Roll for Initiative

by David Silver

24 - A Perilous Journey

As peaceful as most ponies enjoyed things, Big Mac knew better. The space between the calm oceans of sanity that were pony tamed became progressively more troubling the further one went. He glanced up towards the sky, taking note of the few fluffy spheres he saw.

Sure, pegasi tried to keep weather everywhere under control, and they did better than over the Everfree, but they focused on where the ponies actually were. If an unscheduled downpour soaked some spot of unoccupied land, few would lose too much sleep over it.

The wheels of the wagon squeaked faintly as they rolled. They tried to catch on rock and roots, but he pulled them clear or over. The going was relatively smooth, allowing him to rely on casual strength to see the job done. His thoughts wandered to the train. He could ride out much closer to his destination, but that would take money away that he was trying to get.

What kind of provider could he be if he spent all the money?

A little smile touched his lips as he walked. He was a provider. As tremendously adventurous as his sister had become, saving Equestria and solving friendship problems, they rarely brought money directly to the farm. In fact, her distractions often meant she was drawn away from needed chores. She might save the country, or some pony's relationship. But who watched the farm?

"Me," he answered himself, only to quirk an ear towards the distant farm. And granny, he silently added. He couldn't dismiss her. That old mare worked at least as hard as he did. He deflated a little as he walked. Applejack worked plenty hard too, even if she did get called off once in a while. They were a team, together...

"Nice cart."

Big Mac looked up at the female voice to see its source. She was an odd creature, bipedal with great teeth and a relatively large head on a small body. She had greenish skin and had a mane but no fur. "What's in it?" she demanded, waving a small dagger at Big Mac and the cart together.

"Apples," replied Big Mac honestly enough, eyeing the creature warily. He pulled his cart ahead and to the left, hoping to pass the creature without trouble.

"Yuck." She sneered as she turned to follow the progress of the cart. "Maybe I can sell it. Give it up." With a sudden jump, she sailed through the air with her dagger high.

Big Mac lashed out a hoof, forcing her to twist away. Neither landed a blow on the other. "Nope." He pulled the cart faster, hoping to beat a hasty retreat.

The impish creature had landed on the cart, switching the dagger to a two-handed grip as her face split, showing an impossible number of teeth. "Yes! Stupid pony, I hurt you."

Big Mac took a hard left, the wagon swinging wildly behind him with the groan of stressed wood and metal. The creature fell over with the sudden motion, saying some very unkind things as it struggled to get upright. She only managed to get back to sitting up as he galloped wildly.

"Nice try..." She fell forward onto her belly and swung out wildly with her dagger.

Big Mac's ear spun towards the thunk of metal against wood. Ahead of him, he saw a possibility. He veered slightly to the right as he ran, timing it so the cart would go over something he didn't himself. With a jarring thump, he felt the cart hit it and go airborne for a precious moment as he ran along.

With a loud crash, it smashed back into the ground. The creature squealed as they were thrown clear with the impact, sent tumbling into the bushes. Big Mac let out a huff of air, continuing his charge for a few precious moments to be sure there was distance between himself and whatever that had been.

His apples were for one person, and that was a special mare, not some random imp.

---

Pinkie sat with her lute across her front. Her hooves rested along the strings. There was no smile on her face. She was sternly facing ahead, eerily still.

"And, begin," spoke Octavia. "As I've instructed you."

Pinkie barely nodded as she ran her hooves in slow motions, playing each note carefully as she went along the scale she had been shown. She started low and ended high.

"Very good." Octavia nodded. "You did your two hours, I can see."

"I did three!"

Octavia bopped Pinkie lightly with her cello bow. "Two. Not three, and not one. Exactly two. Downtime is as important as uptime to the learning process. I appreciate your eagerness, but we've already put you on the accelerated track."

"But..." Pinkie pouted a little at being chastised for trying too hard.

Octavia offered a faint smile. "If it helps, when you learn how to play proper songs, you are free to play them as long as you wish, for the pleasure of it. But, for learning, there is a pattern. You trust me, I hope?"

"Uh huh." Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "Alright, two hours."

"And that's it." Octavia rose up to two legs. "I know it feels dreadfully counter-productive, but you do learn when you're not doing. You need both to get it right. Now, let us proceed to today's lesson."

---

Spike nervously laughed, a hand behind his head. "Oh, uh, hey. Didn't expect you... here?"

Discord looked amused at Spike's discomfort. "Of all the places I could be, the home of one of my dearest friends should be far from the most surprising. Now, what is on your scaly little mind?"

Spike jumped back to the ground. "Oh, you know, nothing that--"

Fluttershy raised a hoof for silence. "Discord, you were a naughty pony." Discord put his hands at his chest as if asking if it were he that Fluttershy was speaking of. "Yes, you. You know Spike's sensitive about Rarity. Inviting her without warning gave him a terrible shock. I wouldn't want to be so startled." She took a slow breath. "That was very unkind."

Discord shrank at the scathing talking to. "I was just trying to give a gift. A surprise gift! Tell me you didn't enjoy getting a smooch from the fair Rarity?" He was looking to Spike at the end of the question. "You were her hero."

Spike went red across his face. "T-that part was... kinda nice, but--"

"--see?" Discord crossed his arms. "He even liked it."

Fluttershy put a hoof to her chest. "I like little slices of cake, but if you were to throw one in my face, even if I wasn't hurt at all, I would not enjoy that. How would you feel if someone did that to you?"

