Chapter 19

A Friend Indeed

It was dark and the streets of Ponyville were empty. From his bedroom window, Roller could see only the brightest stars shine through the clouds overhead. He sighed as he walked back to his writing desk and stared at the blank piece of paper on it. Something about tonight was making him too anxious to sleep, and yet not inspired to write anything.

After a quick glance at the clock, Roller decided to go outside. He needed to take a walk and get some fresh air, even if it was dark. He needed to clear his head. The stairs creaked as he descended them and his door made a similar noise as he opened and closed it. After locking his shop, he started down the street.

It didn't take long before he found himself on the edge of town. Ponyville was a small place and on the few occasions that he walked its streets, Roller was swiftly reminded of this fact. On the horizon, he could see wilderness that stretched on all the way to the horizon with only a dirt road cutting through to act as a guide. He knew that following the road much further would lead him to the Everfree Forest and he knew that place was dangerous, but something compelled him to keep walking. He wasn't sure how long it took him, but soon he reached a place that most ponies feared to enter.

The Everfree Forest was a dark, foreboding place. The canopy was so thick that even in the middle of the afternoon almost no sunlight could reach the forest floor. The only way in was a dusty, uncared for dirt road that was hidden at many points by gnarled branches and creeping ivy. Shadows of many things could be seen moving through the thick foliage on either side of the road and calls of different beasts could be heard echoing from deep inside.

Just as the author was about to turn around and go home, he could hear something else in the forest. It was a soft, welcoming melody that prodded something in the back of his mind. Someone was singing and more than that, they were singing a song that Roller knew the words to.

The voice inside the forest was quiet, but still clear, "When I was a little filly and the sun was going down," it sounded so familiar for some reason, "the darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown."

Roller trotted into the woods, following the music. As he did so, he sang the parts of the song he knew along with the voice, "I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw, but grandmother said that wasn't the way to deal with fear at all."

The forest got darker and the wild sounds grew, but so did the voice, "Hey now, you gotta stand up tall. Learn to face your fears. You'll see that they can't hurt you!"

"Just laugh to make them disappear!" Roller finished the lyric. He wasn't a very good singer, but at most there was one other pony in the forest that could here him and the voice didn't seem to mind. For a brief moment, Roller smiled despite the darkness and strange sounds all around him. The forest trail soon came to a small clearing and the author could see the source of the music in the middle of it.

Three ponies stood in the center of the clearing and Roller recognized them immediately. Robin Hoof had been the one singing and the other two ponies with him were most certainly Beopony and Horsecules. "No," Roller shook his head, "That's not possible. This has to be a trick of the forest."

"Roller?" Robin Hoof stopped his music and asked in gleeful surprise, "Critical Roller? Is that you? It's been ages, mate!"

Beopony nodded, "I concur. Where have you been? We've been sitting in this forest for what seems like years."

Roller looked away, then back up to Horscules who only smiled and nodded. The author tried to step back, but his feet wouldn't move. "This is..." he struggled to find the right words, but none came and all he could do was mutter, "No... This can't be real. Have I just lost it?"

Robin Hoof laughed and shook his head, "Of course it's not real, you silly, little pony. You used to know how this whole thing worked," Even with his face half-covered in the shadow of his hood, Roller could see the hero frown as he stated, "You were excited to see us back then. I must say, I feel a little insulted."

The author tried to speak, but nothing came out. All he could do was take a sigh of frustration and the woods around him suddenly became very bright. The strange growling from before was replace with the chirping of birds. Roller closed his eyes...

...Then opened them again. He was at his writing desk, head resting on a blank piece of paper and looking out his window at the morning's first rays. He stood up and stretched, his neck being stiff from having spent the night on something so hard.

Staring out his window, the writer reflected on his dream. He looked to the small poster he had of the three heroes on his bedroom wall and blinked at it a few times, trying to wake up enough to form a thought. After a brief moment, he said, "Nice seeing you again, guys. Next time, write first. If you'll excuse me, I have to get breakfast before I open shop."

Spike sat outside the Hobby Horse with his arms crossed and three little ponies tapping their hooves impatiently behind him. The dragon looked at the door as if he could will it to open when finally, it did just that.

Roller yawned and welcomed the group, "Hello. This is the Hobby Horse. We buy... and... sell..." he recognized the Cutie Mark Crusaders, "Didn't I ban you three from my shop? You know, for life?"

The three little foals all asked, "Who, us?" and followed their question with the three most innocent looking smiles they could muster. Roller squinted and raised an eyebrow, but then decided to just get behind his cash register and wait for them to buy something. Spike and the three foals followed him into the shop.

"So, Roller," said Spike, "You have any new books coming out soon? I mean, uh, what?"

The author was staring daggers at Spike. He spoke slowly with a sort of quiet anger in his voice, "How many letters do you think I get asking the same question? No, I haven't written anything new. Stop. Bugging. Me. About it."

The sound of Apple Bloom clearing her throat drew his attention. She told him, "Mr. Roller, he wasn't talkin' about your novels. We're here for a game."

