A Simple Soul

"Forward March!"

The captain of the royal guard commanded as his troops followed behind him, each guard was in a five by nine square formation. Making a total of forty five guards marching behind their caption, I stood on the balcony of the castle as I leaned against the railing looking down at the city of Canterlot. Not once have I seen something this amazing from a really high position in my life, now that I am in a whole new land living a whole new yet quite worrying life means I have a clean slate in everything. Sure it's a land full of pastel colored ponies and they could not only hate and despise me, but they could possibly burn me to the stakes. But hey, would that look cool to see someone being lit into a human sized piece of flambe? Yeah I don't know what that is either but it sounds so much like sorbe, which I found out us like ice cream except it's made with fruit and I do love me some black raspberry ice cream. So I leaned against the balcony I looked down seeing the princess talking to some of the guards as they looked up at her, I smiled as I watched Celestia talking to her guards. Just by reading her lips she seems like the motherly type, the way she treated me when I first came and when we were having breakfast I could tell she has had multiple who has had back experience and all she wants is to see somepony smile. Well she succeed with me as I stared at her for a little while longer before hearing the sound of somepony clearing their throat as I turned around. Once again seeing Raven as she now had her mane fixed up in her signature bun, glasses on straight, all but one thing was different her tie was a completely color as it looked it be a more coral shade. I smiled as I walked up to her before getting on one knee, hearing what she had to say as she looked at me with a smile.

"Your ride is ready Zach."

She said, looking up at me with her bright light grey colored eyes. I smiled back at her as I would hold back a blush, from the way she looked at me and the way she project herself I found it to be quite adorable as I would nod as a response. Before we left she gave me one quick hug as she lunged herself up towards me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. I chuckled as I wrap my arms around her pulling her into a hug as well as we both enjoyed one last hug for now. Gently placing a hoof behind my head she would softly whisper in my ear.

"I hope we get to see enjoy again."

She said in a very cheerful way before letting go of me, now standing on all four again before reassuring her with a soft pet on her head, not wanting to ruin her hair before she lead me out of the balcony and down the hall. As we make our way down the stairs, staying quiet the entire time I was walking alongside Raven she asks me why I was so quiet on the way towards the entrance of the castle. I look at her as I gently rubbed my hands together, still thinking that maybe this was a bad idea as I would tell her how I feel.

"What if they don't accept me? What if they just think I'm a huge freak?"

"Hey, hey, no one will ever think you're a freak. If they just get to know you, they'll see what a soft, caring ...and my I add charming human you're."

She reassures me, even going as far as adding the word charming to my personality. I smile at her as I stopped rubber my hands against each other, feeling sweat slowly build up before making our way towards the exit as she would open the gate for me. Allowing me to feel the fresh light from the sun and the gentle breeze through my hair fingers, feeling cold from the built up a sweat as we made our way towards the bridge. Before seeing royal guards standing on each side from the edges of the bridge as they stood up straight, while we both walked down the guards that I would pass by would calute me by raising a hoof up to their foreheads. I found this to be both respectful and quite weird at the same time, but that's what happened as we both made our way down the bridge. While we walked one of the guards stopped me with his spread as he would move it slightly to the front. Stopping me as I turn my head to the right seeing the guard that brought me here in the first place with a straight face as I looked at him before asking.

"Is there something you'd like to ask me?"

I ask as I look at him, he then turns his face slightly towards me before giving me a small smile.

"Extend your hand out."

He asks as I look at him, confused at first doing what he asks me as I would raise my right hand out. Raven wondering what was happening as she watched us having a small conversation. The guard raising one of his hooves, as he would gently drop coins onto my hand, soon counting about five coins as he smiles at me.

"A deal is a deal pal ...and good luck out there."

"And make sure you bring a misses when you come back and visit us you hear?"

