//------------------------------// // 2 - 06 // Story: Four Hooves // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// I stare at my muddy reflection on the mirror inside Twilight’s illusionary bathroom. I blink... This... This is actually the first time I’ve seen a clear image of what I really look like. The previous ones were from the watery surfaces, but they didn’t give me a clear reflection like this here mirror. Too bad that the mirror is only big enough to see my neck and head. I can’t detach it though, not without fingers for grasping purposes. These pony hooves of mine are not built for grabbing stuff, no matter what the show showed me. I turn my head left and right, my gaze still on my reflection. Damn, I look like Doctor Whooves from that special one hundredth episode of em el pee. Minus the mud, of course, and I think the doctor’s mane is a little lighter than mine. Meh... I study my neck’s reflection. Eeyup... Twilight did a pretty good job at healing me...again. Reykan apologized in front of the females. Twilight accepted his apology reluctantly, Sienna doesn’t want to be near him, and Seri hugged and nuzzled him. Said panther’s probably in the kitchen’s sink once again. I smirk and slowly shake my head. Right. Better get the mud out of my fur. Twilight’s bathroom has a sink, a faucet, a mirror, a toilet, a wastebasket, a toilet paper (I have no idea how non-magical ponies can use that (then again, I don’t remember a time when nature called)), a hamper, a weird tiled box where the bathroom’s cleaning materials are probably stored, a tub with a purple shower curtain, and of course a showerhead. Whew... Here’s to hoping that all of these illusionary things are working like how they should be. I wonder what’s that weird stinky smell though. It smells familiar, but it’s eewy for me to remember. The smell struck my nose ever since I walked inside the bathroom. Meh... The thought of getting a shower lifts my spirits. Whew... I love showers. Although I don’t really like the time I waste while having a shower. And the water bill... Oh well... I doubt this world has water bills. I walk towards the tub and—what the heck?! “Yuck! Yuck yuck yuck yuck—!” I quickly walk backwards as I violently shake my head to get rid of the eewy image I’ve seen. I bump my rear on the bathroom door, still chanting the yucky chant. I quickly turn around, open the door with my mouth— “Jay?” —and march out the bathroom with a disgusted look on my face, still chanting the yucky chant. “Are you okay—Jay! Stop dirtying my room!” Twilight shouts from where she sits by a table. “...again!” I stop. Oh, right... I still have mud on me. “S-sorry...” I look and smile a sheepish smile at her, which isn’t winning the battle against her disapproving frown. We’re in Miss Purple’s room on the second floor of her dead tree home. The lower half has bookshelves filled with books, a staircase leading down to the main library’s room, an opened bathroom door and a small set of staircase leading up to the upper portion of the room where her bed and a few more bookcases are located. Still no windows though... And yes, it still smells like stinky old books, but it’s a graceful replacement smell from the...eewy smell in the bathroom. I shiver involuntarily... I slightly shake my head to get myself back to the matter at hand. “Twilight... Have you seen your tub lately?” She raises an eyebrow. “...Not since you and your friends arrived. Why?” “Ah,” I nod my head. “No wonder you didn’t know.” “About what, exactly?” “About...” I cringe. “Er... L-let’s just say Reykan and Sienna missed the toilet when they were emptying their stomachs earlier...” She blinks at me. I blink back. She flinches. She then takes a deep breath. “Seri!!!” The bathroom door opens, and the sound of flushing immediately bounces around the room as a white swan exits the bathroom with a beaked smile. “All clean and sparkly!” Seri chirps. “And ‘eewy-smell’ free!” She looks at me, then at Twilight and then she chuckles. “Wow, you two. I can’t believe the two of you are afraid of cleaning that foul-smelling liquid in the tob.” “Tub,” Twilight corrects her. She and I are sitting around a small study table on her room’s lower portion. Seri simply shakes her head in amusement before she wobbles toward the stairs leading to the main room. “Well, I should head back