The New Guard

The day was starting off pretty well.

Despite it still being early, ponies were already up and about, opening up their stores, going to work, or simply drawing in the morning air. There was a certain charm to this town, it was like you could actually feel it waking up, like if the town was a living being. He could smell the smell of freshly baked bread, hear the sounds of hooves as they moved about their business.

Sadly however, as Mathias walked with his shield in his left hand, and his gladius in his belt, he could feel a number of eyes on him. He could not quite tell if they looked upon him with fear or outrage, maybe a mix of both. One thing was certain, the ponies, despite being friendly creatures, were not happy of having a human acting as their guard.

Maybe they didn't think they needed a guard to begin with, heck, for all Mathias knew, maybe they didn't. The guardhouse had been empty of any guards for years now, and probably for a good reason. He would need to find out why, but it was likely because not much happened here.

Of course he wasn't ignorant of all the adventures happening here, Twilight and her friends were quite important, and had gained a reputation. They were the elements of harmony after all, heroes. So if anything did happen, his primary job would in all likelihood be bringing ponies to safety while the heroes handled the monsters. Now did that mean Mathias would not raise his sword if circumstances required it? Not at all, if it came to it, he would fight.

However, it was one thing to say that, but in truth, Mathias had never killed or wounded anyone. He could fight, he knew he could, but would he cross that final line if need be? He liked to think so, but it just showed he did not only have to prove himself to the ponies, but to himself as well.

This morning however he didn't really expect anything to happen, that was the funny thing about new jobs, nothing almost never happens on the first day. Still, it wasn't as much to watch out for ponies, although that was a part of it, he wanted to get the lay of the land. He did have a map in his office, but it was old, and probably outdated. Besides, no map could beat knowing your way around the place, so for now he just marched up and down every street, taking mental notes about the names of the shops and cafés.

A lot of ponies were watching him as he walked, it was to be expected, but as he walked he started to go over what to write on his list for Mayor Mare. He didn't have any other guards to worry about, so his budget would not be huge, something he figured would please his boss.

It wasn't like he needed much, some simple supplies, papers, ink, stamps, and some tools to maintain the place and equipment. He had hoofcuffs, a set was hanging from his belt, along with a bridle, something he hadn't thought he would see here, but he could understand how useful they would be when transporting a prisoner.

Mathias also considered asking for a baton, a wooden one. It was less lethal than a sword, but then again, he would probably not be able to use it very well when it came to ponies. More importantly, he needed to ask for some materials he could use to train with, like a thick wooden pole he could practice his swings on. That should be pretty cheap, maybe even free if he cut down a tree himself.

All in all he didn't see himself needing a lot of money right from the get go, but a budget would be nice to work with. Once he had a budget, he would decide what it was spent on, and being the only guard, it meant he could invest in important areas. If he ever got more guards, the budget would be limited, so if he was going to invest in big things, it had to be now.

Mathias stopped, looked to Celestia's sun above and figured he should get back to his guard house, write down his list of the most pressing matters, then go to town hall. Mayor Mare had not been very specific about when she wanted to meet, but he imagined the best time would be around lunch. So, turning on his heel, he started to march back.

Already he had gotten a pretty good idea about the layout of the town, there were still plenty to explore. He hadn't gotten to the Apple Farm yet for example, and neither had he been at the schoolhouse. Mathias wanted to plan out the best routes through the town to get to trouble fast, but he knew it would still take a little while before he was that comfortable with the place. Though it was not hard to navigate, he wanted to act on reflex, and not through guessing.

More ponies were out and about now, some of them he had passed before, and by now they had gone from quiet nervousness to just ignoring him. Suited him just fine, better to be ignored than feared or hated. Well, maybe hate was too strong a word, as far as he knew, ponies didn't hate creatures simply because they were different. They were simply nervous and unsure about him, and as the guard he would need to prove to them they could trust him.

The friendly town guard, that was who he had to become. Just like a local country copper on his bike, moving through the village where the biggest crime is the local kids stealing apples from an old lady's garden.

As he marched with his long strides, he spotted the little purple dragon, Spike. He was carrying a stack of boxes, trying his best to balance them as he took one careful step after another. Mathias frowned, knowing it could only end badly, and seeing no Twilight around, he decided to step in and give the little dragon some help.

