//------------------------------// // Reunion of the Reformed // Story: Pinkamena's Awakening: From Malice and Hate // by Kingsley //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Reunion of the Reformed "Einna!" Hermaeus Mora announced. "EINNA!" "Huh!? What!? What happened?" Einna said, jumping up out of bed. "What gives Morie? You scared me half to death!" "You asked me to wake you up the morning didn't you? Well that's what I did." Hermaeus Mora said. "I was hoping you'd be a bit more subtle..." Einna said, rubbing her head. "Well thanks I guess, we do have a lot of things to do today anyway, so we should start heading out!" "Actually, since you do actually have a body of your own now, you're going to have to take care of it." Hermaeus Mora reminded. "Which means you should probably take a shower before heading out so you'll be fresh and... more appealing to others." "Oh yea... I remember Pinkie taking one of those everyday when she got up." Einna said. "That's where you go into the bathroom and cover yourself with water right?" "Correct." Hermaeus Mora said. "Well alright then!" Einna exclaimed, leaving her room and proceeding towards one of the bathrooms. "Wait a minute... what about my shawl? I don't want to get it wet... but I need to take off my brooch for that! If I do though... Eternal Sleep might sense my presence!" Einna questioned. "You can take off the brooch, just hold onto it while you're showering. I know it's going to be difficult to shower with only one free hoof, but as long as it's in your possession, it'll still work." Hermaeus Mora reassured. "Ohhh alright, I understand." Einna said, removing her shawl and holding the brooch in her right hoof as she stepped into the shower. "Now uh... which one of these knobs do I turn first?" Einna asked, pondering as she decided to turn the left knob all the way. "HOT! HOT! THAT'S REALLY HOT!" Einna yelled, squirming to turn the other knob all the way. "COLD! SO COLD! THAT'S FREEZING COLD!" "Just turn the left knob half way and the right one only a few times." Hermaeus Mora guided. Einna squirmed as she followed his instructions. The water became a nice, relaxing warm temperature. "Ahhh... now that feels really nice..." Einna said, enjoying herself under the warm waters. "Oh yea that's right, I have to use soap and stuff." With only one free hoof, it was a little difficult for Einna to wash herself correctly. She was able to make due though and turned off the water when she was finished. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off, along with the brooch. "Wow! I have to admit that really did feel good! I feel so refreshed and relaxed!" Einna said, putting her shawl back on and fastening it with the brooch. "I think I'm ready to go Morie! Where should we head first?" "I think you should head on over to Twilight's and ask about any possible jobs you could take. You need to start making bits as soon as possible." Hermaeus Mora suggested. "That sounds like a good idea, let's head on over there now!" Einna said, leaving the bathroom and proceeding downstairs to her front door. "...Hey uh Morie? Before we go out can I... ask you something?" "What is it?" Hermaeus Mora said. "Well it's just that... I know you gave me your reason for why you set me free from The Apocrypha already, but is there something you're... not telling me?" Einna questioned. "I mean... I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me don't get me wrong, but I just feel like there's something you're not telling me..." "..." Hermaeus Mora was silent. "...Mora?" Einna asked again. "Why don't we just head to Twilight's now? I think it's best that we get there right away." Hermaeus Mora said, avoiding the question. "O-Oh... yea right... sure." Einna said, shaking her head and trying to forget about it. "Let's go!" Einna head outside and locked the door behind her. She walked on over to Twilight's and knocked on her door. "Oh! Good morning Einna!" Twilight greeted. "It's nice to see you, please come in!' "Thanks Twilight." Einna said, walking with Twilight to her Throne Room. Upon arrival, she saw that the others were also here on each of their thrones hanging out. "Hi Einna!" They said in unison. "Hi everyone! It's nice to see you all again." Einna exclaimed. "Hey Twilight, I was hoping you could help me out with something today... if you're not busy that is!" "Not at all! What is it that you need help with?" Twilight offered. "Well... I was hoping that you could..." Einna said, about to ask for help when she went to rub her stomach. "Err... what is this... why is my body making these noises?" "You must be hungry Einna! Have you eaten anything since you came here?" Twilight asked. "Eaten anything?... uh no... I can't say I have..." Einna said, her stomach growling ferociously. "Hmm... I know! Why don't all of us go out to eat together!" Twilight suggested. "That sounds like a great idea!" Applejack said. "Yea I could go for something to eat." Rainbow Dash said. "Great! Don't worry Einna, this is our treat for you so you don't have to worry about paying." Twilight said. "Come on girls! Let's head out!" "You really are too good to me... all of you..." Einna said, feeling a little guilty. "But thank you! I'll be sure to repay you all for this kindness!" "Don't worry Einna! We're friends after all! Friends help each other out all the time!" Pinkie exclaimed. Einna looked in the other direction and blushed. They all walked together as a group until they reached Twilight's favorite restaurant in town. "This place?