Chapter 2
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Spike asked, twiddling his claws anxiously as he watched Twilight pack supplies into her saddlebag. He sat on her throne, his eyes twitching between the large glowing map in front of him, and the purple mare preparing for a trip off to the side. "You only just met him a last night."
"I know, but this isn't anything serious: he just invited me to visit his house, so it's not like I'm doing anything serious." Twilight rolled her eyes as she checked the contents of her saddlebag, smiling at the number of books and scrolls she was bringing. This was going to be a fun trip for her. "There's nothing for you to worry about, and I'll be back in time for dinner."
"If you really want to go through with this, then I want to come with you!" Spike jumped from his seat, his face set in a determined expression as he stepped up to her saddlebag. He stared down the purple pony princess for a few seconds before the two chuckled and relaxed. "If he was serious about that library of his, I'm sure he would have some impressive comics for me to read while the two of you nerd out."
"Two ponies having an intellectual conversation isn't 'nerding out,' Spike. Besides, you're the one who's going to be reading comics while we talk, so you don't even have room to talk." Twilight shot playfully, using her magic to settle the saddlebags across her back, teasing the young dragon with a raspberry blown at him. "Come on; I told him we'd meet south of town at noon, and we're going to be late if we wait much longer."
"Fine." Spike sighed, setting his shoulders and flying ahead of the Princess towards the large double doors.
"Ah, you made it!" Gleaming Star exclaimed as the lavender alicorn softly landed on the top of the grassy knoll, though his cheerful expression took a subtle hit when he saw the small dragon following along. "And you brought. . . a guest. . ."
"Hello, Gleaming Star." Twilight greeted with a sheepish grin once she landed, her sly expression turning to the dragon who was giving the violet unicorn a stern once-over, judging him critically. "I'd like to introduce you to Spike, my number one assistant and sort of baby brother, though that's a little complicated. He wanted to tag along hoping to see your library. . . I may have gotten a little excited after our discussion last night."
"That's fine." Gleaming Star smiled, his expression returning to an overtly positive one as he spun around and started leading them away from town and towards the Everfree. "I suppose it won't be much of a problem as long as he doesn't mess things up too much. I might even have some books he'd enjoy."
"Comics?" Spike asked ecstatically, jumping up to stand beside the guy, giving his best hopeful expression, while Gleaming Star could only chuckle and shake his head at the behavior.
"Yeah, I think I've got a comic or two in there that you might like, but we'll have to wait until we get there to find out. It shouldn't be too much further along, the house is just up here."
"I still can't believe somepony like you would choose to live so close to the Everfree Forest: I can only think of a couple of ponies who would brave that place all the time, though Fluttershy isn't exactly terribly close. Zecora lives inside the place, though: still don't know how." Twilight said as she trotted to the other side of Gleaming Star and matching his pace. "Have you had any trouble with the local wildlife?"
"Not a whole lot, I think the building intimidates most of them, so I can get away living mostly in peace, reading the books or doing some research." He shrugged, nodding towards a tower peaking over the next hill, a large crystalline structure shining in the sunlight with an amazing shade of pink. As they ascended the hill, the rest of the building revealed itself, spreading out from the base of the tower like a modest castle or large estate. The whole structure was made of what looked to be rose quartz, and glowed brilliantly in the surrounding area. Just behind the large home was the treeline to the Everfree, it's gnarled branches seemingly reaching out to embrace the resistant structure.
"It's beautiful." Twilight gasped. "You truly understated how gorgeous this place is, Gleaming Star."
"Thank you. Would you like a tour?" He smirked at the gaping princess before gesturing with his hoof for them to continue. "I'm sure Spike is eager to read some comics, and I can tell you're itching to get inside."
"I don't know what you are waiting on, but I can't wait to look inside: this place is stunning!" Spike declared with a quick jump into the air.
"Alright, follow me." Gleaming Star said, and he started heading down the hill, leading them towards two large, particularly rosy doors that marked the grand entrance to an equally grand building. He paused at the doors to let Spike and Twilight gawk and the magnificence of what was truly a palace, then the doors were gripped in a light green magic, and slowly forced inward. As the doors parted, a long, gleaming hallway appeared before them, carpeted with an elaborate rug stitched to perfection in beautiful shapes and designs. Vases interspersed the doors splitting off from the hallway that separated the building seemingly in two, ending in a spiraling staircase that probably went straight up the tower.
