SKIES OVER PONYVILLE
The bright and clear day was par the course in Ponyville, especially since they had one of the best weather ponies in Equestria on hand to keep the skies blue. Rainbow Dash, exploiting her tremendous Pegasus eyesight, scanned every inch of her small town for a sign of her friend and for the moment, adversary, Pinky Pie.
Crouched over a grey rain cloud, she smirked with thoughts of revenge; “If she thinks she’s gonna get away with messin’ with my wings…” she patted the cloud, savoring the feeling of anticipatory revenge. After fixing an elastic band around her wings, Pinky had tied balloons to one of her confetti cannons, and set it off. The resulting scare nearly saw Rainbow tumble out of her napping cloud, fortunately, she was able to regain her standing and avert disaster.
“As soon as she pokes her cotton candy mane out from wherever she’s hiding, it’s shower time! He-he!”
Peering down, she finally caught sight of her target. The bouncing fluffy maned mare was trotting around the corner of city hall, her saddlebags overflowing with party trappings. But just as Rainbow started moving her cloud into position, a stallion exited the building, tucking a rolled piece of parchment into his own bags. He and Pinky nearly collided, and both recoiled after having come nose-to-nose. Wanderlust seemed more confused than surprised, and Rainbow’s hearing allowed her to pick-up on his reaction.
“Oh, hello again Pinky. I don’t think we‘-”
But Pinky’s reaction cut him off, darting off in a cloud of dust and leaving him behind. Wanderlust crumpled his face in dismay, apparently disappointed by the brief encounter. For the moment, Rainbow lost her interest in settling the score with her friend, and became much more curious about whatever it was Wanderlust had been doing in the Mayor’s office.
“Wait…” Rainbow asked herself; “how did he know her name?” She thought back to earlier, and she remembered mentioning the name Pinky, but how could he know it was her? Well, other than the pink mane and fur. She abandoned her leaden cloud and swooped down to the height of the houses, trailing after Wanderlust and careful that her shadow not give her away.
As he strolled through the streets, he took in the local color, smiling and greeting the townsponies along the way. Nothing too sinister yet she mulled, watching as he tilted his head quizzically at the ‘Quills and Sofas’ shop. Rainbow landed on the ridge of a roof, beginning to consider if she was making too much of this. "AppleJack seemed to think he’s alright, and Rarity’s inviting him for dinner…” Rainbow found it unlikely that two ponies as unalike as her friends would both be conned by this guy.
She was about to fly off and resume her prank crusade, when she noticed Wanderlust had diverted his attention towards Twilights castle. Unlike the local features he had been exploring, now his posture went very still, fixating on the palace.
“what are you up to?” She wondered aloud. Bits and pieces of Daring Do stories paraded through her mind, instances where the heroine had relied on cunning and investigative skills rather than swashbuckling deeds. Wanderlust broke away from the castle, heading for the other shops.
“Looks like it’s up to me to find out who this guys really is.”
Shifting from cover to cover Rainbow tracked him through town, hiding behind chimneys and ducking around corners. Wanderlust approached the flower shop, hailing Lily with a smile. She watched as he selected a number of differently colored flowers, purchased them with bits from his saddlebag, and bundled them into a bushel with his magic. Lily seemed stunned by his bulk purchase, and equally so by the bits he so casually expended for them.
“Trying to butter-up Rarity huh?” Rainbow mused with a smirk. Whatever he had planned for her friend, she was going to make sure that it was on the up-and-up.
Wanderlust rearranged the assortment, until it resembled the diamond shape of her cutie mark, with white roses and purple pansies in concentric rings, with blue morning glories in the center. Satisfied, he smiled to himself and left the still stunned florist behind.
Seizing the opportunity, Rainbow swooped down beside Lily, who paid her no immediate attention.
“Hey Lily, make any interesting sales today?” She asked coyly.
“You could say that! Look at these coins.”
Lily held the bits on her hoof for Rainbow to inspect. At first glance one might not notice the details, but a closer look revealed the truth.
