Jump to content

Questioning Answers (ENDED)


SteelEagle

Recommended Posts

Valen's mind was a marsh, a fog, and endless sea of grey it felt like. The last few days had been some of the most confusing, terrifying, and embarrassing of his life. It had started with his cousin and her friends discovering his other life and had cascaded one after another into Silver Spoon taking advantage of him and, somehow, magically enforcing her will. A metric ton of embarrassment later and she was off on some trip to another city. With time, the fog cleared enough for him to break through and want to talk to somepony about his experience. Obviously, somepony would be able to see through the charade she had built up around him, the facade so richly and quickly constructed to push whatever awful agenda she had in mind for him. Surely they would know what to do about it, have plans and punishments in mind, as well as succour for a failed soul.

 

The first pony to speak with would be Applejack. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were out on a filly guide trip so he knew they would not be there to sour his conversation with his elder cousin. Applejack was a mare of great wisdom, was she not? Okay, maybe not entirely. She was stubborn and assertive in far too many matters where wisdom decreed caution and allowance for being wrong. But her stubborn nature would prove most agreeable here. While they had a few conversations in the past, he doubted she would be as easily swayed by Silver as others. He had told her what he thought and felt before and he didn't think a few small incidents would change her mind. Hopefully not, anyway. In any case, when the coast as clear he made his way from the guest room if the barn house to the orchard, where he followed the sound of applebucking and a sweet breeze to find some help for a decidedly sticky situation.

  • Apple 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.jpeg

 

Applejack stepped back and mopped her brow while nodding at a job well done...on one tree at least!

 

"Whoo-wee!" She lifted up her stetson and settled it between her ears once more. "Yer lookin' mighty fine there!" She eyed the tree she had just bucked clean of apple before turning to the one next to it that was brimming with golden red beauties. "An' I might add that yer lookin' even finer!"

 

She trotted up to the fully laden tree and turned her hind end towards it. Her buckin' hooves got their trademark itch, wantin' ever so much to bring down another bushel of Apple family pride!

 

"Let 'er rip!" She smiled and loosed her hooves.

 

CRACK!

 

A solid buck connection saw the tree vibrating and two buckets full of apples ready to be turned into cider.

 

"Gonna be a good stock this time net year," She commented as she trotted towards the next tree. Her work satisfied her to no end and Applejack continued on, hardly aware of anything else.

 

The farm mare adored the feeling she got when working her farm. She could escape from all the goings on that usually taxed her mind. She could enjoy the feelings of pride and strength that came from a good yield. She could settle down into a work centered mind frame that brought order and peace. Yup! There was nothin' like doin' what was near and dear to one's heart. Apples were the soul of her heart and the soul of her family.

 

CRACK!

 

Another couple of buckets of Apple's finest down! 

 

It was a perfect day really. Early afternoon with the sun soon dropping lower. A sweet evening breeze beginning to build out of the east. Not hot but warm enough to keep the sweat rolling down her face and body. The orchards were healthy and life was good! She stepped back again, surveying where she'd buck next. A slight movement caught her eye right about then.

 

"Well! Look who the griffon dragged into the orchard!" Another country saying that only kinda made sense. Her demeanor showed she was happy to see her cousin. "Hey there sugar cube! What brings you all the way out here?"

 

Applejack found herself musing on many thoughts before Valen began his response. The last time she had seen her cousin she had almost entirely convinced herself that he would be better off living life as a female. Her heart went out to him, a member of the Apple family trying to find his way in the world. She also wondered if he was here to seek more advice from her even though he hadn't been convinced by her sage words last time.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Valen breathed a sigh of relief. Applejack had a very calming influence on almost anypony she met. It was her mix of down-home country attitude and a sweetness of spirit that helped ensure you would be well taken care of. She could sometimes aggressively pursue her innate desire to help others, to set things right on behalf of her fellow pony. And many times it could be off-putting, though the underlying heart was pure in all instances. She was always putting in the work for you. Unlike the farm, where the sweet sound of her crushing hooves was always accompanied by the knowledge that her efforts were well placed, Valen knew for a fact that she could misplace her efforts in other areas.

Indeed, ever since the first time she had learned about Gilded Lilly, she had taken a stance on the issue. While most others talked to him to try and find out how he felt, Applejack had come to her conclusion and told Valen what he must want. To be a filly, obviously. She had been polite enough to listen, but he had only narrowly avoided being forced into that life by her by the confusion ignited by Rainbow Dash. Ever since that day the issue had been allowed to settle. A few comments here and there, but nothing too drastic. She was too full of earnest well-intentions, once she had taken a step back, to force the issues upon him.

That had been one of the worst aspects of the recent issues with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Silver Spoon. While he didn't remember Applejack being directly involved or related in any of it, she had to have been told. In the battery of things that came up he'd rather her have been told simply about the filly stuff than the...foal...stuff, but he'd rather her have not been involved at all. Alas, she likely did, though she didn't let on yet. And for all the possible problems if he could get her on his side then the rest of the day would be much easier.

He trotted up next to her with hope in his heart. “Cousin Applejack, happy to find you here. Do you have time or am I interrupting you?” He said with a polite smile as he positioned himself next to her. “I need your help with stopping something before it goes any further,” he said as he sighed. “Have you heard anything from the Cutie Mark Crusaders or Silver Spoon?”


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.png

 

AJ smiled as Valen trotted up, welcoming him to ask anything he wished. It would be nice to take a break from bucking for a while. Sweat beaded on her face and she used a hoof to absently wipe it away. The farm mare raised an eyebrow as her cousin asked if he was interrupting.

 

"Naw, yer not interrupting anything Lily! I was jus' about to take a break anyway," She nodded to the full apple baskets all around. "I reckon another hour or so an' this part of the orchard will be cleared." 

 

She continued to listen as Valen questioned her about the Crusaders and Silver Spoon. Stop something before it starts.... hmmmmm, she had a feeling she knew where this was going but she'd let him lead her there. Never helped to jump to conclusions before a pony was ready. She indeed was growing in her ability to advise others. There was a time when AJ would have immediately jumped at the chance to convince the colt that he'd be better off giving over to his true nature.

 

"Well, depends on what yah mean sugar cube." She moved to lean back against the apple tree she had just finished bucking. It was cooler under the shade of the big healthy tree. "I've heard mah share o' things from the Crusaders... 'specially Abby a'course. She's never short on talk," She chuckled. "Anything in specific yah got in mind? I might be able to recall on certain topics."

