"Dimi~!" Turning my head from the display, I looked through my mane towards Pinkie, her head propped between the door and the frame with a creepy smile. "We're out of bananas and Mangos!"

"...Oddly specific." I muttered, pulling the door from between her head so that she could fish out a list from her mane, alongside a small pouch of Bits, cannot wait for my order to be made so I can actually carry these properly, but I pushed it into my rag of a cape and gave her a nod. "Be back shortly."

"Thank yoooou." She slammed the kitchen door and I rubbed my mane, turning to leave the dozen or so ponies that chatted away, not minding my existence as I intended it, a mutual agreement to leave me be, because I swear, the day someone decides to hit on me will be the day I lose my grip on sanity and go straight for the throat. So if I keep my usual stare that gives Death a shiver I'm sure I'll be fine

It had been well over a week...maybe two? Since I arrived here, and to be honest I'm finding it to be okay, I'm more than astonished Pinkie and the Cakes were accepting to a stranger from nowhere, but I won't take it for granted or abuse their charity, I do see myself under the morality of chaotic good, doesn't mean I won't say my thanks where it's needed. Bloody owe them my life for this. I also have a slightly better hold on levitation magic, while I can't do it for long or lift heavy objects, it does help me where I lack fingers, like say, for grabbing a selection of fruits?

"I am the new Warlock Hunter, all shall fear my laser horn." Hehehehe, love it

"Hey, Dimitri!" Huh, oh, my scaly friend. For once, a ghostly smile reached my lips as I gave him a small salute

"At ease my solider." He grinned and saluted back, walking out of Sugarcube Corner with me. "What can I aid you in? For a price of course."

"How about telling me more about...Fireteam Horizon?" Ah, no surprises. I did chuckle at that, but I rolled my eyes and moved my head to stare at him eye-to-eye

"For. A. Price." Come now buddy, you know the rules of my trade. He winced, trying to think of something to say, his claws fumbling in his palms

"I-uhh. You're...the greatest, most amazing pony ever, and I'd be lost without you?" I burst into a fit of maniacal laughter at that, not minding the looks some ponies gave us as I rubbed the top of his head

"You know it. Still, keep those lines up and you may just get a girl in no time." I grinned, seeing him pick himself up again, then I flicked his nose. "So long as you don't pull yours moves on me, we'll be grand."

He nearly tripped as his cheeks turned a small shade of red. "W-what, no, course not, seriously dude, even I'm not that crazy."

"I have yet to make a Hunter of you yet, my scaly friend, count on it." With a smile, I pointed to the sun above. "Okay...so there they were, beaten and burned among the small army of Fallen, their weapons humming to life with crackling arc, as their God rose high, scarred and alit with dark purple fluctuations of ether. Ceres was the only one to feel her fire rise in her blood, while Zane and Morbin slowly raised their weapons side-by-side with each other."

"This is getting good!" You have no idea, Spike

[??? POV]

She looks nice, her mane is like mine and her...lizard? I think that's what that is, he looks nice too, maybe he's like those lizards that spit fire? Hmm...fire...warmth...

"-Yeah, mate, some bananas and...a mango, if you would be so kind?" Pretty pony is getting...*gasp*...a-a mango~!

I tried to keep myself from drooling atop the roof I sat on, watching as the mean pony from before handed her the fruit...wait...what's that gold thing she gave him? Did I need that too? But...I don't have shiny stuff, I'm not a magpie. Am I a magpie? Well, I don't find shiny things and take them, so no, I'm not. Ahh~ Where'd they go!? Ugh...ah, there!

Eek! I quickly jumped into the shadow of a building, hopefully, she didn't see me.

"What's up, Dimitri?" Di...mi..tri...?

"..." She was looking where I was, did she see me? "Meh, thought I saw something."

"I think you need to get outside more."

"You want to hear the rest of my story or not?" The pretty pony...Dimi...tri, she gave the lizard a funny look as he panicked, it was sort of funny to watch

"...Pff, that's low and you know it."

"I know, but its working, ain't it?" Gah, must pursue the tasty fruit!

[Dimitri's POV]

Okay, felt that massive chill as if someone was watching me, it kept vanishing every time though...hmm, if I could use levitation, maybe I can levitate their bones out of place when I caught them, a dislocated shoulder wouldn't hurt. Stepping just inside of Sugarcube Corner, I turned back to the streets to glance at my blindspots, poking my head up to the roof for any sign of another spy.

"You okay?" Huh? Shrugging, I closed the door behind us, just as my crimson magic hue floated the fruit through the air, placing the bag with the bananas down first. "You keep looking back every ten seconds."

"Never hurts to keep on alert, Spike, believe me, it can save your hide." I levitated the mango next, my eyes glaring at the sight of the round fruit in my magical grasp. "Honestly, I keep feeling like something is watching me, it's gone from unnerving to aggravating."

"Sure you're not going crazy being stuck in the same room as Pinkie?" Hey! She's not that - well that could be it, but surprisingly she's rather tame about entering my room, so all things considered it might just be my own solitude, only really had Pinkie and Spike as friends here, Twilight maybe, Applejack and Rarity are pushing it, but Applejack more due to her annoying lie-detection, seriously, take a hint sometimes, Dash could work and Fluttershy is harmless too

"Maybe..." I was proven wrong in a microsecond

*Swoop-Crash-Nom*

"GAH!!!" We both yelled as Spike latched himself to my neck as if he were glue, while I fell backward from the sudden shadow piercing my magic and swiping the Mango from before our pinprick eyes, our bodies crashing into the wall and next to a barrel at the sight of something tearing into the mango in seconds like a feral beast

To mine and Spike's surprise, not to the fact that we were holding each other Scooby Doo style, the mango was gone, only a satisfied smile on the fanged pony's lips as she licked them clean, followed by a small burp. It was one of those 'Bat Ponies'? Her coat was a dark grey, with the universal purple mane that had a messy look to it, but hers looked...unkempt like she hadn't combed it in weeks, hell, she made my hair look pristine. Her eyes a brilliant ice-blue. Now she sat on her haunches facing us both directly with a happy smile.

