Apples and Cherry Blossoms

Chapters

Open for Business?
Red Apple Restaurant
Ringo no Samurai
Found in Translation
Pony from the East
Perfect Blossom
Hiroki Dreams of Sushi
Sakura Sunrise
Change of Plans
Chance Meeting
Party Planning
Diner Dash
Cut from the Same Cloth
Twice Shy
Sakura Sunset: Part 1
Sakura Sunset: Part 2
Picnic of Lanterns
Interlude: Whispers and Shadows
No Need for Training
No Need for a Ninja
Nightmare Night Special
Tea and Tempered Steel

Open for Business?

"That's strange... where did this building come from? There wasn't even a sign saying something was coming soon."

Twilight Sparkle pondered aloud curiously as she approached a small crowd of ponies that had gathered at Ponyville's city center. Among those gathered were all manner of inquisitive ponies, including Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack. Most of them were talking quietly among themselves. What appeared to be a shop had been erected across the town square alongside the river's edge and a lone cherry tree stood nearby, it's branches showing blossoms in full bloom. The architecture was clearly that of Ponyville, but it's windows bore wooden panels that were covered in some kind of thick paper. It's roofing came down and curved out. Twilight thought it looked a little like the Day Spa.

The door to the shop suddenly burst open, causing the crowd to collectively gasp as an Earth pony with a steely gray coat stood before them. Unlike many of those gathered this pony was wearing clothing and there was no shortage of murmurs about how odd his choice of fashion made him look. Some kind of faded blue tunic with a black... skirt? Pants? Was it a robe? If she didn't know better Twilight would have guessed the pony had come outside in his pajamas. The most apparent feature was a conical straw hat that looked at home on the head of a farmer, a string of beads wrapped a few inches down from the point.

The strangely dressed pony, presumably the shop's proprietor, seemed oblivious or indifferent to the gathered crowd. A ladder was propped up against the side of the building which he climbed easily and several loud series of knocks rang out as a hammer pounded away at the wall. When he clambered back down a sign could now be seen hanging proudly just under the roof's curiously slanted eave. Something was written on the sign that Twilight couldn't read, but it obviously had to mean... well, something. Beneath the scrawls was an image of a tree branch that held a few leaves and a pair of fruit hanging from it.

When she looked back at the pony she noticed a slender black object tucked into what looked like a cloth belt that wrapped around his midsection. Twilight swallowed nervously. He's carrying a sword? Why would anypony carry a sword? The earth pony gazed at the sign for a moment, apparently trying to decide whether or not it was crooked. He finally nodded in satisfaction before pulling the ladder down. He sauntered around one side of the shop, laying the ladder down before disappearing back through the front door.

"Come to think of it, I don't remember hearing anything about us getting any new arrivals either. I wonder when he got here?", said Twilight to nopony in particular. "And where did his shop come from? And that tree? It's not like they could just sprout up overnight."

"It must have been late last night or early this morning before any of us woke. Otherwise there'd be balloons and streamers everywhere." The soft, gentle voice of Fluttershy came off Twilight's right as she and Rarity both came to stand beside her. Rainbow Dash came down a bit in the air, her wings flapping as she kept herself hovering a few feet off the ground.

"Good point. I don't see any signs of party damage. Pinkie must not even know there's a new pony in town." Rainbow shrugged, snickering with amusement. On queue a loud cry of annoyance came from behind as Pinkie Pie suddenly barreled up beside them.

"There's a new pony in town in nopony bothered to tell me in advance so I could throw a big welcome party!?", exclaimed Pinkie, bouncing up and down on all four hooves as she whined.

"Aw, don't take it so hard sugar cube. I don't think anypony knew we were gettin' a new visitor." Applejack let out a hearty laugh, patting Pinkie on the back. "Wonder what's with his duds though. He just get out of bed or somethin'?"

"I can't say I think they're very stylish, but they do look rather comfortable. Perhaps with a bit of alteration, maybe some embroidery and- ooh more colors! Why, they could be absolutely fabulous!" Rarity brushed her mane with one hoof, tossing it back dramatically.

"Somethin' tells me lookin' fabulous ain't high on his list of priorities." Applejack snickered in response to the fashionista, turning to look over the sign that now hung over the door. "Wonder what that's all about... Is it just me, or does that look like a pair of apples?"

"Stand back girls, it's time for me to welcome our new friend properly." Pinkie plucked a party favor that was hidden in her mane and tucked it between her lips, giving it a tweet. She pushed through the gathered crowd and made her way to the door. Pulling it open, she almost got one hoof through the door as her chest swelled in preparation to burst into song. Pinkie was met instantly by the grey earth pony. He stood before her, barring her entrance into his shop. This caught her off guard and she held her breath as everypony gawked.

"Mise wa toji rarete imasu." The Earth pony's voice was calm, but spoken with such conviction that the effect was similar to that if he'd shouted right through Pinkie's ears. Her posture sank like air escaping from a balloon and the shopkeeper turned back inside, shutting the door in Pinkie Pie's face. A red tag hung from the door now and Twilight could guess what it meant, even as Pinkie said it aloud.

"I-I think he's closed right now." She smiled sheepishly, rubbing her nose where the door had inadvertently hit her. She gave another puff of her party favor, the tub uncurling at an odd angle. The sad noise it exuded signaled it was broken and Pinkie sniffled, looking at the party favor with pitiful puppy-dog eyes. Several ponies seemed quite disconcerted by this development and the crowd was beginning to disperse.

"How rude! He certainly won't get any customers that way. Hmph! Are you all right darling?" Rarity placed her hoof on Pinkie's back and gave it a reassuring pat.

"Just a little... dazed. I-I'll just welcome him later." Pinkie finally snapped out of her stupor, tucking the party favor back into her mane.

"It was a bit rude, though maybe he just doesn't want any visitors until he's ready?" said Fluttershy.

"If he keeps up actin' like that eveypony'll be too scared to shop there. Or even say hello to 'em." Applejack shook her head slowly.

Twilight frowned as she peered at the covered windows. The crowd had all but vanished, leaving only a few ponies behind who had business of their own in Town Square. Fluttershy looked over at Twilight Sparkle, who glanced at Rarity, who peered at Applejack, who then cast her gaze at Rainbow Dash, who simply shrugged without bothering to look at Pinkie Pie. This prompted Pinkie to form a sullen expression as though she'd been left out of something very important. They all smiled and shared in a laugh before turning about to go their separate ways for the morning.

つづく

Author's Note

Mise wa toji rarete imasu. - The shop is closed.
(added 9/15/15 )

Red Apple Restaurant

Each of them found themselves standing across the strange shop at varying times over the following three days. Each time the screen windows were still shut and though they couldn't quite see inside, both Applejack and Rainbow Dash caught a glimpse of the steel grey Earth pony standing outside patiently. No doubt he was keeping vigil for customers, but more than likely scaring them away with his intimidating presence.

Twilight Sparkle managed to catch a look into his viridian green eyes as she passed by on the third day. He said nothing to her, but lowered his head in what she thought may be a polite bow. With another glance towards the sign above the door, Twilight let out a sigh since she was no closer to understanding its meaning. Being a Princess there was no shortage of things to do, which meant less time for the library but she was determined to continue her research. Even if that meant cutting into her sleep.

It was a particularly serendipitous morning, as for reasons they couldn't explain Twilight and her friends all wound up standing in front of the Town Hall. They shot glances at one another, then back at the mystery shop. Daisy had a cart full of flowers nearby and Applejack turned to look at her over her own shoulder.

"Howdy Daisy! How's the morning goin' for ya?" Tipping her hat, Applejack smiled as she turned to face the flower pony.

"Done all right actually, I've had a few customers. That new pony across the street's even come and bought flowers from me every morning before he opens up." Daisy smiled at Applejack in return, moving to idly tend to some orchids. "Not that I don't appreciate the business... strange though, what with all those blossoms that were in bloom on that tree. Figured he might have just plucked some of those. I wonder where they all went..." The flower pony looked across the street towards the shop and they all followed her gaze, frowning at the cherry tree.

It seemed like it had withered from when they'd seen it the first day, some of it's branches drooping sadly.

"Wait, you mean he's actually open? The shop doesn't look any more open than it was when he slammed the door in Pinkie's face." Rainbow Dash grumbled, squinting as she peered across the street.

"Seems that way. After he buys flowers from me he turns that little card over from red to green. He even left the door open yesterday. A few ponies looked curious, but so far I haven't seen anypony go in yet." Twilight frowned at Daisy.

"I guess everypony -has- been too scared to shop there. Wait, can anypony even tell what kind of shop it is? The markings don't really make it clear..." Squinting her violet eyes, Twilight racked her brain for a umpteen millionth time to reference something she'd read in a book somewhere. Unfortunately she came up empty once again. She let out a frustrated groan. "I've read every book in the Golden Oak Library, and a good portion of the castle library... so how come I've never come across these sorts of markings before?!"

"Oh, I know what it says! The one at the top says 'red', the one in the middle means 'apple' and the one on the bottom says 'restaurant'!" A bright, jovial voice came from behind. Seven heads slowly turned about to stare at Ditzy Doo whose sun kissed, cross eyed gaze came to meet all of them, accompanied by a warm smile. Well, mostly. Sometimes it was hard to tell where she was looking exactly. Twilight's slack jawed stare didn't phase the mail-mare, who casually munched on a muffin and just kept on smiling.

"How do you know what it says?" Twilight inquired, looking positively puzzled.

"Well, I got this thing in the mail that had funny markings like those on it. So I found this book that's been helping me figure out what to do with it. It's really cool! That new pony even looks kind of like some of the warrior ponies in the book! I think they were called... sam.. oo...rye? Samurai? Something like that." Ditzy Doo bounced up and down on her hooves with excitement before taking another bite from her muffin. Twilight's eyes lit up at the prospect that there was indeed a book or series of books that held the knowledge she sought.

"There's a book? How many pages is it? Does it have many illustrations? Any spells? Are you done reading it? Is there any chance I can borrow it?" Twilight was giddy with anticipation as she sent her barrage of inquiries at the Pegasus.

"I've been reading it for a while and-" Ditzy's voice trailed off and her sun kissed eyes widened suddenly. "Oh no! I forgot all about it! What am I gonna do?!"

Ponyville's resident mail-mare dropped the muffin she was eating and galloped off without another word. They all stared at the dust trail and the fallen muffin left behind before looking to one another, shrugging with bewilderment. Twilight was the only one to call out after her.

"Ditzy wait! I really need to read that book!" A pout briefly graced her features as Twilight shouted, her head lowering as she let out a sigh.

"So, it's a diner or something huh? If what Ditzy said is right, and that's a big 'if' I guess that sign reads Red Apple Restaurant." Rainbow Dash had turned back towards the shop, tilting her head as he flew over to inspect the sign hanging over the door.

"But he hasn't had one single customer yet?" Rarity frowned as she looked to Daisy, who shook her head in response. The fashionista returned her gaze back to the door of the shop. True he hadn't exactly been very friendly before, but even a rough gem can sparkle when it's held up to the light. You just had to give it a chance. "Now that simply won't do. How about it girls, what do you say we go have a bit of lunch? My treat!"

"That's a wonderful idea! Maybe if other ponies see us go in and have a good time, they won't be too scared to visit themselves." Twilight smiled and looked to each of her friends.

They all nodded in agreement before waving to Daisy. The flower pony waved back before returning to tending her flowers while the rest of them began to cross the street towards the mysterious eatery. The cherry tree they'd seen earlier in the week still stood tall but it's branches were wilted, devoid of blossoms. The sight was even more disheartening up close.

"I hope he serves cupcakes." Pinkie chimed in, pausing long enough to rub a hoof against her growling stomach. "Big, tasty, cupcakes... with deliciously sweet, creamy icing on top." Her voice trailed off, salivating at the possibility that sugary treats with thick, creamy icing might very well be in their immediate future.

"Somehow I really don't think he does cupcakes Pinkie... Besides, you wouldn't really want the competition would you?" Rainbow Dash smirked as she gave Pinkie Pie a friendly slap on the shoulder.

Author's Note

Bloody hell, seriously couldn't figure out if I should call her 'Derpy Hooves' or 'Ditzy Doo'. I like both names equally, just seems like Ditzy Doo is a little more polite, and what ponies would call her, as opposed to Derpy Hooves being what we might call her. :derpytongue2:

Ringo no Samurai

The door was thrown open by Rainbow Dash, brushing a bell that hung from the frame which chimed brightly to announce their presence. The restaurant had a most peculiar look to it. It was not a large establishment by any means, looking to fit twenty ponies or less at any given time. The walls were lined with paper screen panels and strange paintings were proudly on display, either by scrolls or segmented canvas. Simple square tables made from wood periodically lined the walls and several were arranged symmetrically towards the center of the shop. Curious also decorated the walls, from flowers, to bamboo, to similar strange markings like those on the shop's sign, and even what looked like a suit of armor. A feeling of familiarity came from the arrangement of things, even if it was completely foreign... It was reminiscent of Zecora's hut.

They all had mere seconds to take in the details of their surroundings when a voice abruptly called out to them.

"Irasshaimase!"

It came so suddenly and so loud that poor Fluttershy yelped and nearly leapt out of her skin, instantly jumping to hide behind Rainbow Dash with a worried squeak. Behind the counter towards the rear of the room stood the new Earth pony, a piece of bamboo under his hooves as he used it to roll out dough. The conical farmer's hat they'd seen him wearing hung on the wall behind him, now a part of the shop's décor. The beads that were draped around the peak of his hat were wrapped neatly around his left foreleg. A cerulean blue mane was pulled back in a tail at the base of his skull and a white bandana was tied about his forehead, keeping the fringes of his mane out of his viridian green eyes. The cloth looked simply enough, though it had a red spot in the center with red beams coming out from all sides. Like rays of the sun.

The so-called 'samurai' as Ditzy had described him didn't even look up from his work, merely placing the bamboo aside. He plucked a knife from a rack on the wall behind him and began to slice... something. They all approached the bar at the rear of the room where he stood and still the Earth pony seemed too enthralled with his work to address them. As it was Rarity's idea to have lunch there, they all looked to her and smiled nervously while a silent vote was being cast. The poll resolved quickly and it was five to one that Rarity would have to get his attention. She looked to her friends and furrowed her brow with a huff, pouting as she acquiesced to the unspoken request.

"Um... yes, excuse me? We would be most interested in ordering something to-" began Rarity as she went to put on a most dazzling smile before being promptly interrupted.

The tip of the chef's knife suddenly pointed right at her nose, causing her to freeze and gulp nervously. The samurai pony gave a gruff growl as he looked straight into Rarity's wide blue eyes. The knife quickly spun around and point at a sign on the wall beside him. Written across it were markings similar to those of the unusual symbols written along the sign out front, but curiously enough beneath them were the plainly written words 'PLEASE TAKE A NUMBER'.

To further emphasize his stubborn preference for this procedure, the blade around again and pointed to a hook that held little numbered tags. He instantly looked back to his work and resumed chopping and had a strange air of calm about him that made it seem like he hadn't even looked up at them in the first place. Rarity let out a sigh of relief when the blade's edge was no longer aimed at her nose and looked back at the others who all released their breath in a collective sigh.

With another huff of indignation, she rolled her eyes before taking a tag off the hook with a flash of magic from her horn. Rarity looked the slip over to see it was carved from bamboo and it had a number '3' inscribed on it. Despite the air of calm and focus it was obvious what the samurai pony had been waiting for. He wiped the blade clean with a bit of cloth before hurling it over his shoulder in a dramatic gesture, the rack on the wall catching the blade neatly. He then looked out over the empty restaurant as if it were filled with hustle and bustle before shouting over the non-existent crowd.

"San." He said aloud, peering about even though they were all gathered directly in front of him. He'd repeat himself. "San. SAN!!!"

"Oh! Yes... Right here." Rarity placed the tag on the counter, finally realizing he must have been calling her number.

He took it and bounced it hard on the counter, sending it soaring up before coming back down to slide neatly on the hook. She let out a sigh and looked over her shoulder to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash snickering quietly among themselves while Fluttershy had positioned herself to hide behind Pinkie Pie. She was also giggling with amusement. Twilight seemed too preoccupied inspecting one of the scrolls on the wall to notice just how absurd this interaction was. She turned back to the pony behind the counter and gulped, looking taken aback to see he was still staring expectantly at her.

"Right! My apologies. We'd like to order something for lunch. Do you... have a menu we can look at?" Her moment of being caught off guard was short lived as she brushed her purple mane with one hoof, putting on another dazzling smile.

The pony behind the counter slowly raised one eyebrow, meeting her charm with stoic indifference. He raised one hoof and pointed to a large board on the wall, upon which was scribbled a myriad of things they couldn't read. Yet underneath they could see words written in their alphabet, but heck if they knew what any of it meant. Rainbow Dash was unable to keep from laughing out loud at this point.

"Nyahahahaha, what a joke. C'mon, how does he expect anypony to order food if we can't read what it says? No wonder he hasn't had any business yet-" Rainbow Dash fell short as Applejack gave her a nudge.

Both looked to the pony behind the counter. His mouth had the slightest of frowns and one eye twitched in annoyance. Whether or not he wholly understood what was said didn't matter, at the very least he seemed to tell he was being scrutinized. Pinkie Pie was able to salvage the situation before it went any further south, leaning in to whisper into Rarity's ear.

"When in doubt just ask for the house special!" Pinkie nodded eagerly, issuing a cheery smile before moving back to stand beside Fluttershy. Rarity looked far from convinced of that this was the best course of action, but she lacked a better idea and finally nodded in agreement.

"Very well. May we please have... six specials of the house?" A moment's hesitation came as she thought of all the grotesque things she might be subjecting herself to eating and lowered her head. The samurai stared at her for a lingering moment and she wondered if he had understood her request. The subtle look of annoyance the pony behind the counter held vanished almost immediately.

"Roku sushi kimasu!" He exclaimed loudly before beginning his work.

His hooves were a flurry of motion, taking another knife from the rack behind him, chopping, slicing, dicing, and rolling various ingredients behind the counter. He looked up at them, still slicing and dicing even as he took his eyes off his work. A brow rose curiously as if something about his six customers was deeply confusing. A light bulb went off behind his eyes and he ceased his work, momentarily stepping around to meet them. He bowed his head deeply and gestured a hoof towards the middle of the room. The tables along the walls looked too small to accommodate their group, though a pair of tables were pushed together in the center.

Pinkie Pie continued to giggle quietly to herself as she and Fluttershy sat themselves on one side. Applejack and Rarity sat at the other while Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash each sat on opposing ends. They all looked at the cushions under their rumps, wriggling a bit to accustom themselves to the soft material. The Earth pony came around quickly bearing a tray, setting down a cup of crystal clear water in front of each mare in turn. Twilight smiled politely to which he returned with a bow of his head, moving back behind the counter. This left the six to exchange curious glances and hushed conversation.

:fluttershysad: "What exactly is he serving?"

:twilightsheepish: "Sounded like he said 'sushi'."

:rainbowhuh: "Do any of you know what that is?"

:applejackunsure: "Ain't never heard of that before."

:duck: "I just hope it's not anything... icky."

:pinkiehappy: "-I- just hope it's covered in frosting."

Their round robin conversation was interrupted by a shout that game from behind the counter. Rainbow Dash leapt up off her cushion and bristled with agitation, flapping her wings to keep herself hovering hover her seat. Fluttershy squeaked and hunkered down, peering over the edge of their table as they all turned to look at the spectacle they could only assume was what their host passed for food preparation. It was something more akin to a martial arts display as he breathed deep and sent one hoof sharply at the counter like he were breaking a board in a show of strength. His hoof banged, causing the entire counter the buckle under the impact and he let out another sharp kiai vocalization. He repeated this a few more times until he finished with that step. Applejack peered at him with a bit more undisguised interest when he hefted a bushel of apples up on the counter.

"What's he doing?" Rainbow Dash muttered quietly. She rubbed the back of her head with one hoof, narrowing her eyes with both skepticism and confusion. "Is he going to- whoa!"

She was cut off as their host suddenly drew the sword he carried, it's gleaming blade held high over his head between his front hooves while he rose up on his hind legs. He gave another sharp battle cry and bucked one of his hind legs hard against the floor, the shock travelling through the counter and causing the fruit to leap up and out of the basket. The blade was a flurry of glinting steel as the unsuspecting apples were dissected, sliced so thin they fluttered out of the air like feathers. With a quick draw of his blade along the edge of the scabbard it was soon sheathed and put to rest.

The six of them looked eat each other with wide eyes, both impressed and simultaneously intimidated by this display. Not sure what else to do, Twilight and Applejack soon put their hooves together in polite applause, followed suit by Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and a still timid Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash had discarded her expression of awe, disguising it with indifference as she rolled her eyes and lowered back into her seat.

"Pfffft. Big whoop. That didn't look so hard, I bet I could do that." she mumbled, catching a few snickers and more rolling eyes from her friends.

Their host looked slightly taken aback by the brief applause, but bowed his head deeply in thanks all the same. At least he knew what clapping is. He soon swept around from behind his counter, carrying a tray that balanced several bamboo plates and placed them one at a time on the table. Each plate held a tightly packed roll of rice wrapped in kelp and sliced into six equal pieces, garnished with a small amount of diced strawberries. The apple 'chips' they'd witnessed him carve up were all arranged neatly in a half circle around each plate, drizzled pleasantly with a light brown sauce that had a faintly sweet smell. Each looked to their respective plates, then to each other.

"Thank you very much!" Twilight said suddenly as she looked over her shoulder to see their host already sauntering back behind his bar counter, giving him a tentative smile.

He merely nodded, gesturing a hoof for them to dig in at their leisure.

As Twilight peered at her plate she leaned in to sniff gingerly, taking in the aroma. Applejack and Pinkie Pie had already taken their first bites without hesitation and were chewing away with apparent approval while Fluttershy was nibbling daintily on one of the apple chips with a growing smile. Rainbow Dash continued to rotate her plate as though she might be able to make sense of her meal, if only she saw it at every possible angle. Not one to shy away from a new experience Twilight lowered her head to bite into one of the rolls and chewed slowly, casting her thoughtful gaze around the restaurant.

At first she thought it tasted like... nothing? Is that really what rice tastes like? After a moment a very subtle pickled flavor began to encroach on her taste buds, followed soon by a slight sour taste of the kelp it was wrapped in. She could taste hints of apple in the rice and it had a refreshing 'fluffy' texture. The next bite held the strawberry garnish and the sweetness of those berries thundered over the subtle sour taste of the rice. She found her violet eyes gazing over her friends, all with equally surprised looks of delight at how delicious they were finding their meal to be. Save for Rarity, who had been most concerned about eating something without knowing what was in it. She was so taken with the presentation of her lunch that she was now more concerned about destroying it's picturesque display instead of fearing it might taste awful.

"C'mon Rarity, eat up. This was your idea after all!" Applejack nodded to Rarity and reached over to slap her jovially on the back before letting out a quick burp. The farmer gave a sly smirk, waiting deliberately for a few lingering moments before excusing herelf. "Pardon."

"Yeah! It's not a cupcake, but it's still pretty tasty!" Pinkie had finished so quickly that she put her face into her plate as though trying to absorb any lingering flavors that remained. She looked up and smiled cheekily, the edges of her mouth lined in that light brown sauce until her tongue swirled around, smacking her lips. "Mmm!"

"But it's so lovely! I couldn't possibly ruin such fabulousness." The fashionista huffed and raised her head, giving her best pout and expression of indignation. As she looked at her friends to see them enjoying themselves combined with the very unladylike rumble her stomach let loose, she found she couldn't hold out any longer and began to eat her meal in earnest.

They all ate and discussed their meal together and before long each were patting their tummies with contentment. Twilight and Applejack shared a smile as they glanced over at their host who had made himself busy behind the counter, looking disinterested. He might have gotten away with it, but the samurai kept stealing glances over at them. No doubt he was trying not to look anxious and concerned to see whether or not they had enjoyed their lunch. He eventually proved this theory correct as the moment the last plate was empty he had swept over to remove them, replacing each with a smaller dessert dish. Each had a quadruplet of dumplings arranged neatly with a skewer keeping them together, covered in a sticky, sweet syrup and dusted with crumbled nuts, much to Pinkie's delight.

"All right, I'll admit... that was pretty good." Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up after the last of their dumplings had been consumed and their dessert plates had been cleared away. She watched as their host took them into the back room for cleaning and could swear she saw a faint, but prideful smirk.

"Darn tootin'! That was good eatin' right there." Applejack tipped her hat back while she polished off her cup of water.

"Yes, I absolutely concur one hundred percent! Though I must say I would have preferred sparkling water, but the spring water he served was quite refreshing still. Perhaps if I suggested he carry sparkling water regularly..." Rarity trailed off, tapping her hoof against her chin while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy giggled to one another.

"It wasn't just 'pretty good', it was amazing! With all the ponies we've met and everywhere we've been around Equestria, I can't believe we've never come across anything like this before. I can't wait to get back to the castle so I can try to research this more. Maybe Ditzy will let me borrow that book she said she has..."

Their host had gone back behind his bar counter and resumed the work he'd been doing when they first arrived. A full piece of bamboo under his hooves, using it to roll dough. They'd all gotten up to their hooves and as Rarity had promised, she trotted up to the counter to pay for their lunch. She smiled and cleared her throat gently to gain his attention, to which he looked up with a raised eyebrow. She was suddenly hit with a strange feeling that he might point something sharp at her again and ask her to take a number like he had before, though thankfully no such outbursts came. He simply bowed his head and pointed a hoof towards the open door they'd entered through. He blinked, eyebrows raising curiously as he stared at something. The rest of them all turned towards the door to see the shapes of ponies who'd been watching curiously through the open door suddenly vanish. He shook his head as if telling himself he was imagining things.

"Yes... how much do I owe you for that wonderful lunch?" Rarity turned back to face him and smiled once more, though the blank stare she received was infuriatingly cryptic. "How much? Cost?" She spoke a bit slower and brandished a few dazzling gemstones, holding them out in hopes he'd take what he thought was fair for their meal.

"Mushō," said the samurai briefly and shook his head. He reached across the counter to gently push her hoof away.

She pouted and felt herself begin to deflate, initially worried that her gems weren't acceptable. He stepped out from around the counter once again before ushering the group towards the door. He'd bow his head deeply in a respectful gesture, extending his hoof to hold the flap aside and out of their way and she felt her frown turn upside down. Of course he wasn't refusing her gems, he was simply being generous.

"Thank you very much for such a fabulous meal." Rarity smiles and dips her head in a faint bow as she exited first.

"Put more sticky syrup on things!" Pinkie Pie called over her shoulder, giggling as she bounced out after Rarity.

"Thank you, it was ah.. very tasty!" Fluttershy smiled and gave a shy nod. Rainbow Dash simply waved a hoof and both Pegasi flittered out behind Pinkie with Twilight soon following suit, still talking to herself about going to find Ditzy and this mysterious book.

Applejack was the last to leave, pausing at the door to tip her hat back and give another look around restaurant. All the awkward tension that had been in the air when they first arrived had gone and she felt as if this place was right at home here in Ponyville. She found herself unable to keep from smiling until she noticed him peering at her with a curious expression, both eyebrows raised. Applejack let out a faint chuckle and quickly looked away as she colored a bit with embarrassment. She lowered her head, letting her hat slide down enough to hide the blush in her face.

"Thank ya' partner. You know how to carve up them apples, that was really somethin' else."

She showed herself out hastily and joined her friends, who had been met by nearly a dozen other ponies. They were the very same ponies that had been loitering outside to see how things went, listening with excitement as they had the details of the experience shared with them. The very same ponies who had looked at his newcomer with nervous apprehension a few days ago suddenly looked bright and eager to experience his wares for themselves. Several were already trotting over to the restaurant and met this 'apple samurai' at the door. His viridian eyes were open with surprise at the sudden interest in his establishment.

Without a word spoken he soon bowed his head, stepping aside to allow the gathering ponies entrance.

A gentle breeze suddenly blew in around them, kicking up her mane and rustling the branches of the nearby cherry tree. Applejack looked over as the sound caught her ears, her vibrant green eyes widening as she saw the branches raised proudly. One branch sported five open blossoms with a sixth just about to bloom. She couldn't help but grin as she took another look towards the open door, hearing the Earth pony's voice calling out to greet his new guests.

"Irasshaimase!"

Author's Note

I wanted to leave it up to the reader to decide who says what during their little 'round robin' conversation, but I remembered the emoticons and just couldn't resist. :rainbowwild:

(Scene inspired by an amusing skit from Saturday Night Live called 'Samurai Delicatessen'.

Translations:
Ringo no Samurai - 'Apple Samurai'
Irasshaimase! - Welcome! (A greeting spoken by employees when one enters a shop or restaurant)
San - 3
Roku sushi kimasu! - Six orders of sushi, coming!
Mushō. - Free of charge.
(added 9/15/15)

Found in Translation

Twilight spent the rest of the day distracted, unable to focus with the tantalizing thought of procuring the mysterious book Ditzy had mentioned looming over her head. She found herself wandering the streets of Ponyville just before sunset in hopes of running into the mailmare after Spike had given up trying to keep her attention during another checklist. He walked along beside her going on about something involving a Hoofball game he and Big Mac had talked over, but Twilight wasn't listening.

They crossed paths with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo as they chased after a whimpering, soaking wet Winona. Apparently they'd tried their hooves at getting a pet grooming cutie mark. Poor Winona trailed soap bubbles after her, whining as she managed to escape the three fillies after they had to stop when Scootaloo ran headlong into Spike, both toppling over one another.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" cried Scootaloo as she scrambled to try and get back on her hooves, Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom came skidding to a halt. Her eyes focused and she lowered her head, shrinking a little upon realizing she'd just shouted at the Princess of Friendship. The Cutie Mark Crusaders all hastily moved to help a dazed Spike up before apologizing profusely and darting off to find Winona.

"Are you all right Spike?" Twilight gave them all a chastising look as they raced down the street and leaned in to look her number one assistant over, using her tail to dust him off.

"I think so, but I can't seem to get my ears to stop ringing." Spike wrapped his claws around his head, wobbling back and forth as he tried to shake himself out of his daze. "Do you know a spell that can help? Sounds like it's getting louder..."

"I don't think your ears are ringing Spike, I hear something too. What is that? Is it... music?" Twilight briefly looked as if she were planning to cast a spell, her horn glimmering with magic. Her ears twitched as a gentle melody tickled them and she raised her head, peering around. It grew a bit more distinct the more she focused on it. Spike barely had time to grab hold of Twilight's tail, being pulled along for the ride as she took off to follow the rays of a setting sun and the harmonious sounds. "It is music. Sounds like it's coming from over by the river."

Trotting through the streets of Ponyville she came to Town Square and saw a few ponies like Daisy packing up their carts and closing up their shops. The curious cherry tree was in bloom, it's branches no longer looking sad and withered, but majestic and full of life now it was covered with beautiful pink blossoms. The Earth pony sat beneath it with his back propped up against the trunk, his straw hat once again resting atop his head and tilted down to cover his eyes. He held a bamboo flute between both hooves and raised to his muzzle, a gentle tune echoing from the instrument. A mid-sized dog with a bold sesame coat and an angular, wolf-like face lay beside him with his head resting over his front paws.

Twilight came to a halt beside City Hall and noticed several ponies were milling about, doing their best to appear like they weren't listening. Even Applejack had parked her apple cart off to one side of the street and was standing beside it with Rainbow Dash. Unlike Dash, who had her back turned, Applejack was the only one who'd not opted for subtlety. She had a curiously whimsical smile as she looked to Twilight and waved her over.

"Howdy Twi! Out for a little stroll and enjoyin' the sunset?"

"I was out with Spike, we were looking for Ditzy since she said she had that book earlier." Twilight grinned sheepishly as Applejack snickered. Spike rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Okay... I was looking for Ditzy. Spike's just along for the ride. What about you two?"

"I think I heard she said she had to go deliver a letter to Zecora. That's probably where she is now. If she isn't lost in the middle of the Everfree Forest that is. Applejack decided to stop and gawk at the new pony for whatever reason." Rainbow was doing her best to look disinterested as she casually bounced a ball up and down on her head while Applejack colored a bit and rolled her eyes.

"I am not gawkin'!"

"Why don't you go over there and talk to him instead of standing all the way over here?" Spike interjected, scratching the back of his scaly head with his claws.

"Oh yeah, that'd go well. I'm totally sure he's learned to talk like us since lunch." Rainbow Dash snickered, but earned a scolding look from the apple farmer.

"I didn't wanna bother him none, but him playin' sounded like it was worth listenin' to." Applejack let out a short laugh and shrugged. Apparently she wasn't the only pony to share that idea.

As Spike and Twilight looked around they could see Daisy listening to the sounds of music while trying to look busy with her flowers even though she'd already packed up. Octavia Melody also stood nearby, her ears perked up at attention though she too was doing her best to look mildly disinterested. Spike knew better as he could see her head sway subtly as the flute continued to fill the air like a pleasant breeze.

Not far off from her were Cloudchaser and Thunderlane, sat on a bench and exchanging hushed conversation as they occasionally stole glances at the samurai pony. Rainbow Dash was the only pony to really come across like she wasn't actually listening while she continued to bounce her ball up and down. She'd occasionally knock it back and forth between her head and her rump until she caught it at the wrong angle, sending it bouncing across the square where it came to a halt beside the cherry tree.

The Earth pony ceased playing and lowered his flute, turning to glance at the ball that now rest nearby. The dog raised his head, ears perked up and alert. His tail wagged and he shifted a little in place. He and his dog both rose at the same time where he bent low to scoop up the ball, tilting his head to balance it carefully on his nose before shambling across the street. When he reached the group he gave a bow of his head, passing the ball to Rainbow, who nodded vaguely as a form of thanks. The samurai pony began to turn back when Twilight called out to him.

"Thank you again for lunch! It was a wonderful experience." She smiled and Applejack nodded her head in agreement.

"Sure was. I'll have to bring some cider for ya' later as a way of sayin' thank ya'."

