It was... too green for my liking, in the forest. I prefer darker places, not gloomy green. I'd entered the everfree forest a few days ago. I don't understand why the others are so afraid of the place. It's all trees and undergrowth, still a bit too bright for my liking but, better than those 'perfect' towns and cities they build. I've been looking for a place to rest, for a while now. That's why I entered the forest. I've seen many things worse than this. A few cockatrices, manticores, timberwolves and the like, nothing that bothers me.
I was walking on a cleared path when a rustle went off behind me. I was unperturbed by it, and simply carried on walking. However, the rustling was getting closer, and for the sake of my ears, I decided to do something about it. I stopped and turned around, ready to do anything from scare, instantly combust or squash my foe. A chicken head popped out of a bush not far from me, a cockatrice... again. The cockatrice stared at me intently, trying to turn me to stone. I stood there for a little while, with no fear to my wellbeing. After a short period, the cockatrice stopped, and started backing away, startled that it's normally effective ability was useless. I wouldn't let anything that tries to do me harm get away that easily. I summoned fire around the creature, moving the flames inward towards it with ease. It had not done anything to me, so I was lenient, and dissipated the blaze. The cockatrice ran off into the undergrowth, like a dragon was after it. The encounter was enjoyable for me, but not a good as with intelligent beings. Such as ponies.
Dark, gloomy, large, not that it mattered, this will be perfect for respite. I entered the cave, moving the earth up behind me to cover the entrance, and then converting it to stone. It won't take long to have this looking as... me... as the last one. I was right. The 'decorating' didn't take long at all. It was however quite, boring, to be blunt. As such, I decided to look for a town or village. I went outside of the everfree forest, knowing there wouldn't be anything in there. I came out on a path, which was rather unusual considering not many ponies would be interested in entering the place. I decided to follow it. There's no point in a path that goes nowhere.
It was nice to get out of the dark, occasionally. The sun beating down on top of you, and letting the colour of your surroundings flow into your eyes. After a short while, however, I found the brightness to be quite disturbing. I'm not one for happy scenes of joy. More scenes of fear or unease. Finally, a town came into view, not much in comparison with my place but, it seemed reasonable for my needs. I put on my cloak, its dark grey material hiding my whole body and the brooch plated in silver and studded with topazes and rubies, with it on I walked towards the town.
The entrance to the town was a simple road. A sign that read 'Ponyville' was hanging over the entrance. I entered Ponyville and went down the street. I created a slight shimmer in the air, in the hopes to gain the attention, or fear, of those around me. It worked, exceedingly well too. The majority of ponies either kept their distance or tried to hide. Three ponies noticed the reaction of the others, and intercepted me.
"HEY! What do you think you're doing?" One of them asked, a blue Pegasus mare. There was nothing special about her that I could see. "What are you doing? Making the other ponies afraid like that? You shouldn't be mean like that! Who are you anyway?" I didn't stop walking, I just carried on and ignored her. This did happen occasionally, some ponies think they can make me be better and nicer. It hasn't worked so far, as such, I was unperturbed. "Excuse me! I'm talking to you!" She shot down towards me. Her speed was truly incredible. That just made it worse for her though.
She hit the air bubble around me and bounced off. The crash was almost deafening.
"Dashie!" I heard from behind me, in a bouncy tone.
"Oh Rainbow Dash! What happened?" A softer voice questioned.
"You saw what happened!" the first pony, Presumably Rainbow Dash, said. "He must have kicked me or something!"
"I didn't see them kick you." The soft voiced one said.
"Well what DID happen then Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash inquired, in a mocking tone.
"I-I-I don't know Rainbow..." She replied. Quite obviously saddened by her friends question.
"Well whatever they did, they need to be taught a lesson. Bring me... The cake." The second one ordered. Very evilly.
"Pinkie Pie, normally I don't agree with you on this, but this time I do." I was curious to know what they meant. Does cake stand for something? The name of a weapon maybe? Or do they literally mean cake? I heard a splat. A squelch. Then a gasp.
"R-R-Rainbow D-Dash" The pony I presumed to be Pinkie, stuttered. "Wha-What happened?"
"I don't know Pinkie. I-I'm stuck." Rainbow Dash answered, in just as scared a voice.
A clopping sound emanated from somewhere behind me, then a yellow Pegasus appeared by my side.
"H-Hello." She said, shyly.
"Good afternoon." I replied in a steady tone.
"Umm, would you mind, if it's ok, possibly, if it's alright with you, could you tell me what you're doing here?" Her voice stuttered and was rather shallow. As if she wanted to be certain I wouldn't mind anything she was doing. I decided to play fair, as saying 'no' probably wouldn't go down too well with her.
"I came here to find something to eat. I've been eating my own cooking for a while, and decided better than to try it again. Somehow home cooking it's as nice when you cook from the wild."
She seemed to take my answer well, and stood a bit straighter.