"Somehow, it's even more gorgeous." Spike was closing in on the point of drooling, but managed to hold himself in check for Twilight's sake. He had to forcibly pry his eyes to the rug so he'd stop ogling anything else, though the action did little to help. He gave himself a shake and looked to the mare he came here to protect. "I suppose you're going to want to explore the rest of this place, but I don't think I can handle much more before my brain explodes from pure awesomeness, so I'll have to limit myself to just the library."
"Yeah. . . I'm getting the same vibes." Twilight mumbled, though her eyes were darting around the elegant hallway as if they themselves were trying to decide which part of the building was the most beautiful. "But I did want to see this observatory you mentioned."
"To the library it is." Gleaming Star nodded happily, leading them along the incredibly plush carpet down three large crystalline double doors to a pair of heavy oak ones. He paused at the doors to gauge their reactions, anxious in the dragon's eyes, and a sparkle of blissful anticipation in Twilight's. He thought to himself; Just wait until you see the rest.
Spike shuffled in place, eager to get to these juicy comics that Gleaming Star surely had hiding within, though he wondered just how many the guy actually had lying around. He never struck the dragon as the type to read comics, but more along Twilight's alley with sciencey stuff. But still, the moment those doors swung open, revealing a library impressive enough to make the Canterlot Royal Library blush, he wouldn't even try to stop the gaping soon to come.
He had to blink and rub his eyes to make sure that this wasn't some kind of trick, but these sheer number of books being displayed, lined nearly on shelves stacked clear to the roof, with three floors to access them, there was no faking this. He wanted to step inside and see whether the back wall mirrored what they could see, but Twilight beat him to it, dashing inside with the most joyous look on her face.
He couldn't dare interfere with that.
So he stopped and let her spin around in utter glee with star-crossed eyes at what was a truly impressive library collection. The only thing that snapped him out of his stupor was the genuine chuckle coming from the guy now standing next to him. "I knew that she enjoyed reading, but to see this for myself; I'm glad I kept the collection."
"And so is she." Spike returned, motioning for him to follow. The two stepped inside the library, mostly to keep track of Twilight as she darted to and fro, obviously scanning each and every book to see what she had already read and what would demand her attention. "Uh, hey Gleaming Star. . . where are your comics?"
"Ah." He hummed to himself and looked around. "I think there are some this way."
The guy led Spike off to one side, where, sure enough, he had a number of Power Pony comics, which the dragon immediately took to. He let the purple unicorn walk off, and as much as he admired Twilight's ability to absorb so much, he really needed some time to cool off, as this place was too perfect to just too much. He grabbed a special edition comic, one that he had most definitely not read, plopped himself into a beanbag chair, and began to spoil himself.
Gleaming Star left the dragon to do his own thing, as he now had the perfect opportunity to try and get Twilight's opinion on the place, if only he could get her attention first.
The lavender alicorn was distraught that she couldn't filter through the books fast enough darting around, so she had resorted to teleporting around the large room. He did save himself a small chuckle at her overabundant enthusiasm, and while he was hesitant to break into her flustered state, he didn't just bring her here to show off his library. Clearing his throat, he called out to the Princess loud enough to get her attention.
She paused mid-flight, glancing down sheepishly from inspecting another trio of books for new titles, blushing heavily when she realized how she was behaving in front of him. She placed the books back and gently touched down, laughing nervously as she tried to straighten her mane. "Sorry about that. . . it's just been so long since I've had new books to read, and the ones at the library have gotten so old."
"It's not a problem, Princess." He responded with a happy smile. "I don't want to intrude too much on your searching, but I wanted to know just what you thought of this place. We might even be able to share some books over lunch?"
"Oh, that sounds like a fantastic idea!" She beamed happily, eagerly nodded and gesturing with a hoof to the shelves and shelves of books surrounding them. "I just love that you're managed to safely store so many books, especially so close to the Everfree Forest, and that they all are in perfect condition! It's as if these have been looked after by a team of librarians determined to do their job!"
"I"m glad you also appreciate the proper care and management of these sources of knowledge."
