//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: A New Day in Equestria // Story: Skyrim: tales of the Equestrian hero // by spawnzillafinalwars //------------------------------// It was early at dawn when Sahrot had awoken from his sleep. he yawned slightly, still trying to get himself fully awake. he was used to waking up early, as he wanted to have as much daylight as possible. he rose from his bedroll, rolling it back up and tying it back on his pack. he then slipped on his armor, retrieving his weapons along with it. he then remembered about the staff in his pack. he pulled it out, examining it once more. "I wonder how this thing works." he whispered. with that thought in mind, he decided to test it out. he pointed it towards the ground, near the door. he then channeled his magicka through his hand, and into the staff, activating it's power. the staff then started to glow, as the orb inside was now a shimmering white light, illuminating the room in a brilliant radiance. for a moment, nothing seemed to happen, but as Sahrot continued holding onto the staff, he noticed the room getting brighter, not from the staff, but from the sun. he turned around to see the sun, and found that it was not dawn, as he expected, but instead in the late morning. he quickly cut off the magicka flow, ceasing the magical effect of the staff. he stared at the staff in his hand, speechless at what it could do. 'It has the power to manipulate time itself? Oh, by Akatosh, this is not good. thankfully, its within my hands, and not the Thalmors'. I MUST keep it with me at all times, then. I shall not toy with this relic any longer.' Sahrot thought to himself. he put the staff back into his pack, slipped it on, and exited the room. when he entered the hallway, he looked left and right for any indication for where Twilight could be. he decided to go left, and walked down the hall. after a few minutes of walking, Sahrot was able to smell something. he sniffed the air, still walking down the hall, and noticed that the smell was rather sweet, like a recently baked pastry. 'Perhaps princess Twilight is having breakfast now. I wonder, just what could it be that she would have? hopefully, it is something that I could eat.' Sahrot to himself, his stomach growling lightly. he continued down the hallway, until he had come across two doors. he was able to smell the food much more now, and it was starting to make his mouth water. he hadn't eaten since yesterday, as he had no food with him, and was a bit on edge when it came to eating their food. now, though, he cannot wait, so with a slight push, he opened the doors in front of him. he saw that it was the dining hall that he had seen yesterday, except now the table is lined with several pastries and fruits. Sahrot then spotted Twilight sitting at the end of the table, eating some kind of round pastry, with cream on top. as soon as the door had shut behind Sahrot, Twilight lifted her head from her dish, spotting Sahrot at the doors. she smiled and waved him over to her, which he obliged. Sahrot then took a seat next to the princess, taking off his helm, and placing it beside him. "I see you have your things with you. are you planning on going somewhere?" Twilight asked. "Not at all, Twilight. its simply that I always have my things with me, in case I ever need them." Sahrot replied. "Oh, well alright, then. did you sleep well?" Twilight said. "I slept just fine, though I had to resort to my bedroll. it would seem that the bed in that room was too small for my size." Sahrot responded. "Really? then I'll have arrangements made to get you a larger bed. you shouldn't have to be sleeping on the floor." Twilight stated. "Its really not a problem, Twilight. I have slept in much worse environments." Sahrot assured, but Twilight was not hearing it. "Please, Sahrot. no pony, or anyone in general should ever have to sleep like that. I wish to make your stay here a comfortable one, especially after all the help you have given us yesterday." Twilight asserted. "Well, alright then, if that is what you want to do." Sahrot concurred. he looked away from Twilight for a moment to eye the food that is in front of him, his stomach growling loudly at the sight of it all. "I see you have quite the selection of sweets here, princess." Sahrot remarked. "Oh, right, I just made an order of it and had it brought here, in case you were hungry. I hope it wasn't too much." Twilight replied. "Well, I didn't really eat anything yesterday, but even then..." Sahroot began, scanning the food. "I suppose that if there are any left-overs, then it could be saved for later." "Alright then, since we got that out of the way, how about you get yourself something to eat. you're more than welcome to dine on the food, Sahrot. you can eat as much as you like." Twilight beamed, pointing towards a plate. Sahrot nodded a thanks to the princess before diving right into the food. he pulled several cakes from one of the bins, along with many slices of