The train ride for Ponyville was surprisingly uneventful. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that once Orion came back to their compartment he fell asleep. Orion snored lightly, his leg ocassionaly twitching as he dreamed of the time he ran from security-
A-anyway, since Orion was sleeping and Storm Breaker was inspecting the train for possible threats, besides Orion's snoring, that meant the mares could have some girl talk.
"You think this is a good idea Twilight?" Rarity asked while observing Orion. He was drooling a little.
"Do you know anypony else that uses chaos magic?" Twilight chuckled when Orion smacked his lips like he was suckling. "Besides, he's not a bad pony and wants to learn to control his magic so he doesn't hurt somepony."
"But Discord as a teacher?" Rainbow scoffed and kicked Orion's back leg that was creeping dangerously close to her rump.
"Well, I think it will be fine." Fluttershy said and patted Orion's head. The stallion hummed in delight and immediately relaxed. "See?"
"Ya' know what ah don' see?" Applejack pointed to Orion's flank. "A cutie mark!"
"So?" Pinkie tilted her head. "Orion was not a pony before becoming an alicorn so it stands to reason to think that whatever he was before doesn't get cutie marks and therefore-"
"Pinkie?" Twilight interrupted the perky mare who was using a laser pointer at a complex looking diagram.
"Yes?"
"I'm supposed to be the smart one..." Twilight pouted and crossed her front legs.
"Okie dokey!" the diagram and laser pointer were yeeted out the window and apparently hit somepony. "Sowie!"
"I can keep an eye on Orion and Discord Twilight." Fluttershy offered and was met with shocked gasps. "What? You don't think I can do it?" Fluttershy frowned at her friends.
"Nopony said that!" Twilight replied. "It's just, we were surprised when you agreed to keep an eye on Discord and now you want to take in one more chaos being?" everypony nodded in agreement.
"Discord is not the same creature he was before and Orion is a good pony." Fluttershy patted the sleeping stallion who once again hummed contently. "Everything will be fine."
Orion awoke with a big yawn inside their cabin aboard the Friendship Express. He faintly heard the mares discussing something about a trip to the spa but didn't care much for it. Instead he turned his gaze through the window and the passing landscape. Orion couldn't remember when was the last time he saw so much green.
"Damn..." he said quietly and felt something climb on his head. "What do you think bud?" Nibbler the squirrel, who returned to the group after his solo exploration of Canterlot, gave Orion's ear a light nibble. "You gotta let me meet your family." the squirrel was gesturing something with his tiny arms and talked in his cute squirrel noises. "Subtitles please."
"Cinnamon says his family would be delighted to meet you." Fluttershy said and offered a smile at the end when Orion looked confused. "His real name is Cinnamon, remember?"
"Right, right." Orion nodded slowly so that his little friend doesn't fall off. "I still think Nibbler is better." the small squirrel huffed in approval. "Soooo... Are we there yet?"
"Not yet." Twilight groaned.
"Ninety nine bottles of-" Orion's song was interrupted by Applejack's hoof in his mouth.
"We don't sing about cider in front of Rainbow Dash." the earth mare tilted her head towards the cyan pegasus. Orion nodded and his mouth was hoof free.
"-take one down, you pass it around. Ninety eight bottles of-" a collection of glares made Orion stop and laugh. "I was gonna' say juice!"
"Aight, now ah know yer lyin'!" Applejack poked Orion's chest, suddenly realizing how small she actually was compared to him.
"No you don't." Orion deadpanned.
"Ah don't." Applejack pouted and retreated from the stallion.
"Alright, Purplesmart, what's the plan?" Orion turned to Twilight who suddenly smiled widely. "Oh no."
"I'm glad you asked!" Twilight pulled out a rolled-up parchment and undid the seal. "Lucky for you, I had a little bit of free time and made a list of activities!" as soon as the seal was removed, the parchment rolled out and kept on rolling. "First, we'll exit the Friendship Express. After that we'll introduce you to Mayor Mare who has been informed of your arrival." Orion would've snickerd at the pony name if not for the fact the parchment rolled out of their cabin and kept on going. "Then it's off to-" Twilight stopped and looked at Orion whose head was out of their cabin and looking down the hall. "Are you listening?"
