Chivalry Reborn

Chapter 12:

Welcome to Ponyville

Many things I’ve always wondered would ever happen to me when I was a little boy. Some normal things: like going to college, getting a job, getting a girlfriend, and living on my own. Even a few sillier concepts: such as meeting a pirate, or falling into the world of video games. But NEVER in my entire life did I envision myself be trudged along by a talking pink pony, with a wad of what I’m pretty sure is her natural hairstyle, shaped in the form of piled up bubble gum, towards a building that looks like it was made in a fat kid’s storybook for a welcoming party.

I had stopped trying to resist her awhile ago, just letting myself be pulled along, as she continued to hold me by the shirt collar with her hoof. (This was made even weirder by the fact that she was running on her HIND LEGS) Applejack was running right behind us, still chuckling at the whole thing.

With Sugarcube Corner coming into view, Pinkie Pie finally released her hold of my shirt, letting my feet finally touch the ground again. I breathed in deeply, letting my lungs refresh themselves. Pinkie had one hell of a grip, I could barely breathe! Oh ground, baby! I thought I’d never see you again!

As much as I wanted to just get on my hands and knees and just kiss the pavement on our reunion, Pinkie Pie chimed in excitedly.

“Alright! Now that you’re here we finally start your big welcome party!” She clopped her hooves together, in joy that her plan was coming together. I just rolled my eyes, watching Applejack hide yet another snicker.

“Go on now, Winston.” Applejack pushed me towards the slightly. “Don’t keep them folks awaitin’.”

“Whatever…” I muttered approaching the door, gripping the knob. I crouch slightly to get under the door, to which I came into a thunderous.

“WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, WINSTON!”

On all sides, ponies of all colors and shades cheered a welcome, all of them with a smile on their face.  Some who were pegasi were hovering above the rest, next to a bright yellow banner that had the words “Welcome to your new home, Winston” in big blue letters, surrounded by party balloons of all kinds.  Party horns were blown.  Streamers flew through the air.

I stood there, stunned for a minute. This is the first time so many people ever gathered to throw a party for me. I would usually get my Mother, Father, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Cynthia and about four friends to come celebrate my birthday once.

I scoffed, shaking my head slowly. Silence came into the room, as everyone started to look worried. Even Pinkie stopped smiling for frown with concern.

“You don’t like the party..?”  Pinkie sounded like she was on the brink of tears, fearing failure to make me happy with her celebration.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little. They don’t even know my species, and yet they welcome me so kindly.

“No, Pinkie.”  I scratch my head slowly shaking my head still. “Just a little surprised is all.”

I look back up with a bright smile on my face. “It’s nice to meet you all.” I reach over to the nearby table , picking up a glass of punch. “I hope we can all get along just fine. Cheers!”

“Cheers!” Everyone there yelled back in unison, raising their own glass.

“Whoopie! Flashy-Washy Winston likes my parties!” Pinkie hopped to her hind legs, jumping in glee.

I snorted, amused by the display slightly. “I guess I do, Pinkie.” I take a sip from the punch, turning back around. This is actually not a sugary as I thought it would be. I honestly thought letting this stuff touch my lips would make me go into a sugar coma. Oh well, time to find a nice quiet area and just relax.

“Hey, hey! Mister Flash!” Someone was calling me. It was pretty high pitched, so it must have been a filly.

“Hm?” I shift my eyes downward to see a small red ribbon on top of red hair. The owner had her two big, bright amber eyes focused on me.

“Oh, hey there little Apple Bloom.” I crouch down to a dog to get to her eye level. “Been good since your little run-in with my house?”

“Uh-huh!” She nodded her head, letting her little ribbon dance behind her. “Thanks again, Mr. Flash!”

“Oh please, we aren’t on a job.” I sighed in a playful bored drawl. “Just call me Winston like everyone else. Okay?” I pat her head lightly.

She winked at the touch of my hand, giggling in bliss. “’Kay, Mister Winston!”

This girl is seriously innocent. I smiled to myself, stepping back upright.

I stood up to get my vision get obscured by two narrowed rose-colored eyes.

“You aren’t doing anything funny, are you?” It was Rainbow Dash, probably observing my behavior to find an excuse to sock me.

