• Published 6th Nov 2012
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The Reader - GnollReader



A gnoll appears in the Canterlot library and is forced to cope with an endless amount of problems as it gets to know the ponies a bit better.

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Chapter 90: New guests

Scar eyed the door knob with a growing feeling of annoyance, no matter how hard he tried, Scar was simply unable to turn it. Another knock could be heard from the other side, causing Scar to mumble a series of curses under his breath. Biting it wouldn't work, the pony teeth were too flat to purchase in the polished surface of the knob. He pondered on the problem, but then a solution came into his mind.

Spike came out of the kitchen in time to see Scar turn around, "What are you doing?"

"Can't grab silly knob, so Scar is going to kick in door instead." he replied as he took aim.

"Dude, Twilight would be furious! Let me get it for you." Spike offered hastily.

Scar looked at the door for a moment before pushing a lock of his tangled mane from his sight, "Spike would? Thanks..."

"No problem, big guy!" Spike walked past him, "Nice mane, by the way." he chuckled as he saw Scar struggle with his unkempt hair.

He gave a sigh, "It is going upstairs to take care of hair..." he headed up the stairs and towards the bathroom, "Silly knobs..." he muttered a final time, "How do ponies grab anything?!"

Spike suppressed a small laugh as he watched Scar leave, the pony version of the gnoll was simply too funny to watch. There was another knock at the door, and a voice could be heard outside, "Helloooo? Anypony home?" there was a short pause, "Are you sure this is the place?"

"It says so on the note..." replied another voice.

"Maybe they're out?" a third voice joined.

"Does it really say 'tree'?" a fourth voice asked.

Spike groaned, he had never liked visitors this early in the morning, "I'm coming!"

The little dragon went to the door, opened it... and found himself at a complete loss for what he saw.

---

"You know..." Purple Haze said over her cup of cereals, "I feel kinda bad for just pushing myself onto him like that... Did you know he spent all of his bits on that potion?"

"He did? Oh dear..." Twilight replied.

Purple Haze nodded sadly, "I told him he didn't need to be a pony for us to be together, and that he should only buy another if he really wanted to. Right now, I'm just happy we can be together... no matter how."

"That's nice..." Twilight smiled, "Though you could give me a warning if you plan on repeating it."

Purple Haze laughed, "Sorry, I guess it was just the heat of the moment... did you know though that gnolls can..."

They were interrupted in their conversation as Spike returned to the kitchen with a slightly worried look, "Uhm... Purple Haze? You may wanna see this..."

Purple Haze raised an eyebrow and followed him into the main room of the library. What she saw there only made her eyebrow rise up further, "What the..."

The whole space of the main room was packed with pony guards, all of them chatting wildly among one another. She did a quick count, there were at least twenty of them. For a moment, Purple Haze just stared at the collection with surprise. Then, she made out Berryshakes standing among them, "Lieutenant Berryshakes..." she called out to the unicorn, "What in all of Equestria is this supposed to be?"

At her words, the room grew silent and all guards turned to look at her.

Berryshakes saluted with a big smile, "Lieutenant Berryshakes reporting for duty, Marshall. We're the applicants for your new squad!"

"New squad?" Purple Haze gave her a confused look, "What the hay are you talking about?"

Berryshakes simply handed her a scroll with a big smile, Luna's seal a clear sign of its importance. As Purple Haze looked over it though, she couldn't believe what she was reading. Luna was setting her up with her own squad, and the guards gathered inside the library were the applicants for the new squad.

Purple Haze gave a groan, "Sure... tell me about it last, that makes sense... How am I even expected to make my pick without knowing even half of them... I swear, I..." her words were cut off as an angry shout could be heard from above, the guards present looking up in confusion.

"No! No! No! Wasn't supposed to be like that!"

"Scar?" Purple Haze called out, "What happened?" she threw the scroll away and rushed upstairs.

When she arrived at the bathroom, she found a devastated gnoll inside.

---

Unknown to him, the potion had been intended for ponies, not for a being as heavy and big as him. The result of this change in variables had just shown itself. The gnoll stared at his image in rage, "Potion was supposed to last longer!" he shouted and struck a fist into the wall next to the mirror, making the wood crack.

"Scar wanted to be pony for longer!" he struck the wood again, making splinters fly, "Wanted to be with Purple Haze longer..." he whispered as he hung his head in defeat.

"Scar..." he felt Purple Haze hold his head softly, her presence calming him, "You don't need to be a pony for us to be together..."

"It knows... it knows..." he replied gravely, "But it wanted to see world from pony eyes." a soft laugh escaped him, "Also wanted to have more fun with Purple Haze..."

"Aha! So that's how it is?" she laughed, "Don't you worry, we can still snuggle..."

The gnoll huffed, "Is nice too..." a grin spread his lips, "Though Scar will probably miss..."

"Don't sit on those books! Hey! Watch where you're going!" Twilight's voice could be heard from downstairs, a clear frantic tone to her voice.

Scar picked up his head, "What's going on downstairs? It smells many guard ponies..."

Purple Haze sighed, "No kidding, there's at least twenty of them down there... I don't even know what the princess is thinking some times... It's way too early for this kind of stuff."

"Purple Haze wants them to leave?" Scar asked.

Purple Haze chuckled, "Until I get out of this bathrobe at least... yeah. I swear, they don't even... What are you doing?"

The gnoll stood up from his position, a grim look on his face as he started to head for the door.

"Scar? Where are you going?"

He turned around, "Purple Haze waits here, gets changed and finishes breakfast."

She tilted her head, "What?"

His brow furrowed, "Scar has little patience today, so Scar is going to get Tag and throw ponies out. Purple Haze and Scar deserve some peace too..."

"Don't step on the books!" Twilight could be heard shouting below.

The gnoll's brow furrowed even more, a soft grumble escaping his throat, "Steps on books?" he turned around and headed for the door, "Scar will teach ponies some manners!" he closed the door softly behind him, "Purple Haze can enjoy morning, Scar won't take long."

Purple Haze stood in the bathroom, slightly at a loss in view of the recent events. She eyed herself in the mirror, "I could use another shower... I guess?"

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