Peter opened his eyes, refreshed after the half hour nap.

He sat up and stretched, anxious to begin a new day, with relaxation and-

"Oh, Peter, you're awake!"

He smiled, smiling back at the cyan Pegasus.

"I can see you're happy to see me, Rainbow Dash."

"Well, you did kinda leave me hanging..."

"Oh? And how's that?"

"We were talking about astronomy, and you just walked off!"

"No, Rarity pulled me over. There's a difference.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Need I remind you that you're the one who took a nap?"

"You just woke up from one!"

Peter chuckled silently to himself, already enjoying the day.

Suddenly, he remembered Fluttershy's demands, and was about to ask Rainbow Dash how she felt, after the hospital and whatnot, when he decided against it.

She probably wants to get it out of her mind for now...hey, maybe I can actually get to know her a bit better...

"Touche. Anyway...what do you want to talk about, Rainbow?"

T.S.: "No...no...no..."

F.S.: "Uh, Twilight? Can we-"

T.S.: "Just a bit busy, Fluttershy..."

F.S.: "Uh...okay then..."

T.S.: "No...no...no....ugh...none of these books have anything on these 'Elders'! Obviously, if it's the 'Language of the Elders', then there must have been 'Elders!'"

R.D.: "Well, I kinda want to talk about...uh...."

Peter: "Yeah?"

R.D.: "Can we talk about...astronomy?"

Peter: "Sure! Wait, hold on, before we do, I have one...uh...odd, question..."

R.D.: "Go on, ask away!"

Rarity: "Come on, Applejack, tell me! Do you think that Peter will like these trunks?"

A.J.: "Yes, Rarity! Ah think they'll be fine!"

Rarity: "Just...fine? Not...great?"

A.J.: "Yes, Rarity, it'll be great! Ah think he'll love it, alright?"

P.P.: "Thanks, Spike! I can't tell you how much this means to me!"

Spike: "Uh...how much what means to you, Pink'?"

P.P.: "Helping me bake! There's no oven on the train, so I thought that you could help me heat the cake up..."

Spike: "Where's the cake?"

P.P.: "I'm making it now!"

Peter: "Well, you know how a bird prunes itself?"

R.D.: "...Yeah..."

Peter: "Well...do Pegasi...have to prune themselves?

R.D.: "Well...uh...."

Peter: "What?"

R.D.: "Well, you see...us Pegasi...we do prune ourselves, but we have tools for it now..."

Peter: "Really? What kinds of tools?"

R.D.: "Tools that we use with our mouths...to push the feathers around..."

Peter: "How do they work?"

R.D.: "It's basically a beak extension, as in it just pulls up our feathers..."

Peter: "Huh...sounds interesting. Could I maybe...see it?"

R.D.: "Yeah, I'll...Oh, shoot!"

F.S.: "Twilight, I'm just saying that-"

T.S.: "Look, Fluttershy, it's not that I don't want to talk to you ponies right now...it's just that...I really, really want to know this one thing...and, when I find something about them, I'll stop, okay?"

F.S.: "...Pinkie Promise."

T.S.: "Cross my heart and hope to shove a cupcake in my eye..."

F.S.: "Good."

Rarity.: "Alright? You think it will be...alright? What if he doesn't like it?"

A.J.: "He'll like it, trust me. Ah have a feelin' that he's goin' to love it, Rarity."

Rarity: "Honest?"

A.J.: "Of course."

Rarity: "...Alright then...oh, my!"

A.J.: "Uh...Rarity?"

Rarity: "I almost forgot..."

Spike: "Uh, Pinkie Pie...where did you get that pan? And that bag of flour? And that icing? And...everything?"

P.P.: "All from up in here, Spike! Wait, hold on...Ugh! Not again!"

Spike: "What?"

P.P.: "The pneumatic tubing for the icing pump came loose again! Now the compressor's going to get backed up..."

Spike: "Well, what now?"

P.P.: "Well, you have claws...maybe you could go in my mane and...sort it out?"

Peter: "What?"

R.D.: "I forgot my pruner at home!"

Peter: "Oh...sorry. Well, how are you going to prune yourself?"

R.D.: "The old fashion way...it's pretty annoying, though, seeing as how I have a mouth, and not a beak..."

Peter: "Well, at least it can be done, right?"

R.D.: "Yeah, I know but it'll be annoying...but, whatever."

Peter: "Mhm...so, you said that you wanted to talk about astronomy?"

R.D.: "Yeah...you think I'm a total egghead, don't you?"

Spike: "Ohhhh, no! I've had enough of going into giant things today! Twilight's bag was enough!"

P.P.: "Aww, come on, Spike, it'll be easy!"

Spike: "No. I won't do it."

P.P.: "Please?"

Spike: "No."

P.P.: "Pretty please?"

Spike: "No, Pinkie!"

P.P.: "Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease....PLLLEEEEAAAASSSEE?"

Spike: "...Ugh..........Fine."

P.P.: "Yay!"

Spike: "What do I do?"

P.P.: "Just hop on in, find the tube, push it in, and whamo! Just...make sure to avoid the pirhannas, okay?"

Spike: "...What?"

A.J.: "What'd you forget?"

Rarity: "My tail!"

A.J.: "...Uh, sugarcube, are you sure y'all feelin' alright?"

Rarity: "Why, yes, Applejack, I'm feeling quite fine. I just forgot about the spell I had cast on my tail...that makes it glow like this!"

A.J.: "Huh...y'know, Ah meant t' ask you why yer tail's glowin' like that. So, you cast a spell on it?"

Rarity: "That's what I said, Applejack. Twilight lent me a spell, and now...my tail is simply gorgeous!"

A.J.: "Ah do have to admit, it's...different."

F.S.: "Find anything yet?"

T.S.: "No."

F.S.: "Isn't there a spell you can use...you know, to search through the words of a book?"

T.S.: "Yes, but not of every book I own. I would pass out before I found the word 'Elder'."

F.S.: "Oh, my...."

T.S.: "Mhm...so, for now, we've got to keep looking."

F.S.: "Okay, then..."

Peter: "No, I don't."

