Come and Catch Me

I finished the path while I got my story straight. I wore a mask because I was hurt during a fight. It was pony shaped, so I went with the believable lie, my muzzle had been severed. My band allowed me to speak, but without it, I was a mute. I had also looked over the band. It had no technology, so I was forced to assume it was so advanced I couldn't follow it. Or it was magic. I had done patrols with people convinced in the supernatural, and I was a bit of a believer myself, so it wasn't exactly world-breaking. I had always assumed humanity was too stupid to understand even a single percent of the universe, so I decided to only question what I knew, not what I had no idea about. I stepped out of the treeline and paused.

"Is that a castle made to look like the worlds biggest treehouse?" Tucker barked happily and began running towards it. I stumbled as I followed after him. "Hold up boy, I think we may not want to sprint up to royalty!" Tucker ignored me and began what I will refer to as a freedom run. Deciding we were safe, he was now running in zig-zags towards the castle. I laughed as I followed him. "Come on boy, we wanna look all official right?" I wasn't really going to try and contain him, he was too happy to calm down. I saw a few ponies watching me as I half-chased, half-played with him as I made my way to the weird tree-castle.

We reached the gates with both me and Tucker turning into panting messes. I don't care who you are, an active dog can out-run you. If you have a trained attack dog, it will turn into your best exercise buddy. I let out a laugh while I scratched him on either side of the head. "Alright boy, let's try to clean ourselves up a bit." I pet him, which served the dual purpose of calming him down, and straightening out his now ruffled fur. I smiled as he tilted his head to the door, and I heard a voice. "Yes Spike, I have to go out to the woods again. I need to track down whatever fell there last night." I paused, I guess it was last night, I just slept through the night poisoned and dying. Weird to think about.

That's when the purple pony from last night came out of the door. Instead of a schoolgirl outfit, now she wore tan capris and a button up shirt. She looked like she was trying to be a female Indiana Jones. Though now that I knew a princess lived here I realized some really bad news. I had threatened one of the royals from here. That's a hanging in most places I know of, so best to keep that firmly under my hat. As she turned to face me I lowered myself to a one-knee bow. "Your Highness."

There was an awkward silence as she stared at me, a cloak covering my entire form wearing a mask. She eventually recovered. "Uhm, yes? You don't have to bow or anything, I'm just Twilight."

I rose slowly. "Of course Ms.Twilight. I am a traveler who was sent here by Ms.Zecora. I was injured in the forest, and find myself in your lands with no means besides a knife and my friend here." I gestured to tucker keeping my hands under my cloak. I figured my lack of fur would blow my cover. I lowered my hand as I began speaking. "Ms.Zecora said you would be able to assist me in my plight."

Twilight paused looking at me, as if trying to figure me out, before straightening out her mouth and nodding in determination. "Ok, I can host you here for a little while. Spike should be able to help you out, but I've got to go to the forest today, so just stay in town or the library until I get back. Ok?"

I bowed again. "Of course, I thank you for your mercy Ms. Twilight. I shall spend today productively." Tucker let out a little bark and sat in front of Twilight. He unleashed his full puppy dog face and got an absent head scratch in response. I smiled. "It seems my friend has taken a liking to you, that is good. He is a better read of most things than I."

She seemed to notice Tucker for the first time, and I became glad of the mask. She stared at him as if she had seen him before. After a moment she sighed and squatted low, giving him a much more thorough petting. "Yeah, dogs can be much smarter than the average pony, as loathe as I may be to admit it."

I nodded. "I find that a good dog can be worth a dozen ponies." Bonus points to me got the species name in conversation. Twilight gave me a smile as she walked off, and I entered the castle. I was in a large room, with very few ponies in it. I then realized that Twilight hadn't told me where the library was. Tucker sniffed the air before giving me a blank look. "Yeah, I guess asking you to find the library would be useless."

Tucker smiled and barked once. There was a brief silence as I thought over my current predicament until I heard a voice. "Was that a dog?" Then the oddest thing walked in. A purple baby dragon. I'll admit, I always loved dragons. Seeing a cute little baby dragon chipped away at my walls of masculinity. I was once again glad of my mask if only to hide my massive smile. He stared at me when he turned the corner. "Uh, are you real? Or should I run from a weird pony ghost thing?"

I smiled. "Ah, the scientific approach. Yes, I am real. Lady Twilight has offered me aid in my hour of need and requested I stay either in town or the library until she returns. However, she neglected to direct me to the library, so I find myself to be quite lost."

The Dragon nodded. "Yeah, she does that. I'm Spike, Twilight's number one assistant."

I nodded at him. "I am known as Peter Buck, though I lack such a prestigious title as yours."

He smiled wide, seeming to glow after the praise. "Yeah, it is pretty cool. Well follow me, just make sure your dog doesn't chew up any books." I nodded as we began to walk through the maze of halls. As we walked Spike began talking. "So, what's with the cloak and mask? You have to keep out of the sun or something?"

I paused as I double-checked my cover story. "Not as such. In a past life, I was a fighter. I have been scarred beyond what many find pleasing to look at, I prefer not to enter a town to screams of fear and disgust. In fact, I find myself in need of new clothes. Mine have been coated in some rather vile substances from a fight with a manticore."

Spike screeched to a stop. "You fought a manticore?!"

