To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress)

by NightFurySpeedey8156

Chapter 40: New Friends In The Frozen North

The day was early into its cycle and things were going smoothly. The sun was shining, no clouds blocking the view. And most importantly, the Friendship Express was running right on time. After a successful birthday party and a nice bit of relaxation, the Mane Six and Night Fury were all ready to take on the next challenge on their schedule. And that thing was meeting with Princess Cadence to discuss the plan for them accompanying Night Fury to the frozen north in order to not only form somewhat of an alliance with the Yaks, but figure out what the deal was with a relatively unknown tribe of northern Speed Shifters living up there.

The train ride smoothly threw the mountains, passing through tunnels and over bridges as it ran its route up to the Crystal Empire. Inside the coach, the Mane Six and Night Fury were preparing for the cold trip up north. Some with more to carry than others as Fury hadn't packed any warm clothes.

"I still don't understand why you insisted on bringing no clothes with you, Fury. I can't imagine having nothing to keep you covered in the cold of the north!" Rarity said, completely appalled by Fury's lack of attire. The black feline, however, just shrugged it off.

"Eh, I don't need 'em. It would be unnecessary weight anyway. And besides, I've finally stopped shedding fur and my winter coat has grown in. It'll hold up." Fury said. "And that's a lot of talk you're making when you have 13 different sets of scarfs and snow boots, Ms. Only Bringing The Essentials."

Rarity huffed at such a blasphemous statement. "They are essential! I want to show the yaks the most gorgeous of pony fashion! I-I simply want to show them our various wonders of fashion!"

"By that you mean your fashion. Already trying to show off and sell your wares, eh? Come on Rares, have a little patience, will you? We're just here to make an alliance." Fury reminded the fashionista.

"Yeah, he's gotta point there, sugarcube. Finally, someone is a little frugal." Applejack added with a chuckle. The white unicorn just huffed and sat back with her cheeks puffed out. How dare her own friends tarnish her method of distribution!

Twilight then turned her attention to Fury. "Well Fury, looks like you've got a diplomatic trip ahead of you. You sure you aren't nervous?"

"Pfft, please! This'll be no problem, I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse back in Canterlot, a lot worse. Dealing with the Yaks won't be easy, but you guys are coming along for the ride. At least I won't be out here alone." Fury said, a smile on his face.

"You got that right, sugarcube! We'll stick together."

"And even eat those yaks' yummy food!" Pinkie said with excitement.

Twilight still had a serious expression though.

"Alright, I want everyone to be on their best behavior. This isn't just something we can be casual about, we have to hold somewhat of a discipline to ourselves."

"Yeah yeah, egghead. We get it, this isn't supposed to be fun. But you can't plan for everything in life. Do we need to remind you of the 'Yearly Schedule'?" Rainbow said.

"I-I have no idea what you mean…" Twilight said nervously.

"Exactly. You can't admit that you didn't try to predict the universe like it was some kind of foretold prophecy of future events. It's all a part of the Twilight Chronicles. The tales of the epic heroine as she fights against the dreaded tardy creatures." Fury said snidely.

Rainbow and Pinkie both laughed with even the others chuckling.

"Oh ha ha, very funny. But at least I don't snooze every hour of the day without a care in the world about important events!" Twilight shot back.

"Hey, I haven't been late to one of them ever since I got my ambassador title! And besides, I'm a cat. It's in my DNA to snooze for hours on end, ever since the first Saber Tooth Tiger. My feline brothers and sisters have napped for eons before you ponies existed, and you never see us being late." Fury said, looking somewhat proud of himself.

"Okay, okay. I see your point. I'm sorry." Twilight said. "All I'm advising is you will try to stay diplomatic with the yaks. They can be a bit… pushy sometimes. And when they get mad… Well, they get mad."

"Listen, I might be a laid back jokester, but even I know how to be diplomatic. I learned my lesson from making a public remark about our chief's nose. That was… not pleasant." Fury said, remembering how the chief punished him. "Look, I'll be cool and chill like the ice. These furry guys will be our pals, no problemo."

"Well, we're about to get started with that journey. Crystal Empire, coming in hot!" Rainbow called from outside the window.

After a few minutes, the train finally stopped at the Crystal Empire. Cadence was waiting for them to arrive. Fury was the first to make himself known as he stepped only a few feet out of the carriage before every mare glued their gazes on him and made their comments.

"Oh my Celestia, I thought he would never return!"

"I wonder if he thinks amethyst or sapphire is prettier."

"Look at that smooth fur and bright smile!"

"Hey there, tough guy. Looking good today!"

"Don't forget, you've got options if you want somepony fun~."

Fury was completely stunned at the very forward comments and turned red. He knew he was already taken, but he couldn't help the feeling of how sharp these Equestrian girls were when flirting.

Gee, I didn't know ponies were this crazy over me. I guess it helps that I was the one who slew Sombra.

"Sign my autograph!" A pony came in close.

"Sign my forehead!"

"Sign my leg~." Another said.

"Cadence… Help!" Fury called out. "I'm drowning in a sea of mares with needs!"

Then all of a sudden, a bouncing ball appeared. A bit odd, Fury thought.
But then he saw the mares no longer gazing at him but this ball.

"Mine!"

"No, it's mine!"

"It's so round."

Fury then knew what to do. "You want this, ladies? Go get it!" He said lobbing it as far as possible into the city. The horde of fangirls immediately dashed towards the ball and finally left the feline, who was now laying on his back, alone.

The Princess of Love stood over him and gazed down at the disoriented face of Night Fury.

"Sorry for the… less than normal meeting. I had to settle a lover's quarrel." Cadence said.

"Eh, whatever. Crazy stuff happens all the time. But that spell! Dang! Who would have thought some mushy love spell could be so cool?"

Cadence smiled. "I'm glad you appreciate it. These spells are not just used for teenage romantic fantasies."

Rainbow chuckled. "Tell that to Twilight that one time."

"Don't even think about it!" Twilight interrupted. Both Rainbow Dash and Night Fury just laughed at the purple alicorn and her embarrassed face. The black feline got himself up and shook himself off, his fur messy and disheveled from the rampaging mob.

"So Cadence, are you ready for this chilly journey? I didn't grow this thick winter coat of fur and go into a giant freezer to test it for nothing."

