The next morning, at 5:00 AM, Alex wake up very early before Sweetie Bell and Rarity, he knew he had a training sesión later with Spike, but before that, he had his own rutine in the mornig, (he wondered if Spike was following his every morning as he comanded to him) he proceded to change from his pijamas to his warm up clothes, slowly go out of Caroussel Boutique, not wanting to wake up Rarity and his new little cute sister.
Once out, he breathed highly and proceded to make some cardio excercises, after that, next, he started to make his stroll through Ponyville, by doing this, he killed to birds with one stone. . . . . . (ups, sorry Fluttershy). . . . . by doing this he could acomplish two goals at the same time, (better), make a good strolling and know and get familiar with Ponyville surroundings at the same time.
So he started, taking his breath, he ran throught ponyville streets, while doing it, he couldn’t help to notice how really beautiful this town was, almost every house made by Wood and hay in the roofs, with some expections of course, like carousell boutique, SugarCube Corner, Golden oak Lybrary, some restaurants, Filthy Rich Store, etc, Alex also could prove another fans myth to be wrong, many fans of the series always thought this world was behind centuries to have technology like Earth, but in reality. . . no, considering Twilight computer, the fact they are starting to have black and white movie theaters (maybe even some color ones), vacuums, ovens, fridges, even spa machines, if he had to guess, maybe, with the Scientist of Equestria and Twilight knowledge, they will be at Earth current level of technology in around. . . . 40 to 50 years, like Earthlings did, and who knows, with magic at their side, maybe it will take a lot lesser time.
When he ran near sugarcube corner, by noticing the lights in the window, he assumed the cakes were already awake, to Alex somehow it was obvious, they were bakers after all, ponies obviously wanted hot and tasty bread in their tables every morning, so they had to wake up early to bake and have them ready, then Mr Cake was opening the door and start to sweep the entrance, when he ran close to him, Mr Cake inmediatily noticed, waving his hoof he said
“Hello Alejandro, how are you doing?”
“I’m doing fine Mr Cake, Thanks, I see you woke up early, it’s Pinkie Pie awake too?”
“oh no, no, she is not as used to it as my wife and me, besides, she babysits our little foals, we could never dare to asked her this much, I believe she will wake up in around 1 hour, by the way, why are you wake up so early?”
“Well, I’m used to make excersices and take strollings every day to stay in line”
“I see, well, that’s really very admirable of you, trust me, not many ponies wakes up at this hour, normally, the first few ponies will start to wake up in around one hour too. I believe the only ones you maybe will find awake beside us, will be the Apples”
“Figures, after all, I believe, taking care of a Farm is really, really hard work”
“that’s right, ok Alex, please don’t let me interfiere in your strolling, hope to see you later”
“No problem Mr Cake, and keep the good work. . . . or baking, trust me, after the treats I ate last night, with your quality and of course with Pinkie Pie help, I can be very sure your bussines will always be open and will keep rising and raising”
“Thanks Alejandro”
Alex then resumed his strolling, about five minutes later, he noticed something very odd, there was some kind of warehouse, a little meters far than every other houses, moved by his curiousity, he aproached it and looked through the window, inside, even though it was a little dark, he could see. . . there was where the ponies brought all the armors and cages the diamond dogs were using the day of the attack, if Alex would have to guess, maybe Mayor Mare ordered to keep them there until Princess Celestia and Luna returned and proceded to send every piece of darkness stone to Canterlot.
Alex just stayed there for a long time, thinking and wondering something, coming back to reality, he proceded to continue his strolling, but he had his mind in maybe. . . .coming back later.
By this time, Alex had already being out for one hour, before returning to caroussel boutique, he wanted to go to another place, Sweet Apple Acress, thanks to some signs leading the way, he knew where to go, damn Applejack Farm was really far away, the show always made it seems like it was just a few steps away from Ponyville like the everfree forest, even troting, it took Alex about 15 minutes to get there, there as Mr Cake said he found Applejack and Big Macintosh, bucking trees and harving apples, he aproached Applejack, when she saw him, she smiled and said,
“Howdy Alex, what bring ya to my humble farm? “
“I’m only making a strolling like every day, and besides I wanted to see and know every part of Ponyville and of course, your lovely farm is part of it”
She blushed a little, and said “ah see sugarcube, and yah arrive at good moment, now let me introduce ya my big brother, Big Macintosh”
Then the red stallion aproached us and started to glare at Alex with no expression in his face, (like in the show),
“Ok ah have to go to buck some more trees, why don’t you talk a little to each other while I do it, but not too long BigMac, we need to finish this as sooner as posible”
“Eyuup” (Wow, he said it)
After that, she went back to her daily work with the trees, they just stayed there, looking each other, it was awkward, after some seconds of silence, Alex finally broke the ice.
