Castus walked down the cobbled road into the market square of Ponyville. In that walk he came to a single conclusion. He stuck out like a sore thumb. He was starting to wish Valen was around, but the young lad was back in the Empire spending some time with his brother, who had been taken in by a elderly and her family after losing a son in the war. Though if the young man was here, Castus doubted he would be around long before Scootaloo or Diamond Tiara stole him away, before sending him back to him either bruised up and battered with pine needles and tree sap stuck to him, or smelling of cologne and trying with some lack of success to remove a tie from his neck and only succeeding in slowly choking himself.
One time the boy had come back with his cloak rolled up and tossed around his neck and mouth and he refused to lower it, even when it muffled his voice slightly. Castus wasn't sure, but by the smell of perfume lingering and some slightly messed up hair, he was sure he knew exactly what Valen was covering up.
So it was that he had to walk down Ponyville to the market to see if he could find what he was looking for, he had to suffer the stares, glares and amongst some groups hushed whispers. He just ignored them, instead focusing on his task.
'Okay so birthstones....god what were the birthstone months again? Maybe I should ask Rarity.' Castus thought, before his most recent acquisition from Celestia's artifact hoard shot to life. A Spell Stone amulet designed to encase the wearer in a small circle of about ten inches in a light shield. Mixed in was a minor sensory spell that sensed hostile intent. A real master piece of creativity.
The stone thrown at him bounced harmlessly off the shield and clattered to the ground.
Castus cast a glance at the stone, then looked up to find its source. He soon spotted a young pony, and a mare who had her hooves at the child's arms; who struggled against his mothers arms. And directing a look of dislike at him.
Castus turned from his course and walked slowly over to the child. The mare wrapped her arms tighter around the young colt and looked up fearfully.
Castus looked down at the child and extended his hand down, and patted the kid on the head once. The colt managed to get an arm free and whack his hand away.
"You shouldn't throw rocks kid. You might hurt someone." Castus said once.
The colt growled, and swiped at him before shouting, "Give me back my father monster!"
Castus frowned, looking at the child as his mother pulled him closer to her. She looked at Castus with a mixture of fear, and disgust.
"Your father was a soldier?" He asked to the child.
The colt nodded, tears starting to appear in his eyes.
"He died in the war. He was a guard in the caravans." The mother said, clutching her child. Her eyes never taken off of Castus.
"I see. I am sorry. But I cannot return them. Wish as I might." Castus said, standing up.
He turned and walked off, the beginning whimpers of the child only just barely heard as he took a turn.
He kept on his walk, though in a more somber mood now. The encounter had been a sore one. He could not say if the child's father had died by his warriors or the Changelings. But even if it was in some possibility not his fault, he felt he should bear it as his own. It would be easier then to argue.
"Hey! Castus, what's up?"
Castus stopped, noticing that his path was covered by shade now and he looked up to see that a small cloud was over his head. Rainbow Dash lounged on it, looking down at him with a look of concern.
"Rainbow Dash. What's with the cloud?" Castus asked.
"Well, I was just getting ready for a nap when I saw you, but this cloud was just right for napping so I brought it with me. Can't let some other pony get their hooves on it. What's up? You look like Pinkie Pie after she runs out of confetti for her party canon." Rainbow Dash said, giving Castus a look of concern.
"It's nothing to worry about. It is something I need to bear myself." Castus said.
"Is it about the war?" Dash asked, "Is somepony giving you or Fluttershy trouble again? It's Honeydew isn't it? I told her if she didn't back off I'd tie her wings in a knot."
"No Dashie. It isn't her." Castus deadpanned.
Honeydew, a Pegasus mare living in Ponyville, was at the head of a number of ponies who actively seemed to try and give him and Fluttershy trouble. Usually either verbally harassing them with snide remarks, or trying to spread discontent with his presence in town amongst others. At one point, she had tried to have a petition signed and passed in the Town Hall to evict him and Fluttershy from the cottage and the town. Of course it did not get enough signitures, and even after it had been forced to be examined Mayor Mare had pointed out that the plot of land on which the cottage stood was privately owned by Fluttershy and technically not part of Ponyville's grounds. And Fluttershy's position on the Friendship Council, silly a name as it was, gave Fluttershy a political shield.
