//------------------------------//
// Chapter 23: New Faces  
// Story: The Elements of Honor 
// by Flanagan 
//------------------------------//

The train ride was just as Greatsword said it would be, five days of nothing to do but wait and think back on what happened in the past two weeks. For all the ponies, it was a quiet ride, even more so than the ride to Los Pegasus. The train finally arrived in Ponyville in the middle of the day, six hours after it was supposed to arrive. As the ponies gathered their gear, a purple unicorn approached them from behind.
“Are you Greatsword?” she asked while they still had their backs to her.
Greatsword turned around with the other ponies to see a curious looking mare staring at them inquisitively. “I am Greatsword.” he said as he made his way the mare, he extended his hoof and asked, “and who you might be?”
The mare extended her hoof as well, “Greetings,” she began, “I’m Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor wrote to me and said that you would be arriving soon, and I would be happy to show you around Ponyville.”
“You’re too kind Twilight,” Greatsword said with a smile, “Your brother is a good stallion.”
“Damn…” Battleaxe said under his breath, staring at Twilight, “she’s HOT.” Long Shot and Lug Nut chuckled a bit at Battleaxe’s silent sentiment.
Twilight looked at the two snickering ponies strangely but then went back to talking to Greatsword. “When you and your friends are done gathering your bags, I will be happy to show you to where you will be staying.”
“I’m sure we can find the barracks just fine, Twilight.” Greatsword said returning to gather his things.
“Barracks?” Twilight asked surprised, “We don’t have any barracks in Ponyville…”
“Then where will we be staying?” Greatsword asked turning back to Twilight.
“Well, you were going to be staying at the Town Hall’s guest rooms,” Twilight said lowering her head, “but if that won’t do I-”
“That will be fine, Twilight,” Greatsword said, “We don’t want to impose.”
“Oh, don’t worry you aren’t.” Twilight said smiling back at Greatsword, “I’ll be waiting over there, once you get all your things come to me and I’ll show you around.”
The ponies gathered their bags and walked to Twilight, she smiled at them and they all nodded their heads back, signaling that they were ready to move. As they began their trek, a blue teenage pony ran through the station to the group and tackled Long Shot. The other ponies gasped at the fact that nopony in their right mind would do that to him in the first place, but when he got up he only smiled.
“Uncle Long Shot!” the she said wrapping her forelegs around him, “It’s been WAY to long!”
“Archer.” Long Shot said patting her on the head, “It’s good to see you again, how are Quiver and Bull’s Eye doing?”
“Mom and dad are fine,” Archer responded, “I’d love to show you around, and see the look on dad’s face when I bring you home. He didn’t believe your letter.”
“After a few dozen saying the same thing I wouldn’t blame him,” Long Shot looked to the other ponies, “I guess I got my own personal tour guide,” he looked back to Archer, “I’ll see you guys at the Town Hall later.”
“Does anypony else have family here?” Twilight asked the group. “Because it would be better if they showed you around then me.”
“No, I’m from Baltimare,” Lug Nut said for the whole group, “Patches is from Fillydelphia, and Long Shot’s from Flankford.”
“What about you Greatsword?” Twilight asked, “Where are you from?”
“I’d like to know that too…” Greatsword said trying to stay polite.
“You don’t know where you’re from?” Twilight asked surprised, “I’m sorry. Shining Armor didn’t say that in his letter.”
“It’s fine, Twilight,” Battleaxe interjected. “We actually have no memory of our lives past five years ago.”
“Wow,” Twilight responded’ “the magic used to do that must have been very powerful. While you were in Canterlot did Princess Celestia help you?”
“She-” Greatsword started, only to be stopped by Battleaxe.
“She didn’t even know who we were when she first met us,” Battleaxe said to the surprise of Twilight, “we found out by going deep into the castle and searched-”
“What matters is that we know who WE are now,” Greatsword said jamming his hoof into Battleaxe’s mouth. “Twilight, if you may, please show us your little town.”
Twilight smiled politely and continued to show the remaining five ponies around Ponyville. “This is Sugar Cube Corner, the local bakery,” Twilight began, “it’s ran by Mr. and Mrs. Cake.” Just as Twilight finished her statement a pink pony carrying a large amount of baked goods rushed out of the doorway, headed straight to Twilight.
“Twilight LOOK OUT!” Battleaxe yelled, but it was too late. The mare had run into Twilight launching dozens of baked goods into the air, nearly all of them landing on Twilight and the other involved in the collison.
