The Impossible Dream

by Merc the Jerk

By his namesake

With the help of Applejack, Tilting rose from the bed. He leaned heavily onto her side, walking in beat with the farmpony as they left the room. The two, followed closely by Twilight and Zecora, carefully took the stairs down. They wandered the hallway briefly, before taking a right into the kitchen, where several ponies all sat talking.

“Heya,” Applejack announced, then cleared her throat, “This is that there pony we've been keepin' as a guest. I figured I'd take him down and say howdy to ya'll.”

“Yeah. AJ mentioned you to me,” the cyan pegasus brashly said as she sat in her chair, her front legs resting behind her head, and ther back legs on top of the table. “Though, I wouldn't call somepony that was in a stone imprisonment a 'guest.'” She shrugged. “You from around here?”

“Neigh,” he stated. “I'm from a town called Steedhelm.” Pausing after saying the town name, he took a breath. His eyes widened. “I need to return there! Now!” Tilting Windmills exclaimed, moving towards the living room, only to weakly slump and land on the flooring.

“Jus' calm down. Ya need rest, otherwise ya won't be able to do anythin' once you do get there,” AJ coaxed.

Tilting looked down at his hoof, thinking. “Aye,” he agreed, reluctantly. “Mayhaps I do, before I set out on yet another harrowing adventure.”

The rest of the occupants of the room glanced amongst themselves, unsure how to progress with the new pony.

Applejack frowned. “Anyway...” she trailed off, rising a hoof to draw his attention. “Let me introduce everypony to ya, Tiltin'. We got Grannie Smith- she's the matriarch of our little ol' farm, can make the best jam ya'll ever laid eyes on-”

“Hello,” the elderly mare replied as she cleaned the table, easily recognizing the stallion from her near breakdown earlier. He bowed politely.

“-Next, we got my cousin Braeburn- a good worker, and an even better friend-”

“Well howdy! Glad to see ya'll ain't speakin' fancy on us.” The cowpony laughed, giving a wink to the unsure stallion by Applejack's side.

“-My little sister Applebloom- sweet, if a bit spoiled-”

“Hey!” the little filly replied crossly as she pushed her chair back under the table. She shot a deep frown towards her big sister.

“-Rainbow Dash- don't mind her, she's a loudmouth layabout with no work ethic-”

Dash scowled at the words.

“-Jus' teasin', Dashie. Ya'll got one of the best hearts 'round.” Applejack soothed, though she still held a smug smirk on her mouth.

“Oh yeah, that giant-” She pointed towards the large red stallion sitting calmly by the table, “-That's Big Macintosh. He's on the quiet side, if'n you couldn't tell. He's also the one that found you an' brought you here.”

“Howdy,” the stallion muttered.

After the slew of introductions, Applejack stopped for a moment.

“Jus' about takes your breath away introducin' all of 'em,” she said, smiling.

Tilting returned the smile. “Aye. I know thine feeling. I have a large family as well.”

Applejack shrugged. “Well, I'd love to stay, but we have somethin' that only grows 'round these parts for a brief time. If we don't get 'em today, we ain't gonna get 'em, period. We can talk after I get done, 'till then, jus' make yourself at home.”

“Actually,” Twilight offered, “I could take him into town, show him the area. We could at least try and find out about Steedhelm, maybe get a letter sent there until he's recovered enough to make the trip.”

“Ain't a bad idea.” Applejack nodded. “That's why I leave the thinkin' to ya'll, Twi.”

The unicorn beamed at the praise. “Well, I just try to do my fair share.” She chuckled.

“I would be most appreciative of that, my lady.” Tilting agreed, bowing slightly towards Twilight.

“'Lady?'” AJ repeated. “Ya'll really ain't from 'round here.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Twilight countered defensively.

The farmpony raised her hooves up in defeat. “Didn't mean no harm, I just ain't heard somepony get called a 'lady' in a long time, is all. Usually it's more 'long the lines of 'ma'am' or 'miss.' If yer lucky.”

“Maybe you should just get back to work, before you put your hoof in your mouth again?” Rainbow Dash butted in, smirking at her friend's trouble.