Roller's eyes widened and he shook his head once in surprise. He started to say, "you three little fillies came for a game book? That's unexpect..." but was interrupted by a very loud chorus of, "Cutie Mark Crusader Tabletop Gamers!"

The author shrugged and took a box out from under his counter. "This is a starter kit for H and H," he told them, "It should have everything you need, but I thought Spike already had the right books at the library. Also, didn't you guys show up to buy something a few days ago?"

The three foals blushed and Sweetie Bell admitted, "It turn out Cutie Mark Crusaders aren't good at fire safety."

An awkward silence filled the air for a few seconds before Roller just rang up their total on the register. "Just pay and try not to do whatever it is you did with the last one," he said. Just as he finished talking and was giving the box to his customers, Spike clamped a claw over his own mouth. "Uh, Spike? Are you actually going to take the book or..."

Roller didn't get to finish his sentence as a blast of green flames erupted from the small dragon's mouth and swirled around over their heads for a time. Several books suddenly appeared over the author, hovered for a moment and then fell on top of his head with a great crashing noise. As he lay on the floor watching points of light swim around his head, a note floated down onto the author's nose.

Spike picked up the note and read it aloud, "Dear Spike, I think you sent these to me by mistake. Sincerely, Princess Celestia," he put the note back down and looked at the books, "Hey! Those are the books I accidentally toasted yesterday. I was wondering if I could send a whole book."

"You four," Roller growled, "Out. Now," he then promptly lost consciousness just as another pony entered his shop.

A Capella stood in the entrance to the shop, confused about the sight before him. "What all this then?" he asked, "Are you three and the dragon here by yourselves? Where's the shopkeeper?"

The crusaders hurried out the door with Scootaloo answering, "Behind the counter. Bye!" as she did so. Spike tried to collect his things while the singer looked behind and the counter and sure enough, found his friend.

"Still prone to head injuries, eh?" he commented, "Mr. Dragon, do you mind if the shopkeeper and I have a little chat? We're old friends."

Spike picked up his last book and replied, "Sure. Knock yourselves out," and stopped at the last word, "Um, not literally. Uh. Wow, that was a bad choice of words. I'm just going to go."

As Spike left, A Capella leaned down and tried to revive his friend, "Oi, CR! Wake up. No sleeping on the job. Have you been staying up on just coffee and crumpling paper again?"

The author's eyes opened and he got to his feet. "Welcome to the Hobby Horse," he sounded woozy, "We buy and sell... something. Can I help you?"

AC helped Roller stand still without wobbling and said, "Why yes, I'm looking for a gentlecolt who's coat looks like an old dusting rag and who's mane isn't nearly as fabulous as mine. You know, somepony to make me look good in comparison. Oh, it would help if he had some really repellant personality flaw too, like never going outside or generally being ill-tempered."

Roller now recognized the pony in front of him, "Well, I'm afraid the only one of those we have is a little busy right now. Could I interest you in a pompous, vainglorious jerk who couldn't write so much as a letter to his own mother if his life depended on it and doesn't look nearly as good as he thinks he does? Would it help if I said a hoof across the head would do him some good if only because I think it might kick-start some of his brain cells?"

"I missed you too," A Capella gave a clever smirk. The two of them embraced for a split second and shared a laugh. "How have you been all this time?" AC asked, "It feels like it's been ages."

Roller smiled a little as he answered, "Things are alright, but it's been way too long. Nothing too big or important happened that you didn't read in the paper," he then paused for a moment, "So... you guys coming by the shop tonight?"

A Capella's smile waned. He looked over his shoulder before looking back to his friend. "Probably," he said, "But, I can't make any promises right now. Mic keeps changing everything at the last minute and we might not have the time. I should really just get a new manager."

Almost as if he heard a cue, the door opened and Mic walked in. "AC!" he called, "There you are! Come on, we've got things to do. You can't spend all day locked up in... what is this? A book store?"

A Capella responded, "Coming, Mic," before telling Roller, "Like I was saying, I'll be in the market for a new manager soon."

The two other stallions turned and left the shop, leaving Roller on his own. He wanted to follow them, but got the feeling he shouldn't for some reason. "I'd just get in their way," he mumbled to himself, "I should mind the shop until tonight anyway."

On the outskirts of Ponyville Rainbow Dash was napping on a cloud. As she was dozing, another pegasus flew over and landed on the cloud next to her. It was Ditzy Doo who nudged her gently with one hoof and said, "Uh, Rainbow Dash? I brought you a letter."

The blue pegasus woke up and took the letter. "Thanks, Ditzy," she said as she opened her mail. The gray pegasus flew off as the letter's recipient read, "Rainbow Dash, the schedule for the weekend has been changed. Please consult the local weather bureau for... wait a second..." she looked at the date and moaned, "This is old mail. I should've got this a while ago!"

As she went back to napping, Rainbow Dash sarcastically stated, "Thanks, Equestrian Postal Services."

A/N: You should recognize "Giggle at the Ghostie", even if it is a little less Pinkie-centric.