There was cake on his face, in his hair, and down his front. Duncan was really not sure how to feel. Taking a lick of the frosting he had to admit it was good. He carefully reached up and whipped the frosting away from his eyes. He then blinked as he looked around the room.

Most of the ponies were quite, several had looks of fear, waiting for him to become angry and kill them. The six in the front of the crowd were all covering their muzzles with a hoof holding back the laughter.

Sure he was expecting a Pinkie Party, it was what she did, how she got the cake just right and then managed to launch it into his face is what surprised him. He calmly walked over to Pinkie who was still holding in her laughter. Reaching down with a dollop of icing on his finger he poked her nose leaving the sugary substance behind.

“Boop,” his chest tightened a little, he just booped a pony, this was awesome.

Rainbow Dash was the first to lose it falling into a fit of laughter, soon the whole room was laughing.

Suddenly a cupcake appeared out of no where slamming into Twilight’s face. Blinking in surprise she turned in the direction it had come from. She found Mistress standing at a table calmly eating a rainbow frosted cupcake. Not unlike the one she now had attached to the side of her face.

With a flick of magic she flung the offending cupcake at the devious mare. Who simply side stepped away letting the spell path pull the projectile into a teal unicorn with white hair and a lyre for her cutie mark.

That was all it took for a food fight to break out, confections flew through the air at dizzying speeds. As the cake flew sides began to form, small pockets unified troops. Rainbow Dash had several of her friends from the weather team backing her up as they divebombed the room. Rarity had attempted to hide yelling concern for her mane and coat till a stray cupcake from Apple Jack struck her square in the back of the head. Rarity now had several mares helping her buck cakes at the offending Apple.

Duncan partnered with Mistress who so far had yet to get hit, Duncan suspected her of cheating. Pinkie Pie stood over the crowd atop a cabinet, Twilight was backing her up, Pinkie was singing, “I’m queen of the castle, I’m queen of the castle.”

“You shall pay for your crimes, justice will be swift, it will be righteous, IT WILL BE SWEET!” Duncan flourished his sword, pulling out the card he had held onto earlier. An eerie glow circled him, holding the card to the flat of his blade he called, “I call upon the powers of the stars, Dash.”

He resealed his sword in a blink and had picking up several cupcakes as he dashed about the room in blinding speeds, almost impressing Rainbow Dash, in a flurry he launched them at Pinkie, she either dodged them or Twilight caught them in her magic returning fire. Mistress jumped forth sailing over several cupcakes that AJ had thrown in the confusion to try and get Carrot Top who happened to be working with Octavia and Vinyl Scratch.

On her landing Mistress tossed three cupcakes at Twilight. Catching them in her aura, she didn’t see past them to see Duncan chuck a full cake at her. Without time to react she took the hit. Pinkie however had disappeared from her place atop the cabinet and appeared in the middle of the room with a box, “Hope everypony is still hungry, ‘cause this is going to be sweet!”

She tapped the box and it exploded in frosting and cake, with some bits of candy. The entire room was covered, even Mistress was unable to avoid the explosion, which had also defied the laws of physics by covering even Fluttershy who had been under a table behind several ponies.

Still not use to his new abilities Duncan slipped on some frosting sailing across the floor slamming into the cabinet that Pinkie previously claimed.

“No! I am wounded, the great Pie has caked me, I fall to her greatness,” Duncan flailed on the floor in a mock death.

“No! We could have been friends,” Pinke rushed over to his side holding his arm. He looked up at her a smile on his face as he tried to maintain his ‘deathly’ state.

“Its ok Pinkie, I do have one last thing to say, come closer,” He beckoned her in with a finger to lean closer. Closer he wiggled his finger, when she was inches from his face, he dipped his finger in frosting and tapped her on the nose.

“Boop,” He smiled happily.

The room fell into laughing fits again.

“Hey mister, how did you do that speed thing?” a small voice called out.

“What creature are you?”

“What do you eat?”

“Can you do that sword thing again?”

The crowd had suddenly taking a liking to the Displaced.

