Different shades of red

Well, that was a fairly long first chapter.
For anyone that previously read The Crimson Dawn, you'll know that I actually cut this off sooner than I cut that off.
This was partly because I didn't want to breach a five digit word count, as I didn't in the original, but mostly because I felt that was a good place to cut it off, and was a good point to continue from.
Speaking of word counts, it occurs to me that this story is rather long (this chapter in particular), the reason for this is, simply put, I love reading fan fictions, and I hate it when they finish.
So this way, I can give like-minded people more to read before the dredging wait to the next chapter!
Yes, all two of you interested in my story have more of it to read!
Anyway, I'm enjoying re-writing this immensely, and will be trying to write them as soon as possible!
So, chapter 2, go!

"Ponyville."

"Ponyville?"

"Yeah, that much of a surprise?"

"Well...Yeah." I replied, still wide-eyed at the mission. I had fought beasts around Ponyville before, the Everfree forest bordered some of it, but...just going there?....Why? "And I'm not fighting anything there?"

"Hopefully not." Luna really wasn't giving me much to work with, and judging by the slight upturn at the corners of her lips, she was enjoying it.

"Hopefully?" My mind tried to make sense of why I was going as I cantered out of the double doors onto Luna's balcony. Killing beasts was kind of my, no, OUR thing....If she wasn't divulging the details, there obviously wasn't much of a threat...So if this was merely scout duty, why not send a royal guard? The doors can hold themselves open, they're mostly magic.

"Yes, hopefully....Hopefully NOT.....So don't go looking for trouble." She stepped onto the sun-beaten balcony beside me, and simply stood, and stared, stared at the centerpiece of the glorious view. My destination, sitting between enormous giants of stone, winding pathways either striking through them or circling around to eventually converge upon it, Ponyville.

The strong gusts of wind at the mountainside altitude blew my mane, causing my hair to flicker across my face. Narrowing my eyes, finding myself no closer to having a clue, I gave in, accepting my defeat and going straight for the elephant in the room. "...Why am I going to Ponyville?"

"I knew you wouldn't get it." Luna chirped happily, rub it in, Princess, rub it in. "You're going to Ponyville to....Defend the elements of harmony!"

I returned to my state of confusion, and to quote my earlier self.

"What?" Back to square one. "....Why? From what?" I took the direct approach this time. Avoid the embarrassment.

"Classified." Luna winked, smiling coyly. Mocking my hatred for denial of information. Of course it would be classified, I was guarding the elements of harmony, that's nothing big, right? "Heh, sorry. It's out of my hooves..."

This rose a level of alert in me. If it was out of a Princesses hooves, then it was big. BIG big. Why was I really guarding them? "You're a Princess. Not even the moon is out of your hooves."

"Ha, I suppose. Alas, this is a whole different subject than the moon." And the worry only rose from there.

"And you're sure this is classified?"

"I'm sure." I had to be completely sure, there's numerous pieces of classified information I've got through my wits, guile and charm in the past.....Okay, so I just pestered or threatened messengers, same outcome.

"Like....Top level classified?" I smirked, letting Luna know I was okay with it. I was never too bad with change, but this was an understandable thing to irk somepony. Being sent away, for who knows how long, for who knows why. It's a toughie.

"Like top level classified." Luna smirked right back, as we both took a couple seconds to stare at Ponyville...I had heard it was the most idyllic, friendly paradise in all of Equestria.....Which was, itself, an idyllic friendly paradise.....A perfect little haven surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, in just the right spot to bathe in the warm glow of Celestia's dazzling sun...It sounded relaxing...Life in the slow lane...I was never one for that....I guess I would see.

"So, Luna...When do I leave?" We turned in unison as Luna swung close the doors to her balcony with but a thought, her beautiful star laden curtains fluttering from the breeze.

"About...five minutes." I saw a flicker of a smile again, if I wasn't mistaken...And I wasn't....She was enjoying this.

"Five minutes, eh? It's nice that you gave me adequate time to get used to the fact that I was going through a complete change environment. As opposed to just shoving me on a carriage and wishing me well. Oh, wait." Luna didn't take kindly to this, or she did, and her joking was a sign of those most mysterious of things, friendship and acceptance....Basically, she made fun of me.

"Nag nag, like a filly." The Princess berated me playfully, magically grasping the door to her quarters and flinging them wide open. "What has my sister been teaching you?"

"Just the basics, but after this I expect she'll be teaching us not to talk to you." I rebuked, I'm like a sponge, except after a certain amount of just soaking up the insults, I fire them back. "Ever." Hard.

Luna reeled back in disgust. "Crimsonlight, I am your Princess and will not be spoken to as such. I resent the idea that my own beloved sister would teach somepony not to speak to me. What do you have to say for yourself?!" .......Well...It seems I've misjudged the situation a bit.

I struggled to go through in my mind what to do, was she one of those ponies that could dish it that couldn't take it? Normally I loved them, because they couldn't take what I dished, but I would have to change my game plan for a Princess. "Um...I'm very sorry...Prin-"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You're too easy, Crimsonlight." What?...The different emotions of relief and shock collided as my confusion only heightened...So...she was messing with me...right?

"I....I.....Touche..." I heaved a heavy sigh of relief, happy I wasn't being banished, but not happy about....well, that. "Goodbye." I smiled at Luna, actually rather sad to leave, Luna was interesting to say the least. Hey, maybe Ponyville would be too? Or maybe it would be a near fatal saccharine overdose of friendship.

"Ha, goodbye Crimsonlight. Have fun." Luna laughed, waving a hoof and re-entering her room, shutting and locking it behind her. Off to do some Princess work...Or just think of new ways to scare the wits out of me, I couldn't be sure.

The walk to the carriage yard was long and boring, as long, boring walks usually were. In fact, I somewhat looked forward to the company of the royal guards, to make fun of them. It was very rare that my urge to annoy outweighed by hatred of being annoyed. This was a fun day.

I arrived at the carriage yard, spying a pair of guards waiting patiently by an empty carriage.

One of them turned his head to look at me, a white pega-....Oh why am I bothering, the armour they wear has magical properties to change their appearance. Just another thing to make them all wonderfully boring. "Hey, hurry up! We don't have all day!"

Scratch that patiently part.

"I'm sorry, doorstops." My greeting to them was about as polite as theirs to me. "Was I keeping you? I was just talking to a Princess."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Just don't be late next time." The same guard continued, his partner taking the wise choice of silence.

I hopped into the back of the carriage as walked their way to the front, latching themselves up, prepared for takeoff. "Well, Luna told me about five minutes ago to be here in five minutes. But if you want to tell her she's most likely open to suggestion about how she should do her job. As the ruler of Equestria. Where you live." Neither of them had an answer for this, they rarely got past the dreaded two sentence mark. And those wh-

"CRIMSON!" Oh come on...

"Who is this?" The guard's said, almost in unison.

