Sweet fucking Celestia, my brain wants to drill its way to freedom out the back of my skull. That’s the last time I shotgun hard liquor... Then again, I don’t remember there being any booze last night? How I got drunk is still a mystery, a mystery neither Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie or I will ever uncover anytime soon since we were all blackout drunk for the most part.

A long awkward ride home with Fluttershy is what I’m met with after the whole rigmarole with that Spitfire mare. As I lay sprawled out like a dying squid in the passenger seat of the car, Fluttershy pays me a disconcerted glance, her gentle teal eyes filled with worry.

“Do you feel okay Walter?” Fluttershy inquires with concern, her tender voice kissing my ears, her voice is so sweet and motherly it could rival Celestia’s, and that mare knows how to sweet talk.

“I feel like I tried to discover the secrets of a concrete wall by bashing my skull against it until I blacked out.” I mumbled in response, offering a weak smile of reassurance. “Other than that, I feel fine, nothing personal of mine is missing… I don’t think”

“I somehow managed to… Find the personal belongings that you had on your person last night. They were… In the laundry room, I am going to run them through the washer as soon as we get back home.” Fluttershy responded, a heated blush rising to her cheeks.

“...Flutters, I didn’t… Do anything to you or the girls last night while I was drunk, did I?” I asked after a long pause of silence, examining Fluttershy’s flustered visage.

“W-What? No, no no you didn’t… You didn’t do anything to us, at least nothing I can remember…” Fluttershy replied, swallowing nervously.

“I… I’m sorry, I can usually hold my liquor rather well, I must have had a strong drink or… Something. I just can’t remember…” I say with a sigh, rubbing my face. My dreadful mulling is interrupted by Fluttershy’s hand resting on my knee. I glance over at her and she casts me a warm smile, her mirthful eyes locking with my own.

“It’s okay Walter, everybody is safe, that’s what matters.” Fluttershy says reassuringly.

“Right… Y-Yeah, thanks…” I nodded, smiling sheepishly as Fluttershy pulls her hand from my knee. The mare then reaches into her purse and pulls out my phone, wallet, keys, pocket knife, and headphones. She hands them to me, to which I clasp them with a more than thankful smile on my face. I tuck my wallet and knife into my pocket, hooking my headphones to my phone, turning on some music that would help smooth my disheveled senses. The calming melody of Elton John calming my worries, allowing a brief distraction from the underwater feeling in my head.

Glancing out the window I watch as the scenery of the north-west end of Ponyville fades away, slowly bleeding into the colorful less industrial eastern side of town. Trees and nature became more and more frequent, after all the eastern part of Ponyville is mostly a living district and retains most of its former structures in contrast to the new and updated buildings that make up modern day Ponyville.

There are still modern homes and buildings scattered throughout eastern Ponyville, but no changes were made to the old dusty brick roads, the padded dirt sidewalks, and the lush greenery that flourishes throughout this part of town. It’s rather beautiful in its own way, a little piece of old country mixed in with a few specs of modern day’s touch. A smile comes across my features as we pull up to our house, the rigmarole caused by last night’s fiasco was finally over, and I could recover from this damned hangover at last.

I rest on the living room couch while the girls scramble to find the best hangover cures they could think of. I shotgun several glasses of water and a nice hot cup of coffee, followed by a small plate of toast and crackers. I begin to feel a little bit better, my condition gradually improving as I lay sprawled on the couch.

The girls decide to leave me be for the time being; Pinkie Pie rushed off to work, Fluttershy tended to her garden, and Rainbow Dash decided to start her daily exercise routine, at least that’s what she calls it. In reality she works out once in a great while when she feels like she’s getting fat. When she’s not doing her job working with other pegasi to maintain the weather, she is usually slacking off and lazing about; it's honestly kind of a shock to me that she's as fit as she is, all things considered. As of now I am left to my own devices, comfortably cozied up on the couch while watching television at a low volume. I was on the verge of sleep, however I am interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing from the kitchen.

“Fuck’n horse shit.” I hiss quietly, groaning as I contemplate on whether or not I should go and answer. I decide to simply cover my ears and wait it out, hoping the ringing would go away, or Fluttershy would hear it and get it herself. After five minutes of constant ringing, it finally fell silent. I let out a sigh of relief, my body once again relaxing. My hopes to get a good nap in are crushed once more as the phone sounds off once again, if somebody didn’t pick it up it would probably keep ringing on for who knows how long. Begrudgingly I begin to pull myself out of my comfortable position on the couch, mumbling obscenities as I make my way to the phone, grappling it aggressively before hefting it up to my face. “Hello?” I spat groggily.