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Don't get me wrong, I love the food here and all, but doesn't it seem a bit early for burgers?" "You're probably right, but I was really craving one along with some onion rings this morning..." Twilight said, as she licked her lips. "Besides, I figured it be a good opportunity to show this place to Einna!" "I was hoping for something a little less... messy for breakfast, but I suppose if it's for Einna I cane make an exception." Rarity said. "Me too, although I'm fine with anything, I'm not really a picky eater..." Fluttershy said. Twilight and everyone else went inside and sat down at a large table. "What can I get'cha girls today?" The Waiter asked. "We all want the same thing right?" Twilight asked. "Yep, pretty much." Everyone agreed. "I'll just get you the same thing we're all having alright Einna?" Twilight said. "Sure! T-That's fine! I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even know what to get heh heh..." Einna said nervously. "Nevermind what to get! I don't even know what this place is and what I'm supposed to do!..." "Sounds great! Your food should be out very shortly!" The Waiter said happily, walking away. "Hey... P-Pinkie!" Einna whispered. "Huh? What is it Einna?" Pinkie asked, averting her attention from her friends who were all chatting. "This is probably going to sound really stupid but... what are we waiting for? What is this place?" Einna whispered. "Huh? You don't know what a restaurant is? Haven't you ever eaten out before?" Pinkie questioned. "N-No heh... can't say I have! Would you mind explaining it to me?" Einna whispered. "I must look like the biggest idiot to her right now!..." "Wow! That's a first, I've never met anypony who hasn't eaten at a restaurant!" Pinkie said, snickering. "Well basically, it's a place you go to if you don't feel like cooking at home or if you don't have anything to cook at home! Also if you're just craving something, like Twilight! You order the food you want and other ponies make it for you! Then you just wait for it to come out and you eat! You have to pay for your food though, but the prices here aren't bad at all!" "I see... but what's the point of it all?" Einna asked, holding her stomach and feeling it growl even more. "Also why won't this pain in the lower half of my body go away!" "Well that's why silly! You're hungry! You need to eat food everyday so you're stomach won't make those noises and so you'll have enough energy!" Pinkie explained. "So... I need to eat everyday so I don't run out of energy?" Einna said. "That seems a bit tiresome don't you think?" "Not at all! Just eat food that you really like and enjoy!" Pinkie said. "That's what I do!" "I see... I think I get it now! Thanks for explaining it to me Pinkie!" Einna thanked nervously. "I still don't fully understand but I get the gist of it at least..." "Oh lookie! Food's here!" Pinkie exclaimed. The Waiter returned with a cart that had multiple trays on it. He placed one in front of each pony and returned back to the kitchen afterwards. Everyone was digging into their food and munching happily, except for Einna, who was watching everyone and how they ate their food. She looked at her tray and saw 3 hayburgers, a case of onion rings, and a milkshake. "Something wrong Einna?" Twilight asked, the bottom half of her face covered in ketchup. "N-No! Nothings wrong! I was just thinking about where to start exactly heh heh..." Einna said nervously. "I'd recommend starting with the hayburgers, they're SO good!" Twilight said, digging into her food. Einna looked her tray and slowly moved her head down towards it. She opened her mouth and hesitantly bit into one of the hayburgers, chewing it slowly in her mouth. "This... This is amazing!" Einna exclaimed, swallowing her food. "It tastes so good!" "I'm glad you like it Einna!" Twilight said, wiping her face. "Like it? I absolutely love it!" Einna said, shoving her face into the food and rapidly eating. "Careful Einna, you don't wanna eat too fast or else you'll start feeling sick!" Pinkie said. "O-Oh, is that so? Sorry, but this is the first time I've... eaten something this good!" Einna said, finishing the last of the food on her tray. "By the way Einna, was there something else you wanted to ask me when we were at the castle?" Twilight asked. "Hm? Oh yea! I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind helping me find a job around here..." Einna asked, as she was eating her onion rings. "I need to start making bits right away anyway, but I just don't know where to start..." "Ah I see, well I'm sure that there are plenty of job openings arou-" Twilight said, cut off. "You need a job!? Why don't you come work at Sugarcube Corner with me! It's really easy! The pay is good, and you get to eat all the sweets you want!" Pinkie exclaimed. "As long as