The Practorian!!

Tuesday, June 25, 1004 ANM

Knock Knock

I awaken to the knocking of hooves at my door, groggily standing to my feet I throw on my pants, opening the door I'm not surprised to see Shining, surprising though is who's with him, Flo standing behind him with a smile.

After getting a good look at me I notice their jaws slowly dropping as they stare at me, I would like to say it's my dashing good looks, but realistically I know they're staring at my chaotic new pair of eyes.

We have a short stare off before I open the door wide enough for both of them to squeeze by. Have I mention how much taller I am compared to.. Well everyone, excluding Iron Will, speaking of him I haven't seen what he's up too.

"Sooo..." Shining starts. awkwardly pausing to think of a way to ask about my eyes.

"What's up with my eyes?" I plainly, finish for him.

"Yeah, they're....uhh different."

"It's this ring I got." I say, rasing my hand to show off the simple band. "Got it from Discord."

"DISCORD! When?How?Why?Mmmhmhmmhm" Shining frantically shouts, before I'm able to clamp my hand over his muzzle.

I answer him calmly enough "Last night, Statue, Teleportation." I idly twist it in my hand, enjoying how it feels to have a ring again.

Flo, who had been oddly silent speaks up "Huh teleportation?. Like what unicorns can do?"

"Well, yeah I guess I don't know much about magic and stuff, but I got from the garden to my room instantly last night. Only problem though is it's limited to once a day."

"So it turned your eyes a different colour too?"

"Ya, and he can speak directly to me. But enough of that you're leaving today, right?"

Her head droops slightly, which saddens me extremely.

I've only been around her for a while.... but I already can't stand her being sad.

I reach over gently lifting her face up, then I startle her by giving her a passionate kiss that leaves her blushing.

"Cheer up Flo, Leo is going to be visiting you in Gryphus this Saturday, and what I hear....from a reliable source is that he's taking you out to dinner." He says in a chipper tone.

"Today's Tuesday right?" I ask confused about my days. To which they both nod. "So only four days and I'l be in Gryphus and maybe meet your family."

"I'd like that." She shows me a happy smile.

After we had our  normal routine of breakfast in the guards MESS, and our standard workout routine.  It was just me, Flo, the day princess and two of her personal guards.

"So, are you ready to make the trip back to Gryphus Flo?"

"Yes Princess Celestia, all my stuff is waiting for me in my chariot."

Celestia giggles lightly "Please call me Celestia we are both princesses."

"Alright... Celestia, I'm going to miss Leo, but I'll be seeing him shortly."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to going to see you Flo, How am I going to get there Celestia?"

"Don't worry my little human, Luna has been working on a new spell, for awhile and she means to test it out on you."

I raise my eyebrow, in worry "Ahh what will the spell do? Oh and I'm the same size as you Celestia!"

She gives me a smirk "My horn makes me taller!"

I Just stare at her Really, she's going to play that card.

Grumbling to myself I look over at Flo, who's smiling at our banter. She notices me staring and her smile only brightens.

She rears on her hind legs to embrace me, I wrap my arms around her and she wraps her's plus her wings around me. While we embrace I search through my PCU for a heartwarming song, I throw on the perfect song.

Youtube Video

Youtube Video

At the end of the song, Flo, Celestia and even her to guards are sniffling. Me, I'm slightly touched by the song.

"My sister told me your songs were very beautiful. She was right. But I didn't understand some of the words they spoke?"

"That I believe was Italian."

"So you speakItalian Leo?"

"No, I only speak English and French."

"English that's what you're speaking right now correct?"

"Yes."

"Here we just call it Equestrian, and your 'French' I believe would be Prench."

I'm slightly surprised by this but really multi-coloured ponies speak English why not French too?

"Do you speak french Celestia?"

"[Of course, Prench isn't common this side of Equestria. But we do get some Prenchponies occasionally]"

"[If you need to tell me something important and we're around ponies, just speak French.]"