I nodded. "Yes, he was easy prey, but due to my own carelessness, I found myself poisoned. Had it not been for Ms.Zecora I would have died in the woods. But I did get to keep my prize."

Spike now looked me over with more interest. "Really, and what was that?" I pulled the knife from my inside pocket and stuck out the handle. At my nod Spike grabbed it and I gently released my grip as he pulled it out. He let out a gasp. "Dang, manticore claws are sharp as swords. I don't think it was worth getting poisoned though."

I let out a laugh and grabbed the knife as he looked at my mask. "It wasn't, but I will take whatever victory I can take. However, I would still like to see the library before I go on a quest for fresh clothes and gloves."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that." He began walking again. "So you used to fight huh? Why?"

I shrugged beneath my coat. "The reasons were many, and normally they were worthy causes. Sometimes my friends and I would fight for fun. Kicks and punches exchanged for the express purpose of improving ourselves." I flexed my hand as I remembered. "In fact, I broke my foot kicking my best friend, he laughed at me for days."

Spike flinched as he paused outside a door. "Sounds kind of dangerous. Being honest, it sounds kind of stupid."

I smiled as he opened the doors to a large library. "It was, but it meant that when we were in dangerous situations we were prepared. Practice makes a real fight much safer. But it doesn't seem the way here, so I will abstain from involving others."

Spike shrugged. "Whatever man, well this is the library, so you should be able to find it later. You said you needed some new clothes right? I know a lady who can help with that if you want to talk to her."

I gave a quick bow. "That would be wonderful, though I must find some work first, I have no money for clothes."

Spike dismissed me with a hand. "Nah, she'll probably offer you something in exchange or the like. She's got a big heart."

I smiled under my mask. "Of course she does. She sounds like a true rarity."

Spike smiled wide. "Of course she is, that's her name." I paused as Spike began to escort me back out. Of course it was, because ponies had normal names. Fuck. I quickly began following again, trying to keep up. We made it out of the castle quickly, mostly due to Spike looking like a lovestruck puppy and smiling like an idiot the whole way. I was more focused on corraling Tucker. Since we weren't in a strange forest Tucker had apparently decided to become an explorer. It seemed every open doorway required a wet nose poking through it, and I had to keep my little ADD friend on a short metaphorical leash.

When we made it through the castle the town had quite a few more ponies around. I earned a few stares, but most ponies dismissed it when they noticed Spike. I guess the small dragon attracted strange ponies. Or maybe Ms.Twilight did, and Spike by extension. I shrugged at my thoughts as we went through town. We went through a market square, during which I saw a large red stallion shoot me an appraising glance. I only remember him specifically because he was the only one that nodded to me, which I returned. But Spike seemed to be on a mission as we swiftly approached a carousel looking building. He knocked twice on the door before entering. "Rarity, your favorite dragon is here, and I've got a friend with me!"

I heard a voice call out from the rear of the building. "Oh, Spikey-wikey. I'll be out in a minute, feel free to take a seat." He moved to a side area while I looked around. There were a variety of mannequins around, each in various styles of clothing denoting the tailor's style. There was also a sitting area off to the side, where Spike had sat down on a couch. I stayed standing as I waited, finding myself unaccountably nervous.

I was only standing a moment before a positively magnificent pony walked out. She was wearing a dress that stopped somewhere right around her ankles. While it was simple it seemed made to accentuate all of her finer aspects. I don't wish to focus on her magnificent breasts, so I'll leave that, but everything else was the picture of beauty. From her legs to the way her hips rolled as she walked. I was about to go through my normal routine before she let out a yelp. "Absolutely not! That mask is far too blase to be worn to a masquerade, and that cloak, it seems to be made for stomping through the mud!"

I felt a force pulled at my mask and cloak, and I turtled low. Dropping to a knee and holding my cloak to me as my other hand held my mask tight. I spoke calmly, trying not to betray my pure fear. "Please, leave them for a moment." I felt he force fade and stood back up. Rarity had the good nature to look embarrassed, and I tried for my entrance again. I lowered my head in a half bow. "Hello Ms.Rarity, I have heard you are the finest supplier of clothes in the city. I'm afraid I ran into a spot of trouble in the forest. My gloves are lost, and my clothes are ruined. I have no method to pay, but will gladly work for a fresh outfit that would allow me to clean my blood off of my current clothing."

I saw Rarity's face fall. I thought for a moment she was annoyed at my lack of funds, but then she spoke. "You're clothes are coated in your blood!? No, I have an outfit you can wear while I make you a fresh set, but I will need your measurements, we can do that in the back if it makes you more comfortable."

I paused, looking between her and Spike. Spike was simply staring at her, and Tucker had taken to staring at the cat resting on a mannequin's shoulder. I sighed. "I do not like being seen. I am..." I waved my hand around my mask. "Deformed. Is there a way we can do that without you seeing me? I could measure myself or some-such, I do not enjoy giving others nightmares."

Rarity paused but gave a winning smile. "Dear, I can have you measured up with my back turned, it is an easy enough fix, do you require a cloak with it?" I nodded once and her smile went wide. "Oh goody, with that mask I bet I could design a wonderful earthy outfit to make you the talk of the town. Follow me, dear." I went to the back with her, and felt myself walk into a lion's den."