"Of course I am. But first, let's get that fur under control. You look like a shaggy sheep." Cadence giggled.

Cadence went up to Fury and took a comb to straighten his fur out. Stroking his thick fur, she straightened it out section by section. Going all around him to get every strand and stray hair.

"Oooh! ahh! Hey, go easy on it! It's still part of my body." Fury whined in pain.

After five minutes of a makeover, Cadence was finally finished.

"Voila! Now you're fit to go to Yakyakistan!" Cadence said.

"Oh, darling, you have done most fabulously!"

"That's nice. But do I really need this big blue bow tie? It looks so lame." Fury asked.

"It's the latest fashion of Crystal Empire. Oh come on, you look like a handsome young gentlecat!" Cadence said. Fury didn't take that lightly as he stared right at her, snapped the bow tie off and zapped it out of existence.

"Not a fan of bow ties." Fury said bluntly, letting out a quiet but aggressive hiss. "The things I do for diplomacy." He moaned.

"You'll get used to the pomp." Applejack said with sympathy.

Twilight then spoke up. "Alright, if we're all ready we can go back on the train."

"Sorry Twilight, but there's no train route that leads up the mountains. This'll be a hooves and paws on the ground trip. And as much as I hate to admit it out loud, I actually prefer doing things the D.I.Y way." Cadence explained.

Then they heard sounds of strong stallions pulling heavy carts into the train. Wagons and Caravans being hauled by royal guards rolled up to the station, multiple guards riding in some of them.

"That's all the food, tents and other supplies we'll take on this trip." Cadence said. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

"No way, we're taking a convoy up the mountains?! I've been dreaming of rolling out in a convoy ever since I was a cub!" Fury yipped.

"Pleeease tell me I can haul one of these! I'll even take hauling you guys up the mountains if I have to!"

Cadence was quite pleased to see Fury excited about this.

"It's not everyday we see someone excited about the great outdoors. Which is quite a relief." She acknowledged.

"Wow. I've told you guys a million times that I literally grew up doing this stuff, and you're surprised that I'm excited about it? Does this have to do with you guys thinking I'm just a big ol lazy bones who sleeps in trees?" Fury questioned.

"What? No, not at all!" Twilight defended.

"Well… I can't say that because of how many times I've seen you plumping yourself up with sweets and filling up that bottomless pit of a stomach you have." She joked, offending the black cat.

"Hey!" Fury said. "I take offense to that! I also eat meat and fish, thank you very much! And to answer your question, when you're still asleep, I'm out running in the morning sun. Why do you think I have so much energy? Gotta get it from some source! Now you get it, Miss Science?" Fury said.

"Okay, you've got me there. But you'll still be a foodie underneath all of that muscle." Twilight said, getting the approval from Fury.

"And proud of it!"

Just then, a unicorn stallion stepped up to the group.

"Your highness, the convoy is ready to go. We've checked over the food, supplies, and did a headcount. We're all set for the journey. The only thing left is the reserved caravan for you and the rest of your group, which we still don't have a hauler to pull." The stallion said, looking over a clipboard in his magic.

"Leave that to me, I'll take the ladies for this trip." Fury said, raising his paw to volunteer.

"Well if you think you can do it, I suppose you can." The unicorn stallion said. "Cold Steel, Aurora! Let's get him hooked up!"

Fury was immediately hooked up to the wagon and tied up to secure the connection. While the guards assisted the others in boarding the wagon, Fury dug into his bags to retrieve his traction gloves. A staple of his kind for those who hauled carts with ice blocks and firewood throughout the winter in the early days of his tribe's existence.

The same unicorn stallion, who he now presumed to be the commander, stepped up onto the seat behind Fury to guide him.

"Alright everypony, we've got a harsh trip ahead of us! Stick together, keep those lanterns lit, stay positive and stay warm! Crystal Guard… Move out!"

And so the long trek began. Luckily the weather was mild for now, the sun still shining in the sky and the breeze somewhat warm. But even so, they knew things would get dicey as they saw the dark clouds that looked over the mountains. Filled to the brim with heavy snow that could do unpredictable things on their way to Yakyakistan.

–

A few hours later…

The snow was thick, the wind was fierce, and the pace was slow. The convoy stepped through the weather with strength and pride, pushing through the snow in an effort to make good time.

At the front of the convoy, Fury and the rest of his friends were leading the charge. This was the first time Fury had ever stepped through snow this heavy, mostly because he had never been up more than a hill's height back home. Even so, he pushed on. His winter fur was doing its job fairly well, keeping him warm and allowing him to keep his strength up as he clawed his way up the mountains.

"Is everypony okay back there? Everypony warm?" The commander asked.

"We're fine. But how's Night Fury doing? He isn't exactly one who's dealt with conditions like these before." Cadence asked with some concern.

"Speak for yourself." Rarity said, shivering with four coats on.

"I'm fine out here, you guys! This may be out of what I consider usual, but I can handle it! All of you are my motivation, and that's enough to keep me going!" He called out over the harsh wind.

"Well, it's good you're adept at the cold!" said the commander.

"Well, I may be good for conditions like these, but the rest of your comrades aren't. Got a pegasus mare turning blue at the wagon behind us, 6 o'clock!"

The commander looked back and saw that one of the pegasus mares he instructed to haul one of the supply wagons was looking like she was changing color. And blue was not a good color to see in the snow, especially in a pony.

"Crud, she's in the early stages of Frostbite. We need to stop and get her warm!" The commander said sternly.

"You don't have to stop for me! I can keep g-going, sir! Just for a little longer!" the young mare said, shivering.

Though she had spirit, it was clear she was a rookie. Probably still not fully adept to the cold like Fury or the Commander.

"Not while I'm still breathing, sweetheart!" Fury called out. "Like Speed Shifters always do, we stick together until the bitter end! We've just hit flat land, we can set up camp here for now and get her warmed up!"

"Great idea! Permission to camp, Your Highness?" The commander asked Cadence.

"Permission granted. And make sure you get her comfortable. I'm counting on you."

The commander nodded. "Alright, let's start a fire and get tents set up!"

And so everyone started unloading tents, firewood, and other supplies. They set up in a clear area to block possible blizzards. Ponies went left and right setting up tents and bringing the wagons around in some sort of a protective circle. The commander personally escorted Cadence and the others to the camp while the guards and Night Fury did their duty.