R.D.: "Yes, you do! Stop lying...I'm a total egghead!"

Peter: "No, you're not. You had to study this stuff, you said so yourself. You never said anything about researching it."

R.D.: "But that's just it! I did research it!"

Peter: "Well, you're still not an egghead. You're just...an athletic pony, with a tendency to like a certain subject."

R.D.: "I stayed up for hours on end reading about black holes!"

Peter: "Yeah, which means you did it at night. I stayed inside almost...every day in the summer, just to watch Professor Michio Kaku explain everything from quarks to black holes!"

R.D.: "You know a professor? And he knows about black holes? What, what are quarks?"

Peter: "Uh...no, I don't know a professor. I watched him through something like the internet, only it's called 'Television'. I spent so much time watching the Science Channel..."

R.D.: "Huh...well, what do you know about black holes?"

P.P.: "Find it yet?"

Spike: "No, but I'll keep looking...uh, Pinkie? Would you mind me asking...how your mane is so big?"

P.P.: "Silly! It's all puffed up like a balloon, right? I assumed that, since air is big, my mane could expand to an infinite size! And, bang! It did!"

Spike: "Huh...weird."

P.P.: "No! It's brilliant! Oh, and by the way, watch out for the Eastern side of the pneumatics area..."

Spike: "Why?"

P.P.: "The bridge's supports snapped there..."

Spike: "BRIDGE?"

P.P.: "Yeah..."

T.S.: "Uh, Fluttershy, where are you going?"

F.S.: "Look at Pinkie Pie..."

P.P.: "Yep! Installed it myself!"

T.S.: "Uh...who's she talking to?"

F.S.: "Exactly."

T.S.: "Just...hurry on back, okay?"

Rarity: "Different? What do you mean by...different?"

A.J.: "Ah mean, it's...not what Ah expect to see in somepony's tail."

Rarity: "Do you mean that it's...entrancing? Marvelous? Extravagent?"

A.J.: "That, and more!"

Rarity: "Good...good...for a second there, I was afraid you didn't like it..."

A.J.: "Oh, trust me, sugarcube, Ah like it. It's very...befittin' of you."

Rarity: "How?"

A.J.: "It's always changin', and its colors seem to be...you."

Rarity: "Oh, my, Applejack, you must know me so well! The book stated that, only those who know the caster to the fullest extent can comprehend the colors. They represent my mood, and my reactions!"

A.J.: "Gosh, that seems...awful revealin' to your inner self."

Rarity: "But it can also help one see how close their friends are!"

A.J.: "Ah reckon yer right."

Peter: "Well, I know that they result from the death of a star."

R.D.: "Yeah, I know that already."

Peter: "...Okay then. Do you know what an event horizon is?"

R.D.: "...No."

Peter: "It's the point at which no matter, energy, or light can return. Nothing, and I mean nothing, exists at the Event Horizon. Well, almost nothing. It's kind of like the tipping edge for matter."

R.D.: "Huh...so, wait, black holes destroy matter?"

Peter: "As far as we can tell, yeah. Thing is, when an object is fully sucked into a black hole, it's pushed down through the tube it makes, which is almost a rift in the fabric of time and space, and when it falls over the Event Horizon, it's compounded into such a small space that it's basically non-existent."

R.D.: "Fabric of time and space?"

Peter: "It's a visualization, really. Objects bend the fabric, and other objects are pulled into it, kind of like a funnel. A black hole basically pulls the fabric to its stretching point in one spot."

R.D.: "Ohhh...huh."

Peter: "Yep."

R.D.: "So, wait...how big is a black hole, exactly?"

Peter: "It's not."

R.D.: "What?"

Peter: "It's infinitesimal."

R.D.: "Really?"

Peter: "Well, most are...except for a few."

R.D.: "How big can a black hole be?"

Peter: "Take the sun..."

R.D.: "The size of the sun?"

Peter: "...Take the sun, and multiply its size by about...one hundred billion."

R.D.: "Whoah....that's...huge...."

Peter: "Yep. And guess where that black hole lies?"

R.D.: "Where?"

Peter: "In the center of a galaxy."

F.S.: "Uh, Pinkie Pie? Are you okay?"

P.P.: "Yeah, hold on...Spike, take a right at the pool."

F.S.: "...Uh, Pinkie?"

P.P.: "Fluttershy, can we talk later?"

F.S.: "What are you doing? And who are you talking to?"

P.P.: "Spike, just, hold on for a sec..."

Spike: "Hold on!? There's a carnivorous plant chasing me!!"

P.P.: "Just throw a fish at him!"

F.S.: "...Did I just hear...Spike's voice?"

P.P.: "Yes. Now, go away for a bit. I need to do something."

F.S.: "Uh...okay then...good luck, I guess..."

T.S.: "Did you talk to her?"

F.S.: "Yes...I heard Spike, and something about a plant chasing him..."

T.S.: "...You know...I think we're better off not questioning this for now."

F.S.: "Good idea...let's just...find out who, or what, the Elders are..."

T.S.: "Good idea..."

Rarity: "Anyway...I think we should make you something to wear, Applejack."

A.J.: "Uh, Ah'm just fine, Rarity."

Rarity: "No, you're not! We're going to be taking some...mystery cruise, and you simply must have something to wear!"

A.J.: "...Fine."

Rarity: "Oh, my, I'll get right to work!"

A.J.: "Rarity, y'all sure? Ah don't want you overworkin' yerself on vacation."

Rarity: "Oh, no, it's fine!"

R.D.: "So, wait...in the center of a galaxy, there's a giant black hole!?"

Peter: "Yep. Their technical name is: 'Super Massive Black Hole.' Thing is, once every few...millennium, they start up and suck everything in. Eventually, the gas around it heats up and causes the gas to retract from the Event Horizon. Eventually, it starts up again, and sucks up anything in its path."

R.D.: "That's...pretty awesome! But scary at the same time...like, what if we were still in a galaxy?"

Peter: "We'd be to far away. If we were anywhere near the Event Horizon, time would stop."

R.D.: "...What?"

