//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: Settling In 
// by A Wild Magikarp 
//------------------------------//

	The trip to Ponyville was far from the relaxing ride Sky had been expecting it to be. It had started off well enough, with a confident feeling, and a nervous excitement in his stomach. But only a half an hour later, his mind began to wander, his nervous excitement transforming into simple nervousness. With none of the other ponies in a very chatty mood, and the trip itself lacking enough time to get a decent amount of shuteye, Sky had no way do distract himself. Sky's trip soon became a story of him shifting in his seat and neurotically petting Selene. Not that she minded though, the pampering was welcomed.

For his part, Sky was largely unaware of what he was doing. He was far too busy working himself into a state of panic to pay attention to himself or his surroundings. Sky waged a mental war against himself, between his logical side, which was fighting hard to stay in control, and the seeds of doubt that had taken root in the back of his mind. To the outside observer, it would appear as if he where completely calm, if a little shaky. Inside, he was a wreck.

'They never gave me instructions on what to do next! What do I do once I get everything squared away!?'

'Foal, you KNOW what you're supposed to do! Your job didn't change all that much from before, all that's really changed is that you'll be going it alone. Get your stuff unpacked and go back to work as usual.'

'But what if I can't get back to the way is was before? There was always somepony else in the room! What if I end up running late for a report? Nopony else will be there to help me!'

'You work at home! And on your own schedule! If you're running behind on a couple of papers you can always just work a little longer to finish up! Besides, it not like you have never stayed late before. What would the difference be? Stop grasping for things to worry about.'

'But I'm not Comet, or Nightingale, or Keen! I'm just me, and I'm an astrophysicist! What happens when I find something I don't understand? My specialties aren't broad enough to handle doing this on my own! I'll end up missing something important! I'll be the only pony able to see something, in my BRAND NEW observatory, and I'll pass it by! A meteor will be hurling for Equus and I will completely ignore it!'

'Then don't ignore it you idiot!'

But is was far to late. While it had fought valiantly, his calm, collect self had lost control of the situation. Now noticeably less calm, and slowly spiraling deeper and deeper in to his panic attack, Sky spent the rest of the trip daydreaming of what horrors would come of his inattention to astronomical entities.

'I wonder where the Princesses will banish me after the aliens invade? Hopefully nowhere too cold, I despise the cold...





After a two hour ride, Sky was a bundle of nerves. He sat there, his hooves no longer stroking Selene, but instead running circles around themselves as he twiddled them. He looked back and forth as his inner monologue of potential disasters continued, and his mane seemed to have made itself slightly more of a rats-nest than usual. He didn't even notice as Ponyville began to grow in the distance, nor when the train made its approach, and even stop at the station. His attention was finally caught by the conductor, as he announced the trains arrival.

"Train from Canterlot, now stopped in Ponyville station! Next stop, Appleoosa!"

Sky jumped slightly, brought out of his internal debate by the conductors loud voice. He blinked owlishly as he looked around him at the other ponies on the train. None of them seemed to be getting off here, so it appeared he would have no trouble getting off, aside from his self-imposed terror. Sky gulped, his panic levels not lowering on arrival. He began to sweat as his fear took control of the situation from him.

'This was a bad idea, I'm not suited for this kind of work, not on my own. I should just get on the next train back. Let Gazer take the position here. I'm sure Clockwork and the Princess will understand, right? Right.'

Selene was sitting at Sky's side, prepared to depart from the train car. But he refused to get up to let her on, or even to open his bag for her to hop into. SHE was ready to leave, so why wasn't he? As she observed him, she could see no real physical reason for his delay. He had just a dab of perspiration on his coat, but that was likely due to the heat. What was taking so long? 

Then she saw the look in her owners eyes, the fear, the uncertainty, and understood what was taking so long. She rolled her eyes, feeling put-off by his silliness. She would have felt more sympathy for him if it was not for the likely absurdity of his fear. Living with the pony, she knew from his occasional conversations with himself just how far his self-doubt and imagination extended. He may have grown up a lot over the years, but he was most assuredly still far from 'grown up'. Deciding to lend a paw, both figuratively and literally, the feline gave Sky a few quick swat to the flank, claws detracted of course, to draw his attention. Time to get him over his wasteful worrying. Succeeding in drawing his attention towards her, she turned and began to pad her way out of the cab and onto the station, making sure that he was well aware of what she was doing.

"Selene! What are you doing!? Here kitten! Get back here!" 

Ok, perhaps not. Still, she did not stop, she had work to do. Leaving the station, Selene landed on the dirt road leading to the center of town. She quickly gave a quick flick of her tail, thinking disdainfully of how the dirt would stain her dark black fur, before she continued on down the road. It had to be done.

