Pathfinder 5

Chapter 14: Getting to know Ponyville

David had to admit these alien horses were very friendly, well for the most part. It seemed mostly everyone present was getting more used to him but he did see several still keeping their distance from him. Well at any rate as soon as the music from the device he built started going they were joined by many more aliens.

The little trio were happily listening in with them all, he was surprised when four others joined them. A green unicorn that called herself [Lyra] with apparently her friend [Bon Bon]. The other two were an odd pair, for some reason he thought of the phrase ‘odd couple’ when he looked at them, most likely because they were polar opposites of each other.

It was explained to him that the three of them had been helping Twilight with trying to understand the music. It made sense to David to get the opinion of experts, in fact he hoped to get some samples of their music to bring back as well.

The grey one named Octavia seemed really interested in the more classical stuff, she had played several pieces by Beethoven from the device.

“If you may, I was wondering if you could tell me about this composer?” Octavia asked him.

David nodded his head, “Name is [Beethoven], one of best. Had to make music when…uh…” He paused when he tried to think of the words needed. He looked around and saw a pie and pointed at that.

“What word for that?”

“Pie?” She asked him.

David paused at the word, “Pie, like her?” He pointed to Pinkie Pie.

“Yep, pie like me Pinky Pie,” Pinkie handed it to him. “Here you go Mr. Alien.”

“His name is [David],” Twilight chided her friend.

David took the pie and cut it in half, “What word for fifty-fifty?”

“Fifty-fifty?” Applejack looked at the pie cut in half. “Ya mean half?”

“Half is word?” He got a group of nods. “Okay he made music while half in life, ears no work no more.”

“Ears no wor-you mean he became deaf!?” Octavia asked him with eyes wide.

“If deaf mean ears no longer work for sound, yes. He lost use of ears half through life.” He tried to explain to them. He looked up the information on his device to see some of the music he had made when he was deaf. He found one and started to play Symphony No. 9.

“This he made when deaf.”

Octavia just stood there her eyes widened as the music played. To think that this alien musician had made such music while not being able to hear, she felt a great many emotions. The genius of this mind to make such music and the tragedy of never being able to actually hear the music being played. If she ever went deaf, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Going deaf was one of the worst fates a musician could ever have happen to them.

Her cutie mark wasn’t just a symbol of her special talent, music was her life and joy. She loved music with every fiber of her being so to lose that would be devastating to her. Yet here was a musician from across time and space that had this happen to them and not only didn’t stop them from making music it was still such a beautiful piece. She had heard this piece from before, Twilight had given her recordings of the songs she had chosen to study more in depth, but now this music had such a deeper meaning to her now.

“Like this music?” David asked her seeing her.

This snapped her out of her thoughts and nodded. “Yes thank you, oh my forgive my rudeness I never introduced myself. I am Octavia.”

“Nice to meet you,” David said in the standard greeting that he was starting to get a lot of experience in using now.

David decided to cut himself a piece of pie after making sure it was safe. Honestly so far he had found flowers, oats, hay and even grass in one of the dishes. Nothing that would kill him but he doubted it would be something he could stomach and throwing up might be a major incident. He took a taste of the pie and good god was it good.

“What pie this is?” He asked as best he could.

“That there is some apple pie from my family.” AJ said proudly.

“Apple-pie,” He said slowly as something clicked in his head. “What is apple?”

“This here hon,” Applejack showed him an apple.

David thought about it for a moment. “Apple-pie, apple…Apple-jack?” He asked and then looked to Apple Bloom. “Apple-Bloom.”

“Yep we’re named after apples,” she told him with a nod.

“Huh,” He put that away. So far he figured out that two of the aliens were named after food. One seemed to have an apple theme going on and [Pinkie] had what sounded like a last name that translated to ‘pie’. Did all their names translate like that or was it just a rare thing to come across? Maybe it was like how some human names like Smith, Carpenter, were names that described what that family did originally when family names were invented.

Maybe it was like that here, he did noticed that [Applejack] did have apples on her side although [Apple Bloom] along with her friends didn’t have a mark yet. He had to wonder just what those were.

He pointed at Applejack and then at Apple Bloom, “Family?”

