Everen pulled up his hood as he approached the mouth of the cave from the north. The massive mountains loomed above him ominously, predicting death. Everen could see why ponies avoided this place. He used his horn to create a magical light as he entered the cave. It was a relatively straightforward path, only changes in direction and elevation. The tunnel ended suddenly, revealing, sunlight? The ceiling of the enormous cave around him, so large that it felt as though the mountain was hollowed out, was as blue as the sky. A perfect sun that radiated light and heat glaring on the surface. Everen looked out in front of him to see a decent sized town, a little smaller than canterlot. The houses and shops were all carved out from the rock, so they were all attached to the ground. Everen walked into town with his head lowered, not looking directly at anypony. He was moving down the main street, heading towards the center of town, to a large building that he thought wa town hall. He was hoping to find out all he could as quick as he could. He made it halfway to the building and looked up he tensed his muscles, his intuition telling him that, whatever was about to happen, it was going to hurt.
Thfwump
Everen's head spun as he got up, five meters away from where he was. He looked next to him to see a dark brown pegasus with a mane that went from light brown to black. His bright pink eyes focused intently on Everen. Everen noticed that his hood was down.
The pegasus gasped loudly. "You're new! I've never seen you here before, so that means you haven't had an initiation party yet." he said rapidly, I'll have to fix that. My name is Kane Mocha, by the way, what's yours?" he continued holding out a forehoof.
"Everen Shamrock." the unicorn said, rubbing his forehead. "What's this about an initiation party?" he asked taking Kane's hoof.
And suddenly, Everen was flying through the air, Kane pulling him along, past town hall, all the way to the back of the cave, where two large buildings rested. Kane flew him to the one on the left. When they had landed, Everen's legs felt like wet noodles.
"Don't worry about the lack of feeling to your legs, it goes away." Kane explained reading Everen's face.
"Where are we." Everen asked, trying not to collapse.
"The military defencive force barracks." Kane said.
Everen felt terrified, though he didn't let it show, he wondered if he was in trouble. "Why'd you bring me here?"
"To sign up for the military branch of course, everypony has to know where to go in case we're invaded." Kane elucidated. "This is the defencive side, only pegasi can join the offensive force. I'm on defence anyway mind you. I have a coffee shop to run." hence his cutie mark of three coffee beans. He knocked on the door of the barracks. Everen noted that the door was wood, which means they still go out to acquire supplies. The door opened and a tall and strong gary unicorn walked through. His black mane was tipped with indigo, and his sky-blue eyes shined with intelligence. His cutie mark a pair of crossed flags
"Oh, hello Kane. Who'd you bring to my doorstep today?" Grey said, looking from one to the other.
"This is Everen Shamrock, he's new in town." Kane said, putting a hoof on Everen's shoulder. "Everen, this is Grey Guardian, captain of our defensive force."
"Pleasure." Everen said, recovering from the high speed flight. He held out a forehoof in greeting.
"Likewise." Grey said, shaking the forehoof. "I see you're getting along rather well, considering that flight you just took. Most don't recover so quickly."
"Well that sure makes me feel better." Everen said sarcastically.
"Yes well, I believe I have paperwork to fill out, and you have a party to plan Kane." Grey turned around and walked back inside, closing the door behind him.
"We should get going, ready for another flight?" Kane looked at Everen, his voice calmer, but his eyes still full of energy.
"Can we just walk?" Everen responded.
"If you want to walk up twelve flights of stairs." Kane looked over at a tower that stood just outside the main bulk of town.
"Alright then, lets fly." Everen held out a hoof.
Kane took the hoof and flew off, dragging the unicorn with him. He landed on top of the tower and walked over to what looked like a door on the roof. He stomped on it a few times a waited. A few seconds later and a slender yellow mare climbed onto the roof, her long, flowing pink and blue-streaked mane covering half her face. Everen stared at the one deep blue eye that showed through her hair, mesmerized.
"Hi, Kane. Need me for another party?" her voice sweet and melodious.
