//------------------------------//
// Tears and Lesson plans 
// Story: Of Skalds and Gems 
// by BIGBLACKINTOSH 
//------------------------------//

Me, Rainbow, and Spike, started walking to the once great bakery, which was now covered in soot. As we were walking, pink blur came out of thin air and tackle me to the ground.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR SAVING THEM!" Pinkie Pie said in one breath as she proceeded to hug the life out of me.
"No problem, but can you please get off of me now?" I asked running out of air. She obeyed and when we were both on our feet, I was able to get a good look at her. Her mane was still as poufy as ever but her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
"I'm guessing those ponies I saved were your family?” I asked.
"Yeah, they practically raised me, I was so worried that they might get hurt and...." she looked down at the ground, most likely to avoid crying.
"It’s ok pinkie, we were scared too, well all except me." Rainbow chimed in.
"I know Dashie.*sniff* the Cakes are safe and I’m very grateful. The real reason I'm here is to give Le'son his welcome to Ponyville!” she said, starting to perk up.
"But the mayor already welcomed me in." I protested. Pinkie shook her head.
"She didn’t give you the welcome wagon!"
Pinkie then put her hoof to her mouth and whistled. A cart pulled up next to pinkie in a speed faster than whirlwind sprint. Pinkie pressed a big red button on the wagon and  she started to sing .
After she SOMEHOW blew a horn through my head I couldn’t take it anymore.
"OK I GET IT!" I interrupted. She fell mid-air and landed on her bottom. Her hair went flat and she looked like she was on the verge of crying again.
"Y-you don’t like it?" she asked me almost on the verge of tears.
"No no no pinkie it’s just that *groooowl*" my stomach interrupted. 
"Ooooh you got case of the rumblies! Its ok then, I’m sure the Cakes will want to thank you anyway, come on." Pinkie said, full of spirit .We stepped into the bakery, Pinkie Pie leading the way. A dark pink mound of hair was all I could see behind the counter.
"I heard the bell, Pinkie is that you?" the pink hair mound asked.
"Yeah it’s me Mrs. C, brought somepony you may want to meet" said Pinkie Pie.
"Pinkie, a dragon just attacked, and we almost died! Plus the store is a mess, this somepony better be...."she stopped when she brought her head from behind the counter. Like most people when they meet the person who saved their life, she stood frozen with a shocked look on her face.
"Um Mrs. Cake? Helloooo?" Pinkie asked.
Mrs. Cake shook her head, and started crying loudly, leaning over the counter.
"Thank you so much, thank you for saving my children!" she cried into the counter.
"It was no problem, just please. Stop. Crying." I demanded    .
She lifted her head from the counter, wiping her face.
"Cuppy? Are you alright?" a voice asked from the back of the bakery. A yellow stallion ran into the room bumping into the door frame, his head completely covered in flour.
"Are you ok honey-bon?" he asked trying to wipe the flour off his eyes.
"Carrot Conga Cake, what did you do to yourself?" Mrs. Cake asked her temporarily blind husband.
"I heard you crying again, I had to, heh, see what the fuss was about." he replied as he finally got enough of the flour out of his eyes to see, 3 ponies, a dragon, and (of course) a confused redgaurd.
When he saw me, like his wife, he started to tear-up. He didn’t get as far as Mrs. Cake but it was obvious that he was going to.
"Before you shower me with thank yous, how about we get some food, I meet your children and we'll call it even, alright?" I asked.
Both of the cakes seem to perk up and looked at each other.
"I'll get the snacks?" asked Mrs. Cake.
"I’ll get the little ones?" Asked Mr. Cake.
They both nodded at the same time. Mr. Cake went off into the back to get the kids while Mrs. Cake took our orders.
"Are you ok Mrs. Cake?" Asked Rainbow.
"I'm fine Rainbow Dash, it’s just that we were so scared, for us and our foals and...*sniff* but none of that. Now we're safe and we owe this stallion some darn good cupcakes." She wiped what was left of her tears and froze in shock.....again.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It’s just that we've been fawning over you and we don’t even know your name.” She said.
"That’s my fault I guess, my name is Le'son Onsi, Mrs. Cake."
"Well Mr. Onsi you and your friends are going to get the best cupcakes we can make."
"Oh oh oh! Mrs. Cake can you put some rubies in mine please?" Asked Spike.
"I would spike but we been out of gems for a while, I’m sorry." She replied.
I raised my eyebrows in confusion.
'Looks like the dragons here eat jewels, either that or I’m about to waste a bunch of perfectly good gems.' I thought while taking out a pouch of rubies.
"These should suffice, I think." I said placing the pouch on the counter, some of them slipping out. Both Spike and Mrs. Cake stared at the pouch. Spike in hunger and Mrs. Cake in Amazement.
"Dude you are the best!" Yelled Spike.
"Where did you get these?" Asked Mrs. Cake in amazement.
"I don’t know if you can tell by looking by looking at him, but this dude is LOADED." Said Rainbow.
