Chapter 3: Meeting the Resident Rulers

Who's confident now? Josh thought with a smirk.

"Can you hand me that wrench." Josh asked. Rainbow Dash looked at him. Josh sighed, having gone through this ten times in the last quarter hour.

"Can you hoof me that wrench?" She quickly complied. As he tightened the last bolt, Dash couldn't help but wonder one thing.

"What are you?" He looked at her, confused.

"I'm not sure that I understand your question."

"I mean, what kind of creature are you?"

"Oh, right. I am a human."

"Human?"

"Does that bother you?"

"No, it's just that humans are just a myth. They don't exist."

"Well, I could say they same about everything here."

"You don't have ponies where you come from?"

"We do, but they don't have wings, horns, bright colors, or the ability to speak."

"Wow. So what other species do you interact with on your planet. Here we have Griffons, Changelings, Buffalo, and Zebra. There are more, I just don't remember them all."

"Actually, humans are the only sentient beings on my world."

"What?! But you act like a Royal Gurad. Who do you defend against?" Dash asked, afraid of the answer.

"I'm not proud of it, but I fight other humans." He replied coldly. "But I do it for a good reason. I fight so that the innocent don't have to, and that they have a future to look forward to." Dash looked down. After hearing this, she was regreting saying that she didn't trust him. He did't seem like that bad of a guy. In fact, he was kind of cute.

Oh my Celestia! Did I just call him cute? She thought while trying to hid her obvious blush. She didn't notice that he had stood up and walked to the front of the machine. He opened the glass cover on the cockpit and started the engine. Dash jumped into the air and stayed there. Josh tried not to laugh.

"Sorry. Forgot how loud this thing is." He said as he climbed into the VTOL. "Lead the way." He said before closing the glass.

/

"There's Canterlot." Josh said to himself. During the flight, he had matched speeds with Rainbow Dash so he wouldn't outrun her. She was suprisingly fast, almost seven hundred miles an hour in fact.

"It seems that have not had an Industrial Revolution here." Leonidas said at the back of his mind. "Though they also seem to have hot air ballons and trains, that's about it." Josh spotted a platform extending out of one of the castle's towers.

"Guess that's the place." Josh said. As he brought the jet down, Leonidas stopped him.

"That pad is made out of wood. There's no way it will hold." Josh nodded and waved for Dash to fly to him. He oped the hatch a crack and slid her a small object.

"Put it in your ear." He ordered before he sealed the glass. She did so. "Can you hear me?" She visibly jumped before calming down

"Y-yes."

"Good. Can you inform the Princess that I need an alternate landing zone. The pad will collapse under the weight of my VTOL."

"Sure." She said, zooming off.

She might think she is tough, but she hasn't seen the things I've seen. Though her attitude would be annoying to most, to me it seems kind of cute. Oh God, did I just call her cute?! Josh thought.

"Hey, the Princess says that there is a courtyard on the south side of the castle you could use." Dash said over the radio.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash."

"Just call me Dash." He could hear the smile in her voice. He had pretended not have seen her blush earlier and the fact that she might like him was amusing. It could never work... could it? He shook these thoughts from his head. This wasn't the time or place.

He quickly set the VTOL down in the courtyard, much to the horror of the present ponies. As soon as he stepped out of the jet, he was surrounded by what looked like guards. Royal guards, as he could tell from their flamboyant armor.

"Guards, stand down. He is a guest." Princess Celestia spoke. They obeyed allowed here to approach Josh. He saluted in reflex, much to her amusement.

"Captain, please drop the formalities. You are a guest." Josh complied as she motioned for him to follow her. Throughout the entire walk to the throne room, he noticed that there were several guards following them.

So they don't trust me. Good. I'm not dealing with idiots.

When they entered the massive room, Josh noted two things. The pair of thrones, one light, one dark, and the dark blue Alicorn occupying the dark throne.

"Captain Rameirez, this is my sister and coruler, Luna." Josh bowed to her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness." He said. She smiled.

"As it is to meet you. I can tell by the way you carry yourself that you hold great authority among your men. That said, you must be a great warrior and tactitian." She said.

"There are some who would disagree, but I am glad that I use my talents to protect others." He stated honestly.

"Indeed. My sister and I have spoken and we have decided to send you to Ponyville. The small town has been subject to many situations that endanger its inhabitants, and they are happening more and more frequently. We would like you to protect them." She spoke. Josh looked down for a moment.

"With all due respect, Princess, I have to find a way home. I need to protect my people." He replied.

"You are loyal. If we do everything we can to get you back, will you consider protecting Ponyville in the meantime?" She asked hopefully. He seemed to have a quick, silent conversation with himself.

"Very well, Princess." The Sisters smiled.

"Excellent. Miss Dash, would you mind showing him the way?" Celestia asked.

"Of course not, Princess." She and Josh bowed and left the room.

"I'll take you to my friend, Applejack. She has a good place to hid your flying thing. Don't want to scare anypony." Dash said. She giggled at the thought of her friends faces when they me Josh.

This is going to be epic! She thought.