Strange...
Hospitals were a strange place, in Emerald's opinion.
A lot of ponies, from what he'd seen, had a slight fear of the place. He supposed it made sense, hospitals were places of life and death, and the pain in between.
Emerald, however, despised hospitals with a fiery passion.
Though, that was absolutely his bias speaking.
He'd spent ten years trapped in a perverse parody of a hospital filled with a variety of monsters he'd spent years hunting down and killing with the other victims.
As it was, he was currently fidgeting on a bed, still somewhat pissed that his vision still hadn't cleared.
No matter how many times he blinked, or adjusted the light in the room he was in, the spots just wouldn't leave his vision. He sighed, as useful as heightened vision was, it could be a real bitch sometimes.
Issues with his hearing were far easier to fix, he already had a potion for it in fact, but a potion for his vision?
He cursed his stupidity.
Regardless, he'd managed to send a letter to Luna about what had just happened, and he was now waiting for her response.
He hoped it wasn't another letter.
The door opened suddenly, revealing the doctor who'd been kind enough to admit him into the room, free of charge.
He was an average stallion, brown coat, darker brown mane and tail. He had a pair of glasses resting on his muzzle and, at the moment, an amused, if a little exasperated, smile on his face.
"Well, Mr. Skies," he began, "I, um..." he seemed embarrassed, as well as amused for some reason, "you have a visitor," he finally said. Emerald looked up, curious,
"Who is it?" he asked. Doctor Stables, as he was named, moved to the side just as the familiar, if still blurred, sight of Luna herself walked into the room.
"Ah, Emerald!" she said, strutting in with the same royal countenance she was beginning to be known for. Stables left the room behind her, which caused Luna's posture to immediately droop.
"We are- er, I mean, I'm very sorry for what We'v- I've done!" she said, correcting herself several times. Emerald gave her a blank stare, before sighing,
"It's fine. It was the first time I've ever used the damn thing,"
"I am aware, but-"
"But nothing, Luna!" Emerald snapped, "Fix my damn eyes!"
"... I'm sorry for yelling,"
"... Really?"
"Yes, Luna, I'm sorry. I'm sure you would've been a little peeved if you were in my position,"
It was an interesting sight for any passerby.
The night sky was all but gone from the world, the sun finally beginning to rise as Celestia woke from her slumber.
Very few ponies were awake at this time, which was rather fortunate, as they may have seen one of their rulers pouting on a park bench as the new pony in town awkwardly patted her on the back.
Emerald and Luna had become friends almost the instant she returned to Canterlot. That day, Emerald had been waiting for his next mission, as he'd just recently gotten a new set of armour that he'd thought of testing out.
He hadn't expected for Celestia to walk into the throne room with a small, scared mare behind her.
He knew who she was instantly, how could he not? Princess Luna had been a big figure back home, and likely still was. Everyone looked up to her back in Nocturne for the things she'd done in life.
So when Celestia had asked him to show her around Canterlot, he'd been nervous.
Although, when he saw Luna jump in fright when a poor foal's balloon had popped, he'd stopped being nervous.
How could he be nervous around someone like her?
Luna had quickly latched onto him when he continued to show her how things had changed, something that had surprised him. He would've assumed that Luna would try and spend more time with Celestia, given they haven't spent a long time together.
Then again, if he saw his sister again for the first time in sixteen years, he'd probably have no clue on how to approach her either. So he couldn't really imagine how a thousand years made that even worse.
Though, part of him wished Celestia hadn't chose him, mainly because he was under the impression that he was influencing Luna, personality-wise.
Celestia quickly assuaged his worries. Apparently she had chosen him to help her because their personalities were so similar, which was stupid in his opinion. If she wanted to help her sister better integrate into society, wouldn't it be better if she chose someone whose personality clashed with Luna's?
Kind of like her own personality does?
Celestia's weird.
Emerald sighed, directing his attention away from the pouting princess.
"So how's life at the castle treating you?" he asked, needing to break the silence. Luna glanced at him,
"Well... things have been well," she grimaced, "Though, We wish that Our subjects didn't fear Us so," she suddenly winced, "Er- I mean..." she sighed, "Adjusting Ou- my speech is much harder than I thought..." she murmured.
Emerald chuckled a bit,
"I can see that," he said, earning a glare from the lunar co-ruler, "Have you been talking to the staff like I suggested?" Luna frowned a little,
"Yes... though, many of them still fear me. The Night Guard is kind, however," she said, smiling a little at the end. Emerald nodded,
"What'd you expect?" he asked, glancing at her with a knowing grin, "You are 'Luna Iertător.', The Forgiving Moon. How could we ever fear you?"
Emerald noted, with heavy amusement, the sudden flushing of Luna cheeks at his words.
"Does that still embarrass you?" he asked, before continuing without letting her answer, "You should be happy. No matter what these ponies think of you, you will always have an entire race ready and willing to help you at the drop of a hat. If they even let it hit the ground in the first place," he added with a hint of amusement.