"It never ends..." Orion said in horror as the parchment rounded a corner and fell out of sight. You could still hear the paper unfolding...
"Of course the fun never ends! And this list will make sure of it!" Twilight tapped the parchment proudly. "Now, where was I? Oh right! Then it's off to Sugar Cube corner for a perfectly planned and scheduled Welcome to Ponyville party." Pinkie handed Orion an envelope.
"Peanut waveeeee..." the pink mare whispered dramatically into Orion's ear.
"Allergiesssss..." Storm Breaker's head peeked out between Orion and Pinkie Pie.
"There will be no peanut wave!" Twilight jumped to her hooves, a strand of hair panging out of her mane. "Your creations can't be sweeped under the rug like Discords and I will not have Ponyville covered in troll bogeys!"
"Alright, alright! Jeez." Orion raised his hooves in defense. "No peanuts or troll bogeys. I promise." he winked.
"You just winked." Twilight said with a blank stare.
"No I didn't." Orion winked again and the girls, minus Twilight and Storm Breaker, began snickering.
"You just did it again!" with a twang, another strand of mane left her post.
"Fine! I promise I won't wink again." Orion rolled his eyes and Twilight smirked triumphantly.
"Oh yeah? Pinkie promise!" Twilight challenged him and everypony oh'd.
"I don't have a pinkie." Orion said with a raised brow and inspected his right hoof. "I mean, I have her." then he pointed to the Pink mare who was trying to figure out what Orion was searching for on his hoof.
"No." Twilight shook her head. "A Pinkie promise is a special promise that, if broken, can lead to catastrophic consequences!" the purple alicorn said smugly and Orion rolled his eyes. "You do it like this. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Twilight went through the motions and Orion winced when Twilight actually sticked a cupcake in her eye. "Now you."
"I don't have a cupc-" a cupcake poofed into existance, courtesy of Twilight. "Right." Orion looked at the cupcake and then at the expecting eyes of his new friends. "Umm... Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Orion did the last part very slowly and gently, silently mourning a perfectly good cupcake. "There. That wasn't so hard." then to everypony's horror he winked cheekily. All eyes turned to Pinkie Pie who remained perfectly calm.
"Pinkie!" Twilight grabbed her friend's shoulders and shook her vigorously. "Orion just broke a Pinkie promise! IN FRONT OF YOU!" the others were already saying their prayers, for both ORion and themselves.
"I know!" Pinkie replied giddily. "And my Pinkie Sense didn't go off! Isn't that exciting?" Twilight let go of her friend in complete and utter terror. Her head slowly turned to Orion who was chuckling menacingly.
"The catastrophe already happened, Twilight." Orion then got close to Twilight's face. "You brought me to Ponyville."
The Friendship Express slowly arrived into the Ponyville station. The station was filled with ponies who were waiting to feast their eyes on the first ever alicorn stallion. Reporters were at the ready with their cameras and Roseluck and her sisters were busy decorating the station for the arrival of Orion Pax. Even Trixie was there!
"The Great and Aplogetic Trixie has returned!" the blue mare said from the top of her carriage and let off a couple of small fireworks that made the gathered foals laugh while the adults just rolled their eyes. But the Great Trixie would not be deterred by such looks. She swore to become a better pony and by the stars she's going to do it! It wasn't her plan to come back to Ponyville so soon but when Trixies heard of the big news she just had to come see for herself. Maybe it was all a ruse!
"Here they come!" somepony exclaimed as the train finally stood to a halt and the carriage doors opened, their inside completely black for some reason...
Mayor Mare even made sure to roll out the red carpet for the new Prince, a title she decided was only appropriate for the alicorn, and even put up one of those fancy fences with the red ropes. Everything was perfect for the arrival of Prince Orion Pax.
"RUN Y'ALL!!!" Applejack was the first to dash out of the train and make a run to the hills.
"Ow! Ow! OW!" Rarity stumbled out of the train carriage. "Leave me be you filthy beasts!" the white unicorn ran inside the station's building and locked the door. Everypony was baffled at the display until their ears began twitching.
