New Friends and New Enemies

Chapter 4 Reunions
Again thanks to AdmKline for editing my work

Fluttershy had finally gotten to the ruins of the castle after having been forced to take shelter in a cave she had found to wait for the rain to pass. With the clouds clearing and the sun out she looked around the ruins in the morning light. Despite the rain the ground still had traces of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' hoofprints. Looking around she could see in the ground the signs of manticore tracks, claw marks and splotches of blood. Tears came to her eyes as she saw the trail of blood leading into a alcove with a torn down wall. She bit her lip fearing the worse but when she heard Scootaloo cry out from inside she ran as fast as her legs could go.

She jumped into the hole as she heard Sweetie Belle scold Scootaloo. "Hold still! You're not making this easy for it!" Inside the chamber it was a bit dark but a number of fires around the place showed the strange creature that stood over Scootaloo holding her right front hoof. The sight of blood shocked her as she shouted out in anger, "Get away from them!" Fluttershy may have been the Spirit of Kindness, but that did not mean she didn't get angry. The creature turned its head in surprise when Fluttershy shouted out.

When the Cutie Mark Crusaders saw Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom instantly dashed over to her in happiness. "Fluttershy!" They all cried out. Scootaloo attempted to stand but the creature held her down as it pointed a finger at her and went back to tending her leg. When Fluttershy saw that it was tenderly bandaging Scootaloo's leg she realized it was helping her. Instinctively she could feel the concern and compassion this creature had for Scootaloo. Once it was sure that the bandage was in place the creature began to move away after collecting the box. Scootaloo managed to stand up and limp over to Fluttershy who was so glad to see them.

"Oh I so happy to see you all! Scootaloo, your hurt! What happened?"

"I'm alright. The alien helped us.... where's it going?" Scootaloo said looking over Fluttershy.

They all turned to see the creature holding that blade in its hand as it tossed a can like object towards the four of them. It instantly started to produce a cloud of thick, heavy white smoke that made them back away as they coughed. The smoke screen almost filled the entire chamber before it began to dissipate almost as fast as it had been made. When the smoke cleared thanks to a strong gust of wind. the creature was gone.

Looking around Fluttershy was shocked. "What did it do? Where is it?"

As the four looked around it wasn't too much longer before a bright flash of light appeared and blinded them for a moment. When it faded there stood the rest of the Elements of Harmony as well as Shining Armor, two pegasi Solar Guards, and Princesses Celestia and Luna.

"Fluttershy,” Celestia said. “Are you and the fillies alright?" Then she saw that Scootaloo's right hoof was bandaged. "What happened?"The question was at once interrupted by Luna.

"Celestia, the Blade of Forest is gone!" she said with some urgency. Luna had walked over to the pedestal that once held the green blade as Scootaloo spoke up.

"The alien took it when it left after it bandaged my hoof."

A look of concern washed over the two alicorn princesses. Luna said "Please you must tell us everything that transpired. No matter how small a detail."

"What is this Blade of Forest?" Shining Armor asked.

Twilight came up to her mentor and teacher as she asked, "Princess?"

The alicorn princesses listened to the Cutie Mark Crusaders as they explained things from their point of view. Luna and Celestia realized that things were perhaps a bit worse then they had expected. Celestia told the guard. "We must find this being at once. Shining Armor."

The Guard captain stood at attention his armor shining in the light as he said, "Yes Princess?" He might have been her nephew-in-law but Shining Armor still took his duties seriously. The two pegasi Guards came beside him as she said.

"Captain we must find this being quickly. But do not attempt to apprehend it. It is more dangerous then you realize. If this creature knows about the powers the Blade of Forest has, then it will be beyond your ability to fight. If it is unaware of them then it might unleash an attack without intending to. Simply locate it and report back."

Everyone started to go back outside. Twilight said to Princess Celestia "If it came from the crash, it stands to reason that it would attempt to return there."

"Maybe not Sugarcube," Applejack said. "It might be hidin' in the forest nearby. Think about it. It was followed here by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Ah reckon that it would avoid th' area thinkin' it's not safe to return for a while." Looking around, Applejack saw the strange tracks from the impact. "Th' crash sight is ta the west o'here, these here are headin' east. It not headin' back there, it's hidin'."

*************

Watching from the cover of a doorway he had watched the chamber fill with light and a short time later watched a group of equines coming out of the chamber. Closing his eyes he said in a very soft voice "Shit." Of all the places, against all odds, how and why did he end up on a world infused with magic of all things? He recalled some of the discussions of its nature. Very few worlds were infused with some form of energy that some of the inhabitants could manipulate to produce various effects. While some could be hardly considered parlor tricks others... could be close to physics breaking reality bending powers.