"W- I know," Luna said, finally looking at him, "It's just... I-I really want to finally put the Nightmare behind me. I can't do that if I just leave. Besides..." she smiled, the sunlight reflecting off of her teeth in a dazzling show, "This is my home,"
Emerald stared at her for a moment, idly noting how the gentle morning breeze flew through her ever-moving mane.
"... Home is important," he muttered, loud enough for her to hear, "But, still, we're friends Luna. If you need any help, just ask," Luna stared back at him for a second, before she beamed once more,
"Of course! And the same to you, my friend," she replied, almost savouring the way the words flowed out of her mouth.
"Y-Your Highness!" came a panicked yell. The princess in question, along with her friend looked over towards the voice, finding a young stallion in golden armour jogging towards them.
The stallion possessed the customary white coat and blue eyes that most guards have, due to the enchantment on the armour for privacy's sake. The armour was gold in colour, having a shine that suggested the stallion polished it regularly. The chest piece fit over his form somewhat loosely, obviously a single size too large for him, though the blue star that adorned the front held it together and kept it from falling off. His helmet framed over his face, leaving only his muzzle, eyes, and ears exposed to the sunlight from the solar co-ruler.
Emerald always wondered why they chose gold of all things to make armour from, due to the metal's characteristic softness, but, according to Luna herself, gold was very easy to enchant.
Who'd've thought?
The earth stallion continued jogging up to them, his motions making the sword strapped to his side more obvious than it was. He stopped in front of them, panting slightly, before saluting,
"Your Highness!" he repeated, not looking directly at her, "I've been dispatched to locate you and make sure that you were not harmed! Your sudden disappearance from the Night Court left many under your charge worried!"
"Ah," Luna said, glancing at Emerald, who looked amused, "I see,"
"You should head back," Emerald said, "It's probably your bedtime anyways," he teased, making Luna glare at him in response.
"You!" the stallion snapped suddenly, bringing Emerald's attention back over to him, only to find the point of a sword in his face, "How dare you speak to the Princess in such a manner! Apologize this instant or you're under arrest!"
...
Was this guy stupid?
Emerald stared at the stallion in question, idly wondering how many times he could beat the stallion over the head before Luna managed to stop him.
Filing that thought away for later, this stallion was obviously one of the less-than-noble's sons, if his pathetic attitude was anything to go off of.
The princesses, both of them, really don't care how they're addressed, and would never, ever have someone thrown in prison for speaking to them in a familiar manner. That meant this idiot was just blowing hot air and making promises he couldn't keep, in front of one of those very princesses no less.
Not only that, but if his armour wasn't already a give-away, the way he immediately jumped into threatening someone at sword point told him that he had to be brand-new, likely a trainee who just got stuck with fetching Luna.
Emerald spared a glance at Luna, who gave him a nod.
Taking that as a signal to handle this himself, he gave the idiot in front of him a wicked grin.
Well that was fun.
He walked through the town, practically skipping as he thought on the entertainment he'd finally received.
That guard had nearly wet himself when he saw his grin, and he actually wet himself when Emerald had casually tore the sword out of his hooves and ate the damn thing.
Just like a dragon, Emerald had a very powerful jaw and a very strong set of teeth that let him eat gemstones, as well as a stomach that could properly digest them.
Steel was nothing in comparison.
But the look on his face?
Absolutely priceless. If only he'd had a camera!
Even Luna was fighting a smile at the sight. Thankfully, once the guard fainted, she'd taken him back to Canterlot with her, idly commenting about having him removed from the guard and placed on the cleaning staff.
His upbeat attitude seemed to go unnoticed amongst the townsfolk, which suited him just fine. As it was, he was currently on the hunt for a day job.
Also he was hungry.
Steel didn't exactly make a good breakfast.
Too much iron for his diet.
Emerald spared a glance here and there, looking for a 'Help Wanted' sign. Sparing another glance at a rather large building, he froze in place, his eyes roaming across the gingerbread-esque bakery.
He tilted his head, idly wondering who thought of the design.
He supposed it was clever, for a bakery, at least.
A sudden breeze hit his nose, carrying with it the pleasant scent of freshly baked goods.
Well, he WAS hungry, after all. Maybe he could ask the owners if they knew a place he could work?
Strolling through the door, ignoring the bell that rang, his eyes took in the room.
It was a nice place, he mused. There were tables lining the floor with stools to occupy the customers. He could see the front counter just ahead of him, baring a display case right next to it filled with goodies. There was a door and a set of stairs heading up a little ways behind the counter, with an open window leading into the kitchen as well. He could see a booth area off to the left where several ponies currently sat, eating sweets. Off to the right was what must've been a supply area, thought it mostly seemed to hold party supplies. The floor was nice and clean, revealing a sort of off green colour that worked decently well with the oak banisters and beige walls. He could see designs along the ceiling of various sweets that were probably sold in the store.
Backing away slightly, he eyed the sign above the door.
Sugarcube Corner.
"Well hello there dearie!" came a sudden voice, one belonging to an older female who just appeared behind the counter, "How can I help you?" she asked.