“I hate agreein' with ya, but I reckon so,” Applejack said, yielding with a decent amount of grace. “Come on, Braeburn. Day's burnin'.”

“Mm-hmm,” the stallion grunted, adjusting his hat before rising from his chair.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Braeburn all walked single file out of the kitchen. A few moments later, the remaining ponies heard the front door open, then shut.

“Applebloom,” Grannie Smith called out.

“Yes ma'am?” the young filly answered.

“We got some work of our own, ya need to help me make jam.” The green furred mare weakly smiled.

“Yep,” Applebloom agreed, looking excited at the prospect of helping her Grandma with such an important chore.

“We'll get the fire started again in a bit. First though, we gotta get more jars,” Smith said, walking with the young filly towards the kitchen area of the room, which was separated from the dining table by a set of waist high counters.

Macintosh watched them go, before lazily looking back at the remaining ponies.

“Well. I guess if ya'll are headin' inta town, I'll jus' see ya later.”

“Oh, you not interested in tagging along?” the bookish unicorn asked.

“Nope. Already made one trip inta town, ain't wanting to do another if I can help it.”

“A pony does need his rest. I agree, it's for the best,” Zecora quipped.

“Eyup. But I hope ya three have fun,” Mac drawled.

“Who said anything about me going away? I for one, feel as if I should stay.” The zebra smiled impishly.

Macintosh blinked. “Well. I don't mind, but I reckon it'll be boring.”

Zecora winked. “I doubt I'll find your presence boring. If anything, it will keep my spirits soaring.”

Just as the two pairs were about to split up- Macintosh and Zecora heading back upstairs, and Twilight taking a few tentative steps towards the living room- Tilting Windmills cleared his throat.

“Ser Macintosh?”

The workpony glanced at the stallion. “Eyup?”

“I require a favor.”

“Eyup.” Mac replied.

“When I have recovered my strength, I would ask thou to travel with me to where I was discovered. I need a clue as to how I arrived here, and, if fortune smiles upon me, I shall discover it there.”

“It ain't in the nicest neighborhood, pardner.”

“I have no fear of any beast, nor pony,” Tilting stated, no hesitation in his voice.

“Alrighty.” Macintosh sighed, already sensing that the stallion would be the stubborn type. “Jus' as well, I reckon. When you're good as new, I'll take Zecora back to her hut, and work on fixin' it up.”

“You rhymed,” the zebra quipped.

Mac smirked knowingly. “Eyup. I thought it was pretty well timed.”

“I thank you kindly, then. Lady Twilight, shall we take our leave?” the yellow stallion questioned.

The unicorn snapped up from her thoughts. “Oh! Y-yeah. Sure.”

000

The two slowly walked the near empty dirt road towards Ponyville, the midday sun breathing life into the springtime weather and grassy fields. Tilting, still weak from his imprisonment, stumbled on occasion, but refused to fall.

Twilight yawned as they had left Sweet Apple Acres behind on the horizon. To avoid falling asleep, she decided to strike up a conversation.

“So, Mr. Windmills. Tell me about yourself.”

He shook his head. “Neigh. You speak first. 'Tis an insult to speak before a lady where I come from. Please, regale me with a tale from thine youth.”

She shrugged as they continued along the path. “Well... There's not many stories from my younger years. I graduated from Canterlot academy top of my class, then my mentor instructed me to continue my studies here in Ponyville.”

“Might I be so bold as to inquire about your area of research?”

“I'm currently studying friendship, and the effects it has on ponies.”

“An excellent subject, one that benefits everypony it touches.” The stallion nodded sagely. “What has thou learned?”

“More than I can talk about on the walk. But, if you're curious, I have all the scrolls I've wrote about the subject at the library. You're more than welcome to read them.”

Tilting smiled gently. “Mayhaps I will.”

“Well, I sure hope you do! I always appreciate people who read- knowledge is our strongest asset as ponies, after all.”

He came to a stop, frowning.

“Something wrong?” Twilight asked, afraid she had upset him.

