Chapter 7: Playing Games
After giving Night Strider a copy of the rules of the game, the edited version I might add, I had to completely change the whole farm animals section, and don't even get me started on converting keyboard and mouse controls to basically VR. I was able to leave chickens as they are at least. I got her kitted up with a full set of stone tools.
We went back into the mine. I mined another good chunk of stone, along with some diorite. I came back to Night Strider hitting the same block over and over again, the cracks disappearing after each hit. "At. Which. Hour. Shall. This. Break!" She said after each hit.
"Hitting it hard doesn't do anything, you just have to hit it alot, like this." I walked over to the piece of iron next to the one she was failing with. I held my pickaxe sideways and tapped the tip against the ore lightly and repeatedly until it broke. "See?"
"Yond doesn't make sense! Wherefore wouldst light taps unearth the material better than valorous swings!?" the pegasus complained, throwing her pick across the cave.
"Well, in the game itself... actually, do you want me to change it so that will work?"
"Yes!" She demanded getting in my face.
I pulled up the options menu and clicked one that doesn't normally exist. "There, mine any way you wish." I told her, magic-ing her pick back to her. "I'm going to go look for some andesite, makes a lovely accent to smooth stone, perhaps I'll find a dungeon?" I said loud enough for her to hear, but I was really just thinking out loud.
I had a fun little mining adventure, got a ton of iron and even some gold. When I came back to the section of the cave I had left Night Strider in it had been expanded ridiculosly, I could see dirt above and wooden scaffolding – the old version, not the new block – lining the the lower floors.
"Well she obviously figured out crafting tools, cause there is no possible way she could do all this with one pickaxe." I headed back up to the surface, inventory full.
I found her flattening out the top of a large hill a little ways from my house. She would run at a full gallop in straight lines with a stone shovel to the earth, when it broke the filly would run back where she had stabbed a great many shovels into the ground, it looked mildly akin to a flower. On an already flattened section of the hill she had a bunch of chests chalk full of cobblestone and other resources.
"Hey, whatcha building?" I asked her, she paused in her digging to answer.
"We art to build a structure to house ourself and to keepeth our own things." Night Strider informed me.
I looked around the partially cleared lot. "Exactly how big of a structure will this be?"
"Twill be a simple abode, nothing much larger than thy own." She replied.
I nodded and looked to the sun, realizing I never actually turned the day night cycle back on. "Uh, how much time has passed?" I asked her while re-enabling the flow of time.
"We doth not knoweth, alloweth us see." She closed her eyes before answering. "The morning did start three hours ago."
"Wait as in the sun rose, or when most peo-ponies wake up?" I asked for confirmation.
"The latter." She provided.
"Oh, well I overslept, I better get up." I stretched and began the process of restarting my brain.
"Already? But our construction has not hadst the chance to begin." Night Strider said, disappointed.
"Well I'm sorry about that, but I have things I gotta do, don't you have things you need to wake up for in... Canterlot?" I almost forgot the name of the town.
"Thou art correct, we suppose." She said, putting her shovels away.
"Alright, I guess I'll see you tommarow?" I asked.
"We shall see would we hast the leisure time." Night Strider said. I nodded and went back to my house. I barely had the time to shut the door before I left the dreamscape.
I woke up on the floor. "... Since when am I a restless sleeper?" I asked, I stretched and grasped the fallen blanket with my magic, moving it back onto the bed, while I was at it I might as well make th-
The magic fizzled and popped, and the blanket fell back to the floor.
"Ah, right. Awake now. Darn." I sighed and went downstairs. I found no one in the library or in the kitchen. I checked the basement to no avail.
After making a full round of the place I came to the conclusion that my hosts were not home at the moment. "Kinda wish I knew my way around town now." I made my way back to the kitchen and noticed a piece of paper next to a sandwich. Opening the note I found that it made no sense. "Figures, I'm going to have to teach myself how to read." I looked to the bottom of the paper and found what I assumed to be Twilight's name. I quickly memorized the characters, hoping the pony alphabet would be easy enough to figure out with some reference point.