The mare in question was much older than him. She was a fair bit shorter than him, and was rather plump as well. She had a light blue coat and a mane and tail of varying shades of pink. He noticed that her mane was done up in a swirl, vaguely reminding him of frosting. She had a gentle face with a kind smile and motherly rose eyes that worked well with the trio of cupcakes on her flank. But the thing that stood out the most, was the undeniable fact that she was pregnant.
"Ah, yes," Emerald began, walking back into the bakery, "I suppose I was looking for something to eat, as well as a job,"
"Well, I can certainly help with food, as for a job..."
"It's fine, miss, I'm sure I'll figure something out," Emerald said, cutting off her thoughts with a smile. "What could you recommend for breakfast, then?" he asked instead.
"Well, nopony ever went wrong with some blueberry muffins," she mare said, smiling kindly,
"I'll have three of those, if you don't mind,"
"Not at all! Pinkie, three blueberry muffins please!" the mare said, turning and speaking through the window.
Pinkie?
Emerald mentally kicked himself. Of course Pinkie Pie worked here!
Her file even mentioned working in a bakery, how the fuck had he not put it together!?
"Now... goodness! I never caught your name! I'm Mrs. Cup Cake," the now named Cup said, smiling at him,
"Emerald Skies," he replied,
"Well, Mr. Skies. About you needing a job, well, I may have one for you," Cup said, leaning forward on the counter.
"Really?" he asked, "What is it?"
"Well, my husband and I are expecting a pair of foals, but, you see, Pinkie Pie, dear that she is, is our only employee. She's wonderful at her job, and practically part of the family!" she gushed, "But... she and her friends tend to get into... ah... trouble. Quite often, too. It would be wonderful if we had another worker to help out. Especially with the counter!"
Emerald eyed her skeptically,
"Just like that?" he asked, narrowing his eyes, "I haven't been in town for a week, and you're already offering me a job?" Cup gave a small laugh,
"Not so much a job, more like a little trial,"
"Trial?"
"Of course! My husband and I really can't just hire anypony off the street. If you come in tomorrow at six in the morning, you can spend the day working the counter with my husband! If you do well enough, you've got yourself a job! If not, well, I'm sure Carrot wouldn't mind helping you find one," she said, trailing off slightly at the end.
Emerald was actually quite surprised. He really hadn't expected a job to practically fall right into his lap like this. He'd been certain he'd have to wait a few weeks, gain the trust of some random ponies, and pray one of them gave him a job.
But this?
A single conversation, and not only would he be getting a job, because he knew full well how to help in a store, the counter especially, but one with one of the Bearers around as well? And, if what he'd read was right, then the other Bearers came around here fairly often as well, so he could keep tabs on damn near all of them at once!
He might need to enter a lottery with this kind of luck.
Though, he reminded himself, Pinkie's file had explicitly stated that she was a very, very hyper mare, so this had the potential to be his worst idea ever.
He wasn't sure if that was good or not, considering his current worst idea had to do with a volcano, some rope, a broken wing, and a very panicky Daring Do.
Then again, that was a very entertaining experience. One he had no regrets doing.
No matter how often the awful end results were brought up.
It was fun, dammit!
"Well, I can't refuse that kind of offer, can I?" he said, smirking. The sudden ringing of a bell caught their attention,
"Blueberry muffins! Ready to launch Mrs. Cake!" came a bright, chipper voice as a mare popped up in the window.
Pinkamena Diane Pie, or Pinkie Pie, was a bright pink mare with a darker pink mane and tail. Said mane and tail was poofed all over the top of her head, spinning around in gentle curls as a fringe hung over her muzzle. Her eyes were wide and cheerful, further exaggerating the bright baby blues. A smile was stretched a mile wide across her muzzle, revealing a set of dazzling pearly whites that seemed to almost make Emerald's twitch upwards in response. Considering how many sweets she, apparently, ate, though Emerald's had doubts on the file's legitimacy on this point, she was a surprisingly thin mare with a layer of fat over her limbs and stomach that made her look soft and squishy, perfect for a baker.
Pinkie's eyes were locked onto Cup, or Mrs. Cake, as he may need to start calling her,
"That's wonderful Pinkie!" Mrs. Cake said, smiling brightly at the mare, it seemed the smile was contagious after all. Mrs. Cake took the small brown bag, before turning to Emerald. Before she could say anything, however, Pinkie let out a loud gasp, before vaulting out of the kitchen window, and landing right in front of Emerald, who'd backed up a step.
"You're that pony who didn't get to enjoy the party yesterday! I was so sad when you went up to the room but I realized that since you were tired or maybe you were super sad or something so I decided I needed to bake you a bunch of super-duper-ultra-special cupcakes!" she squealed, most of her words coming out in, what had to be, a single breath. Emerald's ear twitched slightly, having caught most of what the mare was saying, though his brain had to play catch-up for a moment. While he was busy rebooting, he managed to get a better look at the mare now that he saw more of her.
