> Homebound > by Sparknanator > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: A Tale of Ponies and Bipeds > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebound Chapter 1 A Tale of Ponies and Bipeds *** Fluttershy stirred awake as a snow-white rabbit hopped onto her bed, disrupting her peaceful morning routine. Despite the rude awakening, she greeted the rabbit, Angel, with a gentle voice and asked if he was ready for breakfast. The rabbit responded with a thump that she interpreted as a yes. After stretching and fixing her disheveled mane and tail, Fluttershy headed to the kitchen with a mission in mind - to feed herself and her furry companions. As she rummaged through the fridge, she contemplated the idea of having a spa day in town with her friend, Rarity. Although the air felt off, Fluttershy tried to push the thought aside and focused on breakfast. She couldn't let her animal friends go hungry, especially not today. As she peered outside, she hoped the thick air wasn't a sign of trouble brewing from the nearby Everfree Forest. Shaking off her worries, Fluttershy smiled and resolved to enjoy the day with her friends, starting with a hearty breakfast. *** Twilight levitated a book down from a small shelf near her and opened it to a random page, studying it for a moment before realizing that her experiment was going to be difficult. She had been trying to use magic to see into other dimensions or even bring things back from them, but it seemed impossible, despite her status as the Element of Magic. Frustrated, Twilight muttered to herself and realized that she needed to go out and get some supplies. She headed back upstairs to her home, which also served as a public library, and grabbed her saddlebags. As she left, she told her assistant and adopted son that she would be gone for a while. Outside, Twilight took a deep breath and felt the warmth of the sun on her coat. Despite her introverted tendencies, she knew the value of getting out of the house and interacting with other ponies. As she trotted to the shops, she waved and greeted almost everyone she passed. It was ironic to her that she used to do anything to avoid social situations back in Canterlot, preferring to read and study alone. But she was glad she had been sent to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Festival, which ultimately led to her making friends and finding a place in the community. Having made many friends and having had many adventures along the way, Twilight Sparkle walked into a shop and saw an older mare behind the counter, her grey mane offsetting her dark green coat and light green eyes. "Good morning, Rosary," Twilight greeted her warmly. "I was wondering when I would see you again, dear," Rosary chuckled. "I have something for you, both for your studies and your personal time." She reached under the counter and placed a bag on the counter, giving Twilight a bright smile. Curious, Twilight quickly grabbed what she needed and examined the contents of the bag. She saw a small powder in it, but it was nothing like she had ever seen before. "What exactly is this stuff?" she asked, lifting the bag up. "Careful!" Rosary warned, watching the purple mare jump. "This stuff is very powerful and very hard to come by. I've not been able to find it since I left my home, but by chance, I was walking in the Everfree Forest and found the plant in question." Twilight felt her blood run cold at the mention of the Everfree Forest, despite having traversed it many times. "But what exactly is it?" she asked again, wanting to know more about this mysterious substance. With a girlish giggle, Rosary locked eye contact with her friend and customer. "This is supposed to make any spells or traditional magic even stronger. You said you are studying different dimensions - well, this stuff here," she pointed animatedly at the powder, "will make sure that your spells work ten times better. And it's on the house!" she added with a grin. *** HOOOOOOONK A horn blared, causing Willow to jump and move out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. She muttered under her breath, giving the driver a gesture that her mother would not have approved of. "Stupid moron," she grumbled, taking a sip of her coffee. The sweltering heat of the city making her regret her choice of beverage. As she walked towards her home, Willow braced herself for the inevitable encounter with her older brother. Though she didn't hate him, she couldn't deny feeling a sense of resentment towards him for the constant teasing she endured while they were growing up. Nevertheless, she still loved him. "What the hell was that?" she thought, looking around to see if anyone else had seen it too. Lost in her thoughts, Willow was jolted out of her reverie by a sudden feeling of being torn apart from the inside out. She gasped, dropping her coffee to the ground. *** Fluttershy smiled as Rarity excitedly told her about a new high-paying client she had secured. Although Fluttershy had some experience in the modeling world, she knew that Rarity had connections with ponies that she could only dream of having as clients. As Rarity continued to talk about the new client, Fluttershy found herself drifting off into her own thoughts. She was so lost in her own world that she didn't even realize when Rarity had called out her name. “Fluttershy?” Rarity's voice brought her back to reality. Fluttershy quickly snapped out of her trance and apologized to her friend for zoning out. Rarity seemed a bit confused by Fluttershy's behavior but shrugged it off, saying she would talk to her later. As Fluttershy watched her friend walk away, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for not paying attention. However, she was also relieved that she now had more free time to work on her own projects and care for some of her injured animals. With a smile on her face, Rarity turned and headed towards her favorite local fabric vendor. She hoped that she could persuade the stallion into giving her a small discount so that she could finish her new outfits.