//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Welcome to Ponyville // Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// Shining Armor wasn't exactly thrilled to be leaving Canterlot. He'd spent his whole life in the capital city of Equestria, and now he was being sent to a small town that he'd never even heard of. Far away from his family, and his friends. But as much as he wished it weren't so he knew his duty as a member of the royal guard came first. Princess Celestia was counting on him, and he wasn't going to let her down. And so Shining Armor spent the next hour and a half packing up. A task that would've been impossible were it not for the help of Spike. "You seriously need to clean your room more often." Spike said as he helped Shining Armor load up everything he would need for his brief stay in Ponyville. "I know." Shining Armor said somewhat glumly. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Spike. "You're really going to miss seeing Twilight aren't you?" Spike asked. "Yeah." Shining Armor said "I know it's only going to be til after the Summer Sun Celebration, but the longest we've ever been apart has been for a few hours when Twily was taking her entrance exam at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns." "Well cheer up." Spike said "Once we get to Ponyville I can help you send Twilight a post card if it makes you feel any better. And between you and me I'm going to miss Twilight as well." "No kidding." Shining Armor said. Just then there came a soft thud from outside. "The chairiot is here." Shining Armor said "Come on Spike, we'd better go." An hour later Shining Armor and Spike were being flown out to Ponyville on a chairiot pulled by two pegasus royal guards. Spike was busy reading over the instructions Princess Celestia had given Shining Armor. "You are to keep a low profile to the best of your ability." Spike read aloud "Avoid getting into trouble with the civilians. Remember, as a member of the royal guard you have a reputation to uphold. And make sure that you report any and all security information to the mayor, she is the only one who knows why you're really here. Above all else though try to just relax and not worry too much." "Those don't sound very hard to follow." Shining Armor said. "So what are we going to do when we land?" Spike asked. "The first thing we're going to do is check in with the mayor." Shining Armor said "She'll likely be able to show us what we can do to help. Not to mention since Gleaming Shield is not going to be present she'll be in charge of the royal guards. So if she says 'jump!' we say 'how high?'. Also she'll probably be the one who shows us where we'll be staying." "Sounds like a plan." Spike said "But what are you going to do after that?" "I'll probably trot around town for a while and get a good feel for its layout. Then I'll see if I can find any more information about Nightmare Moon." Shining Armor said. "What about friends?" Spike asked "Didn't Princess Celestia want you to make some new friends while you're here?" "Yes Spike." Shining Armor said "But while I am not one to disobey an order from her highness I don't really see the point in making any new friends. Especially since I'll be leaving them behind once the Summer Sun Celebration has come and gone. Besides, the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends." As he finished speaking those words the chariot landed, right in the heart of Ponyville. Shining Armor and Spike hopped out. "Thank you sirs. You may go." Shining Armor said. The royal guards took off without a moment's hesitation. "Are you really sure about the whole friend thing?" Spike asked. "Of course I'm sure." Shining Armor said. "Well did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, the citizens of Ponyville might have intresting things to talk about?" Spike asked. As he spoke those words a pink earth pony mare with a mane and tail like cotton candy trotted up to Spike and Shining Armor. "Why don't you talk to this mare? Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something new." Spike said. Shining Armor sighed. "Oh all right. Only for you Spike. Um...hello?" he said, somewhat unsure of how to properly introduce himself without giving away too much information. The pink earth pony didn't answer. She mearly gasped and ran off suddenly. Shining Armor wasn't sure what to think. "Well, that was...interesting I guess." he said. In his mind however he was confused. "Why would that mare just up and run off on me like that? Was it something I said?" he thought to himself. His thoughts were soon interrupted when he bumped into another pony. This pony was also an earth pony, but this one was a stallion. He had a light gold coat, a brownish orange mane and tail with amber highlights, and bright green eyes. He was also wearing a brown rodeo hat and vest. "Oh I'm terribly sorry." the stallion apologized "Didn't see you there." "No no, it was my fault." Shining Armor said "I wasn't watching where I was going." "Well that's okay." the stallion said "I like meeting new faces anyway. Speaking of which I don't recall seeing you here before. Who are you?" "My name's Shining Armor." Shining Armor said "What's your name?" "My name's Braeburn." the stallion said "It's a pleasure to meet you Shining Armor." "Same here." Shining Armor said. "Say, who's this little cutie?" Braeburn asked "I've never seen anything like him." "I'm Spike." Spike said "I'm a baby dragon, and I'm not cute." "Well I'll be, there sure aren't any baby dragons back home." Braeburn said. "You mean you don't live here?" Shining Armor asked. "Nope." Braeburn said "I'm actually from Aaaaaappleloosa!" "Never heard of it." Shining Armor said. "That's cause we just settled in not too long ago." Braeburn explained "I'm actually here for my annual family get together. We always have it on the day before the Summer Sun Celebration. Speaking of which I gotta get going, but I hope I'll see you around. Bye-bye." And with that Braeburn raced away, almost as the pink earth pony from before had done. "Looks like you've got yourself a friend." Spike said. "That was just a quick little conversation, it didn't mean anything Spike." Shining Armor said. "But I thought" Spike said. "We don't have time for this Spike!" Shining Armor said "We've got to get town hall pronto!"