Sky made it out of the car with difficulty, as his attempt at a hasty exit had resulted in more than one embarrassing fall in front of his fellow Canterlotians. What had gotten into that cat!? It wasn't like her to just wander off, she hated going outside! Once on the platform, Sky looked around fervently for Selene, hoping that she had not gone far. His panic levels threatened to rise even farther as he failed to spot her on the station, but were quelled when he saw the darkly colored cat as she made her way towards town. Into the  marketplace, from the look of the stalls. He made chase after the fleeing feline, Sky moved into a swift trot over a gallop, as to not draw too much attention to himself. If he did end up staying, the last thing he would want is to make a bad impression on the entire town by tripping over his own hooves. Again.

Now in the market, Sky once again had to stop and look for his troublesome cat, as she had disappeared into the crowds of ponies milling around the booths, buying this and that. Taking up position in the middle of the market under a large oak tree, Sky began to look around for Selene, spinning madly in every direction to try to get get a glimpse of her. He turned to the pony next to him, a hulking, red behemoth of a pony apparently selling apples. Said pony had a half apple cutie mark and orange mane, even messier than Sky's own. He was currently chewing on a piece of hay, as nopony seemed to be interested in apples at the moment.

"Excuse me sir," Sky began, only shrinking back slightly as the much... MUCH larger pony turned his gaze toward him. "But is it possible perhaps that you saw, say, a small cat slink by here?" And there was the alliteration. He thought he had gotten rid of that nervous tick years ago. Guess his anxiety was pulling all stops today. Resisting the urge to facehoof at his own awkwardness, he waited for the other stallions response.

Big red stopped and looked up, apparently looking for an answer in the sky as he flicked the hay in his mouth back and forth. After a moment, he turned back to Sky and gave a response. "Nope."

Sky blinked. He had honestly been expecting a little more help than that. He really couldn't BLAME the other pony for not seeing her, but it was rather hard to miss a black cat among the background of brightly colored ponies, especially when nothing was drawing your attention away. Then again, he was having enough trouble to ask for help, and he was actually looking for her, so who was he to judge?

That, and not only did this pony look the part, but even his voice sounded like he was pumping more testosterone than blood through his veins.

"Really? Your sure?" Sky asked again. Another pause from red, this time much shorter.

"Eeyup."

"Oh, alright then, well, thanks anyways. Can you tell me if you do see her?"

The other pony nodded. "Eeyup."

"...Thanks..."

With one cognitively stimulating conversation out of the way, Sky turned to begin his search anew. It did not take long however, as moments later he spotted the small, black fur-ball. Just a few yards away, she was perching herself on the back of a sesame-colored mare with a two-toned red mane, the secondary color being a little more on the pink side. She sported a rose cutie mark and a large, luminent smile, pampering Selene, who was soaking in the attention she was receiving.

Sky gave a sigh of relief at having found his troublesome pet, before he began making his way through the crowed to the other side of the street.

"Now aren't you the sweetest little thing! I don't think I've ever met an animal as friendly as you before! What are you doing out here cutie?"

Selene simply purred and rubbed herself against the pony's affectionate hoof even more. This elicited an even greater response from her admirer. Or victim, depending on how one looked at it. She honestly didn't care for this pony either way, she was just the first pony she saw that appeared reasonably capable of holding a conversation with her panic stricken owner. That and the smell of food coming from the cafe directly behind her, but hey.

"...Purr..."

"Awwhahahaww..."

Sky felt a small chuckle escape him at the ridiculousness of it all. The level of coddling that Selene was getting at this moment from a complete stranger was easily more than she had gotten out of anypony else, even him.

'No wonder why most cats act like they own everything; they know exactly how to make us putty in their hoofs. Or paws rather.'

The mystery pony turned at Sky's laugh, never once ceasing her grooming of Selene. She began with a look of curiosity and confusion in her eyes, before she made the connection between the stranger and her current object of affection. She gave an understanding smile.

"Oh, I see, what is it then, bath day?"

Sky gave a quick laugh at that. "Hardly, though now that the fuzzball has wandered off, she might end up needing one. For more than one reason I can imagine..."

The 'fuzzball' in question stopped cleaning herself midway through a lick of her paw and bristled. Oh he had better not...

"You had better not, my understanding is that you may end up with a few more messes to clean up around the house for something like that."

Selene smirked internally. Smart pony, you shall be spared my wrath, should such events come to pass.

"No, you're right. Besides, we both know that this was a one-time thing. RIGHT girl?"

