Interlude : The Scholar and the Serpent

Twilight stood in the growing shadows of Rarity's porch, listening to the muffled music coming from inside the building. The door was unlocked, of course it was, but it still seemed as solid a barrier as any other part of the wall. She tried to visualize what was going to happen: dozens of ponies talking and laughing and playing games, completely at ease with each other. She would open the door and walk in, and everypony would stare and wonder why she had bothered to come. There would be polite, strained smiles and awkward interrupted conversations until-

Breathe. In. Out. Twilight forced herself to relax. Things were different now. Everypony wanted her to be here. She wanted to be here. She would not brush this off and cloister herself in the library all night to hide behind the illusion of productivity. Twilight restarted her mental simulation.

She would open the door. She would walk inside. So far so good.

Everypony would stare. Everypony would want to talk to the Princess. Everypony would crowd around her and- too close. Too many, too close. She couldn't move, her face hurt from smiling STOP-

Breathe. In. Out. Relax Twilight. But- NO. RELAX.

It would not be like that. Everypony here was a friend. The only thing standing between her and them was this door. She just had to open it. Yes, the door. But also my crown, my wings, my magic, my castle- JUST OPEN THE STUPID DOOR, TWILIGHT!

Riding the impulse, Twilight jerked the door open and slipped inside. To her relief and mild chagrin, her entrance was not nearly as dramatic as she had feared. No ponies seemed to hear the door open over the music, and most of those close enough to see her come in seemed to content themselves with a friendly nod or word of welcome before returning to their own conversations. It was all very… well, normal. Returning their welcomes, Twilight inwardly chided herself for overthinking things as usual. She'd known every pony here for years, and she'd attended dozens of parties with them just like this one. Eventually, she had even started to attend willingly. They knew her, and they'd treat her with the same blithe, open friendliness that they always had, Princess or no Princess. Besides, she'd come a long, LONG way from the aloof bookworm sent from the capital to do sociocultural fieldwork, thanks in no small part to her friends.

Friends who were usually bowling her over and sweeping her up like a pastel-colored tornado right about now. Confused by this divergence from standard procedure, Twilight scanned the room until she found a large knot of ponies gathered around one of Rarity's couches. Curious, she approached and found that they were all crowding in to listen to some pony speaking in a deep, husky voice that she couldn't recognize.

"So by the time we find the way outside it is well past midnight, the lantern is almost out, we are both covered in slippery green mud and smelling like the world's worst nosebleed," the voice said, and Twilight made her way through the crowd enough to see the speaker, who reclined rakishly on the couch's center holding a drink.

Iron Ember matched the description Rarity had given her fairly well, physically at least. A charcoal grey stallion with a mane and fetlocks the color of rust, with his infamous scars hidden under a soft-looking scarf. He would have seemed fairly ordinary if not for those strange yellow eyes and quietly confident air lending him a striking appearance. Those eyes sparkled with an amused intelligence as he captivated his audience, Rarity and Applejack at either side of him on the couch while Rainbow Dash lounged on the back and the so-called Cutie Mark Crusaders sat near his feet with a small purple dragon. When did Spike get here? Twilight vaguely recalled mentioning to him that she might be late, but she couldn't recall his reply and just assumed it was something sarcastic. Kids.

"Then, and this is scarcely to be believed my friends," Ember continued conspiratorially as every pony listened intently. "The fool had the absolute nerve to try talking me into buying the mine after all!" This elicited surprised gasps and a round of chuckling from the impromptu audience.

Rainbow Dash guffawed and slapped the couch. "Wow, seriously? What did you tell this clown?" she asked incredulously.

Ember gave them all a jaunty half-smile and took a long drink from his cup while every pony listening leaned in impatiently. Twilight was reminded bizarrely of her older brother reading her storybooks before bed when they were little.

He finally finished and with a perfectly serious face said, "I wiped my face off, looked him in the eyes and said 'Copper mine? No, Copper YOURS!" *

He was rewarded with a moment of stunned silence followed by a gale of laughter, Rainbow Dash actually managing to fall backwards off the couch. Even lacking context, Twilight couldn't resist a few chuckles.