His life had just gotten extremely complicated without knowing what the magic of this world could do or its limits. For all he knew they already knew his exact location. He gritted his teeth when he saw what appeared to be three guards in armor, one in fancier armor than the other two. A unicorn from the look, a captain of the guard perhaps or an elite soldier. The other two guards were pegasi by the looks of them. With them was a group of six slightly smaller equines; two ponies, two unicorns, and two pegasi. They were a bit smaller than the guards and to him looked like they might be children, which confused him, but when he considered the size of the guards.... maybe not. He hated this sort of mental reasoning. 'I'm a test pilot, not a biologist!' he thought. He was sure as hell not an ambassador or diplomat.

Two of them stood apart from the rest. One looked like a regal white unicorn with wings. An alicorn according to the mythology of earth. Her mane and tail moved as if she was in a breeze yet there was no wind that his suit's computer could detect. She also appeared to have what might be a colored brand on her flank. It was in the shape of a sun symbol. She also wore what looked like a tiara or small crown. Around her neck was what to him looked like a harness. Looking to the other, he saw an alicorn that had a midnight blue coat with a mane that appeared to have sparkles or stars in it. Like the first one she too had a tiara and harness. The mark on her flank was that of a moon. He noticed that all the equines had a mark making him shake his head. "Some sort of mark of maturity?" he asked himself. At that point the white alicorn began to listen to the orange pony with what looked like a Stetson hat on and then spoke. Those that could fly began to take to the sky spreading out as he lowered his head.

He would have to wait until nightfall to try and get back with the sword to repair his vessel. His jacket had a short time limited cloaking field but in broad daylight it was almost useless more so when he was moving. Sensing movement behind him he lifted his head up and turned around.

Right in his face was the head of a pink pony screaming something at him. There was no exit in the doorway arch he was in so the fact that she had appeared behind him, when the pink pony had been in the main group not three seconds ago made him scream out, sending him backwards into the open. Losing his footing, his voice carried while she pranced about as happy as could be calling out nice and loud. He could only assume she had called out "Found him!" He had attempted to reach for his last smoke bomb but when he turned around there was a flash of light as the unicorn guard in the fancy armor stood before him with a sword hovering in a magic glow.

Moments later to his right and left were the pegasi guards followed by the rest forming a circle around him. Holding his Gauss rifle in his hand, his other rifle and sword on his back he was surrounded. His eyes landed on the three young females he had watched over from the previous night. Holding the larger rifle in his hand he looked to the rainbow maned alicorn, beside and behind whom was the midnight blue alicorn. He looked around and then just gave up.

"For the love of...."

He wanted to say something of a much more colorful nature. Even though they couldn't understand him he was going to watch his language in front of the young. Lowering the barrel of that over sized rifle to the ground, he turned his gaze to the white alicorn feeling she was in charge. He spoke to her not expecting anything he said to be understood. "So what happens now?"

She spoke something in an unintelligible language. His suit picked up an energy field behind him. He turned surprised to see the small pony-sized purple unicorn had a glow around her horn. A purple light lashed out striking him on the head. His head instantly felt fuzzy and it was enough to throw his balance off as he went to one knee. He reeled from the overwhelming sensations coursing through his head as it left a burning ache in him. Humans generally did not react well to magic as Earth had almost no trace of magic and what little field it did have the human genome for it had long since been purged due to superstition and religious persecution. He was left trying to collect his thoughts as he knelt there using the rifle he had for support wrapping his free hand around his chest to try and support his ribs that ached and burned in protest.

The tail lash from the creature he had saved the young beings from had cracked a number of his ribs badly. Minor injuries had turned into considerable ones. His suit realized that he was reacting to pain and began to automatically administer additional painkillers. It still took a few moments for the buzzing in his head to fade as well as the pain. He was glad these new painkillers were not addictive.

The next words he heard were understandable. "Can you understand us now?" a soft female voice asked as he looked over to the purple unicorn.

"Yes, but the next question is can you understand me as well?" When she seemed happy with the answer he asked, "How did you... you know what, never mind I don't want to know."

It was at that point the pink one bounded up and said, "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"Hello. Thank you for ruining my hiding spot."

Pinkie Pie, of course completely oblivious to the fact he was being sarcastic, said "You are very welcome!" with glee that made everyone simply shake their heads.

"Pinkie Pie perhaps you should let me talk to our... friend from the stars," Princess Celestia said softly making Pinkie Pie calm down somewhat. "May I assume you come from the stars in friendship?" she said. Looking her over he couldn't be any less amazed with how beautiful she was. "I am Princess Celestia, this is my sister Princess Luna,” she motioned to the midnight blue mare a little behind her who was equally as beautiful. “We are the rulers of Equestria.”