down and see if Reykan’s okay.” “All right,” Twilight says. “Thanks for the help, Seri.” “No problem, Twilight,” Seri replies with a smile. Standing before the stairs, she...lies down on her feathery belly, the upper-half of her body tilting down towards the stairs. “Uh...” I blink. “What are you do—?” “Wheeeee~!” she slides down like an excited kid sliding down a water slide. “—eeeeee—aaahhh!” “What the—gah!” I hear Reykan’s yelp just before a crashing noise echoes from down the stairs. “...ow.” Twilight’s hoof meets her face as I blink at the stairs. She then shakes her head before she returns her attention on a brownish saddlebag levitating in front of her with her magic. “You should get yourself cleaned up, Jay,” she says without looking at me as she uses her magic to tie the straps firmly and securely so the bag won’t fall apart, it seems. “The bag will be ready by the time you’re done cleaning yourself.” “All right,” I say as I stand up on my four hooves. I enter the bathroom and close the door by biting and pulling the handle. With that done, I turn around and brace myself as I slowly approach the tub. Eeeeeeeeeeeeee—phew, it’s clean. With a smile, I walk inside the tub, sit down—shivering from the cold surface my bum is sitting on—and pull the curtain with both my front hooves. I look around aaand there’s no soap nor a bottle of shampoo. ...I roll my eyes. Of course there wouldn’t be any of those in this world. Le sigh... Aw well. Now let’s see if the shower actually works. I push the purple curtains aside before stepping out of the tub. Damn, that was a good shower, albeit a weird one. I can barely scrub myself, especially my back. Not all ponies can be as flexible as Pinkie Pie, I guess. Aw well. I turn around, facing the dirty water-filled tub. I dip a hoof, try to uncork the tub’s plug-thingie and watch as a small whirlpool appears in the water, sucking the water down and down and all the way down. Plop! I lean forward and turn on the shower once again with my mouth. It’s pretty weird to use my mouth for these kind of stuff, but eh... Also, there’s no cold nor hot water available though, but meh, I shouldn’t complain. As the shower rains water down the tub, I scrub the tub with my hoof, removing the remaining mud that stubbornly clings on the tub for dear life. With that done, I wash my hooves before I turn the shower off, smile, turn around and...there’s no towel... I forgot to bring a towel. Derp. Does Twilight even have towels? I sigh and walk towards the door. Biting the handle, I open and slightly push the door open, enough for me to slip my pony muzzle through. “Twilight,” I call embarrassingly. “I ah uh, forgot to bring a towel...” Back in my apartment, I don’t forget to bring a towel. Ever. It was my bro who kept forgetting to bring one. And now I know how embarrassing it is to forget to bring a towel, not to mention inside someone else’s bathroom. I hear Twilight chuckle. “I don’t have any towels here, Jay.” A pause. “I use my magic to dry myself and Seri off.” I frown. “Well, too bad for me, right?” I think she’s rolling her eyes. “Just come out so I can cast the spell on you.” Aand I’m actually blushing now. It’s a good thing Sienna’s not here to see it. “Uh... Twilight? I’m...uh...wet...and naked...” An awkward pause. Well, it’s an awkward one for me. “Jay...” I hear Twilight say. “We’re all naked.” I blink. “...Oh... Derp... Right... Ahhahahah...hah...uh...” I swallow a nervous lump and push the door open with my hoof, and I immediately wince the very moment I see Twilight sitting behind her small table. Twilight blinks and tilts her head to the side. “Are ponies in Manehattan not comfortable walking out of the bathroom without a towel?” I look away, crossing both my front and hind hooves as I try to put out the flames on my cheeks. “Just cast the freaking spell already.” “Sheesh, you act just like Rarity,” she says as a red field of magic surrounds me. “There. Better?” I sigh in relief as I feel the warm air drying me off. “Y-yeah...” I say as I give her a nod. I blink, my gaze landing on the brown saddlebag on the table before her. “Speaking of Rarity... Is the bag done?” “Mhmm,” she mhmm’s as she grabs the bag with both her hooves. I blink... Wait... She can grab stuff with her hooves? Freaking unicorns and their freaking magic. “I’m not as good as Rarity with