Discord tapped his chin. "I'll be honest, I have a hard time imagining someone surprising me." Fluttershy gave him a flat look. "Alright, alright, I've been surprised before, and sometimes I guess I didn't like it too much." He huffed and turned his head away.

Spike raised a lone finger. "I mean, uh, thanks, if you were really trying to be nice. Just, uh, not with Rarity, alright?" He quirked a little smile. "Did she say anything after that?"

Discord rolled a hand. "She was sorry if you were hurt. She didn't expect you to just keel over like that."

Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh my. Maybe you should talk to her? I'd hate to think she was feeling guilty about it."

Spike quickly forgot Discord existed. "Yeah!" He stepped towards the door. "Thanks, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy waved at him as he fled before turning his eyes to Discord. "Don't think I forgot the other half of what he was here for."

"Other half?"

Fluttershy wobbled a hoof in the air. "This is Spike's game that he has generously invited you to. You should try to remember that."

"By what, not making it even more fun for him and everyone else there?" He lifted his shoulders. "Sounds boring."

"Not that." Fluttershy considered a moment. "This is his story. He wants to share it. It's very important to him. I mean, I'd be embarrassed forever if what I wrote was ever... published... but he's willing to share himself with you and the others. That's very brave, and special. You should respect that."

Discord made a soft shooing motion. "His story is immature and puerile at best."

Fluttershy returned with a little smile. "So are the both of you, and that hasn't stopped either of you so far."

Discord flinched back an inch. "Fluttershy! Was that... a burn?"

Fluttershy rapidly darkened across the bridge of her nose. "Oh, um... too harsh?"

---

Spike dashed through the streets of Ponyville before his pace suddenly slowed. He suddenly realized that facing Rarity about it would mean talking about his feelings. He needed an excuse. "Um... It was a long day! I was upset about Discord taking over the game, yeah!" He clapped his hands together with a smile. "That's it. None of this, uh, mushy stuff."

"You're talking to yourself," noted Lyra seated on a bench in her peculiar way. Beside her was a Bon Bon, also watching Spike. "Ponies will start thinking you're a little unhinged." A funny smile spread on her face. "Wouldn't want to share Twilight's rep."

Bon Bon reached up to bop Lyra on the head. "Don't even joke like that. Spike, is something bothering you? Did you mention Discord?"

Spike nervously smiled at the two mares. "Hey girls! Having a nice day?"

Lyra clopped her forehooves together. "I'm waiting for Pinkie to finish learning how to play a little tune."

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe you helped rope her into this. You know Pinkie's going to lose it eventually."

Lyra waved that idea away. "You're selling the pink whirlwind short. She likes music almost as much as she likes parties. I swear, if she didn't decide parties were her thing, she'd be busy playing every instrument she could find to make ponies smile." Lyra grinned at Spike. "Possibly at the same time."

Spike snorted at the mental image. "She's done something like that. What's she doing that has you two interested?"

Bon Bon pointed an accusing hoof at Lyra. "This troublemaker has Pinkie learning how to play a guitar from the strictest teacher in Ponyville."

Lyra crossed her arms over her chest. "She's the best teacher, and it's a lute, not a guitar. There's a huge difference."

Spike tilted his head. "Huh, like the one she uses in the game?"

Lyra leaned forward suddenly, the motion so sharp that she fell right off the bench and landed on her chest in a graceless pile a moment before she scrambled to her hooves. "What game?"

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "You could sit like a normal pony and that wouldn't happen nearly so often, you know."

Spike smiled before it occurred to him. Lyra was the pony that upset Twilight's game. "Oh, uh, you probably wouldn't like it."

Lyra's lyre appeared with a sparkle and began playing. "If there's a game that makes Pinkie want to play a lute, I am completely interested! Tell me more!"

Spike took a slow step back. "Yeah, I'll have to... catch you up on it, but I'm already late for a talking to Rarity, so I should be going, ya know? Bye!" He fled the disappointed Lyra.

Bon Bon shook her head slowly. "You come on too strong and scare ponies away."

"I haven't scared you off." Lyra touched the end of her nose to Bon Bon's warming cheek.

"I must be too stupid to scare easily," laughed Bon Bon before she extended a leg that turned into a gentle hug. "Crazy unicorn. What will I do with you?"

"Be best friends?"

"Good idea." Bon Bon nodded with confidence before slipping down to the ground on all fours. "For now, we should be ready to greet the afternoon crowd. Come on, you can help prepare."

"Aye aye!" Lyra trotted cheerily after her friend towards Bon Bon's shop.

Author's Note:

The various plot threads advance side by side.

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Comments

[No one is home]

Yikes! It's a goblin attack!

Didn't see *that* coming...

[FanOfMostEverything]

Huh. Were there always goblin bandits in this world?

As for Spike, ignoring his problems won't make them go away. At least Fluttershy helped him follow through on one. I just hope he can get through the other unassisted.

Also, if Lyra does get involved... Well, I suppose we'll have to see if she does or not.

[David Silver]

8608489
They've reached deep into the monster manual before. Goblins didn't feel too off.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Do I forsee Lyra getting involved in the game? After all, she used to play with Twilight, and this could be a chance for her to patch things up for being such a control freak.

[Booster Spice]

The various plots might be proceeding together, but they aint no Websters? Then again, in Equestria, wouldnt that be treated silk?

Oh dear, Big Mac has all sorts of females falling for him.

[Yukieiros]

A Goblin Attacks Roll to see if your caught flat footed.

[zaku666]

damn better get some aloe vera

[howard035]

8608541
8608489 Gremlins are there according to the comics. G1 Explicitly had goblins and elves.