Morning broke early, to the sound of a crowing rooster and a dry, scratchy-feeling throat. I really wasn't used to camping out, though I had a feeling that if I'd had a tent, I would've been fine. That scratchy feeling in your throat is usually from the wind blowing on your face while you're sleeping, in case you didn't know. I needed some water, and I didn't have any on me. Spike was still there in my hooves, and when I lifted my head and sat up just a bit, he stirred and sat up slowly as well.

Sometimes I just liked watching him move. One of my favorite things when I first got him was being there when he woke up. The effect had worn off somewhat over the years, especially since he started getting used to having his own room to sleep in, but every once in a while when he had a nightmare or he got spooked by his young imagination going wild and making him see monsters under his bed, I got to enjoy the sight of him just beginning to rouse himself from slumber.

He always started with this dazed, half-asleep look-around. He'd sit up real casual-like and yawn, then start looking around the room, taking it in without really processing any of it. Sometimes he didn't even realize I was there. Then he'd get to the eye-rubbing to get all of those crusty bits out of the edges, if he had any. After that, it's all about standing up, stretching, and getting the gears in his brain turning while he scratches any idle itches that built up under his scales overnight.

All of that ended when a dog came out of nowhere and pounced on both of us.

The ambush took me somewhat by surprise. I heard it coming, but by the time I noticed it, it was too late to wriggle free of the sleeping bag and defend myself. Soon, Spike and I both were bowled over by a fairly light, fuzzy body, and we were mercilessly covered in slobber while Spike shrieked in alarm. His cry soon devolved into giggles as the dog went after his face with gusto, that slobbery tongue coating his smooth scales in a layer of germs and grossness that I would take particular care in cleaning up. Spike probably thought nothing of it.

Soon, once I'd gotten my forelegs free of the sleeping bag, the dog turned its attention on me the moment I tried to sit up. I shouldn't have made any sudden movements. Now it was my turn to experience the full, true horror of dog-breath and dog-tongue. I raised my forelegs to cover my face, but that didn't stop her. In fact, it only encouraged her, that cold nose burrowing under my forelegs until she was past my defenses, and with nothing between me and the dog, my muzzle was doomed.

Lick after lick assaulted my muzzle with sloppy wet sounds just after I scrunched my eyes shut. I thought of charging magic into my horn, but the wet sensation of her licking at the base of my horn erratically in her gusto to coat my entire face made me think otherwise. Last thing I needed to do was live with the fact that a dog accidentally gave me a hornjob while I was partially stuck in a sleeping bag with my son.

"Winona! Down, girl!"

My ear twitched as Apple Bloom called out, the dog's licking ceasing almost immediately upon hearing her. With the dog not blitzing my face and standing up at attention with her semi-floppy ears perked up, I could make out her features more easily. A red collar around her neck, a golden nametag, and all the colorings and features of an energetic border collie...that was about right for a farm dog. I had no doubt that she was Applejack's trusted partner when it came to dealing with the animals around the farm, such as the sheep or the cows.

Winona was off of us with a whistle from Apple Bloom, and that gave me the chance I needed to get up and wipe my face as clean as I possibly could while Fluttershy hid her laughter off to my left. Maybe I should've wiped my face off on her fur, see how long she'd be laughing then! Eh, who am I trying to kid here? She could've been busting a gut laughing and I still wouldn't have had a problem with it.

"Well, that dog doesn't have manners, does she?" I muttered sleepily, standing up after climbing out of my sleeping bag and stretching out my body. "Friendly though, I guess."

"Sorry 'bout that," Apple Bloom said while Winona ran circles around her, barking a few times to try and get her attention. "She's usually more well-behaved, but yer a new face 'round here. She just wanted to say g'mornin'!"

"Well, good morning to you too, Winona," I said, wincing as my ankle in my bad hindleg made a rather distinct popping sound. "Oh daaa-dang it, I know what that means...."

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, her voice tinged with concern. "That didn't sound good."

I quickly shook my head. "No, it's just aching already. I probably slept on it weird. Means I'll have to take it easy."

"Anything I can do to help?" Fluttershy asked, examining my hindleg. "I know how to give massages."

"Really? Why would you know how to do that?"

She shrugged. "My animals sometimes get too tense or they pull a muscle, so I have to help them."