 

She left it at that. Giving Valen time to lay it all out before her.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lilly? Oh no. If she was throwing around Valen's stage name all willy nilly like, that could only mean one of three things. One, she was being a bit of a tease and knew why he was here. It wasn't like her to be the joking type over such matters, but it wasn't like she was humourless either. The fact he was hanging his hopes on her sense of humour homing in on a very specific element by coincidence gave him less confidence than he'd normally enjoy.

He let out a large sigh. “Well, recently the CMC discovered my work as Gilded, and- well, you know how excited they can get. Then Abby brought up the...” he looked around, leaned in, and whispered, “...bedwetting...and well...as I said, you know how excited they can get,” he said, allowing Applejack's knowledge to auto-complete the scenario. He'd rather not relive the nitty gritty of it, after all. "Silver Spoon used that, took advantage, and- well to make a long story short, and I'm absolutely not lying about this, I'm pretty sure she used magic or a potion or some chemicals to make me say and do some pretty silly things. About being a filly and all that other stuff, all of it. Pretty outrageous," Valen said with a wild blush. It was almost too embarrassing to put into words and he had even skated around the worst of it, if only because even he had his conversational limits. Some of what had happened or was said was hard for him now to come to terms with.

He smiled, shaken with confidence as it was. "So after the past few days I think I've recovered enough to take action and hopefully return everything to normal. Put all this salaciousness and malintent to rest and continue on with what I was doing before. I couldn't think of a mare who was better suited or more reliable, so I came to you first. Hopefully I can get you to talk sense into everypony! It has been a rather crazy several days, after all," he said with a shake of the head and a smile. "And in return, I'll try to help out more. Sound like a good deal?" Valen asked, extending a hoof. He knew he didn't have to but the way she called him Lilly told him he'd have to break through some barrier tonight and this may as well be a direct way of confronting it.

Hopefully it would work?

  • Apple 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.png

 

AJ listened intently as Valen laid out the basics before her. Sure it was an embarrassing scenario but the farm mare knew in her heart it was best if he spoke it out. Hopefully that would help him come to terms...at least a little... with who he really was. There would be some pretty tough barriers to cross in the life change Applejack knew was coming his way, and he needed to strengthen his resolve if he was going to make it.

 

Applejack prided herself of course on having a knowing about what ponies really wanted. Her honesty went beyond herself at points, making it so that she could see through the facade that many ponies put over their real wants and desires. Valen's was plain to her at this point. As easy to see as a filly up on the stage actually. He wanted to be a filly in his heart. She knew he did and this was part of coming to terms with that.

 

She raised an eyebrow when he spoke of things returning to normal. If there was one thing she didn't want it was for him to back step after coming so far. Some of the baby stuff might have been over the top. Wearing a pair of too tight diapers being at the top of the list. But, she figured it was part of his process. Going a little too far was normal and helped a pony figure out where the perfect happy medium lay.

 

The farm mare glanced at the offered hoof and took in a deep breath. She wasn't the pony to shake on loose terms. She knew she couldn't keep the end of the bargain he was offering. It was for his own good a'course. She wanted to make him happy and feel at ease in this difficult time but she herself knew from experience... fairly recent experience with a certain lovely unicorn... that getting to where you wanted to be often involved going to areas of discomfort and even mistrust in one's self was needed to get to what the heart really wanted.

 

She exhaled the breath and moved up next to Valen, her shoulder bumping his lightly in support. 

 

"Well now sugarcube," She nodded towards a couple upturned apple baskets and trotted over. Taking a seat, she offered the other to Valen. "Yah know I'm not one ta jus' shake on a deal until it's been thought all the way through." She eyed him softly. A look of almost motherly concern coming over her features. 

 

"Yah know I care about you. Yer part of the family and always will be." She paused, gathering her thoughts.

 

"An' I know ol' Silver Spoon went a bit too far with the recent turn of events," She raised her brows. "I'm sorry 'bout that a'course. I should have been able to see you didn't like being treated like that..." She too let the details fall away. 

 

"But, truth is Lilly,  I've never seen you more yerself than when yer dressed and behavin' like a filly." She moved to place a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm a mare who's always believed in being the best version of one's self an' when I see you as a filly, well, I think ya know that's the best version o' you." She didn't hitch on any of that. There was nothing to be embarrassed about when it came to living one's best life. This was no time to mince words.

 

"I'll a'course put a word out for ya, keep Silver away from you and calm down the CMC," She chuckled though it didn't help to cut the serious nature of her words. "They can be right precocious though I do believe it's from the goodness of their hearts. Fact o' the matter is, I'll support you in this life change you're going through, I'm yer cousin and I've never been one to let family down."

 

She took a moment to read his expression. Would he admit what he really felt? Would he finally succumb to her sense on the matter? She sure hoped so! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It started off very well for the little colt. Applejack was many things to many ponies but the one thing she was to everypony was the most reliable and trustworthy friend you could ask for, and doubly so for family. Valen could feel that love from her, the earnestness and honesty as she allowed for the recent events to be taken as they were: quite awful. She didn't excuse Silver or buy into the lie she had spread, even it was partially from his lips. This was going great, he was actually going to get through this rather awful time. After what seemed like a hundred little strikes against his sense of peace and a Ponyville experience tinged with disastrous misconceptions and foibles, somepony was finally listening to him!

And then it turned. It turned in the way only Applejack could make it turn, full of honesty and sweetness and kinship, but to Valen, it was awful. Valen had known for some time how Applejack viewed him and what he was meant to be and do. They had multiple conversations in the past about this and it seemed like it was a settled manner, even if they disagreed. She had voiced her opinion stronger in the past, but she had never refused to call him anything but Lilly. She was supportive, she was wonderful, she was the best cousin in the world, and she was wrong to the degree that it almost physically hurt him. False hope dashed, he sighed and looked down at the ground. He wasn't going to get the help he wanted, but he still had to talk it out, at least for a little bit.

“My name is not Lilly or Gilded Lilly, Applejack. I am Valen. Cousin, we've talked about this before. I'm comfortable as I am! I don't want to be anyone other than Valen. But we've talked about that before, so I'm guessing your mind is settled on the matter?” He asked, half-knowing the response even as he asked it. His mind was already running ways to cope with it. He didn't have to acknowledge being called Lilly outside the farm, right? Back home in Manehattan, around town, he was certain to have some peace. As long as he could get help from the other leading citizens of town to ensure that Silver's other routes were blocked, it would be okay. His cousin was worth dealing with the fact that she was delightful, sweet, stubborn, and wrong

Maybe this would be isolated.
Maybe.
Hopefully.