After a great deal many towels appeared, helping clean up some of the mess, although Mistress was sure she was going to be finding cake in her new house for years, the party returned to a more civilized pace. Duncan was sitting next to Twilight and Mistress who were helping field questions from the ponies.

“So Duncan that was unusually fun of you, why is that?” Twilight asked, her face perfectly even, almost to perfect.

“I can have fun, ya know, I just only smile when there is a reason too,” He responded he wasn’t grinning like he was during the fight, but he still held onto a smirk.

“I like it, his smiles are honest, mean sometimes, but honest,” Pinkie appeared behind the group. She then saw a pony she knew, which wasn’t surprising as she knew everypony, and she meant everypony, she congratulated them on their upcoming birthday in one hundred and twelve days.

“Its that mean part I’m worried about, what about you Morning Glory, I know you’ve only known him a few days, but don’t you find Duncan to be a bit mean sometime?”

“Yes, but I don’t believe it to be a problem,” Mistress responded, “He is just being honest, if tactless. I think deep down, way, way, deep, deep, deep down he is a good pony.”

Twilight didn’t look convinced, “In all my studies of friendship everything says being mean to one another isn’t anyway to be friends. How do you explain that?”

“Simple your study is limited in scope. From what I have learned in Canterlot about the elements and yourself, “Mistress lied again,” your study is limited to a small town, where your best friends are all embodiments of the most pure concepts of harmony. Therefor your view limits you to a very small culture and gives you perspective on an ideal world. Take for example the fact that in this room are only maybe fifteen ponies, all of you get along to some degree, why?”

“Because we are all friends and ponies help each other,” Twilight responded almost textbook.

“Yes but do you know one of the underlying reasons?” Mistress inquired further.

“No, what do you mean?” Twilight asked, now confused, “Since ancient times ponies have always helped ponies in need. It helped us all grow as a society allowing us to eventually form our lands today. The only time ponies weren't like this was during the time of the three tribes. Even then the ponies instinctually tried to help each other, even of on the surface they were just using one another.”

“This is an answer you won’t get in a book. Now then the party has died down, so its time I think for everypony to head home, don’t worry about this mess I’ll take care of it,” Mistress stood up walking to the door, politely showing the mane six friends out, as they were the last to leave.

“Thank you for the, Welcome to Ponyville Party, Pinkie it was the most fun I think any of us have had in quite some time,” Mistress nodded and hugged the pink pony as she left. Duncan even voluntarily gave her an awkward hug wishing her safe travels.

“Good luck with the duel tomorrow, I’ll be cheering for you,” Pinkie waved before trotting off home.

“She knew, we didn’t say anything did we? “Duncan asked for confirmation.

“Nope,” Mistress responded, “also don’t even ask me to read her mind, I don’t need it broken... again, goodnight.”

“Wait, what about rooms, who gets which?”

“I get the master one, of course, besides I had Jeff here mark it earlier in the evening with my cutie mark,” The door had a morning glory flower set before a setting sun, matching the cutie mark on her flank.

“You suck, but seeing as you're the reason this is possible and I’m not getting turned to stone, I’ll give it to you,” Duncan resigned himself to the other room, there was a nameplate next to it noting him as ‘Guardpony Recruit Duncan Syaoran Klysh,’ “So what’s with the name?”

“Figured it would be an easy excuse to call you Syaoran if we run into other Displaced. So on all of your official Equestrian documentation thats your name, “ Mistress was still standing in her doorway, “Anything else? I’m going to have Jeff take care of the mess below sense he can sleep it off tomorrow, and I’m going to bed.”

Jeff took that moment to jump off of mistress, leaving her effectively bald. He grew several short stumpy legs, two eyes, and a mouth with razor sharp teeth. His body became a light grayish green, with armored plates along the top of a dark grayish green, “Mistress requests it, Duncan please rest. It has been long since Mistress has been able to relax, I thank you for your efforts.”

The strange mass of flesh known as Jeff bounced down the stairs to the living room to clean up after the party.

“Still creepy, ‘night MG,” Duncan ducked into his room flopping on his bed passing out.

In the dark of the night, in the middle of a dirt pit on the grounds of the local guard lands, a small light shines, pulsing with energy. The guards see nothing as it goes dark when they draw near during their patrol.

