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// A new friend 
// Story: Fullmetal Pony 
// by clearshot01 
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“Ugh, how much farther? My wings are cramping up!”. “Rainbow Dash, you've been saying that non-stop since we left. Give it a rest already 'afore I hogtie that big mouth of yours”. This had been going on since we left. We managed to get prepared rather quickly and Celestia sent a letter back almost immediately saying that she and Luna would meet us in the Everfree Forest. We left right after she read it aloud. Christian was playing with his knife, spinning it like Krauser from RE4. Meadhbh was just walking with her eyes closed, her usual I'm thinking so don't talk to me expression plastered to her face. Riley was cleaning his guns. Twilight and her friends were just talking, except for RD, who wouldn't stop complaining. Well, at least she's not running ahead and getting herself into trouble “I'm gonna go scout ahead. See you slowpokes later”. I facehoofed. Me and my big thoughts. “Well, you're not going by yourself. Christian, go with RD, make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble”. “Got it, I'll stick to her like I did to that pie last year” He said with a grin. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered how he somehow got stuck to a giant pie that year when we were visiting a festival. “Alright, just don't make us call the paramedics this time”. “Uh, what the hay is a paramedic?”. “It's not important”. “Ok, if you say so”. “Can we just get going. I can't stand the waiting”. “Ok Dashie”. “Don't call me that. Only Pinkie can call me that”. “YEAH. Only I get to call Dashie by her super-duper funeriffic nickname”. “CALM DOWN PINKIE!”. “Oh. Sorry everypony, gonna be quiet now.” “Ok, now that that's over with, can we please get going before I die of boredom?”. “Sure, just take it slow”. “Slow? Did you forget who you're talking to? I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in all of Equestria. Slow isn't even in my vocabluary”. And then she was off, with Christian following closely behind. “Ok, so should we keep going or wait for them to come back with their report”. “I say we keep going. Rainbow Dash will be able to find us from above, and besides, there's the matter of finding that fifth friend of yours”. “Yeah, except I don't really have any friends other than Christian back home. I have no idea what this guy might even look like”. “Well I doubt we'll have a hard time finding him”. “I guess you're right”. That was when RD and Christian came back. “Uh guys, you may wanna see this” What now? I didn't have to wait long to find out. A few hundred feet ahead in a clearing was an unconscious earth pony. His body was yellow and his mane and tail were brown. He also had a scythe strapped to his back. They weren't kidding when they said finding him wouldn't be hard, though this seems a little too easy I was proven right almost immediately when he woke up and slammed his head right into my face shouting “Bring it on,  Reaver”. And then he decided to see who he attacked. “OhCrapIAmSoSorryIThoughtYouWereOneOfThoseShadowGuysWhoAttackedMeEarlierAndWhyAmIAPonyDoYouKnowAndDoYouThinkYouCanChangeMeBackA..mmph”. “Dude, calm down, you're going a mile a minute. Now, who are you and how'd you get here?”. “Ok, so, my name's Claudius, but everyone calls me Conduit for some reason. Never asked why, didn't seem important to me. Anyway, I was just walking along, minding my own business, and suddenly I wake up in this forest, and I realise I turned into a pony. Don't know how, don't care at the moment. Anyway, I'm attacked by this guy called Reaver who uses a combat staff. It's a special staff that can be fitted with various implements for battle. He also had daggers, though he seemed loathe to use them. Oh well, that's my story, so who are you guys?” The whole time he was speaking he had a huge grin on his face. Man, the way he talks, he could be Pinkie's stallion countepart or something. “OhOhOH!!”. “What Pinkie?”. “How could I be a stallion? I'm a mare silly!”. “What the? Pinkie, how did you know what I was thinking? Is this some sort of Pinkie sense thing?”. “No silly, you were just mumbling what you were thinking and I heard it” She gave a huge grin, and I couldn't help but start to grin too, and pretty soon we were all laughing as if we'd been been best friends our whole lives. It was getting late so we decided to spend the night in the clearing we had found Claudius in. I had no idea what was coming when I went to sleep that night. I was completely unaware that everything was about to change even more than it already had.

Author's Note: I know this one is shorter than the rest of them, but it was meant solely to introduce Claudius. The next one should have some more length, and trust me, you're not gonna believe what happens next. (Or maybe you will, who's to say)