  • Apple 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.png

 

Applejack gave the colt a caring look as he stated what she could only be sure he had taught himself to say. Denying what he truly wanted in order to be accepted and liked by others around him. She didn't really fault him for this. It was natural for ponies to want to stick to the norm. She'd been around long enough to know that desire, even for herself. 

 

As he asked if she was settled on the matter she took in a breath and exhaled slowly. She mulled over all that she had seen and heard as it pertained to her cousin. Certainly the CMC had gone too far in dressing him up like an infant. Without a doubt it was obvious that he didn't feel anything Hearts and Hoovsie for Silver Spoon. But just as undoubtedly her cousin loved being Gilded Lilly. He adored dressing like a filly and behaving as one. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that he would be happier by far and live the life he was destined for as himself truly, as a filly.

 

"Cousin," She gave him what could only be described as a motherly look. "yah know I support you to the moon and back. You know I'll stand up fer yah no matter what. I'll be happy to make sure the CMC stop treatin' you in ways you don't like and that they don't tell anypony else about the uh... incidents... from before. I'll also have a talk with Silver Spoon and git to the bottom o' whatever happened with that situation."

 

She stood and sauntered back over to the next tree that needed bucking. The farm make glanced at the bright red apples hanging from the boughs of the beautiful tree. "But you know," She turned to face him. "I see things like they are. An apple tree's an apple tree and it's got no problems showin' it!" She kicked a hoof back casually and a few apple fell into nearby baskets. "An' yer a filly at heart Lilly." She used the name again even thought he'd asked her not to. She was going to help him see what he really wanted. That wasn't always easy for a pony. Sometimes they needed tough love. "A filly's a filly, an' shouldn't have a problem showin' it."

 

She nodded once at her good common sense. She wouldn't be shifted on the matter, it was too important for her to hold strong. She had to stand up for him or who would? She could see him now, so much happier upon embracing his true self. Yep. This was too important to let it go, no matter how much he stood against her.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Valen could only describe himself as feeling...well, indescribably awful. It felt like speaking with Applejack was having the opposite of the desired effect. She was set in her ways, set in her spirit, and set in her thoughts on the matter. Valen sighed. He had come here seeking aid and found that, while indeed he would get some basic aid against Silver and some help calming the CMCs down, the larger battle being waged was already lost on one front. It was the most important front and one he didn't really want to think about, but if...no, he had to remain on target.
“I see...” he started with a resigned sigh, “be that as it may, thank you for your help in dealing with Silver Spoon and the Crusaders. I have other ponies I must speak with. Have a good work morning, cousin,” he said firmly but politely, giving his traditional Manehattan sendoff of a courtesy bow before turning around and trotting quickly away from Sweet Apple Acres.

In short time he was out of Sweet Apple Acres and skirting around the town, because he had already decided who he was going to see next. So he had Silver Spoon under control a little, but could always use more help. She was very manipulative. Scootaloo listened to Rainbow Dash and while she was the only one of the three to have reservations about what was happening- as much as the second round had annihilated that- it was good to have an additional backup. Rainbow Dash also had Applejack's ear more than most, perhaps enough to speak to her. Doubtful, sure. But some progress was better than none and right now she was his current best hope. Valen trotted determinedly towards Rainbow's house, located about a mile away from Ponyville.

It was about that time when the first raindrops fell from the sky, helping to accentuate his mood. “Great. I can't believe I forgot the weather schedule...” he sighed, picking up the pace. It was a small but violent storm front that was going to give the farmlands some dreadfully needed moisture. One of the many great things about Equestria was that you could look up weather schedules months in advance. He had no excuse except...okay, between the CMC, Silver Spoon, identity questions, and a busy work schedule not to mention school and helping cousin Applejack, he perhaps had good cause. Perhaps. Maybe. By now he was in a full gallop, and the rain was in full force. It didn't take much convincing for his hooves to bring him within eyesight of Rainbow's floating castle, self-made and as cocky as the mare who made it.

“Rainbow! Miss Rainbow Dash!” Valen yelled as his hooves started to find solid ground where once mood stood, standing as he was in the protective aegis of Rainbow's structure. He whipped his mane around and blinked the water out of his eyes, looking about for signs of the cyan mare. “I have need to speak with you, please, if you have the time!” He yelled while still keeping that proper tone well-equipped. No reason to start off on a bad hoof, even if Rainbow was unlikely to be deeply chagrined.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

image.png

 

AJ watched as her cousin pretty much literally deflated in front of her. It hurt her heart to know she'd not given him the answers he was looking for. She didn't like to see anypony, family or not, disappointed in her. But well, there was nothing to be done. In the end, honesty would always win out for the farm mare. Thankfully time and again honesty had paid off in the end, even when the journey to conclusions was difficult.

 

She let out a small sigh too as Valen gave a traditional Manehatten courtesy bow and trotted off. Applejack watched him go, wishing fervently he'd find the ability to be himself someday. Until he did AJ would be there, encouraging him to have the courage to be who he truly wanted to be.

 

"Yer welcome cousin," She spoke quietly and far out his earshot. "Hi hope yah find what yer lookin' for sugar cube." 

 

With that the farm mare turned towards the apple laden tree nearest to her and prepared her hind legs for some good old fashioned buckin'.

 

image.jpeg

 

"Yeah!" The pegasus hovered in place while she watched a group of new weather ponies adjust the storm clouds. "Yep! Just like that. Now give it a little push!" She grimaced. "No! Not that far! Get on the other side and move it back a little. Ok, yep perfect!" She whipped a wing across her face, dashing away rain water. "Now, just keep this up for at least an hour. After that we'll start clearing it away slowly." 

 

The group of pegasi nodded to what could only be considered a sage weather pony at this point. Sure she was also an accomplished Wonderbolt and a savior of all Equestria but Rainbow never forgot her roots. She'd had most of her early flight training moving weather patterns across the skies above Ponyville. 

 

"Um, time to not be out in a down pour," Rainbow muttered as she winged back to her home. The weather ponies could continue to train but RD had little need of that. Nope. She'd go home, have a hot shower and relax with Tank for an hour or so before going back out to direct the next weather change. "Speaking of out in a down pour," She spied somepony looking like they were calling up to her home.

 

Rainbow winged low, spraying rainwater as she went. When she got closer she could see who it was.

 

"Valen! Um, what are you doing out in the rain?" She knew by looking at him he wished to have a word and the rain was only increasing in intensity. She nodded to a nearby coffee shoppe. "Meet you over there ok?" She would have invited him in of course but he'd have fallen right through her house since he wasn't a pegasus and Twi wasn't around to cast any fancy spells. 