"I don't get why you guys are bothering... I mean yeah he's not a total weirdo like we first thought, and yeah it was good, but it's not like he understands a word you're saying. Even if he does, it's not like we can understand a word he's saying." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and gave a shrug, going about bouncing her ball again. Applejack gave the blue Pegasus a flat and unamused look as she shook her head while Twilight turned to face Rainbow whole sale, fully prepared to give her a lecture about being rude.

She didn't get the chance.

"Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita. It is most pleasing to hear your lunch was enjoyable." His calm voice called out to them and it took a moment for them to realize he was speaking clearly.

Well, almost clearly.

His voice held an obviously foreign accent to it that caused his r's to sound a bit too heavy and he spoke as if he used more vowels than the standard five that were universally agreed upon in the Equestrian alphabet. They all stared blankly. Rainbow's ball dropped and bonked her on the head, but she was too stunned to pay it much attention. Their eyebrows had risen so high up they were in danger of flying right off their foreheads. The steel gray Earth pony gave a slow blink.

"Oh. Please excuse. Ah, thank you... very much."

He met their surprised, slack-jawed stares with a curious stare of his own. There was an awkward silence as they all continued to stare at him, unsure how to handle the revelation that communication was not as impossible as originally thought. His deep, viridian green eyes regarded each of them in turn before peering at Twilight with a quizzical look, tilting his head a bit to the left.

"Are my words not correct...?"

Author's Note

Translation:
Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita. - Thank you very much.
(added 9/15/15)

Pony from the East

"Are my words not correct...?"

They initially gave him no response, all too stunned into silence at the revelation that he could speak just as well as they could to utter even the most basic of yay or nay's. The silence earned an uncomfortable frown from the steely gray pony, the tension suddenly thicker than one of Pinkie's milkshakes. His brows raised up and a bead of sweat began to form as a cricket chirped in the grass nearby. Had he said something horribly wrong?

"I will practice my english..." He bowed his head deeply then began to turn away.

"You mean to tell me you could speak the same language this entire time?!" Rainbow Dash looked particularly embarrassed at realizing he'd fully understood when she'd poked fun at his menu, and again when she'd practically called him a weirdo, but had to be first to put her thoughts into words. He however let out a sigh of relief and let his shoulders relax.

"Of course. Is it common here to do business if one is merely guessing what the other wants?" The samurai then narrowed his viridian eyes and peered at Rainbow Dash like she was the one that made no sense.

"But-!" Dash felt her whole body bristle in frustration and she flapped her wings, rising a few meters up off the ground. "How come you didn't say so from the start?"

"Do you think it strange to share my old home with my new home?"

"Ain't nothin' wrong with that at all. C'mon Rainbow, he didn't mean nothin' by it. Besides, it ain't like you would've had any idea what you were eatin' even if he spelled it out for us." Applejack chuckled as she rolled her eyes, turning from Rainbow Dash who grumbled to herself as she set back on the ground. In a gesture of good will she attempted to reciprocate the same bowing of her head he'd shown them earlier. "Really was mighty good, thank ya' stranger. What's your name?"

"Hiroki." He bowed his head politely, a gesture they were beginning to think was common for him, before looking to his sesame canine companion who was sitting with regal posture and holding his head up proudly as if attempting to look as impressive as possible to these other ponies. "Meet Isamaru. Isamaru wa, aisatsu shimasu."

When addressed the dog gave a single booming bark as his way of saying hello.

"Hero-key and Ees... Essa-maro... somethin'..." Applejack looked away, her ears pinning back with embarrassment as she stumbled over their names. He looked to her with a raised brow and the dog lowered his head, giving an overly dramatic, whining howl at the mispronunciation until Hiroki gave him a nudge to stop. She was worried she might have given offense until he let out a snicker and shook his head.

"Hii-roh-kii. Hiroki." He then gestured a hoof to his canine companion, giving him a pat on the head. The dog's tail wagged with approval. "Ii-sah-mah-roo."

Hiroki moved a hoof to tilt his hat back a bit on his head, making his features visible. It was then that each of them had realized they hadn't really taken a good look at him when they'd visited for lunch. Upon close inspection of his face they could see a faded scar on his right cheek and one of his ears looked to be missing a chunk. Another faded scar was partially concealed by the beads he wore wrapped around his front left leg. He certainly appeared to have had a few less than agreeable encounters in the past. The cutie mark past his flank was a single marking similar to the foreign writing they could see on the sign for his restaurant.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Hiroki. Formally, I mean. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and this is Spike, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash." Twilight gestured a hoof to each of them in turn as she called out their names.

"We are honored to meet you." Both Hiroki and Isamaru bowed their heads at the same time, causing Twilight and Applejack to smile brightly and fight a giggle of amusement. Rainbow huffed, looking a bit off-put by such formalities.

"What kind of name is 'Hiroki' anyway?" Spike was the one to ask, but judging by the way they all leaned a bit closer with their ears rapt in attention it was obvious they had all wanted to ask that very same question.

"Where I come from it means- ah... 'strong tree'." Hiroki let out another faint chuckle as they all looked from him to the cherry tree, no doubt trying to see a connection. "Isamaru means ah... how would you say, 'courage'. Full of courage."

"Heh, that sounds fitting. He looks like a brave one, doesn't he?" Applejack leaned over to give the sesame canine a few rubs to the head, causing his tail to wag lazily with contentment once again. "Where do ya'll come from, if ya' don't mind me asking?"

"A place far to the East, over mountains, through mist, across deep and troubled seas." His somewhat cryptic response gave her the impression he didn't want to say too much. She'd have to ask again later.

"I had hoped to learn more about you and where you come from, but the only book I've heard might help has gone missing." Twilight let out a soft sigh of exasperation as she mentioned her original purpose.

"How come you carry that thing? I've never seen anypony lugging around a sword before, not even the guards in Canterlot," queried Spike as he extended a clawed finger to the sword resting along the samurai pony's back. Hiroki was just about to respond, having opened his mouth to speak before he was interrupted.

"Twilight!"

A voice called from a ways down the street and they all turned, squinting as they were forced to look in the direction of the setting sun to see a pair of silhouettes crossing the bridge and heading towards them. All except for Hiroki who merely lowered his head to allow his hat to shield his eyes from the fading light. The figures of Ditzy Doo and Zecora came into full view with the former flapping her wings, a book clutched between her front hooves.

"Good day everypony, a pleasure indeed." Zecora smiled as she greeted them, turning to address Twilight while she gestured a hoof at Ditzy. "We come bearing the book you wish to read."

Twilight's eyes lit up and she gave an ecstatic smile as Ditzy grinned sheepishly, passing the book to her. Her horn gleamed with magic when she took the book, giving a hasty thank you and immediately cracked the book to have a peek at the first few pages. Everyone chuckled and a moment later Ditzy pushed her way to the forefront so she could greet Hiroki properly.

"Hi there! I'm Ditzy Doo!" She gave a slightly exaggerated bow of her head before leaning in close enough to beam at him and rival Pinkie Pie's lack of regard for personal space. Hiroki's head inched away with subtle discomfort, his ears pinning back.

"Hiroki..." He answered tentatively, but Hiroki gave her a smile and nodded his head politely once again.

"I deliver the mail around here! I got your letter through the Post Office, but I couldn't exactly read it, so Zecora let me borrow that book that helped me kind of decipher it. Kind of... Only I sort of forgot to deliver it after I figured out where to take it..." Ditzy lowered her head apologetically.

"In figuring out what to do with this letter, our intrepid mail-mare was most clever!" Zecora gave a hearty chuckle and gazed fondly at the back of Ditzy's head as she continued to talk to Hiroki. The zebra issued an amused smile and leaned in to whisper to Twilight. "Better late than never."

Twilight let out a giggle and rolled her eyes before she stole another glance at the book, trying to read as much of the peculiar tome as she could as quickly as she could. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both peered quizzically at Ditzy Doo while she assaulted the samurai pony with questions, none of which he seemed inclined to answer. Not that she gave him enough time to respond between more questions. Perhaps he was just too focused on the way she kept inching closer with excitement. Rainbow Dash snickered quietly and grinned, leaning over to mutter into Applejack's ear.

"Nyahaha... think she looks more like Pinkie after a cupcake binge, or Twilight before a trip to the book store?" Applejack was forced to cover her mouth with one hoof in order to smother the sound of a laugh, managing to disguise it as a loud snort.

"Hush Rainbow. Don't act like you don't want to know more." Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a knowing look, raising her eyebrows.

"Well... yeah, maybe. I guess it was pretty cool watching it slice up those apples..." Rainbow turned her head away, mumbling under her breath and earning a smirk from Applejack.

"How come you're not talking? Did I do something wrong?" Ditzy cocked her head to one side, her eyes crossing a bit as she suddenly gave him a pitiful, guilty frown.

"Ah... no." His smiled widened with uncertainty as he found himself now trying to reassure Ditzy while she frowned at him. "You have introduced yourself, I have introduced myself. This is a very good conversation."

Ditzy's sun-kissed eyes lit up and her frown turned upside down at this reassurance. She nodded happily and though it was obvious she wanted to keep talking, his attention had moved to Zecora as the zebra went to stand beside the cherry tree. Both Hiroki and Isamaru sauntered over to her, the canine's ears perked up and his tail wagging eagerly. Applejack had to nudge Twilight with an elbow to get her to look up from the book, not wanting her to miss anything. They all peered curiously as the samurai and the zebra locked eyes, both bowing respectfully to one another.

"Hiroki... and the faithful Isamaru! How overjoyed I am to be seeing both of you." Zecora smiled warmly as she looked from the samurai to his sesame wolf-dog, reaching to give him an affectionate rub behind the ears.

"Zecora-sama." Hiroki's reply was short and simple, but Twilight could tell that each held each other with great respect.

"So... you know each other?" She shut the book fully, tucking it under one of her wings as Twilight kept shifting her violet gaze between Hiroki and Zecora.

Author's Note

Translations:
Isamaru wa, aisatsu shimasu. - Isamaru, say hello.
sama - a more respectful honorific than 'san', given to customers or someone of high(er) esteem.
(added 9/15/15)

Perfect Blossom

"You... know each other?" Twilight queried after tucking the book safely under her left wing.

Zecora said nothing, but she continued to smile warmly as she looked at Hiroki. He seemed unwilling to speak. The samurai's posture had grown very stiff, having made himself to stand as tall and as proudly as he could manage, though he'd tilted his head so that the brim of his hat concealed his viridian green eyes. Everypony save for the zebra held their breath as the tension had suddenly risen once again while the two looked at one another. Another gentle gust of wind and blew in around them, causing the branches of the cherry tree to rustle jovially and knocked a few of the cherry blossom petals to the ground.

"Hey, what did he call Zecora?" Spike leaned in to whisper to Ditzy, thinking she might be able to tell him. She'd read the book after all, so she probably knew more than Twilight.

"Uhh... I don't know, that word wasn't in the book." Ditzy tapped a hoof against the side of her head as she rolled her eyes thoughtfully, trying to remember.

"Have I said something I shouldn't have?" Twilight shrank a little, feeling a bit antsy at this lack of an answer.

Zecora's smile only grew warmer and she let out a faint chuckle as she shook her head. Walking over to Hiroki, he tensed and grew even more rigid when she was closer to him than Ditzy had been, his hat still tipped to hide his eyes. The zebra lowered her head with an amused smirk, craning her neck so that she could peer up and under the rim of his hat. She let out a much louder, heartier laugh when she straightened herself out and suddenly put one of her front legs around his neck, bringing him in for an endearing hug. It was debatable whether or not he found this contact welcome, but his own left leg went around Zecora's shoulder and he returned the gesture, eventually allowing a faint smile to tug at his mouth.

"You have given no offense, do not be fooled by his defense." Zecora issued a coy grin as she shot a look at Hiroki, the samurai having lowered his head slightly once again while his ears pinned back. Was he... embarrassed?

"Well how come he's not saying anything? Y'know it's -rude- to just not say something when somepony asks you a question!" Rainbow Dash smirked, more than delighted at making sure the samurai got a taste of the awkward medicine.

"I... sumimasen." Judging by the way he bowed his head low they were given the impression he was apologizing in some way. Applejack came to his rescue and nudged Rainbow Dash with an elbow to shush her. He sauntered over to the door to the restaurant and disappeared through it, but Isamaru remained.

"He simply feels it not his place, to share how we first met face to face." Zecora nodded lightly as Hiroki vanished. The zebra placed her hoof on Isamaru's head and gave him a few firm pets, the sesame dog's composure all but lost as he panted and wagged his tail happily, leaning forward into the pets bestowed upon him. "We stayed together through one night, up 'til next morning's first light."

Judging by the collectively raised eyebrows on Twilight, Spike, Applejack, and Rainbow, they'd all come to the same conclusion. Her slightly cross-eyed gaze made it difficult to tell what Ditzy was thinking, if anything. Zecora blinked a few times as she tried to make sense of their curiously suggestive stares and it hit her. She let out a short laugh and shook her head, waving one of her hooves dismissively.

"I had suffered from grave misdeed, he came to me in time of need. This I have always known, 'tis not safe to travel winding roads alone..."

Her voice trailed off into an explanation involving her crossing paths with Hiroki when they passed one another, each travelling opposite directions. She gave no specific details as to where, but it was before she had come to settle outside of Ponyville in the Everfree Forest.

She described walking a poor excuse for a road, little more than a dirt trail that ran through thick, steamy jungle. Heavy vines hung from twisting tree branches and little sunlight was able to pierce the foliage. Zecora had opted to stop when what little sunlight there was grew too faint to effectively see where she was going, knowing just how disastrous it could to wander right off the designated path. Towards the end of her second day travelling the dark jungle trail she had the distinct impression something was following her, further exacerbated by feelings of being watched that same evening.

A sleepless night was had.

The third day was no better. By the time the sun was setting she could no longer hear the ambience of the jungle, no smaller creatures or insects, but her ears could still detect the rustling of leaves some distance away. Though the trail was becoming harder to see, the feeling of being followed turned her casual stride into a slightly more urgent canter. She kept moving even though the sun had set and after she felt a great enough distance was gained she began to slow, only coming to a stop when she saw a light ahead.

It steadily drew closer at a pace that matched that of her earlier casual stride. When it was close enough she could make out the figure of a pony wearing a round hat, accompanied by a mid-sized dog. The light turned out to be a paper lantern he was carrying, lit by a group of fireflies. He kept on coming, showing no signs of stopping.

Perhaps he hadn't seen her?

The light would be perfect to illuminate the path in front of him, but it would make seeing into the distance difficult. When the pony and his dog were almost on top of her the latter looked up and smelled the air. The canine perked his ears and stared directly at her. He suddenly lowered on all fours, hunkering down and let out a fierce growl. Zecora's first impression was that he was growling at her. The auditory warning from his canine companion made the pony stop dead in his tracks.

The pony kept the lantern up but with one hoof he reached back and a sword was suddenly drawn. Curved steel flashed as the blade reflected light and it was moved out to one side, at the ready. The reflected light danced across three pairs of eyes, twenty or thirty paces back in the dark, followed soon by a dull snort, the agitated growl of a large feline, and the low hiss a serpent. The massive form of a chimera bearing a jaguar's spotted coat, a black ram's head protruding from it's back, and the long tail ending with a head of a cobra, hood extended prowled forward into the lantern's light. Without so much as a warning the samurai pony passed Zecora his lantern and pushed her to get behind him, galloping forward to meet the chimera head on with the faithful dog charging alongside him.

"So you were attacked by a chimera?" Applejack had a look of moderate concern. Her own personal experience told her just how dangerous chimeras can be.

"And he fought it off? With a sword?" Rainbow Dash found herself interrupting, staring wide-eyed like a young filly during story time.

"Girls, let her finish!" Twilight rolled her eyes. Zecora chuckled and shook her head.

"With the battle's end, the beast had roared. Defeat had been it's just reward. There is only this left to say, they most definitely saved the day. Hiroki and Isamaru did not hesitate to protect, and thus have my deepest respect." Zecora nodded and found herself looking up at the cherry blossoms covering the tree's branches.

It sounded like there was more to the story, but that was where she'd chosen to end it. Rainbow Dash looked ready to interject about it and though Applejack wouldn't deny that she also wanted hear more, she looked to blue Pegasus and shook her head as if silently telling her to let it go for now. The zebra turned her head and smiled past them, closing her eyes and bowing her head deeply. They all turned to see Hiroki now standing just outside the door to his establishment as he returned the gesture. How long had he been there?

Had he just come out, or had he been standing there while Zecora regaled them with her tale?

"And now my dears, I bid good day. It is time for me to be on my way. I hope you visit some time soon, perhaps not so late in the afternoon." She smiled at the stoic and silent samurai, then looked to Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow, and Ditzy, giving them a fond wave. Zecora crossed the bridge and disappeared beneath the rays of the still setting sun, it's position now just over the horizon.

"Yeah, I better get going too. Good seeing you all, and nice meeting you!"

Ditzy Doo waved excitably to Hiroki to which he nodded in response as she departed as well, flapping her wings and performing a less than graceful takeoff. Rainbow Dash passed her ball to Spike and slapped him on the back in a friendly manner, causing his legs to buckle as she nearly knocked him over before taking off into the sky herself. Applejack turned to smile at Hiroki, tipping her hat to him.

"Dilly dallied a bit too long, gotta be gettin' my cart back to Sweet Apple Acres." She waved a farewell and turned to canter back across the street, only to find herself accidentally walking right into the cherry tree.

It shook with the impact and she grimaced, pulling her hat forward to hide the embarrassment in her face. Flower petals rained down around her, but a single whole blossom fluttered forward. Hiroki strolled over to pluck it out of the air and Applejack looked up to see him tucking the flower into her mane before giving her a single pat on the back. There was something about the look in his eyes that told her he'd done that very same thing at least once. After a hastily muttered goodbye to he, Twilight, and Spike, she was soon strapped to her apple cart and disappeared with it down the road. The sesame dog leaned forward and stretched, letting off a wide yawn before it sauntered up to Spike, his nose prodding the dragon's clawed fingers as it sniffed curiously. It wasn't long before Isamaru had vanished into the open door to the restaurant.

"I must finish my chores, please do not think your company is undesired." The steel gray samurai looked to Twilight, his head tilted a bit to one side.

"Of course, I don't want to keep you from your responsibilities. I have my own after all, I probably should be getting back to them..." While that was true, Twilight grinned sheepishly as she knew the first thing she'd do when she returned to her castle would be to read this new book cover to cover.

"You are most welcome at any time, Twilight-hime." Hiroki turned his back to her to follow his faithful companion.

"Can I ask you something?" Twilight called out to him and Hiroki stopped. He said nothing as he looked over his shoulder at her under the brim of his hat and past the sheathed sword on his back, but gave a nod. "What brought you to Ponyville? I mean... if you don't mind me asking..."

"To find the perfect blossom." Hiroki cocked his head slightly as he peered at Twilight, then nodded his head towards the majestic cherry tree. What did that mean? She wasn't at all sure what she was expecting him to say, but that most certainly wasn't it. He left her to contemplate its meaning as he bowed his head politely and turned forward, disappearing through the door and letting it shut behind him.

Author's Note

Translations:
Sumimasen - A polite, 'I'm sorry' or 'Please excuse me'.
hime - Princess or maiden.
(added 9/15/15)

Hiroki Dreams of Sushi

Twilight peered at Hiroki quizzically as he left her standing outside in the fading sun, looking to Spike he merely shrugged his arms with bewilderment. The perfect blossom... What had he meant by that? She turned her violet eyes to the cherry tree that stood proudly, it's branches still swaying gently with the now much cooler early evening breeze. A vibrant pink petal flittered down, landing on the tip of her nose and she crossed her eyes so she could study it. It was only when Spike cleared his throat and gave a tug on Twilight's tail did she shake the petal free, nodding when he mentioned they ought to be getting home. She smiled at her number one assistant and motioned for him to climb up onto her back. Spike was more than happy to get to ride instead of walk, even if it meant he had to hold on to Twilight's new book.

Hiroki watched silently from one of the windows as the lavender Alicorn took off into the dimming sky, the beat of her wings giving the braches of his cherry tree another rustle. Isamaru sat beside him, nudging at his master's flank repeatedly and giving an exaggerated, pitiful whine. The samurai looked back at the sesame dog and gave him a flat stare as he continued the drama by staggering and toppling over onto his back, still whining. Rolling his eyes, he turned away and gestured for Isamaru to follow him.

"Kodomo no yō ni kōdō shinaide kudasai." Hiroki paused for a lingering moment as the dog rolled over in an instant, trailing at his hooves. If he was going to be staying here he should probably get into the habit of speaking common. "Come along, supper time."

Having fed the complaining canine as well as himself, he spent the rest of the evening cleaning dishes, wiping down tables, and sweeping the floor so that his Red Apple Restaurant would be that much easier to open the following day. It was slow, methodical, and repetitive work, but without perfection in every facet he'd be shortchanging his customers. By the time he was done every table was polished, every plate sparkling, and everything put away neatly, ready to be used the next day. He gave a single nod of satisfaction before hitting the lights, rounding the corner behind the bar at the rear of the room and climbed a small set of stairs.

At the top was a shoji panel door and he slid it open, allowing Isamaru to scamper in around him. He chuckled faintly as the sesame dog curled up into a ball atop an ample pillow positioned beside a simple futon mattress with a folded, faded blue quilt bearing white floral patterns.

The shoji door was left open, after all no one liked to be woken by an animal begging to be let out in the middle of the night. Hiroki hung his hat on a hook and propped his sword up into the corner on the other side of his mattress. Grabbing hold of the corner of his folded quilt by his teeth, he unfolded it with one quick tug, clambering onto his futon, laying down and letting the quilt drape over himself. His viridian eyes stared up towards the ceiling through cerulean bangs, but it didn't take him long to check his eyelids for slits, finally drifting off into dreamscape. Tomorrow would be another day of serving sushi, another journey in perfecting his art, and another day to find the perfect blossom.

The starry night sky had few clouds obscuring the heavens and a nearly full moon shined down over Equestria. The Princess of the Night beat her wings gracefully as she soared on the evening winds above the dreaming denizens of Ponyville. Luna smiled fondly as many were happy and content as they slumbered and dreamt of fulfilling glorious achievements, having wild adventures, and out-of-character experiences. It was no shock to see that three little fillies were once again dreaming of having their cutie marks, a certain pink baker was swimming in pool of liquid chocolate, and a rough-and-tumble Pegasus found herself hacking away through faraway jungles in search of long lost, forgotten artifacts.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, that is until she circled over the town square, looking down at a small building she'd never seen before. The impression was given that the pony within was having a nightmare. As Luna peered in through the small window to see the steel gray Earth pony, his head lolling lightly from side to side. It was easy to assume he was having a nightmare, judging by the way he tossed and turned, even if it was subtle. A glimmer of magic radiated around her horn and she delved into his dream to witness his troubles for herself.

Hiroki was galloping as fast as his legs could carry him, darting and weaving between tall growths of bamboo while a shadowy figure, dressed head to hoof in black, gave chase to him. His sword was drawn, the hilt gripped tightly between his jaws with it's shining silver blade gleaming in the moonlight. This shadowy assassin dashed along and soon they were both running in tandem through the rows of bamboo stalks.

When the pair reached the edge of the bamboo forest the ninja swung his own ninjato with clear intention to strike Hiroki's head from his shoulders. It was a simple matter to bring his katana up to block the strike, the blade hissing until it bit its counterpart with a shrill clang. The samurai leapt to one side and rose up on his hind legs, suddenly bearing the sword between his front hooves. It was a most peculiar stance for a pony to take, but it seemed to suit him just fine. He charged, running on his hind legs while the other figure mimicked his posture and reared up, rushing forward to meet Hiroki head on. The two swords clashed together, sparks flew as steel struck steel and each appeared evenly matched... Hiroki reflected a strike and spun back, holding the blade up over his head in a jōdan stance.

Luna wasn't certain what this meant, but it wasn't her dream after all.

The samurai could see his weapon held high and ready was not intimidating his opponent, so he took a step forward and lowered his blade so that it was held slightly back, level with his shoulder and pointing forward. He could see his reflection in the blade's edge... when he focused on it, the reflection changed to see a cherry tree off to his left with his new acquaintances sitting at a counter beneath it. Spike, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack all sat, eating food that had been served to them and they all had sour expressions marring their faces. They shook their heads, pushing their unfinished plates away and spoke of disappointment. His shoulders sagged with anxiety and his viridian eyes widened, his defense faltering as he witnessed his work being rejected. It was then that the ninja facing him down came forward. Hiroki's reaction time was too slow, he was turning back in time to see that his opponent was a shadowy mirror of nopony other than himself, blade again swinging to lop his head off once again...

It was going to end, death was imminent. His carelessness was going to be his downfall... He wasn't skilled enough. They'd hated his food!

No.

He would not be defeated. He simply needed another angle.

Hiroki craned his neck so that the blade hissed by his head, using this momentum to spin to the side, performing a half circle and came up behind the shadow of himself. This opening was taken advantage of fully as he brought his gleaming blade straight up along the length of the villain's spine. The shadowy figure flailed as it was sliced up it's back and erupted into a whirl of smoke, the ground around them suddenly being littered in sushi rolls. Without wasting a second he flicked the blade clean and drew it across the edge of the scabbard before it was put to rest within.

He turned to see these new sushi rolls, smelling one and taking in it's fragrance, eyeing what ingredients formed the delicacy. The samurai brought his head up to look over at the counter beneath his cherry tree, this new food concoction going over much better than the last. The young dragon was stuffing his cheeks with as many rolls as he could manage, Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down with excitement while Rarity was sipping tea and nodding with refined approval. Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle were each bowing to him and Applejack was beaming at him with admiration.

The steel gray samurai turned his head to peer up at the tree as cherry blossom petals rained down around them all, giving the whole scene a very 'spaghetti western' feel to it. After all, it was just a dream. Hiroki's eyes narrowed as he suddenly snapped back and looked towards the moon shining bright, giving it a curious stare as if there was something very peculiar about it...

Luna withdrew herself from this pony's dreamscape with no interference and felt impressed, yet also faintly disappointed he appeared to have no need for her guidance. Had he noticed her watching over him without her to reveal herself? She had never seen another pony quite like this Hiroki, no doubt she'd have a most intriguing discussion with her dear sister when it was time for the sun to come up. The samurai seemed in little danger of being disturbed by his dreams, however strange they appeared to be, so the Princess of the Night smiled softly and gave a heavy flap of her wings to ascend back up into the darkened night sky.

Author's Note

Translation:
Kodomo no yō ni kōdō shinaide kudasai. - Don't act like such a child.
(added 9/15/15)

Sakura Sunrise

Hiroki woke the following morning while the sun was still dark. He rolled lethargically off of his bed mat and narrowly avoided stepping on the snoozing Isamaru's tail. The silence was broken by the sound of a wide yawn as he staggered to one corner and stared at his reflection in an old mirror hung on the wall. He dipped his hooves into a bowl of water, splashing his face twice before shaking his head dry. The dog let out slow yawn of his own, stretching his paws out but simply circled over his cushion before curling up again. Hiroki went about brushing his teeth, pulled on his hat, and swung his sword around to rest between his shoulders. Isamaru may have the luxury of sleeping in, but he didn't.

Time to get an early start.

The streets of Ponyville were empty, after all what pony would be crazy like him to wake so early in the morning? Hiroki stepped out of his shop into darkened street with an apple clutched between his teeth, turning long enough to lock the door. He took a hefty bite from the fruit, holding it with one hoof and chewed thoughtfully as he accustomed himself to the cool morning air. The few clouds that remained did little to obscure the darkened sky but the creeping rays of sunshine coming up over the distant horizon overpowered any lingering light from the stars.

He finished the apple in two more bites and approached the cherry tree, adjusting the beads wrapped around his foreleg. Hiroki clopped his front hooves together twice and dipped his head slightly, uttering a quiet prayer under his breath. When he raised his head he was privileged with the regal sight of the Princess of the Night soaring overhead on her way back to Canterlot. The samurai bowed deeply out of respect to her passing, even if Luna wouldn't see it. He didn't have to wait long for the Princess of the Sun to give them their first morning light, bowing his head and uttering another prayer of thanks to Celestia as well. When he looked up his eyes caught the new rays of sunlight as they shined through pink cherry blossoms. There was something about this place that touched their spirit and Hiroki found himself whispering aloud.

"Sakura, Sakura

yayoi no sora wa

asahi ni niou..."

He spent the greater part of two hours across the river, practicing his sword technique repeatedly up on a raised grassy knoll. It began with drawing the blade and striking in a single move, taking the bulb of a sunflower off at the top of the stalk. His form changed constantly, each one with it's merits. Hard as stone, swift as wind, fluid like water, and fierce as fire. Feeling the morning sun now shining brightly against his shoulders, he knew it was time to adjourn. With his blade ready, it came up in a final vertical strike from bottom to top and he let out a sharp kiai to add energy to the blow. It mimicked the very same finishing move he'd used to defeat the shadow of himself in his dreams. Hiroki drew the blade across the scabbard through force of habit and slid it home, the sword giving a clink as it was put to rest.

Just as he had the previous three days, Hiroki engaged his morning chores with the same tenacity as he would a battle. Fresh water was poured, kindling gathered, and ingredients organized. Large quantities of rice were rinsed until they were free of running starches, then allowed to air dry and finally stored for later cooking. Reflecting back on his dream had given him an idea: Dinner would be served by him, and while he had a target audience in mind, anypony and everypony would be welcome.

But this meant it would take much preparation and more of his favored ingredients than he currently had on hoof. He'd have to stow his pride and enlist assistance If this were to happen... His back was turned to the front while his mind spun with what to serve for this bold endeavor and the front door opened, the bell overhead giving a joyful ring. Despite the fact he was not technically open, a customer was still a customer and must be addressed. He had no desire to repeat the display that scared ponies away that first day.

"Irrashaimase! One moment..." Hiroki called out over his shoulder, wiping his hooves with a dish towel. The samurai draped the cloth over one of his shoulders and turned to greet the customer properly, looking to see none other than the Princess of Friendship herself. He bowed his head deeply. "Towairaitosupākuru. Err, please excuse, Twilight-hime. Forgive me, but lunch will not be ready for some time..."

"Oh that's all right! I didn't come for lunch... I mean, it's only nine in the morning... but I didn't come for breakfast either. Err... I mean..." Twilight giggled at the way Hiroki had spoken her name, then corrected himself. "What I meant to say is, 'Konecheewa'."

Hiroki winced, shaking his head quickly. "Kon-ni-chi-wa. Konnichiwa. Please repeat."

"Konnichiwa..." said Twilight, beaming happily as Hiroki gave a faint smile and nodded in affirmation.

"Ahhh, fixed. Good. Pronunciation excellent." The samurai nodded again and rest his hooves on the counter as Twilight approached tentatively..

"I was hoping to just chat with you a bit... may I sit at the bar?" Yet another nod was given in response and she smiled brighter still, moving to sit her rump in one of the places set directly in front of his work space. She'd have to come eat here at some point too, just so she could watch the way he prepared his dishes. "I was up late reading that book Zecora lent me, and I couldn't wait to come here to talk to you about it. Of course if I mention anything I shouldn't, or if I overstep any boundaries..." Twilight's voice rattled off a bit nervously, likely having reflected back on how poorly her initial interactions with the Yak's had gone.

"To learn is to speak, to speak is to learn. I must continue my preparations, but conversation is welcome." Hiroki turned to produce a ceramic pot and a mug, placing the latter in front of her on the counter before filling it with a green tea.

"Where to start..." She cut off before a question had actually been asked, holding the ceramic mug of tea between her hooves and feeling it's warmth. "Where do you come from? What are samurai? ...and what's that 'hime' word you keep calling me?"

"There is a legend..." Hiroki began, pouring a single cup of tea for himself. He blew across the surface to cool it a bit before taking a slow sip. "The Ancients dipped a coral blade into the sea... when pulled out, four perfect drops fell back. Those drops became the islands of Neippon... To samurai the word you might use is 'warrior'. As for hime, it is simply appropriate to address a maiden princess properly..." She blushed furiously at this realization.

Hiroki and Twilight chatted for over an hour. Or more accurately, she asked questions for more than an hour and he answered most of them while continuing preparations for customers, only stopping twice to refill her tea. She asked him about samurai, the importance of their code of honor, about his homeland, its trees, its ponies, and its magic. He avoided speaking directly of battle and asked little in return, occasionally inquiring about something he might compare to his own heritage. He'd rolled enough noodles and sliced enough vegetables to feed a herd of hungry ponies yet there was an air about him that gave her the impression he didn't think it would be enough.

"I enjoyed talking with you so very much, but I really should let you focus on your work." Twilight nodded quickly as she got to her hooves. "Arigatō."

"Very good. You say Neipponese word like you are Neipponese." He took her empty mug and placed it onto a tray to be cleaned later.

"Oh, now you're making fun of me." Twilight laughed, coloring a bit as she lowered her head with embarrassment.

"Oh no, not at all. Serious business. Pronunciation very good. You say arigatō like -we- say arigatō." Hiroki looked up and nodded in reassurance. Twilight looked both relieved and pleased to hear this, raising her head and smiling at him.

"Thank you. Oh! I mean...arigatō." She was still chuckling as she began to make her way towards the door.

"Dōitashimashite. You are most welcome." The samurai had lowered his eyes to his work again, sharpening a long bladed knife.

"Hiroki... one more thing?" Twilight stopped at the door, looking back at the counter.

"Hmm?" The samurai paused and raised his eyes to meet hers.

"What you said yesterday... about the reason you came here... what did you mean by that?" He placed his knife on the rack behind him and sauntered around the counter. Hiroki led Twilight through the front door to stand before the cherry tree outside.

