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A Strange New World: CH9

By: An_Irish_Nomad on Apr 9th, 2013 | syntax: None | size: 10.39 KB | hits: 199 | expires: Never

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>A single bell tolls as you step through the doorway, and you stoop slightly as you enter.
>Within seconds, a familiar pink mare is standing at attention, an eager smile on her face.
>”You decided to come down and give Ponyville a visit then?” Pinkie Pie inquires, gently shooing you towards a table.
“Aye, better than sitting around doing nothing back in Canterlot” you chuckle.
>You ease yourself into the seat, before Pinkie bounces up and down, seeking your attention.
>”Well, there’s no better way to greet somep0ny than to make them breakfast! What can I get you this morning?”
“I’d like a… um, to be honest, I’m not really sure what you’d even be able to serve.”
>”Then I’ll just have to give you the Pinkie Special! I’ll be right back!”
>With a giggle the earth pony is gone, leaving you alone.
>The minutes drag on, your restlessness compounded by your curiosity and hunger.
>Gingerly, you walk up to the door the mare left through, before slowly opening it.
>”Quick being a silly filly!” A voice rings out, and you recoil. “If you want to help me bake, then come on in!”
>As you enter what you presumed to be the kitchen, you are greeted by rows of cupboards and shelves, stocked full of unknown ingredients and utensils.
>Pinkie is busily working away, mixing a bowl in front of a metallic contraption.
>You approach the contraption hesitantly, before opening it by the handle.
>A wave of heat hits you unexpectedly in the face and you fall backwards onto your rear, swearing obscenities at your ill luck.
>”Pffh! Whatcha sitting on your bum for?”
“I… what kind of hellish demon is sealed within that thing?”
>”You don’t know what an oven is?” Pinkie laughs, as you haul yourself back up.
“Ovens? I know what they are, but that’s unlike any oven I’ve ever seen before. I’m used to big, stone ovens, not… whatever this is. How does it even work?”
>”Well, you put in the dough, then you turn on the oven, and it bakes stuff! It’s also really, really hot!”
“So its magic based?”
>”Nope, it runs off electricity!”
“Ah, I see… wait, what on earth is electricity?”
>”It’s shocking, that’s what it is!”
>Pinkie begins to laugh as if to punctuate a joke, and your mind blanks.
“So it’s… wait, this thing is powered by lightning?”
>”Yup, pretty much!”
“A metal box powered by the power of the gods, that can cook whatever food you desired… this is amazing!”
>”It’s just an oven, silly bones!”
“It’s more than just an oven! This thing surely must have been crafted by magic!”
>”Nope, it was crafted by factory workers! Wait, now that I think about it, they might have used magic…”
>Pinkie’s face contorts into a caricature of concentration, before she shrugs.
>”Ah, who cares. Certainly not me!”
>Suddenly she leaps up in excitement, her eyes widening.
>”I have a super duper idea! Have you ever had coffee?”
“What?”
>”I’ll take that as a resounding ‘no’! Just you wait, and I’ll rustle you up a cup in no time!”
>Pinkie happily sets off to work, tinkering with a kettle and a number of strange-looking beans.
>Within a couple of minutes she’s whipped up a cup full of a brown liquid, which had a sharp and acrid smell to it.
>”Go on, take it! You’ll love it!”
>You hesitantly take the cup off her, blowing gently on the obviously warm liquid, before taking a cautious sip.
>You immediately grimace, fighting the urge to spit the drink back out into the cup.
“Bah, this is horrible! How do you manage to down this stuff?”
>”Huh, guess it’s not for everyp0ny… oh well, I know you’re going to love my Pinkie Special!”
“I want to know what that is before I shove it down my gullet. Given that this ‘coffee’ drink is awful… and with all due respect, ‘Pinkie Special’ is giving off the wrong connotations.”
>”Connotations? Hah, that’s a funny word!”
