Illuminating Aegis: Tales of the Changeling King

Twilight was understandably confused, her day had started out with being summoned to canterlot for a not-quite test before being told by her mentor that she and Luna had chosen a bodyguard to accompany her and her friends to the Crystal Empire. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had been the only two against the idea at first, though they consented easily enough when Celestia told them about an ongoing threat to the safety of the Empire. While no actual battles were estimated, since the six of them would be going as moral support for the beleaguered couple now ruling the Crystal Empire, it was quite a dangerous journey to go on without some help.

So her friends did what they did best when it came to estimating the unknown...

They expected sub-par results.

(-o-)

"Darling, I understand that the princesses want our safety in mind... but do you really think that they would assign us guards from the royal guard that is here? Any time any sort of threat came up in recent history the guards were tossed aside like foals' dolls." Rarity and Rainbow Dash had both brought up points that the guards were really just there for decoration nowadays and the conversation had continued as such until the door had opened, revealing a rather simply-clad earth pony stallion that had a dirt-brown robe to match his chestnut-brown coat and charcoal-black mane.

At the sight of the dust that settled in an aura-like cloud around his hooves Rarity had fainted onto her fainting couch... that nobody could explain the appearance of...

"Spike... did you bring Rarity's couch?" was Twilight's first question.

"Of course not, I wouldn't have been able to carry it and all of her luggage!" Spike replied with slight shock at the random appearance of the fainting furniture.

Pinkie quickly seemed to appear in front of the new stallion. "Hey! How ya doin?" She asked quickly. "My name's Pinkie Pie and I love parties! Do you love parties? Since my Pinkie sense told me that our bodyguard doesn't have a lot of friends I'm gonna throw you a party so you can have a bunch of friends! What kind of cupcakes do you like?" She seemed to ramble out in one breath, leaving most of her conscious friends with semi-amused looks as they watched their seemingly-random friend's antics.

Namiro took a small breath. "Well... I'm doing good so far, my name is Astral Aegis.." He paused for a few seconds. "I like parties, just not really big ones and I prefer strawberry." He replied with a small smile as he began to make his way over to the unclaimed bed and past the stunned faces of Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Twilight watched with slightly-piqued interest as he slipped out of his robe, revealing the tunic-like outfit underneath as well as his very well-built arms.

"So... The princesses said you were gonna protect Twilight and her friends... but, you don't look like a royal guard." Spike asked as he hopped up on the bed.

Aegis smiled as he folded up the robe. "That's because I'm not a royal guard, I'm a wandering knight."

"What kind of knight doesn't wear armor?" Rainbow Dash scoffed as she tried to hide her blush.

"The one that doesn't get hit." Namiro explained. "I don't need armor because I don't have to worry about physical damage."

Twilight finally decided to chime in. "That thing at your hip, what is it?" She asked as she pointed to the saber hilt clipped to Namiro's belt.

He took it off with a small smile. "This is a lightsaber, an elegant tool for a group of very skilled swordsmen."

Rarity finally decided to wake up with a mumble about evil dirt or something like that. "Oh dear... I just had the most terrible nightmare Twilight." She started, prompting the violet mare to ask what was wrong. "The bodyguard that was supposed to be a handsome, dashing soldier turned out to be an absolutely dirty vagabond... it was terrible..."

Namiro frowned a bit at the insult. "I did recently finish traversing an Equestrian desert, thank you very much."

Rarity turned around with a gasp. "Oh my word! It wasn't a nightmare!" She exclaimed before noticing his now-uncovered arms and base physique. "We just HAVE to get you an outfit that will look better than those drab robes!"

Namiro was very unamused as he took a small breath. "As much as I appreciate the outright disrespect to my organization and upbringing... I'm going to have to decline the offer."

Rarity had a challenging frown of her own. "Disrespect? Darling, the only disrespect to your form are those robes that hide your amazing physique."

"These robes are a sign of humility, part of the Vow of Poverty that I took when I became part of the Je'daii Order." Namiro explained.

"Poverty? Why would you voluntarily live with no sort of income whatsoever?" Rarity balked.

The disguised changeling was really starting to get annoyed with this prissy mare, but he took another breath... it was always better to be calm. "To teach humility and selflessness. I am only to have the equipment that I need in order to continue my journey, to donate money to those who need it and to help those who cannot help themselves. By understanding how those who lack resources live we may better ourselves." He explained before pointing to the satchel that he placed on the bed. "Besides, I have all of the winter gear that I need."

Twilight decided to put herself between the two ponies before things could escalate further. "Well... it's starting to get pretty late... so... we've all got to get ready to go in the morning." She explained with a sheepish grin as she started to push her friend out of the room. "Come on girls! We need to get some shut eye!"