"This tree was raised by my ancestors a thousand years ago... raised and cared for like any other. But it does not only bloom in Spring... the kodama is touched by souls of those around it." Upon receiving the inquisitive look at the foreign word, Hiroki corrected himself. "Kodama... a spirit that resides within. It responds to those around it, blooming when ponies are... joyful. Excited. Inspired. Full of hope, or love. When we are happy, the kodama shares in this and gives its blossoms. The perfect blossom is to have tranquility, beauty, and harmony."

If there was a spirit within the cherry tree, it saw fit to emphasize the samurai's words by dropping a whole flower from one of it's higher branches. The flower danced along the air and spun jovially, Hiroki raising his head to let the flower balance perfectly on the end of his nose. He'd jerk his head, sending the blossom fluttering into the air again and the morning breeze pulled it over to Twilight. More ponies were now out and about now that shops were opening, some of them glancing over at them as they went by. Hiroki looked past Twilight to see Applejack on her way to deliver a cart of various baked apple treats. The samurai's gaze lingered for a moment before he looked to Twilight and gestured a hoof at the cherry tree.

"The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You can spend your entire life looking for it and it would not be a wasted life." Hiroki sauntered back towards the door to his establishment, but he stopped long enough to ask over his shoulder. "Twilight-hime, may I ask a favor?"

Author's Note

"Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms
Across the spring sky
Fragant in the morning sun."

Not quite the original order of the lyrics from the traditional Japanese folk song, but I felt they were appropriate.

Translations:
Konnichiwa - Hello!
Arigatō. - Thanks.
Dōitashimashite. - You are welcome.
Kodama - Tree Spirits
(added 9/15/15)

Change of Plans

"Twilight-hime, may I ask a favor?"

"Of course! What can I do for you?" She beamed happily, overflowing with excitement at the chance she could do something for her new friend.

"It would honor me..." Hiroki shifted uncomfortably, wracking his brain for the correct words to use. He bent one leg and lowered himself respectfully as if addressing his own Lord. Twilight's head lowered sheepishly and she blushed at this development, never one to revel in the sort of kowtowing that was expected for royalty. "...If you would allow me to make dinner for you and your friends... as well as Purinsesu Serestia-o... and Purinsesu Runa..."

His eyelid twitched irritably as he stumbled over the Equestrian words and gave a short shake of his head. Ponies passing by were starting to gawk as this samurai was prostrating himself before the Princess of Friendship and were beginning to whisper about it.

"You don't have to do that... come on, stand up. Please?" Twilight fidgeted with embarrassment, growing ever more self conscious and reached down to put both hooves on Hiroki's shoulders, tugging him up from the ground. He rose with his brow furrowed, looking confused as to why this Princess did not want him to show her the appropriate level of respect. "You want to make us dinner? All of us? You don't mean tonight do you?"

Twilight had been most eager to do something for Hiroki after he'd entertained her curiosity with such deference, but there was no disguising the shock in her eyes when he dropped that particular bombshell of a request. There would be over a month of planning and re-arranging of schedules, not to mention all the political intrigue it took to free Celestia or Luna for any kind of event. She wasn't even sure she could secure all of her Ponyville friends on such short notice. This all went through her mind rapidly, her violet eyes darting every which way as she considered so many variables as fast as she could. Hiroki was intuitive enough to see the dilemma as it was forming.

"Eh? No no no." Hiroki's ears pinned back. Of course he'd needed to make himself more clear. "Sometime soon. I only ask if you would pass word to Purinsesu-" He stopped to correct himself, making an effort to speak more clearly and with less accent. "Princesses... Celestia and... Luna."

"Well..." Twilight rubbed the back of her head nervously, not wanting to make any promises she couldn't keep. At the very least she could make herself available. "I can't guarantee anything, but I'll have Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia. How's that sound?"

"Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita. Err... thank you very much." Hiroki and Twilight Sparkle smiled at one another, both turning to go about their respective mornings when Spike came bounding up as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Twilight! Hey Twilight!" The dragon skidded to a halt in front of the pony he sought, his tongue hanging out as he panted heavily, trying to catch his breath.

"Spike? What's the matter?" Twilight looked at her number one assistant and placed a hoof to his back, patting lightly. "Come on, deep breaths."

"Message... Princess... Celestia..." He huffed and wheezed, brandishing a scroll clutched in one of his claws and waved it haphazardly in front of Twilight's face.

"Oh, good timing Spike! I was just on my way back, we need to send her a message of our own-" Her voice trailed off as Twilight pulled the scroll open and began to read it, eyes daring across the parchment from left to right and top to bottom. When she reached the end, her violet eyes went wide and she gasped loudly. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are coming here to Ponyville! Tonight!"

"How come? There aren't any holidays or events coming up... at least not that I know of..." Having finally gotten his wind back, Spike tapped a claw against his chin.

"They want to meet him!" Twilight craned her head to look at Hiroki who had almost made it back through his front door. He stopped, brows rising high over his angular eyes as she galloped back up to him. "They're coming here to meet you! Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"

"N-nani?!" Hiroki's viridian eyes widened greatly with surprise as his hat slumped backwards and a bead of nervous sweat appeared on the side of his head.

"They're coming tonight! You said you wanted to make dinner, right? It's just going to happen sooner than we expected!" Twilight laughed nervously as she poured over the message a second time. "I know this is seriously short notice... can we handle it?"

Hiroki looked at a loss for words, his mouth hanging open as he stared incredulously at Twilight Sparkle. True this was exactly what he'd asked for, but with such little time to prepare? He wasn't certain if the spirits were smiling or laughing at him. Was this a stroke of good fortune, or was the universe playing him for a fool? There was only one way to find out.

"It will be done." He nodded firmly and propped the front door to his restaurant open, disappearing through it. Twilight and Spike stepped up to the door, peering through as Hiroki shouted a loud, "ISAMARU!"

A lingering silence passed and the samurai was given no response by his canine companion. Growling and muttering in his native tongue under his breath, the steel gray pony vanished behind the counter at the rear of the room. The sound of hooves thundered up a flight of wooden stairs and only then did it dawn on Twilight that the restaurant must have had a loft, much like her former home in the Golden Oak Library. After all, Hiroki had to sleep -somewhere-. Moments later Isamaru came sauntering into view with a most disgruntled look on his wolf-like face. He padded up to Twilight and sat in the doorway before her, his tail wagging lightly. Hiroki thundered back down the stairs after a minute, coming to stand beside his canine companion and held out a note.

The dog ignored him and continued to peer at Twilight with his ears perked and tail wagging as though making a point that she was obviously much nicer than he was. The samurai gave the dog a flat look and rolled his eyes at the drama. Their synergy spoke volumes as Isamaru seemed to deflate under the stern gaze Hiroki was giving him without even having to look back at his master. His ears flattened and his head lowered to show deference, which earned a few gentle pats from the samurai as well as a few quiet snickers from Spike and Twilight. The dog took the note between his teeth.

"Appurujakku ni kono nōto o tsukete kudasai. You can sleep all you want later." Isamaru gave a muffled bark and stepped out into the street, digging his nails into the ground and took off at a sprint while Hiroki called out after him. "Arigatō."

The samurai shut and locked his front door, a sign hanging from It that bore the intricate calligraphy of his native writing, but he'd hastily scribbled 'BACK AT NOON' at the bottom. There was much to do, and not a great deal of time to do it in. The intense expression of focus did little to alleviate the worry Twilight was now feeling, but he simply bowed his head.

"Do not worry, I have never shied away from battle before. Everything will be ready." With that the samurai took off at a gallop, having to dart and weave in between other ponies as they were walking the streets and minding their business, some less than appreciative at nearly being knocked over.

"I hope so..." Twilight sighed, her peaceful morning of academic understanding now disrupted with nervous anticipation for what was to come in the evening. She rolled the scroll up using magic and turned to begin running at a trot, her number one assistant trailing at her heels. "Come on Spike, we'd better go too. He's not the only pony who's got a lot to do."

"So does this mean we have plans tonight?" Spike gave a helpless shrug as he ran after her.

"What, did you have something better going on?" She slowed enough to let Spike climb up onto her back, snickering at the sheepish look on the young dragon's face.

"Well... maybe Big Mac and I were going to trade Hoofball cards..."

Author's Note

Translations:

Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita. - Thank you very much. (polite)
Arigatō - Thanks.
Nani? - What?
Appurujakku ni kono nōto o tsukete kudasai. - Please take this note to Applejack.

Chance Meeting

The rest of his morning was spent galloping all over Ponyville, performing his crucial errands and enlisting as much aid as he could. Hiroki seriously hoped his ancestors were watching over any one of his other family members at that precise moment. He suspected that if they could see the hoops he was having to jump through, some of his more stringent and traditional kin would certainly have expected him to throw himself on his own sword to salvage his honor. And this was all for the sake of making dinner. But this wasn't just any dinner. This was royalty. A good impression had to be made.

Honor demanded it.

Hiroki was a blur of movement as he dashed through the streets of Ponyville, slowing to a canter long enough to get his bearings before speeding to a gallop. He was making a list of things he'd need and kept repeating them over and over in his head. Teppan. Bonbori. Hotaru. Nobori. Ringo. Ōku no ringo. At least he wouldn't have to worry about that last one, having sent Isamaru to barter with Applejack on his behest. That meant four other ponies he'd have to do business with... who would he ask to help him?

He needed lanterns. It was doubtful there was a shop dedicated for what he needed. What would be the next best thing? Light bulbs? No, that had no elegance. Balloons? This was royalty, not a child's birthday party. Some sort of party favors... Pinkie Pie. A slow sigh of exasperation escaped him at this particular realization. No time to lament, however.

If he could get lanterns he needed to light them. It was far too costly to use liquid fuels, not when hotaru could light them just as well. Who could help him get a hold of fireflies? Someone that worked with animals, perhaps Fluttershy might be able to point him in the right direction. Then again he might not need them It wouldn't matter if he couldn't secure the lanterns first.

Nobori. A banner. He needed something elaborate. Welcoming. Regal. Where could he get the appropriate material? It's not like he could go to his village silk weaver and ask for a length of... wait, was it that easy? Carousel Boutique was just across the river from his Red Apple Restaurant... Rarity.

The only thing he wasn't sure he could get was the teppan grill. His thoughts ran rampant as he galloped through the streets of Ponyville, deciding to make Ponyville Marketplace his first stop. Could he fashion a griddle himself? Where would he get the iron plate? How would he secure it to the table? How would he light it? No, his best hope would be to find a grill ready to use. Hiroki rounded a corner far too quickly and found himself face to face with Applejack.

Or more accurately, he ran headlong into Applejack. She let out a yelp of surprise and he grunted heavily as they both went crashing, their respective hats knocked free by the impact. Being hitched to her cart allowed the workhorse a lingering moment of stability as the samurai hit the ground first. Hiroki recovered quickly and sprang up onto all fours, putting a foreleg out and around her shoulder to catch Applejack before she'd joined him in the dirt. A swift kick was simultaneously sent to keep the cart from toppling over and taking her with it anyway.

"What in tarnation?! Why don't you watch-" Applejack shook her head vigorously, dazed from the abrupt collision when she found herself being held by a steel-gray foreleg. She looked up to see Hiroki bowing his head profusely and muttering what was likely an apology in his native tongue. When his head rose their eyes met. His deep viridian gaze lingered into her green eyes, followed up with a twinge of red as each blushed with embarrassment. The ire in her voice dissipated quickly. "- where you're goin'?"

"S-Sumimasen, forgiveness please..." Hiroki let go of Applejack instantly, his head whipping left and right to locate their fallen chapeaux. He grabbed a hat off the ground and placed it over her head, before kicking the second up off the ground to land on his own and bowed deeply in apology again. He had already started back towards the market when Applejack called out to him, causing him to remain still.

"Uh... partner?" The samurai's head drooped with shame as he slowly turned around to face the apple farmer, expecting to receive an earful.

After it didn't come Hiroki looked up finally to see Applejack staring at him with an expression of great amusement, shown by the grin tugging at her mouth from beneath his straw hat and one of her green eyes peering at him from a slight split in the rim. His jaw fell open slightly at the image of Applejack standing there wearing his hat with the morning sun beaming down on her. It made her coat sheen like honey, her golden mane and tail shining like sunlight. It was though she was on her way to the apple orchards or the rice fields back home... Applejack cleared her throat gently and he quickly snapped out of his enamored state. With a gesture up high it gave way to his own eyes rolling up to see her Stetson hat sitting up on his head, now realizing his mix up. Hiroki's embarrassment escalated tenfold in that moment, averting his gaze and letting his cerulean fringe shield him from having to make eye contact as he plucked her hat from his head.

"It's all right sugar cube, just slow down a bit. Where's the fire anyway?" Applejack snickered as she flipped the hat from her head and caught it between her teeth, swinging it to come to rest atop Hiroki's noggin where it belonged. He reciprocated the gesture and moved to place the Stetson hat to it's proper place on her head.

"Forgiveness please..." Hiroki repeated, keeping his head lowered so that the brim of his hat kept his eyes hidden. It did nothing to hide the rise of color in his cheeks. The samurai leaned away slightly, his body language suggesting he wanted to keep moving. "...much to do. Big evening."

"Oh yeah?" She wouldn't stall him, but Applejack figured a little curiosity was a fair trade after nearly being run over.

"Dinner. For you." He was so distracted the implication didn't set in that Isamaru must not have found her yet. Hiroki nodded quickly, adding hastily upon seeing the expression of surprise on Applejack's face. "A-and your friends. And the Princesses. Please excuse, much to do. Sayōnara." The samurai bowed his head deeply with his farewell, giving Applejack a small smile before spinning on hoof, charging up into the market and leaving her snickering gently.

"Dinner? Well that's mighty sweet of him..." Applejack allowed herself a grin. Then it began to sank in and her moment of girlish glee evaporated.

"Wait, what now? The Princesses? Does he mean Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? They're comin' here?! Tonight?!?! Oh horse apples... I hope that means I don't gotta get all gussied up..." Applejack sighed and shook her head, feeling both excited and now nervous with anticipation as she turned to haul her empty cart away. "I suppose I better go talk to Twilight..."

His head whipped left and right as Hiroki slowed to a trot, scanning the vendors present for his desired bounty. He wasn't holding his breath however as there were plenty of things he could use, but not what he needed. Passing a stall selling fresh avocados made him linger, staring longingly at the ample fruit. The stall next to it had was bearing cucumbers and heads of lettuce. No, this would have to wait. He shook his head quickly and continued on. He paced up and down the rows of stalls, carts, vendors and passed soaps, decorative ceramics, even book seller. Hiroki was beginning to think his endeavor was doomed to failure and just as he was about to move on towards his next stop, a gleam of light caught the corner of his eyes.

Having stopped at the stall there was an elderly Unicorn with a pale yellow coat and a graying mane, sitting behind a weathered metal table. The cutie mark on his rump looked like a basket of fries. The gleam he'd seen were rays of the morning sun reflecting off ancient and battered looking utensils that lined the surface of his stall. Side by side with a ladle were several spatulas, three different sized spoons, a beaten set of measuring cups, and even a dented cast iron skillet. It was all second-hoof and used none-too-gently, but as a chef himself he knew that's what made them special. They had experience. Been used for cooking. The elderly Unicorn smiled and touched a hoof to the table.

"See anything ya' like friend?" Hiroki bowed his head politely, moving his viridian gaze across the weathered utensils. He glanced to the Unicorn's hoof and realized that the surface beneath it was actually steel... a lot of steel.

"Kore wa gurirudesu ka? Ah... is this... a grill?"

"Hm? Ohhh, yessir! Good eye. Only the finest quality stainless steel right here, with a nice chrome plating over the griddle. Used it over at the Hay Burger, flipped a looooot of burgers on this puppy." The old fry cook chuckled, giving the grill a few adoring pats.

"Ikura? How much?"

"Hold up there sonny, this thing hasn't grilled in ages. I've just been usin' it as my stall table. It hasn't even got a heating element-"

"Kaimasu." The aging Unicorn raised one of his bushy eyebrows and Hiroki corrected himself as he thrust a drawstring pouch filled with bits into the vendor's hoof. "I'll take it."

"Hah, if you say so- Whoa, hang on just a minute! What about your change...?" Hiroki waved one hoof dismissively as if to say it was his to keep, already moving to one side of the grill so he could begin to push it. The Unicorn chuckled and his horn glimmered with magic, clearing off the rest of his ancient cooking utensils and calling after the samurai. "Careful, you don't wanna throw your back out!"

"Arigatōgozaimasu." Hiroki replied back to the elderly pony, now too focused on moving this hefty steel appliance to thank him in a language he was sure to understand. He needed to get this thing back and cleaned up. Looking to the position of the sun he guessed he'd lost about thirty minutes, give or take. There was still so much to do and time was not working with him. The evening may be important, but the afternoon still had to be business as usual.

He still had to open his shop for lunch.

Author's Note

Translations:

Teppanyaki - A kind of Japanese cuisine using an iron griddle to cook. Often known in Western culture as 'hibachi'.
Bonbori - A style of Japanese paper lamp.
Hotaru - Fireflies.
Nobori - A large banner used by samurai to denote units of an army. Today more widely used as advertising outside of businesses.
Ringo. Ōku no ringo. - Apples. Lots of apples.
Sayōnara - Good bye!
(Hiroki translates for himself during his interaction with the fry cook pony.)

Party Planning

It wasn't iron, but steel and chrome would cook to his needs just as well. He found himself thanking his stars it wasn't cast iron, but the steel appliance still wasn't exactly feather light. It didn't matter. There was a fire of determination behind his viridian eyes, lit from the embers of good fortune at having found the most important item the upcoming evening would require. The spirits were most certainly smiling on him, just not enough to make the appliance any easier to move. The pace was slow and blistering, steadying his breath and exhaling sharply every time he gave the steel construct a shove. Its feet dug into the ground, leaving a trail of upturned earth behind him as he shoved the appliance through the streets of Ponyville, earning more than his fair share of confused and curious stares from other ponies.

Hiroki kept his focus on the task at hoof, gritting his teeth as he pushed the steel grill and before he knew it he was standing outside of Sugarcube Corner. He stood up straight and wiped his brow with one hoof, having worked up a sweat from pushing the heavy appliance. On the one hoof, this was giving him brief respite from the daunting task of getting this hunk of steel back to his own shop. On the other hoof, this was a rather large jump outside of his comfort zone. He could say with great pride he felt no fear in battle, even if he would have to give his life. But this wasn't a battlefield... it was just a sweet shop. So why was he so unnerved? It was that seemingly limitless energy Pinkie Pie exuded...

He must have been standing there for the better part of five minutes, staring at the front door to the bakery without realizing it. A few ponies had already come and go, giving him strange looks and exchanging hushed queries.

"What do you think he's doing?"

"I don't know... maybe it's normal to do that where he comes from?"

Hiroki felt his eyelid twitch in annoyance, though not at those ponies trying to keep their voices down. At himself for causing a spectacle. He let out quiet sigh and shook his head. It had to be done. With his resolve re-strengthened he stepped forward and pushed the door open, the bell overhead ringing as the samurai set hoof over the threshold.

"Good morning!" He was met with warm reception from Mrs. Cake as he approached the counter and bowed his head politely. "Oh, Mr. Hiroki, what a lovely surprise! What can I do for you? How about some fresh banana bread? Just came out of the oven!" She waved a hoof to the counter just behind her, a plump loaf of steaming bread ready to be carved and sold by the delectable slice.

"Ah... no, thank you..." He gave a quick shake of his head before bowing deeply once again. "I need to speak with... Miss Pinkie Pie. Am I correct in understanding she... works here?"

"So polite. She most certainly does, wait right here a moment..." This earned a soft chuckle from Mrs. Cake and she nodded in affirmation, turning to stick her head through the kitchen door. "Pinkie dear, you've got a visitor!"

There was an awful din that came from the kitchen immediately after as if a mountain of pans had just been knocked over, followed up with a high pitched excitable squeal. Smoke suddenly billowed through the doorway and Pinkie Pie appeared through it, spattered with flour and cake batter. She was bearing a tray of six pale orange and yellow swirled cupcakes, sporting an ivory cream icing and dusted with something red. Hiroki looked momentarily concerned at this development. His eyebrows rose high until he looked to Mrs. Cake who was just smiling and rolling her eyes, knowing this to be business as usual.

"Success!" Pinkie hopped up and down happily on all four hooves, somehow keeping the tray balanced atop her head. She froze mid-air, defying the very laws of gravity that bound them to the world when her blue eyes fell upon the samurai and let out another gleeful squeal. "Hiroki! You're just in time! This is so exciting!!!"

Still keeping the tray steady she threw her forelegs up and gave Hiroki and abrupt hug, his hat sliding forward on his head to hide his face as he gave a small, uncomfortable squirm. This didn't phase her in the least, but she released him soon after and brought her head down so that the fresh cupcakes were wafting their fragrance up under the rim of his hat. Whatever they consisted of, the samurai looked far from thrilled at the prospect of eating one.

"Ah... Pinkie, dear? What exactly did you put in these... ?" Mrs. Cake now looked mildly concerned as well, but she smiled encouragingly as she eyed the red powder sprinkled over the creamy icing.

"A new recipe! I just finished them... are you ready?" Pinkie paused for dramatic effect, lowering her voice and shifting her eyes left to right as if she were about to reveal the most closely guarded of secrets. "...wait for it... Mango CHILI cupcakes! I took mango and baked it in with the cake, then topped it with a nice cream cheese frosting and then- BLAMMO! Dusted with the chili powder!"

"Ohhhh, yes. I see that. How... nice? I'll just have to... try one later!" All too familiar with Pinkie's experimental baking, Mrs. Cake disguised her reluctance easily from years of practice and busied herself with the register.

Pinkie Pie looked to Hiroki and gave him a cheerful grin, wiggling the tray in front of him. A bead of nervous sweat had formed at the end of his brow, slowly falling down the side of his face. He silently convinced himself it was from physical exertion and not concern over the prospect of being poisoned. Pinkie peered up at him eagerly and noting his reluctance, changed her tactics by giving him enormous, pleading, puppy dog eyes. Now between a rock and a hard place and not wanting to hurt her feelings, the samurai lightly touched the beads wrapped around his foreleg and uttered a quick prayer to his ancestors, accepting whatever fate the spirits had in store for him. He leaned in boldly and took a whole 'mango chili cupcake' in one generous bite.

The experience was... otherworldly.

Hiroki's viridian eyes glassed over, gaining the expression that soldiers dubbed the 'thousand yard stare'. The myriad of clashing flavors were like an opposing army forcing open the gates of the castle that was his mouth. His tongue as the daimyo became surrounded and stood no chance of fighting his way through these brutal attackers. He was promptly slain in combat against the overpowering chili flavor. Hiroki slowly came back into focus, his cheeks bulging and his jaw rolling from side to side as he chewed at a painfully slow rate. With visible effort the samurai would tilt his head back and forced himself to swallow, one eye twitching irritably. He shut his eyes while this confectionary grenade travelled down his chest and fell into his stomach, waiting for an explosion that would claim his life. He always thought he would die by the sword...

Thankfully no such explosion occurred.

"So? Whaddya think?!" Pinkie grinned cheekily at first, but her expression sank quickly at the uncomfortable look on Hiroki's face and the shake of his head. She sampled one for herself, engulfing an entire cupcake in an equally generous bite. Chewing thoughtfully, she looked pleased at first, but it soon ended on a sour note and a nod of agreement before she put the tray aside. "Oh, you're totally right. Waaaaaay too much chili powder."

Despite this proclamation she reached back and took another, biting into it with renewed vigor. "Hm. Or more mango. Or less chili powder AND more mango. So! What can I do for you? Do you need some cake? Pies?! Cookies?!?! Or did you just come for a smile?" She put emphasis on this by beaming at him.

"Ah... no. Thank you..." After eating one of her experimental treats, sweets and smiles were not to be had. The lingering flavor of chili powder on his tongue made it feel heavy, sluggish and it was affecting his ability to speak. "Dinner... you."

"Dinner? Me? No I'm not having dinner. It's not even lunch time. So I can't have dinner yet, now can I? Unless you count these cupcakes as lunch... then maybe I could have dinner at lunch time..." Pinkie Pie kept going, her words like a continuous volley of arrows that shot rapid fire one after another. Hiroki gave a confused glance to Mrs. Cake, who smiled warmly and waved a hoof as if to say Best to just wait it out. He turned to focus on Pinkie again who was coming back around from her tangent about meal times.

"...but dinner is supposed to be the biggest meal of the day, so wouldn't that mean dinner is breakfast, since breakfast is supposed be the most important meal of the day? Unless you're saying you want me for dinner. You can't have ME for dinner, that's just silly! And rude. I wonder if I taste like cotton candy... or maybe cupcakes?" Pinkie suddenly let out a gasp and leaned in uncomfortably close to the samurai. "Unless you want me OVER for dinner!"

"Hai..." Hiroki leaned back subtly in a vain attempt to keep some measure of personal space, still rolling his tongue back and forth in his mouth to loosen it from the fiery assault of chili powder.

"Hi! Are you inviting me over for dinner? Hiroki, you sweet talker you! I don't know what to say. It's all so sudden!" Pinkie Pie giggled and gave her eyebrows a suggestive wiggle, reaching over to poke him in the chest teasingly with one hoof. "And here I thought you might have eyes for some other pony..."

"Err... yes?" The samurai furrowed his brow, his head canting to one side in confusion. She'd lost him... what was he saying yes to at this point? It was further exacerbated with Pinkie Pie let out another shocked and overly dramatic, drawn out gasp.

"You do?!? I mean of course you do! She's one of the bestest, most loyalist of friends a pony could ask for! She's pretty and hard working and the most dependable of ponies! Oooh! And she makes the sweetest, most delicious, mouth watering cider..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes were distant, smiling wistfully and salivating at the thought of Applejack's cooking. "But what are you doing here inviting ME to dinner you silly billy? You should high-tail it right over to Sweet Apple Acres and-" Pinkie grew silent when Hiroki brought up one hoof, gesturing her to be quiet. Mrs. Cake dropped the bits she was about to deposit in the register. She and the other patrons all turned with wide eyes and jaws dropped with shock as Pinkie was uncharacteristically still.

"Yes... you are invited to dinner... and Twilight-hime, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dashu, and Applejack." Hiroki finally managed to get hold of his words, but he sounded no less flustered than before. He lowered his voice so that only Pinkie would hear the following. "Princesses Celestia and Luna will be in the party also-"

"You mean... a dinner... party?!" He'd said the magic word and Pinkie gasped her longest gasp yet, her eyes going wide and brimming with excitement. She was just about to say something at the top of her lungs with her mouth was suddenly full of another mango chili cupcake, the samurai using it to great effect to keep her quiet and momentarily distracted. She chewed thoughtfully, maybe the third time was the charm? Eugh, nope. New recipe definitely needed.

"Hai... ah.. yes.. it is... like a dinner... party." Her energy was indomitable, admirable even, but it would still take some getting used to. If nothing else this would be the best way to get her to focus. "I need... party favors..."

Hiroki spent several minutes trying to explain to Pinkie Pie that what he meant by party favors didn't include anything that made noise or shot confetti. In fact they were merely decorative pieces. Though true enough the prospect of being privy to party planning, even if she wasn't planning the party herself, was enough to keep her on topic.

"So you need a special kind of lantern? Made out of paper?"

"Hai." Hiroki nodded.

"Hi! You don't need to keep saying that! We've been talking this whole time silly!" Pinkie giggled jovially and rolled her eyes in a full circle, twisting her head so she could meet Hiroki's eyes under his hat. He gave her a slight frown as he corrected himself once again.

"I mean yes. Bonbori are a kind of lamp where I come from... they can be round, square, or other shapes."

"Ohhh... well I think I can manage to make something in time. It'll be fun!!" Pinkie nodded with great enthusiasm, skipping up and down around the samurai. He gave a slow sigh of relief, nodding again and stopped Pinkie by placing a hoof on her shoulder.

"Dōmo. Thank you very much." Hiroki countered Pinkie's exuberance with stoicism as he bowed his head deeply. Pinkie further countered his counter be giggling and reaching over to pat his cheek with one hoof in a reassuring manner.

"Don't you worry one bit! I'll get started right away! Well, almost right away! I have to go clean up the kitchen first. See you tonight!" She skipped back into the kitchen, taking the remnants of her experimental mango chili cupcakes with her.

Hiroki wiped his brow on his foreleg, suddenly feeling rather tired. Was it aftershock of that confectionary bomb he'd consumed, or was Pinkie Pie secretly leeching energy from those around her in order to stay so buoyant? He'd be willing to bet on either at this point. The samurai gave a polite bow to Mrs. Cake, who smiled and waved at him while the further sounds of crashing pans could be heard from the kitchen. He showed himself back out the door and into the morning sun, thankful that his wide hat was providing his head with shade as he moved to stand behind the steel appliance he still had to get back to his own establishment.

Two errands complete, two errands remained.

Author's Note

Translations:

Hai - Yes.

Notes:
The entire time I went through this chapter, I couldn't get Pinkie Pie saying, "I'm so excited I think I'm gonna lose my cupcakes!" out of my head. :pinkiehappy:

Diner Dash

Hiroki had spent far more time than he'd realized at Sugarcube Corner, despite having gotten Pinkie Pie on board for the evening almost immediately. The sun had risen further in the sky and the grains of sand in the proverbial hourglass were counting away to high noon. He was beginning to growl in frustration as he was still shoving the steel appliance down the street. A lingering doubt tickled him unpleasantly as beads of sweat fell from his face and into the dirt beneath his hooves.

It wasn't that much further, town square was only a few streets away. However the mango and chili powder was festering in his gut and with the sun beating down on him, it may as well have been a few miles. This was starting to feel more trouble than it was worth. He paused beside a bench long enough to wipe the sweat from his brow when a dull twang rang in his ears, causing them to perk up.

"Look out!" A voice rang out, causing Hiroki to whip his head around in search of the source.

He brought his gaze up, squinting his viridian green eyes as he caught sight of a red kickball screaming toward him with a direct path to hit him square in the face. The perceived threat gave him a boost of adrenaline, counteracting the fatigue he was feeling. In the blink of an eye Hiroki reached for his sword and took a single step forward, drawing his blade and striking swiftly in one perfect motion. The kickball didn't stand a chance.

The poor ball giving off a faint cry of escaping air as it was sliced in half.

The two sides zoomed past Hiroki and flopped to the ground just as Rainbow Dash came grinding to a halt a few feet in front of him. She swallowed hard when he raised up on his hind legs, his curved blade glinting in the late morning sun as it was held ready. Upon realizing there was nothing else being launched at him, his threat perception instantly diminished and the sword was soon drawn across the edge of the scabbard then put to rest. Several ponies nearby were now staring and looking very nervous, even after the sword had been sheathed. Despite initial reservations Rainbow Dash spoke up first.

She liked to be to first.

"Hey, what's the big idea? I said 'look out' not 'cut my ball in half'," she cried. Rainbow narrowed her eyes and crossed her forelegs as she rose up off the ground.

"I... apologize..." Hiroki slumped slightly, his expression of intensity soon fading back to fatigue. He turned back towards the grill, pushing it with a heavy grunt.

"Hey, what about my-" Rainbow Dash was beginning to protest as the samurai went to leave, but moved to hover along the opposite side of the grill when her eyes fell upon it. "What are you doing with this big piece of junk anyway?"

He was forced to stop and look up at the Pegasus. "Yūshoku. I need it to make you dinner."

"Come again?" Rainbow Dash sank back to the ground and gave him a strange look with one raised eyebrow. Hiroki let out a slow sigh of irritation before correcting himself.

"I am to make supper for you and your friends. Also Princess Celestia and," he growled fiercely as he gave the steel appliance another shove and caught a rock in the dirt, making him stumble. "Princess Luna..."

"Whoa, the Princesses are coming here tonight? And you're making us dinner?! That's totally aw-" Rainbow Dash moved around to stand beside him and her eyes were brimming with excitement. Until she cut herself short in attempt to keep some measure of composure. She could still hear Ms. Harshwinny reminding her about professionalism. "Ahem. Awesome. So, what is this thing? How is this gonna help you make dinner?"

"This is... hhnrghh... teppan. A grill. Teppanyaki means... to grill on... iron plate. The shokunin cooks in front of guests." The samurai was determined not to let Rainbow's line of inquiry distract him from the task at hoof.

Time was running out however, as the Ponyville clock tower suddenly chimed twelve o'clock. Hiroki suddenly grumbled furiously and with his teeth bared, lowered himself to shove with all his might. He gave the appliance another hard shove, pushing it over the obstructing rock and sending it several feet forward. The Earth pony was no pushover, but moving something so heavy by oneself would take it's toll on anypony. The Pegasus raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You're not looking too hot... actually, you're looking a little too hot." It wasn't readily discernible if Rainbow Dash showing concern or poking fun as she casually tapped the edge. "You need a hoof moving this beast?"

"..." Hiroki said nothing as he continued his epic struggle by letting out another growl when he shoved the grill again.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you keep up like this." Rainbow Dash shook her head, slowly rolling her eyes.

Why did Earth ponies have to be so stubborn? If he was determined to move this thing, then she'd help him even if he didn't want to admit needing it. Okay, she really did want him to admit it so she could boast about it later, but that wasn't likely to happen. She was going to help him, but maybe she could sweeten it just a little bit...

"How about this; I'll help you get this back if you teach me some of your wicked cool moves..." Dash dropped this and casually moved into position alongside him. She bent forward and gave a firm push, grumbling at the resistance she received. "Grrr... this thing weighs about as much as the Cake's Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness."

When she gave another push and felt it just as heavy as before, Rainbow stopped and looked over to see that Hiroki was now a few paces behind her. No wonder it felt so heavy, she'd been pushing it on her own. His hat was tilted so that she could see his eyes and she found him staring at her in a very cryptic manner. She had a sinking feeling he was sizing her up, judging by the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. Like he was trying to peer through her eyes and right down to her core.

"What...?" Rainbow leaned back, suddenly feeling like she might spontaneously combust under his scrutinous gaze. "Okay, I think it's awesome and I want to know how you do what you do. Happy?"

