//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Meeting the locals 
// Story: Equestria’s White Fang 
// by Garnet Naturea 
//------------------------------//

Panting, I twirl my weapon for flair and to get the Grimm remnants off it before retuning it to my sheath. Turning to the ponies in the building, I see everyone who was previously hiding looking at me, some with fear, some with shock, most in awe. I just smile and wave before walking over to them, the CMC and their friends meeting me halfway.

“That Was Awsome!!” Scootaloo yells, before trying to help me stay upright. “You were incredible Adam! You took on those Grimm like it was nothing.”

“Heh, I told you I wouldn’t let these things do as they please.” I say as a yellow pegasus helps me stand up straight. I noticed that all the ponies nearby were shorter than me, the big red stallion in the crowd looking to be the tallest, but still a little shorter than me.

“Are you going to be ok Mister Taurus?” Sweeties sister asks me, sounding like a mix of posh and friendly.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine in a minute, and please drop the mister. I am only 18 after all.” I tell her, which immediately causes all eyes present to widen in shock.

“You’re only 18?!? But your so tall and you took on these things all by yourself?!?” A mare with dark pink fur and a light and dark pink mane in a school teachers outfit yells in shock.

“Yeah? I may be young, but I think my actions speak volumes about my skills.” I respond, a few of the stallions nodding in agreement. The mares on the other hand look at me with worry. 

We are barely able to relax when we heard what sounds like armour clanking against each other. Looking up we see what could only described as the flying Calvary. A ton of of cararrages being pulled by some Pegasi, all the ponies wearing golden armour and wielding swords, spears, hammers and some bows. 

The small army lands an immediately goes to help and treat the civilian and put out the fires. By having the Pegasi GRAB the clouds and JUMP on them, making it rain.

I just looking in shock at the absurdity of the situation I am looking at when Scootaloo taps my arm to get my attention. “You ok Adam? You look like you just saw Pinkie Pie for the first time.” She asks, seeing my dumbfounded face. 

“Y-yeah. It’s just I have never seen stuff like this back home.” I respond. I quickly notice a couple of intricately designed carriages coming in, one white and gold and the other black, purple and blue. “Hey Scoots? Are those important?” I ask, pointing at the incoming carriages.

I heard a few gasps and heard a mare shout, “the princesses carriages!” After I hear that I tense slightly. They may be princesses, but I don’t know if they are the spoiled brat kinds, the tyrannical kinds or the benevolent kinds. The carriages come to a stop a bit down the road. The carriage door opens, but it wasn’t a pony who walked out first. 

A small lizard like person, about the same height as Scootaloo walks out quickly, wearing a pair of tan cargo pants and a purple t-shirt and green writs bands. He had green fin-like spines on his head where his ears should be and a pointed tail.

I stare confused at the kid when her rushes forward, causing me to tense and reach for my sword before Twilight runs past me to him. “Spike!” She yells before brining the smaller reptile into a hug, the kid hugging back full force.

“Twilight! Your ok!” He says relieved. I look at the duo in confusion, before turning to Scootaloo, and nudging her to get her attention, nodding to the two with a raised brow. 

“Oh! That’s Spike. He is a dragon and Twilights assistant/brother/sorta son. She hatched him when she was taking her entrance exam to Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorn. It’s actually how she became the princesses person student.” She explains, this revelation causing me to look at the duo in shock.

‘A Dragon!?! What next, a hydra? A Sphinx? A Minotaur? A Freaking Griffon?!? And Twilight is the princesses personal student?!?’ I think to myself in exasperation. My mental tangent gets interrupted by a soothing, almost mother like voice. 

“Young Spike is right to be worried. I am glad to see you and the others are ok my faithful student.” Looking back to Twilight and Spike, I see the owner of the voice, who is presumably, Princess Celestia. She is a rather tall pony, even taller than me, just barely. She has both wings and a horn atop her head, her malty white fur looking soft and three toned rainbow mane waving in the non existent breeze. She is wearing a long, gold and white dress that makes her figure rather subtle but also alluring.

Next to her is a slightly smaller...pegacorn? Whatever, winged unicorn. Likely another princess. She has navy blue almost black fur and her mane looks like the calm night sky that also waves in the non existent breeze. She is wearing a blue and purple combat dress with a chest plate and arm guards with dual sabers at her sides. Clearly she was ready for a fight. 

Looking at the two princesses, the light and dark, day and night, ying and yang comparison was just trying to hit me in the face. Twilight quickly hugs the larger princess, looking happy to see her mentor. 

“Princess Celestia! I’m so happy to see you again. You too princess Luna.” She adds, looking at the smaller princess who smile at the young unicorn.

“We are glad to see you as well, Twilight Sparkle. It was fortunate for thou that thee were able to wait out these beasts.” Luna says, in a rather ‘ye olden days’ voice and manner of speaking.

Twilight shakes her head at the two princesses, backing up and putting an arm around Spike. “No, we didn’t wait them out. In fact, I am not sure if we would have survived if not for Adam and the CMC.” She tells them, the princesses looking both worried and confused.

“The CMC? You mean Generosity’s, Honesty’s and Loyalty’s younger siblings?” Luna asks, to which Twilight nodded, both the princesses again looking shock. The fact that three fillies were able to help save their town was mind boggling.

