Bound in a Book

by Halogenmyst

Part 5: V.R.

Twilight headed toward Fluttershy's cottage with one of the books and notes in her saddlebag. Perhaps a walk would help clear her head. Twilight left Rarity's reading experience to Spike, hoping that showing her trust in him would do something to mend their relationship, but she was still nervous.

Twilight found Fluttershy on the edge of town, casually watching Lyra and BonBon rhythmically waving their hooves at each other.

"Rock paper scissors, shoot!" They said in unison.

"Another tie! This makes ten games in a row, I swear this was supposed to be more fun." Lyra sounded defeated, although it seemed neither pony had won a round yet.

"I'm having a great time." BonBon said, with a genuine smile.

"You always have a good time, BonBon. Come on, let's give it another go!" Lyra said with determination

"Rock paper scissors, shoot!"

Twilight approached Fluttershy carefully, as to not surprise her while she watched Lyra dance about in frustration.

"Hey Fluttershy, how are you?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, hello Twilight, I'm doing quite well. Thank you."Fluttershy responded quietly. "I was just on my way home from the market, Oh, I suppose you expected to find me at home, I'm sorry..."Fluttershy started on the path leading to her cottage, hiding ever so slightly away from Twilight Sparkle.

"It's perfectly fine Fluttershy." Twilight reassured her friend as she started walking beside her. "I've just been working on an assignment from Princess Celestia for the last few days, and was hoping I could ask for your help."

"Oh, I don't know how well I could help, Twilight, I'm not sure..."Fluttershy protested weakly.

Twilight was used to Fluttershy's meek behavior, and simply pressed on knowing she would be happy to help, despite her words. "Come on, I haven't even told you what it is yet. I've got a book with me I'd like you to read is all."

Twilight explained the situation as the two mares approached Fluttershy's home. Fluttershy was quick to catch on to some details that Twilight was hoping to let slide though.

Fluttershy's voice became uncharacteristically stern as she set her things down and walked with Twilight into the living room."Why is Spike alone with Rarity right now? What happened between you two?"

---

Twilight could feel tears pressing to escape her eyes by the time she had laid her problems to her friend. Fluttershy simply listened quietly, digesting every point of the conflict carefully.

"The worst part is that I understand." Twilight confessed. "Spike's been feeling left behind in every one of our adventures and parties. Now being unable to do anything with these books, that feeling is calcifying into this anger... but I just don't know what to do..."

Fluttershy rubbed her hoof between her friend's shoulders. "I'm sorry I don't know what to do either, Spike's a good friend to all of us. Thinking about it now..."Fluttershy trailed off and left to another room.

She came back with a camera and a picture. "I found this camera a few days ago, and I realized the picture of our friends..." She handed the picture to Twilight, it was a copy of all six of them together. Twilight made sure everypony received one.

"I mean, it's a good picture, but... Maybe sometime, we could... perhaps...mmphmh..." Fluttershy's voice became quieter and quieter until it was simply an indistinguishable mumble

Strangely enough, Twilight understood every word Fluttershy said. The picture of their friends was a nice picture of six ponies, but there was someone noticeably absent.

"Fluttershy, that's a wonderful Idea." Twilight said as she gave her friend a hug. "We should absolutely make that picture once this whole book business is out of our manes."

Fluttershy blushed and carefully exchanged the camera in her hooves for the book Twilight had brought. "I guess I should try to get that moving along then." She said with a smile.

Twilight pulled together her notes and watched as Fluttershy got comfortable. She opened the book and with excitement, she began to read.

---

"I shall not be bested, young one. Accept your fate!" The pale unicorn cackled as magic energy bubbled through his horn, sending ripples through the hood of his dark cloak.

Feather Mason found himself unable to move. He lay on his back, his wings locked to his sides as though they were glued in place, and he silently watched in fear as the magic before him grew stronger. It was the middle of the night in some unmarked spot in the woods. The moonlight barely filtered through the trees enough for Feather to even see his assailant's face. Perhaps this was the end.