AJ nodded her head, “Yup.”

He had learned the family names from one of those kids books and took a shot in the dark. “Daughter?” He pointed to Apple Bloom.

AJ spike out her juice she had been drinking as Rainbow Dash snickered. AJ looked back at David and shook her head. “No, she’s mah sister.”

“Oh, understand now,” He nodded his head.

“Do y’all have family?” Apple Bloom asked him as this got some attention around the table.

David nodded his head as he stop the slide show, a few of the aliens groaned in protest but it was time to change things up a little. He pulled up his personal files and found some images. He threw up a new image to the holoprojector as this time it was a family photo. They were all dressed up in fine clothing as this had been taken a few years ago before David had started his training.

He stood there along with everyone else. His father and mother were at the center, both looking prim and proper, his father always had this slight stern look on his face but hell he ran a whole company so he had to carry a lot on his shoulders. His hair was grayed around the edges with small black glasses, he could have gotten his eyes fixed but he preferred his smart glasses. His mother although just as old as his father had aged gracefully, she had her arm linked in his and looked like a duchess of a household.

They were very much a power couple back home but despite their serious looks they did have a softer side for their family.

His younger brother, who looked more like his mother than his father stood there looking a little glum. Robert was a hard worker but always had the worst luck, it kind of led him to think that he was cursed in life. Which was most likely why his father was going to leave the family business to his older sister who was pretty much running things these days?

His sister Samatha was wearing a power suit with her long blonde hair tied up in a bun looked the part of an executive and yet still held herself in a feminine charm. Her husband stood next to her proudly, he was an okay sort although he David thought he could stand to lighten up sometimes. Sitting below his sister and brother-in-law were her two children. The little terrors looking like angels, if only because they were bribed with ice cream after if they behaved.

His niece and nephew were only nine and ten and both full of life, he figured they got that from Samatha since she had been a tomboy growing up.

The final person in the picture who David stood next to was his Uncle Harry, his father’s younger brother. He had a thick beard with some gray showing a little in it, he had a large frame. He was always the one that played Santa Clause every year and he pulled it off greatly, even the attitude. His uncle was just a fun loving man, he felt he and Pinkie would get along great.

“This my family,” David told them and pointed them out. “That father and that mother.”

“Oh my what an elegant dress she has,” Rarity seeing alien fashion they were much better dressed in this image than David was now in her opinion. She was going to have to ask him later if she could see more.

“He looks kind of scary,” Fluttershy looked at David’s father.

“Kind of reminds me of the principle I had in Cloudsdale,” Rainbow said offhand.

“That my small brother,” He pointed to Robert and then to his sister. “Big sister and…uh…” He wasn’t sure what to called married. “They husband and wife.”

“Oh you mean they’re married,” Twilight explained to him. “Are those their children, your niece and nephew?”

“Yes they are, that is, what word for brother of father?” He asked her.

“Uncle.”

“Yes, uncle.” He finished explaining.

Pinkie saw that the food was mostly gone at least the main dishes and she could see that some ponies were a little weary of him still. She didn’t understand why, to her he was a nice alien they should be nice to him back. Well if there was one thing she had to do it was to show everypony that he was a good alien and what better way to do that then to get them to start playing?

She hopped over to David and pulled him out of his chair. “Come on, this is a party and it’s time to have some fun.”

“Pinkie where are you taking him?” Twilight asked her friend a little flustered he just up and took him like that.

“To play some games silly, come let’s try pin the tail on the pony first!” Pinkie led him away.

Bon Bon shook her head at the sight, Pinkie never let a party get boring as she continued on with the alien. Truth be told she had seen a lot of scary things in her life but honestly, this alien wasn’t all that scary to her. Sure he was a bit odd looking but once you get used to it, it wasn’t that bad. She noticed Lyra was obsessed with the alien music box talking to the other ponies in town who were music lovers.

There was a small crowd around the device as the music filled the air, she had to admit even though she didn’t know what was being said some of the music was actually nice. Although there had been that loud one that set her teeth on edge, looking around she then noticed something odd.