"You hear that?" Roseluck looked at the black void of the carriage door. "It sounds like-"suddenly Rainbow Dash flew out in panic and the black void apeeared to follow her.
"CROWS!!!" Cheerilee yelled and dropped to the ground at the last second. A murder of crows flew out of the carriage and over the residents of Ponyville like a thick black cloud. Ponies screamed in panic and ran away so they don't get pecked on the head with sharp beaks.
As all this was going on, Trixie was still on top of her carriage and looked down at the black sea of crows like an old sea captain. Ready to brave the treacherous waters, Trixie waited for her opportunity and jumped down once an opening presented itself. Landing gracefully on her hooves, Trixie was just in time to see Twilight and Fluttershy exit the carriage.
"See? I told you! A catastrophe!" the purple mare had several strands of her mane sticking out. Fluttershy on the other hoof was completely calm as a pair of crows perched atop her head. Apparently they wanted to nest in Ponyville.
"Oh relax." came Orion's voice from inside and Trixie's eyes widened. It was the most attractive voice she'd ever heard. "And before you say it's because of the promise, it's not. I can't control what happens around me." Trixie went stiff as a statue when Orion finally walked out, the scene playing out in her mind in slow motion. Orion descended the three steps slowly, his muscles moving under his grey fur. A bright flash almost blinded Trixie when he smiled. Even the way Orion shook his mane out from his eyes looked amazing and gracious. The way he walked towards her, each step painfully slow as smooth jazz played in the background. Orion was saying something to her but Trixie was too far gone.
"Ummm, Trixie? Are you okay?" Twilight waved a hoof in front of the unicorn but Trixie's eyes never left Orion.
"I've heard of getting frozen with fear but this is ridiculous." Orion gently tapped Trixie with his hoof and the unicorn fell to the side, her body still stiff as a statue. Twilight continued curiously poking the downed Trixie but the unicorn didn't budge. "Okay this is weird, even for this place." the stallion side-stepped the smitten unicorn and walked over to the station building. "They're gone now, Rares. You can come out."
"What were you thinking, Orion?" came the distressed voice of Rarity from inside.
"I was thinking how it would be cool to jump out surrounded by white doves but that backfired spectacularly!" Orion groaned and knocked on the door. "Will you come out now? I didn't mean for that to happen, honestly!"
"Honestly?" Rarity guffawed. "You broke a Pinkie promise!" Orion rolled his eyes, still not believing this Pinkie promise nonsense.
"It's just like with the peanuts!" Orion groaned and knocked again. "Sometimes I think something and shit happens!" the door suddenly swung open and revealed an irritated Rarity.
"Language!" she scolded him before sighing. "I know you didn't mean to, darling." Rarity approached Orion and nuzzled him. Nopony noticed Trixie twitch... "But maybe before you learn to control your magic it would be best if you... Umm... Didn't think so much?" Rarity said sheepishly.
"Will do, ma'am! Ahyuck!" Orion replied goofily and stuck his tongue out the side.
"I will bring these two to the forest." Fluttershy approached with the two crows on her head. "They're about to become parents! Isn't that exciting?"
"Parents? They were literally created two minutes ago!" Orion looked at the loving couple of crows who were hugging on Fluttershy's head.
"I will join you, Fluttershy." Rarity stood besides the butter color pony. "Perhaps after that we should look for Rainbow Dash and Applejack?" Fluttershy nodded and the two trotted away towards Fluttershy's cottage.
"Wait. What about Pinkie Pie and Storm Breaker?" Twilight looked at Orion.
"She jumped out the window after the crows appeared. Said something about getting a black leather coat and face paint." Orion smirked at the memory of that particular movie and decided to not question how the eldritch horror knew of it. "And Storm Breaker is..." Orion hummed in thought. "I have no idea where he is. How does the guy just disappear so randomly?" both alicorn shrugged, letting the answer remain a mystery forever...
"Sooooo I guess it just leaves the two of us." Twilight swayed on her hooves.
"Sure does, T.S. Spazalot." Orion smirked which made Twilight's ears drop and her expression to go flat.
"I regret this already."