She responded the way he understood best, rubbing her cheek against his and purring loudly. The stranger gave a loud 'Daww' at this, causing Sky's cheeks to flush as he turned away from Selene and rubbed the back of his head.

"B-besides, I wont be chasing you out of any train cars anytime soon. I'm pretty sure everypony in that cart thinks I'm an idiot now..."

Mystery pony perked up at this. "Oh, you just came off the train? That was from Canterlot wasn't it? What where you doing in the big city?"

Sky mentally tripped a little bit. He had just planned on thanking her for finding Selene and leaving, possibly for good. How had this evolved into a conversation so quickly? Was he being interrogated? Maybe Princess Luna had hired her to check up on him, to make sure that he was up for the task. That would make sense.

'No, it makes no sense at all! Relax, she's just being friendly, its a thing ponies do, you know, when they meet somepony new? Besides, she had no idea Selene would choose to perch on her of all ponies. And she has no idea who you are anyways! Now say something, you're being weird!'

He realized that he had yet to respond, and she was looking at him with a confused look on her face, his silence having stretched longer than intended.

"Oh, um, I wasn't visiting. You see, I was living there. I just moved here, so I'm kinda new in town and-"

Sky was interrupted by a tremendous gasp for air, before a rush of wind sent a chill down his spine. He paused, before turning around to see what was going on. Nopony was behind him, but that wasn't to say that he wasn't greeted by an odd sight. Everypony else in a the immediate area looking at HIM in confusion matching his own, before a look of recognition slowly took it's place. Smiling, they returned to their individual business. Creepy...

"Well, that was... interesting. Did I miss something, or... Um, miss? Are you alright?" He asked, turning back to his companion. She had a similar smile to everypony else's on her face, and was attempting to hide a laugh behind her hoof. After a few moment she regained composure before answering, still smiling.

"Oh no, you didn't miss ANYTHING. Not yet at least. And I'm fine, thank you very much. Name's Roseluck by the way, and yours?" She asked, extending her hoof out for a shake.

Sky raised an eyebrow, but took the outreached hoof and gave it a quick shake. "My name is Night Sky. And I'm sorry, but, yet?"

"Don't worry about it Sky, it's nothing important. So you're from Canterlot huh? I didn't recognize you from 'round here, but you didn't exactly look the Canterlot part either. Or even sound it really, if you don't mind me saying."

"I don't know, what do you mean by that?"

"It's just I've been up there to the city a few time, and from what little I've seen, everyone up there seems so much more... uptight, than you are. I don't want to be rude, but you know what I'm talking about right? Everywhere I went it was like they where... looking down on me. The whole 'holier than thou' act, if you know what I mean?"

Sky frowned, and Roseluck cringed a little, thinking she had offended him.

"I know the type. And yes, I've heard a lot of other cities and towns look at us that way."

"I-I'm sorry, that was rude, I shouldn't have-"

"No no, it's fine. And for the most part, you're right. There are a lot of ponies up there that could do with a little less attitude. It would have made life there much easier."

"Mmhmm, it sounds like you're thinking of someone in particular. Not that that's any of my business Anyways, I heard you say your moving in? where is all you're stuff?"

"Oh, most of it's coming later. I'm having a moving company deal with most of it. I'm not lazy, but I'm also not stupid. Don't want to be moving my entire house in by myself right? Anyways, most of it is still back in Canterlot, and will probably be hear in a day or so. But I brought all my essentials in my bags, back on the-" A train whistle went off in the distance. Sky paled noticeably through his fur and turned around, making a dash for the train station, accidentally throwing Selene off in the process, startling both the cat and Roseluck. "TRAIN! No no no NO!"





By the time Sky got to the station, the train had already pulled out, on its way to Appleoosa, along with his bags. He stayed there for moment, frozen as as he watched the train move away towards its next destination, before plopping down and heaving a heavy sigh.

"Well, so much for that..."

He heard Roseluck behind him. "Guessing your bags where still on the train, huh?"

"Yep."

"Bits and bathroom supplies?"

"And a sleeping bag and some books."

"Wow. Do you know anypony in town?"

"Well, a friend of mine mentioned some, but I've never met them before. They would just be strangers with names."

"Hmm..."

There was a pregnant pause as Sky moped over his lost supplies and Roseluck adopted a pensive look. Selene padded into the platform and lay down in Sky's lap and meowed disarmingly, feeling somewhat like this was her fault.

After a minute Roseluck hit the platform firmly with her hoof, scaring both of its other occupants. "Well this wont do at all will it? Come on then, this way!"

"What? Who, me?"

"No, the Headless Horse. Of course you silly, come along!"

