Perchance to Dream

by David Silver

22 - Return to Ponyville

I awoke to soft murmurs and the sounds of something being dropped into water. I had a reasonable guess what it was and broke free to be sure. Yep, there was Zecora, stirring a mixture in that cauldron. Without a word she came right up to me and snatched one of the stone pieces and, with a toss of her neck, sent it flying to join the mix. "I had a feeling you would soon deliver, I needed some petrified stone, just a sliver. Now my potion will be complete, I hope you don't call me a cheat."

She needed a bit of my stony run-off for a potion? I could think of far worse crimes. "If it's helpful." I stretched out before coming closer to see inside. The liquid in the cauldron had turned a dark maroon shade, like Cheerilee's fur. "What will it do?"

"It will help other ponies." She tapped her ladle against the side. "To cure petrification without more ceremonies. You are not the first, and alas, likely not the last. There's little reason to not be ready for the task."

I nodded a little as I took a sniff. It smelled a bit salty and with an oddly meaty undercurrent. "If it can help someone not be a statue forever, you have my full support. Oh, good morning, by the way."

"Good evening you mean." She pointed out the door where I could see the dimness of the late afternoon.

Was time sliding? I had awoken in the morning, the night, and then, early evening. "How long was I a statue?"

Zecora pointed to where the remnants of my stony self still sat. "You made an interesting ornament for about a day. I'm afraid this is not the place for you to stay. Hurry back to your studious host. Your destiny is not here in this outpost."

I was being clearly dismissed. I considered fighting it, maybe talking with Zecora more. Part of me wanted to get to know her better. Far better... Too much better. I shook my head clear of those thoughts even as I saw her smirk a little. She could see right through me. I gave a little dip of my head. "Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure to meet you and visit. Your home is lovely, and I hope we get to talk again."

Zecora set her ladle aside. "You are polite, but not very subtle. I may take you up, should I desire a cuddle." She strode past me and opened the door.

Right through me... With a burning blush, I walked out. "I hope I didn't offend. Have a good day, Zecora."

She nudged the door closed most of the way. "Your presence was not unwelcome, perhaps some day my way I'll beckon." Click, it was shut.

I had been shot down, though gently. Perhaps that was just as well, seeing as I had a horse princess that already had dibs on me. Why was I so interested? I mused on it as I trotted through the forest quickly. I didn't want to be caught by any more crazy dragon-birds.

Thankfully, I emerged from the forest before it got totally dark. I was beside a cottage with chickens that did scare me a moment, but they were normal chickens.

There was a pony outside with a lot of animals. I knew that pony. "Fluttershy?" I wandered closer.

She looked up and saw me. "O-oh! Did you just come out of the Everfree? You should be careful, it can be dangerous in there, especially late in the day." Her eyes fell to my bow. "Oh! Were you hunting?" The animals all seemed to be looking at me then with judging eyes.

"No, promise," I quickly swore. "I haven't used it the whole trip. I was with Zecora."

Fluttershy seemed to relax. "Oh? She has an interesting house, doesn't she?"

I looked over at Fluttershy's cottage. It was lovely and homey. "Yours is just as nice, in a different way. It looks quite comfortable."

Fluttershy tinted red a little. "It's where I feel most comfortable." She stood up and began gesturing to the animals. "These are my friends, besides the others you already met. I was just saying goodnight to most of them." A small white rabbit suddenly thumped her in the leg and she looked down a moment. "And this is Angel Bunny. He's mine specifically."

"A pet?" I asked curiously.

"I'm not sure I'd use that word specifically..." She looked nervous and Angel was, somehow, giving her a pointed look. "But we care for each other."

It was... dare I say it? Yes, I did... adorable. "You two go together nicely. I should get going to Twilight's so she doesn't get worried about me."

Fluttershy pointed the way through the town towards the castle/tower in the distance. "Please be safe, it's getting dark."

I walked on past her and entered the town proper. It was like the evening I had met Pinkie Pie and missed that concert.

"Hey," came a new voice.

I turned to see one of the ponies from that very concert. Her head was still bobbing, and I saw she was wearing headphones on her big fuzzy ears. "Hey." She stepped towards me. "You're that stallion that went all rock hard for my jam, right?"

I felt an awkward smile spread on my snout. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

She waved it off with a hoof. "S'all good. You scared a few ponies, but we got past that." Her eyes wandered over me, though it was hard to pick out through her glasses. "I wanted to meet you. I'm DJ-Pon3, but you can call me Vinyl."

I immediately worried. Had I drawn another mare? Or was that just the way Vinyl acted? I decided to just assume the best. "Hello, Vinyl. I'm True Shot." I pointed up to the castle. "I'm staying with Princess Twilight right now."

"I heard." She nodded somehow in perfect rhythm with the bobbing she was already doing. "What's up with the rock thing? That's a pretty cool trick, but I can't imagine it's convenient."

I shook my head a little. "You can say that again. I really wanted to see your show!"

She smiled, a warm and genuine smile. "You don't even know who I am."

"Vinyl Scratch," I provided. "Besides that, a musician. I wanted to hear what you and that other pony were going to play. I admit, I'm not normally big about music, but that one 'felt' exciting. I'm sad I missed it."

Vinyl reached out and put a hoof on my chest. "Huh, guess I was wrong."

"As usual," came a new voice with a British accent. The other pony stepped into clear view around a house. "Hello, True Shot. I pray you forgive our impertinence." She dipped her head towards me. "I am Octavia, and it is good I wasn't wrong about the impression I had received. You struck me as a true fan, not one simply ogling us."

Vinyl snorted softly. "I was so ready to blow you off hardcore if you made a pass at me, and Octy here woulda owed me."

