The Adventures of Princess Erroria

by Secondbestscribe

Chapter Two: Fall Error Friends

The golden filly fell to the floor, amidst the kind of loud and obnoxious gasps native to Ponyville. Alula was left standing there, shocked, for a good few seconds. What in Equestria had just happened?

"Noi!" she managed to blurt out, and fell to the floor. She tried to lift Noi up, and when that didn't work, attempted to wake her up through the tried and tested method of slapping and yelling until something happened.

Something sure as hay happened, at least.

Twilight Sparkle ran over, as well as Applejack. The librarian's eyes were wide with concern, akin to the farmer's, as they both skidded to a halt. Alula saw Diamond Tiara mutter to Silver Spoon, and they both turned towards her with eyes flashing with something unnameable.

"What happened?" urged Twilight, while Applejack began fanning Noi with her hat.

Alula bit her lip. "Um... I... I don't know... Noi had a headache... so she got up and I helped her... and then she yelled and f-fell..."

Suddenly, tears began to raise their spears and blow their battle horns. Angrily, Alula sent forth the troops of emotion-hiders, and managed to push them back southwards, to the Wood of the Heart.

"C'mon, Twi, we'd better get this lil' filly off tah Nurse Redheart," advised Applejack, hoisting Noi onto her back with the ease of an experienced older sister and apple-bucker.

Twilight nodded, and turned to Alula. "I think you'd better come with us. You know what happened, after all."

Alula winced, then nodded. She trotted hesitantly after Twilight, while Applejack quickly filled in her little sister. Alula felt the eyes on the back of her neck, and her wings refused to move until they were out in the street and on the way to the hospital.

"So what's your name?" inquired Twilight.

"Alula," murmured the filly, purposefully keeping her voice down.

Applejack quickly caught up with them, Noi's unconscious body jumping slightly on her back. Alula made sure to avert her gaze from her friend, but she couldn't help thinking that this was all Alula's fault...

"Do you know where your parents are, Alula?" asked Twilight quietly.

Alula managed not to sniff. "Yeah... they're at work. M-my big sister was looking after me."

"And who's yer big sis?" asked Applejack politely.

"H-her name is Parasol," murmured Alula, then cleared her throat and walked a little straighter. She did, after all, have at least a bit of dignity to maintain.

Twilight frowned, and looked behind her. Applejack did so too, then turned back to Alula.

"What about yer friend here?" the farmpony asked.

"She was with me..."

Didn't help her much, though, did it, thought Alula savagely to herself. Didn't help at all...

Suddenly, Twilight stopped. She waved to a pegasus who was flying after them - a very familiar pegasus.

"Hello!" exclaimed the unicorn. "Are you Parasol?"

The pegasus descended, and - no longer silhouetted by the sun - revealed her vanilla coat, wisteria mane and tail and piercing orange eyes. All Alula saw, however, were the three purple umbrellas that meant safety.

"Alula!" she exclaimed, and ran to embrace her younger sister. Alula returned the hug warmly, and sheltered herself underneath her sister's wing.

"What's happened to Noi?" asked Parasol, her eyes wide with worry. "Alula, what...?"

Applejack and Twilight looked at each other.

"Ma'am, we're gettin' this lil' filly to the hospital," explained Applejack. "Ah reckon questions c'n wait 'til later."

Parasol, mouth thin, swallowed dryly and nodded. "Well... alright then. Lead the way."

---

Alula had met Nurse Redheart a few years ago, when she had broken a wing. It hadn't been serious, but the nurse had struck Alula as a good friend, but generally stern and strict.

It was confusing sometimes, being a filly.

Parasol kept close to Alula throughout the whole ordeal. Noi was brought to a ward, and there were a lot of questions asked to Twilight and Applejack and Parasol, but not to Alula because she was just a filly, and fillies don't know anything about big important adult things, right?

Right.

Soon enough, Noi's parents arrived; Action Shot and Coco Crusoe. There was more confusion, much worried looks and even a brief "conversation" between Coco and Parasol that really wasn't nice enough to be called a "conversation" at all.

"Your family's trouble," he had snarled. "You stay away from us."

Parasol had opened her mouth to retort, but they had already gone to watch over their daughter.

Alula watched as her sister slammed a hoof down on the ground and gritted her teeth, muttering very bad words to herself. Parasol caught Alula's eye and stopped, then rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Er... sorry, Lu. Kind of lost it there."