Once all six of the mares were out of the room Namiro turned his head to the dragon that was still sitting on his bed. "...Mares..." The disguised changeling sighed, earning a sympathetic nod from the dragon.

"Yeah... I'm just glad that Celestia told Twilight to bring me with her... whenever they go off to have an adventure I usually have to miss out on everything and stay back at the library to keep it open for the absolutely zero ponies who actually use it." The violet dragon let out a sigh. "We've had two ponies total come to use the library... and one of them hadn't even realized it was a library."

"Well, you at least get to see this one..."

Spike let out a small scoff. "Yeah... for whatever good that'll do me... Twilight will probably just have me hang around the boring palace or local library all day so that I don't 'get into trouble'..." He explained with a small scowl. "Twilight still treats me like a baby even though I'm fourteen years old..."

Namiro nodded. "I actually really do understand how you feel... Though that does bring up a small question... How much information do you have about dragons in this part of the world?"

The purple dragon frowned. "Only the information that Twilight's been able to get from testing various spells on me..." He replies.

"Interesting... Where I come from there's quite a bit of lore surrounding dragons... although where I'm from we've never seen an actual dragon."

"How did your home have dragon lore if you've never seen a dragon?" Spike asked.

"Because, according to the lore, there were several dragon slayers that had to learn about dragons in order to keep them from destroying our homes. Most of it was speculation, like how long they could live if left alone... but most of the detailed stuff is how to keep them from killing you." Namiro explained as he leaned back on the bed.

"I... I'm actually not surprised... The last time I was around dragons they tried to get me to smash a phoenix egg." Spike sighed. "It's when I realized that I'm practically nothing like an actual dragon..."

"What is your definition of an actual dragon?" Namiro asked with a curious smirk.

"Strong... big..." He starts listing off before frowning. "...mean..."

Namiro let out a small chuckle. "Where I am from, dragons were believed to be as varied as the populace was... able to be as tyrranical as the most evil overlord... or as benevolent as a guardian. It all depended on how they lived their lives."

Spike started to actually smile a bit. From there it was easier and easier for the two of them to enjoy their time simply talking about various things like Spike's comic preferences, the role-playing games that Aegis enjoyed, as well as a great number of other subjects until the light from Celestia's sun finally faded for the night to arrive.

|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|

The group stood outside of the train station, patiently waiting for the ticket booth to open and accept their admission. Fortunately they didn't have to wait long before they were allowed onto the train. Aside from needing to use a subtle mind trick on a scanning guard there weren't any problems for Namiro to get on the train without incident.

Within minutes the train was finally rolling down the track as the group seemed to split off into multiple smaller groups. Rarity pulled Twilight aside and began to talk to her as Namiro was conversing with Spike a few cabins down. Pinkie and Fluttershy had made their way to the dining car as Rainbow Dash and Applejack sat in the lounge.

"Twilight dear..." Rarity started, getting the violet mare's attention. "...I... I believe that Aegis and I may have gotten off on the wrong hoof... and... well..."

"You'd like to apologize?" Twilight suggested.

"Good heavens no! I stand by what I had said about the filth and those clothes that look absolutely terrible on him, he certainly needs something more flattering to his form instead of hiding it under all those robes." Rarity blanched as she thought back to their first meeting. "Just... I could use some help to get him to see that... so perhaps... you could do your friend Rarity a favor and maybe... get him to like you so he wants to make himself look a bit more presentable?" She asked with a sheepish smile. Before Twilight could object she continued on, "He is a rather attractive stallion after all, and if he does fall for you it could be a win-win for you both!"

"Rarity! Why would you even suggest something like that?"

The marshmallow-white unicorn rolled her eyes. "Oh please darling, it's not like I'm asking you to sleep with him on the first date... just... get him to like you, you're a smart mare, I believe you could get him to." Her smile began to turn devious. "Unless you don't believe that there could be anything you could possibly learn about getting a stallion to like you..."

Twilight blustered for a few moments before bringing her hands up. "Woah! Hey! I know I have a book in the library about getting the attention of a stallion!"

"Have you ever put it into practice?" Rarity asked with a chiding look. "I know that I could teach you a lot more than any book ever could."

Twilight scoffed. "Like what?"

Rarity smirked again. "Like simply being able to walk into a room and go to a spot that will put your flank as the closest body part to a male and they will make sure to turn and look, even if you're quiet as a cat."

"Pfft... That's a load of horseapples and you know it." Twilight replied.

"Then how about you try it, prove me wrong..." Rarity challenged. "No book will tell you what a lady knows by intuition."

"Fine! I'll do it, and when I prove you wrong, you'll stay quiet about insulting Aegis about his outfit, deal?"