I stared at her for a few seconds. "You'd...you would have to know the anatomy of every single kind of animal in your shelter to do that to them safely."

"Well, yes, I would," she responded, looking just a smidge smug about it. "Animal books are easy enough to get your hooves on in my line of work."

"Why aren't you a veterinarian then?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. "I'm sure that pays more."

Winona barked at us a few times, and Apple Bloom patted her on her head. "Fluttershy is a vet! She takes care of lots of animals!"

"You are?" I asked.

"I'm not!" Fluttershy responded, shaking her head.

"Ah thought ya were?" Apple Bloom chimed in, while Winona panted noisily next to her.

"No, I'm not a licensed one," Fluttershy said, scuffing her hoof on the ground nervously. "I just know some basic things. I like taking care of animals, but the things vets have to do....I-I-I don't think I'd have the stomach for it."

"So you're not a veterinarian, but you could be?" I offered, taking a look around the campsite while rubbing at the corner of one of my eyes with my fetlock.

"That's correct." Fluttershy said, muffling a yawn with her hoof.

"Huh. I always thought ya were one...." Apple Bloom muttered, petting the top of Winona's head.

Spike had been silent through all of this, likely because he had nothing to really offer as input on this particular juncture. Of course, that was only a temporary issue, as his young and innocent mind began to churn with ideas and thoughts from a perspective that only an innocent young child could have...or perhaps a mentally handicapped individual, either-or.

Spike smiled and raised a hand. "Um. I'm a dragon."

I quickly muffled my laughter and Fluttershy did the same. Even Apple Bloom found it funny, and I don't think she was all that much older than him! Spike looked at us in confusion, and just a hint of embarrassment, though I doubt he really understood what we found funny about what he just said.

I reached down and patted him on the top of his head. "That you are, that you are."

With all of that out of the way, we got to work stomping on the charred remains of the campfire and covering it with dirt. If we'd had water, we probably would've thrown that on there as well. 'Only you can prevent forest fires' and all that Sizzle the Salamander bullshit. I mean yeah, good advice and all, but you have to be really stupid in order to just leave a burning campfire unattended in the middle of the forest. Then again, Sizzle the Salamander's more targeted towards children watching television, so....

A clunk of hooves on tree trunk sounded off from somewhere nearby, and I spotted Applejack already up and about, her sluggish movements very telling as to the state she was in. Even with her stetson on, it was easy to see how her ears were laid back and how her features were sagging with exhaustion. Her eyes looked heavy, and as I watched, she missed the tree on her next few kicks.

This was getting ridiculous. Nevermind letting her wear herself down. At this rate, she was going to ruin her health, just as Granny Smith insinuated she would. The sooner that evening came around, the better. Still, I needed to be sure that she was going to follow through on that offer I made to her.

Hygeine first, though.

We all headed for the farmhouse, the promise of water for my throat and the chance to brush my teeth drawing me forward. This was a lot earlier than I was used to getting up. Nine in the morning at the most, on your average day. Celestia forbid Spike actually went to a normal school, I'd have to be up before seven just to make sure he was ready on time! Someone fucking shoot me in the face and put an end to it all, in that scenario.

Once that was all taken care of, and mind you it took some time because that house only had one bathroom, we began to head out with a quick goodbye to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh. That was, until a thought occurred to me. I eyed Big Macintosh for a moment, then looked back at Spike. He was situated quite comfortably on my back, and I'd grown so used to his weight, it felt like nothing.

"Spike, can you go with Fluttershy back to the cottage?" I asked, lowering down to let him hop off. "I need to speak with Big Macintosh."

"Huh? What for?" he asked, frowning as he climbed down.

"Just adult stuff, hun," I said, looking over to Fluttershy. "Er, sorry, that's okay, isn't it?"

"Of course!" she said, kneeling down like I did so Spike could climb on. "I'll make sure he gets some breakfast in him."

"Thank you," I said, watching as Spike hesitated for a moment, then climbed up onto Fluttershy's back, with Angel taking perch atop his head once more. "I'll be there soon, alright?"

Spike looked back to me and waved. "Okay. See ya, mom!"

I waved goodbye to him and, when they were gone, turned my attention to the only two other ponies in the room. Granny Smith was reclined on her rocking chair in the living room, while Big Mac was...well, I think he felt awkward, sitting on the couch next to her. Curious, too. He and I hadn't interacted much, and if he was the big pony I made out with during that party, I could understand him feeling a bit awkward around me. Considering I hadn't seen any other big, red, studly stallions in Ponyville yet, the chances of that were climbing ever higher in my mind.