"Oh my, well.... I guess I'll throw these into the mix." She took the bag gingerly with her mouth and trotted off into the back.
"Ooh, I better go help her, don’t worry guys we'll be back in a jiffy." Said Pinkie as she bounced into the back.
Rainbow Dash, Spike and I sat down at a circular table, allowing us to look at each other.
"While they're cooking, I want to know how the hay you plan on training us. You said that those shouts take years to learn, so how are we gonna fight these dragons?" Asked Rainbow.
"Simple I'm going to teach you all magic." I said with confidence.
Rainbow and Spike gave me a blank stare that was starting to creep me out until she started talking again.
"Dude didn’t you hear me before? Only unicorns can do magic."
"Rainbow look around you. Your world is shrouded in magic; to harness it only takes concentration. With my training you ponies will be more than prepared."
"I just don’t get it man, you talk like everyone in your world does magic." said Spike.
"They do spike, or at least they can, but as I said most don’t because they don’t want to learn how to, but some work magic without knowing it. Like enchanting, most bandits can do it easily, but don’t know it’s magic, that something else we'll cover.
"Dude you sound Mrs. Cherilee. She’s a teacher and you sound exactly like her." said Rainbow.
"If she's a teacher then that’s probably because I WAS a teacher. I was arch-mage or chief professor, of the Mages College."
“That must so cool Le’son."Spike assumed.
"Alright class, we'll be learning how to throw lighting today, turn your spell books to page 10. HAH HAH HAH!"  Rainbow mocked,deepening her voice to sound like mine.
"I wouldn’t sum it up like that; the college was place mostly to test your ideas without criticism."
"Wait ponies in your world don’t like magic?” Asked Rainbow.
"Oh people LOVE us when we're enchanting their equipment, but when it comes to being in society everyone thinks we're necromancers."
"What’s a necromancer?” Asked Spike.
"a necromancer is someone who enthralls the dead to do their bidding." I explained.
Both Rainbow and Spike just stared at me in shock.' I think this is the 3rd time they've done this' I thought.
"You mean...they TURNED ponies into zombies?" Spike asked with his teeth chattering.
"That’s just sick dude." said Rainbow.
"Yes it’s a disgusting thing to see. You'll learn more about it when we go into conjuration, but back to the harnessing of magic, it will be difficult but what’s important is that you trust me. ah here’s our snacks."
They both turned around to see pinkie pie walking over with a tray of sweets in her mouth. She placed it on out table and I could see the platter of sweets she gave us. 
On the tray were 6 cupcakes and 5 sweet rolls. 3 cupcakes were chocolate with rubies and frosting. While the other cupcakes where cyan blue. Dash and spike looked ready to pounce on the tray, their mouths literally watering.
The snacks looked plenty appetizing to me, it’s just that I normally eat soups and meats, but that was going to be an adjustment.
'That’s right they eat nothing but Plants! Well there goes the thought of using that horse meat stew.' I thought laughing.
"I hope you guys like em, and that extra sweet roll is just for you Onsi." said Pinkie Pie with a smile on her face.
As Dash and Spike began to DESTROY their respective cupcakes, Mr. and Mrs. Cake came in with the twin foals.
One had a crème colored coat and a brown, windblown mane. While his sister had a yellow coat and an orange mane that was tied in pigtails. Both of them stared at me surprised.
"Mr. Onsi, these here is my twin angels, Pumpkin and Pound. Foals this is Mr. Onsi"
"Oh my gosh! It’s the monster that beat up the dragon!" Pumpkin yelled. She sounded so much like Sophie from Windhelm.
"Yeah that was so awesome the way you just decked him the snozz! You are so cool Mr. Onsi." said Pound who sounded like Blaise.
"Think nothing of it children, I was doing my job." I said getting up and walking over to the children and parents. 
"My real reward is seeing another family safe, and here is a present for you both." I said as I took out 2 gold necklaces, one emerald, one ruby and put them on Pumpkin and Pound's neck.
"These necklaces are enchanted to take most damage, but do not get careless, you can still get hurt." I said with authority.
"Oh my, well what do you say kids?" asked Mr. Cake.
"THANK YOU MR. ONSI" the little Cakes said again.
"Think nothing of it. Children in these times of danger need a little something extra." I replied.
"You've done so much for us Mr. Onsi, do you have a place to sleep tonight?" asked Mrs. Cake.
"No actually I haven’t thought about it." I honestly hadn’t given it much thought at the time.
"Well you’re always welcome here until you can get on your hooves Onsi." Mr. Cake.
"Oh my gosh! It would be like a sleepover! We could plan parties, play with the baby Cakes, and and...."Pinkie went on.
"I might take you up on that offer, but right now I need to figure out my clothing situation." I said and the parents nodded in agreement.
"Alright I’m fed, let’s get you to rarity, I gotta get back to weather patrol and tell them about where that storm came from." said Rainbow.
With that we walked out of the bakery, leaving pinkie to help the cakes with orders.
Next stop the boutique.