11-30-2015, 08:41 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2015, 08:41 AM by Kaltes-Herzeleid.)
Chapter 18: Invitation
----
"Awkward" was putting the situation at the table mildly. Twilight Sparkle would glance nervously at us, catch one or both of us looking back and avert her gaze to her plate. The image of Nightmare Rarity and I engaged in a rather heated kiss still fresh in her memory. Most of the others kept a polite silence, and a baby dragon who I hadn't seen until now sat close to Twilight, shooting Nightmare dirty looks now and then. Personally, his mean spirited looks made me want to get up and smack him across the face or at least tell him off...evidently I had a protective side when it came to Nightmare. The table was big and wide so there was a lot of space between us, but I was still close to Nightmare. She sat tall and proud in her seat, regally defiant of the underlying animosity that bubbled beneath the surface. I made an effort to do the same, keeping focused on my food.
Apparently getting breakfast together had been somewhat difficult since I couldn't eat half the things they suggested. Hay, grass, seeds and oats. And the ponies didn't eat meat so we were all stuck with breakfast salads. I had two eggs in mine but had still barely eaten a thing. It was so uncomfortable being here...
I think my discomfort showed, at least to Nightmare, since I felt her give a reassuring touch on my knee that helped to set me at ease.
"So," I heard the orange pony with the blonde mane finally spoke up, clearing her throat before continuing, "how're you likin' Ponyville so far?"
"It's pleasant enough, I suppose," Nightmare Rarity replied nonchalantly, taking a bite of the salad in a rather predatory way.
"Michael?" Twilight spoke, her voice cracking a bit when she spoke to me, making and effort to look me in the eye, though to my slight amusement I could tell it was difficult. "How about you?"
"I like it well enough," I stated, truthfully for the most part I just wanted to go home. Ponies didn't gawk at me as much as before but I still hated the prying stares and the dirty looks they'd give Nightmare. "Though I could do without being stared at," I said, immediately regretting my words. Fortunately Twilight seemed more amused by it and chuckled, which seemed to lift everyone's spirits, save for Rarity and the dragon.
"Try not to blame them too much, after all there haven't been humans in Equestria for thousands of years," Twilight said, eager curiosity entering her voice as it probably dawned on her that she had a living breathing human to interrogate. I glanced at my distorted reflection in the fork, fingers tapping the table before I quickly decided to speak again to effectively cutoff being bombarded with questions.
"There were humans in Equestria?"
"Only from what I've read in books, but according to the Princesses yes there were," Twilight replied, finally seeming to shed the awkwardness around us both. Nightmare Rarity silently ate, seemingly bored with the environment around her.
"Why'd they leave?"
"Ponies didn't take too kindly to them. They believed Equestria should be for ponies and ponies only."
I blinked in surprise. If anything I figured it'd be predominately the humans causing problems...imagining these equines as a bunch of fanatic racial (or would that be specist?) purists almost made me laugh, but I knew it had been a serious issue so I held my tongue. I noted from the way Nightmare spoke of it in a knowing voice made me think she had been around at that time. Though what she said apparently seemed to bring a feeling of discomfort again, as Twilight looked down at her plate again and continued eating.
"So Michael, is your world very different?" The orange pony, Applejack, spoke up once more. Seemingly determined to be friendlier with us. I nodded in confirmation, feeling unsure of how to say in what ways it was different. Cars, advanced technology, and of course the history. I was far from an expert on it all and I didn't want to be overly negative on the subject. "Yeah...it's different. Vastly different than this world...," I trailed off.
"Say, how did you get here anyway?" Rainbow Dash cut in, eyeing me intently. Twilight again seemed to perk up as she saw a chance to ask questions again.
"I brought him here," Nightmare Rarity answered, "let's just say the moon has many secrets," she went on cryptically. I remembered the numerous beautiful gems in the cavernous area that I had first arrived in and that pool of water that acted as a gate of sorts. "And then your princesses turned what was supposed to be a pleasant visit into a war zone," she quipped. I about flinched when she said that, knowing it was bound to spark an argument, but I could tell from the gleam in her glowing eyes it amused her. Both Rainbow Dash and the dragon seemed to get hostile at that remark but before either of them could retort the yellow pegasus managed to interject despite how soft and quiet her voice was.
"Um, I think there's somepony at the door," she squeaked. Indeed she was correct that someone was knocking hard on the door now. Twilight in a bright purple flash teleported there and back in a span of about fifteen seconds. Nervously laughing as reappeared in the room, knowing how tense the situation was getting and was probably thanking her lucky stars that the mailman er...mailpony had unintentionally interrupted and spared her a ugly morning argument.
"Who's it for?" Rainbow asked, craning her blue neck to see. Twilight looked at Nightmare and I, baffled.
"It's for you two," the letter, enclosed by a magic aura levitated it's way into my hands, "it's from Princess Celestia."
Nightmare Rarity scowled slightly but remained silent as I carefully ripped the envelop open and gingerly removed the letter, unfolding it neatly. Of all things, two tickets fell out and into my free hand as I read the brief message.
"Well!?" Rainbow Dash inquired, getting impatient. Rarity, who had been quiet the whole time gasped dramatically at something.
"They've just been invited to the Grand Galloping Gala!"
She was correct, I looked at the tickets in my hands, golden and gleaming, without a single imperfection. Even Nightmare Rarity seemed a touch surprised, raising an eyebrow.
"Equestria's biggest formal event?" Nightmare inquired. "To what point and purpose?"
"Maybe she just wants the two of you to have fun?" Applejack said in an upbeat voice.
"Ha, Celestia always has something planned-," I interrupted Nightmare's response with my own question, raising a hand.