"So, uh..." he began to say, giving me a once-over. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

"Is Apple Bloom around, first of all?" I asked, glancing over towards the doorway into the kitchen."

"Nope. She's gettin' her mornin' chores done."

"Alright. I think I can trust Granny Smith with this too," I said, taking a look at one of the windows just to be sure before I continued. "I need you to meet me at the barn, fully rested, tonight. Around midnight, I think."

He stared at me for a long moment. The silence dragged on, only the creak of the rocking chair interrupting the heavy quiet between us. His eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. Granny Smith stared at me, and I could tell she was fighting against the most wily grin I'd ever seen in my life.

"Uh...what?" I asked, even as Big Mac's face somehow turned an even deeper shade of red.

Granny Smith couldn't hold it in anymore. She guffawed loud enough for the three of us combined while Big Mac did his best impression of Fluttershy, trying to cover his face with a single foreleg. To be fair, his forelegs were pretty beefy and massive compared to your average stallion's, so it was pretty effective. I was just confused, but Granny's laughter was so infectious, I had this odd mix of unfounded embarrassment and amusement going on inside of me. I couldn't help a few confused chuckles.

I looked to Big Mac, a forehoof tapping the floor impatiently. "What? What did I say that was so funny?"

"H-how can ya not know?!" he asked, exasperation and embarrassment tinging his voice with a sense of desperation. "Sweet Celestia, mah granny's right there!"

"But I don't know! What did I say?!"

Granny's laughter elevated from a guffaw to outright cackling, her forehoof slamming down on the armrest of her chair a few times. "Hah, she doesn't even know! Oh mah stars that's amazin'!"

I was getting irritated now, and I fought back a growl. "What don't I know?!"

"Hee hee! Hah! Ah, sugarcube," Granny said, wiping a few tears from her eyes. "I needed that....!"

I snorted and clenched my jaw. "Well, would you mind explaining it to me?"

"Yeah, ah'll explain it alright," she said, her voice suddenly lowering and, somehow, becoming a more sultry kind of deep. "There's a reason the term 'a roll in the hay' became so common. You catchin' mah drift?"

I thought about it for a moment as the gears in my head began to turn. Things started to click into place as a dawning dread filled me from my head to my hooves. I could feel my face lighting up with my embarrassment, a mix of shame at not knowing the origins of such a common term and mortification at basically propositioning her son right in front of her.

"Oh, damn it! I am-I am so sorry, that's-" I tried to say to Big Mac, shaking my head. "I didn't mean it that way at all, I swear."

"Yeah, I kinda figgered that out," Granny said, her wide grin still plastered to her face. "Otherwise, I'd be puttin' some buckshot in ya for bein' such a hussy about it! Least take mah grandson out fer dinner or somethin' first!"

"Granny!" Big Mac sharply stated, semi-muffled behind his foreleg. "C'mon now!"

"What?! Yer old enough, an' this old mare could do with spoilin' some great grandfoals!" she countered, her grin fading quickly.

He fidgeted and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "This ain't the time for that, we got a guest here!"

"Bah, fine!" she said, snorting and slumping a little in her seat. "Ah'll just be here, no more grandchildren ta spoil."

I watched Big Mac run a hoof over his muzzle, shaking his head. "Aw, Granny...ah'm workin' on it, a'right?"

"Yeah, ya better be. Ain't never seen Applejack so much as look at a stallion," Granny grumbled, her brow furrowing. "Filly's probably gay as a rainbow. Ain't gettin' no great grandfoals outta her anytime soon."

Big Mac just sighed at that and looked to me again. "If ya weren't askin' for that from me, then what'd ya need me for?"

I took a breath to calm myself down. "Okay...well, it's really simple. If everything goes according to plan, I'm probably going to be hauling your drunk-as-a-skunk sister back here, then I'm going to finish up the work she's got left to do for this season."

"...Uh," he began to say, glancing over to Granny for a moment before looking back to me. "That's a lot of work. How're ya gonna manage that?"

I smirked and pointed to my horn. "In case you haven't caught word yet, I'm a rather capable mage. I can't buck trees, but nothing's stopping me from plucking them."