"Someone get me some flint to start a fire," said Cold Steel. Applejack agreed to help.

"I'll get to the pegasus and take care of her!" Fury said, heading over to the one in distress. He draped a cloak over her and pulled her in close to him.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" He asked caringly.

"S-Sunstone." The pegasus said.

"Okay Sunstone, we're gonna get you warm and cared for. No doubt about that." Fury reassured her. Sunstone smiled to herself at the caring nature of the black feline, she truly felt safe with him.

"The fire's good to go, y'all! Bring her in!" Applejack said. Fury guided her over to the flame and sat her down, letting her stay next to him as she warmed up next to the fire.

"Probably feels better, huh?" Fury asked.

"Y-yeah. I still feel chilly. Dang it. I just had to hold everyone back." Sunstone sighed, feeling as if she had ruined the whole mission.

"Hey, don't feel bad about having to stop us for a bit. We needed a break anyway. I don't know many more trees I could count before getting bored. Besides, now is the best part! Having some rations!" He said seeing Applejack come over.

"Awww here sugarcube, have some of this hot soup. My granny always gave this to me when I was blue in the cheeks." She said, giving her the bowl.

After blowing on it to cool down, she ate it and she smiled.

"See, what did I tell you?" Fury said.

"It really is great! Thanks, you two. I didn't think I'd have something this good. Some of the rations I had were not so great." Sunstone chuckled, her color returning to normal.

"Not as long as you got us!" Fury said. "Me and AJ made sure it was extra good. So much that my mom would be proud." Fury said.

Fluttershy came in. "Thank you so much, Fury. You can go get some rest, me and Applejack will take care of her now."

Night Fury nodded and left the two to take care of Sunstone. He walked past a few guards and went to the large main tent that the rest of his friends were sitting in.

"So… How's Sunstone?" Twilight asked.

"She'll be fine, Applejack and Fluttershy are taking care of her now." Fury said.

"That's good." Cadence said. "I guess we'll be able to continue tomorrow. Unfortunately, this did set us back. So we might have to take a shortcut. The winds are believed to pick up more by then. So if we could find it it could save us some serious trouble."

"Don't worry. I'm good at recon." Fury said. "I'll scout ahead and make sure it's clear, both of terrain and hostile beasts."

"Not on my watch you won't. You must be exhausted from hauling all of us up this mountain. You are going to get some rest, I'll send some of my guards to scout."

"No way, I can handle it! You don't have to do that for my sake!" Fury protested. But the Princess Of Love stood firm.

"Yes I do, your safety is my top priority. Night Fury, you're not back home anymore. You don't have to take the initiative all the time. We aren't like your tribe from when your parents were taken, we actually put you up front of everything else."

"Now, you get some rest and ease your muscles. I'll take care of finding us a safe route up the mountains. And besides, you don't want Luna to have to see you as a cat-sicle. Do you?" Cadence asked.

"Well… I have been doing stuff all day. And I think I would like a good chillax session, as Rainbow puts it. Okay, fine. But only if I get some of that soup Applejack is cooking!" Fury said.

"Oh Fury, always got food on the brain. Twily was right, you do have a bottomless pit for a belly." Cadence teased.

"Yep, no pony can match my appetite!" Fury said.

"Hold on a moment." Pinkie said. "No one but me and Applejack can eat more! I challenge you to an eating contest!"

"What, no way! The last time I did that, I nearly passed out! I'll leave that to you!" Fury said fearfully.

Cadence giggled as she stepped out of the tent to give her orders. In the meantime, the rest of the group gave themselves some entertainment by telling stories and making jokes throughout the evening.

She made sure they were well equipped and assured them not to get lost and to be back in the morning or another round of guards will seek them out.

But little did they know, they weren't the only ones that were traveling far into the north as a particular pair of individuals were making their way up the same way.

–

The Next Morning…

While the wind still blew and snow still fell from the sky, the mountains were much calmer than yesterday as the intensity had died down overnight. The guards and everyone else slept soundly in their tents, wrapped up in sleeping bags and sitting safely in their tents.

Twilight and the rest of her friends were doing much the same, sleeping into the morning with no trouble at all.

That is, until a ominous growling woke them up and made them panic.

"W-w-what was that?!" Fluttershy asked, intimidated.

"Such a horrifying screech of terror. It must be some foul beast." Rarity said. "Don't worry Fluttershy, we'll protect you from this abomination!"

"Yeah, we'll show that creature how to respect personal space." Rainbow said, stomping the ground.

"Whatever it is, it'll have to get through us to take a bite out of everything here!" Applejack said. But then, Twilight became more confused.

"Hold on a minute, girls. Is it just me, or does that growling sound way closer? Like it's already inside the tent?" She asked.

"Now that you mentioned it… (Yawn) It does sound fairly close. And look, no damage has been done to the outside." Cadence said, having just woken up.

Then the group turned to Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be giggling.

"There's no creature out there, you sillies! The real monster behind this has been among us all along! He he, look over at Night Fury."

They then heard another horrific sound. But this time they realized the source of the noise was in fact, their feline friend all along. Specifically, his stomach having seemingly woken up before he did as it growled loudly.

At that moment, Rainbow Dash just laughed. "Are you serious?! We were all scared that some monster was outside, raring and ready to eat us, and the actual sound was Night Fury's hungry tummy?!"

Twilight chuckled a bit. "At this point, I think Fury's stomach has more control over his body than he does."

Rarity sighed. "I lost my beauty sleep because of Fury's belly! I hate this trip even more!"

"Oh come on Rarity, even I have to admit that this is a little funny." Fluttershy giggled.

"You're not the only one, sugarcube. It's a bit hilarious that Fury's belly woke up earlier than he did." Applejack said, Fury's stomach solidifying her statement with another loud growl.

"Should we wake him up?" Fluttershy asked. "His stomach definitely wants some food it seems."

"We might as well." Twilight said with a yawn. "I'm a bit hungry too. And after we eat, we'll plan out our next destination. Hopefully those guards will be back soon. And guard, could you go check Sunstone's condition?"

One of the guards nodded and went away. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash decided to give Night Fury his wake-up call.

"Hey Fury. Hey Mr. Hungry, wake up! It's time to eat!" Rainbow said.

"H-huh?! The cider's under the porcupine, I swear!" Fury babbled, his half awake brain barely functioning.

