Day Four, Cloudy
The First Link
You are awoken by a knocking at the door. Though your mind is hazy you're flushed with relief to find yourself in your own bed and not some crazy shadow world or weirdo-occupied rooms. The knocking downstairs isn't stopping so you decide to get up and answer it. You make it to the door despite being half-asleep and open it to find Pinkie Pie staring into your eyes with a big smile which would've made you jump out of your skin if you weren't still exhausted.
"Gooood morning Twilight!" she addressed you energetically.
"Pinkie Pie?" you ask groggily.
"Hey listen: Fluttershy came to me and said she was able to find and talk to Rainbow Dash."
"Really? That's good news," you said with a tired but thankful tone.
"Yup! She wants to meet up at Clover Café to give us the story and I'm going to Applejack's to tell her the same so get over there on the double!"
"Sure Pinkie, I just need to get ready real quick."
"Super! See you there then, and don't be late!"
Pinkie bounces off to alert Applejack of the news. It seems Fluttershy was able to talk to Rainbow Dash about yesterday's incident. You wonder how it went between the two, and decide get ready to head out.
"Hey Spike. Are you awake?"
There's some grumbling.
"Yeah, I am now," Spike said annoyed.
"Want to come into town with me for breakfast?"
"No thanks. You could bring me back some though."
"I'll think about it Spike."
You freshen up quickly and head for the door.
"See you later."
"Wait a moment!"
You turn around to see that Spike is sitting up in his basket and looking down at you.
"When you get back could you tell me about the person who died recently? I sorta feel left out not knowing serious news like that."
"Certainly Spike. I shouldn't be long."
You have agreed to tell Spike the details about Gilda's death at a later time. For now you must head over to Clover Café to meet the others and learn more about Rainbow Dash's well-being.
Time Passes. It's late morning, and you arrive at Clover Café.
You walk among the tables outside the café and almost immediately spot Fluttershy sitting by herself at one of them.
"Oh! Good morning Twilight," she greets kindly.
"Morning Fluttershy. I guess the others haven't shown up yet."
"No, not yet, but we can talk about other things while we wait."
"Yeah we could. You know, I was half-expecting to see Rainbow Dash here as well but that would be expecting too much too soon huh?"
"Yeah… She's fine though, Rainbow Dash I mean. But I would like to wait until the others arrive to go into detail so I won't have to repeat myself," Fluttershy reasoned politely.
"I understand" you nod.
You look around and notice how quiet things are compared to the other times you've come here. Perhaps the townsfoal are still on edge from yesterday's incident and not feeling very social. Best keep talking to keep your mind off that.
"You know it was very nice of Pinkie Pie and you to invite me here. I barely know you guys so something like this may not have been any of my business to know."
"Maybe not, but since you were there when it happened I thought that you might have wanted to know what happened afterwards regardless. Plus, you seemed like the kind of pony who'd care to know how others are doing even if you barely know them."
"That's awfully thoughtful of you to say that, Fluttershy."
That was remarkably touching you had to admit. Too bad you don't have a relationship that could make it more meaningful. Oh look, here comes Pinkie Pie and Applejack. You see Applejack is well-rested and appears to be her usual self to your relief. Anyway, the meet-up.
"Hey ya Fluttershy, Twilight," addressed Applejack.
"We're here!" said Pinkie.
"Morning Applejack," Fluttershy replied. "Now that everyone's here then you'll want to hear about Rainbow Dash."
"Of course sugar cube," affirmed Applejack. "How is she?"
Fluttershy begins her account of her talk with Rainbow Dash.
"After she took off it took me a while to find her in all the fog, but as it turned out she went straight to her house. When I eventually got there she said she didn't want to talk so I waited on the doorstep for a while."
"You just waited there, outside?" Applejack asked.
"Only for a few minutes, just to let her calm down," Fluttershy resumed. "Afterwards she let me come in and I talked with her. She still seemed a bit upset but she told me that she was okay, and that she just needed some time to herself."
"So the long and short of it is she's fine?" Applejack surmised.
"Right," confirmed Fluttershy. "She seemed a bit weary but that's understandable after what happened to Gilda. It's probably also why she never brought her up when we were talking… For right now though I think she wants to be left alone."
