//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Introductions Pt.2 The Gang // Story: Of Loyalty and Chaos // by PxDnNinja //------------------------------// The afternoon found four ponies laying under a shade tree, laughing with each other. Swift had played tag and various other games with the three young fillies for a couple of hours before his muscles started getting sore. He could tell his injuries weren't fully healed so he called for them to take a break and cool down. When he laid down in a comfortable sitting up position, the three gathered around and started asking him questions. Questions about the past, and various other things he had no answers for. After a few times of explaining his lack of memory to the girls, he turned the table had asked them about their cutie mark crusades. This had spawned an hour long fest of stories on how they had tried various things, bringing them to where they were now. "So after Scootaloo calmed down, we realized we weren't Cutie Mark Crusader: Snake Handlers." Sweetie Bell finished her story while Scootaloo gave her a bit of a glare. Swift noticed the group gave Scootaloo a lot of flack, but she seemed to take it well for the most part. He simply smiled at the three, defending when the arguments broke out. "Wow, I can't say as I blame you Scoots. I would not want to be stuck on the wrong end of any snake. Spiders either." He said in a reassuring voice, faking a shake of disgust at the thought of creepy crawlies. The three giggled with him and were about to break into another story when a shadow cast across them from around the big tree. Glancing up, they saw Applejack and Big Macintosh smiling at the group. "Well Ah'll be. Can't remember tha last time I saw the three of y'all not runnin' around like wild chickens." AJ said while smiling. Big Mac just nodded with a grin. "Eeyup." Swift stood up and stretched out his sore muscles, while the crusaders mimicked his movements. "Hey AJ. I assume you guys are done? The fillies were great. I learned a lot about how not to get a cutie mark from them." He said, throwing a joke at the girls behind him. "HAY!" The shouted, catching the joking insult. After a second, they started laughing with the group before breaking off. "Well I need to get back to the boutique. Thank you for playing with us Swift." Sweetie Bell offered with a slight bow. "It was a pleasure Sweetie Bell. I'm sure we will see each other again." Swift replied, returning the gesture before Sweetie turned to leave. "I'll see you girls tomorrow. Think up some new plans." She said, then took off as fast as her filly legs would take her down the path. Applebloom waved and walked over by AJ while Scoots moved to the path as well. "Um...well...I should be leaving too. I hope you get better Swift. Thanks for the games." She said, suddenly sounding a bit shy. Swift noticed it, but put it aside for now. Leaning down he ran a hoof through her wild mane. "Hey, was a pleasure. You're one of the coolest fillies I know." He said, giving her a wink. She grinning and nodded, affirming that Swift was obviously correct before turning and running after Sweetie Bell. Once she was out of site, Swift turned to look at the three remaining ponies. "Applebloom, head on inside. Let Granny Smith know we're on our way." AJ said, tapping Applebloom's flank to get her moving. "Ok Applejack. Goodbye Swift!" Applebloom shouted as she ran to the farmhouse. The three laughed at the antics of the children as the stood facing one another. Before anyone could speak, Swift approached Big Mac. "Before I forget or miss my chance, I wanted to thank you for hauling me to the hospital yesterday. And sorry about interrupting your day." Swift extended his hoof to the large red stallion. Mac looked down, and bumped his hoof to Swifts with a nod. "Sure." Big Mac turned and headed on the way Applebloom had ran and AJ took his spot facing Swift. "Don't worry about Mac. He's jest a pony of few words. We're jest glad yer alright." AJ explained as she reached behind her and pulled out a worn out looking saddlebag. "Since ya said you'ere new in town and didn't have anything, I figure ya could use a place to store the food and money from watchin the girls." AJ explained, pushing the bag to Swift. Once side help a half dozen apples, while the other held enough bits to cover a few meals in town. Not much, but it would keep him fed, and all he had done was watch after a few fillies for a few hours. Swift threw on the bags and smiled to AJ. "I appreciate it. This will help out more than you realize. Once I can fly, Rainbow said I could join the weather team, but if you ever need help around here, or with the girls, just let me know." He offered, holding his hoof out for her. "Sure thing. We might havta take ya up on that offer at some point." AJ said, accepting the hoof before turning to head back to the farmhouse. Swift looked up and realized it was still early in the afternoon, so he might as well see if Twilight was available. Besides, a good book on the town might help him out. ------------------------------- Nearing the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, Swift saw