The barkeep coughed into a hoof nervously. "Pardon... sir... we don't have arrangements sized for you."

He was being asked to leave, indirectly. He frowned at that, already crouched over as he was. "I'll sit on the floor," he spat in a half-growl, tail lashing behind him. "I have bits."

Celestia inclined an ear when he began to speak. She looked across to Luna, who was already looking back at her. Luna was the first to react, sitting upright. "Sir, we have room for that one here." She gestured to a small empty spot that grew larger as Rockhoof slid further away to make room.

"If you're sure..." The bartender shrugged softly. "You're not on their tab."

Celestia smiled at that. "Whyever wouldn't a dear friend be on my tab? Come, it's been a while."

The wolf-person started in surprise, for surely he was no friend of Celestia, but he didn't turn down the kindness. "Yeah." The attention on him had only grown, others asking without words who this strange friend of Celestia was. "Thanks." He knew who Celestia was, of course. He knew her before coming to the strange land of Equestria... He sank down at their table, still larger than them even as he sat on the floor, though at least there he wasn't quite so hunched over to fit in the building clearly not made for him.

Rockhoof lifted his broad shoulders, though even he, large stallion that he was, was small compared to their newest tablemate. "Now that things are calming down, mind sharing how you two know each other? Or was that some speedy thinkin' on the part of the princesses here?"

Luna snorted softly. "Whatever could you be talking about? I see no princesses in this room."

"Not a one," agreed Celestia with a soft smirk. "Just a few sell-swords enjoying a good dinner with friends. It's good to see you..."

She was leaving room for him to slip in his name. "Garou." It was a word for wolf he had learned long before, and one he found fit him reasonably well as he was. "You didn't have to do that."

"We did not," agreed Luna. "But we did."

Celestia gestured to the table. "Have a bite, share your story."

Well, since she was offering... He reached and grabbed an entire fish off its plate. The poor cooked trout had barely a moment before it was vanishing down the gullet of a hungry wolf-man. "Mmm..." It was easy to forget once in a while that ponies were quality chefs. "Thank you, but why are you here? And what's up with the blue armor?"

Rockhoof shrugged. "I had avoided asking, but I had the same question. Wouldn't gold armor suit you better?"

Celestia pinkened in her cheeks at the sudden turn of the topic. "I... it was the only set I had in my size. Does it look that offputting?"

Luna snorted softly. "We can't all have armor that compliments our natural colors, Sister dear. You look quite prepared as you are."

Celestia stuck out her tongue at that. "When we finish a real job, I may consider new armor. Maybe something that guards the rump a little better."

Trixie shook her head at that. "To spend money on heavy and unglamorous armor? I think not." Her eyes lifted to Garou, studying him unabashedly. "You are a large creature." Her eyes darted. "A stallion. What is your job? Are you a laborer?"

Garou laughed at the idea. "I'm a..." He faltered. What was he? He did things, whatever people needed. He frowned a little. "I guess adventurer would be the best way?" Even if those things could involve very unadventurous things.

"What fortune," half-sang Celestia. "You've set yourself at a table of adventurers. You have an interesting air about you, where are you headed?"

Garou considered that, looking over the ponies who were enjoying themselves, but also watching him curiously. They weren't as afraid as most other ponies were of his hybrid form, but then, it was Celestia, and Trixie would never admit to being scared, he figured. "Away, from Equestria that is. No offense, but your ponies... aren't exactly welcoming."

Luna snorted softly. "My sister thinks she has created a utopia, but it is rife with close-minded souls that do not recognize the appeal of things different than themselves." She lifted an ear at him. "You are an interesting creature. We are leaving Equestria as well, as fortune would have it."

Celestia suddenly struck her hooves together with a metal clang. "Fortune indeed. Destiny, one might even say. Would you care to come with us? We're to see a trade caravan safely across the sands, and it will take us out of Equestria, just as you wanted."

Trixie suddenly clopped the table. "Stop right there! I already agreed to a half share, and already you're trying to make each share smaller! I do not approve." She crossed her arms, pouting and glaring at Garou. "He will not be taking Trixie's pay."

Luna suddenly wickedly smiled. "Then I propose a small matter to settle this." Eyes turned towards her. "A duel, a friendly sort, no blood. You--" She pointed at Trixie. "--and you--" She pointed at Garou. "--and whoever is still standing with the other having surrendered gets to decide this."

Trixie's ears pinned back on her head, eyes going wide. "I was not suggesting--"

"--I accept." Garou smirked at Trixie softly. "And I promise not to hurt her. I wouldn't want any Trixie fans to be mad at me."

Trixie blinked at that, clearly surprised. "What? You... know of Trixie then? I mean, of course you do. Who hasn't?" She laughed nervously, trying to strike an imperious pose. "V-very well... Let's settle this like adults." She hopped down from her stool. "Nocreature touch my drink or there will be a fresh Tartarus to pay."

Rockhoof put a hoof on her shoulder as she walked past. "Ye don't have to, lass."

"It's a matter of principal." She turned up her nose. "Trixie accepts your concern, but I'm going." She trotted right on by, heading outside.