She stood at the same height as Applejack had, just below eye level with him. He'd been right in noting that she had a layer of fat over her limbs, but it seemed most of the sugar she ate went straight to her flank, as it was almost noticeably bigger than he believed was normal. Though the increased size made her cutie mark, a trio of balloons, two blue and a yellow, more noticeable. Not that it was a bad thing, though it certainly made it easier to tell that the mare in front of him enjoyed her life immensely. Though, he managed to see a slight deviation in the fat along her limbs, suggesting that she might be trying to diet at the moment, with little success. Regardless of the fat, he could still see the muscle lining her body, as was customary for most earth ponies.
All in all, the mare was pleasant. Hyper, but pleasant. He wouldn't mind working with her, he believed.
But first...
"What?" he finally managed to ask, earning a giggle from the pink pony,
"I made you some special cupcakes!" she repeated, this time holding a tray in front of his nose and-
Where the fuck did she get the tray?!
"Umm...." his eyes darted past Pinkie, looking straight at the amused form of Mrs. Cake. After determining that she likely wouldn't save him, he resigned, "Thank you?" She beamed brightly,
"No problem! I love welcoming new ponies into town! Oh and a bunch of others too! Like there's this super nice mule named Matilda, and a really nice cow named Daisy Jo! Oh, and one time there was this friend of Dashie's named Gilda who came to town, but she was a total meanie and-!"
"Pinkie!" Mrs. Cake suddenly called, stopping the runaway mouth that was Pinkie, "I think he's had enough,"
"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked, only for Mrs. Cake gesture to Emerald.
Following the movement from her almost-kinda-but-not-quite caretaker, Pinkie looked over to the new pony, only to find him staring forward blankly, his ear twitching slightly.
"... Oh... you're done," he said suddenly, blinking, "Sorry, kinda lost concentration for a second there..." he muttered. Pinkie beamed at him,
"That's okay! My friend Twilight does that all the time!"
"I'll bet,"
"What?"
"Nothing," he replied, before straightening himself, "Anyhow, you and I might be working together after tomorrow, so I suppose we'll be seeing more of each other," he said, feeling just the slightest bit of dread at his own statement.
"Really?!" he nodded, "That's amazing!" she said, before gasping, "I'm gonna need more cupcakes!" She then promptly jumped back through the kitchen window.
Silence reigned for a moment, before Emerald spoke,
"So, uh... how much for the muffins?"
Part of him really wasn't looking forward to tomorrow anymore.
Not that he ever looked forward to that, but still.
He let out a sigh as he walked away from the bakery. He'd gotten a job, or will get one, so that was a plus. The day was already coming off to a decent start, though he fully anticipated everything to start collapsing around him at any moment.
He wasn't a very optimistic thestral.
A bonus to working with Pinkie, at least, was that she might break him of that without even realizing.
He wasn't sure that was good thing.
Shaking his head away from the unnecessary thoughts for now, he continued moving forward. The market was, as usual, surprisingly busy for such a small town, but that didn't matter much to him. It was while idly moving his eyes over the crowd, wondering if he'd recognize any of the Bearers from description alone, why the archives didn't have any fucking pictures was beyond him, when he saw her.
Sweetie Drops.
Sweetie Drops was a mare whom he'd known for two long years before they parted ways.
Her mane and tail were gently curled, and striped with blue and pink, looking almost taffy-like, which worked well with her candy cutie mark. She was as slim as she'd always been, muscles packed well, hidden underneath her greenish-gray coat. While not model thin, Sweetie Drops had always been one of those mares who enjoyed moving around, an action that contrasted heavily with her love of sweets. He could see the thin layer of fat that had accumulated over the four years since they'd last seen each other. She held a serene smile on her face, a sight that had been uncommon back then, given her hard-ass personality. If that wasn't enough to tell him she'd mellowed out over the years, then the gentle spark in her blue eyes certainly would have. Even after all this time, she still maintained her appearance. She had always been a fairly pretty mare, and he could remember the few and far between times when she'd bring some stallion back to her room, reeking of alcohol.
Thankfully she had always made sure to have condoms on stand-by after the first time.
He was surprised to see her here of all places. Ponyville wasn't very well known five years ago. It wasn't until the Elements had been discovered that the town had gained some semblance of popularity.
Feeling a spark of mischievousness, he snuck through the crowd until he arrived right behind her. He took notice that she was standing outside of some music store he didn't bother memorizing, likely waiting for something.
Emerald grinned wickedly, before tapping her flank.
She let out a delightful squeal, jumping a good three feet into the air. Emerald snorted at her reaction, having not expected that big of one.
"Dammit Emerald!" she snapped, her voice light and familiar, though it seemed she had only said it in reflex, rather than actually recognize him, given that she hadn't turned to face him.
That got him thinking. Did he really sneak up on her that often?
...
Meh.
