//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Introductions // Story: Talons of the Storm // by Storm Talon //------------------------------// After Cheerilee had seated him near the front and between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, several of his classmates had raised their hooves with questions at the ready. “Why does he have guards?” “Where is he from?” “What is he?” “Children!” Cheerilee cried over the cacophony of voices, bringing silence back to the classroom. “You'll be able to ask him yourself during recess, or after school. Now, everypony get out your math workbooks and copy this down, please.” Talon copied down the problems, thankful that he had gone over the math lessons with Twilight. He was able to work at about the same rate as the other ponies, stopping once Cheerilee called for a break. Apple Bloom turned to him as the classroom erupted in conversation. “So how are ya liking school so far?” Talon put his pencil down as he put his math book away. “Miss Cheerilee is nice.” “Yeah,” a tiny colt behind Talon piped up. “She really makes the lessons more fun!” He extended a hoof toward Talon with a smile. “I'm Pip, by the way.” Talon shook the offered hoof. “I am Talon. It is nice to meet you.” “So where are you from?” Talon frowned slightly as he answered. “Am from Griffonia.” Pip frowned in bafflement. “What's wrong with that?” “Griffonia not good time.” “Alright, class,” Cheerilee interrupted. “It's time for history. Everypony get out your books, and we'll take turns reading.” Talon got out the book that Twilight had given him to read during history. A few whispers passed between some of the students when Cheerilee passed over Talon in the reading order, but quickly quieted down with a look from her. Soon enough, the lesson came to a close, and the class was let out for lunch and recess. The others ran out while Talon grabbed a paper bag out of his pack, following quickly behind. As he sat to open his lunch, several of the schoolfoals ran up, brimming with questions. Before he could try to answer, the crusaders shouted out to interrupt the crowd. “Why don't ya'll actually let him answer ya?” Apple Bloom asked as the noise subsided. The crowd of foals looked at each other sheepishly, before taking turns asking questions at a more reasonable rate. Talon let the crusaders answer as many questions as they could, but by the time the bell rang for the class to return to the schoolhouse he had barely finished his apple slices, stuffing the celery in his mouth at an alarming rate as the others filtered back into the schoolhouse. After a few hours more of lessons, they were let out, Talon's guards following at a slight distance. “Hey, you wanna come over to our clubhouse?” Scootaloo asked as they walked along. “We can initiate you as an honorary crusader.” The three fillies turned as they noticed Talon had lagged behind with a strange look on his face. Just as Emerald caught up with him, he let out a sneeze, the sound coming out as a large boom. As Emerald picked himself up from where the sound had blasted him, Talon noticed the others staring at him. “Umm...” Talon sniffed as he looked around. “Excuse me?” “Well, at least now Talon can't say we're the loud ones.” Sweetie Belle giggled as they entered the clubhouse. Talon looked around as they entered the clubhouse. “I say excuse me for sneeze.” “That's not really the point.” Scootaloo pointed out as they entered. “Yeah, but now we can induct you into the crusaders. Look, we even made you an honorary cape!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she pulled said cape out of a nearby trunk. Talon poked the fabric slightly, watching as it fluttered at the disturbance. “What is cape?” “You wear it like this, see?” Sweetie put her own cape around her shoulders, showing it off so Talon could see. “But first we gotta initiate ya.” Apple Bloom stood behind a small stand as she hit it with a wooden hammer. “I hereby call this meeting of the cutie mark crusaders to order. The first order of business is the induction of Talon as an honorary crusader. All in favor?” She looked around with a serious expression as Sweetie and Scootaloo raised their hooves into the air. “All against?” She nodded as no hooves were put up. “Alrighty then, I declare Talon an official honorary crusader. Plus, this time we got witnesses.” She jabbed a hoof in the direction of the guards standing by the entrance to the clubhouse. “Yeah,” Sweetie agreed, “and they're royal guards, too, so this is super-official!” Scootaloo and Sweetie ceremoniously draped the cap across Talon's shoulders, nodding solemnly before all three fillies burst into giggles. “Okay, enough seriousness for today. Let's go find something to do.” The crusaders trudged into Sugarcube corner, followed by Talon and several other young ponies who had joined in their game of tag. All of them were covered in dirt and dust to some degree, Talon being one of the worst. Once again, he felt a tickling at his nose from the dust. Thinking quickly, he covered his snout with his paws, successfully stifling the sneeze, though his magic still caused a puff of air to shoot outward from him for a few feet. This had the fortunate side-effect of cleaning most of the dust out of his fur and feathers, as well as the unfortunate effect of covering the nearest ponies in even more dust. “Boy, that sure seems like a handy way to get clean.” Pinkie stood before them, her front covered in a thin layer of dust. She reached up to her own nose with a hoof, blowing a puff of air that inflated her slightly before she settled back into her normal size. The dust drifted off onto the floor as she turned to the rest of the small crowd. “What can I get you guys?” After each of them had given their order, they meandered over to a large table. “So we never really got around to introducing ya'll to Talon.” Apple Bloom pointed at the other ponies around the table as she named them. She started with a