Garou fell to all fours, loping after her in a much smaller form, though still larger than her. He was about the size of Luna, perhaps a bit larger than her, but close. Celestia was just behind him, the others of the table trailing along.

Rockhoof waved at the bartender. "We'll be right back."

Outside, they gathered in a line, with Garou and Trixie facing one another with about twenty feet between them. The night had progressed, with only the sparse street lighting and the glow of the tavern to see by. Trixie was pawing at the ground with an angry snort. "Are you prepared to be bested by the Great and Powerful Trixie?"

"You can go first," he suggested with a waving paw. "I'm ready."

"You had better be!" She stomped a hoof and flicked her tail, turning up her nose. "Very well. See how you take... this!" She lowered her head suddenly and a thin ray of magic burst from her horn, lancing down the street and lighting up the darkness on either side as it zipped directly for Garou.

It smashed into the air just in front of him, the point of impact illuminating a strange sheet of glass that stood before him, absorbing and scattering the magic in colorful streamers of impotent power. "Cheater!" she hissed, peeking up and seeing what became of her attack. "You're not a unicorn, why do you have magic?!"

Garou flicked his tail with a happy smile, his tongue lolling just a little with his pleasure. "Says who? Is it my turn?"

"Give me another chance," insisted Trixie, waving her forehooves. "I was just a little off on my magic. You won't stop me again." She hopped up to all fours. "This time..." She suddenly vanished.

His ear turned as he raised a paw, a new plane of force, more visible then the first, erupted from the ground just in time to deflect a new beam of energy coming from an entirely different direction. "Clever! You remember what Starlight taught you."

Trixie's eyes widened, perhaps at her attack failing, perhaps at his knowledge. "How do you know of Starlight?! How do you know what she may or may not have shown me?" She stomped a hoof, almost bouncing with building fury. "How do you even exist?! This isn't fair!"

"My turn." He ducked to the left, the barrier fading just as he did, fading entirely from sight in the space of a gust of air.

"W-what..." Trixie backed away from where he had been. "No fair! No fair no fair! I'm the unicorn. I have the magic. What are you even doing?!"

Celestia put a hoof to her chin. "I believe he is winning. Please don't harm her, she is a good pony, even if she does occasionally pick fights she should not."

Trixie scrambled backwards, turning into a full gallop, but she was suddenly driven to the ground, a weight on her back and teeth felt at the back of her neck. She screamed as a startled filly, her hooves kicking wildly. "Release me this--"

Suddenly the weight was gone. Luna's horn was glowing, plucking up the invisible wolf and drawing him closer. "You have shown your case, but I feel it needed to show that you do not reign over this group."

Rockhoof nodded at that. "It's one thing to beat the lady mare there--"

"--hey!" Trixie picked herself up from where she had been pushed into the dusty road.

"--but you've got three ponies right here with enough years between us to do a few laps around ye, laddy." He gestured to the two other Old Ponies, a good-natured smirk on his face. "Good show though."

Garou faded back into view, tail hanging limply. "That was rude. I wasn't going to hurt her."

"And you have not," agreed Luna as her magic softly pet over the head and ears of the wolf she held gently in her magic. "But the purpose of the challenge has been fulfilled." She set him down carefully. "What curious powers you have."

"Very," agreed Celestia. "And you are quite smaller now. I think I prefer this size. I confess, I am not used to having to look up very often."

Rockhoof nodded in agreement with his elder friends. "You're just the right amount of dog this way."

But he had no fingers! Garou huffed softly in annoyance. "If you like it that much more, I'll stay in this form." It was the form he used most often, really. He had to remind himself of that. Even if they hadn't brought it up, he would have reverted to four paws on his own. "You alright, Trixie?"

"Now you care?" She joined the group, magic dusting herself off as she went. "You must explain where you got that magic from, and so much of it! I saw at least three different magics there, and I bet you have more hiding."

"That's a secret," he half-sang with a silly grin. "No hard feelings, I hope? I really am a Trixie fan."

Her dour expression brightened. "Then you should feel honored to have had a chance to cross magic with the Great and Powerful Trixie. Next time, I will prove victorious, just you watch."

Celestia set a hoof right on the middle of Trixie's head. "Very good then. Let us return to our meal. Tomorrow we venture out with two new members, presuming you accept a half share?"

Garou perked an ear. "Half-share?" His eyes darted from one pony to the next. "Why only a half-share?"

Rockhoof put a hoof to his chest even as he turned to go back inside. "It's what I got. This is a mare's party, stallions get half shares and the privilege of being beside them. Just the way it goes."

He grumbled softly as he followed the rest inside. But maybe he wasn't that upset about the chance to adventure alongside these ponies.

Author's Note

Trixie attempts to duel, but...

Welcome Garou, the human that nommed at least 3 devil fruits you can see the effects of (wolf, barrier, invisibility). But what was the fourth? That's a secret. Even the commissioner has no idea! (he picked the three though)

Now what kind of hijinks will they get into? You'll find out, Sunday!

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