“Whoa…” Rainbow sighed, the three coins were solid gold, nicked and marred, with parts of it worn smooth, thinner than the average bit. But what they could make out was strange, the portrait on the heads side wasn’t Celestia, unusual to see in these rural parts of Equestria. There was also lettering, or she guessed along the rim, but the icons were made of straight lines and angles, no curves at all, as if one had to carve the letters to write in it. On the reverse was a ship at sea, a wooden ship, sails unfurled atop crashing waves.
“I’ve never seen bits like these before.” Lily said in a awe-struck tone, “It’s like they’re from some ancient treasure.”
Rainbow cursed the luck, if Twilight were around she’d be able to find out where these bits were from, she probably had some egghead book on money from all over the world.
“An ancient treasure…”
Suddenly an idea in her head clicked, but she would need to trade.
“Lily, How many bits do you want for one of those coins?”
The pink florist thought for a moment, trying to scale some kind of exchange rate. “Um…. Two bits?”
“Deal!”
Rainbow swiped one of the old coins from Lily’s hoof, somehow simultaneously tossing two of her own bits in its place as she vanished in a blink.
Two streets over, Wanderlust stood under a balcony, watching the multicolored trail of the Pegasus travel away. He smirked.
CANTERLOT CASTLE
LIBRARY
AFTER SUNSET
“Alright, Library’s closed, goodnight everypony.”
The librarian stood at gates to the room, smiling warmly as each visitor passed by her. As the last one filed past, she turned to notice there was one left that was still perusing the shelves, a very familiar face.
“Pardon me Princess, but I’m afraid the library visiting hours are over.”
Twilight hesitated to face the librarian, and thought quickly to craft an excuse. After all, if her status as Princess couldn’t get her in the library after-hours, what good was it? She cleared her throat, and turned to the attendant with a sweet smile.
“I’m sorry if this seems inappropriate, but could I just stay a bit longer? I’m working on aaaa…… special project for Princess Celestia, for Hearth’s Warming Eve. I’m going back home in the morning, and I just need a little longer to find the books I need.”
The book-keeper narrowed her eyes, but a wry smile betrayed her.
“Princess Twilight, you act like this is the first time you’ve spent the night in here by yourself.” A chuckle finished the faux admonishment as she ambled herself beyond the gates. “Just make sure to lock the gates when you’re done, like always.”
Twilight stood where she was, around her the lights going out, and the sound of the locks clicking echoing through the rows of books. She bit her lip, knowing the taboo she was about to break. Looking over to the librarian’s desk, she waited until the hoof-falls down the hall faded out of earshot before trotting around behind it. She gave the gates one last glance, just to make sure nopony was watching.
“I hope she can forgive me.”
Again, she wedged her magic in-between the wall and the bookcase, prying them apart. The effort to move it was no less Herculean than before.
“Well, *grunt* I’m pretty sure nopony else has disturbed it.”
Spying down on her from the top of a book shelf, Flash Sentry kept his body flat against the surface. The collar of his black jacket raised in an attempt to hide himself in the shadow.
Is that where the Princess is worried she’s getting into? I should tell the princess right away, but, I don’t wanna get Twilight in any hot water.
His indecision churned his stomach as he watched the lavender Alicorn push aside the furniture. But he felt his sense of duty winning out over his feelings. Slowly so as to not cause a sound, he got his hooves under him, rising from his position. He took a second to marvel at the huge ornate carving that stood behind the bookcase. Transfixed as he was by the occult icon, he never saw the form stalking him from behind until it was too late. A soft blue light sparked in the darkness.
“Huh?”
Turning his head towards the source, his world went black before he could raise a hoof in his defense.
The doors peeled back once again, revealing to Twilight the miniature museum within, and she cast an illumination spell. Everything was as she had left it, the story-telling tapestry, the suit of armor, the necklace of unnerving teeth, and the map showing where Thule once existed.
More importantly for tonight, the reams of books sat unmoved under cobwebs and dust, tomes of knowledge Twilight could only guess at. Standing at the threshold she levitated her saddlebag onto her back, then finally entered. The closest shelf was to her left, and contained about a dozen books, their titles mixed between the runic lettering of Thule, and archaic Equestrian. She got close and blew the dust away, creating a could of grey powder three times her size. The dust got into her face, forcing her to shut her eyes and cough until she used her wings to beat back the assaulting particles.