"Yeah, but...well, that's a lotta trees," he said, looking to the orchard through the window. "You sure you can manage that in one night?"

"Without a doubt," I said without hesitation. "I'll probably be a bit drunk myself, but a small meal and plenty of water'll do enough to get me in working order."

"Well...I mean, I suppose I could help..." he said, rubbing the back of his head and looking to his grandmother. "Granny, what do you think?"

Granny Smith hummed and eyed me curiously. "I don't see no problem with it, long as you can hold up your end o' this."

"But, you don't have a problem with her doin' that to AJ?"

"You said it yerself, she's too old ta spank, an' I'm too old to give her a good old-fashioned flank-kickin'," Granny said, frowning. "So if she's bein' a fool, I say, let 'er be played for a fool."

"I'm glad you see it my way then," I said, smiling at the old mare. "I'll try to make sure she doesn't drink too much."

"Oh trust me sugarcube, if she's drinkin', you'll have a hard time stoppin' her," she said, clearing her throat. "But I wanna be real clear about this...this here? This is a business transaction right here, even if it's really one-sided. You wanna git paid for that work? 'Cuz that's a whole lotta work left out there."

I quickly shook my head. "I've got plenty of money. Besides, it's not like I'm an official employee. This is just me saving a friend from herself, nothing more."

"Hmm..." she grumbled, sinking down in her chair.

Granny stared at me for what felt like a long time, while Big Mac sat off to the side, very much unsure of what to do or say. He seemed like a fish out of water, and I was willing to bet that was a mix of my presence, and him not knowing how to deal with the current situation. The fact that he made out with me in what was likely a bit of drunken fervor might've had something to do with it too. Maybe he thought he had a chance with me or something?

I mean, honestly, he would've had a chance if I wasn't one of Applejack's friends. Have you seen her hunk of a brother?! I'm not too big on stallions, but unf! Celestia would've eaten him up if she were given the chance, because beefcake~!

"Whole lotta trouble to go through just ta help a friend ya barely know, but if ya insist," she finally said, nodding. "Guess we'll just owe ya a favor then. Either way, we need help this season. AJ's just too pig-headed to accept it."

"But I don't-"

"We owe ya...a favor. Simple as that, sugarcube," Granny stated firmly, furrowing her brow. "Now I don't wanna hear no bellyachin' from you about it. You'll accept our gratitude an' like it!"

I sighed and nodded, even as Big Mac cleared his throat. "Well, this is fine an' all, but that don't explain why ya need my help tonight."

"Easy. I don't know the orchard, and I don't know what trees need to be left alone and which ones need to be harvested," I said, shrugging my withers. "With that injury, I don't expect you to carry anything or pull any carts, but I do need your supervision."

"Well...alright then," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a forehoof. "See ya tonight when ya bring AJ back then, miss Sparkle."

"Please just call me Twilight," I said, grumbling. "I get enough bowing and kowtowing when I attend the royal court or any number of those droll parties and socials the nobles throw for themselves."

"Oh. Uh...sorry. I didn't mean to...." he tried to say, his voice getting quieter the more he spoke.

"No no, it's fine, I'm just saying..." I said, waving it off. "You know, just...just call me Twilight."

"A'right."

"Alright."

To make a long and slightly awkward story short, that was when I left. It was a quick affair, and Granny Smith was still having a small chortle over how I'd asked Big Macintosh for some assistance. There may or may not have been some snide remarks about how Big Mac 'better put a ring on her horn before she has that foal' just as I was closing the front door behind myself. I would have been offended by the insinuation, but I knew she was just poking fun at her grandson. What good parent doesn't do that sort of thing? I mean...not that I'd know anything about that, but still.

My return to the cottage wasn't met with much fanfare. Angel waved hello as I stepped inside, but other than that, I could only assume that Fluttershy and Spike were tending to the animals. I didn't hear anything upstairs, so I marched right up and got to taking that shower I wanted. Just walking from Sweet Apple Acres to there made my bad hindleg throb, and I needed some relief before I could decide whether or not I'd need my painkillers.

Considering what I planned on doing later that night, chances were leaning towards 'very much so, yes'.

Once I'd gotten in the shower, I set the water a little hotter than I normally would for myself and just let it wash over me for a time. I was seated sideways in the tub so the showerhead would spray more directly over my hindleg, and as the muscles began to relax, I got to work with the tedious task of trying to work the cramps out.