pie, cookies, and whatever else may be there, quickly piling up his plate to the point of overfilling. he then stopped at the round pastries, just like the one Twilight was eating, and asked, "What exactly is this?" "Oh, these? these are just pancakes." Twilight replied. "Pancakes? how do you eat these pancakes?" Sahrot said, perplexed. "Simple, you put atop some maple syrup, then a small scoop of butter, and then you eat it with a spoon and fork, like this." Twilight said, demonstrating for Sahrot. upon seeing Twilights' demonstration, Sahrot then began to follow suit, eating the pancakes alongside everything else he had on his plate. when he was done, about half of the food on the table had been consumed, with Sahrot finally satisfied with his meal. "I humbly thank you for this delectable breakfast, Twilight. it was very delicious, and if there is anything I can do to repay you, then just ask me." Sahrot stated, rising from his seat. "Its no problem at all, Sahrot, you don't owe me anything." Twilight said. "Please, Twilight, there is no need in acting modest." Sahrot responded. "Well...there is that magical demonstration that you said you would show me." Twilight thought aloud. "Oh, I did say that, didn't I? well, if that is what you wish, then so be it. though, I think it would be a good idea to hold it outside, in order to prevent any damages." Sahrot answered. with that, Twilights' eyes lit up at Sahrots' words. "Just like a magic show! that's a great idea, then everypony in Ponyville can watch as you show us all what Tamrielic magic looks like." Twilight exclaimed. "Well, um...are you sure about that? I must warn you that some of the spells I know are very dangerous to anyone that is near me, so if you really want that, then there must be a safety zone established, say, a thirty-foot radius." Sahrot cautioned. "Oh, of course, Sahrot. so, when do you plan on showing us?" Twilight inquired. "I would say during the afternoon, to have time for preparations." Sahrot responded. "Alright then. I'll be sure to have everypony to see what you can do." Twilight said. "In the meantime, I'll be taking walk around Ponyville, in order to be familiar with the place." Sahrot replied. they both shook hands in agreement, and Sahrot then left the dining hall, and exited the castle, ready to explore the town of Ponyville. *********** Today was a particularly bright and joyful day in Ponyville. the flowers are blooming in the weather, the children are having fun with each other, and everypony in general was having a good time. however, a certain pony was currently busy with farm work in order to enjoy the day, and that pony was Applejack. Applejack was just about done with rallying the pigs back in the pen with her dog, Winona. she went inside the house, and was about to get her trusty companion a tasty reward, until she noticed that the box of dog treats was empty. "Aww, dag nabbit, we ran outta dog treats again! Ah'm sorry, Winona, we're out of treats for ya." Applejack said, frowning to her dog. Winona whimpered for a bit, and rubbed her nose gingerly against Applejacks' foreleg. "Don't you worry a bit, Winona, Ah'm gonna go out in Ponyville and getcha some treats." Applejack reassured Winona. the dog then barked happily at Applejack, waving her tail back and forth in excitement. Applejack smiled and patted Winona on the head, before grabbing her bag of bits, and headed out the door. it had taken Applejack about ten minutes to reach Ponyville, and was greeted by all the residents. she walked through town for about five minutes before taking a turn to the right, into the market area. she then stopped at the local store that was nearest to her, and entered. as she strolled into the store, she noticed the Cakes couple was also in the store, and turned to greet them. "Howdy there, Mr. and Mrs. Cake." Applejack began. "Oh, hello Applejack, it's so nice to see you." Mrs. Cake replied. "So what are ya'll up to this time of the day?" Applejack inquired. "Well, we just came in to get some baking supplies, as we're running out, especially the flour." Mr. Cake said. "Really now? from the looks of things, Ah thought you had at least enough for a couple more days." Applejack stated. "That's what we thought, too, until princess Twilight had ordered a large delivery of baked goods by morning, so we had to use up almost all our supplies." Mrs. Cake responded. "Huh? why would she want to do that?" Applejack asked. "She didn't exactly say, she just said that it was for a guest, and that she didn't know what amount he would eat." Mr. Cake answered. "Hmmm...if Ah to guess, Ah'd say that it was for Sahrot." Applejack thought aloud. "Sahrot? you mean that scary-looking, two legged, reptile guy?" Mr. Cake asked. "Don't worry about him, he's actually a nice feller, once ya to know him. he actually played a supportive role in saving the Crystal Empire yesterday, and Ah suppose Twilight's doin' this to thank him." Applejack responded. "Really? that thing actually