these kinds of stuff, but I’ve read enough books to know how to make one at least!” She smiles as she levitates the bag, opening it as she looks inside. “I think it’s sturdy enough as well. I stitched it and double-stitched and cross-stitched and triple-stitched it!” “I think that’s called an overkill stitch, princess,” I tease her with a smile. She rolls her eyes as she places the bag on the table. “Oh, hah hah. Very funny.” She frowns. “Get over here already so I can see if it fits you.” “Yes, Miss Scorpion. Just as soon as—” I just noticed that the red field of magic is no longer surrounding me. Blinking, I look at myself and see myself already clean and dry. “Oh.” Well, as clean as I can ever get myself clean anyway. But it feels nice to be clean and dry. I step out of the bathroom, push the door close and walk towards Miss Purple’s table. Reaching the table, Miss Purple levitates the bag, stands up on her four hooves and places the saddlebag on my back, the actual bags resting on my sides, her magical aura tickling me a bit. “Hm...” she hm’s as she stands beside me, leaning her head towards the straps on my back as she critically analyzes it with a critical eye. “Hmmmmmmm...” She lowers her head, studying the bag or the other set of straps hanging loosely behind the bag. “Uh... Twilight?” I nervously say as she magically attaches the straps to the other bag over my chest and belly, still leaning down with her hmm-ing. “You...do know I’m a guy, right?” She lifts her head back up with a proud smile. “It fits perfectly!” She smiles at me. “And I didn’t even use a measuring tape, but only with my observation skills!” She quickly sits down and claps her front hooves proudly. “I still got it! Now all I need to do is charge those gems up as you and your friends gather the items!” She blinks. “Oh!” She nods her head. “And of course I’m aware that you’re a stallion.” She tilts her head to the side. “Why do you ask?” I stare lamely at her. “... ... ...no reason.” I shake my head and look at the bags hanging on my sides. “Well, at least they’re not uncomfortable.” Twilight nods her head. “They shouldn’t be. I’ve read about how not to make saddlebags uncomfortable to wear.” She smiles. “Still, I’m really proud to know that my first ever saddlebag is okay. It may lack designs and flare and whatever words Rarity can come up with, but at least it’s usable, right?” I shrug. “Eh, I’ll be the judge of that. The usability, I mean.” “Actually,” she says, standing up. “We can test it downstairs.” She then walks toward the stairs leading to the main room, with me following close behind. “Seri has told me that her kind are a friendly bunch, but it’s still nice to give them something in exchange for the help they’re going to lend you, right?” Twilight and I now walk down the stairs. “What do you mean?” I ask. “I’m going to ask you to give them gems in return,” she says as we reach the main room. The main library room still looks the same though. Seri’s happy humming echoes from the kitchen. Reykan is licking himself clean by the door and Sienna is sitting around the study table with a very, very wide grin aiming at me. “How’d it go?” she asks oh so pleasantly. I roll my eyes as I stop following Twilight to glare at the deer. “Sienna, we didn’t—you know what? It was so amazing that I could kiss you.” She blinks at me, smile faltering. “That’s...good? What’s kiss?” “Eeewww...” I blink, turn and see Reykan shuddering in disgust as he gives me a disgusted look. “You and Twilight pony did it? Eewww...” he shivers. I roll my eyes at him. “Reykan, trust me. If we did it, I’ll let you eat me and I won’t stop you.” He blinks at me. He smiles. “Really? So you two did it?” “No.” “Aww...” His ears droop. I shake my head. “This sex joke is getting tiring and annoying.” I give Sienna a glare. “I’d really appreciate it if you two stop doing it.” Sienna rolls her emerald eyes, but didn’t say anything. “Oh, let them have their fun, Jay,” Twilight says as she approaches me with two small gems levitating behind her. She smiles at Sienna with a...teasing smile? “Besides, I learned that those who want to feel something are usually the ones who teases or forces others to do it first.” “That’s not true!” Sienna glares at her. “Oooooooh...” Seri’s head pokes out from the kitchen entryway, grinning at Sienna. “Sienna’s secret has