"I saw that," pointed out Alula. "What's Mum and Dad gonna say?"

"Not much," admitted Parasol. "They've been called over to Hoofington for a while. Freak snowstorm, apparently. They won't be back until the summer holidays, at least."

This had happened in the past, numerous times in fact. Alula's parents were weather-tamers; they were responsible for all stray spikes of weather, everything from cyclones to hurricanes. But normally they would inform Alula and Parasol weeks before - pegasus magic was strong enough to judge weather spikes.

"Not this one," Parasol said apologetically, when Alula pointed this out. "Sorry, Lu. Just me and you, eh?"

Parasol laughed weakly. Alula looked to the ground. Yeah, sis. Just me and you. No Mum and Dad. No Noi.

And then the horror set in.

What'll I do about Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon at school?

Because Noi had always been the protector; the cool head in times of heat, the calm voice amidst the roar, the helping hoof when Alula picked fights with stallions in high school. Moreover, she had been the smart one - she used words, not hooves, against the bullies. She wasn't easily provoked, she wasn't hot-headed and she wasn't Alula.

"You'll have other fillies at school, right? To play with and hang out with and stuff?"

Parasol, oh Parasol - so oblivious to the bigger picture, so blind, so mixed-up with her priorities, so -

Oh Celestia, Noi! I'm forgetting Noi! How did she faint? Why did she faint? Was it me? Celestia's sun, it was me, wasn't it?

Her internal monologue was interrupted by the voice of Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and local librarian. "Alula? Are... you alright?"

"Better than Noi," she said immediately, then gasped at what she had said. Twilight and Parasol took no notice of this, though.

"Alula," Twilight began, her tone serious. "I am as worried for your friend as you are, though perhaps... not for the same reasons. Would it be alright with you - and your sister and family - " Twilight nodded towards Parasol at this, " - if you came to my house and answered a few questions? Nothing serious - it's just that this doesn't normally happen, as you would appreciate."

Alula had to laugh; it was either that or cry. Guilt was already taking over - she hadn't felt like this since she had taken a peek of her sister's diary and discovered Parasol's crush on some stallion or other.

Parasol, smartly, decided to step in at this point. "We appreciate the offer, Twilight, and we both acknowledge the... peculiarities of the situation. But... well, quite a bit has happened today."

Twilight nodded seriously, and Applejack appeared at her side.

"Sugarcube, ah reckon Parasol's right," said the farm pony, amusement lighting her sap-green eyes. "Any day's taxin' on a filly, an' today ain't the day fer interrogatin'."

"Maybe tomorrow," added Parasol, latching onto the excuse like a limpet to a rock. "Yeah, we're actually really tired. Aren't we, Lu?"

Parasol jiggled Alula with her wing, smiling widely. Alula stifled a giggle and nodded seriously. Applejack chuckled and tipped her hat to them both.

"Well, alright, then," she said. "C'mon, Twi, let's leave 'em."

Twilight nodded, and smiled weakly. "Heh, sorry. I just love finding out new things - and can I say this is quite fascinating..."

"How will Noi be?" burst out Alula.

Twilight looked aback for a minute, then smiled again. "She'll be fine. A little magical surge knocked her out, but she'll recover soon. Still, she'll be feeling a bit shaky for a good week; today was probably her last school day for the year."

Alula bit her lip, then forced a smile.

"Take care, alright?" said Twilight, then gave them one more smile as she turned and left.

"Come on," whispered Parasol to Alula. "Let's go get ice-cream. My treat. And remember," she added playfully, "it wasn't your fault, okay?"

"Okay," said Alula, and grinned.

But as they turned to leave the hospital, Alula couldn't help but feel like everything, right then and there, was her fault.

Author's Note:

Just to make things clear...

1) Alula is DEFINITELY NOT an alicorn. AT ALL. EVER.
2) Noi is not an alicorn either. Her special talent is finding things. She is an earth pony. She has no title other than her name.

Comments

[Lord Of Dorkness]

No offence, but this chapter seems a bit superfluous as is.

Is 'who got Erroria to the hospital' and 'tiny morsels of personal info' really its own chapter material?

[Secondbestscribe]

4212474 Actually, this chapter is not yet supposed to be out.

Not sure why it is, but rest assured that this is not all there is.

[CrystalMoon3]

An earth pony has a magic surge........