A Journey of a Stranger

In the town of Hollow Shades, there is something that walks amongst them.  The ponies in the town know don’t what it is, so they nicknamed it, “The Stranger”, but his real name was Leon.  The Stranger was almost 6 feet tall, walked on 2 legs, slightly muscular, green eyes, tan skin, and only had hair from his chin to the top of his head.  The only clues of where the Stranger came from, were a steel shield and sword, a few books, and an iron helmet.

The common story of how the Stranger got in the town, was that he was found by map makers.  They found him and other artifacts, in a destroyed building during one of their expeditions far away from the town.  Often, the map makers were too busy to have a child of their own.  They took him in and raised him.

The map makers studied the artifacts and discovered proof of a new intelligent race either from another land or world.  Different theories were made of what happened to his house and his family.  But, after 16 years, no one kno\ew for sure what happened?  So, the Stranger grew up in the town, almost like the others.

His parents believed that the Stranger was ready to go to Canterlot, on his own, for both a journey of self-discovery, and into adulthood for whatever he was.  The map makers wait for their Stranger to come home.

The Stranger is in the middle of the local fire swamp with a big backpack on, looking for someone.  The Stranger spots a Chimera stuck between the 2 trees.  The Stranger names each of the 3 headed Chimera: Clara (the goat head), China (the tiger head), and Rose (the snake head).

The Clara awkwardly says, “Hi, Leon.”, to the Stranger.

Leon says, after a deep breath,“You girls tried to scare the Apples out of their pies, again?”

Clara says and China mumbles, “Yes.”

Leon drops his backpack, and pulls out a crowbar, “Good thing, I always pack this.”

The Stranger looks at the stuck creature, and wonders where to start to free them from the trees.   He sees Rose, and frees her from the branches, first.

Leon yells at Rose while shaking it, “Rose wake up!”

Rose wakes up and almost bites Leon.  Rose shouts as Leon lets go of her, “What was that for?”

Leon apologizes, “Sorry, Rose, but I had to wake you up quickly.”

He gets kicked and the Clara cries out, “We need some help in front.”

As he walks in front of the Chimera, “OK, I deserved that.”, Leon promises

Leon says as he tries to free the China’s fangs from the tree with his crowbar, “I’ll get you free China.”

The Chimera eventually breaks the tree and gets free. Clara replies, “Thanks for helping us, again.”

As he rubs his side, “Don’t kick me so hard next time, Clara.”, Leon complained

Rose says, “That wasss from me. So are you here to talk…?”

China asked, “To wrestle…?”

Clara sadly said, “To say you goodbye to you before another expedition.”

Leon pulls out three pots and bags of ingredients from his backpack.  The three heads exhale in disappointment.

“What wrong?”, Leon wonders as he prepared three gumbos.

Sadly, Rose says, “You’re family barely got back a few dayssss ago.”

China begs Leon, “It is the first time, we are able to get together in a long while.”

Clara comforts China and Rose, “Girls, I’m sure this next trip is important, if he has to leave so soon.”

Clara turns quickly to Leon and asks, “So, Leon, wheeere are you going aaanywaaays?”

Leon explains as he sets up three poles, “I’m going to Canterlot to find some ‘Special’ ponies that will tell me what I really am.”

China is puzzled, “You’re Leon the Stranger.  Why do you need to go…?”

Leon interrupts, “I know I’m The Stranger. Its sounds cool but it’s a filler name for what species I am.  This is a big deal for me.  This trip is both; the first time I am on my own, and I will find my true origins.”

As Leon heats up the gumbos with a fire gushier, Clara asks him, “Since it’s the first time you’re by yourself… can we come?”

China answers, “It will great to see the land away from this swamp and take a break from dodging fire.”

Leon says, “I’m sorry, but you can’t come.”

All together the Chimera shouts, “What?!”

Leon grabs the gumbos, and places it in front of the Chimera.  Clara insists, “Leon you promised we could on your first expedition without the family.”