"And while I haven't started reading the books, some of the titles I particularly recognized were some pretty advanced courses on amazing fields of magic theory that I can't help but wonder where you got them." He could feel her passions rising, and there was a twinkle in her eye that he instantly knew was from her deep admiration of the collection. "Of course, I won't pry, but I just find it so interesting that you've secured such a treasure here, and I am eternally grateful you found me worthy of sharing it with!"
"Anything for the wonderful Princess of Friendship." He chuckled and did a short bow. "I think I'll go and grab us some sandwiches for lunch; is there anything that I can get you, Twilight?"
"I can't think of anything that I'd like to eat right now, but I think that's just because of all these exciting books around me!" She pranced in place, squealing loudly at the opportunity before her. "But I haven't eaten all day, so if you're okay with making me something, I guess you could surprise me."
"As you wish, Princess." He bowed and trotted off to the kitchens to get the two of them some sandwiches. He returned rather promptly with a platter of sandwiches, along with a pair of glasses of water floating next to him, only to find the Princess surrounded by a wall of books. He smiled to himself and approached the obstacle, sitting down and clearing his throat to get her attention. "Princess, I have our lunch prepared."
There was a clear silence, then the top few rows of floating books fell away, followed by the middle splitting like a great literature door opening. He stepped through the opening and offered her one of the sandwiches, though she was fairly unresponsive. He noted that her eyes almost seemed glazed over as they sped over the pages bared before her, and as he made the observation, a pang of worry went through him. He nibbled on a wedge and began to think of some way to salvage this sort of date, until he finally came up with an idea.
"Princess, if you want, we could come here again, but there is still so much of this beautiful place to show you; perhaps we could put the books down and I could show you the wonders of living so close to the Everfree?" He put a hoof on her shoulder, offering her a warm smile as she slowly brought her attention away from the books.
She looked between him and the wall before them, and she appeared conflicted for a second. Then she sighed and returned the warm smile, and every book closed itself and flew into a neat pile off to one side of the room. "I'd love to see what else there is here."
"Excellent!" He beamed, taking her hoof and leading her out of the library. They dashed down the halls, stopping at a pair of pink-tinted glass doors, and through the material, the two could see what looked like a small garden. Twilight gave him an excited nudge towards the door, then his magic took effect at the doors parted; revealing a lush, if modest, garden full of flowers of every variety. He stepped forward, leading her by the hoof up to a lovely rose bush. "Due to the erratic nature of the Everfree, most plants seem to be in full bloom year round, and some of the thorny bushes grow fabulously large flowers."
"I can see." She said as she bent over and sniffed at a massive pink rose. "They're lovely."
"Thank you. It took a surprising amount of work to make sure nothing overrun the place, and the maintenance is rough, but the result is worth the effort." He nodded, leading her further into the small enclosure, allowing the sweet scent of flowers to flow around them. The two took their time crossing the garden, until they reached the far wall, where a small clearing had been reserved, with a bench in the middle. "On cloudless nights, I find that bringing a book out here is one of the best ways to relax."
"That sounds amazing." Twilight sighed, leaning against him once they sat on the bench.
"Maybe we could try it sometime, though I imagine you're going to want to read through those books at some point." He nodded to himself, leaning back in his seat and letting the two sit in silence for a while. Twilight was all too happy to allow that to happen, so she nestled in and got comfortable, her eyes drifting around the sight before her, from the stunning walls to the mesmerizing, almost picturesque view before her. The way the colors of the flowers mingled together, this was something she wished she had back home.
Little more than an hour passed as the two sat there, enjoying the garden and offering small talk, with them both giving brief stories about their upbringings. Twilight was happy to learn about the academies from his hometown, and she happily listened to his tales from school, while he showed great enthusiasm in hearing about the life of the personal student of Princess Celestia.
She liked to think that the two of them would have continued talking for the rest of the day, but Spike's appearance over the rose bushes put an end to that activity. She facehoofed when she realized that they had left him alone in the library, and she shot off the bench to greet him. His claws waved her off before she could get anywhere. "I uh. . . I can see that the two of you have been enjoying each other's company, so I think I'll just. . . uh. . . head home. I'll let the two of you have your date, and I'll fend for myself tonight. Have fun!"
Before Twilight could interject, he flew off, his little purple wings busting to get him out of the building and on his way home before she stopped him. Gleaming Star stepped up to her side. "Well, I'm sorry that he wasn't interested in seeing the rest of my home, I think he might have liked to see the observatory."
