Making choices

Rainbow Dash was still quite sleepy when she left the inn, going through the back door. That, however, didn't stop her from being upset about her friend. Somepony had ponynapped Rarity right under their noses and they hadn't done anything about it. The thought of her friend being in danger truly woke her up. Now she could focuse on Forge's words she wasn't listening to up to this moment.

" ... the town is too big. I don't know if, or how much, the guard department has grown in personnel since I was here the last time. For all I know, each expected alternative route could be blocked. But there are also alternative routes, that nopony will expect that we take, since the distance is twice as much. We'll form groups of two or three and each group will follow one of these routes to the north exit of the town. There we will gather again and go down the main street. " the smith finished describing his plan. Most of the couples formed instantly, but the trouble was, that nopony wanted to be in pair with Metal Chord or Dagger. When Arcane Bliss asked them why wouldn't they form a couple, Dagger replied with the following words:

" You cannot expect from me to be efficient when I have such an idiot for a partner. "

Said with her even voice, that sounded more like a constatation than an insult.

" Your loss. " the unicorn stallion smiled.

The group had to waste further time by drawing straws to determine who would go with Metal Chord. Dash drew the shortest one.

The swordspony threw a glance at her, that made the cyan mare want to punch out his teeth. She would have tried to, if in that moment she didn't see Fluttershy form a pair with Dagger.

' Will you be OK? ' Rainbow Dash asked, only moving her lips. She and Fluttershy had invented this way of communication when they were back in flight school, as fillies.

The pegasus was a bit worried about her friend. The assassin freaked them all out (Hase even went as far as to avoid her after the conversation they had yesterday), so it was no wonder Dash was upset about how Fluttershy would react to being paired with Dagger. However, the yellow mare just smiled and nodded.

At Forge's command, the groups separated. Dash and Metal Chord had one of the longest alternative routes - to follow the town walls to the northern exit. The unicorn smiled as he found out which their route was going to be. That gave him a plenty of time for his endeavour. Just as the duo reached the walls, without having spoken a word to eachother, the stallion spoke:

" Is it true what they say about pegasi? "

" What do you mean? " Rainbow asked.

" You know... " the swordspony used his magic to extend Dash's wing to the legendary... wingboner.

Dash snorted and folded back her wing. She looked at the unicorn with lightning bolts striking in her eyes, and was about to yell at him, until she figured out a much better way to take it back at him.

" Is it true what they say about you unicorns and your horn? "

Metal Chord was surprised. Most mares either fell for what he'd said (since they knew wo he is), or slapped him across the muzzle (since they didn't know who he is). Nopony had actualy cared to reply. Besides, this mare had actually done so in a very clever way.

" No. " he replied.

" Well, it's the same with the pegasi. " she responded angrily and the silence's reign began again.

The playcolt desperately changed tactics. He knew this would work, since it would hit his victim right in what was most importrant about a mare - her appearance.

" Your mane is beautiful. Can I... "

" No." the cyan mare cut him out. Metal Chord frowned. This did the trick almost always. Anyway, he had a second back- up plan:

" Do you... "

" Will you stop trying to hit on me? " Dash replied with an annoyed voice. This stallion was really starting to get on her nerves.

" Possibly. " the swordspony replied.

The cyan pegasus sighed. This walk was going to turn in the most annoying hour of her life, if she didn't come up with something in this very moment. Luckily, the right thought soon found its way to her mind.

" What if I learn you how to really get mares? If I tell you how to succeed every time? " she tried to seduce him with this offer.

A grin was formed on the blonde unicorn's muzzle.

" Certainly. " he answered her.

Dash sighed from relief.

" We have a deal. " the swordspony spoke.

" The secret of the successfully hitting on mares in exchange of me not hitting on.. you were Rainbow Flash, right?... in particular. "

" It's Rainbow Dash. I accept the deal. " the cyan pegasus noted.

However, she found out there was one major flaw in this plan: she couldn't possibly tell him anything he didn't know. Except those generic love stuff she was sure wouldn't satisfy the playcolt.

" I am waiting. " the stallion spoke.

" Well... I don't really know. Things don't work that way back in my land. It's more like... you know...  " Dash tried to excuse herself.

