"Every Pony in the town must be here!"

"Pretty close!" the pink pony had popped up next to me. Quite literally popped, with the noise and everything. I was starting to wonder what defined 'normal' when she was around. "Welcome to Ponyville! We'll be best friends forever and ever and ever!"

"...best... friends..." I shuddered slightly, my mind filled with thoughts of fire, exhaustion and terror.

"Yeah! isn't it great?"

"Are you ok?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"I... yeah, I just don't... know what that exactly means..."

"You've never had a best friend!?" Pinkie asked, stunned.

"I... have had... close allies- that I could rely on. I've had people I could live to protect, and would also care for me. Can that be the same thing?"

Pinkie looked like she was going to have a heart attack, so Twilight took over. She pointed at three filies in excited conference. "Those three are a perfect example of best friends." They seemed close, but over-excitable and frustrating. As I watched, the yellow pony noticed me watching her and nudged the other two. After a quick argument, the orange pegasus trotted over.

"Hi, I'm Scootaloo! That's Applebloom, and that's Sweetiebell. How'd you get that awesome cutie mark!?"

"Awesome? It looks far more like dangerous to me, said a bigger version of Sweetiebell that had trotted up behind me.

"Yeah!" said Scootaloo enthusiastically. "It's absolutely epic. No chance of another sappy 'finding yourself' story there!" I already distinctly disliked this moronic foal.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, every pony we ask about how they got their cutie mark has some stupid, sappy story about their finding themself, or discovering their natural bla, bla, bla. It seems like no pony did something awesome to get their's like Rainbow Dash did!"

"... And how long have you been "looking" for your cutie marks?"

"How'd you know we were?" Applebloom interrupted.

"Lucky guess from years of watching equally ignorant foals." All the older girls gasped slightly. "How long?"

"Months..." said Scootaloo dejectedly. "But we'll find one soon! We're trying open-cart racing tomorrow!"

"... So, you try something once, assuming your mark will magically show up because you're spectacularly awesome at whatever the particular activity of the day is, without ever practicing or trying it before?"

"Yeah, that's it exactly! So, how'd you get yours so we can try it!"

"I would not be so foolish as to suggest any idea that might cause harm to you three. The elder ponies were nodding, but the fillies looked shocked. "Even if I would," I continued, "you three would not find a mark that way. But, you're too stubborn and foolish to actually listen to your peers and elders who would help you. You do not deserve a cutie mark." Now everpony was pissed with me.

"I listened to Rainbowdash!" protested Scootaloo.

"Me too, and Pinkie!" added Applebloom.

I glanced at the two in question. The first looked sheepishly defiant, and the other... wasn't there any more. When- oh, nevermind... "Then she was lucky, and happened to find her special something in a way very few ponies do. Action is not the magical creator of cutie marks. Being abel to do something is not the answer- I can sing beautifully, but do you see any kind of musical symbol on my flank?""Scootaloo and Applebloom were looking mutinous, but I noticed Sweetibell was actually listening. Maybe there was more hope here than I'd thought.

My vision suddenly went dark, the shop vanishing from around me. Chaos surged around me, and I found myself instead standing on what I assumed to be the outskirts of Ponyville, watching three fillies trudging back to town. The earth pony and the unicorn were soaked, covered in gashes, and dragging the lifeless form of a pegasus. Though the vision was to dark to see who they were, I felt sure it was the three ponies standing in front of me. Ghasping, I dragged myself back into the bright lights of the party and reality. The three were walking away, muttering to each other. I blinked in front of them.

"Hold it! Before you go anywhere, you have to promise me not to try on your own to get my crest."

"Sure, whatever." snapped Scootaloo.

"Promise!" I urged. "Swear it on your manes and tails!"

"WHAT?!" Sweetie asked.

"Just swear!" grudgingly they did, and I let them go. I watched them all the way out the door, slowly walking over to Twilight. Rainbow had vanished, and the white unicorn walked off in a huff as I drew close.

"What on earth was that!?" Twilight demanded angrily.

I considered several possible lies. I'd been telling these ponies everything about myself, and I needed to be more careful... At the same time, Twilight deserved an answer, with the way I'd treated her friends. "I've seen to many potentially great ponies killed as foals because of the attitude those three have... I probably was too harsh, but I don't want my new home marred upon my arrival by foals dying trying to copy my crest." I hoped that would be apologetic enough, but still say I didn't want to talk about it.