been revealed!” “It hasn’t!” Sienna yells at the swan. “I don’t have a secret!” “What’s a secret?” I hear Reykan ask. “Yes, you do,” Seri counters. “No, I don’t!” Sienna counters back. I roll my eyes and ignore their banter. “Plant eaters are weird...” I hear Reykan mutter. Twilight chuckles before she magically opens the saddlebag, places two gems inside and closes the bag again. She smiles. “Well, if the bag can hold two gems, then I’m sure it can hold the items we need for the potion.” I nod my head. Gems weirdly don’t weigh much, not to mention one is almost as big as my head. Or Twilight’s head. “So... I’ll give these gems to the swans as thanks?” “Mhmm...” Twilight nods her head. “I already charged it with mana while you and your deer friend were exchanging words for words. So the swans will be very thankful for it.” “Oh, they surely will!” Seri chirps from the kitchen. “We don’t really have anything to trade with the unicorns for gems, even if we really wanted to get some.” I blink. “That...reminds me...” I turn to Twilight. “Pinkie Pie mentioned that they used to exchange their food for gems.” I blink again. “What are the gems for?” “Protection,” Twilight replies. I blink. I arch an eyebrow. “Protection?” She nods her head. “Eeyup.” “From what?” “Predators,” Sienna answers, catching my attention. She blinks a curious blink at me. “Wow, Jay. You should know what the gems are for, since you’re a pony.” “From another Equestria,” Twilight reminds her. “Eh...” the deer shrugs. “Well, the gems are used for protection against predators. Unicorns charge the gems with magic for non-magical ponies to use so they can fight off predators that enters their pastures.” “Huh...” I hear Reykan mutter. “I should remember that...” I blink. “So... Basically, you're saying that Pinkie Pie and Applejack are sitting ducks from predators?” “Oh dear,” I hear Twilight say, catching my attention. Her ears droop as she gives me a horrified look. “They don’t have any gems in their pasture?” “Er...” I blink at her. “Who?” “Pinkie Pie and Applejack,” Twilight says, sitting down with a worried look on her face. “They stopped trading gems with unicorns? H-how are they going to defend their pasture then?” “Huh...” I sit down as well, the saddlebag slipping down slightly. “Hm... Well, Pinkie told me that they stopped trading with the unicorns in Canterlot Mountain for...a few moons now.” She blinks at me. “What does moons mean, Twilight?” “Er...” Twilight er’s. “Months, Jay. It means months in this world.” I blink. “Oh.” That’s good to know, I guess. “Anyway, they don’t look like they’re in fear of predators or whatever. Honestly?” I shrug. “They looked pretty fine to me. Er... Except for that nasty scar Pinkie showed me.” “A scar?” Twilight asks, sounding worried. I nod my head. “Yeah. She said she got it from the unicorns’...erm...rock cannons.” Miss Purple blinks. Miss Purple’s ears droop. “Er... B-but she doesn’t look sad! Or angry!” Uh... Uh... “Uh... B-but, she did say that we shouldn’t say the bleep word because the ponies living there gets upset or sad! So uh yeah!” I smile a weird smile. Twilight blinks at me. “...Bleep word?” I blink. “Oh!” I chuckle. “Eheheh... T-that’s what Pinkie and I agreed to call ‘unicorns.’ Apparently, the ‘unicorn’ word is the forbidden word of their pasture.” Twilight blinks at me. She then rolls her eyes with an amused smile. “Pinkie Pie...” she says, shaking her head slightly. “Still the same happy pink pony, no matter which world.” She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, exhales and reopens her eyes, staring at me. “I promise to fix Equestria, fix everything, so I can get my life back, get my family back, and get my friends back.” She nods her head. I nod before I stand on four hooves. “Right.” I smile as I turn around, smiling at Sienna and Reykan. “All right. To Swan Lake then.” “Swan Lake?” Reykan tilts his head. “There are many swans there, right?” Sienna throws a glare at him that lasts for a few seconds before she throws that same glare at me. “If he’s coming, then I’m not coming.” My ears droop. Derp. I forgot about this stupid coming-not-coming dilemma of mine. Reykan blinks his sapphire eyes at Sienna. “Uh... Why not?” I throw a helpless look at Twilight. Miss Purple simply shrugs with an apologetic smile. My drooped ears droops even more... Sigh...