A Journey of a Stranger

As the sun rises over Hollow Shades, the Apples pack up the supplies in their wagon.  Leon gathers his gear, puts on flaming red clothes, and starts to pack up his own supplies. Blue Eyes comes into Leon's room and drops a cylinder container in front of him.

Puzzled, Leon turns to Blue Eyes and asks her, “What is this?”

Blue Eyes answers, “It’s a new scroll case, I put in some scrolls that you might need, and some scrolls for emergencies, that I hope you won’t need.  The best part is that this case is self organizing, and it can give you the scroll that you need by saying the spell. Come on, try it!”

Leon says, “Ok, Mom.”

Leon turns to the scroll case, “Ok, scroll case, I need a Magic Protection Shield, please.”

A scroll pops out of side, waiting to be taken. Leon says with excitement, “Wow, This is a great case! This will really save me some time. Thanks Mom.”

Blue Eyes gives Leon a pouch of Bits and says, “You’ll need this when you go into Canterlot. Things are expensive there. Trust me, I use to live there.”

Leon gratefully replies, “Thanks Mom.”

Leon finishes packing, and goes to the door. Leon and Blue Eyes share a good bye hug at the exit of the house. Before Leon could leave, Iron Compass gives Leon the family compass and says, “You’ll need the ‘Guide of Fate’ in this adventure.  Remember, it doesn’t always point North but it always points where you need to go.  This compass saved this family more times than we can count.”

Leon says to Iron Compass as he holds the “Guide of Fate” in his hand, “I can’t take…”

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," Iron Compass pushes Leon out the door, “Leon you don’t have time for sappy goodbyes. You've got to go, now.”

Applejack and Apple Bloom finished packing up their supplies. Applejack sees Leon and states, “We are ready when you are.”

Leon says, “Let’s go.” He turns back to his home, waves his hand and says one last goodbye before the party of travelers leave Hollow Shades.

The trio of travelers stop at the end of the town. Applejack says, “Le’n, since you’re the map maker, you pick the way to Ponyville.”

Leon responds in an awkward tone, “Umm… Ok, but I need to see your map to your home first, before I pick a safe way to Ponyville.”

Applejack gives Leon a map to Ponyville  Leon compares it to an updated local map. Leon’s eyes open in shock when he sees a small, but important detail.

Apple Bloom asks, “What’s wrong Le’n.”

Leon studies his map and states, “There is a new railroad station northeast from here, that my parents didn’t tell me about.”

Not  100% sure if Leon's claim was true, Applejack looks at the local map and replies, “We could have taken a train here instead of walkin’ all the way here, riskin’ our lives.”

Leon says after getting over his shock, “OK, we have two ways to get there. Either going through the Fire Belly Swamp, or the long path around it.  So basically, the fast way or the safe way.”

Applejack answered, “The safe way, of course.”

Leon starts walking down a path and says, “OK follow me to…” he looks at the map “Byu station.  It’s one of ‘those’ names.”

The map path had 2 views; a view of Fire Belly Swamp’s border, and a long grassland going towards the far Foal Mountain. The party of travelers were stopped by a broken bridge. The bridge was over a wide river of water going into Fire Belly Swamp.

Confidently Applejack says, “No, problem we just walk in the river.”

Leon says, “There a reason why they build over a gassier river.”

Streams of steam come out of the river. Applejack says, “How are we going to get to Byu station, now?”

Leon looks at the Fire Belly Swamp, and decides, “We'll go the fast way.”

Applejack disagrees, “Let’s find another way.” She was very unconformable with the idea going back in the swamp.

Leon and Apple Bloom are already going into the swamp. Applejack sighs and follows them in, anyways. Leon carefully guides the Apples through Fire Belly Swamp with ‘minor’ damage to the cart. They didn’t see the Chimera, but they had a feeling that someone was watching them.

When the trio finally got out of this mess, they finally see the railroad station, and rush towards it. Within minutes, they get onto the train going towards Ponyville, with the Ponies staring at Leon. Leon gets escorted to a box room by one of the station workers, and Applejack and Apple Bloom follow him.

The station worker asks, when he shows Leon the box room, “Here’s your room Stranger.  So, where are you going?”

Leon replies, “To Canterlot.”

The worker explained, “Sorry to disappoint you, but this train station doesn’t have a train that goes to Canterlot.  We can drop you off in Ponyville and give you a transfix for a train to Canterlot.”

Leon responds, “Thank you.”

The worker says, “Somepony will be here to give us the transfix.” The worker leaves the train car.

As Leon enters into the room, Apple Bloom says to him, “That’s great, you get stay with us longer.” Leon takes off his helmet and shield and puts his pack on the bench.

He says to the Apples, “Yeah… Wait, have you 2 been to Canterlot?”

Apple Bloom says, “First tell me why you wear that umm…?”

Leon explains, “This Flame Gassier armor, helps me to bring out my inner warrior. Sometimes, when you make detailed maps, you get into fights you don’t start, but have to finish.”

Applejack asks, “I think she means, why does some of it looks like the Chimera from the swamp?”

Leon answers, “When I was looking for a symbol of my warrior spirit and an inspiration to stay in the fight: I found my symbol after watching the Chimera work.  The Chimera works as one for all of their lives although, they control different parts of the body and are different animals. Most Ponies see a monster while I see it as a symbol of unity… Umm, a bond between 3 species of animals that know how to use their strengths, and cover their weakness, most of the time.  The armor is supposed to show off the strengths of my metal gear, Intimidate, I mean scare bad things away. And, my red clothes are suppose represent the fire within me. I use the swamp's more official name because it sounds a lot better than the local name.”

Apple Bloom has a look of inspiration, and Applejack has a look of curiosity.