One of the other guards said in a friendly manner as he would raise a hoof up. Not in a way that one would shake each other's hand but in the manner in which someone wanted a fist pump as I smile at him. Making my hand into a fist as I gently bumped it against his hoof, he smiles at me before both him and the other guard who I was talking to previously assumed their positions. I nodded as I stood back up, Raven smiling back at me before we both walk down the bridge. Meeting up with both the princess and a carriage which has two other stallion bridled attached to the carriage. Walking up towards the princess she smiles at me as she gave me a very large backpack, and it looks quite designer as I pick it up and threw it over my shoulder while it was hanging behind me. It's quite heavy on my shoulder as I feel it weighing me down, wondering what I constains inside this bag before the princess answers my wonders.

"In that bag comes a change of clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, along with all the other manly necessities, I made sure to give a copy of the ponies you'll be meeting to your assistant."

"My who now?"

I said, looking up at the princess now questioning who this assistant of mine was as she smiles down at me. She then trots over towards the carriage as she opens it, before looking inside of the carriage as she spoke to who ever was in there already.

"Come on, don't be shy, I can assure you that he will do you no harm."

She said as she would move out of the way for someone to come out as I look at her confused, soon my confusion dissolved as a five foot two tall dragon looking girl came out. I assume it's a she based on the green scales on her head looking like dread longs as they hung down off her head, her purple scales that replaced her skin or fur for most of the residents. Seeing she had no clothes as she was completely exposed, this is the first time I've seen someone who had the body that looked more like a human's as her breasts were formed. Sure they didn't appear to have nipples, which mean she either has pasties that hid them and her gentle area or someone drew her to not have anything exposed. As I look at her she appears to be shy as she tries her best not to make eye contact with me which was hard since she was almost the exact same height as I was, slowly she walks up to me as she would stand up in front of me slowly showing a small smile before extending her hand out, having claw like nails as I heard her speak.

"H-Hi ...I-I'm Barb."

She said smiling at me, I look at her for a moment before extending my hand out towards hers gripping her hand, expecting to feeling a scally and uncomfortable texture but that wasn't the case. Immediately my hand feels amazing in hers as I was feeling an extreme softness in her hand. Looking at her hand I place my free hand over hers as I would feel her scaly skin was extremely soft asking.

"How did you get your scales to be this soft?"

"Excuse me?"

She asked, now feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sudden question on how she got her scails to be this soft, I shook my head I remove the second hand over hers as I gently shake her hand before introducing myself.

"Sorry, got extremely surprised over your extremely soft scails. I'm Zachary, Zach for short if you feel Zachary is too problematic."

I said smiling at her as she would smile back at me, both of us letting go of our hands as we look at each other for a little while longer before Celestia came up to the both of us as she would lean down gently kissing my cheek, kind of like how a mom would kiss her kid in the cheek before leaving for school. Following the kiss up with a small nuzzle as I chuckled, placing a hand on her cheek while she is nuzzling me before she would ask Barb.

"Look after Zach for me, I would hate it if something would happen to my child."

"Mom, I'm seventeen I can take care of myself.."

I said crossing my arms over each other puffing my face up in fake anger as I played along with the mom and son game she started to play ever since I first came to the castle as both her and Barb would lightly giggle at the way I reacted to her. Princess Celestia would once again smooch my cheek before gently spanking my rear with her tail, causing me to jolt up as I was walking towards the carriage, immediately yelling out.

"Hey!"

I said turning myself towards her as the princess would smile at me, staring at me with her innocent eyes as to why I was reacting this way. It was as if she didn't know what she did wrong as I squint my eyes to her. Using two fingers to point at my eyes before pointing towards her eyes as a form of saying that I have my eyes on her. As I walk into the carriage, the last thing I saw before going in was both Barb and Celestia standing next to each other. Taking a seat as I gently felt myself teetering and tottering a bit trying to keep not only myself but the carriage a balance. Gently I lean myself back against the carriage as I await for Barb aboard along with him, I gently yawn as I was a bit tired over the crazy series of events that have happened today. To think I was hit in the head with a spear by a guard, helped a stallion find love, met so many different ponies who have helped me clean up not only my fashion but my perspective in life and being given the opportunity to have breakfast with the princess of the land who has been nothing more than a mother figure towards me and has made me into an official citizen of Equestria. What more could I have asked for? After waiting another few minutes, I would hear the door of the carriage being closed as I look over. Seeing Barb carefully walk into the carriage and gently place herself across from me as she sat a few seats away from where I was. Even though she got to meet me in person and saw how I projected myself as a very laid back person she still seems very quiet and kept herself very distant away from me.