“Who is this?” a rather posh voice sounded from the other end of the phone.

“I could ask you the same thing.” I retorted gruffly as I fought through the fog of my violent hangover.

“I’m Rarity, and you?” the feminine voice responded, her tone hinting at curiosity and trepidation.

“Oh, Rarity? Sorry, this is... Walter. I’m just a bit… Um, well let's just say I’m recovering from a long night last night.” I mumbled apologetically, only to earn a dismissive snort from the other end of the line.

“Oh yes, I heard all about that.” Rarity said; I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

“Is there something you needed?” I asked, clearing my throat so I didn’t sound so hoarse.

“Right, could you tell Fluttershy that we aren’t able to return to Ponyville? We’re still organizing a few things here in Canterlot. Don’t forget about the Gala tonight, you lot will have to start the party without us, at least until we manage to finally get back.” Rarity explained, sounding mildly displeased.

“Oh, Gala? What’s the Gala?” I inquired.

“It’s where distasteful nobles gather to jut their noses into one another’s fanny. I must be going now darling, talk to you later, toodles~” Rarity says as she hangs up, leaving me with the soft hum of the dial tone.

“Oh… Kay?” I mumbled, staring at the phone in silence before hanging it up it's cradle. Big social meetings… Not exactly my strong suite. I have to not only worry about how others see me, but also about the reputation of the girls. The girls are very important to Equestria it seems; being the bearers of these Elements of Harmony must be a big deal. I am nervous, extremely nervous. I could stay home, but being alone in my thoughts for too long is never a good thing, not ever. Standing in the kitchen by the phone, I mull over the choices laid before me before deciding that I might as well go, hopefully nobody pays any attention to me while I’m there and the whole party goes by fast. “Oh who am I kidding, I look like a mountain of flesh and body hair, of course they’re gonna notice my huge ass” I murmur bitterly to myself.

“Walter?” I tense up as I hear Fluttershy’s voice followed by the patio door sliding open. “I heard the phone earlier, did somebody call?” she inquired as she approached the kitchen sink to wash her hands free of dirt.

“Huh? Oh yeah, Rarity just called, she said that the Gala is tonight and that she and the others are still held up in Canterlot. She says to just head out to the party without them and that they would join us later into the night.” I explain as Fluttershy wiped her brow of sweat.

“Oh! I almost forgot about it!” Fluttershy gasped, clapping her hands together. “It’ll be your first ever Gala wouldn’t it? I need to find you an appropriate suit, we’ll need to stop by Rarity’s shop and see if Sweetie Belle can help us get a suit thrown together for you!” Fluttershy says with a smile. “I’m going to go take a shower and get cleaned up, once I’m done let's go get that stuff out of the way.” Fluttershy says as she passes by me quickly, jogging up the stairs while her more than bubbly backside bounces with each fast paced step she takes.

Dude, you're staring at her ass.

“So are you.” I mumbled in retort to my inner thoughts.

True.

“Did you say something?” Fluttershy called down from the top of the staircase.

“No! I was just… Clearing my throat!” I lied, quickly scampering off to the living room to sit down and wait for Fluttershy to return. Once she comes back down cleansed of dirt and in a fresh pair of clothes, Fluttershy and I head out on the town.

As our house fades over the horizon behind us, Fluttershy and I are soon engrossed more and more by the livelihood of Ponyville’s rather country-esque sense of culture, a way of life that has been around for way longer than I have most likely, however I do see specs of other cultures slowly bleeding in as well.

Long ago I heard Ponyville just used to be your average small backwater town, however, shortly after the industrial boom of more advanced technologies there was a need to expand on modern lifestyle, and Ponyville was among the first few villages to merge with modern culture. From there on Ponyville grew like a puzzle game, pieces being added to it little by little until it eventually became the large town it is now.

“So Walter, I’d like to personally apologize for what happened last night.” Fluttershy began, speaking in a soft voice. I turn my head to her in full attention, tilting my head.

“It’s alright Flutters, not like it was your fault, nobody knows what happened and I think it should stay that way.” I say with a short laugh. Fluttershy didn’t seem amused.

“No, it’s… It’s not right. You’ve probably already been through so much, yet one of the first steps to your new life is recovering from such a hectic night.” Fluttershy sighs, causing my brows to furrow.