"What are you talking about- Listen. Just get up and have some grub with us. You like food, don't you?" Rainbow asked him.

"Ugh… I don't know what you mean." He said lazily, still half asleep.

"Dang it, he's still out of it. Looks like I'll have to use the old fashioned way." Rainbow said, looking at a bucket of water.

"Wakey, wakey!" Rainbow said splashing water on him.

But it was to no avail, the black feline still sat half asleep with wet fur.

"Horsefeathers, that always worked on me when I dozed off at flight school." Rainbow said. "This guy is a heavier sleeper than me!"

"Do we just wait it out then?" Applejack asked.

Then Pinkie jumped up and down. "I got an idea. I got an idea!"

"I'm afraid to ask but what do you have in mind?" Rarity asked, knowing that if there was one pony who could wake Fury up, it was the pink ball of energy herself.

"It is extremely simple. The old classic. Look at his paws! Look at his belly! All so peaceful… We must disrupt that." Pinkie said in an ominous voice. "Follow me."

The Mane Six approached Fury, as they finally realized Pinkie's plan.

"Uh Pinkie, are you sure we should be um… tickling him to wake him up? A bit of a rude awakening, isn't it?" Fluttershy asked.

"It is what is necessary for a young friend. We must do this for the common good whether we like it or not. And besides, do you really want to see him snooze through the trip? Even I have priorities when it comes to important events like this." Pinkie said, sounding quite sensible for once.

The Mane Six looked at each other and couldn't find a reason to disagree with their party planning friend, she was actually making a lot of sense. Even Cadence had to admit she was right.

"I have to say, Pinkie's logic is quite sound. This is an important event to happen and we can't just let the guest of honor sleep through it." The Princess of Love spoke.

"And besides, this will be quite a cute little plan." She added, her inner foalsitter emerging.

"I recognize that tone…" Twilight said in remembrance.

"Okay okay whatever let's wake this sleepy head up already!" Rainbow said, a bit too eager. "Here I go!"

The pegasus tickled his belly and the rest of the mane six followed suit with his paws. Cadence even used one of her feathers to tickle his nose.

"Heh heh heh…"

"Heh heh heh heh…"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…! What in the name of Luna is going on, ha ha ha!"

The black cat squirmed and wiggled under the feathery force being applied to his body, it felt as if a lesion of tiny ants were crawling all over him.

"Okay girls he's awake we can be done now." Everyone stopped. Almost everyone.

"Rainbow. Pinkie." Twilight warned.

"Okay." The two reluctantly stopped.

"Good morning, Night Fury. I hope you enjoyed your sleep!" Cadence said.

"Oh come on guys, you could have given me like 20 more minutes!" Fury said, pouting.

"Not today, whiskers. You've got responsibilities to uphold. And as the princess who's in charge of this trip, you are under my authority. And I say no sleeping in for you." Cadence said.

"Aw come on! You're no fun, Cadence. Responsibilities are for NEEEERDS!" Fury called out.

"Is that what you told your father's cousin?" Cadence asked.

"Actually, yes. She was fuming for a week." He said, a devious smirk on his face.

"And how did that turn out for you?"

"Better than you would have expected. Even if she made me trudge through mud wallows for five hours, all of it was worth it to see her ticked off. Her anger kept me entertained for most of my childhood." He chuckled, thinking back to the multiple times he pulled pranks on Amethyst.

"Well, you are one determined fellow, even if very naughty." Cadence said. "But I know there is one thing that you cannot resist."

"And what would that be, Lovebutt-" Before Fury could finish, Cadence cracked open the entrance to the tent and let the smells of the outside world flow in.

Sniff Sniff…

"Wait, is that… sardines?" He asked.

Sniff… Sniff Sniff…

"Woah, Saltwater salmon too?!"

Sniff…

"And… wait… is that straight up cat food?" Fury asked. Cadence immediately had a mix of disturbed, horrified, and anger on her face as she heard Fury list off cat food. And she knew he wasn't lying considering the amount of times his nose came in handy.

The love princess took in a sharp breath. "Well, it looks like somepony in my guard is a comedian. Would you excuse me?" She asked, her voice sounding calm but tense as she exited the tent and into the snowy campsite.

Cadence walked up to some guards who seemed to be giggling at something.

"Excuse me, you two. You wouldn't happen to know about Night Fury's food, would you?" She asked.

"Uh no Your Highness, nothing like that." One stallion guard said, giving a big grin.

"Oh, it's nothing? Then can one of you explain to me why he smelled cat food?" She interrogated them, giving the two guards a stern gaze.

"That is… probably a coincidence. We know nothing of that. When we put the food in there it probably just spilled in." Another guard said a bit more nervous. "But I'm sure a feline like him would appreciate the same food my cat does."

"Is that so?" A voice said behind the guards. They looked back and saw none other than the black feline ambassador himself standing there in the snow.

"Uh… I mean um… I thought it would be a reasonable and fun idea, ya know…."

"You idiot, you just gave away our plan!"

"No you did!"

"No you!"

The two went back and forth about who's fault it was, completely caught up in what they had tried to pull.

"Wow, I never thought Cadence would employ two utter disappointments into her guard." He said, being extremely blunt. "So let me get to the point." He said, turning their heads around.

"No, I don't like cat food. It's gross, It's disgusting. I don't even know why owners would give their pets that slop. And just so you know, I'm not just some domesticated cat that slurps on cat food and uses scratching posts. That should be obvious. The worst part? Your jokes are so obvious, anyone could have thought of that. You must have thought you were REAL funny with that." Fury snarled.

"Well…"

"But the only funny thing here is how lame you two were. I might be a jokester, but I only go with the highest caliber. You two need better comedy. I would call you clowns but that would imply you were actually funny. You two are complete disappointments to this planet and are complete wastes of flesh and bone."

"The fact that you think that pulling a joke like this makes you any more relevant is laughable. You both have nothing, and I mean nothing… to be laughing about. The only thing that you should have on your mind is how anyone ever thought of you as anything more than depressing… useless… hunks of meat and brain mass."

The camp fell silent. Cadence was left appalled at how ruthlessly Fury dragged those two. And most importantly, the two guards were reduced to tears as they solemnly slithered away with their tails between their legs.

Night Fury just watched them walk away, staring blankly at the two guards who he had just ripped apart with his words alone.

