> You look out of the window again.
> Nope.
> Wishing really hard didn't make them go away.
> You turn to look at Twilight.
> She's pacing up and down, muttering to herself.
> "Oh, this is not good. Not good at all." she shakes her head again, futher mussing and already tussled mane.
> Suddenly she rises up on her hind legs and somehow grabs your tunic with her hooves.
> "You were meant to be here in secret... Just some anonymous library visitor...She asked me to keep this quiet, not throw a party!" A hint of mania creeps into her voice.
> "The letter was very specific!"
> "very!"
> "Spe!-"
> "-CIFIC!" she punctuates each syllable's rising tone by shaking you with surprising strength
> She looks out of the window again while maintaining the grip on your tunic.
> On seeing the sign mutters "oooh, that Pinkie!"
> ...and then, with little warning, Twilight's manic energy just... fades.
> She let's go of your tunic and lowers herself slowly into a sitting position.
> "The Princess is going to be so disappointed in me." She mumbles quietly.
> The poor mare seems heartbroken by this prospect.
> You promised yourself last night you weren't going to repay her kindness with trouble.
> Time to see that promise through.
 
"Miss Sparkle?"
> You crouch down, drawing your eyes level with hers.
"I don't mind. Really."
> She continues to look at you, but little of her demenour changes.
"Think about it... How long could I have kept hidden here?"
"I'm too different. There's no way I'd go unnoticed."
> You give a little smile.
> "Why did the Princess ask us to try then?" She responds.
> It's a good question.
> You both know the Princess, thoughTwilight moreso than yourself.
> She couldn't have overlooked this.
"I don't know... maybe she thought I needed to think I was going somewhere... more private. I don't think I'd have left If I didn't believe that."
> Twilight cocks her head to the side a little, listening.
"Canterlot. It's easy to stand out there for the wrong reasons. There were problems. I needed to be somewhere else for a while."
"Maybe that's why. I don't know for sure."
> You place a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"One thing is sure though. She trusts in you. That's all I need to know."
> A smile creeps into her expression as she stands.
"Well, Miss Sparkle? Shall we get it over with?"
> You gesture to the door.
 
> Once you're both out in front of the Library, the crowd of gathered p0nies seems all the larger.
> A chorus of "Yay!"s, stomped hooves and cheers obscure Pinkies efforts to start a rousing chorus of a 'welcome to p0nyville' song.
> You and Twilight stand there for a moment, taking in the crowd, the banner, the tables and foodstuffs...
> Is that a keg?
> Oh lord, let that be a keg.  
>Sharing an identical rictus grin as you talk to each other through gritted teeth as you approach a frantically waving Pinkie.
"The Princess said I'd find asylum, not be sent to one."
> "Oh, I used to think like that too, they're nice. Just... quirky."
> Did you just see a mint colored p0ny waving a foam '#1' hand?
"Quirky? oh, I'd hate to see your lunatics."
> "Be. Nice."
> That's more like it, she's starting to take charge again.
 
> A blur of pink intercepts you.
> "WelcomeWelcomeWeeeeeelcomee!" She collides with your torso mid-leap and hugs with a rib crushing tightness.
> Before you can wheeze out a response, Pinkie drops to the floor, snatches hold of your cloak and tugs you almost off your feet towards the gathering of p0nies.
> "I bet you're so excited! I'm excited, are you excited? are ya? are ya? You're gonna make so many new friends *eee*"
> She whips you forward by your cloak hem and leaps forward, 'helping' you by nudging you towards a white, elegant looking p0ny.
> "This is Anonymous, say hi Rarity"
> The mare with the spectacularly groomed mane offers her hoof up to you in greeting and with a refined, measured tone greets you.
> "Charmed I'm sure Mr Anonymous"
"Likewise Miss, a pleas-URK"
> Pinkie has your cloakhem again and yanks you over towards another.
> "This is Rainbow Dash, say hello silly!"
> The sky blue pony raises a hoof in greeting and through a spray of pastry says "Hey Anonymous, right? 'sup dude?"
"Hello, but my name's n-URK"
> Dragged away again and thrown towards and almost into a small yellow coated p0ny which tries to make itself looks smaller as you stumble.
> You swear you just head the one called Dash say "nurk's a stupid name."
> "This is Fluttershy" Pinkie leans in and whispers with imagined tact "she's shy".
"I'd never have guessed."
> "I know, right?" Pinkie throws her forlegs apart with genuine exasperation.
> "Umn, hello there Mr Anonymous..." a quiet statement, into her long mane hanging over her face, barely above a whisper.
"Really, my na-YARGH!"
> You spin around into a purple coated p0ny.
> "This is Twilight!, she's really clever."
"I've met her Pink-AIIE!"
> "I knew that!" She say's with a nervous laugh and a shrug to Twilight as she launches towards another guest.
> "aaand this here's Applejack" Pinkie twirls infront of you and plops a foreleg over her Orange coated friends shoulder, simultaniously snatching her hat and popping it on her own head.
> "She brought aaall the cider..." Pinkie continues, with a frankly terrible 'western' accent "ain't that right, pardner?"
> This mare brought cider?
> Oh.
> You love her.
> Snatching back her hat, eliciting a giggle from Pinkie, Applejack offers out a forehoof and says, with a genuine tone of welcome, "Pleased ta meet'cha Anon. How're ya likin' our lil ol' town?"
"It's nice really but my n-ARGH!"
> Eight further p0nies and you finally give up the fight.
> You're Anonymous.
> Fuck it.
 