"Just wait a second, okay?" I shushed them, somewhat eager to see what Steelhoof wanted, oddly enough.

"No, we're lea-"

"WAIT." I flared my horn, whipping a lightning bolt into the clouds as a warning shot. I'll get told what to do by Princesses, but never the royal guards. "You. What?" I turned back to Steelhoof, leaning over the back of the carriage.

"We just wanted to apologize." Arteus had been hovering above, apparently, as she descended down next to him, surprising me with the sincerity of her words. "After your.....Erm..."

"Fit of rage."

"That." I was helpful. "We realized we had been.....Kind of lazy..." Understatement of the year. "We want to say...." The petite pegasus choked, obviously unwilling to take the next step, finally giving Steelhoof a sharp nudge.

"Sorry." He blurted out, jerking his head up, immediately looking away and lowering his head again, clearly uncomfortable.

"Yeah...I'm sorry too..." Arteus looked down too, scratching at the ground with her hoof....I liked these two. I don't know who they were, but I did know they weren't Steelhoof and Arteus, at least not the two I knew. And that was all I asked.

"Thank you...Your admittance of fau-"

"Can you hurry it up?" He had really bad timing.

"WE ARE HAVING A MOMENT" I screamed in rage as he shied away, all bark, no bite, these royal guards. "......Anyway...Your admittance of fault actually means something....And I admit the fault that I can sometimes be more than a little harsh and over-demanding..." ...Well, all thing considered...I think that went well...I know these types of emotional moments don't involve screaming at a royal guard, but he wouldn't shut his mouth.

"Heh.....Glad you understand..." Arteus gratefully said, sounding like she didn't think I would accept their apology in the first place. The two raised their heads, as Steelhoof seemed taken aback, only just fully noticing the carriage I had been sitting in.

"Hey, where are you going?" Even though we were now...not friends...but not arch nemeses, anymore, I still made note of the slowness of his mind...Hey, I'm not picky. I have a natural dislike for most things.

"Ponyville."

"Ponyville?" He parroted back at me, this was almost beginning to look familiar.

"Ponyville." This...was uncanny....

"Why? Dragons? Manticore?" Pfft, I wish I was fighting a dragon.

"The elements of harmony." I revealed my actual mission objective, however much I wished it was something else. Nevertheless, this seemed to startle Arteus, as she buzzed her wings and fluttered just before me.

"What? Have they turned evil? Good luck, you'll need it! They took down Discord!" I remember Discord....He was annoying. He turned my bed into a hammock. It was fine at first, but it wouldn't stop bouncing me up and down.

"Don't worry, defending. Not fighting them. No, I don't know what I'm defending them from, fun, huh?" I rolled my eyes, running through my mind once more why I was going to protect the elements but not being told from what...Or, I tried to, before my two restless chauffeurs made their presence known and began rocking the carriage hectically.

"Can we get going? We have a schedule, you know!" The previously silent one broke his vow, stomping his hooves in urgency...Right...I was interrupting their lingering and gossip times. How very urgent.

I turned back to Steelhoof and Arteus, perching my head up on my hoof lackadaisically. "Unfortunately, I do too...So I'll be bidding you two farewell."

"Goodbye Crimson." Steelhoof nodded formally, hey, maybe there was hope after all.

"Yeah, goodbye Crimson. Have fun at Ponyville." How could I not? It was a completely peaceful place full of next to no conflict, that sounds like great fun.

"Goodbye." I flopped back in the carriage, planning to get some sleep on the way, otherwise it would be a very boring trip, and this pair of particular guards had already proven themselves boring. "Okay, you couple of whiny nuisances, LIFTOFF!"

I closed my eyes, getting comfortable on the cushions Celestia had so kindly put in the back of every carriage as I heard the two mumble to themselves, the wind already beginning to roll over me pleasantly as we ascended above the clouds, where the sun's unfiltered glory shined down upon me, it made it pretty easy to ignore them. I shut my eyes, knowing it would only be a matter of time before I drifted off....Only a matter of time...

I woke up some time later, the sound of my two minders laughing hysterically stirring me. I ignored them for a moment, slowly rising and surveying my surroundings. We had dipped below the clouds at some point, soaring in the twain of the thick blanket of clouds and a picturesque canopy of leaves below. The sun, now blocked mostly by the clouds, was still casting it's warming light on my carriage which whistles gently through the skies. Pegasi could be seen soaring above Ponyville, performing various tasks, pushing and pulling clouds to and fro to ensure the sustainable of crops or plants.

"Oh, you're awake then? About time." Nameless grunt #1 spoke up angrily as we began to lower for out final descent. You know, to avoid crashing speedily into some pegasi. That was frowned upon.

I gave myself a quick sarcastic once over. "Yeah, looks like it. Wow, nothing gets past you!"

"You think he'd be a bit more appreciative." Nameless grunt #2 spoke up, using a pretty big word for a royal guard, well done. "I mean, we dragged his lazy flank through the skies for the entire journey, and all he does is complain? We should have ditched him in that lake a while back." Him and his comrade shared a hearty laugh over this, I can't say I partook.

"Haha! Can you imagine the way his whines of pain as he hit the surface? Like a filly crying for milk! WAAAAH!" They both began to scream at eachother, mocking me with every insulting shriek. Little did they know I had already begun formulating my plan of vengeance.

"Yeah, right. Like either of you would drop me in a lake." They instantly turned, furrowing their brows to my challenge of their threats.

"Oh yeah? I'd ditch you right now!" #2 barked out in retaliation...You know, I'm getting tired of numbering them.....

"I doubt it." I replied to Stupidhoof. "You'd probably wimp out and catch me." I continued to rhythmically press Stupidhoof's buttons, successfully, judging by the next thing he said.

"I'll drop you right now and won't bother to look back!" That's right, act irrationally due to your anger. Just like I want you too. "I'll unlatch myself. I'll do it!" He hovered his hoof 'threateningly' over the latch connecting him to the carriage, before his buddy, Flankwing stepped in to fill the role of the voice of reason.

"Don't do anything you'll regret, okay buddy?" He spoke softly, slowly moving his hoof from the latch. "We'll get in trouble with the Princess, just ignore him, he's stupid anyway." Must we resort to name calling?

"I...I guess you're right...Yeah, why should I listen to him, right?" He laughed, thinking he had overcome my mind games. Overcome? No, played into more like.

"....Wow....Just when I thought you couldn't get more pathetic you had to get your somepony to think for you. That's sad." Stupidhoof burst into rage, reaching back and instantly unlatching himself as Flankwing looked in on dismay. The thing about the Princesses carriages is that they're under the same spell as the door to Luna's quarters. Nopony can unlatch them unless they are of equal or greater power then the Princesses. But, being the thoughtful ruler she is, Princess Celestia made it so upon the unlatching of one harness, the carriage loses that enchantment, as that was presumed to be an emergency. Little did she know that years later a bored unicorn on an important mission would use this feature to torment his captors.