“Neigh,” he carefully stated. “It's just, I find thine view on what makes us great is flawed.”

“Why do you say that?”

He seemed to weigh his options. “Well... there are many creature and beasts that roam these lands. Would it not be possible for such a creature to have gained more knowledge than us?”

“Well, yes-”

“Then how can it be our greatest asset, if another can potentially best it?” he interrupted.

“Anything is like that, Tilting. There's always somepony, or something that will be able to beat us.”

“Neigh. There is one thing that we- you, me, all ponies- share. One thing that can never be bested, only equaled by all the creatures that roam the world,” he lectured.

“And that is?” She asked.

He proudly put a hoof to his chest.

Twilight decided to take a guess. “Our hearts?”

He gave a hesitant nod. “Aye and neigh, Lady Sparkle. Mayhaps not our entire hearts, but something inside of it.”

Twilight slowly nodded. “I see,” she stated, thinking over his words. After a beat, she tilted her head towards Ponyville. “Well, let's get moving again.”

“Agreed,” the yellow stallion said, already moving onward.

The unicorn observed him walking, before briskly moving to catch up.

000

Twilight decided to bite the bullet, and introduce the newcomer to the hyper energetic mare that worked at Sugar Cube Corner first. As they approached the doors of the bakery, Twilight pulled Tilting close. He looked uncomfortable, but she silenced him.

“There's a certain pony I'm going to introduce you to. Now, she's a bit different, but she's got a good heart, and she's one of my closest friends. Just brace yourself, as she's a bit ran-”

“HEY TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie yelled with enthusiasm from behind the lavender unicorn, who proceeded to shriek, and jump from the shock. Before she even landed, the pink maned pony approached the stranger, and took his hoof in hers, shaking his entire foreleg vigorously.

“HithereI'mPinkiePie, I'mgladtoseeyou'reupnowinsteadofstone! What'syourname?!” She rapidly spoke as she continued to pump the other pony's hoof.

Twilight landed in an undignified heap to the side of the two, not even bothering to get up as she gave a world weary sigh.

The yellow stallion took a moment to process her words and wrench his hoof away from hers. “Uh, Lady Pie. My name is Tilting Windmills. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Acquaintance- maintenance!” she rhymed in a cheery, sing-song tone, closing her eyes and laughing. “So, what do you do, Mr. Maintenance pony?”

“Do?”

“Yeah!” She nodded, as if that explained everything.

“I think she means your profession,” Twilight offered, rising from the ground, and dusting off her flank.

“Ah. I understand now,” he said. “I am employed as a Royal guard for my country's leaders.”

Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves together and giggled. “Wow! I didn't expect you to be a pony of such prestige, Mr. Maintenance!”

Twilight's reaction was a little less enthusiastic. “Earth ponies have never been used as Royal guards, at least as far as I know.”

“Mayhaps in your lands, but from mine, we had a few of every race,” he responded.

“Hmm... I see.” Twilight said, doubt still in her voice.

“Annnywayyyy-” Pinkie started, leaning towards the stallion. “With you being new in town, I know exactly what you need!”

“Directions,” he promptly replied.

Pinkie immediately reached and started briskly rubbing the top of his head with a hoof. “Oh boy! A joker!” She giggled. “No, silly billy grilly! A PARTY!” She grinned.

“I do not enjoy large cro-”

“EVERYpony in town will come and want to meet you! Oh! It'll be so much fun! Just you wait!” Pinkie stated, talking over the stallion. “Saturday! It'll be a party for you and Braeburn! A double party, take two!”

“What,” Tilting stated, so confused that he couldn't even form a questioning tone.

“Well, I think that's enough of an introduction for now, Pinkie! Don't want to scare him off, or anything,” Twilight hinted, laughing nervously.

The bubbly pony stopped mid spring, and nodded in a serious expression. “Okie dokie lokie!” She agreed with a
frown, moving past the two and wordlessly entering Sugar Cube Corner's lobby.

“She seemed so somber at the end. Mayhaps that was a bit harsh?” the yellow pony quietly asked his companion.

“No! I'm fine!” A voice from above loudly called.