"Perhaps they'll think twice before making a practical joke out of me and my kind… Like I haven't heard them from Canterlot ponies before. I might joke around, but I draw the line at stereotypical jokes about other races." Fury said, his voice harsh and unforgiving.

"I understand." Cadence said. "I will make sure they behave next time. But did you have to beat on them so badly? They may have pulled a fairly inappropriate joke, but did you have to reduce them to tears?"

"I wanted them to know not to make those kinds of jokes again. After all, I overheard these two talk about me. I saw them look down at me. I chose to ignore it. Until they wanted to make problems for me. If they don't like me, fine. But if they want to have a problem, they should say it to my face, not with this cheesy prank."

"I've known a lot of creatures like them even in my village, and I will not let them take advantage of me. Not again. Lessons are learned through tears and tearing down the frame of the creature in question. With guards like them, the only way they're gonna learn about consequences is if they are emotionally crippled and shown the true facts of life. And the fact is… They're lucky they got out of this alive." Fury said, walking away to get himself in order.

The others looked in awe at his words. Fury might be a bit of a jokester and not take himself too seriously but when he meant business, he made sure everyone knew that.

Cadence was also somewhat impressed by this serious tone, he actually took the time to set those guards straight for their jokes. But while her inner princess was glad he took charge I'm that situation, her underlying concern also made sure she didn't forget that he reduced them to tears over a joke.

While the joke was crude, stereotypical, and overall just in poor taste, she couldn't let go of the fact that he basically shredded their confidence and made them cry. She would have gotten on his case for being so harsh and using such unkind words to make his case, but she was just glad he wasn't more violent with his approach. Perhaps his previous trauma and anger caused the verbal assault to happen, he did tell her that he wouldn't allow himself to be taken advantage of for his laid back attitude like he was back home.

But then, the guards sent to scout ahead had found a shortcut for the convoy to take up the mountains. They also came to speak on seeing other creatures in the snow, creatures that looked like Night Fury. For the moment, she let it slide as she eventually joined the group in eating breakfast, packing up the camp and heading out to reach Yakyakistan. As they continued their trip, Cadence let herself relax and pushed the previous altercation to the back of her mind. But even so, she still couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of concern for Night Fury as his past resurfaced and caused him to get aggressive.

–

An Hour Later…

The convoy had reached another flatland on their route to Yakyakistan. The clouds were thin in certain places, allowing some sunlight to slip through. But the snow and ice were still present as the cold winter wind kept any from melting. Once again, Night Fury led the convoy with his friends and the commander. They kept a close eye out for any civilizations nearby as they pushed through the snow, watching the horizon for a sort of base or camp.

"Boy, even with less wind and snow blowing around, it's still hard to see what's around here." The commander said.

"Yeah, even I can't see anything through the snow." Fury said, trying to get a lay of the land. They pushed on through the vast snowy plains of the mountain, keeping a steady pace to maintain an order.

Just then, Fury's keen eyes locked onto something in the distance. It looked similar to the fort he and Cadence found Moonbeam in when he was rescuing his parents, but it was decorated differently. Large torches sat on either side of what looked like a gate, figureheads of Yaks standing tall on two pillars high up.

"Hey commander, I think we're getting close! Check out what's up ahead!"

"Well, I'll be… the Yaks' capital. I must say, it might be small but they definitely know how to make it imposing." The commander said.

"It looks like we made it. Alright Fury are you ready for what will come?" Twilight asked. "Are you ready to meet Prince Rutherford and his entourage?"

"Not really. To be honest, I'm more nervous than ever. The Yaks don't know me like you guys do. And even if I actually do get a chance to explain who I am and what Speed Shifters are like, we still have those supposed 'Snow Shifters' to deal with. Who's to say that they're not aggressive and instinctively attack us and them? Not to mention that this'll be the first time I'll be meeting other Speed Shifters in a long time. I don't want any of my… past experiences to flare up while doing this." Fury lamented.

Twilight put her hoof over Fury. "You'll be fine. I know this will be tough. But you have us by your side. And I think you have a way of bonding with others that will make others like you. Just like when Blueblood was accusing you, you charmed everyone. So I promise that you will be fine."

"Besides, I think yaks and you both have a lotta passion. I think you have that in common." Rainbow said.

He smiled back. "Thanks you two. I'll just read the room and go with the flow. Let's do this."

The group went to approach the gate. Everyone was nervous. It seems there was a switch, perhaps for visitors.

Twilight pressed on it and they heard a loud gong sound.

Bong! Bong! Bong!

"WHO APPROACHES YAKS?! Speak up puny beasts!" A voice came from the other side.

"Let me handle this, guys. Luna gave me a few lessons in the R.C.V (Royal Canterlot Voice)." Fury said, clearing his throat and using his energy to charge his voice.

"Yaks of Yakyakistan! It is I, Night Fury of Thunder Hollow! I have come per your request to speak on my kind and their ways in this world. Be not afraid, for my powers are only used on my enemies. And I wish to make allies on this day!" Fury spoke, his voice booming to the point some of the snow was pushed away in a circle around him.

"I did not think Fury could have such a way with words." Rarity whispered, getting the snow off of her.

"I guess being Luna's coltfriend will do that to you." Applejack whispered.

And then after a brief silence, the yak spoke up. "Ah, so you the one Prince Rutherford has summoned. Very well!" The guard said with a loud stomp. "Puny cat may proceed! But know this! Prince will smash bones of you and friends if you offend Yak ways!"

"You have my word! We all want to be friends, majestic yaks!"

Then the gates opened. Everypony was a bit nervous though relieved that the yaks seem non hostile so far. This was good news. The convoy entered the walls of the camp to instantly be met with Yaks standing on either side and watching as they entered.

They walked observing the snow alongside the huts. Despite being huts, they were neatly organized. The yaks took pride in their little town.

When Fury finally came to the town center, he took a deep breath.

Then he heard loud stomping. All the other yaks bowed down as they marveled at the impressive figure. Prince Rutherford himself.

The yak prince stood with a large and intimidating stance, most of his face covered by his long coat while some were done up in braids and loops with what looked like traditional attire for yaks.

Fury's face went cold, adorning his secure and serious tone as he unhooked from the caravan that he was pulling, jumped up and landed on a pole that had an extension right at eye level with the prince.