“Hey now hey, there ain’t no reason to beat yourself or anybody else up over it. I probably got a hold of liquor and got wasted somehow. It’s probably my fault to begin with, and besides, one way to tell we had a good time is when we can’t even remember what happened.” I say as I pat her on the shoulder. “Personally, I would rather wake up naked in a strange place than be forced to fight for a country that doesn’t even look at me as an intelligent species.”

“I-If you say so.” Fluttershy replied, her face slowly reddening. I quickly remove my hand from her shoulder, smiling sheepishly. I seem to keep forgetting that Fluttershy is a recovering introvert, so interacting with others on a close level is still rather difficult for her.

“So, what’s this Gala going to be like? Rarity says it’s where a bunch of snobby rich people go to stick their noses in each others butts. Is that true?” I inquired, attempting to keep the small talk alive until we reach our destination.

“Oh, w-well Rarity isn’t entirely wrong. I don’t personally take a liking to speaking ill about others, but I can’t help but agree with Rarity. Myself along with the other girls have to attend because we are important figureheads to Equestria and what not…” Fluttershy explains.

“Figureheads? You’re talkin’ about the whole Elements of Harmony thing right?” I asked.

“Right, the Elements of Harmony must deal with certain matters that normal ponies can’t often do by themselves. We are seen as the last line of defense against great threats against Equestria.” she goes on to explain further while I listen intently.

“Kind of like the Avengers?” I ask with a small grin. Fluttershy glances at me with a confused expression.

“Avengers?” Fluttershy replies, tilting her head.

“Never mind.” I chuckle softly as Fluttershy just gave me a sideways glance. We continued to hold idle conversation as we made our way through town, arriving at what can only be described as the most girliest fucking store I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a lot of bright colorful shit ever since I came to Equestria.

Rarity’s boutique is a tall victorian style building, roughly two stories tall and thoroughly bestrewn with ornate design. Man whoever built this joint must’ve had one hell of a time throwing the boutique’s frilly design together. Everything looked so neatly constructed and well kept, the building looks completely brand new.

Upon approaching the boutique’s lavender hued door, I found myself staring up at the sign of a golden pony mannequin silhouette looming over Fluttershy and I. Letting out a whistle, I glance over at Fluttershy and raise an inquisitive brow.

“This place must’ve costed a fortune.” I say before glancing back up to take a second glance over the looming presence of the boutique. Fluttershy shrugs, nodding her head in agreeance.

We entered the building after our knocks were greeted with a small and gentle voice calling out to us, telling us to come inside. Upon entering we are greeted by a teenage filly, maybe fifteen or so years old. She had pale alabaster fur, light amethyst hued hair with pink highlights, and a smooth horn protruding from her forehead. The small unicorn smiled politely to me, before her eyes flickered over to Fluttershy, that’s when her expression became that of recognition.

“Auntie! It’s nice to see you again!” the unicorn says as she pulls Fluttershy into a close hug. Fluttershy smiles warmly and returns the hug.

“Sweetie Belle, it’s always good to see you too!” Fluttershy says as she gently strokes the filly’s mane. Meanwhile I just stood on the sidelines, standing silently and awkwardly, waiting for the warm bubbly greeting to end.

“Who’s this… Big dude?” The filly, who I can safely assume is Sweetie Belle, inquires as she cranes her neck upward to look at me more observantly than before. With a soft chuckle Fluttershy pats her hand on my bicep and smiles.

“This is Walter, he’s a new roommate of the girls and I. He’s new to Equestria, and he’s also never been to the Gala before so I brought him here so you could possibly prepare a suit for him?” Fluttershy explained as Sweetie Belle continued to size me up, looking at me like I was math homework.

“Tsk… This could be a challenge. I haven’t really worked on anybody this big before, I mean I helped Apple Bloom’s big brother fix up his overalls but this human, Walter, is almost two times Big Mac’s size.” Sweetie Belle says as she begins to circle me.

“Geez, I’m not that fat.” I remark with a chuckle, earning a look from Sweetie Belle who shook her head quickly.

“N-No no, I didn’t mean it like that! I mean, you’re built like a minotaur, and you have a very… Aesthetically pleasing balance between muscle and body fat. Your frame is very large and bulky.” Sweetie Belle explains, smiling sheepishly.

“I’m only fu-- I’m only messing with you” I say, quickly censoring myself as I pat the filly on the head. “I don’t want anything fancy, just an average suit that fits is all I need.”