"There was still some muttering all around me, but everyone who'd heard seemed to accept what I'd said. The mutters were drowned out in a moment anyway as Pinkie suddenly shouted across the room, "Let's get this party started!" How had she gotten there of all places!? She pulled up a white unicorn with blue hair and glasses. Oh, Hello! I flicked through my magical vision spectrums, and read her personality off her entropy trail. Only just back, and already these ponies were catching my interest. Though, this raised a worrying thought... I turned to Twilight.

"I didn't see it mentioned in any books, and looking around, it seems gone, but I should ask- do you not have herds?"

Twilight blinked. "Herds?"

"Ah, I take it not. Allow me to explain- in some cultures, stallions have several very special someponies, all of which are loved, but one truly special somepony, who is, for lack of a better word, the favorite. For instance, that big red stallion over there making eyes at the purple mare. Judging by his looks and the way some other mares are looking at him, he'd have a fairly large herd."

Twilight blinked again, more slowly. "No... what is wrong with you!? That's a horrible concept!"

"Actually, it's more common than you'ld think. For me, it's been a missing link. With all the mares born every day, the stallion ratios seem to decay." A beautiful zebra behind Twilight had taken notice at my topic.

Twilight was staring at her. "You mean this idea is normal, Zacora!?"

"Yes indeed, my dear Twilight. One mare and one stallion's a dismal sight... In my villiage, the more the power, the more mares who you'd taken their flower."

"Were you someone important's then?" I asked, not failing to notice Twilight's confused look. It seemed I'd been right about her being completely in the dark about that sort of thing... There was something calming about this 'Zacora'. It was like she was a call straight from my own era.

Zacora snorted. "Many tried to tie me down- several now are in the ground." Twilight gasped in shock, but I laughed.

"Good for you, Zacora. An independent powerful mare should be feared, not taken simply." I quick glance at her aura screamed of magic- rare for a non-unicorn. I would have said more, but the mayor was standing up. Some old battle instincts were kicking in- this was a worm.

"We are all very happy to meet you, Sir." Tactful avoidance of the fact you never bothered to figure out my name... I'm sure we can all say it's been an... unique experience. What, can't handle the unexpected? We'll all, of course, be more than happy to help you on whatever journey you're on with all due haste. It-"

"Excuse me?"

"What, sir?"

oops... I guess I said that out loud that time... Well, cat's out now... Closer to her, I could feel the entropy radiating from her= there was almost nothing real about this pony! "The name is Lantra. Lantra Riverspeaker. And where I came from... my... journey as you put it, is done. After one-... all this time, I don't want to move. Iv'e found myself in a town full of amazing, interesting ponies, many of whom I would love to get to know better."

"There's simply no place in ponyville for you!"

"Actually, I already saw a place for a small home, down by the stream- where it connects to the feeding spring near the edge of town."

"Si-simply too much! The burbling is too bothersome to anypony. We couldn't let you-"

"I like the noise. And you mean I."

"What?"

"'I wouldn't let'. It's what you meant, so say it."

"I speak for the town in my actions and choices."

"Without really looking at them, just what sounds good."

"You've only just arrived! You can't know that!" she was getting hysterical, unused to being challenged.

"I don't need to know it. Greed, falsehoods, and incompetence reeks all around you."

Everypony reacted in shock, and the mayor snarled slightly. "You may not stay here in Ponyville. You are unwelcome, unwanted, and unneeded."

Around me, I could see some ponies nodding in agreement, but many others looked worried and confused.

"This is a free area if I'm not mistaken. I may settle here whether you like it or not." I knew I should back down. I knew I should apologize and settle the situation. Care, however, I didn't. "The opinion of one insignificant mare cannot sway me."

More shocked muttering, and Mayor Mare looked dumbfounded. The inner cunning and harsh nature was starting to show through her facade. "I run this town, you foal. Whether these foolish ponies know it or not, nothing happens without my consent here. You have no talent that would be at all useful to me, to this community, or even to this world!"

I didn't even notice if anyone reacted this time. "My talent? You see a mark, and assume you know everything? One can-" I stopped my rant, frowning. My horn was glowing. As everypony watched, my knfe belt opened up, and several blades floated out, then suddenly whistled out the door.

"What was that!?" Twilight asked, scared. "You didn't seem to lose control, but you looked as surprised as us!"

"No, that wasn't deliberate... But it was still me... So, why would it..." 2 and 2 fell into place out of nowhere in an answer I really didn't want to know. "The foals!"

"What?"

Without answering, I pushed past Twilight and raced after those knives- I had to move fast, or else everything could be over.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I tried to drop more hints about Lantra.

Bluemane- why are you worried about him? insightful in description though. No seduction though... just a dirty mind.

As always, I do not own MLPFIM, please support the official release!