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/ Story: A New Friend, and New Feelings / Chapter: Somepony New / Author: StormHoof32 /-

Twilight left the library that morning, heading to the local market. Spike had been growing and as he grew, so did his hunger. He had managed to eat everything they had. Twilight chuckled to herself as she remembered when Spike had hit his first growth spurt. He had come running to her excitedly, saying that wanted to see what Rarity thought of him. What Twilight didn't expect was that Rarity would've fallen for him.

As she strolled along she admired the bright blue sky. For some reason, today had seemed more beautiful than before, like Princess Celestia had added some kind of personal flare to it. She looked up to a single cloud hanging in the sky, and a very noticeable Rainbow colored tail hanging over.

"Hey Rainbow." Twilight said.

No answer.

"Rainbow!" she yelled.

"Huh, what?" Rainbow mumbled as she rolled off the cloud.

SMACK!

"Owwwww."

"Sorry about that Rainbow, I was just wondering if you wanted to come with me to the market, your usually hungry after and during your naps." Twilight said, trying not to laugh.

Rainbow picked herself up off the ground and hovered there while she finished waking up.

"Jeez Twi, your the first pony to cause me to fall out of a cloud." she laughed. "and sure, I'll come with."

"Great!" Twilight replied enthusiastically.

When they had finished purchasing food, and lunch for Rainbow, Twilight said her farewells and headed back to the Library. She always had to pass Fluttershy's cottage on the way, so she figured she'd stop by and say hello. She trotted up and tapped her hoof against the door and waited.

"Oh, hello Twilight." Fluttershy said after she opened the door.

"Hey Fluttershy, I just wanted to stop by and see what you were doing." Twilight replied.

"Oh, well actually I have been taking care of somepony that I had found in the Everfree Forest." Fluttershy said as she motioned toward a Stallion who had been lying on her couch, apparently asleep. Twilight noticed a lot about his appearance.
He was a grey stallion with an unkempt jet black mane and tail. She also noticed his cutie mark, which was much like Rainbows but it was a black cloud with three lighter grey lightning bolt, one coming from the bottom of the cloud, and one each on the sides of the cloud.

"Was he hurt?" Twilight asked.

"Well I think he was in a fight of some kind, he had a few broken bones, but other than that, he looked fine. But It was his eyes that kind of threw me off." Fluttershy replied.

"What's wrong with his eyes?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy trotted over and very gently lifted one of his eyelids. Twilight was about to protest, but as soon as she saw his eyes, she gasped. They were bright red, and slitted like a dragons. Twilight wanted to study his eyes more but he suddenly began to stir, causing Fluttershy to squeak in fright.

"Ugh, wha-Where am I?" the stallion asked.

"Um, hi, I saw you passed out in the forest and so I brought you here and healed some of your wounds." Fluttershy said quietly.

"Um, thanks. Wait a minute, I know who you are. You'r Fluttershy, your one of the bearers of the elements. Your quite famous in Trottingham." The stallion said.

Fluttershy just took a few steps back and hid behind her mane.

"Well it seems you already know who we are, but who may I ask are you?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, I'm Storm Shadow, I'm the Librarian of the Trottingham Library." Storm explained.

Twilight just stared at him. Finally, somepony I could actually talk to, somepony who might actually understand the things I've studied.

"Uh, your Twilight right? Um are you ok?" Storm asked.

"Huh?" Twilight said as she snapped out of her own little world.

"Sorry, but you were staring at me, and it was starting to feel a little awkward." Storm added.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I guess I kind of got lost in my thoughts." Twilight replied.

Storm patted her on the back.

"It's ok, it happens. So where might I find the library?" he asked.

"Oh, I live there, I could take you to see it. But there's something I would like to know. Why were you in the Everfree forest?"

"Sorry about that, I was actually on my way to canterlot when a Rainbow maned pegasus zapped my flanks with a lightning bolt. I ran for cover in the forest and was attacked by a black pony wearing what looked like a skull for a helm." Storm explained.

Twilight immediately knew who had attacked him. There was a clan of ponies that lived in the forest, that had at one point been like everypony else, but once they had been banished, they changed. And eventually the clan grew.

"Well that sounds terrible." Twilight said as she led Storm to the library.

"Well this is it. So do you study a lot?" Twilight asked.

"Actually, I've read every book in the Trottingham library, And I was told there was a library here that had twice as many books as Trottinghams." Storm said.

"Well feel free to browse through." Twilight replied as she began putting away the groceries.

What a strange stallion

Storm looked through the books, but one thing kept his focus. The lavender mare known as Twiligh Sparkle.

Back in Trottingham, he had heard that Twilight Sparkle, bearer of the element of magic, and personal student to the princess, was an avid studier, just like himself. All his life Storm had read and studied, but he had never had anypony to discuss any kind of topic with.

Storm smiled as he watched Twilight go about her business. He was not one to stare, but with Twilight, it was hard, he couldn't help himself. His eyes roamed over her as she worked. What he didn't realize, was that Twilight had noticed.

"Uh, Storm, is something wrong? Your staring at me quite a lot." Twilight asked.

"Um, no, sorry, just kinda lost in my thoughts." Storm replied. Why do I feel so...so weird. I feel happy whenever I look at her, but why?

Storm just went back to browsing through the books as he tried to piece together his feelings.