"[What makes you think I need to hide anything from my little ponies]"

"[Celestia, if you're not hiding things from your people that means there's nothing to hide or you're stupid....I don't think your stupid.]"

A knowing smirk reveals all.

I look back over at Flo, whose sadness was temporarily set aside to show confusion. While her guards are better at hiding their confusion....I can still see the dumb looks on their face.

Flo shows her sadness, yet again when she notices we stopped speaking to each other.

"I guess this is good bye."

"For now. For now."

With her goodbye said she turns and leaves with Celestia, leaving her two guards too well.... I guess they guard the throne. I look between the two of them making sure to show no expression. They respond by looking at each other and whispering. Rolling my eyes I turn around and stroll out of the room. I have an old guy to fight and I don't have time to fuck with ponies minds.

                                                           ***

My week without either Flo or the girls, was for more or less average. My morning routine was down pat. I'd wake up, shower, change, meet up with Shining Armor, eat in the Mess, workout with the guards, then eat lunch with him. After lunch Shining was required to meet with his qualifying replacements, and asses which would make the best captain of the guard. I on the other hand would be graced by Ray's prescense, he seemed to spend al his time in his room. While I was with him. He'd teach me the finer points of swordmenship, and how to care for armor. He gave me a simple choice of what armor I'd be given when I got knighted : Light, Medium or Heavy.

I went with Heavy style, which consisted of Thunderforged plate mail (Twice as strong as steel while being a third lighter. Unfortunately it's side effect consist of attracting lightning. Good for Pegasi, bad for Humans), The plates are suplemented with Val-ring mail. The reason I got Heavy armor, instead of Light or Medium is  based on my body type, which would be a heavy unit. (I know this from all the video games I play.) The second reason was I planned on getting heavy pleather or leather jacket, and a pair of extremely durable pants, to go hunting and do 'stealthier' misions, plate armor is by no means quiet.

I also had to come up with a colour scheme, at first I was going to go with something simple, but then I decided where's the fun in that. So I went with a Celestia white scheme, with etched ebony black runes type patterns along the front. I hoped for the best.

After my 'lessons', came the applied part. I wouldn't fight just Ray, sometimes I fought guards.....3 or 5 at a time. Unicorns and Pegasi gave me the most problems. Since I could simply outmuscle the regular 'earth' ponies. I did have to watch out for theirs bucks, as they could break bones if not careful. Unicorns for the first the first couple of times we fought, would hit me with magic spells, I'd let them hit me, then I send it back at them. Or multiple enemies. After they learned the hardway about using magic on me, they simply stuck to using physical items like swords and spears.

Pegasi, were a pain to deal with, they flew up and used their speed and agilty, and these fancy blades placed on their wings to fight. I tried to take them out as quick as possible. Naturally If I had a crossbow to use I'd just shoot them out of the sky, but that was more of a lethal shot. So I had to fallback to either letting them get close, then lash out and hit them with either my fist or sword. Or wait for a unicorn to try and use a spell on me.

Fifty percent of the time I'd come out winning, forty percent we'd all come out battered and bruised. Ten percent I'd beaten and trapped cause of Shining Armor stupid shields, cause he decided to join in the fun. I guess you don't become guard captain at such a young age for nothing, and with the stories of Twilight and her magic prowess, I'm guessing it's something that runs in the family. Even when those times happened. I was actually happy, Shining Armor and I, grew closer and eventually I told him he was my Bro and that it was an honour. He even invited me to his house for supper with him and Cadance.

                                                ***

     "Welcome Leo. Please come in." Cadence said, when she opened the door to great me.

I gave a short dip, showing respect to her as a princess, but not bowing to show that I didn't see her as my princess.

"Thank you Cadence. You look lovely as usual." I say entering her home.