“If only it were more simpler than that. If my sister found out that I gave a customer some mediocre suit, especially for somebody attending the Gala, I would not hear the end of it. I have a reputation to hold up to, all I need is for you to let me get some good measurements of you and I can put something together from there.” Sweetie Belle explained.

“Oh, well okay, so how do we do this?” I inquired.

“Follow me to over here by the dressing room with all the mirrors.” she says, taking me by the hand and leading me over to a vast array of mirrors with measuring tape strewn about along with many other tailoring equipment. Fluttershy follows close behind us. Once at the measurement station, Sweetie Belle begins to size me up once more, mumbling quietly to herself before dragging over several crates, stacking them on one another before climbing on top of them to get a higher angle. After clicking her tongue and mulling silently to herself for a few minutes, she gives a firm nod and speaks up.

“I need you to strip.” Sweetie Belle states with a straight face.

“...Uh… What?” I blinked, glancing over at her.

“I can’t take proper measurements with your baggy casual clothes in the way. I need raw data, it’s easier to work with.” Sweetie Belle explains.

“Oh… Um… Okay then. Do I have to…”

“You can leave your underwear on, obviously. Unless you’re running short on undergarments?” Sweetie Belle replied with a smirk, chuckling softly as I give her a stare.

“Right right, well. Okay then. Just… Um, Fluttershy could you uh…” I glance over at the cream colored pegasus, who stared at me blankly before the realization dawned on her. She blushed, smiling sheepishly as she backed out of the room after whispering an apology. Once Fluttershy was gone, I turned to Sweetie Belle with a very serious expression. “Whatever you see, I don’t want you speaking a word of it to any of the other girls, okay? I don’t want them to see it yet.” I say as Sweetie Belle gave me a puzzled expression.

“What do you mean?” she asked, and so I began to quietly remove my clothes, stripping down to my boxers. As soon as I pulled my inner layer off, I heard an audible gasp escape from Sweetie Belle’s gaping mouth. Scars laced across my back like an abstract painting, as if somebody dipped a rope in molten lead and lashed it against my back over and over until nothing but improperly healed scars was all that was left of over forty-percent of my flesh.

“What… What happened?” Sweetie Belle whispered shakily, her hand extending to softly graze her nimble fingers across my scars.

“Disobedience, that’s what happened to Imperial Guardsmen who don’t follow orders, or intentionally break the rules. Part of it is bad blood between me and a few higher ranking cadets, but hey, that’s life for humans in the Griffon Kingdom.” I explained as I glanced over my shoulder at her. Sweetie Belle remained silence, appalled most likely. “Believe it or not, this is the smallest punishment they could’ve given me, if it wasn’t for my dad and his connections… Much worse could’ve happened to me.”

“I’m… So sorry.” she says, gently stroking the old scars, as if she were trying to soothe a frightened animal. I give a shrug and chew on the inside of my cheek absentmindedly.

“It’s nothing to fret over anymore, it happened a long time ago. It’s not the worst injury I’ve ever gotten.” I explained. “Now how’s about we get this over with so I don’t have to be half naked any longer than I should be?” I say as Sweetie Belle nods slowly, smiling sheepishly as she began to measure my physique.

Sweetie Belle spent the next twenty-five minutes thoroughly examining every portion of my physique pertinent to crafting my suit as elegantly as possible. I held out my arms in a T-pose for several long minutes, occasionally flexing like He-Man so I would be able to comfortably move around in my future suit without having to waddle around like a penguin, although that would be kind of funny.

I suddenly have a hot burning sensation itching on the back of my head. I grumble softly, excusing myself quietly as I released my arm from its stiff outstretched position, despite Sweetie Belle’s protest, scratching the back of my head quickly to try and fend off the burning sensation. I dig my fingers through the thick wavy locks of my brown hair, tracing the ugly X-shaped scar on the back of my head beneath all my hair.

“Hurry up and itch so I can get back to measuring you.” Sweetie Belle says as she poked the side of my belly with her nimble index finger.

“Sorry, it just started burning out of nowhere.” I mutter with a small chuckle before outstretching my arm once again. “Continue”

It only took about ten more minutes or so until I was all measured up, at least by her standards. She seemed a bit rushed, and I couldn’t blame her, finding out that she had to prepare a suit for a giant dingus like me out of the blue in time for this big Gala event tonight must be stress inducing.

