Chapter One: Meeting
Canterlot.
More of a castle than a city.
The blinding white of Canterlot's walls and cobbled streets grew even stronger as the train rattled closer and closer. Twilight Sparkle always enjoyed the ride to Canterlot, though in recent months she had had to be more cautious on the ride. Her alicorn wings tended to attract attention from the pony public. She knew she could always fly to Canterlot if need be, or even use her magic to teleport, but both methods used up a lot of energy and if she was perfectly honest, she wasn't confident in her wings as of yet. Rainbow Dash was a good teacher when it came to flying, but even so, it took all of Dash's tricks to get Twilight in the air on her best of days.
As usual with her friends, they insisted on coming with her to visit Canterlot and the princesses. To provide moral support of course, for whatever test of challenge Celestia had for her most faithful student. But there were ulterior motives at work as well. Raity wanting to check out the latest fashion crazes and do some high class shopping, with a very unenthusiastic Rainbow Dash being dragged to come with her. And then there was Applejack, trying to drum up some extra business for Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy didn't mention what she planned on doing, though Twilight could swear she heard her mumble the words, 'Luna', 'Philomena' and 'Discord'. Twilight didn't even want to know what Pinkie Pie wanted to do.
Twilight had adopted a small disguise made for her by Rarity, to prevent any unwanted attention. It wasn't anything special, but it had done its job at the Ponyville train-station. Even if it meant standing a few feet from her friends. Still they had the carriage to themselves at the moment, allowing Twilight and the others some much needed freedom.
“I don't see why you picked me of all ponies!” Dash was whining for perhaps the hundredth time since the train had departed from Ponyville. Rarity looked up from her fashion magazine to scold Dash with a scathing look.
“Because darling,” she said simply, “You seem to be wearing the same outfit everyday these days.”
“Uh, yeah?” Dash said, indicating said outfit. “Because its cool.”
“Cool or not it cannot be sanitary,” Rarity said, wrinkling her nose slightly. “Have you washed that ensemble in the last week?”
“Whoa whoa whoa!” Dash said, looking offended. “Just because I wear the same outfit everyday doesn't mean I wear the same clothes everyday Rairty.”
“Are you actually tellin' us you got yourself a wardrobe full of them clothes?” asked Applejack, raising an eyebrow.
“So what if I do?” Dash snorted, folding her arms. “It's my choice what I wear.”
“Of course it is darling,” Rarity said soothingly. “But it does get a tad boring wearing the same outfit over and over doesn't it? I figured I could help spice up your wardrobe. Just a bit you understand?”
Dash folded her arms and scowled. Twilight would sure she would completely forget the well-reasoned argument that Rarity had just presented her with in a few moments, and the whole conversation would start all over again. Not that she minded. It was something she enjoyed about the company of her friends.
A few moments later a pink hurricane bounced into the carriage, varies sweets and other sugary goodies falling about the five other ponies. Pinkie Pie, for of course it was she, landed in her seat and began to tuck into the sweets she had snatched from who knew where. Twilight smiled and took a sweet from where it had landed beside her.
Elsewhere
The city of Canterlot was... pretty. It was the only word he could find to describe it. Pretty. And it was happy too. It made him feel... happy. It was a nice feeling. Something that filled the gnawing gaping hole that had burrowed itself into his heart and his soul. Not completely, but it made the pain he felt more bearable.
He was here at least. In Equestria. Away from it all. He smiled as he walked about the streets of Canterlot. Perhaps it wouldn't be so difficult fitting in here. Everypony seemed welcoming and accepting. Earth ponies and pegasi and unicorns walked the streets peacefully, laughing, talking and doing everything regular ponies did.
Sure every so often a few royal Canterlot guards would trot past, but this was the nations capital city and home to two of its great rulers. The sister princesses of day and night. A bit of militarisation was to be expected. It was in the name of the people's protection. Canterlot was the only city he had heard of that had this low level policing. As far as he was aware, Equestria didn't have an army, or even an air-force. A soft, slightly cynical smile came to his lips. How wonderful it must be to live in such ignorant bliss.
Some time later
“So what did Princess Celestia want?” Rarity asked as she met Twilight outside of the gates of the Canterlot palace.
“She wanted my approval on something,” Twilight explained, readjusting her disguise slightly. “It wasn't anything really important, don't worry about it. She was a bit confused as to why I came in in a disguise. How was shopping with Rainbow Dash?”
“Awful,” came Dash's response from the other side of Rarity.
“Oh darling it wasn't so bad,” Rarity responded, looking slightly hurt by Dash's comment.
“Oh yeah?” Dash bit back. “You didn't pick anything cool. Everything you chose was lame lame lame lame.”
Rarity snorted and held her head high in indignation. Twilight smiled and turned to Applejack.
“How was Canterlot this time for you AJ?” she asked, curious.
“Ah reckon Ah did my best,” Applejack said. “Not many ponies interested in apples at the moment. Still, some folk were interested in the Apple Family Cider.”
“I thought Canterlot had an abundance of cider?” Rarity asked.
“They did, but then the Apple family ran their main suppliers outta the business,” Applejack said, smiling proudly. “Ever since them varments Flim and Flam got run outta Ponyville, they haven't found any business across Equestria.”
“Which serves them right,” Dash said smirking. “Nopony messes with Applejack and gets away with it.”
