Fading to the Heart

Somewhere in a disclosed location, shadows were looming over an image of a young teenage earth pony stallion with a Sage Green coat and Spring Green unkempt and messy mane with adventure-like clothing similar to that of Daring Do, his idol. "Your Majesty... Are you sure that this err... Colt is another keybearer like us?" An adolescent male voice with sparks of kindness was in the air, talking to another shadow that was beside him. "Yep, that's right Sora! He's not exactly going to be joining us, though. Which is a shame really, he looks really swell to be with." Sora looks over at his majesty King Mickey Mouse. "Really? Why's that, your majesty?" The king looks over at Sora with a sympathetic smile, but chuckles regardless. "Well, you see, I made a promise long ago to Equestrian leader Princess Celestia... That if any one of her subjects became the next keybearer, that said keybearer must stay in Equestria to protect their land, and we must only get involved when things get too hairy." Sora looked a little disappointed, but he nodded. "Cause we shouldn't get too involved, right?" Mickey can only nod at the boy's logical answer. "Correct, whatever happens, this is the one that will be the protector of the 'Elements of Harmony'. But, as I said: We can only get involved in case Xehanort or any other of his subjects makes an appareance." Sora nods and smiles at that. "That makes sense to me, King."

A wise and old looking wizard was in front of them, sitting in a chair, pondering over the new chosen keybearer. "Why a young one such as him to be the next keybearer is beyond me. However, I shall not question it, seeing as you were of that age and you obtained yours, Sora." Sora nods with a proud smile on his face. "Heh." he got serious once more as he looked over the pictures once more. "But still, I wonder how well he'll do, I mean, he doesn't look that strong." Mickey had a smile on his face. "Don't judge a book by it's cover, Sora. That colt's been in many missions and succeeded in every single one of them, instead of his teeth he uses his hooves with weapons, which is an extremely rare occurrence in Equestria." Sora couldn't help but be taken back by this new information. "Whoa, I wish I could meet him." Yen Sid smiled and nodded. "I'm sure within time, you will meet and become good friends soon enough, Sora, but for now, we'll be getting reports from Princess Celestia for every mission he succeeds in with the 'Elements of Harmony'."

Sora being excited was an understatement, he couldn't wait to meet someone new as a friend, and possibly an ally in battle. But until that time... He puts his faith in the strange stallion.

{Song ends}

The colt in question was sleeping in his bed in the most weirdest of ways in comparison to his friends and relatives, he was on his back with hooves completely spread into separate corners of the bed like an otherworldly human he was snoring though, mostly due to the long day he had yesterday, living alone had it's advantages like well, being alone. But it also had many disadvantages... Like being alone. The young colt turned and shuffled in his sleep as he felt the rays of Celestia's sun flashing onto his face, which irritates him to no end, he swears that Celestia is a major prankster at heart, which did suck for him since he wanted precious sleep, and without it he could probably perish during a mission and that's a NO GO. "Ugh, five more minutes, Celestia? Please?" he said in a whiny voice, he could of swore the rays got a lot brighter. "Ahh! Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I'm up!" he said as he stumbled and tripped over the bed. "Ack!" he manages to scream out before he hits the inevitable force that is the floor, getting a good look at his cutie mark was a blue swirl of dreams, which in itself was a bit of a mystery, he lets out a brief 'oof!' as he lands face first, flank in the air. "Hnnngh, why me...?" he said as his voice muffled from the ground, he opens his eyes, getting up, feeling dazed from the abrupt sunlight, showing his cat-like blue eyes. "Whoa... I'm seeing colours." he said trying to regain his vision.

As he shook his head violently to regain his peripherals, he heard a knock on his door with a familiar country mare shouting the door down. "MASH! GET YER' LAZY FLANK OUT HERE!" Mash shivered as he was hearing the mare shout from opposite the door, knowing who exactly that is, he swallows his pride and went to opening the door, and as he opened it, he positions himself and tries to look cool. "Oh, hey AJ, how's the fam--" he was interrupted by a hoof to his lips, like a whack to the jaw, he lands on his back, moaning in pain as he struggles to rub his lips from the impact of her hooves, she had one heck of a jab, Mash decided to let her speak. "Ah'm asking the questions here, hotshot, I thought we had a deal?" Mash couldn't be anymore confused as he . "Wha--? Yeah, we did, so what did I do wrong?" he said as Applejack was really not happy. "You KNOW what ya'll did, you no good rattlesnake! You stole mah apples last night, didn't ya?" She said with brutal honesty in her words, yet Mash never really did anything of the sort, wait... did he? "But, I didn't though, I was away on important business, REMEMBERRR~? I JUST got back from said business." he said with annoyance and grogginess in his tone. "And besides, I'm an honest pony like you, AJ, I'd of bought the apples instead of stealing them!"

