The Smiling Warrior

Jack stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed after the brief tussle with the diamond dogs earlier that morning. As he got dressed he could hear the group down stairs moving around. "Hey Lucky." He said calling on the Omega in question.

"You rang?" Lucky said appearing in the mirror. The rabbit had switched to a casual look of jeans and a t-shirt with a cartoon bunny munching on a carrot.

"I don't think I should be able to hear the girls downstairs so easily, what gives?" Jack asked turning to Lucky.

"Well to put it simply the longer you are Brave's and I's bearer the more abilities you'll get like in this case my fantastic hearing." Lucky answered flopping his ears around to emphasis what he said.

"Just like how you will start to get stronger the longer you hold me." Added Brave showing up next to Jack, sharpening his claws on a blade. Brave had also switched outfits for a suit and tie though Jack could see some chainmail hidden underneath.

With his question answered Jack turned to the door after hearing a knock. Putting his shirt on again he strode to it and pulled the door open revealing Rarity. "Can I help you Rarity?" He asked looking to the fashionista with a smirk.

Taking in her outfit he noticed she'd gone for a purple sundress to match her hair and small heels to finish the look. "Ah, you finished your shower. I was just coming to ask if you would like to accompany me to the Carousel and begin working on your clothes." She said eyeing him up and down already getting measurements with her critical eyes though she will admit the baggy shirt did not help at all.

"Of course, I would love to. Just let me grab a few things." Jack replied turning back toward the room and getting his shoes on and a small book he had taken from the library. Heading back out he gave Rarity a nod to show he was ready and they began the walk to the boutique.

Rarity's mind was whirling with a mix of questions as they exited the castle but she reminded herself to not rush as she could always just ask some when they got to the shop. As she walked an arm stopped her from going further, when she looked to who it was attached to she saw Jack pointing to a puddle in front of her. Rarity had been so lost in her mind she'd almost ruined her shoes if not for the friendly human. "Thank you darling, I seem to be a little out of it since those trouble makers early." She said stepping around the puddle.

"No problem Rarity. Wouldn't want you getting messy before the days even really begun." Jack replied with a small laugh. "So tell me about yourself got any family?" He asked looking to Rarity.

"Well theres my parents, though I haven't seen them in a while. I've just been so dreadfully busy but theres also my little sister SweetieBelle. She and her friends usually are out and about trying to get their cutie marks." Rarity said.

"Cutie marks are how your people know your talent correct?" Jack said looking at Rarity's neck where the mark was. When he saw Rarity nod confirming that he continued. "Humans don't have something like that we sort of just get good at things or stumble on something we are naturally good at." He laughed. "Man it must be nice to know what you are good at. I just have to wing it back home. Thats why I've done so much, never could really find the right thing I was great at."

Just as the two finally reached the door to Rarity's shop it burst open revealing three little fillies in various haphazard outfits. Jack couldn't help himself as he bent over laughing at how bad the three looked while Rarity was busy getting over the shock. Finally when she snapped out of it she exclaimed "SweetieBelle, what did you do!" rushing the three back inside before people could stare. Jack following as best as he could still laughing.

"Oh hey Rarity. Me and the girls wanted to see if we could get our cutie marks from outfit designing kind of like how you did." SweetieBelle said before her eyes widened at the sight of Jack "Oh my gosh, is that the human who saved Dinky!" She shouted causing the other two fillies to look.

Jack finally got his laughter under control to respond. "Hi, the names Jack and yes I was the human who saved Dinky. Pleasure to meet you all. What are your names?"

"I'm SweetieBelle and these are my friends AppleBloom." She said pointing to a filly with yellow fur and red hair topped with a bow, "And Scootaloo." Pointing next to an orange filly with purple hair.

"We're the Cutie mark Crusaders!" Proclaimed Scootaloo puffing out her chest to appear bigger.

"Hey mister where's your cutie mark?" Asked AppleBloom looking over the human the outfit she was wearing slowly falling apart at the badly sewn seams.

Jack chuckled at the statement already knowing how these girls were going to react. "Thats the thing, humans don't have cutie marks." This earned a loud gasp from the three fillies causing him to smile more when they began to huddle together and talk in quiet whispers.

"Then its settled we'll help you get your cutie mark!" Sweetie said putting a hand to her chest followed by the other two giving agreements.

Rarity stepped in between before the trio could continue. "First things first though you girls need to get out of those ridiculous outfits and I need to measure Jack here so I can make some new clothes for him." She said causing the fillies to deflate.

"AWWWW!" they whined out before trudging up the stairs to go change.

"Well now that you've met the terrors of Ponyville lets get you some clothes." Rarity said walking toward a stage and what Jack could guess was the changing rooms. "If you could strip down so I can get accurate measures we can get started." She said pointing to the rooms.

Jack stepped inside taking off his clothes but as he was about to leave he noticed his face. It had changed to be a little more angular and as he looked closer he saw his canines had gotten longer. "Well they did say the longer I carried them the more I would change." He thought as he stepped out the room in only his underwear. Stepping up the stage he noticed Rarity struggling not to stare with a blush on her face. "Lets have some fun." He thought as he began stretching to show off his muscles and did it work. Rarity was practically red with how hard she was blushing. "I'm sorry I hope you don't mind me getting limber I forgot to stretch before I fought those dogs earlier." Jack said with a smirk.

