//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Twilight // Story: Blank // by GameMakingOtaku //------------------------------// Chapter 9 Twilight Two months later, Inn was on the roadsides again looking for ponies to spy on. Up ahead she saw a purple unicorn who seemed to be looking for something. Inn got close by hiding in the brush. “Ahh, where is that red flower? Spike said he knew a good dish to make with it and my books say it can only be found here. Ahhhh!” the purple unicorn muttered. She pawed though the grass, not seeing the red flower. Inn looked around and saw some red flowers by the bush she was hiding behind. She picked them and crept out form behind the brush. Inn put the flowers where the unicorn could find them, then starts to head quietly for the other side of the road. The unicorn, fed up with the spot she was looking in, started to look in another spot, but she spotted something else first, a white mare crossing the road. “Wait!” she called out. startled, Inn quickly made herself as small as possible, slowly turning her lowered head toward the unicorn. Just as she feared, the unicorn was looking right at her. The purple mare looked at Inn in confusion. “Where’s your mane and tail?” She shook her head and changed the question, “No, never mind, Can you help me find these red flowers? I’ve been looking for hours, and still can’t find them.” she pulled a book out of her saddlebag, opening it to the appropriate page, and sent it to hover in front of Inn. Inn turns around and looks at the flowers she set down on the path, slowly backing away. “Th-there...” Inn said with a quiet trembling tone. “Oh, thanks.” The pony looks at the flowers and saw they were already picked. “Did you pick these?” Inn was almost all the way hidden by the trees and bushes by the time the unicorn looked back. The unicorn tried to follow, but she saw no trace of the strange pony. A few feet away, a small white bunny hopped across the road. ============= Inn wandered for the rest of the day. It was quiet. The only pony she had seen was the unicorn. Inn was almost ready to give up, when she heard her call out. “Pony! Pony that helped me! Where are you?” The purple unicorn was still looking for her? She must be really persistent. Inn could not let this go on, but she could not show herself ether. So she turned into a pony with a white mane and tail, and both a horn and wings. There was no way that the unicorn would know it was her. Inn walked up to the unicorn’s side and asked, “Hello, who are you looking for?” Inn’s voice was softer and gentler than normal. The unicorn looked at the mare and said, “Oh, I’m looking for this white... mare...” she stopped as she noticed that the appearance of the pure white mare in front of her. Inn looked at herself, then back at the unicorn. “Do you mean me?” “No... your an alicorn!” the purple one exclaimed. “Why yes I am. If you where not looking for me, then what other white mare where you looking for?” “Ah, yes, I was looking for a pony that doesn't have... well... everything you do have, actually.” the unicorn tilts her head slightly as she says this. “Wings, horn?” “Neither, and no mane and tail ether.” “Oh!” “Yes, just a white earth pony, I need to say thanks for finding a flower I needed. Only thing is, I can’t find her.” Inn was a little confused, “Is that all?” “Yes, kinda... She picked them for me, and I wanted to also know how she knew I needed them, and where she found them.” Inn chuckled, “Ah, so I take it that you did not see any more of the flowers that you where looking for then?” “No I found the flowers that she pointed me to. I think she was just going to leave a hint and run off,” the unicorn said with a smile. “Ah, that was so kind, and you’re so kind for wanting to find her just for that.” Inn started to turn around and spread her wings. “Here, I can fly. I’ll go and see if I can find her for you and say that...” Inn paused to let the unicorn introduce herself. “Oh, my name is Twilight Sparkle. What’s your name?” Inn had no name planned, so she thought one up and she thought it up quick. “Ah, Feather.” Inn thought of the first name that came to mind, and it did seem to fit. She was using Feather’s mane and tail style. Twilight looked at Feather’s flank, “Oh you have no cutie mark?” Inn thought this might be good time to have some fun. “Oh my. Let me fix that!” Inn lit her horn, and a light began to cover her flank. The cutie mark that was left behind was three hearts forming a circle. “There, that’s better. Now I must go and look for that other pony. Bye” said Inn just before she flew off. Inn took a good look at Twilight’s face, a look of complete shock. Inn tried not to laugh at the sight as she flew off. ============= A few days later, Inn was just sitting in front of her hut. This was her self designated day off. She was relaxing outside, reading books on magic that Moonstone had given her. The grass was getting softer as the years went on, making it all the more comfortable to lay down on. She had mastered eighteen different spells, and was well on her way to mastering the nineteenth and the twentieth. She had only to grasp a few small concepts mentioned in the books. Suddenly, Inn was distracted by the sound of sticks and leaves being moved around behind her. Inn dropped the rock she was trying to turn into a tea cup. Inn did a 180 degree spin jump that pointed her towards the source of the sound. Looking at the cowering white unicorn, was a confused purple unicorn. “Is there an entire family of albino ponies living here?” Twilight asked. “Wh-what do y-you mean?” asked Inn. She had never heard the world albino before, so this was very confusing to her. “I saw two more ponies like you a few days ago. They where all white, unlike other ponies that have multiple colors.” “Oh, ah, yes... I guess,” Inn thought she knew what albino meant now. Twilight was stumped by the answer. How can somepony not know if their own family lived near by? Inn was inching closer to her hut. This drew Twilight's eyes to the rather small structure. It was green and scaly, with an interesting look to the walls as if they were being held up from the inside like a very badly constructed tent. “Is this your house?” asked Twilight with wide curious eyes. “Y-y-y-yes” Inn answered, not sure if it was the right answer to be giving. “Wow, it’s amazing! What’s it made out of?” “A-a-a dragon, f-five chi- c-chimeras, and a-about nine or t-ten m-manticores. I-I think that there is m-more, b-but I can’t r-remember.” Twilight was shocked to hear that it was a actual monster parts that where used to make the house. “O-oh, I-I see. So do your live here alone?” Twilight’s curiosity was growing by the second. Inn nodded her head as she inched even closer to the door. “I- it’s been that way for a few y- years now.” “Wow, you’ve lived here for years? Does it get lonely, or scary?” Twilight was just trying to get Inn to talk now. Obviously Inn was scared of many things, and Twilight was trying to help Inn talk it out. Inn was now at the door, and going for the door handle, which appeared to be a dragon's claw. Inn did not see where she was though, as she had her gaze fixed on Twilight the entire time. she was grasping at the wrong side of the door. The purple unicorn saw this, and went to try and help the white unicorn open the door. Twilight's approach, however, was met with more cowering form the other unicorn. Twilight stopped, concentrating on the door handle for a moment, as both her horn and the handle began to glow. With a simple swing of the door Twilight says, “Is that better?” Inn looks at the door, then scurries inside. She hides in a corner and says, “Y-you can come i-in if you w-want.” Twilight entered the house, looking with astonishment. Twilight was not a good decorator, but this was still better than what she could design. It was simple, but the simplicity was what made it seem so nice. The walls where made out of manticore furs, and the ceiling and floor was made with chimera furs. It made the entire room look soft and comfortable. There was a table in the room, and a book shelf full of spell books. These things where made out of various bones and leathers. Tea related items likes pots, cups, and a glass bottle with tea grounds where all near a metal stove, these seemed oddly out of place here amongst all the fur and bones. Those were the only items in the house, there was not even a bed. But with such a soft floor, a bed may not be necessary. Next to the bookshelf was Inn, shaking. “S-s-so w-w-what do you want with m-m-me?” she asked. “I want to be friends,” said Twilight, her face reflecting the same kindness as Feather's. “F-friends?” The two closest things that Inn has had to friends were Feather and Moonstone. But neither really counted as friends. “Yes, by the way I’m Twilight Sparkle, what’s your name?” She needed a new name again. Inn started to think of all the unicorns in town, all three. “I-I-I’m G-G-Gem Shine.” “Nice to meet you Gem.” Twilight looks at Gem’s flank. “Ah, no cutie mark?” Gem saw this as a good chance to continue the joke from before. “Ah, s-s-s-sorry!” She lights up her horn and makes a cutie mark of a shiny gemstone appear. “B-b-better?” Twilight, in her shock, quickly asks, “How can you do that? The last albino pony I saw did the same thing when I asked about her cutie mark.” Gem looked at Twilight, “I-is it b-bad?” “No no no, but... I’m good at magic and I’ve never seen a spell that can do that.” “W-w-well, I... ah...” Gem was cut off. She made a small wince of pain as her self made cutie mark appeared to be burning her, a thin trail of smoke rising from it. “I-I thought i-it was n-n-normal.” Without showing it, Inn was laughing at the answer she had just given. “Are you okay?” asked Twilight, who rushed to Gem’s side. “This, happens wh-when I do, the sp-spell. It’s o- o- okay.” when Gem was done talking, there was nothing left of her cutie mark, other than a black impression. Twilight and Gem just sat and talked for a few hours. Twilight saw that, over time, the singe marks where fading away. It did seem like it wasn’t really a big deal after all.