"Alright, go wander about the town, or learn how to read. No, I'm going to go wander." I decided, but my stomach took the opportunity to remind me that I hadn't eaten yet. So I sat down at the table and ate the sandwich they left for me.
After breakfast I left Golden Oaks. I trotted through town in a Southerly direction, passing a store that had a feather and couch on a sign, I assume it was some kind of general store. It was relatively busy in town despite it being the weekend, I think it was the weekend anyway. Ponies were hanging decorations on the their homes and storefronts. I politely greeted any pony who said hello to me, but some of the mares were gushing over my relatively new "cuteness" a bit much for my liking.
I took a left at the decorative fountain and was greeted by the sight of a gingerbread house. I stared at it, blinked, and rubbed my eyes. The image remained. My face scrunched up a moment before I stopped and continued my orientation with town. Approaching the gingerbread building revealed many cookie and cupcakes, and what ever other things a bakery might sell. I think it's a store? I didn't want to check to be sure.
Continuing East past the gingerbread store I came across a rather large round building, there was alot of traffic here, and I could see Twilight talking to a light greyish amber coated mare, who's mark was that of a scroll tied up with a blue ribbon. Having found out where my host was I continued on, wandering aimlessly. Eventually I just synched up with the traffic of the town, looking for landmarks so I didn't get lost.
I wound up making a full circle of the town, and I walked passed a building styled like a purple bigtop tent with mannequins in the windows. Oh hey I think that's where Rarity works. I found myself in a park south of the big round building I thought was the town hall. Seeing the park was chalk full of fillies and... what's a boy horse called again? I've only heard the female term used recently. Anyway, seeing as the park was full of giggling, playing, children I decided it would be best to head back to the library and sit myself down with a book and try reading.
I turned around and was met with a yellow filly with a red mane, all to close to my face. "Hi!" She said in a heavy southern accent.
I am ashamed to admit that this scared me and I took a few steps back. She didn't seem bothered in the least by this and continued. "My name's Apple Bloom! Are ya new around here? I haven't seen ya in school."
Why would I be in school with a little kid? I thought. A kid, whose on eye level with me... how do I keep forgetting I turned into a child? I sighed internally. When the filly didn't leave and just smiled at me wider I decided to answer her, it's the polite thing to do after all. "Yes, my name is Argent, I uh, just came to Ponyville. I'm staying with Twilight Sparkle at the library."
"Oh! That's nice! So is that the reason your not in school? Cause Twilight's been teachin ya?" Apple bloom asked.
Well that is true I suppose. I thought before giving my reply. "Yes, Twilight is teaching me."
Apple Bloom did a little hop. "Cool! She's super smart! Oh hey, what's that in your mane? Some kinda decoration?" Apple Bloom asked reaching out a hoof at my-
I lept back a few steps. "I-i-its my horn, please don't t-touch it, it's very, uhhh..." I stammered, remembering how much it hurt to clip it on a chair, I was not about to let it get casually touched by a hoof, I don't wanna know what that would feel like.
"Oh! Sorry about that. I didn't know you were a unicorn. It's a pretty horn! I didn't think that they could look like that." Apple Bloom, complimented me? Trotting closer. "Are you one a those crystal ponies?"
"Uhh, y-no?" I said unsure.
"Anyway, do you wanna play a game?" She asked me, her eyes sparkling.
Yes, that's exactly what I want to do, play a children's game with children. NOT. I thought, but my what I said came out a bit more politely. "I dunno, I kinda have to head back ho-" I stopped quick when her expression flipped on a dime to depressed. "I mean I'd love to play a game! What do you wanna play? Tag? Hopscotch? Hide n' Seek?" I asked, rapid fire. I don't like seeing kids cry, and I felt like if I tried to shake her she might end up going down that route.
She brightened right back up. "Hide an' Seek sounds fun! I'll hide and you come find me!"
I sighed, a mixture of disappointment at what I had roped myself into, and relief at the kid being happy again. "Okay, how long should I count for?" Giving kids a longer time to hide was the norm back home.
"Ten, ya silly!" She said.
