//------------------------------// // Understandings and Sweet Victory // Story: Arrived at Dusk // by aliengirlguy //------------------------------// Chapter 9: Understandings and Sweet Victory. It was a lovely sunny day and Dusk had decided to use his time off, the one day he was closed a week, to pay a visit to the Everfree forest to get more grasping nettle. He spent a fair amount of time in the forest, and ended up being delayed a day by the rather magically resistant nettles that had a thing for being grabby. It was a more time consuming and delicate process then he remembered during his trips with Brew Bag, still by the time that he felt he had enough, he decided it would be prudent to head back home to open up shop for the late afternoon rush the next day. As he was nearing the edge of the forest, he heard a rather tiny and vaguely familiar voice yelling out from behind some bushes. Curious, he stuck his head though and beheld the rather odd sight of Applejack stranded on a tree branch over a small vine filled gulch. And she was the size of a small doll. "What in Celestia happened to you?" Dusk asked the miniaturized pony, who yelped and nearly fell of the branch in surprise. "Oh Dusk! Thank Equestria! Mind lending a hoof?" Levitating Applejack from off the branch and onto his saddle bag, he turned his head and frowned down at her as she told her story. When she was done, he groaned exasperatedly. "Celestia save me from superstitious ignorance! Applejack, I know this is hard to believe, but Zecora is not some evil enchantress, and she did not curse you…though I have to disagree with Twilight about the subject matter of the Supernatural and curses in general, those do exist, just not in abundance here. Besides, Zecora is a decent sort." She stamped her little hoof and refused to believe it. Dusk sighed but agreed to take Applejack to Zecora, just so that they could once and for all clear up the matter. They soon bumped into the others huddled outside of Zecora's window and when even Twilight looked like she was succumbing to the nonsense, Dusk huffed an irritated breath and boldly stepped up and knocked on Zecora's door. "Dusk!" the zebra greeted him amicably, "to see you thus, it is good considering all the fuss." "Yes, the fuss, I take it you recently went into town and had a bit of an encounter with some of the local ponies?" he asked dryly. "Yes indeed, though from what I understand they did not take heed," directing a gaze to the afflicted ponies behind him. "You can say that," Dusk replied drolly. He managed to catch Applejack out of the air with his magic, before she could leap at Zecora's face. "What did you do with my sister?!" she demanded. Dusk frowned in some concern. Applebloom was still a little filly and the Everfree was no place for younglings. "Please tell me she's with you?" he asked her worriedly, and much to his relief, she nodded. Soon everyone was gathered inside and between Dusk, Zecora and Applebloom who returned with a saddlebag full of herbs from Zecora's tamer gardens, the whole mess was sorted out, including the revelation that Dusk had been visiting Zecora for months now and added his own opinion on the whole idiotic matter. After he was done lecturing, all the ponies, with the exception of Applebloom, who had actually taken some initiative to get to know Zecora, they apologized, and even spoke to the towns people on Zecora's behalf and introduced her properly to the town, easing the superstitious fears. Pinky Pie's Welcome and Sorry-We-Thought-You-Were-Evil party was apparently rather helpful as well, though Zecora was somewhat confused by the party hats and streamers, but found she enjoyed cupcakes. Dusk suggested to the others, and consequently Mare Mayor who was strolling nearby, that perhaps it would be beneficial to have a class open up to teach the ponies of Ponyville about other cultures. The mayor, who had felt distinctly embarrassed on behalf of herself and the rest of the town agreed that it would be a good idea, and even asked Zecora if she would be willing to offer her services as a teacher for anypony interested in learning. She was hesitant at first, given her reclusive nature with outsiders, but eventually agreed when it was pointed out to her that understanding different cultures would help to lessen anymore misunderstandings and promote a greater unity and acceptance amongst ponies. Twilight herself added a request to her daily correspondence with the princess for her to send ponies and non-ponies from different places to teach in the culture class as well. Princess Celestia thought it was a grand idea and agreed to send a new representative randomly once in awhile to give a one month lecture, and even furthered the whole thing by making a proclamation that all towns and cities offer similar classes to their residences for free. The fact that it increased peaceful ties and understanding with other beings was added side benefit, particularly during negotiation seasons. Fluttershy, who was the only one outside of his pseudo family back in Equestria who was aware that he himself was not born in Equestria, asked him if he too would teach a class, since he had said he was from far away. Dusk polity refused, and reassured her that there was no likelihood that they would ever need to learn about his old home, and that he was