"Ready, and lift off!"

One of the guards yelled to the other as both extend their wings open, both flapping their wings up and down lifting the carriage up off the ground and into the air. Feeling the carriage shake a bit from flying through the cloud, Barb and I felt the carriage shaking and immediately held onto the edges. But once we were up and above the clouds the shaking stopped as we both sighed, laying back a bit relaxing as I let out a chuckle.

"Even here you guys have terbilaince huh?"

I said chuckling as I tried to get along with Barb, so far it seemed to be working hearing a soft giggle coming out of her from my joke. I smile, thinking this was going to be an easy friendship between me and her, sadly I knew this was just one note I could get out of her. Ten minutes into the flight and we were both quiet, looking at her I notice she was doing something on her notepad, at first I thought where did she get this notepad and what she was doing on it. But I knew if I jumped at her and asked what she was doing it could be, no it is like snooping into someone else's business as I sighed looking out into the distance taking a look at the bright blue sky, noticing how amazing it looked without any clouds or even any dark population caused by factories. Slowly getting lost at the sight of the beautiful weather in the sky, not noticing that Barb would look up at me but then would look back down at her notepad, only when I saw her through my peripheral vision that I see her looking up at me and down her notepad. Once I noticed this, I turn my head around looking at Barb as she was staring down at her notepad this time when she looked up she noticed me staring at her as her eyes widen as she hugs her notepad trying to hide what she was doing once I ask her.

"Whatcha doing there Barb?"

"Nothing! I-I mean ...i-its nothing really."

She said nervously yelling nothing once I asked her that question. In the back of my head and of the sort of artist that I am I knew she was drawing. Not only was she drawing but she was drawing a picture of me, how I knew this was because when would draw someone I would first take a good look at whatever or whomever I was drawing before starting, every now and then looking back up at what I was drawing to duplicate on a piece of paper. Also, judging by the way she was hugging her notepad the picture wasn't finished yet as I chuckled nodding.

"Okay, I'll let you finish and you can show me later sound good?"

I said to her smiling as I would position myself, leaning my arm against the arm or hoof rest of the seat I was sitting in as I leaned against my hand, looking out into the deep blue sky. Smiling gently, feeling the air hitting my face as my hair would flow against the blowing wind, giving Barb the perfect picture to draw. But the perfect mix of the wind was soon interrupted by the sound of something bumping against the carriage causing me to joint wondering what the hell hitt us as I looked over, gently getting out of my seat moving towards the seat in front as I sat on my knee giving me the perfect view of whatever was below, seeing nothing but trees and the river trail below as I asked one of the guards.

"Hey! What hit the side of the carriage?!?"

"Not sure, but no worries we'll be preparing to land in a couple of minutes! Have a seat and we will notify you when we're land-."

Suddenly his sentence was cut off, feeling the carriage being hit once again causing me to grip onto the edge of the carriage as I notice about four different ponies zooming passed the carriage. Both stallions grunting in annoyance as they knew who they were as I look at both of them.

"Who the fuck was that?"

"Ugh, The Copper Angels."

"Who?"

"The Copper Angels are a group of pegasi who think they're the shit, they say they're going to he more well known than The Wonderbolts!"

"Pfft, if they think that horrible metal music is going to get then to the top then they're in for a world of disappointment!"

The second guard replied as he along with the guard I was speaking to no to long ago. Once against their chuckles were cut off by the angels bumping up against the carriage, feeling a slightly tight grip against my leg knowing it was Barb who was holding onto it as I would turn my head to the right of me. Moving over as I notice them coming back for another round, yelling out.

"Hey, Copper Jerks! We have precious cargo in here!"

I yelled out which caught the attention of one of the pegasi, the pony in question is female judging by the shape of her muzzle as she would fly up towards the side of the carriage and up to my face, looking at me dead in the eyes as she would chuckle.

"Eat shit you freak!"