"Alright then." I closed my eyes and began counting down. I heard her bolt off in the direction behind me. I sighed after finishing the count down and scanned the park methodically. I noticed her in the first few seconds in a bush, her giant bow was sticking out, but I made an effort to let her think she did a good job. I counted out 53 seconds, don't ask me why cause I don't know, and then wandered over to the bush, feigning ignorance of her presence.
She giggled when I peered around the park, which brought a smile to my face. I tapped her on the shoulder. "Found you."
"Darn! I really thought I had you." She stomped a hoof in mock anger. I giggled at the display, and then mentally cursed the fact that I had. "Alrighty then, it's your turn Argent!"
"Alright, start counting." I looked to a bench off the way. "I know where I'm hiding." She grinned, taking the bait. I ran full tilt to the bench and slid under it, making as much noise as possible before I even heard "three". I then snuck over to a nearby tree and climbed it using more impossible feats of grip. I curled up near the top, biting my tail to bring it out of view, just as Apple Bloom finished the count down.
"One! Ready or not here I come!" She giggled and trotted lazily over to the bench. "Found y- huh?" I stifled a laugh at the bait being taken. She then began to search the park at random, I could feel my excitement building. Why am I so into this? It's just hide and seek. I didn't really care though, it was, for what ever reason, fun. Perhaps I just needed to take a break after all the weird things that had happened recently?
The sun was on the descent now and Apple Bloom sulked by my tree. She turned to leave, but then put a surprisingly powerful kick into the trunk of the tree, shaking it, and me out of my hiding spot. I sat up and rubbed my side.
"Found you!" she giggled.
"Ow, your stronger than you look." I had to give her that. "What gave me away?"
"Hehe, your horn was glowing." She said helping me up before I could question it.
Traitor! I thought to my crystalline growth.
"But that was a good spot!" She complimented.
"Yup, that's the thing, ki-foals never look up." I thought about it for a moment. "Except maybe for pegusi?" They could fly after all.
"You wanna keep playing? I've got a good spot this time!" She insisted.
I thought about it for a moment. "Ya know what, sure. Why not." I closed my eyes and began counting.
I spent the afternoon and the start of the evening playing games with the filly, enjoying in the simple pleasure of playground games. I'll probably mentally berate myself for giving into my inner child, possibly, but it's not a bad thing after all. I was in the middle of stumbling away from Apple Bloom, if I'm not focusing on my movement I tend to trip, and focusing on out manuvering an energetic child tends to split ones focus, when Twilight came by.
"Argent! Are you here?" She called, I skidded to a halt and fell over. The mare locked eyes with my mane, which I had to blow out of my face. "There you are! Didn't you get the note we left you?" She asked while looking me over.
Crap. "Uhhhh. Sorry?" I tried.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "It was nothing, just that we would be out for a little bit. But when we got back home and you weren't there we were worried. We've been looking for you all afternoon."
"I'm sorry, I saw you earlier. I just wanted to get a feel for the layout of the town." I said.
"Howdy Twilight, Argent and I was just playin around." Apple Bloom came to my aid, for some reason.
"It's alright Apple Bloom, no one is in trouble." Twilight said to the filly. "But you can't just go running off whenever you want, what if you got lost?" Twilight said, but all I really heard was an insult to my sense of direction.
Twilight looked at me with sympathy. "I know you must have been bored, what with not having any friends here in town and all, but there are lots of children's books in the library you could have read." My face scrunched up before I could stop it. "Now come on back, we have a magic lesson to do."
With that I said goodbye to Apple Bloom and followed Twilight back to Golden Oaks. We excersized my magic once more, she said I was improving but I hadn't noticed any real change. After a quick meal I went to bed, ready to get back to playing games with a certain dream pony.
Twilight
Once Argent had drifted off to sleep Twilight went back down into the basement. She flipped over a blackboard and resumed her research on the filly. She felt a little bad about keeping this from her, but scaring the poor girl wouldn't help anything.