gray coated pegasus. “This here's Rumble...” “Hey.” Rumble waved to him with a wing. “Button Mash...” she next pointed to a brown colt wearing a propeller hat and concentrating intently on his Joy Boy. “Yo. You like video games?” he asked, attention still firmly glued to his game. Talon looked curiously at the device in Button's hooves. “What is video game?” Button's eyes suddenly shot up in surprise. “You don't even know what a video game is?” He was interrupted as an angry beep came from his game. “Aah! Pause! Pause!” Sweetie leaned over and whispered something into his ear as he frantically paused to avoid losing any more lives. “What do ya mean he... wait, really?” A serious expression settle over his features as he thrust a hoof into the air. “By all the powers of Middle Equus, I swear to right this great wrong.” He pointed at Talon as Sweetie facehoofed. “Tomorrow, you all need to come over to my house so we can introduce Talon to the greatness that is gaming!” “Um, Talon have Twilight lesson tomorrow.” Button didn't shift at all as he continued. “Wednesday, you need to come over to my house so we can introduce Talon to the greatness that is gaming!” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she pointed to the next foal in line. “Anyway, this here's Peppermint Twist,” she said before shifting her hoof once more. “And ya already kinda met Pip Squeak.” “Hey!” “Hi again!” Talon looked around the table at each smiling face. “Is nice to meet you.” Pinkie trotted over to them then, a large tray balanced on her back. “Milkshakes for everypony. Don't worry, Talon, yours is safe for you, I checked.” After Pinkie had distributed the shakes and left, Button exclaimed, “Hey, I have an idea! Milkshake race! Threetwoone go!” He jumped for his milkshake, missing it as Sweetie pulled it away from him. “Button! Don't you remember what happened last time you did that?” Sweetie admonished him. Button hung his head as Sweetie handed him back his milkshake. “Oh yeah. Never mind, then. Slurping contest! Threetwoone go!” Button proceeded to make the loudest, slurpiest sips of milkshake he could. Soon Pip, Rumble, and Talon joined in, a cacophony of slurps echoing through the bakery as the fillies giggled and made noises of faux disgust at the display. The contest ended when Talon, in an attempt to make a louder, longer slurp, had accidentally gotten some milkshake in his nose, and the resultant sneeze managed to spread it into a fine mist that covered Pip, Twist, and Rumble completely. Fortunately, they had already finished their shakes, and Pinkie had been ready with several towels. After Talon and the others had quietly finished their milkshakes, they all headed their separate ways, intent on getting to sleep after a long day. Talon got back just as Fluttershy was finishing with her chores for the evening. “Hey Applejack, hey Big Mac. Where's Granny?” Applejack turned at the sound of her little sister's voice. “Granny done got tuckered out already and headed up for bed.” Apple Bloom nodded tiredly. “I reckon she's got the right idea. I'm plum tuckered out.” “Well, didn't ya want any dinner first? We saved ya some apple crumble.” Apple Bloom nodded as she pulled up a chair at the table. “Thanks, sis.” Applejack watched with concern as Apple Bloom poked at the crumble on her plate. “Something wrong? It's not like ya to pick at yer food like this.” Apple Bloom sighed and took a bite before answering. “Just a lot on my mind, I guess.” After a minute of chewing in silence, she continued. “How do you know if somepony like, like likes you?” “Wait, you wanna know if somepony wants to be your special somepony?” Apple Bloom nodded her head, prompting Applejack to continue. “Well, I'd say you'd have to ask to be a hundred percent sure. They'd prolly want to spend a lot of time with ya, but everypony acts different.” Big mac smiled from where he sat across the table. “Is it who I think it is?” Apple Bloom blushed as she swallowed her current bite. “Maybe...” “Wait.” Applejack looked over to Big Mac. “You talking about Talon?” “Eeyup.” “Well, talking to him, he don't seem opposed to the idea. Just a mite confused is all. I mean, with what happened to him, I wouldn't be surprised if he ain't never had a fillyfriend.” Apple Bloom looked down at her now empty plate thoughtfully. “You really think so, sis?” “Well yeah. 'Sides, you'll never know 'til ya ask him.” Apple Bloom hopped down from the table, her plate forgotten. “Thanks, guys. I think I'm gonna hit the hay.” After school the next day, Talon and the crusaders made their way down the path to Twilight's castle. Apple Bloom had asked the other two to help her with asking Talon out. Sweetie had surprised her by agreeing on the condition that they help her ask out Button. Scootaloo had grumbled, but promised to help them, “only since we're such good friends.” So it was that Apple Bloom nervously glanced to her promised backup as they walked. The first order of business was for Sweetie to ask Talon if he liked Apple Bloom. “Hey Talon!” Sweetie called out as she trotted ahead of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, quickly catching up to where Talon was as the other two surreptitiously slowed their pace. “Hello Sweetie. What need?” Sweetie took a moment to phrase the question in a way that would be clearest. “How much do you like Apple Bloom?” “Umm...” Talon's cheeks turned red as she asked. “Well,” she thought, “That's either good or bad.” Talon swallowed and glanced behind to see if anypony else were in hearing range. Day and Emerald, in on the plan, had stayed back far enough to be unable to eavesdrop. “Talon like... I...” Suddenly, Twilight popped out of the door of the castle as they reached it. “Good, you're here. Sweetie, there are workbooks in the main room, I need to borrow Talon for some tests, okay?” She turned and trotted off as she dragged Talon along with her magic. Sweetie stared after them, mouth hanging open. “Oh come on!”