“Er, right…”
>”Whatever, I know for a fact that you’ll enjoy my doughnuts! They’re triple glazed, double chocolate coated, and quadrupled iced!”
“I still don’t know what any of those things are… but I’m due to find out now, aren’t I?”
>”Absolutely-dootly!” Pinkie exclaims, fiddling with a tray. “I just so happened to bake some this morning!”
>She hands you a soft, circular ring of pastry, which was covered in what you assumed to be the chocolate and glazing she had referred to.
>Pinkie Pie eagerly nods as you raise the doughnut to your mouth, unsure of what to expect.
>The eager pleading in her eyes reaches its critical point, her irises widening.
“Fine, one bite…”
>You reluctantly bite down on the pastry, fully expecting another bitter taste to assault your mouth.
>To your surprise, the taste that overwhelms your senses is one of delicious sweetness, one you’d never experienced before in your life.
“Oh my word… this is magnificent!”
>You wolf the doughnut down, relishing the pure ecstasy that was flooding your mouth.
>”Hah, I think you like them!” Pinkie shouts triumphantly, bouncing up and down on the spot.
“I don’t just like them, I love them! I’ve never tasted anything as divine as these before!”
>”Well, I baked plenty of them! Just don’t eat them all in one go, otherwise you’ll bring them back up faster than you can shove them down!”
“How much do I owe you for these?”
>”You don’t need to pay me for them, silly! A satisfied customer is all the payment I need!”
“You’re wonderful, Pinkie…”
>You ruffle her mane playfully, before Pinkie bundles the remaining doughnuts into a nondescript paper bag, which you gleefully take.
>”Have a great time in Ponyville, Anon! Remember what I said about eating them all at once!”
“Thank you Pinkie, I’ll be sure to keep it in mind.”
>You make your way out of the kitchen, through the shop, and out onto the street.
“Now, off I trek to Zecora…”
>You knew Zecora lived within the forest itself, but you’d have to get directions first.
>Following a signposted path to the outskirts of the town, you find yourself outside a cosy looking cottage.
>You rap on the door, and a faint squeak emanates from within.
>”Coming!” yells a soft, familiar voice from within.
>A few moments and the yellow pegasus, who you've yet to have the pleasure of formally meeting, is in the doorway, staring upon you with a look of absolute horror. “Ahem. Hello, Miss Fluttershy.”
>With a barely audible “eep” the door is slammed shut, leaving you awkwardly alone on her porch.
“Huh. I didn’t figure I was that daunting…” you chuckle to no-one in particular, before sighing. There has to be a way to get her to trust you…
>You glance round, before a cacophony of animal noises from the back of the cottage grabs your attention.
>You slowly sneak around the back of the cottage, before grinning at the sight before you.
>In the trees surrounding the garden sat dozens of songbirds, happily chirping away despite your intruding presence.
>You settle down into a sitting position, grinning to yourself.
>Laurentius had taught you this trick long ago, about being in tune with nature…
>A spark of fire dances in the palm of your hand, blossoming into a healthy flame.
>The activity from the birds immediately ceases, as they focus their attention on you, their primal attention fixated on the flame.
“A pyromancer must be in tune with nature herself…” you whisper, your feathery audience enraptured by the flaming spectacle of the fire in your hand.
>”Wow… it’s so pretty…”
>You dissipate the flame and the crowd of birds scatters.
>You slowly turn to face the approaching pegasus, remaining in the sitting position as to not frighten her.
>”How did you do that? I’ve never seen anything like that before…” Fluttershy whispers in awe.
“Hmm, how do I put this…” you say quietly, your calm presence inviting the timid pony closer. “Pyromancy, the art of casting fire like my ancestors once did, invokes a rather primal appreciation from creatures and men alike. A mentor of an old friend put it rather appropriately…”
>The pegasus kneels in front of you, her eyes wide with awe and curiosity.