Anyone know what torticollis is? Well, to put it simply, it's like an involuntary spasming of muscles that causes them to stay constantly tense, and it hurts a lot, and you really don't want to deal with that sort of thing. Lots of hard-working ponies get it in their backs, and whenever it's affecting them they tend to try not to use the affected muscles as much as possible. Standard medication for that sort of thing is muscle relaxers, for obvious reasons.

What I deal with is a bit similar to that when it comes to my hindleg, but it's not quite as unruly and I don't really need to wait for days for it to go away. The muscles aren't spasming, but with how awkward my hindleg was shaped from how badly it healed, my muscles sometimes get very tense, especially in the mornings after a long day of walking or running around. Sometimes I'll start to feel it the night before, but this was the former scenario this time around.

Fortunately, it usually responded well to a decent enough massage. I should've gotten Spike to come take a shower with me, his little claws work magic, and him being able to pull on my leg to stretch it out while I can focus on keeping it relaxed does wonders as well. As it stood, I had to settle for magic and my hooves. I am a multitasker however, and while I was massaging myself, I could at least set my magic to work lathering up my mane with shampoo and conditioner.

I let my mind wander as I pondered on what Gadget might be up to back in Canterlot. If everything went according to plan, she was probably already enrolled in boot camp, and was likely getting her magic pushed to her limits and beyond. I was sure if she could say anything to me right now, it would be something on the lines of 'oh, fuck you for this'.

Then I recalled what she said about public bathing. It brought to mind memories of the couple times I took a shower with Fluttershy. It would've been nice to have her in there with me, and not just for sexy times. There was something soothing about washing her after that drunken fling, and getting the favor returned the next time around was...well, it was a strange experience, but certainly not unwelcome. I'm sure I would've felt differently if she were just some total stranger I just met in a bathhouse, but as a friend and fuckbuddy, I found it far more acceptable and enjoyable.

The shower passed me by like a daydream. Outside of idle musings, I wasn't really thinking about anyone or anything, and both my magic and my body seemed to be running on autopilot. This routine was fairly standard to me, I went through it often enough that it was like how walking is natural for everyone. My hindleg was feeling better as I stepped out of the shower, a lot less cramped and a whole lot more loose and nimble, but the ache was still there, albeit to a very lessened degree.

I planned on taking a nap before taking Applejack out for drinks, of course. I was going to get tipsy, maybe even totally drunk, but I didn't need to be drunk and sleepy. At least, not as sleepy as I could be working all night long. Unfortunately, taking a nap when you're not sleepy is a bit of a problem.

The only things that felt like they would be issues for me were asking Fluttershy to watch Spike while I did this, and how Spike would react to it. I was already staying in her house without doing much of anything for her in return, and no, I wasn't going to count 'sticking it to her real good' as doing something for her. Asking her to watch and feed Spike while I was off downing drinks and chumming it up with a friend at the local bar seemed a bit much.

As it turned out, all I really had to worry about was Spike having a problem with it. He was a mama's drake through and through, and I was sure he'd have issues with sleeping without me, but Fluttershy was perfectly okay with watching him. He seemed to be more than comfortable enough around her, and Angel actually appeared to be...well, not comfortable with him, but tolerant of his presence. I felt like I could trust Fluttershy to keep an eye on him, and I could at least trust the bunny not to kick him in the balls. Not that that would be even remotely possible for a tiny rabbit, considering his were on the inside.

I had to extract a thorough agreement that he wouldn't give Fluttershy a hard time over it. That was easier than I thought it would be as well. He hadn't had time to get to know Fluttershy long, but even I was well aware of the general aura of gentleness she had. Probably had something to do with her constantly being surrounded by all manner of animals that practically ate right out of her hoof.

With all that taken care of, and it being far too early for me to tuck in for a good, long nap...well, I had a whole lot of time on my hooves. I mean, I was still a bit tired from being up so early, but that just meant that I'd be able to come back sooner to take a longer nap later. At least, that was my plan. Who knew what this town would throw at me next?