"But that didn't happen," noted Octavia. "So it is you who are indebted to me. Still, this is quite rude, please accept my apologies. We meant you no harm."

I was a little surprised. The idea that the cute ponies could try to lure someone in showed more maturity of a sort than I would have given credit for, though it was also a bit disarming to know I was being led to make a fool of myself. Still, I had avoided the trap, and maybe made two friends? "Well, this is a surprise." No lie there. "Are you two friends then, outside of professionally?"

Vinyl tossed a leg over Octavia and drew her tight. "We go way back!"

Octavia gave a slightly strained but accepting smile. "Fate itself has seen to it, it seems. And what of yourself?" She raised a brow faintly. "Is it true you are a pony from the distant past?"

"What? No way!" Vinyl released Octavia to come at me and start looking me over with new eyes. "Did all ponies look like those old statues? Radical."

I backed a few steps away from Vinyl. "Easy there. I'm a pony, just like you." Mostly? "You heard about the announcement, I gather?"

Octavia nodded just so. "My best clients are in Canterlot, so it behooves me to be mindful of the going-ons there." She glanced at her friend and then back at me. "Are you adapting well? I should imagine it's quite the frightful transition."

Vinyl bobbed her head quickly. "Oh yeah, how far back are we talking?" She stepped closer again. "Is this like crazy witchcraft?" Her horn glowed as she plucked the headphones off her own head and popped them down right over my own ears.

I started as a lively techno mix filled my senses, but it didn't last long as Octavia reached right in and snatched the headphones away in her teeth. "Vinyl! That is no way to treat a guest. You apologize this very instant."

Vinyl took her headphones back, or tried. Her horn was glowing and the headphones tugged, but Octavia had a sure grip. "Aw, c'mon, give 'em back! Don't be like this, Octy!" Still, the mare was not releasing them. "Awww, fine." She turned back to me. "Hey, look, sorry, alright? I just wanted to share my music with you. It was nice, right?"

"It was unexpected," I replied truthfully. "Not bad though." I smiled a little. Those fuzzy ears on my head were not just for decoration. "You should lower the volume a little. You'll hurt your hearing."

Octavia looked quite pleased. "I've tried to inform her of this very matter countless times, but I should doubt you'll have any more luck than I."

The headphones slipped free as Vinyl gave another mental tug and they settled back onto her head. "Hey, I like hearing... my music." She stuck out her tongue at the both of us. "You're alright, True."

Octavia rolled her eyes before focusing on me. "It's been a delight to meet you. Perhaps we can do so again, when it's not so late." She nudged Vinyl along and the two began to wander off.

I offered a quick goodbye of my own before trotting off towards the castle. It had grown properly dark by the time I arrived at those large doors and gave them a knocking with a hoof. "Anyone home?"

There was silence for a time before they cracked open to reveal Starlight. Her expression brightened right up on seeing me. "Oh! My student! I thought you were lost or something." Under her breath I heard her say something about my leaving her. "But here you are, all safe and sound, come in, come in." She stepped out of the way.

I wondered what insecurities Starlight might have had as I came into the warm interior and the door was shut behind me with Starlight's magic. "Good to be back. Sorry I was gone for such a long time. I wasn't planning on it, but my... condition is not nearly as reliable as I'd like it to be."

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Ah, nonlinear time, or was the transition due to a resonant inflextion and now things are rotating or even recoiling?

Still, Zecora is most definitely not desperate, but still considerate.

[Valhuir]

7903868 In six dimensional space, I guess the terms would be Rotacoilexion and Reflovolution...

[Starlight Nova]

"not so stone"? What does that mean?

[David Silver]

7904289 Not quite as stone, but still somewhat stone.

[tsaukpaetra]

Yes, once they start science-ing the periods out we hope some understanding and maybe even control might be achieved.
Vinyl was fun. Their little test was crafty.
Keep going! ;)

[David Silver]

7904289 Fixed.

[Alzrius]

So I'm just going to throw this out there: what if Linda/True is attracted to Zecora because Zecora is the most masculine mare in Equestria?

To reiterate, Zecora's character uses a very masculine design. Her muzzle is square-shaped the way that stallions' are, and she doesn't have the notable eyelashes the way that mares do. She's essentially templated off of a stallion design; throw in the husky voice, and she's essentially putting out an impression that could be masculine enough to appeal to "Linda's" feminine sensibilities, even though her body is feminine enough to feel alluring to "True Shot's" hormones.

That said, I do like the idea of this becoming a bit of a love triangle, since Linda/True certainly seems to want to at least try to be with Celestia - even if Celestia is acting like an awkward filly in love - even though his/her glands are pulling her to somepony else. It's a pity that Zecora gave True a polite-but-firm "no thanks."

[David Silver]

7906551 Well hello there! I hadn't considered that angle, but it is an intriguing one and I like it. I now take it and claim it at my own. Or, as the kids put if, headcanon accepted. I find myself tickled wondering what you'll think of the next chapter and its brush with economics and politics.

[Daremo]

dropped in water - dropped into water

stoney run-off - stony run-off

It was... dare I say it, yes, I did... - It was... dare I say it? Yes, I did...

You struck me was a true fan - You struck me as a true fan

the going ons there - the goings-on there

back on her head - back onto her head

---

I'm far behind, but there are always a few typos left for a nibble; nearly always, anyhow.

Onward!

[David Silver]

7912940 Typos gently shooed off into the night, to trouble us no more. Welcome back!

[wlam]

I turned to see one of the ponies from that very concert. Her head was still bobbing, and I saw she was wearing headphones on her big fuzzy ears. "Hey." She stepped towards me. "You're that stallion that went all rock hard for my jam, right?"

Fucking Vinyl.