He then heard some weird strange sounding instruments like tubas. As well as gongs.

"Presenting Great Yak Leader, Prince Rutherford!"

Okay, here we go.

"Rutherford has been expecting you! We are the mighty Yak people of Yakyakistan! Prove to us your worthiness!" The prince said in the third person. Fury's expression had no change at the thundering voice of the prince, staring right back at him and asserting his stance.

"As you know, I am Night Fury of Thunder Hollow. Current All Powerful Speed Shifter and Equestrian ambassador of Speed Shifters in their entirety." Fury said sternly.

"My powers are beyond what most can comprehend, my status reaching even that of a god amongst ponies and to some, even reaching farther than Celestia herself. If you wish to see me prove myself, perhaps a duel should be in order to showcase my true power. My people take pride in showing prowess through bruises and battle scars." He said, a bit of electricity sparking on one side of his face.

"Fury, are you sure about a duel?" Twilight whispered.

"Trust me. We shifters do duels all the time." He whispered back.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha!" Lord Rutherford gave a loud earth shaking laugh followed by the other yaks. "Puny kitten wishes to take on Lord Rutherford's might?! Do you not understand how doomed you will be?!?!"

"Do you see me as nothing but a kitten? Where is your honor? A true warrior shows respect to others when challenged, where is your courtesy?" Fury questioned, his tone like a stern but wise advisor.

Rutherford was silent for a moment but then spoke up.

"Very well. Rutherford accepts your duel. We shall see who holds the greater power. Perhaps even pink pony princess might get a show out of this showcase of might."

"I'll be sure not to disappoint her then." Fury said with eagerness.

All the yaks cleared away from the town center, the group of ponies taking to one side while the yaks took the other. Night Fury stood his ground as he looked back at his friends with a wink, waiting for the prince to take his place.

"Rules of game!" Another yak called out. "Whoever is defeated or surrenders is winner of duel and shall bow before the victor and kiss the ground the other walks on. Both shall fight with honor and power in one round of battle."

"Do not feel the need to go easy on me for the sake of pink pony princess. You are without judgment here." The prince spoke.

"Oh don't worry… I won't." Fury snarled, letting out a burly roar as he transformed into a large gorilla and pounded his chest in dominance.

"Ha ha ha! Well done! Cat not going to make this easy! But know this. Rutherford battled yetis twice your size! Is kitten stronger than them?!" He then proceeded to charge towards Fury

"I've made the Princess Of The Sun cower in fear at my pure rage, I shall not make those moments look like flukes. Rraaahhhhhh!!" Fury roared, using his large ape hands to rush forward.

Both the yaks and ponies watched in awe as the two charged at each other, the pure force of their movements causing the ground to shake. As they got closer, Prince Rutherford lowered his head for a bash while Fury dug his large hands into the ground for a launch as he pulled a fist back for a devastating punch.

There was a shockwave that was felt from their force. It moved the others back a bit, but they soon regained their composure and went at each other again.

Rutherford and Fury were in a grip now. Fury with his arms below and Rutherford with his horns above.

"Puny kitten is strong, but you face yak who has years of experience! Yak shall show you what power looks like!"

"So what?! Youth is the true power, and I'm about to show you why!" Fury called. He grabbed at the yak's long coat and planted his feet, pulling him off the ground and throwing him back.

BOOM!

Dang how heavy can a guy be?! Fury asked himself. I gotta give my arms a rest from throwing for a few minutes. I'll have to stick to other moves for now.

The move may have given him some room, but it didn't last long as the prince rose from his downed state and faced him.

"YOU MONKEYBRAIN!!! YOU THINK THAT WILL STOP ME! PREPARE FOR MY ALL OUT ASSAULT!" Rutherford cried out though he had a slight sound of pain in his loud cry.

Okay, method 2. Hey look, a red sheet!

"Ole! Ole! Here boy! You wanna come? Come get me!" Fury said, waving the red curtain.

"DO NOT COMPARE PRINCE OF YAKS TO BULL!" Rutherford cried as he charged at Fury.

"Big… Mistake." Fury said under his breath. He planted his feet and laid his arms down palms up. He watched as the prince proceeded to try and run him down before he finally got within range and gave Fury his opportunity.

With one shift of his weight, he raised his fists and uppercut the prince, sending him up off the ground and flipping him upside down. The crowd around them was amazed at Fury's move as the prince went fully upside down and Fury reversed his movement to slam him into the ground with his fists.

"Rrrraaugh!" Fury slammed Prince Rutherford into the ground, sending cracks through the ground and even making some chunks uproot themselves with a thundering boom that shook the ground like an earthquake.

Everyone gasped at this feat while also recovering from almost being tossed themselves from just the shock of the quake. Rutherford seemed to be hit quite hard.

"See, that's what happens when you fall for simple tricks, Prince." Fury said, a bit smug. The prince uprighted himself and faced the ape once again. He had taken two hits and was stumbling like a newborn, just who was this creature?

"Night Fury…" This was the first time Rutherford addressed him by his real name. "Shifter has fought far better than Rutherford thought. But that… that was but a warm up! I was going easy on you, thinking you were too weak! So be ready for Rutherford to unleash his fury of war!"

Going easy on me? Oh, is he charging me again? Fine I guess he wants another uppercut.

Fury was about to launch one. But then Rutherford unexpectedly instead jumped sideways right onto Fury.

SLAM!

"Fury!" Fluttershy cried out.

Everypony showed concern as the large ape was shunted to the side and fell to the snow below him, struggling to get up.

"Gah ah ah ah…" Fury said in pain, still getting up.

"What's the matter, puny kitten not realize true might of yaks? We yaks are large for a reason you know! For times just like this." Rutherford said. "Here let me help you!"

He slammed into Fury again.

All the yaks cheered for Rutherford while the ponies were horrified at this.

"We have to call off the match!" Twilight said.

"Not yet!" Rainbow Dash called out. "If I know Night Fury's attitude, all it'll take for him to get his second wind is a little disrespectful teasing."

"You know what, Fury? Rutherford is right! You're as weak as a little kitten!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack scolded her but to no avail.

"Sh-shut up." Fury said weakly

"You're just gonna let this guy treat you like a dog toy?! Just be chewed up and spat on!? Is that what you will tell your friends, your parents, your village?!" Rainbow said.