"Whew, that was a good one, huh Twilight?" a familiar voice suddenly spoke very close to her ear, causing her to jump and give an undignified yelp of surprise.

"Pinkie!" Twilight cried as she turned to her incorrigible friend. "Must you? We've discussed this at length!" She looked back and saw Ember staring at her like he'd seen a ghost.

"Princess," he said in a surprised tone. "Excuse me, I was not expecting you." The stallion rose and gave her a small bow, much to her embarrassment. Ugh, please no.

"Um, that's ok, no need for that," Twilight replied awkwardly, feeling every pony's eyes on her. She forgot sometimes that most ponies weren't used to speaking with Princesses, and it was especially noticeable now that she was one herself. She knew that they only wanted to show their respect, but that didn't make her any less uncomfortable.

"Twilight dear, thank you for coming," Rarity interjected, sparing them all from an awkward silence. "I've been positively dying to introduce the two of you. Ember, this is my dear friend Twilight Sparkle. And this is, of course, Mr. Iron Ember, who we are officially welcoming to Ponyville today."

"And a fine welcome it is! My sincere thanks for the arrangements Miss Rarity, Miss Pie," said Ember, nodding to both mares in turn. "You are very fortunate to have such excellent friends, Miss Sparkle."

"Don't I know it? And please, call me Twilight. Any friend of Rarity's is a friend of mine," she replied more easily, finding her footing.

"Where've you been, Twilight? You've been missing some advanced level zingers here!" said Rainbow Dash, still chuckling as she flapped back up onto the couch.

"Journeyman level at best, Rainbow," Ember deadpanned, drawing a grin from the pegasus. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"This coming from you? How's your daily commute from 'Nowhere', then?" snorted Applejack. A chorus of 'ooo's followed as Ember dramatically clutched his chest as if injured.

"Alas, you have caught me, Constable Applejack! But in my humble defense, you all make it too easy," the stallion cried woefully, earning him a playful smack on the shoulder from the farmer.

He seems to be fitting right in, Twilight thought happily, watching the banter between her friends and Ponyville's newest resident. She had been worried that Ember would have trouble being around so many new people, given his difficult past, but here he was laughing and joking like he had lived here for years. Twilight felt a swell of pride for her friends and the town that she had made her home. They were an eclectic bunch, but all the more close for how different they were. There was probably nowhere in Equestria where a stranger could feel more welcome and accepted, no matter where they came from or what they looked like.

Though some of that may be from the cider, she mused ruefully.

"Well, to answer your question Rainbow, I had to spend some time reorganizing the kitchen once I realized that one of the ingredients was organized alphabetically rather than by texture and geographic origin!" Twilight groused, barely heeding the tired but patient looks worn by her friends, nor the exasperated glances traded between them. If Pinkie Pie looked a tad chagrined, she did not notice. "And of course then I had to check the utensils, pots and pans, the cleaning supplies-."

"Goodness Twilight, that sounds, umm…" Rarity broke in with a tone that was trying very hard to be sympathetic but just wasn't quite there yet.

"Absolutely dreadful," finished Ember gravely, his face showing nothing but the utmost seriousness. "Is it too much to ask that things remain as you put them, logically and consistently, within your own domain without wantonly drifting hither and yon as if they knew better?" He huffed in annoyance as the eyes of those watching flicked rapidly between him and the alicorn.

A look of horror began to creep across Spike's face. "Celestia save me, there's two of them," the young dragon whispered.

"Exactly!" Twilight replied emphatically, glad to see that he understood how she felt. "How am I supposed to go about my business knowing in the back of my mind that something in my home isn't the way that it's supposed to be, that it's wrong?"

"Please don't enable her," Spike mumbled into his soda.

"You do NOT, Twilight!" Ember cried with a sudden zeal, making every pony jump as he loudly slapped his leg. "If something is wrong or not as good as it could be, which amounts to the same thing, you make it better if it is within your power to do so. You fix it!" He took a long quaff of cider and slammed the cup down onto his knee. "To do anything less is the domain of the irresponsible and the indolent!"