>”How did he put it? Well, as I was told… Pyromancy is the ultimate fantasy. We are born from fire, and are warmed by it, but we cannot hold it… Pyromancers transcend the barrier, manipulating the flames. Fantasy becomes a reality…”
>You gently clear your throat.
“All living things are drawn to the flame, hence the fixation of your birds.”
>”I can see why… it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy. Say, might I have a word with you for a second?”
>She hesitates, her nervously clearly visible.
>Suddenly, a single brightly-coloured bird perches on your arm, chirping happily.
>Fluttershy smiles in delight at the sight, before sighing.
>”I suppose so…what do you need?”
“I need you to direct me to Zecora, within the Everfree. I don’t possess a map, if one even exists for the place, and I’m sure I’d get lost on the way.”
>”The Everfree?” Fluttershy asks, her voice heavy with fear. “Gee, I’m not sure… The Everfree is a really scary place to be…”
>You chuckle, a sound that causes the pegasus to flinch, before standing up.
>You knock on the hilt of your sheathed sword confidently, as Fluttershy blinks in surprise.
“Don’t worry. I’m more than prepared for anything the forest decides to throw at me.”
>”Well…”
>Fluttershy kicks a hoof nervously along the ground, before looking up at you.
>”Ok. It’s not that far to Zecora’s house anyway…”
“Thank you, Fluttershy!”
>Before you commence walking, you turn back to her and kneel down once more, extending a hand.
“And a pleasure to meet you” you grin.
>She flinches, before returning the smile, hesitantly shaking your hand with a trembling hoof.
>”Yes, it is a pleasure, Mister Anonymous.”
“Good! I strive to make good first impressions. Now then, unless there’s anything you need to bring, shall we be off?”
>”Er, ok then…”
>A small crack suddenly emanates from underneath her front hooves and she screams, curling up on the ground.
“What the… Are you hurt?”
>”N-no, I just stepped on a branch!” she whispers, shakily removing herself from atop the splintery remains.
>You blink, before cupping your face with a gloved hand.
>You can already tell this walk is going to be an infuriating one…

create a new version of this paste RAW Paste Data

>A single bell tolls as you step through the doorway, and you stoop slightly as you enter.
>Within seconds, a familiar pink mare is standing at attention, an eager smile on her face.
>”You decided to come down and give Ponyville a visit then?” Pinkie Pie inquires, gently shooing you towards a table.
“Aye, better than sitting around doing nothing back in Canterlot” you chuckle. 
>You ease yourself into the seat, before Pinkie bounces up and down, seeking your attention. 
>”Well, there’s no better way to greet somep0ny than to make them breakfast! What can I get you this morning?”
“I’d like a… um, to be honest, I’m not really sure what you’d even be able to serve.”
>”Then I’ll just have to give you the Pinkie Special! I’ll be right back!”
>With a giggle the earth pony is gone, leaving you alone.
>The minutes drag on, your restlessness compounded by your curiosity and hunger.
>Gingerly, you walk up to the door the mare left through, before slowly opening it.
>”Quick being a silly filly!” A voice rings out, and you recoil. “If you want to help me bake, then come on in!”
>As you enter what you presumed to be the kitchen, you are greeted by rows of cupboards and shelves, stocked full of unknown ingredients and utensils. 
>Pinkie is busily working away, mixing a bowl in front of a metallic contraption.
>You approach the contraption hesitantly, before opening it by the handle.
>A wave of heat hits you unexpectedly in the face and you fall backwards onto your rear, swearing obscenities at your ill luck.
>”Pffh! Whatcha sitting on your bum for?”
“I… what kind of hellish demon is sealed within that thing?”
>”You don’t know what an oven is?” Pinkie laughs, as you haul yourself back up. 
“Ovens? I know what they are, but that’s unlike any oven I’ve ever seen before. I’m used to big, stone ovens, not… whatever this is. How does it even work?”
>”Well, you put in the dough, then you turn on the oven, and it bakes stuff! It’s also really, really hot!”