Basically, what all of this meant. Was goodbye.

My horn glowed red, unlatching the second harness. "Noooo, what have you done you dolt!" Flankwing shouted to no avail as I waved a mischievous hoof, beginning my plummet.

The pair began to argue back and forth as I sparked up my horn and took control of the carriage, gliding it harmlessly through the thick green canopy. I couldn't hear what they said, but it definitely didn't seem nice, and judging by the fact they didn't dive through the canopy after me they had decided upon the 'go home and grovel to the Princesses' option. That one was never fun.

I leveled the carriage, floating into a clearing, still grinning like a foal imagining the dimwits arguing over who should get the blame. I landed the carriage with no trouble, hopping out and surveying the immediate area, remembering the direction of Ponyville. "Well, looks like I have a nice walk ahead of me. Bye Carriage." I lit my horn once more, picking up the carriage and placing it into a nearby bush. It wouldn't be a very good game of hide and seek unless I hid it after all, now would it?

I looked around myself once more, taking a big lung full of fresh air. This place was nothing short of beauteous, the tall trees glimmered with dripping coats of amber sap, which in turn reflected what little of the suns rays made it through the gorgeous green leaves onto one another, forming a magnificent shimmering effect. The tall grass, wet and glistening with dew blew peacefully back and forth in the tranquil breeze that swept through this luscious promised land, that same tranquil breeze rolled teasingly over my entire body, reinvigorating me in it's cradle.

Yep...This was perfect..

I turned around, a smile across my face, and began to slowly trot to my destination....And I mean slowly....If Luna wasn't going to indulge my curiosity then this couldn't be that bad....right?...A nice, calming walk couldn't hurt. And with the recent apologetic faces of Steelhoof and Arteus coupled with the worried faces of Stupidhoof and Flankwing playing freshly in my mind. I couldn't really get much more soothed than this.

I walked straight ahead, into the midst of the forest, ignoring the nearby dirt path that no doubt lead to Ponyville, more than happy to cut straight through the beautiful forest as I marveled at the sights around me, bathing in the soft gusts of wind still caressing my body. I wasn't used to such beauty, I had been out of Canterlot plenty of times before, but never to this capacity. I was much more likely in some dark cave dripping with cold water, or some vast empty and painfully dull canyon. In fact, I was more likely to have burnt down a place such as this in my past expeditions than appreciate it, and after seeing this up close, that just didn't seem right.

My casual walk, even though I was uncharacteristically quiet, seemed to disturb the local wildlife. , congregating merrily around my hooves or flocking around me. Seeming to be completely fine with not only revealing themselves to an unknown pony in their homes, but even going out of their way to garner that unknown pony's attention...

The little critters, inadvertently, told me a lot about the citizens of Ponyville.

If they were so quick to group up around me, and in some cases, much to my annoyance, perch atop, then that meant the only ponies they had seen in the past had been caring, maybe even having something to offer them in response of their loving demeanour. The only nearby settlement of ponies was, of course, Ponyville. That led me to believe that the Ponyvillians not only frequented this splendid little haven, but were very kind towards, maybe even fostered some of it's inhabitants.

This was all well and good, and I expected nothing less than near-constant blissful joy from a village of ponies who got to live near this wondrous scenery, free from many of life's worries.....But I'd be darned if the constant assault of furry critters wasn't getting on my nerves.

So it was much to my relief, after a lengthy minute or so of begrudgingly being their climbing frame, that the critters adorning me dispersed. Oddly all shooting off in the same direction. Which was very odd for woodland animals, they showed no signs of fear or contempt towards me, they simply all jumped off of me, mobilized from around me and....left...

This piqued my interests, and unearthed an urge to investigate...But should I?....I was on a mission.....Then again, it was a mission in which I had already performed grand theft carriage. What could it hurt?

I trundled on-wards, following a path through the thick bushes my furry friends formerly funneled through.....It hurt to just think that...Quickly becoming aware that it was not what they saw, or heard, but something they smelt. A warm, delightful aroma wafted up my nostrils, the animals that were enclosing me must have smelt it as strongly as I was smelling it now, even from that distance. Curse them and their spiffy sniffers.......I hate accidental tongue twisters.

The tantalizing aroma became more intense as the sound of happy squeaks and chirps became more audible as I pushed through the last of the thick layer of leaves and branches, revealing a small clearing where all of the creatures had formed around a new pony. One bearing treats.

"Oh! Sorry, I...uh....I didn't see you coming...." The diminutive yellow pony shied away from me, hiding behind a combination of her shining pink hair and her woodland friends....So I was right about the Ponies of Ponyville being kind towards the animals....Well, that or she's a crazy forest pony.

"Uhm....It's fine..." What was she sorry for, again? "I just followed where they went...Guess that led me here.....to you.." The pony chose not to reply, instead to cower away with a small, barely audible whimper, leaving a fairly long and fairly awkward pause, in which I was forced to rely on my limited social skills.

"So....What's your name?" Yep, smooth as ever.

"My name is...Flutters-" I blinked in confusion as I couldn't even make out the rest of what the quiet pegasus was making. I did notice her cutie mark though, three butterflies. It would seem she was a good deal more comfortable with the animals.

"Sorry, I didn't quite get that...What's your name?" I pressed again, fearing that I would break her paper thin resolve. That's a great start to a mission, grand theft carriage, wandering aimlessly into the woods and causing a pony to cry...or being attacked by a pony who suckered me in with the scared little mare shtick....Need to keep my guard up.

"My name's Flutters...." Again, her timid nature got the best of her, receding back again. Flutters? What could even follow that? Flutterswoop? Flutterswish? Flutterscared?......That was it, that was most definitely it.

Sometimes, for better or worse, more likely worse, you just have to ditch the soft approach. For better or worse, probably worse. "Okay, seriously. I'm not going to bite. You're not a dragon, are you?" She swiftly shook her head defensively. "Good, that's good. I'm Crimsonlight. I'm headed to Ponyville. Now please, speak up. Just because I'm not taking the gentlest approach doesn't mean I'm going to zap you with a bolt of lightning." I chuckled, attempting to lighten the situation by assuring her that I definitely wasn't going to murder her.

"You can....zap me?...." Oh for the love of....Should have seen that coming...

"I said I wouldn't!" I raised my voice slightly, resulting in her looking like she was about to shatter. Okay, soften the tone, be a good pony. I slowly walked forward, ready to reassure her with whatever...problems she was having.

"I promise I won't. Now please...what's your name?...I'm Crimsonlight. It's nice to meet you." I smiled softly, extending a hoof. Hoping she would respond to this approach.

She smiled back, seeming to get a tad more comfortable when I stopped talking about electrocuting her. Reasonable. "I'm Fluttershy..." FlutterSHY? Darn it. "It's nice to meet you too." The timorous one gently shook my hoof, still very cautious about the situation, but settling into it, which actually made me feel better. Her timid nature and my socially awkward nature meant we were both uncomfortable in the current situation. So, I guess we were both learning!