"The way of the warrior is not to be taken lightly," replied Hiroki as he moved back into position to give the grill another firm shove. Noon had struck and ponies were waiting. Rainbow Dash followed suit and found it much easier to move when they both pushed.

"Apparently neither is the way of the chef." She covered a laugh with the sound of a grunt as she and the samurai worked together. "I'm not... grrrrr... asking because I want to show off."

With the raised eyebrow she received it was pretty obvious he wasn't buying it.

"Okay, so I know I'm awesome and everything. I was just thinking that... maybe if you teach me some things that it might help me improve in other ways. Like my flying."

Hiroki said nothing else as he continued to heave-ho alongside Rainbow Dash. They were able to push further for longer when they pushed in unison, but their journey was not without it's complications. A few ill-timed moments of cooperation resulted in one or the other stumbling awkwardly against the weight of the steel and Rainbow even tripped, face planting into the dirt. He placed a hoof at her shoulder to help her up, only to have her brush it aside as she clambered upright. They both looked up to see that they were standing beside Town Hall and that they had reached the end of a line of ponies that moved across the front of the building, around the corner, through the square, alongside the cherry tree, and began at the door to the Red Apple Restaurant.

It was quite the line of ponies.

They were all waiting patiently to be admitted now that the time for lunch was upon them. Word had obviously spread about his cuisine and they all wanted to experience something new. It was likely helped along now that they knew their new resident samurai was actually rather polite and well-mannered, despite intimidating first impressions. He stood there at a loss for words at the number of ponies he'd be serving and a whole new wave washed over the rising tide of fatigue he was feeling. Rainbow Dash gave him a shake to get his attention.

"Hey, earth to Hiroki. Are we moving this thing or not?"

"Yes. Gomennasai..."

They continued pushing the hunk of steel across town square until they reached the front of his humble building, giving it one last shove as they tucked it off to the side of the restaurant. Hiroki bowed his head deeply in thanks to Rainbow Dash before moving to the door and pulled the sign down. Those ponies that had been queued for lunch were now perking up and whispering quietly to one another, growing excited now that the proprietor had returned. He turned to address those gathered and waved a hoof in greeting.

"Konnichiwa. Please excuse my tardiness. I will begin admitting patrons in just a few moments..." The excited murmuring around them grew a bit louder and Hiroki gestured for Rainbow Dash to follow him inside. The two disappeared with a jingling from the bell over the door.

"What's up?" she inquired. Rainbow watched him move behind the counter at the rear of the room. Hiroki plucked his hat from his head, swinging it up and leaving it to rest against a hook on the wall. His eyes were strained as he glanced up towards the windows, seeing the shadows of ponies against the screens. Maybe he really had exhausted himself moving that hunk of steel?

"I will not be able to serve everypony by myself..." Hiroki's thin eyes narrowed further and a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. He looked most displeased at having to admit it.

Rainbow Dash almost broke out into boasting on the spot, but as he began tying his bandana around his forehead to keep the fringes of his mane out of his eyes that glimpse of the rising sun over white cloth gave her pause. Hiroki plucked the longest knife from the rack behind him and began to set up his work station. A water stone was plucked from a pail beneath the counter Rainbow Dash found herself watching the samurai as he began to sharpen the blade of his carving knife against it. She shifted her gaze from the quiet scraping and suddenly gave him a confident, almost arrogant smirk.

"How can I help?" Rainbow Dash would swear she saw the briefest of smiles flicker across Hiroki's face.

"I will make food... Would you be gracious enough to serve it for me?" Hiroki continued to sharpen the blade against the water stone. Up and down. Back and forth.

"You want me to be your server...?" This was not the most exciting way she imagined she'd be helping. Her smirk faded, but she soon realized it would be foolish for her to try and do much of anything else. She had no idea what went into his cooking or how it went in. "All right, I can do that!"

"Just until the line dwindles-" Hiroki had obviously anticipated her refusal and was prepared to negotiate. He cut himself short and looked up at the prideful smirk Rainbow Dash was giving him. The samurai bowed his head deeply in thanks, then went back to sharpening his knife. "Arigatō. Thank you. If you would open the door and let ponies begin to enter..."

Rainbow Dash nodded firmly and moved across the floor towards the door. She gulped nervously before pulling the door and propping it open, the little bell overhead giving a joyful jingle.

"C'mon everypony, he's open for business! No pushing, no crowding... maybe twenty ponies at a time?" Rainbow stepped aside to let ponies in and snickered when she saw that the first two in line were Cloudchaser and Thunderlane. They smiled at Rainbow Dash as they crossed the threshold, being met with a verbal greeting from the samurai.

"Irasshaimase!" He gestured Rainbow Dash over and she trotted up to the counter. "If you would, I will take orders from any who do not wish to wait for a seat inside. Simply tell them to place their orders with me. Would you be kind enough to run them out?"

"No problem. Just leave it to me!"

And so he did.

Hiroki spent the next few hours scooping rice, carving sushi rolls, and boiling tea. Many seemed more interested in dining in, but were sensible enough to decide to try for a seat another day. Rainbow Dash was true to her word and the moment plates were prepared she rushed them out to their respective tables. While those seated inside were served first Hiroki continued to with his ministrations, each 'to go' order bundled in decorative paper and perfectly bound with string. Rainbow found herself silently admitting she thought it was impressive each bundle was wrapped with the same care and precision as the last.

Thankfully most ponies were mindful that there were still those waiting for a seat inside and tastefully chose not to stay too long. Most were in and out within twenty to thirty minutes though it was obvious many wished to linger in order soak in the atmosphere the peculiar diner and it's proprietor offered. Hiroki paused with customers only twice. Once just long enough to drink a cup of water and once to fix lunch for Rainbow Dash.

She ate a meager helping of what she learned was called makizushu or 'rolled sushi'. These rolls had a base of specially prepared rice as well as ingredients that are often chosen daily by the shokunin, or artisan fixing it. Today it was white rice, cucumber, carrot, toasted sesame seeds, and rolled in nori or seaweed paper, making it 'norimaki'. Rainbow Dash gave the samurai a disapproving look when she noticed he himself wasn't eating. She didn't dawdle very long, keeping to her volunteered task and continued to help him serve his customers as well as deliver the orders to those outside.

The bell in the clock tower struck for a third time when she peered around the diner to see that it was no longer exceedingly busy. A pair of the tables set to the side were empty, as were three of the seats at the counter where Hiroki worked. Now that there was no longer a line of ponies waiting to be admitted, Hiroki finally set his cutlery down and allowed himself a long, slow breath. He wiped his brow on his foreleg, causing the beads wrapped around it to rustle.

"Looks like things are quieting down, so I guess you don't need my help anymore huh?" Rainbow Dash brought a tray loaded with empty plates and cups balanced on the end of one of her wings over to him, setting it behind the counter.

"Hai. Yes, you need not waste any more time here. Thank you very much for your assistance." The samurai bowed his head deeply in thanks.

"Yeah yeah, don't sweat it. I know I'm awesome and all, but don't think I'll do this full-time or anything. Course, if you keep needing help you might have to start paying me by the hour." Rainbow Dash laughed as she sauntered towards the door.

"Rainbow Dash..." Hiroki called out to her and she looked back. He'd lowered his head back to his work, carving a new set of norimaki for Mayor Mare after she sat herself at the counter. "...sun's rise on week's end. If you wish to learn, then I will teach..."

"Huhwha-" The Pegasus tilted her head and gave a ludicrous stare back to the Earth pony samurai. A look of slow comprehension dawned across Rainbow's face. "You mean... Yes! Omigosh omigosh omigosh! I'll be there!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly grew quite excited at prospect of learning his way with the sword, bringing a hoof up and drawing her leg down towards her body in a celebratory hoof pump. She left a rainbow blur in her wake as she whipped around and disappeared through the door. The ground shook as she took off abruptly, yelling a 'woohoo!' as she flew away into the sky. Hiroki furrowed his brow and gave a slow roll of his eyes, quietly wondering to himself if he'd made the right choice. She wasn't exactly the most disciplined of ponies...

But perhaps with his guidance she might learn some discipline. Perhaps... Well, a warrior doesn't shy away from a battle.

And this certainly would be a battle.

Hiroki spent the better part the hour tending to customers as they came and went. By the chime of four from the clock tower, his last customer had paid, thanked him, and left. At this point he wanted nothing more than to sit and take a load off, his energy having diminished greatly since his early morning. His stomach gave an angry rumble and he wasn't sure if it was from hunger or still in protest over forcing it to deal with Pinkie Pie's mango chili cupcake. He let out a sigh and began his tedious work of cleaning up.

Night was coming. He still had two errands left to complete, not to mention the preparations needed for the arrival of the Princesses.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay. Had some troubles writing, plus I got onto a wonky sleep/work schedule. :facehoof:

Also, went back through and fixed minor mistakes throughout previous chapters.
Remember my little ponies: No matter how excited you are to post something, always, always, always proofread THOROUGHLY before you do! :trollestia:

Translations -
Yūshoku - Supper/dinner.
Gomennsasai - A more formal way of saying 'I'm sorry'.
Makizushi - Rolled Sushi
Norimaki - Nori rolls (sushi wrapped in nori, seaweed paper).
Shokunin - Defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as 'craftsman' or 'artisan,' but such a literal description does not fully express the deeper meaning.

Cut from the Same Cloth

Hiroki treated himself to a small helping of leftover rice to quiet the complaining from his stomach. The next half an hour was spent rising and scrubbing dishes clean. Meticulous sweeping and dusting commenced soon after. Pressed for time or not, there could be no fault with his establishment for the evening ahead. He pushed all of the smaller tables together to make one large banquet sized table, leaving a space at the head where he would place the grill. The grill was still outside... and it had to be dealt with.

The elderly Unicorn had been completely honest with him when he sold it. The heating element was indeed missing, but the grill otherwise looked like it has been taken care of. Perhaps just a bit dirty from it's time as a table. Or more likely when he'd had to shove it through town to get it back. Thankfully he didn't have to spent a great deal of time to clean the appliance and soon enough the grill was scrubbed and fit for service. He'd let the grill sit while pondered the best way to heat it. The clock tower chimed four, causing his ears to perk up and his eyes to go wide. He still needed to barter with Rarity over cloth. In his haste to get his errand done Hiroki left his hat hanging on the wall and his front door propped wide open.

He'd shove the grill inside when he got back.

The calm air of neutrality was replaced by a dogged expression as Hiroki crossed over the river, his hooves thumping lightly against the bridge. He became aware that he'd left his hat behind when he paused to adjust it, finding his hoof rubbing along the top of his wild cerulean mane that was still pulled back haphazardly into a tail. A frown tugged at his mouth as he peered at the front of Carousel Boutique. Personally he thought the building was a bit ostentatious, much like Sugarcube Corner, but to each their own. He pushed through the front door and the bell jingled overhead.

"Coming!" Rarity's singsong voice called out in response from her storage room.

Hiroki stood there and his viridian eyes roamed about the various clothing on display the boutique. His frown persisted and he fidgeted with discomfort at all the bright colors facing him from every which way. So many dresses. It was then that he caught sight of himself in a mirror, frowning heavily at what he saw. His coat was flecked with dust and his blue hair disheveled, despite being pulled back and tied. His treasured white headband was dirty from sweat and in desperate need of washing.

Many samurai strove to look their best at all times and often wore bright colors to flaunt their station. In this respect he could relate with Rarity, even if he put less stock in fashion than she did. He thought it an act of humility to appear simple, but at this moment he felt he just looked shabby. Hiroki snorted derisively at his reflection and turned away to see Rarity standing before him, smiling brightly.

"Hirok! How absolutely wonderful to see you here. Welcome to Carousel Boutique where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique! What may I do for you today? See something you like perhaps?" Rarity beamed at him, looking most excited to hear what sort of fashions might interest the samurai.

"I came to ask for your help, and if you are available this evening?" Hiroki kept his eyes forward on Rarity. Perhaps if she didn't catch him looking at her wares he might be able to avoid the subject of fashion entirely.

"Ooh! You're having some sort of fancy dinner party this evening, right?" Rarity practically squealed with excitement, but there was a look of confusion now showing on Hiroki's face. She blinked, then chuckled and gave him a wink. "Spike came by earlier and mentioned it."

"Spike... the dragon?"

"He's not just 'the dragon'. Spike is one of our dearest friends. An absolute sweetheart!" There was a moment of tender reflection until Rarity hmph'd and tossed her hair back, frowning at the samurai.

"Please excuse, I meant no offense. In fact dragons are looked on with reverence where I come from." Hiroki bowed his head deeply and this seemed to reassure Rarity. After a final moment of scrutiny she nodded and smiled brightly once again.

"Oh nothing to fret about of course. Now then... we were discussing this evening? I'm delighted to say that I will be in attendance. I wouldn't miss a chance to have dinner with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna for all the silk in Equestria!"

"That is most pleasing to hear." Hiroki smiled and let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was short lived when Rarity suddenly had her measuring tape roped around his neck, tugging it taut.

"Now just let me take your measurements..." Rarity snaked the rope around him here and there, her horn gleaming with her magic. "Oh dear, now this won't do..."

Hiroki looked quite uncomfortable as he was measured, pulling his sword free and leaning on it like a walking stick. His sigh of relief was replaced by one of exasperation. A sigh that Rarity could not, or chose not to hear. He opted to simply wait it out instead of interrupting her while his mind drifted away. As she continued he found himself reflecting back to the first time he was fitted for armor...

He tried to remain still, but couldn't keep from squirming as two Earth pony attendants struggled to strap piece after piece of tosei-gusoku armor to the fidgeting colt. A Unicorn stallion with a similar gray coat stood nearby, his expression a mixture of pride and amusement. The young colt bucked and accidentally kicked one of his attending armorers, knocking him over. It was then that the father waved both serfs back and knelt beside his son.

"Father, I do not understand."

"Be still Hiroki, this is important. I wore this armor at your age, as did my father, and my father's father. You must learn to wear it properly. How to move in it. How to fight in it." The Unicorn pats the young colt on the back.

"But why? Uncle says that peace is coming and that we need not bother..."

"Always show my brother respect... but always remember that though we are all samurai, he is not like us. His talent is politics. Peace is fragile and must be nurtured carefully, but this does not give us room to be careless. Warriors like us will always be needed. If we do not make war, we are needed to keep the peace."

"I think I understand. We must be ready all the times?"

"One day you will be called to battle. Whether it be by me, the Shogun, or the Divine Empress herself. As samurai we are bound by honor to answer that call. For our land, for our people." Hiroki shrank a little, his eyes growing crestfallen until his father leaned in to embrace him. "Do not be afraid. Honor the spirits of your sword and your armor. They will protect you..."

The Unicorn waved their attendants back over and they continued strapping armor to the young colt.

Hiroki shook his head slowly, having lost himself in thought for far too long. Feeling light headed his viridian eyes blinked rapidly and when he finally refocused he found himself standing inside the lobby of Ponyville Day Spa beside Rarity. The twin Spa ponies stood before them both, giving the samurai an appraising look before smiling widely at their best customer.

"I... do not understand... why am I here?" The samurai was most befuddled and turned to meet Rarity's gaze.

"Well I simply can't fit you when you're caked with dust. The standard treatment please! Don't you worry one little bit, Aloe and Lotus will take excellent care of you! You should be... err... crisp! Yes, that's it. Crisp, before I start fitting you for a new suit." Rarity gave a matter-of-fact nod.

"Correction: YOU do not understand... I only need-" Hiroki began, but was cut off as Aloe and Lotus moved beside him. He shifted defensively, resisting the urge to brandish his sword. Accustomed to this nervous reaction from first time customers they simply smiled as they boxed him in and began to usher him along to take care of him.

"I-I have no time for this!" Hiroki growled as he tensed up and stood tall, planting all four hooves to keep the twins from dragging him any further. This was met with little success as Aloe and Lotus were determined not to let their best customer and friend down.

"Relax and enjoy yourself!" Lotus assured him gently, giving him a warm smile.

"Yes, leave everything to us!" said Aloe, a soft giggle escaping her.

"But I only needed a length of cloth-" protested the samurai as he was pushed and pulled simultaneously, his voice fading down the hallway as he was hauled away. Rarity smiled brightly, completely oblivious to Hiroki's reluctance as she called after them.

"Just come back by the boutique when you're all set!"

Aloe and Lotus were true to their word and treated Hiroki to all the extravagances the day spa had to offer. Or at least all the extravagances their standard package had to offer. The samurai's headband was taken away to be cleaned and he reluctantly removed the beads wrapped around his foreleg. Their energy faltered when they tried to take his sword from him, receiving a piercing glare that would have given even Nightmare Moon cause to hesitate. He would clutch his sword tightly, keeping it close throughout the entire ordeal. Despite this brief setback Hiroki did not want to appear rude or ungrateful. Thus he accepted his fate and spent the better part of an hour being scrubbed and cleansed.

He was fortunate enough to avoid the mud treatment, the sour look on his face serving better than a stop sign. This look of displeasure faded, but had not vanished by the time he was subjected to some kind of deep tissue massage. In this regard the samurai left the twins positively vexed. Outwardly Hiroki looked no different than any other pony they'd treated, but neither had ever attended to a warhorse before. Aloe couldn't seem to find a place along his back that was responding to the movement of her hooves and waved Lotus over to help her. Their hooves dug deep into his muscles, but for all their effort it felt like they were trying to push a boulder. They finally gave up in this endeavor and ended with an herbal bath to ensure all the dust and grime was out of his steely gray coat.

After this was done his personal effects were returned and Hiroki bowed his head deeply, despite giving no verbal thank you. The twins smiled and bowed in return as he left. The sun was growing lower in the sky and he could waste no more time with this nonsense...

Moments later the door to Carousel Boutique was thrown open, the bell chiming loudly.

"Coming! Is that you Hiroki? How did everything-" Rarity came over to greet the samurai and felt herself intimidated all over again when she got a good look at him. He didn't even have to point anything sharp at her. "-turn out?"

His gray coat now held a sheen to it that, judging by his earlier appearance, she'd have thought impossible to achieve. If only Applejack would agree to go to the spa every now and then... It gave him the appearance that he himself were actually forged from steel. That wild cerulean blue mane had been drawn back neatly and pulled up into a top-knot. His headband was clean and fresh, the rising sun blazing proudly against the white cloth. On the other hoof now that his coat was so clean, the scars on his cheek, forelegs, and shoulder were now much more prominent. She'd have gone so far as to say he looked rather dashing, if it weren't for the sour expression marring his face.

"Well... you certainly look refreshed!" Rarity smiled nervously, her horn gleaming with magic again and her measuring tape floated alongside her as she trotted over to him. "When I'm finished you'll look like royalty. Now what sort of suit-"

"Īe. Stop." Hiroki snorted and narrowed his eyes, causing Rarity to shrink a little. "Please listen. I only need a length of cloth."

"What? You mean you don't want a suit or anything? Well why didn't you say so from the start?" Rarity straightened herself up and brushed her mane aside with one hoof, looking indignant. Hiroki's eye twitched in annoyance. He had been saying so from the start, but he kept his composure.

"I need cloth for nobori. A grand banner. To welcome Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."

"Of course I'll help you, but a banner? I make clothing here. Don't you think this is more fit for Pinkie Pie to take care of?" It was clear Rarity as rather disappointed that her brilliant fashion design was not called for.

"I need something specific. Plus I already asked for her help with something else..."

"I understand. So what did you have in mind exactly?" She led Hiroki to her inspiration room and over to one of the shelves where she kept her fabrics. Her cat Opal was curled up on a roll of white linen. Hiroki leaned down to inspect the cat and she raised her head, giving an auditory warning in form of a growl.

"Something half white, half red. Two feet wide by six feet long. If you have a bit of paper, I can show you."

Rarity placed a sheet of paper and a pencil in front of Hiroki, who took them and hastily sketched out the design of his desired nobori. Split diagonally near the middle, it would be white above and red below. At the top would be a red circle much like the rising sun on his headband. Below it was the pattern of a horizontal gold diamond, split into four smaller diamonds. It would need quite a bit of stitching here and there so it could be secured to the bamboo pole that would hold it.

"The red circle over white represents the sun and the heavens of my homeland, while the four diamonds are the emblem of my clan."

"Oh yes, now I see what you mean. This shouldn't be any problem at all!" Rarity smiled and nodded as she peered over the design, making a few mental notes. Hiroki bowed his head deeply in thanks, depositing a few bits on her desk before leaving her to work.

"I have one last errand to run before the sun sets. If you finish before I return please feel to bring it over. I have left the door open."

Hiroki showed himself out, the fading light of the setting sun washing over him. He snorted again as he smelled himself, now reeking of flowery perfume from the herbal bath Aloe and Lotus had given him. He had to remind himself this was all to make a good impression and that he'd smell appropriate again in a day or so. Rarity had assured him his nobori would be ready, so last on his checklist was to see Fluttershy.

"I should have just enough time..."

Author's Note

Holy crap. Again, sincerest apologies on the delays. :ajsleepy: HOPEFULLY I won't be so friggin' slow on the next chapter. Enjoy!

Added note: As a reference to what Hiroki's nobori banner looks like, it's design is inspired by both the national flag of Japan and the emblem of the Takeda clan.

Twice Shy

The sun was closer to the horizon than ever before while Hiroki galloped along the outskirts of Ponyville. He had to stop more than once to get his bearings as he was not entirely sure where Fluttershy's cottage actually was. Cheerilee passed him as he was brooding on which way to go and very kindly pointed him in the right direction. Now that he knew where he was going, it didn't take him long to find it.

As Hiroki crossed the stream that ran out front a sound caught his attention. He paused at the center of the bridge, his ears perked up and his viridian eyes narrowed, slowly scanning the area. There was a rustling coming from one of the nearest bushes. He touched a hoof to the hilt of his sword as the rustling grew more prominent. While it was unlikely that anything truly dangerous would be hanging about sweet, timid Fluttershy's residence, it would be most unbecoming of a samurai to be caught unaware with his hakama around his ankles. The rustling appeared to have ceased so he crossed the bridge slowly and approached the front door to the cottage.

He rapped his hoof against the door, knocking four times and waited patiently.

The bush began to rustle again. His stance immediately shifted in preparation for drawing his blade while the shrub continued to shake. It was then that something white emerged from the brush. What he initially mistook for a spirit actually turned out to be a fluffy white rabbit with large eyes staring up at him. Hiroki let out a quiet sigh and corrected his posture, though his hoof remained on the hilt of his blade. He and the white rabbit exchanged scrutinizing stares and he could see the animal clutching a wrinkled bit of paper that looked strangely familiar. Before he could inspect it more closely, the rabbit shot off like a bullet.

The front door then opened and Fluttershy slowly peeked from around the other side. She let out a squeak and her eyes widened with surprise to see a near gleaming Hiroki standing on her porch, looking like he might draw his sword.

"Hiroki! W-what are you doing here!?" Fluttershy gulped nervously. Hiroki realized his folly and immediately straightened himself, his hoof leaving his weapon and bowing a very deep apology.

"Please excuse my rudeness. I mean no ill will, I simply thought I saw some kind of imp." He let out a faint sigh. "It was only a white rabbit."

"Oh! That must have been Angel Bunny." The display of sincere apology and mention of her beloved pet rabbit helped to ease the tension and Fluttershy opened her door a bit further so she was no longer hiding behind it. "So what brings you here this evening? Oh! Is it about dinner? A-am I late? I didn't miss it did I?!"

Fluttershy quickly became flustered, her eyes widening with worry. Again Hiroki let out a quiet sigh of irritation. Who did have to thank for tipping off another one of his prospective guests this time? He very much preferred to take care of these things himself. On the other hoof if she already knew about it, then it should save him some time.

"Ah, no. You are not late... but I wish to discuss this evening with you. Do you have a moment to spare?" Hiroki offered her a small smile for reassurance.

"Yes, of course. What's on your mind?" She looked greatly relieved that she hadn't been tardy.

"Since you are aware, am I correct in assuming that you will be able to attend?" He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Absolutely!" Fluttershy beamed and nearly left the ground in her excitement. She quickly collected herself, lowering her head shyly so that her curled mane covered half of her face when she blushed. "I.. I mean if I'm invited. A-am I invited?"

"Of course you are." Hiroki gave another faint smile and couldn't help but find Fluttershy quite endearing. He nodded once for affirmation. "It would honor me greatly if you were to attend. However I do need your help with a tiny matter..."

The samurai gave a brief explanation of his choice of decoration. Paper lanterns would be hung by bamboo poles to light a 'walkway' up to the front door of his restaurant. Pinkie Pie had promised to manufacture these bonbori for him, but he needed fireflies to light them. She listened and nodded, though a puzzled look soon crept into her eyes.

"What exactly do you need me for?" she queried.

"Twilight Sparkle-hime spoke very highly of you and your way with animals." Hiroki gave a firm nod. "I thought perhaps you may have insight on the best way of gathering hotaru... ah, fireflies, as I have no time to spare going around catching them myself."

"Oh! Well that's so very sweet of Twilight... Of course I'll help, it'll be no trouble. After all, taking care of animals and critters is my special talent." Fluttershy went rosy in the cheeks, but smiled proudly as she glanced back at the cutie mark of butterflies on her rump. Hiroki let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Arigatō. Thank you so very much." He bowed his head deeply in gratitude. This caused Fluttershy to shrink a little, growing more red in the face from embarrassment.

"Oh, no need to thank me. It's my pleasure, really!" Fluttershy gave a soft giggle before she flapped her wings and gently rose up off the ground. She hovered a moment to acclimate herself to the air before she began rousting fireflies from nearby bushes.

"I leave you to it then. I must return to finish preparations, everypony should begin to gather just after sunset." The samurai bowed again and Fluttershy waved back to him before he about faced, departing at a quick trot.

He left Fluttershy's feeling a swell of pride growing in his chest. Things were looking up. Everything was sure to be ready on time. A favorable impression would be made with the Equestrian royalty. Rarity had promised to have his nobori and Pinkie Pie had assured him that she would have enough bonbori. The restaurant was clean. The grill was sparkling and fit to use. Now that Fluttershy had guaranteed him hotaru to light his lanterns with, he felt he could actually take it easy and breathe deep for a moment.

Hiroki stopped to admire the setting sun, it's glow now more akin to the red sun emblazoned on his hachimaki. A gentle breeze picked up and blew in around him so he closed his eyes to enjoy it. He still reeked of herbal bath formula, though after he'd aired out a bit he thought that perhaps it wasn't so bad.

He pondered to himself. Perhaps... she might find it appealing? When his thoughts turned to Applejack and the unexpected way they'd met one another earlier he felt the inescapable rise of heat in his face. It only took him a heartbeat to snap back into focus. Shaking his head quickly and snickering to himself, a grin tugged at his mouth as he cast his previous thought aside. Not likely.

Having lingered long enough the samurai resumed travelling through the streets of Ponyville for the fourth time that day, cantering with determination. Everything would be ready and his ancestors would be surely be proud of him. His pace slowed when he caught sight of something moving along the deepening shadows cast by the buildings against the setting sun. The shape turned left when he kept going straight, but he made out the impression of a fluffy white tail. Hiroki thought this peculiar, but turned his head forward and resumed his brisk pace. It wasn't long before he came up on his establishment.

Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Rainbow Dash were already standing out front beside his ancient cherry tree. He slowed to a halt and greeted them with a formal bow, to which they all smiled and waved back. Twilight was the only one to reciprocate a bow in return, but she looked nervous she might be doing something wrong. Rarity's voice could be heard through the open door of the restaurant.

"I know you like how that material feels, but it's been bought and paid for. Opal that is simply not yours to sit on! Opal! If you're still laying on that when he returns... Opalescence!" Rarity sounded as if steam were about to shoot out of her ears.

Twilight gave Hiroki an apologetic smile while Spike and Rainbow Dash both snickered with amusement. Hiroki raised an eyebrow and approached the open door to peer inside, seeing Rarity backing up towards him. The Persian cat had stretched herself out luxuriously over the folded banner he'd ordered, the look in her eyes daring anypony to try to move her. This was problematic, but it would be simple enough to deal with so Hiroki just rolled his eyes. Rarity turned to meet him, smiling and bowing her head apologetically.

"Hiroki! Well, as you can see I have your order just as you requested but," she said, her voice trailing off as she looked back at Opal, the cat's smug expression driven further by a long self-satisfied purr. "I'm afraid Opal is being a bit... difficult."

"It's all right. We will just have to coax her off gently." Rarity looked almost terrified at the prospect of trying to move Opalescence and Hiroki was equally apprehensive.

Their salvation arrived in the form of Fluttershy when she appeared toting a woven basket. She set it down next to Spike who attempted to take a look inside only to have her shake her head and keep the lid shut. She smiled timidly as she looked around at everyone, waving in greeting. Surely Fluttershy would be able to move Opal without much incident.

"Good evening. I was afraid performing that errand for Hiroki would make me late, but I finished it pretty quickly and I didn't even need Angel to keep me on time!" Fluttershy patted the basket gently and allowed herself a smile of delight. "Well... not that he wouldn't have reminded me, I just haven't seen him all afternoon."

"That's strange. Angel doesn't usually go anywhere without you, does he?" asked spike, scratching the side of his head.

"Well, that is true... but it's not because he's afraid. More so that he's just very picky about his environment."

The conversation prompted Hiroki to furrow his brow and wonder about his own animal companion. Come to think of it he hadn't seen Isamaru since early that morning when he'd been sent off to find Applejack. While it was true that the dog was highly intelligent and his breed was cultivated to operate independently from their handlers, this long absence was now disconcerting. Isamaru did not usually remain detached for more than an hour or two at any given time.

The faithful inu had been missing-in-action all day.

"Has anypony seen hide or hair of Isamaru...?" he asked.

"I haven't seen him since you sent him off this morning," replied Twilight. Spike and Rainbow Dash both shook their heads.

"Ohhh, that handsome dog with the lovely sesame colored coat? That's right he's yours, isn't he?" Fluttershy tapped a hoof against her chin thoughtfully. "He came by a little before lunch time. I think he was looking for apples?"

"Handsome? You mean you aren't scared of him? He looks like a timberwolf..." Spike grumbled and folded his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh no! I mean, he does have some lupine features, but he's an absolute sweetheart! I gave him a little something for lunch. I... I-I hope that was okay?" Fluttershy lowered her head nervously, afraid she might have overstepped some boundaries. Hiroki nodded lightly.

"I am sure he was most grateful for your kindness. But if you saw him at lunch time, and he was looking for apples... does that mean he had not delivered my note?" His voice faded as he pondered aloud. He frowned, furrowing his brow and thinking back. The white rabbit he'd seen earlier was clutching a slip of paper. "No... it couldn't have been-"

Hiroki cut himself off when the sound of a dog's barking assailed his ears. They perked up, rapt with attention and his eyes narrowed while he scanned around town square. Loud barking echoed along one of the side streets and slowly raised in volume. It was growing closer. The noise bounced off the side of city hall and finally the source came into view.

Angel Bunny came flying around the corner of the building, the wrinkled piece of paper between his teeth. Not more than two seconds later the form of Isamaru came bounding around after him, hot in pursuit and barking relentlessly.

Author's Note

It occurred to me that I hadn't really given a great description of his dog, Isamaru. His breed is the Shikoku-Inu, a kind of Japanese working/hunting dog (bred on the island of Shikoku).

Translations:
Hakama - Loose trousers with many pleats in the front, forming part of Japanese formal dress.
Hachimaki - "Helmet Scarf", a stylized headband usually of red or white cloth. Worn as a symbol of perseverance or courage.
Inu - Dog
Teishi! - Stop!/Halt!

Sakura Sunset: Part 1

Angel Bunny came flying around the corner of the building with that wrinkled slip of paper clenched between his teeth. Not more than two seconds later the form of Isamaru came bound around after him, hot in pursuit and barking relentlessly.

"Isamaru, no! Teishi!"

"Angel! W-why is he chasing Angel?" Fluttershy's eyes went wide with terror and she began to fidget in uncertainty. She didn't know what to do, torn between hiding and trying to intervene as she started to trot frantically in place.

Hiroki gave no hesitation and he charged forth to meet the rambunctious animals head on to stop them. There was an agile leap and a one hundred-eighty degree turn so that by the time they reached him all three would all be running in tandem. He continued shouting for his dog to cease and desist, all the while Isamaru barked fiercely, intent on catching the rabbit.

"Isamaru o teishi shite kudasai! You must stop! Isamaru! STOP!" bellowed Hiroki at the top of his lungs. Isamaru was too thoroughly agitated and would not, or could not hear his master's call.

"Fluttershy, quick! Do something!" Rainbow Dash moved behind her fellow Pegasus and pushed her by the rump. "You're the one that's good with animals! Give 'em the stare!"

"Ohh! I couldn't!" cried Fluttershy, shrinking further as Rainbow Dash kept trying to push her in front of the group.

Everypony had turned to witness the spectacle as the sesame dog gave chase to the white rabbit. They made three full laps around Town Square, but nopony had a clue as to how to stop this. Finally Fluttershy made herself visible, leaning down with her front legs outstretched as she beckoned the rabbit over. The terrified Angel cried as he made a break for sanctuary, figuring his owner would protect him from the unruly canine. Isamaru was too clever to allow this and promptly changed tactics.

In a display not unlike the way Applejack worked with Winona to herd cows or sheep, Isamaru gave a burst of speed and leapt to the opposite side. Using his master's presence to box Angel in, he began to steer him off course so that they would shoot right past Fluttershy. Hiroki realized what was happening, but it was too late. The rabbit squealed and in his panic he went for the only opening he could.

The front door to the Red Apple Restaurant. Which was still propped wide open.

Isamaru chased Angel through that front door and into the dining area. Hiroki slowed himself, but this came too late as he'd skid on all four hooves before slamming to a halt against the side of his building. He let out a barely audible grunt as he keeled over, clearly a bit dazed as he staggered back to his hooves. The stoic samurai would shake his head to snap himself out of the stupor and when his eyes refocused he saw Pinkie Pie wobbling to and fro as though she too were dizzy. Everypony looked at her with bewilderment and she stopped, giving a shrug and a sheepish grin.