"Flattery. Will get you everywhere." We shared a small laugh as she showed me her home. It was a small rustic home, that gave off a welcoming feel. The dinning room which was the first room was a open themed that actually joined into the kitchen creating one large room, next to was a medium sized living room, which had a love seat, a couch, a rocker, and a roaring fire which crackled and gave of an ambient light only adding to the strong welcoming feeling to the house. A coridor lead to a bathroom and past that to some steps which lead upstairs to the lead to the second floor, with it's  large master bedroom, and a smaller guest bedroom.

"So where is Shining?"

"Oh he should be getting home soon. Dealing with whose going to replace him, is stressing him out"

"I would imagine so. It's so you two can move back to... The Crystal Empire. Right? Why exactly are you moving there?" I ask curiously.

"Well. The Crystal Empire has been in my family for generation. While I am a Alicorn. I'm still mortal. My family fled The Crystal Empire a thousand years ago, when it was stolen by Sombra. They fled to Equestria to seek sanctuary from the Princesses. When they got here. they found out only Celestia was still around. Since Luna was just imprisoned in the moon.

Even in her grief of sending Luna to the moon, Princess Celestia promised to help out my family. But when Celestia and my family went back to defeat Sombra. He cast a spell that removed all of The Crystal Empire from the time stream causing it too just...wink out. My family, and Celestia  came back to Equestria and Celestia made my family 'royalty' here, aswell as the rightful rulers to The Crystal Empire. When it was too come back. Generations past as my families bloodline was mixed with some of the Canterlot nobles, which is why Blueblood even has a royal titles, which is completely worthless anyways.

When I was born an Alicorn, which hadn't happened since my great great great.......I forget how great hehe grandmother. Princess Melody Cadenza. It signalled the future return of The Crystal Empire. I secretly think Celestia set me up with Shining on purpose."

"And I couldn't be happier about it." We both look over at Shining, who just entered. Cadance giggles abit before nuzzling and pecking him on the cheek.

"Hehe hi Sweetie."

"Honey. Leo"

I greet Shining with a simple nod as I lean against the wall.

"That's an interesting tale. But if it's so important to Cadence why are you here instead of ruling.

"Hmm well I don't want to 'rule' The Crystal Empire. I just want to see it prosper. So I put in charge a council, and only in times of great emergency will I actually rule."

"That sounds like a fair way. But I bet you still get treated like royalty."

"*Sigh* Yeah, but I guess it's not to bad. You're a Prince too, if I'm not mistaken, and I hear a certain griffin Princess has already claimed you!?"She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"How'd you know?"

I look over at Shining, and see he has his best poker face on. I just sigh.

"It okay Leo. I won't tell anypony. Unless I have you permission.........Can I have your permission?? Pleae?" Cadence asks as she begins setting the dinner table.

I facepalm and let out a deep breath. "I'm going to tell Twilight, and her gang after I come back from the Gryphus. So no."

Cadence pouts before sighing "I guess you can tell them...But can I be there?"

"Fine." She gives a little shout. Which makes Shining laugh and nuzle his wife.

When she finished setting the table she brings out a fantastic smelling alfredo pasta. Along with a salad. We three sit down at the table. I have to sit awkwardly since I'm a little too tall for the chair. Shining gives me a awkward smile "Sorry. We don't have chairs meant for you." I just shrug and scoop a massive helping of pasta onto my plate.

We eat and talk mostly about how the training is going. Cadence makes sure to ask about everything, she even asks about my homeworld. I tell her small things, like how advance we are compared to Equestria. She gapes at some of the things I say. Shining clears the table when we're all done.

When Shining comes back he looks at Cadence and gives a slight nod, then sits next to her grabbing her hoof.

He clears his throat "Leo---"

"Yes." I say raising an eyebrow.

"Well...I...err..." He lets out a breath and calms himself. "Cadence is pregnant and we were wondering... if you'd be one of the godparents?"

This takes me for a surprise...Pregnant? I look at Cadence and I see it the early signs of pregnancy.