Another uncomfortable silence.

This time, thankfully, broken thanks to an unexpected source.

A cute, brown flying squirrel scampered up to me, reaching out to give me one of the animal treats Fluttershy had in her satchel. "Oh! I think she likes you!" The yellow pegasus smiled, stepping forward, as did the gift-bearing bundle of joy.

Whilst I wasn't too keen on eating animal food, I didn't want to turn it down, especially since my present company seemed to be something of an animal enthusiast. And that's putting it mildly. "Heh....Thanks....Squirrel...." Lighting up my horn, I grasped the treat, bringing it up into the air. She held onto it tight, being dragged into the air with it, seeming amazed at her sudden development of flight for a few seconds of awe before losing his grip and falling the meager distance down to earth with a squeak.

"Awww, are you okay little friend?" Fluttershy knelt down, patting her on the head, handing over another treat. "While you may want to share you need to eat some too, okay?" She chirped happily, nibbling on the treat, looking at me, instructing me silently to follow suit.

"You know, I really must be heading to Pon-" My excuses were met with a swift kick to the leg from the overly demanding squirrel. "Fine fine, I'll eat it. No need to be like that" I bolstered my resolution with a plan. The plan was, the quicker it goes down, the less of it I can taste. That makes complete sense, no way it would fail.

It didn't work that way.

I immediately coughed it up, frantically spitting out any remnants of the rancid treat and wiping my tongue down with my hooves as everypony....and woodland animal nearby erupted into a cacophony of laughter at my misfortune. Crimsonlight, Blade of Luna, sassed by a squirrel.

"Fluttershy?! Why didn't you tell me?" I choked out through breaths as I furiously scraped the awful taste off of my tongue, which I feared may never be the same.

A hoof rose to her mouth as she giggled at the debacle. "Haha, I'm sorry Crimsonlight, I didn't know. They're only for the animals." She said, with a hint of her own sass. Could we all just stop sassing me?

"Well, just in case you were wondering. They taste bad." Tempting as it was to lick the grass, I fought off temptation. Though it did look very green....Probably taste-No. No licking the grass.

"So....uhm...You said you were headed to Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked as I returned to normality. Never taking candy from a strange animal again.

"Yeah, so? You live there, I presume?" Stepping forward, the same brown squirrel hopped up on my back. Apparently taking a personal like towards the pony she tried to poison. I give this 20 minutes, or until she tries to poison me again.

"Yes, I was just going to my friend Twilight's house after seeing my friends." She lifted the sack up, giving it a couple quick shakes, confirming it's emptiness. "You could come with me, my friend Twilight is very smart. She could help you find your way in town. But...you know....only if you wanted to..." She spoke up, backing away and becoming noticeably more introverted after the proposition. I suppose she became drained after making any form of social advance, retreating back into her shell, so to speak, possibly for fear of being turned down?

My lazy psycho-analysis aside, this was a fairly generous offer. If her friend Twilight was, as she claimed, very smart, she would no doubt be able to help me find the elements of harmony in what I understood was a small, tightly knit town. And if worse comes to worse, then I lose nothing and the walk becomes slightly less lonely as I have somepony to talk to....I was unknown whether she would actually talk, but the point is valid.

"Sure, Fluttershy. I'd be happy to." She faintly smiled, seeming happy to have company for the trip. I scanned the area, as my as of yet nameless squirrel friend, much to my vexation clambered atop my head, acting as an unneeded lookout. Noting the bushes I entered the small clearing from, I remembered the way I was heading and began that way. "So, this is the fastest way. Right?" I figured a little help from the professional, who actually lived in Ponyville couldn't hurt.

Fluttershy knelt down to the animals, adopting a loving, motherly tone...More so than usual. "Okay, little friends. I have to go now, I'll see you again soon. Okay?" The myriad of critters said their goodbyes in a symphony of squeaks and quickly departed. All expect for a white bunny, who stayed by her side the entire time, and, of course, my new best friend.

"Yes...That's the way to Ponyville. But my friend's house is on the outskirts of town. She has a lot of books, she could help you find your way" Books? This would be useful. The elements have kind of shaken things up, no doubt there would be abundant information on them in their home town. "We can take a faster way, if that's okay with you."

"It's fine, lead on." Flapping her wings cautiously, the unstable mare lifted herself cautiously into the air as her bunny friend abandoned ship. Fluttershy looked like an awfully uncomfortable flier for a pegasus, her wings weren't flapping with the vehemence I had seen from most pegasi. She ascended past the treeline, looking back and forth for a few seconds, eventually settling on a direction and landing with the careful grace of a ballerina.

"Okay...Uhm, follow me.." Smiling awkwardly, still apparently quite uncomfortable, Fluttershy walked ahead, carefully trading through the bushes as I followed behind. I pondered whether I should have more of a sense of urgency in me or not. I had wasted a tremendous amount of time on a mission I wasn't completely sure the importance of.....Whatever...My cover story is that the two guards crashed and Fluttershy was being attacked...By this squirrel.

The timid mare shifted her gaze to my furry flank ornament. "So...have you thought of a name for her yet?" The delightful little scamp took part by tapping her feet impatiently on my back.

"Haven't paid it any thought. I'm not the best at naming though, so I guess i'm kind of sparing her from whatever horrible title I could ever dream up." The squirrel in question seemingly wanted to be named, as she sprung from my back to the the top of my head, viciously pounding the top of my head with tiny balled paws....As viciously as a squirrel can.

"I think she wants a name." Fluttershy, ambassador of the obvious, to the rescue once more. Honestly, all pounding on my head was going to achieve was losing the already very unlikely riding privileges for my bushy tailed nemesis.

"If you don't stop hitting me on the head we're going to test just how well squirrels can fly." My empty threats seemed to be rather counter-productive, as she used wisps of my mane to rappel down my face and proceed to give me a squeaky lecture. I knew I should have taken squirrel back at Coltergarden.

Fluttershy took it upon herself to defuse the situation, staring intently at the antagonistic little thing, trying to decode the perfect name. "Angel, do you have any ideas boy?" The white bunny, now known as Angel who was lounging on her back shrugged his shoulders in indifference. Now that's my type of pet. "Okay....How about...Alice?" She didn't care for this name, turning her nose up at it. "Oh...What about Jasmine?" This name got the same dismissive treatment from the increasingly picky squirrel. Fluttershy looked flustered, her nature leaving her feeling put in the hot seat, it seems this squirrel had dominion over both of us.

"Oh, okay...Erm...How...How about-"

"Felicity." I said, as less of a suggestion and more of a statement. Not 'Your name could be Felicity.', but 'Your name is Felicity, deal with it.' I'm a very caring pet owner.