"So we can't say hi to her or anything like that?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Not today Pinkie," said Fluttershy. "But we could check on her tomorrow and see if she's feeling better."
"That sounds like a good idea Fluttershy," said Applejack. "We should all pay her a visit tomorrow."
"Um, actually, maybe not with this many-"
"Of course we'll come check on her!" Pinkie Pie interrupted Fluttershy. "All four of us, right Twilight?"
"Definitely," you agree.
"You could also bring Spike along, that way it'll be a party of five that checks on Dash!" Pinkie said excitedly. "Anyway I'm starving from all the bouncing how bout we order breakfast?"
"Sure, I was hoping to get some here anyway," you tell her.
"I guess I could stay a bit longer," Fluttershy said sheepishly.
"Great! Waiter!" Pinkie shouted whilst waving.
A posh stallion waiter comes at Pinkie Pie's exuberant beckoning.
"Yes miss?"
"Bring breakfast for me and my friends!"
"What would you like then?"
"Ummm, something breakfast-y!"
"Perhaps you could be more specific."
"What's not specific about 'breakfasty-y?'?"
"Oh Pinkie Pie," Applejack said with an amused sigh.
You share breakfast with the group amidst small talk.
Time Passes. Your breakfast discussion has carried into the early afternoon.
You are standing with the others outside the café having finished breakfast a while ago. You are all about to separate for the day.
"Then it's settled," said Pinkie Pie. "Tomorrow afternoon we all meet up at Fluttershy's house and then head over to Rainbow Dash's."
"Actually, I've been meaning to tell you that I don't know where Fluttershy's house is," you say.
"I'll come by your place tomorrow and walk ya there," Applejack readily volunteered.
"You would? If it's no trouble then I would appreciate that."
"No trouble at all," Applejack assured. "And you've been here long enough; there's no need to be so uptight polite around us."
You laugh a little and nod your head.
"Until tomorrow then," said Pinkie Pie. "And bring your best cheering-up faces for Dash! WHEEE!"
Pinkie hops away.
"See you girls later," said Fluttershy.
The three of you walk from the café. To your pleasant surprise Applejack is heading the same way you are and is walking beside you too.
"Hey Twilight? Got a minute?" she asks you. "There's sumthin' I wanna tell you, and I was waitin' for it being just the two of us."
"Sure Applejack, what's up?"
"I just wanted to tell you thanks, for what you done did yesterday. Fighting off them monsters, and protectin' me when I was down all by yerself. It was mighty courageous and selfless of you, that I'm sorry I couldn't have been any more help to ya."
"Don't worry about it Applejack," you assure her. "It's all well behind us and we made it out safe and sound."
"I know that, but even so, it was sumthin' else."
Applejack pauses a moment.
"Not just the monsters, but hearing Gilda's ghost or sumthin' speak her mind and hearing what that other me said and accepting it made it seem all unreal. Heck, I coulda passed it off as a crazy dream. But I'm glad it wasn't a dream, cuz now I see myself in a whole new light. And how you said you'd still think of me kindly after all you heard just makes me gladder that it really happened."
"Applejack…"
"Yer encouragement made it possible for me to swallow what my inner self said," she continued. "If it weren't for you I might've still been denyin' and wound up dead. You really are a right nice pony Twilight, which is why I'm happy to call you my friend."
"Oh Applejack."
"Eh, that sounded pretty schmaltzy huh? Then forgit I said it like that!"
"Hee hee, it's okay Applejack. I get the picture, and I'm glad you think of me as a friend."
"So yer okay with that? Being friends?"
"Absolutely. You're an interesting pony to be around."
"Well shucks, Twilight. Yer makin' me blush."
"Is that really something to be blushing over?"
Despite Applejack's awkwardness you're touched by her open honesty. You begin to feel a faint bond forming between you and her… Just then light flashes briefly in your head and a distant uttering of words can be heard.
I am Thou… Thou art me…
Thou hast established a new bond…
It helps thy battle against the encroaching Darkness…
Thou shalt be blessed with the powers of the Honesty Arcana…
A warmth fills you as does a refreshing dose of power. You and Applejack are officially friends. You have established the Applejack Social Link of the Honesty Arcana! When faced with obstacles that challenge your Honesty you gain a supporting boost of confidence!
