The Masked Stallion

Bolt and Applejack hustled off the train, chatting excitedly. The train ride had been a great one, with both of the ponies shooting questions off. They had an enjoyable time, too.

"So, are we gonna see this 'Twilight' or what?" Bolt said, waving to the trainmaster as they trotted onto the wooden platform. Applejack nodded back.

"We're gonna go and take a taxi carriage. Y'all have that in Canterlot?" Bolt shrugged and showed her an 'not-sure' face. She chuckled and waved her hoof as a taxi carriage stallion galloped by. He stopped, turned around to her, and backed up.

"Ello, ma'am. You need a ride?" He smiled and gestured to the seat. Applejack smiled back and they climbed in, setting their luggage onto the floor. "Where to?" He unfolded a map and she pointed to a treehouse.

"Ah, Princess Twilight's home." He folded the map up, pushed it in his saddlebag, and started walking. "Full speed?" He asked. Bolt looked at Applejack then nodded. He quickly warmed up his muscles and started to gallop.

"Princess?" Bolt said. Applejack took a deep breath and explained the whole story. "Remember how you met me on the train? Well, Ah actually was on there because my friend Twilight had just got her princess coronation. They decided to leave pretty quick back ta Ponyville for celebration, but Ah said ah would stay there cause my Aunt an' Uncle Orange were visiting Canterlot and invited me to stay with 'em for a few days. So Twi and my other friends went back and told me ah could take my time. After the visit, I was plannin' to go back to Ponyville right away. So ah did, and ah met you."

"I see." Bolt caught himself for a second and blurted out a question. "What if she reports me to Princess Celestia?" Applejack looked at him seriously. "I promise it won't happen."

The taxi stallion slowed down his gallop into a simple tug as they pulled up in front of a treehouse-like library. "7 bits, please." He stuck out his hoof demandingly. Applejack raised her hoof in protest, only to find Bolt throwing him 7 bits quickly. The taxi stallion grinned cheekily, helped them unload the luggage, and left in a canter.

The two lugged their items to the front door slowly. Applejack knocked the door, hearing a slight chattering sound. As she finished knocking the door, a yell was heard, and a muffled 'Coming!' was blurted out.

"Helllooo?" A pink and cheerful looking pony popped out of nowhere, standing in the space where the door was. Bolt looked at her confusingly, and Applejack smiled at her.

"Howdy Pinkie!"

"Hey, it's Applejack and a stranger!" The pink pony turned around and yelled for her friends to come. A bunch of ponies squeezed in the doorway, exactly about 4. A bundle of voices burst out of them.

"Who are you?"

"Hey, he's got a horn!"

"Are you a SPY?"

"Everypony, just calm down." A soothing voice cut through everyone's thoughts sharply, but with a hint of cheerfulness and obvious curiousness. A purple bubble surrounded the ponies and it moved them towards the 2 stunned ponies, moved up, and landed right on their heads.

"Oops! I'm sorry, I didn't really see you guys there." Now, standing in the doorway was a purple alicorn with an golden crown on her head, blushing feebly as she one by one picked everyone up with her magic.

Bolt popped up from the pile, moaning as he rubbed his head angrily. "Who just-" He caught sight of the golden crown on her head for a second and jumped out of the pile. "Your majesty." He bowed instantly, and the purple alicorn blushed even more.

"Uhm, thanks." She smiled kindly and gestured for him to lift his head. "No need to bow down or anything. I'm fine with a friendly hoofshake." Bolt smiled, but still stayed still. "No, really." She walked towards him, lifted him up to his hooves, and gave him a big hug."Thank you, your highness." He smiled lightly as the other ponies were dusting dirt off themselves. The purple pony smiled back weakly, clearly blushing. The other ponies joined him and they all trotted back into the treehouse, leaving Bolt and Applejack last.

"C'mon, scaredy-pants. Y'all comin' or what?" Applejack grabbed his hoof and pulled him into the room. He smiled playfully, lightened up, and followed her in the room.

The room was surrounded by bookcases and a few books rested on the floor. A ladder rested on an empty bookcase, a old-fashioned desk was set on the corner of the room, and a staircase was squeezed in the opposite corner. The second level of the room was a small space with a bed and a large window, plus one small basket covered in a blanket.

The ponies were now gathered in the middle of the room, talking and chattering excitedly. As Bolt studied the room more carefully, he noticed party things around the room. A table with a bowl of juice on it, cups, cake, and...a decorated flowery cannon? Bolt shrugged at his own thoughts and trotted towards the ponies shyly.

"Everypony, gather round." The bunch of ponies all gathered round on a table, each sitting down on a wooden chair. Bolt looked around for a seat, and slid next to a lightly yellow colored pony. The ponies were staring at him awkwardly, and he tugged his hood down onto his face shyly.

"Are you alright?" The princess said. Bolt stayed still, praying for someone to speak up. "He's just got a little...er...stage fright." Applejack chimed in, hoping that could cut it. "AJ, everypony knows that isn't true. This isn't a stage!" A blue mare pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane retorted. Bolt turned green.