> It continues...
> "This is Lyra!" You're thrusted by the pink-party-mare-chine at another guest.
> The little mint p0ny just gives an excited *squeek* and grins at you.
"Umn hell-WHOA!"
> Pinkie seems to be giving you less and less time with each, surely she isn't going to personally introduce you to everyone.
> You look down at her during pre-launching twirl.
> She looks back up with a grin and a waggle of her eyebrows.
> Oh great.
> She reads minds too.
> BonBon!
"H-URK"
> Daisy!
"Ni-YARG"
> Lucky!
"Hel-EEP!"
> Rainbow again!
> Screw it, just gonna wave.
> Derpy!
> Pfft, she could have at least looked at me.
 
> Half an hour later.
> Twilight has finally cornered Pinkie.
> You've finally cornered the cider table.
> Drawing a mug you listen to the two mares.
> "Pinkie!" hisses Twilight. "what were you thinking?"
> "Umn... if we got enough fudge?"
> Twilight drags a hoof down her face in frustration.
> "*nrg" You KNOW what I mean."
> "Oh right... right." Pinkie glances around quickly, looking for an escape.
> Or more fudge.
> Honestly, you can't tell which.
> Twilight draws Pinkies attention back to the conversation by turning her head to bring her face to face.
> " *sigh* I'm not angry Pinkie... I just want to know why."
> "Ooohh, that's an easy one." Say's Pinkie, a relieved sigh escaping her.
> "You see, I wanted to help!"
> "uhuh?" Twilight is looking serious now.
> This better be a good one.
> You take a sip of your surprisingly strong drink and lean back against the table.
> "You seeee... Last night you said that he had to remain anonymous, right? well, that sounded tricky, so I thought and thought, then had some coco, then thought again."
> " how can we do that? Easy!"
> "You've got to make sure everyone KNOWS he's anonymous!" She stands and presents with both hooves the sign, giving a little *dahdahdaaAAah* noise and a grin as she does so.
> Twilight uses pokerface.
> It's super effective.
 
> "aaaaand..." Pinkie continues, looking up as if the answer might happen to be there "Then I thought, 'but how are we going to stop everyp0nies gossiping?',
> " 'cause you know what p0nies are like around here for gossip, ain't that right Zecora? ...Zecora? Where'd she get to?"
> " Pinkie..."
> "Right, so I thought, what if we just throw a biiig old party, get it all out of the way with. No gossip, 'cause everyp0nies met him! no one asking who the secret newp0- umn...",
> Pinkie looks over at you for a moment, you raise your tankard in response.
> "... umn,  the whatever-he-is, staying in the library, 'cause they all met him!"
> "... and then everyone would have a new friend, and he'd have lots of new friends..." She finishes, trailing off a little weakly.
> "Pinkie." Twilight begins with a serious tone, holding her friends head in position so she can stare right at her.
> Pinkie winces as she braces herself, and you can't help but join her.
> Poor thing had the best of intentions.
> "That."
> "Was."
> "Brilliant." Each word raises Twilight's smile that little more.
> It has the same effect on you and Pinkie.
> Pinkie's smile is joyful and infectious, mostly you think because she knows her friend isn't angry with her.
> If anything, Twilight looks proud.
"She's right. Great thinking, Pinkie. Thankyou."
"I didn't know it last night, but I think this is exactly what I needed."
> "Pinkie always knows what's needed" Twilight adds, turning to her with a hug "you're the best"
> "Well, duh. Thats what I've been trying to tell you all!" she say's with a giggle and a tear in her eye.
> You can't help but chuckle along.
> Something tells you things are going to be different here.
> With a *KRUNCH*, the table collapses, your weight launching unknown gallons of cider over the assorted p0nies.
> Wincing, buried in unlaunched tankards, dripping cider and wearing an abandoned pie dish as a hat, you hear the start of a laugh.
> Pinkie first, then Twilight, then others.
> Soon all.
> Maybe not completely different.
> But different in the ways that count.