Ponyville, a few weeks after Winter Wrap-up.
“So.. He’s from Trotomia… that’s all you know about him? I mean, how can we know he’s not a spy!?”
With a small roll of her eyes, Apple Jack looked at her friend with, “Well, one of my cousins lives there, and asked us to help him around this week… ”
As they said that, a young, dark-blue Unicorn with glasses walked out of the train station, somewhat disoriented, and carrying black saddlebags.
Soon enough, the two mares walked up to him, the orange one speaking.
“Howdy! Keen Gift?”
Surprised, the unicorn turned and nodded, offering them a small smile. “Y-Yeah, that’s me… Um… you’ve got to be Applejack, right?”
“Yup! And this is Rainbow Dash!"
The cyan mare nodded and hovered a bit closer with, “You seem cool… but I’ll be watching you.”
The two mares led him to a brightly-colored, crystalline castle, but two young stallions that were approaching caught Keen's attention.
“Free Style? Blue Valiance?” He asked surprisedly, and the two laughed and walked over to him, then noticing the two mares. Blue spoke first.
“Heh, gracioso… I’m Blue Valiance, and this,” he motioned towards the orange pegasus with glasses, “is Free Style, and you are?”
After they all had been introduced, and a few seconds of awkward silence, the five ponies walked in, only to be greeted by a loud cheer and a “SURPRISE!!!”
As the party went on, the three stallions found themselves looking around, and gathered around some drinks, laughing a bit at the events of the last few hours.
“So… quien esta buena aqui?” Finally asked Free Style with a smirk, Blue chuckled and Keen nearly facehoofed. In their native Asturconish, Blue replied.
“Pues… dire que la princesa purpura… y su amiga Unicornio,” After that the three laughed, not noticing a blushing Twilight Sparkle nearby.
“I never got to ask, what are you two doing here?” Asked Keen, still a bit surprised at finding his best friends here, Free Style spoke first.
“Well, I got hired by this big firm based in Canterlot--what about you two?”
“I’m going to do something on my studies, and got offered an internship on a large trading company,” Blue explained.
Keen smiled at them and sighed, “I’m just finishing a specialization and while it’s not sure, I might go to work with the Trotomian Embassy.”
“Hey, who’s that turquoise mare with the hat over there?” Free Style butted in, “She’s waving at you, Keen.”
“Eh?” Was all he replied before noticing her and waving back, somewhat confused. Blue and Free Style laughed.
“El que no corre vuela,” Said the orange pegasus, laughing, then looked at Blue. “Let’s make a bet… before this weekend, I’ll get…” He motioned towards a blue Unicorn nearby. Blue and Keen laughed, with Keen remarking, “Already betting?”
That’s all he got to say before noticing an Earth mare chatting with some other ponies.
“No way!” Free Style broke the short silence between them upon noticing the same mare, “Is that Lilac?” he asked, laughing.
With a sigh, Keen turned around “Wonderful… now what?”
“NOW YOU EAT MORE CAKE!” Pinkie Pie shouted, appearing suddenly and throwing large helpings of cake on the table before leaving in a pink blur.
“Right…” Free Style cleared his throat, “So… should we go talk to her?”
At that, Keen sighed while the other two stallions chuckled.
“I… I think I’ll be fine, ” he said with a sigh, taking one of the oversized helpings of cake, deciding to ignore a light blue Unicorn mare that was nearby, or a yellow and red Pegasus happily chatting away in another group… for the sake of his sanity.
“Say, Blue… What will you do if I get her?” Free Style began, motioning towards Rarity with a small smirk, “to be my marefriend by the weekend”.
For a moment, Blue observed Rarity chatting with some of her friends.
“You’ll get my first month’s salary if you do,” Blue finally replied with a chuckle.
Keen laughed at them. “Wait, isn’t this the fourth time you bet your first month’s salary Blue?” He said jovially, causing Blue to blush slightly.
“Oh, shush you, I’ve won all those bets,” He replied before taking a sip of a nearby drink,“Actually… What will you give me if I do it?” He looked at Free Style, who sighed.
“Well… what about I pay for all the expenses of your second date then?” Style told his friend, looking at Keen who was fairly sure that neither of would win that bet.