“Say, Sweetie Belle?” I began, glancing over at her as she wrote down all of her measurements on a clipboard while she thought deeply about how to approach the situation. She pauses briefly, glancing up at me and tilting her head in inquisition.

“Yes?”

“This is very kind of you, and I don’t really have a lot of cash on me but if you ever need a favor from me, do not hesitate to contact me okay?” I say as I glance down at her. She smiles warmly, a blush washing across her face.

“I-It’s really not a big deal, Walter.” she replied bashfully.

“It is though. The kindness that I’ve been shown so far has to be paid back somehow!” I say as I grab the pencil and clipboard she was holding, scribbling down my phone number at the bottom of the paper before handing the items back to her. “Any time, no matter the occasion, call me if you or your friends need help.” I say with a smile.

“Thank you, Walter. I’ll be sure to hold you up on that offer if the time comes.” Sweetie Belle says with a sheepish smile, “I’m going to go… Get to work on your suit. It’ll take some time but it’ll be done before tonight. You can go out and do whatever and I’ll give you a call when it’s done.” Sweetie Belle says as she bows politely before taking her leave into the back room. I get dressed once again and take my leave, meeting with Fluttershy out in the lobby.

“How’d it go?” Fluttershy asked, smiling up at me as we left the boutique.

“As awkward as any man would be having a small preteen girl feeling him up in his underwear.” I snorted before shaking my head, “It went fine. She got the measurements, although I think she made me do a few odd poses for her own amusement.” I say with a small laugh.

“Oh? Like what?” Fluttershy inquired, perking a brow.

“Like… This!” I say, taking up an overly exaggerated pose that one would only see in a power rangers movie, flexing my right arm while my left extended into the air, looking as if I were about to throw an invisible spear up into the air. Upon seeing my exaggerated pose, Fluttershy couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

“Walter, please, people are staring.” Fluttershy wheezed as she grabbed a hold of my wrist and began to pull me along, breaking me out of my absurd pose. Fluttershy and I began to meander about the town, walking nowhere specifically, just talking and enjoying one another’s company.

Some time after they left the boutique, Fluttershy decided to bring us both to Sugar Cube Corner, a giant three-story building that looked more like a massive gingerbread house than an actual structure of any kind. It was bright and colorful, a mixture of pink, cream, and chocolate brown dominated most of the color scheme. Upon entering, I immediately noticed the upbeat warm and bubbly atmosphere that filled the restaurant. Customers laughed and smiled as they exchanged words over their meals. However, the atmosphere quickly fell silent as my presence became noticed. It threw me off at how many ponies just stopped what they were doing to turn and gawk at me, I mean sure ponies often do that in public but not as much while I’m with Fluttershy.

“It’s okay.” Fluttershy whispered softly to me, gently clasping her small nimble fingers around the hulk of my massive paw, squeezing my hand firmly as she casts me a warm smile. Inhaling slowly, I nod, but before I can make any further progression into the restaurant I am swept off my feet by a blur of pink.

“GAH!” I screamed, albeit not as manly as I’d hoped, while tumbling backward onto the floor while I am showered with pure affection, my face swallowed up by busty and firm cleavage. If I opened my eyes I’d only be met with utter darkness, but even without my vision I could already tell who it was that has assaulted me with affection: Pinkie Pie.

“Hi Pinkie.” I managed to groan, although my voice was muffled she seemed to hear me quite clearly.

“Hi Wally! I’m so happy you and Fluttershy are here! Now I can show you guys my new cupcake recipe!” Pinkie Pie cheered giddily, quickly pulling herself off of me only to practically manhandle me, dragging me over to a table where Fluttershy and I are placed. “Just sit tight and I’ll be back in a jiffy!” she giggled before disappearing.

I am simply left there in the center of the restaurant, my hair disheveled, looking as if I just walked out of a hurricane, or was attacked by a gang of giant blow dryers. Fluttershy simply adjusted comfortably into her seat before reaching up to comb my hair back into order. Fluttershy didn’t seem as phased by Pinkie’s antics as I did, which could only mean that these kind of shenanigans are a regular occurrence.

“Believe it or not, you’ll get used to this sort of thing. That’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.” Fluttershy says with a sheepish smile as she finishes fixing me up.

“So she suffocates you guys with her boobs too?” I inquire. Fluttershy blushed, chuckling softly as she scratches the back of her head.

“Well, sometimes, if she decides to do a running-jump hug, she doesn’t have to do that quite as often with we me or the other girls because we’re not as tall as you are.” Fluttershy explained. “She probably sensed the tension in the air and decided to break the ice?” Fluttershy added with a sheepish grin.