a familiar pony. A small, orange pegasus filly sat by the gate, her back to Swift. She looked lost in thought, pawing absently at the ground while looking off at some clouds. "Hey Scoots!" Swift called out, walking up and stopping beside the young filly. Scootaloo screamed and jumped in surprised before seeing who surprised her. "You alright?" Swift ask, a gentle smile on his face, but inside concern for why she seemed so down. The filly relaxed and closed her wings while slowly nodding, but it was obvious she was either upset or distracted by something. "I'm ok, Swift." She said, calmly. Swift smiled again remembering just earlier how they had kept calling him Mr. Swift, and it just never felt right. It took a good ten minutes to get them to drop the mister. "Come on. You can talk to me. I might not have my memories, but I can tell something has you distracted." Swift offered, leaning down to look her eye to eye. The filly locked eyes with him before sighing in defeat. "Why will Rainbow train you, but not me?" She finally asked. Swift pulled his head back, somewhat surprised. To him it was a pretty good question. Dash didn't seem opposed to teaching him to fly, so why not this young filly. 'I suppose she can't teach everyone, but Scoots clearly adores her. Maybe it's an age thing...' Swift thought while looking at the depressed pony before him. Her tiny wings did not look fully developed, but might still be able to sustain flight. "Scoots, I honestly don't know, but if I had to guess, I would assume she guesses your wings aren't ready. That or she is just too busy. Keep in mind when I am able to fly, I will be helping the weather team, so teaching me helps Ponyville. But I can make you a promise. When she starts teaching me, I will teach you what I learn. We can learn together. I know you would rather learn from Rainbow, but perhaps if she sees what you can accomplish, she will break down and take you under her wing." He explained, offering to help this filly. Scoots eyes widened as she looked in surprise at Swift. He would help her learn to fly?! 'He isn't Rainbow, but he will learn directly from her. And he is willing to teach someone like me?' Scootaloo's mind was running over how many times she had wished someone would teach her to fly, or at least help her get ready for when she could fly. Fighting back tears of joy, she leapt forward and hugged onto one of Swift's forelegs. "Thankkyouthankyouthankyou!" She chanted rapidly. Swift brought his over paw over to hug the filly as he laughed at her antics. "You're very welcome, Scoots. I can't promise it will be easy, but we crusader's have to stick together right?" He said. He had noticed she seemed to act somewhat outcast, even among her friends, and her excitement to have someone promise time to her made him think she didn't have many friends. She was a good filly, so if he could help her be happy, he saw no harm. Scootaloo looked up with a grin on her face. "Of course! We can work together and get good enough at flying to even join the Wonderbolts!" She shouted, jumping back and striking a pose. Swift joined in her laughter before reaching into his saddlebag and pulling out an apple. Her eyes watched him and, more specifically the apple as he tossed it to her before grabbing another for himself. "Well, I'm sure you need to get home, and I was headed over to Twilight's library..." Swift explained as he munched on his apple, not setting a good example of not talking with your mouth full. Before he continued, Scootaloo spoke up. "Oh, I don't need to go home yet, and would like to visit Spike. Do you mind if I tag along?" She asked, a hopeful look in her eye. Swift thought it odd that she wasn't headed home like her friends, and had no clue who Spike was. However if the filly wasn't headed home, it would be good to at least make sure she got to town correctly. Swift knelt down and motioned to his back. "Sure thing. Hop on, I am going to sprint there." He explained, taking the final bite from his apple. Scoots grinned and hopped up on his back, grabbing his mane as he stood and checked that she was secure before taking off as fast as possible down the path, an orange filly on his back cheering him on. ------------------------------------------ "What a day. Cloudsdale has to get better at setting up Canterlot storms." Rainbow Dash mumbled to herself as she flew through the sky. She had almost made it back to Ponyville and was thinking about the last couple of days. Specifically about the new pegasus in town. 'I wonder how he got injured. He must have been a pretty good flier to be trying any stunt that ended with his current injuries. And why doesn't he have a cutie mark?' She contemplated as she banked through a cloud. The mist from the vapors helped cooler her off as she flew, and dampened her mane and coat. A slight rainbow trail was following her as she shot through the sky. 