Tilting looked up, and saw Pinkie leaning out of a window on the second floor with a wide smile. “You just go on ahead and have fun with Twilight! See you Saturday!”she sang, jetting back inside, and shutting the window with a slam.

Seeing his dazed expression, Twilight smirked. “You're still standing, that's an achievement for a first encounter with Pinkie Pie.”

“Should I brace myself for your next companion?” he questioned.

She shook her head. “I think we should tone it down for your next introduction. If you can't stand this pony, then you can't stand anypony.”

000

Twilight took him to the outskirts of Ponyville, opposite of Sweet Apple Acres. She easily cantered towards a quaint home resting on a gentle hill. To its left side, on lower ground, was a path that led towards chicken coop, and a small, grassy field that that held a few grazing animals.

“A farmer?” Tilting questioned, eying the homestead.

“A caretaker, would be the better term,” the scholar pony aptly responded.

A loud, deep growl from the field put Tilting on edge. His eyes widened, and he lowered his body. “Does thou hear that?”

Twilight smiled, ready to explain her friend's ability of taming creatures that rarely, if ever, would be domesticated by other hooves. “Yes. Don't worry though, Fluttershy kee-”

“'Tis a demon, come to mar this sacred land. We must best it in combat and send it back to Tartarus,” Windmills spoke quietly, scanning the ground about him. His eyes caught sight of a stick resting near a pear tree. He clenched it with a forehoof.

“Lady Sparkle, fair maiden, I humbly ask that thou stay back whilst I save thine friend and the Princess's treasured Golden Bracelet from that vile spawn.”

Before she could say anything, he clasped the stick tightly, as if it were a lifeline, and ran forward on three hooves, disappearing behind the left side of the house.

He shouted over the distance, “Ah-ha! I knew it! Prepare thineself, devil!”

Twilight, nervous on what the pony discovered, ran towards the voice.

She rounded the corner of the house, past Fluttershy's chicken coup, and into a fenced in field, where Tilting was currently staring up at a large, furred creature that impassively watched the pony.

“Horrid Wendigo, prepare to face my steel!” the yellow stallion cried, eying the four legged creature in front of him.

“That's a bear.” Twilight stated in a deadpan tone.

Tilting ignored the other pony. “I've defeated your kind before, this shall be nothing!”

So saying, he dashed forward, and struck one of the bear's powerful front legs. It winced slightly, then frowned, glaring at the offending stallion.

“It resisted my blade's strike, even though I know it rang true.” Tilting panted, as he hopped back and looked over the creature. “What fearsome power!” he exclaimed, preparing another strike. The stallion dove forward, but collapsed on his own accord, wearily groaning as he tried to rise.

“Alack! I fell prey to an exhaustion ward he carries 'round his neck. I cannot move!” he gasped.

The lavender unicorn rolled her eyes. “There's no such thing as an exhaustion ward,” Twilight argued, “And you're still weak from being imprisoned in stone, that's why you collapsed.”

A small, diminutive cough from behind her caused Twilight to turn around, nearly smacking into Fluttershy. The timid pegasus yelped, and hopped back, cowering by the corner of the house.

“I-I'm sorry. I heard yelling, and just thought...” she trailed off, biting her lip.

“Well, I'm alright, but,” She pointed towards the stallion still trying to rise from the ground. “He could be better.”

Tilting finally gathered enough strength to stand, and he slowly swung the stick towards the creature. The beat caught it in one gigantic paw, and snapped it with his claws.

“He broke my blade?! How can this be?!” Tilting proclaimed, his amber eyes shooting open in shock.

The bear grunted, standing calmly over the pony.

Fluttershy stepped past Twilight. “Boris!” She called, her eyes narrowing. “Boris, look at me!”

The bear looked towards the yellow pegasis, a worried frown on its face as he lowered his body towards the ground.

“You broke your playmates toy,” she stated calmly.

It offered a sad grunt of disagreement.

“I don't care if he hit you with it. You're bigger, you can politely tell him no.”

Tilting's jaw seemed to fight against him for a moment. “Thou can speak this infernal creature's tongue?”