"Felicity? ....That name's pretty...." Fluttershy mused, bringing a hoof to her chin. "How about it girl? Do you like Felicity?"

I'm not sure whether the following happened because 'Felicity' had developed something of a spontaneous, innate bond with me that I was of yet not savvy to, or because the name Felicity was just an amazing name, which it was. But Felicity, in a fine showing of acrobatics, dove off of my back, grabbing a surprised Fluttershy's long, pink hair, swinging to one side with it, before, using the laws of momentum, which I didn't even know squirrels understood, swinging all the way back, leaping off and gliding onto my head.

"That was....impressive...You like Felicity, then?" My answer came in the form of a gentle stroke on the top of the head....Wait, who was the pet again?

"I guess she does..." She snickered, taking note of my pet's excellent acrobatic skills. I've got to say, if she keeps doing that, I might actually come to terms with being her bed.. "So....What do you do for a living? You only told me you were going to Ponyville, you never mentioned why."

I was ready to rear up on my front hooves, chest swelling with pride, mouth carelessly spurting out things I would come to regret, but I managed to reign in my own big headed urge to brag and saved the Princesses a whole lot of hassle. Ponyville's a small town and all, but the odds of THIS pony being an element of harmony? She could barely even speak.

I ran through my mind for possible excuses, most of them were nonsensical, as my mind evidently felt like betraying me. Fashion designer? Me? Yeah, right. I'm nowhere near dramatic enough. Artist? Eh, same reason as the fashion designer. Travelling quill salesman? That's just silly, but where are my wares? What kind of travelling quill salesman goes to Ponyville and doesn't take his quills? Bodyguard? ....That may work...I could spice it up, make it more specific and believable. I'm a special branch of bodyguard, that deals with threats that nopony else ca-.....Wait, I know where I'm going with this....Bodyguard it is.

"Well, I'm a bodyguard. But I'm just going there for a vacation....I heard it was...uh....nice this time of year." I was unsure whether this was convincing, in spite of the face that my lies were usually very convincing, but I doubt it had to be. She would probably just accept it as truth because of how polite she was.

"Oh it is, it's full of nice ponies, and the woods around it! Well, you already know about that. Oh, and the food is delicious! And, and..." Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt, becoming suddenly aware of her unprecedented bout of talking, quickly shifting to her usual bashful self, and shifting the subject along with her. "So....you're a bodyguard? To what? Fashion designers? My friend Rarity is a fashion designer. Maybe you could guard her...if you stay?....."

And then she started pressing. "Erm....Maybe....I don't know, I have pretty good business in Canterlot...." I'm always good with the initial lies, it's when they start pressing that I sometimes run into problems.

"Rarity's been there! Maybe you guarded her whilst she was there?" Wait...Rarity? Rarity Belle? Yeah, she made a pretty large impact, from what I understand. Kind of rocketed to Canterlot's upper class. Not that that's what I preoccupy myself with, pointless gossip. But living in the palace....you overhear a lot of things...For example, Fancy Pants' top hat? Store brought, not tailor made. What now?

"Yeah, I think I have heard of her actually...Never met her though..." I struggled, wracking my brain to ditch the subject. I expected one white lie and home free, not to have to think up a novel on the spot. I was pretty desperate, so it was fortunate that I saw something rather unusual to inquire about.

"Hold on...What is that? Is it a tree or a house?" As odd as that question was, it wasn't complete gibberish. There was a tree in sight, well, we appeared to be walking towards it. But it wasn't a tree, it was a house......Oh Celestia no, I was wrong. Fluttershy, if that's even her name, IS a crazy forest pony and this is where the crazy forest ponies live. Horn at the ready, Crimson. You've trained for this.

"A tree house, it's where Twilight lives." Oh...That's...reasonable...Either way...It seemed to calm my inner anxiety and stop the nervous twitching of my eyes.

As we approached, more than one question came to mind. I just decided to go straight for the elephant in the room. "A tree house?....But that's where little fillies hang out. Why does a 'very smart pony' live in a tree house?...Are we in Ponyville?"

"Uhm....Yes?...." Even the ever painfully polite Fluttershy had to raise an eyebrow to that silly question. Still, you can't blame me. I mean, seriously. A tree house?

"....Okay....Fair enough..." I sighed in relief as Fluttershy knocked daintily on the door. The pitter patter of hoofsteps could be heard on the other side and the faint lavender illumination of a unicorn's magic at work could be seen under the door. All that said, whoever lived here had one hay of a sense of hearing to hear a Flutterknock.

A hurried voice called out from the other side, as the scrambling, erratic footsteps drew closer. "Coming, Fluttersh- Put that down!" Was she fillysitting? The same lavender I saw flaring up under the doorway encased the door, flinging it open, revealing a smiling, purple unicorn.

"Fluttershy, hello! I see you brought a friend! I'm Twilight Sparkle! It's nice to meet you! What's your name?" She extended a hoof of friendship, which I momentarily ignored. Not out of rudeness, but I had noticed something.

It may have been the bookshelves. It may have been the books placed in them. But I recognized this place as a library, THE library. The Ponyville library. The same Ponyville library the princess's understudy was staying at, the same Princess's understudy that was the element of magic.

Nice to meet you too, Twilight Sparkle.

"My name is Crimsonlight, it's nice to meet yo-" As I was introducing myself, I was interrupted, and a little bit of sense was made. The hectic nature of her footsteps, the slight worry in her voice, her order to 'put that down!'.

She WAS fillysitting.

A very uniquely haired, cyan pegasus floated into shot behind Twilight, noticing me and looking a tad confused. "Fluttershy, who's your friend?"

"As I was saying I'm Cri-"

"And who's the pony below her!" The mystery mare, along with Fluttershy and Twilight laughed at my expense. Come on, it wasn't even that funny. Have it your way.

I glanced quickly at my blank hoof, smiling deviously. "I'll give you five...Yeah, five's a good number. Five seconds to take that back." Her brow furrowed in annoyance and confusion, as she looked as though she was trying to figure out my angle. Whatever she thought my angle was, she didn't like it.

"What? Take it back? Who are you?" Her question was greeted with a pretty obvious answer.

"4."

"Okay, seriously, the jig is up. Who are you?" She pressed, becoming visibly more perturbed, trying to bargain with me now. An admirable effort, but we were already locked on course.

I scratched my chin, feigning thought to give her false hope before rolling my eyes and giving her yet another predictable answer. "Hmmmm....3."

"Crimsonlight?" Fluttershy whispered from beside me. "Did you...Did you lie to me?" She looked betrayed, and rightly so, whilst I hadn't lied I hadn't been entirely truthful. And I was teasing her friend with that fact. It even almost threw me to see her like that, a look of disbelief in her eyes, disbelief that a stranger would lie so willingly. I didn't like to lie to ponies, not when it wasn't for my own amusement, much less when it was such a fragile innocent as Fluttershy. But it was fine, 3 seconds left, and counting!