"Umm...what just happened?" I asked Spike, putting the dragon down as we slowly inched towards her, she didn't react, only her tail happily moving in tangent with her innocent smile. Slowly though, she stood up and approached Spike, myself behind my meat shield encase things went south

"H-Hey, Dimitri!" I just pushed him forwards, smiling a little at his sacrifice

"I will honor your name, Spike, good luck." Quickly, I dived behind a barrel to watch them interact. Spike stood still as she stopped before him, not uttering a word as she came muzzle-to-face with him, Spike being like any guy, turned red at the close proximity with the mare who blinked at him with fascination, before moving to sit down in front of him and reach out. "It can smell fear, be wary my sweet prince!" I whispered to him

"I-Uhh...what do I do?" Spike freaked out on the spot, only to freeze as her hooves wrapped around him tightly, her head against his chest with a soft sigh...wait, Spike's a dragon, dragons have fire sacs in their bodies - Oooooh, I get it now. Moving from behind the barrel, I stepped towards the two, the Bat Pony softly breathing as she kept her head to his chest, while Spike's face was beet red and my coy smile didn't help

"Seems you have a new friend, Spike. She must have been looking for something to eat and warmth, we just happened to be unfortunate enough to have both." I shrugged calmly, sitting down beside him as I poked the mare, who blinked and looked to me with an innocent stare. "So, you lost or somethin'?"

She nodded with a sad frown. Hmm...

"Are you mute?" Another nod and both myself and Spike gave each-other a knowing look. Well, ahh hell with it, I like these Bat Ponies, they're fun. "You need someplace to stay?" Her ears perked up at that, eyes looking between us. "I mean, it's not like you create a lot of noise, so I doubt you crashing with me will be a problem if you want anyway?"

AHH! Sudden loss of oxygen was apparent as this mare's vice-like grip held me tightly, her smile wide at my suggestion, I mean, sure this place had room, so long as this girl kept a lid on the noise I doubt it'd be a problem. Patting her back tentatively, I felt her move off me to sit before myself and Spike, both of us looking to each other for some formulation of a plan.

"So..."

"So...what's her name?" Ah bugger, that's right. Looking to the Bat Pony again, she blinked at us as she frowned, shaking her head. "You don't have one?" She shook again, okay, teaching her words might help. "Then...can you spell it?" Another shake, and I groaned

"Can you use expressions?" Spike motioned towards her, and soon her eyes lit up. Before us she used her wings to shade herself, resting her head on her hooves as she was sleeping...hmm. "Uh...Nightshade?" She shook her head

"Echo?" Nope, if it was the fanbase would be after my head, heh, they could try. She sighed softly, tapping a hoof to her chin to think of a way to explain it, soon she moved to sit behind me, I suddenly felt her poke my sides, forcing me to jump with a girlish yelp, to which Spike and herself seemed to enjoy, while I felt my cheeks redden at the sound of my voice. "You're a goddamn nightmare, that's what you are..."

Suddenly, she jumped to her hooves, happily nodding with her tail wagging as if she were a dog. Wait...Nightmare...I wonder if...I swear if I turn out to be right on this.

"Your name, it's Merry Nightmare, ain't it?" Another bright nod and a clop of her hooves as I saw Spike look to me with surprise, while I rubbed a hoof against my head with an audible groan at the reference, atleast it lacked a pun. "Why am I not surprised."

"Maybe you're just growing used to it, trust me, you do." For once I'm inclined to agree with my scaly friend, shaking my head as Merry bobbed her head from side-to-side happily. Call me a tad random, but come on, having a literal flying prowler of the night is like the best thing ever, and it can communicate - well, somewhat - so who cares if its another mouth to feed, she seems nice enough."Still, why'd you want to help her? N-not that I'm against helping, just curious?"

"Well..." I held my gaze to her again for a short time, my eyes wandering hers with a strange sense of familiarity, I didn't realize it at first but a felt a sad smile tug at my lips. "She reminds me of Ruby."

"'Ruby'?" Right, I never told him

"One of my younger sisters." I didn't want to say more on the subject, just the thoughts alone filled a pit in my stomach with each second that ticked by

"O-oh, right, sorry."

"Heh, don't be." I rubbed the top of his head with a reassuring grin; looking to Merry, who was watching the small remaining group of ponies in the bakery with equal fascination, obviously, we caused a slight scene. "I think I like her."

Merry looked at us again with an innocent expression, her head tilted to one side as I saluted her playfully, with Spike winking once.

"Welcome to our merry band of Hunters, Merry."

To Be Continued...

Author's Note

You know if I could, I'd change my middle name to 'Inconsistent' because that would accurately describe me, but hey, Iestyn's fine. Anywho, a new character and she's adorable! Also the phrase 'My Sweet Prince' is something Dimitri calls any guy in her small circle of friends. Hope you enjoyed, seeya in the next chapter!

Next Chapter: Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Apparently

Dimitri finds herself dealing with the ego of Rainbow who is nervous about perfecting her Sonic Rainboom, with a little attitude from Dimitri she may just have the determination to pull it off. Meanwhile, Dimitri handles more problems about being a girl when she tags alongside the Mane 6 and Spike.