“Oh yes. He doesn't talk often though.”

The stallion gave a bow. “Fair Maiden, my name is Tilting Windmills, and I would like to thank you for saving me from the Wendigo. Will thou help me?”

Fluttershy glanced back at Twilight, who shrugged. “Um... well... I guess. What do you need?”

“I require assistance locating the Golden Bracelet of Divinity. A mare skilled in communicating with such creatures will be most beneficial to my quest as we examine these ruins.” He said, gesturing to the plain fields.

“What?” Twilight, almost afraid of what the stranger would reply with, asked.

“Well...” Fluttershy stammered, cutting off any answer Tilting would reply to Twilight with, “Maybe later? I'm sure Twilight has other places she wanted to take you. R-right?” the timid pegasus asked, silently pleading to her friend.

“Of course. Come on, Tilting. We really need to head toward the library.” She said.

He nodded, offering a glance to the careful pony as he began walking towards the front of the house. “We shall investigate these ruins on the 'morrow. For now, I must return and gather my bearings.”

“Gather your marbles, more like it,” Twilight muttered under her breath.

“Um...A-alright...” Fluttershy quietly spoke, thinking of ways to hide the next time he arrived.

As the unicorn and earth pony left, the stallion paused briefly, and turned.

“'Twas a pleasure meeting thou, Lady of the Beasts! May the winds of fortune always grace thine back!” Tilting called to her.

A wind chilled the caretaker, and she instinctively brought her wings closer to her to keep warmth in.

“L-lady of the Beasts...?” Fluttershy whispered to herself in shock, as she watched the two.

A slight tap on her hoof caused her to glance down. There was Angel Bunny, who frowned deeply and held up a small bowl.

“Oh dear! I forgot your lunch! Come on, Angel, let's go inside.” The 'Lady of the Beasts' said, smiling gently as she patted the head of her rabbit friend.

000

With thankfully no more interruptions, the two made it to the hollowed out tree that functioned as Ponyville's library. She pointed her hoof towards the front door.

“Ok Tilting. It should be open, I need to visit one more place, then we can get to scanning the map. I'll be back in just a moment,” she called, heading at a brisk canter towards the main market district of the small town.

He shook his head, and pushed open the door. The room was fairly well lit by the windows up towards the ceiling, and he saw hundreds of books lining the walls. Out of curiosity, he grabbed one randomly off of the center shelf.

The pages were unlike any he had ever seen. The symbols were bizarre, impossible for his eyes to comprehend. He could not even read so much as a letter.

“What the devil?” he asked himself, tossing that book aside, and securing one more from the same shelf. It too, held a strange form of writing he had never encountered before.

“Hey,” A young voice called from behind him, “I had just sorted the library. Stop tossing things, and pick them up!”

Tilting put the book up, and slowly turned around. Before him was a young dragon dressed in purple scales. Its green eyes regarded him with irritation.

'Tis a dragon, come to raid this holy ground of knowledge.

Tilting grimaced at the thought, watching the creature in front of him.

“W-what? Do I have something on my face?” the diminutive dragon asked, genuinely surprised as he rubbed around his mouth.

“Your days of pillaging are over, beast!” Tilting cried.

“H-hey!” the dragon gasped, as the pony crouched down.

“Have at you!”

000

Macintosh sighed contently as he sat on the floor of his spartan room, leaning his back against the frame of his bed. He clutched an open Farmer's Almanac in his hooves, and stole a quick peek at the zebra sitting near him. Zecora had a book on Equestrian Folk Tales that Applejack had borrowed from the library spread out on the ground, and she poured over its information like a pony dying of thirst that had just found a river. She silenced a yawn with a hoof, but never broke her view of the page she was reading.

The two had promptly retired to the room after Twilight and Tilting left, and had been quietly reading their respective books ever since. Macintosh had warned Zecora that it would probably be dull, so he didn't feel as if he was a bad host. Still though, the silence finally prompted him to talk, even if it was briefly.

“Anythin' interesting in there?”

She nodded. “In all of Equestria's land, I find its culture the object that is the most grand.”