“And who is this Adam Twilight?” Celestia asks, to which Twilight just points to me, where I am leaning on the side of a building catching my breath with Scootaloo at my side. I just smile and push off, taking my mask off and handing it to Scoots.

“Hang on to this for me, would ya?” I ask, to which she nods and actually tries to put the mask on, but it doesn’t fit right with her muzzle. I chuckle and begin to walk to the princesses, the civilian making way and the guard nearby tensing after spotting my hand on my sword.

We stare at one another for a few moment, before I quickly unsheathed my sword, twirl and plant it into the earth, and go to one knee like the knights of old. “Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. It is an honour to make your acquaintances.” I say keeping my head down, one hand on my sword. 

“Oh my. He certainly is flashy when showing respect. Please rise, young warrior.” Luna say. I get up and take my sword out of the ground and back into the sheath. Looking around in my peripherals, I can see the guards nearby having hands on their weapons, just waiting to attack.

“Are you guys going to attack or are you just trying to intimidate me?” I say, the princesses noticing their guards at the ready to slice me up. They quickly glare at the offending guards, the guard releasing their holds on their weapons.

“You seem rather in tune in the ways of combat. I must ask, what are you doing in Ponyville to begin with.” Celestia asks, a neutral expression on her face.

“First, I am not that in tune with combat. I am just known for studying my surroundings. For your second question, I am not a hundred percent sure myself.” I say honestly, earning a raised brow from the princesses. 

“What do ya mean yer not a hundred percent sure?” Applebloom’s older sister asks, the group having come over during my flashy introduction.

“Well I was just at a convention with my two friends Lex and Nat,” I take out the picture to show the others, “and we each bought something from some merchant, and then poof! I was in that forest by the farm. I saw the smoke stacks and thought, maybe I could help.” I tell the assembled group. The princesses take the photo and look at me and my friends.

“Quite the colourful trio. You three must be very good friends.” Celestia says, looking at the smiles on each of our faces.

“Yeah. We have been friends for nearly a decade. I was going to be moving away to go to college in the fall, so I wanted to make the most out of my last summer in my hometown and with my old friends before leaving.” I tell them, the mares each gaining a smile on their muzzles. Luna hand me back my photo and I put it back in my coat pocket.

“Adam. With your agreement, I would like you to come to Canterlot with the girls so we can write a report on what has happened her and get properly aquatinted. Perhaps we can help you find a way to find your friends.” Celestia says. I was about to agree before looking back at the CMC talking to the mare in the teachers outfit.

“Very well Princess.” They smile, “but,” the look back at me. “Only if the CMC can come with. I didn’t defeat the Grimm on my own. They deserve at least some of the credit.” The group looks surprised by my request.

“Um, I don’t think they can. They have school tomorrow.” Rarity says sadly.

“Actually, one of the building that were burned down was the schoolhouse. It will take at least a week to rebuild it so classes are off till then.” The teacher says, walking up to us with the CMC after hearing my request. 

“Please sis! Can we come?” Sweetie and AB ask their sisters in unison, giving the mares a trio puppy dog stare. The three sister figures try to resist, but eventually succumb to the stares.

“OK OK, you three can come! Just stop with the stares!” Rainbow says, covering her eyes. The others laugh and we walk towards some of the carriages that were going to taking us to Canterlot.

“Mister Adam! Wait!” I heard a boy yell. Looking back, I see a small pegasus colt with a cream coat and brown hair and buck teeth running up to me. He is seriously skinny, wearing a brown and white polo shirt and brown shorts, with a camera around his neck.

“Hey, what’s up sport?” I ask, crouching to get on better level with him. he quickly takes out a photo from his pocket and holds it out to me. 

“Here. I took this photo after you took down that giant scorpion monster.” He says, handing me the picture. I look at the photo and pause in shock. It looked to be timed perfectly, the petals dancing around me, with me being in a badass pose for it, the background all red from the Grimms corpse.

“Wow! You have a serious talent for timing kid. This looks awesome, thanks!” I tell him, rubbing his head. He just blushes at the praise and laughs, quickly turning back and going to his friends, but not before waving to our group as he goes. I just chuckle at his enthusiasm. 

“You seem to be rather good with the foals of this town.” Luna says from beside me, causing me to jump slightly. I calm down and smile at her while walking to the carriages. 

“Eh, not surprising. Even back home, I was always good with kids.” I tell her. As we get to the carriages, I see I will be riding with RD and Scootaloo, the latter telling Rainbow about what I did after I saved her and the other two. 

“I was so cool! Even though he said he was scared he didn’t look it at all! He just acted in spite of it.” She says animately, the rainbow manne pegasus looking at her with an expression I couldn’t place before noticing me. 

“Hey Adam. Guess your riding with us huh?” She asks blankly. I was a little worried about that.

“Yup, guess so.” I say, sitting beside Scootaloo, my weapon on my lap. 

The carriage begins to move and lift off the ground taking us to the city. I look out the window at the passing terrain below and looking further ahead of us and see a large city hanging off the side of a mountain. 

‘How is it not falling?’