“Meh, good enough,” Said Blue, shaking his hoof with Style before both walked off to make their moves. With a facehoof, Keen shook his head and giggled before taking another sip of his drink.
“Welp, that went well… Let’s hope they don’t screw it up… And that neither of them wins.” Said Keen to himself.
Nearby, Apple Jack noticed them and decided to see how they were doing.
“Howdy! How y’all doing? Enjoying the cake?” She asked politely.
Shaken out of his thought, Keen nodded at that. “Y-Yeah! It’s really good,” He said with a smile.
“Ah, good,” Apple Jack answered with a semi-awkward smile, “So, how did you three meet?”
“Oh well, with Blue, we’ve been friends since the first semester at Law School in Galota, and we met Free Style in a class we took together at a later point,” He chuckled, “And yes, they’ve always been like that, or at least are like that when together.”
“So, law school, eh? That must be tough,” Apple Jack mused, “Why'd ya pick that job?”
“I guess I wanted to help other ponies… that and I’m not really cut out to be a medic,” He said with a sigh, “You know, this is a really nice town."
He glanced around the room, taking in the friendly, optimistic atmosphere and smiled.
“Why thank you!” Apple Jack beamed, “My family’s been here ever since this place was a little itty bitty thing, and we’ve seen all the changes--you're right: it really is a nice town.”
“Yeah?” He smiled, “Well, that explains why Apple Rind keeps talking about it all the time.” He chuckled and took a sip of his drink. “So… is it usual here to throw a party for the newcomers?” He asked, not having the slightest clue of how Ponyville worked.
Apple Jack laughed. “Pinkie Pie ALWAYS throws a parties for newcomers, and knows exactly what they like--don’t ask me how.”
He laughed along. “I guess that’s part of this place’s charm.”
“It certainly is,” Apple Jack sighed happily, “I reckon this is one of the friendliest towns in all Equestria--I suppose that’s why we get the Princess of Friendship living with us.”
Keen could only nod there, looking at his friends and how they were kind of embarrassing themselves while trying to approach Rarity or her friends. However, one of the friends was approaching them with a harsh glint in her magenta eyes.
“So, you are a lawyer, are you?” Rainbow Dash interrogated Keen Gift.
“Dash, come on now!” Apple Jack sighed, “He seems like a decent pony--can’t you just be nice?”
“...Fine,” Rainbow Dash agreed as she sat down next to Keen and added, “I will still watch you though--if you harm anypony, you are gonna get it.”
“Well, I’m not planning on harming anypony so… um… nice to meet you?” He said, somewhat awkwardly.
“Good--I’m Rainbow Dash, and you are… Keen, is it?” Rainbow introduced herself in a more calm tone.
“I’m Keen Gift,” He said with a slightly awkward smile and holding out a hoof.
Rainbow Dash shook his hoof curtly, and then spread her wings and bolted to the other side of the building.
“Sorry about that--sometimes she has trouble trusting outsiders,” Apple Jack explained.
“Nah it’s fine, she does seem nice,” He said with a shrug, containing a chuckle as Twilight Sparkle herself walked up to them.
“And how are you enjoying yourself so far?” Twilight asked Keen as she sat beside him.
Surprised, Keen fumbled over his words, “Oh, well, I-I’m not really a big fan of big parties, but this is quite nice."
“Well, Pinkie Pie sure does know how to throw a party,” Twilight admitted with a chuckle, “Anyway, it’s getting pretty late, so I’m gonna head out now. Good night Apple Jack, good night… uhm… Keen, is it?”
“Yeah, Keen Gift, I-It’s nice to meet you,” He said with a sheepish grin.
With that, Twilight offered a friendly smile and walked away.
Keen let out a small sigh and looked at Applejack with, “I… I guess I’ll go and bail those two out before they end up in trouble,” He chuckled.
At the moment, Free Style had been chatting around with some other ponies while Blue had actually managed to go and talk with Rarity.
“Well, I suppose I’ll go home then, ‘night Keen!” Apple Jack greeted as she turned and left.
“Night!” He said, walking over to his friends.