helped SAVE the Crystal Empire?" Mrs. Cake questioned, doubt being apparent in her tone. Applejack didn't like the way Mrs. Cake referred to him as a thing, and decided to clarify to her about her word choice. "Now listen here, Mrs. Cake. Ah know that you're a good pony an' all, and that you have yer doubts about Sahrot, but Ah can tell you that Sahrot has done nothing so far to warrant any negative feelings toward him. he's actually a nice person, and he's even helped save the Crystal Empire, so much so that without him, we would've all been buried underneath a sea of snow and ice." Applejack retorted. "Oh, I meant no offense, dear, its just that, well, we don't know what he is. he is just so mysterious, and he looks so intimidating, especially in that armor." Mrs. Cake stated. "Well, looks are one thing, actions are another, and so far, Sahrot has shown through his actions that he is a good individual, who would help anyone in need. Ah wish you a good day, and hopefully y'all can be a little more open to him." Applejack said, before going off into one of the aisles, leaving the Cakes to do their shopping. with them behind, Applejack went on to find the dog treats in one of the many shelves of pet food. she then went on to purchase the treats at the check-out, and exited the store. as she left, she turned back to the direction she came, clutching the treats in her right hoof. she waved at a few of the locals as she walked by them, who smiled and waved back. she was about to make another turn, until she saw something in the corner of her eye. she turned to look at it, only to realize that it was Sahrot, who was calmly walking around the town, as if exploring it. she began to feel curious, wondering why he was out at this time of the day. she decided that she would find out by talking to him, and strolled over to him. "Howdy there, Sahrot." she greeted. Sahrot turned from his focus at a floral shop, and instead looked at Applejack. "Ah, greetings again, Applejack." Sahrot replied. "So, what're ya doin' in this time of the day?" Applejack asked. "I've decided to do some sightseeing around this town, in order to get familiar with the place." Sahrot answered. "What are you doing?" "Oh, Ah've been getting some treats for my dog." Applejack said. "Enjoyin' the sights?" "So far, yes, the town here is beautiful, full of color, life, and people. I did not know that you had a dog, though." Sahrot responded. "Well, ya do now. her name's Winona, and she's my trusty companion." Applejack said proudly. "Oh, well that's good to hear, then. a person can always benefit from having a companion alongside them. " Sahrot stated. "Well, thanks, Sahrot. anyway, Ah'm gonna head back to my farm, now. see ya around." Applejack stated, before turning towards the direction where her home is. before she could leave, however, Sahrot remembered what was planned for today, and decided that Applejack should know as well. "OH! Applejack, I nearly forgot to mention, Twilight is planning on putting up a public magic show for the people of Ponyville." Sahrot informed Applejack. "Really now? who exactly is going to be putting on the show?" Applejack asked. "That would be me, actually." Sahrot replied. "Wait, what? YOU, are gonna put on a little show, displayin' all yer fancy magic, here, in public?" Applejack questioned. "Yes, that would be the case. I know it may sound like a very strange idea, but I decided that it would be a good idea to show them of what I am, and what I am capable of. by doing this, I believe that they may become a little scared, but at least they will know that I am honest to them, and then I would be able to assure them that I am not a threat, with you and your friends' help, of course." Sahrot answered. Applejack stared at Sahrot for a moment, wondering if this really is a idea. 'Ah don't exactly think that this is a great idea, but if Twilight and Sahrot are fine with it, then Ah suppose it could work. it is best to be honest about what a pony can do, after all.' She thought before speaking. "Alright, Sahrot, if you and Twilight are okay with this, then Ah suppose that it will be fine. I'll be sure to tell Pinkie, Ah'm sure she'll spread the word much faster. well, see ya at the show, then." Applejack said, turning once again away from Sahrot, and heading back to her home. "Of course. be sure to bring along your family, because its going to be a spectacle." Sahrot called out. "Will do." Applejack replied, before turning the corner. 