“Hello BigMacintosh”
“Howdy”
“sooooo, you are Applejack big brother”
“eyuup”
“you both wake up this early at this hour everyday to work?”
“eyuup”
“Applebloom is still sleeping right?, still too young I believe?
“eyuup”
“I see you are a lot taller than many other stallions”
“eyuup”
“. . . . . you don’t talk too much do you?”
“Nope”
“Ok. . . . .it was a pleasure to meet you, maybe some other time we can talk a little more”
“Ok” (wow, no eyuup, or nope)
After that Alex proceded to make his return to carousell boutique when he was stopped when Big Mac started to say something else
“Ah know now, you are a good. . . human, no wonder why mah sisters like yah”
“. . . . . uh?”
“but know this, mah sister really like yah, she talks very good of you and ah can say now she really trust ya and considers yah a good friend, so who knows. . . maybe someday she could start to like like yah, but know this, she doesn’t have many for not saying none other male friends, and applebloom is also really eager to know yah better, ah don’t mind it at all, but don’t forget this, do anything, anything to make them cry or sad, and yah will know by the bad way how strong an Apple Stallion can be, am ah clear”
“. . . . . yeah, like cristal, and now let me tell you this, I meant every single world I said yesterday at the assembly, I don’t plan to hurt anypony, so don’t worry, and besides, what’s with all that of like like talking, dude she had know me for no more than 2 days, and I believe there are many good stallions who would kill to be friends or even better, date your beautiful sister”
“yeh, many stallions ah have made sure to send away, none of them really liked mah sister that way, not even as a friend, they only wanted to lay and have some “fun” with the one and only Element of Honesty, like some kind of bet”, please, as a brother ah ask yah and warn yah, don’t be like them”
Alex could not believe it, to think he would see those kind of males here too?
“Never, I like your sister, as a friend, and I would never, eeeeever, would think to do something so vile like that to her, I’d rather die before doing that”
Big Mac only stared at him, then he just smiled and said
“Ok partner, ah don’t know why, but ah can say yah are not lying, ok, ah choose to trust yah, if only you were a pony, but who knows, maybe it could work, anyway, please keep being good friend with her and please always protect her, not that she really need it, she is a tought Apple Pony”
“Always!!” then Alex proceded to return home but not before hearing some last words from the red stallion
“Just know this, being an Apple has a lot of benefits”
“. . . . . . ok?”
When Alex finally arrived to Ponyville entrance, a little more than 2 hours had already passed, he didn’t plan this stroll to be this long, but at least he now knew the town a lot better, but he kept wondering what Big Mac told him, he wasn’t dum, he could tell and notice if a girl or pony starts to like him. . . right? (not like those harem animes where the protagonist is very stupid and oblivious from every girl’s affection to him), besides Alex still had some issues with that topic, he could still remember very well when he said to himself that if he ever ever started to think about having hard a crazy romantic feeling to any pony from the show, he would gladly seclude himself voluntary in a Nut house and seek for some help, of course that happened before coming to Equestria, before founding out they . . . . were real, of course there were some more mental barriers, they were. . . . well, PONIES, but. . . they weren’t ponies like on Earth, on Earth, Ponies and Horses were mindless animals, ANIMALS, these ponies were practically humans but in pony bodies and obviously not ANIMALS, Alex never really had those feeling for any of them, (well maybe a little, but very very little), but not at the moment, he prefered to lock that thought, at least for the moment and continue his way back to Carousel Boutique.
When he entered to the boutique, the scene in front of him almost broke his heart, there she was. . . . Rarity hugging Sweetie bell who was crying loudly in her sister embrance, when they heard the door opened and see who it was, Sweetie bell almost inmediatily trotted to Alex and jumped to his chest and proceded to hug harder than ever, he was shocked, what happened, he looked at Rarity for some answers, he could notice Rarity seemed relieved?
Sweetie Bell still huging him, raised her head to and said
“I. . . we thought you left us, Rarity asked me to wake you up to have some breakfast together, then. . . I didn’t found you, we searched for you around the house and outside some houses away. . . . WHERE WERE YOU???, YOU DIDN’T LEAVE A NOTE, I WAS SO SCARED, we thought maybe you ran away, or that you went back to the castle, or even worst, maybe went back to your world without saying goodbye, after all, we don’t know how you got here, please please, never do something like that again.
Then Rarity also joined the hug and said
I’m glad you didn’t run away Darling, not that I didn’t trust you, but please, I must know, where were you?
“Sorry Rarity, Sweetie bell, I just . . . made my stroll to keep in line, just this time I used it to know every part of Ponyville, then I didn’t realize it would took so much time, sorry.”