In fact, his and Fluttershy's positions and friends gave them a great deal of protection. Castus as an ambassador to a foreign country and Fluttershy as a Council member, Bearer of an Element of Harmony though that title was sort of null now but not widely known, and being a friend to the Princess of Friendship.
With all this, Honeydew and her supporters couldn't really do much without risking serious consequences. Largely they were just a nuisance, like a fly buzzing about you. Though sadly unlike a fly, Castus couldn't swap them. Besides, Rainbow Dash usually did the work for him. Her loyalty to her childhood friend, and to him as a friend, were strong. A few glares and growls, sometimes a fight or threat, and Honeydew and her followers tended to back off. For a time anyway.
"Then what is wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I just met a child whose father was killed in the war. Caravan guard." Castus sighed, crossing his arms. Better to give Dash the information she wanted, otherwise she would pester him all day to find out.
"But weren't the changelings raiding those? Why should you be blamed?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Remember. My people were raiding them as well. It could have been me and my warriors. Or the changelings. Who knows. But, if there is the chance that it was my fault in some way I find its better to take the blame then try to argue against it." Castus said.
"But that's not right." Dash said, smacking her hoof on the cloud.
"Not to you. It seems right to me. I'd rather take the blame and work to pay it back, then try to argue against it and bred further discontent." Castus said.
"But-" Rainbow Dash started.
"No buts. That's final. And don't go trying to do anything on your own. This is mine to deal with. If I find out you have been getting into more fights over my account..."
"You'll what? Paddle my flank?" Rainbow Dash said, crossing her hooves over her chest and giving Castus a sly, half closed look.
Castus just gave Rainbow Dash a deadpan look. Rainbow Dash chuckled a bit, rubbing the back of her head.
"Uh, anyway, what you doing today? Don't you usually work at this time?" Rainbow Dash asked, changing the conversation.
"Usually. But it seems the work I do in the fields is being shared now. For the rest of this week, Prince Blueblood is helping plow new fields as a sign of good faith and desire to aid his fellow Equestrians." Castus said, a grinning forming on his lips now.
Dash chuckled, before bursting into laughter. Castus joined her. The two laughed before calming down.
"So what are you doing then?" Dash asked.
"I'm shopping. Figured I had time to get a few things I've been meaning to get but never had the time." Castus said.
"What ya getting?" Dash asked, tilting her head slightly.
Castus smirked, "That is a secret."
"Aww come on." Dash pouted, "You can tell me. I bet it has to do with Fluttershy right?"
Castus just smirked and made a movement of sealing his lips. Rainbow Dash just pouted further.
Castus, followed by Rainbow Dash who now came down from her cloud, walked off to the market. Sometimes a pony would cast a glare, or whisper with another, but Rainbow Dash would match them with her own glare and send them scurrying off. Each time, Castus would tweek her ear and pull her along like a disobedient child.
"Hey. Ouch." Dash would complain each time.
"Just ignore them." Castus would say.
"Fine." Dash would respond, but be right back to glaring not a few moments later if she saw a pony giving Castus a look she didn't find right. Then it would start all over.
Through the market, Castus purchased a few things. Some new books, mostly the Daring Do series by Rainbow Dash's rather fanatical insistence. He figured he could see how good they were. Some history books to give him a better grasp of current Equestrian history and a desire to learn how the world had developed after the fall of Valhrua. He could have borrowed the books from Twilight, but Castus preferred to own books if he could.
"Hey Rainbow Dash. This last stop I need to be alone for." Castus said, hoping he could get her to leave him alone for a time. Not that he did not like Dashies presence, but he wanted the last stop to be a secret. It had to be.
"Oh alright." Dash sighed.
"Thanks." Castus said, smiling.
The two were about to go their separate ways, when a blood curdling, and explosive roar shook the town. Castus was so startled he dropped all his bags, and Dash leaped into his arms, holding him with her wings out in surprise. They looked around, and the roar came again as the sound of breaking trees came apparent and the earth shook with loud powerful steps.