“Up time Duncan its o’ six hundred, muster is at o’ seven hundred,” Mistress called from the door, the smell of breakfast wafting up to him. He rummaged under the covers for a few minutes trying to get the energy to wake up. Finally getting his feet on the floor he forced himself up.

“DUNCAN GET UP!” She called again.

“I’M COMMING!” He responded, Stupid mornings.

Throwing on his cloths, he really needed to get some extras made, he made his way down stairs. Jeff was standing at the stove, he had four elongated legs, and four arms which were flipping pancakes.

“Smells good,” He muttered, “Get me an alarm clock, or charge my phone, I do not need to be yelled at every morning by you.”

Mistress set down a piece of charcoal she had been using to sketch with, the blue aura fading from it. She blinked her mind distracted, “Yes that is something I should do, might find a charger cable, or make one. I hate yelling for you to wake up. I also miss sleeping in.”

“I don’t ‘spose they have Coke here? I could use the caffeine,” He accepted a plate of food set before him. It contained pancakes, some eggs and a few strips of bacon. He blinked a few times, there were two things he wasn’t expecting while one Equis, “Not that I’m complaining but where the heck did this come from?”

“Its imported, don’t worry no sentient creatures were harmed in making your breakfast. I may have been gone for a few thousand years local time, but I have a few contacts who can get me some good old meat,” Mistress smiled with a look of bliss as she bit into a strip of bacon, “Oh how I missed you.”

Duncan was a little bit disturbed seeing the, still bald, pony chew through a piece of meat, “I am assuming your are not biologically a pony?”

“Tut I have a chapter planned for that, so I’ll tell you later. Anyways, you need a shower, we’ll take care of washing your clothes while you're in there. You need to be ready in thirty minutes so we can get to the guard house on time,” She rose her dishes in a blue aura being sat in the sink.

“Mistress has willed it, hurry and remove the filth so that we may cleanse them, “Jeff spoke up leaving the dishes to Mistress who was humming a tune as she worked. Jeff followed Duncan up stairs, his arms retracting till he had only two and his legs shrunk to their regular stubby forms.

“If you can do things like this, why not look like an animal or something?” Duncan asked though the door as he stripped.

“Can’t living things hard to replicate, pulse, breath, twitchy anomalies. Mistress is very good at it. I am not, I can only do non-living. Hair is easy, I just make tiny threads that flail, but body needs heart, I am good with all matter, makes easy to work,” Jeff extended his arm through the door accepting the garments while Duncan slipped into the shower.

Well at least the showers are nice, really big, but short, He had to kneel to get his hair washed. He finished quickly never being one to really lounge in the shower. To his surprise his clothes were neatly stacked on a shelf by the door. Picking them up and sniffing them he noticed they were clean.

After a few more minutes the trio found themselves in front of the guard barracks, Stone Wall met them there. He ordered Duncan to fall in line at the back of the group. He stood at attention with his hand clasped at his side, his legs brought together. Mistress set off to the side.

There was a lot of whispering among the ponies about the new creature. Mistress sighed,Again with the damn deformed minotaur thought, doesn’t a single pony have an imagination?

“ATTENTION!” Stone called out, “Now then muster…”

He began calling out the names of ponies, who responded with mixed levels of enthusiasm. Seems that no matter the universe not everyone was a morning person, or enjoyed standing in ranks.

“Guardpony Recruit Duncan!” Stone got to his name causing more than a few heads turn breaking their military bearing.

“Present Petty Officer!” He called from the back, suddenly not sure if that was the way to address him, he decided to hold his stoic unreadable look with a thousand yard stare.

“ATTENTION!” Stone called again forcing them to look forward again, “As that is everypony I will now advise you of the Daily Passdown. First we have a new recruit, his name is Duncan, you will all treat him with the respect due any pony, he is a unique creature, not a minotaur, for further questions regarding him and his past ask him or Morning Glory, who will be his retainer and supervisor.”

Mistress gave a cheery wave to the parties, picking up on a few dirty thoughts from the stallions in the group… and a mare, she felt very flattered with a blush coming across her cheeks.

