Displaced: the grey eyes of the force

John was bored, how bored very. With the students out training and no new issues have arose, this left him in a pickle as he really didn't know what to do. Deciding he was curious he decided to take one of the communal speeders and fly to ponyville to see the other half of the elements were up to. Upon arriving he found the town hadn’t changed much, having avoided the place for the majority of the time since his arrival left him unsure of where everything was. His quandary was solved when he saw twilight walk out of a building, quickly catching up and gaining her attention he resorted to walking with her, which found him learning about ponyville and where everything was in the little hamlet.

Once he parted ways with the mare he went off to talk to Rarity who was actually looking for him, something he found intriguing as his interactions with the fashionista had been minimal at best. Upon reaching the mares abode he found the door open and voices coming from within.

Once the man enter he was met with an interesting scene, in side was the stallion big Macintosh, the prismatic mare Rainbow dash, and the mare he was after Rarity as well as spike who was barely holding the mountain of cloth in his hands. Once everyone inside realized they had company.

“Hello everyone pardon my interruption, but twilight said you were looking for me Rarity.” John said watching the mare in question move in his direction.

“Ah yes darling I don’t know if you have heard but the grand galloping gala is coming up in a weeks time and I was wandering have you had a suit made yet?” The fashionista asked watching his reaction.

“No I haven’t, namely that I’ve not gotten an invitation to it or at least no one has said if I was invited.” John said watching them look at each other.

“The princesses said you were invited when we saw them last. They said that you have been ignoring them for the last month.” Rainbow said folding her arms.

“That is news to me as I’ve not talked to them in about five months, not since I was up there for that stupid summons from the ‘nobles’ of canterlot and that was to let them know I had found someone I trusted to ensure that the equipment I was trading got to the right places namely the farms willing to use them.” John said.

“Oh well they said messengers were sent but couldn’t get to the castle temple you are staying in. Something about the rope bridge being out.” Spike said wobbling slightly as the mountain of cloth shifted.

“Ah yes we had an uninvited guest in the form of a manticore and let’s just say it wouldn’t listen to Fluttershy when she tried to talk it into leaving the place. It’s safe to say it won’t be bothering anyone ever again.” John said.

“That still doesn’t explain the bridge being out.” Rarity.

“Oh the manticore took it when I hurled it over the chasms edge. Ripped it all out. We just didn’t think we’d need one with my ships and everything. Maybe I need to send a crew to rebuild the old bridge, or at least build a bridge, and clear a land road for others to use, walling it off so forest creatures don’t bother travelers on it.” John explained while the last was spoken out loud to himself.

“Still the messenger should still be here in town, but first do you have something to wear?” Rarity asked a hopeful look that spoke volumes.

“Well I do but it’s rather, well, let’s just say it extremely intimidating in the wrong setting. I have to get one made but who could…” John said as he started but then looked at the tailor who was starting to act giddy. “Miss Rarity if it isn’t a bother would you be able to make a suit for me for this gala I’d like to at least dress well if I attend.”

The mare for her part nodded vigorously and waved hi to follow over to her measuring stand. Smiling she gathered a notebook and quill as well as several different measuring tools.

“Well sir mercer if you would I need to make the ensemble proper I need precise measurements. If you would, I need you to remove your clothes so I can...can..” she started before falling silent upon seeing the man in all his glory his robes and everything removed.

“Is everything ok?” The grey lord asked upon seeing her blushing face.

“Ye..Yes...I was just caught off by your, um, physique...your rather well tone if you don’t mind me saying, but do you not have any undergarments?” Rarity as trying her best not to stare at his ‘assets’.

“Yes.. ah sorry I figured when you said precise you would want nothing in the way one moment.” John said grabbing the undergarments from the pile and placing them back on. The others who were the had blushes as well but not for the same reasons.

“Right well apologies sir mercer I shouldn’t have been so excited. You are the first and possibly only of your kind here on equis and I kind of wanted to make you something.” Rarity admitted as she got the numbers and dimensions for the suit, all the while making mental ideas.

“It’s fine I shouldn’t assume that everyone is comfortable with naked bodies as those of the order.” John said laughing.

“Oh my is nudity common?” The fashionista asked.

“No but we all bathe communally meaning there isn’t a soul there that hasn’t seen each other naked, myself included. It is a tradition from my old world I’ve kept alive.” John said.

“But wouldn’t it be a bit weird?” Spike asked after putting the pile down.