"Yes I do." he replied looking to Everen.
"Hello, my name is Everen Shamrock. It's a pleasure to meet you." Everen bowed, forgetting completely about the numbness in his legs.
"I'm Raindrop Sky. It's nice to see that some stallions besides Grey have manners." Raindrop looked accusingly at Kane.
"Well, see you later Sky." Kane shuffled nervously. "We have two more stops to make."
"Seeya Kane. Goodbye Everen." she smiled warmly and turned around her tail dragging across the floor, and Everen saw her cutie mark of cloud with three drops of rain below it. She spread her wings and took flight, going to the cave exit.
"Okay next stop. the tent." Kane grabbed Everen's hoof again, and the two were off, headed towards the northwestern fourth of town. They set down next to a large brown tent, and walked in. The inside of the tent was unnaturally dark.
"You here Umbra?" Kane asked.
"I'm outside." came a stallions voice from behind them.
They both cantered back out of the tent, to see a black earth pony with a lime green muzzle a matching mohawk, and purple eyes.
"Hey Umbra, I need entertainment." Kane got right to the point.
"I get Note and Remix." Umbra said quickly.
"Um, hi, I'm Everen Shamrock, it's nice to meet you." Everen said.
"Name's Umbra Shuriken. I have a feeling you could be useful on the future. So please don't get on my bad side." Umbra stated bluntly, giving Everen a flat look.
"Noted." Everen said confidently.
"I'll be going then." Umbra trotted off through the alleys. Everen took a mental note that Umbra's cutie mark was a kunai on top of a scroll.
"We can walk to our next destination." Kane offered.
Everen sighed with relief and followed Kane through the alley's. They crossed the segment of the main street that Everen was walking on before and moved into the alleys on the other side. They arrived at a bakery a short while later. They walked through the front doors,and up to the counter, where a peculiar looking earth pony stood. Her fur was mostly white, but she had red stripes all over her body, like those on a zebra. Her red and white mane wa tied back in one large braid, and her fluffy white tail had odd streaks of red going through it.
"Hey Candy." Kane greeted the mare.
"Heya Kane. Who's your friend?" her cherry red eyes looked at Everen curiously.
"Everen Shamrock. I am very intrigued by your coat." Everen returned, staring a bit.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Candy said with a pleasant grin. "My name is Candy Cane. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Everen smiled back, surprised by the welcoming nature of everypony he's met so far in this strange new place.
"So I take it you need me to cater a party?" the mare looks back to Kane.
"Yup. The usual please." Kane said, taking a bag of bits out from under his hat, placing it on the counter.
"Got it." she took the bag and began to canter towards the doors behind the counter, which Everen assumed led to the kitchen. Everen saw her peppermint cutie mark. "See you at the party."
"See you there." Kane called after her.
"So, where to now?" Everen pondered.
"Back to my coffee shop, that's where the party'll be." Kane answered, moving back to the front entrance. "We'll have to walk this time." Kane looked back, and Everen noticed that his eyes were green. He could've sworn they were pink before. He shrugged the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand; he'd been given an opportunity to integrate himself right into the society on a silver platter. And he intended to play along and find out what he can over a longer period of time. He'd be able to find out much more this way. The two stallions walked walked in silence the rest of the way, Everen taking in the exotic splendor of the town, while Kane had just calmed down prior to when the two had first encountered each other. When they arrived at Kane's coffee house, he opened the door and the two entered, leaving the door open behind them.
"Help me with the decorations?" Kane requested as he opened a closet, taking out a box full of assorted party decorations.
"Sure." Everen picked up several of the items with his magic, putting them up in whatever way they're meant to be used.
The two worked together considerably well, even though they just met. All the decoration were up within minutes. Not long after they finished, somepony walked through the doorway, carrying an acoustic guitar on his back.
"Hey Kane, you called for a musician?" the unicorn asked, his coat light brown and speckled with lighter brown spots. His mane and tail were dull red tipped with seafoam green.
"Hey Note. Good to see you." Kane said. "Thanks for coming."