Sky looked down at Selene, who seemed to be just as confused as he was, before he stood up and deposited said feline onto his back, and took to follow his new guide off of the empty train station and into town, moving at a light gallop to catch up.

"W-wait! Hold on, where are we going? Whats going on?"

"Well, while from what I have heard you have a place to stay, its quite obvious that you have nothing else besides the cat on your back and the glasses on your face. So, as a resident of the wonderful little town of Ponyville, I feel that it falls to me to make sure that you have the easiest time settling in as possible. Now hurry up, its lunchtime, and I know the perfect place to stop at!"

"But I told you, all my bits where in my bag!"

Roseluck turned at looked at him. "And I told YOU, its my job to be sure that your first day goes smoothly! And before you say anything, I AM paying for your meal, so no objections, understand?"

Sky shut his mouth and nodded. She gave a toothy smile before turning and making her way farther into town. "Good! This way then."





Sky sat one of the tables in front of The Prancing Pony, his belly full, eyes closed, and a happy smile on his face. Roseluck was across the table, feeding the last of her hay fries to Selene. "So, enjoy yourself?" She asked.

"That... was excellent. Seriously, compliments to the chef! Those cafe's up in Canterlot need to take some notes from this place. Who runs the kitchen?"

"A pony named Fine Dinning. He came over here from Prance a few years back and started this place to 'bring ze finer cuisine to ze common pony'."

Sky laughed lightly at the accent that Roseluck had adopted for that last part. "Well I'm glad he did. That was the best meal I've had in a long time. I may stick around just for the food!"

Roseluck cocked her head to the side in confusion. "'Stick around'? I thought you where moving in."

"Hehe, ya, I was. The reason is actually because of my job. I work for the university up in Canterlot you see, and I was assigned to the observatory they've been building here for the last couple of months."

"Oh! So YOU'RE the pony that's going to be running that place! I was wondering, since nopony I know in town is really a scientist. Well, except for the town librarian, but honestly, I think that's just her hobby or something."

Sky nodded with a smile. "Yep, that would be me. Well, anyways, a friend of mine actually had the idea to build that thing in the first place, and suggested to the Princesses that I be the one put in charge of it. It was a huge deal and everything, and I was really excited! But... on the way here... I don't know, I guess I got cold hooves or something. I have a tendency to over-think things, and blow them WAY out of proportions. I guess I'm not the most self-confident pony out there. I was about ready to panic, or rather, continue panicking, and just go back to Canterlot and ask them to post someone else here, when Selene jumped off the train and made her way to your stall. Sorry about that by the way."

"No need to apologize, it was a pleasant surprise in fact. She IS adorable by the way."

"Heh, ya, and she knows it. But she's also going to get pudgy if you keep feeding her those things."

"Oh stop, she's fine, really! How bad could they be?"

Selene, though not quite as self conscious as other cats may be, was still quite aware of her weight, and upon hearing Sky's comment, agreed that she had had enough. Roseluck, noticing this, frowned, but didn't place any more down, as the cat ceased her consumption of the current fry.

"Well, what are you thinking about doing now? Still worried about your new position?"

"Oh, I'm defiantly still nervous. But after that meal, and being able to talk with somepony else about it... I don't now, I MAY decide to stick around after all."

"Glad to hear it."

The waiter came and Roseluck payed him for the meal, adding a reasonably sized tip for his service, before the group collectively rose and began to walk away from the establishment, following Roseluck's guide.

Sky felt the need to thank her. "Thank you for the meal Roseluck. You didn't need to do any of this in the first place, but I want you to know that I REALLY appreciate it all."

She waved her hoof dismissively over her shoulder, keeping a steady pace. "Don't mention it Sky, anypony around here would have done the same. If not me it would have been somepony else. And please, call me Rose, it's weird for friends to call each other by their full names isn't it?"

'Friends huh? Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would.'

"Yes, I guess it is. So, where are we headed next?"

"Well, since you don't exactly have anything to unpack yet, I figured I could give you the grand tour of the town. Its not big, but at least you would know where to find everything. And after that, I can show you where your place actually is. Sound good?"

"That sounds gr-"

Once more, Sky was interrupted by a strange noise. A loud cheer, followed by a several panicked screams. One of these screams happened to be Roseluck.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER HANG GLIDERS, YAY!"

"GET DOWN!!"

Sky blinked at his new friend as she followed her own advice and ducked low, before a shadow fell over him and he looked up to see the cause of the sudden dark.

"Oh buck m-"

A loud CRASH echoed through the streets as a large, plywood and cloth contraption fell upon the unfortunate stallion. A moment passed before anything else happened. Then a small, southern accent filled the air.

"Umm, girls? Did we hit somepony? I can't tell through all this mess..."