The Long road for love and life book one

well as you can imagine me standing talking to Morris about the ethics of my form on the pony's around me was really about as fascinating as watching paint dry, I was finally allowed to remain in my pony form, yay for me! my life is so good that I might have permission to go to the loo by myself later, I thought to myself in sarcasm before changing the subject. "So could you finally answer my questions Please, One what is this town's name and two how long are we from our destination please as I do need eight hours to recharge my crystals, and thank you for your time," I said in a smooth diplomatic tone. "we ... I mean you will have enough time to recharge your crystals as Luna was very clear about that Fact" said a Thoughtful Ivy "and this town is called coastal shield" she finished.

"well for a fishing port its not a bad name" I said in a charismatic tone (posh and smooth sounding). "well that's nice to hear, oh! I almost forgot with that debate early that the princess's have given you a diplomatic paying job while you are here as we use a currency here to obtain goods and services" ivy said to which she was met by a blank stare like she had just asked a Ludicrous Question "you don't understand currency yet do you? to which she got an affirmative nod from me "not a clue" I said in a cheerful tone "well you have 250 bits in this bag so if something cost 20 bits, that's how many bits you give its that simple" Ivy said in her friendly tone.

fascinating I thought to myself, there must be more to it than just that but for the time being this will be quiet useful. "thank you Ivy for explaining that to me I still have a lot to learn but it should not be to hard to work out most of the do's and don'ts, but with friends like you it will be easier and quicker than being on my own, and yes Morris I class you as a friend too" the rest of the guards said thank you, some nodded and Morris looked blank "what evan after the argu- I mean debits?" "yes Morris evan after the debits, I still class you as a friend after all it shows that you care about t you're home and my own safety, so thank you" "oh...well thank you Paul,(Morris said with a truthful happy tone of voices) Ok ladies and gents let's go!"

and so we were off and then after rounding the multiple curving winding walled road towards town, as we rounded the last corner we were stopped by a wall of pony's many of whom seemed to be expecting something more than a unicorn and a bunch of guards coming up from the path to the harbor, their grievances were over the fact that the packages and/or ships with cargo have or had not come through yet, and they wanted to know why, so me and my guards did what you would expect in this situation, we blended in with the crowd slowly meeting again on the other side of the heaven mass.

once across we heard a unmistakable horn of a ship followed by many others, followed by cheers from the crowd along with comments like "it's about time" said one voice of the crowd of ponies followed by a comment that shocked me to the core along with my companions, "yer I know Bill all that waiting because of a bug" this was followed by the same voices laughing along with a couple of others.

honestly speaking I was not and I am still not sure who was more shocked and desterved by this revelation in events, infact Morris's demeanor had completely change to one that made me think he was going to be sick, infact every guard had a similar look about them along with me, it had confirmed my suspicions others did indeed know about me coming here and maybe Luna and Moonlight had saved my life. "maybe it will be for the beast to split up until we leave the town, as I bet who ever let it slip that a bug was coming to town, even if it was by accident, who ever needed such information will be looking for anything out of the ordinary, like oh i don't know let's say a large group of armored ponies"

"point taken" said Morris and Ivy at the same time, then without saying a word Ivy and Morris waved a hoof to gather all of us to gather around, once we were all assembled Ivy stated our new plan which was to get through town as quickly as possible without drawing attention to ourselves, then I pointed out the fact that they are all in their armor and could not draw any more attention if they tried, so I started my plan which was that two ponies of ivy and Morris choosing will accompany me as an escort and I will buy some of the wears that the venders are selling.

This seemed to go well except for Ivy stating that standard Diplomatic detail is four ponies and I got eight to show how equality and diversity works in Equestria, as is standard in diplomatic meetings with a new diplomatic representative which is standard procedure when dealing with a new tribe or a new species wishing to have dealings with Equestria, as you could imagine I found this really fascinating like watching paint dry but it was knowledge all the same.

After another lengthy conversation it was decided that I would not be with Ivy or Morris who I would meet up with again at the meeting point, but I would be accompanied by an earth stallion pony called Carl, a unicorn mare called Soya, a Pegasus mare called lone cloud, Steve a bat pony stallion. so me and my group of guards left Ivy and Morris behind and I finally began a little sight seeing of this town, I found it to be a quite a beautiful town which had cobblestones on the roads and concrete on the walkways which had a line of black polls which were spaced out evenly in a line my ontroges told me that they were lights for ponies to see better when celestia sun has gone and luna's moon comes out, the black polls had baskets hanging from them which contained flowers most likely for decoration, but my view was obscured by the street being full of ponies going back and forth on their daily routines going into shops and going to the many stalls which had lots of wears and various knickknacks on display.

