SiE Chapter 5: Welcome To The World

Chapter 5: Welcome To The World


>While the massive stone table in the main chamber of Twilight’s castle was blank the last time you saw it, now it’s covered by a semi-transparent map of Equestria, much to your amazement.
>You hadn’t really thought about it but now, looking at the strange and foreign continent displayed before you, you were stuck by twinges of homesickness.
>You let yourself linger on those thoughts for a moment before pushing them to the back of your mind and focusing on the important issue.
>That being the little images of Rainbow Dash’s and Pinkie Pie’s cutie marks spinning around a point on the map off to the north west of Ponyville.
“Seriously? A friendship problem?”
>”Yea. What’s wrong with that?”
“It just seems so… weird. A magical gps is telling you to go to a place you’ve never been and fix someone’s friendship.”
>”I guess when you put it like that it is pretty weird.”
>”We can’t exactly be fighting monsters and saving Equestria all the time.”
>”I mean, we’ve had friendship problems that involved us fighting monsters and saving Equestria.”
>Twilight shoots Dash a look and she gives a casual shrug in response.
>”Well it’s true.”
>”Like the time Applejack took on a Chimera and learned not to be so overprotective of Applebloom!”
>All eyes go to Pinkie Pie as she enters the room with so much spring in her step you’re worried about her hitting the ceiling, only to pause as she finishes her sentence and puts a hoof to her chin, deep in thought.
>”On second thought that’s less of a friendship problem and more a family relationship problem. Nevermind!”
>The previous topic of conversation floored by Pinkie’s arrival, the room sits in silence for a few moments before Twilight clears her throat.
>”She did what?”
>”Fought off a Chimera. She told me about it while I was at her place cooking her granny sweet apple pie!”
>The room enters another bout of confused silence, this time broken by Pinkie clarifying herself.
>”Oh yea, I sometimes go over to Sweet Apple Acres and bake.”
>You, Rainbow Dash and Twilight collectively shake your heads and turn your attentions back to the map.
>”So now that Pinkie’s here, can you tell us anything about this place the map’s sending us, Twi?”
>”Unfortunately not a whole lot. It’s just a small village built on a hill called… oh. ‘Cypress Hill.’”
>”Do you think it’s anything like the last small, out of the way village the map sent us?”
>”OOH! I packed just the thing to protect us from evil cutie mark stealing staffs!”
>Pinkie pulls a roll of shiny foil out of her saddleback and, with surprising dexterity manages to wrap the entire roll around herself.
>”I’m sure it’s fine. If Starlight was involved the map wouldn’t be sending the two of you on your own.”
“Ahem.”
>Dash also clears her throat, and Twilight throws her gaze in roughly your direction.
>”Sorry, three of you.”
>”Oh. That makes sense.”
>With almost comical ease Pinkie steps out of her makeshift foil suit, and calmly packs it back into her saddlebag.
>”Alright team, let’s go!”
>Pinkie Pie turns and bounces out the door just as brazenly as she entered, and you sigh.
“Please tell me she’s not always like this.”
>”You get used to it. I swear.”

>One train ride (and an annoyingly long walk) later, you find that true to Twilight’s word the hill the village is built on is indeed surrounded by a number of cypress plants, all of which you can recognize thanks to Twilight’s impromptu lecture on what a cypress was, before you left.
>”We’re here. Now we just need to find the friendship problem.”
>”I know! We can ask one of the townsponies!”
>Before you or Dash can raise any objection Pinkie speeds over a stallion manning a small fruit stall nearby, arriving so suddenly that she causes him to drop the fruit that he’s holding.
>”HI! My name’s Pinkie Pie! Do you or any other ponies here have a problem that I or my good friend Rainbow Dash can help you with?”
>”The only problem I have is the annoying pony messing with my stall.”
>”Ooh, where is she? Rainbow’s stand’ll give them the what for.”
>Pinkie playfully punches the air a few times and the stallion scrowls.
>”I’m lookin’ at her.”
>Using his magic he levitates Pinkie back over to where you and Rainbow stand.
>”Well I think we found the problem; A severe case of grumpy guts-itis!”
>”Yea…maybe we should keep looking Pinkie.”
>Pinkie nods and, this time at a more leisurely pace, bounces down the street towards a dejected looking mare.
>”HI! I’m Pinkie Pie! Do you o-”
>”Pinkie.”
>”I- You’re the elements of harmony!”
>Both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie turn away from each other and look at the concerned looking mare.
>”Yepserabsoultely we are!”
>”I- you... You can’t be here.”
>”Why the hay not?”
>”I’m sorry, but you really should just leave.”
>The mare gives not only Pinkie and Rainbow, but you a sad look and sniffles as she blinks back tears.
>”I’m sorry.”
>”Hey, what’s wrong? Maybe we can help.”
>The mare shoves Rainbow’s comforting hoof away, and scampers off down a nearby alley.
>Rainbow goes to chase her, and you just put a hand on her shoulder to keep her grounded.
“She wouldn’t be any help even if you did catch her.”
>”Hello? She’s gotta be the reason we’re here.”
“Well then let’s give her some space. Maybe ask around and see if anybody knows why she’s acting so shifty.”
>Rainbow sighs in defeat and looks away from the alley.
>”Fine.”
>And ask around you, or rather, since you can’t interact with any of the ponies here, Dash and Pinkie do.
>Even after talking to a majority of the village’s population however, the two find out very little about the mysterious mare, only that she’s some sort of hermit that’s rarely, if ever, seen outside.
>”Sound like anyone we know?”
>”Oooh! Zecora!”
>Pinkie gasps, and starts to rummage around in her saddlebags before pulling out a small notebook.
>”I’ve been working on a new verse for my evil enchantress song, wanna hear it?”
>Pinkie takes a deep breath, only for Rainbow to stick her hoof in her mouth to silence her.
>”No Pinkie, we don’t want to hear them.”
>With a pop, Pinkie pulls her mouth off the invading hoof and smiles.
>”Okie Dokie Loki! I still need to work on it anyway.”
>And that exchange it’s the last like it. As the day wears on and the search for the more becomes increasingly fruitless, Dash seems to gain a shorter and shorter fuse that Pinkie, intentional or not, seems to light easily.
>”Augh! This is useless!”
>Dash lazily flops down on the bed, on of the two in the small room you’ve rented at the town’s inn.
>”The cutie map wouldn’t of sent us here if there wasn’t a problem we could fix.”
>”Well then maybe it’s broken! Who knows what freaky magic Twilight might have used to study it! Or maybe it was you!”
>Dash throws an accusing hoof in your direction, and you return with a tired but annoyed glare.
“Or maybe you need to chill.”
>”Come on Dashie, let’s just go to sleep and try again tomorrow. It’ll be like a slumber party, except without the party part.”
>”Without the party part? How how ever will you survive Pinky.”
>For once, Pinkie is left speechless. Rainbow doesn't show any quarter however, and continues.
>”It’s always party this and party that with you. Well you know what? If you wanna turn this useless adventure into a party be my guest, but I’m going home!”
>Rainbow leaps to her feet, and with barely a sidelong glance to her friend opens the room’s sole window and launches herself into the night.

<=To=Be=Continued==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNEk5Yf-MYY