" I understand you perfectly. " the boastful stallion responded.

" This only confirms the fact, that Metal Chord is the greatest lover of not one, but two worlds! " he triumphantly spread out his sword.

The cyan pegasus rolled eyes.

" You know, we have one like you back in our dimension. " she spoke.

The blonde unicorn smiled:

" But of course! There must be at least one gentlecolt in every world! "

" He isn't a gentlecolt. " Dash giggled as she heard somepony describe the pony she had in mind as a gentlecolt.

" His name is Prince Blueblood. Just like you, he's arrogant, thinks all the mares would simply fall into his hooves and has a touch of narcisism to him. In fact, the only difference between you and him I can think of is that you're better with the sword.

I don't know if this will help you, but he hasn't managed to "score" a single mare yet. My friend Rarity, whose dream he was before they met, now thinks he's just a waste in the royal budget. What does this all tell you? "

" That you are underappreciating this prince? " Metal Chord made a guess.

" No. " Dash replied.

" What I mean to say was, that getting mares your way... won't really have any positive results. "

" If you're implying, that I need to change... " for a moment the cyan mare thought Metal Chord was about to get serious.

" ... you're in for some major dissappointment. Fine. Mares don't want me, I don't want mares! " the unicorn spoke, sounding insulted.

Dash let out a sigh. While the conversation didn't change the boastful stallion's way of thinking in any way, it at least saved the runcinian mares from him.

" Well, you would have gotten a mare if you stayed back in the castle. I'm sure some noble would be looking for a way to get related to the royal family. " she mused out loud.

" That's not the point! Let me explain the whole thing right now, before you get any more confused! " the stallion actually sounded serious this time.

" I've spent my whole foalhood on a battlefield. I was born in a millitary camp and spent my entire foalhood in military camps. All my parents wanted me to do was fight. That was everything I was allowed to do! I wasn't allowed to leave the camp, and even if I was, the West in the middle on the Rebellion war was just an endless battlefield!

The only reason I didn't turn into the mindless moron my father wanted to turn me into were the adventure novels. I had two hours of spare time a day, and I spent them reading books. Mostly novels. I always wanted to be like the main hero: he's charming, has exciting adventures and always gets the mare in the end. This book world was the only means by which I managed to endure my foalhood.

When I was old enough, I thought my father would let me explore the open world. All he did was drag me in a battle, in the last battle of the Rebellion. I knew, that sending a million troops against not more than 10 000 untrained peasants wasn't fair at all. When I tried to even the odds, in order to right the wrong, just like the heroes in my books, my father accused me of treason and disclaimed me. The only thing I get from him is " pocket money " I can get in every town once a month, " so that I don't furtherly disgrace his name " . I hate him! " Metal Chord stomped with his hoof.

" From than on I only had myself. Heroes in my novels were self- confident, and so am I. Heroes in my novels were handsome - and so am I! Heroes in my novels fought for justice - and so do I! I simply can't understand why everypony thinks I am a spoilt foal! I'm trying to do what I believe is right. I know it's not right to kill my father, but... as I said, I hate him. " the stallion concluded.

It was first then Dash realized the swordspony hadn't chosen to become like Prince Blueblood. Not having contact with the real world for a long time, the only idea of normal he had were the heroes in his novels. When he became one, he didn't know how the world would react. It all made sense. If any of those heroes somehow ended up in the real world, he or she would be treated the same way - because of the too high self- esteem and the belief, that the hero can have everything.

Shortly, Metal Chord was trying to be a hero in a world, which had stopped believing in such.

" Ponies don't need the heroes from the novels. " Dash tried to explain what she was thinking.

" They need real heroes, like Forge and Arcane Bliss, who fight for them. They have proved themselves. Untill you do so as well, you'll remain the arrogant spoilt heir everypony thinks you are. "

Metal Chord nodded.

" That's what I'm trying to do. I hope, that when I bring down my father and give the throne back to the former king and queen, or at least their heirs, if there are such, ponies would start respecting me. "

Just as the unicorn was finishing his sentence, Rainbow Dash saw the northern gate and their group, waiting in front of it.