She said before spitting onto my face, feeling it landed on my bandages under my eye closing my eyes as I heard her laughing at me. Before she flew back reading to bump into the carriage again, I whip the sip off my face now I was furious as I leaned against the carriage seeing her coming in for another nudge against the carriage, I had the idea that once she was close enough I was swat at her with my hand. Prepaying my right hand I wait and once she was close enough I yell out.

"You bitch!"

I said before swinging my arm over, but instead of hitting her something else happen as a spherical beem came out hitting her instead, causing one of the coppers to fly down as the rest of her gang followed suit seeing her making a crash landing. I yelped when this happened causing me to fall down back Barb immediately coming to my aid as she looks at me with worry in her eyes.

"Are you okay? What was that?"

She asked genuinely wondering what the hell happened, I leaned against her as I held her arm a bit traumatized over what the fuck acutally happened. Was it me? Or was it one of the guards that did it? I'm not sure what the hell happened all I know is at least they're gone for now.

"Is everything alright back there?"

"We heard a loud boom?"

Both guards asked as I looked up at Barb, the dragoness facing away from me as she would yell back at the guards.

"Yes! Everything is fine!"

She yelled back before Barb would look back down at me making sure she would feel me holding onto her arm as my head was laying on her chest, not caring that I was feeling her centered boobs against my cheek as I look up. Seeing Barb looking down at me, noticing a genuine worried look on her face as she held me in her arms, I smile at her before sitting up and off of her not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by taking advantage of her kindness. Unless she liked it but other than that I stand up on my feet, once again looking over the edge as I notice those pegasui were gone sighing before noticing something else. The clouds, they now look more natural and smooth to the touch as I extended my arm out feeling my hand going through the cloud, feeling how fluffy they were before hearing one of the guards speak once again.

"We're landing shortly, just a few more minutes and we'll be landing near Ponyville."

After hearing him say what he said, I look over towards Barb seeing her start to pick up her thinks as she would grab her notepad along with my backpack as she hangs it over her shoulder standing up before turning towards me with a gentle smile on her face. I smile at her before looking back over the carriage soon feeling us going back through the cloud as once again the carriage started to shake as Barb was thrown off her balance. Causing the dragoness to fall over and land against me her arms wrapped around my neck as her breasts gently pressed up against my back. My eyes widen as I felt this, thinking it was a simply cause of fear from falling down as I look over my shoulder feeling her forehead pressing up against the back of my neck. Gently smiling as I grip on her forearm gently, that told her that I had her in my grasp and that nothing could hurt her, I remember dealing with this back when I traveled with my aunt and my anxiety filled niece and in order to get her through the whole flight without my niece going through a mental breakdown. Soon we felt the shaking stopped as Barb notices what she was doing before slowly pulling her arms off my neck, feeling her breasts pulling away from my chest. In the back of my head I really didn't want her to move away since it had been awhile since a girl has pressed her breasts up against my back, but that's a story for another time. Soon Barb stood up on her own two feet as she would face away from me, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed over how she reacted with gripping onto me after losing her balance. I look up at her and seeing her back facing me towards me, I know she must be feeling embarrassed only seeing her belows bent meaning she had her arms crossed over each other and hugging her chest to hide her face as I stand up on my own two feet. Soon we felt the carriage slightly shake, hearing the wheels of the carriage hitting the ground along with the sounds of the guards running and soon slowly stopping the carriage as we have made it to our destination. But before Barb even took another step towards the door, I walk up towards the front of her as I look at her seeing her jolt up in surprise when she sees me standing in front of her before I gently reassure her.

"Look...I know you maybe feeling bad over...what happened back there but-"

"What happened? Nothing happened hehe, I totally didn't hold onto you hehe let's get out of here hahaha."

She stated as she wants to think that what happened early didn't actually happen. Moving away as she opens the door making her way out of the carriage and trying to ignore what really happened as I watch this all happen before seeing her walk away. I sigh I didn't want this to be awkward between us but I knew I keep trying to bring it up it could lead to Barb completely ignoring me and ruin any chances of being friends with me. So with one last quick check to see if we had all our stuff before making my way out of the carriage walking around and towards the two stallion's as I notice Barb talking to one of them. I watch her talking before she notices me looking at her as she would make her way towards town, taking a head start so she didn't have to talk to me. I shake my head in annoyance knowing this is going to be a hard friendship to gain, I walk up towards the two guard before saying.