“So its magic based?”
>”Nope, it runs off electricity!”
“Ah, I see… wait, what on earth is electricity?”
>”It’s shocking, that’s what it is!”
>Pinkie begins to laugh as if to punctuate a joke, and your mind blanks.
“So it’s… wait, this thing is powered by lightning?”
>”Yup, pretty much!”
“A metal box powered by the power of the gods, that can cook whatever food you desired… this is amazing!”
>”It’s just an oven, silly bones!”
“It’s more than just an oven! This thing surely must have been crafted by magic!”
>”Nope, it was crafted by factory workers! Wait, now that I think about it, they might have used magic…”
>Pinkie’s face contorts into a caricature of concentration, before she shrugs. 
>”Ah, who cares. Certainly not me!”
>Suddenly she leaps up in excitement, her eyes widening.
>”I have a super duper idea! Have you ever had coffee?”
“What?”
>”I’ll take that as a resounding ‘no’! Just you wait, and I’ll rustle you up a cup in no time!”
>Pinkie happily sets off to work, tinkering with a kettle and a number of strange-looking beans.
>Within a couple of minutes she’s whipped up a cup full of a brown liquid, which had a sharp and acrid smell to it.
>”Go on, take it! You’ll love it!”
>You hesitantly take the cup off her, blowing gently on the obviously warm liquid, before taking a cautious sip.
>You immediately grimace, fighting the urge to spit the drink back out into the cup.
“Bah, this is horrible! How do you manage to down this stuff?”
>”Huh, guess it’s not for everyp0ny… oh well, I know you’re going to love my Pinkie Special!”
“I want to know what that is before I shove it down my gullet. Given that this ‘coffee’ drink is awful… and with all due respect, ‘Pinkie Special’ is giving off the wrong connotations.” 
>”Connotations? Hah, that’s a funny word!”
“Er, right…”
>”Whatever, I know for a fact that you’ll enjoy my doughnuts! They’re triple glazed, double chocolate coated, and quadrupled iced!”
“I still don’t know what any of those things are… but I’m due to find out now, aren’t I?”
>”Absolutely-dootly!” Pinkie exclaims, fiddling with a tray. “I just so happened to bake some this morning!”
>She hands you a soft, circular ring of pastry, which was covered in what you assumed to be the chocolate and glazing she had referred to.
>Pinkie Pie eagerly nods as you raise the doughnut to your mouth, unsure of what to expect.
>The eager pleading in her eyes reaches its critical point, her irises widening. 
“Fine, one bite…”
>You reluctantly bite down on the pastry, fully expecting another bitter taste to assault your mouth.
>To your surprise, the taste that overwhelms your senses is one of delicious sweetness, one you’d never experienced before in your life.
“Oh my word… this is magnificent!”
>You wolf the doughnut down, relishing the pure ecstasy that was flooding your mouth.
>”Hah, I think you like them!” Pinkie shouts triumphantly, bouncing up and down on the spot. 
“I don’t just like them, I love them! I’ve never tasted anything as divine as these before!”
>”Well, I baked plenty of them! Just don’t eat them all in one go, otherwise you’ll bring them back up faster than you can shove them down!”
“How much do I owe you for these?”
>”You don’t need to pay me for them, silly! A satisfied customer is all the payment I need!”
“You’re wonderful, Pinkie…”
>You ruffle her mane playfully, before Pinkie bundles the remaining doughnuts into a nondescript paper bag, which you gleefully take.
>”Have a great time in Ponyville, Anon! Remember what I said about eating them all at once!”
“Thank you Pinkie, I’ll be sure to keep it in mind.”
>You make your way out of the kitchen, through the shop, and out onto the street.
“Now, off I trek to Zecora…”
>You knew Zecora lived within the forest itself, but you’d have to get directions first.

>Following a signposted path to the outskirts of the town, you find yourself outside a cosy looking cottage.