"Really me?"

Cadence quickly speaks up "If you don't want to do it. We'ed understand. Of course it's your decision."

I give them a genouine smile "I'd love to. But you said one of the godparents. Who would be the other?"

Upon hearing my words they breath out a sigh of relief. "Well..I'm having twins and we were thinking Twilight as the godmother for the filly and you the godfather for the colt."

"Wow twins. You know for sure a colt and a filly."

"Doctor told us yesterday."

"Well congradulations. You two I'm very happy for you both."

"Thanks Leo." They both say in unison.

We continue the night talking before it gets too late and I have to go home.

                                               ***

Luna is another I talk with she seems......Lonely. I stay awake and visit with her after most the cirty goes to sleep. We sit on her balcony and watch the city. She seems to really enjoy my company. She even told me about what happened a thousand years ago.

                                               ***

"So you just gave into your hate?" 'Fear leads to anger, Anger leads to hate, Hate leads to suffering.'

"Not hate. Just jelousy and loneliness. I felt like nopony understood me. They'd all go to bed. Fearing my night. I tried so hard making wonderful conselations. Different moon phases. But they only loved Celestia's boring plain old day."

I smack her hard on the back of the head.

"Oww. What was that for?"

"For being an idiot." I simply say, leaning back to view the beautiful night sky. "I find the night more beautiful then the day. I wish I'd been here before your exile, then I could of talked some sense into your noggin."

"Oh..What would thou have said to disway us from becoming 'Nightmare Moon'?"

"I would have told you the truth. Your nights are beautiful....But their realy fucking dark. You can't really see that good. Noctunal animals are all weird. Aaaaand I feel protected by having such a strong leader watching over me."

"You would have said that to me one thousand years ago?"

"Yeah... Or offered to get you laid, and perhaps offered my services."

Luna does a spit take, even though she wasn't drinking anything. She then loks away crimson creeping in on her cheeks.

"Thank You Leo."

"For what."

"Listening."

I rub her back gently. "Ya. Don't mention it."

                                               ***

After every training session. Shining would invite me for supper, which meant I'd have to go home shower and put on one of Rarity's nicer pieces of clothing, that she sent by mail. Stating 'A Prince simple most look his best at all times.' I think she just wanted to make clothing for royalty to show off. I didn't complain free clothes. After dinner most nights I'd stay awake long enough to talk with Luna. She taught me about Equestria, even teaching me about when she became Nightmare Moon. She turned the Conseltations into creature. I was puzzled intil she showed me a recent picture of a Ursa Major. She told me about the most fearsome. Like the Scorpio's, which is a giant Scorpion that can fire starlight out it stinger. The Canis Minor's, pack hunting star dogs that roam much of Equestria and the Griffin Kingdom. My nights with Luna, were educational and fun. Unfortunenately I was only able to spend a small amount of time with her since I had to wake up earlyin the morning.

Ray stayed in his place only coming out to practice with me. I was surprised at how quickly I picked up sword fighting. I tended to use a two handed stance. Switching to a one handed to quickly use my hydra knife as a offhand. He taught me how to properly hold a shield, but when I started Captain America shield throwing he quickly took it away.

I was suspicious of him also, since in the week I've been here, he seeme sickly.

Worst part of the week had been explaining my eyes to everybody as it unsettled literally..... everyone. That and when I did scare a maid or Canterlot noble they'd freakout screaming 'demon', then Discord would laugh in my head.

                                               ***

Friday, June 28, 1004 ANM

I awoke like I did everyday quarter to 6 just before Shining Armor would come to my door and get me. I took a quick shower, making sure to clean my growing facial hair, and my hair. The shampoo they got me worked wonders, it left my hair looking golden, instead of it's natural dark.