"Whoa!" Dash gasped, and flew out of Castus arms and into the air, "Sweet Faust!"
Slowly a large shadow began to loom over the town, and Castus felt his body shake as a large form of a bear, its body seemed to be made from stars, and purple ethereal glowing fur with large sabre canines stared down and roared again. Castus had to cover his ears, and was left with a slight ringing.
Ponies began running and screaming, this way and that, trying to flee the large monster. An Ursa Major.
The Ursa Major roared, and raised a claw to slam it down. But a beam of magic shot from the castle, and soon out flew Twilight. She flew around the creature, blasting it as it stomped through town. It swiped at her, but she kept her distance from the large, powerful claws.
"Twilight. Hang on!" Dash said, bursting off to help her friend.
Castus watched for a moment as Twilight, and soon Rainbow Dash, did their best to fight off the creature. The Ursa Major roared and swiped at them, but Rainbow maneuvered past the claws to punch and kick the Ursa Major, while Twilight blasted it. Though it was clear their efforts were like the stinging of a bee on a large bear. The bear might retreat, but it would take apart the hive and steal a honeycomb or two before it did.
Castus ran toward the fight. As he did he saw the Ursa's claws step and the back of its foot striking a house, sending its rubble tumbling down at some ponies. He drew the Wind and caught the rubble before it fell and redirected its fall to land harmlessly on the ground around the ponies. The ponies looked up, around and then at him as he passed.
"Go! Get to safety!" He shouted, and kept running.
Castus soon found himself near the Ursa Major, Twilight and Rainbow Dash doing their best to distract it. But their efforts only made things worse, in that it agitated a greater beast of size and strength. It wasn't their fault, they did not know ways to pacify such a beast so easily. But Castus did.
As he prepared a spell, he saw the Ursa take a step, and spotted in its path was a mare, whose legs were caught be debris. A colt tried desperately to pull the debris off his mothers leg. It was the family from before.
The Ursa's foot came down, Castus moved and wove a new spell, pulling on the Wind. With a raising of his hand, he created a large hand from the street to grab the Ursa's foot from falling completely. He then turned to the mare, who looked at him with surprise before looking at the Ursa. He swung his hand, and the debris at her leg flew off. The colt clutched to his mother and the two looked at him.
"Stop standing around and run!" He shouted, and the mare realized the danger and she got up on slightly unsteady legs, scooping her child up and ran. Her step had a slight limp, but either instinct or sheer resolve made it a minor thing in the desire to run from the massive monster.
The Ursa finally managed to free its trapped paw, tearing the stone hand apart. Castus brought up a shield to block some stone, and he wove another spell to grab Rainbow Dash and Twilight from the air and yank them down to him. He had to get them to stop attacking it.
The girls were not prepared for such an action and soon found themselves on the ground, falling onto their flanks as they were yanked down.
"Castus! What are you doing!?" Twilight shouted at him.
"Just wait." Castus said, watching the Ursa. It roared, looking down at him. It raised a paw to strike, "Don't do anything Twilight. I can handle this."
"Are you crazy? Twilight is an Alicorn and even she can't stop an Ursa Major. She told me so herself when we were fighting." Rainbow Dash shouted.
"You just need to know the right way." Castus said, and he reached out to the Ursa's mind with a spell.
The great paw fell, but stopped half way. The Ursa's eyes widened, then seemed to calm and it lowered its paw down slowly, gently. Castus' eyes were closed, as he used the Wind to calm the primal power and mind of the Ursa. He calmed it, and yet found that despite his efforts to calm it there was an underlining pain and anger in the Ursa's mind that refused to listen, but Castus could help it ignore it.
Something was bothering the Ursa.
Castus concentrated, and expressed through gentle motions and emotional signals through his spell to ask the Ursa, what was wrong. That he meant no harm, and that no one would hurt it. The Ursa seemed to listen, and slowly it lifted its left paw.
"I...can't believe...." Twilight whispered.