". . . yeah." She sighed. Her wings sagged to the ground and she pawed at the lost opportunity to spend some more time with her number one assistant.
"If you want to call it off, I'm sure we could plan for some other day." He suggested, giving her a light nudge, then added under his breath: "Even though I really wanted to show you that telescope."
"No, no." Twilight said, picking herself up and doing her best to appear as cheery as she could. "It's fine. After everything that I've seen, I think that it's about time I got into the dating scene, and Spike's perfectly capable of taking care of himself. So how about you go and show me what else this place has to offer, now that I'm out of the library. It'll be nice to be doing something, and I know Spike: he's going home, and that's that."
"As you wish." He bowed. When he stood up, he was wearing a large grin, his horn glowing green as he charged a spell. "I think it's finally time we got to see the marvelous location that garnered your attention in the first place!"
The two of them disappeared in a pop, his green magic taking them back inside, where they landed gently on the plush carpet, staring right through the arched entrance before the tower stairs. His grin still plastered over his muzzle, he took her by the hoof and the two took the scenic route up to the observatory. It was something that only reminded Twilight of just how much time she'd been spending indoors lately: her hindquarters were burning as they neared the top, and her legs ached all sorts of painfully.
Before they were able to reach the proper room, they were halted by a smooth wooden door, inlaid with some of the most beautiful gemstones she had ever seen: gems that would have had Rarity going mad to make the best dresses ever for. He looked over his shoulder at her, his expression exciting her anticipation like few things ever would.
And just like that: his horn flared to life and the door was flung aside, and with it, her excitement boiled over and she practically leaped through the entrance. The room may have been dark, but she wasn't letting anything disturbed her wonder: the ceiling was painted with glowing stars, casting more than ample light to look around. Just before her was possibly the single largest telescope outside of the Canterlot Royal Observatory's. The massive array was centered in the tower, with the lens housing resting just below the ceiling, which she just knew had to be magically moved so that it could pick up on some of the most gorgeous sights around. She stepped up to the eyepiece, taking a moment to admire the ornate design, and doing her best to suppress her rising jealousy. Everything about it was perfect, it was elegant, it was massive, and she was reaching the point where she would be unable to contain her desire, no her need, to use the thing. If only Princess Celestia could lower the sun early just this one day. . .
"I knew that if there was a pony in Equestria that could truly appreciate this telescope, it would be you." Gleaming Star stepped up beside her, his usual grin already replaced by a knowing smile. "We're definitely using it tonight, right?"
"Without a doubt." She nodded. "I just wonder what the views must be, so far from any major city, especially on a clear night. . ."
"They're some of the most gorgeous you can find so far south." He pulled her off to one side of the mechanism, leading her to a table covered with papers. "If it had been constructed near the Crystal Empire, and the weather permitted it, the sights are stunning. . . just like you."
She looked down bashfully, berating herself for the intense heat rising in her cheeks, which she just knew had to be visible even in this light. "Thanks.
"What are these?" She asked as soon as they reached the table, doing whatever she could to get his eyes off of her, if only so she could try to cool off. He used his magic to pull up one of the pages, which had lines and lines of notes on it., and after a sparing glance, floated it over to her.
"Just some notes on that recent meteor shower that fell over the Everfree: it was a disappointing event, considering the circumstances." She grabbed the paper and looked over the notes, then began to pull various other pages off, reading through everything and asking questions over whatever caught her fancy. He seemed more than happy to sit there and answer her questions, though every time she picked up another page, she would see that he had been staring at her with a small, appreciative smile. The frequent observations did nothing to ease the growing flustered feeling she had. . . nor did they remove the butterflies being persistently annoying in her stomach.
She put down another stack of papers, this one being a scientific study from one of her old magic professors from just before she left guidance under the Princess. She wanted to reach for another thing for them to read, as he had taken a rather comfortable spot right next to her sometime during the reading, when the bright glare of the sun shone directly into her eyes.
She winced and raised her wings to block the sunlight now streaming through the tiny window that had it's blinds removed for easier reading. She hadn't realized just how long the pair of them had been sitting there: it was getting pretty late, and she'd spent most of that time with her date reading papers.