“Oh I’m sorry Twilight!” she said apologetically. “I didn’t mean to-” she looked to the five ponies looking at her in disbelief, “HUH!” she shouted, somehow starting to levitate, then in the blink of an eye she disappeared into the town.
“Who was that?” Lug Nut asked while Battleaxe and Greatsword helped Twilight up, “And how did she do that?”
“Oh that was Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said using her magic to wipe off the icing and crumbs of herself, “and I have no idea how she does it, I’ve just come to accept it.”
“Where exactly is she going?” Lug Nut asked looking in the direction that Pinkie ran off to.
“Right here!” Pinkie shouted from behind Lug Nut, causing him jump onto Warhammer’s back. “When I saw you, I realized I didn’t know any of you, so that means you’re NEW in town! So I had to get my welcome wagon!”
“Welcome wagon?” Lug Nut asked while he climbed of Warhammer.
“YUP!” Pinkie yelled throwing a large wagon over her head and slammed it in front of the six ponies. “Now you get to hear my welcome song!”
“Where did that-” Lug Nut began to ask until Twilight stopped him.
“Trust me,” Twilight said, “the quicker you learn to accept that it’s just Pinkie Pie, the better.” 
Pinkie began to clear her throat. After a deep breath she began to sing, “Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!…” she continued for nearly two minutes, popping up in a new spot every time she said ‘welcome‘.
“Are there any other words in this song?” Patches asked Twilight, who had her hoof over her face.
“Unfortunately, no,” Twilight responded, “it should be over soon though, then-”
BOOM! Pinkie’s welcome wagon fired cake batter all over the six ponies. “Oops!” Pinkie said, “I guess I put the cake batter in the cannon and the confetti in the oven again!” Then Pinkie Pie’s wagon burst into flame, the confetti caught on fire. “AH!” Pinkie screamed, “FIRE!” Twilight reacted quickly, using her magic to grab a nearby bucket and filling it with water from Sugar Cube Corner’s hose.
Twilight doused the flames and let out a heavy sigh, “Pinkie…” She said, “Don’t you have a party to plan or cupcakes to bake?”
“OH MY GOSH, TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed from inside the bucket, “You’re right!” Pinkie darted back into Sugar Cube Corner and slammed the door behind her, the bucket still on her head.
Twilight turned to the group of confused ponies, “Sorry about that…” she said looking away from them, “if you stay here long enough, you’ll get used to her.”
“You don’t have to be sorry about anything, Twilight…” Battleaxe said wiping off a massive amount of cake batter off of himself. “I’m Battleaxe by the way.” 
“I know, “ Twilight said, wiping off cake batter herself, “my brother wrote to me about you.”
“YOU’RE Shining Armor’s sister?!” Battleaxe yelled in shock. “Why did nopony tell me this?!”
“YOU just don’t pay attention, Battleaxe,” Greatsword said, “looks like you knew what to do and fast there. Does she do that often?”
“More than I would ever want to see again,” Twilight responded, “half the time that wagon catches fire.”
Twilight continued to guide them through Ponyville, showing them all the small houses and introducing them to ponies they walked by. They finally stopped in the market square, there were dozens of ponies in their carts trying to sell produce, household items and more. Twilight led them to one cart in particular, with a large stallion and two mares standing beside it.
“Hello, Applejack,” Twilight said with a smile, “how are sales today?”
“Good as usual, sugar cube,” Applejack responded, “who er ya new friends?”
“These ponies are the ones my brother wrote to me about,” Twilight answered, “they will be staying here and making a small defense force, if Ponyville comes to need it.”
“Aw, shucks,” Applejack said taking off her hat, “I got the utmost respect fer them military folk, my dad was in the military when he passed.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Applejack.” Greatsword said to her.
“Ya’ll don’t need to be,” Applejack said placing her hat back on her head, “he passed over fifteen years ago.”
“I hardly ever seen a pony the same size as my brother,” the smaller pony said looking at Greatsword and Battleaxe, “an NEVER one bigger!” she said looking right at Warhammer.
“Apple Bloom, be polite.” Applejack said looking to her sister.
“What?” Apple Bloom replied, “They ARE bigger than Big Macintosh.”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac said looking to the three as well.
“So all you do is sell apples?” Battleaxe said looking over the apples in the cart.