“What about you Fluttershy?” Rarity asked the shy pony. “What have you occupied yourself with?”
“Oh uh, I was in the Canterlot gardens,” she whispered quietly.
“Doing what?” Dash asked.
“Oh nothing,” Fluttershy said quietly.
“Ah know this is going to be a stupid question, but has anyone seen Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked.
“Not since she downed all the sweets at the station and shot off into the distance,” Twilight chuckled, rolling her eyes. “But hey, that's Pinkie. I'm sure we'll see her at the station.”
As she said this, the group of five turned a corner and were greeted with a pink whirlwind.
“Hey guys!” a manic Pinkie Pie cried, bouncing around her friends. “Where ya' been? Did you have fun? Was there cake? Did you save some for me?”
“Hey Pinkie,” Twilight smiled. “No, there wasn't any cake.”
“Aww that's okay Twilight,” Pinkie said, smiling. “There's always more cake in the world, we just gotta find it. Oh! Let's start right now!”.
Pinkie shot off like a rocket... or would have done if she hadn't collided with a pony behind her. The unfortunate pony landed heavily on the ground with a grunt of pain.
“Oh my gosh are you okay?” Twilight asked, kneeling down to help the victim.
“My pride's a little bruised but that's to be expected,” the colt said as Twilight helped him to his feet. He was tall, taller than Twilight, with a dark grey coat with horn to match. His black mane fell around his face in sharp spikes, that fell over his forehead and shadowed his navy blue eyes. His Cutie Mark was strange to Twilight. A black shield, emblazoned with a white skull. It seemed familiar to her for some reason.
He was dressed in a peculiar fashion as well. A dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, grey jeans and dusty brown boots. A long black coat of some unknown material was draped over his arm, and he had a strange satchel hanging off of his shoulder.
He dusted himself off and held his hand out to Twilight's. “Battle Ready at your service.”
“Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said, before she could stop herself. She clamped her hands to her mouth and looked around quickly, preying nopony had noticed. They hadn't thankfully. The colt, Battle Ready, raised an eyebrow, confused.
“Is that some kind of secret or something?” he asked.
“You mean you don't know?” Dash asked, incredulous.
“I don't know, should I?” Battle asked, even more confused.
“This is only Twilight Sparkle, one of the four princesses of Equestria,” Dash proclaimed in a hushed whisper so that no other pony could hear her.
Battle turned to Twilight and clasped his hand into a fist and placed it firmly against his chest, bowing his head in respect.
“Apologies you highness,” he said, voice humbled. “I had no idea as to the nature of your royalty.”
“You can stop, please,” Twilight said, eyeing Rainbow Dash with an annoyed glare. “I'm not exactly comfortable with ponies bowing to me all the time.”
Battle raised his head.
“So be it princess,” he said, smiling. “I shall make this a one off incident. I found it only fitting to apologise for my lack of local knowledge.”
“Local knowledge?” Rarity repeated. “Are you not from Canterlot? I mean even if you aren't Twilight's coronation was nationwide news.”
“Nationwide perhaps,” Battle conceded. “But I have not been in the nation of Equestria for more than a day. I arrived here in Canterlot just this morning.”
“You're not from Equestria?” Twilight asked, her eyes shining at the possibility of new knowledge. “Where are you from?”
“I prefer not to talk about it,” Battle said, looking nervous. “One does not leave a life they led in one country behind unless they chose not to live that life anymore. I came here to Equestria to make a new beginning for myself.”
“Okay,” Twilight said, sighing, the glint in her eyes disappearing. Battle gave her a small smile. Before turning to the other ponies.
“Where are my manners?” he held out his hand to each pony in turn as they introduced themselves. Applejack gripped his hand in both of hers and shook it vigorously. Rarity took the hand gently and responded with a lady-like shake. Rainbow Dash rebuked the handshake and instead offered Battle a fist-bump, which he accepted. Pinkie grabbed his hand and shook it so fast that he hand was a pink blur. Fluttershy merely hid behind Twilight and whispered her name.
“A pleasure to make each of your acquaintances,” Battle said, smiling. Inside his mind was reeling. Would he be discovered before he could even start? Of all the people he could run into it was one of Equestria's princesses!
“So if you're new to Equestria I assume you don't have a place to stay?” Twilight asked.
“You'd assume correct,” Battle said. “I've spent most of the day searching Canterlot for possible lodgings. Sadly, my search has proven fruitless.”
“Well there's a spare room at the Ponyville Library where I live that you're welcome to use,” Twilight suggested.
Battle raised an eyebrow.
“You'd rent out your spare room for a perfect stranger?”
“Not rent,” Twilight corrected. “You can have it for as long as you need. After all, you seem like a nice pony.”
“Nice? He looks awesome,” Dash said. “I mean, just look at his Cutie Mark! Only an awesome pony would have something like that for a special talent!”
“What does you Cutie Mark represent?” Rarity asked.
“So, lodgings,” Battle said quickly, pretending he hadn't heard Rarity. “It's the best offer I've had all day. I may as well.”
“Great,” Twilight said, beaming. “You may as well hang out with us if you're going to be using my spare room. We were heading back to Ponyville anyway.”
Battle smiled again, thought there was something forced in it this time.
“That sounds... delightful.”