I did notices that the buildings looked some what bland in comparison to the vision I had with Luna, but one of the stalls had a rotating display with a sing on top of it which read Towns and city's of Equestria buy one for 2 bits, three for 5 bits, one of them stood out which I took a closer look at as it had the same buildings as the vision with a caption that read Ponyville friendless town in Equestria, the stall owner must of noticed me looking as the yellow unicorn spoke up "well howdy their stranger is their something I can help you with their cutie pie?" my ontroges had muffled giggles at that comment "well miss I was just looking at you're fine display" I said as I garbed the card along with two others, one read canterlot home of Equestria's princess which had a pitcher of a castle city set into a cliff face, the other card read come and see the northern Empire the colds place with the warmest welcome, the pitcher was one of buildings covered in ice and snow. I did see a third one which read the crystal Empire back again, it depicted a city in the shape of a snow flak with a crystal castle in the centre with green and brown farm land around it.

"oh an excellent choice sir, could I also interest you in some figurines of Equestria's saviours the Elements of Harmony too? I can give you a good deal on the full set if you want as am sure you would be the vain of your friends that will bring your total up to fifty five bits and I will throw in a paper bag for your cards along with a bag for life to carry them all?" to which I agreed and paid for the lot, the yellow mare picked up my cards and placed them into a brown paper bag then put the figurines into a bag made out of some type of what appeared to be dried woven grass, she then added the brown paper bag to it, I grabbed the bag in my magic after she had finished packing them,

"thank you ma'am and have a good day" I said with a smile which she returned along with "you to sir, after all it's not every day I get an ambassador at my stall and I must say it's a privilege to welcome you" she finished with a bow "oh there's no need for that my dear as I don't think it is official just yet" "well my parents brought me up to know my manners and it has been a pleasure serving you" I nodded my head and said my thanks again.

as we left the stall behind us and were out of earshot of the store keeper Carl spook up "you know you most likely were ripped off buying that junk?" he said in a snickering tone, to which I ignored him as I did not want another Morris argument. a little bit further we past a shop with a sing in the window which read, Yes we do have the famous Rarity's dress in stock, call in store for measurements and order placements. the store was called Fabulous Fashion I was about to continue on my way until I noticed a suite that stopped me in my tracks, it was smart and also casual, the only problem was it was for, well a human which I thought to extinct, this drew the attention of my guards but soya spook up "what's wrong Paul you look like you have seen a ghost" "that suit in the window looks like it was made for a human.... I thought their species was extinct?" "well that's a long story and I think we are the wrong ponies to ask, I think that's for the princess to explain in more detail."

(mean while in a side street or a back ally)

Moonlight had just finished comforting Lily, after all Moonlight was used to her friend being a bit emotional after losing a patient no matter the species, Lily look back at Moonlight with lessening blood shot eyes slowly returning back to their original white surrounding her teal iris, her fur underneath her eyes were matted from the now drying tears, it would not take to long for her fur to go back to normal.

"Hey i almost forgot to tell you why am back early for" Moonlight said in a happy, dreamy, carefree way, this took Lily's full attention "Let me guess (an awkward silence which was broken by a sharp inhale of breath) YOU FOUND SOME PONY!? (Quickly became) oops sorry for shouting" this made Moonlight jump slightly due in part to the pain in her ears, but her friends acknowledgement and apology made the pain more bearable, "No it's ok Lilly am fine, and i did meet some pony, but i don't know if it will work tho..as..as he is different even by our standards." "oh i don't think he can be too bad after all i have not seen you so happy before" Lilly said with a smile.

But Moonlight did notice something for a second in lily's eyes, maybe it was a trick of the light but their was something that looked like a fint red glow just on the inside her friends teal iris, it was their for a second and then faded, "well he is not a normal pony and infact he is...erm that is to say....(Moonlight takes a deep breath before continuing) he is a changeling, BUT he is a good changeling." moonlight took a step back from her friend expecting a scream, a scream that never came.

Lilly just stood shaking slightly, which scared Moonlight but it was the fact that she noticed it was the air around her friend that was shaking not her friend, every pony knows of a spell when they see it, but this felt like evil incarnate. unknowingly Moonlight was taking wider steps backing away from what was once her friend, the feeling to flee that grasp her every fiber of her being was being over ridden by concern for her friend and curiosity type of

fear.

her friend Lilly's head was drooping with each step back Moonlight took, when it looked as tho Lilly would hit her head off of the ground, the unworldly shimmering stopped as Lily's head snapped up at a speed which would kill anything nachural, that is when it spoke in a two toned voices one was audible deepening of Lilly's voice the other was more a sound of screams of the damned came forth "so IT!! is here, no matter, his kind almost stopped me and mine once before" the being opened Lilly's eyes to reveal the normal white surrounding the iris, but the iris and the pupil where glowing with a burning red and blue flame from some other dimension.

Moonlight felt her fear and anxiety melt away, being replaced by anger, anger at what this thing had done to her friend and also for being played for a fool, but she kept it hidden as you can not blame the puppet for the master's work "what have you done to my friend you monster!" she said in a tone that a nomal pony would think that the gates of tartarus were about to be opened upon them, and a world of pain was going to begin on this thing, "she is quiet safe for now anyway, Tell me where that bug is or i will have my puppet kill you, and this time i will not let her emotions will take over" the creatcher made a scoffing sound before taking a step forward with an eerie smirk upon its face "no matter dearie am sure he will come when he know you'er in trouble, if not don't worry i will make sure to leave him a note in you'er blood!!!"