"As much as I would rather he have a presentable outfit... deal." Rarity replies with a slight frown as they clap hands together and give a single shake. Once they finished their deal Twilight let out a sigh before heading to her cabin and grabbing a book.

|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|

Rainbow Dash chuckled quietly as she reclined back in the lounge chair that she was sitting in. "Hey AJ..." She whispered as she quickly eyed the dragon and brown stallion that was sitting with their back to the door of the lounge.

"What?" Applejack asked with slight confusion. "An' why are ya whisperin'?"

"Shh... Twilight just came in without Rares. How much you wanna bet she finally tricked Twilight into that flank test of hers?" Rainbow asked.

"Rainbow... as pretty as our little bookworm is, she's so dense when it comes ta stallions that she'd have a better chance findin' a mare." Applejack sighed as she rolled her eyes, turning to give a quick glance at the violet mare.

"I'm going with twenty bits." Dash said confidently.

"...Thirty an' you got a deal."

"Done." Dash replied with a smirk as she watched Twilight out of the corner of her eye.

For her part, Twilight felt an incredible amount of embarrassment as she sat on one of the counter stools in a position that made her flank the closest part to Astral Aegis while still letting her see if Rarity's theory had any proof to it. Her ear twitched a little as she opened up her book and pretended to be reading.

Namiro twitched his ear as he tasted the sweetly-sour taste of embarrassment, he didn't quite know how that was the taste of embarrassment but that was what came to mind as he tasted the emotion, the taste had him turn his head a little before his eyes locked onto the sight of the lovely violet unicorn from earlier. His eyes tracked her tail as it idly swished to frame her skirted rump. "...why is she wearing a skirt if we're heading north...?" There was another spike of embarrassment that brought his eyes up to her face to notice her blush. Then it clicked in his head and he started to laugh internally. "She was expecting me to look, well... I can't say that she's not attractive..."

Twilight held up the experiment for a few more minutes until Spike managed to get the stallion's attention before she finally got up and quickly made her way out of the room. Her ears were burning as they pressed against her head, "Why did Rarity have to be right about that?!"

"So..." The drawl on the 'o' forced her to groan as she could practically hear her fashionista friend bragging already.

Twilight sighed after a few seconds. "You were right..."

"I knew that I was dear. It's easy to tell what a stallion likes all based on where he looks at his first glance." Rarity explained as she sat down in the cabin with the violet unicorn. "If his gaze is slightly below yours then he prefers breasts, while lower than that is a stallion who should certainly be worth looking into a bit better. Stallions who prefer a mare's flanks are ones who are more willing to take their time and worship your body."

"I... really don't think that's how it works." Twilight replied cautiously.

"Of course it does Twilight... That's why I was right about him being a stallion who would react better to you showing off a bit of your flanks." Twilight gave a sigh as her friend continued on about having the proper attire to woo a stallion like Aegis...

|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|

Namiro chuckled as he watched the orange farm pony pass the cyan pegasus a bag of coins.

"I really wish she wouldn't do that..." Spike said with a frown as they both watched Twilight leave. "She knows that I'm growing up and everything... "

"If the lore where I'm from is right you don't have to worry about being accosted by potential girlfriends until you're twenty six." Namiro chuckled. "Be happy about it, women are crazy as sin."

"I know... but Twilight's only my adopted mother... and... well..." Spike blushed as he shifted in his seat.

"You... wait..." Namiro squinted his eyes as he started thinking. "You've... got a crush on..."

"Rarity... but... well... Twilight's beautiful in a lot of similar ways..." He says as his blush grows a bit more. "Just... don't tell her I said that..."

"Said what?" Aegis replied with a smile.

"That I called he-..." Spike was interrupted as Aegis put a finger to the dragon's lips.

"When I say 'said what?' that's your cue to say 'exactly'..." Namiro explained. "Get my drift?"

"Oh!" Spike replied with a look of understanding. "I get ya... Although... do... do you have any tips about getting Rarity to notice me?" He asked. "I... I get the feeling that she doesn't care... but... I want to at least try to show her that I want to be in her life..."

"Honestly, I don't find myself liking her all that much, so I wouldn't be able to help too well with that. It seems to me though, that you're still at that stage in your life where you are considered a child, with her being a full-grown adult and all... it may be better to pursue someone else." Namiro explained. At the dragon's depressed sigh Namiro put his hand on the little dragon's shoulder. "Don't worry about it... The day you find someone will be the day you stop looking, it's eluding you because you're trying too hard to look for what you want."

Spike let out a sigh. "I get that... I just..."

"Just... be you Spike, you don't need to try and be anyone else." Namiro explained. "The one who is right for you will be someone who accepts you because you are you..."

"Okay..." Spike replied quietly. "...Do you think that I might be-... actually... nevermind." Spike let out a sigh as he got up. "I'm gonna take a nap, wake me up when we get to the station."

"Alright Spike, see you in a few hours then." Namiro replied as he looked out the window of the lounge.