 

Rainbow landed with a clacking of hooves on cobble stones outside of the shop. There was an awning to stand under and dry off before entering. Water flew everywhere as the mare shook herself off not unlike a dog. As Valen made his way over she beckoned him.

 

"Let's get out of the rain!" 

 

Inside was warm but not stifling. RD could feel the rain evaporating from her coat and she sighed, knowing the hot shower and hang out with Tank time was going to have to wait. She was just too interested in what Valen might want to talk to her about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Valen nodded along with Rainbow's orders, though he guessed he didn't have much room to speak out in opposition to them. He'd rather have talked in a more private place due to the questions and favor he had to ask of her but just as with most things in his life, he'd learn to get along with something shaved off of perfection. He galloped his way away from Rainbow's house and into town, his hooves getting muddy and his mane matted by the water as the weather took a turn for the nourishing. He still felt like an idiot for having forgotten the weather. Look at all the ponies who WEREN'T outside! How could he be so wrong about something so easy?

How could he be so...wrong?

In time, after Rainbow, he managed to find his way to the shop with panting breath. He wiped his hooves on the rug at the entrance and took a few breaths, shaking off the damp as best he could. Finally, he made his way into the warmth of the shop's interior. As quiet as activity was inside, it was bustling inside. Ponies hustled to and fro serving the customers who had seemingly occupied almost every space available, leaving scant few options for Rainbow and Valen. It certainly put a crimp into his plans- hard to talk about anything too private here, unless he was smart about it. Which based on his inability to remember the weather he wasn't too confident about.

Uggh. He felt off and wrong about everything today.

He found a seat, no doubt followed by Rainbow. A server whisked her way over- a beige unicorn mare, young mare at that with bright green eyes. She looked at the two with a wide smile. “Well, what can I do you for?” She asked, her accent authentically Ponyville. It was certainly warm, matching her personality and the shop as a whole. Valen thought quickly- something good and warm. “I'll take hot cocoa, please,” he responded. That was nice. Something to warm him up even more. The server got Rainbow's order and then went on her way, leaving the two in...nothing at all approximating silence.

After a pregnant pause, Valen sighed. “Thank you for speaking with me, Rainbow. I have some...uhh, well...” he leaned in and started whispering, “private things I want to discuss with you. I've already spoken to Applejack about it, but I'd appreciate more help on it. You're a strong pony, so I figured you'd be ideal to help me,” he said, tritely playing on her ego. Maybe that was something he should have done with Applejack to get a more favorable response?

Likely not. This felt wrong.
He sighed and looked around before leaning back in.
“I'm sure ponies talked..maybe Scootaloo, I don't know. About recent events with Silver Spoon, me, some...stuff? And...” he shook his head, and then leapt to a new topic, one that was more immediately on his mind, “do you remember when you discovered Gilded Lilly's...uhhm, identity, and your own little...how to say, crisis?”

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.jpeg

 

"Yeah ummmm, I'll take a hot green tea. Lots of honey with that please." Rainbow ordered after Valen and then settled back into her seat. "Feels much better in here than outside!" She cocked her head, listening to the chattering drone of the cafe. It was certainly busy!

 

"Sorry I couldn't have you come in," She referred to her house. "I-it's just a huge mess right now..." She tried to pass off the excuse and it fell a bit short. In truth she hardly knew what was going on in there right now as far as messy or clean. The pegasus and her turtle Tank spent nearly all their time with AJ and Zappers in the farmhouse now. Thought a cramped cafe was a bit uncomfortable, it was better than explaining a horrible mess to Valen. Not to mention a rather large collection of stallion's clothing that may or may not be stored away...

 

Valen leaned in to talk and Rainbow complied, leaning on her front hooves across the small table between them. Private things? Rainbow's ear twitched. She had suspected the direction Valen's visit might take and he was quickly confirming it. He certainly knew her well enough, even playing on her obviously amazing strength. Before she could think any more on the compliment he was off in the direction of a story she had picked up on from the Crusaders.

 

Rainbow had been upstairs in her and AJ's room when the CMC had entered into the den area of the farmhouse. She could hear them whispering and giggling. Not that she was listening in exactly but it was hard not to pick up on the mention of Valen in various states of submission to Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara that made Rainbow's ears turn pink! 

 

"Yeah... uh, I meant to ask you at some point...about ummm, that." She cut in, wondering what in Equestria had really happened. She'd tried to get some info from AJ on the matter but her mare had steered off the topic faster than rainbow could make a hairpin turn on the wing!

 

Then he brought up Gilded Lilly and last but not least, her little...well it had become more than a little, obsession. She still felt awkward about it and hadn't even talked to AJ about it. Of course her mare had been there for that event but she'd been kind enough not to mention it...at least not yet. Rainbow gulped. What was Valen getting at? She wasn't ready to come to terms with her thoughts on her own identity. In fact she tried to stay clear of those thoughts as often as she could. It made her well, uncomfortable. 

 

The pegasus tried to steer things back to Valen's identity as quickly as she could. "Yeah, I remember Gilded Lilly," It felt weird saying it like that as she was one and the same as Valen. "What about it?" She made the quandary as quickly as possible. Rainbow suddenly found herself wishing she'd just stayed out in the storm with the weather crew.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Valen's hooves patted nervously on the table, slight knocks producing a sound too minor to register as he waited for her answers. He had suspicions about them of course. How could she not know about what had happened with Silver Spoon, the CMC, and Tiara? It would be impossible to imagine anyone of them keeping quiet on the subject initially. Then with that followup? He was shocked they hadn't plastered it around town...yet. But he knew that Applejack knew and it would be balderdash to think she wouldn't have told her paramour all about it, if only to talk through the strangeness of it all. What had been two of the most awkward and terrible days of Valen's life may very well have made juicy gossip and reasons to stand one's ground on matters of family and other import. And Rainbow, while not somepony who was one to gossip needlessly, was still somepony who could enjoy a juicy secret or two.

More bubbling up to the surface was the necessity of an answer to the second question, especially based off of what Applejack had said. He wanted to know how far this belief had spread, and how decidedly difficult it would be to unseat such perceptions- and who better to ask than somepony who had a small identity crisis of their own at the time? Valen couldn't speak to it. Rainbow seemed a wildly accomplished and successful mare and he didn't see anything she was lacking, but such crisis were personal to a degree that the opinions of others held little merit. Such was his belief, however. It seemed others did not share this same strain of interpersonal restraint.