Applejack asks Leon, “How does dressing up like a monster, makes you feel braver?”

Leon pulls out 2 books-one book was labeled, “The Famous Coats of Arms” and the other labeled, “Guide to Finding Your Inner Warrior”. Leon gives them to the Apples.

Leon continues to explain, “These books were responsible for my coat of arms and a local role playing game.  Well, the role playing game made chores more fun to do, most of the time.”

Apple Bloom asks Leon, “You played dress up when you did your chores?”

Applejack says while trying not to laugh, “Now when I think about it, wearin’ costumes while ya do ya chores is a funny idea.”

Leon says to Applejack, “Like you wearing that hat all the time.”

Applejack laughs and then agrees, “Ok, ya got me.”

Apple Bloom remembers something and asks Leon, “Hey Leon, if the Chimeras were such a probl’m, how come there is still left one.”

Applejack is shocked that Apple Bloom is asking such a question.

Leon responds with a grin on his face, “From what I heard the Chimera went into hiding when the hunters came into the swamp looking for them.  When the hunters left our part of Equestria, the Chimera came out of hiding and claimed all of Fire Belly Swamp as their territory. The hunters never came back because the Chimera never proved to be real a hazard, just an obstacle for travelers on occasion. Their arguing cost them any chances to have a big pay on their heads, or to being at least decent trophies.”

The train starts moving, and something starts glowing in Leon’s backpack.Leon pulls out the Guide of Fate, and says to the Apples, “Excuse me, I have to go, and see something?”

Apple Bloom asks, “See what?”

Leon says as he leaves the room, “I don’t know.”

When Leon closes the door, the Apples look at each in confusion.

Leon follows the needle of the Guide of Fate to the box car with the Apple’s cart.  The needle points to a big crate with a tag with his name on it. Leon sees air holes on it. He barley hears breathing over the sound of the train’s clicking wheels.  He peeks through the holes and sees yellow eyes piercing through the darkness of the crate.

Leon recognizes the silhouette and says, “Girls is that you?” 2 of the eyes try to hypnotize Leon, and a voice says, “You’ll leave thissss box car and forget you saw us.”

Leon slaps himself and asks, “Why are you girls doing this? You have always respected our borders on my other trips?”

China says, “You use to have to go with your parents, and like the other Ponies in your town, they were afraid of us. It would have been painful for all of us…”

Clara continues, “But, mostly us.”

Rose told Leon, “We wanted to get out the swamp, so we forced you to keep your promise.”

Clara tells Leon as he looks around the car for a pony listening, “That was their ideaaaa… I didn’t want to a part of it. but they beat me, 2 to 1.”

China agrees, “It’s a good plan.”

Rose also says, “It’s foolproof.”

Leon shushes the Chimera, as he walks to the other side of the car.

Clara asks in concern, “What's going on out there?”

Leon says as he comes back, “I was checking if any Pony was listening. The worse thing that could happen to me back home was a serious spanking. But out here, I might get served the same punishment as you or worse.He continues in a sarcastic tone, Sorry, about being selfish. So what is your so called fool-proof plan?”

Rose explains, “It was to use my power to get the poniesss to forget usss, and ussse them, if we need to catch up to you.”

China explains, “You probably need our help, because one of your family’s favorites saying…”

The Chimera says together, “No one travels alone. Always walk with numbers or be doomed.”

Leon grunts in frustration for him telling them that. Leon starts brain storming with the Chimera on a plan what they will do when they reach Ponyville.

After some time, Applejack gets concerned, and starts looking for Leon. Leon eventually bumps into Applejack.

She says, “Where were ya?”

Leon says, “The compass led me to a beautiful sight. And I had an interesting conversation with another passenger about what to do at the beaches in Las Pegasus?”

Applejack gives him a face of disbelief and says, “Really?”

“Any place a map maker doesn't have a map for is a place of opportunity and wonder.”

“Ok. We’re almost at Ponyville, and I want to check on ya.  A look at the cart won’t hurt.”

Leon insists as he blocks the door, “I’ll do it.”

“Ok, see ya back in the room, then.”

Leon rushes back to the box car. When he gets there a voice says on the speakers, “Attention passengers, we will be in Ponyville in a few minutes.”

Leon gets close to the crate and whispers to the Chimera, “We are almost there, You girls remember the plan?”

China answered, “Yes, we wrestle and we win…”

Leon interrupts, “No, I have to win and then tie you up with rope, unless you want to be turn into stone. Got it?”

China was not happy as Leon grabbed some rope from the cart, “Fine, but I don’t like losing.”

Leon announces with his rope ready, “Get ready to break the box when the train…”

The train stops and the Chimera breaks the crate and starts wrestling Leon.  The box door opens, and the fight goes outside.  A loud crowd surrounds the fight. After a few minutes, Leon finally gets to tie the heads together and Applejack rushes in and ties the limbs together. Apple Bloom gives Leon his helmet and shield, but the fight was already won.

Leon turns the Apples and says, “Thanks for helping, You know a place where we can keep it for a little while… but, not let any of the Bearers of Harmony know about this.”

Worried Apple Bloom asks, “Are ya bleedin’?”

Applejack says, “You need to go the hospital, now!”

Leon now feels the blood coming out from a scratch on his face, and says in pain, “I want to see where that thing is going to stay. It will help me relax knowing personally where it’s going to be locked up.”

Applejack says, “Don’t worry about it, me and my friends will take care of this.” she turns to Apple Bloom “Apple Bloom please take Le’n to the hospital, Now!”

Apple Bloom takes Leon’s hand and leads him to the hospital. Leon puts another hand over his wound, takes a good look at the chimera and, hopes to see his good friends, again soon.