She gave a disgruntled sigh, hoof over her face in annoyance. She glanced at him disdainfully, before suddenly doing a double-take,
"Wait, Emerald?! It's actually you!?" she cried, walking forward, as if to study his face, before she suddenly slugged his leg, only to yelp back, shaking her hoof, "What the hay?!" Emerald chuckled at her, earning a glare,
"Yeah, it's me Drops. Been a while, eh?" She huffed at him, before a smile graced her features,
"Yeah, it really has been," she said, lunging forward, bringing the surprised thestral into a hug, which he returned after a moment, "How've you been? Still have that weird thing for rainbows?" she finally asked once they let go. He shrugged,
"It's not a weird thing, Drops, and I've been working. Our little agency may have been taken away, but Celestia's still got some use for me. How 'bout you, Drops?" She gave him an almost haughty smile, something that obviously refused to change about her,
"Well, first of all, everyone calls me Bon-Bon now. It's some stupid nickname, I have no idea how they come up with it," she whispered, almost conspiratorially, "Second, I finally opened up a candy shop!" she said, the haughty smile turning into a bright grin,
"Really?" Emerald asked, amused, "Still got that sweet tooth?" she huffed,
"Course I do! How can a mare be as sweet as myself without a little sugar?" she asked, striking a little pose, her hip pointing out and her hoof on her cheek.
"Sweet? Well, I suppose it's nice your ego still hasn't followed your name's example, Drops,"
"Says you, Mr. Rainbow, ya jerk!" she said, whacking his leg again, though the smile didn't let up.
"Hey Bon-Bon, I found the sheets for my next performance!" came a sudden voice, causing both himself and Sweetie Drops to turn around.
Coming out of the music shop was a unicorn mare Emerald didn't recognize. She had a bright, whitish green mane and tail that seemed haphazardly brushed, a sea-foam green coat, and a pair of bright gold eyes. The mare before him seemed to live a nice, leisurely life, given by the healthy layer of fat coating her body. It wasn't anything much, though she held the distinct lack of muscle that seemed customary to most unicorns. Her coat, unlike her mane, seemed well-taken care of, as seen by the way it was carefully brushed down, leading all the way to the golden lyre on her flank.
"Oh, right," Bon-Bon said, looking at the mare, "Almost forgot about her," she muttered.
Emerald snorted.
"Should we head down to the- wait, who are you?" the mare questioned, having finally noticed Emerald's presence.
"Lyra," Bon-Bon spoke up, "This is my friend Emerald. I've told you about him before, I think? Anyway, Emerald, this is Lyra Heartstrings. She's a friend of mine, and just so happens to room with me, in exchange for working at my shop,"
"Do have to tell everypony that?" Lyra asked, looking annoyed,
"Yes, I do. Remember last time we told that to someone? They thought we were dating! It was so embarrassing..." Bon-Bon murmured, looking away from the two of them.
Emerald snickered, earning a glare from her. The unicorn, Lyra, shook her head, before looking over Emerald's form.
"... You know, I think I remember you telling me about this guy. Wasn't he the one with the thing for rainbows?" she said, Bon-Bon rolled her eyes, while Emerald glared at both of them,
"Yes, and I hope you do! You barely listen to anything else I say!" she snapped, causing Lyra to flinch away. She shook her head, turning her attention back to Emerald,
"Anyways, have you visited Aloe and Lotus yet? Or what about Zecora?" Bon-Bon asked. Emerald gave her a confused look,
"What do you mean?"
"You don't know?" she asked him incredulously, when he continued looking confused, she added, "They run a spa here! And Zecora's a potion-maker!"
"Really? The twins actually went through with that?" he asked, Bon-Bon nodded,
"Course they did! What, you think they'd take the bits if they didn't plan on it?" she asked, Emerald shrugged,
"Meh, I really didn't care what they used my bits for. Though... I suppose I am glad they went through with it. I'll pay 'em a visit soon enough. Faust knows they'll kill me if I don't..." he muttered, causing Bon-Bon to laugh,
"Oh yeah! All three of them would get on your case about your stress issues," she said, ignoring his murmur about not having any stress anyways, "Oh come on, we both know you've got an issue with taking care of yourself. Hay, you look like you've been forgetting to eat again," she said, frowning, before shaking her head, "Why do you think I was so... open with relationships back then?" she said after a moment.
"'Cause you were an irresponsible floozy?" Emerald asked, smirking wickedly when she was beet red, likely out of anger rather than embarrassment though,
"YOU'RE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!!"
The sun was just passing it's mid-point, revealing that he'd spoken to Bon-Bon and Lyra several hours ago, and had yet to visit Aloe and Lotus, or even Zecora.
He'd get to it anyways.
Eventually.
As he passed through the town once more, he tried thinking of ways he could pass the time. He could do some training, keeping his skills sharp was never a bad idea, but that ran the risk of revealing his nature to the town, as low as that arguably was.
He'd save training for when he'd found a suitable place, far enough from prying eyes, but close enough to help out if necessary. Though that could take awhile.
Working at Sugarcube Corner would definitely pass the time, hopefully, but he needed something for after, or when it goes slowly.
It was times like this that Emerald really hated how much his life involved fighting. It left no real time to develop proper hobbies or interests that didn't involve it in some way.
Didn't help that he didn't have a lot of close friends.
He could just visit Aloe and Lotus now, or even spend some more time with Bon-Bon and Lyra. Maybe go and hunt down Zecora, instead?