I jumped out of the shower and quickly got dressed, in my training clothes they were the most durable since they were the ones I actually brought from home, Rarity's were nice, but.. I tended to abuse the shit out of my clothing. I brushed my teeth, taking a good look at myself, I was gaining more muscle then before, but it made sense I was actually trying to, instead of it just being the side efeect of work

I sat down, in my chair, and waited...and waited....and waited.

When I looked at the time I realized it was already 0620. Shaking my head I stood and left my place. Looking down the corridors I didn't see anybody. No maids, no guards, no nobody.

Sighing I began making my way to the throne room reasoning that Shining wouldn't be able to get me if he was being talked to by the princess. Quietly, and quickly I make it to the throne room where I could hear talking and even frantic shouting

Nodding to the two guards on duty I gently push the doors open and walk in, surprised to see Twilight, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. All with conflicting emotions. Twilight's upset and frantic. Pinkie's sad and mopey, even her hair is off 'instead of being poofy' it's laying flat against her head. Rainbow...she just furious. Snorting and yelling.

Princess Celestia is there with her usual regal expression, and Shining is their decked out in his royal purple armor. With a stoic expression. He's the first to notice me and gives a short, serious nod.

This causes the others to look at me. I notice in all their eyes they're all showing the same emotion...... fear.

"What's going on?"

Twilight tries to explain but she's too frantic to make any sense.

I slowly grab hold of her shoulders and look her deep in the eyes. She flinches when she sees how messed my eyes are.

"Twilight, you have to calm down and explain what happened, then we'll be able to help." I say trying to calm her down.

The purple unicorn takes a deep breath in hopes of calming herself "They....They went to Manehattan, for Rarity's fashion show. Applejack and Fluttershy agreed to go with her and model the clothing, since Applejack knows the city and Fluttershy still has a large following from her previous stint as a model, they hoped they could avoid.... trouble.....This morning I got a letter from Applejack's aunt Orange whom they were staying with. In the letter she stated she didn't know where Applejack and her friends were, and that the city was full of horrible ponies.

"The city was dealing in... in drugs rings. She was hoping that Applejack and the girls had simply gone back home without telling anypony. When I responded back that Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy weren't here. She feared the worst." By the time Twilight got done she was visibly shaking in grief, so Shining tried to comfort her.

I turn to Celestia with a look that could cut diamonds. As does Rainbow who begins shouting again.

"What are we going to do Princess, if they've laid a hoof on any of them I swear...."

"What are you going to do Rainbow? Do you think you could hurt another pony?" I say calm on the outside, an unholy raging storm of anger on the inside at the thought of Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack being held hostage.

"I..I...I would kill them!" She finds a little confidence in her words. Since out of the 6 Elements of Harmony only her and Applejack seem the only ones.... capable of kiling.

"That's a good thing, how far away is this 'Manehattan'?"

"I've done it 5 hours, a train would probably take 12 hours. Why?"

"Damn. 12 hours isn't good enough. Celestia do you think you can get a chariot or something?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to 'Manehattan'."

"Then I have something better. Guard!"

"Yes Princess."

"Go wake my sister, tell her to come to the throne room post haste!"

"Right away Princess." He quickly salutes before trotting out of the room.

Moments later Luna trots in, a worried look evident on her face.

"What is it sister?"

"Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy are missing presumed to be taken into.. a Manehattan prostitution ring."

Luna's eyes narrow "Then we shall go to Manehattan and smite thy offending ponies."

"We cannot Luna, this is what the 'Pony Society' wants. For us to look like we're abusing our power."

"Those ponies in the Pony Society are foals. They are only motivated by greed. We should banish them to the moon."

I quickly interject between them "We don't have time for this I need to get to Manehattan NOW!"

They pin back their ears when I shout at them using my full voice. But I don't care, they have Fluttershy, and once somebody earns my friendship, their is no place on earth I won't go.

I continue on "I need transportation to Manehattan and I need it now!"

"Of course Leo. Luna have you finished the spell."

"I...uh...Yes, it should work."