Leon feeling bad says, “I know but…”

Rose looks into Leon’s eyes, uses her hypnotic power and commands, “You will keep your promise and take us to Canterlot.”

Leon says, “I will keep my promise and take you to…” He slaps himself and shouts to Rose, “Hey, don’t do that me!”

Rose continues ask, “Why aren’t you taking us?”

Trying to be helpful, Leon responds, “I will explain as you eat,  You need something in your belly after your failed hunt.”

China starts digging in while Clara and Rose are trying eat while giving Leon their full attention.

To protect his friends, Leon says, “Canterlot is the capital of Equestria, which means it is an important city full, of guards, and will most likely have a lot of the monster hunters.  I've heard scary stories about the newly crowned Princess Twilight. She is still the leader of monsters hunters called the Bearers of Harmony. They use magic to make monsters into mindless drones, stone, or even starve them to death.  She can summon them at anytime.  I've even heard rumors that the hunters live in the town, where I have to get a train to reach Canterlot. So I am…”

Rose sharply interrupts, “How do you know if thossse rumorsss are true?”

Leon tries to convince them, “I don’t but…”

Upset, China says, “If there is nothing to back up your rumors, how do we know if you not trying to scare us away us from your trip?”

Clara agrees with China, “She does have a point.”

In a snap, Rose says, “I agree.”

Leon tries harder to convince them, “I’m looking out for both... um all of us.  I don’t want you get hurt, or be caged, or worse. I don’t want to be thrown in jail or run away because of being suspected of under your power.”

Getting more impatient, Clara says, “That ridiculous! How can we make you…?” She looks at Rose, and Rose agrees “Oh, yeaaah.”

Stressed out Leon says, “It’s a good thing that you haven’t killed anypony, or attacked any big bit valued convoys.  Remember those are the only reasons…”

All together, the Chimera say to Leon in an annoyed tone, “That are keeping the monster hunters away.”

Leon looks at his new pocket watch, and then begs to the Chimera, “Please can you girls concentrate on finishing your gumbos, I need to go home soon.”

When the Chimera finished their meal, Leon collects his pots, poles, and bags, and then gets ready to leave.  Leon pulls out his hand and asks the Chimera, “Can I have a good bye palm slap?”

China replies, “Happy to.”

Before Leon and China could slap their palms, Clara interrupts, “How come just you get to do it.”

Leon begs, “Girls don’t fight, now. Let’s do 2 palm slaps.”

Rose replies, “What about me?”

Leon asks, “Can you even control a paw?”

Rose concentrates on moving a paw, and it moves slowly

Leon says, “OK, let’s go left, right, left with China first and no complaining. I don’t have time for it. OK on the count of 3, 1… 2… 3.”

They do 3 fast palm slaps together.

Leon waves while trying to hide sadness, “See you girls within a week.”

The Chimera says while trying to their sadness, “Bye, Leon!”

Meanwhile back in the of Shady Hollows...

As Leon hurries home, the map makers have 2 guests stay over for the night.

The orange colored guest (Applejack), says to a dark blue unicorn, with purple hair, blue eyes, and a magical eye cutie mark.  “Thanks for havin’ us for the night, Ms. Blue Eyes."

Blue Eyes says, “No problem… may I ask you for something, Applejack?”

Applejack replies, “Sure.”

Blue Eyes asks Applejack, “Can you escort my sons to Ponyville? He wants to go to Canterlot to…”

Applejack answers, “Say no more… it’s the least we could do since you always take our family in when you’re in town.”

The younger guest says to Applejack, “I hope we get to see it.”

Applejack asks her sister, “Apple Bloom, what are you talking about?”

Apple Bloom replies as she looks out a window, “The Stranger, I heard it’s the town livin’ wonder.  It's like nothing I even seen… well, havin’ seen a lot of things out of Ponyville. But, it would be nice to see something that wouldn’t try to hurt us.”

Blues Eyes interrupts, “About that… The Stranger is…”

Apple Bloom sees a tall figure walking in the street, and asks Blue Eyes, “Is that The Stranger?"