The covers of the books were faded but not pale, having been spared exposure to light for so long. The first book was labeled in Thulian, but taking a quick glance through the pages displayed styles of dress for the inhabitants in stylized drawings. The stallions sporting a mixture of clothing to protect them from the cold, and suits of armor. These were different from the one on display in the room, which now appeared to be one more for presentation. The ones in the book featured curved horns on the withers, a row of plated blades along the crest, and more plated armor over the flanks and rear.
Depictions of mares were similar, their dresses were surprisingly colorful, with some being relatively simple long tunics, while more ornate dresses decorated with intricate knots and floral patterns.
“Rarity would love this book.” Twilight mused to herself, tucking the book into her bag.
The next was in Equestrian, and like the first was a book on the culture of the kingdom, this one about the yearly cycle of feats and celebrations. They too it seemed celebrated a version of Hearth’s Warming Eve, though instead of a play, it was a monolog before a crowded long-hall.
“The books are grouped by subject“, she pondered, “so where might the histories be?”
A larger book case along the left side of the room contained not just books, but smaller items of interest. A rock of strange deep blue, the skull of a fanged predator, even a small snow-globe featuring a tiny model of a castle. Starting with her wings to clear the dust away, she selected one book written in Thulian. Inside were depictions of a castle, the same one from the miniature, but much more detailed. The rest of the pages showed images of the inside; long halls decorated with tapestries and busts, rooms with high ceilings and massive tables. More than a few pages were dedicated to a throne hall, long in depth, with a staircase that elevated a dais on which sat two thrones. Under each illustration were lines of text, that Twilight found herself irritated that she couldn’t understand.
“I could try to use Haygart’s Method, but I just don’t have the time right now.”
She tucked this book into her bag, and decided to examine the books on the other side of the room. Appropriately, next to the armor stand, she found the volumes on history. Mostly warfare. Going down the list of titles, it struck her that so much of Thule’s history was a chronicle of one battle after another. She gasped when she extracted one book, titled in Equestrian: “An Account of the Great War of the North, Thule against the federated Yak tribes.”
“Whoa…” She wondered how different the meeting with Prince Rutherford might have gone if she had possessed this book before. This one she definitely wanted to keep, and placed it in her bags. She had space for one more, so she wanted to make sure to grab one worth all the trouble.
She stepped back to take in once more the stained-glass portrait of Prince Æclypse, valiant as he was in the depiction.
“Alright ‘good prince’, what book would you suggest I take?”
“Knowing him, he’d recommend a work on the settling of the southern lands.”
Twilight gasped as the voice caught her off guard, causing her to recoil and extinguish the light from her horn. For a moment she froze in the darkness, afraid to reveal herself to whoever had snuck-up on her.
Is it Celestia?! She worried frantically, her heart nearly thumping out of her breast.
“You needn’t be so frightened Twilight.” came the voice from the darkness. A soft blue light, like a candle flame appeared in the blackness. The light floated up and away to the ceiling where it dispersed into several smaller orbs which separated in different directions. The little flickers came to a stop equidistant to each other, and settled until they grew in volume, revealing that they had indeed lit the several candles of a chandelier.
The light was enough to brighten the room, and standing before Twilight, Princess Luna smiled softly at her.
“I’ve been in this room enough times to tell you something about each item in here, including the books that you’ve selected.”
The presence of the princess of the night stunned Twilight, mostly so due to Celestia’s warning that Luna wouldn’t take it well. But now she seemed to be glancing about the chamber as if strolling through familiar memories. Luna came to a stop next to Twilight, gazing up to Æclypse with a look that bespoke a deeper knowledge.
“Princess Luna, I… I”
“Discovered this room the other night? Asked Celestia about it and was told to keep it a secret, especially from me?”
Twilight couldn’t speak, and let her mouth hang open as she gawked at the senior Alicorn.
“I thought as much. She means well, but my sister’s fear of my emotions is unnecessary. There was a time when the memories this room holds would move me to tears true, but I have long since come to terms.”
“You said you knew Prince Æclypse? How?”
