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Gazing to the Ocean of the Sky

by David Silver

Chapter 7: 7 - Welcome to Ponyville

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"Twilight?"

She looked up towards Cherry on being called. "Hmm?" She set the book she had been reading aside. "What's up?"

Cherry smiled and pointed at Twilight's head. "The air flippers make sense, but what is the horn for? Do you beat up predators with it?"

Spike snickered at the idea. "I thinks she's tried that once or twice."

Twilight pointedly ignored that comment as she shook her head. "You've noticed how I move things without touching them, right?" With a little concentration, she got her horn glowing brightly. "Our horns are the source of unicorn magic and with it we can move things around, cast spells, or just make some light when it's dark."

Cherry did a flipping flop in the water, her tail slapping the surface. "That's pretty amazing! What kinda spells do you mean? Can you turn Spike into a fish?"

Spike paled slightly and threw up his claws. "Don't even think about it!"

Twilight giggled a little. "With the right spell, it is theoretically possible, but I wouldn't dream of doing that to Spike without his permission. It's not a wish-granting device, keep in mind. We have to study each and ever--"

"You can do anything?!" Cherry sat up on the edge of her tub. "Why didn't you give yourself proper flippers or a tail when you were in the ocean? Oh, I mean, you have a tail, but look at it! It can't help you swim at all." She raised her powerful tail in comparison, swaying it around demonstratively.

Twilight waved it away and looked ready to retort when the rumble of the train adjusted beneath them. "I think we're arriving. Cherry, welcome to Ponyville. You're going to like it here." She hopped up to her hooves. "My friends are going to like you, promise."

Spike flashed a devious grin. "If you like unicorn magic, you should meet Rarity. She's a real talented unicorn that makes clothes and she's real nice."

Cherry blinked curiously at Spike. "Clothes, like this?" She raised a hoof to her green hat, tapping it once. "Do ponies usually wear clothes in The Dry? I only saw some of them wearing any at all. I have my jewelry but that hardly counts..." She gently brushed a hoof against the bright red beads that helped hold her mane in place.

The train came to a gentle stop and conductors cried for those stopping in Ponyville to depart. Twilight took hold of Cherry's pool and lifted it on her own as she energetically trotted for the door. "We'll introduce you to everypony you want to meet, promise."

"Introduce who to everypony?" Pinkie asked, hanging upside down from the door leading out of the train before dropping down to the platform with a big grin. "Hiya Twilight, Spike. Who's your friend?" She thrust a hoof up at the floating pool. "Why's she riding in a tub of water like that?"

Cherry peeked down from the edge of her pool at the eager pink pony and smiled. The mane of the new pony was much curlier than one would think wise in the water, but this wasn't water. This was The Dry. Everything was different! "Hello there."

Pinkie thrust up a hoof at Cherry. "Hiya and nice to meetcha! Oh! I have to go!" She suddenly about faced and pronked away, only for Twilight to barely get a grip on a fleeing tail.

"Hold it. Before you prepare your introductory party, you should know a few things about our guest." Twilight set Cherry down carefully on the platform. "She's a hippocampus and --"

"She doesn't look like a hippo." Pinkie tilted her head confusedly.

"No, Hip-po-camp-us. A mer-pony if you prefer. Cherry, this is Pinkie, one of my friends. She's an earth pony, as you can see. Now--"

Pinkie offered her hoof again. "Hey! Nice to meet you, Cherry." They met hooves and Pinkie shook her leg up and down energetically. "So you're a mer-pony huh? That's pretty cool!"

"As I was saying, she has a few requirements." Twilight cleared her throat. "And she's new to being out of the ocean, so let's not be too loud or exciting on her first day."

Cherry was smiling. Pinkie was a little alarming in her vibrant energy, but she seemed friendly and warm. "I don't think Pinkie will do anything bad, will you Pinkie?"

"Of course not! You're gonna have a great time and meet lots of friendly ponies." Pinkie bobbed her head up and down as she spoke. "What's your favorite flavor of cake?"

"Cake?"

Pinkie's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide as she gasped dramatically. "You don't know what a cake is?! Well, I'll just have to bring a few different ones for you to try. Oooo! You're gonna be so happy!"

Twilight tensed. "We don't know if she has any allergies to our food, so let's take this slow and easy. It would be a shame to get our guest sick on her first day to Ponyville."

Cherry tilted her head. "Are 'cakes' dangerous? Is it like trying puffer fish?"

"Puffer fish?" Twilight tilted her head without understanding.

Pinkie got it though and bobbed her head. "Ponies from Neighpon eat puffer fish, but they have to be super careful or they can get all kinds of sick from it."

Twilight blinked. "Why would anypony eat something that could hurt them?"

Pinkie shrugged. "Maybe they like a little excitement in their dinners? Don't worry! Cakes are totally safe and we use quality ingredients." She bobbed her head. "The hardest thing you'll face is picking which one's your favorite!"

Without waiting for any further questions, she bolted, leaving nothing but a pink cloud in the vague shape of herself from her departure.

Spike gestured towards the dissipating cloud. "And that was Pinkie Pie. One down, and I bet she'll drag a bunch of ponies with her when she throws her welcome party."

Twilight smiled as she hefted the pool up carefully. "Well, let's take advantage of that. How about we get you settled in and let Pinkie come to us? You can get nice and comfortable while--"

The noise of the train pulling away captured Cherry's attention as she watched its powerful mechanisms work so fluidly to make it move. She gawked with an open mouth, mesmerized by the unsung symphony of moving parts. The train was almost painfully captivating for its complexity.

"--erry? You alright?"

Cherry blinked. The train was pulling far enough away that she couldn't easily see its amazing pieces and she turned around to face the concerned Twilight. "I'm alright! Um, so, do you know how that train worked?"

Twilight shook her head. "Not beyond the basics." She clopped her forehooves suddenly. "You really do like mechanical things! We'll have to get you some wind up toys to look at. Why, I bet with your drive you'll be making your own devices from nothing with a little time."

Cherry's expression brightened at the idea. "Do you really think so? How do you even get the parts." She tapped at the belt that adorned her hips. "I found this, but where do they come from? What makes them? Do they just appear in The Dry and you find them?!"

Spike was easily amused at the foalish ideas of suddenly-appearing bits of machinery. "Not exactly. They have to make it all by hoof, or magic, from other stuff they find."

Twilight began the trot towards her castle with Cherry's pool floating above and behind her. "It's a bit of a detailed process, but we have a walk ahead of us, so let's begin. The first step is securing ore--"

"Ore?"

Twilight twitched faintly. She'd have to start further back. "All metal comes from rock originally, but while it's in rock..."

They passed the time pleasantly discussing the basic theory of metallurgy, starting with mining up ores and melting them down into metals for use in machinery. When Twilight set Cherry down in the foyer of her castle, the hippocampus practically leaped from her pool. "I can't wait to see half of these things! When can we visit a mine? Can I melt some rocks myself and make some metal? No wonder you dry ponies have all this stuff. Making things hot enough to melt in the ocean is a lot harder." Her eyes wandered, taking in the deep purple colors of the castle she found herself in. "This is your house?"

Author's Notes:

Welcome home, Cherry! Or at least a temporary home. We'll probably have to get a more comfy room ready for you, after Pinkie ambushes you.

Next Chapter: 8 - Equality Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 48 Minutes
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