"I have a question: What the hell is the Grand Galloping Gala?!"
----
"Awkward" was putting the situation at the table mildly. Twilight Sparkle would glance nervously at us, catch one or both of us looking back and avert her gaze to her plate. The image of Nightmare Rarity and I engaged in a rather heated kiss still fresh in her memory. Most of the others kept a polite silence, and a baby dragon who I hadn't seen until now sat close to Twilight, shooting Nightmare dirty looks now and then. Personally, his mean spirited looks made me want to get up and smack him across the face or at least tell him off...evidently I had a protective side when it came to Nightmare. The table was big and wide so there was a lot of space between us, but I was still close to Nightmare. She sat tall and proud in her seat, regally defiant of the underlying animosity that bubbled beneath the surface. I made an effort to do the same, keeping focused on my food.
Apparently getting breakfast together had been somewhat difficult since I couldn't eat half the things they suggested. Hay, grass, seeds and oats. And the ponies didn't eat meat so we were all stuck with breakfast salads. I had two eggs in mine but had still barely eaten a thing. It was so uncomfortable being here...
I think my discomfort showed, at least to Nightmare, since I felt her give a reassuring touch on my knee that helped to set me at ease.
"So," I heard the orange pony with the blonde mane finally spoke up, clearing her throat before continuing, "how're you likin' Ponyville so far?"
"It's pleasant enough, I suppose," Nightmare Rarity replied nonchalantly, taking a bite of the salad in a rather predatory way.
"Michael?" Twilight spoke, her voice cracking a bit when she spoke to me, making and effort to look me in the eye, though to my slight amusement I could tell it was difficult. "How about you?"
"I like it well enough," I stated, truthfully for the most part I just wanted to go home. Ponies didn't gawk at me as much as before but I still hated the prying stares and the dirty looks they'd give Nightmare. "Though I could do without being stared at," I said, immediately regretting my words. Fortunately Twilight seemed more amused by it and chuckled, which seemed to lift everyone's spirits, save for Rarity and the dragon.
"Try not to blame them too much, after all there haven't been humans in Equestria for thousands of years," Twilight said, eager curiosity entering her voice as it probably dawned on her that she had a living breathing human to interrogate. I glanced at my distorted reflection in the fork, fingers tapping the table before I quickly decided to speak again to effectively cutoff being bombarded with questions.
"There were humans in Equestria?"
"Only from what I've read in books, but according to the Princesses yes there were," Twilight replied, finally seeming to shed the awkwardness around us both. Nightmare Rarity silently ate, seemingly bored with the environment around her.
"Why'd they leave?"
"Ponies didn't take too kindly to them. They believed Equestria should be for ponies and ponies only."
I blinked in surprise. If anything I figured it'd be predominately the humans causing problems...imagining these equines as a bunch of fanatic racial (or would that be specist?) purists almost made me laugh, but I knew it had been a serious issue so I held my tongue. I noted from the way Nightmare spoke of it in a knowing voice made me think she had been around at that time. Though what she said apparently seemed to bring a feeling of discomfort again, as Twilight looked down at her plate again and continued eating.
"So Michael, is your world very different?" The orange pony, Applejack, spoke up once more. Seemingly determined to be friendlier with us. I nodded in confirmation, feeling unsure of how to say in what ways it was different. Cars, advanced technology, and of course the history. I was far from an expert on it all and I didn't want to be overly negative on the subject. "Yeah...it's different. Vastly different than this world...," I trailed off.
"Say, how did you get here anyway?" Rainbow Dash cut in, eyeing me intently. Twilight again seemed to perk up as she saw a chance to ask questions again.
"I brought him here," Nightmare Rarity answered, "let's just say the moon has many secrets," she went on cryptically. I remembered the numerous beautiful gems in the cavernous area that I had first arrived in and that pool of water that acted as a gate of sorts. "And then your princesses turned what was supposed to be a pleasant visit into a war zone," she quipped. I about flinched when she said that, knowing it was bound to spark an argument, but I could tell from the gleam in her glowing eyes it amused her. Both Rainbow Dash and the dragon seemed to get hostile at that remark but before either of them could retort the yellow pegasus managed to interject despite how soft and quiet her voice was.
"Um, I think there's somepony at the door," she squeaked. Indeed she was correct that someone was knocking hard on the door now. Twilight in a bright purple flash teleported there and back in a span of about fifteen seconds. Nervously laughing as reappeared in the room, knowing how tense the situation was getting and was probably thanking her lucky stars that the mailman er...mailpony had unintentionally interrupted and spared her a ugly morning argument.
"Who's it for?" Rainbow asked, craning her blue neck to see. Twilight looked at Nightmare and I, baffled.
"It's for you two," the letter, enclosed by a magic aura levitated it's way into my hands, "it's from Princess Celestia."
Nightmare Rarity scowled slightly but remained silent as I carefully ripped the envelop open and gingerly removed the letter, unfolding it neatly. Of all things, two tickets fell out and into my free hand as I read the brief message.
"Well!?" Rainbow Dash inquired, getting impatient. Rarity, who had been quiet the whole time gasped dramatically at something.
"They've just been invited to the Grand Galloping Gala!"
She was correct, I looked at the tickets in my hands, golden and gleaming, without a single imperfection. Even Nightmare Rarity seemed a touch surprised, raising an eyebrow.
"Equestria's biggest formal event?" Nightmare inquired. "To what point and purpose?"
"Maybe she just wants the two of you to have fun?" Applejack said in an upbeat voice.
"Ha, Celestia always has something planned-," I interrupted Nightmare's response with my own question, raising a hand.
"I have a question: What the hell is the Grand Galloping Gala?!"