"Sure thing." Note responded, his blue eyes drifting over to Everen. "Oh, pardon my manners. My name is Quarter Note, but I prefer to be called Note." he bowed, giving Everen the feeling he was in canterlot. He wondered if he had that kind of effect on ponies.
"I'm Everen Shamrock. I'll try to remember your name, but with all the new ponies I've met today it might take awhile to sink in." Everen returned the bow, glad to have met a kindred spirit.
"It's understandable, you'll know names well enough after some time. Just have patience." Note replied, chuckling a little.
"Virtue of earth magic." Everen said, laughing with him.
"Oh, you specialize in earth magic?" Quarter Note was interested by this, having never seen the elemental magics in action.
"No I don't 'specialize' in it, I can use ALL the elemental magics at varying degrees, but I'm best with wind, earth, and lightning." Everen explained, to the awe of the two stallions in the room. "My magic is much less limited than most unicorns, I can use spells from almost every school of magic."
"How's that possible?" Kane said, doubtful.
"What's your cutie mark? Your special talent?" Note added.
Everen moved his cloak out of the way and showed off the green shield imprinted on his flank. "My talent is to protect those who need protection. I have an intuition that tells me if one of my friends is in danger." Everen elucidated. "And as such I can learn various magics that could aid in the defence of others in some form."
"That's incredible!" Note exclaimed, amazed.
"How exactly did you get your cutie mark." Kane asked, suspicious.
Everen looked slightly offended. "That's a rather personal question. I'd prefer not to tell someone I just met a private story like that, not that how I got my cutie mark is any big secret or anything. It's just that that is a personal experience."
"Okay, if you feel it's invading your privacy, I understand. I don't need to know. But I would like to hear that story someday." Kane said, eyeing Everen's cutie mark. He looked back to the door to see Raindrop canter in.
"Hey Sky. Done with your shift today?" Kane inquired, drawing the attention of the two unicorns to the door.
"Yeah I finished early, so I figured I'd come done to help out with the decor, but it looks like you've got it covered." she looked around the coffee shop, admiring their handiwork.
"What did you finish early with, exactly." Everen asked curiously.
"My weather pony jobs. Bringing rain clouds in from outside to the farm to water the crops, blowing winds through the tunnels to circulate the air, summoning tornados to scare off ponies who shouldn't come here. You know, stuff like that." the mare explained, waving a hoof nonchalantly.
"Oh, you're a weather pony. That's cool, how does it pay?" Everen forced himself not to stare at her. Instead choosing to run his eyes up and down her mane.
"Yeah, it's not as easy as it would be if we didn't live under a mountain. But it's still easier than the alternative of trying to kill alicorns." Raindrop said. "I could never kill somepony. Injure, yes. But not kill."
"I think we're going to get along." Everen replied happily.
"I feel the same." she added, moving to stand out of the way of the door, letting Umbra enter.
"How long have you been standing there?" Everen inquired, surprised.
"Since 'what did you finish early'." he answered as though this were a normal occurrence.
"Alright then." Everen said, not really sure what to say to that.
"He's like that, you'll get used to it." Kane told him, shrugging. "Where's Remix?"
"He's getting all his gear together, could take awhile." Umbra explained. "Usually does."
"Well that's great." Kane rubbed his forehead.
"He takes parties very seriously. He's usually more cheery than this." Raindrop whispered to Everen, moving in close just a few inches from him. Everen noticed that she had a few freckles, he thought it made her look cuter.
He suddenly realized how close she was and felt uncomfortable. His muscles tensed up and he tried in vain to not stare at her. The sound of heavy hoofsteps came from the door. Everen looked over, thankful for the distraction. It was a yellow earth pony with a green and purple mane and tail. His eyes were different colors, one green, one purple. He was carrying a portable turntable on his back.
"Remix, speak of the devil!" Kane shouted. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."
"And miss one of your parties? No likely." Remix said moving to the stage at the left end of the building. He set up his turntable, and looked over to Kane. "Got the towers?"