At the mention of his name Luna’s smile curled a little wider, her brow inflexing upwards to the center.
“I never met him in face-to-face, but we spent many nights together in the dreamscape.”
“Like when you visit troubled ponies in their dreams to help them?” Twilight asked. Luna nodded, and with a flash of brilliant light from her horn she created a mirage of 2-dimensional artistic visions of the things she spoke of.
“Quite right, in fact, it was during one of my visitations that I first met him.” Luna’s gaze shifted to Sombra, and her expression became saddened; “He was deeply disturbed over his brother, who despite their parents love was becoming dark and cruel of heart. He believed firmly that to make war on your kin was to invite the judgment of the gods they worshipped, but he knew that one day he might have to protect his kingdom and those he was sworn to defend from his own family.
So one night while I was traversing the dreamscape, I heard his lamentations and ventured out to counsel him. Despite my age I was still young of spirit then, and was unprepared for the pony I came upon. His fame had preceded him, and I was aware of the tales of his bravery and oration. But when I came into his dream, I found him to be tormented by loyalty to his blood, and duty to his kingdom. I advised him that choosing between loyalty and duty would not be easy, but when the time came he would know the right decision to make. In the meantime, he should do his best to show his brother a better way, even find a useful outlet for his aggressive tendencies.
Though my task was completed, I found him to be… intriguing. As I said I was familiar with his deeds, and was still young at heart, so I desired to speak with him further. Over time, I would go to his dreams frequently just to speak with him, and found that he and I had become fast friends. I would show him the vast nebulae of the dreamscape, and he would show me the wondrous sites of the north in his memories.
Instead of the usual pony who would prostrate themselves before me, he treated me like an equal, a pony like anyone else with thoughts and feelings. His reputation aside, he was as formidable a mind as he was a warrior, and often taught me things of the world that even I had not learned in my years. As our friendship grew so did the intimacy between us, and I would share with him my feelings of isolation and disconnection with my sister. He having troubles with his own sibling, we were alike, and found confidants in each other to tell of things we otherwise kept secret.
As the years went on, we became more than friends.”
Twilight was having a hard time taking this all in, and watched as tears formed in the corners of Luna’s eyes as she continued her tale. She smiled.
“He would sing to me, and he had a wonderful voice, and often I would join him in song. In our dreams we would sail on the sparking stars as we sang, creating magnificent adventures.
He would compose poetry just for me, which he would read to me in imagined fields of long green grass.”
“You two were in love.” Twilight said, both astonished and enchanted by the story of long-lost ardor.
Luna pursed her lips, the sadness in her face matched by twitches of joy.
“Indeed we were. We had bonded in both mind and spirit, as deep as any two ponies could be. But we never met in the waking world, for we knew if we did, we might not depart one another. The closest we would ever come to real-life, was on occasion I would create the aurora borealis, and using our magic, we would make a song of the glimmering colors. On clear nights the stars would sparkle, and we assigned notes to each of them. We called our song making, the Ainulindalë.”
By now a dozen questions were buzzing through Twilight’s head, each of them extrapolating into a dozen more. But one of them in particular stuck in her craw.
“Did Princess Celestia know what was going on between you two?”
Luna lowered her head, mulling the memory; “She did eventually. The change in my behavior became noticeable, I would sing to myself absentmindedly, and spend time frolicking in the garden. At first she was happy for my romance, though she did not know who had captured my heart, and encouraged my feelings. I admit I enjoyed the secret nature of our affair, and refused to tell my sister who he was.
But one day I could contain my excitement no longer, and revealed to her that the stallion of my dreams was none other than the handsome and valiant prince of the North, known widely for being just in his dealings and beloved of his subjects. But instead of sharing my joy, this news caused my sister great distress. Why, she would never tell me, but I sensed there was an underlying fear. Though she never objected to our relationship, she always seemed uncomfortable with it.
I told Æclypse of her reaction, so he resolved to travel the great distance down to our castle in the Everfree, and meet with Celestia.”
“So, what happened? Did he come?”, Twilight sensed the story was nearing it’s end, the desire for closure tantalizing.