"Woa there!" Mathias exclaimed, catching some of the boxes with one hand as they were about to fall over. "That was close, are you alright buddy?"

Spike let out a relieved breath, then nodded. "Yeah, thanks Mathias," replied Spike, putting down the remaining boxes as Mathias took the rest. "In a bit of a rush, so maybe I carried one too many."

"What's the rush?"

Spike smirked. "I'm going gem hunting with Rarity today, but I have to get these boxes to the library first. The quicker I get it done, the quicker I can get going with Rarity."

"I see, well, four hands are better than to, so how about I'll help you bring these to Twilight?" Mathias suggested, having no problem carrying his stack of boxes in one arm, and still hold his shield in his left hand.

"Thanks Mathias, you're a life saver."

Mathias smiled, happy to see the little guy had warmed more up to him. It made him more certain he could actually win more hearts and minds if he just showed he was not some scary monster, or whatever they thought about him. The human guard and the little dragon assistant started to walk once again, now that Spike had fewer boxes to carry and balance, it went much smoother.

As they moved, they talked about this and that, nothing serious. He talked about gems, how good they tasted, and Mathias enjoyed listening. He got the impression Spike did not always get enough attention, not in a bad way, but it was clear the little guy enjoyed being listened to.

Before they knew it, they could see Twilight's library ahead, but before they could even get a meter closer, something suddenly came towards them. Mathias only just managed to stop, placing a foot in front of Spike to stop him as well, and then, SWOOSH! Something insanely fast flew past them, leaving behind it a rainbow streak. Before Mathias could see where the object had gone to, it had already vanished.

Spike didn't seem as shocked however, more annoyed, yet relieved. "Whew, thanks for that Mathias."

"What in the name of Hades was that?" Mathias asked confused, slightly rattled as he had never seen anything move like that.

"Oh that? That was just Rainbow Dash. She likes flying fast, you can always tell its her thanks to the rainbow streak she leaves behind." Spike explained, then shrugged like if it was no big deal, and continued walking towards the library.

"And ponies are just okay with her going this fast through the streets?" Mathias asked, following the little dragon.

Spike shrugged again. "Guess we've just become used to it."

Mathias could hardly believe Rainbow Dash could fly that fast. She had boasted about her speed quite often, and when they cleaned he had seen how fast she could be, but he had never seen her fly that fast before, and the fact she did it so close to the ground unnerved him a little. It wasn't just the fact she was flying low, but she was flying through the streets, a place where the number of ponies were greater and more densely packed than up in the sky. He wasn't going to make a big deal out of this, but he would need to look the rules up, and have a little talk with her.

"Well, here we are!" Spike suddenly exclaimed, stopping in front of the door. "Thanks for the help Mathias!"

"Oh, no problem Spike." Mathias replied, putting the boxes down. "I need to get back to the guardhouse, have a list to finish for Mayor Mare."

Spike chuckled. "You should get Twilight to help you with that."

Mathias laughed, he knew Twilight had a love for lists and reports. Lord knows how many she made about him on their trip to Canterlot. "No thanks, I'm not that desperate yet." He replied, earning him a grin from Spike who raised his claws up to make a fist. Mathias smirked, made a fist of his own and bumped it against the little dragon's.

Spike beamed, clearly very pleased. "See you later Mathias!"

"See you later Spike!" And with that, the two parted ways.

Mathias couldn't help feeling a bit satisfied. Spike had warmed up to him, they chatted, and the whole interaction was pleasant. It gave Mathias that little confidence boost he needed, feeling that maybe he could be a part of this community. Still though, he had to talk to Rainbow Dash about her speeding through the town like that. Nothing serious, just a little talk about safety, that should be easy, right?

For now however he returned to his guardhouse, unlocked the door and stepped inside. He decided to leave the front door open, letting ponies know the guard was in. He made a mental note, maybe he should invest in a sign so ponies could see if he was there or not, that way they did not need to waste time.

He walked to a desk, put his shield next to it, took off his helmet, and sat down. The desk was a little small for him, but it would do for now, and he made yet another mental note to get some better furniture for himself. Getting some paper, dipping his quill in the ink, he started to write the list of things he had noted needed more urgent fixing.