“More like shatter the ice into tiny little pieces.” I retorted, earning a shrug from Fluttershy. Looking around now ponies weren’t as tense or uncomfortable as they were before, it seemed that being friends with both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie is enough to calm the suspicions of others. I wonder how bad mingling in with society here would’ve been had I not been assigned to the Elements of Harmony.

Without much warning Pinkie returns in a blur, setting down two plates for Fluttershy and I, and I have to be honest, I was quite impressed with what I was looking at. On my plate were three medium-sized cupcakes, which smelled strongly of cheesecake. The first layer of the cupcake was cream cheese, most likely, and on top of that was a cream frosting with caramel swirls mixed in. To add the finishing touch, Pinkie shaved a few layers off of a bar of dark chocolate onto our cupcakes, sprinkling the pastries until they were perfectly decorated in the chocolate.

“This looks amazing, I’ve never seen cupcakes that look like this before!” I say as I examine the pastries closely. Pinkie blushed, her smile widening into a disproportionately sized grin.

“Well don’t just look at it, stuff it in your face! Tell me how it tastes!” Pinkie Pie says as she leans her elbows on the table, her cleavage staring me dead in the face while her deep blue eyes peered into my very soul.

“My pleasure.” I reply, licking my lips as l pluck one of the pastries from the platter, lifting it up to my open maw. Just as I’m about to take a bite, my phone goes off. I furrow my brows, letting out a sigh as I set the pastry down, an audible pout escaping Pinkie’s lips as I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. “Who the fuck…” I mumbled quietly as I look at the caller ID, it was Storm.

“Storm?” I mumbled, perking a curious brow. I accept the call and raise the phone to my ear.

“Walter, you busy?” Storm asked, Gumdrop singing softly in the background, most likely doing household chores.

“Well, not really. I’m at a bakery with my friends. What’s up?” I responded while Pinkie just pouted and glared playfully at me, puffing out her cheeks, waiting for me to get done with the phone so I could enjoy her sugary creation.

“Sorry to interrupt. I just got wind of who your new Guardian is gonna be.” she explained.

“New Guardian? Oh right, you were my temporary one. So, who is it?” I asked while reaching over and petting Pinkie on the head, scratching behind her ears to soothe her frustration. She squeaked softly before melting into my hand.

“Captain Ashfall Venture, retired, he’s a veteran who fought during the Changeling Wars, he’s old but he’s still tougher than nails.” Storm explains as the sound of papers being sorted through sounded in the background. “It’s strange though, as to why they are appointing him to you...”

“Why’s that?” I asked, perking a brow.

“Well, Celestia appointed Captain Venture as your Guardian herself, and Venture is the type of guy who is usually appointed to babysit nobles.” Storm continued to explain.

“And?”

“Walter, nobles don’t fuck around when it comes to protection. Venture may be old but he has more finesse and skill than most veterans out there. He’s the kind of guy that…” she trailed off, seeming unsure if she should speak any further.

“Storm, what is it?” I demanded, removing my hand from Pinkie’s poofy mane despite her protest.

“Never mind, I just think it’s odd as to why they’d appoint him to you. It seems Celestia isn’t taking any chances with your well being.” Storm says with a small sigh.

“Is he that big of a deal?” I asked, tilting my head.

“I little bit, but I’m probably just being weird. Anyway, Venture will be meeting with you at the Gala tonight. He’ll find you, just keep an eye out for a tall lean vet with a fiery mane. I’ll talk to you later kiddo, buh-bye!” Storm says before hanging up.

“Okay… So that was my old Guardian. She says that my new Guardian will meet with me at the Gala tonight.” I explained as I reached for the cupcake, plucking it up and preparing it to be devoured while I tucked my phone away back into my pocket.

“Oh, so who’s your new Guardian?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’unno, some old dude who served in the Changeling Wars? Captain Ashfall Venture.” I reply, shrugging as I sank my teeth into the amazingly delicious yet almost too sugary pastry, my mouth recoiling from the overwhelmingly pleasant flavor. “Oh my god my mouth is having an orgasm…” I moan softly and quietly, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. I dare say that this cupcake is better than sex.

Yes, I’ve had sex before. Shut up.