The blackboard had several anomalies listed; from her color change in magic to how the splashes of color in her mane, tail and body would all brighten to coincide with her change in demeanour. To her unique horn makeup, and to how when the filly yawned a tiny rainbow would form for a moment.
"Where did you come from?" Twilight asked the blackboard, tapping chalk against her chin.
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She exudes friendship energy every time she yawns???
Seems legit.
For some reason I'm not getting notified when new chapters of this are posted. Sorry for the delay.
Twilight you are in ponyville to study friendship and you are stopping your charge from making friends for you to study
9672273
Maybe, she could shout Rainbow Canon in the future? Like... Fus Ro Dah!
Awesome chapter
can't wait to see the next one
9672247
I was thinking crystals around the hooves, but it might just disappear...I wonder what discord will think...
#Discordisbestdraconiquis
9672273
Her sneezes cause every pony around her to immediately become friends.
I’m half surprised her tears don’t cause storms.
9672348
The image of a filly with a tiny rainbow forming every time she yawns is absolutely adorable.
9672302
Same. This chapter was in my feed, yet when I went into my Faves bookshelf “recent updates” this story was notably absent.
Forget her research, when Argent tells Twiggles she doesn't know how to read pony Book Horse is going to have a fit
9672598
Actually, I'd like to see when Argent shows how she writes down her Alphabet for twilight:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G...
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...
! @ # $ % & * ?
Now that I think about it, imagine if Argent wrote down words in that alphabet and shown those to baby foals? Could they enunciate the words that are shown written? It would make for one heck of an educational revolution.
Ah liked it.
Strange how you keep forgettin to capitalize first and last names though.
Yer funny.
This is funnier than it should be
9672397
Achoo
INSTANT FRIENDSHIP
I’ve been wondering, what are the random colors in the words sometimes. Is it just part of her/his character being art or is it a hidden secret in the letters
P.S. I’m new to your stories so if it’s something already well known you don’t have to answer
Turned into a literal embodiment of friendship magic in pony form that might run the risk of exploding.....awesome can’t wait for more
This is an utterly adorable image
I see Twilight is avoiding the simplest solution as always
9673504
The colors correspond to the colors of the elements of harmony and they sometimes alter what she says and how she acts, which is when we get the colored words
Okay, I was skeptical at first but this grew on me. I love the little interactions between Ardent and the Mane 6.
Although, yeah I am wondering why Ardent is avoiding the reading issue. It's not like it's not going to come up again. I guess pride is a reason.
I am eager for her lessons to get to math though. I'm guessing Peter had a minimum of a High School Education, so it'd be funny to have Twilight be all set to have to teach her basic math after reading and then Argent sits there and flexes all over the basic math.
Okay, this is just going to stay in the popular colum. Cool? Cool.
9673504
The colors in the text are not random, they are there to show you which of the elements she is 'channeling' at that moment. Like if it was orange it would be honesty, purple would be generosity, blue would be laughter, and so on and so forth.
9672348
I just thought of a way the Elements "overriding" her thoughts could be positive thing. It's the same way I think of Cadence's ability. It's not forcing the behavior, it's just reminding your subconscious of the traits you already possess, but perhaps are underused or pushed back by other concerns.
It's like an external conscience. You can ignore it if you really wanted to, but it's rather unlikely that you would.
Or I could be wrong and it is a separate personality, or a controlling force. Less good for the mental health.
Hmmm, the fact that Honesty came in and nudged that yes into a no indicates a deeper connection than normal...
bleeeeeeeeeeeeeh
i.imgur.com/1NKaKYi.gif
Okay, that was funny. I laugh.
My family plays sardines. Heck, my 50+ year old dad plays it, and enjoys it! Of course, we're waaaay more intense with our hiding spots than most kids are.
I'm sorry, where in the timeline are we? I was under the impression that we were still in season 1. I didn't know others were aware of the crystal empire.
9974688
Yeah noticed that too. I'll just chalk it up to Crystal Ponies lived places other than the Crystal Empire - it was just their main population center - or they're still remembers as legends or some such. 'S not perfect, but for what was probably just a throwaway line it should be fine
Oh dang she’s an aura corn.