Guard House Urgent Equipment Needs

1. Two sets of basic tools for basic use/repairs.
2. Maintenance equipment for armor, weapons, chains, and so forth.
3. 5 sets of first aid kits.
4. Updated map of Ponyville.
5. Basic cell accommodation, such as 12 blankets, 12 pillows, plates, basic eating utensils, toilet paper and candles.
6. Guard accommodation needs, 8 blankets, 8 pillows, plates, basic eating utensils, toilet paper. Books for relaxation and time passing also recommended, even basic board games/cards.

The list went on, and of course there were things he did not put down. Such as new weapons and armor, for now he did not need it since he was the only guard, but he would get some new sets next time around. He'd rather not push his luck, and so wanted to make sure he had spare weapons if need be.

He let the ink dry, then went to his pantry to get some bread and an apple. It was a small meal, but he wasn't really that hungry yet. 20 minutes later he stood up, put on his helmet, took his shield and list, and was once again on the move, this time towards Town Hall.

It didn't take him long to get there, town hall was at the same street as the guardhouse for obvious reasons, so five minutes later, he was in the reception room. A mare sat behind a desk, looking bored, filing her hoof. Mathias had barely stepped into the room before she noticed him, that made her stop, her eyes go wide and straighten in her chair.

"C-can I help you, uhm, sir?"

Mathias strode up to the desk and took off his helmet, placed it under his arm and nodded. "I am here to see Mayor Mare. I'm the new guard." He added, even though it might have been obvious.

The mare nodded. "Ah yes, well, she's expecting you. Just right through that door, down the hall, up the stairs, and the door at the very end of the hall. It says Mayor on the door." Explained the mare, trying to keep her tone neutral, but Mathias could see she wanted to ask all kinds of questions.

"Thank you."

Mathias simply said, not feeling like sticking around for any questions she might have, not to mention anything he told her would likely end up as gossip. He didn't need any rumors spreading, or in any case, gossip that would just fuel any existent rumors. He followed her directions, down the hall, up the stairs, and down another hall. Pretty easy to find, and he made an internal map of the building in his head, he could deduce the mayor's office was right above the reception room, probably looking over Ponyville square.

Stopping in front of the door, he took a deep breath and knocked gently. A few seconds passed, no answer, so he knocked again, this time a little harder. This time the answer came only three seconds after. "Come in!" Mayor Mare's voice called.

The door was opened, and Mathias stepped in. After closing the door behind him, he placed the shield down to the floor, letting it rest against the wall while he walked up to the mayor's desk. "Good day Mayor, I'm here with my list."

Again, the mayor didn't look pleased, nor did she look hostile, just distrustful. "Ah, guardpon.. Guardsman Frost." She said, correcting herself. "Good, I've gotten your budget ready as well, so let us make this quick so we can continue our day."

"Certainly." Mathias nodded, placing the list on her table. "I've made it simple, since I'm the only guard the most things I need are tools, some stuff for the cells and so forth."

Mayor Mare nodded absently, as if only listening with half an ear. She took the list, unfolded it and let her eyes scan the words written. "Hmm.." She hummed, looking over everything with a keen eye for detail. After what seemed like a full five minutes she put the list down and nodded.

"This all seems reasonable." Mayor Mare then stated, and the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. "Now then." She reached to her side, and pushed a key towards him. "This is for you, it is the key to the coin chest. In there you will find your entire budget, along with documents for you to record whatever you spend bits on in a official capacity." Mathias reached for the key, it hung in a leather string, and so he put it around his neck for safe keeping. "I want documentation for whatever you spend your budget on."

"Understood, mayor." Mathias nodded, knowing this was no small responsibility.

"Since we never had any trouble without a guard, I have not budgeted for a larger guard force. I see no reason to for now, so you will be acting guard, and guard captain." She explained, leaning back in her chair, tapping her hooves together with a thoughtful expression. "Is there anything else?"

Mathias shook his head. "No ma'am, I think I understand."

Mayor Mare nodded, then gestured with a hoof towards a chest. "Then you can take the chest with Bits and go."

"As you say."

Mathias took his shield, and the chest, and left town hall. It was quite heavy, but thankfully it wasn't far to the guardhouse. He was going to stash it away in his apartment, that way he figured no one could take Bits without him knowing about it.