She chuckled to herself and rose from her seat on the floor, groaning as her body complained to her yet again: first the long trip up the stairs and now moving after being seated so long? They weren't happy.
"I guess we've been sitting around for a lot longer than we probably should have been." She smiled as she tried he best to do a modest stretch. "I'm sorry that this may not have been exactly what you were hoping for in a get together, but I did have a very fun time: even if it was mostly just sitting around. I'd understand if you didn't want to do anything else together again, though I'd absolutely love it if I could-"
"I'm going to have to stop you right there, Princess." His eyebrows shot right up, and he placed a soft hoof on her shoulder. "I had an absolute blast today. And while it wasn't what most would call a proper date, I still enjoyed myself, but that's besides the point, because we're still not quite done with what I had planned."
"Oh?" She cocked her head.
His smile split his muzzle even more as he turned and lead her back down the stairs. "I've had some food slow-cooking in the oven that I'm planning on sharing with you for dinner. I knew you'd want to spend most of your time exploring the books I've got here, so I made plans for an extended visit: because after dinner, the stars are going to be out in full bloom tonight, and I wanted to give you a luxury testing of the telescope."
She stopped dead in her tracks and gaped at the confessions, staring at him like he had just declared the entire property hers.
He had gotten about three steps down before he had to stop and face her, finding her not following him down. He chuckled and nodded in confirmation for her, barely managing to get her to snap out of it and continue down the spiraling stairs. He led her into the dining area, pulling out a chair for her to sit in, which she gratefully took.
The lavender alicorn looked around the small dining room, finding the modest design, especially when compared to the grandeur of the rest of the house. The kitchen was equally simple, which she found very appealing, as her senses had been on total overload for the entire trip, and now she felt she had a place to relax. She watched as he trotted around a sparkling island counter-top and open an oven, using his magic to pull out something that smelled mouthwateringly delicious. There was some more activity she heard but couldn't see, and then he returned to the dining room table, and gloating behind him was their entire meal: a small pan filled with a lovely hashbrown casserole, which was getting her stomach growling viciously, a basket of sweet rolls, and floating ever so slightly behind those was a bucket filled with ice, where the neck of a green bottle peaked over the rim.
She smirked inwardly at the display, though her hunger was forcing the feeling down quickly, and thanked him for the dinner as he took his seat across from her. The food floated between them, with the bucket taking the center as if to tease her with it's consumption later.
Without another word, his horn lit up, and a short spell was cast, with barely half a second pause before the air inches above the table shimmered, and green sparkles floated into existence. Then, in a burst of green flames that clung to the deeper parts of her memory, though any thoughts were replaced instantly, two candelabras burst onto the table, flickering a warm orange light that complimented the atmosphere well.
"Shall we?" He gestured towards the food before them, his magic grabbing their plates and sliding a perfect section of casserole and a roll onto each. She nodded gratefully and the pair began to eat, making small talk as the meal progressed: though she savored each and every bite. This meal was one of the best she had ever had, and she made every mental note she could to try some of the other foods this stallion could make. It reminded her of the Apple family food she had had before, with its heavy aroma and powerful flavor. The rolls were incredible, though not quite up to par with somepony's cooking like Pinkie, or the Cake's.
Eventually, once their meals had been finished, they put their plates to the side, and a pair of wine glasses appeared before Gleaming Star, materializing in much the same manner that their romantic lighting had. She watched him with tentative eyes, locked onto his sly grin as he uncorked the freshly chilled wine, pouring them a generous serving.
She couldn't quite remember the last time she had had wine, or any alcohol for that matter, but she wasn't going to let the lack ruin her evening. Taking a delicate sip, she forced down a cough of surprise: it was strong.
She glanced over at him, grimacing a little at his small laughter, and tried a more purposeful sip this time: she was not going to give him the impression she couldn't do proper adult things. She was a Princess! After doing her best to adapt to the drink, she put more effort into enjoying the delicacy he'd brought out. He reminded her that she shouldn't be too hasty in downing her share of wine, and that helped her to curb herself.
After a glass or two had been cleaned, he grabbed the bottle in his magic and rose from his seat. "I'm feeling pleasantly warm about now, and the stars are surely out by now. So what say you to our gazing of the heavens above?"
