Chapter 2: New Friends

Blades walked up and knocked on the door. It only took a few seconds for the door to open and he saw Twilight standing in the doorway. He could see insides and there were five more mares sitting around a table. "Yes can I help you? Oh you are the one that was hanging out with Luna all night. So what's up?" Blades put on a smile and nodded before he spoke. "I came here to ask more about Luna, like where I could find her. She left before I could ask, and I have no clue how to get ahold of her. She said she would like to see me again and I was hoping I could make that happen. But it is a hard thing to do when I have no clue where to start."

Twilight laughed for a second until she realized that he was serious. "Oh you are serious?" Blades nodded. "Come on in and I will explain. Make yourself at home and feel free to take off the costume." Blades thanked her and froze when she said to remover the "Costume." One word went through his mind. 'Shit!' then his mind went into over drive to think of an excuse as he was shown inside. Blades sat next to the table looking at the other mares in the room. They were all staring at him and liking what they saw. Most always did, until they knew it was real. Then it hit him, the perfect excuse. "Thank you but I will keep it on if that is ok. I don't want to lose any of the pieces and it is just fun to wear." He hoped that was good enough for them.

Twilight nodded. "That's fine but I must ask how you made these and made them work like real wings. It would be cool if I could do this next year." Twilight had walked over and started to examine the wings. Blades was getting nervous about getting found out, and then he flinched as Twilight pinched one of his wings without him expecting it. Twilight and the others saw this and gasped. Blades knew he was in trouble now and stood so he could back away. "How are they real!? What spell did you use to get those?" Twilight was trying to make sence of the thing she had just figured out. The others started talking about it and looking nervous, and interested.

Blades sighed and decided to tell them the truth. 'IIt is not like after finding this out they would lead me to Luna any way.' Blades cleared his throat to get their attention and started. "They look real and work because they are real, just like the pointed teeth. I was born like this and this is the real me. And ya I am not just a pony, I am part demon on my father's side. Go ahead and scream as I leave." Dan turned to leave expecting them to do as he said and expected. But it was silent. He stopped and looked back at them. They were scared slightly like he knew they would be, but they were not freeing out, or screaming. Then they looked to Twilight who was standing there looking at him.

"So you used the one night that anything is excepted to come out and enjoy yourself? And knew you would just be a normal pony for one night?" Blades turned slowly and nodded. "It is my favorite night of the year. It is when I am finally not looked at like a monster that needs to be feared. So yes the real costume is the this not being the real me part. So why aren't you running or screaming at me? You all seem so calm?" Blades looked at them all and only one hid, but she was hiding before. Twilight cleared her throat and tried to sound professional. "We are actually used to fighting wired and dangerous things and you haven't shown us that you are anypony dangerous. Besides why would we think bad of you for wanting to be normal for one night?"

Blades was surprised by how excepting these ponies were. They were a group of the few that saw the good in him instead of just the monster on the outside. "Thank you. It means more than you know to have ponies not run from me in fear. I can sense you fear me but you are not letting it control you and I thank you for that." The pink ones ears went up in excitement. "Wait, you can sense stuff about us? Oh what am I thinking!?" Blades laughed at her antics. "I can sense feeling, not read minds. Sorry to disappoint you." The pink one just shrugged. "it is ok I just wanted to see if you could, it would be a lot of fun if you could."

Twilight interrupted the conversation by telling her to be quiet calling her Pinkie. "So what is your real name?" Blades sighed. "The name I go by, the name those who fear me call me, or my full name?" Twilight gave him a thoughtful look. "How about all?" Blades sighed. "Fine. In that order. I go by Blades, those who fear me call me Blood, and my full name is Blood Blades. A name that is true of my looks. That's why I only go by Blades. It is real and the lesser scary of the two." Twilihgt nodded in understanding. She couldn't tell why but she was starting to feel sorry for this pony in front of her. She decided to lighten the mood by doing introductions.

"Well mister Blades the one that asked you to read her mind is Pinkie pie, and I will let the rest introduce themselves." AJ was first "Howdy there partner I am Apple Jack nice to meet ya." Then Rainbow "Yo cool wings, but I want to know if they work and how fast you can go." Then Rarity spoke up. "It is a pleasure darling I am Rarity." Fluttershy was last to go and she did he normal low and scared voice. "hi. I am Fluttershy" Twilight was about to tell her to speek up when Blades started to speak.