“At first yes, but it’s meant to be a focus and trust builder. Truthfully it also builds confidence as it removes the need to be shy about your appearance. Something your friend Fluttershy has excelled at given how she started, another thing allows for everyone to enjoy the beauty of the natural body, to see the differences but also the similarities between all of us.” John said stretching his arms for a moment after the measuring tape released them.

“Fluttershy? really? The poor dear is usually so reserved about her appearance, often going to great lengths to cover herself up, her being self conscious about her body.” Rarity said frowning. “Although it is good to see she is beginning to lose that self consciousnesses she has always been plagued by.”

“Yes she at first was very nervous but after sometime she lost that attitude and like the rest of the order she adapted to our ways so don’t be too surprised.” John said looking to the rest of them.

“You know I’m curious?” Rainbow said looking at him with a suspicious look.“You take communal showers, and baths, with everypony, how do we know you just not a pervert and just want to see naked mares?”

“Well yes I am perverted in my own ways and my training style, namely because my master was the same. Another thing it’s not so I can, as you put it, ‘see naked mares’ I actually did it to remove the stigma of embarrassment, because I’ve have learned that danger can com at the most inopertune moments and breaking you if it makes you capable of fighting and evading, when clothes are forgotten. That and it’s extremely distracting to the opponent, unless they are trained like you.” John said watching th mares reaction. “Besides if I was wanting to I’m willing to bet there are a few mares around here looking for a bit of release.” He added making her confused.

“What makes you say that?” She asked.

“Remember I can read minds and let’s just say some minds are far louder than others.” The man said looking at the prismatic mare and giving her a wink, which caused her to gain a heavy blush.

“Oh..oh okay if you can read minds what number am I thinking of?” She said as she quickly thought up a number.

“Seven...now three….now you’ve thought lucky guess...now your shocked and asking yourself how….now your trying your damnedest to not think about anything.” John said watching the mare silently freak out, silently laughing at it.

“What? How? That is a scary invasion of privacy.” The usually cocky mare said stunned.

“Yes that is why I normally don’t go looking into, usually I don’t, the thoughts are loud enough as is without me actively searching.” John said as the fashionista finished with her measurements.

“Well This has been very informative day I’ll send a message when I’m done Rainbow if you would, could you lead John to the royal messenger so he can collect his ticket.” The mare asked looking to the flyer who had froze at the idea of being near the man, not out of fear but of elation.

While the fashionista was busy working on the suit, after a few questions on coloring which boiled down to black, blue, and grey. The two set off towards where the messenger was. The mare for her part was trying to maintain her cool, given her current infatuation with the alien man. Passing through town they saw many ponies going about their day Lyra was at the local cafe with her roommate, and rumor has it her marefriend, bon bon. Vinyl scratch and Octavia were not far away preparing a small stage for them to do their duo concert for that evening.

When they arrived at their destination they found said messenger walking out of the building, who upon seeing the man stomped towards him, fuming.

“You know it’s one thing to live out in the forest, but how by the sun and the moon does anypony get there by hoof?” The messenger asked a little loudly.

“Normally no one comes there by land they usually are brought in by air speeder or a small cargo ship. That bridge was extremely unsafe and was taken when a manticore tried to muscle us out of the temple and I flung it out and into the ravine.” John said watching the ponies mood change. “ as for your package I believe from here on out just leave it with miss sparkle or one of the other elements. As they will be able to reach me better.”

“The can be arranged, us messengers take great danger traveling the forest.” She replied.

“Well try again here in a few months I’m going to have a team doze and build a road to the temple that will be safe to travel.” John said watching the mare as she rummaged in her bag before revealing the letter addressed to him.

Popping the letter open John read through the short letter, which was written by Celestia, it ultimately accumulated to pleasantries and notifying him of the event and his invitation, which was a gold ticket, and a message saying for him to speak with her at the Gala on a new trade topic she had in mind.

Once the message was delivered, and John handing over what amounted to two thousand bits to the mare, he parted the mare and headed towards sweet apple acres where Applejack was working at the farm helping her family both through her physical mean and her new force abilities. Upon arriving he found the family in an argument with two unicorns who had guards with them.

“For the last time we don’t owe them a dang thing. we ain’t even met them before.” Applejack said in a heated tone.

“Ma’am these two have written statements saying you do.” The left guard said watching the elder of the family frown.

“Where sho us these paper, I want proof and until then y’all can leave.” The cowpony turned warden said.

“Ma’am we are here because they are legal documents and….” the second said getting irritated before finding himself pulled backwards by an unseen force.

“Unless you have the papers and allow them to read them then you have no business here and if you try to push this issue I’ll be more than happy to send you on your way.” The grey lord said as he confronted the first, the second still stunned from his impromptu trip.