The answers to both questions were telling in their own way. Rainbow had certainly heard of the strange events recently but hadn't had cause to talk to him about it. On one hoof he certainly appreciated that somepony wasn't looking to make a statement about every event of his life. On the other, some more upfront discussion questioning would have been nice. Not in this place, ideally, but alas that appeared to be a fantasy. “Right. Well, to assuage any concerns you might have, the answer is a firm no- I did not like what they did and did not approve. I am convinced magic, maybe a potion, was involved. The reason I want to speak with you about that is, as somepony who is very close with Scootaloo, is there anything you can do to get her to see the light of day on this issue?” Valen asked, confident of the reply. Scootaloo had seemed the most apprehensive of the whole deal in the first plae.

Rainbow's second answer was more curt, and even slightly aggressive. A sore spot. Ahh, well then. Valen wasn't above poking and prodding to get the answers he needed, and with everything he had done for others and had been done to him by others, a little push didn't seem entirely out of order. “Well, you seem very well put together. Confident and strong, able to handle any problem sent your way. And you had a very similar problem to the one Gilded is confronted with, except with her, a lot of ponies keep on tell her to...drop the act, even though it isn't one. So how did you handle your business, without such noise?”

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.png

 

Rainbow was going to answer quickly, trying to take back anything that had to do with her little...issues. But then the waitress came back with their drinks. She set them down and asked if there would be anything else. 

 

"No, I think we're good," The pegasus spoke quickly as the conversation they had been absorbed in was momentarily side tracked. It was when she turned to walk towards another table she was waiting that Rainbow couldn't help but notice how cute she was. The pegasus was a married mare now but that didn't mean she'd lost her interest in what she found attractive in mares. Of course nothing could compare to her AJ. She was, well, she was everything to Rainbow. Of course these thoughts made her stomach drop. She'd hardly shared as much as she should have about her little fixations. She would, she just needed more time! 

 

Rainbow poured a dab of honey in her tea while the herbs steeped in the small metal pot. She had to refocus herself. Leave it to Valen to bring up her hidden secrets. Her obvious weaknesses, and at the same time tell her how strong she was. He was nothing short of a conundrum to her in multiple ways. She fiddled with the for the moment empty tea cup in front of her as Valen continued.

 

"Well, I was wanting to ask you about that whole issue because I never got a straight story from anypony. In fact, AJ seemed a bit miffed about the whole thing last time I asked so I dropped it." She heard various tidbits and stories from various sources but she was not convinced she'd heard the tale correctly. But she wouldn't push Valen to give her gory details. She didn't want to breach details of her own and the best way to keep that safe was to stick to basics. "A-as far as Scootaloo.." She brought things back around. "She didn't want to tell me exactly what happened either. She seemed pretty embarrassed about it actually. All she said was she didn't want to be involved and she still doesn't. It's pretty much Abby and Sweetie on this one but Scootaloo's still not sure what to do with it."

 

She glanced up at Valen before looking down to check if her tea was stepped enough. "But yeah, I can talk to her about it if you want. Nopony wants rumors being spread about themselves." That part was certainly true. A couple well aimed rumors in her direction could be quite detrimental. 

 

Valen continued on, pouring salt on Rainbow's secret wound. She was getting anxious and the confined space of the cafe was starting to get to her all of a sudden. "Well," She pondered the question for a moment. "I-i'm not too sure Gilded is similar to..." She trailed off, she didn't want to talk about it. At least not right now and not with Valen and not in this place. "She's up on stage. Enjoying the attention, the adoration. Gilded is something else!" She really had been taken aback by how splendid Valen had looked when she'd seen him/her on stage. "She isn't afraid to be who she is. In fact you look more comfortable as Gilded than you look..." She trailed off again. She didn't want to be hurtful. "Let's just say, it looks natural. Gilded Lily looks natural, like she's got nothing to hide!"

 

She hoped that would explain how she kept her little issues 'without noise'. She didn't share it with anypony, not even the love of her life. That thought made her feel sick inside. She felt like she was being dishonest with Applejack. This was quickly becoming waaaay more than she wanted to deal with right now. She poured her tea, trying to settle herself. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It felt weird seeing Rainbow Dash seem sp unfocused, so uncentered. The truest indication that she was struggling with something herself was laid bare in the way she spoke and the manner with which she went about avoiding and answering his questions. She was a mare who was never short of a quip, a comment, a cause and an air of certainty enforcing her will. Now she seemed scattered and unsure. About what? About herself. She was too afraid to admit it to herself or, even worse, was admitting it to herself but couldn't to anypony else. This was troubling as a friend of Rainbow Dash of course. It was even more troubling when you came to the mare for guidance and found that she too was lost in the wilderness without a guide. What was it about the one-eyed mare being a queen amongst the blind?
 

Valen didn't know how to really approach it, even as Rainbow started speaking about her thoughts on Gilded Lilly. Clearly Rainbow had something inside of her she was afraid of. Valen had the same deal. Unlike Rainbow however, Valen had never been given the luxury of being alone in his thoughts with his worries locked up. Everypony in his life had seen them, had opinions on them, and most of them pushed him towards certain conclusions. Conclusions he was unsure of and sought aid in. Aid that, time and time again, became blunted by the opinions of others. He could write it off initially as a trick of fate, but it was so consistent it was becoming increasingly difficult to argue against the words that were repeated again and again to him. He sighed and looked down, though he quickly looked up. She was going her best, no reason to act glum.
 

"I bet she was miffed about it, though I can only guess as to one of two causes. In any fashion, thank you for your help with Scootaloo. She is a good friend. As for the rest..." he shifted uncomfortably, "it isn't the spotlight that Gilded enjoys, nor the modeling. She enjoys helping her friend with her career, and a sense of fashion herself," Valen replied even as the words seemed hollow to him. They were hollow enough for everypony else. "But...I get what you're saying. Everypony else seems to say the same. At least you have the luxury of privacy," he said with a smile. He drank his tea and looked around. Nopony seemed to take too much interest in what they were saying, but no reason to go too far with it. "Now you know why I went to your house first. Would have been much easier to talk there!"
 

He sipped his tea, then sighed.
"This has been fun, but..." 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.png

Thank Celestia he wasn't pushing the topic of her little secret obsession! Rainbow visibly relaxed as Valen took the topic elsewhere. Sure he brushed on it now and again, but it didn't seem like he was going to push her on her secrets. 

