//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: P-RPG // by loopertooper //------------------------------// The next morning, Blade went to the library to ask Twilight where the other girls lived. “Why do you need to know that, if I may ask?” Twilight was being curious because of the confusing, out of no-where question. “Well…for extra training, I guess.” Blade really wasn’t sure why he asked anymore and was prepared to leave when Pinkie Pie entered the scene. “HELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOO TWILIGHT!” Pinkie screamed as she entered the once peaceful library. Then Pinkie turned her head to see Blade and then proceeded to continue her yelling. “AND HELLOOO TO YOU BLADEY!” Pinkie’s whimsical nature and cheerful voice never ceased to amaze Blade who cringed at the nickname which was given to him. “Hello Pinkie, didn’t I tell you to be quiet when you enter the library and to be quiet whilst still in the library.” Twilight scolded Pinkie’s loud behavior and Pinkie just looked downcast like a puppy that got yelled at. It almost brought Blade to tears. “Oh, hello Pinkie, I’m still not used to your uh… cheerful mood.” Blade said quietly under his breathe. But Pinkie is amazing and heard him perfectly. “Also, please don’t call me Bladey.” Blade begged. “NOPEY DOPEY.” Pinkie almost sounded like a mother when she said that. She said it with force and with an aggressive beat, but the –y at the end makes it a Pinkie signature. “Fine, actually I was looking for you.” Blade finally remembered why he needed the girls’ addresses. He explained to Twilight and she told him where to go. First Applejack. “Umm… thank you Pinkie for helping me, but I think I’ll do.” Blade was “given” Pinkie watching duties by Twilight (obviously Twilight was too tired from training to deal with the pink joy machine) and Pinkie just kept bouncing and singing. “I’mmmmm with my new FRIENNDDDDDD … Bladey?” Pinkie stops and looks…confused. “What?” Blade asks kind of concerned. “I can’t think of a rhyme.” Pinkie sighed and trotted on. All Blade could think of was the quiet tranquility he could now revel in. For three seconds. The rest of the walk consisted of Pinkie trying to think of rhymes. Once the duo reached Sweet Apple Acres, Blade let out a sigh of relief. “Is this the farm?” Blade asked Pinkie. “Yeppy, this is where the Apples live.” Pinkie replied strongly. “Umm, the rest?” Blade asked. Pinkie explained about the other Apples. Big Mac, Applebloom, and of course, Granny Smith. “Blade, Pinkie what are you two doing’ here?” Luckily for Blade, the “1st Apple” they meet is Applejack. She trots over to them and gets jumped by Pinkie. They continue to laugh for a few minutes as Blade stands there uncomfortably until a big, red stallion appeared. “Umm, hello…?” Blade felt very confused by the big stallion’s appearance. After closer inspection, Blade noticed the apple on his flank, he must be an Apple. “Are you Big Mac?” Blade asked the red stallion. “Eeyup.” Big Mac replied. The reply threw Blade off guard. Big Mac stuck out a hoof and Blade and he shook hooves. Big Mac looked at Blade, which immediately reminded Blade. “Oh, my apologies, my name is Elemental Blade, I’m Applejack’s friend, it is a pleasure.” Big Mac smiled at Blade’s introduction. Applejack came over, still dragging the laughing Pinkie, who won’t let go of Applejack. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres Blade, so what did you need again?” Applejack’s question almost made Blade punch himself. He got so caught up in introductions and with what was happening, he almost forgot why he was here. “Right, can you meet me at my cottage this afternoon, Applejack?” Blade finally asked his question. After Applejack agreed, Blade and Pinkie said their goodbyes and the duo was off. “SOOOOOOOOOO, who next who next?” Pinkie was more hyper after playing with Applejack. Blade thought about it and ran down the possibilities. Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Rarity were left on the list of people they had to meet and the last person Rainbow wants to see is Blade, so Fluttershy or Rarity. “Who is the closest, Fluttershy or Rarity?” Blade asked his guide, Pinkie. “Hmm, Fluttershy’s cottage is the closest, we going there next?” Blade nodded and asked Pinkie to lead the way and so Pinkie hopped off towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Once the two arrived at Fluttershy’s, they were greeted with… a lovely sight. Fluttershy was singing with the birds and hanging clothes on a line. Pinkie grabbed Blade and pulled him into a bush. She whispered to be quiet. Fluttershy sighed and spoke aloud. “Pinkie I heard you coming a mile away, I think I know your there.” Fluttershy said as her birds dispersed. Blade and Pinkie emerged from the bush. Pinkie sighed, obviously she wanted to listen. “You THINK you know I’m here, but do you REALLY know I’m here?” Pinkie was trying to confuse Fluttershy with confused logic. “Pinkie, you are right there.” Fluttershy said and then Pinkie gasped. “YOU FOUND ME, can we play again?” Pinkie is reared and ready to play again. “Blade, what are you doing here?” Fluttershy chose to ignore Pinkie for a second to welcome her other guest. Blade explained why he was there and got straight to the point with Fluttershy, he didn’t want the animals coming after him. Fluttershy agreed and got back to work. Unlucky for Blade, Rainbow flew over and caught eyes with her target. She dived straight at Blade. Blade dodged and Rainbow turned and landed next to Fluttershy. “Stay away you brute.” Rainbow still hates Blade at this point. “Rainbow, Blade needs us to meet him at his cottage later today, okay?” Fluttershy meekly said okay and waited for a response. Rainbow looked confused and then nodded with a smile. With that she flew off. “You’re welcome.” Fluttershy smiled at Blade and Blade smiled back as he thanked her. Pinkie then led the way to Rarity’s shop. The final pony they had to talk to. Once Pinkie reached the boutique, she bounced in place while Blade trotted slowly over. It was a challenge to keep up with Pinkie. Rarity was the last pony so Blade guessed that Pinkie was excited, well she is always excited, but more excited than usual. Blade knocked and opened the door to see Rarity running around in circles with fabric flying everywhere. Pinkie prepped herself and launched herself as she screamed. “RARITYYYYY!” Pinkie landed on the fabric and got up, looking triumphant at her landing. Rarity looked back and lifted the fabric up, flipping Pinkie who just giggled harder than usual. “What are you and Blade doing here?” a legitimate question. “I need to talk to all of you, so can you please meet me at my cottage later today, it won’t be for that long if you’re busy?” Blade explained. “Fine, but I’m busy now, sorry I can’t chat.” Rarity agreed and with that Blade and Pinkie left the boutique. “See you later, Bladey.” Pinkie giggled like a schoolgirl as she bounced off. Finally peace and quiet, Blade thought. He slowly trotted off to his cottage to make preparations for his guests. Later on, the girls all arrived at the same time, to Blade’s amazement. He wondered if they all met up and took bets on what they thought was going on. They all sat and looked at Blade. Pinkie was somehow bouncing in place while sitting, which amazed Blade even more, but in a different way. Before they could ask what the reason for the meeting was, a knock was at the door, met with a low, dusty voice. “Yo, bro what is up?” Blade let him in and the stallion trotted in. He was a pegasus with large, wings and a dark red coat and black and red mane and tail. He had a dark red watch and black sunglasses. Also he was wearing a dark yellow striped shirt. His cutie mark looked like a board. “Girls, this is Headhunter.” The girls all stepped back. This made Headhunter laugh. “Hello, I’m no assassin, I’m a helper. People tell me problems and how much they pay for it to be done, and then I go ask some people to do the job.” Headhunter explained his line of work. “I asked Headhunter if he had a job for us. As a team we need to work on our skills and helping others is a good way to get money. So, Hunter, got a nice simple job for us?” Blade asked Headhunter, but he looked unhappy. “Sorry, bro, the only jobs I got are hard extermination missions. You guys need more credit and you need to be stronger to get one of those.” Headhunter was displeased with the situation. He left and ended by saying how he would ask around, but no promises. “So, you want to work for cash, like a job?” Applejack was confused by the situation. “Yeah, I know Headhunter and he travels all over Equestria getting missions. I expected a simple one.” Blade seemed downcast. “What is an extermination mission?” Pinkie asked and looked worried. “It is when the person is asking for something or a group of something to be taken care of. It doesn’t always mean death.” Blade calmed the peppy pony down with the explanation of the mission. The girls all left and were all upset that there was no mission to try their new found abilities on. Rainbow apologized to Blade before leaving. Blade was all alone, so he slept, hopefully Headhunter would find a mission for him and the girls to complete.