Climbing out of the tunnels, Rarity by my side, I stopped and heaved a deep breath of fresh clean air.
Nearby Guards gave me an odd look but went back to business as they marched down to the tunnels.
I stretched my hands to the sky, “I forgot how good being outside felt before!”
Rarity gives a little giggle and leads me onward.
Rarity and I pass lines of pony soldiers, coming up on the camp area, Already freed ponies are lining up to get counted, cleaned, fed and sheltered till they can go back to their homes. Rarity continues ahead as I stop to drop off the saddlebags of recovered possessions at the intake table.
I follow Rarity back to the command center, where she was greeted by the cheers of her friends and family, the Element bearers, Her parents, and Luna. I smiled and watched her get tacklehugged by her little sister, and the rest of the bearers surrounded her. All asking questions.
I undo my sword belt and drop it to the grass beside me, then I gather my cloak and take a seat on the ground a short distance away. Just happy to be out in the open at last. I lay on my back and breathed the clean fresh air.
Rarity told the others of her capture, “I don't think I'd be here if it weren't for him.” she pointed at me, drawing some surprised noises from the group.
Rainbow Dash was the first to react, flapping up and hovering a couple feet above me. “What is 'he' exactly?” She frowns and looks at me suspiciously.
I look up, grin and lightly touch a fingertip to Rainbow Dash's nose, "Boop!" making her cross her big burgundy eyes.
Twilight blinks, a perplexed look on her face, "Is he a variant of Minotaur?"
I waved to the rest, “Hello. ”
Twilight poofed a scroll and quill into existence next to her and started jotting down notes, "He speaks Equestrian too?”
I smirk and undo my cloak, pulling the hood down and trying to rake back the frizzled mess of hair into something a little more civilized...."Close enough to Equestrian, I know it as English."
Rarity smiled, “He's called a Human, he saved me from a cave-in and helped free several other ponies.”
Rainbow Dash recovers from her booping, growls and puts up her hooves in a fighting stance.
"Easy Skittles, I don't hurt ponies." I sat up and pulled away my cloak and grimaced at the state of my peasant shirt, now a dull grey color, tattered and spotted with blood. "Wow, I'm a mess."
Fluttershy flies up to me, a medical kit in her hooves “Are you hurt?”
“Here and there, But I'll live.” I nod to her and pull off what's left of my shirt, letting her tend to my cuts and other injuries. “I'm just glad to be out.” I notice her eyes go wide at the scars up and down my arms as well as a long-healed crescent shaped one across my chest, She pulls out the gauze and tape and begins to wrap some of the fresher injuries.
Suddenly a wild Pinkie Pie appears, I'm tackled flat on my back and my world is full of pink cotton candy mane and speech so rapid I can barely keep up. “ThisissoAMAZING! Awholenewspeciesandarescue! HiI'mPinkiePie! Andthisisgonnabeanepicparty! WelcomebackRarityandwelcometoPonyvilleforallthefreedponies! I'msoexcitedAren'youexcitedMr.Human?"
Pinkie pushes her hooves against my chest, "There'sgonnabecakeandpunchandicecreamandstreamers! Lotsofstreamers!" Pinkie stops for a moment to breathe, she sniffs,"EwwyousmellMr.Humanyou'regonnaneedabathbeforeyougotothe......" Applejack grabs Pinkie by the tail and gently drags her off, still chattering nonstop.
“Pleasure meeting you too Pinkie.” I give her a grin.
Luna approaches, “We are in your debt Sir....”
I duck my head in reverence, “Call me Cedric, Your Majesty.”
Luna smiles and nods. "Sir Cedric."
Fluttershy has finished with bandaging me and gives me a smile. I smile back, inwardly I raise an eyebrow. Normally Shy's petrified of new things, maybe she's like this cause she's acting as a medic, also she approached me rather than the reverse. "Thanks... miss?”
Rarity steps forward, “Cedric, these are my friends:"
“Fluttershy” She indicates the butter yellow pegasus who just patched me up,
“Pinkie Pie” the cotton candy dervish,
“Applejack” she points to the orange mare with the cowboy hat,
“Rainbow Dash” The cerulean pegasus with the chromatic hairstyle, who's giving me the stink eye.,
“Princess Twilight Sparkle” the bemused purple alicorn.
“and Princess Luna” The indigo alicorn with the starry night mane, looking at me with curiosity.
A white filly with pink and white mane pipes up “I'm Rarity's sister Sweetie Bell!”
Rarity smiles, “And Sweetie Bell”
I retie my cloak about my neck and stand slowly, some of the girls gasp as I am about a head taller than Luna.
I bow deeply, sweeping my cloak out with an arm, “It's a pleasure to meet you all.”
Whoof, Yeah, I smell like a gas station restroom after Cinco De Mayo. My own eyes began to water.
I blush and cover myself back under my cloak, “Pardon me, I would appreciate someone telling me where I can find a hot bath? I haven't had one in weeks!”
Pinkie covers her muzzle as she starts to giggle.
Rarity extends a hoof, "I could do with some treatment myself." She then exchanges a look with Fluttershy and I swear I see a spark pass between the two. Rarity squees, “IDEEAH!”
Brony senses tingling, Spa Scene Incoming!