She doesn't look very convinced.

"What spell, Celestia?"

"Luna has been working on a spell to change somepony's form. But could never get it to work well on anypony. We think that it will work on your body since you're not from Equestria, and can...hmm alter it with your magic multipling power."

"How exactly is that going to help with getting to Manehattan?"

"We were planing on turning you into a griffin."

I think about it for less then a second, before my face turns into and devilish grin.

"Do your worse."I say throwing off my shoes and shirt.

Luna and Celestia touch horns causing a small arc of magic to form between them. The arc connects to me, and I feel the growing magical presence from my inborn gift. The air crackles with power as they put more and more magic into the spell. I fall to my knees as my power grows. Knots form in my stomach and with nowhere to go the power in me builds. I force my magic back into me causing a magical feedback loop.

And then suddenly the magic stops, the princesses horns sputter out, and they wobble a bit. For a few seconds nothing happens then.

Pain. First in my abdomen. I clench forward, wrapping my arms around my stomach. The pain slowly intensifies. My muscles start to rapidly spasm.

Slowly and painfully everything starts changing from human to griffin. With the pain came a sick, enjoyable pleasure. A pleasure from a pain so terrible. I'm unable to put it in words.

But what I can tell you is that when I became lucid enough to think I realized I was sprawled out on the floor. I slowly pushed myself to a four-legged stance and found oddly enough it wasn't hard to hold myself up like this..

Then I get an odd feeling. I don't quite understand why, but I do understand that what. I puff out my chest and give a roar that shakes the windows.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAR." It comes out sounding like a lion but with just a hint of an eagle screech.

Looking around I notice everybody is watching me with wide eyed fascination. I start walking around on four limbs, awkward yes but easy enough. I twitch my wing muscles, causing me to grunt in pain at the newly developed nervous system in them. I look closely at my reflection in the polished metal of Celestia's throne and there's a very different looking face staring back.

My feathers are golden that starts off dark at my waist and slowly gets lighter till it changes giving my upper plumage a frosted white tip. It's the same for the on my body starting off light silver and silver getting darker as it goes to my tail where the little tuff of hair is black. My beak is the same colour as Flo's, and my primaries on my wings are a combination of interlaced gold and silver, with the down being speckled black and white. I'm shorter, but wider then when I was human with my head resting roughly at 6 foot.

"ERROR. ERROR. MALFUNCTION. PERSONAL COMMAND UNIT FAILURE. HEARTBEAT ERRATIC. PERFORMING EMERGENCY DEFIBRILLATION. HANDS CLEAR. SHOCK IN MINUS 5...4...3...2..   I quickly power down my PCU before it can preform an emergency shock, so it doesn't put me into cardiac arrest.

It seems I'm going to be unable to use my PCU since it's not set up for griffin anatomy, obviously since griffins don't exist.On earth.

I manage to spread my wings out to their full size which is 12 feet, I give them an experimental flap, causing me to be awkwardly lifted off the ground before falling down again.

"Woow." I turn around to see, everybody is still just staring at me.

"What?"

"Your fur and feathers are so ....amazing."

"We can worry about that later, right now I need to get to Manehattan. Rainbow you up for guiding me." They all snap out of their trance, to get back at the task at hand.

"Of course, they took the wrong mare's friends."

"Wait, Leo you do not know how to fly."

"I was just going to wing it."

I stop stop when I realize what I just said.

"No pun intended."

"Leo, I'm going to give you some of my memories on how to fly, until you can actually get taught properly." I look over at Celestia and give her a nod.

She touches her horn to my head, and I'm instantly assaulted by foreign images of flying, but I don't feel any magic that I usually feel when somebody uses magic on me.

From the memoiries she gives me. Gives me the knowledge I need for flight.

"Thank you Celestia. I'll bring them back."

Before I can go Twilight and Pinkie both latch on to me giving me a hug, the gester is ....weird. I can feel their tears wetting my feathers.