She couldn’t help it but when he eyes rested on Princess Celestia, she looked right at her. Then the princess’ eyes meaningfully looked to the left. Bon Bon saw she was looking at a set of homes close together as the Princess seemed to make an excuse and started walking in that direction. Luna followed suit and Bon Bon got a feeling that she was supposed to go that way as well.

Bon Bon looked at Lyra, “Hey I’m going to see what’s at the snack table.”

“Okay, see if they got any cupcakes left will you?” Lyra asked her turning her attention back to the alien music machine.

Bon Bon nodded and walked off, she caste a quick look but everypony was glued to the alien, his picture machine or the music box. She then quickly made her way down an alleyway and made a turn. She silently walked on until she turned a corner and found herself in front of both princesses waiting in the middle of the alleyway. She bowed to them both.

“Rise,” Celestia said with a small smile. “How are things Sweetie Drop?”

“I go by Bon Bon now your majesty and they’re going great.” She replied.

“Ah yes, I am sorry for the inconvenience for your relocation.” The monarch said a little sad knowing all the members of that monster tasked force had to go into hiding and change their lives on her orders.

Celestia turned to her sister. “Luna, this is, or was Special Agent Sweetie Drops, she used to work with a special anti-monster task force I had created awhile back.”

“I never heard of this,” Luna looked at her sister with narrowed eyes. She was still catching up on a few things after her time away but you would think something like this her sister would have told her.

“I have to close it down a couple of years before you returned.” Celestia explained to her younger sister. “The group was used to find and subdue monsters that were causing trouble. Unfortunately somehow there was a breakout. Many of the monsters were recaptured but several of the worst got loose and still remain free. I had to shut down the project after that.”

She turned to Bon Bon, “I know you’re not an agent anymore so I will not give you an order but I do have a request for you if you want to accept it.”

Bon Bon knew that she had a new mission but although she did enjoy her ‘retirement’ to Ponyville, a part of her did kind of miss some of the action. Plus she had joined that squad to help all of Equestria, if Celestia needed her again there really wasn’t much choice in her mind.

“What do you need done your majesty?”

Celestia smiled down at her. “I need you keep an eye on our new alien guest. I want reports on anything you find that might lead to anything dangerous. If he is not sincere with us and if he means any harm to our world. Also if he is in fact a peaceful envoy then it is your duty to make sure nothing happens to him.”

Bon Bon nodded her head, this was an espionage mission and also a security detail all in one. It might prove a bit challenging but she was always up for a challenge.

“I will make reports on anything I find Princess, is there isn’t anything else I better get back before Lyra starts to wonders where I’ve gone.” She bowed to the both of them before going back the way she came.

The Princesses made their own way back to the party using a different route. Luna looked at her sister as she made sure no one was around. “So are we spying on him or protecting him?”

“Both.” She simply said. “I do want to believe he is peaceful but this is too big to leave to chance, plus if he is a peaceful envoy and something were to happen to him, how would his people feel about that?”

Luna took a moment and realized that they might not take it very well at all depending on their culture. They still didn’t know much about this [human] species. If they were hiding something like plans to invade then they should know, if they were peaceful and some radical thought to kidnap or harm the alien for their own purposes, then it could lead to war at the worst. It was a prudent precaution as she looked at her sister.

She was always the more patience than herself, always ready to play the long game. Maybe that was why Luna could rarely beat her as chess. Luna was a more in the moment kind of thing but this monster task force was interesting. Perhaps she should start looking into the possibility of restarting such a program, just in case mind you. The Elements wouldn’t be here forever and they would need insurance for later.

They returned to the party and thankfully their quick absence wasn’t noticed, the guards had given them a curious look but they kept to their orders to stay at their stations. It was good that they were so well disciplined as the royal sisters looked on. Apparently the alien visitor was attempting to place a tail on a picture of a pony while blindfolded. He missed completely placing it on the head to the amusement to those watching.

Celestia had to admit that if it was an act it would have to be a very good one, she didn’t sense any malice out of him but she had to play it safe despite what her instincts told her. She mentally sighed knowing that as soon as they got back she and Luna would have a lot of work ahead of them.

They rejoined the table without a word slipping back into the group as if nothing had happened. No one really questions a Princess after all.