The stallion seemed as though he would continue, but ducked his head as if embarrassed when he noticed the surprised stares being sent his way by almost every pony in earshot. The sudden moment of vulnerability caught Twilight off guard, reminding her of the many times she had borne those silent stares after getting caught in one of her 'tangents'. She remembered what it had felt like to shrink into herself, as if she had suddenly reached out a little bit too much and had her hoof slapped back like a filly leaning too far over the dinner table.

He seemed so confident a moment ago, thought Twilight. How much of that had just been him putting on a face to fit in? She knew what it felt like to have to tip-toe around new acquaintances, wondering how much you could show of your real self without putting them off. From the report she had gotten and what Rarity had told her, it seemed like Ember hadn't come from the most accepting of homes. It must feel like he's been walking on eggshells this whole time.

"I…didn't know you felt so strongly about housekeeping, Ember," said Rarity at length. "Perhaps you can be in charge of the clean-up crew after the party?" she half-joked, breaking the ice and drawing a few chuckles.

Ember gave the unicorn a soft smile. "I believe that I would enjoy that, actually. I would also enjoy another draft of the Apple's fine craft. Would you care to join me Twilight, if your friends do not mind me stealing you?" he joked, drawing a few chuckles and shaken heads.

"You should grab some of my new cupcakes before they're all gone, Twilight! Just don't ask me for the recipe. It's a secret to everyone." Pinkie Pie stage-whispered this last comment, raising a few goosebumps on her neck. Twilight knew there was nothing to be concerned about, though.

…Surely.

"Well, alright. I am a bit hungry," said Twilight, taking a tiny step away from the pink mare.

"Wonderful," said Ember, getting up from the couch and stepping around Spike. "Pardon me, Master Dragon."

"Hear that Rarity? I'm a 'Master Dragon'!" Twilight heard her assistant boast behind them as they moved away toward the refreshments table.

"You couldn't master a can opener, Spike!" Scootaloo quipped good-naturedly, earning a high-five from Rainbow Dash.

Twilight was glad but unsurprised to see that there was plenty of food left- Pinkie Pie tended to overbake. Many-hued cupcakes were in abundance, as well as half of a chocolate cake, some raspberry tarts, and plenty of fresh fruit; she grabbed one of the former and sniffed it delicately before removing the paper cup. Twilight let out a sigh of relief. Cinnamon. It's just cinnamon. It always paid to check though, since her friend liked to 'experiment' from time to time. May that egg and mayonnaise ice cream from the Royal Gala last year never see the light of day again.

"I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Twilight," Ember said softly as he refilled his cup with cider and handing her one for herself. "I was surprised to see you, and was not certain of how you preferred to be addressed."

Twilight blinked. "Oh, that's alright. I'm still not really used to the whole Princess thing myself. It seems like only yesterday that I was just a grad student running the local library," she replied sheepishly.

"Yes, I have heard that your coronation was a rather sudden event," said Ember, idly swirling the liquid in his cup. "I do not pretend to know much about alicorns, but I am sure that such a sudden change in status and power, not to mention a bodily transformation, would be rather jarring to say the least. I truly cannot imagine how that must have felt." She thought that she saw a glimmer of something in the stallion's yellow eyes, but it was gone before she could make anything of it.

"It wasn't as bad as all that," said Twilight, thinking back to those earlier days. "Princess Celestia didn't start me out with too many responsibilities- I actually felt as if I didn't have enough to do if you can believe it! As for my wings, Rainbow Dash has been helping me get used to them." She'd been trying anyway- the pegasus was very eager to help, but she wasn't exactly known for being patient or for understanding other pony's limits. As it stood Twilight could fly decently enough, though she did not have the endurance for extended travel.

"Still, it is quite the leap from respected librarian to a ruler of the realm!" Ember said lightly. "Your magic must have been very powerful for such a thing to have occurred."