As he walked, he glanced up at the sky, checking the position of the sun one more time. When done with the chest he should find Rainbow Dash and have that talk with her. After that he might as well return back, and start coming up with a schedule for himself. He was only one guard after all, and he could not patrol all hours of the day, he needed free time, time to sleep and eat.

Back home you had unions taking care of the hours, here he basically was his own boss, and he could decide his hours. A pretty sweet deal, and if there really was so little trouble in this town, then his job should be fairly simple. He made quick work of the chest, locking it in his wardrobe, then went back out to find Rainbow Dash. If he couldn't find her, he was sure Twilight could give him a hoof.

Once again he was out and about, his helmet on his head, his shield in his hand, and his eyes on the sky. One should think Rainbow Dash would be easy to spot, she left a rainbow trail after all, but of course there was a chance she was on the ground somewhere, resting, or hanging out with her friends.

Thinking he might as well take the opportunity to explore a bit more of Ponyville, he started his search at the big apple farm, Sweet Apple Acres. He knew Applejack and her family ran the place, and she had talked a lot about how their apples were the best in Equestria, in her humble opinion anyway. After tasting the legendary apples for himself, Mathias could rightly say he had never tasted apples as good as theirs.

He followed the dirt road out of Ponyville, soon enough he was greeted with open fields on each side. The tall grass waved in the wind like waves in the oceans. The wind felt good, it was relaxing, and besides the sound of his armor, there were no sounds other than that of nature itself.

"whaaaaaaaaaath oooooooooooooooooooooooout!!!"

"Huh?"

Mathias had barely managed to turn around when he was suddenly faced with an object speeding towards him. For a second he thought it was Rainbow Dash, but what typically followed Rainbow Dash was a rainbow trail, not flames.

"What the hell?!"

Mathias jumped to the side, barely managing to avoid what looked like a red pull along wagon with fireworks strapped to the end. He watched it zoom down the road, then hit a rock by a sudden turn and move down the hill towards the river. The sight was certainly something new.

"Oh no! Our space rocket!" A voice whined behind him. Mathias turned once more, then found three fillies panting, like if they had just been running.

"T...Tarnation..." A filly with a big bow panted. "Now we... We'll..."

"Never get our... Cutie... Cutie mark in rocket building..." A unicorn filly continued where the earth pony had left off.

"Or being space ponies." An orange Pegasus filly finished of. She seemed less out of breath, more tomboyish. Then she looked at him, she seemed puzzled for a moment, then her eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, you're the homan Mathias, right?!"

Mathias was slightly taken aback by the sudden shift in conversation, like if he hadn't just seen a homemade rocket sink zoom past him and end its fate in the river. "Human." Mathias corrected. "And yes, I am. Who are you three?"

The Pegasus filly smirked. "I'm Scootaloo!"

The other two, having recovered, smiled and stepped up to introduce themselves. "I'm Apple Bloom, nice to meet ya mister!"

"I'm Sweetie Belle." The unicorn filly then said, seeming more gentle, but nonetheless excited.

Mathias couldn't help but smile a little at the three young fillies. "It's nice to meet you all. Uhm, that thing you just fired into the lake..?"

"Oh, we were trying to build a spaceship and go to space!" Scootaloo said, like it was a normal endeavor for three school fillies to start on. "Just like in my comics."

Apple Bloom sighed. "I told you, it wouldn't work.."

"Well, we might have gotten it into the air if we used more fireworks!" Scootaloo protested, earning her a frown from Mathias.

"Uhm, girls." Mathias butted in, making them all look at him again. "I would prefer it if you did not play with fireworks, or any kind of explosive or things that involve fire. You three could have gotten hurt."

All three frowned, looked down at the ground as they recognized they were being reprimanded by an adult. He may be human, but he was an adult nonetheless, and a guard. Mathias couldn't help but notice so far those three treated him just like they would any pony. Leave it to the foals not to see species.

Since no one got hurt, Mathias decided not to make anymore out of it, though he would need to fish that wagon up from the river at some point. "So, do you promise to be more careful in the future?"

They all nodded, then said in unison. "We promise.."

"Good." He smiled. "Then perhaps you three can help me with something." That made them look up, clearly interested, if not down right excited.

"We're going to help you?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a small excited gasp.

"Are we going to become guards too?!" Scootaloo asked.