Still, I hadn't completely lied to her...I was a bodyguard in a sense. "Erm...It's sketchy, don't worry. Only 3 seconds to go!" I smiled reassuringly, or at least as close as I could to reassuringly, to put her mind at ease. The nameless pegasus? Not so at ease.

"I've had just about enough of your games. Just who are you?" She landed next to Twilight, narrowing her eyes in frustration. This one was pretty quick to jump to anger, we were obviously destined to become fast friends.

"Surely you can wait for another..." I chanced a fast peek at my bare hoof, only quick though, I dare not think what would happen should I take my eyes off this one for more than a split second. "2 Seconds."

Twilight, who had been graciously silent about a complete stranger showing up on her doorstep and provoking her friend decided to speak up. "Okay, that's enough." The element of magic begun sternly. "Crimsonlight, who are you? You've lied to one of my friends, now you're here messing with another? Is there a reason behind you coming here? Were you sent by somepony for some special reason?" If only you knew, and you will!

"Fair enough....1." I giggled, immature, I know, but I couldn't help that one. "...But first...You're the element of magic, Twilight...You two?..."

"Why does that matter?" Twilight asked, confused as to why their status as elements would come into this.

"It just is...Are all three of you elements of harmony?" I asked again, despite her quiet nature, I wasn't even okay with telling Fluttershy should she turn out not to be an element, much less this loud mouthed pegasus.

"Yes." She responded sharply, obviously very curious to see the method behind the madness at this point.

I felt relieved that they were elements, if all of that buildup went down the drain because one of them wasn't an element, I would have felt, and looked quite silly. "Okay...Don't tell ANYPONY else, okay? I'm only telling you all this because you're the elements of harmony, nopony else but us and the Princesses have known this before...Okay?" Twilight leaned forward even more, looking insatiably curious, on tenterhooks about what I was about to tell her. She vigorously nodded my head as I took a deep breath.

"I'm here to guard you." Just kidding.

"Th....That's it?....Nothing....That's it?" She looked incredibly deflated, yeah, as if I was going to give away the existence of an order thousands of years old without the Princesses consent. That's just silly.

"Yeah...That's pretty much it." She lowered her head in defeat. Take that! Unassuming innocent! Fluttershy just seemed relieved, I guess to find out I wasn't really lying after all. The blue hothead? Not being so graceful.

Her face morphed into one of slight annoyance at my presence, to great annoyance...still at my presence. "Why I oughta!" She crouched down, quickly pouncing forth at me, flapping her wings a couple times for extra speed, dead set on the goal of tackling me to the ground. Not quite what I had in mind.

My horn glowed red, lightning shot back and forth across the surface of my body, Felicity jumped from my back, madly scrambling into the house in shock as I activated my lightning aura. Zipping forward past Twilight, I came to a precise halt in the middle of Twilight's library, my would be aggressor came to a tumbling crash next to Fluttershy.

She quickly picked herself up, angry at the notion of being outdone. "How did you do that?!" She screamed in outrage, her ire reaching new levels. Though I doubt she would be pouncing at me again anytime soon.

"It's a neat trick, right?" I smiled mischievously, serving to gall her even more. The pegasi pair walked inside, Twilight magically shutting the door behind them. The element of magic then began to walk towards me, no doubt unimpressed by my little act.

"Hi! My name is Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you, Crimsonlight!" She smiled cheerily, extending her hoof. Well, that was unexpected.

"Haven't...Haven't we done this?" I grabbed her hoof, shaking it, quickly glancing to the pair behind her. They were just as confused as I am. Lovely.

"Yes. But that didn't go too well, so I'm doing it again. But this time, I will say I don't appreciate you provoking my friend, Rainbow Dash. Even if her joke was rude, it was just that. A joke. So I think you owe her an apology." Well well, Miss Sparkle. I can see why the Princess chose you, the tone, the choice of words, no time wasted, to the point, the way you said them, motherly and authoritative, all not just reminiscent of the Princess, downright mirroring her. Fair enough, I see your point, I'm colt enough to swallow my pride.

She had also granted me the ability to put a name to a face that was almost perpetually scowling at me. "Okay...Rainbow Dash...I apologize." The once aggravated face immediately bobbed out a teasing tongue, ready to rub my face in it.

"Rainbow, be gracious." Rainbow's tongue retreated back past her lips as Twilight turned her tone in her direction, I liked it even better when I wasn't the one getting the tongue lashing! "Now that we're past that...I have some questions." She showed her curious side once more, being the Princesses protege she no doubt had a ravenous lust for knowledge. Which was fine, I admired it, even, and I was happy to oblige. As long as she didn't ask about what I thought she was about to ask about.

"What are you guarding us from?" That.

I sighed deeply, that question that had been on my mind too. "I have no idea. Luna gave me the orders, I say orders. Blind direction."

"...Oh...Okay then....That's odd." Couldn't agree more, Miss Sparkle. "One more....What was that....Thing you did? When you dodged Rainbow?"

"Oh, you mean when he cheated?!" The blue mare spat out pettily, cheated at what? Life? I had bent reality itself at my whimsy just to dodge a tackle from a stranger? Sure, why not?

I scoffed at that notion, if only. "It's a unique ability." I didn't know if anypony else could pull it off, and I hadn't went out and shook the hooves of everypony in Equestria quite yet, but I hadn't seen any other unicorns do anything even close to it, so why not take the chance to graciously toot my own horn?

"It allows me to accelerate to great speeds, and shields me from a degree of harm. It works like a cushion, I can still get cut just the same, but any kinetic impacts are lessened." I spared no detail, mainly because she had actually gotten a quill and notepad. I might be in a book!

"Very...very interesting....So....the lightning you cover yourself in and leave trailing behind you, is it?..."

"Purely residual. No harm to the touch." She happily writ up a few more lines and stowed her notepad somewhere safe. Not even one page on her notepad?....Oh well, every book starts small...

She looked back at me, seeming to study me. I was interesting, I know, but lets keep it strictly business. "Okay...Well, I've got some stuff to do! Can I trust you all to get along now?" Her question was met with a sharp not from Fluttershy and a pair of lazy, barely compliant ones from me and Rainbow Dash. Perish the thought we have things in common. "Okay...Well...I'll see you all later. Call if you need me!"

And with Twilight's departure, came the departure of all conversation. Leaving the air in the room tense. The silence hung for a brief few seconds, before I decided to pony up and speak the first words.

I turned my eyes to the pony who I'd met in the forest, and in the running for my longest friend to date. "So, Fluttershy....Sorry for lying, I didn't know if you were an element oh harmony....We're cool, right?" I walked towards the pair, Angel hopping off of Fluttershy's back, scurrying away, probably in search of my missing squirrel, Felicity.

"Yeah....We're cool." She smiled back at me, keeping it short and sweet. I doubt I would have such luck with the other one.