"N-no."

"Well it looks like it will be. Unless you get your butt right back. Unless you stand your ground through all the pain. Or you can just stay down. What do you choose?!"

At that moment, just as Rutherford was about to throw another blow, Fury caught him by the neck and tightened his grip. The prince was now in a one handed chokehold and stood up straight.

"Bingo! What did I tell you guys, this is classic comic book rage 101. The character gets beat down to the point of imminent defeat, the villain makes a comment that gets 'em mad and they stand right back up."

Fury was now on his second wind, holding the prince up on his back legs as he nearly choked him out with a dark look before tossing him at high speed a good few feet back. He breathed heavily as his rage built up inside of him, his energy coursing through his veins as he went into a rage mode.

"Raaaaaugh!" Fury slammed the ground in a fit of anger, making a crater around him and sending some of his friends flying as he got back up and gave the prince a look that spelled death.

A cloud of snow and dust appeared around the whole town center , Fury's electrified body seemingly attracting the collection of particles.

"You… have ANGERED me for the last time. You shall now be subjected to the worst onslaught of your life, something that only the worst creatures are TORTURED with in the seven rings of Tartarus!"

Rutherford looked on with fear for the first time at Fury. He only heard of this rage of shifters in legends. But right now, he could detect a rage that went far beyond a yak's anger. It was seething with bloodlust.

"R-Rutherford is not scared of you! You are still puny compared to yak prince!" Rutherford said, returning to a fighting stance.

"Then I'll make you cower before me!" Fury said. He launched into the air with a strong leap, becoming nothing but a small dot above the town before he fell back down with both fists interlocked over his head and slammed down onto the prince's body with a thundering boom and chunks of the ground flying up as if they were in suspended animation.

Boom!

"How is Fury so powerful!?" Rutherford said getting Fury off of him and then trying to slap him repeatedly. It was to no avail as Fury kept avoiding Rutherford's blows and gave him energy infused slashes in return.

"Simple." He growled, dodging to the left and sending a punch into his side. "I have the powers from ancestors long gone from the mortal realm flowing through me, and you have disrespected them! Now it is time I show you how we do retribution."

Fury heaved his large form forward, getting himself up to speed before throwing another devastating punch that instantly connected with the prince's face. After doing so, he shifted his stance and grabbed his horns. Bringing his arms up, he ripped Rutherford away from solid ground, over his head, and onto his back with a monsterous suplex that made the yaks and ponies wince as for the first time… they heard the sound of bone cracking.

"RAHHHHHHH!" Rutherford cried out in pain, something he never expected would happen.

"Now you know our true power! Who is the puny one, now!?" Fury boasted and laughed. "Well, either way it's time to be done with you. Say goodbye!"

Fury pulled Rutherford back up onto all fours and held him steady. He was about to send this disrespectful prince flying with one move. With one giant hand grappling the prince's head, he pulled his other back. Red energy sparked around his fist and through the veins inside of his fist, his feet going through the ground and keeping him in one spot as his smile grew and his power charged.

Small pebbles and rocks started to float with red energy, lightning rods coming down around him from the sky and cracking the ground on impact. From what everyone could see, they could only think he was calling upon the gods to power him for this final strike.

"I hope you planned to find a successor to your throne… because I'll make sure you're replaced."

With all his energy packed into his fist, he was ready to send his arm plummeting toward the prince of yaks to send him flying. But what happened next was unexpected.

"Goodbye sweet prince." Fury said.

"ENOUGH!"

Fury turned to the crowd. "Who dares interrupt me?!"

"The challenge is over, Night Fury. You are the victor. Let him go." Twilight demanded.

"Oh come on, I am just getting started!" Fury said.

"You can either stop on your own, or I can paralyze you in the most painful way possible! Don't make me hurt you!" Twilight added on.

"Oh, so the little purple pipsqueak is making threats to me? Heh, I never knew you wanted your brother to have his last memory of you being me putting you in a casket."

Before Twilight said anything, Cadence stopped her. Cadence breathed in slowly and guided Twilight into calming down.

Twilight calmed down and spoke. "Alright Fury, let me ask, do you remember why we came to this village in the first place?"

"Stop playing me for dumb, you indigo idiot! Of course I know!"

"You came here to be an ambassador! This fight was supposed to be for the sake of honor! To show we are worthy to be taken seriously! Do you wish to go against your whole purpose and dishonor you and your ancestors?" Twilight asked.

Fury looked back to the prince still in his tight grip, still prepped for the devastating punch he was about to throw. While he wanted to go the way of peace and quiet and honor Twilight's wishes, his honor for his culture outweighed that 20:1 as he let go of the prince…

And instantly switched sides as he raised his fists up and slammed them into the prince's back, putting one final crater into the street and almost knocking the prince out.

Fury stood over the prince with a solid smile, watching him as he writhed in agony in front of his people. He felt no remorse in disobeying Twilight's wishes as he thought of all the good he had just done in honoring his kind's ways of life, looking up at the shocked alicorn with a deathly stare that could hollow out a mountain.

"You thought you actually had some authority, did you? You know you don't, and you won't for a long time by my standards. You know one thing that my answers would actually be ashamed of? Not finishing a fight for the sake of peace when your bloodline had just been disrespected. I honored my ancestors by doing this, by showing that I hold nothing back in the ways of a duel. And if you have a problem with that…"

His smile disappeared and he returned to his normal form with a deadly aura surrounding him.

"You can sit there being the weakling baby you are. Crying about morals and suckling on your mom's nethers. Because I… don't… CARE." He growled with such bass that even Applejack and Rainbow Dash were scared of him.

All the yaks were frightened at this sight. Their leader, bloody and beaten. They had underestimated such a powerful beast could do so much damage and be so deathly terrifying.

As for Twilight, she was unsure of what to do.

"Well, Rainbow, I hope you're happy with your idea of encouragement." Twilight said. But the cerulean pegasus wasn't prideful at all. If anything, she was more afraid to even speak, let alone be smug.

"I- I- didn't think he would go this far." Rainbow said with an unusual level of hesitance.

"I-is Prince Rutherford alright?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yak prince will recover, although slowly." One yak spoke up. "Yak prince's wounds are great but curable. Black cat has done great number of pain to yak prince. But yaks are not angered by him, we are actually honored."