Applejack quirked an eyebrow as she looks over him a bit. "Well, you don't seem to be lying." Mash sighs. "Of course I'm not, I love your apple pies, AJ, but jeez! I'd never resort to stealing..." he then looks down. "Though, if you really want to JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T TRUST ME, you can help yourself to a couple of my potatoes and we'll call it even, how's that seem?" Applejack shook her head. "No thanks, hey, listen... Ah'm sorry, Mash, Ah just... For some reason, someone's been stealing apples during the night and we're all tryin' to figure out who, mah mind's been racing around since this new pony is going to be doing preparations for the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration." Mash had a bit of an idea, since they lived near each other, while different farms, it was technically a shared farmland between the two, even called himself a family with the apples. "Well, want me to look after your orchard during the night? I mean, I don't mind doing night shifts."

Applejack thinks on this. "Ah'll think about it, Mash." She then looks at Mash once more. "Ya'll look like you've been wrestling a rattlesnake, so what happened over at that there meetin'?" Mash didn't want her to know about his affiliation with the Dreamcatchers, and she could tell a lie's been told, so it's best to tell her half truths. "Uhm, Traveling distances, Potatoes, you know, that usual hoo-haw." He said so casually, making it not seem like a big deal. Applejack however, wasn't convinced. "Ya'll sure about that? That's EXACTLY what you said last time, but you brought that wooden sword of yours with you. If THAT is traveling distances and potatoes, I highly doubt that, it seems MUCH more than that and I KNOW SO." Mash gulped as he only had one word to say for himself in a situation like this... Busted...

But despite being a rough mare, she did have heart, she sighs and left it at that. "Fine, if ya don't wanna tell me, Ah guess that's okay, but honestly Mash, you REALLY need to be honest with me if we're gonna be living in the same land, Ah'd hate to get that info out of that fine-- err, Ah mean lazy flank of yours." Applejack smirked as she was hoping to tease Mash with that purposefully mixture of words, Mash caught it, but unluckily for him, he was a bit naive in terms of what she meant, so he left it at that. "Uhm, okay... I promise AJ..." he said feeling sorry for himself as he kicked his floor lightly, Applejack sighs a bit and looks at him. "Well, I best get some things ready, oh, and remember: Ya'll're the guide, Mash. Don't mess it up, she's gonna be coming from Canterlot, so ya'll better be on your BEST behaviour."

Mash scowls as he heard that she was from Canterlot. "I hope this pony I'm guiding isn't snobby, I can't deal with that today." Applejack smiles and winks. "Notta worry, Mash, Ah'm sure you'll warm up to him.. Or.. Her." she said a bit confused. "In either case, just guide him or her to Sweet Apple Acres and we'll show her how much hospitality Ponyville has!" she said in a cheery tone. "Yee-haw! See ya later, Mash!" she said as she got into an excitement high, which was very common in Applejack. {Song End!} Mash smiled and went back inside. "She'll arrive soon, I have a few minutes to get ready..." he says to no one in particular, he ran up to his dresser and opens it with his front hooves, he spots his adventure outfit that was in a tanned colour, something similar to what his favourite idol had: Daring Do. Mash wells up with joyful tears as he gets his clothing on, but for some odd reason, Mash couldn't help but feel glorious today, as he zips up his outfit, he smirks to himself, having the feel of the snug cloth on his saged fur.

"Ah, the luck and boldness of Daring Do... Mom, dad... Where ever you are, I hope you're smiling, watching me." he said as he stands up on his hind hooves with loving pride, which of itself was an extremely rare trait in ponies nowadays, but thanks to his superiority in balance, Mash can maneuver much easily than normal, of course the town ponies think of him as a weird one, but they don't judge on how he walks as long as he means no trouble, plus he thinks he looks cooler and it gives him a bit of attention. "Alright, time to meet up with the snobby pony." he said as he got back on 4 hooves, he didn't want to waste any time as he opened the door and start running out in a burst of speed that most earth ponies would be jealous of.

"Since I got no more missions for this week, I guess I have a lot of free time on my hooves!" he said happily as he kept running. "LET'S GO!"

{Song End!}