"Rainbow Dash. Can you go get Fluttershy. She should be at the vet, getting Angel Bunny his monthly check up." Castus asked as he did his best to keep the Ursa calm. To wait while help was found.
Rainbow Dash blinked, then said, "Uh...huh? Oh yeah. Sure." She said, and flew off.
"You said the Wind could influence creatures minds. But I never thought you could calm an Ursa Major." Twilight said, standing up now to look on the scene with awe and wonder.
"It isn't easy as it looks. This creature is its own entity, and it won't listen to suggestions or empthatic signals and calming sensations if it feels that it is in danger. That is why I had to stop you. Doing that helped me in letting it know I was not going to hurt it. And even then, you need years of practice to really work this sort of control. Alicorn magic could probably do it as well."
"I don't think so. Last time I tried to change a creatures instincts, it made things worse." Twilight said, remembering the few times when she had influenced a creatures mind or being with her magic.
"You simply weren't doing it right. You can't change a creature to be something it is not. Such efforts will always backfire. But you can learn to turn it towards more peaceful parts of its nature. This creature isn't naturally aggressive. Its acting so, because it feels it needs to too survive. I simply need to let it know it doesn't have to." Castus said, gently stroking the Ursa's paw.
Soon Rainbow Dash returned, with Fluttershy in tow. Fluttershy gasped, flew over to Castus and hugged him.
"Castus. Are you okay?" She asked.
Castus smiled, "I am. Little tired. This spell is not easy on a beast that's constantly fighting back. Something is bothering it in its paw. Think you can find out what?"
"Um, I've never dealt with an Ursa before. But I can try." Fluttershy said, and she flew a bit to look at the Ursa's outstretched paw.
As she did so, ponies all began to appear. Their fear now lost as curiosity took over. Why was the Ursa not attacking anymore?
Castus continued to work to keep the Ursa calm, until finally Fluttershy flew next to a claw and her hooves seemed to touch something that sent hot flares of pain and fear and agitation through the Ursa's mind. Castus grunted as he worked to keep it calm. Telling it that Fluttershy was helping it.
Fnally the agitation ended, and relief became more apparent as it brought its paw up to lick. Fluttershy landed and held up her hoof. In her grip was a small thorn.
"The poor dear had a thorn in its paw. It must have been causing it no small amount of pain. The poor thing." She said with a frown.
Castus released the Wind and sighed in relief. The Ursa lowered its head and looked at him and Fluttershy.
"Aww, he is happy we helped it." Fluttershy said with a smile and hugged the Ursa's nose. The Ursa growled in a thankful sort of tone, before its great tongue licked Fluttershy, covering her in saliva. Then it licked Castus, leaving him a wet sticky mess.
Rainbow Dash looked ready to laugh as the Ursa began walking off to the Everfree again.
"Awww. It likes us." Fluttershy smiled, not bothered by the wet gratitude of the Ursa.
"Yeah." Castus said, arms out in that way a person might do after being splashed by water and he spat a few times, "I feel so happy."
Rainbow Dash burst into laughter then, but yelped and covered her flank with her hooves.
"Hey!" She shouted, and Castus smirked as he let the Wind go.
With the Ursa gone, work began to assess the damage. Injuries here and there, but no causalities. The real damage was in the buildings, but those could be rebuilt. In many ways, despite the fear the event had not been so bad. At least not as bad as it could have been.
Life seemed to return to normal after that. Though Castus did notice some ponies not looking at him with open distaste. Perhaps uncertainty. But the whispering seemed to go away at least. Even Honeydew seemed to have trouble getting backing in her attempts to run him and Fluttershy out of town or bother them.
The final point of interest, was when Castus saw that mare and her colt again. They did not say or do anything as he passed, though he did nod to them in greeting. The colt said or did nothing, but the mare just gave a brief lift of her hoof. It wasn't anything grand. Or meant an end of any pain from war. But perhaps, it was a start.
In the end, Castus could worry on it later. Because finally, the following day after the Ursa attack he finally bought the one item he so desired. Maybe one day he would find peace amongst the ponies of Ponyville, to those that still held him in distrust or dislike. But on one day, he would need to plan for, he could begin the start of something else.