'Somepony must know who he is. He seems very unique, and friendly. Cute too.' She continued thinking, grinning at the last part. Most ponies thought Dash too tomboyish to care about romance, or even notice an attractive stallion, but that simply was not the case. She just enjoyed adventures and adrenaline, and most of the stallions in Ponyville were more laid back. Nonetheless, she could spot an attractive pony. She wouldn't let her friends know such a thing though. They would never give her a break. Rarity was bad enough with how she kept trying to set her up with different ponies. Besides, just because he was cute didn't mean she wanted to have a relationship. There were other cute stallions in town as well, but she was too busy to worry about a relationship. "Ah, Ponyville. Surprising how much you can miss this place." Dash mumbled to herself as she dived through another cloud and closed in on the market square path towards the library. She spotted a sprinting pony with an orange filly on his back running towards the library as well. The filly stood out, as Rainbow recognized her biggest fan anywhere, and the lack of a cutie mark on the stallion gave his identity away as well. 'Well, let's have fun.' She grinned as she settled into a glide over top of the two, just out of their view. As the neared the tree, she shot ahead and landed in front of the two by Twilight's door. ---------------------------- Swift closed in on the door to the large tree that Scootaloo had yelled was the library when a blue pegasus landed in front of him. "BUCK!" Swift shouted as he slammed on the brakes and felt Scoot press up against his neck from the force. Once the dust from Swift's sliding stop cleared, he saw Rainbow Dash standing before them, slightly damp from her flight through the clouds. Her mane caught his attention rapidly as well as that cocky grin she seemed to always sport. The light made them shine from their damp state. He quickly composed himself though with a glare. "I have a passenger. That was dangerous." He said, though he found it entertaining as well. Scoot appeared to agree and was clapping. Though to be fair, it was Rainbow Dash. Swift doubted she could do anything wrong in the young filly's eyes. Dash herself just laughed and patted Swift on the head. "You handled it well. Good reaction time too. That will help when flying. She said, turning to open the door to the library. Scoot perked up at the small bit of info Dash leaked about being a better flier and started thinking up ways to improve her own reaction time. Within the library, Swift spotted Twilight seated at a table with a couple of other ponies he hadn't seen before. Looking over, Twilight stood and smiled at the group. "Dash, welcome back, and welcome for the first time Swift. I was wondering if I would see you today." Twilight said, welcoming them into her home. Swift nodded, waiting to be introduced to the other ponies. When he did, Twilight saw Scootaloo on his back. "Ah, I see you met the crusaders." She grinned. She had dealt with them often when they came to visit Spike to play. Scootaloo waved and hopped down off of Swift's back. "Hello Twilight. Is Spike here?" Scoots asked. Twilight nodded and called upstairs for him. Moments later, a young dragon appeared at the stairway and waved to Scootaloo. "Hey Scootaloo. Want to go play?" He asked, noticing a new pony in the room. Most likely they all needed to talk, so he could occupy the young filly. After some goodbyes between the group, Spike and Scootaloo left, leaving Dash, Twilight, and Swift with the two ponies he did not recognize. "Oh hay! I need to introduce you. Swift, these are a couple of our good friends. Rarity and Fluttershy." Swift smiled to the pair now that he knew their names. "Girls, this is Swift, the pony I was talking about." Before Swift could say anything, the canary colored pony named Fluttershy walked up to his bad wing and looked at it intently. "Oh good. It looks like you are taking care of it." She started speaking, very quietly, then realized suddenly what she had done, and hopped back. "Oh, I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind me inspecting your wing. I should have asked." She said, terrified she had made some mistake. Swift cut her off before she continued into her shell. "Ms. Fluttershy, I don't mind at all. Actually I'm glad to hear I'm taking care of it. Playing with the crusaders earlier I thought I might have pulled it." He explained, letting her know he wasn't offended. She quieted up and smiled as she nodded, but stayed her distance. 'Wow, she is very shy. Fitting with her name I guess.' Swift thought as he glanced over to the other pony. This pony looked very familiar. "Ms. Rarity. You seem very familiar." He said, trying to figure out how he knew her. With is lost memory, it couldn't have been from more than a day ago. The white pony just laughed. "Darling, you arrived with Scootaloo. She is good friends with my sister Sweetie Bell." Rarity explained. "And please, just Rarity." She added, Fluttershy took the moment to make a similar statement. "Same here. Just Fluttershy. If you don't mind, that is." She said, for a moment speaking up the fading back. Swift smiled to the two and nodded. "Fair enough. And just Swift for me. And yeah, that makes sense. You and your sister seem similar." Swift explained, drawing the connection between the two. He had an odd feeling of