Rusty's Journals or How I met my best friend

Today is the day. I woke up early, ate breakfast and prepared everything for today hanging out with Tempest. Fresh apples from Sweet Apple Acres - check. Thermos with ice tea - check. Sandwiches with blueberry jelly, without peanut butter - check. Blanked - check. Chocolate cookies from my mom - check. Dishes- check. First, I hate peanut butter, because this shit sticks to the palate. Second, mom bakes the best cookies in Equestria and every week sends me fresh box. She runs a bakery in Hollow Shades, my village. Her name is even connected with it. (It's Chocoroll, and her cutie mark is a plate, full of cookies.)

Enough about this. I returned to shop, but my eyes were disturbed by a very interesting person. Lavender alicorn with purple eyes and sparkle cutie mark. It was Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Good morning, Mr. Anvil." Princess greeted, very formal.

"Good morning, Your Highness." I responded. "What brings the princess to the simple blacksmith, like me?" I hope, it's money, she's owing me. It's like 10 000 bits.

"I was very interested by your skills." Princess said, pointing her crown. "Since the attack of the Storm King, I was thinking about creating a local guard. And I want you to create equipment for them." My jaw dropped. Full-time job for a princess? Armors are very profitable. Crafting them costs fortune, not talking about periodic repairs. "Of course, you'll get payment for your job." My jaw dropped even lower. I thought, that I'm going to cry from happiness.

"How much, exactly?" I asked.

"50 000 bits per month."

"Fifty... Thousand... Bits... Per month?!" I'm in bucking heaven.

"Too low? Then, how about 75 000?"

"How many?" Is she stupid or what?"

"You like to bargain? 100 000 bits is my last offer."

"DEAL!" I screamed. I rewind everything wrong, what I told about her. "Where I have to make an autograph?"

Twilight put on table a piece of paper. First rule of contracts, read them carefully, first. Everything seemed fine, so I signed myself. I saw also Filthy Rich's signature (Somepony cut his daughter's pocket money.), Princess Twilight's seal and Princess Celestia's signature and seal. Man, she treats that 'local guard' stuff very seriously. The contract offered permanent payment and materials supply. I'm royal blacksmith. If dad would see me, he would cry,
like I do inside.

"When do I start?" I asked.

"I'm handling the recruiting today. Tomorrow, you'll get every measurements. Have a nice day!" My new boss said, while leaving. When she left, I fainted. It was too much for me.

I woke up and looked at the clock. My eyes looked like broken bulb. BUCK! ONE MINUTE TILL NOON! I MUST HURRY! I took a picnic basket and rushed to Twilight's castle. I think, that I destroyed half of Ponyville and made Sonic Rainboom, during the way here, but I had to be punctual. When I was under castle's door, the clock tower ringed for 12 o'clock. Perfect. I wanted to knock, but Tempest already opened the door.

"Hi, Rusty." She greeted me. SWEET CELESTIA! She changed her armor into a casual, black dress and her mohawk became a simple, long haircut. "I know, I look ridiculous. It was Rarity. She said something like this." Tempest cleared her throat. "No matter, where do you go, you must look fabulous, darling." She parodied Rarity. "After that, she forced me to wear this and changed my haircut into this 'newest Canterlot fashion trend', or something, like that."

"Well, the dress suits you, actually..." I tried to compliment.

"It's awful, right?"

"Yeah, not your style."

Tempest returned inside and changed her 'fabulous look' into 'Queen Badass'. "Much better." Tempest said with relief. Yep, she looks much better. Damn, she looks sexy in that armor.

"Yeah, this suits more to you. Also, I'm not planing to take you to the most expensive restaurant to Equestria."

"We're going on picnic, right?" She asked.

"Yes." I said, pointing a basket on my back. "You know any nice place?"

"Well, there's a little lake, nearby." Tempest proposed. Lake. Sounds nice.

"Okay, lead the way,"

We both arrived to the lake. I took and prepared everything. I saw, that Tempest had something with her, too. It looked like a present. I decided to ask about it later. We both were sitting on the blanket and talked about random things. Tempest decided to taste the cookie.

"Wow, they're great!" She said.

"My mom baked them and sent me." I explained. "Maybe Cakes have best bake good in Equestria, but mom bakes the best cookies." I said, taking one of them and biting it.