"Everypony, PLEASE! Make some sense into this!" The princess was speaking again, but she didn't have any royal voice in it. Bolt flinched at her noise and took off his hood slowly. "First, we need to talk about this stallion. Applejack?"

"Well, er..." Applejack hesitated for a moment, but Bolt gave her a smile and she explained the whole story with confidence and pride. Bolt grinned throughout the whole story as the ponies asked questions and gasped dramatically. He didn't want to be boastful, but Applejack did tell stories very well, not exaggerating it one bit. Just like as she had said, she WAS an Element of Honesty.

"I see." The princess said, finishing Applejack's story briefly. Applejack grinned at Bolt, who grinned back.

"Now, let ME introduce you to my friends." She spoke directly to Bolt. He nodded, focused her way, and waited for the introduction. She pointed to the pony beside him, the yellow one. "That's Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness." Fluttershy blushed.

"Hello." She whispered. Bolt smiled a strict and firm smile.

"This, is Rainbow Dash, Element of Honesty." She pointed to the rainbow-colored mane pegasus next to Fluttershy, who flashed a competitive and boastful grin. Bolt smiled again, but this time made sure it was strict and ghastly, making it clear she shouldn't boast him around. She still stuck on her firm grin.

"This is Rarity, Element of Generosity." The princess guided Bolt's curiosity to the next pony in the table, a pretty white mare with a styled mane.

"Hello, darling!" Bolt became more and more friendly as the whole gang was introduced, and finally was introduced to the princess. The introductions to the other ponies had been brief, but he knew this one would be slightly more longer.

"And I think that's it!" The princess surprised Bolt a little, but he didn't interrupt. The pink colored pony, Pinkie, didn't hesitate.

"Silly little Twilight! You forgot something, doodly doo!" Pinkie shook her head and pointed at the princess. "You forgot yourself!" The princess blushed and took a puff of breath. "Thanks Pinkie." She smiled. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am the 6th Element of all of the Elements of Harmony, the Element of Magic. I was recently crowned princess for completing an ancient spell that Starswirl the Bearded could not finish, making Princess Celestia believe that I had created new magic."

Bolt looked at her surprisingly. "Starswirl the Bearded?" Twilight nodded. "Wow." He nodded back impressively, opening up completely with comfort and no shyness at all.

"Now, Ah believe ya need ta do sometin', Bolt." Applejack folded her hooves together and Bolt stared at her blankly. "What?" He said. Applejack rolled her eyes, but she smiled cheerfully and mouthed 'your introduction'. Bolt looked at her dangerously, totally reversing from his cheerfulness.

Hurmph, Applejack thought. She looked at him pleadingly. He softened his look, set aback by the sudden pleading look of Applejack, and sighed. The ponies looked at him now, eager for the story to spill out of him.

"My name is Bolt Highflyer. I...uh...I'm a...I...I used to be the captain of the Canterlot Elite." It was Twilight's turn to look surprised. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Canterlot Castle, guarding and supervising right now?" Bolt shook his head.

"You remember how Applejack said I ran away?" Bolt reminded her. Twilight and the other ponies nodded, and Pinkie Pie threw out an 'Ooooohh'. "That's it." He grinned goodheartedly. Just before Applejack was about to say something, a knock was heard on the door. Twilight trotted towards it and opened it with her magic.

"Hello?"

"Hello, your highness." 2 Canterlot guards appeared at the door, both colored white. A royal captain stood behind them, holding a bruised and beaten up pony, smashed to the brim. Bolt galloped upstairs and slipped under the bed, viewing the horrific scene from a safer distance.

"Excuse me?" Twilight levitated the 2 guards out of the way and stared in disbelief at the smashed up pony. "What in Celestia did you do?" She said. The royal captain bowed down.

"My highness and most recent royalty, let me introduce myself." He gave a twirl of the hooves before continuing. "I am Swift Flyer, the Canterlot Elite Captain. I am very delighted to make your acquaintance, Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"My question is, what are you doing with this poor pony!" Twilight snapped, obviously impatient of his quick introduction.

"Well you see your highne-"

"I don't see!"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I need a moment to speak."

"Well then. Go on!"

"Well ma'am, we are searching Equestria for a stallion named Bolt Highflyer. He has escaped from his duties and Princess Celestia asks for his presence immediately. We have set a citywide search for him for now, but we supposed we could give you the evidence first."

"Evidence, huh."

Swift continued without noticing Twilight's sarcastic comment. "This rude stallion, Kindspeed, has presented us evidence of the stallion's brief visit and disappearance after he ordered for him to do his daily grocery shopping." He pushed the beaten up stallion towards the princess.

"If you may, ma'am, I would like you to take him and question him, ma'am." Swift batted his eyes and flashed a mix of cute puppy eyes and devilish evil eyes, satisfied that everything was going to be perfect. "No thank you." Twilight said, but levitated the hurt stallion into the room as the other ponies peeked at him.

"B-b-ut-"

"No buts. I request you to stop this investigation IMMEDIATLEY."

"Ma'am, you don't understand! This is important and I'm sorry to say but your orders cannot override Princess Celestia's orders. We must leave now. Will you be taking the stallion?"

"...I request you to leave." Twilight finished shortly, and shut the door.