being watched, but before he could look around he heard Dash speak up. "Fluttershy! What the hay!" Swift turned to look to Fluttershy in response to Dash's shouts and noticed her staring intently at his own flank. It only took him a moment to realize what was going on. Apparently Twilight didn't tell them everything. "Dash, really? I wouldn't have imagined YOU ever getting jealous. Finally set your eyes on a stallion?" Rarity teased, but was surprised by Fluttershy's openly checking out stallions flank. "What?! No no no! I would be a lot more subtle about it at least!" Dash said, forgetting about the most obvious reason Fluttershy would be doing that, and turning red in the process. Before things could escalate, Swift finally managed to speak. "Girls! It's perfectly reasonable for Fluttershy to look to my flank." He started, then realized exactly how that sounded. The room was silent with everyone giving him a flat eyed stare. "Let me try that again." Swift started, trying to salvage his own hoof-in-mouth syndrome. Turning so Rarity could see his lack of a cutie mark, realization appeared on her face. "Oh my! Where's your cutie mark?" Rarity finally asked. Fluttershy nodded her agreement with the question. "Let's have a seat. Clearly Twilight didn't share all the info of what happened." He explained as they moved to the table. Twilight nodded in agreement, using her magic to pull over some cups and a teapot. "I felt it was up to you on how much they were told." Twilight explained. Swift was thankful for her discretion, but figured honesty was the better path rather than keeping secrets. Once everyone was settled, Swift explained what had happened, with input from Dash and Twilight where his memory was hazy, either because of being unconscious, or the panic when he woke up. Once the story was done, Rarity and Fluttershy seemed even more relaxed. Fluttershy didn't even seem to be shying away, though she did still seem as shy as ever. "So you don't even know your real name?" Fluttershy asked. "That must be so sad." She added, a look of pity on her face. Rarity nodded in agreement. "Certainly. And no knowledge of friends and family?" Rarity couldn't think of a worse situation than not knowing anyone. "Nonsense," Swift started, waving away their concerns. "I can't remember any of it, so hard to miss it. Besides, I am friends with Dash and Twilight here, and those cutie mark crusaders seem to have adopted me as a fourth member. Applejack seemed friendly enough, and perhaps we can be friends as well." He offered to the duo, glancing to Twilight and Dash, both who were looking at him. Rarity beamed at the idea, as well as noticed Swift's attention to Dash holding fractionally longer than on Twilight. 'Interesting.' She thought. "OF Course Darling! Any friend of theirs is a friend of ours!" Rarity exclaimed, keeping her thoughts to herself for now. Fluttershy agreed, less vocally, but just as enthusiastically. "Swift, where are you staying tonight?" Twilight asked, drawing attention to the fact that the sun had lowered a great deal. Spike had returned earlier and was upstairs either reading or sleeping. "Not sure yet Twilight. I have some money from Applejack. I guess I can find an inn." He said, standing up to get his saddlebags. The other stood as well, getting ready to leave. All of them had work the following morning. "Nonsense. You can stay here. We have a spare bedroom, and once your wing is better you can find a cloud house, or just find a place on land really. But I won't send you out in the cold tonight." She said, insisting that he stay. Rarity agreed. "Twilight is right, dear. You can find a place later. Maybe even move in with someone," Her eyes shot to Dash with mirth in them before continuing. "But for now, just rest and let your injuries heal. I'm sure Fluttershy would agree." She finished. Fluttershy simply nodded that it was true. Dash just gave Rarity a look about the glance and comment. 'What's that unicorn planning?' Dash thought for a moment before shrugging it off. "Yeah Swift. Just crash here. After work tomorrow I'll swing by and we can work on getting you ready for flight lessons. That being said, I have an early day, so I'm out." Dash said, waving goodbye to her friends and flying out the window near the door and up into the sky. Rarity and Fluttershy opted for the door but said their goodbyes as well. Once the door shut behind the duo, Swift found himself alone with Twilight. "Thank you for this Twilight. I owe you a great deal. If you need any help let me know." he offered, thinking he could help sort books or something. Twilight simply smiled and nodded. "Just worry about getting better for now. You can help me take care of a shipment of books that should arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I am exhausted so I'm going to bed. Do you need anything before I do?" Twilight asked. Swift shook his head and headed to the bedroom she pointed out to him. A quick set of goodnights and Swift stepped into the room and laid down. "They all seem nice. I wonder what tomorrow will bring." He said to himself as he curled up under the blanket and drifted off to sleep.