"Yeah let me just go get them. Lend me a couple horns?" Kane looked over to the two unicorns in the room. The three of them walked over to the closet, the unicorns came back out with a stereo tower each. Kane was ready to catch them in case they fell.
Everen and Quarter Note set the towers down on the stage on either side of the turntable, facing the crowd. Remix hooked up the turntable, and Note pulled out his guitar and began strumming it, getting it in tune.
"Catering!" shouted a familiar voice from outside. Candy Cane cantered into the building, balancing a square box full of cupcakes on her back. She set the box on the counter, and went back outside, coming inside with a chocolate fountain on her head and carrying half a table containing a wide assortment of sandwiches, drinks, and desserts. Grey came in carrying the other half of the table.
"Hey Candy, I see you commissioned Grey to help again. Need a break from your older brothers?" Raindrop observed, smirking.
"Yes I did, you know they drive me nuts." Candy said irritably.
"Cause you can never tell 'em apart?" Kane teased. "even though you've known them all your life."
"Shut up Kane. Or I'll charge you extra." the earth pony threatened.
The group shared a laugh, but Everen was hesitant to join in. When the laughter died down, Kane got everyponies' attention. "A toast, to a new member to our fine town here."
"Here, here!" everypony else said, taking a glass of cider each and raising it.
"Thanks, this is quite the warm welcome." Everen took a glass himself and taking a sip.
"Of course. This is how we welcome newcomers." Candy stated.
"I have a feeling we're ALL going to get along great with you." Raindrop added, putting a forehoof over Everen' shoulders. He suddenly had a feeling he'd feel even more uncomfortable before the night ends.
The party started with Remix playing a little dubstep and all the others, save for Umbra, dancing and drinking cider. Everen had two bottles and stopped there, not planning on getting drunk. Later, the music slowed down and Note was playing along with his guitar. After awhile Remix and Note decided to head home together. Candy took the chocolate fountain and went home too, having to wake up early. Grey was helping Kane clean up, and Umbra was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, Everen, would you mind escorting Raindrop back home. I have to finish cleaning up and Grey has to get back to the barracks before morning." Kane said, looking at the mare, who was stumbling into everything. "It seems she's had a bit too much too drink, again. I hate to ask this of you but-"
"I'll do it." Everen interrupted. "I can't just leave her to find her own way home when she's in a state like this."
"Really? That's awesome!" Kane said, surprised. "Usually ponies decline, not wanting to deal with a drunk mare."
"I wouldn't mind." Everen smiled and trotted over to Raindrop.
"Thanks alot Everen." Kane sighed. "Just take her to the top of the weather tower, her roommate will take care of her after that."
"Got it." Everen grabbed Raindrop's forehoof, pulling her along with him.
Everen cantered down the street, Raindrop on his right, leaning into him for support. Every time she swayed to the other side, Everen would use his magic to pull her back to him, causing her to giggle incoherently. When they arrived at the base of the tower, Everen picked up the mare with his magic, and began cantering up the steps. They reached the top and he put Raindrop back on the ground.
"Hey there, you're kinda cute." Raindrop said, drunkenly. She nearly fell face onto the floor, but Everen caught her in his forehooves. Their faces were mere inches from each others. Then, without warning or hesitation, Raindrop pressed her lips against Everen's cheek. "Thanks for taking me home." she passed out after she said that, to tired to stay awake for a second longer.
Everen knocked on the door to her room. The door opened to a blue-gray pegasus with long black hair that was tied back. Her light orange eyes examined the two ponies on her doorstep. "She get drunk again?"
"Yeah." Everen said, still a little stunned, though it didn't show very well.
"Well, thanks for bringing her back here. I'll take her from here." the mare said, grabbing the drunken pegasus and dragging her inside. "I'm Tia, by the way, just bring her to me if se gets like this again."
"Uh-huh." Everen shook his head. "Everen. Goodnight."
"Night." she shut the door.
Everen moved over next to the door and sat down. He began to cry.