//------------------------------// // Crash Landings and Bad Introductions // Story: A Distant Traveler // by Sir_Risgord //------------------------------// "So thou are sure this is considered fun?" Luna asked from her spot on the laid out blanket atop one of the large hills overlooking Ponyville and its new castle, which sat gleaming in the lights of the small town. "Of course it is Luna." Twilight stated while looking through her telescope into the starry night sky. "And besides, Celestia was nice enough to take over your duties for the day so you could come, so try to enjoy it." Cadence persuaded, nuzzling up beside Shining Armor from the cool night breeze. "YEAH! The Meteor Showers we have are some of the most super duper, funtastic times in Ponyville, and I`m not even responsible." Pinkie gleamed, bouncing up and down, causing the various glasses and punch bowls surrounding their group to rattle. “Pinkie dear, do calm down, the show is starting" Rarity stated, and true to her word, streaks of blazing white light began to travel across the sky, disappearing behind the mountains to the far west, the collective oohs and aahs only adding to the beauty of the scene. "Oh wow look at that one, its being silly" Pinkie said, pointing to a comet travelling in a completely different direction from the rest, even throwing in some twirls and curves in its path. "Pinkie, I don't think that is a comet" Twilight exclaimed from her telescope, watching the object as it continued its strange path. "Well then what is it?" Dash asked, gazing at the object with growing curiosity. "I can’t tell, it has a bright glow to it and it looks like there is fire coming off it. Maybe it’s-" She was cut off when the mysterious object suddenly exploded in a spectacle of blue fire, spreading across the sky like a firework. "Uh, what the hay was 'at" AJ questioned, standing up to further look at the now fading spectacle. "I'm not sure, bu- wait what is that?" In the spot where the object had once hovering there was now a glowing ball of green light that was steadily growing bigger. No not bigger but, CLOSER! "Get down!" Dash yelled as the green orb sailed over they're spot on the hill and shot towards a clearing in the Everfree forest and landed with a explosion of green light that slowly changed to a dark shade of red and orange. "What in Equestria was that?" AJ gasped while putting her hat back on after having it blown off. "I'm not sure, but I am sure that we need to go make sure that that fire doesn't spread and burn down the whole forest. Come on everypony" Twilight exclaimed, lifting herself off the ground and leading the charge into the Everfree, the rest following behind her. It was surprisingly easy to stay on track the location where the object, as the flames it produced seemed to refuse to die down. "So whatcha al thing it was?" AJ questioned, keeping an eye both on the glow in the distance and in the surrounding forest for any signs of trouble. "From the looks of it, I think it was two meteors colliding and some of the shrapnel got caught in our orbit." Twilight commented, keeping her gaze intent on the blazing glow. "I must agree with Princess Twi-" Luna was cut off by a new voice echoing throughout the woods, and it sounded mad. "Bring it on you wooden bitches! I'll turn you into GARDEN MULCH!" shouted a definitely male voice, coming from the direction of the fallen object. Followed by a multitude of angry barks and painful yelps. "Oh no, that sounds like Timberwolves." whispered Fluttershy "And it sounds like someponys gettin' attacked" AJ noted. "It’s weird though, I know every single pony in Ponyville, and I've never heard that voice before" commented pinkie, scratching her chin quizzically. "Well whoever it is, we can’t let them become plant food, LETS GO!" Rainbow exclaimed before racing towards the noise, leaving a streak of rainbow in her wake. "Come on girls lets go." Twilight stated, galloping to catch up with Dash, the rest of the group following close behind. It took another five minutes of running before they made it to the clearing and the fires where only just now starting to die down. They found the Rainbow standing behind a bush, staring in awe at something transpiring outside they're field of view. "Rainbow, do you know what’s going on, is anyone hurt?" Twilight wheezed as she tried to catch her breath, "Yeah, are there any Timberwolves still around?" AJ questioned, while wiping the sweat of her brow. "G-girls, y-you might want to see this" Rainbow mumbled, never taking her eyes of the event they where currently glued to. After taking a moment to catch their breath, they all approached the bushes, peering over to find the most bizarre sight any of them had ever seen. A tall, dark figure, with a tattered cloak hanging from around its neck. Holding a blade of glowing crimson in one of its upper limbs, and facing off against no less than three full grown Timberwolves. "Greka gimora gara!" The figure shouted at the advancing canines, lowering itself down by bending its lower limbs and holding its blade in front of its main body. A pose that instantly struck Twilight as a fighting stance. "Rainbow, what’s going on, what happened to the pony we heard on the way here?" Twilight asked, checking over every section of the clearing for any signs of a fellow pony. Using her