"Thanks guys, not going to lie up to the point where the carriage was being 'attacked' by the Copper Angels it was a pretty smooth flight."

I said smiling at both of them as they both start to blush, of jeez please tell me that it's not going to be like this when I talk to some of the residents. Because the last thing I need is saying the wrong thing and making somepony feel uncomfortable over me being 'smooth' or 'charming' as I've been told by some of the ponies back in the castle. Soon their red cheeks went away before one of the stallions ask about Barb and why she was taking a head start towards town.

"Hey, what's up with Barbara does she know she needs to follow you and not go off on her own?"

"Yeah about that…"

I said gently scratching the back of my head, not wanting to make it seem like she might be having feelings towards me even though that might be the case. Explaining.

"... See when the carriage started to shake again, and she lost her balance so when it came to her falling over...she fell over me, and her arms wrapped around my neck and she buried herself up against me."

I said as both stallions look at me with the expression of realization, both their heads nod as they look at me before I said.

"But like I didn't mind it because it's something I had to deal with back home when it came to air travel."

"I mean I don't blame her, when it comes to someone like you ...you know in the scenes in the way you appear, it can make someone feel embarrassed and not want to face someone they just hugged."

"Best course of action is to not push it and just move forward."

They both said as one basically told me that because I am a completely new species and when it comes to facing a new species they may have feeling that the other, that being me, may not have the same feeling. The other advised me to just let it go, don't try to talk about it with her and to not keep bringing it up or else it could make her feel even more uncomfortable as I nod at their replies.

"Yeah, I guess so, well thank you both for the drop off and I hope you two have safe travels."

"One more thing…"

One guard said as he looks up at me, I look back at him as I listen to what he had to say as he states.

"Try not getting yourself into any kind of trouble, we saw what happened with one or the Cooper's and we know you had something to do with it."

"Wait, that wasn't one of you who did that?"

I said, both stallions shaking her their heads to my question as I look at both of them. My hand gently shaking over the fact that I might have caused a pegasus to crash down into the frost back there. Shit, what if I just committed bloody murder? But soon my worries went away as one of the guards reassures me when he saw my hand shaking and sees that I'm slowly starting to panic, but he lets me in on a little secret as he says.

"Look, as far as we know that's one less criminal we have to put away, but just because we're letting you off on this one doesn't mean we'll be forgiving you over something you actually did."

"Just keep you and that gal safe, the last thing we need is losing someone like you."

Hearing what one said I nod before turning my face towards the other, basically hearing him complimenting me as I smile at him. After thanking him one last time I would turn my head around seeing Barb almost reach town as I start to make my way towards her, turning back one last time to wave goodbye at both stallions before seeing them once again take off into the air. Now facing towards Barb I would now run towards her, now I was really going to lose my shit because at one moment I was trying to catch up with Barb but the next moment I was suddenly teleported from being way far behind Barb to suddenly standing right in front of her as she was suddenly wrapped around my arms. Making her stop towards entering town to looking up at me as she feels my arms around her, now feeling completely spooked as much as I was immediately took a step back, my arms off her as now I was the one feeling completely embarrassed from suddenly appearing in front of her. Okay at this point karma coming back for me from being an ass to Austin, but like three years later, really? I look down at Barb as she looks up at me as her arms are on my own and her hands on my biceps as she looks at me, my hands holding onto her back as I look back at her. Staring at each other for another five minutes processing what is going on at this moment. Gently I start to pull myself away from her as she does the same once we were off each other she would look at me asking the exact same question as I was thinking at this very moment.

"What just happened?"

"I… I don't know, I'm honestly getting scared and worried."