"For great yak warrior to show mercy to enemy after having yak's reputation tarnished, even if yak's friends tell him to is way of coward. Yak warrior does not show mercy to others who disrespect yak culture. Black cat has done much the same, and he will be honored for that. Yak is sure he will be rewarded. Maybe not by puny ponies, but rewarded by his own kind. The ones who truly respect his honoring of their ways." The yak spoke.

All of the Mane Six and Cadence's jaws dropped. They could not believe this. Fury's code, one ponies feared, actually worked in earning yaks' respect?

"I am glad to hear that." Fury said powering down. "I knew you yaks had a code of warriors like us Shifters! I knew you respected a good fight with no restraint! Even if Prince Rutherford has been beaten by me, I will forever respect that not once did he ask for mercy. Not once. That is a true warrior. Your prince was truly something."

The yak nodded to Fury as a sign of respect and thanked him for his words. Twilight was rightfully flabbergasted and was about to say something, but then the prince actually got up and began to speak.

"Black cat.. come to me." He wheezed, still struggling to keep himself up.

Fury silently walked over to him.

"You have… defeated me. You proven worth of Speed Shifters. Ruterford must confess, I thought your kind pathetic at first. We thought your kind was a dying race. Not like in old days. But when Prince Rutherford saw how strongly you fought. How decisive. How brutal. How fearless. Then I realized… Black cat is worthy and your race is worthy!"

Rutherford was fully finally up.

"From this day forth, you Fury are honorary yak! You are worthy of our town and our friendship!" Rutherford declared. He called over two other yaks who brought over and bestowed upon Fury a hat with fake horns as a gift.

"Yaks of Yakyakistan, hear me now! From this day forward, I proclaim that Night Fury, All Powerful Speed Shifter, shall be named honorary Yak!" Prince Rutherford bellowed. The other yaks applauded with stomps and cheers as Fury waved to the masses and gave a confident smile.

"Thank you, thank you all! But I'm not done yet! I've got my own announcement to make!" Fury said, standing tall.

"Yaks of Yakyakistan! As a Speed Shifter, I have the ability to store the biological essence of any creature that comes in contact with me! And today is the day I get to say that all of you will be remembered through me, as from this day on, your culture and power will be shown to the world through my kind! Behold, the power of Speed Shifters!"

Fury took a stand and began to transform, his body growing to a humongous size as he grew horns, long fur, thick bones and hooves. And with one final flash, he revealed his new Yak form to all who could see.

"Not a bad look, eh? Everything looks so much more puny now." Fury joked.

The other yaks laughed. They seemed delighted with how Fury had reverence for their ways.

"Black cat has truly captured greatness through his display of power and humor. To celebrate this, Rutherford shall give you the best respect of yak culture. The headbutt!" Rutherford said, charging at him. Fury was surprised that he could move so quickly after suffering such a beating, but was impressed nonetheless.

"Alright, now you're speaking my language!" Fury cheered as he pushed forward to meet the prince in the middle with the loud bang of yak skulls bashing against one another.

BOOM!

"YEAHHH!!! FURY TRUE YAK!!!" The other cheered for him.

The Mane Six were still confused as to what had happened.

"Well, I guess everything turned out alright." Cadence said.

"See Twilight, what did I tell you?" Rainbow said cockily.

"Yes, you're indeed a genius of our time." Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

"Now that black cat has proved himself a true warrior, yaks may now talk about other cats that live in snow." Prince Rutherford spoke.

"Come small ponies, let us speak on black cat's snowy relatives in warmth."

"Thank goodness. With all the drama going on, I forgot how cold it was!" Rarity said, shivering.

-

All the Mane Six, Fury and Cadence were gathered around a circle in a gigantic hut. Despite their being only a fire, the place felt warm enough.

"Oh thank goodness, some warmth to keep me going in this horrid cold!" Rarity said, sounding like she had just about died.

"Pfft, drama queen." Fury huffed, his warm winter coat being enough to keep him warm and cozy.

"So, Prince Rutherford, I heard this area has had some mysterious hijinks going on with these… Snow Shifters." Fury began. "Have you met any of them yet?"

"No. Yaks have kept distance from snowy felines as safety measure. While yaks are brave in face of danger and battle, we not ones to interact with unknown creatures. Which is why Yaks have called black cat and pony friends to help."

"I see." Twilight said, pondering. "Have they been seeking something? Do you think they are planning something that they have ventured near your town?"

"Yaks no think snowy felines are violent, they seem peaceful. Most of what Yaks have seen are snowy felines hunting for food, venturing out to collect ice and armored patrols. Yaks think that snowy felines acknowledge our existence, but not make contact out of either fear of provoking war or fear of unknown creatures. And speaking of which, we also wish to know if you have information in pony library."

Cadence nodded in approval. "It's good you have not done anything yet. And unfortunately, the records of Snow Shifters are scant. Not a lot of detailed records from that early on. But we know some things and so does Fury. We know that the Crystal Empire had a trade deal going on for awhile for different goods. And then all of a sudden communication just ended. Reasons are unknown."

"Maybe King Sombra had something to do with it, but I'm not sure. Either way, whatever spooked these snowy versions of me to shut the outside world… well… out, is something we'll have to figure out ourselves." Fury said, standing tall.

"Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie, you four stay here with the Yaks and try to keep things friendly. Especially you, Pinkie. You know what to do."

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie chimed.

"Twilight, Cadence, Fluttershy, you're coming with me to find out what the deal is with these snowy Shifters. I have a feeling this'll need some caring and calm execution." Fury said in a serious tone.

Everypony agreed to this, even Fluttershy, though she was admittedly a little nervous.

"So where are these snow shifters supposed to be?" Twilight asked.

"Yaks know not exact location. But yaks see them congregating further into mountain. Here is map of it."

They got a colorful, decorated map with yak iconography but with a somewhat crude depiction of the snow shifters around the mountain.

"While it does have some… ahem, creative liberties, I'm sure we can use it to find where these snowy relatives of mine are out here. Come on, let's get moving."

"Good luck! Yaks, stomp in honor of their expedition!" Rutherford proclaimed.

Every yak stomped extremely loudly. Causing the place to shake.

"Ha ha ha, th-thanks." Fury said, a bit dizzy. "We will be back soon."

And so everyone left the hut and were preparing to get ready for the expedition to come.