The large stallion agreed. “Eyup. I find that sorta stuff fascinatin' myself, learnin' 'bout history of an area is downright satisfyin'. Not that I get to read about somethin' like that often, what with work takin' priority.”

Zecora looked up from her book. “Do you not ever take a break? If you're always working, mistakes are what you'll make.”

“I ain't got time to relax, 'cept in winter. There's just not enough hours in the day ta work the fields, check the crops, do repair work AND study. It's a miracle that Applejack can actually leave the farm when she can.” He offered a wry smile. “I'm just glad she has time to be a ki-” Mac caught himself in the nick of time. “Well... I guess she ain't a kid now, but she at least has a bit of freedom ta do what she wants. I know she has good friends too. They're the kind ya can trust with your whole damn heart to help when things get bad. Like last Applebuck season.”

“And what about you, Mac? Would your friends help pick up the slack?” Zecora asked.

Macintosh shrugged from his slouched position. “I reckon Caremel wouldn't leave me in trouble I couldn't handle.” He turned his head slightly, looking away from the zebra. “It's a bit different for me, though. Compared ta AJ, anyway.”

“How so?”

“Well... I'm a stallion, ya know?” he said, before nearly putting his hooves over his mouth at the surprise the rhyme brought to him. “Pa left me this place in his will. It's my responsibility as the head of the household ta ensure it's runnin' good. I ain't gonna disappoint him by not being able to work the place on my own.”

“It's not fair to put your personal life on pause, especially not for such a cause,” Zecora disagreed.

The orange maned stallion frowned. “That 'cause,' Zecora, is my family's legacy.” Macintosh snorted indignantly. “I ain't turnin' my back on it. Too many ponies depend on me ta make the farm function.”

“Macintosh...” she trailed off.

He paused, waiting for the other horseshoe to drop.

“Your father wouldn't want you to forsake finding happiness either, be it in reading about new lands, earning the trust and respect of new friends, or finding somepony special to spend the days with. The farm would still be around, even if you were to take a day or two of rest now and again.” Zecora gently stated. “Applejack is more than capable of the labor. She's outside proving that right now.”

Macintosh blinked, confused, as if a cardinal rule had just been broken right in front of him. “That didn't rhyme at all.”

“Nope.” Zecora said in a false drawl, before impishly grinning.

“C-can ya'll do that? Can ya stop rhymin' like that?” Mac asked, nervously shuffling as he sat on the ground.

“I speak as I do only to keep ponies listening to me.” She turned her head slightly to imitate a conversation. “'A rhyming zebra? Her words must be sagely indeed!'” At that, she paused, before quietly laughing. After a beat, Macintosh joined her.

“I can see that drawin' attention to you.” The stallion grinned. “Why'd you stop earlier, then?”

“Because I trust you to listen,” she answered, as if it was an obvious fact. Zecora shrugged and continued, “Not that I don't trust the young Twilight Sparkle, or your sisters, but they can be a tad...” the mare paused, searching for the right word.

“Impulsive?” The workpony offered.

“That word is fitting, not bad.”

They returned to their respective books, Macintosh skimming the pages and not much else. He gave a long and hard thought to what Zecora suggested he do. Finally, he decided to take the plunge, and shut his book, clearing his throat to speak his piece.

“Well...” he grunted. “I guess the ol' place wouldn't fall apart if I take a day off here or there.” He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “H-how 'bout when we're all fixed up, we maybe go an' eat dinner? There's a pretty nice cafe, they got a band that plays durin' the evenings.”

“Macintosh. I believe that sounds like a date.” Zecora smiled.

The red stallion blushed, a tint just barely visible on his fur. “W-well, it does, don't it? It, uh, don't have to be. Not that I would care if we did. Naw, now that I think of it, we ain't got a chance to learn 'bout one another for that long, so-”

Zecora stopped Macintosh from talking in circles with one gentle hoof pressed against his lips.

“A meal together would be great,” she nearly whispered, pulling her hoof away from the embarrassed stallion.

“Are all ya zebras so... forward with their affections?” he asked, calming down from earlier, if slightly.