"What? It looked like fun!" Spike and Rainbow Dash both shook their heads. Now wasn't a good time.

"Hiroki, are you okay?!" Twilight trotted over to him first, but was soon joined by everypony else as they circled around him.

He didn't have the chance to answer as an awful din drowned out everything else around them. Loud crashes rang from inside the restaurant accompanied by more fierce barking, terrified squeals of a rabbit, and topped off with the distressed hisses of a cat. Dishes shattered and furniture was knocked around, but finally after several painful moments most noise ceased. Save for Isamaru's frustrating barking and the occasional angry growl from Opal. The samurai weaved between everypony else and stood in the open doorway to survey the damage.

To say it was a disaster would have been a compliment.

He stepped into the dining area, his hooves clopping against the hardwood floors while he peered around. Every table had been knocked over and half of the accompanying cushions were in tatters. The shattered remnants of porcelain plates and cups littered the floor. Several of the shoji screen panels were dented and a few were torn. The rack that had stood proudly, displaying a suit of deep red armor was toppled over with it's helmet knocked off. To make matters worse the nobori Opal had been curled up on was no longer folded neatly, but splayed out, wrinkled, and now covered in scratches.

The growling feline clung for dear life to the single support beam that ran along the ceiling. Isamaru was beside the overturned armor rack, barking furiously at the fallen helmet. The only thing keeping him from reaching it was a piece of armor that had snagged his collar, holding him in place. Still he tried to lunge and free himself from the restraint, still barking the entire time. Angel was cowering beneath the overturned kabuto helm, the wrinkled paper he'd been holding sticking out from under it.

The silver lining was that his work station had been largely spared from the destruction. Hiroki stepped through the door into what used to be his dining room and could see that none of his tools or cutlery were amongst the casualties. Isamaru finally registered his master's presence and looked back at him, whining as he continued to pull against his snagged collar. Everypony else had lined up around the doorway, peering through with wide eyes.

Hiroki leaned down to unsnag Isamaru's collar. The dog looked ready to lunge, but a single held up hoof ordered the canine to remain still. He rolled the kabuto over to release Angel from underneath. The trembling rabbit stared up at the steel gray Earth pony for a few moments before darting around him. He picked up the slip of paper and turned it over to see it was his note to Applejack while Angel scampered up onto Fluttershy's shoulder and glared daggers at the samurai's dog, sticking his tongue out and blowing a raspberry.

The samurai turned towards the doorway and shot a glare that could give Fluttershy's 'stare' a run for it's money. Angel and Fluttershy both shrank promptly, the former moving to hide behind the latter's mane. Hiroki looked out over what remained of his dining area and let out a slow sigh. Everything was wrecked. Ruined. He had couldn't seat or serve anypony in here while the restaurant was in it's current state. What's more, he wouldn't have the order of apples he needed to serve them. Why had the spirits dishonored him so?

"Angel, what was that all about? What happened?" Fluttershy turned her head to spy her pet rabbit out of her peripherals. Angel shrugged and shook his head, gesturing with his front paws in wild motions. "What? You don't mean him? Now really!"

Hirok tapped one hoof patiently as rabbit and Pegasus conferred with one another. Fluttershy stepped into the dining room and peered at Isamaru. The dog sauntered over and barked several times, looking at the cotton tail sticking out from around Fluttershy's neck and growled irritably. Fluttershy's head sank a bit upon hearing this and she pouted deeply. She tapped her hoof against the hardwood floor and Angel scuttled down to stand before her.

"Is that true, Angel? Did you take that note from him?" Fluttershy frowned heavily at Angel Bunny, who began to wilt in front of her. "Oh Angel, now really..."

Hiroki strode past Fluttershy as she continued to mediate between her rabbit and his dog. He gave Isamaru a single pat on the head. The dog's tail wagged, but he also sank at the sign of affection from his master. The implications of their rampage had finally set in. The samurai paused at the door and without saying a word everypony stepped aside, allowing how to exit. He sauntered over to the sakura tree and took a seat, lowering his head and clopping his hooves together twice. The sun could barely be seen over the horizon at this point, it's last light fading.

"What happened? The whole place is trashed..." Spike shrugged helplessly as he peered through the doorway. "It looks worse than that time Rainbow Dash crashed into the Golden Oak Library."

"It seems that... w-well..." Fluttershy sighed. "Isamaru dropped by earlier and... Angel got a bit jealous of the attention I was giving him... so Angel stole a note Isamaru was carrying when I fed him at lunchtime. But Isamaru has a hunter's instincts... Naturally he tracked Angel down to get it back. Oh! It's all my fault!"

"Oh come on! It's not your fault Angel got his tail all fluffed out of shape." scoffed Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes.

Spike was all too familiar with Angel's mischief and narrowed his eyes with mild contempt at the rabbit.

"Howdy y'all! I'm not late am I?" Applejack's voice called out to them as she approached, but judging by the hoof-steps she wasn't alone. Hiroki couldn't bring himself to look over at her just yet, his feeling of shame was still too prominent. "He looks wound up tighter n' a banjo string... did I miss somethin'?"

"Welllllllll..." Pinkie Pie took in an incredibly long, deep breath before exploding into explanation. "Seems like Hiroki's been working hard all day to set up this little dinner gathering for us and the Princesses. He nearly hurt himself moving a grill, I sorta poisoned him with my cupcakes, and he had to sit through one of Rarity's spa sessions all for the sake of making a good impression! Then Angel got jealous when Fluttershy was taking care of Isamaru over there, so he stole an order slip that was supposed to go to you over at Sweet Apple Acres so he'd have enough apples to prepare for us! But just a bit ago Isamaru and Angel sorta wrecked the restaurant fighting over the note you never got. And now Hiroki's ashamed because his restaurant is trashed, you didn't bring any apples and thinks he's dishonored himself in front of everypony. And honor is super seriously important to samurai."

The long winded and surprisingly accurate description of the events that had occurred earned a simultaneous blink-blink of comprehension from everypony present.

"Hiroki, is that true? You figure we'll think less of you just because everything's not perfect?" Twilight sauntered over to stand beside the silent samurai and she leaned around to get a look at his face. His head was still lowered and his eyes closed. "Do you really think you're... dishonored? Over something silly like this?"

"Honor is everything to samurai." He replied simply. "I have failed all of you. Such failure does not go unrecognized."

"Don't say that! You were running your tail off to make everything ready! You didn't fail at all. Everypony has the tussles sometimes, right?" said Fluttershy gently. "Friends don't think less of each other just because things haven't gone right."

"Well it is a shame your place is a bit messy, but we did bring apples." interjected Applejack. "Does that mean ya' don't need 'em then?"

Hiroki's ears stood up straight as the apple farmer's words tickled them. His head rose and turned slowly to finally face Applejack. On her left was Big Mac, hitched to a cart full of fresh apples of various varieties. On his back sat Apple Bloom who was clinging affectionately to her older sibling. To Applejack's right were Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and Hiroki surmised that they'd just come from their not-so-secret club about cutie marks. Those sharp, viridian eyes softened as he approached the Apple family, unable to disguise his expression of surprise and bewilderment.

"I thought... my order..." Hiroki seemed to be having a bit of trouble finding the right words. "...you received the note I sent after all?"

"I didn't actually, but after you and me ran into each other this mornin' I went n' saw Twilight and I got to thinkin'..." Applejack grinned and brushed her hat back on her head. "Plus I got a little tip-off from Apple Bloom."

"Yeah! Your dog burst into class right before lunch! He ran right up to Apple Bloom and just started barking!" said Scootaloo as she and Sweetie Belle both snickered.

"That was so embarrassing." The youngest Apple lowered her head and sighed. "I thought Miss Cheerilee was gonna give me detention... Isamaru wouldn't just give me the note, but I did get a glimpse of it so I told Applejack when I got home from school. She and Big Mac got a cart ready just for you!"

"Ee'yup." Big Mac nodded once and smiled proudly.

Hiroki felt like he might throw his front legs around Applejack in a great big hug and damn what anypony would have thought. She'd certainly pulled his rump out of the fire. However the teachings of proper decorum from his youth overpowered this desire with disappointing, but unsurprising ease. The samurai straightened himself before lowering his head in a deep bow.

"I cannot thank you enough. I am in your debt..." When his head rose again he looked to Applejack and spotted the cherry blossom he'd given her the day before, tucked into her mane just beside her ear.

"Oh, a-ah... heh. Don't worry about it sugar cube." Applejack chuckled and went pink in the face. She still remembered the whole incident with Spike and his 'dragon code'.

The samurai turned to look around at all of his gathered guests and spotted another cart stylized like iced ginger bread. It had to be Pinkie Pie's. He walked over to it and Pinkie gave him a cheerful smile before tugging the cloth cover free. Round, 'cocoon' shaped paper lanterns had been stacked neatly inside, forming a pyramid of at least thirty. She squee'd and bounced with excitement. There were a few varying colors present, but most of the bonbori were made of a thin, cream colored paper. If he didn't know better they could have come straight from his homeland.

"I really wasn't sure about the sort of size or shape so I asked Twilight and she showed me that book she was reading. There were a few pictures in there. Do you like them?" Pinkie smiled, though it was obvious she was nervous about gaining his approval.

"They are just what I asked for." Hiroki felt a bit nostalgic and a smile tugged the corners of his lips. He nodded and brought a hoof up to pat Pinkie Pie on the back.

"Just so we're all on the same page here... are we still doing this? The sun's just about set. That means Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are going to be here soon, and there's no where to sit." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings as she fluttered over Hiroki and Pinkie Pie.

Hiroki quickly disappeared into the restaurant and moments later Opal came scurrying out, headed straight back to Carousel Boutique. He had the banner Rarity fashioned for him draped over his back, three lengths of bamboo resting along one shoulder, and some sort of calligraphy brush in his mouth. He lay the banner out and marked the center the four stylized diamonds with a single marking of his native language. The bamboo poles were quickly joined together, looped through the fabric so it would hang properly. Finally he jammed the end of the bamboo pole into the ground and raised the nobori upright, letting it stand tall and proud.

"Dinner will be served." Hiroki spoke calmly, once again full of confidence.

Author's Note

Translations:

Teishi! - Stop/Halt!
Isamaru o teishi shite kudasai! - Please stop Isamaru!
Kabuto - Japanese helmet, worn by Samurai.

Sakura Sunset: Part 2

The road ahead will be long. Many of its twists fraught with obstacles. You will be tested every day.

Your strength.

Your spirit.

Your will.

There will be moments when you feel you have reached your breaking point. You must show resilience. You are samurai. Notice that the stiffest tree is the most easily cracked, yet it is bamboo or the willow that survives by bending with the wind. Bend, but do not break. Be flexible, yet firmly rooted. Do you understand my son?

Viridian green eyes focused, hearing his father's words echo in his ears as he assembled the bamboo frame and stuck it firmly into the ground. The nobori rose up and despite the plethora of scratches inflicted by Opal's claws it was flying proudly against the evening breeze. It may not be a distant, snowcapped mountain nor was it a wide open grassy moor. It wasn't full of rival samurai. But this was his battlefield, and as he constantly reminded himself 'a battle was still a battle'.

No retreat, no surrender.

"Dinner will be served." Hiroki was soft spoken, his voice calm and once again full of confidence.

"Uh... but you don't have a dining room anymore, remember?" Rainbow Dash shrugged, her wings flapping incessantly to keep her hovering above the ground. "And the princesses will be here after sun down. That's like... minutes away."

The samurai responded by giving a dismissive wave with one hoof.

"I shall cook under the stars."

Hiroki waved a hoof to the ground around them now. Town Square was even more spacious in the evening when there were fewer ponies about, though he seemed most interested in the area in front of his sakura tree. Looking back at his guests, he regarded them each in turn before giving a deep bow of his head. A gesture of humility.

"I confess it to be painfully unprofessional to ask, but we can continue with this evening's agenda... if you would all see fit to assist me?"

"Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie squee'd and beamed happily, bouncing up and down on her hooves. "We're with you! Right everypony?"

"What do you need us to do?" Twilight smiled and stepped forward, soon followed by Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy who all nodded in agreement. Angel looked reproachful, but the keen eyes of Isamaru staring intently caused the rabbit to disappear behind his owner's pink mane. Big Mac nodded in agreement though he was beaten to the punch by Applejack.

"Ee'yup!" she replied, tipping her hat back and earning a collective giggle from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The wave of relief that washed over the samurai's face was visible. His piercing eyes softened and his lips curled into a faint smile. He looked ready to offer a verbal thanks until Applejack winked and gave him a knowing smile.

"Now then. Our battle plan is as follows..." Hiroki soon brought everypony together in a huddle and the strategizing began.

Applejack and Big Mac began to help Hiroki upright his tables and dragged them out of his ruined dining room, one at a time. The upside to this was that his guests may no longer feel as cramped together as they may have inside. It took the combined strength of both Apples and the Samurai to careful push the grill over without dirtying it back up again. When they'd finished his tables formed a semi-circle in front of the sakura tree with the grilling apparatus nestled neatly in the center.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went to work hanging the bonbori lanterns, much to Pinkie Pie's disappointment. They needed to be handled and hung gently after all, which meant the Pegasi were amply suited for the task. Her trademark party cannon was liable to do more harm than good. It would have made short work of the task, but also short work of the delicate paper. Each bonbori was then fitted with a small cup containing sugar water: An offering to keep their prospective lights happy.

Everypony else began to sift through the remains of the dining room to reclaim any unbroken plates and cups. Pinkie Pie and the Crusaders recovered enough to set out. Rarity and Twilight were able to piece a few together neatly from shards, but even with this effort most were chipped or bore cracks in their surface. While hardly comparable to royal china, they were still well made despite their simplicity. Now his dishware looked less than presentable, barely fit to eat from let alone serve royalty. Hiroki managed to keep from sighing out loud. They'd simply have to do.

The tables were finally set and the samurai rose from shoving kindling beneath the grill to see Spike standing on the flat metal cooking surface. The young dragon touched his clawed digits together and gave a toothy, albeit embarrassed grin.

"You didn't give me a job. Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

"Ah, master dragon. You have a most important task." These words caught Spike's attention better than a bowl of delicious jewels. Hiroki bowed his head and continued as everypony gathered around, looking increasingly interested to hear what he had to say. "Only the power of a dragon will suffice. Without your help, this cannot happen. Will you lend me your strength honored one?"

"You hear that, Twilight? Honored one!" Spike looked exceedingly pleased by this, his chest puffing out with pride. Twilight rolled her eyes, but gave her assistant a good-natured smile. "Some ponies sure know how to show respect! What can Spike the All-Powerful do to help? You tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it!"

"Careful partner. You keep talkin' like that and Spike's head might swell up bigger'n Cherry Berry's Twinkin' Balloon." Applejack snickered with amusement, causing Rarity and Pinkie both to exchange glances and giggles.

"What is needed, master dragon..." Hiroki paused for a moment, Everypony hung on the samurai's words, suddenly looking just as captivated as Spike. They all stared intently. The silence was so think a pin drop could have been heard. "...is for you to belch."

Everypony save for Hiroki toppled over at the sheer absurdity of this request.

"A... a belch? That's... that's it? But what happened to Spike the All-Powerful?" Spike gained a crestfallen expression as ponies began to laugh. His head shrank into his shoulders in a manner that was not unlike Tank withdrawing into his shell as even Rarity laughed. Hiroki looked strangely surprised at these reactions.

"Dragonfire has magical properties, does it not? It is well suited to keep the teppan-... the grill, fueled."

"Yeah yeah, I get it... but did you have to suggest a burp? That's kind of embarrassing. I can breath fire whenever I want to you know."

"My apologies. I assumed a belch would have more... 'oomf' than a simple breath." Hiroki raised his eyebrows, somehow managing to shrug without actually rolling his shoulders.

Looking to Fluttershy he gestured for her to bring the basket containing her firefly friends forward. Spike, his embarrassment serving well as the pin to puncture the balloon of his ego, hopped down from the grill and peered beneath it. His chest rose as he took in a deep breath before giving a sharp exhale, blowing magical green fire all around. The wood placed at the base crackled as they were engulfed in dragonfire and Spike tried not to look too pleased with himself for bringing it to life.

Finally the last rays of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving everypony bathed in lingering twilight. They had all gathered around the tables set for them and Hiroki looked just about ready to release Fluttershy's fireflies. There was a slight gust of wind that caught the nobori, it's cloth rustling against newly displaced air. The samurai brought his head skyward and his ears twitched, turning to look to the northeast. Canterlot was in that direction.

"They have arrived."

Author's Note

The most sincerest apologies on such a long delay. November and December turn into exceedingly difficult months when working retail, had to get the flare back afterwards. One more chapter to go!

The crest on Hiroki's nobori. Not entirely sure I designed it properly, but the kanji are meant to be read as Strength (top), Honor (bottom), Harmony (left), and Friendship (right).

Picnic of Lanterns

"They've arrived..."

Everyone turned and looked skyward to follow the stoic samurai's gaze. The forms of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna could be seen in the distance, their wings beating against the evening wind. Upon drawing closer a quartet of Royal Guard ponies could be made out flying escort, their own wings working in tandem. At last six sets of hooves touched down across the way near Ponyville Town Hall. Each Princess was flanked by a pair of guards as they crossed the square. Three stallions and one mare. They approached casually though it was one of the guard ponies who spoke up first, a white Pegasus stallion with a fiery red mane and gradient red eyes. Twilight recognized the Guard Captain and remembered him by the name of Gladius.

"Presenting her Royal Highness Princess Celestia and her Royal Highness Princess Luna..." said the Guard Captain.

Celestia gave a subtle roll of her eyes at her captain's penchant for such introductions. Everypony bowed respectfully, though none more so than Hiroki. The samurai dipped low and leaned on one hoof while the other removed his sugegasa. True they were accustomed to such formalities, but this simple gesture given by the foreign pony looked far more sincere than any they'd received from the dignitaries they usually encountered. The royal sisters exchanged surprised glances yet their lips both curled with endearing smiles.

"Good evening to you all." Celestia said warmly as everypony, minus the samurai, brought their heads up.

"We do sincerely apologize for being tardy." added Luna.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna! It's good to see you both and thank you for coming!" Twilight Sparkle trotted forward. She smiled eagerly, though it was obvious she looked a bit nervous. "Actually I was a little surprised you wanted to come so soon."

"I know it was rather short notice, but it's not everyday you get to meet ponies from parts of the world you haven't seen." The Princess of the Sun let out a delightful chuckle and her smile flickered with amusement as she looked to Hiroki, who was still kowtowing.

Nobody seemed to know what the best way to handle this was, so Applejack took it upon herself to lean closer to the samurai and whispered loudly into his ear. "C'mon now, you're embarrassin' everypony. You don't gotta keep doin' that."

"Kore wa, yori takai chii no mono ni keii o shimesu tame ni watashitachi no hōhōdesu." replied Hiroki quickly in his native tongue, his eyes focused on an apparently interesting patch of dirt right in front of himself. He could feel the curious and quizzical looks boring into him from all sides. A bead of sweat appeared along the side of his face. "A samurai shows deference to those greater than himself and does not rise until addressed by his lord..."

Celestia chuckled and strolled closer, Luna following close behind. The two sisters would then bow their heads deeply in return. "Your show of respect is most appreciated," she began.

"But you need not prostrate yourself on our behalf. Please, raise your head." finished Luna.

Hiroki seemed far from relieved to hear these words. Quite the opposite in fact. His body tensed further as he fought his instincts, no doubt such formalities had been drilled into him even deeper than in their own royal guards. Still he managed to bring his head up and his viridian green eyes meet Celestia's. Then Luna's. His lips began to move, but whatever he was going to say was promptly interrupted as Captain Gladius spotted the sword at rest along the samurai's waist.

"Sword! Sword!" Gladius shouted loudly, spurring the other three guards to action.

Before Celestia, Luna, Twilight, or Hiroki could speak two of the Pegasi guardstallions leapt protectively in front of their Princesses with their wings outstretched like a shield. The third Pegasus guardmare shifted to protect Twilight. Their captain rounded on the samurai, his wings shining like steel while they were being brandished menacingly. Whether it was a show of strength, a matter of honor, or a notion of self preservation, Hiroki met this challenge without missing a beat. He rose up on his hind legs and drew his katana.

Despite having made the first aggressive move this was all the provocation Captain Gladius needed. A razor edged wing sliced forward, but the samurai moved faster. Weaving like fluid water passing around a rock in a river. Gleaming steel flashed and before the stalwart captain could blink the blade's edge had halted against his throat. There was a moment of painful silence, just enough time for everypony to register that this battle would have been over before it had even begun. Fortunately for everypony, Princess Celestia wasted no more time to put her hoof down.

"That will do." she said.

Hiroki instantly retracted his blade, brushing the back edge along the opening of the scabbard before sliding it to rest with a soft 'clink' of metal. The samurai immediately bowed low in deference to the royal sisters as though worried he'd offended them. The other three guards looked stunned, blinking and exchanging nervous glances between each other and their captain.

Gladius bristled angrily and brought his own wing down, holding it near the back of Hiroki's neck while the samurai was kowtowing.

"Captain..." said Celestia firmly. The other three guard ponies had already lined up off to the side. "Stand down."

"But, your Majesty..." began Gladius. He already looked put out from being bested, but this only increased now that he'd been ordered to halt before he could reclaim any measure of dignity. Celestia and Luna both turned their eyes on the white Pegasus and their combined glare caused him to bow his head. His wings rustled momentarily before he moved beside the other three guard ponies, joining them in standing at attention. "As you command."

"You'll have to forgive the good Captain, we've had more than a few troublesome issues in recent days." said Luna as she stepped forward and gestured Hiroki to rise again.

"So you can see how he might perceive the sword you carry as a threat." Celestia added quickly.

"I salute the resolve of your Captain and I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Off a battlefield it is most inappropriate for a warrior to show his blade in the presence of ones such as yourselves."

Hiroki looked up and his eyes met those of Captain Gladius for just a moment. Twilight could practically see the sparks and she would be willing to bet that while the two acknowledged one another neither would soon forget that their fight had narrowly been avoided. Celestia smiled, looking entirely oblivious to the pair of warriors still harboring venomous thoughts. Meanwhile everyone else was watching, initially unsure of what was taking place, finally let go of their breath and gave a collective sigh of relief.

"If you would step this way, we may be seated and can begin..." The samurai bows his head politely and gestures a hoof towards the arranged tables at the base of the sakura tree.

"We are to dine outside then?" queried Luna as they all sauntered over and she peered up along the pink blossoms.

"We are. Unfortunately the dining room is a bit of a mess..." replied Hiroki.

He moved to Fluttershy and whispered something to her, who smiled in return and threw open the basket she was holding. The fireflies being held within rose out and filled the air around them, winking and dancing along the evening air. As a gentle breeze blew in they all flittered up and grouped together within the bonbori lanterns that had been hung along the branches of the sakura tree and the walls of the restaurant. The display proved quite beautiful as the lanterns lit up brightly, bathing them all in gentle light now that the sun was gone and the stars were beginning to show in the sky. There was a collective gasp of awe that came from the ponies around him. Pinkie Pie, having made the bonbori for him, seemed impressed and intrigued all over again now that they were lit. Rarity also looked particularly delighted by the display.

"...so I have arranged a picnic of lanterns." The samurai finished and turned, bowing respectfully in front of the sakura tree. He uttered what sounded like a prayer in his native tongue and looked up at the nearest bonbori, clopping his front hooves together twice. "I hope you all are ready to eat."

Everyone seated themselves around the tables and Hiroki took his place front and center. He made himself a mental note of the seating arrangement. Directly across were Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Twilight along with Spike. To his left sat Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. To his right sat Applejack, Big Mac, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo. After getting his bearings he took a moment to tie his hachimaki around his head to keep the fringes of his mane out of his eyes and began to sharpen his lengthy chef's knife.

The scraping of metal against a wet stone was a gentle sound, though Twilight again cast her gaze towards the accompaniment of guards. They stood at attention, but she could tell the slow grinding of metal against stone was making them uneasy and noticed Captain Gladius twitching as the culinary knife grew sharper. Hiroki however seemed to be paying them no mind. It wasn't long before he was ready to begin cooking and Twilight smiled to herself as she listened to her friends chatting softly amongst themselves. It was when Hiroki spritzed oil across the surface of the steel griddle plate that she looked back to see that both Celestia and Luna were watching him closely.

"I do hope you all like eggrolls?" Hiroki looked up and peered around at everypony, who in turn all shifted to look at him.

"Oh! I love eggrolls!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed excitedly.

Hiroki then brandished a trio of eggs from beneath the table and began to toss them idly up and down in the air. He juggled the white shelled objects before casting them forward and rolled all three eggs across the grill. They tumbled along on their shells, their shape allowing them to shift direction and roll right back towards him. Everypony snickered quietly at the joke. While hardly sidesplitting humor, the deadpan delivery and indifferent expression on the samurai's face effectively doubled their amusement. Pinkie Pie on the other hoof thought otherwise and burst out laughing.

"Ohhh, egg rolls! That's a good one!" she said, unable to stop her mad fit of giggles.

"Would you perhaps be so kind as to indulge my curiosity and perhaps tell us a bit about the land you come from?" Celestia smiled warmly and leaned forward, her gaze boring into their samurai chef. She was trying to size him up.

Hiroki paused for a moment yet his eyes did not rise to meet Celestia's. The samurai reached for his eggs and tossed one high into the air, allowing it to fall back. A spatula appeared and just before the egg was to break against the grill he caught it. With a flick of his hoof he worked through it's momentum and flipped it like a pancake. The egg caught the thin edge of the spatula and it's golden treasure began drip down and sizzle as it pooled on the steel plate. The move held everyone captivated though Rainbow Dash let out a huff. Twilight smirked, guessing by the pout on her friend's face that she'd been hoping for Hiroki to rend the egg in half with his sword. Probably for the best that he didn't for risk of further antagonizing the Royal Guards.

"My... my homeland is far to the East. Past plains, over mountains, across deep and troubled seas, hidden behind a veil of mist. We have a legen... that Neippon was made by a sword." He touched his free hoof against the sword he was still carrying. Egg continued to drip and pool on the grill and he moved it to form three more pools of yolk. "The Ancients dipped a coral blade into the sea. When it was pulled out four perfect drops fell back and those drops became the islands of Neippon."

Twilight had heard the cryptic description earlier, but all were wide-eyed and listening closely as Hiroki shared his tale. Applejack on the other hoof was the one to look at him softly as she noticed the hesitation when he called Neippon his homeland, but she didn't point it out to anyone else.

Hiroki touched the spatula to the egg yolk and began to stir it about, dispersing the vague representation of the four islands of Neippon. He threw a few vegetables onto the grill and they began to sizzle as he diced them finely into smaller pieces. Last but not least, he scooped rice and added it into the mix.

"Neippon was made by a sword. Through chaos and darkness we endured until our Eternal Empress brought rise to the samurai. The first warriors to call themselves samurai took up the sword to protect those in need from the dark. In this way of honor and courage, our land continued to shape and grow. Constantly being forged into a better place."

His knife and spatula continued to mix and stir the previously white rice as it turned into a light golden brown. He scooped and shaped it take the form of a heart. Hiroki left the spatula sticking out from the mound of fried rice and placed his hoof to his chest.

"The spirit of every samurai is said to reside within the sword he carries, just as our home of Neippon resides within our own hearts. In this way, the sword can be said to be the beating heart of Neippon."

When he said this his hoof lowered to tap the end of his spatula repeatedly, thus giving the fried rice heart a pulse. Despite being enraptured by the story Hiroki was sharing, everyone watched the beating heart of rice with amusement. The trick earned a few giggles from Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo.

"A very intriguing tale. So would samurai be the equal to our own guard or perhaps what you would call warriors?" inquired Luna, tilting her head curiously.

"The word samurai actually means 'to serve'." Hiroki nodded. "In this way, somewhat, could you compare samurai to your own guard."

"Oh!" said Twilight abruptly. "I remember, you mentioned it this morning!" Celestia and Luna both peered at Twilight, looking amused at her sudden outburst. She smiled sheepishly, blushing with embarrassment and shrank a little.

"This word has grown to mean the elite warrior class of our home. While charged with upholding the law and order of our lords and realm, many have risen to high status as aristocrats." There was a moment of pause as Hiroki looked briefly uncomfortable, almost ashamed by this admission.

"Hiroki, iffin' I might ask..." said Applejack, clearing her throat. "What does it mean to be samurai?"

"To be samurai is to devote yourself to a set of moral principles, what we call bushido. To seek a stillness of mind. To master the way of the sword. Though at this very moment it still means 'to serve'. And so I serve you. Your dinner."

It was then that Hiroki bowed his head and gestured a hoof. Somehow without anypony noticing, he had divided the now very aromatic fried rice up onto plates. Said plates had been slipped in front of each pony and they all leaned in to inspect their first course. Celestia and Luna waited for a few lingering moments, the sisters sharing a mischievous glance as everypony waited for them to begin eating first. Celestia cleared her throat before bowing her head and took a bite, thus signaling for them all to begin eating in earnest. This gave Hiroki time to serve them all tea and wipe the steel plate clean to prepare for the next course.

He chose not to speak while they ate and Twilight wasn't entirely surprised. She had only sat with him twice before, but the impression he gave was one that told her he didn't like to talk this much. She noticed Celestia and Luna whispering to one another again until her attention was drawn back to the grill when more oil was spritzed over the surface. A row of Sweet Apple Acre's finest were lined up just in front of the samurai.

"I trust you all enjoyed your first course." There was a collective rumbling of agreement from all directions along with an unceremonious series of belches. Big Mac had burped, followed soon by Apple Bloom who felt the need to beat her older brother. Even without such auditory gratification, it was obvious by all the empty plates now sitting in front of everypony.

Apples were moved onto the griddle plate one at a time, his knife dicing each one into slices and those slices into half's. Hiroki paused drizzling a little something over them as they sizzled. The samurai maintained his deadpan expression and juggled his tools every few apples, hurling his spatula around behind his back and snatching it from the air before it clattered back to the table. He continued to slice and dice. His show of skill was not lost on Celestia's piercing gaze.

"So as a... samurai, you are of course well versed with a blade. Tell me... do samurai stress any other arts besides that of martial prowess?" inquired Celestia with a polite smile.

Twilight found herself wondering this as well. She had not asked Hiroki any questions of this nature when she spent the morning chatting with him. Were samurai just warhorses? They couldn't be. While maybe a bit rough around the edges their host still had an air of refinement about him that was revealed in every action he took. Every sushi roll prepared, every cup of tea poured, every sweep of the broom when he cleaned his restaurant. Even the way she'd seen him handle his sword was like a work of art in of itself.

"A fair question Princess. Samurai first came from all walks of life." He gestured a hoof to Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight in turn. "Artisans, farmers, even scholars. As times changed the role of samurai was to be more specialized in the art of war. However apart from martial skills, a samurai is encouraged to continue honing one's body and mind in other ways. Such as scholarly pursuits. Many samurai take up the arts of writing and painting."

"How lovely!" said Rarity, her eyes lighting up. "You mean apart from being an exquisite chef, you mean you're skilled with a brush as well?"

"Calligraphy yes, but I do not paint. Samurai often write poetry as a form of meditation, seeking introspection and enlightenment. It is also our custom to compose a poem when we are to pass on, should we have such opportunity to do so."

"So you're a warrior and a scholar... if not too forward to ask, do you think perhaps you could share something with us in this regard?" Luna was the one to speak this time, raising her head as she peered over at him.

Hiroki continued to slice apples for a moment, his viridian eyes finally rising to return the calculating stare that Celestia and Luna were giving him. His spatula suddenly kicked up and a slice of apple was sent soaring through the air. It was on course to Rainbow Dash and if she were any other pony it likely would have hit her square in the face. She snapped to in the nick of time and opened her mouth, catching the apple slice and gave it a delectable crunch before smirking over at him. Now that ponies were paying attention again, he kicked up a second apple slice and this time Big Mac was the one to catch it between his teeth. The samurai looked up to one of the firefly lit bonbori lanterns, then turned his gaze skyward.

"Dining beneath stars.

A Spring night by lantern's shine;

true friends together."

He gave a single nod, seeming satisfied with his haiku before lowering his head back to his work.

"Hiroki... that's beautiful." Twilight said, looking impressed. "Did you just come up with that off the top of your head?"

"Hai." He nodded again, not looking up from the sizzling sweet apple slices on the griddle as he kicked up another piece.

"Hi!" said Pinkie Pie excitedly and dove for it.

She didn't quite make the mark and it zoomed past her much to the amusement of those around her. The spatula flung another slice towards Fluttershy. The timid pegasus squeaked and ducked in fear that the carved apple piece might hit her, though Pinkie rose to the occasion this time and leaned over Fluttershy to catch it in her teeth. The royal sisters continued to exchange hushed whispers occasionally, though both seemed more relaxed than when they had first seated themselves. Hiroki had noticed this change of demeanor as well, as he also began to flick food from straight from the grill to Celestia and Luna, both laughing happily and enjoying themselves along with the others as they caught their tasty projectiles mid-air. This breach of protocol was earning him a very reproachful look from Captain Gladius.

Hiroki considered flipping apple slices at the far row of Royal Guards, but ultimately decided against this. It was likely they wouldn't take it as well as everypony else. On the one hoof, it would be most amusing to see how long they could stay composed with bits of fruit flying at them before they broke and chose to eat or confront him. Then again he could attest that he wouldn't want somepony flicking food at him when he had been ordered to serve guard duty.

"Twilight mentioned that the tree you brought with you has very special properties, that you came here to Ponyville hoping to find 'the perfect blossoms'. Would you please give us a little further insight there?" asked Celestia.

He shifted uncomfortably for a moment and Twilight could tell Hiroki had hoped he wouldn't have to touch on this subject.

