Crossback

Pinkie Pie dragged me through the streets of Ponyville. She obviously had no problem with me, but the rest of the population apparently wanted nothing to do with me. It was as if they could sense where I was from, and didn't like it. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of my past either. Just thinking about it makes me shutter.

Anyway, after what felt like twenty minutes, she had finally dragged me to what looked like a library. I don't know if it was the giant sign with a book or the fact that there were ponies carrying them out of the tree. Honestly, I didn't care. I just like to know my surroundings well.

After we entered the building, Pinkie finally let me have my leg back. She may look like a good mannered, playful mare, but I swear that she must lift weights or something. She has the grip of a hydra. Don't ask me how I know that, you honestly don't want to know.

When feeling came back to my leg, I looked up and was nearly blinded by the colors surrounding me. I knew that there were only five ponies there, but they had enough color to paint a few cities if they wanted to.

Pinkie Pie smiled and started chattering again. "I wanted to introduce you to my friends. They're always ready to welcome a newcomer to Ponyville."

The first one to come close to me was an orange mare, with a blonde tail and mane in a braid, covered by a stetson. She was the second one to smile at me since I had arrived. "Well, howdy!" she said in a southern draw. "Pleased to meet y'all. Ma name is Applejack. Ah work live at Sweet Apple Acres. Ah, expect to see y'all 'round the farm soon." She held out her hoof to shake. And boy could she shake. I think she was stronger than Pinkie.

Next up was a cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail. Her hair was about as unkempt as her attitude showed. "Hi, I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in all of Equestria. If your looking for a race, I'm the one to call." She held out her hoof, also. I swear, these ponies were trying to rip off my leg.

The next one had to stop my bouncing before she tried to talk to me. She was dark purple with and even darker colored mane and tail. "Yeah, I know. You feel like your leg is going to fall off, right?"

"Oh definitely."

"Of course. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I run the library here in town. If your ever in need of some organization or something of that sort, I'm your mare." I was reluctant to take her hoof, but when I did, there was a pleasing lack of arm pain.

Finally, I turned to the last mare in the room. She was about as white as my cloak with a well styled, purple mane and tail. "Leaving the best for last, huh darling? Very well, my name is Rarity. My life and heart go into fashion. And, if you don't mind me saying, you could do better than that cloak. Oh, please don't think of me as rude," she added with a shocked tone.

I chuckled and kissed her hoof when she extended it. "That's impossible."

"Wait a minute," Pinkie said with sudden worry. "Has anyone seen Fluttershy today?"

"Is she a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and a very timid attitude?"

"Yep, that's her! You've met her already?"

"You could say that. Or you could say that she is one hundred percent terrified of me."

Applejack had a confused look on her face. "What do y'all mean, Hun?"

"Well, I kinda, sort of, maybe... crashed into her garden. She tried to chase me off with stones. Did anyone tell her that tossing stuff isn't the most effective way to make people go away?"

At that moment, we heard the door of the library open. Then, that same timid voice that confronted me earlier was now speaking. "Uh, Twilight? Are you here?" I quickly jumped over the mares and hid behind them.

Twilight shot me a confused look before answering. "Yeah, Fluttershy. Come in."

The Pegasus did as she was told. When she was in the room, she turned to the mares. "Um, I don't know how to say this without it sounding to... strange. Uh, have you seen a white cloaked stallion around town?"

Before any of them could answer, another voice came from behind me. "Do you mean like him?" it asked. I shot up into the air, back over the mares, and on top of Fluttershy. We both hit the floor like bales of hay. When I opened my eyes, I had two blue ones looking back at me.

"Uh, hello," I said nervously. She had a look of complete shock on her face.

Then, her cheeks started to change to red. "Um, hi," she whispered. She then smiled wide as she stared into my eyes. "My name is Fluttershy."

"Nice to meet you formally," I joked. Then I noticed our current position. I was laying on top of a mare in public. I quickly jumped up and helped her regain her legs. I cleared my throat before turning to the rest of the group, all of which had noticeably red cheeks themselves. "M-My name is Crossback, and... I honestly don't know what I'm doing here."

I scanned the faces surrounding me to try to find the owner of the voice that had spooked me. I discovered a little purple and green dragon on the back of Twilight. He was silently chuckling to himself. "I take it you find something funny?" I asked him.

He quickly snapped his head up at attention. "No, sir! I'm extremely sorry, Crossback. My name is Spike by the way. I'm the adorable one of the bunch."

I couldn't help myself this time. I threw my head back in laughter. "Adorable one, indeed!" The others soon joined my laughter. Celestia, I hadn't laughed like that in years, or ever for that matter. "It's nice to meet all of you. Really, it is." I then looked out the window at the sky. The sun was dropping, allowing the Luna to claim her dominance over the night.

"I think I may need a place to stay for the night," I said. The reaction I got was not the one I had expected. Five of the mares started fighting over which one of them should get to house me for the night. The only one not in the verbal fray was Fluttershy, who just was sitting in a corner, crying silently. I walked over her to see if I could do anything for her to sheer her up.

She looked up at me with the most adorable eyes I had ever seen. "I-I'm willing to let you stay with me, if you don't mind, but you probably want one of the other mares to let you stay with them, huh?"

I smiled at her reassuringly. "I would like that very much," I replied. Then, very quietly, as to not interrupt the fight, we slipped out of the library and headed for her cottage.

One thing was for sure: I was really going to like it here.