I said as we both would turn towards town, looking up at the huge sign that said, in big bold pink letters 'Welcome to Ponyville'. Barb and I staring up at the sign for a moment as we wonder what are we going to do while we wait for tomorrow to check up on the presentations. Both Barb and I let out a sigh at the exact same time, before taking our first step into Ponyville. Stepping in as we both make our way into town, walking together as I gently move my hand towards her so she wasn't scared about going into town alone. It was like we both were reading each other's mind as she does the same, both of us going onto each other's hands as we walk into down. Barb being a bit more exact as she would go all in and held onto my arm while we take a look around. At first glance it doesn't appear to be anything wrong about this place, seeing ponies trotting along, some are talking to one another and others having smaller ponies trotting along with them appearing to be their children as they trotted by. Although some ponies weren't trotting, others were flying in the sky as they move clouds from one place to another, when we look up we seeing one pegasus moving a cloud away so the sun could poke through. For some reason it feels like we're just part of the residents, which relieves both Barb and my worries as we walk towards the center of town seeing a water fountain and benches around it so anypony could sit down and enjoy the weather or whatever was happening around these parts. However as both Barb and I walk around seeing everything from houses, bakeries, and flower shops, we both start to realize that this might not be the peaceful place as it appears to be. Barb decided to take a seat on the bench to relax a bit, placing the backpack down next to her as she would run her hands through her hair like spikes on her head, as she looks up at me wondering what we are going to do next.

"So ...what's the plan?"

"Well, first of all we should address the elephant in the room…"

I said as I walk up towards her, standing in front of the dragoness as she looks up at me wondering what I had in my mind as I stood in front of her my hands rubbing against each other as I address what happened back in the carriage.

"Listen, what you did in the carriage, losing your balance and holding on to… why did you feel embarrassed about what you did and stood silent about it?"

I ask her as I look down at her, even after the guards told me not to bring up the situation to Barb I'm not the type of person to let things go or act like things like that never happened. Firstly Barb doesn't need to act like she can't hold onto me if she ever feels scared, again I had to deal with my niece's anxiety when we took flights for a vacation. But if she can't cooperate with me and tell me what is wrong about what she did then how does she expect me to help her? Barb looks up at me as she was quiet for a moment, trying to pick the right words so she doesn't present herself as a weirdo, after staying quiet for another few minutes, now sitting next to her on the bench as she starts to talk.

"Well… when we met for the first time I wanted to be chill, I wanted to feel like we can get along with each other and not feel weird from any tension. Look, I'm sorry if I weirded you out, I was just scared and I needed to hold onto the closest thing next to me and…"

"Barb."

I said as I gently hold onto her hand, immediately she stops talking and looks over towards me as she heard me say her name. I look at her as I think for a moment, like her I was trying to pick the next few words very carefully as to not make her feel weird about what I was going to say. Gently I sigh as I look at her I finally had some time as to what I was going to say before starting to speak.

"Look, it's bad enough that you feel weird about doing what you did, and it was out of reflex so it's not your fault. But if you ever feel like you're in danger when we're walking around or if we're alone wherever we're staying at. Feel free to hold onto me, believe me if my niece had to do it then you can, never feel weird about doing it okay"

I explain to her as she looks at me, she seems to understand what I am trying to tell her but at the same time this was going to be hard for both her and myself. Yeah I can understand why she might feel this way, I'm completely new to her in the sense of being pushed up against her and having to be forced to make friends with whoever was in front of her. But at the same time I want her to feel like whatever she needs as a coping mechanism, and if that means having to hold onto the first thing she sees then who am I to stop her. The dragoness looks at me with a sense of understatement as she gently node her head, saying.

"Okay, but…"

She said but was cut off mid sentence as she was distracted by something or someone standing behind me as I look at her. Wondering what she was looking at as I saw the expression that her life was flashing before her own eyes. I look at her, wondering what was wrong before turning my head around, immediately I was struck in the head. Grunting as I fell to the ground, groaning hard as I held my head with both hands. Slowly I start to hear faint sounds of Barb calling my name in a state of panic, before turning towards somepony yelling at them why they did what they did before fainting hearing the sound of a group yelling at her. Before long I was slowly knocked on conscious as I laid my head against the floor, so I'm guessing this was the welcoming committee ain't this just a marvelous want to greet a new neighbor.