“No, just talking to Apple Bloom.” I step back, answering her in a casual tone that actually kind of surprised myself.”What, still bitter over your wings?”

“Of course I am!” retorted with a small edge in her tone. “Anypony would be if something closed their wings out of nowhere!”

“True, I wouldn’t’ want someone doing that to me,” I answered back, honestly.

I considered this. It would be like suddenly bursting into someone’s room unannounced. It just doesn’t work that way.  “Then again,” I countered with a slick grin. “If I DIDN'T do what I had done, would you be flying right in my face right now?”

She backed off slightly, annoyed by the logic. She seemed to know I was kind of right, but was too proud to admit it.

She finally went hovering away towards Pinkie Pie and Twilight near the snack table, turning her head to blow a raspberry at me.

How old was she…? I shrugged, turning around to go look for a tranquil part of the room.

As soon as I did, a crowd of ponies surrounded me, asking me all sorts of questions.

“What made you come here?”

“Why were you running around the town like that?”

“Do you miss any of your family?”

What is this, an interview!?

I look around at all the folks looking at me with hungry eyes, listening for me to start answering their questions.

Good grief….

“Alright, fine. It all started yesterday, on a different world called Earth….”

I’ve said it once before, and I’ll say it again:

I HATE talking about myself.

I had to talk about my background and how I got here, answering any and all questions from the listening crowd of horses. It was like torture, I tell you! But then a stroke of luck came, as Pinkie Pie started singing that silly song she had sung partly to me earlier today. Everybody was so busy watching her that I could slip out the back.

Now I’m just sitting here, behind Sugarcube Corner on a box, sipping my punch.

I glance at my watch for the time. 6P.M. sharp. I still have a little while before I have to go to the library to meet with Princess Luna. I wonder what she wants to talk about. I don’t really have anything, though. All I have is my house, the pendant and the backpack, and all Princess Celestia did was put some scroll in the back.

Recalling that made me also remember the fact that I didn’t read that,or any of the scrolls in the backpack. I whack my forehead with my palm, shaking my head. I could have learned a lot more already if I just looked in this bag in the first place.  Upon realizing this, I sling the leather bag off my shoulders and into my hands, digging through it.

There were a lot of scrolls in here, all of them having a seal with the picture of a sword on them, except the one Celestia personally put in. There were also small metal rods that looked like they connected with one another in here, as well as a dagger.

Seeing nothing else, I pull out Celestia’s scroll, breaking the seal with the flick of a finger, and unraveling it.  I glance around to see if there was anything else around, then slowly began to read.

Dear Winston Flash,

If you are reading this, I hope that you have listened to my student and are reading this alone. This is a matter that only a few select can be aware of.

You see, Flashbang, the one you call Uncle Jimmy, was an old acquaintance of mine from long ago. He was the advisor of a dear friend of mine, Julius Flare, one of the few people who could actually relate to me after I banished my younger sister to the moon a thousand years ago.  He was a prince of sorts, though not directly related to me or of royal blood, he was able to live past the normal lifetime of ordinary ponies and his could produce Alicorns such as Luna and I.

One day, something went terribly wrong. And he and his family began disappearing. We presumed it was an attack to conquer Equestria by eliminating the strongest warriors in the land first. He, and a few others began speaking about “Moving to a new world,” and suddenly disappeared at once without a trance. The only thing we received from him was a small note stating “that when one of his heirs appears back in Equestria, hearing the name ‘Shadow Flare’ it is a sign of a true crisis.”

This is all I can say for now. You will have to speak with my sister Luna for more information about the Flares. She has spoken to more of them than I have. If you wish to speak more to me about this matter, I will be awaiting for your arrival in Canterlot.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Closing the scroll slowly, I stare at it in my hands.

….

What the fuck is this shit?

You mean to tell me, that me coming here and having these damned dreams is supposed to be a sign of a great disaster!? You’ve got to be kidding me!  I couldn’t be some sort of walking doomsday device! I can barely hit a tree hard enough to drop apples! Still, the fact that she knew I knew the name Shadow Flare can’t possibly be a coincidence….Still, she sent Luna to the MOON!? *WHY!?* Ugh, this is pissing me off!