Peter: "Yeah. Well, we'd be going so fast that we would have appeared to have stopped. Once something goes into the Event Horizon, that's it. Not even light itself can escape from a black hole. So, when an object gets close enough, it seems to have stopped, because the light just stops emitting at that point."

R.D.: "Wow...that's pretty awesome..."

P.P.: "Spike, watch out! The bridge is collapsing there!"

Spike: "Pinkie, I really don't care about that now!!! There's a giant plant chasing me!!"

Plant guy: "GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! I WANT TO EAT YOU!"

Spike: "I KNOW! JUST, SHUT UP FOR A SECOND!"

Plant guy: "BUT I WANT TO EAT YOU!"

Spike: "Pinkie, get me out of here!"

P.P.: "Wait! I've got it!"

Plant guy: "Awww...why you no let me eat you?"

P.P.: "You, young plant, are grounded!"

Plant guy: "But why?"

Spike: "Grounded? What? Pinkie, this is a plant that doesn't speak proper Equestrian! Not a child!"

P.P.: "You're grounded!"

Spike: "Hey, I can see the pump!"

P.P.: "Now, get back in the greenhouse, and Spike, push the tube back in, please."

Spike: "Okay...I've got-WHOAH! Pinkie, what's happening?"

P.P.: "I told you that my mane is full of air. I'm holding my breath so that you're pushed out!"

Spike: "Ah...ah....Oh, Celestia..."

F.S.: "Did...Spike just come out of Pinkie's mane?"

T.S.: "...Don't question it."

F.S.: "Oh, hey, what's this book?"

R.D.: "Ugh...I just woke up, and all of this talk about black holes is really wearing me out..."

Peter: "Yeah, me too..."

R.D.: "Geez, I can't believe I forgot my Pruner...now, my wings are going to feel all...weird, until I get a chance to manually prune myself, in private..."

Peter: "If you want...I can help you prune."

R.D.: "Uh...maybe not..."

Peter: "Why not?"

R.D.: "A Pegasus' wings are very...uh...sensitive."

Peter: "Uh...oh. OOOOHHHH....Ho, mai. I...won't go anywhere near them, I promise."

R.D.: "Well...fine, you can help me prune."

Peter: "But...Rainbow Dash, you said that wings are...sensitive...I don't know if I feel comfortable with touching them..."

R.D.: "...Really? You have a sick mind, Peter. What I meant, is that they're easily hurt."

Peter: "....Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhh...okay."

R.D.: "Just...be careful, okay?"

Peter: "How do I do it?"

R.D.: "Just...pull the top feathers up so that they're actually...on top."

Peter: "Okay...stop me if it hurts, okay?"

R.D.: "Alright..."

T.S.: "It's all in that Language..."

F.S.: "Hm...well, at least you've found the book, right? Will you stop now?"

T.S.: "Are you kidding? I need to translate it!"

F.S.: "...Oh."

P.P.: "Thanks, Spike! Just...let me...aha! Alright, be ready with that fire..."

Spike: "Alright..."

P.P.: "Hmm...just a bit of this..."

Spike: "Pinkie...do you mind if I sleep for a bit?"

P.P.: "Nope! I can wait to actually bake the cake."

Spike: "Alright...g'night."

P.P.: "Hurry on back when you wake up!"

Spike: "Alright...but, don't expect me to wake up for a while...I did just get chased by a plant..."

P.P.: "Speaking of which...no dessert tonight."

Spike: "Yeah...see you later, Pink'."

R.D.: "Hmm...that feels good..."

Peter: "Well, I'm pretty good with my hands."

R.D.: "Wow...you should be a professional Pruner yourself, Peter..."

Peter: "Oh? Well, then, should I be charging you for this?"

R.D.: "Ha ha, very funny..."

Peter: "Y'know what, it's on the house."

R.D.: "Hah...I might just fall asleep...it just feels so...good..."

Peter: "Well, then, maybe we should do this more often."

R.D.: "Definitely..."

A.J.: "Well, Ah think it looks great."

Rarity: "Really? Are you sure it's not too tight there?"

A.J.: "No, really, it's perfect."

Rarity: "Truly?"

A.J.: "Honestly."

Rarity: "Oh, thank you! I think it looks marvelous!"

A.J.: "So do Ah."

T.S.: "Oh, hey, Spike."

Spike: "I'm going to have a bit of a lie down...I just got chased by a giant plant across a collapsing bridge..."

F.S.: "Uh, if you don't mind me asking, when, exactly, did this happen? Not that I doubt it, or anything..."

Spike: "In Pinkie's mane, just now."

T.S.: "...Y'know what, I'm not going to question it."

Spike: "Yeah, you're probably better off doing that..."

F.S.: "Well, sweet dreams, Spike."

Spike: "Thanks, Fluttershy..."

T.S.: "Now, then, where's that book of translations..."

F.S.: "You mean the Almanac of Languages?"

T.S.: "Yes! Now, let's see here..."

Peter: "What?"

R.D.: "What?"

Peter: "That noise that you just made-did I hurt you?"

R.D.: "Uh, no. It's fine, just...keep going..."

Peter: "Uh...okay then."

R.D.: "Hah!"

Peter: "Rainbow Dash...are you...ticklish?"

R.D.: "Uh...no."

Peter: "..."

R.D.: "HaHAAA! Stop, stop, it tickles!"

Peter: "So you are ticklish!"

R.D.: "Yeah, but just...HA! A bit..."

Peter: "You kidding? I'm barely even touching you!"

P.P.: "Hm...maybe I should do it like that...but wouldn't that cause..."

P.P.: "Nope! According to the Cupcake Constant, when Icing is introduced into the system, the concentrations shift in equal proportions!"

P.P.: "Right...right..."

P.P.: "Oh, no, the sprinkles!"

P.P.: "Sprinkles...you've served valiantly..."

P.P.: "Come on, pull yourself together. This is baking. There are bound to be casualties. You've just got to...look past them, okay?"

P.P.: "Sprinkles...I'll ensure that you receive a Medal of Honor."

P.P.: "Two, Medals of Honor."

P.P.: "Alright, now back to the cake..."

T.S.: "Hmm..."

