Battleborne Heart

Chapter 2

   The few days he had been here now had been entertaining to say the least, the nights were strange as he kept seeing those fuzzy images he had the same day he had arrived and become unconscious. Currently he was doing a few aerial laps with a bright smile on his face, he had yet to see anyone this early after the sun had been risen, but he didn't truly care at the moment. All he cared about was the freedom he had been given. That is, until he spotted a few ponies, stallions from the looks, picking on a mare that had been seen a few times in a restaurant, she was cute enough to give more than a few looks, but looking was different than something else. He landed behind the group and started trotting past like it was nothing before he stopped and raised a hoof with a small chuckle. "You know...where I come from...treating a lady like this is....wrong...should at least take her on a date or three first..." His voice carried loud enough to be heard by the group of three who turned with raised brows all and the biggest, most likely the leader, spoke "Look colt...this is our business with this sweet thing. Be on your way or else...." He smiled at the or else part and turned, his tail thwapping against the leader's muzzle "Or else what? You'll say more idiotic things and kill more of my brain cells?" It was obvious he was being sarcastic, he could practically see the steam pouring from this ruffian's ears "What did you say punk???" Jon rolled his eyes and shook his head "What? You deaf too? I said..." His face got inches from the leader's, sky blue eyes calm crimson coat fully visible in the morning light, black and silver mane wafting in the slight breeze "Are. You. Going. To. Sa-" His head whipped to the side from a hoof to it causing him to turn and spit out some blood and he nodded "Alright..." He looked around as the three moved around and surrounded him "Don't say I didn't warn you." The three exchanged looks and began to close in as his wings flared, smacking one in the face hard enough to daze, the other ducked....right into his right hoof as he mocked a bow to the lady behind the leader "Excuse me a moment miss. This should be over quite soon." The female was scared stiff, literally. The next motions were the leader coming in with another hook for Jon's face that he ducked "Hmm...Thought I saw something shiny..." The hook missed pushing the leader off balance as Jon came back up quick enough to give a hard head butt and daze mister hook shot, something grabbed his flanks and instinctively he bucked backwards "Hey! Not nice to sneak up on a guy! Come on...didn't realize you were a coltcuddler....could have just asked." His rear legs connected to a chest sending the one that grabbed him flying into a wall, out cold easily. The next thing was a yawn and a sway as he ducked for a stretch causing the remaining two to collide above him before he walked forward those two unconscious from each other's hits. Looking behind him he shrugged "Hmmm....tsk tsk tsk...ponies really should watch where they are going....." He shook his head and extended a hoof to the now dumbstruck mare and smiled "You ok...Uhm....hello? Miss?" The next thing he knew was he had her forelegs around him in a death grip of sorts and sobbing thank you's in his ear "Don't worry about it...I'm Jo-......Star Saber. I noticed them giving you trouble...couldn't help it." He sighed softly as he removed her embrace and nodded "Go on home now. These three give you trouble again don't hesitate to call for help."

   He chuckled as he watched her scamper off and then sighed "Idiot....Why didn't you just leave it be...." He shrugged as something landed in front of him causing him to stumble backwards "That. Was. AWESOME! Dude...you took those thugs out like nothing! How did you do that?!" He sighed and shook off his surprise "I just did...couldn't tell you how...you watched the whole thing Rainbow?" He tilted his head a bit and watched her look away "Uh...yeah....a scuffle going on this early...kind of hard not to notice." He raised a brow and then chuckled and nodded "Yeah I guess so...just hate women....mares getting harassed..." He spoke casually but with a tint of amusement as he began to walk off past Rainbow Dash towards the market, he was stopped suddenly by something in golden armor pushing its hoof against him and he sighed "Alright...can I go do some shopping now please? Twilight asked me to run a few errands...Damn...." He looked up from the ground to a stern looking guard flanked by another and.....he gulped "Ah...I don't recognize you...I know every one of my little ponies....and yet...I don't know you...." He gulped again and tried backing up but he had already been enveloped in a golden light and raised to her eye level which he desperately kept trying to avoid "Uh...uhm...uh…you see...uh...I was just...uh..." There was a soft, almost motherly chuckle as the grand white alicorn forced his eyes to hers after she looked at the scene he just left, Rainbow Dash nowhere to be seen "Did you do this? Answer me honestly now my little unknown pony." He tried to shy away but couldn't as his eyes were bored into by her own "Uh...yeah...they were..." A look of curiosity crossed the alicorn's face "They were what?" He swallowed once more before continuing "They were harassing a mare....I couldn't stand by and let it happen but I swear they deserved it! And it's not like I actually hit them anyway..." Another soft chuckle as he was let down "Oh? And what did they hit?" He looked down immediately "They hit me...or...tried to...they wound up hitting each other mostly...except that one..." He pointed to the one crumpled against a wall "He kinda...grabbed my flanks and I bucked him...probably a little too hard...I'm still uh...." He blanched a bit before shaking his head "He just surprised me is all...." He hadn't noticed it but the guards had flanked him, when one touched his back he jerked and a leg went out sending that guard, armor and all to the ground and when he realized it he cringed "I'm so sorry! Uh...like...really sorry I didn't mean to! He just..." "Surprised you? There isn't a pony in equestria who can do that to a guard so quickly...." The other guard had spoken as he helped his comrade to his hooves as the alicorn nodded "Do you know who I am little pony?" He nodded "Princess Celestia, Goddess who raises the sun...." His voice was skittering, like he was afraid, which earned another chuckle "Indeed I am...but I am no goddess." She turned and started to walk away with a motion to follow "Where did you come from little pony?" He made a noise and quickly came up with a lie "I'm from Neigh Orleans..." She nodded and then shook her head "Not a good place to grow up...it’s rough and tumble in certain parts. The accent however is not from there...." He blanched "Where are you truly from?" He shook his head and sighed "I'm not sure you would believe me....even if it was the truth...."