"Well, frankly yes. Even as a little filly, my magic was strong enough that Princess Celestia had to tutor me personally in order to control it," replied Twilight, trying not to sound like she was bragging. "And as the Element of Magic, I'm fairly unique in that I can learn and cast almost any spell. But that's not really what got me my wings; I'm not the Princess of Magic, after all!"

"Quite," said Ember, and Twilight began to notice a slowly growing, for lack of a better word, intensity in his gaze and countenance that made her slightly uncomfortable, though his voice remained light and casual. "Sun and Moon, Love and Friendship. A curious combination of motifs to be sure…Hmm, questions for another time, perhaps. But tell me Twilight, what does a Princess of Friendship do in her crystal castle, rising above Ponyville?"

"I have some executive powers, but the Mayor deals with most things around town. My friends and I mostly help settle disputes and act as goodwill ambassadors for Equestria." They had also slid into a role of national defense over the years as they used the Elements of Harmony to combat the likes of Discord and Queen Chrysalis, but with the horrors of the war against Tirek still being fresh, she did not wish to talk about that. Twilight resolved to change the subject.

"You seem to be settling into Ponyville well, Ember. Have you been looking into getting your own space, maybe even a workshop for your talent? It must be pretty tough trying to forge things on Rarity's stove!" she joked, thinking about how excited the fashionista had been when she had showed off her new bracelet. After hearing Rarity all but gush over the sketched designs that Ember had evidently shown her for jewelry and other things, Twilight couldn't help but feel curious about what kind of work he was truly capable of.

"Indeed, the stove simply does not have the conductive capacity to handle the amount of energy needed to melt even gold, even if Rarity was able to feed it sufficient magical power. And yes, I plan to begin searching of a suitable location very soon." Ember looked down at his hooves, moving them as if he was trying to clutch something. "It has been…difficult, being away from my craft for so long. To describe the need as an itch would fall short. Hunger, perhaps, is a better word. Fortunately Applejack has been good enough to lend me the use of her family's modest facilities in the meantime, in exchange for a few trifles."

"That's good of her," commented Twilight, knowing how unhealthy ponies could become if they could not express their talents for extended periods of time. If she had to go for more than a day without using magic she'd probably explode!

…Actually, it might be best if such a scenario remained purely hypothetical, for safety's sake.

Twilight took a bite out of her cupcake and, after making an appreciative sound at the rich flavor, saw Ember take one and delicately do the same. She raised her eyebrows in surprise at his pained grimace.

"Don't care for it?" Twilight asked curiously as he washed his mouth out with cider. She didn't think she had ever seen any pony outright dislike Pinkie Pie's cooking before, not her conventional fare anyway.

"Too sweet. Cloying," he muttered, making no sense at all. How could something be too sweet?

"I suppose Miss Pie makes these using a wood or coal-burning oven, since she cannot use a magical one like Rarity?" Ember asked idly, looking over the many-colored confections with a mildly suspicious expression that Twilight found somewhat humorous in context.

"No, most Earth Ponies and Pegasi use natural gas in their stoves, though I think some of the newer models use electricity," Twilight answered, trying not to giggle. He turned and stared at her with wide eyes, making it even harder.

"Natural gas…you mean methane? I suppose that one could use that for cooking, though collecting and transporting it might prove rather difficult and does not seem worth the effort. But what does electricity have to do with anything?" he asked, a skeptical look crossing his face.

Twilight blinked. He knows what they are but not how they can be harnessed? This'll be interesting.

"Well, the Pegasi in Cloudsdale skim some voltage off of thunderstorms, but are you familiar with how water mills work? The dam down by the river works off of a similar principle, except that…"

During her explanation of Ponyville's use of hydroelectric power and in the conversations that followed, Twilight found Ember's ear-to-ear grin and eagerness to listen gratifying but, again, a little intense.

*This anecdote was inspired by an incident in which one of Mordor's copper mines became flooded and droves of orcs kept wandering in and drowning because it smelled like blood. Sauron considers it to be some of his funnier material.