"And how about us...We friends?" Obviously I didn't really want a yes, anything more than an indifferent nod would be too much.

"I guess." Yeah, too much , but it'll do. "But...one thing..." Oh boy, what gem did she have for me now?

"I don't think I even want to know." I rolled my eyes, Rainbow falling once more into a pout. "Fine, fine...What is it?"

"You're not faster than me." That's it? No conditions, no anger, just a statement. An incorrect statement, but a statement. Okay, that could have gone a lot worse.

Judging from seeing her speed earlier, though, it would have been close. I had a distinct advantage in that environment of reaching top spear near immediately, but over a prolonged race...Tough to call, she's no Arteus, but she's definitely got some speed. But still, telling her that would give her confidence, confidence she could rub my face in, so there was only one answer.

"Nope."

"What do you mean 'nope'?!" She jumped onto all four hooves, looking ready to prove herself by tearing around Twilight's library. "I'll race you right now, let's go!" Why did I have to jinx it?

"I'm kind of on duty. Guarding YOU." This wasn't enough for her, she flapped her wings, taking herself into the air. Curse my talent.

She didn't look ready to back down. Ever. "Come on, you scared?" ....Calling my guts into this? You have my attention.

"Dragons don't scare me, why would you?" I stepped up to the mark, coming inches from her face, Fluttershy cowering away. Twilight might be getting called. "Y'know what? I will race you." She reared back to hoof pump, sheathe that hoof, my friend. "Not now...I'm still on duty. Some day, I'll prove that I'm faster than you. Just be ready."

I extended my hoof to her, hoping she would shake it if for no other reason to end this nonsense. "....Deal." We locked eyes, Rainbow grabbing my hoof....Wait, did we just develop a competitive respect for one another? Darn it! This better not be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Rainbow smiled at me in what may have been respect, and oddly enough, I began to settle into this environment. Kind of. And in theme with the rest of the day, just as some footing was found, a wild card was thrown in! Three quick knocks came to Twilight's front door.

"Oh, who could that be?" Fluttershy delicately flapped her wings, floating over to the doorway, grabbing the handle and welcoming a friend inside. "Oh, hello Applejack!"

"Hey there, Fluttershy!" The orange mare spoke up with a strong accent, Mareissippian if I'm not incorrect. She was an earth pony, not surprising, most ponies with direct ties to that part of Equestria are earth ponies, as most of that part of Equestria are earth ponies. Either way, she turned her attention to me, the foreign object in the room. "Oh, sorry, ah didn't see ya there! Who're you?"

"Crimsonlight, it's a pleasure." I nodded my head, a scarce 24 hours and I went from bowing to Princesses to a pony that still had some dirt on her hooves. It's a funny world.

"He's here to guard us!" She yelled out, knowing full well the fright I would get as she disclosed information to a pony that, for all I knew, could be as far a cry from an element of harmony as I am. Good move, kid.

"Guard us? What's there to guard us from here?" I feared that wouldn't be the last time I heard that, or some other iteration of those words.

I sighed, wanting to bury my face in my hooves. Rainbow Dash, the Steelhoof of Ponyville. I suppose that's kind of harsh, I didn't even have a headache, if she were Steelhoof, I'd be on my way to a nosebleed. "I really don't know, but you are an element of harmony, right?"

She looked at me like I had a screw loose, I could sympathize. A lot of information, no real context. Curse you Luna. "Yeah.....Why?"

"Then she's right, I am here to guard you." She pondered this for a moment. Ponder all you like, my dear, you'll get no closer to a granule of truth than me. Either way, I decided to distract myself with a little game. Guess the element.

"So, Twilight is the element of magic, right?" Applejack looked up at me, nodding. That leaves loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter and honesty. Lets see if I'm still as good as ever. "Okay....Fluttershy, you're obviously kindness. Rainbow, I have no idea what you would be, there isn't an element of annoyance." Applejack giggled at my mockery, common ground! "And Applejack, you're.....Honesty!"

"Twi' tell you?" I shook my head, Celestia didn't raise no cheater. "Then how'd ya know?" Good question, and totally not one I'm only answering for a reason to show off.

"Well, Fluttershy, you're role as kindness is obvious, the way you treat the animals gave that much away." Fluttershy smiled, bobbing her head silently, remaining completely in character. It was a split between generosity and kindness for her, but it wasn't really what she gave the animals, it's was how she treated them. Kindly. "And Applejack, you're a farmpony, your accent is that of a region of farmponies. I'm also going to go out on a limb and say you work on an apple farm?"

"How'd ya figure that one out?" Applejack sardonically replied, tapping her cutie mark. Three apples.

"Blind guessing. Anyway, being a farmpony, you're raised hardworking, and honest. Honesty." Deductive reasoning, how I love thee.

"That was...impressive! Where'd you learn all that?" Applejack took her hat off for a second, letting her hair escape and flicking it about the place. If I'd noticed it sooner, the neatly tied ponytail would have been a giveaway too. Neatly tied to keep it out of her eyes whilst she worked.

"Yeah? Bet ya can't guess me!" Rainbow folded her hooves challenging me to decode her as I did the rest. And she was right, I couldn't definitively figure her out. But I could guess.

"Loyalty." She obviously wasn't generosity, and laughter is a little bit of a stretch. Given, she wasn't loyal to me, but I'm not her bestest best buddy. So it's plausible.

"How'd you know?!" The immediate gratification I got from her sudden outburst was enough to tell me I was right. But a good detective pries.

"So....Applejack....She's loyalty, right?" Applejack, who was laughing along with Rainbow, who seemed to actually be taking this in good jest, that's nice to see, nodded, affirming what I already knew. Three for three so far. How hard could a perfect score be?

"Don't worry Rainbow, Pinkie will be here soon. You can probably play a prank on him with her!" There was another one like her? Celestia help me. Sure as the potted plant was shaking aggressively back and forth behind me I'd need assistance with another Rainbow Dash.....Wait....What?

I turned around slowly, wondering why on earth a potted plant could be shaking at this time of day. I wondered, could this have some correlation to the danger that caused me to be sent here in the first place? The pot came to a standstill, stopping it's entrancing dance abruptly, as if it never started moving of it's own volition....Strange...Everypony stared, waiting for an answer to it's odd behavior. And we got one.

"Hey everypony! Did somepony say my name?" An ecstatically smiling pink pony rocketed out of the pot, which showed no signs of damage, despite not being close to large enough to contain her. She landed next to her entryway, not a spec of dirt in her fluffy mane, or anywhere on her body, still smiling enthusiastically, not caring about all the laws she had just broken. I, too, chose to for the most part ignore the laws she had just broken, not because of blissful ignorance. Just because I like my sanity.