"Times have changed. We do not have harmony any longer, the kind which you share here. I came so that I can find harmony and tranquility once again. To learn as much of the world as I can. To learn your magic of friendship." He nodded lightly as he continued to cook and it was surprising to see that Celestia did not pry any further.

He managed to avoid engaging in further conversation for some time while everyone around him laughed and chatted amongst his entertaining display of culinary prowess. Apple after apple were sliced, diced, pieces flipped, and sauce drizzled over the sizzling grill. Hiroki even flipped a piece of apple up high into the air. It soared over a branch of the sakura tree and tumbled back down right into his own mouth. He'd seen shokunin perform a similar trick by catching the delicacy in their hats, but the samurai had removed his. Besides his sugegasa wasn't exactly suited for that kind of a trick.

The magical dragonfire provided by Spike kept the kindling going and the griddle plate heated for quite some time. Hiroki answered the occasional question from Celestia, Luna, and Twilight though nopony else bothered with doing the same. Either they were enjoying themselves too much to inquire or figured anything worth knowing in the heat of the moment would be asked by one of their Princesses. He served more tea and the longer he continued, the more he found himself wishing he had an assistant. The 'main course' as it were turned out to be a mixture of vegetables and apples that were stir-fried and drizzled with a teriyaki sauce. Each serving was carefully placed onto a plate and passed around until everypony had been served.

An hour had gone by in the time that they had finished this course and Hiroki had pulled the kindling to stamp out the flames beneath his hooves, allowing the grill to begin to cool. Hiroki then stepped out of earshot and disappeared into his restaurant.

"So what do you think?" Twilight smiled cheerfully, looking from Luna to Celestia.

"I think he comes from a vastly different culture than our own. One that puts emphasis on martial prowess over friendship. Though seeing a warrior who wishes to walk a peaceful path is inspiring. Hopeful." The Princess of the Sun looked up at the pink blossoms covering the sakura tree.

"I agree. Warring states are often difficult to be diplomatic with, but if others are like him... If the mists are falling Equestria and Neippon could learn a great deal from one another." said Luna, nodding at Twilight. The latter looked confused by some of the former's words though she did not get a chance to inquire further.

Hiroki reappeared a moment later bearing a tray of pink sweets balanced carefully along the length of his back. He sauntered past each of them one at a time, allowing them to take a cake. He paused, narrowing his eyes at Pinkie Pie as she reached for hers. With that look of warning Pinkie knew she'd been found out and grinned sheepishly as she only took one. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and Spike all took one of the treats without fuss and he found himself lingering as he stopped beside Applejack, giving her smile. The smile was faint, but Applejack could tell it was sincere as she got a look into his deep, viridian eyes. She blushed and nearly the shade of the pink cakes as she took one. When Big Mac had gotten his and the three fillies had tussled amongst themselves over who got to pick first, Hiroki set the tray down beneath his work station.

"Last but not least, I share with you a treat made of Neippon itself. Sakuramochi. Mochi, rice cakes filled with a sweet red-bean paste and wrapped in pickled sakura leaves. Leaves taken from this very tree." He bowed his head and gestured a hoof at the sakura tree behind him. "Traditionally eaten during Spring or hanami... err, flower viewing."

They all bit into their sakuramochi, a few having looked skeptical at the sticky appearance and the presence of a pickled tree leaf. Much to Hiroki's delight everypony, even those who looked unsure, seemed to find the taste and texture agreeable. Indeed Pinkie Pie looked most excited as she chewed vigorously through the sweet, equally so as she swallowed, then all but heartbroken when she realized there were no more for her. There was a collective laugh of amusement while Rarity rubbed Pinkie Pie's back reassuringly with her hoof, telling her that she was sure Hiroki would have some for her in the near future. The samurai soon disappeared once again, having collected all of their plates onto his tray and carried them back within the darkened restaurant.

Celestia, Luna, and Twilight all looked up at the sakura tree and were pleased to see it looking quite grand against the light of the firefly-lit lanterns. A farcry from it's saddened state the previous day, it's blossoms were still in full bloom and were swaying gently in the evening air. Twilight would swear she could feel joy and happiness radiating from the foreign cherry tree when she looked at it. It's branches jostled, giving the tree the appearance that it was almost dancing for them.

"You have a good eye Twilight." said Celestia, leaning in so that only Twilight could hear her. "There is something magical about this tree. Something very special. And something special about Hiroki. I'm most confident you'll all be able to show him true friendship."

Twilight had just been about to reply when Hiroki had reappeared so she simply smiled at Celestia who winked, returning the smile with one of her own. Luna had leaned over to whisper something to her sister and the two nodded in agreement before both rose to their hooves. All four of the Royal Guard, still lined up several feet behind them, bristled as they adjusted their posture to stand up more straight.

"We thank you very much for dinner and your hospitality, but alas it's time for us to get going." said Celestia. This caused Hiroki to bow his head very low once again.

"We were most impressed with your culinary prowess." added Luna. "Much as I would enjoy staying longer, as Princess of the Night I must now be attending to my duties." Luna waved a wing and shook her head as two of the Guards looked ready to join her, causing them to remain as she turned and took off into the night sky.

"Indeed. I do hope you'll enjoy staying here in Ponyville, though I would also be delighted to see you visit Canterlot at some point. Luna and I would be most eager to chat with you again." Celestia returned the bow Hiroki was giving her, and after a moment both rose their heads at the same time.

"It was the highest honor to serve you, Princesses." said Hiroki simply.

It was then that she noticed he a package wrapped in brown paper, tied off with simple string. The parcel did not look any larger than a lunchbox. Hiroki looked over and stared silently at Captain Gladius. The good Captain was determined to pretend that he did not notice, not wishing to acknowledge the samurai in the slightest. Eventually Gladius issued a quiet order, forcing the guard-mare Pegasus to trot over in his stead. He was well aware that Celestia was watching closely and Hiroki was not sure if he should be offended or relieved. Hiroki said nothing, but bowed his head and gestured a hoof at the wrapped parcel, which the mare eyed suspiciously before picking it up with her teeth, holding it by the string and cantered back to rejoin her fellow guards.

Everypony else had begun to stir from their seats as Celestia joined her cadre. The Princess of the Sun smiled warmly and waved a hoof at them all before she too took off into the night sky, followed closely by the four guard Pegasi. He spent the next several minutes bowing and thanking everypony for attending and doubly so for helping him manage to get things fixed in the nick of time.

Fluttershy assured him that her firefly friends would all return to her once they'd been sated by the sugar water and was first to leave. Rarity departed second, taking Sweetie Bell with her, and gave him quick praise for making the nobori banner presentable after Opal had scratched it up. Rainbow Dash had been bragging to anypony who'd listen that Hiroki had agreed to teach her his way of the sword, and when she was sure they all knew she left next to take Scootaloo home. Twilight watched as Pinkie hopped and skipped around Hiroki, thanking him over and over again before practically begging him for the recipe of his sakuramochi, stating how it would be oh-so-popular at Sugarcube Corner. After telling her several times over that he would consider it Pinkie skipped off, singing a made up song about it.

"Whoopee! Gonna have mochi! Under the pretty tree! While sipping yummy tea! Soon as Hiroki, goes and teaches me..."

Spike snickered as he clambered up onto Twilight's back, both smirking at Pinkie's light-hearted song. Before they left Hiroki had bowed deeply to them and presented Spike with a gift: a hunk of green mineral. Twilight had never seen a real piece before, but she recognized It from books as a precious stone called Jade and her number one assistant had to clamp one claw over his snout to keep from salivating at the prospect of tasting a new type of gem. Even if they were already full of rice, apples, and mochi.

Applejack remained while Hiroki was tidying up and Apple Bloom was obviously lingering to eavesdrop. Big Mac practically had to drag his youngest sister away by the tail.

"You and your family have my deepest thanks. Give me a moment and I'll go collect some bits to pay you with." said Hiroki quietly. He looked far less tense now that the ordeal was over.

"Oh don't worry about it sugar cube. We brought you some apples and you treated us to dinner. I'd say that makes it about even. Plus it was for the Princesses. We were happy to help, really! That was pretty good eatin' by the way. You sure know you way 'round a kitchen don't ya'?" replied Applejack. She colored a bit at the realization she was, perhaps, talking a little too fast.

Hiroki nodded. "You appeared just in time to keep me from falling into despair. You and the others."

"We all might of been a little nervous the other day, but you can count us as friends." Applejack grinned, nudging Hiroki lightly. "And that's what friends are for."

"It is... most refreshing to hear." He did not sound insincere, just that he might not be saying everything that was on his mind.

Still Hiroki looked over at Applejack and their eyes met again. They peered at each other for a few moments, cherry blossom petals showering around them like a gentle snowfall. The awkward silence caused him to grow tense as he was sure she expected him to say something. He didn't really know what he should say. Eventually he just gave a polite bow of his head.

"I would be honored if you would contract to sell apples to me while they are in season..." said Hiroki, immediately wishing he had come up with something more personable than business.

Applejack looked momentarily disappointed at the turn their chat had taken, but it was covered with an endearing smile. "It'd be our pleasure."

"Dōmo arigatō. Err. Thank you... very much." said Hiroki, growing inexplicably tense at his own inability to speak his mind. "If you ever need help with your harvest..."

"Shucks, that's mighty neighborly of ya'. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Applejack continued to smile and tipped her hat to Hiroki. She nodded once and turned to leave.

"Come by any time you wish... I would enjoy having you." said Hiroki. This caused Applejack to stop and look back at him, blushing. The samurai recognized his blunder, but too late to hide a similar rise of color in his face. Still he kept his expression neutral despite the obvious indication to the contrary and added hastily "Over. To share a meal or a chat. M-meaning I enjoy your company."

Smooth.

Applejack recovered quickly and gave him a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I'd like that. Good night Hiroki." she replied and tipped her hat again before turning back, making quite sure she wouldn't walk into any trees this time.

"Good night to you, Applejack..." Hiroki's voice faded as he spoke her name, peering after her as she left. He could still make out the figures of Twilight and Spike not too far ahead and watched as Applejack caught up to them. The evening breeze blew gently around him, showering him with more pink flower petals and it caused him to turn his gaze up towards his revered sakura tree, serene and in full bloom. After a few moments' consideration he found his lips curling with a faint smile. His eyes were resting on the same six blossoms that had appeared the previous day when his new friends dined with him.

"Perfect..." he said quietly.

Author's Note

Sorry it's taken me so long to write this chapter! Details kept going back and forth, and my brain is half broken. I have a hard time trying to make chapters long enough, but not too long, while also not letting them be too short. Something for me to work on.

Notes:
Chapter Title: Inspired by a bit of music from the Tenchi Muyo! OVA soundtrack, similarly titled Picnic of Lanterns.

Captain Gladius - Full name Titus Gladius, Captain in the Canterlot Royal Guard. His name comes from the latin titus meaning 'Of high status or title', and gladius, the short sword carried by Roman Legionaries (inspired by the Guard ponies Roman helmet design.) In this way, you could say his Equestrian name is just 'Captain Short Sword', but Titus Gladius did make for a more imposing name for a Captain in the Royal Guard.

Interlude: Whispers and Shadows

It had been a fairly slow evening for the Princess of the Night. She had performed several passes in and around Canterlot, as well as Ponyville and the surrounding areas. Yet things were quiet and there were no ponies that presently needed her guidance within their dreams. Normally such lack of stimuli would be quite depressing, but Luna felt this was the perfect opportunity to confer with her dear sister. It was fortunate that upon returning so early, well before the sun was to rise, she found her sister awake in her private study with a fire crackling gently in the hearth. The Princess of the Sun was pacing back and forth to which Luna silently marveled at how her sister had avoided pacing grooves all the way through to the floor.

A tray bearing a pair of cups, a pot of tea, and a few crackers. Judging by the crumbs that littered the tray and the dregs left in one cup Celestia had gone through most, if not all of her tea. When Luna entered Celestia smiled at her younger sister and beckoned her over, her horn gleaming with magic as she poured tea into the untouched cup. Luna returned the smile and sat herself by the edge of the table, sipping tea.

"All quiet on the home front, I take it?" asked Celestia.

"Indeed. One of the most tranquil nights we've had for quite some time." replied Luna.

"I expect you returned early in order to discuss our dinner engagement?" Celestia snickered quietly, shooting Luna a knowing look.

"I have." Luna chuckled, sipping at her tea again. "I never expected I would meet a pony from beyond those mists. If this so-called 'veil' is falling or allowing passage then this is an opportunity to extend a hoof of friendship that we cannot allow to pass us by." said Luna.

"I agree. Though if what we know about Neippon is true then some of these 'samurai' may perceive our peaceful ways as a sign of weakness... Warrior cultures can be tricky to negotiate with as they generally consider themselves superior. It's likely they will forsake the offer of friendship if they believe they will be able to take what they want from us through use of force." said Celestia.

"We've already established friendly relations with others lands. Saddle Arabia, Maretonia, Yakyakistan. Even the griffons are slowly coming around. Shouldn't we at least give it a chance?" replied Luna, quirking an eyebrow.

"Of course we'll give it a chance. We simply must tread carefully is all. You saw for yourself how badly things could go. Twilight and her friends have done well making this Hiroki feel welcome, but look at the way he and Captain Gladius addressed one another. The good Captain was not wrong to be wary of the threat Hiroki's sword poses, though he dealt with the situation rather poorly... Twilight did mention it, I should have seen that coming." Celestia smiled, but let out an exasperated sigh as she stared into the dancing flames of her fireplace.

"Not to mention the way Sir Hiroki reacted. The challenge was second nature to him, as if such threats to his life were commonplace." said Luna, frowning. "He moved so quickly, like a sudden burst of wind... Captain Gladius would have been defeated had Sir Hiroki not stopped short. What if all samurai possess such skill? Such a thought is most worrisome if they prove to be unfriendly..."

"There is definitely something special about Hiroki, not to mention the cherry tree he brought with him. However it would be unwise to underestimate the nature of any of his fellow samurai we may encounter. I believe our best course of action is to move slowly and allow the seeds of Friendship to blossom. Hiroki may even be able to act as a bridge between Neippon and Equestria. We'll have to invite him here to Canterlot as soon as possible. We don't want to press him too hard, but we need as much information as we can get."

"Is that the only reason you wish to invite him here, or do you just secretly wish to sample his cooking again?" Luna peered over at Celestia and did her best to fight back a smirk, but it showed at the corners of her mouth.

The elder sister gave an obviously false smile of innocence and shrugged, yet she did not refute the accusation. "That may be an ulterior motive."

The two royal sisters shared in a hearty laugh and would continue to chat for some time, occasionally deviating from discussing matters of state by discussing the meal they had shared with their friends in Ponyville. Alas there was much that would have to be done. Twilight and Cadence would also need to be brought into the loop on any diplomatic actions taken. There was never a shortage of things to do and it always felt as though there was never enough time to do any of it.

Hiroki paused in his cleanup long enough to place a hoof atop the faithful Isamaru's head, giving the wolf-dog a few affectionate pets. Isamaru wagged his sesame tail as his head tilted up lazily at his master's touch. The events of the day seemed like a distant memory now that it was over. All the preparations, the struggles, the stress. It was all quite laughable. To think he'd been worried about shaming his ancestors...

The samurai gave a sudden sneeze. He looked up with raised eyebrows and peered around slowly. Was someone talking about him? Certainly not. That was a foolish superstition anyway...

He had all of his plates and cups put away neatly. The tables were pushed back into the restaurant, albeit up against the walls. There was still sweeping to be done, not to mention picking up all the fallen decorations and the suit of red armor. A heavy sigh escaped the samurai when he let his gaze fall over the grill. There was a fleeting moment of regret that he did not ask anypony to stay and help him. He'd simply have to make do with pushing it up against the side of the building. Probably for the best that he not open the restaurant tomorrow since everything had to be put right before he could serve ponies properly again. Much as he'd enjoy a day off, he'd have to spend it making repairs.

Laying on his futon mattress with the blanket pulled up to his neck, he found himself staring up at the ceiling when he sneezed again, twice in rapid succession. Despite having been exhausted he had suddenly become aware of a very strange, very ominous feeling. Again he had to remind himself not to believe in foolish superstition. Those vibrant viridian green eyes glanced at the katana in the corner, propped up against the wall. The faithful sesame dog lay curled up in his own little bed, his hind leg kicking idly while he dreamed. Likely Isamaru was dreaming of chasing a certain trouble making white rabbit after being dishonored in such a spectacular manner. Isamaru may be a dog, but he was still a warrior. Hiroki smiled faintly at his canine companion before he rolled onto his side and forced himself to shut his eyes. Surely this feeling wasn't anything to be worried about, he simply needed to rest...

Thousands of miles away past the borders of Equestria, across oceans and through a shroud of mist, another conversation regarding the very same samurai was about to be held. Hoofsteps echoed throughout a long, dark corridor that descended into the bowels of a hidden cavern. Braziers that lit the pathway were few and far between, but occasionally illuminated the form of a pale, almost sickly green unicorn clad in a simple black kimono and hakama. At the end of the corridor was a large shoji door. It slid open to reveal a darkened chamber, to which he unicorn stepped in and slid the door shut behind him before turning and kowtowing to the dark, seemingly empty room.

"M-my lord..." said the quivering unicorn.

"You dare disturb me?" came the reply of a cold, dark, unnatural drawl. "You have two minutes to explain this interruption before I take your head..."

"F-forgive me, my lord! It's just that... w-we have some news from... beyond the mists." The first voice shook, his form trembling at the thought of anything beyond the world he knew. Or maybe he was trembling at the prospect of facing his own demise simply for performing his job.

"Speak." came the reply from the darkness.

"The... the spies you've sent out to monitor foreign lands, one of them has traveled to a land known as Equestria. This land is said to be ruled over by two Princesses. S-sisters, my lord. One of Day, one of Night."

"...the Bearded's whelps..." There was a derisive snort full of rising anger that made the cold, dank air surge with heat. "To think those meddlesome mares brought down Discord... shameful."

"A-as you say, my lord...?" said the messenger, swallowing hard as his master seemed to be growing more irritated. "It appears that... th-that the ronin has appeared... and he has been tracked through Equestria, now residing in a village called 'Ponyville'."

"The ronin... the son of Taisho Ikusabeki..." The memory of this newly spoken samurai produced a hiss that seethed with contempt. "The ronin was not to survive passage through the mist. It seems the Jushi have lied to me..."

"Y-yes my lord! I r-read the report... I-I.. I have no excuse..." The shaking messenger bowed so deeply his horn touched the ground, clearly expecting his head to soon roll from his shoulders.

"I can smell your fear... but you are not responsible for this failure. However such mistakes will not go unpunished. Hmph. Still... so long as he remains abroad, the ronin has no power to interfere. In exile he is not a threat."

"B-but my lord... th-the report indicates he has made contact with the newest Equestrian Princess, and through this 'Twilight Sparkle' has also established contact with the Princesses of Day and Night-"

"WHAT?!" Rage erupted from the darkness, causing the chamber to shake violently and the messenger to further cower as he kowtowed. "The ronin must be dealt with."

"My lord...? But you just said, how can he cause disruption from around the world?"

"Fool. If he shares too much these Princesses and their champions will certainly attempt coming here. They will brave the veil. If the mists let them pass..." The dark voice sounded worried, trailing off in the midst of scheming. "-If- they pass... they will try to reach the Empress, which I will not allow... but if they should pass, corrupting them would ensure control and grant us a foothold into the world beyond."

"M-my lord...?" repeated the trembling messenger.

"Precautions will be taken. Inform my retainers to ready their samurai and begin to conscript ashigaru. I care not if they volunteer or are forced into service, strengthen my forces." said the dark voice. It paused for a moment, the distinct impression of a predatory grin was further embellished as this voice positively dripped with venom. "As for the ronin... the Princesses deserve to know how dangerous and untrustworthy he is. Celestia and Luna will still wish to make contact, but there must be fear and doubt. Now... get out of my sight."

"R-right away my lord!"

The cavern shook with tempered rage and the messenger bowed deeply before excusing himself with great haste, making his escape before his master would reverse the decision not to punish him. The shoji door opened and slid shut quickly, hoofsteps again echoing throughout the corridor as the unicorn departed. There was a fleeting thought of regret that he became chief minister to such a dangerous and unpleasant master, wishing instead that he had just remained a simple bandit.

Author's Note

Trying to get back to writing at least one chapter a week, apologies for the delay. :twilightblush: I do hope you've enjoyed the introductory arc of Apples and Cherry Blossoms. Stay tuned for more!

Notes:
Originally this was SUPPOSED to be a oneshot fic, as it was inspired by the SNL skit 'Samurai Delicatessen'. As you can see it's evolved beyond that rather spectacularly.
Taisho - General
Also, just in case anyone was left unaware (since I can't recall ever saying so beforehand) 'Neippon' is a play on the word 'Nippon' which is a reading of kanji 日本 that refers to Japan.

No Need for Training

Author's Note

My most sincerest apologies for such a long delay. :ajsleepy: To everyone reading I dearly hope you enjoy yourselves as the tales and adventures continues in Apples and Cherry Blossoms with what I like to call the Festival of Friendship arc. :twilightsmile:

No Need for Training

"Late... again."

Hiroki sat out in front of his Red Apple Restaurant as the first rays of the morning sun crept up over the horizon. He wasn't surprised, but it was still irritating. He held a brand new wooden sword between his hooves, having just applied a light finish while his own ancient, and battered looking bokken was propped up against the nearby sakura tree. The cherry blossom branches were drooping ever so slightly as if to show the kodama that resided within had yet to wake. All the same this rest was well deserved after the ritual that had taken place the previous evening. He'd needed wood for a new training sword and upon praying to the venerable sakura tree it was granted to him. Rainbow Dash was learning his way of the sword and she needed a proper bokken. Only one made of Neippon would do after the last mishap.

Isamaru sat beside his master, his wolf-like head tilting back and his jaws parting as a wide yawn escaped his muzzle. The dog then proceeded to curl up at the base of the sakura tree and laid his head over his front paws. Hiroki frowned as he peered at Isamaru, then rolled his eyes.

"Lazy bum." Despite this slander the sesame dog seemed quite content in his new place of rest. Hiroki touched a hoof to his chin. "Perhaps sun's rise is too early. Hmph. Nonsense. That was the arrangement..."

Hiroki disappeared into the restaurant, reappearing moments later laden with saddlebags. He paused long enough to strap the pair of bokken to his back before cantering off down the street. It gave him oppurtunity to reflect upon the time he'd spent in Ponyville. A rather peaceful place all things considered. A month had passed since he'd first arrived and if things had gone as he'd expected, he would have packed up and continued wandering by now.

Admittedly he found himself surprised. Ponyville had turned out to be a place he really could call 'home' after leaving Neippon, a feat he never thought would come to pass. At first other ponies were timid and wary of him. Of course this was to be expected. He was an outsider. A mysterious stranger. It was a common feeling shared by many, to fear the unknown. Especially among the ponies of his homeland.

As anticipated, the restaurant had to remain closed the day following Twilight, her friends, and the Royal Sisters had attended. The damage his companion had inadvertently caused when chasing Angel Bunny took all day to repair, but repaired it was. News of the Red Apple Restaurant's closure for the day was met with the disappointment with a great many ponies who still hoped to try his culinary curiosities for the first time, which made the following two days all the more busy. Hiroki worked morning til' night and had very little time to himself. Even so he was pleased when others took the time to visit him while he had to work.

Fluttershy came by while he was making repairs to the restaurant, apologizing profusely over and over again for the trouble Angel caused and offered to help while he was fixing the shoji screen panels with new paper. He assured her it was nopony's fault, if only to keep her from quivering nervously at the notion he might be upset with her. His assurances eventually seemed to waylay her concern and after he granted her a smile, she left feeling better.

Pinkie Pie skipped by at least once a day, taking sweets and party favors here and there while often singing about cupcakes or reciting her made up song about mochi. Even Rarity waved at him from her upstairs window when she saw him returning across the bridge from his morning kata exercises. Rainbow Dash stopped in on the pretense of wanting lunch, though he suspected it was also to make sure he was still willing to teach her his way of the sword.

Each time the door opened and the bell chimed, he would call out 'Irasshaimase!' to greet those who entered and looked up in hopes that the latest guest would be a certain mare sporting a most peculiar hat. He hadn't seen Applejack since that evening, not even in the mornings or when he ventured to the market. Hiroki had to remind himself it had only been three days and she was just as busy with her own Sweet Apple Acres as he was with his Red Apple Restaurant. Besides it was certainly unbecoming of a warrior to let his focus wane over such silly thoughts.

That first Saturday morning Rainbow Dash was not out front of the restaurant by sunrise as they had agreed. He sat waiting beneath the dancing blossoms of the sakura tree and waited for nearly two hours until she came zipping over looking very tired. She wasn't much of a morning pony, was she? Rainbow apologized and Hiroki waved his hoof dismissively, so long as it wasn't a habit. Twilight turned up that morning as well in hopes that she would be allowed to watch and make a few mental notes from the sidelines. To her delight Hiroki had no issue provided she did not interrupt.

Rainbow Dash was disappointed when she realized this first lesson would not involve swords. The entirety of his training that morning rest solely with rigorous activity ranging from push-ups to wind-sprints, balance exercises, and even filling and moving buckets of water. As was her experience with instructors Twilight assumed he would just observe, yet to her surprise Hiroki performed every exercise alongside Rainbow Dash. Several times the pegasus tried using her wings to move faster than the samurai and aide her in her exercises. Every time Hiroki snapped his wooden sword forward and a dull 'thunk' echo around them, followed immediately by a painful yelp after he bonked her on the head or wherever he needed to get the message across.

At first it looked like Hiroki was just trying to tire Rainbow Dash out. He gave no explanation of what any of this rigorous physical training had to do with sword technique, yet Twilight suspected it was right at the heart of it the longer they went. It was just as demanding as the training Dash had to endure for the Wonderbolts. The lesson was eventually at an end after Hiroki looked reasonably satisfied that Rainbow Dash would neither give up nor pass out. He looked cool as a cucumber while she had worked up a sweat and was near hyper-ventilating. Strength, stamina, and agility. It was all needed to master the art of the sword.

The week practically flew by as the popularity of the Red Apple Restaurant soared. If it had gotten any busier he'd have to consider taking reservations, and while it was a sound business practice something about it didn't sit well with him. Twilight was present again for the following lesson and waited with Hiroki just after sunrise. He was pleasantly surprised when Applejack turned up as well, though figured he appeared quite foolish when he couldn't think of anything to say as she smiled warmly at him.

His supposed student was late the second Saturday by just over an hour. Rainbow Dash apologized, something about having to practice aerial tricks for the Wonderbolts Reserve, whatever that meant. His own father would have reprimanded him harshly for such a transgression, but as she wasn't in too deep yet he'd let it slide. They started with rigorous physical exercises again and afterwards Hiroki approached Rainbow with the question as to whether or not she was sure she really wished to continue. He instructed her to hold her answer as he presented a wooden bokken he'd carved from one of the nearby Ponyville trees. Rainbow gratefully accepted the bokken, but was unable to stop herself from questioning why she wouldn't be training with a real sword. The samurai's rebuttal to this question was swift.

Hiroki demonstrated by drawing the katana from his back, taking his unique fighting stance by rising up onto his hind legs. The steel blade gave an almost heavenly gleam in the morning sun and the samurai referenced the incident where he mistakenly cut her ball in two. He elaborated further by kicking a stone from the ground high into the air, allowing it to soar back down to the earth. In the blink of an eye he swung the sword with perfect control and rend the stone in two. Twilight and Applejack watched from the sidelines, looking just as impressed as Rainbow Dash had been yet this admiration was not to last.

"Awesome!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Yame! No." Hiroki stamped his foot and thrust the blade into the dirt dangerously close to the pegasus, who straightened and suddenly gave a nervous rustle of her wings. "This is not a toy to be played with. Not something to be treated with carelessness."

To further emphasize his point Hiroki pressed his foreleg to the business end of his katana as it stood from the ground. He applied a slight measure of pressure. When he pulled back he turned his leg to show Rainbow Dash, giving her a look at the cut now present through his gray coat and the line of crimson glistening at the center. There was a drop of the same crimson along the edge of the blade, slowly rolling down it's length until it met soil. Applejack looked as though she wanted to interject, but she held her tongue when she met Twilight's equally nervous, yet resolute gaze.

No interruptions, that was the deal.

"A sword is a weapon. One that can cut through flesh and bone. You must never wield one without having respect or understanding for what it can do. You must also remember that while a sword is a weapon, it is only a tool. It has no power when compared to the mind that wields it. Do you still wish to learn?"

Rainbow Dash eyed the drop of crimson that had trickled to the dirt, then the cut Hiroki had inflicted upon himself as a lesson for her. Maybe she'd been naive before when she thought his handling of the sword had been cool and entertaining. The realization of just what the sword was truly capable of was sinking in and a shiver ran up her spine. The shiver went all the way through her wings when she remembered how the blade had stopped just shy of the Guard Captain's neck. Even so, she wasn't one to back down from a challenge so easily.

"I do." Rainbow nodded.

"Very well." Hiroki gave the pegasus an appraising look, then nodded in return. "You are now my student, and I am your sensei."

Applejack was smiling at first, but it soon turned to a frown upon as her gaze drifted over the fresh cut the samurai bore along with all the faded scares that shone through his steel gray coat. Questions were swirling around in her head. Were all of his scars marks of the sword? How many battles had he fought? How many times had his sword drawn blood? How many times had his blood been drawn? Would Rainbow Dash wind up scarred and hurt like Hiroki if she kept training with him? He was like an iceberg. The peak shows yet much lies hidden beneath the surface.

The blade remained thrust stoically into the ground as Hiroki began to teach Rainbow Dash, and by extension Twilight and Applejack about the katana. Most ponies who used tools usually did so with magic or by holding the item between their teeth. Samurai made use of such things by rising up from the ground and holding their swords between their hooves. With how awkward it can be for ponies to balance on their hind legs, it begs to wonder why Samurai chose this technique. All things considered it certainly looked more refined. Elegant, even. Rainbow Dash would have to learn to stand on her hind legs like he did and she was not permitted to rise off the ground. He allowed her to use her wings in order to maintain her balance, but he advised against doing so later as they would make inviting targets upon entering combat. Suddenly the exercises were making a lot more sense. When he felt she was able to keep herself upright without falling or flailing over he began to teach her the basics.

This had begun to lighten the mood and the two in their audience were noticeably less tense now that they were practicing with bokken and the real sword remained dormant.

"There are five basic kamae, or stances. The most basic and easiest to practice in is chūdan. Chūdan-no-kamae is 'mid-level'." Hiroki demostrated by standing with his left-hind hoof slightly behind his right and held his bokken out front at chest height, which covered his mid-section adequately. "Sometimes called the stance of water, it is the best place to start. Evenly balanced with attack and defense."

"Okay, I think I got it." Rainbow Dash awkwardly assumed the same posture, earning a snicker from Applejack and Twilight off to the side. She shot them a sour look, to which Applejack just grinned cheekily.

"The second is Jodan. Jodan-no-kamae is 'upper level'." He demonstrated again by shifting his stance a bit wider, shifting his left hoof forward. His bokken rose up over his head. It was a fair bit more intimidating in appearance, reminding her of how a snake rears back before biting. "Aggressive, it is known as the stance of fire. It leaves you open, but makes use of your sword's reach and your speed."

Rainbow nodded in understanding and slid into the same stance with a bit more confidence, brandishing her bokken over her head. Hiroki eyed the pegasus approvingly and circled around her as she kept her posture.

"Third is gedan. Gedan-no-kamae is 'low-level.'" Adopting the stance, Hiroki dropped his sword to waist level while his right hoof came forward, letting the tip point further down towards her leg. "The defensive stance of earth is meant for deflecting blows and creating windows to counter-strike."

She followed suit and mimicked him again.

"Number four is hasso. Hasso-no-gamae means 'all directions'. It is to be used in situations offensively, to respond to attacks from any direction." The samurai shifted yet again. His left hoof sliding to the forefront and his bokken rose to be held vertically, parallel to his own body.

Twilight watched as Rainbow adopted the fourth kamae, but Applejack had her eyes locked on Hiroki and the battered, ancient bokken he was holding. Standing tall and full of pride, in that moment he looked as if he could take on the entire world single-hoofedly. He was like a great oak tree. Hiroki explained hasso was also called the stance of wood and she could see why. Both Twilight and Applejack also noted how appropriate it was upon remembering that he'd said his name meant 'Strong Tree'.

"The fifth kamae is waki. Waki-gamae, or side-guard hides the length of your sword, making it excellent for deterring your opponent. If they cannot see how long your sword is, they will hesitate to attack for fear you could strike before they reach you." As he explained Hiroki's stance barely shifted, but his bokken lowered so that he held it near his hip so the pommel faced forward and the blade's length disappeared behind him. "So is the stance of metal."

Rainbow Dash complied and shifted into waki alongside Hiroki, glancing at him to make sure she was holding on to her bokken properly.

He explained the directions of basic striking in each stance, but after learning the five kamae the rest of their training session was spent practicing shifting posture and making sure each stance was held properly. He would occasionally whack at her legs with his wooden sword, testing her balance and grip on her own wooden sword. It didn't exactly look painless, but it made sure she wasn't slouching. At the end of the lesson Hiroki instructed Rainbow Dash that it was her responsibility to look after her bokken and that she would need to remember to bring it otherwise they wouldn't have much to do during their training. When they were done Hiroki went to collect his katana, wrenching it from the soil and slid it back into the scabbard.

Twilight observed that their training was not formally over until Hiroki and Rainbow Dash had bowed to one another.