"Uhm, well I-"

"We could get out cutie marks in being guard ponies!" Apple Bloom added, and the three stood up on their hindlegs and bumped their hooves together like a group high five.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Guard ponies!" They called out in unison.

Then they got back down on all fours, stood stiffly, like if standing to attention, but still smiled excitedly. Mathias couldn't really help but find the fillies adorable, like a bunch of little sisters. Chuckling, he got down on one knee so better to look at them. "I'm looking for a certain pony by the name of Rainbow Dash."

Scootaloo gasped. "What?! She hasn't done anything wrong!" She yelled, almost in a panic.

"Easy there Scootaloo." Mathias quickly said. "I just need to talk to her about something important, she is not in trouble, promise."

"Oh.. Well, if that's the case.." Scootaloo sighed, clearly relieved.

"She's over at my place!" Said Apple Bloom. "She is helping my sister with some harvesting. I think.."

"Great, thank you little lady." Mathias chuckled and stood up. "You two stay out of trouble."

"We will!" They said, again in unison.

Mathias had thought that would be the end of their interaction for now, but as he started to march down the road, he quickly noticed the three fillies were following him. Their eyes were fixed on Mathias, and before he could ask them if they were following him, they started to ask him all sorts of questions.

"Are you an alien?"

"Yes."

"Can you fly?"

"No."

"Can you breath fire?"

"No."

"Can you read minds?"

"No."

"Melt minds?"

"Ew!"

"No."

"Destroy minds?"

"No."

"Can you fly?"

"You've asked that already Scootaloo!"

"Whoops!"

The questions went on, and on, and on. Mathias was a patient guy, so he just tried to remain calm and answer all their questions, no matter how silly. Thankfully they were pretty easily distracted, and more than once did their questions devolve into discussions between the crusaders, giving him a moment to breathe and clear his head.

He didn't really mind, kids would be kids, and he could imagine if a Pony arrived in his town, then he would be one of the kids running after it, asking the pony all sorts of questions. Thankfully though they were not far from the farm, so when they arrived the filly's questions died down.

Quickly Mathias spotted Applejack and the rest of her friends, more importantly, he quickly spotted Rainbow Dash, floating above the rest of the mares carrying some basket filled with apples. The only one missing from the group was Rarity, but Spike had told him she and him would be gem hunting, so it did not surprise him.

The five mares quickly spotted him in turn though, and Pinkie was the first as usual to give him that oh so Pinkie like greeting. "Matty Patty!" Pinkie called, her smile seemingly growing. "Have you come to help with the apples too?!"

Mathias walked closer, the three fillies having already run inside the farmhouse as they smelled the smell of freshly baked apple pie. "Oh, no I'm afraid not, I'm still on duty."

"What can we help you with then?" Asked Applejack in a neutral tone. "If ya not here to help, then you must be here on business."

"Oh dear.." Fluttershy said, her voice little, almost non existent. "Has something serious happened?"

"Oh no no no, it's okay. I just wanted to have a word with you, Rainbow Dash."

"What? Me? Why me?" Rainbow asked, actually seeming shocked, if not a little pissed off.

"It's okay, it is nothing serious, I just need to have a word with you in private." Mathias didn't really care if the other girls heard it, but he did think it was a private matter between the town guard and Rainbow Dash, if she decided to tell the others, then that was her right. It was not for him to broadcast anything involving anypony.

"Ergh... Fine.." Rainbow grumbled, finally agreeing. She put the basket down, and flew over to Mathias who walked a few meters away from the curious group of friends. Once out of ear reach the Pegasus crossed her hoof and asked. "What?" If there was a picture of the word attitude in the dictionary, Rainbow would be the one mare in that photo.

He hadn't even told her what the problem was yet, but already she was giving him a sort of closed off attitude, almost challenging. The way she moved, the way she looked at him, her tone of voice, it all just screamed she hated being confronted by an authority figure.

For now, Mathias decided to ignore it. He didn't want to waste time, or give her more reason to close herself off from him. He wasn't here to bust her after all, just give her friendly advice on safety, no reason to make a big deal out of it. "Listen Dash, I saw you fly through town today."

"And?"

Okay Mathias, just breathe, don't let her take control of the conversation. "And I don't know if you remember, or even saw us, but you almost flew into me and Spike. Had I not stopped him, you would have flown into the little guy."

