//------------------------------// // 91 - Getting to the Matter at Hoof // Story: Synch // by sunnypack //------------------------------// I don't know what I expected from Twilight bringing up the pony. I had the shivers when she gave me that look. I couldn't get any information out of Twilight about the mysterious pony, only that I'll be able to see for myself when she came. I didn't like that. I always went into battle, prepared. Well, at least I hope I did. Turns out our navigator, which Twilight explained was a necessity, were a strange pony named Little Hoof. I don’t know why she decided to call herself that because Twilight assured me that wasn’t her real name. Little Hoof was an extremely abrasive pony with a penchant was getting on my wrong side. “Hey there, hornless minotaur, how are you?” she drawled, giving me a poke with a hoof. I shot her an annoyed glare, instantly disliking her. “I’m not a hornless minotaur!” I growled, giving her my best glare. She just chuckled and sauntered past me. “Eh, you’ll warm up to me”, her gaze grew condescendingly patronising. “They all do.” I stared at her lime-green coat, thinking what a horrid shade of colour it was. I glanced at her flank. It had a map and a two needle compass floating above it. “Get a good look?” she pointedly asked, giving me a deadpan stare. “I’d say if there were much to look at”, I shot back, and then covered my mouth. Where did that come from? Surprisingly, the mare let out a hearty laugh, slapping me on the back. “You got spunk ya little foal, I’ll give ya that. Least, you’re not like any of the stuck up Canterlot nobles that won’t last ten minutes out here”, she chortled, giving me an appraising look. “You’d probably last twelve”, she added, flicking me with her tail as she trotted off. I just stared at her retreating form, a bit at a loss for words. “Interesting character, isn’t she?” Twilight commented, seeing my expression and giggling in amusement. “Oh come off it, you”, I growled, gathering my backpack. I tapped my Synch, taking care to look at the charge. Huh, about seventy eight per cent, gotta kick it down a couple of notches, I thought, switching it to sleep mode. I trudged to Twilight who seemed to be co-ordinating everyone. She had a little smile on her face. “You enjoy organising things, don’t you?” I asked, as I caught up with the mare ticking off a long checklist she had drawn from her saddlebag. “Yes!” she squealed in excitement, practically hopping around. “How could you tell?!” “I don’t know I think I have really amazing observational skills, or the fact that you can’t keep still for a few moments”, I pointed out drily. Twilight blushed, suitably embarrassed. “Well I like to keep everything in order, is that such a bad thing”, she replied in a small voice. I patted her on the head. “Nah, it’s a part of what you are Twilight, you’re the only unicorn I know with the passion for tedium that outstrips even Angel”, I consoled, giving her a warm smile. It faltered a little when I thought about Angel, but I held it back. Twilight caught it and gave me an encouraging nudge with her muzzle. “It’ll be okay, before you know it everything will be fine.” I swallowed and nodded. Bah! I felt weak not being able to get over the fact that I felt like I was abandoning Earth, but it nagged at me because I knew it wouldn't be right to leave these ponies hanging anyway. Still, it was a difficult proposition to accept. A frustrated groan came from the direction of the navigator, shook me out of my thoughts. “Come ooooon!” she whined, waving a frantic hoof. “Let’s get this show on the road!” I didn’t want to give the mare the satisfaction of responding. I heard if you give little children attention they just ask for more. “Okay Twilight, where’s Pseudo?” I asked, looking around for the small changeling princess. How hard could it be to lose a bug-like pony thing? “Right here”, a small voice piped up from behind me on my left side. I yelped in surprise (it was totally a manly yell) and found Pseudo right there next me in my blind spot. “How do you do that ninja move?!” I huffed in exasperation. Pseudo just gave me a confused look. “What’s a nin-jar?” she asked me, tilting her head. I sighed and just waved a hand. “It’s a human-thing”, I replied, patting her on the head. She pouted. “But I want to know”, she said, tugging at my shirt with her mouth. “Oh, Pseudo, right I’ll tell you on the train!” We approached the train, which I found out were pulled by ponies. I mean what the? “Why is the train pulled by ponies?” I asked Twilight, who just looked up. “Oh the engine must have given out. Don’t worry they’re strong Earth Ponies so there won’t be many switching stops”, she assured me, but I just continued to gape at the whole spectacle. “But the train must be tonnes?! Are you saying that just a team of Earth ponies can pull the train? That’s ridiculous!” Twilight just gave me a smile that spelt out ‘I’m glad you recognise our superiority’. I just flung my hands up and headed towards our carriage. I couldn’t take any more physics breaking magic today. It was like the day I found out that pegasus ponies could control the weather. Freaking insane I tell you! I was glad that out of the corner of my eye, the vexing mare, Little Hoof would not be in the same carriage as us. I glanced at Pseudo and Twilight. But then again, there were advantages with being friends with a Princess and the Princess’ personal student. What an honour. Twilight walked into the carriage and sat down on the seat at the far end, steadfastly ignoring me to read the tome she was so focused on before. Yeah. What an honour.