The third week was just as busy as the previous and Hiroki was feeling the strain of such unexpected success. In all the places he'd stopped Ponyville had given him more business than all of the others combined. This was in no small part to word having gotten spread that three of the four Equestrian princesses had been patrons, one even doing so regularly, and while it was a great honor he now wondered if he'd have been better off with a noodle cart instead of a full restaurant. He'd never even considered himself -that- good a cook. Every day from late morning to mid-evening he worked tirelessly, serving sushi rolls, rice, and tea to new ponies. Surely the buzz would die down once enough ponies had sampled his cuisine. Something that had helped Hiroki keep going was after that weekend he began to see Applejack every two or three days when she'd smile and bring a cart of apples to the restaurant for him. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

The third weekend's training showed signs of improvement as Rainbow Dash was still late, but not quite so badly. She'd managed to wake in a timely manner, but upon her arrival realized she'd forgotten her bokken and zipped back to retrieve it. Twilight appeared shortly thereafter, still determined to witness and mentally document Hiroki's training with Rainbow Dash. The two exchanged pleasantries, the Princess coloring as Hiroki gave a deep, respectful bow of his head. When Rainbow had reappeared, teacher and student bowed to one another and they could begin.

They started with the same physical exercises and while Rainbow Dash could more than keep up with Hiroki, she still appeared a bit pouty that they weren't jumping right back into sword-work. This was going to be their routine from here on. Exercises came first. Stances came second. Kata would come third. Sparring, if they reached that level, would come last. The samurai and his would-be student ran, did push-ups, moved buckets of water, and practiced their stances over and over again. Rainbow Dash didn't seem to catch on, probably due to the fact Hiroki's eyes were generally hidden by the brim of his hat, but Twilight could see it in the way he turned his head that he was impressed with how well Dash was absorbing his teachings. She had obviously taken time to practice on her own, as he could find little fault with her balance or the grip of her wooden training sword.

Applejack also turned up and stood with Twilight for a bit, watching the two continue their training. They knew Rainbow Dash liked to go fast, and wasn't always the best at pacing herself. Moderation was key. Discipline. Patience. How Hiroki was able to keep his patience when Rainbow Dash nagged him to teach her more every moment was a feat in and of itself. They went through an exercise about facing the eight different ways and eventually he began to teach Dash how to strike properly.

Things went smoothly enough until they were nearly finished, that she performed a practice down-swing too close to Hiroki, and his reflexes kicked in. His own bokken blocked the strike, shoved her back and before he could think otherwise he'd swung down and inadvertently snapped her wooden sword in half. He sighed quietly out of his nostrils, looking quite sheepish at the dumbfounded expression on Rainbow Dash's face. That would be the end of their lesson for the day.

Later that week he was visited by one of the Canterlot Royal Guards during a particularly crowded lunch rush. He recognized the guard-mare from the detail who had escorted Princess Celestia and Princess Luna during their previous visit. She looked stern and stoically announced that by order of Captain Gladius, the Princesses wished for Hiroki to appear before them the following week. He blinked. Something about that didn't make sense, but he was given a formal letter written by Celestia and bowed his head politely, doing his best to pretend there weren't ponies staring at him. The guard-mare also very quietly thanked him for the package of rice balls he'd given them. It clicked that 'by order of Captain Gladius' perhaps meant that he'd sent his subordinate in his stead so he wouldn't have to deal with Hiroki himself. Again he found himself unsure of he should be amused, or offended.

Despite everything, Ponyville had turned out to be a good place to stop. Normally by now he'd have packed up and moved on again, but this place was different. Even the ancient sakura felt more lively than it had been in ages. Hiroki's mind would dwell on these thoughts as he idly sauntered through the empty streets of Ponyville, the sun still making it's way up into the morning sky. He made his way through the town until he came across Twilight Sparkle going the opposite direction.

"Hiroki, good morning!" she said, smiling brightly.

"Ohayōgozaimasu, ohimesama." replied the samurai, bowing his head deeply. "Good morning."

"I was just on my way to meet you and Rainbow Dash. It's still all right if I observe?" Twilight peered over at the saddlebags the samurai was now sporting.

"Ah, of course. Miss Rainbow Dashu did not turn up. I am on my way to wake her. I fear I have accidentally rattled her nerves because of what happened last week, so I also have a new bokken for her to train with. One that will not break so easily."

The two fell into step together and Hiroki explained that the sakura tree granted him wood for a new sword, as the one he had carved previously proved too brittle. This put Twilight into a new form of excitement upon it being suggested the tree was magical in nature, but did her best to avoid directly asking if she could study it or take any samples. This launched into a whole new avenue of conversation where she asked if Neippon had anything like their own Tree of Harmony. Hiroki said he was not sure, but legends were told that their Empress first appeared to them as a whirling gust of cherry blossom petals.

They arrived beneath the shadow of Rainbow Dash's cloudominium and Hiroki paused to look up at the unique architecture. Twilight could reach the pegasus' porch with no trouble, but Hiroki could not fly or teleport. Thankfully he had an alternative solution and reached back to pull something out of one of his saddle bags that looked like a large, rounded seashell that looked to be fitted with a wooden mouthpiece.

"Would you like me to go up and see if she's home?" asked Twilight, looking at Hiroki with curiosity.

"No. This should get her attention." replied Hiroki.

The samurai then took a deep breath, placed the shell to his lips, and blew furiously through it. A loud, deep, resonating tone was issued forth to reach all the way up to the cloudominium. The sound rang heavily around them, even after he'd stopped. A crash could be heard from above, as well as frantic scrambling until Rainbow Dash stuck her head out one of the windows. Upon realizing she'd overslept, she yelped and slammed the window shut to make haste to get herself ready.

"What in Celestia's name was -that-?" inquired Twilight, wobbling a little at the ringing in her ears.

"A jinkai. War shell. It is used to signal the march of armies. In this case, to wake lazy students." said Hiroki, reaching to tuck the shell back into his saddlebag.

"Ima, watashitachi ga koko ni motte iru mono o mi..." said a third voice, coming from somewhere behind them.

Upon hearing the sound of his native tongue, spoken by somepony other than himself, he whipped around and rose to his hind legs with his hooves reaching for his sword. Twilight also snapped around to spy a dark figure leaning against a cottage, the figure veiled by the shadow the building cast.

"Bit early to be going to war, is it not Hiroki-dono?"

No Need for a Ninja

"Bit early to be going to war is it not, Hiroki-dono?"

The figure stepped out from the shadows and into the morning sun to reveal himself as another pony; a unicorn. His coat was the color of charcoal, an off-black with hints of gray and blue. The cutie mark on his flank was the shape short, angular knife with a loop on the end of the hilt. His mane was cropped short yet his tail was of average length. Both were wild, unkempt, and black as a raven's feathers. Like all unicorns, protruding from the center of his head was a horn that matched the color of his coat. A navy blue scarf was wrapped twice around his muzzle, obscuring the lower half of his face while the tattered end draped over his back and down between his shoulder blades. From behind the top of the scarf came the gaze of two narrow, angular, yellow eyes.

Hiroki froze with his hoof resting near the hilt of his sword, gritting his teeth at the casual greeting from the newcomer. Twilight frowned and gave an uncertain, worried glance between the two stallions as she noted the differences in their demeanor. The unicorn was relaxed yet watched the earth-pony like a hawk. He was far too relaxed compared to how tense Hiroki had become.

For over a month she had come to his little restaurant to chat and learn what the samurai was willing to share. Though he may not have appeared to be the friendliest of ponies at a cursory glance, he had only ever been calm, kind, and considerate to those around him. Twilight had to remind herself that one could hardly learn everything about somepony in a month, but she never thought she would see Hiroki so ready to fight. He looked surprisingly like wolf that was being forced into a corner...

It was then that Rainbow Dash saw fit to sweep down from her home, coming to hover beside Twilight while she clutched the two halves of her shattered bokken. Her lips parted to immediately interject with a demand to know what was going on, but Twilight quickly shushed her when the new pony and Hiroki began to circle one another. They wouldn't really fight... would they?

The newcomer gestured a hoof and rolled his eyes, a warm chuckle leaving his throat. Narrowing his eyes mischievously he tugged the scarf down around his neck to reveal the whole of his face with a broad smile. The unicorn appeared to be of similar age to Hiroki, but unlike the samurai he had no scars marring his face. There was a moment's hesitation before the one-sided animosity dissipated and the samurai lowered his hoof from his sword, once again standing with all four hooves firmly on the ground. The flurry of emotion shown on his face touched the entire spectrum. Relief, confusion, excitement, scrutiny, anger, further confusion, then finally something that was a cross between relief and joy.

Then Hiroki smiled.

It was a fleeting gesture with only one side of his mouth curling to show it, but it was sincere.

Twilight let out a heavy sigh now that the threat of a fight had passed, finally dawning a smile herself with Rainbow's perpetual flapping the only sound between the four of them. Snickering with great amusement, the unicorn strolled a bit closer before he turned his hawkish gaze from Hiroki to Twilight Sparkle and lowered himself into a deep bow. A kowtow. Similar to the gesture Hiroki had shown Princess Celestia and Princess Luna nearly a month ago. Yet something about it was different. It felt forced, as if it were given less out of respect and more from obligation. Either way she didn't like it so she smiled awkwardly and gestured for him to stand.

"Please, it's quite all right. You don't have to do that." said Twilight.

"Ah. Most gracious of you," said the stranger, bowing his head dramatically as he stood upright. From his accent it was clear he came from Neippon. "I am most honored to meet you Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. And your friend, miss Rainbow Dashu. Hiroki, are you not going to introduce me properly?"

Hiroki furrowed his brow, resisting the urge to scowl as the unicorn put him on the spot. It took a moment, but he managed to form the words in his mouth.

"Twilight-hime, Rainbow-san, this is Koga..." The samurai had to pause as he searched for an appropriate word with which to describe him. "He is a retainer of my Clan... and my friend."

Tilting her head, Twilight observed the two. Something was still off. While she didn't think the samurai had lied, she most certainly suspected there was more to it than what he was saying. Hiroki approached Koga, with the latter bowing deeply to the former. Twilight suspected it was due to Hiroki's status as a samurai, but he was having none of that. He pulled Koga up and the two grinned at one another, rising up to their hind legs so that they could each bump a foreleg together while the other went round to embrace one another as comrades. Twilight and Rainbow exchanged glances and snickered. Such display of brotherly affection waylaid any doubts she had about their friendship. If anything she'd learned about samurai over the past month was true then the two had to be very well acquainted for this behavior to be tolerated.

"Anata wa koko de nani o shite iru no?" inquired Hiroki, raising his head so that his eyes could be seen under the rim of his hat.

Koga grinned broadly with amusement. "Sore wa akirakade wa arimasen ka. Ima watashi wa kyūka-chūdesu."

Hiroki rolled his eyes and shook his head, seeing the lie for exactly what it was. "Anata no tōchaku ga yosō-gaidesu..."

"Dakara anata no shuppatsudeshita." replied Koga, giving his friend a flat look.

They continued to chat in their native tongue for another moment until Hiroki glanced to see Twilight and Rainbow Dash watching them very closely, clearly trying to follow what they were saying. They both smiled at him sheepishly. He cleared his throat and bowed his head in apology.

"Please excuse, I was not thinking." Hiroki bowed his head again and began to speak before he was cut off by Koga. "I did not mean to be rude-"

"Shamefur dispray, Hiroko-dono." joked the unicorn, glossing over the fact he had been an equal participant. "Such thoughtlessness."

A glare from the samurai caused his friend to go quiet, but the impish smirk persisted. Hiroki furrowed his brow and snorted at being embarrassed in such a way. "Today is Rainbow-san's kenjutsu lesson. You are aware of the restaurant in town. I request you wait there until the lesson is concluded."

Both Twilight and Rainbow caught one another's eye. If they didn't know any better that sounded less like a request and more of an order. Koga continued to smirk in amusement, but he nodded in head in agreement.

"As you wish." replied Koga.

"Would you like me to show you where it is?" inquired Twilight, raising her eyebrows. "Since you're new to Ponyville-"

"That will not be necessary." interrupted Hiroki, an accusatory tone to his voice. "He knows the way."

With that the samurai waved for his student to follow and with one last look at Twilight, Rainbow Dash fluttered after him. This left Twilight standing with Koga who continued to look thoroughly amused with himself.

"My most sincerest apologies Princess... it appears my presence has ruffled his feathers a bit. He is correct in that I know the way, but I would be honored if you would show me all the same..." said the shadowy unicorn as he gave a deep bow.

Something about Koga was off. Twilight had seen enough of the sycophants that Princess Celestia had to deal with on regular basis to know when someone was putting up a front. All the same it was likely she would presently learn more from Koga than she would from Hiroki. Hopefully Hiroki wouldn't be too hard on Rainbow Dash during their lesson.

"Certainly, it would be my pleasure to escort you to the city center." Twilight gave a false smile of her own, deciding that if Koga was going to put on a front then she'd do the same. At least until she understood what he was really doing in Ponyville.

The walk back to the Red Apple Restaurant was uneventful save for a few of the morning ponies giving the newcomer curious stares. Idle chit chat was exchanged between the two. Mostly Koga complimenting how lovely a city Ponyville appeared to be, how lovely Twilight was, and how fortunate they were to share friendship and harmony with one another. At first she thought it was empty flattery, but when she stole a glance back at him she would have sworn there was something envious in his eyes. Judging by the way his all-too-friendly smile disappeared, envy was not something he was proud of.

"So you're from Neippon as well, aren't you?" asked Twilight.

"I am." said Koga. Unlike Hiroki, Koga did not appear to have any trouble speaking their language and mixed in none of his native tongue. "Hiroki and I even come from the same village."

"Oh, so I imagine you've both known each other for quite some time?"

"You are correct Princess. Since we were both very small." He pulled the scarf from the lower half of his face again, letting the cloth hang loosely around his neck.

"If you don't mind my asking... how did you come to be here in Ponyville? Or Equestria for that matter? Hiroki made it sound like it was very difficult for you to leave your home."

"Hm?" Koga had been momentarily distracted upon watching a certain gray mailmare nearly fly straight into somepony's mailbox. "Oh, yes of course. He was not exaggerating. A great spell was cast by the Eternal Empress that has kept our borders safe for generations. A veil of mist surrounds the islands of Neippon and divine winds prevent invaders from entering our lands. Of course it also prevents us from venturing too far. Usually."

Koga's mischievous grin returned at the look of awe Twilight's face. She considered the implications of casting a spell of that magnitude as well as the power it took to keep it going. This was only the second time this 'Eternal Empress' had been mentioned, but by the sounds of it she must be a powerful magic user. It occurred to her that if the 'Mist' was so hard to cross, how had Hiroki done it? How had Koga?

"It took the combined efforts of powerful wizards to guide me through the mist." said Koga, sensing the coming question. "How Hiroki has accomplished this is one of many things I must discuss with him..."

She pondered heavily on this as Koga opened the door to the Red Apple Restaurant only for them to be immediately met by the resounding, threatening barks from Isamaru. The canine was bounding straight for unicorn. With a brief gleam of magic from his horn, his entire form disappeared in a swirl of black smoke and Koga reappeared on the other side of the room. The wolf-dog was a blur of brown and red as he very quickly turned around and charged forward again, this time knocking Koga to the ground with a dull 'thud'. With Koga to the ground, Isamaru bared his fangs and gave the shadowy unicorn a fierce growl.

Twilight gasped and her horn shined, readying a spell to separate the pair yet the stallion remained unfazed. When the two locked eyes the wolf-dog ceased growling, showing his territorial display to be nothing but a joke and gave Koga and hefty slurp to the face, tail wagging. Meanwhile Twilight had been holding her breath.

"Looks like you two know each other as well?" she said, sighing heavily in relief. Isamaru gave a single bark and leapt from the fallen pony, moving to sit beside Twilight.

"Yes. Isamaru, his brothers, and sisters were bred to be guardians. He was a gift. From my family to Hiroki's." Koga snickered as he got to his hooves, reaching over to pat the wolf-dog on the head.

"Oh! Isamaru really -is- a warrior." Twilight found herself unable to keep from smiling. She too gave Isamaru a pat on the head, who leaned in to he oncoming attention, leg twitching happily. "Perhaps I got the wrong impression... I wasn't certain how friendly you and Hiroki really were, and for a minute there when Isamaru charged at you-"

"Hah. Isamaru was just trying to impress you. Pay no mind to his showboating. As for Hiroki, perhaps I could have introduced myself without surprising him..." he replied, though his tone suggested he would have had it no other way. "I suspect Hiroki fears I have come to take him home, but this is not so. I have come to find him, but also to meet you Princess of Friendship."

"Me...?" said Twilight, looking a bit taken aback. "Did you need help with a friendship problem?"

Koga let out a hearty laugh. "Perhaps... but I will speak of that no further until Hiroki returns. While we wait would you be willing to tell me what you think of him? After all he has unwittingly become something of an emissary between Equestria and Neippon. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well," began Twilight, pausing to consider just how to answer. "I think he's fascinating. When we first met we were a little scared of him. We'd never seen a pony carrying a sword before. He came off as a little rough around the edges, but he strikes me as a very kind, very noble soul. This restaurant of his has proven quite popular, and he strives very hard to make sure those around him are happy."

"His decision to travel abroad was most alarming, but I'm relieved to hear his heart has not continued to harden..." Koga's gaze turned to the suit of deep red armor that had become little more than decoration against the wall. "Hiroki is one of the most noble souls I have ever known. Nopony was ever more deserving to be called samurai."

"You're not samurai like Hiroki is, are you?" Twilight found herself blurting out and regretted doing so almost instantly. To her surprise Koga merely laughed. "I apologize if I'm coming off as rude..."

"Very astute of you Princess. Like day and night, shinobi are the other side to the samurai coin." He snickered at her confusion. "I have seen young foals who play as them during your Nightmare Night. The word you might know is 'ninja'. Samurai are proud and noble warriors who exist in the sun. Ninja work from the shadows. Simply put, we are spies."

The explanation puzzled her, but the interaction between the two earlier suddenly made more sense. That's why Hiroki said Koga knew the way. He'd been watching them. "If that's true... why would just tell me? Isn't that completely counter to being a spy? Why would you bother to talk if you can learn from watching us like you have been?"

"Watching can help you learn a much, but I would rather have a good conversation. I wish to learn what Hiroki has learned and it would not do for me to lie to somepony I may one day call 'friend'." Koga smiled, but this time Twilight couldn't tell if it was true or false.

"Well, in the spirit of transparency I'd like to ask you something else. Something I've been wondering..." She looked down at Isamaru and gave him a few more pats on the head. "He's been here a month and I've been fortunate to talk with him often. Hiroki's opened up a bit about your culture, some of your customs, samurai, and even the lands of Neippon, but he avoids talking about himself. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, can you tell me why he left?"

Twilight did her best not to look too eager for these sorts of answers. To her surprise Koga suddenly looked rather uncomfortable and a frown creased across his face.

"So sorry Princess, but I cannot. That is only for him to say."

Author's Note

"Anata wa koko de nani o shite iru no?" - "What are you doing here?"
"Sore wa akirakade wa arimasen ka. Ima watashi wa kyūka-chūdesu." - "Isn't it obvious? I'm on vacation."
"Anata no tōchaku ga yosō-gaidesu.." - "Your arrival is unexpected..."
"Dakara anata no shuppatsudeshita." - "So was your departure."

I've been sitting on it a while, but... new cover art coming soon! :pinkiehappy:

Nightmare Night Special

AKUMU NO YORU

All around Ponyville the air was crisp, full of the scent of pumpkins and candy. Every storefront was decorated with candles, cobwebs, ghosts, and bones. Every jack-o-lantern was carved and lit. Everypony was enjoying the atmosphere and the spirit of the holiday. Everypony was ready for Nightmare Night. Well, almost everypony. Hiroki's Red Apple Restaurant was not really decorated in the spirit of the holiday, though the ancient Sakura tree had allowed ponies to hang ghostly decorations from a few of it's branches.

"Granny Smith was plum tuckered out after candyin' so many apples, plus she and Big Mac are watchin' over the haunted maze, and Applejack's lookin' after the apple bobbin' game in the middle of town..." began Apple Bloom.

"Rarity still can't decide what costume to wear and Fluttershy's locked herself in her cottage for the whole night..." pouted Sweetie Belle.

"Pinkie Pie's already looking after another group, Twilight and Spike are busy keeping the festival organized, and Rainbow Dash is out pulling pranks on ponies..." sighed Scootaloo.

"So what we're really tryin' to say is-" continued Apple Bloom as she, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all clopped their hooves together and bowed deeply.

"-please honorable Hiroki-sama, won't you take us Trick-or-Treating?!" asked the Crusaders in unison.

The samurai issued a double-blink, looking bewildered at the three fillies bowing and calling him 'sama'. His carving knife slid down and he winced as he mistakenly nicked himself after his attention was drawn to Applejack. She looked simultaneously proud and embarrassed at her sister's antics. It was nice to see her asking so politely, but the kowtowing was a little much. When her eyes met Hiroki's she offered an apologetic smile.

"I hate to ask, it's just we're so wrapped up with the festival n' all. I remembered you said you might be free n' the youngins could do with a chaperone..." said Applejack with a fleeting look of guilt. "Ya' don't gotta stay with 'em all night, just long enough so they can go trick r' treatin'! Big Mac n' I can keep an eye on 'em once they're all done."

The Crusaders all looked reproachful at being addressed as 'youngins', though none more so than Apple Bloom. "We're not babies..." she muttered under her breath.

"So you wish me to escort them from house to house demanding sweets, otherwise they partake in mischief?" inquired Hiroki, raising an eyebrow.

"Baka..." scoffed Koga from his place up in the rafters, laid out across the central beam. One eye opened as he turned his head to peer down at his friend. "You've been in Equestria long enough. Longer than I. You should have picked up these things by now."

Hiroki narrowed his eyes as a thought occurred to him. He wasn't opposed to looking after the young ones, but why were they asking him? He gave Koga an accusatory stare. "This was your doing, wasn't it?"

The ninja slipped down from the rafters, landing silently on the wooden floor across the dining room. He held his composure for roughly five seconds before he grinned and sniggered with amusement. This soon turned into outright laughter and he didn't bother trying to not to look too pleased with himself.

"Trick-or-Treating is customary during the holiday celebrating the legendary Nightmare Moon. By disguising oneself in a costume you hide from her searching eyes. You give candy as an offering so the Nightmare does not come for you. You wouldn't want the Nightmare to come for these little fillies would you? Besides, it will be good for you to experience the festival."

When Koga addressed them all three Crusaders looked up at Hiroki with pleading eyes and nodded in agreement. It was a blatant attempt to illicit guilt and manipulate him with the notion that he would actually have to protect them from Nightmare Moon, else she would get them. He wasn't sure if he should be more irritated at Koga's interference or the fillies for following his lead. Either way it was a clever move so eventually he let out a sigh and his shoulders sank upon relenting, but he nodded in agreement.

The Crusaders all lit up with excitement and a much grateful Applejack leaned over to kiss Hiroki on the cheek, which in turn caused the color to rise in his face. "Thanks a million sugarcube, I owe ya' one. Though iffin' ya' don't mind me askin', how come you weren't plannin' on joinin' in on Nightmare Night at first?"

"Hiroki-dono is fearless." Interjected Koga before Hiroki could answer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "He does not frighten easily and thinks Nightmare Night is unworthy of his time."

"I don't recall ever saying any of those things..." said Hiroki with his brow furrowed. "...I only suggested that my presence might diminish the experience for others."

"Heh, that sounds like a challenge. Who knows, maybe we'll can find somethin' that'll spook ya? I'll be seein' ya'll later tonight. You girls behave yerselves!" Applejack snickered and tipped her head, giving a cheerful smile before turning and cantering out through the front door.

"You've gotta costume right? You've gotta have a costume!" said Apple Bloom, promptly changing the subject in their direction.

"Yeah, costumes are mandatory! Something cool!" said Sweetie Belle.

"Or something scary." added Scootaloo. "Or something cool and scary!"

Hiroki's face fell inch by inch as the three fillies skipped circles around him and fully comprehension of the situation dawned on him. He was going to have to act as their guardian, take them door to door in search of candies, and otherwise perform tricks on ponies... all while dressed in a costume? His steely viridian gaze slowly locked onto Koga and he gave the ninja a flat look. Koga on the other hoof looked absolutely delighted at how things were unfolding. That jerk...

"Don't look so sour, Hiroki-dono." Koga inched close enough to whisper, lowering his voice to utter a few words of wisdom. "This kind of trickery is all in good fun. Perhaps put those skills your mother taught us to good use, hm?"

"Shut up." replied Hiroki flatly, elbowing Koga for good measure.

There was a great debate between them over what sort of costume would best suit him. Cool or scary? It wasn't easy, seeing as how Hiroki's calm demeanor didn't exactly lend him credence that he was scary enough to pull off most of their costume ideas. Most of the monsters he could recall from Neippon were far too terrible for a peaceful, fun-loving place like Ponyville. Or they were too nonsensical. He vaguely recalled a story about a rather pathetic lantern demon and imagined just how ridiculous he'd look wearing nothing but a lampshade over his head. Koga was of no further help and trying to match the fillies costumes in some way was likely to be a great pain.

What was it Okina used to say? Impossibru! Wait. That mule always kept going on with stories... maybe I'll draw from one of them? That's it. Who'd have thought the old monk's crazy gibberish would actually be useful one day?

"Do not worry, I have an idea of what to do. You three go prepare and I will do the same." Hiroki smiled at them all as they cantered off to ready their Nightmare Night costumes. He looked over his shoulder at Koga. "What about you?"

The ninja snorted. "I play tricks every day of the year. I think it will be most entertaining for the master to sit back and watch others today."

"Suit yourself." Hiroki waved his hoof dismissively and disappeared upstairs to ready himself. "Nightmare Night, what a fright..."

Some time later the Cutie Mark Crusaders all stood outside of the door to the Red Apple Restaurant sporting their costumes. Sheriff Apple Bloom, The Mysterious Mare Do Well, and Scootaloo of Spurwood rapped their hooves against the door and all chanted in unison.

"Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!"

"Come in..." drawled Hiroki, his voice nothing but a rasp.

The door to the restaurant slowly creaked open and mist billowed out through the doorway. A single blue ball of fire was there to greet the three fillies. It puffed, flickered, and danced before their eyes before it blinked away, disappearing from sight. It reappeared at the other end of the dining room beside the form of Hiroki clad in the blood red samurai armor that usually rest against the wall as nothing more than a displace piece.

"Hiroki, are ya' ready?" said Apple Bloom, leading her two friends across the room.

The closer they got to him the more imposing his armor became. Layered strips of steel covered his form from head to hoof and even his visage was covered by a mask made to look like a dragon's face. Koga watched from his place in the rafters, keen to see just what Hiroki had in store for the young fillies.

"Wow, that looks pretty cool." said Scootaloo, gazing up at the armored samurai.

"It actually looks a little scary too. Are those fangs?" asked Sweetie Belle as she also looked up. "...Hiroki?"

She touched a hoof to his leg and gave it a gentle shake, causing the armor to rustle a bit. It sounded hollow. Exchanging nervous glances, Apple Bloom approached and shook Hiroki's leg harder and harder. His armor continued to rattle and wobble until finally the kabuto helmet toppled off and hit the ground with a clatter. Something else rolled out, but they couldn't see what.

"He... h-he's not in there?" mumbled Scootaloo.

The blue flame flashed brightly to further illuminate the samurai armor, bathing it in ghostly light. it was empty. No, not entirely empty. Inside was a skeleton. The Crusaders all gulped and slowly turned to peer down at the fallen helmet. Beside it lay the skull of a pony, jaw hanging wide open. The bone cranium suddenly rolled over so that it's empty eye sockets stared up at the young fillies.

"So sorry." spoke the skull, it's jaw chattering. "I seem to have lost my head... do lend me a hoof will you?"

This caused all three Crusaders to scream and jump to the side so they could dive behind the counter. The suit of armor slowly lumbered upright and it seemed to be having trouble standing properly. It wobbled to and fro, bending over to try and get it's head back on. Bone creaked unpleasantly as the skull was set back into place on the spine and the helmet was pulled over it. The skeletal warrior then sauntered over to the counter, head listing this way and that way, legs buckling under it's own weight.

"What troubles you little ones? I thought we were going to have fun!" wailed the skeleton.

It suddenly jumped up onto the counter, pausing long enough to allow Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo to dart out from behind it, scampering and yelping across the dining room before it jumped back down on the other side. The armored skeleton lumbered into the wall and shuddered before turning around to stare at them from behind the counter. It rattled one final time before its arm came up to lean over the edge as though it were waiting for customers.

The blue flame flashed again and lit the room well, the light glinting against silvery threads that ran from the armor up into the rafters. As the Crusaders all turned their heads to look up, they spotted Koga sitting beside another figure clad in black, holding the other end of the wires. He'd been moving the armor like a marionette. Eventually he dropped down to greet them properly.

He was clad in a black kimono, matching hakama, and sported a kabuki mask that gave him the likeness of a fox. A fan was tucked into his obi and a shamisen strapped to his back. He clopped his hooves together twice in a ceremonial manner, causing the blue flame and the near invisible wires to vanish. Upon removing the mask, the stallion's face was revealed to belong to Hiroki. The Crusaders all let out a collective sigh and instantly switched from being terrified to entertained. Such is the way of Nightmare Night.

"That was awesome, making your armor look like it was haunted!" said Scootalook, fixing her green cap. "You should've helped out with the haunted maze this year!"

"That did not occur to me..." Hiroki shrugged. "Alas, perhaps next year. Are you ready to go Trick-or-Treating?"

"Yeah, Cutie Mark Crusaders, assemble!" hollered Apple Bloom. "Together we are-"

"The Mysterious Mare Do Well!" said Sweetie Belle, adjusting her wide hat and swept her cape behind her to strike a heroic pose. "Masked avenger and crusader for justice!"

"Scootaloo of Spurwood Forest!" continued Scootaloo, flicking her cap back and drawing her toy bow as she took held a dynamic pose. "Legendary outlaw who robs from the evil rich and gives to the poor!"

"And I'm the Mare with No Name!" concluded Apple Bloom, pulling her hat down to cover her eyes and tugged her vest tight around her shoulders so the golden star pinned there gave a brilliant shine. "Sheriff Apple Bloom, ready to hit the dusty trail!"

"No name? Sounds like she used her own..." muttered Koga, snickering quietly. It caught the attention of Hiroki who looked up and gave Koga a flat stare as if once again telling him to shut up.

"Yeah! So what're you supposed to be, some kinda clown or somethin"? inquired Apple Bloom as she tugged lightly at the hem of Hiroki's hakama.

"I am one of the Kitsune-Yōkai. said Hiroki, brandishing a fan and snapping it open. He tugged the fox mask back down and waved his fan, hiding half his face with it. Upon receiving blank stares he grumbled, shoulders sagging. "A fox demon. They play tricks and cause mischief through illusion and deceit. Is this not appropriate for Nightmare Night?"

"Of course it is, you look great!" said Sweetie Belle, elbowing Scootaloo before she could say otherwise. "So terrifying!"

Koga snickered louder and this did little to reassure Hiroki. The samurai sighed again, shaking his head and looked more deflated than ever. Still he straightened himself properly and waved for the Crusaders to lead the way, strolling over to hold the door open for them. They scampered out into the early evening, laughing and chattering amongst themselves about how much candy they were going to get. This left the ninja alone in the rafters again and he stretched out luxuriously across the central beam so he could enjoy the peace and quiet a while longer.

Though he was alone there was suddenly a nagging feeling that he was being watched. Koga looked around the restaurant and heard the rattle of armor. Turning his head to stare at the armor-clad skeleton, the kabuto helm was staring straight across the room at the door. He narrowed his eyes and turned away... only to hear the armor rattle again. It was watching him. Koga brandished a kunai and hurled it across the room at the suit of armor. It lodged into the wall behind it, severing another silvery strand that had somehow been tied between he and the helmet. Because of this when he moved the armor moved as well, furthering the illusion that it was haunted.

"Hmph... very clever." Koga felt a competitive surge rising in him and a malicious grin curled across his mouth. "From this day, until the end of the day, vengeance will be mine."

As far as Hiroki could tell Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo appeared to be greatly enjoying themselves as their Trick-or-Treating continued, despite the fact that it didn't seem like he was really doing much. They knocked on doors, chanted their mantra of Nightmare Night, and kept filling their treat bags with more and more treats. It was a little disconcerting to see ponies staring at him like they had when he'd first arrived in Ponyville, but he had to remind himself that it was likely due to the fact they found his costume peculiar. As far as he kne none of them had ever seen kitsune yokai before. Though as long as his charges were having a good time and he kept them out of trouble, all was well.

He guessed they'd been at it for a little over two hours and he felt like they'd knocked on every house Ponyville and their treat bags looked ready to burst when Apple Bloom said they should go back to the center of town where the festival games were all set up. The Crusaders all thanked Hiroki and hugged him before they scampered off to play games and visit with their other friends. He let out a sigh through his kitsune mask and felt his shoulders relax. When he gazed around he noticed his own friends all talking and laughing together, save for poor Fluttershy who'd apparently locked herself in her cottage. Rainbow looked up after bobbing for an apple and spotted him, waving him over.

"Konbanwa. Good evening." Hiroki sauntered over to the group, bowing his head politely.

"Hiroki, good evening! Happy Nightmare Night!" said Twilight and gave him a bright smile. "Nice costume. You must be-"

"Oooh! I know what he is! Judging by those red markings on his face, he's a peppermint!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, grinning inanely through a mask of her own.

"Ah... not quite..." replied Twilight, snickering and rolling her eyes. "He's kitsune yokai, a fox demon! They're seen as tricksters in Neippon legends, but can also appear as loyal friends and brave guardians to others."

Impressed, Hiroki nodded his head in affirmation. "I thought a trickster was appropriate for your Nightmare Night."

"Now now darling, it's also your Nightmare Night, isn't it? Though that really makes it our Nightmare Night." chimed in Rarity.

"Did Isamaru not want to come out? I don't see him with you." inquired Spike.

"I asked him to go watch over Fluttershy, since little Sweetie Belle said she took to locking herself in her cottage." Hiroki shrugged. "So many unfamiliar shapes from costumes might put him on edge."