David had to admit for the past hour he had been playing various games that his new pink sugar high friend kept pulling him into. She switched it up with various aliens joining in, he got to meet a few more of the residents. Although when Pinkie had pushed three with flower marks they all just kind of fainted. One was screaming out about something he didn’t know yet, he had actually started to panic before he noticed no one else was giving their reactions much thought.

There was one huge red guy that apparently was the brother to Applejack and Apple Bloom, although try as he might the large red one he learned was called Mac or was it Big Mac? Well he didn’t say much. He had seen a white one that looked to be the kind that took steroids, there were professional bodybuilders that only had muscles like that guy. Hell he didn’t catch the name but at first he thought the guy was one of the wingless ones until he noticed two very tiny wings.

There was no way that large guy could fly with those was there?

Then after all that he somehow got roped into playing with the kids, not that he minded. The trio apparently were trying to talk the other kids into giving him a chance and that he wasn’t all that scary. Somehow he ended up giving the kids ‘rides’, currently he had Apple Bloom on his left shoulder, Sweetie Belle on his other shoulder and Scootaloo riding on his head.

“This is not what a pony ride is,” David muttered to himself as he wondered if he should call them alien ponies instead of alien horses? They did seem a bit small for the most part, hell the only one that looked like an actual horse was Celestia but even then she wasn’t as big as an actual horse.

“Onward!” Scootaloo said thrusting a foreleg out as David gently walked forward. He was being careful that the kids didn’t fall.

There were other kids that were jumping around him asking for rides now and he got the feeling he was going to have to give them all rides eventually. Hell if he was a kid and didn’t get a special ride he knew he would have been disappointed.

So here he was giving little alien children rides, currently he had a little grey one with a horn and man was she happy.

“Wow this is amazing, look mommy I can fly in the air just like you!” Dinky cried happily to her mother.

David saw a similar grey female waving back to her, she kind of had a wonky eye but she seemed okay with her daughter with the big strange alien. He noticed that she had wings, but the daughter had a horn though. Part of him wanted to compare the DNA to see if they were actually biologically related, the kid could be adopted but then maybe the father was a horned type? Could that happen? Have one parent of each and with a roll of the dice you could end up with either type?

He didn’t see a lot of the ones with both wings and horns so that had to work like that right? Damn it he wasn’t a geneticist but again another thing for the ever growing list of things to look into.

By the time he had given every kid their own ride he was getting tired, they didn’t weigh much but doing it again and again was starting to sap his strength as he sat down on the grass as the kids jumped around him asking him all kinds of things. It was hard to focus on just one plus with all of them talking at once it was really hard to try and figure out what they were all asking.

Suddenly Pinkie seemed to appear out of nowhere and shouted “Pony pile on the alien!”

“Huh?” David only got a few words of that but suddenly all the kids around him cried out as they all tackled him. He was buried under a pile of cute little alien horses. Thankfully they were being careful so he tried to get himself out of the pile of bodies. That is until Scootaloo ended up on his chest.

“Surrender to the power of Ponyville!” She said pointing at him.

David raised an eyebrow at that but suddenly got an idea, his older sister as a kid would do this thing as well and he knew the same way out. “Nope, you surrender.”

Before Scootaloo could say anything more his hands quickly reached her sides as his fingers found their mark. Scootaloo instantly broke into uncontrolled laughter as his tickling found its mark. The kids saw this and started to give him some room as he rolled over to his side so he could get some more leverage.

“Give?” He asked her.

Scootaloo tried to put up a front but his fingers were just too powerful eventually she broke.

“I give-I give!” She laughed.

David stood up in victory and then looked at the pack of kids with Pinkie as he got an evil grin on his face as he flexed his fingers. [So you wanted to dog pile me huh? Time for revenge I think.]

Pinkie was the first to react, “Oh no the alien has turned into a tickle monster, run for the hills!”

The kids playfully shrieked as David gave chase, his next victim was Sweetie Belle as he captured her. After she gave up he looked around for another kid, a dark Pegasus tried to fly away but David managed to catch him in midair. Although it seemed the kids that could fly only flew so far, not out of reach but enough to make it interesting and making him have to work for it.

Apple Bloom ended up being a tough one to catch, she could really move on the ground but eventually he managed to catch the little one.