Rarity to her credit was able to calm down enough to say, "Oh thats perfectly alright dear let me just get the measuring tape." As she pulled it over with her magic she also grabbed a pair of red spectacles to see better. "Now if you could just stretch out your arms to the side." She asked as she began to work lingering here and there on his arms and chest. Biting her lip as she got to his back, she couldn't help think, "It's like he was carved from marble with how his muscles are. No down girl you have a job to do and besides he might not even be interested in dating another species." Shaking her head she focused on her work and was at the drawing board sketching some ideas after a few more minutes of some would say 'necessary' measurements.

Jack walked over and after only a moment looking at the drawings knew he was in capable hands. "So what are somethings you think will work for me?" He asked standing next to the white mare.

Rarity couldn't help but shake at his voice and replied back, "Just a few simple designs and maybe a suit so you can fit any need." though a rogue thought in her mind had different idea. "Maybe a nice garment for me to take off you." It said.

"And how much will I owe you?" asked Jack turning to look at the room as the mare finished the sketch.

Rarity turned towards the man. "Oh don't worry about payment. consider this as a gift.. but if you really want to pay how about being a model for a few ideas I have cooked up?" She said with a hint of hope in her voice.

"Sure, my mom always tried to get me into modeling but never could." He replied with a chuckle. Taking a seat he waited as Rarity began making the clothes a reality.

After about an hour Rarity had the first batch done. Handing it to the man he quickly went to change into some fresh clothes. "Ah, how I missed the feel of clean fabric." Jack said stepping out of the changing room.

"How does it feel not to tight or loose I hope?" Rarity asked looking over it. Running a hand over the seams for any loose ends with a meticulous eye.

Jack shook his head. "Nope, feel perfect. You really do have a knack for this." He said, as he finished the Crusaders came down the stairs to see the two standing near each other. When they tried to head back up the stairs Jack said to them "Don't worry you aren't interrupting anything. Was just about to head to Applejack's to see if I could help with work."

This caused AppleBloom to perk up. "Hey that's my sis. How abouts we show you where tah go!" She asked running up to the man.

"Yeah, we could also see about getting you a cutie mark on the way!" Scootaloo exclaimed right behind AppleBloom.

Jack looked to the three and shrugged "Sure it will make the trek less boring. See you around Rarity." He said with a wave.

"Come back any time dear and girls try not to get into too much trouble!" She shouted after the group as they walked to the farm.

On the trip over the Crusaders were non-stop asking questions, luckily for Jacks sanity he was good at dealing with hyper active children. "Where are you from?" "What are you good at?" "What do the numbers mean, Mason?"

"Wait what?" Jack said turning to the side on that last one to see Pinkie hopping next to him covering her mouth as she giggled.

"Sorry, have to keep to my fourth wall quota." She said before hopping away. Even the girls were confused at Pinkie's antics.

After that weird break the trip continued on like normal as Jack answered their questions till they finally arrived at the farm. He couldn't help but whistle at the amount of trees rolling across the hills. "AppleBloom, your family picks all these apples?" Jack asked looking to the filly.

"Yeah, but we also have workers to help or we'd never get it all done but that's not to say we don't do most of the work. Especially my big brother and sister, they always take most of the work themselves." AppleBloom answered as the group continued deeper into the farm till they arrived at the barn and farmhouse.

Jack saw what could only be a mountain of red fur and muscle as a stallion walked out of the barn. He looked even taller then Jack wearing a flannel shirt and jeans with boots.

AppleBloom and the girls ran up shouting "Hiya Big Mac!" before colliding with him to give hug. "Look who we brought with us." They said pointing to Jack.

Big Mac squinted his eyes before walking over to the human. Jacks been through wars, he's seen a lot of things, he even fought a manticore and almost died a second time but never did he feel so threatened by the approaching giant of a stallion. "You the one that saved little Dinky?" Big Mac asked sizing Jack up.

Doing his best to not seem to scared by the guy who could snap him like a twig he replied "Uh, yeah that's me. The names Jack. Nice to meet you." Sticking out a hand for a shake.

The red stallion stared at him a little longer before a smile spread on his face and he vigorously shook Jack's hand. "Names Big Mac, can't thank ya 'nough for saving her. She's good friends with Bloom an the others and I'd hate for a life to be lost. Also don't worry none Applejack already told me about ya so I know your clean." He said letting go of Jack's now sore hand.

"Wow, already got more words outta Mac then most." Applejack said coming out of the barn with a barrel. "Most can barely get a word." She added stopping next the the two men. Looking the man up and down she gave a nod. "I see ya'll finally went to Rarity's for some new duds and ah'm guessing your here for some work right?"

Jack gave a nod "Yeah, like I said earlier I don't want to just be mooching off the princesses. So got anything for me?"

"Well Mac here was about to plow the fields over on the east side to get the ground ready for new seeds why don't you help there." She said pointing in the direction Mac was already heading.

"Sure, consider the job done." Jack replied following the muscle bound stallion. When he caught up he found Mac already pushing a plow across the ground. Mac stopped long enough to point to another one near him before continuing with his line. Jack got behind the plow and began pushing finding it surprisingly easy. "Brave must be starting to mix in as well." He thought as he and Mac continued on till the sun began to set. As both finished their last lines the put away the equipment and headed back for the house where Applejack was waiting with a pouch.

Tossing it to Jack she said "Here's your payment for the day. Come back anytime if you need work there's always something tah do here." Jack pocketed the bag and with a wave headed on back to the castle to rest.

"Today was a good day. Got to test out new skills, gets some clothes, and earn some cash. Can't wait to see what else I can do here." He thought to himself as a smile slipped on his face and he began whistling a tune on the walk back.