Blue Eyes and Applejack move up to the window, and see nothing outside.

Apple Bloom says, “But, I just…”

Apple Bloom was interrupted by a slam of a door.  They turn to see Leon trying to catch his breath. He turns to Blue Eyes, and says, “Sorry, I’m late Mom.”

Blue Eyes says, “You should really watch your time, so you can enjoy the local events or at least come home on time. You know we only stay here a little while.”

Leon answers, “Yes, mom.”

As he walks to the dining room, Apple Bloom asks in excitement, “Are you The Stranger?”

Leon says, “Yeah.”

Before Apple Bloom could say anything else, a big tough looking tan pony, with a black compass, Cutie Mark (Iron Compass) asks, “You been in Fire Belly Swamp, again? I told you again, and again, not to go there… Don’t even answer. I can smell the sooth on you.  I don’t care if you have that teleport scroll on you, stay away from that place! Got it!”

Leon answers in annoyed tone, “Got it.”

Iron Compass gets into Leon’s face, “Look me in the eyes when you say that.”

Blue Eyes reminded Iron Compass, “Dear, not in front of our guest.”

Iron Compass walks back to his seat, mumbling in anger.  As they are sitting down Applejack asks Blue Eyes, “Ms. Blue Eyes, can you tell Apple Bloom about the magic scrolls you make?”

Blue Eyes responds, “It’s better to show her one of my scrolls...  Iron can you get the food out?”

Iron Compass agrees, “Yes dear.”

Iron Compass goes into the Kitchen and gets the food.  Blue Eyes pulls out a scroll and opens it.  The scroll has glowing words and a picture of a shield with a fist on it.

Blue Eyes explains, “This is basic protection spell. It protects you from physical harm for 5 minutes.”

Apple Bloom says in an amazed yet regretful tone, “I wish I had that, when I was attacked that Chimera.”

Leon and Blue Eyes opened their eyes in shock.

Applejack says proudly, “Good thing I got there in time and saved my little sister.”

Applejack and Apple Bloom gave each other a big hug. Leon tries to hold back his frustration and disappointment against the Chimera.

Blue Eyes suggests , “I better give both of you a protection scroll,l just in case you see that awful Chimera.  Thank Celestia, you didn’t become its first Pony kill.”

The Apples asked in a confused tone, “First?”

Blue Eyes reassures everyone, “There is no confirmed kill, from the last Chimera of Fire Belly Swamp.”

Apple Bloom curiously asks, “What happened to the other Chimeras?”

Leon responds, “They were killed by hunters, or moved way.”

Iron Compass comes in with food and says, “Let’s dig in.”

As they ate, everyone start sharing stories, except for Leon, who just stuffing his face Although Leon wanted share stories, his parents beat him to it, since the only other adventures that Leon was on, were family adventuring into areas to map out.

After an hour or 2, everyone got tried and went to bed.  As Apple Bloom walked to the guest room, she saw something in a dark room.

Apple Bloom sees a pair of goat horns, and a snake head, and screams at the top of her lungs, “Chimera!” Leon walks into the room and turns on the lamp, to reveal a snake helmet, a brown shield with curved metal horns coming out of it, and black ax with a black and orange grip. Everyone else rushes in to see what was going on.  After checking out what just happened, Iron Compass and Blue Eyes go back to bed.  Apple Bloom sighs in relief.

Applejack looks at the armor and ax, and asks Leon, “Why does ya gear look like the Chimera in the swamp?”

Leon says after a deep yawn, “Can I tell you on the road? It’s been a long day, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be difficult trip tomorrow.”

Applejack agrees, “Ok.”

Applejack turns to Apple Bloom, who is staring at the equipment, and says, “Come Apple Bloom, we got to let Le’n sleep, and rest up for t’morrow.”

Apple Bloom goes quietly with Applejack to the guest room without saying a word.  Leon goes in his room, changes clothes, rushes into bed and quickly falls asleep. Tomorrow is a long journey.