'Ah'm sure that it is going to be quite a show. Ah wonder if Applebloom would want to see the show? hmm, probably will. whelp, Ah guess that would be more of an incentive for her to finish up her chores.' Applejack thought, before turning another corner. she walked for a few more minutes, until she came across Sugarcube Corner. she went inside for a small bit, just to tell Pinkie about the coming event, which she happily agreed to spread around the town. with that done, she continued on with her walk back home, to give Winona her treat, as well as tell her family about the upcoming magic show. Applebloom's friends were there as well, and were cheerful about it, Applebloom seeing it as an opportunity to take a break from the daily chores. that is until Granny Smith chimed in, saying that they've still got work to do. with that in mind, Applebloom's friends left, saying that they'll wait for her at the tree house when she was done. after they left, the Apple family continued with their chores, working vigorously to finish. when they were done, it was early in the afternoon, a perfect time to head to the show. and decided to go and see it when they were all done with their chores. ********** It was afternoon in the town of Ponyville, with its residents buzzing over the news. word has spread around that there was supposedly a magic show today, and the one who was demonstrating was the mysterious being called Sahrot Strun. several ponies chattered about the creature, wondering what in the world it was. they heard of what had happened at the Crystal Empire, and felt somewhat at ease when they heard of Sahrot's contributions to saving the city. however, some were still wary of him, feeling that he may still be potentially dangerous. meanwhile, Sahrot himself was waiting beside Twilight as preparations were being made. Sahrot had instructed Twilight's helpers to set up several targets, a single chunk of iron ore, a large boulder, and for Twilight herself to set up a magic field in case things may get out of hand. as preparations were finishing up, a crowd was starting to gather around the sets. Twilight's friends were the first to arrive, with Applebloom and her friends accompanying Applejack. Sahrot noticed a large, red stallion and a small, old, green mare with Applejack as well. "I take it that they are your family?" Sahrot asked. "Yep. this here is Big Macintosh, my older brother," Applejack started, pointing to her sibling. "Eeyup." was all that he said. "Ya already met Applebloom, so Ah wouldn't think there'd be any need for an introduction." Applejack went on. Sahrot looked down at the young yellow filly that accompanied her, smiling behind his helm as he waved to her and her friends. "And now, Ah'd like to introduce ya to our grandma, Granny Smith." Applejack finished, pointing her hoof to a shorter, old mare, who was covered in a green coat, and wiry hair that was tied up in a bun." "So yer the new face in Ponyville, eh?" Granny asked. "Yes, that would be correct, madam." Sahrot stated, bowing respectively. "Oh, there's no need for that, sonny, though Ah am grateful fer the gesture. some ponies nowadays have no respect fer their elders." Granny replied. "it was nice to meet you, Granny Smith." Sahrot responded. "Twilight are the preparations ready?" "Yes, just about." Twilight replied, motioning her hoof towards the set. "Alright, then, I suppose that I should get going, then. hopefully you all may find this performance entertaining." Sahrot said, before back to the central stage. "Wish me luck." "Oh! and one more thing, I sent a message earlier today to the princesses, so they should be arriving right about..." Twilight began, but before she could finish, a flash of light emanated just in front of the group. when the light died down, it revealed both princess Celestia and Luna. "...Now." Twilight finished, turning to the princesses. "Greetings, again, your majesties." Sahrot said, bowing respectively. "It is good to see you once again, Sahrot." Celestia replied, bowing back. "My former student Twilight has informed me that you would be demonstrating your magical abilities in a magic show." "She would be correct in saying that." Sahrot stated. "Well then, I hope that it would be quite entertaining. I wish you the best of luck, Sahrot." Celestia responded, smiling at him. Sahrot bowed his head slightly, before waving the group off. he walked over to the stage, facing dozens upon dozens of ponies, including his new friends, whose eyes are all on him. he sighed quietly, before he looked to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Sahrot Strun. I came to your world by accident, and I know that you all may be a little worried and confused by my presence. but fear not, for I am no threat to you, or any other individual in Equestria. I am honored to have the hospitality of one of your rulers, Twilight Sparkle." Sahrot began, looking towards Twilight, smiling behind his helm as she appeared to be flustered when all the attention shifted to her. " I have gathered you all here at this time to show a demonstration of my power, that way you may be familiar with what I can do, and to hopefully entertain you all." with his speech finished, Sahrot then turned from the crowd, and instead to one of the targets, which appeared to be some kind of straw-stuffed mannequin shaped like a pony. with his sight on the target, he raised his hand toward it, as the magical energy stored in his body flowed into it, and he prepared to fire a spell.