“He never got the chance. Soon after, his brother Sombra went mad and overthrew the Crystal Empire. Thule possessed the mightiest army in Equestria, and Celestia sought his aid in bringing his brother to justice. As much as I wanted to be there, to see him, to look into his eyes, I was not present at the meeting. I was sent ahead to scout Sombra’s defenses. Afterwards I was told the meeting was long and argumentative, Æclypse refused to wage war on his brother, and Celestia threatened to punish him for refusing to help.
The meeting ended with them at each others throats, and I always wondered if the anger that she showed in our battle with Sombra was really meant to be unleashed on Æclypse.
After we defeated Sombra, I was prepared to go with my sister to Thule and petition for mercy on his behalf, but she left before I could join her. By the time I got to the kingdom, Æclypse was already gone,
I tried to reach him through the dreamscape, but he had found a way to keep me out. Though I continued to try night after night, after so long he became lost even to me. I never knew why he refused to speak to me, I just assumed he was angry that I didn’t defend him to my sister.”
Twilight thought back to every hero of old she had ever read about, trying to link them to the banished prince, but nothing matched-up.
“As an outlaw sentenced to exile,” Luna continued; “It was forbidden for a citizen of Equestria to shelter him, feed him, or even speak to him. He was forever off limits, even to me.”
The implications of the punishment surprised Twilight, who had never considered that her mentor could be so harsh in dealing with law breakers. But even if he was forgotten to history, Æclypse’s exile wouldn’t explain why Thule was lost.
“But why don’t we know about Thule? What happened to the kingdom?”
Luna glanced about the room at the various items of Thulian culture. “My sister’s punishment had repercussions that I do not think she anticipated. By destroying Sombra and banishing Æclypse she had effectively ended the hereditary royal line, and with the King and Queen nearing the end of their rule, Thule’s independent governance came to an end. Thulian unicorns by nature were a proud tribe, and they refused to recognize the three candidates that Celestia and I sent to them. Instead, they considered themselves a conquered nation, and led by their aging diarchy, formally surrendered themselves to Equestrian rule. When their prince had left, Thule went with him.
Over time they migrated south and settled in among the different villages and towns, choosing to exile themselves like their beloved prince Æclypse. Thule itself fell into disrepair, and disappeared under the ice and snow, joining itself to the fate of the would-be-king Sombra.
None of that was directly Celestia’s doing, but nonetheless the guilt pushed her to be more equitable, more forgiving in her role as Princess, and she sealed off this chamber not bury the past, but to put Thule at last to rest.”
Luna turned to Twilight, a glimmer of happiness in her face amongst the melancholy; “Do not think too harshly of my sister, Twilight Sparkle. All she does is out of love and compassion. We are each responsible for our actions, and Æclypse for reasons you may think just or unjust, was held responsible for his. At the time I was despondent with her, but in my long-life I have come to see the wisdom of her decision.”
They both returned to staring at the window, Luna tilted her head to her companion; “The window and the tapestry were sent to us shortly after his ascension to Participate, I remember all the chamber-mares looking at his portraits, admiring him. But inwardly I giggled to myself, for I knew the secret of our affair, and saw in his face more than just the charming prince, but a philosopher, a poet, a lover of song and story. He delighted in the joy of children, and reveled in warcraft. He had a noble heart and meditative mind, ready to lead his people with wisdom, courage, and justice.”
Luna draped a wing over Twilight’s shoulder’s, pulling the junior Alicorn into a hug. “What I have told you Twilight I have never shared with anypony. Celestia is the only other one who knows the story. It has been deeply enjoyable to share with you my tale of love and loss. Come Twilight!”
Luna broke from the embrace, turning towards the exit, “Let us not dwell in this mausoleum; let us fill our bellies with chilled sweet cream, fashion each other’s hooves with glittering polish, and blather on verbosely about the frivolous affairs of our lives.”
Twilight chuckled, Luna’s way of speaking turned a girls night in, into something that sounded like a regal ceremony.
“I think that would be great Luna.”
The Princess of the night paused, craning her neck back towards the visage of Æclypse.
“You know Twilight, the likeness does not do him justice.”
The Alicorn’s shared a laugh as the lights of the chandelier faded out in unison behind them, the doors closing as they exited.