 

"Yeah well.." She cut in part way when he began to speak of what Gilded did and did not enjoy. Perhaps she had read too much into what she saw on stage. But she really didn't think so. "All I know is when I saw Gilded up on stage she looked about as happy and in her place as I feel when I'm flying formation with the 'Bolts. Likes it's where I belong. Plus, you had to work for it... I-i mean her...or..." She gulped down a swallow of hot tea. "Whatever. I'm just saying it fits. Gilded looks like she fits and I'm not sure why you don't want to have that feeling more often. I fly with the 'Bolts every chance I get." She pushed her feelings hard on the topic, so fast that she didn't really think. That was Rainbow though. She didn't always think about how what she was saying would affect anypony else.

 

But then she got caught up on her words. Was there something he wanted her to say? He wasn't going to hold anything he knew about her over her head was he? She hoped not. Valen didn't seem to be that sort of pony. Then he mentioned going over to her house and how it would have been easier. 

 

"I uhhhhh..." She looked away. "Not sure how much easier it would have been." She really needed to spend some time cleaning up in there. 

 

Then she glanced back at the colt. He seemed saddened? No, he seemed let down. She'd let him down, she could tell. Rainbow had to stick to her guns though. She had seen what she had seen and her verdict was what she had said. Valen seemed more comfortable with Gilded than his colt counterpart. Why not be who he really wanted to be?

 

"Yeah..." She finished her tea. "I-it's been a real blast catching up Valen." Rainbow glanced out the window, noticing the storm was beginning to lift. "But I really should be getting back to the weather ponies..." She began to stand, tossing enough bits and then some for both drinks. No need to short a cute waitress. "See you around ok?"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rainbow Dash underwent an immediate transformation once she felt like the topic had fully moved away from whatever internal debate still rested in heavy weights on her heart. More to her old confidence, words spoken with clarity, vision, and certainty. If only these words were spoken more to his own liking. Indeed, another visit, another small catastrophe. He had gotten help in one small way but it had done little to assuage the growing concern gnawing away at his mind as the day- no, that was a lie. It wasn't a day, or days, or even weeks. Months it was, longer, and it only grew intensity. Maybe it was less her words that Valen didn't much appreciate and more the fact that time and time again his close adult friends seemed to round-up on the same hill and corner him there, and he wasn't sure he liked the scenery. That alone should feel discrediting, but...

Valen applied a smile and stood up. “Thank you for this talk, Rainbow. It has been illuminating. I hope you find the answers you need, I have the ones I need for now,” he said, his smile weak but hopeful. He'd need to search elsewhere. “Also, I think Applejack wants you to talk to her about some sort of family event or somesuch. I heard her talking about it the other day. Have a good day,” he said with a polite Manehattan bow, then trotted out of the cafe with all the visible confidence of an energetic young colt. Like everything else in his life though, it felt like a lie.

He breathed deep the Ponyville air, hoping it would help clear his mind. Everything used to be so simple. Then it got muddied and muddied some more and now it felt like he was stuck in the middle of several worlds, lost at sea and without direction. Yet he wasn't. Those around him were giving him clear signals, firm and direct and without fail it felt like. If it were a numbers game...however much of that was true, it all felt wrong. He felt like he was the only one with clear eyes on the issue, but that could not hold up the more and more those around him concurred with one another. It wasn't that he lacked direction, but rather he just didn't want to swim in the direction they were giving him.

But was it truly better to tread the water?
Valen was barely paying attention to what he was doing or where he was going, lost in thoughts as he was. One of his hooves clipped the side of a building- not painfully, but enough to make him recoil. He shook his head and looked up. “Sugarcube Corner?” He asked nopony in particular. His smile returned, a little better this time. “Well, I can't say no to that!” He said a bit loudly. Okay, it was a yell. His emotions were frayed and a positive sign was a positive sign. He walked around to the front and pushed the door open, immediately taking a deep breath of the sweet-scented air!
Already an improvement!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.jpeg

 

"That's six, seven, eight dozen rainbow cream, chocolate cherry frosted, sparkling sprinkle cupcakes!" The Ponk turned around to quickly stir two different bowls of ingredients on another counter. "That takes care of those Gummy!" The gator blinked from his perch on a shelf above the chaos that was Pinkie baking. "Now! On to the chocolate marshmallow swirled pumpkin surprise cupcakes!"

 

There were a few patrons in the seating area of the confectionery but most of them were almost done with their snacks and picking up their belongings to head out. It wasn't the rush part of the day so Pinkie had set to mixing up some of the orders that had been made for earlier today and tomorrow. Basically it was a long list of cupcakes this time. Of course the pink mare added at least two dozen onto whatever order was made. Taste testing was not an option, it was a requirement! 

 

Pinkie popped another batch in the over and grabbed a cupcake off the cooling rack. Into her mouth it went! "Yum! Perfect as usual!" She grinned and reached up for her gator pet. "Come on Gummy! Time for a break!" She was about to head up to her room for a little snooze when the door opened. "Whoops! Forgot to lock the door for break time! No problem of course." She spoke to Gummy with a smile as she trotted over to see who it might be.

 

"Valen!" Pinkie greeted him at the door. "What a surprise! Come on in!"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sugarcube corner was as safe a spot as a pony could find emotionally in the whole of Ponyville. Inside of its walls, the air thick with the accent of sweet surrender to the joys of their baked goods, lay a treasure trove of happiness that begged you to enter into it without precondition or worry. It was impossible to resist smiling as you entered and took a breath, lost in the ecstacy of this place's pitch-perfect existence. Even Valen felt it, knowingly imbibed it, and took what he could from it. He wasn't sure it was having the full affect with the worries of previous conversations and encounters playing desperately in the back of his mind, forced there by the fiercest assault of sugary air possible. Pushed back, not defeated. Even as he looked around and smiled, something felt sinister and hollow about it, almost forced. He couldn't put his hoof on it. He just knew he was happy to be here, happier to be here than anywhere else.
 

Pinkie Pie gave him the same joy. He was certain that there was nopony more dedicated to increasing one's happiness and joy in the entire cosmos and he was happy to know her. Like all, she was imperfect. A bit too intrusive- needed to know everything for her party planning after all- and sometimes a little too energetic and in your face, but there were legions of sins practiced more aggressively than these. They were fine to have, and she was equally pleasant to have as a friend. "Hello there, Miss Pie! A pleasure to see you today," he said, enjoying her more than teh Cakes. They were a fine couple as well, but she brought out the best in everypony. "I was wondering if you had anything chocolate cherry frosted? I'm hankering for some right about now. My hooves are tired!" He laughed, taking a seat in the parlor portion of the bakery.
 

