed him his cup. "Weird." Spike mumbled to himself as he threw their cups into a nearby trash bin and closed the door behind him. Riolu stood calmly on the carpet floor of the shop as he looked around in curiosity. The building was quite roomy with customers eyeing at the merchandise. He looked over to his left and gazed at a large row of mattresses placed in an organized fashion. He then squinted his eyes to look at an assortment of black bottles on a shelf at the very end of the row. "See anything you like?" A gruff voice behind him spoke. Riolu turned around and gazed at the white beard of an old looking gray-maned gray stallion. "My, I haven't seen something like you around here." The stallion laughed happily. Riolu raised an eye at the stallion. Of course he hasn't seen anything like him around here. "He's new around here, sir," spike spoke up as he stood next to Riolu,"We were just stopping buy to see if we could buy some ink." The stallion chuckled with a gleam of joy in his eyes. "Of course! We have a fresh stock right over there in the back!" The stallion smiled as he pointed to the shelf of black bottles at the end of the room. "Alright, thank you, sir!" Spike grinned as he and Riolu started walking toward the end of the room. "Anytime." The old stallion replied. Spike nodded back to the stallion in acceptance and started walking again with Riolu. As they were walking, Riolu eyed at the fellow customers. They all seemed more intent in looking at the wares than at a peculiar creature like him, but he could sense a few intrigued gazes upon him. Once they finally got to the shelf, spike started analyzing the bottles of ink from top to bottom, and feeling the texture of the jars. "You need to be sure that there are no chips or cracks, or else twilight will be furious." Spike explained as he picked up a nearby bottle. "That's believable." Riolu mumbled to himself. Spike kept his gaze on the bottles. He picked one up and started rotating it in his hand. He even gave it a small lick on the lid, causing his tongue to retract in disgust. "Nah, this won't do," spike spoke as he laid the bottle back down. "I need to think on this for just a minute." Riolu watched as spike walked backwards into a nearby mattress and sat down upon it. He then started bouncing up and down as he had a sudden excitable look spread across his face. "Wow, this is fun to bounce on!" Spike cried quietly. A sudden face of disbelief had been created on Riolu's face. "Are you serious? We're here to get ink, and now your bouncing on a mattress?" Riolu snapped. "Calm down, Riolu. I do stuff like this so I can think better! Hey, why don't you come and bounce along with me?" Spike suggested gleefully. Riolu's face had turned to total shock. One minute he was helping spike get ink, and the next minute he was invited to a bounce session! "Hey, what are you guys doing?" A voice behind them spoke. Spike and Riolu lifted their heads to see the mare that had served them their lemonade at the lemonade stand just a few minutes ago. "What are you doing here?" Riolu spoke up. "Oh, I'm off break. You two were actually there at the last minute of my shift. I just decided to come see you guys since you came into the quills and sofas shop. It's where I go to chill." The mare replied sheepishly. Riolu stood in confusion with a look of bewilderment filling his gaze. "Whoa, wait. You go to a shop that sells quills and sofas to relax?" He questioned sincerely. "Yes." The mare replied solemnly. A long and awkward silence fell upon the three, until the veil of quietness was broken by the sound of springs bouncing up and down. "Hey, you wanna bounce with me!" Spike asked the mare happily. "Sure! I love bouncing! It helps me think better." The mare squeaked happily as she sprang onto the mattress and started bouncing. "You don't say." Spike mumbled out loud as he directed his attention toward Riolu. Riolu caught spike's gaze and scoffed while he rolled his eyes. "Your getting nowhere with that activity of yours." Riolu replied as he looked away. "Except up in the air!" Spike cheered as he got on his back legs and started bouncing even higher with the mare. Riolu rolled his eyes again at the scene. A somewhat upward curve of his lips appeared visible on his face, but vanished quickly and undetected. He then directed his attention back to the mattress, and noticed a small crowd of equines forming around spike and the mare. "Hey, can I join?" One of the ponies shouted from the group. "Sure!" Spike replied happily. "You better hope the manger doesn't see you!" An old stallion grumbled from the crowd. "Don't worry, were not hurting no pony." The lemonade stand mare replied with a grin. Riolu watched with curiosity as the number of ponies on the mattress grew slightly, though their were still some that were a little unsure about the idea. Just like Riolu. “Hey, Riolu! This is your last chance to join us!" Spike shouted as he hopped on top of the mattress. Riolu looked at the jumpers on the mattress. They did seem to be having a good time, but