Author's Note

The free north is what human slaves call the crystal empire. It is the only place were ponies and human coexist happily. King Sombra's rule has caused the ponies of the crystal empire to hate slavery and accept all humans.

Debrief and mission beginning {R}

Debrief And Mission Beginning

The morning went horribly, Celestia found me sleeping while she was on her morning walk and on top of that my breakfast was a protein supplement and a salad. Now I'm currently trapped in the debrief room with the elements of harmony and all the princesses including Princess Cadence the ruler of the free north. The body language was very serious in everyone but especially a barely awake Luna.

Celestia was speaking, "this meeting today was called for by princess Twilight to address the spike in criminal activity as of late in Ponyville."

Twilight stood up, "Yes the amount of violence, break-ins, and sightings of the Misfits gang are flooding the mayors office. That's why I'm requesting a strike team to suppress the problem."

Luna now stood," Me and Celestia have agreed that Sun will be perfect for the job." My ears perked up at the mention of my name.

Well seems like a pretty straight forward job. "Thank you for the opportunity I won't let you down." I grinned ear to ear as the serious room seemed to soften slightly.

Celestia smiled, "that will conclude this meeting. Everyone going to Ponyville meet outside by the bridge, Twilight will teleport you all there."

Everyone began to leave there seats and exit the room besides Luna and Cadence.

Cadence came over to me. "It's nice to meet you Sun." My smile from earlier was still present on my face.

"It's my pleasure to meet the ruler of the free north."

"I'm glad you think so highly of my kingdom. Part of the reason I came here was to invite you to the crystal empire, there is a couple things I need done and my subjects would love to have you."

"Yes I would love to." The idea of going to the free north was fighting every other priority I had floating in my head.

"I will send a letter in a couple weeks , see you then."

"See you then Princess." She left the room and Luna was giving me a look.

"I've got to get some winter cloths because I get a chance to go to the free north as a guest!" My face was stretching into a goofy grin.

Luna smiled, "I couldn't agree more but it's time for you to go to Ponyville and do as you do best."

"Yes and hopefully get the support of Ponyville for human kind."

"Well get going I will see you in a couple days Sun."

"Bye". Leaving the room I was snagged by Spitfire.

"Hey Sun I have some stuff for your mission."

"Thanks Spitfire." She was holding out a back pack and new boots.

"These were mine on my first mission so take care of them and I painted the boots black for you but I left my cutie mark on them, so there's no way your stupid can completely infect them."

"Thank you, Spitfire I can't thank you enough."

"You could but you would be late to your mission, see you in a couple days Sun."

"See you later Spitfire you are the best."

The back pack was a wonder bolt bag but it worked for me. Snapping my fingers my armor pieces were removed and I placed them in my new bag. I was in my jacket, cargo pants and my new boots.

Reaching the bridge I could feel the stares of the elements of the harmony.

Rainbow began to laugh herself to the ground, "wow your fashion sense is on point Sun."

I just smiled, "Remember who here is friends with Spitfire."

The look of killing intent I was receiving from the rainbow pony was borderline hilarious.

Rarity jumping into the conversation, "I very much enjoy the Twilight jacket."

The others minus Twilight began laughing at my poor jackets expense. I felt a immense urge to hide in my hood but fought it off. "Twilight can we just get going."

"Yes we can," Her horn began to glow then a pop, and my vision went dark.

The world seemed to pop back. I could feel the urge to fall on my face. I can't tell whether the worlds spinning or it's just me, I can hear the girls laughing.

"At least he didn't puke," I could hear a feminine voice say. The world or my vision is beginning to right itself and I could see Apple jack approaching me.

"I'm not going to puke Applejack."

"That's good because you're staying at my farm for your time here and I don't want to deal with you getting sick."

"I'm not staying with Twilight?"

"Twilight's castle is harder to move from when on a stealth mission like this and I have a hay loft perfect for you."

"Who said anything about stealth?"

"You wear night guard armor I figured you would take that approach." My years of stealing from guard tents might actually have some practical use. If I don't move stealthily they will flee town before I can catch who's behind the spike in crime. "My farm is down the road the girls will be going to their houses in Ponyville but they will be available If you need them later."

"Okay sounds great". I put my shoulders back and shook off the teleportation sickness. We said our goodbyes and me and Applejack headed towards her farm. The scenery of the country was much nicer than the mine that I once called home and I'm actually starting to feel free. The more we walk the thicker the trees on the side of the road become. I could start to see a red farm house above the trees.