The sound of the stone bookcase sliding back into its place barricading the hidden chamber.
Oblivious to the laughter of girlish glee was Flash Sentry, who lay on his back atop the bookshelf, foreleg across his chest, snoring softly.
PONYVILLE
The day had gone well, very well as a matter of fact. Wanderlust smiled to himself, happy with the result of his days errands. Soon everything would be in place, and his new life in this humble village could begin in earnest. Thinking now of how far he had traveled and how long he had spent on the road, it amused him that it would settle at last in this quaint agrarian town. Especially so with the enchanting Rarity and her endearing little sister.
The stars in the sky twinkled, and a cool breeze signaled the oncoming of winter. It had been years since he celebrated a Hearth’s Warming eve, and he had heard that the celebrations at Canterlot were the best in all of Equestria.
He thought back to the meetings with Applejack and Rainbow Dash earlier, and what kind of conclusions could be drawn. The farmer so far seemed on the level, forthright and affable. The Pegasus might take a bit longer to appraise though, her suspicion of him could create an issue. He knew she had been watching him earlier, and he had to admire the attempt at counter-intelligence.
According to what he had heard the yellow Pegasus was especially timid, so getting a fix on her might take a while. But she was a lover of animals, so that could be the ice breaker. The pink one could go either way. She was known to be aggressively friendly, but erratic, so Wanderlust put a question mark next to her in his mind.
Most vital, was the young Alicorn. Or was she going to stop aging now that she was transformed? he wondered. The prospect that Celestia could create immortals intrigued him, but then what was the mechanism? Could she only elevate certain individuals who displayed key traits? Or could she raise anyone she wanted to, and she was just being selective about it? Alicorn magic was still an unknown quantity to him, more mysterious than any other magical discipline he’d ever encountered.
Getting Twilight to go along with his plans was the linchpin. Her reputation as being forgiving and turning enemies into friends preceded her, and Wanderlust hoped to use that to win her over.
As he passed the fountain in the town square, the sound of foals laughing caught his attention. Off to the right, a pair of colts scampered out of a narrow street, chuckling to themselves over a shared comedy. Curious, Wanderlust drifted over, tracing the hoof-prints around the corner of a cottage. As he approached, rain began to fall at a modest rate, the droplets pitter-pattering on his snout.
Resting on her haunches in the alley, a mare with grey/blue fur and a cornsilk yellow mane sat alone gazing at the ground. Oblivious to the rain soaking into her, she sniveled softly, her fragile voice coming in pained huffs and whines. Her cutie mark of a cloud of bubbles struck Wanderlust as being out of place in such a sad scene. He stepped out from his cover and took a few tentative steps towards her, causing her to look up at him with the humiliation of having her hurt exposed.
The expression in her eyes spoke of desperation and indefinable frustration. Her eyes were offset, crossed with one higher than the other. For a moment they met each-other’s gaze, and Wanderlust felt an exquisite pity for her.
Using his magic, he extracted a blanket from his saddlebag and draped it over her head and shoulders. He also took note of the objects strewn on the ground before her, a small basket with a red ribbon and three muffins. He knelt down and put his magic to replacing the goods in the carrier, and placing it under her leaning body and out of the rain.
“What has happened to you?” he asked her, speaking as though she were a candle that he could blow-out by speaking to loud.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes, her tears lost among the raindrops. Her voice was full of a delicate anguish; “They ran in front of me, and I stumbled ‘cause I couldn’t see ‘em clearly. They did it on purpose to make me drop my muffins. They…*sniff* they always do it on purpose.”
A heat welled-up in Wanderlust’s chest, the anger physically causing his body to increase in surface temperature. Rain that stuck his horn was turned to steam, though facially he gave no indication of his ire. Few things got to him like tormentors, those who victimized the vulnerable for entertainment. He was well familiar with the tyrant kind.
He stifled the urge to chase after the two and drag them back for an apology, that wasn’t what she needed right now. “Bullies…” he said through his teeth; “I have dealt with my share as well.”
At this her expression was altered to slight incredulity, she raised an eyebrow up to him, as her eyes were roughly level with his shoulders. “you …*sniff* you got bullied?”