“It’s quite alright darling, just please, next time, be sure to tell us in advance, you don’t want to worry your little sister again right?”
“. . . . how did you. . . . .”
“Oh please dear, what did you think? That Sweetie bell wasn’t gonna tell everypony those great news, starting with me?”
“I. . . . good point, just one thing, are you alright with that”
“Please darling, why would I mind? you have protected her since long ago, like a real big brother, please, keep protecting my. . . .our little sister”
“you bet, ok Sweetie, please, forgive me, I didn’t think this would happen, next time I will tell you in advance ok?”
“. . . . . . . Ok, (she cleaned her eyes), now let’s go for some breakfast”
“Great, because I’m so hungry that I could eat a hor. . . . . I mean I could eat anything”
Both sister only shared a look , wondering why he corrected himself, but decided not to ask about it.
“Ok darling, let’s go then”
After a good shower and breakfast based in eggs and salad, Rarity almost inmediatily proceded to take measurements to Alex, after all, she promised him to make some clothes to him, even some new sneakers, lets face it, been using them almost every single day wasn’t exactly doing wonder to them, Alex only asked her to make them as plain as posible, like his shorts and t shirts he already had, and if posible more socks, (she noded, if that what Alex liked, she would do it), she asked if at least she could add her cutie mark in the corner of the T shirt and sneakers, as her own brand mark, (he noded)
When Rarity was done, somepony or better said dragon knocked the door, it was spike with a backpack in his shoulder.
Oh, Spiky wikie, (Alex had to bit his lips to not laugh), what are you doing here so early dear?
“Oh, hi Rarity, Sweetie bell, I came here for Alex, we have a training session today”
“You train with Alex??” Sweetie bell asked excited
“eyuup, been training him everyday since I met him one month ago”
“Oh really, so that’s would explain all your disappearances every day last month, I just hope you didn’t do anything dangerous all this time, I would hate to see you get hurt. . . you too Alex, (Oh you have no idea, They both thought at the same time). . . ok, go on.”
“Thanks Rarity, Ok Spike just wait 5 minutes while I get my equipment”
“oh oh, can I come with you, my friends too, we don’t have school today, please, please”
Spike and Alex shared a little worried face, “. . . . .Sweetie bell, Spike and I well, we think maybe you and your friends would not like to see that, it’s a little boring, (he was lying of course, the last thing he or Rarity needed was worrying about Sweetie bell and her friends having the idea of training with him and Spike, trying to get their cutie marks with some random idea about it”
“Don’t be silly Alex, of course we would like to see, and I really want my friends to see what you really can do, Spike too!!
“What you say Rarity?, can they come, I promise they only will watch”
“. . . ok, darling as long as they don’t interrupt you both and only watch, it’s ok”
“Ok Sweetie, go get your friends, Spike and I will be at the plain lands next to Sweet Apple Acress where Spike had told me Rainbow sometimes practices her stunts
“OK!!!!” Sweetie bell screamed before trotting outside the house”
(Wow, she really can run fast when she wants to) Alex thought
After getting all his gear, (bow, sword, etc), he, along Spike proceded to go to the plain lands, during the walk there, almost everypony, like last night, were not scared of him anymore, they waved their hooves and some even said “Hello Mr Alejandro”, of course he told them to drop the Mr, just Alejandro was fine, then Lyra aproached them and huged Alex from behind
“Helloooooo Alexis, how are you todaaaaay?”
“Hey Lyra, I’m fine thank you, and you?”
“Better than ever, I can’t remember the last time I walked outside without getting critical stares and being called crazy mare”
“I’m glad to hear that Lyra, get used to it, because nopony will ever think of you as a crazy mare, never again”
“Thanks Alexis, by the way (she thighted the hug), Thank you so much for letting me introduce you to everypony, I forgot to thank you yesterday”
“It’s Ok Lyra, you always believed in us, it was your moment, and nopony had the right more than you”
Lyra released Alex “Thanks Alexis, it meant a lot to me, by the way, (finally noticing Alex and Spike had their bows and backpacks) where are you going?”
“Oh, we are going to train to the plain lands, we have to sometimes or we will start to slack off”
Lyra’s eyes widened “OH!!! CAN I COME!!, PLEASE, PLEASE!!”
“Ok Lyra, but I must tell you, it could be a little boring”
“You?? Boring, hahahahaha, please Alexis, you are everything but boring”
“Gee, thanks Lyra, it’s not true, but thanks, anyway, ok, let’s go”
Then with Lyra as a companion, they proceded to continue their way, when they finally arrived to their destination , Alex and Spike proceded to put on their protectors and hoods (Spike was able to purchase his from where the crussaders got their helmets for the Scooter).