“Not just any apples!” Apple Bloom said proudly, “Sweet Apple Acre apples, and apple accessories.”
“So YOU’RE the ones that make the cider?” Battleaxe said, “I must say I have had some of the best times I’ll never remember because of you guys.”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac said looking rather proud, as it was his idea to make some of the cider into an adult beverage.
“Ya’ll are free to stop by the farm while yer here,” Applejack said as they started to walk away, “we could always use extra help round there.”
“We’ll see about it.” Battleaxe said while he and the group continued to press on to the Town Hall. “I’ll check to see if we have time.”
The group continued to walk on ward until they stopped in front of a very sophisticated-looking shop. It looked to them like it belonged in Canterlot than in a small boarder town. While they stared at it a white unicorn walked out of the shop, holding fabrics with her magic.
“Rarity,” Twilight called to her, “I thought you went to Canterlot to present your new designs to Hoity Toity.”
“Twilight dear,” Rarity said as she placed the fabric on a nearby table, “I thought I told you that that was moved to next week, but if you want a sneak peak at what I have. I would be more than happy to show you now.”
“I’d love to, but I have to show these ponies around town before I get them to the Town Hall.” Twilight said as he pointed to the group behind her.
“Oh, I see,” Rarity said looking past Twilight, “and who might these DASHING stallions be?” Rarity made her way to the group.
“I’m Patches,” Patches said extending her hoof.
“Patches darling, you are simply gorgeous!” Rarity said as she looked over her, ignoring her hoof, “I would grow my mane out a little more, but other than that you are absolutely stunning!”
“Uh… thanks?” Patches didn’t know whether to be incredibly flattered or slightly insulted.
“I’m Lug Nut.” Lug Nut said while Rarity walked around him, “I’m a technician.”
“Oh that is just fantastic!” Rarity said coming only inches away from his face, “My sewing machine has been on the fritz ever since Opal knocked it off my design table, would it be such a bother if you looked at it?”
“I could see if I could fix it…” Lug Nut said awkwardly, Rarity still just inches away from his face, “I guess…”
“Oh, that would be wonderful, now…” Rarity said, turning to the three. “Who are THESE massive gems?”
Greatsword looked to his brothers and then back to Rarity, who was batting her eyelashes at them. “I’m Greatsword,” he said, “and these two are my brothers, Battleaxe and Warhammer.”
“Such suiting names,” Rarity said walking closer to Greatsword, “very fitting for such handsome stallions.” Rarity seemed to be even closer to Greatsword’s face than Lug Nut‘s, any closer she would be kissing him. “Tell me Greatsword,” Rarity said still batting her eyelashes at him, “where did you get that masculine scar?”
Greatsword grited his teeth and swallowed his anger towards Rarity, it was a very touchy subject to him, but she didn’t know. He took a deep breath and found his composure, “I received it in combat,” Greatsword began, “combat with a-”
Greatsword froze as he saw what he couldn’t believe walk out of the shop, a dragon, about Warhammer’s size. It was making its way to Twilight; he pushed Rarity out of his way and flew towards the dragon, tackling it right before it grabbed Twilight. 
“Die you son of a bitch!” Greatsword yelled striking the dragon as the two fell to the ground. The Dragon tried slash into Greatsword’s skin, but all the battles Greatsword had been in made it nearly as tough as rock. Greatsword struck the dragon in the stomach and face as it tried to fight back. “I will NOT allow anypony else die by the likes of your kind!” Greatsword yelled raising his hoof one last time, only to be grabbed by a pink magic, the dragon was grabbed by blue magic.
“WHAT THE BUCK?!” the dragon yelled holding his head with one claw as he watched blood pool into his free one. “What did I do to you pal?”
“Not near as much as I’m going to do to you, dragon!” Greatsword yelled thrashing in the magic’s hold.
“Will somepony explain to me what that was about?!” Twilight said straining to hold Greatsword.
“I will,” Battleaxe said calmly while he and Lug Nut began to help hold Greatsword down, “but it’s going to take a while.”
“I think we all need some time to cool off.” the dragon said, still furious at Greatsword.
“Big bro,” Battleaxe said, “let’s calm down and just tell them about what happened. O.K.?”
“Bastard!” Greatsword yelled at the dragon.
“Guess he’ll stay up there for this talk…” Battleaxe said as he looked to Twilight, 	“Now, where to begin…”