"Well you could go see Applejack. Her family owns sweet apple acres. An apple orchard, but you probably guessed that already." She seemed very shy, but I thanked her for her advice. Before I left for sweet apple acres, I took a glance at the fast flyer and cake thrower behind me. The sight was humorous to say the least. A blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail was lying down, with her back to a stall, wing outstretched but bent half way slightly, and a pink earth pony. Her mane and tail were pink as well, and were puffed up. They looked like if you jumped on it, you would go sky high. Not only was it the position they were in. Lying, back to a stall, panting and shocked, probably from the cake and what the yellow Pegasus Fluttershy did. But also because of what was on them. As I walked off in the direction Fluttershy indicated, I remember that sight. So much cake. I allowed myself a grunt. My form of a laugh.
As I walked up the path, I saw a great many apple trees. No doubt part of the sweet apple acre orchards. I carried on up the path, until I reached a farmhouse and a barn. I noticed an orange pony outside near the barn. She wore a cowboy hat. It was slightly surprising. I didn't think anyone around here would wear hats, especially a girl wearing a rodeo hat. Despite this, I went up to her. My cloak on keeping me hidden from those who do not need know of my appearance.
"Good morning." I said, startling her and, causing a few apples to fly from her grasp.
I formed a carpet of dense air below them, to stop them landing hard and getting bruised. Then funnelled them into a bucket, by the side of the barn.
"Good mornin' to ya, ya'll startled me there and thanks for the help with the apples too." Her voice was very rodeo too. Very work pony, not much like everypony else.
"Hm. Applejack I presume?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"I was hoping for an apple or two. My cooking may be edible, but it isn't much else."
"Ah. O' course we have apples. This is an apple orchard, and the finest in equestria too!"
"So you say. Here." I placed 20 bits in her hoof."Will that cover two?"
"By the hay! I can't accept this much."
"Well I have nowhere to keep it, so you might as well." She looked puzzled by my statement, rightly so too. I just made them from the nearby rock and dirt.
"If ya'll say so." She gave me two apples."By the way, what's your name?"
"Does it matter?" And with that, I left.
On my way back, I felt my cloak snag on something. I looked back to see a tear in the fabric. This is most displeasing. My cloak rarely tears, and when it does I must have it seen too. Immediately. I decided to head back through Ponyville to see if I could find a tailor, or a boutique to have my cloak repaired. Oh, why is everything so stressful?
Soon after the disaster with my attire, I found myself approaching Ponyville once again, but this time for a more personal reason, than dietary requirements.
"Excuse me, but I'm curious as to why you're shimmering like that. How do you do it?" I turned around and saw a purple unicorn mare standing before me. She seemed interested in my 'shimmer', or my air manipulation. Normally ponies would see it and stay away. This does happen, but not often. She seemed like an intelligent pony, so I decided to see how much see knew about the area. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Twilight Sparkle, the princess's protégé, and you are?" She was very inquisitive.
"My name is unimportant, as is my appearance. However I would like to know of any tailors near here. Might you be able to direct me towards one?"
"Of course, I just came from one. Down the street, second right."
"Thank you." She started to trot away, seemingly forgetting the question she asked."And give the princess my best."
"Huh?" But I was already gone.
Following Twilight Sparkles directions, I soon found myself at a boutique. I entered with my usual stern composure. A bell rang above me, alerting a white unicorn to my presence.
"Good afternoon Sir. I'm Rarity, how may I help you?" She asked, in a posh tone. This surprised me slightly. I did not expect to find someone of that nature here. Her appearance was also dissimilar to the others. She had a well groomed mane and tail, and a shiny, snowy white, coat.
"Afternoon Ms" I said. Keeping with the upper-class atmosphere."I was hoping you would be able to fix my cloak. Is that so?"
"Yes, I do mainly dress work, but I can stitch almost anything!" I showed her the tear in the side of my cloak."That won't take long at all." I took off my cloak, coating myself in rock, as I lifted it off of myself. She looked disturbed by this, but didn't say anything about it. She came back a while later, with the tear stitched so well if I didn't know where it was, I wouldn't know it was ever there."That will be 4 bits." I produced 30 from underneath my cloak, and deposited them on her desk. "Oh my, Sir! I cannot accept this much for such a simple job." I'm surprised the ponies here are so generous, they really don't like donations.
"Simple for you, but priceless for me." I stated, and added 5 more bits to the pile, then left.
My business is finished for today, thus I went back to my new abode and rested on the thick layer of moss that consisted of my bed, and reflected upon the day behind me. The ponies there were more kind hearted than most of the others I've met. I thought most about the four I spoke to, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Fluttershy. They seemed nice, but too much so. Then there were Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, the ones who did their best to take me down, with cake too. It was quite a contrast to what my usual day is like. With that, I went to sleep.
I woke up relatively late, in the evening. There wasn't much to do, so I went out for a stroll. I ended up outside a large lit building. Why would anyone be up this late? I peeked into the window, just in time to see the six ponies from earlier, standing near the front, gasping at the sight of an... alicorn, wearing blue armour. Oh no, now she'll expect me to do something. I don't want another row with the princess. The last one didn't end too well.