Memories of yesterday's incident with what happened at Sugarcube Corner came to mind, and lacking any other ideas, I decided to head there first...after a quick breakfast with Fluttershy and Spike. She made eggs and pancakes this time around. I scarfed them down like the pig I am beneath all of my cultured and elite status. Judging by the way Fluttershy was looking at me, sitting on my left, she wanted to lick away a dollop of syrup that had gotten into the fur at the corner of my mouth, buuut with Spike there, I suppose she thought better of it.

I really didn't know what to make of Fluttershy, back then. She was so open and free with her emotions, it was a stark contrast to the life I'd lived up to that point. I was and still am a very guarded mare. I have trust issues, even towards myself, let alone other ponies. I was even worse back then, when the ponies of Ponyville were more like curious examples of purity to me than anything else. While Fluttershy was certainly a sexpot of a mare outside of the public eye, she still took first place when it came to innocence. Well, that or being full of fear, but that's another matter entirely.

In any case, with Fluttershy and Spike staying at the cottage, I took a trek into town, after taking one of my pain pills. I didn't like relying on them, but I liked to believe that I knew when I needed them and when I didn't. This was one of those times. I'd probably need more as the night wore on later, but for the time being, I just needed to be able to walk into town without cramping up.

The town itself wasn't particularly active this early in the morning. Fillies and colts were already in class, a lot of ponies were already at their jobs, and those that weren't were probably elsewhere, passing the time with who-knew-what. I already had a goal in mind, but if that fell through...well, I'd always wanted to see a small-town market. You don't see those in big cities like Canterlot or Manehattan, and I was curious about how that old-school bartering system worked.

Sure, I've read about it before, but if I have the chance to experience it first-hoof, why wouldn't I just do that? Back before technology started to take off and Equestria's economy began to evolve to keep up with the country's growth, free markets like the one in Ponyville were fairly standard just about everywhere. These days they're much more rare, and usually limited to flea markets and knock-off stores in somewhat ratty-looking areas of larger towns and cities, but in small rural towns like Ponyville...well, they were damn near tradition.

You still had your big business out here, if the presence of the Rich family was anything to go by. The store his family owned and his investments in various businesses around town were textbook examples of modern commerce. Ponies in Ponyville had the freedom to choose between potentially fair, consistent pricing on the items they desired, or they could go to the town market and take a chance at haggling with the merchants that peddled their wares there. You never really knew what you would find in markets like that, though I doubted they'd have anything of particular intrigue in an unassuming town like this one...though perhaps the news about the 'saviors of Equestria' living here might have changed that.

The painkillers were starting to kick in as I got closer to Sugarcube Corner. Unfortunate side-effect to not keeping myself on them regularly. I had no desire to become dependant on them or addicted to them, so I'd have to get used to having days where I'd feel a bit listless, relaxed and fuzzy in the head. Not particularly unpleasant in all honesty, I actually quite like it. A little exercise and I get past those effects, so it's no big deal to me.

Because of the medicine though, I almost didn't notice just how quiet things were. I expected at least a little noise by the time I'd gotten anywhere near Sugarcube Corner, but the air was quiet as could be. Aside from a light, cooling breeze, there was just...nothing. Like a ghost town. I could hear noise in the distance, but anywhere nearby, I couldn't even hear or feel the clopping of hooves on the ground, save for one single location, and it was between Sugarcube Corner and myself.

You can probably guess I was surprised to find a zebra standing in the middle of the street, alone, a cloak hiding her identity. Not that it helped her much in a small town like Ponyville. I hadn't seen a single zebra in town during the small amount of time I'd spent wandering about, and as far as I could tell, she was the first and only one around.

Judging by the way her hoof was firmly clopping at the ground, it looked like she was digging. At first I thought she might've been homeless, and the townspeople just gave the mare her space, but she was far too clean for that. No, she had a home somewhere. The cloak looked like it had been recently washed, and what I could see of the fur around her fetlocks and just slightly above that looked decently groomed, as if she cared enough about her appearance to require a decent presentation of herself to the public.

I approached slowly, cautiously so. I knew nothing about her, and judging by how empty the area was, I thought that perhaps she was some kind of local troublemaker I hadn't caught wind of just yet. If that was the case, I intended to take her down right then and there, turn her in to the local police. I only got a few short steps closer before she noticed me however, and I could tell her ears had perked up under the hood she was wearing.