Rainbow just snorted. "Pffft, please. I'm Rainbow Dash, I know what I'm doing."

"Perhaps, but other ponies might get in the way in a way that you cannot react in time." Mathias warned. "I just want to make you aware of it, ask you to be more careful when flying low in town."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, and she kind of reminded him of those teens who tried to act tougher than they were when facing authority. "Whatever, it's not like you can do anything."

He narrowed his eyes. "Rainbow, I'm the guard, I'm trying to be polite here."

Then she laughed, flew closer and patted Mathias on the shoulder. "Come on big guy, no reason to act so tough. You may be a guard, but you're no pony. You don't have wings, nor magic. If I wanted I could just stay right above you." She smiled, Rainbow actually smiled at him like he was the one being silly.

It was then that he knew for sure, Rainbow did not take him seriously in his role as a guard. Mathias didn't get the sense she looked down on him, but she was clearly used to having her way, and so being confronted by a guard, a human guard no less, she had trouble really understanding the seriousness of it. To her, it just seemed like a joke.

Mathias hadn't yet checked the rules about low flying in Ponyville, but even if he had, he had no intention of giving her a fine or arrest her, even though she was kind of pushing her luck right now. He wanted to be fair, just have a talk, but if she was breaking town law, and if she kept acting like a smartass, he would take her in.

"I'm warning you Dash, be careful."

Rainbow laughed, rolled her eyes, and even snorted, all three things pissed him off. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say Mr. Guard." She winked, then flew back to her friends without even confirming the conversation was over.

Mathias just let out a sigh, then left her and the rest of the girls alone. There was no need to escalate the situation, especially not when he had no idea if she really was breaking some sort of town code. So instead he decided to return to his guardhouse, spend some more time getting things organized and of course read up on local laws.

The rest of the day went by quietly, nothing happened, no pony came by to ask for the help of the guard. Seeing no point in marching up and down the streets any more today, he decided to keep his public door open until an hour to midnight, then close down. With nothing having happened, except for his little run in with Rainbow Dash, he wasn't really tired.

His studies had however paid off. He made notes about the most likely violations he was to encounter, some good tips, notes, not to mention the local flying codes. Seemed like if he caught Rainbow doing such stuff again he should have a more serious talk with her, this time, with less patience.

With the town quieting down, and time approaching the final hour, Mathias locked up and returned to his home. His steps were clear and loud, signaling to the empty building he was quite alone here. It was not a fun reminder, as he went to his apartment, which had been furnished quite nicely, he could not help but still feel alone.

Despite its niceties, its warm comforts, there were no items that really told his story, nothing to remind him of home. His mind, his roman equipment, those were the only things he had from his human world. This place, it was not alive, it had no expression of who he was, or where he came from. No pictures, no real personal items.

It would likely take time before this really felt like home, and so the only personal memorabilia was his old hobby and passion. He undressed, sat down on a small bench and started to work on his armor, making sure it was in top condition. To pass the time, he hummed a tune, sang silently a song his reenactment group had sung for fun.

It was from a movie, Dragon Blade, but the song was still fun to sing, and in this moment it made him feel less alone, as if it was closer to him.

Firme nunc me spondeo,
Fidelis tibi maneo,
Bella priorum cara patria,
Nunc et semper florens gloria,

Pulchras terrae patriae!
Fortes terrae pro homines,
Romae noster aeterne,
Vis cavire domum navium,

Frusta ipsa impetur,
Sunt sine spe!
Domus dulces portula,
Fraudi ob sat,

Tubae militaris vox,
Legiones procat mox!
Et in tota patria,
Cantus victoriae resonat,

Et in tota patria,
Cantus nostrae resonat,
Tempus est in gaudium,
Superbiae Roma aeterna...

When everything was over and done with, the hour was near midnight, a new day would dawn in just a few hours, so if he wanted to be rested he had to turn in for the night. He placed his armor on a stand, then took off his tunic and crawled into bed.

The last candle was blown out, and Mathias got comfortable under the covers. As he laid there in the darkness, his mind went over the events of the day. Mayor Mare was clearly not happy with him so far, or rather, maybe she wasn't happy having a guard in the first place. Still though, he didn't get the impression they could not get on better terms.