“Today we have a duel between our newbie, and Guardpony Twisted. This will commence at ten-thirty. All ponies not on watch or with other duties are welcome to attend. Now then cleaning quarters till o’ eight hundred. DISMISSED!” Stonewall released all of the ponies. Duncan decided to approach him at this time.

“Petty Officer, what would you like me to do?” He asked standing at attention before the guard.

“At ease, just normal cleaning, the grounds around the guard house need picking up, and no need to stand so formally,” Stone smiled a little, “I am surprised, you must be a fast study to learn ranks so fast and know how to address an enlisted.”

“Actually I find that your ranks seem to be the same as some of my military from my home world. It made it easy to remember when you introduced yourself yesterday, ”Duncan changing to an at-ease stance.

“Strange, well that will give you a leg up, normally ponies go through boot-camp, but you don’t seem to need to. Should make up some of the spite with the brigade. Not sure how your world’s military was but we do not tolerate slacking off. Everypony is trained to be a fighting machine. After cleaning quarters you will make your way inside to the captain, he will want to meet with you personally,” Stone Wall walked off to ensure everypony was doing their diligence.

Duncan moved off to do his fair share. Most of the ponies steered clear of him. Afterwards his meeting with the Captain of the Brigade was rather boring, the old stallion remained stone faced the entire time telling him that he expected nothing but the best from him. He was the first Displaced formally accepted into the Equestrian Military and he shouldn't bring any shame.

He was sent out before he had a chance to ask any questions.

“Ya, the thought around the area is that the Captain is a crazy stallion, who is more in love with the military then his wife,” Mistress responded after hearing the story.

“We should find the dueling area before it gets late, what time is it anyways?” Duncan asked walking around, “Also shouldn’t there have been an officer at muster this morning?”

“O’ nine-forty-five. The Ensign of the Company you are a part of is on leave, the Chief is S.I.Q., so the first class is in charge. You picked a great time to join,” She laughed.

“Haha, just means less ponies to meet right away,” Duncan saw a group of ponies gathered around. The center was a pit of dirt where two ponies circled each other, looked to be combat drills.

The two stayed in the back watching the spar, Mistress was to short to actually see over the ponies so she watched through the other’s minds. Duncan smirked, he was liking being the tallest around.

One of the ponies, an earth pony, was panting there was little bits of blood dripping from his left shoulder. The other pony was smiling, a pegasus, she looked like she was in pretty good shape. The earth pony rose his spear charging the pegasus, who sided step flaring out her wings blinding the earth pony for a few moments, she brought her spear back, making a draw cut along his flank.

“Second blood, ”announced a referee. The crowd cheered, as she back peddled, keeping her eyes on her opponent. The earth pony turned to face her limping a little, he dug his free fore-hoof into the dirt throwing dirt up in the pegasus’ face. She blinked temporarily blinded, the earth pony used the chance to draw a cut on one of her wings. She stepped into it closing the distance landing a punch to his face.

Recovering she found him lying on the dirt, she rested her spear head against his thought, “You have lost.”

“I recognize my defeat,” He accepted her hoof lifting him to his. They walked over to a few ponies who had white hats with red crosses on them. They began administering potions and spells healing the wounds.

“What mistakes did we see?” asked a mare, unicorn, she had golden fur with matching mane and tail of a slightly redder shade, her cutie mark was six orbs of different colors on a white starburst field.

“Sir, Sprout Arm’s use of the environment was effective, but he was cocky thinking that Snow Dive wouldn’t be able to find him while blind. Snow Dive should have been prepared for the sand attack,” answered another pony from the crowd.

“Exactly, now then who’s next?” The leader asked.

There were several more duels during which Duncan was able to piece together the rules.

They were using live weapons, and went for blood. However it was always non-lethal and always draw cuts nicking the opponent, after receiving three cuts they lost.

One could also use hooves and the environments, knockouts were aloud.

Magic and flight were also allowed, but leaving the ring was an automatic loss, in the case of flying, being more than about five feet off the ground counted as leaving the ring.