But, at the same time, wouldn't that just be him intruding in on their lives? They'd made something of themselves. He hadn't. He was a nobody, after all. His name was kept secret from the public, since he was a sort of official/unofficial member of the Elite Guards. He might have a pair of badges, but he'd be surprised if his name was actually on the lists.
He was Celestia and Luna's tool. Technically speaking, he wasn't even a thestral, much less a pony. He was a weapon, and weapons aren't good in peace.
He inwardly groaned at the thought.
Celestia had been trying to work that kind of thinking out of him for awhile now, but it really hadn't taken much hold on him.
After all, he'd set his mind to it. And like his cutie mark dictated, he would continue on this path, no matter how questionable his ideals were or how effective it was at killing him from the inside out.
He passed by a couple of buildings, trying to find something to do, when he spotted a large tree in the middle of the area.
From the looks of it, it was a large, magically grown oak tree, considering that it was obviously still alive despite being hollowed out. The sign read 'Golden Oaks Library'.
He found that rather nice. Place the books back where they originated from, eh?
He wondered if that was true actually. Were the books in this library made from the wood this tree had lost?
He doubted it, but it was nice thought, almost poetic actually.
He entered the library, hearing a bell go off above him. Ignoring it for now, he scanned the area.
The inside of the tree was, as expected, circular, with shelves built into the walls. Several podiums were scattered around the room, with the largest in the center. There was a doorway off to the right, leading into what he presumed was the kitchen. A stairway led upstairs, likely into a more private area. There wasn't anywhere for someone to sit and read, which he thought was odd, considering this was a public library. There were a few little hollows along the upper walls where the windows were, and he was small enough to fit in them comfortably, so he disregarded it for now.
Though he noticed one of the little areas had a couple open books and quills, while another had a telescope. A little more investigating revealing that the stairway also led to the balcony outside, which was nice.
All in all, this little library was fairly... nice. It felt lived in and well taken care of.
The sounds of clopping alerted him to someone coming down from upstairs, likely the librarian, whomever it was. He felt a little niggling at the back of his head, and a bit of information came to mind, that immediately had him wincing.
Celestia's student, Twilight Sparkle, was staying in, and running, the Golden Oaks Library.
Damn his pathetic memory...
"Hello there!" came a kind voice, likely Twilight Sparkle, "Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library! I'm Twilight Sparkle, the librarian. Do you need help finding a book or two?"
Emerald directed his gaze to the mare as she appeared.
Purple was the best way to describe the unicorn mare. In that sense she already reminded him of Pinkie, simply because that mare could also be described just by a colour. Unlike Pinkie, however, this mare was incredibly thin, almost unhealthily so, in fact. Though he could still see a bit of fat on her limbs. This mare likely ate a good bit of junk food, but probably kept forgetting to eat, or was purposefully not eating to try and stay thin. Recalling a bit more information about Celestia's student, he managed to deduce that the former was far more likely.
She had a surprisingly decent bit of muscle, a constant habit of carrying books with her everywhere she walked had managed to help her figure, if only a little. Her mane and tail, dark blue with a light pink and violet streak in them, was kept straight and simple, though he saw a few hairs out of place. She had likely been laying down for a moment or two when he arrived. Probably reading. She had a pretty face, and her bright lavender eyes shone with an intelligent light, yet he could spot the glimmer of hunger in them, begging for more knowledge to consume. The mare was shorter than Pinkie, though not by much. In comparison to the two friends of hers he'd met, she might just be the smallest mare in the group.
He'd probably be able to get along with her, unless she started praising Celestia in front of him, as he was sure she'd end up doing at some point.
"Hmm... not really. But I could use some recommendations," he said. Twilight smiled and happily trotted down the rest of the steps,
"Well, what kind of book are you looking for?"
"Just something entertaining to pass the time," Twilight nodded,
"Well..." she began, her eyes scanning over the shelves, before her horn lit up and pulled a book over to them, "I've personally never gone wrong with a Daring Do book!" she said. Emerald gave the book a somewhat amused glance.
"Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone?" he read, taking the book from her magic,
"It's the first in the series!" she said, smiling.
"I see," he said shortly, looking the book over. He'd lived this story himself, alongside the mare herself. Daring Do, or as she was secretly called, A.K Yearling, proved to be a surprisingly chatty mare when she wasn't working, a fact he still found odd.
"You're the new pony in town, right?" Twilight suddenly asked.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Why?" he asked, half-curious. She shook her head,
"I was just curious. I haven't been in Ponyville for too long myself. I moved here from Canterlot a couple months ago, so I know what it's like to move to someplace totally different,"
"This isn't the first time I've moved," he said, turning to face her directly, figuring he might as well try to get along with her.
And get some more information.
"Really?" she asked, tilting her head, before a sudden concerned look crossed her face, "Did something happen?" Her reaction confused him for a moment, but he shook his head,
"No. I was looking for work, is all. I'll be working at some bakery by nightfall tomorrow,"
"Sugarcube Corner? A friend of mine works there!"