And before I could open my mouth, she was putting me through the wringer. "Ooh, who are you? I'm Pinkie Pie! Where do you come from? Why are you here? How are you?" I shrank away as the pink peril barraged me with question after question. All the while, my mind, despite my specific instructions not to for it's own sake, still scratching blindly at any valid explanations at how long she had been in, or just how she had gotten into that darn pot. Was it a trick pot?

A much welcomed Southern accent made itself clear, speaking over Pinkie's incessant ramblings to become my savior. "Now now, Pinkie. I'm sure y'all will get the chance to ask all the questions ya want later. But now, I think you're scarin' him."

She was definitely scaring me.

"Scaring me? No, it's fine." I feared the brave face I was falsely wearing would betray me, but it seemed to hold. "My name is Crimsonlight. I come from Canterlot and I'm here to you, and the other elements of harmony from an unknown threat. And I'm fine, thank you."

Her unfiltered stream of words stopped momentarily, she tilted her head, processing what I had just told her. Yeah, like she was the one that needed time to process the situation. It's definitely NOT a trick pot. "Oh...Okay!"

Rainbow Dash floated over, which was even slightly relieving. More ponies near me equals less time talking to the scary pink one specifically. "So...How did you know SHE was an element?"

"Oh come on, the way she is, everything about her screams unfettered joy. She's laughter." Pinkie, of course, laughed at this blithely. Hopping on the spot a few times elatedly at my acknowledgement of her cheery aura. Turning back to the pot.

"Thanks! Hey, do you want a cupcake?" And just as my mind was forcibly forgetting the pot incident, she reached back in there, producing a completely spotless, dirt free tray of cupca-....Sorry, not cupcakes. Burnt messes, one of which had part of a spoon protruding from it. Okay, that's it. Goodbye sanity. I need some air.

I gulped, the mere thought of eating those....those things nearly causing my throat to lacerate itself to save me the trouble of having to shove those things down it. "No...No thanks Pinkie. Actually, I think I'm going to go outside, grab some air. Okay?"

"Okay." She nonchalantly said, throwing one of her cupcakes into the air, it falling back down into her mouth as she swallowed it whole. Wait, shouldn't she be spitting up blood right abou-You know what, never mind. I'm going outside.

I lit my horn, swinging the door open, not at all hesitant to step outside and regain my composure. Not that I thought that it would last long with the vibrantly coloured wizard in there. I shut the door quickly, turning my head to the town. It was a quaint little place, even the market, which I could vaguely see from my post lacked the hustle and bustle of even Canterlot's quieter sections. The sun, of course, ever vigilant in it's perch high above the land, though judging by the slight darkening of the sky it looked as though it would be relieved of it's duties in a few hours time by Luna's equally luminescent orb.

Just how long did those two morons take to chaperon me?

The day had been a long one apparently, but until now I never quite realized HOW long. Oh well, all the more energy to guard these ponies with. Not that I'd need it, this place looked about as dangerous as a declawed kitten. Not a dragon for mi-My teeth immediately clenched down on my tongue in shock. No sooner had I thought it than I had jinxed it. A dragon.

Given, he wasn't very old. And he seemed to be chauffeuring an elegant looking pony around the market stalls. Hurriedly carrying luggage back and forth, darting around to keep up with her voracious appetite for the trinkets the stalls offered. The pony he was escorting, or should I say chasing, was obviously very fashionable. Not a strand of hair misplaced on her refined visage, it wouldn't shock me were it to be revealed the poor little guy was carrying a ton in accessories in those bags. Look at me, sympathizing with a dragon, oh how small town life has changed me.

She scanned each stall for a few seconds before moving on, more willing to merrily peruse the stalls as opposed to actually spending her hard earned money. And judging by her appearance and cutie mark, three diamonds, she likely earned her money in the business of fashion. Wait, didn't Fluttershy say her friend, Rarity was a fashion designer? And the dragon, why would she have a dragon? The Princess's protege, Twilight Sparkle has a dragon, though. She's a friend of at least two elements, then. Could she be the final element? The element of generosity? It would be fitting, being a fashion designer, and one that made quite the impact in Canterlot, she probably has a lot to give.

Whilst caught up in my train of thought, I hadn't noticed that she, and the dragon, had walked up to me. "Oh, hello! Are you a friend of Twilight's? I don't believe we've met before! My name is Rarity, and you are...?" She politely said, extending a hoof.

"No, we haven't, but I have heard of you. Rarity Belle." Her face lit up, her polite, delicate smile turning into a rapturous grin spanning her face as she grabbed my hoof from the ground, shaking it violently.

"That is I! Rarity Belle! Ponyville's resident fashionista! May I ask how you heard my name? Or...what you want of me?" She stood on edge, overjoyed at the prospect of a complete stranger seeking her out based on her fame and skills, and possibly offering her a very lucrative deal. No such luck, I'm afraid.

"I come from Canterlot, word gets around pretty quickly over there." She squeaked happily at her level of fame, I took this window to pull my hoof from her vice like grip. "I'm not her on fashion business, though. I'm here to guard you." Risky, I know, I didn't even know if she WAS an element, but it very much seemed so, and I was tired of asking that question.

The mirth washed from her face, replaced by confusion. "Guard...me?....Why?"

"Well, not you specifically. I'm here to guard all of the elements of harmo-"

"Well, we're fine! Whatever comes this way, I can guard Rarity from!" The baby dragon dropped his bags, showing himself to be just as green at the gills as he was purple, lashing out in envy due to the small talk I had with the pony he clearly coveted. "You can go back to Canterlot, big shot!" Maybe I should run down my kill count of his ilk.

"Spike, please. If he is here to guard us then there must be something wrong. Pray tell, what IS wrong?" She immediately silenced Spike, who dropped to the ground grabbing a gem out of one of the bags, wolfing it down and pouting. I'd seen pouting enough today to know that he didn't like me.

At least when she said 'us' I knew Rarity was indeed an element. Five for five. "I don't know. That's the proble-"

Then, Rarity showcased fashion ponies legitimate talent....Other than fashion. Completely ignoring sounds, par those out of their own mouth. "Oh my, I simply must tell the girls!" She squealed in urgency, flinging the door open and leaping inside dramatically, more enthralled with having the latest gossip with...You know, the potential threat to her safety.

I turned around, sighing. I wasn't ready to face Pinkie again. I hung my head low, ready for the friendship, when I felt a sharp tug to my tail from a clawed hand.

"Look, pal. I don't know your angle, but you stay away from Rarity, okay?! I was here first!" The angry little dragon fumed, nearly foaming at the mouth, leaving me standing there as he picked up his bags, and hobbled off inside. It's rare that I'm completely confused, but today seemed to be a day of firsts...and seconds...and Celestia knows how much more.

I magicked the door open as quietly as possible, hoping Rarity extravagant attitude would make her the focal point of their attention long enough for me to hide under a table. I should have learned by now.

"Hey Crimsonlight!" Pinkie beamed at me, shoving her tray of volcano baked goods into my face.

"Want a cupcake?!"

Celestia help me.