“Indeed, I was bullied for many years. The important thing is not to let it make you feel weak, but you must use it to make you feel strong.”
He sat himself down next to her right, and created an awning of magic above them to shelter them from the rain.
“When I was… bullied, it made me feel weak, like I was a victim. But eventually I understood that as bad as I ever felt, I had a degree of control over how I felt.”
She shuffled closer to him, and he craned his neck to the left as he continued; “Adversity, whether it be bad luck, bad weather, or just mean ponies are a part of life, something that everypony has to deal with. And that’s where ponies like you and me get the chance to shine you see.”
“What do you mean?” she asked,
“When you’re in a race, that’s a chance to show how fast you are, right?
“Yeah..”
“And when you… bake a muffin, that’s a chance to show how good a baker you are, right?”
A faint smile crept onto her face, “yup.”
“And when you smile, that’s a chance to show how pretty you are, right?”
The smile spread, and her cheeks blushed a tiny bit as she glanced away, answering the question with a small giggle. To emphasize his final point, Wanderlust put a hoof under her chin and raised her face so that they might connect better.
“And when something happens, to test how weak we are, that’s our chance to show everypony how strong we are.”
Her face gradually opened with understanding, and from her chest her whole posture was lifted. “So… when something makes us sad… that’s a chance to show how happy we are?”
“Yes, exactly.”
She brought a fore-hoof to her face and wiped away the last of the moisture from her eyes.
Before he could react, she maneuvered around his foreleg and embraced him in a hug tighter than he would have anticipated. Wanderlust put his leg around her shoulders and returned the gesture. She nestled her face into his chest, “My name’s Derpy, thank you for cheering me up.”
“A pleasure to meet you Derpy, my name is Wanderlust.”
They held together for a few more moments before Derpy pulled away, her demeanor a drastic transformation. Now her eyes were as bright and joyful as Wanderlust had ever seen a pony’s been, and her smile struck him as remarkably sweet.
She leaned down and slipped the basket’s ribbon over her neck, and used her teeth to fold the lining napkin over the muffins. Meeting his face once again she gave him a beaming smile; “Thank you Wanderlust.”
She turned and merrily trotted off, leaving the blanket he had lent her behind. He took it in his magic, and held it aloft; “You can keep the blanket for the way home.”
She paused and glanced back, “That’s OK, I like to play in the rain.”
As she trotted away, Derpy playfully frolicked in the puddles.
A few minutes later, Wanderlust arrived at the door to Carousel Boutique. He spared a look to the sky, where the Pegasus were clearing away the grey clouds. Standing before the door, his magic opened his left flank bag, and retrieved a small glass spray bottle. He sprayed a fine mist onto either side of his neck, and even a bit on his tail, then gave himself a self-satisfied sniff.
“Mares from Phillydelphia to Neighpon can’t resist a whiff of ‘ole Scalawag.”
He opened the door, and found himself standing at the threshold in complete darkness.
“huh….”
But the lights came on in an instant and he was assailed by a cacophony of noise and colors.
“SURPRISE!!!”
Gathered within the shop had to be nearly half the town, the room adorned in party decorations, streamers, punch bowls, party hats.
Rarity and Sweetie Belle came-up to him grinning from ear to ear. Sweetie strapped a party hat onto his head, while Rarity took off his bags with a grunt of effort.
Wanderlust greeted them with a pleasant smile, “Rarity, what is all this?”
The mare chuckled, “Why it’s a party darling. I know it seems unwarranted, but new residents tend to get a little soirée to celebrate.” She sniffed at his neck, which elicited a flirtatious titter from her.
“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle chimed; “It’s welcome to the neighborhood party!”
“PAAAARRRRRRRRRTTTYYYYY TIIIIIIIIMEE!!!”
A blur of pink collided into Wanderlust, tackling him to the ground and pinning him to the floor.
“Welcome to Ponyville Wanderlust! I’m Pinky Pie! And--”
She paused before another word came out, her nose taking an extended whiff.
“Hello Pinky, a pleasure to meet you.”
Her expression stiffened, “Talktoyoulater, gottagobake!” and in a flash, she was gone.
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