"Really?" he inquired, already aware,
"Yeah, I'm sure you've met Pinkie Pie. She's the one who threw that party when you arrived in town,"
"I've met her, definitely. She's a little..."
"Odd?"
"That's a nicer way of putting it," Twilight laughed a bit,
"Pinkie's odd, sure, but she's a wonderful friend, really. She throws amazing parties as well," Emerald gave a small grin,
"Really? You sure don't seem the type to get out often," he said, which caused her to flush,
"I'm trying," she said, putting a hoof to her cheek, embarrassed, "I was a lot worse with my friends back in Canterlot. Trust me," she added, in a more somber tone. Emerald shrugged,
"Well, as long as you're getting better," he said, feeling a little awkward saying that, "Who knows? Maybe you'll head back one day and surprise them," Twilight smiled at him,
"Thanks. I'm sure it would," she said. Finding no other reason to indulge the mare in further conversation, he held up the book,
"Well, I supposed I'll get started on this. Mind if I read it here?" he asked, she shook her head,
"Not at all! Honestly, I'd really appreciate the company. Other than my friends, nopony really comes by," she said, seemingly happy at the idea. Finding her enthusiasm amusing, he hopped into one of the little grooves on the wall, before lying down and beginning to read.
-----
Twilight was feeling rather happy today!
She and Spike had managed some extra re-shelving, having some books leftover from the previous day thanks to the party. She'd even paid a little visit to Rarity's when Spike went over, getting a little giggle from her at his overly obvious crush.
After leaving Spike with the fashion designer, she went around and bought a new inkwell and some extra quills, as she was thinking of practicing some new spells involving advanced magical theory.
She was certain it wouldn't be too difficult, and should be safe enough to do in her room.
It took her about an hour to set up, but she'd managed to complete the array and was just about to perform the spell, when she heard the library's bell ring.
Kicking herself a little for having forgotten to close the library down for a bit, she headed downstairs to see who it was.
She was a little surprised to find the new pony in town looking around the library. He looked like he was completely analyzing the room, and vaguely compared him to her brother, Shining Armor, who sometimes did the same thing when he thought he was alone.
Part of her wondered if it was just a stallion thing, while, once more, kicking herself when she realized she didn't have a single male friend!
How could she possibly learn all she could about friendship without trying to make friends with somepony of the opposite gender?!
While her thoughts were going everywhere, she took in the stallion's appearance.
He was oddly thin for a stallion, almost unnaturally so, and it reminded her a little of some guards back in Canterlot. In fact, everything about him seemed to remind her of the guards back in the capitol. His coat was kept short, it's bright green colour contrasting heavily with his onyx mane and tail, both of which were short as well. his mane framed the sides of his face, giving him an almost dark appearance. He had dark blue eyes that seemed to glint dully in the light. His larger than average wings were folded neatly at his sides, and nearly covered his cutie mark, which was a white question mark with small dot of blue fire.
He reminded her a little of Rainbow Dash, now that she thought about it. Once the guard-like feeling faded, which was surprisingly quick, he seemed similar to the egotistical athlete. He obviously kept well in shape, like her blue friend, and he seemed specifically built for speed.
The minor unease she'd felt, which stemmed from the fact that there was a stranger in her home, immediately faded at the thought.
The stallion before her was probably an athlete of some kind, though he didn't seem the type to train for speed.
Maybe he was a stunt-flyer? Like the Wonderbolts that Rainbow was wont to faun over.
She greeted him, and made sure to let him know she wanted to help.
She felt a little proud of herself at that. Seven months ago she'd have felt intimidated at the idea of speaking to somepony she didn't know, and likely would've busied herself with her studies just to avoid talking to them, but, thanks to her friends, she felt comfortable talking to almost anypony now!
He was polite at least, and he had a rather nice sounding accent, even if he had a bit of a growl. It reminded her of something, though she couldn't put her hoof on it.
She wondered where he'd come from, actually, but, after making a small comment about moving around a lot, she figured it'd be a little too invasive right now.
Maybe if she and this stallion were friends she could ask?
It seemed like a good idea. If he really had moved a lot, then he probably didn't have too many friends, and if he did then he likely didn't see them that often. Pinkie would probably take care of that though. That mare couldn't meet somepony and not end up being their friend.
Well, first things first, try to find some common ground.
He moved around in his life, like she had, but he seemed to have done it a lot more than her. That might not be the best idea then. He appeared interested in the Daring Do book though! None of her other friends seemed to enjoy reading as much as she did, so she really didn't have anypony to turn to when it came to talking about books.
...
She wondered if she could convince Rainbow Dash to read? She and Daring Do had a lot in common after all!
... No, she'd never pick up a book.
She was a little surprised when he asked to read it here. Ponies rarely ever came by, other than her friends, and all of them had just taken the book after signing, and she wouldn't see them until the end of the week. She watched him jump straight up into one of the spots in the wall, specifically the one with the biggest window.
She bit her lip as she watched him lay down to read.
The Golden Oaks Library was a public place, though she had turned it into her home. So, didn't that mean that he was technically a guest in her house?