“Hey, people are looking for you, ya know!”

I turn to my right to see the blue pegasus from yesterday, glaring at me once more.

“Yeah, well, I needed some fresh air.” I stood up sticking the letter back into the bag. “Smells too much like chocolate and candy in there.”

“I guess that’s true..” She kept her eyes trained on me, landing next to me. “So what are you doing back here?”

“Just reading, is all.” I sling the bag back onto my shoulders, looking back up at the sky.

The sun’s starting to set, I should get moving to the library.

“Hey Rainbow, could you tell the others I had to leave to meet somepony important? It’s kind of too important to let drop!” I started to jog out from behind the candy shop.

“Hey! What’s the big rush for!?” I could hear her call from behind me, before it was followed by a loud “UGH” and then the sound of a slamming door.

As I began to skid around the corner to reach the residential area, I could see a small carriage pulled up in front of Ponyville Library. I reined in my feet, coming to a stop near the entrance. To my surprise, my legs aren’t arching as badly as I thought they would be. Maybe I was getting used to making sudden dashes? Oh well, more important matter at hand, anyway.

I looked to the side at the carriage. It had a very nice craftsmanship to it, with its sleek design and polished metal and wood. Standing near it, I could see  that an intimidating stallion in light purple armor with a with a helmet with a webbed crest at the top, much like a reptile does. He had a dark gray coat, yellow eyes with cat-like slits for pupils, as well as pitch black, bat-like wings.

Was that a demon horse, or something..? A personal bodyguard, probably?

He looked at me for a second, before going back to standing at attention. I guess that meant that Princess Luna was inside. I slowly turned the doorknob, crouching down as I entered the library.

Sitting at the center of the room, sat a dark grayish blue alicorn. She had a light blue mane that had what seemed like stars in her hair, that was covered by a veil of dark blue, much like the night sky. She had a tattoo of a crescent moon that had a small splatter of marine blue splatter on her hip; it looked kind of like part of the sky literally fell and stained into her coat.

She had her teal eyes trained on me the moment I came into the room, awaiting my arrival. She had a small tiara on top of her head, like Celestia did when we met yesterday.

“Princess Luna, I take it?”

What I got in response, almost literally blown me off my feet.

“QUITE SO, WE ARE THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT, LUNA.”

A thunderous boom of a voice came from the royal mare. Her words blasted from her mouth smoothly and clearly. It could quite easily be used as a weapon if she had turned up the volume a little more. I leaned back, almost falling over at the sudden burst of volume.

“AND THOU ARE THIS HUMAN WE HAVE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT?”

“YES! That’d be me.”I rub my ears softly, responding. My poor eardrums… “So, yeah, pleasure to meet you.”

“LIKEWISE. PLEASED TO MEET THOU AQUINTANCE AS WELL, NEWCOMER.”

Oh God, I can’t hear a thing!

I stand there for a moment, looking stupid, before fixing my hair and plunging my pinkie finger into my right ear, tweaking it until I could hear my own thoughts again.

“So….” I start my sentence, slightly unprepared for another ear-shattering response from the siren princess. “You wanted to speak to me…?”

“YES, THAT IS CORRECT.” She confirmed her request, turning towards the stairs. “PLEASE COME HITHER, WINSTON FLASH. WE HAVE MUCH TO DISCUSS.”

“We won’t have much to discuss if I lose my hearing partway…” I whispered to myself, walking up the steps behind the princess toward the top level.

Author’s Note: As I start to make a real storyline, I’ve come to realize that this won’t be a simple ongoing story of minor serious story matters and mostly whack adventures. This is going to be a serious matter most of the time once the villain appears. So chances are this will be going in arcs, one for each major event happening.

Before you ask, right now, we are reaching the end of the introduction arc, and we’re about go reach the second arc, where Winston starts learning more factors of his family’s connection to the Flares and meet the first real antagonist of the story.

Also, if it isn’t too much trouble, could someone kindly make some cover art for this story? I’d truly appreciate it if someone did. If you’re interested in making one for me, just send me a message and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

Thanks in advance