"Please Leo bring them back safe. I don't know what I would do without them."

"Please. I'll throw you whatever kind of party you want just....bring them back."

"I will.......One last thing Celestia...Tell Manehattan that if anyBODY tries to stop me or arrest me.Lets just say they won't have a nice day...In fact they'll have a bloody messy one " I speak low, and menacingly bring up my talons when I say 'Bloody'.

With that I nod to Rainbow who opens her wings and flies out of the castle. I hesitantly open my wings and follow, pulling on Celestia's memories to fly.

"Yolo." I shout out as I gain momentum to fly up to where Rainbow is, and give one look back before focusing entirely at the task at hand.

"You ready for this Skittles?"

"I...Yes."

"Good. Do you know how to fight?"

"Hahah. Yeah your looking at the number 1 fighter in Ponyville."

"By the way you girls described it. Ponyville didn't seem really big!"

"Yeah well..Shut Up."

"Haha good come back Skittles."

She just responds by sticking her tongue out at me.

"How long do you think this will take?"

"Can't really say. If none of the towns are transporting clouds. We should make good progress I'd guess 6 hours. Unless you want to try going faster."

"No that'd be a bad idea. I'm in a new body I don't want to be tired.... AND inexperienced also. We keep this pace we'll take a break in a few hours."

"Alright."

As we flew, I got a good view of the beautiful Equestrian andscape. The sun, which was just peeking over the gentle rolling hills, dew covered grasss reflected the sun's rays, causing it too look like a thousand glittering diamonds. I watched the fish swim in the small lakes that periodically showed up. I saw wild birds as they flew up to join us amongst the clouds, flapping their wings in time with us. I spotted the small villages full of ponies just waking up, happy smile on their faces as they began enjoying their day's. Going to work or going to school it didn't matter, they were still happy to be doing it. I felt the warmth the land gave off, the feeling everything was going to be alright.

This was harmony. This is what the Princesses and these girls fought for. Not land. Not oil. Not even different races. They fought to keep Harmony.

These........These are the ponies I will fight for. Not those Canterlot ponies who want to advance themselves along further for greed or power. I've seen it enough back home, I've seen it simply gets you nowhere. That after everything's done and you've achieved your goals. You have the wealth, the power, the fame. It won't matter. You still won't be happy. You'll NEVER be happy.

And If I must be the Monster. The Creeper. The Destroyer......The Hero, The Savior, The Guardian. Then I will.

For to protect Harmony.

They're going to need....

A Knight.....

..

..

A Protector

..

..

..

A Practorian.

I let the barest hint of a smile touch my beak. Practorian... I like it. With a steel determination, I flew on.

That is until we stopped for a break and landed next to a crystal clear pond. Which we greedily drank from, to restore the lost fluids from the flight. Rainbow was getting nervous. I was sure it was about rescuing the girls.

"Nervous Dash?" I ask, calmly.

"What.. No I'm completely fine. Not worried in the slightest about having to kill somepony." As soon as she said this she began to get more worked up about it.

"You don't have to fight anybody."

"What? I'm not a coward."

I flare my wings and harden my features, speaking in a slightly angry tone "I never said you were a coward. Don't put words in my mouth." Rainbow is staring at her reflection in the water, her bangs covering her face.

I soften my tone "Besides. Just because somebody won't kill, it doesn't make them a coward. A coward is somebody who isn't couragous. Courage is being afraid, but setting that fear aside to do what has to be done." I move over to her and wrap my arm around her giving her a small squeeze.

"So. What are you going to do Dash."

"What the hay do you mean 'What am I going to do'." She looks up at me with a determined look. "I'm going to find these ponies that took three of my best friends and I'm going to introduce them to my other close 'friends'." She grins as she goes into a two legged stance showing off her hooves.

"That's more like it. Now lets fly." I give her a cheesy grin, as we take off into the sky.

For friendship.