She hiccuped before rising from her own seat, already feeling a buzz from the wine, and nodded happily. She eagerly followed him out to the hall, though she hit a bit of a roadblock on the stairs, losing her balance once or three times heading up the circle of steps. She couldn't actually remember the last time she drank. . .
She smiled as she found herself suddenly sitting beside this violet unicorn, watching the ceiling as it steadily split open to reveal one of the most beautiful skies she'd seen in so, so long. She leaned up against him, sighing as she lost herself in the constellations, and began to slur her way through the ones she could remember, the ones that she'd never forget. Her wing must have wrapped around him while she did so, because it got strangely cold when he leaned forward to focus the machine.
She groaned in displeasure and wrapped around him tighter, eliciting a surprised yelp from the guy when she pressed her head into his shoulder, her eyes now locked on him. "Where has this place been all my life?"
"Just wait until you get to see the stars: they truly are magnificent." He pulled her up to the eyepiece, whispering in her ear and holding her by the hoof to keep her steady. She grinned and leaned against it, doing her best to stay straight as she peered through the machine, admiring a view she absolutely loved.
Hours could have passed and she would happily have remained there, but eventually, the wine had run its course, and she could no longer stifle the encroaching exhaustion. She let out a mighty yawn and started to slip away from the machine, only to be caught in Gleaming Star's hooves. He smiled down at her and helped her back onto her hooves, though he threw her wing over his shoulders to help her stay upright. "Come on, Princess. I've got to get you to bed: it's late, dark, and I can't just send you home like this."
She could only nod sleepily as she took in the warmth his side was feeding her, and she found it progressively harder to keep her eyes up. She followed him through the crystal building until she fell onto a lavish bed, the silken sheets wrapping around her perfectly, and then she felt herself truly slipping into blissful sleep.
The last thing she thought she could feel were the gentle hooves of a compassionate pony wrapping around her and pulling her in to a loving embrace.
Earlier that morning
Rainbow Dash groaned and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes, though everything hurt. It just hurt.
She felt a pounding drum hammering inside her skull, and her throat felt utterly parched, her shoulders were stiff and her. . .
Her eyes snapped open, fully awake, as all the memories of the night before came crashing down, and for just a second, she felt genuine fear. Then the rest came through, and she could recall the drinking, the party, and why she felt so horrible in head and throat. She felt a surge of heat spread across her face as she recalled coming back to that guy's place after the drinking, which would have to explain why the rest of her ached.
That Sky Bolt sure did stick true to that Royal Guard physical training. . .
She pulled herself to the edge of the bed, where a glass of water rested, as if the guy had left it just for her. She grabbed the thing and just downed it.
Feeling the headache already beginning to fade, she struggled into a sitting position, sparing a glance around the room, now that she had the chance to, and admired the simplistic manner in which everything was held: the floors were hardened cloud, strong enough to hold actual pony things, like this bed. The cloud walls were mostly bare, save a window and a mirror. Through the doorway, she could see what looked like a couple of dressers, or something.
She crawled her way out of the bed, which had a balled up rainbow-themed blanket, and she tried her best to make her way to the bathroom: she needed a shower.
Applejack laughed at herself as she strolled through the wonderfully smelling barn-house: her regret having finally been taken over by her enjoyment of the passed couple of days. She doubted she'd ever realize exactly why she had followed Crimson Orchard to his place, or why she had stuck out for the night with him, but she wasn't going to regret it one bit: that stallion was a piece of work, and had some traits that she found a great deal of pleasure in seeing.
If only she'd remembered the directions back to town. . .
"Uh. . . hey there, Crimson! Ya got one o' the best bathrooms Ah think Ah've ever seen!" She was truly astonished with how great this place was: it was like everything Sweet Apple Acres had, but more personalized for this here stallion.
"Why thank ya, Miss Applejack." The red stallion said, grabbing a plate of waffles and offering them to the mare. "Ah'd love ta stay an' chat with ya, but there are a few errands Ah gotta run in town, and then an emergency came up with some other work, so Ah think Ah'll be away for most o' the day. Ya just go an' make yerself at home, and Ah'll see to it that Ah bring ya back somethin' special." He was gone before she had the chance to ask him for directions, and she wasn't feeling particularly adventurous for today: so she figured everypony else would be more than capable of handling things for just one day. . . right?