He was surprised at the fact they were royalty. Despite the pain he felt he fell back on his training for diplomacy. He turn to them bringing his feet together and his left arm under his chest. He bowed as respectfully as possible. despite the pained protest from his ribs.

"An honor to be sure your highness. I do indeed come in peace and friendship, but in all truth, we should not even be meeting. My arrival to your world was an accident."

His words struck everyone with a bit of surprise. "Perhaps you would care to explain," said Luna. "Why not take your helmet off and be more comfortable as you do explain." Her tone implied that she was not asking for his explanation but insisting.

"Sadly I can't take my helmet off." The refusal surprised everyone that he had refused what almost sounded like a royal order. Then again she was not his princess or his leader. "Surely you have sicknesses here. Illnesses that can make your subjects be bed ridden for days or even weeks correct?" When Luna nodded he continued "This suit protects me from those sicknesses. A sickness that might make you feel bad for a few days to me could be lethal. The reverse is also true. A sickness that for my people might make then feel bad for a few days...."

"Could turn into a lethal plague that we would have no way to combat," Celestia said.

"Exactly. While my people discovered that between worlds that sort of thing almost never happens it has once or twice. As a result my people have strict rules when we are on an unknown world concerning interaction. My suit of armor is sealed protecting me from anything harmful in your environment and also protecting you from me. It's not the most... comfortable thing but it gets the job done," he said. It was not intended as a threat, but he hoped his explanation would at least protect him from being attacked.

The idea that if the suit was breached could risk the entire world made the guard sheath his sword. Of course he pointed out, "You haven't even told us your name in return and how you arrived here."

The idea of socializing further upset his stomach as they were asking questions that he shouldn't be answering. The fact they had not assumed he was hostile nor a monster most likely meant they had had otherworld contact in the past or were somehow aware of other life in the universe. "If you must know, my name is Markus Ordain. As for how I arrived, I really shouldn't be answering any of your questions because my people have strict rules, formalities, and procedures for what we call first contact for which I am not qualified nor trained in."

At that point the young female pegasus limped forward. She seemed to be less afraid of him him the light of day. The bandage on her leg was gone and the wound healed but it was apparent she was a bit sore. As she approached he couldn't help but kneel down to her level as she said "Thank you for helping tend my leg. I'm Scootaloo." She said still a little nervous. Her companions came up to introduce themselves as Apple Bloom (the pony), and Sweetie Belle (the unicorn). Apple Bloom's name struck him as the most odd. It might have been the translation spell giving him words that he would understand, or it might have been a literal translation.

Unable to resist smiling he said, "It was not a problem. If I had not gotten out of hiding to get a better look at you three you would never have seen me or run off so scared. And you might not have run into that creature, what ever it was, and for that I am sorry Scootaloo.”

"Manticore,” the purple unicorn said. “Thank you for saving the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Then with a bit of a cross look she explained "They are almost always getting themselves into trouble to find their Cutie Marks." The explanation made the trio shrink as they were admonished for their late night excursion as she approached. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's nice to meet you. I would love a chance to learn about your people." She had barely been able to contain her excitement and interest.

"I guess some things are universal." When Twilight looked at him puzzled he continued, "Children getting in trouble. I know I was a handful growing up." As he stood up, despite the painkillers he felt a shot of pain race through his chest and his back. The ears of the ponies all could hear the crack come from in his suit as one of his ribs cracked further. He actually lost balance forcing him to grab hold of a large stone and his cry of pain made the guards actually jump, some taking a more aggressive posture. Even Twilight jumped some as Luna came up.

"You were hurt when the manticore's tail hit you," Luna said, her horn glowing. "You have five cracked ribs, and one is ready to break," she said with concern. Then her eyes went wide almost in shock.

Celestia looked at her almost in shock sister. "I can at least heal your injuries for aiding these fillies," she said but was stopped short when Markus shook his head.

"NO! Please. Magic and my people do not mix well. It died out on my world ages ago. Even today... ." Markus could feel some blood come up from his mouth as he moved to stand up. "Magic can do more harm than good for my people. I have medical devices in my craft which is buried in the forest crash site that can heal me." The ponies all seemed to recoil when he had refused healing. "I must return to my ship and await rescue....."

He had intended to explain further but was interrupted by a flash of bright light and a thundering sound which caused all the ponies to recoiled in pain and shock. His helmet adapted almost instantly to the light and damped it in time to allow him to watch as a second white armored unicorn had bounded over them to tackle the first, sending the pair tumbling to the point where he lost track of who was who.

When everyone had recovered two versions of the guard captain were engaged in a sword fight with identical swords as they both said in perfect unison and voice "He's the Changeling!"