“The doesn’t involve you, creature, these two have legi…” The first began before he too found himself taking a force assisted ride as the man stepped towards the two unicorns who now looked very much so nervous.

“Now with the useless pests out of the way let me see this so called documents.” John said holding his hand out.

“Why should we, better yet who are you to interfere with our business?” The first asked with a snort.

“Me I’m the one who will jettison you into low orbit if you don’t. Swindlers like you two are a credit, or bit, a dozen. Now show me the papers…. NOW!” John said as his hands crackled with lightning.

The two realizing their predicament. Quickly forked over the documents which the man started reading through. He thoroughly looked through the documents before he looked at the two and frowned.

“What kind of scam is this? You really think they would just hand over their farm? It’s a fake. The water marks that signify these as legal is missing and the signatures are fake they were stamped on I know the apples don’t stamp their signatures. Now do you two want to explain why you tried, and how you managed to fool them two. Or do I need to call for an actual official?” John asked watching the two, who were now more terrified than ever.

“John what does it say?” The usually stoic stallion Big Mac asked.

“In short it’s faked to say that they now own the farm and that you all are to be bonded to the in indentured servitude for no less than thirty generations. In short enslaved. Unfortunately for them I’ve seen thousands of fakes over my life, now Applejack go get an actual guard force to arrest them, these papers will definitely land all four in jail for some time.” John said as he lifted up the four.

The apple mare nodded and rushed off, returning several minutes with three of her friends and surprisingly princess Luna, who was pissed. Upon seeing the regent of the night the four started to visibly shake in fear.

“Lady apple said these three tried to pass a fake contract to own them?” The lunar princess asked looking at the them with a disdained look.

“Yes and I caught them in the act, if you’d like I could just deal with them.” John said as his hand closed causing them to panic feeling themselves squeezed.

“No as much as it would be wonderful to see executing criminals for these kinds of crimes was abolished five hundred years ago” the regent said watching the four visibly sigh. “The two guards are in known but the two unicorns ar the infamous film flam brothers con ponies who have swindled many a poor pony of their property, either with these fakes or their flawed products, truthfully there is a substantial bounty on them for capture, sir John.”

“Well give it around to those who lost shit to them it’s not going to replace whatever was taken but it’s compensation for the trouble and while I’m at it, i need a piece of paper. I believe I can point you in the direction of where their ill gotten gains are.” John said as he wrote it down after the youngest of the handed him the items.

The guards who had been part of the scam were arrested along with the brothers all the time shouting their innocence and cursing the grey lord. After that was done John turned back as the apples and princess Luna waited.

“Well glad that I over with. Now what was I coming here for?” John said holding his right hand to his bearded face.

“Yes grandmaster What was you coming to say?” Applejack asked watch his face scrunch as he dug back through his memories.

“What indeed….ah yes it’s about your current rank in the order...Well the drawbacks and benefits of it.” John said as he snapped his fingers on hi right hand. “And that there will be new training methods being brought down for saber training and learning. Mostly PROXY droids as they have access to the archives and can become holograms of various individuals form the different factions from the past.”

“Ok well what are these benefits and drawbacks you were talking about?” The farmer asked curious.

“Well the drawbacks, because it’s easier to get through. Number one with your position means you fall under my command and must come when summons the communicator I gave you is for that. Second if called its usually to deal with a threat to the temple or order. That is the worst of the drawbacks.” He said watching the mares gaze shift to her family.

“Golly will I be away from the farm for too long?” She asked rubbing her exposed arms.

“There is where the benefits come in, now that you are a knight you can request buildings such as silos and duracrete building which mind you are far more durable. Secondly if you do, aid requests can be filed to me for various tools and personnel. Also your training will be amped up including star fighter pilot training and saber training as well as leadership training, in the event we are dragged into a war you'll be in command of a star ship and ground force as the general in charge.” He said causing everyone to look at him shocked. “The benefits out weight the drawbacks.”

“Shucks if that’s all ok when do I need to start the other training and how will I call on those construction, or submit a request?” Watching her family discuss the ideas.

“That is Simple go to one of the data terminals and select requisition tab and type in your name once I get it I’ll speak to you, or if you see me ask. As for the saber and pilot training that starts next week, I need you to continue working with the younglings till the proxies get in place then….then we can continue with that one question you asked a few weeks back.” John said getting the farmer to blush slightly.

The rest confused by his statement turned to the apple mare who blushed further watching the man head off towards the town.