F.S.: "Well, now that you know that the Elders are real, I think you should stop..."

T.S.: "What? I need to translate the entire book!"

F.S.: "Uh...please don't."

T.S.: "Why not?"

F.S.: "Because...you're on vacation."

T.S.: "And I spend vacation as I chose."

F.S.: "Twilight, I really think you should stop...and pick it up back in Ponyville..."

T.S.: "No, Fluttershy. I want to get it done, now."

R.D.: "Stop! Stop! I give...up! Hahaahaaa!"

Peter: "Ah-ah-aaahhh! What's the magic word?"

R.D.: "Stop! Stop...!"

Peter: "You didn't say the magic word!"

F.S.: "Twilight, I really think you should stop..."

T.S.: "No, I really shouldn't."

F.S.: "...Please?"

T.S.: "No! I want to do this now!"

F.S.: "Twilight, please stop..."

T.S.: "Shut up and let me do this!"

F.S.: "You know what...no. I won't shut up. Give me the book."

T.S.: "WHAT!?"

F.S.: "You heard me."

Peter: "Say the magic word!"

R.D.: "I don't know...your stinkin'...magic...word!"

Peter: "Yes you do..."

R.D.: "No...I...don't..."

Peter: "Fine, then, I'll tell you. It's ---"

T.S.: "No, no, no, no, no, no no no no nononono NO!"

F.S.: "Please, calm down, Twilight..."

T.S.: "I'M NOT GIVING YOU THE BOOK!"

F.S.: "Twilight, you're-"

T.S.: "I'M NOT GIVING YOU THE BOOK! I WANT TO STUDY THE ELDERS! IT'S MY VACATION, I'LL DO WHAT I WANT!"

F.S.: "Twilight, you're doing it again..."

The lavender unicorn stopped, mid-shout, her mane flopping wildly as she shook herself.

T.S.: "Oh, my...I'm...I'm so sorry, Fluttershy..."

F.S.: "It's...okay...just, give me the book..."

Twilight simply nodded, walking over to her cushion in the mini-library, blushing as everypony stared at her, Fluttershy even more so as she picked up the book and placed it in her own compartment.

After a few moments, all of their collective attention was pulled towards the black box on the wall as it crackled to life, the sound of a pony's voice coming in through the speaker.

Speaker: "We will now be making our second stop, this time at an eating area. This also marks our transition onto the Trans-Equestrian Railway."

T.S.: "Oh, my Celestia!"

Peter: "What? What's the Trans-Equestrian Railway?"

R.D.: "Oh, my, gosh! I've wanted to ride this since I was a foal!"

F.S.: "Oh, I can't wait to see what we'll see..."

Peter: "...What's the Trans-Equestrian Railway?"

Rarity: "Oh, my, the different places we'll see...and the beautiful gems we'll encounter..."

Peter: "What's the Trans-Equestrian Railway?"

P.P.: "WOOHOO!!! PAAAAARRRTTAY!"

Peter: "What's the Trans-Equestrian Railway?"

A.J.: "Oh, mah, Ah wonder if we'll make a stop in Appleloosa..."

Peter: "What's the Trans-Equestrian Railway!?"

R.D.: "Whoa, calm yourself, no need to shout..."

Peter: "Sorry, but none of you were answering..."

T.S.: "Ahem...The Trans-Equestrian Railway spans almost all of Equestria. It makes stops in all of the most popular vacation spots, and eventually ends up...wherever it's going. Thing is, it normally costs upwards of one hundred million bits to ride it. But, seeing as how we're all Celestia's special guests, it's free!"

Peter: "...So, it's kind of like the Trans-Siberian Railway..."

R.D.: "Which is?"

Peter: "It travels all across Siberia and makes stops in memorable places."

R.D.: "Ah."

A.J.: "Wait, hold on...did you say upwards of one hundred million bits?"

T.S.: "Yeah! Insane, right?"

Peter: "Wait, hold on...how many bits do you need to buy a...candy bar?"

T.S.: "Uh...about one, one and a half..."

Peter: "Oh, okay...it's almost the same as U.S. currency, then...one hundred million bucks..."

A.J.: "Peter! Watch yer language, and why would y'all go spendin' your money on...y'know..."

Peter: "...What?"

R.D.: "You said 'one hundred million bucks'."

Peter: "And? A buck is dollar bill!"

Rarity: "No offense, but the women in your society, obviously, er...sell themselves rather cheep, do they not?"

Peter: "...What?"

R.D.: "...Peter, you said 'one million fucks'."

Peter: "What!? No I didn't!"

A.J.: "Uh, yes, you did!"

Peter: "No! I said one hundred million bucks! A 'buck', is slang for one dollar! Like, y'know, I bought the pizza for twenty bucks!"

R.D.: "...Your money is weird."

Peter: "...A buck on Earth, is not a buck here. A buck on Earth is slang for one dollar. One dollar, is a piece of paper, that represents one unit of currency. A 'buck' on Earth, is a piece of paper."

T.S.: "Oh, so it's just the terminology..."

Peter: "Yeah..."

R.D.: "Oh, good..."

P.P.: "Geez...for a second there, I thought you were a pervert!"

Peter: "Uh...well, I'm not. Huzzah."

P.P.: "Huzzah!"

Peter held onto the hammock, keeping himself from falling over the edge as it hissed to a stop, momentum still carrying him forward.

When the train had come to a full stop, Peter smiled at everypony in the car.

Peter: "Let's go have some lunch!"

He descended from his hammock, smiling as he proceeded to pull on his shoes, and replace his turtleneck and chain with his white suit.

Peter climbed up the stairs, his stomach in a state of content silence.

However, his lips were screaming in salty agony, as were Pinkie's and Rainbow Dash's.

The three of them grabbed a bottle of soda each, and immediately started to drink them in front of the refrigerator, lips parched from the pizza pie they had ended up sharing.

Peter: "That pizza was good...but dayum, was it salty!"

P.P.: "And saucy!"

R.D.: "Ah...I love soda so much..."

Peter: "...I can see that..."

F.S.: "Uh, Twilight, I was thinking during lunch, and..."

