A Scholar's Journey: Equestria

The trek down the rest of the mountain took a good bit of the day away. Talon was flying high above the woods they were in to keep a good eye out. The figure weaved through the trees with some ease, always checking up on his new pet. Careful not to trip over of the tree roots, rocks, and any other natural item that could make him fall.

Luna huffed and panted as she ran through the woods in a panic. She was unable to fly or use her magic, he arms were tied to her back against her wings. Luna's horn fared no better, having some sort of magical device on it that blocked any magic she could conjure up. Her pursuers on her tail, but still far enough behind. That's when she ran into somepony, knocking herself and them to the ground.

They both groaned, and the figure Luna was on top start to shift a bit. She was pushed off and the figure got to their hooves. Luna blinked a couple of times and became aware rater quickly to what was going on: Another bandit found her. She screamed a bit and sat up, scooting away from them. Giving them a pitiful glare as she backed up against a tree.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on me, fiend!" Luna yelled out.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." The figure tried to reassure her. "What're you running from anyway?"

"Your kind." Luna snapped, not believing a word about not hurting her.

"My kind? Miss, I'm just a scholar." He gave her a warm smile, taking a small step towards her.

Luna just looked at the figure, trying to disappear into the tree trunk as he took a step forward.

"Here, let me set you free. You can go on your way." The figure offered.

Luna, despite her not wanting to be there anymore, reluctantly agreed to the offer. The figure grinned and helped her up. Now that he got a good look at her, the mare was beautiful. She wasn't like any girl he had seen before, but he couldn't dwell on that now. Luna turned around and the figure pulled out his dagger. The blade cut into the ropes like hot knife to butter.

Luna felt relieved to be alive still and to know her bindings were off of her wings. She may have been on the brink of being naked thanks to her captors. Luna got quick to work on getting her horn free, took her a minute to get the device off and toss it aside. The stranger,however, noticed that she had both a horn and wings. Most ponies he had seen and interacted with had one or the other, or none at all.

"Thank you." Luna said to the figure, who just nodded back.

"You take care now." The figure told her, then something popped into his head. "Oh, I may have something for you."

The figure reached for his pouch of bits and tossed it to the mare. Luna caught with a hand and looked at him. Giving him a small smile before spreading her wings and flying off above the trees. The figure just watched hte beautiful mare fly away, a bit of a grin on his face.

"Well, well well, lookie what we got here." A voice called from behind the stranger.

He turned around to see five armed and barely dressed ponies, all staring at him.

"A goody two shoes of a pony let our catch go." One of the others said.

"We had plans to hold her for a nice ransom..... after we were done with her." Their leader said, the others started to chuckle. "Guess we will have to settle for taking yer valuables instead."

The figure backed up into a nearby tree. "Guys... you don't want to do this."

The leader just scoffed. "You let our prize go, you give us your money and maybe we will let you live."

The figure's face turned solemn as they approached. "Then you're mugging the wrong guy."

A sudden fog started to roll in, snaking it's way pass the trees and around the group. It soon became so dense that only a silhouette of the hooded stranger could only be seen. The disappearing a brief moment later as the bandits started to close their distance to each other. Some of them were in a scare at the sudden appearance of said fog.

"Wha...what the hell is going on?!" One of them asked.

It didn't take long for one of them to get pulled into the fog, screaming before it went quiet again. The bandits were more on edge and some of them regretting being here already. Another bandit was pulled into the fog only to not be heard from. There were only few of the bandits left now, shaking away in their boots.

Bright blue eyes shone in front of the group, causing the two ponies to run off into the fog screaming like little fillies. The remaining one just slashed his sword at the eyes, and hit nothing. The fog started to clear, snaking around once again and this time leading behind the last bandit. Being drawn into the sleeves of the scholar.

"I told you." The stranger's voice called out. "You chose the wrong guy to mug."

Before the last bandit could react, his world went dark. The stranger was walking away from three knocked out bandits. He was humming to himself as two of them were hanging by their belts from the trees. Talon screeched and came down from the skies, landing on the shoulder of it's owner.

The night fallen once again, the stranger having settle down just outside the woods for the evening. He was contemplating about the mare he saved earlier. He took another bite of his food, then tore off a piece and fed it to Talon. There was another presence there with him he hadn't addressed yet, but continued to go about his business.

"You can sit down, I wont bite." He said out loud.

Luna stepped out from the shadows, looking down and nervous. Soon stepping up and sitting next to him, holding out the pouch of bits. The figure sat there and continued to eat. Luna just looked at him, hoping he'd take back the money. The bird near him just tilted it's head at the mare.

"Keep it, I don't have a use for it." The stranger said, finally looking at the mare with a small smile.

Luna caught a glimpse passed the stranger's muzzle due to the fires light. His eye was interesting to look at, could almost say enthralling if he would just take the hood off. She was getting distracted and cleared her throat some after putting away the pouch. His eye shined a bit with a sparkle.

"I wanted to thank you for setting me free." Luna started, shifting a bit.

"You're welcome. I'm always willing to help any in need." The stranger offered the mare some of his food.

Luna graciously accepted the offer, having been starving since her capture. "I'm.. Luna. If you were wondering."

The stranger just gave her a warm smile. "Such a beautiful name and I am Reavin."

"Reavin." Luna said, trying the name to find she liked how it rolled off her tongue. "I like it, it's rather unique."

Reavin smiled his same smile, Luna was blushing from earlier's comment.

"Where is it from?" Luna decided to ask.

"It's Scalewardian." Reavin replied.

"Scale..wardian?" Luna cocked her head a bit, now interested in this new knowledge.

"It's usually what we call ourselves, since our country's known as Scaleward, respectively."

"Is it a nice place?" Luna asked.

"I think it's beautiful for being one of the hardest lands to find." Reavin looked at her with a grin.

"OH, and why is that?"

"Maybe you'll have to see one day." Reavin mused, knowingly as he rubbed his chin.

Luna looked away, and sighed as she hung her head. "I've always wanted to see the world, travel to new places. My brother told me it was too dangerous for a pony like me. Now I see that he was right."

Reavin just sat there and listened to her.

"So, I came to thank you for rescuing me, and to ask of you if I may come with you."

Reavin was silent, then spoke. "You may. Even if i said no, I wouldn't have stopped you."

"Really?!" Luna had a hard time containing her excitement. "Just like that?"

Reavin nodded, looking at her with his trademark smile.

"You seem so casual about it though.. most ponies would be more excited that I was asking to accompany them." Luna said, trying to avert her gaze from his eye.

"I simply don't care what you are, what you did, or where you're from. I think it'd be nice to have a companion, I'm just surprised it's a beautiful mare like yourself." Reavin stated, grinning again

Luna was fighting the heat creeping to her cheeks. The night grew darker and Reavin was fast asleep on the ground, Luna was sitting next to him, staring up at her stars. She was feeling a bit homesick now, but she wanted her own adventure first. She was also thankful for coming across the stallion when she was in trouble, he surely would be a blessing in disguise to her.