"No you don't!" Sounded a voice from behind Feather, as a bright flash of light appeared between himself and the pale unicorn, causing said unicorn to dissolve the spell and cover his eyes with his hooves.

Feather turned to see the horn of his protector, Dilly, glowing like hot metal. Feather's other friend, Mink Longtail was scrambling hurriedly to lift Feather off the ground, urging them all to run.

Another flash appeared, Dilly's magic was creating loud pops and crackles in an attempt to buy time for their escape.

They had reached the edge of the forest, and rested gasping for breath, hoping they had given that unicorn the slip.

Mink was the first to speak between breaths "What the hay was that all about?" The bright orange Earth pony asked his close friend. "To think I've got to remind you how to run!"

"I- Sorry, Mink..." Said Feather, keeping his eye's fixed on the dark forest. "It was... strange..."

Dilly, the light brown unicorn of their group issued a firm declaration. "We are not going back in there. In fact, we are going to pretend that those forests don't even exist now, yeah?"

Feather nodded, but couldn't take his eyes off the forest. What was that?

As exciting as that night had been, it left the next week of magical studies exceedingly dull. Dilly was already finished as usual, but had her hooves full helping Mink and Feather keep up, as usual.

"What's an Earth pony like me got to learn casting times for anyhow?" Mink complained.

A jolt of electricity arced from Dilly's horn to Mink's ear, causing him to jump.

"You could've prevented that, Earth pony or not, if you were up with your studies!" Dilly admonished.

Feather stretched his wings and curved his back, releasing a loud 'pop'.

"Aeeeaggh!" Cried Dilly. "That's so gross, don't do that!"

Mink started giggling at Dilly's reaction, earning him another zap to the ear.

Feather couldn't bring himself to pay attention, not to his studies or even his friends as a 'fight' started breaking out between them. Everything seemed to fade into the background as thoughts took hold of his mind.

"Fate, huh?" Feather spoke aloud unknowingly, putting a sudden halt to his friends' roughhousing beside him, they just stared at him.

Feather turned his head to look at his friends, worried over the looks that had just developed on their faces. "Um, guys? What's-?" He tried to ask before it all broke loose.

The yelling and horseplay turned to make Feather its center. Mink was trying to squeeze out some admission of a hidden romance, while Dilly instructed him to focus on his studies, rather than kill time daydreaming.

Study sessions usually devolved into playtime, much to Dilly's displeasure, but Feather and Mink's scores were slowly improving. Even Dilly found herself able to concentrate better after their sessions, despite not studying as hard as she usually did.

Now however, Dilly's essay was proceeding slow as snails. "Friendship has... extraordinary properties? No, there's got to be some better explanation... how my friends have helped my magic... why was I assigned something so hard!?"

---

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy!" Twilight tried getting her friend's attention as carefully as possible. Not only would it be a good way to measure how attached Fluttershy was to the pages in front of her, but she really didn't want to startle her most timid friend.

"Eep!" Fluttershy was startled anyway.

"How are you feeling, Shy?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, oh my, Twilight. I'm, I'm okay."Fluttershy practically stuttered as she started to recognize her home.

"Listen, it's been a few hours, and I'm gonna be taking that book back now. Okay?" Twilight wanted to let the experiment go on longer, but had filled out all the papers she had brought for notes.

"Oh, certainly, thank you for letting me experience this book."Fluttershy had a little trouble letting go of the book as Twilight's magic pulled on it, but relented.

Twilight started packing up her saddlebags. "Thank you Fluttershy, simply being in your home has helped me a lot."

Fluttershy stared out the window, thinking of her close friends, and thinking of Spike. Mumbling, barely above a whisper.

"Friendship is magic..."

Author's Note:

Roll credits!
So yes, this time, the book is a (very) thinly veiled comparison to the Harry Potter series. However that is not the crossover for the story.
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