T.S.: "Yes, Fluttershy?"

F.S.: "Can we talk for a bit?"

T.S.: "Okay, sure."

F.S.: "Just, sit down here..."

T.S.: "Okay...well? What did you want to talk about?"

P.P.: "Well, see you, guys, I have to...do something. Spike!"

Spike: "I'll be right there, Pinkie!"

R.D.: "Uh, see 'ya..."

Peter: "Talk to you later, Pinkie."

Rarity: "Uh, Rainbow Dash, I hate to pull you away from your...refreshment, but could you come over here please?"

R.D.: "Uh, sure, Rarity. Talk to you later, Peter!"

Peter: "'K."

R.D.: "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

Rarity: "I'm making clothes for everypony! And I wanted to know what you want!"

R.D.: "Oh, boy, not again...you know that I suck at fashion, Rarity!"

Rarity: "No, you don't! You just don't try hard enough! Everypony has a skill in fashion! We can all excel at brilliance!"

R.D.: "...Ugh..."

A.J.: "Uh, Peter?"

Peter: "Hm?"

A.J.: "Ah was thinkin', y'know, over lunch, and...well...could'ya come over here fer a sec? Ah wanna talk t' you...in private."

Peter: "Uh, sure, I don't see why not..."

A.J.: "Thanks..."

Peter: "So, what did you want to talk about?"

A.J.: "Back in the hospital...when Ah smacked you....Ah...Ah'm mighty sorry, Peter..."

Peter: "It's okay, Applejack. I forgive you."

A.J.: "But...how?"

Peter: "It looked...wrong. I can't blame you for trying to protect a friend, even if that friend didn't need help."

A.J.: "Ah...Ah guess yer right...thanks, Peter. Yer a...yer a good friend."

Peter: "Don't mention it...so, I heard that you live on an apple orchard."

F.S.: "Before, when you...freaked out, over the book...are you feeling any better now?"

T.S.: "Yes, but I'm just...a bit stressed out. I mean, I just need to learn stuff! How can I do that without reading?"

F.S.: "Well, you can learn through experiences..."

T.S.: "Yes, I know that...but when will I ever meet one of those...'Elders'?"

F.S.: "I don't know. But I do know, that it's better to experience life and learn from that, than to learn from reading alone."

T.S.: "Mm...I guess you're right..."

F.S.: "Well, I have an idea...how about you give up studying for now?"

T.S.: "What do you mean?"

F.S.: "What I mean is, instead of reading, how about you talk with everypony, and just let go? And, you know what, I bet that Peter would be more than happy to explain stuff about him to you..."

T.S.: "Mm...but I have to read, Fluttershy. I'll never get any sleep if I don't."

F.S.: "Then read for pleasure, at night. But, please, just...keep reading to a minimum, okay?"

T.S.: "...Okay, Fluttershy. I'll...try."

R.D.: "I don't know, Rarity. Whatever you think would look best."

Rarity: "Oh, come now, Rainbow Dash! You simply must have an opinion! It's so...unlike you not to!"

R.D.: "And? So what if I don't have an opinion on clothing? I want to look...cool, okay?"

Rarity: "...Cool?"

R.D.: "Yes, cool."

Rarity: "Well, what's your definition of...cool?"

R.D.: "Whatever you think looks cool. If I've learned anything from the Gala dresses, it's that I know what cool looks like, but sometimes, cool and clothing don't really mix."

Rarity: "Hm...I guess you're right...You don't want to look like you're dressed up for Nightmare Night..."

R.D.: "Exactly! I want to look laid back!"

Rarity: "Maybe something...simple?"

R.D.: "Simple? Like what?"

Rarity: "Uh...hold on...I'll just draw something up for you..."

A.J.: "That's me! It's actually called Sweet Apple Acres."

Peter: "Huh...well, I'm willing to bet that you have the greatest apples in all of Equestria."

A.J.: "Aw, shucks..."

Peter: "What? It's probably true."

A.J.: "Yeah, except for one thing...recently, the plants have been dyin'...Ah just don't know how to get water to them that fast..."

Peter: "Maybe...use an irrigation system?"

A.J.: "An irrigation system..."

Peter: "Yeah. Just...make a bunch of piping, connect it to a hose, and shoot water through it. If you plan it out right, you can get the water to go through the piping, and then circulate around over and over again, until it all comes out. You'd have to manage it in the winter, to make sure that it doesn't freeze over, but overall, you could just keep the main piping under the ground, and then just have some spouts stick out of the ground...Then again, I've been told that Sweet Apple Acres is massive, so it would have to be planned out before hand, so that you can strategically place pipes so that you can selectively complete certain parts of the orchard, and then link them together..."

A.J.: "...Uh, wow."

P.P.: "Be ready with that fire, Spike."

Spike: "Are you kidding? I just ate a bowl of sapphires! I can breathe fire for as long as you want!"

P.P.: "Great! Just, not yet...I need to finish putting the icing in the batter...and the chocolate chips..."

Spike: "Uh, okay, I'll just hang out until you're done..."

P.P.: "There! Bombs away!"

Spike: "Alright..."

P.P.: "Wait, stop!"

Spike: "Agh! Geez, Pinkie, do you have any idea how annoying it is to stop fire?"

P.P.: "No. Anyway, we need to fire-proof the counter first! Hold on, I have the retardant in my tail somewhere..."

Spike: "...I'm not even going to bother asking how you got it in there."

F.S.: "There! Don't you feel better, now that you're not going to study during the entire vacation?"

T.S.: "Yeah, I guess..."

F.S.: "And you'll actually talk to everypony, and Peter?"

T.S.: "Definitely...I still have to find out what a Desert Eagle is..."

F.S.: "Oh, my, you should probably ask him that today...ever since this morning, it's been one of the only things on my mind..."

T.S.: "Mhm...Well, when should I ask him about it?"

F.S.: "Well, he's talking to Applejack, so, maybe as soon as he's done, we can---"

Peter: "What?"

A.J.: "You...you just did something me and Big Mac have been tryin' to do for years..."

Peter: "Uh...what?"