head to gesture, rainbow nodded towards the figure. "That’s him" “What, but then why is it speaking that-" "I don’t know, he was speaking Equestrian at first but then a Timberwolves got a lucky shot and bonked him on the head, after that he started speaking some weird language." She was about to say more but several snarls brought their attention back to the creature and its opponents, the wolves had apparently become bored with the standoff and where beginning to circle the figure on both sides. The alpha remained in front of the being, preparing to pounce, its back shaking in anticipation. The creature’s posture however changed drastically, instead of readying itself, it somehow turned off its sword and hooked the handle onto a strange cloth around its midsection. And then it completely relaxed its posture and spread its upper limbs outward, in a almost inviting pose. "Gorba gepa" it challenged. The alpha responded by leaping into the air, straight towards the seemingly relaxed creature. "What the hay is it doin', does he wanna get turned into dog chow?!" "We gotta help him!" AJ claimed and began to climb over the bush. But as she did so time seemed to slow down, as the alpha got closer to the creature it fell backwards, without any hesitation and put its upper limbs upwards to catch itself as it hit the ground. Then it pulled its lower limbs inward closer to its body and pointed them upwards, so that when the now surprised alpha passed over him he was able to connect both of his weird hooves to its chest and send it soaring over both him and the now shocked ponies. Who followed the wolf until it landed in the shadows behind them with a sickening crunch. "Um applejack, I don’t think he needs any help" Shining Armor commented, watching both the ongoing events in the clearing and behind them, just in case that fall hadn't finished its job. In the clearing the remaining Timberwolves, now unsure as of what to do with the loss of their leader, began to retreat back into the surrounding woods, letting the darkness engulf them. But for some strange reason the creature seemed disappointed, making strange gestures and speaking in its strange language as the last of the wolves disappeared into the forest. After checking the area for any remaining threats, the creature reached up towards its head with its upper limbs and what they could all now see where strange claw like appendages. "Just like spike" Fluttershy noted. Once its claw reached its head, it began turning a small dial on the side of its helmet, producing an audible click every time it turned. "It would appear now would be a good time to introduce ourselves" Luna suggested. "You’re probably right, well here goes nothing" Twilight gulped as she stepped out from behind the bush and cautiously approached the preoccupied figure. "Um hello s-sir?" She forced out from her now exposed position at the edge of the clearing. The creatures head suddenly jerked towards her position, his red glowing eyes locked onto her position, gluing her to the spot. His claw slowly began to move down to his blade handle still strapped to his midsection, ready for any possible fight. "I a-assure you w-we mean no harm, we only wish to speak to you" "Rogra?" and a head tilt was the only reply. But the creature seemed to understand her promise, if it’s more relaxed posture was of any indication, though Twilight noted it still had its blade handle in its claw as it crossed its upper limbs across its upper half. "Um ok, girls, and Shining come on out and meet our guest." The rest of the group began to emerge from the bushes, cautiously moving towards the two. If the creature was nervous of them it did a good job of hiding it. "Ok so far so good" Twilight thought, everything seemed to be going fine. No sooner had she exhaled that the creature gave up its relaxed posture for a rigid fighting stance, staring intently in the direction of the approaching group. It slowly started to raise its sword handle and move one of its claws towards a small button on the edge of the hilt. The actions did not go unnoticed by the approaching group, who faltered in their advance at the now hostile atmosphere. Twilight rushed to clear the air before anything happened. "Sir I assure you we won’t harm you, please just calm dow-" she was cut off by the creature holding one claw up to its helmet and shushing her! "Excuse me?!" Twilight stammered, only to be shushed again. Then out of nowhere, the creature’s blade ignited again illuminating its 'features' with a red glow. Only now the creature’s blade had changed, now it was less of a blade and looked more like a crimson fencing foil, stretching easily six hooves (half a foot) from the hilt. "Um Twilight, what’s going on?" Cadence asked, staring fearfully at the glowing foil. "I don’t know, but we-" Twilight started, but was once again cut off as the creature burst into action, charged full speed towards the group, holding its foil behind its head with the blade pointing forward over its upper shoulder. "NO SIR WAIT!" Twilight screamed but it was no use, the creature was stopping for nothing as he barreled forward. Only when he was a mere twenty hooves did the creature pause, and even then only for a brief moment in order to send his weapon sailing out of its claw and straight towards the heads of Equestrian royalty.