Applejack's determination in battle has increased! Applejack will now DIE FOR YOU.
"What!"
Okay it's really not that dramatic. She'll just sustain a blow for you that would otherwise prove very severe whenever you're in battle.
"But, wouldn't it be severe to her? And what's this about 'whenever we're in battle?'"
Just roll with it okay. Now stop asking questions; you're derailing the narrative enough as it is!
"Uh, Twilight? You look like you got sumthin' on yer mind."
"Huh? Oh, nothing; just a random thought went through my head."
"Oh, alright. Well I'll be headin' home to do some chores. Be at yer house tomorrow so I can pick you up."
"Of course Applejack. See you later."
Applejack leaves, but you stay behind and contemplate what had just occurred. You begin to recall what Zacora told you regarding Social Links, but you choose not to mentally recite her words as that would be a needless waste of time and an insult to the memory capacity of whoever might be involved. Anyway, you apparently established one of these Social Links, which you've been told are the key to understanding friendship as well as gaining it. You're rather comforted by this thought, and your inner Snugliness increases.
Indeed, it seems the mysterious and entrancing world of friendship has finally opened up to you. But your profound thought is disrupted by the emergence of one concerning a more immediate subject.
"Shoot! I forgot to pick up some breakfast for Spike, though it'd actually be lunch at this point."
You turn around and head back to the café to pick up something for Spike.
Time Passes. You make it back home without further incident.
You enter the library with Spike's late lunch balanced on your back.
"Spike, I'm home!"
"It's about time."
Spike walks up to you looking a little peeved.
"I had to keep sleeping so I wouldn't need to think about food."
"Sorry I came home later than anticipated," you apologized. "We all talked for a bit and I lost track of time, and maaaybe forgot about picking up your breakfast, er, lunch as it were."
"Hmph. Well, as long as you didn't forget the other thing you were gonna do for me today."
"Of course: The thing regarding Gilda. Wait, you want to hear about it now?"
"Uh yeah!" he said adamantly. "A citizen of Equestria dying suddenly is need-to-know stuff for someone like me. I can eat my brunch while you dish out the details."
"Okay, if you insist."
You spend the next several minutes telling a feasting Spike everything about Gilda, such as how she was found and that she was friends with Rainbow Dash. You also mention the plan to go check on her tomorrow.
"Interesting," Spike said once you finished. "So the one we heard yesterday in the mirror was supposed to be dead. Pretty weird stuff, but then again what wasn't weird in that place? Shame about how shook up Rainbow Dash was over her passing, though. If I lost you suddenly like that Twilight I'd be completely devastated."
"You're welcome to join us in checking on her tomorrow," you offer. "I know Fluttershy at least would be delighted by your presence."
"Hmm. That seems more like a pony thing when I think about it," Spike deliberated. "I wouldn't know the right things to say, and you're more the sensitive type then me anyway. Besides, I could try walking around Ponyville by myself for a change and learn the layout. Who knows what things I can find just for me out there."
"Sounds fine to me Spike," you approve.
"So what are you gonna do for the rest of today Twilight?" he asks.
"I hadn't really thought of that," you admit honestly. "I might just stay in for the rest of the day, maybe do some studying. I haven't done nearly as much of it as I thought I would since we got here."
"But you've been doing a lot of other things instead, so that's probably a good sign," Spike said encouragingly, to which you give a grin.
"Yeah, I think you may be right."
You spend the afternoon studying the various books of the library in peace. Your already impressive Knowledge remains as intact as ever. It has gotten late. You decide to go to bed early in preparation for tomorrow's plan. You bid Spike goodnight and hit the hay.
Author's Note: And so we the world of Social Links. As it stands this one will develop along with the story, but like in Persona 4 it could be explored further to flesh out the relationship and show us a deeper friendship being forged. Let me know if you're interested in seeing it more, that way I can write up some solely Social Link-based chapters in-between the main story chapters. And when more Social Links arise I can do the same with them as well ;)