Lyra asked them if she could try at least make the warm up with them, after sharing some worried looks, they finally noded in aproval so much for Lyra’s relief, they started with some cardio excersisses, runing to one place to another, jumping and rolling on the ground, some push ups, squats, abdominals, etc, Lyra was beaming in happiness, it was literally another dream came true, it was like she was playing with a human, like as a fillie she always dreamed, (of course she wasn’t even thinking anymore to make Alexis her pet).
By the time they were finishing the warm up, the crussaders finally arrived, Sweetie bell and Applebloom dragged in their waggon by Scootalo in her scooter, all wearing helmets, (sooo cut. . . damn, is that really all I can think about?, Alex thought)
Then Alex and Spike sparred with their wooden swords and hidden blades for a while, then thanks to some hay bails borrowed by Big Mac as targets and some paint to draw a bullseye on them, they proceded to practice distance attacks, the first practice was with the bow, they both had 10 arrows each, when they finished throwing them, the score was. . . . . 7 for Alex, 6 for Spike, at the blow gun, Spike won with 10 to 7, (Spike speciality)Throwing knives, Alex won 9-7 (Alex speciality), after that, they proceded to practice the only elements only Spike could do, like breathing fire, since they started training, Alex knew (for what Spike told him), that he almost never used his fire other way than to send letters to the princess, that’s why, it was indeed very weak, so since that day they started to strenght his fire and it’s ratio, so far that now the he could breath decent size fire or even little fire balls to at least 4 meter before it fade off, finally they also worked in his claws, many ponies sometimes forgets that he indeed is a dragon so he has sharp claws, but he (almost as wolverine and the hidden blades) could control when to take them out and hidde them again, much to Alex relief if someday he finally decides to show Spike his PsVita. . . . (What?, he doesn’t want him to ruin the touch screen), of course for the love of the nature and not to face Applejack and Fluttershy fury, they only used dead trunks for this, and seriously, for a pre-teenage dragon, he could make Wolverine very proud.
The crussaders and Lyra were really impressed with grins in their muzzles
“Wow! Alex, that was amazing, you both are amazing, really, I lived in Canterlot some time ago, and I really can tell you, the royal guards could use someponi. . . somecreatures like you both in their forces”
“Thanks Lyra, but I don’t think we are still at their level, I mean they are royal guards, chosen to protect princess Celestia, they have to be very skilled right?”
“Well, as far as I could see when I lived there and when I visit my friends and family there, I’ll say there are some really great skilled and strong royal guards like Captain. . . well, now Prince Shining Armor and his Elite guards, but trust me when I tell you this, many royal guards are only pure appearance, granted they aren’t exactly weaklings and also they recieve some training and a test, but I can really say without a doubt, you both may be better than them, maybe Elite level.”
“Ok, Lyra if you say so, of course me and Spike don’t have any intention to even face them just to compare or show up”
After saying that, Alex could feel how his new sister jumped to his head (her favorite place now) to start nuzzle it
“Alex you are so cool, like I expected from my new brother, of course I already knew it since the manticore incident, you too Spike, considering we always only had seen you working at the library, the idea of you being this strong never crossed our minds (everypony noded)”
“Gee, thanks little sister, but know this, Spike had always been this skilled, he only needed somepony to teach him how to pulish his raw abilities, if it wouldn’t be me, it would be somepony else who could teach him”
“thanks Alex, (Spike started), but I really doubt I ever would encounter another non pony creature like you willing to teach me, thank you for being here, I mean it.”
Alex blushed a little, “you are welcome dude”
“Wow, so yah really are Sweetie bell big brother now??, wow Sweetie bell congrats, yah found a really cool big brother like mine” Applebloom said
“Puff, he is. . . fine for a brother, but still not as cool as Rainbow dash!, she can fill perfectly the role of a sister and a brother just fine, after all she is AWESOME!!”, Scootalo responded.”
They all rolled their eyes and smiled
“Ok Alex, now that you both are done, what about we help you to return those hay bails to the Apples and then we share some cupcakes at sugarcube corner, my treat, that’s for the three of you too of course” Lyra said pointing the crussaders
“Allright!!, said Scootaloo, now Applebloom, Sweetie bell get on the wagon”
“Hmmm, I think I will stay up here, it’s the best spot ever, if you don’t mind Alex” Sweetie bell said hugging her brother head
“Not at all, ok, everypony and dragon, let’s go”
While they proceded to go back, they were too busy and distracted to notice some dark silluetes with big eyes watching them from the far bushes. Even though they couldn’t speak pony or human lenguage, by instint they roared (We found him, We finally found the current King, here is where he has been hidding in order to not lose his Crown, what a coward, now our boss can Challenge him and overthrow him), after that, the siluettes ran to the Everfree forest to give the news to their boss.