"It is nice to meet you Fluttershy. I hope you know there is nothing to be scared of. I will not harm you. I hope that I can get to know you and your animals. I love all kinds though I am partial to reptiles myself." Flutter's ears perked up as she looked at him, surprised just like the others were. "How did you know I take care of animals?" she started to come out from her hiding spot as Blades started to speak again. "I can smell them from here, mostly little woodlen creature from what I can tell. But I can smell something like a bear in there to. And you must have a favorite that is a white bunny. So how is he?" Everyponies eyes were wide. "How?" Blades smiled. "Like I said I can smell it on you. His is the most potent, and there is small white fur mixed into your feathers. And the gender was a guess."

The others were impressed, and Blades turned to AJ. "And Apple Jack are you of the apple family that owns the orchard outside of town?" AJ nodded and asked how he knew. "I have known many of the apples over the years, and you smell like apples. Is granny smith as young and stubborn as ever?" Aj laughed at this. "You know granny? You must be old if you remember her being young, and ya she's as feisty as ever." Blades smiled at that. "Good I will have to say hello before I leave town."

Blades turned to rainbow next. "As for these things, yes they work and I can keep up with even the princess. So don't worry if you fall behind in a race." Rainbow was now flexing her wings. "Oh it's on! Let's take this outside and see who falls behind." Blades laughed at her determination. "I like that attitude. I promise I will race you before I leave."

Then he turned to Rarity and bowed his head. "It is nice to meet a designer again after all this time. And a way to get the cat to relax more is put up shelves so she can climb around and relax from up high." Rarity was surprised at his manners and how he knew. "Thank you for the advice I never thought of that before. But how did you know I was a designer. I got you smelled the cat and I probably have fur on me as well but how do you know my work?" Blades laughed slightly. "Smelled the cat and you have scratches rather than fur. And I can also smell fabrics of many kinds on you. And not many ponies besides designers have a lot of fabrics they work with. That mixed with the attitude of high society and it was an easy guess. I am guessing your work is well known, and you like big events." Rarity was shocked he could get all that just by smelling and looking at her.

Then he turned to Twilight. "And you smell of book and put out a great magical aura. So you must be the book worm that is great at magic. I would take a guess to say you have read almost all the books in this place. Am I right?" Twilight nodded. "Wow you are amazing at what you do." Blades thanked her and turned to an impatient Pinkie. "And last but not least is Pinkie. She is a partier by looks of the confetti. Bakes by the smell of cupcakes on her. And has some sort of reptile. Not sure what kind though. Those get hard to tell apart. So am I right there Pinkie?" Pinkie was bouncing with excitement and happiness. "Gummy's an alligator. And ya you are right! That is so cool!"

Blades was having fun but he wanted to know more about Luna. Before he could ask though he heard a door open from upstairs. Blades looked over to the stairs and saw a purple and green baby dragon coming down them. "What is all the racket down here? it is hard to sleep with all the… Nice costume! But why are you still in your costume?" Blades laughed at the little guys curiosity. Twilight spoke up. "Spike that isn't a costume. That is really him." Spike's eyes went wide. "Whoa cool! What are you then?" Twilight was going to explain but Blades beat her to it.

"I am a fire elemental called a demon. My name is Blades. So what is yours?" Spike liked the cool name and that this new guy had to do with fire. "My name is spike. And does being a fire elemental mean you can breathe fire like I can?" Blades laughed and took a deep breath letting out through his nostrils. Jets of flames came out and stopped inches off of the floor. Spike was watching wide eyed and excited as the others in the room gasped. Blades stopped and smiled. "Don't worry I have complete control over the flames and won't burn down your home." Twilight was thankful for that as spike was going on about how cool that was and that Blades needed to teach him that.

"If I am around long enough I promise I will take you to the barren area around here so you don't burn anything or anypony." Spike was now excited and wanting to know more but so did Blades. "I will take you under my wing and teach you, but I want to know what I am missing about Luna that you thought I was crazy for? Is she a seleb or something?"