Still, he knew some questions had to be asked, at this point more for his edification than anything else. "So...Pinkie, how've you been?" He started, giving her time to respond and talk. She always had so much to say, and Celestia save you if you interrupted. Eventually he went. "Have you...heard anything strange or unusual or new about me?"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Image result for pinkie pie with a cupcake

"Chocolate cherry frosted you say?" She glanced about and quickly piled a tray with about ten treats. She trotted over to the seat Valen had chosen and laid the tray in front of him. Pinkie used the end of her forelocks to point to some of the goodies. "We've got a chocolate cherry custard tart, a chocolate cherry eclair, and a chocolate cherry fruit slice. Not frosted but all really good! Here's a chocolate donut with cherry filling frosted in chocolate icing, chocolate chunk cherry cookie, and of course a chocolate cupcake frosted with chocolate cherry frosting and red sprinkles!" 

 

The pink pile of energy took a bouncy seat next to her friend and selected an eclair for herself. It was gone with a couple chews and a gulp! "Oh! I've been good! Ha!" She laughed a shook her head. "Make the double great actually! Business is booming around here and I'm getting lots of time to try new recipes! Not to mention what's been going on with me and my friends. Talk about big stuff coming soon!" She rolled her eyes. "Being left in charge of Equestria is no little thing but meh! We've got it!"

 

She pushed off the counter and twirled around in her chair a couple times while she thought. "Hmmmmm ,now that you mention it I did hear a few stories a few weeks back. Something about you and babysitting I think? Oh! How could I forget! The big news was you had a crush on Silver Spoon! I was meaning to ask you what was going on with that?" It was a jarring way to ask that sort of thing but that didn't seem to phase Pinkie one little bit!

 

While she monologued on the few ponies left in the parlor area finished up and headed out. The lunch break for most ponies at work was heading towards the close. Pinkie jumped up and after bidding them farewell she clicked the lock over. "We've got the whole place to ourselves!" She spied another sweet treat from the platter. "The Cake's are out of town today." She spoke absently and crammed another treat into her mouth. Once she was finished she locked her eyes on Valen.

 

"So, about Silver Spoon?" 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The options all sounded equally amazing. You could count on Pinkie Pie to create from the same list of ingredients a seemingly endless array of joy-inducing treats. Her creativity was truly second to none and her commitment to making ponies happy was likewise without debate. His mind had to roll over the possibilities, coming as fast and quick as they did, as he hoped to pick the one that best suited his stomach's occasionally picky requirements. But when everything sounded so good it was almost heresy to suggest any choice was the lesser! "Hmm....wow, so many good ideas. How about the doughnut? Can't say I can say no to that!" He said with a laugh. He had the bits ready before he could even think of it. How could anypony say no to that? The transaction was complete quickly and Valen stared at it. Finally, something that could go right today!
 

He took a bite- over the top and delicious as expected. Hearing about all the business and plans didn't come as a shock. It was still up in the air as to the exact makeup of Twilight's ruling council or whatever it was she planned on doing, but hearing that Pikie thought she was going to help rule Equestria confirmed a few small rumors Valen had heard. He supposed he could just ask, but he thought it rude. Business was good though- never a shock, never a disappointment. He smiled. "That's good to hear. I can't wait until I see what all of you have planned for Twilight's rule in Equestria. I bet you're planning the biggest party in history, right?" Valen asked with a laugh. "Or at least thats what I'm expecting!"

 

He continued to eat his doughnut as Pinkie explained what little she had heard. He almost choked on the doughnut! Of course it was a little better than the other stories she may have heard. He figured that unlike Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight and especially Rarity, Pinkie had little to bet on this little game and was more on the outside looking in. Not that she didn't already innately know, seemed like she knew everything. But the idea that he liked Silver Spoon? Uggh. Well, maybe not uggh. She was rather cute, and he'd admit to a fondness for spectacles. But how much of that was Valen and how much was her worming her way in through whatever magic she had used? Whatever the answer, the fact there was debate meant he had to believe there was no future there. For his own sake. "It is...complicated with Silver Spoon, to put it mildly," he began once they were free of any eavesdroppers. He told her the full scope of the ordeal with Silver Spoon, from the start with the CMC and the diapers and the filly stuff, through what she had done the other day. Week. Time was a crock.

 

He bared it all and then took a breath- then ordered another doughnut. While he listened to her response, his brain ran down the order of events all of his conversations had gone down. Going over the Silver Spoon stuff brought him back to why he had started the day in transit, and what the real cause of it had become as he moved around. he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. How could he broach it in a way with Pinkie that wouldn't make her feel uncomfortable as well? He thought about it for a bit, and struck upon a idea. Clever Valen! "So Pinkie, a thought occurs to me. I don't think you've ever held a party for me! I mean, my birthday isn't for a little bit so no rush or anything. If you did have a party in mind though, what would it be like?" Valen asked inquisitively. Her parties spoke s\o much to the pony they were for. Why would this be any different...and what would it say about him?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

image.png

 

When Valen mentioned the party to mark the change of rule in Equestria Ponk gulped down the treat she'd been enjoying and grinned hugely. 

 

"There are no words Valen my friend." She got a serious look in her eyes for a moment a she spoke of 'the party'. "It's not going to be just a party. There are literally no words for what we're planning." She rubbed her hooves together at the mere thought of the events to come. She and Cheese were already deep in preparations but for now it was top secret and all plans were kept in her party cave under lock ,key, and gator guard!

 

Her eyes widened and she chomped absently on a tart as Valen went over the details that had transpired between himself, the CMC, and Silver Spoon. "Whoa! Ummmm, so that's a no go! I can't believe you had to deal with all that!" She reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "I'm glad you told me but I wish you would've earlier. I'd have a talking to that little filly if she were here right now!" There was no way Pink was going to stand for a friend of hers being forced into things he didn't want!

 

He then questioned her about throwing him a party! That was a fun topic! Pinkie took a moment or two in thought before coming up with her answer. "Well, from what I know of you..." She winked. "I think I know what you'd like!"  She smiled as she conjured a perfect party for the colt. "Let's see... it would be fancy of course! Not Rarity fancy, but definitely classy. There'd be plenty of ponies with refined tastes there I think since you've got friends from your work that I'm sure you'd like to have. Plus you've got your Ponyville friends, Canterlot friends..." Another smile. "Wow! You're a well known colt aren't you!"

 

She tapped her muzzle, trying to figure out one key point. "Hmmmmm... I'm thinking you'd have fun with a show at your birthday! Maybe a runway for you and some of your model friends to strut your stuff. I'm thinking you wouldn't want to be Guilded Lily all night but it's certainly a talent you wouldn't ant to miss putting in the spotlight!" She waved a hoof around the room. "When you've got talent, you have to show it off!" She beamed every proud of her work as a baker and a party planner extraordinaire! 