   A shadow above was watching the pair closely, with a dagger filled smile and eyes of a malicious intent "Interesting....taking those three fools out like nothing...and then getting the curiosity of the Princess piqued....taking out a guard in a single hit....this could be interesting indeed...." It all but sneered the royal title in disgust as it slithered along watching the pair, unnoticed and quickly disappeared into the shadows of an alley in Ponyville.

"So you've come from far away then? A land unknown to most including me? Yet you speak the language easily, and without a true accent....I shall believe you...for now." A sigh escaped Jon as he became relieved, his story had been believed, if only for a little while, he realized that keeping himself from being discovered as from another dimension was going to be much harder now. "Uh… Princess?" She looked at him as they wandered the marketplace letting him buy what Twilight had asked for, mostly new books and quills and the like. "Yes Star Saber?" She used the name he had given her easily and he nodded "Is there any way I can go to Canterlot? I think I need to talk to someone as important as you...." She arched a brow and tilted her head "Oh? Who would this pony be that is as important as me?" He groaned knowing he had to make a choice here, he hated making choices, and especially if it was found out he was going to lie "Uh...you see...I uh...I want to talk to..." She was waiting patiently for him to finish though she just kept looking at him with a soft motherly smile. "I need to talk...to...uh...P-Princess..." Her look changed to amusement as she finished his sentence "Luna? What for? Oh...forgive me, if you do not wish to answer then that is fine. I will see what I can do, but you must understand that even I cannot get what I want.....sometimes anyway." He nodded as they had been alone for a time now. He fully understood given royalty from his own world. "I must be off now; I was just here to check a few things for the coming summer sun celebration in a few days." He nodded and sat, watching her walk away, it looked like she had an added sway that made him look away with a soft blush and sigh before he began to head back to the library in the center of town. "Damn it...she saw it too....why can't I leave well enough alone....I even LIED to her..." "Lied to who Jon?" He flinched and let out a groan as he heard Twilight, he hadn't even noticed her amongst talking to himself and setting her supplies down "Oh...nothing..." She approached him with a stern look "Lied to who Jon?" He averted his gaze and mumbled a little "What? Speak up." He mumbled again, only a little louder "Jon....who did you lie to?"  On a sigh he spoke up "Princess....Celestia...." Twilight's eyes widened in shock "YOU DID WHAT!" He flinched at her tone and walked to a shelf "I uh...lied to princess Celestia...." Twi walked up to him and placed a hoof over his shoulders as he pretended to look through the books "What about?" He sighed and shook his head "Where I'm from and kicking the snot out of a few stallions harassing a mare...." She shook her head "She's going to find out...and uh...good job?" He sighed and placed a hoof to his face "I should have left it alone because Rainbow Dash AND the Princess saw it...." Twi moved away and shook her head "Don't worry about it Jon...You were defending the honor of a mare..." He sighed and mumbled something else but it was clear as day to Twi who became shocked again "You....did what...to a....what?!" He nodded as he walked to the stairs "Almost knocked a guard out cold....with one kick....but he..." A sigh came from Twi as she followed him shaking her head "We really need to do something about that...." He looked at her as she passed him "Like what? I'm already probably going to Canterlot to see Luna....and knowing me I'll likely bumble around and screw that up too...." Twi ignored him for the moment as a knock sounded at the door and she answered. It was too far for him to hear the conversation but as soon as he heard the sound of armor he closed his eyes briefly and turned around to see three guards straight from Canterlot staring at him.