satisfied with leaving it behind him. Stating it was very far away, that nopony would be likely to find it. He himself had only managed to come to Equestria by a fluke, but he didn't explain what he meant by that, and Fluttershy didn't push him and accepted his answer. Ooo ooo ooo The Parasprite invasion was definitely a time to remember. When Dusk found one of the little creatures flying round his shop, its cute green eyes staring up at him and chirping friendly, he cursed roundly. "Parasprites! Just what we need!" Unfortunately, no one seemed inclined to worry about the cute little balls of fluff and buggy wings, everyone was too busy dealing with the impending informal visit by Princess Celestia. Cussing a blue streak he began running around town gathering instruments, confusing the hell out of townsponies. To his surprise, Pinky Pie seemed to be doing the exact same thing. They eyed each across a room, which just happened to belong to Mr. and Mrs. Cake. "Here for the cymbals?" she asked dead seriously. His eyes narrowed in determination as he nodded, though to be sure that she was actually after what he was after for the same reasons, this was Pinky after all, he asked. "You got the Harp?" "Of course not, everyone knows that a harp is useless for these situations." Dusk let out a relieved breath, "well, it's a relief that somepony has a sensible head on their shoulders. Alright, let's make this happen and send these spawn of Tartarus back to where they belong." The two nodded and split up. It took them the entire day and part of the next to find every single instrument they needed. By the time that they had strapped their weapons of choice on, the Parasprites, damn their adorable hides, had started eating the town instead of the town's food. They started a mile out of town, Dusk taking the left half and Pinky taking the right. "What do you think? "Cloptown Races" or "Circus is Coming to town?" I'm afraid they're the only tunes I know, my one pony band skills is a bit rusty" Dusk asked her. "Circus seems fitting," Pinky said finally after some thought, "Now as Applejack says, let's roll them out! A one, and a two…" The two of them took their positions and began to march forward, playing in harmony as the cheery bouncy music filled the air. Ponies stopped what they were doing (i.e panicking) and stared at the odd sight…well odder for the more reserved Dusk then the reputation earned random Pinky Pie. Much to everyone's shock, including their friends, the parasprites halted the devastation and fell to the ground and began cheerily bouncing after them in single file. Fortunately, all they had to do was get the little annoyances into the Everfree forest and the place would take care of the rest from there. Both Pinky Pie and Dusk made a pack not to tell Fluttershy what awaited the little fuzz balls, and Dusk decided not to tell anyone but Zecora that he would be harvesting their little corpses a few days from now. One can make some really useful remedies and potions with the wings. He didn't think anypony would appreciate that piece of knowledge, though he was sure Zecora would be doing the same as him once she was assured they were all dead and came out from her sealed up house. Dusk thankfully was able to avoid Princess Celestia, who only appeared long enough to inform Twilight Sparkle that she was unable to visit because Phillydelphia was dealing with their own infestation problem. Dusk and Pinky Pie gave an agreeing nod latter that day amongst themselves to pay a visit to the afflicted city, a place that large would boost the annoying fluff balls' population and pretty soon all of Equestria would be overrun if it wasn't nipped in the bud quickly. Their friends apologized for not believing them, and for being too distracted to try to listen to them. When Pinky Pie and Dusk returned a week later after dealing with the infestation, which was being dealt with through a relay of one-pony bands across the country now, siphoning off the cute balls of destruction into different sections of the Everfree Forrest, They were treated to a plate of cupcakes curtsey of Applejack, as they related their story of the rallying of all capable ponies under their banner across Equestria as they ate, Dusk leaning against Macintosh, still a bit tired from their trip. Pinky, Dusk and others who understood exactly what they were dealing with, received medals of honor from Princess Celestia herself in organizing the entirety of Equestria into the greatest collection of one pony bands in all of Equestrian history against the pests. Dusk was rather glad that the ceremony was quick and the princess, while grateful, seemed distracted by some looming negotiation crisis with the Sphinx delegation back in Canterlot and didn't look at him to closely. It made him nervous to be in her presence, worried that she might be able to tell what he was, and what he had been if she paid attention to him for too long. Since it was a celebration not only in their honor but also a celebration of the defeat of the greatest plague to ponykind, Pinky Pie had managed to finally, successfully, catch Dusk with a party. Though many of the attendees were a little confused by the "welcome to Ponyville" sign that she, even after all this time, carried around with her. Ah yes, Pinky Pie's victory was sweet, and so was the cupcakes.