>You rap on the door, and a faint squeak emanates from within.
>”Coming!” yells a soft, familiar voice from within.
>A few moments and the yellow pegasus, who you've yet to have the pleasure of formally meeting, is in the doorway, staring upon you with a look of absolute horror. “Ahem. Hello, Miss Fluttershy.”
>With a barely audible “eep” the door is slammed shut, leaving you awkwardly alone on her porch.
“Huh. I didn’t figure I was that daunting…” you chuckle to no-one in particular, before sighing. There has to be a way to get her to trust you…
>You glance round, before a cacophony of animal noises from the back of the cottage grabs your attention.
>You slowly sneak around the back of the cottage, before grinning at the sight before you.
>In the trees surrounding the garden sat dozens of songbirds, happily chirping away despite your intruding presence.
>You settle down into a sitting position, grinning to yourself.
>Laurentius had taught you this trick long ago, about being in tune with nature…
>A spark of fire dances in the palm of your hand, blossoming into a healthy flame.
>The activity from the birds immediately ceases, as they focus their attention on you, their primal attention fixated on the flame.
“A pyromancer must be in tune with nature herself…” you whisper, your feathery audience enraptured by the flaming spectacle of the fire in your hand. 
>”Wow… it’s so pretty…”
>You dissipate the flame and the crowd of birds scatters.
>You slowly turn to face the approaching pegasus, remaining in the sitting position as to not frighten her.
>”How did you do that? I’ve never seen anything like that before…” Fluttershy whispers in awe. 
“Hmm, how do I put this…” you say quietly, your calm presence inviting the timid pony closer. “Pyromancy, the art of casting fire like my ancestors once did, invokes a rather primal appreciation from creatures and men alike. A mentor of an old friend put it rather appropriately…”
>The pegasus kneels in front of you, her eyes wide with awe and curiosity. 
>”How did he put it? Well, as I was told… Pyromancy is the ultimate fantasy. We are born from fire, and are warmed by it, but we cannot hold it… Pyromancers transcend the barrier, manipulating the flames. Fantasy becomes a reality…”
>You gently clear your throat.
“All living things are drawn to the flame, hence the fixation of your birds.”
>”I can see why… it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy. Say, might I have a word with you for a second?”
>She hesitates, her nervously clearly visible.
>Suddenly, a single brightly-coloured bird perches on your arm, chirping happily. 
>Fluttershy smiles in delight at the sight, before sighing.
>”I suppose so…what do you need?”
“I need you to direct me to Zecora, within the Everfree. I don’t possess a map, if one even exists for the place, and I’m sure I’d get lost on the way.”
>”The Everfree?” Fluttershy asks, her voice heavy with fear. “Gee, I’m not sure… The Everfree is a really scary place to be…”
>You chuckle, a sound that causes the pegasus to flinch, before standing up.
>You knock on the hilt of your sheathed sword confidently, as Fluttershy blinks in surprise.
“Don’t worry. I’m more than prepared for anything the forest decides to throw at me.”
>”Well…”
>Fluttershy kicks a hoof nervously along the ground, before looking up at you.
>”Ok. It’s not that far to Zecora’s house anyway…”
“Thank you, Fluttershy!”
>Before you commence walking, you turn back to her and kneel down once more, extending a hand.
“And a pleasure to meet you” you grin.
>She flinches, before returning the smile, hesitantly shaking your hand with a trembling hoof.
>”Yes, it is a pleasure, Mister Anonymous.”
“Good! I strive to make good first impressions. Now then, unless there’s anything you need to bring, shall we be off?”
>”Er, ok then…” 
>A small crack suddenly emanates from underneath her front hooves and she screams, curling up on the ground.
“What the… Are you hurt?”
>”N-no, I just stepped on a branch!” she whispers, shakily removing herself from atop the splintery remains.
>You blink, before cupping your face with a gloved hand.
>You can already tell this walk is going to be an infuriating one…

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