 

"So what do you think? Sound like fun?" She waited to see how he would respond to her instant on the spot party planning!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Valen allowed himself a nervous laugh at how serious she got over the idea of the coronation party. It made sense that more than the rest of Equestria she would have big plans for it and if there was anypony who could craft a party worthy of a once in a millennium and change event it was Pinkie Pie, but it was still somewhat unnerving to see just how hard she was planning to go on it. "Well, consider me excited. I'm sure it will be a party to remember," he said pleasantly as he finished his food. Treats, not food. Real food had nutrition and was boring. Pinkie's treats made life worth living, even if it added little to its physical development. It also gave him the sort of positive mollification he needed to keep up his cheery attitude as Pinkie came down a little due to talking about Silver Spoon.
 

Yeah, he wanted to give that filly a talking to as well. Sadly, he didn't know whether the magic she used had residual effects that would make such a discussion a trap. At least Pinkie Pie was on his side, and even a little bit in a tiff. Good. If even Pinkie Pie, the most bubbly and excitable of the heroines of Equestria, expressed sincere shock and disappointment, ten even a heart as skewed negatively as Silver Spoon's had to acknowledge it. This loosened him up as she described his party. Truth be told, it didn't sound bad. None of her parties ever sounded bad, and he liked a certain sense of refinement to his birthday proceedings. Of course he didn't have many work friends- or many model friends he'd invite over to such a party. They all knew Gilded Lilly, the Prench filly fashion supermodel. Nopony knew there was a colt under all that, and he intended to keep it that way. Still, it wounded great. 
 

"That sounds like a wonderful party, of that one should have no doubt! Not that I would expect any less from the party planner extraordinaire," he laughed as he stood up, patting his belly. "The food was great, but the talk was better. Thank you, Pinkie Pie!" He said with a smile and a wave as he left Sugarcube Corner. Indeed, he was pleased that at least one pony acknowledged he didn;t want to be Gilded Lilly all the time. He was starting to think he was insane. Sadly, he wasn't willing to say a single voice against the horde was enough to convince him that he wasn't holding out against a harsh truth that spoke to something deep inside of his beating breast.
 

He shook his head. He knew he had one more stop to make. Silver Spoon had used magic to get have her way with him and make a fool out of him. That sort of magic could only have come from two places: Zecora or Twilight, and Silver Spoon was deathly afraid of the Everfree. So Valen trotted up to the Princess of Friendship and her castle, prepared to get answers and let her know what exactly had been done. No doubt she would be greatly angered and Silver Spoon would quickly find herself in some serious trouble. He also hoped to get some sort of magical medical checkup to ensure that the magic Silver used wasn't having any permanent or even triggerable after effects. Only one mare would know, and he was excited to spend some time with her and solve this mystery.

As he got closer, however, he noticed the door to the castle was open. That wasn't...normal, but the lack of any chaos or action told him not to be alarmed. He knocked politely once, twice, thrice. "Hello?" He asked to nopony in particular before poking his head in.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.jpeg

 

"Hmmmmm..." Twilight glanced from pile of books to pile of books. "What do you think Spike?"

 

"What do I think?" He asked with evident exasperation. "What do I think?" More calm this time. He tapped the tip of his snout and pondered for a moment. "I think you should definitely organize by tri-alphabetical non canonical,  binding color simplified reverse order." He sighed and rolled his eyes.

 

"I knew you'd be with me on this one Spike!" Twi trotted in place with evident glee. "It's been waaaay too long since I've organized this part of the library. It'll be just perfect after we do the reverse organization that I researched last night!"

 

"We?" Another sigh. "Oh uhhhh..." The dragon edged towards the door. "I think I left the door open when I brought in that last cart of book from the town library! I better go check!" I wasn't a lie. He was pretty sure he had left the front door of the castle ajar in case the word 'we' came into play. 

 

"Ok, but come right back ok Spike?" Twi glanced around. "Spike?"

 

As he trotted through the door Spike was pretty sure he'd heard a knock and somepony inquiring of somepony being home. His suspicions were correct! There was the young colt Valen. He'd not had too many interactions with him but Spike knew that he'd come to seek the advice of the Princess of Friendship on occasion. 

 

"Oh hi!" Spike waved a claw as he emerged from the long entry corridor. "Hey there Valen! So glad to see you!" He smiled ruefully. "You have no idea how glad!" He giggled lightly, knowing his statement wouldn't have made too much sense to anyone but himself. "So! What can I help you with?"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spike was not an unexpected answer to his probing question, seeing as he was never far from the Princess of Friendship. It was hard to imagine the pair had been, or would ever be, separate. But he wanted them separate today. He wasn't aware of Spike being caught in the loop but he didn't really want to have him do so. The fewer creatures knew about the events the better as far as Valen was concerned. "Spike, a pleasure to see you! Though I suppose I should have expected to see you here in the Castle of all places," he chuckled lightly to himself as he trotted in. "I need to speak with Twilight about something- privately, if that wouldn't be a bother," he asked politely, though his tone was tinged with a sort of weariness about the subject matter that seemed to insist that it would be a decidedly boring subject to be subjected to.
 

Valen would make his way with or without draconic escort to the sounds of library reshuffling. That was a pleasing sound to reverberate throughout the castle. It was a reminder of the tome before she was a Princess, of the memories that grew in the Golden Oak Library before it was turned to ash in the final battle against Tirek. The satisfaction came from the knowledge that despite everything that had happened to her, the species change, the title, and the responsibilities placed upon her broadening shoulders, that Twilight Sparkle was and would always remain a nerd. And nerds were the best kind of rulers because they seemed to care about the details. And Valen today needed the details to be considered, because his concerns stretched across such base subjects as to render them in their whole a rather central subject to his current situation, near future, and even self-identification.
 

Yes, he could use her legendary attention to detail.
He soon found the Princess and gave a respectful bow. "Your Majesty, a pleasure. How are you today?" He asked with a certain flavor and peppiness to his voice that was absent earlier He knew he could be informal with her and likely would be soon, but it was hard to shake the respect he was bred with when it came to the future ruler of all Equestria. He took a look around. Yep, as expected. She was being pleasantly neurotic again. "Organizational project, I assume?" He asked with a laugh. She wouldn't be Twilight without her idiosyncrasies. Her pronounced gifts and fabled empathy were touchstones for any Equestrian to rely on. With any luck, he would be the recipient of her beneficence.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...