“In my land, it is typical of the mare to lead, and to plant a relationship's seed.”

“Explains the flirtin'.” Mac grumbled, opening his nearly forgotten almanac again, and searching for his page.

Zecora, having her fill of torturing the stallion, returned to her own book, smiling wider than she had in a long while.

000

Spike dove to the side as the yellow stallion launched himself towards the center of the room. The baby dragon stood, nearly flush to one of the many bookshelves that lined the circular room.

Wasting no time, the stallion shot forward, only to crash into the very shelf Spike was resting by scant seconds ago. The impact jarred several books loose, and they landed on the stranger's head, burying him.

Seeing a chance, Twilight's assistant dashed away, running as fast as his small legs would carry him. He quickly scampered to the stairwell, and climbed it, taking the steps leading to his and Twilight's room two at a time. When he reached the top, he flung open the door, and got inside. Wasting not a moment, he went across the floor, and climbed to Twilight's bed. He bounced off the mattress, clearing the gap between the window and her bed easily. Using his dexterous hands, he unlatched the window, and poked his head out.

He looked for help among the stone road, and as luck would have it, he caught sight of two familiar fillies, one pegasus with an orange coat, and one unicorn that was white.

“Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! Help!” He cried.

The orange one took a few steps forward and tilted her head up, shielding her eyes from the sun with a hoof. “Spike? What's up?”

“T-there's this stallion, he's trying to catch me or something!” Spike replied, glancing back inside, just to make sure he wasn't followed. “He's inside the library, help, please!”

Scootaloo moved to Sweetie Belle, and spoke in a low, conspiratorial tone. “A stallion's trying to get capture Spike?”

Sweetie Belle grinned. “You thinking what I'm thinking?”

“I hope!” The orange filly replied.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DRAGON HUNTERS! YEAH!” they loudly called out in unison, bumping their hooves together afterward.

Spike's jaw dropped. “W-what?!”

000

Twilight sat at the kitchen table of the Carousel Boutique. She daintily brought a teacup to her lips using magic. She sighed after sipping the beverage, and placed it back on the table.

Tilting Windmills was already a handful, and she had known him for a few hours at best. It was obvious that he was lying about his profession. earth ponies weren't guards. It was as simple as that. Even if he was from another kingdom, she doubted they would employ earth ponies when a perfectly good unicorn could do everything the former could, only more. Combine that with his earlier reaction to a bear, and it was starting to seem like Tilting Windmills was a madmare.

“Something the matter, darling?” a voice from the other side of the table questioned, snapping Twilight from her thoughts.

“Sorry Rarity. I was just thinking,” the inquisitive pony quickly replied, trying not to be distracted again.

“It's quite alright dear, I was the same way earlier today,” She replied, taking a sip of her tea.

“Oh, that reminds me: how was lunch with Spike?”

“I cannot lie, I was a bit... bothered by a few things that happened before he arrived, but once we got settled down, it was a lovely meal, Spikie's turning into a well versed cook.”

Twilight giggled. “I can say from experience that he knows what end of the spoon to use.”

Rarity observed the other pony after joining in the laughter for a moment. “Now,” She began,
“Let's talk about what's troubling you.”

“Like I mentioned, it was nothing.”

“I know you, Twilight, and with the exception of your studies, you never worry or get distracted regarding frivolous activities. Come now, I want to help, if you'll let me.”

The mare sighed into her cup. “A-alright. But you can't let it leave this table, ok?”

“Promise,” Rarity acknowledged, pantomiming the procedure for a Pinkie Promise.

“...Alright. Do you know about the pony over at Sweet Apple Acres? The one that was petrified?”

“Indeed I do. Have you found a way to break the enchantment on him?”

Twilight nodded. “I did last night, he's free now.”

“Delightful!” Rarity said, clapping her hooves together. “How is he?”

“He's... healthy,” Twilight offered, before sighing. “No, I can't say that even. Rarity, I think he may be a bit too eccentric.”

“Eccentric? Coming from somepony that knows Pinkie Pie, that does make me a bit worried. What all has he done?”

“Nothing to anypony we know, but he did assault a bear with a stick.”