A.J.: "Have the smallest semblance of an idea as to getting water everywhere in the farm..."

Peter: "Really? It's so simple back on Earth...I mean, America's been doing it for at least...a hundred or so years now, and irrigation now consists of simply...hooking up a giant compressor to a reserve, and then the reserve to a system of pipes. It's all rather...easy."

A.J.: "Wow...well, am Ah happy to---"

R.D.: "Wow! That looks...cool!"

Rarity: "Really?"

R.D.: "Definitely! It looks so cool!"

Rarity: "But it's so...simple! I thought you liked...showy, and...in-your-face."

R.D.: "Yeah, and that's only one kind of cool. The dress you just drew...it's the kind of cool that just says, 'yo'. Just the...laid back, calm look, y'know?"

Rarity: "Hm...makes sense..."

R.D.: "Of course it does! I'm a PhD. in cool!"

Rarity: "And I'm a PhD. in amazing!"

R.D.: "I wonder what Peter's a PhD. in?"

Rarity: "And Pinkie Pie..."

R.D.: "Probably in random."

Rarity: "Oh, yes, a PhD. in random would suit her perfectly..."

R.D.: "Wait, there's actually a PhD. in random?"

Rarity: "...You're kidding, right?"

R.D.: "What? You said it so seriously..."

Rarity: "I mean, honestly, why would there---"

Everypony simply stared at the dragon and pony in the kitchen area, the only sound present being the crackling of embers as Spike baked the cake. About one second later, everypony was crowded around the two of them, curious as to what was going on.

P.P.: "NO! IT'S A SURPRISE!"

Peter: "Ahhh! Don't kill me..."

P.P.: "I'm not going to kill you!"

Peter: "...It's a joke."

P.P.: "Ohhh...hahhhahahaha!"

Peter: "...Yeah."

T.S.: "Pinkie, why would you have Spike breath fire on the counter?"

P.P.: "I put flame retardant on it!"

A.J.: "...Good, Ah guess..."

R.D.: "Psst...Rarity..."

Rarity: "Yes, Rainbow Dash?"

R.D.: "Definitely a PhD. in random..."

Rarity: "Oh, yes..."

F.S.: "Well, since Pinkie's not going to tell us what she was doing..."

P.P.: "IT'S A SURPRISE!"

Peter: "Ahhh! Jesus Christ..."

R.D.: "Get used to it, Peter."

Peter: "Yeah, wish me luck..."

F.S.: "Uh, as I was saying...since Pinkie's not telling us what she was doing...Peter, would you mind...explaining a Desert Eagle to us? We're very eager to hear about it..."

Peter: "Uh, okay, I guess..."

T.S.: "Oh, my...Spike, can you write this down for me?"

Spike: "Will do!"

Peter: "Well...first off, it's not an actual eagle."

T.S.: "What is it then?"

Peter: "It's a gun."

R.D.: "What's a gun?"

Peter: ".......Oh, boy..."

T.S.: "What?"

Peter: "This isn't exactly...easy, to explain...but I'll try my best, I guess..."

T.S.: "Perfect!"

Peter: "Hold on, it has to load..."

R.D.: "'Load'?"

Peter: "It's an application, and a slow one at that...ugh, come on!"

Rarity: "Have some patience! It's been less than a minute!"

Peter: "...Sorry. Okay, here we go...this, is a Desert Eagle."

R.D.: "Whoah...it looks awesome..."

T.S.: "It looks...interesting. What does it do?"

Peter: "Well, I'll tell you how it works...you load the 'clip' on the bottom, you see? A 'clip', holds 'ammunition', which consists of 'bullets'. A 'bullet' is a metal casing filled with gunpowder, and the tip is an iron...well, tip. A spring in the bottom pushes the bullets into the chamber, which you pull back to load it, or 'cock' it-"

R.D.: "HAHAAHAHAAAA! 'COCK', IT?"

Peter: "...Wow, Rainbow Dash. You're...mature."

R.D.: "...Sorry..."

Peter: "Anyway, after you...load it, the bullet rests in the chamber. When you pull the 'trigger', this thing right there, the 'hammer', which is right there, is sent forward, and it smacks a little cylinder in the case, which sets off the gunpowder, which sends the iron tip of the bullet flying upwards of 100 miles per hour. Being a rather modern gun, the top part is pulled back automatically, and the case is ejected and replaced with an unused, tipped bullet."

T.S.: "...Wow. You seem to know a lot about guns...but...what are they used for?"

Peter: "Uh...well..."

T.S.: "I mean, I don't see the point of firing a bit of iron that fast..."

Peter: "Well, it's where the iron goes that counts..."

T.S.: "Where does it go? And why so fast?"

Peter: "...It goes so fast so that it can...penetrate bone, and kill the person you're aiming the gun at."

Everypony: "WHAT!?"

R.D.: "So, you were trying to...to...kill, me?"

Peter: "No!"

R.D.: "You just said it yourself! It's used to kill!"

Peter: "Yeah, they are! But this one isn't real!"

A.J.: "Isn't real? Now, how in tarnation is that supposed t' make us feel any better?"

Peter: "Because it doesn't exist! The bullet doesn't exist, and it won't kill anypony! Look, I'll show you..."

T.S.: "Peter, no!!"

Peter: "See? I'm fine! It's digital! This one is just light and noise! It's all recorded on the microchip inside!"

T.S.: "Oh, so it's like a mini robot?"

Peter: "Yes...Rainbow Dash, are you okay? Why are you crying?"

R.D.: "It's just...when you said...they were used to kill...I kind of...freaked out...and thought that you...hated me..."

Peter: "I don't hate you...you're my best friend!"

R.D.: "...Good!"

F.S.: "Psst...Twilight..."

T.S.: "Yeah?"

F.S.: "That's the old Rainbow Dash I was talking about. Somehow, Peter punches right through that shell of confidence..."

T.S.: "...Maybe we should ask him how?"

F.S.: "Yes, maybe we-"

P.P.: "OhmygoshI'msohappythatyouweren'tactuallytryingtokillRainbowDash! ButthatgunissocoollikehowitworksmaybeIcouldmakeonethatfirescandy!! Awww, andnowyou'rehuggingbecauseshethoughthatyouhatedherandwantedtokillher!"