you don't get caught that is!" "You want me to work with you? Really?" Einna asked nervously. "B-But doesn't that involve making stuff... for other ponies? I don't even know how that works!" "Don't you worry your silly little head Einna! I'll teach you everything you need to know!" Pinkie said, slurping down her shake. "Come to Sugarcube Corner tomorrow morning! I'll let Mr. and Mrs. Cake know that you're coming!" "A-Alright! Thank you so much Pinkie!" Einna exclaimed. "Don't mention it! I'm so excited to have you as a working buddy!" Pinkie yelled. "Hey Einna, you should try the milkshake! It's good to have after you've finished everything else." Fluttershy said. "This stuff in the glass?" Einna questioned, as she began drinking it through the straw. "Wow! This is so much more different from the burgers! It's so sweet!" Einna continued to slurp down her milkshake, which she finished relatively quickly. She sat back on her chair and began to rub her stomach. "Feel better Einna?" Pinkie asked. "You sure do look it!" "Yea! I feel a lot better now, the pain in my stomach is gone!" Einna expressed, looking at everyone else and seeing that they were all finished too. "Well that definitely hit the spot!" Applejack said, letting out a loud burp. "Pfft- you call that a burp? Let me show you how it-" Rainbow Dash said, cut off. "Ugh! I'd prefer it if you don't do that please! It's just so unnecessary!" Rarity said, with a look of disgust as Applejack and Rainbow Dash laughed. "Alright everyone! Are we all ready to go?" Twilight asked. Everyone agreed and started to get up from their seats, each of them leaving some bits for their portion of the bill. Twilight paid for Einna's share and they all proceeded to leave the restaurant. "Well that sure was a good time!" Applejack said. "Unfortunately Ah gotta start headin back home now, Ah got a lot of work that needs to be done around the farm so I'll talk you guys later!" "Yea, I gotta head back to Sugarcube Corner now! I have to prepare for Einna's Orientation!" Pinkie squeed, jumping up and down. "Bye girls! I'll see you tomorrow Einna!" "I'm gonna head out and practice more of my sick moves! I'll see you guys later!" Rainbow Dash said, flying off. "As for me I also have to take my leave. I promised Sweetie Belle I'd help her with a school project today so I'll talk with you girls later alright?" Rarity said. "I'd better head home too, Angel must be hungry now so I'd better hurry back and feed him. I'll see you girls later!" Fluttershy said softly. "Well Einna, I have some things to attend to back at home. I hope you'll be alright finding your way around by yourself!" Twilight said. "Feel free to drop by anytime though, it's always a pleasure having you!" "Alright Twilight! Thanks for everything today!" Einna said, waving her off. "Hmm... now what should I do I wonder... hey Morie? Is everything alright? you've been awfully quiet lately." "Hmm? Don't mind me, I've just been thinking about some things lately..." Hermaeus Mora said. "Why don't you take this opportunity to look around town?" "Good idea! I'm sure there must be other things that have changed since the last time I was here!" Einna said, proceeding to walk through town. Einna walked through town and observed all the buildings and stores. She tried to stay out of other ponies ways and continued to explore Ponyville, when she suddenly bumped into another pony when she wasn't paying attention, causing them both to fall and the other pony to drop her bag of groceries. "Oh my gosh! I-I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Einna apologized, as she stood up to help the other pony, she noticed something familiar. "Wait a minute..." "Y-Yea... I'm fine, don't worry about me..." The White Pony said, picking up the items that fell out of her bag. "Um... forgive me for asking but... is your name... Lilith? By any chance?" Einna said nervously. "Huh? You... you know me?" Lilith questioned. "I'm not sure we've ever met before have we?" "Oh! Uh... well you see I..." Einna choked. "That's right I forgot! This is my first time meeting her! She looks so much more different now though... what do I say to her!..." "Is something the matter?" Lilith said blankly. "Everything's alright! D-Don't worry about me! Heh..." Einna said, taking a big gulp. "Also um... you're right we haven't met before but but... I'm a friend of Twilight's! She told me about you and you looked like somepony who'd fit her description! Heh heh..." "Ohh so you're a friend of Twilight's are you? Then you must be that new pony she was telling me about that one night." Lilith said. "Your name's Einna right?" "Yep! That's me alright heh... were you the one that couldn't make it to the little get-together I set up last night?" Einna asked. "Mhm... sorry about that, it's not that I didn't want to come, it's just that my housemate doesn't like going outside at all." Lilith explained. "I usually don't leave her alone for very long when I go out, so that's why I couldn't make it." "Oh... I see." Einna said. "Well it's alright, it's good that you care for your friend so much..." "Thanks... you seem like a nice pony to me." Lilith said. "I don't usually do this, but