I couldn’t help but hear a mixture of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie’s voices overlapping one another in a sniggering fit. Fluttershy took a break from her giggling to take a bite out of the cupcake herself, earning a much more salacious version of my reaction. Fluttershy’s face flushed red and she quickly covered her mouth with a napkin to wipe the remnants of frosting from the corner of her mouth.

“So, any official quotes that you two would like to agree on? I like to put the reaction of customers in quotation next to the product they tested, however I don’t think I can put either of your first reactions on there.” Pinkie Pie explains with a giggle.

“Oh, uh… Hm.” I pause, clicking my tongue as I rattled my brain for thoughts.

“W-Well, how about: ‘Worth Every Bit?’, because honestly, if I were paying a hefty sum for this pastry, I’d definitely say it was worth the cost.” Fluttershy suggested, earning a nod from me in agreement.

“Alrighty! I like it, thank you two for testing a new delightful cupcake of mine!” Pinkie Pie says gleefully as she then takes off, most likely to add the pastry to the menu.

Fluttershy and I stick around for an hour or so at Sugar Cube Corner, after that we left and wandered around town getting to know each other better. I learned of how Fluttershy met the others and how over time she managed to escape her shy introvert habits, she is still a bit coy every once in awhile but it’s not as bad as it used to be.

“Daddy!” a colt calls out as he makes a mad sprint across the front yard of Ponyville Schoolhouse.

“Steel, my boy!” an older stallion calls out, kneeling down, opening his arms in order to affectionately intercept his child. I watch the scene quietly, my smile faltering noticeably as I spectate the scene. After a brief reunion the pair enter a chariot and drive away, I must have been making a face because Fluttershy spoke up.

“Walter, you okay?” Fluttershy asked, obviously picking up on my inner dilemma.

“Huh? Oh, yeah I’m… I’m fine.” I say, forcing a smile onto my lips.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy pressed on, gently placing her hand on my shoulder.

Swallow your emotions, Walter!

“Yeah I’m fine. Let's hurry back to Sweetie Belle!” I say as I grasp her hand gently and began to fast-walk in the direction of the Boutique.

“Captain, it’s nice to see you again.” Snowdrop spoke up as she stood to formally greet an old friend, extending her hand out for the grizzly looking older stallion with cold gray fur, a blonde/red mane that resembled the tendrils of a flame, and tired blue eyes that held a certain edge to them.

“Indeed it is, Lieutenant.” the older stallion remarked, squeezing the mare’s hand firmly in a brief shake before letting go and falling to his sides. “So, ‘Snowdrop’, what have you got for me this time?” the unicorn asked as he idly chewed on some nicotine gum he had rolling around in his cheek.

“Please, Ash, just call me Snow. I know it’s a silly name but it’s the one that Luna gave me.” Snowdrop says with a small sigh as the stallion smirked and gave a short nod. “As for what I have for you, it is a personal request from Princess Celestia herself. We have a more special case for you, so you needn’t worry about babysitting a noble or anything like that.” Snowdrop says as a distinct wave of relief washes over Ashfall’s visage.

“Huhn. Right. So, who’s my object of affection this time?” Ashfall inquired mildly as he laced his fingers behind the small of his back, earning a small grin from Snowdrop.

“Walter Barnes, a refugee from the war that broke out in the GK.” Snowdrop says as she hands Ashfall a bundle of files.

“Barnes… Why does that name sound familiar?” Ashfall mutters as he began to leaf through the pile of papers and documents within the folders.

“You probably recognize the name from your charge’s father, Franklin ‘Fury’ Barnes.” Snowdrop explains, causing Ashfall’s eyes dart up to meet hers, and one of his thick motley orange brows to lift in inquisition.

“Human, then… Hrn. Franklin Fury had a kid... Who’s the mother?” Ashfall inquired as his eyes returned to the files and he continued leafing.

“Sarah Crewes.” Snowdrop says, casing Ashfall’s head to raise up this time rather than just his eyes.

“No shit? Fury and Crewes bumped uglies? Shitfire, why does this kid need my protection?” Ashfall asked with a snort of what could have been annoyance or disbelief.

“You see, that’s where it gets complicated. Walter isn’t exactly like his parents or his sister.”

“Stars... they had two kids. Of course they did.” Ashfall muttered as he lifted a scarred hand to rub at one of his temples.

“Yes, and unlike his parents or his sister, Walter didn’t exactly walk down the same path of special forces like the rest of his family. An incident occurred, an incident Celestia has chosen to make classified, and it forced Walter out of any future in military careers.” Snowdrop explains while Ashfall takes a seat in front of Snowdrop’s desk, resting the files on his lap.