We stared at each other time, her face partially hidden under her hood, but I could make out her eyes. They were sharp and vibrant, as if she were studying me like some kind of specimen. I could smell the distinct scent of a mix of numerous chemicals on her, and it made her smell like something akin to an apothecary. She tilted her head while she looked me over, while I just stood there and stared back at her.

Eventually, she cracked a smile. "A pony comes to speak to me? After so long, my spirit is set free! Such delight, meeting one so bold. Most ponies in this town have been quite cold."

I blinked at her strange way of speaking. It irked me somehow, but not in a bad way. Moreso, I felt like I was forgetting something very important about that. It only took a moment of pondering for that knowledge to come flooding back to me, and my mouth hung open in shock.

"<S-Shaman....?>" I mumbled in her native tongue, too dumbstruck to ponder on the consequences of mentioning it.

In an instant, her joy was replaced with shock. We were practically mirroring each other's expressions, with how her eyes widened and she froze in place. She recovered from the surprise a lot faster than I did however, and immediately she jumped back away from me, uttering some curses under her breath as she turned and bolted for the nearest set of buildings.

She was remarkably fast, and definitely faster than I was on my hooves. Even with her cloak flapping in the air as she ran, she moved faster than I could between two buildings, then around behind them. I rushed in to catch up, my horn alight and a shield spell at the ready just before I ran behind the house. She wasn't there anymore. I perked my ears and listened closely to the silence around me, and up above, I heard hooves scrambling against wood and stone.

I have no idea how she'd managed it, but she'd somehow climbed up onto the roof of the building she'd run behind, and I almost lost her because of it. I tried to keep track of her as she jumped between the roofs of two houses, running around in front of them while trying to keep her in my sight.

"Wait! Please!" I called out to her, just barely avoiding running head-first into a slightly bent mailbox. "I just want to talk to you!"

"<And I have no desire to speak to you, pony! Leave me be!>" she shouted back at me, just as she jumped from the roof of the last house on the block and fell to the ground.

I winced at the heavy impact, but she'd clearly done this before. She tucked and rolled with the impact, her pained grunt barely audible over the scuffle of her cloak and fur against the dirt and stone beneath her. She was back on her hooves in seconds with little more than a few scuffs to show for it, and I almost threw my bad hindleg out from under myself rushing around the corner to catch up with her.

It was a straight road ahead, and at this rate, she was going to find a good chance to slip away from me just by getting out of my sight. I needed to close the distance, and I knew exactly how. I began to rapidly weave the spell in my mind while measuring the distance between myself and a section ahead of her, and quickly put my plan into action. With a burst of my horn, the world disappeared around me for an instant, and I found myself ahead of her, my hooves violently scraping at the dirt beneath me as I fought to stop myself.

Whenever you teleport, there are two ways of casting the spell. One way causes you to simply displace from one location to another, carrying over your momentum and posture. That's the simpler version of the spell. The more difficult version allows you to control every aspect of your displacement, from what you're doing to whether or not you're moving once the spell has been completed. The difficult version is a much larger drain on one's reserves, so I tend to always go with the simpler version when I deign to actually use it.

I grunted in pain as my hindleg screamed in protest, my ankle joint issuing a sharp, piercing pain that I had to fight against to avoid my hindleg completely buckling on me. I quickly turned once I came to a stop, and stood up straight while facing the shaman down. She skidded to a halt in front of me, surprised by my magical prowess this time no doubt, and I used that moment to my advantage.

"<I humbly request your counsel, Shaman!>" I stated clearly and concisely, meeting her gaze all the while.

She stopped, and quickly turned all of her attention to me. The air went still and silent again, save for both of us panting softly and working to catch our breaths. The tension between us was almost palpable as she stared into my eyes, searching for something, though what she was looking for I have no idea. Eventually her gaze flicked upward to my horn, then back to my eyes once more.

"<There is nothing humble about an Equestrian mage,>" she responded, frowning. "<What could one such as yourself desire my counsel for, if it is not my secrets that you intend to extract from me?>"

I quickly shook my head and looked around the area for anyone that might be listening in. "<I would rather not say while we're in town. Is there somewhere we could meet, another time?>"

She stayed silent for a time, eyeing me up and down, evaluating me. I could feel it with every pass of her gaze, from my forehooves to the tip of my horn. I'd never met a Zebrican Shaman before, but this was a golden opportunity I couldn't allow to slip by. I'd already made the mistake of letting her know that I know what she is, I had to do my best to make sure she didn't run off and disappear on me.