"So Applejack is that it," pointing to the house.

"Yes and before we get there I live with my granny, sister, and big brother, They'll treat you right don't worry."

"That's nice you guys can function as a family while running a farm."

"We have moments where it's harder than anything, it's just family. How's yours Sun?"

"They're MIA, they could be in a big dirt hole mining for gems like almost every human or dead. I like to think that they are waiting for me in the free north."

"I'm sorry Sun." I smiled at her to show that those emotional wounds were just scars now.

"It's okay I have come to terms with it but when I was younger I would pray for a family to the point that I would stay up all night to count the shooting stars I wished on."

"Sun I did the exact same thing when my parents died. My granny was already living with us so there was no need to move but their deaths stopped everything on the farm. Family members ran the farm for a couple years until me and my brother Big mac could take over."

"I'm glad you are willing to talk to me about such personal stuff even though I'm a human."

"Yeah I'm glad that humans are just as my grandma said they'd be."

"I can't wait to meet her."

"Just follow me and you can meet her and my brother, my sister is a mystery though she's probably with her friends at their tree house."

Following Applejack into the farm house a red behemoth was lumbering around the kitchen which disappeared from sight deeper into the room. There was a rocking chair right by the kitchen, sitting in it was a old mare that I suspect to be Applejacks grandmother. Applejack called the behemoth from the kitchen and began to wake the old mare who was indeed her grandmother. The thing I didn't expect was the old mare to jump from the chair and start rambling nonsense about the past. Applejack was quick to defuse the bomb shell that was her grandmother. With everything calmer Applejack began introductions.

"Big mac this is Sun he is here to take out the bandits and thugs spotted in the area."

He reached out his hand and I stuck mine out to meet it, shaking it I could feel the strength of Applejacks brothers grip It is no joke." My names Sun nice to meet you Big mac."

"Eeyup," was what I got in return, a man of few words.

Applejack brought her granny over," Granny meet Sun he's going to be staying with us for a couple days."

The old women looked me up and down. "It's been a couple hundred moons since I have got to talk to a human, even longer since I've seen one in armor."

"Well it's nice to meet you."

She seemed to ignore my words," You know that your kind wasn't always slaves correct?"

"Yes I'm aware that humans weren't always slaves."

"Sadly it turned out this way for humans before your species was converted to slaves they and their closest allies the thestrals and earth ponies were alienated for being different compared to the standard unicorn and Pegasus".

"What do you mean?" She smiled and walked into a back room. Looking to Apple jack and Big mac they had no idea either. She returned with a book in hand.

"Take this it will teach you more about why everything is the way it is." I stared quizzically at the book. "You can read right?"

"Yes I can and thank you I will treasure it." This is my 5th actual possession.

Applejack jumped in." Granny, Mac and I are going to show Sun to his room now." I was motioned out of the house by Applejack.

"I really like your grandma Applejack." A goofy smile stretched across my face.

"Well thank you Sun she can get a little crazy and I was worried she was going to bore you."

"Not at all she knows a lot about humans which I enjoy learning about."

"That's good you can talk to her later but first lets get you set up in the hayloft."

We started are walk to the big red barn on the side of the house. The barn is very big but this is the first barn I have ever seen so I don't have much reference.

Opening the doors to the barn the stacks of hay went to the ceiling. Applejack threw me some blankets and a pillow that Mac had brought out.

"Thank you, I'm going to rest until night fall so I can mess up some thugs." Applejack just starred at me for a second.

"Bye Sun, The main lofts latter is just in the back please be safe tonight." I gave her a smile and a nod.

I climbed the ladder to the loft it was very spacious. There's a open part in the middle of the floor with no hay , dropping my bag onto the middle of the floor I leapt onto a couple hay bales with the blankets and pillow. Its going to be a long night I'm going to need the sleep.

Night

My internal clock began to go off. Shaking the sleep out of my body I roll off the bales of hay. Unzipping my bag all the pieces of my armor were attached to me as fast as I snapped my fingers. Climbing the ladder I could feel the night air through the draft in the barn. Like calling a fighter to the arena the night was calling me to my duty to protect. Pushing open the doors to the barn, the night sky was full of stars. The moon was a crescent matching my chest plate. With these stars as my guide I will find those thugs and end this problem.