Hiroki cast his gaze through the narrow slits of his kitsune mask, peering around at his friends one at a time. Some of their costumes were easy enough to understand, while others went straight over his head. He'd been through several cities in Equestria, but it would likely be a long time before he managed to get a grasp on everything. If he ever did.

Twilight Sparkle's costume was iconic enough. Some form of it was seen every year during Nightmare Night, and further still in books that filled the shelves of Equestrian libraries. She was clad in a black robe and wore a wide-rimmed pointed hat. A spellbook hung at her side and a gnarled broomstick was across her back, tucked between her wings. Even Neippon had fiendish enchantresses like this. 'The Black Witch'.

Pinkie Pie's was a bit strange. It appeared as though she'd attempted to dress herself as a ninja, though no self-respecting shinobi Hiroki knew would ever be caught wearing bright red. There were black markings up her sides and along her legs, as well as great black circles that surrounded the white eyes of her red mask. He missed what she called herself because she kept talking about chimi-cherry-changas... whatever those were.

Rarity had evidently decided upon a costume and had wrapped her hair up into two buns, one set on either side of her head. A white gown was draped over her frame. The sleeves were a tad loose around her legs while the chest was a bit tighter and the whole ensemble was complete with a silver belt that wrapped around her waist. She described her costume as a 'Star Princess'. Coincidentally Spike flexed when it became his turn, saying his costume went along with Rarity's. Some kind of a star cowboy...?

Rainbow Dash looked more rough and tumble than usual. She wore a gray tanktop and brown pants with bandages wrapped around each of her legs. A golden icon in the shape of a compass hung from her neck and she wore a belt one might see on explorer. She looked grimy as though she'd been rolling around in the dirt. Hiroki thought carefully on what exactly she was trying to be and she eventually lost her patience and groaned, calling herself a Tomb Raider. It must have been something similar to that Daring Do heroine she liked to read about.

Hiroki mused only briefly about what Fluttershy would have disguised herself as, had she decided to brave going outside. From her way with animals he imagined her to be a Pet Detective of some sort and the thought brought him to the point of chuckling.

The last of his friends to be seen was Applejack and when he caught sight of her he found himself uttering a prayer to the spirits. She wore boots carved from tree bark that ran from her hooves all the way to her thighs. Each was decorated with thorns to make it look like she had claws. She wore an outfit that was made to look as if it too were carved from wood, though upon closer inspection it was only cloth. Armor was hard enough to move in, let alone solid pieces of wood. A mask covered the top half of her face and two false ears topped her own that gave her the look of a wolf.

"What, aintcha never heard of the 'Big Bad Timberwolf'?" Applejack gave Hiroki a toothy grin and winked a luminous green eye at him. He considered himself fortunate that his face was covered, lest any of them see the way she'd brought out a blush from him.

They all showed Hiroki the various games and attractions that Nightmare Night had to offer. The spider toss, pumpkin' chunkin', and apple bobbing to say the least. Twilight was most interested to hear what she could about kitsune and their methods of trickery and eventually convinced him to perform a trick on somepony. He explained how he'd used an illusion to lure Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo closer to his armor 'scarecrow' he'd left in the restaurant and that kitsune would often do the same, though to more dire effect. 'Foxfire' was a technique that produced a ball of flames that was very similar to light from a lantern and would lure weary travelers from safe paths. Kitsune would sometimes trick unwitting ponies into stumbling upon bogs or lakes, sometimes even to lure them to their clutches as a form of seduction. Twilight thought it sounded an awful lot like the 'will-o-the-wisp'.

Against his better judgement he scrawled a few kanji into the dirt with one hoof and muttered what sounded like an incantation under his breath. The symbols gleamed briefly before disappearing and a ball of blue flame appeared between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie as they were tossing spiders. Pinkie Pie was focused on her throw and didn't notice.

The ball of blue flame danced and flickered against the night and began to flutter away. Rainbow Dash found herself mesmerized by it and crept after it one hoof at a time. The ball of light twirled and puffed enticingly as though able to see itself reflecting in her deep-pink eyes. Twilight watched carefully as it circled around her and continued to twirl further away. She followed still until the flame disappeared abruptly, leaving Rainbow to stumble face first into one of the large barrels full of water and bobbing apples with a boisterous splash. Everypony who'd seen it laughed and clopped their hooves in amusement as Rainbow Dash sputtered and pulled herself out of the barrel.

"Hey!" she shouted, initially looking cross. As though to set things right, the blue flame appeared again and danced more dimly against the night air. It tickled over Rainbow Dash as though trying to dry her off and her cross look didn't last. She eventually found herself lost in the spirit of things and laughed heartily. "All right, that's a pretty neat trick."

They took to sharing a few spooky stories as well, though when it came time for him to share Hiroki had to think hard. There were plenty of legends of demons and monsters, but again he thought most would be too unnerving. Eventually he decided to share with them one of the stories that had been passed to him by the monk Okina when he was just a colt.

"No way... the old pony thought as he lifted the lid to his sweet box again and again, each time one of his sweet dumplings having disappeared. It's not possible! the old pony said. Each time there was one less dumpling, vanished without a trace. An evil spirit is haunting me! he cried as one by one the dumplings vanished until... there were none left. Little did he know that they had... stuck to the bottom of the lid." Hiroki was forced to pause as Pinkie Pie let out a shriek and clung tightly to Rainbow Dash.

"No... no! Noooooo!" she gasped.

"Oh come on Pinkie Pie, of course -you'd- think that was scary..." sniggered Rainbow Dash.

"You must let me finish..." Hiroki cleared his throat to continue. "...the old pony was so terrified that his heart gave out and the poor soul died of fright. At his funeral before they were to carry his casket away, it was left at the shrine to allow others to pay their respects and bid his soul farewell... Tis' the last time we'll see him they said. The priest agreed... and so he went to open the casket... open it he did... but the old pony was gone! The priest shrieked in fear as he looked down to see the old pony was stuck to the bottom of the lid!"

There was a collective gasp and cries of terror filled the air, followed soon with the sounds of laughter.

Things were beginning to slow down around the main festival. There weren't any colts or fillies around, all of which had gone home to go to bed and even adults were starting to disperse. Hiroki had stuck around to watch the rest of his friends partake in the food and games, even witnessing a grand entrance by the dreaded Nightmare Moon to send a few scares through ponies before the night was over. He'd taken to sweeping up discarded litter as the crowd continued to diminish one or two ponies at a time. Applejack trotted up to Hiroki and bumped his shoulder.

"Hey partner! That's awful nice of ya', but we got volunteers already signed up to do this. You don't gotta putz around cleanin' up after us." she said, giving him another toothy grin and beckoned him to follow. "Besides, I've got somethin' better."

Hiroki lay the broom he was using against a nearby table and follow he did. Applejack led him past the outskirts of Ponyville and towards Sweet Apple Acres, the stalks from the Apples' corn maze visible from a good ways out. They passed a few ponies leaving, including Koga who had apparently managed to pry himself from his resting place in order to experience the haunted maze for himself.

"Commendable, most chilling!" said the ninja, though it sounded more than a little patronizing. "I think you'll have no trouble scaring the pants off Hiroki, fair Applejack."

Koga cackled loudly, causing Hiroki to narrow his eyes with suspicion. He turned peer at Applejack who was now doing her best to smile and look innocent. The samurai furrowed his brow and let out a sigh. To think Koga would stoop to enlisting her aide just to wound his pride...

"All right, so I brought ya' out here to see the maze. It'll still be fun. Isn't it at least a little spooky? Dark night like this n' all? C'mon!" Applejack sped up as they approached the maze and disappeared past the entrance, causing Hiroki to canter after her in order to keep up. He spotted Big Mac talking with Cheerilee and hastily bowed his head politely as he passed them.

He was hardly claustrophobic, but the air was thick and the ears of corn proved effective at creating twisting corridors he now had to traverse. Had he been carrying his katana he could have made short work and carved himself a path, but he had to remind himself that wasn't in the spirit of the game. He'd simply have to remain calm and trust his senses and follow Applejack's lead.

Hiroki followed Applejack along the path forward, left, forward some more then right until they came upon a gnarled fake tree that had been set up. The obviously fake skeleton of a pony was hung from a noose, dangling to mark the entrance to Granny Smith's 'Boneyard'. The pair entered the corridor, twigs snapping hither and yon beneath their hooves. She looked down and grinned, expecting to see white twigs that looked like bone. It spooked the little fillies for sure, but it was still a good illusion. As the mists dispersed she froze in terror at seeing they were walking over a path of what looked like... real bones.

"H-Hiroki! Stop! Look!" she yelped.

"Hm?" He stopped and followed her gaze down a the path littered with bleached bones. "Oh, yes. Please watch your step."

"A-aren't you scared? ...even a little? Y-yer walkin' over the the remains of ponies who didn't make it out!" she said, convincing herself that Big Mac must have upped the ante, as it were. It didn't stop her from trembling as she struggled not to break any bones while they creaked under her hooves.

"It would not be the first time I have had to walk over the remains of the fallen." he said simply. Looking back, Hiroki gave a concerned frown. "Are you all right? We can go back if you wish..."

"Nothin' doin', I'm fine!" replied a testy Applejack. Somehow his infuriating calm and the joyous expression imparted by his kitsune mask strengthened her resolve, even if it was starting to annoy her.

They came across several more terrifying phenomenon, each more disconcerting than the last and each time Hiroki brushed it aside as though it weren't real. Of course it wasn't real... at least, Applejack was pretty sure it wasn't... had Big Mac changed the maze without telling her? The pair encountered a creepy looking filly who was covered in bloody bandages that darted around a corner just as their eyes caught sight of her. Applejack yelped.

"Ah! D-did you see that?!"

"I did. Very odd." said Hiroki calmly.

"Th-that's it? Just odd? Just now that youngin'-"

"Yes, that is why I said it was odd." Hiroki turned forward to continue, leaving Applejack standing there flabbergasted.

"Oh come on!" she shouted as she heard voices whispering from all around them, causing her to hide behind Hiroki. This wasn't anything like what she thought Big Mac and Granny Smith had planned this year. With Fluttershy at home, this -had- to be the real thing... right? "What about these voices?"

"Voices alone can do nothing." said Hiroki simply.

"I don't suppose that bothers you either?!" Applejack bucked anxiously as a ghostly severed head sped past them through the air.

"It is not attacking us." said Hiroki, still annoyingly cool and collected.

His insufferable calm was really starting to get to her. Applejack was growing less scared and more agitated that he could be so dismissive of such terrifying phenomenon. Any one of these would have been enough to send their other friends screaming and galloping the other way. How could Hiroki act so cool?!

"And that?!" shouted Applejack as she pointed out the filly they'd seen earlier at a crossroad in the corn maze.

"Even if it were real she is still only a child." Hiroki shrugged, turning to stare the alleged specter down.

The bandaged young filly was dripping red everywhere, the white linen's stained and blue lights flickering behind her eyes. She seemed to be uttering 'Go home, go home...' At this point, Applejack finally growled in frustration and began to stomp forward. Blue lights... blue lights. It was foxfire. The lights were going to mesmerize her, they were luring her right into a trap.

"Applejack, wait-" began Hiroki, before he was abruptly cut short.

In an instant the ghostly filly's bandages shredded and it transformed, growing ten time's it's size and bloating with muscle. All four of it's limbs bulged, making it look like there were boulders stuffed into each of it's forearms. It's coat disappeared to bear fiery red skin, a single horn protruded from it's head, and that blue fire flashed behind it's eyes. The beast bared wildly misshapen fangs and brandished a spiked iron club, swinging it over it's head.

An ogre-yokai?! How had one of these foul things gotten here of all places? Hiroki moved to draw his sword, only to realize he had left it behind when his hoof touched the shamisen he was carrying in it's place. Applejack froze, staring up at the bloated monster just as it raised it's club in preparation... and then it gave a might swing, bringing the iron club down. Hiroki shot forward to intercept it, but he wouldn't make it in time. Instead of hitting Applejack, the club smashed into the ground in front of her, causing it to cave in and sending her tumbling into a pit below.

This left Hiroki's target free and clear so he leapt and turned his charge into a flying buck-kick, slamming his hoof into the ogre only to see it vanished in a puff of smoke. A small, crudely carved figurine appeared in it's place, falling to the ground. He recognized the object almost immediately as one of Koga's miniature idols he used for some of his ninjutsu techniques. He should have known from the start this would happen...

"Applejack!" he suddenly whipped around, looking at the hole in the ground.

He made haste to climb down into the pit after her. She'd bumped her head on a slab of rock and lay there for several moments, looking up in a daze. Applejack saw Hiroki's face, his eyes wide and his teeth bared as he was looking her over. Was that... fear? As she squirmed to right herself she felt something wet oozing beneath her. It felt warm to the touch and when she brought her hoof up she could see it flecked with something red.

"I-is that my... my..." she muttered quietly, her green eyes going in and out of focus. Was that her blood? It was everywhere. She wasn't sure she could spit it out until her hoof brushed against something. A metal can. "...that's my paint bucket. From the barn..."

Hiroki helped her sit upright and let out a slow sigh of relief when it turned out she wasn't hurt. Paint... he'd get Koga for this if it was the last thing he did. Since she was still a little out of it, he took it upon himself to pick Applejack up and carry on his back so that she wouldn't have to walk. After climbing back up out of the hole the mists had cleared enough to show that they were actually at the end of the corn maze. At least the ninja had waited until the end to throw him curve ball like that.

"I'll take you home..." said Hiroki, turning towards the farm as Applejack held on to him.

"Thanks... guess that was scarier for me than it was for you... sorry iffin' it was kind of a let down..." Applejack also sighed, flushing with embarrassment at her lack of composure. She was supposed to know the ins and outs of that blasted maze.

"I suspect Koga changed things... to frighten me for you." he replied, lowering his head.

"But none of his tricks worked... I was the one actin' like a scaredy cat. The whole time you were cool as a cucumber... right up until I fell." Hiroki stopped. It took her a moment before she caught on. When she fell. "...were you scared... when you thought I was hurt?"

After a moment he continued to walk towards the house, seemingly refusing to answer the question. Applejack frowned and lay her head against Hiroki's back until she felt him nod once and he uttered a quiet, "Yes."

Applejack felt a smile draw across her face and she pressed her cheek to the back of his head, giving him a hug by squeezing from behind. Hiroki sighed after having to admit he'd been fearful, but when he felt her hug he found a ghost of a smile fleeting across his face.

"Nightmare Night," he said. "What a fright."

"Give me something sweet to bite." finished Applejack, grinning her toothy Timberwolf grin.

Koga watched from a distance, having taken residence in one of the closest trees that would allow him to see into the maze. Each time one of his illusions were triggered he snickered again and again as Applejack grew increasingly frustrated with Hiroki's apparent lack of fear. Of course he was sharp enough to see what was going on, though Koga hadn't exactly bothered to make it too subtle. Oni and yurei were of Neippon and there no other ponies around who could use his style of ninja magic to bring them to life. He'd counted on scaring Applejack to the point she'd walk right into the final trap and in turn, frighten Hiroki when seeing her 'hurt'.

"Don't take it too hard Hiroki. A little fear is good for you." snickered the ninja, a smug grin tugging at his muzzle.

"How about a lot of fear...?" came a voice from behind. "The night is still young... stand to and show me your courage!"

Koga turned spun around to find himself face to face with none other than Nightmare Moon. Her wings spread wide, her eyes narrowed malevolently, and her fangs bared in a predatory grin as she stared him down. His yellow eyes widened with fright and he let out a sharp yell, nearly falling from the tree as he fumbled over the right words to use his magic and teleport away in a puff of black smoke.

She cackled happily after scaring the ninja away and took his place on the heavy tree branch, peering at Hiroki and Applejack before her head turned skyward. Her starlit mane billowed behind her and she took a moment to shapeshift from Nightmare Moon to her normal self. Upon looking back to the samurai she smiled and bowed her head.

"True courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it."

He head definitely heard that unholy laughter on the wind, though still he trudged on with Applejack on his back. Hiroki looked over his shoulder to see the silhouette of Princess Luna against the full moon and felt a chill run up his spine. Princess Luna... not Nightmare Moon. A curious smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he found himself bowing his head respectfully to the Princess of the Night.

"Yoru no mottomo odorokubeki..."

Author's Note

Akumu no Yoru means nightmare night
Yoru no mottomo odorokubeki... - Oh most wondrous of nights...

I had intended on telling more of the actual story before indulging in holidays like Nightmare Night or Hearth's Warming, but alas... I couldn't resist. Though admittedly I am running a little late. :rainbowwild: As such consider the Nightmare Night Special free of the linear storyline until such a time as I write it in place properly!

Costume List:
Hiroki - Kitsune
Applejack - Timberwolf
Twilight Sparkle - Witch
Spike - Han Solo
Rarity - Princess Leia
Rainbow Dash - Lara Croft (Reboot)
Pinkie Pie - Deadpool
Fluttershy - Ace Ventura (IF she went out on Nightmare Night)
Apple Bloom - Gunslinger
Sweetie Belle - Mare Do Well
Scootaloo - Robin Hood
(All images are the sole property of their respective owners and used only for visual gags. Pure funsies.)

Tea and Tempered Steel

Rainbow Dash had forgotten about the arrival of Koga almost immediately after Hiroki presented her with a shiny new bokken. The shards of the broken wooden sword were jabbed into the soil to mark their training grounds. The pair engaged in physical exercises and proceeded to move on to form much quicker than usual and if Rainbow Dash didn't generally go through life in the fast lane she might have noticed that Hiroki seemed to be rushing their lesson.

Despite his initial elation at seeing his colthood friend, the appearance of another pony from Neippon troubled him greatly. Surely Koga had not come all this way just to fetch him? What had happened to the mists? Would others follow? His mind was so preoccupied with the implications of the ninja's presence that when it came time for them to change forms and re-direct their bokken, he failed to do so alongside his student.

A dull 'thunk' echoed around them as Rainbow Dash mistakenly struck Hiroki square on the top of his head, causing his eye to twitch with pain. He otherwise gave no indication that the blow had fazed him... until he fell over sideways with a noticeable lump forming where she'd struck. Dash immediately dropped her bokken and fell to all fours beside him, eyes wide with panic. There were a few ponies nearby and some were beginning to stare.

"Omigosh! Hiroki, are you okay?! I swear I didn't mean- I thought you were going to change stance like I did!" Great, she thought. Why couldn't I have embarrassed us when there weren't any witnesses? Maybe that's why he said sunrise...

She placed a hoof to his shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. Hiroki's eye twitched again, but he soon rolled to his stomach and pushed himself up. Judging by the way he listed back and forth that bump on the noggin had rattled his brain pretty good.

"Hai... Not to worry, I was careless. My mind was not in the moment as it should have been." Hiroki touched his head with a wince, but soon gave Rainbow Dash a sincere smile and laughed. "Everypony inevitably needs some sense knocked into them. Though how much it hurts after is never really mentioned, is it?"

"You're sure you're all right? I whacked you pretty hard..." she replied, giving a nervous laugh in return. Upon seeing that Hiroki was not going to keel over again Rainbow reclaimed her wooden sword.

"Yes, I promise I am all right. Perhaps we leave the lesson here for today?" Hiroki also reclaimed his fallen hat, replacing it on the top of his head.

"Okay... so same time next week then, yeah?" said Dash tentatively.

"Yes. If you promise to be on time..." Hiroki left enough of a pause to give her the impression her tardiness might actually cause him to stop teaching. "Same time."

With that the two bowed to one another to formally end their training for the day and Hiroki opted to return to the restaurant, Rainbow Dash trailing behind him.

Twilight and Koga did not speak to one another during the interim. She wasn't sure what to say after he rebuked her question about why the samurai had left their home and silence suited the ninja just fine. After some time the door opened and the bell over the threshold jingled. Normally the sound of Hiroki's voice would fill the air with his customary greeting for patrons, but not this time. This time Isamaru was the one to fill the void with a great, booming bark as Hiroki and Rainbow Dash entered. The samurai said nothing as he moved behind the counter and put the kettle on.

"Done all ready? You usually go for two hours." said Twilight as Rainbow sat beside her.

"Yeah, well... I accidentally hit Hiroki upside the head, so he decided to call it for the day."

"Eh? You let her strike you? That's not like you at all." snickered Koga.

"Entertaining fools is not like me either, yet here you sit." said Hiroki.

"My feelings would be hurt if I thought you really meant it." replied the ninja.

"I do not know what you have told Twilight-hime, but I presently have no patience for your games. Please tell me why you have come." Hiroki remained business side of the counter.

"The wolf bares his fangs... Now you really do wound me, Hiroki-dono." Koga snorted, narrowing his eyes. "I spoke of finding you and learning what you have learned from your journeys."

"Do not allow our friendship to think you can take me for a fool. The hawk does not fly until the hood has been pulled from over his eyes." said Hiroki, his words cutting like steel.

There was an awkward silence between them as Koga and Hiroki stared one another down. Twilight and Rainbow both sat off to the side intent on pretending they weren't there. Neither samurai nor ninja took eyes off one another for some time and the tension rose like the top of one of Pinkie Pie's cupcakes. Twilight once again found herself questioning just how deep the bonds of friendship between them actually ran. After another lingering moment of uncertainty Koga was the first to break eye contact and a ghost of a sigh escaped his nose. His face changed quickly and he smiled, a hearty laugh echoing around them.

"Perceptive as ever. Becoming a wanderer has not slowed your mind." Koga turned to stare at Hiroki again. "My presence is by order of the Shogun, though I have given no trickery. I do wish to learn what you have learned."

Hiroki narrowed his eyes upon having his suspicions confirmed and there was a fleeting look of disgust behind the samurai's gaze. This was the first instance Twilight had heard the word Shogun spoken, but she was sure she'd seen it in the book she'd borrowed from Zecora. Upon seeing the confused expression on Rainbow Dash's face, she leaned over to whisper into her ear.

"The Shogun is like... samurai number one. Something along the lines of their commander-in-chief, second only to the Empress." Dash nodded lightly in understanding.

"Don't look so sour Hiroki. The Shogun has issued no order for your return." said Koga. "If anything, I should be upset with you. Five years you've been gone with nary a word."

"I could not stay any longer-" began Hiroki before being interrupted rather abruptly.

"I will hear no excuses." said Koga, matching the samurai's firm tone. "Five. Years. We thought you were dead. What of your new friends? You have no right to chastise me for use of deception. Why have you not told them why you left?"

"You are correct, I have not been entirely open. However as the reason for my departure is personal, it is my prerogative to choose the time and place for discussing such things. This is not the time or place." Hiroki frowned and turned away from the counter, showing his back to Koga. "Thank you for your visit."

"I know you think we abhorred you as ronin-" started the ninja, before it was his turn to be interrupted.

"Thank you. For your visit." interjected Hiroki, turning his head to give his friend a cautionary stare.

That was another word Twilight was sure she'd read about, but when she recalled the book in her mind it wasn't more than a single paragraph. She leaned in to whisper to Rainbow Dash again, "Ronin are master-less samurai. It's usually looked down upon by other samurai who view ronin as outcasts with no honor..."

"What?!" whisper-shouted Dash, before lowering her voice properly. "How could anypony think that of Hiroki?"

Twilight didn't have an answer. "I don't know..." she said quietly.

Koga stared at the back of Hiroki's head as the samurai turned back to watch the kettle, his eyes narrowing with frustration. What could have caused a proud warrior to become an outcast? What had happened that Hiroki would cross the world in order to escape?

"Look at me Hiroki." When he did not oblige, Koga growled irritably and his words dripped with venom. "Hmph. Do you treat your new friends as poorly as you treat your old friends? Your father would be ashamed."

Judging by the way Hiroki froze, the ninja must have touched a raw nerve. Also judging by the way Koga stood with his head raised and the look of contempt that had drawn across his face, he was fully aware of the can of worms he'd just opened.

"Twilight-hime, Rainbow-san, will you please take Isamaru and step outside?" Hiroki asked, his voice surprisingly calm. It didn't match the tension in his shoulders.

While Twilight Sparkle was reluctant to let the situation continue as it was, Rainbow Dash seemed to recognize that trouble was brewing past the point of calm discussion. Things were likely to get out of hoof and it was best if they weren't in the room when it happened. Her wings carried her up into the air and she began to push and shove Twilight, ushering her towards the door. Isamaru also looked unwilling to let his master out of sight until Twilight beckoned him. He let out a slow whine, but lowered his head and followed her out the door.

Inside

"I advise you to leave. I have no desire to fight." said Hiroki plainly, moving to the middle of the dining room and gesturing towards the door.

"The Mist is failing. The way will open whether we want it to or not." replied Koga, narrowing his eyes. "It's inevitable. You know what is going to happen... You'll have to choose."

Hiroki remained silent as the kettle came to a boil and steam whistled from the spout.

"Are you worried about what your new friends will think? Or are you worried about what your father would think?" taunted Koga, pressing that raw nerve again.

Having his father used as kindling to fuel the fire between them was something Hiroki would not stand for. He turned around to face Koga and rose to his hind legs, hoof touching the hilt of his sword. The gleaming katana was slowly drawn from it's scabbard and the samurai brought it up as he shifted into the hassō-no-kamae, the blade raised alongside him. Koga met this challenge by rising to his hind legs as well and his horn flashed with magic. A sheathed, straight-edged ninjatō appeared across his back. The ninja drew the shorter blade and flipped it, holding it in a reverse grip.

The two warriors studied one another, each coming to similar conclusions. Hiroki was intent on being able to respond to attacks from any direction by choosing hassō, even if the katana's length was a disadvantage indoors. Koga chose a weaker grip in favor of fighting inside easily and fluidity of movement. Both let out a sharp kiai and charged the other head on, crossing the dining room in the blink of an eye. The curved blade met it's straight-edged counterpart and issued sparks as metal clashed. The two pressed together and a contest of strength ensued.

Friends or not, Koga knew that crossing swords was the only way he would get Hiroki to take him seriously. Using one hoof instead of two he knew it wouldn't be long before the samurai's stronger hold overpowered him, so the ninja took the initiative and broke contact. He leapt back onto one of the tables to put distance between them and allow himself to reset, but Hiroki gave him no respite. Lunging forward with a swing of his sword, the blade swept down from left to right in a diagonal slash. Koga met the blow by swinging his reversed ninjatō horizontally from right to left.

Clang.

Time and time again their swords danced, sounds of clashing metal filling the restaurant. The ninja demonstrated great agility by leaping to another from table to table, however the samurai followed suit easily. He knew what was happening. Koga was trying to get him closer to the ceiling to limit the range of movement of his longer katana, but he wouldn't be lured into such a trap. Hiroki spun around and struck the ninja square in the chest with the pommel of his sword, knocking him down to the ground. Koga's ninjatō whipped up to parry a series of rapid strikes as he was forced to crawl backwards to avoid being slashed and skewered. Three, four, five, six parries in a row.

On the seventh blow the ninja managed to deflect Hiroki's sword completely and countered by hitting him with a kick to the gut. The samurai stumbled back, slumping against a table and Koga took the opportunity to spring back up from the ground. As Hiroki lunged again, the ninja tapped into his magic and his horn flashed a dark blue. Shadows billowed around his form and he became a swirl of black smoke, zipping past the samurai and re-appearing behind him. Koga thrust his ninjatō forward to pierce Hiroki through the back, but the warhorse dodged to one side as he spun around.

The two warriors continued to fight across the dining room, pushing tables hither and yon as the sounds of steel continued to clang and clatter. Hiroki caught another kick to the gut and Koga recoiled after he took a backhoof to the face. Once again the pair let out sharp kiai and charged one another down. Their swords should have met except both had the same idea as they slipped past each other and about faced. Each held their blade to the other's throat, yet stopped short of following through with the cut.

A draw.

Neither spoke, allowing their glaring eyes to speak for them. There was nothing to be won here. They were friends and shouldn't be fighting. Koga may have been ordered to come, but he was not here to cause trouble as Hiroki assumed. Convinced of this, Hiroki would have to come to terms with the fact he needed to be honest with himself and his new friends if he intended to stay. Even if that meant risking that they'd think less of him.

The pair pulled back from one another and sheathed their blades in unison, though Koga's disappeared completely with another flash from his horn. Both were breathing heavily. Hiroki's head lowered with shame and embarrassment that he'd lost his temper and Koga tried not to look too guilty for pushing the situation so far. They both bowed their heads and came together in a hoofbump, a silent apology and acknowledgement of their combined foolishness. When their heads rose Koga once again maintained an easy going smirk, while the pensive expression returned to Hiroki's face.

"Tea?" said Hiroki aloud, gesturing for Koga to sit at the bar while he went to remove the kettle.

"Please." replied Koga as he seated himself.

Outside

"I don't get it. They started off on much friendlier terms," began Twilight. "Did I miss something?"

"I think Koga said something he shouldn't have? I had trouble following after 'shogun' something." said Rainbow Dash, touching one hoof to her forehead while the other lay her new bokken against her shoulder.

"Howdy y'all!" Applejack called out to them from up the road, pulling a cart of apples behind her. She stopped when she reached the sakura tree, giving everypony a warm smile. "What's got ya' sittin' out here?"

Applejack reached over to pet Isamaru on the head. He sat at the base of the tree, the canine's gaze fixed on the door to the restaurant. Though his tail wagged with appreciation it was not enough to distract him from his vigil.

"Hey Applejack. What's with all the apples? I didn't think today was a market day for you." queried Rainbow Dash, tilting her head as she looked over the hitched cart.

"Thought Hiroki might be runnin' low so I figured I'd bring 'em on by before we got too busy back at the farm. Is he in?"

"Well, he -is- here..." said Twilight, casting a nervous glance back towards the restaurant. "...but he's got an old friend visiting him right now."

"Oh." said Applejack, her curiosity piqued. "You mean like from Neippon?"

"Yep." Rainbow Dash nodded. "His name's Koga. Kinda... shadowy sort. They were friendly at first, but things got weird and Hiroki practically kicked us out. Felt like they might start fighting."

Applejack blinked in bewilderment while she, Twilight and Rainbow Dash joined Isamaru in staring at the door. They all expected to hear shouting of some sort, yet there was nothing. Just the calm morning air and a few lingering cherry blossom petals that fell from the ancient tree. Eventually the kettle had came to a boil, the sound of steam whistling loudly the only thing coming from within.

What came after was a little closer to what they expected, yet still surpassed their wildest expectations. A pair of kiai rang out. They must have charged one another. The rustling of shifting furniture echoed from within the Red Apple Restaurant, along with a series of clangs as metal clashed against metal. A fight had definitely broken out. Twilight's brow knit with worry and she nearly found herself clinging anxiously to Rainbow Dash. She'd been afraid something like that might happen sooner or later. Then there was nothing once again, not even the sound of steam. Applejack struggled momentarily with harness and after getting herself unhitched she went to the door.

"Applejack wait, we have to respect their customs!" said Twilight, though she was doubting her resolve. She certainly didn't want anything bad to happen.

"Nuts to this! You boys stop this right now, ain't no reason to be-" said Applejack, turning and rearing her hind legs. She bucked the door so hard it flew open, nearly coming off it's hinges. "-fightin'?"

Twilight and Rainbow peered over Applejack's shoulders to see Koga sitting at the bar, grinning with amusement while Hiroki served him tea. The samurai looked calm again, so that was a start. Yet the tables had all been knocked around? Both stallions looked out of breath and a little battered, their manes disheveled. Despite physical evidence to the contrary the pair looked as though they hadn't fought at all. Eventually Hiroki beckoned them to come back inside and set out two cups of tea. Upon spotting Applejack the samurai flushed with embarrassment and brushed a hoof over his mane in vain attempt to straighten it, then set out a third cup he'd obviously been about to drink from. The three mares blink-blinked together, but sauntered in and all seated themselves in a row alongside Koga.

"I humbly ask forgiveness for my reprehensible behavior." Hiroki bowed his head to everypony.

His viridian green eyes stole a glance Applejack, causing both to color slightly. This did not go unnoticed by Koga who fought with all his might to keep from smirking any further. Applejack on the other hoof looked a bit surprised by this and peered over at Twilight and Rainbow with raised eyebrows, both gesturing that they'd fill her in later.

"It's all right. Just keep the fighting to a minimum, okay? Equestria isn't like Neippon and authorities around here won't stand for that kind of thing." said Twilight softly, showing a smile now that Koga and Hiroki appeared to be on good terms again.

"Yeah." snickered Rainbow Dash. "That Oh-so-serious Guard Captain'd probably love to get his hooves on you guys if he caught you fighting."

"Not really sure what happened, but I'd say don't you worry about it none." added Applejack, nodding in affirmation.

There was a pause as Koga sipped from his tea which prompted the three mares to do the same after having forgotten they'd been served. Isamaru sat himself beside the counter and peered up at Hiroki with his head cocked to the left. The samurai reached down to rub the faithful dog behind the ears and was rewarded with the tell-tale sound of tail-wagging as his sesame tail slapped happily against the wooden floor.

"I suppose Koga was correct, I should not have avoided saying so. If you wish to know why I left, I will explain it in the near future."

Koga sat and continued to smile, determined not to show any signs of guilt or regret. He'd accomplished his goal and laid the groundwork, but all the same he didn't like having to manipulate his oldest friend. All he could do was pray to the spirits that such machinations would prove unnecessary and his friend would be allowed his peaceful existence.

Applejack was the only pony to look at Koga when his name was mentioned and she could swear she saw him give a subtle shift in his seat. He appeared pleasant enough, but he looked away. She remembered Pinkie Pie pointing out a pony who was 'faking it' and realized the smile wasn't meeting his eyes. She frowned for a moment until her gaze returned to see Hiroki smiling at her in earnest and for the time being, put the thought out of her mind.

Author's Note

Notes:
Koga - In case anypony is unaware, he takes his name from the renowned Koga-ryu style of ninjutsu of modern day Kōka City in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. His cutie mark is a kunai. (Edited, it was previously a shuriken.)

Bear with me, can't remember the last time I wrote a sword fight. Hopefully I'll write much better the next time somebody challenges our hero to a duel. :facehoof: