//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Getting Aquanted // Story: Solid Hartz // by VirgeDante //------------------------------// "Um... Sugar cane?" Maxwell asked, remembering to use their code names while outside the compound. "mmmmm..." Kepher was oblivious to Max at the moment, he was too busy cuddling Applebloom. "Relax Regret, he's just exited, give him a minute." Zack wasn't exactly happy his squadmate was acting that way, but he knew it was pointless to speak to Kepher at the moment. "Okay Psy, what now?" he asked. Natalie rested her head in her hand for a moment. "Hmm... well i guess we should take a look around and get used to the enviroment... oh right, hey are you okay little filly?" she asked applebloom with a worried look, Kepher might be bothering her, and that would not help them with their first impressions. "Oh yea, ahm fine, he's kinda cute." She smiled and hugged him back. Maxwell crossed his arms. "Great not even here five minutes and he's hitting on the wild life..." "Regret!" Natalie shouted. Maxwell turned away. "Sorry...i'll just go scout around, see what there is to see... i'll meet back up with you later." With that, he held a finger to his forehead, then the rims of his shoes began to glow, and he rose into the air, he saluted them, and took his leave. "Whats got him so upset? Maybe i should give em some chocolate, would that make him feel better?" Kepher said, finally snapped out of his trance. He took a small chocolate bar out of his pocket. Zackery shook his head, "No need to worry, he's just upset because he doesn't like moving to new places, took him a year before he stopped complaining about leaving our home to live at the compound... then again, our old house was destroyed in a Myth raid... so i guess knowing he still has a home and going somewhere else anyway got him riled up, he'll be fine in a day or two, i'll make sure of it, we don't need him embarrassing us." He walked over to Applebloom. "Applebloom, was it? you said this place was called sweet apple acres correct?" he tried to talk all proper and mighty, it didn't really suit him though. "Yup!" she said. "We grow apple trees and come the harvest, we make tasty treats an' sell em!" she smiled happily, it almost made Zack's heart melt, but of coarse, being the "serious enforcer" he managed to hold a straight face... for about ten seconds. "Ok, your cute, stop smiling, your gunna give someone a heart attack." She looked down with a sad smile. "Sorry..." Zack started looking in all other directions, "that's okay... Psy you do this... i'm out." then he Proceeded to crouch and made a jumping motion, however instead of rising up, he simply vanished. Applebloom looked at Natalie with confusion. "Why did they leave?" "Well... they're boys, they can't handle cute without fearing for their image, haha." She walked towards the filly and patted her on the head. "Is there someone older around here we can talk to? we're here to get rid of the Myths for you guys, and we want to get to know everyone and make sure we know what to expect." she gave a warm smile. The filly began jumping up and down. "Oh! twilight told us you'd be comin! she said to take you to her library so she could meet ya'll when ya arrived! Applejack was supposed to, but she's out back helpin big Mac, so if you want, ah could take ya!" Once she said this, Kepher grabbed her hoof and held it to his heart. "comon, Psylocke! pleeeeaaase?" he pleaded. She chuckled a bit. "Alright, lead the way Applebloom." She began walking down the dirt path behind Applebloom and Kepher. "Bah the way... what about your two other friends? are they gunna show up?" Applebloom asked. "Yes, they'll show up when they're ready to." she reached down and patted the filly on the head. "The grumpy one was kinda scary, that mask was real creepy..." she shuddered a bit. Kepher laughed, "Haha, he just wears that because he thinks he looks mysterious and cool, same with the other one, Vice, that visor on his eyes is no different from a pair of glasses...except that it can scan a Myth for its class, but that's about it." She looked at him with a blank expression, "why would he scan a story?" Natalie laughed, "Oh, no, a Myth is what those monsters that appear are called, you know, the ones like... that one..." Applebloom and Kepher looked over to see what Natalie was looking at. over in the park, a wolf with dark black fur and blue tint over the gleaming body was tearing up a flower bed. "Well well well, just got here and already time to kick some butt, wait here you two." she began running towards the wolf. Kepher whined, "No fair Psylocke! i wanna do it." "You can have the next one!" she called back. The wolf heard footsteps approaching quickly, and turned its head to see a girl running towards it with a glowing book in her right hand. The wolf faced its attacker with a charge, Natalie however, had plenty of experience fighting E class wolves and easily out maneuvered it, slipping in behind it and casting a basic fire rune, creating a bright red ring around her hand and forging a small fire ball in her palm, witch she then fired into the wolf's back. The wolf got back up after being smashed to the ground, and turned to face its opponent once more, only to find she had disappeared again, she then came at it with a rush from the side, with an ice rune in her palm. once she was close enough, she kicked the wolf into the air and fire the ice spear she had been forming straight through it, the black wolf seemed to evaporate as the only thing remaining was a cracked jewel, witch then shattered and disappeared. She waved to them while walking back, "Remember! they regenerate so you have to smash the soul gem to finish it!" Kepher pouted, "Pffft I knew that before I even started training..." Natalie laughed, "Hey don't get all pouty, that's Regret's thing, and we don't need another one of him, we need Sugar cane the happy fun kid, alright?" She gave him a soft smile as she ruffled his hair and he smiled. Applebloom looked at Natalie with astonishment. "That was so cool! how'd ya do that!?" Natalie chuckled and raised her book so Applebloom could see. "This is a chronicle, it's basically a spell book that gives me all kinds of magic." a huge smile came across Applebloom's face. "wowee, ah bet Toby would LOVE to see that." It was Natalie's turn to give a confused look. "Who's Toby?" she asked. The little filly clapped her hooves together. "He's mah friend, and he's a human like all a ya'll!" Natalie's eyes widened slightly. "Huh... so there are humans in equestria?" she crossed her left arm across her mid section and placed her right arm on it like a platform and held up her head with her fist to show curiosity. "Toby's the only human in equestria... Princess Luna brought him here cuz he had a mean daddy that wasn't right to take care a him..." She started to tear up a little. Kepher looked at her and placed his arms around her for a hug. "Psy, why'd you make her cry?" he started to tear up too. Natalie began to shake her arms in protest, "I-I didn't mean to! Oh don't you start crying too..." Applebloom looked up. "It's alright, i just got a lil emotional, let's getcha over to Twilight's library." "yaaaay!" Kepher was already back to full energy dashing down the road. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile not too far away -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A dark figure stands on the tip of a tall tree looking over ponyville, and spots the three walking down the path. "Hmmph..." He turns...and vanishes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back in Ponyville -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We find a house that appears to be made out of candy, the usual types, giant lollipops and candy canes, chocolate bar roof, the works, and inside we find Twilight eagerly pacing back and forth, waiting for their guests to arrive. "Oh they'll be here any minute! I hope they like it here... without them, there's no telling what kind of damage will be done to equestria! Oh, this is nerve wrecking!" She turned to see her friends, Pinkie pie, a pink earth pony with darker pink mane and tail that were really poofy, Rarity, a beautiful white unicorn with a stylishly twirled purple mane and tail, and Rainbow Dash, a cyan pegasus with tomboyish rainbow colored mane and tail. Rarity spoke first, "Please calm down darling, you're going to wear yourself out..." she placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "just stay focused, they will surely like their time here, now try to relax." Twilight let out a sigh. "Yeah, you're right... i just need to keep positive." Next, Rainbow Dash had her say. "Even if they don't stay, we'll be fine! you got me after all, and i took two of those stupid monsters down last week." "Sorry Rainbow, but that doesn't exactly make me feel better." twilight looked down. "Oh don't worry, they'll love,love,love it here! im gunna throw them an amazing party and they'll definitely wanna stay!" Pinkie pie gave a huge smile to Twilight to cheer her up."*sigh* Alright... they should be here soon, lets go out to meet them, coming here to get pinkie may have made us late." They all left and headed towards the Golden Oaks Library.