Peter: "...My mind equals blown."

R.D.: "Hah..."

Peter: "You okay, 'Dash?"

R.D.: "Yeah, I'm feeling better now..."

Rarity: "Uh, if I may interrupt...Twilight, you just said it's like a mini robot...what do you mean, exactly?"

T.S.: "Oh, Peter can tell you."

Peter: "Alright, I'll pass my iPod around...it has pictures of a robot on it...it's called the Black Hole, and we finished it about two days before the end of build season this year..."

R.D.: "Whoa...and all of those wires..."

P.P.: "Yep! I knew it! On a robotics team! I didn't read it wrong! Y'know, reading a story you're in can be ssoooooo difficult sometimes! Isn't that right, guys? HELLO!?"

Peter: "...Okay...Uh...yeah...whatever you say, Pinkie Pie."

T.S.: "Wait, who are you talking to, Pinkie?"

P.P.: "Deajer, Metal, and Phoenix!"

F.S.: "Twilight, don't question it. She's just a bit...out there."

T.S.: "...Fine."

Peter: "Aaaannnyyywwwaaayyy...yeah, it's basically like all of that, only it's about...1/100th of the size, really. Like, this entire thing encompasses enough to store about...five hundred songs, and a movie."

T.S.: "On that small thing? But, music is on vinyl disks, and movies are on giant reels..."

Peter: "Not back on Earth. We've digitalized recordings now. They take up no space, except for the hard drive it's on. We created microchips to store data, and the biggest I've heard of is a 10-Terabyte hard drive. Now, that may sound like nothing, but a long song takes up about...I'd say, 10 Megabytes, which is roughly...10 million bytes. Now, that might sound large, but a 10-Terabyte hard drive, is about...10 trillion bytes of free space. Which means that you can fit, at most...one million songs on a 10-Terabyte hard drive."

T.S.: "...Whoa...Spike, write down that humans are obviously more technologically advanced than us..."

R.D.: "So, wait...how much space is there on your iPod?"

Peter: "It is...eight gigabytes, which means that it can fit eight hundred songs on it, without anything else."

T.S.: "Wow...when you told me that it stores and plays music, I thought you mean maybe...one, or two. Not...eight hundred..."

Peter: "Yep. Human technology is pretty insane."

T.S.: "Well, what else is there?"

R.D.: "Is it something cool?"

Peter: "Well, there's a gun that shoots one hundred rounds...per second."

T.S.: "What? How!?"

Peter: "I actually have no clue. But I do know, that it's a Gatling Gun."

R.D.: "That kills things."

Peter: "Okay, forget killing for now...just point it up, and fire randomly, at nothing in particular. It's freaking awesome. Just, guns are awesome...when, of course, they're not being used to kill..."

R.D.: "No doubt..."

T.S.: "Well, is there anything else that stand out in human technology?"

Peter: "...I think all of you should sit down."

R.D.: "Why?"

Peter: "You'll see..."

Once everypony was seated, including Spike, Peter smiled.

Peter: "We've been to the moon, and back."

Everypony jumped up in disbelief.

R.D.: "To the...moon!?"

Rarity: "But that's...impossible!"

P.P.: "OhmygoshIbetyoucandoawesomepartiesonthemoon!"

F.S.: "Oh, my...how?"

Spike: "Yeah, whatever. I'll believe it when I see it."

A.J.: "Oh, mah...the moon..."

T.S.: "But that means that somepony was banished..."

Peter: "Nope. We made a rocket ship, got inside it, went through the atmosphere, landed on the moon, planted a flag, and then came back, using a shuttle. There was a nation-wide party when Neil Armstrong walked back into the NASA headquarters. And now, we send astronauts to the moon like it's nothing. Until, of course, one crashed and killed one thousand people in Nebraska...kind of a failure..."

R.D.: "What happened?"

Peter: "When it crashed, the fuel used to propel the shuttle ignited itself, and it ended up in a huge fireball of death."

R.D.: "Whoa...well, what was the moon like!?"

Peter: "I've never been on it. But, from what I've seen in research, it has low gravity, and no oxygen...and Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon."

R.D.: "Whoa...that's so...awesome!!"

Peter: "Yeah, I know, right? We're trying to get some people on Mars, which is a totally different planet!"

R.D.: "How close are you? Well, the people doing it, anyway..."

Peter: "So close, like, within at least...ten or twenty years of it! And it may seem like a long time, but trust me, it's short in the scale of things..."

R.D.: "Whoa...I wish I was there when it happened...what did Neil Armstrong say about it?"

Peter: "Well, he said one of the most famous quotes of mankind..."

R.D.: "What?"

Peter: "When he first stepped onto the moon, he said: 'One small step for man...one huge leap for mankind'."

R.D.: "Oooooohhhhhhh, I got shivers down my spine when you said that..."

Peter: "Me, too..."

R.D.: "Ugh...My wing feels so weird...the feathers are all...blegh."

Peter: "I'm guessing that's a cue for me to finish pruning you?"

R.D.: "Shhh!"

F.S.: "Rainbow Dash, did you forget your pruner?"

R.D.: "...yes..."

F.S.: "And you've been forcing Peter to prune you?"

Peter: "I don't mind. Anything to help a friend."

F.S.: "...Well, as long as you don't mind it. Go ahead, you two. Just, Peter, when you're done, can we...talk?"

Peter: "Sure...can you help me up, Rainbow Dash?"

R.D.: "Sure! Now, prune!"

Peter: "Yes, master..."

R.D.: "Haaaaa....."

Peter: "I can see that you like it."

R.D.: "More than you'll ever know...just, don't tickle me again, okay?"

Peter: "I promise."

R.D.: "Good..."

T.S.: "Well, I'm going to go read for a bit...not study, Fluttershy, just read a small book..."

F.S.: "...Fine. It's still our first day of vacation, you can have that much, I guess..."

T.S.: "Thanks..."

A.J.: "Ah'm going t' relax for a bit..."

P.P.: "Spike...thanks for helping me!"