While the girls watched the fun and games a familiar face walked up to the table.

“It would seem that the fun has started, it is nice to see that he is so bighearted.” Zecora said to the six mares and princesses.

“Zecora, I’m so glad you could come. I guess Pinkie managed to get an invite to you.” Twilight said to the zebra.

“I admit I have no idea how, an invite in my home I found anyhow.” Zecora explained. “It is good to see the Sky People return, of this my people have yearned.”

“Sky People?” Rarity asked curious about the name.

Zecora nodded, “Many names in many stories, but all said that from the sky and stars they came from in our histories.”

“Wait there are stories of beings from the stars?” Luna asked the zebra who nodded her head.

“Perhaps you could tell us more,” Celestia asked her. “We would like to hear these stories.”

David had run down a lot of the kids and he found a couple of things out. Kids were ticklish no matter what the species and trying to run down a bunch of kids with four legs was tiring. But there was still one left that he needed to get, the instigator.

David was catching his breath sitting back down on the grass as there were a few kids looking like it might be nap time soon for them. He saw one sleeping on the back of what he could only assume was the kid’s parent. He noticed his target was bouncing her way towards him.

“That was super fun Mr. [David] Alien, so what’s next?” Pinkie asked him. He whispered something that she didn’t catch and moved in closer. “Sorry what was that?”

[Time for revenge] He said as he grinned and quickly grabbed her and Pinkie was quickly at his mercy. Pinkie shrieked out as she fell onto her back giggling and laughing as he tickled her.

“I give, I give, Uncle!” Pinkie shouted out.

David stopped as he fell back onto his butt resting as Pinkie took a moment to stop her laughing. She got back onto her feet smiling at him. She liked him, he knew how to have fun. She got up and rested next to him and nuzzled his side.

David smiled as he placed a hand on her head between her ears, her mane was really soft and fluffy. He gently rubbed her hands rubbed one of the sides of her ears. Pinkie’s eyes widened at the contact as she moaned and tried to move her head to get him to hit that spot again.

“Ohhh that feels really good.” Pinkie grinned.

“You okay?” David said stopping wondering if he was doing something inappropriate.

“Awwww, don’t stop keep going,” She nuzzled her head into his hand.

David shrugged and remembered how Twilight acted and this time he gently rubbed her ear. She tilted her head into his hand and moaned happily.

“Pinkie what are you doing?” Rarity asked as she was coming over to ask him more about his clothing when she came upon the scene.

“Oh this feels really good, you got to try it,” Pinkie told her happily.

Rarity rolled her eyes, “Pinkie darling that doesn’t seem very lady like and I don’t see the point of doing that.”

Pinkie made a face and then pointed at her and looked to David. “Do it to her too!”

“What!?” Rarity took a step back.

“Oh come on don’t be such a scaredy cat, just give it a try, please.” Pinkie asked her.

Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes, when Pinkie got like this she didn’t let anything go. “Fine I’ll give it a shot.”

She moved next to their guest as she flung her mane away. “I honestly don’t see what the poi-ohhhh!”

David got the feeling that this might become a thing, he guessed with a race with hooves instead of fingers didn’t get the finer spots normally.

“Oh my this is divine,” Rarity sighed happily. “I must say I don’t think anypony has ever reached that area before now.”

“I know right,” Pinkie said happily.

“Girls I think he could use a break,” Twilight came over seeing what was going on, mainly because of how tired David seemed to be. Running after all those kids looked like it tired him out as she came over with a drink levitating a cup along with her. She offered it to him which he gladly took it.

He stopped scratching the ears as Rarity looked at him, “Oh thank you that was simply a very, interesting experience [David].”

David nodded as he took a drink, looking around he had to admit as a first contacts could go this was most likely the most fun someone could have at it. He smiled looking around, now that he was out and about he couldn’t wait to get to know them all better. He could only imagine what tomorrow was going to bring.

Next up Chapter 15: Exploring Ponyville

Author's Note

Well I have to say I want to thank everyone so far whose read the story, left a like and a comment. This actually got featured on the last update (for only five minutes lol) but still I'm thankful to everyone that helped to put it up there. Let's see if I can break to 200 likes soon.