"At first, I thought, that you baked them." I burst into laugh, hearing Tempest's thoughts.

"The best think I cooked, are burned scrambled eggs."

"How can you burn eggs, when you are blacksmith?"

"Well, I have a talent." I made it a joke. We both giggled.

"About your talent..." Tempest interrupted and opened her mysterious box. Inside was chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream on top. I felt also smell of rum. "Twilight told me, that you started to work for her, so I bought you your favorite cake, because I thought, you might be in mood to celebrate it." You bucking reed in my mind.

"You didn't had to." I said, with embarrassed tone. "How did you know, that's my favorite?"

"I have my contacts..." She skipped the topic. I bet my favorite hammer, she knows it from that pink devil.

I took a knife, forks and plates from the basket, sliced the cake and grabbed a piece for me and one for Tempest. I took one bite. Amazing, as always.

"You know, I thought, that you're an aggressive, emotionless mare. But, you're very nice." I complemented her. Tempest blushed a little.

"Well, at first I thought, that you only gave me hope to find a friend for money but... I guess, I was wrong." Tempest sighed with smile and blush. "This makes a tie." Suddenly, Tempest became weirdly vigilant.

"Tempest, are you okay?" I asked, worried and scared.

"I heard something in the bushes." After Tempest's statement, my nose was hit by a horrible stink. Very familiar stink.

"Tempest, we should leave. Now!" I screamed, but it was too late. Behind us were two hungry, scary, angry, stinking and blood-thirsty timberwolfs. I felt their breaths on my neck. I was paralyzed by fear. I had flashbacks from the unlucky day.

Run, Rusty!
Dad, where are you going?!
Don't look behind! Just run! Come here, beasts! Wanna fresh, earth pony meat?! COME AND GET IT!!!

I thought, that was my end. But when timberwolf wanted to sink it's fangs in me, Tempest jumped on him and kicked in nose. She started to fight with timberwolfs. It looked like dance. Deadly, yet beautiful dance. Before those beasts could reach her, Tempest was giving them hit by hit, kick by kick. After minutes of fight, timberwolfs decided to run away from purple devil. Tempest didn't look even tired. Heck, she wasn't even sweating.

"Easy as pie." She said with smirk.

"Wow." I said in disbelieve. She's a bucking goddess. Beautiful, badass goddess. I noticed, that she looks at me in very weird way.

"Are your wings fine?" She asked me. I looked at my wings. They were spread open. Buck. Wing boner. Was I that impressed? "W-well. When pegasi p-pony is scared, their wings are... spreading without warning to... sh-show predator, that he's bigger and stronger than him." I stuttered with stupid smile. I hope she bought this.

"O-kay." She said with confusion. "The most important is, that you're fine." Tempest looked under me. "Maybe... you should look down." I looked down. Great. First, wing boner. Now, I peed. Just great. Wait. So that means... Oh buck...

"DON'T LOOK!" I screamed and turned around. BUCK. IT'S EVEN WORSE! I hope, she's not looking. "I-I'll better go. Have a lot of work. Thanks for hangout. G'bye." I said like complete idiot and flew away, leaving all stuff, what I brought here. I felt, like I was going to dig myself.

When I returned to my workshop, I saw a little box in front of my door, with letter on it. It's... from Princess Celestia. I opened the letter immediately.

Dear Mr. Anvil.
Twilight have told me about your blacksmith abilities and I decided to tell you something important. Your father, Stone Anvil, have been one of the best blacksmiths, I've ever had under my command. Everything, he forged, was a masterpiece. My private guards are wearing armors made by him. When he was leaving Canterlot, he wanted me to promise, that I will give this to his son in proper time. Of course, after all those years of great work, I promised him. I hope, that your father is proud of you. Make Ponyville safe.
With great honor.
Princess Celestia.

Dad have told me, that he was working in Canterlot, but never told about working for Princess Celestia. I opened the box. Inside was old sketchbook with dad's cutie mark on cover. It was hammer hitting the heated rod of steel. Inside were many projects of armors, weapons and ornaments. I found the project of the Royal Guard Armor, my mom's pin, what dad gave her for their anniversary and something very interesting, with note form dad. 'Rusty, if you're reading this, it means, that you're a great blacksmith, like I have been. It's a mysterious project of your grandfather's grandfather. None of them, or even me, couldn't create this blade. I know, that you can do this. You're more than a blacksmith. You're my son. Smart and talented son. I'm proud of you...'