The same went for other ponies, the ones who had looked at him looked more annoyed than angry or hateful. So far Rainbow Dash had been the worst of them all, but even that didn't seem to come from a bad place. She didn't seem to see herself to be superior, nor did she seem like she thought he was below ponies. She was just being an arrogant little brat, but nothing irredeemable.

Despite these things, he had also seen the other side to this coin. Spike had warmed up to him, and the three fillies had never given him one bad look, they had asked him a lot, but no question carried the tone of accusation or suspicion.

Tomorrow would be better, at least he hoped so.

Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and let himself drift into a deep slumber. His body relaxed, and his mind entered a realm where only one other living being was allowed.

Standing in a massive grass field, Mathias found himself looking to the stars above, and the silver light from the moon. It bathed the waving fields in beautiful light. Here Mathias didn't feel fear, nor did he feel alone, because he knew only one person, or pony, could make him this aware in his own dream.

He smiled to himself, looked up at the amazing artwork of the night sky. "You've outdone yourself this time."

"We had nothing to do with the landscape before you, this is your construct of my night sky." A mare's voice replied, the voice of Luna. "I simply brought it into focus." Luna chuckled, then seemed to appear next to him, as if stepping out from behind a curtain.

"Well, it's nice to have you here all the same." Mathias replied. "How goes it in Canterlot?"

"Celestia and I miss you, but we understand this is something that you must do. You must carve your own way into this world." Luna replied, then looked at him. "And what of you? How was your first day?"

Mathias let out a sigh, turned around and walked towards a hill. "It could have been worse." There was a tree up on that hill, Mathias was not sure what kind, but it was old and large. Its branches were thick and long, creating a crown that was almost majestic in nature. There at the roots he sat down, leaning back against the large trunk, looking over the waving grass fields.

Luna followed him, planting herself next to Mathias. "What ails you?"

He hesitated, but after a few seconds he spoke up. "No, well, maybe. It's only my first day, I guess I'm still a little nervous, unsure about everything around me. Unsure if I can make friends here or not."

"I see." Luna replied, nodding her head slightly. "I understand, I feel the same way sometimes."

"You? But you're their princess," said Mathias, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Mathias, my title creates a certain barrier between me and common ponies, not to mention, my past does make most ponies uncomfortable."

"Ah, yes, I've forgotten about that, forgive me." He replied, having forgotten about the whole Nightmare Moon thing. Luna had told him everything about it, but it was just hard for him to imagine her as this dark and evil being.

"Nothing to forgive Mathias, I'm glad you can see past it." She smiled. "But more to the point, you should not be afraid of making friends. I know you are going to do great, I have faith in you."

He smiled. "Thanks Lulu, that really means a lot to me."

"Do not worry my friend, everything will work out, you'll see. Just be yourself, that is the advice Tia always gives me."

Mathias smirked. "And has it worked?"

She let out a sigh. "Only partially, turns out there are a lot of traditions that have gone out of fashion since my banishment... I am still catching up on the social norms."

He could see this frustrated her, even saddened her a bit, not being able to connect with her subjects. In that sense, they were pretty similar. Both of them felt like this world was quite foreign to them, like they were learning everything about the world all over again. Both had something to prove to themselves, and to the ponies around them.

Mathias smiled, putting an arm around Luna and let out a tired sigh. "Well, whatever happens, I'm glad to at least have you and Celestia as my friends."

Luna returned his smile, scooting a little closer. "Thank you, Mathias."

"Don't mention it.."

They sat there, under the stars of his dreams, just enjoying the scenery in quiet. Then after a few seconds she gasped. "By the stars, I've nearly forgotten! You promised me we should continue to see the plays of this poet Disney!"

Mathias chuckled. "Oh right, which one did we decide on next?"

"Lion King!" Luna exclaimed with glee.

In front of them appeared a great canvas, the kind you see in movie theaters. Where the light from the projector came from Mathias had no idea, but apparently his mind had recorded everything, like every movie, and when in the dream world he basically had unlimited access, which meant in turn he could have movie nights with Luna in there.

As Luna conjured up some popcorn for them to share, Mathias could not help but smile. He hoped things would work out here in Ponyville, but even if they didn't, he was happy to have friends like Luna and Celestia. Knowing they were still with him was a huge comfort, especially right now.

Mathias didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but he was determined to make it better than today, and the next day better than tomorrow. Here he would make a home, right here, in Equestria.