She'd never really thought of it like that. She didn't own any of the books downstairs, her personal possessions had been placed in hers and Spike's room upstairs, but this was still technically her house.
Should she prepare some snacks then?
She winced slightly at the thought of cooking. There was a reason Spike was the one who usually made breakfast. And lunch. And dinner...
She wasn't a bad cook in all honesty. She could follow recipes easily enough, and the food was decently edible. But she found cooking to be tedious, and her mind tended to wander, and when her mind wandered she usually ended up spacing out in her thoughts.
And then she'd snap back and realize that everything was on fire.
She was walking into the kitchen, still debating whether to make something or not, when her stomach growled. She flushed a little bit, glad that the new pony- she needed to get his name- was in the other room.
-----
Emerald continued to read, ignoring whatever Twilight was doing.
The book was surprisingly accurate to what had happened, which was surprising. He would've thought she'd omit a few things here and there, but, aside from the altered names, most of it was accurate, almost eerily so.
She had quite the memory, didn't she?
He was brought out of his reading when he felt something prod his side. Looking up from the book, he directed his gaze down to the purple mare, who was sheepishly offering a plate of sandwiches to him.
"... What?" he asked, ignoring the plate,
"Umm... hungry?" she asked. He stared at her for a moment, internally confused.
Why would she offer him food? She didn't know him, so what was the point?
Perhaps she was just trying to earn a favour from him? He'd had to do the same thing a few times in the past during some of his dirtier jobs in the old agency.
But, what exactly would she gain from that? She didn't know what his work was, and she likely didn't even know his name. So why was she offering food?
He scanned over her quickly, finding no sort of enchantment, disguise, or even ill intent coming from her.
Maybe... maybe it was a pony thing?
The idea made him scoff internally, but it was possible. He was a thestral, not a pony, so he didn't understand what went through their heads most of the time.
Hesitantly, he took one of the sandwiches off the top, seeing her smile once he did so. He took a tentative bite, finding that it was just some tomato and lettuce, nothing too special.
He couldn't taste any poison either, or any other sort of drug.
...
Was it sad he knew those tastes in the first place?
Probably.
"Do you like it?" she asked. He swallowed the bite he'd taken, still confused.
"... It's fine? Was there something special about it that I should've noticed?"
"Well, no, but I didn't know how you felt about tomatoes and lettuce..." she murmured.
"Well... they're fine. Is there something you want from me?" he asked. Twilight gave him a confused look,
"What do you mean? You're a guest, so it's only polite to offer some kind of snack," she said, like it was obvious. He stared at her, surprised,
"Oh. Thank you, then," Twilight beamed up at him, before trotting off to the side, looking pleased with herself. He shook his head at her.
Ponies were weird.
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Thank you for answering my question that I didn't ask................ are you psychic?!?!?!
9075300
9077271
Question, Emerald skies blatantly states he's a thestral in chapter 1, then later on he says he was born a thestral, then he changes his tune by saying he's not a thestral and up and eats a steel sword, then says he was designed for eating gemstones. Please explain this to me, you are contradicting yourself at least once a chapter, Also while I may have missed it, his disguised appearance isn't even described until the end of this chapter, all you said was that he was wearing a disguise and I'm left to wonder exactly what he looks like in his disguised state. This kind of thing should be taken note of immediately and not 4 chapters in. The story is decent so far aside from these few glaring flaws but it needs work.
9274322
In order:
1. Emerald never stated that he was a thestral. His species was stated in narration.
2. As for Emerald claiming he isn't a thestral, assuming I'm correct and you mean this particular sentence-
-then let me clarify. This is metaphorical. He meant that in reference to him acting as a sort of tool for them to use. That he wasn't acting as a living thing, and, therefore, wasn't a thestral, technically. It has a lot to do with his twisted mentality. He is a thestral. Nothing will change that.
3. The sword and gemstones. I've implied, if not directly stated at one point, that thestrals are similar to dragons-
-If dragons, and by proxy, thestrals, can eat diamonds, then what is a simple sword in comparison?
4. His disguised appearance is referenced. In Chapter 1: A Dragon Pony... Thing-
- as well as his appearance when not in disguise-
-I believe there might've been a bit of confusion here. His disguise only hides his distinctly non-pony traits. His eyes, coat, mane, everything is the same colour, length, everything. It merely hides his leathery wings, his slitted pupils, and his fangs.
5. I hope it needs work. This is my first real story after all. If it didn't need work, I'd be stunned.
Thanks for the comment, and hopefully that cleared things up. Please enjoy the rest of the story though!
9275048
Metaphoric story telling seems to go over peoples heads
I love seeing this line, it almost always precedes something hilarious.
In the same chapter you commented on the character having both a good and a bad memory.
9981939
That was not intended. Thanks for pointing it out. Fixed!
9275048
I'm going to be a smartass and say quite a big difference of diamond and steel.
Yes diamond are hard BUT also uncanny brittle. Steel on the other hand while less hard to scratch and dmg is also not brittle if properly made.
Scootaloo gave him that tip about the schoolhouse falling apart; I thought he’d make that into a job opportunity.