From my eye fell a single tear. I looked closer on this scheme. It was some kind of gauntlet with spreading blade, but it looked like there is something about gears and levers. The rest was written in some weird language or code. I went inside and put the book aside. Dad, are you hiding more things?

I looked on my clock. It was 1 p.m. Day's still young. I decided to do some work and make some orders. Wait, I don't have any. I took the book and went to basement, what also was my bedroom. My jacket went on the hanger and I went to my desk. I started to study more this 'Integral Blade'. Maybe I should craft a prototype. To see, what should I do, to make it work properly. According to understandable part of this scheme, this suppose to be a very light, strong and mobile weapon. Also, it suppose to fold into gauntlet, be possible to throw and controlled by... And here starts the bad shit. The rest of it isn't understandable. I looked for some clues, how to break it. I looked above fire, Nothing. tried Caesar cipher, Nope. and even made origami with it. "BUCK!" I threw it away.

It was long and embarrassing day. I wanted to forget about this and fell asleep on my desk by accident.

From nowhere, I was in Canterlot. On Grand Galloping Gala. I hope, that Tempest didn't poisoned me with that cake. I realized, that I have a tuxedo.

"Is that a dream?" I asked myself.

"Yes, indeed." I heard an answer. I looked behind. I saw there second of Royal Sisters, Princess Luna.

"Your Highness? What am I doing on Grand Galloping Gala, in my dream?"

"Sometimes, we dream about thinks, what we want to do." Princess Luna answered in very enigmatic tone.

"But I don't want to go on this party!" This is very weird.

"But, you want to be with somepony..." Princess said and looked right. I looked after her. She was looking at Tempest. She was wearing the same dress, what she was wearing, before our hangout.

"Is that really her?" Of course, she's not, moron. It's a dream.

"Yes, she is." Are you kidding me? Does Princesses like me that much? "Tempest Shadow asked me in letter about a dream, where she could talk with you in privacy. Come on, dance with her."

"Wait, you made me sleep?"

"Maybe..." She said with eyes above.

I took a deep breath and walked to Tempest. She's so beautiful in that dress. I felt, like a complete idiot, walking to her, after what I did. It was kinda timberwolfs fault... "Hi."

"Hi." Tempest responded. "I didn't expected something, like that."

"How about a... little dance?" I asked with hoof up. She made a small smile and answered with her hoof on mine. Guests around us walked aside and all lights were on me and Tempest. We started to dance in the rhythm of music. "So, why you want to talk in privacy?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you something." Don't say, you're lesbian. Don't say, you're lesbian. Don't say, you're lesbian. "Tempest Shadow isn't my real name." Thank you, Celestia. Wait, what?

"Then, what is it?"

"But, promise, that you won't laugh." She had embarrassed face. Is her real name that bad?

"I promise." She answered with a smile. "So, what's your name?"

She put her mouth closer to my ear. "It's Fizzlepop Berrytwist." FIZZLEPOP BERRYTWIST? Yeah, it's pretty embarrassing for somepony, like her.

"Well, Tempest suits you more." I said, trying to mute my laughter. "But, why you didn't tell me on the first place?"

"I didn't trust you at first place. But, when I met you more, I decided to tell you. But, can you still call me 'Tempest'?"

"Sure." I said. I would never call her in the other way. "I want to apologize for this situation. I hope, that you're not... pissed off?" Really?

"No, I'm not. If I was in the same situation, like you, I would do the same thing."

"Well, it's hard to believe, after you kicked those timberwolfs flanks... I mean, you looked like you were doing this for the whole life."

"Travel for all your childhood and we can talk about this." She joked, what I couldn't believe in. "Thank you for listening. I didn't want to keep it inside me."

"It's fine." Maybe I should tell her... "Tempest, listen. About those timberwolfs, in my childhood... Dad saved me from them, back there. And didn't came back. We found only his jacket."

"I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to." I said with smile. "What happened, that happened. We can't repair the past..."

"But we can make better future." That's my mare. We finished the dance and I woke up on my desk. Saliva was all over it. Dammit. I felt much better after these words. And everything started to be even better...