Butterscotch hid in the shadows, his form barely seen unless you were actively searching for him. His form shimmered for a moment before returning to his natural colour scheme of pink and yellow.
Butterscotch watched for a few moments after making sure they all safely made their way to Canterlot safely and he nodded his thanks to the chameleon who hid with him, his cutie mark shined then returned to its natural three butterflies. The chameleon slinkered off and Butterscotch hid there and he couldn't stop the satisfied smile on his face.
Another safe day, another good job.
He stood from his hidden position and in a blink, he was gone. He noticed that the 'Dusk Shine' of this place called Twilight Sparkle became an alicorn, he didn't know what to feel about that since being a princess would mean having a bigger target on her back. A slight inconvenience but for his friends? he could do anything.
Even taking the world.
"Hmph," Butterscotch smirked in amusement, he knew that it may seem unattainable but for the girls? anything is possible for him.
"!?" Butterscotch stared at the moon and sun clearly seen in the sky, he tensed immediately and shot to Ponyville. This was the first time he saw this and he'd rather make sure his girls were safe first before securing the perimeters.
He let out a sigh of relief when he saw all five of them in the town hall, but his speed quickened when he noticed a vine creeping up on them and looking ready to pounce! He hated them already, looking like a cheap changeling knockoff with its black cover and annoying turquoise thorns.
Reminding him of those parasitic insects, disgusting...
Luckily the girls were already making their way to the library giving him enough time to hold them back. Butterscotch's cutie mark shined and turned, he could already feel the changes in his body and he grinned.
No one harms his girls! no one! not even shitty weeds like these.
-Burn!-
Butterscotch breathed in and let out a largely concentrated stream of flame from his mouth and onto the offending weeds, immediately burning it to a crisp and leaving nothing behind. His eyes turned to the side as thunderstruck the ground next to him, it was those clouds that could've electrocuted Rainbow! He growled and shot a burst of fire towards the cloud, it poofed gone, an acid puddle appeared on the floor below it.
-It's acidic!?- Butterscotch's eyes widened and it widened, even more, when he noticed the girls running back to the town hall with the elements. His cutie mark shifted once more and he was gone but still in the vicinity, he should keep a close eye just in case. His brow rose as he watched the elements work their magic, and summoned...
-Eris!?- but something was different, Eris looked much more... masculine? in a sense. He watched as the Male! Eris continued to banter with the girls and he smiled when he noticed Fluttershy -his female counterpart- was friends with the draconequus, even in other dimensions it seems they would still be friends. His ears drooped as he remembered his Eris, last he heard was that she was cocooned and in the process of being brainwashed by Chrysalis. He growled, that parasite! he should've killed her the moment he could.
His ears perked up when all he heard was silence and he looked around when he noticed that they were just staring at something. His head swivelled around trying to see where they were looking at, after seeing that there wasn't anything to focus on other than him. Butterscotch tensed in preparation, ready to escape if they found out where he was. He wasn't ready to face them, he gritted his teeth when he noticed the sharp tendrils coming towards them at a quick speed.
-Move!- he shifted his stance when he noticed they still weren't moving, he was ready to pounce when necessary.
-Move!- why aren't they moving!? Butterscotch didn't know what to do. Should he reveal his position? they don't need the stress! especially when he heard that this world version of Solaris and Artemis were recently captured.
-Move! Don't just stand there!- He let out a sigh of relief when Twilight seems to snap out of her trance and take their attention away.
"Something happened to the Tree of Harmony" Twilight stated, her brow furrowed and Butterscotch watched as the ponies and zebra look at each other in confusion at that term. He quickly moved when they were distracted, not noticing the gaze of the alicorn on him as she watched something or somepony take down the vines quickly.
"The tree of what now?" questioned Rainbow, clear confusion in all of their faces.
"It's where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna found the elements" explained the purple alicorn. So that's their names, Butterscotch really needed to remember that. "I think it's in danger" she added, concern still noticeable as she continued like she didn't know.
"Well alright then! let's go save the-" Applejack paused as she tried to remember what Twilight just called the tree "-Tree" she finished lamely, a sheepish smile on her face as she pointed a hoof towards Twilight. "Uh... where is it exactly"
Now that's the real question, Butterscotch can't exactly trail them and make a safe route up ahead if he doesn't know where they are even going.
"I think it's in... there!" exclaimed purple-smart, her hoof pointing at Everfree. Butterscotch rose a brow, that was it? the vines may remind him of those parasites but just like its counterparts, they are still easy to exterminate. He smirked, this would be easy! but it seems the girls don't think that way with their dismayed reactions but Male! Eris seemed to enjoy it.
Besides, he lived in the Everfree ever since he got here. He knew this place like the back of his hoof!
"Seems like it was only yesterday that we went into these woods to find the Elements of Harmony" spoke Elusive's counterpart Rarity, nostalgia in her face.
"Seems like yesterday that i was foolish enough to get and get all on my own" answered Twilight, her face down ridden as she walked forward. "i don't know what we're going to face in there, but whatever it is. I know that we will face it together" Twilight finished a smile on her face. "Even you, hidden pony"
Butterscotch nodded in agreement then he froze when the realization hit him. Hidden pony!? was Twilight talking about him? he looked at the area around him trying to see if they were any other hidden presence but only found him, the girls and Spike.
"I don't know what your intentions are but after seeing you fight in the town hall, i knew that you were good" Butterscotch's ears folded in shame, You're too trusting Twilight, he doesn't deserve you.
"You noticed too!?" exclaimed Bubble Berry's counterpart Pinkie Pie, "I've always knew that they were there because of my Pinkie sense! but like i also got a shaky hoof showing that they don't wanna be found! so i was just waiting till they went out willingly!"
"Wait! wait wait, yer' tellin' me that ther's somepony following us!?" Applejack stopped in her tracks, her head shifting left and right trying to find this 'Hidden Pony' and teach them a lesson.
"Relax everypony, they won't do anything. I've been keeping an update on what they do near us and i realized that they were just protecting us or helping us" Twilight stated, her eyes trained right on Butterscotch, he couldn't stop the slight feeling of anxiety beginning to build up and he tensed. "they're like a hidden guard, i was going to ask Princess Celestia about them but i didn't have the chance"
The others look concerned for a moment before nodding, they would take Twilight's word for it.
"Uhm... hidden pony, can you introduce yourself to us?" Butterscotch looked around in hesitation when his counterpart Fluttershy asked for him, should he do it? he shouldn't blow his cover but...
After some time of silence, Butterscotch made his decision.
Author's Note
I'm thinking of making a series out of this, where different Rule 63 versions of the Mane six are teleported to Canon Equestria or at least an Au that closely follows canon.
I already did Dusk/ Male! Twilight's by the name of Dusk's New Dawn
Now I'm doing Butterscotch/ Male! Fluttershy.