The train ride to 'Canterlot' was exactly like the train rides back home: long and boring. Thankfully not as crowded, though. Either way, I was more than glad to get off that javla thing. After I stepped off the train and popped my back, I looked around and let out a low whistle as I took in the sight of a city that was made of what must have been almost entirely marble, gold, and tiled roofs. The only thing that wasn't like that was the roads and streets, which were cobblestone. Furthermore, it was on the side of a mountain. Not in it, not below it, not even on top, but on the freaking side of it!

And if that didn't scream high class and sophistication, then the fancily dressed ponies did. All in all, I was impressed, and in awe. Not everyday you see a city with this kind of architecture, after all. Knowing this, I decided to look around a bit before finding an inn to stop by for the night, since the sun was setting.

Walking down the first street I saw, I took in the sights of the upper class stores and homes. Most of the homes I passed were small, like town homes you'd see back in Sweden, or America, but more lush and luxurious in design than typical plaster or paneling.

While I was enjoying the sights I also noted the fearful, disgusted, and arrogant looks on the nobles of the city. A good number of them literally had their noses turned up to the sky, like a testament to snootiness. The upturned snouts were easier to take than the glares, though.

Most of I could easily write off as being racist, but that did nothing to keep the tension back at the unwanted familiarity. Nor from the few that seemed almost appraising. I made a point to not return any gazes as I adjusted my robes a bit.

"Huh... A cake shop..." I noted, stopping by a window that framed perfectly made gourmet cakes. I looked to the sign and read it. "Smough's Brutally Honest Cake Emporium?" I read aloud, intrigued. It had a picture of a very fat man eating a cake just below the cursive writing. I looked back to the cakes in the display window. They looked pretty good... And I'll admit, I've always had a weakness for them... "Hmmm... No money though. I'll have to come back here sometime-" I began, before I heard a loud yell and a sharp CRACK!

My eyes widened and then quickly hardened as I rushed to the source of the sound, finding four figures in a darkened alleyway. Three were ponies, two of which were unicorns and wearing cloaks, and the other a regular Earth Pony. The last figure gave me pause, because it was a human. But not a human I'd seen before.

For one, she was wearing modern clothes; tight black yoga pants and a dark blue tank top, plus dark blue gloves with a white wrist watch on one of them, and some white sneakers. She also had a sword on her back, held in a tight leather sheath. But the most defining trait was her pure white hair that looked like it came straight out of an anime. It was short, and with a fair amount of spikes. Oddly, there was a brown, furry belt on her waist, which looked more alive than- No. No no no no no! Ohoho NO!

A freaking monkey tail. She had a freaking monkey tail!

I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts, peering around the corner of the alleyway and watching this all unfold as I warily thumbed the haft of my staff.

The Saiyan - a SAIYAN of all possible races - was currently holding the remains of a green horn in her hand, and the Earth Pony was looking at her in what seemed like awe and also fear. The unicorn with a broken horn was clutching his head in pain, curled up in a ball. The woman crushed the horn in her hand like it was nothing, leaving only dust.

"So, you wanna try your luck too, little guy?" she said in a familiar voice to the remaining stallion.

"M-M-Monster!" he cried, before galloping away. But in a blur of movement the woman was now standing in front of him, and before I could blink, she knocked him hard on the head, and he crumpled to the ground like a bag of hard bricks. She looked towards the Earth Pony mare with her sea-green eyes and tossed her a coin pouch, which landed at her hooves.

"There. That was yours, right?" the woman asked. The mare just numbly nodded, and the woman grinned. "Great! Glad I could help! See ya around!" She gave a two finger salute, and before I knew it, she was gone, not even the sound of footsteps telling me where she went. I was, understandably, shocked.

I quickly shook it off, and then walked over to the mare. "Hey, you alright?" I asked. She snapped her head to me, stumbling back a bit.

"U-U-Um, y-yes, I'm um, fine," she stuttered. I sighed a bit internally. Seems I made her more scared.

I forced a smile. "Do you need any help getting home?" I asked next. She shook her head.

"N-No, I'm good, th-thank you," she squeaked. I frowned, but eventually nodded.

"Well, report this to the local guard when you can, then, okay? And stay safe," I told her. She nodded again and muttered a quick thank you before scampering off. Sighing once more, looking over the two stallions, I noticed the now severely handicapped unicorn still clutching his horn. I gave him a swift boot to the head to knock him out before looking around again. "Well... Guess I'll leave this to the local guard and then look for a good inn..."

After a good night's rest at an inn, I made my way to the castle. It didn't take particularly long before I made it to the front gates, two guards standing in my way.

"Halt. State your business," they demanded, blocking my way with their spears. I showed them my amulet.

"I'm a Grey Warden. I need to speak to Princess Twilight Sparkle, it's urgent," I told them. They looked at the amulet, then me, then each other, before looking back to me and slowly nodding, retracting their spears.

"You may pass. I'll show you to Her Majesty," one of them said, before opening the gates with his horn. I followed him through a beautiful courtyard filled with rose bushes and much more, and into the castle proper. I won't lie, I was already lost after the fifth turn around a corridor, and was dependent on this guy knowing where to go.

After ten more corridors and four hallways, we reached a set of large, marble doors with a seal of two alicorns around the sun and moon in an almost Yin and Yang style. The guard stopped in front of the doors.

"I'll let Her Majesty know you are here," he said, before opening the door and stepping inside. Soon after, a disgruntled noble stallion stomped out, and the guard peeked his head out from behind the door. "She's ready."

I took a deep breath, then walked in.

Author's Note

EDIT: Did some minor reworking of things.

EDIT: Fixed some grammar issues. Once more, I am a victim of typing too fast.

Aaaand unnecessary cliffhanger! Yaay!

Thanks for reading!

-Timeless Celestial