why don't you come over for a little? There's something about you that I... like. I can also introduce you to my housemate..." "Oh! Well sure, I'm not doing anything important right now." Einna said. "Cool, follow me then." Lilith said, walking in front of Einna to a house on the edge of town. "No doubt about it... this is the same, small Lilith that Eternal Sleep nearly killed me over for taking control of, although she isn't very small anymore..." Einna thought. "I'd better be careful... there's no doubt that Eternal Sleep is still watching over her... I have to make sure I'm on my best behavior when I'm around her..." Lilith and Einna arrived at the house on the outskirts of town. Lilith unlocked the door and Einna followed her inside. "Grimm! I brought company! She's one of Twilight's friends so you don't have to be so shy around her!" Lilith yelled, setting the bag down on the table. "Come on Einna, the living room is this way." Einna followed Lilith into the living room and saw a tall, beige colored pony with black, messy hair sitting on the couch smiling. "Lilith... you should tell me beforehand if you're going to invite somepony over HeHe..." Grimm said. "Sorry Grimm, but I ran into her when I was buying groceries today. She's the one Twilight was telling us about, the new pony that moved in yesterday." Lilith explained. "Ohhh her HeHe... I remember that." Grimm snickered. "Her name is Einna and I thought maybe we should get to know her since we couldn't make it her get-together last night." Lilith said. "Sounds fair HeHe..." Grimm snickered. "So Einna, what brings you to Ponyville?" Lilith asked. "Well... I came from Las Pegasus. I wanted a change of environment so I decided to come this quiet, little town out here." Einna explained. "So far I really like it too!" "I see... Las Pegasus huh? You sure are from far away." Lilith said, looking down at Einna's chest. "That's a very peculiar brooch you have there... I've never seen anything like it before." "You're not the first pony to say that heh heh..." Einna said nervously. "It was given to me by a close friend of mine back in Las Pegasus before I left... I rarely ever take it off..." "I see... how interesting..." Lilith said, staring at the brooch. "Lilith... I have a question to ask you..." Einna asked. "Hm? What would that be?" Lilith replied. "...Twilight told me the story... the story where over 2 years ago... there was somepony by the name of P-" Einna said, cut off. "STOP!" Lilith yelled. "...forgive me for yelling... but it brings back unsavory memories... I'd rather you not say her name..." "S-Sorry... I didn't mean to bring anything unpleasant back..." Einna apologized. "It's alright... anyway, what about the story?" Lilith asked. "...I heard from Twilight that you were different from everypony else..." Einna said. "That you're... a demon... is that true?" Lilith's eyes widened, and then slowly closed. "...It's true that I am a demon... but I don't act like one, at least not anymore..." Lilith said. "I live here with Grimm, whom I've grown quite fond of over the years... I've suppressed most of my impulses as best I could and I try to live as calmly as possible. Eternal Sleep, the one who found me and saved me from what I was, is still watching over me even up until this day..." Einna was silent. "She's always looking out for me... and I'll always be grateful to her for saving me..." Lilith said. "She says that one day I'll have to move on... since I don't belong in the world of the living anymore. She doesn't know herself when that day is... and to be honest I hope it never comes because... I've grown to enjoy my life here in Ponyville... it's something I've wanted ever since I was alive... and I just want it to stay like this for a long time..." "...That's... that's incredible Lilith..." Einna revealed, her eyes tearing up. "Me and her... we really are so much alike... how could I have done something so horrible to her in the past..." "...Thank you for sharing that with me Lilith... it means a lot to me." Einna said happily. "I hope we can become good friends!" "...Yea, I hope we can too Einna." Lilith said, slightly smiling. Einna extended her hooves to Lilith, offering a hug to her. "I'm... I'm not really that big on hugs..." Lilith said. "Neither was I at first." Einna admitted, chuckling. "...Ah what the heck." Lilith said, walking closer towards Einna and embracing her. "Aww that's so adorable HeHe..." Grimm snickered. Lilith and Einna continued to talk to each other for a while afterwards. When it was getting late, Lilith walked Einna out and said their goodbyes, saying that they'll look forward to seeing each other again soon. "Wow, I was there for much longer than I expected." Einna said, yawning and walking back towards her house. "I can't wait till tomorrow! My first day working together with Pinkie nonetheless! This is going to be so great! Wouldn't you agree Morie?" There was no response from Hermaeus Mora. "Morie? Are you there?" Einna asked, tapping the jewel on her brooch. "Hmm... maybe he fell asleep because he was tired... Oh well, I'm sure he'll be there in the morning! I just hope I can wake up on time by myself heh heh..."