"<What is your name, pony?>" she asked quietly, reaching up to tug her hood further over her muzzle.

"Twilight Sparkle, <Shaman. May I know your name?>" I asked calmly, doing my best to maintain a more respectful tone with her.

She seemed to recognize my name, her eyes alight with curiosity. "<The pony who saved us from eternal night, and the student of Princess Celestia herself? Hmh...I will tell you my name later. If you wish for my counsel, walk the edge of the Everfree tonight. I will find you.>"

I cringed at that, feeling nervous in the pit of my stomach. "<I...cannot, tonight. I have dedicated myself to assisting a friend.>"

"<Explain.>" she demanded, her voice rising ever-so-slightly.

I suppressed my indignance at her being so demanding of me, taking a deep, slow breath. "<My friend is wearing herself down to a point beyond exhaustion on her farm, bad enough that it may begin to endanger her well-being and the well-being of those around her as well as others that depend on her. I'm tricking her into getting drunk tonight, then doing what remains of her work to the best of my ability, under the supervision of her brother.>"

"<And why do you need to get her drunk in order to do this?>" she asked, seeming more curious now rather than guarded.

I smirked. "<Because she's both very tough, and extremely stubborn.>"

"<An Equestrian mage among the elite nobility, reducing herself to farmwork...>" she muttered, almost inaudible as she looked me over. "<Perhaps....>"

I tried to steady my nerves as she approached me, the two of us standing tall in front of each other while she sized me up, her stare boring into my own. It was like a battle of wills, and you might think it's easy to just stare at someone in return when they're right up in your face, but it's not. It's just one of those things that sounds easy, but it's far from it.

"<Do you speak the truth?>" she asked, her expression unreadable.

"<Every word.>"

She stared for a moment longer, then closed her eyes and nodded. "<Tomorrow then, early morning, around eight o' clock. Walk along the edge of the Everfree, far to the west of the animal caretaker's cottage, far away from the beaten paths, and I will find you.>"

I slowly let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, relief coursing through me. "<Thank you, Shaman.>"

I didn't want to think about the condition I'd be in, that early in the morning. While I could've asked for another time under normal circumstances, I was in no position to make any demands of her. I was already walking on thin ice just by being what I was.

Without another word, she turned and left, though at a much more moderate pace compared to the short chase we'd both found ourselves in. I'd already caught my breath by the time she was out of my sight, and I quickly retraced my steps to find my way back to the main road. Ponies had begun to come out of their houses as well, and I couldn't help but be a bit bothered by their behavior.

Even worse, now they were being wary in my presence. I could feel a lot of them staring at me, and when I approached one of them, they actively tried to shy away from my gaze. I didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but I genuinely didn't know what to make of it. Had the Shaman done something to upset them, or alienate them? It'd be a real problem if whatever she did somehow carried over to me. I'd hate to be viewed in a negative light because of a misunderstanding. I refused to really believe she'd done anything particularly wrong, because Shamans are generally pacifistic and very accommodating...as long as you don't try to take advantage of them.

With the ponies avoiding me, I headed straight for Sugarcube Corner instead of trying to ask them what was wrong. Perhaps Pinkie could explain what all of this was about. That and maybe give me something to drink so I could take another painkiller, though I was sure I'd regret doing that already. Running after her like that did my bad hindleg no favors.

You can imagine my surprise when a pair of pink hooves reached through Sugarcube Corner's front entrance immediately after I opened the door, and yanked me inside. I was greeted by Pinkie's panicked face, the mare jolting around me and pulling the door shut while checking me for...something. I don't know what, but she sure was thorough about it. She looked at my eyes, in my ears, even under my tail for some reason, and upon finding nothing, she went for my mouth.

I drew the line right there. I pushed her away just as she began to pry my muzzle open, snorting and waving her off as my ass bumped back into the door. I stared at her in surprise while she looked at me nervously, trotting in place on her hooves.

"Oh gosh! She didn't get you, did she?!" she asked, the alarm in her voice all too evident. "That evil enchantress is bad news!"

....Oh. So that's what this was about.

Author's Notes:

The last couple chapters have taken me longer than they normally would. You all can blame the recent influx of entertaining games I've been able to pick up. Especially Stronghold HD.

Mission 15 in that game can suck all the dicks, by the way.