Slowly closing the folder, Ashfall leans back in the chair as he gathers his thoughts. “It said that Walter was a PFC, he should have gotten an acceptable amount of basic training, by griffon standards, to protect himself. I understand my role as a guardian, but as to why Crown Jewel requested me specifically to act as this kid’s bodyguard is still a mystery to me.” Ashfall says as he took a brief glance at the files again.

“It’s not that he can't defend himself, it’s that he shouldn't.” Snowdrop replied, earning a curious glance from Ashfall.

“And why’s that?” Ashfall asked, slowly perking a brow.

“...Alright, I’m going to go off the record here and let you in on what little information I can give you. I’m only doing this because we’re tight like that, you hear me?” Snowdrop says, earning a nod from Ashfall.

“I’d like to know what I’m dealing with before I jump neck deep into it” Ashfall stated, before allowing the corner of his mouth to raise ever so slightly. “But yeah. Tight like that. Hhrm.”

“The part about Walter being a PFC is false, a lot of Walter’s information was forged by Franklin Barnes, since he is the one who provided all of Walter and Jessica’s information. Jessica’s profile checks out, but according to our sources in the Imperial Legion, not a whole lot of Walter’s info matches up.” Snowdrop began as she crossed her arms. “Walter’s former rank was sergeant, top of his class in the Imperial Guard Academy, has lead several operations from Gorgonzola to the Forsaken Forest.” Snowdrop explains, earning a confused stare from Ashfall.

“How in the hell did he rank up to sergeant as a preteen?” Ashfall inquired in disbelief, though it seems the question was more posed toward himself as the gears inside his head began to rattle and roar like a V12 Diesel.

“That’s where things get complicated. Our sources say that not too long before his rapid climb of ranks, Walter was involved with a branch of military only referred to as Phantom. We have little to no information in regards of this confidential branch, all we managed to gather is the name.” Snowdrop began as she took a drink from a flask hidden in a drawer of her desk. “Not too long after his seventeenth birthday, Walter was shot in the back of the head by an unknown gunman. He miraculously survived, but the injury resulted in both brain damage and memory loss. He was demoted to Private First Class, where he served as military police until another incident occurred, which earned him a dishonorable discharge.” Snowdrop explains as thoroughly as possible.

“What happened?” Ashfall asked curiously. Snowdrop had his full attention now, as he slowly crossed his legs and sat back in the chair.

“Walter developed a clandestine romantic relationship with another human male; some of the older cadets found out about it and reportedly decided that it would be a good idea to lure Walter and his partner outside the base and beat them up. You know how they are over in the GK over… that sort of thing. Anyways, something... snapped, and Walter wound up beating the older cadets an inch from death. Walter was dishonorably discharged and punished by flogging before being sent home.”

Ashfall remained silent, partially in disbelief of what all he was hearing. He tapped his chin idly, scratching his goatee while mulling around in his thoughts.

“So you see, this is why Celestia has chosen you. As far as we’re concerned, Walter is a ticking time bomb. We don’t know what happened to him or why, all we know now is that he’s a very scared young man who just wants a second chance at life. For the safety of Walter and those around him, you must protect him from getting into any fights. You have six public campaigns and multiple black operations under your belt, Captain, you’re more than capable of handling this.” Snowdrop says as she offers a confident smile.

Despite the smile offered his way, the old captain seemed ill at ease. “Am I cleared by Crown Jewel to come at this suited and booted, or am I pulling the usual security detail?”

“In regards to your position as Walter Barnes’ guardian, you are hereby permitted to arm yourself with whatever necessities you deem appropriate. You may visit the local armory and get yourself suited up with what you think you’d need for this operation. But remember, you have to stay discreet, Walter is to be kept in the dark about all of this, as well as the Element Bearers.” Snowdrop responded.

“Crown’s giving me an open shopping cart? Hah.” For the first time since entering the office, Captain Venture grins, and his mind switches gears. “Thanks for the intel, Trueblood.” Ashfall speaks softly with a razors edge, placing the files back on Snowdrop’s desk.

“Snowdrop, it’s Snowdrop now.” the mare snaps, correcting the old stallion.

“Right right, ‘Snowdrop’. Got it. So when do I meet this kid?” Ashfall inquired, standing up from his seat.

“At the Gala, tonight. Good luck, Captain. And take care.”

“The fucking Gala… shitfire.”