it all seemed a little bit too quick. Riolu started nearing himself slowly toward the crowd, nervousness building up inside of his head. He then slowly reached a paw out toward the frame of the mattress. He felt at it's smooth and comfortable surface, causing the temptation to bounce on it rise. As he was about to set foot on it's surface, he heard the shout of an old gruff stallion. "Stop hopping or get out!" The voice boomed. Riolu retracted his foot in fear and slammed it back onto the solid ground. Not a single word was uttered as all of the ponies on the bed climbed down from the mattress, including spike. "Now, who's responsible for the creation of this calamity?" The stallion shouted. The room went into an even sinister shade of silence as spike started walking toward the front of the crowd. Suddenly, he was pushed away by Riolu who ran all the way up to the front and showed himself to the stallion. "I told them to do it, sir." He spoke softly. An angered look fell upon the aged stallion. His nostrils started flaring up in annoyance, but were calmed quickly with a simple sigh. "Buy something or get out, please." The stallion whispered. Riolu nodded in acceptance and started walking toward the back of the room that was now cleared of every pony except a shocked and motionless dragon. Riolu then grabbed an ink bottle from the shelf and dragged spike toward the counter where the old stallion stood. "That'll be five bits, sir." The stallion coughed. "Sure thing. Um, spike. Can I have five bits?" Riolu questioned. Spike suddenly awoke from his shock and plucked five bits from under his scales. He then gave them to Riolu who had a confident expression on his face. "Here you go, sir." Riolu spoke quickly as he handed the five bits to the stallion and grabbed the ink bottle. "Thank you! Come again!" The stallion smiled with an anxious face. "Thanks!" Riolu replied as he and Spike walked out the door. As soon as the door to the shop closed, a series of astonished gasps came from spike's mouth. "I can't believe you took the wrap!" Spike praised as he and Riolu walked toward home. "Quiet! At least I wasn't the one who was jumping on the mattress like a complete lunatic." Riolu snapped. Spike blushed softly with embarrassment. A look of sheepishness filled his gaze. "Heh, sorry about that." Spike mumbled. A long silence fell upon the two as they continued their homeward journey. A cool breeze blew through the streets causing a little bit of stress to leave Riolu. Suddenly, Riolu perked his ears up as if he could hear the faint sound of a kazoo just a few meters away from them, but it seemed to die down suddenly as if it were hushed. Riolu scratched his head in confusion at the incident he just endured. "Hey, spike," Riolu spoke up. "Did you happen to hear that?" Spike's eyes shrunk suddenly. His cheeks started turning a simple shade of red. "How should I know? I can't hear anything with these bad ears of mine." Spike replied quickly. Riolu stared at Spike in confusion. He sure was acting weird all of a suddenly. Riolu then directed his attention toward the front of the road were the tree library was now in full view. "There it is, Spike. Just a few more steps and will be back at Twilight's place." Riolu spoke with determination. Spike nodded in shy agreement as he and Riolu walked until they finally placed there foots on the first step of the tree library. As Riolu was reaching for the door, his arm was suddenly caught by the grasp of spike's claw. "Riolu, wait! Don't open it yet!" Spike commanded. "Oh, what now?" Riolu sighed as he rolled his eyes. Spike stood in deep thought with a single bead of sweat flowing lazily down his forehead. "Um, remember early today where twilight told you and me to go out and get some ink, and twilight was whispering something to me?" Spike gulped. Riolu stared at spike with curiosity. He wasn't sure how to feel about where this was going. "Yeah, what about that?" Riolu questioned curiously. Spike poked his foot at the ground and tried to avoid eye contact with Riolu. A few more beads of sweat were starting to form on his head. "There's something behind all that, actually." He coughed. "Like what?" Riolu asked quickly. Spike rolled his eyes in worry. His cheeks now were a slight cherry red. "Just open up the door." Spike spoke at last. Riolu looked at spike with worry and turned his gaze toward the door. He then with his shaking paw pressed on the frame of the door, causing it to open wide with a creaking sound, revealing nothing but inky blackness. "It's dark." Riolu stated. "It is? Oh, silly me. I forgot to switch on the lights." A high pitched voice laughed from the darkness. "Who said that?" Riolu spoke in fear. Suddenly, light had filled the room, revealing six equines including the recognizable Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. All of which were wearing party hats. Riolu stood in utter confusion as a pink-maned pink pony appeared in front of him and blew a kazoo in his face. "Surprise!" The pony shouted with a high pitched voice.