“Come again?” Rarity blinked.

“He called it a Wendigo, and said it was guarding a golden crown or necklace, or somethi-”

“A Golden Bracelet of Divinity?” Rarity asked, her expression suddenly unreadable.

“Y-yeah. I think so. How did you know that?”

“Never you mind,” The white pony quickly replied. “Did he say or do anything else that worried you?”

“He said he was a Royal guard, which is impossible, as earth ponies-”

“Do not guard Royalty. It's a field that's filled with unicorns and, on occasion, pegasi,” Rarity finished, looking down at her drink and rubbing her forehead with a hoof.

“You must know something. Rarity, please tell me, it's important,” Twilight pleaded, frowning seriously.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity addressed.

“Yes?”

“If you continue to see any sort of odd behavior from that pony, I request that you send him to me. Alone,” She emphasized.

“But Rarity-”

“Trust me, Twilight. You know I'm not the sort of pony to take risks without good reason.”

The scholarly pony blinked. “A-alright, Rarity. If you really think it's for the best.”

“Believe me, darling. It is,” She affirmed with a sniff.

Twilight looked down at her nearly empty cup. “Well,” she started, rising from her chair, “I guess I better get back to it. I doubt Tilting's found Steedhelm on the map.”

Rarity's eyes widened; she slowly watched the unicorn leave the kitchen, and head to the shop area of her home.

“Y-yes. I'm sure he'll need all the help he can get, darling,” Rarity encouraged as she briskly caught up, nearly pushing Twilight out with a nervous laugh. “Run along, Twilight, I'll clean up.”

“Ok Rarity,” The purple maned pony replied as she walked out to the street, “Thanks for the-”

The door shut briskly.

“Tea.” Twilight finished quietly to herself.

000

Rarity watched through a opening in the curtains as Twilight left. Her friend bore a dejected frown on her face as she turned down the stone walkways that lead toward the library.

The fashionable pony out a relieved exhale. It was hard enough hearing about the Wendigo and the Golden Bracelet, but she almost couldn't control herself when Twilight mentioned Steedhelm. It just didn't add up.

If he was going to pick a fictitious town name, why that one?

She pondered the thought as she slowly cantered upstairs, and entered her bedroom. The well cultured mare walked over to a short shelf, and, using her magic, Rarity lifted a book kept squarely in the center of the shelf.

“Daring Doo and the Princess's Glory,” The white unicorn stated quietly.

It was seventh in a twelve- thirteen, in due time- book series telling of the adventures of an intrepid pegasus archaeologist named Daring Doo, and her many travels across the land in search of artifacts, including one Golden Bracelet, said to have been worn by Princess Celesta in her youth.

Chapter ten.

She recalled the number with ease. While she didn't like the series herself- she thought them barbaric- she kept all the currently published books as a sort of memento, and knew their subject matter like the back of her hoof.

Shaking her head, she cracked open The Princess's Glory and hoofed towards the first quarter of the novel.

“'As Daring Doo folded up her tired wings and landed on the path to town, she took a breath of fresh, temperate air, and marveled at the open summertime fields, full of grain ready to be harvested, most of which would be made into her family's specialty; bread.

'Up ahead, she saw a few of her younger brothers and sisters already sprinting past the towns border to great her. Her grin broadened as she looked towards the outskirts. There stood her father, looking as world weary as ever, but his warm smile welcomed her back to Steedhelm more than words ever could.'”

Rarity nodded. “I admit, I do like that passage. If only the rest of the story wasn't so filled with destruction and traps and dirt.” She stated out loud with a shiver, before going back to her real reason on reading that particular line.

I knew I was right. You don't forget a town name in a book series, especially if a main character was from there. Her mind triumphantly proclaimed.

He was fortunate that Rainbow Dash hadn't read up to the seventh book, otherwise she was sure he would have been caught lying through his teeth already.

Still, why he would lie in the first place was a question in and of itself. There was one way to get him to talk, though... and she knew just the pony to help.

Comments

[OF29]

WHAT A TWITHT!

[Merc the Jerk]

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