Spike: "Okay...I'm feeling pretty tired...I'm going to take a nap..."

P.P.: "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but...me, too."

Spike: "Okay...good luck sleeping..."

P.P.: "Thanks..."

F.S.: "Hey, Twilight, can I borrow a book?"

T.S.: "Sure, they're all in my bag...just take a look."

F.S.: "Okay..."

Rarity: "Well, forgive me if I appear rude, but I simply must relax..."

About an hour later, Spike was asleep, Pinkie Pie was making secret plans, occasionally adjusting the cake in her mane, Fluttershy and Twilight were both reading, Applejack was sleeping, and Rarity was fretting over her designs.

As for Rainbow Dash, she had fallen asleep as Peter pruned her, his hands acting as soporifics, the feeling of her feathers being corrected and carressed calming her to no end. About twenty minutes after she had fallen asleep, Peter had kept pruning her, enjoying making her feel calm. Eventually, the sound of silence and pages turning acted as a soporific for him, and he now lay next to Rainbow Dash, closing his eyes, his weariness and the silence sucking the energy out of him as he fell asleep, instinctively placing his arm around Rainbow Dash as he did so.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, her senses slowly coming out of the numbing calm of sleep. She looked to her right, contemplating the human, in whose arms she had slept yet again...

He cared...he cares, so much...he helped me, he listened to me, and he cared about me...so much...but...do I care about him...just as much? I mean...I helped him, too, after Fluttershy gave him the Stare, and I guess I cared, and do care, but...he cared from the beginning...

She gulped, the nervous action heard by none but herself, remembering what Peter had said in the hospital for the second time that day...

He said that he loves me...and even though I know that he meant it as...the love for a sibling...when he called me beautiful, before that...I know that he wasn't seeing me, but was seeing...me, as in, who I am...and I was more open about my dreams with him than any of my friends...but...I barely even knew him...

She looked at Peter, remembering her earlier conversation with Applejack and Pinkie Pie...

But...why? Maybe they're right, and I do have a crush on him? But if I do, wouldn't I know it?

Just then, Peter woke up, his green eyes immediately finding Rainbow Dawn's red eyes, a smile meeting the cyan Pegasus' look of confusion and thought.

"Good morning, Rainbow Dash."

"Hmm hmm..."

He frowned, and Rainbow Dash's heart skipped a beat.

"You okay, Dash?"

She merely blinked, still deep in thought, wondering why Peter's concern had made her stomach churn...

"Did you have another nightmare?"

She shook her head 'no', still thinking about why she could tell Peter anything, but not Applejack...

"Well, what is it?"

She gulped, and forced out a small sentence.

"I was just thinking..."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Rainbow Dash pushed herself up against Peter, smiling as the obviously somewhat bewildered human pulled his arm tighter around her.

"I can talk to you about anything, Peter...can't I?"

"Uh...definitely."

She put her head on his shoulder, her confusion replaced by acceptance.

"Well, before, Applejack asked me what we were talking about...y'know, in the hospital? But...I couldn't tell her. My best friend...but I can tell you anything..."

"Well...we were both kinda freaking out, right? Especially you...no offense, of course..."

Rainbow Dash smiled, pushing herself even closer to Peter.

"Well, yeah...I guess that having a mental breakdown can kinda make somepony say anything, huh?"

She smiled as Peter lightly chuckled, his bandaged palm rubbing her shoulder as they closed their eyes, simply enjoying being with each other.

"Yeah, I guess it can..."

"Yep..."

Come on, Rainbow Dash...at least ask him if he meant it when he said 'beautiful...'

"I meant what I said."

"What?"

Her heart started beating madly, and she knew that his response would determine her choices, both big and small...

"When I said that it was beautiful...I meant it. And the beautiful thing wasn't the giant shaft of light...it was how you looked in it...I could see all of you. Your flaws, your perfections...it was simply...beautiful. You're beautiful, Rainbow Dash...or rather, who you truly are, is beautiful."

The Pegasus nodded, smiling and pressing herself closer to him,

"Peter...thank you..."

She closed her eyes once more, pressing herself up to Peter, preparing herself for her mid-mid-day nap.

He gulped as Rainbow Dash tried to fall asleep, rubbing up against him and smiling.

God, I hope she doesn't like me as anything more than a friend...that would be...complicated...

He kept rubbing her shoulder, and adjusted his arm as she turned onto her side, moving even closer to Peter in the process, making his stomach churn.

This is...different....In Twilight's house, and in the hospital, we slept like this to keep the dreams out of her head...and now, she just sleeps in my arms, like we're a...a...

He sighed, remembering what Doctor Whooves had said to him in the hospital...

Do whatever you want with the Soul Gems. Just, for now, keep them close. And do yourself a favor, keep your feelings to yourself. If you give your heart away, we'll have bigger problems than Weeping Angels. Oh, and...try to keep pop-culture references to a minimum. Just...for your own sake.

Peter looked down at Rainbow Dash, and felt a pang of fear.

I feel...something, for her. I don't want to put her in danger, but...what if that...something, becomes something...more? I'll have to...keep it down...

He gulped, looking down at the cyan Pegasus, his thoughts colluding in a dark thundercloud of anxiety, a knot forming in his stomach as the blue lids opened to reveal those red, huge eyes...

"I slept too long...there's no way that I'm falling back to sleep..."

"Mm...me neither..."

The two simply lay there for a few moments, Peter feeling slightly awkward.

"Do you mind if we...stay like this for a while?"

He smiled, and pulled her closer than she already was, looking up at the ceiling.

"Not at all."

He closed his eyes, smiling as she enveloped him with a wing, feeling truly at home in her embrace, the Doctor's words far from his mind.

HI! I FINALLY FINISHED IT! YEAH!
I'm sorry that it's not over 10k words, but I decided it would be best to end on that scene, and then carry it on in the third part of the first day. Expect the rest of the days to be in single chapters, as they're fairly simple.
As always, keep telling me what you think, and keep sending in those OC's.
And, GAH! BEING GROUNDED IS-
Remarkably easy to work around, in all honesty. :P.