The ponies had medics on hand that were really good at their jobs. Snow Dive was ready to fight two more times before the field was cleared. A lot more ponies had began filing in, the circle grew with many ponies taking knees letting the others behind them see. Word had spread about the new creature and the fact it got a duel with Twisted Spear, who was known for his brutality.

Several ponies were exchanging bets on how long the newbie would last. Mistress got in on one bet, placing five bits on forty-five seconds. The stallions accepted the bet readily enough, one had thirty seconds, thinking Twisted might show boat, the other said it would be over in ten seconds flat.

“Recruit Duncan to the ring, Guardpony Twisted Spear to the ring!” The mare called out over the chatter.

Making his way past the ponies, who mostly moved out of his way, when not paralyzed by shock, Duncan entered the ring. He stood ready to fight. Twisted smirked flaring out his wings a little adopting a battle stance his spear at the ready.

“Alright everypony, this is a duel between Guardpony Twisted Spear, who does not believe our new recruit to be capable of being a member of the guard, and Guardpony Recruit Duncan, who was insulted by this action and defended his honor. In accordance with the old laws they will now duel. Gentleponies, ready your weapons,” The mare announced the duel nodding to Duncan to ready his weapon.

Clasping the sphere he brought forth his sword, holding it in two hand before him he stood at the ready. Twisted sank farther into his stance tensing for the fight to start. The mare looked between the pair, “BEGIN!”

“Raitei Shourai!” Duncan began the fight with launching a bolt of lightning at the pegasus. Who to many ponies surprise was knocked to the ground tumbling. There was a small flash of white light among the blue lightning that no pony noticed. Shaking his head Twisted turned and in a flash was before Duncan with his spear slicing into his arm.

“Arrg,” Duncan cried out not use to the pain. Then instinctively he rose his sword batting the spear away.

“First Blood.”

“What not good with pain newbie? ”asked Twisted as he readied his spear again. His grin widening on his face. Duncan noticed a dark aura start to encase the pony, it was faint like wisps of smoke.

Using his meager combat training from his days with Ampgard, he decided action was the best response, he charged forth bringing his sword down on the pony for a cleave. Twisted batted it to the side, he then punched Duncan in the gut with a hoof sending the human tumbling backwards.

“What now you can’t talk? You’re pathetic,” Twisted drove his spear forward cutting into Duncan’s arm again. Duncan ducked out of the way reacting on instinct he brought his sword up clipping Twisted in the shoulder. Twisted reared from the scratch using his wings to jump backwards. Duncan returned to his feet, unsteadily, he wasn’t prepared for this level of skill.

“Second Blood, First Blood.”

“That’s it, you’re dead,” Twisted dropped his spear, reaching into his armor his teeth grabbed a small silver necklace in the shape of a European long sword. Once his brought it to full view it transformed into a full size blade, his eyes glazed over and his posture changed.

“Morning, its the Sword Card get everyone back,” Duncan tried to run from the field, only to be stopped by the ponies who looked confused by his actions. They were murmuring about him being a coward as Twisted jumped for with the sword, he cut into Duncan’s leg, Duncan reacted in time to partially block the blow so it wasn’t too deep.

“Final Blood, Match.”

Twisted didn’t stop he charged Duncan again, who parried the blow, but only just. The ponies started yelling at Twisted, he was cruel but wasn’t one to break the rules normally.

“Steel Will, Twisted Spear is possessed by a magical artifact, we must separate him from his sword,” Mistress called out off the yelling.

Twisted began charging Duncan swinging wildly, who was barely blocking the blows. The other guard quickly joined the fight trying to disarm the possessed pony. Thanks to the magic of the card they came to an impasse, Twisted eventually took to the skies, forcing the guards to spread out as he fought them, in a crazed but controlled rage.

Jeff this is an emergency, if we are going to get Duncan to seal the Sword, then we need a token,{/i] Jeff pulled out a strange object passing it to Mistress who grabbed it, before channeling her will into it, igniting its flames. It was a blue iron brazier, it’s flames a bright and hot light blue.

This is Mistress Change my partner Duncan needs help, please come!

With this she waited.

Author's Notes:

May have to go back and make small changes. Thanks again for the support ^-^